After reading those words, you may have just squealed like a 5 year-old girl.
I did.
Yes, Sonic Youth has released a track from their upcoming album (and Matador debut), The Eternal, which is due out June 9. By clicking on this word: WOOT!, you can listen to an album sampler that Matador has put up.
“Sacred Trickster” is the album opener. And like all SY records, this one sets up the pace and raises your expectations. Kim’s vocals sound fantastic and it moves fast, clocking in a blistering 2:11. The press release that comes with the song talks about how The Eternal will be a genuine musical follow-up to the 2006 cut, Rather Ripped. However, “Sacred Trickster” reminds me of a Goo B-Side instead.
Either way, the Earth is better off, right?
Oh, also be sure to check out The Eternal‘s great pre-order package through Matador’s excellent “Buy Early Get Now” program. Pre-order bonus!!!!
That’s the motivation/courage I needed to write a review of the 12th full-length release from Depeche Mode, Sounds of the Universe. It’s not to say that I’m afraid that Dave Gahan is reading this right now, sharpening his knives. Nor is it because this album is so bad that I have to be buzzed (maybe tipsy) to begrudgingly write a review for it.
I’m drinking because I’m afraid of what I’ll say by the time the last period is entered.
Truth is, I’ve been going back and forth on this album since the day it first graced my headphones. Some days it’s like Gahan, Eigner and Gore wrote this album for me. Other days, it feels like they’re asleep at the wheel, and I’m the doomed passenger.
For the record, I’m a midpoint Depeche Mode fan: from 1984’s Some Great Reward to 1990’s Violator. Yeah, I’m all about it. So when I heard Sounds of the Universe‘s single, “Wrong,” my spidey senses were tingling. A song that reverberated a “Stripped” era of songwriting. So if you’re like me, breathe easy. Sounds of the Universe follows with that classic Depeche Mode song-craft……..which is a blessing and a curse.
I mean, fact is, Sounds of the Universe sounds exactly like you figured a Depeche Mode album would. The opener, “In Chains,” is heart stopping. Other songs ( “Wrong,” “Hole To Feed,” “In Sympathy,” “Come Back”) call back to the Music for the Masses that I love to blast from my speakers.
However, the new side of Depeche that occasionally creeps out on the album ( “Fragile Tension,” “Spacewalker,” “Perfect,” “Jezebel”) simply just fall flat. In fact, “Jezebel” kind of makes me wince when I hear it. Apologies to Gore, who sings on the track, but the song is just simply unappealing.
So, therein lies the issue. Depeche Mode can still sound like Depeche Mode, yet can offer really nothing new to the people. I’m grateful that Gahan is still out there, making music that I’m happy to think dark thoughts about. But at the same time, I’m kind of disappointed that in 2009, they can’t stretch the boundaries like they used to.
Ultimately, Sounds of the Universe has something to offer for everyone, especially Depeche Mode fans. However, you may be disappointed that it won’t lead you to new heights.
There was a point in my life where I was afraid to admit that I was a Moby fan. I hid Play from friends, fear of ridicule….. I blame you, “South Side.”
But now, a lot of people have come to terms that Moby makes good music. Well, most of the time.
Anyway, today, he announced his new album Wait For Me is due out June 30.
He also released this new vid, for the first single, “Shot In The Back Of The Head.”
Warning: This video is directed by THE David Lynch.
In 2007, Dan Deacon released his first proper studio LP, the oddly-named Spiderman of the Rings. Listening to that album is best envisioned like a trip to Toon Town. But in Deacon’s Toon Town, there is no maniacal Judge Doom. So, instead of fearing death by “The Dip,” all the toons just took copious amounts of ecstasy and held raves in Toon Square.
Sounds like fun.
It is.
So, Deacon took two years and a lot of studio time to record his follow-up, Bromst. A meticulously-crafted electronic odyssey that feels slightly more grown up. But only slightly.
Bromst begins with the slow-build up entitled “Build Voice.” Well played, sir! “Build Voice” sets the standard for the rest of the album: intricately layered cuts that continue to swell for the next 4-6 minutes. Every track is like a countdown to ignition, with a payoff that takes you to another world.
Deacon’s music evokes this child-like splendor. The album’s cover is dead on: a lone tent in the woods, filled with this warm glow for it’s inhabitants. Bromst sounds cute and blissful (“Of The Mountains,” “Woof Woof”) most of the time, but it can also be a deeply intricate brain-feast (“Slow With Horns/Run For Your Life,” “Get Older,” “Snookered.”)
