Category: Reviews

Alvvays – s/t

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LPjacket-finalRating: ★★★★☆

The kids these days seem intent on putting v’s in place of other letters that aren’t v’s. While I don’t really understand this phenomenon, I can get behind the jangly indie pop tunes that Toronto band Alvvays have collected and put together on this release. A nice blend of sunny summer sounding songs coupled with Molly Rankin’s sugary and youthful vocals are sure to get you on board with this bound to be buzz band.

This album starts with the two singles that the group has already presented to the public, but these are just the beginning. “Adult Diversion” gets things rolling with dueling guitar parts that interact with each other, bouncing off the different riffs. The drums are choppy and concise, though fuzzy in their recorded quality, almost as if recorded in a different room. At first it gives out this surf rock vibe, and then Rankin’s voice joins the mix and gives it that vaguely 1950’s girl band sound. Her voice mimics the guitar patterns for the choral hook, and is joined by other members of the band for the build to the chorus; it’s a playful vocal part, but not quite as playful as observed on the next track. “Archie, Marry Me,” is one of the catchiest songs you’ll find on the album, immediately pulling you into the Alvvays light if the first track didn’t. Rankin pushes her voice all over the place through the song, giving the sound that will have it stuck on repeat in your head all day.

Later on you get deeper into the album, with tunes like “Party Police,” and “Atop a Cake,” that keep it groovy, but also have viable narratives to follow and interest you in addition to the instrumentation. Personally, I can’t help but notice the similarities in between this band and groups like La Sera and Best Coast though with a twist of garage rock that gives it a heavier sound than either of these groups presents. “Party Police” has this melancholic vibe to it, the pleading in the vocals give it a sound of sincerity and also a deep sadness that permeates the whole song and steps the album down to a personal level.

At only nine songs in length, this self-titled album is short and sweet, albeit not too much of either of these traits. Often, it seems hard for bands like this one to strike a balance between their genre of golden indie pop and detailed songwriting, but Alvvays have blended these two qualities quite well. These nine tracks make for great company while you’re trying to shake it in the summer heat, but the softer and more delicate numbers and the refined lyrics have all the makings of longevity.

 

PS I Love You – For Those Who Stay

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PS-I-Love-You-For-Those-Who-Stay-608x608Rating: ★★★☆☆

Each time a band is able to produce a great deal of music in a small amount of time I’m always impressed. It seems like it wasn’t too long ago that I had gotten to know Death Dreams, PS I Love You’s last full-length album, but yet here we are, two years later and another LP from Paul Saulnier and company awaits us. This time around the band has delved once again into the self-deprecating and invasive side of post-punk and guitar centric tunes, but they have moved to a more straightforward approach with For Those Who Stay.

The beginning of this album has a real kick that pulled me in immediately. “In My Mind At Least” is a fast paced and exciting tune that starts the album off quite strong. Saulnier’s voice is as theatrical as ever, yelping and skimming over the top of the instrumentation in a wild manner that suits the jangly guitar and driving rhythm.  His voice wails that he’s “sorry [he] forgot about that thing [he] was supposed to do last week” and you find yourself jamming along to his apologetic declarations.

But the album is not all unabashed and unrevised rock and roll, but simmers down a bit off this hot entry, though this is nothing to complain about. On the contrary, I quite enjoy third track, “Bad Brain Day,” which has the guitar squall as if its going to jump into another speedy tune, but then stays there, riding on the delicate side of Saulnier’s voice and the quiet beat to generate a softer number that will have you coming back for this different side of PS I Love You.  The gentle plucking of the guitar right alongside the matching vocals is a soothing break from the rock and roll. However, this break is not for too long—the very next track “Limestone Radio” kicks right back into the fast paced guitar rock.

Though offering such a promising start, this album doesn’t escalate the way in which you wish it did. While far from boring, it does fade into the background a little too easily, but not before it gives you a few really great tracks at its start, but trails off after the title track. Perhaps you’ll dig it all the way through.

