You may know Frankie Rose from any number of bands she’s been in the last few years. She’s been the drummer for Vivian Girls, Crystal Stilts and Dum Dum Girls, which if you know all those bands you know they’ve got a lot in common sonically. They were all part of the lo-fi garage rock revival that took place not so long ago, and her leaving those bands also pretty much coincided with the hype dying down on that sort of music. In 2010 she took matters into her own hands and started Frankie Rose and the Outs, an all female band that had a very retro 60s girl group vibe to it. Once again restless and discontent with what she was doing musically, the Outs became out of a job late last year. Rose is now continuing on her own, under her own name, though with a couple supporting players to fill out the sound. She’s also changed her sound again, and her new album Interstellar takes a cue from 80s new wave. Listen carefully and you’ll hear shades of New Order, The Cure, and The Human League in their finer moments. The synths sparkle, the drums burst open and echo, and Rose’s light, airy vocal keeps it all afloat. There are great retro pop moments all over this thing, from the beat-heavy “Know Me” to the ridiculously catchy “Night Swim”. She’s overdubbing her own vocal harmonies now too, and it adds a precious beauty to ballads like “Pair of Wings” and “Apples for the Sun”. The focus and strength on display across the record is remarkable, and it’s a real pleasure to hear her embrace that and excel despite the continued tweaks to her style and band personnel. Interstellar isn’t the sort of album you deeply analyze, but the more time you spend with it the more the little moments make their presence felt. In some ways, those are the most rewarding kinds of albums.
Author: Faronheit Page 138 of 192
This is just a quick administrative post to let you know that a couple times each week I’ll be publishing what I like to refer to as “snapshot reviews”. The idea behind the snapshot review is to provide an album review in shorter form. For a typical album review I’ll spend around 5 hours composing an in-depth analysis of a record’s strengths and weaknesses. As I only have so many hours in a day and I’ve been publishing less and less written content the last few months, the goal of these snapshots is to provide more analysis and give more exposure to more albums and artists without sacrificing some of the bigger picture elements. I’ll still be publishing longer form album reviews 2-3 days a week, but the other days I’ll be padding out with these shorter reviews. I hope you enjoy them. The first one goes up in a few hours. Thanks for your patience, and keep listening to new music!
In honor of it being Friday, I’m going to keep this short and sweet like usual. I will make a quick mention though that starting next week I’ll be trying something new on the site. I’m not going to reveal the details of it just yet, but let’s just say it allows me to get more done and provide more content to you on a daily basis. We’ll see how it goes and if it works out then great. In the meantime, enjoy these songs to give your weekend an extra boost. I’ll recommend tracks from Baby Teardrops, The Clean, The Dead Ships, Gorillaz collaborating with Andre 3000 and James Murphy, The Great American Canyon Band, Mystery Pills, Pond and The Wooden Sky. In the Soundcloud section there’s a pretty good remix of Bombay Bicycle Club, and new stuff from Lazer Sword and Reptar, among others. Have a great weekend!
Baby Teardrops – I Can Live My Life Alone
Born With Stripes – …You Stole the Laces From My Shoes
The Clean – Tally Ho
The Clean – In the Dreamlife U Need A Rubber Soul
The Cuban Brothers – You Don’t Have to Take Your Clothes Off
The Dead Ships – Bones Cracked
The Dead Ships – Before You Go
Gorillaz, Andre 3000 and James Murphy – DoYaThing (ZIP)
The Great American Canyon Band – Tumbleweed
Mystery Pills – The Glass Traditions
Night Beds – Wanted_You in August
Romanthony – Hold On (Logo’s Hold-Up Remix)
The Sweet Serenades – Moving On
SOUNDCLOUD
Bombay Bicycle Club – How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep (Scuba Remix)
Quantic & Alice Russell with the Combo Barbaro – Look Around The Corner
What to talk about today. Oh, I don’t think I’ve officially weighed in on Chris Brown yet, so long after the fact, let me talk about that briefly. There’s been a bit of talk about Brown these last few weeks after a few things happened. First, they let him into the Grammys. Then they let him on stage at the Grammys. And let him perform. More than once. Brown stepped up his swagger a bit on Twitter, basically condemning those “hating” on him. Throw onto the fire some girls Tweeting that they would let Brown beat them up. Plus all sorts of evidence that Brown and Rihanna had become very friendly again, possibly even reignited their relationship. Plus, they recorded a song together. All these things happened within the last month. Most recently, and we’re talking days ago, WWE Superstar CM Punk got into a bit of an online feud with Brown, resulting in some rather hostile exchanges. Punk took to YouTube to give his side of things, and his response has gone viral. Personally, I’m in agreement with Punk and a whole lot of other people that feel like Chris Brown should just go away. I’m not saying “go away” like no longer exist, but instead just retreat from the spotlight. The doors of success and fame should be closed to him. So should every woman. If you hit a woman, you don’t deserve to be with one. Period. Sorry to go all dark and social issues and talk about artists that really have nothing to do with the content on this site. Some mp3s will make it better. In today’s Pick Your Poison, I’d advise you to have a listen to tracks from Bosco, Cadence Weapon (who samples Grimes on the track below), Crocodiles, Dustin Wong, Morningbell, Ryan Monroe (of Band of Horses), and Wooden Wand. Have a look in the Soundcloud section too for new stuff from M. Ward and TV Buddhas.
