Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category
Review: Grass Widow - Past Time
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010
Grass Widow Past Time [Kill Rock Stars]
Need to know: The name Grass Widow is a reference to a woman whose husband is away at sea (it’s from the 17th century, of course). One bar of music though and it’s quite clear that this San Francisco trio have clearly been influenced by late ‘70s post-punk acts like Delta 5 and Kleenex, the early ‘90s Riot Grrl movement and the various artists that have come and gone on their new label, Kill Rock Stars. (They also cite ‘60s bands like The Kinks and The Move as inspiration.) Formed in 2007, Hannah Lew (bassist/vocalist), Lillian Maring (drummer/vocalist) and Raven Mahon (guitarist/vocalist) wasted little time writing their “very personal and often dark” songs, releasing both a full-length on Make A Mess Records and a four-song 12” on Captured Tracks last year. What’s perhaps most cool about Grass Widow is how the band is all about equality, putting no particular focus on any member or instrument, sharing songwriting and singing duties between the three of them. Says the band: “We want to thrive in our scene as musicians, with a focus on our musicianship first, not our gender. Our goal is to normalize the role of gender in our craft and have an avenue to express our intelligence and our love of music. We acknowledge that movements of the past created by or affecting women in the art and music worlds are hugely influential, but there is potential for the original sentiments to lose potency if the meaning is misinterpreted or not redesigned for a modern context. Even the riot grrl movement is kind of antiquated. You never really hear people talk about that ‘new riot grrl’ band. We owe a great deal to that lineage but it’s time for something new. We want to be portrayed as the responsible, thoughtful people that we are.”
In a 100 words or so: Past Time is a marked improvement from Grass Widow’s flawed yet charming debut album. While there isn’t much of a shift in sound – it’s still rickety, melodic post-post-punk – there’s a certain confidence that now rings from the songs. Credit the upgrade to a label as perfectly suited for them as Kill Rock Stars as playing some role in this, whether it was conscious or not. The band’s minimal, “no frills” approach now brings out their three-part harmonies and frenetic instrumentation, both of which have developed greatly, especially on a song like “Submarine.” While they might not have the buzz behind them like Vivian Girls did, Grass Widow can challenge any of their contemporaries and even ancestors to a songwriting competition – and win.
Best track: “Landscape”
R.I.Y.L. Kleenex, Erase Errata, Sleater-Kinney, The Raincoats, Slant 6, Vivian Girls
Rating: 7.5/10
Buy, download, steal or don’t bother: This sounds best on vinyl, but check it out first here.
Sample: “Fried Egg”
Website: MySpace.com/GrassWidowMusic
Tags: Grass Widow
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Review: !!! - Strange Weather, Isn’t It?
Tuesday, August 24th, 2010
!!! Strange Weather, Isn’t It? [Warp]
Need to know: Sacramento’s !!! (pronounced “chk chk chk” or any three sounds repeated in a row) emerged from the post-punk scene that broke in the early ‘00s. While most of those bands were known for their angular guitars and disco drums, !!! were renowned for their emphatic rhythms that were more funk-based than punk-based. A self-titled album in 2000 was greatly overlooked, but the band struck gold in 2003 with the politically-minded epic single “Me and Giuliani Down By the School Yard.” A second album, the awesome Louden Up Now, followed the next year and in 2006 they were the support act for the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ UK tour. In 2007, !!! released their third album, Myth Takes, which scored the band spots on video games like FIFA 08 and Grand Theft Auto IV. Singer Nic Offer and guitarist Tyler Pope used to moonlight in the equally rad but no longer active Out Hud. Pope is also a member of the live version of LCD Soundsystem.
In a 100 words or so: Recorded in Berlin, unfortunately Strange Weather, Isn’t It? doesn’t exactly break new ground for !!!. That may never have been the plan for recording their fourth album in a new environment, but it feels as though they have once again failed to make that leap from writing eternal punk-funk jams to actual songs. Die-hards may appreciate their dedication to the groove, but the verse-chorus-verse structure could do wonders for a band with this kind of throbbing dynamic. They experiment with this notion on “Even Judas Gave Jesus A Kiss,” but in the end that song eventually morphs into the same tune we’ve heard again and again. Strange Weather, Isn’t It? sounds like !!! are just going through the motions at this point instead of exploring a sound that is open to all kinds of interpretation.
