Thoughts onSigur Ros: Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust

Just to shatter any sense of impartiality from the outset, I'll say this: I've always been a big supporter of Sigur Ros. I imported their first widely released single "Svefn-G-Englar" from Iceland, and a few months later, did the same with their international debut Ágætis Byrjun. Years later, I gave ( ) a 10 on my first blog. After some initial skepticism, I came to love the textured Takk almost as much, if not more, than their earlier records.

Which made that fall day last year all the more troubling. I went into Starbucks to buy a cup of coffee, the location being a strip mall and the alternatives being Burger King, Popeye's, and that place where they toast subs. While I waited there for my tasteless, over-roasted, hard-working-farmers-of-Ethiopia-cheating blend, a familiar voice came through the overhead speakers. Jonsi. "Hljómalind". In a fucking Starbucks.

Now maybe this is something that every Herbie Hancock, Joni Mitchell, or Paul McCartney fan has gone through, but I doubt it. You see, Sigur Ros were always special. They were always my little secret. But now, the cat was well and truly out of the bag.

Sigur Ros' music was always a distillation of more complicated acts: Radiohead, Godspeed You Black Emperor, The Cocteau Twins, et al. "Hljómalind" and much of Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust are a distillation of that distillation. Straight-forward arrangements, pretty melodies, luscious string tones. Nothing jarring. Perfectly pleasant.

But we're not talking about pure indie pandering here. Whereas Coldplay have taken similar source material and triangulated their sound in an almost Clinton-esque manner, Sigur Ros are more Barack Obama: reassuringly progressive, but maybe lacking some desired punch.

Opener and preview track "Gobbledigook" is a bit of a red herring--it's leaden acoustics and dull melody don't really do justice to the rest of the album. Tracks 2 and 4 ("Inni Mer Syngur Vitleysingur" and "Vid Spilum Endalaust") are like the best moments of Takk edited down to four and 3 and a half minutes respectively. Elsewhere on the record, Sigur Ros tread familiar ground. A widescreen epic like "Festival" would not feel out of place on previous records.

So try as I might to disown them for cozying up to the Starbucks/Banana Republic set, I have to admit that I still love Sigur Ros' music. Rumors of a drastic change in sound have been greatly exaggerated; what we're presented with is the essence of the band's music and the continuation of an already impressive winning streak.

Listen/Download:
"Vid Spilum Endalaust"
[Band Website]
[Band Myspace]
[Band Wiki]

Thoughts onSigur Ros: Gobbeldigook

By now, most of you have probably heard Sigur Ros' new song "Gobbeldigook". It represents a significant departure for the band, given its acoustic feel and short, direct structure. It's a much-needed departure, too, seeing as how the band's usual output-- easily digestable post rock--reached its logical conclusion on Takk. I've put my thoughts on the song into a column of pros and cons:

Pros	Cons
Fresh sound	Sort of sounds like Rusted Root
Kinda catchy	No real hooks
Short	Seems unfinished
Naked girls in video	Naked dudes in video

Post your thoughts in comments...

Listen/Download:
"Gobbeldigook"
[Band Website]
[Band Myspace]
[Band Wiki]



Promo:

Thoughts on:The Notwist--The Devil, You + Me

Somewhere around 2003-4, I looked at the excellent latest release from Germany's The Notwist ("Neon Golden") and a mind-bendingly good album from Denmark's Mew ("Frengers") and predicted the next rock revolution might come from Central Europe.

As far as brilliant forecasting goes, it ranks up there with my obviously spot-on prediction that Coldplay wouldn't break America because they released "Clocks" as the second single off "A Rush of Blood to the Head": Mew made a disastrous follow-up album full of prog-rock tripe; The Notwist, meanwhile, pretty much disappeared. There was the puzzling collaboration with Themselves, a group of insect-rapping Californians. Notwist frontman Markus Acher released an excellent record with his other group Lali Puna (2004's "Faking the Books"), but that too failed to register outside of hipster circles in New York, LA, and London.

Why was the bar so high? You see, with 2002's "Neon Golden", The Notwist rewrote the rules of merging rock with electronic music. After a decade of the music industry telling us the future was sweaty American jerks using drum loops to underpin grunge dirges, The Notwist took tasteful laptop textures and merged them with delicate rock songs in an utterly beguiling way. Acher's voice, reminiscent of Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch, floated ethereally above a bed of music that sounded like New Order for the 21st century.

Listeners have waited six years for "The Devil, You + Me", and although it's not entirely clear what took them so long, there are plenty of fine moments on this record. Maybe expectations were simply too high, but what they've basically given us is "Neon Golden 2". Opener "Good Lies" is fantastic, with a circular melody repeating and reinforcing the key lyric: "Let's just imitate the real until we find a better one". Being German, Acker's unusual delivery gives lyrics that might sound cliche coming from a native speaker a decidedly uncanny quality . "Good Lies" also reveals the band's new secret weapon: the acoustic guitar. Whether it's the descending chords in that track, the Teutonic Bossa Nova of "Gloomy Planets", or the space-age blues of "Gone Gone Gone", this post-modern band using the most traditional of instruments results in added warmth and texture.

"Where in this World" Promo:

The morbid "Where in this World" seems like an odd choice for a lead-off single; more obvious choices would have been the upbeat "Boneless" or the part-jittery/part-shimmering "Gravity". A June release also seems like a curious move, but maybe that just means people will be rediscovering "The Devil, You + Me" in the fall when the weather becomes more suitable for this kind of thing.

