Terror Danjah: Undeniable

Terror Danjah
Undeniable
Rating: Grrrr

One of the godfathers of grime, Terror Danjah has been making music for over 10 years but has yet to release a full length album (which seems to be a badge of honor for those in the electronic music field these days).  After releasing many singles over the years on the Planet Mu label, Terror Danjah debuts his first full length Undeniable on the stalwart dubstep label Hyberdub.  I was a bit skeptical at first, seeing as most of the non-traditional dubstep artists that have released albums on Hyperdub have completely changed tracks and released music not in keeping with the reasons why I liked them in the first place.  Some have led to very pleasant surprises, as in Darkstar's switch to dense, layered synthpop, and others have led to severe disappointment, such as Ikonika's neutered house/dubstep tracks.  Terror Danjah thankfully falls into the surprise category, delivering a release bursting at the seams with different styles, yet sounding distinctly like himself.

Probably the biggest surprise is Danjah's reliance on singers/rappers for the album.  In the past, he has primarily been an instrumental artist, letting his tracks ride by dense with noise and intricate background sounds.  What's amazing here is how well the vocal contributions work in the context of his soundscapes.  Whether it be the opening hip-hop rap of "Grand Opening" featuring rapper Dream Mclean, or the grime meets acid tracks of "This Year" with D.O.K., Mz. Bratt and Griminal,



the electro whip lash of "Breaking Bad" with Baby Face Jay, or even the almost modern R&B of "All I Wanna" with Lauren Mason, each adds to the track rather than being a distraction.



Of course, Terror Danjah doesn't forgo the instrumentals he is known for.  He looks back into the past and provides a modern take on acid house with the whiplash beats and synths of "Acid."



Provides a more melodic take on dubstep/house with the wobbly bass and frenetic programming of "Bruzin V.I.P."



And puts together one of my favorite tracks of the year, "S.O.S.," that is frustrating in its genius; propelling the 8 + minute track with a minimal drum track and almost water torture precise synth stabs.  Just when you can't take the onslaught of electronics anymore, he brings it down to earth with a heavenly deep house coda.



I'm sure grime, house, and dubstep purists will balk at this album seeing as it strays all over the map.  But I believe if he had stuck to one style throughout Undeniable, it would have blunted its profound impact.   The range he shows and willingness to step outside his comfort zone is laudable, and the fact that he masters each style illuminates his brilliance.  On the basis of Undeniable, here is hoping more artists are willing to change things up for the better.

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 great; 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.

Videos of Last Week

Ok ok, I got lazy last week with the holiday, so sue me. Here is a delayed posting of the videos from last week that made my turkey moist.



Live video from a past Combichrist show. I saw them with Kurt, Dan, Janis and Ian last week. Was a good show. Nice energy and fantastic light show.



Gorgeous song and video from singer Jamie Woon. He used to be a standard singer/songwriter until he fell in love with dubstep (of the Burial mold, not the wonky, wobbly sort that Kurt loves). Somehow he actually convinced Burial to work with him on his debut album that comes out in the Spring.



New single from Brit post punk band White Lies. The song really sounds like it could be straight off their first cd, but it is pleasant enough. Looks like they spent a fortune on this video though. ET as a candy bar.



Charming cover of the xx's "Crystalized," from Damon Albarn's Gorillaz.



Beautiful song and video from Iceland's Olof Arnalds, featuring Bjork on backing vocals.



So glad that Florence and the Machine are getting the recognition they deserve. Amazing performance from Saturday Night Live.



I got a new tattoo a couple of weeks ago and got incessant questions as to what it was. It is the Aphex Twin logo which is featuring throughout the video for his song "Windowlicker." The video is NSFW.

Combichrist

Last Wednesday, Thanksgiving Eve, we finally saw the last of our Fall whirlwind of concerts. I think the count was up to 10 or so, I sort of lost track after the fourth or fifth one. I don't even think we have one scheduled for December. We have tickets for a Bassnectar show, but both shows are sold out and they are being scalped for a fortune, so Kurt may sell them and pay for our Coachella tickets out of the proceeds.

Anywhoo, I digress. We went with Dan, Janis and Ian to the Masquerade to see Combichrist. Combichrist is an electro-industrial act led by Norwegian Andy LaPlegua, who apparently makes his home in Atlanta now.

I will admit I had never listened to them, or actually heard of them, prior to Kurt mentioning he wanted to go see the show. I downloaded most of their music and tried to get up to speed beforehand. The music was pretty standard, Nitzer Ebb-esque aggroindustrial music. While far from being very original, it was still very listenable and there were several tracks I saw on previous setlists that I was excited about hearing.

