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Quasi - American Gong

Fri, 5 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

]]>Quasi is at it again with a brand new album filled with gritty, distortion-riddled garage rock anthems. The band has maintained a steady sound throughout their 17 years, yet still find a way to introduce a level of freshness to each album, giving fans the comfort of knowing what to expect while not dampening the excitement — like opening an awesome birthday present that you knew you were getting. Now that's not to say Quasi's sound is easily pigeonholed: the band's 8th album American Gong twists and turns through a variety of sounds and styles. There's the fuzzed out, Sonic Youth-esque distortion ballad "Bye Bye Blackbird," the country twang of "Rockabilly Party," the sweetly piano-driven "Everything & Nothing At All," and the folky, Elliott Smith inspired "The Jig Is Up." This is the first album featuring bassist Joanna Bolme, who also plays in Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks with drummer Janet Wiess, and she is a very welcome addition to a group who has had a history of instability in the bass department. It's a mystery how the band continues to tour and crank out albums with all the other projects they have, but the fans are glad they do and American Gong shows that Quasi isn't slowing down.

Enjoy this album with a shot of whiskey and a beer.

The Morning Benders - Big Echo

Fri, 5 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

]]>Full disclosure: Berkeley's indie pop sweethearts The Morning Benders warm my soul. With their sophomore release Big Echo the Morning Benders aim to impress with their restraint and maturity as opposed to the bubbling enthusiasm that made 2008's Talking Through Tin Cans such an amazing debut. Don't get us wrong, that vibrancy is totally still there, just more subtle and wrapped in a fuller sound. “All Day Day Light” is the perfect example of how everything is more three-dimensional, with a sound so tangible you can almost touch it. In “Promises” Chris Chu's voice has never sounded better, and you can't help but dig those sway-inducing chords. The album ends on the very high high of “Sleeping In”, a Wall-of-Sound-esque track that has that fantastic lull into a big finish of great guitar work. Big Echo is the proof that they could do what seemed impossible: The Morning Benders can indeed improve with age.

Surfer Blood - Astro Coast

Fri, 5 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

]]>Surfer Blood's Astro Coast is my favorite record in a long time. If ever there was a five owl record this is it. Combining so many rock touchstones of the past, Astro Coast somehow manages to sound fresh. The record starts with the heavy chords of "Floating Vibes". Within the one song you have Pavement-esque swirling guitars, which then breaks into early Weezer hand claps and guitars, before a Built To Spill-styled guitar solo. This may sound overwhelming and cramped, but it’s not at all. It fits so well together. John Paul Pitts’ effortless melody carries the record, and his voice travels from falsetto to deep guttural scream. He has excellent patience, and knows when to ride the guitars, when to let his voice stand on its own, and when to let the instruments take attention. The album builds steady momentum with "Swim" into "Take it Easy". There is a lyrical thread that connects many of the songs. Take it easy becomes a hook in the magnificent "Slow Jabroni", which is preceded by “Fast Jabroni” which features some Moog synth. "Slow Jabroni" has the band exploring song structure, as it starts with an acoustic and electric guitar with reverb playing identical chords before the electric guitar goes off in its own and drums come in halfway through. The lyrics are lonely and isolated: "If I knew you’d push away so savagely then I’d back off. / Take it easy on me (5X) / they dumped us in the same boat, sinking on the same ship" before this explosion of guitars drums and keyboards. "Anchorage" has Pitts sounding most like the young man he is. Youthful sentiments are all over the record, but they feel universal enough that it’s not embarrassing or trite. Surfer Blood manage to evoke sentimentality through lyrics and rock 'n' roll for a debut record that more than lives up to the hype.

Alkaline Trio - This Addiction

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

]]>It's usually not a good idea for a long-running band to hail its new album as a return to form, especially when the claim involves phrases like "punk rock roots." This Addiction is best appreciated on its own merits, rather than in comparison with your old favorite Alkaline Trio album. After an initial misstep with the title track, which falls flat due to an uninspired metaphor and a chorus that tries too hard to be huge, the album gets back on track and delivers the melodic, macabre pop-punk that Matt Skiba and co. are known for. The morbid puns don't come as easily as they used to, and neither do the instant classics, but there are still plenty of memorable hooks here. Highlights include the bittersweet ballad "Dead on the Floor," the rousing sing-along anthem "The American Scream," and the beautifully harmonized "Off the Map"--in general, this album has some of the strongest vocal harmonies of any Alkaline Trio material. Ultimately, what leaves the greatest impression is Skiba's sincerity--something he'll always have on his side, even when the well of cleverly dark imagery has run dry.

