Jam of the Day: Iceage - "In Haze"

Blistering track from You're Nothing, the brilliant second album from Danish punks Iceage.

New: Depeche Mode - "Heaven"

You can hear the first single from the upcoming Depeche Mode album Delta Machine here at the KROQ website. In keeping with their output of late, it is suitably dull as dishwater.

Jam of the Day: Autre Ne Veut - "Play By Play"

At the moment, Autre Ne Veut's sophomore album Anxiety is at the top of my list of most anticipated albums of 2013. This second single is another reason why.

Album Review: The Joy Formidable - Wolf's Law

The Joy Formidable
Wolf's Law
Rating: Meh

Welsh trio The Joy Formidable basically makes no qualms that they want to be a stadium rock band, their sound getting larger and larger with each release. Seeing them live is pretty intense experience, singer/guitarist Ritzy Bryan holding court over the audience with an assured hand, the riffs getting harder and more pummeling, the wall of sound beating you into submission. And you can tell their supporting position on tours with Foo Fighters and Muse has only increased this need for stadium ready material. On their debut album The Big Roar, the waves and waves of guitars were already primed for such venues. That album, while containing some great singles, tended to rush through in a blur, focusing more on sheer brute force than melody. Second album Wolf's Law doesn't really change anything except somehow it seems to amp things up even more; adding strings, longer song lengths, Led Zeppelin allusions, and in grand Spinal Tap tradition turning everything up to 11. First listens are favorable due to the sheer force of will in these 11 tracks, but subsequent listens don't leave much of a lasting impression as the lack of hooks and melodies begin to unravel the dense ball of sound.

First track "This Ladder Is Ours" starts the record off promisingly with a gorgeous string intro before launching into a maelstrom of slick, amped up guitars.



But this promising beginning is trampled by the over the top ricocheting guitars and pummeling drums of "Cholla,"



air raid siren squalls of "Little Blimp,"



circular and repetitive guitar riffs of "Bats," culminating in the almost embarrassing heavy metal parody "Maw Maw Song" that borders on the edge of the sublime and ridiculous.



The bloat and excess of these tracks just makes the record a slog to get through. It is finally when the band calms down and focuses on the song itself and not purely the sound that the record finally takes root. "The Leopard and the Lung" adds piano accents to the guitars which mercifully drop out on occasion,



"The Hurdle" brings in a lovely bass melody underneath a swirl of sparkling synths and guitars,



while closing track "The Turnaround" softly ends things with gorgeous strings, acoustic guitars, and a martial beat.



More tracks like this would have broken up the monotonous slog of heavy guitar tracks that make up the bulk of Wolf's Law, but instead they are buried way in the album and come much too late to offer any sort of color or respite. Throughout the first half of the record, most of the songs end up blurring into each other, perfect background noise actually. Perhaps they will translate better in a huge stadium spectacle, or blasting out of a convertible on a summer's day, but in close quarters it becomes merely generic and overkill. I'm not ready to give up on them yet as the back half of the album attests to their ability to craft more interesting material. I just wish I didn't have to wait until the next record to find out.

Rating Scale:

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 piques 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.

Jam of the Day: Chloe Howl: "Rumour"

Follow up track to her wicked single "No Strings," up and coming pop star Chloe Howl works that Adele-meets-Amy Winehouse voice to the maximum.

Album Review: Dawn Richard - Goldenheart

Dawn Richard
Goldenheart
Rating: Grrrr

After learning that Dawn Richard, former member of Diddy-Dirty Money and Danity Kane, was launching a solo career, I was prepared for more in the same vein of former girl band singers striking out on their own; bland, soulless pop/R&B dreck that would disappear from view as quickly as possible. Despite her rather generic debut album, she soldiered on with a mixtape and a fascinating EP, Armor On, which showed she was more than some generic R&B diva, incorporating elements of EDM, dubstep, and house music into her mix. Her second album Goldenheart is a culmination of all this restless experimentation and is a frequently dazzling 16 song opus on love, viewed from the point of view of battle. Love in her world is not to be taken lightly, something to be strongly and fiercely protected and won; even the quiet moments are hard fought. Throughout this album, the songs run the gamut from traditional pop and R&B through forays into more experimental electronic territory. While not as distinctive as her EP, Goldenheart is a more focused effort that sticks to a more cohesive approach, which may at times seem safe, but ultimately serves her purpose.

From the opening track "Into the Hearts Tonight (Intro)" she repeats "Get ready for war" as a mantra, her voice blazing a trail for the journey ahead. "Return of a Queen" focuses on that wondrous instrument as even the rising tide of electronics cannot overtake her.



