Category: Reviews

Beacon – The Ways We Separate

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beaconRating: ★★½☆☆

There’s been a big push recently in the indie music scene for minimalist, vaguely R&B inspired, experimental electronic music. We’ve seen it from big names like Purity Ring and The XX, and now in lesser known, but by no means less worth listening to, bands such as Beacon. Composed of Brooklyn’s Thomas Mullarney and Jacob Gossett, Beacon released their first musical material last year in the form of two EP’s, both equally simple and stripped down thematic efforts. The Ways We Separate follows in their footsteps as an amplification of these traits, with interesting yet subtle music to fill your speakers.

Opening the album is “Bring You Back,” a single-esque track that introduces the band’s sound quite effortlessly. What begins as a simple electronic soundscape develops into a four minute, eighteen second track with a hooking chorus line for you to sing along to while you groove to the backing electronics. The high-pitched vocals juxtapose nicely with the deeper tones of the beat, to create a swirling combination that evens itself out. The track may seem mild, but it gives you a solid idea of what you are embarking upon in The Ways We Separate: an exploration of minimalism to describe and encapsulate some of the deepest emotions that are felt in love and loss. Such is felt through the deep lyrics that persistently attempt to iterate all the ‘ways’ as mentioned in the album title. Song after song is filled with little gems of lines that all abide by the same theme, collectively adding up to an album that meanders through the dark electronic

Though it tends to be on the meeker spectrum of music, there are some songs on here that make for solid dance numbers. Take the second track “Feeling’s Gone,” which starts on the same simple note as the song prior to it, but doesn’t stay as still as “Bring You Back” does. Towards the end of the track, you get this great little instrumental dance interlude that could easily be utilized on a dance floor to get your body moving.

However, instances such as this are not abundant on The Ways We Separate, leaving for a pretty one-note album, though a good one note. Some nuances can be appreciated and observed, while others seem to blur together in the overall scope of its length, which could potentially turn some listeners away from repeated listens.

Twin Tigers – Death Wish

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twin-tigers-death-wishRating: ★★★☆☆

It seems like forever since we last heard from Twin Tigers; it’s been almost 3 years since we first got our hand on Gray Waves.  But, the wait was pretty well worth it, as Death Wish sees the band holding onto some of their old sound, while still forging ahead with new ground.   There’s still that expansive wall of noise, though the band has refined it a bit, allowing their pop sensibility to completely shine through with a darker edge.

The brooding sensation from the band is still intact, witnessed by the impending doom that opens Death Wish on “Racecar.”  Atmospheric noise opens before the drums roll heavily through the mix.  Vocals have a dark dosage of echo-y distance placed atop, which provides listeners with the sensation of impending doom.  I fully expected the band to blast off into a wall of noise at some point, yet they don’t; I like the use of restraint. However, almost immediately they flip things on you, giving you the poppiest song they might have written to this day.  Matthew Rain’s vocals seemingly hang in the hair, while the off-kilter drumming is blended with dashes of electronics.  It’s a sign of things to come, at least as the album is considered.

“Opana” opens with an electro pulse, before the song takes on a completely macabre throb to it.  It’s a sensation that seems designed to mess with your head, as shattering noise occasionally bursts through the background.  But, Rain enters with a vocal swagger that displays the new territory where the group aims to venture towards: pop meets death.  My personal favorite on the album comes when Twin Tigers unleash “Death Wish,” the album’s title track.  Aside from the first track, it’s the only other tune where I really feel like I can expect a barrage of noise in the live setting.  The sharp-edged guitars and the drum work, along with Rain’s voice, seem primed for a full on explosion.  Perhaps this was the middle ground where the group thought they could best excel, and they’re right; the song is not entirely noisy, yet not entirely pop–therein lays one of the problems that exists on Death Wish.

