Elika is a they — not a she. And they opened for Asobi Seksu, the sexiest robots around, so that’s quite the pedigree right there. The lead singer doesn’t have the diva thing going on — nor does she have the ethereal vocals you often find with this type of music. Instead, you get a half-Madonna, half-Liz Phair style of singing with the requisite synths and drum machines.
Tracks such as “Stay Beside Me” provide a nice bridge opportunity for those interested in dance music but are otherwise scared off by the too many perceptively random sounds they encounter most of the time.
Madonna fans will also like “Count Your Steps,” which has a similar melody as “What It Feels Like for a Girl.” I also like “No One Gets Lost,” even if I disagree with the premise.
The other track I really like is Trials. It’s more of an indie pop song in the Dot Allison vein. This is a hard record to hate.
Archive for March 2012
Elika “Always the Light”
March 11, 2012Foxy Shazam “The Church of Rock and Roll”
March 11, 2012I saw these guys at Slim’s when Free Energy opened for them. I loved Free Energy, and I could see why Foxy Shazam were great. I’ve never heard a studio recording before but do know they are awesome live. And they’re on I.R.S., which is just fun because that’s another zombie brand back to pleasure us, like Lucky Supermarkets.
“Last Chance at Love” has a beat similar to some Superdrag ’90s classics, such as “Hellbent,” plus falsettos. That’s all you need for a good time. Also fun is “(It’s) Too Late Baby.” If White Stripes were as crazy as they pretend to be, they could be Foxy Shazam. Luckily for you, they don’t have to be.
As I alluded to earlier, you just never know what to make of these guys once you’ve seen the live. “Wasted Feelings” sounds like if Prince fronted a heavy metal band that was opening for the Talking Heads. Is it a novelty? Well, what about this band isn’t a novelty?
“The Streets” was also fine. Go see them live. In the meantime, listen to the album and dream.
Big History “All at Once”
March 11, 2012It’s an EP. “Wardrum” is first and provides vaguely mid-’90s vocals and synths reminiscent of La Bouche, mixed with Austra to keep you feeling cool. “Every Bone” has very prominent guitar added to the mix, fitting of the modern generation’s desire to have everything in everything. This isn’t noise, though. Everything is shuffled together nicely. We failed in the ’90s trying to do this with Republica and Kenickie, but if they want to try again with a less-sassy vocalist, I’m fine with “suffering” through it.
The title track is in the middle, and the synth melody is occasionally reminiscent of the Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like an Eagle.” The random sample of chattering children lead me to believe that this must sound pretty good when you’re high.
“Wolf Blood” is the weakest track but still good. The last track is “Baby” and has good synths. The whole EP is great, and I’d like more.
Various Artists “Chronicle (Original Soundtrack)”
March 11, 2012The movie sucked, but the soundtrack is pretty good. You may recognize some of these songs as having profanity, but they’re all edited out here. Thanks, Fox. Generally the rockier stuff is up front, and the dancier stuff is in the back. Here are some highlights:
- A B & the Sea are at their power pop best with “Bone Dry”
- The purple crowd will enjoy Congorock’s Scrawny-licious “Sirius”
- STRFKR sounds like they always do on “Bury Us Alive”
- As a Class Actress fan, I enjoy the steady synths of “Keep You”
- The M83 song is also OK but more like loud M83 than good M83
Grace Woodroofe “Always Want”
March 11, 2012The quick description is that Grace Woodroofe is an Australian Adele who doesn’t chain smoke. Same wise-beyond-her-years voice and all that. So there’s definitely an opportunity for her to make it.
“I’ve Handled Myself Wrong” is the first track and sounds like the Laura Gibson record I just reviewed. It’s that kind of week, I guess. Also in this vein is “Transformer.” All the songs do sort of sound the same, but she’s still new at this, so I can cut her some slack.
If you wanted to listen to Portishead without feeling like you had to take drugs to enjoy it, then “Oh My God” does the trick. Vocally it is very similar to “All Mine,” but the accompaniment is much more comforting.
The title track sounds like Fiona Apple mixed with a little Jennifer Trynin. The last track is “Quicksand.” This album really flies by. That must be a good thing. At any rate, “Quicksand” provides some promise and has some male backing vocals to provide some needed texture. This is a pretty good effort, from front to back.
Cate le Bon “Cyrk”
March 11, 2012I’ve played her stuff on my show before, but someone else had reviewed it. I always end up playing artists whose names I can’t pronounce. It really puts me to work.
And that’s fantastic because “Puts Me to Work” is a great song on this record. Also good is “Julia,” which is a waltz and has an organ of some sort and inexplicably makes me think of my pre-algebra class I was in when I was 10. I can’t explain it. It’s inexplicable.