So while one shouldn't expect a new rock revolution from mainland Europe any time soon, with "The Devil, You + Me" The Notwist have continued their quiet insurgency to redefine and recontextualize rock n' roll. This is thoughtful and evocative music that deserves your attention.

Listen to "Good Lies":

[Download the MP3 Here]
[Band Website]
[Band Myspace]
[Band Wiki]

Thoughts On: Ida Maria--Stella (Single)

In indie rock, there is a perpetual false choice: innovate or write a song that people can actually sing along to. Blame it on The Beatles: while they seemed capable of doing both, bands with lesser talent have since felt compelled to pick sides. Thus from the same record label in the same decade you had a band like Ride, heavy on the innovation but lacking in the memorable tunes department, alongside Oasis, a band forever doomed to share royalties from their greatest hits with songwriters from the 60s and 70s.

There's no mistaking there's something a bit classic about Ida Maria's "Stella". Now perhaps, as astute youtube commentators have pointed out, that's due to its similarity to "Jimmy Mack" by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. "Stella"'s unabased Motown influences make the song instantly recognizable, and even more impressive than the band's formidable single, "Oh My God". And while it's short on groundbreaking sounds, "Stella" will no doubt dig itself into your subconscious by the second listen. Definitely worth tracking down.

"Stella" Live:

[Ida Maria Myspace]

Listen to "Jimmy Mack" by Martha Reeves and The Vandellas:

[Download the MP3 Here]

Thoughts On:Mystery Jets--Twenty One

In rock, it's always the same old story. How do a bunch of guys with guitars make songs about girls sound fresh again? It's a task easier said than done, to be sure, and even when bands seem to stumble upon the right formula, it only lasts for an album or two. The latest band to get it right is the Mystery Jets, for in "Twenty One" they have created exactly half of a brilliant album.

For a band with such inauspicious beginnings, half of a brilliant record ain't (pardon the pun) half bad. The Mystery Jets' first UK album was "Making Dens", the bulk of which was repackaged for their first proper American record, "Zootime". Whichever album you consider as their debut, it's pretty slim pickings. Heavy on novelty factors like the guitarist's dad playing in the band and kitchen-sink arrangements, in the bulk of their early material the band come off as the bastard offspring of The Coral and Hot Hot Heat (no, that's not a compliment).

That being said, there were a few reasons to be optimistic about the band's future, such as a mastery of their own quirky sense of rhythm, and the use of exuberant harmonies more focused on capturing a feeling than on hitting all the right notes. Single "Diamonds in the Dark", which made its way onto both "Zootime" and "Making Dens", is absolutely great, with some eccentric lyrics about love gone bad and a tune that Elvis Costello might have crafted in his golden period.

Listen to "Diamonds in the Dark":

[Download the MP3 Here]

To be sure, on "Twenty One", the Mystery Jets have developed both as songwriters and musicians. The question is whether they're quite done evolving. Lead-off single "Young Love" has all the makings of a classic, an odd jangly little tune that's so simple even a child could sing it: 'One night of love, nothing more nothing less; one night of love left my bed in a mess. Is that you on the bus? Is that you on the train? You wrote your number on my hand and it came off in the rain.' Yes, guest singer Laura Marling's reformed Eliza Doolittle crooning seems a bit overdone, but that's a small complaint. Elsewhere, 80s homage "Two Doors Down" has a chorus that's pure Whitney Houston (pre-Bobby Brown) and a closing sax solo that Huey Lewis would trade his best beige blazer for.

"Flakes", given away as free download at the end of 2007, is "Earth Angel" on acid. It's a genuinely affecting ode to lost love and misspent youth. "Behind the Bunhouse" makes fine use of techniques perfected by The Smiths like arpeggiated guitar and that incessant shuffling beat. There's a distinct indie-disco vibe to "Half In Love with Elizabeth", the album's highlight:

I knew that you were thinking of him last night
'Cos I saw the blood seep down to your toes
Turn away if you must
But how can you put your trust
In a man who always sleeps in his clothes?

But as alluded to in previous paragraphs, the band aren't quite there yet when it comes to putting together a complete album. Opener "Hideaway" repeats all the mistakes of their first record, only with Erol Alkan's dancy production further muddying the waters. Mid-album cut "Hand Me Down" sounds tired, cliche and possibly unfinished."MJ" is an absolutely terrible remake of The Police's "Don't Stand So Close to Me"; it's a wonder that such a dreadful song could exist on the same album as the majestic "Flakes".

The best moments of "Twenty One" will almost surely stand among the best moments of 2008, but this reviewer is only half in love with the Mystery Jets. The less inspiring songs will be quickly consigned to the recycle bin. They almost made a classic album, but didn't quite get there in the end.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Correction 3/22: I've been informed in the comments section that "Half in Love with Elizabeth" was recorded by Stephen Street, not Erol Alkan. The relevant section has been updated. My apologies.

Listen to "Half in Love with Elizabeth":

[Download the MP3 Here]
[Band Website]
[Band Myspace]
[Band Wiki]

Reviewing the Reviews

If there's one thing that's consistently frustrating about music writers, it's their lack of willingness to go back and reevaluate their opinions once the initial excitement (or disappointment) of an album has worn off. In order to further the cause of journalistic humility, here's my take today on reviews I wrote this year.