Class Actress - Journal of Ardency EP

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

]]>NYC trio Class Actress plays New Order-influenced synth pop built around Elizabeth Harper's silky, breezily confident vocals. Their debut EP opens with the restrained but catchy "Careful What You Say," on which scaled-back instrumentation lets Harper's voice take center stage even though she's also holding back. The title track and "Someone Real" step up the intensity with harder electronic beats, but never aim for dance-floor domination, showing that personality matters more than musical heft when you have such a charismatic frontwoman cooing and sighing her way through the songs. "Let Me Take You Out" is a driving, sparkling pop song with more traditional rock instrumentation adding a welcome new dimension to the band's sound. Standout track "Adolescent Heart" is another upbeat stunner, with lush vocal harmonies and a softer side of Harper making an appearance as she sings that she wants to "Reach out to your broken adolescent heart / Let me love you / It doesn't have to be so hard." Journal of Ardency is a welcome introduction to a talented songwriter and performer, and clearly just the beginning for Class Actress.

Field Music - Field Music (Measure)

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

]]>Field Music’s third album Field Music (Measure) has the brothers David and Peter Brewis returning without pianist Andrew Moore, although there’s so much going on rhythmically and otherwise that it’s hard to stop and think about what’s missing. Rooted comfortably on the hippie side of ’60s pop, especially in their feathery vocal harmonies, they update classic rock with a proggy penchant for arresting licks and rhythmic leaps. The songs are stabilized by the innocence of a big-eyed, wondering singing style as all manner of instrumental experimentation occurs, never allowing the brain to guess what might be the next phrase. Field Music can get big and showy like Queen, or groovy and skyward-reaching like Yes, but at the same time they never abandon constant hints of the much more modern.

Hell, they even throw in hints of metal and psychedelia; this is definitely music for the easily bored. “Them That Do Nothing” begins with tripping little acoustic strums before launching into a throwback summer hit, though that is certainly not sustained for long, for soon spastic hiccups of other styles butt in. By the time it suddenly becomes apparent that the following track “Each Time is a New Time” has been going on for some time, the album has already delivered sick guitar jamming, ’90s indie noodling, and druggie soloing. And that’s just the guitars. Sustaining the pacing and momentum without blowing the listener’s mind is Field Music’s talent, besides their clear ability to come up with endless hooks. Elsewhere, “Let’s Write a Book” blends crazy clicking and clapping, funk, and drunken xylophone, while “The Rest is Noise” shines with commanding piano and a Broadway showiness. “Something for everyone” seems like an understatement here.

Gigi - Maintenant

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

]]>Gigi is the recording project of songwriter Nick Krgovich (No Kids) and producer/engineer Colin Stewart, who assembled a star-studded cast of singers and set out to make a record paying homage to the classic '60s pop of producer Phil Spector and the Brill Building songwriters. Pairing an authentic sound with modern indie pop sensibilities, Maintenant is bursting with charming, poignant hits that brilliantly capture the not only the sparkling warmth of the genre but also all the heartache, hope, and heightened emotions of youth.

The album begins with a girl group chorus singing, "Every day that goes by, I die a little more," their sweet voices soon joined by the classic Ronettes drumbeat (used frequently throughout the album), lively piano, and soaring horns as the song reveals its irresistible chorus. The other fourteen tracks feature equally memorable refrains, powerful arrangements, gorgeous harmonies, and endearingly lovelorn lyrics. On the affecting duet "The Hundredth Time," the male and female protagonists both cry their eyes out as they watch happy couples leave together. Almost every character on the album, it turns out, is busy wiping away his or her tears, but all the melancholy is balanced by buoyant melodies and clever lyrics. On the jazzy "Dreams of Romance," Zac Pennington laments, "I showed up early to your costume party dressed up like a Pharaoh / I really should have come as Robin Hood and done myself in with the arrow / 'Cause you never even once looked my way." On the sublime "Alone at the Pier," Rose Melberg points out that "Just because it's springtime / Does not mean it is 'I'll give you everything time.'" Among the other vocalists are Karl Blau, Mirah, Owen Pallett, and Krgovich himself, each one making a distinct impression.

Maintenant is an absolute treat, one that reminds us how much can be achieved in a seemingly simple three-minute pop song.

