Category: Reviews

Blue Skies for Black Hearts – Embracing the Modern Age

Leave a comment

Rating: ★★★★☆

Rock n’ roll, as we know, is often poorly executed, often times being churned out for money or fashionable tastes.  But, every once in awhile you come across something that brings back the purity to our hearts and ears; such is the case with the newest release from Portland’s Blue Skies for Black Hearts, titled Embracing the Modern Age. There’s no frills, no hidden agenda, just straight up rock n’ roll with a pleasant pop twist.

A cascading guitar line filters in behind the lead guitar line on opener “The Sitch” crafting the perspective of a narrator who will play the role of the observer.  This is much the case for Embracing the Modern Age, as Pat Kearns lyrics often reflect that of an on-looker. His vocal delivery has this youthful quality that, when conjoined with the pounding vibe, brings us pop-rock at its best. “Majoring in the Arts” is much the same, though the grittier guitar line has more hints of straight power-pop.  Gang vocals unite in the chorus, prompting sing-a-long moments for the listener.

By the time you arrive at “Deck of Cards” you’ll be quite pleased with the way Blue Skies for Black Hearts use intermingling guitar work.  It helps establish both mood, and a bit of swagger, as it doesn’t maintain some sort of simpleton songwriting, a habit far too many musicians fall into nowadays. That mood is one of reflection, but also one that will lead you to envision chasing down the highway with the windows down, Tarantino films on your mind. These moments come and go on the record, but that’s probably one of the strongest attributes, as the straight-ahead sound doesn’t ever grow monotonous.

It’s really all about a nice rock n’ roll swagger throughout the record.  Despite sounding innocent, there’s a bit of a sharp edge to Kearns’ vocals on the recording, and the rest of the band does their best to keep that sharpness together.  “Sitting on the Edge” begins with a bubbling bass line, almost as if the band’s about to blast off into punk rock territory, but they pull back just in time to give you a sort of pop-Replacements spin.  Or you can take, for yet another example, “Taking Advantage,” which has a swinging momentum to it, though you probably refer to it as more of a toe-tapping element of hipsterdom.  It all boils down to the purest elements of our indie rock, those relying upon solid rhythm sections and catchy grooves.

Blue Skies for Black Hearts have concocted a record that deserves to be appreciated by the purists of rock n’ roll, as well as the finer purveyors of garage-pop. It’s got its gritty moments and sharp edges, yet there’s so much restraint here that the band never go too far off into the realms of cliche garage rock.  They have their own blend on Embracing the Modern Age, something that sounds familiar yet ultimately refreshing; it reminds me a great deal of Regretfully Yours by Superdrag–and that’s a great thing in my book.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/MajoringintheArts.mp3]

Download: Blue Skies for Black Hearts – Majoring in the Arts [MP3]

Sonny and the Sunsets – Hit After Hit

Leave a comment

Rating: ★★★★☆

Sonny Smith likes to dabble in various things: collaborating with The Sandwitches, making up bands, and not to mention the music for his own band. While not the most complex of bands, Sonny and the Sunsets still manage to produce excellent and ever so jangly indie pop/rock that is sure to prove enjoyable for everyone.

One of this band’s greatest attributes is the shortness of each song: most of them traverse the time period of two minutes, which is perfect for this kind of music. On the first and longest song, “She Plays YoYo With My Mind,” Sonny starts things off muddily as he paints a narrative of a love that is playing tricks with his mental sanity. Soft clicking starts out the song, which is joined later by that tambourine and the classic bass. The song builds upon itself, layering simplistic element on top of simplistic element, giving the outcome of raw pop. With all of the bands that work so hard to create intricate sounds through the use many instruments, and/or electronic components, this band’s sound feels like a whiff of fresh air. I mean, I love all of those highly detailed bands, but it’s nice to have a break every once and awhile.