(Click on the album title for the original review)

The Good The Bad and The Queen

Original Rating: n/a

What I said then: As hard as it is for this Radiohead fan to admit, while everyone was looking elsewhere, Damon Albarn established himself as Britrock's most consistent and innovative artist. His motives may have been questioned since he told us that there's no other way, but the results speak for themselves: the Blur behemoth, obviously, but also Gorillaz--a hugely popular group that manage to remain indie in the best sense of the word. Albarn's voice and melodies now have an instant familiarity that make his albums the aural equivalent of comfort food. In other words, he's become the Sting that doesn't suck.

What I say now: Well, this is obviously pre-"In Rainbows", so make that second most consistent and innovative artist. This album was quite good, but after playing it to death for the first couple weeks after its release, I haven't had the desire to return to it. Not sure why that is, really. Should've gotten an 8.

Arcade Fire: Neon Bible

Original Rating: n/a

What I said then: I wanted to like this record more than I actually did. "Neon Bible" gave me few reasons to return after my initial couple of listens. Arcade Fire's flaws are born of the best intentions, so it feels unfair to completely write them off. But after slaving away in that office downtown, you might not want to spend your hard-earned money on such a joyless and ultimately forgettable collection of songs.

What I say now: I don't even want to like this record anymore. That might have something to do with it being a steaming pile of dog shit. I took a lot of flak for this review, but I think I got it right. Should've gotten a 3.

The Veils: Nux Vomica

Original Rating: 7 out of 10

What I said then: Elsewhere, Andrews puts his distinctive warble to good use. While it's very likely a love/hate proposition for many listeners, this reviewer finds that he's usually careful not to overdo it. Yes, he often errs on the side of melodrama, but somehow it fits these songs. There is still a noticeable Buckley influence here, but one that's more "Sketches" than "Grace". Tracks like "Jesus for the Jugular" and the title track have a dark, bluesy feel reminiscent of Buckley's "The Sky Is A Landfill" or "Nightmares By The Sea" before them.

What I say now: This was a really solid album: complicated, compelling, and satisfying. If anything, I was too hard on it. Should've gotten an 8.

Interpol: Our Love to Admire

Original Rating: 6 out of 10

What I said then: The intricate "Mammoth" is like a finely crafted piece of origami, impressive in its complexity, yet ultimately hollow. "Rest my Chemistry" and "The Scale" are uneventful retreads of songs done better on "Turn on the Bright Lights". "Wrecking Ball" tries to incorporate compelling elements like a brass section, minimalist drums, and multi-tracked vocals, but the end result is a musical mess. This sort of failed experiment is why God created b-sides; for Interpol, a band never known for its prolificacy, it has become a crucial album cut.

What I say now: This album was truly terrible--a 6 was being incredibly charitable. Maybe I was hoodwinked by admittedly great first single "The Heinrich Maneuver". Everything else was shit. Should've gotten a 3.

Foreign Born: On the Wing Now

Original Rating: 7 out of 10

What I said then: Foreign Born are like a musical Rorschach test. U2 fans hear Bono in Matt Popieluch's soaring vocals and the Edge in Lewis Pesacov's effects-laden guitar. Joy Division devotees hear Ariel Rechtshaid's driving bass and immediately think of Peter Hook. For this reviewer, Foreign Born conjure up the nervous energy of the West-Coast groups heard on the Nuggets compilation: Maybe it's Popieluch's manic acoustic guitar throughout the album, or the propulsive drums of Garret Ray on tracks like "It Wasn't Said to Ask" and "Into Your Dream". However you peg them, it's clear that Foreign Born are mining a rich musical tradition: The chorus guitar on "In the Shape" is pure "Dirty"-era Sonic Youth; on the aforementioned "Into Your Dream", Popieluch evokes the spirit Lou Reed in his prime.

What I say now: That 7 was sort of an 'A for effort'. Foreign Born certainly have a lot of potential, but there were simply too many forgettable moments (or not enough memorable ones) on this record. Should've gotten a 6.

Babyshambles: Shotters Nation

Original Rating: 9 out of 10

What I said then: There are so many striking moments of spontaneity on the record that it's hard to mention them all here: the way the verse in "Deft Left Hand" is transformed into something quite special, taking the rest of the song along with it; the way the sparkling middle eight in "French Dog Blues" resolves into a Who-inspired breakdown; or the way "Crumb Begging Badhead" references obscure inter-war-period Polish writer Bruno Schulz before exploding into a 60s-organ-based freakout. This is why people originally gravitated towards Doherty, these little moments that make the listener chuckle at his nerve and marvel at his talent.

There's nothing more boring than a band that tries to make a "perfect" album, and you could never accuse Babyshambles of doing such a thing. This album has its flaws, whether it's the clumsy drumming on "Unstookietitled", the predicatable, Oasis-lite opening riff of the aforementioned "Deft Left Hand", or the relatively weak choruses on several of the tracks. But these are minor complaints.

What I say now: While this was definitely one of the most enjoyable records released all year, I may have gotten a little overzealous here. In retrospect, those choruses weren't just relatively weak, they were downright anemic. Should've gotten a 7.

Radiohead: "In Rainbows"

Original Rating: 10 out of 10

What I said then: One of the most interesting developments on "Kid A" and "Amnesiac" was the way in which the band learned to be so economical in their use of instruments: every piece of the arrangement played a distinct role. One example of this is "Like Spinning Plates", the sparse cymbal hits of which stand as one of Phil Selway's most evocative performances. The band got away from this on "HTTT" (see: laserbeams) and the record suffered as a result. "In Rainbows" benefits from an overall more minimalist approach: it's difficult to imagine Chris Martin having the courage to write something so deceptively simple as "Jigsaw Falling into Place" or "House of Cards".

