What do you call that post-emo sound? I guess it’s just “post-emo.” Well, that is what Aficionado are. “The Things You Like” give you a wailing dude song with female shouting backing vocals. If it doesn’t sound familiar yet, it will by the end of the album, because most of the tracks do this.
Fans of emo may be confused by “Everything Was Right” because really shouldn’t a song like that be called “Everything Was Wrong”? Well, it’s about how finally everything is right so clearly something must be up. I mean, God forbid you end up on the right side of the bell curve for once.
“Confidence Is Intimidating.” Yeah, that’s about right. No need to acknowledge you’re about to turn 30 when you can instead hole up in your parent’s basement and pretend that Hot or Not is still the place to get chicks.
The accompaniment in “Falsified Inspiration” is top notch. This one must be good live. In general, the tracks that don’t focus on the vocals hold up a lot better. This one is really catchy. “Characters” was also OK but easily forgettable.
The tracks are all pretty much the same, and you pretty much get what you expect on this record.
Archive for the ‘KSCU’ Category
Aficionado “Aficionado”
September 18, 2011Bobby “Bobby”
September 18, 2011Bobby don’t understand search engine optimization. Apparently there was a Bobby who started a band and then left it, so the rest of the band kept the name, so it’s not as disingenuous as The Donnas.
Musically, it’s just another indie rock band with male and female vocals. “We Saw” gives you an extended look and no sense of urgency. I like the harmonizing. Like a lot of the tracks, it’s really long.
There is a stretch of tracks with rhyming titles. The best of these is “Tomb Bloom.” If you want something mildly psychedelic, “It’s Dead Outside” fills the bill. “Ginger (Water Birth)” uses synths well and makes me think of some 16-bit video games I played 20 years ago. The falsetto vocals make this one a winner.
I’m also a fan of “Shimmychick.” It’s more accessible than the other tracks, in part because it is less than five minutes long. The other track I like is “Dustbeam.” It’s slow without being sleepy.
Overall there’s nothing too spectacular about these guys, other than the interesting choice of what to call the band and the story behind it. You can’t go wrong, though, with these guys.
Various Artists “Japan 3.11.11: A Benefit Album”
September 18, 2011Lots of stuff here for everyone to like. Here are some highlights:
Deerhoof gives a live version of “Giga Dance.”
Love Is All is a little bit Stereo Total, a little bit Romeo Void on “Pappas Tent.”
Shugo Tokumaru covers the Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star.”
Asobi Seksu are at their best in “Vicious Bears.”
Alright do classic power-pop with “Moving.” This is a rare track with male vocals on this comp.
Local boys Xiu Xiu do well with “Hyunhye’s Theme,” another male-fronted track. I am picking this one so I can hear KSCU DJ’s try to pronounce the song title.
Midstress used to be The Fresh Kills. “Too Many Shoes, Not Enough Feet” sounds like Face to Face and is pretty good.
Casiokids offer up some fun sounds with “London Zoo.”
Lizard Police do pop-punk with “Same Socks.”
Release the Sunbird “Come Back to Us”
September 18, 2011This sounds like a Posies ripoff, and that’s fine by me. It’s actually led by the guy from Rogue Wave. And that’s no 12 off my 9, either. “Come Back to Us” has a great bridge and smart female backing vocals.
A more folkier sound can be heard in “Why Can’t You Look at Yourself” and “Paper Allies.” The latter has a country tinge to it as well. Also slow, as well as a bit somber, is “A New You.”
The band is much better when they infuse a little pep into their routine, and “We’ll Begin Tomorrow” really shows what happens when they spread their wings. This is great hiking music the next time you’re in Tahoe.
They need to release the energy and not play so much slow stuff. The pieces are all there, and hopefully they will put it together.
The Violet Lights “Sex & Sound”
September 18, 2011It’s an EP providing power-pop for the masses. “Your Love/Not Enough” is layered like a late ’90s haircut, with no Flowbee required. “Ready or Not” has a bassline I’ve heard before, but I can’t place it.
