Mini-Reviews on Somewhat Recent Stuff

I've been beyond busy writing for my unannounced project, so I offer these mini-reviews as a bite-sized offering for those that may be sick of dropping in and finding blog leftovers. Will be returning to regular updates maybe in the near future.


Air - Pocket Symphony
Early reviews made this out to be the audio equivalent of burning hair, but while it's not exactly as memorable as some of their previous work, I strongly disagree with the negative wash and I think that, as it plays, it is quite a pretty album, one that is perfect to unwind to. I'd say it's minimalistic, but there seems to be a lot of intricate melodies creatively woven sparsely throughout the songs - hence the title Pocket Symphony. Don't expect Talkie Walkie, but do expect more of their film soundtrack sound, which if you've seen Virgin Suicides or heard "Alone in Kyoto" is not a negative thing at all. Only immediate negative is that the Jarvis Cocker vocals sound a little off at first, but the've grown on me.


Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Funeral was an event, so indie kids were waiting for Arcade Fire's sophomore slump to be a disappointment so that they could share a collective helping of schadenfreude. Honestly, I am amazed that the Arcade Fire has managed to put out an album that is as good as Funeral, if not a tinge more spectacular. Maybe not as immediate as Funeral, but then, only a few songs jumped out at me on that one at first, Neon Bible addresses the various crises plaguing modern society and especially its youth. It's a fine album on the surface, and an account of the mid-2000s taken as a whole. It is an album that gets stronger, more urgent with every listen. Highly recommended, no matter what your opinion might be on the popularity of the Arcade Fire; they did not set out to please their fanbase and made a better album for it.


Deerhunter - Cryptograms
Deerhunter's Cryptograms is slightly shoegaze, a bit creepy weird kids in the neighbor's basement, and just a little weird, but the songs are all rich and make for good listening when you're halfway between awake and sleep, drank too much coffee and are up way past the usual time, or if you've had a few. It's a mix of, hmm... Sonic Youth, Ride, and Liars come to mind. Lots of guitars let loose to buzz around a suburban neighborhood and create chaos or just chill out on the grass. Music to make you wonder if you dreamed the last few songs.



Peter Bjorn and John - Writer's Block
There is no reason not to pick up this album. If you like pop at all, there are very few albums that are as fulfilling as this one. The single "Young Folks" is one of the catchiest songs... maybe ever. The rest of the album is almost as instantly addictive and charming as that song. Words can't do its melodies justice, unless I guess I just whistled this review, which wouldn't really work. In short, buy this album if you like your music to be fun and make you smile.

Fleeting Joys New Album Preview

Fleeting Joys wrote me last week to let me know they had a preview of their new album up on their MySpace site:

Fleeting Joys New Album Preview

As their first album was one of my favorites of last year, I'm flipping off the walls like 8-bit Strider waiting for their next album to never leave my CD tray for a week. So far there's a lot to get excited over here. They are very nice folks who play shoegaze outrageously well. Please give them a listen, it will make my day.

Scrounging

Sorry for the break - been busy, busy scrounging around for stuff to get excited about. Some of this stuff you may have heard on big sites like Pitchfork or one of the more popular blogs, tonight's post, however, may rehash some of these, and if not - woohoo, interesting new stuff for you, the reader in [your location].

Crystal Castles
This is music so advanced it actually comes from 2009, probably made in part from NES parts fresh from 1985. Crystal Castles obviously has a time machine, and obviously they have gone back to the future multiple times, huffing 80s nostalgia and then jacking into their synths and mixing software somewhere in the post-apocalypse. They've got a song that sounds like it was influenced by Phantasy Star II - if that turns your head, give these guys a look. They're currently without album, though possibly it's mandatory in their time.

Crystal Castles' MySpace

Heaviness
MBV, blah, blah, blah, yes yes, shoegaze, yes, we get it. Well, if you never say anything like that, Heaviness' album is full of catchy shoegaze on the MBV side of the spectrum. Really good stuff with strong hooks and blankets of sound - warm blankets of sound, the kind that give you a static shock at first, but then feel absurdly comfortable and speed you off to sleep.

