The Tallest Man on Earth – There’s No Leaving Now

Rating: ★★★★☆

It seems like Kristian Mattson is on a roll, musically speaking.  His music has progressed through his first two albums, and he continues his own tradition with his latest release as The Tallest Man on Earth, There’s No Leaving Now.  At this point in his career, his voice and musical stylings have become familiar, making the work on this album more personal.

Upon listening to the first track, “To Just Grow Away,” I noticed that his guitar playing has changed a little bit; there’s an intricacy to the picking of the strings, rather than the heavier handed strumming of earlier efforts. Surprisingly, there’s also a softness to his distinctive Dylan-esque drawl…it all points to bright things on There’s No Leaving Now. You’ll find more changes as you move into “Revelation Blues,” though I’ll admit they’re a bit more subtle.  The musical accompaniment, which has always remained sparse, if even present, is much more noticeable this go round, such as the rolling drum in the background on this track.  Personally, I think it helps fight off naysayers who would say he’s not really progressing; clearly, he’s adding slight touches to change his game.

I think that The Tallest Man on Earth definitely has softened a bit.  Kristian always had just a hint of that off-pitch delivery, but he’s warmed the edges of his vocal instrument on this effort.  “1904,” one of the standout tracks, features a chorus where he goes after higher notes than I’ve seen him go after before–and he succeeds in that for the most part.  In doing so, he crafts one of the more emotional moments on the record, and you’ll keep coming back to the track due to his efforts. Later on in There’s No Leaving Now he warms you again with “Little Brother;” it’s just his vocals and guitar for the most part.  But, aside from a polish to the voice, you begin to notice that Mattson’s grown as a lyricist to boot.

Despite the fact that Kristian’s denied sharing any allegiance to the folk tradition, he definitely has begun to take on a more emotional everyman approach with his lyrics. His stories seem rooted in personal experience, like on “There’s No Leaving Now,” but you can also see that such songs could be applied to your own life by stepping into Mattson’s shoes.  They’re songs about love, about the trials and tribulations of life, but his usage of “you” often makes you wonder if he’s talking directly to you–this is perhaps what’s made Mattson so endearing.

I think the best thing that stands out on There’s No Leaving Now is that there’s a lot of variance in the songwriting this go round.  Sure, there’s your traditional guitar and voice, but there’s also songs featuring some nice backing arrangements and even piano bits.  It’s definitely still The Tallest Man on Earth, but it shows that Mattson’s willing to try new territory, or new twists; this is the sort of thing that makes us appreciate his work, not to mention the fact that it keeps us coming back again and again.  As long as Kristian writes music this good, we’ll all be here for a long time, adoring everything he puts out.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/The_Tallest_Man_on_Earth_-_1904.mp3]

Download: The Tallest Man on Earth – 1904 [MP3]

Jaill – Traps

Rating: ★★★½☆

It’s quite interesting to see the progression of modern indie rock, noticing that many bands are going back to classic rock n’ roll sounds to win over fans.  Milwaukee’s Jaill are one such band, and their second effort for Sub Pop, Traps, sees them getting close to perfecting the formula.  There’s bits of classic rock, elements of psych, drunken swagger, and hints of recording in your garage; now seems like the perfect time for the band.

“Waste a Lot of Things” kicks the record off, and it’s here where I first noticed that Jaill opted to hold back a little bit on this new release, which actually works in their favor.  There’s a steadier pacing to the track, rather than more immediate tracks from That’s How We Burn. It ends up as a stomping track with crashing cymbals that reveals itself as you draw near the end.  Even with “Everyone’s A Bitch,” you get the feeling like the band could possibly blast this one off, but while holding back on the song’s speed, they’ve allowed for the hooks to grow stronger.  It’s very anthemic in it’s construction, even featuring in “ooohs” in the chorus; you gotta love it.

Traps won me over with less urgency and songs that resemble more of a ballad.  “Horrible Things (Make Pretty Songs)” says all that it needs to in the title of the track.  It features a strummed guitar, and even some female vocals harmonizing in the background; I don’t feel like these sorts of songs would have survived on That’s How We Burn.  “Madness” is another such song, which feels very much like a campfire song that was created in someone’s basement–I mean this in a truly endearing way, I swear. Light touches of keyboard and tambourine bring the rest of the track to life for the listener.

