Author: jon.wagner

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Beat The Devil’s Tattoo

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Rating: ★★★★☆

Over the last two decades, San Francisco’s Black Rebel Motorcycle Club has found itself in the midst of an ever changing identity crisis. Well, maybe crisis isn’t the right word; uncertainty fits better. After several years of back and forth infighting between original drummer Nick Jago and guitarists Peter Hayes and Robert Levon Been, it seems the strings have at long last been cut; for now at least. Joined now by the Raveonettes’ drummer Leah Shapiro, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club releases their sixth studio album, Beat the Devil’s Tattoo, their first since their 2008 instrumental record The Effects of 333 and 2007’s Baby 81. This is also the first release from the band’s own label Abstract Dragon. The emergence is a return the sound the band enjoyed during the early years with pound-it-out style rock and roll with a healthy mix of folk gospel induced melodies thrown in, akin to 2004’s Howl.

After the first listen of the opening and title track, ‘Beat the Devil’s Tattoo’, it’s the first time I’ve been excited for a BRMC album since Howl. That album carried mixed reviews and from a purely economic standpoint, was a disappointment. However, it marked a turning point in the band and produced some of the best songwriting thus far. That is, until now. The first track is just the tip of the ice-berg followed by the one-two knock out blows of ‘Conscience Killer’ and ‘Bad Blood’ Here, Hayes and Been are relentless in the attempt to regain their momentum. The former, a powerful pounding, psych-rock trip reminiscent of the Stroke’s at their height of popularity, the latter which relies more on the group’s distinctive vocals.

‘War machine’ explodes from the outset exhibiting a White Stripes-esque guitar riff with the kind of authority that makes groupies swoon. This is one track I am looking forward to hearing live next week during SXSW. This power fades into ‘Sweet Feeling’ displaying the group’s versatility drawing from their big bag of influences. This soft emotional side doesn’t last long before the ironically titled ‘Evol’ smacks the listener across the head with traditional BRMC drawl and slow building instrumentation we have become use to over their two-decade career. This release is an ‘evolution’ of the sounds produced throughout their 6 album releases and combines the best of all of them.

We get our first good examination of the addition of Shapiro with her raging, pulse pounding rhythms on ‘River Styx’. It’s at first obvious that she was a good choice to fill the void left by Jago and brings the stability of which Hayes and Been have been searching all along. The hypnotic brogue of Aya, building to a strong raucous ballad and the impressive 10-minute jam session of ‘Half State’ close out the record with a strong note. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club has been waiting their entire careers to construct an album like Beat the Devil’s Tattoo and it’s no surprise that based on where they’ve come from, they have many more to come. I am certainly back on the bandwagon.

Catch their SXSW showcase March 19th at 11:00 at La Zona Rosa and they are also playing the free Filter Day Party the same day at 4:20 pm in the Cedar Street Courtyard. 

Titus Andronicus – The Monitor

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Rating: ★★★★☆

“Good morning class and welcome to your American Civil War lesson. Today we will be discussing the fledgling US Navy and the Ironclad battle ship, The Monitor. Hey, WHO THREW THAT!? Titus! I know it’s you, damn trouble making teens with your loud rock and or roll music.”

After the roaring and ironically tame named debut, the Airing of Grievances, the New Jersey-based indie punk rockers are back with their sophomore album, The Monitor. With the new release, the band is taking a stab at the Civil War era, with the release serving as a period piece of sorts.  The title is in reference to the USS Monitor, which was the first commissioned warship by the US Navy during the Civil War.

That in no way means the group has changed their sound, so that means there’s plenty of low-fi, shoe gaze still involved, with a healthy dose of the ever-present fervent lyrics from front-man Patrick Stickles.  The moniker by which the young quintet refers to themselves is obtained from an obscure Shakespearean tragedy, known for it’s over the top drama and violence. Over the top, dramatic, and violent is a good way to describe the group and similarly their amazing live shows, which is providing much buzz for the group across the Country and abroad. In addition to that reputation, it’s obvious that these young men are cultured and know their history and that’s refreshing in itself.

