Squirrelhouse is no doubt inspired by its indie rock predecessors of the earlier part of this decade. The onesheet says Arcade Fire. I guess. I was thinking of Of Montreal. It’s an oversize band (six) with a male lead and female backing vocals. These are the kinds of albums I pick up when it’s a slow week at the KSCU music meeting.
They don’t venture off the beaten path, and that’s OK. They may top out at opening for more famous bands, but no one can really go away from their show and say they hated them. It’s going to take personality and witty banter, though, for people to love them.
I admire “Fours” as a track that fits all the puzzle pieces together nicely. And it’s the fourth track. That’s very self-effacing. It has guitar similar to “Walking Down Madison” by Kirsty MacColl and bass similar to “Down on the Corner” by Creedence Clearwater Revivial. The backing vocals really spackle it all together as well.
“The Searchers” rocks a bit more than the rest and has a nice guitar-wanking solo in it, which helps the song break the four-minute mark. It has a driving rhythm to it, and not the golfing kind, either.
Archive for the ‘KSCU’ Category
Squirrelhouse “S.P.Q.R.”
July 26, 2009Kepi “Yes Depression”
July 19, 2009It’s an EP. It’s Kepi from the Groovie Ghoulies. He plays live still as Kepi Ghoulie. But he still does the pop punk we all love when he does. But he doesn’t here.
These songs are depressing. I guess that’s the point. With song titles like “When I’m Gone,” “Hurt & Alone” and “The King of Nothing,” it gives one pause. Is he being serious with these tracks? I think not, although if you knew nothing of him, you’d think everything was just dandy. Perhaps Kepi just wants us to realize how diversely talented he is. We already knew that, dude!
“The Highwayman” stands out, although the tracks do all support a common point: Kepi can put a harmonica around his neck and play at the Club Cal-Neva in Reno, Nevada, anytime he wants.
“Hair of Gold (and Skin of Blue)” reminds me of a sequel to the classic “Graveyard Girlfriend.” It’s a lot of fun! If you want Kepi Unplugged, you’ve found it. Don’t expect it to be wild. It’s like listening to Chris Murray when you want to hear ska.
Summer Cats “Songs for Tuesdays”
July 19, 2009They’re from Australia, which means it’s actually winter right now. Maybe they spell it “wintre”? Enquiring minds want to know.
All the songs are pretty short, and they have a lot of indie rock energy. It seems that they would be quite good live, but in the studio, the jury is a bit out.
“Fulton Gurls” is harmless fun, but it feels as if something is missing. There are backing vocals, but they don’t add anything to the song. “In June,” however, puts it all together. The music is reminiscent of the Blake Babies, although the singing is not as prominently focused (but then again, there’s only one Juliana Hatfield).
“Wild Rice” has keyboards at the beginning, and it sets the tone for another fun and catchy song. Why can’t all the tracks sound like this? I hope Summer Cats can make it out here. It’s definitely about the live show with these guys. It’s just got to be the case.
The keyboards in “Christopher Wren” stick around a little longer, and guess what? It’s the best song on the album. Funny how that works. Also good is “Waking Up.” It has that older Heavenly or Manifold Splendour sound.
The album is very inconsistent, but the gems are truly great. Pick and choose, and you can’t lose.
The Verbs “Trip”
July 19, 2009You can tear through these 10 tracks in little more than half an hour. Much less of a “trip” than it is running errands. The Verbs know how to do dusty rock ‘n’ roll. There’s no question about that. And if the lead singer sounds familiar, it is because she was in The Poptarts and The Antoinettes. It’s not readily apparent that such punk roots are hers, though.
The fast tracks are definitely better, though. “Hey, Hey, Uh-huh!” sounds like something Pat Benatar would do, if she ran out of things to say. It’s a good song, but it wears thin pretty quick.
“Only Love Can Break Your Heart” is a cover, but it has a country tinge to it. Although it’s never a good sign when one of your best songs is a cover, it’s still a pleasure to listen to.
“Love Is Calling Your Name” has a better melody than most of the tracks. The whispering in the background is a bit distracting but not detracting. I recommend this one and “Fooled by Rock and Roll” for Michelle Shocked fans.
I don’t know what I was expecting, but this is merely a solid effort. I really wanted it to hold my attention, but it did not.
Various Artists “The Present (The Soundtrack From the Surf Movie)”
July 19, 2009A lot of these tracks are instrumentals. And I have to say that I want to see the movie now. Someday I shall sneak it into my girlfriend’s Netflix queue.
