Jam of the Day: Toro y Moi - "Laws of the Universe"

So what? I can post as many songs from Outer Peace that I want. If this song doesn't make your booty shake involuntarily, I don't have any need to be your friend.

Jam of the Day: Toro y Moi - "Who Am I?"

Fun dance track from Toro y Moi's really cool new record Outer Peace.

Jam of the Day: Toro Y Moi - "Empty Nesters"

Groovy track from Toro Y Moi's upcoming record What For?

Non-Sequiturs

I have probably posted this guy's pic 10 times on here, but there is just something so damn sexy about him.  I can't help it.

That is a nice ass.

Cowboy daddy.

Ginger beard.

Drool.

Love his eyes and lips.

Woof.

UNF.

Sometimes smooth can be sexy.

SBJ.

Hot belly.

Sea of silver fur.

So cute.

Love all that fur.

I just want to cuddle up with him.

Out of the set of pics of this guy, this was the only one that was PG.   As for the other pics, all I have to say is YUM.

That stomach.

Killing. Me.

Ditto.

So much fur to plunder.

Gar daddy.

All couples have their own demons, even couples who seem infallible.

I have no problem calling your ass out if you leave a bathroom without washing your hands.

It's amazing how better you get treated by people when you wear a suit.

If you have to qualify a friend's behavior every time with the phrase ".....but that's just ____________," then they really aren't a good friend.

Cynicism in a twenty-something is very unappealing.

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

For some of my friends.

When someone says "will do," they really mean, "it ain't ever going to happen."

My new favorite word is murmuration.

It really shouldn't be this difficult to get approval for my CLEs.

Customer service is a dying art.

I never cared for applesauce as a child, and now that I am eating it as part of my trainer-approved diet, I can say I really don't like it that much as an adult.

Although I do miss writing album reviews, I like that my blog is solely focused more on promoting artists I love.

Cat horror movie poster.

Sometimes things just fall apart, and there is nothing you can do to put them back together again.

I wonder how many places I have already visited for the last time.

I just got Purity Ring's new album Another Eternity and I am almost scared to listen to it.  Their first album Shrines was my top album a couple of years ago and set such a high bar that I am not sure they will able to live up to my expectations.

Of course, I listened to it and it is fantastic.

I do not believe in having weekly meetings when there is nothing specific to discuss.

Cruising is a dying art.

No, you can't twist my nipple piercings.

If I had to do sales in order to earn a living, I would likely starve to death.

Mars is populated solely by robots.

I am getting hit on all the time by really young guys. It is flattering, but makes me completely uncomfortable.

I have no desire to watch any reality television shows.

I dislike being given a project where I have to wait on someone else's work in order to start my work.

25 new Madonna tracks is a lot of Madonna for one sitting.  With that said, Rebel Heart is frequently a very good album.  There are many lyrical references to her classics songs littered throughout, which gives the record a very wistful tone.

Your cute for the day.

Lyrics Rattling Around My Brain

"You were young and you'd start
With a reverence incurred
There was an echo far and faint
Beneath the air remained
You were young and you'd stare
Where my limbs hung far and fair
Make a ladder of what folds and climb up in me

You push and you pull and you tell yourself no
It's like when you lie down, the vein's growing slow
You push and you pull but you would never know
I crept up in you and I wouldn't let go

There was no light and I swear
I could see a rearing fear
I heard the planes moaning back
I saw the thunder roll or black
There was no light and I swear
We sat still in our fear
Make a ladder of what folds and climb up in me

You push and you pull and you tell yourself no
It's like when you lie down, the vein's growing slow
You push and you pull but you would never know
I crept up in you and I wouldn't let go."

Purity Ring
"Push Pull"

"Selling out
Is not my thing
Walk away
I won't be broken again
I'm not
I'm not what you think

Dream away your life
Someone else's dream
Nothing equals nothing

Letting go
Is not my thing
Walk away
Won't let it happen again
I'm not
I'm not very smart

Why should I feel sad
For what I never had
Nothing equals nothing

Turn to stone
Lose my faith
I'll be gone
Before it happens."

