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OUR WEEKLY COLLECTION OF SHORTER REVIEWS
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The Nothing,
Sir,
Libraness,
The Fontanelles,
The Broken Hearts Club (Soundtrack),
Björk,
Saint Low,
Through The Looking Glass: Indie
Pop Plays the Monkees,
Duster,
Redefine the Rockstar Vol. 3,
Babylon Whores,
Xorcist,
The Juliana Theory,
Highdesertsoundsystem2,
Ken Boynton,
The Cusacks,
Amelia's Dream,
Ye Ren,
River,
Ashley Park
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The Nothing / sitaroundforhours / Free Eloy
(CD)
From the suburban Houston outpost known as Pearland, Texas, comes this
smooth five song EP. The Nothing has taken careful note of today’s
tranquil trend towards friendly pop and spiced it up by injecting quirky
topics. Jeremy Jones' lyrics are poignant, laced with slices of irony and witty
social commentary, while complex musical arrangements, which include cello,
Hammond organ and peaceful acoustic guitar, expand The Nothing's sound into
something. While "Turn Out the Light" stutters a bit as it attempts to
flush out an upbeat pop consciousness, the charming "Teenage" has a
Radiohead sound with a genuine feeling of honesty to it. Jones'
vocals miss a few notes and a few lyrical stumblings are apparent, but The
Nothing sticks to its guns and delivers a strikingly relaxed CD that boasts
the best of both worlds -- crisp, professional production and wholesome,
grass-roots integrity, which are rarely combined on a recording of this
caliber. -- am
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Sir / The Night I Met My Second Wife / Radio One
(CD)
Basically, this is Portishead without the beats -- and,
rather more tellingly, without the miniscule reserve of good
cheer. Words like "grim" and "downbeat" spring to mind, but
"funereal" is often the best description of the group's
output. Vocalist/guitarist Elizabeth Downey is a capably
dreamy noir siren with a touch of Kendra Smith about
her, and organist/vocalist Jesse Jackson Shepherd adds
atmosphere in heaping trowels-full, whether through the
organ's lingering vibrato or his own laconic vocal
interjections. The organ/guitar/vocal dynamic never strays
far from Creepy Central, but that's fine; even at their
happiest, these are profoundly glum songs. This is not an
album to loan to your manically depressed friends. On
"Washed Up", Downey's chorus-cum-mantra includes the phrase
"I'm gonna bring you down." And trust me, she will. -- gz
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Libraness / Yesterday and Tomorrow's Shells / Tiger Style
(CD)
If the world were a fair and just place, we Splendid reviewers would
spend most of our time whining about how every damn CD we review sounds
just like Libraness. Alas, all those serious emo boy bands will have to
keep us whining for now, as Ash Bowie's (Polvo, Helium) scattered
experimentalism is not likely to be the Next Big Thing. Part throw-away
bedroom recording, part Sonic Youth tribute, part Polvo weirdness, with
varied instrumentation, complex song structures, grinding noise binges
followed by banjo and timpani duets, this is unusual, uneven, ambitious
music. It's not all successful, or even very listenable, but at least
it's consistently interesting -- which is about the most you can really
ask for, isn't it? Give this one to the hopeful young guitar goddess
next door and hope for the best. -- ib
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The Fontanelles / INIT / Alpha Street (CD)
There's some sort of invisible aura that emanates from The Fontanelles --
it's like a neon sign with the words "From California" blinking brightly at
you. And from the CD booklet's band photos, it looks like you're in store for an
eyeful on stage, as this quintet has the looks of a modern-day glam
explosion. On the audio front, the band does a great job varying its songs
from mellow and ambient to rocking and lively. Vocalist Tina Staples
reminds me of those chicks in the B52s crossed with Exene Cervenka, giving
you a bit of goofy pop along with in-your-face individuality. The band as a
whole writes and produces everything -- from audio to video to physical
manufacturing, giving them a Devo DIY cred that's very impressive. While I
prefer the engaging pop numbers, the low-key, serene tunes are great as well -- you can really submerge yourself in them, with a relaxing effect. A
few numbers employ the band's male vocalists, providing a different
aesthetic that's dominated by rocking riffs, but isn’t as convincing as
Tina's charismatic charm. Overall, expect excitement and some great tunes
from INIT -- it'll make you jump with pop-music delight. -- am
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Various Artists / Music From the Motion Picture: The Broken Hearts
Club - A Romantic Comedy / Will
(CD)
I've never been quite clear on the purpose of soundtracks. Are they
intended to serve as a souvenir of the film, or are they supposed to be some
sort of mix tape for people who liked the music in the movie? Either way,
only 60 percent of the songs here are actually featured in the film, so
people who buy this album based on the movie are likely to be disappointed.
