Model/Actriz - "Cinderella"

My favorite new band Model/Actriz announced the release of their sophomore album Pirouette, set for release in May. The first single is the quietly menacing "Cinderella." 

Chalk - "Afraid"

The Belfast post-punk/electronic trio Chalk will obliterate your speakers with the incendiary track "Afraid," which rages like an outtake from NIN's Broken EP. 

Jam of the Day: Soft Kill - "Savior"

Dark and majestic post-punk from Portland band Soft Kill. This song sounds like the perfect marriage between The Cure and Sisters of Mercy.

Album Review: Deafheaven - Sunbather

Deafheaven
Sunbather
Rating: Woof Daddy

San Francisco based band Deafheaven are the buzz band of the moment in indie rock circles, as well as a highly contentious part of the black metal scene, getting dissed by their peers as being part of "hipster metal," for their combination of elements such as post-punk, shoegaze, post-rock, and alt-rock into their sound. I can't claim to be an expert on black metal or any metal for that matter (my friend Tradd, on the other hand, is my spiritual guide into such matters and gives me good recommendations and advice), but I generally know what I like and what I don't like. Traditionalist or not, Deafheaven's second record Sunbather is an exciting record that focuses on the band's almost innate ability to flawlessly juggle loud/soft, beautiful/harsh moments and create a record that straps you for a journey that lingers long in the memory. And truly is a journey through alt-rock/metal from the past 3 decades, taking metal and cloaking it with influences like The Cure, The Smiths, Joy Division (in fact, singer George Clarke bears a resemblance to Ian Curtis), My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive (their band name is a homage to them), Explosions In The Sky, Sigur Ros, and Godspeed!You Black Emperor, Mogwai, and even current buzz acts like Fuck Buttons. All these influences make for a more varied and interesting experience than the usual "pure" black metal record which tends to get caught up in the same dynamics over the course of a record, deadening the impact.

On Sunbather, Deafheaven masterfully control where their sound is going, but never doing anything predictable. Where you think a song is going to explode, it descends into ambient washes, when you think it is going to fade out into gorgeous bliss, it erupts into pure noise and scrape. There are moments of acoustic metal folk, spoken word interludes, pure alt-rock sweep, surreal samples, and electronic experimentation. That all of these elements mesh into something so intricate and well thought out is a miracle. The production and pacing of Sunbather is practically perfect, its hour run time almost sliding by unnoticed.

The album starts out with the clarion call of "Dream House," a nine minute force of nature featuring some powerful drumming and intense washes of shoegaze bliss that would make Kevin Shields envious, moving effortlessly from pure washes of noise to melodic turns of guitars hitting the midpoint with a gorgeous guitar interlude, before concluding with an eruption of guitars and Clarke's guttural howls punctuating the mix.



Which leads into the delicate piano and guitar interlude "Irresistible" which initially feels out of place but is the perfect segue into the frontal guitar assault of title track "Sunbather," as intense washes of guitar float over pummeling drums and Clarke's furious vocals. It is the encapsulation of the entire record, gathering all the above listed influences into one intense yet beautiful track.



In between these amazing full throttle tracks are moments of transcendent introspection and experimentation. "Please Remember" features a lengthy reading by Alcest's Neige of lines from Milan Kundera's novel from The Unbearable Lightness of Being that touched singer Clarke. The track erupts at the middle with an almost unlistenable flash of white noise before breaking apart into acoustic loveliness. While "Windows" is an almost found-sound sonic collage of spoken word, backwards masked guitars, drones, and piano stabs, creating a spooky tableau between two of the most assured tracks on the record. "Vertigo" is an amazing 14 minute exploration of Deafheaven's sound. Beginning from a bed of gorgeous intertwining guitars, the song ebbs and flows with amazing waves of processed guitars and metal interludes, Clarke's maniacal voice joining the fray. It's an awe-inspiring track that shows how fluid and aggressive the band can be.



I didn't think the band would be able to outshine "Vertigo" until the blistering opening of closing track "The Pecan Tree" blew up my speakers. Breaking from the maelstrom into a midsection calm of gorgeous post-rock guitars that intricately play among each other as a bold piano melody takes its turn in the mix. The song turns it up several notches as it builds from this oasis back into the furious storm of guitars.