Best track: “The Hammer”
R.I.Y.L. Out Hud, LCD Soundsystem, Public Image Ltd., The Rapture, Liquid Liquid, Soulwax
Rating: 6/10
Buy, download, steal or don’t bother: Download “The Hammer” and “AM/FM.” Stream the album here and decide for yourself about the rest.
Sample: “AM/FM”
Website: ChkChkChk.net
Tags: !!!, chk chk chk
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Review: Lost In The Trees - All Alone In An Empty House
Monday, August 23rd, 2010
Lost In The Trees All Alone In An Empty House [Anti-]
Need to know: Lost In The Trees began with the songs of one North Carolinian named Ari Picker. Like most singer-songwriters, Ari favours the acoustic guitar but thankfully doesn’t rely on the down-and-out busker image, fleshing out his songs not only with a proper full band, but also a classical slant. With a sound self-described as “orchestral folk,” Lost In The Trees are as serious about the strings as they are the acoustic guitar, thanks to Picker’s studies on classical music at the Berklee College of Music. Astonishingly, the band call Chapel Hill their home, yet aren’t part of the local Merge Records roster; instead they signed with Anti- Records. All Alone In An Empty House, the band’s debut album, is heavily inspired by Picker’s troubled childhood. In his words: “The song‘s locations and happenings, my father‘s stone wall, the tower off the side of the house that he eventually moved into, my twin sisters who died at birth, my mother’s extreme depression, the emotional and sexual abuses, they are all real. But my intention in sharing them is to turn this hard reality into art, something that the listener may find comfort or hope in.”
In a 100 words or so: Excuse the pun, but it’s impossible not to get lost in All Alone In An Empty House. As eye-rolling as that sounds, it’s true. Whether it’s Picker’s deeply personal and tragic anecdotes or the incredibly poignant arrangements, this is an album that calls for an environment of solitude, headphones and a rain-splattered window to truly immerse yourself in the music. The classical component is more than just strings as an accent in the background. Picker and his band may have composed these songs on guitar, but they’re as much the product of a conductor and an orchestra (see the two instrumental Mvt. Sketches, which sound straight out of the Naxos catalogue). To steal a title from Dave Eggers, this is a heartbreaking work of staggering genius.
Best track: “Wooden Walls Of This Forest Church”
R.I.Y.L. Bright Eyes, The Swell Season, Timber Timbre, Ray LaMontagne, Bon Iver
Rating: 8.5/10
Buy, download, steal or don’t bother: Buy.
Sample: “Walk Around The Lake” http://www.anti.com/media/stream/811
Website: LostInTheTrees.com
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Les Savy Fav are all Root, no Ruin
Monday, August 23rd, 2010
“Root For Ruin”, which was set to be released September 14th, was released digitally on August 3rd due to the album leaking online in late July. As cheesed as the band was over the leak, (for proof, refer to their Twitter @lessavyfav) it has been great news for Les Savy Fav’s fans. And for a band whose success is entirely fan driven, that can’t totally be a bad thing. Since forming in Providence, Rhode Island over a dozen years ago, Les Savy Fav has managed to evade mass appeal and maintain their independence. They have accomplished something that most indie musicians strive for; staying out of the mainstream, but still selling out every show.
“Root For Ruin” was released through bassist Syd Butler’s record label Frenchkiss Records and is Les Savy Fav’s fifth studio album. Having been a band since 1995, the now Brooklyn-based five-piece, as expected, has delivered a focused and memorable album. Thank goodness, because they have quite the reputation to live up to, with a superb previous album, “Let’s Stay Friends” (2007) and being known for backing up their tracks with wildly entertaining live performances. In fact lead singer, Tim Harrington, makes the band with his borderline-extreme on stage antics. Luckily, the caliber of their new songs should make for interesting material for Harrington’s live shows. The new tracks are beyond catchy and are characteristically abrasive.
