Tag: album review

Grizzly Bear – Shields

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Rating: ★★★★½

With their release of Veckatimest in 2009, Grizzly Bear essentially placed themselves on the map for those of you who had no prior knowledge of these indie rockers. Receiving accolades upon accolades, that album made it to the top of end of year lists and fans swooned over the brooding, yet airy sounds of this band.

While I was a fan of that last album, I have to confess that I didn’t enjoy it to the same obsessive level that others seemed to. After too much repeated listening, I found myself tuning out of the music and forgetting I was listening; the passive and subtle nature of this band made it easy for them to slip into the background. Thus, the biggest change I was hoping for in Shields was a shift from the passive, to a more aggressive and gripping sound dispersed through the whole record.

The singles for this release foreshadow the success of this album. “Sleeping Ute” and “Yet Again” have that same edge to them that prior Grizzly Bear singles, like “Two Weeks” possessed. First up is “Sleeping Ute,” which is guitar heavy, to say the least. Loops of distorted guitars welcome you in, and then the crash of the lighter-than-air-percussion follows and it isn’t long before the familiar calming vocals of Ed Droste break into the mix. At four minutes and thirty-six seconds of experimental rock bliss, this track is excellent for you to embark on your journey through Shields. It grips you right from the beginning, doling out a rockier jam than expected from Grizzly Bear, but the band also backs off for the last minute of the song, introducing a winding and equally interesting sound. “Yet Again” holds this same outright rock flair, complete with the catchiness of the aforementioned past single.

Unlike Veckatimest, it’s not just the singles on Shields that really catch your attention—the way it should be on cohesive album. Each song is enticing and an important part of the record. Even on the slower numbers, take “The Hunt,” for example, on which it’s difficult to slip away from the captivating nature of the music. Even late in the game, the band still manages to cram in another fully fleshed out song in “Sun in Your Eyes.” This closing piece is multi-crescendo’ed and epic in nature, spanning seven minutes in length, but never losing your complete attention through each swell and fall.

Grizzly Bear have certainly stepped up their game—fans of their previous work will grow impossibly more smitten and newcomers will have a hard time resisting to fall in love.

Dinosaur Jr. – I Bet On Sky

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Rating: ★★★☆☆

I love how the songs of my youth are coming back to haunt my record collection.  A slew of bands have returned to the fold, but for me, none has been more important than that of Dinosaur Jr, especially with their classic line-up at the helm.  I Bet On Sky isn’t a return to form, but it shows the continued growth of a band we’ve all adored for many a year.

At first, I was taken aback by the opening guitar lines of “Don’t Pretend You Didn’t Know,” sort of taking an angular approach at first, but when I heard J’s voice it all brought it back home.  There’s something so familiar about the sound of Mascis, but perhaps that’s due to my early acquaintance with the group.  For newcomers, you’ll find a singer that sounds aged, yet comfortable in his skin.  It’s probably one of my favorite voices in all of music. And while there is some heavy riffing going on, especially on tracks like “Watch the Corners,” I Bet On Sky is mostly an even keel affair, with J steadying the troops.

“Almost Fare” sort of pokes and prods its way into a full on chorus eruption, but I like the pacing on the track; Mascis never sounded so warm and personal, to me at least, as he does on this track.  That is until the chorus just blasts off, only to return quietly a few moments later.  Album closer “See It On Your Side” is a slow-burning guitar track, with these incredible bits of guitar skill dominating the early moments of the song, yet the star belongs to the vocal performance.  Somehow J always makes his songs fit his voice, even when he’s not fronting Dinosaur Jr, which is a feat in his own when you consider how much his vocals play a role in the band.

Of course, one of the special moments on this record doesn’t come from Mascis but rather a Barlow penned tune, “Rude.”  There’s an effortless bounce to the tune, and it’s definitely in the range of what one would expect from the group’s classic line-up; it’s definitely rooted in a sound very much known to fans of SST. Even “Pierce the Morning Rain” comes at you hard and fast, and while I like Barlow’s tune, this is one that reminds me of the first time I turned on a Dinosaur Jr. record. No matter how far the band changes and grows, there is something in their songwriting that will always feel like home.