Crocodiles – Sunday (Psychic Conversation #9)
Go Back to the Zoo – Beam Me Up
Gotye ft. Kimbra – Somebody That I Used to Know (Francis Prève Remix)
Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires – Centreville
Les Jupes – If This Is the Light
Morningbell – You Think I Don’t Know (But I Know)
Pink Mink – Earthquake on the Loose
Ryan Monroe – Any Way, Shape or Deformity
Spottiswoode – Beautiful Monday
Wooden Wand – Motel Stationary
SOUNDCLOUD
Dani Deahl Ft. Oh Snap! – Diplo Hates You (Original Mix)
M. Ward – Primitive Girl (Single Version)
Sleigh Bells have an expiration date. That expiration date is sooner rather than later. Quite simply, their sustainability factor is very low. They are in many ways the equivalent of a ribbon of magnesium set aflame – igniting quickly, burning white hot for a few seconds and then going dark. The reason why they’re working on such a limited time frame has less to do with the hype cycle and more to do with the niche they’ve carved out for themselves. Their heavy metal riffage and schoolgirl innocent vocals are unique to a fault, because as exciting and headbangingly good as the songs on their debut album Treats were, they failed to expand beyond that realm. There’s only so much that can be done with the tools the duo is currently using, meaning that unless they get truly inventive, they’re liable to go stale at any minute. Enter their sophmore record Reign of Terror. For those that thought Treats was a wild experiment in volume and excess, it appears that was just the tip of the iceberg. Now the band is looking to take down the unsinkable Titanic.
Reign of Terror opens to the sound of crowd noise and singer Alexis Krauss shouting from a distance, “What the fuck is up? Come on!” If you’ve ever seen Sleigh Bells’ intense and fun live show, you know that intro is pretty true to life. Fists in the air and devil horns held high, the band wants you to know that this record is more than just a collection of songs – it’s an Event with a capital E. After a solid minute of shouting slogans behind some riffs to pump people up, “True Shred Guitar” actually kicks into full stereo mode sans crowd. “Push it, push it, push it,” Krauss insists beneath a healthy layer of vocal fuzz. That seems to be the band’s mantra for the entire album as they attempt to go bigger and bolder than ever before. If the guitars were cranked up to 11 last time, they’re now at 12, buzzing hotter than a nest filled with angry hornets. Yet in spite of the much more heavy metal nature of the songs courtesy of Derek Miller, the vocals are decidedly more stable and pop-oriented than they were on the previous record.
For much of Treats, Krauss resorted to cheerleader-like shouting that often wound up being obscured by an already crowded and red-level mix. Listen to “Infinity Guitars” or “Crown on the Ground” or “A/B Machines” and you’ll find they have more in common vocally with straight hip hop verses than they do pop songs. That record’s best moment came via “Rill Rill”, where acoustic guitars calmed the noise level and Krauss delivered a sugary sweet schoolgirl vocal. They seemed to take that song as the vocal model for most of Reign of Terror, which as a result makes it sound that much deeper and more balanced on the whole. It helps that Krauss is much more up-front and unobscured in the mix, sharing equal weight with the supremely heavy guitars. The best example of how the two opposing forces meet in the middle comes via the album’s first single “Comeback Kid”, which is bouncy and poppy without losing its harsh edge. One of the record’s quietest and most ballad-infused moments comes on “End of the Line”, where Krauss is given enough room to whisper parts of her vocal while Miller puts the power chords on the shelf and settles for some snaking 80s-esque guitar solos. “Road to Hell” holds a remarkably similar constitution to it, only the execution is a little choppier and less catchy on the whole.