But, just because mellow tracks live here, this doesn’t mean Jaill still can’t throw out a rocker for you, even if it’s just a touch less furious than it was before.  “Ten Teardrops” lurks near the end of the record, hanging out behind some softer tunes, but it’s definitely a jam.  You’ll find jagged-edged guitars feuding with classic rock tendencies, giving the whole track a country-fied power-pop feel to it.  Bit of this sort lay all over the record, but aside from the earliest tracks, this is the most rocking in the latter half of the album.

Now, I’ll admit being taken aback when I first listened to Traps, as I was expecting something a little bit different.  That being said, after a couple of listens all the way through, my musical mind made the adjustment, and I think I ended up enjoying the record as a whole a bit more than their first release.  It’s progression, and it’s good; that and that alone is a reason for you to pick up this new Jaill album.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Jaill-Waste-A-Lot-Of-Things.mp3]

Download:Jaill – Waste A Lot Of Things [MP3]

Volcano! – Pinata

Rating: ★★★½☆

I’m going to say this right off the bat…you’re going to have to do a lot of work in order to love Volcano!‘s newest record, Pinata. I don’t say that because it’s not an enjoyable listen, but I say that because it’s up, down, left, right, and any other direction the album wants to go.  That’s actually why it’s such a rewarding bit of pop music; it begs you to follow along, asks you to go with it in order to reap the ultimate reward: pop enlightenment.

“Pinata” opens up the record, using throbbing bass beats just before Aaron jumps in with sort of spoken word vocals.  At times, he’s excitable, matching the precision drumming and reaching higher scales; it’s what you would imagine if you gave LSD laced with amphetamines to Dirty Projectors.  It’s schizophrenic, but planned and organized; you can’t help but bob your head. But, just as you wanted to lump Volcano! in with art-pop acts of similar ilk, they go in other directions, such as the stop start vocal delivery at the beginning of “So Many Lemons.” It’s almost like he’s scat singing, but then he sinks into the groove with the rest of the band, touching on a more polished pop side.  At this point, you might scratch your head a bit, yet you won’t be able to deny the quality (and tightness) of the songwriting.

Honestly, the more I listen to each song, the more I realize that each song can be written about like an album review, as there’s so much texture and creativity put into each track.  “Child Star” for instance begins with an emphatic vocal, matched by choppy guitar and knob twiddling, but it bursts off into this other realm, giving us Aaron’s best vocals on Pinata.  Still, it ends up somewhere entirely different than where you expected it, in the best possible way.  I even thought that “Plate Breaker” might be a more traditional song, nearing the realm of an angular ballad, until the track speeds up around the 40 second mark, gets jittery…and goes to God knows where.  You’ll like it, and you might even love it, but have fun trying to explain your affection to your friends.

Volcano! have one thing going: they don’t sound like anything else out there.  In doing that, they’ve crafted a listen that many people will describe as a “difficult listen,” but those that can stick through the entirety of the record will have something they won’t soon forget.  Songs like “Long Gone” have infectious hooks, that though brief, stick in your head like only the best pop can.  Some of the songs evolve slowly, like “St. Mary of Nazareth,” and appear more delicate; you’ll never know, though, when the band will go in their own direction.  Take some time out of your day, sit down with Pinata, and see if you can unravel the mystery lurking beneath the odd time switches, yelps and, indeed, hooks.  If you make it through, you’ll not only thank me, but you’ll thank the band for being one of the band’s doing something truly original and creative.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/09_Long-Gone.mp3]

Download:Volcano! – Long Gone [MP3]

Dent May – Do Things

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Hearing that Dent May had ditched his ukulele, I was a little bit scared about his newest release for Paw Tracks, Do Things.  But, the more I listen to this album, the more I realized that it’s less about his instrument, and more about his voice; it’s still very affecting, which makes listening to the whole record just as enjoyable as his first.

