Tag: Animal Collective

The Ruby Suns – Fight Softly

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Rating: ★★½☆☆

Last time out, The Ruby Suns drenched their record in clever guitar parts, using electronic elements to fill out the empty space here in there.  This time around, they’ve changed that recipe entirely, filling their newest record, Fight Softly with beat upon blistering beat.  It completely changes the dynamic of the recorded product for the band; this is something old fans will have to get used to, as it doesn’t look to change anytime soon.

You hate to have comparisons to other bands define you, but once you hear “Sun Lake Rinsed” you’ll really understand that occasionally comparisons are completely valid.  From the first beat, you start to hear the faintest hint of Animal Collective, which only increases as you continue through the song.  One of the things that differs, and this could be a positive, is that the vocals of Ryan McPhun aren’t nearly as grating as those of Animal Collective tend to be. McPhun has a softer voice, which makes this more of a bedroom dance record than something you would blare elsewhere.

Fortunately, the one thing that differentiates the music on this album is that the melodies don’t rest merely upon the notes being used.  Others have used similar styles, but have piled layer upon layer of electronica to create dense melodies.  On a song such as “Haunted House,” you definitely can see all sorts of dance references, particularly Justice, but McPhun’s voice is just to good to completely ignore.  His voice is the one thing that makes the whole sound come together, uniting all the various melodies.

All that being said, it’s easy to see detractors for Fight Softly;  it’s the same sort of criticism that has led others to dismiss the electronic pop movement altogether.  After listening through the album for several spins, you can see that the music begins to blend together.  Yes, there are differences in each song, such as the jungle homage played out in “Dusty Fruit,” but repetitive listens, especially in one sitting make it all sort of bleed into one giant collage of electro-pop madness.  One might assume that the band chose to apply this strategy purposefully, but there is far more detail to the lyrical content than one would place on a collage of beats.

The Ruby Suns aren’t asking you to make a decision on whether or not you should include yourself in the massive throngs of electronic music connoisseurs, but they do want you to have fun while you listen to Fight Softly.  It’s an upbeat record full of some bright moments that you can definitely use on mixtapes for friends, but at times, it does tend to wear you down with a bit too much on the beeps and blips front.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/06-Haunted-House.mp3]

Download: The Ruby Suns – Haunted House [MP3]

Yeasayer – Odd Blood

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yeaRating: ★★★½☆

Finally the time has come for the release of the much anticipated follow up to All Hour Cymbals, and Yeasayer has switched it all up for you with the newest release, Odd Blood. Where they once dabbled in world music with a hint of electronic elements, they have turned the tables, choosing instead to go with electronic music that takes aim at taking over the world.  Your first listen might not offer too much, as this is a listen that requires several listens to completely unfold what lies beneath.

“The Children” opens up the album with some gothic samples that recalls old industrial music from the eighties, and the dark auto-tuned vocals keep the mood quite eerie, but there are some moments of lightness, which set the tone for the rest of the album.

We then come to the spectacular “Ambling Alp,” the band’s first single off Odd Blood. You wouldn’t be too far off if you didn’t notice some resemblance to Animal Collective, at least in the usage of samples, but the vocals don’t seem as intrusive as the latter band.  Really, this song is all over the place, which is perhaps why it’s so charming after repeated listens.

For the next three tracks you get transported immediately back to the eighties with Yeasayer. This isn’t an entirely bad thing, as the group doesn’t in their own particular way, incorporating more of their tribal meets world music instrumentation to the tunes. The opening moments of “Madder Red” as the vocals kick in just bring pure ecstatic joy, and “ONE” is just wonderful.  I love the way they play with the vocals, and then bounce right into the dance elements for the chorus.  All these songs benefit from the fact that there are extemporaneous elements all over the place, which makes the spin on such music more diverse than most of their modern-day equivalents.