Too often the band finds their record treading that middle ground between heavy-handed noise rockers and pop-experimentalists. While it makes the brighter moments on the record stand out strong, it also lets a little too much light on the weaker spots such as “Transition.”  Of course, this is just an opinion, as I’m curious as to where the future of the band goes from here.  They’re straddling a bit between two genres, and it’s successful at times, and not so much at others.  It makes Death Wish a great listen, but also one that’s perplexing, especially to old fans.   If you need a light at the end of the tunnel, make sure you make it all the way to “Holiday.” It flirts with the band’s balance between their musical hearts, sprawling with sharp guitar chords, soft vocals and that explosive energy the band harnesses for too long on the record; it also closes beautifully. Here’s to hoping that Twin Tigers find that perfect mixture, as the majority of this album shows they’re still a band you’ll want on your playlists.

Kurt Vile – Wakin On a Pretty Daze

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Kurt-Vile-Wakin-On-A-Pretty-Daze-608x608Rating: ★★★★☆

It’s hard not to fall head over heels for any release by Kurt Vile, no matter what he does.  There’s something about his vocal delivery, and the mood he manages to establish with every tune he writes.  Wakin On a Pretty Daze isn’t any different; it maximizes his chill factor, yet wraps it all in a neat auditory box for you to play over and over.

Looking at the track listing, you might be overwhelmed by the length of “Wakin on a Pretty Day,” which clocks in at 9.5 minutes.  But, don’t let the number be daunting, as Kurt Vile manages to capture your attention from the get-go, carrying you with his smoky vocals for the entire duration of the track.  The guitars, of course, have that swirling effect that highlights both the tone and the strumming style.  Even when he tapers off toward the end with a string of “yea, yea, yeas” it’s hard not to feel the emotional pull of his songwriting. In fact, many of the songs on Wakin On a Pretty Daze are well-over the typical length one expects, like this one, but not a one of those could really be discarded.

For me, the beauty in what Kurt does is not just in the lyrics or the songwriting, but in the overall mood left with the listener, myself in this case.  I like the solemnity presented in a song such as “Girl Called Alex,” opening with a trickling bit of guitar before Vile makes his grand entrance.  He fills some of the negative space with distorted guitar.  There’s no rush in what he’s doing, always showing restraint where others might push on too quickly.  That track fits perfectly back to back with “Never Run Away,” which uses a touch more pace, though the vocal delivery is what holds my interest through this track; I also appreciate the way the guitar lines work in and out of the track’s quieter moments. It’s easy to be concise in a shorter time frame.

While I enjoy all of these tunes, I think he accomplishes more in the little songs here.  “Shame Chamber” has a bit of a crunchy stomp to it, though lower tones of Kurt’s drawn out vocal and the cutting guitar plucking soon rid the track of that sentiment. He even flirts with this pop vocal inflection (see 1.16) that leads me to believe he’s flirting with visiting other musical territory.  This number is much like the following tune,  “Snowflakes Are Dancing;” that track has a nice little coat of haze and gentle tones on the vocals to accompany the natural warmth of Vile’s guitar playing.

After spending hours listening to the new album, I think you’ll find it’s strength lays in the fact that the length of the songs and the emotional pull allow you to completely let yourself get lost.  I imagine that’s what Kurt Vile has always been after, creating guitar pop that leads its listeners into an endless state of wonderment. Take a few trips around the block with Wakin On a Pretty Daze and you’ll surely feel the same.

Andre Obin – The Arsonist

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Rating: ★★★★☆

We rarely think of electronic artists carrying stage presence. We rarely consider live performance an important aspect of an electronic act. Andre Obin won electronic performer of the year according to hometown Boston’s Music Awards.

The reality is that having good material can trump all. The latest album effort from Andre is called The Arsonist, assumingly for the strong third track we have shared here. But we’ll get there, let’s start at the beginning.

The first seven minutes of the record is dedicated to a song called “Golden Hair”, a simple progression of tones set the stage for an oncoming bassline that starts in the higher octaves and is filled in with angrier deeper synth tones and an inevitable drum track no less that two and half minutes in. I love the slow builder, though formulaic, when the right sounds are peppered in, it can be raise the hair on your arms at high volume. This sends me right to my roots in electronic music of GOA trance, D&B and bands like Orbital and Higher Intelligence Agency. Lofty affected vocals, allegory to Rapunzel, fill the content so the wife doesn’t get mad about songs with out words.