We got to the venue just as opening band iVardensphere was ending. Their music was not very distinct or memorable, so I am not really upset that we missed them. It was only two guys on keyboards and a man and woman on what looked like oil drums. Lots of chanting and repetitive rhythms. Likewise, second band Aesthetic Perfection, while sounding more professional and polished, was still fairly unmemorable. Some of their synth riffs were fun in a 80s Depeche Mode way, but most of the songs broke down into unintelligable screaming.

Combichrist came out with Andy on vocals and three other band members, two drummers and a keyboardist. The show was pretty good, hitting most of the songs that I was aware of and some that the crowd clearly knew more than me. The light and visual show was pretty incredible; lots of cool projections and images. A friend of ours who couldn't make it to the show refers to Andy as the human ping-pong ball. It is an apt description as he does tend to bounce back and forth from one end of the stage to the other.

All in all, I had a fun time at the show. The music was enjoyable (if slightly repetitious at times) and the visuals were enough to keep you mesmerized. It didn't hurt that Andy and his band were all ripped muscle studs either. I would likely go see them again as long as I was with a good group of friends like this concert.

Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kanye West
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Rating: Chilfos

Yes, Kanye West is a world class douchebag and jackass, as he seems to prove over and over again, and yet, as much as I want to dislike him and discard him, he keeps putting out amazing music. His latest album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, is no exception. Taking it's emotional cue from his previous album 808s and Heartbreaks, the album still finds West mired in his own fragile mental state, but instead of the limited auto-tuned palatte of 808s, he broadens the canvas to extreme widescreen, putting all of his baggage out for the world to sift through.

After a year of troubles following his ridiculous outburst during Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the VMAs, West retreated within the studio trying to figure out why he was universally despised after his actions. Most mainstream artists would have gone on a public relations offensive in an attempt to salvage their reputations and get back within the public's good graces. Kanye, however, used the experience to confront his demons and to reveal those inner workings in his music. Dark's 13 tracks are an amazing portal into the creative process.

First song, "Dark Fantasy," sets the tone quickly with a wicked intro from Nicki Minaj, and jumps deep within Kanye's head:

"Sorry for the night demons that still visit me
The plan was to drink until the pain over
But what's worse, the pain or the hangover?"



Throughout Dark, Kanye keeps returning to his perception in the music industry and his attempts to control his image, and his final realization that it's not up for him to control, and that he has to be who he is, whether that is popular or not. In "Power" he raps

"Now I embody every characteristic of the egotistic
He know, he so, fucking gifted
I just needed time alone, with my own thoughts
Got treasures in my mind, but couldn't open up my own vault
My childlike creativity, purity and honesty
Is honestly being prodded by these grown thoughts
Reality is catchin up with me
Takin my inner child, I'm fighting for custody
With these responsibilities that they entrusted me"



In one of the centerpieces of the album, "All of the Lights," West puts all of his deficiences under the microscope:

"Turn up the lights in here, baby
Extra bright, I want y'all to see this
Turn up the lights in here, baby
You know what I need, want you to see everything
Want you to see all of the lights"



Featuring almost 42 people backing him on the track, it never feels overstuffed, even with the martial drumming and horns, everything is perfectly in sync, showing West is still one of the most in control producers in the industry today. He creates a slamming bass track in "Monster," featuring Bon Iver, Rick Ross, Jay-Z, and and almost track stealing rap from Nicki Minaj, who could have used more tracks like this on her own debut.



The production throughout is just jaw-dropping in its complexity and ability to perfectly fit the mood and emotion of each track, and also to fit the breadth and mood of the album as a whole. From the haunted strings of "So Appalled" where he ends up relishing his perception as villan:

"All of y'all can suck my balls through my draws
Dark Knight feeling, die you be a hero
Or live long enough to see yourself become a villain
I went from the favorite to the most-hated
But would you rather be underpaid or overrated?"



or "Runaway" which begins with the loneliest piano notes and ends with a dense, almost Robert Frippian vocoder solo, with Kanye taking his own shortcomings and turning it into a universal call for understanding:



to "Blame Game," with the beautiful piano sample of Aphex Twin providing a suitable frame for this lament to relationships gone bad:



Dark is the sound of a major artist wrestling with his demons and letting the world watch. Each track is a window into West's head, seeing the good and the bad, and him arranging the mess into art. In this age of artists trying to be so in control of how they are seen and perceived, it is refreshing to see someone let down those walls, saying take me for what I am, warts and all. True art is always about naked, raw emotion. You can't get that from having your music made by committee. As far as I am concerned, Kanye can remain being the jackass he is, as long as he continues to make music as brilliant as this.

