This is fine.
Everyone seems to love Surf City lately, and they are picking up a lot of press over here in the states, which isn’t entirely rare from a band straight out of Oceania. We, too, are really excited to see what they can come up with when they release their full length to throngs of fans stateside. Here’s just a little sample off their self-titled EP.
Download: Surf City – Canned Food [MP3]
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Elvis Perkins finally has a band to back up his soft-spoken folk leanings, but that isn’t too say that he’s moved entirely away from his original sound; in fact, he hasn’t traveled that far from where he once began his journey into the musical world. His latest release, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, is just another reminder of how capable a songsmith the man truly is.
Opening the album is “Shampoo,” which starts off with a mellow little progression on the acoustic guitar, as an organ fills out the background. Suddenly, the band kicks in, and Elvis’ voice comes sweeping in with a slightly more country-fied tinge than most listeners might be used to at this point in his career. It’s a testament to the man’s capabilities when he’s backed by a complete band, and it’s a phenomenal start, nearly a perfect song.
The next few tracks find Elvis walking the lines of his past, as he slows the numbers down so his voice can unfold before listeners. You can tell that he’s yearning for more, reaching for more with his voice, which is perhaps the reason why he brought in a complete band for the recording process of this album. Steady percussion fills in the space where Elvis previously was forced to fill it all with his voice.
His trademark six minute song, “Send My Fond Regards to Lonelyville” is just another example of how wonderfully he can craft a song. Simple strumming typically doesn’t have the lasting power to garner your interest through six minutes, but when accompanied by his voice, and his attention to lyrical details, you find that you are drawn into the depths of the song. Horn arrangements added midway only build upon the already sound structure of this song.
Each time you listen to his voice, it seems to waver just a bit, much like Devandra Banhart, but with a less aggravating persona behind it all. It’s surely the focal point of each song, but his ability to maneuver in and out of different pitches is what makes the entire set of songs listenable, as he clearly understand exactly when to pull back. It’s an emotional attack on the listener, and it succeeds on almost every level. Listening, your drawn into the strength of the songs, but your mostly attracted to his voice, and that feeling is certainly not fleeting.
You’ll find that every song along the way has extra details added in to create an ornate composition. The folk stylings are merely just the beginning, as the backing band here has fulfilled the promise of Elvis Perkins, pushing his songs far beyond anything he’s written to date, and the listeners will be rewarded time and time again, as each listen unfolds new little secrets.
This Melbourne, Australia group has been on my mind a lot lately, and it was recent brought to my attention that they released a new single not too long ago. I had to have it, and I had to bring it to your attention; here is the newest tune from The Crayon Fields, who are set to release another album later this year. We’ll keep you posted on that front.
Download: The Crayon Fields – Mirror Ball [MP3]
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Dan Boeckner and his wife/girlfriend/whatever, Alexei Perry are releasing their second album, Face Control, on Sub Pop Records under the Handsome Furs moniker. The first outing had a lot of interesting moments, carried mostly by Boeckner’s voice. Interestingly enough, you don’t find the band breaking new ground with their latest release.
The instant the album kicks off with “Legal Tender” one will immediately note that the beats on this round are a lot more prevalent than on the last outing. That’s not to say that Dan doesn’t throw in some slicing guitar licks, as he surely does so on this track, but they seem merely as extra moments. It’s as if the beats support the entire infrastructure of the songs, while the guitar seems to be an afterthought.
Still, one has to question whether or not this is enough to carry an entire album’s worth of songs. Answering this question will more than likely divide a lot of people, as the better tracks coming from this album, such as “Talking Hotel Arbat Blues” or “All We Want, Baby, Is Everything,” are really fantastic, displaying how some of the more thought out moments on the album can rise above the simplistic formula.
And yes, there is Boeckner’s phenomenal voice. As part of Wolf Parade, he’s pushed his voice to the limits, sometimes letting his voice curl into a bit of a yelp. This is not so on the Handsome Furs work, where we find him restraining himself quite a bit, allowing for the vocals to pull out every ounce of emotion from both his voice and the listener. Clearly the power of his voice is capable of serving as the backbone of an entire album, but probably not as the sole focus of said album.
“I’m Confused,” for instance, relies upon Dan entirely, using his voice to carry the entirety of the song until his guitar work angularly cuts through the background of the song. It’s an interesting sound, but it fails in the fact that it comes across as if the whole song was just merely a momentary thought; it has no flesh or filling. This is not what one asks for in such cases. Sadly, this is the feeling a lot of listeners will be left with when listening to this album all the way through, time and time again. There are moments when you can’t help but to be taken aback by the songs, but other moments exist when you might ask for a bit of density to the songs, a little exaggeration if you will.
