Faronheit

Despite their new record “The Future Will Destroy You” being their sixth long player, somehow it always feels necessary to introduce or re-introduce Viva Voce every time they put out something new. Calling them forgettable is probably not the right thing to say, especially since they’re written a number of great and memorable songs, but they never seem to get enough press or notice for them. Consider them a bit of a lost treasure then, one of those secrets that if you know about them, your life feels just a little bit richer as a result. In fact, you’ve likely heard Viva Voce before whether you know it or not. Their songs have appeared in a number of popular TV shows from “Friday Night Lights” to “One Tree Hill”, and like many of those snippets, were enough to make you sit up and ask somebody who the band was before falling back into the plot and not following up properly on it. So as a primer, or a reminder for those that may have forgotten, here’s a snapshot of Viva Voce. The core of the band is made up of Portland husband and wife duo Kevin and Anita Robinson. They were the two there from the very beginning back in 1998, and it’s only been in the last couple years that they’ve added two new members to help flesh out their songs a bit more both in the studio and while performing. But Viva Voce have also done their fair share of label hopping across their catalogue, going from Asthmatic Kitty to Minty Fresh to Barsuk and now settling in with Vanguard for their newest record. They’ve toured with everyone from The Shins to Jimmy Eat World, and even established an alt-country side project called Blue Giant with some of their Portland friends that included Decemberists guitarist Chris Funk (who has since left the group). To call them seasoned musicians at this point is more than accurate, and while it’s not always the case, sometimes the records get better with age.

The best way to describe the sound of Viva Voce is probably folk-tinged psych-pop, which is just a fancy way of saying that while the band can get a little spacey and reverb-heavy in their compositions, they never reach so far out of bounds as to alienate the listener. “The Future Will Destroy You” may not feature their most upbeat collection of songs, but it does have some of their smartest and tightest to date. “Plastic Radio” opens the record with some buzzsaw guitars and a groove that’s just a touch retro and surprisingly danceable. Even more interesting is the way the song is structured, because there are essentially two separate hooks working in fascinating opposition with one another. The first is based entirely around the rise and fall of a fuzz-addled guitar, while the second is purely lyrical with Anita pushing the command to “smash that radio”. In between those things is a strong programmed beat and some funky keyboards that only add to the classic fun. The best thing about it though is how there are no actual verses in the song, but rather just a lot of ping-ponging back and forth between instrumental groove and the sung chorus. It’s a smart move in particular because you wouldn’t notice it unless you were paying very close attention. First single “Analog Woodland Song” is almost normal-sounding by comparison, though the way the guitars get choppy during the chorus adds that psychedelic edge to break out the charm that Viva Voce have become known for. The way the guitars meander in and around a sharp beat on “Diamond Mine” makes for some intense instrumental moments, so much so they pretty much outshine Anita’s reverb-heavy vocals over the first half of the song. Ironically the opposite is true on “Black Mood Ring”, where the harmony-heavy vocals (along with Kevin’s percussion work) dominate over the guitars and anything else that might stand in their way. The second half of the record contains some great tunes as well, the most notable probably being the title track, which chugs along with purpose despite its ominous lyrics and relatively patterned melody. The more acoustic-oriented melodies of “Cool Morning Sun” and “No Ship Coming In” bring out the band’s folksier side, and there’s a beauty and grace about them that isn’t especially present at other points on the album.

What “The Future Will Destroy You” does right is bring together a collection of songs that work very well together and are true to Viva Voce’s sound. That said, though this may be their tightest and most fully formed effort, it does little to advance what we already know about the band. There’s not a lot of exploration or pushing the envelope too far, which after so many years and albums you might come to expect. The small changes to the structure of a couple songs are less new ideas for them and more a return to something that has been toyed with previously. The same goes for the more extended instrumental passages, though they’ve never had so many non-vocal hooks as they do here. The ability to instill a memory of a guitar riff rather than actual lyrics is more challenging than it might appear, so kudos to the band for pulling it off multiple times. Perhaps their sonic experiments were placed more on the Blue Giant record, which tapped into a wholly different aspect of the band’s personality, even if there were a lot more cooks in that kitchen putting that record together. Kevin and Anita Robinson have returned to Viva Voce because the sounds and the lyrics they are writing make the most sense with that project. With some of the most commercially viable songs of their careers as well, one might hope they finally find the extended success they’ve richly deserved for awhile now. It’d be nice if I didn’t have to explain who they are again when their next record gets released.

Buy “The Future Will Destroy You” from Amazon

Welcome back from the weekend. Hope you enjoyed your Father’s Day, whether you are a father or not. Sure, call it a greeting card holiday if you like, but it is just one of two days out of the year where we can show appreciation towards the people that raised us (or didn’t raise us, depending on your situation). Now that we’re back at the grind, the next thing to get excited about comes tomorrow with both the first official day of summer and the summer solstice. It marks the longest day of the year, from a sunlight perspective, so make the most out of it and get outside. Pick Your Poison today is pretty good, so maybe you can scoop up some fresh tunes to listen to during that daytime tomorrow. Highlights include tracks from Banded Stilts, Marlon Rando, Mazes, Prurient, Soft Metals, Twin Sister and Wild Beasts. In the Soundcloud section you’re also going to want to have a listen to a new song from Wild Flag, the project that pairs former Sleater-Kinney members Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss with Mary Timony, among others. Great, fun stuff.

