Sunday 30 May 2010

New Horizons


Perhaps you remember that a few months ago, I made a list with the best concerts I attended last year. I also mentioned Anathema, while asking "What the hell is going on with that album, you guys?" Well, that was a normal question, considering the fact that their last album, A Natural Disaster, had been released in 2003. And now the breaking news: Anathema's eight studio album, called We're Here Because We're Here (previously entitled Horizons), will be officially released tomorrow.

The album includes the re-mastered versions of the three songs they released on MySpace prior to the recording of the album: Angels Walk Among Us, Everything and A Simple Mistake, and, according to lead guitarist Danny Cavanagh, is their best album to date. That, and the fact that seven years passed since their previous release, was enough to awake my curiosity.

After carefully listening to it, I can say only one thing: I can't tell for sure if this is really the best Anathema album, but it's definitely one of their best releases. Vincent Cavanagh's voice is as good, sending-shivers-on-your-spine as ever, and Lee Douglas' backing vocals fit perfectly. See Summer Light Horizon and Everything for exemplification – just perfect. Another highlight is Angels Walk Among Us, which is, in my opinion, the best song on the album. The chorus ("Only you can heal inside / Only you can heal your life") is sang by Lee, with additional vocals from Ville Valo, and it reappears on their sixth track, Presence.

The feeling of depression is still strongly present on their lyrics. "And I just couldn't reach you / No matter how I tried / No I just couldn't reach you / So instead I ran to hide" is just an example, but it serves to understand why so many people can identify with their songs. As for the sound, it keeps that same atmospheric touch they got us used to since their third studio album, Everything. There are three tracks (A Simple Mistake, Universal and Hindsight) that are longer than seven minutes, allowing the band to strongly experiment instrumentally, thus reminding us about the comparison made between them and Pink Floyd. It's so elaborate, meditative and dreamy, and it fits the lyrics so perfectly, that it makes you lose your breath at certain points. It's so wonderful that it doesn't seem to be real.

I have to stop now, because I already feel words are useless at this point. As most of Anathema albums, We're Here Because We're Here, too, is a perfect piece of art. Don't miss it.


*photo courtesy of Anathema's MySpace

Friday 28 May 2010

The Way To...

Klaxons - Flashover

There are many bands we eagerly await the return of. But few names turn us into blabbering fools and Klaxons are one of them. Like all their Myths Of The Near Future, Flashover hits you and leaves you on the ground not being even able to wonder what. It provides continuity without repeating the major themes of their debut album. There's a spaced-out weird pop catchiness about it but it veers shamelessly into what could be prog-rock and the key swifts are almost too sudden to let you fall into singalongs. Not interested in adding new words to the British dictionary, Klaxons shed all the cryptic adjectives and metaphors but the effect is just as unsettling: Now we have become so un-alone they sing in high pitched cold harmonies giving you the chills. Flashover, while just a bite of the upcoming album, Surfing The Void, has all the crazy elements that should hint to a new brillian material. It's a fitting reintroduction to Klaxons' twisted world and, my, don't we love it.

Monday 24 May 2010

Sea Shells

Back in April, when asked what her current guilty pleasure was, Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon replied: “Listening to Kurt Vile's latest CD, Childish Prodigy. Guilty because I listen to it too much...”. Just about one month and Kurt Vile brings another guilty pleasure for us all: Square Shells Ep. A relatively long EP, given the fact that it’s sort of squeezed in between his own solo album and his band’s (The Violators) upcoming album.

Guilty because this seven-tracks long studio material is well worth the repeat button. Sure, it doesn’t veer away from the stylistic line of Childish Prodigy. It’s just as lo-fi and distorted in sound (yet somehow brighter) and the vocals seem to be drunken ramblings. Opening piece Ocean City, a majestic instant-anthem folk ballad, is quickly followed by a delirious seven minute long track, Invisibility: Nonexistent, that is part catchy pop (the vocals are cleaner here) and part psychedelic maverick. What follows goes along the lines imposed by the first song. Yes, he wrote a song called Losing Momentum (For Jim Jarmusch) that feels like part of a Lynch or Cronenberg film soundtrack. And yes, The Finder has a heavy dose of lo-fi electronica. But the other three tracks are dreamy folk jams that make perfect soundtracks for lazy bright afternoons.

