OUR WEEKLY COLLECTION OF SHORTER REVIEWS | |
Translucent Songs,
Greg Weeks,
Namelessnumberheadman,
Postal Blue,
Santeros y Saleros,
Brazen Hussies,
Dry and Heavy,
C. Jane Run,
Jeff Dernlan,
DJ Craze,
The Living End,
Rahul Sakyaputra,
Planetarium,
The Gift: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack,
Velvet Acid Christ,
Helms,
Shai, Son of Eli,
The Mentals,
Kid With Man Head,
JLIAT
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Translucent Songs / The Walking Wounded / Collective
(CD)
This collaboration between Robert Realmuto and Dillon DeWaters is
deceivingly simple. Most tracks combine a spare drum sequence with a haunting
string line and softly crooned vocals. Within this modest framework,
however, wonders abound. The hollow whine of the strings in "Some Monday",
the swoon of the lyrics to "Put Our Thoughts Away" and the mechanical
burble of the title track all hide in plain sight, yet only become obvious
with concentrated listening. Even the album's most energetic track, the
Radiohead-like "Talk the Walk", sews its oversaturated keyboards into an
uncluttered tapestry. Much like Radiohead, this duo is at its best when it
deconstructs its songs, tearing them down right to the core. Thankfully, the numbers here focus
on exactly that skill, which makes for an intriguing listen. -- rd
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Greg Weeks / Bleecker Station / Keyhole
(CD)
A disparaging embrace of a relationship failure, Weeks is clearly down in the dumps, traveling glumly from track to
track on Bleecker Station. As you analyze his lonely
situation and try to figure out what happened, it's hard not to get dragged down with Greg
and feel just as depressed. A bitter, loosely played guitar is the only
accompaniment here, lending a fragile-yet-stable support that allows
Weeks' vocals to tremble and turn. Sometimes all that he can manage is a faint, hollow
voice that's obviously the embodiment of a soul that has been shattered like
a pane of glass. Ever wonder what went wrong? What happened? Where someone is
now? And all the while, your body sinks into the mattress as your eyes stare hopelessly at the ceiling? So does Greg, and with these eight tracks you may find some
comfort as you realize that it's a journey everyone has to make -- but you're
by no means alone. -- am
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Namelessnumberheadman / 100,000 Subtle Times / Kneejerk Irony (CD)
Their name might be unwieldy, but Namelessnumberheadman have
succeeded in creating a relatively unique
sound. The first track, "Locked in the Station", asserts it
aggressively; full of layered, new-wavey keyboards and
speaker-taxing low-end rumble, it's a highly danceable piece
of pop. More points are scored by "Douglas Rossback's
Indecision", which mixes orchestral washes of keyboard with
solemn vocals and a variety of nervous, skittery rhythms.
"The More it Stays the Same" follows this up with a
sharp-edged melody that's a little bit industrial, a little
bit cheesy. "A Modern Hymn (all my icons have been
rearranged)" takes that sound further, adding a "Funky
Drummer" proto-hip-hop beat to the equation. I found two
minor strikes against Namelessnumberheadman. First and most
important, their keyboards sound a little too familiar --
perhaps they're relying too much on preset sounds? I don't
know. Second, they sometimes go in for kitchen sinkism,
packing in more rhythm or melody than their songs really
need, which can be distracting. Confidence in their
material and their songwriting skills should help them get
away from this, and on the basis of 100,000 Subtle
Times, such confidence wouldn't be misplaced. -- gz
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Postal Blue / Self-Titled / Drive-In (CD)
Do you like Trembling Blue Stars? If your answer is yes, you are definitely
going to like Postal Blue. Why? They sound exactly like Trembling Blue
Stars. Listening to this four song CD, you will be repeatedly shocked and confused, and you'll think to yourself, "Ah, my Trembling Blue Stars CD
is sounding mighty good." Then you'll do a double take as you remember
your error. This happens with each song. The four songs all sound
about the same. They make that same pastoral, dreamy impression as the
other band I've mentioned a couple of times. Nothing really distunguishes
one song from the next, but all of them are fragile and pretty. Chances
are, if you're into dream-pop, twee and the like, you are going to
appreciate Postal Blue. Consider them Trembling Blue Stars' Brazilian doppelgangers,
(yes, they're from Brazil, though they sing in English),
and prepare to bliss out. Hopefully this band will stick around and
alter their formula a tiny bit. Even if they continue along a path of
mimicry, they'll still be making pleasant, above-average shoegazer-lite
music that's worthy of an audience. -- tnd
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Various Artists / Santeros y Saleros / Real Rhythm
(CD)
Some people take their hobbies very seriously. Tom Muhlemann is an example. Not content with merely being a lawyer in Switzerland, Muhlemann developed an interest in Cuban
music. His passion grew, spurring him to take up the drums. His intrigue continued to blossom, causing him to travel extensively throughout Cuba. Still not sated, he soon began
publishing collections of Cuban music, which leads us to this variety pack of Cuban musical movements. The songs herein represent nearly a dozen styles from as many artists. Most
throb with intensity and emotion, making you feel as if you're on the scene with these bands. A few others, particularly the bands that interpret more familiar cuts such as "Mambo No.