What I say now: Sure it hasn't been very long since it was released, but my appreciation for this record continues to grow. There are no weak tracks here, and the likes of "Bodysnatchers" and "Reckoner" rank up there with the best songs the band has produced. Should've gotten an...11!


Think I got something wrong? Discuss it in comments...

Listen to "History Song" by TGTBATQ:

[Download the MP3 Here]

Quick Impressions of Radiohead's "In Rainbows" (CD2) and Sigur Ros's "Hvarf/Heim"

Here are short reviews of the latest music by the only two bands I've ever given a "10" to (Sigur Ros for "()" and Radiohead for "In Rainbows"):


Radiohead: "In Rainbows" (CD2)
You can officially add song selection to Radiohead's various strengths. None of the tracks on this bonus disc would have made "In Rainbows" better than it is; several of them might have made it worse. "Down is the New Up" is the most polished of the songs here, but it meanders needlessly and ultimately fails to satisfy. The string part, reminiscent of "DJ Shadow's Theme", is quite nice however.

The relic from the "OK Computer" era, "Last Flowers to the Hospital", seems tired and uninspired. Listening to the track, one can, for the first time perhaps, fully appreciate why the band made "Kid A". This type of thing might have sounded great in 1997. A decade later, the charm has worn off.

"Bangers and Mash" is the best thing here, its gritty guitar and propulsive drums adding another dimension to the "In Rainbows" sessions. Final track "4 Minute Warning" has been stripped of the Coldplayisms it had live, which many will find reassuring, but it's hard not to feel that the song is more of an afterthought than a triumphant closing number.

This disc is surely a nice treat after the spectacular "In Rainbows"--just don't go spending extra money for it.

Rating: 5 out of 10

Listen to "DJ Shadow's Theme":

[Download the MP3 Here]

Listen to "Down is the New Up":

[Download the MP3 Here]
[Band Website]
[Read my review of "In Rainbows"]

Sigur Ros: Hvarf Heim
This "odds and sods" collection, meant to accompany the by-all-accounts brilliant "Heima" documentary, is the first non-essential release by the Icelandic band. Opener "Salka" was left off "( )" at the last minute, and it's a shame, because it could have held its own on that record. Single "Hljómalind", while showing promise, is weighed down by its conventional structure and tacked-on final chorus. The acoustic half of the album will surely be treasured by Sigur Ros obsessives, but the track selection seems a bit off for a band ready to take its rightful place in the limelight.

Rating: 6 out of 10

Listen to "Salka":

[Download the MP3 Here]
[Band Website]

Thoughts OnThe Raveonettes: Lust Lust Lust

When keeping an eye out for bands that are going to make a lasting impact, quantity can be as important as quantity. 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.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Listen to "Dead Sound":

[Download the MP3 Here]
[Band Website]
[Band Myspace]

Buy it:

Amazon MP3


Amazon CD

Thoughts onRadiohead: In Rainbows

Talent is a fickle, unpredictable, even reckless phenomenon. It defies expectations and is notoriously unreliable. It's no wonder, then, that the MBAs and liquor executives running the music industry want nothing to do with it. Their existing business model, one of extending what are basically bad bank loans to trust fund kids schooled in formulaic songwriting and anemic production, has had an unwittingly bad effect on their bottom line and an even worse effect on the state of popular music.

Enter Oxford's Radiohead, a band let loose in the halls of the music industry like a greased pig in a frat house. Ever since resisting coronation as the "New U2" in the wake of OK Computer, Radiohead have been causing industry hacks stress and worry: one anecdote goes that upon hearing "Kid A", Capitol immediately canceled the Christmas bonuses of their employees. It's only fitting that Thom Yorke and co. would be the ones to put the knife in the back of an industry only (15) steps away from being completely morally, creatively, and financially bankrupt: The band's novel strategy of treating album distribution like a roadside fruit stand has turned popular music on its head.

All of which would be meaningless, of course, if the album weren't brilliant. Not to worry: it is. Sonically speaking, the band has moved into uncharted territory. While last album "Hail to the Thief" undeniably had its moments, it was hard not to see it as Radiohead losing a step. Trapped between the big guitar drama of "OK Computer" and the electronic excursions of "Kid A", it was unfocused and over-long. The wide shots of a band known for its cinematic sound started to feel cliche and predictable.

Thank God, then, for the tight shots and close-ups of "In Rainbows". Whereas once Thom used to sound like he was singing to you from the other side of an indoor pool, now it's as if he's seated right across the table from you. The drums sound like drum machines; the guitars are immediate and decidedly indulgence-free. Radiohead have gone and made an album that's more futuristic R&B than Sturm und Drang, more Timbaland than Buckley.

"Weird Fishes/Arpeggi", the album's central track, floats along on a bed of hypnotic guitars and crisp drums. Eschewing the sparkling guitar outro of recent live versions, the band take a sharp detour, stripping the song down to drums, some disorienting sound effects, and an incredibly ominous bassline by Colin Greenwood that disturbs and enthralls at the same time.

