OUR WEEKLY COLLECTION OF SHORTER REVIEWS | |
Silver Scooter,
Ashley Stove,
Hangin' From The Devil's Tree,
XBXRX,
Film School,
Ran Away to Sea,
Baby Carrot,
Dallas Orbiter,
The Moon & Sixpence,
Genevieve Letarte,
Ashen,
Captain T,
Bingo Trappers,
Bugs Eat Books,
Jim Knable,
The Leela Fiasco,
One World,
SuperTC,
Further Seems Forever,
Requiems of Revulsion: a Tribute to Carcass,
Scannerfunk,
Paloma,
Bridget Jones's Diary (Soundtrack),
Idea,
Mojo Bisquits,
Midiboy |
 |
Silver Scooter / The Blue Law / Peek-A-Boo
(CD)
Silver Scooter season their subdued, jangly guitar pop with a slight dash
of bookish weirdness. The sound is silky smooth with a warm, enveloping
ambiance reminiscent of the Eels minus the keys. While the album varies
nicely between more agitated songs ("Black Stars") and dreamier tracks such
as the reverbed "Dirty Little Bar", I find the mid-tempo songs more
effective. In particular, the opening number, "Goodbye", is a perfect
example of the intelligent rock that populated college radio before
Nirvana hit. Finely crafted and slyly personable, this quartet's third
release invokes some excellent memories of cutting class on the first day
of spring and drinking beer on the front porch. In fact, I'm going to put
this album on, finish this review, and go have a beer in the sun right now.
-- rd
|
 |
Ashley Stove / All Summer Long / Merge (CD)
With every sweaty beat, All Summer Long evokes the mood its name promises. This CD is the soundtrack to play in an East Coast beach house rented
by a group of friends in July. It makes me long for a Negro Modelo with salt and lime on the rim, though at the beginning of spring, that's all
most office-dwellers are thinking of anyway -- beaches and beer. Hook and melody-driven, the disc should please the fans of power pop, but it's no ground-breaker. Two of the four members of Ashley Stove, Ben Barwick and Jennifer Walker-Barwick, have played with Mac McCaughan in Portastatic. While the similarities between Ashley Stove and Superchunk go beyond a shared label, the Stove is not merely a cheap knock-off; they're far more melodic and less manic. They
don't rock so much as jangle chords politely. Those who find Superchunk a bit too hard-driving for their tastes (weepy Sarah McLachlan fans take note) will think that
Ashley Stove hits exactly the right RPM. Their lyrics are perfectly quirky, as "A Secret Secret" proves: "Sutures and Alka-Seltzer / you wouldn't let anyone help ya / You've got control of
everything". They mostly cover done-and-discussed subjects like crushes, smooth girls with dangerous edges and sunny days...but then, summertime is the perfect time to let your brain melt in the heat, if beach reading and drunken dune-buggy races are anything to go by. -- js
|
 |
Various Artists / Hangin' From The Devil's Tree /
Your Flesh (CD)
It's not easy to assemble a CD that adequately expresses the
"spirit" of a print mag, but Hangin' From The Devil's
Tree, which both celebrates and benefits the venerable
Your Flesh, pulls it off. Hangin's content
runs the gamut from punk to proto-metal to stoner rock and
out-there jazz; it's an eclectic mixture of serious riffs,
serious noise and serious rock. The juxtaposition of
artists provides for some wonderful moments, particularly
when the cacophonous jazz of The Vandermark 5 w/ Wolter
Wierbos' "8K (for Peter Brötzmann)" leads into the
lo-fi sleaze of Monster Magnet's "Freakshop USA". If you've
been exposed to a lot of twee pop, this is the perfect way
to detox, since the only remotely lighthearted music is
found in the background of Michael Gerald's amusing
"Wisconsin Architecture, Game and Fish (The token spoken
word piece)". As if helping Your Flesh recoup the
expenses from their recent distro-related lawsuit wasn't
reason enough to buy Hangin' From The Devil's Tree,
you get tracks from Thurston Moore, Turbo Negro, Electric
Airlines, Cobra Verde, Rocket from the Crypt, Bluebird, The
BellRays and a bunch of other worthy bands. The majority of
the material is previously unreleased. Yeah, it fuckin'
rocks. Yeah, you need to own this. -- gz
|
 |
XBXRX / Gop Ist Minee / 5RC (CD)
At this year’s SXSW, many festival-goers were blown away by the
awesome, if fleeting, sight of XBXRX. Having not
actually been there myself, I simply have to take their word for it.