As I mentioned earlier, the simplicity of this band is really what makes their sound so appealing and enjoyable. With tracks like “Home and Exile,” that rely on the simple harmonization and juxtaposition of Sonny’s bitter vocals with that of him female counterpart. On this track and overall, Sonny and the Sunsets, with their janglieness being the center of their sound, sound similar to that of a much more fun and poppier Dutchess and the Duke. They explore all kinds of topics in their lyrics, from that of their teenage years, to sadness, to the feeling of being radioactive. To finish off the album, “Pretend You Care” chimes in with its surfy, angled guitars and high-pitched synth. At the end of the song, you have a lovely breakdown of more of this guitar with some matted drums. It’s that point in the album where you appreciate all that this band has done, if that point hadn’t already happened.

Like the title of the album, Sonny and the Sunsets give you song after song that makes you love them, and easily at that. Upon the first listen, I was transfigured by their perfect-for-summer, or any season, sound that transcends its simplicity. Unlike other albums that take time to love, this one is a hit right off the bat. So have a listen.

TV on the Radio – Nine Types of Light

One comment

Rating: ★★★★☆

It’s been quite a long time since TV on the Radio released Dear Science back in 2008. While three years may or may not be considered a long time for some, it is still plenty of time for things to change, one of those things the sound of a band. As many fans know, the longer the time between releases increases anticipation and excitement for the record to release, but it also allows for some doubt to come into play: is this the band that you loved so long ago?

Nine Types of Light is both a yes and no answer to that question. When you press play on the cheekily named “Second Song,” you can’t be quite sure. Yes, everything is where it should be: the strikingly unique vocals, the textured guitars, and the occasional electronic noise. However, that furious energy that TV on the Radio brought to their last album seems to be missing. While you expect a fast and frenzied opening number, you get a well-reasoned and well-written slow burner, complete with that falsetto croon that this band is known for. For the chorus, the band brings back their traditional sound, and then lets it fall away on the verses and you can’t help but notice that this band seems to have both feet in different places, straddling that line between past and future. If anything, this combination of sounds is a great start, and is topped off by some horn work in the end.

As the album continues, it is clear that this is definitely a calmer approach to tunes than before. They chose to focus on what made songs like “Family Tree,” so wonderful on their last album; simplicity and elegance. “Killer Crane,” the longest song on the album, spans six minutes, sprawling with delicate vocals and even more delicate instrumentation. All the instruments, from the strings to banjo, all have room to breathe, and are not crowded by an overload of others.

While the first half of this album feels more meditative, the second half has that manic energy and fun that you’re used to associating with TV on the Radio. “New Cannonball Run” has those quick and sharp lyrics, while “Caffeinated Consciousness” is that number that you can always bob your head and tap your toes to.

In effect, while this band does sound fairly different at first, they bring it full circle. Their focus may be on the slower simplicity that they found, but this album is by no means a setback: it’s filled with a ton of detailed and enjoyable songs, so I suggest you take a listen.

Panda Bear – Tomboy

Leave a comment

Rating: ★★★½☆

If you had just entered into the alternative side of the music scene recently, and knew nothing of a little band called Animal Collective, there is still a great chance that Panda Bear would have crossed your path sooner or later. Despite being a rational fan of Animal Collective, I wanted to hate this record so bad. Something about how much it was hyped before its release just sort of irked me. However, despite my preconceived notions that had nothing to do with the actual music, I was able to overcome the intimidating enigma surrounding Tomboy to get to the electro- pop that Noah Lennox has down pat.

The first song “You Can Count On Me,” serves as a transition of worlds for the listener. With its echo-y and distorted vocals, the repetition hazes you to a certain level of detachment, so that you are in the right place mentally to enjoy the album. Thankfully, it doesn’t go on for too long, and soon you are already on “Tomboy,” the title track. Laden with buzz and grimy electronic elements, the repetitive nature of the first song is broken with the natural qualities of the second. Despite that being paradoxical, it still rings true; somehow, the inorganic elements of this sound work together so that the gravelly echoes feel more like tangible back up singers.

