Category: Reviews

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.

Cheap Girls – Famous Graves

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cheap-girls-famous-gravesRating: ★★★½☆

Michigan’s Cheap Girls don’t have some labored back story or some certain angle they can promote.  Instead, the group, now on their sixth record, just offer up really clean guitar rock; there’s not schtick, no pretense, just good songs.  It sets the tone for listening to the entirety of Famous Graves, an album chocked-full of really good songs.

Famous Graves jumps at you right from the start with “Slow Nod.”  A screech of feedback exits your speaker, and the drums immediately pound in while the guitar rings in discord. You’ll hear the vocals of Ian Graham wail steadily, with the music seemingly swallowing his melody.  You need a guitar jam to start off your day? Best begin here. It’s one of the harder hitting moment on the record, aside from the one-two punch of “Pure Hate” and “Man in Question.”  These two tracks offer a noisy dosage of guitars and crashing drumming.  But, if you listen to the chorus of the former, you can hear the pop-centric approach the group has taken, surely endearing them to fans of all walks.  On the latter, Graham offers a bit of a pitch-change in his vocal delivery, and it’s this touch that makes listening to Cheap Girls more than just your average alternative rock affair; vocal distinction does indeed go a long way…at least in my ears.

Still, one of my favorite things about the release are the melodic moments that come far more frequently than one might expect.  My favorite tune, at the moment, “Knock Me Over,” establishes that emotion on its opening lines, using a muted guitar while Ian’s voice carefully makes its entrance into the track.  Sure, the song picks up a slight bit, but the band never shies away from using great harmonies.  Perhaps this style is not mastered any better inside Famous Graves than on the closer, “Turns.” I like the usage of strummed acoustic guitar to dominate the track; Graham’s vocal performance here is also one of his best on this record.  The ability of Cheap Girls to hold onto that melody while still being loud enough to be considered a rock band  is quite important in regards to your listening experience; it’s that perfect balance that allows you to come back to each song again and again without growing weary.

In an age where countless bands are regurgitating power chords and alternative rock stylings, it takes awhile to find something that makes a nod while still sounding unique in its own right.  Countless hours of listening to Famous Graves indicates that this record is just that; it combines melody and loud rock n’ roll effortlessly, proving that Cheap Girls know precisely what they’re doing. If you like such things, then you’d be a fool not to stop in and spend some time on this album.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/03-Knock-Me-Over.mp3]

 

La Sera – Hour Of The Dawn

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LaSera_LP3Rating: ★★★½☆

It’s been a while since Katy Goodman stepped away from Vivian Girls and out on her own with La Sera. Her last full-length effort, See The Light, came out roughly two years ago and showed a lot of growth for the band and their sound. Now they’re back with album number three, which seems like an overall step in the edgier direction; the jangly pop is now straight rock and roll, harkening back to the original direction that La Sera began with.

“Losing To The Dark,” is the cold open for the album, with squalling feedback entering your ears first and foremost. This changes to some guttural sounding guitar and rapid percussion that gives the song a constant driving beat. Then Katy joins in with her sultry du-wop esque vocals and tops the song off. This track is a nice little introduction whose lingering guitars drive you to charge ahead into the album.What seems to be pretty commonplace now for Goodman and company is crafting catchy songs that adhere to the lo-fi and feminine vocal rock. “Fall in Place” is no exception to this, and the percussion on this song will have you tapping along to the beat and rocking out to the surfy guitars making their way through the percussion.

While song length isn’t necessarily an indication of merit, when you listen to the album, you can definitely get a taste of the different texture that the transitioning lengths of songs gives to the album. Whereas some albums of this genre come across as a little sloppy in that most of the songs are of equal length and get a little lost in the shuffle, La Sera have obviously put a little extra in time and effort into the timing of the album.

At the end of the album you feel fairly satisfied with the level of rock intricate guitar patterns that pervade most songs. While I have found some new catchy tunes to have a place in my listening rotation, it’s easy to get a little weighted down by them at instances in the album. The vocals and the guitars blend together in these instances to become a little too angular. However, this doesn’t completely weigh down Hour Of The Dawn, which has some great tracks to stumble upon.

