Author: nathan.lankford

Monsters of Folk – s/t

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Monsters-Of-Folk-Monsters-Of-Folk-483560Rating: ★★½☆☆

Let’s face it, rarely do collaborations with bands you love to death ever truly work out.  Sure, Queen and Bowie pulled off a song, but could they pull off an entire album?  I doubt it.  Now, we’ve been presented with Conor Oberst, M. Ward, and Jim James, along with Mike Mogis, joining together as Monsters of Folk.  Could these boys rise above the hype and fulfill our dreams?

First off, I’m not sure where to begin with Jim James vocals as of late.  Sure, he definitely has a bit of range that I didn’t expect, but it’s not nearly as warm as it once was, especially if you listen to the album opener “Dear God.” He just sort of lost me after Z, so it’s hard to get into his vocals on this album.

Conor Oberst, of late, has let me down.  I once swore by his name, and bought every little bit of music he put his hands on, especially when Mike Mogis was at the helm.  Still, his work with the Mystic Valley Band has taken a turn for something that I just really get behind at all.  You’ll find that a lot of the tunes on this record sort of seem like they branch off of the ideas he’s been throwing at us lately.  “Temazcal” appears to be a left over from his time in Mexico, and it’s one of the stronger tracks on this album, as it features minimal input from the others.  Sorry Conor, but your strengths lie when you leave the band behind you.   I mean I know it’s not about record sales, but have you noticed sales dropping since you did that whole double album thing?

To be frank, M. Ward seems to be the only one here who has sort of won me over lately with Hold Time.  His guitar stylings and delivery are definitely consistent on this album, especially when you look at songs like “Baby Boomer.”  This easily could have been on any of his last few recordings, except when Conor Oberst interjects during sparse moments.  You have to love the warmth of Ward, and the controlled warble of Oberst does provide a decent counter-point.  His trademark sound is all over this album, but since he doesn’t get to give it the full go, it doesn’t quite have the same impact as you think it should.

As you can see, there are obviously great musicians all over this album, which is precisely why there are going to be some pretty decent moments on this album.  You can’t have two great songwriters, and Jim James, put together in a room to come up with just random slop.  But, the album doesn’t really connect the way that you want it to in the end. A lot of the sounds showcase the recent missteps of the various authors, instead of allowing for their individual talents to open up and rise above the group.  For me, it seems as if they are all huddled to close together, not allowing each other the necessary breathing room to push each other as you would hope that they would do.  If they aren’t going to push one another, why not just write songs for each other to share?  I think the outcome there might have been more effective.  In the end, you’ll listen to this record a few times, find your favorite tunes, and then put it away.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/02-say-please.mp3]

Download: Monsters of Folk – Say Please [MP3]

New Tunes from Holopaw

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holopawWhat can you do when you’re part of the great roster at Sub Pop but continue to be overlooked by the masses?  Well, you switch up labels (Bakery Outlet), and you just keep writing great tunes.  That is precisely the way of Holopaw, who are set to release their new album Oh, Glory. Oh, Wilderness. This new tune, along with the upcoming album, makes me want to go revisit their old catalogue it’s that good.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/holopawartteacher.mp3]

Download: Holopaw – The Art Teacher and the Little Stallion [MP3]

New Tunes from Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson

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MilesBenjaminAnthonyRobinsonLast year, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson swept into our top albums of the year, and he looks like he’s trying to make it for two years in a row.  He’s about to release his new album Summer of Fear on Saddle Creek Records (it’s already available on iTunes) on October 20th.  The production on “The Sound” is a lot stronger than the previous album, and you might just be able to pick out a few of Miles’ friends.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/03-The-Sound-1.mp3]

Download: Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson [MP3]

New Tunes from Free Energy

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freeenergyFree Energy busted out their self-titled 7″ off DFA recently, and we brought you that track, and all its glam-rcok swagger, but we’re here now to throw you the other side of the coin.  “Something in Common” is the B-Side, but it’s completely different, wearing the tag of maybe an Albert Hammond Jr. pop influence, which knowing us, is sure to win our hearts. Get into it.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Free-Energy-Something-In-Common.mp3]

Download: Free Energy – Something In Common

The Twilight Sad – Forget the Night Ahead

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twilightsadRating: ★★★★☆

From the depths of the Glasgow music scene burst forth another band in 2003.  Since then, The Twilight Sad have slowly been building up a reputation for their melodic rock meets shoegaze, creating beauty surrounded by squalling guitars.  Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters won over many critics, and the world was eager to see if Forget the Night Ahead could keep the band riding the wave of popularity into the hearts and ears of everyone.

