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March Reviews Artist of the Month: Bright Eyes Conor Oberst and Bright Eyes have been on an upward track of brilliance for sometime now; to the point that you wish people would stop heralding Oberst as the greatest songwriter of his generation. Not that he doesn’t deserve the vast praise, but you just want to let him do his thing, in his space, in his time. Though it appears that Oberst is under constant pressure to live up to all this billing, Bright Eyes’ double release clearly establishes that he is something special. There is little Bright Eyes’ history that most people interested in the indie rock haven’t heard before. What is more important to keep in the mind is the scope and depth that Oberst has been performing at for roughly a decade. Oberst starting recording at 14 and helped found Saddle Creek records as an avenue for himself and Omaha friends to release their own material. Now with an n-th number of Bright Eyes records, many nicely packaged in last year’s excellent vinyl Bright Eyes’ box set, and with Saddle Creek bands making a killing, Oberst has been able to expand his material and range. Of course, much of this was started long before today and long before 2003’s Lifted or the Story Is In the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground. Yet, you can’t underestimate the influence of Lifted on Bright Eyes’ ascendance. The record propelled Bright Eyes to a Short List nomination, spots on late night shows and pre-election shows with REM and Bruce Springsteen. All the while, Bright Eyes were doing quite well for themselves on their own touring schedule and regiment. For Oberst, this included starting his own label Team Love and putting out records by Tilly and the Wall and Neva Dinova. In the midst of all these happenings for the past few years, Oberst left the barren lands of Omaha for a residence in NYC. Perhaps wanting a change in lifestyle and musical thoughts from the sometime noted musically-incestuous Omaha crowd, Oberst set to work on these two records; two records that are obviously both ‘Bright Eyes’ but also show Oberst’s virtuosity as a folk-country perform and as electronic-based artist – though we’ll talk about the important differences in a few moments. When he was ready to record, Oberst headed back to Omaha & Lincoln to record with Mike Mogis, as well as to Athens, GA to record with Now It’s Overhead’s Andy LeMaster. Oberst also enlisted his usual group of helpers including Jason Boesel (Rilo Kiley) and Clark Baechle (the Faint) on drums, LeMaster on vocals/guitars, Mogis guitars/keys, Maria Taylor (Azure Ray) on vocals, as well as the addition of Emmylou Harris on vocals for I’m Wide Awake, Jim James (My Morning Jacket) on vocals for I’m Wide Awake, Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) on guitars for Digital Ash and Jimmy Tamborello (Postal Service) on Digital Ash. Thankfully, and completely unlike most hip hop records, these guest appearances/musical aiding & abetting work to enhance an already amazing Oberst product. In the realm of what musical collaboration is all about, this is the gold standard. The major gripe some people have with Oberst is his fragility and his aching, trembling, vibrato vocals. In some, this creates a visceral reaction – particularly on his hardcore ballads. For those individuals, I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning is probably not the best place to start in your new journey to appreciate Bright Eyes – and you should step over to the electronic Digital Ash In a Digital Urn. For the rest of us, we’ll start with I’m Wide Awake. Oberst starts I’m Awake with no illusions that he is anything other than a singer-songwriter in a traditionalist folk style. The first minute-and-a-half on “At the Bottom of Everything” Oberst tells a rather off story before breaking into one of the best songs on the record. Along with mandolin by Mogis and vocals by James, Oberst’s appeal is swiftly evident within two spins and it will have you quickly going back for more – allowing yourself to skip past the introduction. This is followed by the slower “We Are Nowhere and It’s Now” where Oberst sings lines like “Stars that clear have been dead for years, but the idea just lives on” and Harris lends her vocals to create splendid moments such as “I haven’t been gone very long, but it feels like a lifetime.” Coupled with “At the Bottom of Everything” this is a brilliant way to begin a record. “Old Soul Song” is a slow mover that again hints at Oberst’s NYC experiences, while “Lua” was the pre-album single that Bright Eyes released. Putting in prospective with the other nine tracks on I’m Awake, “Lua,” again set in NYC, might be one of the ‘worst’ songs on the record. Of course, this is all relatively and comparatively. This is followed by the six-plus-minute “Train Under Water” which slows through an introduction until a full band comes in and the pedal steel of Mogis is pushed real hard. The harmonies on the chorus of “Train Under Water” make this a special song. “First Day of My Life” finds Oberst back with just an acoustic guitar and minimal backing instruments for a song that is perfect for a lost or distant love. Finally picking up the tempo, “Another Travelin’ Song” sounds exactly like a traveling song should sound like and is a rip-roaring good time – nearly a hoot-n-hollering number. When Harris comes in on the chorus and when Oberst sings “I’m hunched over a typewriter, I guess you call that painting in a cave,” “Another Travelin’ Song” strikes a masterful highlight. To bring things back to a natural state of equilibrium, Oberst and Harris couple for