Yeah, I’m gushing over this record, but it is well-deserved. Deacon built off the good foundation he laid with Spiderman of the Rings and made a fantastic record. His song-writing has matured, and he hits on every track. It’s infectious, good-natured and, overall, completely danceable. It’s a great contender for Record of the Year.
So pack your friends inside that happy little tent, and let Bromst take you on a fantastic voyage.
You bring the flashlights and Skittles. I’ll bring Benny the Cab for transportation.
Colin Meloy charmed me back in 2004, when I first picked up The Decemberists’ Castaways and Cut-Outs. Since then, he and his troupe have seemed to really hit their stride. They kinda blew up in 2005 with the super-poppy Picaresque. “The Mariner’s Revenge Song” almost makes me long for the nautical life. Then they made their major label debut in 2006 with the somewhat prog-laden (and all-around excellent) The Crane Wife.
So, after a few tease EP’s, The Decemberists have laid The Hazards of Love upon our feet. And the result is a messy experiment, whose high notes are equally countered with distasteful missteps.
Hazards was originally conceived by Meloy as a stage play. However, he found that it was unworkable, so he transcribed it into a full-length LP. Lyrically, Meloy has always tried his best to be….well, for lack of a better word, literate. It’s clear this guy loves books, and this has always been a charm for me. Hazards is a tale that focuses on a pair of star-crossed lovers, Margaret and William. After the cautionary/fairy-tale theme that glued The Crane Wife together thematically, I figured an entire album dedicated to a story would work well…………sadly I have to say that Hazards of Love is no evidence of this. From the album’s first real track, “The Hazards of Love 1 (The Prettiest Whistles Won’t Wrestle The Thistles Undone)”…..(yeah, I know)…..anyway, it is easy to get confused and lost. Margaret is helping an injured animal, and is then raped by a centaur…..I think…….what?
It kinda just keeps going from there, throwing in a few more characters that can make it even more confusing. I had to read through the lyrics about 3 times before I had any idea what was going down in this tale.
So, strike one: the lyrics are not the album’s strong point. Sure, there are some stand-out moments (“The Rake’s Song,” “Annan Water”); but most of the songs only serve to muddle the tale.
However, lyrics are not the only leg The Decemberists usually have to stand on. Musically, they’ve always been able to craft some memorable hooks and choruses. There are some great tracks on this album. The first few songs of the album sound great: “The Hazards of Love 1 (yada yada yada),” “Won’t Want For Love (Margaret in the Taiga),” and “The Hazards of Love 2 (Wager All).” However, the sweet quickly turns bitter.
The best evidence of this comes with the introduction of the Queen’s character in “The Wanting Comes In Waves/Repaid.” The beginning of it starts off good, sounding like an Arcade Fire cut. Yet, when the “/Repaid” kicks in, that wonderful taste is immediately slapped out of your mouth with a hard rock tune that feels blatantly out of place. From there on, it’s easy to lose interest.
As a whole, The Hazards of Love is kind of a restless mess; a failed stage play that comes off as a tedious album to sit through. If you can make it to the finale, “The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned)”, you get a slight reward for your efforts. It’s a ballad that easily makes the heart quiver…until that corny steel-pedal guitar flares up in the background.
I have no beef with Colin & Co. for taking their storytelling technique the whole nine yards. I just hope that with this out of they way, they can think of a good way to re-invent themselves. Otherwise, they’ll just be lost in the pages of a book that no one has the energy to finish.
It’s been a long time comin’. DOOM’s Born Like This is finally here. It’s been about 4 years since MF Doom last released an album. It’s been about 4 years since MF really did…..anything.
A lot has changed since he last cut an album, the 2005 cartoon-laced collaboration with Danger Mouse known as Danger Doom. He now simply goes by DOOM. It’s All Caps, just like one of his 2004 Madvillainy tracks suggests. And his voice has gotten raspier. So, how has DOOM repaid us for all those years of inactivity?
The best way possible: A triumphant return to independent/underground hip-hop.
Seriously, Born Like This is probably one of the better rap albums I’ve heard since that infamous Madvillain album. A totally different league than anything last year’s darling, Lil’ Wayne, has ever produced. It’s a serious head trip.
The first track on the album “Gazillion Ear” is an infectious number that showcases DOOM’s production/lyrics unlike ever before. And follow ups like “Ballskin” and “Rap Ambush” solidify the pace for the album. Fast, aggressive, and often unlike most rap albums you’ve heard.
