Halfwayhome
A Brand New Subdivision
The Death Scene
Grade: A-/A
There is no way that Halfwayhome are supposed to be this awesome. Where did they come from? What is this label that they are on? Why had we never heard of them before? Seriously, we were absolutely blown away by this record. Dribbling and glistening with gorgeousness, this is a must have for, well, anyone.
Halfwayhome formed in Orange County, CA a couple of years ago and quickly became a local hot number. After releasing their debut record Let’s Start This on OC’s Criterion Records, the band sneaked onto the 2003 Warped Tour for a bit and scored other tours with Story of the Year and Thursday. In fact, Halfwayhome are good friends of Story of the Year and in part have similar sounds. However, Halfwayhome are way more diverse and are willing to attach fuller arrangements and sounds to their songs; and that significantly adds to their brilliance. Now, why haven’t heard of this Brooklyn-based label? The most likely reason is that this is their first release. I honestly can’t think of a label whose first record rocked this hard. There are labels where the first release made music history as being the first, etc., but nothing ever this good.
A Brand New Subdivision begins on “For Tomorrow We Die” with a couple seconds of piano before guitars and full band come in full. Yet, it is not until vocals come in and the guitars go to quick mutings when you swear to shit this is heavenly. Though not sounding like them, Halfwayhome are instantly able to adore the listener with the chills that early Hot Water Music was able to instill. Clearly, “For Tomorrow We Die” is a standout track and should be pushed as a ‘single.’ “Four Months Until the Swarm” follows in a more traditional line, but elicits significant catchiness. Entering with some electronic ambience, “Contract with a Ghost” begins as a diversion before the rest of the band catches up. “Architect of My Demise” tries to push itself ahead by great guitar work, but can’t muster full devotion until the catchy chorus. “Ascension to Clarity” is only ho-hum, but “A Pilot and A Bleeding Heart” catches the listener back up to speed with quick guitars and tight harmonies. Playing on classic emo-core constructions “Open the Sky” is likely to get heads nodding along, but it is the breakdown that helps push the song over the edge. I really wish that bands would stop doing the dirty introduction to songs with no production, before getting into the real song. Halfwayhome does this on “The Truth Can Be A Brutal Business” and it takes away from the song, even if they offer some Coheed piano later on. “On the Passing of Fairy Tale Heroes” finds Halfwayhome illustrating their sound with muting, vocal harmonizing as emphasis and sugary breakdowns. Besides from the intermittent metal-core guitars, “Ignited Eyes and Cyanide” is a bit lazy. Yet, Halfwayhome finish on a strong note with the dazzling “And the Moment Passes By.” “And the Moment Passes By” is probably the catchiest and certainly echoes Taking Back Sunday and even Blankface. But you can’t deny that it is just splendid. This should be the second ‘single.’
Now that we all know a bit more about these boys from Orange County, they should quickly rise to day-dreaming proportions. If they don’t, then it is crime. If people had a notion of how good Halfwayhome was, their record would be flying off the shelves. Hopefully, this review can help a bit. Rock on.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Vaux - Plague Music
Vaux
Plague Music
Equal Vision Records
Grade: A-
I have always seen and heard Vaux mentioned by other bands, but until getting this their latest EP I’d never actually heard them. Though the array of bands that they have played with and been associated with is awesome, I never really thought that Vaux would be able to live up to such comparison. Yet, on this five song EP, their first for EVR, the Denver-based six-piece is stunning. Few may have caught their set at the 2002 Warped Tour and fewer may have heard their two previous releases on Volcom. But now with building powerhouse EVR behind them on Plague Music, there is little doubt Vaux will follow a Coheed trajectory. The EP starts in a non-startling fashion with “Celibate Good Time” where the band rocks out a standard punk-hardcore amalgam. The action and essence of Vaux comes into play on the following “RAID!” “RAID!” is the first track to feature Quentin Smith’s spacey, epic vocals entwined with perfectly fitting guitar work. “Dearest Darkest” continues the trend with tripping vocals that mirror recent My Chemical Romance and includes a sweet Sabbath-esque section. “Sex Will Happen Tonight” completely changes mood with rangy Middle Eastern flair as Vaux relies on electronics, keys and mellow tempo. This song, combined with the previous two, brings up a conceptual connection with the late Ink and Dagger, and it is glorious. The EP closes on a more traditional hardcore note with “Plague Music;” though careens to sweeping mode towards the end. Given this EP, Vaux has the possibility for great things. I very much look forward to their next full-length where they can stretch out their vision.
Plague Music
Equal Vision Records
Grade: A-
I have always seen and heard Vaux mentioned by other bands, but until getting this their latest EP I’d never actually heard them. Though the array of bands that they have played with and been associated with is awesome, I never really thought that Vaux would be able to live up to such comparison. Yet, on this five song EP, their first for EVR, the Denver-based six-piece is stunning. Few may have caught their set at the 2002 Warped Tour and fewer may have heard their two previous releases on Volcom. But now with building powerhouse EVR behind them on Plague Music, there is little doubt Vaux will follow a Coheed trajectory. The EP starts in a non-startling fashion with “Celibate Good Time” where the band rocks out a standard punk-hardcore amalgam. The action and essence of Vaux comes into play on the following “RAID!” “RAID!” is the first track to feature Quentin Smith’s spacey, epic vocals entwined with perfectly fitting guitar work. “Dearest Darkest” continues the trend with tripping vocals that mirror recent My Chemical Romance and includes a sweet Sabbath-esque section. “Sex Will Happen Tonight” completely changes mood with rangy Middle Eastern flair as Vaux relies on electronics, keys and mellow tempo. This song, combined with the previous two, brings up a conceptual connection with the late Ink and Dagger, and it is glorious. The EP closes on a more traditional hardcore note with “Plague Music;” though careens to sweeping mode towards the end. Given this EP, Vaux has the possibility for great things. I very much look forward to their next full-length where they can stretch out their vision.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Mono - Walking Cloud and the Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined
Mono
Walking Cloud and the Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined
Temporary Residence Ltd.
Grade: A-/A
Not to be dismayed by the gluttonous album title, this is some of the most dreamily amazing instrumental music I’ve ever heard. It is the kind of music that you can put on when you at your worst – screaming, angered, bothered, blinking thoughts echoing in your brain not allowing you to concentrate – and it soothes you, relaxes you and allows you to feel like everything is okay. Though it is not as if this Tokyo four-piece write uplifting, happy, sunshine numbers; in fact, most songs have an edge of melancholy. Recorded and mixed by Steven Albini, Walking Cloud puts out eight tracks of utter pleasure and pure loveliness. It probably goes without saying that a majority of the songs wind down long paths and take up to fifteen minutes for completion (e.g., “Lost Snow”). The record begins brilliantly on the ten minute “16.12” as Mono slowly builds the song till sweeping crescendos, serving as a great introduction to the band. The rest of the record is just as glorious with highlights coming from “Halcyon (Beautiful Days),” “Ode,” the distorted rock “Lost Snow” and the magical closer “A Thousand Paper Cranes.” Walking Cloud is a record that I will recommend to people for a long time to come.
Walking Cloud and the Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined
Temporary Residence Ltd.
Grade: A-/A
Not to be dismayed by the gluttonous album title, this is some of the most dreamily amazing instrumental music I’ve ever heard. It is the kind of music that you can put on when you at your worst – screaming, angered, bothered, blinking thoughts echoing in your brain not allowing you to concentrate – and it soothes you, relaxes you and allows you to feel like everything is okay. Though it is not as if this Tokyo four-piece write uplifting, happy, sunshine numbers; in fact, most songs have an edge of melancholy. Recorded and mixed by Steven Albini, Walking Cloud puts out eight tracks of utter pleasure and pure loveliness. It probably goes without saying that a majority of the songs wind down long paths and take up to fifteen minutes for completion (e.g., “Lost Snow”). The record begins brilliantly on the ten minute “16.12” as Mono slowly builds the song till sweeping crescendos, serving as a great introduction to the band. The rest of the record is just as glorious with highlights coming from “Halcyon (Beautiful Days),” “Ode,” the distorted rock “Lost Snow” and the magical closer “A Thousand Paper Cranes.” Walking Cloud is a record that I will recommend to people for a long time to come.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Taking Back Sunday - Where You Want to Be
Taking Back Sunday
Where You Want to Be
Victory Records
Grade: A-
It is hard to believe that this is only Taking Back Sunday’s second record, as they seem to have been dominating the arena for much longer than three years. And yet it is. A new record that debut at #3 on the Billboard charts and is still selling vast quantities; all of which is unbelievable. Though there is a lot of hype, Where You Want to Be is an excellent follow up to Tell All Your Friends and shows a sweet progression in sound maturity.
I remember seeing video of TBS before they got things going from friend Ray Frech; our previous partner in crime with fun game massive. Though the band was solid, there was nothing that grabbed you by the balls. Ray continued to champion the band to me as they signed on Victory. And such, when Tell All Your Friends came out in 2002, I was stunned at how the band had become exponentially better. I obviously wasn’t the only one who thought this, as TBS started the opening salvo of their skyrocketing popularity and helped lead the much maligned ‘emo-core’ sound.
The ‘big’ question on this follow-up from this quasi-Amityville, NY five-piece is how they would adapt and survive with two new members. In 2003, both John Nolan and Shaun Cooper left TBS and formed Straylight Run (also signed to Victory). As I like to describe him, Nolan was the guy with the skinny head. After some cancellations and hold ups, Fred Mascherino joined the band on guitar and vocals and Matt Rubano came on board with bass. Although lead singer Adam Lazzara is the celebrity, heartthrob of the band, guitarist Eddie Reyes is the captain. Reyes has been part of the Long Island punk/hardcore for more years than Walt Flanagan’s dog, and it seems he would be unwillingly to let this situation shut down the behemoth that is Taking Back Sunday. After the band got their package together, they enlisted producer Lou Giordano to help transfer their visions to reel during this past spring.
Where You Want to Be kicks off on “Set Phasers to Stun” with down-picking quick stop-starting guitars and Lazzara’s compelling vocals bristling along. As probably the best song on the record, “Set Phasers to Stun” excels when Lazzara does a couple of quick tripping vocal sections and, of course, on the dazzling chorus. “Bonus Mosh Pt. II” begins slower and features more earnest and faux-whining vocals from Lazzara. The song also echoes vocal cadences from many songs on Tell All Your Friends, as well as your first dose of background screaming. Initially drawing on some 80s guitars, “A Decade Under the Influence” is the type of song that other bands do when they want to sound like Taking Back Sunday. So that is both good and bad. It is bad because that means TBS is not working to differentiate themselves from their lazy imitators. It is good because it illustrates their musically prowess. Other pluses are that the song is pop happiness and contains a great chorus of “To hell with you and all your friends.” “This Photograph is Proof (I Know You Know)” moves at mid-tempo and is only really noteworthy for its enriching chorus. To contrast what you just heard, “The Union” comes in at full force, speed devil punk before dropping into a breakdown and coming back out. “The Union” also does a good job utilizing subtle guitar electronics overdubs. As the stab-yourself-in-the-eye and/or pure indie cred number, “New American Classic” features Lazzara singing to acoustic guitars and an array of strings. Another piece of good record sequencing is “I Am Fred Astaire” following “New American Classic” and finds the band pushing an uplifting and even-keeled sound. Besides from the all-out, multiple vocalist ending, “One-Eighty By Summer” is a bit ho-hum. Yet, the opening to “Number Five With A Bullet” is always what I’m looking for. The song begins with muting and Lazzara singing along with a bit of electronics coming in to enliven the product. Unfortunately, the song doesn’t entirely deliver on its auspicious start, but it is still a standout number on the record. Dual intertwining guitars lead you through “Little Devotional,” while “…Slowdance On the Inside” closes the record with slight strings underneath a mid-tempo dreamy composition. “…Slowdance On the Inside” is an awesome record closer and is probably the one song with an epic feel with multiple vocalists adding to the chorus.
