Hey, look -- I contributed a blurb about Mount Eerie's excellent Wind's Poem to InRO's end-of-2009 coverage. I've been pretty bad about posting as usual, but I imagine you expect that by now. Launching a tumblr soon. Not really sure why, or whether it'll subsume this blog here. Details forthcoming. For now, check out the staff's picks.
Showing posts with label year-end festivities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label year-end festivities. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
In Review Online's best of 2009
Hey, look -- I contributed a blurb about Mount Eerie's excellent Wind's Poem to InRO's end-of-2009 coverage. I've been pretty bad about posting as usual, but I imagine you expect that by now. Launching a tumblr soon. Not really sure why, or whether it'll subsume this blog here. Details forthcoming. For now, check out the staff's picks.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Year End Festivities: Best Hard Rock Releases of 2009
The unfortunate overlook of great "loud rock" (be it hardcore, metal, or otherwise) in "indie rock" circles continued this year; I can't claim to have kept up much myself, but I'm very glad to have discovered what I'm spotlighting here.
Converge: Axe to Fall
I found out about this album from Pitchfork's hyperbolic, 8.5/10 review, but was shocked that Axe to Fall was denied "Best New Music" status. Sure, the band is signed to Epitaph records, but metal bands have formerly been given the distinction... I'm pretty certain (and disappointed) that Schreiber and crew were too worried about credibility to acknowledge such a great album. The reviewer even went so far as to name Converge "This generation's Black Flag," so I wouldn't be surprised if the review wasn't initially a few points higher.
Axe to Fall opens with the brilliant hat-trick of "Dark Horse", "Reap What You Sow" and the title track, tearing through vintage Metallica thrash and hardcore blast beats while the guitarist furiously unfurls searing pull-off runs. Far removed from the more grind-oriented sound defining their earlier landmark album Jane Doe, the mid section delves into slower, sludge, post-rock and doom-inspired territory. They display immense technical ability throughout, shifting through time signatures with ease while performing with dexterity, but nothing about the album feels showy. Instead, it's raw, violent and passionate. Some momentum is lost on the Earth/Tom Waits homage "Cruel Bloom" and slow-building closer "Wretched World," but they offer a needed come-down after such a blistering album. If You haven't checked this one out yet, and consider yourself a fan of harder rock music, please listen.
Zu: Carboniferous
Zu rival Sunn O))) in heaviness on a lot of these tracks. Unlike Sunn O))), however, Zu is hardly about stasis or fixation on held tones. This prolific Italian experimental jazz trio teams up with The Melvins' King Buzzo and Ipecac label-head (and venerable experimental musician in his own right) Mike Patton for a lengthy, disorienting set of ten tracks. Carboniferous introduced me to the group, so I can't say how it compares to their past efforts (and they have a pretty exhaustive back catalogue, with fourteen albums that include collaborations with Fred Lonberg Holm, Nobukazu Takemura, Ken Vandermark, and others). Comprised of tight yet powerful, polyrhythmic drumming, distorted, layered saxophone and scuzzy electric bass, Carboniferous is the most simultaneously brutal, noisy and technically demanding piece of work I heard this year, but it's also very rewarding.
Pissed Jeans: King of Jeans
Maybe it was the band's name, or my initial reaction to hearing "Ice Cream" from 2007's Hope for Men (I was pretty close-minded to a lot of rock music offshoots at the time), but I likely wouldn't have checked out King of Jeans had it not entered heavy rotation at V89, where I was forced to play it during several shifts (only the first time was forced... I gladly returned to it -- and even hoped for it in my rotation -- during subsequent shifts). There's improved clarity in the mix, but the group fortunately retains their dirty sound. Singer Matt Korvette channels The Jesus Lizard's David Yow quite often, and it works well for him. Though he details pretty mundane topics (going to the gym, parties, and R-rated movies), Korvette manages to explore insecurities (body image, social interaction, sexuality, etc) that most can easily relate to.
