In 1987, the acid house movement exploded in the UK, sparking an underground dance movement that would become the global rave scene. It wasn't until a year later in 1988 that I was introduced to this scene as an exchange student in Belgium, and it wasn't until 1989 that this music dominated underground dance clubs in the United States. But back in 1987, some of this music did make it onto mainstream American radio - "Theme From S-Express" by S-Express, "Pump Up the Volume" by M/A/R/R/S, and later "This Is Acid" by Maurice and "We Call It Acieed" by D-Mob. In 1987, it was all about "Beat Dis" by Bomb the Bass, a young deejay out of London named Tim Simenon. There was nothing else on the radio like it. Strong rhythm and heavy bass line "bombed" with scratches and layers of samples. The song commanded us to "Keep this frequency clear!"
By 1988, I was fully into the acid house scene, and my first purchases on vinyl were the singles "Superfly Guy" by S-Express and "Beat Dis" by Bomb the Bass. I loved that it mixed a disco era vibe with the urban sounds of hip-hop. I went onto purchase Simenon's first album, "Into the
Into The Dragon
Dragon" which is still one of the best records in the genre. It was a good time for Simenon. He went on to produce and mix "Buffalo Stance" and "Manchild" by the underrated Neneh Cherry, two of the greatest hip-hop singles of all time, in my opinion.
As all fresh scenes do, acid house burned out quickly, but Simenon never quite disappeared, producing several more ambient records as Bomb the Bass, but acting as a producer for several acts including Massive Attack, Bjork, Sinead O'Connor, and Depeche Mode.
In 2013, he remixed his his two biggest hits - "Beat Dis" and "Megablast" - in honor of their 25th anniversary in a compilation called "Mega Dis", which I am reviewing, These songs have been remixed repeatedly by other artists, some of these remixes I myself own. But Simenon remixes these songs himself, using digital technology that didn't exist back in the day. He mashes the two songs into one almost ten-minute opus. The basic structure of both songs remain, along with some of the more familiar samples. But, if I may say, this remix is almost more acid house than the original with its electronic chirps and tweets. But he succeeds in making it sound new and fresh. My teen boys love the remix, one saying that it reminds him of something out of a superhero movie.
On the side, Simenon also remixes his 1994 single, "Bug Powder Dust" in the same vein - the robotic rap set with a new veneer of updated electronica.
It was a good walk down memory lane to listen to Bomb the Bass again. I'm sure that Tim Simenon will be around a while - whether behind the scenes or in the front line, tagging us with his musical graffiti.
I have always been kind of proud that I share Northern Arizona with Maynard James Keenan, the legendary singer/ songwriter of two of my favorite bands, Tool and A Perfect Circle, as well as the frontman of the electro-psychedelic pop experiment called Puscifer. Keenan roams my old stomping grounds of the Verde Valley. He owns two shops in the old ghost town of Jerome (several buildings there renovated by personal friends) - a wine shop selling his own brand - Caduceus Cellars as well as a merchandise store for his band, Puscifer. He owns a home in the artist community of Sedona and grows grapes in the small town of Cornville, where I wandered as a nineteen year-old, pretending I was a hippie. Perhaps I feel that it gives my region some cred to have someone like Keenan see the same thing in rural Arizona that I do. Many a time, I have fantasized about going to his wine shop and having a conversation with him. But I always fall short. His is notoriously private and quite eccentric. After showing my wife some interviews with Keenan on YouTube, her observation is, "He's a nerd. An artsy nerd, but still a nerd."
He certainly does not stick to any conventions, but that is what I love about his music. People always tried to classify Tool, and the band always resisted any label. Hard rock yes, but far more transcendent. The same was true with the ethereal sounds of A Perfect Circle.
But I do have a confession. Even though I am a fan, since their inception back in 2007, I had never listened to a single song by Puscifer. I was very aware of them, having read several articles about them. I'm not sure why. I think that I am always afraid that my favorite artists will have their creative spirit eroded away by age and fame. Perhaps it was the way they marketed the band - Keenan doing electronic dance music with raucous and rowdy themes. I mean, their first album was called "V Is For Vagina".
To this date, I have never listened to their first two albums. But after reading about Tool's explosive performance in Tempe, Arizona this past Halloween, and Puscifer's wild show two days later at the same venue, I decided to check them out.
I'm glad I did. Puscifer's third album, "Money Shot" is the best album I have heard in a long time, Not only is it the best Keenan record to date - right up there with Tool's "Lateralus" and A Perfect Circle's "Mer de Noms", but it is the best record of 2015. And I will tell you why.
There is nothing bawdy or juvenile about this record. It is deep and contemplative, having the same esoteric and mystical quality, yet also containing tongue-in-cheek humor that all of Keenan's work has. He proves that it doesn't matter what genre he is dabbling in. As a songwriter, the Force is strong with him. Yes, most of the songs are ambient and electronic, and other people have said that this is darker and moodier than Puscifer's other releases. But there is still the exquisite musicianship that is trademark to all of Keenan's endeavors. Keenan also knows that relying on the gifts of other artists is key to making great music. Not only is his smooth-as-silk voice prevalent, but Carina Round's angelic voice flits through all of the songs. There are also a round of guest musicians, including Tim Alexander on drums, who formerly performed with, not only Primus, but Major Lingo, another Northern Arizona favorite from Verde Valley.
The album starts out with an electronic pulse on the first track, "Galileo", fraught with interplay between guitar and vocal harmonies with Keenan and Round. "Agostina" is a beautiful ode to Keenan's newborn daughter. "Grand Canyon" is an epic song, kind of reminds me of the track at the end of "We Were Soldiers". I'm sure you know the one. I'm not sure if Keenan is singing about standing at the precipice of Arizona's best known National Park or at the edge of the human psyche. Either way, it is a grandiose tune capped off by Round's voice soaring like an eagle over Angel Point. "Simultaneous" is an enigma. It starts out with a man narrating a story about meeting an eccentric bum at a punk festival. I have tried to find a backstory on this. I haven't been able to find one. But the song ends with Keenan philosophizing, "Find a way. Through, around or over." All while a guitar buzz-saws in the background.