Although Where You Want to Be may not have as many memory-burning tracks as Tell All Your Friends, the overall package is much tighter, solid and constructed. Even still, songs like “Set Phasers to Stun,” “Bonus Mosh Pt. II” and “Number Five With A Bullet” will still get you moving. There is little question that people love Where You Want to Be, given the strong sales over the past couple of months. And yet, it is still difficult to figure out how much bigger Taking Back Sunday can get. I suppose Grammy talk is not entirely out of the question. Also, another great video from Christian Winter and Hilo Films could get some VMA action. That would all be purely crazy.
Where You Want to Be
Victory Records
Grade: A-
It is hard to believe that this is only Taking Back Sunday’s second record, as they seem to have been dominating the arena for much longer than three years. And yet it is. A new record that debut at #3 on the Billboard charts and is still selling vast quantities; all of which is unbelievable. Though there is a lot of hype, Where You Want to Be is an excellent follow up to Tell All Your Friends and shows a sweet progression in sound maturity.
I remember seeing video of TBS before they got things going from friend Ray Frech; our previous partner in crime with fun game massive. Though the band was solid, there was nothing that grabbed you by the balls. Ray continued to champion the band to me as they signed on Victory. And such, when Tell All Your Friends came out in 2002, I was stunned at how the band had become exponentially better. I obviously wasn’t the only one who thought this, as TBS started the opening salvo of their skyrocketing popularity and helped lead the much maligned ‘emo-core’ sound.
The ‘big’ question on this follow-up from this quasi-Amityville, NY five-piece is how they would adapt and survive with two new members. In 2003, both John Nolan and Shaun Cooper left TBS and formed Straylight Run (also signed to Victory). As I like to describe him, Nolan was the guy with the skinny head. After some cancellations and hold ups, Fred Mascherino joined the band on guitar and vocals and Matt Rubano came on board with bass. Although lead singer Adam Lazzara is the celebrity, heartthrob of the band, guitarist Eddie Reyes is the captain. Reyes has been part of the Long Island punk/hardcore for more years than Walt Flanagan’s dog, and it seems he would be unwillingly to let this situation shut down the behemoth that is Taking Back Sunday. After the band got their package together, they enlisted producer Lou Giordano to help transfer their visions to reel during this past spring.
Where You Want to Be kicks off on “Set Phasers to Stun” with down-picking quick stop-starting guitars and Lazzara’s compelling vocals bristling along. As probably the best song on the record, “Set Phasers to Stun” excels when Lazzara does a couple of quick tripping vocal sections and, of course, on the dazzling chorus. “Bonus Mosh Pt. II” begins slower and features more earnest and faux-whining vocals from Lazzara. The song also echoes vocal cadences from many songs on Tell All Your Friends, as well as your first dose of background screaming. Initially drawing on some 80s guitars, “A Decade Under the Influence” is the type of song that other bands do when they want to sound like Taking Back Sunday. So that is both good and bad. It is bad because that means TBS is not working to differentiate themselves from their lazy imitators. It is good because it illustrates their musically prowess. Other pluses are that the song is pop happiness and contains a great chorus of “To hell with you and all your friends.” “This Photograph is Proof (I Know You Know)” moves at mid-tempo and is only really noteworthy for its enriching chorus. To contrast what you just heard, “The Union” comes in at full force, speed devil punk before dropping into a breakdown and coming back out. “The Union” also does a good job utilizing subtle guitar electronics overdubs. As the stab-yourself-in-the-eye and/or pure indie cred number, “New American Classic” features Lazzara singing to acoustic guitars and an array of strings. Another piece of good record sequencing is “I Am Fred Astaire” following “New American Classic” and finds the band pushing an uplifting and even-keeled sound. Besides from the all-out, multiple vocalist ending, “One-Eighty By Summer” is a bit ho-hum. Yet, the opening to “Number Five With A Bullet” is always what I’m looking for. The song begins with muting and Lazzara singing along with a bit of electronics coming in to enliven the product. Unfortunately, the song doesn’t entirely deliver on its auspicious start, but it is still a standout number on the record. Dual intertwining guitars lead you through “Little Devotional,” while “…Slowdance On the Inside” closes the record with slight strings underneath a mid-tempo dreamy composition. “…Slowdance On the Inside” is an awesome record closer and is probably the one song with an epic feel with multiple vocalists adding to the chorus.
Although Where You Want to Be may not have as many memory-burning tracks as Tell All Your Friends, the overall package is much tighter, solid and constructed. Even still, songs like “Set Phasers to Stun,” “Bonus Mosh Pt. II” and “Number Five With A Bullet” will still get you moving. There is little question that people love Where You Want to Be, given the strong sales over the past couple of months. And yet, it is still difficult to figure out how much bigger Taking Back Sunday can get. I suppose Grammy talk is not entirely out of the question. Also, another great video from Christian Winter and Hilo Films could get some VMA action. That would all be purely crazy.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Saint Etienne - Travel Edition 1990-2005
Saint Etienne
Travel Edition 1990-2005
Sub Pop Records
Grade: A-/A
Up until a good munching on this eighteen track best-of collection, I had never really been ultra-down on England’s Saint Etienne. Sure, the one-off track here and there sparkled, but overall I was often in strangle mode. Now that I’m older and my tastes have spanned a wider gamut, I find these highlights from their decade and a half existence to be awe-inspiring. Part of this comes from a strong appreciation of Sarah Cracknell’s vocals and the mesmerizing soundscapes laid out by Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs. Given a shoddy memory, I’d have a tough time conjuring up whether these songs are truly special and that the rest of the original records sucked, or that it is not as stark. Regardless, for an introduction or as a quick redux of Saint Etienne’s numerous records on Warner Brothers and Sub Pop, then this is the shit for you. With two new songs, the instrumental “Primrose Hill” and “Fascination,” this record picks songs from 1990 ‘till this past year. Probably most people with an inkling of experience in what was modern rock, or time in clubs at any point, will have a strong experience with the first proper track, the 1990 cover of Neil Young’s “Only Love Can Break Your Heart.” Even now, you can play that number over and over again and not get sick of it. While people have their own favorites, the retrospective highlights come from “Mario’s Café” and “Hobart Paving” from So Tough, the more techno move with “Like a Motorway” from Tiger Bay, “He’s on the Phone” from Continental, the drawn out “How We Used to Live” and “Heart Failed (in the Back of a Taxi)” from Sounds of Water and Finisterre’s “Action.” Also, check out the previously unreleased sweetly amazing “Fascination.” This is a record that I’m very happy to have in my possession, and you will probably as well. With plans for a new record in 2004, Travel Edition serves as nice refresher course.
Travel Edition 1990-2005
Sub Pop Records
Grade: A-/A
Up until a good munching on this eighteen track best-of collection, I had never really been ultra-down on England’s Saint Etienne. Sure, the one-off track here and there sparkled, but overall I was often in strangle mode. Now that I’m older and my tastes have spanned a wider gamut, I find these highlights from their decade and a half existence to be awe-inspiring. Part of this comes from a strong appreciation of Sarah Cracknell’s vocals and the mesmerizing soundscapes laid out by Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs. Given a shoddy memory, I’d have a tough time conjuring up whether these songs are truly special and that the rest of the original records sucked, or that it is not as stark. Regardless, for an introduction or as a quick redux of Saint Etienne’s numerous records on Warner Brothers and Sub Pop, then this is the shit for you. With two new songs, the instrumental “Primrose Hill” and “Fascination,” this record picks songs from 1990 ‘till this past year. Probably most people with an inkling of experience in what was modern rock, or time in clubs at any point, will have a strong experience with the first proper track, the 1990 cover of Neil Young’s “Only Love Can Break Your Heart.” Even now, you can play that number over and over again and not get sick of it. While people have their own favorites, the retrospective highlights come from “Mario’s Café” and “Hobart Paving” from So Tough, the more techno move with “Like a Motorway” from Tiger Bay, “He’s on the Phone” from Continental, the drawn out “How We Used to Live” and “Heart Failed (in the Back of a Taxi)” from Sounds of Water and Finisterre’s “Action.” Also, check out the previously unreleased sweetly amazing “Fascination.” This is a record that I’m very happy to have in my possession, and you will probably as well. With plans for a new record in 2004, Travel Edition serves as nice refresher course.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Dillinger Escape Plan - Miss Machines
Dillinger Escape Plan
Miss Machines
Relapse Records
Grade: A-
It’s been about five years since New Jersey’s Dillinger Escape Plan unleashed their stunner Calculating Infinity on Relapse. With new and ripped singer Greg Puciato, Dillinger comes back to take the metalcore crown back with Miss Machines. For the past few years, Dillinger has focused on stealing the show as opener for a slaughtering of major bands, including System of a Down, and reorganizing their lineup. Original vocalist Dimitri Minakakis left the group in 2001 and the band held extensive auditions to find a replacement. In the meantime, Dillinger did an EP for Epitaph in 2002 entitled Irony is a Dead Scene with wildman Mike Patton that was enjoyed for its insanity. Puciato joined in 2002 and the band has been making headway playing live shows. This past year, they finally decided they had the precise combination of energy to record a new full-length. I remember first seeing Dillinger at a catering hall in Mineola, NY in 1998 or so; it was one of their first trips, if not the first, to LI for a show. Though they were metal to the core during their set, they ended with an awe-inspiring Slayer cover. That cover sealed the deal in terms of many in the audience then. Since that point, it has always been nice to see that Dillinger has ascended to such great heights. Particularly that they started as a small, nothing band and have pulled themselves up to being one of the most important metal bands of the time. The eleven-song Miss Machines features the same blistering, calculated chaos of Calculating Infinity with tighter compositions and musicianship and Puciato’s own voice, but keeping the essence of the sound. The record begins on “Panasonic Youth” with walls of stop-start guitars and Puciato’s screams. Naturally, this mild-mannered start soon leaps out to shifting sections with the amazing guitars of Ben Weinman and Brian Benoit leading the charge. “Sunshine the Werewolf” follows with same abandoned, but really interests with a relatively mellow breakdown that builds into sometime of distorted strings finale. “Highway Robbery” takes a more traditional path with a focus on speed hardcore and actually a catchy chorus. After the balls out “Van Damsel,” Dillinger takes a fucked up Nine Inch Nails path with “Phone Home.” Though “Phone Home” maybe a nice change for Dillinger, it is absolutely horrible and seemingly goes against much of what Dillinger is all about. They repeat this misstep on “Unretrofied” that sounds closer to Mr. Bungle, which is nice, and the beginning of “Crutch Field Tongs.” The rest of “Crutch Field Tongs” scrambles so many sounds, including a jazz-esque breakdown, that it makes up for some problems. The remaining tracks, “We Are the Storm,” “Baby’s First Coffin” and the closer “The Perfect Design,” are all classic Dillinger. There is little doubt that more and more people will get into Dillinger with the release of this new record; and rediscovery of Calculating Infinity. Don’t miss a chance to see these guys live as they are now awesome enough for Slayer to do covers of Dillinger.
