An American journalist working for an Australian music magazine talking about music.
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Yeasayer released an EP (more like a single) consisting of two previously unreleased songs for Record Store Day back on April 16th. The band had this to say:
"We are releasing these two tracks to purge our brains and make way for new sounds/ideas."
The two songs are called "Swallowing the Decibels" and "Phoenix Wind", both of which can be heard below. Apparently these songs were written during the Odd Blood recording sessions, but were left unfinished, that is, until now. Upon listening to the tracks, one can easily imagine them being included on Odd Blood. Despite the similarity in sound, neither song is particularly interesting or strong in comparison, which may explain why they were left off in the first place.
"Swallowing the Decibels" is an eerie, slow burning song completely with the heavy electronic accents that came to define Odd Blood. "Phoenix Wind" is like listening to Yeasayer underwater, or in slow motion. The vocals undulate like a slow rolling tide against the backdrop of a lazily plucked guitar riff. This release is a companion piece to Odd Blood (hence the title, End Blood), however at the same time it posies some questions about the direction Yeasayer may take in the future. Their debut saw the band experimenting with world sounds and indie pop, whereas their second effort was more accessible and electronic. Will Yeasayer further redefine their sound? It remains to be seen.
The tough-to-Google Belfast band, Girls Names recently did an interview with Ragged Words in which lead singer, Cathal Cully, claimed that his band was the only one making "this sort of music" in Ireland. He went on to say, "Seriously, to the masses of Belfast this is not cool music. Due to the internet now, though, geography isn’t as important any more, is it?"
I can't speak for the music scene in Ireland, but I have to disagree with Cully on the issue of the importance of geography. No one may listen to the lo-fi noise pop Girls Names proudly tout as being unique and original in Ireland, but the fact of the matter is that people do listen to it stateside. When every other band that comes out of Brooklyn is also a fuzzy, washed out version of the band who came before it, you're going to be in for some stiff competition.
The debut album from Girls Names, Dead To Me, is here and it's...adequate. The band garnered some attention by signing to U.S. label/indie music haven Captured Tracks (home of the likes of Beach Fossils, Wild Nothing, and a bunch of other bands that either formed or relocated to Brooklyn, NY), and even some kind words from Pitchfork. The problem is that they sound just like Beach Fossils, et al. Dead To Me is competent, but it is far from being interesting or unique. In a genre that is so over saturated as it is, bands like Girls Names need to do something special in order to differentiate themselves from the crowd.
Unfortunately, Girls Names fail to do this. Any of their songs could have easily appeared on a Crystal Stilts record and no one would be the wiser. When your music is that interchangeable and virtually indistinct from your competitors it should be a red flag, but Girls Names seem oblivious to the fact that they are setting themselves up to be forgotten. Cathal Cully's eerie croon and the scratchy, bedroom recorded guitars are indiscernible, with every song being buried underneath a hazy, muddiness that is meant to be passed off as atmosphere. Instead, they only serve to obscure any subtle hooks or catchy melodies, effectively making every song a chore to listen to. Granted, Girls Names are foreign and they came to the lo-fi noise pop rock party a little late, but its no excuse for being stale and unoriginal.
Do you secretly wish that all of those lo-fi bands you love so much would start caring what their music sounded like and make clearer recordings? Are you too timid to say so because you're afraid you'll tarnish your indie-cred? Fear not, Virginia Beach band We Are Trees get you out of this precarious predicament by providing some much needed HI-fidelity recordings.
We Are Trees are made up of vocals/guitarist James Nee and percussionist Josiah Schlater (and occasional violinist Rocky Capizzi). The comparison between Nee's vocals and Grizzly Bear's Daniel Rossen is almost impossible to ignore, but We Are Trees develop a natural sounding record all their own. The record is crisp and clear and you can pick out all of the instruments. One can easily hear how the elements of the song come together organically in airy, yet sonically lush compositions.
There is a delicacy present in each one of the tracks on the Girlfriend EP (which comes hot off the heels of their Boyfriend EP), with songs like "Teenage Heartbreak" and "Colorado" perfectly balancing yearning, apprehension and elation. While the lyrical content of the Girlfriend EP is familiar territory, We Are Trees manage to show off their range by bending genres in virtually every song. "You" is a sugary sweet, finger-picked folk song, while the EP closer "I Don't Believe In Love" is a reverb drenched pop tune that will have you humming along with all of the "whooo ooohs" from the get go.
James Nee's vocals are sweet and captivating, while the arrangements and instrumentation are invigorating and fresh. In a genre where so many bands either take the lo-fi, fuzzy-buzzy approach or try and shoehorn synths and keyboards into every track, We Are Trees go back to the basics with shimmering anthems that show off their impressive talent.
You can listen to all of the tracks on We Are Trees Boyfriend EP here.
You can listen to all of the tracks on We Are Trees Girlfriend EP here.
Mellow, dream pop band Twin Sister and their close friends The Luyas have released a double A-side single in celebration of Record Store Day this past Saturday. The split single features two brand new tracks, "Meet the Frownies" by Twin Sister and "When I Am a Woman" by The Luyas.
