New Music Tuesdays

Howler

2012-01-24T13:30:00.000-08:00

[As a preambulatory note, in my end of 2011 holiday message, I referred to a forthcoming review of Snow Patrol's new release, Fallen Empires. I had modest hopes for the record, but as the objective of this blog is to promote music that I actually enjoy, I couldn't endorse it in good faith, as I didn't. It was alright, but maddeningly bland – not much differentiation between one song and the next. So, I had expected more, and rather than find reasons to make it through an entire post, I decided instead to spend the time and space on something a bit more interesting. If you're curious about some more enticing work from Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody, see my review of his work in Tired Pony (NMT)]

After some time spent listening to this week's reviewees, I've realized that I cut a bit more critical slack to male vocalists with higher voices than I do with lower ones. Looking back on some previous reviews, I've given leeway to some groups with vocalists who's nasal pitch and tone could easily be a turn-off – such as Titus Andronicus (NMT), Telegraph Canyon (NMT) or the Rural Alberta Advantage (NMT, NMT) – while routinely chastising other singers for low-register performances, like I did with Tokyo Police Club (NMT) and Miracles of Modern Science (NMT). The larger point is if a band puts out enjoyable and interesting songs, shouldn't I give baritones and basses the same credit I afford tenors? This profile will be an exercise in that expanded view, through the debut of the Minneapolis, Minn., quintet, Howler – America Give Up, out on January 17 on Rough Trade Records.

It should be noted right off the bat that I dislike Howler frontman Jordan Gatesmith's vocals on the most of the album's 11 tracks. It's growly and sloppy, and takes away attention from his generally high-quality songwriting, which is especially advanced for his age (19). Sure, there have been a good handful of great, deep-singing vocalists through the history of rock – Jim Morrison and Joey Ramone immediately come to mind, while your blogger's first meaningful experience with adult music came via a group with the most lower-limits lead singer of them all, the Crash Test Dummies' Brad Roberts. But Gatesmith's efforts to work within his range come across as a failure of execution at best or supreme laziness at worst. Sure, some of this could be a result of a still unfamiliar adult voice during the late teenage years, so his future work may offer some opportunities to refine his style.

Setting aside his self-inflicted vocal shortcomings, the bulk of Gatesmith's work on America Give Up points to a promising start for a young songwriter. Reflecting the grainy surf rock experiencing a resurgence lately via acts like Wavves (NMT) and Surfer Blood, Gatesmith's compositions are high-energy and briskly paced, like opener "Beach Sluts." The bouncy guitars from Gatesmith and Ian Nygaard hold their own with Brent Mayes' pulsing drums. The slower slog of "Back to the Grave" isn't far off the American Slang sound from the Gaslight Anthem (NMT), although Gatesmith's sludgy vocals first become apparent here. Fortunately, they're balanced out with a who-hoo chorus and cycling guitars.

The perky punk of "This One's Different" is more playful than its predecessors, and its simplicity in song structure is the track's key virtue. It hums along without much restraint and signals a pace that should be well-suited to live settings. The clangy guitars of "America" point to more retro garage band influences, arching back to The Kingsmen and The Kinks, although it would have benefited from a greater role for keyboardist Max Petrek, who could have added some color to the snarly arrangement. A Farfisa organ line here could have shifted the number to a true vintage sound.

Meanwhile, the murky, muddy ballad "Too Much Blood" won't be considered the record's hallmark. Although Gatesmith's growl can be tolerated when driven by a brisk pace, it's a draining influence here, making everything sound slower and less smartly composed. Moreover, the melody and rhythm are largely unchanged throughout the cut, only adding to its plodding nature.

Fortunately, the remainder of the collection not only rebounds from here, but improves. "Wailing (Making Out)" allows the fullest sample of Petrek's work, with his whirring organ part filling in the number's intensity. Meanwhile, "Pythagorean Fearem" is rambunctious in an Iggy & the Stooges kind of way, hardly pausing for a breath in the short 2:28 runtime, and might be the perfect outlet for Gatesmiths skills at both singing and songwriting at this stage.

In "Told You Once," the inclusion of Gatesmith's acoustic guitar on top of Nygaard's surf style electric lines adds crispness and distinctiveness from the album's other tracks. And while it's subject number is decidedly self-loathing, it hardly wallows in that internal pity, with an upbeat melody and energetic accompaniment from Myers and bassist France Camp. And despite its unfortunate landing spot late in the lineup, first single "Back of Your Neck" is easily the group's finest output here. It's exuberant and catchy, in the spirit of uptempo pop-rock outfits like Los Campesinos! (NMT) and Grouplove (NMT) with who-ho choruses and lively lead guitar lines. It only wants of a couple horns to add a bit more punch, and Nygaard's solo is surprisingly sparse-sounding, considering the overall jubilant vibe. But these are rookie mistakes, and excusable considering the quality of the number.

Later on, "Free Drunk" could have fit well on Telekinesis' 12 Desperate Straight Lines (NMT), although it could have benefited from the same sort of brightness Michael Benjamin Lerner employed on that record. But, otherwise, it's a fine attempt at fairly straightforward hooky rock. "Black Lagoon" returns the snotty surfer punk last heard on the record's opening third, and it's enjoyable in its snarly whiplash. "Horrorshow" closes things out on a low-fi, noise rock plane. It's not the best thing here, but I'd much rather hear more of this direction in the future from Gatesmith than the dispassionate clutter of "Too Much Blood."

Come for: "Back of Your Neck"
Stay for: "Pythagorean Fearem"
You'll be surprised by: "Told You Once"

The Little Willies

2012-01-17T15:32:00.000-08:00

Country and jazz. Sounds like the ultimate in paradoxes, right? How could the more rigid and often campy country genre – especially in its bastardized mainstream variety mesh with the free-flowing and erudite jazz? But, like chicken and waffles – when placed in the right hands – they can strike the perfect balance between surprise and satisfaction. Such is the case with the New York City-based, genre-spanning quintet The Little Willies and their sophomore release, For the Good Times, out on January 6 on Jones' Milking Bull records.

Pairing first-rate country pickers with Norah Jones' top-shelf jazz piano and vocals across a sampling of country and R&B covers – along with a couple of originals, the record's dozen tracks capably match country's earnest authenticity with jazz's intentional cool and experimentation. Although it's neither the epicenter of jazz nor country, the City makes eminent sense as the place where such disparate styles come together, as so many other aspects of culture have done over the past few centuries. As Jones and her co-lead vocalist Richard Julian explained to Paste Magazine, the group had originally scheduled its first session together for the morning of September 11, 2001. While the events of that day delayed those plans, the collective ultimately used the tragedy as a reason to press on and record their self-titled debut in 2006.

A la the New Pornographers (NMT), Jones plays Neko Case to Julian's A.C. Newman, with Jones' sultry and smoky jazz providing the garnish while Julian's straight-forward, untwangy county serves as the steady foundation. As a nod to that dichotomy, the opening choice of Dr. Ralph Stanley's "I Worship You" is a perfect introduction to the group's bidirectional influences. The belt-it-out soul of the verses brilliantly clashes with the chorus rattlesnake gallop, punctuated by lead guitarist Jim Campilongo's crisp front lines. Stanley is best known for his "O, Death" from the O, Brother, Where Art Thou? soundrack, and the band's selection here demonstrates the breadth of his songwriting talent.

A little less bipolar and more jazzy is the following "Remember Me," with Jones gliding across the 1939 ballad penned by Scotty Wiseman – which he performed with his wife Lulu Belle – her piano and pining vocals anchoring the track, as Julian and his acoustic guitar standing in as a gentle sparring partner for Jones. The lightly brushed snare of drummer Dan Rieser and stand-up bass from Lee Alexander recall the impossibly easy jazz of the Vince Guaraldi Trio, and Campilongo's lead part adds color, not distraction. Its countrified counterpart is the Julian-fronted "Diesel Smoke, Dangerous Curves," the 1952 trucker tale by Cal Martin, later recorded by Gene Autry and Burl Ives. Julian smartly lets Martin's fast-paced lyrics steal the attention, with Campilongo once again the instrumental highlight; his Mexicali blues riffs tracing the storyline through winding western mountain passes, the trucker's focus increasingly diverted by his racy visions of the "dangerous curves" of ladies along the journey. For your blogger, it would only be better if the lyrics were referencing a railroad engineer.

The collection hits its stride with "Lovesick Blues," the squirrelly 1922 Tin Pan Alley product by Cliff Friend and Irving Mills later popularized by Hank Williams (Sr) in the 1940s. Jones and Julian smooth out the warbly edges patterned by Williams and down-shift the number into slower, jazzier territory. The band's take is its best work in blurring the boundaries between country and jazz, as if they had always been the most natural of bedfellows.

Following Campilongo's original and largely instrumental roadhouse romp, "Tommy Rockwood" – for which the song's title character are the only lyrics voiced by Jones and Julian – Jones returns with her boastful version of Loretta Lynn's brawling "Fist City." Lynn's rambunctious and heavily syncopated offering from 1968 aligns well with the group's strengths: expert performance of their instruments and star-turn vocals from Jones. More importantly, its evident the five-piece enjoys rambling through the cut's brisk 2:59, essential for a composition with so much inherent hubris.

On "Permanently Lowly," Julian presents a decidedly Jackson Browne-style rendition of Willie Nelson's 1982 original, substituting a lighter and easier jazz figure for Nelson's drier southwest vibe. Just as interestingly, the group transforms the initially comedic "Fowl Owl on the Prowl" – which was somehow and inexplicably written by Quincy Jones for the 1967 film, In the Heat of the Night – into a slower, darker and more haunting jazz concept, although it becomes a bit redundant after a few passes.

Not surprisingly, Jullian's "Wide Open Road" – composed by Johnny Cash in 1954 during his Sun Records days – is properly speedy, reflecting both the song's title and it's author's legacy, a healthy road anthem, while "For the Good Times" makes the counter argument. Kris Kristofferson's well-covered ballad from 1970 urges restraint and reflection that seem far removed from Cash's call to adventure. Closing things up are the familiar Hank Williams hit "If You've Got the Money, I've Got the Time" – probably better known as the Honky Tonking song, originally written by Lefty Frizzell and Jim Beck – which is again reflected in the inverse by Dolly Parton's 1973 narrative, "Joline," accounting the fears of a nervous housewife faced with what she perceives as a threat to her husband's love. Jones doesn't aim far afield if Parton's distinctive vocal delivery, and is one of the few contemporary singers capable of hitting her mark.

Come for: "Lovesick Blues"
Stay for: "Fist City"
You'll be surprised by: "Permanently Lowly"

The Barr Brothers

2012-01-10T04:30:00.000-08:00

With the recent holiday period pushing most of the new year's new releases into the second week of January, this week presents an opportunity to visit a fall release that didn't make last year's reviews, in the form of the self-titled debut of Montreal, Quebec-based The Barr Brothers, released on September 27, 2012 on Secret City Records.

The 10-track efforts is fueled primarily by quiet and dark folk and roots numbers, with promising glimpses of loose blues rock and hearty Americana, with the devil as a recurring thematic character throughout. Recording most of the record in a basement boiler room, the approach mirrors the industrial graininess achieved by The Low Anthem (NMT) on their 2011 album, Smart Flesh, which was recorded in an old pasta sauce factory. Not coincidentally, that group shares similar roots in Providence, R.I., with The Barr Brothers' namesake siblings, Brad and Andrew, part of the more experimental outfit out of Boston, Mass., The Slip. The brothers, respectively, handle the guitar and percussion duties, with Brad assuming most of the lead vocals and multi-instrumentalist Andres Vial and harpist Sarah Page adding color and texture.

Beginning with a wash of ambient sounds, opener "Beggar in the Morning" is an unassuming start, an easy trek that builds in complexity and drive as Brad's moody lyrics narrate the scene. The rusty backdrop – while not strictly a conceptual structure for the entire album – is the sort of underpinnings prevalent on the emerging work of Okkervil River (NMT) more than a decade ago and the more recent narrative-based folk rock of Southeast Engine (NMT, NMT). It's following counterpart, "Ooh, Belle" is even more gentle and all the more nuanced, with Page's harp first making a noticeable appearance, who also adds welcome backing vocals here, contrasting with Brad's low-register range.

The pairing of "Old Mythologies" and "Give the Devil Back His Heart" advance both the collection's pace and storyline, with the dancing acoustic guitar and harp interplay of the former a precursor to the blues-laced classic rock flavor of the latter, as touches of Crosby, Stills and Nash, Led Zeppelin and The Grateful Dead help cast the tale of the hillside wanderer. Meanwhile, "Cloud (for Lhasa)" is as light and floating as its title suggests, pointing to the wistful influence of George Harrison, and although "The Devil's Harp" obviously highlights Page's distinctive instrument, its the most western-flavored offering in the set, as if some confrontation with Lucifer is at play on some mountain pass in Colorado or New Mexico. It's an interesting direction for a folk rock outfit out of Montreal.

As the record's true outlier, "Lord, I Just Can't Keep From Crying"is straight out of the messy blues currently popularized by The Black Keys (NMT). Brad's electric parts are raw and snarly, a sizable departure from the intentionally quiet folk material earlier on, and Andrew's drumming is unrestrained and pulsing, with Vial's bass rumbling along in the background. But it is a challenge to pick out where Page's harp fits in here.

The dusty trail ramblers return on "Deacon's Son," a pioneer's adventure westward punctuated by Andrew's clip-clop percussion and Vial's trippy vibraphone, with the somewhat strange inclusion of steel drum jangle launching the number's extended jam. "Held My Head" arcs back to the contemplative quiet of the album's early cuts, and "Let There Be Horses" resolves the compilation in a smoky haze comparable to Wilco's (NMT) more simplified moments, like "Jesus, Etc" or "Hummingbird."

Come for: "Beggar in the Morning"
Stay for: "Old Mythologies"
You'll be surprised by: "Lord, I Just Can't Keep From Crying"

sans serif

2012-01-03T04:30:00.000-08:00

Frequent readers of this space might roll their eyes after the description of 2012's first profilees: oh, no; not another large, multi-gender, indie-pop group hailing from Canada. And those descriptors certainly line-up with very many groups profiled here, such as the New Pornographers (NMT), the Arcade Fire (NMT), Stars (NMT), Ra Ra Riot (NMT), Hey Rosetta! (NMT) and Library Voices (NMT), this cohort of bands have no trouble receiving coverage here. But this week, that familiar template is just slightly askew, as the Halifax, Nova Scotia octet sans serif integrate more of the indie rock roots flavor of acts like R.E.M. (NMT) and 10,000 Maniacs with vaudevillian jazz interludes in the spirit of the Squirrel Nut Zippers on their full-length debut, i'm not in love (i'm in dartmouth), self-released by the band in early December.

Featuring a decidedly unpolished veneer across the record's 11 tracks, the group allows its fiddles, horns and acoustic guitars to establish a rustic foundation, while their quirky humor and sonic experimentation tacks the output away from straight alt-country (an increasingly well-worn genre these days). Such is true from the outset, with the strange synth, tuba and violin intro of "the (power) storm" hardly a prelude to the peppy acoustic pop that's actually the song's core. Primary lead singer Stephanie Gora sounds like the far less pretentious version Natalie Merchant that fronted 10,000 Maniacs in the In My Tribe era of that act's smart art pop. It's a shame the band doesn't provide instrumental listings for their various members on any of its electronic media (a quick search only yielded Gora as the lead singer), so all credits here will be non-specific. To that end, the track's jangly guitars and soaring violins merge to support Gora's straightforward vocals, while the rhythm section (whoever that is) keep a refreshingly brisk pace.

But inasmuch as the group's self-produced approach can produce fine examples of earnest and enjoyable pop rock as found on the opener, it can also lead to the occasional lack of focus, which is no more apparent on the following "landlines." After an unorganized mash of competing sounds at the front-end, the bulk of the number's limited 1:36 can't decide if it's a quick perky piano ditty or a splash of noise fuzz. Either would have been worth an attempt, but the combination of dual missions and short run time leave the listener confused. Another of the album's recurring flaws – which is also first apparent here – is the inability to wrap up a number without it collapsing into disarray. Both of these issues – while not fatal, especially for a young band just releasing its first full record for free – could likely have been tidied up with fresh set of ears behind the nobs. The same is true on proceeding numbers such as "franklin park zoo" and "(it's so hard to fake it) in the cold."

Again, the production limitations don't generally hinder the better part of the session, of which "mixed metaphors" is one of the finest. The acoustic guitar, horns and trap kit here could easily be mistaken for the jazzy vaudeville of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, with its loosely arranged clutter both endearing and amusing. And later on, the nerdy pairing of "lets.all.abort.time" and "lets all redistribute wealth" is the sort of jubilantly intelligent stuff this blog attempts to locate (remember the geeky swagger of "I Found Space" from Miracles of Modern Science (NMT) in our most recent review?). The former – the record's longest track, but still only clocking in at 3:57 – imagines an intergalactic android battle interrupting a quiet afternoon picnic, while the latter is the collection's most intricately-arranged product and points to the zany infectiousness of an act like Los Campesinos! (NMT) in its chorus. The only complaint within this tandem is the overly-campy shout responses from whichever guys are providing them. With Gora providing a perfectly acceptable standard for lead vocals and some combination of fellow female bandmates Rachel Wise and Andromeda MacIsaac (could she possibly be related to superb Nova Scotian fiddler Ashely MacIsaac?) providing solid supporting vocals elsewhere, the guys' involvement here is unnecessarily silly and distracting, even though the intent of both numbers is squarely tongue-in-cheek.

With either Wise or MacIsaac taking over lead duties on "i love you (but i don't want to touch you)" is solidly humorous and musically interesting, via the see-sawing battle between the regimental percussion, punkish bass and guitar lines and the frenetic horn and string parts. It also forms an interesting contrast with the moody rockabilly duet "calque," featuring sultry country twang from Gora and beatnick bravado from whichever guy compliments her here, before transforming into a campfire-style singalong later.

I'm not so into the college a-capella sounding ham intro of "smoke detectors," but it does settle nicely into a wistful ballad after the opening foolishness and again after a mid-number goofy breakdown that doesn't add much the concept. Closing out the affair, the title track – fronted by another guy – is again hard to take seriously. That's the thing about recorded musical comedy: it's hard to deliver when so overtly comical. A quick sample of acts known for musical comedy – Harry Chapin, They Might Be Giants (NMT), Barenaked Ladies and Moxy Fruvous – all undersold their gestures on record to allow their inherent witticism and clever ideas to stand on their own. It's not that the ideas are bad here, but that the performance gets in the way. It's something that outside experience should be able to refine on future efforts, along with the mid-track shifting changes of time signatures, chaotic closures, short run times and occasionally inconsistent rhythm (not to suggest the rhythm section isn't talented). Let's allow them that opportunity by downloading and sharing the group's promising start, hopefully yielding time in a professional studio with some well-meaning guidance.

Come for: "the (power) storm"
Stay for: "mixed metaphors"
You'll be surprised by: "lets.all.abort.time"

Merry Christmas & Happy New Years

2011-12-27T04:30:00.000-08:00

Since NMTs has hit its monthly goal of four posts for December, we'll beg off for the rest of 2011 and return in early January to enter our 3rd calendar year of profiles of the latest new acts and releases in alternative, mainstream, independent, folk, pop and many more formats of rock music. In particular, stay tuned for new releases from fun. (NMT's most favoritest group reviewed so far), Ben Kweller, Snow Patrol, and more.

In the meantime, feel free to reflect on our Red Sweater Days compilation of top Christmas songs from last year.

Miracles of Modern Science

2011-12-20T04:30:00.000-08:00

Usually, each post in this space will begin with some background on a specific style of music or ruminations on the uniqueness of a given band or artist. For this post, however, what you can expect from this week's profilees – the smarty-smarty, high-energy orchestral rock quintet Miracles of Modern Science – is most easily explained through a Venn diagram:

You see, the soundscape of Miracles of Modern Science – or their self-appointed acronym, MOMS – easily aligns in the intersection of styles previously encountered in four NMT reviewees (in order of their initial NMTs appearance): the folksy bluegrass of the Farewell Drifters (NMT, NMT); the rusty plains howl of Rural Alberta Advantage (NMT, NMT), the gypsy diversity of DeVotchKa (NMT) and the nerdy humor of They Might Be Giants (NMT). This blend of styles is achieved with near perfection on MOMS' ambitious debut, Dog Year, self-released by the band on December 6.

MOMS may be the contemporary embodiment of how a new band is formed. Founding members Evan Younger and Josh Hirshfeld linked up at Princeton University in 2004 via Facebook. After refining their sonic direction as a mix of classical, rock and folk music – reflecting not such the tonal patterns of the acts identified above, but other groups ranging from the history-infused punk of Titus Andronicus (NMT), the orchestral foundations of peers like Ra Ra Riot (NMT) and Hey Rosetta (NMT) to the spirited collective format found in groups like the Arcade Fire (NMT) – double bassist Younger and mandolinst Hirshfeld filled-in their sound by adding violinist Kieran Ledwidge, cellist Geoff McDonald and drummer Tyler Pines. Although their approach checked few boxes on what band managers, record labels and promoters prioritize in new acts, the ability to record and distribute new music via electronic media today allows groups like MOMS to reach more of their intended audience without lessening their musical direction. This model is apparent throughout Dog Year.

Opener "Moms Away!" is vibrant, headstrong and witty, chronicling a dream involving a supersonic clash between man and machine. Younger, handling lead vocals throughout the record's dozen tracks, is a hybrid of Rural Alberta Advantage's Nils Edenloff and Tokyo Police Club's (NMT) Dave Monks, aided by Hirshfeld's backing vocals. Hirshfeld's mandolin drives the number, while Younger and Pines pace it with its galloping rythym, and the string parts of Ledwidge and McDonald provide it's color. When paired with Younger's sci-fi nightmare, it's a refreshingly odd output, especially with the strange nod to Aaron Copeland's "A Lincoln Portrait" after the final chorus. It's the sort of thing Titus Andronicus included on their sophomore release, The Monitor (NMT), and only adds to MOMS' quirky combination of elements.

This is all followed by the equally weird "Strangerous," the tale of a creepy stalker in the vein of the Barenaked Ladies' similarly disturbing, but likewise brilliant "Straw Hat and Old Dirty Hank." Ledwidge and McDonald help set the mood with their lurking strings during the verses, and the whole thing takes off at its frenetic chorus. The group's propensity to conjure obscure song titles continues immediately on "Tensity," which matches its title's suggestion of stress with jerky figures from Hirshfeld's mandolin and Ledwidge's fiddle. It's a bit less tongue-in-cheek as its predecessors, but still well-constructed and executed, and spirals upwards to its chaotic zenith. A bit more restrained is "Eating Me Alive," with McDonald's gracious cello weaving through the verses, then racing off at the chorus in the same manner as so many Rural Alberta Advantage concepts. But the main gripe here is Younger's low-register bridge section. Like Edenloff and Monks, vocalists with more nasally tenor should avoid the deeper limits of their range, which often yields a noticeable downgrade in vocal enthusiasm and distinctiveness. Fortunately the barrage of instrumental firepower returns to close out the number.

Falling short of the initial outburst of energy found on the opening quartet of songs, "Quantum of Solace" is in keeping with the title's moribund frame. The pace and exhilaration that defined the album's early stages is absent here, and it's a hard slog. The same is true later on with "The Moon and Australia," albeit much shorter in length.

Despite these blemishes, the rest of the compilation is fantastic. Leadoff single "Luminol" builds from a bit of a sleepy start, fueled again by Hirshfeld and Ledwidge along with the unlikely addition of Beach Boys-style ooh-aah-ooh harmonies. Meanwhile, the woodlands zoology of "Friend of the Animals" is joyful throughout and animated by its campy animal imitations and barnyard jamboree at the end. The late-appearing duo of "Space Chopper" and "I Found Space" represents the record's finest work. The former is rambunctious and points to the big group sound of the Arcade Fire with its sing-along gang vocals, while the latter is pure exuberance, as if it were recorded among a gathering of the most delighted and possibly inebriated sci-fi nerds.

The same spirit returns to close out the album on "Bossa Supernova." It's a jubilant affair propelled by mandolin, violin and cello that alternate between ecstatic and measured, while Younger and Pine team to maintain the speed without caroming into anarchy. At the end, the not-so-disguised "Secret Track" is a cartoonish narrative of a man who lost his limbs and the resulting tragedies that beset him, the type of humorous content that have defined secret tracks spanning from Green Day's "All By Myself" to Barenaked Ladies' "She's On Time." Here, MOMS' protagonist is a mix of Dr. Scott from the Rocky Horror Show and Family Guy's Buzz Killington.

Come for: "Luminol"
Stay for: "I Found Space"
You'll be surprised by: "Bossa Supernova"

P.S. MOMS does a fun cover of Foster the People's mega-hit, "Pumped Up Kicks"

The Black Keys

2011-12-13T17:00:00.000-08:00

The two-person outfit is a rarity in rock music. Sure, there have been scores of prominent songwriting duos throughout rock history – the likes of Lennon/McCartney, Jagger/Richards and Page/Plant. But those tandems were all part of larger ensembles in terms of recording and live performances. The duo structure has largely been limited to folk-rock oriented pairings like the Everly Brothers and Simon & Garfunkel. And aside from the too-short run of The Carpenters and the now-defunct White Stripes – which was always more of a 80/20 share of talent and contributions between Jack and Meg White – the rock duo is almost impossible to identify beyond the efforts of this week's profilees, The Black Keys, and their seventh studio record, El Camino – out last Tuesday on Warner Brothers' Nonesuch Records.

Despite the duo's unique composition in relation to other bands, the act – comprised of vocalist and guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney, although both dabble into other instruments to round out their sound – toes closer to the classic rock vintage than more progressive elements. In fact, the 11-track album could have easily emerged from the mid-70s, with its hearty blend of blues-based thump, Motown-flavored blue-eyed soul and trace amounts of late 60's psychedelia. But unlike their contemporary peers like The Flaming Lips or Beck, Auerback and Carney tack more towards tightly-constructed, stand-alone numbers than anything approaching the 24-hour song recently offered by The Flaming Lips or the genre-bending work of Beck. Still, for those of us more inclined to less free-flowing rock standards, El Camino should more than compensate for its limited breadth. Moreover, the compilation's accomplishments are more impressive considering the band's truncated roster.

Produced by the well-traveled and influential Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) – key architect of the alternative hip-hop and R&B act, Gnarls Barkely, along with Cee Lo Green – along with Auerbach and Carney, the release is clothed in a more uptempo vibe than previous Black Keys efforts, especially its 2010 predecessor, Brothers. The change plays to the duo's strengths, a hard-charging enthusiasm, the sort best exemplified by punk-informed blues acts like the John Spencer Blues Explosion or electronic-influenced artists like Matt & Kim. This is true from the outset, via the thumping leadoff single, "Lonely Boy." Auerbach's sludgy bass line and stabbing guitar set the stage for Carney's kinetic percussion through the verses. Auerbach's vocals are filtered through a foggy haze, while outside session organist Brian Burton's work hangs some flesh on the duo's bony foundation. Likewise, background vocals from Leisa Han, Heather Rigdon and Ashley Wilcoxson contribute some welcome soul to Auerbach's tangy singing.

The energy builds on the following "Dead and Gone," a pounding affair that somehow combines the same The Clash-style guitar slash from "Lonely Boy" with a Motown-coloured chorus along the lines of The Four Tops or Temptations, complete with handclaps and more solid chorus help from their trio of Han, Rigdon and Wilcoxson. It's such a peculiar blend that its thoroughly enjoyable, and Burton's wafting Hammond organ in the song's further reaches only adds to the tune's throwback flavor. After the track's abrupt conclusion, the jagged "Gold On The Ceiling" tamps down the rambunctiousness, but not the spirit. Auerbach's growling electric guitar is matched with a brightening acoustic guitar part and fuzzy keyboards. It also isn't hard to locate hints of The Doors an the number's outskirts.

In as much record's opening trio of tracks points to a union of punk energy with R&B richness, in the clean-up spot, "Little Black Submarines" owes its foundation to straightforward classic rock, and possibly the most storied classic rock anthem, Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven." One can only hope Auerbach is overtly channeling Jimmy Page's iconic acoustic guitar part here, otherwise the similarity of the two pieces would amount to outright lifting. And although the number is dwarfed by "Stairway's" more than double run time, the comparison continues as a similar hard rock breakdown takes over at the song's midpoint, again akin to its classic ancestor. The only divergence between the two is Aurbach and Carney's version contains far less references to mythology and fantasy literature than Robert Plant's original lyrics.

