The Ra RaRiot love continues. Their album dropped two weeks ago, and it's awesome.
"The Rhum Line" will be familiar to longtime listeners, including as it does several tracks from the EP. The old tracks are tighter and more polished, and the new stuff is just as beautiful. In particular, "Winter '05" is a beautiful ode to the singer's faraway beloved. With a simple violin and viola (?) accompaniment, the singer's melodic lament ("If you were here, winter wouldn't pass quite so slow") takes center stage. In a neat touch, they use sleigh bells to keep the beat.
The Riot sound, for those of you not already in love, is sort of twee chamber pop ("Suspended in Gaffa" is an out and out waltz) with a backbeat and a dash of '80s. When they go wrong, it can be a little sterile and bland, but when they do it right, it's really sweet. And for the most part "The Rhum Line" does it right. This is music for shameless romantics (who get freaked out by too much bass).
I raved about my boy (Island's) Nick Thorburn's side project Human Highway a few weeks ago, and the album is out today. You can stream it at their MySpace page.
Of course I would be remiss if I didn't give love to Thorburn's partner in this endevor, Jim Guthrie, who I believe spent a stint as Island's guitarist. He's great.
The songs are lovely and less weird than those of Thorburn's main gig. They've got a bluesy, kind of stoner rock feel to them, with simple guitar, base and drums scoring. "What World" gets a little dramatic with orchestral and synthetic flourishes, but for the most part, these songs are pretty chill.
"Modern Guilt" drops Tuesday, songs leaked last week and I got my copy today!
Predictably, I love it ... I mean, it's awesome. I do pretty much love love love everything Beck has ever done (although "The Information" was underwhelming and forgettable), so, you know, bear that in mind when you read my endorsement review.
The first three tracks -- "Orphans," "Gamma Ray" and "Chemtrails" -- have been floating around the internet for a few weeks, so they already feel somewhat familiar. You can hear Danger Mouse's production all over this baby, but not in a way that's distracting. It's just part of the evolution of Beck's ever-hip sound.
"Guilt" is driving and slick and sad. Whereas "Guero" was an all-out party (and "Guerolito" was just unnecessary), this new album is very aware of actions and consequences. The lyrics are more straightforward than usual, and there are actual sentences that convey actual, if not straight-up meaning, at least a feeling. But there's still plenty of Dadaist word salad to be had: "And we could live inside a hollow tree/Grow up old and bury the sea" -- from "Replica," a frantic little number which features Beck keening over a jacked up BPM.
At just less than 40 minutes, the album feels even shorter than it is. The songs clip by at a frenzied pace with a surprising dark intensity. The bleeps and bloops of previous efforts are there, but "Guilt" is very much rock and roll.
Also, Cat Power is employed beautifully on "Orphans" and other songs.
CD Review: A Big Yes and A Small No, "Jesus That Looks Terrible on You"
I meant to write about this a while ago, but never got around to it. I really love this album, in an almost irrational way. It's poppy and melodic and fun, but that in itself is nothing special. What makes this album great is its clever lyrics that teeter on the brink of novelty, but sustain multiple listenings without wearing out the joke.
I am a huge dork for wordplay, and they've totally hooked me with the album's title, which could be parsed thusly: Jesus [exclamaition] that looks terrible on you. But in fact, they're actually addressing Jesus the man as a subject. Brown robes are out, apparently.
These guys are huge dorks [said with love] as well, though, which is perhaps why I like them so much. Unafraid to be jubilant in their compositions -- which is rare for a Brooklyn band in this day and age, Matt & Kim aside -- they embrace a variety of styles, including the dreaded ska. Don't get me wrong, they're not a ska band, but they do employ that nasty two-tone beat in a few songs ... as well as some horns.
My favorite song on the album has to be "Composure," which you can hear on the band's MySpace page. A rolling ballad narrated by a man almost unhinged by his emotions. The lyrics keep driving forward, employing a sort of musical enjambment, each sung line overflowing into the next, and almost leaving behind the rest of the band.
Anyway, their internet presence is almost nil, but they are playing a few local shows in the coming weeks (they actually played last night): Pianos April 24, and Union Hall May 15.
Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks, "Real Emotional Trash"
Above: Part one of an eight part interview with SM about the making of his latest album. Prior to this I may have said that Stephen Malkmus can do no wrong, but in the face of that mustache, I stand corrected.
Also, before I get into the meat of this review, I should put out there the fact that I've been listening to "Slanted and Enchanted" on repeat for almost two weeks now. So, that's just where I'm coming from.
The opener "Dragonfly Pie" grabbed me from the get-go. With abrupt and unexpected shifts in rhythm and tone, it knocks you off balance, but hooks you for a fun ride.
He's using, again, that wangity synthy sound that employed on his last solo album, "Face the Truth" (hear it on "Pencil Rot" here). As with "Truth," you can hear a lot of his Pavement-y origins, but he's not stuck in the past. The deadpan nonsense lyrics are still there, but also too are flourishes of country, pop and piano balladry.
The album's tent peg, the titular "Real Emotional Trash," is a ten-minute emotional opus with two movements, the first a vaguely bluesy lament which gives way, in an extended instrumental break, to an upbeat "doin' it for themselves" second half. The effect is kind of theatrical. Although given my relationship to lyrics in general (I generally don't have time for them) and SM's specific brand of loose gibberish (which is, admittedly tighter here; we'll get to that later), I have no idea what this play would really be about. Upon repeated listens, the structure reminds me a lot of "Proud Mary." So this is Malkmus' Tina Turner moment?
OK, so I just said I don't really pay attention to lyrics. That's probably better phrased as lyrics are tertiary or maybe ever quarternary (I think I made that word up) to me when considering and processing a song, behind melody, rhythm and, I don't know, something else. So like, I can kind of tell that there is a story to "Real Emotional Trash," even if I'm not really interested in what it is. And there are a lot of these tracks that seem to be about something, with fully drawn characters. If this seems unremarkable, consider the following from "Fillmore Jive" (listen here):
I need to sleep it off
I need to sleep why don't you let me
I need to sleep why don't you
I need to sleep
I need to sleep
I need to sleep
I need to sleep, why won't you let me
I need to sleep
I need to sleep
I need to sleep
Why won't you, why won't you let me sleep?
(Sometimes when I'm suffering through a particularly pernicious bout of insomnia I sing this song to myself. And then I cry.)
Record review: "Alone: The home recordings of Rivers Cuomo"
That no one but a Weezer completist would even think of popping this in the CD player is a given. Archival material is always the provenance of the obsessive. Listening to this kind of stuff is less about a musical experience than a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the process of your favorite artist.
In case the title doesn't give it away, "Alone" is a collection of home recorded tracks, spanning from 1992-2007 (with a little bonus gem from Cuomo's garage rocking days in 1984), by Weezer's frontman. It's interesting stuff, worth hearing once (I probably won't listen to any of it again, though; it's definitely not going into the general shuffle pool). There are some excerpts from a rock opera (set in space) Cuomo was working on after the blue album hit it big.
What really struck me about the collection is what a literal songwriter Cuomo is. These tunes are all raw and unedited, and he really lets everything hang out. If he's sorry, girl, that those other guys are so mean to you, that's exactly what he says. If impending fame makes him feel ambivalent, well:
"Blast off! Up to the stars we go
And leave behind everything I used to know.
Someone's giving me a whole lot of money
to do what I think I want to
So why am I still feeling blue?"
That's from the opera.
The lengthy notes Cuomo includes with the album shed further light on the man's personality, and confirm my own suspicion that he's kind of a self-important jerk who really benefits from collaboration, but is good at driving away those willing to work with him. (I'm a Matt Sharp fan.) Maybe that's unfair — I've never met the guy, after all — but that's the picture this, ultimately self-indulgent, package presents.
I get a tremendous amount of mail daily, and sometimes I am remiss about opening it in a timely way (especially after a vacation), so I didn't find this album until last week.
"A Family Holiday" is a benefit album for 826NYC, featuring tunes by local indie bands (none of which I'd heard of before, with the exception of the Undisputed Heavyweights, who have a very enthusiastic friend/publicist). There are both standards and original compositions, and it's kind of a refreshing take on holiday merriment. The aesthetic tends towards simple arrangements with an indie feel.