Sunn O))): Monoliths and Dimensions
Sunn O))) as an idea had always fascinated me, but it wasn't until Monoliths and Dimensions that I'd truly loved one of their records. Probably one of the most appropriate album titles of 2009, Sunn O)))'s power is physically and emotionally draining. The core duo of Stephen O'Malley and Greg Anderson enlisted a slew of collaborators, including Australian experimental guitarist Oren Ambarchi, Hungarian vocalist Attila Csihar, Earth's Dylan Carlson, a Viennese women's choir, a string section, and countless others. Genuinely terrifying at times, the duo summons immense drones from their own guitars, but the most transcendent moment of the album comes with closing track "Alice." Dissonant guitar tones (presumably from Dylan Carlson) ring out and languish over a barren desert landscape, and as each brief guitar pattern decays, the horns and strings provide tense crescendos. Just over halfway through the song, though, the darkness begins to disperse with a major key tonal shift, ultimately yielding to three blissful minutes of harp, strings, Ambarchi's processed guitar, and orchestral flourishes. Without a doubt one of the best songs of the year, this is Sunn O))) at their best and most innovative, displaying immense patience (which they've always had) and compositional prowess.
Baroness: Blue Record
Last but certainly not least, Baroness' Blue Record was my fifth favorite album of 2009. I wrote about 600 words on it, but the review has yet to be published. Check back later this week for my (mostly) complete thoughts on it.
Converge: Axe to Fall
I found out about this album from Pitchfork's hyperbolic, 8.5/10 review, but was shocked that Axe to Fall was denied "Best New Music" status. Sure, the band is signed to Epitaph records, but metal bands have formerly been given the distinction... I'm pretty certain (and disappointed) that Schreiber and crew were too worried about credibility to acknowledge such a great album. The reviewer even went so far as to name Converge "This generation's Black Flag," so I wouldn't be surprised if the review wasn't initially a few points higher.
Axe to Fall opens with the brilliant hat-trick of "Dark Horse", "Reap What You Sow" and the title track, tearing through vintage Metallica thrash and hardcore blast beats while the guitarist furiously unfurls searing pull-off runs. Far removed from the more grind-oriented sound defining their earlier landmark album Jane Doe, the mid section delves into slower, sludge, post-rock and doom-inspired territory. They display immense technical ability throughout, shifting through time signatures with ease while performing with dexterity, but nothing about the album feels showy. Instead, it's raw, violent and passionate. Some momentum is lost on the Earth/Tom Waits homage "Cruel Bloom" and slow-building closer "Wretched World," but they offer a needed come-down after such a blistering album. If You haven't checked this one out yet, and consider yourself a fan of harder rock music, please listen.
Zu: Carboniferous
Zu rival Sunn O))) in heaviness on a lot of these tracks. Unlike Sunn O))), however, Zu is hardly about stasis or fixation on held tones. This prolific Italian experimental jazz trio teams up with The Melvins' King Buzzo and Ipecac label-head (and venerable experimental musician in his own right) Mike Patton for a lengthy, disorienting set of ten tracks. Carboniferous introduced me to the group, so I can't say how it compares to their past efforts (and they have a pretty exhaustive back catalogue, with fourteen albums that include collaborations with Fred Lonberg Holm, Nobukazu Takemura, Ken Vandermark, and others). Comprised of tight yet powerful, polyrhythmic drumming, distorted, layered saxophone and scuzzy electric bass, Carboniferous is the most simultaneously brutal, noisy and technically demanding piece of work I heard this year, but it's also very rewarding.
Pissed Jeans: King of Jeans
Maybe it was the band's name, or my initial reaction to hearing "Ice Cream" from 2007's Hope for Men (I was pretty close-minded to a lot of rock music offshoots at the time), but I likely wouldn't have checked out King of Jeans had it not entered heavy rotation at V89, where I was forced to play it during several shifts (only the first time was forced... I gladly returned to it -- and even hoped for it in my rotation -- during subsequent shifts). There's improved clarity in the mix, but the group fortunately retains their dirty sound. Singer Matt Korvette channels The Jesus Lizard's David Yow quite often, and it works well for him. Though he details pretty mundane topics (going to the gym, parties, and R-rated movies), Korvette manages to explore insecurities (body image, social interaction, sexuality, etc) that most can easily relate to.
