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February Reviews Artist of the Month: The Faint It has been an infinitely-long time since Omaha’s favorite punk-electronic dance troupe has unleashed a new album for hip, uptempo partiers. Yet that time away from recording has added tremendously in the quality of this latest endeavor. For both those still in the dark about the Faint as well as their legions of fans, Wet From Birth is a smoking affair. Although Media is the Faint’s first release, it wasn’t until Blank Wave Arcade did the current conception of the band take hold. As it were, the Faint were simply another indie rock band during the days of Media and they found it less than inspiring. Thankfully for us listeners, they decided to include keyboards and other electronics to make a product that is a fabulous time in both recorded and live form. In the move to this new sound the band became composed of brothers Todd Baechle (lead vocals, synths) and Clark Baechle (drums, vocals) along with Jacob Thiele (synths) and Joel Petersen (bass, guitar) – and later Dapose (guitar). To say that Blank Wave Arcade was a shocking blast of awesomeness onto the musical world would be an understatement. The throbbing sexual prowess of Blank Wave Arcade starting with “Sex is Personal” to “Worked Up So Sexual” to “Casual Sex,” along with other fantastic tracks like “Call Call” and “In Concert” created one of the most grabbling albums of the time. This recording coupled with a phenomenal live performance won fans from everyone who could experience such a show. While Blank Wave Arcade is comparatively raw, it is what laid the foundation for the Faint and helped issue in a fresh new wave energy. The Faint followed up with 2001’s Danse Macabre, an album with a significantly enhanced production job that highlighted the band’s allegiance to all things electronic. While Danse Macabre illustrated vast musical maturity by the band, it seemed to lack the pure punk foundation and favored more electronic-dance esotericism. Regardless, Danse Macabre opened the doors to the masses for the Faint allowing them to score amazing opening tours – e.g., with No Doubt – as well as to set their agenda for touring. It is hard to deny that songs such as “Agenda Suicide,” “Your Retro Career Melted” and “Glass Danse” are breath-taking indie club tracks, but compared with Blank Wave Arcade the songs dropped off in appeal to punk catchiness. Still, and amazingly enough, Astralwerks released a remixed version of the record featuring such phenomenal electronic artists as Paul Oakenfold, Thin White Duke, Junior Sanchez and Tommie Sunshine. For Wet from Birth, the band took over a warehouse and worked on the record for the better part of year. Besides from simply taking their time, the members of the Faint were also busy doing their own stuff including Petersen’s Broken Spindles. Heading back into recording with uber-producer and Omaha/Saddle Creek stalwart Mike Mogis, the Faint have unleashed arguably their best record. It is clear from the opening “Desperate Guys” that the Faint have welded and weaved the two previous records to make a more punk-orientated record – and it is awesome. On “Desperate Guys,” the Faint set the tone for what is in store over the next nine tracks. “Desperate Guys” begins with creepy strings as Baechle’s vocals come in to thumping bass and drums and intermittently employs electronic swath. Following a slower throbbing beat “How Could I Forget” begins slowly but picks on the bridge with strings and synths. Petersen’s heavily distorted bass opens “I Disappear” and maintains the rhythm throughout the course of the moderately entertaining song. Yet “I Disappear” is simply the set up to probably the best song on the record – “Southern Belles in London Sing.” With a slow strings movement as the introduction, the song picks up inertia with stabbing strings and Baechle’s vocals leading the way to an awesome section of Orenda Fink and Maria Taylor (of Azure Ray) providing ethereal vocals. Further, the breakdown on “Southern Belles in London Sing” is simply brilliant. What really will encase the song in your memory are the strings and the uptempo party atmosphere. The Faint follow this up with the slow tempo, clapping “Erection” – a song that comes very close to the sound on Danse Macabre. “Paranoiattack” is a blitz of distorted electronics, while “Drop Kick the Punks” is clearly the most aggressive, hard hitting number on Wet from Birth. As the first track ever released that was written by Clark Baechle, “Phone Call” starts in with uninspiring fashion but picks up on the strung out electronic bridge and the chorus. While “Phone Call” is not as stellar as say “Southern Belles in London Sing” it ain’t half bad either and is a formidable offering by Clark. “Symptom Finger” begins as a distorted remix of something oh so familiar – Dead or Alive-esque – and carries the theme throughout the choruses. Wet from Birth ends on the guitar-driven “Birth” where the Faint echo back to musical themes from Blank Wave Arcade. The sheer awesomeness of Wet from Birth easily makes up for not releasing any new material for several years. Since the Faint play bigger and bigger clubs these days, their amazing live show with synchronized light bonanza is diminished – if they are playing a place that can ensure a pitch black start point then you will be floored by their show (as we were a few years ago). Still, seeing the Faint in any locale can only provide a smile to your face and workout for your feet.
