While the influence of some bands will manifest immediately, spawning a surge of sound alikes attempting to saturate radio waves while the trend is still fresh, others may linger for years before fully coming to fruition. In this case, I am alluding to The Kinks and their 1968 album 'The Village Green Preservation Society'. And the hangover influence I refer to, thankfully, has nothing to do with Van Halen. By '68 the Kinks (led by songwriter Ray Davies) had dropped the straightforward riff heavy radio pop that gave the world "You Really Got Me", and moved into, although still distinctly pop, much more obscure territory. In fact the album failed to even chart on its release, a possible explanation why further forays into the material being mined here weren't truly picked up again until 23 years later in 1991 with the formation of the Elephant Six collective.
Now I, being somewhat of an Elephant Six enthusiast, don't want to trick any casual listeners into thinking that they have just discovered the predecessor to 'In The Aeroplane Over The Sea'. Likewise, 'Village Green' does not go anywhere near the heavily psychedelic or ambient experimentation of The Olivia Tremor Control. To those who are looking for the parent of the quirky, concept based, sunny pop releases like Of Montreal's 'Cherry Peel' or 'Gay Parade', Elf Power's 'Dream In Sound', The Essex Green's 'Cannibal Sea', The Apple In Stereo's 'When The Red King Comes', or even, in not quite so lo-fi a fashion, The Music Tapes 'First Imaginary Symphony For Nomad', there is not a more quintessential record to point straight back to.
On 'Village Green' there is a consistent and heavy theme throughout which is solidified by the title: nostalgia. The theme is epitomized by the title track ("We are the office block persecution affinity/God save little shops, china cups and virginity.."), and then pounded home time and again on subsequent songs like "Do You Remember Walter?", "Picture Book", "The Last of The Steam Powered Trains", etc. Each paint a portrait, either of small town values, ideal heros, childhood, or family. Side two then begins with "Animal Farm", and the overarching statement "This world is big and wild and half insane..". From there the record becomes, well, quirky. Perhaps in an expression of how insane the world has become, songs characterize the destruction of the village green ("Village Green"), world-traveling-speaking-obese felines ("Phenomenal Cat"), and child-eating witches ("Wicked Annabella"), among other things. The album concludes with "People Take Pictures of Each Other", a brilliant satirical stab at how futile such grabs at nostalgia are. The past, ultimately, is stuck in those little snapshots. The song, in keeping with the album however, manages to make this ominous statement more in an expression of joy than hopelessness.
Nostalgia has always been at the heart of E6, but oftentimes passed off as a mere musical nostalgia. Close listens to "The Gay Parade" (an opus to the small town) or "First Imaginary Symphony For Nomad" (a zany sort of argument against television) show that the ties do in fact run deeper than this. If nothing else, the sheer childlike innocence exuded by so many of the early E6 records is nostalgic in itself. And like 'Village Green', the "sort-of concept album" is a staple within the collective. Albums tied together by loose messages (which while never didacticly pounded home, and never allowed to pull the music in a direction it would not otherwise be headed) are never so typified outside of the two examples portrayed here. And while the 60's was a time of experimentation, no one else at the time had the sheer unabashed quirkiness to put out the kind of lyrical insanity over such subdued, gentle backing tracks, as if it all were perfectly normal, as Ray Davies. Had this ever truly resurfaced until Elf Power and "Simon (the Bird With the Candy Bar Head)"? It had not. Perhaps the largest tie here, however, is simply that despite all of the concepts and quirk crowding such records, every track is unfailingly appealing and listenable. Consistently excellent pop material. Over top the odd instrumentation and lyrical content, this is still toe tapping sing along 60's rock. And frankly, as any E6'r already knows, its a lot of fun to be able to sink your teeth into something a little juicier than "Love Me Do" on occasion.
Essentially, this is what I'm saying: in 1968 a seed was planted, a seed called "The Village Green Preservation Society". Invisibly it grew for 20+ years, until the tree finally began to branch out in myriad directions, ultimately giving birth to the rightful followers it deserved (E6). Then Nickee Coco climbed the tree and fell asleep in it. Point being, if you picked up on that last sentence, you need to hear this record. Honestly, you owe it to the world to "help save fu manchu, moriarty and dracula", and you owe it to yourself to listen to The Kinks.
Best Tracks: "The Village Green Preservation Society", "Picture Book", "Big Sky"
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Review: The Rural Alberta Advantage- Hometowns
What is indie? At one point or another you have undoubtedly been asked to explain by someone, whether simply a musically skeptical friend or even your mom. Each time the fumbled explanation comes out the same. "Well, you see, it started as having to do with labels, but now that doesn't really matter so much, and it can really sound like anything I suppose..." In a world where the indie blanket spans from Beirut to LCD Soundsystem, how do you explain it? The "if you have to ask you'll never know" approach, while maybe applicable, is a cop out. When it comes to indie at its roots, down to its very core, it is in fact one of the most unmistakable 'genres' in existence. I am speaking of the indie of Pavement's 'Slanted & Enchanted', of Guided by Voices 'Bee Thousand'; and it is that unmistakable, ramshackle, heartfelt, homemade brand of pop that distinctly characterizes the debut from The Rural Alberta Advantage.
Testament to this, 'Hometowns' has been out, self released, for about a year. It wasn't until recently in 2009 that Saddle Creek picked up the band and gave the record its deserved proper release. And what a record it is- immediately likable, and yet undeniably and consistently flawed. A producer or some sort of editor perusing this collection of songs would certainly have streamlined what we have before us into a more succinct and enjoyable listen. (For instance, what does the under-two-minute-long "Four Night Rider" really bring to the table here?) However, in many ways enduring the flaws and missteps of the album, while finding amongst them every sparkling joy, makes the honesty and earnestness of the album all the more apparent. It is almost as if watching a child grow, at times being slightly disappointed in their behavior, but in the end being unable to do anymore then let out that caged smile and affectionately ruffle the toddlers hair.
The first misstep appears on the opening track, "The Ballad of the RAA". Despite seemingly trying to encapsulate the band within this one track (based on the title), the desperate yearning of Nils Edenloff's voice is a bit much to stomach before having time to become fully acclimated to it. Throughout the track his vocals are always stretching just a little higher (for the note perhaps?) with not but a lone kick from a drum machine and simple synth riff to distract. It is followed by the immediately likable folksy jaunt of "Rush Apart", and the album has hit the ground running. There are very few "perfect" songs here. Each have elements that detract. However, as soon as you begin losing faith in a particular track, something will happen. A harmony, a lyric, a rhythmic break, and the song will be heard anew and become completely engaging again. Yes, this makes for quite a roller coaster ride of a listen, but a wholeheartedly compelling listen as well. One of the most compelling elements being the evolution of Edenloff's aforementioned voice. Sometimes a beast all his own, and at other times channeling almost hauntingly Jeff Mangum ("Luciana") or Colin Meloy ("Frank AB"). Is it this voice that often makes this feel almost like folk music? Possibly some combination of that and the sheer honesty this music is drenched in. The lo-fi nature of the recording keeps the synth's from sounding quite so electronic, and the band and record name don't help the issue. The fact is however, as solidified by gems like "Don't Haunt This Place" and "The Air", that this record is the definition of indie pop.
It is refreshing to see, 17 years after Pavement christened a new type of music "Indie", definable and quality indie records still being made. If nothing else, maybe the album's sheer likability draws from this alone. It is no impostor. No major label slouch vying for street cred. No zany genre experiment tossed off into the only category that would take it. These are a couple of Canadian kids making music they love for each other in a garage. And for the next time your mom asks, that, my friends, is indie.
Best Tracks: "Don't Haunt This Place", "The Air", "Edmonton"
Rating: 6.5/10
Testament to this, 'Hometowns' has been out, self released, for about a year. It wasn't until recently in 2009 that Saddle Creek picked up the band and gave the record its deserved proper release. And what a record it is- immediately likable, and yet undeniably and consistently flawed. A producer or some sort of editor perusing this collection of songs would certainly have streamlined what we have before us into a more succinct and enjoyable listen. (For instance, what does the under-two-minute-long "Four Night Rider" really bring to the table here?) However, in many ways enduring the flaws and missteps of the album, while finding amongst them every sparkling joy, makes the honesty and earnestness of the album all the more apparent. It is almost as if watching a child grow, at times being slightly disappointed in their behavior, but in the end being unable to do anymore then let out that caged smile and affectionately ruffle the toddlers hair.