"Meet the Frownies" was originally recorded by Twin Sister in conjunction with the nonprofit Weathervane Music for their Shaking Through series. It is what you'd expect for a Twin Sister song, in that it is a slow burning, contemplative little number. The lyrics start with "Smoking weed with you / in the leaves, in the fall / in the yard with your dog, till the winter came". It may sound like shoddy journalism, but to be completely honest, that's all you really need to know about this track. It is a fuzzy, hazy tune that was reportedly written and recorded in under twelve hours, and I wouldn't be surprised if for the majority of those twelve hours the band was smoking weed themselves.
Canadian band The Luyas contribute the track "When I Am a Woman", and it is a trippy, unearthly song that resonates with you. Jessie Stein's delicate, innocent vocals are surrounded by the swirling horns and jangly guitar before being shot off into the stratosphere with the haunting presence of the electronic organ. It is a truly hypnotic track that is a good indication of things to come.
The two songs present on this split 7" single compliment each other well, and it is a great introduction to a couple of bands that should be on your radar, if they aren't already. The chances of you scoring a physical copy of this 7" are pretty slim, so below you will find a link to download the Twin Sister track, free of charge. Enjoy.
It seems hard to believe, but ridiculously named, Mercury prize nominated British band Guillemots (it's a kind of bird) released their second album Red, only three years ago. I thought they had called it quits, probably because they haven't been on my radar for quite some time. The album wasn't all that well received and to be completely honest, I thought that their critically acclaimed debut, Through the Windowpane, was kind of a snoozefest, save for a handful of tracks. Anyway, much to my surprise, the Guillemots are back with their third studio album, Walk the River.
Apparently Guillemots frontman and chief songwriter Fyfe Dangerfield (with a name like that, how could you not be a musician?), released a solo album in between Red and this new effort, and even though I've never heard it, it seems as though some people did, and liked it. Go figure. Before I actually listened to this album I had noticed that some critics were saying that Walk the River was a return to the sound of their debut, which was funny because I thought their second album sounded exactly the same as their first. After I listened to Walk the River, I could totally see what they were talking about. Virtually all of the tracks on any Guillemots album are interchangeable with one another.
This isn't to say that the music is bad. If you liked Guillemots' previous efforts, you will probably find a lot to like about Walk the River. There are grandiose, life affirming anthems about love and loss and all of the other pop music cliches you can imagine. There are delicate, sleepy little introspective numbers. There are even some rollicking, puffed up radio friendly songs with plenty of "whoa ohhs" and electronic twinges to satiate fickle hipster audiences. Guillemots don't exactly try anything new on this record, choosing instead to stick to familiar territory.
That being said, this album does sound more cohesive and mature than their previous efforts. The songs are more complex, and I feel that with repeated listens, people could find a lot to like about this album. The problem is the fact that there just simply aren't any immediately accessible songs. Absent are the types of tracks that got the Guillemots noticed in the first place. There is no "Trains to Brazil", no "Get Over It". There are no tracks that capture your attention and even fewer that demand you to even notice them. This is not an album you can haphazardly listen to, it is one that requires some patience to be appreciated.
Despite this, Walk the River is an immense step forward from their second album. Red saw the "Trains to Brazil" from Through the Windowpane derail, and many people believed it was the last we had heard of the hard-to-pronounce band. Lyrically it was weak, musically it lacked direction, and the end result was unfocused. Walk the River finds Guillemots regaining their sense of direction with tighter arrangements and stronger songwriting.
Essentially, the Guillemots have made a more grown up version of their first two albums with Walk the River. It is a sonically interesting and engaging album, however it runs the risk of boring people who don't have the time to give it a chance to grow on them. Since Guillemots have already kind of disappeared, this album could have been a loud and raucous return. Instead the band taps on the collective shoulder of music fans and whispers, "Hey, remember us?".
Pure X, formerly known as Pure Ecstasy, is a trio out of Austin, Texas. I'm not entirely sure why they changed their name, maybe it was because they felt that their musical styling were more akin to Plutonium-Uranium Extraction rather than Australia's party drug of choice. Or maybe they really like laundry detergent. Either way, they've been making some ripples in the hype ocean and their EP, You're In It Now is available now for preorder (see below).
The You're In It Now EP is comprised of four tracks, and it is an emotionally taxing 15 minutes. Listening to Pure X is like being high on valium and standing outside in the pouring rain. And your grandmother just died. And your dog. He's dead too. Every song is just so damn depressing that after listening you don't know whether it was hauntingly beautiful or just simply soul crushing.
The southern American country twang is front and center on this release, but with a tempo that clocks in somewhere between sleepy town and napville. Pure X is probably the lowest of all of the lo-fi bands I have ever heard, and that is no small feat. Their sound is laid back and relaxed, however at the same time the songs themselves demand attention through their deliberate neediness. When I listen to Pure X I don't know if I should be sympathetic or if I should just slap all of the band members and tell them to stop being such pussies.
This isn't to say that the band isn't talented. I am all for gloomy, melancholic music that evokes feelings of pain, regret and despair, and the first track, "Don't Wanna Live, Don't Wanna Die" is a perfect example of how gorgeous Pure X can be. The problem that I have with this release is the fact that it is so draining. Listening to more than one or two songs in one sitting becomes a chore and a true test of patience. While the murky and shimmering guitar work is impressive, the echoing vocals and the simplistic drumming patterns are uninteresting and do little to hold the listeners attention.
