Posts tagged Stream
Review/Listen: - Nick Waterhouse - Time’s All Gone
In an era of mass-produced, Garageband manufactured music, authenticity can be a hard to find. The title of this album, “Time’s All Gone”, hints at a throwback to simpler times, and so it is: at the height of “Time’s All Gone”, you can almost imagine being in the room with Nick Waterhouse as his band play small snippets from another time, his regal backup vocals, his own unsettling voice, and the noisy band that are too riled to play better. It’s reminiscent of a past three decades before his time while still seeming new and fresh, as if it happened only a moment ago. There’s humbleness about this album that doesn’t seem contrived. It’s fast, noisy, rowdy, and gritty, but it feels natural, without coming off as a duplicate.
On the opener, “Say I Wanna Know”, you can almost hear the hiss of the needle touching the vinyl as the drums kick in, the harsh brass overwhelming the song before Waterhouse sings. What follows is what feels like a party in a narrow club on a street that’s always wet, with the band almost invisible from all the smoke floating overhead. On track, “Don’t You Forget It”, you can nearly hear the horn almost seems to give a smoky rasp.
“Raina” earns the title of my favorite track, mostly due to the fact that Waterhouse doesn’t quite have the strength vocally to carry the song. The backup vocals bare most of the weight, but it’s his sincerity that gets the last word. While every track seems perfectly arranged, every detail scrutinized, it’s the roughness of the sound that makes it seem just as slapped together as it is supremely constructed. “(If) You Want Trouble” might be the best result of this formula. The rapid fire call-and-response between the band and vocals makes everything feel of the moment. Even on “Indian Love Call” Waterhouse nails the stereotypes of the era he so successfully apes, complete with faux-Indian percussion sounding more like a rain stick, delivered with a wink. The most primal moments are when the band are left to their own devices, specifically in the closer “Time’s All Gone Pt.2”. It’s the organic movements of each instrument that create a tension that is both poignant and fierce.
On summer nights as a child, I would often listen to old records, 45s mostly, with my grandfather, as the adults would play cards or watch sports in the other room. It was those moments I was taken back to constantly throughout this release. Deriving from the late 1950/early 1960s doo-wop, the mono-production is as flawed as the wobbly vinyl I use to spin. You can hear the earnestness in the SoCal singer/songwriter’s shouts, grunts, or snickers. It’s the album’s lightness that makes it so approachable. The central theme of love in all its forms make it indeed a labor of one, a love letter to a time and sound that clearly speaks to Waterhouse as much as it does to others like me. Stream “Time’s All Gone” below.
Connect with Nick Waterhouse - Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | Website
Listen/Download: Till Death - “Forever”
Till Death is the new project from Owl Vision and Frank Major, two guys whose previous work Iâm only vaguely aware of, âForeverâ is a testament that such moderate recognition and their presence within the social psyche of our scene is about to drastically change.
This is baby making music for bangers and the recreational bath salt swimmers. âForeverâ is complete grime swallowed by one of the sexiest tones of sin Iâve heard. The breakdowns nudged by the constant adrenaline fueled high-hat and bass-line driven by some dangerous spirit of ill-intent lead me to believe Till Death are either possessed or have cut a bargain with Satan himself.
These Swedes have combined the montage level infection of Health with the dripping suave coolness of Digits all of which hides in the same industrial darkness as V A L I S, this is the sickest Electro can get.
Connect with Till Death - Facebook | Soundcloud
Review/Listen: Grass Widow - “Internal Logic”
San Francisco-based trio Grass Widow, made up of Hannah Lew (bass), Raven Mahon (guitar), and Lillian Maring (drums), collectively share duties on vocals, weaving together melodies steeped in metaphor as gleamed from each of the members’ personal narratives. Always shying away from directly referential, confessional song structure, this lo-fi post punk band steadfastly refuses to get behind one specific front person.
Since 2010’s “Past Time”, the band has toured extensively throughout the US, the UK, continental Europe, and China. In the meantime, they founded their own label, HLR, and wrote several of their own music videos under the direction of Lew, who has also directed videos for other Bay Area artists such as Hunx And His Punx and Shannon And The Clams . They’ve opened for the likes of Sonic Youth, The Raincoats, and Wild Flag, had a cameo appearance on Portlandia, and will soon be hitting the road in June to headline their own tour in support of their latest endeavor, “Internal Logic”, out May 29th.
