An absolute epic on a record that could've used a few more of them, to be honest. Big, rolling drums and chiming acoustic guitar sound like a statement of intent from From Finn Andrews and Co. Myspace
2. Pete Doherty - Arcady Ever since Up the Bracket, Pete has dealt with high expectations. His failure to meet them means that even his good records get overlooked. Myspace
3. Mew - Beach Mew recaptures the magic of Frengers on this and most of the other tracks on No More Stories... Myspace
4. Animal Kingdom - Signs and Wonders
Although it falls squarely in the guilty pleasure category, this is still a top tune. Myspace
5. Foreign Born - Early Warnings
The high point of an otherwise spotty sophomore effort. Myspace
Still gets my vote for song of the year. It will open up new musical worlds you didn't know existed. Myspace
Honorable Mention: The Ruling Class - Sleeping Beauty A little too early 90s Britrock for its own good, this was still an intriguing track in a year with precious few of them.
Forgive me Blogger, for I have sinned. I know I've dismissed, unfairly at times, a lot of music in the past few months--I can't help it, it's in my nature. I also know that I've failed to write about the small amount of music I actually have liked--surely no way for a hobbyist critic with delusions of grandeur to act. So here, without further ado, are some reviews...
Mew--No More Stories... Mew have always been a prog rock group--I don't think anybody will dispute that. After their brilliant Frengers, though, they made the bewildering And the Glass Handed Kites. The problem? Too much prog, not enough rock. No More Stories seeks to redress the imbalance and is largely successful. "Beach" is beautiful and made more interesting by its jittery drum rhythms. Single "Repeaterbater" is a blast of inspired rock, and "Introducing Palace Players" sounds like Mew trying to emulate Timbaland. Oddly enough, it works.
The Raveonettes--Live at the Empty Bottle The precursor to what was by all accounts a lackluster Lollapalooza performance, this was the best live show I've seen by The Raveonettes. The small club environment suits them, as they ran through a selection of tracks from every album. The live debut of "Suicide" and other new track "Last Dance" sounded impeccable. A great performance.
The Raveonettes--In And Out Of Control An NME review once described the death of Britpop as the time when things went from indie bands trying to make pop music to pop bands trying to make indie music. The Raveonettes split the difference with total command of arrangements, dynamics, and overall sound coupled with an impeccable indie pedigree. On In and Out of Control "Dirty"-era Sonic Youth references abound, along with The Smiths, The Stones, and of course The Jesus and Mary Chain. This is a very very good record that weaves all of the different threads of the Raveonettes' music into a cohesive whole.
Fool's Gold--S/T Western rock acts often employ African influences to give their music a sunny, playful quality it might not otherwise possess. A more cynical observer might think they do it to get the critics all in a lather. The disproportionate response to Fool's Gold in comparison to their sister group Foreign Born is a bit embarassing, to be honest. While Foreign Born have been wrongfully ignored, the only so-so Fool's Gold are raking in plaudits from a variety of critics. Yes, "Surprise Hotel" is one of the tracks of the year (even if it probably would be just as good as an instrumental), and there are some other tracks here that present guitarist Lewis Pesacov's muso tendencies in the best possible light. But overall this is destined to be better-than-average background music.
Quite by chance, I've found myself listening almost exclusively to music from Denmark recently. When I realized this, I thought it would be a good idea to put some of the best stuff I've heard into a mix for Dead Flowers visitors. Too short to be a comprehensive guide, too dark to be a summer mix, "The Sound of Young Denmark" should still be a good introduction to the country's most intriguing artists. Of course, if I missed somebody, let me know in comments. Enjoy...
Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo make up The Raveonettes. Hailing from Denmark, they've become skilled practitioners in the sort of dark musical arts that Dead Flowers appreciates above all else. Their most recent album, Lust Lust Lust, made my Best of 2007 list, and Wagner's just released eponymous solo album made my Best of 2008 list. I got in touch with Sune to learn more about his solo record, the Raveonettes' back catalog, and his general approach to making music.
Dead Flowers: Are the songs on your solo album relatively new, or have some been around for a while and you didn't think they would fit on a Raveonettes release?