The Black Maria Hoping and dreaming of a good outcome comes the quasi-supergroup the Black Maria and their debut record Lead Us to Reason. Whether the five-piece wants to be pinned with their previous pursuits or not, the Black Maria feature members of Grade, Zyon and New Day Rising – probably most notably among them being Kyle Bishop who used to head up heavy-hitters Grade. And while the Black Maria may fit into the general classification of post-hardcore, they are not simply a parallel band to their past endeavors. In some respects, that is both good and bad. The Black Maria prefer to layer songs with varying aspects of rock, including shifting tempos, piano breakdowns and experiments on harmonizing, than just knocking out verse-chorus-verse songs featuring guitar muting and swirls; though those songs still exist here (e.g., “The Distance from the Bottom” and “Our Commitment’s A Sickness”). Taken as a whole, a serious problem with the Black Maria is that the songs aren’t as distinctive and innovative as you would expect given these guys’ backgrounds. When they do provide such moments, specifically through catchy sections even if laced into standard compositions, the Black Maria take their music to the next level. Oh, and they should entirely abandon any ideas for future ballads as demonstrated on the terrible “The Lines We Cross.” The two most obvious examples of what’s possible come from “Betrayal” and “Sirens.” “Betrayal” begins promisingly with classic post-hardcore guitar lines as they move into the heart of the verse. But where the song stands out is on the chorus where lead singer Chris Gray is backed up by Bishop in the utterance of ‘betrayal’ and are accompanied by fluttering keyboards. “Sirens” starts less inspiring and travels an ordinary punk/hardcore line, but, again, takes off during the chorus after the first part when the instruments pick back up the tempo. What Lead Us to Reason offers is a solid opening recording by influential folks in the post-hardcore legacy. The lingering question is whether these guys can take it to the next level to make everyone forget about their previous bands and focus on the Black Maria?
Cex This reissue should come with a sticker that says it’s for hardcore Cex fans only; hardcore in the sense of needing to own all his records. As those fans of Cex’s lyrical-driven records will not find such love here. Starship Galactica was initially released in 2001 on UK label 555 Recordings and features Cex’s (Rjyan Kidwell) electronic-hip-hop instrumental amalgam. Inspired by friend and uber-electronic artist Kid606, Kidwell offers up eight tracks on the original record. The folks at TRL have included three extra bonus tracks that were originally recorded circa 1996 and some of Kidwell’s first – which are “Friends Fall Down,” “Monster-Face Pills” and “Bunky.” Though we have seen Kidwell’s instrumental exploits on Being Ridden – Instrumental, on Starship Galactica he moves more towards distorted-computer electronics that merge on hip-hop beats, but play more like Nintendo than Lil Jon. The tracks that require special attention include the “Intro” simply because he says “shut up, stupid computer voice,” the first real track “Cal and Brady Style,” the familiar acoustic guitar riffed “Get in Yr Squads” and “Cex Can Kiss My Soft, Sensuous Lips.” The title track is recorded like ten year olds with a Fischer Price recorder and a loop on a Friday night with too much Doritos and Cokes; which all makes for a great insider joke. The three bonus tracks are actually all hot numbers, but all resonant with common electronic beats and predictable movements. The final track “Bunky” is kinda of strange with a dubbed refrain of, I believe, “gay men.” There is also a ‘hidden’ live track of “Starship Galactica” that is again probably more an inside joke than most people will ever know.
The Chemical Brothers After less-than-inspiring recent releases by contemporaries Fatboy Slim and the Progidy, it is warmingly refreshing that this Chemical Brothers’ record is drop-dead gorgeous. Since the Chemical Brothers’ came out of the underground club scene to the masses during the mid-1990s, Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons have provided the staid with blast beats to get them moving. While the Chemical Brothers may have slipped a bit from the limelight in the past few years, on Push the Button, their fifth album, Rowlands and Simons have returned to reclaim what is there’s. And they achieve their goal with immediacy on the opening “Galvanize” featuring Q-Tip – fresh off appearances with Dave Chappelle. What strikes you quickly on “Galvanize” is this slightly off-timed Middle-Eastern strings riff – before Q-Tip offers up some mildly impressive rhythms, but actually serves as the vocal cheerleader to the enormous blissful electronics. After this six-and-a-half minute blitzkrieg, “The Boxer” comes in featuring long-time collaborator Tim Burgess with a bit of 70s R&B flair attached. “Believe” is a seven-minute electronic voyage that parallels more traditional club themes, while Anna Lynne from Trespassers Williams offers up breathy and striking vocals on “Hold Tight London.” Thanks to Williams’ vocals and mellowed attack, “Hold Tight London” stands out as a highlight from Push the Button. After the eclectic and frustrating “Come Inside,” Rowlands and Simons provide ultra-hot electronic riffs and beats on “The Big Jump.” As the name implies, “The Big Jump” will easily get listeners in varying environments to move. Centrally featuring hip-hop artist Anwar Superstar, “Left Right” is the most blatant anti-war-related material on Push the Button. Bringing the listener back to happier moments, “Close Your Eyes” is the pleasant enigma on the record. Collaborators the Magic Numbers provide the soft, pleasant vocals that bring “Close Your Eyes” into the hip indie-electronic world and, thus, will likely attract scores of proponents. “Shake Break Bounce” is another perfectly-suited title as it matches the beat-driven composition. Push the Button closes on “Marvo Ging” and “Surface to Air.” “Marvo Ging” is probably the most rock-orientated track, as the Rowlands and Simons loop a pedal steel riff and provide straight-forward beats. On the seven-and-a-half minute “Surface to Air,” Rowlands and Simons use the space to slowly build in strings, keys and electronics to create a vastly amazing journey to the end of the record. Though not necessarily intended, it is easy to see “Surface to Air” being picked up as soundtrack material to a defining moment in a future film. On Push the Button, the Chemical Brothers have provided what everyone has been searching for – excellent, fresh and innovative electronic music that all can enjoy.
