Thursday, December 8, 2011
The National perform 2 new songs
The National performed 2 new songs on Q LIVE and they can be found here.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
M83 - Hurry Up We're Dreaming
M83
Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
Mute; 2011
Pink Floyd's The Wall and Smashing Pumpkin's Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness are 2 of the best double albums ever made. Anthony Gonzalez grew up admiring both and has created a double album that belongs in the same elite class as them. Hurry Up We're Dreaming starts off perfectly with an "Intro" into one of the best track of the year in "Midnight City". Such a powerful track that one of the best climaxes ever at 2:43 where everything comes together and then is swept away by a trumpet to its ending. It seems like it can only go downhill from here, but the next track "Reunion" does a great job of retaining your attention with the numerous layers of vocals and harmonies that will eventually have you bobbing your head to it's pleasant chorus after a few listens. The next couple of tracks "Where the Boats Go" and "Wait" have a much slower tempo, but do not hold up the album one bit. The following 2 tracks are a bit of an interlude and I like to refer to the first one as "The Frog Song", it is quite a fun track. "Claudia Lewis" really showcases the 80s vibe this album has. There are a ton of layers in this one and the heavy bass kicks in during the 2nd verse, really driving the track. The remaining 3 tracks on Part One barely span 7 minutes, but Anthony Gonzalez managed to make them meaningful by having some magnificent moments in all 3.
Part Two starts off with the feel of it being the second half of something. At 1:11 the crescendo of heavy notes has a very triumphant feel to it which sets the tone for the remaining tracks. "New Map" is one of the highlight tracks and starts off with a bang. One of the key reasons that make this album so fascinating is how the different layers of vocals are constructed, much like in this track. "OK Pal" starts off sounding like a slight remix of "Midnight City" but offers enough unique qualities to be a quality track on its own. The next few tracks he slows down the tempo a bit and carries you away in a slightly different direction. Once "Steve McQueen" starts it feels like they have all been leading you to this track. Another great track with more of the 80s vibe I mentioned before. The heavy section from the opening track from this half is used again in "Echoes of Mine" seemingly tying things together. One of the more notable tracks on this half is "Klaus I Love You". It is a beautifully constructed track that achieves a lot in under 2 minutes. The outro, "Outro" does an exceptional job of tying everything together and leaves you with a beautiful piano section to wrap things up.
Pitchfork: 9.1 out of 10
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Destroyer - Kaputt
Destroyer
Kaputt
Merge; 2011
A
Albums like this do not come around too often. It is nearly impossible to describe what exactly makes this LP so incredible, but each time you listen to it you learn a little more about it. Truly good music acts almost like a nice bottle of aged wine. At first it may seem overwhelming and you kind of have to force yourself to be patient. Then as you begin to understand what to expect as you are exposed it more, you can begin to appreciate what it really has to offer.
The opening track "Chinatown" sets the tone for this flawless LP. Dan Bejar invites you to pull up a nice comfy chair next to a fireplace to sit back and enjoy the experience. One of the things you begin to appreciate about this album over time is the quirky trumpets that seem to tie every song together. These are introduced right off the bat. "Blue Eyes" keeps the same vibe going and is one of the more poppier songs. Dan's soothing vocals coupled with some sultry instrumental play towards the end of the track is when it's easy to get lost in the music. The next track "Savage Night At The Opera" picks up the pace a bit and offers an underlying syth line that might appear in your head later on that will drive you crazy trying to remember which song it came from. Hint: it's this one.
"Suicide Demo For Kara Walker" is a highlight track on this LP...which is saying something. It opens with 2 soothing intros. The first is an acoustic guitar with faint trumpets in the background that is eventually accompanied by piano. It is then followed by a flute solo that leads you into the first verse. Facinating interviw on how this track was crafted here. "Poor In Love" acts as more of a bridge than anything. It is far from a highlight track, but is a necessary listen to segue into the second half of the album.
The title track takes you on a journey like no other. There is no need to take this album/track too seriously since there is always an underlying sort of humor to Dan Bejar's music, yet it still comes off as 100% genuine. Towards the end of the track he foreshadows lyrics/riffs that will be seen in "Song For America". This is part of the songwriting genius that makes this album flow so well. "Downtown" is another brilliant track that does a wonderful job with male/female duel vocals. "Song For America" comes at you head on, so be ready for it. This song offers it all...driving bass throughout it's entirety, along with phenomenal guitar and trumpet interludes. The lyrics are perfectly in between all of the instrumental action tying everything together seamlessly.