Armand Margjeka – WHat Feeling

autoKratz – Opposite of Love (Unplugged)

Bummer City – Dream

Capital Cities – Safe and Sound

Banded Stilts – Forest Oh Forest Protect Me

Grey Granite – Get Grimey (ft. Jam P. Astro)

The Island of Misfit Toys – Hermit Crab

Marlon Rando – Time Machine

Mazes – Brunswick Stack (Demo)

Mia Doi Todd + Jose Gonzalez – Um Girassol Da Cor Do Seu Cabelo

Prurient – A Meal Can Be Made

Soft Metals – Psychic Driving

Translations – Pigeon Suit

Twin Sister – Bad Street

Wild Beasts – Loop the Loop

SOUNDCLOUD

Binary – Turquoise

Dam Mantle – Not A Word

Wild Flag – Romance

By every indication, Justin Vernon is not the same man he was 3 years ago. It has been that long since his debut album “For Emma, Forever Ago” was recorded all alone under the moniker of Bon Iver out in a wintry Wisconsin cabin. The story about the creation of the album was about as perfect as the album itself, bringing with it the thought that maybe if we all just retreated from civilization perhaps we too might emerge with a similar bit of brilliance. Many have surely tried since then, but I haven’t heard any incredible “cabin in the woods” stories recently, and I’m guessing you haven’t either. But Vernon has done nothing but grow since breaking free of that self-imposed cocoon, moving forwards with a number of extra projects that includes the slow R&B collective Gayngs and the uber-experimental Volcano Choir. That’s not even making mention of his guest work on the latest Kanye West album along with the slight sonic leap forwards that was Bon Iver’s “Blood Bank” EP. While supporting that first Bon Iver record on tour, Vernon recruited an actual band to play with, and they’ve been by his side ever since, working to carefully enhance the sparse and singular acoustic guitar arrangements. He very well could have raced back to that Wisconsin cabin to record the second Bon Iver full length, but given all that’s happened to him, one gets the impression that he’s moved so far beyond that classic tale both mentally and sonically that there would be no point looking back. So instead Vernon built a recording studio out of an old veterinary clinic in Wisconsin, where he and the rest of the band crafted the new album in bits and pieces during their free time over these last 3 years. This record is self-titled, and that’s most likely because it marks a second rebirth for Vernon, signalling that Bon Iver is no longer just a singular man with a guitar but instead a full-fledged band with a vast array of tools at their disposal.

A big part of what made “For Emma, Forever Ago” so charming was the simplicity of it. The thought that a voice and an acoustic guitar were just about all the tools you needed to craft amazing songs meant that production values, studio magic and a full band were unnecessary extravagances when push came to shove. In certain cases though, such as with tUnE-yArDs, stepping up from crappy bedroom laptop recording to legitimate studio and backing band has proven not only necessary, but essential towards unleashing the full potential of an artist. Those concerned that Vernon’s upward movement towards bigger and better has spoiled his ability to write and compose smart music needn’t have worried after all, for “Bon Iver” seems to fully recognize all of the best things about that last album and worked simply to expound upon them in new and interesting ways. The anchor, as it has always been, is Vernon’s voice. That stark falsetto is truly unique in today’s musical landscape, and he once again makes the most out of it. Doubled and tripled over harmonies, Auto-Tune and a host of other effects make the singing a weapon of its own, often rising above the main course of melody to create added depth and beauty. He never quite goes to the length of the a capella acrobatics that was “Woods” off the “Blood Bank” EP, but he doesn’t need to here, particularly because there’s so much else for your ears to pick up on. The subtle uses of horns, orchestral sections and saxophones mix with digital and electro effects to make a mix that’s purposely muddy and understated. There are no sweepingly epic or overtly dramatic moments on the album, even if there are songs that build to noisy and satisfying crescendos. Intimacy is maintained primarily though Vernon’s words and his delivery of them, but for the most part there’s a natural calm that flows through the entire record from an instrumental perspective, to the point where it’s not too difficult to catch a nap during a few songs should the conditions be right. That’s not to say this album is boring, just that like any good lullaby, when you mix quiet and beautiful sometimes you’ll just close your eyes for a minute and wake up hours later.