Sune Rose Wagner: They are all new-ish. Written and recorded in Copenhagen last summer.
DF: Probably my two favorite tracks on the record are "Hvad Der Sker" and "Afgrunden". For your non-Danish-speaking audience, would you like to explain what either of those are about? Are you covering similar lyrical ground to The Raveonettes, or exploring some other angle(s)?
SRW: "Hvad Der Sker" is a song about my generation and my friends. We live quite different lives than "normal" people cause we're all creative beings and indulge in various illicit stuff. "Afgrunden" is about not being able to find true love.
DF: Was Sharin's taking time off because of her pregnancy the impetus behind the solo record, or was it something that had already been in the works?
SRW: The first.
DF: I'm a big fan of your guitar work, whether it's on your solo album or with The Raveonettes. There are a lot of songs where a riff or line will really define the tune--like "Love in a Trashcan", "Lust" or "Beruset Og Forhadt"--I think it's a really underrated part of your sound. Who inspired your guitar style?
SRW: Mark Knopfler, surf music, and David Gilmore.
"Love in a Trashcan", from Pretty in Black, Live:
DF: You seem to be a prolific songwriter. If songs come to you easily, how do you ensure such a high level of quality control? How many songs have you shelved?
SRW: I don't think I've written the best songs yet. I constantly try to develop as a songwriter. I challenge myself every time but one day I'll hit it perfectly. I have hundreds of songs lying around.
"Lust", from The Raveonettes' Lust Lust Lust, Acoustic:
DF: With The Raveonettes, you got a lot of attention for writing the first two records in one key each. Do you think that resulted in you being unfairly pigeonholed?
SRW: I think so. I think a lot of people think we're this kitsch band who lives in the 50's which is ridiculous, we never embraced any retro techniques in our music. We've always done everything on computers using samples and break beats and plug-ins. We don't even record with guitar amps, we just plug directly into the computer and shit.
DF: I noticed these two things in a recent interview & myspace posting:
Metromix LA Interview 12/07: Yeah. I can get a bigger sound at home if I want to. Plus, recording at home, there's no pressure. If you book a studio for two weeks, you have to finish that album within two weeks. You have to get up and work every day, and if you don't feel like working, you just wasted two thousand dollars not working one day. And I hate that. So here, I can just record whenever I want. It's fun. I'm surrounded by everything that inspires me. I have my whole vinyl collection, CDs, DVDs, books—everything that I want is right here. Myspace 1/09: It'll be released in September and we wanna do a proper studio album with a genius producer. There's only so much you can do in your living room and let's face it, whenever you pull out one of your favorite albums, it'll stand the test of time because of a timeless sound, excellent production and songwriting. Now's the right time for us to step it up…
Has your thinking on the subject evolved, or do you regularly go back and forth between wanting to be self-sufficient and wanting to get that 'timeless sound'?
SRW: It's a mixture of both. We wouldn't wanna use a studio to do beats and samples and stuff but we would record some drums and ambiance for various guitars, percussion, and vocals.
DF: You were working with a pretty broad palette on "Pretty in Black", but went back to basics for "Lust Lust Lust". What prompted the change in direction?
SRW: It's just a feel you know. Whatever goes on in your life pretty much determines the outcome I think.
DF: I'm a drummer, so to be honest drum machines, especially ones that are used poorly, can really bother me. But I think the drums on your records are really well done. How do you approach the drums from a philosophical and/or sonic standpoint? SRW: My main instrument is drums. I got a drum kit when I was 5 years old and have always loved playing the drums. I think drum machines should sound like drum machines otherwise what's the point. I like to mix break beats with drum machines, it's a nice clash.
DF: In the live lineup, you and Sharin are the two constants (except for last year when Sharin's pregnancy forced her to sit out some shows). You've had a revolving supporting cast that seemed to depend on the album you were promoting. Can you talk about what goes through your mind when you're looking for live players?
SRW: It's really simple actually, whoever is available at the time!