I suppose if you were severely depressed you would have a ball with Pure X, wallowing in the same sort of self-imposed despondency and misery that the band seems to revel in. If not, you're going to find yourself listening to this EP once or twice and then relegating it to the recesses of your vinyl collection, only occasionally popping up when you feel the need to lament the fact that the eggs in your refrigerator will never grow up to be free range chickens.
Radiohead will be releasing their highly anticipated post-The King of Limbs material in a few short hours to Record Store Day-ready shops around the globe (except for the United States for some reason). In an interview with Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brien, BBC 6 has unveiled that "Supercollider" and "The Butcher" are the last remnants of the recording sessions that birthed The King of Limbs. This of course meaning that we will not see a The King of Limbspart 2, like we did with their previous effort, In Rainbows. Oh well.
"Supercollider" is a seven-minute piece of swirling and somewhat flighty pop music. Echoing synths plink throughout the entire song, building gradually to a crescendo while serving to frame Thom Yorke's voice in a ghostly aura. It is a moody song that relies on the ambiance it creates to carry you through to the end. It isn't exactly the kind of track that you'll be yearning to spin over and over again, but it is an engaging and ethereal piece of work.
"The Butcher" is a graphic and evocative song that is a brooding and somewhat creepy tune. Much in the same way "Supercollider" works, "The Butcher" creates an atmosphere, however this one is jarring. The overlaying percussion is unnerving, giving the entire song a menacing and ominous quality. Coupled with Yorke's hushed vocals, "The Butcher" has a disquieting undercurrent that runs throughout the entire length of the song.
Both tracks are heavily atmospheric, and neither rely on gimmicks or hooks to draw you in. Instead, "Supercollider" and "The Butcher" showcase Radiohead creating nuanced arrangements that immerse you into their world of scary teddy bears, political exacerbation and decompression sickness.
I'll just come out and say it. I have never heard a song by 80s band The Wake in my life. Regardless, this Record Store Day sees Captured Tracks labelmates Wild Nothing and Beach Fossils release a split 7" in which they cover two supposed classics from the influential Scottish post-punk band.
Perpetually sleepy Brooklynites Beach Fossils tackle the song "Plastic Flowers". It is a jangly guitar driven tune that sounds as if you were listening to it through the telephone. it is all very dreamy, which is not much of a stretch for Beach Fossils and they don't do much to deviate from the original version. The song is charming enough, however once it gets past the two minute mark it starts becoming a little stale. It simply fails to go anywhere, and doesn't deliver anything new in the latter half of the four minute run time. Overall, "Plastic Flowers" is a blissful little lo-fi number that tends to overstay its welcome. Listening to the same riff and lyrics over and over again is about as entertaining as watching someone jog in place while waiting to cross the street in order to keep their heart rate up.
One-man band Wild Nothing covers "Gruesome Castle", and it is about as riveting as sitting through a lecture on statistical analysis. Jack Tatum's monotone voice wades through the reverb soaked arrangement in such a listless fashion that the song seems almost an afterthought to the idea of covering such a beloved piece of pop music nostalgia. Don't get me wrong, there was a lot to like on Wild Nothing's debut album, but this cover is just boring. While it retains the day-dreamy quality that has become Wild Nothing's signature, it lacks any sort of hook to engage the listener, although I guess that is partly the fault of the source material.
In summation, this 7" split release is interesting because, while it is a perfectly justifiable purchase, it really just made me want to go and check out The Wake.
The Arctic Monkeys have released the lead single off of their upcoming fourth album, Suck It and See (to be released June 6th) and it's guaranteed to piss some people off. "Don't Sit Down, 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair" (they do have a penchant for rather long titles don't they?), is slated for release on Record Store Day, April 16th, and it's an even further departure from the blistering, fast-paced songs of their debut.
The Monkeys last album, Humbug, was released to wide critical acclaim, with folks saying that the band had matured beyond the blog-buzzworthy singles that made it okay for hipsters to get up and dance. With Queens of the Stone Age front man Josh Homme as a producer, the album was definitely darker. Gone were the Arctic Monkeys who sang about blonde bimbos at bars and the plights of being young and British. Humbug ushered in a more worldly Arctic Monkeys, they were now men who sounded like they banged the blonde on the grimy floor of some seedy nightclub bathroom.
This, of course, served to alienate some people, who scratched their heads while posting nasty diatribes in the comment section of Arctic Monkeys YouTube videos. Some were confused as to why they had abandoned their raucous and infectious dancefloor ready tunes in favor of something that sounded almost sinister.
But I say good on them. The change in direction is something that was absolutely necessary for the Monkeys to do. The hype that surrounded them when they released their first album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not could have easily served to inflate their egos and forced the band to churn out album after album that sounded exactly the same. Instead the Arctic Monkeys have taken some risks and evolved. In a time when consumers are so fickle about what they hear, they have done one of the things that most bands fail to do, stay fresh and interesting.
"Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair" is heavy. It is dirty, smutty and sexy. It oozes the confidence of a band who knows that they are good at what they do, and don't really give a shit what you think. I think that we are going to find that most people, Arctic Monkeys fans or not, aren't going to want to sit down when they hear this one.