The first misstep appears on the opening track, "The Ballad of the RAA". Despite seemingly trying to encapsulate the band within this one track (based on the title), the desperate yearning of Nils Edenloff's voice is a bit much to stomach before having time to become fully acclimated to it. Throughout the track his vocals are always stretching just a little higher (for the note perhaps?) with not but a lone kick from a drum machine and simple synth riff to distract. It is followed by the immediately likable folksy jaunt of "Rush Apart", and the album has hit the ground running. There are very few "perfect" songs here. Each have elements that detract. However, as soon as you begin losing faith in a particular track, something will happen. A harmony, a lyric, a rhythmic break, and the song will be heard anew and become completely engaging again. Yes, this makes for quite a roller coaster ride of a listen, but a wholeheartedly compelling listen as well. One of the most compelling elements being the evolution of Edenloff's aforementioned voice. Sometimes a beast all his own, and at other times channeling almost hauntingly Jeff Mangum ("Luciana") or Colin Meloy ("Frank AB"). Is it this voice that often makes this feel almost like folk music? Possibly some combination of that and the sheer honesty this music is drenched in. The lo-fi nature of the recording keeps the synth's from sounding quite so electronic, and the band and record name don't help the issue. The fact is however, as solidified by gems like "Don't Haunt This Place" and "The Air", that this record is the definition of indie pop.
It is refreshing to see, 17 years after Pavement christened a new type of music "Indie", definable and quality indie records still being made. If nothing else, maybe the album's sheer likability draws from this alone. It is no impostor. No major label slouch vying for street cred. No zany genre experiment tossed off into the only category that would take it. These are a couple of Canadian kids making music they love for each other in a garage. And for the next time your mom asks, that, my friends, is indie.
Best Tracks: "Don't Haunt This Place", "The Air", "Edmonton"
Rating: 6.5/10
Monday, July 27, 2009
Live Review: RAGBRAI, 7/18/09, Council Bluffs IA
While 90's pop rock is generally characterized by a pleasant, but fairly straightforward "alternative" take on adult rock (enter the Gin Blossoms, the Wallflowers, Counting Crows, etc.), it did undeniably have some bright spots. After all, good pop music quite simply is good pop music, regardless of the aesthetic it's packaged in. One of the brightest of these bright spots (careful, you may hate me for saying it) was the ironically named Barenaked Ladies. Strip away the initial aesthetic, awkward fat dudes playing tongue in cheek wordplay oriented pop, and you will see that in their wake the group actually left some well rounded, and in fact straight up excellent records. Which doesn't happen terribly often in the scheme of (seemingly) manufactured mainstream pop. Two albums stick out in particular, 1998's 'Stunt' and 2000's 'Maroon'. And as much as I fancy myself an open minded purveyor of the musical collective, I'm not gonna lie, when I went to see them on a Saturday night, those two albums were all I really wanted to hear.
Let me give a dollop of background to the event for reference: the place is Council Bluffs, Iowa, the kickoff town of Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (don't ask me how I got mixed up in this, I don't even own a bike). The ride consists of 7 days, about 500 miles, almost 12,000 cyclists, and one kick-off concert: the Barenaked Ladies. Not a bad pull for the nature of the event (I mean, biking isn't exactly rock'n'roll lifestyle). You may argue that it is merely a testament to where the Ladies have fallen to in the world, and I would humbly grant you your opinion. Either way, there I was amongst a couple thousand cyclists hoping to get some wordy, pop infused sonic memorabilia of my early highschool days. I was dissapointed.
Granted, the band has put out four studio albums since 'Maroon', so maybe my expectations to hear the stuff I know and love shouldn't have been so high; but like I said, I did not go into this one with an open mind. I heard five songs I truly enjoyed over an hour and a half long set, and you could probably name at least three of them: "If I Had $1,000,000", "Pinch Me", "One Week", "It's All Been Done" and "Falling For The First Time". What made this unbearable were the upwards of six semi-improvised comedy excursions focusing on biking, ribs, and the security guard Shawn, that replaced the other songs I would have enjoyed. After hearing the same sing songy rib jokes for the fourth time around, and coming to the realization that because of this I was not going to hear the music I wanted to, I grew impatient. Even "One Week" got watered down to a jokingly played country-esque number infused with, of all cliches, the riff from "Dueling Banjos". The newer songs played, frankly, were not as good as the older material. A few lived up, but the set quickly grew tired.
What I saw on the stage that night was a band who has submitted to being confined by the stereotypes they are associated with, and ultimately grown exhausted by the limited musical bounds these have allowed them to operate in. Yes, I think the Barenaked Ladies have gotten tired of being the Barenaked Ladies. So what do they do? Instead of playing songs which in their mouth have long gone stale, and not feeling the freedom to expand their sound beyond its original confines, they have chosen to populate their shows with jokes and in the studio put out childrens albums. Ultimately, it was a fun night with friends, but if you want to see a band who is excited about and completely engaged in the music they are making, the Barenaked Ladies will have to get crossed off that list.
Let me give a dollop of background to the event for reference: the place is Council Bluffs, Iowa, the kickoff town of Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (don't ask me how I got mixed up in this, I don't even own a bike). The ride consists of 7 days, about 500 miles, almost 12,000 cyclists, and one kick-off concert: the Barenaked Ladies. Not a bad pull for the nature of the event (I mean, biking isn't exactly rock'n'roll lifestyle). You may argue that it is merely a testament to where the Ladies have fallen to in the world, and I would humbly grant you your opinion. Either way, there I was amongst a couple thousand cyclists hoping to get some wordy, pop infused sonic memorabilia of my early highschool days. I was dissapointed.
Granted, the band has put out four studio albums since 'Maroon', so maybe my expectations to hear the stuff I know and love shouldn't have been so high; but like I said, I did not go into this one with an open mind. I heard five songs I truly enjoyed over an hour and a half long set, and you could probably name at least three of them: "If I Had $1,000,000", "Pinch Me", "One Week", "It's All Been Done" and "Falling For The First Time". What made this unbearable were the upwards of six semi-improvised comedy excursions focusing on biking, ribs, and the security guard Shawn, that replaced the other songs I would have enjoyed. After hearing the same sing songy rib jokes for the fourth time around, and coming to the realization that because of this I was not going to hear the music I wanted to, I grew impatient. Even "One Week" got watered down to a jokingly played country-esque number infused with, of all cliches, the riff from "Dueling Banjos". The newer songs played, frankly, were not as good as the older material. A few lived up, but the set quickly grew tired.
What I saw on the stage that night was a band who has submitted to being confined by the stereotypes they are associated with, and ultimately grown exhausted by the limited musical bounds these have allowed them to operate in. Yes, I think the Barenaked Ladies have gotten tired of being the Barenaked Ladies. So what do they do? Instead of playing songs which in their mouth have long gone stale, and not feeling the freedom to expand their sound beyond its original confines, they have chosen to populate their shows with jokes and in the studio put out childrens albums. Ultimately, it was a fun night with friends, but if you want to see a band who is excited about and completely engaged in the music they are making, the Barenaked Ladies will have to get crossed off that list.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Catching Up '09 Round Two
Another collection of abbreviated musical insights. These may not all be quite as recent releases, but not to worry- its all still garden fresh. Here we go...
Bibio- 'Ambivalence Avenue'
A really listenable, fairly down tempo, electronically driven album. Not nearly as organic or free flowing as an act like Four Tet, but the music still breathes considerably for this genre. This is especially apparent on the less beat driven outings like "Lovers Carvings". In criticism, sometimes the vocals Bibio provides don't necessarily make sense in the context of the songs, however they do not distract enough to ruin the ambiance of the work- which really, is what this is all about.
Rating: 8/10
Best Tracks: "Fire Ant", "Sugarette", "Lovers Carvings"
Bill Callahan- 'Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle'
It is a select few singers in the musical world at large who can pull off a low baritone to such great effect in a pop setting. Here, Callahan's voice channels what is a pretty collection of folk tunes, but does so almost casually. This never quite allows these pretty songs to ever transcend into beautiful. That said, the casual approach also lends the collection a certain humility, making it all the more likable. You'll enjoy this record, but it won't change your life in quite the way the heavy lyrical content would like it to.
