Author: nathan.lankford

Love is All – A Hundred Things Keep Me Up at Night

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Rating: ★★★★☆

Last time round, this Swedish outfit brought us cleverly crafted pop tunes that wrapped themselves tidily inside walls of noise and shaky vocals from front-woman Josephine Olausson; this time around, we pretty much get the same thing, but in an appealing manner.

A Hundred Things Keep Me Up at Night starts off with “New Beginnings,” and that fresh starts is filled with horn blasts and driving guitar lines.  It’s a rapid kick-start to the listener; it’s a call to arms of sorts.  Midway through the song, the trading of male/female vocals is done up to perfection, creating delicious moments of joy.

One of the most impressive things about Love is All is that the band is still able to incorporate the usage of hors in a way that compliments the songs.  Each song is filled in with this delicate tough, which allows for the swirling of listeners to evolve a little more sporadically.  It’s one of the things that this band does to near perfection.

Along the way the band puts two of the better tracks next to each other, strengthening the middle of the album.  “Sea Sick” seems to be an escapist song, as the protagonist in the song wants escape the mundane, screaming “I’m bored to death, I’m bored of this shit.”  It’s juxtaposed to one of the best songs of the year, “Wishing Well.”  The playfulness expressed in the lyrics, and the aesthetic quality of the song create instantaneous joy.  Not to mention, this definitely has to be one of those songs that makes the audience bounce as they scream along to the chorus in unison with the band.

Suddenly, you get a slow-burner, as “When Giants Fall” comes across the stereo.  The band leaves plenty of room for feedback and dense group harmonies that echo in the background of the song.  Something about this song has a haunting quality to it, sort of like a gospel version of early Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Then “Rumours” brings the pace right back for you.  Swing those hips kids.  Slow it down; now right back to it.

Possible detractors do exist in this album, like the fact that you still can’t tell exactly how much you would enjoy Josephine’s voice in a live setting.  Or, some of the atmospheric elements added for textural purposes, such as the male spoken vocals in the background of “19 Floors” get a bit grating.  Other than that, you’ll find that this album is every bit as exciting as the first one, some of it exceeding it’s forbearer.

Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan – Sunday at Devil Dirt

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Rating: ★★★½☆

Despite it’s abilities to work, this still remains one of the strangest duos that has come to light. You could see Jagger and Bowie, but Lanegan and Campbell? Still, two albums in, they are perfecting their devilish-folk musings on Sunday at Devil Dirt.

As per usual, Mark Lanegan, former Screaming Trees singer, takes the lead vocals on this entire album, coating every single song in his whiskey-drenched Southern drawl, coming off like a less-carnivalesque Tom Waits. His voice is fitting for David Lynch screenplays, and yet he matches it with the sweetness of Isobel Campbell.

Most of the musical arrangements on the album come from Campbell, who continues to contrast her traditional role as queen of twee by creating brooding folks songs; each song is carefully constructed with equal part haunting orchestration and guitar picking. It’s this match of sounds that provides for a demonically sultry soundscape throughout.

Most of the time, Isobel doesn’t really make an appearance on the album, at least not as the focal point, which is disappointing, as her voice was one of the most memorable of the late 90s. Still, she does have some stand out moments, which make the tracks stand out from the rest. Her vocal bombast during the chorus of “The Raven” provides the perfect counter-balance to Lanegan. Similarly, the duo trade vocals on “Who Built the Road,” which demonstrates the unique harmony shared between these two juxtaposed musical characters.

One of the more endearing tracks, meaning one of the most upbeat–spiritually speaking, is “Keep Me in Mind Sweethear.” It’s a short number, but even Lanegan makes the longing sound natural, and not nearly as dark has his typical outing on this album. Oddly, at this point in the album, you can feel the lighter side of things shining through, which is ironic since it all comes at the end of the album, but it encourages you to look forward, and move on.

Overall, this is just another example of the dynamic shared between two great voices in independent music. It comes just in time for the cold weather to encourage whiskey drinking and story telling among friends; may your holidays come off something like this album.