Unfortunately, after such a strong quartet of numbers, the record's mid-section bottoms out. Among the triplet of "Money Maker," "Run Right Back" and "Sister," none are especially hard to listen to, but, conversely, none are all that captivating either. They're solid rock numbers, but not very distinguishable. It's not a moral sin for the album, but based on its earlier output, the cuts are a bit disappointing, most likely due to the absence of the keyboards, organs and backing vocals that defined the initial offerings.

But do stick around for the latter third of the compilation. "Hell Of A Season" regains a bit of the swagger, which fully returns on another Motown-grounded groove in "Stop, Stop," hinting at faint resemblances to Stevie Wonder's "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" in its jangly chorus. Meanwhile, "Nova Baby" is the album's most joyous contribution, with the return of The Clash guitar slash and a pogo stick bounce in the chorus. Closer "Mind Eraser" ends the affair with a bit of Doors-style psychedelia, but doesn't overdo it at only 3:15.

Come for: "Lonely Boy"
Stay for: "Dead and Gone"
You'll be surprised by: "Stop, Stop"

Jonathan Coulton

2011-12-06T06:17:00.001-08:00

It can be tempting to brand material from a newer band or artist that is similar in style to a more established act as derivative or unoriginal. And sometimes such criticisms are valid. Anyone who knows my tastes in music is aware of my less than enthusiastic stance on Coldplay as a less-interesting version of Radiohead. But often, acts for whom a large portion of their sound is influenced by a certain predecessor, the outcome can be a fresh take on a well-worn approach, and add new spins and directions to it. This is the case with New York, N.Y.-based singer-songwriter Jonathan Coulton and his They Might Be Giants (TMBG)-patterned veneer on his eighth studio recording, Artificial Heart, released independently by Coulton on November 8.

The TMBG (NMT) influence should come as no surprise here, given that TMBG co-frontman John Flansbaugh produced the record. While Coulton previously released seven full-length albums, most were recorded without a band and in Coulton's home studios. Flansbaugh's involvement allowed Coulton to utilize studio musicians – many of whom have worked with TMBG and TMBG-related efforts in the past – in a professional space. The collection's whopping 18 tracks also include several guest vocal appearances, from John Roderick on "Nemesis," Suzanne Vega (of "Tom's Diner" fame) on "Now I Am an Arsonist" and Sara Quinn of the Canadian twin sister duo Tegan and Sara on "Still Alive." The added resources help bolster Coulton's already-stellar songwriting talents, and the studio band in particular provides some welcome punch across the record.

While Coulton bases his constructions largely around TMBG's trademark blend of clever and catchy – and his vocal phrasing is primarily a reflection of Flansbaugh's TMBG partner, John Linnell – he introduces outside flavors ranging from the smooth Americana polish of Jackson Browne to more punk-tinged crunch in a The Kinks or Ted Leo vein. These more diverse backgrounds broaden Coulton's work from only TMBG regurgitation to a more distinctive portfolio. Of course, you wouldn't not it immediately, as leadoff track "Sticking It to Myself" saunters in with the familiar saxophone root common in so many TMBG tracks over the years, and Linnell-style vocals from Coulton, although with a touch more power pop fuel than the Johns usually offer. Still, it's hooky and well-crafted – a great introduction for new listeners. At the same time, the following "Artificial Heart" is quirky and aloof at first, then bright and boastful at the chorus – another tried and true TMBG staple, although the keyboards are more straight-up piano sound than the farfisa organs preferred by Linnell.

"Nemesis" – featuring lead vocals from Roderick instead of Coulton – first introduces the more Americana tendencies cultivated by more classic rock forerunners like Jackson Browne and Warren Zevon. The acoustic and electric guitars form the track's core here, and while the song's title reads like a Star Trek reference, Coulton's lyrics are a bit more straightforward here. It sounds more like something you might expect off an early-era Barenaked Ladies record like Maybe You Should Drive, with Roderick and Coulton complementing each other like the Canadian popsters co-frontman duo of Ed Robertson and now-former member Steven Page (NMT). The distinctiveness continues on "The World Belongs to You" with its heavy mandolin foundation, akin to multiple NMT-profilees Farewell Drifters (NMT, NMT). The bluegrass ditty is unlike anything TMBG has ever attempted.

Following the somber, but coyly witty "Today With Your Wife" – which plays like a Ben Folds (NMT) meets Fountains of Wayne (NMT) ballad – "Sucker Punch" is the album's best, with its heavy power-pop crunch and catchy chorus blazing through the cut's short 1:44 run time, like TMBG's own "Can't Keep Johnny Down" off their recent album, Join Us (NMT). Sure, I'd like a bit more, but it's too fun to get hung up on the brevity.

Later on, "Alone at Home" is a minimalist punk-flavored cruncher – again, short like "Sucker Punch" – while the baroque-themed "Fraud" is sparse and plunky with just Coulton's acoustic guitar. Meanwhile, the humorous "Good Morning Tucson" recalls fellow NMT-profilee Butch Walker's similarly smart "Trash Day" and, after all, who can't chuckle at a verse like, "when I was coming up I got the donuts, which means I got the donuts that I wanted / There was no young punk to steal my jelly-glazed, and I am still sort of amazed that you can be born in the nineties."

Suzanne Vega's pleasant alto pairs well with Coulton on the retrained and earnest "Now I Am an Arsonist," while Sara Quinn brings welcome vocal brightness to the music box-like "Still Alive," although I'm not much of a fan of the track's nearly minute-long warbly intro.

Of course, over the course of 18 tracks, they can't all be can't misses. While the concept of "Je Suis Rick Springfield" is intriguing, the french lyrics don't convey the funny as effectively as his humor is deployed elsewhere. Likewise, "Nobody Loves You Like Me" is a decent musical idea, but is a little too droning for my taste. And elsewhere, you get the sense Coulton's instinct is to retreat to a solo singer-songwriter, which he's perfectly competent at on cuts like "Down Today" and "Want You Gone," but they're not as compelling as his work highlighted above. The same is true for numbers like "Glasses" and "Dissolve," more rocking variants of their guy-and-his-guitar counterparts. But "The Stache" does close the collection on a clever note, with its account of high-school age posturing, again pointing back to Flansbaugh's influence.

Come for: "Sucker Punch"
Stay for: "Good Morning Tucson"
You'll be surprised by: "Today With Your Wife"

P.S. Coulton appeared on the audiobook version of John Hodgman's, The Areas of My Expertise, a fantastic collection of interesting, odd and potentially fictional factoids from the actor best known as the PC Guy in Apple's ads earlier this decade. Coulton provided acoustic guitar backing and interludes, as well as a few off-the-cuff comments. Also, completing the Coulton-Hodgman-TMBG association triangle, Hodgman has appeared in a series of short videos for the band's Venue Songs collection.

GROUPLOVE

2011-12-03T05:16:00.001-08:00

Since this post is already more than three days late, we'll skip the clever/verbose lede and dive right into the review of another spirited, multi-gender outfit that prioritizes energy and enthusiasm in the form of Los Angeles-based quintet, GROUPLOVE, and their debut release, Never Trust a Happy Song – out this past September 13 on Atlantic Records.

You may already be a bit unintentionally aware of the band via their track "Colours," which has appeared in a widely-appearing Chevy commercial and leadoff single "Tongue Tied" promoting Apple's iPod touch. Sure, the mid-90s version of your blogger would have derided such abject commercialism, and would have pointed out that acts like R.E.M. and Pearl Jam would would sooner be caught dead then overtly endorse any product or service. But times have changed with music acquisition nearly exclusively occurring online (legally or otherwise) via the massive decline in record stores, radio stations featuring new music and a bastardized MTV who refuses to air any music videos. Accordingly, bands – especially young bands – need to aggressively promote themselves in as many venues as possible, and mainstream commercials are just one avenue.

Regardless, both tracks featured in the product promos are catchy and representative samples of the group's work on the record. The former is mid-tempo and a touch sludgy, but hooky enough to lure new audiences. Featuring the nasally wail of primary lead vocalist and guitarist Christian Zucconi and solid background vocals from keyboardist Hannah Hooper, it blends Weezer (NMT)-style chorus crunch with looping verses. Its counterpart in "Tongue Tied" is even catchier, with a carefree party grove built around the same bouncy rhythm that anchored the Smashing Pumpkins' iconic "1979" with the blitzing jocularity of contemporary acts like Los Campesinos! (NMT), The Givers (NMT) and Library Voices (NMT). The only fear with the latter track is the risk of it caroming off the cliff into the ravine of dance pop, only one remix away from stocking the playlists of dance clubs everywhere.

Elsewhere, the album's dozen tracks largely feature upbeat and enjoyable pop rock, with a few exceptions. The reggae sway of "Lovely Cup" breezes along with a delightful lightness and "Spun" is both the record's finest cut and one that should earn a spot on any collection of road anthems, alongside highway soundtrack tracks from artists like The Eagles, Jackson Browne and Fleetwood Mac. It might actually be best suited in a pairing with modern road anthems like The Arcade Fire's (NMT) "Keep the Car Running," the Great Lakes Myth Society's "Across the Bridge" and Hey Rosetta's (NMT) "Seeds," especially with Zucconi's lead-in mandolin trading-off nicely with guitarist Andrew Wessen's sturdy electric parts. Deeper tracks like the beach party tribute "Naked Kids" and the harder rockabilly romp of "Chloe" fit well with the record's lighthearted vibe.

But the band is a little less successful on a few other efforts here. While opener "Itchin' on a Photograph" is a fine tune on its own right, Zucconi's vocal range seems to get the best of him, as he spends the better part of the track screeching to a level that could be labeled as unmusical. Meanwhile, Hooper's first taste of leadoff vocals on "Slow" aren't the finest introduction to her talents. Not that her singing isn't adequate here, but rather the song's concept is so dull (as its title might suggest) that her debut is rather ho-hum. It sounds as it could have served as the prime example of the Eurythmics' forays into the depths of the avant garde. Fortunately, she gets another shot on "Love Will Save Your Soul," and delivers on the slightly bluesy number. Later on, Zucconi uses his distinct nasal delivery to better advantage on "Cruel and Beautiful World," harnessing it more like Rural Alberta Advantage's (NMT) Nils Edenloff, especially with its blend of rusty acoustic guitars and scratch rhythm section backing from bassist Sean Gadd and drummer Ryan Rabin.

Come for: "Tongue Tied"
Stay for: "Spun"
You'll be surprised by: "Lonely Cup"

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

2011-11-22T05:00:00.001-08:00

Since it's just days before the holiday season begins – and because your blogger is pretty busy presently – this post will be an exercise in brevity. But a short post is better than no post. Plus, much of the backstory on this week's artist – former oasis songwriter, guitarist and part-time lead vocalist Noel Gallagher – was already taken care of in my review of his brother Liam's post-oasis project, Beady Eye. So, if you're looking for my thoughts on all things oasis and Gallagher brothers, head there. Here, we'll focus on Noel's competing project, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. His debut album of the same title was released on November 8 on Noel's own Sour Mash Records.

After the demise of oasis, my initial expectation was that Liam and his mates in Beady Eye would have a tough time songwriting without Noel's creative force, and that Noel would emerge with a steady effort, building on his two decades of songwriting for oasis. I was only half correct. Beady Eye defied all expectations, and delivered a well-constructed, ambitious debut outing on Different Gear, Still Speeding last March. Meanwhile, Noel has responded predictably with his High Flying Birds, turning out a solid, consistent 10-track product infused with his trademark Beatles-style constructions, some heady orchestral arrangements and professional-quality musicianship. But, it's also not terribly exciting.

Noel always benefited from the better pure singing voice of the two brothers; a smoother, more balanced counterpoint to Liam's rusty nails sneer. And he exploits that talent well here, hitting and sustaining higher notes beyond Liam's range and routinely employing his well-honed falsetto. This is apparent as soon as the opener, "Everybody's on the Run," with Gallagher shepherding the tune's soaring chorus, and benefiting from sturdy drumming from session percussionist Jeremy Stacey. Gallagher always demanded solid, but unspectacular work from his drummers in oasis, and he finds a willing partner in Stacey throughout the record. He also effectively deploys a mix of horns and strings across the album, boosting the complexity of his songwriting, especially on the album's closer, "Stop the Clocks" – apparently a would-be oasis number than never left the studio over a decade, according to Gallagher.

The problem with the collection, though, emerges quickly: the tracks are nearly all indistinguishable from each other, one mid-tempo cut to the next. This isn't to say that any are bad on their own; in fact, not a single track is a must-skip. They're all carefully structured, well-executed pieces of pop-rock, and several are a step above, such as leadoff single, "If I Had A Gun" and the catchy chorus of "Dream On." And if the Gallagher's acoustic guitar progression on the former of these sounds familiar, you're right: it's nearly the same as oasis flagship number, "Wonderwall."

But the pace on all of them is largely identical, not moving too fast or too slow. Some variation in tempo and intensity would be welcome. There is a bit more pep on a couple of numbers, though: the optimistic "AKA...What A Life" and it's fluttering counterpart, "AKA...Broken Arrow." But neither hardly qualifies as a barn-burner, and it's hard to believe Gallagher no longer has the more upbeat stuff in him, considering high-energy oasis tracks spanning that band's catalogue, from the early "Supersonic" to the more recent "The Shock of the Lightning." And perhaps his forthcoming full-album collaboration with Amorphous Androgynous – expected in early 2012 – might boost the intensity level. But in the battle between the Gallagher brothers as to who could produce the more interesting material without the other, the victor is surprisingly Liam.

Come for: "If I Had A Gun"
Stay for: "Dream On"
You'll be surprised by: "AKA...What A Life"

Los Campesinos!

2011-11-15T10:56:00.000-08:00

When I was younger, I was often perplexed when listening to performers from the non-American English-speaking world as to why the accents (or lack of accents, depending on your perspective) so prevalent in their speaking voice nearly always vanished when singing. From the Beatles to Elton John and on to U2, there seemed to be little distinctiveness of their respective deliveries from their American counterparts (by American, I mean North American, as Canadian accents are only just slightly different from those in the states). Of course, there are been exceptions. The punk movement stressed authenticity, and artists reaching as far back is Ray Davies in The Kinks to Johnny Rotten's Sex Pistols and Joe Strummer's The Clash all emphasized their British roots far more than their predecessors. Later, the frontmen in alternative-era acts like oasis, Blur and – to a far less lasting degree, The Proclaimers – mildly stressed their homelands' vocal uniqueness, although their peers in Radiohead, Bush and Coldplay could hardly be spotted as brashy Brits on a first listen. Conversely, some American vocalists – namely Green Day's Billy Joe Armstrong and The Killers' Brandon Flowers – chose to adopt a pseudo-British sneer to fit their sound.

As this to say that when you come across an artist or band featuring more identifiable accents in song, it's noticeable. And such is the case with the Cardiff, Wales-based septuplet, Los Campesinos! and their duly British-sounding primary vocalist, Gareth Campesinos! (the band goes Ramones-style, adopting Campesinos! surnames for all its members; campesinos itself means peasants in spanish). From the outset, it's clear you're encountering a group from Her Majesty's empire. Gareth's punk-infused snarl harks back to influences like Davies, Rotten and Strummer, and is fitting for the group's hard-charging demeanor. But, in contrast with the band's punk-tinged Romance is Boring – their third full-length release in 2010 – their new 10-track collection, Hello Sadness (out today on Wichita Recordings) blends the punk sneer of its predecessor with the more bright and boastful pop collective approach of their first two records, Hold on Now, Youngster... and We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed, both released in 2008 on the same label.

This combination of styles – the post-punk power found in outfits like Tokyo Police Club (NMT) and We Were Promised Jetpacks (NMT) with the big, poppy multi-gender collectives like the Arcade Fire (NMT), the recently-on-hiatus Broken Social Scene and the Givers (NMT) – breeds an offspring that's both lively and edgy, and allows a coterie of sonic habits to trickle in, not only from their aforementioned peers, but hints of U2, The Hold Steady (NMT), The Cure, Weezer (NMT) and more. The album's dawning track, "By Your Hand," points most directly to the latter set, with its boisterous chorus and hand claps suggesting a communal vibe, and the tawdry details of Gareth's verses much in keeping with tracks like The Givers' "Up Up Up" and Library Voices' (NMT) "If Raymond Carver Were Born in the 90's." Gareth – who's also the band's glockenspieler (glockenspielist? glockenspielmeister? I've longed for the opportunity of such a quandary in this space!) – allows plenty of room for the rest of the band to shine here, especially back-up vocalist and keyboardist Kim (Gareth's sister), bassist Ellen and guitarists Neil and Rob.

Meanwhile, the following "Songs About Your Girlfriend s" – while still sufficiently poppy – lands closer to the post-punk tradition, with its its clenching guitar intro setting up Gareth's gnarly lyrics and the track racing across its 3:18 of runtime. But it doesn't stray far from the Arcade Fire-style group sing-alongs found on the opener, either. Next up, the record's title track is a bit more restrained and moody – a nod to their Cure influences – but features some nice violin contributions from now-former member Harriet (who amicably left the band this September to continue her education) and builds to a swirling zenith later on.

In "Life is a Long Time," the band arrives at it its closest counterpart to the Arcade Fire's most recent offering, The Suburbs, as if Win Butler and crew contributed a lost track meant to fall between "We Used to Wait" and "Sprawl 1 (Flatland)." Gareth's tale of disillusionment mirrors Butler's description of suburban malaise, in lyrics like:

Over time they build up the city / And our arguments show it all /
Every ring road, every motorway / Displayed in crease and wrinkle

and

You know it starts pretty rough / And ends up even worse / And what goes on in-between / I try to keep it out of my thoughts

The post-punk vibe returns on "Every Defeat A Divorce (Three Lions)," with its less exuberant tone and featured keyboards from Kim echoing a similar use on Tokyo Police Club's Champ collection. Interestingly, the cut contains a reference to ABBA's "Waterloo," with Gareth slightly reworking lyrics that song's chorus prelude to, "and how could I ever refuse? I feel like I loose when I loose." After the slow-moving ballad, "Hate for the Island," the group delivers the record's most shimmering track, the U2-flavored "The Black Bird, The Dark Slope." Guitarists Neil and Rob are at their pinnacle here, with their The Edge-like minimalism providing an emboldening lift. Moreover, the split vocals between Gareth and Kim are a welcome change of pace, although I wish Kim had been utilized more on this record, in keeping with the band's greater use of smoother female voices to balance out Gareth snarly foundation (Kim succeeded her predecessor Aleksandra on back-up vocals and keyboards in 2009, after Aleksandra also left on good terms to pursue studies). I always prefer bands with shared lead vocals, and even more so when they're split between girls and guys.

Like "Hate for the Island," "To Tundra" is largely a plodding affair, although it very gradually builds some steam and benefits from some greater conviction near its conclusion. The slower stuff continues on the concluding pair of numbers, with "Baby, I Got the Death Rattle" and "Light Leaves, Dark Sees Pt. II" easing the effort on a more restrained note. However, the former isn't far from a slower version of The Hold Steady's "Sequestered in Memphis" in its second half, with Gareth reprising Craig Finn's call-and-response chorus alternating "headstones" and "headboards" much like Finn's "Texas" and "Memphis."

Come for: "By Your Hand"
Stay for: "Songs About Your Girlfriend"
You'll be surprised by: "The Black Bird, The Dark Slope"

The Decemberists – Long Live the King

2011-11-09T11:05:00.000-08:00

(I had fully intended to post on schedule the previous two Tuesdays, however, technical difficulties involving my email machine had prevented me from actually listening to the new music slated for review. Now, with fully computing power restored, this is my best attempt to catch up, which explains for coverage of only an EP-length release)

Often, when you hear artists or bands describe a recent studio session, and boast how they had written and worked on boatloads of new material, but most of it never made the final release of 10 or 12 tracks. Now, surely, there were fragments of songs that didn't quite pan out, and others that needed more cultivation, possibly to re-appear on a still later record (next week's profilee, Noel Gallagher, includes a track on is first solo album that he claims was in the works as an oasis tune for more than a decade, but never released). Regardless, it would be nice to have a chance to hear some of that discarded material left on the cutting room floor, especially from bands or artists who routinely turn out top-notch material, but take longer breaks between new releases. This is exactly the sort of desire fulfilled by one of this blog's favorite acts, The Decemberists, with their recently-released EP, Long Live the King; a half-length compendium to the full LP, The King is Dead, which came out early this year and reviewed by us here.

Of course, the flip side to my advocacy for the release of studio hold-backs is that sometimes when they do emerge, it's a load of fluff – shoddy acoustic demos, fly-by-night covers and other uninspired fare. One recalls the b-side material box set of the Smashing Pumpkins' Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness concept album as particularly trivial (although both "Medellia of the Grey Skies" and "Aeroplane Flies High (Turns Left, Looks Right)" were solid cuts). In other words, there's good reason the band chose to leave them off initially. But, fortunately for us, this is not the case with the six tracks of Long Live the King (itself more than half the number of tracks found on the original source material).

The connection between the two records is explicit, from the medieval monarchical phrase that represents the title of both collections to their alt-country overtones. Why chief songwriter and frontman Colin Meloy and his mates declined their inclusion on the full-length album is uncertain, but most could have been slotted among the rest without dampening the quality or context of The King is Dead – in fact, they would have likely only added to it.

Opener "E. Watson" is a somber, acoustic graveyard lament from Meloy, dedicated to the title character. Although The King is Dead certainly featured much of Meloy's trademark quirky intellectualism, what it lacked was the more intricate narratives that defined much of the band's work prior to that album. Here, the nuanced and interesting real-life tale of Edgar Watson – one of Florida's first pioneers – is the sort of output many longtime fans of the group have come to expect. Meloy's lyricism here is at it's finest, as witnessed in the second verse:

Watson had it in from the beginning
He built that house on Chatham Bend
A white-washed knotted pine
Ninety acres furrowed for the cane
And he drove it down from Georgia
His dad a martyred soldier
In the war between the states

Meloy is one of the few contemporary songwriters who possesses the talents to push his listeners' intellectual capacity – along with Okkervil River's Will Shelf – and he should be encouraged to continue. But The King is Dead seemed to be a slim retreat from that mission, and my review of that record noted that shift. In a track like "E. Watson," those fears may be allayed.

Moreover, when paired with "Burying Davy" two tracks later, the numbers could have been pulled from the pages of the morose, but fascinating Spoon River Anthology collection of poems by Edgar Lee Master (another Edgar!), where the accounts of those who passed away in some small hamlet are far more interesting than those who remain. The tracks link back to The King is Dead through the exemplary backing vocals of Laura Veirs (who also previously contributed guest vocals to "Yankee Bayonet" off the Crane Wife record) and Annalisa Tornfelt, who mirror the fine work done by Gillian Welch on the previous effort.

Meloy's macabre stories are balanced by the more meatier, alt-country duo of "Foregone" and the band's cover of The Grateful Dead's "Row Jimmy." The former is easily this record's strongest offering, with it's tangy Gram Parsons vibe and honey-laced steel guitar by guitarist Chris Funk buoying Meloy's pangs of regret, which he dubs "the reach and the wrecks and the wrong." It melds nicely with the Dead cover, which replaces the original's blues sketch with a more robust roots foundation and a more subtle bridge part via pianist and organist Jenny Conlee (who's currently recovering from successful cancer treatment after being largely unable to participate in the band's tour this spring and summer).

The one that doesn't fit here as neatly is "I 4 U & U 4 Me." Just judging by the title, it would, at best, seem to be an odd Prince rarity, or at worst, the latest garbled vomit by whichever boy band is reuniting at the time. Instead, it's delightfully closer to the Violent Femmes or The Pogues (both of which Meloy has noted as influences on the band), with its galloping acoustic parts from Meloy and Funk contrasting with bassist Nate Query's sludgy acoustic bass and drummer John Moen's stiff snare. Even though it's listed as a demo version – and the production sounds just a bit unrefined – that's alright considering the tune's upbeat and unpolished ethos.

Rounding out the collection's half-dozen tracks the understated "Sonnet." Although it begins as a somewhat vanilla Meloy ballad, the addition of the full band and horns just before the number's midpoint enlivens the melody and ends the proceedings on an upturn. Sounds like the perfect place to leave things until next time...

Come for: "E. Watson"
Stay for: "Foregone"
You'll be surprised by: "I 4 U & U 4 Me"

Library Voices

2011-10-25T11:10:00.001-07:00

There's a pretty simple formula for what gets me going for a new band or artist: catchy, clever tunes; interesting instruments and concepts; nail your vocal harmonies, and don't be stingy with them; bigger bands are always preferred, especially those with mixed gender compositions; Canadians and Scots move to the head of the class; horns and pianos are always welcome, but not required. Line-up some or most of these, and you have a happy blogger. And I'm pretty happy this week with the discovery of the Canadian indie pop-rock octet, Library Voices, and their sophomore release, Summer of Lust, out October 18 on Dine Alone Records.

The Regina, Saskatchewan-based group – which tacks closest to New Music Tuesdays'(NMT) favorites, The New Pornographers – is the second positively startling find from that province this year, following the boogie rockers The Sheepdogs (NMT) from nearby Saskatoon. Here, extremely hooky pop confections are mixed with clever lyricism and a big sound befitting the band's sizable roster. And it begins with the album's finest stuff, the leadoff "If Raymond Carver Was Born In The '90s." This is the rarest of rare, folks: pure pop-rock majesty that is indelibly catchy with surprising depth, as multi-instrumentalist frontman Carl Johnson (and what is it with Canadian indie pop bands being fronted by guys named Carl?) explores the increasingly adult status of his age group while he hides behind songs he's not even sure are that good. Don't worry, Carl: this one passes the test – and then some – and should buy you a few more years before true adulthood comes calling.

What follows across the record's remaining nine tracks – not including a brief intro and outro voiced by some unknown Brit – does not fully match the shimmering punch of "If Raymond Carver...", but is nonetheless chock full of peppy and smart pop-rock cuts. The springy surf rock of "Generation Handclap" – the album's first single – could have easily been submitted by fellow Canucks The Arcade Fire (NMT), with Johnson veering towards Win Butler-style choral anthems and the bulk of the ensemble matching The Arcade Fire's energy and tempo step for step. And the more laidback vibe of "Reluctant Readers Make Reluctant Lovers" slides in between Canadian indie rock proginators, Sloan, and their American counterparts, Fountains of Wayne (NMT). The tune might also rank a very respectable second in the Best Canadian Litany of Authors Recording by Duo or Group category, following only the brilliant "My Baby Loves a Bunch of Authors" by the now (sadly) disbanded Moxy Fruvous.

Johnson utilizes his and his compatriots' instrumental talents largely to feed the overall sound, rather than focus on many individual solos or highlights, again reflecting an approach effective for A.C. Newman's Pornographers or Buther's Arcade Fire. The sole exception is the saxaphone work from Paul Gutheil, who injects snippets of jazz flavor or Clarence Clemons power depending on the song's mood. And drummer Michael Thievin is crucial in keeping the unit charged to churn out the hooks and harmonies that make the whole thing go. But harder to peg are the roles of Johnson, guitarist/keyboardist Brennan Ross and synthesizer wizards Michael Dawson and Amanda Scandrett in rounding out the sound. Now and then, there might just be a touch too much synthesizer (I'd prefer an actual piano on occasion), and a wall of horns could add some beef elsewhere, but it's nothing to get in a twist over.

The collective approach is most noticeable through the record's midsection, the trio of tracks comprised of "Que Sera Sarah," "Traveller's Digest" and "Be My Juliette Greco, Paris 1949." All are outstanding pop-rock jems, with the former starting out restrained before grabbing a meaty chorus hook and coyly referencing Dorris Day's 1956 hit of similar title. The middle of these is the album's second bona fide can't-miss – following "If Raymond Carver..." – with a plucky rhythm you might hear in a 10,000 number like "Stockton Gala Days" and, surprise, another catchy chorus. Meanwhile, the latter blisters along like the best of Fountains of Wayne, with Johnson sharing Fountains frontman Chris Collingwood's penchant for witty contemporary social commentary.

The record's concluding quartet rounds out the effort solidly, and each deserves mention. "The Prime Minister's Daughter" takes on Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's absurd quote that "ordinary people don't care about art" in the face of government cutbacks to art programs by imagining Harper's daughter, Rachel, someday falling for one of the artists her father hung out to dry. "Me, Myself and ID" might be the least interesting idea here, with its fuzzy intro and armchair psychology, but doesn't automatically warrant a pass-through. The group tries a little ska on "Anthem for a New Canadia," and largely succeeds, with Thievin and bassist Eoin Hickey-Cameron laying down a nice '50s-era rock groove. And the concluding "Regina, I Don't Want to Fight" wraps things up where countless others throughout literature and music have: the recurring battle with one's hometown, and Johnson does a nice job of doing just that while sticking to their indie pop veneer, never an easy chore.

