Monday, June 22, 2009

"Everybody, Come Outside"- Pomegranates



8.7

You can tell a lot about this album just from it's cover. Odds are the impression you get from a couple seconds of glancing at it are accurate: fun, colourful, innocent, bright, etc. All very good things, which this album happens to have a lot of. Let's take a short look back...

Last year, Poms released their first LP, "Everything is Alive", and almost a year to the day later, they have a second one out. This alone is amazing. Their first album had the potential, but none of the songs really stuck out (with the exception of a few). However, on this album, they took the potential and really honed it and found their niche.


The album starts out fun, in a jolt of indie rock with a nice beat and group vocals that make you want to groove along. Sonic is a word I would describe the soundscapes on this album. They define their sound as "art-pop" and I like this name for them. The songs have a nice gliding, easy-going feel to them. I feel like there are a number of high points in this album, and it definitely has more of a direction than their first. Their guitar lines are sweet; each song usually has a driving bassline with slick guitar phrases left and right with some atmospheric keyboards. "Beachcomber" is a nice song to bring in the summer with. The band's two singers comliment the songs really well. One singer has a higher, almost falsetto, that's very child-like and whimsical but definitely has gusto; where the other singer has the gusto and gives it a deeper feel. As far as motifs throughout the album, stars, dreams, the sky, space, land, and water. "The Southern Ocean" talks about a (girl?) swimmer with big dreams, and a peppy sound. This track really kicks off the album for me. "Sail (Away with Me)" is a cute indie love song that your ears will surely sail away on. The mellotron flutes give way to a very transe-like state, I like it. "Corriander" dabbles in progressive and art rock (hence 'art pop') with the sonic delay-filled guitar lines and talks about when "I was young/a few lightyears ago". "384 BC" is slow and dreamy. Dreamy, another point I'd like to bring up. The songs on "Everybody" are very innocent, dreamy, child-like, etc, but not unfocused or stupid. Rather their songs are child-like and fun, with psychedelic passages and a whimsy comparable to Syd Barret led Pink Floyd.



Another great thing about Poms is t

hat the songs aren't too long and they don't drag on too long. With the exception of "Jerusalem has a Bad Day" and "I feel like I'm a Million Years Old", which clock in at nearly 7 minutes and 13 minutes respectively. Their songs are easy to listen to, fun, psychedelic at times, playful, and very solid.


Highlight: "Everybody, Come Outside", "Tesseract", "The Southern Ocean"

Listen if you like: The Shins, early Pink Floyd, Arctic Monkeys

Sunday, June 21, 2009

"Places Like This"- Architecture in Helsinki



8.5

Architecture in Helsinki, in a time where odd names seem to fit right in, so does this peppy, happy, upbeat, wonderful record. AIH has got more spunk than any other band around today. Lead singer Cameron Bird takes up most of the vocal duties on this album. His vocals fit somewhere between David Byrne and Isaac Brock. That comparison comes up a lot in my mind, Talking Heads and AIH are very similar in dynamic. AIH created a very fun record on "Places Like This", and you'll be grooving from the first synthed out track all the way to the end.


"Red Turned White" gives you the notion of the album and sets the scene really well. If you haven't already, check out the music video for "Heart It Races", it's pretty trippy. One of the strongest points of this record is that it's always fun, but it doesn't become "Skeletal Lamping" and get too un-serious. You can tell the musicians took their parts very seriously. "Hold Music" is straight groovy. Also, their background (Australia) comes to their advantage; it fits them very well. For example, "Let me tell you about Christmas time when it's hot", a line from "Like it Or Not". "Feather in a Baseball Cap" and "Underwater" take the album down a notch. "Underwater" is ghostly and wonderful, it kind of slides through your headphones. "Like it or Not" brings back the funk (and the weird). Their drummer, James Cecil, plays the trombone. Singing about somebody's mom being in love with you, don't think too much of the lyrics, but that's not a problem; there's plenty to tickle your ear's fancy. "Debbie" is their nightclub dance tune. "Lazy" shines through the odd and strikes beauty. "In the galaxy stars/with nothing in the middle 'cept the planet that we're on and it's playing 2nd fiddle": I love it. "Lazy" starts out quiet, but by the end the sweet guitar lines groove into each other and your feet will be tapping like hell. This song just sounds Australian, if that were to be a genre. "Nothing's Wrong" is another song that strikes gold. It pushes this album back into Talking Heads territory. The last song, "Same Old Innocence", takes it back up and back down, with a pumping tune.