Those craving something more in line with earlier Sleigh Bells material will find a couple moments to take in some fist-pumping nostalgia. “Crush” feels like it should have a music video that’s thematically similar to Nirvana’s classic “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, which is to say the band should be performing with cheerleaders at a high school pep rally inside a smoky gymnasium. And “Demons” works exceptionally well when paired with the delusional, drug-induced visions that Beavis and Butt-Head experience while lost in the desert in “Beavis and Butt-Head Do America”. Considering the main riff in the song was ripped almost directly from that TV series, the comparison makes even more sense. As the record winds to a close, the band chooses to try a few different things that work well thematically but turn in mixed results. “You Lost Me” is about suicide, but plays up a sympathetic angle to it that results in the most beautiful track Sleigh Bells have ever composed. From there it only gets darker and less distinctive. “Never Say Die” is unable to stave off death, and “D.O.A.” takes what little signs of life it has and sends it spiraling downwards. Both bear the marks of 80s metal ballads, but fail to be inspiring or memorable.
In so many ways, Reign of Terror is a better record than Treats was. Sleigh Bells show promising advancements in their sound and the way they structure their songs that would seem to suggest they’ve got a real chance at surviving far longer than anybody might think. Perhaps the best thing about the changes they’ve made on this new album is how purely subtle they are, remaining close enough to what they did on their debut to satisfy those fans while making it easier to court new ones. But for as smart as the album is, it’s also more limiting than the last one. The band has entrenched themselves further into the metal-meets-pop dynamic than ever before, and it could come back to bite them in time. Also, while built upon a stronger foundation, the songs on Reign of Terror are less immediate and memorable than the in-your-face nature of Treats. In the longer term though the new album grows on you and its charms become that much more evident. Sometimes those are the real treats.
Happy Ash Wednesday to you and yours, and if that’s not your thing, hopefully the fact that it’s also National Margarita Day entices you just as much. Today is a little bit of a sad day for the music world, as last night we found out that Women guitarist Christopher Reimer died in his sleep. He was 26 years old. Women have essentially been on a hiatus these last couple years after they fistfought one another in the middle of a show. Still, they put out two damn good records and I was always holding out hope they’d patch things up and start making music again. With Reimer gone that seems less likely than ever. I’d like to offer my condolences to his family and to his bandmates, who in spite of their differences must be putting those aside for at least a little bit. Now let’s get to today’s edition of Pick Your Poison. I’ll advise you to check out tracks from BBU, Ceremony, Ducky, Inca Gold, JD Samson + MEN, Sauna, Sonoi, U.S. Elevator and Violens.
BBU – Please No Pictures (ft. Das Racist)
BBU – Beau Sia
Damon Moon & the Whispering Drifters – Lungs, Dirt, & Dreams
The Danvilles – Seemed So Easy
Seun Kuti – The Good Leaf (Spoek Mothambo Remix)
U.S. Elevator – All Through the Night
Violens – Unfolding Black Wings
SOUNDCLOUD
The District Attorneys – Confusion of Trust
EJ – Mama, I’m Gonna Sing (Pete Tong Remix)
Happy Tuesday, friends. It is my pleasure to once again name some of the artists releasing brand new records on a day such as today, so that you may make purchases wisely. Keep in mind these aren’t recommendations per se, just a list so you know what’s out there. New albums this week come from Barna Howard, Bright Moments (who have an mp3 below), Busdriver, Cheap Girls, Christopher Paul Stelling, Colleen Green, Cursive, Damien Jurado, Damon Moon, Dustin Wong, Field Music, Frankie Rose, fun., Grimes, Guy Capecelatro III, Isidore (who have an mp3 below), The James Low Western Front, Jonquil, Perfume Genius, Pontiak, Princeton, Sara Radle (who has an mp3 below), Sleigh Bells, Tindersticks, Terry Malts, Yalls and Young Empires. Phew. Exhausting. Talking specifically about Pick Your Poison today, I’ll recommend tracks from Bright Moments, Isidore, Mirror Lady, Sara Radle, and Tripwires.