“New Wedding” by Bonnie “Prince” Billy has lyrics. However, I can’t say that it’s good. I can’t tell whether he is manipulating his voice to be a dork or if he really sings that way. The music itself is fine, but it is on the instrumentals, too, so you might as well just go that route.
“When the Bible Was Wrote” is the reason to listen to this record and maybe even see the movie. Cass McCombs must be beside himself with how good of a job he did with this subdued number. It’s very controlled and precise and, like, totally belongs on a surf movie soundtrack.
“Spendin’ Days” by Japanese Motors is chock full o’ power pop goodness. It reminds me of Supergrass.
The album is worth buying because instead of liner notes you get pictures of surfers doing neat shit. One shows a person on a Nordic Track while on a board. Let’s see you download that!
Christina Courtin “Christina Courtin”
July 19, 2009The first thing I noticed about this well-sung singer/songwriter contraption was that it was very polished. Oh, no wonder. It’s on Nonesuch, a Warner Bros. imprint. (Did I say that right?) I suppose I should thank them, for it is unlikely she would have crossed my path otherwise. It’s a big world out there.
“Green Jay” sounded like something Catatonia would have done, high praise indeed. And so it goes throughout the album; plus singing with plus accompaniment. Nothing really stands out in a bad way, and you get a bit captivated by Courtin’s voice, which is entirely because it’s good, not because it’s distracting. I mean, people that think they like Nelly Furtado because of her voice should listen to this. She knows where her home is.
Play “Foreign Country” and the women will be all over you. She channels KT Tunstall here in terms of rhythm, and again with that voice. Put that thing away before all are smitten before thee. It’s really quite good.
“Mulberries” takes some great piano work and leaves one thinking of Tricia Concepcion. Or maybe the Mister Rogers theme song. Either way, it’s something to marvel. “One Man Down” gets everything just right and is the most memorable track. The drums are mixed a little higher, and it causes me to desire a glass of lemonade.
Tiny Vipers “Life on Earth”
July 19, 2009Tiny Vipers are not quite folk, but they definitely approach it. Really, the band is just Jesy Fortino. She sings long and slow songs about stuff, and they just meander about. It’s no surprise this has been released on Sub Pop. It’s way below the radio.
“Eyes Like Ours” starts out and clocks in at nearly six minutes. It’s heartfelt, like Lisa Germano, but the music is less rhythmic. You get the impression that we’re flies on the wall when listening to the album. That is to say this music doesn’t sound like it was made for anyone other than Fortino herself.
The title track stands out a bit, although in general the songs all sound the same. There’s plenty of passion and heartfelt rendering. I wasn’t sure at first my graphics card could handle all the rendering. The last track, Outside, has harmonizing backing vocals, and it makes all the difference. It is the most listenable song on the album.
This music is best suited for the background of your modest ranch-style home that you cashed in your 401(k) to buy (on a first-time home buyer’s exemption). There’s certainly nothing wrong with it, and it’s very good at what it’s trying to do. But it sure sounds a lot better with bruschetta and a glass of pinot noir!
Peggy Sue “The Lover Gone EP”
July 14, 2009Four tracks. All folk, all the time. Musical style is like Mazzy Star, but the voice is an octave lower. It’s a warm and comfortable collection of songs that works better in the fall than the summer. Maybe she is from somewhere cold, though. Ah, Brighton. Yeah, I guess it is cold there.
“Lover Gone” must really be hard to sing sober. It’s full of lament and really needs the accompaniment of flying photo frames and whiskey bottles, but what are ya gonna do?
“Milk and Blood” is a little more composed and will work for acoustic PJ Harvey fans. Or perhaps Bitch and Animal. This song reminds me of their song “Traffic.”
“Revision” gets a little more cheery and is screaming to be remixed into a dance number. That piano really makes the song work. It’s one you can play for your parents too.
“The Conversationalist” has the same guitar as a Club 8 song. Same style, I guess. As this EP progresses, it becomes less folky and more modern. Great for people like me, but if you want something stripped down you’ll have mixed feelings. These songs can’t help but develop complexity as they are traversed. This natural talent should not be reined in.
Various Artists “PDX Pop Now!”
July 14, 2009I love Portland. It has the Original Hotcake House. There are three kinds of mass transit. It rains. There is a nickel arcade with Simpsons-themed foot bags. And I know a few bands up there, too. But are they on this compilation? No. Shows what I know.