Honestly, I Bet On Sky is a good solid record.  You’ll press play, and hopefully you’ll listen from start to finish, but it’s far from their best effort.  A lot of the songs have a decent punch, but other than three tracks that immediately spring to mind, there’s nothing that you can call an absolute standout.  It’s hard to knock a band that sounds this tight, and I don’t aim to do that, but perhaps I was looking for the warmth from J’s last solo outing, combined with the tight-knit unit of Murph and Barlow.  Dinosaur Jr. are clearly not the same band they once were, and yet at their core, they’re everything you love/loved about the group–so cheers to that.

Woods – Bend Beyond

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Rating: ★★★★☆

Honestly, I’ve never been one-hundred percent behind Woods.  Some of their tunes have been really good, and others I could have done without, but when you’re working as hard as this band, sometimes you get lost in the fold.  But, Bend Beyond is a pretty exceptional record, and it’s definitely gotten a hold of me.

You couldn’t have asked for a better opening track than “Bend Beyond,” which clearly owes a bit to California pop of yesteryear.  The song opens slowly, but when the chorus begins to take off in this perfect melody, it won me over completely.  Sure, there’s a bit much of the guitar noodling for my typical liking, but with the striking harmony as the central player, I can forgive that. And they followed it up with “Cali in a Cup,” a song that immediately had me awkwardly stomping about my stereo room with a huge grin upon my face.  One listen here and you’ll remember why those of us who are pop lovers really love music.  At this point, Bend Beyond is two for two.

I promise you, Woods aren’t letting up, but they do offer more than just this folk-laden sunny pop.  You don’t have to go too far to find “It Ain’t Easy;” it’s a number that mostly revolves around gentle guitar strumming and vocals.  You’ll hear some faint slide guitar shimmering in the background, providing the song with more depth, but it’s not like that’s needed, as the track’s pretty special standing on its own.  Or they can go in a completely different direction, just as they do on “Find Them Empty.” It opens with this shattering psychedelic guitar noise, which never fully fades away, circling in and out about the central idea of the track.  Definitely a pop tune, similar to the earlier tracks mentioned, but with a bit of ballsy guitar work making it something else entirely.

I’m not really sure what is about this release that has made me completely warm to the band, but right now I’m leaning towards the undeniable consistency on Bend Beyond.  You can skip all the way from the first track to “Impossible Skys,” which is the second to last track here, still seeing some lineage in the sense that they’re still grooming blissful pop tunes.  In fact, the majority of the songs in this collection share the same sentiment, though there are some differing variables that I’ve previously mentioned; those differences provide just another variation to leave you with a record that never sounds the same, but always sounds cohesive.

Ultimately, that’s where Woods leave off on this record, giving you a record that’s tied nicely together by the band’s focus.  You’re not going to get bored listening to this album, but you’re surely going to leave your listening experience with happier ears.  Some bands make pop music, others add elements of pop to their folk music, and when it’s done as well as it on Bend Beyond, you’re not going to see too many people complain.

The Helio Sequence – Negotiations

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Rating: ★★★☆☆

Oregon duo The Helio Sequence are over a decade into their career, carefully crafting intimate tunes that seem to be enduring in most people’s record collection, and hearts as well.  On their fifth full length, Negotiations, there are some stunningly brilliant moments of pop, though their intimate approach often heads in only one direction, which may (or may not) wear down listeners come the end of the record.

Coming out of the gate, The Helio Sequence clearly have lofty intentions.  “One More Time” has a vocal that rises almost immediately after its introduction, but a slight change in the pitch provides a different direction.  All the while, the guitar rings in the far background of the song, and the drums provide a perfect pace.  Negotiations continues to climb higher towards perfection with “October,” utilizing a soft vocal introduction, before it playfully turns you on your ear with the “go go go, if you wanna go” refrain.  Each time I listen to this track, I swear it continues to warm me, making it one of my favorite tracks from the duo.  But, while the opening segment is rock solid, it peaks out here, unfortunately.

