Catch Up #1: 2009

Catch Up #1:
What is it? Basically where I post a laundry list of albums or other things that have come up this year that I haven't had the time to review, or that don't deserve their own blog about it.

8.5
"Black River Killer EP"- Blitzen Trapper
More great tracks from the "Furr" era that won't be new to your ears if you've seen them live in the last year. Good job Eric Earley and gang.

5.0
"Wavvves"- Wavves
Alright, so there's been a lot of buzz over this Wavves kid and I don't get it. He flaked out of most of the gigs on his European tour, got pissed at his drummer, and did more E than one kid from California can take.

8.0
"Dark Was the Night"- various artists.
Tons of Indie hall of famers. The good part is that all of the tracks are new or b-side/rarities sort of thing, but the bad part is that all of the tracks are new or b-side/rarities. "Knotty Pine" is going to be a classic.

6.5
"No One's First and You're Next"- Modest Mouse
B-sides and rarities from the past 2 albums. My feelings about this idea fits in with the "Final Cut" and "the Wall" struggle between David Gilmour and Roger Waters nearly 30 years ago, and I agree with David Gilmour. If the songs weren't good enough then, why are they good enough now? I rest my case. Sorry Modest Mouse.

2.0
"Octahedron"- the Mars Volta
No one wants to listen to 7 minutes of "polyrhythmic" guitar solos anymore.

5.0
"The Eternal"- Sonic Youth
After hearing the Flaming Lips' new tracks from the forthcoming double album, and then hearing Sonic Youth's umpteenth album, it made me realize that alternative bands don't always last 20 years and make good music.

5.0
Tour EP handout- the Flaming Lips
Hearing these songs has made me question who told them they should release a double album of this uber psychedelic alternative fuzz.

But hold your head up!
Because in late 2009/early 2010, you can expect new records from.....
Vampire Weekend
Fleet Foxes
Guster
Architecture in Helsinki
the Strokes
Ra Ra Riot
the Shins

"The Ruminant Band"- Fruit Bats

8.1

Eric Johnson's voice sounds just as much like My Morning Jacket's Jim James as he does James Mercer. "the Ruminant Band" sounds as much like the Shins playing Blitzen Trapper, as it does Fleet Foxes playing Neil Young. There are plenty of comparisons one can draw from listening to Fruit Bats, but the band does well to retain their own brand of alt-country mixed with americana and of course folk (lead singer Johnson hardly lets an acoustic guitar go farther than inches from his hands).

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The vocal phrasing is similar to the Byrds. One line goes up, one goes back down. Johnson's voice does well with both, by the way. The music is the folky sometimes americana, while the vocals and guitar solo lines are the alt-country. The lyrics have their own Fruit Bats twist as well. Mexicans, hobo girls, Indian casinos, etc.

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"Primitive Man" is one of the greatest tracks of the year, and an incredible way to start out an album. The reverb applied to each song sounds like the vocal and the acoustic guitar was recorded in a big open room with stained-glass windows, with the sonic guitar passages then laid over. The title track carries the same sonic-meets-down home wonder as the opener. These songs also have a great camp-fire atmosphere to them. The listener, after three or four tracks could go as far as to describe their sound as "alt-country-campfire indie rock"; you heard it here.

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"Tegucigalpa" brings in the Western country influence. Which could make Eric Johnson and band look like a baroque Johnny Cash. "Beautiful Morning Light" is the first quaint campfire singalong that you can feel the strings being strummed, a style that recurrs in "Singing Joy to the World" again, possibly more so. That song makes you want to stare out a window on a beautiful summer morning. I feel like this album was released at the perfect time.; August. This is, to me, an August album, evoking sunlight, girls, love, happy feelings, old country Michigan, and rural fields at every chance it gets to. The instrumentation on this album should not go un-noted. Like I mentioned before, the guitar work is sonic, the bass and drums compliment it well, with sliced, punchy piano when needed: "the Hobo Girl", "Being on Your Own", "My Unusual Friend". "The Hobo Girl" brings back that late Byrds-esque psychedelic country rock feeling. It almost feels like the Fruits Bats are the Byrds of our era. The final track, "Flamingo", sounds like it was recorded in the 1930's.