From the first track, “Goldilocks Zone”, through a hazy, electronic build-up, the vocals are gradually introduced, instantly starting off with a more sophisticated and compelling lead-in. It is obvious that Grass Widow have gained both confidence and musical proficiency since “Past Time”. There is a more adaptable and spatial quality to their current offering: though they sound more tight, this tightness affords them the confidence to reach a little further afield and explore more complex musical territory.
Grass Widow’s vocals, which on previous efforts tended to roll over one another so rapidly that they were just as often dizzying as they were sublime, have been amped up to their full potential on “Internal Logic”. Extra clutter is cleared away, leaving behind what ought to have been there all along: uncompromisingly unique vocal contributions from all three, all of which come together to form a greater whole. This added sense of structure and wholeness was exactly what was lacking on their previous endeavors, in which songs sounded potentially gorgeous but seemed more like brief two second sketches, wisps of several good ideas, rather than a fully formed final product.
“A Light In The Static” is a great step up into a paired-down, spooky instrumental, done on a simple acoustic guitar that manages to evoke wonder and confusion succintly and delicately. The vocals on “Spock On Muni” are tight and together, the instrumentation also more vibrant. Also, it never hurts to make allusions to the best of all the Star Trek films (Geek Cred!).
Still, this album has its limits. The midsections is problematic, as Grass Widow seem to struggle with merging their garage band sensibilities with a more psychedelic, expiramental direction. Emerging from a standard flow of basic guitar noodling, they start to gain momentum and deviate in promising directions. Unfortunately, just when a song begins to show that it has found an interesting segway to another level of complexity, it will fizzle out or change direction again just a little too soon. Some of these gons could, and perhaps should, have been split in two.
I am nonetheless grateful to hear Grass Widow playing with more instrumental complexities, as there’s definitely a sense of greater things to come from this band. Certainly the hugely evocative album-closer “Responses To Photographers” suggests as much: played on what sounds like an aging, slightly out of tune upright piano, it evokes fragility and the idea of confronting invasiveness by weaving a layer of protection in the face of over-exposure.
This is comfortably Grass Widow’s most succinct and well-crafted album to date. While their music is at its most promising when it finds its way down interesting and surprising paths, their musical style still remains a little wobbly. Nevertheless, they are heading in the right direction, there are just a few kinks that need to be ironed out in order for Grass Widow’s sound to catch up with their abundant vision and artistic integrity. Judging from the leaps and bounds evident between their last album and “Internal Logic”, the best is yet to come.
Connect with Grass Widow - Facebook | Twitter | Website | Soundcloud
Listen/Download: Jhameel - “Shadow Of A Man”
More new tracks from Jhameel? This guy never lets up!
The first time I heard Jhameel I fell in love; control, intensity, skill that is reigned in rather than boasted gave me an overwhelming urge to share his music with every single person I came across regardless of their choice genre. When we first introduced you to what is still my favorite track of his, “Shut Up,” he had 83 followers on Facebook… as I’m typing this he has 6,681. I realize that is a very insignificant way to document someone’s progress, especially within the confines of LB4YB where exclusivity is worth its weight in gold and popularity more often than not is a sign of selling-out to mainstream vices rather than showcasing one’s talent, yet without being signed we’ve seen him go from this unknown phenom to having his music featured in a Droid Razr Commercial, Forever 21 took on “Shut Up” as their flagship song, he’s had three songs reach Hype Machine’s top 20 list (one even reached number 2)… did I mention that he’s only been on our radar since August?
In well under a year this guy out of San Francisco has put in some solid work with some impressive music and hasn’t had to give up one single inch of his own artistic integrity, still to this day he is handing out his songs for free to anyone who cares to partake in the communion of his art, even DIY punks would be out of line to snub this guy’s business model.
Most bands when reaching some sort of moderate success beat there albums into submission by milking it for all it’s worth until we become so irritated by their lack of growth and lack of output that by the time something new reaches us we’re almost desensitized to everything the band has to offer (ahem The Head And The Heart). Easily Jhameel could have fallen into this old line of thinking with last years The Human Condition (one of the strongest showings in 2011), I had barely listened through the damn thing once before he started putting out his Waves EP and if that wasn’t enough just last week he began dropping tracks with this new Are You Free series.