Known for their raucous live shows in small, intimate venues, Titus Andronicus is set to have a very busy Spring Break.  The band has positioned itself to be one of the busiest bands around during SXSW which will give us a good great chance to hear the new album where it is best heard, in its face-melting, ear shattering, sweat-inducing live setting.  The new release also features appearances by members of Wye Oak, Vivian Girls, and The Hold Steady amongst many others, which according to the record label XL recordings, all play a specific role as Civil War-era personalities.

The opener, ‘A More Perfect Union’, begins with the significant Abraham Lincoln quote, ominously stating “if destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author, and finisher.” Quickly, the group picked up where they left off in their debut, pounding into a seven minute jam with impressive melodies complimenting Stickle’s ‘agitated Oberst-esque’ lyrical stylings with fantastic results. Its good foot stomping Americana, proudly heralding “Rally around the flag!”, and proclaiming “I will not retreat a single inch, and I will be heard.” Not truer statement can be said about Titus Andronicus.

Throughout the record are more sound-bytes from the Civil War era, which hold much intrigue alone, but are especially portentous when heard alternate Spickle’s vocals and Eric Hold’s percussive fervor. The record is more or less about the conflict and subsequent unresolved misfortune followed by the ideals from the relationships forged nearly 150 years ago continuing today. However these principles have shaped our modern society, “you’ll always be a loser” quips the self-deprecating theme ‘No Future Part 3: Escape From No Future’, “and that’s ok.”

The two-part single, ‘Four Score and Seven’, which is set to be released on a 2-sided LP, is a great meditation on the subject of war and its absurdity. This track marks a turning point in the album, with the entrance of a brass section and beautiful interlude into the second half of the track which less introspective and more irate at the horrors of conflict more often seen.

‘To Old Friends and New’ displays a new side of the band with a touching duet with the Vivian Girl’s Cassie Ramone, which slowly builds to a crescendo proudly proclaiming “It’s alright now”. This touching moment is unexpectedly followed by ‘…And Ever’ which seems out of place at its ninth spot due to the drastic segue from the former’s tenderness and overall tone. Finally, the band finishes off the record with a powerful message of acceptance, liberation, and ultimately death. Per the band, the release is their way of celebrating the 148-year anniversary of the ship and much like the USS Monitor, this lengthy album fights a first-class battle and proves its worth in a great lyrical clash; only to sink quietly into rough waters following the afore-mentioned closing track, ‘The Battle of Hampton Roads’. And as we have all learned today, this battle served as the height of the Monitor’s service career and fittingly is a high water mark for the band. Any questions? Very well, class dismissed.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Titus-Andronicus-Four-Score-and-Seven-Part-One.mp3]

Download: Titus Andronicus – Four Score and Seven (Part One) [MP3]

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Titus-Andronicus-Four-Score-and-Seven-Part-Two.mp3]

Download: Titus Andronicus – Four Score and Seven (Part Two) [MP3]

jj – n° 3

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Rating: ★★½☆☆

If you know anything about jj, please tell me. The amount of information is limited, but is slowly emerging. We know they’re Swedish girls, so that’s a start. (pro-tip: That Google Image Search is NSFW, which I suppose is a good omen) Maybe this stereotype is exactly the reason for the group to withhold their identities, but I digress. The illusive Swedes now follow up their critical acclaimed previous release n° 2 and debut single n° 1, and while continuing their trend of numeric releases, n° 3 lacks the mystery and intrigue of the former. I wonder how long it took the group to name their newest release. However, this secrecy can only take you so far before your followers grow tired of this cat and mouse game. Prior to this release, jj had emerged from complete obscurity and seemed to thrive with their lack of human qualities. Only recently, did we finally catch a glimpse of the band in their first music video for Let Go. The video is beautifully shot, although it seems to be meaningless other than art for art’s sake.

Don’t bother looking for their MySpace, or a website for that matter. In addition, what resembles a website of Sincerely Yours, the Gothenburg-based recording label, is as basic as basic gets, with little to no information. (You can however buy a bullet-proof vest) In a world where the prospective seller has to go to the buyer, jj has the music blogs to thank. They obviously revel in their anonymity and seemingly don’t concern themselves with any sort of fame (state-side at least), which is refreshing in an annoying sort of way. On the other hand, it almost seems overconfident that the group can rely on their music to speak for itself, especially as I don’t think their music speaks very loudly. It’s the mystery following the band leading to this wave of popularity. I sense that the group rushed to release their second full length quickly following their debut, to not fall into obscurity in our rapidly evolving musical climate. To me, there’s not much substance to hold my interest following one spin of the record, and a forced second spin.

