Tribute to...Parachutes

    Unless you are waist deep in the Post-Rock, Sigur Rós or Icelandic music scene, you may have never heard of the band that was Parachutes. A "Tribute to..." post seems fitting, in this case not because of their magnanimity, but because they are long defunct--quit touring, recording and all that other stuff that bands do--as of 2009, and because I just discovered their music recently for the first time. Formed in 2003 by Alex Somers and Scott Alario, the group expanded eventually to include Þórdís Björt Sigþórsdóttir, Tinna Jóhanna Magnusson, Björn Pálmi Pálmason, Kári Hólmar Ragnarsson, Brendan Glasson, and Aaron Borucki. Some of you might know that Alex Somers is the same person who did Riceboy Sleeps with Jónsi. Named after dandelion seeds, Parachutes often utilized the most mundane and simple objects to produce sounds, such as toys or child size glockenspiels. You can see this in some of the videos I will link to later on in this post. Anyway, in 2009, Parachutes declared on their MySpace their choice to disband and left the world with only a small discography as a free download, perhaps to say "sorry" to their fans, because they were in my opinion starting to write excellent songs.

    From what I have gathered, Parachutes first release was a self-titled album, Parachutes (2003), with seven tracks of ambient, atmospheric and acoustic beauty. They were tidbits, short instrumental songs that were more like ideas of something bigger, and somewhat poorly recorded. You can listen to them in full on YouTube here (#'s 1-7 in playlist). The second track, "Alligator" (#2 in playlist), is as close to a real song as Parachutes gets, with murmered singing.

    Parachutes second release was another full album, Susy (2004), name after a dog they knew in Italy where they recorded. Here, a higher quality recording and a more song-like structure is starting to emerge. I would even venture a guess that Parachutes was striving for a lo-fi sound at times, like an old recording or TV that has a crackle or mist. There is a gentle glow about all the tracks, especially with all the metallic noises they create with toys or bells of sorts against the hum of their voices or piano. I think they might have even created their own loops, without doing so electronically, which is a feat in itself and very cool. Either that or they recorded parts and then edited them into the whole that you now hear. Listen to Susy in its entirety on YouTube here (#'s 8-18 in playlist). One of the best and most discernible tracks is "Bugs" (#15 in playlist).

    Their third release, which is kind of two in one, is their Tree Roots EP (2008). I believe this was five tracks (1-"Your Stories", 2-"Tree Roots turn to Forts", 3-"Where Were You?, 4-"Paper Bird(s?), 5-"Birdpumkin"), but some places I have found information online about it only list three (leave off the last two). Regardless, their Tree Roots EP also became their "Tour EP" to the best of my researched knowledge (If someone who knows better could back this information up with a link or something that would be appreciated! There is also a "Demo" album floating around that includes four of these songs and an additional one, "Grass Leaves"-- #24 in playlist. It's cover is the header picture I used for this post, so due to its shape I wonder if it was a cassette tape?). The first three songs from Tree Roots EP are at another level, in quality and song format. It had somewhat more of the pop inspired sound that Jónsi and/or Sigur Rós is famous for too. They include violin and trombone as well as regular members of their band. You can listen to the entire Tree Roots EP on YouTube here (#'s 19-23 in playlist). Especially listen to "Your Stories" (#19 in playlist).

    I leave you with a live video recording on YouTube, here (#'s 25-27 in playlist), of Parachutes performing "Of Sleep", "Tree Roots Turn to Forts" and "All Along" for the Icelandic Airwaves podcast in Alex Somer's living room. You see some great views of what they use to create some of the sounds you may have heard throughout this post. I hope you have found this "Tribute to..."  informative and interesting. Parachutes was a band that I wish had not stopped playing, just when they were getting really good too. Finally, I have linked "Tree Roots Turn to Forts" over under the 'Monthly Sample Tracks' just for good measure. Enjoy!