Similarly surprising is "Reckoner", which surely bears no resemblance to the other Radiohead song of that name and lifts the drum beat from DJ Shadow/Unkle's "Unreal" to form a blissed-out ballad replete with soulful guitar. And you know you're in for a treat when "15 Step"'s burst of handclaps and children's voices starts the record, like "Backdrifts" with a sense of humor, or when "All I Need" more closely resembles the remix of Method Man/Mary J Blige's "You're All I Need to Get By" than The Beatles' "All You Need is Love".

One of the most interesting developments on "Kid A" and "Amnesiac" was the way in which the band learned to be so economical in their use of instruments: every piece of the arrangement played a distinct role. One example of this is "Like Spinning Plates", the sparse cymbal hits of which stand as one of Phil Selway's most evocative performances. The band got away from this on "HTTT" (see: laserbeams) and the record suffered as a result. "In Rainbows" benefits from an overall more minimalist approach: it's difficult to imagine Chris Martin having the courage to write something so deceptively simple as "Jigsaw Falling into Place" or "House of Cards".

The fallout from this record should be as interesting as the record itself. Has it truly revolutionized the recording industry, or just created a new promotional tool? Will said industry learn from this experiment, or attempt to kill the messenger? (witness the recent swiftboating of the band by MTV for giving away MP3s of a higher bitrate than almost all of the music found on iTunes). No matter what the result, with a record like this to show for their efforts, Radiohead, a fickle, unpredictable, even reckless group, have almost singlehandedly made popular music interesting again. "It's the 21st Century," Thom sings on "Bodysnatchers". And now that century has its first great album.

Verdict: 10 out of 10

Listen to "Bodysnatchers":

[Download the MP3 Here]
[Buy the Record/Band Website]

Thoughts onBabyshambles: Shotters Nation

There's an old adage in music, attributed to Miles Davis, that goes 'It's not what you play, it's what you don't play.' It's a good quote, and one that a lot of current acts would be wise to follow. Pete Doherty has never had that problem, but amidst all the chaos, he may have stumbled onto an ever greater truth: It's not what you play right, it's what you play wrong.

In an age where music, much like literature, has been turned into a computerized cut-and-paste exercise, an act more akin to editing than creation, The Libertines' "Up the Bracket" was the equivalent of Jack Kerouac's "On the Road". Like the spools of paper flowing from Kerouac's typewriter during the composition of that novel, the emotional torrents of "Horrorshow" and "Time for Heroes" suggested adventure and freedom. In terms of sound, that mercurial album had the sort of wayward production values one would expect. Pete's partner-in-crime (pardon the pun), Carl Barat, once said The Strokes sounded like a badly recorded Velvet Underground. Well, The Libertines sounded like a badly recorded Strokes. You do the math.

Whereas The Strokes, weighed down by the maudlin stiffness of their songwriting, have long ceased to be interesting, Pete has managed, somehow, to stay relevant. That's not to say he hasn't tried to sabotage himself along the way. The second Libertines album, originally scheduled to be produced by former Suede man Bernard Butler, was supposed to be the album of the decade. Instead, owing to the fact that Pete and Carl couldn't resolve their differences, it devolved into an under-produced (even by Libertines standards) and underwhelming presentation of some otherwise brilliant songs. The first Babyshambles album, "Down in Albion", was so unlistenable that even this dedicated fan has yet to sit down and listen to it the whole way through. Miraculously picked up by a major label, Pete brought in former Blur and Morrissey producer Stephen Street to add a bit of studio polish to this album, Babyshambles' second. The question on everybody's mind has been, could Pete's songs be produced in a way that wouldn't dull the improvised artistic brilliance witnessed in the best moments of The Libertines?

The answer is a resounding yes. In fact, "Shotters Nation" contains some of the best music Pete has ever committed to tape. The centerpiece of the album is the fantastic "Baddies Boogie". Musically speaking, it's a chimera: it begins with the sort of Smiths-esque bounce that Pete was so fond of in The Libertines. After a beautiful bridge punctuated by some bittersweet lyrics ('He fell in love, carried her over the threshold, thinking 'she's far too good looking to do the cooking''), however, the song turns downright nasty. A punk sludge bubbles under an angry rant by Pete: 'It's a lousy life for the washed-up wife and the permanently plastered pissed-up bastard' he repeats, his voice building in ferocity with each recitation. It has to be the filthiest use of alliteration in a pop song in a good long while.

There are so many striking moments of spontaneity on the record that it's hard to mention them all here: the way the verse in "Deft Left Hand" is transformed into something quite special, taking the rest of the song along with it; the way the sparkling middle eight in "French Dog Blues" resolves into a Who-inspired breakdown; or the way "Crumb Begging Badhead" references obscure inter-war-period Polish writer Bruno Schulz before exploding into a 60s-organ-based freakout. This is why people originally gravitated towards Doherty, these little moments that make the listener chuckle at his nerve and marvel at his talent.

There's nothing more boring than a band that tries to make a "perfect" album, and you could never accuse Babyshambles of doing such a thing. This album has its flaws, whether it's the clumsy drumming on "Unstookietitled", the predicatable, Oasis-lite opening riff of the aforementioned "Deft Left Hand", or the relatively weak choruses on several of the tracks. But these are minor complaints.