Starting with a few seconds of pure silence, “Bon Iver”‘s opening track “Perth” works the term “slow burn” in the best way possible. The carefully picked and slightly fuzzy electric guitar initially maps out the melody, and shortly thereafter a very martial drum line kicks in to help propel that even more. After running through a couple of verses with not much of a legitimate chorus, nearly the entire final half of the song is pure instrumental build to an explosion. Chords are hit, the drums get louder, a horn section comes into play, and the best “hook” we can ask for is based purely on the guitar notes and nothing else. This is an introduction to the evolution of Bon Iver, and it’s heartening to see the band loosed from the chains of a more conventional song structure. Soft rock and a more nature-infused alt-country intersect on “Minnesota, WI”. The first half of the song moves from spacey guitar and deep drums into an almost slowed down reggae groove where flutes and saxophones all gently work with one another next to Vernon breaking out his lowest register R&B vocal that comes across as more Tunde Adebimpe than it does Bon Iver. But there’s a smooth development that enters with a subtle but fast moving acoustic guitar that’s about the auditory equivalent of a babbling forest brook. Suddenly all the other instruments begin to fade away, and in their place comes a banjo and a slide guitar. There’s also a heavy synth that pulsates through the main melody as it grinds towards a conclusion in which all the sounds collide in a melting pot that only works because of its modesty and restraint. Not everything is pure innovation or extensive with what it contains. “Holocene” is much more a vocal showcase than anything else, though the acoustic guitar and xylophone are nearly as warm and welcoming. Still, the light touch of a bicycle bell on “Michicant” or the bird chirping on “Hinnom, TX” make those songs just a touch more charming past what they’re already doing.

If there’s a point of contention on this self-titled album though, it’s going to be with closing track “Beth/Rest”. Whereas everything leading up to that point had only hinted towards something more 80s soft rock/adult contemporary, Bon Iver goes for the jugular in the end with something that would register as pure homage were it also not infused with a couple of small modern-day flourishes. Still, trying not to think about Bruce Hornsby and his kinfolk whilst listening to the song is tough, unless you’re young enough to have never been exposed to such cheese. This fucking with the idea of what’s “cool” by creating a song that is patently uncool seems to have carried over with a number of artists this year. Destroyer’s “Kaputt” worked on a lot of the same principles and managed to succeed in spite of itself. A worse example would be Heidecker & Wood’s debut album, which left you wondering if there was a joke or extreme sincerity behind it. For Bon Iver, the thinking appears to be one of acceptance. What’s cool is relative, and while we all make mistakes from time to time, we shouldn’t have to defend things or music that we truly love no matter how bad it might be to others. Even then, were we to search hard enough, perhaps we can find something great about an otherwise terrible thing or song. For me, “Beth/Rest” is worthwhile and a solid album closer less because it’s a decent song and more because of what it represents and tries to do. Certainly it will have its critics, but where some will see fault others will see perfection. 80s adult conteporary may be a crap genre, but at least Bon Iver has taken the risk and wound up making that crap sound almost listenable.

To say that expectations were high for the second Bon Iver album would be an understatement. “For Emma, Forever Ago” touched so many people who identified with its sparse and somber message. It is a record about heartbreak and attempting to move past it. As a contrast, “Bon Iver” isn’t about a woman but instead more about a place or places. You look at the song titles, from “Minnesota, WI” to “Wash.” to “Calgary” and “Lisbon, OH”, and whether they’re real or not, they all dictate a location. There’s controversy about whether or not this new album is titled “Bon Iver” or if it’s “Bon Iver, Bon Iver”, as if dictating that the band were a city and state unto themselves. Whatever the reality might be, this is an album that is searching for a home. We all get a little lost sometimes and become unsure of where to go or who to turn to. Consider this your travelling companion as you seek that refuge from whatever it is that is causing you distress. It is your port in a storm, your warm blanket when you are cold, or your moment of clarity amidst a sea of confusion. These are incredible songs composed with the utmost care and skill so as to hold consistent and thematically strong. If JUstin Vernon had just turned in another record filled with acoustic guitar ballads it would likely be very nice, but ultimately a little disappointing. Consistent development of your own sound is important, and Bon Iver have grown in big ways here. The influence of Vernon’s other projects is stamped on this album, but never to the point of open distraction or in such a way where we’d consider it anything else than something Bon Iver would do. The quietly graceful tone and how most of the songs blend into one another also helps to see this as a singular piece rather than a collection of individual songs. Standout first single “Calgary” may give you a good idea of how this record sounds, but to fully understand it requires at least one time through without any breaks or pauses or skipping. Allow yourself to be enveloped in the natural serenity it offers. Try to forget what you know, or think you know about this band and the sort of music they make, just to see if it resonates with you. If it does, maybe you can build a little home for it inside your heart.

Bon Iver – Calgary

Buy “Bon Iver” from Amazon

Father’s Day is this Sunday. I hope that if you have a father (or stepfather or grandfather) that you love and respect, maybe show him a little extra bit of that this weekend. I am not a father or uncle or anything else of significance, so I’ve got nothing coming my way, but I’ll be dishing it out. Best of luck to you if you’re a father of some sort this weekend. Unless you’re the deadbeat or abusive kind. Okay, so Pick Your Poison today is another solid Friday edition. Top picks include songs from Crystal Swells, Finn Riggins, Jonti, My First Earthquake, Sundelles and Will James.

