Music

[ALBUM REVIEW] Strange Light

Bryon Turcotte — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:40:00 +0000

The craftsman David Berkeley converts pure feeling into a beautiful quilt without missing a stitch. I have tried, but I feel there is no way for you to truly experience this recording through words alone. David’s third studio album, Strange Light will touch your soul differently each time you listen. I can honestly say that it touched me deeply.

The first cut, “Hurricane” has a sensitive, touching beginning which brings you into a warm story with crying lyrics. The arrangement and subtle accents really drive this tune forward and beyond. With a nice build and dynamic stability, it stands as a wonderful love song of commitment and strength. “Willis Avenue Bridge” paints a gorgeous picture filled with memories and visions of winter. This is a sad and touching story of the spirit of one’s life moving forward but with the memory of sadness and regret. Definitely one of my favorites, this tune brings you into a tragic, fractured moment brilliantly.

“Sweet Auburn” takes you waltzing through a story of longing and love for someone sweet but distant. Berkeley draws a wonderful sketch of the heart in a state of falling. You can clearly picture the nervous butterflies in his words. The next track, “Oh Lord Come Down” shows the beautiful vocal companionship between Berkeley and Sara Watkins of the band Nickel Creek. A nice spiritually flavored song with broad strokes of hope and faith; it is executed gracefully with sensitivity and grace. In “Halloween Parade” you can feel the cold air, see the dark sky, and smell the hazy smoke standing below the fall sky. It is a very visually touching piece mixed with powerful but tasteful additions from the other musicians. His delivery is simple, intelligent and full of depth. “Scraps of You” is another touching track featuring soft, subtle guitar and vocals, which float over a pleasant wave of tasteful musicianship. The builds and layers are smart and spread nicely by his musical partners. Todd Sickafoose gives us a wonderful gift through his upright bass solo and punctuates the feelings with each note simply.

A straight up shuffle, “Milwaukee Road” would make any old Nashville session player shiver with goose bumps. This tune could easily have risen from the grooves of an old 45-RPM record through the voice of Haggard, Cash or Williams. It is an instant classic. “Glory” drifts through the air like a falling maple leaf with its color bouncing off rays of afternoon sun. The harmonies and mandolin plucks stroke the heartstrings with angelic care. “Measure of a Man” flows and builds nicely as it progresses. It is a search for answers, which is delivered with sensitivity and mystery. Towards its conclusion, it rises like a threatening wave but crashes nicely on the shore. “High Heels and All” is an example of fine songwriting and arrangement. Simply said, parts of this song will bring your heart to joy and tears to your eyes. It is a perfect mixture of instrumentation and emotion.

“The Only Broken Man” pleads with a desperate call for rescue. With sadness and darkness, he could break the strongest heart into a million pieces. “Angelina” ends the album with another beautiful rendering of a relationship’s growth. He paints her face and spirit so clearly; you can see her smile as they talk that day in Harvard Square. It makes you crave the need to meet the girl who could inspire such a beautiful song. Berkeley has truly created a piece of art with this recording. Words cannot shine its light as much as the tones of his music. Buy and Listen.

[ALBUM REVIEW] Daisy

Tyler Barlass — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:31:00 +0000

I guess it's not too big of a surprise that Jesse Lacey would eventually lead his band, Brand New, into the dark tunnels of despair that they seem to currently be treading in. Despite the band's pop punk origins, Lacey's transformation from lovelorn wordsmith to tortured soul was actually pretty seamless. 2006's The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me was the highlight of this transition. It was an album that succeeded in setting a consistently dark and somber mood and yet was also filled with contagious and instantly memorable tracks. On the band's follow up, Daisy, the dark mood has no doubt stayed in tact, but the memorable songs are few and far between.

Brand New bookends Daisy with the odd sounds of traditional gospel music being played over what sounds like a scratchy record player or phonograph. It's just one of the many slightly unsettling things that the band employs on their new record. The opening song "Vices," eventually breaks through the lulling sounds of the gospel music into a fierce display of heavy guitars and high pierced screams. It's intended to be a startling surprise for the listener, but it isn’t hard to see coming. Though the many soft/loud dynamics that Brand New utilized on The Devil and God seemed endlessly creative and refreshing, the same tricks just seem less innovative and almost banal on Daisy.

