The Lucksmiths’ Tali White is back with a brand new Guild League record, and, once again, the results are wonderful! Unlike Private Transport, he’s decided to change up the concept a little bit. With his debut album, he enlisted a small army of indie-pop stars from all around the world to help him realize his goals, but for Inner North, he’s backed by a core group of musicians. (To be fair, I’m not sure that a rotating cast of characters was what White was intending—it just happened.)
One thing’s quite clear, though—White’s still writing wonderful pop music. With Inner North, he’s obviously in a slightly colder, sadder mindset, accentuating his songs with melancholy strings and piano. You really cannot get any more downcast than “Animals” and “Trust” and “Where Are You Now,” and, really, I don’t know if I’d want to! There’s only one moment that’s reminiscent of his Lucksmiths work—the excellent “Shot In The Arm”—and, sadly, there’s not a rap song to be found this time around!
Inner Transport is a lovely, sad little record, one that’s quite apropos for a hot cup of tea at an internet café on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Tali White’s already proven that he’s a talented man, and Inner North is a fine, fine addition to his catalogue of wonderful songs and excellent albums.
--Joseph Kyle
Label Website: http://www.indiepages.com/matinee
January 05, 2005
January 04, 2005
Various Artists "Cwistmas Twee"
There's a little blurb from Don Shumai in the liner notes where he mentions hating the word "twee". I just want to make it known that, unlike other people, I actually love the word "twee" and mention my affiliation with it as much as possible. To be honest, there was a time when I thought that "twee" was a moronic-sounding word. But then I changed my mind. What made me change my mind, you might wonder? I realized that when you say "twee" with a high-pitched voice and extend the syllable (like saying "wheeeeee!" when you go down a slide), it sounds really cute.
Tweeeeeee!
Now, do you understand why "twee" is such an appropriate moniker for hyper cute pop music?
So, unlike other people, my only objection to the title is that pronouncing it makes you sound like Elmer Fudd. People act funny when you start talking like Elmer Fudd for no apparent reason, so I like to avoid that. Damn you, Mr. Shumai! I reject your ironic mockery of my beloved subgenre!
Anyway, Cwistmas Twee is exactly (or almost exactly for reasons we'll get into later) what the title implies. It's Kindercore Christmas Volume 3. Big, important names from the newest school of twee-pop bring you eleven delicious (actually, ten... for reasons we'll get into later) cups of holiday cheer. Actually, the name Cwistmas Twee is somewhat inaccurate because some of the tracks on here are about winter, and there's also one Hanukkah song. Still, the comparison to the Kindercore Christmas CDs is apt because the songs on the Kindercore CDs weren't all about Christmas, either.
Since this is a special CD, I think it calls for a track-by-track review. Let's go!
1. Colin Clary "Meow Meow"
Colin Clary, aka "The Prolific Smitten", starts off the CD with this
Christmas song dedicated to all the kitties out there. "I wish you love and lots of tuna juice." There's also a little bit of a theme of tolerance for other religions ("And if you don't believe in Christmas, that's okay. I still respect your holiday."), as the time around the winter solstice is a time of celebration for various faiths. It’s a very cute start to the album.
2. The Icicles "Snowman Song"
I was disappointed with this one because the Icicles are one of my favorite bands on this CD, and this song is previously released. I was hoping for a new song by them to directly address Christmas. Anyway, if you're cool, you already have this on MP3. If you're really cool, you bought their new CD, which features this song.
For those who don't have this song, it's an upbeat song with a female vocalist reflecting on the happiness she felt playing in the snow with her significant other. The glockenspiel line on this one is really catchy.
3. Spoilsport "Snowball"
An '80s college rock-influenced (I mean that they sound kind of like the Replacements) song in which the singer implores a significant other to go out into the snow hand in hand with him instead of staying inside. I like this better than anything by the 'Mats because it has great female backing vocals.
4. The Specific Heats "Winter Fashions"
This is a catchy, '60s-style pop song with some great organ. Like the title says, this song glorifies sweaters, earmuffs, and other pieces of winter clothing. This song makes the controversial assertion that "Girls look cuter in winter clothes." I'm not sure if I agree, but it's an interesting statement to make nonetheless.
This song is probably in a Gap or Old Navy commercial in an alternate universe.
5. The Lil' Hospital "Dear Scrooge"
This is a nice low key acoustic/electric hybrid with great use of melodica. The lyrics to this song are in the form of a letter to Scrooge begging him for an early paycheck because the money is needed for rent and Christmas.
6. Shumai "California Christmas"
I don't know why Don Shumai is making fun of tweeness in the liner notes because this is a cute boy-girl pop song. As you might infer from the title, the song is about going to California for Christmas in order to escape the snow.
I just don't know what's with your posturing, Mr. Shumai. This song is quite twee, and I think I'm going to find you and hug you someday just out of spite.
7. The Smittens "Good Migrations"
Another previously-released track, and the sole Hanukkah song on here.
I was hoping that they'd try their hand at a Christmas song. Anyway, if you're cool, you already have this on MP3. If you're super-duper, ultra-indie hipster cool, you already have this on 7". This was supposed to be on the sequel to I Made It Out of Clay, the excellent indie pop Hanukkah compilation that Little Shirley Beans released a few years ago. No, I have no idea if that's still coming out.