a stripped-down, minimalist version of “Land Locked Blues” – which originally appeared on Saddle Creek’s 50 release. Though I love the addition of Harris on this song, the original version with a full band is preferred. “Poison Oak” is a sneaky remarkable song. It begins slow with acoustic guitar and Oberst’s vocals and then gradual crescendos in a first phase that you enjoy, and then a second phase but then there is a ‘chorus’/fab section that completely blows your mind. “Poison Oak” is one of those songs where you get rewarded for paying attention the whole time. Though this would be a tremendous closer to a tremendous record, Oberst decides to musical lightening things up a smidge on “Road To Joy” – though not necessarily content-wise. “Road To Joy” comes across like a knockout blow for his Omaha rock crew and provides the line for the album’s title. For most, writing, producing and recording a likely awarding winning record would be enough for someone’s immediate period of life. But Oberst decided to pull out his electronic-based collaboration that had been circulating in his mind for some time to a release concurrent album. While your immediate thought may be of Postal Service-like material, Digital Ash follows more traditional Bright Eyes’ themes, with just a replacement by electronic instruments. Stretching out twelve songs over fifty-minutes, Oberst has some significant highs and lows on Digital Ash – which actually helps underscore the brilliance of I’m Wide Awake. Part of the downside of appeal is that as an electronic rock album, Digital Ash isn’t at the top of its game like I’m Wide Awake is. Nonetheless, there are number of songs worth mentioning and worth paying attention to. This includes the wonderfully synths-driven “Gold Mine Gutted” which hooks you with its chorus and the bridge. “Gold Mine Gutted” is followed up by the oddly-latter-day Paul-Simon-feel “Arc of Time” that is both reassuring and disturbing for its underlying sense. On the first single “Take It Easy (Love Nothing),” Postal Service’s Jimmy Tamborello joins Oberst in a decidedly more rock-orientated tone as well as some of the blips that one expects from a Tamborello-worked product. “Hit the Switch” is clearly a classic Bright Eyes’ song simply clothed in minimal electronics sheath – particularly given the lyrics and the vocal cadence. “I Believe in Symmetry” comes through with electronic-magic after an awkward opening, while “Light Pollution” is in the same compelling rock vein as “Take It Easy (Love Nothing).” Digital Ash is rounded out by the impressive Cardigans-like “Theme From Pinata” and the longer drawn out “Easy/Lucky/Free” – both of which feature Taylor’s ethereal vocals. Simply releasing two concurrent, separate and different styles record puts Conor Oberst and Bright Eyes in rarified air. Making either of them near perfect takes you up a notch. That Oberst is able to come up with sheer brilliance on I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning, then switch styles and momentum to write the strong and solid, if a bit deficient, electronic-based Digital Ash In a Digital Urn is quite amazing. Bright Eyes have already hit the road in support of I’m Wide Awake and surely will spend the next couple of years on the road. In this time, there should be a shift to supporting Digital Ash. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if Oberst decides to form an entirely new outfit to live out his electronic fantasy. With the Faint, Broken Spindles, Statistics, etc. already in the family, it shouldn’t be very difficult to see such a new endeavor come to fruition.
…And You Will Know Us By the Trail of the Dead Everything from the exquisite, detailed artwork to non-standard song sequencing screams epic rock album from this powerhouse Austin, TX, three-piece on Worlds Apart. As their third release on Interscope, Kevin Allen, Conrad Keely and Jason Reece employ a vast cadre of additional musicians and vocalists to broaden the scope of the record. The band has spent a decade getting to this point, becoming one of the most talked about rock bands over the past few years and thus earning the capital to spend on the breadth of this record. After a majestic orchestra opening on “Ode to Isis,” the Trail of the Dead begin the first ‘song’ “Will You Smile Again?” with rocketing guitars that power through nearly seven minutes of vast multi-segmented rock. With a hilarious opening, the title track offers up their most catchy and memory-singing harmonies. Whether this catchiness was specifically meant as a slap at the society the lyrics blister against is an open question. Changing and slowing modes, the Trail of the Dead follow with the sweetly piano-laden “The Summer of ‘91” which is reinforced by guitars and drums. “The Rest Will Follow” is a strangely catchy song that sounds as if AM radio snuck into their vision of rock – and thus becomes another single-material track. “Caterwaul” is full of thickly distorted guitars and includes a brilliant breakdown, while “A Classic Arts Showcase” is similar to “The Rest Will Follow” in purpose. “Let It Dive” slinks in by building and building a wall of sound, before it breaks down into prom night piano. Before the short, sweet piano, Bowie-like orchestration of “All White” comes the haunting strings-only “To Russia My Homeland.” Worlds Apart closes on “The Best” and “The Lost City of Refuge.” “The Best” features directed verse stop-starts and after some anguish-filled female screaming comes the piano-ambient “The Lost City of Refuge.” Though taken as a whole, Worlds Apart is disjointed and non-smooth, the quality of certain songs is splendid and worth every listen.