There’s definitely a noisier approach to the duo’s craftsmanship as the record proceeds, using bits of feedback on tracks like “When the Shadow Falls” or a heavier bit of emotion on “Hall of Mirrors.”  Both songs are interesting to a certain extent, but their power is diminished by the album’s opening moments, which will still remain in most listeners heads.  Perhaps it’s not the most apropos conversation to have, but I feel like the rehearsal or studio time falls short on the latter half; it just doesn’t quite fit with the beautiful moments that came in early on Negotiations.

Yet, despite some mild pitfalls, there’s also an interesting mix of more traditional folk-influenced tunes that one could consider winning efforts, such as “Harvester of Souls” or “December.”  The former track is definitely a quieter track, mostly revolving around vocals and carefully picked guitar, with hints of atmospheric accompaniment use to provide depth.  On the latter of the two songs, the band tries to remain quiet to a certain extent, but they can’t seem to escape the formulaic approach that seeps through your stereos as you listen to The Helio Sequence.

I’m not going to lie; I quite like this record.  It comes to me at the perfect time of the year, with a slight change in the weather, and a slight change in what I plan on listening to during my days.  That being said, the more I listen to Negotiations, the more it has a tendency to blend into the background as I play it from start to finish.  You’ll find exceptional highs, especially near the beginning, and you’ll find some that fall short, but it’s very much a record by The Helio Sequence in sound and scope; I think that’s just enough to please the fans of the group.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/05HallofMirrors.mp3]

Download:The Helio Sequence – Hall of Mirrors [MP3]

Negotiations is out now via Sub Pop.

Seapony – Falling

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Rating: ★★★½☆

These days there seems to be a real abundance in lo-fi, dream and twee pop. In recent years, the indie world has witnessed and transitioned into a world filled with that of these genres, but with the overwhelming growth of the shoe-gaze movement, how does a fan sift through the vast amount of music and find the bands that do it right? What makes a lo-fi band stand out against the masses?

Seapony stands out in the overwhelmingly bright and sunny nature of their pop tunes as well as the ever-apparent guitar hooks that are featured throughout the music. A little over a year ago, they introduced you to their take on dream pop with Go With Me, which seemed to fit perfectly into the summery bedroom listening category. On this sophomore release, lead vocalist Jen Weidl and company are back with more cheery guitar riffs and jangly percussion to dance to. Up first is “Outside,” that throws listeners into the swing of things right from the start. Weidl’s sugary vocals are a distorted, making them a bit heavier on this song than on the majority of the other songs that can be found on this album. The guitars jangle along with these gritty vocals, while the drums punch in the background. It’s not the fastest of songs, but it certainly gives you a taste of what Seapony is all about.

There isn’t much to complain about on Falling. The songs work together well so as to avoid repetition and banality, but there are also standouts to be found in this mix. Such a noticeably grand number is “Follow,” which relies on the dreamy and ever feminine voice of Weidl and the glorious focus on the guitar riff. It’s a song that sounds so blissful that you can practically feel a cool breeze on your face. An equally beautiful song comes on the single for this album, “Prove to Me.” As opposed to “Follow,” the guitar is set further back into the other instrumentation and the vocals so that it blends in, but is also able to float to the surface and become the center of the song in places.

My only qualm with this record is that it is perhaps a little too sunny, if that’s possible. It feels like Falling should maybe have been released a few months ago, when the weather was heating up and not cooling down. But it’s still quite hot here in ATX, so soak up this radiance before the leaves start to change and the wind blows cold.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Seapony_ProveToMe.mp3]

Download:Seapony – Prove To Me [MP3]

Falling is out now via Hardly Art. 

Thee Oh Sees – Putrifiers II

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Rating: ★★★★½

Putrifiers II is the third or fourth LP in the last two years from Thee Oh Sees, depending upon whether or not you’d like to include their single collection.  They’re hard-working, clearly, but what impresses me is that the tiniest details alter the sound from record to record, though Castlemania is a bit of an outlier.  Again, the group’s giving you a psychedelic garage rock run with a bit of punk rock energy kicking down the doors.

As soon as you turn on Purtifiers II  you better turn it up loud because “Wax Face” is best listened  to at high volumes.  After opening with a playful twinkling guitar line, the band jumps on the distortion pedals and bangs out a stomping number.  Interestingly, the vocals almost seem an afterthought here, coming off as an extra instrument rather than a pertinent piece of storytelling. But, that’s the opposite case with “Hang A Picture,” the following tune, which definitely has Thee Oh Sees playing to their strengths as tight knit unit; this track has that same pscch stomp feel, but it’s as if the group’s rocking this one out together around a campfire.