It all starts off with a bouncy number, “Rent Money,” propelled forward by synthetic sounds, yet Dent’s croon is strong as we’ve heard it.  He’s got a memorable voice, but his control over that instrument is what makes his songs so special–here he sings about the trials of trying to earn a living, in a manner that only May can. “Fun” follows, with a similar focus of backing pieces, but this is perhaps my favorite performance of his on Do Things.  Each verse sees the rise and fall of the pitch in the vocals, which in an odd way reminds me of Stephin Merritt‘s distinctive voice.

By the time you get to the single, “Best Friend,” you might begin to find yourself a bit disappointed, as the songwriting begins to get a little to familiar.  It’s filled with hooks, just like the rest of the tracks that come before it, but there’s nothing extraordinary about the construction of the accompanying beats, leading Dent May down a path of pop redundancy. There’s traces of differentiation coming in and out of the record, but they don’t do enough to push the record beyond the stage of mediocrity.

“Find Out” opens with a slight guitar riff, but by the time vocals and percussion mix, it’s fading into the background to stay.  These are the sorts of things that you wish May would have messed with in the final mix of Do Things, adding something special to the formula that would give more emphasis to the tracks.  I mean, “Wedding Day” has a nice jagged guitar line cutting through it too, and I quite like the song, despite its rather mundane electronic sampling.  I wonder what would happen if he just turned that guitar up a little bit (you don’t always have to go to 11).  It would seem that what needs to happen is to get Dent some musicians who can join in the fun of his quirky songs.  They’re good, they’re enjoyable, but in the end they’re ultimately not too memorable.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t say how much I adore Dent May and his songwriting, even with some of the knocks I’ve taken on Do Things.  I give him credit for stepping outside the comfortable realm, but perhaps a bit more time would have really benefited the record.  It’s fun and easily listenable, but does have a tendency to go into the background too easily…that’s not how we knew him on his first run.  Let’s chalk it up to a bit of the sophomore slump, and hope he gets back on track the next go round…based on these songs, he’s really not too far off.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/04-Best-Friend.mp3]

Download:Dent May – Best Friend [MP3]

Magic Trick – Ruler of the Night

Rating: ★★★★½

You never really know what you’re going to get with a Tim Cohen listening experience; he’s a man of many faces, wearing various hats in Fresh and Onlys, Tim Cohen and now Magic Trick.  After the first few listens to Ruler of the Night (Hardly Art), you can clearly see that he’s put aside that psych-pop hat, just for a moment, crafting something truly remarkable that won’t leave your record player for days or even weeks.

If “Ruler of the Night” is going to be your starting point, it’s the place that first establishes a different approach for Cohen and Magic Trick, now that the band has been solidified.  You’ll find lightly strummed guitar and an extremely warm backing vocal; the careful construction of the song demonstrates how far Tim is willing to go on this outing.  Immediately following is “Torture,” which just might have the longevity to be one of my tracks of the year.  You can see the lineage of this track, and possible connection, to Fresh and Onlys, but the melodic harmonies backing your frontman here see him pushing that sound; he even takes a stab at a soaring vocal himself, to much success.

Ruler of the Night will probably be remembered most for the variance in songwriting that Magic Trick utilizes on the effort.  “Sunny” sounds like a San Francisco group taking a stab at writing a Magnetic Fields song, but perhaps that’s just the guitar sound, or the backing vocals.  The mood of the song resonates with the title, but it’s juxtaposition to the dark ballad “Next to Nothing” gives you reason to make sure your listening experience revolves around the completed record.  While similarities exist overall, each song creates its own bit of character, all dependent upon the accompaniment of the rest of the group.

“Same People” seemingly has its roots in Tim’s fascination with hip-hop, and it plays like a bit of electronic constructionism. Cohen’s vocals barely seem to rest atop of the beats, but it fits in with the mood of the album, especially when the tone is lightened during the chorus.  It’s a similar track to the appearance of sampled beats early with “Invisible at Midnight.”  The construction of the song definitely revolves around the electronic elements, but like the previously mentioned track, there’s an explosion of brightness that comes with the chorus.  Such delicate touches to the construction of each track demonstrate how careful the group has been in finishing off their compositions.

