The Weeknd: Thursday

The Weeknd
Thursday
Rating: Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It

The Internet has been both a blessing and a curse with regards to music. The blessing is that it is now almost too easy to find, listen, download, and purchase music that once would have called for diligent searches in dozens of places. The curse is that because it is so easy to find music that artists almost have to constantly come out with new material so they are not forgotten by fans moving on to the next big thing. Canadian R&B experimentalists The Weeknd have definitely utilized the Internet to their advantage, initially creating mystery around who the band or person is/was, releasing a few singles to great acclaim, then dropping a free mixtape called House of Balloons that was filled with amazing takes on R&B cloaked in an air of debauchery and excess. House of Balloons was such a singular achievement, a vision tightly executed and realized, that I could only wonder what they would do next. The Weeknd barely gave us time to digest and appreciate House of Balloons before dropping the follow up mixtape Thursday, which can be downloaded for free here. And apparently a third installment, Echoes of Silence, is due before the end of the year. I loved House of Balloons, giving it almost a masterpiece rating, and have been eagerly anticipating more material from The Weeknd since, of course I have also been dreading it because I didn't want it to sully my thoughts on the first release. Thursday, while not nearly as brilliant as House of Balloons, is an intriguing record. On paper, it really should be a home run as all the elements that made House of Balloons a classic are there, but perhaps it is because the shock of the new has now sunk in, and Thursday just doesn't capture that moment in time as clearly. I will say that Thursday is far more consistent in sound and mood across the board, but there are none of the amazing standout highs that were on the first release. Without a "High For This," "House of Balloons/Glass Table," or "The Knowing," to give those incredibly jolts, Thursday cruises along, well, on cruise control. Perhaps in view of the planned triptych of albums, Thursday's place will come into better view, however, as it stands, it is merely a good record that pales a little bit in comparison with its sibling.

Thursday starts off strong with the excellent first single "Lonely Star" with its buzzy synths, clattering drum programming, and a typically impassioned vocal from vocalist Abel Tesfaye, showing some cracks in the armor of his cold personality, practically begging his conquest to come to bed with him, no longer the strong alpha male.



"Life of the Party" is solidly in the mold of songs from House of Balloons, with sleazy lyrics and delivery that flow through the dirty guitars.



Aside from these two tracks and the final track, Thursday doesn't seem to move out of its midtempo haze of foggy keyboards and druggy vocals. The songs individually are good, but over the span of the record, then tend to bleed into one another, lacking the melodic intricacies of House of Balloons. There are some beautifully produced songs, however, that keep this record at least interesting. "Gone" moves from a dub heavy bassline into a coda of blissed out R&B.



"Rolling Stone" finds Tesfaye's voice in strong form, his delivery getting more and more frantic as the song progresses, in complete contrast to the lovely acoustic backing.



But too often, the songs get lost in the druggy vibe and pass by unnoticed. Both "Thursday" and "The Zone," which are paired together, just meander in a haze, and not even a guest vocal turn from Drake on the latter can make it more memorable.



And the middle pairing of "The Birds Pt. 1" and "The Birds Pt. 2," meant to be a centerpiece to the album, sort of create a speedbump effect, slowing things down instead of creating forward momentum:





Perhaps I just expected too much from this album, and the fact it has been released so close to the release of House of Balloons has given it the unenviable position of being in a pretty large shadow. Taken out of the context of House of Balloons doesn't necessarily solve the problem, as Thursday is just not as strong. There are some good songs, but the lack of much needed variety makes the middle section of the record a slog. Based on the announced release of a third component this year, I think Thursday's ultimate position in The Weeknd's canon is undecided. Now I have to eagerly await the third release to see if my opinion changes.

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 releases 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 polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

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.

Cut Off Your Hands: Hollow

Cut Off Your Hands
Hollow
Rating: Grrrr

Back in the 80s and early 90s, Sunday nights were always set aside for 120 Minutes on MTV (yes, back in the day when 90% of their programming was still videos. This was well before the Internet and easy access to music that was not Top 40. Back then, our only sources were publications, college radio stations, record stores, word of mouth, and the beloved 120 Minutes. Without that show it is unlikely I would have heard of half the bands that are now part and parcel of my being. Until developing my taste in electronic music, the music that interested me the most was from guitar-based bands like The Smiths, Chameleons, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Railway Children, House of Love, Kitchens of Distinction, R.E.M., and The Church. Loved all the ringing/chiming guitars and driving beats associated with these bands and voraciously sought out similar bands. As my taste in music has evolved and changed over the years, I still hold a fondness for simple, guitar driven bands who have a good ear for melody. New Zealand quartet Cut Off Your Hands could easily have held a second hour slot on 120 Minutes, their songs evoking those bands listed above; reverentially but not slavishly. There is a lovely energy to their songs, the guitars chiming and clear, with a dreamy backing section. Their previous album (produced by ex-Suede member Bernard Butler and Smiths producer Stephen Street) found them leaning too heavily on Britpop and post-punk angst of bands like Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party, and Maximo Park.

With Hollow, they have not completely forsaken those roots, but have focused more on melody instead of just pure energy this time. First single "Fooling No One" is a perfect mix of the two styles, rushing out the gate in a blur of drums and acoustic guitars and yelping vocals before settling into a jangly groove reminiscent of The Church in their earlier, more minimalist style.



There is a lovely mix of styles on Hollow that keep the band from sounding too one note or too indebted to one influence. From the Smithsian opener "You Should Do Better" with its shuffling drum and intricately ringing guitars and warbling, over-the-top vocal,



to the guitar rave-ups "Hollowed Out" and "Down and Out" that sound like the direction Echo and the Bunnymen should have taken before descending into bloat and excess,

Cut Off Your Hands - Hollowed Out by ology

or more gentle tracks like "Nausea" that capture that era of music so well:



But even though the album is not incredibly innovative from a style standpoint, there are moments of interesting juxtaposition, like the charming song "All It Takes" with its lovely Railway Children jangle mixed in with some odd Haircut 100 sounding background yelps and chirpy keyboards.



