An indie-rock English band that sounds unapologetically English, with enough quirky quirks to be mistaken as influenced by American music? Who knew that such a thing would come out sounding so...good? Guy Debord Is Really Dead is a great three-song EP; there's no room for screwing around, they get to the point--and in your face--quite quickly. With a sound that seems to be a mixture of Jawbox and Pavement--which, for review purposes, covers the harder moments and The Fall moments quite nicely--and it's absolutely no surprise why the kids are getting excited about these guys. Intense, literate rock (that occasionally sounds a little too American for my taste, sorry) is found in the title track and "Bridge Burning Cooperative," but I really love "Knock Yourself Out," which finds the band supplementing their rock with a bit of a beat, and it sounds real...nice. A nice little taste of a great band, who are sure to (hopefully) dominate 2005.
--Joseph Kyle
Artist Website: http://www.theplaywrights.co.uk
Label Website: http://www.sinkandstove.co.uk
December 13, 2004
Panda Bear "Young Prayer"
Over the last few years, Noah Lennox (known lovingly to those in the know as Panda Bear) has proven that he is capable of interesting, unique musical explorations. As part of the Animal Collective, Panda Bear has made some music that qualifies as interesting--just listen to the amazing Sung Tongs or Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They're Vanished, and you'll hear a young man who doesn't let inhibition hold back from musical exploration. Wanna meow as a cat? Go for it! Wanna make all kinds of noises? Sure,why not?
Recently going through the tragedy of losing his father, he decided to pay tribute in the way he knows best: through music. Young Prayer was recorded in the room where his father passed away, it's most certainly a record that reflects upon the universal feelings that come with death: sadness and melancholy. Lennox has eschewed song titles, giving the entire record the feeling of being one long, continuous suite. Because the music is so varied, such a device actually gives the record a stronger, more cohesive feel. From the gentle piano of "Track Nine" to the guitar strumming on "Track Four" and to the clapping, one man drum circle of "Track Five," Panda Bear never fails to be anything less than engaging, and he never fails to convey the range of emotions that come from the death of a parent, even though he never says a word.
Growing up, my father always used to say 'the blues isn't a sound, it's a feeling.' Though Young Prayer is not a concept album about his father's death and life, but you do get the distinct feeling of loss and sadness and youth and life through Panda Bear's emotion. Young Prayer is sad, yet it's hopeful; it's detatched, yet it's loving; it's difficult, yet it's universal; it says nothing, yet it says everything. It's a stunningly beautiful testament to the power of the unsung song, and is quietly one of this year's musical highlights.
--Joseph Kyle
Label Website: http://www.paw-tracks.com
Recently going through the tragedy of losing his father, he decided to pay tribute in the way he knows best: through music. Young Prayer was recorded in the room where his father passed away, it's most certainly a record that reflects upon the universal feelings that come with death: sadness and melancholy. Lennox has eschewed song titles, giving the entire record the feeling of being one long, continuous suite. Because the music is so varied, such a device actually gives the record a stronger, more cohesive feel. From the gentle piano of "Track Nine" to the guitar strumming on "Track Four" and to the clapping, one man drum circle of "Track Five," Panda Bear never fails to be anything less than engaging, and he never fails to convey the range of emotions that come from the death of a parent, even though he never says a word.
Growing up, my father always used to say 'the blues isn't a sound, it's a feeling.' Though Young Prayer is not a concept album about his father's death and life, but you do get the distinct feeling of loss and sadness and youth and life through Panda Bear's emotion. Young Prayer is sad, yet it's hopeful; it's detatched, yet it's loving; it's difficult, yet it's universal; it says nothing, yet it says everything. It's a stunningly beautiful testament to the power of the unsung song, and is quietly one of this year's musical highlights.
--Joseph Kyle
Label Website: http://www.paw-tracks.com
Icicles "A hundred Patterns"
For those of you who don't know, and I'm sure there are a bunch of you who don't, the Icicles are the early 21st century version of the Partridge Family. Except that they're not related (or pretend to be related) and they can play their instruments. No, if you see and hear them, you'll know what I mean. Just look at the paper doll caricatures of them on the cover of this album. They wear matching retro outfits and sing ultra-cute, innocently fun tweepop music. Yes, I've seen this band live and it's like going through a time warp to a time (perhaps only existing in fictional television nostalgia) when rock and roll was innocent and there weren't even any veiled, winking references to drugs or sex in the music. But just because this is the kind of band you can bring home to mother or have play in front of your girl scout troop, don't think they're lame. Unless you hate cuteness, because the Icicles are as cute as a roomful of kittens and as sugary sweet as the last time you stuffed yourself full of Halloween candy. Those who don't know how to hold their sugar will have trouble digesting the Icicles' sublime confections of guitar, bass, farfisa-ish keyboard, drums, and mostly female vocals.