Frontman Jesse Lacey is, as usual, the central figure on Brand New’s newest album. His vocals range from a soft murmur to a throaty scream as he commands each of his self-penned tunes. And while the lyrics on Daisy seem a bit less personal than on past Brand New albums, Lacey still no doubt shouts (or whispers) them with striking conviction. Lacey’s vocal assuredness still can’t save a string of mundane tracks that, though they carry on the solidly dark aesthetic of the record, bring down the album as a whole. “Bed” might sound like a catchy sing-along track upon first listen, but its simplicity and somewhat nonsensical lyrics, or at least uninspiring by Brand New’s standards, hurt its longevity.“You Stole” on the other hand is a slow paced track that never seems to find its footing. It’s a song that lingers on in uninteresting territory for far too long, and once it finally does find its climax of feedback and wailing guitars, it seems almost tacked on. “In a Jar” may be the worst track on the album. Running along on a repetitive bassline, Lacey’s vocals turn into a drone as he utilizes his most effective muse, religion. But unlike other songs which successfully dealt with religious struggles - “Jesus Christ,” “The Archers Bows Have Broken,” - “In a Jar” just doesn’t pack the same punch lyrically or musically.

There are songs on Daisy that do prove that Lacey still has plenty of songwriting chops though. The album’s first single, “At the Bottom,” which mixes in some shimmering piano playing throughout the verses of the song, is an absolute winner. The following song, “Gasoline,” happens to be my favorite track on the album. If the other harder moments of Daisy adhered more to the example set on the thrilling “Gasoline,” the album would be that much better for it. The song rides on Lacey’s screeching vocals as the hard hitting percussion lays the groundwork for the blazing guitar feedback that engulfs the high octane chorus.

Of the three albums that Brand New has released since their embarrassing 2001 pop punk debut, Daisy would have to be considered the worst (though to be fair it's stacked against some pretty heavy competition). While it does contain some of the more uninspired moments in Brand New’s catalog, the album still has a handful of pretty exciting songs. It also holds true to what the band is trying to accomplish, that is creating an album full of rather dour songs that fit into the dark aesthetic that the band is close to perfecting. That being said, despite its unevenness Daisy is still a pretty interesting listen.

[ALBUM REVIEW] Paint the Fence Invisible

Bryon Turcotte — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:00:00 +0000

When I first heard Paint the Fence Invisible from Boston’s Drug Rug, I was not only amazed how addicted I became within the first few minutes, I was also stunned how so many classic influences can sound so new. Thomas Allen and Sarah Cronin are musical soul mates complimenting each other like peanut butter and jelly. This record has personality and joy woven between every hook. I could probably name all of their influences, but I need to keep this review under six hundred words. If you like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The New Pornographers, The White Stripes, or most music that came out of the late sixties, you will love this record. It is a modern gem.

A New Way to Catalog Your Vinyl Record Collection

Robert Benson — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:41:00 +0000

We love our music. Some prefer the historic audio medium of vinyl records; some enjoy the digital music that surrounds us everyday. No matter what medium you prefer, if you have a collection it is very important to document it. Not only for insurance purposes, but to also keep track of exactly what you have or may be looking for.

There are many software applications available today that claim to be the best for cataloging and documenting a record collection, some may even use an Excel spreadsheet. But, I have found the ultimate application, one that is very user friendly and accomplishes the difficult task of cataloging a record collection.

[ALBUM REVIEW] Remind Me Where the Light Is

Bryon Turcotte — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Somewhere along the road of life, you stumble upon something that will make a deep and lasting impression on your heart. It is rare for a complete collection of compositions to make such a deep impact. Each song crafted beautifully like an exotic piece of wood, the music’s warmth can only be explained by tears and described with an honest smile.

The music inside of Great Northern’s newest release, Remind Me Where the Light Is has proven to be a truly, precious gem found during my travels. As a whole, it shines like a wonderful goldmine of sound and feeling. You will fall hopelessly in love with the vocals, lyrics and creative brilliance of Rachel Stolte and Solon Bixler in a single breath. Beware, because as you listen, that breath will soon be taken away.

[ALBUM REVIEW] Stay Epic

Bryon Turcotte — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:19:00 +0000

The newest release from the Boston’s Dear Leader proves that there truly is a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. The songwriting and honest vocal style of DL’s Aaron Perrino has been a warm wind in the indie music world for years. His beginnings with The Sheila Divine, their powerful sensitivity, and huge musical scope, paved a solid roadway for the genius of Dear Leader. Stay Epic is a work that is refreshing, heartfelt and honest. The production of Paul Kolderie and Adam Taylor is pure platinum making the musical foundation built by Paul Buckley, Jon Sulkow, and Will Claflin truly memorable.