“Shadow Of A Man” is the second release from the new EP showcasing one aspect of his music the casual listener may not note; He deals with some rather heavy topics for a sound hinged in the realm of Pop. He has written songs dealing with hunger, death, anti-war,etc… and now abuse. He doesn’t just skim over these sentiments in a generic way either, whether it be a song of optimism or a look in the face of the harsh truths that exist around us he does it in a way that makes us believe in his ambition, having a voice with such texture and passion in its delivery helps.
Jhameel is a new face, a new model, and one of the hardest working artist around… make that 6,685 followers, he’s earned every one of them by word of mouth, he has my respect that’s for sure.
Connect with Jhameel - Facebook | Twitter | Website | Last.fm
Review/Listen - El-P - “Cancer For Cure”
In both independent and mainstream music over course of history, certain genres have been almost lead, or progressed, by the particular individuals which inhabit them. Take for example shoegaze, which was developed much further by artists such as My Bloody Valentine or Slowdive, or perhaps post-punk, with early material from Talking Heads, Gang of Fours, Joy Division, and many more. No matter the genre and/or era of that genre, certain forerunners never cease to immediately appear clear to the knowledgable music listener.
Undoubtably, one of the pioneers of alternative hip-hop in the early 2000’s is none other than Jaime Meline, or El-P, a rapper, producer, and label head hailing from Brooklyn. Meline has not only made some of the most innovative hip hop in recent memory, he has also produced it and signed it. Over the course of around 11 years, Jaime was the head of Definitive Jux, a label he founded himself and used to release much of the best alt hip hop of the past decade, from himself, Aesop Rock, Despot, Cannibal Ox, and many more. In 2010, Meline announced that Def Jux would be put on hiatus in regards to signing new artists and releasing new material, in order for him to concentrate on the music he himself was crafting. As a result, five years since his last longplayer, El-P has arrived with a new album, entitled “Cancer For Cure”.
In terms of the production here, it exceeds all expectations that even the most loyal El-P fan would hold, especially with repeated listens. Even without repeated listens, it becomes immediately clear that this is an incredibly layered, finely crafted LP in regards to the production. The percussion is compressed, yet as hard hitting as we’ve ever heard El-P, while the synths that complement them vary greatly from track to track. For example, on “Oh Hail No”, the synthesizers which appear are pretty dirty, and during the verses, function more as some sort of bass, with a very low tone and what almost sounds like a very deep, focused tremelo. On the other hand, on “The Jig Is Up”, the synths are almost sci-fi sounding, and provide an increasingly complex melody, something the common fan of Jaime Meline’s music has come to expect.
Aside from the synths, many other sounds enter the mix to run alongside the beats on this record. Often, extremely industrial-sounding sounds will enter the mix, along with reverb-y keys, horns, ambient soundscapes in the background, or even electric guitar. The instrumental which results is often almost robotic, sounding like very fine steel which makes up the outside of a spaceship hovering over New York, brutally murdering all the inhabitants in the year 2763. There’s clearly some sort of incredibly grimey, futuristic presence in play throughout the record, almost like some sort of sonic narrative.
Moving away from the instrumentation, the vocals here are mind-blowing. Not only is the delivery the most fiery and aggressive we’ve heard El-P since his raw, unapologetic debut, “Fantastic Damage”, it’s also saying some of the most thought provoking things uttered by a hip hop artist since “The Money Store”. Like many of the tracks on his last album, “I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead”, a good number of tracks here inhabit some sort of introverted narrative, like “Sign Here”, where El-P interrogates a woman who remains anonymous, or “For My Upstairs Neighbor”, where he himself is interrogated, with the addition of an interesting twist revealed in the chorus.
Other tracks are just straight-up El-P spitting fire, with or without the help of friends, like “The Full Retard” or “Tougher Colder Killer”, the latter of which features Def Juckie Despot and Killer Mike (whose most recent record was also produced by El-P). Either way, the stretch of time between “Cancer For Cure” and “I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead” seems to have caused no wear to El-P’s lyrical talent, as he’s writing even better than before, coupled with an easy contender for best delivery of the year.
As a whole, “Cancer For Cure” is a twisted, futuristic, ambitious, unrelenting, and absolutely brilliant piece of work from a man we’ve all come to expect just that from. Though it follows the more polished approach of “I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead”, it possesses the sheer fire, anger, and drive of “Fantastic Damage”, with a completely foreign dose of experimentation which differs from the last album, a much different sense of progression, and an overall unique goal. While “Fantastic Damage” solidified El-P as a strong, ambitious solo artist, and “I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead” avoided the sophomore slump whilst providing a much more polished, sound coupled with longer songs and more experimentation, “Cancer For Cure” exists on its own plane. This is a plane of invention, of emotion, of experimentation, of the influence of other genres, of the future, of the current state of El-P. In short, “Cancer For Cure” is a huge, huge success.