 

Auroravare – s/t

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aurora

Ever find yourself getting lost in a song, only to snap back and realize you’ve been somewhere else entirely for the past few minutes? Maybe you were walking down the street with your headphones in and looked up just in time to avoid walking into that phone pole. Or maybe you were studying in the library and looked up to see everyone was staring while you were sub consciously fist pumping the air like some Jersey Shore idiot. Admit it, if you’re reading this you are enough of a music lover to have been there, probably more than once. Auroravore is one of those bands that will take you to that place.
While the band has been a mainstay on the Austin music scene for long enough to be called veterans, they had a quiet year until the end of 2013 when they released their eponymous debut album in December. The album is a cohesive 9 song piece of work. On first impression it immediately evokes Of Montreal’s groovy psych pop and the pastoral layers and playful instrumental melodies of Air. The heart of this band is in the interplay between the keyboard and guitar, and anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing this band live can attest to the fact that they bring a Fender Rhodes and Moog Voyager to every show. In this day and age of cheap, light, and versatile digital synths and keyboard, lugging vintage gear around to shows is a tonal testament to dedication.
Auroravore is successful in creating a unified aural feel to the album. They never lose their groove or fall out of the pocket. Song after song the Keyboard and guitars make parallel runs evoking electronic droplets of notes. The tone of the music is a cascading groove of layers. At times, this is a double edged sword. After multiple listens, I found my attention beginning to drift. My “in the zone” would occasionally turn into a “zoned out”. While tonal cohesion can be a strong point, looking forward this band will need to grow out of the eighth note pentatonic melody lines if they want to maintain the audience that this album could attract.
The key track for me in this album is “Who Goes Home”. While there are certainly more danceable songs (Falls Down or Comfortable), this track is a perfect slow burner, mirroring the lyrical subject with the musical arrangement. The lead vocals play a call and response with the keyboard and guitar, alternating a lilting falsetto narrative verse with a percussive quarter beat guitar hit. All of this energy and emotion is wonderfully curated by the drummer’s groove. The song culminates with repetive phrasing of the track title, and cadences with a final instrumental ascending melody, leaving us wondering who went home.

Dead Stars – Slumber

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deadRating: ★★★★☆

After a couple of great EPs, New York’s Dead Stars have completed their debut full-length, Slumber.  As an early fan of the band, let me tell you that it’s more than lived up to my expectations.  It sounds like a composite of Dinosaur Jr and Nada Surf, using great guitar work to enhance the group’s melodic sound.

When “Someone Else” opens the record, you can hear the band pushing forth with distorted guitar work and a pounding rhythm section.  It’s the best way to open this record, providing listeners with a glimpse of the band’s brand of guitar pop.  But, while there’s a definite wall of noise, beneath it all lays the secret to the group’s success: it’s all pop inside.  Just take one listen to the tone of the vocals and you’ll get precisely what I’m talking about.  But, while the opening tune on Slumber is rather loud, the group does possess a natural skill to pull back, as they do on the next few tracks, “Summer Bummer” and “Walking Away.”  These two tracks offer up gentler takes on guitar pop, with a more relaxed feel and a larger focus on harmony.

Still, the bread and butter for the band, in my opinion, are when they turn up and rock it out.  “Crawl” is the perfect vision of this attribute; the guitar has a sharp edge to it, and the song seems to almost work too fast, creating this excellent tension that’s fully unleashed when the band angrily launches into the chorus of “I can crawl away if you want” for the third time, just before the track abruptly ends.  Your last look at like-minded tunes comes via “Wasted,” which is placed perfectly near the end of the record.  The distorted guitar work gives just the right amount of energy, balancing out the softer end of the LP.

While Dead Stars choose to slow things down a bit on that latter half of Slumber, you’ll still find some really special songs lurking about, such as “Older.”  It’s a strummed ballad with a really soft touch on the vocal; you could easily see the band fleshing this out into another distorted guitar pop tune, but their reluctance to do so actually makes the song more refreshing, providing a little bit of differentiation within the confines of the album.  I’ve also grown to enjoy “Never Knew You” quite a bit.  There’s some recording touches like the clicking of the drum sticks in spots that really add a cool touch.

In the end, Dead Stars have completed an album that’s perfect as summer really gets underway.  It’s filled with songs that you can blast on your stereo while you sing along to your favorite lyrical pieces.  With guitar pop regaining it’s prominence in the rock n’ roll world, you’re not likely to find it executed any better than on Slumber…so what are you waiting for.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/04-Crawl.mp3]

Download: Dead Stars – Crawl [MP3]

Available now via Old Flame Records.

The Fresh & Onlys – House of Spirits

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playitStrangeTitleRating: ★★★★☆

The Fresh and Onlys have been on fire, more or less, for the last five years.  No matter what they do, it’s hard to find detractors of their musical accomplishments, and yet it still seems like the band have something to prove, or room to grow.  House of Spirits is a record draped in imagery, largely crafted during a period of isolation in Arizona for member Tim Cohen; it’s an example of how well the band works when crafting songs together.