Based on the music and the vocal snippets interspersed among it, here is
my synopsis of the film: After listening to a rancid Wham!-like song, the
boys on the cover eat some Ecstacy and Special-K, then spend hours and
hours at a particularly lousy rave which only plays songs from the early
1990s. After they come down, they get maudlin and listen to "We've Only
Just Begun." Finally, the dad from Frasier arrives and dispenses
some hard-won knowledge which makes us all feel a little older and wiser.
Fade out. Roll credits. Run away. -- rd
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Björk / Selmasongs / Elektra (CD)
Certainly one of the most important major-label releases of the year,
Selmasongs will probably play second fiddle to the
forthcoming album by those 5 gloomy boys from Oxford (Anyone else sick of hearing
about it? - Ed.). With that grim
fact in mind, it becomes all the more important that Selmasongs not be
thoughtlessly swept under the rug. Even Thom Yorke himself
knows that -- why else would he grace the album with his presence? The
stirring duet "I’ve Seen It All" features the boy Yorke trading verses
with the Icelandic pop queen over a sea of ominous beats, ghastly
strings and samples of a churning locomotive. It’s actually quite
lovely. That song aside, the rest of the album belongs to Björk, her
spot-on vocals switching from a gentle whisper to an impassioned wail in
the blink of an eye. The music proves to be just as schizophrenic. The
dingy breaks of "Scattershot" sound as though they were conceived in
hell, while the ethereal sprawl of "107 Steps" pulls clouds of melody
down from the heavens. Another important Selmasongs fact: while it
serves as a new Björk release, the album is also the soundtrack to the movie Dancer in the Dark, in which Bjö also stars. The only real problem with Selmasongs is its
length; clocking in at just over 30 minutes, it seems to be over only minutes after it begins. -- jj
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Saint Low / s/t / Thirsty
Ear (CD)
Think of Mary Lorson's Saint Low as pop-noir. Lorson, the lead singer for
Madder Rose, has long been known as a vocalist, but here we are treated to
her talents as a songwriter. Her penchant is for introspective, yet still
somewhat groovy songs. Comparisons with the likes of Sarah McLachlan seem
inevitable, though Lorson is less ebullient, her voice more earthy. The
mournful, slightly folksy "Keep An Open Mind" is a fine example of the kind
of work you'll find on Saint Low. Its easy, down-tempo groove
belies the emotional intensity of the song. Lorson's smokey alto is acutely
expressive and is matched in tone by the plaintive strains of Joe Myer's
violin. The evocative guitar and basslines have a certain filmic quality. I
keep thinking I'm hearing something from a Sam Spade movie, but then it goes
away and I'm sure I was wrong. -- nw
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Various Artists / Through The Looking Glass: Indie
Pop Plays the Monkees / Planting Seeds (CD)
A few bands you've heard of and a bunch you haven't -- the
ratio is about 1:3 -- have a whack at the works of the
Prefab Four, with somewhat predictable results. Most turn
in relatively reverent and recognizable takes, while a few
bands go for spot-on recreations...or, in the case of The
Echo Orbiter's "I'm a Believer", reasonably accurate recreations marred
by notable lapses in the vocal department. Only a few
groups come up with novel approaches. Mind Veneration's
gentle version of "Shades of Grey", which places the song in
the lush, vibrant context of mid-eighties synthpop, is a
particular pleasure. Ultimately this is a harmless,
cheerful collection -- certainly not the train wreck it
could have been, but nowhere near as good as the
original material either. -- gz
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Duster / Contemporary Movement / Up
(CD)
The world Duster lives in isn’t quite the same as the world the rest of us occupy. It’s probably somewhat fuzzy, with no sharp edges and a visible haze in the air. The other residents laze about, not quite happy and not quite sad, with stars in their eyes. And Duster play, their dreamy almost-rock straddling the fence that divides Modest Mouse and American Analog Set. Duster give us a glimpse of this world on Contemporary Movement. It’s a beautiful world, though at times frustrating because it’s so fuzzy (despite having a big-name engineer, this CD gives many recorded-in-the-bedroom acts a run for the lo-fi money). Still, fuzziness aside, it’s great music for those lackadaisical days when you stay in bed ‘til afternoon, dreaming of a different place. -- bl
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Various Artists / Redefine the Rockstar Vol. 3 / 3:16 Productions
(CD)
I won't mince words: portions of Redefine the Rockstar Vol. 3 are
simply boring and/or lewd in uncreative ways. In praise of the album,
however, some songs echo Alice in Chains, White Zombie or Pantera. The disc
opens with the "Hard Candy Cock", which sounds a bit like Lords of Acid's vocals,
laid over a thrashing guitar that is absolutely without variation (and lacks
the Lords' excellent beats). Most of the album is thrash, heavy metal or
punk. There are a few standouts that sound like nothing else here; Enis' "G.M.C." is one --
this soft pop song seems to be sung from the end of a tunnel. If you like
Alice or Zombie, you might find the album rather campy. Non-metalheads,