Wolf Gang is the project of UK multi-instrumentalist Max McElligott. A self-taught, bedroom Garageband wizard, McElligott crafts near perfect pop rock songs with incredibly catchy hooks. Having been stationed firmly on my radar for the past few months after catching him at the Parklife Festival in Australia, I have been waiting patiently for a full length release. With a tentative release date of "mid-2011" for the LP, Wolf Gang has satiated fans by releasing the Dancing With the Devil EP.
Comprised of five tracks, including previously released singles "Lions In Cages" and "Back to Back", the EP is centered on Wolf Gang's latest offering, the titular "Dancing With the Devil". The EP also features an alternate version of "Dancing With the Devil" and a demo version of "Something Unusual".
What is great about Wolf Gang is the fact that his songs are insanely fun. "Lions In Cages" starts the EP off with a punchy chorus and a no-nonsense approach to songwriting. There is no build up, just solid, flamboyant pop rock that is, in a word, infectious. The track manages to capture a certain feeling, an aura, of unabashed joy. You can't help singing along to this song and it is the perfect introduction to Wolf Gang's brand of David Bowie-esque pop rock.
The new single, "Dancing With the Devil" has been getting some coverage around the blogosphere recently, and while it does have a rollicking chorus that propels the song from beginning to end, it doesn't immediately arrest you in the same way "Lions In Cages" does. This isn't to say that the song is weak, in fact it chugs along with the same epic sing-a-long pace. While both songs share a strong melody and catchy pop hooks, "Dancing With the Devil" lacks the immediate attention grabbing quality of "Lions In Cages".
"Back to Back" dials the tempo down a few notches and provides for a nice break from the foot stomping, dance floor ready singles that have become synonymous with the Wolf Gang sound. While it may not be the catchiest song present on the EP, it is a slow burning anthem with yet another memorable chorus that bounces around in your head for days after hearing it.
Following "Back to Back" is "Something Unusual", a synth heavy track that, while good, doesn't reach the same heights as the previous tracks. Finally, the EP closes with an alternate version of "Dancing With the Devil" featuring vocals from up and coming London based artist Kyla La Grange. It is a stripped down version of the song, and it translates surprisingly well from the boisterous and exuberant original version to this much more intimate affair.
Overall the Dancing With the Devil EP is an exciting release simply because it is a precursor to the upcoming debut album by Wolf Gang. The EP itself is a fine collection of songs, and a great introduction to a very exciting new band. The problem stems from the fact that most of the songs have already been released as stand alone singles, with the only new material being the title track. Despite this, the EP is still exceptionally good, and it marks the beginning of a very bright future for Wolf Gang.
Even though Civilian is the third album from Wye Oak, a duo from Baltimore, Maryland, this is the first I have ever heard of them. After listening to the album I was actually annoyed that they had flew under my radar for so long. I like to think of myself as someone who is rather proactive in finding new music, but how I missed not one, but two full length albums by this band is distressing to say the least.
Civilian is one of those albums that is almost impossible to review. I could deconstruct all of the songs and talk about the technical aspects of them but it wouldn't mean anything. It would be a hollow shell of what the album is, and frankly it is just one of those records that you have to hear and feel for yourself.
On album opener, "Two Small Deaths", delicate and faint plinks on the keyboard and simple guitar plucking carefully nestle vocalist Jenn Wasner's wary voice throughout the song, creating the perfect introduction and setting the tone for the rest of the record. Are there some missteps? Yes, it is not a perfect record, and not all of the songs are immediately likable. What this album is, however, is a wonderful example of what an album as a whole can do.
Wye Oak vocalist Jenn Wasner sings with such utter sincerity that she commands attention despite her hushed delivery. The arrangements perfectly cater to the immediate desperation in her inflections, demanding that the listener sit on the edge of his seat in anticipation. Each song gradually builds up tension, teasing you until the subtle electronic tinges swirl, bend and crash into the vocals beautifully. Everything at play weaves together seamlessly, but at the same time there is a delicacy to each song, allowing a mysterious and otherworldly feeling to permeate each and every track on the album. Civilian is the product of daydreams. It is the product of apprehension and of exasperation. It is the product of bewilderment and irrefutable joy.
Granted, this isn't the kind of album that you can throw on at any given time and in any given mood. Wye Oak has carefully constructed an album that builds a unique atmosphere, and in my opinion, the album is best consumed in its entirety. Sure there are songs that can be labeled as "singles", but to limit yourself to those songs would be doing yourself a great injustice. Civilian is the type of album that grows and immerses you into its world. You lose yourself in it whether you want to or not, and when its all over you'll not only be glad that you did, but you'll find yourself wanting to visit again and again.
Puro Instinct, formerly known as Pearl Harbor, is made up of the sisters Kaplan, Skylar and Piper. Recently featured on Hipster Runoff where Carles tried to determine which was the keuter sister, and glowing reviews from the SXSW festival, I sought out their debut album under their new moniker to see what all the fuss was about.
The album opens with radio white noise/fake call tag of a radio station, KDOD, which is totally unnecessary. The first proper track, "Everybody's Sick" is a slow moving, sun bleached ballad soaked to the bone with shiny, yearning croons courtesy of the 'of-legal-age' sister, Piper (23 y.o.) and lush wails from 'jailbait' sister Skylar's (16 y.o.) guitar.
