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OUR WEEKLY COLLECTION OF SHORTER REVIEWS
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The Helicopter,
Convoy!,
Snailhouse,
Pierre Tanguay,
Zulu as Kono/Sicbay,
Tommy Guerrero,
Phil Crumar,
Frikyiwa,
The White Octave/Sorry About Dresden,
The Icarus Line,
Thee Headcoats,
National Skyline,
Burnside Project,
Sgt. Rock,
Sweeder,
Stars,
Pale Boy,
Fanfare of 2000,
Mount Florida,
Caligari
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It must've been those raspy vocals on track number two, "Twice the
Distance..." that first got my
attention -- but there's much more to this versatile band than gutsy
lyrical lines.
Along with the popping bass notes and retro-outfitted guitar melody,
Norman, OK’s The
Helicopter does a pretty goddamn good job of whipping out a batch of tunes
that resemble longer, slower Guided By Voices numbers, populated with a taste of Monroe
Mustang's sleepy,
boozing vocals. There's even a taste of early Beatles on "The
Loneliness" that applies a
wash of fuzzy chords to make that perfect retro-sound. With a bit of
helpless, lovesick
depression and a production value that showcases clanging guitars and
sickeningly catchy
rhythms, you're probably wondering: does Norman, Oklahoma have a clue
what's quietly
breeding in its music scene? -- am
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Sandwiched somewhere between Gram Parsons and Sonic Youth, Convoy! sure do make a joyful noise. They can write a beautiful country rock song, really pull your heartstrings and then lurch into a moment of moist, dense, noisy rock. They do both well, but I have to cast my vote with the country side of things -– the very effective cover of “Hearts On Fire,” from Gram’s Greivous Angel, proves they got the goods. My favorite song, though, is “(Theme From) Kids Where Ya Gone?”, which despite its ponderous title provides melty lap steel work, an insanely catchy chorus and a beautiful, slow bridge. If, like me, you have days when you can’t decide between listening to Blonde Redhead or Bill Monroe, Convoy! may let you have the best of both worlds. -- bl
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"You know what your problem is, you're too scared to say hello." It's lines
like this which make Snailhouse's "Fine" such a rewarding listen. As a
singer-songwriter album, it's not one that deals in generic BS or images
gleamed from a soiled cliche. Rather, this solo record from the Wooden Stars' Michael K
Fuerstack is an album only he could have made. He
accompanies some gorgeous acoustic moments (as in the beginning of "17
Years") with sincerity you wanna steal ("You're all my heroes combined") and
metaphors that actually live among us ("like smoking without an ash tray").
I don't think this is an album that immediately blows you away -- it's a
little too slow and unrushed, with its melodies bound tightly to the
carefully crafted word, not the other way around -- but Fine is an album
that will blow you away as temporary treasures are being forgotten.
Like a cross between the solo work of Walter Salas-Humara and Mark Eitzel,
Fuerstack's deep personal vision on Fine should do well in garnering
him the "attention" he so likes. -- td
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Pierre Tanguay / La musique de mon disque / Ambiances
magnétiques (CD)
Pierre Tanguay's first solo album is what he calls "heavy-new age"
background music. What this means, precisely, is unclear -- but I can
tell you that it's ethnic sounding bells, whistles, gongs and horns used
to create a kind of ambient music kind of thing. I fell asleep
listening to it (although this was perhaps more due to the fact that I had
just had lunch, that I was in a stuffy room and that I was at work!), which
points to Tanguay's ability to write harmless, unimposing stuff. This is
good in some settings, as true background music, but isn't desirable in
others, like concerts or active listening. To be fair, Monsieur Tanguay,
is good at what he does, it's just that I'm finding myself more turned off
by impenetrable, artsy, French-Canadian stuff lately, and on this count he
strikes out. -- nw
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Zulu as Kono/Sicbay / split 7" / Perverted Son (7")
This was one of the first 7" singles I tried out on my newly-repaired turntable,
and for a few minutes I wasn't sure if it was fixed or not. Both of these
acts favor a frenzied, dischordant approach. Zulu as Kono's "Afear'd of
Tornadoes" is a lot like being caught in a tornado -- the music
stops and starts unexpectedly, random melodies proceed in a
higgledy-piggledy fashion and confusion reigns supreme. It's pretty
