Field Music – Measure

field_music-measure-albumcoverRating: ★★★☆☆

The Brewis brothers have just returned from their brief hiatus, which featured several decent albums by their respective projects (School of Language and The Week That Was).  But, as they’ve reunited with Field Music, they present the masses with Measure; it’s a burdensome album that takes twenty songs and goes beyond the 70 minute mark.

It becomes apparent that the group hasn’t strayed too far from their staccato style prog when you first press play.  The piano even has a stabbing sound to it, albeit one surrounded by various layers of texturizing.  This will ultimately be the story of this album, it’s the inclusion of textures and layering that fleshes out Measure. Some listeners will see them as sort of a British version of Pinback.  Both bands operate on these mathematical constructs, as if each instrument has been placed into the stero by way of equation rather than heart (that’s not to say I don’t like that about them).

Unlike some of their brethren in The Futureheads or Maximo Park (bands who’ve joined the group in the studio and on the stage), the one thing that doesn’t push this record forward is that it does seem so calculated.  You can cruise through the first five songs until you land on “Effortlessly,” which is the first song that seems to really draw you into the record itself.  Then you sort of wander back and forth through meandering instrumentation until you hit “You and I,” the tenth track.  Perhaps the slow-core tempo is really the breeding ground for inspiration here because the lacking of pace in this number is what makes the jump in the volume during the chorus seem to emphatic.

As a fan of the band, Measure is still really hard to follow along all the way until the end.  Like Sufjan when he released Illinoise, this whole thing will sort of wear you down; it’s just too long for a modern listening experience (that’s a whole other issue).  Formulaic rock is great, and there are a lot of incredible little moments throughout the whole affair, but you have to recall be on your game as a listener to take this whole thing in one sitting.  Try as I might, and I’m a fan mind you, I couldn’t get through it all at once.  Songs bled into one another, and the larger idea of the record sort of faded away.

But, you can take a different approach, one that will reward you.  Listen, at first, in brief sittings.  Take three or four songs at once, then pause and reflect.  “Measure” your thoughts, if you will.  Might I suggest starting at “First Comes the Wish,” which just happens to be one of the stronger songs.  Start here, then go forward two song, then maybe skip around. Although I like the record a lot from this point until the end.  In pursuing a different listening experience for yourself, you will define this album on your own terms.  It will reveal itself to you in an entirely different manner than perhaps it did me.  This way, you won’t be worn down or burdened by the large undertaking.

Taken in one sitting, this album bleeds together, which makes the formulaic sound a little weaker than Field Music intended.  But, if you can move in and out of the record, finding your own passage through Measure, then you will be rewarded, as the group has cleverly constructed a piece of art that deserves your deconstruction.

SXSW Watchlist: Fergus and Geronimo

f&gWe all know what a great music scene Austin has, but SXSW gives us all a chance to support our Texas brethren, and we’re here to do our part by highlighting Denton’s Fergus and Geronimo.  Primarily the work of Andrew Savage and Jason Kelly, the group expands to a raucous foursome for live purposes.  You might find them in the same line as The Strange Boys, though I’ll definitely have to give it to this group for their vocal qualities over our Austin compatriots.  If you want to get a head start on the band, you will be happy to know that they currently have three 7 inches up for grabs, all of which feature the band’s traditional American garage sound.  After seeing them open for The Dutchess and the Duke earlier this year, I found that they are the sort of band you can get behind every single night.  Fergus and Geronimo have several shows during SXSW, one being at the Woodsist showcase, so be sure to catch hold of them now, as they’ll be a hot ticket for the rest of the year.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/01-Tell-It-In-My-Ear.mp3]

Download: Fergus and Geronimo – Tell It In My Ear [MP3]

New Tunes from Ted Leo

57540037AJ001_Breaking_the_Everyone’s all over this album lately, especially with the release of the second web single for Ted Leo.  As we prepare for his new album, The Brutalist Bricks, we’ve got a few thoughts to share.  Writer RayRay says it’s his favorite album of the year so far.  Personally, after years of adoring Ted, I think this is finally the album that combines his traditional pub rock leanings with his energetic stage presence.  It’s everything you always wanted a Ted Leo record to be, and you, too, can get your hands on it March 9th via Matador Records. So here’s that new tune, the album’s opening track “The Mighty Sparrow.”