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 great; 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.

Mini-Reviews

David Sylvian
Sleepwalkers
Rating: Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It

Probably the only constant throughout David Sylvian's over 30 year career has been his supple and gorgeous baritone.  He has effortlessly moved through glam punk, new romanticism, pop stylism, new age, extreme experimentalism, and back again, making the kind of music he feels like making.  Sleepwalkers is not a "new" David Sylvian release, but mainly a compilation of collaborations he has made over the last decade.  Strangely, considering the myriad of styles he has engaged in over the last ten years, the album is remarkably cohesive.  The highlights of the cd are the blues lament "Ballad of a Deadman" (a duet with Joan Wasser of Joan as Police Woman), the gorgeous and haunting ballad "World Citizen (I Won't Be Disappointed) (a collaboration with Ryuichi Sakamoto), and the minimal/harsh "Transit" (with Christian Fennesz).  Sleepwalkers is definitely not the place to start with Sylvian.  For that, I would suggest the double album Everything and Nothing.  But for those who can't get enough material from Sylvian, Sleepwalkers is a welcome addition to his catalogue.

Curren$y
Pilot Talk
Rating: Grrrr

I rarely feel qualified to review rap cds, so I tend to just give short reviews to them, and it is more based on whether I enjoy the beats and the production of the songs, rather than anything having to do with the flow of the rapper him or herself. A friend recommended Curren$y to me, and, for me, it falls squarely in the stoner rap category. Most of the songs have something to do with smoking pot and playing video games, and aside from this less than brilliant subject matter, I find myself laughing at the simple stupidity of it all. And the production is just very laid back and head-bobbing. There is something to be said these days for a record that is just nice to put on and relax to, without any huge expectations.

Rihanna
Loud
Rating: Meh

I am pretty huge Rihanna fan I will admit.  Though I will also state that I think she is much better singles artist than an album artist.  She tends to try and please every listener on her full lengths, and as such, her albums have been very hit or miss for me.  When she comes out with a greatest hits collection, that will be the one release of hers to own.  Following up last year's harder edged Rated R, Rihanna quickly follows up with Loud, which instead of showing a more in control artist, shows Rihanna falling back to the same problems I have with her other albums.  Usually there are 4-5 brilliant singles mixed in with a lot of filler, however, here there are only about 2 standout tracks, and they are even of lesser quality then usual.   I liked the somewhat silly, I am into wild sex "S&M" and her duet with Drake, "What's My Name."  But then the album just meanders for the next 45 minutes with dreck like the Avril Lavinge (wtf?????) sampling "Cheers (Drink to That)," Fergie-esque balladry like "California King Bed," and the almost laughable reggae-tinged "Man Down."  Even her collaboration with rap-minx Nicki Minaj, "Raining Me," appears warmed over and out of date.  Here's hoping Rihanna recovers from this misstep and gets back to her usually impeccable choice of songs to use as singles.

Nicki Minaj
Pink Friday
Rating: Meh

Sort of a cross between the surreal rhymes of Missy Elliot and the sexy/slutty camp of Lil' Kim and Foxy Brown, Nicki Minaj is anything but predictable.  I first came to hear her on Kanye West's new, amazing cd, and was really intrigued to here what she would come up on her own.  After listening to single "Did It On 'Em," with the hilariously vuglar lines "if I had a dick/I'd pull it out/ and piss on 'em."  Her insane delivery and the air-raid siren production attack I was practically salivating.  Then I get my copy of Pink Friday, and the words that come out are a decided, so what?  It sounds like the cd was made by committee.  Almost erased are the sassy bravado and smuttiness that make her stand out from a crowded field of other singers.  Aside from "Did It On 'Em," the out of the pocket boasting "I'm The Best," and the surprisingly decent collaboration with Eminem "Roman's Revenge," the remainder of the cd sounds like Rihanna-lite.    Oddly, there is a collaboration with Rhianna, and at times it is difficult to determine who is singing.  The cd just goes more downhill from there; the "Video Killed The Radio Star"-sampling collaboration with will.i.am is plain embarassing,  along with the nauseatingly banal balladry of "Save Me," and "Your Love."  Only the late in game collaboration with Kanye West "Blazin," seems to inject any life into this release. 



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 great; 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.

Videos of the Week

Another Friday is upon us and thus another installment of the videos that are making me shout whoo hoo!



New video from Arcade Fire directed by Spike Jonze.  What seems to be a simple storyline actually reveals a pretty complicated subtext.  You have to watch the video multiple times to get the full effect of it.



