Flowers Is Still a Killer

Brandon Flowers - Crossfire

When The Killers announced they will take a break, my heart skipped a beat. Usually, a break actually means a break-up, as we all know from previous experiences. But the guys pretended they were just tired. However, Brandon Flowers decided to rest no more, announcing a solo career. His first song, Crossfire, could be easily confused for a Killers track: same voice, same sound and lyrics like "We're caught up in the crossfire / Of heaven and hell / And we're searching for shelter / Lay your body down". But it's so damn catchy and loveable that you won't actually care.

*You can listen to this song on Brandon Flowers' official site.

No Apologies

Having rhythm in your bones is a rare gift. Few can take pride in crafting songs that are chockfull of beats that get your foot tapping, shoulders grooving... in a nutshell, body moving. Wolf Parade have it deep in their marrow. No matter how strange the voice, weird the beat. Even on the weird debut, back in the day, the Canadians made you move. Now, any shame seems to go away and Spencer Krug claimed to have picked songs he would like to dance to. And Expo 86 does little to infirm those words.

It is, indeed, a very dance-y album. All doubt erased from first lines “I was asleep in a hammock/I was dreaming that I was a web”. Keyboards sparkle here and there, leaving traces of the 80s in the air, calling all arms to fill the dancefloors of indie bars around the world. While maybe a tad less anthemic than Apologies to the Queen Mary, the album is one of those special moments in music history where all comes together and songs that get you singing the very instant are written.

It is, on the other hand, a definite rock album. Its guitars are insanely urgent, its drums deliciously pounding (and we all know Wolf Parade love to hit them drums hard), the reverbs ever-so-present. Its youth drips on the floor and Expo 86 has enough enthusiasm to give to the whole world. Krug croons and spits lines like a mad-man, keyboards make it more of a chase scene. No apologies.

Its intensity and impeccable song writing means only one thing: it feels (and probably is true) there are no bad moments on the album. It also has far too many highlights to name. An easier thing to do is hear the album from track one to track eleven. Its density means it can turn into a tiresome album. Like many soon-to-be-modern-day-masterpieces, it has layers and hidden chords you discover with each play. And here, on Expo 86, they all hit you at once, leaving you rather baffles after play one, two, three, proving it’s more of an one-on-one album in the beginning.

All you can do, all that is right to do is take your time and digest it. After that, Expo 86 will turn into your summer-festival best friend and it sounds definitely big enough to fill any festival. But most of all, it sounds like an album that will be mentioned for many years to come and that has cemented Wolf Parade’s position as one of indie-rock’s most important institutions.

We Love Them

Take glamour rock and alternative rock and mix them carefully. Throw in arrogance and romanticism (carefully, you don't want to be sick after, right?) and you'll have it: Semi Precious Weapons' new release, You Love You. Nine tracks, diamonds, weapons, statues and beautiful rock 'n' roll – but let's not get wholly ahead of ourselves, shall we?

It hits you right from the beginning. The first guitar riff that says "The 70s were the best, baby!!!" while Justin Tranter shouts "I can't pay my rent but I'm fucking gorgeous". This song only is enough to charge your batteries for the whole day but apparently the guys thought that this won't do. So you're thrown away rapidly from a song to another, and wow, what a journey it is! Truly indescribable.

The voice is deep, strong and... I know I said that at the beginning of the article, but I really cannot find any other word… Arrogant. It yells from one hundred miles away "Look at me, worship me, I am the best!" As if that wasn't enough, you also have the lyrics. Thought that "I can't pay my rent but I'm fucking gorgeous" sounds daring, huh? Well, Tranter proves you are wrong. On Magnetic Baby he sings "It's not my fault I look better in her party dress / It's not my fault that you left your slutty girlfriend / It's not my fault this is how my momma made me / I've been magnetic since I was a baby". Surprising as it might look, he also rememembers his mates, and sings "We're gonna build statues of ourselves". Now what was that word again? Modesty? Forget about it.

