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NewMusic First Spin: The William Blakes

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

Here is an album that has brought mass confusion. As one MuchMusic employee said to me, “When I saw the cover I thought it was a solo album by the guy in the Flaming Lips.” Seeing as Wayne Coyne’s big grin graces the cover it’s easy to be mistaken that Coyne has released an album called The William Blakes. That is, if you’d expect him to put an 18th century oil painting of himself on the cover.

No, instead Wayne Coyne is the fetching new album by a Danish band named The William Blakes. A curious homage indeed, but other than being an admitted humanistic inspiration for the band, there are no convincing traces of a Flaming Lips influence in the music.

The William Blakes, however, do share a similar fondness for blaring a loud mix of kaleidoscopic psychedelia, melody and intricate arrangements. If anything, the Danes share more in common with the climax-heavy orchestrations of the Arcade Fire. You can hear that band’s tension and rickety percussion in tracks like “Science is Religion,” which is as much in debt to The Cure’s “In Between Days,” as well as “On Fire,” a raucous circus tune that sounds like an unhinged reworking of Funeral’s “Haïti.”

It’s not fair to brand The William Blakes as a tribute band to their assumed miscellaneous influences though. There’s a ridiculous amount of depth and variety in their sonic game that somehow pulls it all in cohesively.

The title track, for instance, is a blast of pulsating electro that breaks into a frantic, punk-fuelled chant of “Mama-se, mama-sa, ma-ma-koo-sa” (the bit from “Soul Makossa” that everyone from Michael Jackson to Jay-Z to Rihanna has nicked). “Guitar Solo” may only last 38 seconds, but it allows them to fully indulge in the noise-filled titular activity. And “The Love From Above,” another short instrumental, is awash in swelling guitar scapes that manifests a crystalline guitar sound last performed this good 20 years ago by Robin Guthrie.

Considering the band have already followed up Wayne Coyne with an album called Dear Unknown Friend this year, it shouldn’t take long to hear more from these guys. But using a figure as beloved as Wayne to make your introduction is certainly the right decision for a fresh-faced band like this.

Listen to it here
Watch the video for Secrets of the Stage here.

Artist: The William Blakes
Album:Wayne Coyne
Release Date:November 17, 09
Label: Speed of Sound/Last Gang Records
Genre: Indie Rock
Author: Cam Lindsay
First Spin Live Until: November 24, 09

Track Listing:

Tags: first spin, The William Blakes
Posted in Reviews | 1 Comment »

NewMusic First Spin: Everything All The Time

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

Toronto’s Everything All The Time may have taken their name from the first Band Of Horses album (that fact is unconfirmed, but likely), but you need only seconds to hear that it doesn’t extend into their music.

Instead of reverb-heavy alt-folk, EATT are more about slick, groove-based synth pop. The sixsome certainly look to the ’80s for inspiration, but they have a secret weapon to secure them individuality: singer Alanna Stuart.

Having released their self-titled LP last year, EATT have quickly readied a new five-song EP as a follow-up.

This self-titled EP (quick, someone help them break out of this self-titling slump) further demonstrates how the band choose the lesser romanticized side of the ’80s. Instead of the more referenced artists like XTC, New Order or Duran Duran, EATT go softer, sounding more like Visage and even Starship one minute, then transcending to artier fare like Japan the next.

“Love Love” uses fat, synthetic bass lines and shimmering percussive keyboards to give Stuart the perfect launching pad for her dead-cool voice. “Start Stop” is funkier matter that allows the full band to join in on vocals to spread the overwhelming cheer.

“Losing My Mind” sounds like it could have been just the thing for Kylie in her early days, with its tender chorus and pillow soft arrangement. “Eyes” ventures out further into a dancier direction, utilizing a pulsating synth and a solid backbeat to keep the flow steady.

It’s “Lazy Days,” though, that the band should look to as a direction to explore more. Using a rickety rhythm and warm melodies, it recalls the Afro-flavoured pop bands like Vampire Weekend and Fool’s Gold have been successful with.

Listen to it here

Artist: Everything All The Time
Album:EP
Release Date:October 27, 09
Label: Independent
Genre: Indie Pop
Author: Cam Lindsay
First Spin Live Until: November 3, 09

Track Listing:

Tags: Everything All The Time, first spin
Posted in The New Music | 1 Comment »

The NewMusic First Spin: The Dodos

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

Two thousand and eight was a banner year for San Francisco duo The Dodos. After three years of going it independently, they signed to Frenchkiss (Les Savy Fav, Cut Off Your Hands, Passion Pit) and earned universal praise for their second album, Visiter, thanks to its inimitable eclecticism based around a blend of airy blues riffing and rimshot-heavy rhythms.

