Tag: album review

Kathryn Calder – Are You My Mother?

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Rating: ★★★½☆

You all might know Kathryn Calder from her role in The Immaculate Machine.  You might have also seen her grace the stage as a member of The New Pornographers.  But, now she has stepped aside from it all to record an album of her own, influenced by time spent with her mother during a terminal illness.  Are You My Mother is just another step in her progression as one of the great female voices on the scene.

“Slip Away” begins with some small maracas draped over a tinkering piano progression. Once Calder steps into the fold, you can see precisely why she has the ability to go it alone, as her vocals have an innocent quality, but one that seems established and confident at the same time.  You’ll find the power behind the chorus enchanting, though it’s little more than “oohs.”

While she establishes strong vocals from the beginning, her range is shown on “Low,” which recalls early recordings from Rilo Kiley.  Here, the piano treads lightly, and in the same manner, Kathryn softly lets her voice float atop the musical accompaniment, not pushing too hard to make it all work cohesively.  This same approach to her songwriting is used a lot on Are You My Mother, but she has the capability to turn her vocal tool in different directions, such as she does during the chorus on “Arrow.”  Such warm vocals definitely encourage you to fall head over heals with every word, and every uttered sound.

One of the great things about the record is that despite the vocal similarities on many of the tracks, she seems to push herself into direction that you might not expect her, challenging you, the listener.  “Follow Me Into the Hills” has a folk quality to it that you can grasp from her other collaborations, but it’s successful here in that it takes you down a different path than the preceding songs.  “A Day Long Past its Prime” takes a driving momentum to push the song forward, and male vocal accompaniment gives the album a bit of a heavier tone, albeit for a brief moment.  It’s those little touches that demonstrate her willingness to build her own musical resume, differentiating herself as she goes along.

Closing out the album is a soft little touch titled “All It Is.” Her voice has a bit of a whisper to it, giving you the impression of listening to an intimate confession.  It ends things with a crashing chorus, a magnificent summation of the record and its emotive powers.  From the production of Are You My Mother to Kathryn Calder‘s incredibly delicate voice, you see the rise of a solitary musician.  Her hard work honing her craft definitely has paid off here, creating a gentle collection of pop songs capable of warming your heart and spirit.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Kcalder-Arrow.mp3]

Download: Kathryn Calder – Arrow [MP3]

Arcade Fire – The Suburbs

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Rating: ★★★☆☆

After what seems like forever, Arcade Fire have finally made their return to the fold.  Their third album, The Suburbs, is being released by Merge Records, and while it obviously deals with the modernity of culture in the burbs, will its musical concepts be greeted by the masses, re-raising the flag of the band above all others?

“The Suburbs” brings the album about with a nice bouncy piano, and Win Butler’s eerie croon.  It’s a casual song, one thing that seems really commonplace in this collection of songs.  While there’s a bit of a fluctuation in the vocals, there aren’t really a great deal of changes in this track.  Moving along, you find a bit of a darker-edged swing with “Ready to Start.”  However, much like the opening track, it finds itself stuck in a sort of complacent circle, almost going nowhere.  In fact, the album doesn’t really go the places you’d like to see Arcade Fire go.

“Empty Room” is the first song, well, the fifth, where you actually see the band pushing themselves in a way we’re used to seeing them do.  It begins with a flurry of strings, cutting in through almost the entire song.  Beneath it, quietly, is a pounding rhythm that drives the pace of the song.  Interestingly, the band is exploring a bit of some odd atmospherics, but in doing so, they give the listener a different dynamic altogether, something that lacked in the earlier moments of The Suburbs.  The two mutually inclusive songs, “Half Light 1” and “Half Light 2” also show some changes in the structure of the band’s traditional writing, but all within reason.  Elements of strong synths and layers of noise provide a little bit more depth to these tracks.   That being said, there’s still not a lot of power behind these tracks, even when they do venture down new paths.

Oddly, while nothing immediately stands out within this album, as many of the tracks did on past works, you can’t really hate on a lot of these songs.  “Modern Man” is by no means the world’s most creative song, and perhaps its not meant to be pushing boundaries.  But, criticism on simplicity will only get you so far, as the song slowly grows on listener’s ears. “Deep Blue” is a great little ballad, but again, the band isn’t pushing too many limits.  It sort of gives the impression of a demo track that would have benefited from better orchestration or production, yet at this point, it’s probably one of the tracks I’ve most enjoyed.  For some reason, depth and passion seem to have waned throughout, which is personal opinion, of course, but it takes a lot of the luster away from songs that at their core, are quite enjoyable.

