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.
Last Thursday, The Empty Bottle welcomed a pair of indie rock doppelgängers to Chicago: Foreign Born and The Veils. They're two bands that by all rights should be bigger than they are, who always seem on the cusp of wider stardom but never quite pull it off. I've covered both of them on Dead Flowers (and previously on Glamorama) since their respective inceptions, so seeing this show made me feel a bit like a proud papa whose kids are all grown up.
A Foreign Born live show is always an appealing proposition, even if they sometimes fall flat on record. Evident from the moment they took the stage was the mysterious replacement of original sticksman Garrett Ray, a tour de force behind the kit whose absence was noticeable, if not debilitating. The band played a set consisting almost entirely of material from their new album Person to Person, with the exception of their cover of Leonard Cohen's "Lover Lover Lover". Supplemented with a keyboardist and an extra percussionist, the band's play was confident and brimming with energy. "Vacationing People" sounded like a bonafide hit, and newest single "Winter Games" made more sense when injected with a bit of live gusto. A good portion of the crowd took away the lesson that Foreign Born are a band on the up, and I would tend to agree. Now if they could just write a big single (or at least bring back "We Had Pleasure").
This was my second time seeing The Veils at The Empty Bottle in as many years, so it's hard not to compare this show to the previous one. As with the first show, Finn Andrews and his band offered up a generous helping of second album Nux Vomica, a record fast approaching classic status. Fans of debut album The Runaway Found, on the other hand, had to be content with a Finn solo rendition of "The Tide That Left and Never Came Back".
Their third and most recent album, Sun Gangs, composed the remainder of the set: the band gave us a powerful take on "The Letter", a moving version of "Sit Down by the Fire", and an abbreviated version of "Larkspur", which felt a bit hurried (and suffered because of it). New drummer Raife had a tendency to overplay, an unwelcome change from the tactful and subtle stylings of previous drummer Henning Dietz. I suspect that problem will correct itself as he plays more with the band and gets more comfortable. Overall, The Veils played a set filled with drama, but one that didn't swing for the fences. Theirs was a performance for the already converted rather than the uninitiated. As such, this disciple was pleased.
Don't look now, but New Zealand's The Veils have made an incredibly daring third record. Perched on the precipice of success after the more traditional indie of The Runaway Found and the beguiling complexity of Nux Vomica, frontman Finn Andrews has chosen to take a huge artistic gamble. For a band that has yet to properly 'break through', a 10-track lament on lost love and death may not seem like the most obvious move. But with an end product that feels this essential, adventurous, and rewarding, it's hard to argue with his thinking.
The record opens with the triumphant "Sit Down by the Fire". Produced by former Suede man Bernard Butler, it's the most obvious thing here. The big ringing acoustic guitars and rumbling drums are reminiscent of "The Wild Son", the Butler-produced lead off track of the Veils' debut. It's a bit of a red herring, however, for the music that follows is alternately dark, sparse and unforgiving.
The chiming guitar lead of "The Letter" starts the song on familiar ground, but it quickly falls away leaving a verse of little more than drums, bass, and some subtle strums. But then, guitar sounds that conjure up an army of wasps descend on the chorus and take it to a new place altogether. These alien noises return in the coda to consume the song entirely, as Finn yelps "I just want to say...goodbye."
"The Letter":
Four threadbare ballads fill in the blanks. "It Hits Deeper", "Sun Gangs", "Scarecrow" and closer "Begin Again" bring fantastic melodies to the table. Theirs is a slow burn, and their lyrics reinforce the themes of the album: "Begin Again"'s chorus goes "We're all just following the light of long dead stars". This is ultimately satisfying stuff, but there's very little instant gratification to be had. Admittedly, that would seem to be the intention.
"Scarecrow":
The real centerpiece here is "Larkspur". It's an 8-minute odyssey constructed around a deformed, serpentine blues riff. It starts chant-like, Finn repeating the phrase "Always the larkspur...no rest for my heart". It eventually explodes into shrieks of sheer horror: "FEEL LIKE SOMETHING'S GOT A HOLD OF ME" Finn yells as violent stabs of guitar punctuate the musical maelstrom. It's Sun Gangs' "In Limbo": As the centerpiece of a very tortured record, it represents a stark challenge to fans and non-fans alike, a train-is-leaving the station moment that commands you to either get on or be left behind. I'm reminded of the following passage from Paul Auster's Mr. Vertigo:
"I wasn't just a robot anymore, a wind-up baboon who did the same set of tricks for every show--I was evolving into an artist, a true creator who performed as much for his own sake as for the sake of others. It was the unpredictability that excited me, the adventure of never knowing what was going to happen from one show to the next. If your only motive is to be loved, to ingratiate yourself with the crowd, you're bound to fall into bad habits, and eventually the public will grow tired of you. You have to keep testing yourself, pushing your talent as hard as you can. You do it for yourself, but in the end it's this struggle to do better that most endears you to your fans. That's the paradox. People begin to sense that you're out there taking risks for them. They're allowed to share in the mystery, to participate in whatever nameless thing is driving you to do it, and one that happens, you're no longer just a performer, you're on your way to becoming a star."
