Month: January 2011

Cloud Nothings – s/t

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Rating: ★★★★½

It’s funny how one of the great hopes for indie rock is being played by a 19 year old from Cleveland.  Dylan Baldi is the teen sensation behind Cloud Nothings, and perhaps his youth and naivete allowed him to create one of the best records of the year.   The self-titled album is everything you could ask from a record: creative, energetic, heart-felt, and just fucking great.

As soon as you press play you just get highly-fueled kick to the face, as “Understand at All” opens with a statement that you’re not going to have much room to breathe here.  Incredibly, you have these angular guitars cutting in and out, yet it all holds tightly onto several melodic moments of hook; you don’t find good energetic rock these days with such pop undertones.  “Not Important” works as the excellent follow-up here, moving just as quickly into the fray as the opener.  A little twist is the rawness of Baldi’s vocals here, almost straining a bit, but it’s pulled off successfully.  Personally, the drum work on this track really  is the winner, though it’s hard to say there’s anything wrong with Cloud Nothings up to this point.

However, it’s not all high octane indie rock.  “Forget You All the Time” might actually be one of the best kept secrets on this album, wrapped at the four spot.  Pacing is slowed, and the melody is really sensational.  Dylan’s vocal performance is one of the warmest of all the tracks here, and you can’t help but be won over by every inch of the recording.  But, it’s sort of the one-off, and though rewarding, it might be nice to see if Cloud Nothings explore a little bit more of that direction in the future.

You know, writing a record review typically isn’t too difficult. You write about a couple of your favorite tracks, point out the flaws you saw, etc, but Cloud Nothings is pretty impossible to write about if you cut it into pieces.  There’s probably not enough praise I can give Baldi on this installation in his catalogue.  Everything seems to offer up little pieces of my somewhat tainted indie past.  Perhaps its the chorus in “Heartbeat” that recalls twee C86 records on speed or the brashness of “Rock.”  You’ll find bits of influences all over the map, from Superchunk to GBV to possibly Pains of Being Pure at Heart (or the like), but it sounds refreshingly sincere, as if Baldi has no intention of just copying his peers or his record collection.

While I’m not sure Cloud Nothings are here to save indie rock, this self-titled record is about as good a record as I’ve heard in a long time.  You can cut your favorites and put them into playlists, or you can play the whole album in its entirety, as its not too long by any means.  In the long run, I’m sort of glad Baldi is so young.  It means, as long as life goes well, that we can expect more excellent records for years and years to come. And if you take one listen to this record, you’ll be grateful.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Cloud-Nothings-Understand-At-All.mp3]

Download: Cloud Nothings – Understand At All [MP3]

FT5: My Most Divisive Bands

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It’s interesting being a huge music fan. You come across bands that you absolutely adore, and you rush to make mixes for your friends who ultimately decide that they hate the one song you were most excited for them to fall in love with when you made it.  I started thumbing through my catalog and the Internet, diligently searching for the bands in my collection that I love, but I feel people hate; I also looked at bands on the net I know people love, but I hate.  Here’s my list of the Top 5.

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Show Preview: Moondoggies @ Lamberts (1/22)

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Date 1/22/11
Location Lamberts
Doors 10pm
Tickets $5 @ Door

Those Seattle kids known as Moondoggies are making their way into Austin at Lamberts on Saturday night. The guys are of course stopping in town to support their latest release on Hardly Art Tidelands.  We can’t seem to find any info about opening bands here so I’d suggest getting to the venue on time friends.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/shame.mp3]

Download: The Moondoggies – It’s a Shame, It’s a Pity [MP3]

Mind Spiders – s/t

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Rating: ★★★★☆

From the instant you press play on your stereo, to the moment in which its final notes resound, Mind Spiders refuse to stop. In that miniscule pregnant pause before the guttural guitar resounds through your speakers, take a breather, because you’ll need all your strength to keep up with their punk pace.

“Go!” is the album opener and does exactly what its title exclaims. It’s an almost two minute scramble of garage rock and gang vocals that pack a hell of a punch into a tiny slice of time. Before you know it, the first track is gone and the second is about to pass you by. On “Don’t Let Her Go,” it is easy to see a similar sound to that of the late and great Jay Reatard. The muddy vocals and frantic jamming guitar along with the shortness of the number all are reminiscent of Jay’s work on Watch Me Fall, namely “It Ain’t Gonna Save Me.”

However, this album is not simply a copy cat of other’s work, but rather, a culmination of tastes from a variety of genres; a little bit of 60’s pop here, some lo-fi there, and a dash of some all out punk. For instance, on “Read Your Mind,” the group starts out slow, with slightly clearer vocals and soft waves of “ooohs,” that occupy the first minute and twenty or so seconds. It’s almost as if the band wants you to relax a bit after the first three songs before they jump right back into their ferocity. The vocals become muddier as the song morphs from slow-mover into punk once more.