Madonna
"Gone"

Appealing Things

Finally getting my firm website picture taken
Purity Ring's Another Eternity
Toro Y Moi's new record What For?
Not having snow
Finally getting somewhat of a handle on the issues in the case I am on


Annoying Things

Bug chasers
Self-congratulatory FB posts
People who are opinionated, but are not informed

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.

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.

Porcelain Raft: Strange Weekend - Album Review

Porcelain Raft
Strange Weekend
Rating: Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It

London by way of Rome singer/songwriter/musician Mauro Remiddi has trafficked in many musical areas; composing music for films, providing backing music for the tap dance show 'Vaudeville 2000', been in two bands (Three Blind Mice and Sunny Day Sets Fire), and now releases his debut album as Porcelain Raft, Strange Weekend. Based on some singles I had heard, and the general buzz I was getting about this release, I was really expecting a more dark take on chillwave or Balearic pop. My first few listens of Strange Weekend sort of struck an odd chord with me. There was a slightly disjointed flow to the record that kept me at arms length for the longest time, and it wasn't until after many listens where the charm of the record took hold. While the biggest touchstones are likely chillwave bands like Washed Out and Toro Y Moi, Porcelain Raft doesn't settle into any one groove throughout the album. In fact, the more closer touchstone would be dream pop bands like Beach House, who create patchworks of gauzy analog synths and hazy guitars. Remiddi's startlingly androgynous voice is another key point to the album, it being somewhat impossible at times to tell whether the voice is male or female, to the point, at first, I thought there were two singers.

The best tracks on the album mine the dream pop aspect, floating on sparkling synths, fuzzy guitars, languid vocals, and primitive sounding drum programming. "Drifting In And Out" sets the scene beautifully in a rush of airy keyboards and Remeddi's strange, lilting voice.



"Put Me To Sleep," rises from a fog of drifting synths and guitars, getting more and more insistent, building into a dense tower of sound. Guitars getting twisted and turned, the drums reaching a martial furor.



"Unless You Speak From Your Heart" could almost be a lost track from Beach House, with its chorus of analog synths and calliope-like rhythm. The song is such a quirky, inventive pop song, its charms are difficult to resist.



The remainder of the album is a mix of half-acoustic numbers like "Shapeless & Gone," "Picture," and "The Way In" that tend to bring the flow of the record to a halt. Not that they are not lovely songs and show a softer side to his work, they lacked the adventurousness and quirkiness of the more upbeat tracks.



Working better are tracks such as "Backwords" which use the acoustic backing as a base, but transcends the limitations into something starkly beautiful and haunting. The subtle electronic haze creates just the right hints of melancholy, bursting forth like a flash of light for the chorus.



"The End of Silence" brings to mind the nostalgic reveries of Youth Lagoon, vocals buried deep in the mix over a heavy mist of gentle synths and fuzzed guitars.



Strange Weekend is a very promising debut that stuck a chord with me, especially when Remuddi allowed his creativity to really shine through, balancing his more eclectic side with the pop side. That tension creates some wonderful tracks on here. But when the balance is off, you get either too quirky, or practically unmemorable, and thus the flow suffers. Given a little more time and patience, he is bound to release a classic album soon.

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 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

Neon Indian: Era Extrana - Album Review

Neon Indian
Era Extrana
Rating: Grrrr

Hopefully this will be the last review where I type the word chillwave, as it is a very short-lived genre that a lot of slightly similar acts were lumped into, ostensibly because they didn't fit anywhere else. Most of the artists that were thrown into the chillwave bag (Toro Y Moi, Washed Out, Memory Tapes) have since moved on to different sounds, seemingly in an effort to distance themselves from what is perceived as a negative connotation with the genre. Initially, Neon Indian (led by Alan Palomo) was one of the leading bands of the chillwave movement. His first album Psychic Chasms was on many best of lists, but for me, I felt its neo-psychedelica overshadowed the songwriting and made for a disjointed listening experience. When Era Extrana came out, I was reluctant to give it a try, based on my aversion to the first album. Of course, curiosity got the best of me, and now I really can't seem to stop playing it. This album is much more structured than Psychic Chasms, which is likely to the detriment of fans of that record. Apparently this is a concept record about a breakup, which I assume is tied in with a futuristic theme. The music on the record echoes this theme of a breakup, with most of the sounds played on analog synths that feel like they were picked up in an electronics graveyard, each note fighting through decay. Another interesting side note, as I reviewed the new M83 record yesterday, this album actually sounds more like what the new M83 record should have been. The music, though slightly decayed sounding, is warm, funky and inviting; with none of the chilliness and roteness of the M83 record.