This record will be treasured by fans of sophisticated rock music for taking them on that journey that only a fully realized piece of music can. No matter the commercial outcome, the band has made a record they can be proud of, one that will simultaneously confound, terrify, and thrill listeners. Not a bad year's work.
1. Ida Maria: "Oh My God" If I were to create something as wretchedly passe as a best album list, Ida Maria's Fortress Round My Heart would probably sit atop of it. Here's what I said in my review:
Instead, think about the good things here: the way "Queen of the World" sounds like "Vertigo" by The Libertines, or "Stella" rips off an old Motown track, or how "Oh My God" is an absolute classic brimming with barely concealed sexual energy. Ida Maria's got charisma, man, and if you can't handle that, then take your Vampire Weekend and Yeasayer records and fuck off.
2. Supergrass: "Diamond Hoo Ha Man" In all honesty, I haven't had much time for Supergrass albums since 2000's uneven self-titled effort. In 2008, however, I did have time for this infectious riff-based rocker and its hilarious accompanying video.
3. Mystery Jets--Half in Love with Elizabeth 21 was one of the albums I played to death earlier in the year but sort of forgot about as time went on. Returning to it now, I think it holds up. Here's what I said in my original review:
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
4. Mike Bones--What I Have Left I don't know much about Mike Bones, and to be honest, I'm not entirely sure I want to know more. Some artists are best presented in single servings, and I get the feeling that if I heard tracks besides "What I Have Left" I might be disappointed. Over the course of the song, the hopeful, rollicking music builds to a powerful crescendo, overtaking Bones' guilt-wracked lyrics and weary vocals. Powerful stuff.
5. The Veils--The House She Lived In (Live)Ok, I'll admit to a bit of cheating here. This is a 2007 live version of a song that will most likely be released in 2009. Split the difference and you get 2008, right? I had to include this if only because this was my most played track of the year. And because I interviewed Finn:
DF: Nux Vomica had some of the poppiest music you've ever produced ("Advice"), while at the same time containing some of the darkest ("Jesus for the Jugular"). How do you reconcile those two moods?
F: We put them on the same album, that's about as much reconciling as was necessary. Too many records just sounds like 10 slightly different versions of the same song to me, I'm a strong believer in The Album. You have such opportunity to bring together all the greatest elements of film and art and literature and it seems a shame to waste that - a great album can be Kubrick, Hemingway, Carravagio, The Wire and The Stones all at once and that is such an extraordinary thing.
In October I saw the Veils perform at Chicago's Lakeshore Theater. It was a fun show, and I've never seen Finn so loose with the crowd, but really it felt like more of a formal rehearsal of new material than a proper concert. Their third album should finally establish them as a top-tier group, so keep an eye out for them.
6. Glasvegas--Please Come Back Home As an early advocate for Glasvegas, I have to say that I was a bit disappointed by their self-titled debut. Whereas their early recordings had a sort of rough beauty to them, possessing the sort of sound you get when big ambitions collide with modest means, I felt the record was over-produced. My review of the LP, which never saw the light of day, even compared the album version of "It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry" to a power ballad by Poison. The whole thing felt short on tunes and long on major-label sonic affectations.
Over time though, my disillusionment slowly eroded, and I found myself reevaluating the album on its merits. Their recently released Christmas album, from which "Please Come Back Home" is taken, scored a few points in my book as well.
7. Sune Rose Wagner--Hvad Der Sker Better known as one half of The Raveonettes, Sune Rose Wagner quietly released his Danish-language solo album Sune Rose Wagner in December. It seems like he's perfectly content to let it fly under the radar, which is shame, because it's really, really good. Coming off like a less kitschy Raveonettes, it wears its influences (50's music, Sonic Youth, The Smiths) on its sleeve. In a year when The Raveonettes released a series of largely forgettable EPs, those looking for a Wagner fix would be wise to seek this out.
8. The Radio Dept.--Freddie and the Trojan Horse At the risk of this turning into one long mea culpa, Radio Dept. were another band that disappointed me with a record, their sophomore effort Pet Grief, but then slowly worked their way back into my good graces. This comeback single certainly didn't hurt. Returning to some of the guitar work that made debut Lesser Matters such a success, but with their fondness for drum machines and The Pet Shop Boys firmly intact, the Radio Dept. gang raised hopes for their third album.
9. The Notwist--Good Lies Although it's true that The Notwist's The Devil, You + Me never captivated me like Neon Golden did, it's still true that this it was a fine record. Here's what I said in my review:
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.
10. Sigur Ros--Med Sud I Eyrum Sigur Ros are a perennial favorite for me, and this year was no exception. Here's a bit from my review of Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust:
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...
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.
Vessels: "Walking Through Walls" Vessels' "Yuki" made my Best of 2007 list for good reason: their immaculate sense of texture and atmosphere was pretty much the only game in town. The same goes for "Walking Through Walls", taken from the band's debut album White Fields and Open Devices. In a transition year for mainstream rock, this sounded like nothing else.