As I mentioned previously, I am not a metal purist by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, I am not a music purist for any genre at all. To me, if the songs are good, what does it matter how it was created or what influenced it. I happen to like metal, post-punk, and post-rock, so I have no issue with all of these genres getting together and doing their thing. Sunbather is just a fantastic metal record that kept my attention from the beginning and has grasped hold of me with every subsequent listen. It is simply one of the best metal records of the year, and one of the best records of the year, period.

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 - Nedry: In A Dim Light

Nedry
In A Dim Light
Rating: Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It

London trio Nedry, comprised of Chris Amblin and Matt Parker, on guitars, laptops and synthesizers and Ayu Okakita on vocals, must have a very eclectic set of influences, as their new album In A Dim Light is a broad cross-collision of electronic and guitar based sounds. Imagine a landscape littered with wreckage from post-punk, trip-hop, modern R&B, drum n bass, and dubstep, and you might get a decent picture where this album will take you. Amblin and Parker's musical accompaniment is solid and mostly intriguing, though there seems to be a slight lack of edge with these 10 tracks, and too often it can become a game of spot the influence. Singer Okakita has one of those voices you will either love or hate; guttural one moment, sweet and soft the next, it is difficult to anticipate where her voice is going to take the song. Recalling at times Beth Ditto of Gossip, Mimi Goese of Hugo Largo, Louise Rhodes of Lamb, Liz Bougatsos of Gang Gang Dance, and even Bjork, Okakita is always commanding, if not necessarily that distinctive. Amblin and Parker seem to understand how to use her voice in the context of the songs, never allowing one to overtake the other, and are able to, for the most part, reign in Okakita's more over-the-top qualities.

In A Dim Light gets off with the slow rising "I Would Rather Explode" over droning synths and glacially plucked bass, which recalls the haunting soundscapes of Hugo Largo, whose comparisons become more apt when Okakita's voice comes in almost aping Goese's vocals verbatim. Things pick up considerably with second track "Post Six," which pairs glitchy percussion, synth burbles, and glistening/harsh guitar work underneath an understated vocal from Okakita.



Tracks like "Dusk Till Dawn" and "Violaceae" recall Vespertine era Bjork, with cooed/sighed whispers and minimal musical backing.



"TMA" takes a more forceful approach, its clattering percussion and gradually roaring guitars coming to life when Okakita takes on a Beth Ditto-like firestormer vocal.



Centerpiece track "Float" has a gradually increasing pulse and intensity recalled Mezzanine-era Massive Attack.



Frequently, Nedry add dubstep textures to tracks like "here.now.here" and "Havana Nights" which give just the right touch of modernity and sleekness to otherwise sleepy tracks. A more modern leaning approach like this would have propelled these tracks into better directions. Too often, they fall back onto tried and true formulas but don't add anything fresh or exciting. Final track "Home" begins promisingly with a hazy roll of low end synths and Okakita's raspy voice, adding off kilter drum programming and lusher synth washes, creating a pulsating midtempo track before erupting into a drum n bass outtro. It's a pleasant track, but again, it seems like it could easily have fit on a Lamb record in the early 90s.

In A Dim Light is a frequently interesting record that will grow on you with each listen, however, there is always a nagging suspicion in the back of your mind that either you have heard these songs before, or that the band is just not confident yet to take risks. There really is not a bad song on the album, my enjoyment of it was never compromised by thinking it referred to other bands. It just made me want more from them. The building blocks are here for something amazing, they just need to step out of the shadows of their influences and go forward with confidence.

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 Track: Violens - "Der Microarc"

NY post-punk poppers Violens return in the spring with their sophomore album True. Here is an album track off that release. It can be downloaded for free here.

Post-Punk Flashback: Simple Minds - "Changeling"

I've been listening to the first 6 albums from Simple Minds that have been recently reissued and remastered. The amazing thing about listening to these records is how good the band really was until they got a little too caught up in the whole "we must be bigger and better than U2 thing." I especially love this quirky song off their album Real to Real Cacophony, with its fuzzed out synth lines, chiming guitars, and almost disco beat.

