Leeds band The Lodger released this album in May of this year, but Life Is Sweet has been taking its time to get completely acquainted with those of us on American soil. Surely you will find tragedy in that, for this record is precisely the type of album that made British music a mainstay in U.S. college radio throughout the 90s.
This album opens up with “My Finest Hour,” which is a piano-laden song, gently sweeping along. It floats somewhere in the world of Belle and Sebastian until the chorus brings in pounding piano and a quickened pace with the vocals.
Moments later you’re treated to the best song on the album, not that the rest aren’t here for your enjoyment. It’s a foot-stomper of a song, with guitar work similar to that of Franz Ferdinand, but with a more pop-driven vocal. ”The Good Old Days” is sure to get you moving, no matter what your into. It’s the perfect blend of upbeat indie rock and modern pop music.
The more you listen to the album, the more the infectious melodies lodge themselves inside your brain. It’s similar to the first time you threw on a Smiths LP or even Orange Juice. It isn’t anything that will go down as the most creative music of all time, but it’s the fact that the band has honed their skills to perfection; they get the most potential out of every single song on the album.
You could drop the name of pretty much every seminal Brit-pop band from the early eighties on when describing this band, but despite their shared commonalities with their influences, The Lodger is able to go beyond those same sounds; they create a sound entirely their own. Surely this deserves our notice over here in the United States, as we can only hope that we get more guitar-pop from our distant cousins rather than the same re-hashed dance music time and time again.
Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan - Sunday at Devil Dirt
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Despite it’s abilities to work, this still remains one of the strangest duos that has come to light. You could see Jagger and Bowie, but Lanegan and Campbell? Still, two albums in, they are perfecting their devilish-folk musings on Sunday at Devil Dirt.
As per usual, Mark Lanegan, former Screaming Trees singer, takes the lead vocals on this entire album, coating every single song in his whiskey-drenched Southern drawl, coming off like a less-carnivalesque Tom Waits. His voice is fitting for David Lynch screenplays, and yet he matches it with the sweetness of Isobel Campbell.
Most of the musical arrangements on the album come from Campbell, who continues to contrast her traditional role as queen of twee by creating brooding folks songs; each song is carefully constructed with equal part haunting orchestration and guitar picking. It’s this match of sounds that provides for a demonically sultry soundscape throughout.
Most of the time, Isobel doesn’t really make an appearance on the album, at least not as the focal point, which is disappointing, as her voice was one of the most memorable of the late 90s. Still, she does have some stand out moments, which make the tracks stand out from the rest. Her vocal bombast during the chorus of “The Raven” provides the perfect counter-balance to Lanegan. Similarly, the duo trade vocals on “Who Built the Road,” which demonstrates the unique harmony shared between these two juxtaposed musical characters.
One of the more endearing tracks, meaning one of the most upbeat–spiritually speaking, is “Keep Me in Mind Sweethear.” It’s a short number, but even Lanegan makes the longing sound natural, and not nearly as dark has his typical outing on this album. Oddly, at this point in the album, you can feel the lighter side of things shining through, which is ironic since it all comes at the end of the album, but it encourages you to look forward, and move on.
Overall, this is just another example of the dynamic shared between two great voices in independent music. It comes just in time for the cold weather to encourage whiskey drinking and story telling among friends; may your holidays come off something like this album.
It’s difficult to rate a release of a band which has achieved adoration throughout the independent music world, especially when that release consists of various John Peel Sessions and a live recording in Belfast. However, the gauntlet has been layed down, thus the rating has been thrown out.
The compilations is made up of multiple discs, the first being the BBC Sessions alluded to in the title of the release. Now, Belle and Sebastian has always been a quiet band, especially if you listen to the mix of Tigermilk or If You’re Feeling Sinister, but on this disc you will find many of the classic songs from that era, such as “Judy and The Dream of Horses.” A lot of these songs haven’t really changed much from the original recordings, in fact, they stay exactly the same as the first time they came out of your speakers. Still, the quality of the recording is exceptional here, perhaps even better than the original recordings, so there is something to take away.
Overall, the first disc is a reminder of the band’s distant past, as the presence of Isobel Campbell is no more. Listeners will find beauty in the intro of “The Magic of a Kind Word,” but those sorts of reminders only show how far the band has come. Favorites still sound wonderful, such as “Sleep the Clock Around” and “Seymour Stein.” It’s a pleasant reminder, but the lack of variance leaves much to be desired for the most die-hard of fans.