This Michigan-based band has previously released one six-song EP, aptly named the Pure Sugar EP. With songs about lemonade and somersaults in the summertime, going on a date to the picture show, the joys of hair dye and the tribulation of being a wallflower in the corner waiting to dance, it was a tweepop fan's dream. It's an underrated classic, and if you don't already have it, I strongly recommend it. Since then, the Icicles have replaced their original bassist and drummer. However, core members Gretchen DeVault (lead vocals, guitar, most songwriting) and Joleen Rumsey (keyboards, vocals) still remain, and the Icicles still sound much like the same band they were on Pure Sugar. However, early reviews have said that the Icicles seem more "mature" on this release. While that does seem true, I'd say they've only matured just a little bit.
The height of maturity on A Hundred Patterns is a song called "Pretty". It's sung from the point of view of a girl insecure about her looks. "Pretty, pretty, pretty. Maybe if I were pretty, I would be happy," reasons the girl in the song. The girl goes on to compare herself to the unusually thin models presented in magazines, which perpetuate the unrealistic standards of beauty that cause girls to starve themselves to death, get plastic surgery, and not embrace their outward geekiness. I could go on and on about how sad it makes me to see female geeks deny themselves and succumb to the pressure to conform to the frivolous standards of beauty set by the patriarchy, but I won't. (Yes, girls, there are boys out there who'd choose a blatantly geeky girl over the starved, plastic-laden centerfold.) Anyway, the song ends with a great, sardonic twist: "Happy, happy, happy. Maybe if I were happy, pretty wouldn't matter." This issue is a great premise for a song, and I'm glad that the Icicles addressed it.
Besides that, all but three of the remaining ten songs on the album are love songs. One of the other non-love songs is the leadoff track, "Rock n' Roll Girl", a feminine variation on the yearning many young people have to leave their nowhere town and successful traverse the path of rock stardom. In this version of the rock and roll fantasy, the boys are throwing flowers at the prospective rock star's feet as she walks down the street. I can't help but wish this would really happen to Gretchen because you hardly ever see any female rock stars who don't come off as worthless and asinine.
Another non-love song is the Joleen Rumsey-penned (and sung) "Bat in the Kitchen", which is about exactly what the title says it is. The endearing thing about this song is that while the bat is seen as an annoyance, Joleen has nothing but goodwill for the bat. "We don't want to hurt you, we just want to get you outside. We don't want to hurt you. We just want to help you fly." An amazing amount of composure in a situation in which many others would scream, "Get the hell out of here, you goddamned flying mouse before I put a stake through your vampire heart!"
The remaining non-love song is "Happy Place", about being driven insane by stress--and it sounds like the singer is literally going insane. After articulating the craziness she's been going through, the song ends with the lines "I'm going to my happy place, where none of this will ever happen again." I don't think I've ever seen tweepop totally lose it like this. I should also mention that the way they play this song is very upbeat and danceable. If you don't pay attention to the lyrics, it sounds quite happy.
I said that the rest of the songs are love songs, but that statement makes them sound one-dimensional. Was 69 Love Songs one-dimensional? The sentiments are just as varied on here as they are on that classic album. There's "I Wanna Know", about a girl wondering about the future of her relationship, asking her boy "Will I be your forever girl or will you just replace me?" Then, there's "Ralphy Rodriguez", a song about a girl with a huge celebrity crush, seemingly bordering on psychosis when you consider lines like "I know you're the one for me, it came to me in a dream" and "Maybe you don't know me, but I feel it just the same. You were meant for me, and I know you'll feel the same way." "Snowman" is about a girl in the springtime reflecting on the fun she had playing in the snow with her love. There's also "Porch Swing", about the delicious trepidation one experiences when deciding whether or not to tell a prospective significant other how you feel about them.
But I still haven't told you about the best song on the album, which is the last song, "Sugar Sweet". Besides having one of the most infectious melodies ever (I'm not exaggerating here), giving it guaranteed earworm status, it's got one of the most interesting lyrical twists I've ever seen in a love song. The verses are all head-over-heels in love, with sentiments like "You make my heart pitter patter. This kind of loving makes nothing else matter." But things get interesting in the chorus. The chorus consists of one surprisingly catchy line: "Oooh, yeah. You're just about my everything." What stands out to me is that it says you're "just about" my everything. That implies that the lover to whom this is being sung is not the singer's everything, and while he's close to being her everything, she still has a small part of her life that's not taken up by him. You don't often hear happy love songs equivocate like that, ladies and gentlemen.
This CD is a great step in the progression of the Icicles' career. As you see from the descriptions above, the Icicles have managed to present an album of great balance between adolescent romance and sophisticated "adult" thought. If you were familiar with the Icicles before, I hope you've already gone off to order this CD before finishing this review. For everyone else, you definitely need this if excessive amounts of sugar don't make you puke. Play it for your girl scout troop!