The Horrors: Skying

The Horrors
Skying
Rating: Grrrr

The Horrors jumped onto the UK music scene in 2007 with a campy, proto-goth/rockabilly hybrid mixed with a strong visual sense of foppy clothing, dark makeup, and intricate hairstyles. After the release of and EP and their debut LP Strange House, they had seemingly reached the crossroads for their sound and image. Would they continue to head down the path of influences like The Cramps, making essentially the same record for their entire career, descending further into novelty territory, or would they set out towards different vistas. No one, least of all me, could have envisioned the tremendous leap in sound for the follow up album Primary Colours. Ditching the goth affectations completely, they showed a stunning mastery of post-punk, krautrock, and shoegaze, blending these and other genres into a call to arms, hereby announcing the reinvention into one of the most exciting bands of the last few years. Again, such an amazing transformation begs the question again as to where to go from here. Skying finds the band honing their sound rather than making a bold leap. That intense slap in the face you got from first listening to Primary Colours is absent here, and first listens can be puzzling, as there is really nothing new here from the band, however, over time, the strong melodies and increased confidence/maturity in their playing wins over.

Produced by the band, Skying plays like a band wanting to expand and add depth to its sound. Keyboards are more prominent and bolder, drums boom and echo, and singer Faris Badwan all but abandons the tics and mannerisms used previously. First single "Still Life" is the perfect example of their new approach. Keyboards sparkle and glisten like outtakes from New Gold Dream era Simple Minds, with Badwan's vocals, understated and rich, blasting to new levels on the triumphant chorus.



This more accessible Horrors is evidenced throughout the record. Lead track "Changing The Rain" is all languid synths, muted beats, and droning guitars. "Wild Eyed" uses crisp drums and delicate string synths to cushion Badwan's luscious croon.



"You Said" brings in horns that balance out the ever deepening sound.

The Horrors - You Said by apartmandairesi

While this new side of The Horrors adds new depth, an entire album of this might prove to be monotonous. Skying really shines when this clarity is muddled with some of their now trademarked experimentation. "Dive In" uses chiming guitars and rollicking backbeat to draw you in gradually, to then erupt at the chorus with blasts of guitar drones.

The Horrors - Dive In by apartmandairesi

Likewise, "Endless Blue" begins with ringing guitars, delicate keyboards, and horns, sounding like a 50s era ballad before the guitars begin snaking up from the mist.



The back end of the album finds the band honing the krautrock/shoegaze sound they employed on Primary Colours. The expansiveness of the tracks allows the band to paint outside the lines. "Moving Further Away" glides and shimmers under a motorik beat, hazy synths, and a chugging bass line. Midway changing to an epic blast of guitar effects.



While closer "Oceans Burning" adds a more psychedelic bent to the proceedings. Dreamy, flanged guitars meander over ghostly chimes for the first half of the track, evolving into a raveup of driving bass, drums, and eerie guitars. The only true misstep on the album is the track "Monica Gems" which finds Badwan affecting his histrionic vocals from Strange House over a cacophony of scraping guitars. It just feels out of place on the album, and perhaps an attempt to pull back in some listeners who bolted when they changed direction with their sound.

Like the band Liars, so far The Horrors confound expectations with each release. Restless and experimental, they enjoy pushing the envelope, taking their sound in new, unexpected directions. While this is not the huge stylistic leap that Primary Colours was, Skying takes chances, especially with Badwan's vocals, pushing them forward in the mix, finding him with a supple, gorgeous voice. Skying is a perfect addition to their evolving catalog.

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.

Wire: Red Barked Tree

Wire
Red Barked Tree
Rating: Grrrr

Post-punk legends Wire are still making music almost 40 years into their career, and even better, are still making relevant music. Neither a mere pastiche of their older material, nor too experimental, Red Barked Tree is a welcome addition to their vast catalog. Now down to the trio of Colin Newman, Graham Lewis and Robert Grey (Bruce Gilbert declined to appear on this album, as well as on 2008's Object 47), Wire takes a more streamlined approach this go around, making full use of crystalline production tools to buff and shine the material.

The first four tracks on Red Barked Tree are all classic Wire, and at first, I thought I was listening to another masterpiece from them. "Please Take," uses Wire's almost overtuned guitar sound paired with extremely acerbic lyrics:

"Fuck off out of my face
You take up too much space
Move! You're blocking my view
I've seen far too much of you

Please take your knife
Out of my back!
And, when you do
Please don't twist it!"