I know it’s hard to see this band getting much better than they already are, but with tracks like “Flood’s New Light,” it’s clear that they’re not resting on their laurels, even if you can see the lineage between the various records.  The opening bass line completely won me over, and then the horn jumped in, on came the vocals, creating one of the catchiest tunes I think I’ve heard from Thee Oh Sees.  On the chorus you’ll find a little monosyllabic lyric, continuously improving the delectable flavor apparent on this tune.  Speaking of that chorus, it sort of indicates a slight R&B sensation that also seems to occasionally pop its head up here.  “Will We Be Scared” might not come across as classic Motown, but the guitar work, the airy vocals and the way the bass walks through the tune really gives you a nice groove.

Ultimately, the differentiation on Putrifiers II is what makes it a winning collection of tunes. The album’s title track (“Putrifers II”) begins with this slow-handed light pop element, but as the guitars and drums get going, there’s a layer of depth that provides you with a darker sensation.  However, the restraint is where the band seems to really switch things up…I kept expecting them to fully blast off, but they don’t go that route.  There’s an increased pace, but it’s not as in your face as one would expect, if you’re familiar with the previous works of the group. Then you get the contrast with the folk-ish album closer, “Wicked Park.”  It feels like something the Kinks might have put together early on in their career–it’s definitely a step away from the band’s garage-psych blend, and the record is better off for it.

If you’re a fan of Thee Oh Sees, you can pretty throw all your expectations out the window when you pick up your copy of Putrifiers II.  Yes, it does have hints of the band’s storied sound, but at the same time they never seem to stay in one place for too long.  That’s what makes them so dynamic, both live and on record, which will only continue to grow their fame.  I’m continuously impressed with the group’s work, and once you get your hands on this, you will be too.

 

The XX – Coexist

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Rating: ★★★½☆

Back in 2009, The xx made their way into the hearts of indie fans with their sleek and sensual first album. It was breathy, moody, electronic, and danceable: a combination of elements that seemed to strike resonance in younger audiences with their minimalist R&B sound. Consisting of guitar, bass and drum machine, the first album made waves and ended up atop a lot of year-end lists as this band transitioned from unknown to popular in the scope of the indie world in their buzz-band success. Now, three years later, Coexist begs the question: can this band power through their rapidly achieved success and be more than a buzz-band?

The two songs that they released as singles make their appearance early on this sophomore release. “Angels,” is up first, and it serves to introduce the band’s new sound. The familiar deep and soft vocals of lead female vocalist Romy Madley Croft greet you, along with impossibly more minimalist backing instrumentation.  It’s a slower, mellower track, which is a common theme for this album. The next song and other single “Chained” picks up the pace, with a faster beat provided by the drum machine, and a groovy guitar riff towards the end. Both of these songs provide a palette for the rest of the album, as most of the songs fall under the categorization of these two tracks. Other immediate standouts include “Sunset” and “Swept Away,” which fall as more musical and sonically interesting tracks.

It’s difficult to categorize this album as either interesting or fairly dull when it is so far in the shadow of the first album. At first glance, the sound of Coexist feels overwhelmingly empty; it’s missing those sharp guitar riffs that made the music edgy and playful in the first place. However, when you’ve gone through the album a few times and let go of your qualms that it’s not, in fact, the exact same tone of the album that was released three years ago, this collection of songs becomes a natural progression for The xx. The group relies less on breakdown after breakdown and focuses on a deeper, more somber overall sound. You won’t find the overwhelmingly playful waves of electronic elements that previous tracks, such as “VCR,” but instead you’ll find that waves that don’t bounce quite as high, keeping a lower profile.

Coexist is very much a sophomore album in that the band progressed their sound, making it drastically different from their first album and garnering a label of ‘maturity,’ which allows them to move past the hype and establish themselves as a sold Such a change can be noted even upon the differences in the artwork of these two releases. The first is stark, with harsh lines in a bold, black and white display, whereas this album displays the same ‘x,’ but with a soft swirling of color on the inside. What will be different about the design of the next album, and will this band be able to progress yet again, while keeping the fans of their original sound?