The title track, "Money Shot", is the only song I don't like on the record. It is loud and obnoxious, like a turd in the midst of resplendent jewels. It's as if the record company wanted Keenan to put the obligatory hard rock song in there, but it doesn't fit the quiet contemplation of the rest of the record. It's out of place, being vaguely reminiscent of Butthole Surfers. But maybe that's what he was aiming for. The album resumes with perhaps my favorite track, "The Arsonist", which starts out with electronic chimes and softly builds up to a strong climax. "The Remedy" is a great single from this which captures Keenan's sardonic side, as he sings, "Yes, we're being condescending. Yes, that means we're talking down to you."
"Smoke and Mirrors" reflects the moody atmosphere of this record with a kind of Pink Floyd vibe. Another favorite track of mine is "Life of Brian (Apparently You Haven't Seen)". The vocal arrangements at the end of this piece are extraordinarily beautiful, almost medieval, and the album finishes off with the somber "Autumn", one of the saddest songs I have ever heard.
I can't rave enough about this record. I have been listening to it for two months and am not tired of it. Every single song is good, and I recommend it to anyone searching for good and new music. Moreover, I have bragging rights. 2015's best record came out of Northern Arizona - recorded and released! What?!
Since I first discovered them last year, I have become obsessed with this band. Especially in the last few weeks since I have been preparing for this review. I always look for new and innovative music. And Los Angeles's Warpaint is just that.
For this review, I am reviewing their 2008 debut EP, "Exquisite Corpse", and their 2014 eponymous second album.
How do you describe their music? Haunting, minimalist, atmospheric, dreamy... Their sound is dominated by strong bass rhythms, a sandpaper wash of percussion, and raining, subtle guitars. Emily Kokal is the primary vocalist, and yet all of the band members lend their voices to create breathy harmonies that wash gently over the arrangements. They definitely have a strong female vibe, the kind found in other bands like The Bangles or Throwing Muses.
"Exquisite Corpse" was produced and engineered by former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist, John Frusciante with guitars and drums added by current RHCP guitarist, Josh Klinghoffer. I love when well-established musicians will go out of the way to discover and promote up and coming musicians. And this EP is a strong start for these ladies.
"Stars" opens the EP and is one of my favorite tracks, starts muted with no drums, the guitar notes falling like a sprinkle of spring rain, the vocals hushed, and then it gradually tightens and mounts slowly, wistful longing swaying from the voices, never quite giving in to frenzy. "Elephants" scratches away in an insistent manner that shows that these artists understand psychedelia. The haunting "Billie Holiday" is a moving piece that consists of the band spelling out the title of the song. It is so catchy that I would say, not only is it my favorite song, but a favorite of all my kids, from younger to older, who walk around the house singing this song. "Beetles" demonstrates how versatile these girls are, complete with several delicious shifts in tempo. The other songs - "Burgundy" and "Krimson" are just as delectable.
Their debut album, "The Fool", came out in 2010. I don't have it yet, but I have listened to a couple of tracks like "Shadows" and "Composure", and I like what I have heard. Honestly, this album will be my next download.
Their second album, "Warpaint", is just as ethereal and ambient. Although the band relies more on smoky electronic drumbeats and languid electronic loops to sustain their vibe. It works, though, in songs like "Hi", "Disco // very", and "Feeling Alright". But their signature sound is there - the torrential vocals, the smoky guitars, all sounding like something out of "Twin Peaks". My personal favorites are "Keep It Healthy" and "Love Is To Die". The first time I heard these thoughts, I immediately thought, "This is my kind of music."
I am very glad to have discovered this band. They are simply refreshing, and you would be remiss if you did not join their war party and head into their mystic, sonic landscape.
It's been a couple of years since I reviewed Chvrche's debut album, "The Bones of What You Believe". Initially, I had given these darlings of Sirius Radio a good review. But it was so sickeningly sweet that it eventually went saccharine. Truthfully, I wasn't that excited to check out the sophomore release, "Every Open Eye". But my own personal music guru, Nikki, said that it was really good. So I decided to check it out. And I am glad that I did, as this has become one of my favorite albums this year. In fact, my kids have complained that I keep playing it in the car.
Not much has changed. This music is straight up synthpop, taking a page from Vince Clark, from the early Depeche Mode days, but more from Yaz or Erasure, but without the throaty vocals of Alison Moyet or Andy Bell. Instead, Lauren Mayberry's voice is still angelic and waifish, reminding me a lot of Harriet Wheeler from The Sundays.
Except that this time, it works for me. This upbeat and crystal clear pop music transports me back to prom on a warm spring night in some John Hughes movie.
The album has spawned three riveting singles, the opener "Never Ending Circles", sounding like an anthem to teen angst, as well as "Leave A Trace", showing the band's strength is relying more on the surprising power of Mayberry's vocals and placing the synths in the background. The third single, "Clearest Blue", has that Erasure vibe that I was talking about, starting out shimmering and effulgent, then ending in a groovy rhythm and celestial harmonies.
There are a lot of songs on this record, so it took me a while to get familiar with all of them. My personal faves are "Keep You On My Side" which is furious, Mayberry complaining about a jilted love, a familiar theme on "Empty Threat". The somber and languid "Down Side of Me" is probably my favorite song, especially when it plays with layering vocal tracks towards the end. "Playing Dead" is a fantastic example of how this band spins such a huge sound bound up with so many swirling feelings with only three musicians.
The whole album is really great. As I listened, I had to refrain fro going on Facebook every five minutes to rave about it. Hopefully, the novelty doesn't wear off after a bit of time, like Chinese food, like the first album. Hopefully, this is one that will have me coming back for more.
This is another late review. But, right off the bat, I will say that this was my favorite album of 2014. It is ethereal and dreamy with trip-hop-y electronic sounds mixed with feathery, swirling guitars frosted with Sara Barthel's breathy vocals. Phantogram have so much as admitted that Cocteau Twins are one of their main influences, and that makes me like them right off the bat!
In 2013, I reviewed their self-titled EP, and you can read about it here. Shortly afterwards, their second album, "Voices", was released. The new album featured all four songs previously released on the EP - the spooky "Black Out Days", the New Order-inspired "The Day You Died", the upbeat "Celebrate Nothing", and one of my personal favorites, "Never Going Home". sung by Josh Carter, that starts out subdued like "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Colins, and then ends with a wash of sound that is reminiscent of Cocteau Twins. These songs really are the backbone of the album, although there are some other really good songs on here.