Thanks to Sune for speaking with Dead Flowers, and thanks to Mads at Auditorium Records for arranging the interview. Be sure to catch The Raveonettes' US mini-tour this winter:
Jan 16 2009 8:00P NEW YORK, Webster Hall New York City, New York Jan 17 2009 8:00P WASHINGTON DC, Black Cat Washington, Washington DC Jan 23 2009 8:00P SAN FRANCISCO, Bimbo’s 365 Club San Francisco, California Jan 24 2009 8:00P LOS ANGELES, Henry Fonda Theatre Los Angeles, California
The Raveonettes have released a new EP, entitled "Beauty Dies". Here's a snippet of the press release:
Last month, Danish noiseniks The Raveonettes announced a string of digital-only releases for the home stretch of 2008. Fresh off the success of February’s critical smash,Lust Lust Lust, the band coupled the announcement with a free remix EP featuring Lust re-envisionings, before offering up the electronic-influenced Sometimes They Drop By in late September. The series continues today with the release of Beauty Dies, which further cultivates the Rave’s signature guitar-led noir rock sound.
If you enjoyed said 're-envisionings', you're going to love this EP.
There are some great things happening over at liveDaily Sessions, namely videos and podcasts of acoustic performances by the likes of The Raveonettes and Foreign Born. Here are some highlights:
World Cafe, May 7, 2008 - The Danish duo The Raveonettes seemed like a bit of a novelty act at first, mixing '50s and '60s rock with harmonies inspired by The Everly Brothers and The Ronettes. But the band is no mere throwback, with an increasingly appealing and timeless rock catalog. In a session with Michaela Majoun on the World Cafe, the band plays songs from it's new album, Lust Lust Lust.
After a critically acclaimed and award-winning debut with 2002's Whip It On, The Raveonettes' profile shrunk a bit with the release of 2003's Chain Gang of Love and 2005's Pretty in Black. But a great new disc, this year's Lust Lust Lust, is quickly making up for lost time: "Aly, Walk with Me" sounds like an instant smash, and the rest of the album follows in its enjoyably fuzzed-out footsteps.
In other Raveonettes news, Sharin Foo has a bun in the oven:
Sharin's Good news/Bad news
Good news is I am pregnant and expecting a baby in September. Bad news is I was planning on touring through the summer, but have been strongly advised by my doctor to stay at home for the remainder of the pregnancy for the health of the baby and myself. So no more traveling and playing shows for me this year.
Unfortunately we have had to cancel our show in Krakow this weekend, a show that was really on my personal list of most anticipated experiences. But Sune & I are working on a solution to keep The Raveonettes music out there and play the remainder of the shows we have booked throughout the summer, even without me! Stay tuned.
When keeping an eye out for bands that are going to make a lasting impact, quantity can be as important as quality. Take The Strokes and Interpol, for example. Both released lauded debut albums, yet when it came time to collect the b-sides for the singles from those records, there was one new track per band and a unwanted batch of 'exclusive live tracks'. Both bands went on to put out tired second records and awkward third ones.
The Raveonettes, on the other hand, were passed off by many (myself included) as just another gimmicky product of the "New Rock Revolution". Yet they never had trouble writing songs. Maybe that doesn't count for much on a band's first record, but on a band's fourth, it can make all the difference in the world. The band's first two albums, "Whip it On" and "Chain Gang of Love", were absolute gems. Based on a single key each (B flat minor and B flat major respectively), they displayed songwriter Sune Rose Wagner's ability to mix menace and tender beauty. The following record, "Pretty in Black", was admittedly a bit spotty, but it did produce what was probably the best track of 2005, "Love in a Trashcan". While the record was rightfully praised for demonstrating a broadening of the band's musical palette, it was hard not to see it as a mixture of enduring triumphs and spectacular failures. Predictably, perhaps, after such an experience, "Lust Lust Lust" is the sound of a band going back to basics. Heavily distorted surf guitar and icy-cool two-part harmonies are front and center here, just as they were on those first two records. Second track "Hallucinations" sets the template: threadbare verse with drum machines and bass; noisy, feedback-laden chorus leading into chiming guitar riffs.