And it's an equal opportunity celebration: There are two Hanukkah-related tracks, and only one of them is "The Dreidel Song." Casey Shea makes a plea for ecumenical understanding, contrasting Christianity and Judaism in "My Holiday Song," a tune that verges on novelty-song kitsch but stays firmly on the side of cute.
As with most compilations, the contributions vary in quality. The aforementioned Undisputed Heavyweights serve up a delightful version of "Baby It's Cold Outside," a song which seems to have experienced a mysterious resurgence this year (and which also seems to have kind of date-rapey lyrics). A stripped-down acoustic duet that neatly sidesteps the lounge lizard feel that this song can sometimes evoke.
Jeff Jacobson transposes "Frosty the Snowman" to a minor key, recasting the song as a true indie mope rock. It works.
Misty Boyce's rather straightforward cover of "The River" works less well for me, but I hate this song to begin with. It's just so freaking depressing.
In all, it's one of the better holiday albums I've come across, and it's for a super good cause. Pick it up and bust it out next year, and you'll be the coolest kid at the party.
I picked up my credentials this morning, which came with a gift bag chock full of flyers (just what I wanted!) and promotional CDs. Awesome!
• The official "CMJ Player" didn't play right on my computer. Boo. I'm going to try to track down another copy.
• "You've Been Saved: From Mediocre Music"
Presented by Ourstage — site dedicated to the democratic process; artists upload their songs and fans vote on the ones they like best. Understandably, then, this comp is pretty eclectic.
Notable tracks:
Wonderfool, "Venus to Vertigo" — Midtempo college rock.
SB, "I know Sean" — Fun hip-hop with retro samples.
The Go Station, "All Together Now" — I'm just surprised to see someone I've heard of before on one of these.
Una, "Fading in C# Minor" — Portishead-like electropop.
Overall, I would say there's a surprising amount of bands on here doing a very late-'90s sound.
• Severe Records sampler
Severe is a label out of Nashville. The artists represented here have very acoustic, feelings heavy (but not emo) singer-songwritery stuff. Not really my thing. ... Actually, as I get further into the CD, there's more diverse stuff, but nothing's really impressing me so much. There's some startlingly aggressive rap mixed in there, between all the Hootie-lite, of the "I'm getting rich, bitch"-variety.
• amp.com presents: Groove Automata
This is a freeware electronica samples library. That's kind of cool.
• Austin Texas Mean Music Comp
These bands sound a lot more polished than those on the previous CDs. I've never heard of Mean Music, but Austin, as I understand it, is a pretty musical town.
I actually really like this one. The overall style is very progressive, snotty post-punk. Purportedly, there will be more info about these bands here, but as of this writing, the page just says, "Stay Tuned."
• Filter Magazine, "2007 Subway Series"
OK, this doesn't have so much to do with what's actually happening at CMJ. In fact, with groups including Counting Crows, PJ Harvey, Joy Division and Ryan Adams, it doesn't seem to have much to do with anything that's happening anywhere. I guess someone just wanted to make a mixtape.
Now I gotta get going to go listen to actual live music, so more tomorrow...
While I did stay up until about 2 am this morning, it wasn't to listen to the new Radiohead album. Sorry guys, just listening to it now. But, thanks to the power of the internet, I can direct you to the tons of people that have listened to it, and already have Opinions! The overwhelming consensus seems to be. "It's different, but we love it. (Some fans might be unhappy.)" Seriously, everyone is saying that some people won't like it, but I haven't found anyone who says that they themselves don't like it.
Someone stole my Common CD, and I am not happy about it
I was going to review Common's new CD "Finding Forever" for ya here, but someone swiped it from my desk. Jerk.
So instead, apropos of yesterday's digression, let's take a listen to "Guilt by Association." I've mentioned it before, but if you've forgotten, its a compilation of terrible songs guilty pleasures recorded by indie artists who are ostensibly above that sort of thing.