Their debut took many blogs and listeners by surprise when it showed up very high in best of lists last year, but paint me as ignorant or biased, but I’ll stick to the Icelandic pop; which seems to carry with it so much more weight and depth. It’s a very short sophomore release coming in at just over 27 minutes, similar to n° 2, whose 9 tracks spanned roughly the same length. The tone of n° 3 is distinctive from their last, where the previous was a summer anthem; this is a winter lover’s theme music, conjuring images of Swedish chalet roofs draped in ice and snow.

The constants are there, with dream pop and synthesizers as the overwhelming attribute. The group displays more dissonance, especially within the opening track My Life. It’s soft and airy much like the previous release, but is more distant and less touching. Let Go, with its distant harmonica is really the only highlight for me on a record with virtually every other track sounding remarkably similar. From their previous release, they have retreated from the drum driven rhythms to the more ambient and guitar lead melodies. The only exception is shown with the tribal percussion of Into the Light that reminds me of the title track to Ferngully.

When the denouement of the final track No Escapin’ This hits, I for one am glad that it’s just a song title., but maybe that is unnecessarily mean.  It’s not that I completely dislike it, the release holds some intriguing melodies which float in similar patterns to n° 2; however, it has lost its gleam. For you Austinites who gush over Pitchfork reviews, you’ll be happy to see jj on the schedule for SXSW. Here, you can catch the group in its physical form and here’s hoping they put on a good live show. Somehow, I think they’ll disappoint. They are also currently on tour with fellow buzz artists the xx. It’s no doubt that they’ll gather together at some point during the tour to discuss their loathing of capitalized letters.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/03-let-go.mp3]

Download: JJ – Let Go [MP3]

2/24 Akron/Family @ The Parish

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Admittedly, walking into the newly refurbished Parish Wednesday night, I was a bit unaware of the events set to unfold. Through the front doors, we entered into a strange, Gothic bizzaro world where the old funky Parish, as I knew it, used to be.  It was my first visit there since the facility’s upgrade. Similarly, I was only a casual follower of the headliners Akron/Family with only their latest Set ‘Em Wild Set ‘Em Free in my playlist repetition pre-concert. The opening act L.A.’s Warpaint, was seen as a bonus due to the overwhelming buzz I was hearing throughout the blogoverse.  Follow the jump to see what happened.

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Clem Snide – The Meat Of Life

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Rating: ★★★★☆

Clem Snide, comprised of songwriter extraordinaire Eef Barzelay and his constantly rotating cast of characters (this time surprisingly with two constants, Brendan Fitzpatrick and Ben Martin) are back with their latest release since their early 2009 release Hungry Bird, of which Barzelay described as a “loosely-conceived, post-apocalyptic fairytale”. This release is a more cohesive topic of conversation than the latter in what is no doubt their most polished and mature release to date. Hungry Bird was a collection of older tracks unearthed after being on the shelf for a few years, thus following a brief band fallout in 2008. This resulted in Barzelay touring solo and perfecting his craft. Following last year’s stop at Mohawk, the new material ensured this was to be a release I was looking forward to for some time.

Surprisingly, Clem Snide are still flying under the radar for most, which begs the question, when will they finally get the praise they deserve? Eef’s songwriting aptitude and unique nasal howl is obviously the most prominent feature throughout the album and the instrumentation is well constructed with the addition of three fellow Nashvillians Tony Crow (Piano, Organ), Roy Agee (Trombones), and Carole Rabinowitz (Cello). Clem Snide doesn’t take any massive leaps beyond Hungry Bird or End of Love for that matter; however, the band achieves a more cohesive orchestration rather than just relying on the aforementioned stellar songwriting. The addition of supplementary instrumentation is a bonus and helps add depth to otherwise vintage Barzelay vocal epiphanies and a solid rhythm from Ben Martin on the sticks.

Barzelay’s unique view on the mundane and unobserved is refreshing and invites the listener to see things from a new perspective; often seeing humor or beauty in otherwise sad or distressing situations. This forte is nothing new from Barzelay’s songwriting resume, but it is something at which he excels. The boisterous opener, ‘Wal-Mart Parking Lot’ is a good example, exclaiming that the sunset seen from there “has never been so beautiful.”