Amen Dunes – Love

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tittiesRating: ★★★☆☆

On their second album for Sacred Bones Records, a lot has been made about Amen Dunes employing various musicians to come in and help put the finishing touches on Love.  In the end, all of that’s rather irrelevant, as the core of the songs are what standout the most.  There’s a clarity to the songwriting, moving the band in more of a dark folk direction than they’ve employed before.

“White Child” begins the record, and for five minutes immediately establishes the tone of the record.  There’s a dark stomp on the drum, while a slight haze coats the vocal.  And speaking of that vocal, there’s a nice stretch where the vocal is pushed to a rasp, again indicating a more folk appeal that survives on Love.  And, it’s followed by one of my favorite tracks of the year, “Lonely Richard.”  Taken in bits and pieces, this song might be grating to some, with it’s scratching string arrangements, seemingly placed sloppily atop the steady drumbeat and guitar parts.  But, when used in unison, there’s this intoxicating effect that makes it hard to pull yourself away from the number; I love the chorus too.  While I enjoy both tracks, they do wear you out almost immediately, collectively pushing over ten minutes on two tracks, then moving into the shorter numbers.

Still, can Amen Dunes pack the same punch in a short span, as tracks 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9 all fall in under 4 minutes, with some far shorter.  “Lilac in Hand” is a perfect example of how the band can accomplish all their goals in a short moment.  The piano often seems to work in contradiction to the light percussion and guitar chords, at least in tonal quality, but it’s that union once again that enables the listener to find themselves lost within the track.  Similarly, the piano ballad, “Green Eyes,” is beautiful in its simplicity and immediacy.  There’s two vocals parts here, one in a much deeper tone, giving a very solemn haunting to the track, as if that hollow sounding piano weren’t enough. But, just as you’re accustomed to the sadder side of the band, they throw a curveball, “I Can Dig It.”  This song has a shuddering guitar chord and a rise and fall to it, but mostly it’s the spirit of the track that makes it stand out on the album; it’s the most energetic tune on the record, even when they burst off into harmonies while the guitar fades slightly into the background.  For me, it was a nice touch after a sadder number, and it had me wishing there were perhaps one or two more tracks of this sort lurking throughout the album.

Going through Love track by track wore me down a bit, honestly, but that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the quality of the songs.  I got lost a few times in the slow pace, which is why I enjoyed the placement of “I Can Dig It” so much.  But, when you’ve got time to submit yourself to the will of carefully crafted songs, give yourself a chance to thoroughly enjoy this new LP from Amen Dunes.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Days of Abandon

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PrintRating: ★★★★★

For around five years now, if you were to ask me to recommend you a band that consistently doles out intriguing and effervescent lo-fi pop and rock that also makes you shake a tail feather, I would not hesitate to direct you to The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Their first two records were stunning displays of all of the qualities that I just listed, the first of which still makes its way into my listening catalogue on a regular basis. This time around Kip Berman and company have cleaned up the overall mix and have refined their sound and are set on adding a new emotive quality on Days of Abandon.

Opening track “Art Smock” is perhaps the softest song that this band has brought to our ears thus far. It’s got this Belle & Sebastian like delicacy, complete with a couplet style rhyme scheme that plays on the quietness and provides a melancholic and nostalgic spirit to it. This beautiful start transitions into the spunky and altogether sunny single of “Simple and Sure,” which will have you dancing along to the to the jangly guitars and airy punches of “ohs” and “ahs.” This back-to-back combination kicks the album off with the right balance of reserve and spunk while also introducing you to the band’s new approach to their lo-fi pop. Later on you have one of my favorite tracks that this group has put out and definitely one of the gems that showcase the light sound they’re bringing to the table in “Masokissed.” You’re greeted by some rapid handclaps that lead straight into the infectious sound of angular guitars that cut straight through the airy sounding percussion and groovy bass line. Then Kip’s quick vocals jump in and start to spin a tale filled with word play as the instrumentation gives you sunshine in a song and it is essentially a track like you would hear of their self titled debut, but in this new style.