It's a fun effort, albeit a little uneven. One man's guilty pleasure is another man's aural torture, and some of the originals are so terrible that they just can't be saved. These are songs that are ingrained in our cultural consciousness — "Don't Stop Believin' " (Journey), "Back For Good" (Take That), "Say My Name" (Destiny's Child); we all know 'em and love 'em, or hate 'em, or hate to love 'em — and some of these songs carry with them such personal baggage that there's no way a dressed up cover can say anything new. Again, one man's guilty pleasure ..., the unlistenable track will be different for everyone. Mark Mulcahy's "From This Moment On" is that for me. Also, as nice as Petra Haden's a cappella version of "Don't Stop Believin' " is, I will just never like that song.
A brief interlude before we begin this entry: We just blew by blog entry 200! If you're keeping count (and please don't), this is no. 202.
Ok, here's why I'm an idiot. I didn't go to the Ra Ra Riot show this weekend, because I was too lazy. It was free and at the Seaport — both things I like. I even went as far as getting some friends pumped about the show, and then ... I just blew it off. Poor form.
I'm listening to their s/t EP right now, and, yeah, I should have gone to the show.
Backing up, their drummer recently died in what sounds like a horribly sad accident. The band made the decision to continue the tour in his memory. Knowing this, listening to the album is terribly poignant. The tone is on the somber side anyway, but keeping in mind their recent tragedy only enhances the effect.
But this is by no means a pity review. The band holds their own with darkly poppy indie rock. I'm slowly deciphering the lyrics — lead singer Wesley Miles' voice is a little mumbly, and my own tendency is to absorb the actual music before tackling the words (which, I was recently surprised to discover, is not universally the way that people listen to music) — and they're powerfully simple. They also employ profanity pretty effectively. Some say that using four-letter words is a sign of a lack of imagination, but sometimes an f-bomb is just appropriate.
These are energetic ditties telling tales of loves lost and hearts broken. Miles' deadpan laments have a sense of inevitable sadness about them. He's supported by a solid backbone of indie guitar and a driving rhythm section, and accented by a delightful string section. Violinist Rebecca Zeller and cellist Alexandra Lawn have classical traning, and it shows. Their careful melodies waft in and out of the compositions adding an extra layer of depth.
The band is coming back to town later this summer. Aug. 10 at Bowery Ballroom with Tokyo Police Club (and then the following day at Maxwell's) and Sept. 7 at Webster Hall with Editors. I'm hard pressed to say which show will be harder to get tickets to, but if I get my act together, I'm hitting the TCP show. That one will be awesome.
Aw, mom you're just jealous it's the Beastie Boys!
And, oh, how they've grown. Their latest album, "The Mix-Up" dropped today, and, as you've probably heard, it's a long way from anything on "Licensed to Ill." In fact, it barely sounds like a Beastie Boys album. The concept is, the boys go instrumental, playing licks similar to those they would have sampled back in the day.
And it's groovy little background music. It wouldn't be out of place (or offensive to the moms) in a Pottery Barn. But that's really all it is. Metacritic gives the album an average of 55 out of 100. My favorite quote comes from the Entertainment Weekly review: "Who'd have guessed that a Beastie Boys record could be too subtle?"
Within seconds of putting it on, I just thought, "This is KICK ASS." The Daptone Horns wail on album opener "God Put A Smile Upon Your Face," and it just gets funkier from there.
The album seems like a concept that should implode under the weight of its own hype: cover versions of It band songs, featuring super hot collabs with the hippest of the hip (both Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen are featured — Ronson has produced both of them). But instead of feeling like an extended bout of name checking, the album is one long party, where all the cool kids just happened to show up. Effortless funk that's already familiar ('cause, hello, covers) the talent involved keeps the project from veering off into novelty territory. Even the cover of "Toxic" works. The original is already a joke, but Ronson slows it down into a soulful, angry ballad and overlays the rap stylings of Ol' Dirty Bastard (which as far as I can tell, Ronson had some leftover material from working with ODB before he died, and Ronson worked his studio magic to make it work).