Sunn O))): Monoliths and Dimensions
Sunn O))) as an idea had always fascinated me, but it wasn't until Monoliths and Dimensions that I'd truly loved one of their records. Probably one of the most appropriate album titles of 2009, Sunn O)))'s power is physically and emotionally draining. The core duo of Stephen O'Malley and Greg Anderson enlisted a slew of collaborators, including Australian experimental guitarist Oren Ambarchi, Hungarian vocalist Attila Csihar, Earth's Dylan Carlson, a Viennese women's choir, a string section, and countless others. Genuinely terrifying at times, the duo summons immense drones from their own guitars, but the most transcendent moment of the album comes with closing track "Alice." Dissonant guitar tones (presumably from Dylan Carlson) ring out and languish over a barren desert landscape, and as each brief guitar pattern decays, the horns and strings provide tense crescendos. Just over halfway through the song, though, the darkness begins to disperse with a major key tonal shift, ultimately yielding to three blissful minutes of harp, strings, Ambarchi's processed guitar, and orchestral flourishes. Without a doubt one of the best songs of the year, this is Sunn O))) at their best and most innovative, displaying immense patience (which they've always had) and compositional prowess.
Baroness: Blue Record
Last but certainly not least, Baroness' Blue Record was my fifth favorite album of 2009. I wrote about 600 words on it, but the review has yet to be published. Check back later this week for my (mostly) complete thoughts on it.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Year-End Festivities 2009: an introduction
Well, here I am again, attempting to share what mattered most to me in the past year. And again, I'm struggling to recall those things. I alternately love and hate our current musical climate. I'm very glad that music is so readily accessible, but the availability has led to inundation. Now, we hear artists' music long before it was intended (I understand that a lot of this is determined by record companies intentionally staggering release dates), before we have adequate time to process what came before. It's difficult to turn down the latest album leak -- I'm prone to leap at the chance to hear an album before the release date, certainly. However, I feel that it's been immensely detrimental to how I value music, and how I absorb music. Writing about music has physically and emotionally drained me this past year. It's something that I've loved for a long time, but I'm not sure how long I can continue (please stick with me... if i ever "retire" this blog, I'll post a formal missive of some sort).
Enough of this sentimental nonsense... on to some year-end business. I don't really feel like writing about each of the 25 releases in my list, so I'll highlight a few favorites in the days to come.
Enough of this sentimental nonsense... on to some year-end business. I don't really feel like writing about each of the 25 releases in my list, so I'll highlight a few favorites in the days to come.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
In Review Online's best of 2008
I did a several year-end writeups for In Review Online; My top 20 list is a bit different there, as I submitted it early in december, so I recommend you check it out to see what Jordan (chief music critic) had to say rather than my blathering. Also, check out some insightful reviews from the other critics. This probably sounds like a shameless plug, and I won't lie, it is. Though In Review Online is only updated weekly, each review is insightful and worth your time.
READ IT ALL HERE
READ IT ALL HERE
Friday, January 2, 2009
Year-End Festivities: 2008 in review
Hello friends, sorry for the delay. I don't even have a good excuse, I think I just needed a break to read and play music and not write about music for a few days. I've been deliberating for over a month now, and I'm still unsure as to the exact ordering of this list... They just keep trading spots. Even the top three alternate with the days. Well, I think Fleet Foxes is album of the year hands down, but all the others are relatively interchangeable. Without further ado, I present some of my favorites from 2008:
1. Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes. One of my favorite live acts of 2008. What hasn't been said about this band that needs to be covered? I'm sure you've heard it, and I'm sure that you at like, if not love it. Gorgeous harmonies, simple instrumentation with a spacious sound, an absolute classic, and an indomitable debut album.
2. Deerhunter: Microcastle. I loved Cryptograms, but I think this release is miles ahead of the former. Clearly divided into two halves by the very well done middle ambient section, it's perfect all the way through. The integration of doo-wop chord progressions and vocal melodies into shoegaze aesthetics (especially notable on "Neither of Us, Uncertainly" and "Twilight at Carbon Lake") is a surprisingly suitable combination. Hopefully you already have this one.
3. Born Ruffians: Red, Yellow & Blue. I've already said enough about this record... just go out and get it.
4. Son Lux: At War with Walls and Mazes. Recently named NPR's best unknown artist, he was the first artist I blogged about. It's still a stunning album, and nearly perfect straight through. My favorite track remains "Stand". That song is just a visceral, cathartic experience.
5. Why?: Alopecia. Yoni Wolf's excellent wordplay coupled with the groups skewed approach to pop music makes for a fantastic record. The lyrics are very candid, often uncomfortably so, but it makes the album even better.