Upcoming...Sigur Rós: Valtari

    There is not another band in the world that creates music the likes of Icelandic band, Sigur Rós. Their utter simplicity, even while creating a complex and dynamic scope of ambient music is unparalleled in the Post-Rock scene. And the day is drawing near to their forthcoming May 28th release of Valtari, the sixth full length studio album Sigur Rós has put out since their formation in 1994. Past productions include: Von (1997), Ágætis byrjun (1999), ( )(2002), Takk... (2005) and Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (2008). Headed by Jónsi Birgisson, with his unmistakable vocal sound, Sigur Rós's other members include: Georg "Goggi" Hólm, Kjartan "Kjarri" Sveinsson and Orri Páll Dýrason. To promote Valtari, Sigur Rós held Valtari hour on May 17th at 7 p.m., according to each person's time zone all around the world, offering a free stream of Valtari for one hour. Afraid to admit, I missed it because of other obligations.
    Sigur Rós is known for many things. Its use of a made up gibberish language they call Vonlenska (or Hopelandic), which they employ to fit lyrics to the music because of how they sound more than what they actually mean is one example. They are also highly visual, with the not so distant release of Inni (November 7, 2011), a compilation of sorts and live motion picture of them performing in concert; except, the video is highly stylized and utilizes alternative visual film techniques, such as filters and screens over top the existing footage. They also released a couple earlier compilations. Their first, Hvarf/Heim (2007) is a double CD of unreleased studio recordings and acoustic versions of songs performed in the film Heima. Second, In A Frozen Sea: A Year With Sigur Rós (2008), is basically a box set of previous albums. And, after signing with EMI subsidiary Parlophone, We Play Endlessly, was released for free as a cover mount to The Independent magazine on January 31, 2009, and is a very solid collection of fine songs and probably my favorite Sigur Rós album. There have been a number of smaller EPs along the way, too. You can learn more about Sigur Rós's discography here if you would like.
    The most interesting aspect of Valtari is how each song is a very simple melody, or chord progression, repetitive and slow moving, building as the song moves forward; but, there is something so majestic, ingenious and gorgeous in its result. Ethereal is an understatement, while heavenly might be more appropriate, especially on Valtari with the inclusion of full harmonies of "ooh" from a chorus on some songs. There are a lot of glitchy kinds of sounds too, recorded and manipulated trinkets of Jónsi's voice, looped to sound almost like a music box (there is even something that sounds like a music box ironically). Guitars are basically non-existent (some bass I think); more so piano, strings and synths, or guitars made to sound very soft and metallic--like a string bass bow pulled over a vibraphone or marimba.
    Taking a close look at each song:
(1) "Ég Anda" ("I Breathe") - Starts off with chorus on "ooh" and strings gently in the background. Gradually it grows as Jónsi enters and then fades out again, with some interesting experimental sounds at the end that sound like an Amp turned up too loud.
(2) "Ekki Múkk" ("Not A Sound") - A very subtle three note pattern emerges amidst tremolo strings and a simple sung melody. This song kind of ebbs and flows, with counter harmony in the background vocals and certain moments of climax, not necessarily jubilation like it is bursting forth, but the purest form of joy perhaps that just wells up and then releases into relaxation. Piano chords slowly fade out with repetition.
(3) "Varúð" ("Caution") - Honky Tonk piano starts, not my favorite (out of tune!), but the swirling strings and vocals quickly become the focal point. This has a slightly faster tempo (and I mean slightly), with an ascending three note step-wise pattern that is repeated in an "ooh" vowel sound as its chorus. And, eventually it grows to be emense with drums pounding and full scale orchestral entourage.
(4) "Rembihnútur" ("Tightly Knotted") - This song sounds dark at the beginning and slightly off kilter, like it is tied up in knots and is being unraveled throughout. This one grows to be quite loud too.
(5) "Dauðalogn" ("Dead Calm") - This might be my favorite track, with the chorus at the beginning sounding like it is in a cathedral or high up in the hills, or coming down with a light from the heavens or something. It is just plain beautiful. You could float in the middle or a serene mountain lake or watch the reflection of nature in the unbroken surface of a lake to this music.
(6) "Varðeldur" ("Campfire") - This is an extension of "Dauðalogn" and is likewise as beautiful. The harmonics in the strings, simple piano and chords could go on forever and I would be content to just listen. The twinkling loops of vocals sound like sparks, and the music box sounding instrument, perhaps Celeste, is fantastic. Love it!
(7) "Valtari" ("Roller") - I do not exactly know what "Roller" implies in its title, maybe it was something they used in the sound production to create that interesting metallic or electronic timbre that glitches in and out. The latter portion of the song has sort of a bell or chime like instrument, probably electronic, but it is pure and crystalline (not to borrow from Björk) and mysterious.
(8) "Fjögur píanó" (Four Pianos) - As it implies, there are four pianos used in this one, and morphs into strings and a calm very slowly transforming coda. It ends with a major chord, in so many forms, in the strings using harmonics.
There are two pre-order only tracks that I have not heard, "Logn" ("Calm") and "Kvistur" ("Branch"), which is a b-side to their special vinyl release of "Ekki Múkk".
    So, first, to see what kind of visual art Sigur Rós created for this album, see this YouTube video of "Ekki Múkk" here. It basically looks like the cover art, and they call it moving art. The next video is supposed to debut June 4th, according to their website here. Then, definitely, before it expires, listen to the full stream of Valtari on NPR: First Listen here (EDIT: not available anymore, go to The Guardian's exclusive online stream here instead). The only track I am able to link over under 'Monthly Sample Tracks' at the time being is "Ekki Múkk". Regardless, enjoy!