Hollow is not an album that announces itself as the next big thing or that is revolutionary, it is simply a good guitar, pop album. While I do have an affinity for bands that push the boundaries of what is pop music, there is something to be said sometimes for a band that just puts out a well-crafted album of just great songs. Hollow is record that reveals its charms subtly, but sticks with you for days.

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 releases 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 polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

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.

Balam Acab: Wander/Wonder

Balam Acab
Wander/Wonder
Rating: Grrrr

It seems the past couple of weeks has been all about the second albums from members lumped into the chillwave genre, most shedding that genre entirely while others making slight changes to their sound, but all to very lackluster effect. This week seems to be the change over to witch house, the much maligned genre that appeared out of nowhere and then faded out just as quickly. The hallmarks of witch house included torpid tempos, ghostly backing synths, manipulated vocals/samples, and hints of Southern rap. Balam Acab, 20 year old instrumentalist Alec Koone, was lumped into the witch house category (his debut EP See Birds contained many of the witch house elements, but never truly felt like it belonged along the likes of the notable bands such as Salem and oOoOO) but has since forged his own path ahead.

Wander/Wonder does retain the witch house template (glacial BPMs, icy keyboards and textures, and a reliance on pitch-shifted vocal samples), however, Koone is not as interested in creating a sense of dread as are most of his contemporaries. Instead, we see a studied variation of almost classical tones with Eno-esque ambient leanings. Most of the tracks are also steeped in a liquidy atmosphere, from the album cover art of an ocean fissure to the overall sound quality of the album, sounding like it were recorded deep in a diving bell. First track "Welcome" burbles and gurgles like ships emerging from a watery grave, lurching forward with industrial tinged percussion and the haunting, almost operatic vocal sample.



These classical touches appear all over the record, moving in a different direction from most electronic music these days that too readily rely on more R&B samples. "Oh, Why" is a gentle, pastoral track featuring lovely harp interludes unified with a child-like pitch shifted vocal.



Closing track "Fragile Hope" effortlessly blends all these elements together into a gorgeous tableau. The sonics are so textured you can almost feel the water dripping onto your skin.



Koone provides only slight hints at what he wants you to feel for or take from his tracks. The titles are minimal and vague, giving only slight signposts for the journey. He chooses to let his music speak for itself. "Now Time" evokes feelings of floating underwater, allowing time and space to cease.



That's not to say that Wander/Wonder is all background music. The tracks are so sonically dense it truly immerses you in its insular world. If ever an album called for headphones it is this. "Apart" expertly juggles several different textural elements, the scraping, off-kilter drum loop, dripping background effects, and pitch-shifted vocal, all working together to create a true whole.



"Expect" uses heavenly vocals interspersed with chiming harps and buzzing synths lull the listener into a false sense of calm, before the drum machine kicks in to what is probably the only semi-frantic moment on the record.



Wander/Wonder defies expectations because it truly showcases an artist unwilling to be pigeonholed into a genre. Had he just released See Birds II it is likely he would have faded into obscurity, instead of taking a huge leap forward with his sound, and releasing one of the most striking records of the year.

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 releases 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 polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

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

Thankfully another Friday is upon us, and here are the videos this week that gave me the sweet sweet lovin:



First single from the new album from DJ Shadow. Love the squeltchy beats. This video is completely bizarre.



New song and video from St. Vincent. She is such a wonderful songwriter, and each album finds her getting better and better.



I will admit that New Zealand outfit Cut Off Your Hands is not going to win any awards for originality, however, their mixture of 80s alternative rock guitar riffs a la The Smiths, R.E.M., and Echo and the Bunnymen actually seems quite refreshing these days. Sometimes you need something simple and beautiful.



New video from Charlotte Gainsbourg from her upcoming Beck-produced EP. Interesting sound, and I love the look of the video.



First single from the upcoming second album from Florence + The Machine. It is a typical Florence sounding track, which is a little disappointing to me, as I wanted her to expand her sound a little bit more. I will have to wait to hear the album before making a true opinion of this.

Non-Sequiturs

Finally got to see one of my music heroes live this week. Kurt and I went to the IDentity Festival here in Atlanta. The festival is a traveling electronic music festival with three stages. Most of the artists are DJs, however, there was a smattering of acts that performed somewhat live. The last artist we saw was DJ Shadow. Have loved his music ever since Endtroducing.... Was a real thrill to see him as every other time he has been in town, I have had a conflict.

He played inside this sphere that had all sorts of cool videos and images projected on it and a big screen behind. The visuals matched up perfectly with his music and was a great audio-visual experience. He's such a nice guy, and also very cute.

Another highlight was finally seeing Hercules and Love Affair. Andy Butler and crew performed a DJ set with their three vocalists who, despite the heat and dismal crowd support, put on an energetic set. Andy is absolute adorable.

Rusko also put on an amazingly high energy set. He was dancing like a Tazmanian devil the whole time, and the crowd (whose drugs must have kicked in) was really into it as well.

Overall the festival was fun, however, the crowd was full of typically obnoxious 20 somethings that were rude and high as kites, the concessions were ridiculously overpriced, and it was brutally hot and even worse on the second stage which was out on a blacktop parking lot. I was able to see a lot of people I haven't seen, including Nero, DJ Chuckie, and Crystal Method. For the price, it was a good deal.

Interesting shuffle segue on my iPod, Burial's "Southern Comfort" bleeding into Jamie Woon's "Night Air" which was produced by Burial. Just sounded like a natural transition. Sublime.