Miss Machines
Relapse Records
Grade: A-
It’s been about five years since New Jersey’s Dillinger Escape Plan unleashed their stunner Calculating Infinity on Relapse. With new and ripped singer Greg Puciato, Dillinger comes back to take the metalcore crown back with Miss Machines. For the past few years, Dillinger has focused on stealing the show as opener for a slaughtering of major bands, including System of a Down, and reorganizing their lineup. Original vocalist Dimitri Minakakis left the group in 2001 and the band held extensive auditions to find a replacement. In the meantime, Dillinger did an EP for Epitaph in 2002 entitled Irony is a Dead Scene with wildman Mike Patton that was enjoyed for its insanity. Puciato joined in 2002 and the band has been making headway playing live shows. This past year, they finally decided they had the precise combination of energy to record a new full-length. I remember first seeing Dillinger at a catering hall in Mineola, NY in 1998 or so; it was one of their first trips, if not the first, to LI for a show. Though they were metal to the core during their set, they ended with an awe-inspiring Slayer cover. That cover sealed the deal in terms of many in the audience then. Since that point, it has always been nice to see that Dillinger has ascended to such great heights. Particularly that they started as a small, nothing band and have pulled themselves up to being one of the most important metal bands of the time. The eleven-song Miss Machines features the same blistering, calculated chaos of Calculating Infinity with tighter compositions and musicianship and Puciato’s own voice, but keeping the essence of the sound. The record begins on “Panasonic Youth” with walls of stop-start guitars and Puciato’s screams. Naturally, this mild-mannered start soon leaps out to shifting sections with the amazing guitars of Ben Weinman and Brian Benoit leading the charge. “Sunshine the Werewolf” follows with same abandoned, but really interests with a relatively mellow breakdown that builds into sometime of distorted strings finale. “Highway Robbery” takes a more traditional path with a focus on speed hardcore and actually a catchy chorus. After the balls out “Van Damsel,” Dillinger takes a fucked up Nine Inch Nails path with “Phone Home.” Though “Phone Home” maybe a nice change for Dillinger, it is absolutely horrible and seemingly goes against much of what Dillinger is all about. They repeat this misstep on “Unretrofied” that sounds closer to Mr. Bungle, which is nice, and the beginning of “Crutch Field Tongs.” The rest of “Crutch Field Tongs” scrambles so many sounds, including a jazz-esque breakdown, that it makes up for some problems. The remaining tracks, “We Are the Storm,” “Baby’s First Coffin” and the closer “The Perfect Design,” are all classic Dillinger. There is little doubt that more and more people will get into Dillinger with the release of this new record; and rediscovery of Calculating Infinity. Don’t miss a chance to see these guys live as they are now awesome enough for Slayer to do covers of Dillinger.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Converge - You Fail Me
Converge
You Fail Me
Epitaph Records
Grade: A-
With some crazy, sweet artwork and packaging, everyone’s favorite Boston punk-metal group unleashes You Fail Me to completely demolish your sense of self. Possibly taking cues from some of their wild brethren, You Fail Me’s twelve tracks certainly take a turn to the increasingly chaotic and extreme over past records. It is good to see the Converge boys releasing new fury as it seems more and more these days that the dual combo of Jacob Bannon and Kurt Ballou are spending their days producing and recording other bands, doing record artwork and running labels – very busy indeed. Probably the most impressive thing about Converge is that they are still relevant and smoking after over a decade of reckless abandon in live shows and recordings. For instance, how is it possible that Bannon’s voice is still intact after all these years? Is it just totally destroyed so that he talks with a scream? Probably not. As with much of Converge’s past material there is healthy dose of balls-out songs on You Fail Me where Ballou’s guitar focuses on the punk spectrum of metal playing (for instance, “Eagles Become Vultures,” “Black Cloud” and “Death King”). But also Converge offer drawn out and/or esoteric compositions with the likes of “Last Light,” the awesome latter riffs on “Drop Out,” “In Her Blood” and “You Fail Me.” To play with the likes of your mind, Converge includes the six-plus-minute acoustic driven number “In Her Shadow.” “In Her Shadow” slowly builds with drums and voices coming with a quasi-chanting monk feel. If you have been taken by past Converge records then you will surely love this. If nothing else, the record’s packaging will get people moving.
You Fail Me
Epitaph Records
Grade: A-
With some crazy, sweet artwork and packaging, everyone’s favorite Boston punk-metal group unleashes You Fail Me to completely demolish your sense of self. Possibly taking cues from some of their wild brethren, You Fail Me’s twelve tracks certainly take a turn to the increasingly chaotic and extreme over past records. It is good to see the Converge boys releasing new fury as it seems more and more these days that the dual combo of Jacob Bannon and Kurt Ballou are spending their days producing and recording other bands, doing record artwork and running labels – very busy indeed. Probably the most impressive thing about Converge is that they are still relevant and smoking after over a decade of reckless abandon in live shows and recordings. For instance, how is it possible that Bannon’s voice is still intact after all these years? Is it just totally destroyed so that he talks with a scream? Probably not. As with much of Converge’s past material there is healthy dose of balls-out songs on You Fail Me where Ballou’s guitar focuses on the punk spectrum of metal playing (for instance, “Eagles Become Vultures,” “Black Cloud” and “Death King”). But also Converge offer drawn out and/or esoteric compositions with the likes of “Last Light,” the awesome latter riffs on “Drop Out,” “In Her Blood” and “You Fail Me.” To play with the likes of your mind, Converge includes the six-plus-minute acoustic driven number “In Her Shadow.” “In Her Shadow” slowly builds with drums and voices coming with a quasi-chanting monk feel. If you have been taken by past Converge records then you will surely love this. If nothing else, the record’s packaging will get people moving.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Bury Your Dead - Cover Your Tracks
Bury Your Dead
Cover Your Tracks
Victory Records
Grade: A-
This record is exactly what I was looking for. Bury Your Dead do the best Hatebreed since, well, Hatebreed. Coming from the classic Northeastern haunts of hardcore, Bury Your Dead was initially formed in 2001 with members of Hamartia and Groundzero, and soon after signed a deal with Europe’s Alveran Records. After some throwing down around the country and a full-length You Had Me at Hello, the band decided to split ways for awhile. Some members rocked out with Between the Buried and Me and Blood Has Been Shed before the band decided to get back together in 2002. Victory went after them immediately after the 2002 Hellfest and we finally have their Victory debut. The first that strikes you on the opener “Top Gun” is the incredibly heavy guitars and bass by Eric Ellis, Blim B. and Rich Casey, the preponderance of double bass by Mark Castillo and the vocal grinding of Mat Bruso. It is very easy to sound generic and non-impressive with this sort of hoodcore, grinding sound, but Bury Your Dead does an awesome job of differentiation. It is almost like try to define obscenity – you know it when you see it. With this sound, it is like you know you when you are hearing quality, good shit. It is certainly that way with Hatebreed, but I’ve heard tons of knock-offs that sound paltry in comparison. Most of the twelve songs cover two to three minutes and feature the brutal attack that you find on “Top Gun.” Though I’m sure there is much more meaning to what I’m willing to think about, all the songs are named after Tom Cruise movies. So, the titles range from “Risky Business” to “Magnolia” to “Vanilla Sky” to “All the Right Moves.” The standard Bury Your Dead consists of basic verse-chorus-verse set up with a mild breakdown at some point where Castillo mashes the double bass. Part of these constructions gives enough throwdown moments to liven up a live audience. To point out one moment on the record, the ending piano of “Eyes Wide Shut” leading to the swirling heavy guitar intro to “Magnolia” absolutely rules. Though Bury Your Dead is touring with like-minded bands (e.g., Scars of Tomorrow, A Perfect Murder, etc.), with the right amount of love they could blow up.
Cover Your Tracks
Victory Records
Grade: A-
This record is exactly what I was looking for. Bury Your Dead do the best Hatebreed since, well, Hatebreed. Coming from the classic Northeastern haunts of hardcore, Bury Your Dead was initially formed in 2001 with members of Hamartia and Groundzero, and soon after signed a deal with Europe’s Alveran Records. After some throwing down around the country and a full-length You Had Me at Hello, the band decided to split ways for awhile. Some members rocked out with Between the Buried and Me and Blood Has Been Shed before the band decided to get back together in 2002. Victory went after them immediately after the 2002 Hellfest and we finally have their Victory debut. The first that strikes you on the opener “Top Gun” is the incredibly heavy guitars and bass by Eric Ellis, Blim B. and Rich Casey, the preponderance of double bass by Mark Castillo and the vocal grinding of Mat Bruso. It is very easy to sound generic and non-impressive with this sort of hoodcore, grinding sound, but Bury Your Dead does an awesome job of differentiation. It is almost like try to define obscenity – you know it when you see it. With this sound, it is like you know you when you are hearing quality, good shit. It is certainly that way with Hatebreed, but I’ve heard tons of knock-offs that sound paltry in comparison. Most of the twelve songs cover two to three minutes and feature the brutal attack that you find on “Top Gun.” Though I’m sure there is much more meaning to what I’m willing to think about, all the songs are named after Tom Cruise movies. So, the titles range from “Risky Business” to “Magnolia” to “Vanilla Sky” to “All the Right Moves.” The standard Bury Your Dead consists of basic verse-chorus-verse set up with a mild breakdown at some point where Castillo mashes the double bass. Part of these constructions gives enough throwdown moments to liven up a live audience. To point out one moment on the record, the ending piano of “Eyes Wide Shut” leading to the swirling heavy guitar intro to “Magnolia” absolutely rules. Though Bury Your Dead is touring with like-minded bands (e.g., Scars of Tomorrow, A Perfect Murder, etc.), with the right amount of love they could blow up.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Straylight Run - S/T
Straylight Run
s/t
Victory Records
Grade: A-
As the debut record from former members of Taking Back Sunday, Straylight Run take a complete different direction on the nucleus of their songs and produce rock songs centered around guitar and piano drabbed with scores of pop bliss. With s sufficient degree of exposure, Straylight Run may become your favorite new band.
The concept of Straylight Run began in May 2003, when John Nolan and Shaun Cooper decided they wanted a different life than that one proposed with continuing in Taking Back Sunday. This seems like an odd decision given the meteoric rise in popularity of Taking Back Sunday, but the reasons were surely varied. Maybe Nolan didn’t like people referencing him as the ‘skinny head’ guy from Taking Back Sunday – though I may have been the only on to call him such. With the help of Mark O’Connell on drums, Nolan and Cooper laid the foundation for the band and got initial interest started with early demos. After Will Noon, formerly of Breaking Pangaea, took over on drums, the band added John’s sister Michelle to play piano and provide background vocals. With tours with the New Amsterdams and Brand New, Straylight Run took to the backcountry of producer Mike Birnbaum’s Woodstock, NY studio – most recently noted for his work with Coheed and Cambria. And the end product is these eleven orchestral tracks.