When you come to the latter half of Odd Blood, you’ll find that the energy isn’t as fast paced as the early part of the record.  It feels as if the band is rushing themselves, especially when you come to songs like “Mondegreen,” a song full of horns and rhythmic vocal displays, but the elements here don’t seem to be as cohesive as they were on the early half.  Those extra touches that added so much to the first six songs sort of dissipate; this is something that causes the second half of the record to seem a bit less powerful than the first.

Throughout its duration, Odd Blood is full of so many different twists and turns that you have to give the band credit for being so exploratory in their efforts.  It might not be the most complete album the band will make, but it demonstrates that Yeasyer are willing to push themselves, and their listeners, towards a maximum musical listening experience. Cheers to that.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/01-Ambling-Alp-1.mp3]

Download: Yeasayer – Ambling Alp [MP3]

2009 Top 50 Albums

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bestof2009cover_albums

Creating a Top 50 Albums list is never easy.  You have to battle with what you think the world believes, and what you truly believe in your heart, to be solid jams.  We have even more trouble because we have to three writers, all who have different ideas, and we have to make those ideas fit into a neat box.  Well, we got it done, and honestly, our criteria was based on two things: how great we thought the album was, artistically speaking, and how long we listened to it without getting bored.  That’s it. It’s fool proof; you might not like it, but it’s our list, so here it is… Read more

FT50: Songs of 2009

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bestof2009cover_songsWe have to start this list off with a disclaimer.  We have three writers, all with different tastes, so the list should reflect that a little bit.  Also, these are our opinions, and by no means, are they meant to be seen as an “end all be all” to the question of what were the best songs of 2009.  That being said, we like our list quite a bit.  Sure, it’s got some expected numbers at the top, but the rest of the list is genius.  We’ve got some of the songs streaming for you, and the rest take you straight to youtube.  Follow the jump for full list.

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FT5: Album Covers of 2009 (So Far)

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1120top5coverAt a time when we are all witnessing the CD’s imminent demise and the convenience of digital files running rampant, thankfully from an art perspective, a vinyl re-emergence is upon us. While sound quality is obviously seen as the most important reason why we are seeing audiophiles jumping back on the vinyl bandwagon, album artwork is also getting a much deserved close-up. With the vinyl album requiring more elaborate artwork packages, bands are re-thinking the overall aesthetic and producing some great work, which only enhances the overall music experience. 2009 has been a great year not only for the ears, but for the eyes as well and below are my picks for the Top 5 album covers from 2009 (so far). Honorable mentions go to Animal Collective’s cover for making me dizzy from staring at it too long and Neko Case for badass picture of the year. Obviously art is about as subjective as subjectivity can get, so give us some feedback. Who’s your number 1?
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Atlas Sound – Logos

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walkabout-coverRating: ★★☆☆☆

I must preface this review by stating that I have never been a fan of the work of Bradford Cox.  I realize that this is heresy in today’s indie scene, but I really just have a difficult time giving a shit when there is so much more quality music to which to listen.  Now I’m not saying the man isn’t talented, he is.  His work with Deerhunter is listenable, but I feel like I have heard it all before, and better. I have listened to Deerhunter’s entire catalog and all I am left thinking “Man, this would be great, if My Bloody Valentine had never existed.” Then I go and listen to My Bloody Valentine instead.

So with the release of Bradford Cox’s solo project, Atlas Sound, new album, Logos (Kranky), I approached it with trepidation. Surely the My Bloody Valentine influences would be stripped from the sound and I would finally be able to see what Bradford Cox could really bring to the table creatively.  Plus there were numerous high profile guest appearances, most notably Lætitia Sadier of Stereolab and Noah Lennox of Animal Collective, which warranted, at least, a cursory listen.

You know what? On the first listen of Logos, with the lack of My Bloody Valentine influences, it tricked me into actually liking this record.  I wanted to listen to again. It was light and airy. There was room to move around in it rather than the oppressive wall of sound that is a Deerhunter album. 

But on subsequent listens this album felt familiar for all the wrong reasons.  I know that artists rely on their influences. It’s what makes them who they are.  But there is a huge difference between being influenced by an artist and mimicking.  Bradford Cox continues to come off as an imitator, a highly talented one, but an imitator, nonetheless. While what he is releasing is good, it feels like he has yet to find a voice of his own. 