If anything, Ruler of the Night seems to be a statement for Tim Cohen.  While Magic Trick might be a side-project, it’s definitely one that forces everyone to take notice of the songwriter as more than just a purveyor of psych-pop.  He’s got a solidified group working with him in Magic Trick now, and together they’ve crafted a welcoming album that reveals more to your ear and heart with each careful listen.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/MagicTrick_Torture.mp3]

Download:Magic Trick – Torture [MP3]

The Intelligence – Everybody’s Got It Easy But Me

Rating: ★★★★☆

It’s been almost two years since Males, the last record from the Intelligence came out, so I of course welcomed a return to the fold with Everybody’s Got It Easy But Me (In the Red Records).  It’s all over the place, in the best way possible of course, giving listeners everything you need to enjoy listening to an album from start to finish.

Listening to “I Like LA,” the album’s opener, I feel as if group leader Lars is having a pleasant go with the listener, slowly introducing himself to the world all over again; for the most part, it is an introductory type song, that is until the band joins him in a heavy-handed rocking until the end.  Oddly, it’s the diversity of this track that really sets the scene for the rest of Everybody’s Got It Easy But Me. Just as soon as you think you have the feel for what the group’s doing, you get the jittery “Hippy Provider;” it’s short and jagged, but it’s the sort of song you expect to see hordes of fans pogoing about in their favorite club.

It all seems like fun and games for the Intelligence, until you arrive at “Techno Tuesday,” the group’s latest single.  It’s not your conventional hit, but I feel that it is one of the more accessible tracks the group’s written to date; the heavy strumming with Finberg’s vocals floating over is perfect for fan’s of early Shins–even has a similar bounce.  It’s similar to the garage ballad that comes later via “Little Town Flirt,” which is a Del Shannon cover–it also features Shannon (of Clams and Hunx/Punx fame).  Throwing these sorts of mellower tunes definitely propels the record’s longevity, breaking things up for the audience.

Of course the meat and potatoes of Everybody’s Got It Easy But Me has to be the edgy rock leaning of the band.  You’ll find it lurking in the stylistic approaches of all the songs, but the power lives in songs like “(They Found Me in the Back of) the Galaxy.  While it starts off with a similar riff (one of my few complaints about the record), the guitar work throughout provides a sense of creativity and juxtaposition, all the while sounding as tight as you’ve heard the group.  These are the sort of attributes the Intelligence is known for, and they’re exhibited left and right on this effort.

By the end you’ll find yourself with two long-ish jams, with “Fidelity” remaining my personal favorite. Sure, the lyrics define some of the heartbreak Lars has endured, but the emotional quality of the song supersedes the thematic element.  Eventually, it blasts off into sort of a cacophonous melody, hopefully highlighting a transcendence for Mr. Finberg.  It’s precisely the type of bookend you need for a great record, again recapping the diversity that lives within.  Everybody’s Got It Easy But Me is filled with artful rock n’ roll, but there’s enough of a mixture that moves the group beyond falling into the trap of sounding too redundant.  I’m sure after your first listen, you’ll feel the same.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/08-They-Found-Me-In-The-Back-Of-The-Galaxy.mp3]

Download:The Intelligence – (They Found Me In The Back Of) The Galaxy [MP3]

Also, if you want an excellent read on Lars’ thoughts on the album, had over to Finest Kiss for a great interview/explanation now!

The Walkmen – Heaven

Rating: ★★★★☆

For a whole decade now, The Walkmen have been gracing your ears with their jangly rock music. Now, when I say that, I truly mean it; this band makes albums that linger in your music collection for long periods of time, seemingly timeless in their nature. Earlier albums proved rugged and loose, running wild with youthfulness and spunk, but as I said before, it’s been ten years, lead singer Hamilton Leithauser and company have grown up, and so has their music. Heaven is a testament to this, as the band brings you a different kind of rock album.

Right out of the gate, it’s clear to see the direction in which The Walkmen have decided to go with this seventh studio full-length release. “We Can’t Be Beat,” meanders its way to start, with Leithauser crooning along to some gentle guitar plucking, with sporadic “oohs” floating through the background. Even as the song picks up a bit at the end, the lushness is ever apparent through the use of layered vocals and delicate percussive elements. This lush sound is a general theme of the album, carrying through most of the songs in some shape or form. It’s extra present on some of the later tracks like “No One Ever Sleeps,” that focus on the vocals. A number on the slower side, it comes across as a bit of a lullaby with more billowy and wispy “oohs” that work their way through the lead. The song is gentle and sweet, juxtaposing Leithauser’s sharp voice with the softness of the backing instrumentation.