Goldenheart moves swiftly from future R&B ("Goliath") and David Guetta/Swedish House Mafia-esque house music ("Riot") before settling in for the amazing mid-section of the record which is the heart and soul of the album. "Gleaux" mixes glittering keyboards, handclaps, and intricate percussion while Richard's voice swoops and swoons around in multi-tracked heaven.



"Pretty Wicked Things" borrows its hook from dubstep, which beautifully matches the hard edged track's view of deception in love.



"Northern Lights" is a bass heavy wonderland of insistent handclaps and Richard's strong as nails voice.



While Richard shows off her soft side with the delicate electronic ballad "Frequency," her voice a soft, enveloping coo.



My one complaint with the record is that it tends to stick to a very muted palate that over the course of the record seems to weigh it down. A little more varoety of tempos might have made the album move at a faster clip. After the brilliant mid-section Goldenheart gets a little bogged down with too many mid-tempo ballads, but when they shine they shine brightly. "'86" is the perfect marriage of dense electronics and Richard's soulful voice,



"Break of Dawn" is a gorgeous, traditional pop/R&B ballad that, if there is a God, should rocket to the top of the charts,



and final and title track "Goldenheart (Outro)" is the odd marriage of Richard's voice and lyrics to Debussy, that is so bat shit crazy it works despite itself, and is one of the most raw and open songs on the record.

While Goldenheart is not the brilliant masterpiece I was expecting after her EP and other singles, it is still a record that cannot be ignored. It is both pop as well as future/forward thinking, adapting to trends but utilizing them for her own ends and not just to throw in for no reason. Along with Solange and Jesse Ware, Richard is reconfiguring what it means to be an independent singer in the modern age. No longer are these lovely voices a slave to record labels and their whims. They are free to be as adventurous as they like, and seeing their success, it is the right way to approach things.

Rating Scale:

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 piques 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.

Video: Grizzly Bear - "Gun-Shy"

Bizarre bodily extractions make up the bulk of this hypnotic video from Grizzly Bear.

Jam of the Day: Ital Tek - "Hyper Real"

Slamming footwork track from Ital Tek, off the EP of the same name. It can be heard via SoundCloud.

Album Review: Local Natives - Hummingbird

Local Natives
Hummingbird
Rating: Woof Daddy

The album cover for Local Natives' sophomore album Hummingbird shows a man desperately clinging to the roof of a building, legs dangling out into the clouds, surrounded by two faceless men who seem unable to help. The image sets the tone for the record, a melancholy and bleak collection of tracks full of doubts, fears, and loneliness. A far cry from the upbeat and joyously goofy debut album Gorilla Manor, Hummingbird comes from a darker place, influenced by the departure of bassist Andy Hamm and the death of singer Kelcey Ayer's mother. The characters that inhabit these songs fear abandonment, live through abusive relationships, suffer crippling self-doubt, essentially being thrown out into the cold world unprotected by the youthful dreams of their counterparts in Gorilla Manor.

Fittingly, this bleaker and more realistic view of the world comes with a more mature musical and production approach. While Gorilla Manor was loose and free and very lo-fi, Hummingbird, produced by The National's Aaron Dessner, amps up things considerably, featuring a clearer and more polished technique, giving these songs breadth and depth not apparent on their debut. It also seems that touring with The National and with Arcade Fire has given the band greater confidence to expand their sound into grander territory.

The difference is apparent from the opening track "You And I" which begins quietly and unassumingly. Ayer's voice playing with falsetto and more texture, borrowing some from Thom Yorke's playbook, portraying the pain of an abusive relationship. The gently ringing guitars rising into a malevolent swirl towards song's end, the lyrics growing bleaker: "All I feel is dark/Had the sun without its warmth/I'm freezing."



Borrowing from The National's intricate sense of rhythm, "Heavy Feet" bounces along a militaristic drum pattern, with trembling guitars and nervous strings over top. The singer looking back at youthful folly in light of new found maturity, singing "What you said I wrote it down/but wont say, wont speak - the same/Maybe I know better than to read more than what's there."



In the most honest and open song they've written so far, Local Natives step into the advanced class with "Columbia," a tender, raw tribute to Ayer's mother. Ayer's voice is heartbreakingly open and honest, worried his mother never knew how he felt about her. His aching words of "If you never knew how much/If you never felt all of of my love/I pray now you do" linger long in your head.