Disc two is a live album, recorded in Belfast, which is right near Holywood, in 2001. It’s got a decent offering of songs, though they don’t really meander far from various other live recordings that have been thrown around for years. There are some pleasant surprises that come from the band’s past, like their covers of “Here Comes the Sun” and “I’m Waiting for the Man.” It’s a pleasant reminder of the youthfulness the band has maintained, always dancing the night away in your bedroom speakers. It also demonstrates the leaps and bounds the group has made in more recent live performances.
In the end, its a very decent offering of music for those who are in love with Belle and Sebastian. For those who haven’t steeped themselves in the history of the band, or are completely oblivious to their existence, they might find some value here, but all true fans know that there are much greater starting points to the history of one of the greatest bands in modern history.
Oklahoma’s Colourmusic won me over long ago with their fantastic live shows, something I mentioned in the past, and now we are here to see if their debut album lives up to the hype of one of the most exciting bands around.
They open the album with “Motherfather,” a light tune that evokes some of the band’s British influences. And you can add to that joy a brief bass solo. It’s a clear statement from the beginning that Colourmusic will be a difficult band to define.
Immediately afterwards they push forward with the grittier “Put in A Little Gas.” The song is fueled by the distorted guitars, juxtaposed with the playful chorus–or is that a verse? This song is sure to be the staple of the band’s live show, as the repetitive lyrics make it difficult for any crowd participant to ignore.
This act keep the pressure on with the continually upbeat “Gospel Song.” It’s the indie world’s response to call and response choir work, with a sexual undertone that may or may not be intentional. Clearly this is a song that makes you want to throw your hands up and stomp around the floor of your room until the floorboards are nothing but dust.
I’m tempted to say that “Spring Song” has a little too much kitsch. There is a line of playfulness that the band can cross at times, and this is one of those times. Still, there is an attractive quality to the song that makes this song enjoyable. I wonder if, as they say, “everyone is singing my song.” It is catchy.
Enter “Circles.” It’s one of the band’s oldest songs, and it is one they’ve mastered to near perfection. The constant switching in time builds the momentum throughout the song, encouraging you to tag along with the band. Go far enough, and you’ll find yourself caught up in the chorus near the end of the circle, swinging yourself and your loved one “all around.”
“Someday Speaks Loudly” is something I can’t really describe. It begins with some atmospherics, then the ghastly vocals float carefully through the core of the song, as the drumming builds in the background, crashing quietly into the end of the song. Something is so familiar about this song. I can’t place it, but if you can, let me know.
Prepare yourself for “Yes.” This is easily one of the better songs on the album. Sure, it gets a touch redundant lyrically, but its one of the more powerful songs the album has to offer. Totally Belle and Sebastian playing metal songs.
“Rock and Roll Polar Bear” employs a similar tactic seen in this album. It is a song that builds, slows down, then builds. This is the key to Colourmusic and their intoxicating quality; they know precisely how to construct a song to evoke everything on their minds. I’m not sure there are other bands who can switch it up as quickly and convincingly.
Make sure you don’t skip “You Can Call Me by My Name.” I don’t have anything bad to say about this song. Each moment in this song seems to fit exactly perfectly with the bands intentions; this is definitely one of those songs that people will beg for live. It’s a solid song.
When I listen to “Fall Song,” I find it hard not to escape the Simon and Garfunkel reference points. It’s either the gentle vocal quality that goes throughout or the effortless guitar work that evokes that idea. This has to be a S & G cover song. It has to be.
“Winter Song” is the best song on this album, and one of the best songs you will hear this year. Honestly, it might not jump out at you immediately, but sometimes the simplest songs allow you to get carried away in your own mind, and in this case, you can go far. Come on, “lets fall in love,” with Colourmusic.
The last two songs, “Try” and “Moolah” are a fitting end to the album. They offer a glimpse of everywhere this band has gone on the album, and hint at possible planets they can visit in the near future. As the album draws to a close, you realize that each song fits in to the album as whole. It’s as if Colourmusic took their time to craft a great album–imagine that. Everyone can find something in this album, and odds are, if you listen carefully you’ll find some special moments that you can hold close to your heart. Let’s thank these guys for that.
Oh, and don’t forget to check them out at this years Fun Fun Fun Fest.
And as an ATH exclusive, we have a new track for you to sample:
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