The record begins on “The Perfect Ending” with Nolan crooning, light piano and some slight ambient electronics. As the song builds and drops throughout, Straylight Run presents an image of hope and potential that is fairly developed and dense. “The Tension and the Terror” picks the tempo up with a more standard indie rock pop song. On the first pre-chorus when Nolan is joined by Nolan, you definitely get the feeling of bands like the Anniversary and Helicopter Helicopter. But the core chorus is the money shot, which easily distinguishes “The Tension and the Terror” as the star, rip-roaring track on the record. That the following mellower piano-driven “Existentialism on Prom Night” is out as the first single surely baffles given the inherent hotness of “The Tension and the Terror.” “Existentialism on Prom Night” does dazzle with piano and apparent strings, it is just the former is etched at a higher level. “Another World for Desperate” sounds very similar to something well-known, but I can’t put my finger on it. I guess that is a good thing, since it sounds at once familiar as well as new and may be neither. If you hadn’t already, by this point you realize that Straylight Run love drawn-out four-to-five minute affairs that are thick on orchestration – at least from the perspective of most indie rock bands. “Mistakes We Knew We Were Making” comes off like a song that you would here on the radio though with a bit more edge, while “Dignity and Money” could easily be just a new slowed down TBS song. But in that respect, “Dignity and Money” has the potential to rock out reasonably hard. The ballad “Your Name Here (Sunrise Highway)” resonates for me as Nolan gives instructions to his house on Long Island. Given that I lived a few blocks from the same highway, it might as well be to my house. Besides from that, when Michelle joins John in the singing, “Your Name Here (Sunrise Highway)” is truly a sweet affair. As a smart measure of sequencing, the punky-dance number “Tool Sheds and Hot Tubs” follows with Michelle on lead vocals and the right combo of electronics. Basically, with Michelle on lead vocals Straylight Run becomes another band and a quite good one for at that. Slight electronic drums adds to otherwise piano-led “It’s For the Best.” The record closes out on “Now It’s Done” and “Sympathy for the Martyr.” On “Now It’s Done,” Michelle’s vocals rise up the ashes of Denali but with the sweetness that comes from other groups like Azure Ray. “Sympathy for the Martyr” features John and Michelle signing together which produces a nice effect that carries off well as the last impression.
As the debut record, Straylight Run has easily hit a homerun. This bodes especially well for the future as it didn’t take the band long to knock out this record after Nolan and Cooper left Taking Back Sunday. This means they will likely improve and score an awe-inspiring follow up record. But for now, look out for their video for “Existentialism on Prom Night” and their tour with lesser mortals Hot Rod Circuit, Northstar and Say Anything. Moreover, be on the prowl for “The Tension and the Terror” rocking out as the next single.
s/t
Victory Records
Grade: A-
As the debut record from former members of Taking Back Sunday, Straylight Run take a complete different direction on the nucleus of their songs and produce rock songs centered around guitar and piano drabbed with scores of pop bliss. With s sufficient degree of exposure, Straylight Run may become your favorite new band.
The concept of Straylight Run began in May 2003, when John Nolan and Shaun Cooper decided they wanted a different life than that one proposed with continuing in Taking Back Sunday. This seems like an odd decision given the meteoric rise in popularity of Taking Back Sunday, but the reasons were surely varied. Maybe Nolan didn’t like people referencing him as the ‘skinny head’ guy from Taking Back Sunday – though I may have been the only on to call him such. With the help of Mark O’Connell on drums, Nolan and Cooper laid the foundation for the band and got initial interest started with early demos. After Will Noon, formerly of Breaking Pangaea, took over on drums, the band added John’s sister Michelle to play piano and provide background vocals. With tours with the New Amsterdams and Brand New, Straylight Run took to the backcountry of producer Mike Birnbaum’s Woodstock, NY studio – most recently noted for his work with Coheed and Cambria. And the end product is these eleven orchestral tracks.
The record begins on “The Perfect Ending” with Nolan crooning, light piano and some slight ambient electronics. As the song builds and drops throughout, Straylight Run presents an image of hope and potential that is fairly developed and dense. “The Tension and the Terror” picks the tempo up with a more standard indie rock pop song. On the first pre-chorus when Nolan is joined by Nolan, you definitely get the feeling of bands like the Anniversary and Helicopter Helicopter. But the core chorus is the money shot, which easily distinguishes “The Tension and the Terror” as the star, rip-roaring track on the record. That the following mellower piano-driven “Existentialism on Prom Night” is out as the first single surely baffles given the inherent hotness of “The Tension and the Terror.” “Existentialism on Prom Night” does dazzle with piano and apparent strings, it is just the former is etched at a higher level. “Another World for Desperate” sounds very similar to something well-known, but I can’t put my finger on it. I guess that is a good thing, since it sounds at once familiar as well as new and may be neither. If you hadn’t already, by this point you realize that Straylight Run love drawn-out four-to-five minute affairs that are thick on orchestration – at least from the perspective of most indie rock bands. “Mistakes We Knew We Were Making” comes off like a song that you would here on the radio though with a bit more edge, while “Dignity and Money” could easily be just a new slowed down TBS song. But in that respect, “Dignity and Money” has the potential to rock out reasonably hard. The ballad “Your Name Here (Sunrise Highway)” resonates for me as Nolan gives instructions to his house on Long Island. Given that I lived a few blocks from the same highway, it might as well be to my house. Besides from that, when Michelle joins John in the singing, “Your Name Here (Sunrise Highway)” is truly a sweet affair. As a smart measure of sequencing, the punky-dance number “Tool Sheds and Hot Tubs” follows with Michelle on lead vocals and the right combo of electronics. Basically, with Michelle on lead vocals Straylight Run becomes another band and a quite good one for at that. Slight electronic drums adds to otherwise piano-led “It’s For the Best.” The record closes out on “Now It’s Done” and “Sympathy for the Martyr.” On “Now It’s Done,” Michelle’s vocals rise up the ashes of Denali but with the sweetness that comes from other groups like Azure Ray. “Sympathy for the Martyr” features John and Michelle signing together which produces a nice effect that carries off well as the last impression.
As the debut record, Straylight Run has easily hit a homerun. This bodes especially well for the future as it didn’t take the band long to knock out this record after Nolan and Cooper left Taking Back Sunday. This means they will likely improve and score an awe-inspiring follow up record. But for now, look out for their video for “Existentialism on Prom Night” and their tour with lesser mortals Hot Rod Circuit, Northstar and Say Anything. Moreover, be on the prowl for “The Tension and the Terror” rocking out as the next single.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
V/A - Rock Against Bush Vol. 2
V/A
Rock Against Bush Vol. 2
Fat Wreck Records
Grade: A-
Unfortunately, the explicit goal of this and the previous comp and of the organization in general was not achieved this November, but you can still get a crap load of awesome songs and videos from Volume 2. So, Volume 2 is pretty much the same as Volume 1, but with a different group of bands, videos and writings. Standout new songs come from Green Day’s “Favorite Son,” “Necrotism: Decanting the Insalubrious (Cyborg Midnight) Part 7” by the Lawrence Arms, the Dropkick Murphy’s “We Got the Power,” the Unseen’s “Scream Out,” “Like Sprewells for a Wheelchair” by Dillinger Four, “Can’t Wait to Quit” by Sick of it All, Hot Water Music’s “Kill the Night” and “I’m Thinking” by Autopilot Off. On the second disc are videos for Alkaline Trio’s “We’ve Had Enough,” Bad Religion’s “Los Angeles Is Burning,” Flogging Molly’s “Drunken Lullabies,” NOFX’s “Idiot Son Of An Asshole” performed live and the Thought Riot’s “With Love, the Underground.” While the Alkaline Trio’s and Bad Religion’s videos rocks, the most fun is clearly Flogging Molly’s “Drunken Lullabies.” There are also comedy stints by Will Ferrell, Patton Oswalt and Greg Proops. Will Ferrell does his classic Bush impression while pretending to be filming a commercial on his ranch; though it could be funnier. There are all a wealth of political shorts included on the DVD. This includes “Independent Media in a Time of War” with Amy Goodman giving a talk about crap media coverage of Iraq, “Honor Betrayed” by Stuart Sugg about Bush’s relationship with the military, “Fixed in Florida” by Jonathan Levin, “Uncovered: The Whole Truth About the Iraq War” by Robert Greenwald regarding the move to the Iraq war, “Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election” by Richard Ray Perez and Joan Sekler about the 2000 election and “Unconstitutional” by Nonny de la Pena. So, basically, a boatload of political shorts for your liberal mind. It will be interesting to see whether Fat Mike and friends can keep Punk Voter going for another four years or even another two years (for the midterm elections). Hopefully, they will for if nothing else to keep providing us listeners amazing collections of new tracks.
Rock Against Bush Vol. 2
Fat Wreck Records
Grade: A-
Unfortunately, the explicit goal of this and the previous comp and of the organization in general was not achieved this November, but you can still get a crap load of awesome songs and videos from Volume 2. So, Volume 2 is pretty much the same as Volume 1, but with a different group of bands, videos and writings. Standout new songs come from Green Day’s “Favorite Son,” “Necrotism: Decanting the Insalubrious (Cyborg Midnight) Part 7” by the Lawrence Arms, the Dropkick Murphy’s “We Got the Power,” the Unseen’s “Scream Out,” “Like Sprewells for a Wheelchair” by Dillinger Four, “Can’t Wait to Quit” by Sick of it All, Hot Water Music’s “Kill the Night” and “I’m Thinking” by Autopilot Off. On the second disc are videos for Alkaline Trio’s “We’ve Had Enough,” Bad Religion’s “Los Angeles Is Burning,” Flogging Molly’s “Drunken Lullabies,” NOFX’s “Idiot Son Of An Asshole” performed live and the Thought Riot’s “With Love, the Underground.” While the Alkaline Trio’s and Bad Religion’s videos rocks, the most fun is clearly Flogging Molly’s “Drunken Lullabies.” There are also comedy stints by Will Ferrell, Patton Oswalt and Greg Proops. Will Ferrell does his classic Bush impression while pretending to be filming a commercial on his ranch; though it could be funnier. There are all a wealth of political shorts included on the DVD. This includes “Independent Media in a Time of War” with Amy Goodman giving a talk about crap media coverage of Iraq, “Honor Betrayed” by Stuart Sugg about Bush’s relationship with the military, “Fixed in Florida” by Jonathan Levin, “Uncovered: The Whole Truth About the Iraq War” by Robert Greenwald regarding the move to the Iraq war, “Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election” by Richard Ray Perez and Joan Sekler about the 2000 election and “Unconstitutional” by Nonny de la Pena. So, basically, a boatload of political shorts for your liberal mind. It will be interesting to see whether Fat Mike and friends can keep Punk Voter going for another four years or even another two years (for the midterm elections). Hopefully, they will for if nothing else to keep providing us listeners amazing collections of new tracks.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
NOFX - The Greatest Songs Ever Written By Us
NOFX
The Greatest Songs Ever Written By Us
Epitaph Records
Grade: A-
With the move from simply drunk punk rockers to drunk, moderately respectable punk rockers, comes NOFX’s greatest hits record to school people in what was. It’s nice to see this given Fat Mike’s appearances of various TV shows supporting the Rock Against Bush movement and the move to push the message beyond just songs. This record says ‘look, we are still wild and crazy and punk.’ The twenty-seven tracks included on this record span NOFX’s discography from “Shut Up Already” off of Liberal Animation to “Franco Un-American” off of last year’s War on Errorism and includes the new song “Wore Out the Soles of My Party Boots.” While everyone had their favorite tracks and albums, with many pushing for White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean and Punk in Drublic, highlights come flying from left and right on this best of. This includes “Linoleum” and “Don’t Call Me White” off of Punk in Drublic, “Bob” and “Stickin In My Eye” from White Trash, “Day to Daze” from S&M Airlines, “Philthy Phil Philanthropist” from Heavy Petting Zoo, “It’s My Job to Keep Punk Rock Elite” from So Long and Thanks for all the Shoes, “Thank God Its Monday” off of Pump Up the Valium and “Franco Un-American.” It would have been nice for NOFX to have included some video and live material, but The Greatest Songs still serves as a nice refresher course to understand the onslaught that is Fat Mike’s Love Machine Punk Voter.