Review/Listen: Killer Mike - “R.A.P. Music”
Killer Mike and El-P really are an unstoppable force. Not only do they have the best bromance ever, but “R.A.P. Music” combines two of my favourite things; Atlanta hip hop and El-P’s magnificent beats. Christmas has come early and in the form of a political gangster rap album, folks.
As disappointing as I am by my first impressions of “Cancer For Cure”, El-P will always, always, pull through on the production. And that is exactly the case on “R.A.P. Music”. El-P does this magnificent trick where he drops the sickest beat in sync with Mike dropping a killer bar (sorry). Now I’m not saying this doesn’t happen in any rap song, but it definitely doesn’t happen a dozen times per song, 12 songs over. This is evidence for El-P being one of the most outstanding producers out there. I’m very fond of El-P being a producer-for-hire, here’s to hoping he does it more.
The spectacular opening hit, “Big Beast”, is the very best song I’ve heard this year. It makes the best use of the features with T.I., Bun B and Trouble all at the top of their game. “Big Beast” absolutely blows my mind at how perfect the thing is. If there ever was a true hip hop song without any flaws whatsoever, this is it. I hate albums where the opener is the best song but here you know you’re in for a ride. What I love about it is that there’s no instrumental intro, it’s straight in with Mike’s irresistible grunts. No fucking around; straight in, go hard, don’t stop until it’s over.
“R.A.P. Music” is an album with so much style, whether it’s the short burst of energy that is “Go!” or the intense political song “Reagan”, hanging on every word of Mike’s intricately controversial lyrics. How can you not admire this album, you can’t say it’s dumb, never has the phrase “fuck the police” had more meaning than on this album. Neither has it sounded cooler. The album just gets bigger and bigger the further in we get. It’s like that Katamari ball that gets larger the more it rolls, with things sticking to it. These fucking songs are like planets, things orbit them, there’s gravity pushing so much stuff towards them no matter how hard they try to retract. These songs are those marbles the alien is juggling at the end of Men In Black.
Though this is the most thrilling and adrenaline pumping album I’ve heard in a while and am lost for words with how some of these songs make me feel, the song “Ghetto Gospel” is a bit of a buzz kill. It isn’t a bad song; it’s just lacking in thrills and ferociousness and even beats compared to the fireworks other songs ignite. Though one area the song isn’t lacking in is story. You know the album is something of a gem when the worst song is a work of poetry. No song is without a compelling slice of Mike’s Mind.
By the end of this incredibly exquisite album it’s a world of difficulty to listen to something else and not be underwhelmed. “R.A.P. Music” has so much momentum that you aren’t going to forget about it anytime soon. There is so much replay value with this album. I listened to it all day without realising until it was dark, and in no way would I consider that day wasted. I love Atlanta rappers. I say this in the straightest way possible; they have the sexiest voices. With this big album, and Big Krit’s and Big Boi’s album on the way (so many bigs) Southern hip hop is at the top of its game at the moment. It might be a bit of a push to call “R.A.P. Music” revolutionary, no matter how much Mike would like it to be, I’d prefer to call it relevant with a touch of genius. Two geniuses, even.
Review/Listen - Best Coast - “The Only Place”
When this album leaked, many Best Coast fans began a roller-coaster journey that I was able to witness while trying my hardest to get a hold of a physical copy. The first step was to ostensibly scream about the album while leaving a trail of download links and photos of vocalist/guitarist Bethany Cosentino and lead guitarist Bobb Bruno everywhere. This intense jubilation was followed by what I consider to be the biggest pivot from child-like delight to intense frustration and anger towards the new direction that Best Coast has taken on “The Only Place”, which has been labelled as “emo” by Cosentino herself. “The Only Place” takes a noticeably new approach in that the recording quality has been upped to reveal musical blemishes and glaringly simplified lyrics.