As I’ve stated before, what seems to be new this go-round is a gentle quality in the sound, which is promoted by not only the instrumentation, but also in the vocals. The presence of feminine vocals are increased, taking the lead off Kip’s hands for a few tracks and also providing a more prominent place in the mix as backing vocals. Late hitter, “Life After Life,” showcases these extra sugary vocals, especially with Kip offering his whispery tone to the backing vocals. On this track, those angular guitars are balanced with what sounds like horn parts popping in the background, making a perfect blend of sound as you get a song about a past love whose instrumentation exudes brightness and whose lyrics preach a fairly sad sentiment. Then the group closes things out softly and artfully as they brought you into this record with “The Asp at My Chest.” Kip whispers to you poetically about the endless haunting of a love lost that seems to be the pervasive theme of the album and then plays you out with majestically sweeping horns; like a day with perfect weather, this album gives out the soft opens and closes of sunrise and sunset with the brightness of the noon sun in the middle.

Yet again, this band has put out another record that has me reminiscent of their old sound, but also happy to be listening to their subtly ever-changing approach. Days of Abandon is a triumph for fans of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart while simultaneously giving new listeners a taste of what they’ve been missing. I have been spinning this record regularly for the past few weeks and will be for a while to come and really, you should be too.

PAWS – Youth Culture Forever

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pawsRating: ★★★½☆

October of 2012 saw PAWS‘ first full-length release in the form of Cokefloat! Which helped to bring the energy and exciting dynamics of their live performances into the ears of fans and soon to be fans. Two years later they are back with Youth Culture Forever, filled with ups and downs, robust and reserve. One moment it seems to be tamed, next the group launches back in full force, giving you a taste of the power that this group of gentlemen packs behind their punch. This sophomore record delves into a campy and raw rendition of garage rock, complete with some great tracks you won’t want to miss.

The group starts out seemingly soft on “Erreur Humaine” with some simple echoed vocals and electric guitar plucking, but if you’ve heard anything from this group before, you should know this mellow quality won’t last long and soon the quiet is replaced with raging guitars and amped up vocals. This off and on quality continues through the rest of this track, with the band giving you melancholic reserve and then robust growling chorus.’ Such a song is not complete without some bleak lyrics that portray the author as highly conflicted—you get the choral tag of “one should never go back/fuck with the past,” and later on: “I’m sorry I said I hate you.” This simultaneous feeling of disdain to change what’s already happened and regret for the past are perfectly in tune with the sentiment that the album’s title preaches.

Second up is “Tongues,” which seems to dabble down a surf-rock alley for a little bit and reminds me a lot of some of the tunes put out by Surfer Blood. The band doles out some rolling and deep drums as well as some jangly guitar parts that work together to give it that beachy feel, all while staying pretty fixed in the rock genre. The album then continues in a somewhat similar and yet different manner. This trio gives you highs and lows, be it within an individual track or from song to song. Most of the twelve tracks are pretty short and range a little in style, giving you the opportunity to find some songs to rock with and others to maybe not revisit.

   PAWS don’t take themselves too seriously and I don’t think we are meant to take this album in that light; after all, the name for this album apparently originates from the children’s cartoon, Adventure Time. However, if you listen closely, there are some gems of songs that do garage rock justice on Youth Culture Forever and promote a youthful, some may call, punk rock, lifestyle through coming to terms with human emotions like jealously and rage. Rock on.

Papercuts – Life Among the Savages

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Life-Among-The-SavagesRating: ★★★★½

We here at ATH have had a pretty long and public love affair with the eerie bedroom quiet hazy style of Jason Quever and the Papercuts. But really, can you blame us? His outfit, on their sixth full album, seems to exemplify the cliché of getting better with age and so our love has been fed graciously. This go-round, the band takes a softer, more anthemic route, departing from their less subtle hits from 2011’s Fading Parade. The result is a gorgeous manifestation of songs that ebb and flow effortlessly into and out of the genres of pop and rock and somewhat ‘jam,’ all bathed in the soft glow of an intimate atmosphere that somehow comes with every Papercuts record.