Everyone will surely appreciate the undertaking of commentary on the burbs, and you have to credit Win’s writing, as it is probably the strongest we’ve seen from him, at least in parts.  However, as the album goes on, one might find themselves losing interest in it all, as it clearly drags out in parts.  Arcade Fire will be the most polarizing talk this week around your water cooler, as brilliant moments do exist within The Suburbs. Still, it all seems a touch to mundane.  If we weren’t talking about the band that came out with Funeral, then this might be a great piece of art, but knowing the band is capable of more, you get the feeling like they’ve sort of settled down, perhaps in the middle ground of their own musical suburbs.

Jaill – That’s How We Burn

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Rating: ★★★★☆

It seems like Sub Pop is on a roll lately giving us lots of rock n’ roll to pump really loudly in our cars, and Jaill is no exception.  The guitar work on their new album, That’s How We Burn,” is meant exactly for that, kicking you in the face.  Okay, so they aren’t mean enough to kick you in the face, but one listen to this record and you’ll find yourself indulging in heavy foot stomping, possibly some air drums.

This year hasn’t seen an album open with such a ridiculously powerful guitar/bass line as “The Stroller.”  It begs  you to get on board right away, pushing you to the limit from the get go.  While singer, Vincent Kircher, might not have a harrowing yell, but his vocals provide the perfect accommodation for the guitar licks. Then you get sucked in with the super-angular guitar pop of “Everyone’s Hip.”  For some reason the vocal delivery recalls nerd pop of the nineties, like a heavy-footed They Might be Giants. All albums should begin with such energy.

“Thank Us Later” demonstrates that Jaill don’t just have to push the limits with pacing and clever guitar chords.  Instead, they allow for space and Kirchner to sprawl all across this song, giving you a bit of time to absorb the tones the group has to offer up. Surely they could amp up this song live to keep the step going, but the fact that they slow it down, gives the album more of a groove.  Following is “Summer Mess,” giving the listener that breather, but in a different manner than the preceding song, going with a more roots folk appeal of strumming guitar, met later on by an ambling electric guitar that walks you to the end of the track, right back into the energy fueled tracks.

“She’s My Baby” brings you back to the rock element of the rock, with quick slicing guitars and steady drum work.  Kirchner seems to go with a bit of a higher pitch here, which might be aided by backup singer Austin Dutmer, who is playing those solid drums.  It’s even got a surf rock guitar line cutting in at the end of the track, probably included to stay on top of the trends.  But, That’s How We Burn is meant to be a well-balanced machine, so while you have those rockers, you also find that slower tracks serve as a counterbalance to the record, like “Baby I.”  It’s got the feel of a high school prom band, but one that’s really good, playing nice jangling guitar lines with a bit of boogie to it all.  Everything here just works perfectly.

By this point in the year, you’re searching for an album that erases the ones before it, and for just a minute, That’s How We Burn will cleanse your soul.  It erases popular trends, focusing on what it’s all about, solid drumming and great guitar lines.  Jaill have now established themselves as a band to be reckoned with, and we should welcome them to the fold, as this piece of work shows they deserve it.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/01-The-Stroller-1.mp3]

Download: Jaill – The Stroller [MP3]

Miniature Tigers – Fortress

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Rating: ★★★½☆

A couple of EPs and a full-length under their belt sees Miniature Tigers returning to the fold, offering up another gem of an indie pop record for the masses.  Fortress has the band coming off confident as ever, backed by popular demand and praise from the blogosphere, not to mention classic print media like Rolling Stone.

A little bit of tinkering with percussive elements brings the listener’s ear closer on the album’s first track “Mansion of Misery,” just before the drums bounce in, along with Charlie Brand’s vocal presence.  It climaxes with a crashing bit of cymbals, right before piano and rising vocals carry us into the end.  It’s a formula indicative of where the band lives, switching things up to meet their fancy.   They employ it again on “Rock n Roll Mountain Troll,” going in three different directions in just over a minute, but the chorus is where you’ll grab the most pleasure from this track, not that there’s a bad spot in it.

Single “Gold Skull” has the benefit of working with Neon Indian, though you have to admit that a producer can only do so much, you know, if the song isn’t actually there.  Electronic blips raise the bar on the band’s pop elements, giving it a bit more of a pulse.  Warm melodies come in and out of the song, putting this group on a competitive level with every other band out there.  However, this song just has a certain something that rises above the rest, making it a favorite for many lists come the end of the year. From here they go right into another grand number, “Bullfighter Jacket.”  Aside from the somewhat annoying “yayayayaya” throughout the song, there’s this ridiculously glorious drum work that accompanies every harmony created by the band.  It’s like a more elaborate version of the Dodos, working with better melodies and higher pitches.