The first tune, “Rust Belt Ballad," comes out of the gate with grand scale and momentum as Perrino’s vocals stroll along proudly without effort. Following a strong start, a powerful wave of music carries this hook-layered piece forward through a field of wonder. “The Blue Print” is wisely built and executed beautifully. This song is all heart. As the lyrics flow, you are launched into a powerful chorus of truthful epic scale. A first listen, you are hit with a lightning bolt of memorable sound. After a warm start, you are captured by the honesty of “Barbarians” in each jab of Perrino’s vocal tone. Another stunning chorus and luscious coat of smooth emotion is evident in this slice of song writing excellence.

“Empires” is truthful, sensitive and haunting. Its mystical tone carries the vocal slowly through a galaxy of sound but never loses its way. The symphonic guitar and intelligent playing bring the underlying drama clearly to the forefront. “Shimmer” has a quality that visits the glory days of Johnny Marr textures and curtains of tasteful string layers. Hooky, pop power never loses its focus or elegance as it pulls you in to satisfy. A favorite on this release, “The Wayside” is a gracious sample of how effortlessly DL can deliver a symphony of sound and emotion. A future gem for new listeners, the addition of Ian Kennedy’s string arrangement makes this the recipe for class and classic.

Sliding down the scale of emotion, “Heart Hangs Low” enters with a note of tears and sorrow. Sadness drips from every word as subtle piano strikes are complimented wonderfully by a carpet of pedal steel provided by the master, Doug Pettibone, current guitarist for Lucinda Williams. His warmth makes Perrino’s heart open and vulnerable. We ramp up as an injection of octane and pure volume come full throttle with the stunning “Indifference in the age of decline." Perrino shouts his anthem message of observation and frustration which such conviction you need to raise your voice and join his attack. This heart pumping classic trip of intensity and feeling is a rock and roll masterpiece.

Another dance of drama and wonder, “The Napoleon Complex” proves that these men have perfected the mix of power, emotion and dynamics. Like “Wayside” it shows their control of the heart and how to use it wisely. As the proper album of tracks come to an end, “Young Gods” takes us on a spacious trip that truly puts the word “epic” into the albums title. A smart piece of production and creativity, it serves as a perfect conclusion for this collection of work. As a bonus, Perrino added acoustic versions of “Rust Belt Ballad," “Barbarians," “Empires” and “The Wayside" to finish of an already wonderful recording. With this addition, Perrino proves how each song can hold strong in its purest form, a singer with his guitar. This wonderful collection of music is deserving of the same badge adorned by epic classics. Stay Epic Indeed.

A Soundtrack for Your Halloween

Matt Medlock — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:35:00 +0000

Fifty Years of Great Music: The Top 100 Albums of the 1990s

Matt Medlock — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Update: A grievous omission has been rectified at #23.

To some, the end of the 90s signaled the end of the album era. With the rise of the Internet, mp3s were the wave of the future, not LPs, and all the new software (shuffling playlists!) and hardware (iPods!) completely changed the way we listen to music—you don’t like half of the songs on an album? Delete ‘em and make your own EP! But even if that’s true, the 90s offered a terrific last gasp, and the first (and perhaps last) time when music on popular radio could match the stuff on the college stations. Of course, it helped that I grew up in the suburbs before file sharing was the rage, so the majority of the stuff I bought and listened to during the decade was major label-accepted. Even though my plate grew much wider playing catch up during this decade, the fact remains—there was a time when modern rock radio and MTV actually played good music. And even the stuff out of the norm wasn’t really that far removed from the catapulting alternative scene among the masses. But that makes this a confounding list in its honesty—there’s stuff on here gobbled up by consumers that critics loathed right next to semi-obscure stuff that became fodder for “name dropping” among the elite that the average listener will never give a chance. Luckily, that whole Internet “fad” I mentioned earlier has corrected some of those injustices and access is nearly unlimited. Poised to satisfy and upset many in equal amounts, here are the Top 100 Albums of the 1990s.