The next super stand out track is “No Romance,” which is sadly the shortest song on the album. It continues the quick pace, but not without grabbing your attention through a sea of compact jams. Following this is a lo-fied nod to Little Richard on “Slippin’ and Slidin.’” On this track, the overall distorted sound contributes to enticing quality; the more I listen to this song, the more I like it.

What this album has working for it in addition to its stellar beats is that Mind Spiders know their limits. While only four out of twelve of the songs last longer than three minutes apiece, it works for such a fast paced album. If every song were to last for slightly longer than it does, this album could have derailed from its hasty tracks. Instead, it was a toe tapper from start to finish.

So you as you look at the stereo in disbelief that track twelve is becoming track once again, do nothing. Allow this album to permeate the surrounding air like a gust of cold air into a stuffy room, waking you up like an icy shower —lather, rinse, repeat Mind Spiders.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/No_Romance.mp3]

Download: Mind Spiders – No Romance [MP3]

Free EP From Love In October

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Chicago indie rock band Love in October recently wrapped recording on their new EP Love in October II and are offering up the tunes for free on their bandcamp page.  Those unfamiliar with the group can expect sounds most similar to Shout Out Louds or maybe even the pop style of Tokyo Police Club.  However you want to describe them, you should at least check out this track “Don’t Forget” as it’s easily my favorite number from the EP.  I hope you’ll enjoy it too.  Or else…

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Love%20in%20October%20-%20Don%27t%20Forget.mp3]

Download: Love in October – Don’t Forget [MP3]

Daniel Martin Moore – In The Cool of the Day

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Rating: ★★★☆☆

When Sub Pop sent out the press release, they told of a man possessed by a Steinway inside a Cincinnati radio station.  If this is possession, perhaps we shouldn’t be so inclined to shy away from such things because this new record from Daniel Martin Moore, In the Cool of the Day, is quite beautiful–perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea, but you can see the genius clearly.

Honestly, writing gospel songs for those outside the gospel seems a bit odd to me, but the entirety of In the Cool of the Day has Moore reinventing classics he heard growing up, or going it on his own. For instance, “Dark Road” definitely has that swing in the step you would envision being sung in some Southern Baptist  church. The string instruments definitely provide that bluegrass feeling at the same time, so you get a bit of both life in church and outside.

He’s got some funky elements thrown in, demonstrating that Moore is out to illustrate his talent as a compser/songwriter.  “In the Garden” has some light hi-hat, and that walking bass line that many will immediately associate with jazz.  But, Daniel has this angelic voice, and his control over pitch and tone really allows him to pull some honest emotions out of listeners. However, it’s his numbers when he sounds more like the elemental folk musician from Kentucky that really piqued my interest.

For instance, you can take “Up Above My Head,” and apply it to more modern artists such as Mason Jennings, though this definitely doesn’t have that humorous pep Jennings carries.  It’s got a funky little groove that sort of pushes it on, yet there’s a definite pop feel to the way Daniel Martin Moore sings the vocal that takes it beyond a mere gospel song.  It even has a bit of a banjo/guitar breakdown near the end.  These things don’t really apply to church tracks, the ones I know, at least.  The title track, “In the Cool of the Day,” also goes beyond church, although it relies predominantly on the piano backbone to elevate the solemn melody.  Still, Moore uses his voice as a tool to take the track somewhere else, almost like Sufjan Stevens. 

Personally, “It Is Well With My Soul” hits a note for me, and that’s probably because it’s the most recognizable gospel track that I know of, as I haven’t been much of a church goer in some time. Perhaps I can envision myself singinig this at some campfire, with my father playing his guitar, trying to get the family involved.  This is pretty much the way a lot of people will feel about In the Cool of the Day. You take a religious background, even a mild exposure, and you elaborate, almost pushing the spirit out of the church doors and into the rest of the world. This is precisely what Daniel Martin Moore has done, and while I may not be your favorite listen this year, it’s assuredly worth several spins around the record player.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/dmm.mp3]

Download: Daniel Martin Moore – Dark Road [MP3]

Lamebook Legal Fundraiser @ Shangri-La (1/21)

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Date 1/21/11
Location Shangri-La
Doors 7pm
Tickets $5 Suggested Donation @ Door