Like I said, every song on this album is dance worthy. Some of the songs are weirder, but some of them (as I mentioned) are very respectable songs. There is a lot to listen to in this album, and I'm sure you'll be listening to it for a long time. Also, see them live if you can, they're incredible. I am excited for their (hopeful) 2009 release, but "Places" is a great place to start for exploring the AIH catalogue. Happy dancing...

Highlights: "Lazy", "Nothing's Wrong".
Listen if you like: Modest Mouse, Talking Heads

Friday, June 19, 2009

"The End of History"- Fionn Regan


9.5

It's been almost 2 years since I stumbled across this folk album, and almost 3 years since its initial release. What Fionn Regan created on his debut album was truly classic. First off, he plays guitar incredibly well, has a great Irish-accented singing voice, and is a talented songwriter. His songs evoke scenes in Ireland during the summer, long coasts, the gold old days, things undone, words unsaid, rain, sun, happiness, sadness, this is one of the greatest albums of the decade and I have no doubt that this album will get a spot in your memory as such.
From the first seconds on "Be Good or Be Gone", Regan's finger picked guitar, and matter-of-fact vocals are reassuring. I can't quite say enough how soothing this song is. "The Underwood Typewriter" takes you to rural Ireland on a nice summer day. His guitar is once again beautiful and flawless, and his storytelling is heartwarming. "Hunters Map", "Snowy Atlas Mountains" represent the darker side of Regan, but no less staggering. "Hey Rabbit" is a nice analysis of the world these days. "The Cowshed" talks about suicide, and is definitely a darker but nostalgic tune. "I still see you as a baby/I do/Climbing onto the stage in front of the school", I think anyone can relate to the feeling of this song. "Abacus" is another heartwarming tune. Something about it will shut me up instantly. There's something in the words that have a sort of let's leave now and run away together feeling to it. "Bunker of Basement" is an amazing way to end an album. The first half is occupied by the bright piano paired with his plucked guitar led by his vocals, where the second half lets the piano lead and invokes the scene of driving away.
I really think that anyone can relate to this album. It's a nice folk gem, but it's not boring like most folk records get. There's something very nostalgic, summery, melancholic, but still very happy about it. Listen to it, and you'll love it.
Highlights: "The Underwood Typewriter", "Snow Atlas Mountains"
Listen if you like: Bob Dylan, Fleet Foxes, The Cave Singers

"For Emma, Forever Ago"- Bon Iver



8.2

There's nothing in "For Emma" that you can't tell from the first 30 seconds of listening to it. I don't think it's a bad thing, however. Justin Vernon's soulful, chilly vocals have an almost haunting quality to them. The acoustic guitars are graceful and fluid; vocals are essentially instruments in this album as well, making up for the lack of diversity in the instruments.

This album's simplicity might be the most beautiful thing about it though. There's nothing too complex, definitely nothing too loud, but something very present and very alive in these songs. The premise of these songs, needless to say, is that Vernon's band and relationship in North Caroline ended and he went in to the woods in Wisconsin and recorded this. The result of heartbreak and going your own way, like usual, great music.

Vernon's soulful vocals and thoughtful words are the centerpiece of nearly every song. "Flume" and "Lump Sum" are soothing with clean, soothing melodies. "Skinny Love" breaks the soothing trend. His vocals in this song have passion in their tone, you can feel his sadness and possibly madness in his tone, in the chorus especially. Another nice feature in this album is that some of the songs act as songs and scenes in a play, as if this album were also a play. "Wolves" and "For Emma" have narrative parts as well as dialogue, a truly interesting aspect of his songs. "Wolves" also introduces the choir of Justins that lead the songs. Like I said, his vocals act as instruments in this album, along with frail, percussive guitars, and some percussion. "Blindsided" is perhaps one of the strongest tracks on the album. It has that half hollow, half filling aspect, but he has so much soul and feeling in his words. "Creature Fear" adds to the soothing, and the choir of Justins comes back; the harmonies that he organizes are gentle and beautiful. It starts out soothing, but it picks up and carries on the same soul as "Skinny Love". "For Emma" is another truly beautiful track. In this song, you are put in the place of Vernon and you almost see the scene of the break up happening. Soooo much soul. "Re: Stacks" is a very unique song on the album. Instead of the grimaced melancholy soul, it's nostalgic and it shows potential of finding happiness.