Come for: "If Raymond Carver Was Born In The '90s"
Stay for: "Traveller's Digest"
You'll be surprised by: "Anthem for a New Canadia"

P.S. Here's a good behind-the-scenes look at the group recording Summer of Lust, the sort of thing you'd expect from a bunch of nice, young Canadian kids.

The Horrible Crowes

2011-10-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

The debut post of this blog in January, 2010 covered the sophomore release from the New Jersey-based punk/folk troubadours, The Gaslight Anthem. I returned that June to review that band's third effort, American Slang. And littered throughout the posts since that first Gaslight review are recurring references to the band. So, its safe to say that the group maintains a seminal role in informing the material most commonly highlighted here. In that sense, it should come as no surprise, then, that the Horrible Crowes side project of Gaslight frontman Brian Fallon should receive due attention. Fallon, along with longtime Gaslight guitar technician Ian Perkins formed the duo as an outlet for Fallon's creative output that stayed beyond the more aggressive posture of Gaslight, and the pair released first full-length offering, Elsie, on September 6 on Side One Dummy Records.

Of course, given your blogger's propensity to gravitate to Fallon's prime project in both reviews and references, I won't spend much time chronicling his overall milieu. Check the previous reviews for the backstory. Instead, I'll focus on what's different from the more well-know Gaslight sound, and explore some of divergent influences found across Elsie's dozen tracks.

It seems as if one of Fallon's primary objectives in his work with Perkins is to dispel the notion that the polar influences of Bruce Springsteen and Joe Strummer constitute the bulk of his musical foundation. Instead, he seems to undertake a mission demonstrating that Tom Waits and Van Morrison have just as much sway in his sonic and tonal philosophy as the former luminaries guided his time with Gaslight. To that end, Fallon downgrades the tempo from Gaslight's trundling pace to a more measured trot, and his lyricism is less clever narrative and blunt emotion, instead taking a much more subtle path.

This much is true from the outset, with the exceedingly somber "Last Rites." The droning whole notes from the piano and hazy organs are already a marked departure from anything Fallon orchestrated in Gaslight. Previously, Fallon has been the narrator of hardscrabble characters – Marys and Veronicas and Estellas – who, while flawed, are redeemed through their determined spirit. Here, that pervasive optimism is largely stripped bare by a more stark reality. As he explains in the opener, "Call up your boyfriends from out by the ocean / While I get my last rites read by a thief. From here, it's not a great leap to reach Waits' own "Everything Goes to Hell," complete with similar seaside imagery.

The hesitating "Sugar" is likewise morose, but more fleshed-out. The western-via-California-mission guitar cut by Perkins adds to the desolate scene of the loneliness and fading emotional stability of its subject, one whose shaking hands and dream-addled mind are not cured by the "sugar" of friendship and concern of Fallon's narrator. It's haunting and a touch troubling, but entirely genuine – a spirit not easily conveyed by the hard-driving and emboldening Gaslight.

Of course, to expect Fallon and Perkins to shed entirely the mantle of their day jobs would not be fair, or necessarily wanted. After all, Fallon and his trio of compadres in Gaslight make outstanding music, so an appetizer here and there is not unwelcome. In this case, it comes via the first single, "Behold the Hurricane." Fallon is at his most full-throated and comfortable here, and along with the number's stiff drums and churning guitars, it could have resided quite comfortably on American Slang. If you're looking for an easier transition from the familiar Gaslight territory before diving deeper into Elsie, you'd have no trouble starting here.

But just as quickly as Fallon returns to the well, he departs it, with the bluesy interloper "I Witnessed a Crime." A thick Hammond organ line grounds the late-night saga. The Van Morrison flavor begins to trickle in here, with a much looser vocal delivery from Fallon, and Perkins' whining guitars. And Fallon firmly stations himself at Morrison's R&B lamppost on the following "Go Tell Everybody." The jumping verses loosen the ground for the stage-shaking gospel chorus, chock full of back-up singers, organ vibes and near James Brown wails from Fallon, before the bridge introduces strings and horns – such augmentations never found within a country mile on any previous Gaslight production.

After the slow, deliberate funeral march of "Cherry Blossoms," "Ladykiller" may be the record's second most compelling track behind "Behold the Hurricane." Fallon fires up the pipes after a building intro and settles into a jangly ballad – a venue not often exploited by Gaslight, and one that meshes well with Fallon's expressive delivery. Later on, "Crush" could be another Gaslight contribution, again one that would be best suited for American Slang, rather than the band's more hard-charging early barnburners. But the listener does feel a bit for Fallon's vocal chords on "Mary Ann," the sludgy and gnarly devotional, where he exerts every atom of grit from his voicebox and often overtakes the tune to the point where it becomes distracting.

The collection winds up with the darker, slower and quieter trio of "Black Betty and the Moon," "Blood Loss" and "I Believe Jesus Brought Us Together." Of these, the former is the most enjoyable, with its piano and acoustic guitar background pacing a gentle stroll – something you might expect from Waits with a bit more up-front melody or Morrison in his Astral Weeks phase. The second of these is moody with a bit more screaming from Fallon, while the latter is trippy and floaty – the sort of thing that would never appear on a Gaslight record.

Come for: "Behold the Hurricane"
Stay for: "Ladykiller"
You'll be surprised by: "Go Tell Everybody"

We Were Promised Jetpacks – In the Pit of the Stomach

2011-10-04T16:55:00.000-07:00

Hey, two weeks in a row of NMTs posts! In the spirit of pressing on with what has brought us thus far, we consider the sophomore outing of the Scottish outfit that is doing just that: We Were Promised Jetpacks, and their second full-length release, In the Pit of the Stomach – out today on Fat Cat Records.

Rather than lead in with a lengthy discussion of the Edinburgh-based quartet's history, it's easier just to point back to my February, 2010 review of their 2009 debut, These Four Walls. The foursome largely picks up where they left off on their initial collection, with driving and sturdy post-punk thumpers bridging the gap between U2's early-career anthemic swirl and the Springsteen-flavored punk of contemporary Jersey-based ensembles like The Gaslight Anthem and Titus Andronicus. And they remain a more muscular and charging version of their fellow Scots, Frightened Rabbit.

In that sense, the 10 tracks of In the Pit of the Stomach advance only marginally from the solid entries on These Four Walls, a meager progression that is both the new record's key advantage and chief drawback. Certainly, if you enjoyed cuts like "Ships With Holes Will Sink" and "Keeping Warm" off the debut, then you'll have no reason to fault the bulk of the new material from singer and guitarist Adam Thompson and his blokes. The slow-burn intros that defined that first album return again, and benefit from a greater touch of polish and precision in the studio. Tracks such as "Circles and Squares," "Hard to Remember" and the late-appearing combination of "Boy in the Backseat" and "Human Error" all line-up squarely in the Jetpacks' wheelhouse.

The lads are no easy-going, laid-back harbingers of summer, with wispy, clean-cut yacht rock calling you to a evening sail or a back porch soiree. Instead, they're a furnace built to ward of the chill of a coming winter, with their yearning, boastful projects warming up every corner of the room, and arming their listeners with a fighting heart. Thompson himself warns of the coming harshness, "its hard to remember a colder November" on the track named for the same line. To this mission the group has been true, and these cuts accentuate the pounding work of the rhythm section of bassist Sean Smith and drummer Darren Lackie more when compared to the first record, while Thompson's husky brogue and guitarist Michael Palmer's lanky figures stretch the band's sonic reach. "Boy in the Backseat" is particularly engaging, with its frenetic triplets and striding percussion leading the number just to the brink of collapse.

And yet, there's not an overriding sense the band has taken a substantive step forward on its latest offering. Sure, the first single "Act on Impulse" shifts the tonal direction a bit from the hard charge of the aforementioned numbers, with a graduating intro backing off into a more restrained and somber narrative from Thompson, with even a few synthesizers fluttering in for a fleeting moment. And "Pear Tree" moves inconspicuously closer to the Frightened Rabbit pattern. But, in all, there's no great leap forward from what's come before, and while a certain amount of leeway is afforded for a band to build a base of cohesive material at the outset of a career, a third record might stretch the boundaries a bit much in that regard. The group seems to possess enough talent, ambition and authenticity to elevate their sound; here's hoping they have the opportunity to do so before too long.

Come for: "Circles and Squares"
Stay for: "Boy in the Backseat"
You'll be surprised by: "Act on Impulse"

Wilco

2011-09-27T14:50:00.001-07:00

Earlier this year, when I took a break from this space, I returned to review what was – in hindsight – the final new studio record from R.E.M., Collapse Into Now (at least as we can tell at the moment). No doubt by now you've heard, the remaining members of the Athens, Ga., trio decided to call it a career after more than 30 years of work. Few acts have been as influential in American independent rock as R.E.M., while also contributing such a fine catalog of material. So, it is only fitting that I again return from a hectic period to consider the new output of a band heavily influenced by and associated with those Rock-and-Roll Hall of Famers in the form of the Chicago-based outfit, Wilco, and their seventh release of original material, The Whole Love – out today on the band's own label, dBpm.

To beleaguer the R.E.M. connection for just a bit, Wilco frontman, guitarist and songwriter Jeff Tweedy began his musical journey in the pioneering St. Louis alt-country trio, Uncle Tueplo. A rough and unrefined entity, R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck found his way to the group and produced their third full-length offering, March 16-20, 1992. But tensions between Tweedy and co-frontman Jay Farrar ultimately led to the demise of the act, as Farrar went on to found Son Volt, while Tweedy assembled the first iteration of Wilco in 1995. Tweedy would continue his working relationship with Buck, most notably contributing guest vocals on Buck's The Minus 5 side project on "With a Gun."

When The Police called it quits in 1986, they very publicly anointed their successors by literally handing their instruments to U2 on stage at Giants Stadium. And while there's unlikely to be such a explicit coronation by R.E.M., it isn't a stretch to suggest that Wilco is primed to assume their title as America's trendsetting rock ensemble that is also accessible to a wider swath of the general public than indie devotees. Consider the bands' mutual foundation in the marriage of Americana roots instrumentation, touches of country flavor and a resounding intellectualism that also manages not to overwhelm good songwriting. Drop the needle on Wilco's "Outtasite (Outta Mind)" off their sophomore effort, Being There and I defy you to miss the strains of "Man on the Moon." Similarly, build up the patience to work your way through all of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot – Wilco's 2002 sonic opus – and you'll find R.E.M.'s painstaking focus on Life's Rich Pageant from 1986 not far in the rear view mirror, or notice the congruities between R.E.M. serving as the backing band for Warren Zevon on 1987's Sentimental Hygiene, and Wilco's work with Billy Bragg to give voice to two albums worth of Woody Guthrie's lyrics that became the Mermaid Avenue collection. The bridge between the two groups becomes more obvious with every glance. And although they were surely unaware of R.E.M.'s impending retirement while formulating The Whole Love, the new record's dozen tracks easily positions Tweedy and his mates to carry on in their stead.

Like their six preceding albums, The Whole Love builds upon what came before it – much like the arc of R.E.M.'s career – but doesn't take as vast a sonic leap as Yankee Hotel Foxtrot with its long stretches of aural freakouts or the unsettling urgency that accompanied A Ghost Is Born, which was fueled by the forced departure of former multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett after Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Bennett would pass away in 2009 from accidental causes, having never reconciled with Tweedy). All the same, it's a more consistent effort, with even it's avant garde movements informing Tweedy's reconciliations with more straightforward Americana and alt-country concepts.

The collection is bookended – and in many ways defined – by its longest tracks, with the more than seven minutes of the "Art of Almost" at its outset reflected by the concluding "One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley's Boyfriend)," checking in at just over 12 minutes. The two cuts couldn't be more different, however, with the disjointed experimentation of the former aligning with Yankee Hotel Foxtrot's "Radio Cure" and A Ghost Is Born's "Spiders (Kidsmoke)." If you're already a Wilco fan and have some appreciation for Tweedy's insistence on pushing the envelope, give it a try. If not, this might not be the most natural place to begin your Wilco encounter. Conversely, the closing number is measured in its simplicity and rusticism, perhaps a bit more familiar for those ingrained in the alt-country milieu, although its in no rush to get anywhere in particular.

With those dual pillars affixed at either reach of the record, the intermediate selections seem to have the opportunity to stretch out in comfort. "I Might" introduces a heretofore unannounced influence in Tweedy's arsenal: Attractions-era Elvis Costello. With its punchy grove and the Farfisa organ delivered by keyboardist Mikael Jorgensen, it's one of the band's most hooky offerings. To the same degree later on, "Standing O" serves up much of the same Costello-esque palate, but with a touch more brashness suggested by its title. The pairing would serve as a choice accompaniment for your next house party or sports rally, and would be a good jumping-off point for those a bit scared off by Wilco to date. Meanwhile, "Dawned On Me" stems from the same indie-rock tradition as more recent purveyors of the genre, such as NMT reviewees The New Pornographers and Telekinesis, with clenching guitars from Tweedy and guitarist Nils Cline locking-in a certain rigidity, which frees up more space for Jorgensen's organ and multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone to play around with the synthesizers. Tweedy's whistling solo also helps to lighten the mood, along with more fleshed-out harmonies, typically not a Wilco trademark.

Some of the most interesting moments on the collection come via the most alt-country flavored compositions, pointing to Tweedy's time in Uncle Tupelo and Wilco's early releases. "Sunloathe" isn't especially spirited, but it makes up for lack of drive in earnestness and an ethereal and wispy figure, one highlighted by the alternations between chimes and bells and slide guitar and concludes with a nearly classic rock guitar bent from Kline. Likewise, the gentle shuffle of "Born Alone" pivots around a rubbery bass line from John Stirratt – the only original Wilco member since 1995's A.M. aside from Tweedy – and really digs in around the track's midpoint for the record's most aggressive rock campaign. And the jazzy "Capitol City" is a less romantic, but equally compelling version of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot's "Jesus, Etc.," and is the closest Tweedy will ever get to a straight-up narrative.

The remainder of the 12 tracks are filled in by generally somber and reflective acoustic ballads. The trio of "Black Moon," "Open Mind" and "Rising Red Lung" are more reliant on Tweedy as an upfront presence, which isn't necessarily uninviting on its own, but he serves as a much more effective messenger when backed by the weight of his compatriots – whomever they happen to be at the time – much in the same manner as Springsteen loses a sizable portion of his gravitas when not supported by the mighty E Street Band.

Come for: "I Might"
Stay for: "Standing O"
You'll be surprised by: "Capitol City"

Her Space Holiday

2011-08-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

For some reason, many recent acts which include a greater role for symphonic elements – namely strings and winds – have had a tendency to also be quite delicate. I'm thinking of artists such as Sufjan Stevens, Stephin Merritt's The Magnetic Fields or the Scottish chamber pop of Belle & Sebastian. Either due to the composition preferences of those songwriters (likely the case in regards to Stevens' portfolio), or their limitations in physical performance of their creations (Merritt's hearing disorder, or Belle & Sebastian frontman Stuart Murdoch's less than bombastic vocal might), their in-studio efforts include a measure of fragility which can sometimes undercut the strength contained in a more enhanced instrumental vision beyond the traditional guitar-bass-drums rock format. But this week's profilees – Her Space Holiday, Marc Bianchi's indie rock front – buck these trends on their most recent, eponymous release, out on August 16 on Bianchi's No More Good Ideas label.

Bianchi and his band of unnamed cohorts handily dispel the currently prevailing notion that more instrumentally intricate arrangements cannot include a dose of rock power on the 10-track record. Although opener "Anything for Progress" initially appears as gentle, acoustic-flavored indie pop, with lilting flutes and strings, the pace is upended quickly just after the half-minute mark, with its driving snare drum beat and rapid-fire lyrics serving as a early call-to-arms, and is explicitly so, as Bianchi snaps, "come on, little soldier, come fight for me..." Sure, it's a love song, and a relentlessly optimistic one at that, but the tone is decidedly militaristic – a musical esprit de corps that beats a hasty march across the album's first half. It's anything but delicate, and is a persuasive argument that horns and strings can add heft and force to a composition, not just nuance. As interesting is the carefree "ba-da, ba-da, ba-da" refrain at the song's midpoint, much in the same vein as the lighthearted chorus round in The Decemberists' "Billy Liar."

Of course, not all rock-via-orchestra productions have focused on sonic gentility as prominently as the Stevens/Magnetic Fields/Belle & Sebastian set. The Beatles' arrangements only grew louder as they became more grandiose under George Martin's involvement, and Jeff Lynne's Electric Light Orchestra was anything but restrained in its decibel levels. And more recently, the exemplary work of fun. on their debut, Aim & Ignite, fused Lynne-style AM pop with Freddie Mercury's muscular theatrics. It is in this tradition that Bianchi dons his instrumental armor.

The following "Black Cat Balloons" again begins subtly – and sounding a bit like Great Lakes Myth Society frontman Timothy Monger – but quickly emerges as an anthemic, gang chorus-driven affair, not far removed from a New Pornographers-style energy. Once more, Bianchi frames his message in militaristic themes – we hear of battles, bombs, and defenses – but they serve as cover for a larger discussion of beauty, camaraderie and bravery. It's hard to believe the barricades are imminent with a chorus that begins, "if we all said sorry and tried to mean it, would that make things cool between us?" Nonetheless, the recurrent snare foundation and swirling chorus inherently interject a sense of urgency, which vanishes just as quickly for the verses, like the hovering cloud of smoke following an aggressive cannon volley. The contrast makes the themes even richer, and sets-up the track's dynamic instrumental pinnacle; it's easily the collection's finest number.

The more balanced "Shonanoka" displays a bit more of the intricacy of Bianchi's nimble assembled players – whoever they are, with smartly plucked strings and skipping flutes pacing his linear narrative. Meanwhile, on "The Hummingbirds," Bianchi laments the fading health of a friend, with an expressive delivery not far removed from a younger Neil Diamond (similar to Mikel Jollett of past New Music Tuesdays reviewees Airborne Toxic Effect). It's completely removed from the hesitating, low-confidence style of Murdoch or Stevens, and once that serves the work well. At the same time, low-register clarinets and trilling violins are juxtaposed with clanging guitars and meaty drum fills to produce a curious hybrid of Peter and the Wolf and the New Pornographers' Twin Cinema.

By the time "Come On, All You Soldiers" rolls around, you're ready to enlist in whatever troupe Bianchi is assembling. Its the perfect material to rally the troops, storm the castle or stampede the alleyways; a unifying call to action in hopes of being part of something special. Whether the unit's weapons are the tools of war, a waving flag of solidarity or a jangling guitar riff is unimportant here. You can feel the movement building across the track's 3:24, as more singers, instruments and energy join the band of frolickers. As the Bianchi's crew explains, it's the ability to "bask inside the freedom of having nothing at all to hide."

The record's second half isn't as rousing as its first, however. "The Candle Jumped Over the Spoon" is sparse and disjointed for most of its 3:33, despite its folksy banjo and cello accompaniment, and "Ghost in the Garden" is a bit trippy and ethereal when compared with the rest of the proceedings. It also sounds heavily influenced by Destroyer frontman/occasional New Pornographers contributor Dan Bejar, most notably in the structure and delivery of the verses.

But "The Bullet, The Battle, The Trigger, The Barrel and Me" might just make you tear up a bit, with Bianchi's twin dedications to his late father and a fictional movie scene. "Death of a Writer" is slow and steady with its moody clavinet early on, which builds through spinning strings and the returning snare march. Closer "In the Time it Takes the Lights to Change" is the most Beatles-flavored, tracking to the Fab Four's later career excursions, somewhere in between "Happiness is a Warm Gun"and "A Day in the Life."

Come for: "Anything for Progress"
Stay for: "Black Cat Balloons"
You'll be surprised by: "Come On, All You Soldiers"

The Sheepdogs

2011-08-16T07:07:00.000-07:00

Inasmuch as last week's profilees – Fountains of Wayne – looked back to early-'60s pop rock on their latest release, so to do this week's featured act – The Sheepdogs – with late '60s and early '70s-era classic rock on their five song EP, Five Easy Pieces, out on August 2 on Atlantic Records, and produced by Fountains of Wayne bassist and co-songwriter, Adam Schlesinger. And given that this space customarily focuses on full-length records, and that their third LP, Learn and Burn, was released not that long ago in January, 2010, we'll include a glance back at that preceding work to explore more of the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan quartet's larger sonic footprint. (You may have heard a bit of buzz about the band recently, as they were the first then-unsigned band to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone, after a contest in which they bested 15 other groups. Some of the group's success in winning the competition could be attributed to their excellent, political campaign-style attack ad (see below), which claimed the band the only one worthy of the cover due to their extensive facial hair.

Everything about the four-piece outfit screams classic rock, circa 1972 in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, belling their heritage on the Canadian plains. Surely you immediately thought the same thing just by glancing at their photo shot at the top of this page. Even their record label – Atlantic – was and is one of the foremost distributors of classic acts, ranging from Cream and Led Zeppelin through the progressive rock of Genesis and Rush to more contemporary purveyors of the genre like Stone Temple Pilots, Jet and Scottland's Frightened Rabbit. In return for their investment in the fledgling Sheepdogs, Atlantic inherits a band thoroughly grounded and informed by the boogie.

You remember the boogie, don't you? It's usually associated with such adjectives as swagger, strut and groove, and implies a movement inherent in a piece of music that compels dance, or at least an aggressive head bob. It came about in the earliest forms of blues, R&B, rock, soul, funk and hip-hop, and can be heard spanning the pop music spectrum from Fats Domino and Little Richard to the Allman Brothers and Grateful Dead, all the way up to the Sugar Hill Gang on "Rappers' Delight" or the frenetic "But Anyways" from Blues Traveler. The late '70s disco wave threatened to co-opt the boogie through its singular focus on the beat, but the format proved too shallow to permanently occupy its spirit and left false boogie prophets like KC and the Sunshine Band by the wayside.

But it hasn't been seen in these parts in quite some time, perhaps as long ago as an inspired performance from Prince, or even more distantly, the tongue-in-cheek pop of the Foo Fighters' "Big Me," especially its bouncy bass line originally laid down by Dave Ghrol and long since banished from their setlists. But the alternative and grunge of the '90s were too sullen and misunderstood to have any room for the boogie, and what's followed has migrated to the extremes – excessively intelligent (see Decemberts, The or Arcade Fire, The) or hopelessly uninspired (oh, where to begin...maybe Rebecca Black, Big & Rich, the Bieber) – domains uninhabitable by the boogie. Even the closest link to the heydays of classic rock – the currently disfunctioning Kings of Leon, for whom The Sheepdogs are scheduled open on their now in-doubt Canadian tour – are too tight to ever achieve the looseness required for the boogie to take root.

Fortunately, The Sheepdogs are here to rescue the boogie from life support and inject it with a new dose of vigor and identity. In doing so, both the five tracks of Five Easy Pieces and the 15 more on Learn and Burn are layered in the fingerprints of their classic rock and boogie ancestors. There's overt nods to Zeppelin, the Allman Brothers, Janice Jopin, Steely Dan, The Doors, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Chicago and more implicit traces of the Beatles and Stones, Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, and maybe a whispered hint of Dylan or Springsteen. They're the sort of act that would have been the perfect support on a bill with any of those legendary performers, or Stillwater in Cameron Crowe's semi-autobiographical early 2000's film, Almost Famous. Its the stuff of smartly-paired guitar harmonies, a Hammond organ or steel guitar line wafting about like the aromas of a neighborhood cookout, and blended vocal harmonies, those that are thankfully just shy of autotune perfection. But the Saskatchewan guys nearly always manage to deliver their take on what is already a well-mined genre of music without becoming recidivists or plagiarists.

Lead-off single off Five Easy Pieces, "I Don't Know" – itself the only cut reprised from Learn and Burn – is textbook boogie rock. It's loose and easy, with earthy, Eagles-style harmonies and bluesy guitar riffs and duos. On a quick view of the initial video for the track (see below), the boys' residency in the swagger and groove of the number is demonstrable.

There isn't actually all that much more to say about the song, except to enjoy its breezy demeanor and note how fully it reflecta the group's approach.

It's follow-up, "The Middle Road," points more directly to one of its stable of influences: the more jazzy piano arrangements and hooky harmonies of Steely Dan. Last week, I noted the vocal similarities between Fountains of Wayne's Chris Collingwood and Liam Gallagher of oasis/Beady Eye. In much the same manner here, lead singer and guitarist Ewan Currie is a vocal doppelganger for Steely Dan's Donald Fagan, most notably on the number's bridge, as Currie sings, "you're so tragic, when there's magic..."

Later on in the abbreviated collection, "How Late, How Long" displays a bit more southern rock power and tempo. The contrast between its bouncy chorus and more driving verses recalls southern staples like the Allman Brothers and Credence Clearwater Revival, although the latter of these actually hailed from California, not Louisiana, as many believe. Currie and fellow guitarist Leot Hanson trade tangy riffs across the track's 4:08 of run time, but it seems to breeze by in half as long due to its kicking groove.

The two remaining tracks which round out the EP – the opening "Who?" and "Learn My Lesson" in the cleanup spot – display much of the same vision, but aren't quite as catchy as their livelier counterparts.

On "Learn and Burn," there's greater variety of offerings, which is predictable, given the long-play record (LP) is three times as long than the more recent extended play (EP). The relatively short opener – "The One You Belong To" – is a mix of piano and organ you may remember from such material as Beck's "Where It's At" and Credence Clearwater Revival's version of "Heard It Through the Grapevine," and then segues into the more jaunty "Please Don't Lead Me On." The chorus rambles on like ~~Janis Joplin’s~~ Kris Kristofferson's "Me and Bobby McGee," with its jangly guitars and springy rythym, courtesy of bassist Ryan Gullen and drummer Sam Corbett.

Following the original debut of "I Don't Know" – not much different in concept or execution than the updated version – the acoustic-fronted "I Don't Get By" suggests Zeppelin, while the title track is really the only effort the group makes that comes across as forced. Clearly a send-up of The Doors, the number's desert surrealism doesn't quite mesh with the looser bluesy foundation of the rest of the material. And while Currie pulls off a decent mimic of Jim Morrison, and the trippy organ part is squarely in The Doors' wheelhouse, its hard to envision Morrison commenting on "all these small talk conversations and Facebook invitations."

On the other hand, the lighthearted groove returns on "Southern Dreaming," with its Tex-Mex flavored riffs, something less Santana and more of their contemporaries in Los Lonely Boys' "How Far is Heaven?" Meanwhile, "Soldier Boy" is more hard rocking and plucky, and sets the stage for the jammy "Catfish 2 Boogaloo," which at 4:09 is the longest cut on either record.

"Rollo Tomasi" could have easily appeared Chicago's seminal early work before the death of frontman Terry Kath, with its rolling piano, muted horns and R&B-style chorus, and is a fitting homage to that group's importance in the late '60s. Similarly, "Suddenly" harks back to the vocal harmonies and acoustic foundation of Crosby, Stills and Nash, before seamlessly kicking into the groovy, yet edgy "Baby, I Won't Do You No Harm." Somehow, it links a group like populist The Lovin' Spoonful with heavier elements of the hard rock and metal traditions.

Come for: "I Don't Know"
Stay for: "How Late, How Long"
You'll be surprised by: "The Middle Road"

Fountains of Wayne

2011-08-09T03:00:00.000-07:00

Imagine it's Super Bowl Sunday 1997 (Super Bowl XXXI, to be precise, where Brett Farve's Packers bested Drew Bledsoe's Patriots), and you're at the War Memorial in Rochester, N.Y. (which would be renovated and renamed Blue Cross Arena the next year) to see the Smashing Pumpkins for the second time on their landmark Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness Tour (the same tour which included the overdose of touring keyboardist/drummer Jonathan Melvoin and arrest of drummer Jimmy Chamberlain). Amid this backdrop, you'd think the opening band would hardly be one of the notable highlights. And yet, on that night, a crisp, pop-rock act quartet from New York, N.Y. aptly set the stage – not only for the then-peaking Pumpkins – but also for their own career, one that would ultimately extend much longer than the prog-rock headliners. That opening band your blogger encountered nearly a decade and a half ago was, of course, this week's profilees – Fountains of Wayne – who released their fifth full-length studio production, Sky Full of Holes, on August 2 on Yep Rock Records.