--Eric Wolf
Aritst Website: http://www.theicicles.com/
Label Website: http://www.microindie.com/
This Michigan-based band has previously released one six-song EP, aptly named the Pure Sugar EP. With songs about lemonade and somersaults in the summertime, going on a date to the picture show, the joys of hair dye and the tribulation of being a wallflower in the corner waiting to dance, it was a tweepop fan's dream. It's an underrated classic, and if you don't already have it, I strongly recommend it. Since then, the Icicles have replaced their original bassist and drummer. However, core members Gretchen DeVault (lead vocals, guitar, most songwriting) and Joleen Rumsey (keyboards, vocals) still remain, and the Icicles still sound much like the same band they were on Pure Sugar. However, early reviews have said that the Icicles seem more "mature" on this release. While that does seem true, I'd say they've only matured just a little bit.
The height of maturity on A Hundred Patterns is a song called "Pretty". It's sung from the point of view of a girl insecure about her looks. "Pretty, pretty, pretty. Maybe if I were pretty, I would be happy," reasons the girl in the song. The girl goes on to compare herself to the unusually thin models presented in magazines, which perpetuate the unrealistic standards of beauty that cause girls to starve themselves to death, get plastic surgery, and not embrace their outward geekiness. I could go on and on about how sad it makes me to see female geeks deny themselves and succumb to the pressure to conform to the frivolous standards of beauty set by the patriarchy, but I won't. (Yes, girls, there are boys out there who'd choose a blatantly geeky girl over the starved, plastic-laden centerfold.) Anyway, the song ends with a great, sardonic twist: "Happy, happy, happy. Maybe if I were happy, pretty wouldn't matter." This issue is a great premise for a song, and I'm glad that the Icicles addressed it.
Besides that, all but three of the remaining ten songs on the album are love songs. One of the other non-love songs is the leadoff track, "Rock n' Roll Girl", a feminine variation on the yearning many young people have to leave their nowhere town and successful traverse the path of rock stardom. In this version of the rock and roll fantasy, the boys are throwing flowers at the prospective rock star's feet as she walks down the street. I can't help but wish this would really happen to Gretchen because you hardly ever see any female rock stars who don't come off as worthless and asinine.
Another non-love song is the Joleen Rumsey-penned (and sung) "Bat in the Kitchen", which is about exactly what the title says it is. The endearing thing about this song is that while the bat is seen as an annoyance, Joleen has nothing but goodwill for the bat. "We don't want to hurt you, we just want to get you outside. We don't want to hurt you. We just want to help you fly." An amazing amount of composure in a situation in which many others would scream, "Get the hell out of here, you goddamned flying mouse before I put a stake through your vampire heart!"
The remaining non-love song is "Happy Place", about being driven insane by stress--and it sounds like the singer is literally going insane. After articulating the craziness she's been going through, the song ends with the lines "I'm going to my happy place, where none of this will ever happen again." I don't think I've ever seen tweepop totally lose it like this. I should also mention that the way they play this song is very upbeat and danceable. If you don't pay attention to the lyrics, it sounds quite happy.
I said that the rest of the songs are love songs, but that statement makes them sound one-dimensional. Was 69 Love Songs one-dimensional? The sentiments are just as varied on here as they are on that classic album. There's "I Wanna Know", about a girl wondering about the future of her relationship, asking her boy "Will I be your forever girl or will you just replace me?" Then, there's "Ralphy Rodriguez", a song about a girl with a huge celebrity crush, seemingly bordering on psychosis when you consider lines like "I know you're the one for me, it came to me in a dream" and "Maybe you don't know me, but I feel it just the same. You were meant for me, and I know you'll feel the same way." "Snowman" is about a girl in the springtime reflecting on the fun she had playing in the snow with her love. There's also "Porch Swing", about the delicious trepidation one experiences when deciding whether or not to tell a prospective significant other how you feel about them.
But I still haven't told you about the best song on the album, which is the last song, "Sugar Sweet". Besides having one of the most infectious melodies ever (I'm not exaggerating here), giving it guaranteed earworm status, it's got one of the most interesting lyrical twists I've ever seen in a love song. The verses are all head-over-heels in love, with sentiments like "You make my heart pitter patter. This kind of loving makes nothing else matter." But things get interesting in the chorus. The chorus consists of one surprisingly catchy line: "Oooh, yeah. You're just about my everything." What stands out to me is that it says you're "just about" my everything. That implies that the lover to whom this is being sung is not the singer's everything, and while he's close to being her everything, she still has a small part of her life that's not taken up by him. You don't often hear happy love songs equivocate like that, ladies and gentlemen.