"Nothing But Trouble" was the second single off this collection, It is harsh and biting, and, really, a bit gothic. "Howling At the Moon"is a hook-laden exploration of lunar bliss. But my personal favorite song is "Bill Murray", which makes it onto every CD mix I do. It is, by far, their most Cocteau of songs. Sweet and gentle, chiming guitars held together with a buzzing bass keyboard, and Barthel does vocal gymnastics that would make Elizabeth Fraser proud. It is a beautiful song.
This band has a really great sound, and I am glad to see them do so well in the mainstream. Proof that good music can and does come out in our present day.
If you have ridden for extended periods of time with me, you know. If you have ever have received the ubiquitous CD mix from me, you have probably figured it out. Metric is one of my favorite bands. The ultra new wave "Fantasies" is probably in my top ten albums of the the last ten years, and I gave "Synthetica" rave reviews a few years ago. Metric really measures up on their sixth studio album, "Pagans In Vegas", released on September 18th.
And how do I measure an album? Before the review, I download the whole album to the phone, and, when I am done with my critique, I delete everything save the songs that I like. I will be keeping this whole album on my phone. Metric has done it again.
The record starts out with a finger-snapping jam named "Lie Lie Lie" where Emily Haines (who also performs with Broken Social Scene) sings the bitter, sarcastic lyrics with a sickly sweet voice. The harmonies make it even more dangerous. "Fortunes" begins mid-tempo with a Casio-sounding keyboard. Only a band like Metric can make that sound work, and only Metric can load their songs full of hooks like their main single, "The Shade". "Celebrate" explores their penchant for electronica with its sweeping chorus. "Cascades" is probably my favorite song on the album - pure synth pop, complete with robotic vocals, yet avoiding sounding too cheesy, and actually turns out to be quite a beautiful tune. "For Kicks" is their New Order rip-off, complete with a high-end, Peter Hook-style bass line. Yet they pull it off, so we'll forgive them. "Too Bad, So Sad" is their quintessential "Pagans In Vegas" song. It sounds like a night out on the Strip. If Metric gave a nod to New Order, then "Other Side", featuring James Shaw on lead vocals, is their homage to early Depeche Mode from their "Speak & Spell" days. "Blind Valentine" is another Vegas song, except this one imagined in the bedroom. "The Governess" once combines Haines's delectable harmonies with saucy lyrics. The album finishes out with "The Face Part I" and "The Face Part II", two ethereal instrumentals.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you make the perfect album. Metric is well-versed in crafting the rich and full-flavored pop songs. They proved this a long time ago, and I have known this since I discovered them six years ago. Metric makes new wave much more cool than it was in the '80s. At this point, they can rub our noses in it - they are good. And they know it.
So this was another one of my downloads from last year that I never reviewed. And, quite honestly, I didn't even listen to it at all until yesterday. Why? I was afraid that it would suck.
In the last decade, Coldplay was one of my favorite bands. I absolutely loved them, right from my first listen of "Don't Panic" and "Yellow" off their debut, "Parachutes". The first time I heard "Politik" off of "A Rush of Blood To the Head" with its shoegaze-like Cocteau Twins sound, I was hooked. That album was a masterpiece, and "X&Y" was their magnum opus. But then, like many bands, they started settling into a slump. "Viva La Vida" - while one of the band's most popular releases - was only "okay" to me (whereas their "Prospekt's March" EP was genius). And "Mylo Xyloto"? Ugh. Don't even get me started. There were only one, or two, songs that really grabbed me on that one.
So yeah, I was afraid to listen to their sixth studio album, "Ghost Stories". I had already heard the album's two singles - "Magic" and "A Sky Full of Stars" - and, frankly, I was underwhelmed. (I don't mind them now.)
So after my first listen my fears were both confirmed and baseless. This record does not have the innovation of "Rush of Blood", and it doesn't have the passion of "X&Y". But it is still not a bad album. It's very subtle. Nowhere does it get loud and wild. It's not going to clear any rooms, but it will stand insistently in the living room, clearing it's throat incessantly until you notice its fine points, which are.. subtle. It has an understated pop vibe that reminds me of '80s act, The Blue Nile. Much of this album is full of nocturnal washes of hushed ambient sounds with Chris Martin's quiet vocals pairing in a way that really makes me think of Sigur Ros.
The album is strongest on "Ink", a catchy little tune, and on the dreamy "Another's Arms". My absolute favorite song is "Midnight" with its faint rhythm and computerized harmony that gives it an Imogen Heap vibe.
So, all in all, not a bad record, bit certainly not their best. Coldplay is in the studio now, finishing up their seventh and, what they say will be, their last album called "A Head Full of Dreams". They say it will be their "last Harry Potter book" of an album. I will definitely be reviewing that when it comes out. I hope they go out with a bang.
Meg Myers is one of the most promising and most exciting artists to come out in a long time. Earlier this year, I reviewed her two EPs, and you can read about them here. These two EPs were the best thing I had heard in a while, so I was pretty excited for her debut album, "Sorry".
The only complaint that I have about the album is that there was not much new music here, but several tunes taken right off of her EP, "Make a Shadow". Of course, the title track and main single, "Sorry", is a pop powerhouse that I have already reviewed. But there is also the sexually charged "Desire", "Make a Shadow", and "The Morning After". which remains one of my favorite Meg Myers song with its music box waltz tempo. I guess I can understand why artists do this. Myers was breaking the scene with her EPs. She wants to expose her music to a larger audience. But I dislike this tactic. I don't feel like I am getting new album, but rather another EP.
But the new songs - wow! The thing that is fantastic about this artist is the amount of raw personal experience and emotion she puts into her music. "Motel" is a strong opening with a beat that is at once melancholic and uplifting. The only thing I dislike this track is the key change at the end, which is superfluous and redundant. The song is already emotionally charged enough. It doesn't need a key change. "A Bolt From the Blue" is a jostling, happy pop tune that is uncharacteristic of Myers. But she gets right back to the moodiness with "I Really Want You To Hate Me" where she uses the crashing waves of her voice to unravel her bitter emotions. "Parade" is one of my favorite tracks, a somber ode to the uncertainty of love. The second single is "Lemon Eyes", which was just made into a music video. This is a good example of Meg Myers, and it really reminds me of "Mandika" by Sinead O'Connor. The final track is "Feather". This song is amazing. I would buy this whole album just for this one song - the combination of her flitting vocals with a doleful guitar that explodes mid-song into fury. I love it.