In all actuality, “The Only Place” is not a huge departure from Best Coast’s catalogue of lo-fi recordings about boys and weed. In fact, that seems to have been their initial appeal for many fans and these lyrics are still pertaining to that hopeful, young love that follows the “less is more” direction. The problem seems to be that the approach Best Coast has traditionally taken loses some of it’s innocence by opting for lush recordings. Best Coast fans are used to the fuzzy echo of Costentino’s voice and her vocal performances on “The Only Place” seem incredibly stark in comparison.
The opener and title track contains elements of Best Coast past: basic chords, lyrics about the sun, and one of Cosentino’s famously bratty melodies. In this instance, Best Coast is writing exactly what they’re expected to write and their reputation for being totally inoffensive is still intact. The track ends with the repeating lyrics of “This is the only place,” directly referring to the band’s Californian origins, which seems to be, above all, the mantra of the album. “The Only Place” continues in true Best Coast fashion until “Last Year”, which paints Cosentino in a more pensive light. For many fans, “Last Year” is the first major departure from older Best Coast material because Cosentino’s voice is put on display and the guitar, while riddled with fuzz, has an almost bluesy rhythm. Other tracks that will leave tried and true Best Coast fans feeling uneasy are songs like “My Life”, “Dreaming My Life Away”, and “Up All Night” because they contain elements of Best Coast but they never truly reach the right balance of summertime intimacy and lackadaisical warmth.
Listeners are going to dismiss this album as an unwelcome journey into weird territory for both their music and image but a lot of that seems to stem from a more crisp recording style. For those who find the lyrics to be lackluster, I encourage you to look at Best Coast’s older lyrics like “I went for a walk/watched the cars go by/the sun was high/I thought of you,” or “Flying over the ocean/Always makes me feel so alone” and consider what the difference really is on “The Only Place”.
Many fans are quick to blame Best Coast for their insolence because the album’s producer, Jon Brion, had a hand in classics like Kanye West’s “Late Registration” and Fiona Apple’s “Extraordinary Machine”, and some believe his involvement on the project could have only been tainted by the artist. But any blame should be shared equally because, no matter who ultimately pushed for the “new direction,” the album sounds noticeably “mature” in the same way that Blink-182 wanted to sound “mature” by appearing to take themselves more seriously. On this release, Cosentino seems more poised and responsible, which in turn deflates her image as a pot-smoking, boy-chaser.
This album is strangely polarizing. On one hand it shows Best Coast trying out new sounds with mixed results and on the other hand they are ostracized for keeping their music too simple. After a few listens it’s difficult to hate the record because Cosentino and Bruno retain their charm but overall the record doesn’t illicit the same motifs they’re known for.
Connect with Best Coast: Facebook | Twitter | Official Site
Review/Listen: Niki & The Dove - “Instinct”
Niki & The Dove, a Swedish three-piece, have put together a fantastic debut album with “Instinct”. Held together with aggressive, expansive bass synth and spare, driving drum rhythms, lead singer Malin Dahlström’s voice lends the whole affair a chamberpop sound not unlike Florence & The Machine, though if Florence had been rendered into a pixelated sprite by someone like Robyn or The Knife. (My new synthpop band is The And The; the naming scheme is just that infectious.) Album opener and second single “Tomorrow” is a perfect example of that expansiveness - the sudden, bursting chorus is hopeful, alive, and pulsating, but undercut immediately after the second iteration with a mumbling, haunting moment of doubt; perfect foreshadowing of the darker, more brooding songs on the album.
Mostly, though, tracks fall into three categories: dancing because I got dumped; dancing because I’m falling in love; and revenge fantasy, sometimes involving dancing. I don’t want to make this sound like a strike against the album, because it’s anything but. Where some artists put out albums about dancing that become banal explorations on dance positions, or just literal interpretations on the phrase “let’s dance”, Niki & The Dove never fall into that trap. The lyrics are sharp and engaging, but accessible. This is still pop music, but without the need for cliches, or at least with the ability to repackage cliches in a stimulating way. In “The Drummer”, the drum is her heart, and her heart makes her human. “The pounding of my heart / I’m a drum, I’m a drum, now / It’s what makes me human.” That’s some deep shit, packaged in a robust club banger. “Mother Protect” starts out with soaring eagles and metaphors, but really it’s about someone in a club. “Somebody” deserves a spot in every gay club next to any Kylie Minogue song.