I saw Robyn last week in concert and she put on an amazing live show.  Her pop music smarts are lazer honed, and based on this cover of Prince's hit single, you can see why.



I don't care if Kanye is a douchebag or an asshole.  At least he admits it, and still backs up his mouth with brilliant music.



Funny cover of "Whip My Hair" by "Neil Young" (Jimmy Fallon) and Bruce Springsteen.



Bizarre video fetishizing meat.  Extremely disturbing.



Creepy trailer that seems to imply that a new Aphex Twin cd is coming out in March 2011.  It has been almost 10 years since we had any new music under that moniker, and I for one am very excited. 



New video from Sweden's Lykke Li, showing a more empowered side of herself.  The video and the song are both awesome.



Beautiful song from one of my favorite new artists Teebs.

Teebs: Ardour

Teebs
Ardour
Rating: Grrrr

Unfortunately, there is absolutely no way to review this record without mentioning Flying Lotus. It is just the pink elephant in the room that has to be discussed. In fact, Teebs (a.k.a. Mtendere Mandowa) was roommates with Flying Lotus and is now on the same label, Brainfeeder. Both create dense and beautiful beat programmed music which can sound mysteriously similar at times. But, while working from the same box of toys as it were, FlyLo leans more heavily towards a jazzy, spaced out vibe, while Teebs tends to focus on more organic, pastoral sounds. Indeed, a lot of the songs bring forth images of nature documentaries, or a sun kissed California take on Boards of Canada's sound.

The warmth of his pieces are apparent from the start. Beautiful, dusk hinted synths wash over a pattering drumbeat on opener "You've Changed"



And heavily treated harp sounds create an almost palpable sense of flowing liquid on the languid "Double Fifths."



The record has a delightful flow, each piece gently ebbing into the next song, creating a sense of a wholeness. Not that individual songs aren't memorable, the album just works better when you hear the entire thing in one sitting. And it sounds great whether in the confines of headphones or blaring loudly from the speakers.

One great thing about Ardour is how the songs are densely packed with various elements, and yet you can easily focus on one musical piece and see how he has gently manipulated it within the track. Like the chiming synths in "Burner"



the subtle decay on the guitars in "Wind Loop"



or the backwards bell chiming and distressed beats of "Arthur's Birds."



I will admit that it took several listens for me to really get a handle on Ardour. It is a very subtle album that almost borders on background music. But while it can function as beautiful atmosphere, it warrants close, detailed listens in order to experience the beauty in how each song is intricately structured. Ardour is a phenomenal debut and a welcome addition to the Brainfeeder library.

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 great; 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.

Grimes: Halfaxa

Grimes
Halfaxa
Rating: Grrrr

I stumbled upon Montreal electronic artist Grimes (artist Claire Boucher) by accident while reading a review on another music website. The article led me to her artist page that lists influences as disparate as Mariah Carey, The Smiths, Cocteau Twins, and Prince. Based on the two sound clips provided, I really couldn't determine if that statement was a joke or completely on point. Needless to say, I was, at the very least, intrigued by what I heard.

The best synopsis of her sound is a dancier and more left field version of Bjork (if that is at all possible), with breathier vocals a la The Cranes, and elements of Dead Can Dance, Bat For Lashes, Kate Bush, and Elizabeth Frazer. Of course, those comparisons are only to give you a foot in the door to her amazing sound. Just when you think you can peg her down, she throws a curve ball and you have to re-evaluate the music all over again. I haven't listened to an album in a long while where I really had no idea what to expect from song to song, or even within a song itself.

A good example is "Weregild" which starts out almost atonally with glitchy electronic skreeching, evolving into a steady motorik beat with gauzy vocals, which are then double and triple tracked, increasing the density and complexity of the song.



The almost operatic "Devon," further displays her gorgeous voice. When it almost gets to the point where she is entering Enya territory, she again switches gears and throws you off balance. In this case, darkening the song midway with harsher bass and percussion.



One of the striking things about the album, is her willingness to mesh the beautiful with the harsh. On short instrumental pieces like "Dragvandil," a brutal drum track is counteracted with her breathy vocals and wobbly synths.



Not to say that she always hits the right balance. On tracks like "Dream Fortress" she falls off the fence into almost new age pablum, and the songs become a soundtrack to some bad Japanese anime.



But the majority of the time, she tempers her desires to fall onto one side. The fascinating "My Sister Says The Saddest Things" is a great example where the sly, sing-songy vocals (a la Mum) are shaded by a shredded drum track and intense bass.