Graham Coxon Happiness in Magazines serves as former Blur-dazzler Graham Coxon’s avenue to express his varying influences and musical desires. Within the first three songs, Coxon tackles so many musical identities that you are never sure what is in store on each subsequent track. After a couple of years divorced from Blur, Coxon is solely concentrating his energies on making his own music as tight as possible. This is enhanced by the production job by Stephen Street – who also produced Blur’s first five records. Though Coxon wants to separate himself from the need to make pop songs as in Blur, the songs on Happiness in Magazines that tend to move in that direction are the standouts. At the same time, there are so many different sounds here there is room for those to disagree to lap up the other offerings. Happiness in Magazines kicks off on the blitzing dirty rock of “Spectacular,” where Coxon sings in an exceedingly strong British accent – almost to the point of sneering. The sound on “Spectacular,” as well as first single “Freakin’ Out,” is exactly the type that British stripped-down music-revivalists like NME adore. This is followed by the more pop-orientated “No Good Time” that provides simply moments of catchiness while the guitar is in constant rhythmic soloing-mode; a song, as with “Bittersweet Bundle of Misery,” that is most reminiscent of underground NY artists Hockey Island. It would be wise to skip the faux-bluesy “Girl Done Gone” for “Bittersweet Bundle of Misery” and then on to slow and mellow, string-enhanced “All Over Me.” Though the muting guitars and opening lines on “Freakin’ Out” provide strong moments, it doesn’t live up the vast hype of British music magazines. “People of the Earth” takes its cues from Iggy, while “Hopeless Friend” brings the listener back to pop-orientated harmonies. Enhanced with strings and reverb, “Are You Ready?” reveals a smooth, psychedelic side to Coxon. Coxon follows this up with the sweetly simple “Bottom Bunk,” where the pop is brimming over the top. After a terrible opening, “Don’t Be a Stranger” provides several vocal harmony and guitar perfected moments. The original record closes on the piano and acoustic guitar number “Ribbons and Leaves,” which leaves much to be desired. For the U.S. release, Coxon includes the simple punk number “Right to Pop!” that is head-bouncy and well-suited for the record. While Happiness in Magazines provides several numbers that illustrate Coxon’s skill, the unanswered question is what direction is he trying to go with this? Though a fan of splattering sounds, I also enjoy a cohesive product that Coxon slips from a bit.
DMBQ The only thing that saves Essential Sounds from being a dreadful record are the wild, crazed and brilliant guitar solos by Shinji Masuko and Turo Matsui. If you couldn’t have figured from the names, DMBQ hail from Japan and they have been playing this racket since 1988. After successful releases in Japan and vast touring in the U.S. as a supporting act for bands such as Fugazi and Mudhoney, DMBQ – by sheer length of existence – has become a formidable force in the Japanese underground. Besides from Masuko and Matsui, DMBQ also features Ryuichi Watanabe on bass and China on drums. DMBQ’s sound is something not easily definable or simply characterized as it exists on its own plane between 70s guitar rock and contemporary guitar noise. Probably the hottest thing about DMBQ is how they reincarnate Zeppelin’s guitars with a smattering of psychedelic mixed in. When they are just thrashing away on epic guitar solos – not unlike the Mars Volta – DMBQ is just fucking awesome. In all other respects, not so much. Though seemingly part and parcel of their wildness, I wish Masuko would stop trying to add vocals with what could be a top instrumental record. Masuko’s screeches and drunken murmurings tend to lessen the intensity and power of DMBQ’s sound. This is illustrated on numerous songs, not the least of which include the otherwise stellar “Mo-Ya Mo-Ya,” “Nothing,” “Happening” and “Are You Satisfied?” I have to imagine that these fanatical Japanese put on a blistering live show that could easily turn you towards a favorable opinion.