Which is why we should all just thank Kurt Ville for delivering us another great recording and just press the play button.

Saturday 22 May 2010

Sonic Spirit

The Depreciation Guild - Crucify You

Why should this piece off the American trio's new studio release, Spirit Youth, be on just about any playlist? Because it has bit and pieces that are strange and vague reminders of My Bloody Valentine's Paint A Rainbow. Because the lyrics are weird and slightly psycho (You could never get away/ With your arm chained to the gate) but give you a feeling of comfort. In fact, we guess it wouldn’t be far fetched to say it sounds like an upgraded/updated version of the said MBV song, one that could never end up sounding dated like most of the British bands tracks.

Wednesday 19 May 2010

Sonic Wonderland

Contrast and compare time: The Black Keys before and after Blakroc and the whole Danger Mouse experience. Before, while there is no denying moments of great virtuosity and epicness were ever present, the two Akron natives seemed to be among the bands to get mentioned but not remembered by many. They even seemed a bit dusty at times. Working with people like Mos Def and Danger Mouse probably brought out a desire to diversify the sound.

And so it is, the self-produced Brothers (well, except Tighten Up that was produced by Danger Mouse) sees The Black Keys as a band hungry for more, one that knows how to make ever old Southern rhythm sound impeccably fresh. It starts off with the T.Rex-scented Everlasting Light and its incredible falsettos and sultry riffs and keeps delivering until the heart-warming slow piece These Days.

Sure, lyrics about wayward women and dirty riffs make sure you don’t forget for a second this is The Black Keys we are talking about. But it’s delightful to hear the guys do new things and do them so well. There are so many great moments of the album, we know we’d never be done talking about them. The grimy riff of Howlin’ For You, the Motown vibe of the wonderfully covered Never Gonna Give You Up. The way they take on 70s Southern rock guitars and put to shame the classics. The detached and eerie vocals of Too Afraid To Love You that makes one thing the guys have listened to too much Amy Winehouse. Sonic wonderland this is.

“The Black Keys got so much soul” goes a line on Blakroc’s Dollaz & Sense. And, Lord, is it true! Soul, rhythm and a new album that should be turn them into rock superstars.

Tuesday 18 May 2010

Losing His Edge

There are a few times when it is so hard to listen to an album. Like when you know it’s the artist’s last album and you don’t want to hear it because you know nothing will come after it. Not that there’s anything wrong with bands putting an end to things, sometimes it’s great they don’t go on forever. Just that, really, we don’t want to know it before the actual last album. Which is just what James Murphy did: told the world that This Is Happening is LCD Soundsystem’s last album.


Which is why Dance Yrself Clean seems not like a drag of an intro but like the type of song that would help you overcome your fears: it takes a while to get to the point and gives you time to get used to the idea of listening to the last one. It’s a grower and so is the rest of the album, maybe with the exception of Drunk Girls. It’s also very heartfelt but, unlike everything before, there is no self-irony or laughter involved. Murphy is not happy with anything and even dancefloor anthems like Drunk Girls can’t hide it. “Just cause I’m shallow doesn’t mean that I’m heartless” goes one line.


There’s plenty of nostalgia and not so sparkly emotions wrapped in glitzy synths and songs that seem ready for the floor. All I Want and its bitterness shows Murphy is dead serious this time round and his voice conveys all the emotions of the lyrics. “Dance with me until I feel alright” he asks on I Can Change and it feels just right, no more games and fooling around. Sure, there is still some tongue-in-cheek-ness at times, but it’s mostly translated in songs like You Wanted A Hit, an acid replay to the music industry and Murphy’s own habits of writing sad dancefloor fillers.