One of the biggest complaints about Local Natives is that they don't transcend their influences. And yes, it is clear they listen to and try to emulate the East Coast experimental folk of Grizzly Bear, the intricate harmonies of Fleet Foxes, the sweep of Arcade Fire, and the stature of The National, but they also have their own personality and original take on said influences. The more personal nature of the lyrics on Hummingbird go far in moving Local Natives into their own territory. From the self doubt of "Breakers" ("Breathing out/Hoping to breathe in /I know nothing's wrong, but I'm not convinced."), desperation to win someone back on "Three Months" ("I keep on calling just to get the machine."), to the fear of death in "Black Spot" ("And if I didn't know to be afraid/the faces made me sure that I do now."), these are heady adult themes that are a far cry from the youthful exuberance of their earlier work.

Hummingbird is such a huge leap forward from Gorilla Manor it might as well be the work of a different band. Lyrically intimate yet musically adventurous and expansive, these tracks soar when they should and pull you deep inside when necessary. While it is not quite a masterpiece, I liken it to Grizzly Bear's Yellow House, in that it marks a definitive shift towards marking one's own territory. Whether or not their next album is a Veckatimest remains to be seen. But I will be definitely anticipating it.

Rating Scale:

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 piques 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.

Video: The Knife - "Full Of Fire" (NSFW)

Here is the first taste from the upcoming album from The Knife, Shaking The Habitual. The almost 10 minute track gets a suitably bizarre short film full of bondage, odd juxtapositions, and eerie street tableaux. Enjoy.

Jam of the Day: Huoratron - "Bug Party"

Nothing like some Finnish EBM to get the weekend started off right. Plus, he's hot.

Videos of the Week

Short week that felt very very long. Here are the videos that made me sit up and beg:



Interesting take on the live performance video.



New song and video from the upcoming sophomore album from Iceage.



Hypnotic video from froggy-voiced crooner King Krule.



Discoey track from Swedish new wavers Shout Out Louds.



Another frenetic video for Crystal Castles.



Fun remix and even more fun video.

Jam of the Day: Local Natives - "You And I"

Gorgeous opening track off their second album Hummingbird.

Classic Jam: Ride - "Leave Them All Behind"

This song has been stuck in my head all morning. So epic.

Video: Foals - "My Number"

I am really liking the first single from the upcoming Foals album Holy Fire.

Jam of the Day: Disclosure ft. AlunaGeorge - "White Noise"

Sassy collaboration between London duos Disclosure and AlunaGeorge.

Album Review: Everything Everything - Arc

Everything Everything
Arc
Rating: Grrrr

Manchester quartet Everything Everything debuted in 2010 with Man Alive, a quirky pop record that entranced as many people as it put off. Over sputtering rhythms and whiplash time changes, the band sped through almost every genre imaginable, anchored by Jonathan Higgs' squalling falsetto, which has the ability to both offend and transfix. For me, it was a mixed bag. Even during one song it could swing wildly between both extremes annoying me to no end. With their sophomore album Arc I was expecting more of the same, however, like Wild Beasts movement from their first baroquely over-the-top first record to the more subtle and sublime Two Dancers, Everything Everything have toned their worst qualities down and have come back with a more mature, but still distinctive record. Arc moves cleanly through more angular, jittery songs and beautifully realized ballads and more textural numbers. Higgs' voice, which when reigned in is gorgeous, still has a tendency to reach for high notes that can border on screeching, but for the most part he keeps it in check.

Arc rushes out of the gates with two prototypical Everything Everything tracks, the stuttering, percussion fueled "Cough Cough" and the battling harmonies and swirling melodies of "Kemosabe,"



but hangs a sharp left for the first time with the more intimate and complex "Torso of the Week" which trades the off-kilter rhythms for a more subdued palate.



The album soars when it hits these more somber, contemplative moments. From the aching heart of "Choice Mountain," the mournful strains of "The House Is Dust,"



to the delicate, piano-led ballad "The Peaks," these more intimate moments are the heart and soul of the record and bring it to the point of brilliance. This is not to say that the other, more boisterous tracks are somehow inferior. Their impact is actually sharpened due to the more varied array of tracks and tempos. "Feet For Hands" pulsates under hard-driving drums, bouncy synths, and strident acoustic guitars, "Undrowned" uses calliope-esque keyboards as a base to build the track into a battle of interlocking guitars and Higgs' ever panicked voice,



while the majestic skyscraping synths and guitars of album highlight "Radiant" showcase the band's reach and power.