Will Johnson – Scorpion

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Rating: ★★★☆☆

Will Johnson is one of the most active musicians in the state of Texas, and, well, out of it too; he’s the main man for Centro-matic and he played drums on tour for Monsters of Folk.  But, I’ve always had an affinity for his solo work, ever since I first put on Vulture’s Await.  On Scorpion, his new solo record, we’re once again treated to an intimate affair, one that’s ultimately heartfelt and captivating.

If you’re not accustomed to Will Johnson‘s music, then you might be taken aback a bit at first when you press play to hear the first track, “You Will Be Here, Mine.”  True, it’s a pained rasp, but the more you listen, the more it becomes one of the most endearing voices you’ll hear.  This particular track has Will crooning as a very down-trodden percussive element backs his careful guitar picking.  You’re not going to feel uplifted here, but you’ll find personal solace in this tune.  Oh, and the semi-eruptive closing is quite beautiful. Similarly, “Bloodkin Push (Forget the Ones) takes a down turn in tempo, with Johnson’s voice clearly remaining the key instrument in the track; there’s also a faint backing vocal that truly helps deepen the mood.

I kept looking for a remake of “Vultures Await,” though admittedly that’s not fair to expect from an entirely different collection of songs, especially when the songwriter seems to put so much of his person in his songs.  There are a few tracks that near the perfection of the aforementioned number such as “Blackest Sparrow/Darkest Night” and “Truss of Ten.”  The former features a calm delivery, which reveals the faintest hint of Will’s natural vocal melody; this is the voice that has affected me for so long.  On the latter of the two tunes, there’s barely any instrumentation, aside from muted guitar strokes that eventually make way for some light picking.  However, this song is all about the vocal performance, with Will again joined by a counterpart with a softer side, contrasting his harder edge.

By and large, Scorpion is much quieter than the last full-length project.  Where the past efforts saw his voice attempting to soar, Will seems much more alone here.  You can’t help but be drawn in by a track “Scorpion,” even though there’s not much to the track itself.  A bit of far off tinkling piano, some backing vocals and gentle strummed guitar are all that exist to show us that Johnson’s not entirely alone out there.  This is about as personal an experience as a listener can get nowadays, as if he’s writing these tracks in the back of your house while you sit outside the door.

This listening experience is quite different than where I feel like I expected it to go after fawning over Will Johnson‘s previous works, both with band and without.  While I appreciate a more musical approach, I think Scorpion succeeds in being the exact opposite.  It’s a record you want with you while you’re alone, giving you the feeling like you have someone with whom you can share your solitude.  There’s no way you can listen through this whole record without having a huge emotional reaction, and I’m always thankful Will can provide us with that.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/01-You-Will-Be-Here-Mine.mp3]

Download:Will Johnson – You Will Be Here, Mine [MP3]

 

Dot Dash – Winter Garden Light

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Rating: ★★★★☆

When I first stumbled upon DC’s Dot Dash, I had the impression that the group was aiming follow in the footsteps of their namesake, which might have been true on the first record.  But, with Winter Garden Light, the group has altered their sound, creating a warmer collage of pop tunes infused with melody and excellent guitar sounds.

From the instant that “Faraway” blasts through your stereo you can see that the softer side of Dot Dash is about to break through.  Terry Banks’ vocals have a softer tone on this opener, and the guitars seem to have a brighter quality in comparison to the earlier work of the group.  But, at times you can still hear the jagged edge of the band in their sound, fueled by the buzzsaw guitars near the end of the song.  At first, I had to alter my perception of the group, but after the opener, “Countdown” sold me on the group’s progress. Light backing vocals add some emphasis to Banks’ voice, which soars during the chorus.  I feel as if there’s an Oceanic vibe in the guitars, and once it’s combined with the group’s pop leanings, it comes close to perfection.