With her debut album, Meg Myers secures her place as one of my favorite new artists, and it is a good way to introduce newcomers to her music. I can't wait to see what she does next.
There are several albums that I downloaded in 2014 that I never reviewed. This is one of them. So over the course of the next several days, I will be catching up on my reviews.
The name of the third album of Philadelphia's jam-rockers, The War On Drugs, is appropriate. It's called "Lost in the Dream", and it's easy to get lost in this mood music. This isn't just a dream pop album. It's much more than that.
Upon first listen, it was hard for me to not draw comparisons to other musicians - most of them from the '60s or the '70s. Even more difficult, I had to refrain from calling them hippies. But this is definitely a jam band - along the vein of Grateful Dead or Phish - a lot of their songs unlacing into vibrant psychedelia clocking in seven or eight minutes long per song. To a greater degree, when I listen to this record, I hear definite imprints of Dire Straits or Bruce Springsteen, or, even more recently, of My Morning Jacket.
This record is mellow and laid-back, probably more enjoyable while smoking the green, if you know what I mean, or while going on a really long night-drive. The guitars are liquid and impressionistic, coalescing colorfully to form a tangled sonic portrait of soporific bliss. It's all cloudy skies, light shimmering on water, and blowing leaves with this guys. Many of these songs are allusive, drowsy explorations of aural sensations like "The Haunting Idle" or "In Reverse". This record is not what one would call "catchy". I meant it when I said this was mood music. This is definitely not a pop album in the conventional sense, but it is nice to see newer acts - like The War On Drugs, like Phoenix - experiment in psychedelic rock.
There are a couple of really catchy tunes that will remain on my playlist - like "Red Eyes", "Burning", or "An Ocean Between the Waves". This would definitely be a good band to see live. Thanks to my friend, Mahesh, for suggesting this music to me.
So you know my blog is getting old, because this is the third review I have done for Silversun Pickups, one of my favorite bands. "Better Nature" is the band's fourth studio album, and I have been anticipating its release for quite a while.
A couple of weeks before its release, they previewed the album by releasing a music video for the first single, "Nightlight". Instantly, I was in love. Not only was the band at the top of the game, but the video was beautiful and cinematic, filled with stark images and spoken word. I was in a frenzy of anticipation.
Then the album came out, and I was a little taken aback. The Pickups had changed their sound considerably. It was less guitar-driven and more electronic. Don't get me wrong - Joe Lester's keyboards, maybe under-appreciated, are a vital part of the band's sound, adding an ethereal texture that sets their music apart. I should have anticipated the change given 2014's single, "Cannibal", which was filled with electronic whistles. They seem to be burying their shoegaze roots, and, whereas 2012's "Neck of the Woods" is arguably one of their most shoegaze records, "Better Nature" is probably one of their least. What you have left is an undeniably pop album.
And that's not altogether a bad thing. If this is a pop album, it's a beautifully crafted, well-written pop album. If half of the pop music today was as interesting as this, the radio would not be the dismal wasteland it is today.
The strength of this album is the stream-of-consciousness way the songs flow into the next. The opening track, "Cradle (Better Nature)", scintillates and shimmers into the next track, "Connection", which softly ebbs into "Pins and Needles". It makes for a great concept album. I suppose it is a good sign that they are growing as a band and musicians, taking their sound to the next level. Brian Aubert's smooth vocals and outstanding guitar work are still there, just understated and diminished in favor of a more complete sound. "Nightlife" is without a doubt the most "Pickups" of songs, and my personal favorite is "Circadian Rhythm (Last Dance)". Nikki Monninger takes lead vocals on this track. Her voice is a contrast to Aubert's powerful voice, having an almost fragile quality that really completes the song. It is interesting to note that my favorite Pickups song of all time is also sung by Nikki - "Ribbons & Detours".
Of of the other songs, my notable favorites are additionally "Connection" and "Latchkey Kids".
After several listens, I have to say that this is a good album, as long as I don't compare it to other releases. It is, after all, Silversun Pickups, and that makes it just about better than anything else on the planet.
Several months ago, I wrote about the debut release of Arizona's Dead Light Shines. Now, they are back with a new lineup and a new EP, "Face Your Fears". Not only does the band still include Norm Wall scratching out the riffs on the guitar and Kelly Morales slapping the bass, but the band has added Stephen Mallicoat pounding out the drums and the sparkling Janette Martyn on vocals, who brings a new attitude to the band's music.
The EP gives us five new tunes that show us how the band has grown as musicians and songwriters. The opening title track pummels us right from the get-go with driving force, Martyn's plaintive voice encouraging us to leave our fears behind. It is a bit reminiscent of Lacuna Coil, but, true to this band's nature, they take us through a roller coaster ride of changes, the tempo grinding to a halt to give us a Black Sabbath dirge before launching back into the frenzy.
The next track, "Reach the Sky", explores this dichotomy of thumping metal and pop sensitivity. Bring Me Down" starts out with a rhythm that rolls forward like a freight train, offset by Martyn's shimmering voice. "Leave You Behind", probably one of my favorite tracks, explores more of this polarity, featuring some simply lovely vocal harmonies in tandem with some shredding screams. The final track, "Haunt Your Dreams", features some pyrotechnic lyrics set to some of some furious riffs that would make Metallica proud.
coalescing to create a kaleidoscope of chaos. "
Dead Light Shines is showing some real growth, keeping their powerhouse metal edge and combining it with some definitive hooks, reminding me of equal parts Paramore and Flyleaf. These guys are ready for the big time, in my opinion.
If you haven't seen them live, and you are in the Phoenix area, you can see them October 23rd at:
My older brothers were always introducing me to new music when I was a kid - starting with the Bee Gees and Kiss in the '70s, and heavy metal in the early '80s. It was great that they were always into cutting edge music instead of the mainstream. So when I say that my brother got me into heavy metal, it wasn't Ratt or Motley Crue; it was Metallica and Slayer before anyone had every heard of them. In junior high, I was only one of two kids in the whole school who listened to punk - Dead Kennedys, Black Flag, and G.B.H.