Arctic Death – Golden

The Bandana Splits – Sometimes

Bones Howell – Hair of the Dog

Crystal Swells – Mellow Californian

Damien Damien – Zero (Bart BMore Remix)

Finn Riggins – Some Are Knightz

Foster the People – Pumped Up Kicks (Chrome Canyon Remix)

Jonti – Firework Spraying Moon

Magnum – Grooveworks

Marlena Shaw – California Soul (A.Skillz Remix)

The Mattson 2 – Black Rain

My First Earthquake – Nice to See You

Parfum Brutal – Today (I’m Not A Band Remix)

Stranded Horse – What Difference Does It Make? (The Smiths cover)
Stranded Horse – And the Shoreline It Withdrew in Anger

Sundelles – Gold

Will James – Unsuddenly

With Hidden Noise – Don’t You Know

SOUNDCLOUD

Ex Reverie – Near

Les Big Byrd – Zig-Smile (Carli Remix)

WhoMadeWho – Every Minute Alone

There are thousands of female singer-songwriters out there, every single one of them hoping to find a big break. Most never make it beyond their own bedrooms, and it’s really the cream of the crop that tend to get enough notice to earn a record deal. Even then your future is by no means set in stone, as underperforming to label expectations can result in the plug being pulled from your deal. This unfortunate reality is one that Marissa Nadler knows all too well. Kemado released her 2009 album “Little Hells”, and while it was met with solid praise by those that heard it, apparently not enough people did hear it to satisfy her financial backers. So upon being dropped by her label, Nadler went on the offensive and did something that was relatively unheard of at the time: she asked fans to donate money via Kickstarter to help fund her next record. After reaching her goal, the rest of the pieces slid into place and became her fifth full length album.

As with any artist, not just female singer-songwriters, consistent innovation is the key to survival. Turn in the same record 3 or 4 times and people will write you off. Marissa Nadler has done exactly what she’s needed to across four albums, and now her self-titled new one continues that evolution. While gentle acoustic guitar and that gorgeous voice of hers are still the two main attractions in her songs, “Little Hells” saw her moving towards more lush and varied instrumentation. That trend continues here, with doses of everything from vibraphones to orchestration and a light dose of synthesizers. She’s not so much using more of these extra elements, but rather better at implementing them than before. A song like “Puppet Master” is a solid example of that, moving from a light acoustic guitar shuffle into something a little more retro and sprightly with some added playfulness via vibraphone. The fluid tempo changes along with a mood shift are just a couple of the ways this is a continued innovation from what’s come before. The way that opening track “In Your Lair, Bear” steadily builds in intricacy over the song’s duration without ever rushing or sounding out of place is a great testament as well to her maturity as an artist. Most others would not have pulled that off with such grace and poise.

There’s not much to be said about the development of Nadler’s voice, primarily because her beautifully calm yet disaffected presence has not changed much, if at all. In her higher octave ranges she still sounds very precious a la Joanna Newsom, but the way she juxtaposes that with darker and colder imagery is what helps to set her apart. The biggest way Nadler has grown from her last album is via her lyrics. The very impersonal and story-filled songs of her past now remove character names and fanciful elements to actually use the word “I” a whole bunch. Descriptions too are far more down to earth and realistic. Rather than going off on some obtuse and illogical sweep of romanticism, here she sees the forest for the trees and no longer reaches to those heights. That’s less to say she sounds defeated but more to say these songs become more easily relatable because they seem like she’s actually experienced them. When you’ve never truly loved before, there’s a wide-eyed innocence that permeates your world view and tends to make you believe that you’ll wind up in some sweeping epic of a relationship that’s just like the stars on the movie screen. The older and wiser you become in the ways of love, or alternately speaking the more you’ve had your heart broken, the more you come to realize what the real lessons to be learned are. So with songs like “Alabaster Queen” and “Baby I Will Leave You in the Morning”, Nadler is dealing with some of the tougher aspects of dealings between men and women. Despite its title, “Wedding” is not all magic, flowers and endless love, even if the downer of an implication is that sometimes people get married for the wrong reasons. It’s unfortunate that Nadler isn’t a more upbeat person in her songs, though if she were many of these songs might not be as effective.

With “Marissa Nadler” comes something of a plea. In spite of all the kind words that have been said about her in the past, present and presumably future, the fact remains that she’s one of those artists that is beloved by those that have heard her. The issue seems to be that not enough people have heard her. Sure, she raised enough cash to make this new record, but it wasn’t enough to keep her contract the last time around. Now pretty much entirely independent, there’s a distinct lack of promotion that tends to go along with that. In all likelihood this won’t be the last album we hear from her, but she may have to go around with her hand out asking for money again to help raise money for it. The hope is she won’t need to do that. Maybe you buy two copies of the record and give one to a friend. Maybe you just tell some friends about her. Whatever you can do individually to help her out so we don’t lose a talent like hers. Strong female singer-songwriters are not a dime a dozen, and the more you listen to their individual records the more you realize that it takes a certain special something to really connect with you in a meaningful way. Cat Power has it. So does Feist and Sharon Van Etten. And Marissa Nadler has it as well. Open yourself up to that power by giving her album a try.