A Miller Chill beer commercial and a third member added later, and the band return with their third album.

Time To Die is grim only in its name. While Visiter had an array of emotions and arrangements, the mood of Time To Die is relatively laissez-faire, which helps the now trio to settle into their songs without sounding like they’re about to explode from exhaustion.

With Keaton Snyder now adding some added texture with the vibraphone, Meric Long (guitar) and Logan Kroeber (drums) have the space to explore melody more than even before. That said, there’s also more of a sameness the Time To Die that makes this the band’s most accessible yet harmonious effort yet.

Snyder’s shimmering vibes show their influence when they beautifully fuse with Long’s undulating guitar on “Troll Nacht.” “Longform” revisits Visiter’s percussionist blasts best, with Long and Kroeber battling against each other as they ascend to an apex that sees the guitarist teach a clinic on how to finger-pick an acoustic with heavy metal ferocity.

“The Strums” lives up to its title, as Long perpetually twangs his six-stringer with the sort of looped effect that shoegazers obsessed over. It’s the rich melodies that make it a standout, however, especially when the understated horns permeate the wall of sound.

The epic title track appears almost like a coda, using some crescendo to bring closure to what’s certainly an album these guys can ride into much wider exposure. Throw in another beer ad (take a pick) and a few late night appearances and The Dodos are destined to overtake (and outlive) that extinct bird they’re named after.

Listen to it here

Artist: The Dodos
Album:Time To Die
Release Date: September 15, 2009
Label: Frenchkiss Records
Genre: Indie Rock
Author: Cam Lindsay
First Spin Live Until: September 22, 2009

Track Listing:

Tags: first spin, The Dodos
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The NewMusic First Spin: Taken By Trees

Monday, September 7th, 2009

Victoria Bergsman seems like she’s a lifetime removed from her former band, not simply three years. The former vocalist for The Concretes, Bergsman left behind their big, orchestral indie pop for a sound that was naked, minimal and intimate - an obvious statement that she was looking to do everything on her own.

She debuted her solo work as Taken By Trees a few months after leaving The Concretes, and a year later unveiled her first album. Produced by Björn Yttling (of Peter Bjorn & John, who she duetted with on their hit “Young Folks”), Open Field was a stunning piece of music that featured an array of instruments - vibes, mandolin, harmonium, zither, flutes and strings - that united to follow the soft touch of Bergsman’s gorgeously diffident voice.

Looking for new inspiration to help her make a second record, Bergsman grabbed multi-instrumentalist Andreas Söderström and left Sweden for the exotic land of Pakistan. Immediately it was “emotionally difficult to cope with the cultural differences” she said in a short documentary that was shot by National Geographic. However, after learning the traditions and gaining respect from not just the fellow musicians but also the men that surrounded her, Victoria soon found her supporting cast.

East of Eden is a rich, organic listening experience; you’d never guess that it was recorded with only two mics, one computer and a team of musicians who’d never seen a computer before, all during a series of rolling power outages. With a deep interest in Sufi music, Bergsman transcended into a sponge, absorbing all of the colourful sounds the culture had to offer.

“To Lose Someone” makes its introduction with a journeying blend of classical guitar, flutes and percussion, and single “Watch the Waves” keeps the instrumental mélange animated with polyrhythmic climbs and fluttering guitar work.

The hushed arrangements of both “Greyest Love Of All” and “Tidens Gang” sound like vehicles for Victoria to shine vocally. And then at the opposite end of the spectrum is “Wapas Karna.” Without any trace of Bergsman, the song allows the cast of musicians to show off their stuff, as a Pakastani vocalist takes the lead over a lone hand drum and organ.

What is sure to be one of the most talked about songs of the year is Bergsman’s rendition of Animal Collective’s “My Girls.” Altering the title, “My Boys” removes all of the band’s bubbling psychedelia, and strips it down to a crowded ensemble of vibes, polyrhythms, kalimba and organ, which capture the song’s abundant melodies in a whole new light.

East of Eden is one of the more rewarding albums of 2009. To learn more about the process of how it came together, you can watch the National Geographic doc with Victoria Bergsman in Pakistan by clicking here.

