Category: Reviews

Camera Obscura – Desire Lines

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desireRating: ★★★½☆

Everybody loves Glasgow. Well, everyone should love Glasgow because that city puts out more great indie rock bands than most and Camera Obscura is no exception to that, as they’ve returned for their fifth studio album, Desire Lines.

The introductory song to this album is reminiscent of that bit of music that accompanies the production company/studio’s logo before a great movie begins. A mixture of some brief string arrangements, “Intro” gives out a slightly different vibe then you are used to with our Glaswegian Indie Pop power group. Though the group has never lacked maturity, this thirty-second opening lets you know that they are back and with a new take on their original sound that they first presented twelve years ago on Biggest Bluest Hi Fi and even vastly different than on My Maudlin Career, their most recent studio release.

So what’s changed you may ask? What has this varsity band done differently this time around to make their music stand out to new fans and still appeal to old? For the most part, not too much; you still have subtly confident front woman Tracyanne Campbell spinning tales of love and loss from behind the mic. Her vocals are ever the perfect balance of present and yet not overwhelming and missing a lot of the reverb that was present on their last album. In addition to the clarity in vocals, the reverb seems to be also missing from the rest of the elements of Camera Obscura’s indie pop to reveal a more straightforward rock approach. Such is apparent on single “Do It Again,” in which you have a fun little bouncy number complete with buzzing guitar and hyper percussion carrying you through. Another snappy number that will welcome you nicely to Desire Lines and make you glad you pressed play is “Troublemaker,” which jumps out for its bouncy tempo and catchy lyrics.

Really, there are a lot of little gems to be found on Desire Lines, but on the whole, the album rings a little flat in reference to the other albums in Camera Obscura’s long list of full lengths works. Perhaps it is a slower burner and this new collection of songs will grow to become favorites, but this new work doesn’t really wow you upon first listen or even after a few listens. Desire Lines is good, but not as grand as you’ve come to expect from such a band.

GRMLN – Empire

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adventureWeird_LP_11183_newRating: ★★★★☆

Some records are perfectly fitting for the time of their release, leaving you with an album for that particular season.  For me, the first full-length from GRMLN is definitely going to be one of my most played this summer.  Empire has the energy, the hooks and enough variance to keep it in constant rotation.

It’s fitting that Empire opens with “Teenage Rhythm” as this track most likely resembles the youthful exuberance of most teens, at least in the overall mood. Guitars start chugging while the drums immediately come in pummeling your ears, all building up to the adolescent shout of “get out get out” in the chorus.  It’s a track that makes it difficult to turn your ear the other way.  It leaves plenty of room for the following number to jump in with a bubbling undercurrent of bass lines.  “Blue Lagoon” has more of a ringing guitar sound, and it’s here where I first noticed how easy it is to sing along to the lyrics.  Who doesn’t love to bob your head and sing?

GRMLN, which is the primary work of Yoodoo Park, makes it difficult to skip a single track, even when writing a review.  “Hand Pistol” seems to blend the cocky swagger of Waaves with the hooks of Surfer Blood, though sounding entirely like it has its own personality.  You’ll hear a clean guitar cutting through the background, while a heavier guitar plays up front.  Then the attitude is switched up for a more indie pop appeal with “Coastal Love,” which has a slight effect on the vocals.  It’s a cleaner bent, which offers a bit of a breather from where Empire was dwelling for the last few tracks.

Now, I don’t want to sit here and tell you these are the greatest songs that man has ever written, but damn it if you’re not just going to have fun listening to this release.  “Do You Know How It Feels” has a great vocal throughout, and the energetic delivery of the guitars had me hooked instantly.  Then you skip ahead a few tracks to bob along to “1993,” which might just be the my favorite track on the album. It’s youthful, yet the musicianship is perfectly executed at every turn, displaying the blossoming skills of Park right before our eyes.

