Tag: im from barcelona

I’m From Barcelona – Forever Today

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Rating: ★★★★☆

Honestly, I’m not sure how I’m From Barcelona works. Boasting twenty-nine members at one point in time, it seems like there must be a hierarchical system within the band, or else I don’t see how they could ever accomplish something with combining the creative genius of each member. Regardless of the inner-workings on this band, they produce catchy pop songs, despite any amount of time, or any change in membership. Forever Today is no exception.

While their last album was considered a bit of a set back for this Swedish super group, Forever Today is definitely a step back up to the fun sound that this group originally had back when they released Let Me Introduce My Friends in ’07. “Charlie Parker” begins with some classic synthesizer and those sweet and savory gang vocals that you’ve missed. From this first track, it’s evident that I’m From Barcelona has got their spunk back, and this album is going to be a restatement of that glorious energy. If the first song isn’t convincing enough for you, “Battleships,” two songs later brings some killer bass lines and the hint of handclaps, and as we know, handclaps always make for a great time. By the end of this one, you should be tapping your feet, joining together with this giant group of musicians.

One of the greatest qualities of this band is that since they have so much going on, and so many members, it feels easy to sing along and immerse yourself in the music with them, as if you are just hanging out with a bunch of friends. On “Always Spring,” another tasty pop song relies on the twinkling of some keyboard and the for-real handclaps. It’s a mixture of the energy that this band thrives on, with some serious undertones that are emphasized with the horn work pandering somewhere in the background amidst layers of other musical elements. This is perfect example of just the right amount of spirit combined with grace and elegance.

In the middle of Forever Today, it starts to feel like I’m From Barcelona are about to lapse back to their lackluster performance from the last album, but they manage to save it from that sad fate with a boost from “Come On,” which urges us to “let go” and “be free;” exactly what you would expect from this band. They finish things up with another on of those songs that mix their energy with thoughtful music with the title track, “Forever Today.”

As opposed to the all or nothing sound that we have been introduced to from this band’s first two releases, it seems that they have finally found a way to a happy medium, and it is certainly an enjoyable balance.

Los Campesinos! – Romance is Boring

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romance-is-boringRating: ★★½☆☆

Just looking at the blood dripping down the leg of the cover of Romance is Boring, and you can tell that there is a dark shift in the writing of Los Campesinos!. Long have they been a band of rapturous joy and sheer energy, but as we grow older, ultimately our views begin to shift.  This is a record of changing winds; it is a band looking in new directions.

On “A Heat Rash…” you can immediately tell that the band, while retaining some of their trademark sounds, has switched gears, albeit just slightly.  Musically, there is still an overall feeling of joy amidst Gareth’s lyrics, but the fervent energy seems somewhat absent here.  It seems that the urgency of the band has dissipated with the times.

Yes, you will find the traditional Los Campesinos! tracks filled with possibly too much noise for one listener; you’ll find those songs that encourage you to scream atop your lungs with the band, such as “This is a Flag. There is No Wind” or “Straight in at 101.”  These songs bring energy to the group, reminding you of the band’s original sound, but overall, such rambunctious moments are few and far between here, which may be disheartening to long-time fans of the group.

Instead, you’ll stumble across slow movers like “Coda: A Burn Scar in the Shape of the Sooner State.”  While Gareth’s vocals are coated in minor distortion, the group itself recalls a gloomier version of I’m From Barcelona.  Multiple instruments come in and out with the song fading away into walls of feedback.  This isn’t the only tune that demonstrates a more solemn side of the band. “In Media Res” messes with the song structure that the LC has often employed, using quiet moments back to back with louder constructive moments within the song.  It’s not a slow number, but it definitely doesn’t have the pace of previous efforts.

When you hit across the record’s title track, “Romance is Boring,” for some reason, the album seems kind of muddled.  It’s as if the group set out with one thing in mind, yet they were unable to deliver upon their ideas, or at least they weren’t comfortable straying too far away from their comfort zone.  It’s filled with noise, a la the usual LC stuff, but experimenting with feedback and distortion gets a bit annoying at times.  And if you ask me (which you didn’t) the gang vocals by album three are getting a little bit tiresome, as are Gareth’s lyrics.  What once seemed clever, now seems a bit banal.

For some reason, it seems as if the group just came across a bunch of old alternative records, and they decided that loud frequencies would be rewarding for their live sound, which is quite possible, though it doesn’t translate to the album.  “I Just Sighed. I Just Sighed So You Know,” the closing track, just seems like a bunch of children messing around in their garage.  And wait until you hear the metal moments on “I Warned You Do Not Make an Enemy of Me.”  Did they really put those guitars in there?