Rating: 7/10
Best Tracks: "Eid Ma Clack Shaw", "Rococo Zephyr", "Faith/Void"
The Mars Volta- "Octahedron"
Why do I listen to the Mars Volta? For the relentlessly manic guitar playing, unpredictable tempo changes, and unfailing dedication to straight-up dizzying rock drenched abandon. Did I say unfailing? On 'Octahedron' all of the above fail us. The album is soft (in terms of what we've come to expect), and predictable. Unfortunately Bixler-Zavala's latin laments alone do not hold my attention. Maybe Rodriquez-Lopez has been dedicating all his prowess to the solo records lately, and leaving none for his band. Either way, this is not the Volta I know and love.
Rating: 5.5/10
Best Tracks: "Since We've Been Wrong"
Pink Mountaintops- 'Outside Love'
What made 'Axis of Evol' so delightful was the authenticity of it's bedroom nature. A rough edged, blues type vibe being played out through drum machine and home recording techniques just hit a unique and wholly satisfiable chord. This 2009 release comes straight from the studio, and any character from the former album has been scrubbed clean. It's unfortunate, but this sounds more like that heinous Great Northern release from earlier this year than what I was hoping for. The music here is simply bland and over produced.
Rating: 4/10
Best Tracks: "Execution"
Sister Suvi- 'Now I Am Champion'
Now here is an odd release. Sometimes oddly fun and compelling, and at other times just plain weird. Not weird in the shock value sense that were used to however. Opener "Deadwood" pretty much sums it up. A choppy, yet slightly reggae tune sung with a Beat Happening-esque indifference that churns on for five plus minutes. And as much as I worry over it I just can't figure out why. What are they going for here? What is the formula? Answer is that there legitimately probably isn't one, which sometimes opens this record up for some fun tunes. Other times though its just confusing.
Rating: 6/10
Best Tracks: "The Lot", "Champion"
Wilco- 'Wilco (the Album)'
I did a whole write-up on Wilco (the band) about a week ago, but here lets just talk about the music. Despite finding "Wilco (the Song)" offputting, the music here is good. It is a solid collection of safe tunes, which at the least you are sure to find very pleasant. The extended instrumental's of 'Sky Blue Sky' are pretty much absent (which is a damn shame in a lineup that boasts Nels Cline on guitar), but the songs remain consistent; and in a few places excellent. Another good album from who will probably be one of the great American bands of our generation.
Rating: 7.5/10
Best Tracks: "You And I", "You Never Know", "I'll Fight"
I may be indisposed for the next week or more as far as posting is concerned, but keep on listening!
Bibio- 'Ambivalence Avenue'
A really listenable, fairly down tempo, electronically driven album. Not nearly as organic or free flowing as an act like Four Tet, but the music still breathes considerably for this genre. This is especially apparent on the less beat driven outings like "Lovers Carvings". In criticism, sometimes the vocals Bibio provides don't necessarily make sense in the context of the songs, however they do not distract enough to ruin the ambiance of the work- which really, is what this is all about.
Rating: 8/10
Best Tracks: "Fire Ant", "Sugarette", "Lovers Carvings"
Bill Callahan- 'Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle'
It is a select few singers in the musical world at large who can pull off a low baritone to such great effect in a pop setting. Here, Callahan's voice channels what is a pretty collection of folk tunes, but does so almost casually. This never quite allows these pretty songs to ever transcend into beautiful. That said, the casual approach also lends the collection a certain humility, making it all the more likable. You'll enjoy this record, but it won't change your life in quite the way the heavy lyrical content would like it to.
Rating: 7/10
Best Tracks: "Eid Ma Clack Shaw", "Rococo Zephyr", "Faith/Void"
The Mars Volta- "Octahedron"
Why do I listen to the Mars Volta? For the relentlessly manic guitar playing, unpredictable tempo changes, and unfailing dedication to straight-up dizzying rock drenched abandon. Did I say unfailing? On 'Octahedron' all of the above fail us. The album is soft (in terms of what we've come to expect), and predictable. Unfortunately Bixler-Zavala's latin laments alone do not hold my attention. Maybe Rodriquez-Lopez has been dedicating all his prowess to the solo records lately, and leaving none for his band. Either way, this is not the Volta I know and love.
Rating: 5.5/10
Best Tracks: "Since We've Been Wrong"
Pink Mountaintops- 'Outside Love'
What made 'Axis of Evol' so delightful was the authenticity of it's bedroom nature. A rough edged, blues type vibe being played out through drum machine and home recording techniques just hit a unique and wholly satisfiable chord. This 2009 release comes straight from the studio, and any character from the former album has been scrubbed clean. It's unfortunate, but this sounds more like that heinous Great Northern release from earlier this year than what I was hoping for. The music here is simply bland and over produced.
Rating: 4/10
Best Tracks: "Execution"
Sister Suvi- 'Now I Am Champion'
Now here is an odd release. Sometimes oddly fun and compelling, and at other times just plain weird. Not weird in the shock value sense that were used to however. Opener "Deadwood" pretty much sums it up. A choppy, yet slightly reggae tune sung with a Beat Happening-esque indifference that churns on for five plus minutes. And as much as I worry over it I just can't figure out why. What are they going for here? What is the formula? Answer is that there legitimately probably isn't one, which sometimes opens this record up for some fun tunes. Other times though its just confusing.
Rating: 6/10
Best Tracks: "The Lot", "Champion"
Wilco- 'Wilco (the Album)'
I did a whole write-up on Wilco (the band) about a week ago, but here lets just talk about the music. Despite finding "Wilco (the Song)" offputting, the music here is good. It is a solid collection of safe tunes, which at the least you are sure to find very pleasant. The extended instrumental's of 'Sky Blue Sky' are pretty much absent (which is a damn shame in a lineup that boasts Nels Cline on guitar), but the songs remain consistent; and in a few places excellent. Another good album from who will probably be one of the great American bands of our generation.
Rating: 7.5/10
Best Tracks: "You And I", "You Never Know", "I'll Fight"
I may be indisposed for the next week or more as far as posting is concerned, but keep on listening!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Review: Bowerbirds- Upper Air
Bowerbirds debuted in 2008 with 'Hymns For A Dark Horse', and in many ways got lost in the shuffle of the Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes craze. In a sense rightfully so, as the record was rather inferior to its many acclaimed folk contemporaries. However, it is undeniable that Bowerbirds spin on indie folk is one all their own, a truly unique take on what in many ways has become a fairly safe genre. Now in 2009, on 'Upper Air', the group present their unique sound to much greater effect, in a shorter, ultimately more gripping and satisfying album.
The overall sound of the two albums is much the same, instrumentally driven by the same acoustic guitar and accordion duo, with the occasional piano trickling into the mix. Vocally, Phil Moore still takes the reins with his elongated speech style of singing. While it would be unfair to say his vocal delivery is merely affected talking, to some it may still come off this way. This is not so much to the detriment of the music as it is just another facet of Bowerbirds unique sound. That said however, one can only wonder how these melodies might play out with Robin Pecknold behind the mic. A welcome addition to the album are the extended vocal responsibilities of Beth Tacular (still the best named gal in music). She harmonizes nicely with her boyfriend/bandmate on the majority of the tracks, and is even seen taking the mic alone on "Beneath Your Tree". (These two are not allowed to get married until he changes his name to 'Phil Tastic'. Just sayin.) Percussive duties on this record also can be seen to extend beyond the lone bass drum of before. A less is more approach is still taken in regard to the drums, but the full kit definitely gives a needed punch to quite a few numbers.
Opener "House Of Diamonds" is a telling sign of whats to come; not necessarily an immediately catchy or memorable song, but a very enjoyable listen. The highest praise 'UA' can be given in fact is simply that it avoids almost all of the pitfalls that plagued the duo in the past. There is nothing that even nearly approaches the drudgery of "The Marbled Godwit" or "The Ticonderoga" of 'HFADH'. That is not to say the record does not play out slowly. It is an album to be approached without expectation in order to truly be enjoyed. Particularly songs like "Chimes" and "Crooked Lust" require the listener to meet the band halfway before they can be duly appreciated. Perhaps the albums greatest feat however lies in its more tender moments. While this is sentiment Bowerbirds have always tried to communicate, they have never managed to connect before in quite the way that songs like "Silver Clouds" and "Ghost Life" succeed in doing. Granted, nothing on the album is as immediate as "In Your Talons" or "Human Hands", but nothing here ever drags in the manner that 'HFADH' did either.
Ultimately, you may never love this record per se, but it is a very low probability that you will actively dislike it either. That said, it is hard to detract from Bowerbirds for mediocrity or playing it safe as their sound is a truly unique and enjoyable one. If only for this reason the group is well worth checking out, in which case 'Upper Air' is undeniably the ticket to do it.