The melodic, yet noisy in a very pleasant way sound fascinates you entirely. Simple and complex at the same time, it reminds you about the glam era, while keeping its contemporary fragrance. Highlight: the guitar solo on Sticky with Champagne is dazzling. However, Tranter & co also know how to slow down the train, as proven on the two ballads, Leave Your Pretty to Me and Look at Me. And you cannot help but to be impressed by such lyrics as "If you wanna dance, I'll dance / If you wanna touch, I'll touch / If you wanna kiss, I'll kiss / Just look me while we do it".

This album gives a new meaning to the statement Rock 'n' Roll Never Looked So Beautiful (listen to the song for more details). And if you love yourself and know what's good for you, take your headphones right now and play it.


*photo courtesy of Semi Precious Weapons' MySpace

Rehash

I’m not gonna hide it. The whole ‘I don’t even listen to indie anymore. I find it boring’ wankery seemed a bit funny smelling. And, yes, I was expecting Kele Okereke’s solo stuff to be just as wankish as the statement. Of course I love Bloc Party and we are not here to question his lyrical talent. The man can pen lyrics that seem timeless and rarely fail to become truly poignant. But this isn’t about talent. This is about the wrong choices. We all make them and The Boxer is filled with them.

Sure, I admit to it, calling the album ‘wankery’ could be considered pushing it. But it’s hard to deny it sounds either like copies of Bloc Party’s more electro numbers like Flux or Mercury or like a bunch of remixes for other BP songs. For a man that has been preaching a change in sound, it sure is like using a tea spoon instead of a normal one. Most of the times, it genuinely feels like Kele is just trying to rewrite Bloc Party tracks and to little success. Everything You Wanted is painful to listen to because of its recycled I Still Remember vibe. Rise has potential for a moment, yet Kele once more attempts to show us his love for electro and fails in writing a song that sounds less of a remix. This would be wrong choice number one.

Second reason why the whole thing sound like a bad idea is how not fun it sounds for a dance album. In his attempt to rewrite Bloc Party, Kele forgets that at least a hint of excitement should be hidden somewhere amidst the electro beats. Tendoroni, bar stupid title, is among the only fun songs but not a long while. While hearing it, sure, the beats get in your bones and does what is was destined to, make you dance. But the second it ends, it proves to be just as forgettable as the majority of the album. One of the most disturbing pieces on The Boxer is On The Lam and its high almost female-like vocals. Ringtone land this is.

Then there’s Kele’s biggest problem. His vocals do not fit the harsh beats. Yes, I’ve heard of contrast and its magic powers. But here it just feels like someone took the melancholic vocals of She’s Hearing Voices and threw them into a washed out compilation of last decade’s beats. He croons and takes out his heart on the floor for us to run over it but wants to do some sort of Spank Rock meets Justice meets SMD. To put it short, Kele is searching for his true self but never finds it.

However, when Kele tries less to shove the ‘Bloc Party days are gone’ PR crap in our faces and more to just focus on the songs, he does take out memorable tracks. Three, to be more precise. Walk Talk, the intro, is the only truly fun dance song. Its only fault is that, being the intro, it gets your hopes high and makes you think that this album will sound as great as the song does. The New Rules is a great breath of fresh air and its soft, gentle feeling reminds you of why you used to love Kele’s craftsmanship in the first place. By far, the best song off the album is Unholy Thoughts. Yes, its name oozes Bloc Party and there are plenty of blatant similarities. However, it feels like a new BP song, a step further, not just the rehashed version of old ones.

But besides these three songs, The Boxer proves to be a sad affair. It sounds dated, like a rave party that used to be fun 20 years ago but now is appreciated only by middle-aged corporate boring twat that reminisces of the days when he was cool. Kele is busy with so many other things(new PR image, 'indie is shit', etc.) besides actually making music that his solo debut is just fails to mean or worth something. Sad times are ahead indeed.

Ghosts Of Past Summers

Stars know two things about love. Love is never about sheer joy. It must hurt, you must fight for it, it must make you suffer, any relationship will have its weak points. Thus, it is obvious love is an affair made of delicately and masterfully crafted cobwebs. Love is as intricate as the detailed narratives Stars sing about. And, above all, Stars have an incredible ability to make any line about love seem perfect. Lines so tragic that in the hands of less talented song craftsmen would sound flawed and cheesy. Few lyrics have the same poignancy as “I am trying to say what I want to say without having to say I love you" (Valentine’s Day quirk included). It’s in the wait the faint vocals meet, the shoegaze-y effect of each instrumental, the strange glee of every song.