6. Beach House: Devotion. A perfect record for the browns and oranges of autumn, Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally's sepia toned ballads are timeless. Maybe I have a weakness for heartbroken women or something, if this list is any indication.
7. My Brightest Diamond: A Thousand Shark's Teeth. Another record I blogged about way back in this blog's nascency, Miss Worden captured my heart. And my ears. She conveys sorrow so beautifully, writes great arrangements, and has an absolutely stunning voice.
8. Bonnie "Prince" Billy: Lie Down in the Light. I haven't been in the mood for this record for awhile, which nearly made me discount it from this list. But then I listened again, and remembered that it's one of his best records, and great straight through. His most overtly religious outing yet, and redemptive and joyous at the end.
9. School of Seven Bells: Alpinisms. One of the first albums I reviewed for Tiny Mixtapes. A beautiful debut album, nearly every song is a gem. I think "Sempiternal/Amaranth" drags on for a bit too long, and after awhile, some of the tracks become less and less discernible, but it's such a cohesive collection that it's hard to find fault.
10. Portishead: Third. Beth Gibbons sounds terrified on this album. And I love it for that. At times claustrophobic ("Machine Gun"), others spacious and expansive ("Hunter"), the stark arrangements and noir-ish vibe of Third are unforgettable.
11. Wolf Parade: At Mount Zoomer
12. Cut Copy: In Ghost Colours
13. Department of Eagles: In Ear Park
14. Flying Lotus: Los Angeles
15. TV On the Radio: Dear Science
16. Atlas Sound: Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
17. Fennesz: Black Sea
18. Hauschka: Ferndorf
19. The Dodos: Visiter
20. Los Campesinos!: We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
Honorable Mentions:
Grouper: Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill
Electric President: Sleep Well
Paavoharju: Llaulu Laakson Kukista
Emeralds: Solar Bridge
Anathallo: Canopy Glow
Gang Gang Dance: Saint Dymphna
Okkervil River: The Stand-Ins
Shearwater: Rook
Tobacco: Fucked Up Friends
Library Tapes: A Summer Beneath the Trees
Skeletons: Money
Sun Kil Moon: April
1. Fleet Foxes: Fleet Foxes. One of my favorite live acts of 2008. What hasn't been said about this band that needs to be covered? I'm sure you've heard it, and I'm sure that you at like, if not love it. Gorgeous harmonies, simple instrumentation with a spacious sound, an absolute classic, and an indomitable debut album.
2. Deerhunter: Microcastle. I loved Cryptograms, but I think this release is miles ahead of the former. Clearly divided into two halves by the very well done middle ambient section, it's perfect all the way through. The integration of doo-wop chord progressions and vocal melodies into shoegaze aesthetics (especially notable on "Neither of Us, Uncertainly" and "Twilight at Carbon Lake") is a surprisingly suitable combination. Hopefully you already have this one.
3. Born Ruffians: Red, Yellow & Blue. I've already said enough about this record... just go out and get it.
4. Son Lux: At War with Walls and Mazes. Recently named NPR's best unknown artist, he was the first artist I blogged about. It's still a stunning album, and nearly perfect straight through. My favorite track remains "Stand". That song is just a visceral, cathartic experience.
5. Why?: Alopecia. Yoni Wolf's excellent wordplay coupled with the groups skewed approach to pop music makes for a fantastic record. The lyrics are very candid, often uncomfortably so, but it makes the album even better.
6. Beach House: Devotion. A perfect record for the browns and oranges of autumn, Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally's sepia toned ballads are timeless. Maybe I have a weakness for heartbroken women or something, if this list is any indication.
7. My Brightest Diamond: A Thousand Shark's Teeth. Another record I blogged about way back in this blog's nascency, Miss Worden captured my heart. And my ears. She conveys sorrow so beautifully, writes great arrangements, and has an absolutely stunning voice.
8. Bonnie "Prince" Billy: Lie Down in the Light. I haven't been in the mood for this record for awhile, which nearly made me discount it from this list. But then I listened again, and remembered that it's one of his best records, and great straight through. His most overtly religious outing yet, and redemptive and joyous at the end.