Arc is a monster leap ahead in confidence and ability for the Manchester band. It is not going to be an album for everyone though, as Higgs' voice is still a little to divisive to truly win over a lot of people. I liked that he reeled it in a little this go around, while still adding his distinctive falsetto throughout. The trick is for him to reach that perfect balance between the two. Based on Arc, they are definitely heading in the right direction.

Rating Scale:

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 piques 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.

Jam of the Day: The Pass - "Without Warning"

Technicolor synth-heavy rocker that is just damn catchy.

Album Review: Burial - Truant/Rough Sleeper

Burial
Truant/Rough Sleeper
Rating: Grrrr

Ever since his landmark album Untrue, William Bevan, a.k.a. Burial, has blazed his own trail, refusing to do anything by the numbers. Instead of following up with another full length album, Bevan has been slowly releasing EPs and singles, and collaborating with artists like Four Tet and Thom Yorke, taking his signature sound and subtly tweaking it. There are never any huge leaps into differing genres, his music is always distinctly Burial-sounding, but there is a greater focus on expanding and fleshing out his sound. On last year's Kindred EP, he basically created a suite of music from three tracks, two of which were well over 10 minutes in length, and moved effortlessly through many emotional highs and lows. Returning only 10 months later with the Truant/Rough Sleeper single, Bevan again plays with length, each of the tracks going over the 10 minute mark. These tracks, however, are fiercely experimental never staying long in one mood, not afraid to be ugly or harsh or off-putting.



Truant starts off as the most "Burial" sounding track. A shuffling beat, distant vocal samples, chimes, and lonely synth washes are unmistakably Bevan. About two minutes in, the vocal sample gets clearer, hauntingly crying out "I fell in love with you," while the beat slightly changes and harsh blasts of white noise interrupt the beauty. A full stop almost changes the track entirely, a ominous bassline creeps up while interesting clicks and background noises fight for dominance. Throughout the runtime, the track is unafraid to fold in on itself, strike in a different direction, then pull back into a former theme or motif. It's Bevan keeping the listener active in the process of listening. Not content to be mere wallpaper, you are constantly forced to reexamine the track and what it means. By the final two minutes of "Truant" the track is barely recognizable from the beginning, moving defiantly towards harshness, the clattering percussion, rumbling synths, and deep jazz bass line a far cry from the lonely ambiance of the first half. The track ends abruptly, segueing into the 14 minute "Rough Sleeper."



Again, starting on a low key note, "Rough Sleeper" rides along a lonely organ melody, the delicate two step beat prodding it along. Again, Bevan uses more interesting background noises: disjointed sax samples, brutally chopped up vocals, a penchant for dropping the track out entirely. And again, morphs and wraps the track around on itself. While this disjointedness can be antagonistic at times, there always is a method to Bevan's madness. The middle portion of the track is perhaps some of the most breathtaking music he has ever produced. The beat becomes more insistent, vocal samples marry perfect to the mix of subtle electronics and rising chimes, with all the other disparate elements from before coming together. The back portion of the track again changes course, the beats dropping out momentarily before a new synth melody arises and a choppier two step beat emerges through the fog. Just as you are lulled into the track the programming becomes more frenzied, a white noise threatening to overwhelm before the track cuts out abruptly.

Truant/Rough Sleeper has almost too much going on throughout its 25 minutes, but somehow Bevan keeps everything in place. It's admirable that he chose not to remake Untrue over and over again, putting out music when he wants and as he wants. At this point, I am not concerned that he has yet to put a full length out. His ability to convey so much with his longer form singles just adds more depth to his catalog, and if he continues in this vein, it will be enough for me.

Rating Scale:

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 piques 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.

Video: Crystal Castles - "Sad Eyes"

Dark, VHS-esque video of Crystal Castles performing live. Love this track.

Jam of the Day: Dawn Richard - "Pretty Wicked Things"

While not as sonically adventurous as her recent EPs, Dawn Richard's new album GoldenHeart is a slow building burner. "Pretty Wicked Things" is a perfect example of a track that starts in a low key manner then reaches for the stars. She is one to look out for this year.

Videos of the Week

Here are the videos that got me through this cold, rainy, gray, gloomy week:



Fun song and video from Santigold's contribution to the Girls TV show.



Goofy dancemoves highlights this track from Dutch Uncles.



Fun live video from Parquet Courts.



Brilliant song off his new album Grace/Confusion gets a oddly disconcerting video.



Strange dancing on a hillside.



Fuzzy, black and white clip perfectly suits this track.