The album is basically broken down into 3 parts with short instrumental breaks in-between, taking the listener on a journey through a breakup as it is occurring. Lead single "Polish Girl" (fitted with a stylish video) is a gorgeous slab of funky synth pop, with bleeping 8 bit electronics flooding the mix, Palomo wondering of his ex "Do I still cross your mind. Your face still distorts the time."



"The Blindside Kiss" borrows from Jesus and Mary Chain's fuzzed out guitar bliss, creating a gritty, dream pop classic.

Neon Indian - Blindside Kiss by neonindianiilove

"Hex Girlfriend" makes heavy use of whooshing synths and warm analog buzzing, sounding like a poppier New Order.



Two great later tracks really show how Palomo is stretching his sound and also working harder on his songwriting. Where Psychic Chasms felt more like it was all about the bizarre keyboards and sounds, this album is definitely his attempts at making a great pop record, albeit a very odd pop record.

"Future Sick" is what Prince would sound like if crossed with Kraftwerk.

Neon Indian - Album: Era Extraña by neonindianiilove

"Arcade Blues," aside from some abrasive vocal percussive effects, is probably the most radio friendly track on the album. I love the intense hook in the chorus.

Neon Indian - Album: Era Extraña by neonindianiilove

There are only a few hints of Palomo's chillwave past. The dreamy, lazy grooves of "Fallout" are pure chillwave bliss, as are the future pop-isms of "Halogen (I Could Be A Shadow)" with its lush analog bed of synths and breathy vocals.

Neon Indian - Album: Era Extraña by neonindianiilove

Era Extrana is a confident step forward for Neon Indian, moving away from chillwave and focusing on more pure songcraft rather than just interesting sounds. It's a dense record, bursting at the seams with really great ideas. While many fans of Psychic Chasms will bemoan the fact this record is not as distinctive and quirky, there is a lot to love here, and is well worth the investment.


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.

Washed Out: Within And Without

Washed Out
Within And Without
Rating: Meh

Ernest Greene, who performs under the Washed Out moniker, is a laptop producer who creates blissed out chillwave music from his rural Georgia home, about the most unlikely place you could think this kind of music would originate. Over the course of two EPs, Greene created a unique set of tracks that took vintage sounding keyboards and drum machines and molded new, sunny life out of them. It is basically impossible to listen to those tracks without getting a warm sensation flowing through your body. With the backlash against the chillwave genre, it was unclear what direction Greene would head in; would he change 180 degrees like Toro Y Moi, or subtly alter his sound like Memory Tapes? With his debut full length Within And Without, the answer is neither. He basically sticks to his same template, but brought Animal Collective producer Ben Allen to man the boards, brushing and shining the ramshackle nature of his earlier tracks into a buff sheen. Consequently, there are two effects on his sound: one, the album sounds great, full of depth and an expansiveness that wasn't there before; and two, this also, most likely unintended, gives the album a rather one-note quality. Individually, the tracks are all gorgeous and shimmering, creating a wonderful, relaxing backdrop, however, together it is difficult to tell them each apart, flowing in and out of each other with little distinction. Oddly, almost every track adheres to the same BPM and drum track, making this problem worse.

The album starts on a high note, with the lush atmospherics and treated guitars of "Eyes Be Closed," feeling akin to the opening track to The Cure's Disintegration, the song ebbing and flowing on a rising sea of building chords.



And this template serves them well when they stick to a dreamier, more upbeat sound. "Amor Fati" has a lovely, almost Caribbean lilt, which leads to a swirling, gauzy chorus.



"Before" starts out well on a bed of whirring synths, and uses some interesting vocal sampling as counterpoint to the hazy vocals.



But far too many tracks drag through somber trappings, never rising above a bland texture. It also doesn't help that Greene, whose voice is respectable but not amazing, covers most of his vocals in reverb and other effects. The majority of tracks sound like he is singing from deep in a well. "Far Away" has his vocals barely reaching a murmur.