Born Like This is probably his most character-heavy album. He’s always brought a persona to his albums, however the DOOM (Marvel Comics’ Dr. Doom) persona is really felt this time around. For the most part, it’s great (“That’s That”). Other times, it’s a little too much. This is really evident in the nearly homophobic “Batty Boyz,” where DOOM raps about how gay superheroes are. Explicitly. Also, on the track “Supervillainz,” which the beat starts, stops, stutters, and dies so much that it’s almost unlistenable.
Another issue that time has certainly strengthened is DOOM’s song structure. On his own, DOOM’s beats had a tendency to go too long. Most of 2003’s Mm…Food? is a good example of this. This time around, his songs are shorter and never outstay their welcome (aside from the aforementioned “Supervillainz”) And sometimes, the tracks are so good, you’d wish they’d stick around a little bit longer (“Still Dope” and “More Rhymin'”)
Born Like This is a brainy,zany, and uncanny hip hop album that gets better with every listen. Like his previous solo efforts, there a few duds (just the 2 this time around), but the flow of the album and creative beats on the other 15 tracks make it easy to overlook.
Upon watching the 2006 live concert for The Knife: “Silent Shout: An Audio Visual Experience,” I thought of only two things:
A: Is my brain melting?
B: I didn’t realize that it was just the woman making all those creepy voices at the same time she was singing
The former was reconciled with a good night’s rest. However, I had become addicted to what the second question had in store for me. That voice belonged to 1/2 of the brother/sister duo (The Knife) known as Dreijer Andersson…that’s the sister for those of you who aren’t familiar with those crazy Swiss names that get slapped on to their young.
Since that evening I found out two things: The Knife is currently on hiatus (sad), and that Dreijer planned on releasing a solo effort under the title of Fever Ray.
Well, Fever Ray finally gets a proper physical release this week (it’s been available online since January.) So, what happens when Dreijer is let loose on her own?
The album opens up with the possibly alienating “If I Had A Heart.” Well seasoned fans of The Knife will easily be able to accept this song, because it’s as minimalist and creepy-voiced as some of The Knife’s more familiar tracks. But I speak through experience when I say that those new to this type of music will easily be turned off already.
……….
Well, to be honest with you, the whole style of the album is best described as minimalist. Tracks like “Keep The Streets Empty for Me” and “Concrete Walls” are prime examples of the this. But, they work well to keep the mood intact.
That said, there are some great musical tracks on here, that flex Dreijer’s voice and show that she plays her equal part in some of The Knife’s great song structure. “Dry and Dusty,” “I’m Not Done,” and the album’s closer “Coconut” showcase Dreijer’s talent. And that’s pretty much the point of a solo album right?
The truth is, this album is best compared to another great solo project, Thom Yorke’s The Eraser. Both albums let the artist stretch their legs out a bit. But, what they ultimately end up as are sort of snacks between meals. Since the release of Radiohead’s In Rainbows how often have I gone back to The Eraser?
I haven’t.
And that’s how I feel about Fever Ray. It’s doing a great job in filling that gap that time has made since The Knife’s superb 2006 cut Silent Shout. But, when that next serving of The Knife comes around, I see myself slipping Fever Ray into a label-less tupperware, and pushing it to the back of the fridge.
Flashback to a hot July 2008 afternoon in Brooklyn.
I’m standing in a emptied pool, watching Liars do their thing, feeling the reverbs of the former band, The Fuck Buttons. As I am making my way out of the pool, I notice a familiar face by the audio tent. He was wearing all black over his matchstick figure and breathing a cigarette in like there was no tomorrow. There stood Yeah Yeah Yeah’s guitarist Nick Zimmer, probably posting a comment on some Killing Joke fansite from his iPhone. Without hesitation I approached him, shook his hand, and said,
“I’m really looking forward to the new album man.”
Nick half smiles and simply states,
“Yeah.”
Finally, that day is upon. Yeah Yeah Yeah’s have digitally released It’s Blitz! a month early (because some douche released it on torrent sites a month before that). And my mind can only think of one thing to say about it:
That bastard could have given me a heads up!
I say this assuming you’ve heard the singel “Zero” and have noticed the lack of guitars. Well, the album has a serious lack of Zimmer’s guitar. Instead, there’s a serious overload of synth. But what can I say: they make it work…..very well I might add.
Blitz! is a fucking groovy game of Twister that starts off with the right foot on the dingy club sound that their 2007 Is Is EP first introduced. Tracks like “Heads Will Roll” and “Faces” showcase this new “dance” side of YYY’s. On these, Zimmer’s guitar is virtually missing. Instead that energy is directed into synth riffs that are unmistakably tasty ones. And “Dragon Queen” is a funky gem that probably has LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy crying into his espresso every time he hears it.