1," come across a bit tame, as if they're merely painting by numbers. It makes one long for Perez Prado's popular but more peppered rendition. Overall, this sampler, augmented by
helpful, though too brief, liner notes, doesn't so much nourish as whet one's appetite for more. -- rg
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Brazen Hussies / Living in Fear of Reprisals / Year 1 (CD)
This is another brutal dose of English punk. It's a sound that's been inhaled plenty of
times before, but it still has an amusing, sloppy edge that reminds me of
what The Breeders would sound like if they were all unbelievably
shit-faced drunk. The three tunes here have a fearlessness that lets the
guitar solos twist by with a careless attitude and the feedback shriek
in the background. "Scrape" underscores a steady flow of ranting vocals with a rumbling backdrop of drums and low-end buzzing, then smartly caps it all off with a catchy chorus of English-accented glory. Bombastic and full of youthful haste, these Brazen Hussies can't be stopped. Your best bet is to put your head down and prepare yourself for a callous bludgeoning that'll begin just as soon as your CD player cues up track one. -- am
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Dry and Heavy / Full Contact / BSI (CD)
For great dub/reggae in a unique context, you need look no further than this
great release from Japan's Dry and Heavy. The opening track, "Dawn is
Breaking", is marvelously rootsy, subliminal, organic, spacy stuff. Likkle Mai's
voice is wonderfully nuanced with an "aged" complexity, though when
she moves into her upper range it takes on a sweet, innocent quality that's
quite comely. The reverb-drenched drum hits are monstrous, the bass is felt
more than heard and the groove slow and steady. And that's just the tip of the
iceberg; the rest of the album is just as good as "Dawn is Breaking"! Other key
tracks include the triumphant, proud reggae anthem "Rumble" and the smooth,
romantic "Love Explosion." "Rumble" benefits strongly from Ao Inoue's
scratchy, sophisticated baritone, and the punchy organ comping helps infuse a
slight house flavor that's kind of fun. It's been quite a while since I've heard a
reggae album this strong. -- nw
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C. Jane Run / Happy / C. Jane Run (CD)
This Albany four-piece embraces the '80s
pop idiom in all its acid-washed glory. Some songs walk on sunshine
(the solid gold "I'm the Hero") while others are merely a new drug (the over
the top interlude "Lori's Lounge" or the play on words of "If You See
Kate"). "Thanks for Nothing" almost puts a little power behind their pop,
but C. Jane Run are more likely to take the sensitive nonsynthesized route,
like the title track. If you're a sucker for hooks and a real sucker
for the repetitive, then this bit of deja vu is for you. -- im
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Jeff Dernlan / Lost in the Fray / Jeff
Dernlan (CD)
However gifted a singer/songwriter Dernlan might be, his
country/Americana rock seems overly familiar. All of Lost in the Fray sounds like stuff we've heard before, from Dernlan's scratchy, liquor-and-cigarette vocals
(think Petty, Springsteen and others of their ilk) to the measured bursts of
pedal steel twang in his songs. The disc also feels a little too
polished and studio-bound, as if it's intended to meet the
comfort level of triple-A radio listeners who want all their
rock as safe and sanitized as Hootie and the Blowfish. I
guess that's understandable; Dernlan's going where the money
is. But there are many, many other Americana-type bands
whose music flourishes without Lost in the Fray's excess
polish, and they seem far more honest and straightforward.
Dernlan's strength is in his lyrics, which are far more thoughtful
and descriptive than the glossy production suggests. Perhaps if he had recorded his album live in a smoky,
nasty bar, it would have a better chance of avoiding the
fate implied by its title. -- gz
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DJ Craze / United DJs of America, Vol. 16 / DMC Publishing (CD)
DJ Craze's scratching, remixing and production on 16 little-known
electronica and hip-hop tracks, combined with his drum-n-bass and hip-hop
sensibilities and turntabilist talents, has produced a easily danceable,
listenable album. Hip-hop is the overwhelming style here rather than
electronica; raps are featured often, and only occasionally are female
voices featured. This album has a rough, gritty, urban feel that draws a bit
from old-school rap styles. The track changes are so smooth that they're
seldom felt, even when Craze shifts from the ladies to the guys and back
again. Standout tracks include Usual Suspects' "Killa Bees (Konflict
remix)", the Pedge's "F Box (Penny Black)" and Supply & Demand's "Show Me".