Concert Watch: Young Magic - "You With Air"

I am excited to see Young Magic open for Purity Ring tonight.

Jam of the Day: FaltyDL - "Stay I'm Changed"

From his upcoming album HardCourage, FaltyDL offers up this slab of retro-techno.

Concert Watch: Purity Ring - "Saltkin"

Thrilled to get to see them tonight. From my favorite album of 2012, Shrines, this is my favorite track.

Jam of the Day: Fyfe - "Solace"

23-year old artist from London whose debut EP comes out in March. That is all we know about this guy as of now, but his debut single pairs his lovely voice with delicate The xx-like guitar, subtle electronics, and percussion.

Album Review: Toro Y Moi - Anything In Return

Toro Y Moi
Anything In Return
Rating: Grrrr

Emerging in 2010 at the height of the chillwave movement, Chazwick Bundick, AKA Toro Y Moi, flaunted his production skills on his memorable debut, Causers Of This. As chillwave morphed from a movement to a punchline, Chaz switched gears on 2011's Underneath The Pine, moving towards a more structured pop song format, which for me muddied his sound and was particularly wan and unsatisfying. So, for his latest record Anything In Return, I wasn't expecting much other than more of the same. Luckily, I was impressed, as Chaz took the best parts of both his records, added a little more 70s funk and R&B vibe to the mix, and has created, while perhaps not his most defining moment, his best record so far.

Bundick eases into the record with the low key intro "Harm In Change," which rises from found samples, rolls of echoed piano chords, and washes of synths, building into a fairly dense track. Which sets things up for a stretch of some seriously catchy pop tracks. From the dreamy keyboard funk of "Say That,"



first single and album standout "So Many Details" which is a texturally rich R&B track which folds and unfolds on itself in interesting ways,



the haunting vocals and piano chords of "Cola" which are underscored by buzzy synths, and to the particularly brilliant track "Grown Up Calls" with its funk keyboards and insistent vocal from Bundick building into a frenzied mesh of keyboards of space lounge percussion, Bundick hits the ball out of the park more often than not.

The criticisms with the record mainly stem from the fact that there is a general mood to the album, and over the long haul some of the tracks tend to blend into each other. And several of the tracks tend to play out like unfinished sketches, like the meandering instrumental "Rose Quartz," slightly dirge-like "High Living," and bland "Cake" which relies too much on slightly irritating synth runs.

But when you think he is getting off the rails, he always finds a way to bring things back in focus, such as on the sunny, bouncy 80s funk of "Never Matter" or the hip-hop inflected "How's It Wrong."



For me,Anything In Return is a huge leap forward from Underneath the Pines, really focusing on his two disparate interests and finding a way to merge the two into someone cohesive and moving. While it is not a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, it is by far his best and most interesting work, and paves the way for even better things to come.

Rating Scale:

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 piques 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.

Concert Watch: Bloc Party - "Helicopter"

Going to see Bloc Party tonight at The Tabernacle. Strangely enough, this is the first time I am seeing them. Very excited.

Video: Katy B - "Got Paid"

Oh well, my paycheck went down today because of the return to the old payroll tax plan, so there was a bit of a bite; but I still got paid. Love this song and its fun vibe.

Jam of the Day: Low - "Just Make It Stop"

Gorgeous harmonies highlight this stunning track from Low's upcoming album The Invisible Way.

Album Review: Beach Fossils - Clash The Truth

Beach Fossils
Clash The Truth
Rating: Grrrr

Beach Fossils started out as the solo bedroom recording project for Dustin Payseur. 2010's self-titled album was a likable collection of lo-fi jangle pop which also had them corralled with other up and coming bands like The Drums, Surfer Blood, and Best Coast. For their second album Clash The Truth, the major changes are there is a full band now, and there was obviously a much larger production budget. Where the first album had a very ramshackle charm to it, there was definitely the need to punch things up a little bit. From the opening ringing guitar lines of the title track, there is a noticeable muscularity to the album that was not apparent on the debut, though in reality there is really not much that different between the records. It is still a bright collection of shimmering jangle pop but the new focus and clarity makes it sound light years ahead.

The majority of tracks are barn-burning guitar tracks with insistent rhythms, chugging basslines, and washes of crystalline guitar lines. From the restless "Generational Synthetic,"



to the dense squall of "Careless' which has a lovely Smithsian breakdown in the middle,



and through to closing track "Crashed Out" with its bright guitar through lines,



Clash The Truth is emboldened by a richness and attention to detail that makes you immediately want to listen to the record again. The album thankfully is not one note, and there are many tracks that slow things down and put more focus on texture and mood. "Sleep Apnea" has a lovely, shambling quality to it, adding keyboards for mood.



Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead adds her subtle coo to the track "In Vertigo" and it merges well with Payseur's mumble.



And there are even times for ambient interludes, like the gorgeous synth washes of "Brighter" and lovely shoegaze haze of "Ascension."



Clash The Truth is another one of those records that is not original or experimental in any way, but somehow still finds a way to speak to me. The melodies are so sparkling and bright, they find a way into your blood and won't release themselves. You just have to give up and give in to their charm.

Rating Scale:

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 piques 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.

New: Santigold - "Girls"

Song made for the HBO series Girls. Killer track.

Jam of the Day: Everything Everything - "Torso of the Week"

Off-kilter pop track from the UK band. Off their upcoming second album Arc.

Album Review: Big Boi - Vicious Lies And Dangerous Rumors

Big Boi
Vicious Lies And Dangerous Rumors
Rating: Grrrr

While we continue to await any new material from Outkast, which seems to be a more diminishing position with each new year, we are at least still able to enjoy the output from Big Boi. My appreciation for Big Boi came to the forefront with the release of Speakboxxx/The Love Below, which essentially was two solo albums thrown together as a double album. While I thought I would be more drawn to Andre 3000's half of the record, I was blown away by how fun and inventive Big Boi's was. My respect for Big Boi was further cemented with his first official solo record, 2010's Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty, which was one of my top albums of that year. A stunning collection of Southern leaning hip-hop, there was a restless inventiveness and experimentation to the tracks that kept you on your toes. There isn't a huge leap forward in style or form on the follow up Vicious Lies And Dangerous Rumors, however, it does appear that Big Boi is leaning away from more traditional sounds and embracing his indie/electronic side, aligning himself with collaborations on multiple tracks with Little Dragon and Phantogram.

In fact, it is these oddball collaborations that really standout and take the record to another level. On paper, they sound like a mess, and in many cases are a mess, but are so different and interesting they keep you wanting more. My favorite tracks on the record are the collaborations with Phantogram. Their quirky electro-pop complements Big Boi perfectly, even though in theory it feels like it would be a mess. "Objectum Sexuality" has a fun bounce and playfulness to it, Big Boi spitting out his raps with humor and sass, while Sarah Barthel's gorgeous, bored-with-it-all chorus refrains adds needed contrast and texture.



"CPU" buzzes and growls with deep bass synths and keyboards over a chugging beat, with a gorgeous coda. Again, Barthel's voice adds needed counterpoint to Big Boi's flow.



And their additional collaboration with A$AP Rocky on "Lines" is another album standout, featuring a laid back beat amid whirring sythns, picking up on the chorus with bold piano chords. The mix of vocal styles between Rocky, Big Boi, and Barthel is surprisingly fluid.



Everyones' go-to collaborator these days, Little Dragon, offers up two unique tracks with Big Boi. The deep rumble of "Thom Pettie,"



and the delicate closing ballad of "Descending."



There is a very low-key somberness to a lot of the record that I wasn't expecting, and a greater willingness to open himself up to more personal subjects. "Tremendous Damage" is a lovely piano ballad about the death of his father,



and "She Hates Me" which details the ending of a relationship due to his personal faults.



Of course, there are still a lot of fun tracks on the record that keep the right amount of levity to the proceedings. The bouncy and light "Apple of My Eye,"



"Shoes For Running" adds an indie guitar vibe with a cool chorus from Wavves,



and his pop collaboration with Kelly Rowland, "Mama Told Me," steals from Prince's "When Doves Cry" and adds more sass and glitter to things.



Vicious Lies And Dangerous Rumors can appear scattershot at times and lacking the cohesiveness of Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty, but over many listens its charm and quirkiness take root and overwhelm any minor criticisms. I for one hope that Big Boi continues doing exactly what he is doing, taking whatever music is making him happy at the moment and merging it with his unique personal style.

Rating Scale:

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 piques 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.

New: Justin Timberlake Ft. Jay-Z - "Suit and Tie"

New track from Justin Timberlake featuring Jay-Z and produced by Timbaland starts off very unassumingly until about the one minute mark when it takes off into slick R&B territory. It can be listened to here at Justin Timberlake's website and downloaded off iTunes. It is off the upcoming album The 20/20 Experience which as of today has no release date.