The Five Ghosts sees them still mastering all these with untouchable grace. While sometimes borrowing from Canadian colleagues The New Pornographers, Stars stay in their realm of bubbles-driven melancholia. And, indeed, their sixth studio album could be close to the magisterial Set Yourself On Fire. Just that now Stars seem to be far more serious and there’s a dark breeze all over the album’s lyrics. When, back in the day, it was clear whether they joked or not, now we have to give songs like I Died So I Could Haunt You a second listening. Stories of ghosts and hurt meet on an album that seems clean, bright and filled with 80’s synthesizers.

There are fewer ballads but when they do create low-keys melodies we are reminded of how great they are. Indeed, Changes is one of the album’s highlights with its tender strings and intimate reverbs. The cosiness of moments like this is replaced by disco numbers like the quirky We Don’t Want Your Body or gameboy beats like those on the magnificent The Passenger. However, the band does not give up the great boy-girl harmonies. The he said/she said formula is used once more with great effect from track one. But now Amy Millan’s sugar-coated voice seems to shine even more that ever. And boy, does she sure can make hearts melt with every note she hits. What makes her vocal stand out even more is the contrast between them and the cold qualities of their melodies.

And, while maybe too sugary in the beginning, The Five Ghosts proves to have plenty of offbeat moments that makes it grounded it the world Stars got us used to: strange drums, drone synths, psychedelic twists or just the poetic quality of their sometimes very sad lyrics. Stars seem to truly fight ghosts on this gem and we are loving every moment of it.

She Never Claimed To Be An Artist

Rap (especially American rap) has never been one of my favourite genres. Of course, that doesn't mean I run away with my ears in pain whenever I happen to hear such a song. No, I listen to it. Sometimes I even dance, if I feel like to. However, things change when it comes to European based rap. For some unknown reason, I've always been more attracted to it. And here's where we get to the main subject of this article, which is the release of Uffie'sn long-awaited debut album, called Sex Dreams And Denim Jeans (nice rhyme). Yeah, it’s true that Uffie is American, but she is known as being a Paris-based artist (Europe, I love you). Plus her songs are strongly influenced by electronic music.

The first song, Pop the Glock, is so catchy, that it makes you dance even if you're not in the proper mood for that. It's that kind of song you hear and like, without being able to properly explain why. I mentioned it because: a) it's the first song and b) the most likeable. The... well, album as a whole is not addictive at all. Even worse, it is actually strongly eclipsed by the just mentioned song. Don't even try to remember the other songs after you heard Pop the Glock – it's an almost impossible task.

It's true. The girl has a really nice flow. Her voice might be too over-produced, but she has enough sense of humour to make fun of that. "I never claimed to be an artist / I can't even sing, you know?" she sincerely confesses in Our Song, before starting to tell us about how you can be involved with someone when you're the centre of attention for everyone. Blah blah blah, something new? Don't ask me to tell you what the other songs are all about, because I forgot and I'm not in the proper mood to listen to this... well, album, once more. And the music is, more or less, the same shit just a different song. Hip hop beats in the background plus some "let's play with a computer and see what we can get" sounds. Well, to be honest, I have to admit that sometimes the hip hop beats are missing – and that's what we call diversity. Yeah, right.

"Huh? What was it all about again? Oh yeah... Right. Now where was I?" will probably be the most common reaction to this... well, album. You'll most likely play Pop the Glock once or twice (or more), and then forget about it until the next party you'll organise at your home. Believe me, it will do.


*photo courtesy of Uffie's MySpace

You'll Love It If You Are The Loving Kind

It seems these days everybody fights for winning the first prize at the category "My pop song/album is better than yours", or else I don't know how to explain things. Now it's time for Pernice Brothers – their seventh album, Goodbye, Killer, is ready to be released.