9. School of Seven Bells: Alpinisms. One of the first albums I reviewed for Tiny Mixtapes. A beautiful debut album, nearly every song is a gem. I think "Sempiternal/Amaranth" drags on for a bit too long, and after awhile, some of the tracks become less and less discernible, but it's such a cohesive collection that it's hard to find fault.
10. Portishead: Third. Beth Gibbons sounds terrified on this album. And I love it for that. At times claustrophobic ("Machine Gun"), others spacious and expansive ("Hunter"), the stark arrangements and noir-ish vibe of Third are unforgettable.
11. Wolf Parade: At Mount Zoomer
12. Cut Copy: In Ghost Colours
13. Department of Eagles: In Ear Park
14. Flying Lotus: Los Angeles
15. TV On the Radio: Dear Science
16. Atlas Sound: Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel
17. Fennesz: Black Sea
18. Hauschka: Ferndorf
19. The Dodos: Visiter
20. Los Campesinos!: We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
Honorable Mentions:
Grouper: Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill
Electric President: Sleep Well
Paavoharju: Llaulu Laakson Kukista
Emeralds: Solar Bridge
Anathallo: Canopy Glow
Gang Gang Dance: Saint Dymphna
Okkervil River: The Stand-Ins
Shearwater: Rook
Tobacco: Fucked Up Friends
Library Tapes: A Summer Beneath the Trees
Skeletons: Money
Sun Kil Moon: April
Friday, December 26, 2008
Year-end reflection: part 2
Here are some of my favorite tracks from albums not covered in my top 25 list. This is neither comprehensive nor ranked in any way. Sorry that I couldn't find a place to stream Welcome Wagon or Horse Feathers.
1) High Places: "From Stardust to Sentience", from High Places- This song is simply sublime. I have conflicting feelings towards High Places, as Mary Pearson's tranquil vocals are often just too detached, too tranquil, but they work very well here. Rob Barber's clattering percussion and hypnotic glassy tones form a perfect background. I could listen to this song on repeat for quite a while.
2) Four Tet: "Ribbons", from the Ringer EP- One of the best tracks Kieran Hebden has ever made. The straight 4/4 beat is a marked departure from his typically more slipshod approach. The unfurling, burbling synth arpeggios in this song are just beautiful.
3) Beach House: "Used to Be", from the Used to Be 7"- I've already rambled about this song in the past, but it's remained one of my favorites from the year, even the past few years. Gorgeous, melancholy, nostalgic, dreamy- the quintessential beach house track.
4) The Welcome Wagon: "Up On a Mountain", from Welcome to the Welcome Wagon
- Monique Aiuto's childlike vocals add a perfect sense of innocence to this very honest song about Jesus. Their unabashed spirituality comes through in this track (as well as nearly every other on their debut album). Sufjan Stevens provides tasteful arrangements and quiet harmonies; it truly does sound like a small room of friends getting together to sing, and it's a comforting, welcome (pun not intended) quality.
5) Fuck Buttons: "Sweet Love for Planet Earth", from Street Horrrsing- I saw this track live earlier this year, and it was simply one of the most visceral live music experiences I've ever partaken in. Tranquil, almost haphazard bell tones are cut through with dirty, jagged sawtooth waves, culminating with a combination of throbbing, brutal sawtooth waves and distorted screams from Benjamin John Power.
6) Pas/Cal: "You Were Too Old for Me", from I Was Raised on Matthew, Mark, Luke & Laura- This song is so enthralling because of its gradual evolution, until the very last note. I blogged about this over the summer, and I hope it's familiar to some of you by now.
7) Bowerbirds: "Hooves", from Hymns for a Dark Horse- The opening notes of this song still make me think of Andrew Bird. The lilting melody here is as hummable as many of Bird's, and just as pretty. The accordion typically annoys me, but its use is so subtle here, and I can't imagine the song without it.
8) Horse Feathers: "Curs of the Weeds", from House With no Name- The spare production and hushed vocals make for a truly intimate listening experience (and I hate saying things like that). The vocal melody is amazing.
9) DM Stith: "Just Once", from the Curtain Speech EP- This was likely overlooked by many due to its December eighth release date. A shame, as this designer and musician is one of the most promising acts on the Asthmatic Kitty roster. Many of his songs have an eerie, haunting quality, and this is no exception.