Jam of the Day: Mikky Ekko - "Pull Me Down (Ryan Hemsworth Remix)"

The original is amazing, and this remix complements it well.

Jam of the Day: Miguel - "Don't Look Back"

Gorgeous track off his album Kaleidoscope Dream, which I am just now coming to appreciate.

Jam of the Day: Starkey - "Distant Star"

Interesting mix of techno, trance, and UK bass from the masterful Starkey.

Album Review: A$AP Rocky - Long.Live.A$AP

A$AP Rocky
Long.Live.A$AP
Rating: Grrrr

New York rapper A$AP Rocky has been riding a huge wave of hype ever since he released his initial mixtape Live.Love.A$AP and snagged a monstrous $3 million deal from RCA records. For whatever reasons, his debut studio album was pushed back several times leading many people to assume RCA wasn't pleased with the results and now have dumped the release into that purgatorial beginning of the year period. I didn't have high hopes for the record either, but it is actually a very solid debut album from a rapper that knows his strengths and weaknesses and, for the most part, leans towards said strengths.

First and foremost, A$AP surrounds himself with top-notch producers that provide him with some of the most interesting and atmospheric backing tracks for his raps. While his mixtape basically highlighted his work with Clams Casino, who is featured on two tracks here, he ventures out to utilize Hit-Boy, Skrillex, Lord Flacko, and T-Minus to provide more diversity while still putting together a cohesive group of tracks. Clams Casino provides what is basically the signature A$AP sound on "LVL" with off-kilter beats and dreamy, shoegazey textures for his low-key flow, which interestingly enough lets go in sections for some pretty rapid-fire lines.



He also lends his deft touch to A$AP's collaboration with Santigold, creating a lush dub-influenced bed on "Hell" for the two to bounce back and forth on.



For the most part, his other collaborations are also highlights of the album. "Fuckin' Problems" with Drake, 2 Chainz, and Kendrick Lamar snaps and crackles with tight interplay between the rappers over crisp beats and buzzing synths.



"1 Train" is 6 minutes of brilliant back and forth between A$AP and Kendrick Lamar, Joey Bada$$, Yelawolf, Action Bronson, Danny Brown, and Big K.R.I.T.



Even his collaboration with Skrillex on "Wild For The Night," which on paper sounds dreadful, is a surprisingly fun and relatively subtle track, with Skrillex' signature bass overload used to punctuate the track rather than override it.



Of course there are always the criticisms that A$AP's raps are not substantive enough, sticking to the usual sex, money, women, weed subjects without adding much in the way of personal revelations, and yes, it is a valid criticism. However, the production of the record and the attitude and swagger on the tracks elevate things beyond these petty gripes. "Long Live A$AP" is all skittering beats and ominous bass drones with A$AP bragging over the dense swirl of sound.



"Goldie" is a head-bouncing jam with a throbbing bassline and pulsating beat.



And perhaps his signature track "PMW (All I Really Need)" is basically his manifesto and mantra, its blunted flow the perfect bed for his interplay with Schoolboy Q.



Despite the long delay in coming and the assumed record label issues with it, Long.Live.A$AP is a very strong debut for A$AP, which capitalizes on the promise of his debut without going to far away from what makes A$AP so distinctive. Few mainstream rappers are so willing to marry their rhymes to more avant-garde/alternative productions that A$AP, despite the criticisms he receives, stands out well ahead of the pack.

Rating Scale:

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 piques 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.

Video: Mikky Ekko - "Pull Me Down"

Gorgeous track produced by Clams Casino.

Jam of the Day: Iceage - "Coalition"

More blistering post-punk from the Danish band.

Album Review: Nosaj Thing - Home

Nosaj Thing
Home
Rating: Woof Daddy

Jason Chung, otherwise known as Nosaj Thing, initially was lumped into the LA beat scene alongside artists like Flying Lotus. While there was a similar quality to that scene, Nosaj Thing's debut album Drift was more minimal and ominous, finding comparisons with the burgeoning UK bass music explosion more apt. While I was preparing to listen to his follow up Home, I returned to Drift and was amazed at the differences between the two records. Not to say that the records are not noticeably from the same artist, but the approaches are so different, as if attacked from two widely divergent angles. Drift is paranoid, edgy, and slightly leaning towards being cold, whereas Home is more warm and analog based, ambient, and ethereal. Chung has stated that Home is a very personal record to him, that he made it only for him, and there seems to be a very lonely, melancholy vibe throughout the record which, while seemingly personal, also has a universal quality to it where you can easily assign your own emotions and feelings to the tracks.

