This is going to be a big month for music buying:
5.) Hercules And Love Affair - Self-Titled (June 24): Having downloaded the single "Blind" from iTunes for free, I'm now a believer in the depressed voice from Antony and the Johnsons singing disco. This might be the hipster dance album of the year (unless LCD Soundsystem come out with another one).
4.) Lil Wayne - Carter III (June 10): I haven't been crazy about the radio singles, but some of the bootleg material that has been going around has been interesting, particularly "I Feel Like Dying". Plus, I'm looking forward to anything exciting happening in hip-hop or rap this year - it's been a slow year for both.
3.) Alejandro Escovado - Real Animal (June 24): I didn't become a fan of his until 2006s brilliant The Boxing Mirror, but that was enough to keep me wanting more. Early reviews say he's making this one faster and louder: he might be having the same mid-life crisis Nick Cave had - I hope so.
2.) My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges (June 10): As if they didn't create enough different sounds on their last record, now they are adding in funk and soul. This could be their masterpiece; even if it isn't, it will be the sex/drinking/party album of the summer.
1.) Coldplay - Viva la Vida (June 17): I know my indie hipster cred is gone because of how excited I am about this one, but given the decline of mainstream rock radio in the past 15 years, why shouldn't I be so excited about the biggest band in the world getting with Brian Eno and trying to make a universally loved masterpiece like Joshua Tree? The two new singles are brilliant and catchy, but most of all, they make me wonder what else this band is capable of. We'll see...
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Atmosphere
Since I am a huge fan of indie rock as well as mainstream hip-hop, indie hip-hop seems like it should have caught on for me at some point. Besides Jurassic 5 and Madvillian, I've never been able to care much about the genre: I don't know if its the pretentiousness, lack of good rhymers, or the lack of aggression that has stopped me.
Because of this, I had low expectations when curiosity finally caused me to purchase an album by the Minnesota duo Atmosphere. Their new record (the impressively titled When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold) is spotty and drags at some parts, but it a fun, original album that deserves attention from hip-hop or indie fans. The guest list is impressive: Tom Waits supposedly has something to do with one of the tracks (I'm not sure what) and TV On The Radio's singer make a gorgeous, creepy cameo on "Your Glass House".
My only complaint is the rapping skill is not on par with Jay-Z, Eminem, Outkast, and so on, but this is what has always made indie hip-hop hard to love. A lack of tonal diversity makes the gospel-soul of "Puppets" kind of hard to buy into from a passion standpoint. However, he does keep "Guarantees" driving with just a lone guitar accompaniment, which is no easy feat.
File this one under "good in a moderately interesting way", which is unfortunately true of 90% of the albums I've bought this year. It's the best rap record I've heard in 2008, but there really hasn't been competition yet.
Because of this, I had low expectations when curiosity finally caused me to purchase an album by the Minnesota duo Atmosphere. Their new record (the impressively titled When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold) is spotty and drags at some parts, but it a fun, original album that deserves attention from hip-hop or indie fans. The guest list is impressive: Tom Waits supposedly has something to do with one of the tracks (I'm not sure what) and TV On The Radio's singer make a gorgeous, creepy cameo on "Your Glass House".
My only complaint is the rapping skill is not on par with Jay-Z, Eminem, Outkast, and so on, but this is what has always made indie hip-hop hard to love. A lack of tonal diversity makes the gospel-soul of "Puppets" kind of hard to buy into from a passion standpoint. However, he does keep "Guarantees" driving with just a lone guitar accompaniment, which is no easy feat.
File this one under "good in a moderately interesting way", which is unfortunately true of 90% of the albums I've bought this year. It's the best rap record I've heard in 2008, but there really hasn't been competition yet.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Tom Petty and Mudcrutch
Add the debut album by Mudcrutch to the long list of left-field masterpieces released by 50+ artists in the past few years: Tom Waits, Brian Wilson, Bob Dylan, Loretta Lynn, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Diamond, and now Tom Petty. Before this album, 2008 was already a banner year for Tom Petty (thanks to his Super Bowl appearance and a great tour) and alternative-country (thanks to the likes of the Counting Crows, Drive-By Truckers, and Kathleen Edwards). This album brings it all together and is one of Petty's best recordings.
"Scare Easy" is one of my favorite singles of the year: Tom's voice has a angry drunk quality to it, and the chorus has the outstanding melody that is lacking from modern rock AND country radio. "Crystal River" manages to make the 10-minutes jam band idea fun without being overblown, which many have tried and most have failed. "Lover Of The Bayou" is driving rock with piano and guitar solos trading off. "House Of Stone" is the perfect back-porch acoustic blues to close the record.