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/01-The-Mighty-Sparrow.mp3]

Download: Ted Leo – The Mighty Sparrow [MP3]

New Tunes from The Light Footwork

TLFsummer07-1thumbCalifornia’s The Light Footwork first caught my eye a few years back when I stumbled upon them via a blog I no longer remember.  They’re set to release their new album, National Historic Landmarks.  This new tune features trade-offs between the male/female vocal parts, and the song definitely has an oddball sense of storytelling.  It’s a nice little afternoon number.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/The_Light_Footwork_-_Rock_Island_Arsenal.mp3]

Download: The Light Footwork – Rock Island Arsenal [MP3]

Lightspeed Champion – Life is Sweet! Nice to Meet You

lightspeed-life-is-sweetRating: ★★★½☆

Years ago, Dev Hynes had it all as a member of Test Icicles.  The English press fawned over him and his mates, and yet it didn’t last.  Still, he has maintained his role in the spotlight by pushing forward with Lightspeed Champion.  His second album under the moniker, Life Is Sweet! Nice to Meet You, carries him in a slightly different direction than his first outing, albeit one that exhibits Dev taking more musical risks.

The moment you realize Dev has grown up, at least in the musical sense of the word, is the moment you arrive at the album’s single “Marlene.”  For one, the production here has been amped up quite a bit, which surpasses his earlier work on Falling of the Lavender Bridge.  Aside from the production, the arrangements here are much larger, and a touch more significant.  Just take the very British “The Big Guns of Highsmith,” which uses a chorus from what appears to be a troupe of actors who adore Sweeney Todd.  Such touches have more emphasis this time around, rather than just acting as filler for the empty space left behind by his lone guitar.

What hasn’t changed a great deal is the subject matter of his songs. He still lives in a world where being left alone and pining for women seem to dominate his thoughts.  One can’t blame him too much, as he’s still a young chap, but the future will show if his writing offers more for the listeners.  Still, while his lyrics often seem somewhat adolescent, you can see hints of a young Jarvis Cocker lying in wait.  His storytelling and his affection for large production bring that all to one’s mind.

Those looking for classic Dev, at least in the vein of his other album, will find “Madame Van Damme” a delight.  It’s one of the few songs on Life is Sweet… that doesn’t seem to demonstrate his progression as a songwriter.  It feels as if he has regressed in age on this song, which also alludes to the lyrical content.  All that being said, it’s still a great song.

One of the great surprises for those familiar with Dev is that he offers a lot of variation throughout the album.  “Middle of the Dark” wraps up the end of the album with a bit of soaring vocals atop a pounding piano.  “Smooth Day (at the Library)” seems to find Dev living it up in that dessert bar, singing out his heart, leaving no emotion untouched.  You can’t forget the Western-ish feel of “Sweetheart” either! Lightspeed Champion is interesting in this fact because you clearly see all the influences of the man behind the project; he never seems to leave a musical stone unturned.

At the end of the day, Life is Sweet! Nice to Meet You is another good Lightspeed Champion record.  You’ll find that there are several great songs for you to dwell upon, all depending upon your mood and desire for subject matter.  Most listeners will relish the fact that the album is much more dynamic than Dev’s previous work, leading the masses to believe that there is only more great moments to come.

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

Download: Lightspeed Champion – Marlene [MP3]

Adam Green – Minor Love

adamgreenRating: ★★★☆☆

It seems like only yesterday when Adam Green donned a Peter Pan outfit onstage with his former band, The Moldy Peaches. Since then, he’s gone on to release several solo LPs, with most of them featuring his clever wordplay without ever taking himself too seriously.  That being said, Minor Love is his most focused, and probably his most serious album to date; it shows us just how crafty the fellow can be when he puts his mind to it.

“Breaking Locks” opens the album with what appears to be an apology to the masses, as he admits “I’ve been too awful.”  It’s interesting to see the man who mocked Jessica Simpson so well show a bit of emotion in regards to his mistakes.

You’ll also notice the influence of other musicians on this album, as Adam tries to step away from the singer-songwriter lifestyle.  “Goblin” is one such song, which seems to allude to his relationship with Rodrigo from Little Joy; it’s a song with a touch of tropicalia.  “Boss Inside” is similar in the fact that his picking emotes a darker side of things, which is a far cry from his work on Sixes and Sevens.  On top of that, his guitar work seems to hop from genre to genre allowing for the album to show some deviation from basic guitar strumming songs.  It definitely makes the listening experience for fulfilling than on past efforts.

As you go song to song, you have to give credit where credit is due, as Green’s ability to cleverly unite mundane detail after mundane detail whilst stringing together intricate stories is something at which you can marvel.  Not too many artists can make the banalities of everyday existence seem so interesting or heartfelt.  If he is destined to only be a one man troubadour, then at least he’s got a solid style that only he seems to perfect.