The album shifts from reverb psychedelic rockers to blissful little ballads with lyrics torn straight from Piper's seventh grade maths notebook. The sisters sleepily wade through their songs with an absent minded flair that is reminiscent of the girls I used to watch from afar in my own seventh grade maths class, the ones who looked so mysterious and unattainable. The droning feedback and heavy reverb that absolutely permeates every aspect of every song gives the entire album a very dream-like quality, and the album does boast some impressive guest spots by indie music royalty, most notably from Ariel Pink on "Stilyagi". I could seriously do without the fake radio call tags (there are five of them), in fact I deleted all of them after my first listen through the entire album.
I can't tell whether or not lead singer, Piper Kaplan is actually putting in any effort whatsoever to deliver the vocal tracks on these songs. She sounds like she is half out of it, her voice being obnoxiously flat and shallow, or maybe that's the point. The album's title is Headbangers in Ecstasy after all, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Ecstasy in the title was an allusion to the drug and the warm fuzzy feeling. Maybe the sisters pulled a Fleetwood Mac-esque recording session and were wasted the entire time, hell at the very least it would help me understand why they chose that hideous album cover (although the sisters do look super foxy, in a jailbait, slightly incestuous, sort of way).
The simple fact of the matter is this, my first listen through, I hated this album. The half-assed vocal delivery and the shimmering guitar work that kind of sounds the same on every song come together to sound like you are listening to this album underwater. Upon subsequent listens however, I started to find more and more things that I liked about this album, and I promise you it has nothing to do with the the pouty lips and come hither eyes of the girls. The songs are catchy, but in a subtle, sneaky sort of way. You have to work with Puro Instinct a little bit in order to appreciate the depth of their songs and the hooks that lure you in, but once you let your guard down, the album becomes surprisingly enjoyable.
Half Asobi Seksu, half Beach Boys, Puro Instinct is an act that features some solid guitar work and somewhat tolerable vocals, all packaged nicely into an album you can sway to while under the influence of your favorite party drug.
Extended Plays are funny little things because they tend to be the embodiment of two possible scenarios:
Scenario #1: The EP is comprised of subpar songs that were deemed too inferior for inclusion on the LP and instead were relegated to the EP release.
Scenario #2: The EP is a legitimate release that showcases the bands current creative output.
Broken Bells, the moniker of duo Danger Mouse (aka super-producer Brian Burton) and James Mercer of The Shins, are set to release Meyrin Fields, an EP consisting of four brand new songs. The EP will be their first release since last year's self-titled debut album, which, despite the strength of its singles, did not impress me all that much. Fans of the debut album will be happy to know that the collaboration between the two was not a one off, and that the pair do intend to record a follow-up album, others, myself included, will utter a single "meh" at the prospect of another Broken Bells album, but until then, we have the Meyrin Fields EP.
All of the bells and whistles are present for this release, and Burton's slick production is at the forefront. Burton and Mercer try their hardest to create lush, sonic soundscapes. It's obvious that they are trying to captivate their listeners, but the problem lies in the fact that their soundscapes just aren't very interesting. Listening to the Meyrin Fields EP is like driving through Kansas or some equally flat midwestern state. It is well produced, but there are no trees, no skyscrapers, nothing but large expanses of flat land peppered with corn fields and the occasional sunflower. To put it simply, every once in a while there are glimmers of something innovative, but mostly it's just downright boring.
I have to admit that it isn't all bad. The title track is a jittery and brooding electronic tinged number that is unsettling but sexy at the same time. The other three tracks that populate the EP are rather generic, and sound as if they were more the product of Scenario #2 rather than Scenario #1. Nevertheless the EP is here, it is real, it is tangible. Polyphonic rhythms courtesy of the guy from The Shins and the guy who mashed up Jay-Z and The Beatles enter your ears and are transmitted to your brain via tiny electric signals...something tells me that you know there are flaws when you find the process of hearing the music more interesting than the music itself.
The second album from New York indie shoegazers The Pains of Being Pure at Heart is aptly titled Belong, especially when you consider that every song is the musical equivalent of a reassuring pep talk from your mom. Seriously though, if the band's debut album was an introspective piece of distortion drenched pining and reverb-soaked lovesickness, this sophomore effort is like an emotional support group, and anyone who has ever had a relationship gone awry can indeed, belong.
Belong finds The Pains of Being Pure at Heart opting for a more refined and polished sound. After listening to their self-titled debut and then this new album, its quite obvious that the band is moving further away from their lo-fi origins in favor of stadium anthems. Under normal circumstances I probably would have guessed that adopting big choruses and Coldplay-sized hooks would have spelled certain doom for a band who crafted a name for themselves (albeit a shitty and unnecessarily long name) by cranking up the distortion on their amps, stepping on some fuzzboxes, playing two, maybe three chords while the smoky croon of vocalist Kip Berman wafted around all of that noise somewhat haphazardly. To my surprise however, it all seems to work. Not a single song on Belong sounds forced, the tunes progress organically and grow to deliver the goods.