One of the standout tracks, “DJ, Ease My Mind”, is a great breakup jam with a hint of revenge, attitude that says, “look at me now, motherfucker,” the kind of revenge that bubbles just under the skin of a lonely dancer at Depeche Mode tribute night. Effortless, excitable 80’s dance pop about forgetting loss and being blinded by lights and whatnot. There’s a pervasive sexiness brought on by the throbbing, grinding beat and Dahlström’s soaring, almost invasive vocals, a raw honesty, to each song.
“Last Night”, a slow jam that can only be described as “erotic”, stands out from some of the albums other slower and/or “love” songs - “Last night, we got married in a backseat,” Dahlström croons, and wow, I think I’m getting the vapors. The same youthful, playful sexiness throughout the album is on display, and very successfully.
Two other standout tracks are two of the more creative albums on the track, “The Fox” and “The Gentle Roar”. Both have slightly more narrative elements, telling something more of a story. “The Gentle Roar” in particular seems like a delicious piece of revenge fantasy, a driving, Bjork-esque track full of vaguely sexual metaphors that seem to be about reclaiming power and fear in the face of another woman, about becoming predatory when challenged. Both songs create broad, interesting sounds with shifting bass and synths. The guitar in “The Fox” is mesmerizing, very interesting. Album closer “Under The Bridges” dissolves halfway from soaring pop into more of a Radiohead-style slow drone-y build into ambient weirdness, fantastic, blippy closer that highlights the keyboardist and drummer. “Weird” in nothing but a complimentary way, of course.
In all, “Instinct” makes for a wonderful collection of gothy disco glitter dance music. That pile on of adjectives is no accident: there’s a lot going on beneath the now somewhat familiar synthpop aesthetic packaging. The variety is refreshing and, more importantly, the tunes are blisteringly catchy. Stream the whole thing below.
Listen: The Bad Lovers - “Satisfy Me”
The Bad Lovers and their straight forward Garage-Rock give my heart boners.
From the opening yell the vocals for “Satisfy Me” never let up in their frantic delivery which practically work at odds with the Tex-Mex instrumental undertones bringing a tinge of irony that remains subtle yet ever-present throughout this track. Being from Austin most likely contributes to the ambiguity of influences drawn not only from this song but from The Bad Lovers sound in general which they own in a unique conjugation of fuzz and energy.
Honestly, if I caught this song live I wouldn’t know whether I should Fraggle Rock jig or do some sort of post-punk line-dance, no need diving too deeply into necessary semantics of proper choreography when there is only one aspect of importance; from the moment “Satisfy Me” starts it is nearly impossible to keep from moving (in case you’re not sure, the Fraggle Rock jig is basically how they dance on Charlie Brown with more hair).
The Bad Lovers are currently unsigned, dig em early.
Listen/Download: Digits - “Check My Machine” (Mix)
Listen to a celebratory birthday mix from Digits, “Check My Machine”, featuring everyone from Phèdre to Eleanor Friedberger.
This really says it all about Digits: it’s his birthday, but he’s giving us the present. I’m not complaining. Specifically, he’s putting out a mix of tracks that have been “following him around” during his travels in the UK and Europe, and a fine collection it is too.
Alongside better-known names (you’ve heard of Paul McCartney, right?) are some that might be less familiar. In particular, look out for Canadian up-and-comers Ghibli and Beach Velvet. I’m a big fan of Ghibli’s “Pythia”, which explores some pretty intriguing nooks and crannies of electronica; although Alt tells me that his latest album is even better. One more thing to add to the to-do list…
There are also some cuts from perennial mash-up darlings The Hood Internet, and LBYB-favourites Eleanor Friedberger and Beach House. If you weren’t already excited, I’m going to assume you are now. You can stream or download the whole thing below, along with Digits’ own cover of Phil Ochs’ “Changes” for good measure. Check out the Soundcloud page for the full track-list, and if you’re in London, go celebrate with him in person at The Waiting Room this evening.
Oh, and happy birthday, Digits. Here’s to another awesome year.
Connect with Digits - Facebook | Twitter | Last.fm | Website | Bandcamp
Premiere: Little Owl - “Christmas Nights”
Listen to the new song from Little Owl, “Christmas Nights”, the B-side from their single “Tucked Away, Our Home Our Mountain”.
Yes, I know it’s summer time - even if the fact we had hail where I am yesterday might suggest otherwise - but despite its title, “Christmas Nights” stands up perfectly well to warm-weather listening. In fact, I personally think it benefits from a seasonal shift, although perhaps that’s just because I’m a curmudgeonly git who hates things like “giving presents” and “being merry”.