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So basically what you have here is a modest album that comes off wonderfully most of the time, but does get too repetitive with the token alt-country at times. But please pay attention if you're looking for an end of the summer album full of county fairs, summer love, holding hands, and singing at the campfire.

Listen if you like: Blitzen Trapper, My Morning Jacket, the Byrds.

Key Tracks: "Primitive Man", "the Ruminant Band"

"3 Rounds and A Sound"- Blind Pilot

8.4

After completing a tour where Portland's Blind Pilot Israel Nebeker and Ryan Dobrowski biked from Bellingham, WA to San Diego, CA, the band sold out of their self released EP. Both of those feats are truly impresive. If you have ever listened to Blind Pilot, you'll discover there's another thing to be impressed by; their amazing whimsy amidst melancholy folk, and happy pop.
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Their sound is powerful; which is odd considering most of their tracks are an acoustic guitar and drums. There's something in Nebeker's voice that yields a powerful edge, while still holding a soft, gentle, endearing tone. The brushed snare drum, the carefuly strummed chords, the soothing hi hat or jazz cymbal, the stories, the element of Oregon, everything comes together to their advantage.
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In "Oviedo", the guitar seems to appear out of nowhere and get closer and closer to the mic. The lyrics hold a meaning and augment the soft music. Eventually the two Pilots are joined by a brass section that belt the melody; it's beautiful. "Paint or Pollen" has a jazzy, sly chord progression. "The Story I Heard" ties in elements of the Northwest, jumping a Utah train, things undone. "Poor Boy" is a somber song, but still not terrible to listen to like most sad songs. "One Red Thread" shows the full band potential of their live sound and touches on the upbeat and the slower grooves of this album. Beginning the same way as "Oviedo", but going into new territory with vibe lines in the middle are admirable, lyrics that are liberating, drums that are pumping but not too loud, and touching on the same quiet delivery as the slower songs.
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Although in recordings there is few tracks, a minimalist sense that I can respect, Blind Pilot are joined on stage by a full band that, I feel, takes their sound to the potential that is so obvious on "3 Rounds and a Sound". This album is a perfect album to listen to in your car on your way home. I almost feel like it's giving me a pat on the back. From the time I bought this album, in February '09, until about May, it was nearly all I listened to. This album is listenable all the way through, or if you're just feeling like a couple of their tracks, which makes this album versatile.
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" Go On, Say It" continues the energy that "One Red Thread" brought into the record, urging you to "come on say it right". This time joined by strings, which also course through the veins of their live sets. "Two Towns from Me" is a borderline alt-country song with that wonderful soothing quality, and a Rhodes organ! "Things I Cannot Recall" highlights all the fun of a young relationship; first kisses, trips to the beach, getting caught. "There are things I could not forget/I wish none had happened yet/There are some things I cannot forget/We were stronger than the preachers, wiser than the law". This song is one of my favourites from the entire year.
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Blind Pilot combines child-like innocence, "Things I Cannot Recall", "Two Towns from Me", with more mature situations, "The Bitter End", "3 Rounds and a Sound", as well as the story telling quality of early Decemberists. I truly believe there are great things coming from these guys. They are constantly expanding and I think it's safe to say we can expect a lot of great tunes from these guys in the years to come.
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Key tracks: "Oviedo", "One Red Thread", "Things I Cannot Recall"
Listen if you like: early Decemberists, Elliot Smith, The Shins

"The Funeral"; "Neon Bible"- the Arcade Fire

7.4

Well you're probably wondering why I chose to review both of their albums at once, and quite frankly, it's because neither of them are good enough to devote an entire review of each. Now before you get mad at me for, *gasp!* not liking Arcade Fire, stop; don't consider me a critic of the band, consider me a critic of their albums.

I've heard a lot of hype about this band, and I dodged listening to them for years before my friend finally lent me their discs. It pains me to see wonderful songs like "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" and "Une Annee Sans Lumiere" get stuck on the same album as awful songs like "In the Backseat" and "Crown of Love". I have a feeling I'm not alone in this thinking either. People probably think that it got good reviews so they can ignore the couple bad songs on there. Unfortunately, I believe that a good album is mostly good with a couple bad spots, rather than mostly bad (aweful at times) and sometimes wonderful.