You can listen to this record, and almost immediately fall in love with it.  The songs throughout are fairly simple, yet they’re structured around hooks and melodies that grab hold of your eardrums, never letting go.  GRMLN has constructed the perfect seasonal listen, which due to current temperatures, is absolutely perfect.  Empire is fun, it’s catchy, and it’s something that might endure beyond the summer, keeping us warm all year long.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/05-Do-You-Know-How-It-Feels_.mp3]

Download: GRMLN – Do You Know How It Feels_ [MP3]

 

Free Time – Free Time

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freeRating: ★★★☆☆

It’s no surprise that Free Time has compiled a bunch of songs that sound an awful lot like Twerps, seeing as front-man Dion spent time with the group fleshing out their live sound.  But, make no mistake about it, he’s got a voice all his own, which makes Free Time a record that will wash over you with a bit of warmth and pop, fitting in perfectly to any daily listening occasion.

“I Lost Again” is the opening track, and it’s exactly what I expected from Dion.  There’s a leading guitar line that seems fitting for a day in observance of the ocean, with casually ringing guitar chords and vocals that seem drenched in an oceanic mist.  A slight vocal adjustment arrives during the chorus, allowing the song to drift to a certain degree.  However, “It’s Alright” is where Dion Nania puts his own stamp.  While there are some similarities to Aussie pop, there’s a bit more of a blues-y stomp/sway to the track; the track itself is a bit lighter, even playful.  I like the fact that you can feel a bit of an emotional swing to this tune. It’s these little touches that make Free Time escape a lot of its relationship with Twerps.

For instance, taking one listen to “World Without Love” will easily show you that Dion and his band aren’t content settling for an easy Aussie formula, not that I’d mind that either.  The vocal delivery is a bit more whimsical, using overlapping bits of spoken-word to maneuver in and out of the interwoven guitar parts…and is that a flute in the background? Or you can look at the track that serves as a precursor, “Just Once.”  On this number, things are a bit noisier, at least in regards to what’s going on in the background.  It takes a bit of formulaic indie pop and ups ante by coating the vocals in a bit of a wash, with strings striking hard in the distance.  These aren’t your run of the mill touches to what I expected from Dion.

That being said, one of my favorite pieces from Free Time does harken back to Nania’s musical relationships.  Opening with chiming guitars while he cooly, and casually, sings definitely works to the song’s benefit.  When the pace picks up, it’s hard not to get swept away in the track’s audial pull, directly latching onto your heart.  While listening to this tune, it’s easy to see where Dion’s been musically, but what I like about Free Time is the fact that it manages to stand out a bit on its own merit.  There are nods to friends and such, but as I’ve mentioned, he’s doing his best to make sure you know this is his band and his sound; for the most part, he’s extremely successful.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/01-I-Lost-Again.mp3]

Download: Free Time – I Lost Again [MP3]

 

Pure X – Crawling Up the Stairs

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Pure-X-Crawling-Up-The-StairsRating: ★★★½☆

When Pure X made waves with Pleasure, you knew that it would be easy for the group to go back into the studio and rehash that same old sound.  But, Crawling Up the Stairs definitely isn’t the same LP; in fact, while still bearing the mark of their early work, you find the group gradually coming out of their haze, creating a dramatic pop record that sees the band foraging into a world all their own.

Opening up with the titular track seems like a nod to the band’s past.  It begins with just light touches of noise, making way for Nate Grace to make his vocal appearance, virtually untouched, yet moments later he sinks back beneath waves of varying atmospheric/musical touches, all as the track gently fades away.  It set’s the stage for Crawling Up the Stairs, but it’s “Someone Else” that really breaks open the door.  Guitar chords trickle, and there’s very light percussion, while Grace operates between operatic crooner and throat-y troubadour.  It’s weird, but even though it plays a small part, the guitar sound on this tune is my favorite thing, once again illustrating how the careful touches of Pure X put a stamp on their sound.