Eluvium Eluvium – otherwise known as Matthew Cooper – is back in a short time with his latest offering to the ambient music gods on Talk Amongst the Trees. Thanks to the brilliantly haunting artwork of dark figures in thick, bright fog, Cooper brings you into his world of sonic environments even before hearing the opening eleven-minute track “New Animals from the Air.” Cooper’s style envelopes the listener with a slaughtering of moving parts of electronic murmurings, unrecognizable guitar, strings and keys, where there is nearly never a break in sound – and the record probably would work better with no breaks between songs. As such, it is the kind of music that helps you relax and take in complex ideas as you keep it in the background. It is easy to see how some may be turned off by Cooper’s ambient tones – that is being too ‘arty.’ I had a moment of such when I realized the neat pictures in the booklet that accompany each song had a poem to each one. Still, highlights in concentration come from “New Animal from the Air,” “Everything to Come” and the seventeen-minute “Taken.” For me, Eluvium provides new music to do game theory to.
The Fiery Furnaces If the last five songs were as good as the first five, then this would be the best record of the year. Unfortunately, that is not the case, but the Fiery Furnaces still strike brilliance on their latest EP. While this may actually be a full-length for most artists, this ten-track, forty-one minute enterprise is actually half the length of their previous – so technically an EP? After the brother-sister duo of Eleanor and Matt Friedberger struck initially magic on their debut Gallowsbird’s Bark, they were quickly back with the epic Blueberry Boat. Needless to say, the Friedbergers’ sense of epic didn’t rub everyone the right way as the thirteen-track eighty-six minute record traveled in its own world of eclectic vaudevillian folk-blues. Blueberry Boat is one of those records that critics love, but average listeners despise. Whatever the reason, the Friedbergers decided they would offer up a ‘song’-driven album to appease all pop-harmony, indie radio fans. I for one am massively appeased. EP starts out on “Single Again” with beats and synths reminiscent of Blueberry Boat, before Eleanor comes in with vocals and entirely changes that direction – and for the better. What you realize immediately is that the Friedbergers are writing more standard numbers that only extend to a few minutes – very different from before. Taking a Johnny Cash-esque plus bluesy guitar approach, “Single Again” gets into your head with its simple creepingly, haunting lyrics. Yet, this song merely sets up one of the gems on the record – “Here Comes the Summer.” Taking their classic fusing of songs, “Here Comes the Summer” features a piano and hyper-fuzzed guitar with an unconscious riff that accentuates the dazzlingly catchy vocals by Eleanor. Her refrain of “Remember” is only rivaled by the glorious chorus where the Friedbergers take shit to the next level. Coming off such an affair is tough for any song, and such is the case for “Evergreen.” You need to get to the chorus on “Evergreen” to acknowledge the song’s quality and appeal. “Sing for Me” is the first song to feature Matt on lead vocals and includes this grandiose, 60s feel and repeated refrain of the title. The last song of this amazing opening – and probably the best, next to “Here Comes the Summer,” on the record – is “Tropical-Iceland.” You want to talk about a song that you can’t get out of your head. Holy shit, then this is it. “Tropical-Iceland” is hot fun and is characterized by Eleanor’s pronunciation of the title – Troppy-cool, Icy-land – which is the magically repeated chorus. When she belts lines like “I’ve seen enough stray ponies and puffins/To get me through till the end of May,” you are convinced this is genius. Now this review started talking about the drop-off in song quality, or at least pop-fantasia, – and it begins on the following “Duffer St. George.” Though “Duffer St. George” begins promisingly with Eleanor on vocals, it quickly becomes spoiled. The slow, eclectic nature of “Smelling Cigarettes” provides some nice moments, but there aren’t enough to salvage. “Sweet Spots” is a solid number, but you might as well divorce yourself from “Cousin Chris.” EP ends on the six-plus-minute “Sullivan’s Social Slub” where the Friedbergers focus on varying forms of keys in a mellowed manner. Through twists and turns, the song’s highlight comes on Eleanor’s singing of the line “So’s’on Saturday say slips’offs’a Sullivan’s Social Slub” – trying saying that even twice fast. In some respects, it seems that the Friedbergers wrote the songs on EP to simply illustrate they can write some of the best indie-pop songs in the world if they really wanted to. But their interests may take them to the theatrical strand – as on Blueberry Boat. It will be interesting to see what the musical future direction of the Fiery Furnaces will be.