For over a decade, these guys tried to teach us the lesson about how you can write songs that are a perfect mix of country, folk and pop-rock, and they seemed to improve with every album they released. Goodbye, Killer is not an exception. It represents the finest soundtrack (it seems that these days I use this word a lot) for a lazy summer afternoon, when all you can do is lay in your bed, but also for a cold winter day, when all you want is to stay at home and enjoy warmness.

The instrumentals express perfectly the idea of "unity in diversity" – probably the most proper word to describe them is "stunning". If you really want to learn how you can create something complex and simple at the same time, all you have to do is pay attention to them because they are the perfect example. Acoustic guitar, electric guitar, gentle drums, and some background instruments (including tambourine) fit perfectly, wearing a kind of 70s fragrance that will please you to the core.

As for the lyrics… if you're a sentimental, I'm sure you will shed at least a tear or two until the end of the album. And even if you're not, you cannot help but to be impressed by lyrics as "It can’t be fixed with time / I'd love you if I was the loving kind" (Not the Loving Kind, which is one of my favourite tracks on the album). Let's not talk about vocals, or else I'm afraid that I'm never going to finish this review.

Goodbye, Killer is a serious candidate for the first prize at the category we were talking about at the beginning of this article. It's a very good album and if you're the sensitive type, it would be a shame to miss it. If you're not, you should still give it a try, you might be surprised about what you will find.


*photo courtesy of Pernice Brothers official site

Rockalicious

Labels, labels, labels. I suppose you already know the story. This is punk, this is classic rock, this is metal, this is pop. However, no matter how strict one might be, there are bands that cannot be labeled. As simple as that. And that's how the "alternative" term was invented. When you don't know what it's all about, you just call it alternative and you solved the problem. And The Gaslight Anthem is one of those bands. Punk, the '50s, Bruce Springsteen... wait, did someone just say alternative?

Their third studio album, American Slang, will be released on 14 June and the band described it as being different from their previous releases. I'm not sure if the difference is as huge as one might think after reading this statement, but this doesn't actually matter. We're talking about an album that keeps your ears busy from the first to the last track – and this is a compliment. At first glance (uh well, listening) it doesn't even seem to be a contemporary release. Actually, you'll be sucked into the '60s atmosphere right after you press play.

From time to time, the guys seem to remember their punk roots, but these moments are rather flashbacks than true switches in sound and serve only to improve the atmosphere. Lyrically speaking, the album is a mixture of feelings: nostalgia, love, pain, hopes, they blend together perfectly, allowing you to strongly identify with at least one of the songs (while we're here, allow me to express all my admiration for We Did It When We Were Young. Man, what a song!)

To put it simple, The Gaslight Anthem tried to do their best on this one, and apparently they really succeeded. It doesn't even matter if it's punk, pop, Springsteen, whatever. It's great and that should be enough.


*photo courtesy of The Gaslight Anthem's MySpace

You Should Dance

Let's face it: Rules Don't Stop is great. Is the kind of song you hear, love and play in your head over and over and over again, the kind of song that gives a new meaning to the expression "heavy rotation", but also the kind of song that keeps you awake in the middle of the night, making you wonder about the album as a whole. Well, stop questioning, my friends, because We Are Scientists decided it's time. On 14 June, their fourth studio album, Barbara, will finally be released.

And here's the point where your fears (if you had something like this) are blown in the wind. Yes, the rest of the album is as good as the first single was. Still, if you are to think about what makes it so cool in the first place, you might face some serious difficulties. That's because this is not the kind of album that can be properly analysed and decomposed, at least not at the first listening. You just know it's great and that is all.

It might be the catchy guitar line. It might be the crazy drums. It might be that I-don't-know-how-else-to-call-it-but-awesome voice. None of them might enter the category "I've never ever heard this before in my life!" However, the sound as a whole is simply spectacular. It makes you want to jump all over your room, break down the walls, go out in the street and invite everyone to join you, while screaming at them, along with Murray and Cain: "I don't bite, but you can't believe it!" or God knows what other line.

This album is like a very cool breeze on a hot summer day: it makes you shiver and feel at ease and it leaves you completely refreshed. And the best part is that you can always press PLAY again.