If you like hip-hop, Luck-One and Dekk have a good one, in “The Coolax.” Dirty Mittens have a 1980s-themed Kate Bush understudy with “The Dock,” but it sounds as if they are trying too hard. There’s more to life than being in the next Mapple commercial. The end is pretty dreamy though. Stick with it for this one.
Ethan Rose & Laura Gibson must have escaped from a Flashing Red Airplane studio session to record “Sun.” It’s quite good. Rose Melberg would also be proud. Mirah? Of course I have heard of her. “Generosity” is as good as anything else she’s done. It’s a known quantity. The Thermals? Yeah, We’ve all heard of them. “You Dissolve” is fine. It will keep you warm at night.
“Las Malas” is by a Magic Johnson, but not likely that Magic Johnson. It’s in Spanish but sounds about as authentic as a burrito from Chipotle. I guess if you’re looking for Rock en Espanol, you can’t be choosy. “Grab and Glow” by Chilly Willy is an instrumental that sounds like accompaniment for an 8-bit Nintendo game. That’s supposed to be a compliment.
Ravishers sound amazing in “Keep You Around.” I want a full length of theirs on my desk by 5 o’ clock today. It’s your standard indie rock ditty with boy-girl vocals and stray strange strings and hand claps.
Dykeritz give us that late ’70s disco sound with “Chasing the Wheel Away.” Caleb Klauder gives us that country sound with “Can I Go Home With You.”
This is a 2-CD set. On the second one, we start with Jared Mees and the Grown Children. “The Tallest Building in Hell” is fun. It’s not as weird as Flaming Lips, but it has that same communal feeling to it. Let’s all sing along!
“Seasoning’s Greeting” by “What’s Up? is similar to the Chilly Willy song. Maybe it’s the Sega Genesis version. (It’s definitely too fuzzy to be the SNES version.)
Blue Skies for Black Hearts has a Britpop feel to it with “Jenny and Steve.” I guess it should be called “Portpop.” It has horns and some fun backing vocals too. Lightheaded isn’t the best lyricist but has phat beats on “Hard Rock.” I know metaphors define good skillz, but when you have to compare things to varicose veins and you’re being serious, you’re just not trying.
Lovers sing about mass transit in “Igloos for Ojos” but I don’t remember what they reference from my visits there. It must be one of those hidden routes. If She Wants Revenge had a female singer and were less serious, they would sound like this.
Blue Giant go spooky with “Target Heart.” It’s quite the ballad, even if a bit deliberate, but the intermittent piano makes me think of REO Speedwagon.
With a name like “Cootie Platoon” I knew I’d be in love, and I am! “Divided” is a super song in all ways. If you need something for when All Girl Summer Fun Band needs a break, give them a listen. True, true bliss. This is my favorite song on the comp.
“EIEIO” by Ah Holly Fam’ly seems to pay homage to the 1940s with its singing style, but the accompaniment is more abstract. It’s a good listen and makes me think of those really old Porky Pig cartoons when he was bigger and spoke less. Breakfast Mountain makes good use of the synths in “J Hollerday,” and makes me think of a cross between Sister Soleil and The Murmurs. I like this one a lot too. It’s good for playing when you’re in the shower.
Gejius do their best Daft Punk impression on “Let Down.” If you want something to dance to, it will do nicely. Tara Jane O’Neil can do no wrong in my book, and “Dig in” is no exception. There are jingle bells! Can I just marry that woman now?
Blue Cranes do jazz on “Broken Windmills.” Very throaty horns.
Portland is more than Powell’s. Even ignoring The Jolenes, The Punk Group and tons of others, they still manage to find two hours’ worth of great indie stuff.
The Black Tales “The Black Tales”
July 13, 2009Maybe they’re not fun like Oreo Fun Stix, but The Black Tales are a fun rock band. Sometimes they sound ’80s, like on “Everyone Smiles.” Other times they sound ’90s, like on “Cyber Suicide.” They never sound too modern though.
The music evokes the house band at a bar, if only they’d stop playing covers and started playing their own stuff. Well, that’s what you get here. Picnic had this problem, of course. People would only listen to them when they were playing covers, but they were good at making their own music too.
“Mr. Right Now” sounds like a Pat Benatar song. It even has a rockin’ guitar solo. And it’s all in 3:15. These bands tend to specialize in six-minute songs, but here they’re almost manufactured to be about three minutes each.
“Boys Underwear” is missing something, but I’m not sure what. Perhaps it is an apostrophe.
This album is fine. It is not inspiring, but it doesn’t suck either. Nothing about it stands out.
Today's featured shit 