Halfaxa is an album you will either love or hate. Her voice and sound will either endlessly fascinate you or will have you pressing the skip button over and over again. And I was also intrigued by how she put together her tracks. According to her, she has no music training whatsoever and only noodles around on basic electronic equipment until she finds sounds she likes. The album is way too polished for it to be done from just happenstance, however, if that is the case, she is pretty much a genius.

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 great; 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.

Dresden Dolls

Fall 2010 Concert Insanity continues on.  This time it was The Dresden Dolls at the Buckhead Theater with Kurt, Dan, Mikey, Janis, Ian, and Jeremy.  We met early at Woofs for a few drinks and orders of disgustingly good fried food, then headed over to the theater, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite venues.  It used to be The Roxy and it was a grubby pit.  Now it is shiny and new looking, with a more open and inviting atmosphere.  Once we got to the theater, we realized the doors had not opened yet, and we had to walk to the end of the line, which happened to take us well out of our way.  I wasn't expecting them to draw that large of a crowd, considering they weren't even touring behind a new album.

We finally got in and had some more drinks before the show.  A local band Lille opened, but they were slightly on the sleepy side, so we spent the rest of their set either on the smoking balcony or in the lobby.  The crowd was an eclectic one, with lots of people in costumes and other get-ups.  I hate to admit that I hadn't heard any of Dresden Dolls' music prior to the show.  I had heard of them, basically as a band that Trent Reznor liked and had open for Nine Inch Nails on a prior tour.  I knew they were a cabaret-esque sort of act with piano and drums and a female singer.  That was the extent of my knowledge going into it.

And it's always fun to not really know much about a band and to be really excited about what you hear.  Same thing happened several times at Coachella when I saw Major Lazer and Bassnectar and was blown away by what I heard and saw.  The show started off with a simple acoustic number with the drummer Brian Viglione on guitar and Amanda Palmer on vocals.  Then they kicked it into high gear with Amanda on piano and vocals and Brian showing what an amazingly versatile drummer he is. 

The songs veered from upbeat (and frequently profane) singalongs to delicate ballads.  Dresden Dolls's sound brings to mind everyone from Kurt Weill, Marlene Dietrich, the movie and musical Cabaret, PJ Harvey, Tori Amos, and Siouxsie Sioux.  The crowd was really into the show and frequently overpowered Amanda's voice with their singing along.  Thankfully it was more endearing that annoying.  At one point, Amanda claimed she was having difficulty remembering the words to a song and brought a fan out from the audience to sing it.  And she sang it very well, even considering the lyrics were sung at breakneck pace.



One of the highlights was the fan favorite "Coin Operated Boy"



I was also able to find a clip of one of Brian's drum solos:



Both of them had such amazing energy and really kept the flow of the show going very well.  I barely even noticed that they played over 2 hours and that I enjoyed almost every song they played.  I can rarely say that at a show for a band I really like.

So needless to say, I really had a great time seeing them and enjoyed hanging out with the gang.  I even went home and downloaded everything by them I could find.  Unfortunately, the one song I liked the most ("Colorblind") is off an old EP that is apparently out of print so I haven't been able to find it.  If anyone can direct me to somewhere I can get it, it would be most appreciated.

Videos of the Week

It's very strange. Working from home today, and you would think I would get more things done, but alas I find I actually work more on real work. Go figure. Oh well, here is this week's roundup of hot videos.



Surreal clip for Games' new single. Sort of a mixture of electro and chillwave.



I really like this commercial for BlackBerry featuring Diplo. He's ever so cute.



Excellent song from Mount Kimbie. Crooks and Lovers has been one of my go-to cds this year.



Really nice stoner/psych rock from the Australian trio Tame Impala.



Catchy single from Swedish band The Radio Dept. Sounding like the lovechild of Belle and Sebastian and Saint Etienne.



Fun technicolor video from Shit Robot featuring Nancy Whang of LCD Soundsystem and The Juan Maclean.



Tuesday was a rough day after attending the Robyn concert from the night before. I got through the long day by listening to a variety of more chill bands. Department of Eagles definitely fit that bill.

Balam Acab - "See Birds (Sun)" from stereogum on Vimeo.

Odd, hypnotic video from witch house purveyor Balam Acab.

Mini-Reviews

Once again the pile of cds I need to comment on is about to topple over and crush me. Here are some brief mini-reviews to get me through the danger period.

Kylesa
Spiral Shadow
Rating: Grrrr

Melodic stoner metal from my hometown Savannah, Georgia.  Backed by two drummers and three separate vocalists, Kylesa merge typical metal sounds with elements of shoegaze, punk, and alt-rock.  The album has surprises around every corner, and sounds completely fresh in a very crowded field.  In making their more accessible sound, the band has clearly been listening to a lot of alt-rock from the 80s and 90s, borrowing and adapting loosely from artists like Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, and the Pixies, to give the music texture and substance.  First single, and standout track "Don't Look Back" could easily be a forgotten Pixies gem.

