Author: jon.wagner

FT5: Road Trip Albums

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Well students, it’s nearly finals time for a lot of you and before the prospect of (dare I say it) summer school, many of you have two or so glorious weeks of freedom. It’s time to hit the old dusty trail and have some adventures farting on each other, spilling beer in your friend’s car and of overheating engines in the middle of nowhere. The wildly adventurous times of our youth elude many of us today, but the memories remain; stuck together like the pack of gummi-bears that fell into the dash air vent. Yes, the good old fashioned road trip is about as American as it gets. Piling in a car, carrying more people than available seatbelts and heading towards the border or greener pastures (wherever they might be). Two questions become instantly prevalent: 1.) What should we listen to? and 2.) Where to? (Although the second is MUCH less important) After all, music and the open road are as inseparable as college and binge drinking. Fear not my young compadres, throw the calculus and audio books out the window and crank up the tunes. Here is the FT5 of Road Trip Albums to get you down along the road and back again.

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Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma

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Rating: ★★★★☆

In the vast, deep of night, we peer into the cosmos searching for answers to all of life’s questions. For innumerable years, humans have gazed to the stars. Some receive answers. For producer and beat-maker Steven Ellison, (AKA Flying Lotus) rooting deep in the earth, peering high into the sky, and becoming one with the universe is the modus operandi on his latest full length album Cosmogramma. Those unfamiliar with FlyLo, may have unwittingly heard some of his first work as a beat-maker during Adult Swim’s commercial changeovers.  These ambiguous and quick bass-heavy sketches built a massive fan base for which Ellison would leap from his rather innocuous 2006 debut full length 1983 and find great critical acclaim in his Warp debut, 2008’s Los Angeles.  

On his latest, his influence is taken mostly from his personal relation to his great-aunt, Alice Coltrane, from whom the title of the record is taken. The late Alice Coltrane was a jazz musician in her own right in addition to being known as the wife of Saxophone legend John Coltrane.  Flying Lotus uses these family bred jazz influences in very subtle ways in his beat-making scenarios while combining sublime live instrumentation from a global laundry list of talented musicians to create a soundtrack which is simply out of this world. If Los Angeles was his ‘Dr. Strangelove’, Cosmogramma is his ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’.  

From the first bass hits of ‘Clock Catcher’ the listener is shot into the atmosphere with the addition of Rebekah Raff on harp. The playfulness between the smooth, tender harp and the sharp, rigid bass is just a taste of what FlyLo does best. His production style has evolved over the past few years, but creating dense, layered tracks is becoming second-nature. From here into the bass heavy, jazz improv ‘Pickled’ with former Suicidal Tendencies bassist Stephen “Thundercat” Bruno putting down intricate bass lines. ‘Intro//A Cosmic Drama’ is the record’s first influence of vocals, with Niki Randa providing the choir-like voice over a beautiful string arrangement from the very talented Miguel Atwood-Ferguson. The vocals are subtle, but are very effective in giving the overall tone of the track a celestial sense.

Most casual listeners may have heard the single ‘…And The World Laughs With You’, no doubt a highlight for many. With the addition of Thom Yorke’s vocals, FlyLo creates an Eraser –esque vibe, though it’s short-lived and doesn’t settle on the vocals in a manner of Yorke’s 2006 release. Similarly, Ellison never dwells too long on any particular thought process. The tracks on the album average just under 2.5 minutes, but there’s no lack in substance throughout.  The list of collaborators continues with ‘Arkestry’ utilizing relative Ravi Coltrane on sax, giving the record its first true jazz sensibility, and no doubt an ode to his Aunt and his family’s jazz lineage.  Jumping ahead to ‘Satelllliiiiiiiteee’, which is a funky groove and by ‘Recoiled’ a dense, hard hitting track, it’s obvious that FlyLo has mastered his craft and created his strongest release to date by far.