One of the songs that really sticks out on Winter Garden Light is “Live to Tell.” Beginning with a sort of spoken word atop minimal percussion and faint guitars, it then jumps into a swirling bit of guitar that captures you emotionally as Terry moves into his singing stance.  But, what I really like is how the band juxtaposed this track in the sequencing with “The Past Is Another Country,” which is one of the heavier hitters on the record.  While there’s a punk rock urgency to this number, it still holds some semblance to great pop writing, especially in the vocal approach. Together, these two tracks are a perfect one-two punch that demonstrates the bands abilities to go back and forth between traditional indie rock and lofty pop.

Personally, when listening to Dot Dash I like the element of restraint they’ve shown in their songwriting.  Amidst today’s musical landscape, they somehow manage to hold back on just filling your ears with walls of controlled feedback on the guitars.  You can see hints of all-things-gaze in tracks like “Lateral/Vertical” or even “Two Octobers,” but they hold it down in the mix, which really allows for the other elements to push through.  Using such techniques shows me that they’re not aiming to be just another band behind Pains of Being Pure at Heart, but rather a group with their own definitive sound, albeit one you can trace back through various lineage.

At the end of the day, I’m happy to have stumbled upon Dot Dash, as they have proved to me that they’re a group with their own distinctive voice.  It’s great to have influences, and even to wear them on your sleeve, but when you make it your own, that’s when you’ve proved your mettle.  In my eyes, Winter Garden Light is just that sort of record, giving you glints at the band’s record collection, but begging you to look at them as their own entity.  Consider that mission accomplished.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Dot-Dash-Winter-Garden-Light-01-Faraway.mp3]

Download:Dot Dash – Faraway [MP3]

 

Animal Collective – Centipede Hz

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Rating: ★★☆☆☆

I realize, of course, that Animal Collective is one of the most divisive bands in the indie world, admittedly acknowledging that I’m the only on this site that has any interest in the group.  So I set out to listen to Centipede Hz aiming to prove a point, hoping to convince my partners that there’s something worthwhile about this band and their recent album.  Honestly, I struggled, barely making it past the first song on the first few listens.

“Moonjock” is an awful choice for an opener.  It’s possibly one of the worst recorded songs I’ve heard from this band, with little focus in the way of song construction.  At times it’s grating, and at other moments, it’s just plain awful.  But, while I can’t stand this song, I found a little bit of solace in the following track, “Today’s Supernatural.”  It’s not going to catch you with powerful hook-laden beats, such as the group’s done before, but the basic outline of the song does work to a certain extent.  However, the group seems to get lost in the plot with the extensive shouting, and then it sort of falls out flat.

As a fan of the band, I was looking for that statement track on Centipede Hz, sort of like “My Girls.”  While it may not have the lofty pop moments, “Applesauce” is probably the standout track in a record with so few.  The vocal effect here isn’t quite as offensive, and the hidden melody does appease my ears; they’re also as playful and joyous as the group can be at the best of times. If I had to pick another track that fit into a similar place on this album, then I’d probably pick “Pulleys,” although this is the most un-Animal Collective track to my ears.  It’s almost holds onto a dream-pop quality, but the weak percussion holds the track back just a bit, keeping it from being a true star here.

Each time I listen, something new pops up, which typically is a great thing for any music listener, but these aren’t necessarily great things that reveal themselves to me, rather they’re the elements of what seems like a tired formula.  For instance, on “New Town Burnout,” you’re going to find the percussion/drum loop uninspired, and the vocals don’t do much more to aid the cause.  Or, maybe you’ll go to the miserable vocal performance on “Wide Eyed.”  I’m not sure what I dislike about it necessarily, but for a group that’s made their name fitting erratic vocals into careful pop construction, this seems rather lackluster.

All in all, I definitely have a few songs on Centipede Hz that I can enjoy in the near future.  But, that being said, I will definitely stand by the fact that this is the first Animal Collective record that’s probably not ever going to be played again on my record player from start to finish.  There are simply too many songs in this collection that are unlistenable, which I’ll admit makes me sad.  I didn’t expect a repeat performance after Merriweather Post Pavilion, but I definitely had something stronger in my dreams than this.  Perhaps their formulaic (albeit an abstract formula) writing style has run its course. Perhaps the band has run its course.  Only time will tell, but at least we’ll always have records like Feels to fall back on.

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