All Hours In one of those classic hardworking band finally gets a shot stories, All Hours have been working the Hollywood rock scene for sometime before getting signed to former A&M record head Al Cafaro’s Hybrid Recordings. In several respects, All Hours gives nods to Broadway rock with bits of glam, but try to wrap it in mainstream rock clothes. More specifically, All Hours concentrate on straight line smooth rock that at times oddly catches too much light FM love. It is as if they walk a very fine line between something appealing and something revolting. Songs such as “Samantha,” “Make It Right,” parts of “Gray” and “Chelsea Whistle” help bring out the best in All Hours and allows you to envision them making good on their craft. While other numbers like “Make-Up,” “Box Office Stud” (with the line “Meet you at the deli of love;” what the fuck?) and “Ring True” make you want to deliver a quick blow to the windpipes of lead singer Gilly Leads (yes, the lead singer’s last name is Leads). Either All Hours will continue to live a pipe dream or they will set out to create magical music that is hinted at by some gorgeous moments by Leads’ piano.
Armor for Sleep My dog Berry ate the promo for Armor for Sleep’s first record Dream to Make Believe some years back – a sign of good taste? Although she wasn’t interested in dining on What To Do When You Are Dead, it is clear that Armor for Sleep have gotten considerably better over the past few years. This change is bolstered by having an underlying story to the eleven songs on their new record. The record takes you from the death of an individual (“Car Underwater”) to being in Heaven (“The Truth About Heaven”) to floating about a hometown (“A Quick Little Flight”)…. This experience is aided by a small booklet in entitled “What To Do When You Are Dead: A Comprehensive Guide to Your Afterlife” with such choice recommendations as “If detected by small children or animals, tell them you do not exist.” Enlisting producer Machine, Armor for Sleep maintains their soft-spoken sound from Dream to Make Believe but include more angular guitar approaches and memory-catching moments – often due to Ben Jorgensen’s vocals. This is immediately captured by the first track and first single “Car Underwater.” “Car Underwater” is far and away the best track on the record thanks to a strong chorus in both vocals and guitars. If the rest of the album was a good as the opener then this would be one of the best records of the year to date. While the next ten tracks are similar in quality, they are some limited instances of drop-offs. Still it is worth scanning “The Truth About Heaven,” “Awkward Last Words,” the catchy “The More You Talk the Less I Hear” and “I Have Been Right All Along.” Though they often tell a good story, it is almost better to not pay too much attention to the actual lyrics and just follow their cadence and flow.
Buried Inside Everything about Buried Inside and this Relapse debut suggests that it should be blisteringly amazing – except the ten tracks generally fall short of such lofty pronunciations. Coming out of cold-ass Ottawa, the five-piece of Buried Inside have been offering up their own rendition of metal-core since 1997. After several records on smaller labels and a wealth of tours with such bands as Converge, Buried Inside was picked up by juggernaut Relapse. All sounds grand to this point – and beyond. Chronoclast (subtitled – Selected Essays on Time-Reckoning and Auto-Cannibalism) begins on, well, the “Introduction” with this epic and grandiose opening suggesting magic is just around the corner. And as the “Introduction” ends and “Time as Ideology” begins you are praying for it, but instead you are salami-slapped with un-inspiring vocals and fore-fronted guitars that have the potential to smoke but never get there. This is followed by the instrumental interlude “Time as Methodology” to the seven-plus-minute “Time as Surrogate Religion.” While “Time as Surrogate Religion” breaks up the moments considerably better, there still isn’t the musical richness that is hinted at with instrumental set ups. Meaning, Buried Inside utilize all these epic moments with strings, organs and pianos with setting up songs, but the actual ‘straight-forward’ songs are devoid of such innovation; though, “Time as Imperialism” is the first instance of what this marriage might sound like. But then we fall back into this dilemma on “Reintroduction” and “Time as Abjection,” as well as “Time as Automation” and “Time as Commodity.” It is frustrating to think of what these songs could have been if Buried Inside were really willing to synthesize the two sounds. As the record’s finale, “Time as Resistance” performs to solid job of ending on a high note. With a bit more effort, it is clear that Buried Inside could be at the forefront of innovation within the world of metallic hardcore.
Comeback Kid Comeback Kid is a fairly apt name for this five-piece from Winnipeg, but Throwback Kid might have been better. I’m not talking throwback – like a throwaway – but in the sense that CBK’s sound has been so trampled on that it is nearly impossible to do something innovative – and they don’t make much of an effort to change that on this their second full-length. CBK play straight-up fast tempo old-school hardcore with hardly any alteration of the original 80s bands. In that respect, CBK would have been perfect for that era or even the mid-late 90s push of bands like Ten Yard Fight and Floorpunch, but these eleven songs come off like straight rip-offs. The only track that really takes things beyond the obvious and monotonous is the title track, where CBK employ several breakdowns, soaring guitars and gang vocals. On almost all other songs, the drum beat is mind numbing and lead singer Scott Wade’s vocals mimic tough-guy NYHC without the toughness. The most reassuring aspect of Wake the Dead is that Victory is looking to sign bands that play elemental hardcore and not just variants of emo – especially since Victory helped spread the original sound with bands like Warzone and Cause for Alarm.