Belle and Sebastian – BBC Sessions

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Rating: ★★★½☆

It’s difficult to rate a release of a band which has achieved adoration throughout the independent music world, especially when that release consists of various John Peel Sessions and a live recording in Belfast.  However, the gauntlet has been layed down, thus the rating has been thrown out.

The compilations is made up of multiple discs, the first being the BBC Sessions alluded to in the title of the release.  Now, Belle and Sebastian has always been a quiet band, especially if you listen to the mix of Tigermilk or If You’re Feeling Sinister, but on this disc you will find many of the classic songs from that era, such as “Judy and The Dream of Horses.”  A lot of these songs haven’t really changed much from the original recordings, in fact, they stay exactly the same as the first time they came out of your speakers.  Still, the quality of the recording is exceptional here, perhaps even better than the original recordings, so there is something to take away.

Overall, the first disc is a reminder of the band’s distant past, as the presence of Isobel Campbell is no more.  Listeners will find beauty in the intro of “The Magic of a Kind Word,” but those sorts of reminders only show how far the band has come.  Favorites still sound wonderful, such as “Sleep the Clock Around” and “Seymour Stein.”  It’s a pleasant reminder, but the lack of variance leaves much to be desired for the most die-hard of fans.

Disc two is a live album, recorded in Belfast, which is right near Holywood, in 2001.  It’s got a decent offering of songs, though they don’t really meander far from various other live recordings that have been thrown around for years.  There are some pleasant surprises that come from the band’s past, like their covers of “Here Comes the Sun” and “I’m Waiting for the Man.”  It’s a pleasant reminder of the youthfulness the band has maintained, always dancing the night away in your bedroom speakers.   It also demonstrates the leaps and bounds the group has made in more recent live performances.

In the end, its a very decent offering of music for those who are in love with Belle and Sebastian. For those who haven’t steeped themselves in the history of the band, or are completely oblivious to their existence, they might find some value here, but all true fans know that there are much greater starting points to the history of one of the greatest bands in modern history.

Frantic Clam – Celebrity EP

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Rating: ★★★☆☆

Local Austin band Frantic Clam originally joined forces while serving in the armed forces in Iraq.  The two founding members, Zack and Joe,  spent their spare time crafting simple tunes.  Celebrity is the band’s first EP, but a full length album is scheduled for release this Winter.

Opening track “Mary Elizabeth Winstead” is definitely rooted in a Southern soul sort of vibe, as the guitar work is really gritty.  The vocals are reminiscent of a Issac Brock being raised in the Deep South, with backing vocals added to fill in some the empty space in the song.

They wander off to “Everything is Perfect,” which is probably the best song on the album.  The vocals at the beginning are really crisp, which packs a stronger punch than some of the fuzzier recording that comes along later.  It’s a gentler approach to their songwriting; an attribute the band should consider employing full time.

“Richard Cory” is another mellow number at track 3.  A slower pace allows the band to focus on the melodies here, and this ends up demonstrating the band’s abilities to intertwine hooks with their space infused Southern rock sound. Similarly, “Amnesty” is filled with space keyboards and lyrics battling the mundane world, along with mundane problems.  It comes off like an old Grandaddy b-side.

They close the album with samples of Oz, as they finish with “The Emerald City.” It’s a song that exhibits a bit of funk, as if the band smashed into Stereolab all of a sudden.  It is another sound that demonstrates the possibilities the future holds for this band.  Keep an eye on this group, as I’m sure we’ll hear more of them in the future.

Speaking of hearing more, the band has a gig on December 12th at Hole in the Wall, so go check it out; keep it local.

You can also check out single from the album Richard Cory elsewhere on our site.

Comet Gain – Broken Record Prayers

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Rating: ★★★★★

If you ask someone who their favorite British band is, most will throw at you something like Elbow or Bloc Party, but very few, if any, will mention the lo-fi group Comet Gain. The band, existing in some form since 1992 is quite possibly one of those bands that everyone will overlook for the duration of their lives, but they will miss some of the greatest songs written. Their most recent release, a collection of 7 inches, which comes to the U.S. as a full length is titled Broken Record Prayers.