This CD is a great step in the progression of the Icicles' career. As you see from the descriptions above, the Icicles have managed to present an album of great balance between adolescent romance and sophisticated "adult" thought. If you were familiar with the Icicles before, I hope you've already gone off to order this CD before finishing this review. For everyone else, you definitely need this if excessive amounts of sugar don't make you puke. Play it for your girl scout troop!
--Eric Wolf
Aritst Website: http://www.theicicles.com/
Label Website: http://www.microindie.com/
December 09, 2004
pAper chAse/red worms farm
God Bless Your Black Heart by Dallas' pAper chAse was an unsurprising surprise masterpiece. Simply put, John Congleton is one of the most interesting minds in indie-rock; he's receiving the credit he deserves in the production world, and his hard work is starting to pay off. The Paper Chase Meet Red Worms Farm, a split with Italian band Red Worms Farm, is a fun little out-of-the-way extra for fans and newbies alike.
Obviously, with three tracks--two of which have already been released--there's not much room to make a bold statement. "I'm Your Doctor Now," which first appeared on a Kill Rock Stars compilation, is a typical Congleton screamer; "Isn't She Lovely" (which sadly isn't a cover!) is also another excellent relationship number. "Out Come The Knives" is mellow but no less psychologically damaged. Red Worms Farm is an interetsting band as well, though they seem to follow the Unrest formula a little too close; their songs are heavy on the instrumental moments, "Jelly Bean" appears twice, and the remix is much more interesting than the regular version. The bands mix quite well together, actually, and though this isn't the pAper chAse's strongest release, it's still quite enjoyable.
(There are two videos, for both "I'm Your Doctor Now" and "Pop Song," but I'm unable to watch them.)
--Joseph Kyle
Artist Website: http://www.thepaperchaseband.com
Artist Website: http://www.halleynation.com
Label Website: http://www.robotradiorecords.com
Obviously, with three tracks--two of which have already been released--there's not much room to make a bold statement. "I'm Your Doctor Now," which first appeared on a Kill Rock Stars compilation, is a typical Congleton screamer; "Isn't She Lovely" (which sadly isn't a cover!) is also another excellent relationship number. "Out Come The Knives" is mellow but no less psychologically damaged. Red Worms Farm is an interetsting band as well, though they seem to follow the Unrest formula a little too close; their songs are heavy on the instrumental moments, "Jelly Bean" appears twice, and the remix is much more interesting than the regular version. The bands mix quite well together, actually, and though this isn't the pAper chAse's strongest release, it's still quite enjoyable.
(There are two videos, for both "I'm Your Doctor Now" and "Pop Song," but I'm unable to watch them.)
--Joseph Kyle
Artist Website: http://www.thepaperchaseband.com
Artist Website: http://www.halleynation.com
Label Website: http://www.robotradiorecords.com
American Werewolf Academy "Devil Spit it Out"
From the manifesto on their web site to the presentation of their actual songs, Denton’s American Werewolf Academy position themselves as ambassadors of fun, unpretentious rock and roll. No less than three of the songs on their debut EP Devil, Spit It Out have the word “Rock” in the title. Almost all of the EP’s songs celebrate the redemptive power of playing and/or listening to rock music, especially while drinking and dancing with your friends. All seven songs are short blasts of adrenaline that climax with a big chorus, and run out of steam before you do. The band name-checks the Replacements, Guided by Voices and Cheap Trick as influences. They’re definitely as raucous as the first band, as concise as the second, but not quite as technically skilled as the third (though drummer Tony Harper makes a decent case for himself with a series of wickedly fast fills). Of course, their songwriting doesn’t reach the classic heights of ANY of those bands, but at their best they certainly seem capable of it.
When guitarist Aaron Thedford hollers “You load up the station wagon/I’ll bring the alcohol/Are you going to the rock show tonight?,” you’ll get caught up in his frenzy. On another song, Thedford gives you a choice: “Would you rather rock song/Or do you wanna cry all day long?” On band anthem “Welcome to the Academy,“ he sums up the redemptive power of rock and roll in three lines: “You got to dance/You got new shoes/Here’s your chance to be anything you want to be!“ However, the band’s focus on rock and the various forms of rocking out wears thin over the course of an EP; an entire full-length of these sermons could prove to be as monotonous as the whiny emo that Thedford rails against. Plus, it doesn’t help that Thedford is a terminally hoarse singer whose voice soars a full half-step above the music when he gets excited.
The ballad “Goodnight, My Pumpkin Pie,” which bisects the EP, is a nice attempt at branching out. It laments the death of fairy tales, and boasts a wonderful verse about Captain Hook entering a mid-life crisis (“Pan and Tinkerbell, you both just go straight to hell/Leave me alone with my rum”). However, the REST of the song is full of nonsensical lyrics with obvious rhymes, and several other songs have the same problem. If the band can broaden their subject matter, tighten up their lyrics, and get Hedford to calm down a little bit, it shouldn’t be too long before American Werewolf Academy start nipping at the heels of their influences.