To some extent, however, it follows the Les Savy Fav mold a little too closely. Not much in the album’s 11 tracks is very surprising. Each song adheres to the same aesthetics that their very first album did. Despite the slightly recycled sound, the familiarities of the songs which are reminiscent to old hits like “Patty Lee” off “Let’s Stay Friends”, is somewhat comforting.
The highest point of the album occurs right off the bat with a strong opener, “Appetites”. Exuding sexually charged emotions and self-confidence with lyrics like, “show us your teeth and show us your tits and show us the scars from the shit that you did,” the track serves a fantastic introduction. The track “Let’s Get Out Of Here” is a close second to “Appetites”. As their first single, it is an immediate reassurance that “Root For Ruin” can compete with previous material. The energetic track “Dirty Knails” is another highlight. The album ends with yet another hit in the form of “Clear Spirits”, leaving listeners with a feeling of satisfaction.
If there’s anything that “Root For Ruin” proves, it’s that without altering themselves, Les Savy Fav have the ability to remain relevant, even throughout years of shifting trends and fads. With powerful hooks, solid melodies and an aggressive attitude, their straightforward art-punk music has the potential to become timeless. It definitely is an album to download (legally, that is). Plus, once the album was leaked, the band themselves said, “Pay extra and you’re also forgiven for sex, sins and stuff AND we’ll tell Jesus to send you cookies.” Now that’s a deal.
Tags: Les Savy Fan, Review
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The Arcade Fire are on fire
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010
The Arcade Fire have been quite busy lately. First there were the secret shows, then playing a hometown festival, while the same weekend they released their latest album The Suburbs. They streamed their New York Madison Square Gardens show live on YouTube, and then played The Daily Show. And Saturday? They headed to Toronto’s Olympic Island to put on a concert.
Unlike other island shows in the past this concert started later in the day, but featured great opening acts nonetheless. Polaris Prize nominees The Sadies opened, followed by Janelle Monae, who really got the show started. Win Butler announced the OutKast powerhouse of a protege, who had the crowd on their feet from beginning to end of her set. The always-stylish Monae appeared on stage with a slick pair of oxfords on her dancing feet and was joined by two masked dancing minions who danced into the crowd and threw balloons. Janelle Monae’s funky dance pop is impossible not to move along to (see Many Moons, Tightrope, or the heart wrenching Cold War). By the end of her set, we were all warmed up and ready for some Arcade Fire!
The lights dimmed, the crowd cheered, and Arcade Fire took to the stage with Ready To Start kicking into what was an energetic, powerful set! Month Of May was filled with vigor and guts, which contrasted to the light on its toes Funeral favourite Neighborhood #2 (Laika) which followed.
From Haiti to Modern Man the set was mostly a mix of The Suburbs and Funeral, with Neon Bible’s Intervention as the only song from the album that made an appearce at Olympic Island. Even the delicate and beautiful Crown Of Love was a lovely little surprise that was snuck in, and even caused some to slow dance! Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains), a stand out Suburbs charm, was a highlight as Regines voice soared and the crowd sang along.
Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) and Rebellion (Lies) closed up the set as the audience continued to sing the choral ending ooo-ooo-ooos once the band had left the stage, calling for an encore. Arcade Fire happily agreed, and came back on to play Keep the Car Running. The night was then brought to an end with what else but Wake Up, their signature closing sing-a-long song. Everyone belted their hearts out.