Despite sounding clearer on this album, sonically The Pains of Being Pure at Heart don't really mess around with the formula they came up with on their debut. Guitars still moan, synthesizers still reel and shimmer and the stomp boxes are all still there. Lyrically the subjects tackled are more of the same, heartbreak, loss, alienation, take your pick. We've essentially heard it all before and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart really don't do anything new or innovative at all. Their lyrics are kind of questionable ('When everyone was doing drugs/we were just doing love' what is that?) and they could almost pass as a pussified Jesus and Mary Chain, yet I am enjoying this album. I can't explain accurately why I like Belong so much, maybe because the lyrics are vague enough that I can do a sort of fill-in-the-blank act with each of the songs, placing myself in the shoes of the lovelorn protagonist. Or maybe it's because the music itself sounds nostalgic, kind of like when I want to remember high school as better than what it was and I pop in an M83 record.
Any way you slice it, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart have delivered a sophomore effort that certainly lives up to its predecessor by tweaking the formula just enough to be fresh without alienating us with a total change in direction. Belong is a catchy record, just not entirely original, but I think that that familiarity is what makes the album so instantly accessible and easy to listen to. We've heard it all before, but we can't deny that it is a sound that we all like.
Finally the wait is over. New York garage rock kings The Strokes return with their long awaited follow-up to 2006's First Impressions of Earth with Angles, to be released on March 22nd in the United States. The five year hiatus was prompted by well publicized bouts of exhaustion and (possibly) media fabricated rumors of a strife within the band. During that time we saw each member of The Strokes go off and do their own thing, frontman Julian Casablancas released a new wave inspired solo album, guitarist Albert Hammond, Jr. released two solo albums of sunny guitar pop, bassist Nikolai Fraiture fronted acoustic/folk band Nickle Eye, drummer Fabrizio Moretti formed Little Joy and guitarist Nick Valensi collaborated with a number of other artists. Is the new album worth the five year wait? Yes and no.
Despite being described as a "return to the basics" by bassist Nikolai Fraiture, the style present on the album is hard to pin down. Over the course of ten tracks and 34 minutes, Angles shifts and changes direction constantly (hence the name Angles), keeping the album from getting stale but also throwing the listener for a loop. Angles employs a variety of different musical styles and techniques, which makes sense when you take into account that Angles is the first Strokes record to be written collaboratively by all five members of the band (the previous three albums were all helmed by Casablancas). The result is a mixed bag of bouncy guitar tunes, sun washed electro-pop, and new wave balladry.
Upon first listen, one would never guess that this album had such a rocky recording process (slated for release in 2009, band squabbles and shifting producers forced it to be pushed back). The Strokes seem invigorated and rested on this album, proving that without the hiatus the band probably would've burnt out and called it quits. The entire album sounds like a bunch of guys who got together in their time off, in the afternoons after school, and recorded an album rooted in the genres and artists they hold dear to their hearts. It is exciting and compelling to listen to The Strokes after such a long hiatus, and I feel much the same as I did when I first heard "Last Nite" back in 2001. The Strokes are back, the new album is fun, and right now I am enjoying it immensely.
My reservation with the album is that I am not entirely sure yet if I am tricking my ears into thinking what I am hearing is good simply because I want it to be good. I gave this record a number of spins before reviewing it, and I'm still on the fence. There are definitely some stellar tracks, "Two Kinds of Happiness" could have easily been recorded by The Cars. "Gratisfaction" is a punchy, guitar driven song that evokes This Is It with a big chanting chorus. "Taken For A Fool" is a giddy tune that seems pulled from the Room On Fire recording sessions. Other tracks are harder to classify, much less identify as anything the band has done previously. "Games" sounds like a 1980's (or maybe it's just because the album art reminds me of Q*Bert) contemplative calypso tune that sees Julian croon over wailing guitars. "You're So Right" is an aggressive track that attacks the mundanity of the 9 to 5 lifestyle that is dirty at its core, but polished to a high sheen.
Overall, Angles is an impressive effort. It is short but exciting, familiar but cutting-edge. The Strokes have returned, and they've done so with a huge bang. They are like a brand new band, with the energy and outlook not of an exhausted veteran band, but of a voracious and hungry group of youngsters who just got their first record deal. Let's just hope we don't have to wait another five years for the next one.
I know I usually reserve this blog for album reviews, but there are a few (relatively) new music videos floating around that deserve your attention if you haven't seen them already. Enjoy.
Yeasayer - I Remember
An old biker guy rides out into the desert and makes a plaster cast of his own head. Which he then smashes. After seeing Yeasayer live where they admitted to having been searched by the police for drugs just minutes before they went on stage, I can't say that I find this video surprising at all.
Cut Copy - Need You Now
Various athletes swap the instruments of their sports...then take up medieval weapons? And start fighting each other? Sure. Why not?
Sparkadia - China
Umm...just plain strange. Catchy tune though. Balloon popping has never been sexier.
The Strokes - Under Cover of Darkness
Not really all that bizarre, in fact the video isn't even all that interesting. But the return of The Strokes is welcome in my book, and the long takes are pretty cool.
The Black Keys - Howlin' For You
Not really bizarre unless you take into account that the actual music this video is showcasing is often relegated to background music. One of the coolest videos I've seen in a while, it's a lot of fun and frankly, pretty awesome.
I had the pleasure of meeting a few members of Adelaide-born, Melbourne-based, band Society of Beggars last week while on a brief holiday in Melbourne. After a few beers, the boys provided me with a copy of their debut album, Exit Soul, imploring me to review it for this blog. Not being one to shy away from new music, I obliged.