I absolutely love “Fold the Cloth.” The synths and mixed-too-high guitar make for a really good time. This one is great for old school Stereolab fans. Love. Love. Love. “Through the Mill” is also pretty good.
The last track is “Ploughing Out Part 2.” It is better than “Ploughing Out Part 1,” which is right before it. I don’t know why she didn’t just make one big-ass song, but who am I to judge?
Ani DiFranco “¿Which Side Are You On?”
March 11, 2012I can’t stand Ani DiFranco, but I have a ton of respect for her. And when no one was reviewing this, I figured I could suck it up and show a little objectivity. But honestly an Ani DiFranco record is the last thing you need a review for anyway.
DiFranco is more of a storyteller than an angry woman these days, but I imagine her fans have equally matured as well. “Life Boat” is the first track and supports this concept. We’re told a story about a loss of innocence, but it’s not angry. Instead, you get a pretty good story for only 4 minutes, and the distorted guitar is better than what we usually get with most of her efforts. There are small hints of Johnny Marr and Santana there. It turns out to be Adam Levy on guitar. He’s good.
The title track is really long and has banjo at the beginning. When I was in high school I used to start English questions with an upside-down question mark as well. I guess this is just a coincidence. In any case, it’s an election year, and DiFranco is political, so this song sort of writes itself. And if everyone in DC is going to be polarizing, then she can be, too, right?
“Amendment” has a strong feminist bent, even for a DiFranco song, but even for her the lyrics are more poignant. You can’t get anything done while listening to this record because it’s too engaging.
Other tracks that stand out are “Promiscuity,” “J,” and “Hearse.” I want to punch holes in these songs’ premises, but I can’t in good faith. Honestly, at this point I am just disliking DiFranco out of consistency. All the annoying things she used to do she doesn’t do anymore, but I am a man, so therefore I am stubborn. The rhetoric that makes her famous is the same rhetoric that lets me continue to say I can’t stand her.
Laura Gibson “La Grande”
March 11, 2012Hi, this is Laura Gibson. You might recognize her from such collaborations as those with Ethan Rose and Portland’s PDX Pop Now! This winner is on Barsuk now, so you know she’s earned her stripes.
So are you expecting the somewhat brooding and rainy, classic indie sound? Well, good. The first track is the title track and sets this very tone. “Lion/Lamb” touches on Neko Case’s non-country side. The vibraphone is what really gets me going here.
Lisa Germano fans will appreciate “The Rushing Dark.” Either this sound is timeless, Germano was ahead of her time, or Gibson is stuck in the past. In any case, this one sounds a lot like “Way Below the Radio.”
“Crow/Swallow” must be tied to “Lion/Lamb” somehow, but at first I missed this connection, because both of these words have non-bird meanings as well. If you said that was the case with the other track, I’d say you were lion.
The other track I like is “Time Is Not.” I always make lots of Portland references in reviews of Portland artists, but I think I’ve done enough damage in this review already.
Jessie Baylin “Little Spark”
March 4, 2012Very nice indie pop, with some strings and the freakin’ Watson Twins on backing vox. How could this go wrong? It doesn’t! “Hurry Hurry” gets this one started with a bang. That ’70s roller derby sound is back. Let’s all smoke Kools and look the other way while President Nixon resigns.
“The Greatest Thing That Never Happened” has some bells and horns to make it stand out. I can dig it. Mazzy Star fans will like “Star Cannon.” It’s slower but still a good song.
How cool would it be if “Holiday” were a Madonna cover? Well, it isn’t. Still, it is a good story-telling number. A bit of a country flair helps round out a sing that reminds me of Neko Case.
“The Winds” and the title track are the best of the rest. I am instantly a fan of Jessie Baylin after hearing this record, and you’ll become one, too.
Imperial Teen “Feel the Sound”
March 4, 2012Talk about a review that writes itself. Imperial Teen are back for album No. 5, and it sounds like Imperial Teen. Fun indie pop at its best, the first track, “Runaway,” assures you that the band continues to entertain after all these years.
“Last to Know” is quite chipper and probably involves the clapping of hands. I’m not a big audience participation guy, but even I can recognize how fun this song is. And no longer is Imperial Teen using Lynn Perko Truell’s vocals as a crutch. Everybody sings (as has been the case) but with much more balance now. “Hanging About” really divides the labor well.
Other tracks I liked included “All the Same,” “Out From Inside,” and “Overtaken.” As the title suggests, many of these songs sound all the same, but that’s fine. Imperial Teen have found what they’re best at, and I look forward to their sixth effort.
Today's featured shit 