In the summer of 1984, I was 14 years-old and about to start high school. We lived in a little neighborhood called Rancho Grande on the edge of the Arizona desert. My oldest brother came home from his first year of college. Collegiate life was good to him. He came back for the summer with his hair different and wearing hip clothes. (Thrift store was chic back then.) He also came back listening to new music that we dubbed "modern music" back then.
When he wasn't home, I would sneak into his room and get into his music. He had a zip-up canvas bag that had a stack of cassettes. I would steal his cassettes and go walking into the desert with my Walkman, exploring the sounds of his college experience. Most of his fare was typical early '80s selections - Rush "Moving Pictures", The Police "Synchronicity", and INXS "Listen Like Thieves". There were a couple of tapes that changed my life. One was a mix tape that had songs like "People Are People" by Depeche Mode, "Radio Free Europe" by R.E.M., and "The Upstairs Room" by The Cure. The other was a black cassette with no label. I had no idea who it was, but I was hooked with the first song. I learned later that it was "Power, Corruption, & Lies" by New Order, and that first song was "Age of Consent".
I didn't know how important New Order would become over the next three or four years. Not only has New Order graced the soundtracks from John Hughes's films like "Pretty In Pink" all the way to the recent "The Perks of Being a Wallflower", but they were the soundtrack to my life back then. My first love, my first kiss, my first loss. New Order's moody music fit my teenage angst - along with the other underground acts then like The Cure, Depeche Mode, and The Smiths.
By 1989, I had sort of outgrown New Order, "Blue Monday" was played ad nauseum at every club I went to - sometimes two times a night. Yet I had the chance to see them live on April 25th of that year at the Mesa Amphitheater. We had just been wowed by the opening act, Throwing Muses - a quartet of mostly girls barely over 5 foot tall who just rocked the stadium. (We had met them earlier that afternoon at Zia Records in Tempe.) As we waited for New Order to come out, we sniffed in derision at all of the young kids still wearing their hair in Robert Smith bouffants. All I remember is that most of their set list were their electronic dance hits, and it wasn't that interesting to see people stand around and push buttons. Most of the band members weren't that lively anyway.
The exception was Peter Hook with his bass hanging low to his waist. His face was unshaven, and his hair was in a ponytail. In his white tank top, he looked dirty and unkempt. He was the only one who looked and acted like a rock star. For their encore, they came out and played "Love Will Tear Us Apart" by Joy Division, and the song ended with Peter Hook standing in front of the speaker causing a barrage of noise and distortion that lasted for several minutes. The band had already left the stage, and Hook was there like a rock god, seeming out of place in the glitz of the synthesized music we had just heard. It was a moment that left a huge impression on me.
New Order back in the day
For the next several years, I stopped listening to New Order. It has only been in recent years that I have been getting into them again. I am amazed at what an influence that they - along with Joy Division - had on alternative music. Even to this day, they are very influential. So when I started seeing advertisements about the new album - "Music Complete" - I started thinking about giving it a listen.
I'm going to be honest here. I wasn't going to get it. I didn't really care enough about New Order anymore to even want to listen. I downloaded it on a whim. Amazon kept "suggesting" it to me. It's funny how I was looking forward to so many of the newer bands that I like coming out with new music this Fall, But the one that really grabbed me was the new album by New Order.
It's really that good!
The only thing that is missing is Peter Hook. He left the band before this album could be produced. And that is really too bad. His often-imitated high-end bass lines - along with Bernard Sumner's smooth voice - really defined New Order. But at least original keyboardist, Gillian Gilbert is back.
That said, New Order is back in form - with Bernard Sumner looking like an aging Luke Skywalker to lead the band forward into the new millennium.
The first single is a wistful tune named "Restless" - also the first song off of the new album that I heard. When I initially listened to it, my fears all melted away. This was an old friend coming home. The next song - "Singularity" - probably my favorite, starts off with strong, gothic bass and pounding drumbeat that would make Sisters of Mercy proud. The rest of the song is reminiscent of Imagine Dragons, Neon Trees, or The Killers, which is fair enough, because New Order had a huge influence on those newer groups. In fact, Brandon Flowers from The Killers appears on the album's final track, "Superheated", a happy tune.
There are several electronic dance tracks here like "Plastic" which seems to herald back to their "Technique" days. "Tutti Frutti" seems to be another Italian disco homage to Giorgio Moroder, who was a huge influence on New Order's early sound. "People on the High Line", featuring vocals from Elly Jackson of La Roux, is a straight-up house anthem. "Stray Dog" is a pop tune set to the gravelly voice of Iggy Pop doing some spoken word.
Songs like "Academic" and "Nothing But a Fool" seem like throwbacks to their earlier, Joy Division days. My wife observed that "Nothing But a Fool" sounded like "Lazy Eye" by Silversun Pickups. I laughed at that and told her, "Do you see what an influence that this band still has today?" "Unlearn This Hatred" has a jaunty vibe akin to "Perfect Kiss", and "The Game" has some swirly guitars that give it a dreamy feel, and the bridge is to die for.
This is a strong album to mark New Order's return. The production value is superb. Every song is good, evidenced bu the fact that I have mentioned every single song on this record. It is proof that some things really do get better with age. Go buy "Music Complete". Now.
Every now and then, I will come across a band that I have never heard of, a band that has made an impact on a lot of people, but for some reason escaped my notice. And then I wonder what proverbial rock I was under all this time. My Bloody Valentine was like this for me. And so is The Clientele.
I had never heard of them until my good friend Paige specifically asked me to review their debut album, "Suburban Light", which was released in 2000. I am reviewing their 2014 reissue, which includes a lot of fabulous bonus tracks,
How do I describe their music?
I'll be honest here. It took a few listens before I "got" them. Their music is soft and sleepy, and kind of Beatles-esque. But after a few listens, you start to listen to the subtle nuances - a guitar chord here, the strain of a violin there, or a soft, nearly-whispered lyric by vocalist, Alastair MacLean there. You start to see through the fabric to see a splendid tapestry of sound. It is lightly effervescent, like light rain upon a dulcid pond. This is sixties-tinged jangle pop at it;s best, and the more you listen to it, it is less like the Beatles, and more like '80s acts like Felt, like R.E.M. without the country twang, like Stone Roses without the bravado.