But, you should know that this isn’t all about pop goodness and sweeping melodies.  Miniature Tigers have a bit more to offer you here.  You can take “Dark Tiger” and the fragility in Brand’s vocal display, and you’re in some different world entirely, as if you’ve gotten lost in a world of lollipops and gumdrops, finding yourself reflecting in a bit of solemnity.  Sure, there are some light touches of multiple harmonies within this track, but for the most part, it’s lightly picked guitar and a fragile lead singer.

In the end, Fortress is exactly what you wanted it to be; it’s an album with crafty melodies in the pop spectrum, but leaning to the left of the main vein in American music culture.  Listening to this album, it seems to have the same craftiness of Grizzly Bear, using delicate touches here and there to build the sonic element within the tracks, but at the same time, Miniature Tigers are a lot more accessible in the long run.  This is an enjoyable listen, giving you a sense of positive emotions listen after listen.  Definitely a good place to find yourself as summer winds down, and you need a little revitalization.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/play.mp3]

Download: Miniature Tigers – Gold Skull [MP3]

Best Coast – Crazy for You

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Rating: ★★★★☆

You had to be hiding under a rock if you haven’t heard the huge buzz surrounding the California duo Best Coast.  Now Crazy for You is seeing the light of day, and for the most part,the record does its part to make sure that band keeps riding the California waves with you and your friends throughout the rest of this summer, and hopefully into the new year.

This record is full of cymbals and snare drums, jangling surf guitar and dream-girl pop references like in “Our Deal,” but you knew that already, right?  Well, simply put, this could sum up the entire album, which isn’t a knock, but rather a blanket statement that describes what you’re in for here.  What you don’t know is that the execution is precisely what makes this a winner, as no one has been able to completely capture this sound the way that Best Coast have done it.  Songs don’t go on too long, and while they live in the same sonic spectrum, they aren’t around enough to wear you down with monotony.

“Boyfriend” begins the staple subject matter of dating, love and what not, offering up various different dream states that singer Beth Cosentino really wants you to listen to while you’re making out with your lover on the beach, preferably in California, as she’s clearly a supporter of the state’s tourism industry (see the cat’s rear on the artwork).  It’s when you come to title track “Crazy for You” that you realize this album is going to win you over no matter happens.  The bubbling bounce kicks in immediately, while Beth’s vocals fit perfectly with the tone of the guitar work.  Crashing cymbals will remind you of crashing waves, or in the case of the song, crashing dishes of a lover who’s hard to love.  Nonetheless, you’ll adore this song, forever.

Given that these songs reflect the group’s locale, it’s refreshing when you come to a song like “Goodbye,” which maintains a touch of sand, while pushing the genre more towards 90s alterna-girl rock, a la Juliana Hatfield. It’s this sort of mixture amidst the sunshine that keeps listeners returning for more time and time again.  A similar effect is used on “Honey,” a song full of dark textures, and a vocal that really floats across the song with emotion.  Cosentino’s vocals go between dark and light, creating a strong dichotomy within the song, though at times she has sort of that drawn out drawl of Courtney Love.  It’s this edgy quality in her voice that makes Beth so endearing; you can’t dismiss her as a girl coated in reverb or any of that.  Pristine and edgy, that’s the way you should enjoy your female leads.

Those who enjoy the art of the mixtape, or .ziptape as it might be known now will definitely want to include the gem “When the Sun Don’t Shine” on their next collection for an admired one.  It has a really simple drum beat, but vocals and lyrics are really what make the song stand out above anything else.  Give it a listen, and surely you’ll agree. “When I’m with You” is probably another one of those songs, if you’re in need of a slow burner near that carries the sentiment, but it’s a bonus track, so be sure to get on it.  Place it at the end, and its the perfect end piece to this record, serving as a reminder that you’ll adore everything on Crazy for You, and you do.  It’s hard to find a good records that always live up to the hype, but Best Coast will surely see more high marks for this one.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/19-Our-Deal.mp3]

Download: Best Coast – Our Deal [MP3]

Secret Cities – Pink Graffiti

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Rating: ★★★★☆

You have to love it when your favorite labels discover little gems that you probably wouldn’t have gotten your hands on, which is precisely the case here as Western Vinyl have released Secret Cities new album Pink Graffiti.  Coated in psychedelic influences, with a huge leaning towards chamber music for bedrooms, this is an unexpected surprise that will be spinning in my head for months.