Fever Ray's Take on Nick Cave

Tyler Barlass — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:51:00 +0000

In response to the masses of praise that have been heaped upon Karin Dreijer-Andersson and her side project Fever Ray, the Swedish songstress will be releasing a 3-disc deluxe edition of her self-titled debut on November 24th. While the two extra discs will be live performances and videos, the original audio CD will feature two well done cover songs. One a cover of Vashti Bunyan's "Here Before" and the other a cover of Nick Cave's "Stranger Than Kindness." Below is the eerie Andreas Nilsson directed video of Fever Ray's version of "Stranger Than Kindness."

The World is Ending... Somebody Call Adam Lambert!

Arya Ponto — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 06:48:00 +0000

In case you haven't seen it, here's the new music video from American Idol Adam Lambert (well, actually, he lost... So do we call him American Consolation Prize?). The song is called "Time for Miracles," and it's the official anthem to the upcoming disaster flick 2012.

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[ALBUM REVIEW] Set Fire To The Hive EP

Bryon Turcotte — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:09:00 +0000

Every now and then my ears are blessed with new sounds of brilliance and magic. I will now share an experience I have been craving for many years. A large dose of perfection is contained within the Set Fire to the Hive EP from Karnivool, Australia’s gifted sons. Full of staggering musicianship, epic power, and majestic vocal strength, this release cannot be ignored. It is not only a sonic rush of adrenalin for the heart, but it is also far beyond it’s audible levels of greatness. It’s a gift to any listener willing to take the journey.

The first track and single, “Set Fire to the Hive” is a dark, dangerous, and deadly assault of drums, bass and guitar moving with brilliant precision not ever to be challenged. The vocals of Ian Kenny are a hauntingly beautiful cascade of depth and emotion, which soar to altitudes that many vocalists only dream of reaching. This foundation of power and edge may soon be adorned with a classic crown years before it’s time. Pulled from another time and space, this tune is a true hard-core masterpiece.

“Themata” enters with razor sharp intensity smartly forged with every corner smoothed and polished. Like a fang of powerful venom, this tune bites down with unrelenting force but caresses the ears with moments of sonic wonder. The guitar, bass and drum work is seamlessly executed. Guitarists Andrew Goddard and Mark Hosking paint an amazing portrait of drama and danger as they dance atop the masterful rhythm section. Drummer Steve Judd and bassist Jon Stockman teach a master class on hard-core progression. The intensity and grace of all five performers is in a class by itself.

“Roguefort”, a mix with the Empire Horns, comes forth with a unique, unpredictable force. Uncommon, the mix of horns and powerful crunch works nicely and is delivered with tasteful balance. By the chorus you are overtaken by the mix. Hard but hooky, smooth but haunting, this piece takes you down an uncharted path walked on only by kings. The superb, interwoven instrumentation builds a huge foundation for vocals and horns to live safely. This amazing mixture is not only brave, but it is an interesting and intense piece of work.

Lastly, it is evident that some bands, when in the safety of the recording studio, can capture sound, build and shape moods brilliantly, and create worlds within worlds beyond what the mind can imagine. Within the ten-plus minute track “Dead Man” we are fortunate enough to hear five modern craftsmen build a planet of sound and shape in a captured live performance. This may be one of the best live, hard rock performances I’ve heard in my twenty years as a music professional and writer. If a piece of music can live to capture the breath, quality and pure spirit of a group of musicians, this recording has it printed forever. Kenny’s vocals express emotions that are so real and terrifying at times, you can feel his fingers stretch to reach you for help. His majestic spirit forces you to catch your breath. They are larger than life in this modern day symphony. It twists, turns, explodes and rests but always lands firmly on its feet. It is not only heard but also absorbed through every polished note.

This short example of Australia’s modern day masters is not the end of their musical journey. A new full-length release, Sound Awake will finally be available in the U.S. in February 2010. In the works of Set Fire to the Hive, prepare to be awakened by greatness and witness true musical brilliance. They are the real thing.

The Origins of Ludo

Tyler Barlass — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:33:00 +0000

CD Impressions: October 19, 2009

JPP Music Staff — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:17:00 +0000

Welcome to another edition of CD Impressions, the bi-weekly feature at JPP that allows the music writers to offer brief opinions and critiques on recent albums. On the plate this fortnight are reviews for new records from post-hardcore legend Thrice, veteran guitar rockers Built to Spill, the moody and oblique Italian trio Father Murphy, and noise pop provocateurs No Age.