One of the greatest closing tracks of all-time, "Bay Of Pigs", is what makes this album a classic. There is way too much going on in this one to notice in the first listen. It may seem like a bunch different pieces thrown together into some big jumbled mess, but in reality it is one giant masterpiece. The very dreamy first half of the song seems awfully slow in getting any point across, but the song is simply building on itself. At 4:08 we are introduced to the riff that is the heartbeat of the track. Around 6:45 the track starts to begin its slow build and at 7:32 it picks up considerably. One of the things that might seems frustrating about this track is that it seems to stop-and-go a bit much (like this review?), but that is something that is appreciated in the long run. As the track wraps up with what seems to be the first chorus "free and easy, gentle, gentle / the wind through the trees makes you mental, for me / Nancy in a state of crisis on a cloud” you then realize that the entire track has been leading up to this climax and then it ends leaving you wanting more...
Highlight Tracks:
"Suicide Demo for Kara Walker"
"Kaputt"
"Bay Of Pigs"
Other reviews:
Sputnikmusic: 5.0/5.0 (Classic)
Pitchfork: 8.8 out of 10
Highlight Tracks:
"Suicide Demo for Kara Walker"
"Kaputt"
"Bay Of Pigs"
Other reviews:
Sputnikmusic: 5.0/5.0 (Classic)
Pitchfork: 8.8 out of 10
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
WU LYF - Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
WU LYF
Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
L Y F; 2011
B+
I have never changed my opinion on an album from first listen to second try as much as I did with WU LYF's debut. There is no doubt I would have given this LP a F after the first listen. Ellery Roberts vocals are about as rough as a strip of sandpaper with thumb tacks sticking out of it. In contrast, the rest of the band just about perfect. The clean guitar is usually the driving force for most tracks while the drum and bass do an excellent job of keeping up. I'm assuming most people will be instantly turned away from the vocals and never give this band a true chance. Believe it or not, there does come a point where the vocals start to blend in with the music in an odd way and it essentially becomes one of the instruments. Trying to follow along to what he is actually saying would be nearly impossible because you aren't supposed to...much like the Hopelandic lyrics used in a lot of Sigur Ros tracks.
"L Y F" is a great opening track and you can almost picture the band walking onto stage one member at a time to this. The bass line that leads you into the first verse is flawless. "Cave Song" gives you no chance to regain yourself after the opening track by starting off with vocals. You are then immersed in beautiful clean guitar riff along with a complimentary drum beat. The ending of this particular track is exceptional. "Such a Sad Puppy Dog" is probably the least believable ballad ever. The singer can't even talk in a serenading voice without sounding like he is bleeding to death. Then again, maybe that makes it even more believable than if Britney Spears were singing about something written for her. "Summas Bliss" and "We Bros" have great intros while "Spitting Blood" and "Dirt" are oddly appealing. "Concrete Gold" is the climax of the album I feel. Such a great overall song and probably the best chorus no one will be able to sing along to, ever. The 2 closing tracks do an excellent job of wrapping up the album.
While it may seem all over the map and disorganized, Go Tell Fire to the Mountains is an abstract piece of art...it just may take a few listens to see it.
Highlight Tracks:
"L Y F"
"We Bros"
"Concrete Gold"
Other Reviews:
Sputnik: 4.5 of 5 (superb)
Pitchfork: 8.4 of 10
Highlight Tracks:
"L Y F"
"We Bros"
"Concrete Gold"
Other Reviews:
Sputnik: 4.5 of 5 (superb)
Pitchfork: 8.4 of 10
Friday, October 21, 2011
(Current) Top 20 Songs of 2011
Genre: Hip-Hop, Soul, Electronica
After a brief 10 second intro you are immediately drawn into the track. The first half of the track is a very optimistic sounding beat that I would love to have blasted as my intro every time I walk into a room. Around 3:35 the beat drastically shifts to a completely different tone and if you are a recovering addict it is recommended that you never listen to the second half of this track.
Genre: Indie, Folk
At the beginning of the track Laura starts with a low, timid tone in her voice. At around 0:56 she quickly shifts to her extremely confident amazing voice. It's these shifts in her voice and the great underlying bass that makes this track great. The explosion of passion in this song starting at 3:10 to the very end is what made this song one of the year's best.
At the beginning of the track Laura starts with a low, timid tone in her voice. At around 0:56 she quickly shifts to her extremely confident amazing voice. It's these shifts in her voice and the great underlying bass that makes this track great. The explosion of passion in this song starting at 3:10 to the very end is what made this song one of the year's best.
Genre: Indie, Psychedelic
Just a great overall track. Everything about this song will make it hard for you not to dance around like Liz Lemon. It's a special thing when a song can have an amazing verse along with a chorus that can trump it.
Genre: Indie, Pop
This is an extremely straight forward synthpop song that seems to be ideal soundtrack music for a summer day in which you use to improve your life in any way; whether it be running errands, cleaning your house, going for a run, etc. A recurring trend in 2011 seems to be a retro feel to some of the music (with a modern twist) and this is one of those that pull it off well.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Like many other people that anticipated DR's debut album, I assumed it would be more along the lines of 'Sit Down, Man' and 'Shut Up, Dude' that were mix tapes of theirs meant for comic relief. Although 'Relax' does have some of the humor that we have come to love from DR, it is actually fantastic music as well. "Girl" is one of the great tracks from the album and gets better with every listen.