The majority of Logos sounds exactly like Joan of Arc b-sides and not awesome How Memory Works b-sides, but shitty Live in Chicago, 1999 b-sides.  When joined with Lennox (Walkabout) or Sadier (Quick Canal), we have the highest points of the album, but ultimately the songs sound like the sum of their guest musician’s full time bands.

I hope Bradford Cox finds an original voice soon, because people will soon tire of a band that continually pull too liberally from way more interesting sources.

Atlas Sound will be playing at Fun Fun Fun Fest on the Orange Stage this Sunday at 3:00 p.m.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Walkabout-w_-Noah-Lennox.mp3]

Download: Atlas Sound – Walkabout (w/ Noah Lennox) [MP3]

Taken by Trees – East of Eden

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eastRating: ★★☆☆☆

Vicotria Bergsman has long been the chanteuse of my dreams.  First, she warmed-me over with her sultry vocals during her tenure in The Concretes, and later, she kept me going with Taken by Trees. Now, she is releasing her second album under the latter, this one titled East of Eden.  Much will be made of her venture East, which like most Europeans gone East, has had a profound influence on her music.

Whilst many will no doubt link the sounds of this album to India, thanks to the unnecessary success of Slumdog Millionaire, Victoria went elsewhere for her muse: Pakistan. “To Lose Someone” is such a song, as it carries the ornate horns of such cultures to accompany Bergsman’s voice.  Even the percussion resembles the spirit of a simpler life. And while the wooden horn/flute/whatever dances in the background, the song closes with syllabic chanting that probably means little for listeners.

One of the best songs on the album, and easily one that you will find the most commercial is titled “My Boys.”  Why does it seems familiar you ask?  Well, it’s a cover of “My Girls” by Animal Collective. The melodies are precisely the same as the original, and in fact, the song completely mimes AC’s version, aside from a few lyric changes, and the obvious use of real instruments.  It’s interesting that this is the most accessible song, as it’s not one Victoria can call her own.

As a concept piece, it’s a great idea,  mixing her powerful vocals with an entirely different arrangement musically, but it has more failures than successes due to this.  “Watch the Waves” is a song that is full of flourishes from the travels to the East, but using non-pop-centric instruments strips Bergsman of her vocal prowess, and renders her somewhat dismissable for the greater part of the song, let alone, the album as a whole.

She goes too far at times, especially including “Wapas Karna” in the project, which is merely a number that is full of chanting, and little else.  If we wanted to listen to world music, there are surely better places to find such tunes (no offense Victoria).  It even seems as if she spent more work on developing a sound that stayed true to its roots, rather than create an album of her own songs, backed by the newer sonic discoveries.

In the end, the highlights of East of Eden are few and far between.  Taken by Trees has perhaps been taken to far East and away from the blissful harmonies that we associate with its lead singer Victoria Bergsman, leaving a concept album with limited range in its wake.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/taken-by-trees-watch-the-waves.mp3]

Download: Taken by Treese – Watch the Waves [MP3]

YACHT – See Mystery Lights

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yachtRating: ★★☆☆☆

When Jona Bechtolt left B.L.O.W all these years back now, no one knew what direction he would pursue, as his music seemed perfectly fitting for the duo.  He wowed many with his clever YACHT debut, I Believe in You…, but could he proceed in a similar direction while achieving similar success when he added Claire Evans to the mix? See Mystery Lights is the answer to that question, though not necessarily the answer many were seeking.

The predominant factor on this set of ten songs is the usual inclusion of various blips and bleeps fused with clever pop elements throughout, much the same recipe used on the debut.  This round, the beats don’t really sound as progressive and interesting as they once did.  Perhaps this is due to the similarities of recent releases by other electronic based groups such as Animal Collective. Electronic collages are gradually wearing listeners down, and themselves, becoming watered down.