Marissa Nadler – Baby I Will Leave You in the Morning

Buy “Marissa Nadler” from Amazon

Let’s briefly talk news. Rep. Anthony Weiner of New York finally wound up resigning today. I’m not one to talk politics, particularly because it sparks such debate, but I do want to briefly go into the semantics of a political sex scandal. When talking about politicians and their personal lives, is there anything that says they are required to be of the highest moral fiber and upstanding individuals? Isn’t that what our religious leaders are supposed to be? Last time I checked, there was separation of church and state, which means that if a politician does something immoral such as cheating on a spouse, it shouldn’t make that much of a difference unless that sort of thing affects job performance. Sure, we expect a certain level of decency from our public figures, and hypothetically speaking they’re supposed to be better people than us, representing the good of society rather than their own personal desires. Which is why there is such an outrage when Weiner sends out a lewd photo or Bill Clinton sleeps with an intern. Yet they’re still human and are often subject to greater temptation than the rest of us. I guess what I’m trying to say is that those that are unable to do their job effectively shouldn’t continue to do so, no matter if they’re a complete scoundrel or morally upstanding. The opposite is true too. In the case of Rep. Weiner, it was less the scandal and more the moral outrage caused by the scandal that was his downfall. Had he refused to resign, he might well have become a lame duck Congressman, with colleagues refusing to listen to or support him as a result of this scandal. You can’t get very far in life without the help of some friends, so when your friends abandon you, that ladder climbing comes to a screeching halt. And so it goes. No matter which side of the political aisle you lie on, his resignation was ultimately the right thing to do. Better to give somebody else a shot rather than watch him put up a futile effort against the giant of public opinion that’s near impossible to beat.

Okay, that’s my diatribe for the day. Agree or disagree, you don’t have to read it if you don’t want to. Let’s talk Pick Your Poison. Highlights today include tracks from Braid, Future Islands, Pepper Rabbit, Peter Wolf Crier, Sebadoh and VHS or Beta. Major Lazer’s remix of a Beastie Boys song off their new record (and featuring Santigold) is in the Soundcloud section and is remarkably great as well.

Astrid Swan – Box Elder (Pavement cover)

Braid – The Right Time

Delay Trees – Tarantula/Holding On

Diva – Glow Worm

DJ JS-1 – Last to Know (ft. Tonedeff)

Future Islands – Before the Bridge

Gramatik – So Much for Love (ZIP)

Jason Ajemian & the HighLife – Bliss is This

Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground – World’s Entire

Penguin Prison – Multi-Millionaire (Graphics Remix)

Pepper Rabbit – Rose Mary Stretch

Peter Wolf Crier – Right Away

Rubblebucket – Worker

Sebadoh – Skull

Silver Medallion – Blackmail (ft. Dame Fifty5)

VHS or Beta – I Found A Reason

SOUNDCLOUD

Alex Clare – Hands Are Clever

Beastie Boys – Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win (Feat. Santigold) (Major Lazer Remix Edition)

Nikki Lane – Gone, Gone, Gone

VITAL – Going Back

Because it’s summer and I like doing those sorts of things, I went to the movies on a Wednesday evening. “Super 8″ was the film of choice, and I feel like taking a second to show appreciation towards it. If you were a fan of a host of Steven Spielberg classics such as “E.T.”, “Jaws” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”, there’s a ton to love about “Super 8″. It reaches for that sort of nostalgia and does a great job with it. Spielberg produced it, and J.J. Abrams directed it with that purposeful mentality. The child actors are great, particularly Elle Fanning, and Kyle Chandler is a favorite of mine courtesy of “Friday Night Lights”. It’s some of the most fun you can have amidst a sea of rather tepid movies so far this summer. “Bridesmaids” is another big winner if you ask me. As far as Pick Your Poison goes today, there’s a handful of winners in there too. I can put a stamp of approval on tracks from Appetite, German Error Message, The Mountain Goats, Shimmering Stars, Cloud Nothings side project Total Babes, and The Trophy Fire. There’s also a new Against Me! track in the Soundcloud section if you’re into that sort of thing.

Appetite – Fiery Ring

Caroline Smith – Tanktop
Caroline Smith – Scholarships

Chad Valley – Now That I’m Real (Courtship Remix)

Circuit Des Yeux – 3311

Common Prayer – Love–>Building on Fire (Talking Heads cover)

Crystal Shipsss – Song 5 (Sunshine)

Doug Hoyer – Northern Lights
Doug Hoyer – Oh the Wind Will Blow

Futurecop! – The Only Way On Up (Dreams) (SposhRock Remix ft. Keenhouse)

German Error Message – In Comforting

Ka$ual – I Don’t Take L’s (ft. Jon Bellion)

Michael David Layne – Take A Look

The Mountain Goats – High Hawk Season

Retro/Grade – Mindfighter (Gigi D’Angelos Euro Mix)

Shimmering Stars – I’m Gonna Try

Southerly – Ascend

Total Babes – Like They Always Do

The Trophy Fire – Chasing the Ghost

SOUNDCLOUD

Against Me! – Russian Spies

Oh! Pears – Under The Olive Trees

While I try to avoid talking about sports on the site, mainly because I’m not entirely sure how much of my readership actually follows sports (or U.S. sports even), but I want to take a moment to talk NBA playoffs. As you may or may not have heard, the Miami Heat were taken down by the Dallas Mavericks for the championship this year. The odds were stacked against them at every turn, but they overcame those odds and came away victorious. It’s always exciting to see an underdog win, and the Mavs were no exception. That combined with the cocky attitude of Lebron James made for what was almost a sweet humbling of a guy that needs a healthy dose of it. The worst part though came after that last game ended, when Lebron came out and said that everybody that was rooting against him now have to return to their “pathetic” lives and jobs they don’t like. Seriously, the guy is totally endearing himself to everyone (sarcasm). So I just wanted to say congratulations to the Mavericks for showing that sometimes the good guys do win despite heavy odds in the other direction. Okay, so Pick Your Poison today has another nice assortment of tracks. Highlights include songs from Dark Mean, Hercules and Love Affair, Its Overture and Mothers of Gut. Be sure to also have a look at Bjorn of Peter, Bjorn and John’s remix of Architecture in Helsinki, not to mention a cool Iggy Pop live track.