Rating: 7/10
Best Tracks: "House Of Diamonds", "Northern Lights", "Bright Future"
The overall sound of the two albums is much the same, instrumentally driven by the same acoustic guitar and accordion duo, with the occasional piano trickling into the mix. Vocally, Phil Moore still takes the reins with his elongated speech style of singing. While it would be unfair to say his vocal delivery is merely affected talking, to some it may still come off this way. This is not so much to the detriment of the music as it is just another facet of Bowerbirds unique sound. That said however, one can only wonder how these melodies might play out with Robin Pecknold behind the mic. A welcome addition to the album are the extended vocal responsibilities of Beth Tacular (still the best named gal in music). She harmonizes nicely with her boyfriend/bandmate on the majority of the tracks, and is even seen taking the mic alone on "Beneath Your Tree". (These two are not allowed to get married until he changes his name to 'Phil Tastic'. Just sayin.) Percussive duties on this record also can be seen to extend beyond the lone bass drum of before. A less is more approach is still taken in regard to the drums, but the full kit definitely gives a needed punch to quite a few numbers.
Opener "House Of Diamonds" is a telling sign of whats to come; not necessarily an immediately catchy or memorable song, but a very enjoyable listen. The highest praise 'UA' can be given in fact is simply that it avoids almost all of the pitfalls that plagued the duo in the past. There is nothing that even nearly approaches the drudgery of "The Marbled Godwit" or "The Ticonderoga" of 'HFADH'. That is not to say the record does not play out slowly. It is an album to be approached without expectation in order to truly be enjoyed. Particularly songs like "Chimes" and "Crooked Lust" require the listener to meet the band halfway before they can be duly appreciated. Perhaps the albums greatest feat however lies in its more tender moments. While this is sentiment Bowerbirds have always tried to communicate, they have never managed to connect before in quite the way that songs like "Silver Clouds" and "Ghost Life" succeed in doing. Granted, nothing on the album is as immediate as "In Your Talons" or "Human Hands", but nothing here ever drags in the manner that 'HFADH' did either.
Ultimately, you may never love this record per se, but it is a very low probability that you will actively dislike it either. That said, it is hard to detract from Bowerbirds for mediocrity or playing it safe as their sound is a truly unique and enjoyable one. If only for this reason the group is well worth checking out, in which case 'Upper Air' is undeniably the ticket to do it.
Rating: 7/10
Best Tracks: "House Of Diamonds", "Northern Lights", "Bright Future"
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Albums I Love: Keep It Like A Secret
Built to Spill hover in time as one of those bands who, while everyone seems eager to acknowledge the acclaim of much of their work, never seem to have generated the excitement and passion that a rock band should. For instance, if per chance a conversation about the best album of 1997 were to arise, immediately three Radiohead fans (one having just popped out of the ceiling tile, another actually conjuring out of thin air) will be down your throat lauding the praises of 'OK Computer'. Meanwhile the Built to Spill fan will remain relaxing quietly in the corner, not because he has any doubts of 'Perfect From Now On's rightful claim to the throne, but simply because BtS's music is not the type to make any eyeballs immediately bug out of their sockets. It is undeniably rock, and yet comes from a meticulously calculated, carefully structured framework. It is music that rewards patience and calm, in almost direct antithesis to the whole aura of "rock". And yet, when that release occurs, there is hardly a better reward anywhere in the genre.
(Sidenote: Just to be fair and thorough, in the event of the aforementioned conversation occurring, Elliot Smith fans would start hunting around for sharp objects, Bjork fans would open a can of tofu, the three Yo La Tengo fans in the world would not be present, and the Spiritualized fans would do us all a favor and start taking the Radiohead zealots out.)
Take, for prime example, the third track of today's loved album (1999's 'Keep It Like A Secret'), entitled "Carry the Zero". Over six minutes the band lays down a solid tune, with good drive and a catchy enough melody. What is not as immediately apparent, and is characteristic of BtS, are the additional melodies being layered and dubbed through subsequent guitars throughout the piece. Each, in its own right, is subtle, and carefully weaved into the mix. By the climax of the song however, they all come together to achieve one of the most cathartic endings in rock and roll history. Most listeners dipping into the band for the first time would hear the tune for a minute or two, get a grasp of their sound, and then most likely notice the track length and skip, completely missing out on the whole grandeur that constitutes the genius of Doug Martsch.
A similar moment of quintessential musical bliss occurs in the introducing build-up of the song "Time Trap". The track begins with a cleanly fingered bass line, thick enough to nearly be palpable, before being saturated by a wash of distortion buzzing comfortably just over top. Out of the drone, the mesh of interlocking lines and melodies start to weave themselves together, ultimately achieving a soaring apex. From the heights however, on a beat it is all succinctly stripped back to a single snappy guitar, allowing the vocal melody to take over. In this way, the music of BtS often comes across as more of a composition rather than a traditional song. And the group does pay a toll for this. I rarely find myself humming a BtS tune, as even the poppiest of their work simply does not lend itself to casual listening. This said however, their music typically adheres too closely to conventional song structure, and is too reliant on vocals to toss the band off as more post rockers. BtS undeniably are a unique and treasured addition to the pantheon of American rock.
In the BtS catalog, 1994's 'There's Nothing Wrong With Love', and the aforementioned 'Perfect From Now On' and 'Keep It Like A Secret' are generally considered great works. Of the three, 'PFNO's eight lengthy tracks embody the spirit of the compositional nature of BtS's arrangements, while the slightly more ramshackle 'TNWWL' presents us with the closest thing to a pop based album the band has ever done (which, frankly, is not that close). On 'KILAS', recorded after both of these records, the band truly marries each of these musical components to perfection. Oftentimes even, within the scope of a single song ("The Plan", "Time Trap", "Temporarily Blind"). You still have your sweeping epics ("Broken Chairs") and your two minute pop ("Center Of The Universe"). To be found nowhere else in the BtS catalog is a track that approaches the gentle beauty of "Else". 'KILAS' is virtually an essay on balance, a tutorial on how to make an accessible record laced with genius.
As said however, it is not a genius that jumps out to greet you. It must be approached patiently and openly, and given the time and attention needed in order to let it's majesty unfold. If you can't understand why Doug Martsch's name is always in the conversation of great indie guitarists, its not because of sprawling and obvious solos. Rather, its because of what he does when most aren't listening, and the dividends that his work pays to those who are. It's not an easy secret to share, so most follow step and just keep on keeping it. Cats out of the bag now Doug.
Best Tracks: "Carry The Zero", "Time Trap", "You Were Right"
(Sidenote: Just to be fair and thorough, in the event of the aforementioned conversation occurring, Elliot Smith fans would start hunting around for sharp objects, Bjork fans would open a can of tofu, the three Yo La Tengo fans in the world would not be present, and the Spiritualized fans would do us all a favor and start taking the Radiohead zealots out.)
Take, for prime example, the third track of today's loved album (1999's 'Keep It Like A Secret'), entitled "Carry the Zero". Over six minutes the band lays down a solid tune, with good drive and a catchy enough melody. What is not as immediately apparent, and is characteristic of BtS, are the additional melodies being layered and dubbed through subsequent guitars throughout the piece. Each, in its own right, is subtle, and carefully weaved into the mix. By the climax of the song however, they all come together to achieve one of the most cathartic endings in rock and roll history. Most listeners dipping into the band for the first time would hear the tune for a minute or two, get a grasp of their sound, and then most likely notice the track length and skip, completely missing out on the whole grandeur that constitutes the genius of Doug Martsch.
A similar moment of quintessential musical bliss occurs in the introducing build-up of the song "Time Trap". The track begins with a cleanly fingered bass line, thick enough to nearly be palpable, before being saturated by a wash of distortion buzzing comfortably just over top. Out of the drone, the mesh of interlocking lines and melodies start to weave themselves together, ultimately achieving a soaring apex. From the heights however, on a beat it is all succinctly stripped back to a single snappy guitar, allowing the vocal melody to take over. In this way, the music of BtS often comes across as more of a composition rather than a traditional song. And the group does pay a toll for this. I rarely find myself humming a BtS tune, as even the poppiest of their work simply does not lend itself to casual listening. This said however, their music typically adheres too closely to conventional song structure, and is too reliant on vocals to toss the band off as more post rockers. BtS undeniably are a unique and treasured addition to the pantheon of American rock.