It is in this little detail that Panda Bear wins me over. While other kinds of electronic music seem to fall flat in their lack of empathetic qualities, Lennox has managed to fuse the impersonal to deeply reaching, all in one stroke. For instance, “Slow Motion,” feels bitter in its tone, but evolves into pocket of enticing and almost sassy sounding jams. Continuing this chunk of satisfying songs comes “Surfer’s Hymn,” which sounds just like the title describes: tropical. On this number, the background noises transition to sound like the rushing tide pushing back and forth.

The one place where this album falls short is in its overall repetition. While I understand the intentional usage on the first track, it comes up a bit too prevalently throughout Tomboy: at the end of “Slow Motion” and during “Last Night at the Jetty” (which bears similarity to “My Girls”). Too much of the same thing over and over again brings down this effort to the level of mediocrity that other bands of this genre have established. It is a good thing that this only happens a few times.

Overall, it’s about as good as you are going to get for this kind of artificiality. If someone can make emotionally reaching and evoking music from electronic machines, that is a feat in itself and should be appreciated and enjoyed.

Crystal Stilts – In Love With Oblivion

Leave a comment

Rating: ★★★½☆

Last time you caught Crystal Stilts, you probably remember them for a bit of angular fuzz pop, featuring Brad Hargett’s throaty vocals, haunting every inch of Alight of Night.  Then several members went on to make a bright bit of pop with Cinema Red and Blue, but now they’ve all returned to the fold.  Despite their various whereabouts, the group have constructed In Love With Oblivion, possibly the darkest mark of their short career.

Atmospherics start off the record on “Sycamore Tree,” and despite a steady bounce to the drums, thematic darkness immediately sinks into the mix, as those acid-house guitars churn the noise forward. Hargett’s vocals sound somewhere between Morrison and Curtis, an image of despair in and of itself.  Although we begin with this foreboding feeling, we’re soon thrown into a bit of ballroom glitz, were it to be thrown on the Day of the Dead.  Surely the underlying elements of pop were meant to be disguised, offering another look into Crystal Stilts‘ idea of oblivion, obscuring the clarity we’re used to with our pop.

It’s definitely refreshing to find the band experimenting a bit here, as they appear to do on “Alien Rivers.”  While you’ll find some psychedelia living on the floor of the track, the spoken word delivery tends to lead you from ghost town to ghost town, darkening your soul as you listen to In Love With Oblivion. Other bands might continue to churn out those fuzzy-scuzzy pop moments, but that ominous tone to this definitely provides listeners with an expanded understanding of the group’s efforts.  But, Crystal Stilts can’t stay away from their bread and butter for too long, as those elemental urges will finally break through on the record’s latter half.

“Half A Moon,” perhaps concocted after album artwork was chosen, pushes the emotional pace, and those organs still provide a hint that there lives a brighter moment in our future, despite how dark we find our world, or our music. You’ll find the happiest moments, musically speaking on “Flying Into the Sun,” utilizing bright guitars and a cloudily pounding guitar to push forward.  Just because Hargett sounds haunting doesn’t mean we can’t eek out a bit of happiness. Then you blast on through “Shake the Shackles,” the record’s first single, and end up finding yourself on a downward emotional spiral.  With a title like “Death is What We Live For,” it’s hard not to feel a bit down about yourself while listening here, even if the music offers you a peak at the sun as the Moon rounds the Earth. You’ll want to stomp your feet and jam, but if you listen closely to the lyrics you’ll be stomping your way to musical damnation.

Listening to In Love With Oblivion can be difficult to take in at times, as its offerings are much darker than your usual fair, if not in lyrics, then in emotional toll.  But, getting to meat and potatoes of the album is easy to do, allowing you to lift yourself in and out of that darkness, extracting the great musical moments that bounce throughout.  Admittedly, it’s possibly not the record for everyone, yet Crystal Stilts have constructed something here that will have you operating on all kinds of tangents: oblivion, darkness, pop, psychedelia, etc–and provoking music, even emotionally so, is a definite must in this day and age.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/07-Shake-the-Shackles.mp3]

Download: Crystal Stilts – Shake the Shackles [MP3]

Vivian Girls – Share the Joy

Leave a comment

Rating: ★★★½☆

Despite various member changes since their origin in 2007, Vivian Girls seem to know exactly who they are and what they aim to do on this album. Their simple and fun songs rely on catchiness, zest and pure lightheartedness. However, with all this focus on fluff, does Share the Joy just become a write off, or did Vivian Girls manage to do the difficult task of stuffing sunshine into a bottle?