Anyway, this song is extra cute. Yes, extra cute. It's about moving to a warmer climate to avoid a snowy, cold Hanukkah, because "When you feel the sun on your skin and a warm breeze through your hair, you'll never want to let the light go out." The female backing vocals during the parts where they list possible sites of relocation (Cape Town, Santiago, Auckland, etc.) are just precious.
8. The Sheets "The Fruit of the Spirit of Christmas"
Acoustic pop backed with electronic drum tracks. This is a very sentimental song about the warmth of Christmas in the midst of the cold, and the singer reminisces about building snowmen with his family before going off to see his grandparents. A very Norman Rockwell-esque non-dysfunctional portrayal of family togetherness at Christmas, and they don't sound like they're being ironic about it at all.
9. The Diskettes "Noel"
The Diskettes were one of the main reasons why I was excited about this
CD. They're probably the best band in Canada at the moment because Sloan just sucks now. They have a minimalist acoustic approach to pop with lots of boy-girl duets. At first, I thought this song was some sort of traditional French-Canadian Christmas carol, but a search for all the lyrics online yielded no results, so I guess this is original. I love this song, but I don't know if I could describe it in a way to do it justice. The verses have lyrics like "You heard it carried by the wind, you heard it rising from the creek," followed by the words
"With love" (but sung like "lo-o-o-o-ve"). The chorus is "Noel, noel" followed by some lyrics in French. This appeal of this song is subtle, and mostly in the delivery, so this is probably one that you have to hear to appreciate. And if you do hear it, I'm sure you definitely will appreciate it.
10. Snoozer "Sub-Zero"
This is a moog-driven song about the torturous cold of winter. These lyrics say it all: "Sub-zero. I'm all alone. My feet are buried in the snow. If I can make it through another winter, I can make it through anything."
11. Thee Moths "Summer Tastes Wrong"
Remember when I said there were only ten, not eleven, delicious cups of holiday cheer on this CD? Here's why.
Is it just me, or is there some alarming trend with theme compilations where some band will submit a boring IDM/noise track that has very little to do with the theme of the compilation, if at all? Well, this is the album's boring IDM track.
I'm surprised that this would suck so much because I've heard a couple of Thee Moths tracks, and they were pretty good pop songs. Listen, Thee
Moths, I know you could do better! I can't believe that you'd just cop out like this. You should have just gone back and actually tried to make a good pop song that fits this compilation's theme. Hell, a straight, a capella rendition of "Jingle Bells" would have been preferable to this. Save the IDM/noise stuff for the unlisted track at the end of your CD.
And a note to all compilation arrangers...I don't know if there's some sort of ironic joke connected with this putting unrelated IDM/noise tracks on theme compilations trend, but it's not funny, and it has to stop. Why can't you have some standards and draw the line somewhere? The songs on your compilation don't have to all be mind-blowing great, but they don't have to be boring and unlistenable either.
Anyway, that's it. I'm sorry the CD had to end on that note, but the other ten tracks are worth it. This album is the successor to the Kindercore Christmas comps, and it's a must-have for any indiepop fan.
--Eric Wolf
Label Website: http://www.totalgaylordrecords.com/
Tweeeeeee!
Now, do you understand why "twee" is such an appropriate moniker for hyper cute pop music?
So, unlike other people, my only objection to the title is that pronouncing it makes you sound like Elmer Fudd. People act funny when you start talking like Elmer Fudd for no apparent reason, so I like to avoid that. Damn you, Mr. Shumai! I reject your ironic mockery of my beloved subgenre!
Anyway, Cwistmas Twee is exactly (or almost exactly for reasons we'll get into later) what the title implies. It's Kindercore Christmas Volume 3. Big, important names from the newest school of twee-pop bring you eleven delicious (actually, ten... for reasons we'll get into later) cups of holiday cheer. Actually, the name Cwistmas Twee is somewhat inaccurate because some of the tracks on here are about winter, and there's also one Hanukkah song. Still, the comparison to the Kindercore Christmas CDs is apt because the songs on the Kindercore CDs weren't all about Christmas, either.
Since this is a special CD, I think it calls for a track-by-track review. Let's go!
1. Colin Clary "Meow Meow"
Colin Clary, aka "The Prolific Smitten", starts off the CD with this
Christmas song dedicated to all the kitties out there. "I wish you love and lots of tuna juice." There's also a little bit of a theme of tolerance for other religions ("And if you don't believe in Christmas, that's okay. I still respect your holiday."), as the time around the winter solstice is a time of celebration for various faiths. It’s a very cute start to the album.
2. The Icicles "Snowman Song"
I was disappointed with this one because the Icicles are one of my favorite bands on this CD, and this song is previously released. I was hoping for a new song by them to directly address Christmas. Anyway, if you're cool, you already have this on MP3. If you're really cool, you bought their new CD, which features this song.
For those who don't have this song, it's an upbeat song with a female vocalist reflecting on the happiness she felt playing in the snow with her significant other. The glockenspiel line on this one is really catchy.