In the BtS catalog, 1994's 'There's Nothing Wrong With Love', and the aforementioned 'Perfect From Now On' and 'Keep It Like A Secret' are generally considered great works. Of the three, 'PFNO's eight lengthy tracks embody the spirit of the compositional nature of BtS's arrangements, while the slightly more ramshackle 'TNWWL' presents us with the closest thing to a pop based album the band has ever done (which, frankly, is not that close). On 'KILAS', recorded after both of these records, the band truly marries each of these musical components to perfection. Oftentimes even, within the scope of a single song ("The Plan", "Time Trap", "Temporarily Blind"). You still have your sweeping epics ("Broken Chairs") and your two minute pop ("Center Of The Universe"). To be found nowhere else in the BtS catalog is a track that approaches the gentle beauty of "Else". 'KILAS' is virtually an essay on balance, a tutorial on how to make an accessible record laced with genius.
As said however, it is not a genius that jumps out to greet you. It must be approached patiently and openly, and given the time and attention needed in order to let it's majesty unfold. If you can't understand why Doug Martsch's name is always in the conversation of great indie guitarists, its not because of sprawling and obvious solos. Rather, its because of what he does when most aren't listening, and the dividends that his work pays to those who are. It's not an easy secret to share, so most follow step and just keep on keeping it. Cats out of the bag now Doug.
Best Tracks: "Carry The Zero", "Time Trap", "You Were Right"
Monday, July 6, 2009
Live Review: The Copy Cat Theatre, 7/5/09, Baltimore MD
Huh? The Copy Cat Theatre in Baltimore? I had never heard of it either, and yet there it was, listed as the venue for a July 5th show on Madeline's web page. Further reading revealed a street address and apartment number; things were getting intriguing. Web searches yielded no more information as to what to expect, but according Google Earth there was parking. That pretty much sealed the deal. Nothing left to do now but hop in the car and drive to Baltimore.
My sister and I showed up just after 8, when the show was slated to begin, and after a moment spent figuring out the numbering system of the building found ourselves walking into the said loft, aka the Copy Cat Theatre. And wow. I wasn't quite sure what exactly I expected, but it wasn't this. To my left was a wall draped with hanging psychedelic murals, to the front a small but picturesque homemade stage, and to the rear a double row of rag-tag (but quite comfortable) couches, probably amassed out of grandmother's attics and Craig's list giveaways over the years. To the left and behind the stage was an obvious living space, tastefully shielded by curtains. The floors were covered with an assortment of thick rugs, which coupled with the playful art on the walls and natural lighting gave the loft a comforting warmth. We were met with smiles by a few of the proprietors (made up mainly of Baltimore art and music students) who, after expressing some amount of shock that anyone they didn't personally know had found their way to the show, described to us how they built the stage to then see if they could start bringing in acts. The first ever was roughly a week before and featured some sort of seven man circus (apparently they had a trapeze set up in the loft. How did I miss this?). This nights festivities were to feature two residents of the building (Lindsay and Sianna Plavin), Madeline, and the Ginger Envelope who tours with her out of Athens, GA. A PA mix-up delayed the start of the show until roughly 9:30, attendants slowly trickling in all the while. Time was comfortably passed, by some with tarot card readings and games of chess, by me simply through happily drinking in the atmosphere of it all.
The first to hit the small stage was Lindsay. By now roughly 20 to 25 friends and fellow performers had gathered, sitting on couches and sprawled on rugs, to listen. Her four song set was characterized by the deeply resonating reverb of her Danelectro guitar playing off the tones of her similarly deep and soulful voice (think Chan Marshall without the theatrics). The highlight of the set was a slowed down version of the Beatles "All My Loving", which allowed the songstress to show off a comfortable high register as well. Two originals were also played, the first a ukulele driven folksy gaunt which, propelled by some hand held percussion showed vision. The second was a playful spoken word collaboration. Amateur musicians should not be this talented, a little rehearsal could see Lindsay developing into a true performer.
The Ginger Envelope came on next with their indie tinged brand of alt-country. I was amazed by the quality of the mix the six man outfit got out of this set-up, a truly professional touring band. The vocals of the singer recalled Elf Power, and tended to be the focus as the group never tried to stretch it out for any instrumental heroics. This was appropriate for the ambiance of the venue however, and the 7-8 song set played out to be a huge success.
Sianna Plavin came on next, and was obviously who most of the 35 or so attendants had come to support. She, like Lindsay, filled the role of lone singer songstress, with an acoustic set of four songs about home. The music was warm and poignant. Plavin as a songwriter never makes the mistake of forgetting framework within her music. Any of her songs could have easily gotten lost in the depth of her voice, but her rhythmic guitar backing and hooky folk melodies made for compositionally very sound, and expertly performed music.
Unfortunately, the end of Plavin's set saw roughly half the audience head out before Madeline and her band came on. A part of me worried that playing a set to roughly 15 listeners for meager donations would result in a performance less than up to par. To my delight however Madeline took the stage with humility; expressing her thanks for being able to play, and her similar awe at the unique and cozy little theatre. What followed were 9-10 songs, mainly from 'White Flag' but with some 'Slow Bang' and new selections as well, played by a four piece outfit. I was surprised to not see the pedal steel or keyboard from Ginger Envelope reemerge, but it turned out that the set Madeline played was a much more muscular rather than folksy interpretation of the music. Songs like "1982" became full on rock songs, while others like "Dirty South" were treated with the strong delivery they deserve. "Lit Elephants" may have been the highlight of the night, played with the most restraint of any number in the set and featuring a pitch perfect harmony. Madeline's voice was as strong and unapologetic as ever right from the opening number, and closed the set similarly so on the anthemic "Good Houses". The singer was nice enough to exchange a few words with me after the set about some of the new songs and the upcoming record, and even sent me home with a little book of chords to many of her songs.
As all good things must come to an end, so did our roughly four hour stay at the cozy Copy Cat Theatre. It certainly doesn't get any closer to having the artist in your living room than this; I literally sat on a couch and watched four amazingly talented acts play and sing 15 feet in front of me. You dream about it; these Baltimore art students are living it. (Note to self: make artistic friends.) I don't know about you, but it definitely makes me feel a little better about the world knowing that people like this are out there.
My sister and I showed up just after 8, when the show was slated to begin, and after a moment spent figuring out the numbering system of the building found ourselves walking into the said loft, aka the Copy Cat Theatre. And wow. I wasn't quite sure what exactly I expected, but it wasn't this. To my left was a wall draped with hanging psychedelic murals, to the front a small but picturesque homemade stage, and to the rear a double row of rag-tag (but quite comfortable) couches, probably amassed out of grandmother's attics and Craig's list giveaways over the years. To the left and behind the stage was an obvious living space, tastefully shielded by curtains. The floors were covered with an assortment of thick rugs, which coupled with the playful art on the walls and natural lighting gave the loft a comforting warmth. We were met with smiles by a few of the proprietors (made up mainly of Baltimore art and music students) who, after expressing some amount of shock that anyone they didn't personally know had found their way to the show, described to us how they built the stage to then see if they could start bringing in acts. The first ever was roughly a week before and featured some sort of seven man circus (apparently they had a trapeze set up in the loft. How did I miss this?). This nights festivities were to feature two residents of the building (Lindsay and Sianna Plavin), Madeline, and the Ginger Envelope who tours with her out of Athens, GA. A PA mix-up delayed the start of the show until roughly 9:30, attendants slowly trickling in all the while. Time was comfortably passed, by some with tarot card readings and games of chess, by me simply through happily drinking in the atmosphere of it all.
The first to hit the small stage was Lindsay. By now roughly 20 to 25 friends and fellow performers had gathered, sitting on couches and sprawled on rugs, to listen. Her four song set was characterized by the deeply resonating reverb of her Danelectro guitar playing off the tones of her similarly deep and soulful voice (think Chan Marshall without the theatrics). The highlight of the set was a slowed down version of the Beatles "All My Loving", which allowed the songstress to show off a comfortable high register as well. Two originals were also played, the first a ukulele driven folksy gaunt which, propelled by some hand held percussion showed vision. The second was a playful spoken word collaboration. Amateur musicians should not be this talented, a little rehearsal could see Lindsay developing into a true performer.
The Ginger Envelope came on next with their indie tinged brand of alt-country. I was amazed by the quality of the mix the six man outfit got out of this set-up, a truly professional touring band. The vocals of the singer recalled Elf Power, and tended to be the focus as the group never tried to stretch it out for any instrumental heroics. This was appropriate for the ambiance of the venue however, and the 7-8 song set played out to be a huge success.