--Sean Padilla
Artist Website: http://www.americanwerewolfacademy.com
When guitarist Aaron Thedford hollers “You load up the station wagon/I’ll bring the alcohol/Are you going to the rock show tonight?,” you’ll get caught up in his frenzy. On another song, Thedford gives you a choice: “Would you rather rock song/Or do you wanna cry all day long?” On band anthem “Welcome to the Academy,“ he sums up the redemptive power of rock and roll in three lines: “You got to dance/You got new shoes/Here’s your chance to be anything you want to be!“ However, the band’s focus on rock and the various forms of rocking out wears thin over the course of an EP; an entire full-length of these sermons could prove to be as monotonous as the whiny emo that Thedford rails against. Plus, it doesn’t help that Thedford is a terminally hoarse singer whose voice soars a full half-step above the music when he gets excited.
The ballad “Goodnight, My Pumpkin Pie,” which bisects the EP, is a nice attempt at branching out. It laments the death of fairy tales, and boasts a wonderful verse about Captain Hook entering a mid-life crisis (“Pan and Tinkerbell, you both just go straight to hell/Leave me alone with my rum”). However, the REST of the song is full of nonsensical lyrics with obvious rhymes, and several other songs have the same problem. If the band can broaden their subject matter, tighten up their lyrics, and get Hedford to calm down a little bit, it shouldn’t be too long before American Werewolf Academy start nipping at the heels of their influences.
--Sean Padilla
Artist Website: http://www.americanwerewolfacademy.com
Headlights "The Enemies"
Born from the ashes of the late, great (and criminally ignored) Absinthe Blind, Headlights offer themselves to you with a humble, mail-order only release, entitled The Enemies. If you loved Absinthe Blind--or are simply in love with gorgeous atmospheric rock--then Headlights will be a surprise treat for you....but not really, because The Enemies isn't that different from their Absinthe Blind days. Personally, I'm glad they're still making music; Rings should have been their breakthrough...but, alas, it went ignored, and the band quietly (and probably quite frustratingly) disbanded.
"Tokyo" starts the EP off with a bit of noise, but then it takes a turn for the country, with some really nice, gentle guitars and the gorgeous boy/girl vocal exchange between Tristan Wraight and Erin Fein. In between the gentle vocals and guitars, though, are little twitches of feedback and washes of beautiful atmospherics, very similar to Rings. "Centuries" is a rather upbeat rocker, too; it's minus the shimmering sheets of sound, but it still sounds real good. "Everybody Needs a Fence to Lead On" is the record's highlight, starting off with some drop-dead gorgeous vocals from Erin which then turns into an upbeat pop song with that excellent boy/girl lyrical exchange. "It Isn't Easy to Live That Well" closes the record, and even though it's probably the weakest song on the record, Erin's singing is nice and the music is engaging--I love their use of vibes.
So welcome to the world, Headlights! Very rarely does a four-song EP make a stunning impression, but The Enemies certainly leaves me wanting more. It's a really nice little start, and here's hoping you talented folk get the recognition Absinthe Blind always deserved.
--Joseph Kyle
Artist Website: http://www.headlightsmusic.com
Label Website: http://www.polyvinylrecords.com
"Tokyo" starts the EP off with a bit of noise, but then it takes a turn for the country, with some really nice, gentle guitars and the gorgeous boy/girl vocal exchange between Tristan Wraight and Erin Fein. In between the gentle vocals and guitars, though, are little twitches of feedback and washes of beautiful atmospherics, very similar to Rings. "Centuries" is a rather upbeat rocker, too; it's minus the shimmering sheets of sound, but it still sounds real good. "Everybody Needs a Fence to Lead On" is the record's highlight, starting off with some drop-dead gorgeous vocals from Erin which then turns into an upbeat pop song with that excellent boy/girl lyrical exchange. "It Isn't Easy to Live That Well" closes the record, and even though it's probably the weakest song on the record, Erin's singing is nice and the music is engaging--I love their use of vibes.
So welcome to the world, Headlights! Very rarely does a four-song EP make a stunning impression, but The Enemies certainly leaves me wanting more. It's a really nice little start, and here's hoping you talented folk get the recognition Absinthe Blind always deserved.
