Mini Reviews

Deerhunter
Halcyon Digest
Rating: Woof Daddy

Taking their music farther away from their wall of noise sound and more to a 50s-60s style, Deerhunter returns with the follow up to Microcastles, Halycon Digest.  Full of strong pop hooks, the album shows more mature and focused song writing from Branford Cox.  Fans of their earlier, more confrontational music and live shows might cry foul at a more subded Deerhunter, however, Cox's music has always been strongest in a quieter mode (as further evidenced by his solo project Atlas Sound).  Whether this loses older fans and gains new ones, it doesn't seem to matter to them.  They continue to make the music they like and make no apologies for it.

Twin Shadow
Forget
Rating: Woof Daddy

Mining the 1980s new wave for its pure pop hooks and melodies, Twin Shadow is no mere nostalgia trip.  Evoking a pained childhood, the songs flow into each other like a font of memories looked back on from the comfort of age and experience.  Working with a limited range of instruments, primarily analog synths, tinny drum machines, and rudimentary guitars, Twin Shadow, along with producer Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear, forges a wonderful debut that constantly unearths hidden treasures upon each listen. 

Sufjan Stevens
The Age of Adz
Rating: Grrrr

I will admit that I have not really been a fan of Sufjan's prior to this album.  There was something missing to me with his very traditional alternative guitar rock.  Where The National to me transcend those limitations, Sufjan just seemed to mire in the them.  Now, he has taken a page from the Radiohead playbook and has embraced technology, making a record steeped in glitchy electronic textures.  The album is no Kid A in terms of breadth, depth, and focus, but it shows a willingness to go beyond his comfort zone to make something very immediate and gripping.

Gonjasufi
A Sufi And A Killer
Rating: Grrrr

For the better part of the year, my music friend in crime Matthew has been relentlessly touting this album to me and I have been very reluctant to give in.  Matthew and I share similar, yet disturbingly divergent tastes in music.  We usually have very heated arguments about why we think artists are good or bad.  Generally, he likes extremely obscure and "difficult" music; albums that are not easy to dive into without riot gear.  Finally, after the 80th time of him trying to persuade me, I gave in and got A Sufi And A Killer and I had to mea culpa to him that it is actually pretty wonderful.  Gonjasufi is a peer of Flying Lotus, and I guess one could see the similarities with the two; both make very cutting edge, dense electronic music.  Gonjasufi actually sings/raps behind his compositions in a raspy, bluesy voice that can swing from an unearthly falsetto to a dirty death rasp, all in the space of two seconds.  His music is very difficult to jump into, but the artistry and the sheer talent makes him a force to be reckoned with, and makes him an artist to definitely follow and watch.

James Blake
CMYK
Rating: Grrrr

21 year-old London electronic producer has only produced a couple of EPs but he is already someone to look out for. Building off carefully integrated samples from late 90's and early 00's R&B, Blake creates gorgeously nuanced music that never becomes a game of spot the influence (even though you can sometimes easily tell which samples he uses: Kelis and Aaliyah in the title track) but expertly fuses genres such as dubstep and house, and sometimes the LA beat infused sounds of Flying Lotus and Nosaj Thing, into a distinct sound of his own.  He recently showed his breadth with his second EP Klaiverwerke, which is mainly low-key piano based pieces.  I am eagerly anticipating his first full length.



Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top albums of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not good; could have either been trimmed or polished.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.