But after hearing Gop Ist Minee, the group’s mini-album produced by (of
all people) Steve Albini, I can see how they would be something
to see. Combining a new-wave sensibility with obvious hardcore leanings,
this quintet from God knows where (Alabama?) whips up a frenzy the likes of which I
have not seen for some time. Coming across like DEVO devouring the head
of The Locust while guzzling sulfuric acid, these twelve apparently nameless songs flutter, bleep
and thrash about like wild dogs in need of spaying. If you're looking for
an adventure, find yourself a copy of Gop Ist Minee -- then watch
for these kids to come to a town near you and prepare to be amazed...and
possibly kicked in the face. -- jj
|
 |
Film School / Brilliant Career / MeToo! (CD)
Film School is a beautiful, shimmering exhibit of crisp guitars and drawn-out musical pinnacles. Whispering through compelling and serene guitar-melded melodies, the majority of songs here are relaxing even though they have the ability to engulf you with their impressive
aural magnitude. Sounding a little like Pavement and Windsor for the Derby,
Film School does a solid job alternating
between quiet, layered tracks and booming, orchestrated expressions that
dwarf the surroundings with their powerful presence. "American Turnip"'s
grandiose display of evolving guitar riffs sets the tone for Brilliant
Career, while "Road to the Sunchairs" combines experimental sounds with
steady rock rhythms, showcasing the disc's diversity. Vocalist/guitarist
Burton has capably merged space rock with inquisitive, Tortoise-styled
post-rock to produce an album that perks your curiosity with its addictive
rhythms, but also tests your mind with its intricacy and moody arrangements. -- am
|
 |
Ran Away To Sea / I Won't Tell A Soul Except The World / Burnt Toast Vinyl (CD)
I Won't Tell A Soul Except The World opens pretty much like a large
majority of indie pop/rock releases. You'll hear jangly guitars, earnest vocals
with odd and slightly maligned lyrics, a band member pounding it out on the
keyboards, just the right amount of distortion, the use of random sound
effects -- you get the picture. Thankfully, I like that sort of thing.
Standout moments include "Breakthrough", a gut-wrenching tale that spurs thoughts of old loves who got married before you, and the haunting "I Haven't Slept". The latter is one of the
strongest tracks, packed with swirling, driving guitars and utterly beautiful
and simplistic keyboards. While I Won't Tell A Soul... won't blow
you away with anything revolutionary, it deserves a place under the
classification of Recommended, But Not Quite Essential, Listening. -- al
|
 |
Baby Carrot have been around for almost a decade, but San Francisco doesn't mind
the loitering, historically unproductive band and its layabout ways. The
city endures, and even likes them, because Baby Carrot perform their
less-than-original indie music with affection and charm. Given the comparisons to
Superchunk, the striking number of slow, acoustic numbers comes as a
surprise, but they're all rather fun. "Kids These Days" wisely instructs
fellow band members to "never fall flat on your face", while "Glasses" puts
a nice perspective on blindness ("That's okay/there's nothing much to look
at nohow") that Stevie Wonder would appreciate. These fellas simply seem
like cool, contented guys worth befriending. They're not brilliant
musicians, though, and their casual approach to music will continue to serve
as both their greatest attribute and their downfall. Each song here is a
pleasant trifle -- the sort of thing you enjoy, but never feel a compelling need to hear again. -- td
|
 |
Dallas Orbiter / Self-Titled /
Self-Released (CD)
I'm having a hard time placing this one in the grand hierarchy of smart