Sianna Plavin came on next, and was obviously who most of the 35 or so attendants had come to support. She, like Lindsay, filled the role of lone singer songstress, with an acoustic set of four songs about home. The music was warm and poignant. Plavin as a songwriter never makes the mistake of forgetting framework within her music. Any of her songs could have easily gotten lost in the depth of her voice, but her rhythmic guitar backing and hooky folk melodies made for compositionally very sound, and expertly performed music.
Unfortunately, the end of Plavin's set saw roughly half the audience head out before Madeline and her band came on. A part of me worried that playing a set to roughly 15 listeners for meager donations would result in a performance less than up to par. To my delight however Madeline took the stage with humility; expressing her thanks for being able to play, and her similar awe at the unique and cozy little theatre. What followed were 9-10 songs, mainly from 'White Flag' but with some 'Slow Bang' and new selections as well, played by a four piece outfit. I was surprised to not see the pedal steel or keyboard from Ginger Envelope reemerge, but it turned out that the set Madeline played was a much more muscular rather than folksy interpretation of the music. Songs like "1982" became full on rock songs, while others like "Dirty South" were treated with the strong delivery they deserve. "Lit Elephants" may have been the highlight of the night, played with the most restraint of any number in the set and featuring a pitch perfect harmony. Madeline's voice was as strong and unapologetic as ever right from the opening number, and closed the set similarly so on the anthemic "Good Houses". The singer was nice enough to exchange a few words with me after the set about some of the new songs and the upcoming record, and even sent me home with a little book of chords to many of her songs.
As all good things must come to an end, so did our roughly four hour stay at the cozy Copy Cat Theatre. It certainly doesn't get any closer to having the artist in your living room than this; I literally sat on a couch and watched four amazingly talented acts play and sing 15 feet in front of me. You dream about it; these Baltimore art students are living it. (Note to self: make artistic friends.) I don't know about you, but it definitely makes me feel a little better about the world knowing that people like this are out there.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Wilco (the Blog Post)
"Wilco the T-shirt. Wilco the lunchbox. Wilco the coloring book. Wilco... the flamethrower! Kids love it!" Altered Spaceballs quotes aside, yes, I'm being overly harsh here. Which is why I'm going to begin this post with a disclaimer: You can no longer believe anything anyone writes about Wilco ever again. Including me. They have touched too many fans in too many varying ways to take any sole person's opinion as an even remotely encompassing vision of the group. That being said, this is exactly what I am going to try to do. Take it with a grain of salt.
Wilco has indisputably become one of the most polarizing bands of the day. Throughout their large back catalogue they have roped in an enormous and fairly diverse fan base (right across the board from alt country rockers to your indie hipsters). Through putting on a great live show, fighting against the Warner/Reprise major label and winning, and putting out consistently great albums, this developed into a fiercely devoted fan base as well. If you didn't spot the title of this blog, now you know. With the release of 'Sky Blue Sky' in 2007 however they started doing some things to alienate portions of that fan base. Among these being making a record laced with the kind of songs your apt to hear playing in the produce aisle at your local grocery store, and selling half of the record off for Volkswagen commercials. This said, though a diversion from the two previous Wilco releases ('A Ghost Is Born' and 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot'), 'Sky Blue Sky' was a pretty strong album with some trademark Wilco moments. Two years later with the release of 'Wilco (the Album)', those who were shaken at 'SBS' have jumped ship altogether, and a much larger contingent are similarly dissatisfied. Meanwhile, brand new fans flock to the record and many simply take no issue. These are the facts; lets take a look at why.
Wilco's musical progression can most easily be broken down into three periods: the beginning alt-country period, the middle experimental period, and the current adult alternative period. The alt-country phase was a natural progression after the breakup of Uncle Tupelo, and consisted of 1995's fairly forgettable 'AM', 1996's breakout 'Being There', and 1999's excellent 'Summerteeth'. The experimental phase followed with 2002's monumental 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot' and its 2004 follow-up 'A Ghost Is Born'. Leaving the adult alternative period to naturally encompass 2007's aforementioned 'Sky Blue Sky' and the most recent 'Wilco (the Album)'. And before all of you excessively thorough enthusiasts start squirming in your seats, yes, the Mermaid Avenue collaborations fall within the alt-country period.
The three periods are very distinct in chronology and in the sound characterized within them. However, this is not to say there are not overlaps. We got our first glimpse into Jeff Tweedy's experimental future on 'Being There's somewhat out of place opener, "Misunderstood". 'Summerteeth' also proved a natural stair step into the experimental phase with hints to such being dropped on tracks like "A Shot In The Arm" and "In a Future Age". Likewise, within the experimental phase the band often hearkened back to its alt-country roots, most notably on 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot's "I'm The Man Who Loves You" and within 'A Ghost Is Born' on tracks like "Hummingbird" and "The Late Greats". As much as I would like to point straight to the music as the source of the contempt Wilco has been generating with its adult alternative phase, these parallels we've been describing remain present; making these very distant dots difficult to to connect. For instance, the musical shift between 'AGIB' and 'SBS' can most easily be characterized by a return to a more conventional and roots based sound, which we all loved when it was being created back in the 90's (come on, I know you still shuffle "Forget the Flowers" regularly). Only the sound was not quite this simple anymore, as stronger elements of the experimental side of Wilco still lingered (the guitar breakdown in "Impossible Germany" and "Side With The Seeds"). Songs like "Walken" and "Hate It Here", while arduous in nature, are no larger of missteps than "Monday" off 'Being There'. For these reasons I think its only fair to meet the group halfway and acknowledge 'SBS' as just an applaudable effort as any of their releases from the alt-country period. To do the same for the newest release is not quite as easy, namely because the interesting experimental flair is largely absent (with exception of the questionable "Bull Black Nova"). This leaves an even dryer set of songs, but the fact is that they aren't terrible songs. The hordes of new Wilco fans being brought in can attest to that. "I'll Fight", "You Never Know", and Feist duet "You And I" stand with Wilco's best. Still, after fourteen years a bland, not bad, album should obviously not inspire such mutiny. So what exactly is it that with this release is leaving that bad taste in your mouth?
(Sidenote: Seriously Feist? You little concubine of indie rock you. How many collaborations can one person seriously do? Should we even try to count? Even if you set aside all the groups she is or was "in" (lets see, By Divine Right, Peaches, Broken Social Scene, Apostle of Hustle...) there are still almost too many to count. Off the top of my head, what've we got; Grizzly Bear, Kings of Convenience, Ben Gibbard, Chilly Gonzales, Mocky, Jane Birkin, Arthur H., The World Provider, Rubies, Jason Collet, I know I'm missing some, and now Wilco? Didn't you ever learn to say "no"? Is there no filter? What would your mother say? Point being, there was a time when it was cool to feature Feist on a track, but now it's about the most cliche ply for indie street cred you can hack.)
Back to bad taste. If anything Wilco related can cause it, it's Jay Bennett's death. Three weeks into a lawsuit against the group, and roughly four before the new release, one of the driving creative forces behind 'YHF' passed away due to overdose on pain pills. Now lets pretend you've never seen the "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" documentary or read extensively about the the state of the band during the 'YHF' era. To the casual fan, here is the picture I see. Jeff Tweedy plays music for fifteen years to moderate success before recording his masterpiece, 'YHF'. A masterpiece that is largely in debt to the contributions of 8 year band member Jay Bennett. Bennett is dismissed under tension, and the lawsuit would suggest was not treated altogether fairly by the band. So here we are, with Jay Bennett at an all time low, popping pills and in debt, being treated poorly by the band he helped propell to wild success. Not only do his former band mates allow him to wallow, but on the eve of his death they release "Wilco (the Song)", which firmly pronounces that this, this sound, this line-up, is the definitive Wilco. Hardly showing respect to Bennett and his contributions. Not only that, but a rich and smiling Jeff Tweedy sings "Do you dabble in depression? Is someone twisting a knife in your back? Are you being attacked? Wilco will love you Baby." I'd say Bennett was dabbling in depression, did Wilco love him? I'm sure that I'm missing out on large parts of this picture, but you can see the hypocrisy that is beginning to emerge. When viewed in this light the glib tone of the song is almost disgusting to say the least.