"Now Was," is a jaunty, guitar heavy track with a crisp, driving beat:



And where Wire steps into new areas outside their normal strengths, they succeed wildly, as in the delicate and gorgeous ballad "Adapt," with its lovely acoustic guitars and haunting electronics:



And tipping their hats back to their original, minimal aesthetic, "Two Minutes," blazes by with more of the updated guitar roar from their Read and Burn ep series:



After this brilliant series of tracks, the album loses its way a little bit, featuring too many tracks that have the same plodding beat ("Clay" and "Bad Worn Thing")and uninventive guitar work ("Smash").

But when they return to their strengths, they hit on all cylinders. "Moreover" and "A Flat Tent," bring back more of the buzzy Wire of old, featuring driving beats, and brutal guitars that can wound and cut.





And saving the best for last, Wire get well outside their comfort zone, with "Down to This," my favorite track on the album. Recalling a mixture of the icy textures of An Ideal Copy and the quirky synth and electronic excursions of A Bell Is A Cup, Until It Is Struck, the track moves on a pulsating bed of atmospheric synths and drill bit guitar.

The final title track shows the softer side of Wire, a side I didn't real think existed. Basically a call to ecological arms, the song is built on lovely acoustic guitars and a subtle, monochromatic vocal, moving from stasis to purpose. The drums skitter and become more insistent, with stronger guitars and touches of electronics.



Red Barked Tree is a fascinating album from the always fascinating Wire. It is amazing that this late in their career, they still have the desire and drive to make challenging, modern music. While it is not in line with their classic string of albums in the 70s and 80s (Pink Flag, Chairs Missing, 154), it is still worthy of being mentioned alongside those masterpieces. For those that have followed Wire throughout their career, you will not be disappointed by this release, and if you are new to Wire, it is a good introduction to one of the great innovators of the modern era.

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.

Mogwai: Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will

Mogwai
Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
Rating: Woof Daddy

Oh Mogwai! What a strange career you have had. Bursting onto the music scene with 1997's masterpiece of noise and controlled chaos Young Team, you have never quite scaled those heights again. Which isn't to say that you have ever put out a substandard album. You have just varied your sound slightly for each new release, not really knowing how to take it to the next level. To be honest though, Young Team was such a perfect album, there really was nowhere left to go but down a little bit.

The perfect thing about Young Team was that from moment to moment, you never knew what path the band was going to take. It was never a template of slow build, catharsis, slow outro; the songs could whiplash you with their odd time signatures, and blast your ears with loud, Sonic Youth noise experiments. Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will (which is up for album title of the year) is not Young Team, but it is by far their most dynamic album since then.

Starting with the delicate motion of "White Noise," Mogwai show they are still one of the tightest bands out there. The song moves effortlessly from its slow beginnings, with each instrument moving with the others into a cohesive blast of noise. Which then moves into album highlight "Mexican Grand Prix," with its motorik beat, driving guitars and pulsing keyboards, featuring the rare vocal.



The album is perfectly paced, with each song fitting well into the song cycle. "Rano Pano," the first single, and best track on the album, is perfect Mogwai. Guitars start normal and then switch into heavy effects, building into a maelstrom of sound. This will definitely be the song to experience live.



The album is not all about carefully controlled noise and bursts of sound, Mogwai also find time to slow things down and create beautiful instrumental passages. From the delicate "Death Rays;"



and the haunting pianos and sad slide guitars in the lament "Letters to the Metro:"



But of course, the standout tracks are always the songs with the trademarked Mogwai driving force and carefully crafted builds. "San Pedro," is one of Mogwai's most forceful, straightforward rockers, with a tight, controlled rhythm section, and an assault of amazing interlocking guitar parts;



and "Too Raging To Cheers," featuring hypnotic synths, organ, and piano, buffeted with electronic percussion, building majestically into a drone of guitars and strings:



The best thing about Hardcore is that with each listen you find something new; an interesting guitar part, a keyboard line buried in the mix, or an odd use of samples or auto-tune, as in the closing track "You're Lionel Richie:"



Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will is not necessarily a return to form for Mogwai; as they have never put out a bad album. But it is their most direct work since Young Team, and feels like it all works together as a whole, but with each song standing on its own as well. I know an album will be in my top list when I can't stop playing it over and over on my iPod. Hardcore has rarely not been played in the last few weeks. I hope you find it as intoxicating as I do.

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.