Overlooking the unfortunate album title, I dove into the album without bias, despite the guys from the band being rather stand up guys. Describing their sound as straight up, no frills rock n' roll, I was eager to hear the noise they were making, and upon my first listen, I was a reviewer divided. The first four tracks didn't really do much for me, the melodies were there, as were crunchy guitars, competent drumming, and a gravelly, cigarette smoke coated voice that suited the sound very well, but it didn't immediately grab my attention. It was rock n' roll, no doubt, just somewhat generic rock n' roll.
Album opener, "Skortha" (again with the unfortunate titles), are acoustic driven numbers that devolve into a showcase for guitarist Jim Michalopoulos' favorite distortion pedals. "Grand Illusion of Nonbeing" (seriously?) is the albums closest ballad but it is hampered by a poor mixing job that makes the guitar work sound tinny and the drumming sound like Dibi (one name, kind of like Cher) was beating on a bunch of overturned buckets.
The songs that make up the first half of the album were ultimately forgettable, however about midway through the album a raucous and jaunty tune titled "Another Mask" reinvigorated my attention. Vocalist Yianni Michalopoulos croons and strains his voice to the limit behind a rollicking melody that reminded me of The Pixies, and is easily the stand out track on the album. After hitting a high note, the album switches pace, with a slow burning number titled "Exit Soul", that evokes the spirit of The Black Crowes with bluesy harmonies that really shows off Yianni's impressive hard rock pipes. The album then gradually pulls you back to its hard rock roots with the acoustic driven song, "The Third Tree". The jarring, creepy finger plucking coupled with neo-psychedelic chanting are perfectly balanced by the chugging beat that keeps the momentum going.
Unfortunately, the album slips back into the formulaic songs heard during the first half of the album. "Veil", despite boasting some string arrangements, does little to save itself from it's own self-imposed gimmick. "Beautiful Fatalism" is a throw away track, a quasi-instrumental number that focuses solely on two or three piano notes hit over and over again, which begins to feel like a tack hammer to the forehead past the two minute mark. Album closer "Man Of The Street", sounds like a Rage Against the Machine b-side, a half baked idea that never maturated beyond the basic four-chord structure. Yianni's vocals were uninspiring and did little to elevate the mundanity of the track, though the album does end on an interesting note...a hidden track featuring a sole ukulele.
Overall, Exit Soul has a handful of stand out tracks, however their relevance is impeded by the generic hard rock songs that bookend the album. If Society of Beggars were more inclined to focus on their more sonically interesting tracks than being loud and brash, they would be able to put together a more cohesive collection of songs.
Liam Gallagher strikes the first blow in the post-Oasis round of sibling rivalry that saw chief songwriter and guitarist, Noel Gallagher, quit the band he and his brother steered to superstardom. With Liam's new band, Beady Eye, he jumps in the Delorean and floors it to 88 miles per hour to the mid-70s to pilfer the music of his influences. Despite being up to the same old tricks, Beady Eye isn't exactly the Oasis v2.0 everyone was expecting.
Let's get one thing clear, regardless of what you think of Oasis or the Gallagher brothers, Liam has one of the best rock 'n roll voices in history. His scruffy, nasally croon is one of the most memorable voices I've ever heard, and is one of things that made Oasis instantly recognizable. On Beady Eye's debut album, Different Gear, Still Speeding, Liam sounds great, showcasing one of his best vocal performances in years. The rest of the band performs with an enthusiasm that is normally reserved for bands half their age, and the big arrangements carry simple melodies to impressive heights.
Beady Eye, much like Oasis, is stuck in a time warp. This isn't a bad thing, as each song carries with it a robust vigor with a splash of nostalgia. Oasis didn't have any qualms about ripping off their heroes, and neither does Beady Eye. As far as the songs themselves are concerned, the lyrics leave something to be desired, as many of the tracks deal with themes of the aging rock star, reflections of life on the road, money, rocking out, you get the idea. That being said, I'm not exactly listening to Oasis or Beady Eye to uncover some sort of profound revelation, and I doubt that many people do.
Despite the fact that most thought that the album would be abysmally bad (myself included), Different Gear, Still Speeding manages to deliver the goods in a number of ways. It doesn't pretend to be anything than more than a rock n' roll record. Vicious, pounding drums, heart pumping basslines and huge guitar riffs rip through the entire album. Songs build earnestly and swell into epic proportions, incorporating virtually every stylistic indulgence of the 60s and 70s ("The Morning Son", "Bring The Light"). When the album is good, it's good, and no matter how hokey or contrived the lyrics are, you'll be hard pressed to find anyone that isn't tapping his foot.
Despite Liam and company's best effort, Different Gear, Still Speeding does have its dull moments. A few of the ballads plod along with a yawn ("The Beat Goes On", "Kill For A Dream"), and some of the rockers are unevenly paced with some truly laughable lyrics ("Wind Up Dream"). Despite these shortcomings, Beady Eye's debut has proved itself to be a fun and rather enjoyable listen, completely defying most peoples preconceived opinion, especially if you are a fan of Oasis and classic rock from the 60s and 70s. I don't think anyone could have accurately predicted just how solid the album is, except for maybe Liam himself.