There are definitely some songs throughout this release that I can see as grating, such as the pitch on “I Fear What I Feel,” which is purposefully out-of-key, yet still fits into the song.  But, when the vocals are executed perfectly, the tunes are enchanting.  One listen to “Things in My Head” and you will see precisely what I’m talking about; this track features a warmer tone on Nate’s voice, while the accompanying music wraps the voice in politely trickling guitar work.  Just a note: this is my favorite jam on the LP. Of course, some of the grating moments are pretty special, in so much as they evoke the emotional pull from the audience like the straining vocal on “Shadows and Lies,” which is where I think a lot of people are seeing the Conor Oberst connection.

For my ears, I think one of the remarkable things about this record is that it hold true to the sound Pure X established a few years back, but it’s pulled back the layers to reveal a shimmering pop sound. Those elements always lurked in the shadows on Pleasure, but we were all amazed at the way the atmospheric elements.  Now, the band has scrubbed themselves clean, leaving you with floating gems like “Thousand Year Old Child,” which still has a bit of that noise factor. In making nods to the early days, the band can hold onto old fans, but still push themselves creatively into their own future.  Such things are what makes Crawling Up the Stairs another hit from this Austin trio.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Pure-X-05-Things-in-my-Head.mp3]

Download: Pure X – Things in my Head [MP3]

 

Majcial Cloudz – Impersonator

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Majical-Cloudz-Impersonator2Rating: ★★★★☆

Occasionally a voice is so striking, so brave, that it’s virtually impossible to ignore. From the moment you press play on Impersonator, you’ll find that you, too, are unable to turn your back on Devon Welsh.  His Majical Cloudz project is possibly not the most musical piece out there, but that voice will forever brand itself into your subconscious.

The title track from Impersonator sets the tone for your listening experience immediately; it has a light atmospheric wash and some vocal samples spun in reverse, all before Welsh makes his first appearance. “I’m a liar, I say I make music,” might resonate at this point, but his work within the realm of his vocals is so striking that your intrigue will win out, pushing you onto the next track.  “This Is Magic” ups the musical ante, utilizing a light pulse in the distance to make way for Devon to forever cement his voice in your life.  Within the first few lines, he comes in deep, then let’s the vocal soar to loftier heights, quietly repeating syllables.  There’s no going back.

Majical Cloudz isn’t a project that needs much more than just stripped down accompaniment to set the stage for everything in between.  On “Bugs Don’t Buzz,” the hammering of chords sets a stark tone, and besides the heavenly performance from Welsh, you won’t get too much more.  At times, his companion in arrangements, Matthew Otto, turns up some ambient noise, and it perfectly accentuates the performance, or clears space for re-introduction.  And then it’s gone. It’s over. Yet you quickly go back to check yourself, wanting to be sure that the moment you just experienced lives beyond a snapshot in the past.

One of the things I like about Impersonator is the self-deprecating seriousness of Welsh.  It’s clear at a certain point that he doesn’t entirely take this project, or at least the lyrics, as seriously as one would expect, considering the musical approach.  There’s a childishness, or perhaps a bit of whimsy that enables your ears/heart to attach themselves either to the vocal or the lyric, which happen to be two very different things. Simplicity is rarely as successful as it is throughout the entirety of this album, and you won’t be able to escape the pleasure, as it provides an absolute clarity that benefits the entire listen.

I can’t explain Impersonator to anyone; it has to be heard in order to be completely understood.  It’s existence, in a musical landscape burdened by “lo-fi” or “noise rock,” is extremely refreshing.  Each track begs to be heard, and in fact, deserves to be heard; you’re not going to find a song that’s worthy of skipping throughout.  Yes, in the end, Devon Welsh and his voice will be the force that wins you over.  But, the concept and the execution are so perfect that you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything this year as endearing as this release from Majical Cloudz.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/majical_cloudz_childhoods_end.mp3]

Download: Majical Cloudz – Childhood’s End [MP3]

The National – Trouble Will Find Me

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20130321_national_trouble_will_find_me_91Rating: ★★★★★

Though already a staple of brooding indie rock and alternative music in general, The National are going to be one of those bands that follow you years down the road, regardless of their continuation of putting out new records. Fact of the matter is, time after time they have doled out albums whose entirety have wowed audiences, as they are filled to the brim with tracks that speak on a deeper emotional level while also rocking out pretty hard at points. If you haven’t figured it out by now, they’re sort of a big deal, and if you haven’t fallen in love with them by now Trouble Will Find Me is yet again another perfect place to start.