“Blue Powder” changes things up a beat, slows it down, less dream, more synth ballad. Lyrically soft, but intentionally, so, think M83. Title track next, holy crap, I love this song. And quite honestly, it may be the biggest barrier to me upping the score on the album. It is a stand out for me, setting an unreasonable bar.

“Lemondrop” peppers in more M83 vibe, maybe even a little chill wave meets Massive Attack, coolly hollowed breaks and dominant drum track. “Soft Rain” is the probably the poppiest jam on the album. I used it in the SxSW preview and the synth hook makes you smile. Mood changer. “Gazelle” is a mantra-driven darker jam, perhaps the low point on the album for me, but the previous and next tracks are that much better. “Enjoy” deploys the longwave synth bassline and high atmospheric tags that I have always been a sucker for. It is brow down driving music.

The 43 minutes with Andre ends with track eight, “Anthem”. It is a statement, kind of all the things he loves in one song. Big synth hooks, changing tempo, breaks and beats; I think Andre is a Gary Numan fan. The circular lyrics run, “it’s a lot to take home, the thoughts that take hold, there’s so much at stake, it’s a lot to take.”

Unfortunately, my brief SxSW encounter was a late night technical difficulty. The tracks I heard performed were hampered by I/o issues, but did still sound solid as he tours with a drummer and and synth/bass/guitar. I would like to see him again in a proper setting…

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/77324695″ params=”show_artwork=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

The Lonely Wild – The Sun As It Comes

397270352-1Rating: ★★★★☆

Though this band hails from L.A, you may have caught them somehow in your slew of SXSW shows this year. However, if you didn’t, not to fret, this band is an up and comer that will be hard to miss in time to come. Born in 2010 as the project of Andrew Carroll, The Lonely Wild released an EP that generated them some fame in their local scene, but their first full length, The Sun As It Comes, is here to stick this band on your radar.

This album is one that grabs your attention the instant you put it on. First, song, title track, and possibly one of the best tracks I’ve heard this year, “The Sun As It Comes” is a cathartic build up of folksy beginnings to a fiery finish. What starts as hair distant but powerful feminine “Oohs” accompanied by soft plucking of guitars transitions to the hair raising harmonies of Carroll and Jessie Williams, as they take you on an eerie journey of storytelling. All the while, the electric guitar gradually pushes itself into your listening spectrum and demands attention. Then, suddenly, Williams has gone back to the background vocals and Carroll’s Conor Oberst-meets-Ben Gibbard voice is screaming at you in frenzy. Such songs of gentle intrigue, along with outright fire, are to be found and enjoyed on this album.

The Lonely Wild have a lot of things going for them on this first full length release aside from a great opening track. Additionally, the songwriting on all of the songs here is engaging, apt, and relevant, serving as the icing on the cake to the sonically delightful music that this band doles out, track after track. By yhe third track, this band proudly shows you that they mean serious business, and aren’t shying away from creative details. Take “Everything You Need” as another example of an exemplary song that can be found here. Once again you have the dual vocals of Carroll and Williams, but wait, what’s that? Horns?! And an outright jamming beat from the start? What more can you want?

If your answer to that rhetorical question was a variety of tracks that transcend genres and bridge the gaps between rock and folk then look no further—The Lonely Wild has you covered. From start to finish, they hook you and then close the deal too, sealing it with their glorious harmonies and effortless likability. Do yourself a favor and give it a listen; you won’t want to be the last one to hear this band!

The Black Angels – Indigo Meadow

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The-Black-Angels-Indigo-Meadow-Album-Cover-e1358880938544Rating: ★★★☆☆

From the moment that Indigo Meadow opens, the drums seem to crackle in your speakers, while the guitar creates a trance-like sensation.  It’s a mood that sits with you for the beginning of your listen to the new record from Austin’s The Black Angels, but like always, the band allows for that sentiment to resonate for just a few tracks.  Just a few minutes later, “Evil Things” has that heavy-handed guitar churning again, creating that psychedelic cum metal stomp, but the chorus just beyond the 1.5 minute mark indicates a world of madness and beauty that arrives later.  Of course, the band wants to leave you with a smash and grab at the end of the track, just so you know they mean business.