Crain In TRL’s quest to expand the diversity of their releases, they have reissued Louisville, KY art punk outfit Crain’s self-released first album from 1992. Forming in 1989 Louisville out of the ashes of Cerebellum, the four-piece of Will Chatham, Jon Cook, Tim Furnish and Joey Mudd helped define the sound of art punk for countless bands to come. After a 1994 follow up on Restless Records, Crain broke up circa 1996 and only recently have been acknowledged as a major contributor to the sound. That sound was initially molested on tape by Steve Albini in Chicago on a simple 8-track for Speed – and are remastered here by John Golden. The original ten songs on Speed move in all types of directions from the austere and angular, Fugazi-like numbers (e.g., “Monkey Wrench” and “Ten Miles of Fiction”) to more traditional indie-punk (e.g., “The Dead Town” and “News From Warsaw”) to balls-to-the-wall 80s punk (e.g., “King Octane”). While these songs can be separated out, together they present an impressive picture and contain the feeling of your favorite local punk band – something that makes you feel special. This reissue also includes four previously rare and unreleased tracks. Three of the songs – “Stabilizer,” “Blistering” and “Breathing Machine” – were recorded by Don Zientara in DC in 1992. These songs, while similar in context, sound as if Crain were just trying out different ideas and different singers as they are each distinct. The other track “Fuckerman” is very similar to a Fugazi song including extensive intro guitar toggling and a MacKaye-like screaming. All in all, this is a solid reissue of an album that probably more people should be aware of – and now they can be thanks to TRL.
The 5 Browns Do you want creepy? Because this is creepy? Not the music – eleven renditions of classic pieces by Rachmaninoff and Debussy as well as Bernstein’s West Side Story on piano. No, the piano work is all brilliant…. What is creepy is who (or what) the 5 Browns are. They are all siblings – seven years apart – that are Mormons from Utah, who went to Julliard and excel on piano. They admit that their attention has mostly come from the fact that they all play – and look exactly like! All their PR shots have them lined up and you will freak out at how similar (and scary) they look. The two guys in the group were supposed to go on Mormon mission, but the Church of Latter Day Saints said that they could stay with the group and tour to spread the word. Couldn’t the Mormons be happy with Jeopardy winner Ken Jennings spreading the word – of ridiculousness – in the public eye?
Ffa Coffi Pawb Most Americans, including myself, have probably never heard any Welsh-language music. I’ve been to Wales, but just enough to soak up sports and beer. Well, now here is your chance to hear a hot Welsh-language rock band that would go onto to form Super Furry Animals. As you gleam from Ffa Coffi Pawb’s bio, it seems that any rock band looking to sing in Welsh is simply asking for a commercial beatdown. Ffa Coffi Pawb – which translates to Everybody’s Coffee Beans, but also is phonetically similar to Fuck Off Everyone – was comprised of Gruff Rhys, Dafydd Ieuan, Rhobrdi Puw and Dewi Emlyn and came together during the mid-late 1980s in an apparent height of the Welsh-language rock scene. The band was financially bolstered for a few years by Welsh cultural-related groups, including Welsh television. They split up in 1993, because, as they put it, they were tired of only touring Wales and the general commercial confines of not singing in English. This CD is a selection of seventeen songs from across their existence – which includes four full-lengths and numerous other releases. Musically, Ffa Coffi Pawb come across like a pop-driven Jesus and Mary Chain, and that can be great thing. Most of the songs are simple compositions that feature fuzzed-out guitars and mellow vocals that are electronically-enhanced to add distance. At times, they go for more of a pop-psychedelic sound that echoes late-60s British pop (e.g., “Gweld Dim Byd”), as well as Beach Boys-esque harmonies (e.g., “Llosgi ‘N Nhy I Lawr”). While Ffa Coffi Pawb maintain harmonies and sufficient levels of catchiness, it is admittedly difficult to get into the songs given the gruff nature of Welsh. Highlights on Am Byth come from “Valium,” “Sega Segur,” “Arwynebol Melyn,” “Gwn” and “Gweneud Fy Mhen I Fewn.” Regardless of the language divide, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear the above tracks on college radio across the U.S. Bonus features of this release include a U.S.-release-only track “Tocyn” and full English translations of the lyrics by Gruff Rhys. If you are looking for a good introduction to what Welsh rock is – or was for that matter – than you could probably do a lot worse than Am Byth.
Hundred Year Storm How is it possible that there has never been a band called Hundred Year Storm – it’s such a great name. Anyway, Bill McCharen formed the band – then titled Shady Angels – in the summer of 2002 in the always bustling music scene of Austin, TX. Combining bassist Ben Beach, guitarist Mike D, drummer Brandon Johnson and guitarist David Kiesel, McCharen has taken this group to the next level. In several respects, Hundred Year Storm is an excellent combination of some of the best bands and sounds out there. In other respects, they have the potential to be special. That specialness can be traced backward by listening to the last song “Pilot’s Last Broadcast” first, as Hundred Year Storm flurry an instrumental number in the vein of Austin-mates Explosions in the Sky. Though different from the other five songs, “Pilot’s Last Broadcast” hints at what may be in store for the group in the future. These other five follow more focused indie rock methods with some nice results. The EP opens up on “Someday You’ll See” with excellent instruments and brings in very mellow multiple vocalists. “Someday You’ll See” could be bolstered by strong out-front vocals or at least a better mixing job to draw out a Mazzy Starr effect. “Deep Inside” intermittently illustrates the experimental guitars that Hundred Year Storm is capable of in the face of rather common lyrics. Gorgeous guitars finally show up about a minute-and-a-half into “Mental” and continue to thread along this excellent instrumental number. “Consider This” steps off a bit towards Mineral, while “Arms” provides a rather uninspired lead into the finale “Pilot’s Last Broadcast.” As Hundred Year Storm’s last EP in their short history, they illustrate the capability of brilliant musicianship. Based on what is here, the instrumental aspects are the band’s real talents and they would do wise by exploring them further. An album consisting of “Pilot’s Last Broadcast” and “Mental”-type numbers would instantly create a new favorite band.