10) Hot Chip: "Ready for the Floor", from Made in the Dark. A fun, fantastically done song. Perfect, actually; there isn't a single aspect I would change about it.
1) High Places: "From Stardust to Sentience", from High Places- This song is simply sublime. I have conflicting feelings towards High Places, as Mary Pearson's tranquil vocals are often just too detached, too tranquil, but they work very well here. Rob Barber's clattering percussion and hypnotic glassy tones form a perfect background. I could listen to this song on repeat for quite a while.
2) Four Tet: "Ribbons", from the Ringer EP- One of the best tracks Kieran Hebden has ever made. The straight 4/4 beat is a marked departure from his typically more slipshod approach. The unfurling, burbling synth arpeggios in this song are just beautiful.
3) Beach House: "Used to Be", from the Used to Be 7"- I've already rambled about this song in the past, but it's remained one of my favorites from the year, even the past few years. Gorgeous, melancholy, nostalgic, dreamy- the quintessential beach house track.
4) The Welcome Wagon: "Up On a Mountain", from Welcome to the Welcome Wagon
- Monique Aiuto's childlike vocals add a perfect sense of innocence to this very honest song about Jesus. Their unabashed spirituality comes through in this track (as well as nearly every other on their debut album). Sufjan Stevens provides tasteful arrangements and quiet harmonies; it truly does sound like a small room of friends getting together to sing, and it's a comforting, welcome (pun not intended) quality.
5) Fuck Buttons: "Sweet Love for Planet Earth", from Street Horrrsing- I saw this track live earlier this year, and it was simply one of the most visceral live music experiences I've ever partaken in. Tranquil, almost haphazard bell tones are cut through with dirty, jagged sawtooth waves, culminating with a combination of throbbing, brutal sawtooth waves and distorted screams from Benjamin John Power.
6) Pas/Cal: "You Were Too Old for Me", from I Was Raised on Matthew, Mark, Luke & Laura- This song is so enthralling because of its gradual evolution, until the very last note. I blogged about this over the summer, and I hope it's familiar to some of you by now.
7) Bowerbirds: "Hooves", from Hymns for a Dark Horse- The opening notes of this song still make me think of Andrew Bird. The lilting melody here is as hummable as many of Bird's, and just as pretty. The accordion typically annoys me, but its use is so subtle here, and I can't imagine the song without it.
8) Horse Feathers: "Curs of the Weeds", from House With no Name- The spare production and hushed vocals make for a truly intimate listening experience (and I hate saying things like that). The vocal melody is amazing.
9) DM Stith: "Just Once", from the Curtain Speech EP- This was likely overlooked by many due to its December eighth release date. A shame, as this designer and musician is one of the most promising acts on the Asthmatic Kitty roster. Many of his songs have an eerie, haunting quality, and this is no exception.
10) Hot Chip: "Ready for the Floor", from Made in the Dark. A fun, fantastically done song. Perfect, actually; there isn't a single aspect I would change about it.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Record Review: Born Ruffians
Born RuffiansRed, Yellow & Blue
[2008, Warp Records]
4.5/5
I wrote this for Music in Review online, but can't supply a direct link. So, here's the review. My third favorite album of 2008.
After a few measures of stark fingerpicking and a muttered vocal melody, Luke Lalonde muses about starting his own country, and what its flag’s color choices would symbolize. This sort of optimistic naïveté establishes a precedent that the band follows for the next thirty-nine minutes. They chronicle their frustrations, aspirations, and ever-prevalent longing in a nearly flawless set of succinct, intricate songs.
The group employs the classic pop idiom of playing upbeat music that belies lyrical angst. Despite their restricted cache of instruments (drums, bass and a guitar), Born Ruffians create frenetic, engrossing music. Steven Hamelin provides furious, non-traditional drum work (check “Hummingbird” or “Kurt Vonnegut”), and Mitch Derosier brings melodic bass lines. Most remarkable though, is Luke Lalonde’s voice. His unhinged, yelpy vocal style sounds not unlike a younger Avey Tare with an even more expressive range. He wails and yells (“Badonkadonkey”), but is more than capable of settling down for a low-key campfire sing-a-long (“Little Garçon”).