Around for 14 years and counting, this group of middle-aged men has found an uncanny way of speaking to you in ways you never thought they could and they keep on digging their way deeper on this sixth full length studio release. They’ve made some changes, but overall they’re still the same tight knit crew of brooders that will break your heart in some strange way that you enjoy. First up on Trouble Will Find Me is “I Should Live In Salt,” which brings you into the new sound for the band. As always, front man extraordinaire Matt Berninger croons away behind the lead vocals, but his voice has found a new vulnerability in its higher register here. Instead of his deep baritone, borderline mumbling voice, which is the norm for the band, we are introduced to this higher version of our favorite dark and cynical voice and the result is already and emotive difference. If you can believe it, The National have added yet another layer to their emotive depth, making this one of their most accessible albums.

As with any brilliant album, upon the first listen through, every song seems to be fighting for the prize of best track in your mind; every twist and turn the band takes seems to build upon something bigger. On Trouble Will Find Me, this is truth in every sense—the imagery carries through from track to track and if you’re listening closely, from their previous releases. However, it’s not just a rehashing of what they’ve already done, but a slightly different take on the dark and swirling mood that The National is famous for. Don’t get me wrong, they’re still extra dark and swirling like you like them, but at places, these dark clouds part a little to reveal a little glimmer of light. Take some lyrics from one of the most anthemic songs the band has written, “Graceless:” “Put the flowers you find in vase/if you’re dead in the morning they’ll brighten the place/don’t let ‘em die on the vines, it’s a waste.”

When I said accessible earlier, I didn’t mean easy or lazy or boring, but the very opposite. I could go through song by song here, iterating to you how excellent each one is, but Trouble Will Find Me speaks for itself. If you’ve been present in the indie world in the last few months, it’s quite possible you’ve already heard anywhere from one to five of the songs off this album without participating in any sort of illegal activity; the band has played the songs. They were confident that every song on this album is a solid, well-produced addition to their already extensive catalogue of highly emotive and outright beautiful music. They were right.

 

She & Him – Volume 3

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sheandhim

Rating: ★★★½☆

When it comes to indie queens of the Continental United States, there’s no skirting around it, Zooey Deschanel holds her own. Toting her own TV show, girly advice website, and, of course, half of this dynamic duo, she’s got her plate full. And of course, the Him of the title, M. Ward, has his own musical career in addition to this side project. So sometimes it’s even easy to forget about She & Him, but Volume 3 is a nice little reminder of the talent within this pair.

This third effort in this series of albums from She & Him is far from a reflection of its collective members being busy with their own lives, and more of a representation of the goodness that these two have to offer to the indie music scene. First up, they come at you swinging in “I’ve Got Your Number, Son,” which makes for a burst of color to start the album. High-pitched yelps and ‘oohs’ from Zooey are the first sounds to reach your ears, and from this instant, you know Volume 3 is going to be a work of higher energy from these two.

Higher energy, yes, but they still stick to their retro, Phil Spector ‘wall-of- sound’ style for this third work. Which leads me to essentially the same criticism I had with Volume Two: there’s just not a lot different than their previous album, or even Volume One. Granted, it works for the two of them, as Deschanel’s vocals seem to belong to another era entirely, and are suited nicely by the musical accompaniment of rag-timey piano, acoustic guitar, some simple bass lines. However while the band takes advantage of this to craft a style, which they have thus adhered to up to this point, on the tracks that don’t exactly pop out from the rest, the lack of novelty works against these two and I found myself tuning it out—it’s been done before…by them.