beware. -- js
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Babylon Whores / Errata Stigmata / Necropolis
(CD)
Helsinki's Babylon Whores are like a peaceful rock band compared to the
rest of Necropolis Record's roster. The Whores chug along with dominating
guitar riffs and remarkably crisp, polished production. This
EP contains the original and remix versions of "Errata Stigmata", along
with "Fey" and a video-only track of "Sol Niger." It's worth getting the EP
just for the "Errata" remix, which will take you back to the heyday of
Ministry. A driving drum machine beat and damning bits of distortion cycle
through the mix, crossing the boundaries of metal, dance and industrial and
unearthing a monster that’s as gruesomely suave as Danzig, yet as curiously
palatable as a raw and primal Deftones. This cult legend is probably one
of the more accessible metal bands that you'll hear, so if you've always
been a bit "metal-curious" here's your change to be risqué and see what
it's like on the other side of the music fence. -- am
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Xorcist / Insects & Angels - Differences and Indifferences / Metropolis
(CD)
This disc collects various soundtrack tidbits, remixes and
website music by this one-man synth band. Definitely gothic and
oh-so-scary, Xorcist exemplifies ambient darkwave. While the imagery is
somewhat predictable -- I mean, come on, the guy goes by the name "Bat" --
the music nails its target every single time. Preferring an ethereal
approach over the sonic torture pioneered by the likes of Cevin Key,
Xorcist mixes minor key string arrangements with Middle Eastern chants a la
Muslimgauze. While the results aren't especially unique, tracks like
"Insecticide" deserve room on goth-club dance floors, while the rest
constitutes excellent mood music for all your spooky events. -- rd
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The Juliana Theory / Emotion is Dead / Tooth and Nail (CD)
Devoted pop-punk kids the world over haven't really had anything to
cheer about for quite some time now. I mean, Weezer’s been out of the
game for years, and as of late the Get Up Kids haven’t exactly been that
productive. Well, all you bespeckled, cardigan-wearing lads and lasses
can stop fretting; the Juliana Theory has arrived to fill the void.
Charging out of Pennsylvania, The Juliana Theory is equipped with enough
hooks and harmonies to satisfy even the most skeptical of Cuomo-philes.
Want proof? You need look no further than Emotion is Dead’s lead
track, "Into the Dark". Its contagious blend of stacked vocal harmonies
and big riffs proves just a taster of things to come. On "To the Tune
of 5,000 Screaming Children" and "Understand the Dream is Over", the band
rocks like the Promise Ring’s snotty little brothers, while "If I Told
You This was Killing Me, Would You Stop?"'s keyboard- and guitar-driven
assault rocks so hard you’ll be working the kinks out of your neck for
weeks. Its not all perfection, though -- moments of weakness, such as the
boy band cheekiness of "Something Isn’t Right Here" and "You Always Say
Goodnight, Goodnight", occasionally rear their ugly heads, tossing a
wrench into the works. Slip-ups aside, Emotion is Dead might be the
pop-punk album you’ve been waiting for. -- jj
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John Kelley (DJ) / Highdesertsoundsystem2 / Moonshine
(CD)
Kelley's a strong DJ -- but more importantly, he knows how
to choose his material. This sixty-five minute mix pulls in
fourteen ferocious tracks, slipping from old-school hardcore
to breakbeat antics and funkier house tunes. Unlike a lot
of DJ mix albums, there's enough going on on
Highdesertsoundsystem2 to make it worthwhile purely
as a listening experience; Kelley builds a consistent
groove, but keeps it interesting by utilizing cuts with
distinct and memorable melodies. If I heard this mix in a
club, I'd never stray very far from the dancefloor. -- gz
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Ken Boynton / Find A Way / Boyntunes, Inc.
(CD)
Ken Boynton's buoyant tenor makes ebullient folksy/roots rock that's good for listening to while drinking a beer and sitting in a midtown bar somewhere in the mid- or Southwest. He's from the Pacific Northwest, but he evokes Heartland rock more than a cool coastal sound. Even when he's singing more blues-infused tunes, it seems impossible for him to lose his sunny outlook. His voice and the guitars carry the music; the lyrics are either as bland as your library lady or so calculated as to be jarring. Nevertheless, the nearly omnipresent organ reminds one of Mellencamp and certain guitar bits of the Eagles. This is definitely a disc you can throw on when your in-laws are coming over for Saturday night in the backyard -- you won't offend anyone, and it'll probably put everyone in a party mood. Ken Boynton should lead an assault on Middle American radio sometime soon. -- js
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The Cusacks / s/t / Insect Siren
(7")
There's something about a sketchily-recorded 7" that never fails to make
me a little happy. This one from the Cusacks has just about everything
you'd want in a single, including a homebrew sleeve, type-written notes
and beautiful blue vinyl. The music isn't really that great, but the
spirit is there, which counts for something. The recording is pretty
DIY-sounding, but I'm guessing that that was more or less on purpose.