Like I mentioned, "Neighborhood #1" is an energetic, wintery way to start out an album, and I loved it. The band has a very French-Canadian sound, which I admire and respect, but when their female singer actually sings, it doesn't work out. The only noteworthy songs on this album are "Neighborhood #1"; "Une Annee Sans Lumiere", a nice split between French and English that tells a familiar tale that turns Talking Heads-epic at the end; "Rebellion" is alright as well. The turn atypical on themselves on their first album, not a good start.

8.0

Alrightey, number two. This one shows significant improvement from the artsy/faux-epic/atypical Indie Rock of "The Funeral".

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Continuing the French-Canadian influence, the first track belts "Un, deux, trois, dit mirroir noir!". A nice opener. "Keep the Car Running" is their best song yet. The fast, running, racing energy of it keeps you intrigued by the music, and the story telling. Most of the other tracks kind of run into each other without sticking out too much, but at least sound good. Their use of instruments is impressive, their use of French is impressive, but their particular brand of art-rock is not always charming and I don't always enjoy listening to their albums all the way through, rather a couple songs here and there.

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Like I said, it's not that I don't like Arcade Fire, I tried reaally hard to drink the punch like everyone else and just like them, but I can't help but think they are little too repetitive and odd at times.

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Key Tracks: "Neighborhoods 1", "Une Annee Sans Lumiere", "Keep the Car Running"

Listen if you like: Talking Heads, David Bowie, Wolf Parade.

"Illinois"- Sufjan Stevens

10.0


Who would've thought that from 2003's "Michigan", would come "Illinois" just two years later? Not to mention putting out an album in between the two fifty states project LP's. Sufjan is a beast of a songwriter. From the long song titles, the jazzy piano lines, the flourished classical elements, the variety of songs (from introspective folk songs, to grandiose epics), this album brings Stevens in with gusto, pazazz, but still singing with his quiet whisper of a voice.


First of all, "Illinois" has 22 songs. With song titles ranging from 1 to 52 words and styles ranging from tear-jerking folk (Casimir Pulaski Day) to jazzy, string flourished upbeat pop songs. From the song titles, you can tell a lot about his humour that's obviously hiding behind his soft-spoken image. There is so much life in this album, though. The songs talk about quiet memories in small towns in Illinois, big towns (Jacksonville, Chicago), sadness, and happiness. By the time your ear hears the first piano line in "Come on Feel the Illinoise", you'll be convinced, along with me, that this album is truly one of the greatest of our time.


"When the revenant came down/we couldn't imagine what we'd found". The opening lines of "Illinois". A strength of Sufjan is the tremendous modesty that comes off from his tunes. It seems as though he never boasts too much. His voice almost always remains a whisper; but doesn't lack the confidence or presence that a full blown shout has. Parsed among the dozen or-so 3-7 minute tracks, there are about ten interludes/outros/reprises. The first of these instrumental interludes, "The Black Hawk War, or,..."; which seems like the perfect narrative to a tribal fight scene. Like I mentioned earlier, the jazz influenced, "Come on Feel the Illinoise Parts 1-2", is probably the most upbeat song on the record. It not only shows the tempo highlight, but the song is also one of his most impressive lyrically. "Oh god of progress/have you degraded or forgot us?/where have your walls gone/I think about it now", then to "I cried myself to sleep last night/ and the ghost of Carl [Sandburg], he approached my window". There is no doubt in my mind that Stevens is a well read, intelligent individual, and his songs definitely do justice to that.


The first glimpse of the folky side of Stevens (on this album, anyway), is "John Wayne Gacy, Jr.", which seems almost like a part 1 to "Casimir Pulaski Day". "Jacksonville" sounds just as much like the Dead's "St. Stephen" as it does a Stevens song. "Decatur, or..." is a nice mix between up beat and folky. With Stevens' signature banjo punches keeping the beat. He is joined on this track by his brother, also a pro marathon runner, who harmonizes. The two sing, "Our step mom, we did everything to hate her/she took as down to the edge of Decatur". Stevens' guitar-meets banjo guitar playing sounds just like Jerry Garcia and Lindsey Buckingham. Now, I know that seems like it's a harsh similarity. But look at the three of them as songwriters, and there is a lot of similarities; now look at them as guitar players, with all three of them being fluent on the banjo as well. Now does it make sense?