Genghis Tron Before hearing one lick from this Poughkeepsie, NY based three-piece, it is impossibly not to love the fact that their name is Genghis Tron and that the CD has a crazy spectrum of colors that could combine to be Banana Republic’s new spring line. Their moniker is about as perfect as you could conjure up, as the boys merge both balls-out, obnoxious speed, power-chord metal with electronic pop – both together and apart – for an awe-inspiring product. The five-song EP starts on “Rock Candy” with space leading to insane A.C.-style metal which eventually leads to an electronic breakdown and a series of non-connected electronic and metal parts. One of the most brilliant parts of “Rock Candy” is a voice sample of some guy saying “wow, this music sounds really good” before heading back into brutality. “Arms” follows as the first track where Genghis Tron immediately mix together metal and electronics into a seamless package. “Ride the Steambolt” features a Theremin and metal solos plus Ministry-style industrial riffs. As probably the ‘danciest’ song “Laser Bitch” begins like a lost New Order song before GT decided to pummel your brain with mic-can’t-entirely-record heavy distorted machine gun guitars. “Sing Disorder” closes the record with a large reliance on industrial riffs and only minimal underlying electronics. Cloak of Love may very well be the best thing I hear for the rest of the year. All hail the onslaught of dance-metal!
The Golden Republic Even though I’m going to be calling the same state home in a few months, I can’t imagine that the Golden Republic are going to break the Kansas City “scene” open. Anchored by cousins Ben Grimes (vocals, guitar) and Ryan Shank (drums), and filled out by Kenn Jankowski (guitar, vocals, keys) and Harry Anderson (bass, piano), the Golden Republic work on the punk edge of the 1970s glam age. Forming in 1999 and releasing an EP in the fall for Astralwerks, this is the band’s debut full-length and somewhat of a composite of the past few years for the band. While the Golden Republic’s sound isn’t demure throughout the record and really moves between songs, the main drawback is that there is nothing new or innovative in their sound. So it is like, ‘yeah, you can write solid songs and are tight musicians but there is almost nothing on the record that you haven’t heard before’. There are interesting moments – like the electronics on “NYC,” the strong “You Almost Had It,” the modestly catchy choruses on “Robots” and “You Get Old” – but they are few and far between. However, the Golden Republic seem like the kind of band that a hot and tight live show can go along way towards endearing fans.
Heartless Bastards If every song on Stairs and Elevators had the same degree of fight that the opener “Gray,” then this would one of the best secret assassin records out there. Still, the rest ain’t half bad. From word go, it is clear that guitarist and lead vocalist Erika Wennerstrom is what takes the Heartless Bastards to the next level. Coming out of Cincinnati, Wennerstrom is joined by Mike Lamping on bass and Kevin Vaughn on drums. Lamping and Wennerstrom met up about five years ago, started playing out and then added Vaughn to fill in the missing ingredient. What is massively impressive about Wennerstrom is that she seems to channel every great woman rocker over the past four decades into one dynamic voice. As such, her voice is nearly indescribable but it is powerful, intense and compelling and measures up phenomenally well with the dirty blues rock that the Heartless Bastards lay down – with the right drippings of catchiness. As mentioned, “Gray” is the white hot, Holy Jesus track on Stairs and Elevators, which immediately draws you in with Wennerstrom’s vocal cadence on the second half of verses and the catchy chorus. The following “Onions” continues the Heartless Bastards’ nod toward catchy bluesy rock that exists in both verse and chorus. Although “New Resolution” is built on a simple framework, Wennerstrom’s vocals on the chorus pushes the song memory-burning status. “My Maker” follows the quality mission, but the Heartless Bastards’ first misstep can be seen on the slower soulful “Runnin’.” While it is nice to hear Wennerstrom’s vocals expressed on a different tempo, there isn’t much to hang your hat on. The choruses save, to some extent, “Autonomy” and “Pass and Fail,” but “The Will Song” comes off in a less positive light. Amongst the final four songs on Stairs and Elevators, the only one to lance brilliance is the bluesy-piano-driven “The Piano Song.” Ignoring some of the drop offs by this Ohio three-piece, this is one terrific record.