Iron & Wine In nary a year since Iron & Wine’s stellar full-length Our Endless Numbered Days, Sam Beam is back with this sweet little six-song EP. Though Beam was already on the indie map from his previous releases The Creek Drank the Cradle and The Sea and the Rhythm EP, his latest record along with tours with likes of the Shins and the Decemberists have pushed him into an all-together different echelon. For those uninitiated, Iron & Wine’s songs are all acoustic folk numbers that feature Beam’s brilliant hushed vocals and an array of string instruments and light percussion. Most tracks come with a strong Southern folk feel that makes sense given Beam originally hails from Columbia, SC and now spends his time in the faux-southern Miami. What is most impressive of Woman King is the pure strength and breadth of the six songs – given he had just done a full-length. The EP begins well on the title track with very direct and straight lyrics where Beam seemingly shows off an instrumental arsenal. This is followed by probably the best track “Jezbel.” What makes “Jezbel” special is simply an amazingly catchy acoustic guitar – accompanied by light electric – and Beam’s perfectly fitting vocals. You can easily listen to “Jezbel” over and over again. “Gray Stables” comes off similarly to Endless Numbered songs, while “Freedom Hangs Like Heaven” sounds like pure delta-blues with a folk touch. “My Lady’s House” is surprisingly catchy though it moves at a snail’s pace and is bolstered by the addition of piano halfway through. The EP closes on “Evening on the Ground (Lilith’s Song)” with higher tempo percussion and guitars as Beam is joined by sister Sarah on vocals. Woman King, in all, is another stunning product by one of the best in the indie-folk world.
Jennifer Gentle As the first Italian band on Sub Pop, Jennifer Gentle have crowned themselves as the random shit artists of the label. Jennifer Gentle is actually headed by two guys Marco Fasolo and Alessio Gastaldello, and aided by Paolo Mioni and Liviano Mos. On their third record Valende, JG run the gamut from acoustic eclecticism to playschool guitar riffs to a vast array of creepy, haunting and aching vocals. This can be appealing in small doses but is difficult to hold up over an extended period of time. The Pixies-on-serious-ludes “Tiny Holes” and the opening slowed, dark track “Universal Daughter” illustrate what JG’s talent and potential are. But then you throw knives-in-the-ears numbers like “Hessesopoa” and “The Garden (Part Two)” and even the quirky finale “Nothing Makes Sense,” and you wish death upon the group. It seems that when Jennifer Gentle focus on standard songwriting, they can be quite good particularly with a dash of eclecticism. But they easily fall down when they push the latter too far.
Louis XIV Forming in San Diego a little under two years ago, the three-piece of Louis XIV have experienced a rapid ascension towards international notice and a deal with Atlantic. Comprised of Jason Hill, Brian Karscig and Mark Maigaard, Louis XIV began as most bands do with a simple self-recording to help spread the word and get shows. Yet, that self-recording became their self-released debut record on their Pineapple Recording Group and allowed them to get love from NME and the San Diego music awards. The band subsequently released two EPs – Pink EP and Blue EP – that included some of their debut and new tracks, which led to an opening spot on tour with the Killers. And here they are now with Illegal Tender, still released on their label but with Atlantic backing, and gearing up for a new full-length. Louis XIV’s quick ascension and love from NME can be easily traced to their glammed-out, stripped-down, dirty guitar rock. This unconscious bludgering of this worn-out sound can tend to ruffle feathers even if Louis XIV are able to lace these five tracks with catchiness. They open on “Louis XIV” which is certainly an uninspiring affair and includes some off-termed lyrics like “I’m a weapon of mass destruction.” However, Louis XIV follow this up with hip and catchy “Finding Out True Love Is Blind” – which is clearly the EP’s single. “Finding Out True Love Is Blind” is most noticeably mind-ingraining thanks to female vocal breakdowns; though we still have another case of terrible lyrics. If you able to hold your temper down – which I can’t – maybe you can make it through the Rocky Horror Picture Show rip off “Illegal Tender.” The song works well if it was in the movie, but it is not and makes you want to stab Hill, Karscig and Maigaard in the throat to make them stop. Louis XIV mellow things out on “Marc” with piano, ambience and a heart-felt approach and close the record with the eclectic “Louis Reprise.” On this EP, Louis XIV have illustrated they play to a number of different sounds, which is both a good and bad thing. If Louis XIV can limit sounding like all the other bands NME tends to prop up, the better off they will be.