--Joseph Kyle
Artist Website: http://www.headlightsmusic.com
Label Website: http://www.polyvinylrecords.com
December 07, 2004
wrangler brutes 'zulu'
Wrangler Brutes is a 'supergroup' of sorts, with members of all sorts of bands like Universal Order of Armagedon, Monorchid, Born Against and other names you probably don't know outside of hipster circles and/or Punk Planet. When you open up the sleeve, you'll find the lyrics hand-written a la Aaron Cometbus, and if you're literary minded, you'll quickly be drawn in, because these lyrics are profound, intelligent and funny as all get-out. It's really a shame, then, that I had to ruin the experience by listening to the album that accompanies this little collection of literary rants.
Zulu is eighteen punk rock blasts in twenty minutes. That tells you much right there. It's hardcore punk rock by veterans of the scene, and for the most part, you can't understand the rather brilliant lyrical content. That's kind of a shame, because there are some rather hilarious moments on here, including "Driving," "Snooded" and "Unmentionables," and you might not really get the full brilliance of the proceeding by listening. Maybe Wrangler Brutes are simply trying to turn a generation of brain-dead punk rockers onto that thing we call reading? Perhaps. Funny and fun songs that sound better when you don't listen to the record...who knew?
--Joseph Kyle
Artist Website: http://www.wranglerbrutes.com
Label Website: http://www.killrockstars.com
Zulu is eighteen punk rock blasts in twenty minutes. That tells you much right there. It's hardcore punk rock by veterans of the scene, and for the most part, you can't understand the rather brilliant lyrical content. That's kind of a shame, because there are some rather hilarious moments on here, including "Driving," "Snooded" and "Unmentionables," and you might not really get the full brilliance of the proceeding by listening. Maybe Wrangler Brutes are simply trying to turn a generation of brain-dead punk rockers onto that thing we call reading? Perhaps. Funny and fun songs that sound better when you don't listen to the record...who knew?
--Joseph Kyle
Artist Website: http://www.wranglerbrutes.com
Label Website: http://www.killrockstars.com
The Blow "Poor Aim:Love Songs"
The best moments of the Blow’s first official full-length, 2003’s The Concussive Caress, were the result of a shy indie-pop girl using mainstream R&B as a template through which she could explore the nuances of her sexuality. The contrast between Khaela Maricich’s pretty but unassertive voice and the funky drum programming that constantly threatened to overwhelm it gave the songs a tension that made Caress a more rewarding listen than the average K record. Caress was based on a musical that Maricich had been performing at her live shows. Because of such, the album was littered with mid-song tangents and between-song interludes that could’ve confused listeners who had never seen a Blow performance. Maricich’s new EP Poor Aim: Love Songs is an improvement over her previous album because, with the exception of the brief, jarring “Let’s Play Boys Chase Girls,” each song works well completely on its own.
At least half of the songs on Poor Aim are sparer and funkier than anything Khaela’s done before. The backing track of opener “Hey Boy” coasts on retro girl-group harmonies, featherweight guitars, and a tuneful synthesized bass line. The handclaps and rapid-fire drum breaks of “The Love I Crave” are pure 1980s roller-rink groove, with computerized vocal cutups that would make Prefuse 73’s Scott Herren proud. Last but not least, Maricich’s heavy breathing and vocal syncopation on “Hock It” is just as sensual as any of the R&B divas that she takes inspiration from. Her vocals have become comparatively more assertive since Caress; she rides the beats now, whereas before she occasionally sounded as if she could barely keep up with them. Other songs on Poor Aim borrow more from the sterile, dinkier synth-pop of the Postal Service (most notably “Knowing the Things That I Know”).
As always, the Blow’s songs are sung from the point of view of a woman who’s still young enough to analyze the minutiae of every fleeting crush, but too mature to treat unrequited love like it’s the end of the world. The lyrics to “Hey Boy” read like a LiveJournal entry barely shoehorned into verse/chorus format, as Khaela ponders every possible explanation for why a certain boy didn’t call her: “Susan said maybe you were scared/Shelley says there is always a reason/and Chris said you’re probably surrounded by girls/and I’m just not one of them that you’re needing.” On “The Sky Opened Wide Like the Tide,” Khaela spends all night on the town, searching in vain for her friends. She mentions specific Olympia landmarks in the lyrics, but the wanderlust she sings about still feels universal, a trick that only the best semi-autobiographical pop can pull off.
EP closer “Come on Petunia” begins with a twee recasting of the Police’s “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” but then becomes a spoken-word chronicle of the seedier underbelly of unrequited love: an obsessed woman who considers cutting the man she wants into pieces, guys competing with each other to see who can get laid first, etc. That dark horse aside, Poor Aim: Love Songs is as sweet and sexy as indie-pop gets nowadays. I am certain that Khaela Maricich’s best and sultriest work is ahead of her. What else would you expect from a woman whose website is called “the Touch Me Feeling”?