As a listener it is important to not pass judgment after first listen. It’s the kind of record that will not immediately hit you due the subtly and denseness of the layers, but repeated listens are well worth the effort.  The record as a whole flows like a single track, much in the same manner of Prefuse 73’s ‘Everything She Touched Turned Ampexian’, though the record feels to end in a more abrupt manner that I would have expected.  Overall, however, it is still one of the best, far-reaching musical journeys of the year. Expect much more notoriety and critical acclaim in the future for Flying Lotus if he continues to produce in the same manner, focusing not only on the beats, but the composition of instrumentation as well. 

Secondhand Sureshots – CD/DVD

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Rating: ★★★★½

Do you ever have that romantic image of walking into a thrift store or Half-Price Books to rummage through the old vinyl and finding a true hidden gem? Every time I go into a record store I think this is the day I find the one I’ve been looking for. Well, for some, they turn the left over scraps of vinyl records into gems. Such is the story of Secondhand Sureshots; putting new life into old, unwanted vinyl. This is a collaborative mixing project from Dublab and Stones Throw, which gathered together some of the most prominent beat-makers in the US (if not the world) for a fun, spontaneous, collaborative beat making project.

The rules are simple. 1.) Each DJ gets $5.00 to buy 5 records of his choice. 2.) No additional instruments. The players in the game include J.Rocc, Daedalus, Nobody, and Ras G; each with their own unique style and flavor to bring to the table. They also exhibit different approaches to cutting and splicing; their wide ranging taste in music which adds to the intrigue of the final product. The set comes with a CD of the final mixed tracks, but the DVD is worth the cost alone. Over 2 hours of footage on the documentary shows each DJ carefully selecting their 5 records with their method and reasoning behind the selections. One thing is for sure, there is no shortage of Barbara Streisand (you’ll see what I mean). Once each man makes their picks at 4 different L.A. based thrift stores, it’s off to the studio for the magic to happen and a first spin of their random dusty vinyl.  The facial expressions as they listened to their records for the first time, trying to decipher what they can use and what is total crap, are priceless. Also, it is interesting in watching the way which each of the men worked and their systems of chopping and laying down beats.  

What’s truly inspiring is the finished product. From 5 “craptastic” records emerges top quality stuff. You would never have guessed where the original pieces came from. Consequently, the final pressed remixed albums were redistributed in beautiful re-purposed album covers with ninja-like precision. There they will wait to appear as a hidden gem for the next vinyl bottom feeder searching for that treasure.  This is a very entertaining set and I highly recommend checking it out for yourselves. We, in Austin, have a special treat in store for us as tonight at the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz.  The documentary will be played with Ras G to perform live. This is not to be missed if you are a fan of the electronic genre or if you enjoy spontaneous beats.

Mynabirds – What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood

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Rating: ★★★½☆

After D.C. duo Georgie James disbanded, the two members went their separate ways. Singer/songwriter Laura Burhenn found herself attempting to discover herself from behind the space of former band mates John Davis’s shadow. On her solo album, What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood, Burhenn’s voice soars like a bird from the onset and it’s obvious that she’s feeling a sense of liberation after James’ demise. After first listen it’s obvious that the former duo was not letting her fulfill her potential.

It’s fitting in fact that the opening track, “What We Lose In The Fire” is a tune about rebirth and reemergence. With quality backing rhythms by Richard Swift, Burhenn is reveling in her new-found freedom. With the help of producer/instrumentalist Swift, here we find a performer at her most-relaxed, creative state.  The tracks found here are simple and display a timeless quality of folk echoing the likes of Patsy Cline and subtle gospel touches of Neil Young. “Numbers Don’t Lie” is a highlight of the release and shows Burhenn’s whole range of vocal skill; which is ample.

“LA Rain”, another good choice for a single is a wonderful moment for the listener to hear her undeniable talent opposite Swift’s penchant for simple yet catchy hooks. “We Made A Mountain” utilizes a horn section with a very Motown beat in a playful tune reminiscent of Duffy, though much more easy on the ears, making it one of the highlights of the release for me. She slows things down directly following with “Right Place” and the final track “Good Heart”. The latter displays the most obvious feeling reminiscent of yesteryear.