And, as the kids in the UK already know, 'cause it's been tearing up the charts over there, his version of Radiohead's "Just" featuring Phantom Planet is awesome:
The band's sophomore album is more Eddie Argos brilliance, with an autobiographical peak into his delightfully quirky outlook on life. Instead of Forming a Band or pining after Emily Kane, this time Argos contemplates domestic bliss and life as an established working musician.
Fortunately, he hasn't done anything to polish away his artless, ranting delivery. The whole thing works because of his unadorned exuberance — well, and the fact that his band rocks like there's no tomorrow.
Argos also has a charming way with words. There are a few gem phrases I want to share with you.
From "People in Love":
"People in love lie around and get fat"
"You can tell how bad you feel by how long you're in the shower"
From "I Will Survive" (not a Gloria Gaynor cover)
"Life is what you make it/and I've made mine a mess"
The band is streaming a few songs from their MySpace page, if you want to get a sneak preview. They promised the FBI would come track me down if I posted anything.
The band is on the road in Europe currently through the end of July, and there are no U.S. dates announced yet, but I'm sure they are forthcoming. Don't miss them when they eventually do hit the states, Art Brut is one of the most fun live shows I've ever been to. Argos is so charismatic, he could steal your wallet then sell it back to you and you'd still feel you came out ahead in the transaction. Not that he would.
Arcade Fire, "Neon Bible": Eh. They've gotten a ton of positive press, but I've spoken before on how I feel about AF. Win Butler sounds a lot like Bruce Springsteen (who I also don't like, so take that for what it's worth), and I just couldn't make myself care about this album. To be fair, they're doing what they do with skill, it just doesn't interest me. At all.
Teddybears, "Soft Machine": Like I promised, I dug up the group's album and gave it a spin. The rest of the album it very different from the Iggy Pop track — very electro Euro disco. It's good party music, but I'm really only interested in Iggy,
Hella, "There's No 666 in Outer Space": You can't listen to Zach Hill's frenetic, off-kilter drumming and not go a little bit crazy. This album is definitely a challenge to listen to, but very rewarding when you break through the noise.
I'm finally catching up with all the CDs from February that I've wanted to listen to. My openness to new music waxes and wanes, and right now it seems to be waxing (which is the one that indicates that it's getting bigger, just to clarify).
"New Magnetic Wonder" is the Apples first record in five years. I had actually thought that the group was on permanent hiatus until I heard news of this album, so I was really excited to hear it. And I really like it. Their signature pop-psychedelic sound is still in tact, with shades of Beatles and Beach Boys.
Laced with >20 second interludes, the construction of the album is as playful as the album itself. And how can you not love a song called "Vocoder Ba-Ba," which is exactly what it says it is. The actual songs deliver as well, of course, otherwise this would all be one big gimmick. It's just quirky enough to keep it interesting without being too precious.
Sometimes you hear about a band so much that you're sick of them before you even hear one track. This was the case with me and Bloc Party. So much praise was heaped on their debut, "Silent Alarm," [ETA: oops, I should fact-check the blog sometimes too.] ] that I jumped immediately to backlash in my evaluation of the group. This was most unfair of me, and kind of stupid. I just got around to listening to their sophomore album "A Weekend in the City," which was released earlier in the month, and it was a rare instance in which I loved it right away.
Their moody, electronic, neo New Wave is nothing new, but they do it well. And their lyrics are smart and passionate. I don't think sincerity is always an indicator of greatness, but these guys wear their hearts on their consumerism-hating sleeves to excellent effect. It helps that they're espousing values that I happen to agree with: anti-corporation, -conformity, -disingenuousness. It helps too that lead singer Kele Okereke successfully navigates the line between plaintive and preachy.
My first reaction upon listening to the first song of the new Clap Your Hands Say Yeah album: This bootleg sounds awful. I wish I had the actual CD ... oh, I do.
This is on purpose their publicist confirmed, but it just sounds like a decent song buried in really bad production. Fortunately, though, by track 2, they've gotten over the "extreme lo-fi" (and so have I). For the rest of the album, the sound is more fuzzed-out Kinks-y than "it would have sounded nice if they hadn't recorded in an alleyway with a microphone that they found in a garbage can."