Redundancy seems to be one of the factors that contributes to the decline in creativity on See Mystery Lights. “It’s Boring/You Can Live Anywhere You Want” carries on for entirely too long, and never really seems to break into any new territory throughout the eight minutes of the song.  “Psychic City” opens with beats that seem reminiscent of The Knife, but then there is an utterly annoying water drop sound that continues to drip for the entirety of the song while Evans imitates early Debbie Harry.

“Summer Song” has easily one of the more enjoyable beats on the album; it’s probably one of the songs you would pick to play at a party, but even still, the promising beats don’t seem to really take off and go anywhere. It’s as if the whole record seems to be treading water, in danger of drowning itself in monotonous beats and repetitive lyrics.  What once garnered interest and enjoyment now seems tired and basic. One can go through the whole album without feeling as if any time has passed at all; musically, the album has stayed in the same place, as have you, the listener.

And in the end, you find two renditions of songs that were already presented on the album, which don’t particularly add anything to the originals, if you are to say that they don’t detract from those songs.  It seems that See Mystery Lights just didn’t quite come together for YACHT, and one might possibly say that the group suffered to come up with new material for an entire album, as clearly they ran out of songs.  It’s not a horrible offering, but it’s one that won’t really add much to your listening experience on this Earth.

Friday Rocks!

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thedolls Too many good shows Friday to name, but we’ll hit up the highlights.  If you don’t see live music in Austin on Friday, I’m  not sure we can be friends anymore. Really.

Bonnie Prince Billy, Howling Hex @ The Mohawk – Tickets

Animal Collective DJ Set @ Waterloo Records @ 5 PM – Free

Animal Collective, Black Dice @ Stubbs – SOLD OUT—Try to sneak in

New York Dolls, Black Joe Lewis @ Emos — Tickets

Alejandro Escovedo @ Antones – Tickets

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/11-jet-boy.mp3]

Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavillion

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Rating: ★★★★½

How does one truly classify a band like Animal Collective?  Let alone, how does one place a name on something that is easily unidentifiable?  You can’t, which has often led to praise for this band, as many love that which we don’t completely understand, yet sounds so beautiful.  Merriweather Post Pavillion is the first Animal Collective album that fully reaches beyond and into the masses.

From the get go, the band quickly falls into their typical IDM driven pop music. However, from the first entry on this album, there is a certain clarity to the vocals.  Animal Collective obviously has pushed beyond their own borders, grasping onto the vocal element with a clearer sense of purpose than before.  It’s a breath of fresh air, with a presence all it’s own.

This oddity in styling is reemphasized by the band choosing to also stay a little closer to the mainstream with the lyrical content.  Not only do the vocals sound better, but the lyrics aren’t coated in outsider allusions.  Oddly, this is the closest the band has come to writing meaningful lyrics that will translate to the laymen.  Don’t fret though, the band still primarily seems to use the vocal as an instrument in itself, as lyrics repeat time and time again.  This is where many people will find the Brian Wilson comparison obvious, though they’ve clearly expanded with spending time writing lyrics.

Many will claim that the album closer “Brothersport,” which caused loads of Internet controversy with its leak is the most accessible of the songs present here.  It would be hard to argue that all songs are not accessible this time round, but also consider “Summertime Clothes” as another popular ditty as the mini-chorus of “I want to walk around with you” dances along.

While this may be the first complete album the band has put out, there are always going to be detractors to an album by this group.  Occasionally, the band repeats itself too often, making the listener lose focus in the progression of the song.  It goes on a bit long, and many will get detached as they listen.  In all likelihood this album will be best on vinyl, listened to one side at a time. This is fortunate for all us fans because the band releases the vinyl version on January 6th, while Domino Records will release the CD version on January 20th.

As usual, the band has the knack to suspend listeners in a pop-induced trance, as rhythms steadily pound in your ears, accompanied by the vocal as an instrument.  It’s difficult to predict how some will react, but most can admit that there are many beautiful moments created by clever crafts of Animal Collective.

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