*photo courtesy of We Are Scientists official site

Total Eclipse

The Twilight nasty thing is not something one should be proud of liking… Hell, watching. As an utter snob, I have never seen one of the Twilight films. Ok, I once saw five minutes of the first film, and that was that. I would never pay money to see such a disgrace to the word ‘film’. However, like many others who completely dislike Twilight, I eagerly await the List of the bands that will record songs for the films. I await the songs to be previewed. And I await for the whole ‘too good for this’ comments. Because, let’s face it, the songs are too good for this.

Each time, the soundtrack is borderline pitch perfect. Each song has a spark of its own. Even Paramore were good. Full Moon’s soundtrack was beyond delicious. And, somehow, it seems crazy to think anything better would come along. BRMC, Editors, Muse, Grizzly Bear. Too many great names. So, one question was on everybody’s lips. Who would bring their contribution to the soundtrack this time?

The Eclipse List seemed almost just as finger licking. Unsurprisingly, most bands deliver just right. Muse are majestic as always, albeit cheesy beyond words and, apparently, out-of-synch with Twilight (but who cares, we’re here for the music, not the shabby franchise). The Black Keys create a tune that might as well be on their latest album while Black Angels take over UNKLE’s world in one surreal track. Band Of Horse’s Life On Earth could be a bit repetitive but it has the right amount of dreamy too make it a mind-blowing piece. Cee Lo Green’s voice is a wonderful treat and the moodier Rolling In A Burning Tree from super group The Dead Weather throws its melodrama into ones heart (and refuses to leave). Farfarlo’s Atlas is nothing short of a bitter-sweet bungle of jangling folk guitars while Eastern Conference Champions use reverbs too the max in order to create the most rocky song of the album and a definite festival anthem.

There are, on the other hand, the unavoidable hit and misses. Metric fail to do anything but a deeply forgettable song, and The Bravery are as mediocre as ever. Vampire Weekend’s effort only confirms their status as an over hyped band, while Florence earns the right to be called Florence and the PR Machine. And then there is Sia who, by all means, should quit music and go become a nun. Worthless waste of space.

People in charge of the soundtrack claim there is no effort put into bringing together these names, and it is only the tastes of those involved in the project that dictates the List. However, one cannot help but wonder if this, the too-cool names, isn’t but a marketing attempt to draw in even larger crowds. And still, it seems to be a failed marketing attempt and the ‘too cool for Twilight’ talk over the Internet partially proved it. But it’s not a failure if you consider the creative efforts involved (while not amounting to the same results for each band). Once more, the franchise puts out a collection of (mostly) great songs that will be played for a long time.

A Sucker For You

Being placed in the same league as Animal Collective and Menomena must be difficult to say the least. Being from New York adds extra weight on a band’s shoulders (there’s something in the water there, right?). You are expected to sonically challenge the music scene, shock us all with some great ideas, be cooler than you’ll ever be. These sort of things. Luckily, Suckers seem to shrug off these ‘qualities’ with much ease: their debut EP was wonderfully effortless and an instant delight. Still ignoring the tags, Suckers return with a new studio effort that is as sonically wonderful as their previous material.

Wild Smile, and or maybe despite its baffling strange cover, proves to be a wonder of an album. It flows perfectly and its mood shifts rather tickle the ear than surprise it or pull it out of the reverie. They know how to hit the right notes, when to hit the right notes and create odd high school prom musical numbers. Save Your Love For Me could go down as one of the cheesiest songs ever written, with its wailing falsettos, The Ronettes-like drums and building tension.

Balladesque as it is, the album opener is swiftly followed by the disco-infused Black Sheep with its paranoid drums and bubbling synths. A song that somehow draws upon early Modest Mouse to sound incredibly fresh. Before Your Birthday Ends is nothing short of a mind blower. Still abusing 80s metal vocals, Suckers know how to make the quirkiest of things sound perfectly normal. You Can Keep Me Runnin’ Around takes bits of afro-pop guitars and throws them next pounding drums. A Mind I Knew sets off as a slow piece but goes straight into TV On The Radio world with howling vocals and an instrumental that becomes more intricate as each second passes, while Roman Candles seems like a far more paranoid Wolf Parade.