3. Spoilsport "Snowball"
An '80s college rock-influenced (I mean that they sound kind of like the Replacements) song in which the singer implores a significant other to go out into the snow hand in hand with him instead of staying inside. I like this better than anything by the 'Mats because it has great female backing vocals.
4. The Specific Heats "Winter Fashions"
This is a catchy, '60s-style pop song with some great organ. Like the title says, this song glorifies sweaters, earmuffs, and other pieces of winter clothing. This song makes the controversial assertion that "Girls look cuter in winter clothes." I'm not sure if I agree, but it's an interesting statement to make nonetheless.
This song is probably in a Gap or Old Navy commercial in an alternate universe.
5. The Lil' Hospital "Dear Scrooge"
This is a nice low key acoustic/electric hybrid with great use of melodica. The lyrics to this song are in the form of a letter to Scrooge begging him for an early paycheck because the money is needed for rent and Christmas.
6. Shumai "California Christmas"
I don't know why Don Shumai is making fun of tweeness in the liner notes because this is a cute boy-girl pop song. As you might infer from the title, the song is about going to California for Christmas in order to escape the snow.
I just don't know what's with your posturing, Mr. Shumai. This song is quite twee, and I think I'm going to find you and hug you someday just out of spite.
7. The Smittens "Good Migrations"
Another previously-released track, and the sole Hanukkah song on here.
I was hoping that they'd try their hand at a Christmas song. Anyway, if you're cool, you already have this on MP3. If you're super-duper, ultra-indie hipster cool, you already have this on 7". This was supposed to be on the sequel to I Made It Out of Clay, the excellent indie pop Hanukkah compilation that Little Shirley Beans released a few years ago. No, I have no idea if that's still coming out.
Anyway, this song is extra cute. Yes, extra cute. It's about moving to a warmer climate to avoid a snowy, cold Hanukkah, because "When you feel the sun on your skin and a warm breeze through your hair, you'll never want to let the light go out." The female backing vocals during the parts where they list possible sites of relocation (Cape Town, Santiago, Auckland, etc.) are just precious.
8. The Sheets "The Fruit of the Spirit of Christmas"
Acoustic pop backed with electronic drum tracks. This is a very sentimental song about the warmth of Christmas in the midst of the cold, and the singer reminisces about building snowmen with his family before going off to see his grandparents. A very Norman Rockwell-esque non-dysfunctional portrayal of family togetherness at Christmas, and they don't sound like they're being ironic about it at all.
9. The Diskettes "Noel"
The Diskettes were one of the main reasons why I was excited about this
CD. They're probably the best band in Canada at the moment because Sloan just sucks now. They have a minimalist acoustic approach to pop with lots of boy-girl duets. At first, I thought this song was some sort of traditional French-Canadian Christmas carol, but a search for all the lyrics online yielded no results, so I guess this is original. I love this song, but I don't know if I could describe it in a way to do it justice. The verses have lyrics like "You heard it carried by the wind, you heard it rising from the creek," followed by the words
"With love" (but sung like "lo-o-o-o-ve"). The chorus is "Noel, noel" followed by some lyrics in French. This appeal of this song is subtle, and mostly in the delivery, so this is probably one that you have to hear to appreciate. And if you do hear it, I'm sure you definitely will appreciate it.
10. Snoozer "Sub-Zero"
This is a moog-driven song about the torturous cold of winter. These lyrics say it all: "Sub-zero. I'm all alone. My feet are buried in the snow. If I can make it through another winter, I can make it through anything."
11. Thee Moths "Summer Tastes Wrong"
Remember when I said there were only ten, not eleven, delicious cups of holiday cheer on this CD? Here's why.
Is it just me, or is there some alarming trend with theme compilations where some band will submit a boring IDM/noise track that has very little to do with the theme of the compilation, if at all? Well, this is the album's boring IDM track.
I'm surprised that this would suck so much because I've heard a couple of Thee Moths tracks, and they were pretty good pop songs. Listen, Thee
Moths, I know you could do better! I can't believe that you'd just cop out like this. You should have just gone back and actually tried to make a good pop song that fits this compilation's theme. Hell, a straight, a capella rendition of "Jingle Bells" would have been preferable to this. Save the IDM/noise stuff for the unlisted track at the end of your CD.
And a note to all compilation arrangers...I don't know if there's some sort of ironic joke connected with this putting unrelated IDM/noise tracks on theme compilations trend, but it's not funny, and it has to stop. Why can't you have some standards and draw the line somewhere? The songs on your compilation don't have to all be mind-blowing great, but they don't have to be boring and unlistenable either.
Anyway, that's it. I'm sorry the CD had to end on that note, but the other ten tracks are worth it. This album is the successor to the Kindercore Christmas comps, and it's a must-have for any indiepop fan.
--Eric Wolf
Label Website: http://www.totalgaylordrecords.com/
Monopoli "Monpoli"
Washington DC's Monopoli is a band clearly inspired by the bands that made the early 1990s interesting, touched with a little bit of that popular indie-rock pop style a la Spoon and spiced with a little hint of that Britpop thing like Coldplay and Radiohead. It's really not as uninspiring as such a description would lead you to believe; this is a young band, of course, trying to find their voice. As they're still searching for their own sound, such things are--for now--somewhat forgivable. "Love" and "Everybody Anyway" are pretty mellow, sensitive numbers and “Fast Enough to Kill You” reminds me a lot of Guided by Voices, but I'm most fond of the finale "Tonight," with its basic acoustic-guitar and voice combination—it’s a simple song that says quite a lot.