And for a moment, it feels like Murphy remembers what seem like the lost days of Losing My Edge: he rambles on Pow Pow like he used to, but it’s not about being there. This one’s about finding your own place from where you can see things clear and understand everything. And still, confusion takes over again and he can’t find his own words anymore. So, by the end of the album, as LCD Soundsystem’s world wraps itself up, Murphy is left begging for things to be perfect and right. He wants to “shut the door on terrible times” and remember “the things we laughed about”. But it’s hard to do it when you’re on the verge of a nervous breakdown like the one Murphy seems to be on.

Monday 17 May 2010

House Of Foals

Before you go and throw rotten tomatoes at Friendly Fires, think about it. They are right. It’s boring by now. Every band that is taking out their sophomore album seems to be taking some new musical path and doing it amazingly well. So, eventually, you gotta hand it to Friendly Fires. It’s predictable and we can’t do what the rest of the world is doing. Naturally, Foals are just as predictable. Sure, they gave us some hints such as talk about the new sound being ‘tropical-prog’. Klaxons are really jealous of this term by now.


It sounds crazy, I know, this tropical-prog or whatever and Total Life Forever is just as insane. It has sneaky progressive chords spread out through every song and coy build-ups (like the so-much-talked-about Spanish Sahara) that make you think Foals are going down a path where denying your past is a must. It might be no mistake to say the urgency of the debut is replaced by frail keyboards and isolated burst of energy that make that music so much more of an intimate experience.


This time round, tribal drums take to place of 2+2=4 rhythms in order to fill the speakers and make perfect sing-alongs. No longer restricted by the conventions (of math-rock, of electronic sounds) hidden in the seemingly free-spirit of Antidotes, the new songs are here (more that anything else) for the sheer fun and desire to see where sonic experimentation will take you. Sure, at times they could be in the same area of lo-fi as The XX (Black Gold strikes a chord), but it is clear Foals love sharp edges more than the London trio.


And like the songs off both albums flow into one another, Total Life Forever is just the natural follow-up to Antidotes (after all, the likes Electric Bloom and Heavy Water are the predecessors of about anything on Total Life Forever). The funky bass lines and drumming elements that made Foals’ studio be named Supreme House Of Mathematics are still there, rest assured. But instead of ‘dance math-rock’, this album could be defined as evolution and confidence you can create something great even when you leave your safety zone. And also trust the people who heard your music first time round will understand you need to grow and can’t stay in one place forever.

Friday 7 May 2010

Into National!


Out of all the albums released by The National, their fourth album Boxer, released back in 2007, was probably the most important for them in terms of popularity. Boxer had, among all, its incredible tracks, Fake Empire. It is that track that once made me say Mr. Matt Berninger’s voice should be cloned for future generations. For them to listen to that voice live and even used in further musical releases. Or have his voice put into one of those sea-shells that you put to your ear and just listen to its great sound.


It’s May 2010 and their 5th album High Violet is having its release. An album that is further pensive and less instrumental than their previous work. But still as positively effective for what The National musical mood really means. Further pensive into their lyrical romances - brooding and experiencing it all in love relationships or life, most notably Terrible Love, Bloodbuzz Ohio and Lemonworld. And less instrumental, but from what they kept, mostly the percussion and guitars, they have used those to the maximum.


The guitars on Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks, Little Faith and Runaway. Percussion on Sorrow. And all together on Terrible Love, Anyone’s Ghost, Bloodbuzz Ohio and Conversation 16. Also true that they used the most standard set of instruments like oh so many other bands, but how they took advantage of them and covered them with Matt’s voice is if not unique, then The National. Songs like England and Terrible Love are vocal proofs of Matt’s dramatically timbre of voice. England is nothing less than a mini Fake Empire, with its mini touches of violin and cunning tempo. While Terrible Love set as first track announces a new type of ballad in a The National fashion. Hearing about spiders has never been more mesmerizing. The song is the M in 'mesmerizing' to what a song from this band can be. And one of the few songs that I’ve adored even more by listening to one of its live versions.


From Terrible Love to Bloodbuzz Ohio to England: songs effectively gradated as musical blows are aimed towards an audience fallen deeply in love with The National. Or that should definitely be in love with them. Even if it’s only for the voice. And afterwards to follow it all with more dramatic power - the instrumental. The National present High Violet.