Lyrics Rattling Around My Brain

"You said only a back page
Will get as read as the first page
Now you're observing the corners
And showing the first signs of aging
I'm not trying to read you anymore
Just keep on turning me through the days
Until the latest chapter unfolds

You look aroused
You look awake
You are the light
Turned on"

Tom Vek
"Aroused"

"You got me so riled
How can I ever deny
You got me so high
So high I cannot feel the fire
And you keep telling me
Telling me that you'll be sweet
And you never want to leave my side
And long as I don't break these
Promises
And they still feel all so wasted on myself"

Nero
"Promises"

"Sleeping when the day breaks
Dreaming as the evening falls
He's got no more headaches
Leaving us with empty walls
The last of many efforts

I know it's not my place
But I don't even wonder why
What commitment
What grace
To just refuse to be alive"

The Radio Dept.
"Sleeping In"

"Got struck by the first volley
Of the war in the courts
Never held my serve
Send'em a wire, give'em my best
This ammunition never rests
No one serves coffee, no one wakes up

Stop breathin'
Stop breathin'
Breathin' for me now
Write it on a postcard
Dad, they broke me
Dad, they broke me"

Pavement
"Stop Breathing"

"I've got too much energy to switch off my mind
But not enough to get myself organized
My heart is heavy
My head is confused
And my aching little soul
Has started burning blue

I can't give you up, 'till I've got more than enough
So infect me with your love
Nurse me into sickness
Nurse me back to health
Endow me with the gifts of the man made world

When desire becomes an illness instead of a joy
And guilt a necessity that's gotta be destroyed"

The The
"Infected"

Appealing Things

Nero DJ set
Seeing cute little DJ Shadow come out and introduce his set
Rusko's energy
Tom Vek
Cut Off Your Hands
Coupons
Skimpeez

Annoying Things

People who are so un-self aware they continually put their foot in their mouth
Girls who wear those really stupid furry boots to concerts
$11 beers
People who don't say excuse me
People who reheat fish at the office

Nero: Welcome Reality

Nero
Welcome Reality
Rating: Grrrr

I love being surprised. Most dubstep/DnB artists are generally singles driven, never releasing full albums, sometimes putting out the odd EP here and there, but usually trying to stay on the pulse of the new, keeping their name and sound out there. Nero, the duo of Daniel Stephens and Joe Ray, have always seemed a little outside the norm, performing live on occasion in addition to traditional DJ sets, releasing longer form EPs, and putting together their songs and videos in ways that allude to something greater than the parts alone. Last year, I fell in love with their track "Innocence," which made it into my top 10 singles of 2010. At the time the track was out, Nero had been announcing that a full-length album was in the works, of course, this being a dubstep act, I assumed it was merely bluffing. For the longest time it seemed it was all an act, as more singles/videos were released and several more EPs. I didn't have high hopes for anything more. Strangely, I was shocked to see that they actually released Welcome Reality. At first glance of the track listing I saw all the singles that had been released in the past year along with a few new tracks. Being ever the cynic, I believed it would be the usual cheap ploy of trying to cash in on their growing popularity, a few singles along with a lot of boring filler. While the whole album is not completely killer, the singles along with the new tracks (and couched in a bit of prog rock/hoo ha concept about a dystopian state) work together well and have a sense of drama and purpose that is missing from a lot of releases these days.

Let's touch on the already slamming singles they've released. "Innocence" is still one of the most dramatic, gorgeous dubstep tracks out there. The builds and releases are masterful. Alana Watson, who sings on a lot of the album tracks, but is not an official member, provides her excellent vocals.



"Me And You" is a brilliant, pop leaning song with an 80s synthpop coupled with a buzzy 90s rave feel



"Guilt" features an amazing vocal turn from Watson, that retains the same sense of drama from "Innocence."



And latest single "Promises" is a synth buzzy rave-up with a driving energy that is infectious.



Most of the remaining songs, while not having the energy or perfection of the initial singles still are far more than filler. "My Eyes" is all throbbing, sexual energy, released in a frenzy of screaming synth blasts.



"In The Way" is a welcome comedown from all the high energy singles. It is akin to a dubstep interpretation of trip-hop. Sinister and buzzy, it could fit well on Massive Attack's Mezzanine.



Surprisingly, the dubstep cover of The Jet's "Crush On You" is not the howler it could have been, and actually grows on you past the initial WTF? moment.



The rest of the songs range from innocuous pop confections ("Must Be The Feeling" and the Daryl Hall sampling "Reaching Out"), to meandering electro ("Scorpions" and "Fugue State"), and orchestral instrumentals ("2028" and "Departure"). While not standing well on their own, within the sequencing of the album add needed variety and texture. Welcome Reality is not exactly what I would refer to as a classic album, or one that the is totally original, however, the singles alone are worth the price of the album, and truly are masterful pop singles. The rest of the album holds your interest and even exceeds expectations, plus it is just and exciting sounding record. I also definitely suggest checking Nero out live, even if it is just a DJ set; the same energy and pacing comes across even more.

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 releases 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 polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

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.

††† (Crosses): †††

††† (Crosses)
†††
Rating: Meh

Deftones have never been truly a metal band. Of course, the majority of their material is full of heavy, dark guitar riffs and some truly ear-shattering vocals, however, on most of their albums the band allows room for other influences to sneak in. Elements of shoegaze, goth, electro, new-wave, and post-punk lurk in the shadows, adding needed variety and texture which has always set them apart from their nu-metal counterparts. Singer Chino Moreno now releases a side project under the name †††, and early reports linked their sound to the nascent "witch house" genre, which is normally associated with goth/shoegazey guitars and tinny, hip-hop beats. It intrigued me that this was the direction he was taking, however, on initial listens I was a bit confused as to why witch house was mentioned. This EP, while containing some individual elements of that genre overall the album is mostly atmospheric goth rock, much more in keeping with the quieter moments on Deftones records. ††† is not a wicked left turn; if you are Deftones fan and enjoy their more textured songs, this will not disappoint, however, for me, I was wanting something a little more from this project. Not that this album is bad per se, it is frequently beautiful, it just seems safe.