Even when viewed separately from Bennett's death the tone is off putting to say the least. Of our three aforementioned periods, different Wilco fans are more or less attracted to one or another of these creative phases. To definitively say that this line-up and sound is Wilco, as "Wilco (the Song) and even 'Wilco (the Album)' seems to, is obviously inflammatory to those who are deeply attached to 'YHF', or those who yearn for more summery pop of 'Summerteeth' or truer country roots of 'Being There'. All of these fans are throwing there hands in the air saying, "Huh?" Personally, if Wilco were "loving me baby", they would mine more territory in the vein of 'AGIB'. It's almost as if Zeppelin were to come out announcing 'Physical Graffiti' as their definitive work. It was a good album, but I'd like to see the Zoso lovers react to it.
I would assume that most would jump to commercialization as the new off-putting factor, and while for some this may have an effect, I doubt it is so simple. Commercials have been a more effective outlet for indie bands to find an audience than radio certainly has been, and Wilco didn't debut on Billboard charts at anywhere near heights of Grizzly Bear (who everyone is currently harboring fuzzy feelings for). As stated before, musically there are plenty of parallels from former Wilco. The name Wilco must be derived from the military radio pro-word, meaning will comply. Maybe the album and song were just an effort to play off of this association, but it comes off as smug. And in the wake of the death of Jay Bennett, it comes off as hypocritical to say the least. Either way, there are undeniably bad feelings being created here, and even if some would like to claim so, they do not originate with the music. One thing is for sure, as usual, everyone will have eyes peeled for what Tweedy and crew do next.
Wilco has indisputably become one of the most polarizing bands of the day. Throughout their large back catalogue they have roped in an enormous and fairly diverse fan base (right across the board from alt country rockers to your indie hipsters). Through putting on a great live show, fighting against the Warner/Reprise major label and winning, and putting out consistently great albums, this developed into a fiercely devoted fan base as well. If you didn't spot the title of this blog, now you know. With the release of 'Sky Blue Sky' in 2007 however they started doing some things to alienate portions of that fan base. Among these being making a record laced with the kind of songs your apt to hear playing in the produce aisle at your local grocery store, and selling half of the record off for Volkswagen commercials. This said, though a diversion from the two previous Wilco releases ('A Ghost Is Born' and 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot'), 'Sky Blue Sky' was a pretty strong album with some trademark Wilco moments. Two years later with the release of 'Wilco (the Album)', those who were shaken at 'SBS' have jumped ship altogether, and a much larger contingent are similarly dissatisfied. Meanwhile, brand new fans flock to the record and many simply take no issue. These are the facts; lets take a look at why.
Wilco's musical progression can most easily be broken down into three periods: the beginning alt-country period, the middle experimental period, and the current adult alternative period. The alt-country phase was a natural progression after the breakup of Uncle Tupelo, and consisted of 1995's fairly forgettable 'AM', 1996's breakout 'Being There', and 1999's excellent 'Summerteeth'. The experimental phase followed with 2002's monumental 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot' and its 2004 follow-up 'A Ghost Is Born'. Leaving the adult alternative period to naturally encompass 2007's aforementioned 'Sky Blue Sky' and the most recent 'Wilco (the Album)'. And before all of you excessively thorough enthusiasts start squirming in your seats, yes, the Mermaid Avenue collaborations fall within the alt-country period.
The three periods are very distinct in chronology and in the sound characterized within them. However, this is not to say there are not overlaps. We got our first glimpse into Jeff Tweedy's experimental future on 'Being There's somewhat out of place opener, "Misunderstood". 'Summerteeth' also proved a natural stair step into the experimental phase with hints to such being dropped on tracks like "A Shot In The Arm" and "In a Future Age". Likewise, within the experimental phase the band often hearkened back to its alt-country roots, most notably on 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot's "I'm The Man Who Loves You" and within 'A Ghost Is Born' on tracks like "Hummingbird" and "The Late Greats". As much as I would like to point straight to the music as the source of the contempt Wilco has been generating with its adult alternative phase, these parallels we've been describing remain present; making these very distant dots difficult to to connect. For instance, the musical shift between 'AGIB' and 'SBS' can most easily be characterized by a return to a more conventional and roots based sound, which we all loved when it was being created back in the 90's (come on, I know you still shuffle "Forget the Flowers" regularly). Only the sound was not quite this simple anymore, as stronger elements of the experimental side of Wilco still lingered (the guitar breakdown in "Impossible Germany" and "Side With The Seeds"). Songs like "Walken" and "Hate It Here", while arduous in nature, are no larger of missteps than "Monday" off 'Being There'. For these reasons I think its only fair to meet the group halfway and acknowledge 'SBS' as just an applaudable effort as any of their releases from the alt-country period. To do the same for the newest release is not quite as easy, namely because the interesting experimental flair is largely absent (with exception of the questionable "Bull Black Nova"). This leaves an even dryer set of songs, but the fact is that they aren't terrible songs. The hordes of new Wilco fans being brought in can attest to that. "I'll Fight", "You Never Know", and Feist duet "You And I" stand with Wilco's best. Still, after fourteen years a bland, not bad, album should obviously not inspire such mutiny. So what exactly is it that with this release is leaving that bad taste in your mouth?
(Sidenote: Seriously Feist? You little concubine of indie rock you. How many collaborations can one person seriously do? Should we even try to count? Even if you set aside all the groups she is or was "in" (lets see, By Divine Right, Peaches, Broken Social Scene, Apostle of Hustle...) there are still almost too many to count. Off the top of my head, what've we got; Grizzly Bear, Kings of Convenience, Ben Gibbard, Chilly Gonzales, Mocky, Jane Birkin, Arthur H., The World Provider, Rubies, Jason Collet, I know I'm missing some, and now Wilco? Didn't you ever learn to say "no"? Is there no filter? What would your mother say? Point being, there was a time when it was cool to feature Feist on a track, but now it's about the most cliche ply for indie street cred you can hack.)
Back to bad taste. If anything Wilco related can cause it, it's Jay Bennett's death. Three weeks into a lawsuit against the group, and roughly four before the new release, one of the driving creative forces behind 'YHF' passed away due to overdose on pain pills. Now lets pretend you've never seen the "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" documentary or read extensively about the the state of the band during the 'YHF' era. To the casual fan, here is the picture I see. Jeff Tweedy plays music for fifteen years to moderate success before recording his masterpiece, 'YHF'. A masterpiece that is largely in debt to the contributions of 8 year band member Jay Bennett. Bennett is dismissed under tension, and the lawsuit would suggest was not treated altogether fairly by the band. So here we are, with Jay Bennett at an all time low, popping pills and in debt, being treated poorly by the band he helped propell to wild success. Not only do his former band mates allow him to wallow, but on the eve of his death they release "Wilco (the Song)", which firmly pronounces that this, this sound, this line-up, is the definitive Wilco. Hardly showing respect to Bennett and his contributions. Not only that, but a rich and smiling Jeff Tweedy sings "Do you dabble in depression? Is someone twisting a knife in your back? Are you being attacked? Wilco will love you Baby." I'd say Bennett was dabbling in depression, did Wilco love him? I'm sure that I'm missing out on large parts of this picture, but you can see the hypocrisy that is beginning to emerge. When viewed in this light the glib tone of the song is almost disgusting to say the least.
Even when viewed separately from Bennett's death the tone is off putting to say the least. Of our three aforementioned periods, different Wilco fans are more or less attracted to one or another of these creative phases. To definitively say that this line-up and sound is Wilco, as "Wilco (the Song) and even 'Wilco (the Album)' seems to, is obviously inflammatory to those who are deeply attached to 'YHF', or those who yearn for more summery pop of 'Summerteeth' or truer country roots of 'Being There'. All of these fans are throwing there hands in the air saying, "Huh?" Personally, if Wilco were "loving me baby", they would mine more territory in the vein of 'AGIB'. It's almost as if Zeppelin were to come out announcing 'Physical Graffiti' as their definitive work. It was a good album, but I'd like to see the Zoso lovers react to it.