The latter track features the vocalist's voice looped over and over, which
is more trip- than hip-hop, but all tracks unite in style after
Craze finishes breaking them down. If you've been easing into loving hip-hop
slowly, as I have, Vol. 16 is another step deeper into that
affection. If you love hip-hop and electronica already, this is a definite
must-have for your collection. -- js
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The Living End / Roll On / Reprise (CD)
Oh, no. The Living End, a decent band in the past, seem to have shifted
their influences. On past releases there were hints of The Clash, The
Sex Pistols and maybe Minor Threat. Now everything's a little too
Green Day. That's a bad thing. No song really stands out. There's an
energy to the songs, but it's not the catchy kind that this sort of
music demands. Pummeling guitars are too quick to jump in and destroy
the melodic flow. "Riot on Broadway" is probably the most succesful
song, but it never captures the gloried fun of the band at their peak.
The guys too often try to play the harmony angle, and it simply doesn't
work -- they all sing in the same key. Ardent fans of The Living End
will probably find endless joy, but anyone looking for some bite in their
pop-punk soup might want to keep looking -- try McLusky's "My Pain
and Sadness is More Sad and Painful Than Yours," for starters. The Living
End are beating a dog that should never have survived this far into the history
of melodic punk. -- tnd
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Rahul Sakyaputra / The Denmark Sessions: November 26-29, 1969 / Zemira (CD)
The mystical sounds of sitar echo beautifully on these two ragas, which were originally recorded in 1969. Sakyaputra emits an effortless, vivid spirituality as his hands glide across the sitar strings,
constructing complex and enthusiastic works that are paradoxically
calculated and free flowing at the same time. Each raga creates a soothing aura
that penetrates your body and practically forces you into a reflective, semi-comatose state. Being a
master of the sitar is a feat in its own right, but Rahul's keen skill at
evoking a higher state of meditation is what makes this CD a true
masterpiece. These two pieces not only course through the air around you, but pass through your skin, changing your own material state of consciousness. As a bonus track for long time followers, Sakyaputra gives a brief
eleven-minute narration on his 30th anniversary journey to Denmark. -- am
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Planetarium / Age of Anxiety / Priapus (CD)
Imagine laying on a cold piece of
metal and having waves of electronic static rush over your entire
body. With songs like "Circus Wheel" simultaneously drawing you in and
pushing you away, you're in for a real out-of-body experience. There are
several great moments on this mostly instrumental disc. "Tranquility" is,
surprisingly, a little angry, while "Siberia" will give you the chills.
"Samurai Bamboo Plums" is a personal favourite, but that has more to do with
its relatively short duration (six and a half minutes) and its interesting
name. Planetarium orbits several light years under Godspeed's regime, but it
makes a great industrial ambiance. -- im
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Various Artists / The Gift: Original Motion Picture
Soundtrack / Will (CD)
As I write this, it's starting to look like nobody can quite
figure out how to market Sam Raimi's new film (to which this, on the offchance
that you're a bit slow and didn't notice, is the soundtrack). Is it a tense psychic thriller? Is it a
horror movie? Regardless, the soundtrack is a damn fine
country music sampler. There's a healthy assortment of BIG
names; Loretta Lynn, Waylon Jennings, Merle
Haggard, George Jones, Willie Nelson and Lee Hazelwood are
all included, making Johnny "I Just Released An Album A Few
Months Ago" Cash a conspicuous holdout. A few newer country
voices round out the bill -- Neko Case, The Souvenirs, Amy
Nelson and the always-enjoyable Hasil Adkins. So where the
hell's Kelly Hogan? Beats me. Other than a couple of brief
excerpts from Christopher Young's score for the film,
there's nothing to keep The Gift from being enjoyed
as a sampler of the twangy, non-line-dance-y side of country
music. Everyone should own at least one of those. -- gz
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Velvet Acid Christ / Twisted Thought Generator / Metropolis
(CD)
Bryan Erickson is the wizard behind this electronic curtain, and he takes
you on one hell of a trip. By Erickson's admission, this record is patterned
after Skinny Puppy, and it is comparable to that band's best work. On this
level it gives you what you would expect: fogs of synthesizer snake around
solid drum loops, occasionally parting to reveal vocal snippets and minor
key piano riffs. More importantly, Erickson's attention to variations in sound
sources, as well as the clever manipulation of the samples, keeps the album
interesting, whereas other artists often fall into mind-numbing repetition. While
mid-tempo tracks like "Asphixia (Wasted)" would be trite and dull in the
hands of a lesser composer, Erickson twists the song back upon itself, creating
moments which reflect on the beauty of self-destruction. Also
included are eleven MP3s featuring Erickson's early collaborations with
Gary Slaughter, some of which rival the main album's material (especially