You've probably heard much more material from Fountains of Wayne and it's composite members than you realize. Not only did their debut, self-titled in release in 1996 – which they were promoting on that tour with the Smashing Pumpkins – fostered two relatively popular singles on '90s alternative radio in "Radiation Vibe" and "Sink to the Bottom." Meanwhile, the tongue-in-cheek "Stacey's Mom" off the group's signature Welcome Interstate Managers in 2003 reached #21 on the overall pop music charts. Much earlier, bassist and co-songwriter Adam Schlesinger wrote much of the 60's-themed pop for the fictional band, The Wonders, in Tom Hanks' That Thing You Do!, including the catchy title track. Schlesinger also arranged the somewhat surprising collection of talent of middle Hanson brother Taylor, former Pumpkins guitarist James Iha and Cheap Trick drummer Bun E. Carlos to form the even poppier Tinted Windows supergroup in 2009. And he just recently wrapped duties at the knobs for emerging Canadian classic rockers The Sheepdogs, who will be reviewed here next week.

Contained in all this context is the continually steady work of Schlesinger's main effort, Fountains of Wayne. Along with fellow songwriter and frontman/guitarist Chris Collingwood, the four-piece consistently churns out eminently accessible, vintage-sounding pop rock, the kind Hanks attempted to chronicle in his 1996 film, albeit with a bit more alternative crunch and distortion, along with much of the Weezer catalog. Not much is different on the 13 tracks of Sky Full of Holes in terms of songwriting approach, although the outfit weaves in much more acoustic guitar than on previous outings, which isn't a bad thing.

The arch of the Collingwood/Schlesinger oeuvre is relentlessly narrative, abounding with characters – both named and otherwise – events and settings. The same is true here, with tales of summer cottages, high-speed trains and cemetery funerals and the characters that inhabit them, all awash in a hooky veneer of power pop polish. And if classic rock legends like the Allman Brothers Band and the Marshall Tucker Band defined the southern rock sub-genre, then Schlesinger and Collingwood might be dubbed northeastern rock, with references to places and situations spanning from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania throughout their catalog. This background makes Sky Full of Holes' third cut so familiar: the duo's ode to Amtrak's quasi-high speed train along the Northeast Corridor, the Acela (for which the track is titled). With the same bluesy trot of the New Pornographers' "All the Old Showstoppers" or Fiona Apple's "Criminal," Collingwood explores the corridor through the journey of a slightly-bored business traveler with trademark witticism, through lyrics such as:

There's a train on a track, painted silver, blue and black /
Heading to Massachusetts and then it's coming back

and

And we're flying through Rhode Island, the conductor calls me "sir" /
For your information it's South Station at about 11:22

Even if you're no railfan like this blogger, it's a fitting tribute to one of the Northeast's most identifiable elements.

The narrative expedition continues like a book of unrelated short stories. We hear about the unsettled life of a beach cottage dweller in the leadoff, "The Summer Place," a warning about the failed entrepreneurial tandem of "Richie and Reuben," and the sad banality of a past-his-prime "Action Hero." Across these tracks and others, Collingwood layers more acoustic guitar foundation than he has on past records, allowing lead guitarist Jody Porter to cover the crunch which is recurrent in much of the band's sound. At the same time, Collingwood's nasal pitch is well-balanced counterpoint to the group's persistent glean. With a timbre closest to former Oasis and current Beady Eye lead singer Liam Gallagher – a resemblance Collingwood himself mocked on "Elevator Up" on the 2005 b-sides collection, Out of State Plates – the Fountains' frontman sounds closest to his British counterpart on lines like, "he never gave her the proper respect" off "The Summer Place" or "Acela's" "there's a girl on a train leaning on the window pane."

Solid material finds it way throughout the collection, on deeper cuts like the endearing "A Road Song" – which explicitly acknowledges the cliched nature of a tour bus devotional – the regimental ballad "Cemetery Guns," which contributes the record's title line, and "Radio Bar," where the band confronts the pop culture absurdity of "Stacey's Mom" during the bridge, as Collingwood comments:

They put our song in the jukebox / It was a hit with the drunk jocks /
Even the guys with the dreadlocks sang along at the Radio Bar

It's a relatively sublime nod that while the quartet appreciates the short burst of fame – and likely infusion of cash monies – that accompanied its most successful single, it will not be defined by the fading glow of a novelty number. With more thorough and intelligent collections like Sky Full of Holes in the future, Fountains of Wayne will have no trouble achieving just that.

Come for: "Acela"
Stay for: "Richie and Reuben"
You'll be surprised by: "A Road Song"

Givers

2011-08-01T13:41:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when listening to music – particularly new music – it becomes pretty apparent when a group or artists is having a good time with their material. And other times, it's pretty clear they're not – and that's fine, especially when that challenge and struggle is part of the artistic output itself. But sometimes, its rewarding to find a band or performer genuinely enjoying themselves, whether that's limited to a specific song or spanning the course of an entire album or concert. This is abundantly clear on In Light, the debut full-length offering from the Lafayette, Louisiana-based quintet, Givers, released on June 7 on Glassnote Music.

Across the record's 10 tracks, the five-piece blends a mix of the infectious energy and wide-ranging portfolio of fun., instrumental and compositional experimentation in the Peter Gabriel tradition and a bit of pop clarity, much like fellow recent entrants on the scene, Tennis. The tag-team lead vocals of percussionist Tiffany Lamson and guitarist Taylor Guarisco provide a refreshing pace on efforts like the opener and first single, "Up Up Up." The world beat rhythms are a departure from the sort of material usually reviewed here, but are thoroughly upbeat and unite the same type of reggae/ska guitar riffs and brisk shuffle found on fun.'s "Walking the Dog." The tradeoff vocals between Lamson and Guarisco are particularly effective here, as Guarisco's pattern indie-rock polish contrasts well with Lamson's more raspy sound. Meanwhile, the concluding fifth of the number's four and a half minutes are nicely framed by multi-instrumentalist Nick Stephan's ringing keyboards and flute interludes, and a bit of crunch from Guarisco's guitar.

Unlike last week's profilees – They Might Be Giants, who offered a compilation of song snippet ideas – the Givers focus on more fleshed-out compositions, none shorter than the mid-album, mid-tempo "Ceiling of Plankton." Although the track's title sounds more like a wayward Phish jam, the cut links quasi-calypso beats and Stephan's flute with more yawning, Radiohead-style verses and choruses. And like other selections across the record, the tune's closing measures swirl about with a combination of exuberance and precision – never an easy pairing. That same meshing of disparate sounds is also located on the collection's second offering, "Meantime." After what starts out as a darker, nearly Pinkerton-era Weezer sound, it quickly jumps over into a more spirited romp for the chorus, and then back again in the verse. It may come off as a bit disjointed in the first few listens, but stiffens up with listener familiarity.

The collection's most adventurous – and enjoyable – presentations are the brisk march of "Saw You First" and the rock gospel of "Noche Nada." The former recalls one of the few tolerable Dave Matthews Band songs, "Two Step," with its pulsing snare and pronounced staccato, while the latter is continually spinning about overlapping and communal choral waves much like Gabriel's best work in the '70s and '80s, with a touch of Vampire Weekend's "A-Punk" emerging in spurts.

Lamson earns a pair of turns out front solo, in "Ripe" and "Atlantic." Her vocal similarities with Alaina Moore of Tennis are most apparent on these cuts – they share a common cadence but not timbre, as Lamson's lines sound filtered more through bourbon than Moore's honeydew-flavored pitch. As for the songs themselves, they fit well within the record's broader verve – spirited and punchy, although "Atlantic" is a tad more reserved than its earlier-appearing counterpart.

The penultimate "Go Out All Night" should be earmarked for the encore, as it's decidedly the album's most ballady affair, although Stephan's wafting Hammond organs and Guarisco's guitar harmonies at its zenith suggest far more classic rock influence than displayed elsewhere. Conversely, the closing "Words" needs to brought further out front, with a near Arcade Fire level of enthusiasm and synergy belling it's wrap-up track assignment.

Come for: "Up Up Up"
Stay for: "Noche Nada"
You'll be surprised by: "Words"

They Might Be Giants

2011-07-26T03:39:00.000-07:00

In the '90s, the term alternative was applied far more liberally than it ought have been. While the greater reliance of distortion pedals and an overindulgence of flannel was a bit different from the classic rock of the '60s and '70s, and a much-needed return to garage-based rock when compared to the '80s, most of the popular rock bands of the century's final decade were not all that great an alternative from the traditional basis of rock: guitar-bass-drums, with verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus song structures. The proliferation of the term also did disservice to groups and artists who were truly apart from the mainstream, whatever that happened to be at the time.

Few acts truly have earned the right to be labeled as alternative more than They Might Be Giants (TMBG). The clever duo of John Flansbaugh and John Linnell began churning out always deft and sometimes odd song snippets in 1982 in Brooklyn, N.Y. Now nearing the end of their third decade of work, the Johns return with another collection of sonic annomolies on their 15th studio record, Join Us – released on July 19 on the group's Idlewild Records.

While the pair has largely focused their recent work on delivering a series of albums designed for child audiences – which could also be enjoyed by their parental units – the whopping 18 tracks of Join Us serve as a return to basis approach of adult-oriented material. The project's collective sound spans the Johns' entire catalog, offering any new listeners a one-stop journey through their substantial range of concepts, production styles and songwriting talents. Needless to say, such a large selection of cuts yields a fairly even distribution of choice picks, alright ideas and a few flops. But where the Johns have always excelled has been in keeping things short, and if particular attempts are a bit too strange or quirky, there's not much time before the next one. Indeed, none of the 18 offerings here run more than four minutes, and a number of those are half that time. In spirit, the new work most closely resembles 1992's Apollo 18, which at the time featured a collection of song snippets designed to take advantage of the relatively new shuffle function found on CD players.

Join Us opens with the record's most poppy affair, lead-off single "Can't Keep Johnny Down." Linnell's bright keyboard sets the stage for his signature yawning vocals matched with Flansbaugh's clean guitars and background vocals. One can't help but assume the title – which builds the song's chorus – isn't at least a bit self-referential considering duo's multi-decade career. The track also serves as the foundation for a solid run through the album's first half dozen numbers.

"You Probably Get That A Lot" – also fronted by Linnell, who covers around 60 percent of the band's lead vocals, the remainder of which are claimed by Flansbaugh – is heavily synopated between Flansbaugh's stabbing guitars and Linnell's pulsating organ. It's here where the Johns' often-noted lyrical uniqueness first emerges on this record, as Linnell describes the "millions of Cephalophores that wander through this world" (Cephalophores are decapitated characters in Greek mythology who somehow manage to carry around their severed heads).

The easy trap which ensnares many new TMBG listeners is the tendency to over-analysis the lyrics due to their pervasive cleverness and frequent absurdity. After all, consider the following selections only from Join Us:

And like a chess piece, yes, I have rolled under your piano that you don't play a lot...

As the headless horseman said to his associate, "the bodiless baboon's been cradled in his arms"
In the overgrowth of the underbrush shone a fossil tooth which I must have dropped...

I'm sick of these second-story sleestaks, breathing on my dice, giving me back rubs

Without a written guarantee of perfect sailing,
can you crawl from under the porch without a helmet?
You like Bollywood, snowmachines, Daguerreotypes, beauty contests and cruise control...
You must honor and respect the older fellow, even as you suffocate him with his pillow
You hear the cataclysmic discharge of the optimist...
It's like I've got two extra pairs of hands: two to write, two to steer, one to scratch my head and one to cover my eyes

What does any of this really mean? Is there any overarching social commentary or moral underpinnings we're supposed to be picking up on here?

Not really. The trick with any TMBG material is grabbing a quick sample of the wit to avoid missing whatever comes next, which is just as likely to be crafty or amusing. Only after repeated listens does the listener develop the intellectual reflexes to anticipate and process these nuggets, like a trained goalie.

This trend continues on the Flansbaugh-led "Old Pine Box," which features some rare acoustic work from the guitarist co-frontman. It's a shame Flansbaugh doesn't break out the acoustic stuff more often, because he's one of the crispest players of the instrument you'll find. The track fits nicely with similar efforts on past recordings, such as "Letterbox" off 1990's breakout album, Flood, and "Number Three" from the Johns' 1986 self-titled debut record. Meanwhile, Linnell's "Canajoharie" – referencing the small Upstate New York community in the Mohawk Valley – links back with many of his major chord products from there more recent adult material, like "Till My Head Falls Off" (1996's Factory Showroom), "Man, It's So Loud In Here" (2001's Mink Car) and "The Mesopotamians" (2007's The Else).

Flansbaugh's following "Cloisonne" likewise harks back to earlier ideas, with its oddball tale of a rain drop made of pain and Linnell's zany saxamaphone background signaling "Lie Still, Little Bottle" (1998's Lincoln) or "She's Actual Size" (previously-referenced Apollo 18). Similarly, the "Let Your Hair Hang Down" is brisk and punchy, like another Apollo 18 cut, "Mammal."

But we soon encounter some notable detours. "Celebration" is a bit too lightweight with its wah pedals and disco party chorus. But it might be more fun in a live setting. "Protagonist" is flush with the comical voices so common in the Johns' older material, but the lyrics – designed to mimic notes from an audition – are far more interesting to read on paper than hear through speakers. "The Lady and The Tiger" is just weird – like Apollo 18's "Spider" – and "Dog Walker" is hard to take seriously with Flansbaugh's warbled studio wizardry.

Nonetheless, there's a handful of gems elsewhere. "When Will You Die?" is just classic TMBG. Linnell is joyously depraved here in anticipating the demise of an arch-nemesis and recalls the cellblock conspiracy of "No One Knows My Plan" (1994's John Henry) and the haunting humor of "Turn Around" (Apollo 18). He assures the listeners that the band's full compliment – including guitarist Dan Miller, bassist Danny Weinkauf and drummer Marty Beller, along with Flansbaugh – join him in awaiting his opponent's death. The bouncy horns only add to the disturbing – but completely enjoyable – vibe.

Likewise, the very short "Judy Is Your Viet Nam" is the record's heaviest product, and plays like an elongated cut from Apollo 18's "Fingertips" shuffle section. Flansbaugh's track seems to fully recognize the idea had little more to offer beyond its 1:26 of run time and smartly ends it there. And Linnell's futuristic space oddity in "2082" is precisely the type of stuff anyone who knows even just a little about TMBG would expect – discussions of space helmets, merciful murder of elders, that sort of stuff.

Come for: "Can't Keep Johnny Down"
Stay for: "When Will You Die?"
You'll be surprised by: "Canajoharie"

Pursesnatchers

2011-07-19T16:22:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago, we profiled the stellar sophomore effort of Seattle-based power-pop trio, Telekinesis on 12 Desperate Straight Lines. If you thought Telekinesis hit a home run with that effort, this week's profilees might be more reasonably classified as a stand-up double, a perfectly solid rookie outing by the New York, N.Y.-stationed quartet, Pursesnatchers on A Pattern Language – out today on the indie label, Uninhabitable Mansions. (The entire album can be previewed here)

Although not quite the same level of spirited, hooky brilliance of their counterparts from the Pacific Northwest, the four-piece fronted by former Dirty on Purpose captain Doug Marvin excels at a handful of shimmering lo-fi gems that are both easy to absorb and substantive enough for reflection. After the slinky, muted guitar that introduces "Forever Overhead," Marvin and his mates – along with his wife, keyboardist Annie Hart, formerly of Au Rivoir Simone – dive-in head-first into a sparkling dedication to journeys afar. It's here at the outset the ensemble most resembles Michael Benjamin Lerner's sound through Telekinesis, with bright, dancing electric guitar riffs traversing a field of sludgy bass lines and eager drumming. It's more than enough to start the collection on the right foot.

The following "Mechanical Rabbits" ups the ante, first with a summoning prelude and an absolutely sparkling lead guitar part even before the first chorus. The guitar work here – largely supplied by Marvin – is record's defining element. The piece – long for indie pop at nearly five and a half minutes – wisely pauses for a break just past its midpoint, else it might have expended its fuel, but not for long before the brisk pace resumes, propelled by bassist Jared Barron and drummer Harold Liu, and it's minute-long zenith is among the most rewarding moments on the collection.

First single, "Wet Cement," only marginally eases off on the adrenaline, with a more staying verve and more airy vocals from Marvin, more in the gentler model of former Rilo Kiley co-frontman Blake Sennett. Hart's keyboards and organ are also moreso at the forefront here, offering a welcome change of tone from the guitar-driven opening pair of tracks. As a strong counterpoint, "A Parting Prayer" is decidedly heavier, emphasizing a growling bass part from Barron and more pronounced beats from Liu, but largely contains the same liveliness as its predecessors, and features an absolutely beautiful – and unexpected – acoustic guitar figure at its core that enlightens the whole composition.

A duo of less enthusiastic cuts follow in "Kissena Park" and "Lost in Los Angeles." They're perfectly fine numbers on their own, but following the vitality of the lead-off quartet, they hover with less direction and intention. The former wouldn't have seemed out of place on former Weezer bassist Matt Sharp's The Rentals project, and the latter benefits with a bit more spine, again fostered by Marvin's spectral guitar concepts.

The album regains some footing through "Baseball on the Radio," which finds its way to a more timeless sound, not surprising considering its title, and a smidgen of heartland rock pedigree through its more straightforward guitar riffs. But here's where a bit more vocal gravitas from Marvin is in order, as his phrasing and delivery comes across in a shrugged-off manner, when the underlying song structure nearly demands something more forceful. Perhaps he should have begun to share the vocal duties with Hart one track earlier, as her presence out front on the following "Third Body Problem" is most welcome. Her tone is crystalline while also forceful enough to rise above the instrumental material. Although its understandable that Marvin, as the outfit's chief songwriter, wants to present the material exactly as he intended it, Hart's performance demonstrates she can as aptly deliver her husband's vision as effectively as him. Besides, A.C. Newman seems to have little trouble distributing his output to an even larger number of co-vocalists and still retain his identity as primary composer amongst his audience. Lets hope Marvin takes the same risk on future recordings.

The final offerings are less aggressive and, accordingly, less interesting. "The Transubstantiationalist" is as heady and ethereal as is name implies, while "Waxwings" hovers above some quivering electric guitar lines, but never really transitions beyond it. Nonetheless, the 10-track collection is a more than respectable first step for a talented group capable of much more.

Come for: "Wet Cement"
Stay for: "Mechanical Rabbits"
You'll be surprised by: "Third Body Problem"

Agesandages

2011-07-11T14:00:00.000-07:00

Across the arch of history in the rock era, most ensembles have trended towards the smaller side – three- and four-person groups, largely avoiding the risk of bringing too many cooks into the kitchen. Sure, there are the obvious exceptions – the Grateful Dead, the Eagles, Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band – of outfits sporting six and seven members. And, in recent years, the popularity of larger bands has been growing, with a cohort of units from the U.S. northern tier and Canada recording and touring with five-plus members, increasingly in a coed formats. The string of acts such as The Arcade Fire, The Decemberists, New Pornographers, Broken Social Scene, Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeroes and The Polyphonic Spree all boasting significant numbers of performers, more than token representation from the other gender, and occasionally, collective approaches to their recorded sound and stage acts (the first trio of this list were profiled here, and the first two achieved #1 album status on their most recent releases). A quick tour through the previous reviews of this site will show a preponderance of groups of at least five musicians, although perhaps just demonstrating the preference of this reviewer for more substantially-sized bands.

So, unsurprisingly, this week's profile features another relatively beefy roster, in the form of the seven-piece, Portland, Ore.-based Agesandages. Boasting the communal vibe of previous profilees such as Hey, Rosetta!, Lost in the Trees and Seryn, along with the more kinetic energy of acts like the Rural Alberta Advantage and Ra Ra Riot, the group's debut, Alright You Restless – released February 15 on Knitting Factory Records – takes advantage of the inherent spirit contained in their numbers through well-crafted and accessible folk-rock ensemble pieces.

With their production largely channeled through guitarist and frontman Tim Perry, the record is stocked with full-throated chorus numbers strung across rhythm-heavy, rustic compositions. Leadoff track "No Nostalgia" is certainly reflective of that vision from its dawning strands, with a relentlessly affirming message. Stripped from their instrumental foundation and authenticity in performance, the lyrics might read like the bulletpoints from a motivational speaker or a credo of some rural commune. But their delivery here is more sincere, and the electric guitar riff laid down by lead guitarist John McDonald overcomes the blatant peppiness with some needed edge, while the easy stroll supplied by the rhythm section of drummer Daniel Hunt and bassist Rob Oberdorfer guards against too much group think. Strains of the Arcade Fire collective style also stream through here with the jaunty "hey!"s.

Though it's title might suggest otherwise, "Under a Cloud Shaped Like a Tomb" is less headstrong. Perry is a bit more out front here, more indicative of Ra Ra Riot's Wes Miles than Arcade Fire's Win Butler, as the cut spins about with less focus than it's predecessor. Conversely, the collection's title track is more formulaic, with a stomp-stomp-clap beat underlying the proceedings while also serving as its most recognizable ingredient, although McDonald's acoustic lead part here is worth noting.

The most interesting and meaty selection is positioned in the clean-up spot. "So So Freely" effective parrots the carefree nature – interestingly of Frightened Rabbit's "Old, Old Fashioned"– with just a hint of The Who's meaty choruses. It's easily the record's most formidable offering, demonstrating the combined strength of the larger ensemble. It's a trait I wish was extended across more of the album. Despite their large numbers, only on a few occasions is the listener wowed by the force of the band as a whole. With that much collective input, the result should be an equivalent of output, which is achieved too infrequently, aside from the aforementioned number.

Which certainly isn't to suggest the songwriting or authenticity is lacking, just the next level of execution. The following "The Peaks" speaks to contrast of promise and perspective. While slow and, at times, plodding, Kate O'Brien-Clark's lilting piano imbues a measure of melody to the track, and the outfit would be best served to make fuller use of her talents in future releases (she also contributes string parts throughout the effort). Similarly, the slow-starting "Navy Parade (Escape from the Black River Bluffs)" sounds nearly lifted from a early-70's Neil Young track, with Perry encapsulating the venerable rocker's vinegary, nasal mewl. But, fortunately, the contributions of the full outfit stiffen the work, even through a full half minute of "la la las,"which only enliven the mood.

More enjoyable is "These Elbows," which lightheartedly sounds like a sampling from Sloan's mid-90's catalog, something near "Lines You Amend." O'Brien-Clark's piano – coupled with McDonald's acoustic guitar again – once more keep things uptempo, despite the repeated refrain of "keep you, incarcerated." Few other groups – perhaps aside from the aforementioned Sloan – could have delivered such a line with such mirth.

"Tap On Your Windowpane" is baroque at its outset, and increases in resolve and gravity as it builds. And, pleasantly, the closing tracks are among the production's finest. Although "When I Was Idle" again starts as middling, but rounds about to a full-on Rivers Cuomo-style round refrain by its midpoint. The hook here is so decidedly catchy you'll have thoroughly forgotten Perry's somber preface. Finally, "Souvenir" is befitting it's moniker – a delightful sample to take away with you at the end of your journey. Perhaps its been the lack of much electric guitar aside from the opener, but McDonald's part again cuts through across the drums-and-acoustic bedrock. When paired with it's mirror at the dawn of the record, the first and last tracks serve well as bookends for the collection.

Come for: "No Nostalgia"
Stay for: "So So Freely"
You'll be surprised by: "When I Was Idle"

Farewell Drifters – Echo Boom

2011-07-05T06:30:00.000-07:00

We've arrived at another repeat profilee, who bring not as much a new sound or direction as steady productivity and a subtle refinement of their approach. After reviewing multiple releases from The Gaslight Anthem, The Rural Alberta Advantage and Southeast Engine, we return to the harmonic roots music of The Farewell Drifters and their sophomore effort, Echo Boom, which was released June 7 on Squeeze Records, a short 355 days following the arrival of their debut (see NMT review for more background on the band). The quick turn-around demonstrates the quintet's prolific nature – appropriate for a group of guys in their mid-20s looking to make it big.

Of course, that same proliferation of new material also suggests that epic shifts in tone or style are not likely, and such is the case on the new record's dozen tracks. In fact, the group is hardly wanting of a new sound, as they aptly left the listener wanting more by the end of Yellow Tag Mondays. There's too few groups that can deftly unite crafty, melodic songwriting in the Brian Wilson tradition with rootsy, mountain music that brushes the boundary of bluegrass and country. So, the Drifters might as well keep at it for our sakes.

The same bright harmonies, hooky choruses and fine display of pickin' that defined their debut album is largely transited intact to the new collection. The opening "Punchline" is sufficiently driving for a lead-off track and easily allows the listener to happily forget the group's permanent lack of a percussionist. Singer and guitarist Zach Bevill once again channels his vocals through the filter of Better Than Ezra's Kevin Griffin's mid-range baritone (let the line, "I just wanna shine the light that's trying to get out" recall Griffin's similar tone on "A Lifetime.") And, as before, mandolin and fiddle work of Joshua Britt and Christian Sedlemeyer, respectively, is sunny and expertly delivered. Similarly, "Tip of the Iceberg" is jaunty and energetic, with hand claps and Dean Marold's upright bass foundation setting an easy pace for Britt and Sedlemeyer to mosey about, yielding nothing but a carefree, summer afternoon vibe.

"Little Boy" presents the first new, slightly varied trajectory from the debut's approach. The tune's classic yarn of fatherly advice isn't too heady – maybe a bit rote – but also belies Bevill's relative youth in dispensing such sagacity. It's also decidedly down-tempo from the band's standard clip, a trend that will return later in the record. But, first – in the cleanup slot – is the album's finest number, "Heart of a Slave." Marking an ideal fusion of sturdy lyrics and melody from Bevill and full utilization of the group's instrumental and vocal talents, the musicianship doesn't distract from the narrative and the words do not overpower the performance.

At the same time, "We Go Together" highlights the important Celtic influences that were always the foundation of authentic bluegrass and mountain music. In fact, the track's chord progression – largely driven by lead guitarist Clayton Britt – sits nicely alongside the lesser-known cut from previous New Music Tuesdays profilees Great Big Sea, "Demasduit Dream." The two outfits found form an enjoyable pairing on an outdoor concert stage somewhere.

The relatively sparse and quick "I've Had Enough" is good for a quick breather before "A Bed of My Own" returns to the previous course, again with Celtic strains as its signature. "Words" and then later "You Were There" link more closely with the slow and solemn vein of "Little Boy," but even more intentionally ballady. It's not my favorite use of the group's talents, but they're perfectly acceptable. Better are the jangly "Roses" and the brisk "Common Ties," while a sold, if unexceptional cover of Paul Simon's "The Only Living Boy in New York" is a nice parting shot.

Come for: "Punchline"
Stay for: "Heart of a Slave"
You'll be surprised by: "We Go Together"

Timothy Monger

2011-06-28T11:19:00.000-07:00

Very infrequently in this space do profiles focus on a solo artist. Generally, this is a place for bands and multi-person projects. There have been a few exceptions (here, here and here), but my tastes trend towards tandems. Yet today's review will mark one such exception, the sophomore release from Timothy Monger, one half of the Monger brother-led northern rock outfit, Great Lakes Myth Society, who are currently on hiatus. Monger's The New Britton Sound was released last Tuesday on his own Northern Detective label.

In much the same manner that his larger band's material blended rock, American, country and folk to form what they dubbed "northern rock" – a direct counterpoint to the more popular southern rock branding popularized by acts such as The Allman Brothers Band and Lynard Skynard – Monger's independent work features the same mix of subtle musical influences and localized narrative, unsurprising since he was the Myth Society's chief songwriter. That sound is apparent from the dawning banjo tones of "The Lark," a midtempo affair which offers an ideal palate for Monger's high, light vocals stretching across a barren roadway at daybreak. The two verse track is further enlivened by Matt Collar's trumpet piece, which serves as its chorus.

Even more in line with Monger's earlier Myth Society catalog is the follow-up and first single, "North Side of the Road." It's tableau is littered with the signposts of rural Michigan, Monger's native land. Besides the depiction's of the quiet town with its cornfields, tornado sirens and airfields, his sketch becomes all the more pronounced in the second stanza, noting:

"and off to the west side is a mill, in a railroad town /
Population 500 people, it's hard to make time for other people"

Whatever commentary Monger's offering here isn't quite obvious, but that's not essential inside the boundaries of the laid-back vibe, again flavored by Collar's trumpet. Indeed, it seems that no matter how bleak a portrait Monger attempts to depict, his vocal delivery streams across as relentlessly positive, making his accounts that much more bearable. That reality is all the more highlighted in the subsequent "Witches," despite its forlorn title. His self-harmonizing here contains all the lighthearted resistance his lyrics proclaim as futile. And despite his efforts to engender a more ominous scene with a floating organ and rusty banjo plucks, none of it comes across as all that haunting, which isn't a bad thing.