The Loved Ones Philadelphia-based the Loved Ones step into a simple musical concept and absolutely nail it to the wall on their debut EP for Jade Tree. Comprised of vocalist/guitarist Dave Hause, bassist Michael Cotterman and drummer Mike Sneeringer, the Loved Ones seems an apt name as these guys worked and played for a variety of well-known punk and hardcore acts and those connections have helped them to this spot. That simple concept mentioned above is clean indie-punk that concentrates on catchy vocals and smartly placed guitar playing. The Loved Ones’ sound echoes back a few years to late-90s punk rock – like a hygienic Dillinger Four with more pop. This formula is slapped in your face immediately on the opener “100k” which should become a college radio fave. “Chicken” offers up a similar, well-orchestrated product and sounds even more last decade – which I love. You, the listener, and the band should start skipping playing “Massive” – a song that sounds such like Hot Water Music you would swear it is something off their latest record. Besides from a shift away from the sound the Loved Ones set up on “100k” and “Chicken,” bands should just not emulate HWM – unless they are making songs like those from Forever and Counting. After the mildly-pleasing acoustic “Drastic” is the hot closer “Candy Cane.” “Candy Cane” begins with muting and Hause’s vocals before the band come in, as they swing between full band and breakdowns. This is a very promising debut EP for the Loved Ones and if their future recordings come off like “100k” and “Chicken” then we may have all found our new favorite punk band. This will also help us forget about some other Philly lost-love artists – that is, ill-affected Ink and Dagger and amusing pop of Atom and His Package.
Low My first recollection of Low comes from about ten years ago as they opened a show at Roseland in NYC for a band I can’t remember now (Fugazi? Sonic Youth?). I thought that their moniker was nearly perfect for the band’s sound – slow mood and tempo with deliberately directed song progressions. As this Duluth, MN three-piece’s seventh record and first for Sub Pop, Low pump things up to make probably their closest version to a rock album. Low is composed of Mimi Parker on drums/vocals, Alan Sparhawk on guitar/vocals and Zak Sally on bass. The essential aspect of this composition is concurrent vocals of Parker and Sparhawk on most of the record’s thirteen songs. Moving from Low’s mid-90s slow crush to this rock-imbibed affair has been a trip but most people are pleased with the latest offering. The Great Destroyer opens on the haunting, electronic-infused “Monkey” and quickly follows it up the somewhat peppy “California” that probably features the most radio friendly material. Possibly as an affront to nervous fans, “Everybody’s Song” is much dirtier and droning, while “Silver Rider” is a floating, acoustic number. “Just Stand Back” is just a tremendously strong and melodic song and is followed by the Neil Young-incarnate “On the Edge Of.” “Cue the Strings” sounds as if Low is about to jump into a 1950s pop song, but never do. “Step” is a hip song that includes tons of handclaps and help from Hollis Mae and Dave Fridmann. The folksy “When I Go Deaf” illustrates Low’s range and their potential for writing in a completely different line of music. The seven-plus-minute “Broadway (So Many People)” has a light electronic ambient feel, while “Pissing” simply crescendos. The Great Destroyer is rounded out by “Death of a Salesman” and “Walk Into the Sea.” The former has Sparhawk simply sporting vocals and acoustic guitar and the latter is just as simple a rock song but with a full band. It appears from The Great Destroyer that Low are giving themselves a new life both at Sub Pop and in the musical community as a whole.
Eric Matthews Although Eric Matthews has received vast praise as both a solo artist and a member of Cardinal, this seven-song release simply mystifies me. Illustrating a penchant for extended – six minute – acoustic guitar epics, Matthews lulls you to sleep with constant repetitive lines and awkward lyrics. After the dissolution of Cardinal, Matthews released two records on Sub Pop during the mid-late 90s, but this is his first release after an extended hiatus. From the seven songs here, it is clear that Matthews’ has a dazzling voice when used in the proper manner. One of the significant problems, though, is that the songs themselves leave something to be desired. While listening, you are filled with an overbearing desire for the song to just end and stop repeating itself; or you are just waiting for something interesting to be played. The only good times are when Matthews busts out some horns and piano – echoing Bacharach – just as on the closer “Black to Light Brown.” Since I’ve never heard his past records, songs such as “Black to Light Brown” may have been reason for the previous rave reviews.
Mt. Gigantic Mt. Gigantic, out of Bloomington, IN, is a compendium of composed anarchy that revolves around quirky, folk-punk. Forming several years back as an avenue for lead composer Wayne Sebastian, Mt. Gigantic is a hodgepodge of artists including Megan Downey, Ben Bussell, Mike Dixon, Justin Vollmar, Erin Tobey, John Ringhoffer, Ryan Stearman, Torlando and Greg Dixon – so, yes, a ton of folks. And, typically, all of these people are playing at once and often singing together in a marginally coordinated manner. Mt. Gigantic songs tend to run on towards five and six minutes and include vast, partially connected segments. At first listen, you swear these seven tracks are just dribblings on nothingness that just accentuate the strange. But as you move between the songs’ segments, there is almost parts that grab your attention and are catchy. The party begins on “Bring Back the Healthy” where the choice section is the chorus of “did anybody ever tell you you’re lonely….” That insanity sets up for the probably odder “Dip Into My Daddy” that is one of the top numbers and could be uber-hot if Sebastian would flush out the amazing section of “hair colored hair and eye colored eyes yer flesh is talking flesh.” “Grandpa Plays the Drums” is mild-moving, while “Rachel and Her Children” has enough gusto make it memorable. “Bells” is a short acoustic number that merely sets up the epic “Hey There Is No Birthday Party For Me in Here. I Want to Punch You.” The song is near chaos and only is listenable for the line where one of the women utters the title. Old Smiler ends on “Making Time For/It Is Time For” that moves between slow and up tempo sections and focuses on guitar work. If the songs on Old Smiler were all as hot as “Bring Back the Healthy” and “Dip Into My Daddy” then Mt. Gigantic may have had one of the best records of the year.