This is the album I needed for summer driving; it has perfect timing this year as well as in Tom Petty's career.
Have a good weekend!
"Scare Easy" is one of my favorite singles of the year: Tom's voice has a angry drunk quality to it, and the chorus has the outstanding melody that is lacking from modern rock AND country radio. "Crystal River" manages to make the 10-minutes jam band idea fun without being overblown, which many have tried and most have failed. "Lover Of The Bayou" is driving rock with piano and guitar solos trading off. "House Of Stone" is the perfect back-porch acoustic blues to close the record.
This is the album I needed for summer driving; it has perfect timing this year as well as in Tom Petty's career.
Have a good weekend!
Monday, May 19, 2008
Death Cab For Cutie's Narrow Stairs
Death Cab For Cutie started their career with a few pleasant but unmemorable albums. Don't get me wrong: The Photo Album is a nice album to listen to, but it doesn't sound like the work of a band that is going to become legendary or even last a few years. Fortunately, in 2003, they put all of their good ideas in to one album and made one of the most memorable, brilliant indie rock records of the past 10 years - Transatlanticism made them a band that matters by making dark, epic ballads that sound like a new-century update of The Cure's Disintegration. They tried that formula again on their next record, Plans: a record that managed to kill everybody's excitement over them. It had some good ideas, but was a drain to listen to.
Three years later, they have a new album that largely goes back to the old formula of making pleasant but unmemorable rock albums. Narrow Stairs does have a few great moments, though. "I Will Possess Your Heart", despite its terrible title, is fun in a hypnotic way: they managed to beat Interpol at their own game and stay interesting for over eight minutes, where as most great Death Cab single go about three. "Cath" is one of the most solid rockers they've ever come out with. "You Can Do Better Than Me" reimagines Brian Wilson, but unfortunately they abandon it after two minutes. Also unfortunately, these are the only moments you will really remember after a few listens.
If you've never listened to Death Cab For Cutie, go straight for their masterpiece Transatlanticism and I guarantee you'll want to replay every track. After that, this album is about on par with the Photo Album as their second best, but lets hope they pile up a few more ideas before recording again.
Three years later, they have a new album that largely goes back to the old formula of making pleasant but unmemorable rock albums. Narrow Stairs does have a few great moments, though. "I Will Possess Your Heart", despite its terrible title, is fun in a hypnotic way: they managed to beat Interpol at their own game and stay interesting for over eight minutes, where as most great Death Cab single go about three. "Cath" is one of the most solid rockers they've ever come out with. "You Can Do Better Than Me" reimagines Brian Wilson, but unfortunately they abandon it after two minutes. Also unfortunately, these are the only moments you will really remember after a few listens.
If you've never listened to Death Cab For Cutie, go straight for their masterpiece Transatlanticism and I guarantee you'll want to replay every track. After that, this album is about on par with the Photo Album as their second best, but lets hope they pile up a few more ideas before recording again.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
I'm Not There - Movie Review
Although this is a music blog, I'm going to attempt a movie review, which I've never tried before. Last December, I bought the soundtrack to I'm Not There, and I've played it consistently for the past 5 months now. It is the most exciting movie soundtrack I've heard since Purple Rain and it's also everything a tribute album should be: great artists who are mostly 40 years younger than Bob Dylan reinterpreting his songs with their own artistic liberties but staying true to the originals. I couldn't wait to see the movie, which was nowhere to be found at local theaters, but I finally was able to now that it's out on DVD.
Though a great movie, it's very disjointed and might not be enjoyable for anybody who doesn't know anything about Bob Dylan. Different parts of his career are depicted by six different actors, but their performances are not chronological and the film constantly switches from one actor to another with no transition. The movie isn't a biography and it doesn't try to be: it doesn't try to hit his career highlights or tell a tale of his life; instead, it paints a portrait of him through small, seemingly random pictures of his many moods and personalities.
Like Dylan's best albums and like the soundtrack, I will probably find different moments I love every time though. Here were a few gems on my first viewing:
- Marcus Carl Franklin: whether singing "Tombstone Blues" on the porch or fighting with a thief, he was my favorite thing about this movie.
- Tom Verlaine's version of "Cold Irons Bound" could not have a better place than a drug trip in a black-and-white public restroom.
- The Newport Folk Festival was the most realistically acted part of the film: not very creative, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
- "All Along The Watchtower" portrays, simultaneously, a broken relationship and the Vietnam War on television, and works perfectly for both.
- The church revival song "Pressing On" was a great glimpse into Dylan's brief and occasional Christian years.