The second half of Wild Smile is by no means a let down. The only song off their debut EP to make on the album, It Gets Your Body Moving, slows things down a notch with its soaring trumpets, group vocals and sweeping guitars. As perfect for that add prom as you’d expected it. Martha’s heavy reverbs, clicking drums and strange sun-soaked sexuality drip into the speakers. King Of Snakes is heart-breaking and endearing with its almost No More I Love Yous backing vocals and Quinn Walker’s soaring voice and soulful 2 Eyes 2 C sees even more falsettos. Closer Loose Change announces the end of prom night with its piano and sneering drums, only to break into funk-infused beats and pub-like group singalong.

Like MGMT’s Congratulations ending track, it also has applauses but Suckers keep on playing the guitars a bit more until they fade away. A fun jam that makes the listener realise Suckers are truly four creative New Yorkers with a heavy doze of drama in their blood. The right kind of drama, not to mention the perfect amount of drama, for a borderline perfect album. An album that makes us suckers for these four.

*photo courtesy of Suckers’ Myspace

Musical Cake

I know I've said it several times before, so please don't kill me... but it can't be helped. I love the '90s (musically speaking, of course). And when it comes to a band that formed in that era, I can't help but feel shivers down my spine. You know, that kind of groupie exclamation "OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOOOOOOOOOD" (okay, I'm exaggerating, but you got the point, right). Teenage Fanclub is one of those bands, born in 1989, when grunge was ruling the world. It is my pleasure to introduce you to their new album (the ninth, to be more specific), called Shadows.

While I was listening to this album, I couldn't help but play a song or two from their first album, just to refresh my memories. My oh my, weren't they noisy! It's really incredible how things can change. But putting that aside... It seems their purpose in life is to write the perfect pop song. Of course, I know, you know, we all know that perfection is not something a human being can achieve, but it's worth trying. And I guess that's what they're trying to teach us.

The sound is not very different from their previous albums (if you're looking for something innovative, you might be disappointed), but it's really complex and reflective in a very, very pleasant way. Flutes, string, guitars, drums and voices fit just perfectly; it all seems to be the soundtrack for a warm sunny afternoon. Happiness, comfort and peace (a-ha, who said the '60s were dead and buried? In your face!). The naïve, bright lyrics (highlight: "No I don't need much when I have thee") serve only to improve the atmosphere (that, if you're the kind of person who still believes in flower-power and romantic love; if you're not, run away while you still can).

The guys from Teenage Fanclub are moving forward on the path they chose several years ago and bring us on the table another piece of cake. It's delicious indeed, but for the ones that hate sugar it might be a big no.

*photo courtesy of Teenage Fanclub's official site

Endless Afternoon

I found it difficult to write the beginning of this article. I oscillated between "A debut album is always something exciting because it's about a beginning, about something new and perhaps really good." and the more prosaic "Villagers will release their debut album, Becoming a Jackal, on 8 June 2010." Because I couldn't make my mind, I chose to write them both. Ta-dam! And now, because you already know what it is all about, let's go straight to the point.

Villagers were never that kind of energetic band that makes you want to dance all night long, and their debut album proves this once more. The music is deep and calm, which will probably please all of the folk lovers out there (I can see you!): acoustic guitar, piano and violin (the opening of I Saw the Death is marvelous). Even though sound is really diversified (the boys really do know how to play with their instruments), the impression is one of a really cohesive piece of work. It makes you feel like you're the main character in a film about the meaning of life. You know, that kind of movie that brings on the conclusion "Life is tough, and the best we can do is to endure it and be happy with what we have." and that, after a very long struggle with your demons. It's the perfect soundtrack.