Adult Swim single "You And I" is similarly morose and blue, with Greene's vocals a formless moan, which is further dragged down by the turgid beats.



The title track takes a light, hip-hop beat and pairs it will glacial synth washes, fading into aural wallpaper.



The final track, "A Dedication," finally emerges from the pea soup torpur of the album and injects some much needed variety and texture; adding pianos and spikes of keyboard atmospherics.



Within And Without is an album I really want to love. There are some great tracks on it and the production is impeccable, it is just like a Big Mac sandwich though, something I crave once every six months or so, then right after I have it is instantly gone from my memory until six months later. There really is nothing wrong with the record, it just doesn't leave a lasting impression. The tracks end up being too similar and fade into the background. I wish there had been more of the thrift store odd nature of his earlier EPs in order to provide some distinction between tracks. Unfortunately, what we are left with is a pleasant, but unmemorable experience.

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.

Memory Tapes: Player Piano

Memory Tapes
Player Piano
Rating: Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It

As a genre, chillwave had a very short shelf-life. There is really only so much you can do with a blissed out, sunkissed, dreamy sound that hasn't been done before. All the bands that were the stars of the scene, Washed Out, Toro Y Moi, and Memory Tapes, have released their follow ups to their defining albums and the results have been quite interesting. Toro Y Moi ditched the chillwave sound entirely, moving toward a more 70s R&B/disco vibe, which, at least for me, didn't work very well. Washed Out's first full length (after two lauded EPs) Within and Without has just been released, and I will likely review it next week, and at first listen sounds like his original work, but more expansive and with much better production values. By far the most notable member of the genre, Memory Tapes's (one man bad, Dayve Hawk) debut album Seek Magic was filled to the brim with experimentation, hooks, and a fun vibe. It was on endless repeat two years ago on my iPod. With breathless anticipation I have waited for his sophomore release, wondering where he would take his sound.

Player Piano is an interesting second album for Memory Tapes. The experimentation and hooks are still there (and it is obvious the production values are far better), but where on Seek Magic these worked off each other well, here they seem to be an odds with each other, creating a tension that is in some instances welcome, and in others in congruent. Almost all of the tracks start in one direction and then end up in a completely different place, making the album feel slightly schizophrenic. The good thing about this approach is that if a part of a song, or the album, is not to your liking, you merely have to wait a few minutes and something new will come along. In contrast, when you are digging a hook or melody, he inevitably mucks it up by taking it in a direction you don't want it to go.

When he gets it right, it is spot on. "Sun Hits" is a 3 and 1/2 minute piece of pure pop bliss, with chiming/ringing guitars and upbeat tempo, featuring the lyrical hook "Nothing's a dream if you never wake up."



"Trance Sisters" is slightly darker, but also benefits from a driving beat, fuzzy surf guitars, and funky synths.



"Offers" features a delightful use of oboes as a counterpoint effect to the lowkey instrumentation and laconic delivery of Hawk.



And first single "Yes I Know" is a complete surprise, a delicate, almost pastoral ballad, featuring lush synth strings and woodwinds to calming effect.



The problems with Player Piano are not many, but they are pretty glaring. First, on Seek Magic, Hawk only sung on a few tracks, the remainder being instrumentals. Here, he pretty much sings on every track, and his voice, which is thin and reedy, is best taken in small doses. And to mask his weak voice, most of his vocals are heavily reverbed or multi-tracked to mask his deficiencies. And second, as mentioned earlier, the songs that mutate have some diminishing returns. "Today Is Our Life" begins strongly as a midtempo electronic pop song, then midway turns into a synth-pop/country hootenanny.



"Worries," on the other hand, starts weakly with a bizarre organ churned melody and high-pitched vocal from Hawk, but erupts midway with gorgeous guitars and upbeat drumming.



The rest of the album is made up of slight instrumental passages that really don't add to the flow of the record or provide any direction to where Player Piano is going. Hawk still knows his way around a hook and how to put together sounds that you wouldn't think would go together; but where that talent was fully focused and brilliantly executed on Seek Magic, here it is mostly scattershot and unsuccessful. By trying to make himself into a "band" he has limited himself, and unfortunately his voice is just not strong enough to carry an album's worth of songs. For his next project, it would benefit him to rely more on his strengths, and to not try to be something he is not.

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.