Obviously, adjectives to describe this album are: soulful, melancholy, heartbreaking, descriptive, but still very beautiful. From the choir like vocals, to the triumphant horns on "For Emma", this album has a lot to say in only 9 songs. Needless to say, I'm excited to see where he's going to go with this, if he follows the final track on the album, I can only assume he has a long, bright future of making beautiful music.

Key tracks: "For Emma", "Blindsided"
Listen if you like: Fionn Regan, Fleet Foxes

Monday, June 15, 2009

"Oracular Spectacular"- MGMT



8.5

First off, the pronunciation is "Em Jee Em Tee" not "Management", that is the old, this is the new, get with it.

It was December, nearly a year after MGMT's debut had been released. I was in a car with some friends, and "Time to Pretend" came on. I was amazed. The songs had electronica elements, psychedelic rock elements, pop elements, I amazed at how they pulled all those genres together. I immediately asked my friend Robbie who these pied pipers were, and he told me MGMT; I went home and bought the whole album and I was pleasantly surprised.

The album starts out with an agry, roaring synth, then the guitar lines, then the sassy, almost whiny vocals, "I'm feelin rough I'm feelin raw in the time of my life". They blatantly describe their ambitions to be rockstars. The songs on this album are really great. Every song gets to go out on its own adventure but still maintains the same electronica/indie/psychedelic face. The synth layers and beats in "Kids", the sexy groove in "Electric Feel", the album's high points are held together by their keyboardist.

I would say this album is very durable. It fits any mood. From chilling out to making out, this is a great album to just put on and groove to for ambience, or an album you can pay attention to; it's truly versatile. I really admire these guys as musicians and songwriters and I think they did a really good job of tying together their influences. I get a little annoyed by the lead singer's whiny vocals in "Weekend Wars" and "Pieces of What", but they're still good songs. These guys are the voice of the whole Indie/College Rock scene. Talking about free love, screwing around, all the good stuff. "The Youth" gives a good analysis of our generation. "Of Moons, Birds and Monsters" and the other final tracks show the band get a little bit more deep. The melodies and moods are a little darker, but it shows their musical development throughout the album, a really beautiful thing.

Like I said, this is a really versatile album. You can pop it on to listen to, or to just hangout with. I am very interested to see where their sophomore album will go...hopefully not downwards, and I really want a chance to see them live. One point of criticism is the obvious, the vocals are mediocre at best, annoying at times, but somehow it kind of works for them.

Points of Interest: "Time to Pretend", "Electric Feel", "Of Moons, Birds, and Monsters"
Listen if you like: LCD Sound System, The Unicorns, The Bravery

Saturday, June 13, 2009

WTF #1: Grouper

WTF?????

So, this Memorial Day, I went to go see Animal Collective at the Roseland Theatre. With this concert, I had two grievances.

1) The Roseland Theatre is an awful venue. I saw Rilo Kiley there about a year ago and it was bad, but I didn't think anything of it. This is strike 2. They had speakers FACING EACH OTHER. What are they thinking? The concert was feedback ridden. NO SHIT!

2) I've been to a lot of concerts, and I understand the whole opening act thing. But this opening act, Grouper, was by far the worst performance I've ever seen anywhere. I don't understand why anyone would ever listen to this music.

First off, she gets up on stage and doesn't say anything. Then she starts playing her guitar, it was god awful. All she did was hit one note and strum it and move her finger up and down with a bunch of reverb. It sounded terrible. The thing that gets me about Grouper is that I've read reviews of her, and people have actually enjoyed it. It's just a bunch of stupid sounds and her playing one note on the guitar and moaning into the microphone. It really makes me sad that people actually think that's good music. Our world of music is really getting bad. It really pisses me off. Grrrr. Grouper, you suck.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Classic Album: "Odessey & Oracle"- The Zombies