As “Reflection of the Television” opens the album up, you can see the screaming feedback you can see that the band still has some of their traditional elements in place.  But, you will also notice that those elements no longer live in the foreground of the song, as they did on previous efforts.  Singer James Graham now has his vocals standing before you for all to see, and while it dramatically changes the aesthetics of the release, you still catch onto the power of music.

“I Became a Prostitute” is the band’s first single off this album, and you can see that it definitely has a presence that can rise above the indie status. Like Glasvegas, it’s a grandiose number full of wave upon wave of guitars accompanied by Graham’s vocals, which just so happen to crash atop the song as well during the chorus.  All in all, it’s a softer approach to writing than the group took in the past, but for most listeners, you will find that it’s equally as effective.

Fortunately for us, this album is longer than their previous affairs, despite the fact that each song reaches well beyond the mark of 3 minutes, with most running near the five minute mark. However, the dynamics of the atmospheric guitar flourishes combined with Graham’s new vocal presence do make some of the songs blend into one another, making it hard to differentiate between the album’s best numbers.  Don’t take this to mean that there aren’t standout tracks in abundance.

“That Birthday Present” is a clever song, with the majority of the tune relishing in the bouncy guitar work.  All this comes to light even though this also happens to be one of the noisier songs on the record.  The Twilight Sad at this point seem sort of like a cross between M83 and Mogwai, except they rely upon a more traditional songwriting structure.  It allows their songs to breathe, instead of wallowing before they fade into obscurity like other bands that implement noise attacks.

“Floorboards Under the Bed” is different than most tunes you’ll find in the groups catalogue.  It seems to wear the influence of tour-mates Frightened Rabbit, but then it fades into a piece of tinkering flare.  Albeit an interesting opening, the song quickly disappears into the back of your mind.  All the build up will lead you into the final three tracks.  Of the final three, “The Neighbours Can’t Breathe” is the stand out, although the closer, “At the Burnside,” has an emotional appeal, with a hint of Glaswegian balladry wrapping it all up.

This album has some really beautiful moments, more than way out the few weak points.  The Twilight Sad are able to build upon their own sound, pushing the shoegazing into the realm of a more pop-centric world, and Forget the Night Ahead wins because of its ability to step into these new realms, encouraging the band to become more than just another stagnant noise-rock act.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/reflection-of-the-television-1.mp3]

Download: The Twilight Sad – Reflection of the Television [MP3]

Cursive on Daytrotter

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cursiveDaytrotter really made my day this week by throwing up a session with Cursive.  Not only do they include a song off Domestica, which is my favorite album by the group, but they included several unreleased covers that you likely can’t get anywhere else…one of them is “Love Cats!”  Why not go check it out.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/cursive-modern-love.mp3]

Download: Cursive – Modern Love [MP3]

Also, Daytrotter ran a Rock Plaza Central post a few days back , which is also worth the visit.

Islands – Vapours

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islands_vapoursRating: ★★★½☆

Let’s face it, Nic Thorburn just churns out the tracks, time and time again.  Last year he threw Arm’s Way at us, and then backed it up with another solid outing under Human Highway. Now, his buddy Jaime Thompson, another ex-Unicorn, has rejoined Islands to record Vapours.

One thing you’ll notice as soon as you press play on this disc, or touch the needle to the record, is that the guitar has seemingly disappeared.  Sure, Nic and Jaime have always had an affection for oddities included upon their work, but after all the guitar work Nic put into his last few releases it seems odd that he would leave it off.  “Switched On” just seems like a collection of drum loops with Thorburn’s vocals patched atop.  Don’t get me wrong, the vocals are great as usual, with Nic’s unique inflection and range, but there’s just a lacking of punch.