Local Natives
Gorilla Manor
Rating: Grrrr

Sort of like a California, sun-kissed version of Grizzly Bear, Local Natives provide more brightness in their dense, beautiful pop music.  Gorgeous harmonies, delicate percussion, and guitars that bridge the gap between Grizzly Bear's baroqueness and Vampire Weekend's Afro-beat mannerisms, Gorilla Manor is derivative, yet stands on its own and its charms are very easily succumbed to.

Fang Island
Fang Island
Rating: Meh

Almost like that perky office co-worker who tries to chat you up in the mornings before you've had a massive dose of caffeine, Fang Island doesn't seem to know when too much is too much.  It's all high-fives and bluster in your face and you feel beaten into submission by record's end.  Whereas similar bands, like the late lamented Mae Shi and The Go! Team, know that incessant perkiness can only get you so far, and it has to be tempered with something less invasive.  Hopefully, Fang Island will learn that lesson soon.  Now, where did I put that bottle of aspirin?

The Radio Dept.
Clinging To A Scheme
Rating: Grrrr

Sweden's The Radio Dept. have moved from shoegaze retreaders to Pet Shop Boys wannabes alighting now at a place where Belle and Sebastian have laid up with Saint Etienne.  Beautiful pastoral folk laced with a heavy dose of Baleric pop.  The Radio Dept. packs a lot of tight melodies and hooks into a brief 35 minute running time.  Just as you are settling in for the pleasant journey it is all but over.  Which of course, just means you keep driving around the block, mesmerized by the wonder of it all.

Mount Kimbie
Crooks & Lovers
Rating: Grrrr

Deceptively lowkey, Crooks & Lovers is a record that takes time to unveil its considerable charms.  Moving effortlessly between different genres of electronic music, be it the Boards of Canada-like pastoral soundscapes ("Adriatic"),  modernized two-step ("Carbonated"), or full on dubstep swagger ("Blind Night Errand"), Mount Kimbie show surprising depth in a genre not known for taking on a full length record.  While the music may feel lowkey on initial listens, it long stays with you, and your finger will be hitting that repeat button over and over.

Tame Impala
Innerspeaker
Rating: Grrrr

Tight and intense stoner psych rock from Australia's Tame Impala.  In lesser hands, this could easily come across as rote pastiche, but the trio of Kevin Parker (vocals/guitar), Dominic Simper (bass) and Jay Watson  (drums), know how to build a nice foundation of groove and atmosphere, then jack up the melody for added distinctiveness.  None of the individual songs really stick out as "singles" per se, but the entire record flows like a suite of music.  A very impressive debut.




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 great; 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.

Robyn

The Fall concert juggernaut continued with Robyn last night at the Buckhead Theater. Kurt has been a good sport over the last few weeks going to shows with me that I know he really doesn't want to go to. Not that he dislikes Robyn, but I don't think she is his favorite. Indeed, before we left for the show he was very quiet, more quiet than he usually is, and finally I asked him if he didn't want to go, and he sort of sighed and said no. Of course, being the trooper he is, he went anyway. And by the end of the show, I think even he was impressed by Robyn's boundless energy and showmanship.

The newly remodeled Buckhead Theater (formerly The Roxy) was really beautiful. You can tell they really put a lot of thought into it. The venue has nice wide hallways and places to view the bands. We went upstairs and they had nice comfortable seats, with a good grade between them, so you always had a good vantage point. The only thing bad I have to say was that between acts, they were playing the music way too loud. To the point where I had a horrific headache before Robyn came on stage. Also, the mix for the two openers was horrifically muddy.

There were two opening bands, or artists as I should say, neither of which I had heard of prior. First up was Natalia Kills, which at first seemed like it was going to be a female DJ. Instead, it turned out to be a female singer with a DJ and two backup dancers. Kurt thought that with better production she could be good, but I didn't really hear anything other than a rather tepid mishmash of Lady Gaga/Ke$ha, etc. Plus, they looked like a tranny hooker version of Vanity 6. Mercifully, they only played about 5 songs.



The second act was Maluca. Again, at first, I thought it was merely a DJ. For about 15 minutes it was a male DJ playing a lot of Diplo-esque baile funk inspired dance music. It was fun and loud, and then a statuesque black woman with a 15 foot dreadlock ponytail came out and started singing, rapping, toasting, and daggering. Funny, a quick Google search on my iPhone showed that she is actually a Diplo protege, in the manner of M.I.A. and Santigold. I wasn't that impressed with her side of things, though I really enjoyed the music. She just doesn't have a standout persona like M.I.A. or Santigold. Perhaps with some more honing, she can be really good.

