Moroni's Review of The National's "Trouble Will Find Me"

The National

About a month ago, I have never heard of The National.  Never mind that "Trouble Will Find Me" is their sixth studio album.  I was browsing through NME's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time", and The National had two albums on the list.  I noticed that they were a 4AD album, which you may know is my favorite label, home to Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, Clan of Xymox, Pixies, Bon Iver, TV On The Radio, and Iron & Wine.  I had to check it out.  Boy, am I glad that I did.

Like most 4AD bands, this record has an ethereal, atmospheric quality about it.  The guitars and percussion are subdued and tantalyzing, textured frequently with keyboards and strings.  Matt Berninger's voice is rich and deep like Ian Curtis from Joy Division or Andrew Gray from Wolfgang Press.  The songs also have a story-like aspect to them, like Nick Cave's songs.  They also remind me a bit of The Connells or The Airborne Toxic Event.  This album has a pleasant dreamlike and hazy quality to it.  It is already one of my favorites.

The album starts muted with the opening track, "I Should Live in Salt", with an acoustic guitar and soft oboe.  By the time song ends in a dim guitar solo, you are hooked.  "Demons" is one of my favorite tracks, a confession in Berringer's sultry bass-baritone.  "Fireproof", "Sea of Love", "Heavenfaced", and "I Need My Girl" are all haunting melodies and count as the best songs on the record.  "Graceless" is dominated by the bass guitar.

I can't believe it took this band six albums before I finally came late onto the scene and discovered them.  I have been ranting and raving about this album all week on Facebook.  Of course, I think in a matter of weeks, this band will explode onto the scene as they have a song on the new "Hunger Games"  movie.  But you should definitely hop onto the proverbial bandwagon before that happens.  Right now, while you can say you "heard of them back then."

Moroni's Review of Kanye West's "Yeezus"

Kanye West

It's funny how I came to review Kanye West's sixth album, "Yeezus".  I made a few comments about Kanye on Facebook, and one of my friends accused me of having a man crush on Kanye, saying, "I don't know whether it's cute or creepy."

It's true.  I am fascinated in him as an artist, especially the way he projects himself to the media.  It all started with his his infamous interruption of Taylor Swift at the 2009 VMA Awards.  I was amazed at the lack of tact and general narcissism at that event, like the rest of the world.  There were many Facebook posts that dealt with his actions, and they went something like, "Kanye - what a jerk!  And his music sucks, too!  He has no talent!"

And I responded, "Wait, no, that's not true.  He is extremely talented!"

Anyone knows me knows that - like country music - I am not a huge fan of rap/ hip hop as a genre.  There are certain artists or songs that I like a lot.  I do have quite a bit of rap in my collection.  But as a genre, it is certainly not my favorite.  (Although it is interesting to note, I am, and have been since 1987, a huge fan of house music.)

Part of my collection was Kanye's breakthrough album, "Graduation", which was one of my favorite albums.  Like many of the rap artists, he tried to transcend the genre, using samples from Daft Punk and collaborating with Chris Martin from Coldplay.  When I first heard "Drunk and Hot Girls", I realized that this guy was a real artist.  Also, I consider "Heartless" one of the best songs of the last decade, no matter which genre one is considering.

So here I was, on Facebook, defending Kayne as an artist.  I don't care how much of a jerk he is.  I don't care how much chest-thumping he does, it doesn't take away from the fact that he is, as he claims, a musical genius.  Last month, he made some outrageous claims to BBC about rock being dead, rap being the new rock, and he being the king.  He also had a Twitter war with Jimmy Kimmel that ended with Kimmel inviting Kanye onto the show.  I watched it and was amazed at how intense the man is.  I kind of understood him.  I have known and worked with enough artistic geniuses that I kind of know how they work.  They are all intense, driven, opinionated, and socially awkward.  Kanye is no different.  I shared some of my observations on Facebook and was accused of having a man crush on him.

My wife thought it was funny, and so she suggested that I download the new album and review it.  I had heard that Kanye had tried to veer off in new directions by going a bit acid house.  I had to check it out.

So, on first listen, this album is really grating.  Yeah, there is some acid house there, but one should remember - a lot of acid house was really repetitive and grating, even back in the day.  It was that way on purpose, so that the deejay could mix it in with other tracks, making it more palatable.  "Yeezus" is not that palatable, especially on first listen, right from the first track, "On Sight".  But the more I listened it grew on me.  Maybe that is the genius of Kanye.  He intersperses the uncomfortable, enough to make you squirm, and then he throws in something that is exquisitely beautiful to bring you back on track.  Generally, this album is very angry, and I don't foresee many of these songs getting a lot of radio play.  It is just not that kind of album.