But, you can leave the heavier stuff for a bit, as mesmerizing tracks like “Holland” wait your ears.  Sure, there’s a stereotypical organ placed in the background, but the way the guitar slowly plods along and the vocals swirl and the shout revert listeners back to the innocence of Haight-Ahsbury; songs like these are reminiscent of the genre at its best. That same sentiment exists throughout the middle of the record, especially with tracks like “Love Me Forever,” though the Black Angels always add their own twist.  Slowly the song snakes around the reverb vocals, but they push down on the distortion pedal and let out a momentary growl.  Then it soars off into a Zombies-esque vocal harmony that lasts all of about 3 seconds.  It may seemed like a scatter-brained world you’re listening in on, but I think that’s ultimately what makes Indigo Meadow an album worthy of repeated listens.

In the past, I’ve felt, though not minded, that The Black Angels often get stuck in their own sound, but the work here shows that they’ve branched out, reaching into all of their musical influences on one record.  I’ve mentioned the heavier opening numbers, and perhaps some of the psychedelic nods that are placed here and there, and that attitude allows for a certain diversity that will keep your ears entertained throughout. You’ve got groovy nostalgic ditties like “You’re Mine, which might be one of my favorite tracks on the LP, has this fuzzy throb to it, accompanied by ringing guitar cuts and the perfect accompanying percussion.  But, you turn around and find the album closer “Black Isn’t Black” built on a different wave-length.  Yes, there’s a throb/pulse here, but it’s much more sinister…that’s only made stronger by the way the vocals were recorded for this tune, like a ghost haunting your ear drums from the echo-y cavern of your skull.

While some may choose to focus solely on the lyrical content, or the misconstrued words of others, none of that really matters to me when listening to The Black Angels.  Having seen the band live many a time here in Austin, I listen to their tunes in hopes of creating my own landscape where the band’s music will accompany me.  Perhaps they’re playing in a cave that serves as drainage into Edward’s Aquifer, or maybe they’re taking me on a haunted boat cruise along Lady Bird Lake; regardless, they’re always taking me somewhere (musically and physically) that allows me to appreciate them as musicians playing the Devil’s good old-fashioned rock n’ roll throughout the entirety of Indigo Meadow.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/02-Evil-Things.mp3]

Vondelpark – Seabed

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Vondelpark-Seabed-4.2.2013Rating: ★★★½☆

Blending electronica with R&B sounds is definitely a popular route to make waves in the music world nowadays, but it’s not like Vondelpark haven’t been going at it for several years.  That being said, their new effort, Seabed, manages to create an LP of songs that drift slowly into your subconscious without ever boring you.

Seabed opens with one of the album’s shorter tracks, “Quest,” and immediately the table is set for the rest of the record.  Singer Lewis Rainsbury floats atop the opening lines, just before a shimmering guitar line smoothly moves in and out of the track.  If you listen carefully, you can hear faint references to the IDM genre…it’s perhaps the band’s secret weapon. Those distant IDM/trip-hop touches allow the group to differentiate themselves from the rest of the pack, even though the emphasis revolves around the soothing vocal appeal.  You can really hear this on the opening moments of “Dracula,” which eventually unfolds into a foray of experimental electronic bliss.  This is easy listening for people with good tastes.

One of my favorite Vondelpark tracks on this effort has to be “Always Forever.”  It begins as much of the songs due, inching its way towards perfection.  Yet, just after the 30 second mark the song sees a bit of classical guitar sampling and an increased pace.  The vocal performance is perhaps the best, and the most emphatic, especially when the vocal is looped just behind the main vocal.  It’s dreamy, still, yet oddly energetic, considering the style of music the band composes.  It’s placement in the middle of Seabed also makes way for a nice little digression in “California Analog Dream.”  Guitar work takes a more prominent role here, as do the drums.  For my ears, it’s the most sonically experimental track, melding all the various components present into one unique blend that moves beyond mere bedroom R&B.  Together, these two tracks have been played the most through my dozen or so listens.

But, the group doesn’t just rely upon Rainsbury’s singing to leave their listeners in awe; just check out “Bananas (On My Biceps)” and its use of a vocal sample.  At first, I struggled to find the merit of this track; it deals with lots of empty space in varying parts.  However, the more time I spend with this record, the more that I’ve grown to appreciate the tune.  There’s warm washes of atmospheric electronics, and the aforementioned vocal sample seems perfectly placed.  Like much of the LP, mysteries unfold within and continue to impress your ears.