And this began the annoyingly long wait for the headlining act. Why it takes them 10 minutes between openers and then almost 45 minutes for Robyn I have no idea.

Once Robyn came out though it was a non-stop party. She played almost all her hits off of Robyn and Body Talk, and barely stopped to catch her breath. She had boundless energy and amazing showmanship. You can definitely tell she loves performing and really feeds off the energy of the crowd. There were almost too many highlights from the show, but here are a few that I could find on Youtube.

One of my favorite songs is her cover of the Teddybears' "Cobrastyle." Her performance got the crowd pumped and dancing.



Another crowd fave was "Dancing On My Own," which you could barely hear her over the crowd singing along.



And her classic dance track "With Every Heartbeat" nearly brought the house down.



But she saved her best surprise for last, coming out for the final encore and singing a medley/mashup of ABBA's "Dancing Queen" and her original hit song "Show Me Love." It was a perfect ending to an amazing show.



Unfortunately, this was the only clip of it I could find from Atlanta. Hopefully someone will post another more complete clip and I will substitute it later.

One thing I loved about the show last night was that it proved you don't need a bunch of ridiculous costume changes, back-up dancers, or any other type of spectacle to put on a great show. Robyn gave her all up on stage and in turn it fed the anticipation of the crowd. All these new singers need to check her out and take notes, understanding that it is about songcraft and dedication to performing. It was one of the best concerts I have seen in awhile, and one I will not soon forget.

La Roux

Back in April at the Coachella festival, I had to make a decision whether to venture alone to see Grizzly Bear, who I saw here in Atlanta at one of my favorite live shows ever, or to go with Kurt, Dan, Mikey, and Don to see La Roux. I had La Roux's cd and liked it, but was worried that live they would be a disappointment. But I was worried about ruining my memory of such an amazing show and decided to forgo Grizzly Bear again, and join my friends. Oddly, the La Roux concert was one of the surprises at the festival. It was a packed show and Elly, the lead singer, had boundless energy and enthusiasm. Everyone was singing along to the songs and having a blast. As it was a festival show, the set was a truncated 45 minutes and they left out a lot of the songs on the album that I enjoyed. I knew if they went on a more spacious US tour I wanted to see them again to get an even fuller experience.

Thankfully, La Roux announced their late summer early fall tour and Atlanta was on the list at the Variety Playhouse, which is a very intimate venue. Unfortunately, Elly's voice gave out on her halfway during the tour and they postponed the date for several months. In the meantime, their single "Bulletproof" found its way into the top 10 singles in the country and their popularity bloomed. They moved the concert from the Variety to the much larger Tabernacle. It is still a nice enough venue to have a good vantage point from most places inside, so we didn't worry.

Kurt and I planned on going with a huge group of people to the first scheduled date, but the reschedule ended up causing too many conflicts and it ended up only being us, Janis and her daughter Allie, and our friend Niki. We got there relatively early as we had no idea if there was an opening act or not. When we arrived, the venue was barely a quarter full, but it was already filling up with various hipsters and drunk sorority girls, all dressed in their most bizarre outfits.

It turned out there was an opening act, Francis and the Lights. And to say they were horrible would have been a compliment. I never try to let an opening band dictate how I feel about an evening, but some of these bands I like really need to put a little more effort into who they select. They were two men, both dressed like goth descendents of Adam Ant. One sang and pressed play a lot on his keyboard, while the other guy sort of noodled on a guitar. The music sounded like really bad bedsit R&B, and the singer's performance ran the gamut from maudlin, vacant posing to strangely acting like he was possessed by James Brown and Michael Jackson. It was bizarre. To our relief, they played a very short set.

After a short intermission, La Roux came out and performed....the exact same 45 minute set from Coachella. Unfortunately, by Grizzly Bear fear came true for this show. Instead of enhancing my experience from the festival, La Roux disappointed by by not even one new song, or even one of the left out songs from the album. They only have the one cd anyway, you would think they could at least play all the songs off of it. All of the songs are electronic, so there is no loss of sound from something like an orchestra. It was very disappointing. Once I realized that the show was going to have no surprises I finally just got over it and tried to enjoy it. I probably would have if the sound was better. The vocals were muffled for the first few songs, then we figured out that she was using backing tapes on songs where she had to hit really high notes. At that point, I was glad it was going to be a short set. I was done.