10.0 Everything about this album, from the mispelling of "Odyssey", to the psychedelic cover, to the music, to the perfect recordings, this album is classic. Although the Zombies called it quit right after recording this album, (the same time as "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" and "Sgt. Pepper's") the album still managed to land a top 10 single two years after its release. Not to mention becoming one of the most critically acclaimed and influential albums of all time. From Tom Petty to Fleet Foxes, this album has inspired everyone.
It begins; the peppy piano phrase that starts this album is incredible. "Good Morning to you I hope you're feeling better baby...", it just makes you want to smile. Colin Blunstone's soulful voice, Rod Argent's complex chord progressions, Christ White's driving bass, Hugh Grundy's composed drumming, and Paul Atkinson's quiet guitar that pokes its head into the music whenever needed. "Care of Cell 44" is a beautiful masterpiece that has the best of any 1960's song; vocal harmonies and mellotrons.
From that blast of an intro, we go to the melancholy tune about a girl and summer. "A Rose for Emily" is yet another song of beautiful music and soulful vocals. At the beginning of "Maybe After He's Gone", the guitar finally gets a solo/intro! Good for him.
If there was one sure compliment I had to give, it would be how skilled and trained of musicians they truly are. Rod Argent is an incredible jazz musician, which is evident in his chord progressions (homework assignment: grab a guitar and try to play one of their songs). Also typically uncredited, their bass player Chris White, who wrote the beautiful "Beechwood Park", probably on my top 10 list of favourite songs of all time.
This album just plain makes you feel good. From beginning to end, it has your ears hooked, and everytime you listen to it you'll find something new about it you never noticed before. It is confusing to me why this album isn't one of the best selling of all time, but I think that their success is truly in their influence. If you've never heard this album, go buy it now; if you have heard of this album and haven't bought it yet, go buy it; please just go buy it. Screw Sgt. Pepper's, screw Thriller, this is the greatest album of all time. This album is truly inspiring.

Highlights: "Care of Cell 44", "Beechwood Park"
Listen if you like: The Shins, Telekinesis, Vampire Weekend, Fleet Foxes, Grizzly Bear

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

"Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix"- Phoenix








9.5


I first heard of this band, like most people in America, from their appearance on SNL this April. I was stunned by their musicianship, songwriting, and how well crafted their songs sounded. I was impressed. So, like I do with virtually all bands I get into, I researched them and figured out everything there was to know about them.


So it turns out that this is not their first album; they've been around since 2000. And even better, ils sont francais!!!!! As you can tell, I was excited.


What I love about "Wolfgang" is how all the songs seem to glide into eachother. Clashing with the waves of poppy, atmospheric synths, perfectly produced guitars, and sly vocals full of gusto and emotion. The production quality is astounding, but they make it seem easy and their production never outshines their songs like most over produced bands. Their songs are very solid. Tight would be a good word to describe them. Everything is put right next to eachother and there's so silence or hollow feeling, it's a very full sounding album. The lyrics are great. They do justice to their great music they're put to. These songs hit the heart, and it sounds like that's where they came from.

The first two tracks are a valiant way to start off a record. "1901" is beautiful. "I'll be anything you ask and more", "It's not the miracle we needed, but I wouldn't let you think so". They've got really strong lyrics, and what sounds like a lot of worldly experiences. The song fades off wonderfully and has you immediately longing for more. "Fences" slides from sly caberet, so hush hush acoustic guitars. The general mood this album invokes is incredible. "Love Like a Sunset" is almost 8 minutes. Most of it is instrumental; with layers of phrased and programmed synths, but words eventually come at the end (at least a couple lines). You'd have no idea how long this song was until you looked at the clock and realized what you just enjoyed was actually 8 minutes. "Lasso"; "Forever is a long long time when you've lost your way". More great lines. The next gem is "Girlfriend". It enters in the same way most do on this album, synths and pads, and the drums start pumping when his sly vocals kick in again. Ah love songs. "Armistice" blends in with the other songs not mentioned thus far. Nothing short of Phoenix genius and therefore incredible pop.

Great music, great lyrics, great production, great mood, great songwriting, great album overall. My only complaint: why couldn't they have added more wonderful songs????????? This album is a beauty, and one of the best this year.