Camp Out - Closer

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

]]>Closer, by the San Francisco duo Camp Out reminds me of an album I would have swooned over back in high school. Maddy Hanks (vocals and guitar) and Jackie Law (drums, keyboard, backup vocals) combine simple lyrics with infectious sparkly pop to create songs about falling in and out of love.

While their sound is filled with twinkling keyboards and fuzzy guitars, their lyrics feel under-developed and their music lacks the strength that comes with a solid band. Opening track “Car Crash” stands out among the other songs, reverberating with bubbly synth and guitar, Hanks’ voice shining and clear. The song compares tragic incidents to the end of a messy relationship as Hanks sings, “You’re like a car crash/Or a hurricane/You make a big mess/And that will never change.”

“Closer,” another noteworthy track, brims with longing and desperation, with the direct line “If this breaks me/Will you still take me?” On “Separately,” the two take a detour from their pop sound with electronic beats and acoustic guitar. Somber lyrics are uttered with honesty over a gritty backdrop: “Are you done with me?/Are you waiting for something to finally slow down?” Camp Out’s sound is a slight nod in the direction of The Murmurs and Dressy Bessy, but their lyrical skills need some fine-tuning. They are on the verge of something good, but need a nudge in the right direction.

Editors - In This Light and On This Evening

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

]]>The Editors' Tom Smith is my Jordan Catalano, and the resounding evidence is all over the band's third studio album In This Light and On This Evening. Smith's voice has that perfect blend of aloofness and naked charisma (see the title track and the volatile “You Don't Know Love”) to send a dozen Angela Chases into months of wondering if Smith would notice them. The synthesizer-heaviness of this record is a fantastic turn from the more traditional Brit rock for Editors. In This Light and On This Evening is in turns dark and dreary, and sometimes can be a little weighed down by that, but pumped full of punching drama like in drummer Edward Lay's work on “The Big Exit”. And as Smith sings in “Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool”, “I don't wanna be ignored, oh god / When I'm a gun in a fistfight.” Editors definitely can't be ignored with this album.

Farmer Dave Scher - Flash Forward To the Good Times

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

]]>Farmer Dave Scher’s woeful attempts at an idealized summer-long escape and hit-and-miss moments of irony have left his debut solo album with an identity crisis. The Beachwood Sparks, and to a lesser extent, All Night Radio were decent side projects in which Scher was heavily involved with a cohesive premise, making Flash Forward To the Good Times even more perplexing.

For instance, “Bab’lone Nights” is just a whimpering dog compared to those saucy 70’s R&B-influenced jams Scher draws inspiration from. Suffice it to say, “You Pick Me Up” actually lowers the bar from there. The song wanders aimlessly into cheap karaoke territory, reminding me of that Huey Lewis movie, Duets. All of this in the first 8 minutes!

As it stands, I kept flash forwarding and never found the good times.

Animal Collective - Fall Be Kind EP

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

]]>The EP companion to Merriweather Post Pavilion proves once again why Animal Collective may be the most important rock band in the world right now. All puffing aside, Avey Tare, the Geologist, and Panda Bear are blazing new trails in pop music with every new release, and they keep getting better — and weirder.

“Graze” opens the EP and floats around as Tare sings “let me begin, feels good cause it’s early.” This type of lyric is nothing new for the Collective: phrases are meant to evoke feelings as opposed to creating a narrative. As a long time listener, I should not be surprised by any sound that the band makes, but on “Graze” the shift from dreamy to big band synth line makes me want to dance like a toddler. The contrast in “Graze” is even less dynamic than “What Would I Want? Sky”, which uses the first ever approved sample of a Grateful Dead song (“Unbroken Chain”). The track starts with an urgent base line and a vocal loop that sounds like “my dreams, my dreams.” After a high-pitched noise the sample kicks in during “What Would I want? Sky.” And Tare sings, “Is everything all right? You’re feeling lonely, you’re feeling phony, you’re not the only one.” It’s a nice sentiment, and it feels like the guys are patting you on the back and checking in to make sure you’re feeling okay. (They’re so nice!) “Bleed”, “On a Highway”, and “I Think I Can” are much more contiguous, but where the first two tracks evoke excitement, the final three are relaxing and hazy.

Brilliant Colors - Introducing

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

]]>Posturing their aggressive indie rock as a sunnier Crystal Stilts with melodic inflections from the likes of Love Is All, San Francisco's Brilliant Colors still owe it all to the Ramones' pop-punk brilliance. And in their quest for quick, adrenaline-inducing hooks, they've succeeded in some areas, while flailing their energies on some songs that should have been B-sides.