For me, Vondelpark seems perfectly fit to take the lead role in the emergence of this genre.  Their sampling and IDM work are an homage to a purer time of trip-hop, while every vocal seems perfectly timed and tuned to fit the song.  Seabed might not be your everyday listen, as it definitely sets its own mood, but it will reveal itself to be a stunning listen if you allow it some the appropriate time.

Gun Outfit – Hard Coming Down

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gun-outfitRating: ★★★★☆

Olympia, Washington’s best kept secret might have been Gun Outfit, that is until people get wind of the incredible piece of work they’ve constructed, and just released.  Hard Coming Down is their third LP for Post Present Medium, and according to press, the first that includes bass.  I don’t care much about any of that, other than I can’t get enough of their blend of Sonic Youth meets Built to Spill meets Dinosaur Jr meets rock n’ roll.

Hard Coming Down almost opens up softly, with a relaxed female vocal from Carrie Keith, but that doesn’t stick around for too long.  Guitars begin to ring out loudly and angular-ly, while drums pound heavily in the background.  Of course, the Sonic Youth attribute does exist in the opener, with the band going from soft to hard in a flash, though Keith has more of a sweetness to her vocal as opposed to Kim Gordon.  From here the album goes into one of its many highlights with “Lau Blues,” with Dylan Sharp offering up his drawn out vocals for a change in the album’s dynamic.  Here you’ll find the same sharpness to the guitars, though they have a country-fied meandering to them, all working around Sharp’s vocal.

While it’s easy to throw these guys in a grab bag of various alt-rock favorites, they manage to make the sound entirely their own.  For instance, the opening guitar work on “I’ve Got a Gift” surely has that fast paced guitar/bass battle working, but it’s the approach that changes things up.  Rather than let the guitar create direction, it’s the vocals here (Sharp again) that dictate where the track will go.  It’s almost a country-jam, though the pace might be too quick for that allusion.  There’s also “Death Drive,” which combines some Mascis-esque vocal tones, but the drumming alone is something that allows this song to step outside of the shadows of their fore-fathers.  Personally, I dig the juxtaposed vocals on this track between Sharp and Keith.

Of course, you’re going to have to pick your favorite singer between Sharp and Keith, and today, I’m sticking with Carrie.  Her voice on the twangy “Fallen Sun Song” is one of her best, and the more I listen to it, the more I see a haunting darkness lurking beneath the soft cover.  Or you can go back to “High Price to Pay” where she sounds more life-worn.  Wherever she pops up, it’s with purpose, providing a distinctive sound that elevates the entire record.  But, I assure you Dylan’s performances aren’t too shabby either.

Up until now I had really only been familiar with Dim Light, the group’s last album, but Hard Coming Down just continues to grow spiritually within me, especially when you bust out the vinyl version.  Gun Outfit has been on the tip of everyone’s tongue, but this album secures the band’s spot as one of the brightest stars on the musical horizon.

Generationals – Heza

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1705Rating: ★★★☆☆

Heza is the third proper full-length from Generationals, and while the sound remains largely the same, there are some definite shifts that alter the musical landscape for the group.  One thing is for sure though, the band consistently find themselves crafting perfect pop tunes that we’ll all enjoy.

“Spinoza” starts things off the right way, giving you some quick paced guitar work that reminds me of the modern surf-pop of bands like The Drums.  Of course, one thing the Generationals always have to make them stick out is the affecting vocal tone present on all their efforts.  It’s the perfect way to make surf-pop their own.  But, just as you think you’ve got the group pinned down, they go in a different direction on “Extra Free Year.”  This tune is filled with a thick bouncing bass, and the delivery of the vocal is much more subdued than on the previous track.  Little bits of guitar trickle in and out of the song, but it’s largely driven by the rhythm section.  It took me awhile to warm up to it, but it grew on me eventually.