Thankfully, we at least got out at a decent hour. We were back at my place by 10:30 pm. Unless La Roux comes out with a fantastic second cd and really ups the showmanship factor for their tour, I will not be needed to see them again anytime soon.

Here are a few clips I found from the show. Don't get me wrong, aside from the brevity of the show and the sometimes use of backing vocals, Elly puts on a fun show, and you can tell she is very happy to be on stage and has so many people that enjoy her music.

Videos of the Week

Working from home is always so relaxing. Hope everyone is having a great Friday. Here are the videos this week that gave me the vapors.



I was fortunate to see La Roux at Coachella this year, however, it was in a crammed tent and they played a very short set. I am really looking forward to seeing them tonight in concert in a proper setting.

MTV Shows

This is not my favorite song on the new LCD Soundsystem cd, but I like it well enough. This is the new video featuring Anna Kendrick from Up In The Air.



Strange video where they took Broken Bell's song and matched it to the Hall and Oates video for "Maneater." Awesomeness ensues.



It was a rainy, grey day on Wednesday here, and I always think of this song when it's like that. Beautiful melody.



Just discovered this alt-metal band from my hometown of Savannah. Their new album Spiral Shadows is amazing. This song could almost be a Pixies outtake.



Striking video from Danish band Under Byen.



Classic, silly song and video I posted in honor of Kurt's bday.



Fun video using iPhones.



Combo clip of songs from the Massive Attack concert here in Atlanta last week.

Avey Tare: Down There

Avey Tare
Down There
Rating: Grrrr

My friend in music geekdom Matthew has long been a huge Animal Collective fan, but apparently I was immune to any of their charms. He would just roll his eyes (well virtually, since he lives in California), and mutter that in time I would like them. Damn him. With last year's Merriweather Post Pavillion, I finally "got" them. It was a warm, liquidy batch of upbeat electronic songs that always put me in a great mood when I listened to it. Whether my new found appreciation for Animal Collective's artistry translates back to their more experimental early works is yet to be seen, but I no longer turn up my nose in distaste when their name is mentioned.

While the members of Animal Collective take a break from recording and touring, Dave Fortner, the principal songwriter, releases his first solo album under the moniker Avey Tare. Once the songs unfold it definitely sounds like Animal Collective, however, it is a much darker, denser work. Apparently, Fortner wrote the album as a song cycle in response to 2 years of what he called hell: the breakup of his marriage, the death of his grandmother, and his sister's cancer diagnosis. The first thing that comes to mind when listening to Down There is how murky and swampy the songs and the mix are. Most of the songs begin with snippets of processed conversation samples, which slowly begin to insinuate themselves in your head like schizophrenic voices.

You can definitely feel Fortner's struggles throughout the record; his lyrics, while not despondent, are achingly sad and searching for answers. "Laughing Hieroglyphics" finds him at a loss as to what is happening to him:

"And hold me I've been sad for days
The light will change its gifts every hours and hour
And the same things haunt me what's haunting you"



Or the song to his sister, "Heather In The Hospital," which provides a devastatingly impressionistic account of the day to day battle she endured.

"To see you wrapped up in your messy gown
With secrets to celestial bodies speak as you sleep without a sound
And it brings me down
Machines of modern magic keeping folks above the ground
A nurse's scribbling pad, a shadow shape, a mother going down
And it brings me down"



There are moments of brightness in the murky haze. The almost funky drum program squelch of the radio-friendly "Oliver Twist"



or the chiming synths and sing-song voices of "3 Umbrellas"



Of course the majority of the album is dark and deliberate. The middle is comprised of three, somber tracks that form the basis for the record and give it its heart and soul, the journey into his personal hell. "Glass Bottom Boat," an almost instrumental passage with processed and treated sounds of water, beckons the listener "I can get you there, just step into my boat," sounding like Charon leading the dead to the underworld. Bleeding into the dubby, loping "Ghost of Books," almost advocating the peacefulness of death with it's constant refrain "I went away to a ghostland, and it felt like a perfect dream." Culminating in the gorgeous and tender "Cemeteries," a moving meditation on what it means to be dead.



Although the darkness of Down There can almost be impenetrable at times, Fortner knows how to lighten the mood at the right times, and to always offer hope. "Lucky 1" ends the album on a more positive note:

"Fly off from harder days
Today feel like the lucky one"



Down There is a difficult album to get into at first. The dense programming and general murkiness of the production and the themes can be off-putting, but given the chance, the record insinuates itself and you find you cannot easily shake its power. Down There is highly recommended for fans of challenging electronic music.


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 great; 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.