On the confident and infectious opener, "Carry on up the Morning", Pete intones, 'In the morning where does all the pain go? Same place as the fame--straight to your head'. That may be true, but the tabloid furor has apparently done nothing to dull the only thing worth caring about in the first place: Pete's ability to craft memorable songs.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Listen to "Carry on up the Morning":

[Download the MP3 Here]
[Band Website]
[Band Myspace]

Thoughts OnForeign Born: "On the Wing Now"

Foreign Born are like a musical Rorschach test. U2 fans hear Bono in Matt Popieluch's soaring vocals and the Edge in Lewis Pesacov's effects-laden guitar. Joy Division devotees hear Ariel Rechtshaid's driving bass and immediately think of Peter Hook. For this reviewer, Foreign Born conjure up the nervous energy of the West-Coast groups heard on the Nuggets compilation: Maybe it's Popieluch's manic acoustic guitar throughout the album, or the propulsive drums of Garret Ray on tracks like "It Wasn't Said to Ask" and "Into Your Dream". However you peg them, it's clear that Foreign Born are mining a rich musical tradition: The chorus guitar on "In the Shape" is pure "Dirty"-era Sonic Youth; on the aforementioned "Into Your Dream", Popieluch evokes the spirit Lou Reed in his prime.

Listen to "Into Your Dream":

[Download the MP3 Here]

The NME once said of Swervedriver that they were a great band who forgot to write a classic song. It would of course be unfair to write Foreign Born off in the same way at such an early stage. But it probably bears mentioning that while there are no substandard songs on this record, there are no defining ones either. The last-minute exclusion of fan favorite "We Had Pleasure" in favor of the psychedelic "Don't Take Back Your Time" would only seem to strengthen this notion.

There are, however, some truly fine moments here, like the tender harmonies that make up the heart of "Letter of Inclusion", which starts with a melancholy organ note lifted straight from Jeff Buckley's "Lover, You Should've Come Over". The second half of "In The Shape", propelled by some dazzling percussion and a spirited performance by Popieluch, is one of those transcendent moments you'll find yourself returning to again and again.

All in all, this a very fine debut record. One gets the feeling, however, that with just a bit more focus, Foreign Born could scale the heady heights the best parts of "On The Wing Now" only hint at.

Rating: 7 out of 10

[Band Website]
[Band Myspace]
[Read my interview with singer Matt P]

Thoughts OnInterpol: Our Love to Admire

"Admiration is a very short-lived passion that immediately decays upon growing familiar with its object, unless it be still fed with fresh discoveries, and kept alive by a new perpetual succession of miracles rising up to its view."

-Joseph Addison

One aspect of rock music that's often overlooked is that some of the most memorable groups have something distinctly awkward about them, be it the melodies, the arrangements, or the overall songwriting style. The converse is also usually true: if a band is too polished or lacks spontaneity, one should be suspicious.

By this Libertines fan's own admission, Arctic Monkeys have made better 'Libertines' music than The Libertines ever did. Morrissey has made more perfect 'Smiths' music solo than he ever did with Johnny Marr. Not to be outdone, Coldplay and Muse have sanded off the rough edges of Radiohead and Jeff Buckley into an easily accessible musical product.

In the past few years, we've seen Interpol's formula "Edited" into the blueprint for a host of other groups. These sort of rock simulacra are of course built into the system, with the majors and indies trotting out countless imitators in the off-years between albums by the Radioheads, Oasises, and Interpols of the world.

So what's a band like Interpol to do when so many of their contemporaries have stolen from their playbook? There's the Oasis model: confronted with groups like Cast, Hurricane #1, and Ocean Colour Scene, they simply put their head down and trudged ahead making 'Oasis' music. Then there's the Radiohead model: go off on a wild tangent that leaves other groups (and many fans) scratching their heads. Interpol have chosen the Oasis route, and to be sure, there is some fine 'Interpol' music on this record. After verging on self-parody for much of "Antics", Paul Banks and co. would seem to be back on track.

"No I in Threesome"'s expansive chorus evokes the sort of sun-drenched despair that one might find in a Bret Easton Ellis novel. "The Heinrich Maneuver", the album's first single, is punctuated by Banks's dramatic guitar stabs and Sam Fogarino's military-like precision on the drums. Lyrically, Banks has moved away from the pole-dancing-of-the-stars absurdity of "Slow Hands": the chorus's refrain of "today my heart swings" exudes the sort of easy cool he achieved consistently throughout "Turn on the Bright Lights".

"Pace is the Trick" is simple and all the better for it. Built around a circular, arpeggiated guitar figure, the song unexpectedly bursts into one of the strongest choruses ever found on an Interpol record. "Pioneer to the Falls", meanwhile, offers incontrovertible proof of the band having developed its palette (on this one song, at least). Built around a haunting piano figure and including what sounds like a melodica, it has the sort of widescreen melancholy one wishes had made up the whole record.

Listen to "Pioneer to the Falls":

[Download the MP3 Here]

While the rise of the Internet and music blogs has had the inarguably beneficial effect of exposing eccentric acts to a wider audience, it has also enabled a troubling synchronization of opinion. A quick tour of the blogosphere reveals a flurry of sycophantic posts and a disturbing lack of dissenting views. The band of the moment becomes infallible, bathed in the warm glow of breathless hyperbole, just as those who say otherwise are ridiculed.

So at the risk of subjecting myself to further bullying by internet taste makers, I'll say that "Our Love to Admire" just ain't good enough. Listen to modern third records like "OK Computer" or "Urban Hymns", landmark achievements striking for their depth and ambition, and "Admire" seems like a bit of a cop-out. It offers no sustained musical progression: on most of the songs, the band play it safe; when they try to strike out into uncharted territory, they usually do it unsuccessfully.