Those familiar with Lamebook and their current legal fight with Zuckerberg inc. are aware that the creators behind the parody site are in dire need of funding for legal services.  I hear it’s pretty expensive to get sued by a billion dollar corporation… but what do I know?  To help support this hilarious website, head out to Shangri-La tonight for a fundraiser benefiting the massive legal fees currently being incurred by Lamebook.  Your entertainment for the evening is provided by local pop star Neiliyo and the Learning Secrets DJs.  You can also expect a photo booth by Annie Ray and one free keg of beer tapped every hour between 7pm-12.  Get out there tonight guys and do as Lamebook founders Jonathan Standefer and Matthew Genitempo tell us, “fight for the right to make fun of whomever we damn well please.”  I can get behind that.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Springtime-1.mp3]

Download: Neiliyo – Springtime [MP3]

New Track from Distractions

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After listening to “All Night” by Distractions, I couldn’t wait for their album, Dark Green Sea, to finally hit stores.  It came out yesterday, but it was only released to a limited pressing of 500, so you better head over to them quick if you like what you hear.  They’ve recently let loose another of the singles from the album, and while it maintains the same sonic spectrum of the previously mentioned single, it’s got a lot more darkness to it.  Perhaps this revolves around the deeper octaves of the vocals, but it could also be that the pacing of the track is a bit slower, leaving you time to contemplate your steps in time with the beat. Give this a try, and hopefully we’ll see the album released on a larger scale.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/03-We-Were-Better-Off-in-the-Rain-1.mp3]

Download: Distractions – We Were Better Off in the Rain [MP3]

New Music From An Horse

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The Australian duo known as An Horse are prepping for their sophomore release Walls out in April on Mom + Pop Music.  Prior to that release date, fans of the band can check out new number “Trains and Tracks” below.  You won’t find much of a shift in sound from their debut LP, but I’m sure you’ll enjoy it regardless.  I’m feeling it.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/an-horse-trains-and-tracks.mp3]

Download: An Horse – Trains and Tracks [MP3]

White Fence – …Is Growing Faith

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Rating: ★★★½☆

Tim Presley is a confusing man.  He’s got so many projects going at once you wonder if the dude even has time to come up for air.  Can’t complain though can we, as he keeps churning out the hits.  White Fence seems like the backbone for everything he does though, so its odd that Is Growing Faith comes at this point in his career. Conjecture aside, he continuously churns out albums chock full of nostalgic classic pop sounds, benefitting us all.

Immediately, one can complain that the only thing that makes this a modern album is that you can tell the production value is minimal, but that’s precisely why White Fence seems steps beyond their fellow peers in when it comes to low-budget recordings.  You can make out audible pops and crackles when you jam the vinyl, and more so when you’ve got those iPod buds in your ears.  In a way, what might seem like laziness actually brings you closer to the music itself, giving it a more natural feel.

If you make it past the first twenty seconds of a song like “Sticky Fruitman Has Faith” you’re going to get rewarded.  That California jangling guitar from the late sixties just sort of meanders in and out of the track, with a little bit of jangling boogie to make it all gel together.  Or maybe you decide to take a little bit of a trip with “A Pearl is Not a Diamond,” a track that definitely harkens back to the early days of what would later become Americana.  Personally, I get a kick out of the little stuttering guitar solo awkwardly placed in the background–put on headphones and listen closely.

One of the things that makes Tim and White Fence so interesting is that you see his influences all over the place, and I really mean all over the place.  There’s “Tumble, Lies and Honesty,” which really has to be given credit for it’s use of the water drop effect, presumably made by one flicking their finger against the chick.  Tie that odd rhythmic percussion in with the gentle strumming of the guitar and you can definitely find yourself a magical piece of pop.  Even more interesting is listening to “Stranger Things Have Happened,” which feels like an allusion to the most recent work of Tim’s other band, Darker My Love. It’s remarkably similar to the sound, even down to the most intricate bending of guitar strings.

But, to top it all off, there’s still a bit of angst inside this psychedelic world of classic rock.  “Harness” is a gritty little number, one that might draw similarities to Fresh and Onlys, but it’s got a bigger sense of urgency to it, that is until the chorus.  However, the chorus has a bit of brightness to it, something that really made this song stand out in my mind.  Perhaps you can draw similarities within the album, as a sonic connection definitely exists on the earlier Is Growing Faith track “Enthusiasm.”

Damn you Tim Presley! How can one write a review of your White Fence albums? They’re all over the place, going between americana, psychedelia and even hints of punk.  I love it all, every single minute.  In time, I have a feeling that Is Growing Faith will be a record that reveals more and more to me with each listen, but as it stands right now, I’ve had enough listens (17 to be exact) to know this thing is a rocking good time.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/White-Fence-Lillian-Wont-You-Play-Drums.mp3]

Download: White Fence – Lillian (Won’t You Play Drums) [MP3]

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