cool. Sicbay's "3DBB" does it one better by honing its central riff down
to a raw, thundering edge, and dropping in a gurgling, tossed-off riff that
sounds a little bit like it was swiped from an unearthly hoedown rock
song. Both tracks are sure to clear your next party of Dave Matthews fans
in record time. -- gz
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Tommy Guerrero / A Little Bit of Somethin' / Mo' Wax (CD)
Nothing wrong with this CD, no sir. It's got large, mellow beats,
pretty, low-key guitar and bass work, assorted tweaky sound effects and
processing and cool CD design. Tommy Guerrero, for those of you who missed
out on the mid-1980s glory days of skater lore, was part of the "Bones
Brigade", California's skate-punk dream team. Turns out he's also a
musician, and A Little Bit of Somethin' is his second full-length
CD release. There's not much of the punk part of skate-punk here, but
there's certainly plenty of the mellow, lazy-daze vibe that you might
expect from a guy who's spent a large part of his life skating for a
living. With no vocals to hold your attention, the tunes on this CD tend
to slip into the background, which is just fine. You probably won't be
inspired to grab your slab and hit the local half-pipe, but you just
might pull your hat down over your eyes and settle in for a little
mid-summer's daydreaming. -- ib
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Phil Crumar / As It Goes / Asphodel
(CD)
This four-song EP makes me very, very angry. If you're going to make
some of the best hip-hop I've heard in years, Crumar, for God's sake don't stop
after a scant fifteen minutes! Despite the fact that he looks like an
accountant on the cover, Crumar lays down some of the sweetest grooves I've
heard since the Pharcyde. The backing tracks are gentle and melodic and
serve as actual music rather than a mere time-keeping device. While the
pedal steel and acoustic guitars could remind one of Everlast's recent
work, Crumar's rhythms and inventive scratchwork destroy his competition.
As a tongue-twisting cherry on top of this sonic sundae, he displays smooth
raps which are rhyming revelations. With rolling beats and an easy flow,
this is the kind of music Beck hopes to make one day. If Crumar doesn't
follow this up with a full-length album soon, I will personally make him pay. -- rd
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Frikyiwa / Collection 1 / Six Degrees (CD)
If you're among that rare few who favor Youssou N'Dour's more dance-oriented
collection (Set) above his other work, then you certainly can't go
wrong with Frederic Galliano's new project. Here, some of the finer names
among electronica producers (DJ Shadow, Aqua Bassino) have answered
Galliano's call to remix current African music, and the results are heavy on the bass and surprisingly light on studio trickery. With the exception of possibly placing more focus on the rhythms, I wonder if
the producers' results are much different than the original
creations. Thus, if you already somehow have a 12-inch of Abdoulave
Diabate's "Djoro", I doubt you need to hear Tokyo 246 Av Project simply
elongating some of the grooves. Still, once you take away Djigui's
"Ladilikan" (remixed twice by the cruel Natty Bass Sound System), there's
still over fifty minutes of very solid music to make one look at Africa on
the globe and immediately think of bodies swaying to these organic, often
lovely rhythms. -- td
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The White Octave/Sorry About Dresden / s/t / Tritone
(7")
The White Octave and Sorry About Desden battle it out on this split 7".
Both North Carolina-based bands have one thing in common: energetic rhythm sections that make
their presence
known from the get-go. The White Octave's loudly produced "A Chinese
Character" includes
faux-British vocals and a dominating bass line that bangs out a
very remarkable
number (no wonder they're on Deep Elm now!). Sorry About Dresden prides
itself in having a
bit more of a college-rock sound, doused with a tinge of emo, yet this
doesn't stop the band
from tearing through a tuneful number entitled "Felix Culpa," with a crisp and
gratifying melody. It sounds like Tritone Records is on to something, as these four
tunes are all
pleasant reminders that music is still alive and doing very damn well in
North Carolina. -- am
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The Icarus Line / Kill Cupid with a Nail File / Buddyhead (CD)
One-sided and pressed on clear pink vinyl, Kill Cupid with a Nail
File screams "collectible" -- which, given the limited run of 500
copies, it certainly is. But it's also a pretty good song. A driving punk
anthem with a little bit of arena rock tacked onto the end, "Kill Cupid..."