Aaron Lee & The Love Vigilantes – Wrecking Ball

Architecture in Helsinki – Contact High (Bjorn Yttling Remix)

Braidwood Pond – Wear Your Inside Out
Braidwood Pond – Day to Day

CIRC – Mo Tin Club

Dark Mean – Smoke Lake

Frauson – Doomed at Ragnarok’s Trial

Hercules and Love Affair – Painted Eyes

Hollidayrain – Up (ft. Kenton Dunson)

Iggy Pop – Turn Blue (Live)

Its Overture – Walk

Mothers of Gut – Stalemate

Peter Webster – Footprints

Scarlet Season – History of Violence

The Speechless Radio – Perforations

Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players – Open Everything

SOUNDCLOUD

Cold Specks – Holland

Dark and Stormy – Here Comes Another One

Electric Wire Hustle – This World (ft. Georgia Anne Muldrow)

Maya Jane Coles – Focus Now

If you’re going to call your band Fucked Up, you’d best earn the name. If you’ve ever seen Fucked Up’s live show, in which the not-tiny frontman Damien Abraham aka Pink Eyes typically strips down, jumps into the crowd and destroys things on stage, then that might be reason enough to justify the name. What’s perhaps the scariest and most threatening thing about the band though is how legitimately brilliant they are. Behind the captivating live show, Fucked Up don’t write energetic punk rock songs that thrive solely on instrumental mastery and wild vocals. They’re one of those rare bands that actually tries to make music with an intricately designed purpose. Their first album “Hidden World” was technically concept-free, but there were commonalities and themes present across it if you paid close enough attention. 2008′s “The Chemistry of Common Life” was thematically strident in its presentation of songs about the mysteries of birth and death as well as the origins of life and re-birth. As if that wasn’t already somewhat impressive, the band has also been steadily releasing 12″ singles as part of their “Zodiac” series, which started in 2006 and has continued at a rate of about 1 per year. Naturally, everything in the Zodiac series deals with whatever animal is up on the Zodiac chart for that particular year the song will be released. Where things really start to get heavy though is this past year, in which Fucked Up have been intensely working on their very own punk rock opera. A story was written, surrounding the character known as David, a man that has been the subject of a couple Fucked Up songs in the past. Leading up to the actual album though, this year’s Record Store Day saw the release of “David’s Town”, a “compilation” record that features a collection of fictional bands from David’s fictional hometown of Byrdesdale Spa, UK. The style of music was decidedly Britpop, though the boys in Fucked Up put it all together and had a series of guests come in to handle vocals which included Danko Jones, Ben Cook, Cloud Nothings and A.C. Newman. The lengths this band has gone to in an effort to make immensely smart and effective punk rock while also providing completely extraneous elements that appear to be more about fun than function, now THAT is fucked up. Give a close listen to the finally finished, 78-minute full concept that is “David Comes to Life”, and you’ll agree with that sentiment completely.

The story behind “David Comes to Life” isn’t 100% clear, but that seems to be the way that Fucked Up intended it. Spread out across four parts and 18 total tracks, we meet David Eliade, a worker at a light bulb factory in the UK who appears to be unhappy with his life. One day he meets Veronica, an outspoken rebel and Communist, and falls in love with her. Via her committment to her cause though, she winds up getting killed in a terrorist bombing, which crushes David emotionally. While he wallows in misery, he learns details surrounding Veronica’s death might not be as clear-cut as they first appeared. It all leads to the thrilling conclusion in which David finally learns the truth and becomes emotionally unburdened. That’s the broad view of the story, neglecting the many fine details that are layered across the entire record but are not always easily understood. There’s a whole thing about the narrator of the story telling one version of what happened vs. David’s version of what happened vs. David’s ex-girlfriend Vivian’s version of what happened, so if it makes total sense to you consider yourself lucky. Pink Eyes’ rough and tumble vocal style doesn’t help with translation much either, and you’re best off following along with a lyrics sheet rather than trying to hear every word that’s being sung. What also is a story without dialogue from other characters, which is why Cults’ Madeline Follin and singer/songwriter Jennifer Castle both lend their vocal talents to characters like Veronica and Vivian. That variation in perspective and singers is actually of great benefit on a record like this, helping to provide something a little smoother and more emotionally strident next to Pink Eyes’ attack dog method. Despite his “one note” style, Pink Eyes sounds better and more vital on this record than he ever has before, which at the very least says something about personal growth and an ability to adjust should the need arise.