Mini-Reviews

Adele
21
Rating: Meh

Let me get this out of the way first: I love Adele's voice. It's supple, strong, and very expressive. I only wish she would find a way to showcase it better. 21 is a lot more varied than her debut 19, that for me was only notable for the amazing single "Chasing Pavements." 19 feel off the rails with too many songs following the same traditional structure and using the same instrumentation. 21 starts off very strong with the meaty first single "Rolling In The Deep," the rollicking "Rumor Has It," and standout ballad "Turning Tables," that highlights her amazing range. Then the album just derails again for me, with stretch of indistinguishable songs all in the same tempo, and a completely misbegotten cover of The Cure's "Lovesong." She salvages the downward spiral with another stunning song, "Someone Like You," but by then it is just too late. I am not giving up on Adele, as I think her voice is an amazing instrument; she just needs to find a producer/collaborator that will take her out of the rut she is finding herself mired in.

Toro Y Moi
Underneath The Pines
Rating: Meh

Toro Y Moi rode high on the chillwave band wagon last year with his debut cd Causers of This. I enjoyed that album's beats and smooth vibe, but noted that the majority of songs kept to the same template and needed to be varied a little more. As the chillwave genre begins to fade into the background, Toro Y Moi releases his second album Underneath The Pine, that takes an almost completely different approach. Instead of the hazy, gauzy chillwave of the last record, he begins to mine sounds and ideas from the 70s disco and light rock era. Is this change successful? In some ways yes; first single "New Beat," is a blast of liquidy disco. "Go With You," slinks, slides, and moves effortlessly. "Divina" is a gorgeous instrumental, refreshing the light electronica of Air. But the same problems remain. A lot of the tracks feel like sketches that are not fully formed. And Chaz' voice is just too weak to hold interest over an entire album. He would do better to remain more in the background and have guest vocalists.

Dark Party
Light Years
Rating: Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It

Producers Eliot Lipp and Leo 123 make up the electro-duo Dark Party. Their debut album Light Years is a frothy mix of slinky beats, old-school synths and bass, and whole lot of fun. From the Daft Punk-isms of "Patrol Patrol," the Nu Shooz aping synth cut-up "Flats," and the icy tech beats of "Fifth," Dark Party keeps things moving swiftly. There is nothing very innovative about Light Years, but sometimes all that's needed is a good album you can put on and bob your head to.

Salva
Complex Housing
Rating: Grrrr

West Coast producer Paul Salva certainly knows his way around a production studio. His debut cd Complex Housing runs the gamut in styles from standard hip-hop, electro-house, LA beat obsessives, Dirty South, to dubstep, barely letting the listener catch their breath. Even with so many different genres, each track still flows together seamlessly. Standout tracks are the hyper-programmed "Issey Miyake," glitchy throbbing bass-heavy "Blue," and the re-imagining of Robert Owen's Chicago house classic "I'll Be Your Friend." Complex Housing is constantly morphing itself, new sounds and textures emerge and disappear, all floating in a perfect mix; it is definitely worth taking a listen.



Rating Guide

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Videos of the Week

Another long and drawn out week. Here are the latest videos that have made turning one year older more bearable:



Really interesting video for the new Erykah Badu single directed by Flying Lotus.





UK buzz band Yuck actually lives up to all of the hype. While their sound is very reminiscent of late 80s early 90s alternative rock from Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, Pixies, Pavement, etc, the band throws enough of their own swagger into the mix to keep it from being mere pastiche.



Ok, I will admit that Miley Cyrus' "Party In The USA" was a pretty big guilty pleasure of mine. Having Rye Rye use it in her new mixtape is pure genius.



I just love her. She is cute, adorable, can rap, and dances with a lot of energy. She is a definite must see at Coachella this year.



The new single from The Strokes is finally out. It's a decent single, but I was expecting more from them.





Gayngs is a 23 member supergroup featuring Ryan Olson, Justin Vernon and Mike Noyce of Bon Iver, Zak Coulter and Adam Hurlburt of Solid Gold, Jake Luck of Leisure Birds, Ivan Rosebud of The Rosebuds, Brad Cook and Joe Westerlund of Megafaun, and Mike Lewis of Andrew Bird and Happy Apple. They mine their sound from lite rock from the late 70s early 80s, and it is groovy and slick, but with a good tongue in cheek sense of humor.