The Greatest Songs Ever Written By Us
Epitaph Records
Grade: A-
With the move from simply drunk punk rockers to drunk, moderately respectable punk rockers, comes NOFX’s greatest hits record to school people in what was. It’s nice to see this given Fat Mike’s appearances of various TV shows supporting the Rock Against Bush movement and the move to push the message beyond just songs. This record says ‘look, we are still wild and crazy and punk.’ The twenty-seven tracks included on this record span NOFX’s discography from “Shut Up Already” off of Liberal Animation to “Franco Un-American” off of last year’s War on Errorism and includes the new song “Wore Out the Soles of My Party Boots.” While everyone had their favorite tracks and albums, with many pushing for White Trash, Two Heebs and a Bean and Punk in Drublic, highlights come flying from left and right on this best of. This includes “Linoleum” and “Don’t Call Me White” off of Punk in Drublic, “Bob” and “Stickin In My Eye” from White Trash, “Day to Daze” from S&M Airlines, “Philthy Phil Philanthropist” from Heavy Petting Zoo, “It’s My Job to Keep Punk Rock Elite” from So Long and Thanks for all the Shoes, “Thank God Its Monday” off of Pump Up the Valium and “Franco Un-American.” It would have been nice for NOFX to have included some video and live material, but The Greatest Songs still serves as a nice refresher course to understand the onslaught that is Fat Mike’s Love Machine Punk Voter.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Ninja Gun - Smooth Transitions
Ninja Gun
Smooth Transitions
Barracuda Sound
Grade: A-
There is no way that a band named Ninja Gun is supposed to be this good. Seriously. Coming out of Valdosta, GA, and featuring members of Clydesdale and Caspian, the four-piece of Ninja Gun move on the fine line between alt-country, thoughtful punk and everything in-between. Featuring Johnathan Coody on guitar and vocals, Thad Megow on guitar, Jacob Sparks on bass and Jeffrey Haineault on drums, all twelve tracks have something special in them to bring a margin of endearment on each and every one. In many respects, Ninja Gun come across like a smart songwriting version of Sorry About Dresden – and that is absolutely awesome. Even still, Ninja Gun fall so succinctly into the southern college alt-rock world that they will soon be everyone’s favorite baby down here. The Gainesville, Fl label Barracuda Sound has already clearly signed on. Smooth Transitions begins on “The Cold War is Colder Than Ever” with the first twang of electric guitars and Coody’s compelling voice. Though lines such as “I swear you never did nothing for me and the vampires know it’s true” might sound a bit hokey, you got to hang past that for full effect. The one downside of “The Cold War is Colder Than Ever” is that the recording sounds a bit tinny in respect to the guitars, but it doesn’t entirely deteriorate the song nor the rest of the record. “Losers Talking” follows this up with a mellower simple lead riff waltz and comes across as the first standardized alt-country verse-chorus cadence. The title track provides the first wall of sound, while “The Smoking Gun” is sweetly twangy and western at its heart. In case you fell asleep on “The Smoking Gun,” Ninja Gun unleash the under two-minute punk number “Maybe You Should Explode” – which includes a few pick slides. The Johnny Cash-inspired “Purification Ritual” follows as Coody takes thirty-minute drives to clear his head, though he can’t rebuild Babylon – because it actually exists in Long Island. The ‘oh, we are also’ punk “Dead FM” follows and “Jessie (She’s Only Gonna Dance With Me)” takes the punk to the pop-most. Honestly, “Jessie” comes across like the best Queers song that the Queers never wrote – you have to love the diversity. “Picture of a Boy in his Prime” brings the listener back to Ninja Gun’s twangy ways with slides all over the place, but also a refreshing rock chorus. “Unpopular Mechanics” stands out as one of the best tracks by successfully mixing the two main worlds of Ninja Gun: alt-country and punk. Smooth Transitions ends on the “Reverb” and “This Must Be the Dream.” “Reverb” is a smartly composed and structure song with a chorus that hooks into your memory, while “This Must Be the Dream” is short acoustic number that finds Coody leading the charge with a wander-lust flavor and Jessie Rowntree layering organ underneath. As such, “This Must Be the Dream” is an apropos way to end the record. I’m really looking forward to check out Ninja Gun in one of their inevitable trips to Chapel Hill.
Smooth Transitions
Barracuda Sound
Grade: A-
There is no way that a band named Ninja Gun is supposed to be this good. Seriously. Coming out of Valdosta, GA, and featuring members of Clydesdale and Caspian, the four-piece of Ninja Gun move on the fine line between alt-country, thoughtful punk and everything in-between. Featuring Johnathan Coody on guitar and vocals, Thad Megow on guitar, Jacob Sparks on bass and Jeffrey Haineault on drums, all twelve tracks have something special in them to bring a margin of endearment on each and every one. In many respects, Ninja Gun come across like a smart songwriting version of Sorry About Dresden – and that is absolutely awesome. Even still, Ninja Gun fall so succinctly into the southern college alt-rock world that they will soon be everyone’s favorite baby down here. The Gainesville, Fl label Barracuda Sound has already clearly signed on. Smooth Transitions begins on “The Cold War is Colder Than Ever” with the first twang of electric guitars and Coody’s compelling voice. Though lines such as “I swear you never did nothing for me and the vampires know it’s true” might sound a bit hokey, you got to hang past that for full effect. The one downside of “The Cold War is Colder Than Ever” is that the recording sounds a bit tinny in respect to the guitars, but it doesn’t entirely deteriorate the song nor the rest of the record. “Losers Talking” follows this up with a mellower simple lead riff waltz and comes across as the first standardized alt-country verse-chorus cadence. The title track provides the first wall of sound, while “The Smoking Gun” is sweetly twangy and western at its heart. In case you fell asleep on “The Smoking Gun,” Ninja Gun unleash the under two-minute punk number “Maybe You Should Explode” – which includes a few pick slides. The Johnny Cash-inspired “Purification Ritual” follows as Coody takes thirty-minute drives to clear his head, though he can’t rebuild Babylon – because it actually exists in Long Island. The ‘oh, we are also’ punk “Dead FM” follows and “Jessie (She’s Only Gonna Dance With Me)” takes the punk to the pop-most. Honestly, “Jessie” comes across like the best Queers song that the Queers never wrote – you have to love the diversity. “Picture of a Boy in his Prime” brings the listener back to Ninja Gun’s twangy ways with slides all over the place, but also a refreshing rock chorus. “Unpopular Mechanics” stands out as one of the best tracks by successfully mixing the two main worlds of Ninja Gun: alt-country and punk. Smooth Transitions ends on the “Reverb” and “This Must Be the Dream.” “Reverb” is a smartly composed and structure song with a chorus that hooks into your memory, while “This Must Be the Dream” is short acoustic number that finds Coody leading the charge with a wander-lust flavor and Jessie Rowntree layering organ underneath. As such, “This Must Be the Dream” is an apropos way to end the record. I’m really looking forward to check out Ninja Gun in one of their inevitable trips to Chapel Hill.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Mastodon - Leviathan
Mastodon
Leviathan
Relapse Records
Grade: A-
In an apparent quest to piss off radio music directors with several thirty second tracks compromising a song, Atlanta-based Mastodon unleash their second full-length for Relapse and humanity in general. After their quick 2001 EP Lifesblood, Mastodon offered up one of 2002’s top metal records Remission. That record plus an onslaught of touring has moved the four-piece quickly up the metal ranks in both recognition and influence. Yet, it is not entirely out of the blue as drummer Brann Dailor and guitarist Bill Kelliher demolished individuals in their previous Rochester, NY bands Today is the Day and Lethargy; how could anyone forget Lethargy’s record It’s Hard to Write with a Small Hand? With bassist Troy Sanders and vocalist/guitarist Brent Hinds, Dailor and Kelliher are able to enjoy the warm climate and excel in their craft. Though mimicking Remission, Leviathan presents more of a storytelling atmosphere to the ten tracks. The deal here is that each song is actually ten tracks – coming in at around forty seven minutes. So, the opener “Blood and Thunder” begins on track 1 and the next song “I Am Ahab” starts at track 10 and so on. Mastodon merges their grinding days of yore with mainline metal and kisses of southern rock from time to time. While “Blood and Thunder” serves as a sufficient introduction to the record, it takes awhile for Mastodon to get warmed up, move beyond simple walls of sound and develop more complicated and fascinating guitar and song schemes. Echoes appear on “I Am Ahab” and with riffling at the end of “Seabeast,” but “Island” is the first track to truly bring the flair to the forefront. “Iron Tusk” is measured with ultra-heavy riffs that mirror Sabbath, while “Megalodon” follows and illustrates Mastodon breadth. It takes awhile for “Megalodon” to get moving, but with a sweet southern rock riff the song moves to militant Ministry-style guitars and speed interspersed with Mastodon’s own signature. “Naked Gun” displays some groove on the verse though carries the day with its dazzling guitars and story-like panache. Between “Megalodon” and “Naked Gun,” Mastodon makes the case for hottest metal band in the now. “Aqua Dementia” screams its way along, while “Hearts Alive” languishes with slight jazz-infused metal. “Hearts Alive” presents its best picture on its final track within (number 89) and an array of moments. Leviathan closes in a total crap way with the instrumental ballad “Joseph Merrick” that should have never been included. Save for “Joseph Merrick,” this is a great sophomore record from one the fastest raising metal groups in the world. If you have the opportunity, and there aren’t like fifty bands on the bill, certainly check out the juggernaut that is Mastodon.