Once again, Kanye is very adept at mixing in unusual and refreshing samples into his album - from obscure clips from soul and even dog barks.  "Black Skinhead" - one of the best tracks on the record - features Native Americans singing.  "I Am God" has a part at the end with panicked screams and breathing blended in perfectly with electro, followed my an a capella choir.  That is Kanye's genius coming out.

Musically - and surprisingly, the record is remarkably scaled back on percussion.  The rhythm is mainly driven by keyboards, like on the song "New Slaves".  In many places, the rhythm is implied in the negative spaces, kind of like drum & bass, only without the drums.  Again, genius.

As expected, there is plenty of narcissism here, like in the tune "I Am God", where Kanye raps things like:

"I am a god

So hurry up with my damn massage!

In a French ass restaurant

Hurry up with my damn croissants!"

Of course, there is a ton of profanity.  And not just the occasional "F bomb", but constant.  The occasionaly curse word does not bother me.  But when it is so gratuitous, it gets on my nerves.  And I am talking about the constant sexually explicit comments.  I am not a prude, but some of it even makes me blush.  My kids raid my music collection constantly.  But "Yeezus" will not be one of the albums they get to listen to, if I can help it.

So yes, I like this album.  Kanye again proves himself a genius.  But as I said, this is not my style of music.  I probably won't listen to this record for much longer.

Moroni's Review of The Civil Wars' "The Civil Wars"

The Civil Wars

Before I review this album, I have to say that - as a genre - I generally dislike country music.  There are certain artists that I do really like, and, once every few blue moons, I will put it on the country station for a few days until it starts grating on my nerves.  So when I say "country", I should clarify that I am talking about what country music has become today - glitzy, formulaic, and carefully marketed.  What I mean is that the music industry gets songwriters to pump out songs with cookie cutters.  All you get is the cookies, and then someone puts a different color frosting and sprinkles on it to make it distinct.  In other words, you can easily convert a song to a R&B song for Mariah Carey, or a power rock jam for Nickelback.  Add a few twangy steel guitars, and suddenly it's a hit for Carey Underwood.  No, I don't like that kind of generic quality added to music, and I never have.

But the old-time country...  That is a different story.  That is the kind of music that dad listened to, and it's the kind of music I grew up listening to.  Conway Twitty.  Merle Haggard.  Waylon Jennings.  Willie Nelson.  And if I listen to modern country, it has that "old" quality about it.  My collection includes Alan Jackson, Collin Raye, Garth Brooks, George Strait, and maybe some Martina McBride.  That's about it.  I really don't like about three quarters of the stuff I hear on the radio.

When the bluegrass new wave started over ten years ago, I ate that up.  That was about as "old-time" as you could get - Alison Krauss and Nickel Creek.

The first time I heard The Civil Wars, I included them in this exploration of certain artists in Nashville into our reliquary of musical past - a mash-up of Appalachian bluegrass, Delta blues, old school country, and folk music.  This is all-out Americana.  I hope when people think of "American music" that they think of something like The Civil Wars.  This is stuff that our roots are made of.

I have followed this band from the beginning when I first saw their video on VH1 one early morning from a hotel room as I got dressed.  Then later, I heard that some creative disputes had popped up, and the band had divorced, so to speak.  Suddenly, they are back and have an eponymous, sophomore effort out.  (Man, I can't believe I got to use those words in the same sentence!)

This album speaks to my heart.  It is minimalist, often with not much more than Joy Williams's sweet voice and a banjo or acoustic guitar.  The record kicks off with the regretful "The One Got Away", accented with a mandolin and steel guitar.  John Paul White takes over on the next piece, "I Had Me a Girl", a sultry blues piece with a slippery electric guitar.  Some songs sound like they really hail back the times of the Civil War, like "Devil's Backbone".  There are bluegrass ditties like "From This Valley".  My favorite songs are the soft songs that are almost whispers - "Tell Mama", "Disarm", and "D'Arline".  In "Sacred Heart", Williams sings in French, reminding us that our nation has never been an English-only culture.  My absolute favorite song is "Eavesdrop" - sheer sweetness.

The Civil Wars are a celebration of our rich culture.  They are what country music is really about - no twang, but real southern comfort.  Give this album a listen.

Moroni's Review of Phantogram's "Phantogram" EP

Phantogram

This duo from upstate New York describes themselves as "street beat, psych pop".  I think this description of Phantogram's music is very apt.  Even before I knew that this is how they described themselves, I thought that there was a sense of duality to their sound.  On the bottom layer, they have a driving rhythm and synth bass.  The top layer is filled with ambient noises and celestial keyboards.  All of this is threaded with Sara Barthel's airy voice.