Genre: Post-Rock
One of the most amazing things about Mogwai is they lay down the foundation of a track and let your imagination add onto it without them having to "sing" any lyrics to you. This track is nothing short of spectacular and instead of saying how it makes me feel...how does it make YOU feel?
Genre: Alt Rock
Although the 'King of Limbs' is a great overall album, none of the tracks really standout like most Radiohead albums because they tend to make a collection of great songs as opposed to 1 or 2 singles per LP. Lotus Flower encompasses most of the great qualities Radiohead has to offer, which is why it made the list. If you're new to Radiohead and watch the music video for this, I will answer the question you will probably ask: No, Thom Yorke does not do drugs...drugs do Thom Yorke.
Genre: Alt & Indie
One of the best tracks most people haven't listened to in 2011. Does it deserve to be played non-stop on FM radio? Probably not, but there is a certain aura to this song that makes it appealing. The way the instruments intertwine with the vocals throughout the track makes it sound hauntingly beautiful. At the very end of the track you hear a thunderous applause as if they just performed live in front of an arena, but it is clearly just in the singers imagination...along with the rest of the song.
Genre: Alt & Indie, Folk
The opening track on one of the top LP's of 2011. The tempo of this song is very relaxing but the pure passion from it is more likely to make you get up off your ass then fall asleep. In particular I love how the main guitar riff mimics the chorus (a structure I don't really care for much) in a good way. This song leads into the next track on the LP flawlessly.
Genre: Indie Pop
Initially I thought of this as a simple "summer" type track that would eventually lose its luster due to lack of depth. I was completely wrong because the more I listen to it the more raw emotion I feel for it. The symbolism is fairly clear in this that she is surrendering herself to the man that "abducted" her heart and it's now up to him what he wants to do with it (which is a true yet scary feeling for most people). How they intertwine the female/male vocals to tell the story is timeless though.
Genre: Indie, Alt Rock
Another opening track for one of the top LP's of the year. I could've easily picked any track from this album but I feel this track sets up the entire album (no shit Sherlock...look at what she named the album!).
Genre: Indie Pop
Phenomenal. That's all I need to say about it because it only takes one listen to understand why Annie Clark is one of the greatest female singer/songwriters at the moment...not to mention she can shred on guitar, when needed.
Genre: Alt & Indie
What is there not to love about this song? Amazing guitar riff, great bass line, catchy vocals, and a perfect drum beat to boot. If you have some sort of un-biased towards them because of their reputation or jealous of the singer's wife...well then you are just silly.
Genre: Alt Rock
It has been awhile since I liked a Thursday track this much. "No Answers" is what I thought Thursday could mature enough to write. It took a few listens to adapt to this one but once I understood how great it was I had to listen to it nearly everyday. Quite a musical feat.
Genre: Indie Pop
I broke one of my rules by including more than 1 tracks from an LP. In my defense both are from my "Album of the Year" which makes it less of an offense in my opinion. As with the other Destroyer song on the list, patience is key. There are 2 intros to this track. The first is a pleasant guitar/piano piece and the second is an even more pleasant trumpet piece. You are then abruptly launched into the mind of a musical genius.
Genre: Alt & Indie
Think Tom Waits meets Arcade Fire. This is an important step of embracing WU LYF. The vocals might seem too "abrasive" at first to a new listener. I know they sure as hell came off that way for me at first. The instruments in the band are outstanding so I gave them a few more chances. Oddly enough, the vocals came around for me after numerous listens and I think it makes them unique. The last 2 minutes of this track are purely instrumental and it's simply breathtaking.
Genre: Electronica, Indie Pop
The intro seems to match the cover of this single quite well...creepy. The rest of the track is outstanding and grows on me every listen. Background vocals are one of my weak spots and this track offers the best background vocals of 2011. From 2:40 on, the duel vocals + horn intro + everything coming together makes this a top-5 track of the year.
3. TV on the Radio - "Will Do"
Genre: Indie
TV on the Radio never ceases to amaze me. "Will Do" is their best track to date (which is saying something). The song's composition is addicting and the climax at 2:45 is why it is one of the top songs of 2011.
2. Destroyer - "Bay of Pigs"
Genre: Indie Pop
While it may sound pretty erratic and unorganized on first listen, this song is nothing short of a masterpiece. The song comes across as an episode of 'Lost' or some drunken tale told by an ex-sailor, but the beautiful riff first seen at 4:08 is essentially the "constant" of the track. There's is no way I can explain the genius of this track in the next sentence because it takes Dan Bejar 11+ (necessary) minutes to explain.
1. Manchester Orchestra - "Simple Math"
Genre: Alt & Indie
Perfection. That is the only word needed to explain this track. There is not one note in this track that I would change. The climax (3:25) sums everything up perfectly. I'd also like to point out that the video I linked to does this song more justice than the official music video does, so check it out.
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