Charlotte Gainsbourg – Paradisco (Gottfried Beyer Remix)
Picture Book – Sunshine (Justin Faust Remix)
Rossi B & Luca (ft. Flirta D) – Mind the Gap (Teeza Temix Instrumental)
Virginia Plain – Electric Eyes
Virginia Plain – Swamp Thing
Wrinkle Neck Mules – Leaving Chattanooga
SOUNDCLOUD
Gazburn – Walkin’ On Another Planet
Rita Ora – Somebody That I Used To Know (Gotye & Kimbra BBC Live Lounge Cover)
Claire Boucher is nothing if not productive. As the singular force behind the musical pseudonym Grimes, she has released four full length records in the last 2 years. That started with 2010’s Geidi Primes, blossomed into Halfaxa later that year, and then continued building with Darkbloom last year. If you’ve heard approximately zero of those first three records, don’t beat yourself up too much; they sit and taunt from the deepest of deep levels in Canada’s underground electro scene. That is to say they were impressive and influential enough to earn Grimes some attention, but difficult and unfocused enough to keep her out of the spotlight for all practical purposes. Each of those first three albums was intended to play up a different side of her influences, and none of them were really all-encompassing efforts. Boucher herself has basically called them practice records for the real thing, which has finally resulted in her brand new album Visions complete with a brand new home on indie stalwart label 4AD. The end product is a remarkable and rather breathtaking skew on traditional pop music and electronica, complete with a supremely psychedelic edge that slices deep into your emotional reservoir even as it prods the pleasure centers of your brain with seductive beats and hooks.
The first thing you should know about Grimes is that she’s a producer before she’s a musician. Those two things are not mutually exclusive, but the whole point of mentioning it is because it affects the way she puts together songs. In fact, Boucher is doing what so many other forward-thinking artists are doing these days, which is attempting to break the rules of traditional songwriting and composing through the use of technology. At its core, Visions is a record created by a voice and a keyboard. Listening to it, there’s almost no way you’d realize that given all that’s going on. Virtually everything is run through some sort of filter or effect, and portions of songs are dubbed and overdubbed and smashed atop one another like some sort of sonic sandwich. Credit goes to Boucher for knowing when to stop adding more, because in more than a few cases it feels like the depths of some of the songs could be infinite. Her restraint is admirable and a great sign that she knows what she wants and tweaks it ever so slightly until she gets there. The ultimate result is a record that’s equal parts pop music and ambiance, pleasure and pain, not to mention human and computer.
The first track on Visions is “Infinite Love Without Fulfillment”, and it immediately lays out what to expect for the rest of the record. Lasting a mere 96 seconds, it confounds traditional song structure while maintaining a very danceable rhythm and sugar-sweet vocals. Boucher’s voice takes on 3 distinct personalities on the track, and they intermingle with one another with no regard for decency or clarity, to the point where it becomes like trying to listen to a single conversation in a room full of talking people. In spite of the perceived vocal confusion and the challenge of distinguishing lyrics, there’s a symbiosis and elegance to how all the moving pieces of the song work together. Indeed for most of Visions you’ll struggle to understand what Boucher is singing about, and that’s not always because of overdubbing. On the song “Genesis” for example, her singular voice is so drenched in echo it becomes the auditory effect of trying to see the car in front of you while driving through a dense fog. “Eight” turns one of her vocals into a deep-voiced robot and another into a woman that’s clearly been breathing in way too much helium. Despite all the different ways Boucher throws her vocals around, there are a few moments of genuine clarity, and those brief snapshots tend to be about relationships going through some sort of turmoil. “Oh baby I can’t say/that everything will be okay,” Boucher sings on “Circumambient”, signaling right from the start that there’s problems. Towards the end of “Skin”, she’s also in a sad place, espousing, “You touch me again and somehow it stings/because I know it is the end.”
Lyrical content is really the last thing you should be looking for on Visions though, because it’s far more about how these songs come together than it is any message they’re trying to get across. Boucher herself has said in interviews that she often feels the need to cover up her lyrics out of self-criticism over her skills as a writer but also because the melodies themselves should be telling you how to feel and not the words. With so much emphasis placed on what’s being said and not the way it’s being said, that’s a very refreshing take on pop music. Think of this record like a synth-pop inspired version of Sigur Ros, where the vocals are first and foremost another instrument in the mix rather than something intended to sit front and center as a path to deeper understanding. Or, even better, there are portions of the album that are very K-pop and J-pop influenced, and whether you’re a fan of Dance Dance Revolution or simply like those sorts of songs without speaking the language, there’s plenty of moments such as “Nightmusic” that you’ll be able to wholly enjoy. In fact, there’s a whole host of influences on Visions that may tickle your fancy depending on your tastes. Obviously if you’re into electronica and its many subgenres like IDM and Balearic you’ll be impressed with the strong beats that populate much of the record. The same goes for devotees of 80s pop, wherein the strains of a track like “Vowels = space and time” calls to mind Stacy Q or “Oblivion” has something distinctly Cyndi Lauper about it. And while 2011 was the year of the R&B revival, songs like “Be A Body” and “Skin” break out those influences as well, the former even impressing with some sky-high Mariah Carey falsettos. In spite of the various swaths of genres across the album, it all holds together quite nicely thanks to Boucher’s dynamic production style and ability to put together a very strong melody.