Listen to it here

Artist: Taken By Trees
Album:East of Eden
Release Date: September 8, 2009
Label: Rough Trade
Genre: Indie Rock
Author: Cam Lindsay
First Spin Live Until: September 15, 2009

Track Listing:

Tags: first spin, Taken By Trees
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NewMusic First Spin: Datarock

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

“The Blog” is a bold statement to open an album with. A crowd cheers, a robot speaks and then a series of vocal samples waxing about the information highway (MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, Napster, iTunes, etc.) set the stage for Datarock to make their grand entrance. It seems a bit ridiculous but that’s Datarock for you.

Still sporting the patented red tracksuits and that wacky sense of humour, Norway’s leading neo-new wavers return four years after they taught us all how to find love at computer camp and got us moving like carefree idiots to “Fa-Fa-Fa.”

Not much has changed with these guys. They still sound like they used their studio time to hold dance-offs, and even if they didn’t, well, Red is certainly an album designed to do that yourself. If you don’t know how, they’ve made a video for the adrenalizing first single “Give It Up” to show you. Hell, they’ve even recorded a song so encouraging that they could only call it “Dance!”

Somehow, they’ve even captured the zeitgeist with a very New Romantic song called “Molly,” which not only pays tribute to the famous redheaded Ringwald, but also the recently deceased John Hughes, a man who would certainly have used Datarock on a soundtrack 25 years ago. How’s that for timing?!

Just as kitschy is “True Stories,” a funky number that’s not only written entirely using song titles from the Talking Heads’ songbook (Google it and see for yourself!), but also sounds an awful lot like David Byrne’s former crew.

But those are the type of tongue-in-cheek gags we expect from a band that’s known just as much for their break-dancing skills and piss-taking humour as they are for their actual music. But no worries, there’s plenty of actual music to enjoy on Red.

Listen to it here

Artist: Datarock
Album:Red
Release Date: September 1, 2009
Label: Nettwerk
Genre: Electronic
Author: Cam Lindsay
First Spin Live Until: September 8, 2009

Track Listing:

Tags: Datarock, first spin
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NewMusic First Spin: Apples In Stereo

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

After 17 years of making the most candied music in the indie rock cosmos, Denver, Colorado’s Apples in Stereo issue a career-spanning retrospective before they make that crucial step towards the future and a sound that’s been self-described as “early seventies R&B as played by a UFO.”

Led by the inimitably helium-voiced Robert Schneider (the band’s only remaining original member and co-founder of the Elephant 6 Recording Company), Apples in Stereo were always underappreciated. As the title suggests, #1 Hits Explosion should be that obligatory “greatest hits” collection that most bands release this stage in their career, however, because of their underground status and forever mutating sound, the band have yet to record a true hit.

That said, the timing for this kind of record couldn’t be any better, considering the band’s biggest commercial success yet, “Energy,” is all over the television being sung by American Idol hopefuls and selling cans of Pepsi. It’s no surprise then that the anti-lethargy anthem kicks off the Explosion. Originally featured on 2007’s New Magnetic Wonder, the song sets the pace for one of the most sickly-sweet albums ever assembled.

Giving a snapshot of the band’s history, this comp does a fine job of leaving no stone unturned. All six studio albums are represented, with most emphasis placed on New Magnetic Wonder and The Discovery of a World Inside the Moone, both of which have four songs here.

Her Wallpaper Reverie’s “Strawberryfire” has more Beatles DNA in its 4:22 running time than Oasis have in their entire catalogue, not only referencing the band’s trippier moments in the title but also in the backwards masking, psychedelic guitars and soaring vocals.

“Seems So” and “Shine A Light” speak for the band’s jangle period of Tone Soul Evolution, while “Tidal Wave” from Fun Trick Noisemaker, on the other hand, demonstrates how the Apples also enjoyed covering themselves in a thick layer of fuzz.

And let’s not forget “Signal in the Sky,” their kid-friendly track for The Powerpuff Girls soundtrack that was expected to be the Apples’ break-out hit back in 2000.

While some fans could argue some oversights, like the absence of the 7-inches like “Everybody Let Up” and “Man You Gotta Get Up,” the festive “Holiday Mood” or Velocity of Sound’s “That’s Something I Do” single, #1 Hits has more hooks than a fully stocked Bass Pro Shop.