Leviathan
Relapse Records
Grade: A-
In an apparent quest to piss off radio music directors with several thirty second tracks compromising a song, Atlanta-based Mastodon unleash their second full-length for Relapse and humanity in general. After their quick 2001 EP Lifesblood, Mastodon offered up one of 2002’s top metal records Remission. That record plus an onslaught of touring has moved the four-piece quickly up the metal ranks in both recognition and influence. Yet, it is not entirely out of the blue as drummer Brann Dailor and guitarist Bill Kelliher demolished individuals in their previous Rochester, NY bands Today is the Day and Lethargy; how could anyone forget Lethargy’s record It’s Hard to Write with a Small Hand? With bassist Troy Sanders and vocalist/guitarist Brent Hinds, Dailor and Kelliher are able to enjoy the warm climate and excel in their craft. Though mimicking Remission, Leviathan presents more of a storytelling atmosphere to the ten tracks. The deal here is that each song is actually ten tracks – coming in at around forty seven minutes. So, the opener “Blood and Thunder” begins on track 1 and the next song “I Am Ahab” starts at track 10 and so on. Mastodon merges their grinding days of yore with mainline metal and kisses of southern rock from time to time. While “Blood and Thunder” serves as a sufficient introduction to the record, it takes awhile for Mastodon to get warmed up, move beyond simple walls of sound and develop more complicated and fascinating guitar and song schemes. Echoes appear on “I Am Ahab” and with riffling at the end of “Seabeast,” but “Island” is the first track to truly bring the flair to the forefront. “Iron Tusk” is measured with ultra-heavy riffs that mirror Sabbath, while “Megalodon” follows and illustrates Mastodon breadth. It takes awhile for “Megalodon” to get moving, but with a sweet southern rock riff the song moves to militant Ministry-style guitars and speed interspersed with Mastodon’s own signature. “Naked Gun” displays some groove on the verse though carries the day with its dazzling guitars and story-like panache. Between “Megalodon” and “Naked Gun,” Mastodon makes the case for hottest metal band in the now. “Aqua Dementia” screams its way along, while “Hearts Alive” languishes with slight jazz-infused metal. “Hearts Alive” presents its best picture on its final track within (number 89) and an array of moments. Leviathan closes in a total crap way with the instrumental ballad “Joseph Merrick” that should have never been included. Save for “Joseph Merrick,” this is a great sophomore record from one the fastest raising metal groups in the world. If you have the opportunity, and there aren’t like fifty bands on the bill, certainly check out the juggernaut that is Mastodon.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Corrina Repp - It's Only the Future
Corrina Repp
It’s Only the Future
Hush Records
Grade: A-
It’s Only the Future is Portland, OR-based Corrina Repp’s latest offering to the unknowing masses. Focusing her efforts in Portland, Repp is not very well known outside of the Northwest enclave but this record may change that. She has done a couple of regional tours with the always improving the Decemberists, but not much beyond that. Featuring the minimalist, ambient electronics of collaborator Keith Schreiner (of Dahlia), Repp provides breathy, smoky vocals to ten songs that bring the down the blood pressure and smoothes out your Cradle of Filth high. Though varying comparisons have been made to other indy female singer-songwriters, the unassuming compositions of Azure Ray probably provide the best reference point. Repp’s voice barely gets above a whisper, but that is enough to keep you transfixed on the next lyric. Some of the highlights here include the quiet ambient build up on “You Almost Made It Out, But You Turned Around” and the slight beat and vocal combination on “No One’s Telling.” Others of note include the surprisingly catchy “Finally,” the chorus on “Here’s Someone Else” and the most rock-orientated song “Lost At Sea.” This is a record I recommend to anyone with a fondness for either the ambient electronic bliss of Temporary Residence or the singer-songwriter flair of Saddle Creek. I do hope that Repp makes it over to this coast for a few dates. A partial tour with members of the Saddle Creek family, particularly Now It’s Overhead, would make for a dazzling evening.
It’s Only the Future
Hush Records
Grade: A-
It’s Only the Future is Portland, OR-based Corrina Repp’s latest offering to the unknowing masses. Focusing her efforts in Portland, Repp is not very well known outside of the Northwest enclave but this record may change that. She has done a couple of regional tours with the always improving the Decemberists, but not much beyond that. Featuring the minimalist, ambient electronics of collaborator Keith Schreiner (of Dahlia), Repp provides breathy, smoky vocals to ten songs that bring the down the blood pressure and smoothes out your Cradle of Filth high. Though varying comparisons have been made to other indy female singer-songwriters, the unassuming compositions of Azure Ray probably provide the best reference point. Repp’s voice barely gets above a whisper, but that is enough to keep you transfixed on the next lyric. Some of the highlights here include the quiet ambient build up on “You Almost Made It Out, But You Turned Around” and the slight beat and vocal combination on “No One’s Telling.” Others of note include the surprisingly catchy “Finally,” the chorus on “Here’s Someone Else” and the most rock-orientated song “Lost At Sea.” This is a record I recommend to anyone with a fondness for either the ambient electronic bliss of Temporary Residence or the singer-songwriter flair of Saddle Creek. I do hope that Repp makes it over to this coast for a few dates. A partial tour with members of the Saddle Creek family, particularly Now It’s Overhead, would make for a dazzling evening.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Rilo Kiley - More Adventurous
Rilo Kiley
More Adventurous
Brute/Beaute Records
Grade: A
This latest record from this uber-hip Los Angeles trio has skyrocketed to attack and steal our attention even several months after its initial release. But we can’t and will not deny that this is one of the best records of the year. So if you are under a cloud about Rilo Kiley then let this be your warning shot.
More Adventurous is the band’s third release and first on their own Brute/Beaute Records (with major label distribution). After an initial EP on Barsuk Records, Rilo Kiley became one of the few bands not from Omaha to land on Saddle Creek Records (home to Bright Eyes, the Faint, Cursive, etc.). Their fit with that lineup of artists was brilliant. Their previous record on Saddle Creek, The Execution of All Things, garnered such amazing praise and standing has allowed them to work on their own terms.
So, who comprises this indie rock juggernaut? Heading up a majority of the vocals is the brilliant Jenny Lewis – who also adds piano and guitar to the mix. The other front member is guitarist and part time vocalist Blake Sennett. The interesting random tidbit on this dazzling duo is that they were both child actors in Hollywood. Lewis appeared in Troop Beverly Hills as well as The Wizard, while Sennett lent his talents as a cast member on Nickelodeon’s Salute Your Shorts. Though they have long cast off their acting careers, you must imagine it influences their show business panache nowadays. Joining Lewis and Sennett are drummer Jason Boesel and bassist Pierre de Reeder. Like most either former or present Saddle Creek artists, the members of Rilo Kiley have branched out to other endeavors. Lewis offered up vocals to the powerhouse Postal Service’s debut record and toured with them. Lewis is also expected to release a solo album during the next year. Sennett rocked his own gorgeous side project during the past year as the Elected (Sub Pop) which flows like jangly singer-songwriter bliss. However, it is not as if Sennett was locked in his own box for the Elected. The Elected’s core band includes Boesel, Mike Bloom and Daniel Brummel, and includes guest spots from Lewis, Orenda Fink (Azure Ray) and Jimmy Tamborello (Postal Service). Rounding out these adventures, Boesel has lent his beats to Bright Eyes’ recordings.
For More Adventurous, Rilo Kiley enlisted an array of sizzling producers including Saddle Creek master Mike Mogis, Tamborello, Dave Sher (of Beachwood Sparks/All-Nite Radio) and Mark Trombino (producer of Jimmy Eat World, Drive Like Jehu, Blink 182). To bolster the depth of songs, Rilo Kiley had Bright Eyes’ Nate Walcott add strings, while the band itself broaden the studio instruments and production. And the implications are enormous. Amongst the eleven tracks, there is a breadth of radio singles and future hits.
The record begins on “It’s A Hit” with Lewis’ vocals crooning over the deployment of troops as the song sweeps into a magical catchy chorus. Probably by design, “It’s A Hit” is Rilo Kiley’s first ‘single’ and is their first video off the album. All in all, it is a glorious way to begin their best record. “Does He Love You?” mellows out the tempo with simple picking and light background music with Lewis taking a more singer-songwriter tack to the vocals. This is followed by the best track on the record, “Portions for Foxes.” When I saw Rilo Kiley live before attaining this record, “Portions for Foxes” stuck in my head like white on rice. The reason? The incredibly catchy chorus of “and it’s bad news/baby I’m bad news/It’s just bad news.” But also lyrics like “the talking leads to touching, then the touching leads to sex and then there is no mystery left.” Couple this majesty with small additions like a swirling guitar towards the end and the ending lines of “you’re bad news/I don’t care I like you/I like you,” and you end up with one of the best songs of the year. As the most power pop bliss moment of the entire record, you might as well leave “Portions for Foxes” on repeat. The oddly low-fi “Ripchord” follows with Sennett taking the lead on vocals for the first and only time. Lewis channels Janis Joplin on “I Never” with soul-inducing vocals on top of a classic simple blues composition. The best part of the song is when Lewis holds the word “I” before going to the rest of the line. Live, this is brilliant and really gets the crowd. “The Absence of God” is an acoustic guitar assault and presents an introspective story. When the instruments and supporting vocals join in the chorus, it is light-FM perfect. “Accidntel Deth” relies on a wealth of electronics as drums and guitar accompany. The title track has the most western feel as Mike Mogis adds pedal steel and glockenspiel and Lewis provides a little harmonica action. As far as title tracks go, this is one of the best I’ve heard in a long time. As a nice piece of album sequencing, “Love and War (11/11/46)” provides the most aggressive guitar riffs and striking song construction. The post-line riffs by Sennett, Lewis and Mogis are simply splendid. “A Man/Me/Then Jim” begins innocently and non-sexy with up-picking acoustic guitar and this sort of Hawaiian-feel. Yet by the time you get to the first line, there are congas, horns and pedal steel guitar and you enter another level. “A Man/Me/Then Jim” probably has the most complex minimally low construction of instruments on the record. The opening line of the chorus, “She said, the slow fade of love…,” coupled with gorgeous harmonies, tie you in and force you to listen with intensity. Truly hearing “A Man/Me/Then Jim” is similar to really ‘hearing’ an Iron and Wine song. More Adventurous ends on “It Just Is” like a hip metropolitan story with compelling guitar riffs, piano and a prosperity of strings. You really couldn’t ask for a better ending to the record.
As the above words have described and illustrated, this is clearly one of the best records of year if not this century. Even with little previous exposure to Rilo Kiley, I was stunned by their live show and I implore anyone with the means to check them out and become enraptured. Though the members of Rilo Kiley will be working on separate projects and other endeavors over the course of the new year, look for their stock to be soaring. With enough press and exposure – like their spread in Rolling Stone – look for Rilo Kiley to become your next favorite band – if they aren’t already.
More Adventurous
Brute/Beaute Records
Grade: A
This latest record from this uber-hip Los Angeles trio has skyrocketed to attack and steal our attention even several months after its initial release. But we can’t and will not deny that this is one of the best records of the year. So if you are under a cloud about Rilo Kiley then let this be your warning shot.
More Adventurous is the band’s third release and first on their own Brute/Beaute Records (with major label distribution). After an initial EP on Barsuk Records, Rilo Kiley became one of the few bands not from Omaha to land on Saddle Creek Records (home to Bright Eyes, the Faint, Cursive, etc.). Their fit with that lineup of artists was brilliant. Their previous record on Saddle Creek, The Execution of All Things, garnered such amazing praise and standing has allowed them to work on their own terms.
So, who comprises this indie rock juggernaut? Heading up a majority of the vocals is the brilliant Jenny Lewis – who also adds piano and guitar to the mix. The other front member is guitarist and part time vocalist Blake Sennett. The interesting random tidbit on this dazzling duo is that they were both child actors in Hollywood. Lewis appeared in Troop Beverly Hills as well as The Wizard, while Sennett lent his talents as a cast member on Nickelodeon’s Salute Your Shorts. Though they have long cast off their acting careers, you must imagine it influences their show business panache nowadays. Joining Lewis and Sennett are drummer Jason Boesel and bassist Pierre de Reeder. Like most either former or present Saddle Creek artists, the members of Rilo Kiley have branched out to other endeavors. Lewis offered up vocals to the powerhouse Postal Service’s debut record and toured with them. Lewis is also expected to release a solo album during the next year. Sennett rocked his own gorgeous side project during the past year as the Elected (Sub Pop) which flows like jangly singer-songwriter bliss. However, it is not as if Sennett was locked in his own box for the Elected. The Elected’s core band includes Boesel, Mike Bloom and Daniel Brummel, and includes guest spots from Lewis, Orenda Fink (Azure Ray) and Jimmy Tamborello (Postal Service). Rounding out these adventures, Boesel has lent his beats to Bright Eyes’ recordings.
For More Adventurous, Rilo Kiley enlisted an array of sizzling producers including Saddle Creek master Mike Mogis, Tamborello, Dave Sher (of Beachwood Sparks/All-Nite Radio) and Mark Trombino (producer of Jimmy Eat World, Drive Like Jehu, Blink 182). To bolster the depth of songs, Rilo Kiley had Bright Eyes’ Nate Walcott add strings, while the band itself broaden the studio instruments and production. And the implications are enormous. Amongst the eleven tracks, there is a breadth of radio singles and future hits.