--Sean Padilla
Artist Website: http://www.thetouchmefeeling.com
Label Website: http://www.statesrightsrecords.com
At least half of the songs on Poor Aim are sparer and funkier than anything Khaela’s done before. The backing track of opener “Hey Boy” coasts on retro girl-group harmonies, featherweight guitars, and a tuneful synthesized bass line. The handclaps and rapid-fire drum breaks of “The Love I Crave” are pure 1980s roller-rink groove, with computerized vocal cutups that would make Prefuse 73’s Scott Herren proud. Last but not least, Maricich’s heavy breathing and vocal syncopation on “Hock It” is just as sensual as any of the R&B divas that she takes inspiration from. Her vocals have become comparatively more assertive since Caress; she rides the beats now, whereas before she occasionally sounded as if she could barely keep up with them. Other songs on Poor Aim borrow more from the sterile, dinkier synth-pop of the Postal Service (most notably “Knowing the Things That I Know”).
As always, the Blow’s songs are sung from the point of view of a woman who’s still young enough to analyze the minutiae of every fleeting crush, but too mature to treat unrequited love like it’s the end of the world. The lyrics to “Hey Boy” read like a LiveJournal entry barely shoehorned into verse/chorus format, as Khaela ponders every possible explanation for why a certain boy didn’t call her: “Susan said maybe you were scared/Shelley says there is always a reason/and Chris said you’re probably surrounded by girls/and I’m just not one of them that you’re needing.” On “The Sky Opened Wide Like the Tide,” Khaela spends all night on the town, searching in vain for her friends. She mentions specific Olympia landmarks in the lyrics, but the wanderlust she sings about still feels universal, a trick that only the best semi-autobiographical pop can pull off.
EP closer “Come on Petunia” begins with a twee recasting of the Police’s “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” but then becomes a spoken-word chronicle of the seedier underbelly of unrequited love: an obsessed woman who considers cutting the man she wants into pieces, guys competing with each other to see who can get laid first, etc. That dark horse aside, Poor Aim: Love Songs is as sweet and sexy as indie-pop gets nowadays. I am certain that Khaela Maricich’s best and sultriest work is ahead of her. What else would you expect from a woman whose website is called “the Touch Me Feeling”?
--Sean Padilla
Artist Website: http://www.thetouchmefeeling.com
Label Website: http://www.statesrightsrecords.com
December 04, 2004
Chin Up Chin Up "We Should Have Never Lived Like We Were Skyscrapers"
I gotta hand it to Chin Up Chin Up--their decision to soldier on in the face of overwhelming tragedy is admirable. After releasing a very promising EP, the band had commenced working on their debut album last winter, but on Valentine's Day, after declaring his love to his girlfriend at a show, bassist Chris Saathoff was killed by a hit-and-run driver. Such a devestating and sudden loss would have been an honorable enough reason for the band to retire--but they decided to continue on, realizing that Saathoff's legacy would not live on otherwise. To preserve his memory--and to honor their lost bandmate--the band made samples of Saathoff's bass lines from other recordings and built their songs around them.
It was worth the effort.
We Should Have Never Lived Like We Were Skyscrapers is an excellent debut album. The band's songs are tight, with a rhythm that will make your feet move to the beat. With a sound that recalls--but doesn't imitate--the styles ofMoon & Antartica-era Modest Mouse and late period Dismemberment Plan, it's clear that Chin Up Chin Up are onto something good, because their music is just....cool. Check out the Jeremy Bolen's suave singing on the title track, the cool rhythms of "Virginia, Don't Drown" and "Collide the Tide" and the awesome dance groove beat of "Get Me Off Of This Fucking Island," and you'll be instantly won over by Chin Up Chin Up's charm. Occasionally the album sounds clunky and awkward, but considering the circumstances behind the album's creation and that this is but the band's debut album, you'll quickly forgive any lesser moments.
In fact, you shouldn't even worry about it, because when you get caught up in the music, you won't even notice. We Should Have Never Lived Like We Were Skyscrapers shows that Chin Up Chin Up is a very special band indeed, and that overcoming their sadness by soldiering on was a wise decision. An excellent album by a great young band, and I'm glad they're still around.
--Joseph Kyle
Artist Website: http://www.chinupchinup.com
Label Website: http://www.flameshovel.com
It was worth the effort.
We Should Have Never Lived Like We Were Skyscrapers is an excellent debut album. The band's songs are tight, with a rhythm that will make your feet move to the beat. With a sound that recalls--but doesn't imitate--the styles ofMoon & Antartica-era Modest Mouse and late period Dismemberment Plan, it's clear that Chin Up Chin Up are onto something good, because their music is just....cool. Check out the Jeremy Bolen's suave singing on the title track, the cool rhythms of "Virginia, Don't Drown" and "Collide the Tide" and the awesome dance groove beat of "Get Me Off Of This Fucking Island," and you'll be instantly won over by Chin Up Chin Up's charm. Occasionally the album sounds clunky and awkward, but considering the circumstances behind the album's creation and that this is but the band's debut album, you'll quickly forgive any lesser moments.