A little more contemporary is “Sex & Sound.” I can picture Justin Timberlake, in his infinite wisdom, covering this one. And as Chef would say, there’s no substitute for “Substitute.” You can actually picture him singing this if you listen to it. This one must be for the hipsters, as it comes complete with that Franz Ferdinand/Silversun Pickups tempo, with a hint of Dashboard Confessional of all things. It makes me want to buy a car.
Buried at the end is “It’d Be Fine.” This one is the best. Why do they do that? It doesn’t sound like the others, which kind of makes sense because it was mixed by someone else.
I hope to hear a full length. This is an all-around good time.
Idaho “You Were a Dick”
September 18, 2011Indie rock with male vocals similar to J Mascis. The music is like a lot of Eels stuff, so in the end it’s the most ’90s band ever that you’ve never heard of. You even get some good female backing vocals on “Weigh It Down.”
If you want something that’s not as slow, “Up the Hill” is a good option. The melody is intentionally flat, and it kind of sounds like The Fray. And piano fans will appreciate the ballad, “Flames.”
In the end, the songs all sound very similar, but the kids do love it. If you can’t get laid playing this CD, you have bigger problems in your life.
KMFDM “WTF?!”
September 11, 2011There was no way I was going to let this not be reviewed. Even if KMFDM have been around longer than the average KSCU DJ, they’re still legendary, and we should at least check in with them and see what they’re up to.
“Rebels in Kontrol” hits up that familiar early ’90s industrial sound that KMFDM is known for. Really the whole album sounds as you would expect it to. “Vive la Mort!” is not about the pharmacist on Family Guy, but it’s still a good track.
“Panzerfaust” isn’t in English, but it’s still a fun song. It reminds me of the “Choose a track” music in Beatmania IIDX. I forget what I was going to say about “Amnesia,” but the sound better reflects Sister Soleil than KMFDM, not that the two acts are so different.
Yep, same ol’ KMFDM.
San Cisco “Golden Revolver”
September 11, 2011It’s an EP. The title track is first and has peppy guitar and percussion mixed high. I’m really liking this. “Girls Do Cry” has the falsettos that make a perfect power-pop platter. Even hyperbole that poorly written can’t cover up the fact that this song can be a staple on about eight different shows here at the station.
“John’s Song” has the same melody as “Hey Delilah” by Plain White T’s and is just as bad. No reason to play this with such other awesome tracks at your fingertips. The last track is “Spangled Streets.” The last minute is quiet and then there is a bonus at the end, “Solitude Is Bliss.”
STS9 “When the Dust Settles EP”
September 11, 2011If you’re into the purple stickers, this CD belongs on your show. “Scheme” is the first track and has a sample well-known to anyone who came of age in the late ’80s. There is also a reprise of this track, which isn’t as good but does have different samples, so I guess you have to see which samples resonate with you more.
“When the Dust Settles” has a slight industrial slant to it. The samples are more obscure but belong with the music. It’s all good stuff here.
Ming and Ping fans will enjoy “Golden Gate.” The last track, “Winter Sun,” is just an outro.
All these songs can be used as beds, but they stand alone just fine as well.
Old 97’s “The Grand Theatre Volume Two”
September 11, 2011I reviewed the first one, so now I guess I will do the second one. “Brown Haired Daughter” is missing only a hyphen in its quest to be a perfect song. It’s a fine example of what Old 97’s can do. Even the bridge is fantastic.
Also good is “Perfume.” The guitarist sounds restrained on this one, as in he really wants to rock out with his cock out but can’t because of the nature of the song (or the band, for that matter).
Cake fans would appreciate “No Simple Machine.” It’s the same talking-singing that they’re familiar with, although here the choruses have more singing than Cake would ever attempt.
“Ivy” is a little faster but still true to the Old 97’s sound. “Visiting Hours” is also fine but doesn’t particularly stand out.
More of the same from your old friends, Old 97’s.
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