You’ll come to the end finding that you’ve enjoyed the album as a whole, most notably for previously mentioned tracks, but you won’t find yourself dying to listen to it over and over again, only asking yourself questions about whether the band could have done more to fill some of the blank space that stands motionless throughout the album.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/03-talking-hotel-arbat-blues.mp3]Download: Handsome Furs – Talking Hotel Arbat Blues [MP3]
In case you didn’t follow our list of best albums of 2008, odds are you missed one of the gems of the year, Jeremy Jay. He’s got a new record slated this Spring off of K Records, and its been kicking around in our heads over here at ATH for the last few weeks. It’s a slow-burner, but as with all Jeremy Jay outings, it reveals more each listen.
This time out, he’s got a bit more of a step to his tunes, which is sure to delight audiences, as his unique stage dancing is one of the many reasons he’s so endearing. His understated speak-sing delivery is reminiscent of Calvin Johnson. His reliance upon classic R&B musical stylings, is more than just a throwback, as no one seems to do it with more passion. Simply put, its this passion and classic tinged tuneage that makes Jeremy Jay worthy of your time during SXSW.
He’ll be playing Wednesday, March 18th at the Beauty Bar at 1 AM.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/05-slow-dance.mp3]Download: Jeremy Jay – Slow Dance [MP3]
Frontman for punkers Avail, Tim Barry, is making his way to Austin this Tuesday night. He’ll be doing his folkier side of things, but that won’t make it any less punk rock, as those who caught his set at Fun Fun Fun Fest can attest. His charm will win you over in a minute, and his songs will win you over the next. Also on the bill is Austin Lucas, who made waves earlier this year with his joint venture with Chuck Ragan. The show is at Emos, with tickets costing a recession proof $8. Doors are at 8 PM and show starts at 10 Pm.
Download: Tim Barry – Texas Cops [MP3]
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Tim Kasher has always been a voice living on the darker side of lyrical content, filling his words with his own animosity, with the subject often turning to his own reflection. Aptly titled, the new Cursive album, Mama I’m Swollen, is another album based on his own self-reflection, and, well, deprecation.
It takes a few seconds of ambient noise, thirty-four to be exact, before Cursive burst in with a fever known to most fans of the band. The guitars cut through your ears with the sharpness of a polished knife, as Kasher sings ” don’t want to live in the now/don’t want to know what I know.” The sentiment seems to be that the man, himself, is unhappy with the way things have turned out. Regardless, the ferocity of this song is a welcome opener.
Skip right ahead to the obvious single, “From the Hips,” which starts the opening minute with a gentle pace, pushed along by the guitar; its reminiscent of The Good Life, Kasher’s other focal point for musical expression. That is until the drums kick in, carrying the song forward, with the remainder of the song revolving around the drums and Tim’s remarkable voice. Happy Hollow horns close the song, a wonderful second track.
Then we find the angular guitar work of the band echoing in the dense hollows of the next few songs, as the sounds seems to bounce off your ears, just as Kasher’s voice rises and falls with that dark edge that only he can wield with such perfection. It’s clear that he’s borrowed a bit from his other musical outing, but the darkness associated with Cursive albums clearly shines through the familiar elements. By this point, your four tracks into the latest musical excursion.
“Caveman” brings in a newer element to the fold, as it seems like a barroom stomper, filled out with the accompaniment of horns. Here we find a man that seems content with where he’s at in his life. On top of that, its clear by this point, the middle of the album, that Tim’s voice is back; its probably never sounded as strong as it does here. But, the sentiment is contradicted by the following song, as the gentle statement of “we’re going to hell, we’re going to hell” rings in listeners ears. Lyrical content aside, this is one of the most beautiful songs on the albums, one where we once again see the passion of our pained hero.
From here on out, the fierceness of the songs diminishes, but there is clearly a brighter side to things. Each of the following songs has a new attitude in the songwriting process. While still holding tight to the stylistic leanings that put Saddle Creek Records on the map, there’s a new sense of clarity to the songs, as they seem less dense than previous efforts, which has made way for some of the stronger songs this side of the Cursive catalog.
Closing out the album is “What Have I Done.” Here, you find one of the better lyrics of the album, if not, the year, as Kasher sings “I spent the best years of my life, waiting on the best years of my life.” It seems as if he’s looking back upon his whole life, or career, with a sense of regret, which is unfortunate, as this sets of songs are some of his best yet. When he asks the audience “what have I done,” our response to Tim should be that he’s put together a complete album, full of masterful songs, including the grandiose closing statement at the end. You’ve done great Tim.