By the time you arrive at “You Got Me,” you realize that Heza definitely has an emphasis on giving you hooks surrounded by the blips and beeps of electronica, though that’s not a huge step in a new direction, as those elements have been present before.  But, while past songs have seen those attributes used to push the track, here it seems to flesh out a mellower vibe.  There’s even vocal samples from a speech that fill out some of the empty space.  It’s tracks like this that suffice, though they’re not necessarily going to go down as my favorite. Still, it sets the mood for “Put the Light On,” which is one of the album’s standouts.  Guitar work is sparse, yet jagged, and there’s a warm atmospheric mood accentuated by some keyboard touches.  Those soaring high vocals that always do the trick are here too, allowing listeners to really fall in love with the great vibes provided by Generationals.

While I think that Heza is a little unfocused at points, the remarkable tracks are extremely memorable.  “Awake” is perfect in that it shows some restraint in pacing.  Had the band forced the issue, pace wise, I think they might have had a guaranteed iTunes commercial spot, though I’m glad they didn’t, as the true joy from this track comes when you let it slowly unfold.  This is where the band excels most on this effort, rather than their more traditional bouncing pop ditties.

After spending several weeks listening to Heza, I think that it’s an album with some great high points, and not really any lows.  Surprisingly, Generationals have excelled this time around on warmer, slower tracks.  You’ve still got your catchy pop tunes that will no doubt become live favorites, but if you spend time with the record, you’ll surely find clarity in their more pristine ballads.  Might not be top of the pops just yet, but the group continues to win my heart.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/02-You-Got-Me.mp3]

Download: Generationals – You Got Me [MP3]

Frank Smith – Nineties

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franksmithRating: ★★★★☆

Frank Smith is a band, not a man.  I figured you would know that, as the group has been knocking around for nearly 10 releases, but I’m thinking Nineties is their best work to date.  It’s got roots in the world of folk music, sure, but it pushes the envelope with more than its share of loud guitars and careful musical accompaniment.

You won’t find a better opener for Nineties than “We All Win;” it opens with little more than vocals and strummed guitars…a few of the notes receive an extra twang in the mix.  While it might be one of the quietest tracks on the record, it provides a teaser of sorts, just whetting your appetite.  Soon you’ll find the pure pleasure that is “Beaten Sacks of Death.” I love the way the guitar turns at the chorus, taking the Americana roots and gearing it up for a more rocking ensemble.  What steals the show, at least in this tune is the accessorizing done musically; the accompaniment draped all provides perfect accentuation at every turn.  Oh, and wait for the stomp just after the 2 minute mark; you’ll surely come back for more.

What will stand out to many of the fans of Frank Smith will be the more complete, even louder, presence here.  If you look at the middle section of the album with songs like “How Many Ways” and “It’ll Be Over Soon,” you will see the decibels rising in your ear, but importantly, the band’s sound isn’t lost here.  There’s a slight drawl on the vocals on “How Many Ways,” and the song opens slowly.  However, the group jumps off into a rocking jam; dig the echoing guitar in the background.  “It’ll Be Over Soon” nears a full on rock track, though with hints at country nostalgia with slight electric organ touches throughout.  The chorus reminds me of how good simple lyrics can come across in this genre, like those great Old 97s tunes.

Even with the louder sound here, don’t sleep on the band’s ballads.  “One Day” is probably one of my favorite tracks on Nineties.  Everything on this track fits; there’s acoustic strumming, changes in the vocal pitch, gang vocals, piano tinkering, even a distorted guitar breakdown…this song has it all.  It all prepares you for the elegant album closer, “Chewing Glass.” The piano serves as the backbone on this number, with the guitar swirling around both vocals and piano.  Personally, I like the fact that the lyrics can be easily sung, as is the case with all the tracks on the record.  If you’re not affected by one listen to this tune then I have a feeling that something’s wrong with your heart.

I don’t want to make too much of a fuss about a more pronounced sound on Nineties, as I think that’s really unfair to the record.  While it may be louder, you’ll find absolute joy listening for the finer touches in the nooks and crannies of the album; you’ll also rejoice that Frank Smith sounds exactly like, well, Frank Smith.  I think the band is officially ready to take on the world, so join in on the fun, won’t you?

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/10-Chewing-Glass.mp3

Download: Frank Smith – Chewing Glass [MP3]

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