Given a little time and a little more experience—they’ve only been around for a year—I’m pretty sure that Monopoli could develop into an even better, unstoppable force. Monopoli is enough proof that such a thing is possible.
--Joseph Kyle
Artist Website: http://www.monopoli.tv
Given a little time and a little more experience—they’ve only been around for a year—I’m pretty sure that Monopoli could develop into an even better, unstoppable force. Monopoli is enough proof that such a thing is possible.
--Joseph Kyle
Artist Website: http://www.monopoli.tv
January 03, 2005
The Love of Everything "Hand Job Community"
I initially frowned on Guided by Voices auteur Robert Pollard’s decision to remake Eighties spazz-rockers Phantom Tollbooth’s underrated Power Toy with his own vocals and lyrics. He renamed the album Beard of Lightning, and it received appropriately mixed reactions once it was released. I, for one, had grown weary of the by-mail collaborations that Pollard diluted his ever-expanding Fading Captain Series with. These albums often consisted of him raggedly singing lackluster lyrics on top of the uninspired backing tracks of his collaborators, and the weaker moments of Beard was certainly no exception. A year and a half later, though, it seems that Pollard was on to something with his artsy karaoke experiments. Right now, I’m listening to the Love of Everything’s latest full-length Hand Job Community and seriously wishing that I could make my own Beard of Lightning with it. I don’t think I’ve heard a single rock record this year in which the potential of the music is so thoroughly squashed by the incompetence of the vocals until now.
Love of Everything front man Bobby Burg is better known as the bassist of Make Believe and Joan of Arc, two of Tim Kinsella’s many projects (at this point, they’re too fluid and interchangeable to be considered “bands”). Burg’s own music could be considered a more approachable and concise version of Joan of Arc’s, which is mostly a good thing. Burg’s lyrics aren’t as elliptical as Kinsella’s, his music isn’t as bent on subverting itself, and his songs rarely cross the three-minute mark. However, even JOA diehards might end up hitting eject the second Burg opens his mouth to sing. Tim Kinsella isn‘t exactly Al Green himself, but the force and originality of his delivery compensates for the bum notes. Bobby, however, frequently sounds like he doesn’t even know WHAT notes he’s supposed to be singing, let alone how hard he’s supposed to strain to reach them. The sheer ineptitude of his vocals makes the first half of Hand Job Community an especially difficult listen.
The album is oddly sequenced in that for the first 10 tracks, each song becomes prettier and calmer than the one before it. The drumming on opener “Hotel Parties” consists of little more than skittish hi-hat fills and kick/snare beat displacement, but by the seventh track all traces of rhythm have disappeared. Even when the songs are crammed with instruments (jaunty Rhodes pianos, droning Hammond organs, leisurely strummed acoustic guitars, amplifier feedback), all of them play simple parts that leave Burg’s voice front and center. His screeching attempts at falsetto on “Beginning with Answers” are painful to listen to, and his tone-deaf crooning on “Proud Brave Nothing” and “It’s Better” conjures images of an adult Alfalfa attempting slow jams. What’s so sad about this Achilles’ heel is that if any of these songs were sung by a more capable vocalist, or even turned into instrumentals, I’d put at least one of them on every mix CD I make this month. Burg just isn’t a good enough singer to pull off songs as understated as these.
However, just when the music is about to devolve into background noise,
Burg and company kick up a fuss in the middle of the 11th song “Lies Keep Us Kind.” From that point onward, the music starts rocking and Burg gets more assertive as a vocalist; ironically, the more he whoops and hollers, the more in tune he gets! On “Iceland in My Mind,” Burg yells “I need one little fix to get me through the night!,” and the music complies with his request through a cacophony of gunshot snare drums and fuzzy guitars. The frantic strumming of “I Love You Guys Fast” is as exhilarating as the best Boyracer miniatures, and “Fortune” is a lazy “lo-fi” shuffle that could have fit on Pavement’s Perfect Sound Forever. The title track climaxes with splashy power-chord bashing, and with Burg running his voice through a delay pedal, until it sounds like a chorus of gibbering eunuchs. The contrast in quality between the album’s first 11 songs and its last five is attributed solely to Burg’s unexpected decision to let loose.
Lyrically, Burg is at his best when discussing failed relationships in deceptively profound plain-speak. “Proud Brave Nothing” closes with the lament, “I want new friends/You won’t matter then…I don’t want to disappear/I just don’t want to be here.” “Fortune” sums up a love affair in decline: “The kiss is always short/and the bags are piling up/My attention’s wearing thin enough.“ On “Kissed Like a Pillow,” Burg gives an ex her emotional walking papers: “It’ll be better if you never forgive me/If I never loved you, only better!” Burg is at his worst, though, when he descends into unnecessary vulgarity. By no means do I expect an album with a title like Hand Job Community to be squeaky-clean, but Burg’s more profane moments sound contrived, as if he’s deliberately trying to shock his listeners. It’s bad enough that Burg has to ruin a song as pretty as the third track by singing as if he can only hear the drums; it’s even worse that he has to call the track “Recycling Fuck” and give it lyrics like “your dick’s not fucking anymore.”