Let me first say that this is definitely an album that grows on you. While the stark and flat vocals of Cassie Ramone can be a little difficult to listen to at first, tough through it; as the rewards near the end of the album are great; not to say that the beginning is bad, it is just a bit of much needed introduction for those who are not already in love with this band. These ladies open with “The Other Girls,” a rather long first track that begins with a little furious guitar, but for the rest of the song, the band develops a very chill mood. The muted and far away drums combining with the jangly guitars continue on their second number and single “Heard You Say.” On this number, background vocals are utilized to their full effect: the “oohhss and aahhss” dominate, but leave room for some lovely guitar riffs.

At this point, Vivian Girls have given you a good taste of their hazy pop sound, accompanied by the clichéd woe-is-me girly lyrics, but you’re still waiting for those knockout numbers. About halfway through Share the Joy, “Sixteen Ways,” fills this desire. The heavy guitar and drums allow Ramone to sink down a little in her vocals, and the deepness of the song in general lets it become one of my favorites; you can’t help but love that simple strumming and harmonization. Following this song, “Take It As It Comes,” is some girl to girl advice that could fit seamlessly in with something from the sixties. Akin to something from the past, you can practically see these three ladies waving their fingers, sassily urging to “think with your head” instead of your heart. “Light in Your Eyes” then finishes off the album with more of the group effort vocally, both harmonically and through the trade off of the lead voice. Much like the album itself, this end track begins softly, but by the end, Vivian Girls have won you over.

While this is a very fun album, it doesn’t come off as oversimplified. With summer just around the corner, most of these songs should be able to find a home blaring out your car windows, the hot sun serving as the icing on the cake to this bubbly work, or vice versa.

Something Fierce – Don’t Be So Cruel

Leave a comment

Rating: ★★★½☆

Since not a lot is known about Something Fierce, and by not a lot is known I mean that they don’t have a Wikipedia page, I feel like I should give you a bit of background to this group. Hailing from Houston Steven Garcia, Niki Seven and Andrew Keith have been making late 70’s era punk since 2005. In 2009, these three folks self released their second album, There Are No Answers, but Don’t Be So Cruel marks their first release with Dirtnap Records.

When the throbbing bass introduces you to Something Fierce on the first few seconds of the title track, you can instantly hear the influence of early post-punk from the late 70’s. As the song gets to its meat pretty quickly, you can see other indicators of their nostalgic sound: the guitar standing out above some gritty vocals. After the barely minute song opener comes to a close, you get to hear this bands first proper tune, “What We Need Now.” Basically a continuation of the first song, this one focuses slightly more on the lyrical aspects and delves deeper into the skill set of this group. Whereas the first track was merely an anthem and appetizer for the rest, the second track seals the listener’s interest in this power punk pop jam.

While some of the music produced with a punk label on it may be labeled as simple in the lyrics or fundamental aspects, Something Fierce certainly cannot fall into that category. Each song does not just repeat a jangly chorus too many times that you know all the words after the first listen. Instead, this group crafts well thought out and written songs that also fit in with classics of the punk world. An example of this comes on “Ghosts of Industry,” one of the longest songs on this album, on which the half falsetto vocals juxtapose with the rough and tumble guitars and those dry, airy drums. At the same time these stellar instruments all rage on, a more intricate than you would expect amount of lyrics float somewhere in the middle. While normally indiscernible lyrics are one of my biggest pet peeves, I feel like this muddy quality works for the group; it’s like leaving the best bits to be discovered after repeated listens.