Needless to say, The Jesus and Mary Chain cast a long shadow here; this album might have been called "Teenage Lust Lust Lust". Opener "Ally Walk with Me" has the distorted trip-hop beats and Eastern overtones that Primal Scream, the band of original JAMC drummer Bobby Gillespie, has made a career of. It ends on a wave of feedback fit for a My Bloody Valentine record, whose figurehead Kevin Shields played with and produced Primal Scream. The effect of this influence incest could have been disastrous; fortunately for The Raveonettes, they've picked the right group of bands to emulate.
First single "Dead Sound" is vintage Raveonettes as the sparse verses fall away into a lullaby chorus--a fleeting moment of fragility that is shattered by a barage of reverb-drenched distortion. The appropriately named "Blitzed" is a shock of surf-rock energy with britpop trimmings. The disaffected duo sing "Our love is being blitzed" and one has to admire both the line and the off-handed way it is delivered. As the strains of closer "The Beat Dies" bring the album to a melancholy close, one can imagine Audrey Horne spacing out and dancing to the song playing on the jukebox of the Double R. Much like David Lynch and his musical cohort Angelo Badalamenti, The Raveonettes are fixated on a slightly sinister vision of 1950s America. As Lynch can attest, this sort of perverse nostalgia for the dark corners of an idealized age is fertile ground for artists. It's no wonder, then, that The Raveonettes revisit these themes with each new record.
If there's any downside to "Lust Lust Lust", and to the music of The Raveonettes on a whole, it's that there's a certain emotional coldness in the music, an artful distance maintained, that makes it hard to digest more than a couple songs at a time. In other words, this is the perfect music for our shuffle culture, but those looking for their new favorite band might be disappointed. That being said, their songs are probably the ones you'll find yourself drifting back to once this year's Interpol or The Strokes have lost their touch.
Dead Flowers is taking a much-needed summer break until after Labor Day. If you're in need of music, please feel free to stroll through the archives: most, if not all, of the mp3s should still work. Also be sure to subscribe to the feed so you'll know when I'm back in action.
Danish duo The Raveonettes have revealed the name of their forthcoming third album exclusively to NME.COM.
Due for release towards the end of the year on an as-yet-unspecified label, the band have settled on 12 tracks and have selected the final title of 'Lust, Lust, Lust', which has been inspired by the lyrical content of many of the songs.
"There are a lot of songs that deal with desire, restlessness and the tough choices you have to make sometimes," explained frontman Sune Rose Wagner, who, along with bandmate Sharin Foo, has just completed mixing duties in New York. "Lust and forbidden desires are definitely the main themes of the record and most of it comes from a personal perspective."
The album was self-recorded, self-produced and the final tracks were culled from a selection of over 100 that Wagner had demoed during the past two years. Of the songs NME.COM was played, standouts included the distinctly surf-influenced number 'Dead Sound' and a bubblegum-pop smash in the making called 'You Want The Candy'.
However the duo have clearly given the new material a much darker edge overall, particularly in the shape of the discordantly melodic band favourite 'Expelled From Love' and 'Aly Walk With Me' which is comprised of a hypnotic hip-hop groove and dynamic quiet/loud guitar shifts.
"We didn't want that flimsy sound we had on the 'Pretty In Black' album (which came out in 2005) anymore," continued Wagner. "It's a grittier, tougher and much more powerful record - one that I think is perfect for doing a massive amount of drugs to in some underground Berlin club!"
Although still unsequenced, confirmed track names for 'Lust, Lust, Lust' are:
'Blitzed' 'You Want The Candy' 'Hallucinations' 'Blush' 'Black Satin' 'Expelled From Love' 'Dead Sound' 'The Beat Dies' 'Honey I Never Had You' 'Ally, Walk With Me' 'Lust' 'With My Eyes Closed'
The band are also due to tour the UK in the autumn.
New Song "Ally, Walk with Me" live (thanks Jake Drake):
Listen to "One Day at a Time" (John Lennon Cover, Unreleased):
Disclaimer:
Commercially available MP3s are 64 kbps and for word-of-mouth purposes only. If you like any of the music featured here, please purchase it to support the artist and enjoy higher quality audio. If you are an artist or represent an artist and would like a file removed, please contact me. If you are a website owner, please link to posts, not MP3s. All written material Copyright 2006-2009 Mike Kegler, unless otherwise noted.
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