*photo courtesy of americanmary.com

Wednesday 5 May 2010

Betty, is that Jimmy's ring you're wearing?

When I was just a thirteen year old girl, I used to listen to music on casettes. I'm sure you remember those... right? For me they were the main music sources before the CD era, and long before the MP3 era. On one of my casettes there was a song that intrigued me each time I heard it. It was called Leader of the Pack and the band was Shangri-Las. I rediscovered this song a couple of months ago, and now it comes over and over and over again in my head (the fact that I don't have a computer right now might also play a role, of course). Until a certain point, it is the classical story: boy meets girl, dad meets boy, dad hates boy, girl breaks up boy because dad said so (really now!). It all ends in death. The conclusion? Don't EVER listen to your parents.

Random thought: distorted guitars instead of the actual motorcycle noise would be fabulous.

Tuesday 4 May 2010

Aguileratouille!

What happens when you screw up with your best asset in pop music business? Where budgets for music videos are so large in order to compensate the lack of delivery from a simple song. Well, like a previous video that we commented, you plain and simple get a ratatouille. Britney and Madonna are in the studio, Gaga is in a lawsuit and planning what other crustacean to put in her hair, Beyonce is continuing to bore with her enormous feet, so who’s left? Aha: some dirt, a kid, some glamour and jazz later and now a poor mix from those, here’s Christina Aguilera. Not Myself Tonight, much voice for nothing. Sadly we are here because of the video.


This is the era of image, where music videos can be masterpieces. Ahm, not for everybody. So Hype Williams, with a so impressive music videos resume (just names no image masterpieces there), dares to push it to the next level with a pop image video for Aguilera. The fact that throughout the video Aguilera is a big copy, no not a salute, of Mama Madonna or Gaga, is not that awful. But the music director seems incompetent enough to not select from different image ideas.


We have stylish makeup for a first shoot on white set but then she is dancing in a bluish room where the other dancers have actually better outfits. Then she’s in the rain, then on top of some stairs (so Madonna’s Express Yourself) then she’s in a house, foggy blue next to a chimney, a closet, a bed. Then she’s dancing in a church. Is the George Michael’s Freedom color palette the new theme set? No. We return to white where she resurrects (poorly) the shiny black leather and again to that awful red lingerie. Red lingerie on golden sheets?! So … limp dick. I mean if we are walking down the memory lane let’s clarify things. When Madonna did shiny leather she kept the whole video on white and George Michael kept all those supermodels in the same house, same light. Make-up as mentioned is good, red lips rule and she does it good, but hair – Gwen Stefani frindge, curly Mohawk, wet hair …


The pity in all the video is not the abundance of ideas (the Coco Chanel “Less is more” advice for anything) or the bad editing of those fast paced shots that you can’t even adjust your eye to. But rather that in all that ratatouille she had two great ideas from which, if chosen or not, would have nailed the video. White set with first Bionic makeup-up and Christina Aguilera in the church-like set with dancers. Wow! I mean stop a little to notice that church set. That idea alone is stylish, subtle and controversial. But why be that when you can be a glamorous peasant?

Monday 3 May 2010

Twin Cinemas

The New Pornographers really know how to put a smile upon your face (though not always a happy one), make you raise your hands up high and sing along to every ‘oh’ and ‘ah’ in their songs. Their music is, above all, infectious, upbeat, sugar-coated pop. No excuses and no pretences. And that’s what makes them feel so close to your heart. They never fail to deliver, though their albums sometimes have cracks in them. Those cracks do not ruin anything just make it more human.


So there should be no wonder their fifth studio material, Together, feels your heart with such joy from the first riff of the opening piece, Moves. Like the rest of the album, the song flows out of the speakers effortlessly. It give the impression these guys write these great songs in a heartbeat. Like so many other times, Carl Newman’s falsettos are delightful. In fact, all the vocals shine undeniably. Dan Bejar’s somehow blaze voice makes each song feel immensely idiosyncratic and Neko Case’s warm voice gives a feeling of homeliness and familiar grounds even when the chord shifts might be too adventurous.


