Way before it’s March 23rd release date, the fine people over at NPR are streaming the brand new She & Him album Volume Two. Head over to the NPR Music section for a first listen to the new tracks. Anyone care to offer a first opinion in the comments section?
When Beulah called it quits many thought this might be the last we had heard of Miles Kurosky. He hid under the radar for a little bit, but the instrumental orchestrations within his mind eventually won out, encouraging Miles to take to the studio once again. The Desert of Shallow Effects is his first solo album, and while it doesn’t stray too far from his previous works, it serves as a reminder that he still has the ability to craft amazing pop gems surrounded by big band moments.
The album opens with a slow burner, “Notes From the Polish Underground.” Miles doesn’t do too much to push the energy on this number, instead choosing to let the horns and piano flesh out the song. It’s reminiscent of his work on Yoko, which left Beulah on the quieter side of California pop. But, he moves on quickly with “An Apple for an Apple.” Seconds into the song, you get a ringing guitar, one that comes in and out of the song. Here is the Miles that fans will fall in love with all over again. Instruments abound, production wise, but it’s his warm vocal drenched in a faint moment of backing vocals that celebrate the exuberance we once associated with the singer.
While this record has moments where Miles brings back that passionate mini-yelp, such as “I Can’t Swim,” energetic moments are clearly not all that will define his return to form. The Desert of Shallow Effects also utilizes his softer side to great effects. ”She Was My Dresden” is really just a song for him to strum along while you are soothed by his vocals. What’s relevant about this song in regards to his past is his focus on first-person storytelling it’s one of the few songs on this album where his feelings are the sole focus of the work. In contrast, he has other slow turning songs like “Housewives with Knives” and “West Memphis Skyline” where he looks at writing from the third-person perspective. Despite the change in lyrical content, these quieter moments also show that he’s polished his songwriting in this style, fusing his own distinctive writing with his lush orchestration. Perhaps time has allowed him to clear the cobwebs a bit, and construct sublime moments all over.
Suffice it to say, The Desert of Shallow Effects is a triumphant return for Miles Kurosky. Sure, he does seem a bit undecided on precisely where he wants to go now that he’s back in the music game, but what remains central to this album is that he can still create amazing songs, use his friends to provide great backing moments, then carry you into momentary bliss. We should all consider ourselves lucky that such a wonderful voice has returned to the music scene to warm us over with his sunny chamber pop tastes.
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Download: Miles Kursoky – West Memphis Skyline
Miles will also be playing the following SXSW shows:
3/17 @ Red Eyed Fly – 3:20 PM 3/18 @ Emos 9 PM 3/19 @ Home Slice Pizza – 5:15
We’ve long been admirers of Liars; they seem untouched by their peers, always exploring their own sonic pallet. Luckily, they have an incredible live show to back up their ridiculously respectable musical chops. You’ll all get a chance to glimpse them in Austin this week (if you’re here, that is). But, to top that off, we’ve got a killer contest brought to you by the friendly people at Mute Records that will allow you to win a package with all the band’s works, and a bonus disc of their latest, Sisterworld, with reinterpretations from the likes of Thom Yorke and Devandra Banhart. Leave us a comment with your favorite SXSW moment, and we’ll select 3 winners! Contest will end Tuesday, March 16th 12 PM CST. Good luck.
Make sure to make it out to these SXSW dates:
3/18 @ Insound Day Party – 4 PM & 3/19 Billions Showcase – 1 AM
We bet that closing set at Antones will be one of the best moments of SXSW!
In retrospect, it was the free tequila at that third South By Southwest party that did it. And there was that energy drink you downed, despite the fact you’d never heard of it (hey, it was free). Of course the Southern Comfort at party five didn’t help either. Nor did the eleven beers between party one and party seven (3 micro-brews, 2 Shiners, 5 PBRs, 1 new crap beer Budweiser is pushing). The fact that this unholy blend of alcohol is now fighting it out with the bratwurst and street pizza you consumed yesterday is only complicating matters. Stomach hates you. Brain not functioning. Unidentified bruises abound. Water and aspirin cannot save you. All this and your friend has the nerve to say: “I’m not hung over at all, I feel great!” Resist the urge to punch him in his stupid face. Go and put on a nice soft record. Follow the jump for 5 Albums that will help you cope with a hangover.