but noodly space-rock bands. It's definitely on the poppier side of
things, with some decent melodies and fairly normal song forms. But then
there's that wonderful farfisa in the background, threatening to
send things off into spaceland, adding just the right warbly strangeness
to what might otherwise be a pleasantly mellow but unremarkable pop
song. With layered choruses, thick and swirly instrumental sections and
peculiar but lovely vocals, this is the sort of thing that you can
really get lost in. Some tunes, like "Sketchingairborneisabel", get a
little close to Queen-like drama for my tastes, but in general this is an
intriguing, absorbing sample of a band that seems intent on carving out
a little chunk of outer space music for its own. -- ib
|
 |
The Moon & Sixpence / This Is... / Uncarved Block
(7")
Though I wasn't bowled over by this California five-piece,
there's some nice stuff going on here. "They All Fell For
You" starts things out in a pleasing, garage-y vein, a
la Pavement and the Fall. Subsequent tunes add
appropriately edgy keyboards; "Anomie Naomi" is a rough pop
diamond, while "The Groom is Gone" heads away from three
minute pop song structure, opting for a less predictable
framework. As I said, nothing here is a radical departure
from anything you've heard before, but it's all thoroughly
listenable. -- gz
|
 |
Genevieve Letarte / Chansons d'un Jour / Dame (CD)
What? You weren't out looking for an eclectic album by a 45-year-old
French-Canadian multidisciplinary artist? Genevieve Letarte appears
before us anyway with this beautiful, surprising disc. A poet, spoken
word performer and author of three novels, Letarte sings with an
offhanded grace, and her songs sound like lyrical conversations with a
close friend -- one you might not be able to follow, if you're not a
French speaker, but Letarte's entrancing voice and the easygoing warmth
of the songs make that seem like a negligible problem. Chansons d'un
Jour ("Songs of One Day") mixes smoky jazz and mid-tempo rock with
Old World folk music and light touches supplied by accordian and dobro.
The crisply produced album includes some unusual arrangements, such as
the double-tracked vocals that provide counterpoint rather than harmony,
and songs that are well worth hearing whether you understand them or
not. The music here succeeds in transcending the boundaries of
language. -- rt
|
 |
Ashen / No Other Comfort / Two Sheds Music (CD)
Another sweet and endearing indie pop outfit has reared its head, this
time in Yorkville, Georgia. You know -- Yorkville! Don't pretend you
haven't been there a thousand times before. Ashen, with delicate
female vocals that lilt over brittle, melodic guitar lines, offers a
glimpse of hope for rock. While the tracks tend to run together a bit,
this young outfit is off to an auspicious start. Cuts such as "Three to
Start" harken back to other Southern pop upstarts, such as June and
Pylon. This cut's delicate guitar and halting vocals do nothing if not
charm. Most other cuts, including "Far Away", stomp on the effects
pedals and push the crunch guitars to the fore. The result is catchy,
but not quite as memorable as the more delicate songs. These Georgians
might be on to something. Keep an eye on them. -- rg
|
 |
Captain T / Sinister Ambassador / Artificial (CD)
Alien-abducted Captain T returns with his guitar and another round of
glitzy Hollywood-rockdom-via-NYC. This time around, the Captain and his
masked crew of rock 'n' roll marauders seem to have a hankerin' for a
little bit of surf, a taste for metal licks and a whole lot of attitude.
The familiar rock-laced numbers are the most prevalent, espousing a spacey
assault of permutated, ear-damaging vocals and tainted, bizarre lyrics.