If given the opportunity, I would gladly remake Hand Job Community in my own image. I wouldn’t rewrite the lyrics --- not even the ones that I consider puerile --- but I would definitely redo the vocals. I’m no Al Green myself, but I’ve got perfect pitch, which gives me a huge edge over Burg. As much as I want to turn this album in to the first used CD store that will buy it, the greatness of its final third prevents me from doing so. This is one of the most frustrating albums I’ve ever heard because I see the potential lurking underneath the wreckage. If Bobby can outsource the vocals to someone else, Love of Everything can make a classic album.
--Sean Padilla
Label Website: http://www.redderrecords.com
Artist Website: http://www.loveofeverything.com
Love of Everything front man Bobby Burg is better known as the bassist of Make Believe and Joan of Arc, two of Tim Kinsella’s many projects (at this point, they’re too fluid and interchangeable to be considered “bands”). Burg’s own music could be considered a more approachable and concise version of Joan of Arc’s, which is mostly a good thing. Burg’s lyrics aren’t as elliptical as Kinsella’s, his music isn’t as bent on subverting itself, and his songs rarely cross the three-minute mark. However, even JOA diehards might end up hitting eject the second Burg opens his mouth to sing. Tim Kinsella isn‘t exactly Al Green himself, but the force and originality of his delivery compensates for the bum notes. Bobby, however, frequently sounds like he doesn’t even know WHAT notes he’s supposed to be singing, let alone how hard he’s supposed to strain to reach them. The sheer ineptitude of his vocals makes the first half of Hand Job Community an especially difficult listen.
The album is oddly sequenced in that for the first 10 tracks, each song becomes prettier and calmer than the one before it. The drumming on opener “Hotel Parties” consists of little more than skittish hi-hat fills and kick/snare beat displacement, but by the seventh track all traces of rhythm have disappeared. Even when the songs are crammed with instruments (jaunty Rhodes pianos, droning Hammond organs, leisurely strummed acoustic guitars, amplifier feedback), all of them play simple parts that leave Burg’s voice front and center. His screeching attempts at falsetto on “Beginning with Answers” are painful to listen to, and his tone-deaf crooning on “Proud Brave Nothing” and “It’s Better” conjures images of an adult Alfalfa attempting slow jams. What’s so sad about this Achilles’ heel is that if any of these songs were sung by a more capable vocalist, or even turned into instrumentals, I’d put at least one of them on every mix CD I make this month. Burg just isn’t a good enough singer to pull off songs as understated as these.
However, just when the music is about to devolve into background noise,
Burg and company kick up a fuss in the middle of the 11th song “Lies Keep Us Kind.” From that point onward, the music starts rocking and Burg gets more assertive as a vocalist; ironically, the more he whoops and hollers, the more in tune he gets! On “Iceland in My Mind,” Burg yells “I need one little fix to get me through the night!,” and the music complies with his request through a cacophony of gunshot snare drums and fuzzy guitars. The frantic strumming of “I Love You Guys Fast” is as exhilarating as the best Boyracer miniatures, and “Fortune” is a lazy “lo-fi” shuffle that could have fit on Pavement’s Perfect Sound Forever. The title track climaxes with splashy power-chord bashing, and with Burg running his voice through a delay pedal, until it sounds like a chorus of gibbering eunuchs. The contrast in quality between the album’s first 11 songs and its last five is attributed solely to Burg’s unexpected decision to let loose.
Lyrically, Burg is at his best when discussing failed relationships in deceptively profound plain-speak. “Proud Brave Nothing” closes with the lament, “I want new friends/You won’t matter then…I don’t want to disappear/I just don’t want to be here.” “Fortune” sums up a love affair in decline: “The kiss is always short/and the bags are piling up/My attention’s wearing thin enough.“ On “Kissed Like a Pillow,” Burg gives an ex her emotional walking papers: “It’ll be better if you never forgive me/If I never loved you, only better!” Burg is at his worst, though, when he descends into unnecessary vulgarity. By no means do I expect an album with a title like Hand Job Community to be squeaky-clean, but Burg’s more profane moments sound contrived, as if he’s deliberately trying to shock his listeners. It’s bad enough that Burg has to ruin a song as pretty as the third track by singing as if he can only hear the drums; it’s even worse that he has to call the track “Recycling Fuck” and give it lyrics like “your dick’s not fucking anymore.”
If given the opportunity, I would gladly remake Hand Job Community in my own image. I wouldn’t rewrite the lyrics --- not even the ones that I consider puerile --- but I would definitely redo the vocals. I’m no Al Green myself, but I’ve got perfect pitch, which gives me a huge edge over Burg. As much as I want to turn this album in to the first used CD store that will buy it, the greatness of its final third prevents me from doing so. This is one of the most frustrating albums I’ve ever heard because I see the potential lurking underneath the wreckage. If Bobby can outsource the vocals to someone else, Love of Everything can make a classic album.