"Bermuda Locket" is my favorite track, a gorgeous, slow-burn of a song, featuring a restrained vocal from Moreno that is all pent up emotion.



"This Is A Trick" could easily fit on a Deftones album, tightly wound guitars snake around dense keyboards and drum programming, grinding into a haunting chorus.



"Option" is another mid-tempo ballad that slowly builds on Moreno's gorgeous falsetto.



These first three songs set a nice pace and, while not decidedly thrilling, were at least solid songs. The last two songs sort of fell off the rails a bit. "Thholyghst" is all texture and no melody.



And "†" is a droning, motionless experiment that ends the EP on a rather ambiguous note.



EPs are tricky propositions. Usually they are released either as a stopgap between albums, tests of new material, or initial offerings to whet appetites for a full release. As such, they can really build a lot of excitement for the band, or alternately can be completely frustrating. Based on the 5 songs on this EP, I think it is squarely in the middle here. 3 of the songs are solid tracks that make me want to hear more, while the last 2 just don't particularly go anywhere. There is no indication from Moreno whether this will be a full-blown project with an album on the way, or just a one-off release. Guess we will just have to wait and see. The EP can be downloaded for free here at the band's website.

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 releases 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 polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

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.

Azari & III: Azari & III

Azari & III
Azari & III
Rating: Grrrr

2010 was the year everyone seemed to be on a 90s rave kick, every dance song flavored with glow sticks and ecstasy, and now 2011 is the come down from the excess, songs haunted by the hangovers of the the night before. Canadian mystery R&B collective The Weeknd detail nights of debauchery and shifty morality, unable to hide the shame in the blaring morning light. Similarly, Canadian house music group Azari & III also deal with the effects of all night partying, however, instead of focusing on the seediness of it all, there is much room for joy and excitement amidst all the darkness. Drawing from artists like Soul II Soul, Massive Attack, and newer acts like Hercules and Love Affair, showcasing an affinity for deep Chicago house. Azari & III are made up of Alphonse Lanza and Christian Farley on the boards, with two front vocalists, soul diva Cédric Gasaida , who is full revelry mode, tempered by the deep pulsing counterpoint voice of Fritz Helder, acting as the world weary guide to the proceedings.

The album begins with the delightful house trifle "Into The Night" chronicling the excitement of getting ready for a night of clubbing, the building energy of the hunt for sex and pleasure.



The rest of the album takes on the cycle of a night out, the highs and lows, the relentless pursuit of taking the evening to the next level. Azari & III is chocked full of amazing singles, but what could have felt like a half-assed collection of hit singles littered with forgettable filler, is expertly crafted to flow seamlessly and takes the listener on a journey.

"Reckless (With Your Love)" whose Tensnake remix was one of my top singles from last year, appears here in a slightly different, original mix. Where the Tensnake mix was all highs, the original mix is all low end bass, slinky Soul II Soul-like drums and keys, getting darker and darker as the song goes, the spiralling AIDS referencing tale of a clubber carelessly living a life of debaucherous sex.



"Hungry For The Power" utilizes the two vocalists perfectly, Cedric's voice emotional and raw, Fritz' acting like a Greek chorus in his head.


Rating Guide

"Manic" is a four-to-the-floor anthem, which answers the question what would happen if Prince, Daft Punk, and the DFA label joined forces:



"Undecided" is a great synth-pop/electro track, with slinky synths winding around the ever manic vocals, touching almost on the industrial of Nitzer Ebb.



"Lost In Time" is a snaky, synth heavy house charmer.



"Manhooker" is all sleazy, electro-house menace; a 2000s update on "I Feel Love."



The remainder of the album is completed with more experimental, instrumental tracks that touch on icy, minimalist techno ("Tunnel Vision"), hard-edged deep house ("Indigo"), and Carl Craig Detroit techno ("Infinity"). The album is impeccably produced and sounds amazing. There is essentially something for every electronic music fan, from those that love to hit the dance floor to those who prefer being cocooned in a headphone haze. The thematic elements connect all the loose strands and make this debut a cohesive narrative. Highly recommended.

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 releases 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 polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

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

The videos this week that yeah daddy made me want it:



Striking video for Moby's song "Lie Down In Darkness" directed by UK director For Eyes who has also directed clips for British Sea Power and Wild Beasts.



I wish the new Bon Iver album spoke to me more. I appreciate it, but it has no emotional heft for me. Sad, because this song is gorgeous and has an equally gorgeous video.



Former Test Icicles and Lightspeed Champion member Dev Hynes creates his own 80s throwback album under the Blood Orange moniker. Video has a very Basquiat, gritty NYC drag queen vibe.



More somber slowcore from Low.



Catchy as hell synth pop/dance punk from Cassettes Won't Listen.



In honor of Bush reuniting (well sort of, only one other original member and a long-time replacement) and coming to Atlanta on tour, here is my favorite song from them.

Non-Sequiturs

Love this photo.

Jean Marais was so damn beautiful

As was Guy Madison.

Bears in their underwear.

It's been one of those weeks that seems endless. I am ready for a nice weekend to get recharged. Next week will be a rather short week for me, as Tuesday Kurt and I are going to the Identity Festival to see a lot of really great bands and DJs. Will hopefully be fun.

Happy Birthday to Madonna this week. I have my iPod on shuffle and "Music" just came up. That song is so darn good.