As a whole the album is tight and soulful, showing many tricks in Burhenn’s bag, but I foresee many more tricks up her sleeve. Here, it’s a focus on the past, but there’s no doubt she should be looking forward to a very bright future. 

Gogol Bordello – Transcontinental Hustle

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Rating: ★★★½☆

Gypsy rockers extraordinaire Gogol Bordello moved to South America in search of inspiration. What emerged is the group’s latest and 5th studio release Trans-Continental Hustle.  As hard as it is to capture the pure unadulterated mad essence of a GB live show, this release comes as close as you can get. It’s angry and loud and more than anything excites me for a hopeful reprise at ACL this October.  This is festival friendly music and after blowing me away on the great lawn in 2008, I hope they return with the raw energy of their live show and the addition of wonderful South American accents in full swing. Indeed, they come back stateside with 2 additional members; Pedro Erazo, an Ecuadorian percussionist and Thomas Gobena, an Ethiopian bassist.  As Gogol Bordello plays havoc on my spell-checker, the music pummels my speakers. There’s no other way to enjoy it; the louder the better.

Undeniably, they prove this right off the bat with the opening track ‘Pala Tute’. It is vintage, blasting accordion and violin along with the ever present howling vocals of Eugene Hütz. Next, “Immigraniada” is a raucous ode to the immigrant lifestyle and I can’t think of any band that convincingly covers the topic better. The listener doesn’t even have to make it half-way through the release to realize what kind of trip the band is taking them on. There’s no secret to their success. It’s just full-frontal, unmitigated, sweaty authority. There is no better dance number on the release than “Uma Menina Uma Cigana”; where Erazo’s Latin percussion influence shines through Hütz’s raspy vocals. The resulting vocal track is as angry as ever, but the music shows some subtlety, which was obviously something they sought after when moving to Brazil.

As much as I tried to stay focused on writing, I couldn’t contain myself and had to dance like a mad-man during “In the Meantime in Pernambuco”. The group has concocted a recipe for exhilaration and while listening there is no way out from under the control of their spell. This segueing nicely into “Break the Spell” with a different nearly hip-hop-esque rhythm in some spots, though they never stray too far from the up-tempo Gypsy punk they know so well. The title track, “Trans-Continental Hustle” finishes off the record with a Hütz guitar/vocal solo before the band thrashes into more vintage gypsy punk.

Following up 2007’s Super Taranta! was no doubt a difficult task for the group and a tricky situation. If they continued the route they took, they run the risk of falling into a monotonous trap. On the flip side, they could not stray too far from what has gained them so many fans in the first place.  Luckily for us, the group varies their sound just enough to keep it fresh and interesting. Followed by no-doubt extensive touring, Gogol Bordello should pick up many more fans with Trans-Continental Hustle. C3, bring them to Austin!

Caribou – Swim

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Rating: ★★★½☆

Remix artists rejoice! Daniel Snaith is back and he brings with him a fresh palette of sublime beats for you to disassemble. Continuing to add to his extensive discography, his latest Swim was just released via Merge Records, his first full length since Andorra, released in 2007. Snaith, hailing from Ontario, utilizes a full band on the record, and the product sounds like a digital and electro production alone. In fact, it’s stunning what kind of layering Snaith accomplishes using traditional instruments like soprano sax, flute, and trombone.

The opening track “Odessa” is a good intro to the record and holds one of the more catchy bass lines. The tambourine throughout is sometimes distracting on first listen, but quickly fades as your ear dissects different angles. Immediately upon the first listen, one thing is certain. This is party music. Straight ‘get off your ass and dance’ music. Actually, it’s the best kind of party music; the type that sneaks up you. You know the feeling; the party is still young and you want to make it a little livelier. This is a good scenario for Swim. It’s the kind of music that doesn’t dominate the room, but politely sits in the corner, simmering like Boeuf Bougiuignon. When you least expect it, you find yourself tapping your foot or nodding your head. That’s right where Snaith wants you. He plays with moods in the simplest way possible, but it’s nothing flashy. Think Ghostland sans Capes; but with harmonies instead.