They are so dedicated to bring a tribute to sadness that not even the drum line on Ship of Promises (probably the most energetic track on the whole album) doesn't manage to ruin the impression. The lyrics represent another brick in the wall. "For a long, long time I've been in pieces / In the corner of the room, in an endless afternoon" sings Conor J. O'Brien on Pieces. On I Saw the Death, he asks you to "Let me show you the backroom where I saw the death / Dancing like children...", while musing "If he's for hell he'll show no sorrow / Until he's born again tomorrow / If he's for heaven, there's no reason / To lament the passing season" on To Be Counted Among Men. And his voice does nothing but to accentuate the dark feeling.

The album is exactly what it was to be expected from Villagers. Even if it tends to become monotone from time to time, it's a fine debut. However, it's not recommended to listen to it if you're in that dance-all-night-long state I was talking about earlier. Just take your time, grab a cup of coffee and close your eyes. In an endless afternoon.

*photo courtesy of We Are Villagers' official site

They Are The Champs

Back in 2008, Tokyo Police Club took the sentence "Less is more" and made an anthem out of it. Their debut album, Elephant Shell, was like a short summer storm, starting abruptly, thus bringing you right in the middle of the action, and then ending after less than a half an hour, leaving you both dazed and confused, but completely refreshed, while making you crave for more. After more than two years, it seems that Monks & co. decided that it's time for "more" to come, and announced the release of their new album, Champ (the official date is 8 June 2010).

The first thing that hits you while listening to it is the length of songs. On this one, the band decided to slow down the train and showing us that, yeah, they can actually do some really cool stuff with guitars. However, this does not mean a complete switch in sound. The voice is same as ever (which means annoyingly good). Besides, the boys are clever enough to realise that passing from coldness to heat (or vice versa, it doesn't matter) might bring serious damage, which is why you can feel at certain points reminiscences from Elephant Shell.

For example, the first track, Favourite Food, begins in a very silent, peaceful way (due especially to the guitar line), and towards the middle, turns into energetic, waking you up and making you think "Aha, so they are still here... I thought I lost them". And even if you realize afterward that the old sound actually pops up rarely, you cannot help but to feel fascinated by tracks like Hands Reversed, Favourite Colour, Breakneck Speed or Bambi. At the end of the day, you suddenly realise that you actually didn't lose anything at all. It's just rain instead of storm. It's different, of course, but basically the same cool thing you knew and loved.

On the first album, Tokyo Police Club showed us the taste of a musical sprint. On their second release, they show us the taste of victory. And, damn, what a victory it is.


*photo courtesy of Tokyo Police Club's MySpace

Epic LP Is Epic

I don’t know if it’s the hair or glasses or just that the man has mad guitar skills but it’s quite definite: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez oozes epicness. Sheer, unaltered epicness. It’s like every song asks, no craves for an intensely intense riff, a simply of-the-hook guitar solo, a crazy reverb. And sometimes, the Mars Volta guitarist puts them all in just one song. One epic song. Never the one to be shy about recording one too many albums, Mr. Rodriquez-Lopez graces our speakers with a new material, just three months after his previous solo output, Ciencia de los Inútiles

Sepulcros de Miel (Spanish for Graves of Honey) is his 25^th solo material. And he only stared making music in 1991. The man rests not. To get closer to actually baking the pie, it should be noted none other that John Frusciante is in the honey jar as well. Now, Mr. Frusciante is no stranger to Mr. Rodriquez-Lopez. The two have worked before for Mars Volta’s latest two albums. Finger licking is the word to describe just about everything.

Part of the general nauseating epicness, the eight songs of the LP are named Part I to Part VIII as only to point out what you are to find after one play. This project is to be taken as a whole, not separately. Then, the meaning of the LP would be lost. And, truth is it would be strange to take them individually as each song flows into the other and it all seems like one great psychedelic opera. If you don’t pay enough attention, you could even say the transition between parts is barely noticeable and there is not big change. And after you’ve heard it more than once, it becomes only natural to hear it without a pause and the perfect soundtrack for a spaced-out, simply weird day.

But Sepulcros de Miel is not just part of Omar Rodriguez-Lopez’s sick ambition to record as many albums as possible. It is released digitally as a ‘pay-what-you-want’ material and all the money will go to a program called Music Scholarship, a project which sponsors musicians and school programs that help young of poor artists. Which actually sounds epic. Yes, epic.

*you can download the album here