"When I'm a Happy Drunk" is more intentionally upbeat at the outset, but gradually devolves into melancholy as his character drinks in periods of loneliness and anger, and their resulting emotional consequences. Still, the uillean pipes (think a blend of bagpipes and harmonica) attributed to Tyler Duncan on the liner notes only serve to tack the mood to pensive and wistful rather than defeatist and resigned, despite Monger's best efforts.

Monger finally decides to abandon the glum outlook by the time "Guitar Case" announces the 10-track record's midpoint, instead tracking more towards realism. He describe the guitar case, that once functioned as a "diplomat to the world" as now a collection of "stickers and cracks, held together by smoke." More intellectually humorous is "Mining Accident," where people in the midst of unfortunate events – the title's reference, a hurricane cellar, a state of anarchy – can "really connect" and "have a good talk," protected from the chaos outside in a cocoon, rather than being buried alive. The cut's slight backbeat from John Fossum only reinforces Monger's tongue-in-cheek perspective here.

A late highlight is "Friends and Foes," again recalling the heart of the Myth Society material, which builds steadily through its course of just-under three minutes. Should his larger group return from its time away, the number would be a fitting match with "Isabella County, 1992." At the same time, "Broken Barrows" is sparse and sullen, although it does feature some solid lyricism such as "away from man's light on this trolley of lost souls." After a similarly somber "Song Clerk," the closing "The Classics" advances with the same sort of trembling electric guitar riff found at the outset of the Myth Society's poppy "Across the Bridge." And while this number reaches the set-closing triumph of that effort, Monger's ode to rock nostalgia is affirming and muscular by it's third verse, and strikes just the right note to close the proceedings.

Come for: "North Side of the Road"
Stay for: "The Classics"
You'll be surprised by: "Witches"

White Denim

2011-06-21T11:36:00.000-07:00

Although it has been more than a month since the most recent post in this space, that doesn't mean there hasn't been noteworthy releases to assess in the meantime. All it means is that next year, my annual retreat from music reviews will be more acknowledged in advance. Simply put, late May and early June are just too busy to devote the amount of time required of each selection. I'm thinking of inviting a series of guest reviewers to pick-up the slack in 2012.

Well, enough of that, and a return to a record that has been waiting in the wings for a New Music Tuesdays review since its May 17 release. The single consonant-titled D delivered by the Austin, Tex.-based White Denim marks the culmination of the quartet's evolution from scattered collections of deliberate chaos to a more directed and accessible set of tracks. The 10-song album – released by Downtown Records – easily vacillates between power pop rock, jammy prog and hard blues in the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion tradition.

With a juiced-up Grateful Dead-style shuffle, "It's Him!" propels the collection from the outset with a sense of urgency. The pairing of frontman James Petralli's wafting vocals and determined acoustic guitar with the more aggressive rhythm section of bassist Steve Terebecki and drummer Joshua Block effectively straddles the line between fidgety and focused, and is a solid standard bearer for the remainder of the effort. It's subsequent counterpart, "Burnished," is a bit more trippy in tone and message despite its relatively short 2:36 of running time. The recent addition of lead guitarist Austin Jenkins is particularly noticeable here, with his angular riffs drawing sharp distinctions from the more linear progression delivered by the larger outfit.

The opening numbers also serve as a functional prelude for the third track, a full-on instrumental jam that showcases Terebecki's talents in particular. Swinging in easily from the retreat of "Burnished," "At the Farm" is a jam track for those of us who aren't quite as fond of the usual meandering pace of such offerings from the jam band set. The nearly four minutes of instrumental here are focused and driven, building from the song's dawning and oriented around Terebecki's rubbery lines. There's a sense of purpose here and its hard to remain unengaged in the proceedings because of their ferociousness.

Stepping back from the increasing energy is the starry "Street Joy," evoking more David Gilmour than Trey Anastacio. The leisurely pace is well-positioned in the set and hangs in the twilight like a slowly emptying summer evening. However, it's followed-up by the record's most twitchy and unenjoyable production, "Anvil Everything." While their attempt is perhaps enviable, there's just too much going on to reign it in for intent and direction – between the multiple levels of rhythm, effects and verses – to make sense of what's happening, although it might make good for a soundtrack for a movie drug trip sequence.

Fortunately, the group rebounds not long after with the tres Jethro Tull "River to Consider." Seriously, has a flute found such a prominent role in rock music since Aqualung? Again, the energy revolves around Terebecki's hard-pulled approach, with the other players bouncing around in unrelated tangents while Terebecki holds the grove down. The difference between this track and its predecessor is some distance stretching out their sonic ideas over a full five minutes, rather than layers of kinetic energy piled atop one another. Even more well-executed is the unforced transition into the album's most accessible track, "Drug." The number clearly has somewhere it wants to be and wastes little time in getting there. The guitar harmonies of Petralli and Jenkins are a nice treat to inject some intentional melody to the affair. While it's not likely to ever find a connection on dance club floors, the track's movement is welcome and deftly delivered.

Surely the record's most rocking project follows in "Bess St." The Blues Explosion influence is most pronounced here, while it also wouldn't be hard to envision Dave Ghrol finding his way to a similar concept, especially in the zesty boogie that marshals the number's middle third. Stepping out from that arena, the initial spaciness of "Is and Is and Is" is a bit stark at first, before kicking into the harder stuff in the chorus. And in relation to what came before it, the closing "Keys" is a bit of an outlier, like a deep cut from Lennon & McCartney tacked on to the end of a Zappa record. Nonetheless, its sweet and simple and a little countrified – a fun way to wrap-up the journey.

Come for: "Drugs"
Stay for: "It's Him!"
You'll be surprised by: "At the Farm"

Seryn

2011-05-17T15:45:00.000-07:00

Sandwiched between two eagerly-anticipated releases – last week's I Am Very Far from Okkervil River and next week's D by White Denim – this week is a good time for a breather. The kind of reprieve found in the first breath of the pending summer, or the comforting warmth radiating up from a summer field. This the is type of earthy interlude offered by the Denton, Tex-based quintet Seryn on their debut collection, This Is Where We Are, released in late January on Spune Records. And if this review reads less exhaustive than previous versions, that's because it is, but not because the material is wanting but rather there is a bit less to unpack on the 10-track record.

The most unconventional aspect of the folk-country/Americana outfit is its general use of drums and percussion not as foundational elements, but tools to accent their otherwise more obvious banjos, fiddles and accordions – the exact opposite role percussion instruments play in most rock compositions. This instrumental preference is apparent from the outset, as "So Within" debuts with a layered acoustic guitar riff met with the group's hallmark belt-it-out choruses and harmonies. De facto frontman Trenton Wheeler is a near vocal double for now sole Barenaked Ladies leader Ed Robertson (who inherited the reins when former partner Steven Page split in 2009). As the album's shortest piece at 2:29, it benefits from its brevity and allows the listener some cover to familiarize themselves with the group's approach.

Continuing the pattern that extends across the assembled tracks of a gentle intro followed by a more substantive buildup is "Of Ded Moroz," again featuring the group's all-in vocals, the multi-instrumental talents of Wheeler, Nathan Allen (guitars, banjo, etc) and Chris Semmelbeck (organ/accordian, banjo, guitar and drums when needed), and the more melodic contributions of violinist Chelsea Bohrer (bassist Aaron Stoner also fills-in on trumpet and cello). Slightly-longer than its predecessor at 2:56, the number is hearty and purposeful – much in the same vein as previous NMT alt-country profilees Farewell Drifters and Telegraph Canyon – setting the stage for what's to follow.

The quintet should be commended for not burying the heart of their work too deep in the compilation. The expansive "Beach Song" at 7:05 might be mistitled – it's far better suited for a late-nite campfire or summer festival in a yawning field – but its no less effective. Although its in no hurry to get moving, as a solid three minutes pass before its stiffens its spine, its concluding signature – unraveling over another three minutes – is beautifully rendered and stretches out the band's musical range in crescendoing intensity.

Similarly, "We Will All Be Changed" demonstrates the group's capability. Echoing Robertson's own "Easy" with Allen's ebullient acoustic part and flavorful, but not obtrusive accordion work from Semmelbeck through the verses before the full compliment tackles the gang chorus with full gusto, but maybe with just a smidge too much power in relation to the more measured verses.

"Towering" backs down the intensity without loosing much body, again highlighting Bohrer's strings and their selection of banjo treatments. But although "Our Love" suggests something different may be afoot with its Gothic and ominous intro, it falls short of the movement displayed on the earlier cuts. The same is largely true with the remainder of the record, save for the instrumental jamboree of the closing "Untitled," a bright and foot-stomping way to resolve the proceedings.

Come for: "We Will All Be Changed"
Stay for: "Beach Song"
You'll be surprised by: "So Within"

Okkervil River

2011-05-10T04:30:00.000-07:00

Becoming a follower of Okkervil River requires a discerning palate. The outfit out of Austin, Tex., featuring a rotating lineup orbiting around frontman Will Sheff, is capable of moments of astonishing achievement but also a bewildering lack of focus on occasion. The good nearly always outweighs the bad, and the great accomplishments are no less captivating. But every landmark like "Unless It's Kicks" – pure sonic cocaine off their 2007 release, The Stage Names – is weighted down by the glacial "Title Track," and the brilliant, but disturbing narrative of "Westfall" is immediately followed by the nearly unlistenable "Happy Hearts" (both off their 2002 debut, Don't Fall in Love with Everyone You See).

Such is the case with the groups' sixth effort, the long-awaited I Am Very Far, out today on Jagjaguwar Records (their most recent, The Stand Ins, came out in 2008). There are a solid handful of outstanding tracks, but also a not insignificant number of wayward affairs. The effort and riskiness of Sheff and his colleagues cannot be questioned; only their execution. The selection of the 11-track collection's first single – the thumping, but somehow breathless "Wake and Be Fine" – is fully in keeping with Sheff's best material. He churns out rapid-fire snippets of verse, including, "Carrying their years around / it's all been chasing down as we rot," and "Feelings on the creek, the killer's in the crowd / I'm coming apart," with like a well-trained policy debater, as he's obviously skipping syllables to boost his word efficiency. Even New Pornographers' frontman A.C. Newman - who contributed guest vocals on the track, as well as on appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (which also included house band The Roots' ?uestlove and Tuba Gooding Jr. – a must-see performance, where you can observe Newman routinely glancing at his lyrics sheet on his monitor) – noted in a Tweet his difficulty in keeping up with Sheff's manic rendering, despite his own band's proclivity for uptempo numbers. The only puzzle here is why the cut is buried so deep on the record, appearing as the penultimate offering.

Meanwhile, closer to the front of the album, "Rider" is nothing shy of frenetic, with its biting snare of drummer Cully Symington and punchy keyboards from Justin Sherburn enhance the number's urgency. Sheff's penchant for menacing, if not haunting lyrics is undiminished here, with accounts of the "blood red of flayed pigs," "staggering apes" and how the "golden shore groaned," as if Radiohead's "Paranoid Android" had been mugged in an alleyway by a drunken Ray Davies.

On a wholly different bent is the corresponding "Lay of the Last Survivor." Although far more gentle in its instrumental treatment – with Sherburn's piano adding a warming touch and lead guitarist Lauren Gurgiolo reversing Sheff's habit of truncating measures – the lyrics still point to a daughter's loss of her father. But it's undeniably beautiful, for while The Decemberists' Colin Meloy might best him on vocabulary and Gaslight Anthem's Brian Fallon can outflank him on authenticity, Sheff is singular is his phrasing and imagery, as evidenced here:

"A big sky, blue of a dead bachelor's tongue; a new bloom on the rose"

Or, "slobbering lovers, drink-clinking brothers; they don't have to tell us, because we know."

It's nearly tear-jerking just reading the stanzas, but its even more poignant via Sheff's delivery, and is a profound addition to the band's catalog.

Returning to the more briskly paced fare is "White Shadow Waltz," which sounds as if its the product of a blended portfolio of John Lennon and Brian Wilson, with Lennon's purposeful storyline combining alongside Wilson's studio wizardry. Symington fires out sporadic fills like anti-aircraft flack, which the rest of the outfit seems to be attempting to dodge through speed and intensity, providing Sheff just enough cover to transport his narrative safely to its drop zone. It only wants for a more dedicated chorus – in keeping with the leadoff track from The Stage Names, "Our Life is Not a Move, or Maybe."

A couple other of Sheff's concepts are digestible, but not so easily as the aforementioned cuts. In the leadoff slot, "The Valley" is sparse and disjointed, but not listless – in many ways born from the David Byrne tradition. "We Need a Myth" is far more haunting and hesitant, its ominous strings at the outset suggesting a plummet that never transpires, and a growing unease that goes unresolved, even as the track builds in organization and anticipation. And while it will never be formatted as easy listening, Sheff does succeed in advancing his concept via tone and tactics.

But, no matter how you slice them, a whole set of numbers are very rough sledding. "Piratess" could have fit on Steely Dan's obtuse Gaucho, while "Show Yourself" meanders around in the avant garde, but it might be fun sometime to line-up with the culminating scenes of 2001: A Space Odessey. "Your Past Life as a Blast" begins with some promise, with some hope Sheff might grab the reins at its midpoint and kickstart it with some drive, but it never comes. "Hanging From a Hit" just trudges along in soupy mire, and although "The Rise" gets some slack as the closing track and for Symington's saloon parlor piano, its not enough to overcome the 6-plus minutes of battling.

Come for: "Wake and Be Fine"
Stay for: "Rider"
You'll be surprised by: "Lay of the Last Survivor"

P.S. For a capsulized look at Sheff's distilled songwriting talent, check out (the non-specific) "The President's Dead." Hardly pausing for breather for a two good minutes, Sheff connects two distinct plot vehicles with astonishing deftness before band kicks in at the story's zenith. Incredible stuff.

The Airborne Toxic Event

2011-05-03T13:20:00.000-07:00

Imagine if, somehow, Neil Diamond, U2, Duran Duran and Bush's Gavin Rosdale came together to set aside their lesser devils and unite the better angels of their respective sounds. The end result would sound something like All At Once, the sophomore effort of The Airborne Toxic Effect – out April 26 on Island Records.

Obviously, with that kind of lead-in, there a lot going on here, and the resulting compilation of influences and directions that comprise All At Once is a more fragmented offering than the recent concept or thematic approaches presented by acts like The Decemberists and Southeast Engine, as reviewed here in the past few months. This is not to suggest that the product is unenjoyable or unfocused, but rather a marked deviation from more cohesive records. It all starts with a delay-style riff – a la The Edge – in the opening, title track. The low-octave, hesitating line from lead guitarist Steven Chen suits the boozy, rich vocals of frontman, rhythm guitarist and occasional keyboardist Mikel Jollett – at times warm and full like The National'sBeringer Matt , at others grainy and unkempt, more resembling the former Bush singer, Rosdale, and still others bearing the half sung/half spoken schmaltz of Neil Diamond. While Chen and Jollett slide into the number's first third, the introduction of the full quintet tacks most closely to the intensity of The Edge's hallmark Irish outfit, as if Bono sat nearby in a darkened corner of the studio, nodding behind his signature shades. The same urgency is reflected not only on the following "Numb," but also in a more restrained capacity later on via "Half of Something Else." This trio of cuts accounts for but one division of the Los Angeles group's arsenal.

The poppy stomp-stomp-clamp of "Changing" – which draws the third slot on the 11-track album – channels more of a Duran, Duran 80's synth pop style, filtered through the more contemporary lens of The Killers' charging veneer. While Chen's stabbing staccato cuts give the number its bite, its color is filled-in by peppy keyboard parts supplied by Jollet and multi-instrumentalist Anna Bulbrook (who also contributes viola and percussion, while bassist Noah Harmon and drummer Daren Taylor round-out a capable but hardly flashy rhythm section). The same sound reemerges later in "Strange Girl," which features less sparkle but more substance, owing to its assignment in the nine-hole.

Amongst all this, surely you're wondering, where does the Neil Diamond flavor fit in? The answer is found in another trio of distinct tracks, starting with "All for a Woman," on through "The Kids Are Ready to Die" and the closing "The Graveyard Near the House." The combination plays like some unexpected, late-career resurrection we all wish Mr. Diamond had in him. The influence here is mostly found in Jollet's phrasing when paired with acoustic guitar. Close your eyes and let a line like, "so you smile politely and you demur" in the the first of these recall "Cracklin Rosie;" rediscover "Memphis Streets" as Jollett accounts how, "...I was just 13 when I got my first taste of danger" in "The Kids Are Ready to Die;" and allow the evocative imagery spun out in the latter ("we looked so silly there; all decomposed, half turned to dust, in tattered clothes") to direct you back to "Morningside." And although the last of these is just millimeters away from lifting the melody of "Hey There, Delilah," its unlikely the Plain White T's could have crafted lyrics that tiptoe between haunting and conviction so effectively.

Still another sort of sonic direction resides here, in the form of the strange Gordon Lightfoot-meets-Rockabilly of "It Doesn't Mean a Thing" and the punkish "Welcome to Your Wedding Day." The former describes a shotgun wedding – much in the same manner as Great Big Sea's "Hit the Ground and Run" – with Jollet delivering the collection's most well-crafted line:

"It was shot gun forest wedding, but they forgot to bring the gun. As they were busy counting promises to the children not yet born"

The whole time, you get the feeling the band feels like they're getting away with one here, which only adds to the track's tongue-in-cheek groove. It's expertly delivered. Meanwhile, the latter is topical considering this week's events, and is something you'd expect that the increasingly adventurous Green Day would have attempted on 21st Century Breakdown – something like "Peacemaker," albeit with significantly less synth. The building refrain at the number's climax – "we don't negotiate with terror" – is eerily reminiscent of Rosdale's "there's no sex in your violence" in Bush's breakout hit, "Everything Zen." While the pair of cuts standout from the others in tone and attitude, they're also the record's most enjoyable moments.

Come for: "Changing"
Stay for: "It Doesn't Mean a Thing"
You'll be surprised by: "Welcome to Your Wedding Day"

Eisley

2011-04-26T04:18:00.000-07:00

Family-related bands are inherently risky propositions. A few weeks ago, we looked at how tensions between the Gallagher brothers ultimately led to the collapse of oasis and the resulting creation of Beady Eye. Other sibling-driven outfits have likewise met with turmoil – Credence Clearwater Revival, The Kinks, The Neville Brothers – in many ways fueled by familial conflict. But, at the same time, the same internal friction that can often lead to inflamed emotions can also fuel creative synergy, when folks who have longstanding familiarity and more substantial bonds are in-tune with each others' habits, thought patterns and artistic directions to produce a more unified vision for their material. That spirit drives the work one of today's most popular rock groups – Kings of Leon, but they're not the subject of today's review. Instead, its the tandem of four siblings and one cousin from the DuPree family in Tyler, Tex. that form Eisley and deliver their third full-length release, The Valley, out on March 1 on Equal Vision Records.

The 11-track effort combines two parts of the great, swirling anthems of groups like Metric and Great Northern to one part smooth, R&B-flavored piano rock of artists like Valery Gore and April Smith. The group's genesis dates to 1997, when teenage guitarist sisters Chauntelle and Sherri DuPree would work-up a mix of covers and originals. Younger sister Stacy – today the band's primary vocalist, as well as alternating between keyboards and guitar – was only allowed to participate after she contributed her own original material, while brother Weston – sandwiched between the older sisters and Stacy – was drafted to man the drum kit. Cousin Garron was ultimately added to hold down bass duties.

Following a series of EPs between 2003 and 2009, and full-length records in 2005 (Room Noises) and 2007 (Combinations), The Valley reflects the most full realization of the family band's sonic and lyrical approach. Largely tracing the destruction of a relationship, the collection is infused with imagery suggesting medical trauma: we hear of ambulances, oxygen masks and multiple references to blood or bleeding. It's obvious the breakup left the material's subject reeling. This much is clear from the leadoff title track and it's opening lines, "real heart-breaker come and take me to the real heart ache that everyone's talking 'bout." It's a charging mix of strings, drums and guitars while Stacy DuPree's vocals glide above, much in the same manner employed by Metric's Emily Haines and the Great Northern's Rachel Stolte.

Less soaring and more hard-edged its the following "Smarter" – a classic account of post-breakup avarice – with guitarists Chauntelle and Sherri chugging through Kirk Hamlet-style riffs while Stacy's piano lines and surefire soprano brighten the lyrics' seething spite. Stacy – like Haines and Stolte before her – manages to clench the beauty of her upper-register range without loosing any of its power, a feat that is often unachieved by many sopranos as they negotiate octaves (think Sarah McLaughlin) and is a perfect match for the group's muscular instrumental tone.

Conversely, "Watch It Die" is centrally driven by Stacy's bouncy piano and more reflective of the Valery Gore / Regina Spektor / April Smith approach. Then again, it's followed-up by the bluesy "Sad," a near onion paper tracing of Metric's "Gimme Sympathy." The number's pace seems to land squarely in the band's wheelhouse and strikes a nice balance between the heavier fare of "The Valley" and "Smarter" and the less aggressive "Watch It Die" or "Mr. Moon" later on. Also in that latter vein is "Oxygen Mask," easily the album's poppiest track, with its layered strings, rare acoustic guitars and melodic chorus.

And although "Better Love" starts off like a mistaken Blink-182 cut, it rounds into a rather convincing rock song. It's meaty chorus is bolstered by Rock 101-lyrics like, "Because I've finally found out / you're on my side / with a bullet for the bad guys," and would certainly rank as the choice for a one-off sample of the group's sound.

On the other hand, "I Wish" is a bit too watered-down in relation to the record's larger vision, with too many "oooh, aaah, ooohs" and a ballady self-importance. Later on, "Kind" again tacks towards the softer, piano model, but closer "Ambulance" – although has more fortitude even though it's slower and more composed, acting as a requiem for the deconstructed romance chronicled throughout the proceedings.

Come for: "The Valley"
Stay for: "Sad"
You'll be surprised by: "Better Love"

The Head and the Heart

2011-04-19T16:51:00.000-07:00

Following last week's hardscrabble concept album from Southeast Engine comes a less thematic but just as a rootsy and spiritualized take on Americana from the Seattle, Wash. sextet The Head and the Heart. Instead of a closely linked set of characters and settings as heard previously, the group's eponymous debut offering (officially released today on Sub Pop Records, although digital versions have been available for more than a year) focuses more on a single and more loosely-defined theme to unite its work – a literary convention which spans Homer to The Hold Steady: leaving and returning home.

Hardly reflective of their hometown's signature sound that emerged nearly two decades ago, The Head and the Heart are morseo in keeping with the more widespread roots-rock / alt-country revival that has gained a foothold in recent years, originating with the Uncle Tupelo/Wilco/Son Volt triumvirate in the early 90s right on through to The Decemberists' The King Is Dead. And yet, while violins and rustic acoustic guitars center the 10-track collection, strong undercurrents of pop sensibility add a layer of distinctiveness to the effort.

Opener "Cats and Dogs" serves much the same mission as Okkervil River employed with "Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe" on their The Stage Names record, with its clicking E strings and snare rims for the initial third of the track's expedient 1:58. Co-frontmen and guitarists Josiah Johnson and Jon Russell swap lead vocals throughout the proceedings, while the entire outfit rounds out the vocal approach with hearty but not saccharine harmonies, bolstering their roots bona fides.

The pop-flavored festivities arrive quickly via the combination of "Coeur d'Alene" and "Ghosts." How much the former is a fitting representation of its Idaho namesake is dubious given the buoyant piano part laid down by pianist/keyboardist Kenny Hensley – perhaps the most noticable component of the unit – and would make a fine pairing with The 1900's similarly peppy "When I Say Go." The telltale pop line of "I'll give you three bucks for your sympathy and another for a cigarette; the interaction feels so cold" doesn't feel particularly evocative of northern Idaho, but is no less easy on the ears. Meanwhile, the latter emerges with a southern-fried piano lick from Hensley before filling in with a do-do-do chorus not far removed from a more upbeat version of The Decemberists' "The Soldiering Life."

Strangely, the project pivots immediately after, summoning Springsteen's Ghost of Tom Joad or his latter Devils and Dust at the outset of "Down in the Valley." The escaping popiness is swept out the door with the mean broom stroke of the following stanza:

I wish I was a slave to an age-old trade,
like ridin' around on railcars and workin' long days;
Lord have mercy on my rough and rowdy ways

Seriously? Where did that come from? But despite the apparent arrival of the forlorn balladeer, the group reemerges with its fuller sound not long after, and steadily injects body into the mid-tempo number. A couple minutes later, and we're nearly in revival tent mode (well, sort of), with violinist/percussionist Charity Thielen and the rhythm section of bassist Chris Zasche and drummer Tyler Williams delivering some needed gravity to support the front-end work of Johnson, Russell and Hensley. It's a pattern that repeats for much of the album's middle third – a soft entry from Johnson or Russel, to be met down the road by the full party apparatus. Such is the case with "Rivers and Roads" – highlighted by some change-of-pace spot vocals from Thielen – and the folksy "Honey Come Home," displaying some delightful front porch harmonizing and a perhaps unintentional nod to the influence of Okkervil River on the genre's recent direction.

First single "Lost in My Mind" is buried towards the back and features a foot-tapping, piano-and-vocals format (a la the Ben Folds/Ben Kweller/Ben Lee super trio The Bens' minor key "Let's Pretend") and includes some truly goosebumps-inducing vocal blends, but doesn't seem to have enough juice to leave the stratosphere as it teases you to expect something orbital. "Winter Song" is gentle and earnest – again emboldened by spot duty from Thielen – but is still only the second best alt-country tune called "Winter Song," after the Crash Test Dummies 1993 version, a legitimate early entry to the format.

The concluding numbers are more spiritually-inclined, as the titles "Sounds Like Hallelujah" and "Heaven Go Easy On Me" might suggest. The rolling gospel of "...Hallelujah" is exuberant, but only after a solid minute of slightly moody folk. By the time it wraps its 3:12 running time, there's a good deal more that could have been done with its thumping groove at the end. On the other hand, "Heaven..." is a perfect submission for the closer; the traditional last cut of Side B, with its competing rounds of "we're well on our way," "all these things are rushing by" and "all things must end, darlin'" marking a ideal point for a fading departure.

Usually, I tend to pick one or two tracks in each review I'm less enamored with. Here, it's more of the Michael Bolton character in Office Space, in that I kinda like 'em all. But my one gripe is the lyrics can occasionally draw towards hokey at best and cliched at worst. For example, "reading good books and playin' songs" in "Heaven..." or "...Hallelujah's" "I'm just waitin' on the sun to close his eyes and call it a night" A minor defect in an otherwise stellar debut.

Come for: "Lost in My Mind"
Stay for: "Coeur d'Alene"/"Ghosts"
You'll be surprised by: "Down in the Valley"

P.S. The Head and the Heart will be touring later this summer with NMTs favorites The Decemberists. Eventually there might even be a Touring Schedule Saturdays post with some of these details.

Southeast Engine - Canary

2011-04-12T17:45:00.000-07:00

The presence of an album name in this week's subject title should be an indication of another repeat profile, in this case the third such returning group in the form of Southeast Engine's Canary, out on March 29 on Mistra Records. Our previous recurring profiles were of the Gaslight Anthem (here and here) and the Rural Alberta Advantage (her e and here). For full background details on this Athens, Ohio-based quartet, view the original Southeast Engine review here.

To suggest surprise that Canary represents a concept album would be like feigning astonishment that Ben Folds has produced another quirky piano-pop record; it's simply what they do. As a matter of fact, the 11-track effort is actually less conceptual than the group's previous outing, 2009's From the Forest to the Sea – the compelling – if uneven – tale of a morally wayward cartographer (seriously, that's what it was about; check my previously referenced review). That work featured a more cohesive storyline, characters and direction then this most recent product. Nonetheless, Canary includes many of the trademark aspects of a concept record: a definitive period and setting (early Depression-era Appalachia – 1933, to be precise), a clearly identified and recurring stable of characters and a unifying sonic mission that unites the component tracks into a larger whole. But for those looking for an alt-country Dark Side of the Moon or a mountain music Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, you'll be left unfulfilled.