Besides incorporating a 20+ minute epic into this eight track CD, the
Captain continues his obsession with burning guitar licks, drugs, thoughts
of superstardom and faux-metal arena rock, delivering another unmarked
parcel of amusing and rousing music. Will someone ever unmask this
mysterious man? -- am
|
 |
Bingo Trappers / Juanita Avenue / Animal World
(CD)
Despite sharing members with Solex's live band, the Bingo Trappers lack
Solex's engaging inventiveness. Instead of Solex's curious melange of sounds,
the band plods down the same well-worn indie-rock trails, although they
add intermittent country flourishes. The first half of the disc holds
true to indie production methods -- i.e. it sounds like the songs were recorded inside a
mattress with a heavy hum blanketing all the sonics. Despite the low-tech sound, this
Danish band occasionally hits upon an interesting track. The best of
these apparently nameless songs (how I wish they would've included track titles) comes off like a
Ringo-penned Beatles tune. Driven by slightly kooky guitars and featuring a
harmonica solo, the song has the innocent, off-beat charm of "Yellow
Submarine". Unfortunately, that cannot be said for most of the album; the bulk
of the material here bogs down the lighter, better work. -- rd
|
 |
Bugs Eat Books / All Sixes and Sevens EP / Bumblebear (7")
There are four tracks here, all of them summery pop melodies
bolstered with enthusiastic adolescent-sounding vocals. The
music is cheerful, often bouncy, but never twee; the
melodies are too robust and the vocals, while youngish,
never lapse into preciousness. Ironically, the EP's most
distinctive song, "8:16 (and time to kill)" sports the most
sing-song delivery, but it works well, giving the vocals a
bit of extra oomph. "Turncoat Redcoat", which shares the
B-side, hints at a Television Personalities sound: the
melodies are simple and a little hesitant, but likeable. I
doubt that All Sixes and Sevens will set your world
on fire, but it's a promising start -- and, as a bonus,
features one of the most charming pieces of cover art I've
ever seen. -- gz
|
 |
It's not news that listening to a CD and attending a performance are two
very different experiences. You can get really excited after
seeing a band perform live, but then be disappointed when you buy
their CD; there are certain kinds of energy that are very difficult to
capture in a recording. Of course the opposite can happen, too -- who
hasn't gone to see a favorite band for the first time and been sorely
disappointed by a lackluster performance? I've never seen Jim Knable
perform live, but I get the sense from this CD that he's a terrific
performer and that an awful lot of his music's power comes from an
audience's interaction with him and the music. The songs on Miles are
interesting and well performed, and there's a definite "friendly
singer-songwriter" vibe to the whole package. But despite some very nice
lyrics and a fine voice, I find that I'm not really drawn into these songs
in the way I think I would be if I saw them performed live. They're cute and intimate -- two qualities that only really work for me if I
have some intimate knowledge of their source. Luckily, Knable seems to
play out in NYC a lot, so if you get a chance I think he'd definitely be
worth checking out. This is an impressive, lyrics-based folk/rock CD; I
think that it will be even more compelling once I have a real person to
connect to the songs. -- ib
|
 |
The Leela Fiasco / Smoke & Mirrors / Leela Fiasco (CD)
Wilmington, North Carolina is one of the coolest cities on Earth; it's home
to Dennis Hopper, Dawson's Creek and some of my favorite cousins, as well
as providing the background town shots to all your favorite commercials.
It's therefore not surprising that Wilmington is also home to bands that want to
be mistaken for Tortoise, though their opening track veers more toward a Grateful Dead
jam. The musicians don't seem to be going anywhere with "Face
Front", and even if you play it loud as possible, it sounds like music you
want acid to drown out. For DeadHeads, the good news is that every other
song on Smoke & Mirrors follows this route, making me absolutely
mystified as to how the press release can claim the music powerful. It's peaceful,
don't-give-a-shit music, at best; at worst, it's a recorded
document of street musicians playing music for the stars, all the time
hoping for a big payment from Katie Holmes to keep them quiet. May Hollywood
always keep money in Katie's pockets. -- td
|
 |
Various Artists / One World / Lusafrica (CD)
French record label Lusafrica says it is concerned with the
exploration of
the music of "the Portuguese world and beyond." With that
in mind, this
sampler presents music from artists from Cape Verde, Angola,
Cuba,
Cameroon, Corsica and Ivory Coast. It is generally more
Latin-sounding than
African-sounding -- lots of passionate acoustic guitar,
soulful violins and
mournful accordions -- but its cross cultural tendencies are
not to hard to
hear. Orquesta Aragon's "La Reina Isabel" is a smoldering
samba. Fantcha
might well be the Cape Verdian Billie Holliday; her voice is
deep and sad on
the ballad "Diva de Pé Nu". Meiway's "Le Gbouniac"
melds African pop
with hip-hop to fairly pleasant effect. As far as
French-language rap goes,
these natives of Ivory Coast are no MC Solaar, but they're
not bad either.