For the most part, Meat of Life is a case-study on the subtleties, unfortunate circumstances, the wonderfully surprising elements of a loving relationship and his growing frustration with relationships in general. ‘Denver’, a beautiful and disheartening ballad about a woman bearing his child and denying him attention, is heart-wrenching and proves a strong moment for Barzelay to show off his vocal chops. The addition of simple soft piano and percussion is an exemplary track leading into the raucous ‘Forgive Me, Love.’ This segues from the previous track’s misfortune into a statement of disappointment and complete repentance for even trying.

The desperation for affection is apparent with ‘Please’, stating that “when I sing it’s you I see, them other girls ain’t real to me. It’s just sometimes I hate to be alone.” ‘Anita’ finishes off the album with a strong, endearing, yet pitiful statement; a ballad with lighthearted word-play and beautiful organ/cello interludes.

Overall, this release is simple in tone and subject, but holds sentiment and perspectives unseen anywhere in the music landscape. Meat of Life is a strong release from Clem Snide and they continue to be one of our favorite live performances, as long as the crew stays together and true to form. You can catch Clem Snide once again at the Mohawk, May 25th and you can bet your ass, we’ll be there.

Efterklang – Magic Chairs

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Efterklang_Magic_Chairs_emailRating: ★★★★½

Following on the recognition in part to a dedicated fan base, a live repertoire rapidly becoming known as one of the best acts to catch in the world, and a newly inked contract with 4AD, the Copenhagen-based quartet Efterklang are set to release their 3rd studio album, Magic Chairs. Trying to improve on Parades, one of the best albums of 2007 and last year’s vastly underrated live recording, Performing Parades is a difficult feat. Luckily for the listener, Efterklang are fully committed to the challenge.

In comparison, this release is by far their most extroverted album and with their imminent reprise at SXSW 2010, after a US tour with locals Balmorhea, these indomitable souls are positioned to make big waves. On this release, they adopted a unique approach to recording, displaying their acumen for performing. Ask anyone who has seen their show and they will tell you that their skill flourishes with their unrivaled live presence. These songs were born in a live venue and after the blemishes were removed and the arrangements completed, the setting was reproduced in the studio with the help of their touring members including siblings Peter and Heather Broderick. The tracks were then mastered with the help of famed British producer Gareth Jones (Depeche Mode, Interpol, and Grizzly Bear). The overall aesthetic is obviously something taken very seriously as Efterklang has enlisted Hvass & Hannibal to once again produce beautiful and provocative album artwork.  

With Magic Chairs, Efterklang has bridged the gap into a more accessible realm of pop music. The first single is the relentlessly catchy “Modern Drift” which opens with a simple piano pattern soon paired by Casper Clausen’s deep and vibrating vocals before building into a sound of trademark Efterklang as we know them.  This back to basics style is quite a leap from earlier releases, especially their 2004 debut Tripper. In doing so, they may have abandoned a few fans who have grown used to the more prominent electronic influences from Mads Brauer, Casper Clausen’s soaring (though unrecognizable) lyrics and Peter Broderick’s vast string arrangements.

Efterklang seek perhaps a more profitable labor and have mostly abandoned their immense, cinematic presence and incomprehensible lyrics for a more understandable, logical approach. Songs titles “Harmonics” and “Natural Tune” are obvious indications of this endeavor. However, what they have left behind has not completely vanished and with repeated listens, the layers remain; though more subtle and carefully placed. This attention to detail is most impressively heard in the one-two punch of “Raincoats” and “Harmonics”, which is by far one of the strongest moments on the album. Here they draw obvious influences from the Dirty Projectors by means of majestic harmonization, utilizing heavy percussive elements, and the addition of subtle Radiohead-esque arrangements.

The one weak moment in the album for me is the bubbly “Scandinavian Love”, which is undeniably the most poppy track on the album and although the rifts ate catchy, it feels like a rushed product. I will withhold-complete judgment until I hear it performed live.