When an album declares its arrival with the line, "my mother’s old lantern tolls a light...," you know the sort direction you're heading: an earnest, plainspoken affair set some forlorn, but recent past. On "Curse of Caananville," frontman Adam Remnant shuffles into the proceedings like some disparaging troubadour who disconcertingly finds himself set amongst the despair of a hardscrabble community unprepared for the most trying battle with modernity. He takes his time to establish his pious ethos here, before turning on a dime to get busy with the storytelling in the track's elongated second verse. We hear about sawdust, brimstone and gloom and an oversized raven, as the situation grows increasingly perilous. Less startling is the transition back to a refrain of the intro, but the scene has already been set for conditions that are already bad and are likely to grow worse. Remnant bears his Appalachian Protestantism in the same manner that Craig Finn is informed by his Twin Cities Catholicism, an enduring and constantly uneasy parry between the influences of upbringing and the failings of parochialism in the face of strife.

The follow-up, "Cold Front Blues," is no less ominous. In what could have easily have doubled as an outtake from The Band's Music from Big Pink, a jaunting and menacing background by the four-piece outfit (which also includes Remnant's younger brother Jesse on bass, founding drummer Leo DeLuca and keyboardist Michael Lehman) supports Remnant as he accounts a scene where little is going right and the true reckoning is yet to come, as he describes:

"before it all shuts down: the mine, the mill, the town;
the devil left his footprints here and said he’d be back by next year..."

Nothing is going right, and the hovering organ part supplied by Michael Lehman only adds to the sense of foreboding.

By the time "1933 (Great Depression)" rolls around, things are in full devolution – and to make matters worse, it's winter. The electric guitar and menacing organ combo only add to the sense of urgency and catastrophe, as debt collectors stalk the protagonist and the wheel of fate is nearing its final revolution. F.D.R appears for the first time as a time post – to reappear in a later track – as Remnant appears to channel The Gaslight Anthem's Brian Fallon in the line, "my boxcar eyes and your railroad face." And yet, in spite of the tumult steadily gripping the scene, Remnant locates a verse to direct us to the friend of the protagonist's sister, the neighboring Ruthie. Remnant has a recurring habit of casting all his male characters as misguided at best and depraved at worst, while channeling his hope and optimism through their female counterparts, as was true throughout From the Forest to the Sea, as well as the group's earlier works. The same holds true here, where not only Ruthie, but a handful of other luminating ladies – "Adeline of the Appalachian Mountains," Aunt Mae and the mythical "Summer and Her Ferris Wheel" – offer salvation and promise to the men who have not the strength or fortitude escape the strife of their time.

After the love-in-our-time ballad of "At Least We Have Each Other," the aforementioned "Adeline..." points most directly to alt-country vanguards of Wilco and their collaboration with British punk-folkster Billy Bragg on lost Woody Guthrie lyrics that formed the Mermaid Avenue collections. The mix of astronomy and historical context is perhaps the record's most poignant realization of the intent its mission, and is rendered with proper aplomb. The only gripe with Remnant's delivery – no more true here than on past recordings – might be that while he certainly captures the vinegary authenticity of the Appalachian voice, at the low end of his register, his pitch nearly vanishes and the lyrics seep through the cracks at the most inopportune moments. On an effort where the words are so essential, there's no room for a patchwork cover and, at times, good intentions can't make up for lack of execution.

Nonetheless, the first single of "Red Lake Shore" is crafty and well-rounded, even if the haunting 40 seconds of spoken intro are nearly lost in the hazy background. The piece fits as a time and place of reckoning, as if to resolve the anguish that pervades the first half of the collection. The outcome of the encounter that occurs here is uncertain, but the tone is bit more driving than anything that preceded it – besides the battle of "1939 (Great Depression)" – and sets the stage for the album's conclusion.

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Unfortunately, its immediate successors – "Mountain Child" and "New Growth" are respectively sleepy and uninviting, and are certainly the record's low points. But "Summer and Her Ferris Wheel" offers a dramatic counterpoint, with its nearly reckless optimism. Southeast Engine nearly always is at its best when its dynamic and moving – like "1939 (Great Depression)" or "Ezekiel Saw the Wheel" of 2007's A Wheel Within a Wheel – and showcase the band's usually untapped energy. And while "Ruthie" is, conversely, a deliberate lover's ode, it's also conspicuously beautiful in contrast to the desperation of the record's narrative. The combination of these tracks suggests something less tragic might be possible for those who've endured so much. That notion is only bolstered by the instrumental hoedown of "Sourwood Mountain," which brings the collection to a close, where the front-porch assembly of fiddles, banjos and jaw harps speak to days ahead.

Come for: "Red Lake Shore"
Stay for: "1933 (Great Depression)"
You'll be surprised by: "Ruthie"

Beady Eye

2011-04-05T19:37:00.000-07:00

This post must begin first with a prelude, and then a confession. First, the actual review portion of this post does not begin until the third paragraph. If you're only interested in my thoughts on Beady Eye, feel free to skip ahead. In the meantime, you'll be treated to very abbreviated (but not unopinionated) history lesson of oasis.

Now for the confession: I am (was?) very much a closet fan of oasis. File it squarely under "guilty pleasures;" but ever since Definitely Maybe, I've loved the trademark swagger and cockiness of the now-disbanded Manchester unit previously fronted by Noel and Liam Gallagher. They put so little effort into making the masses despise them, which is why they were great. Whether it was the legendary feuds between the brothers that canceled tours, dominated tabloid headlines in the U.K. and, ultimately, led to their recent demise, or their conspicuous arrogance – in the one appearance I managed to catch on their final U.S. tour, Noel noted that the White House was his easily dwarfed by his Buckinghamshire mansion – they were certainly distinctive, and undeniably British – with Liam's nasally wail hardly masking his heritage, as is the case many other English vocalists, who too often sound quite American. Meanwhile, few of their contemporary peers could match their absolute delight in being rock stars, with all the trappings and largess associated with that life. It was such a welcome counterpoint to all the shoe-gazing and I'm-so-misunderstood cliches that defined 90's alternative and grunge. oasis always meant to be exactly understood, and made their ambitions plain to anyone willing to listen.

Even better was their ability to translate that ethos into their recorded material, especially at the outset of their career. Definitely Maybe was fun and brash, with tracks like "Cigarettes n Alcohol," "Rock n Roll Star" and "Shakermaker" thrusting their own snarly stamp on 90's alternative. Their sophomore follow-up, (What's the Story) Morning Glory, was a bit more serious, but also catapulted the group onto the world stage with megahits such as "Champagne Supernova," "Wonderwall" and the Noel-sung "Don't Look Back in Anger." At the same time, they carried over some of the exuberance of their debut in similarly playful affairs like "Roll With It," "Some Might Say," and the record's title track.

But as the band became more established, their urgency waned and their act grew stale. Although its third release – Be Here Now – included a handful of solid numbers, like "Stand By Me," "It's Gettin Better (Man!!)" and "All Around the World," each subsequent record dialed back the swagger and grew increasingly generic. At the same time, the promise and peril of the fundamental dynamic between Noel and Liam edged closer to its breaking point. Make no mistake, oasis is inseparable from the presence of both Gallagher brothers – in fact, Noel frequently fired anyone not named Gallagher and replaced the entire lineup more than once. Noel – the older of the two – exercised such extreme control relative to his younger brother as he wrote nearly all the group's material, both words and lyrics, while also manning the lead guitar post, which defined their sound. Liam's role was more limited – gnashing out lead vocals and occasionally shaking the tambourine. And while Noel was responsible for the artistic output of the outfit – and arguably possesses the more natural and sonically pleasing singing voice – he also recognized his little brother added more bite to lines like, "all your dreams are made when you're chained to the mirror and the razor blade" in "(What's the Story) Morning Glory." When Noel covered the same material during Liam's sporadic departures from live shows, much of the gritty edge went with him. Nonetheless, Noel retained strict control over the songwriting process, and it became gradually more apparent that Liam was dissatisfied with his part in the production. During the band's last tour, Liam would leave the stage entirely for more than a half-dozen songs, leaving Noel to toil through the numbers he'd devoted to himself. It all came to ahead on August 28, 2009, when a backstage fight between the brothers before a Paris show led to the group's disbanding. Following the split, Noel announced he'd pursue a solo career, while Liam retained the remaining oasis lineup – guitarist Gem Archer, bassist Andy Bell and drummer Chris Sharrock – to form a new project, which ultimately became Beady Eye.

It is within this post-oasis backdrop that Beady Eye's debut offering – Different Gear, Still Speeding, released March 1 on Dangerbird Records – should be considered. The most notable questions facing the reformed quartet – with Bell also contributing guitar parts, and rounded out by touring performers Jeff Wooton on bass and keyboardist Matt Jones – would be to what extent could the new outfit write material without Noel, and how much would that material sound like their previous group?

To some degree, these questions are answered in the very title of the record and its baker's dozen set of tracks. The collection is largely built upon a foundation of oasis-style material (still speeding), but with new flourishes and less boilerplate song structures than under the Noel regime (different gear). The introductory track – "Four Letter Word" – offers a rather conventional take for listeners familiar with their previous group. Archer and Bell weave a classic Noel Gallagher-sounding riff pattern comprised of acid-laced psychedelia, which Liam arguments with his signature snotty whine. Its a solid starting point for the new project to gain a foothold with its holdover audience before striking out with something new.

The succeeding "Millionaire" is bit more adventurous, even if its simpler in its construction. Harking more to Rubber Soul than Magical Mystery Tour, the rusty acoustic guitar riffs and bouncy beat would have been unlikely survivors under Noel's regime. It's lighter and more upbeat than anything oasis had put forth in more than a decade, and is complimented by the collection's leadoff single, "The Roller." The foundational piano part here is another signal of the growing distance from Noel's preferences, who would never have allowed a similar instrument to overshadow his guitar work beyond a few bars at the intro or bridge.

Even more drastic is the tres upbeat "Beatles and Stones." Although the Beatles influences were obvious and much-discussed throughout the oasis era, this track is interestingly less directly patterned of the quintessential British rock acts, despite its moniker. Liam – in trademark bravado – announces his intentions to achieve the sort of legendary status attained by his heroes. Sounding more like a Everly Brothers tune – with its emphasis on the off beat – its clearly less important that the band actually ascends to "stand the test of time" than the restoration of its playful sneer. A pairing of the number with "Cigarettes & Alcohol" would be delightful.

Most impressive is the barnburner "Bring The Light." Again, a lo-fi keyboard part that would have been banished by Noel sets the stage for the record's tour-de-force. Including R&B-style background singers adds a welcome twist and there's no doubt Liam is enjoying the hell out of himself here, while his mates never loose pace with the intensity, making for what will surely be slotted for a blistering finale on stage.

Still, there a few boilerplate oasis-sounding cuts manage to sneak through in "Wind Up Dream" and "Standing on the Edge of the Noise," but the album would have fared just as well without them. The former is only a slight improvement on Be Here Now's meandering "D'You Know What I Mean?" while the latter toils on like "The Shock of the Lightning" from Dig Out Your Soul."

On another front, a trio of ballads in "For Anyone," "Kill for a Dream" and "The Beat Goes On" are palatable, but hardly the best vehicle for Liam's act. His nasal pitch is only enhanced when there's more time to listen to individual notes. The songwriting is solid, but its hard getting past the voice. More enjoyable, but not overly bombastic is "Wigwam." Sporting pianos and a sing-along, sha-la-la chorus, the piece has more motion to it than the ballad-y approach. It's also the album's longest track at 6:36, but only sags for a bit at its belly before morphing into a McCartneyian repeating refrain.

Come for: "The Roller"
Stay for: "Beatles or Stones"
You'll be surprised by: "Bring the Light"

P.S. An absolutely outstanding parody of mid-career oasis can be found in The Fountains of Wayne's original "Elevator Up." Check it.

Touring Schedule Saturdays

2011-03-26T11:04:00.001-07:00

(Group/Artist Name / date reviewed / upcoming shows & locations / website / twitter)

R.E.M.
3/22/11
http://remhq.com/index.php
remhq

DeVotchKa
3/7/11
Boston, Mass. (3/26); Burlington, Vt. (3/28); Montreal, Quebec (3/29); Toronto, Ont. (3/30); Chicago, Ill. (3/31); Minneapolis, Minn. (4/1)
http://devotchka.com/
devotchkamusic

Hey Rosetta!
3/1/11
Asbury Park, NJ. (3/26); Brooklyn, N.Y. (3/28); New York, N.Y. (3/29); Sydney, Austrialia (4/5-6);
http://www.heyrosetta.com/
heyrosetta

The Low Anthem
2/22/11
Vienna, Austria (3/27); Milan, Italy (3/28); Munich, Germany (3/30); Zurich, Switzerland (3/31); Nijmegan, Netherlands (4/1)
http://www.lowanthem.com/site/
thelowanthem

Telekinesis
2/15/11
Seattle, Wash. (3/26); Vancouver, B.C. (3/27)
http://www.telekinesismusic.com/
_TELEKINESIS

The Civil Wars
2/8/11
Louisville, Ky. (3/30); Cincinnati, Ohio (3/31); Akron, Ohio (4/1)
http://www.myspace.com/thecivilwars
thecivilwars

Oh No! Oh My!
1/31/11
Houston, Tex. (4/13); New Orleans, La. (4/14); Jackson, Miss. (4/15); Birmingham, Ala. (4/16); Memphis, Tenn. (4/17)
http://www.ohnoohmy.com/
ohnoohmy

Dolorean
1/25/11
Portland, Ore. (3/26)
http://www.doloreanmusic.com/
doloreanmusic

Tennis
1/18/11
Las Vegas, Nev. (3/30-4/2); Colorado Springs, Colo. (5/14); Barcelona, Spain (5/27)
http://www.fatpossum.com/artists/tennis

The Decemberists
1/10/11
Colorado Springs, Colo. (4/16); Omaha, Neb. (4/17); Iowa City, Iowa (4/18); Madison, Wisc. (4/19); Pittsburgh, Pa. (4/21)
http://decemberists.com/
TheDecemberists

April Smith & the Great Picture Show
1/4/11
Cincinnati, Ohio (4/10); Asheville, N.C. (4/11); Charleston, S.C. (4/12); Atlanta, Ga. (4/14); Hoover, Ala. (4/15)
http://www.aprilsmithmusic.com/
aprilsmithmusic

Rural Alberta Advantage
12/21/10
Chicago, Ill. (3/26); Windsor, Ont. (3/27); Winnipeg, Manitoba (3/31); Saskatoon, Sk. (4/1); Edmonton, Alb. (4/2);
http://www.theraa.com/

Lost in the Trees
12/14/10
New York, N.Y. (3/26); Washington, D.C. (3/28); Lynchburg, Va. (4/2); Los Angeles, Calif. (4/19); La Jolla, Calif. (4/20)
http://www.lostinthetrees.com/
littband

Johnny Poe & the Salvation Circus
12/7/10
http://www.myspace.com/johnnypoeband

Gold Motel
11/30/10
St. Lois, Mo. (4/7); Hopewell, Mich. (4/29); Seattle, Wash. (6/7); Portland, Ore. (6/8); San Francisco, Calif. (6/10)
http://www.goldmotel.com/
gretamorgan

Alphabet Backwards
11/23/10
London, UK (4/21)
http://www.myspace.com/alphabetbackwards

Hollerado
11/8/10
Kingston, Ont. (3/30); Guelph, Ont. (4/1); London, Ont. (4/2); Barrie, Ont. (4/3); Albany, N.Y. (4/5)
http://www.hollerado.com/
hollerado

Quiet Company
11/1/10
Austin, Tex. (3/27); San Marcos, Tex. (4/30); San Antonio, Tex. (5/6); New Braunfels, Tex. (8/27);
http://quietcompanymusic.com/
quietcompanytx

Outbox
10/26/10
http://www.myspace.com/outbox

Steven Page
1/18/10
http://www.stevenpage.com/
stevenpage

Tired Pony
10/5/10
http://www.tiredpony.com/
TiredPony

Ben Folds
9/26/10
Boone, N.C. (4/10); Blacksburg, Va (4/12); Norfolk, Va. (4/13); Richmond, Va. (4/14); Canberra, Australia (5/11)
http://benfolds.com/
benfolds

Wavves
9/20/10
Danbury, Ct. (5/28); Quincy, Wash. (5/30)
http://wavves.net/
wavveswavves

Weezer
9/7/10
Birmingham, Ala. (4/29); Dallas, Tex. (4/30); Boston, Mass. (5/19); Philadelphia, Pa. (5/20); Atlantic City, NJ (5/27);
http://weezer.com/
Weezer

Ra Ra Riot
8/31/10
Syracuse, N.Y. (4/7); Cleveland, Ohio (4/8); Columbus, Ohio (4/9); Detroit, Mich. (4/10); Holland, Mich. (4/11)
http://www.rarariot.com/
rarariot

Sufjan Stevens
8/24/10
Bergen, Norway (4/29); Oslo, Norway (4/30); Copenhagen, Denmark (5/1); Stockholm, Sweden (5/3); Warsaw, Poland (5/5)
http://asthmatickitty.com/sufjan-stevens
sufjanstevens

Farewell Drifters
8/17/10
Pittsburgh, Pa. (3/26); Roanoke, Va. (3/27); Bowling Green, Ky. (4/15); Thomas, W.V. (4/16); St. Augustine, Fla. (4/30)
http://thefarewelldrifters.com/
farewelldrifter

The Arcade Fire
8/3/10
Broomfield, Colo. (4/9); Orem, Utah (4/11); Phoenix, Ariz. (4/13); Las Vegas, Nev. (4/14); Indio, Calif. (4/16)
http://www.arcadefire.com/
arcadefire

Tokyo Police Club
7/26/10
Kingston, Ont. (3/30); Hamilton, Ont. (3/31); Guelph, Ont. (4/1); London, Ont. (4/2); Barrie, Ont. (4/3)
http://tokyopoliceclub.com/
tokyopoliceclub

Kathryn Calder
7/20/10
http://kathryncalder.ca/
kathryncalder

Great Big Sea
7/13/10
St. John's, Newfoundland (7/28); Lowell, Mass (8/28)
http://www.greatbigsea.com/
alanthomasdoyle

Telegraph Canyon
7/6/10
Fort Worth, Tex. (4/1); Dallas, Tex. (4/4)
http://www.telegraphcanyon.net/
telegraphcanyon

Stars
6/29/10
Ottawa, Ont. (5/4); Toronto, Ont. (5/5); Waterloo, Ont. (5/6); Hamilton, Ont. (5/7); London, Ont. (5/8)
http://www.youarestars.com/home/
montrealstars

Sambassadeur
6/7/10
http://www.sambassadeur.com/

Regina Spektor
6/1/10
http://www.reginaspektor.com/
respektor

The Hold Steady
5/17/10
Houston, Tex. (4/1); Cleveland, Ohio (4/2); New York, N.Y. (4/8)
http://theholdsteady.net/
theholdsteady

The New Pornographers
5/3/10
Boulder, Colo. (4/13); Albuquerque, NM (4/14); Tempe, Ariz (4/15); Indio, Calif. (4/16); Santa Cruz, Calif. (4/17)
http://www.thenewpornographers.com/
thenewpornos

The 1900s
4/26/10
http://www.myspace.com/1900s
1900s

Titus Andronicus
4/20/10
Worcester, Mass. (3/27); Portland, Maine (3/29); Burlington, Vt. (3/30); Montreal, Quebec (3/31); Toronto, Ont. (4/1)
http://www.titusandronicus.net/

Butch Walker
3/30/10
http://butchwalker.com/
butchwalker

Valery Gore
3/9/10
http://www.valerygore.com/

fun.
3/1/10
Indio, Calif. (4/17); Pomona, Calif. (4/21); San Francisco, Calif. (4/22); Philadelphia, Pa. (5/20); Boston, Mass. (5/22)
http://www.ournameisfun.com/
ournameisfun

Southeast Engine
2/23/10
Minneapolis, Minn. (3/26); Seattle, Wash. (3/29); Portland, Ore. (3/30); San Francisco, Calif. (3/31); Los Angeles, Calif. (4/1)
http://www.southeastengine.com/
southeastengine

We Were Promised Jetpacks
2/16/10
http://www.myspace.com/wewerepromisedjetpacks

The Overmountain Men
2/9/10
Pomeroy, Ohio (5/7); Saluda, NC (6/4); Cleveland, Ohio (10/14), Streetsboro, Ohio (3/15)
http://www.overmountainmen.com/Main.html

Dear Leader
2/1/10

http://dear-leader.com/
dearleader

Jukebox Serenade
1/26/10
http://www.jukeboxserenade.com/main.html
JukeboxSerenade

Van Ghost
1/19/10
Brooklyn, N.Y. (4/2); Chicago, Ill. (4/9); Chillicothe, Ill. (5/26-28); Geneva, Minn. (5/29)
http://vanghost.com/
iamvanghost

Gaslight Anthem
1/12/10
East Rutherford, N.J. (4/30); Nurburging, Germany (6/3); Nurnberg, Germany (6/5); Dresden, Germany (6/6); Hamburg, Germany (6/7)
http://gaslightanthem.com/
gaslight_anthem

R.E.M.

2011-03-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

So, the recent flurry of activity of reviews and touring schedule updates came to a grinding halt last week, largely due to a string of celebratory events tied to the 30th anniversary your blogger's birth. But, what do we do when knocked off our bead of momentum? Pick yourself up and climb back on the horse, which is what we'll do here by assessing the most recent release from the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, R.E.M.

Some music commentators seem to take special delight in bashing new work from established groups. And those reactions tend to fall into two directions: either the material hews too closely to the core of the group's sound and does not stake out enough new ground to demonstrate growth and maturity; or, conversely, new recordings are flogged for wandering too far afield of a successful and enjoyable palate that defines the catalog of an artist or band. Occasionally, a review will include both types of criticism.

And, to be fair, the R.E.M.'s mid-March release of Collapse Into Now veers more strongly to the former label than the latter. It's filled with the trademark jangly, Byrds-style riffs and progressions from guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills' high harmonies and piano tracks, and frontman Michael Stipe's ubiquitous lyricism, leaving no room to mistake the effort for anything but an R.E.M. album. And while some might argue that suggests a group who has run out of ideas, there is also inherent value in a cohort of individuals collaborating together over a number of years (and decades, in this case) to create and replicate an approach to music that becomes their own. Only the most cynical among us cannot appreciate the difficulty of coordinating the artistic vision, conflicting personalities and stamina necessary to sustain such a project over a significant period of time. To their credit, R.E.M. has largely accomplished that over a career now extending into its fourth decade. Declaring an individual track as an "R.E.M. song" bears with it true definition – as in only one group is capable of producing that sound in the same manner – much in the the same way U2 has done over essentially the same period.

Positioned somewhere in the group's sonic spectrum between 1991's Out of Time, 1996's New Adventures in Hi-Fi and the more recent Accelerate of 2008, Collapse Into Now compiles varying pages from the R.E.M. playbook into a cohesive compendium. Opener "Discoverer" is punchy and tangy, a functional bridge between the group's most raw and rocking product – 1994's Monster – and the late-career Accelerate. Hauling out the familiar delay and reverb pedals, Peter Buck again defines the number with his grainy figures aerating the track's 3:31 minutes. With all proper credit and respect due to the influence of Stipe and Mills, R.E.M. produces its best material when it is shaped by the distinctiveness of its guitarist. Few non-vocalist guitar players have the sort of impact on their bands as Buck imposes upon his, aside from his Irish counterpart in U2, The Edge. It's also one that has percolated up through the sounds of American bands for the past two decades, ranging from The Decemberists' The King Is Dead (which featured Buck himself) through the Americana of Wilco and Buck's own Tired Pony side project to the more poppy constructions of groups like Oh No! Oh My! and The Broken West (now Apex Manor).

Even more brash is the follow-up, "All The Best." Channeling Monster's "I Took Your Name," it's grainy delivery is punctuated by Stipe's staccato phrasing and is appropriately shorter at 2:45, reflecting a heightened sense of urgency. The same gnarly spirit reappears later in the collection on the suggestive "Mine Smell Like Honey" – which features fantastic backing vocals on the chorus from Mike Mills – the alliterative "Alligator_Aviator_Autopilot_Antimatter," accentuated by guest vocals from longtime compatriot Patty Smith, and "That Someone Is You." It is this quintet of rockers that point most clearly to the group's preceding Accelerate, and signals the arch of their gradual return to the heart of their milieu.

In contrast to the above electric guitar-driven set is the album's third offering, the acoustic "Überlin" – an ode to the rapid transit network of the German capital (which also features a corresponding subway map-inspired video). It's a fitting counterpart to previous R.E.M. acoustic-focused singles like "Ebow the Letter" off New Adventures in Hi-Fi and "Daysleeper" from the 1998 album, Up (which also was the first release following the departure of original drummer Bill Berry in 1997). Along those lines, the Buck-Mills-Stipe trio finally appears comfortable with its percussion situation after experimenting with a decade's worth of options behind the drumkit. Although the group has never – and likely will never – name a permanent replacement for the charter member Berry, former Ministry timekeeper Bill Rieflin manned the sticks on tour starting in 2004, following the uneven Around the Sun, which was released earlier that year. Rieflin has since recorded the drum parts for both Accelerate and Collapse Into Now. The relative stability provided by Rieflin has yielded a songwriting and recording process that appears to be more comfortable and accordingly more productive, as evidenced in the solid output in the most recent two records.

A couple of the more interesting ideas on the dozen-track album are the pairing of "Oh My Heart" and "It Happened Today" in the number four and five slots. The former struggles with Hurricane Katrina's destruction of New Orleans – although hardly a unique subject for songwriters and performers in recent years – as Stipe notes a "city half erased" and "storm didn't kill me / the government changed / hear the answer call, hear the song rearranged / hear the tress, the ghosts and the buildings sing / with the wisdom to reconcile this thing." Curiously, it's set to the musical backdrop of the soundtrack to a spaghetti western, with mandolins and accordions cresting atop the undulating melody. Meanwhile, the latter recalls the band's I.R.S. Records era – with nods to early classics like "Cuyahoga" and "Harborcoat" – with a touch more indie-pop flavor and Eddie Vedder blending with Mills on backing vocals.

At the same time, the late-appearing "Me, Marlon Brando, Marlon Brando and I" recalls the band's most popular hit, the iconic "Losing My Religion," with Buck replicating his signature mandolin and acoustic guitar chords from their standout Out of Time cut. The Out of Time nostalgia tour continues on "Blue," which is a chord-for-chord recasting of "County Feedback," albeit with Stipe penning new spoken word lyrics which rest atop the familiar instrumental cadence.

Come for: "Überlin"
Stay for: "All The Best"
You'll be surprised by: "Oh My Heart"

Touring Schedule Saturdays

2011-03-12T09:47:00.000-08:00

Most weeks of Touring Schedule Saturdays won't feature any commentary; just the touring listing for the next week or 5 shows (whichever is more timely). But others – like this one – warrant some additional analysis.

You'll notice a distinctive trend among this week's schedules. Like the swallows returning to Capistrano, the early days of spring lure indie bands to their ancestral home: Austin, Tex. for the annual South-by-Southwest conference. A dozen of our past reviewees head there this week, often for a string of performances around the so-called Live Music Capital of the World. As part of the trek, many groups navigate through Southern California, the Southwest and/or Texas en route. For those fortunate enough to attend SxSW, enjoy some outstanding talent.