Long ago Kevin Devine was just your average singer/songwriter, coasting along on the coattails of pop-punk, although it was clearly that he never really fit in musically. His early shows were intimate affairs, as witnessed by last year’s performance at SXSW where the entire audience sat down to watch him intricately pick at his guitar. Still, there’s plenty of passion in his voice.
Kevin has a knack for writing careful lyrics combined with his innate understanding of melodies. He matches it all with his fervor and personality, as his stage banter makes it easy to fall in love with the man singing on stage. This year, he’ll be bringing his God Damn Band in tow to fill out the sounds for his upcoming release Brother’s Blood.
He’ll be playing at the Radio Room Patio on Wednesday, March 18th at 11:oo PM.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/09-i-coule-be-with-anyone.mp3]Download: Kevin Devine – I Could Be with Anyone [MP3]
UK band It Hugs Back has been hitting the presses lateley without a lot of love on both sides of the pond. Their debut album, Inside Your Guitar, is set to come out this April via heralded label 4AD. There sound combines the gentleness of 90s indie groups while bringing a modern spin on the whole ordeal. Take notice now, because with a song like “Work Day,” this band is poised to win you over.
Download: It Hugs Back – Work Day [MP3]
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It’s rare nowadays when an artist will actually create a world and sound, one which takes you upon a journey within an album. We’re a culture that’s reverted back to the days of singles and 7″s, but some of us still yearn for that legendary trip throughout an album, carried up and down by the songwriters; that is precisely what newcomers The Great Nostalgic have created with their debut self-titled album.
Opening the album with “Grace,” a song based entirely around deep piano chords creates a moment of solemnity, encouraging the listener to settle down as the album begins to take flight. And from here the band go straight into “The Kingdom” where the band slowly start to assert themselves as a complete force to reckon with as guitars crash carefully mid-song. Subject-wise, the band sets us up as singer Abram Shook carries you back home with him to a place where his memories hold great importance. Listen close as wave after wave of guitar noise crash upon you near the song’s end, coated in a dense fog of noise.
From here, we journey into a song about “Young Lovers,” one of the songs destined to be a hit with audiences. Here you find a bounce to the band that wasn’t present in the earlier moments of the album, and its a welcome change of pace as the band carry you to yet another plateau in their reptoire. Listening, you can bounce along the entire time, but the prize comes as the snare drum rattles in tight unison with guitar work at the end of the album. But, just as soon as your body is moving, they draw you back in with a more subtle song. Shook seems to be dealing with a bit of defeat, but his undying love, or infatuation, pushes him to hunt his love, played in part by the band’s occasional guest female vocalist, Pink Nasty.
Still, they’ve got haunting elements to carry with them, as they do in “Fall River Dream” in which the narrator seems to follow aimlessly down a river filled with mistakes and dreams both touching and demonic. Our narrator yearns to be free, hoping the water washes it all away. And off we go with “Fire Brigade,” which has a looming sense of doom, especially when the guitar work is shortened, matched by the pounding of phenomenal guest drummer John Kolar (Sunset). It’s an epic moment in the album, one filled with a sense of complex dark chaos.
Thus comes one of the best tracks on the album, though admittedly, they are all exceptional in their own right, “County Line.” Combining keyboard elements and angular guitar work creates a certain tension, yet allows for pristine pop moments. It takes us back to the story of the young lovers, but in doing so it brings a certain sense of ferocity, along with accusations of someone “living someone else’s life.” Juxtaposed, however, is “Legend,” one of the songs that bubbles with creativity alongside an atmospheric sound of swelling guitars and electronics just before the pace is quickened; the introduction of horns certainly moves this song into a realm beyond its predecessors. And so “Queen and Country” reintroduces you to Pink Nasty along with Diedre Gott and Abram Shook, together at last, at least as far as lyrical delivery goes.
And the album begins to draw to a close with ‘The House of My Father.” Rumbling drums melded with Shook’s voice, as it echoes in the forefront of the song make for memorable moments, and the urgency with which the band performs does not go unnoticed. Here we rise to the seeming climax of the album, after various ebbs and flows through the valley of the album. Then we have the end, the “Return to the Kingdom” where we go back to where it all began, to a place where its full of memories. Marching goes the band, and our heart beats along until the end, where we are blasted by the album’s coda.
So through it all, the band mixes up their textures, their approaches and their delivery. They carefully craft an album that allows you to start at one point, and follow the band until the end. One couldn’t have asked for more from a fairly young band, as they deliver one of the most complete albums to come out this year.
[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/07_county_line.mp3]Download: The Great Nostalgic – County Line [MP3]
You can catch this band Friday (3/6) at Club Deville as part of the Cacophony Records party.