“Pink City” begins our journey through this beautifully crafted second album by building upon the backbone of a really solid drumming, yet ever so carefully the drums are peeled away, in favor of what sounds to be hand claps.  There’s a gentle coat of fog atop the song, yet the detailing of this song pushes it into the spectrum of more than atmospheric pop, making it a genuine winner in its own right.  You almost stumble right into “Boyfriends” using really light vocals and a tambourine to slowly climb your way to the top of this pop mountain, the peak of which comes near the 3:25 mark, taking you bounding down the other side, whistling all the way to the end.

What’s interesting here is that instead of filling an album full of songs blending melodies, psychedelia and coated noise, Secret Cities are happy to just explore their own musical direction.  They pause mid-album to offer you up “Wander,” which has a dark sound created by the tone of the piano.  You’d be close to call this music of soundscapes, but placed amidst the rest of the songs on Pink Graffiti, it allows you refresh yourself and take a moment to ponder what is you’ve just experienced.  Then we’re off and running again, as the ringing guitar from “Color” begins to soar into the front of your speakers.  MJ Parker’s vocals are magnificent, almost like fine crystal, but not in an overly dramatic way.  It’s a pleasure to see such restraint from a band who could easily fall the way of self-indulgence.

Really, you’re meant to listen to this album all the way through, and you really should.  Aside from “Wander,” Pink Graffiti is well organized.  So much so, that “Pink Graffiti Part 1” is out of order, but it’s energetic pulse provides a great energy to give you the extra lift towards the end of the album.  Something about the melody here that is so strong allows you to almost ignore the vocals completely, still capturing the essence of this brilliant song, which seems to have a bit of a cut and paste to it.  And you’re final landing will come with “The End,” a song that finds MJ again using her remarkable pipes to propel the song into an otherworldly region that will most certainly haunt you, that is until you press play and listen to entirety of this great work over again.

Secret Cities needs more recognition, and surely their craftsmanship on Pink Graffiti will earn them some notice from all walks of listeners.  Pieces emit a quiet beauty, while other moments demonstrate the band’s affinity for layering sounds on top of sounds, and others are adorned with psychedelic flourishes of the best type.  Do yourself a favor and let the wonderment of this record slowly sweep you away into a place of pure bliss.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/WV72.PG_.PT1_.mp3]

Download: Secret Cities – Pink Graffiti Part 1 [MP3]

Lower Dens – Twin Hand Movement

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Rating: ★★★½☆

It’s unfortunate that people have given Texan Jana Hunter the freak-folk tag, as clearly she’s done a lot to move beyond her early days, clearly trying to establish her own sound.  We find her now leading the Baltimore group Lower Dens, and if you can look beyond her darkened voice, you’ll find that there are no remnants of folk on Twin Hand Movement.

“Blue and Silver” immediately begins to indicate that the sounds within the group’s album will fill up quickly with dense discord, sprawling in which ever direction Hunter leads the band.  Metronome-like drumming keeps the pace steady, allowing for the guitars to seek out their own direction, cutting back and forth across the landscape of the song, all the while Hunter moves in and out to fill empty space with her voice.  Arriving at “Tea Lights” you see some similarities with label-mates The Papercuts, especially in the way the pop element is darkened, leaving just enough room for melody to spring up.  At times, Hunter’s lyrics aren’t necessarily decipherable, yet their appeal exists in the ability for them to alter the mood of the song.  One listen to this track and you’ll gladly take a journey with Lower Dens.

While one might still complain about Hunter’s vocals, there are some performances on Twin Hand Movement that really demonstrate her range as a singer.  “I Get Nervous” is quite the subtle number, barely moving along without the presence of high-hat and snare, but in the middle of the song Hunter takes complete control of the track.  Something in the way she delivers in such an understated manner is extremely appealing, and she uses the song as a showcase for herself.  You’ll find the same scenario on “Hospice Gates,” though the song does have the benefit of a bit more pacing in comparison.  Ringing guitars provide the true backdrop to this track, leaving room for Hunter to give her best vocal performance, mostly based on the fact that the clarity is probably the strongest of all album tracks, excluding the slow-burner “Truss Me.”