Listen to it here

Artist: Lullabye Arkestra
Album:#1 Hits Explosion
Release Date: September 1, 09
Label: Yep Rock Records
Genre: Lo-Fi Indie Pop
Author: Cam Lindsay
First Spin Live Until: August 11, 2009

Track Listing:

Tags: Apples In Stereo, first spin
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NewMusic First Spin: Lullabye Arkestra

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

Previously featuring an infinite membership, Toronto’s Lullabye Arkestra took shape after scaling it down to just its original core of drummer Justin Small (also of Do Make Say Think) and bassist Kat Taylor-Small.

But let’s bypass all of the chatter about their minimalistic set-up and just be amazed about the nasty, blood-spewing rock’n’roll that sweats out of these two bodies.

Their 2006 debut album Ampgrave (released on Constellation) took five years to set free, and it didn’t disappoint, as the two married sludgy punk’n’roll with a twisted R&B fever that gave them a unique sound all of their own.

Now signed to VICE Records, a company that certainly knows a thing or two about debauchery and rock’n’roll, Lullabye Arkestra now have a second album. Threats/Worship isn’t a far cry from that depraved, good stuff they discharged on Ampgrave, but that’s the beauty of it.

“Get Nervous” makes its introduction with a metallic blast, followed by a chugging, head-banging rhythm before it settles into its charging groove. Kat then cranks up the fuzz on her bass for “Icy Hands,” the break downs for which shows the chemistry these two have is as much musical as it is marital.

“We F**k the Night” is a song so gnarly that it could only be accompanied by a video where the band’s mosh pit is attacked by flesh-eating zombies (one of whom is local avant-rockabilly dude Slim Twig). The Ark know to shake things up too: “Surviving The Year Of Wolves” revisits the hardcore of Ampgrave’s “Nation of Two,” intensifying the pace and throwing in a break down that fuses gang vocals with what sounds like someone playing the whirly. It’s rad.

Their repertoire deepens even more though. “Fog Machine” kicks into the type of drone that Spacemen 3 would trip out to, “Foating Graveyards” lulls into deep, murky doom metal riffage, and “Sad Sad Story” is no nonsense rhythm and blues that leaves Kat’s vocals naked and on full display to wind down the sweltering blitz of everything prior.

This is heavy, so be ready for it.

Listen to it here

Artist: Lullabye Arkestra
Album:Threats/Worship
Release Date: September 1, 09
Label: Vice Records
Genre: Alternative Rock
Author: Cam Lindsay
First Spin Live Until: August 11, 2009

Track Listing:

Tags: first spin, Lullabye Arkestra
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NewMusic First Spin: Amanda Blank

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

After almost as many delays as her labelmate Kid Sister, Amanda Blank finally emerges with her debut album, I Love You.

From Philly and part of a collective that also includes scenesters like Spank Rock, Santigold and Diplo, Blank has built her cred since she first graced Spank Rock’s “Bump” three years ago. With influences covering a spectrum that’s even broader than Santigold (”’90s R&B, ’80s dance, indie, new wave and Britpop” - according to her label), she definitely brings variety to her game.

Co-produced by Spank Rock’s XXXChange, Diplo, Switch and TV On the Radio’s David Sitek, Blank is definitely privileged and, for a good portion of the album, able to back up the talent surrounding her. Known for a big ol’ potty mouth, she never really holds back, epitomizing the raunchy persona with “Something Bigger, Something Better,” cranking her cocky ‘tude up with Spank Rock on the slap-happy “Gimme What You Got,” and spitting come ons for XXXChange’s “Might Like You Better,” a reworking of Romeo Void’s 1982 forgotten classic, “Never Say Never.”

But there are some surprises. “A Love Song” drops the adrenalized party raps and changes up the pace with a slowold school beat. Featuring Santigold, it might sound strange, but the song recalls the retro pop-isms of Milli Vanilli. Yeah, strange. Even more of a surprise is the album closer, where she invites Lykke Li to coo over top of “Leaving You Behind,” a bittersweet farewell that sounds most like the sort of warm layers a producer like Sitek would use in his work.