The next track “Sun” shows a more melodic side than the opener, but continues the simple electro beats. The rhythm builds to a vast crescendo, and if you don’t move at least some part of your body during which; you should probably check your pulse.  For all I enjoyed on “Sun”, “Kalli” quickly brought me down. It is perhaps the most intrusive track of the album, like a jazz improv going horribly wrong. Maybe I don’t understand the nuances of Caribou, but this was like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. Luckily, “Found out” gets the groove back with some of the best songwriting on the release.  “Bowls”, the longest track on the album has showcases disharmonious chimes played against harp strumming. It’s an unusual instrumental, but that segues into a stripped down beat that might have you looking around the room thinking you tripped over a cord and unplugged a speaker. It’s not the catchiest song on the album, but here Snaith shows off his ability to layer every sound imaginable into a somewhat literate dance number. For me, I’ll stick to the vocal tracks.

“Leave House” and “Hannibal” get the party vibe back, as Caribou channels his inner Hot Chip on the former. And as always, you can always add more cowbell as heard on the latter. The shortest track “Lalibela”, could be considered transitional, leading into the final track, but in its own right, it is a gem.  Finishing on a very strong note, no doubt my favorite track on the album “Jamelia” is sublime. The subtlety, the beat, the vocals, the instrumentation; it’s like a difficult jigsaw puzzle and you just found the last piece. It builds to a massive extended crescendo before trailing off slowly. For me, it quickly prompted a second listen to the album as a whole. I can’t say that about many release so far this year. Overall, it’s a short release, but it shows what Snaith does well in no uncertain terms. It’s straight forward, but dense, utilizing layering in unique ways.  Next time you have a party, be sure to grab this one.

ATH Interviews: Bonobo

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Coming through Austin this Wednesday is Ninja-Tune artist Bonobo hailing from Brighton, UK. Following the release of his 4th full length album, Black Sands, DJ, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, Simon Green (aka Bonobo) took a moment to answer some questions for us. Follow the jump for the interview.

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Bonobo – Black Sands

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Rating: ★★★★☆

4 years ago, Simon Green (better known for his moniker Bonobo) changed directions. What emerged was 2006’s Days To Come; what many critics believed to be the high water mark for the project.  What these critics were unaware of at the time, is that it was just Green becoming comfortable in his own skin.  The release showed a different side of Green’s DJ and producing style relying on more bass heavy tunes and the obvious influence of vocals as an added element. The latter was the biggest stretch for many fans, but no one will doubt its immediate impact.

Following the world-wide acclaim from that release, Green has taken a few steps back and one huge step forward in the process. His latest from Ninja-Tune, shows the Brighton DJ honing his craft in a way that would make any producer jealous. The result is smooth, like silk covered in butter. His latest, Black Sands is a combination of every influence from his past 4 releases and is no doubt his most fully developed release to date and his best all-around effort.

The layers produced here are no strain for the listener to grasp and this makes Black Sands without a doubt his most accessible release. It’s clean and flows from beginning to end with little effort and the addition of sublime vocalist Andreya Triana is the cherry on top. Vintage Bonobo down-tempo beats begin the album in classic form with ‘Kiara’ and ‘Kong’ displaying simply, the rhythms Green has been so successful over the past decade of producing. We get our first taste Andreya’s silk smooth voice on the first single ‘Eyesdown.’ Right away it’s obvious that Green has found the voice he has been searching for to compliment his sound. He uses the vocal in a unique way, not highlighting the lyrical element, but using it as another music element. Every level feels perfectly compiled and the rhythm and vocal are viewed as one.

Directly following ‘Eyesdown’, Bonobo cuts back into their instrumental numbers with obvious proficiency. ‘El Toro’ is a playful number with a strong bass line with strings and horns playing back in forth in an audio tennis match and ‘We Could Live Forever’ continues the trend but with a little more electronic influence thrown in for good measure. Green slows things down a bit for the intro to ‘1009’, but not for long pushing through to one of my favorite cuts on the record, ‘All In Forms’. The record keeps a pretty solid tempo from beginning to end in a very cohesive manner until ‘The Keeper’ where we get our second glimpse of Triana. The introduction of piano and bass line in the intro is foreboding and plays unbelievably well against Triana’s seductive vocals. If this record has a climax it is in these next 2 tracks, ‘Stay the Same’ and ‘Animals’, which spread the best of what Bonobo has to offer in full view.