“No You Don’t” also has a danceable jive all over, which will no doubt get you moving your shoes, but the minimal guitar work makes this seem like an entirely electric affair.  Still, you’ll find that the electronic affair clears out enough space for “Vapours” to enter the room.  It comes across as the first song to fully utilize the guitar, miming the sound of Albert Hammond Jr., intentionally or not.   And as the album winds its way to the end, you’ll find that more traditional songwriting does take place, just don’t expect it to be nearly as prevalent as the last effort; this may be good, as many people thought the last one was a bit too self-indulgent.

“Tender Torture” is personally one of the more rewarding songs.  Washing over the song is a mass collection of samples and beats, but Nic maintains his domineering presence throughout, and you just can’t ignore the man’s voice.  It’s one of the most remarkable, and he pushes it through various different notes, both high and low on this tune.

And really, up to this point, all the songs are pretty enjoyable, each offering various things for various listeners.  Upbeat danceable songs countered with mellow electronic soundscapes.  Honestly, it’s really reminiscent of Kevin Barnes move after he changed up from Satanic Panic in the Attic and then went to Sunlandic Twins.  Could this be a climatic change for Islands as it was for Of Montreal?   Only time will tell.

But, one thing going against this record is the way that it drags on towards the end.  It suffers from an odd sequencing, much the way Arms Way just wore you out by the end.  All in all, this new Islands effort is something that you’ll find rewarding, and ultimately you’ll uncover various secrets for you as a listener as time goes on.  Vapours is an album that shows the group who always seem to change, still changing; only time will tell how this will pan out for the group.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Islands-Vapours.mp3]

Download: Islands – Vapours [MP3]

New Tunes from Fresh and Onlys

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fresh-and-onlysMan, this song seemed like it was everywhere today, popping up on Pitchfork and Stereogum, so lets just throw it out there…what a rad song.  Fresh and Onlys have just released their album Grey-Eyed Girls, and you can’t help but love some of the tunes off this one. It’s chock full of solid hits, which definitely makes the album worthy of your purchase. Check it.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/The-Fresh-And-Onlys-Dudes-Got-A-Tender-Heart.mp3]

Download: The Fresh And Onlys – Dude’s Got A Tender Heart [MP3]

Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Higher Than the Stars EP

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painsRating: ★★★★☆

After speaking with Kip, we realized that this EP was something to really look forward to, as this entire EP includes new songs from 2009 darlings The Pains of Being Pure at Heart.     You can’t not want more tunes from these guys can you?  So here we have Higher Than the Stars, song by song.

This EP opens with the title track, “Higher Than the Stars.”  It opens with a noticeable keyboard programmed atop the steady drumming and hazy guitar.  Kip’s vocals are extremely soft here, almost kept to a whisper.  You’ll find that some of the guitar tones are really bright, which is what makes the group a pop band afterall!

Following the opener is “103.”  This is the track that most closely resembles the group’s stylings on their debut LP.  Once again, you can heat the march of the drums, and instead of the hazy guitars, this time around you get more of that earth-shattering atmospheric guitar sound, with a nice little solo blaring through it all near the end of the tune.

Personally, “Falling Over” is where it’s at on this EP.  It’s got a lot of that classic 80s jangle-pop mentality, but with the influence of someone like the Happy Mondays, bringing in a little bit of dance into your clasic guitar song.  The chorus is perfectly fitting to the concept of the song, placing it squarely in the past–for some reason I hear someone like New Order or the Pet Shop Boys rocking this chorus. 

Our fourth track is somewhat of a new nostalgic approach.  It’s less jangle-pop than previous records, and it demonstrates that The Pains of Being Pure at Heart are more than just one trick ponies.  The lack of clarity on the guitar here recalls the likes of The Stone Roses or Teenage Fanclub. It’s an American Britpop song.

For the final track, you get a little remix of “Higher Than the Stars,” done by St. Etienne and Lord Spank.  It doesn’t add too much to the original track, other than a steady dance beat, and a little bit more time.  It’s not an awful track by any mean, just dismissable in comparison to the previous four tracks.

Overall, the wonderful thing about this release is that it gives way to a new horizon for the group.  They haven’t foudn themselves stuck in one place, destined to release the same thing over and over again.  It makes it rather enjoyable for us all.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/pains-higher-than-the-stars.mp3]

Download: Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Higher Than the Stars [MP3]

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