The collection starts out strongly with a light simmer, a pop jangle called "I Had to Say This", and other with jouncing favorites of mine, ephemeral sparkles like "Rain", "We Could Walk Together", and "Joseph Cornell". It's hard to pick favorites. There are autumn windfalls like "An Hour Before the Light", "Saturday", "Five Day Warning", and the album finishes off with the slide guitar of "Lacewings".
The bonus tracks are just as good certainly not throwaway songs. I particularly like "6am Morningside", and my favorite track is "From A Window", which captures the best sense of this band. There is an alternate version of "Monday's Rain".
The best compliment that I can pay to this band - when I review a band, I delete all of the songs off my phone save those that I really like. I am keeping this whole album on my phone. Plus there is a whole catalog to explore. Thanks, Paige!
About a year ago, I rented "The Perks of Being A Wallflower" from the public library. I liked it so much that I picked up a copy out of the Walmart bin. Such a great movie. It is based on a teen novel written by Stephen Chbosky (who also wrote the screenplay and directed, also produced by the same company that did "Ghost World" and "Juno"). My daughter had actually read the novel and loved it.
There are many reasons I love this movie. First of all, it takes place in Pittsburgh, a city that is beloved to me. Part of the plot involves the excitement of emerging from the Tunnel into the city. I have done it many times, and it was exhilerating every time. Next, it takes place in the time of my youth - the early '90s. Even though it takes place back then, this is not quite a period piece. It is kind of timeless. It could take place at any time. It is about being a misfit, not really fitting in, and finding friends who give your life some meaning - a theme that many, including me, find resonant.
But what I found most compelling in the movie was the music. Music was an important part of the book as well. Charlie (played by Logan Lerman) makes mix tapes for his friends. I was the music geek who handed mix tapes to all of my friends, so I can relate. The book mentions several of these artists like Ride, The Smiths, Nick Drake, and many more artists that I grew up with in the late '80s and early '90s.
I liked the soundtrack so much that I went out to buy it. Many of these songs play an important part of the story like "Asleep" by The Smiths, "Come On Eileen" by Dexy's Midnight Runners, and, my favorite, "Pearly Dew Drops" byCocteau Twins. The Tunnel scene uses "Heroes" by David Bowie in that the song comes on the radio, and they set out on a quest to find out who sings it. The other songs are a drape over an exquisite movie that creates a sense of nostalgia in me. "Teenage Riot" by Sonic Youth, which was an anthem in my younger years, "Temptation" by New Order, one of their earlier pieces, and, also, one of their best, dominated by its electronic beat and Peter Hook's high-end bass, a sound that he created and is much imitated. Cracker, The Innocence Mission, XTC, and Galaxie 500. It really is a great soundtrack.
There are additional songs that didn't make it from the movie onto the playlist of the soundtrack that compliment the movie as well - "Counting Backwards" by Throwing Muses, "Araby" by my favorite Austin band, The Reivers, L7, Bongwater...
It is nice to see my era eulogized so nicely, and with some of the better music from my day. The sense of nostalgia takes me back to those moments. But that's kind of the poetic point of this picture.
As I reviewed this album, I realized that, in our day and age, it is unfortunate to name your band a name like Real Estate, because, when you Google it, a plethora of other suggestions will pop up, like homes in Las Vegas. You should pick something a little more catchy and unique - like "Sunny Day Real Estate" - that will specifically bring up your band.
For this review, I will be talking about the mild and pleasant New Jersey band, Real Estate, and their third album, "Atlas". Now when I say "mild and pleasant", I mean it. They have a nice sound - a '60s-tinged, Byrds-like sound, like R.E.M. without the Southern twang, like The Sundays without the female singer. They remind me a lot of The Shins.
But they are also mild, like eating grits and nothing else. It is filling, but ultimately not satisfying. You want to reach for the Cholula and add some spice. None of these songs really reached out and grabbed me at first. It took several listens to get to really like any of it. Don't get me wrong. This is jangle pop at its best - just a bit sleepy. The musicianship is superb. And they are fairly critically acclaimed. Maybe you need to see these guys live to get their magic.
There are a couple of songs that will find a place on my phone's playlist, like "Talking Backwards", "Primitive", "How Might I Live", and "Horizon". My favorite song is "Crime". I would drowsily listen to this album several time, only perking up when this song came on. The rest are fairly forgettable.
I don't want to be mean and give a bad review to a band that is actually alright. They are not bad. But don't uproot anytime soon for Real Estate. Stay firm on your asking price and wait for the market to shift your way. Things can only get better.
To tell the truth, even though I downloaded this album a year ago on the very day it came out, I did not even listen to it all the way through until a few days ago. Yes, I have this OCD thing about not listening albums until I am ready to review them (which is why I have 30+ albums sitting unlistened to on my phone). But it was more than that. I was kind of afraid, because I had already read many, many negative reviews about it.
Anyone who knows me knows that Pixies are one of my favorite bands. I first bought "Come On, Pilgrim" in a record store in Austin, Texas in 1987. I have claimed ad nauseum that "Doolittle" is the greatest rock album ever written. Even after their last album, "Trompe le Monde" (1991), and their disheartening break-up, I kept up with Black Francis's career under the moniker, Frank Black. ("Teenager of the Year" and "The Cult of Ray" are two of my favorite albums.)
I guess the thing I was afraid of is something that happens to a lot of artists - middle-age slump. The creative muse becomes over-domesticated and staid, and the passion and joi de vivre disappears, leaving the product lackluster and, well, boring. It is something that happens often. I have seen it in my own writing.
I was as excited as everyone else when "Indie Cindy" came out - the first Pixies full-length album in 23 years! But when I saw the negative comments circulating cyberspace about it, I started to get a little worried. Yes, I had heard some of these new songs when I reviewed "EP1", and they were great. But did Pixies - one of the most influential rockers of the last millennium - still have it?
So I finally gave it a listen last week. I had nothing to worry about! It's all there - Joey Santiago's fierce strumming and slightly discordant, dreamy solos, David Lovering's furious drum beats, and Black Francis's zany lyrics, somethings emoted softly, sometimes shrieked. Their quirky brand of psychedelia wed to surf punk is as bright and accelerated as always. What a sweet relief! I don't know what in the hell those naysayers were talking about!