Lower Dens is also willing to throw you some surprises in the mixture, utilizing the brooding track “Plastic and Powder” to give the listener a bit of a haunt if you will.  There’s is an eerie quality here, perhaps in the way guitars seemingly bounce quietly in the background, or in Hunter’s dark croon as the song trickles passed. “Rosie” also has a far away feel to it, almost as if it’s meant to be a soundscape song, that is until you hit the 1:15(ish) mark.  Steady drumming accompanied by the typical ringing guitars gives listeners the chance to hear a focused group in the midst of possibly their best work to date.

Twin Hand Movement lives up to the promise of lead single “Tea Lights.”  Hunter’s vocals keep a sense of brooding throughout, but the guitar work as it pokes and prods in the listener’s brain keeps the you wrapped up in the wall of sound Lower Dens has created.  If you’re in search of a dark-tinted album with ringing guitars that will echo in your bedroom, then I suggest you get on it.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/lowerdenstealights.mp3]

Download: Lower Dens – Tea Lights [MP3]

Mystery Jets – Serotonin

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Rating: ★★★★½

Years ago Mystery Jets began as a father/son project, influenced by the father’s classic tastes on Zootime.  They followed that up being influenced by the masses and the trends on Twenty One.   Now, we find them with Serotonin, matured and self-assured.  The latest release provides one of the most consistently enjoyable albums for all sorts of listeners.  Having stepped into their own, there is no telling where we’ll go from here.

You can barely hear the trickle of noise as the album opens, but as the vocals slowly climb on “Alice Sings” you can feel the rising tension.  Enter crashing drums, and we’re off into a blissful romp of a tune fueled by knife-like guitars and Blaine Harrison’s maturing voice. It’s really this maturity, and not only with Blaine’s voice, but with the band’s sound as a whole that makes this one hell of a listen. “Too Late to Talk” begins with a bit of cheesy keyboards, but they provide a certain sense of vibrance here, as opposed to the kitsch factor that was evident in previous listens.

There’s stylistic touches all over the record that keep the listening fun and frivolous, yet this doesn’t mean that the whistling on songs like “Flash a Hungry Smile” do anything to detract from the overall quality of the songs.  Really, it provides a deeper devotion to the purity of pop music.  They know they can use clever tricks, but if they focus on the rest of the writing, then they escape clear of cliches.  “Serotonin” has a similar little keyboard element kicking the song off, but the rest of the song sounds sort of bleak and dark, despite the subject matter.

Near the middle of the album, after you’ve been won over by song after song of special goodness, you hit the trifecta of amazing pop moments, surely the best moments on Serotonin.   That little bit of a jangling guitar in “Dreaming of Another World” along with Harrison’s rising vocal melody makes this song stick out, for some reason, right in the middle of the album.  Final production touches like the rolling drum beat near the end only make the track all the better. “Lady Grey” has this bubbling quality to it as the band sort of chugs along, but the kill factor comes during the chorus when Harrison asks “will you still love me in the morning.”   His vocal delivery is one of the best you’ll hear from him, even going back to the early years.  You’ll cease swinging your arms here if you listen to this chorus on repeat.  Finally, the third of the brilliant moments here comes via “Waiting on a Miracle,” slow pop polishing, just before Harrison belts out “I think you’re waiting on a miracle.”  Search all you want, but you probably won’t find pop music this good, indie or mainstream.

Closing out this album, it’s hard to find a single place where Mystery Jets took a misstep.  Every song has its own personality, and in that, they all carry bright choruses fastened to tight songwriting of the pop-leaning sort.  Serotonin is one of the most vibrant records of the year, built on the back of a band who seems to finally have come into their own as songwriters.  Perhaps this isn’t what everyone expected from them, but we should all be thankful that there are bands still willing to make music as lovable as this.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/07-Dreaming-of-Another-World.mp3]

Download: Mystery Jets – Dreaming of Another World [MP3]

School of Seven Bells – Disconnect From Desire

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Rating: ★★★½☆

Often times, we find that a bit of clarity pays off huge dividends.  For the second album from School of Seven Bells, Disconnect From Desire, this is precisely the case.  A few years of touring since their last release, and those moments of clarity provide for an entirely different listen than their previous album, Alpinisms.

While the band once coated their sound in a bit of fuzz and indifference, the moment you hear “Windstorm”, you can tell the group has flipped the table over, revealing a more pristine, electronic version of themselves. For one thing, the production has the Deheza sisters coming off a bit clearer, even with the tribal chanting in the background.  Sonically, they sound as if they aged, like a fine wine, getting better with as time’s passed.