(Group/Artist Name / date reviewed / upcoming shows & locations / website / twitter)

DeVotchKa
3/7/11
Hollywood, Calif. (3/12); Tempe, Ariz. (3/13); Dallas, Tex. (3/15); Austin, Tex. (3/16-18)
http://devotchka.com/
devotchkamusic

Hey Rosetta!
3/1/11
Los Angeles, Calif. (3/12); Austin, Tex. (3/17-18)
http://www.heyrosetta.com/
heyrosetta

The Low Anthem
2/22/11
Central Falls, R.I. (3/12); Paris, France (3/18); Cologne, Germany (3/20); Berlin, Germany (3/21); Copenhagen, Denmark (3/22)
http://www.lowanthem.com/site/
thelowanthem

Telekinesis
2/15/11
Washington, D.C. (3/12); Chapel Hill, N.C. (3/13); Atlanta, Ga. (3/14); Baton Rouge, La. (3/15); Santa Fe, N.M. (3/21)
http://www.telekinesismusic.com/
_TELEKINESIS

The Civil Wars
2/8/11
Dallas, Tex. (3/12); Denton, Tex. (3/13); Waco, Tex. (3/14); Austin, Tex. (3/16, 18); Houston, Tex. (3/20)
http://www.myspace.com/thecivilwars
thecivilwars

Oh No! Oh My!
1/31/11
Belfast, U.K. (3/12); Austin, Tex. (3/15-19)
http://www.ohnoohmy.com/
ohnoohmy

Dolorean
1/25/11
Santa Barbara, Calif. (3/12); San Diego, Calif. (3/13); Phoenix, Ariz. (3/14); Santa Fe, N.M. (3/15); Austin, Tex. (3/17-19)
http://www.doloreanmusic.com/
doloreanmusic

Tennis
1/18/11
Orlando, Fla. (3/12); Tampa, Fla. (3/13); New Orleans, La. (3/15)
http://www.fatpossum.com/artists/tennis

The Decemberists
1/10/11
Bexhill, U.K. (3/12); Antwerp, Belgium (3/13); Amsterdam, Netherlands (3/14); London, U.K. (3/16); Colorado Springs, Colo. (4/16)
http://decemberists.com/
TheDecemberists

April Smith & the Great Picture Show
1/4/11
Brooklyn, N.Y. (3/20); New York, N.Y. (3/25); Cincinnati, Ohio (4/10); Asheville, N.C. (4/11); Charleston, S.C. (4/12)
http://www.aprilsmithmusic.com/
aprilsmithmusic

Rural Alberta Advantage
12/21/10
Brooklyn, N.Y. (3/12); Washington, D.C. (3/13); Chapel Hill, N.C. (3/14); Atlanta, Ga. (3/15); Austin, Tex. (3/17-18)
http://www.theraa.com/

Lost in the Trees
12/14/10
Dallas, Tex. (3/12-13); Austin, Tex. (3/15-18)
http://www.lostinthetrees.com/
littband

Johnny Poe & the Salvation Circus
12/7/10
http://www.myspace.com/johnnypoeband

Gold Motel
11/30/10
Tempe, Ariz. (3/14); Austin, Tex. (3/16-18); St. Lois, Mo. (4/7); Hopewell, Mich. (4/29)
http://www.goldmotel.com/
gretamorgan

Alphabet Backwards
11/23/10
London, UK (4/21)
http://www.myspace.com/alphabetbackwards
alphabetbackwards

Hollerado
11/8/10
Toronto, Ont. (3/12); Austin, Tex. (3/16-19); Oshawa, Ont (3/25)
http://www.hollerado.com/
hollerado

Quiet Company
11/1/10
Dallas, Tex. (3/12); Austin, Tex. (3/13,15,17,19)
http://quietcompanymusic.com/
quietcompanytx

Outbox
10/26/10
http://www.myspace.com/outbox

Steven Page
1/18/10
http://www.stevenpage.com/
stevenpage

Tired Pony
10/5/10
http://www.tiredpony.com/
TiredPony

Ben Folds
9/26/10
Boone, N.C. (4/10); Blacksburg, Va (4/12); Norfolk, Va. (4/13); Richmond, Va. (4/14); Canberra, Australia (5/11)
http://benfolds.com/
benfolds

Wavves
9/20/10
Victoria, Australia (3/12); Melbourne, Australia (3/14); Danbury, Ct. (5/28); Quincy, Wash. (5/30)
http://wavves.net/
wavveswavves

Weezer
9/7/10
Dallas, Tex. (4/30); Atlantic City, NJ (5/27); Knebworth Park, UK (7/9); Balado, UK (7/10)
http://weezer.com/
Weezer

Ra Ra Riot
8/31/10
Baton Rouge, La. (3/12); Columbia, Mo. (3/14); St. Louis, Mo. (3/15); Indianapolis, Ind. (3/16); Louisville, Ky (3/18)
http://www.rarariot.com/
rarariot

Sufjan Stevens
8/24/10
Bergen, Norway (4/29); Oslo, Norway (4/30); Copenhagen, Denmark (5/1); Stockholm, Sweden (5/3); Warsaw, Poland (5/5)
http://asthmatickitty.com/sufjan-stevens
sufjanstevens

Farewell Drifters
8/17/10
Philadelphia, Penn. (3/16); New York, NY (3/17); Earlville, NY (3/18); Rosendale, NY (19); Erie, Pa. (3/20)
http://thefarewelldrifters.com/
farewelldrifter

The Arcade Fire
8/3/10
Broomfield, Colo. (4/9); Orem, Utah (4/11); Phoenix, Ariz. (4/13); Las Vegas, Nev. (4/14); Indio, Calif. (4/16)
http://www.arcadefire.com/
arcadefire

Tokyo Police Club
7/26/10
Los Angeles, Calif. (3/25); Kingston, Ont. (3/30); Hamilton, Ont. (3/31); Guelph, Ont. (4/1); London, Ont. (4/2)
http://tokyopoliceclub.com/
tokyopoliceclub

Kathryn Calder
7/20/10
http://kathryncalder.ca/
kathryncalder

Great Big Sea
7/13/10
Seattle, Wash. (3/12); Bend, Ore. (3/13); Petaluma, Calif. (3/15); Redding, Calif. (3/16); Carmel, Calif. (3/17); Arroyo Grande, Calif. (3/18)
http://www.greatbigsea.com/
alanthomasdoyle

Telegraph Canyon
7/6/10
New Orleans, La. (3/12); Dallas, Tex. (3/15); Austin, Tex. (3/16, 18); Fort Worth, Tex. (3/20)
http://www.telegraphcanyon.net/
telegraphcanyon

Stars
6/29/10
Ottawa, Ont. (5/4); Toronto, Ont. (5/5); Waterloo, Ont. (5/6); Hamilton, Ont. (5/7); London, Ont. (5/8)
http://www.youarestars.com/home/
montrealstars

Sambassadeur
6/7/10
http://www.sambassadeur.com/

Regina Spektor
6/1/10
http://www.reginaspektor.com/
respektor

The Hold Steady
5/17/10
Merideth, Australia (3/12); Cleveland, Ohio (4/2); New York, N.Y. (4/8)
http://theholdsteady.net/
theholdsteady

The New Pornographers
5/3/10
Boulder, Colo. (4/13); Albuquerque, NM (4/14); Tempe, Ariz (4/15); Indio, Calif. (4/16); Santa Cruz, Calif. (4/17)
http://www.thenewpornographers.com/
thenewpornos

The 1900s
4/26/10
http://www.myspace.com/1900s
1900s

Titus Andronicus
4/20/10
Boston, Mass. (3/12); New York, N.Y. (3/15, 17); Waltham, Mass. (3/18); Portland, Maine (3/29)
http://www.titusandronicus.net/

Butch Walker
3/30/10
http://butchwalker.com/
butchwalker

Valery Gore
3/9/10
http://www.valerygore.com/

fun.
3/1/10
Indio, Calif. (4/17); Pomona, Calif. (4/21); San Francisco, Calif. (4/22)
http://www.ournameisfun.com/
ournameisfun

Southeast Engine
2/23/10
Lexington, Ky. (3/23); Cincinnati, Ohio (3/24); DeKalb, Ill. (3/25); Minneapolis, Minn (3/26), Seattle, Wash. (3/29)
http://www.southeastengine.com/
southeastengine

We Were Promised Jetpacks
2/16/10
http://www.myspace.com/wewerepromisedjetpacks

The Overmountain Men
2/9/10
Charlotte, NC (3/19); Pomeroy, Ohio (5/7); Saluda, NC (6/4); Cleveland, Ohio (10/14), Streetsboro, Ohio (3/15)
http://www.overmountainmen.com/Main.html

Dear Leader
2/1/10
Allston, Mass. (3/5-6)
http://dear-leader.com/
dearleader

Jukebox Serenade
1/26/10
http://www.jukeboxserenade.com/main.html
JukeboxSerenade

Van Ghost
1/19/10
Austin, Tex. (3/19); Chicago, Ill. (4/9); Chillicothe, Ill. (5/26-28); Geneva, Minn. (5/29)
http://vanghost.com/
iamvanghost

Gaslight Anthem
1/12/10
Tokyo, Japan (3/12); East Rutherford, N.J. (4/30); Nurburging, Germany (6/3); Nurnberg, Germany (6/5)
http://gaslightanthem.com/
gaslight_anthem

DeVotchKa

2011-03-07T13:59:00.000-08:00

(This week's post marks our first contribution by an outside writer, Eileen Can. You can follow her on Twitter.)

If 100 Lovers makes you feel like you're barreling down the highway on some urgent and sentimental errand, that's because it was deftly constructed by the fine folks who gave us the soundtrack to the 2006 Indie classic Little Miss Sunshine. DeVotchKa's latest work is equal parts precision and grace, blending Nick Urata's haunting lead voice with a bold collection of instruments in a balanced and beautiful patchwork that will leave you scratching your head in search of an adjective. You'll settle on "genre-defying."

If you want Latin, you've got it in "Contrabanda.” (Just TRY listening to this one sitting down.) If you want Celtic uprising, hang in there until “Sunshine” rolls around and unfurls a rousing instrumental that showcases this band’s strength in scoring films – while aptly weaving in a didgeridoo at just the right moment. If you want the DeVotchKa we know and love, listen for “100 Other Lovers” or “Bad Luck Heels,” whose layered horns evoke Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass on overdrive.

The percussive overture “The Alley” sets the stage for what you think might be a dark fairy tale or twisted lullaby, leading the way to “All the Sand in All the Sea.” This is the focal point of the record, and its titillating countdown of ghostly strains compels you to keep listening.

Though recorded in the Arizona desert, the album's 15 tracks call to mind diverse landscapes on multiple continents, to the point that the uninitiated would be hard-pressed to identify the origin of this talented group of performers. Their 2004 album How it Ends (whose bereft title track will stay with you) proved that the Denver-based ensemble could plumb the depths of themes like grief and longing and deliver them in bite-sized lyrics with an enviable specificity.

“Ruthless” is perhaps the most lyrical number, and the one whose signature "I'm not here for repentance; I have come for what's mine," you’ll be tapping your foot to. The dire message of the bridge, “You say I'm just being careless/It's a heightened state of awareness/I know that you couldn't care less/But I think this is quite serious,” is punctuated by a bongos backing reminiscent of The Gipsy Kings. This song is a prototype of DeVotchKa’s jangling and fluid assortment of sounds.

It's not all urgency, but it is all beautiful and handled with care. “Exhaustible” (you’ve gotta love a whistling tune) is as easy to listen to as a detergent jingle, but Urata's insistence that, “There is no one loves you better than me, my dear,” is not coy in the least. His unequivocation is smartly backed by a children's choir – a nice touch making this surprise hit good to the last giggly note.

The momentum never relents. The strings on “The Common Good” will have you dancing and keep you guessing, and “The Man from San Sebastian” blends staccato accordion with a Johnny Marr-inspired bass line that makes this track "smooth and worth your while."

100 Lovers handily combines the natural talents of DeVotchKa’s multi-faceted personnel and their ever-expanding musical toolbox. Grounded by Urata's vocals, the album resolves an avalanche of movement into a peaceful plateau, leaving listeners with a new vantage point from which to ponder the repeated inquiry, "Am I the only one?"

Come for: “All the Sand in All the Sea”
Stay for: “Ruthless”
You'll Be Surprised by: “Exhaustible”

P.S.: DeVotchKa will appear on March 22nd at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.

Touring Schedule Saturdays

2011-03-05T11:57:00.000-08:00

(Group/Artist Name / date reviewed / upcoming shows & locations / website / twitter)

Hey Rosetta!
3/1/11
Vancouver, B.C. (3/5); Victoria, B.C. (3/7); Portland, Ore. (3/8); Seattle, Wash. (3/9); San Francisco, Calif. (3/11)
http://www.heyrosetta.com/
heyrosetta

The Low Anthem
2/22/11
North Adams, Mass. (3/5); Portland, Maine (3/7); New York, N.Y. (3/8); Central Falls, N.Y. (3/12); Paris, France (3/18)
http://www.lowanthem.com/site/
thelowanthem

Telekinesis
2/15/11
Detroit, Mich. (3/5); Toronto, Ont. (3/6); Montreal, Que. (3/7); Cambridge, Mass. (3/8); New York, N.Y. (3/9); Brooklyn, N.Y. (3/10); Philadelphia, Pa. (3/11)
http://www.telekinesismusic.com/
_TELEKINESIS

The Civil Wars
2/8/11
Oklahoma City, Okla (3/9); Abilene, Tex. (3/10); Dallas, Tex. (3/11-12); Denton, Tex. (3/13)
http://www.myspace.com/thecivilwars
thecivilwars

Oh No! Oh My!
1/31/11
Namur, Belgium (3/5); Ghent, Belgium (3/6); London, UK (3/7); Leeds, UK (3/8); Glasgow, UK (3/9); Galway, Ireland (3/10);
http://www.ohnoohmy.com/
ohnoohmy

Dolorean
1/25/11
San Francisco, Calif. (3/9); Santa Cruz, Calif. (3/10); Los Angeles, Calif (3/11); Santa Barbara, Calif. (3/12); San Diego, Calif. (3/13)
http://www.doloreanmusic.com/
doloreanmusic

Tennis
1/18/11
Washington, DC (3/5); Chapel Hill, N.C. (3/7); Asheville, N.C. (3/8); Nashville, Tenn. (3/10); Atlanta, Ga. (3/11)
http://www.fatpossum.com/artists/tennis

The Decemberists
1/10/11
Glasgow, UK (3/5); Birmingham, UK (3/7); Bristol, UK (3/8); Manchester, UK (3/10), Leeds, UK (3/11)
http://decemberists.com/
TheDecemberists

April Smith & the Great Picture Show
1/4/11
Brooklyn, N.Y. (3/20); New York, N.Y. (3/25); Cincinnati, Ohio (4/10); Asheville, N.C. (4/11); Charleston, S.C. (4/12)
http://www.aprilsmithmusic.com/
aprilsmithmusic

Rural Alberta Advantage
12/21/10
Cambridge, Mass. (3/9); New York, NY ( 3/10); Philadelphia, Pa. (3/11); Brooklyn, NY (3/12)
http://www.theraa.com/

Lost in the Trees
12/14/10
Denton, Tex. (3/11); Hot Springs, Ark. (3/21)
http://www.lostinthetrees.com/
littband

Johnny Poe & the Salvation Circus
12/7/10
http://www.myspace.com/johnnypoeband

Gold Motel
11/30/10
Tempe, Ariz. (3/14); St. Lois, Mo. (4/7); Hopewell, Mich. (4/29)
http://www.goldmotel.com/
gretamorgan

Alphabet Backwards
11/23/10
London, UK (4/21)
http://www.myspace.com/alphabetbackwards
alphabetbackwards

Hollerado
11/8/10
Hamilton, Ont. (3/9); Toronto, Ont. (3/10); New York, MY (3/11); Toronto, Ont. (3/12); Oshawa, Ont (3/25)
http://www.hollerado.com/
hollerado

Quiet Company
11/1/10
Houston, Tex. (3/11); Dallas, Tex. (3/12); Austin, Tex. (3/13,15,17)
http://quietcompanymusic.com/
quietcompanytx

Outbox
10/26/10
http://www.myspace.com/outbox

Steven Page
1/18/10
http://www.stevenpage.com/
stevenpage

Tired Pony
10/5/10
http://www.tiredpony.com/
TiredPony

Ben Folds
9/26/10
Vienna, Austria (3/5); Amsterdam, Holland (3/7); Cologne, Germany (3/8); Boone, N.C. (3/10); Blacksburg, Va (3/12)
http://benfolds.com/
benfolds

Wavves
9/20/10
Adelaide, Austrialia (3/6); Brisbane, Australia (3/8); Sidney, Australia (3/9), Perth, Australia (3/11); Victoria, Australia (3/12)
http://wavves.net/
wavveswavves

Weezer
9/7/10
Dallas, Tex. (4/30); Atlantic City, NJ (5/27); Knebworth Park, UK (7/9); Balado, UK (7/10)
http://weezer.com/
Weezer

Ra Ra Riot
8/31/10
Jacksonville, Fla. (3/6); Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (3/7); Orlando, Fla. (3/8), Tampa, Fla. (3/9); New Orleans, La. (3/11)
http://www.rarariot.com/
rarariot

Sufjan Stevens
8/24/10
Bergen, Norway (4/29); Oslo, Norway (4/30); Copenhagen, Denmark (5/1); Stockholm, Sweden (5/3); Warsaw, Poland (5/5)
http://asthmatickitty.com/sufjan-stevens
sufjanstevens

Farewell Drifters
8/17/10
Philadelphia, Penn. (3/16); New York, NY (3/17); Earlville, NY (3/18); Rosendale, NY (19); Erie, Pa. (3/20)
http://thefarewelldrifters.com/
farewelldrifter

The Arcade Fire
8/3/10
Broomfield, Colo. (4/9); Orem, Utah (4/11); Phoenix, Ariz. (4/13); Las Vegas, Nev. (4/14); Indio, Calif. (4/16)
http://www.arcadefire.com/
arcadefire

Tokyo Police Club
7/26/10
Los Angeles, Calif. (3/25); Kingston, Ont. (3/30); Hamilton, Ont. (3/31); London, Ont. (4/2)
http://tokyopoliceclub.com/
tokyopoliceclub

Kathryn Calder
7/20/10
http://kathryncalder.ca/
kathryncalder

Great Big Sea
7/13/10
Kelowna, BC (3/11); Seattle, Wash. (3/12); Bend, Ore. (3/13); Petaluma, Calif. (3/15); Redding, Calif. (3/16)
http://www.greatbigsea.com/
alanthomasdoyle

Telegraph Canyon
7/6/10
Fort Worth, Tex. (3/9); Denton, Tex. (3/11); New Orleans, La. (3/12); Dallas, Tex. (3/15); Austin, Tex. (3/16)
http://www.telegraphcanyon.net/
telegraphcanyon

Stars
6/29/10
Ottawa, Ont. (5/4); Toronto, Ont. (5/5); Waterloo, Ont. (5/6); Hamilton, Ont. (5/7); London, Ont. (5/8)
http://www.youarestars.com/home/
montrealstars

Sambassadeur
6/7/10
http://www.sambassadeur.com/

Regina Spektor
6/1/10
http://www.reginaspektor.com/
respektor

The Hold Steady
5/17/10
Sydney, Australia (3/8); Brisbane, Australia (3/9); Melbourne, Australia (3/11); Merideth, Australia (3/12); Cleveland, Ohio (4/2)
http://theholdsteady.net/
theholdsteady

The New Pornographers
5/3/10
Boulder, Colo. (4/13); Albuquerque, NM (4/14); Tempe, Ariz (4/15); Indio, Calif. (4/16); Santa Cruz, Calif. (4/17)
http://www.thenewpornographers.com/
thenewpornos

The 1900s
4/26/10
http://www.myspace.com/1900s
1900s

Titus Andronicus
4/20/10
Baltimore, Md. (3/7); Washington, DC (3/8); Boston, Mass. (3/11-12); New York, N.Y. (3/15)
http://www.titusandronicus.net/

Butch Walker
3/30/10
http://butchwalker.com/
butchwalker

Valery Gore
3/9/10
http://www.valerygore.com/

fun.
3/1/10
Indio, Calif. (4/17); Pomona, Calif. (4/21); San Francisco, Calif. (4/22)
http://www.ournameisfun.com/
ournameisfun

Southeast Engine
2/23/10
Lexington, Ky. (3/23); Cincinnati, Ohio (3/24); DeKalb, Ill. (3/25); Minneapolis, Minn (3/26), Seattle, Wash. (3/29)
http://www.southeastengine.com/
southeastengine

We Were Promised Jetpacks
2/16/10
http://www.myspace.com/wewerepromisedjetpacks

The Overmountain Men
2/9/10
Dallas, NC (3/11); Charlotte, NC (3/19); Pomeroy, Ohio (5/7); Saluda, NC (6/4); Cleveland, Ohio (10/14)
http://www.overmountainmen.com/Main.html

Dear Leader
2/1/10
Allston, Mass. (3/5-6)
http://dear-leader.com/
dearleader

Jukebox Serenade
1/26/10
http://www.jukeboxserenade.com/main.html
JukeboxSerenade

Van Ghost
1/19/10
Chillicothe, Ill. (5/26-28); Geneva, Minn. (5/29)
http://vanghost.com/
iamvanghost

Gaslight Anthem
1/12/10
Melbourne, Australia (3/5); Perth, Australia (3/7); Osaka, japan (3/10); Tokyo, Japan (3/11); East Rutherford, N.J. (4/29)
http://gaslightanthem.com/
gaslight_anthem

Rural Alberta Advantage – Departing

2011-03-03T12:15:00.000-08:00

The second post of this week is also the second time a group has been reviewed a second time. Coincidence? Entirely. (The Gaslight Anthem was the first band to receive dual reviews, here and here).

In December, you heard about the Alberta folk-rock trio, The Rural Alberta Advantage, and their debut release, Hometowns. That review promised an analysis of their March 1 follow-up, Departing, released in the U.S. on Saddle Creek Records and in the True North on Paper Bag Records. Today, that promise is fulfilled and all family business is settled. On their rookie-level effort, the three-piece stuck to a relatively simple approach, spinning earnest snapshots of of their provincial home (although these days the band operates out of Tronna). Largely driven by frontman Nils Edenloff's vinegary wail and acoustic guitar and supported by heartening vocals from multi-instrumentalist Amy Cole and solid timekeeping by drummer Paul Banwatt. That record's baker's dozen tracks point to specific Albertan markers in titles such as "The Dethbridge in Lethbridge," "Frank, AB" and their ode to the province's City of Champions, "Edmonton."

This time around, however, the outfit has evolved into a warmer and certainly more musical direction on Departing. While its predecessor only delivered scant instrumentation beyond the aformentioned structure, the 10-track album is coloured by a robust selection of piano and keyboards, chimes, and even some faint strings. The group has taken advantage of its added experience and the recording resources provided their twin backing labels to construct a fuller sound, one that begins with the opening "Two Lovers." Do not take the easy pace and relative gentility (at least for the R.A.A.) as some odious torch song. A simple glance at the lyric sheet reveals Edenloff's true intent here:

You're face, it haunts me more them most
And If I ever hold you again
I will hold you tight enough to crush your veins
And you will die and become a ghost
Haunt me till my pulse felt so slow

Returning to more familiar territory is 'The Breakup," where the end of winter is paired with the culmination of a relationship that's set among a string of Alberta references including the Asaband, Coker and Fort McMurray. And although "Under the Knife" doesn't advance the cause of unique elements much further, the following "Muscle Relaxants" is more attractive. Benefiting of a brisk backbeat and out-of-character electric guitar, its the sort of material the R.A.A. would do well to replicate in the future. In a live set, it would serve as a prelude for their former record's prime cut, "The Dethbridge in Lethbridge."

"North Star" contains perhaps the most relaxed vibe here, with Edenloff's piano functioning as a solid underpinning for the mid-tempo affair. Meanwhile, the successive trio of "Stamp," Tornado 87" and "Barnes' Yard" hark back to the debut of Hometowns, with the unsettled and rusty tone that defined their initial work. Closer to the end, "Coldest Days" is a serviceable ballad, relating the trio's most countrified sound, but the closer "Good Night" is too stark and sparse considering Edenloff's dominating whine, despite Cole's best efforts at mirroring vocals.

Come for: "Two Lovers"
Stay for: "North Star"
You'll be surprised by: "Muscle Relaxanats"

P.S. The R.A.A. will appear at the Rock & Roll Hotel in Washington, D.C. on March 13. Again, full touring details for all NMTs reviewees will appear every Saturday here as part of Touring Schedule Saturdays.

Hey Rosetta!

2011-03-01T12:03:00.000-08:00

(As a perambulatory note, March features the release of several new records this blogger is eagerly anticipating. In recognition of this reality – as well as other artists who released albums prior to March that have yet to receive treatment – this week and next will include multiple reviews, on the customary Tuesday as well as the following Thursday to make our way through the entire compliment. At least one review will be filed by our first guest reviewer.)

Properly situating the context of a new group or artist can be a muddy affair. On some occasions, a hint of a classic influence sneaks through some lyrical similarity or the nuance of a finely-rendered arpeggio. In others, sounds emerge which nod to a more contemporary peer. And frequently, some hybrid of past and present shape the new work of a well-versed group of songwriters and performers. Such is the case with the St. John's, Newfoundland-based six-piece, Hey Rosetta! On their third full-length release, Seeds – out today on Sonic Records – some unlikely union emerges comprised of Frightened Rabbit, Paul Simon, The Arcade Fire and, ominously, the Dave Matthews Band.

The bright mandolin which welcomes the opener, "Seeds," is an expeditionary call to the road, like those so many great odes to the highway – such as The Arcade Fire's "Keep the Car Running" or "Across the Bridge" from the Great Lakes Myth Society. The opening lyrics are equally summoning, as frontman Tim Baker launches the journey as "the road bends long, like mother's arms; reaching for these four black tires..." When the full six-piece outfit launches into the number's driving chorus, the trip is fully underway. Less appealing, however, is the rhythmic breakdown following the bridge, as if it was pulled from one of Mr. Matthews' attempts to prove his group's new world music bona fides, with its yips and hollers. Fortunately, the tune returns to course not long after.

Once again, the second track emerges as the collection's most promising. "Yer Spring" eases in like a gentler Frightened Rabbit selection, with Baker approximating the cadence of his Scottish counterpart, Scott Hutchinson, but without the brogue. The track's growing intensity likewise matches the Scots' overall tone – see offering such as "Fast Blood" or "Nothing Like You" for a comparative taste – and what emerges is a well-rounded, but committed performance that demonstrates the group's versatility as the string section of Kinley Dowling (violin), and Romesh Thavanathan (cello) proves its mettle against the growing anthemetic.

The trailing "Young Glass" maintains the same voice and conviction, with a bit more early movement and Simonian lyricism. References to Central Park and ivory halls, when paired with lines like "sleepwalk through the rooms where you grew up," and "keeping out the killers and keeping out the creeps" suggest a mid-career Paul Simon narrative, perhaps blended with the trendy sound of his most devoted contemporary disciples. Again, the Dowling and Thavanathan announce their nimble presence at the number builds to its orchestrated crescendo.

And although the succeeding "Bricks" is a bit too jam-band-y – once more pointing to the DMB influence, although perhaps not intentionally – the continually-evolving "New Sum (Nous Sommes)" evokes the catalog of their fellow Canadians in The Arcade Fire, especially considering the French subtitle. While the initial muted reggae riff is a tad confusing before it morphs into a more punchy Clash-via-Talking Heads pattern, the fully-formulated rocker it becomes at its zenith is much more compelling.

After the largely unfocused "Downstairs," potential live set opener "Welcome" is, by contrast, thundering and features the only full-fledged guitar solo among the album's 11 tracks. Meanwhile, at 3:53, "Seventeen" is the collection's most pop-oriented offering while "Yer Fall," although starting slow, really rounds-out into an aggressive stomper by its closing. The closest the record comes to a ballad, "Parson Brown," reinterprets the imagery of the holiday classic involving the title character with substantially less wintry optimism.

Come for: "Yer Spring"
Stay for: "Young Glass"
You'll be surprised by: "New Sum (Nous Sommes)"

P.S. Hey Rosetta! will be appearing at DC9 in Washington, DC on March 24. See this weekend's Touring Schedule Saturdays for details on their, and other tour itineraries.

Touring Schedule (saturdays) (sundays) Mondays

2011-02-28T13:51:00.000-08:00

As previous posts have hinted, this space will now include a weekly compilation of the current dates for previous New Music Tuesdays profilees, just as a friendly aide to our faithful readers to keep tabs on where our selected artists will be appearing soon, as well as a handy reference for previous reviews.

And even though today is Monday – and a brand new NMT review will be appearing as soon as tomorrow! – the intent here is to post this run-down every Saturday. This initial version is appearing on a Monday, basically because the initial matrix took longer to compile than anticipated, the 1st annual Mad Fox Barleywine Festival intervened and other distractions ensued. But now with the basic format established, subsequent iterations should require much less effort.

Provided below are listings of our past profilees, a link to their NMT review, their current touring schedule – which will include either all the concert dates until the next Touring Schedules Saturdays (basically, a Saturday-to-Friday run-down), or the next 5 upcoming dates, whichever is more timely – and links to their respective websites and twitter accounts. When a group or artist has appeared more than once, they'll appear at their original date.

Enjoy, and see you when the lights go down...