This group doesn’t have the same reckless abandon that they did when they first started out, but would you really want them to after ten years? A bunch of thirty-something year old guys who all have kids trying to act like kids? No, that would be silly and out of place. Instead, this band has a healthy alternative that still packs a punch for old fans. Songs like title track “Heaven” and “Heartbreaker,” incorporate old with new and are straight up catchy tunes. “Heartbreaker” is a song found early on the record that gets things moving with those rolling drums and hooky guitars, while “Heaven” is a summery sounding number that will have you tapping your toes. There will always be those who reminisce of the old days of this band when they put out jams like “Rat,” but there are acceptable rock songs on this effort as well.

Yes, it’s a grown up record, but by no means is it a snoozer. The Walkmen have made growing up something cool and envied, riding upon the waves of their musical and personal successes. They relish in their coming of age with grace, inviting you to come along for the ride. So join in with them and enjoy the beauty in Heaven.

 

Crocodiles – Endless Flowers

Rating: ★★★½☆

A few years back, Dan Treacy of Television Personalities used Crocodiles as his backing band, and that’s when I first caught wind of the group.  I trust Dan, so I scoured the net in search of news, only to stumble upon a group that I thought was unfairly being compared to Jesus and the Mary Chain.  Sure, I see the similarities, but as evidenced by Endless Flowers, the group has a lot more in relation to jangling art-pop than JMC.

“Endless Flowers” does utilize some squalling guitar wailing to kick off the whole affair, but vocally, it harkens back to the musical re-imagining of early 00s band such as Longwave; there’s a simple melodic tone that gives listeners that soft-footed shuffle.  “Sunday” again has that atmospheric guitar sound, so everyone’s going to already toss the JMC comparison back onto Crocodiles, but mentally I’m stripping the sound off these tracks, choosing instead to focus on the bright quality of the vocal delivery; it provides a youthful exuberance akin to Pains of Being Pure at Heart.

As Endless Flowers evolves, you begin to see the gentler side of the band, offering a steadier dosage of pop melody as preferred to noise.  “No Black Clouds for Dee Dee” is definitely a heartfelt ballad, considering the band’s relation to Dee Dee (not Ramone).  It’s a standout song, demonstrating that the group’s not always content with upping the noise quotient. Interestingly, as they begin to unleash a lighter side, they also begin to let that element fully collide with their noisier moments.  It leads to some of the longer tracks, such as “My Surfing Lucifer” and “Dark Alleys,” with the latter remaining as one of my favorite tracks on the record.

They break through it all to wrap up the record quite nicely, giving you a rollicking stomp track in “Welcome Trouble.”  The jagged guitar line cutting in the background just builds you to the raucous stomp that ups the ante during the chorus.  It’s got a bit of post-rock swagger to go along with the energetic chorus, and it definitely helps illustrate the group’s progressive direction. Closing out with the quieter “You Are Forgiven” again finds Crocodiles in a steady ballad form that should leave no doubt that the band is capable of affecting songs without having to fill each track with noise.  Admittedly, the chirping of the birds in the background of the recording might make it seem like a B-Side or an afterthought, but the strength of the song itself warrants its inclusion here.

I can see the Internet still hyping up the JMC connection, but perhaps when I listened to Endless Flowers, I was hoping for more, so I forgave its presence and looked closer at the core content in the songs.  If you approach listening to the latest from Crocodiles then I have the feeling that you’ll understand where I am coming from.  Regardless, I’ve had a lot of fun listening to this whole album, especially when you turn it up to 10 (11 is so cliche).

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Crocodiles-Sunday-Psychic-Conversation-9.mp3]

Download:Crocodiles – Sunday (Psychic Conversation #9) [MP3]

Exitmusic – Passage

Rating: ★★★½☆

Exitmusic is a New York City band consisting of Aleksa Palladino and Devon Church that combine to create stormy electronic pop. Using layers of sound, these two are big on emotive music, hoping to generate forms of sound that moves their listeners in some way. A few years back they released the From Silence EP, which dubbed Exitmusic as dark, enigmatic and swirling. Passage, their recent effort, looks to refine these hooks and build ups to something with a bit more control.