Missy Higgins After hitting it big in her home country/continent of Australia, twenty-something Missy Higgins is looking to take on the American pop charts. Higgins first got recognition while in high school by winning a 2001 Australian demo contest and then signed with the label Eleven (Virgin/EMI imprint). In 2002, Higgins expanded her horizons by signing to an international deal with Warner Bros., and in 2003 released her debut self-titled EP in Australia for Eleven. With an American production job, this EP is a teaser for her full-length coming out in a few months. So this EP is both a taste as well as a trial balloon for WB to see Higgins’ appeal in the U.S. Based on Higgins’ gorgeous vocals and piano-based pop ballads, it is likely she will rocket up the American charts when her full-length is released. The EP begins on “All for Believing” where Higgins’ sultry vocals help carry the perfect piano along – not unlike a Norah Jones’ track. “All for Believing” is actually the song that Higgins’ wrote to win the demo contest years back. The following “Ten Days” is musically more upbeat and is the first track to really demonstrate that Higgins’ has not lost her Australian accent. I’m interested to see how Americans react to her accent. Yet, “Ten Days” is just fodder for the first single from these recordings “Scar.” “Scar” is pure pop bliss that could easily become a top forty hit. The final two tracks “Nightminds” and “Any Day Now” are both soulful, piano-singer ballads with a solid foundation and strong writing. Though Missy Higgins is generally not my cup of tea, it is hard to ignore her talent as an artist and more importantly as a singer.
Montag It is clear about one minute into the first vocal track, “Grand Luxe,” that Montag are anything but American. Though Montag are not the electro-Euro-chic that you may imagine, they are pretty close coming out of French-speaking Montreal. Actually, I should speak in singular form since Montag is one Antoine Bedard, though he is bolstered and aided by numerous other musicians on Alone, Not Alone. On Montag’s third release, Bedard focuses on minimal electronic pop that is sweetly punctuated by feminine vocals from Amy Millan (Stars and Broken Social Scene) and Ariel Engle. While Bedard’s own vocals – particularly when in French – are compelling, when he is coupled with Millan or Engle, the end product is phenomenal. Highlights of this awesomeness come from “Grand Luxe,” “Perfect Vision” and “Angles, Country & Terrain Connu.” Though it is not as if Bedard only exists to make such electro-pop dreams comes true – even if “Perfect Vision” is one of the better tracks I’ve heard in awhile. Bedard also has a penchant purely instrumental mind-melds that utilize both his own and others minimalist string arrangements and throbbing low-grade electronics. This is illustrated on tracks such as “Les Choses Se Placent,” “Figures of a New Color,” “Time Difference II” and “Exit Melodie.” This latest from Montag is a record that I’m super thankful for being introduced to. If you enjoy slightly esoteric instrumentals matched with timely pop sensations, then you will love Alone, Not Alone.
Om Om reunites Al Cisneros and Chris Hakius from Sleep in order to pursue their own sludge-induced slow tempo ode to Sabbath. The three lengthy tracks on Variations on a Theme are a continuum of nearly indistinguishable chant-cadence vocals and ultra-distorted heavy bass by Cisneros and drum fills by Hakius. The only situation in which I could imagine this record coming off well is if you had a massive sound system, it was completely dark in the room and you were absolutely stoned. Otherwise, the audience for Om is probably the smallest subgroup in the world.
Plain White T’s I’m amazed at how much I dislike this latest from punk stalwarts Plain White T’s. This is odd since I typically have a massive affinity for simply constructed pop-punk that doesn’t challenge standards and is all about the relative catchiness. After some lineup changes, All that I Wanted is this Chicago’s five-piece first record since 2002’s Stop. While my exposure to Plain White T’s comes in the form of one-off songs on various releases, I can’t believe that this is their best work. Though not a fan of the technicality of the English language nor a hard-ass of any sort concerning band’s lyrics, the thirteen compositions on this record come off like the poorest lyrics of a major act I’ve heard in a long time. I’m not talking about the actual content, but how they come off in a song. For instance, ye’ old Ink & Dagger had some of the worst lyrics of all time, but given how they were spun and cadenced in the song you could have cared less about the content. While there are numerous negative lyrical examples on All that I Wanted some of the highlights (or lowlights as it were) come from “Breakdown,” “What More Do You Want?” and “Anything.” Still, PWT are able to muster catchy moments on tracks such as “All that We Needed,” “Take Me Away,” “Lazy Day Afternoon” and “Sing My Best.” I think that I would have enjoyed this record more if the bad lyrics were about really stupid things, like the Groovie Ghoulies writing about Bigfoot.
The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower Coming out of the bizzaro noise scene of San Diego, the four-piece The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower prefer moderately short bursts of epileptic punk and just a bit of the random shit quality. Only four years in and now their third record, the Plot have that same flair of bands such as the Locust and the 3.1.G. crowd, except they lack an element that makes them distinctive. We could talk to the nth-degree about the fascist, faux-nazi drag queen record art, but that is just masking for a rather uninspiring product. I admire that through the random, the Plot actually maintain a sense of musicianship and structure, but there is very little to get excited about. While I would rather listen to Love in the Fascist Brothel over a bunch other choices, I wish there was something special about these ten songs. For those with undying love for the 3.1.G. and punk-noise sound, then you will surely find this latest from the Plot to be brilliant.