The songwriting is candid, vulnerable, and unpretentious. On “Barnacle Goose” and “I Need a Life”, he sings of dissatisfaction with who he’s become, lost in an existential malaise. On “Foxes Mate for Life” and “Hedonistic Me”, the singer seems earnest in his devotion to a significant other, yet seems to be primarily driven by lust and chemistry in “In a Mirror”. Though there’s nothing particularly groundbreaking covered here, it’s all conveyed in a way that’s near-universally relatable. Who hasn’t been dissatisfied with who they are, and who hasn’t felt conflicted and confused between love and lust? Though the subjects seem somber in print, there’s an underlying resilience and conviction in this band, seen most clearly in the group shouted “We’re not gonna die like this!” on “Hummingbird”.
Rusty Santos’ restrained production is immediately noticeable. Unlike other records he’s produced (among them the seminal Sung Tongs and Person Pitch), Red, Yellow & Blue seems almost bereft of effects -- even the nowadays ubiquitous reverb. The songs all sound as if they were recorded in a tiny room, a room that you inhabit along with the band. Guitars and vocals are trebly and right against your ears, and the bass isn’t very pronounced. At first the feeling was almost uncomfortable, but the more I listened, I grew to love the unique qualities of the recording, whose quirks reflect those of the band members. Most importantly, the absence of effects for the majority of the record greatly accentuates the moments when they’re included. On “I Need a Life”, solemn piano chords resonate in the build to the song’s cathartic release, and the subtle use of vocal reverb on “Hedonistic Me” and “Barnacle Goose” is a small but crucial touch.
Red, Yellow & Blue is simply one of the most fun records of 2008. Though it was well received upon release in early 2008, it’s been criminally overlooked on nearly every year-end list from major publications. And this is just nonsense. It’s an album that’s immediately accessible yet bears startling depth upon examination, and flows perfectly from start to finish.
Listen
Buy it
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Year-end reflection: part 1
The sites I contribute to have released their year-end lists and articles today, so I'd like to direct your attention to Tiny Mixtapes and Music in Review Online. I'm copying my contribution to the TMT festivities below. I wrote a bunch of track commentary ("best tracks of '08") for MIR, but have to say that my choices for those spots are still being decided in my head, if they ever are. I will say that AC's "Water Curses" was my favorite track of '08. Whatever, read if you like, and feel free to comment.
Animal Collective- "Water Curses"-Water Curses EP
The opening windup of “Water Curses” sees an anxious group of swimmers gathered at the edge of an undisturbed lagoon, about to jump into the welcoming blue. Their bodies crash through the glassy surface, and their playful thrashing roils the water into choppy, frothing waves. Or maybe those few seconds see the nervous prey getting a head start in a chase through the rainforest, as if “The Most Dangerous Game” were enjoyable for both parties. Ridiculous metaphorical situations aside, “Water Curses” is one of the most ebullient songs of the year. Animal Collective has never sounded so carefree and breezy, but, as usual, the joyful music belies an unsettling murk beneath it. The unrelenting drums indeed call to mind a chase; a warped mariachi band shows up at some point, and Avey Tare’s unsettling, obscure lyrics — sung in his naïve falsetto — further contribute to the polarized-yet-cohesive, unforgettable feel of “Water Curses.” Though this EP didn’t sate my hunger for the band’s next album, it did provide a concise example of a quintessential Animal Collective song.
Animal Collective- "Water Curses"-Water Curses EP
The opening windup of “Water Curses” sees an anxious group of swimmers gathered at the edge of an undisturbed lagoon, about to jump into the welcoming blue. Their bodies crash through the glassy surface, and their playful thrashing roils the water into choppy, frothing waves. Or maybe those few seconds see the nervous prey getting a head start in a chase through the rainforest, as if “The Most Dangerous Game” were enjoyable for both parties. Ridiculous metaphorical situations aside, “Water Curses” is one of the most ebullient songs of the year. Animal Collective has never sounded so carefree and breezy, but, as usual, the joyful music belies an unsettling murk beneath it. The unrelenting drums indeed call to mind a chase; a warped mariachi band shows up at some point, and Avey Tare’s unsettling, obscure lyrics — sung in his naïve falsetto — further contribute to the polarized-yet-cohesive, unforgettable feel of “Water Curses.” Though this EP didn’t sate my hunger for the band’s next album, it did provide a concise example of a quintessential Animal Collective song.
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