I’m assuming that part of the explanation for the bright and breezy sound is that Little Owl are based in Santa Barbera, where winter temperatures (apparently) average 18 degrees. In Scotland, this is referred to as “extremely warm for July”. I’m not joking. Whatever the reason, its infectious hooks are guaranteed to charm even the coldest of hearts.
The official release is on the 25th of May - although you can pre-order now - and if you’re based on the West Coast then keep your eyes open for a live gig, as Little Owl are on tour. If not, you can still get in on the fun by checking out their 2010 EP, “Stories And Observations Of Argus Madur”, which is streaming in full on Bandcamp and also excellent. You can stream “Christmas Nights” below.
Connect with Little Owl - Facebook | Last.fm | Bandcamp | Soundcloud
Listen: Honeycomb Bones - “Illuminator”
No sub-genre needed, “Illuminator” from Honeycomb Bones embodies Rock.
With so many bands trying to push boundaries and find some new niche to define themselves in, it feels rather great whenever a band comes along with the balls to throw the flash to the wayside, turn the fuzz up to eleven, and play some face melting music. Of course Honeycomb Bones are from from the UK so it is less a feat than born in their blood.
The breakdown just before the three-minute mark kills completely, exemplifying how “Illuminator” forgoes the need for attention without a loss in style or craft.
Connect with Honeycomb Bones - Facebook | Tumblr | Myspace | Soundcloud
Review/Listen - Lower Dens - “Nootropics”
The metamorphosis of Jana Hunter as a performer and lyricist is an expansive one. The Texas born musician has been working for the better part of the last decade, releasing most of it under her own name. While the “freak folk” subgenre was thrown around to categorize her particular type of howl in her earlier releases, it was her penchant for painfully honest lyrics that brought her the most attention. It wasn’t until she relocated to Baltimore and made up the musical collective Lower Dens, where she could hide behind her droning guitars, that she started to make a bigger splash in the blogosphere. After three years, Lower Dens finally found their true sound.
While their 2010 debut,”Twin-Hand Movement”, a great album in its own right, relied heavily on guitars to drive its songs, a transition has taken place on “Nootropics”, with Hunter’s voice now front and center. It’s the lead single, “Brains”, released in January, that gave the band a grander buzz than ever before, making it such a highly-anticipated release.
Classically trained as a violinist, attention to detail is both Hunter and the band’s greatest strength. Even its most quiet moments seem to speak volumes. Naturally, the album could be applauded for textures and atmosphere, but I found myself getting lost in the space, and how it was used. Take for example the track “Stem”. With brilliant use of guitar and synth, combining two of the characteristics that made their earlier work so intriguing, it is sums up the progress Lower Dens have made in just two minutes.
As far as their influences, it’s obvious that Brain Eno was a huge contributor, especially on the track “Propagation”. Its lyrics seem to ache to be understood, more so than on many other tracks, yet they remain completely contorted. The opening line - “In the mountains, under rubble…” - there’s something so desperately needing to be said that you get drawn in anyway. The same can be said about “Lamb” and “Candy”, the most light-hearted tracks on the album. Hunter reminds me of Victoria Legrand of Beach House on these tracks, especially “Lamb”, with her vocals soaring with every harmony. These middle tracks form the album’s peak, as the rest of it takes a darker turn.
In “Lion in Winter, Pt. 1 & 2”, their use of space and attention of detail is present throughout. They might be the biggest call-backs to their previous LP, with the instrumental lead in, and the thumping, nearly noisy variations later on in “Lion in Winter, Pt. 2” . The closest point of comparison is the earlier work of krautrock geniuses Can, with the repetition of the bass line as the general theme for the two songs. The richness continues with the final two tracks, “Nova Anthem” and “In the End is the Beginning”, the former being my favorite track and the latter lasting over twelve minutes. It’s the final track that is essentially three songs, with a beginning, middle, and end, contradicting its title. “At the end of the world, there’s no one waiting for you.” With the Mayan calendar and doomsday prophecies, it’s natural that a lot of it can influence the music that we hear or create. It’s what makes this such a great listen, with the strength of this song carrying out an authentic “legacy”. It’s not striving to be any more or less than what it is. It’s the realization of imminent death that brings this calmness.
Sophomore albums have a lot of pressure mounted on them. They say it takes 18 years to write your first album and 18 months to write your second one. While it took a little longer for Lower Dens to release “Nootropics”, it didn’t lose anything in the process, only gained.