It might be hard to understand this movie if you don't listen to Dylan, but this one is a must for Dylan fans or anybody who loves the musician-biography genre. It's much closer to being Pink Floyd's The Wall than a straight-up life retelling like Walk The Line (I suppose we'll get a movie like that when Bob Dylan actually dies). It definitely has re watching potential: I need at least another viewing to understand the Billy the Kid scenes.
Before you watch the movie, buy the "I'm Not There" soundtrack and at least Highway 61 Revisited and Blood On The Tracks. Even if they don't help you get this movie, they will enhance your life.
Though a great movie, it's very disjointed and might not be enjoyable for anybody who doesn't know anything about Bob Dylan. Different parts of his career are depicted by six different actors, but their performances are not chronological and the film constantly switches from one actor to another with no transition. The movie isn't a biography and it doesn't try to be: it doesn't try to hit his career highlights or tell a tale of his life; instead, it paints a portrait of him through small, seemingly random pictures of his many moods and personalities.
Like Dylan's best albums and like the soundtrack, I will probably find different moments I love every time though. Here were a few gems on my first viewing:
- Marcus Carl Franklin: whether singing "Tombstone Blues" on the porch or fighting with a thief, he was my favorite thing about this movie.
- Tom Verlaine's version of "Cold Irons Bound" could not have a better place than a drug trip in a black-and-white public restroom.
- The Newport Folk Festival was the most realistically acted part of the film: not very creative, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
- "All Along The Watchtower" portrays, simultaneously, a broken relationship and the Vietnam War on television, and works perfectly for both.
- The church revival song "Pressing On" was a great glimpse into Dylan's brief and occasional Christian years.
It might be hard to understand this movie if you don't listen to Dylan, but this one is a must for Dylan fans or anybody who loves the musician-biography genre. It's much closer to being Pink Floyd's The Wall than a straight-up life retelling like Walk The Line (I suppose we'll get a movie like that when Bob Dylan actually dies). It definitely has re watching potential: I need at least another viewing to understand the Billy the Kid scenes.
Before you watch the movie, buy the "I'm Not There" soundtrack and at least Highway 61 Revisited and Blood On The Tracks. Even if they don't help you get this movie, they will enhance your life.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
The sleepy album of the year
Every year, there seems to be another "sleepy" classic. This is an album that you listen to for it's understated tone but you keep finding more you love about every time. After a few listens, it isn't just a record to fall asleep to: it's a record for all times and all moods. Last year offered Panda Bear's Person Pitch as a great sleepy album, and 2006 had Joanna Newsom's Ys. I think I already found this year's sleepy record.
Bon Iver's debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago, is one of the few folk masterpieces in recent memory. It's staggering the number of directions he can go using mostly just an acoustic guitar and a falsetto (a high, wheezy voice that seems to remind everybody of TV On The Radio). The albums starts with the slow strum of "Flume" before moving to it's first gem - the softly driving pulse of "Lump Sum", which has one of those melodies you get completely lost in. It only gets better with the slightly bitter-sounding love song "Skinny Love". The stunning "The Wolves", which features a random drum cascade at it's climax, finds him repeating "what might have been lost", making it more somber every second.
Although nothing can match the beauty of those two tracks, the second half of the album stays consistent with new ideas. "Team" has a steady drum rhythm which ringing guitars and whistling weaves around. "For Emma" is as upbeat as the album gets, and the drums and horns give it a cheery, movie closing feel.
This album might seem like a go-to-bed album exclusively at first, but you won't be able to stop playing it. Between Bon Iver, Portishead, and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, the album of the year competition is already interesting.
Bon Iver's debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago, is one of the few folk masterpieces in recent memory. It's staggering the number of directions he can go using mostly just an acoustic guitar and a falsetto (a high, wheezy voice that seems to remind everybody of TV On The Radio). The albums starts with the slow strum of "Flume" before moving to it's first gem - the softly driving pulse of "Lump Sum", which has one of those melodies you get completely lost in. It only gets better with the slightly bitter-sounding love song "Skinny Love". The stunning "The Wolves", which features a random drum cascade at it's climax, finds him repeating "what might have been lost", making it more somber every second.
Although nothing can match the beauty of those two tracks, the second half of the album stays consistent with new ideas. "Team" has a steady drum rhythm which ringing guitars and whistling weaves around. "For Emma" is as upbeat as the album gets, and the drums and horns give it a cheery, movie closing feel.