takes a cynical, if not downright violent attitude towards all things
love-centric, though any actual message is lost in the depths of the
mix -- probably a good thing, as the title imagery hints at a concept
that's forced at best. Ultimately, it's a good enough song that while the blank,
silk-screened B-side is pretty cool-looking, you'll probably wish you had
another Icarus Line song instead. -- gz
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Thee Headcoats / I Am the Object of Your Desire / Buff Medway (CD)
Thee Headcoats put out their first album in 1989. Since then, they’ve recorded for a virtual who’s who of cool indie labels: Sub Pop, Get Hip, Sympathy for the Record Industry and K, among others. They’ve put out a dazzling array of records (I can’t even count them accurately, but their number of full-lengths is around thirteen), in numerous countries and in various formats. And they’ve always looked good in tweed caps. Now they’ve called it quits, playing their last show in May. Leader Billy Childish, always prolific, is already in a new band known as the Buff Medways (supposedly named for an ancient and now-extinct breed of chicken which had feathered legs). I Am the Object of Your Desire is Thee Headcoats’ swan song. The band does its usual thing–60s-inspired garage rock–and does it well; I Am the Object of Your Desire should leave fans with nothing but good memories. -- bl |
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National Skyline / s/t / Hidden Agenda (CD)
National Skyline is the musical equivalent of a migraine headache. Though that analogy may come across as derogatory, it’s not intended as such. Their
self-titled debut is a pulsating concoction of lo-fi electronics, supersonic rock and breathy vocals -- jigsaw pieces that fit snugly together to create a stunningly
streamlined and visually engaging (in much the same fashion as a migraine) brand of robo-rock. It’s as though Garber and Dimpsey have seen fit to cram thirty
years worth of musical influences into just 23 minutes. “Kandles” begins as a lulling electronic pastiche, which ruthlessly transforms itself into a Cure-aping storm
of chiming guitars and melodic dissonance, while opener “Metropolis” oozes a laid back 60s free-jazz feel which even finds the era’s scattershot poetics and
off-kilter rhythms intact. I liken this album to a migraine because of the visual element that both possess. Migraines cause you to see spots of black and swirls of
intensely blurry light; similar effects can be achieved less painfully by closing your eyes while listening to tracks like “Tropical Depression” and “Karolina”. All told
National Skyline is an ambitious debut from a duo seeking to redefine traditional songwriting and performance. Would someone pass the Advil? -- jj
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What if emo had become infected with the same dance virus that it seemed all
pop music was catching two years ago? Remember? Everyone from U2 to
Smashing Pumpkins was "going Electronica." This eponymous release from
Burnside Project offers a suggestion as to what an emo-dance hybrid might
have sounded like. By combining mourning, angst-ridden indie rock with
subtle, break-inspired beats, Burnside's head guy, Richard Jankovich, has
come up with something that transcends both genres. I like it.
Strangely, these songs' beginnings tend not to grab me, but by the one-minute
mark, I'm generally hooked. "Cleveland" is my favorite track. -- nw
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Sgt. Rock / Live The Dream / Beggars Banquet
(CD)
Many band names come with their own set of cultural
associations. For me, Sgt. Rock conjured images of mullets,
white trash and professional wrestling. This, of course, just
shows how wrong you can be, as Live The Dream is actually
a pleasantly tolerable bit of post-millennial crusty-techno-funk
eccentricity, fueled with goofy samples and quirky pop loops.
Think Super Furry Animals or Pop Will Eat Itself fronted by
Fatboy Slim -- bouncy, frequently infectious and occasionally
sophomoric. Jim Burke, the man behind the Sgt., mixes
dance-floor savvy with soccer hooligan attitude; you may
sometimes be embarrassed to admit that you own Live The
Dream, but it'll put a smile on your face for as long as you
listen to it. Expect it to wear out its welcome in your CD
player within a week or two, though. -- gz
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Sweeder / Swallowed By the Sun / Monitor
(CD)
Textured would be a safe description of Sweeder. Everything about the band
has been honed
to a definitive piece of art, and each of these pieces has been carefully
crafted into the aptly-titled bigger picture that is Swallowed By the Sun. Jeff
and Chiyoko's
gender-clashing vocals are the driving force behind Sweeder, as they
provide intricate melodies that lift the already entertaining incorporation
of minimalist rock, post-modern bachelor pad eccentricities and placid
string accompaniment to the ultimate level. Caught somewhere in between
sugary pop and introverted shoegazer swaying, you're sure to hear something
aurally attractive here. An occasional vocal chord tries the ears as it misses its intended target, but there’s no doubting its genuineness. Sweeder's lush musical bliss and invisible glowing
warmth will have this CD sculpting your evenings well into the winter. -- am
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Stars / A Lot of Little Lies for the Sake of One Big Truth / Le Grande Magistery (CD)
No future record excites me more these days than the upcoming full-length from
Stars, a band I had the pleasure to see open for the Magnetic Fields.