It goes without saying that Grimes is one of the most exciting new talents to emerge out of an ever-evolving music scene. Her previous records all hinted at what Visions would be in one way or another, and it’s extremely pleasing to hear her finally fulfill much of that early potential. For all of its oddities, this record is extremely listenable from start to finish, and cuts like “Genesis”, “Oblivion”, “Circumambient” and “Nightmusic” make it supremely catchy as well. In many ways these songs feel like the next step towards a genuine breakthrough in music, one in which a multitude of styles gives birth to a beautiful new hybrid that’s more aesthetically pleasing than any single one of them on their own. The best part is there’s continued room for improvement and growth, even as this record hovers near the precipice of perfection. Grimes has been an artist to watch from the day she first started releasing music 2 years ago, but only now, thanks to Visions will she begin to earn the attention she truly deserves.
Happy President’s Day to my American brethren. Today we essentially roll the birthdays of 2 U.S. Presidents into one day and call it a holiday. It helps that they were two of the greatest Presidents of all time, whom history books have written about both at length. George Washington was our very first President, not to mention a war hero, so his work in freeing America from British rule was clearly unprecedented at the time. Abraham Lincoln held a similar key in his hand, unlocking the freedom of millions of enslaved African Americans, even though the path to true equality wound up being far longer and more difficult than anybody would truly realize. So we salute both of those great men today, not that any of you needed a history lesson filled with the most basic facts you probably already knew. Let’s move on, shall we? In today’s special extended holiday edition of Pick Your Poison, I’m proud to recommend tracks from Black Mountain, Black Tambourine, Charli XCX (part of my Class of 2012), Diplo, Electric Flower Group, Luke Roberts, Nu Sensae, TacocaT and THEESatisfaction. In the Soundcloud section, please by all means stream some great songs from Django Django along with Trentemoller’s remix of The Drums.
Black Tambourine – What’s Your Game
Dan London – Little Bit About Me
Diplo – Express Yourself (ft. Nicky Da B)
Electric Flower Group – Eclipsed
Jonquil – It’s My Part (Co La Remix)
Miike Snow – Devil’s Work (Keys N Krates Remix)
Rusko – Somebody to Love (Skream Remix)
Subburbia – I’ve Got No Friends
tree – Universal (ft. Ariel Thiermann)
SOUNDCLOUD
The Drums – Days (Trentemoller Remix)
As I typically am on Fridays, I can’t wait to officially start my weekend. Not that my weekdays were anything worth writing home about. But there’s still that sense of relaxation and having nothing on the calendar or FUN on the calendar for a couple days that always brings some excitement to it. So I hope you’ve got a nice weekend planned, and we’ll start this whole thing again on Monday. Here’s some mp3s to get you going. I’ll recommend tracks from Christopher Paul Stelling, Eyes Wings & Many Other Things, Midtown Dickens, Sophia Knapp, Superhumanoids and The Young. There’s also a nice pair of covers in the Soundcloud section for your streaming pleasure, including Pete Yorn doing the Beach Boys and The Kills doing Velvet Underground.