This album might seem like a go-to-bed album exclusively at first, but you won't be able to stop playing it. Between Bon Iver, Portishead, and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, the album of the year competition is already interesting.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Nine Inch Nails
I can't think of anybody who has taken more interesting career turns in the past decade as Trent Reznor. After creating an electronic cult classic (Pretty Hate Machine), a sadomasochistic pop record (Downward Spiral), and a long quiet record that only hardcore fans liked (The Fragile), things only got weirder from there. Last year, he completely lost his mind and used government conspiracies and rumors of the apocalypse as advertisements for his brilliant new concept record, Year Zero.
He's famous for recording one album every five years, but now he's recorded two albums this year and given them away FREE on the Internet. The first, Ghosts, was a collection of instrumentals that were in his head - they really didn't excite anybody. His new album, The Slip, is the real deal.
Gone are the finesse and mystique of Year Zero - this is his best electro-punk since the Broken EP. "Discipline" has a driving offbeat rhythm that allows Trent to rant about his favorite topic - bondage servitude. "Echoplex" has an electronic beat and fuzz bass, but manages to stay low key and subtle, making it a nice transition to the second, quieter half of the record.
That's an important point here - this is a real NIN record, not a collection of tracks he didn't want so he's dumping off for free. The piano ballad "Light In The Sky" is too beautiful to waste on a throwaway compilation.
It's fun, it's complete, it's free, and it's NIN like I've grown to love them. What else do you want?
http://www.nin.com/
He's famous for recording one album every five years, but now he's recorded two albums this year and given them away FREE on the Internet. The first, Ghosts, was a collection of instrumentals that were in his head - they really didn't excite anybody. His new album, The Slip, is the real deal.
Gone are the finesse and mystique of Year Zero - this is his best electro-punk since the Broken EP. "Discipline" has a driving offbeat rhythm that allows Trent to rant about his favorite topic - bondage servitude. "Echoplex" has an electronic beat and fuzz bass, but manages to stay low key and subtle, making it a nice transition to the second, quieter half of the record.
That's an important point here - this is a real NIN record, not a collection of tracks he didn't want so he's dumping off for free. The piano ballad "Light In The Sky" is too beautiful to waste on a throwaway compilation.
It's fun, it's complete, it's free, and it's NIN like I've grown to love them. What else do you want?
http://www.nin.com/
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Kanye West in Tampa
Yesterday, I somehow came to the conclusion that Kanye West was worth driving across the Florida peninsula on a Monday night for. What I saw was the most bizarre, inexplicable, random concert performance of my life... I'll take this act by act.
Lupe Fiasco: Getting the show started on a "normal" note, Lupe settled for the classic turntable/rapper/back-up rapper setup for a quick run through his best songs. He occasionally relied to much on crowd participation, which didn't work well since it was 6:00 in the afternoon and everybody was still arriving. Despite that rookie mistake, I can definitely see why he's considered one of the most promising things in rap music right now. The way he tore into every verse of the closer "Daydream" kept me wanting to go home and pull out his first album again.
N.E.R.D.: Only one word can describe their show: chaos. What is going on here? There were at least 20 people on the stage at any given time, about 6 of whom were actually musicians. Where as the songs I know and love off their 2002 debut record In Search Of are tightly constructed pop/rap/rock songs, this entire set was a mess of thrashing power chords, amateur drum pounding, and hordes of "singers" yelling "yeah!" and "come on!". I think this band might become hip-hop's version of Gwar. No, that wasn't a compliment.
Rihanna: I'm not familiar with her records, but somebody tell me: does Rihanna typically sing during Rihanna songs? She spent the first half of the set posing (not even dancing) to heavy dance beats while here backup singers tried to form a chorus. The second half of the set showed promise as she belted out a pair of decent soul ballads, and she finally found some confidence when she closed with her hit "Umbrella". Not a bad set, but Mary J Blige shouldn't worry about losing her job anytime soon.
Kanye West: Due to his well-known narcissism, Kanye took the stage by himself, with the band almost invisible off to the side. But he actually needed the entire stage to do method-acting interludes that involved talking to his spaceship (I swear I'm not making this up). How many hip-hop sets have a storyline? Who else would attempt this?
This over-the-top performance art was occasionally distracting, but all was forgotten when he actually played songs. The band was versatile and innovative with his songs: some of his best songs were reworked completely. "Heard'Em Say" became a drum stomp with guitar solos, "Hey Mama" was a beautiful piano soul ballad, and "Good Life" was the perfect audience call-and-response pop song that carried on for about five extra choruses.
Kanye had the stage presence and energy to own the stage solo and perform over-the-top theatrics. I thought he was trying to be the next Jay-Z, but now I'm pretty sure he's shooting to be the next Michael Jackson. He makes me wish more rappers dared to be this ridiculous.
