Jam of the Day - Beach Youth - "Days"

Spiky, poppy guitar track from the French band Beach Youth.

Album Review: Real Estate - Atlas

Real Estate
Atlas
Rating: Woof Daddy

Ridgewood, New Jersey band Real Estate have released two albums of beautiful, pastoral guitar rock that speaks to long summer days, being young, and drifting aimlessly through life before responsibility takes over, the halcyon days of youth fading from view. With their third release Atlas, the band seems more grown up this time. While there is still the lackadaisical charm to the arrangements and melodies, there is a maturity here that is a huge leap from their work on their self-titled debut and their second album Days. There is still a youthful haze over everything, however, the songs have that sense of waking up from an all-nighter and having that first hangover that won't seem to go away quickly.

On opening track "Had to Hear," wistful, jangly guitars add a far-off dreamy quality to a track that laments getting older and lost relationships. Singer Martin Courtney lamenting that "I'm out again on my own/A reflection in the chrome/Of an adding machine," as he fondly remembers an old love and tries to rekindle past memories, singing "I had to hear you just to feel near you/I know its not true/But its been so long/I know its wrong."



These themes of getting older and reflecting on the past are woven throughout the record, with some of the characters able to make peace with maturity, while others never seem to move on from their youth. On melancholy brooder "Past Lives" there is the haunting line "I walk past these houses where we once stood/I see past lives but some how you're still here."



On "Crime," the simple intertwining guitar lines snake across the track, with the singer feeling the pull of adulthood, desperate to cling to something: "I don't wanna die lonely and uptight/stay with me/all will be revealed."



And on lonely closer "Navigator," the narrator has to accept that the days are never going to seem as long as they once were, the passing of time relentless and cruel. He mournfully sings "I stare at the hands on the clock/I'm still waiting for them to stop/The earliest light is just shining in/And I've no idea where the days been."



While there is a sad, melancholy feel to the record, it is not all navel gazing and hand ringing. There are some lovely, jaunty tracks throughout that show the band's dexterity and charm. On "Talking Backwards," the crisp, ringing guitars are propelled by a brisk beat,



while a shuffling beat and gorgeous guitar interplay punctuate the lovely "Primitive."



Atlas is such a wonderful record where all the songs seem to work in tandem with each other, coming together like a great collection of short stories. There is hardly a misstep on the record, except for me, the one track that is the only speed bump is countrified slow jam "How Might I Live" which just seems out of place, and quite frankly, a little on the lazy side. But the remainder of the tracks on the record more than make up for one slight hiccup.

Real Estate is not the type of band that is going to blow you away with their originality, or with trying to push the boundaries of their sound. They are simply a very good guitar-based band that with each release get more confident with what they are doing, making subtle shifts that make their music bolder and more fully realized. With Atlas, everything comes together with almost perfect harmony. The new found maturity suits them this go around, marking their progression to the upper echelons of alt-guitar pop. Atlas is simply one of the best records of the year.

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.

Coachella 2012 Countdown: 56 Days! Real Estate - "Green Aisles"

Real Estate's last album Days was a collection of 10 perfect pop songs. "Green Aisles" just happened to be the most perfect. I'm looking forward to a fun, chill set from these guys.

Real Estate: Days - Album Review

Real Estate
Days
Rating: Woof Daddy

Real Estate's debut album in 2009 was a charming mix of low-fi, sparkling pop, which sounded like it was recorded under a freeway overpass. The lack of sonic clarity wasn't enough to derail the lovely songwriting, sweet melodies, and general air of low-key charm. The success of the album and subsequent tours brought them much needed attention which was enough to make Domino Records pony up more cash for them to record the follow up properly. Days, while lacking the ramshackle nature that Real Estate provided, is another fantastic record from this band; the increase in sonics and warmth makes a monstrous difference, allowing every note to ring clearly. Their sound has not changed much on the two years since, but has become more focused. There is hardly a misstep on this record; each song sounding like you have been listening to it for years. The familiar touchstones of early R.E.M., the Byrds, the Smiths, and Felt haunt this record, illuminating their sound rather that being a direct copy. Days is a great record for a long drive through the country, with the sweep and intimate scope of the songs providing the perfect accompaniment to a journey. There is slight, melancholic feel to the record, like the narrators are all on a journey through their pasts, ruminating over their successes and failures. It makes what could have been merely a pleasant record and elevates it to something classic and touching.

Lead track "Easy" perfectly encapsulates the mood of the record. Lovely, shimmering guitars underscore the lyrical tone of wistful remembrance of an idealistic past that has since faded:

"Around the fields we grew
With love for everyone
Those dreams we saw with eyes of hope
Until that dream was done."

Real Estate - Easy by FBi Radio

The gorgeously haunting guitars of standout track "Green Aisles" also serve to highlight the lonely lyrics about a man traveling to get home to his partner:

"All those wasted miles
All those aimless drives
Through green aisles
Our careless life style
It was not so unwise."

Real Estate - Green Aisles by DominoRecordCo

Not that the entire album is sad and melancholy. There are plenty of driving, guitar led tracks like the jaunty "It's Real" and its catchy chorus of woahs.



"Wonder Years" sounds like a long lost outtake from Reckoning.



And the lovely closing track "All the Same" utilises its seven minute run perfectly, moving from a jangly, pop opening to the lengthy coda of intertwining guitars.



But what continually draws me to the album are the more languid, searching tracks. Not much is said lyrically in any of these songs, made up more of small moments and seeming trivialities, but sometimes you don't have to say much to get the point across. The music feels minimal, but is surprisingly detailed and complex. From the longing of "Municipality" where he laments "How can I be free?/ When all I want to be/ Is by your side;" to delicate country-ish "Out Of Tune;" and the Felt-like echoes of "Three Blocks;" the collective mood and atmosphere make their weight palpable. Even the instrumental track "Kinder Blumen" has a journey-like story in its melody.

Days feels like a classic record from the opening notes. I keep waiting for the record to lose its grip on me, and with each listen it takes firmer hold. It is always a great surprise to have little to no expectations for an album and for it to blow me away. Truly the sleeper album of the year, Days is a wonderful addition to any one's music collection.

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.