But that’s not to say that Volume 3 doesn’t have some mighty fine good tunes for fans or those who have been under a rock since 2008. In fact, there are quite a few hits on here that stand out not only on the album level, but also through She & Him’s whole catalog. There’s singles like “I Could’ve Been Your Girl” and “Sunday Girl,” that evoke a sassier side of Zooey, playing on her vocal tones and even employing a bit of playful French. On the other hand, at the end of the album you have some excellent slower numbers like “London” and “Shadow of Love–” both will wow you with their simple power and beauty within Deschanel’s vocals.

The bottom line is there’s nothing really fundamentally new to the style on Volume 3, which may exactly be what the band is going for by continuing the trend of entitling their albums ‘Volumes.’ If such is the case, then this is a contender for the most hits.

Black Lizard – s/t

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blacklizard_frontcover-640x639Rating: ★★★½☆

In my mind, it’s got to be hard to start to craft your own sound, unburdened by the music one consumes, unless of course you’re in a semi-remote area, such as Finland.  It’s clear when listening to Black Lizard that they bear the touchstones of many acts, but their self-titled debut sees the group creating something entirely their own; it’s an album with diverse sound that will please any listener.

Sonic exploration seems to be the key to the album’s opener, “Honey, Please.” Like a storm, it rolls in quietly on the back of a ringing guitar, with happily haunting vocals drifting atop.  For me, the marvel is the restraint show on the tune, as Black Lizard seemingly stay in one mode for the entirety of the track; I’d be apt to just let go with a wall of noise. However, the band moves into more psychedelic territory on the following “Boundaries,” which is in danger of having some of the atmospheric guitars bleed all the way through your speakers.  Percussion on this tune takes a more tribal approach, while the vocals still have that foggy coating, even with a bit of clarity opening up briefly before the song fizzles out in a haze.

Even though the more broad reaching tracks on Black Lizard definitely hold a spot on my weekly playlist, I think that one of the facets that works best for the band is when they go for simplicity, such as on “Dead Light.  Sure, the pacing in the beginning has that slow opening, but when the chorus lets loose with distorted guitars and vocal swagger, it’s perhaps one of the best moments on the album: a sure hit. “Forever Gold” is similar, especially in the realm of length, but it’s a quick banger that allows the band to tightly weave their sound into a neat little package for listeners.  It’s not that the group gets too expansive, I just enjoy when they get a bang-on chorus that makes me bob my head, and that’s present in both these tunes.

If I were to counsel the group, I think my advice would be to allow for the vocals to shine through a bit more though, just a bit.  “Love is a Lie” is one of the most memorable tracks on the album, and it’s success is that it combines that stomping rhythm, bits of distortion, but also vocals you can attach yourself to, allowing listeners to fully invest themselves in the record.  But, aside from that small slight, Black Lizard clearly are defining a sound all their own, making this an effort worthy of your time. You want post-rock? Shoegaze? Psychedelia? It’s all here, and it’s all execute with a style that perhaps could only be captured in the land of Helsinki.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/BLACK-LIZARD-Love-Is-A-Lie.mp3]

Download: BLACK LIZARD – Love Is A Lie [MP3]

Black Lizard is out now on Soliti Music.

 

Cowboy Indian Bear – Live Old, Die Young

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Cowboy-Indian-BearRating: ★★★½☆

A four piece from Lawrence, Kansas, Cowboy Indian Bear have already put themselves and their music up for your purveyance. Back in 2010, they released Each Other All the Time, which gained them some fans through their faster folksy songs. Three years, and some supposed grueling touring and extravagant production later, they’re back with a sophomore effort that’s supposed to reflect these experiences. The result is Live Old, Die Young, whose title even sheds a little insight on how experience has shaped this band.