The instrumentals exist to compliment the vocals. However, this does not mean that they themselves don’t stand on their own. In fact, the marriage between the two is perfect and creates an aural beauty that lingers on long after the song is over. Each chiming guitar, each bubbly synth line and each sparkly cymbal is played with dedication and adds to make this sonic experience unique and heartfelt.


It should be noted that, while each songs could be a piece on its own, Together is to be listened head to bottom. The way the songs are placed, the way they flows into the other and each seems (if not lyrically, then instrumentally) a continuation of the one before makes the album a world of its on, independent of any context and element in the exterior. And, more important, the songs are a wonderful and majestic trip into this world, a world whose beauty constantly reminds us of The New Pornos’ great tunesmith.

Sunday 2 May 2010

Recording The Scene

Canadian bands exist to fill your heart you joy. Pure joy. Several exquisite Canadian bands returning all in 2010 can only result in a multiple orgasm. Earth-shaking multiple orgasm. We are eagerly waiting for Arcade Fire’s performance at Reading&Leads (new songs to be played), the Stars album is on its way (22nd of June, here we come) and The New Pornographers and Broken Social Scene are taking out albums next week. First in line for the bloodshed, Broken Social Scene and Forgiveness Rock Record.

Given the first few bites, this should be hands-down up there in the top three albums of 2010. Yes, we love tops. World Sick’s cinematic lush instrumental gets to your bones and gives you shivers down your spine. Forced To Love’s incredibly infection chorus and heavy bass hint to older BSS. All To All feels like everything around you is incredibly fragile and nothing more than a dream.

But make no mistake, all the three are growers. Each listen makes you love the songs more and more, even if the first play left you wondering whatever happened to this band. The album, unfortunately, is a grower too. Which means that it will seem corny and pointless and it will make you cry out loud for “the golden days”. Ears that’ll pay attention will understand it is not so. In fact, it’s just another reminder of the great band BSS is.

World Sick seems like the perfect choice for an album opener and it sets the mood just right. Chase Scene might seem so very different of anything they did (in fact, it resembles Yeasayer) but its crescendo is perfect. Teamed up with Texico Bitches and Forced To Love, it creates the kind of energy that keeps the album going effortlessly. All To All tones things down, so when Art House Director fully starts it feels weird: this sunny pop piece breaks the dream and might just leave you a tad confused because it feels too upbeat.

Broken Social Scene are never afraid to combine (and are pretty good) things but even so the intro for Highway Slipper Jam is a bit out of place. Once you get past the stupidity of the said intro, a beautiful, soulful song unveils itself in front of you. Ungrateful Little Father is World Scene’s brother. The two have many similarities (the opening riff, the drums, the way both don’t bother getting to the point too fast) but Ungrateful veers into a strange uptempo world instead of the moodier feel of World Sick.

Epicness takes over once more with the instrumental Meet Me In The Basement, a taste, no, a big piece of the sheer greatness of BSS. This is a perfect example of a unfolding melody: so dense, so many layers, only so few hours in this lifetime to listen to it until you know its every detail. By now, the album starts slowing down but this doesn’t mean that it gets bad. Sentimental X’s, Sweetest Kill and Romance To The Grave are perfect in the way they create landscapes and keep everything so lo-fi and emotional. And Romance To The Grave is a reminder to why good headphones are necessary when listening to this band: underneath all the layers, you can hear, coyly trying to reach the surface, one of the best keyboards ever.

Water in Hell is yet another awakening from the dream. Somewhere between Ryan Adams and Pavement and fun fun fun, it’s like these guys were just fooling around in the studio and decided to put the little joke on the record. What really seems out of place is the closing song, Me And My Hand. A bit too short, it leaves you wondering when did it all end.

And while Forgiveness Rock Record should’ve stopped at Water In Hell, this mistake is nothing more than a small crumble that can be brushed off Broken Social Scene’s coat easily. If the other Canadians bands that are too return this year will make such a great job, we will really need time to figure out our favourite three albums of 2010.

*photo courtesy of brokensocialscene.ca