For 1/3 of the album, YYY’s put their left hand on old territory. Scaled back from the copy/paste treatment that 2006’s Show Your Bones LP got, Blitz! throws in a few tracks like the outstanding “Soft Shock” and “Dull Life” to remind you that YYY’s still retain their punk roots.
Listening to the last bit of Blitz! is like putting your right ear on David Sitek’s giant cranium. The audio wizard and TV on the Radio-ite works the board for part of this album. His influence is easily felt on “Skeletons,” “Runaway” and “Little Shadow.” These cuts really flex Karen O’s voice and change your mind that she’s just a “yelper.” However, these tracks also feel a little out of place among the thick skin the rest of the songs bring in. While they are great tracks, they may have you pressing the doomed “next” button because your hips suddenly stopped wiggling.
It’s Blitz! is undoubtably YYY’s most artistic and complex album to date. It’s a great springboard for what they can eventually become, maybe making the Pretenders album you always wished had existed. But don’t expect your friends to like It’s Blitz! immediately. It takes time and patience for this one to fully hatch.
Morrissey opens up his latest solo album, Years of Refusal, with a strangely optimistic start. However, optimistic isn’t really the correct word to describe anything Morrissey related, is it? Also, that song (“Something is Squeezing My Skull”) is about being unable to feel alive in the age of prescription drugs.
…
Okay, so the old dog (sorry Moz) hasn’t really learned a new trick. However, he changes up his style just enough on Years to make you realize that maybe he doesn’t have to. This is probably Morrissey’s loudest album to date. At age 49, The Pope of Mope gives us a real rock album. And it’s a welcome addition to an already stunning catalogue.
Morrissey’s band, The Tormentors, are in full strength here. Boz’s guitar faintly mirrors some Smiths/Viva Hate era songwriting on songs like (personal favorite) “Mama Lay Softly on the Riverbed” and “All You Need is Me,” while the rest of the band provides enough sonics and energy to match.
And Moz himself still puts as much finesse into his voice and lyrics as his hairdo. He croons wonderfully on the first single “I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris,” and on “That’s How People Grow Up.” He even goes into diva mode for the last half of “It’s Not Your Birthday Anymore.”
He’s had a pretty good run in the new millennia thus far, but every one of those albums has a song or two that are just……there. This is no different with Years. The guilty parties here are “You Were Good in Your Time,” and, depending on the day it seems, “Sorry Doesn’t Help.” His voice goes a little flat on “You Were Good…” and both songs really feel like fillers: unnecessary and unwanted.
That said, the song immediately following those two (the album’s closer), is the probably the strongest Morrissey cut in a decade. That’s right, “I’m OK By Myself” kicks copious amounts of arse. Moz’s voice is playful, angry, and unobtainable. It’s a perfect storm that already leaves me dreaming about his next album.
While this album may not convert anyone who doesn’t already adore the benevolent Suedehead, it does reaffirm why we need him around still.
Fire up your hookahs and espresso maker-Beirut has unleashed another one upon us.
Zach Condon is about as restless as Tyra Banks (clip)……sorry, I’ll never compare those two again.
That was supposed to be a statement about Zach’s neverending need to travel. For this split EP, Zach traveled to Mexico, and used a 19 piece local band to record these new songs with. I’m just glad the Patriot Act has slowed this guy’s passport down any, because if that were they case, your ear would not be able to enjoy March of the Zapotec
And enjoy it you will. The six new songs (with only three clocking in over 3 mins) are just a reminder how much you love to hear this man sing about amazing places you’ll never get to go. The single, “La Llorona,” is a wonderfully crafted song, on par with the best off of The Flying Club Cup. The disc’s closer, “The Shrew” is possibly one of the best Beirut songs ever cut, granted you can ever get “Postcards From Italy” or “The Penalty” out of your head.
So, once your friends slap you and make you take the first disc out, the Realpeople-Holland awaits you…….more or less.
Realpeople is Zach’s pre-Beirut handle. It’s basically an electro version of Beirut…but somehow it doesn’t sound nearly as good. It basically sounds like a bad producer took some Beirut vocal tracks and slapped them down over a tacky Garageband preset. I mean, “No Dice” sounds like an overdrawn, muddy version of “A Sunday Smile.” And unfortunately, this half of the EP is about double the length of the stellar first.
One or two of these tracks may grow on you. I’ve come around to finding “The Concubine” was the bridge between Realpeople and the expansion that became Beirut, and I now enjoy it’s existence.
That said, March of the Zapotec is just another prime example of why we love Beirut, and only makes future vicarious visits to stange lands with Zach even more tantalizing.
Silence in Architecture 