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The “ecentric” musician Ariel Pink and his new backing band, Haunted Graffiti, are planning their first group effort LP for release this spring on 4AD. Prior to the album date, the group plan to release a 7″ single which will be made available physical and digitally on april 26th. The tune below, “Round and Round”, is the A-side on the upcoming single. Deets on the full LP to come.
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Download: Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Round and Round [MP3]
If you’ve been living in a cave for the past 10 years or so, here’s a music tip: There’s an indie rock band from New Mexico called the Shins and there’s a music producer from New York named Danger Mouse (aka Brian Burton). They are both good at their respective positions and have enjoyed very lucrative careers. Well the romantic tale begins in 2004 in Denmark when Shins front-man James Mercer met with Burton and they discovered a mutual respect and fandom. After years of playful collaboration in a secret, bunker-type studio, the result is virtually seamless.
The resources of Mercer and Mouse blend together in a way that is well thought out and intriguing as first, but it’s not life changing music. (For me, Chutes too Narrow changed my life) It is, at the least, very enjoyable. The record is no doubt a candidate for best album released so far; however just ask me about it at year’s end. If you listen to the radio, chances are, you’ve heard the first single, ‘The High Road’. The group also just began their tour with a stop at the Late Show with David Letterman (AKA How can anybody stand him?) performing the single live for the first time to great success. The group isn’t going to blow you away with their live performances, but no one should find that surprising.
The track ‘Your Head is on Fire’, pulls a page from Animal Collective with very Panda Bear-esque vocals and samples mixed in. This simple but effective layering technique falls away displaying some of the best of Mercer’s lyrics on the album and I find myself going back to this track in particular for repeated listens. ‘The Ghost inside’ sounds like the next Gnarls Barkley single/ Gorillaz until Mercer’s lyrics come back in about half way through. (How ironic that the Gorillaz new album was also released the same day?)
‘October’ and ‘Citizen’ are about as vintage Shins as we find on the new record, circa 2007. On both tracks we find intriguing lyrics of which Mercer is well known, though the latter, it is the only track that feels over-produced. It’s really the only track that feels significantly different from the rest, though the final third contains wonderful musical dénouement.
‘Mongrel Heart’ with a good hearty bass line that drives the track and ‘The Mall and the Misery’ finish off the record strongly, but fall to make any real lasting impression for me. It is a smart record that holds a good tempo throughout, with each track holding an infectious beat which is becoming something of a Danger Mouse calling card. So at your next party, if you were wondering how to make the Broken Bells ‘cocktail’: Take one part Shins, one part Gnarls Barkley, and one part Gorrilaz, mix with ice and strain (for a smooth consistency), garnish with a little Panda Bear and serve in a high-ball glass (Nothing too classy). Repeat as needed. Your buzz may not last as long as you’d like.
Austin gets 2 chances to catch the group at SXSW:
Wednesday March 17th @ Stubbs – NPR’s Official Showcase
Friday March 19th @ Lustre Pearl – Dickie’s/Filter Party
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Download: Broken Bells – The High Road [MP3]
| Date | 3/13/10 |
|---|---|
| Location | Red Eyed Fly |
| Doors | 8pm |
| Tickets | Free |
Attention to all you out of town kids coming in for SXSW! If you want to hear some solid local music before the week really kicks off, head over to Red Eyed Fly on Saturday night for a free show put on by bloggers Aquarium Drunkard. Some of our best and brightest Strange Boys & Harlem will be playing along with Brooklyn band Blair. I’d plan on getting there real early if you plan on getting in.
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Download: The Strange Boys – Dare I Say [MP3]
Long ago Liars delved into post-punk world with They Threw…on Top, but they’ve shape-shifted on every record since that point, which would lead many to believe that Sisterworld would have some sort of major twist forcing listeners to adapt yet again. The fact is, Liars have finally completed their most cohesive collage of noise-rock since their debut, and in doing so, have created their best work to date.