I've been reading up on the so-called "candidates" for the Republican nomination for President. If this is the best they can do, we are in for a heap of trouble. Can't you guys find one person who is not some Christian extremist who feels the job of politicians is to get involved in the most minute aspect of everyones' lives? Whatever happened to your party's belief in less government?

Lyrics Rattling Around My Brain

"Dorothy was a waitress on the promenade
She worked the night shift
Dishwater blonde, tall and fine
She got a lot of tips
Well, earlier I'd been talkin' stuff
In a violent room
Fighting with lovers past
I needed someone with a quicker wit than mine
Dorothy was fast
Well, I ordered - "Yeah, let me get a fruit cocktail, I ain't 2 hungry"
Dorothy laughed
She said "Sounds like a real man 2 me"
Kinda cute, U wanna take a bath?
-do you wanna, do you wanna, bath-
I said "Cool, but I'm leaving my pants on" -she say-
"Cuz I'm kind of going with someone"
She said "Sounds like a real man 2 me"

Prince
"The Ballad of Dorothy Parker"

"Oh just one more
And I'll walk away
All the everything you win
Turns to nothing today
So just one more
Just one more go
Inspire in me the desire in me
To never go home"

The Cure
"Homesick"

"Well I hope and I pray
That maybe someday
You'll walk in the room with my heart
Add and subtract
But as a matter of fact
Now that you're gone I still want you back
Remembering
Surrendering
Remembering that part
All of my heart"

ABC
"All Of My Heart"

Appealing Things

Shoegazing
Craft Spells
Attending something you weren't looking forward to and having a great time
The Knife
A Visit From The Goon Squad
Russian Dolls

Annoying Things

People who don't restack weights at the gym
Mr. Sparkly Spandex
People grabbing my man without permission
People who are constantly breaking up and getting back together; there is usually a reason it didn't work out the first, second and third time
All the couples and throuples I know splitting up

Matthewdavid: Outmind

Matthewdavid
Outmind
Rating: Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It

The opening sample on Matthewdavid's (Los Angeles producer Matthew McQueen) debut album Outmind is a welcome to the smog of LA, which is sort of a good description of the sounds that are coming forth, a sprawling mass of textures and beats filtered through a kaleidoscopic haze. Fittingly, it is on his pal Flying Lotus' Brainfeeder imprint, which seems to be the LA stable for experimental beat makers. While I appreciate the fact that you know what you are getting when you find an artist on that label, at the same time, the lack of surprise is disappointing, because you are always going to find an excellently produced record that sounds just shy of Flying Lotus' brilliance. Not to say McQueen is a hack at all. Outmind is always consistently good, but just doesn't have a calling card to announce that it is Matthewdavid; instead, you assume it is Flying Lotus.

While there are 12 individual tracks on Outmind, the album basically begs to be listened to as a whole, each song melting into the next one. I found I was more drawn to the beat heavier tracks. His programming marrying the sludgy thwap of the FlyLo aesthetic with the seemingly random disintegrating beats of Autechre. "Noche y Dia/San Raphael" evokes Boards of Canada passed through a meat grinder.



"Like You Mean It" is all hard edges and stomach pounding bass, drawing from grime and dubstep textures.



"Being Without You" has molasses thick beats herding a bevy of manipulated vocal samples.



"International (featuring Dogbite)" lurches along on a stuttering beat, with a forlorn, drugged out vocal from Dogbite.



These tracks create a hallucinatory feel that infects the entire record. The more ambient, interstitial tracks are covered in tape hiss and other effects that give the album a "found" feel. "Prayers at Bedtime" almost feels like watching waves, if the waves were destroyed buildings and not water.



"Floor Music (featuring Niki Randa)" is a haunting traverse down a dark hallway.



And his collaboration with FlyLo himself, "Group Tea" is a Eno-esque ambient exercise.



That McQueen is an accomplished producer and beat maker, there is no doubt, however, Outmind is a bit of a cypher, giving me just enough to have interest, but still not allowing me to know who he actually is as an artist. The Brainfeeder label attracts a lot of great musicians but it is like they are all beholden to the FlyLo sound and are too frightened to step out from his shadow. Obviously, McQueen has the chops to make some great music, he just needs to find his own signature voice.

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 releases 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 polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

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.

Patrick Wolf: Lupercalia

Patrick Wolf
Lupercalia
Rating: Jeez Lady

Writing songs about love is a tricky business. Few do it well, and, for the most part, the majority do it cloyingly. Based on his previous albums, Patrick Wolf seems an unlikely candidate to deliver a straight up record of love songs. On Lycanthropy and Wind In The Wires, Wolf presented a persona of his own devise, working in dark textures, combining traditional folk elements with chilly laptop electronics. Both records are simultaneously challenging and charming, and made Wolf and artist worth watching. The success of those records brought him to a new label and bigger budget and the resulting album The Magic Position showed him working with a broader range of instruments, and even writing some of his most upbeat material, and placed Wolf at the cusp of crossing over into the mainstream. Instead of propelling him to the next level, the follow up The Bachelor found Wolf retreating to a darker, more electro-tinged sound, complete with pretentious voice overs from friend Tilda Swinton. The album had mixed critical and popular success and a planned second part to the album was scuttled. The dark place chronicled with The Bachelor appears to have disappeared, as Lupercalia finds Wolf in giddy love and wanting to profess it from the highest mountaintop and at full volume. I don't have an issue with someone writing love songs, but they are done so often and so poorly, that they have to be done in a fresh way in order to have any sort of relevance. Wolf, whose feelings I am not denying, unfortunately becomes one of the worst offenders, believing his feelings are unique and "the greatest love of the century," and becomes that annoying friend of yours whose relationship is all-consuming to the point of nausea.

"Bermondsey Street" with the already mentioned treacly lyric about "the greatest love of the century" is really what pinpoints the mistakes Wolf makes on Lupercalia, laying on thick sentiments that he feels are profound, but instead comes across belabored teenage diary entries.