Highlights: "1901", "Lisztomania", "Fences"
Listen if you like: MGMT, Death Cab for Cutie

http://www.wearephoenix.com/
www.myspace.com/wearephoenix

"The Open Door EP"- Death Cab for Cutie

7.5

Thus far in the 21st century music world, bands release EP's whenever they either have an excess of material, or not enough. For Death Cab's case, I'm assuming it was an excess. For those who don't know, DCFC released an album last May called "Narrow Stairs" that brought them further into the major label superstardom world.
"Narrow Stairs" was a good album, but there were about 2 or 3 songs that were dull. And if I'm not mistaken, there are about 2 or 3 decent songs on this EP that could've taken their place. So this I'm not totally sure about considering Death Cab could've made a near perfect record if they would've done so. But hey, that's just me.
The songs on this EP are good, don't get me wrong, but they're a little too typical Death Cab. Happy music with sad lyrics that use weird metaphors about lost love. But I digress. Overall the songs all get 4 stars out of 5. But it's the fact that the songs are a little too typical to make this stick out as any "Sun Giant" EP. "Little Bribes" is the high point, and all the other ones just kind of mesh into one another without extreme excitement.
Good job Ben Gibbard.....and Colin Meloy if you're reading this........be yourself, nobody's judging.....there's already one Ben Gibbard that we love, we don't need another one.

Alright.


www.myspace.com/deathcabforcutie
http://www.deathcabforcutie.com/

Monday, June 8, 2009

"Veckatimest"- Grizzly Bear

8.0




Grizzly Bear. Folk-Rock, Indie, harmonies, mhhhhmmm. There was a lot of hype about this album, at least I heard a lot. When I finally got a hold of this album, I was surprised. It's a good, solid record, but not the kind of record I would expect to get as much praise and hype as it did.

This album, like many this year, starts off strong and fades off into wherever. In Grizzly Bear's case, folk-out, space-out, echoed-out, Indie rock soundscapes. "Veckatimest" is melodic, harmony-filled, mysterious, at times epic, and a good solid effort for the 2009 music year already tremored by the long, tall, shadow of Merriweather Post Pavillion.

"Southern Point" starts the album very mysteriously. It fades in with smooth, charismatic vocals, and tricky, equally charismatic acoustic lines. This song is definitely epic. Next, "Two Weeks" blows this album into "best of" territory. This song is filled a soulful melody, wicked piano, and aforementioned great harmonies. As we move along; more reverb, charismatic and often shakey (in a good, vibrato way) vocals. Mostly acoustic, with good drums, a touch of electric guitars, and an overall mystical feel. The songs on "Veckatimest" grab your attention at first, but often they lose it with their length. Don't get me wrong, I listen to the Grateful Dead and the Floyd, I can appreciate a long song, but you can't always make a record of 5 minute songs and expect it to fly 24/7. But that's perhaps what's beautiful about this album; it's not trying to be too impressive. Rather, it's a nice, modest effort.

Don't give up on this album, it took about 3 listens for me to get into it.

Key tracks: "Two Weeks", "While You Wait for the Others"
Listen if you like: Beirut, Fleet Foxes, Department of Eagles

"Telekinesis!"- Telekinesis




8.3

  • I want you to listen to this album. I want you to listen to this album and try to find 5 things you don't like about it. I dare you. The answer: it's impossible!

    First off, Michael Lerner was noticed by Chris Walla (Death Cab), which is something not many bands can say. Next, his songs are melodic, quaint, thought-provoking, smile-provoking, and altogether lovely. Besides, what's not to love about 2-3 minute songs about finding love, imaginary friends, Japan, growing up, and summer? The answer: nothing!

    "Rust" starts the album off gracefully, with an acoustic ballad about love and the fear of committment. Next up, "Coast of Caroline" starts off acoustic sounding like the previous track, but blows your mind with a punchy beat, and precise vocals. "Tokyo" takes the rocking to a new level, and is perhaps the album's loudest song. It talks about neon lights and bullet trains. Japanophile much? Something Telekinesis has in common with Nicolas Sarkozy. "Awkward Kisser" is a true gem. I've listened to it a million times and I'm prepared to listen to it a million more. This is where Lerner demonstrates his most poppy nature and possible Brian Wilson influence (????). Every song on this album has an amazing hook, sung by his strong but soft voice, delivered with strong guitars, impressive drums (played by Lerner), and impressively, mellotron lines laced in the background of some songs.

    The amazing thing about these songs is that they start off carrying on with what the previous song started, and taking it in a new direction while still maintaining an overall similar feel. Two acoustic ballads bookend the album, icy guitar riffs, punchy drums, amazing vocals, and an overall happy atmosphere full of love. Besides, if he can impress Chris Walla, you owe it to your ears to go buy this half an hour pop album.

    Key tracks: "Awkward Kisser", "Tokyo"
    Listen if you like: The Shins, Death Cab for Cutie

    www.myspace.com/telekinesismusic
    http://www.mergerecords.com/ (go buy it now)