"Chicago" takes the album to a completely new level. This song is as grandiose and epic as "Stairway to Heaven" to me. The blasting horns, the Rhodes lines, Stevens' whisper, the choir joining on the chorus; this song is just as grandiose as those 70's rock epics, and I hope in 20 years they'll look back "Illinois" and say the same about "Chicago". "I fell in love again/all things go, all things go/drove to Chicago/all things go, all things go". This song is what takes this album from "Album of the Year" territory, to "Album of the Decade" territory. Immediately from the strong orchestration on "Chicago", we're taken back down the the melancholy folk we've come to expect from Stevens with "Casimir Pulaski Day". This song, apparantly, about a teenage lover of Stevens who is diagnosed with bone cancer and finally passes "on the first of March, on the holiday". This song is definitely the tear jerker. His whipsery voice is his strongest quality in down-tempo songs like this, which tracks the events of Stevens and his lover's life from teenage years, to the present situation. The narrative in this song is so vivid that you are practically there, in the hospital room with them, and just as well, at the bible study, the navy yard, and the quiet houses. Once the words are through, the song is taken into a beautiful passage of choir-esque "da da da's" and trumpet/trombone lines. If there was one song that could make me cry, it would be this one.


"The Man of Metropolis Steals our Hearts" is a combination of "Come on Feel the Illinoise" and the folky songs on the album. A song where Stevens is, *gasp*, playing an electric guitar, whoa! The next songs on the album are mostly interludes, with a few more genuine songs, "The Wasp of the Pallisades...", "They Are Night Zombies...", and the rest are the lo-fi folk meets Sufjan orchestration. With "The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders" returning to "the Man of Metropolis Steals our Hearts". The album's closer, "Out of Egypt...", is an instrumental classical led beauty that fades in and out. Which leaves me wanting more, and satisfied, and wondering which state will be next on the 50 states project.


Key tracks: "Come on Feel the Illinoise", "Chicago", "Casimir Pulaski"
Listen if you like: Belle and Sebastian, Iron & Wine, early Decemberists

"LP"- Discovery

7.9

Sideprojects these days rarely create something worth lasting. "LP" is no different. Just like you've heard from countless other reviews and blogs, this album's songs pick up for 2 and a half minutes and then dissipate into nothing without ever creating any kind of omnipresent force or motif. This is not necessarily a weakness though. This album is good, but it is (obviously) not as good as V dub or Ra Ra Riot. "LP" gives a nod to everything that any other electronica band has, the Daft Punk reference, Japan, discotheques, etc., but despite these cliches, some things do stick out.

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The first faux-pas is that the album's arguably strongest two songs are first. So basically once you hit through the Japanophile synths and beats of "Orange Shirt" and the fuzziness of "Osaka Loopline", there's not really a lot to look forward to. The songs on this album all fall into each other, which is nice when you're driving or cleaning your room or something. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to dog this album or make it not seem worthwhile, there are a couple of really good tracks on "LP". The next song, "Can You Discover" is a version of Ra Ra Riot's "Can You Tell" that has been beaten to death by auto-tune (which is used on almost all of the vocals) and synths. "So Insane" is a nice obvervation of a crazy disco club where everyone is hitting on each other doing the electric slide ("I'm gonna teach you, teach you"). Not too bad. The production quality of these songs is notable as well. Rostam's touches are audible everywhere on this album's sleek, air tight quality. "Swing Tree" is an unexpected jaw dropper about a day-dreaming of sea-going boy, with the same synth patch as "Blake's Got a New Face". The rest of the album is otherwise alright, with tracks receiving visits from Angel Deradoorian, Ezra Koenig (Rostam's bandmate), a Jackson 5 cover, and a hint at African influence with "Slang Tang".

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Key tracks: "Swing Tree", "Orange Shirt"

Listen if you like: Vampire Weekend, Ra Ra Riot, Daft Punk