Austin Town Hall

When there is a collision of famous indie artists, it’s not really an exaggeration to say that the internet world blows up a bit. So a few months back when this project between Indie darlings Dan Boekner, Britt Daniels, Sam Brown and Alex Fischel came to the surface everyone was abuzz with excitement for their debut album. As a fan of Spoon and Wolf Parade/Handsome Furs, the main projects of which Daniels and Boekner are frontmen, I jumped right on the excited bandwagon. How could this much creative genius combine to equal something less than amazing?

First up on the album is the much hyped single “My Love is Real,” which features Boekner taking the lead on vocals and a heavy amount of synthesizer and other electronic sounds. It’s an interesting start, as it is a pretty straightforward song, lyrically and sonically. You have the steady drum machine beats, some thick synth lines and Boekner iterating that “[his] love is real…until it stops;” a tangible one liner that can get itself stuck in your head for hours at a time. Next up is “Flaggin’ a Ride,” on which Daniels takes vocal lead. Noticeably, it sounds a lot more like Spoon, as the first song exhibited signs of Handsome Furs. Apart from the vocal similarities, you have the signature guitar lines that takeover the song and the overall rockier sounding song.

The album progresses gradually, with most of the tracks ringing true to their titles, which are often repeated quite frequently. Another standout, and perhaps the most cohesive song for this group comes on “Baby Get Worse,” on which Boekner has the lead in the beginning and the focus is strong on synth lines and buzzing beats. However, instead of leaving on a one note status, a break comes late in the song with electric guitar surging through with Daniels shortly following, giving it the magic touch of both of these guys. “Shivers” also possesses such a factor of intrigue as “Baby Get Worse,” despite it being an altogether Spoon-ish sounding effort. The lyrics on this ninth track walk a bit on the somber side, but are no less than the brilliance that we’ve all come to know, doling out lines like “my baby’s so vein she’s almost a mirror,” and other quirky darkness that adds to the overall appeal of the Divine Fits.

While this is by no means a bad album, it is a bit of a disappointing one. I was expecting the powers that combined on this work to be greater than the sum of their parts, culminating to an excellent new super group I could get behind. However, A Thing Called the Divine Fits comes across as a mixture of slightly altered songs from the original bands of these gentlemen, but when it’s such talented artists, who’s really complaining?

Man, you’ve got to love it when a band throws caution to the wind and actually goes into the studio without a bunch of pre-programmed tracks to build on.  This is just such the case with UK outfit Tribes, who’ve just released their We Were Children EP, which is the precursor to their album, Baby, which should make its way over here in January.  From the get go, it’s got a bit of that off-kilter warble that you might remember from early Wolf Parade tracks.  Still, they have a gentler side that you’ll find a bit further along in the track, which is where they stay for the most part in the remainder of the song.  All in all, there’s definitely a bright side to this offering, so check it.

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Download: Tribes – We Were Children [MP3]

Today we were greeted with yet another new track from Handsome Furs off their upcoming record, Sound Kapital, which will be released by Sub Pop on June 28th.  Again, this is a really electronic driven track from the duo, with Dan B. taking the majority of the vocals, giving his throaty vocals to the rhythmic track.  It’s a reminder of just what Dan’s voice can really do when he’s given the chance to take control, as he occasionally does for Wolf Parade.  It’s a wonder with songs like these, and the many project of Spencer Krug that WP haven’t been able to blow us away like they once did on Apologies. Oh well, at least we have this killer track to enjoy all weekend.

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Downlaod: Handsome Furs – Repatriated [MP3]

As reported earlier today (via P4K) there is a new record coming out from Handsome Furs, yet another side-project from one of the key members of Wolf Parade.  This one’s definitely one of the finer pieces the duo have put together, with the focusing revolving around electronic beats and Dan’s voice, which sounds really strong and polished, for him at least, on this outing.  You’ll be able to get this electronica-influenced record titled Sound Kapital on June 28th from the good people over at Sub Pop Records.  Listening to this track, sounds like this could be the most focused work the duo has compiled, leaving us as excited as ever for their work.