On Home, Chung really stretches himself to morph his sound in different ways, choosing to be less oblique and more direct. He even adds collaborators to the mix for the first time, and hits the ball out of the park. On "Eclipse/Blue," Blonde Redhead's Kazu Makino lends her sultry, breathy vocals to the insistent beat and backwards flowing keyboards, creating an emotional heart to the record.



His other collaboration is with Toro Y Moi (a.k.a. Chazwick Bundick), the former beat maker turned retro-funk stylist, on the soft analog bubblebath of "Try." Burbling electronics ache and swoon over Bundick's achingly tender coos.



Of course, the main focus on the record is on the instrumentals, and each one here is full of interesting textures, melodies, and moments that all coalesce into a gorgeous whole. From the opening haze of title track "Home" with its clicking beats and dreamland keyboards,



to "Snap" with its woozy, stuttering beats and buzzing synths,



and the brilliant closing of "Light #3" where everything comes to a head, the fractured electronics and nervous beats are brought together by tender washes of synths, Home is constantly shifting and forcing you to listen deeply to the sounds.



The complaints I can see with the record are that it is merely background music and too quiet. It is definitely a headphones record, where you can immerse yourself in its pristine world. It is not a dense record, but there is a lot going on within these soundscapes. You can easily lose yourself in these elegantly melancholic compositions. The haunted strains of "Safe" whose subtle electronics are buffeted by ghostly sighs.



"Distance" combines muted two-step drum programming with Boards of Canada-esque melodies.



While "Prelude" sounds easily like Erik Satie returned from the grave and embraced electronic composition.



I've been completely immersed in this wonderful record and rarely have it off. There is something very inviting and warm about Home that keeps pulling me in, even though a lot of the tracks have a slightly somber feel to them. While Drift impressed with its production wizardry, Home takes things a step further by engaging the heart as well as the mind.

Rating Scale:

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 piques 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.

Video: Pale - "Too Much"

Amazing video for a subtle electronic jam. Love it.

Jam of the Day: A$AP Rocky - "PMW (All I Need)"

Love this blunted track.

Album Review: Memory Tapes - Grace/Confusion

Memory Tapes
Grace/Confusion
Rating: Grrrr

Returning quickly with a new record, Memory Tapes, a.k.a. Dayve Hawk, appears to be trying to do damage control after his second record, 2011's Player Piano seemed to stall his forward progression. 2009's Seek Magic was one of those records that came out of nowhere to bewitch and beguile, taking dance-pop to new levels with a focus on dreamy guitar and synth textures, using lengthy run times to completely bathe the listener in washes of ethereal gorgeousness. 2011's Player Piano made the mistake of trying to corral these meanderings into more traditional song structures, muting the impact that the tracks could have had. While it was not a disastrous record, it just didn't play to his obvious strengths, and left me wanting. In interviews, Hawk has mentioned that Grace/Confusion would return to longer song structures and be messier and more experimental. While this is true in theory, the record is actually more of a mix of both his records, featuring a little more structure to his usual wanderlust. While it still pales in comparison to the effortless nature of Seek Magic, it is definitely a huge step back on track.

With the shortest track coming in just over 5 minutes long, there is not a lot of succinctness here. There is a nice balance though between more traditional song structures and Hawk's penchant for lazily follow his own path. Opener "Neighborhood Watch" starts off in a dreamy haze before lifting off with a rising tide of keyboards and insistent guitars, and closing out with a lengthy, almost-psychedelic coda.



Two of the lengthier tracks really showcase Hawk's uncanny knack for blending different moods into a seamless whole. "Safety" strikes out from a muted beginning into a lightly funked up synth pop jam, morphing halfway through touching on guitar drone, dream pop, and shoegaze before circling back.



"Sheila," which despite its almost 9 minute run time could be the album's one "single" takes its time from its shambling opening, into a New Order-esque synth workout, climbing into more prog-guitar territory.



The more traditional tracks still offer lots of interesting textures and sounds in them, but on a more economical scale, from "Follow Me"'s mooning keyboards and aching vocals, "Thru the Field"'s dream pop romanticism, and the stunning eruption of synth percussion at the end of the mournful "Let Me Be." All of these tracks combine into a deliriously varied and inviting record. While it really doesn't advance his aesthetic much from Seek Magic, it appears more of a way to regain his momentum from the misstep that was Player Piano. When the music is this fun and engaging, however, I don't particularly mind an artist playing to their strengths again.

Rating Scale:

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 piques 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.