The album opens with “Still Knocking At The Door,” that presents the newfound campy twist to band’s sound. Bouncy piano offers a contrast to the perfectly breathy vocals of Quever, generating a track that sounds sunny on the surface, but then you take another listen and begin to focus in on the lyrics, and they’re “not as happy as [they] might seem;” the passion in the vocals begins to bleed through with every choral hook. It’s a killer first track to a record, but before you dwell here for too long, the band has another doozy up next on “New Body,” which resonates the loudest, in my opinion after an initial listen through of the album. It starts out with a groovy amount of soft percussion, layers of synth-organ sounds, and of course, Quever’s chilling vocals. While slow, this number is still danceable and soon you’ll be singing along as well. The track progresses, slowly gaining traction and building, and just when you think it can’t get any better, Quever bursts into a chorus and is suddenly accompanied by string sounds that just push it over into the next, almost spiritual, level.

I could go on and into each individual song, as all nine are worthy of praise and affection, but I’d rather you go on and discover your own favorites from the record and give you the low down on the general style. There’s a mix of the continuation of the bouncing piano that you encountered earlier, as well as the strings that found their way into the earlier songs. What also follows are aspects that continue to contribute to the overall sweeping and glowing tone of the album. On “Afterlife Blues,” Quever is at his best with lyrics that are constantly searching for meaning  while simultaneously telling a story and you end the song with gang vocals of soft and swaying “la-la-la’s,” that understatedly carries you off into the jam genre.

In short, Life Among The Savages has been in pretty constant rotation for the few weeks that it has been in my possession. It’s a dreamy thirty seven minutes of lo-fi goodness whose haunting melodies will push itself to the front of your mind long after you finish listening, with the perfect combination of tracks that immediately grab your attention and beg to be repeated and those that take a bit to really sink into your listening psyche. It’s in the running for my favorite album that’s been released so far this year, and I dare you to find out why. In all seriousness, go get your hands on it; you won’t be sorry you did.

Chad Vangaalen – Shrink Dust

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Chad-VanGaalen-Shrink-Dust-608x608Rating: ★★★½☆

Shrink Dust is the fifth release from Chad Vangaalen, so you’re likely to know what you’re getting into when you press play.  You’ll find bits of ambling noise and samples, but most importantly you’ll find the heartfelt vocals that make Chad’s music so enticing.  In fact, this is how things start off here, which captured my attention immediately.

“Cut Off My Hands” begins with a calmly picked guitar, recorded in a manner that lets you hear Vangaalen slide his fingers up and down the fret board.  Then he enters with a stunning vocal performance; it’s the perfect pitch to fit the sound of his guitar, though I’ll admit the track gets a little bit muddy with excess touches of noise.  It’s similar in structure to what you’ll get when you press play on “Lila,” another down-trodden tune that’s dominated by its simplicity.  A slight touch of gang backing vocals and a solid guitar solo elevate this song just a touch, leaving it as one of my favorites on Shrink Dust.  But, as many listeners will note, the guitar/voice combo is not the only area where Chad Vangaalen excels in his songwriting.

Lately, he’s had a knack for incorporating multiple layers of sound into his tracks, building on top of a very simple song structure.  Your first venture into this arena comes via “Where Are You;” this song features an affected vocal that adds a bit of an echo, while there’s a wash of floating noise that goes atop it all.  His vocal delivery of the chorus of “where are you” borders slightly on the psychedelic vein, but not nearly as much as he opts for with the guitar sound on “Leaning on Bells.”  Chad adds a little bit of bounce with the trudging guitar lines, but the way the syllables are drawn out on the lyrics is definitely reminiscent of the modern psych touch.  Yet, what supersedes any of this is that Chad Vangaalen has quite a diverse sound in the grand scheme of things.

“Monster,” another of my personal favorites, has this warble to it. A wavering vocal if you will.  But there’s a swelling chorus that adds a perfect bit of pop to the fold.  And while that song operates in the ballad format, it’s followed by the more folk oriented piece titled “Evil.”  And just as that finishes, you’re off into the previously mentioned psych track, “Leaning on Bells.”  For my two cents, that’s what makes listening to Shrink Dust so ultimately rewarding: none of these songs sound exactly like the one before it, though they’re all obviously related in theme and sound. Chad Vangaalen isn’t going to give you the same song twice, so you’re likely to spend hours listening here without getting labored by too many like-minded numbers.  A little bit of time with this record, and you’ll be swearing on the Vangaalen bible.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/06-Monster.mp3]

Download: Chad VanGaalen – Monster [MP3]

Wye Oak – Shriek

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WORating: ★★★½☆

In 2011 we welcomed Wye Oak’s stunning third full length release, Civilian, which was a record of huge growth and refinement for Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack. After such a great album, it’s often hard to imagine where a band will travel next, especially one so small as this duo. This forth time around, the two have gone electronic, ditching the guitars from before and replacing them with atmospheric and electronic sounds. It is an interesting choice, especially after the success of their last release and one that comes with its rewards and drawbacks.