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Download: Handsome Furs – What About Us [MP3]

Wolf Parade have easily become one of the best indie bands around and are always reliable for a solid live show any night of the week.  While Monday may be a tough night for some of us, I’d still recommend checking the band out at La Zona Rosa tonight.  Opening for the Canadians you’ll get  Ogre You Asshole.  See everyone there?

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Download: Wolf Parade – Ghost Pressure [MP3]

After touring with Wolf Parade, The Cinammon Band made quite an impression.  So much so that they were fortunate enough to be invited to record at the band’s Mt. Zoomer studio.  The session left the group with a four song EP of swelling indie rock full of melody and soul, something you wouldn’t expect necessarily from a duo to pull off so successfully.  But on the All Dressed EP (out 8/10), they do, and they do so with promise for a future full of great sounds. Here’s to the future.

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Download: The Cinnamon Band – I’m Asking You [MP3]

Three albums into their career, it’s difficult to explain what exactly the entity Wolf Parade actually is, as it stands at present.  Their insanely popular Apologies to Queen Mary blew us away, but as more side projects came into the foray, the group didn’t seem as tightly knit as they once were, almost as if they exhausted their creativity in other works.  Will Expo 86 see the return to greatness? Will it finally win everyone over?

Pounding drums introduce the album, with singer Spencer Krug letting his wavering voice accompany the guitars on “Cloud Shadow of the Mountain”  There’s a sense of urgency in the song, as if the band is dedicated to make an impression.  If there is a note to make from the get go, it’s that Wolf Parade have come out firing with a barrage of noisiness–not a bad idea.

You’ll relive the heavy bounce of the group’s olden days when you come upon “What Did My Lover Say.”  Keyboards are met by slicing guitar lines, and Krug sort of his hangs his vocals in the air during the chorus, but clearly the cohesiveness wins out here, as all elements work together tightly.  As usual, this isn’t just Krug’s entourage, it’s a group with two dynamic singers.  Dan Boeckner brings his throaty post-punk vocal to “Little Golden Age,” which is an energized number with dark undertones of electronics that drive the song to its rambunctious climax.

You’ll find traces of the individual projects of key members lying around here. “Ghost Pressure” definitely wears the influence of Handsome Furs, using Boeckner and heavy electronic touches to give a little backbone to the tune.  Most people will find Dan’s chorus vocal extremely appealing (as I do), but you’ll also note the blasts from 80s house electronica coming through.  Krug plays his part too on “Two Men in New Tuxedos,” which bears his mark not only on the vocal, but just in the songwriting in general.  He definitely plays the role of the odd writer in the group, giving us less straightforward lyrics to follow than his partner.  All in all, there individual voices flourish throughout, but the success of Expo 86 lies in the team aspect.

Their disjointed presence at times has clearly dissolved.  You take a song like “Yulia,” which is probably one of the band’s most honest pop tracks to date, and you’ll notice that everyone is working together.  Drums are tight, Krug adds his keyboard flourishes, Boeckner takes lead, and it’s all so tight.  Separately they’ve honed their craft, and finally brought it all together to create a strongly united Wolf Parade.  Perhaps they’ve given up on offering hooks and whatnot to the audience, choosing to create art of their own liking with the perfect balance of all members taking precedent.  It makes Expo 86 a great rock album, and one that everyone will be listening to for the unforeseeable future, as the band is back, doing what they do best.  They’ve given us unique rock of the heavier sort, which suits us all just fine.

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Download: Wolf Parade – Ghost Pressure [MP3]

Prior to it’s June 29th release date, you can stream Wolf Parade’s upcoming LP Expo 86 on the band’s myspace page.  Gotta say I wasn’t a big supporter of the album after a few listens, but it’s really starting to grow on me.  Check it out now and let us know what ya think.