Out Hud This is not an easy or wise album to just skip around the tracks on as you will inevitably lose something to the overall draw. On this ten-track full-length – also available on double LP – the five-piece electronic-dance rock outfit Out Hud compile what is invariable a brilliant live show onto tape. Initially forming in 1996 out in California, the members of Out Hud have only released one other full-length in that time entitled Street Dad; though they have a host of 7”s, etc. This is partially due to Tyler Pop, Nic Offer and Justin Vandervoigen also rocking out in !!! This trio is joined by childhood friends Molly Schnick and Phyllis Forbes who most importantly lend their gorgeous vocals to the collective. Originally recorded in the Spring of 2003 and sufficiently molested together by Vandervoigen over the past year, it is clear that Out Hud are founded in early 80s New Wave but merge vast influences to create an unnervingly appeasing product. This is no doubt enhanced by a nearly constant bass-heavy rhythm and Schnick’s and Forbes’ vocals. After the brief intro track “This Just In,” comes one of the hottest tracks “It’s For You” where the ladies’ vocals sink in perfectly on the catchy chorus. Thumping heavy Jackson 5 bass underlies “One Life to Leave” and is the first instance that Out Hud sounds not just like an electronic ‘dance’ band, but also live within the indie eclectic world. After the average “Old Nude” comes an eight-minute instrumental, “The Song So Good They Named It Thrice,” that moves Out Hud probably furthest into techno. “How Long” has a similar feel as “One Life to Leave,” but with more ambience before Out Hud begin a four-song mostly instrumental close to the record – save for actually the finale “The Stoked American.” This includes the smoking eleven-plus-minute “Dear Mr. Bush, There Are Over 100 Words For Shit and Only 1 For Music” where sweet electronics clash and dance with Schnick’s cello. There should be little doubt that “Dear Mr. Bush…” will get some serious club attention. As Out Hud’s second full-length for the masses, they have provided a lot to sink your teeth in and stop complaining about lack of material.
Paint It Black What saves Philadelphia’s Paint It Black from sounding completely generic are the songwriting and sound quality intuitions that this four piece is able to conjure up from past endeavors in such bands as Lifetime, Good Riddance and Kid Dynamite. That transpires mostly in periodic sound shifts that move the band away from straight chug, old school hardcore. Though Paint It Black want to echo the sentiment of those bands, e.g., Youth of Today, they also don’t want to straight copy a patented sound. And thus, they add smidgens of melodic sections as illustrated on tracks such as “Pink Slip,” “The New Brutality,” “Atheists in Foxholes” (which is misspelled Athiests on the backcover), “Labor Day,” “Burn the Hive” and the excellent closer “Memorial Day.” Consistent with initial band plans, none of the songs are over two minutes – though all are over one minute. Probably the most generic element of Paint It Black is the non-dynamic vocals of frontman Dan Yemin. It is not that the vocals are bad, but that they do little to distinguish themselves from scores of like-minded bands. Given what I’ve heard and the recorded sound of Paint It Black their live show can help convert even jaded fans. Such a show may push me more over to the fan category in the future.
The Postal Service
Skittish This fourteen track release is sort of a demo to release all music demons for one Jeff Noller and his partner in crime Chris Lahn. Much of the material here seemingly comes from a too much time on his hands plus a swath of alienation in Noller’s post-college days. The songs are thick with quirkiness and irony that combine to be like the not-as-awesome rock version of Atom and His Package – particularly with some embarrassing Bare Naked Ladies likeness. In all, it is clear that Noller and Lahn are simply having fun here, not concerned with weak drumming, off-timing or missed bass notes. Songs that succeed include “Happily Ever After,” “Good Jane,” “Peeling Picket Fences” and “Hubris and Humility.” If Noller and Lahn want to make a go at this then they need to take what they learned from this record and knock out solid, focused numbers.