Our opening two tracks, “Scissors” and “No Barrier Fun” find the group getting into a bit of garden darkness. ”Scissors” features a haunting Angus vocal, with choir backing, that creeps along whilst tinkering noises guide the song. Suddenly, you’re met with crashing noise. It’s similar to the way the opened Liars, but as soon as you realize what’s happened, we’re back to Angus lurking in the shadows. Meanwhile, “No Barrier Fun” brings along the experimental noise work the band has employed in the past, throwing everything but the kitchen sink into the mix. For some reason, there is a throbbing electronic element in the background that seems to keep you on edge throughout.
But, never to be a band to stay in one place for long, you’ll find that “Scarecrows on a Killer Slant” brings sort of an Anthrax vocal delivery coated in walls of feedback and noise. You have to expect them to belt this song out in the live setting, as the energy alone emitted from this song surpasses almost all their work to date; even Angus’ odd vocals stretched over the ending are not enough to take away from the incessant pounding element that makes this number stand out in the head of most listeners.
One of the weirdest things about recent Liars records, including this one, is that sometimes the band just seems as if they’re messing about in the studio, and yet they manage to always make it sound interesting. ”Proud Evolution” doesn’t really seem to have anywhere to go from the first few seconds, and it almost feels like you’re stuck listening to this song without an escape; this may be why you have to credit the band for their creativity and exploration. You’ll find that as the percussion joins and the lyrical delivery comes in almost the form of a stomping chant, you’ve already invested yourself enough into the song to want to let it go by skipping on to the next moment.
Liars remain a compelling listen throughout Sisterworld due to their ability to juxtapose haunting experimental numbers right next to their oddball noise rock. ”The Overachievers” recalls some of their earliest work, although it has the sonic exploration of their later works, as screeching guitars fill in the back line of the song. Then they throw it out the window and back the song right into “Goodnight Everything,” which comes off like a demonic version of M83, as soundscapes are destroyed by the death march of the guitars and Angus’ continually disturbing vocal delivery.
You have to give it up for this band. Rarely does a band manage to jump from point to point throughout their career and still maintain a reasonable sense of cohesion amidst their catalogue. Liars continue to push the envelope in their own quest to uncover every redeemable quality in sonic exploration. Sisterworld is the benefactor of this never-ending search, finding the band learning from their past, and moving on into unknown territories of creative noise.
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Download: Liars – The Overachievers [MP3]
As our SXSW week of mayhem draws ever closer, we wanted to share some tunes with a few of the lesser known acts making their way into Austin. Today we’ll take a quick look at Scottish band St. Deluxe. This fuzz-pop quartet dropped their stellar debut LP in February of last year and have already shared the stage with the likes of Mudhoney, The Vaselines, and Sonic Boom. Ironically the band come across as a more modern version of Mudhoney, or a sort of Scottish take on Dinosaur Jr, with a bigger emphasis on distorted vocals and bass. However you want to label them, St. Deluxe will be a band to check out next week. Not convinced? Check out this live video of their song “New Wave Stars” and tell me that doesn’t do it for ya. Two opportunities to see these guys for free:
Friday 3/19 – Dart Music Party @ Mi Casa (503 E. 6th st) – 1pm
Friday 3/19 – BME Scottish Stage @ Latitude 30 (512 San Jacinto Blvd.) – 4:20pm
[aduio: http://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/01_After_the_Fire_St_Deluxe.mp3]
Download: St. Deluxe – After the Fire [MP3]
Now that the SXSW music festival is upon us, it’s time to take a last minute look at the bands you should really be paying attention to during the week. I’m thinking the best way to do that would be to put the spotlight on Tyler, TX. band Eisley. Now some of you may have forgotten about this band since they’ve been quiet for a couple years now in the music world, but we haven’t! We’re also excited to hear that new material is on the way soon. I’m sure that the first new album since 2007s Combinations will no doubt continue to bring those sweet pop jams we’ve grown accustomed too from Eisley. We also had the chance recently to speak with front lady Sherri Dupree Bermis about her band. Follow the jump to read the SXSW oriented questions.
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