"The City" finds Wolf attempting his hand at a big Broadway-esque opening number, filled to the brim with excess instrumentation, and trying to throw out a chorus with a hook that could land a whale. This misbegotten attempt is laughable right down to the already overplayed 80s sax solo.



"Slow Motion" and "The Days" are two consecutive ballads that are almost indistinguishable from each other, toying with similar waltz-like tempos and sugary strings.





In his attempts to create a pop album, Wolf basically scrubs away any personality he once possessed. The songs over the course of the album stagnate and fester, ultimately fading quickly into the background. Songs like "The Future" and "Armistice" could easily fit on any Top 40 singles artist's album, banal and wanting. Only a couple of times does the flashes of brilliance Wolf has exhibited in the past appear, and lend a glimpse into what the album could have been had Wolf decided to not pander to the most common denominator. The quirky mini-ballad "William" shows more guts and inventiveness in its 50 seconds than the rest of the album in its entirety. And "Together," which finally takes a slightly darker approach, using a bed of drum machines and synth bass to propel the strings and the song along instead of miring them in studio wankery.



Lupercalia is a frustrating album because all the pieces of Patrick Wolf's talent are still evident, it is just he doesn't know what he wants. He likes being the effete artiste, bending borders and confounding expectations, but he also wants to be hugely successful (and has been very vocal about that want). I do believe he could have both, but he doesn't trust his audience or himself, which in turn creates a sort of snobbish pandering of the worst kind. I am not willing to give up on Wolf yet, he is too talented to completely ignore, but if this is any indication of the direction he continues to follow, my patience might be wearing thin.

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 releases 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 polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

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.

Hauschka: Salon Des Amateurs

Hauschka
Salon Des Amateurs
Rating: Grrrr

Volker Bertelmann is a Dusseldorf, Germany experimental composer who creates music under a variety of monikers, but uses Hauschka as an outlet for playful mixes of treated piano in a more pop vein. Treated piano usually consists of objects (which can be anything really) placed between the piano strings to create new sounds. Salon Des Amateurs is Hauschka's latest album and one that is an interpretation of dance music, more specifically house music. Of course, this being dance music based on treated piano, it is not the kind of music that will make you rush the dance floor. It is more headphones music than four to the floor head bangers. But what it lacks in BPMs, it more than makes up for it in textures and complexity, which sounds more academic than it is, as this is very playful music with lots of subtle touches.

While the piano is front and center on the album, it is not all ambient, new age doodling. Hauschka works on this album with Múm drummer Samuli Kosminen and Calexico's John Convertino and Joey Burns for additional percussion which propels the album and gives it force and drive. He also incorporates violinist Hilary Hahn for additional diversity on the track "Girls," which is a standout, building slowly from gorgeous pointillist piano motifs into subtle percussion driven track.



Other standout songs are the delicate and loopy "Sunrise" which reminds me of a blurry walk through woods in the early light, everything slowly coming into focus with each passing minute.



Probably the most "danceable" of the tracks is the chugging "Two AM" whose piano glissandos are carried by the dense percussion.



"Cube" works several piano motifs against each other, sounding like a hive of bees slowly getting in sync with each others' rhythm. The delicate way in which the track flows is breathtaking.



Rapid fire piano notes hit against sharp percussion in "Subconscious" while plaintive strains of accordion float in and out of the mix.



Buzzy electronics, harsh horns and dark piano link together for an ominous mix in "Radar."



Salon Des Amateurs is not a perfect album though. Several tracks sound promising but ultimately don't really go anywhere, and the back half of the album sort of loses momentum. "Tanzbein" is all build and no release.



And "Taxitaxi" suffers from lack of a cohesive idea.



Aside from these slight misgivings, Salon Des Amateurs is a strikingly accomplished album in Hauschka's canon. It is a serious record that surprisingly doesn't take itself too seriously, if that isn't too much of a conundrum. It is a gorgeous album that you can immerse yourself in, let be unobtrusively in the background, or can actually get your head bobbing. It is whatever you want it be, and for whatever mood you are in.

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 releases 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 polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

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

Here are the videos this week that have earwormed me:



Jay-Z and Kanye West collaboration gets a Spike Jonze directed video that is typical hip-hop blinged out nonsense, but is worth watching to see a $400K Maybach destroyed.



Gorgeous, evocative clip from nu-gazers I Break Horses.



A lonely, desolate video accompanies the first single from the upcoming sophomore release from Girls. The song and video are completely opposite of the low-fi shambolic recordings/videos from their debut.



More excellent mopery from The National. This song is featured in the video game Portal, and this is a contest winner's video for the song.



Low-fi psychedelic backbeat rockers Unknown Mortal Orchestra put together a suitably weird video to go with their retro sound. Slightly NSFW. Around the 2:30 mark are some breasts with blood trickling down them, just so you know.



Sort of "day-in-the-life" video from Pictureplane, if dropping acid and dancing on top of a Mexican pyramid is your idea of day in the life.

Foster The People: Torches

Foster The People
Torches
Rating: Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It

Foster the People received a lot of online buzz for their first single "Pumped Up Kicks" which also featured heavily on KROQ's programming. That song, a catchy, upbeat ode to a high school gun toting psycho, sort of sums up the band in a way; there is something familiar and inviting about them (their music travels in indie pop/dance punk/rock styles of contemporaries like Cut Copy, Phoenix, and MGMT) while adding an odd twist to a lyric or a melody that keeps things fresh. When they are on their game, they put forth excellent sing-a-long singles that stand tall alongside their brethren, but too often, their tracks are done in my lazy songwriting and tepid melodies. There is definitely enough here for interest, but it almost seems that the album was put out too soon to capitalize on the success of "Pumped Up Kicks." A little more time in the studio would have probably benefitted the album.