--Sean Padilla
Label Website: http://www.redderrecords.com
Artist Website: http://www.loveofeverything.com
December 13, 2004
The Playwrights "Guy Debord is Really Dead"
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
--Joseph Kyle
Artist Website: http://www.theplaywrights.co.uk
Label Website: http://www.sinkandstove.co.uk
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
November 30, 2004
Joe Anderl "Purple Hearts and the Typesetter"
Upon hearing the first notes of Purple Hearts and the Typesetter, you’d think that you were going to be listening to that crazy rock and roll music that’s so popular with the kids these days. While it sounds great, I’m still kind of in a somber mood due to the last compact disc I listened to (see the Mundane Sounds review of Southeast Engine’s “One Caught Fire”). As if Joe Anderl could somehow tell I’m sad and drunk at this point, the album miraculously switches gears by the second track, a wistful number played on a banjo. Sticking primarily to this theme throughout the remainder of the album, I’m really wishing I had more beer… even though I am aware that, at this point, it’d probably be a bad idea. The album’s production shines just as much as the songs do. Great guitar work, awesome backing vocals, Rhodes piano in all the right places…it’s as if Joe Anderl has figured out how to produce a tear in my beer. It doesn’t get much better. Well, yes it would. If I weren’t out of beer right now, things would be better. At least, they would be right now. Tomorrow morning, however, is another story.
--Kyle Sowash
Artist Website: www.joeanderl.com
Label Website: www.teamevil.com
--Kyle Sowash
Artist Website: www.joeanderl.com
Label Website: www.teamevil.com
So L'il "Revolution Thumpin'"
Remember when, in the late Nineties, cultural pundits declared electronica the next big thing?
Yeah, I'm sure you're reminded constantly about that. I just had to bring that up, though.
Revolution Thumpin', the debut full-length from So L'il reminds me of those times, but not in a bad way.
So L'il is an electronic band, but you won't be hearing them at the next rave you might hypothetically go to, nor will your local IDM hipster be down with their groove. Revolution Thumpin' is not an album of repetitive dance grooves that you have to be on narcotics in order to appreciate for more than half an hour straight, and it's certainly not full of boring blip-bloopy noise that you'll have to pretend to like in order to make people think you have discriminating taste. Instead, So L'il has created a sophisticated electronic record, but with enough pop elements to keep it digestable. It's a great mishmash of pop, psychedelia, and trip-hop that pays homage to many of the great electronic acts of the '90s. It has the indiepop vibe of Land of the Loops, the rough sensuality and inventiveness of Tricky, and the funkiness of classic Massive Attack. Revolution Thumpin' certainly brings back to the days of the late '90s before hipsterdom almost totally spoiled electronic music for me.
Of course, some might think that my description of So L'il makes them sound like a cheap throwback to the past. Well, isn't most of today's electronic music just stuffed with '80s nostalgia? Anyway, rather than being a knock-off of the '90s sound, So L'il is picking up where they left off, trying to bring electronic music back in the direction it was going before '80s nostalgia and IDM took over. If you still think that they're just a cheap homage, the merits of the music itself prove otherwise. So L'il's beats are dope, both the male and female vocals are well done, and they do an excellent job at varying their musical arrangements and making every song sound different. Besides that, they manage to give songs titles like "I'm Bored, Wanna Fuck" and "Fuck Them Hordes of Aliens" and still come off as sophisticated.
If you think electronic music has gone too far back and needs to move forward a decade, So L'il are your new heroes.
--Eric Wolf
Artist Website: http://www.solil.net/
Label Website: http://www.goodbyebetter.com/
Yeah, I'm sure you're reminded constantly about that. I just had to bring that up, though.
Revolution Thumpin', the debut full-length from So L'il reminds me of those times, but not in a bad way.
So L'il is an electronic band, but you won't be hearing them at the next rave you might hypothetically go to, nor will your local IDM hipster be down with their groove. Revolution Thumpin' is not an album of repetitive dance grooves that you have to be on narcotics in order to appreciate for more than half an hour straight, and it's certainly not full of boring blip-bloopy noise that you'll have to pretend to like in order to make people think you have discriminating taste. Instead, So L'il has created a sophisticated electronic record, but with enough pop elements to keep it digestable. It's a great mishmash of pop, psychedelia, and trip-hop that pays homage to many of the great electronic acts of the '90s. It has the indiepop vibe of Land of the Loops, the rough sensuality and inventiveness of Tricky, and the funkiness of classic Massive Attack. Revolution Thumpin' certainly brings back to the days of the late '90s before hipsterdom almost totally spoiled electronic music for me.
Of course, some might think that my description of So L'il makes them sound like a cheap throwback to the past. Well, isn't most of today's electronic music just stuffed with '80s nostalgia? Anyway, rather than being a knock-off of the '90s sound, So L'il is picking up where they left off, trying to bring electronic music back in the direction it was going before '80s nostalgia and IDM took over. If you still think that they're just a cheap homage, the merits of the music itself prove otherwise. So L'il's beats are dope, both the male and female vocals are well done, and they do an excellent job at varying their musical arrangements and making every song sound different. Besides that, they manage to give songs titles like "I'm Bored, Wanna Fuck" and "Fuck Them Hordes of Aliens" and still come off as sophisticated.