The record begins on “It’s A Hit” with Lewis’ vocals crooning over the deployment of troops as the song sweeps into a magical catchy chorus. Probably by design, “It’s A Hit” is Rilo Kiley’s first ‘single’ and is their first video off the album. All in all, it is a glorious way to begin their best record. “Does He Love You?” mellows out the tempo with simple picking and light background music with Lewis taking a more singer-songwriter tack to the vocals. This is followed by the best track on the record, “Portions for Foxes.” When I saw Rilo Kiley live before attaining this record, “Portions for Foxes” stuck in my head like white on rice. The reason? The incredibly catchy chorus of “and it’s bad news/baby I’m bad news/It’s just bad news.” But also lyrics like “the talking leads to touching, then the touching leads to sex and then there is no mystery left.” Couple this majesty with small additions like a swirling guitar towards the end and the ending lines of “you’re bad news/I don’t care I like you/I like you,” and you end up with one of the best songs of the year. As the most power pop bliss moment of the entire record, you might as well leave “Portions for Foxes” on repeat. The oddly low-fi “Ripchord” follows with Sennett taking the lead on vocals for the first and only time. Lewis channels Janis Joplin on “I Never” with soul-inducing vocals on top of a classic simple blues composition. The best part of the song is when Lewis holds the word “I” before going to the rest of the line. Live, this is brilliant and really gets the crowd. “The Absence of God” is an acoustic guitar assault and presents an introspective story. When the instruments and supporting vocals join in the chorus, it is light-FM perfect. “Accidntel Deth” relies on a wealth of electronics as drums and guitar accompany. The title track has the most western feel as Mike Mogis adds pedal steel and glockenspiel and Lewis provides a little harmonica action. As far as title tracks go, this is one of the best I’ve heard in a long time. As a nice piece of album sequencing, “Love and War (11/11/46)” provides the most aggressive guitar riffs and striking song construction. The post-line riffs by Sennett, Lewis and Mogis are simply splendid. “A Man/Me/Then Jim” begins innocently and non-sexy with up-picking acoustic guitar and this sort of Hawaiian-feel. Yet by the time you get to the first line, there are congas, horns and pedal steel guitar and you enter another level. “A Man/Me/Then Jim” probably has the most complex minimally low construction of instruments on the record. The opening line of the chorus, “She said, the slow fade of love…,” coupled with gorgeous harmonies, tie you in and force you to listen with intensity. Truly hearing “A Man/Me/Then Jim” is similar to really ‘hearing’ an Iron and Wine song. More Adventurous ends on “It Just Is” like a hip metropolitan story with compelling guitar riffs, piano and a prosperity of strings. You really couldn’t ask for a better ending to the record.
As the above words have described and illustrated, this is clearly one of the best records of year if not this century. Even with little previous exposure to Rilo Kiley, I was stunned by their live show and I implore anyone with the means to check them out and become enraptured. Though the members of Rilo Kiley will be working on separate projects and other endeavors over the course of the new year, look for their stock to be soaring. With enough press and exposure – like their spread in Rolling Stone – look for Rilo Kiley to become your next favorite band – if they aren’t already.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Tree Wave - Cabana
Tree Wave
Cabana EP
Made Up Records
Grade: A-
This is certainly one of the hippest indie electronic debuts of the past year. Coming out of Dallas, Tree Wave are the duo of Paul Slocum, who uses a plethora of electronic devices to produces dazzling displays, and Lauren Gray who provides the breathy and chic vocals on top. Since the duo claim to primarily rely on old computers and videogame systems of their sounds – e.g., Commodore 64, Atari 2600, dot matrix printer, etc. – their live show must smoke if they are able to pull these sounds off. The EP starts with off-blips and beats on “May Banners,” but soon comes around with transfixing synths and Gray’s vocals. Though I typically hate band-to-band comparisons, but “May Banners” and the EP in general comes across like a female-vocal laden and quirky Postal Service. And that is the grandest comparison I could make. “Machines Fall Apart” provides nice fuzzed bumping and sweet vocals from Gray, and goes after an up-tempo ambient atmosphere. “Sleep” follows suit, but with a heavier reliance on beats and Gray comes across like St. Etienne. After the video game fun of “Instrumental 1b,” “Morning Coffee Hymn” slides in with an array of intertwining electronics. “Same” is more aggressive on the distortion end, though is a bit of a misstep from the others. The EP closes on “Commodore 64 Data Track,” where you can apparently bring up the program on your own C64 – as if you have one. The CD also includes a multi-screen video for “Sleep” and Atari war games video for the song “Combat.” Again, this EP from Tree Wave is one of those rare gems that appear in the mailbox only once in a blue moon.
Cabana EP
Made Up Records
Grade: A-
This is certainly one of the hippest indie electronic debuts of the past year. Coming out of Dallas, Tree Wave are the duo of Paul Slocum, who uses a plethora of electronic devices to produces dazzling displays, and Lauren Gray who provides the breathy and chic vocals on top. Since the duo claim to primarily rely on old computers and videogame systems of their sounds – e.g., Commodore 64, Atari 2600, dot matrix printer, etc. – their live show must smoke if they are able to pull these sounds off. The EP starts with off-blips and beats on “May Banners,” but soon comes around with transfixing synths and Gray’s vocals. Though I typically hate band-to-band comparisons, but “May Banners” and the EP in general comes across like a female-vocal laden and quirky Postal Service. And that is the grandest comparison I could make. “Machines Fall Apart” provides nice fuzzed bumping and sweet vocals from Gray, and goes after an up-tempo ambient atmosphere. “Sleep” follows suit, but with a heavier reliance on beats and Gray comes across like St. Etienne. After the video game fun of “Instrumental 1b,” “Morning Coffee Hymn” slides in with an array of intertwining electronics. “Same” is more aggressive on the distortion end, though is a bit of a misstep from the others. The EP closes on “Commodore 64 Data Track,” where you can apparently bring up the program on your own C64 – as if you have one. The CD also includes a multi-screen video for “Sleep” and Atari war games video for the song “Combat.” Again, this EP from Tree Wave is one of those rare gems that appear in the mailbox only once in a blue moon.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Son, Ambulance - Key
Son, Ambulance
Key
Saddle Creek Records
Grade: A-
After several years between releases, Joe Knapp’s Son, Ambulance is back working on a different level of musicianship than his previous two releases. As mentioned, Son, Ambulance is essentially Knapp and he utilizes musicians from the Saddle Creek family and outside that circle. Son, Ambulance first release was the 2001 split with Bright Eyes entitled Oh, Holy Fools. It was clear at that stage Knapp was still getting his footing which is even a harder task when alternating tracks with Conor Oberst. However, his debut full-length Euphemystic released later that year, illustrated Knapp was on track for greater things. On Key, Knapp is joined by brother Daniel Knapp on piano, Dylan Strimple on guitar, Corey Broman on drums and Erika Pederson on bass and vocals. Coming out of the Oberst’s world of singer-songwriting, Knapp has very similar compositions to Bright Eyes but heavily lessens the whining, angst atmosphere and less in a storytelling manner. Thanks to the focused use of piano, many of the tracks move towards majestic anthems that help represent Knapp’s rich lyrical content – probably the best illustration being the epic “Sex in C Minor.” The thirteen tracks – though really eleven – combine for nearly an hour of both drawn out eight minute affairs (“Case of You/Wrinkle, Wrinkle”) to shorter, more manageable rock numbers (“Taxi Cab Driver”). While there are no real drop offs between songs, highlights are assured from the opener “Paper Snowflakes” that really sets the tone for the record, the aforementioned “Sex in C Minor,” the complete change on the hip rock number “Taxi Cab Driver,” the spacey, electronic “Glitter Angel” and fast, uptempo piano playing and great latter song harmonies of closer “Pleasure, Now.” Thanks to the unbelievably catchy chorus, “Taxi Cab Driver” receives the special gold sticker of the day for this record; but “Pleasure, Now” is pretty damn close to taking that title. This is one of the best sophomore records I’ve heard in awhile and helps to promise that Knapp and Son, Ambulance are going to be in play for a long time to come.
Key
Saddle Creek Records
Grade: A-
After several years between releases, Joe Knapp’s Son, Ambulance is back working on a different level of musicianship than his previous two releases. As mentioned, Son, Ambulance is essentially Knapp and he utilizes musicians from the Saddle Creek family and outside that circle. Son, Ambulance first release was the 2001 split with Bright Eyes entitled Oh, Holy Fools. It was clear at that stage Knapp was still getting his footing which is even a harder task when alternating tracks with Conor Oberst. However, his debut full-length Euphemystic released later that year, illustrated Knapp was on track for greater things. On Key, Knapp is joined by brother Daniel Knapp on piano, Dylan Strimple on guitar, Corey Broman on drums and Erika Pederson on bass and vocals. Coming out of the Oberst’s world of singer-songwriting, Knapp has very similar compositions to Bright Eyes but heavily lessens the whining, angst atmosphere and less in a storytelling manner. Thanks to the focused use of piano, many of the tracks move towards majestic anthems that help represent Knapp’s rich lyrical content – probably the best illustration being the epic “Sex in C Minor.” The thirteen tracks – though really eleven – combine for nearly an hour of both drawn out eight minute affairs (“Case of You/Wrinkle, Wrinkle”) to shorter, more manageable rock numbers (“Taxi Cab Driver”). While there are no real drop offs between songs, highlights are assured from the opener “Paper Snowflakes” that really sets the tone for the record, the aforementioned “Sex in C Minor,” the complete change on the hip rock number “Taxi Cab Driver,” the spacey, electronic “Glitter Angel” and fast, uptempo piano playing and great latter song harmonies of closer “Pleasure, Now.” Thanks to the unbelievably catchy chorus, “Taxi Cab Driver” receives the special gold sticker of the day for this record; but “Pleasure, Now” is pretty damn close to taking that title. This is one of the best sophomore records I’ve heard in awhile and helps to promise that Knapp and Son, Ambulance are going to be in play for a long time to come.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Sera Cahoone - Only as the Day is Long
Sera Cahoone
Only as the Day is Long
Sub Pop Records
Grade: A-
Sera Cahoone begins Only as the Day is Long with “You Might as Well,” a clear take on Iron & Wine with finger-picking acoustic guitar and rollicking rhythms. Even if Cahoone were only a female version of Sam Beam it would be fantastic, but instead Cahoone adds her own voice and talents across her ten-song second album. Foremost amongst differences is Cahoone adding more country and alt-country flavors to her anthems. Given that Cahoone previously assisted Band of Horses as well as the earlier Carissa Wierd on drums, the exposure to the alt-country is thick. After the warming “You Might as Well,” Cahoone excels on the sublime pedal steel of “Baker Lake,” the build-up and vocal cadence on the title track, the haunting “The Colder the Air,” the rocking “Happy When I’m Gone,” and slow closer “Seven Hours Later.” Only as the Day is Long is the perfect album to play in the background to your lazy summer afternoon on the porch.