[ALBUM REVIEW] Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II

Matt Medlock — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Album sequels are a double-edged sword—they inspire immediate anticipation and virtually guarantee a quick response, but they also wall in the ambition of an artist so he/she will remain faithful and the hype of expectations can be ruinous if the results don’t astonish. Adding to that languishing hype is postponement—Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II arrives at least two years too late, which annoyed some and disinterested others (remember the relatively minor ripples caused by Chinese Democracy where a tidal wave would have been inevitable ten years before?). If time alone had been the key factor (though we know better) then polish and perfectionism are instant virtues. If writer’s block were even conceivable for a man of Raekwon’s range and talent, we could better understand. But mostly it was feuding with labels and collaborators and overall dissatisfaction; if this be the yields, viva dissent.

Picking up right where the first Cuban Linx left off, “The Return of the North Star” is a continuation reuniting that Barry White sample and Popa Wu’s teacher/philosopher character. BT’s production is seeped in the Far East cinematic sound (with its conversational sensei style, you could easily mistake it for an audio clip from a roughhouse blaxploitation flic paying homage to kung fu). J Dilla’s slashing, metallic synth strings cut through that haze on the next track, the posse cut “House of Flying Daggers.” Inspectah Deck come stomping in, spitting, “No respect for the cops and laws/In the land where your own blood brother still plot for yours/Seen things that'll drop your jaw.” Raekwon follows on his own verse with the kind of brutal fire we haven’t heard from the Chef since, well, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.

But it’s not to last—as Pt. II dominates bleakness over boasting, the confrontational energy would have been ill-suited. Older, wiser (but still not settled), Raekwon spends most of the album serving as a weary reporter and admonished promoter, an eyewitness and an instigator. His first person accounts of crack den shootouts (“Baggin’ Crack”) and drug dealer murders (“Sonny’s Missing”) are brutal and authentic enough without the force. Raekwon’s rhyme schemes are complex and twisting, and he obviously pored over them with great ear for detail; nevertheless, his (s)low-key, almost meandering style just can’t compare to the visceral impact of his in-your-face rhyming from “Flying Daggers.” It’s the ebbing of that momentum that’s one of the few faults with this disc—some segments start to drag over more than seventy minutes. Luckily, his storytelling skills are as strong as ever, and with only a few exceptions, every track produces a vivid snapshot or whole slice of this grim and unsettling life.

Lending balance to this predicament is Ghostface Killah, who again appears with some frequency as he did on the original Linx. His verses on “Flying Daggers,” “Penetentiary” and, especially, “Cold Outside” (easily the best of Raekwon’s own Icewater Productions’ tracks), are all sharp—on the latter, he raps, “Holiday season is here and I'm vexed/Who the f-ck made Christmas up?/I'm f-cking broke, it ain't making no sense/Newports are $7.50, a box of Huggies is off the meat rack.” The chemistry between the Chef and Tony Starks is still palpable, an id and superego pairing that serves both sides of each story’s coin. In addition to Ghostface and Deck, every other Wu member (besides U-God) shows up for a guest or two, and the spirit of Ol’ Dirty Bastard is enlivened on “Ason Jones”; played for heart more than laughs makes it a superior cut despite a surprisingly non-descript looping beat from J Dilla.

The album is not without its less effective moments. Weak chorus hooks on “Catalina” and “We Will Rob You” (obviously, a nod to and pattern lift from the stomping Queen anthem) fail to elevate beyond serving as time killers between solid verses. This is especially unfortunate on the latter as samples from Bobby Womack’s “Across 110th Street” inject revitalized energy on the back end. The language of “Gihad” is frustratingly scattershot: amusing joke one moment (“She take a bone like a rib-eye steak at Ruth’s Chris”), profanely blasé the next (“Spit drippin’ down my balls, she slobber me/That’s right, suck that dick, get it hard for me”). And despite his solid production on “Black Mozart,” RZA also takes a turn on the mic and pays weak tribute to ODB by emulating the Dirt McGirk persona during the bridge. But these missteps are mere flaws to otherwise redeemable cuts—the bigger problem is overlength as interest begins to wane during the midsection. But just as you think its wearing out its welcome, the album roars back strong with the final three: the Dr. Dre-helmed “About Me” (with a better-than-average uncredited appearance from Busta Rhymes), “Mean Streets” with a killer beat and dense soundscape, and “Kiss the Ring,” which, believe it or not, borrows from Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” The finale also provides the album with a broad, anthemic rhyme for Deck to deliver on the refrain—“When I step inside, kiss the ring, Wu Familia, La Cosa Nostra, it’s our thing.”