If you have yet to pick up a copy of The Suburbs, what’s taking you so long?! Go give it a listen! Then go see them live! Here are their upcoming Canadian tour dates
MTS Centre Winnipeg, Thu 23rd Sept 2010
Credit Union Centre Saskatoon, Sat 25th Sept 2010
Pengrowth Saddledome Calgary, Sun 26th Sept 2010
Pacific Coliseum Vancouver, Tue 28th Sept 2010
Tags: Arcade Fire, Janelle Monáe, Outkast, The Daily Show, The Sadies
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Review: Wavves - King Of The Beach
Monday, August 9th, 2010
Wavves King Of The Beach [Fat Possum]
Need to know: Wavves is essentially one San Diegan named Nathan Williams, who began writing and self-recording songs at his parents house. Known for his bratty stoner persona and a love of skuzzy lo-fi production, Williams released the first (self-titled) Wavves album on Woodsist at the tail end of 2008 and saw it catch on like wildfire. He put out his second album, jokingly named Wavvves, not even six months later at the beginning of 2009 through Fat Possum. However, all the attention and demand for Wavves reached a boiling point, and Williams suffered a backlash and eventually a meltdown on stage at the Primavera Festival in Spain after downing some Valium and ecstasy. Drummer Ryan Ulsh quit the band there and then on stage and Zach Hill (of Hella fame) sat in until last fall, when Jay Reatard’s bassist and drummer, Stephen Pope and Billy Hayes, respectively, became full-time members of Wavves.
In a few words: Wavves’ third album King Of The Beach marks a significant shift in not only the band’s sound but also Williams’ songwriting. You can credit the year of turbulence for turning him around and searching inside himself to reveal that all is not well. Self-loathing, desolation and girl troubles all run throughout the album as themes, but by eschewing his laptop at the family home for a proper studio (Sweet Tea in Oxford, Mississippi) and a producer in Dennis Herring, you can actually empathize for the guy. Gone is the concentrated opaqueness from the inexperienced home recording (read: the term “lo-fi” seems almost wrong to use), yet King Of The Beach is easily the best thing Wavves has done yet. Having an actual band to fall back on has done wonders to Williams’ vision, giving him that added thwack for the punk-ish title track and the rollicking “Post Acid.” But on more solo-sounding moments, like the sample-heavy “Baseball Cards” and the lawsuit-baiting “Mickey Mouse” (which sounds like the Beach Boys could be as deserving of some royalties as Disney), Williams’ weed-smokin’, beach bum guise comes to life more vividly than ever. Best of all, the well-roundedness demonstrates that Wavves has the depth to find new life once the love affair with lo-fi ends in a bitter divorce.
Best track: “Mickey Mouse”
R.I.Y.L. Best Coast, Beach Fossils, No Age, Vivian Girls, Times New Viking, Dum Dum Girls
Rating: 9/10
Buy, download, steal or don’t bother: Buy on vinyl.
Sample: “Post Acid”
Website: MySpace.com/Wavves
-Cam Lindsay
Tags: Nathan Williams, Wavves
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Review: Mystery Jets - Serotonin
Thursday, July 29th, 2010
Mystery Jets Serotonin [Rough Trade]
Need to know: Mystery Jets are from a magical sounding place called Eel Pie Island just outside of London, England (yes, it actually exists). The band was founded in 2004 by Henry and Blaine Harrison, one of the only decent father-son teams I can think of in pop music history. While they developed a reputation for their distinctly British yet leftfield pop sound, the band became known for throwing parties known as The White Cross Revival that featured an assortment of friends’ bands. They released their debut album, Making Dens, in 2006 via 679 Recordings and rearranged/repackaged it as Zootime for a North American release by Dim Mak in 2007. Henry left the band as a touring member but stayed on to help in the studio. In 2008 they released a second, rather brilliant album called Twenty One, which featured a hit in “Two Doors Down.” For album number three, Serotonin, Mystery Jets jumped labels to Rough Trade.