In all, this iteration of One World is well-done --
an impressive
collection of world music that would be difficult to find
elsewhere. -- nw
|
 |
Super TC / Self-Titled / Longynis (CD)
Detroit's Super TC could easily be the missing link between the edgy, guitar-laden Jellyfish and the later day solo workings of Jason Falkner. On this self-titled offering, the band interweaves hook-laden guitar melodies with straight-ahead pop/rock, creating an album as energetic as it is catchy. Songs like "Turn You Down" and "Can't Decide" explode with gorgeous vocals that wrap themselves around big, but not quite gaudy guitars, while "Hello" infuses the album with a Latin rythmic flavor, fashioning a sprawling pop epic of considerable urgency and heart. This is an exquisite mix of pop songs that will linger in your memory long after the first few spins. -- jw
|
 |
Further Seems Forever / Moon is Down / Tooth & Nail (CD)
When I listen to Moon is Down, all I can think about is what could have
been. As many of you already know, lead singer/lyricist Christopher
Carrabba has left FSF in order to pursue his side-project, Dashboard
Confessional, on a full-time basis. In the wake of his departure the
band has made the decision to go on without him -- which after listening
to this, their debut album proper, doesn't seem like the wisest of choices.
For all its guitar-driven bravado, the true heart of Moon is Down
lies in Carrabba’s spectacular vocals and insightful lyrical lamentations.
As much as another vocalist might try, lines like "go your own
way, I’ll be with you, make mistakes and I’ll forgive you" (from
"Wearing Thin") probably won't sound right coming from the mouth
of anyone other than Carrabba. In their defense, the remaining
members of the band do a stellar job here, constructing ten
moving and powerful musical foundations and employing a complex melodic
interplay of guitars and rambunctious percussion to
emphasize their points. Songs like "The Bradley" and "Madison Prep" show
a melodic intuition comparable to that of stalwarts like Jimmy Eat
World or Mineral. Ultimately, though Further Seems Forever may well attain a high
level of success without Carrabba, Moon is Down points to how good
the future could have sounded. -- jj
|
 |
Various Artists / Requiems of Revulsion: a Tribute to Carcass / Death Vomit
(CD)
Who would ever have thought that grisly grindcore artist Carcass would
eventually merit their own tribute album? This UK outfit
single-handedly introduced the largest and most medically articulate
vocabulary into the metal scene, taking the genre to a level of comparatively
"higher intelligence." Featuring bands like Impaled, General Surgery,
Cattle Decapitation and Pig Destroyer, this compilation takes the already
extreme music of Carcass and ups the ante with today's death metal
fanatics. There are still plenty of hammering drums, crashing cymbals and
guttural vocal howlings to creep you out, as favorite tracks like
"Empathological Necroticism" and "Swarming Vulgar Mass of Infected
Virulency" take on a new life (or is that a new death?). It's still not a
replacement for the almighty Carcass, but this compilation does a great job
paying homage to the doctors of death metal with another round of brutality
and disemboweling metal fortitude, spit forth with just the right
combination to make any metal fan grimace with pleasure. -- am
|
 |
Scannerfunk / Wave of Light by Wave of Light / Sulphur (CD)
I’m not familiar with Robin Rimbaud’s work as plain old Scanner, but
all indications lead me to believe that his album as Scannerfunk is
something of a departure for him -— it's less experimental and more dance oriented.
Normally I find electronica annoying in the extreme, but Wave of Light by
Wave of Light is actually pretty good, even to a hostile listener like
me. At its best moments it sounds like Kraftwerk (which is, in my opinion, what all
electronica should sound like). The song "Cosy Veneer" was supposedly
created by translating a photograph of Lenny Kravitz into sound information.
That’s a pretty cool idea. -- az
|
 |
Paloma features Coco Love Alcorn, formerly a jazz singer and the daughter of one of Canada's better jazz musicians, crooning an updated
R&B/quasi-techno mix. She writes all her own songs, and is the frontwoman for this five-piece band, whose members make up the popular Canadian pop group 54-40 (for whom she
sings backup). The fairly sensual lyrics match her creamy, super-lipsticky (Porsche-red lipstick, by the way) voice. At least two of the song titles feature food -- "Chocolate Cake" and "Donut Shop" -- and you know how Freud feels about things oral, guys. Picture Sade with some street cred or Basia with hipness, and you'll sort of
have an idea of Alcorn's performance, and therefore Paloma. Don't give up your R. Kelly CDs yet, but definitely make room for Paloma on your R&B shelves. Owners of Kimono stock will thank you graciously. -- js
|
 |
Various Artists / Original Soundtrack: Bridget
Jones's Diary / Island (CD)
Okay, I'll admit it: Helen Fielding's two Bridget
Jones novels are something of a guilty pleasure
chez us. That said, I had my doubts about the
inevitable film version. It turned out to be pretty good,
but this soundtrack did little to inspire confidence.