Such depth is just one of the golden qualities that this album possesses, but Don’t Be So Cruel does have some drawbacks. After repeated listens, some of the tracks have the ability to run together in the mind. For some, that won’t be a real problem; you will be able to appreciate the tightness of the songs. However, to others, it could prove this album just a little too repetitive. That said, I still believe that there are some delightful numbers interspersed through this work. Who knows, maybe you’ll find yourself blasting this out of your car windows in the spring breeze.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/12-Empty-Screens.mp3]

Download: Something Fierce – Empty Screens [MP3]

The Kills – Blood Pressures

Leave a comment

Rating: ★★★½☆

With a name like The Kills, there is a general connotation of thick, deep-set rock and roll that comes with this band. With past releases that have realized this connotation, this group consisting of merely Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince, has methodically strummed and beat their way to the front of the indie rock music scene. With Blood Pressures, they keep on with their distorted guitars and slightly rough around the edges sound.

The first track, “Future Starts Slow,” begins with some twangy yet grunge guitar work accompanied by vocals from both members. With the drums resounding slightly higher over the top of the track at points, you can get a clear grasp of the emphasis on percussion elements in addition to that of just the guitar. As the words “You can blow what’s left of my right mind,” are doled out during the chorus, you can feel the sweet release of this band. They are just trying to make some swell tunes, and by poking fun at a failing sanity, they offer everything that’s left of their creativity to their audience to take and make their own.

Whereas their last record, Midnight Boom, was a step away from their traditional serious sound, Blood Pressures is a culmination of their grainy rock alongside lighter bits. There are the simple songs that bring lighter notes on the short “Wild Charms.” While hardly offering whimsy, it is a quick break from the thick guitars and the vixen-esque voice of Mosshart and a glimpse at a solo from Hince. Contrarily, on the very next track “DNA,” you have everything that the track before it was not; the garage rock guitars, some choppy percussion and the seductive vocals of Mosshart.

But for me, the band’s full excellence comes on “The Last Goodbye,” in the latter half of Blood Pressures. Gone is the prominent guitar and present are the comforting lullaby feeling words. With just a piano and some crackly record player sound effects, the track makes you feel as if you are in a different time, perhaps saying goodbye to a good friend, or even a lover. At this stripped down level, the basic fundamentals of this group are savory and sweet, despite the solemnity of the song.  Despite the cheese factor that it could have had on this album, I feel like it would have been much wiser to end with this track. It is such a strong track from this group that the other songs that follow just kind of get lost in the shuffle.

Regardless of track order, this is still a fairly enjoyable album. With its ups and downs, and transitions from grit to clean, The Kills have once again produced a good effort.

King Creosote & Jon Hopkins – Diamond Mine

Leave a comment

Rating: ★★★★☆

Earlier this year King Creosote returned with the absolutely amazing Thrawn, an album that will undoubtedly be spinning for quite some time in houses across the globe.  But, in what could be his most prolific year, King aka Kenny Anderson has teamed up with ambient producer Jon Hopkins to reform/rehash some old tunes that have been laying around the house. Together they completed Diamond Mine for Domino Records, and if anything, it just makes the return of King Creosote that more powerful, as we won’t find too many people writing such incredibly emotional songs.

The first real track on Diamond Mine is titled “John Taylor’s Month Away,” and from the minute you play it, you can tell Hopkins has aided here, as gulls echo in the far-off distance, prior to the entrance of a steady strum from Anderson, along with his magical vocals.  One could try and continuously analyze the lyrics, but there’s an emotional tug that overcomes all the meaning one can try to extract. But, it’s not nearly as touching as “Bats in the Attic.” While King Creosote definitely has the ability to win you over on his own, just light touches such as the static in the background of the piano really forces you to acknowledge Kenny’s vocal quality, which is soon matched by a female counterpart.  You’ll find a softness to the presentation that surely will fit your playlist during those emotionally trying times, or perhaps just a winter mixtape that needs a bit of grace.

One of the things to appreciate about the King Creosote & Jon Hopkins collaboration is that it seems to have allowed Mr. Anderson a bit of time to wander about, such as in the folk-ish track “Running on Fumes.”  While the musical accompaniment is understated, there’s a fragility to Anderson here that seems so sincere that it the lyrics wrap around you, drawing you into the wilderness of the song itself.  Somehow you’ll drift off, just as the song crackles a wee bit; moments such as these don’t exist too often nowadays. Juxtaposed with the quieter element is the more electronic-laden “Bubble.”  It may not be the strongest track here, production wise, but at this point, you’ll pretty much do anything to listen to the vocals over and over again, haunting you until the end of your days.