The Low Anthem
2/22/11
Charleston, WV (2/27); Chicago, Ill. (2/28); Toronto, Ont. (3/2); Montreal, Que. (3/3); Boston, Mass (3/4); North Adams, Mass. (3/4)
http://www.lowanthem.com/site/
thelowanthem

Telekinesis
2/15/11
Norman, Okla (2/28); Omaha, Neb. (3/1); Minneapolis, Minn (3/2); Chicago, Ill. (3/4); Detroit, Mich. (3/5)
http://www.telekinesismusic.com/
_TELEKINESIS

The Civil Wars
2/8/11
Oklahoma City, Okla (3/9); Abilene, Tex. (3/10); Dallas, Tex. (3/11-12); Denton, Tex. (3/13)
http://www.myspace.com/thecivilwars
thecivilwars

Oh No! Oh My!
1/31/11
Lund, Sweden (2/27); Stockholm, Sweeden (3/2); Oslo, Norway (3/3); Copenhagen, Denmark (3/4); Namur, Belgium (3/5)
http://www.ohnoohmy.com/
ohnoohmy

Dolorean
1/25/11
San Francisco, Calif. (3/9); Santa Cruz, Calif. (3/10); Los Angeles, Calif (3/11); Santa Barbara, Calif. (3/12); San Diego, Calif. (3/13)
http://www.doloreanmusic.com/
doloreanmusic

Tennis
1/18/11
Northampton, Mass. (2/27); Boston, Mass. (2/28); New York, NY (3/2); Brookly, NY (3/3); Philadelphia, Penn. (3/4); Washington, DC (3/5)
http://www.fatpossum.com/artists/tennis

The Decemberists
1/10/11
Dublin, Ireland (3/3); Glasgow, UK (3/5); Birmingham, UK (3/7); Bristol, UK (3/8); Manchester, UK (3/10)
http://decemberists.com/
TheDecemberists

April Smith & the Great Picture Show
1/4/11
New York, NY (3/2)
http://www.aprilsmithmusic.com/
aprilsmithmusic

Rural Alberta Advantage
12/21/10
Cambridge, Mass. (3/9); New York, NY ( 3/10); Philadelphia, Pa. (3/11); Brooklyn, NY (3/12)
http://www.theraa.com/

Lost in the Trees
12/14/10
Denton, Tex. (3/11); Hot Springs, Ark. (3/21)
http://www.lostinthetrees.com/
littband

Johnny Poe & the Salvation Circus
12/7/10
http://www.myspace.com/johnnypoeband

Gold Motel
11/30/10
San Francisco, Calif. (2/28); Anaheim, Calif. (3/2); Tempe, Ariz. (3/14); St. Lois, Mo. (4/7); Hopewell, Mich. (4/29)
http://www.goldmotel.com/
gretamorgan

Alphabet Backwards
11/23/10
London, UK (4/21)
http://www.myspace.com/alphabetbackwards
alphabetbackwards

Hollerado
11/8/10
Hamilton, Ont. (3/9); Toronto, Ont. (3/10); New York, MY (3/11); Toronto, Ont. (3/12); Oshawa, Ont (3/25)
http://www.hollerado.com/
hollerado

Quiet Company
11/1/10
Bryan, Tex. (3/4); Houston, Tex. (3/11); Dallas, Tex. (3/12); Austin, Tex. (3/13,15)
http://quietcompanymusic.com/
quietcompanytx

Outbox
10/26/10
http://www.myspace.com/outbox

Steven Page
1/18/10
Calgary, Alb. (2/28); Vancouver, BC (3/2); Portland, Ore. (3/3); Seattle, Wash. (3/4)
http://www.stevenpage.com/
stevenpage

Tired Pony
10/5/10
http://www.tiredpony.com/
TiredPony

Ben Folds
9/26/10
Hamburg, Germany (2/28); Copenhagen, Denmark (3/1); Berlin, Germany (3/3); Munich, Germany (3/4); Vienna, Austria (3/5)
http://benfolds.com/
benfolds

Wavves
9/20/10
Tokyo, Japan (3/3); Osaka, Japan (3/4); Adelaide, Austrialia (3/6); Brisbane, Australia (3/8); Sidney, Australia (3/9)
http://wavves.net/
wavveswavves

Weezer
9/7/10
Dallas, Tex. (4/30); Atlantic City, NJ (5/27); Knebworth Park, UK (7/9); Balado, UK (7/10)
http://weezer.com/
Weezer

Ra Ra Riot
8/31/10
Baltimore, Md. (3/3); Charlottesville, Va. (3/4); Jacksonville, Fla. (3/6); Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (3/7); Orlando, Fla. (3/8)
http://www.rarariot.com/
rarariot

Sufjan Stevens
8/24/10
Bergen, Norway (4/29); Oslo, Norway (4/30); Copenhagen, Denmark (5/1); Stockholm, Sweden (5/3); Warsaw, Poland (5/5)
http://asthmatickitty.com/sufjan-stevens
sufjanstevens

Farewell Drifters
8/17/10
Philadelphia, Penn. (3/16); New York, NY (3/17); Earlville, NY (3/18); Rosendale, NY (19); Erie, Pa. (3/20)
http://thefarewelldrifters.com/
farewelldrifter

The Arcade Fire
8/3/10
Broomfield, Colo. (4/9); Orem, Utah (4/11); Phoenix, Ariz. (4/13); Las Vegas, Nev. (4/14); Indio, Calif. (4/16)
http://www.arcadefire.com/
arcadefire

Tokyo Police Club
7/26/10
Toronto, Ont. (3/1); Los Angeles, Calif. (3/25); Kingston, Ont. (3/30); Hamilton, Ont. (3/31); London, Ont. (4/2)
http://tokyopoliceclub.com/
tokyopoliceclub

Kathryn Calder
7/20/10
http://kathryncalder.ca/
kathryncalder

Great Big Sea
7/13/10
Kelowna, BC (3/11); Seattle, Wash. (3/12); Bend, Ore. (3/13); Petaluma, Calif. (3/15); Redding, Calif. (3/16)
http://www.greatbigsea.com/
alanthomasdoyle

Telegraph Canyon
7/6/10
Fort Worth, Tex. (3/9); Denton, Tex. (3/11); New Orleans, La. (3/12); Dallas, Tex. (3/15); Austin, Tex. (3/16)
http://www.telegraphcanyon.net/
telegraphcanyon

Stars
6/29/10
Ottawa, Ont. (5/4); Toronto, Ont. (5/5); Waterloo, Ont. (5/6); Hamilton, Ont. (5/7); London, Ont. (5/8)
http://www.youarestars.com/home/
montrealstars

Sambassadeur
6/7/10
http://www.sambassadeur.com/

Regina Spektor
6/1/10
http://www.reginaspektor.com/
respektor

The Hold Steady
5/17/10
Sydney, Australia (3/8); Brisbane, Australia (3/9); Melbourne, Australia (3/11); Merideth, Australia (3/12); Cleveland, Ohio (4/2)
http://theholdsteady.net/
theholdsteady

The New Pornographers
5/3/10
Boulder, Colo. (4/13); Albuquerque, NM (4/14); Tempe, Ariz (4/15); Indio, Calif. (4/16); Santa Cruz, Calif. (4/17)
http://www.thenewpornographers.com/
thenewpornos

The 1900s
4/26/10
http://www.myspace.com/1900s
1900s

Titus Andronicus
4/20/10
Chicago, Ill. (3/3); Royal Oak, Mich. (3/4); Baltimore, Md. (3/7); Washington, DC (3/8); Boston, Mass. (3/11)
http://www.titusandronicus.net/

Butch Walker
3/30/10
http://butchwalker.com/
butchwalker

Valery Gore
3/9/10
http://www.valerygore.com/

fun.
3/1/10
Indio, Calif. (4/17); Pomona, Calif. (4/21); San Francisco, Calif. (4/22)
http://www.ournameisfun.com/
ournameisfun

Southeast Engine
2/23/10
Philadelphia, Pa. (2/27); Lexington, Ky. (3/23); Cincinnati, Ohio (3/24); DeKalb, Ill. (3/25); Minneapolis, Minn (3/26)
http://www.southeastengine.com/
southeastengine

We Were Promised Jetpacks
2/16/10
http://www.myspace.com/wewerepromisedjetpacks

The Overmountain Men
2/9/10
Dallas, NC (3/11); Charlotte, NC (3/19); Pomeroy, Ohio (5/7); Saluda, NC (6/4); Cleveland, Ohio (10/14)
http://www.overmountainmen.com/Main.html

Dear Leader
2/1/10
Allston, Mass. (3/5-6)
http://dear-leader.com/
dearleader

Jukebox Serenade
1/26/10
http://www.jukeboxserenade.com/main.html
JukeboxSerenade

Van Ghost
1/19/10
Chillicothe, Ill. (5/26-28); Geneva, Minn. (5/29)
http://vanghost.com/
iamvanghost

Gaslight Anthem
1/12/10
Adelaide, Australia (3/4); Melbourne, Australia (3/5); Perth, Australia (3/7); Osaka, japan (3/10); Tokyo, Japan (3/11)
http://gaslightanthem.com/
gaslight_anthem

The Low Anthem

2011-02-22T07:40:00.000-08:00

In his trademark "American Pie," Don McLean described Bob Dylan – the iconic jester in his long-winded narrative – as possessing a "voice that came from you and me." The same is true of his fellow folk-rock trendsetter, Neil Young. There just seems to be something inherent in folk-rock that welcomes – if not demands – a vocal pitch just slightly askew. The nasal wail of Dylan and Young – a trait likewise found in their contemporaries of today, such as The Avett Brothers, past (and future) reviewees the Rural Alberta Advantage, or today's profilees, The Low Anthem – suggests an authenticity and kinship with their audience, as if a more beautiful rendering would somehow push their work towards the brie-and-Chablis set. Whether that is or isn't the case, it's nonetheless a trend that continues with The Low Anthem and their frontman, Ben Knox Miller, on Smart Flesh – released today on Nonesuch Records (a deluxe 16-track version is also available).

The credits page of Smart Flesh reads like a recipe card. But here, instead of carrots, shallots or beef stock, the recipe calls for ingredients ranging from the clarinet and jaw harp to a tenor banjo and "croatles with sizzling coins." And instead of preparing the dish via a stovetop fry pan or pre-heated oven, the quartet substitutes a pair of recording locations for the 11-track collection in the group's native Rhode Island: the abandoned Porino’s pasta sauce factory in Central Falls or 891 N. Main St. in Providence.

For a release containing as much unique material that's presented as the record unfurls, it's interesting the first offering is a cover: George Carter's 1929 ballad, "Ghost Woman Blues." The piano-driven number is filled-out by multi-instrumentalist Jocie Adams' beautifully low-register clarinet solo, and references to hardscrabble Americana, including the "L&N" (the Louisville and Nashville to railfans) and "that lonesome graveyard." The selection makes for an fitting transition to its original follow-up, "Apothecary Love." Sounding as if it could as easily spilled from the same 1920s songbook as its predecessor, the rusty harmonica, steel guitars and single-mic group harmonies present a comfortable backdrop for Miller's folksy narrative.

And yet, the Dylan influence barges through with gusto on the gnarly "Boeing 737." Somehow the foursome makes a tune about a modern jetliner blare through like Dylan and The Band unearthing some Woody Guthrie rarity. We hear about a Gatling gun and the prophets who "entered boldly into the bar." It might be a bit jarring after the more somber introductory numbers, but its as spirited and rocking as the outfit can offer.

Following a string of relatively uneventful selections – the pretty, but restrained vocal harmonics of "Love and Altar," the cello-and-harmonica "Matter of Time" and the instrumental "Wire," featuring another lovely clarinet part from Adams – more interesting fare returns in "Burn." Although not particularly rambunctious, Miller's songwriting is solid here, describing "black angels," and "your memory now is a shadow to my shadow; I wind in time like a player piano" on top of banjo and organ filament. But more captivating is another Dylan-esque call-out on, "Hey, All You Hippies!" Although the tempo is sliced in half from "Boeing 737," the same foundation supports the number, with a four-bar blues rhythm track and grainy electric guitars rounding out the performance. To the same measure, "I'll Take Out Your Ashes" is surprising in not only its simplicity in relation to the previous track, but the tenderness by which Miller conveys his love for the departed. Featuring front-porch banjo picking paired with Paul Simon-style wordsmithing, its one of the few slow tracks on the record that comes through as distinctive.

"Golden Cattle" features some outstanding harmonizing at the outset, but the title track isn't as enjoyable. I'd recommend investigating the five deluxe tracks, however – mostly for the fairly upbeat "Vines" and the quasi-spiritual "Daniel in the Lions' Den." Both sound as if they could benefit from a full treatment in the editing and mixing process, though, as the former abruptly cuts-off at the instrumental play-out (although it's Hammond B-3 part is excellent) and the latter sounds a bit muddled, which certainly could have been cleaned-up in mixing and mastering. I'd have preferred if these cuts had made their way onto the official product, rather than a few too many somber ballads.

Come for: "Ghost Woman Blues"
Stay for: "Boeing 737"
You'll be surprised by: "I'll Take Out Your Ashes"

P.S. The Low Anthem will appear this Thursday at the 6th & I Historic Synagogue in Washington, D.C.

P.P.S. Touring Schedule Saturdays will debut this Saturday (hopefully), so stay tuned...

Telekenesis

2011-02-15T12:12:00.000-08:00

When a band is created to largely serve as a front for the artistic vision for a single individual, the results are often mixed. While a single source of content can produce a unified product in tone and intention, the approach can also be bereft of much-needed editing or outside perspective – to sift-out the composer's thoughts into a production that others can access. Despite these inherent risks, the sophomore effort of Telekinesis – itself a recording and performance moniker for Michael Benjamin Lerner – is at the same time clear in its vision but largely unmuddled by Lerner's execution of his ideas on 12 Desperate Straight Lines, released today on Merge Records.

Taking a page of the pop-rock crunch of mainstream acts like Weezer or the Fountains of Wayne, Lerner spins out a catchy and briskly-paced collection of a dozen tracks, lightly informed by 80's-sounding synth pop and hints of blues and grunge. With a vocal cadence suggesting a blend of Southeast Engine's Adam Remnant, The Arcade Fire's Winn Butler and Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips, Lerner focuses on quick and enjoyable numbers – none spanning more than the 3:39 of the album's closer, the spirited blues romp, "Gotta Get It Right Now," while the mid-set "Palm of Your Hand" clocks in at just under 90 seconds. Opener "You Turn Clear in the Sun" sets the tone for the remainder of the proceedings, with flighty organs and fuzzy guitars pacing the track, which ultimately includes the same sort of telephone-ring keyboard riff as The Tragically Hip's "In View."

Like many releases reviewed here, the record's second number is its finest. "Please Ask for Help" bounds forth with classic rock-sounding drums and a sludgy bass line – the latter of which becomes a signature sound across several tracks – includes Lerner's best lyricism, such as "you wander downtown around a quarter to two" or "you gotta give me some time with these ones and twos," neatly matching the song's urgency on what amounts to the protagonist's desire to aid a friend. That nervous energy is contrasted its successor, "50 Ways," which borrows much of its structure from the heart of the Weezer catalog, and includes a respectful nod to Paul Simon's original using the same numerals. Its intro and chorus parts are classic Rivers Cuomo, with the gentler verses highlighting the loud/quiet approach so defining of 90's alternative.

Things lighten up with "Dirty Things," an easy stand-in for The English Beat, circa 1982, but stripped of much of the reggae foundation. It's simply rendered, but the style requires nothing more for listener enjoyment. The subsequent "Car Crash" features a bit more substance, but is pleasantly anchored by a less sludgy bass part and whoa-whoa gang choruses.

A number of straight-forward pop-rock gems round-out the effort. "I Got You" could easily have been tailored by Fountains of Wayne pop cuisinart Adam Schlesinger, while "Fever Chill" harks more to the Arcade Fire model of Neon Bible. At the same time, "Country Lane" serves as almost an-anti Theme-from-Cheers selection, complete with the line, "I wanna live on a country lane, some place where no one knows your name, and will forget you, too." And yet, if there's one that doesn't fit here, it's "Patterns" – far too ethereal and uncommitted to match the spirit of the rest of the record. Still, 11 out of 12 is perfectly acceptable for a one-man show.

Come for: "Please Ask for Help"
Stay for: "You Turn Clear in the Sun"
You'll be surprised by: "Dirty Thing"

P.S.: Telekinesis – Lerner is usually supported on the road by bassist Jason Narducy and guitarist Cody Votolato, while Lerner customarily mans the drum kit – will be appearing live on an extended North American tour this winter/spring, including a March 12th gig at the Red Palace on the H Street corridor in northwest Washington, D.C.

P.P.S.: You should definitely check out a great indie-rock blog called Indie Rock Kid. Why is it great? Cause this kid is 13, and is an excellent writer (for his age, and any age). I wish I would have had his writing talent and access to the internet when I was the same age. And he's also organizing a benefit show in the Bay Area tied to the It Gets Better project. So, well done.

P.P.P.S. (or is it P.P.S.S.?): I'm considering including a listing of the touring schedules of current and past NMT profilees, either at the end of each weekly post, or as a separate additional post (perhaps Touring Schedule Saturdays?), hopefully beginning next week. I'd be more than appreciative of your feedback on this.

The Civil Wars

2011-02-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

Transpose the setting of the Academy Award-winning work of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová in the outstanding 2006 film, Once, and you'll arrive at the sound of the Nashville duo John Paul White and Joy Williams, who record and perform as The Civil Wars. While the former pair – who have since translated their film work into a successful recording and touring outfit, The Swell Season – positioned their material along the streets of Dublin, imagine the latter's Barton Hollow (released last Tuesday) residing in a more rural American enclave – perhaps Appomattox or Manassas, given the duo's moniker – and reflecting a touch more country and folk than The Swell Season's carefully-constructed numbers. Yet, the vocal phrasing and duo dynamics between the two groups are notably similar.

Largely comprised of harmonizing or trade-off vocals from Williams and White accompanied by White's acoustic guitar or piano parts, the dozen tracks are warm and earnest folk/country tunes. Opener "20 Years" is gentle and illustrative of forlorn love, pointing to a note under the front door, "secondhand alibis" and redemption. It leads in nicely to the collection's best product, the more jubilant "I've Got This Friend." The pair's full-throated choruses here contrast well with the more reserved tag-team verses, while White's guitar introduces some pluck to the affair.

Later on, "Poison & Wine," starts off slow, but is most indicative of Hansard and Irglová's precedent, with its tandem, soaring phrases recalling much of the anthemic appeal their predecessors were able to engender over the past half-decade. Meanwhile, "My Father's Father" is an ancient-sounding railroad folk ballad – always a favorite motif of this author – with solid railroading imagery such as "black smoke up around the bend" and "blood on the tracks" – indicating the approaching train as a vessel of remorse and regret.

Conversely, the record's title track is also its most distinctive, with a rusty-sounding rhythm and grainy electric guitars making an appearance for the first time. The blend of southern-fried soul – the stuff of "Alabama clay" and "washin' in the river" – with recurring hints of Zeppelin-style blues is well-executed by both Williams and White. Later still, "Forget Me Not" is the album's most direct country-flavored cut, with a lazy fiddle marking its direction. And while the track is predictable via some cliched stanzas, it's also quite sincere, largely making up for the lack of lyrical originality.

Come for: "I've Got This Friend"
Stay for: "Poison & Wine"
You'll be surprised by: "Barton Hollow"

P.S. The Civil Wars are performing tonight at Jammin Java in Vienna, Va.

Oh No! Oh My!

2011-01-31T11:34:00.000-08:00

After several weeks of alt-country/Americana winter slumber, this week we return to a more spirited selection in the second full-length release of Austin, Tex., pop-rockers Oh No! Oh My!, People Problems – out on January 18. Blending traditional, straight-forward pop rock in the early-Beatles / Ben Folds vein with more delicate, yet fully-orchestrated constructions – a la Sufjan Stevens and Belle and Sebastian – the troupe of four multi-instrumentalists add a dose of rock muscle on occasion to further bolster their efforts.

The dozen track-strong collection enters with the promising "Walking Into Me," a clean-sounding mix of acoustic guitars, dreamy organ and a bouncy rhythm, all in just over 3 minutes. Its tough to say who in the quartet does what on a given number, although it seems co-frontmen Joel Calvin and Greg Barkley split some combination of guitars and other stringed instruments, while Tim Regan handles the keyboard and organ parts and Joel Calvin oversees the percussion campaign – although their background materials all suggest fluid duty assignments. In all, it doesn't negatively impact the group's lo-fi meets hooky-pop vibe.

The opener's follow-up, "You Were Right" is decidedly the pick of the crop here, bursting in with an Johnny Cougar-era Mellencamp sound, with an added bit of Sloan's pop sensibility. It's brisk and catchy, but doesn't lack much in punch. It's also the record's most guitar-driven product, which ultimately provides a nice contrast to the more subtle approach of the album. The following "Again Again" is more illustrative of the bulk of the project, and it is here where more of the Ben Folds influence is apparent. While not piano-driven, the tune's lyricism and melodic foundations are more in keeping with Folds' catalog. For instance, a line like, "perhaps what's left of me is invisible twice a week, from noon 'til three" could have been penned by the Nashville-based songwriter.

After the Steely Dan-inspired "No Time for Talk," Calvin summons his inner Stuart Murdoch on the gentle "I Don't Know." It hangs on the same fragility that defines much of Belle and Sebastian's work. Meanwhile, "So I Took You" is more robust, which is ironic considering Calvin derived the number while in a hospital recovering from a significant vehicular accident, and its Sopranos finale-style ending is easily the albums' most startling and haunting moment.

The lushly-orchestrated "Brains" and more timid ballad, "Not the One" are solidly-built, but not captivating. But "There Will Be Bones" is certainly the record's more daring effort, pairing Sufjan-flavored schizophrenia with Lennon/McCartney songwriting structure in a swift 3:37. The number reveals a deeper reservoir of vision and ability for the quartet to exploit in the future. In fact, the final verse seems to suggest such an awareness, as Calvin notes, "I'm making art now, so you know – there might be room for you."

Indeed, the group references its Beatles influences directly on "Should Not Have Come to This," pointing to McCartney's Abbey Road track, "Carry That Weight," with the same emotional gravity as its predecessor. And be sure to hang around to the end, as the breezy "Summerdays" ends the collection on an upbeat note, and even its 6:29 seem to sail by, although its darker subject matter presents an interesting confusion to close upon.

Come for: "You Were Right"
Stay for: "Summerdays"
You'll be surprised by: "There Will Be Bones"

Dolorean

2011-01-25T13:43:00.000-08:00

Two weeks prior brought a look at the new work of Portland, Oregon's The Decemberists, and we now consider another Rose City outfit in Dolorean's The Unfazed. And much like their counterparts' most recent effort aimed to channel the I.R.S.-era sound of R.E,M., Dolorian similarly tries to replicate the vibe of mid-career Jackson Browne on their fourth full-length offering, released on New Year's Day on Partisan Records.

Frontman and songwriter Al James is to Dolorean as the cagey Dan Bejar is to Destroyer (who likewise delivered a new release today, Kaput): the singular creative force behind the project, and although a talented set of contributors shuffle through to enliven the sound, the output is still largely funneled through their musical vision. In this case, James' lays out a easy-going and earnest motif, largely matching Browne standards like "Sky Blue and Black" or "For a Dancer," albeit with a bit less piano and blue-eyed soul overall. The opener, 'Thinskinned" is very much in that tradition. Lines like "I've got my brother's car for the weekend; full tank of gas / Let's drive north 'till we hit the river, then let's head west" could have easily appeared on a late 70's-era Browne composition, with gentle piano from Jay Clarke and James' layered guitars brokering the path for a highway narrative.

Meanwhile, its follow-up, "Country Clutter," is a coolly-delivered good riddance ballad much in keeping with Browne's "Fountain of Sorrow." The wounds are still fresh here, as evidenced in passages such as "if you find anything I left behind, you can have it" or "a love, misguided it's true, cause it was guided at you; I had no idea what you were capable of." The rhythm section of bassist James Adair and drummer Ben Nugent is solid in keeping the number moving without driving it too hard. Likewise, the title track is even more subdued, as James keeps the choruses simple, rhyming "burgundy blues," "nothing to loose" and "fill up the juke" on successive refrains.

The collection's hardest number, "Hard Working Dogs" presents a more blues focus, which Clarke underscores with some background Hammond organ. With its tone befitting of its hardscrabble title, we hear about "careless spending," "true love's brutal timing" and "a new life calling." From there, the remainder of the 10 tracks settle in to the even more reserved terrain, although the late-appearing "These Slopes Give Me Hope" starts of slow before building to The Band-style roots-rock jam. A traditional Thoreauean ode to the open air, James preaches of being "baptized in mountain lakes" and "towering trees spreading grace like falling leaves." The quintet – which also includes guitarist Jon Neufeld – produces its fullest sound at the end of the tune, which is well-balanced and a nice compliment to the more restful balance of the record.

Come for: "Thinskinned"
Stay for: "Country Clutter"
You'll be surprised by: "These Slopes Give Me Hope"

Tennis

2011-01-18T13:43:00.000-08:00

Building off last week's stripped-down approach of The Decemberists' The King Is Dead is the even more bare-bones motif of the Denver-based husband-and-wife duo, Tennis, and their full-length debut Cape Dory. After a seven-month long sailing expedition along the East Coast – before which vocalist/keyboardist Alaina Moore and guitarist Patrick Riley had little experience on the open seas – the couple returned to their previous focus of recording and performing jangly indie pop. Inspired by their time buffered by the Atlantic waves, their new work came out crisper and more cohesive than before.

Befitting their nautical influences, the 10-track collection – out today on Fat Possum Records – is crisp and buoyant. A distortion pedal can't be located within a fathom of Riley's clean-sounding Telecaster and Princeton amp, while he also ably covers their rythym section compliment in the studio on an assortment of vintage gear and production techniques. Meanwhile, Moore's vocals are airy and bright, while also crystal-clear and pitch-perfect. She's a enjoyable blend of Deborah Harry and Essex Green's Sasha Bell, and makes the duo's sprightly compositions more credible than a more soul-flavored sound.

For a project that includes a stock of uptempo numbers, the album begins at a more subdued location. "Take Me Somewhere" eases into the effort, with Riley guiding his gentile surf-rock guitars across a blues-based beat through the track's midpoint. By the time the bouncy seaside rhythm finally does kick in, we've heard reference to such sailing terminology as "main sheet" and "strangers' lines, clean and sleek." The transition nicely positions its follow-up, the brisk "Long Boat Pass." Here is the heart of the couple's mission, one that's much in keeping with the slate of lo-fi, oceanside rock outfits such as Best Coast, NMT-profilees Wavves and Beach House that have emerged over the past year. It's punchy via Riley's guitars and drums, but remains sunny through Moore's perky fronting duties – a perfect single vessel to expand the group's reach. And although the title track – referencing the sailboat that hosted their time on the water – stationed in the number three hole corresponds with the opener's hesitancy in finding its pulse, it likewise neatly encapsulates the album's essence in its delightful first verse:

Take me out baby, I want to go sail tonight
I can see the ocean floor in the pale moon light
Ooh, let's explore the sheltered banks til the morning light
And we won't turn back til the shoreline is out of sight

Strangely, the tune that drove so much of the duo's pre-album hype, "Marathon"– itself noting the community located at the mid-point of the Florida Keys – is not among the record's best. It's likable enough, but otherwise unremarkable compared to the preceding offerings. Additionally, one track later, the tangy ballad "Bimini Bay" generally stagnates and packs none of the album's earlier energy. However, that's not to suggest Moore and Riley can't tackle a slower-tempo number, as the more purposeful "Pigeon" reintroduces Moore's previous emotional investment.

Nonetheless, in a handful of more spirited tracks on the flip side, the project returns to its basic premise. "South Carolina" moves about smartly, and although I'd prefer Moore's vocals here without the thin layer of vocal distortion, its still easily the best number here after "Long Boat Pass." Moreover, "Seafarer" rolls out exactly as its title suggests, brisk and carefree and Moore comes closest to Harry's vocal signature, albeit absent the latter's punk grit, while "Baltimore" finds itself closest to the efforts of the hipsters Wavves and Best Coast. At the end, "Waterbirds" is a soothing, if a bit less urgent closing – one perfect for docking-up. And while no individual number runs past "Bimini Bay's" 3:12 and the whole collection barely presents enough material to clear the harbor master's station at a zippy 28 and 1/2 minutes, its no less an enjoyable experience as a result.

Come for: "Long Boat Pass"
Stay for: "South Carolina"
You'll be surprised by: "Pigeon"

P.S. Tennis will be headlining at the Rock N Roll Hotel on Saturday, March 5. Get tickets now, it's a small place.

P.P.S. A second, can't-miss DC show will be going down nights later, when Irish folk-punk legends The Pogues will hit the 9:30 Club, with NMT-profilees Titus Andronicus opening