Though I can't say the whole crowd was blown away by them, Chris Seligman
and Torquil Campbell sounded so good to my ears,
and I've never forgotten their songs. If you're a fan of Sarah Records,
they are a perfect alternative for all who have never seen Blueboy or the
Orchids. Just as they did onstage, the Stars soar through beautiful Smiths
covers ("This Charming Man" is perfect for them, as they definitely
care about appearance) and equally solid originals (like "On Peak Hill",
with a chorus you never want out of your head). I guess you could call them
a bit fey, but they make wimpy music you've just gotta respect. While I fear
the EP might repeat many of the songs from the full-length, it's
no big crime to duplicate music which samples dialogue from Woody
Allen's "Purple Rose of Cairo", or which adds color and shine to all the
moods of your day. -- td
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Pale Boy / Pale Boy / Kale (CD)
I thought that this one might be really good -- cool name, impressive
instrumental forces (tuba, basses, percussion, clarinets, trumpet,
flugelhorn, french horn, saxes, violin, voices), nice art. And
while it's really not so bad, I can't help being a bit disappointed by
the middle-of-the-road adult-contemporary/musical theater vibe that
seems to be Pale Boy's chosen milieu. It's all very pretty and well
played, and some of the lyrics are pretty interesting ("How many times
do you think/each day about blue,/about cats, about the letter K?") But
the voices never quite do it for me, and in general the music seems a
bit too self-conscious and theatrical for my taste. It's clear that a
lot of hard work and talent went into creating the music on this CD --
but it would be more interesting to see what would happen if something a little
riskier/less refined was thrown into the mix. -- ib
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Various Artists / Fanfare of 2000: U.S. Pop Life Vol. 2 / Contact (CD)
Since this is principally intended as a compilation of American
pop for our Japanese friends, I'm a little
out of context as a listener. Still, it's an interesting survey
of the supposed state of our pop nation -- though
a few tracks here make me wonder if this is really the best we
could do. There are several solid efforts here, including
Virgin Whore Complex's "Unrequited Love", the Essex Green's
"Chester" and Elf Power's immortal "Simon (the Bird with the
Candy Bar Head)", but on the whole there seems to be a
proliferation of bands who can't quite manage to sing or
play on key. What message does this send to Japan? Probably
that the time is right to attack us with gigantic singing
robots, or something like that, but if and when that time comes,
a good dose of bad emo -- something America does better than any
other country -- ought to knock 'em out of the sky. -- gz
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Mount Florida / Storm / Matador (CD)
Twitch and MP Lancaster, the masterminds behind Mount Florida, are back again
with their second EP. With Storm, the electronic, dub-heavy group
seems eager to prove their mastery of all music, with each of the four songs
reflecting a different aspect of their abilities. They receive help from a
Glaswegian jazz diva on their first and strongest track, "Another Thought",
as Madeline MacDonald improvises vocals for their rewrite of an Arthur
Russel classic, helping it to brim with unexpected soul. "Roc the Bukowski",
the final track, is nearly as good but completely different, with the
dynamic dub duo deftly sampling an early Iggy Pop growl into a work which
almost rocks more than it makes you dance. "Celebrate Life", called a
"synthesized Hibernian epic" on their press sheet, might well be that -- I
frankly don't have the geographic wits to use the adjective "Hibernian" with
intelligence -- but it reminds me of Indian music, with the exception being
my surprised fondness for it, particularly when an Ian Robbie sample floats
to the fore. As for "Flame On", the only other track on this 24 minute EP,
soulful keyboards at its end make the song seem like the closest thing I can imagine to a duet
between Traffic and the Chemical Brothers. While it's my
least favorite track on this record, it's easily listenable and
progressively imaginative -- as, apparently, is anything by this dynamic dub
duo. -- td
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Caligari / Demo / Peach Fuzz
(CD)
If you've ever said "Man, I really miss Echo and the Bunnymen," then
immediately track down Caligari. This three-song EP reflects its
mid-80's influences so well that it's difficult to recognize that these songs
were all recorded at the turn of the century. Listening to it brings back
memories of black eyeliner and oh-so-sad teenage years, making me smile and cringe
simultaneously. The first two tracks use guitar,
synth and an insistent bass reminiscent of the Cure. "It's Out of My
Hands" even uses hand claps to accentuate the beat (how retro is that!).
The outstanding "Intentions" is so beautifully earnest that it simply must
be part of the next John Hughes film. Although I would never want to
re-live those teenage years, songs like these remind me that they weren't all bad. -- rd
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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 | bl - beth lucht
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