All that being said, the one drawback from Minor Love is that nothing stands out as exceptional.  Your entire listening experience will be enjoyable, though not one that you’ll come back to over and over with desire.  I suppose this is always one of the faults with Adam’s solo work; he writes good songs, but he’s yet to sit down and write a great song.  Still, you can’t but feel some sort of affiliation with his music, as it comes off as something we all wish to do; Adam Green gives you hope that you too can write such songs of simple wonder.

Still, you can’t discard Minor Love entirely.  A tune like “Cigarette Burns Forever” has redeeming qualities that enable you to appreciate the work of Adam Green.  You’ll enjoy his songs, and you might even love some of them, but odds are that you’ll just let the record spin quietly in the background while you eat dinner with your friends.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/10-Castles-And-Tassels.mp3]

Download: Adam Green – Castles And Tassels [MP3]

Local Natives – Gorilla Manor

localnatives-600x600Rating: ★★★★½

This California band just barely began making waves back in 2009 after successful shows and a rollicking time at SXSW.  All those things slowly began to build a lot of attention for the group, and finally we have come to the release of Gorilla Manor by Local Natives.  Listening to this for several months now, it’s the most complete record to come out in 2010, and will continue to garner extensive praise for the group.

When you first listen to Gorilla Manor, at least for this writer, I couldn’t shy away from thinking of Fleet Foxes, which is entirely due to the multiple-pat vocal harmonies the band uses. But the more that I let it unfold, the more that I began to see there are so many little touches across the album that it’s clear the group is doing their own thing entirely.

You come across those touches in the first song,  “Wide Eyes.” It seems as if the drummer barely hits the drums, other for the snare fills, as you can clearly hear the banging of the sticks atop the rim of the drum.  It’s something the band utilizes throughout the whole affair, giving a sort of tribal feel to their California-tinged summery pop. In fact, it distracts listeners from some tight-knit guitar work, that rarely seems to nod towards a folk sound, which is what one would think the band would imitate, if you only listened to the vocals.

“Airplanes,” the second song, begins with some piano noodling, before the vocals soar atop the steady percussive drum beat. Everything about the chorus here is perfect; each time I hear “I want you back,” I just get this chill; it’s the execution of the perfect song.  You could say the same thing for the following track, “Sun Hands,” the band’s first single off the album, but I’m sticking with “Airplanes.”  Still, people will love the usage of gang vocals at the 3 minute mark of “Sun Hands,” which provides a different dynamic before the band lashes into a little post-punk jam session.

One of the best things about Gorilla Manor, aside from the music itself, is that the majority of the songs are well-over the three minute mark.  Cleverly, Local Natives are able to sustain your interest throughout, leaving you with an album you can really go inside, immersing yourself entirely.  Each song has enough movement to keep it interesting, as the band doesn’t remain static for long, if ever.  That says a lot about the group, who can go in multiple directions in a song like “Warning Signs,” and hold onto a sense of cohesiveness within the song itself.   It really is hard to find a song not worthy of listening to multiple times.  Well done.

In the end, you can say that Local Natives have spent a great deal of time honing their craftsmanship, and Gorilla Manor is the ultimate reward for listeners and the band alike.  You’ll find that the differentiation and light changes will keep you interested all the way until the end, allowing you to finally spend time with a solid record you’ll want to listen to time and time again.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/02-Airplanes-1.mp3]

Download: Local Natives – Airplanes [MP3]

SXSW Radio Stream

So as you’re gearing up to head out to SXSW this year, you probably want to know about what’s hot or what’s cool.  We’d love to help you out, and we will, but now SXSW has set up a radio station where you can stream all the artists that are showcasing at this year’s event.  Keep a note pad handy, and start making that schedule for yourself.  The radio is HERE.

FTC: The English Beat

englishThis Friday over at Emo’s you can get into see the legendary The English Beat. Even more legendary is the fact that they’re known as a different band on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean, as our British compatriots refer to them simply as The Beat. But, what stands the test of time is their music.  They combined a lot of the two-tone ska elements and they combined them with really catchy pop hooks.  Sure, this was over-done by many people in that last wave of ska (we’re looking at you Sublime and Reel Big Fish), but The English Beat did it with a whole lot more sensibility than the rest; they did it a whole lot earlier too! My first introduction to the group was through “Mirror in the Bathroom,” though I found the rendition from SLC Punk by Fifi a bit more my pace.  The song that sticks for me though is perfect for all your dance party mixes, so throw this tune on the mix, and revisit The English Beat, or The Beat. Whatever.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/07-Save-It-For-Later.mp3]
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