On tracks like "You Say You Want," lead singer Jess Scott loosens up, drawing out her lyrics between choruses while the rest of the band swiftly speeds ahead, awkwardly leaving Scott behind. In contrast, Introducing partially astounds with "Short Sleeves At Night" and "Mythic" as Scott offers up rapid-fire yelps through her best Joey Ramone-esque inflections amid cascading guitar licks.

The album's foundation is uneven at times, but Brilliant Colors come across as a band willing to take risks. If they stick to honing in on those moments of originality and danger, their follow-up to Introducing should make their introduction that much more memorable and justified.

LoveLikeFire - Tear Ourselves Away

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

]]>I don't want this to be taken the wrong way, but something about LoveLikeFire makes me think about the Cranberries and Pat Benatar. And not just because of the angsty, rebellious tone of vocalist Ann Yu, whose heart seems to be breaking with each lyric. There's a charge to their sound. A mission that entices you to seek, with a clenched fist. Search and destroy... get answers from a loved one. Find out where you really stand in this world. The sound is big, anthemic, and the drums are pushed to the forefront, which I love. Subtle stick clacking, tom fills, delicate hi-hat slips burst into manic snare taps on "William." The whole song builds, then explodes, then rebuilds again. Perhaps the most beautiful song on the album is "My Left Eye," a stripped down, string-filled and chilly song that at first listen sounds like a lullaby, but leaves more of a haunting aftertaste with lyrics like, "If you want to bury me, might as well you bury me dear..." Goose pimples.

Animal Collective - Campfire Songs

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST

]]>If you've ever been to camp or are a Cat Power fan, you probably have fond memories of guitar strings and hymns being sung to the background ambiance of slow-moving water. The image is serene, calming and intense. Animal Collective's Campfire Songs bring those memories to the forefront. In the eleven-plus minute song track "De Soto De Son" it takes several minutes to introduce the lyrics. Instead, the same haunting guitar work repeats itself. One of the shortest tracks on the album "Two Corvettes" features the same set up but with breathy and inconceivable words. The brightest track on the album is "Doggy," an upbeat — in terms of this album — track reminiscent of Bright Eyes. Not a Bright Eyes fan? Excuse the reference and think of an eager Elliot Smith. "Doggy" is still haunting, but in a different way. None of the moving water, but moving lyrics that pull the song forward.

If you're still trying to figure out if you want to buy the album, then it probably isn't the right one for you. But if you already are an Animal Collective fan, this would probably fit nicely next to Feels and Merriweather Post Pavilion. Just don't get too relaxed!

Grooms - Rejoicer

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

]]>With many of the pieces already in place, i.e., youthful energy, loner lyrics, and an eagerness to explore beyond the trappings of off-kilter chords and distortion, Rejoicer hits all the right spots—almost. Like their contemporaries—Abe Vigoda, Sonic Youth, or Women—Grooms have delivered on their own brand of loud-quiet-quiet-loud, distortion-heavy indie rock.

Lead singer and guitarist Travis Johnson's guitar minglings drill and grind, ultimately plateauing on almost every track. But, there's also the right amount of white space in between the mind crunching guitar freakouts. For instance, “She-Bears” is one of the more fearless songs on the album. Band mate Emily Ambrusso introduces the song by offering a sharp and hollowed background echo that underpins the the track's swelling crescendos.
Johnson and Ambrusso play up the right kind of guitar frenzies on top of minimal breaks in their music that serve as sanctuaries of provocation and stimulation.

Besides a few throwaway tracks, Grooms deserve credit where credit is deserved. Though their influences are forthright, like spots on a cheetah, Rejoicer is a solid debut full of ethereal dissonant noise pop.

Thee Oh Sees - Dog Poison

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:00:00 EST

]]>One thing that originally lured me into Thee Oh Sees’ garage rock party was the inherent rock & roll mojo between lead vocalist John Dwyer and keyboardist/background vocalist, Brigid Dawson. By joining forces, they made garage rock just sound sexier (if that’s possible).

On Dog Poison, Dawson's presence is muddled, rendering the songs more hidden, drugged, and distracted by effects and distortion than their previous two efforts—both within the last 12 months. However, Thee Oh Sees still spin an eccentric blend of psychedelic rock revivalism that never sounds gimmicky or pretentious, and the album has moments of noise-pop brilliance, including “I Can’t Pay You To Disappear” and “The FIZZ.”

Ultimately, the album takes few more listens to grasp, and you’ll feel the absence of Dawson’s background swoons, but Dog Poison marks a respectable transition for the group.