For the most part, I Love You is unapologetic party music that should meet most expectations that have waited long and hard for this

Listen to it here

Artist: Amanda Blank
Album:I Love You
Release Date: August 4, 2009
Label: Downtown Music/Fontana North
Genre: Dirty Rap
Author: Cam Lindsay
First Spin Live Until: August 11, 2009

Track Listing:

Tags: Amanda Blank, first spin
Posted in Reviews, The New Music | No Comments »

NewMusic First Spin: Julian Plenti

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

Let’s face it, Interpol’s move from indie label Matador to major label EMI was something most fans would like to forget. And while the band apparently has a new album in the works, it won’t be back on Matador [sigh]. So look at the debut solo album by singer/guitarist Paul Banks - or Julian Plenti as he likes to be called for the next few months – as a consolation prize then, as it sees him return to the label that not only discovered his band, but also put them on the map and turned them into one of indie rock’s biggest crossover acts.

According to Matador’s site, “from 1998 to 2003, Julian Plenti performed in and around Manhattan as an acoustic solo artist” and “in 2006 Plenti began to demo a selection of his music using Logic Pro. That selection took shape as Skyscraper.” Though it is technically a solo album, guests helping out on Julian Plenti is… Skyscraper include Ratatat’s Mike Stroud, The Occasion’s Charles Burst and Banks’s Interpol bandmate Sam Fogarino, who drums on “Games For Days” (though it’s not exactly obvious).

As with most members from well known bands who release solo efforts, Skyscraper is all about revealing what Banks is capable without Daniel Kessler, Carlos D and for 10 songs, Fogarino. Like the work of Thom Yorke, Dave Gahan and Richard Ashcroft, to name a few, Julian Plenti branches out from under Interpol’s signature sound of tight post-punk rhythms, elastic bass lines and chiming dual guitar chords.

More so than any of those other frontmen, Banks gets really ambitious, to the point where if it weren’t for his inimitable voice, you’d have no idea it’s the singer from Interpol who’s behind an album full of such idiosyncrasies and variety. “Fly As You Might” is a bizarre amalgamation of classic rock riffing and fluttering synths that chooses not to provide any real structure. “Only If You Run” sounds like another Interpol remix by Spoon’s Britt Daniel. And “Skyscraper” flirts with a modern spin on Nick Drake’s string-heavy folk.

Full of surprises, both good and not so good, if Julian Plenti proves anything it’s that Paul Banks isn’t the one in Interpol who’s fixated on brooding, atmospheric rock.

Listen to it Here

Artist: Julian Plenti
Album:Is… Skyscraper
Release Date: August 4, 2009
Label: Matador Records
Genre: Indie Rock
Author: Cam Lindsay

Track Listing:

Tags: first spin, Interpol, Julian Plenti
Posted in Reviews, The New Music | No Comments »

NewMusic First Spin: YACHT

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

As a DIY artist, Portland’s Jona Bechtolt has been making eclectic electronic pop music as YACHT with his laptop for years now. His 2007 album, I Believe in You. Your Magic Is Real, was a significant breakthrough for him that not only forced him to leave his post in lo-fi maxmimilists The Blow, but also led to a support slot opening for LCD Soundsystem’s 2007 tour. That opportunity then led to a record deal with the highly influential DFA Records, and now the fourth YACHT full-length.

The turning point so far though was when Bechtolt added his partner and recurring vocalist Claire L. Evans as a full-time member of YACHT. Together they’ve left Bechtolt’s bedroom experiments far behind them with See Mystery Lights, the first fully realized effort under the YACHT moniker (note: “YACHT is is a Band, Belief System, and Business”).

Recorded in the magical land of Marfa, Texas, where an Aurora Borealis-type phenomenon known as the “mystery lights” rule the sky, See Mystery Lights is an insular little party record that sounds like it was captured in Technicolor.

First single “Summer Song” sounds like the most proper DFA production with super fat ’80s synths, scattershot post-punk rhythms and anthemic, repetitive cheers. “It’s Boring/You Can Live Anywhere You Want” sounds like James Murphy sat in on the recording, as the energy and frenetic pace of the second half recalls LCD Soundsystem’s stylized dance rock. “Psychic City” sounds like a collab between the Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club produced by Hot Chip. In fact, that’s a fair assessment for most of the album.

For anyone associated with YACHT prior to See Mystery Lights, this will seem like a great leap forward. But whether you’re familiar or not, this is an animated album full of colour and eccentricity that any free spirit can get behind.

Listen to it Here

Artist: YACHT
Album:See Mystery Lights
Release Date: July 28, 2009
Label: Thrill DFA Records
Genre: Indie Pop/Rock
Author: Cam Lindsay
First Spin Live Until: Aug 4, 09