By the end of Romance is Boring, it seems that Los Campesinos! have finally warn their listeners down.  They don’t seem nearly as cohesive as they once did, which encourages a lot of the noisier moments to come across in quite an amateur fashion.  It’s loud and boisterous, but it’s too much so at times.  It seems that the band has split their personalities on this, leaving them stuck in the middle somewhere.  It makes for an uneven album, one that doesn’t do the group as much justice as you hoped it would. It’s not nearly as fun as the group CAN be, and not nearly as dark as they seem to want to be.  Expect the next album to make a decision for us and them.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/The-Sea-Is-A-Good-Place-To-Think-Of-The-Future.mp3]

Download: Los Campesinos! – The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future [MP3]

The Boy Least Likely To – The Law of…

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boyRating: ★★½☆☆

Britain’s The Boy Least Likely To have made waves in the past with their multi-instrumental pop tunes, and their back at it again with their latest release The Law of the Playground. Their sound clearly hasn’t evolved too much on this album, as they rely upon the same set of tricks that gained them popularity in the first place.

Once you press play, those of indie-pop should surely find a resemblance in vocalist Jof’s delivery, as his voice is a clear descendant of Matt Sharp of Rentals and Weezer fame. Even the musical accompaniment encourages this association, but its nice to have a familiar voice singing in your ear, even if it comes from someone entirely new.

Musically, you can find lots of similarities to various bands.  The usage of multiple instruments throughout the album recall memories of other groups such as Architecture in Helsinki or I’m From Barcelona.  All three groups rely upon an extensive use of layering in order to complete the accomplished goal at hand.  And their is no shortage of bells and whistles here, not by a long shot.

You know the saying “everything and the kitchen sink,” well, it certainly applies.  There indeed are bells and whistles, and it seems as if the band uses any thing at their command to create infectious melodies.  Add some horns, and you’ll find that every single instrument you could imagine to find on a pop album is utilized here.  It’s great in concept, but it has a tendency to wear the listener down.  Just saying.

Now, looking deep in the lyrics will be hard to, as there really isn’t a great deal of depth swirling around the presentation here. Let’s take a song like “When Life Gives You Lemons I Make Lemonade.”  Can you work a larger cliche into song than that one?  Probably not.  Which is precisely where this band loses you; their lack of interest, or seeming disinterest, is where you start to feel frustrated in listening to the band.   They’ve built these perfectly crafted songs, yet they can’t ever seem to close the deal by attaching quality lyrics to such melodies.

Two albums into their career, the band have created a wide array of pop gems to their name, each built with precision and attention to every melodic detail.  Time after time, they surprise you with moments of splendor, as they do in “Stringing up Conkers” on their most recent release.  But, in the end, they always leave you craving for more, be it in regards to lyrics, or in regards to wanting more well-crafted songs, you’re sure to ask for more.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/06-stringing-up-conkers.mp3]

Download: Boy Least Likely To – Stringing Up Conkers [MP3]

I’m From Barcelona – Who Killed Harry…

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I’m From Barcelona – Who Killed Harry Houdini?

Rating: ★★½☆☆

Did you have any idea that the Swedish supergroup I’m From Barcelona had another album hitting stateside?  Don’t worry, no one really covered it, but sure enough, we now have Who Killed Harry Houdini?.

Opening tracks pretty much establish the mood for all albums, no matter what we say; that’s the job of the person who sequences the songs. “Andy,” the album opener showcases an entirely new aesthetic for the group, most noticeable is the absence of sprawling pop infectiousness. It’s quiet, almost as if it’s the choir score to a Tim Burton film. The artwork, along with the album title, hint at this darker underbelly.

Remnants of the last album do remain throughout this new effort.  Many of the songs hold tightly to the choir backing vocals, a la Polyphonic Spree. Still available is the landscape sounds created by piling layers and layers of instrumentation and vocals upon one another.  You can even find handclaps and shakers here and there. BUT, it’s missing a key ingredient!

SPIRIT! When that guy from Barcelona introduced me to all his friends on his last album I remember being really excited.  Not only had a collective of musicians united to make zany-pop fueled extravagances, but they were good at it too!  Songs like “We’re From Barcelona” or “Treehouse” oozed with pop sensibility, creating listening experiences even hippies could groove too.  Here, it’s gone.  It’s as if they put all that energy into the first album, and now they’ve run completely out of gas.  Also, the level of horn work has been greatly diminished.  It’s strange considering the frequent usage of the horns on the last effort. It’s just another thing  that indicates an entirely different direction for the group.

This album isn’t an awful attempt; it actually has some redeeming moments, albeit slower moments.  Unfortunately, they’ve gone so far the other way that it is difficult to find any correlation between this Who Killed Harry Houdini? and Let Me Introduce My Friends. One album is fully shimmering joy, the other lacks emotion; compare and contrast; go!

I’m From Barcelona

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I’m From Barcelona, creators of our favorite video of the last few years “We’re From Barcelona” off one of the best albums of 2006 Let Me Introduce My Friends. have some new music for you pop geeks out there.  First song “Paper Planes” has a video you can watch on youtube and can also be streamed on the band’s myspace page.  Another song, “Music Killed Me” can be had with a real (or fake) email address on the I’m From Barcelona wesbite.  “Paper Planes” sounds like it could belong on the band’s 2006 release but “Music Killed Me” sees a totally new direction for the Swedes.  Both songs appear on the band’s newest Who Killed Harry Houdini? out Sep. 24th in the UK and Oct. 14th stateside.