Stereo Total Three years after their previous record Musique Automatique, this Berlin-based electronic pop kitsch-driven duo has finally released their follow-up Do the Bambi. The duo, Francoise Cactus and Brezel Goring, excel in making short, eclectic numbers about nearly everything and nothing at the same time. Singing in French, German and English, Stereo Total are at their best when Francoise is singing her innocent melodies and Brezel is orchestrating electronic catchiness. Though possessing several of their past five records, this record took a certain amount of time to buy into. Part of this may have come from Do the Bambi consisting of nineteen songs coming in a nearly an hour. And, so, there are several complete throwaway numbers that you prefer never existed. So, let’s throw away those songs and talk about the hot, sexy ones. The record opens on “Babystrich” that takes awhile to get going but then comes into perfect dance party brilliance. This is followed by the title track that picks up significantly after beats are added to Francoise’s vocals. “I Am Naked” is a quirky, sexy number where Francoise sings in fun Euro-English “I am naked…mmh mmh/All naked…so what?” and goes from there. “Vive Le Week-End” is a fairly straight forward number that was written as illustration for Jean-Luc Godard’s Weekend. “La Douce Humanite” is a relatively standard number for Stereo Total, while “Les Lapins” smokes with a 80s movie feel. The synths on “Les Lapins” will bring you back for repeat listens. “Tas de Tole” is another song intended for Godard’s Weekend, while “Partymadchen Gefoltert” is a fun, short punk song. “Cannibale” sporadically includes one of the most brilliant synth riffs I’ve ever heard – though it could have been flushed out more. The album closer “Chelsea Girls” has electronics that sound as if they are simply waiting to explode, but never do. Some may call this latest record from Stereo Total a guilty pleasure, but there is no need for it to be guilty when it is this good. Don’t miss the varying Bambi drawings on the last page of the booklet.
Strike Anywhere Finally breaking out of the shadow of another immaculate Richmond, VA, punk band (that is, Avail), Strike Anywhere offer up a collection of b-sides, rarities and cover songs on To Live in Discontent. Taking up a similar mantle as Avail, Strike Anywhere have subsisted on political punk which focuses on material from police brutality, rights of the working poor, privacy fascism and the like. It is true that recent punk bands have concentrated more on selling on MTV than dealing with such a swath of topics. Coming off the Rock Against Bush tour this past year with like-minded Anti-Flag, Strike Anywhere are one of the few bands going that is able to lace political lyrics into catchy songs and make it not sound awkward. This is a phenomenally difficult task and as this collection of thirteen songs illustrates, Strike Anywhere is damn good at it. The first two tracks – “Asleep” and “Antidote” – were on a limited release 7” on Fat Wreck. Both tracks feature probably the most uptempo numbers here and at times the guitars and lead singer Thomas Barnett come off like Lifetime (and that is a good thing). The next six songs come from the 2000 Chorus of One EP and it is clear that the title track is a stunner. “Chorus of One” has basically everything you are looking for from a punk song – muting, breakdowns, timely thumping bass and a degree of catchiness. While the next four pale in comparison, highlights still come from “Incendiary” and “Notes on Pulling the Sky Down.” As a relative matter, the Exit English-throw away “Two Fuses” competes for the best song on this record. Compelling in its own right, the chorus line of “And these wire taps and satellite maps can’t touch my right to exist” will burn in your memory and force you to listen to the song repeatedly. The next track “Sunspotting” comes off Strike Anywhere’s 1999 demo and has that to-be-awesome local punk band sound. The final three songs are covers of “Two Sides” by the Gorilla Biscuits, “Values Here” by Dag Nasty and “Where Are They Now?” by Cock Sparrer (who?). Far and away, the song and cover of “Where Are They Now?” is flat-out awesome amongst this set. To Live in Discontent performs admirably as a compilation of previously tough to attain Strike Anywhere tracks and serves nicely as a pick-up for people enthralled by 2003’s Exit English.
V/A Nearly a decade in the making, or a decade in thought of doing, Temporary Residence Ltd. are now finally releasing a tribute to Black Sabbath. Unlike most tribute records, Everything Comes & Goes is more a reinterpretation of Sabbath by eclectic artists across the underground spectrum. At times, this is both a good thing and a bad thing. Esoteric noise darlings Matmos open the record with “F/X,” while Japanese noise masters Ruins come through an impressive song amalgam on “Reversible Sabbath.” Taking a while to get to the heart of the matter, Grails finally punches out some skills on “Black Sabbath” making it well worth the wait. Four Tet does “Iron Man” with acoustic guitars, simple beats and margins of electronics, and you have no idea that this is actually “Iron Man.” One of the best tracks comes from the Curtis Harvey Trio with a country-western take on “Changes” – and it is awesome. Paul Newman’s “Fairies Wear Boots” is fairly standard, while the Anomoanon provide an ambient, minimalist version of “Planet Caravan.” Racebannon knocks out seven minutes of hard, spastic rock on “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” coming closest to what a hardcore band may do with Sabbath. The tribute closes on “Sweet Leaf” by Greeness with Philly G which is basic standard Sabbath fair. This tribute is best for individuals who love Sabbath but whose main tastes live in underground, indie instrumentals.
Widespread Panic So what would you give a huge Widespread Panic fan in preparation for Widespread Panic’s massive national tour? How about a two-disc live recording from Myrtle Beach, SC with some of the worst artwork you’ve ever seen? Sounds perfect. Although Widespread Panic are seriously tight musicians and the recording off the soundboard is nearly flawless, I’ve always been suspect of live recordings. Unless you are a massive fan of a band, and even still, do you really need a live recording for a show that you weren’t at. There is a bit of logic to having a live recording of a show you were at – in order to relive the moment. Although I mentioned the terrible artwork already, let me just point it out again – I’m not sure what sane minded person would sign off on it.
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