The levels are all over the place, and it's kind of hard to make out
what's going on in spots, but the general idea is groovy, poppy noise,
with some organ and vocal harmonies thrown in to thicken things up a
bit. Of the three tunes (each sung by a different band member), "Pick Me
Up at the Station" is the catchiest, while "Carol, Will You Marry Me?
Ted" is the clever one. "It's All Been Had" is just sort of fast and
buzzy, with a really loud fuzz guitar part. What this record lacks in
finesse it makes up for with charm, energy and the enthusiasm that
obviously went into creating it. -- ib
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Amelia's Dream / Love Tattoo / Ripe and Ready (CD)
The dream of Amelia S. Gewirtz is not bad one; she wants to be a pop star,
and sell lots of records. Love's Tattoo, her indie attempt to attract
major label interest, features a strong cover ("Evil Ways"), a great disco
cut ("Fire in My Heart") and a wonderful chorus in "The Aisle With You"
that showcases her pleasing voice. The production job by her band partner
Harold Stephen shines too. They want you to think of Tango In the
Night-era Fleetwood Mac with this release and, on a musical level, they
largely succeed. The ballads are gushy and mediocre, though, and every
attempt to imitate Alanis Morrissette, as in "Push the Button", seems
ludicrous to me. Amelia's criticism of preachers -- that they dare to claim
a calling to their profession -- is asinine too, so here's hoping she and
Harold will make like Cher and add plenty more covers next time around. Either
that or sing nonsensical "lalala's" a whole lot more. -- td
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Ye Ren / Another Shining Path / Drimala (CD)
At times evoking late Coltrane, at others the Art Ensemble of Chicago,
improvisational trio Ye Ran does much to vitalize spontaneous music making.
Their work is as much a dialog as anything else. Saxophonist Gary Hassay
throws out a topic of discussion and he and bassist William Parker and
percussionist Thoshi Makihara chew it over, savoring each implication and
nuance. Track separations seem almost arbitrary here. I think the album
should be seen as a whole -- certainly ideas initially spawned in earlier
tracks are put back on the table for further examination in later ones.
It's is a fine example of well-crafted, literate
improvised music. If I have one complaint it's in the general
impenetrability of the liner notes, which read as stilted poetry or a
poorly written master's thesis. Stick to the music, though, and you won't
be disappointed. -- nw
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River / Poseidon's Girlfriend EP / Shelflife
(7")
M. River's jaunty little compositions should appeal to fans
of four-track Francophilia. If you love Toog and enjoy
Etienne Charry's more accessible moments, but find the
majority of the Disques Tricatel stable a bit
overproduced for your tastes, you'll probably enjoy these
three tunes. Though seemingly relying upon a single
instrument for his accompaniment, River compensates by
crafting intricate, sometimes confusing melodies, leading
his vocals down twisted paths that sometimes end abruptly.
The instrumentation is primitive -- is that a Bontempi
organ? -- but the tunes are pleasing, if sometimes a bit
perplexing. -- gz
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Ashley Park / Town and Country / Kindercore (CD)
The cover of this record features an over the shoulder shot of a pouty girl in
a crowd of blurry people. She’s got lipstick and cool hair and you might
think that her name is Ashley Park and she’s just put out a brand new solo album.
But no. Turn the CD over and there’s a shot of Terry Miles, the nucleus of a
band called Ashley Park. Town and Country is a record made
primarily by Miles, using a laundry list of fun instruments. A handful of
friends lend additional guitars, pianos, cellos and vocal chords to fill the
songs out. The result is a nice batch of Beatles/Beach Boys flavored pop that's not
a far shot from the likes of Beulah, Wheat and the Olivia Tremor Control. The major
difference is a stronger singer/songwriter sound here than you’ll find in
those bands, which is cleverly masked by the fake band name. The good news
is that Miles can write a pretty solid song. But the basics of these songs
might be more interesting than all the additional seasonings layered on top.
While listening, I can’t help but wonder if I’d be happier hearing these
songs without the ever-present Rhodes piano, Hammond organ, the Echoplex,
the Micromoog, the Roland JX-3P, theYamaha YC-45D, the Marimba. I can’t help
but wonder if a Terry Miles record would be better than an Ashley Park
record. -- av
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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 | av - adam voith | rg - rodney gibbs | js - jenn sikes
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