This band is relatively new to the scene with only a couple of albums and a handful of EPs.  This self-titled EP is a bit confusing, because it is not their first EP to be self-titled.  The EP starts out with "Black Out Days", an angst-driven piece with breathy wails pummeled by electronic beats.  My favorite song is the second track, "Never Going Home", sung by Josh Carter.  The intro reminds me quite a bit of "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins.  He sings:

If this is love, I'm never going home

And the guitars swirl like a Cocteau Twins song.

The next song, "The Day You Died" has a New Order dance vibe that is unmistakable.  The EP closes out with the marching cadence of "Celebrating Nothing".

This EP was a good way for me to be introduced to the work of this group.  They have a new album coming out next year.  I will anticipate it warmly, eager to see what an entire set by these guys is like.

Moroni's Review of Au Revoir Simone's "Move In Spectrums"

Au Revoir Simone

Au Revoir Simone was immediately awesome for me for a few reasons.  As I did research for this band, I discovered that their name is derived from a line from the movie "Pee Wee's Big Adventure", which is one of my favorite movies, and certainly my favorite Tim Burton movie.  Next, David Lynch is a big fan and had the band play at one of his art exhibits.  And that makes total sense, because their music has a dreamy, atmospheric quality to it, just like Lynch's films.

"Move in Spectrums" is this Brooklyn trio's fourth album, and yet this is the first I have heard of them.  Their music is characterized by breathy, soft vocals and mostly synthesizers.  How do I feel about this album?  I started listening to it last night, and I could not put it down.  When it came time to go to bed, I put on the headphones and kept listening to it.  I woke up in the middle of the night with the music on repeat, still playing.

The album starts out with the moody "More Than", a sparse drum beat and bass keyboard and an almost inaudible and haunting keyboard in the background.  Her vocals are deep, almost like a Joy Division or Jesus & Mary Chain song.  Then the synth rhythm starts.  This is dark wave at its best.

There are a few ambient songs that are great - "We Both Know", "Boiling Point", and "Hand Over Hand".  Simple, emotive, and stripped down, these songs will carry you in an effervescent crest of noise.  There are also some bouncy pop emeralds like "Crazy" and "Graviton".  My favorite songs is "Just Like a Tree" with its tinny drum machine, staccato keyboards and layered vocals.

What was I feeling as I listened to this in the middle of the night?  Nostalgia.  Strange for a band I had never heard before yesterday.  This record is already one of my favorites.

Moroni's Review of Hollywood Undead's "Notes From the Underground"

Hollywood Undead

Okay, there is not much that is too terribly original about this band.  They definitely take a page from Linkin Park, before that band veered off into experimental trip hop.  They wear masks a la Slipknot.  Regardless, these guys frickin' rock.  They are my flavor of the week.  I can't stop listening to this album.  I wake up in the middle of the night singing these songs.

Before I was introduced to these guys by Jason McDonald, my body-burning, gator-wrestling friend in Colorado, I had only heard a couple of songs by these guys.  Jason suggested that I take a break from reviewing indie bands and steered me in the direction of Hollywood Undead's third album, "Notes from the Underground".

First of all, any band who gives homage to Dostoyevsky in their album title is going to get my attention.

Next, this is an easy album to listen to.  None of this "after a few listens it grows on you" stuff.  I was jamming from the first scary tones of "Dead Bite", the hard-hitting opening track.  In our modern day, where internet and technology have brought cultures crashing together and created things like "fusion cuisine", is it so wrong that a band has such an eclectic sound?  Hollywood Undead has definitely brought an amalgamation of sounds together on this record.  There are hip hop, metalcore, electronic dance music, screamo, and dubstep, all mashed together in a bucket to create a monster of a good album.  There is even a harpsichord in "Believe", one of my favorite tunes.

Their strong point is that this band is an equal opportunity crew.  Everyone gets turn on the mic to MC.  What is amazing is that all of the members also play their instruments as they rap.  All of the band members have monikers.  I am not going to even try to try to figure out who is rapping on what song, but I have to say - whoever the guy with the falsetto voice is, he has a lovely voice as evidenced in "Lion", "Rain", and "One More Bottle".  The latter song is one of my favorite songs, definitely a drinking song.

My favorite tracks also include the rousing anthem "We Are", the pounding beat of "From the Ground", and the wobble bass of "Another Way Out".

So if you are looking for something new, something catchy definitely check out this release.  It still has me bouncing.  This is a fun, energetic record.  I don't know when my next review will be, because I am not putting this album away for a while.  Thanks, Jason.

Moroni's Review of Arcade Fire's "Reflektor"

Arcade Fire

2013 is not even over, and yet I already believe that "Reflektor" by Arcade Fire is the best album of the year.  Allow me to explain why.