Lupe Fiasco: Getting the show started on a "normal" note, Lupe settled for the classic turntable/rapper/back-up rapper setup for a quick run through his best songs. He occasionally relied to much on crowd participation, which didn't work well since it was 6:00 in the afternoon and everybody was still arriving. Despite that rookie mistake, I can definitely see why he's considered one of the most promising things in rap music right now. The way he tore into every verse of the closer "Daydream" kept me wanting to go home and pull out his first album again.
N.E.R.D.: Only one word can describe their show: chaos. What is going on here? There were at least 20 people on the stage at any given time, about 6 of whom were actually musicians. Where as the songs I know and love off their 2002 debut record In Search Of are tightly constructed pop/rap/rock songs, this entire set was a mess of thrashing power chords, amateur drum pounding, and hordes of "singers" yelling "yeah!" and "come on!". I think this band might become hip-hop's version of Gwar. No, that wasn't a compliment.
Rihanna: I'm not familiar with her records, but somebody tell me: does Rihanna typically sing during Rihanna songs? She spent the first half of the set posing (not even dancing) to heavy dance beats while here backup singers tried to form a chorus. The second half of the set showed promise as she belted out a pair of decent soul ballads, and she finally found some confidence when she closed with her hit "Umbrella". Not a bad set, but Mary J Blige shouldn't worry about losing her job anytime soon.
Kanye West: Due to his well-known narcissism, Kanye took the stage by himself, with the band almost invisible off to the side. But he actually needed the entire stage to do method-acting interludes that involved talking to his spaceship (I swear I'm not making this up). How many hip-hop sets have a storyline? Who else would attempt this?
This over-the-top performance art was occasionally distracting, but all was forgotten when he actually played songs. The band was versatile and innovative with his songs: some of his best songs were reworked completely. "Heard'Em Say" became a drum stomp with guitar solos, "Hey Mama" was a beautiful piano soul ballad, and "Good Life" was the perfect audience call-and-response pop song that carried on for about five extra choruses.
Kanye had the stage presence and energy to own the stage solo and perform over-the-top theatrics. I thought he was trying to be the next Jay-Z, but now I'm pretty sure he's shooting to be the next Michael Jackson. He makes me wish more rappers dared to be this ridiculous.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Youtube video
Here's a great video of Radiohead's "Electioneering" with some recent Obama/Clinton/McCain/etc. clips:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1c51yS7Jac
Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1c51yS7Jac
Enjoy!
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Portishead's Third
It only took a few seconds into the first song to stun me. The first track on Portishead's Third starts with rolling percussion, guitar squeals, violins, and then the voice: Beth Gibbons - the siren of misery.
Even being a huge fan of their debut record Dummy, I had no idea this band was capable of a record with the emotion, complexity, and stunning depth of this album. I have played it start to finish three times in 24 hours, and it sounds fresh every time: new instruments and moods keep coming out.
After the first track, things get even weirder. "Hunter" goes from acoustic blues to a noise experiment that sounds like something from Tom Wait's Alice and then back again several times. "The Rip" is harrowing electronica that quietly drives faster and adds layers. "Magic Doors" brilliantly combines a soft electric piano, a cowbell, an acid-jazz saxophone, and what might be bagpipes.
My favorite moment comes from a transition in the middle of the album. The stunningly beautiful "Deep Water" has Gibbons singing in a new octave over a ukulele. One of the most stunning pace changes I've ever heard takes it into "Machine Gun", a electronic dirge with a driving, brutal beat that sounds like, yes, a machine gun. It takes bravery to sequence an album like this.
If Portishead's Third isn't one of the best albums this year, I give up. Get it now!
Even being a huge fan of their debut record Dummy, I had no idea this band was capable of a record with the emotion, complexity, and stunning depth of this album. I have played it start to finish three times in 24 hours, and it sounds fresh every time: new instruments and moods keep coming out.
After the first track, things get even weirder. "Hunter" goes from acoustic blues to a noise experiment that sounds like something from Tom Wait's Alice and then back again several times. "The Rip" is harrowing electronica that quietly drives faster and adds layers. "Magic Doors" brilliantly combines a soft electric piano, a cowbell, an acid-jazz saxophone, and what might be bagpipes.
My favorite moment comes from a transition in the middle of the album. The stunningly beautiful "Deep Water" has Gibbons singing in a new octave over a ukulele. One of the most stunning pace changes I've ever heard takes it into "Machine Gun", a electronic dirge with a driving, brutal beat that sounds like, yes, a machine gun. It takes bravery to sequence an album like this.
If Portishead's Third isn't one of the best albums this year, I give up. Get it now!
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