The Cast of Cheers – Family (Royal Scams Remix)
Christopher Paul Stelling – Solar Flares
Clubfeet – BrightLightsBigCity
Dreamend – Your Apparition Stays With Me Still
Eyes, Wings & Many Other Things – Cruelty
Filewile – You Say I (Electric Blanket Remix)
The James Low Western Front – I Would Have You
The Jayhawks – She Walks in So Many Ways (Live)
Midtown Dickens – Only Brother
Pandercakes – Paint By Numbers
Uncle Roman’s Jetboat – Floodlights in the Sunlight
Uncle Roman’s Jetboat – Fearless Like Yourself
SOUNDCLOUD
The Kills – Pale Blue Eyes (Velvet Underground cover)
I’ve just come to the realization that a month from today, SXSW will be going on down in Austin, TX. I’m proud to announce that this will be the first year I will be attending. It’s part of a fun little adventure I’m calling Faronheit’s First Field Trip. There’s so much to see, do and absorb over the handful of days I’ll be there, and I’m excited to report back to you all the excitement. It also pleases me to learn that over half of my Class of 2012 will be performing sometime over that week. In fact, Pitchfork just announced that Nicolar Jaar, Grimes, Purity Ring and Charli XCX will be playing their showcase, which is taking place at a church. Fiona Apple is the only other artist on that bill, which for me makes it a must-see. As it’s a 400 capacity venue however, that’s going to be tough. We’ll see how things go once I’m there. As for today’s Pick Your Poison, I’m sure more than a few of the artists below will be at SXSW as well this year. Highlights today include tracks from Aaron & The Sea, The Cribs, Emily Jane White, La Sera, Lushlife, Midnight Magic’s remix of Panama, and White Hills. In the Soundcloud section, you don’t want to miss streaming tracks from House of Wolves, Mouse on Mars and That Ghost.
Aaron & The Sea – There There Creature Creature
Cats on Fire – A Few Empty Waves
Cuff the Duke – I Hear You Calling (Billy Fay cover)
Juston Stens – Edge of the Moon
Panama – Magic (Midnight Magic Remix)
So Many Wizards – Lose Your Mind
Ticktockman – Archaic Republic
Zander Bleck – Temptation (Hype Jones & Beastmode Remix)
SOUNDCLOUD
Daniel Laufer – Gentleman (ft. Chloe Charles)
Shearwater’s last three albums, 2006’s Palo Santo, 2008’s Rook and 2010’s The Golden Archipelago formed something of a trilogy for the band, a rather loose collection of songs with similar themes and sonic qualities. The whole thing came together last January when in a one-time performance in Austin, TX, the band played all 3 records back-to-back-to-back in a show they dubbed The Island Arc. The consensus in the band was The Island Arc was set to close that chapter of the band in preparation for their next step, which would be a bit different from the spacious and grandiose beauty of those three records. Besides, for all the orchestral swells and beauty that was The Golden Archipelago, it had reached a point of pretension that further enforced the idea that Shearwater was this niche band with a carved out, pre-built fan base. The quality was high, but not so many people allowed themselves to get into it. Moving beyond The Island Arc also brought more changes with it, including a switch of labels from Matador to Sub Pop, and producers from John Congleton to Phil Ek. This bold new adventure Shearwater has undertaken finally arrives in the form of their new album Animal Joy. For those turned off by the band’s expansive arrangements and complicated melodies in recent years, here’s a much simpler and more direct record that should give you a reason to take another look at Shearwater.
The cover art for Animal Joy tells you a lot about what to expect on the record itself. Two furry, clawed animal feet photographed in close-up, looking like they could tear just about anything apart, including a human being. It’s very primal in nature, and the music is too, like an attack straight at your jugular. That’s not to call it harsh or necessarily fierce, but for a band whose last 3 efforts have been largely gorgeous flights of fancy, the plain and direct way these songs are presented feels just a little bit alien. “Animal Life” quivers just a little in its finger-picked beginning, fragile but sparse beauty that it is, before Jonathan Meiburg gets his gusto up and tears into a dynamic and vital chorus. It makes for one of the poppiest songs in the band’s catalogue to date, and the ease at which it goes down is more comforting than you might think. The voracity at which single “Breaking the Yearlings” races along is equally thrilling, in part thanks to an overdubbed double percussion attack and some seriously deep guitar work. There is nothing delicate or even beautiful about it, even though the badass exterior it puts up projects a different sort of loveliness. The piano and drums chug of “You As You Were” brings a very Springsteen-esque quality to the track, which is tempered only by some plinking xylophone work and Meiburg’s commanding vocals as he chants, “I am leaving the life” as if he’s breaking free from an oppressed state. In fact much of the record’s themes are about the yearning to escape social conventions and embracing our own natural instincts.