Many will argue that Green didn’t take enough of a drastic step forward from his last, but in four years, I feel it’s obvious he has reflected on where he has been and then some. Many artists can learn from this philosophy, as you can’t move forward without knowing where you came from. He builds upon his strengths, removes his weaknesses and creates some of the best jazz fusion in the world today. Bonobo will be at the Parish Wednesday, April the 14th with the full band.

Seabear – We Built A Fire

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Rating: ★★★★☆

It’s heating up around Austin with SXSW right around the bend and with spring weather here, wildflowers across the state spring to life.  Nevertheless, Seabear is coming through town to cool things down a little. Icelandic septet Seabear, led by soothing songster Sindri Már Sigfússon, is set to release their nature-infused sophomore album, We Built A Fire. Iceland is renowned for its otherworldly landscapes and ethereal musicians (i.e. Bjork and Sigur Ros), but this record hits a familiar chord closer to home.

The release is premium indie-folk and shows the “Icelandic Beck” at his whimsical, yet haunting best. Although based in Iceland, Seabear’s lyrics are all in English; which makes it a surprise that this year marks the band’s first trip through North America, starting with SXSW. Beginning as a lo-fi solo project for Sigfússon, Seabear has expanded to a full 7-member band with the emphasis on the collective creative process. Their first release, The Ghost That Carried Us Away, was a much more intimate release with delicate, orchestral arrangements containing many indie-folk gems. Similarly on their latest, there’s no shortage of them. This time around, mutual input in the writing process was the modus operandi and what materialized is an improved confidence in all the parts. This translates into a stronger sound and superior effort as a whole.

Sigfússon songwriting talents (whose last solo effort came under the moniker Sing Fang Bous) is in full bloom starting with the opener, ‘Lion Face Boy’. His voice is a force, both full and soft simultaneously, driving the tempo throughout the track and ultimately the extent of the record.  ‘Fire Dies Down’ is a more up-tempo and moving track, displaying the rest of the group’s expanded instrumental vocabulary.

The pseudo title track and first single ‘I’ll Build You A Fire’ is a stand out track with wonderful harmonies. On Sigfússon’s 2009 solo tour, he was joined by headliners and fellow Icelandic indie poppers múm, and it’s obvious that a little rubbed off. ‘Cold Summer’ begins with a poignant piano intro. Then the vocals and cello drift in and out like a summer breeze over an Icelandic meadow. The depth and soothing nature of his voice prove to once again be the driving force followed by the country influenced ‘Wooden Teeth’; which is one of the more joyful moments on the record. This country influence continues into ‘Leafmask’ with a guitar intro displaying true country roots, before Sigfússon slows things down and emerges with one of the more impressive vocal tracks on the album.  After ‘Softship’, the album loses a little momentum and becomes more introverted before the back and forth crescendos and decrescendos of ‘Warm Blood’.

Seabear brings the tempo back up for the final track ‘Wolfboy’, completing one of my favorite releases of the year. We Built A Fire is thought-provoking music while physically moving to boot, and we can only hope their tour is so successful they return with more dates for years to come. Amazingly, this time around Austin gets 4 (yes 4!) chances to see them. You will not want to miss at least one of these free sets:

March 17th @ Epoch Coffee (221 W North Loop) – 7:15pm

March 18th @ Scoot Inn (1308 E 4th st.) – 1pm

March 18th @ The Hideout (617 Congress Ave.) – 1am

March 20th @ Cafe Mundi (1704 E. 5th st.) – 2:45pm

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Seabear-03-Ill-Build-You-A-Fire.mp3]

Download: Seabear – I’ll Build You A Fire [MP3]

Broken Bells – Broken Bells

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Rating: ★★★★½

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

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/01-The-High-Road-1.mp3]

Download: Broken Bells – The High Road [MP3]

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