If you think electronic music has gone too far back and needs to move forward a decade, So L'il are your new heroes.
--Eric Wolf
Artist Website: http://www.solil.net/
Label Website: http://www.goodbyebetter.com/
Various Artists: Music From the OC Mix Two
Ah, the O.C. For the longest time, I avoided this show like the plague. I never was a fan of 90210 or Melrose Place or The Heights or any other night-time soap opera that FOX had to offer, mainly because I never let myself pay attention to the storyline. I was well aware that The O.C was playing great music on their show; as I understood it, Adam Brody’s character was waaay into Death Cab for Cutie. An interesting idea for a soap, but I’d managed to steer clear...until now.
See, my old lady is a big fan. She bought the DVD, and on Sunday, we watched about 8 hours of this show. Like any other soap opera, it sucks you in once somebody makes you watch it. It is for this reason that all throughout 2001, I planned my day around Passions. The O.C.’s plot is so bad it’s good. An attractive rich family adopts an attractive kid from the wrong side of the tracks, and he and his new attractive friends go to a lot of parties and get into a lot of trouble. He falls in love with his next-door neighbor, who is still hung up on her ex-boyfriend, who is, in turn, having sex with her psychotic mom. It’s so ridiculous..yet it’s enticing!
Thumbs up to this show’s music director. She makes such great use of music on this show; I recall a show last season that played “That’s the way we Get By” by Spoon during the opening credits. I bet she could make a great mix cd. Wait, she can! In fact, she released two of them on Warner: Music from the O.C. vols. 1 and 2. Apparently, volume two’s content is to be used during the second season. Songs from Death Cab for Cutie, Nada Surf, Interpol, the Killers, Beulah and more riddle this disc like a new generation indie rock girl’s Ipod. Like a good mix cd should, there isn’t a song on there I don’t like. Some I like more than others, i.e. Jem’s cover of “Maybe I’m Amazed”, and the Killers’ “Smile Like You Mean it” On a sidenote, this show is helping launch the careers of many bands. Millions of teeny-boppers tune in to this show every week, and they see that Seth Cohen listens to Death Cab for Cutie. They then go right out to BEST BUY and buy the cd. When Death Cab comes to town, they are first in line to buy the concert tickets, causing the show to sell out before the slackers get to buy their tickets.
While this new sudden popularity has alienated some of their fans who have been around since they were but a mediocre struggling indie rock band, they are now selling more records then they ever have before. To show how the times have changed, the short-lived My So Called Life (another popular teen soap) had a soundtrack, but I don’t remember the teenyboppers flipping out over Buffalo Tom or Archers of Loaf. When the Flaming Lips appeared on 90210, they slipped further into obscurity. The Walkmen are slated to appear on The O.C. this season. We’ll see what good fortune may come their way. So I guess I’m all for The O.C. after all. The show’s plot is addicting enough, and when you include music such as this, it’s must-see TV. Excuse me, I gotta go, I’ll be in front of the idiot box if you need me.
--Kyle Sowash
See, my old lady is a big fan. She bought the DVD, and on Sunday, we watched about 8 hours of this show. Like any other soap opera, it sucks you in once somebody makes you watch it. It is for this reason that all throughout 2001, I planned my day around Passions. The O.C.’s plot is so bad it’s good. An attractive rich family adopts an attractive kid from the wrong side of the tracks, and he and his new attractive friends go to a lot of parties and get into a lot of trouble. He falls in love with his next-door neighbor, who is still hung up on her ex-boyfriend, who is, in turn, having sex with her psychotic mom. It’s so ridiculous..yet it’s enticing!
Thumbs up to this show’s music director. She makes such great use of music on this show; I recall a show last season that played “That’s the way we Get By” by Spoon during the opening credits. I bet she could make a great mix cd. Wait, she can! In fact, she released two of them on Warner: Music from the O.C. vols. 1 and 2. Apparently, volume two’s content is to be used during the second season. Songs from Death Cab for Cutie, Nada Surf, Interpol, the Killers, Beulah and more riddle this disc like a new generation indie rock girl’s Ipod. Like a good mix cd should, there isn’t a song on there I don’t like. Some I like more than others, i.e. Jem’s cover of “Maybe I’m Amazed”, and the Killers’ “Smile Like You Mean it” On a sidenote, this show is helping launch the careers of many bands. Millions of teeny-boppers tune in to this show every week, and they see that Seth Cohen listens to Death Cab for Cutie. They then go right out to BEST BUY and buy the cd. When Death Cab comes to town, they are first in line to buy the concert tickets, causing the show to sell out before the slackers get to buy their tickets.
While this new sudden popularity has alienated some of their fans who have been around since they were but a mediocre struggling indie rock band, they are now selling more records then they ever have before. To show how the times have changed, the short-lived My So Called Life (another popular teen soap) had a soundtrack, but I don’t remember the teenyboppers flipping out over Buffalo Tom or Archers of Loaf. When the Flaming Lips appeared on 90210, they slipped further into obscurity. The Walkmen are slated to appear on The O.C. this season. We’ll see what good fortune may come their way. So I guess I’m all for The O.C. after all. The show’s plot is addicting enough, and when you include music such as this, it’s must-see TV. Excuse me, I gotta go, I’ll be in front of the idiot box if you need me.