“Home is Where” opens up with little more than Cohen’s voice, illustrating the bare bones approach that led towards the completion of the record.  Soon, the rest of the group joins in, providing a spirited pace that comes off as an exhilarating stomp with cascading guitars falling through the cracks left by Tim’s haunting voice.  It gears you up for “Who Let the Devil,” which is perhaps one of the best songs the bands have written to date, seriously.  There’s a trickling bit of guitar beneath the cymbal work, leaving room for the distant howl of Cohen to lurk in the distance.  While the vocals still hold onto the traditional fare from Fresh & Onlys, they also soar into a loftier pitch during the chorus.  But, like most affairs from the band, they don’t stand in one place for too long.

There’s this feeling of contemplation that permeates House of Spirits, but perhaps no track exemplifies this more than “Animal of One.” I’ve grown fond of the line “the point of forgiving is so you forget, that being forgiven is all in your mind.”  Taken out of context, it might not seem as drastically poetic as I feel it is, but put into the context of this track and the album, it takes on greater meaning.  The delivery of the chorus is also emotionally striking, rising high in the mix, while the rest of the song seems to hold back for some Western-influenced introspection. But, while the lyrical content of this album is superb, there’s also these little touches that have really brought the record alive.

On “April Fools,” for instance, there’s a wash of keyboards just barely audible.  It’s not particularly forward-thinking, but these little flourishes have really added to the depth of sound in the band’s writing, demonstrating just how much they’ve grown since their inception…they seem to have left the idea of psychedelia behind, in some respects.  This is especially evident on “Ballerina,” which comes across like a track that the Walkmen would have written at their best; it’s a simple ballad that works atop a simple percussive element.  You’ll also find a backing vocal that perfectly accents the chorus from Cohen.  And such are the fine touches that make the group rise above their peers.

For me, there’s a change in the sound of Fresh & Onlys, and one that’s been foreseen if you’ve followed the work of the members outside of the band, such as Magic Trick or Wymond Miles.  On House of Spirits, the band seems to have brought in elements from all their various projects, leaving listeners with a cohesive record that will long stand up in the hearts of its audience.

Gold Bears – Dalliance

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dallianceRating: ★★★★☆

When I first received Dalliance in the mail I had to go back and listen to the debut, Are You Falling in Love.  It reminded me of just how great the songwriting was, though I felt the first LP was a bit uneven in spots.  On the return for Gold Bears, this is not the case; the songs here are successful in every single way, with not a single throw away of the eleven tracks present.

Dalliance opens where Are You Falling in Love left off, starting things with “Yeah Tonight,” but this round you’ve got an immediate winner.  The idea has been shortened, pounding away from the instant you press play.  It doesn’t hurt that singer Jeremy Underwood is balanced out here by Emma Kupa (formerly of Standard Fare), as her presence provides a nice sugary dosage to a track noisily rocks from the get-go.  Screeching guitars await around the bend with “Chest.” It’s reminiscent of The Thermals at their best, offering up punk intensity with hints of pop sensibility that make the song an undeniable hit; you’ll want to blast this with the windows down.

But, while this new album from Gold Bears kicks you in the face, musically speaking, you’ve got to have a proper amount of balance; they accomplish that perfectly with “I Hope They’re Right.”  It’s a ballad with a distorted guitar rocketing through the background, while a female vocal harmonizes perfectly with Underwood.  It’s a nice bit of respite, allowing listeners to catch their breath for a short instant.  Surely the gentle quality of this tune will illustrate just how far the songwriting has come since the band’s inception.  It’s similar in approach to “Hey, Sophie,” at least in so far as both songs are meant, in my eyes, as breathers.  They introduce soft moments, though “Hey, Sophie” uses more of a ringing circular guitar approach as opposed to a stretched out ballad with guitar accents.  These songs tie the record together; they still hold to thematic points, but they give you a different approach from which to view the band.

Still, Dalliance succeeds the most when it’s loudest, and no song illustrates that point more so than “For You.”  As soon as the words “you’re a mistake” are uttered, the song comes crashing in.  Drums pound and guitars course through your ears with ferocity, though I think there’s a definite infectious quality in the delivery of the vocal.  At the point of writing, it’s probably one of my favorite tracks of the last few months.  I especially appreciate how the song’s energy fades away into the back of the track; it’s a touch that I wasn’t expecting, but that caps off the tune in way that’s indescribable.

