They seem like really nice people. It reminds me of Run for Cover Lovers and Operation Makeout. The singing is a little off-key, and the instrumentation is all individually good, but when you put it all together, the pieces don’t fit.
The only song I really like is “Humdrum,” which describes the rest of the album. This one is kind of like Bis, but the woman’s voice is less frenetic. Not all the tracks have female vocals, but this isn’t just me being me. The other songs are just lacking.
Archive for the ‘Music reviews’ Category
The Very “The Discovery”
April 29, 2012Transitshop “Five Thousand”
April 29, 2012Standard power-pop fare that will appease fans of the Gin Blossoms. The melody is a little flat on tracks such as “Life Goes On,” but the harmonizing and guitar make up for it.
“Pick Me” reminds me of the Icicles, only with a dude singing. And you get an interesting mix on “Come Through.” The guitar is similar to some old Cure stuff, but the rest sounds more like Three Doors Down.
After reviewing the Ed Hines Band, I never thought I would hear something like that again. But then I heard “Collective.” It’s a bit uneven in the chorus, but it’s not really that bad.
The other track with the mid-’90s jangle you’re looking for is “No Direction,” although the vocals are very abrupt and mixed too high for no reason. The next effort could be good, but a bit is left to be desired on “Five Thousand.”
Ceu “Caravana Sereia Bloom”
April 29, 2012This reminds me of those halcyon days of April March, Stereolab, and Stereo Total. Tracks such as “Falta de Ar” are peppy and easy to digest. Somewhere Beck is smiling and nodding his head.
“Retrovisor” really brings the Stereolab comparisons to light. The organ and vocals are slightly trippy and dark — just what you’re looking for. Not recommended while riding a bicycle in London.
More of a reggae/dancehall sound can be found on “You Won’t Regret It.” The backing vocals really make this one notable. “Baile de Ilusao” is in Portuguese, I think. It has the excitement of a spy thriller.
Spooky synths make “Streets Bloom” sound a bit like Portishead. There are a lot of fun tracks on this record, and you’re not going to go wrong selecting one for your show.
Perfume Genius “Put Your Back N 2 It”
April 29, 2012Another victory for androgyny on this record. The songs are slow ballads and mostly really short, and sometimes Mike Hadreas (it’s a one-man band) even does a waltz. “Normal Song” by definition isn’t because of the 3/4 time signature but whatever.
Hadreas and his piano are pretty much all you get in “Dirge.” This is one of the better tracks on the album. The title track is also very similar, with some strings added. It reminds me of Angelo Badalamenti.
All in all this album doesn’t offer a lot of surprises, but you can certainly relax a lot and listen to the poignant lyrics. I’m probably missing the point.
Speech Debelle “Freedom of Speech”
April 29, 2012Speech Debelle’s a rapper from London. Strings and synths provide the texture behind this MC. “Elephant in the Living Room” has to do with no longer being willing to look the other way at injustice.
Acoustic guitar accompanies Debelle on “Angel Wings.” The neat thing about English rappers are the Briticisms that end up in the flow. “I’m With It” is a breezy number that I really liked. More R&B than rap as well.
If you long for the rap-rock days of Limp Bizkit and Kid Rock, “Collapse” will please you. It’s slightly angry and has very pronounced drums and electric guitar. The last track is “Sun Dog,” a somber one that completes the exhibition of depth that Debelle offers up on “Freedom of Speech.”
In a lot of ways this record is what you would expect, but you’d be remiss if you didn’t give it a listen and get a full understanding of what it’s all about.
Daughter “The Wild Youth EP”
April 29, 2012Another male-female duo playing brooding indie rock. The woman leads the way on the vocals, and the first track is “Home.” Brood. Brood. Brood. “Medicine” is next and slightly noisier. The piano is more pronounced. Really, it’s a focus on singing and piano, like some old Sinead O’Connor work.
Shoegaze fans may prefer “Youth.” It reminds me of Mirah’s “Cold Cold Water.” The last track is “Love,” which has more pronounced percussion and is slightly haunting.