But, the bread and butter of Disconnect From Desire has to live in the darker elements of the record.  “Heart is Strange” probably sounds really powerful in a venue, but in your home stereo, there’s an element of smoke filled clubs coated in debauchery.  This isn’t to say that the band is hinting at such things with their lyrics, but you can almost feel yourself sinking into a sense of despair, albeit an exuberant sort of despair.  “Dust Devil” evokes a similar quality with its driving rhythms, and vocals that seem to just float atop the air.  For some reason, this track evokes a weird monastery feel, perhaps its the way the twins carry the notes, almost to the point of chanting.

Using a minimal amount of instrumentation, however, does create a bit of redundancy throughout the entire listen.  It’s not that School of Seven Bells can’t write good tracks, as it’s clear they have that power, it’s just that the album doesn’t have a lot of variance; it blends together a bit, and gets mundane.   “ILU” and “Camarilla” use really delicate vocals from the girls, but their voices are so distinctive, that if you placed these songs back to back, which they’re not, you might find it hard to completely tell the songs apart from one another.  Perhaps some will find this attribute infinitely rewarding, as many people love their electronics with a solid vocal behind it.

All that being said, one track will surely stand out for every listener. You’ll find this hook on “Bye Bye Bye,” where the programmed element alone is enough to keep this track on repeat for prolonged periods of time.  Oddly, the girls sound a bit younger here, almost a bit more refreshed.  A few more tracks like these placed carefully around the album, and you’d probably have Disconnect From Desire in the running for album of the year.  Just promise yourself you won’t miss this track.

All in all, progress has been made, and it seems a great deal more rewarding for all parties involved with concerns to Disconnect From Desire.  A dark quality resides throughout the album, but it comes in the form of moving electronic flourishes, clear, for the most part, of the elemental noise that was present in the past.  School of Seven Bells have made an honest record, and one that now seems to match their electric live performances.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/SchoolOfSevenBells-Windstorm.mp3]

Download: School Of Seven Bells – Windstorm [MP3]

The Love Language – Libraries

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Rating: ★★★★☆

It sounds like things in North Carolina couldn’t be any better. The Love Language recently signed to Merge Records, and then they followed that up with the release of Libraries.  At first listen, you might find sonic touches of other bands, you might even think you recognize vocal qualities of singer Stuart McLamb.  In the end, you’ll find that this record is full of well executed songs, all of which provide repeated listening pleasures for every individual who puts down the cash to get this well crafted pop opus.

“Pedals” starts off slowly, before guitars begin to ring in backed by light keyboard strokes.  Enter Stuart, carrying his melody high above the rest of the band’s swirling sonic display.  There’s an edginess to all this beauty, and every movement within the song feels sharp, yet incredibly uplifting, especially when the strings arrangements enter during the latter part of the song.  You can’t start off much better than this.

During “Brittany’s Back” you start to get a hint that McLamb has a bit of Hamilton from The Walkmen in his voice, but during this song, his voice seems much more controlled than his vocal contemporary.  But, on “This Blood is Our Own” you really see a similarity, as Stuart reaches for that high spectrum of his own pitch, wavering just a bit at the top.  Still, this song, aside from the piano, doesn’t really sound all that much like the aforementioned band; it has a much more cinematic quality, one that would fit nicely in the wooded regions of the Carolinas.

“Summer Dell” starts off a slew of songs that don’t sound as crowded, musically, and they really take Libraries to the the top tier of indie rock.  Steady guitar strumming, and really sharp drum hits, give it a strong emotive quality, yearning for you to get lost amidst the finer details of the song.  “Heart to Tell” takes a like-minded approach, as its similarly stripped down, though you’ll find a more upbeat group, giving you a little bit of swing as you listen.  McLamb’s vocal performance here is one of the strongest of the whole collection, and creative production from the percussive section adds an extra level of enjoyment.

Something about the approach to the writing in “Wilmont” will forever stick with you.  After an album that seems filled, cleverly, with every inch of space, you have a slow number that is carried by light strumming and McLamb, that is to begin the song.  Once the drums kick in, and the guitar seems to be chasing the stars, you try to follow, yet you’re distracted by the vocals, almost haunted.  It is hard to pull yourself away from this song; you simply can’t do it.

That’s precisely the way you’ll feel listening to Libraries, especially after the third and fourth listen.  Details will begin to emerge, melodies will seep inside you, and you’ll discover that crooning sounds coated in wooded effects can be successful.  In fact, it’s so much so, you will keep coming back to The Love Language just to take a different look around the indie world. You’ll be better off for it.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/ll-heart.mp3]

Download: The Love Language – Heart to Tell [MP3]

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