Before you even begin to listen, the title has already conveyed some darker theme that looms over the entire album. As you start, this theory changes into reality as “Washing,” the first track, comes on. Starting out slowly, the band wakes you up to their sound with a gentle lullaby of sorts. You have the delicate female/male combination harmonies and the waltz-esque beat covered with string work to top it all off. All these elements combine to create a beast of a tune that builds upon itself to end in a swirling culmination of folksy and old-timey sounding manner. It shows off the band’s strong suits and serves as a promising start to the album.

But is this a song that really encompasses the entire sound of Cowboy Indian Bear? Yes, but also no, in that they have a real mixture of genres and pacing on Live Old, Die Young. From track to track you have a general mix of what to expect, which is quite refreshing in terms of an album. The songs maintain the same combination of singular and strong male vocals with female focused complementation to back, but this is one of the main features that carry through all of the songs. Take the band’s single “Does Anybody See You Out?” and the song “Seventeen” that comes two tracks later. The first of these two is a drum driven song, with buzzy alterations of those male lead vocals you heard on the first track. This song comes with the lyrical tag that serves as the chorus, “I’ll grind you and spit you out—” a dark and edgy line within a mildly garage rock song. Then, on “Seventeen,” the band softens things up, focusing on the lighter harmonies and incorporating less rigid percussion in the form of jingly sleigh bells.

Point being, Live Old, Die Young, offers a lot to its listeners, and you can really feel the amount of intense effort that this group has put into their sophomore work. I expect great things from this band in the future and for them to garner some more fans with this album, so be sure to give it a spin.

Legs – Pass the Ringo

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Legs-passtheringo-webRating: ★★★★☆

When a new label starts up, it’s great to have a stable band you can rely upon; a band that can write ridiculous hit after ridiculous hit.  After spending the last few weeks with Legs, I’m pretty sure that 3-year-old LogLady Records have found just that band.  There’s not a bad song on Pass the Ringo, leaving listeners with an astounding record that will carry your spirit for months and beyond.

“Friday Afternoon at the Zoo” is the perfect start to this listen, hazily drifting with bits of gypsy guitar and a slightly atmospherically affected vocal.  It’s a patient number, and the slightest bit of tonal change in the vocals really adds a dreamy pop element.  But, perfect openers only work if they can be followed by more perfect songs, so Legs are lucky they do just that with “Go Ask Your Mother.”  I don’t want to knock the band by any means, but this tune has the energy and passion of early Pains of Being Pure at Heart tracks if you forced them to run a psychedelic decathlon. Guitars here aren’t glistening with as much jangle and distortion, and there’s an organ being used, as opposed to the electronic keyboard element.  Altogether, this is the perfect one-two punch to kick off Pass the Ringo.

Personally, I’m partial to the swinging style of “Two Colours.” It’s one of the few tracks that features a female vocal, which adds a different dynamic to the album.  Lofty guitars float you in through the opening moment, while the drums continue to rhythmically pound their way into the ringing guitar sound.  I’d could take a nice helping of this tune any day for the rest of my life. Another track that uses the vocals of Amelia Adams successfully is the heavier “Time to Face the World.”  While Adams maintains that soft pop chanteuse quality, the song here has a muddier sound, in that endearing sort of way.  It’s like you’re trudging along through a murky swamp, all the while your mind thinks upon the love of your life.  Soft and hard work well in this case.

One of the attributes on Pass the Ringo is that while the narrative remains the same in a musical sense, the band never seems to get stuck wholly in one place, providing enough variance in the album to keep your attention whilst still pushing the envelope artistically.  It’s hard to skip a single song, especially when you have great hits like “Don’t Say a Word” hanging about at the end of the record.  Something about the guitar sound, and its movement, really makes this just another standout track on a solid outing from Legs.  It’s clear to me at this point, that the Oakland group is clearly a band you can rely upon, be you a label or just a consumer of great music.  Do yourself a favor and be sure you don’t skip over this most excellent release.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/02-Go-Ask-Your-Mother.mp3]

Download: Legs – Go Ask Your Mother [MP3]

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