In fact, you shouldn't even worry about it, because when you get caught up in the music, you won't even notice. We Should Have Never Lived Like We Were Skyscrapers shows that Chin Up Chin Up is a very special band indeed, and that overcoming their sadness by soldiering on was a wise decision. An excellent album by a great young band, and I'm glad they're still around.
--Joseph Kyle
Artist Website: http://www.chinupchinup.com
Label Website: http://www.flameshovel.com
December 02, 2004
Yowie "Cryptozoology"
Cartoon dinosaurs on the cover eating each other. Sadly, that's the most interesting thing about Yowie's Cryptozoology. As you'd expect from a Skin Graft release, the music inside is challenging, but the challenge here is to actually make it through this album's seven songs. Even though it's only a half hour in length, it feels longer than the four hours I spent in the dentist's chair recently--and it's probably more painful, too. All the song titles are names for women--with a focus on black women--with names that start with the letter T. As for the "music," it's a schizophrenic mess, as it sounds like three guys who want to show the world how badly they can play. Guess what? You guys win. To be fair, "Towanda" has a groove that grew on me. Then it ended. The sheer cheek of Cryptozoology is confounding and amusing. Three guys who make intentionally bad music just took a half-hour of my life. Ha Ha Ha!!! I admire your balls, they're probably smirking somewhere, and this review's done.
--Joseph Kyle
Label Website: http://www.skingraftrecords.com
--Joseph Kyle
Label Website: http://www.skingraftrecords.com
thirdimension 'permanant holiday'
Thirdimension's debut album, Protect Us From What We Want, appeared in 1998, but did not appear in the US until last year. It was a loving gift from the folks at Parasol, as it rescued a really great record from the bin of Scandinavian obscurity. It also showed that The Soundtrack Of Our Lives and The Hives were not the only Swedish rock bands in town. That album's highlight, "Other Side of Town," should have been a summer Modern Rock radio hit, but it was not meant to be. Permanant Holiday, the band's second album, finds them turning up the guitars and tuning into a more melodic pop style.
Not that they've really changed the formula, but after six years, you'd expect the band to mature a little bit, and they've aged quite nicely. Their youthful bursts of energy have turned into a confident, steady swagger, and though they still possess that garage-pop element that coated their debut album, their songs have a new depth that sets them apart from their colleagues. Apparently, they've discovered that adding a darker atmosphere to their music gives it a new depth; just listen to the mellower moments like "Black And Blue," "MondayMachine, " "Save Me" and "Silver Eye"--all masterful moments--and you'll be impressed. The atmospherics owe more to bands like New Order and Coldplay than they do to the Rolling Stones and Oasis; in fact, they save the balls-out rock for only one track, "Ex-Song," which is easily the best song that Liam and Noel never wrote. (A caveat: "We're Not Gonna Take It" is not the Twisted Sister song, so don't be disappointed!)
In a perfect, non-Clear Channel world, Thirdimension would be in heavy rotation, because this album is radio-friendly in the best possible sense. Permanant Holiday is yet another piece of evidence that shows that Sweden has a better understanding of smart Rock Music than we do. Kudos to Thirdimension for reminding me the good that rock music can do, and let's hope they don't take six more years on their next record!
--Joseph Kyle
Artist Website: http://www.thirdimension.nu
Label Website: http://www.parasol.com
Not that they've really changed the formula, but after six years, you'd expect the band to mature a little bit, and they've aged quite nicely. Their youthful bursts of energy have turned into a confident, steady swagger, and though they still possess that garage-pop element that coated their debut album, their songs have a new depth that sets them apart from their colleagues. Apparently, they've discovered that adding a darker atmosphere to their music gives it a new depth; just listen to the mellower moments like "Black And Blue," "MondayMachine, " "Save Me" and "Silver Eye"--all masterful moments--and you'll be impressed. The atmospherics owe more to bands like New Order and Coldplay than they do to the Rolling Stones and Oasis; in fact, they save the balls-out rock for only one track, "Ex-Song," which is easily the best song that Liam and Noel never wrote. (A caveat: "We're Not Gonna Take It" is not the Twisted Sister song, so don't be disappointed!)
In a perfect, non-Clear Channel world, Thirdimension would be in heavy rotation, because this album is radio-friendly in the best possible sense. Permanant Holiday is yet another piece of evidence that shows that Sweden has a better understanding of smart Rock Music than we do. Kudos to Thirdimension for reminding me the good that rock music can do, and let's hope they don't take six more years on their next record!
--Joseph Kyle
Artist Website: http://www.thirdimension.nu
Label Website: http://www.parasol.com
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