Only as the Day is Long
Sub Pop Records
Grade: A-
Sera Cahoone begins Only as the Day is Long with “You Might as Well,” a clear take on Iron & Wine with finger-picking acoustic guitar and rollicking rhythms. Even if Cahoone were only a female version of Sam Beam it would be fantastic, but instead Cahoone adds her own voice and talents across her ten-song second album. Foremost amongst differences is Cahoone adding more country and alt-country flavors to her anthems. Given that Cahoone previously assisted Band of Horses as well as the earlier Carissa Wierd on drums, the exposure to the alt-country is thick. After the warming “You Might as Well,” Cahoone excels on the sublime pedal steel of “Baker Lake,” the build-up and vocal cadence on the title track, the haunting “The Colder the Air,” the rocking “Happy When I’m Gone,” and slow closer “Seven Hours Later.” Only as the Day is Long is the perfect album to play in the background to your lazy summer afternoon on the porch.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Langhorne Slim & the War Eagles - S/T
Langhorne Slim & the War Eagles
s/t
Kemado Records
Grade: A-
Within in ten seconds of the opening song “Spinning Compass,” where the strings come in, you know that this self-titled affair from Langhorne Slim and his War Eagles (Paul Defiglia and Malachi DeLorenzo) is going to be awesome. And sure enough “Spinning Compass” kicks major ass over the course of a short two minutes, while the thirteen-song record provides enough bright spots to sing and dance along. This NYC-based songster attacks alt-country, folk, and indie rock with lashes of pop and catchiness. And this is good. Stingers to check out include “Rebel Side of Heaven,” the picking “Restless,” the quirky “Sometimes,” the uptempo “She’s Gone” (ok I just cited the first five songs thus far), the 60s styled guitars on “The Honeymoon,” “Tipping Point,” and the sweet “Worries.” Langhorne and his cadre of musicians have something great to play and say.
s/t
Kemado Records
Grade: A-
Within in ten seconds of the opening song “Spinning Compass,” where the strings come in, you know that this self-titled affair from Langhorne Slim and his War Eagles (Paul Defiglia and Malachi DeLorenzo) is going to be awesome. And sure enough “Spinning Compass” kicks major ass over the course of a short two minutes, while the thirteen-song record provides enough bright spots to sing and dance along. This NYC-based songster attacks alt-country, folk, and indie rock with lashes of pop and catchiness. And this is good. Stingers to check out include “Rebel Side of Heaven,” the picking “Restless,” the quirky “Sometimes,” the uptempo “She’s Gone” (ok I just cited the first five songs thus far), the 60s styled guitars on “The Honeymoon,” “Tipping Point,” and the sweet “Worries.” Langhorne and his cadre of musicians have something great to play and say.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Elvis Costello and the Imposters - Momofuku
Elvis Costello and the Imposters
Momofuku
Lost Highway
Grade: A-
Often people are surprised that Elvis Costello is still out there working hard, making records, kicking rock pop ass, and making new friends with the alt-country indie rock crowd. The twelve-song Momofuku is among the best material Costello has put out in a very long time. Accompanied by his Imposters – Pete Thomas, Steve Nieve, Davey Faragher – and assisted in various ways by indie rock gurus Jenny Lewis, Johnathan Rice, and Dave Scher, Costello’s voice sounds about thirty years younger and completely full of sweetness. Momofuku begins in glorious fashion on “No Hiding Place” which is filled with big harmonies and catchy choruses. This puts Costello on a roll with the heavy guitar of “American Gangster Time,” the lighter, melody-drenched “Turpentine,” the piano ballad “Flutter & Wow,” the fuzzed-out rocker “Stella Hurt,” and the haunting “My Three Sons.” With Elvis Costello making records like Momofuku and indie rock royalty fully embracing him, and vice-versa, Costello can continue to do whatever the hell he wants and be content for a long time to come.
Momofuku
Lost Highway
Grade: A-
Often people are surprised that Elvis Costello is still out there working hard, making records, kicking rock pop ass, and making new friends with the alt-country indie rock crowd. The twelve-song Momofuku is among the best material Costello has put out in a very long time. Accompanied by his Imposters – Pete Thomas, Steve Nieve, Davey Faragher – and assisted in various ways by indie rock gurus Jenny Lewis, Johnathan Rice, and Dave Scher, Costello’s voice sounds about thirty years younger and completely full of sweetness. Momofuku begins in glorious fashion on “No Hiding Place” which is filled with big harmonies and catchy choruses. This puts Costello on a roll with the heavy guitar of “American Gangster Time,” the lighter, melody-drenched “Turpentine,” the piano ballad “Flutter & Wow,” the fuzzed-out rocker “Stella Hurt,” and the haunting “My Three Sons.” With Elvis Costello making records like Momofuku and indie rock royalty fully embracing him, and vice-versa, Costello can continue to do whatever the hell he wants and be content for a long time to come.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
CSS - Donkey
CSS
Donkey
Sub Pop Records
Grade: A-
There was almost no way that these eclectic dance punkers from Brazil were going to top their incredibly awesome debut for Sub Pop, Cansei de Ser Sexy. And indeed Donkey doesn’t smoke and slam you with such irresistible rockers like “Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death From Above 1979.” However, the eleven-song Donkey is a smashing follow-up for this crew from Sao Paulo and even more of a reason to make you a true believe in dancing fun punk.
Originally coming together in Sao Paulo in 2003 through art scenes and Internet music/art sites, CSS spent the few years following the release of Cansei de Ser Sexy circumnavigating the world – playing shows with Gwen Stefani, Klaxons, Ladytron, and numerous others. Essentially, CSS had to roam the world in order to prove that they were dance-orgasmic party engine. Along with the shows, CSS got crazy mad press from every zine in the world to such heavyweight locations such as the New York Times and NME. In a true sign of hipness, CSS’s “Music is My Hot, Hot Sex” – which is not even close to the best song on the record – was used in an iPod commercial and the song proceeded to launch up the digital single charts. Quickly taking on the momentum built by all this exposure, CSS began to work on Donkey in late 2007 in Sao Paulo by band member Adriano Cintra and later mixed in LA by Mark Stent. With better experience and production, Donkey is considerably tighter and more professional sounding than Cansei de Ser Sexy without losing the raw joy. CSS have also lost bassist Iracema Trevisan, now making them a five-piece sex machine instead of six.
Before exploring the record, we should briefly talk about the liner notes and booklet. The booklet is full of photos taken by the band of the band in various locations around the world along with lyrics to all the songs so you know what the hell Lovefoxxx is saying – though her English has improved markedly. Along with the cool Donkey structure, the photos let you into the small and fascinating world of CSS. Now, onto the record………………………..
Donkey kicks off with kicking drums and bass on “Jager Yoga” with each instrument building in before the vocals fly in and take the adventure to the next level. Seriously fun times exist with such lyrics on the chorus of “We didn’t come into the world to walk around / we came here to take you out.” After that love party is the rocker “Rat is Dead (Rage),” where CSS progress on a more standard verse-chorus-verse path with the catchy chorus of “I know I know I know I know he will never hurt you again.” “Let’s Reggae All Night” drops in heavy bass and drums with an electro-take on reggae with one of my favorite lines of the record in “If you are my friend we can drink in the afternoon.” “Give Up” generally holds the fort and has Cintra adding strong backing vocals, while “Left Behind” is more electro-dance focused with more great lyrics like “I’m gonna jump onto the tables and dance my ass off till I die.” Moderately annoying “Left Behind” goes through everything twice with no real changes. Probably the most similar song to CSS’s previous album is the wordy “Beautiful Song” with Cintra and Lovefoxxx sparing verses. Both “How I Became Paranoid” and “Move” are super electro-dance pop songs that are lighter in the instrument attack. At first you think that “I Fly” is a really stupid song that goes on too long, but the moderately annoying second line on the verse soon gets embedded in your head and you keep going back to it. Polishing off Donkey are “Believe Achieve” and “Air Painter.” You are greeted with repetitive “Believe Achieve” before moving to the verse and chorus that only mildly redeems itself with the cadence and line of “I believe that love was created just for me and you/People say it’s not but I know it’s true.” “Air Painter” is simply a straight-up rocker with dance pop flying at you in everything direction.
Donkey is a solid follow-up to the phenomenal self-titled debut for Sub Pop. CSS have gotten leaner and meaner on these eleven songs with songwriting and sound quality improvement. I only wish that Donkey had as much pure excitement as their debut.
Donkey
Sub Pop Records
Grade: A-
There was almost no way that these eclectic dance punkers from Brazil were going to top their incredibly awesome debut for Sub Pop, Cansei de Ser Sexy. And indeed Donkey doesn’t smoke and slam you with such irresistible rockers like “Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death From Above 1979.” However, the eleven-song Donkey is a smashing follow-up for this crew from Sao Paulo and even more of a reason to make you a true believe in dancing fun punk.
Originally coming together in Sao Paulo in 2003 through art scenes and Internet music/art sites, CSS spent the few years following the release of Cansei de Ser Sexy circumnavigating the world – playing shows with Gwen Stefani, Klaxons, Ladytron, and numerous others. Essentially, CSS had to roam the world in order to prove that they were dance-orgasmic party engine. Along with the shows, CSS got crazy mad press from every zine in the world to such heavyweight locations such as the New York Times and NME. In a true sign of hipness, CSS’s “Music is My Hot, Hot Sex” – which is not even close to the best song on the record – was used in an iPod commercial and the song proceeded to launch up the digital single charts. Quickly taking on the momentum built by all this exposure, CSS began to work on Donkey in late 2007 in Sao Paulo by band member Adriano Cintra and later mixed in LA by Mark Stent. With better experience and production, Donkey is considerably tighter and more professional sounding than Cansei de Ser Sexy without losing the raw joy. CSS have also lost bassist Iracema Trevisan, now making them a five-piece sex machine instead of six.
Before exploring the record, we should briefly talk about the liner notes and booklet. The booklet is full of photos taken by the band of the band in various locations around the world along with lyrics to all the songs so you know what the hell Lovefoxxx is saying – though her English has improved markedly. Along with the cool Donkey structure, the photos let you into the small and fascinating world of CSS. Now, onto the record………………………..
Donkey kicks off with kicking drums and bass on “Jager Yoga” with each instrument building in before the vocals fly in and take the adventure to the next level. Seriously fun times exist with such lyrics on the chorus of “We didn’t come into the world to walk around / we came here to take you out.” After that love party is the rocker “Rat is Dead (Rage),” where CSS progress on a more standard verse-chorus-verse path with the catchy chorus of “I know I know I know I know he will never hurt you again.” “Let’s Reggae All Night” drops in heavy bass and drums with an electro-take on reggae with one of my favorite lines of the record in “If you are my friend we can drink in the afternoon.” “Give Up” generally holds the fort and has Cintra adding strong backing vocals, while “Left Behind” is more electro-dance focused with more great lyrics like “I’m gonna jump onto the tables and dance my ass off till I die.” Moderately annoying “Left Behind” goes through everything twice with no real changes. Probably the most similar song to CSS’s previous album is the wordy “Beautiful Song” with Cintra and Lovefoxxx sparing verses. Both “How I Became Paranoid” and “Move” are super electro-dance pop songs that are lighter in the instrument attack. At first you think that “I Fly” is a really stupid song that goes on too long, but the moderately annoying second line on the verse soon gets embedded in your head and you keep going back to it. Polishing off Donkey are “Believe Achieve” and “Air Painter.” You are greeted with repetitive “Believe Achieve” before moving to the verse and chorus that only mildly redeems itself with the cadence and line of “I believe that love was created just for me and you/People say it’s not but I know it’s true.” “Air Painter” is simply a straight-up rocker with dance pop flying at you in everything direction.
Donkey is a solid follow-up to the phenomenal self-titled debut for Sub Pop. CSS have gotten leaner and meaner on these eleven songs with songwriting and sound quality improvement. I only wish that Donkey had as much pure excitement as their debut.
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