Peter Salett You have to at least appreciate a record where the song’s title is so clearly evident from the song’s lyrics you never have to look at your player. And that is the case on Peter Salett’s latest release for Dusty Shoes. Coming out of the NYC tradition of singer-songwriters with substance, Salett’s brilliant voice helps to bring along his breezy, whimsical and mild-tempo compositions. Helping in this endeavor are Craig Ross, Bill Dobrow, Don Piper, Ed Portobello, Joe McGinty and Mike Hardwick – most of whom provided multiple instruments. Though this Salett’s first true widespread release, he has subsisted through self-released records and providing film compositions for his friends Edward Norton and Salma Hayek. The eleven tracks on After A While all illustrate that Salett is a student of music and has learned a tremendous amount about songwriting while biting it out NYC’s coffee shops and clubs. While most of the songs are quite simply written, After A While is one of those albums that takes time to fully appreciate. The record opens on the floating “If You’re Dreaming” that first begins to inspire on the third line when the vocal cadence becomes catchy and a simple nth guitar line comes in. The tile track is piano-driven with Salett’s singing guiding the way and “Still Alone Without You” has a more soulful rock feel and a guitar riff like “Crimson and Clover.” “Crying Shame” drops the quality level down a notch and the mostly piano-focused “My Whisper” does little to bring it back up. After this hiatus, Salett picks up the tempo on “With Anybody Else” to provide probably his most straight forward rock song on the record. Skipping past “Closer,” “Halcyon Days” shows a twangy, country western Salett via heavy pedal steel by Piper and a wise array of harmonies. The fantastic piano ballad “Colorful Dream” follows the close-whispering singing by Salett on “I Fly So High.” The record ends on “She Won’t Wait Forever” where the country western comes back in full force and Salett croons like the best of them. Giving his supporters and this record, look for Peter Salett to make a substantial name for himself in this coming year.
The Sharp Ease It is nearly impossible not to love an all-female outfit that brings it with awesomely catchy indie punk – unless, of course, you don’t like fun. After a few 7”s and tours with the like of the Von Bondies and the Gossip, this is the Sharp Ease’s first full-length and hopefully not the last for this L.A.-based four-piece. While it may be hard not to associate lead singer Paloma Parfrey’s stunning vocals from a more riot-grrl sound, the Sharp Ease are way better than simple comparisons. Filled out by Sara Musser’s sharp guitar, Dana Barenfeld’s dancing bass and Christen Kings’ timely beats, Parfrey leads the band through twelve songs ranging from straight punk harmonies (e.g., “Advantage”) to more drawn-out soulful sounds (e.g., “From the Dodge”). The record begins on the aforementioned “Advantage” with a standard punk build up that is then broken down for the verse and brought back by a phenomenally appealing chorus. While the twenty-five second chorus is rocking your ears, you swear this is the greatest thing ever. If the next eleven tracks were of equal awesomeness then this would be the highlight of the year. Though most are not, they do provide some solid moments. The following “Life Preservers” shows the Sharp Ease’s more quirky side with an accentuated alto sax in parallel to the guitar. “Patio Chair” is a hot number that one may consider sort of the characteristic sound of the Sharp Ease. “Going Modern” is a highlight, while the exceedingly simple and fun “Joan” is deceptively dazzling. Going for more ‘rock’ flair comes “Great White” and the closer “Tie Me Over” is nice, mellower journey. Suspicions abound that the Sharp Ease make for a great live act.
David Singer & the Sweet Science There is little question that when David Singer - accompanied by his Sweet Science backing band – is on, he is really fucking on. Yet, when there are steps to an apparent diversity of sound, Singer begins to get off target. This is Singer’s first record after his two previous – The Cost of Living and Civil Wars – on indie-label Deep Elm Records. Stepping away from Deep Elm and doing this record himself, Singer has gone the way of making The Stars Burn Out vastly available on digital download locales and a couple of online CD sellers. On this recording, the Sweet Science consists of Mark Schwarz, Mike Simons, Luke Singer and Howard Windmiller helping Singer out. On the opening “Social Studies,” what you are immediately struck with is Singer’s endearing vocals. The next thing is that it seems Singer prefers to sing in full sentences and is very wordy. This can be both a wise and terrible strategy at the same time. For instance, I find many of the lyrics to “Social Studies” to come off awfully, but the song is certainly catchy on a number of levels. Singer follows this up with the more detached and original indie piano ballad “When the Spring Is Finally Here.” After the pleasant electronics laced “Is There Anyone Out There?,” comes the mangled bass band “Thanks for Nothing.” “Thanks for Nothing” is the first track where you question whether you like this record or not. The next two short rock numbers “A Theory on What Happens When You Die” and “They Call Her Styrene” are redeeming, but then the group drops the ball entirely on “Bad Babysitter.” I’m still trying to figure out why you put such a dreadful track on your record. The next three songs finish out the record on a non-inspiring note, though the finale’s “Can I See You Tonight?” provides an appeasing return to the piano. Again, David Singer can be something special as a songwriter; he just needs to be more consistent in quality and form.