In a few words: Anyone hoping for a return to the whimsical spirit of their debut will be disappointed as Mystery Jets have capitalized on the sophisticated, ‘80s leaning pop of Twenty One. To these ears that’s a good thing, as Serotonin is an even sharper sounding record that takes full advantage of having a professional like the legendary Chris Thomas (The Beatles, The Sex Pistols, Pink Floyd) helming the boards. He applies his experience on “It’s Too Late To Talk,” which sounds like a lost ballad from 28 years ago, with vintage keyboards accentuating the soft acoustic guitar/piano melodies in the bridge. “The Girl Is Gone” works more of that same sadness with glowing results. The title track, with its new wave synths and rock guitars, as well as the “Dreaming of Another World” work the retro zest best out of anything on the record. But the high doesn’t always last. Hearing synthesizers run the scales begins to grow old, specifically on “Show Me The Light,” whose club aspirations feel too indulgent to love. While Mystery Jets have mastered the ability to write music that is uplifting, melancholy and exciting, Serotonin doesn’t have a song as exhilarating as “Two Doors Down” nor live up to the yardstick they set two years ago with Twenty One.
Best track: “Dreaming of Another World”
R.I.Y.L. XTC, Blur, The Drums, Jamie T, Lightspeed Champion, Jack Peñate, Dexy’s Midnight Runners
Rating: 7/10
Buy, download, steal or don’t bother: Download – legally.
Sample: “Dreaming of Another World”
Website: MysteryJets.com
Tags: Mystery Jets
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Review: Carissa’s Wierd - They’ll Only Miss You When You Leave: Songs 1996-2003
Thursday, July 22nd, 2010
Carissa’s Wierd They’ll Only Miss You When You Leave: Songs 1996-2003 [Hardly Art]
Need to know: Before there was Band of Horses, Grand Archives and Sera Cahoone, there was a band called Carissa’s Weird (the misspelling of “weird” was on purpose). Originally from Tuscon, Arizona, the band was formed in 1995 by vocalists Mat Brooke and Jenn Ghetto after meeting at a goth club. Self-described as “chamber rock,” Brooke and Ghetto established their hushed sound by writing and recording their songs on “cereal box-sized amplifiers” in the closet of Jenn’s mom. The band caught a break after touring with Modest Mouse, whose Isaac Brock met them after drunkenly crawling through their window one night (true story!). The duo eventually went on to add a rotating list of supporting musicians, which included Ben Bridwell, who went on to form Band of Horses with Brooke, and Sera Cahoone, who is currently a solo artist signed to Sub Pop. Carissa’s Wierd released three full-lengths - Ugly But Honest (1999) and You Should Be At Home Here (2001), which were released on Bridwell’s Brown Records, as well as Songs About Leaving (2002) - and two compilations - I Before E and Scrap Book. They also put out a 7” on Sub Pop in 2001 called “You Should Be Hated Here.” After breaking up in November 2003, the various members went on to form their own projects. Most famously, Bridwell and Brooke started Band of Horses, but Brooke left after the release of their first album, Everything All the Time, to focus on his own music, which became Grand Archives. Ghetto began working under the moniker S and Sera Cahoone did her own solo project. Carissa’s Wierd played one reunion show on July 9, 2010 in Seattle, thought without Bridwell. Brooke and Ghetto finally regained control of their back catalogue and have announced plans to reissue all of their albums.
In a few words: Released by Sub Pop’s sister label Hardly Art, They’ll Only Miss You When You Leave: Songs 1996-2003 is a “retrospective compilation spanning all of their releases, with tracks hand-picked by the band.” Without an intimate knowledge of the back catalogue, I can only attest for what’s covered here and the selections made by the band come off as a cohesive work. Meaning, if this was a debut album, it would succeed on many levels. Though it’s often regarded as a precursor to the most famous of its offshoots, Band of Horses, this comp makes it clear that Carissa’s Wierd is solely Mat Brooke and Jenn Ghetto’s baby. Still, it’s pretty easy to hear traces of these songs in any of the projects that came afterwards – for example, the warm melodies that ring out of the guitars and the hushed, vulnerability of the vocals. It’s the latter aspect of the music where Carissa’s Wierd were most effective in building a name for themselves in a sea of subdued indie rock outfits of this ilk. The tandem of Brooke and Ghetto presented a rare opportunity to hear two sublime voices come together, amidst such gorgeously stark arrangements, and bring out the best in each other.