If you aren’t careful, the first song will swallow you whole in its drama. Pushing six minutes, “Passage” goes a lot of places, exploring big build ups to drastic cut offs in the waves of sound that crash over one another. The track starts out on a quieter note, until it begins to build to one of its first crescendos and you can start to see the unbridled power that is created when these two come together, giving all they’ve got. Everything comes together in a cathartic build, and then suddenly all falls away in an explosive burst of sound that seems like it would fit as perfect background music to a movie montage. It’s a beast of a song, but Extimusic tames it to a manageable one, teetering on the edge of out of control with cymbals crashing and vocals peaking.

As far as songs on Passage go, the first track is by far the most dramatic in nature, and thankfully. While it has its place, if every song was as pushing as the opener, this album would feel distant and maudlin. This tightrope walk between accessible and melodramatic is the very substance of this album. You have songs like “The Modern Age,” on which Palladino’s vocals are close and easy to listen to; they are powerful, yet subtle in their confidence. The build on this song is manageable, easing into and out of climaxes with the help of soft percussive elements and hooking guitars. On the other side of this spectrum, Exitmusic lose themselves a bit on album closer, “Sparks of Light.” This number drags on, the echoed vocals and dull instrumentation leaving me a little bored.

However, there are still a number of catchy, cathartic songs that live up to the delightfully broody name that these two have earned for themselves. Depending on your personal state of mind, these songs may coat you in layers of glorious ambivalence, or murky heaviness. See for yourself.

KIng Tuff – King Tuff

Rating: ★★★½☆

In the brief bio on Sub Pop‘s web page for King Tuff, and his new self-titled album, it alludes to the fact that the entirety of the record is just rock n’ roll and that you can’t really listen to it with critical ears.  For what it’s worth, the bio is pretty spot on, as King Tuff is something you’re just going to have to experience for yourself.  But, I’ll do my best to point out some highlights.

While “Anthem” is the official song to kick off the record, the best served song to begin your listening experience might be “Alone & Stoned;” it’s a bit on the poppier side, which could ease you into the listening experience.  King Tuff‘s vocals have a slight resemblance to Nobunny or Hunx, and his musical style is definitely similar, though this track does show you a nice bit of polish–though there’s still that element of playfulness.  That light-hearted attitude is something that definitely benefits the record, coming through on other songs like “Keep Movin” and “Baby Just Break.”

But, while KT can come across as setting out to have fun, he’s also got a penchant to infuse a bit of traditional garage rock into his tunes, just as he does on the album’s standout track, “Bad Thing.”  It’s fueled with guitar solos and an angrier moment that’s not present anywhere else on the record.  Personally, I dig the way the he slows the chorus down just a bit before blasting off into “I’m a bad thing” one last time.  It’s the hit single for sure, but stick around as this thing is full of other noteworthy tracks.

There’s softer ballad-ish moment lurking here and there, such as “Swamp of Love.”  It’s built around a strummed guitar and a piano backbone, but it illustrates that King Tuff might not be as tough as the name indicates.  He’s got other moments that come earlier, although possibly too short to be completed ballads, like “Baby Just Break.”  I think these are the tracks that standout the most to me, as I expected the whole record to have an certain amount of ferocity like “Bad Thing,” but aside from album closer “Hit and Run” there’s really nothing that’s just a straight out rocker.  Personally, it fits better this way; you get peaks and valleys on the journey, all with different bits of enjoyment, depending on the listener and what he/she is looking for in King Tuff. 

While it may not need critical ears to listen to this self-titled record, most of the audience will surely find it successful because of its ability to keep you from finding the songs stale.  You can get a quick rocker or a ballad; you can find hints of garage rock; you basically can find gem after gem waiting for your own personal discovery, so it’s probably best to get on it now–go pick up this album from King Tuff.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/King_Tuff_-_Bad_Thing.mp3]

Download:King Tuff – Bad Thing [MP3]

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