Gold Bears had the tunes long ago, but I feel that Dalliance is the record where it all seems so right.  There’s a vitality in the album that provides a connection with the audience; it refuses to fade.  You can turn it up loud when you need to rock out, or you can have it as the perfect  background to a backyard gathering, but regardless, you’ll feel this record crawl beneath your skin, inserting itself, permanently, into your consciousness.

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Eureka California – Crunch

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eureka3Rating: ★★★½☆

Once in a blue moon you stumble across an album that defies the odds.  You might recognize bits of various genres within this sort of album, but every song sounds completely refreshing.  You’ll get precisely this when you listen to Crunch, the newest album from Athens’ Eureka California; they’ve created a pop rock record that doesn’t give a fuck if you like it.

One of the great attributes, of which there are many, on Crunch lives in the fact that only one song on the album breeches the 3 minute mark, with most falling far short of that mark.  Take the opener, “Edith” which is finished in just under a 1.5 minutes, as an example; it’s a jangling rocker with a nice little bounce, but rather than hit you over the head with redundancy, Eureka California quickly gets to the point, then wraps it up.  This is a tactic that’s used far too rarely nowadays, as many bands want to make sure you acknowledge their musicianship.  Here it’ll allow you to bob your head to track after track, never tiring of a single note.

Still, you can’t just rely on short bursts of joyous pop, you’ve got to have great songs tune, and they’re filling up this entire album.  I love “There’s No Looking Back,” opening with a casual chugging riff and vocals, but as you’re growing accustomed to the tune, it blasts off furiously into a more ramshackle version of itself.  There’s also “This Ain’t No A-Side,” which might be one of the album’s better tracks.  It uses a little bit of fuzziness on the instruments, while holding onto this youthful vibrance that burrows into your eardrums.  And you can’t forget the lead single from Crunch, “Twin Cities.” This song in particular gathers all of my favorite bits of the band and throws it into one song; there’s hooks in the vocals, well-executed guitar riffs, various movements and it all seems like the band is on the verge of falling off the tracks.

There’s a reckless abandon to the entirety of Crunch.  After many many listens it seems like the group got together to bang out the loudest, most fun set of pop tracks they could.  They clearly weren’t concerned with where they fit in the grand spectrum of the music world, they just wanted to write a bunch of great songs; it’s part of what makes every track so endearing, and ultimately what makes Eureka California something quite special.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/08-Twin-Cities.mp3]

 

Sharon Van Etten – Are We There

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arewethere.lpoutRating: ★★★★½

Though Sharon Van Etten is on her fourth full-length debut, it wasn’t really until 2012’s release of Tramp that shot her dramatic and elegant sound into the limelight of the indie rock world. However, Tramp displayed a trip in a semi-folk rock direction, with some stand out tracks like “Magic Chords” and “Serpents” that put some rock-n-roll punch behind the already powerful lyrics of Etten. This time around Are We There seems to step back from this rockier style and lets the poignancies of the lyrics take center stage.

Though Are We There is far from devoid of the subtle soft rock that Sharon Van Etten and company always seem to bring to the table. Take “Your Love is Killing Me,” for example, as it is a perfect example of just what this songwriter is all about. The song opens with the delicacy you’ve been familiarized with, but slowly builds to this complex and arching aching beauty of a song. Some dark and violent imagery catches your ear as Sharon sings “break my legs so I won’t walk to you/cut my tongue so I can’t talk to you.” None of this, not even for a second, though vastly dramatic when removed from its context comes across as melodramatic or insincere. Rather, its musical accompaniment of ragtime-y piano, slow rolling drums, and distantly angled guitars generate a raw realness that is impossible to ignore. It pulls at your emotions and translates the emotional pain that is described in the song as it builds to its slow, orchestral climax.

While I highlight some tracks in this review, you should know that the worth of this release isn’t simply centered on these tracks, but rather all of the tracks; they intermingle and play upon each other without becoming redundant or running together. The distinction comes from the addition or subtraction of instruments while the songwriting runs deeply through the whole thing. I could go on about the beauty of each song, but you should discover that for yourselves.