They open slowly this time around with “Before,” and immediately the new style is audible; a synthetic soundscape fills your ears as this duo transport you to a space of tranquility and effortless sound. The percussion is distant, with a faded, subtle quality that offers a dreamy kind of mood to the tune. Of course you have Wasner’s indistinguishable vocals that confess the opening and closing line of the song: “This morning/ I woke up on the floor/ thinking I’d never dreamed before.” The mood of the album is elucidated in that brief lyric; the whole thing feels a bit like melancholic and unpinned nostalgia expressed via delicate sound.

I was quite impressed with the first half of the album; while the sound is not overwhelmingly complex or drastic, the songs they’ve crafted are a solid step into the electronic side of things. Title track, “Shriek,” picks the tempo up a little while maintaining that dream-upon-waking atmosphere. Lead single and my personal favorite track, “Glory,” will have you dancing along to the beat while the vocals craft a bit of drama to latch onto, propelling the song from just being a groovy number.

While there are still some pretty good tracks on Shriek that beg for repeated listening, the sweeping majesty that was introduced on the past album isn’t really matched here. I find myself missing the clean guitar and Wasner’s crisp and elegant vocals that Wye Oak did so well the last time around. After the mid point of the album there is certainly a drop off in the level of intrigue in the tracks and the minimalist sound becomes a bit bleak. That being said, I appreciate the last song, “Logic of Color, ” as the electronic elements take a backseat to the vocals and round out the album with a track reminiscent of those encountered earlier on the album.

Shriek takes Wye Oak down a different path than we’ve seen them go before, and it is enticing for the most part, but I wish a few of the tracks went a little further down this trail and out of the box.

Woods – With Light & With Love

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woodsRating: ★★★★☆

Here’s the deal: Woods began as a band back in 2005, and ever since they’ve been cranking out albums left and right. With Light & With Love makes for their sixth full-length album of folksy indie rock that also kicks you in the face with rock and roll on occasion. There are a lot of things to appreciate about this group of four gentlemen from Brooklyn on this album which you’ll find soon after you press play.

Immediately, on the first track “Shepherd,” you think you know exactly what Woods‘ deal is all about. You have this ragtimey piano riff underneath it all, acoustic guitar strumming away, and what sounds like bluesy slide guitar intermittently. What is constant are Jeremy Earl’s soft and oddly half-falsetto vocals, that bathes everything in a bright light. Though the song talks of a “shepherd for your sorrows,” the sonic quality would have you believe otherwise; it’s as sunny as they come. The track briefly introduces you to their sound, making you feel at home with the group, even if you haven’t necessarily had vast knowledge of their previous catalogue.

“Moving to the Left,” offers a step back to their folksy roots—its gentle rhythm and slightly jangly percussion are smooth and comforting, while the lyrics on this song ask questions of existential proportion. Though the folk element is definitely here, Woods also brings in an undercurrent of electric guitar at the end of the song. They are always walking the fine line between genres, switching between folk and rock and pop and even blues at the trick of a hat while Earl’s vocals hypnotize and hold you steady. “Full Moon,” is another great example of this effect—the electric guitar riffs at the beginning seem to be coming to you from the Seventies, while there are also some synth sounds that bring you to 2014 again, with each other instrument seeming to evoke some other genre in between. You can pick out the influence and shaping elements from over the years here, which is somewhat of their deal: scattered throwbacks with modern elements to put a new spin on things.

Bottom line is, With Light & With Love is an accessible record of easy listening that packs a bit more of a punch with every listen. The lyrics are reaching, pulling at your conscious while the instrumentation lets your body sway easily. It is one of those deceptively friendly sounding albums that will have you constantly thinking and questioning while you jam, and I invite you to do just that.

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