The real challenges a record like “David Comes to Life” provide are more those of patience and virtue than anything else. Though divided into parts, the record as a whole is intended to be digested in a singular sitting. Translation: to properly listen to this album is to carve over an hour out of your day to focus on it. With all of its energy and intense moments, it’s a really thrilling 78 minutes and one that deserves to be heard straight through as often as you can. But should you need to break the record down to the bare essentials, those moments that will get you off the quickest because there’s only so much time, there are a few notable highlights to keep an ear out for. “Queen of Hearts” surges to life like a sharper, racing punk rock take on a Bruce Springsteen song. Titus Andronicus had something similar going with last year’s “The Monitor”, but that record doesn’t have quite the wall of guitars and visceral vocals this does. The hook is dynamic and effortlessly catchy, and Follin shines in her singular verse matched against your typical Pink Eyes throaty yell. A mere couple tracks later, “Turn the Season” is dark and powerful in the best sort of way, an emotional sea change that provides a strong pathway into the next chapter of the storyline. “Ship of Fools” is a fist-pumping anthem that featured a sharp mid-track guitar solo that helps motivate it to another level. The head-bobbing rhythm of “The Recursive Girl” makes it one of the more genuinely fun moments on the record, and the guitars are also scaled back just a tiny bit to give the melody just a little more room to breathe. By the time the final cut “Lights Go Up” crawls out with a backing vocal assist from Kurt Vile, there’s a brightness and celebratory air happening. Pink Eyes’ scream has turned from one of desperation, frustration and pain into something vital and life affirming. It’s not only a triumph for the main character of David, but also the band, having just conquered a mountain of a record. Hell, if you listen to the whole thing from start to finish you’ll feel that same sense of relief as the guitars slowly fade away into a single tone that beeps almost like a hospital heart monitor, slowly and steadily until it finally stops cold when the album does.

When you make a heavy concept record like “David Comes to Life”, you run a huge risk of having everything turn out disastrous. The Decemberists seemed to learn their lesson after putting out “The Hazards of Love” to mixed reviews, though many of the complaints were more about their constantly increasing rate of pretension rather than the legitimate quality of the music. One could argue that punk rock is a much more ideal format for the rock opera, given its expedient and noisy nature, we’re less inclined to care about hearing something truly innovative making it that much more of a surprise when we do. Green Day worked that angle to massive success with their album “American Idiot”, even if they faltered significantly with its equally conceived follow-up “21st Century Breakdown”. For Fucked Up, “David Comes to Life” represents the culmination of years of hard work and development, and thankfully it appears to be entirely worth it. The sheer steps from conception through execution have been nothing short of smart, and the songs are both effortlessly catchy and raw while simultaneously having to deal with the heavy story content required. “Tommy”. “Zen Arcade”. “Double Nickels on the Dime”. These are some of the big and legendary records “David Comes ot Life” has to match up with, and in effect, it has. Punk rock album of the year contenders, meet your frontrunner.

Fucked Up – Queen of Hearts
Fucked Up – Ship of Fools
Fucked Up – A Little Death
Fucked Up – The Other Shoe

Buy “David Comes to Life” from Amazon

Phew. Just had a wild weekend and am still working on recovering from it. Hope yours was grand too. Straight into business, good stuff and lots of stuff in today’s Pick Your Poison. I can recommend tracks from Esmerine, Jackie-O Motherfucker, Little Deadman, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, and Vetiver. Also be sure to check out the new Active Child song in the Soundcloud section, which features How to Dress Well.

Acid House Kings – Would You Say Stop? (Perfect Nines Remix)

Bearstronaut – Roger Was A Dancer

Betty Black – Spring Blossoms

Bikini – R.I.P. (CFCF Remix)

Burning Codes – We Are Like Gold

Esmerine – A Dog River

Grace Sings Sludge – The Same Way

Grown-Ups – Business School

Jackie-O Motherfucker – Where We Go

James & Evander – Constellating

Little Deadman – Shooting Seagulls

Megan Bonnell – South Korea

The Sounds – Something to Die For (Skitsnygg Remix)

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks – Senator

Superhumanoids – Mikelah

Swedish House Mafia – Save the World (Brass Knuckles Remix)

Vetiver – Wonder Why

SOUNDCLOUD

Active Child – Playing House (Ft. How To Dress Well)

Damn Dogs – Very First Century

Ivy – Distant Lights

Martin Clancy & The Witness Protection Programme – You Can’t Stop The Rain

When properly structured, there are some records that automatically put you in a good mood. You could be having a seriously bad day, but find some time, throw on some headphones and a great album can transport you to a place of solace and comfort, both warming you with its embrace while also providing you with plenty of reason to smile. Matt & Kim are indie rock’s “first couple” when it comes to overzealous, super happy music, to the point where you’re often left doubting that any single person, let alone two people, could ever be THAT happy THAT much. Similarly, the early days of Los Campesinos! featured the English collective with their high energy pop songs and excessive use of the glockenspiel, and so many fell in love with that side of their personality, even if they’ve since branched out and gone a bit darker/heavier/slower recently. Among the many ways of describing such a feeling that this sort of music gives you, joyous and celebratory are two great adjectives to use. When it comes to 2011, particularly summer 2011, the band that should be on everyone’s smiling lips is Givers. Their debut album “In Light” is very much as the title describes, not to mention their cover art shows – a massive bright spot shines amidst a collection of stars and other space elements. Yes my friends, if you’re in need of a serious pick-me-up, here it is.