the oddly funky "The Ultimate Negative"). -- rd
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With a sense of design that
radiates Radiohead and a sound that falls on the minimal side of Sonic
Youth, Helms is an outfit with grand expectations and long-lasting tonal
explorations. Brothers Sean (guitar) and Dan (drums) McCarthy enlisted the
help (and name) or bassist Tina Helms to help paint interesting aural
landscapes like "The Kindness of Automatic Doors" and "The Smallest World in
the World". "The Television Set" is a consolidation of sound cycles and
advanced rhythms that sum up simple, yet sophisticated visions of static and
indie guitar grooves. -- im
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Shai, Son of Eli / Meet Yr Acres / Poor Poor
(CD)
Shai, Son of Eli, may actually be the cousin of Built to Spill's
pole-punching electric rock, or perhaps the brother to the elegant and raw
deceptive practices that are Robert Pollard. The enigmatic Shai, Son of
Eli is a quietly troubling, homely man who engages the light use of
backing instruments as he glides through song after song of personal mental
battles. And while most guitar-slinging soloists fall into the
stereotypical waste-hole of overdone singer-songwriter-lite un-rock, Shai’s
whispering vocals and varied styles keep you guessing as to what’ll emerge
from his perplexing imagination and spill from his callous fingertips onto
the fretboard. Is it countrified rock? Experimental guitar gone
haywire? Maybe it’s just a good reason to get lost for good in music... -- am
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Lately I keep hearing this stupid pain reliever commercial with some chick
complaining that regular pain relievers just won't cut it -- she needs to have
a really specific medicine to deal with her specific symptoms. Unless you're
a princess, I doubt that's true. Advil, Tylenol, I can't tell a difference;
you only need stronger stuff if you're in really serious trouble -- say, a
compound skull fracture. Same with the Mentals' Oh Well. You
could listen to the Pixies or Dinosaur Jr., but if you have neither
of them at hand, the Mentals will do just fine. Like those bands, the Mentals' guitars
rip-roar like a log splitter. Their guitars stop and
start like a sixteen-year old braking for rabbits. They
scream their incomprehensible lyrics in a familiar style. I'm not saying that
these similarities are bad; I need the Pixies -- and by association, the
Mentals -- just as much as I need my Advil. "Virgin Mary", "Bell Jar" and even
the quieter, more acoustic "Purgatory" sound enough like the aforementioned
famous artists to make you need them. I
can't tell from the lyrics whether or not the Mentals have a sense of humor -- the lines I can distinguish are all too straight to make me laugh. Great original creativity they ain't got. Great
sound and passion, they do. -- js
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Kid With Man Head / Fond Memories of the Halibut Rodeo / Twentyfourseven/Forest (CD)
Kid With Man Head is one of those pop-punk-type groups. Their five song EP isn't terrible, but it doesn't really capture my imagination either. Everything about this record -- the
songwriting, the engineering, the musical execution -- is marginal.
"Superstar" is corny, frothing with lyrical lines like "You are a superstar!", and lacks the
wit and charm that is vital to successfully balancing the pop punk equation.
"Sand in My Hair" hits nearer the mark with some nice melodic stuff and a
generally pleasing theme of beach boy chases beach girl. Unfortunately I'm
left scratching my head a bit at the lyrics. Apparently the prerequisite for
the girl going out with the boy is that he wash the sand out of his hair.
Why? I'm not sure. This concept is repeated over and over throughout the
song. At the end of the tune, however, the big twist is that in addition to
washing the sand out of his hair to impress this girl, our beach bum friend
must also wash the sand out of his ears. A song like this is nothing but
perplexing. Given the preponderance of similar but better pop-punk music on
the market, you could probably get by without this one. -- nw
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JLIAT / The Symphonies of Beethoven / JLIAT
(CD)
This 3" disc, which formed the centerpiece of James
Whitehead's holiday greeting card, consists of a single,
eight-minute track on which a synthesized voice "reads" a
treatise on Beethoven's works. That's all. I'm sure,
however, that there's more to it than that. Perhaps Jliat
wrote the text. Maybe he created and programmed the speech synthesis
program. Perhaps the entire recital is the result of a vast
experiment in which Jliat reproduced individual phonetic
tones by turning a series of mathematical equations into
waveform values. Or it's possible that the voice is real,
and Jliat created some process by which it has been
reassembled or remodulated with tonal variations equal to
one of Beethoven's symphonies. I just don't know. But as
difficult listening boffins go, Jliat never fails to
impress, and I'm sure than when I find out what's going on
here, I'll be suitably impressed. Until then...hey, any 3"
CD is cool in my book. -- gz
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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 | tnd - tim digravina
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