Pixies have many facets to their sound, and it is all here. There is the aggressive, powerhouse sound like in "What Goes Boom" and "Blue Eyed Hexe", which ends with Francis shredding his vocal chord with some delicious, piercing screams. Then there is the sweet, surfy tunes loaded with hooks like "Greens and Blues", "Ring the Bell", and "Another Toe in the Ocean", with its familiar nautical theme. "Andro Queen" has the obligatory Spanish lyrics. Pixies are in form with "Indie Cindy" and "Bagboy", both of which have spoken word mixed with some dazzling riffs. Francis shows his skill in writing poetry with these songs, and the imagery is just so bizarre that my little kids giggle every time they hear the words. My personal favorite are the moody "Magdalena 318" and "Snakes".
I will say that I miss Kim Deal's presence on this album - her soft, breathy voice giving contrast to Francis's caterwauls. But I am happy with the replacement - Paz Lenchantin, whom I have loved since her days with A Perfect Circle.
In 2013, I made the bold claim that Arcade Fire's "Reflektor" was the best album of the year. I am going to go ahead and state that "Indie Cindy" is the best album of the last year. If you doubt me, try it out yourself and tell me I'm wrong. Also, it is my misfortune that I have never seen this band live. But they are on tour this summer. Maybe you can catch them.
I have to say this right away about Meg Myers. It has been a long, long time since I have liked a new artist this much.
When I set out to discover new music, I look for something that will grab me and not let go, something that I don't want to stop listening to, that I can't wait to play first thing when I wake up. Meg Myers is this good. I can't stop listening to her.
For the purpose of this review, I am looking at her entire catalog to date, which is two EPs - "Daughter In the Choir"" (2013) and "Make A Shadow" (2014), as well as the single, "Sorry" (2015).
A newcomer on the pop music scene, she has already made some waves, because she has something that most artists don't have - passion, energy, and raw, raw emotion. The amount of feeling that she puts into her songs is astounding. She is already drawing inevitable comparisons to older artists like P.J. Harvey, Alanis Morrisette, Fiona Apple, and Sinead O'Connor. None of these comparisons do her justice. Maybe the closest would be Sinead O'Connor due to the emotional intensity. Even though they are nothing alike in terms of sound, she is like Heather Nova, who was my favorite solo female artist in the '90s, because of their honest approach to music.
"Daughter In the Choir" starts out with a resplendent pop song with a vicious name - "Curbstomp". And this title fits. It starts with dazzling synthesizers and ends with Myers shredding her vocal chords as she howls the poignant lyrics. The next song starts with a mournful piano as she sings a hymn to "Adelaide". "Tennessee" speaks of her roots in the Deep South. It is a spoken-word piece that drips with hilarious sarcasm and ends with an ironic banjo. My teen daughter thinks this song is similar to that annoying "Selfie" song. "Poison" rocks fierce like a Pixies song. There are two versions of the song "Monster" - one an evocative piece with an acoustic guitar and cello, a perfect combination. The other, a whomping dubstep version.
"Make A Shadow" starts out with a sexually charged song called "Desire". My music guru, Nikki, who introduced me to Meg Myer's music, pointed out that this song is a female response to Nine Inch Nail's "Closer". The next song is "Go", and its mad pulse and the shrieks at the end will have you headbanging. The EP finishes strongly with the music box tune of "The Morning After".
"Sorry" is the newest single, and it is a great example of what a great artist she is. The electronic pulse and her voice keep building up in tension until she gives you full release at the end. Honestly, every single song is great. Just a few days ago, Meg announced that her debut album will come out. I am so excited about it. I bumped this review to the top of my list so that I can be ready for the album when it comes out.
Meg Myers is now one of my favorite artists. I can't rave enough about her. If you haven't heard her, you need to check her out so that you can say that you liked her before she explodes onto the scene. Because if you haven't heard of her, trust me, you will.
I think I discovered Mazzy Star the same way that most people did - on the radio. It was 1993, and "Fade Into You" was an alternative radio hit. The first time I heard David Roback's otherwordly slide guitar and Hope Sandoval's breathy vocals, I was hooked. I went right out and bought "So Tonight That I Might See", which is a CD that still gets frequent usage in my home. I liked the so much that I got the first album, "She Hangs Brightly". (It is still my favorite Mazzy Star album, and the first track, "Halah", is still my favorite song.) This music was smoky and languid. I loved it. Mazzy Star came out of the neo-'60s scene in Los Angeles, and their slightly hippie vibe always appealed to me. But after a third album in 1996 (that I have never listened to), they disappeared.
So seventeen years later, Mazzy Star is back with a new record - "Seasons Of Your Day". And they are better than ever. One of the things that I appreciate about Mazzy Star is their straight up refusal to make music on the terms of the industry. They have artistic integrity, and it shows. This is straight up folk and blues. Here an acoustic guitar, and there maybe an organ or a slide guitar. This music creates a fog on the bayou with morning sunlight making cobwebs with the opiate, lazy drawl of Sandoval's voice.
This is definitely mood music. Play it in your kitchen, or outdoors working on your garden, like I did yesterday. Just don't play it while you drive. It is so sleepy that you might gladly go off the road!
The best song on here is definitely the plaintive "California", which is also the primary single off this collection. My other favorites are "Lay Myself Down" with its country western twang, "Spoon" with its great acoustic sound, and "Flying Low" which could easily be featured on the TV show "Justified". I can feel the knots and tight muscles in my neck and back loosening as I listen to these homespun songs.
This collection is an awesome reunion for a group that meant so much to me in the '90s. So kick off your shoes, plant your weary bottom on a rocking chair, and let your body rock to these mesmerizing sounds.
As you may or may not know, I have followed Ingrid Michaelson's career since her MySpace days, even reviewing her album "Human Again" on this blog. For her sixth studio album, "Lights Out", Ingrid hits paydirt again, although this album is vastly different than her other releases.
Ingrid Michaelson, a brainy beauty from New York with tortoise-shell glasses, is like our generation's Lisa Loeb. She has always been kind of folksy, but "Lights Out" takes a vastly different direction, with more of a pop flare. Ingrid has also been known to have an almost jealous control of her music, often secluding herself in the studio with just herself and a producer, exclusively writing all of her own material. This collection is more of a collaborative effort, using an army of songwriters - like Storyman, Trent Dabbs, and Mat Kearney. She also uses several guest musicians. The result is a warm, bubbly pop album that retains Ingrid's distinctive style and effervescence.