The intricate "Mammoth" is like a finely crafted piece of origami, impressive in its complexity, yet ultimately hollow. "Rest my Chemistry" and "The Scale" are uneventful retreads of songs done better on "Turn on the Bright Lights". "Wrecking Ball" tries to incorporate compelling elements like a brass section, minimalist drums, and multi-tracked vocals, but the end result is a musical mess. This sort of failed experiment is why God created b-sides; for Interpol, a band never known for its prolificacy, it has become a crucial album cut.

"Mammoth" Live:

Make no mistake, this album will probably do quite well. Capitol is no doubt betting that there are enough people not familiar enough with Interpol's debut to be truly excited about "Our Love to Admire". But for this listener, who's been watching the group since their unsigned days in NYC, there's something deeply unsatisfying about this record. One can only hope this a case of course correction, rather than a sign of what's to come.

Rating: 6 out of 10

Live Review: The Veils

The Empty Bottle, Chicago, 6.17.07

When it comes to British indie bands, long American tours are not for the faint of heart. You're no longer protected by the fawning aura of NME subeditors or the adoring crowds or the many summer festivals. Jet-setting between the old country's capitals and sipping Sangria in Barcelona morph into long hours in the bus and the dinner buffet at the Triple J just outside of Topeka.

For this reason, while many have tried to break America, most have ended up being broken by it. Oasis did a pretty good job. Radiohead famously got the weird "Amnesiac" to number 2 on the Billboard chart. But for every Coldplay, there's a Suede, a Manic Street Preachers, a Mansun--eccentric British acts that the American musical and geographical landscapes chewed up and spat out. So what for The Veils?

Listen to "The Wild Son":

[Download the MP3 Here]

Initial signs are promising. Three years after falling apart before the American tour of their first album, "The Runaway Found", The Veils passed through Chicago promoting the infinitely more dark and complex "Nux Vomica". Confidence and spirits were running high. The venue was surprisingly full, and Finn was eager to regale them with his (newfound?) stage presence, a sort of cross between the drunken swagger of early-Libertines Pete Doherty and the manic guitar attack of Jonny Greenwood.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the set was light on tracks from "The Runaway Found". Only "The Wild Son" made it into the proper set, while the band played a revamped version of "More Heat than Light" as the encore. "Nux Vomica" songs like "Pan" and the title track impressed with their ferocity, with Finn taking violent stabs at his guitar and Henning's snare drum cracking on beat. Finn's wail on "Pan" of "You're nothing but a child!" was ripe with the sort of emotion you would expect from one of this generation's notable talents.

Listen to "Pan":

[Download the MP3 Here]

That's not all to say the The Veils are the well-oiled machine they'll need to be to conquer America. Songs? Check. Stage presence? Check. Harmonies? Uh, no. Normally this reviewer can do without the real heavy harmonies--give me "Paint it Black" over "God Only Knows" any day--but the issue for The Veils is that they used harmonies so effectively on "Nux Vomica". Their absence live is thus hugely disappointing. "Advice For Young Mothers to Be", the album's catchy centerpiece and first single, sounded like a tired reggae number. "One Night on Earth" was similarly empty. A small point, perhaps, but one that will surely need to be sorted out in the near future.

At the risk of sounding grandiose, I would venture to say that Finn Andrews is the natural heir to Jeff Buckley's throne. Whereas others inspired by Buckley have long since meandered down the pop cul-de-sac, Andrews has courageously led his band into intriguing and uncharted territory. Listeners will want to pay very close attention now and in the future. If America doesn't break him, that is.

[Read my review of "Nux Vomica"]
[Official Website]
[On Myspace]

Thoughts OnThe Veils: Nux Vomica

The Veils are basically a vehicle for New Zealander Finn Andrew's songwriting. On 2004's "The Runaway Found", he distinguished himself in a crowded post-Buckley field with a clear knack for hooks and passionate vocal performances. Songs like "The Wild Son" and "The Tide That Left and Never Came Back" were compelling and radio-ready at the same time. When an American tour and greater fame beckoned, Finn did what any self-respecting indie rocker would do: he promptly sabotaged the whole thing. Sacking the rest of the Veils members, he headed out on an acoustic tour. With the exception of a notable performance for KEXP, the promotional rounds would end with a whimper, not a bang.

"Nux Vomica", released last year in Europe, represents our first taste of the 'new-and-improved' Veils. Apparently tired of being shoehorned into a more traditional indie guitar format, Andrews has brought in keyboards to pick up the melodic lines and the stunning Sophia Burn to give the songs a sweet harmonic touch. "Advice for Young Mothers to Be", the first single, is unabashedly poppy: tinkling piano lines and shuffling percussion set the stage for a cautionary tale worthy of another obvious influence, Morrissey. Is it more focused than the "Runaway Found" material? Undoubtedly. Is it demonstrably better? No, not quite.

Listen to "Advice for Young Mothers to Be":

[Download the MP3 Here]

Similarly, "Calliope" is an 80's alternative hit, albeit twenty years late. "One Night on Earth", meanwhile, is probably the greatest argument for the new instrumentation. Brimming with the confidence of the best "Runaway" tracks, its strings and harmonies provide the added complexity and subtlety that Finn was probably looking for when he revamped the lineup.