SubArachnoid Space Before hearing a lick from this SF-based instrumental four-piece, you assume that you were in for something disturbing. This is thanks to creepy cover art of crows coming out of a frail, pale man and parallel imagery by painter Lorraine Rath. Amazingly enough, this is SubArachnoid Space’s ninth record within as many years and, thus, introduces me to another long standing instrumental band that I knew nothing previous about. With the recent addition of Chris Cones on guitar and Diego Gonzales on bass, Melynda Jackson (guitar) and Chris Van Huffel (drums) help guide SS to doom/metal instrumentals that prefer soaring guitar work and faux-psychedelic undertones on The Red Veil’s six live recorded tracks. To capture this theme, one needs to look no further then the eleven-minute title track. While “The Red Veil” moves slowly with haunting electronic constant calls and in-and-out guitar chords, the song picks up mid-way to illustrate SS’s more standard rock core. The opener “Honorable Mention” swirls with dazzling guitars after a non-start, while “Ourobouros” is the first real instance of a slithering evil sound. After “The Red Veil,” is the mostly filler and non-touching “Trainable.” To right the ship comes the memorable “P.S.S.A” where electronic murmurs are met with a haunting three-note guitar riff. Though “P.S.S.A” travels to more of a doom-theme later on, the slow opening is where it’s at. The Red Veil closes on the eclectic “Duster” that sounds like something magical is just around the corner during the mid-song buildup, but you are never relieved. Given that I missed out on SubArachnoid Space’s previous eight albums, The Red Veil is a splendid introduction.
This Day & Age If your ideal music is rock-based pop with just a tinged of indie, then this latest from This Day & Age is your soundtrack. Forming in 2001 in western New York, This Day & Age focus on mid-tempo songs with sweeping harmonies that are smoothed over by both lead singer Jeff Martin’s vocals and the occasional piano. After releasing their own debut Start Over on Monday in 2002, the band got picked up by One Eleven allowing them to spend more time and effort on their craft. This includes heading out to the hinterlands of Kansas for a production job by the brilliant Ed Rose. I have yet to vehemently dislike a record – that I’m aware of – that Rose produced. It seems that This Day & Age’s mission is to take emo, make it less about anguish and make it more accessible to the causal listener. The accessibility angle comes from broad, mild-tempered rock songs that appear not likely to offend any listener. Even when the guitars are playing harder sections with punk muting, it all still sounds tame and almost like they mixed down the guitars’ distortion volumes. This is the case on tracks such as “Tomorrow is Waiting,” “Slideshow” and “A New Focus.” While admittedly Always Leave the Ground is too pop-blazoned for my tastes, there are a number of tracks here that will likely become radio and O.C. hits. This includes “Tomorrow is Waiting,” “Slideshow,” “The Day We Started” and “I Remember Me.” Again if this style of music is what you dream about, you probably will not find anything better than This Day & Age.
The Trembling Several years into their musical journey, Detroit-based the Trembling unleash their latest and best release for the unassuming masses. Composed of Kelli Miller on guitar/vocals, Monday Busque on bass/keys/vocals and Jason Vast Binder-Sherman on drums, the Trembling offer up some of the coolest indie punk going across the ten tracks on Art for the Masses. Echoing past indie darlings like Park Ave. and early-Superchunk, the Trembling provide both female and male vocals – sometimes together and others times one dominant – to produce an enticing product. Admittedly, I have a soft spot in my heart for the Trembling’s sound. Probably the sweetest thing about the Trembling is that they come off like your favorite local band even if you are not from Detroit. That is, nothing is polished – either musically or production-wise – but their obvious attention to catchy riffs and vocals endear them immediately. It is also clear that the Trembling have become much better songwriters since their previous EP, as the songs have more texture and direction than past endeavors. The one knock that one could make against the Trembling is their preference for long drawn out punk numbers. For instance, several of the track reach five minutes and it is sometimes difficult to keep concentration and not get jaded by slow repetition. On certain songs, the Trembling are straight up Superchunk but with more of a pop edge – this is particularly the case on the terrific “Convenient Girlfriend” were Busque’s vocals are a dead ringer for Mac. And in that respect, the Trembling should think of relocating to the indie rock haven of Chapel Hill and help bring the scene back to the top. Other hot songs to take note of from Art for the Masses include “Critical,” “Follow the Lead,” the bass punk dribbling “The Street” and “Miserable Flight.” If you are looking for a new favorite local band that excels in indie punk then you can’t do much better than the Trembling. Hopefully, the Trembling will take more of their act on the road to the spread the gospel.
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