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Listen/Download: Sweet Talk - “Talk”
Most bands carry their influences with pride and a bit of arrogance, Sweet Talk sound as if they are bearing the 90’s like a cross.
I can’t help but listen to “Talk” and believe this noise has been directly channeled from a childhood spent broing down with Pavement and Archers Of Loaf. Barring Cloud Nothings I’d say Sweet Talk are better than any other (relevant) band out at keeping any influence that could be attached to them as a minor cliff note to their own creative integrity.
I caught these guys a few weeks ago in Austin, it was one of the best sets I’ve seen this year; from the very first tinge of distortion and feedback I was sold, something very tangible permeates from their songs, I was definitely picking up what they were putting down.
Honest and real are words I’d use to describe how sweating with these guys feels unfortunately every other shitty writer like myself deems it necessary to toss them around like free demos outside of a Rap concert so I’ll just have to settle for saying that it was the first time in a long time where I WANTED a band’s music to be a part of my life. Sweet Talk come across as unpretentious and without ego yet still project confidence and style, it’s something you need to see for yourself.
There are only two tracks I’ve been able to grab thus far which are both enjoyable and worth sticking on any mix; I mean they are in fact damn solid songs, but live and in the flesh they are Tony The Tiger.
Spotlight Review: The Neighbourhood - “I’m Sorry…” EP
I was a little apprehensive going into my first listen of The Neighbourhood’s “I’m Sorry…” EP. I knew they could make a great track: “Sweater Weather” deserved every bit of its success, and is sitting comfortably at the top of my Tracks Of The Year list so far. “Female Robbery” didn’t quite blow me away to the same extent, but it was certainly a pleasurable listen.
So were these a couple of flashes in the pan, or a real indication of potential? Five songs is hardly enough to predict their future career, but as far as things go I’m leaning to the latter. “Sweater Weather” is the highlight - no doubt about it - but there’s not a weak track on there. Pleasingly, it showcases a diversity of influences and approach beyond what we’ve heard so far, rather than just offering up three more of the same.
The regular line that’s been trotted out is that they have a similar sound to Lana Del Rey. It’s not an entirely unjustified comment, I suppose, although I’m hardly itching to label them West Coast Gangsta Nancy Sinatra’s (out of interest, who, other than her PRs, has ever spontaneously described Lana in that way?). We don’t need another Biggie or Tupac on our hands. My problem with the comparison, though, is that it misses the point: both look to the same set of influences; any mutual similarity is incidental.
Specifically, that set of influences largely seems to be the years between 1965 and 1978, or thereabouts. Without meaning to claim a California band for my Sceptred Isle, they’re very British Invasion. I mean, the climax of “Baby Came Home”? That’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”, isn’t it? Sounding like The Beatles is no bad thing. Most of all, though, they remind me of The Kinks; whether it’s the twang of the guitar or the wry lyrics that does it I don’t know.
Speaking of lyrics, the other regular line has been to reference singer Jesse’s previous dabbling in hip-hop, and on this front the commentary has been on point. Rhythm is absolutely central to his delivery, and the verses are often barely melodic - particularly in their current single, “Wires”. I suspect he’s wise to steer clear of the high-notes, judging by his husky tones, but this isn’t to say he can’t sing. If there’s one thing above all that stands out about the EP, it’s the brilliant vocal hooks that spring up in the choruses.
On the production side, there are some nice touches - the obscure, distorted shout that opens “Female Robbery” is quirky without being off-putting, even if “Blue Jeans” did get there first. That said, the overall sound is fairly lo-fi. Whether that’s a deliberate aesthetic or just that it’s an unsigned band’s first effort is hard to say. I don’t think they’d lose too much soul by polishing things up a little, but equally there’s a certain endearing charm to the rough edges. The drums in particular benefit from some crunch, recalling the sound of an old 12-bit sampler.
Overall, then, “I’m Sorry…” doesn’t really put a foot wrong. At its heart are four very good tracks, and one great one. You don’t get much better than that as a debut. It’s a rather laconic statement of intent, and I find myself wondering whether the boys ever plan to up the tempo, or if they’ll insist on detached understatement indefinitely. Either way, though, I’m intrigued to find out, and what more do you want from an opening gambit? At the very least, I’m that much less nervous - and that much more excited - for their next release.
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