NME recently posted the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and many people were surprised to see The Smiths at the number 1 spot, beating out acts like The Beatles.  It caused me to reflect on The Smiths.  Practically everyone knows who they are now.  Everyone acknowledges what an influence they have had, even getting shout-outs in movies like "(500) Days of Summer" and "The Perks of Being a Wallflower".  And yet in the midst of the '80s, they didn't make as much of an impact on mainstream music as they have today.  Sure, The Smiths became the darlings of the alternative crowd by the late '80s, but in 1985 - when my friend Melisa lent my a vinyl copy of their eponymous first release - in the day of Michael Jackson and Madonna, no one would imagine that, 28 years later, "The Queen Is Dead" would be considered Greatest Album of All Time.  The Smiths were not considered quintessential '80s in the '80s, but they sure are now.

As I first listened to the fourth album by Arcade Fire, I wondered - in this day and age of Katy Perry, Rihanna, and Jay-Z - what will be considered the music that defines our era 28 years from now?  Will it be what's on the Top 40 radio?  Or will it be bands like Arcade Fire?

And then I read articles that indicate that "Reflektor" is currently #1 on the Billboard Album Charts, beating out Katy Perry's new album.  (This is the second #1 album I have reviewed in two months.)  Which is amazing, because they are essentially still an indie band, even with a Grammy under their belt (for 2010's "The Suburbs").

Arcade Fire is a band that I have followed since the beginning.  Both "Funeral" and "Neon Bible" are two of my favorite albums ever.  ("The Suburbs", not so much.)  This time Arcade Fire gets to exercise their expression through a sprawling double album.

Yes, Arcade Fire can be annoying sometimes.  At times, they seem self-important and puffed up, because they are "art".  But there is no denying that they are pure genius when it comes to crafting songs.  Some of the songs on the new album are like that - they are weird and start out annoying, but then they do what they do best - the add layer upon layer to the song until you perk up and are forced to ask, "What is this?"  Even the most irritating songs eventually grow on you.

The album starts out perfectly with the title track, "Reflecktor", a bouncy disco piece that has so many dimensions that one can spend hours analyzing it with headphones, right down to the background vocals by none other than the Thin White Duke himself, David Bowie.  The song is followed by "We Exist", with its "Billie Jean" beat.  In "Flashbulb Eyes" and "Here Comes the Night", Regine Chassagne's Haitian roots seem  to emerge in the carnivale/ reggaeton rhythms that are prevalent.

"Normal Person" - one of my favorite tracks - is uncharacteristically hard for an Arcade Fire song, kind of with a T-Rex vibe.  The vibe in "You Already Know" is definitely dance hall, and "Joan of Arc" has a glam feel.  But these descriptions are superficial at best.  Even though they might pay homage to older styles of music, they make it theirs by adding a sense of atmosphere and elegance.  This is true with "Here Comes the Night II", "It's Never Over (Hey Orpheus)", "Porno", and "Afterlife" (another favorite).  The album finishes our with a glowing ambient piece called "Supersymmetry".

When I personally rate albums, I ask myself two questions:

1)  Are all of the songs on the album good?
2)  Do I want to listen to it over and over?

The answer is yes, and yes.

This album is definitely one of the best of 2013.  And who knows?  Maybe in three decades, it will rank as the best album of all time.  I would not be surprised.

Moroni's Review of Chvrches' "The Bones of What You Believe"

Chvrches

Before Chvrches' debut album - "The Bones of What You Believe" came out, it seemed that this Scottish trio was ubiquitous on Sirius Radio.  I rarely imbibe in satellite radio, but it seemed that they were on every time I turned it on.  So I resolved to check them out as soon as their debut release came out.  Admittedly, it took me a long time to get into this album - a long time.  Although it is no fault of their own.

It seems like the musical landscape is filled with electronic music, and it seems that most of my downloads (and reviews) have comprised of '80s-flavored synthpop.  This band was no exception.  In a time when I am craving some old-time rock-n-roll, here was another synthesizer-heavy band, emulating Yaz or Erasure.  I had to put it aside for a couple of weeks.

When I came back to it, though, it spoke to me.  These are scintillating, opalescent little pop songs as fragile as bubbles ready to burst.  Lauren Mayberry's voice is sweet and flits like a stream of butterflies to the bouncy rhythms.  Her voice reminds me of Harriet Wheeler from The Sundays, or Caroline Crawley from Shelleyan Orphan.

The main singles - "The Mother We Share", "Gun", and "Lies" are perfect example of this bands' well-honed attempts at pop music.  But you have to delve deeper to get at the heart of what this group is about.  There is the Depeche Mode-ish pulse of songs like "We Sink" and "Night Sky".  My favorites are the wistful "Recover" and the frantic "Science/ Visions".  My absolute favorite song is the final track - "You Caught the Light" - with it's languid shoegaze pace with Martin Doherty doing his best Ian Curtis.  What a great way to end an album.

This album is a jewel.  It may have taken a long time for me to "get" it, and I am looking forward to what these guys do next.  Please check it out!