Other highlights include “The Soft Beating” with soaring vocals and subtle electronic influences which calmly and delicately build into a strong finish where “it all comes down” and the dreamy, thought provoking “Mirror Mirror” which seems to feed my imagination seems like the only obvious bridge between their last release, Parades. The last track on the album, “Natural Tune” contains a beautiful and supple duet with simple piano and guitar interplayed. It’s a stunning finish to one of the best albums of the year thus far and I fully expect to find it on many best of lists.

After multiple listens it’s truly a difficult process to find fault besides those mentioned above. That says much about Efterklang’s work ethic and their endless steps towards pop perfection. I reserve a half star due to the fact that these songs were instinctive live songs and fittingly their place is in a live setting.  Luckily for them, I’ll be at SXSW seeking them out with my gold half-star in hand. 

Also the whole album is streaming right now over on Sound Venue.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/01-Modern-Drift.mp3]

Download: Efterklang – Modern Drift [MP3]

FTC: Sir Douglas Quintet

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sdq

From the closet this week is the San Antonio based Sir Douglas Quintet, whose albums, The Best of the Sir Douglas Quintet(1966) and Mendocino (1968) were pretty much the soundtrack to my childhood.  The latter of which is still one of my favorite albums of all time. Riding on the coattails of the British invasion of the early sixties, Doug Sahm, (who passed away about 10 years ago) decided on a British sounding name, despite his obvious Texan drawl and with fellow members predominantly from Mexico.  Regardless of their lack of British ties, they still recorded an international hit 1965’s “She’s About A Mover”, and went on to influence a young Bob Dylan and later the mutual influence of the Grateful Dead, when Sahm moved his band out to San Francisco in 1966. On “At The Crossroads”, Doug Sahm’s raspy lyric, “You just can’t live in Texas if you don’t have a lot of soul” to this day still speaks to a whole generation of Texans.  A part Willie and a part Grateful Dead, SDQ deserves to be brought out and enjoyed by a more modern listening audience.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Sir_Douglas_Quintet_-_Mendocino_-_01_-_Mendocino.mp3]

FT5: Songs Stuck In My Head

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0129top5coverWe all have that feeling. You have a crucial presentation or test the next morning and you just need some damn sleep. Then it hits you. Out of nowhere, the chorus to ‘Rocky Mountain High’ (or some equally random song) decides to lodge itself deep within your subconscious.  “What the hell John Denver, I don’t even listen to your music and can’t possibly even remember the last time I hear that song!”  This kind of thing happens to me more often than I would like to admit, but here goes. The ear-bug phenomenon may be an inevitable curse to the music junkie.  I can’t go through the day without listening to some sort of music and therefore, some rhythm or theme, or even a random lyric gets stuck, leaving me with nowhere to run. The only thing to do is to listen to music as a guard against this from happening, from my own personal theme music infiltrating my deepest thoughts. And thus, the cycle begins anew.  Over the years, I find myself humming the tunes of many songs in the short-term, but a few have never left. It’s a living nightmare.  Damn you Hippocampus!  Follow the jump for full list.

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FT5: Album Covers of 2009 (So Far)

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1120top5coverAt a time when we are all witnessing the CD’s imminent demise and the convenience of digital files running rampant, thankfully from an art perspective, a vinyl re-emergence is upon us. While sound quality is obviously seen as the most important reason why we are seeing audiophiles jumping back on the vinyl bandwagon, album artwork is also getting a much deserved close-up. With the vinyl album requiring more elaborate artwork packages, bands are re-thinking the overall aesthetic and producing some great work, which only enhances the overall music experience. 2009 has been a great year not only for the ears, but for the eyes as well and below are my picks for the Top 5 album covers from 2009 (so far). Honorable mentions go to Animal Collective’s cover for making me dizzy from staring at it too long and Neko Case for badass picture of the year. Obviously art is about as subjective as subjectivity can get, so give us some feedback. Who’s your number 1?
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FT5: Collaborations

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0918top5coverSolid collaborations seem to come around only once in a blue moon. On the other hand a FT5 of horrible partnerships could go on for 52 weeks straight without repeat. Eminem and Elton John come to mind, Bowie and Crosby creeping me out, and We Are the World as the gold standard of awesomely bad group efforts. Apart from these, there are plenty out there that have me wishing I had never heard them. Fear not, music lovers follow the jump to read about the best collaborations that won’t make you want to hang yourself; in fact, you might enjoy them.
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