Of course, just about everyone has heard the singles from this record as they receive heavy airplay on most pop stations. There is the memorable "Girls Chase Boys" with its video paying homage to Robert Palmer, as well as the jazzy "Time Machine" with its hilarious video with several celebrity comedian cameos. And "Afterlife", one of my favorites with its easily identifiable whistling intro.
But there are plenty of other good songs on here. There is the somber "Wonderful Unknown", sung with her ex-husband, Greg Laswell. "Stick" with its light synth beat is probably my favorite song on here. "Over You", a piano ballad with A Great Big World is pretty good.
This album is not as moody and as moving as "Human Again", but, for a pop album it is pretty good. I wish that more pop artists had as much integrity as Ingrid Michaelson. I have followed her for a while, and I will likely keep following her.
A lot of people are going to remember Future Island's debut performance on David Letterman last year. If not for their quirky, '80s-inspired synth pop, for lead singer Samuel T. Herring onstage antics - his epileptic dancing and occasional death metal growls belying the chirpy synthesizers.
Those who know me know that my tastes in the '80s was more on the gothic side of the musical spectrum, what they now call dark wave. Future Islands reminds me of the bouncy, happy-go-lucky synth pop I disliked in the '80s - Bronski Beat, Fine Young Cannibals, and Feargal Sharkey, especially Feargal Sharkey. To illustrate this point, this morning, I played my wife a Feargal Sharkey video on YouTube. The similarity is frightening to me, but it wasn't that apparent to my wife. She suggested that the only common denominator is that both Sharkey and Herring have unusually shaped heads.
I should mention at this point that - even if I didn't like that type of synth pop in the '80s - I like it now. I have developed a perverse sense of nostalgia in my old age. And so it is with Future Islands. They both annoy me and stir something in me at the same time. The worst that I can say about them is that most of their songs kind of sound the same. But they are catchy.
All the songs on "Singles" - their major label debut - are driven by a steady drum beat and thumping bass infectious enough to get your arms swinging from side to side, snapping your fingers as you shuffle back and forth... wait, dancing kind of like Herring... The beat is offset by celestial synthesizers that give the music a kind of dreamy feel that make this band worthy of the 4AD label designation that they wear like a badge. Herrings vocals are Elton John-ish, David Bowie-ish, perfect for their brand of music.
None of these songs are going to get a lot of play from me, but they are not bad, A few songs stand out - the opening track and main single, "Seasons (Wait For You)", and "Spirit". "Sun in the Morning" ends with a brass section that makes it worth listening to, "Fall From Grace" is their only moody song. It starts with subdued vocals worthy of Bauhaus, but ends with growls and shouts. My favorite song is the final track, "A Dream if You and Me.". I think this song captures the essence of who the band is.
So not bad, but not super great either. I will always be mesmerized, however, by Herring's dancing See for yourself.
My Bloody Valentine were one of the most influential artists to come out of the late '80s/ early '90s. So it is surprising that I hadn't heard of them, given that I lived through the '80s and was pretty up on music. They even fall into the category of the "type" of music I like. So why hadn't I heard of them?
Recently, I started reading about them in magazines, how much they influenced other bands. Other bands were name-dropping them as a driving force in their own sound - Radiohead, Smashing Pumpkins, Hole, and even U2, who claim that their guitar sound on "Achtung Baby" was lifted directly from My Bloody Valentine. Most notably, one of my favorite bands,Silversun Pickups, say that their sound is an homage to this Irish band.
My Bloody Valentine is credited with creating the shoegaze genre - popularized by such acts as Lush, Slowdive, Ride,Catherine Wheel, and, most recently, Nothing. It was called "shoegaze", because the artists in this style of music tended to play their instruments without leaping all over the stage, staring instead contemplatively at the floor. In other words, they cared more about their musicianship than their performance. Shoegaze is typified by swirling guitars, ethereal ambiance, and confusing lyrics sung softly. My Bloody Valentine created this sound.
Before their breakup in 1997, they released a handful of EPs, as well as two albums. It is the two albums that I decided to review - "Isn't Anything" (1988) and "Loveless" (1991).
When I first listened to "Isn't Anything", I was, at first, taken aback. I am used to shoegaze being, if not raw, at least melodic. It was a hard listen for the first few times. Was this really an album that other critics were saying was a "must listen"? It is not an easy listen. You are bombarded by a barrage of noise, most of it discordant and, well, droopy. The music is like a candle that has lost its elasticity. Yes, it burns bright, but it is melting all over the place, making an ungodly mess.
Then you have to remember - this was the '80s. This was when bands like this were underground for a reason. They weren't trying to create shiny, pop hits. Their wall-of-noise-and-static sound is actually very similar to other indie acts of the time, like Sonic Youth, Meat Puppets, or Dinosaur Jr.
After many, many listens of "Isn't Anything", I started to "get" it and actually sort of start to like it. It started to make sense to me. Yes, there are songs like "No More Sorry" and "All I Need" that are just about the atmospherics. But there are several songs like "Cupid Come", [When You're Awake] You're Still In a Dream", and "Feed Me With Your Kiss" that are catchy and will remain on my phone's playlist. I just have to add that Colm O Ciosoig's drumming is insane! Especially on "Nothing Much to Lose". It cuts right through the fuzz of the guitar.
"Loveless" is considered their magnum opus. It definitely is different album. It starts out strongly with the epic "Only Shallow", which I consider to be My Bloody Valentine's best song, certainly their most shoegaze. Most of the album then dissolves into a much more impressionistic vibe than their previous release with songs like "To Here Knows When" and "Blown A Wish", which demonstrate the influence that Cocteau Twins has on this band with heavy reverb, effects-laden guitars and mumbled lyrics. Kevin Shields and Bilinda Butcher share vocal duties. It is said that Butcher would often be asleep during late night recording sessions and would be deliberately woken up to sing her vocal tracks to give them more of a sleepy, dreamy feel. And it shows. Other tracks of note include "When You Sleep", "I Only Said", and "Come In Alone".
These are both pretty good albums. Not always easy to listen to. But I can see why they were so influential. "Loveless" is more atmospheric and languid, but I prefer the more furious "Isn't Anything" out of the two records.
My Bloody Valentine recently got back together and released an album of new material 22 years after their last album. It has been well received, even though I haven't listened to it yet. It is supposedly very different from the other releases. I will definitely have to check it out.