Elsewhere, Andrews puts his distinctive warble to good use. While it's very likely a love/hate proposition for many listeners, this reviewer finds that he's usually careful not to overdo it. Yes, he often errs on the side of melodrama, but somehow it fits these songs. There is still a noticeable Buckley influence here, but one that's more "Sketches" than "Grace". Tracks like "Jesus for the Jugular" and the title track have a dark, bluesy feel reminiscent of Buckley's "The Sky Is A Landfill" or "Nightmares By The Sea" before them.

"Not Yet" acoustic:

"Nux Vomica" only goes to solidify Finn Andrews' place as an emerging talent. The LA studio sheen and overall catchiness of this material mean that wider mainstream attention may not be far away. I implore the band's indie fans not to worry, however: there's probably an implosion just around the corner.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Thoughts On:Big Search--Mysticism vs. Classicism

"I am an amateur and I intend to stay that way for the rest of my life."

So said the famous Hungarian photographer André Kertész, and it's a quote that applies to the work of Foreign Born singer Matt Popieluch. "Mysticism vs Classicism" is Popieluch's low-key 2003 solo debut under the moniker of Big Search. While it may sound ramshackle or clumsy at times, it's brimming with the sort of easy authenticity and charisma that are so rare in rock music these days. It's the sound of an "amateur" when all of the professionals have let us down.

The sound here is familiar, yet hard to pin down. The best way to describe it is "freak folk" minus the "freak". Strip away the affectations of fellow Bay Area troubadour Devendra Banhart, and you'll have something approaching the music on "Mysticism vs Classicism". Opener "You'll Often Change" is a tender folk strum, with echoes of Dylan both in the music and the lyrics:

Feeling so bad
During the best times we had
I was yours and you were mine
You'll often change
I'll stay the same

Listen to "You'll Often Change":

[Download the MP3 Here]

Apparently recorded with a single microphone, the album has some surprisingly lush moments as well, like on the song "Coastal Authority". Female backing vocals and light brush strokes set the stage, while Popieluch's croon seeps into the song like the fog and chill outside when the record was being recorded. "Old Greek Myth", meanwhile, sounds like a radio transmission from an alternate reality where The Kinks conquered the world instead of the Beatles.

Playing in Portsmouth, England:

Much like his main band Foreign Born, Popieluch can draw inspiration from the past (both musical and otherwise) without sounding overly retro. And on "Mysticism vs Classicism", he can employ a rudimentary recording process without sounding overly low-fi. These factors and the obvious quality of the songwriting make this album an important early document of an emerging talent.

[Big Search Myspace]
[Grand Gallop Music]
[Buy the album at Insound]

Upcoming Shows
Apr 19 2007 8:00P Syd Barrett Night @ Bordello Los Angeles
May 8 2007 9:00P Silverlake Lounge w/ The Finches Los Angeles

Thoughts On:Amiina Live in Chicago 3.23.07

There's definitely a different pace to an Amiina show, one that has more in common with a classical performance than a rock one. Although the group's show at Chicago's Lakeshore Theater revealed countless moments of beauty, there's not the same sense of instant gratification you get from a rock band. This is probably the reason why some Sigur Ros fans have an impression of Amiina as being "boring". For this reviewer, that's an unfair criticism of a band whose pacing and ambitions lie somewhere far afield from mainstream music, and even apart from Sigur Ros.

Throughout the show, there was the sort of giddy excitement one might expect with kids getting lose in the room where the school band keeps its instruments. The group switched between keyboards, strings, xylophones, a "glassophone", and harps, often within the space of one song. Digital looping pedals were used to organically craft layers of texture. There was an iBook on stage as well, but it seemed only to be utilized for scattered bits of percussion and atmospheric noise, like on the song "Hemipode" from the group's debut EP "AnimaminA".


The group's debut LP "Kurr" was also represented faithfully. The album's closing track "Boga" was actually the opener on this night, featuring Hildur playing some sort of instrument that required two bows. The ominous strains of this bizarre instrument carried through the song to the final fade out. Tracks that include the quartet's angelic harmonies, such as "Kolapot", "(R)ugla", and especially "Hilli", sounded stellar live and documented a musical progression from instrumental sketches to full-bodied pieces of work. Unfortunately, one of the the highlights of "Kurr", a track called "Lori", was not played. Being a change of pace for the band, it will probably take them a bit to put it together for the live setting.

Of course, one can't review an Amiina concert without mentioning the musical saw. It was there, as always, on the single "Seoul". As a special treat, the band returned for an encore and played a sort of 'saw symphony', with all four of them manipulating saws that reflected the venue's spotlights in every conceivable direction. As a bit of musical weirdness and beauty, it was the perfect summation of a charming evening.

[Read the Dead Flowers Interview with Amiina]
[Pre-order Amiina's Debut Record, "Kurr"]
[Amiina on Myspace]
[Official Amiina Website]
[Aminamusic.com Fansite]

Tour Dates:
march 28 Montreal (Le National) tickets
march 30 Philly (World Café Live) tickets
march 31 Boston (The Remis at Museum of Fine Arts) tickets
april 1 DC (9:30 Club) tickets
april 2 NYC (The Wordless Music Series) tickets
april 6 Cincinnati (Cincinnati Now Festival) tickets
april 9 Seattle (Triple Door) tickets
april 10 Portland (Doug Fir Lounge) tickets
april 12 San Francisco (Swedish American Hall) tickets
april 13 Los Angeles (Silent Movie Theatre) tickets
april 14 San Diego (House of Blues-5th Avenue Stage) tickets