--Kyle Sowash
November 29, 2004
Red Eyed Legends "Mutual Insignificance"
Red Eyed Legends--led by Chris Thomson (Monorchid, Skull Kontrol, Circus Lupus, Ignition)--return with a new (and better sounding) EP, this record finds the band honing their style. While their previous release was simply too messy (rumor has it the record was EQ'ed and mixed wrong) to make any impression, Mutual Insignificance finds Thomson in fine--and familiar--form. Quirky, off-key and highly intellectual lyrics pepper the funky rock and organ-driven grind of his backing band, and the sound is, as usual for a Thomson band, lo-fi as hell and oddly danceable, too. You either love Thomson's style or you don't, and I've been hooked for a long, long time.. "Go-Go Girls" and "Cold In The Sun" are easily his best compositions since his Monorchid days, and the other song--especially the fun "Guilded Longhorn"--are good, if not lesser. Skip The High I Feel When I'm Low completely and come here for your Red Eyed Legends/Chris Thomson needs. A belated start to a potentially great band--though, if Thomson's past is any indication, you better jump on this train now, because the band won't last much longer!
--Joseph Kyle
Artist Website: http://www.redeyedlegends.com
Label Website: http://www.file-13.com
--Joseph Kyle
Artist Website: http://www.redeyedlegends.com
Label Website: http://www.file-13.com
Various Artists "My Favorite Song Writers"
Emo as a genre is...well...let's not get into that debate, shall we? It's not really worth getting my blood pressure up, and besides, it's really a fruitless and pointless argument. (Not as pointless as what is and isn't 'punk,' mind you--that's always such an interesting debate. Please.) Regardless of the now-tired genre, I will still admit I have a thing for music that contains sincere emotional content; a good melody is always a good thing in my book and I've never denied a song's excellence, even if it is "emo."
Thus, I felt a little uneasy at the prospect of Five One Inc's latest offering, a compilation entitled My Favorite Song Writers. The premise of this is simple: get friends from indie-rock, punk and emo bands away from their normal outlets and have them write a song all on their own. A fair enough concept, and even though it was interesting, I was a little concerned; as the friends come from bands such as Pollen, No Knife, Hey Mercedes, Sparta, The Good Life and Pretty Girls Make Graves, I thought the 'emo' thing might run heavy throughout the album.
Surprisingly, stripped away from their bands, several artists do a quite good job of impressing this hard-to-impress critic. Tim Kasher's "Stranger Than Strangers" is a fascinating little computer-made number; it's sad in that breakup kind of way, but it's made up for by both excellent lyrics and interesting music. I liked "I'd Rather Be Wine Drunk" by Bob Nanna (Hey Mercedes, Braid) a little more than I thought I would. Two songs are instrumental noise collages, and two songs are sung in Japanese. The song that makes this compilation worthy, though, is Cave In's Stephen Brodsky's solo "Beautiful Break-Up." This guy, I swear, he's got the best understanding of the concept of 'atmosphere.' Cave In's an awesome band, but here, Brodsky's quiet singing and simple guitar accompaniment quietly roar louder than anything his band's done.
Though these songs are moody, sad and sometimes a little melodramatic, that doesn't take away from the fact that My Favorite Song Writers is an enjoyable little compilation, highlighting some of today's surprisingly better (and often unknown) songwriters.
--Joseph Kyle
Label Website: http://www.fiveoneinc.com
Thus, I felt a little uneasy at the prospect of Five One Inc's latest offering, a compilation entitled My Favorite Song Writers. The premise of this is simple: get friends from indie-rock, punk and emo bands away from their normal outlets and have them write a song all on their own. A fair enough concept, and even though it was interesting, I was a little concerned; as the friends come from bands such as Pollen, No Knife, Hey Mercedes, Sparta, The Good Life and Pretty Girls Make Graves, I thought the 'emo' thing might run heavy throughout the album.
Surprisingly, stripped away from their bands, several artists do a quite good job of impressing this hard-to-impress critic. Tim Kasher's "Stranger Than Strangers" is a fascinating little computer-made number; it's sad in that breakup kind of way, but it's made up for by both excellent lyrics and interesting music. I liked "I'd Rather Be Wine Drunk" by Bob Nanna (Hey Mercedes, Braid) a little more than I thought I would. Two songs are instrumental noise collages, and two songs are sung in Japanese. The song that makes this compilation worthy, though, is Cave In's Stephen Brodsky's solo "Beautiful Break-Up." This guy, I swear, he's got the best understanding of the concept of 'atmosphere.' Cave In's an awesome band, but here, Brodsky's quiet singing and simple guitar accompaniment quietly roar louder than anything his band's done.
Though these songs are moody, sad and sometimes a little melodramatic, that doesn't take away from the fact that My Favorite Song Writers is an enjoyable little compilation, highlighting some of today's surprisingly better (and often unknown) songwriters.
--Joseph Kyle
Label Website: http://www.fiveoneinc.com
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