Alex Clare is a new artist I have been digging lately. He has a very deep, soulful voice and thankfully teams up with cutting edge producers that really showcase his vocals with interesting sounds. This video is slightly NSFW.



Toro Y Moi move in a completely different direction from their last chillwave inspired release, opting to release a more funky, disco inspired album. I am really digging this squelchy track.



I am really loving this all female quartet. They have a really nice Interpol meets Lush sound. A lot of their songs start off slow, but once all their guitars kick into the mix, they can really lock into an amazing groove.



Another amazing track from Alex Clare, produced by Diplo and Switch. It takes a heavy metal meets reggaeton approach that blasts out of your speakers. In a perfect world, this track would be huge.



I got to see Baths (aka Will Wiesenfeld) in concert this week, and was lucky enough to meet him before and after his set. As you know, I have been touting him all last year, and "Lovely Bloodflow" was one of my top tracks of last year.



Nosaj Thing is another electronic artist in the Flying Lotus stable. I've really been enjoying his music lately and am looking forward to hopefully catching his set at Coachella.



Cut Copy is one of definite must-sees at Coachella. The new album is phenomenal, and this is one of the best tracks off their previous one.



Cold Cave is on my to see list as well. Their new single is very heavy, much heavier than their previous songs. I have no idea what to expect now that they appear to be leaning towards an industrial sound. Should be interesting.



Slammin track from Ciara. One of my favorite tracks of the year so far.

Mini-Reviews Part Deux

Belle and Sebastian
Belle and Sebastian Write About Love
Rating: Woof Daddy

I tend to forget how amazing Stuart Murdoch and co. are.  Unlike most of my favorite bands, when I hear of a new Belle and Sebastian album coming out I don't get excited and thrilled and anxious to hear it.  I usually say to myself, "oh, there is a new B&S album, I'll get it sometime."  Then I hear it, and I have to ask why I waited so long.  Of course, the trend continued with Belle and Sebastian Write About Love.  I waited until the last couple of weeks to listen to it, and now, predictably, I can't stop playing it.  I will actually venture to say this is one of their strongest albums, even better than The Life Pursuit, which was almost flawless.  Full of charming and wry lyrics, and some of their sunniest, most agile melodies, this album is the perfect antidote to a grey day.

 

Deftones
Diamond Eyes
Rating: Grrrr

Deftones have always been one of the more interesting metal acts to me, not so much for their harder edged material, but for their willingness to expand their boundaries to encompass more alternative-type music, such as shoegaze, electronic, and even pop music. Diamond Eyes doesn't stray much from their usual template of heavy material interspersed with more textural sounds, like the gorgeously gauzy "Beauty School" and "Sextape." But this is hardly a criticism, as why fix something that is not broken. However, the downside to such an approach is that if you are not already a fan of Deftones, this album will not likely change your opinion of them. If are a convert, it is another strong release in their catalog.

Lone
Emerald Fantasy Tracks
Rating: Grrrr

This album is a total guilty pleasure for me. It is not forward thinking dance music, it is pure unadulterated house/techno that borrows liberally from all of my electronic music touchstones (808 State acid house, Chemical Brothers big beat, Prodigy rave) but makes it all about having fun and getting your ass on the dancefloor.

Toro Y Moi
Causers of This
Rating: Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It

Toro Y Moi (aka Chazwick Bundick) is lumped into the genre known as chillwave (though no band that I know of wants to be known as such) with other acts such as Washed Out, Memory Tapes and Neon Indian.  The music is reliant on heavily processed vocals, guitars, and gauzy keyboards, creating a sound that seems nostalgic but can't be pinpointed to one era.  Causers of This, the debut from Toro Y Moi, is a strong album, owing to his playfulness with the sounds and melodies, seemingly taking an almost Flying Lotus approach to his music and adding a more pop bent to the songs.  However, this is also the downfall of the record, in that every song pretty much adheres to the same template of silly, crazy, processed sounds and beats with a hazy vocal overlay.  After awhile, the sugary-sweetness becomes too much.  With a little polishing and more variety in their sound, I can definitely see him put together a classic record.



Rating Guide

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

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

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

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

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

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

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