I would assume that most would jump to commercialization as the new off-putting factor, and while for some this may have an effect, I doubt it is so simple. Commercials have been a more effective outlet for indie bands to find an audience than radio certainly has been, and Wilco didn't debut on Billboard charts at anywhere near heights of Grizzly Bear (who everyone is currently harboring fuzzy feelings for). As stated before, musically there are plenty of parallels from former Wilco. The name Wilco must be derived from the military radio pro-word, meaning will comply. Maybe the album and song were just an effort to play off of this association, but it comes off as smug. And in the wake of the death of Jay Bennett, it comes off as hypocritical to say the least. Either way, there are undeniably bad feelings being created here, and even if some would like to claim so, they do not originate with the music. One thing is for sure, as usual, everyone will have eyes peeled for what Tweedy and crew do next.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Rap Battle: Hilltop Hoods vs. Mos Def
What better way to present hip-hop albums than in head to head competition? Todays bout pitches the Aussie MC's, Hilltop Hoods, 2009 release 'State of the Art' against Mos Def and his middle eastern tinged 'The Ecstatic'. I like to think of these albums as fairly underground in nature, but seeing as how 'SotA' debuted at #1 down under and Mos Def has an acting career in feature films and television, I guess that just goes to show that the use of the term 'underground' in the hip-hop community should be taken relatively. Perhaps it's nothing more than the complete lack of auto-tune on either outing that draws me to these two albums. Crank dat beat up- let's get this thing rolling:
Album Opener: We find both records hitting the ground running from the start. The Hoods fire off with "The Return", a guitar driven track that fills a void left empty since the break-up of Rage Against the Machine. This track is supposed to make a statement, and it does. Is 'incendiary' too high of praise? Thats certainly what their going for here and they pull it off pretty well. Mos Def's "Supermagic" is similiarly a high paced hard hitting, if a slightly less straightforward track. The song introduces the middle eastern flavors you will soon become accustomed to throughout the record, and couples them with a garage rock guitar riff. Think if 13th Floor Elevators had an MC. The track starts off with some socially conscious sampling, but pretty much drops that tone entirely to develop into a playful, fun, tune. Both tracks are excellent, but Mos Def's hits just a little harder in context of the entire album, and is inevitably more musically interesting.
Singles: Despite the records only debuting three days apart, Def has managed to release three singles to the Hoods one. To even the odds we'll throw out "Casa Bey", as we'll be discussing it later, and throw in "Chris Farley" from the Aussies. Both "Chris Farley" and MD's "Life In Marvelous Times" characterize the lone 'in the club' moments on either album. Meaning simply that its not too hard to picture the rappers in an obnoxious video, wearing Kanye sunglasses, and surrounded by women and bottles of Patron with these tracks backing. That said, "Life in Marvelous Times" is obviously tongue in cheek, and throws in some production flourish to good effect. The two superior singles, "Chase That Feeling" for HH and "Quiet Dog Bite Hard" from MD are undeniably excellent. MD's track is stripped almost bare for maximum impact. On "Chase That Feeling" however, the Hoods lay a clean, jazzy piano riff under a thick backbeat that harkens back to Henrik Schwartz, and is more immediately satisfying than anything else on either of these records. Tally one up for the Hoods.
The Filler: Here both albums make the mistake of supplying us with too much of the same. 50 minutes of Australians barking into your ear drums is, well, it can get a little old. When every song comes in like a car chase through your living room, eventually the adrenaline that should accompany this starts to fade, and you just get annoyed. The lyrics for the most part remain cocky, smart, and fun. At one point they even quote 'The Big Lebowski', which while some would present as an argument for why white guys shouldn't rap, never fails to put a smile on my face. Mos Def, throughout 'The Ecstatic', has the annoying habit of clipping his tracks at or under the two minute mark. The more interesting musical elements are a true strength of his record, but only really pay off when he fully develops them (as on "Auditorium", "Roses", or "Pretty Danger"). The rest of the time we are left with way too many half baked good ideas. This category is a wash.
Album Closer: This category goes over to Mos Def and the hypnotic "Casa Bey". The track is fun, playful lyrically and in production, musically muscular, and plays well off what is anything but a conventional hip-hop beat. HH with closer "Fifty in Five" offer one of the most chilled out numbers on their record, this time stretched out to five and a half minutes. The lyrics are overtly political in nature; don't worry though, nothing on bills to protect the kangaroo or boomerang exports. The Hoods actually have just as much to say about American and world politics as anyone else. As is typical, they establish a substantial groove and ride it adeptly, but in the end "Casa Bey" and its unique sounds take the cake.
Album Opener: We find both records hitting the ground running from the start. The Hoods fire off with "The Return", a guitar driven track that fills a void left empty since the break-up of Rage Against the Machine. This track is supposed to make a statement, and it does. Is 'incendiary' too high of praise? Thats certainly what their going for here and they pull it off pretty well. Mos Def's "Supermagic" is similiarly a high paced hard hitting, if a slightly less straightforward track. The song introduces the middle eastern flavors you will soon become accustomed to throughout the record, and couples them with a garage rock guitar riff. Think if 13th Floor Elevators had an MC. The track starts off with some socially conscious sampling, but pretty much drops that tone entirely to develop into a playful, fun, tune. Both tracks are excellent, but Mos Def's hits just a little harder in context of the entire album, and is inevitably more musically interesting.
Singles: Despite the records only debuting three days apart, Def has managed to release three singles to the Hoods one. To even the odds we'll throw out "Casa Bey", as we'll be discussing it later, and throw in "Chris Farley" from the Aussies. Both "Chris Farley" and MD's "Life In Marvelous Times" characterize the lone 'in the club' moments on either album. Meaning simply that its not too hard to picture the rappers in an obnoxious video, wearing Kanye sunglasses, and surrounded by women and bottles of Patron with these tracks backing. That said, "Life in Marvelous Times" is obviously tongue in cheek, and throws in some production flourish to good effect. The two superior singles, "Chase That Feeling" for HH and "Quiet Dog Bite Hard" from MD are undeniably excellent. MD's track is stripped almost bare for maximum impact. On "Chase That Feeling" however, the Hoods lay a clean, jazzy piano riff under a thick backbeat that harkens back to Henrik Schwartz, and is more immediately satisfying than anything else on either of these records. Tally one up for the Hoods.
The Filler: Here both albums make the mistake of supplying us with too much of the same. 50 minutes of Australians barking into your ear drums is, well, it can get a little old. When every song comes in like a car chase through your living room, eventually the adrenaline that should accompany this starts to fade, and you just get annoyed. The lyrics for the most part remain cocky, smart, and fun. At one point they even quote 'The Big Lebowski', which while some would present as an argument for why white guys shouldn't rap, never fails to put a smile on my face. Mos Def, throughout 'The Ecstatic', has the annoying habit of clipping his tracks at or under the two minute mark. The more interesting musical elements are a true strength of his record, but only really pay off when he fully develops them (as on "Auditorium", "Roses", or "Pretty Danger"). The rest of the time we are left with way too many half baked good ideas. This category is a wash.
Album Closer: This category goes over to Mos Def and the hypnotic "Casa Bey". The track is fun, playful lyrically and in production, musically muscular, and plays well off what is anything but a conventional hip-hop beat. HH with closer "Fifty in Five" offer one of the most chilled out numbers on their record, this time stretched out to five and a half minutes. The lyrics are overtly political in nature; don't worry though, nothing on bills to protect the kangaroo or boomerang exports. The Hoods actually have just as much to say about American and world politics as anyone else. As is typical, they establish a substantial groove and ride it adeptly, but in the end "Casa Bey" and its unique sounds take the cake.
Production: It's hard to imagine two albums from the same genre coming from such completely separate places in terms of production. Where 'SotA' is clean to a fine polish, 'The Ecstatic' is certainly not lo-fi, but content to let authenticity hum away on the background of many of its tracks. Where 'SotA' tends to always throw one more sample into the mix 'The Ecstatic' lets its world-bent backings pretty much stand alone. As a result, 'The Ecstatic' breathes a little more easliy as an album, and thus will easily lend itself to repeat listens. Don't get me wrong, a number of tracks off 'SotA' will remain on your work-out playlist for time to come, but to get through the record in one sitting takes a whole separate kind of stamina.
Well folks, its been a doozy, and for a while there I didn't know who was gonna take it- the Hilltop Hoods with their spitfire lyrics and unrelenting sonic energy or Mos Def with his Thievery Corporation inspired ethnic cool. The first rap battle of 2009 however goes to 'The Ecstatic'. In the end what we have here are two pretty good albums from two of the best in the biz. Do yourself a favor and check em both out.
'State of the Art'- Hilltop Hoods
Best Tracks: "The Return", "Chase That Feeling"
'The Ecstatic'- Mos Def
Best Tracks: "Supermagic", "Auditorium", "Quiet Dog Bite Hard"
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