Raekwon seemed to be biding his time since 1995 when his Only Built 4 Cuban Linx put him among the elite of Wu’s MCs. Since that time, his two other solo projects (Immobilarity, The Lex Diamond Story) barely registered among both the fanbase and the critical community. The notion of a follow-up might seem to the more cynical as a blatant attempt to cash in on past glory, but despite the fact that much of Pt. II seems to be reiterating a lot of the same themes and tales, it’s as inspired and blazing as anything in the Shaolin canon since Ghostface’s Supreme Clientele. Familiarity may hamstring its surprise factor (eclectic subjects and settings aren’t one of the Clan’s strong suits), but along with Mos Def’s The Ecstatic, this handily represents hip hop’s best effort of an admittedly weak year. And with the inclusion of so many Wu-circling guests, it might even make up for the mixed returns of the last three group records. If Raekwon likes to brag that he makes movies for his ears, then this Mafioso joint can rest comfortably between De Palma and Coppola.

[ALBUM REVIEW] Rock Island EP

Bryon Turcotte — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:07:00 +0000

If you push through the sea of buildings, concrete, and hustle-bustle lifestyle that make up the New York City landscape, you will find many organic gems to make the blood inside your veins warm and comfortable. In the borough of Brooklyn there are two individuals who work together in life, love and music, to give us their beautiful, pure visions of music. Courtney Kaiser and Benjamin Cartel of Kaiser Cartel have mastered the art of touching souls through music as few, with as little as a guitar, voice and simple drum, have accomplished before. Since the debut release of March Forth in 2005, they have delivered a raw sense of perfection through numerous songs, performances and EP’s. Now, their gifts are again captured for all the world to hear. Five songs which, as I’ve read, were quickly recorded to quarter inch tape after a long road journey. These songs became their next short but soulful masterpiece, The Rock Island EP, which takes your heart prisoner at every listen.

[ALBUM REVIEW] Awake

Bryon Turcotte — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 10:51:00 +0000

The powerful and positive hard rock unit Skillet has fired up the twelve track release, Awake to follow the highly successful and 2006 Grammy nominated Comatose. Lead vocalist and songwriter John Cooper penned over forty new songs to prepare for the recording of this release since they had set the mark of success so high on their previous efforts. These Christian rockers have laid it out thick to push their message of good to an ever widening audience.

SCREAM 2009: Keith Richards Accepts the Rock Immortal Award

Arya Ponto — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 01:37:00 +0000

Scream honors Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards tonight by presenting him with the Rock Immortal Award. Johnny Depp, who famously chose to crib the rock legend's eccentric mannerisms for his portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow, did the honors by setting up a tribute video for Captain Sparrow, Sr.

[ALBUM REVIEW] XX

Matt Medlock — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 05:00:00 +0000

There comes an unspecific point in xx when you realize the xx aren’t going to be making enormous strides. It’s somewhere around the sixth or seventh song, but it could easily have surfaced on the fourth one or it could still rattle around as a possibility right before the final note drifts out. It’s not a smack-you-in-the-face realization, more of a gentle, instinctive one, and you smile because of it. Groups are often (and not always unfairly) criticized for taking too few chances and running over the same overworn material ad nauseum over the course of an entire LP, but we leave complete-record artifice as a bruise to anything except for “concept album.” This is not a concept album, at least not a narrowly defined one, but I was delighted that by the last few songs it became almost predictable in mapping out what they had in store for me. With an almost casual austerity, the xx has fashioned a very convincing reason to appreciate the negative space in the music you listen to—and to invest money in a high-grade set of headphones.

Evoking in different ways the post-punk minimalism of Young Marble Giants and the dark, love-starved chamber pop of Belle & Sebastian, the xx are mostly exciting in quiet ways, as aftertaste, or the kind of thrill that crawls up on you so deliberately that it’s the reactive gooseflesh that alarms you of an intruder. The word (and variants of) “subtlety” will no doubt be batted around like a kitten-pawed ball of yarn in all discussions surrounding this disc, so I will drop it from the vocabulary from here on out—luckily, there’s a thesaurus built right into the program I use for typing. But you can’t blame us; how would you describe music that can be appreciated on that first spin but earn a worthy rediscovery the next day on the fourth spin? I told you this stuff is subtle quietly cunning.