In the first 4.5 minutes of “In Light”, which amounts to the opening track and first single “Up Up Up”, there’s a whole host of instruments that show up and almost as quickly disappear in the mix to the point where if you blink you’ll miss them. The standard guitars and drums are just the beginning, and everything from handclaps to shakers to xylophones, keyboards and flutes all make an appearance at one point or another. The ultimate result shares a lot of qualities with Afropop, in that the moments the song settles into a groove you can easily imagine Vampire Weekend or Paul Simon trying the same thing. But the great part about the track is how it transcends that easier definition by throwing curveballs at you. Call it a hybrid between a number of different pop styles and then throw some seriously great vocal harmonies between Taylor Guarisco and Tiffany Lamson for an increased sense of beauty. So it’s complicated, beautiful AND fun? It’s one of the big reasons why Givers are a band to keep a close eye on. What makes this record even better is how the band continues to play with sounds and genres without firmly ascribing to any of them. They never stay in one place for too long, and it’s that inability to figure out exactly where they’ll go next that makes them so damn fascinating. That and their constant energy matched with some heavily catchy choruses makes for some stellar party music. One could argue that the sheer exuberance of this record and how Givers doesn’t really ever slow down until the second-to-last track is a problem, but since when is having too much enthusiasm detrimental? If anything, it’s impressive they’re able to keep it up for so long. You’ll likely get tired before they will, which is probably why some will take the band to task for that.

The way that Givers first began to get notice was when they opened a 2009 show in their home state of Louisiana for heroes of theirs, Dirty Projectors. If you find the obtuse charm of Dirty Projectors to be a little too strange for your taste, “In Light” is like an easier on the ears version of much of that band’s catalogue. You can especially hear it in the finger-picked electric guitar work on a track like “Noche Nada”, which in spots mimics Dave Longstreth’s best moments. The Dirty Projectors crew liked Givers so much based on that one show, they would eventually ask the band to join them for an east coast tour a few months later. They haven’t really stopped since then, and it’s almost a wonder that there was time to actually record “In Light”, for which they recruited producer Ben Allen, who is notable for working with Animal Collective and Deerhunter, among others. A big part of why Givers rarely take a break from touring is how easily they win over crowds. They’ve been raved about at SXSW and a whole host of other places, based primarily at the time on only having released a self-titled EP. Now that their full length is out, expect not just a lot more dates but for the crowds to continue to grow larger and larger. So much about “In Light” suggests that Givers are destined for not just big but HUGE things, which is why it would behoove you to start paying attention now, if you haven’t been already. The weather’s warm, the beaches are open, and this album wants to be your soundtrack. Between this and the self-titled debut from Cults, you’re not going to find two bands better equipped to entertain you for the season, if not the rest of 2011.

Buy “In Light” from Amazon

Big music news today, while Bonnarroo is going down: Jack White and Karen Elson are getting divorced. You’d think that’d be a really sad or bad situation, but apparently both parties are totally fine with it. So much so that they’re celebrating their sixth wedding anniversary with a divorce party. That’s not normal, but then again neither are White and Elson. I mean, Jack White started The White Stripes with his first wife Meg after they were already divorced. Most breakups mean you spend LESS time with each other, not more. Next thing you know, White will announce a new band called The Black Stripes or The Elson Stripes and he’ll be teaming up with his brand new ex. Of course she’s got a music career of her own right now, so that would make even more sense. Ah well, whatever. I wish those two crazy kids the best in whatever ventures they choose to embark on, musical or personal. Now on with the Friday edition of Pick Your Poison. Highlights include tracks from Extra Happy Ghost, King Post Kitsch, Matt Bauer (covering Magnolia Electric Co.), S.C.U.M. (as remixed by Grimes). Sun Airway, Telepathe, and Total Warr. In other words, there’s tons of great songs in this set, and sure to add some spice to your weekend. Enjoy!

Big Deal – 13 (Big Star cover)

Elisapie – Turning My Back

Extra Happy Ghost – So At One

Great Book of John – Let Me Slide

Joakim – Forever Young (Discodeine Remix)

King Post Kitsch – Walking on Eggshells

Matt Bauer – Hammer Down (Magnolia Electric Co. cover)

Noisy Crane – Wrong Timing

Sassy!!! – So Bad It’s Good

S.C.U.M. – Summon the Sound (Grimes Remix)

Shannon Curtis – Brightest Light in the Room

Sleepwalkers – Rear Window

Sun Airway – Wild Palms

Telepathe – Destroyer

Tobias – Gorija

Total Warr – Pleasure is the Death of Desire

Vagabonds & Zambian Astronaut – A Declaration (ft. Mog)

ZACK Glass – Just Another Day

SOUNDCLOUD

Azari & III – Hungry For The Power [Art Department Remix]

Cinematic – Structure