As you all probably know already, Radiohead kind of dropped a bomb a few days ago when they announced that their eighth studio album, The King of Limbs, would be released digitally on February 18th. It's been a few days, and I feel as though I've had the proper amount of time and opportunity to pour over their latest offering. Before I get into a track by track review, let me highlight some things about the album:
The pay-what-you-want scheme of In Rainbows has been done away with.
A physical release of the album is coming March 28th.
A special "newspaper" edition of the album is going to be released on May 9th, which is going to be comprised of two 10" LPs, a CD copy, and tons of artwork.
In 2009, Thom Yorke commented on the future of Radiohead releases by saying: "None of us want to go into that creative hoo-ha of a long-play record again. Not straight off. I mean, it's just become a real drag. It worked with In Rainbows because we had a real fixed idea about where we were going. But we've all said that we can’t possibly dive into that again. It’ll kill us." At thirty-seven minutes and a meager eight tracks, The King of Limbs is Radiohead's shortest album to date.
In the time between In Rainbows and The King of Limbs, Radiohead released the tracks "Harry Patch (In Memory Of)" and "These Are My Twisted Words", leaving the world speculative at best concerning what direction the band would take for future releases. The King of Limbs proves to be a sort of amalgamation of the styles present in almost all of their previous studio albums.
The album's opener, "Bloom", begins with a skittering piano riff that dissolves into an erratic polyrhythmic drumming pattern, coupled with swells of ambient electronic bleepy bloops and industrial dissonance before introducing Yorke's voice. Strings and horns accompany birds tweeting and singing as the sonic landscape is thrown into upheaval around them. "Bloom" has a very organic feel to it, almost as if the world is slowly being deconstructed, but with careful precision.
The second track, "Morning Mr. Magpie", evokes a similar feel to that of "These Are My Twisted Words", albeit it lacks the unnerving sense of dread that accompanied the stand alone release. Yorke sings, "You got some nerve/ coming here", and the jerky guitar play perfectly highlights a sensation of agitation. The song continues this trend, however it never escalates, failing to demand my attention, before ultimately petering out into hazy feedback.
"Little by Little" is a rollicking display of tension building within the structure of song. The intense percussive layers seem to be battling the slowly plucked guitar notes, almost as if the instruments are battling for dominance, and the listeners attention, which creates a perfectly balanced sense of chaos.
"Feral", is a largely instrumental track, as Yorke's voice is more or less used as another instrument, and it easily could have been on James Blake's latest EP. As the title suggests, "Feral" is like a wild animal stricken with rabies, violently plodding along without any real sense of direction or purpose. It runs around in circles nonsensically and needs to be put down.
"Lotus Flower" is the album's "sexy" track. A neo-noir nightclub number that is romantic, yet dangerous. A deadly auditory femme-fatale that entrances you and leaves you lulled into a euphoric coma.
"Codex" is a heart-wrenching piano ballad that ushers in Yorke's subtle and subdued vocals and propels them to dramatic heights without straining them. It is an introspective piece, a haunting song that delivers its melancholic brew right down to the last drop.
"Give Up The Ghost" is an acoustically driven song that sees Yorke's vocals layered on top of each other. It is a slow burning song that, sounds more like an album closer than any other song on the album. It doesn't necessarily deliver the goods sonically, but it swirls and sweeps with just the right amount of enthusiasm.
The album's closer, "Separator" is a mellow song that creates a yawning atmosphere that allows the listener to get lost in the reverberating swells that inflate, distend and bulge throughout the song, carrying it to the albums close.
Overall, The King of Limbs is a bit of a mixed bag. It is very low key, and encompasses virtually every stylistic nuance of Radiohead's long and illustrious career. The first half of the album is jittery, with the instrumentation and arrangements bouncing around chaotically, whereas the second half of the album is withdrawn and somber. Radiohead won't win any new fans with this album, but most will find it to be a rewarding listen as each track is dense and complex, lending itself to auditory exploration, especially if you have a good set of headphones. That being said, I highly doubt that The King of Limbs will be considered this decades Kid A, but at the very least it works on several levels. It is an album that will require patience and attention to be appreciated, something that many people simply don't have the time to do anymore.
Friendly Fires played a sold out show at The Gov on the 17th of February that I was lucky enough to attend. The band was energetic to say the least, with each band member bouncing around on stage like a Mexican jumping bean. The set consisted of fan favorites off of their self-titled debut album like "White Diamonds", "Jump In The Pool" and "Paris", as well as some new songs that had the crowd twisting their bodies and bopping their heads.
Overall the show was fun, although it was a little on the short side, with Friendly Fires performing for just a little over an hour. The new songs that I heard didn't impress me immediately, as they showed off the bands penchant for flair and hooks, however I just felt as though the new songs were trying a little too hard. The band was straining for the hooks to really catch on with the audience with varying degrees of success.
Friendly Fires' new album Pala, is set to drop sometime this year, and even though I will definitely be investing in a copy, the show left me wondering if their sophomore album will be as instantaneously infectious as their first. I suppose only time will tell. In the meantime, if you ever have the chance of seeing Friendly Fires live, I highly suggest you doing so. It is a fun, raucous, dynamic experience that will delight your ear drums and have you tapping your feet and flailing your arms wildly in anticipation.