But back to that first statement, the one about how the xx aren’t going to be making enormous strides. By that, I mean that they don’t fall victim to the debut album cliché—throwing whatever they have on hand at the audience and sees what sticks. For a first record, xx is remarkably assured and confident, as if it was kismet that these four would come together for the same purpose, know exactly what they wanted, and wasted no time with early singles and EPs to get an idea of how they should evolve their sound (hell, they even self-produced this thing). The lack of strides comes with a minor price—there’s not an immediate, gimmicky song to sell—but with a mighty reward as recompense—flash-in-the-what? Nah, not them.

The xx might be four strong (Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim, Baria Qureshi, Jamie Smith), but the music they create is quintessentially spare, built of styles rippling with organic dubstep and echo-reverbed dance, but shrouded in a nocturnal gloom fitting of the album’s striking (and strikingly simple) cover art. The songs tweak their formula but they never abandon it altogether—their lyrical ruminations rarely wander far afield and, aside from a broken beat here and there and ebbing tension between voice and instrument, they all sound like gradients of the same basic composition. That composition aches of the monochromatic glow of low-key IDM as built by a quartet still exploring their goth punk records (Joy Division honed to a pinpoint, sparkling like stars in the night sky). And how simple? The busiest guitar line would have served as a keyboard hook flourish for most of their predecessors (“Shelter”).

Most of xx’s songs work the bedroom mood. A morphine-drip synth wash fills out “Fantasy,” “Wicked Game”-esque guitar chords plug the void on “Infinity,” a rumbling bass drum thump brings you into “Intro.” Elsewhere, little snatches of instrumental vibrancy are fondly noticed and remembered (the twinkling xylophone of “VCR,” the stuttered rhythm of “Heart Skipped a Beat,” Daniel Kessler-esque guitars on both “Night Time” and “Crystalised”), but xx’s biggest draw comes in the form of Croft and Sim’s twin vocals. Hers is breathy, seductive and more traditional; his are reedy, heavy-lidded and low on range. Of course, the pairing allows a compliment that makes one seem sweeter than it is and the other richer than it probably ever could be—duets from the agreeable nearly elevated to extraordinary. That promotion of worth applies to the lyrics as well; taken on their own, lines like, “I am yours now so now I don't ever have to leave,” seem boilerplate, but reduced to the essential of breathless emotion and laid into conversational back-and-forth between both singers, they become (gulp) winsome.

The hype for xx sort of came out of nowhere without trade paper leaks and trendy band stories/gimmicks; in other words, this is the sort of swelling praise that’s trustworthy. With the Peter Hook basslines and the husky sexuality of Croft’s voice, they could have been the next craze. Instead, they decided to concentrate on their first album, plan each insinuating move with methodical precision, and deliver as impressive an entrance as we’ve seen in a few years. Even while they work in restrained shades, individual songs are captured and cherished (favorites: “Islands,” “Shelter,” “VCR,” “Crystalised”), but you won’t be itching to chop it up and sprinkle some gems onto an iPod mix. Instead, you bring the disc with you for lonely late-night drives or put it on in your room for midnight ambiance. The songs may be primarily about the instant gratification of sex, but your relationship to xx should soon blossom into true love.

Worst Michael Jackson Tribute Ever Televised

Arya Ponto — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 05:25:00 +0000

Hey Hey It's Saturday was a long-running Australian variety show that was on the air for 27 years, from 1971 to 1999. One of their mainstays was a segment called "Red Faces," which ripped off The Gong Show's format as it featured amateur performers.

Recently, they did two reunion specials, one on September 30th and another on October 7th. On the second show, during "Red Faces," this awkward Michael Jackson tribute happened.

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[ALBUM REVIEW] Sci-Fi Crimes

Holly Hargrave — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 05:00:00 +0000

With only one somewhat forgettable album since the departure of original bassist, Joe Loeffler, Chevelle had some living up to do with the release of their most recent effort, Sci-Fi Crimes. While 2007’s Vera Sera was not considered a failure, it certainly did not hold a candle to the success of Chevelle’s previous two albums, 2004’s This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In) and 2002’s Wonder What’s Next. Before Sci-Fi Crimes. I considered Chevelle to be a decent rock band capable of making some catchy radio-friendly tunes. However, with their new album, Chevelle have shown that they are not merely pop radio rockers, but actually talented musicians and song writers. Many of Chevelle’s hit singles have sounded generally the same, radiating the same breathy, echoing vocals to define their sound. On Sci-Fi Crimes, though, not only do the songs maintain Chevelle’s penchant for catchy lyrics and riffs, but they stand out from previous singles, as well as from other songs on the album.