Circle “The Middle”
April 29, 2012This trio is from Sydney and play piano-heavy indie rock. The title track is first and is fitting, in that something in the middle is likely less offensive. Male vocals complement the piano, and female backing vocals garnish the meal.
“Gorgeous” is just that. The female vocals are still not leading, but the la-la’s are infectious and sound like a childlike Cocteau Twins. Even the male falsettos are something else. I absolutely love this one.
The pianos become synths on “Hold” and have a Spandau Ballet feel. The ’80s feel is undeniable, and the result is another winner. “Half Race Girls” is kind of awesome because it is about mixed race women. I guess in Australia they call them that there. The ’80s style continues with bits of Belle and Sebastian and random progginess thrown in. It’s remarkable.
Modern synths infiltrate “Ready to Dance,” but it still has a distinctive retro sound, with Rebecca Shave sounding like Gloria Loring here. This whole album is rather amazing. I hope they tour locally.
Lost in the Trees “A Church That Fits Our Needs”
April 15, 2012A big folking band. The six-piece sounds like Tilly and the Wall on Prozac, meaning the percussion is distinctive, even if not actual tap dancing, but otherwise the music is pretty slow. “Neither Here Nor There” is a good example of this.
If you like strings with character, “Golden Eyelids” really bugs out. Most of the time it’s a serious song, but during the chorus it is just silly enough to make you notice. The vocals are also quite strong.
A faster track, “Tall Ceilings” has a melody that works with well-mixed strings that know their place — right underneath the vocals. It all comes together well here and sounds even better loud.
Lisa Germano fans will enjoy “This Dead Bird Is Beautiful.” It might be too much to assume this wasn’t at least inspired by her. The vocals on “Villain (I’ll Stick Around)” sound like Grace Slick.
The last track is “Vines.” It’s the slowest of the slow. This album is more a collection of tracks than any type of story. In this day and age of Spotify and whatnot, it’s probably for the best.
Usurper Vong “Vong Songs Vol. 1: Humans Make Me Nervous”
April 15, 2012They’re from San Jose so maybe I’ve sat next to them at Camera 12 when watching a movie. I bet they’re not the type who texts during movies. Anyway, I picked this up because the drummer is a woman with a pun in her name.
Speaking of puns, I like “Amputea Time.” The mixing is kind of strange, in that there are backing vocals, but you can’t tell whether you’re supposed to be listing to them. It’s like a badly folded burrito, where you get some bites that are all rice, while others are all pico de gallo. Still, it’s nice to at least have all the parts there. The other notable thing here is that lead singer Derek Gomez ends lines on an upswing, the way Johnny Rotten does. He kind of does that everywhere, but it’s especially noticeable here.
Like a lot of local acts, these guys tell entertaining songs about stuff that happens to them, and I have to think they’re a lot of fun live. I’d say they should play a Nickel City show, but I bet they’ve already done one, and I probably just missed it because I’m irresponsible like that. It comes to mind when I hear “Degenerate Genius,” a song perhaps inspired by their respective parents’ record collections.
“Peeping Tomkat” is kind of creepy, but that’s OK. Nothing beats a song that makes you feel guilty when you sing along with the chorus. The other song I like is “Wrong Guy,” which is good eating music when you’re having a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios.
Various Artists “Communicating Vessels Vol. 1”
April 15, 2012Two tracks each from six different acts. Here’s a rundown:
- Preston Lovinggood is a talented singer/songwriter who reminds me of Peter Murphy on “Duncan” and “No Baby”
- The Green Seed is a storytelling hip-hop outfit on “Crack Kills” and “Preservation,” which samples like M.I.A. would
- The Grenadines are a smooth sometimes-dance rock group with breathy male-female vocals on “Shake” and “Colourblind,” which is the best song on here even if too short
- The Great Book of John sound a little like Echo and the Bunnymen on “Let Me Slide” and “On and On”
- Sanders Bohlke is another folk singer on “Quiet Ye Voices” and “The Weight of Us,” although the female backing vocals really help the songs get to the end
- Duquette Johnston and the Rebel Kings do Monkees-style ’60s pop, replete with handclaps, on “Roll Baby Roll” and “Rise Up Children”
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