I became a fan of The Veils after hearing an early version of first album The Runaway Found some years back. Finn Andrews' compelling voice and strong melodic sense instantly got my attention, even if that record proved to be a bit uneven. Apparently aware of the limitations of that first incarnation of the band, Finn promptly revamped the line-up. The results of this overhaul would be revealed on second album Nux Vomica, an intoxicating brew of catchy melodies, sinister lyrical themes, and elegant arrangements. The band's third record has reportedly been finished and should be released in the near future.
Dead Flowers: Can you talk a little bit about the early days of The Veils? How did you come to work with the Runaway Found lineup? What was going through your head when relations with your original label broke down?
Finn: That was a long time ago now, i don't really remember it all too well. I hated being on a major label and it was a huge relief to be rid of the whole thing.
DF: Do you think you have a closer personal/musical bond with the new members than with the old?
F: The band now is the closest I can imagine a group of people ever being without, you know, having sex with each other. They're a waking dream and we love each other to bits.
"Calliope" (Promo, from Nux Vomica)
DF: It seems like you were being sort-of shoehorned into a post-Buckley/Coldplay mode on Runaway, which didn't always work. However, Nux Vomica seems very unique, from the music and lyrics to the imagery...was there a conscious decision to assert your own identity?
F: I'm never very conscious of sounding like anything when i'm writing, i just write what i need to and some days it sounds like The Jackson 5, some days The Bad Seeds. I guess the hope is that eventually people stop trying to listen for your influences and just take you on for what you are, though that just comes with time i'm told.
DF: I heard a version of "More Heat than Light" from the Black Sessions and it's amazing how much the song has opened up. Would you say that's typical of the band these days?
F: We're always trying new things with the live show, I didn't become a musician to just repeat the same thing over and over again every night - it should always be spontaneous and run the risk of collapse i think.
DF: Nux Vomica had some of the poppiest music you've ever produced ("Advice"), while at the same time containing some of the darkest ("Jesus for the Jugular"). How do you reconcile those two moods?
F: We put them on the same album, that's about as much reconciling as was necessary. Too many records just sounds like 10 slightly different versions of the same song to me, I'm a strong believer in The Album. You have such opportunity to bring together all the greatest elements of film and art and literature and it seems a shame to waste that - a great album can be Kubrick, Hemingway, Carravagio, The Wire and The Stones all at once and that is such an extraordinary thing.
DF: Even though your vocals are quite adventurous, they never cross the line into indulgence. Where/how did you learn to control your voice?
F: It took me a good 5 years of singing before I could even hold a tune - I don't have what you would traditionally call a very nice voice, but it was singers like van morrison and tom waits that made me feel like it didn't matter and that it's the gut that's important and nothing else.
DF: Will the third record build on Nux Vomica or go in a completely different direction?
F: It's a million miles from Nux and quite a risky record to make in a lot of ways. I hope people will take to it the way we all have. It's a real album and i figure the world needs as many of them as it can get.
Thanks to Finn for talking with Dead Flowers. The Veils are currently touring the US. I'll be at the Chicago show; do try and see them if they make it out to your neck of the woods.
Tour Dates: Sep 26 2008 8:00P High Dive w/Liam Finn Seattle, Washington Sep 27 2008 8:00P Biltmore Cabaret w/ Liam Finn Vancouver, British Columbia Oct 1 2008 8:00P 7th St. Entry w/ Liam Finn Minneapolis, Minnesota Oct 2 2008 8:00P Lakeshore Theatre w/ Liam Finn Chicago, Illinois Oct 3 2008 8:00P Grog Shop w/ Liam Finn Cleveland, Ohio Oct 4 2008 8:00P Lee’s Palace w/ Liam Finn Toronto, Ontario Oct 5 2008 8:00P La Sala Rossa w/ Liam Finn & Dr. Dog Montreal, Quebec Oct 7 2008 8:00P Paradise w/ Liam Finn Boston, Massachusetts Oct 8 2008 8:00P Space Gallery w/ Liam Finn Portland, Maine Oct 9 2008 8:00P Iron Horse Music Hall w/ Liam Finn Northampton, Massachusetts Oct 10 2008 8:00P Club Hell w/ Liam Finn Providence, Rhode Island Oct 11 2008 8:00P The Bell House Brooklyn, New York
Dear all, album three is now written and we are to begin recording it very soon. Thank you all very much for your kind messages of encouragement throughout the interim and let us now all hope the delivery is relatively quick and without complications. We'll let you know more on this as soon as we can.
Also, we're doing a residency at a club in London over the next month if you'd like to come and try the new songs on for size, we advise very strongly that you do.
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)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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...
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?
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.
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.
The Veils: Live at the Lowlands Festival 2006 (MP3)
Setlist: nux vomica the wild son pan advice for young mothers to be a birthday present state trooper jesus for the jugular the tide that left & never came back lavinia calliope! not yet the valleys of new orleans
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.
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.
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