Best track: “Phantom Fireworks”
R.I.Y.L. S, Band of Horses, Grand Archives, Sera Cahoone, Sun Kil Moon
Rating: 7.5/10
Buy, download, steal or don’t bother: Buy on vinyl for the large fold-out insert full of CW ephemera.
Sample: “The Color That Your Eyes Changed With the Color of Your Hair”
Website: myspace.com/carissaswierd
Tags: Band of Horses, Carissa's Wierd, Grand Archives
Posted in Reviews, The New Music | 1 Comment »
Sleigh Bells, Die Antwoord Prove They Know What Bass Is
Wednesday, July 21st, 2010
In the middle of Sleigh Bells’ set at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto on Tuesday, lead singer Alexis Krauss lowered herself into the crowd like she was slowly testing out the temperature of a cold pool. One male audience member went in for a kiss with Alexis. She leaned in close as if to reciprocate and then pushed his head back into the crowd while laughing through their song, “Ring, Ring.” By the end of the show the entire audience seemed appreciative enough to go in for a smooch.
When two of the most buzzed bands of 2010, Sleigh Bells and Die Antwoord decide to co-headline a tour, there can be a ton of expectation. Joe Jonas even tweeted about Brooklyn girl/boy duo Sleigh Bells in May. One of my friends once said that Sleigh Bells is everything you can want in a band; gritty guitar riffs, pounding hip hop beats and saccharine girly vocals. This was Sleigh Bell’s third stop in Toronto in only a handful of months, but the city’s fans were still starving for more.
Sleigh Bells took the stage about half an hour after their scheduled set time, but once they opened with “Tell ‘Em” all grudges had passed. Lead singer Alexis took a breath after the first song and said, “Thank you guys for waiting.” The band pounded through song after song with the bass turned up so high it punctured your lungs and rattled your skeleton. “Now is the time to get fucking sweaty,” Alexis ordered the crowd while thrashing her hair around and propelling herself into the crowd. They played most of their songs from their relatively short archive and ended with the audience favourite “Crown on the Ground.”
Tags: Die Antwoord, Phoenix Concert Theatre, Sleigh Bells
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The Gaslight Anthem @ Sound Academy
Tuesday, July 20th, 2010
New Jersey rockers The Gaslight Anthem kicked off their tour last week at a packed Sound Academy. The guys are touring in support of their latest album ‘American Slang’ which was released last month.
With Jay-Z’s Empire State Of Mind playing as the back drop music the guys walked on stage and opened the show with their single American Slang. From then on Brian, Alex R, Alex L and Benny put on an amazing show.
They played the majority of ‘American Slang’ including Boxer, Stay Lucky and Bring It On. They also play a bunch of tracks off their sophomore album ‘The 59′ Sound’.
From the start of the show the whole crowd was really energized and into the show. But when they busted out their classic’s Old White Lincoln, The 59′ Sound, Here’s Looking At You Kid and Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts the energy level rose and had every one bobbing their heads or jumping on the spot.
Besides hearing my favourite Gaslight song, Great Expectations the highlight of the night came during the encore when they covered a rare Pearl Jam track State of Love and Trust. Not only did it sound amazing it is amazingly similar to how Eddie Vedder and the guys in Pearl Jam recorded it!
Not only did their six song encore include a cover, Brian Fallon started the encore by performing a solo version of She Loves You, which sounded amazing! All in all it was a great show for a venue that has had some mixed reviews but Gaslight silenced those reviews since they were great!
Check out the set list below!
Setlist:
American Slang
Casanova Baby!
Old White Lincoln
Stay Lucky
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
Bring It On
Boxer
Angry Johnny And The Radio
The Spirit Of Jazz
The Queen of Lower Chelsea
The ‘59 Sound
Boomboxes and Dictionaries
Old Haunts
Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts
Great Expectations
Encore:
She Loves You
The Diamond Church Street Choir
We Came To Dance
State of Love and Trust (Pearl Jam cover)
Here’s Looking At You, Kid
The Backseat
Tags: sound academy, the gaslight anthem
Posted in Concerts, Reviews | 1 Comment »
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