Heaviness' MySpace

The Besnard Lakes
The Besnard Lakes accelerate into symphonic within their textured, bittersweet songs. There is an obvious Brian Wilson influence in the best way possible. These songs grow on you quick-like, going from "hey, that's nice" to "wow, that's way better than Genesis" to "I'm damn happy I clicked on that link and I just ordered their album."

The Besnard Lakes' MySpace

And if that doesn't hold you, I should be returning to regular updates starting... now!

Keep One Eye On...

A few years ago now, I watched a video by a band who was really just a difficult name to Google. The name of the band was Performance and apparently they've finally got a full album coming out this year. Their MySpace site (which is equally hard to search for), had some hit or miss songs on them, but I'm keeping an eye on their full album because it's anything like "Love Life", it should kick much ass to a retro UK band beat.



Some new songs and songs off their singles can be found on their MySpace. The newest track, "Sexy Etc", sounds decent, not as good as "Love Life", but enough to make me look forward to more. Their album comes out in the UK sometime in the next few months - not sure about the US yet.

Performance's MySpace Site

Interesting feeling, interesting feeling...

Another Great Overlooked 2006 Release

Over the weekend I was dealing with one of those "life happens" situations, and in an introspective mood I threw Mahogany's Connectivity! on and kept it going. I don't know if it's that it was because it reminded me of Slowdive, Sweet Trip, and Cocteau Twins (bands that calm the nerves), but it sure did help fill the room I withdrew into sound much, much better. What a great album and one that should receive your attention if you're into any of the bands I mentioned above or are a fan of shoegaze or dream pop. It's put out by Darla, whose shoegaze/electronica output has been consistently blissful.

Of course, here's a link:

Mahogany's MySpace page

Hope that's satisfying.

News I Didn't Break

NEW THEE MORE SHALLOWS!


Thee More Shallows announced their new album on MySpace Friday. It's called Book of Bad Breaks and they've posted a track along with the news. Thee More Shallows' exceptional More Deep Cuts was one of my favorite albums of the last few years. Check the new track and their old ones out at this link:

Thee More Shallows - Night at the Knight School (MySpace)


New Ulrich Schnauss


Ulrich Schnauss announced earlier this week that he would have a new album out in a few months. That's pretty exciting if you listened to his first two albums. In case you didn't, his music is a cross between shoegaze and electronica and is very nice to put on while you're writing, or chilling, or fixing a waffle iron. No new tracks up yet, but hopefully something will appear soon-ish.

News and tracks on Ulrich's MySpace page

New Modest Mouse track

Modest Mouse's new album We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank will be released March 20. Of note is a promising new single called "Dashboard", which can be found here:

Modest Mouse - "Dashboard"

Fleeting Joys Works in Progress

The band hasn't released any definitive titles or dates for the new album yet, though they have put up samples of their "works in progress" for fans to see what direction their followup to Despondent Transponder will take. I really appreciate the glimpse at the new stuff, but it's like they're teasing me. Check it out on their MySpace page:

Fleeting Joys MySpace Link

Shout Out

So, I'm listening to Lupe Fiasco's album when I get to the last track and hear what has to be the longest shout out track I've ever heard. I think I got a shout out - that's how many people he mentioned. Man, I hate when a good album mars itself with either bad skits, shout out tracks, or too many guest spots. As far as shout outs go - that's what the booklet is for. I mean, if Interpol's next album featured a droning guitar while Paul Banks thanks people for twelve minutes, they would be fucking slaughtered by the music press, and yet, rap albums don't get docked at all. Man, is that why I've been listening to fewer rap albums lately? Or is it just that critics have low expectations? Don't get me wrong, there are some good damn songs on here, way, way better than the Fiddy Def Dogg stuff that's clogging up the rap section at the local Best Buy, it's just that the Outro should've been left off and mailed to anyone mentioned.



Bonus points for having a robot in the video!

And speaking of robots, here's the video from Madvillain's track on Chrome Children. Maybe most rap sounds weak because Doom exists. Yeah, that's probably it.



Join me tomorrow when I acknowledge everyone who's ever influenced or helped me in any capacity for pages and pages to a flash player looping a kick drum to snare beat.