As usual, the album relies on the interplaying vocals between Rachel Evans and David Feck. The opening song, “Jack Nance Hair” is the perfect exhibit, as the song begins with spoken word elements via Evans before Feck comes in to win your heart, and it will belong to him forever.

Most of these songs do revolve in that lo-fi bedroom quality that some people cannot stand, but the closeness created in this listening experience is completely intentional. Feck opens his tiny little world to you with every song, speaking to you, as if you were the antagonist to his every song. If you can manage the recording quality here then you will find some of the rarest gems, sure to be with your record collection until the end of time.

Surprisingly, the band has added some straight ahead rock tunes on this go round, like “Beautiful Despair.”  It’s a rollicking little number that stands out most notably for the throbbing bass lines rather than the clever guitar work that the band typically employs on the rest of their songs. “Love Without Lies” follows with more throbbing bass lines, and, what seems to be a dance number, done in the most intriguing of ways.

The benefit of a Comet Gain album is that they come out so rarely, and usually as a collection of 7 inches, that you get a solid number of songs. This particular album has twenty new tunes for every type of listener. Bedroom recordings of love and hate, as well as more upbeat numbers come in abundance. Sure, the organization of the album might be a little off due to the way each song was originally released, but you will not find a more perfect album. Surely this is a must have for every music geek.

As the winter comes into your windows, open them up for awhile and let David Feck’s genius blow on into your room. You’ll be happy you did.

Comet Gain – Books of California

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Comet Gain has been one of my favorite bands for several years now, yet they never really seem to pop into the consciousness for most people. This new track comes off a 7” that also features the song “Love Without Lies.” Each song will appear on the band’s newest album Broken Record Players, set to hit our shores this coming Tuesday, November 18th.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/10-books-of-california.mp3]

Download: Comet Gains – Books Of California [MP3]

Peter and the Wolf – Mellow Owl

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Rating: ★★★★☆

As the winter weather wanders down the street and into our open windows, we’re all looking for that perfect album to accompany the complete change of the seasons.  We need something subtle, something soothing, yet something that challenges and thrills.  Enter Red Hunter.

Red Hunter is the local Austin legend, also known as Peter and the Wolf, who has just recently released another beautiful listening experience.  He’s known from playing on the edges of the world, where the water drops off into a great abyss of silence; he plays to the small crowds who still believe in mythical beasts.

Pacing is immediately established by the lyrical content and the title of the opening track, “Supermellofied.”  It speaks of a simpleness that most will not be able to describe, yet all yearn for from time to time.  Guitar track atop guitar track creates the effect of gentle rain dripping down from your roof and into the cracks in the sidewalk.

For some reason, the quietude of the album is the one thing that will speak to most listeners.  It’s Red’s simple approach to writing and crafting songs that allow us all to focus on the mundane details of our own world, allowing us all to realize the beauty that exists in every corner that we walk through.  It’s an album of simple folk songs and simple pleasures, such the things that should be in our lives.

Listeners may find it difficult to absorb the vocals of Red Hunter, as they seem to be sung through a can, clearly an echo of some sort resonates. But, the focus in his songs doesn’t revolve merely around his lyrics; it is the entire aesthetic appeal of these songs that sneaks into your soul.

Other hits that many will adore on this album are songs like “Trainhopper” and “Ballad of Redhook.”  Pleasant guitar strumming melds with overlying electric guitar, begging all to focus upon the minutest detail of this record; surely a metaphor for how one should approach their own life.

Several hundred years into his career as Peter and the Wolf, Red Hunter still has what it takes to craft some of the most personal songs many of us will come across this year.  If you miss him now, don’t worry, for he will surely go down in Austin lore.

Buy his album on Peter and the Wolf’s Myspace Page.

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