"Pumped Up Kicks" is most listener's likely entry point to the band, and it is a fine single, though I am still bewildered that it is so successful as it is merely a catchy pop song, with a rather morbid subject matter.



It is not even the best song on the album. Album opener "Helena Beat" is far catchier, Mark Foster's falsetto (which thankfully is used sparingly) careens around a frothy, spacey disco track.



Unfortunately, the album is front loaded with all the good tracks. "Call It What You Want" coasts along on a piano driven melody that seals the deal with a catchy as shit chorus.



"Waste" is a lovely almost ballad, with Foster strangely sounding like a forlorn Lykke Li. It is a simple melody bouyed by some interesting effects in the background. Killer chorus as well.



Deep into the album there are a couple of standout tracks. "Hustling (Life On The Nickel)" is a dense slow burner, with lots of squeltchy electronic effects.



"Miss You" is another standout, using a darker musical palatte with proto-electro percussion, buzzing synths, and Foster's haunting vocals.



But too often, the band regurgitates the same melodies and structures, which lends the album a monotone quality over the long haul. Not to say the other tracks aren't catchy, as they are like the flu, it's just that some of the tracks are not as distinguishable over the better tracks.

"I Would Do Anything For You" borrows almost the same beat and melody from "Pumped Up Kicks" just giving it a lighter, 70s yacht music feel that doesn't suit the band at all.



"Color On The Walls (Don't Stop)" just never goes anywhere, sticking to an annoying pattern filled with odd animal noises as percussion that grates on one's nerves. "Warrant" starts off promisingly with an angelic choir of synths, but gets bogged down with an overly simple, traditional musical bed of pianos and drums. The song tries to build to an anthemic chorus, which instead comes off anemic.

Torches comes with enough good will and skill to not fully go off the rails. Sticking to a tight template, the band definitely knows its way around a hook, and given more time and less pressure to get something out on the market, I think there is enough here to show that this is a band to look out for in the future.

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 releases 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 polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

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.

Viva Brother: Famous First Words

Viva Brother
Famous First Words
Rating: Jeez Lady

The UK is well-known for acts that are all swagger and attitude, throwing quotes around that would bury most people. I don't mind attitude when the bands have the music to back it up; like The Smiths, Blur, Pulp, and Suede. It is where a bad is all attitude and no substance that I take issue. Latest UK buzz band Viva Brother flew out of the gate, proclaiming themselves the "best band in the world," snagging Smiths producer Stephen Street for production duties on their debut, and stating that they were there to rescue guitar music. Debut album Famous First Words is surely not going to be remembered as the album that jump starts the music world. The album clearly finds the band as a comfortable facsimile of better bands, notably Oasis (in their early prime), Suede, and significantly Blur. It is all arena-ready, hook heavy, everything turned up to 10 rock and roll, that is brilliant in its banality, yet utterly forgettable once it runs through its 10 songs.

I will start with the good stuff first. First single and what got them their record deal in the first place "Darling Buds of May," is Blur/Oasis swagger, goofy sing-a-long chorus, and chiming guitars. Based on this song alone, I can understand why they were sought out; had the album been like this song, a little more quirky and less blueprinted, it would have made for a more compelling listen.



"False Alarm" is another Oasis-like track that has a little more bite to it, with a killer chorus.



But too often, Viva Brother coast on auto-pilot, coming across as a mere cover band of their influences. "Electric Daydream" is an almost laughable rote reworking of "Champagne Supernova."



And most of the other songs are just serviceable guitar pop, so bland and impeccably boring as to become the equivalent of aural wallpaper. "New Year's Day" is a perfect example. There is nothing particularly bad about the song, it has just been done over and over again, and much better.



The first half of the album is a blur (no pun intended) of the same song structure that is dizzying, and difficult sometimes to tell when one song had ended and the next one began. After the third over-the-top chorus, I was almost beaten into submission. "Still Here," "David" and "High Street Low Lives" feel like an assembly line set of songs.

Viva Brother frustrate me because clearly they know how to play music, and on paper they have all the right goods to be a great band. Unfortunately, they don't do more than do high production karaoke of better, more important bands. Less slavish adherence to sounding like others would benefit this band better in the future. For now though, they are destined to be just another band hyped to death and then thrown in the dustbin.

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 releases 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 polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

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.

The Fierce And The Dead: If It Carries On Like This We Are Moving To Morecambe

The Fierce And The Dead
If It Carries On Like This We Are Moving To Morecambe
Rating: Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It

Post-rock is a difficult genre to be in, as most people are unfortunately going to compare you to the giants of the genre; Mogwai, Explosions In The Sky, Tortoise, Godspeed! You Black Emperor, etc. Thus, bands either replicate one of these bands' sounds down to the last molecule, or find some way to put their own individual stamp on the music. Recently, Matt Stevens, of UK post-rock band The Fierce And The Dead, contacted me about reviewing his band's latest CD, If It Carries On Like This We Are Moving To Morecambe. I am initially hesitant to review CDs from submissions from the artists' themselves, mainly because it feels a lot more personal after you have been emailing someone, than just randomly reviewing something from someone I don't have any contact with. I hate giving bad reviews as well, even when it is warranted. So often, in the cases of private submissions where I don't have good things to say, I generally don't review it all. In this case, however, I was pleasantly surprised with the album. The Fierce And The Dead, while acknowledging their post-rock influences, don't mire themselves in them, and put in their own interesting, and sometimes out-of-the-blue touches, that make them stand out from the crowded pack. Of course, my one quibble with the album is that I wanted more of the quirky touches throughout the album rather than just sparsely laid out.