Let's be fair, though; Bridget wouldn't resemble a hip indie-rock chick unless that's
what Cosmopolitan is telling women to be this month.
Though Robbie Williams' take on "Have You Met Miss Jones",
Jamie O'Neal's cringeworthy version of "All By Myself" and
Geri Haliwell's unnecessary photocopy-cover of the Weather
Girls' "It's Raining Men" are, as Bridget might put it, v.
bad, they're probably in line with the character's tastes.
I mean, hell, any soundtrack with Chaka Khan's "I'm Every
Woman" on it isn't exactly screaming "Hey, heterosexual men,
buy me!", is it? Most of the disc amounts to musical
fuckwittage, but there are some inoffensive -- dare I even
say engaging -- songs here. The Shelby
Lynne tracks are quite engaging, the Tracy Bonham song is rather good and the
cuts by Sheryl Crow, Rosey and Alisha's Attic go down
easily. Even the excerpt from Patrick Doyle's score is
charming. In the end, though, this soundtrack seems like
a missed opportunity. -- gz
|
 |
Various Artists / Idea / HUSH (CD)
Unlike some previous HUSH samplers, the only
"idea" behind Idea is to promote the great bands currently making
music for HUSH. The tracks aren't rare, either, but culled from
current album releases -- two tracks apiece from the current HUSH
roster. The whole thing is a promotion
item, pure and simple -- but filled with lush, melancholy songs that seem
well-chosen. For me, the joy (if not surprise) of Idea is
that it now makes me add Reclinerland, Jeff London, and Amy Annelle to the
list of HUSH artists I love. Fancie is grand, too, but her songs waft over me
like an Ornette Coleman number; I have a hard time remembering a note of
"Lovers Who Are Speakers", even as I push the song onto friends. I highly recommend going to HUSH and getting something from any of these artists. Once you do that, you'll get this free promotion item too. After that, expect to buy all the
remaining music from the bands featured here, thereby making Idea an
entirely redundant part of your CD collection. -- td
|
 |
Mojo Bisquits / Self-Titled / Self-Released (CD)
The Mojo Bisquits' sound could have
stumbled, a little hungover but
still smiling at the joy of it all, from any one of the hundreds of coffee houses and artsy bars
that crowd their Raleigh-Durham stomping grounds. Singer and co-lyricist Sarah
Roberts has what sounds at times like a mouthful of Ani Difranco (Nah...too easy. -- Ed.), her
high-pitched, warbling voice gripping each note for a quick second
before moving forward at a staccato pace. Co-writer and guitarist Cody
Nickell and percussionist David Birchfield try hard to keep up, but
their understated arrangements provide the gentlest of accompaniment and
are often overwhelmed by the strength of Roberts' voice. Not
surprisingly, "Addicted to Sex" grips most immediately, although its
humorous talking blues aren't particularly representative. A religious
undercurrent flows through the songs ("Sex" notwithstanding), and "151"
proves to be moving in its simple, unveiled declaration of faith. These ten
songs convey a down-home, undefineably Southern charm; the folk-rock
tradition in which this album travels is no longer a new road, but there
are worse paths to tread. -- rt
|
 |
Midiboy / Stating the Obvious / Self-Released (CD)
Midiboy blends an upbeat helping of synths and
electronica to form the pop-counterpart of The Ten
Commandments. Stating the Obvious
is a Christian conceptualized musical-narrative
detailing one man's fall from grace and eventual
return to the Lord. The album alternates between being a
plausible attempt at music and a sort of didactic synth-pop
storytime. When Stating the Obvious attempts to make a concise
musical statement, there's really nothing to jump
through hoops about; basically, it's an album eighties-style
processed electronica thrown
under a Christian gauze and marketed to kids who think
Alanis Morrisette is threatening. -- jw
|
gz - george zahora | nw - noah wane | am - andrew magilow | ib - irving bellemead | jj - jason jackowiak | td - theodore defosse | rd - ron davies
js - jenn sikes | rg - rodney gibbs | rt - ryan tranquilla | al - amy leach | jw - john wolfe | az - alex zorn
|
|