Undoubtedly some will be left wishing for the more lush and gorgeous version of Shearwater from their last few albums, and the somewhat good news is that Animal Joy doesn’t leave those people completely out in the cold. The 6.5 minute “Insolence” does a fair and rather lovely job of bringing the first half of the record to a close in an epic ballad style that holds an air of familiarity to it. Following those moments of classic Shearwater comfort comes “Immaculate”, which roars to life at the pace of a cheetah and doesn’t slow down for even a second of its 2.5 minute duration. It is the most unique moment on the entire album, less because of originality’s sake and more because it is so unlike any of the other songs on the record. Yet after that point the album’s final few songs turn out rather bland and forgettable. “Open Your Houses (Basilisk)” tenderly jaunts along with such an instrumental similarity to Spoon that you half expect Britt Daniel to make a guest vocal appearance. The tenderness of “Run the Banner Down” and “Believing Makes It Easy” are very nice on the surface, but are ultimately very listless and whitewashed, almost as a means to an end. Speaking of the end, “Star of the Age” has plenty going for it instrumentally and vocally, but once again feels like another hat Shearwater is trying on to see if it fits. This particular piece of headwear feels as if it’s been worn a thousand times before by different people, none of whom have the same unique qualities Meiburg & Co. have going for them. Only the intensity and vibrance of “Pushing the River” brings some serious gravitas to the back half of the album, and it’s just a shame there aren’t more tracks like it to lend some additional support.
Shearwater is the sort of band that should know better by now. They’ve been in existence for over a decade, even if the first half of that was spent as Meiburg’s side project to Okkervil River. They’re right to want to change course and try something new, but it’s important to carefully think through a move like that before attempting it. Animal Joy has plenty of positives going for it, particularly in its very direct and pop-strewn first half, but eventually it loses sight of such fresh-faced charm and becomes a set of copies that it feels like we’ve heard before from different bands. Clearly their next evolutionary step is still under development. Call it a transitional record if you like, but by no means is this something to ignore. There’s moments that will suck you in and leave you breathless, while for others having the band show a little teeth and claws is a form of wish fulfillment. Meiburg’s vocals are as powerful as they’ve ever been, and drummer Thor Harris is allowed to shine like never before. If Animal Joy is treated by the band as a learning experience with the best moments used as a template for the future, things will undoubtedly remain bright for Shearwater in the future.
Shearwater – Breaking the Yearlings
Shearwater – You As You Were
Now that we’re past it, I hope you enjoyed your Valentines Day, or as some might call it, Black Tuesday. Mine involved junk food and alcohol. In other words, a normal Tuesday for me. I don’t have a whole lot of time to chit-chat today as I’m writing this and my laptop claims it’s going to shut down in 10 minutes to “install updates” and I don’t want to have to sit through all that and pick up this whole dialogue when it’s done. So let me just tell you today’s Pick Your Poison is a little larger than normal, and has plenty of solid music for you to enjoy. I’ll recommend tracks from Adam Cohen, Bobby Conn, FIDLAR, Joachim Cooder, Sandro Perri, Shannon Stephens, Viper Creek Club and Yalls. In the Soundcloud section please enjoy streaming tracks from He’s My Brother She’s My Sister as well as Marissa Nadler.
Cheers Elephant – Doin’ It, Right
Drunken Prayer – Always Sad
Drunken Prayer – The Missionfield
Eli Mardock – Everything Happens for the First Time
Joachim Cooder – Bright Light Blue (ft. Frank Lyon)
Joachim Cooder – Pointed Into Zoom (ft. Inara George)
Sandro Perri – Futureactive Kid Part 1
Shannon Stephens – What Love Looks Like
TRMRS – Goodtime Blues
TRMRS – Enter the Door
Viper Creek Club – Now You’re in the Mirror
Young Magic – Night in the Ocean (S.Maharba Serpent Love Song Remix)
Young Magic – You With Aid (Galapagoose and Wooshie’s Remix)
Yuksek – Off the Wall (Brodinski Remix)
SOUNDCLOUD
He’s My Brother She’s My Sister – Can’t See The Stars
Killer Mike – Big Beast (ft. Bun B, T.I., and Trouble)
Marissa Nadler – The Wrecking Ball Company
Happy Valentines Day to you and yours. I hope you’re steeped in love today if you’re in a relationship, and I hope everything goes well and as planned. If you’re single like me, while we’re forced to deal with all the romance of a day such as today, we can freely self-medicate with alcohol or ice cream and not feel as guilty about it. Really there’s positives about this day for everyone. And hey, there are even a couple of Valentines Day-themed songs being featured in today’s Pick Your Poison set. Please be most fully aware that the Charli XCX song, which the girl is amazing and part of my Class of 2012, that will only be available for a short while longer. If you’re reading this and are no longer able to download that mp3, well, apologies. She said she was only going to leave it up for download for the day. The other stuff hopefully sticks around for longer. I’ll recommend tracks from Casey Shea, Fenster, Howth, I Am Oak, Minarets, Spirit Animal, Sun Glitters and Voltaire Twins. In the Soundcloud section please enjoy streaming songs from Apparat and Ex Norwegian, among others.