If It Carries On Like This We Are Moving To Morecambe does have its fair share of typical post-rock tracks, going from quiet to loud dynamics. "Part 2" begins with deep, ominous bass, charging into a tight beat and almost bluesy guitar, erupting with keyboard swells and roaring guitars.



"H.R." chugs along with a slacker, Pavement vibe until the very back half explodes with a wall of guitar noise. And I love the ambient keyboard opening to closing track "Andy Scott" which moves into a mid-section with melodic bass and ringing guitars, slowly building into a jazzy, sax jam by songs end.



It was the unexpected saxophone outtro that hooked me, and on several occasions, TFATD caught me off guard with similar quirks. Several ambient interludes were gorgeously scattered amongst the rougher cuts of the album, lending themselves as palate cleansers for the more complex tracks. "The Wait" is a beautiful 2 minutes of interlocking guitars, subtle organ, and hints of almost industrial percussion. "Hotel No. 6" could easily find itself among the ambient works of David Sylvian on Gone To Earth. Which oddly fades right into the blasting, proto-hardcore of "Landcrab" which sounds like the lovechild of Mclusky, Pixies, and Nirvana. And "Daddies Little Helper," the washes of guitar are supplemented with some delicate sax work again.

My favorite song on the record is the driving track "10 X 10" which appears to borrow some from shoegaze textures with its echoey opening, moving into a tight beat before almost getting funky with what sounds like a keyboard or organ but what I am assuming is a frenetically played bass. The track just has so much going on in it, it takes awhile to get the full picture, but once it has its hooks in you, it is difficult to forget.



If It Carries On Like This We Are Moving To Morecambe is a really solid debut for TFATD, and shows promise for even greater things in the future. I enjoyed hearing all the post-rock touchstones, and how the band plays off them, adding their own personality to the mix. With more songs venturing out of the post-rock comfort zone, they are sure to develop their own true distinct sound. I definitely recommend checking this band out. The album is available in physical formats as well as digitally on a pay-what-you-like format on the band's Bandcamp page which you can locate here.

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 releases 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 polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

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

Here are the latest videos that shook my money maker:



It's only been 8 years since their last album, but electronic duo Plaid return with Scintilli, and "35 Summers" is the first track to be released. The twinkly, almost beatless IDM track has a very odd, aquatic video.



Bouncy electro-house track from Azari & IIIs.


Toro y Moi - How I Know from Jordan Kim on Vimeo.

Goofy, Scooby Doo-esque video from Toro Y Moi. I don't really care for his new sound, but this song is kinda catchy and the video is sweet.



tUnE-yArDs came on the Jimmy Fallon show to perform "Gangsta."


Holy Ghost! / Some Children By lilfuchs from DFA Records on Vimeo.

Fun animated clip from Holy Ghost! directed by the crazy people from Adult Swim.


Violens - "It Couldn't Be Perceived" from stereogum on Vimeo.

Arty clip from Violens. It is being touted as a new single, however, it was originally released on their debut album last year. Still, it is a good song.



Awesome live performance from Lykke Li on the Tonight Show.

CHLLNGR: Haven

CHLLNGR
Haven
Rating: Meh

I recently reviewed the new electronic music cd from Machinedrum that attempted, somewhat successfully, to marry a slew of differing music styles with UK bass' penchant for using warped vocal samples. However, the album as a whole left me wanting more. Although CHLLNGR and Machinedrum don't necessarily sound alike, both draw liberally from the dubstep well on their albums, while coming up with similar problems. Unlike Machinedrum, CHLLNGR uses a very monochrome palate, allowing skeletal beats and wobbly bass to frame minimal electronic backing, shifting focus to gentle washes of keyboards, and again, like Machinedrum, to heavily treated vocal samples. CHLLNGR doesn't cut and manipulate the samples as readily as Machinedrum, instead, allowing them to drag out and flow hypnotically over the tracks. Listening to individual tracks makes for an interesting listen, however, over the course of ten tracks it begins to lose its lustre, and blunts the impact of the album.

But there are some great tracks to dig into on Haven. "At Last" pulses and throbs menacingly, with a click track beat and ominous metallic keyboards. "Sundown," one of the few tracks with actual vocals, contrasts the warmth of Coco O's voice with the icy-cold backing.

CHLLNGR - Sundown by Uwe Uzi

Lead track "Ask For" mixes wobbly bass, hip-hop beats and keyboards, with pitch-shifted vocals that actually becomes one of the highlights of the album because it doesn't sound like anything else. I actually wish CHLLNGR had pursued this path more.

CHLLNGR -Ask For by Sound Injections

Title track "Haven" works off the Burial template effectively, warped vocal samples echo off atmospheric keyboards and rumbling bass.

CHLLNGR "Haven" by CHLLNGR

"Out Of Your Hands" slides against heavily manipulated vocal samples and keyboards, sounding like calls from a foggy street. And "Dark Darkness" creates the same ominous mood, but with the echoing vocals feeling like voices in your head, taunting you.

But while these tracks work fluidly together, the rest of the album just lays there rather inert. Too many tracks are just mood and no texture, and like the issues I had with the Machinedrum album, the vocal samples and vocals are just not distinct enough to make the songs stand out. "Dusty" is just throb and warbled samples.

CHLLNGR - Dusty (feat Jessica Brown) by nwsm

While "The End" never seems to gain a pulse, the whoosh of synthesizers and bland soul vocals failing to add any interest.



The remaining tracks are not horrible in any way, they simply lack any distinct element that prevents them from being removed from my hard drive. Haven's issues are similar to those I had with Machinedrum, but where Machinedrum's vocal samples were thematically indistinct he at least changed up his sound enough to where the music was always interesting. Here, CHLLNGR's music fades into the background, which pulls the vocal samples along with it, making it a decent, yet unmemorable album.

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 releases 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 polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

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.