The album closes with the beautiful and honest “Every Time the Sun Comes Up—” a single that, if you’ve been paying attention, should have already heard, but by no means does this attract from its beauty. It’s not as heavy as the other tracks, but on the catchy side and you’ll want to sing along with the bluesy vocals. The little bit of playful audio left in the mix at the very end of the Are We There seals the record with a personal kiss of lightness; a touch of a reminder that though Sharon Van Etten writes and records pretty somber tunes, she isn’t lost in the darkness. All in all the album comes across as the most intimate and impassioned record from this artist thus far, so go get lost in the sadness for a little while.

 

Kishi Bashi – Lighght

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kbashRating: ★★★½☆

The man behind the moniker of Kishi Bashi made his way into the indie world long before he started making is own tunes. He started off as a backing member to big names you’ll be familiar with, such as Of Montreal and Regina Spektor, which he supplied his violin skills to in the past. Now he has embarked out on his own to give you orchestral electro pop often marked by looping. Lighght is his second full-length effort, packed with different levels of detail to have you intrigued all the way through.

After a bit of flittering violin builds on the intro track, Kishi Bashi launches right into “Philosophize In It! Chemicalize With It!” that opens with more sweeping violin and plucking of the strings. He gives you a taste of the chorus, with its rowdy percussion and filled up with acoustic guitar strumming and epic and echoed lead vocals that display the range possible. It’s a party of a tune, giving you a chance to start the album in a dance-worthy fashion, but the song is not all just fun and games, the band breaks it down into a beautiful string bridge before they bring it all home for one final triumphantly catchy chorus. This folk-inspired pop tune turns into electro pop full on dance number on the “The Ballad of Mr. Steak,” which carries on the signature layered violin you’ve already been introduced to, but is also accompanied with drum machine beats and synthesizers. While the lyrics describe a pair of “star-crossed lovers,” one of which is a “grade A” steak. Silly, but also altogether catchy and booty-shaking.

A real treat that comes later on in the album is “Q&A,” which is a cute folksy number in which the delicacy of the vocals becomes apparent as you enjoy Kishi Bashi’s softer side. While the song is gentle and filled with some lyrics that would make anyone swoon, it is far from devoid of detailed craftsmanship, as the layering style begins simply and builds upon itself in an effortless way. The more you listen, the more you understand that even a song that sounds as easy as this one has many different layers and textures that go beyond just a man and a guitar, or violin.

Some may criticize Kishi Bashi for not being overwhelmingly serious and too youthful in his sound, but I think that is precisely what makes this record worth listening to. The folk and electronic elements seem to intermingle in light, airy sounds that are overall very palatable and as beautiful as they are fun. Sure, not every track is a perfect blend of serious and fun, but for the most part there’s a good bunch of songs for you to enjoy on Lighght.

Download: name [MP3]

The Black Keys – Turn Blue

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bkRating: ★★★☆☆

What is left to say about The Black Keys that you probably don’t already know? Their last release, El Camino continued to propel them further into the limelight that Brothers brought on. After thirteen years, these two gentlemen have seven studio releases under their belt and Turn Blue marks for their eighth. With that kind of catalogue comes high expectations that this band has seemed to demolish in the past, but can they do it again?

“Weight of Love,” seems to open with an unsteady answer to that question, as the duo starts very slowly, easing into their way into the song in a bit of a psychedelic style to match the album artwork. Once they’ve meandered around for a while, they get to the track and Dan Auerbach’s harsh vocals push their way gently into the mix. It’s a soft and gentle open, which, for this record is an indication of a step back from the rip-roaring tunes that the band has made popular.

While you may be under the impression that the title of the record, Turn Blue, refers to a shift deeper into the bluesy sound that they’ve revived in their own fashion, but to me, I hear this title referring to the downtrodden lyrics and slightly beaten down feeling in the overall sound mix. Whereas past tunes seemed to be on the offensive, taking on a commanding, rock-n-roll sound, even the faster paced numbers don’t pack quite the punch that you’re used to, though this isn’t a bad direction all the time for the band. Take “Fever” for example, one of the snappier numbers on the album—the main sound comes from a synth riff and bass line that will have you getting down with the band, but it’s not the rocking that you’ve come to know. Same goes with “10 Lovers” a little later on; it’s a “down and out” track, but sometimes those are fun to jam along with.

Turn Blue, albeit a little long, has some tracks that you want to listen to in your car with the windows down and the sound turned all the way up as you drive through the countryside or even sit in traffic—it’s more of the commiserating feeling you get when you listen rather than the content. While I don’t know how many new fans this album will gain the longstanding duo, it’s got songs you’ll be skipping around to, though I’m not sure it will be enough for some old fans of The Black Keys.

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