Grouplove – Tongue Tied (Spacebrother Remix)
Octavion X – Only One You’ve Got
Soso – My Women My Guitars (Cody ChesnuTT cover)
Spirit Animal – Crocodile Skins
SOUNDCLOUD
Tennis is a band that was born out of a concept, rather than vice versa. Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley lived what many might consider a dream for several months. Married and finished with college, they sold their possessions and bought a sailboat, then leisurely traversed up the East Coast on it. Consider it almost the alternative to spending a year backpacking in Europe. Their adventures and intense time spent together inspired them along with their shared love of music led to the creation of Cape Dory, their debut album. It was a fun little indie pop record that in many ways was a musical scrapbook of their trip, given that all the songs related to experiences they had and feelings felt during that time. Considering the duo has been touring almost nonstop since their album came out 13 months ago, it’s something of a wonder they found the time to write and record a follow-up. Even then, without a sailing excursion to mine for material, what would they come up with for the all-too-important sophmore effort? And though their first singles were lifted on the wings of blog hype, their debut wasn’t nearly as well-received as they might have hoped for. Does that put more or less pressure on them to make a great second album? With The Black Keys’ Patrick Carney in the producers chair and drummer James Barone being upgraded to full-time band member, Tennis’ new record Young and Old seems out to prove the band is better and broader than two people in love on the high seas.
“Took a train to/took a train to get to you,” Moore sings as the very first lines on opening track “It All Feels the Same”. Unintentional though it may be, there is a certain parallel to be drawn between that and the sailboats dominating all of Cape Dory. Fear not, friends; Young and Old is not a record about train travel or really any form of transportation. The song “Traveling” is sort of the lone exception in that regard. In fact, this new album is in many ways the topical opposite of the last one. Cape Dory was all about beautiful locales and a couple in love with the sea and one another. The relationship between Moore and Riley may be as strong as ever, but they’re either no longer writing songs about their own experiences or are trying to expose us to another side of things on the new record. “Paradise is all around, but happiness is never found,” Moore somberly professes on “High Road”. Emotions run high throughout the record, and there’s plenty of turmoil to go around which gives Moore the chance to show off her range on multiple levels. “How much is required to set things right?/Have you confused your power with might?” she emphatically interjects on “Origins”, while on “Take Me to Heaven” she wishes she could believe in an afterlife: “My mistakes, imperfections, they make me long for a place where they can’t overtake me.”
Dark as this album might be lyrically, the songs on Young and Old are far catchier and uptempo than you might expect. There were a few outright misses on Cape Dory that felt more like padding between the hits, but virtually everything on the new album stands well on its own and could be considered a potential future single. One of the bigger reasons why that’s the case is the sheer muscle and sonic building the band displays this time. The guitars are stronger and are covered in an extra layer of fuzz, the drums are far more forceful and the piano works itself higher into the mix. Patrick Carney deserves some credit for how he pushed the band in the studio, though you’ve got to wonder how many of these new adjustments came about organically through time spent performing on the road. Even a quieter and more somber track like “My Better Self” has a bit of oomph and insistence to it, infused with handclaps for good measure. Moore’s vocals get an upgrade too, with plenty more backing harmonies and “ooh oohs”, or in the case of “Petition”, some very retro “sha la las”. It all contributes towards helping Tennis sound quite a bit like a lighter, poppier version of Beach House, which is by no means a bad thing.
As delightful and forward-moving as Young and Old is, it in many ways feels like a stepping stone for Tennis. Their debut album proved they could write at least a few strong pop songs. This new record proves they were more than just a flash in the pan and are invested in career longevity. It features a fair amount of growth for the band, but it lacks true sonic innovation. We’ve heard songs like these before, though arguably never delivered with quite the same scalpel-like precision and overall catchiness that they are here. This trio is talented to be sure, and it’s great to hear them moving past boat stories and unveiling new layers, but they’re not quite where they need to be just yet. They can do better, though getting there might just require taking some serious sonic risks and alienating what’s currently an expanding fan base. If success is all they desire, Young and Old is another grand investment towards achieving massive popularity. If it’s genuine respectability they’re aiming for, they’re inching towards that too. For most, a crossroads will emerge where they’ll be forced to choose one or the other. Play your cards right though, and you can have both. Look forward to Tennis’ next record, it’ll probably be the one that either makes or breaks them.