Closing out Diamond Mine are two of the record’s shorter numbers, but they seem to fulfill the promise of the more developed songs that have been completed throughout.  If you’ve made it this far, as you clearly should have, you’ll likely find yourself caught up in the gracefulness of everything King Creosote seems to touch. Compile that with the studied touch of Jon Hopkins, and you have yet another startling release from a man who can’t seem to stop winning over every single listener he encounters. Let’s just hope the string of excellent releases, such as this one, keep coming down the pipeline for some time to come. Otherwise the world will probably seem a whole lot less beautiful and serene.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/03-Bats-In-The-Attic.mp3]

Download: King Creosote & Jon Hopkins – Bats In The Attic [MP3]

Diamond Mine is out now via Domino Records.

Bill Callahan – Apocalypse

Leave a comment

Rating: ★★★★☆

Listening to a record from Bill Callahan can often be a daunting affair for all, as his songwriting is superb, but often overshadowed in his work by his abilities as a wordsmith.  Once you indulge in Apocalypse, it’s definitely going to be difficult to find your way out, which is precisely what makes this one of Bill’s strongest releases to date.

Kicking off the album is “Drover” and the lyric “the real people went away/I’ll find a better way someday.”  If you’re looking to unravel Bill’s meaning, especially in regards to the themes within, you’ll probably begin to think Callahan is trying to reclaim America for himself, for his types.  It’s such a beautiful idea, expressing hope amidst a country that’s possibly in decline.  Toss this in with the strumming of the guitar, the occasional string flourishes and light percussion, and surely you will recognize what a strong track this is.

“America!” doesn’t stray too far from this theme, though the discussion seems to reflect upon the great exports of our world from a man missing his homeland, though when referencing someone like David Letterman, it’s difficult to see how seriously we should take the lyrics.  The song itself uses sort of a carnivalesque stomp and some cascading guitar solos to move everything along, all the way to cacophonous end.  It’s odd, as it leads right into the softer “Universal Applicant,” a track that utilizes a hint of flute beneath a shaker of sorts, yet this isn’t the entire story of the track.  A light-hearted guitar chord takes over a few minutes in, with some extremely minimal drumming, providing the track with a bit of an emotional boost, while Callahan sort of walks his lyrics through the rest of the number.

After so many spins, it’s hard not to fall in the love with the latter-half of this album, one of the strongest statements of Bill’s career, in one man’s mind.  “Riding for the Feeling” sort of hovers over the guitar work, clinging to gentle stringing and some careful arrangements that bring the story of Bill’s world in the Apocalypse to life.  It’s pointless to influence you with thoughts on emotional meaning, as each listener will surely bring their own interpretation to the table, but regardless, you’ll want to play this song again and again. Then skip ahead to “One Fine Morning,” nearly 9 minutes of Bill Callahan writing at his best.  Heading out on his journey, Bill seems to be looking over the landscape of America just as much as he’s looking back over his life.  Amidst the quiet dance of guitar strumming and piano, he seems to realize that he, like us all, has to confront “the hardest part,” hoping that when it all comes to an end, there will be a little sun left on the horizon.  It wraps up a wonderful album, by wrapping up a wonderful track.

“One Fine Morning” serves as the final statement here on Apocalypse, and while the record might slowly fade into the background, you’ll reach over and immediately play it all over again.  Slower pacing seems to suit Bill Callahan, his voice especially, allowing him to give us an honest account of his thoughts in a way only he can pull off.  Nothing more needs to be said; it’s just an endearing listen from start to finish.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Bill-Callahan-Babys-Breath.mp3]

Download: Bill Callahan – Baby’s Breath [MP3]

Apocalypse is out on Drag City on 4/5.

1 … 52 53 54 55 56 … 102
Social Media Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com