Just in...Keane: Strangeland

    For how much we both admire the indie music scene and love checking out new bands and albums, my friend Kyle and I seldom, it seems, agree. Our tastes are just a little different. He likes Ray LaMontagne, Arcade Fire, Kings of Leon, Lovedrug, The Black Keys, Mumford and Sons, and Cold War Kids; I do not. I could probably add Keane to this list, but I have found their latest New Wave-lite (has some 80s influence, but not quite as much as true New Wave) style to be a little more accessible to me, with interesting nuances. For the most part, the veteran (formed in 1997) indie British band from East Sussex is pretty straight forward Piano Rock. They sound a bit like U2, Coldplay and Barcelona (who just dropped a new album also on May 8th, come to find out!) and their music is driven by piano chords and synth with more sustained harmonies. There is bass guitar but not much other instrumentation that I can tell (at least on Strangeland--I have, admittedly, not listened intently to their earlier work, which is why I'd potentially add them to the list of my friend's favorites and not mine).
    Anyway, Keane's fourth full studio album, Strangeland, which just came out May 8th, 2012, on Island Records is preceded by: Hopes and Fears (2004), Under the Iron Sea (2006) and Perfect Symmetry (2008). They also released an EP, Night Train, in 2010. Hopes and Fears hit it huge, has sold over 5.8 million copies (data from 2009) and was named 11th best selling British album of the 2000's. It has pretty much set the standard for Keane and none of their albums since have made such an impact. I have a feeling Strangeland could do some damage, but we shall see. It has not received extremely positive reviews, but generally been somewhere in the upper middle. By the way, I think all their album artwork is pretty cool, and where ever they took the photograph for the cover of Strangeland is fairly remarkable. The more I consider it, I figure it must be photo-shopped somehow.
    Exploring the music a bit more, Strangeland has sort of a cohesiveness to it, with a good balance between heart-pounding, so to speak, chorus type songs that would fit a live performance really well and more ballade-esque melodious tunes. The former category, with catchy lines and choruses, would include: the single "Silenced by the Night", their second single "Disconnected", "Sovereign Light Café", "On the Road" (A very victorious, out to conquer sound! Quality rousing track.), and "Day Will Come". The latter group, which just has a slightly slower tempo and feel, would include: "Watch How you Go", "The Starting Line", "Black Rain" (lots of swirling synths and strings), "Neon River" (this could go either way. Love the arpeggiated synth underneath if you listen closely and at the very end of the song.), "In Your Own Time", and "Sea Fog". Overall, I tend to like the latter group more, but would grow tired of just listening to those songs alone, they pair well with the more upbeat tunes. I should mention, there is a Deluxe version, which is the only version to actually include the title track, "Strangeland". Odd, I think it would have fit nicely in with the rest of the album, while the other three tracks on the Deluxe version ("Run With Me", "The Boys" and ""It's Not True") did not quite fit the same style. The iTunes Deluxe version also includes another additional track, "Myth".
    So, I have linked one of my favorites, "On the Road", over under the 'Monthly Sample Tracks'. Also, check out the entire streamed album on Keane's MySpace here. There is the original and Deluxe versions, I will just send you to the Deluxe, because the order is the same with the Deluxe songs attached to the end. Finally, their website is here if you want to look into Keane more yourself. Enjoy!

NZCA/Lines: NZCA/Lines

    Yes, just about the weirdest name for a band or title for an album, but NZCA/Lines comes from the Nazca Lines. You know, those geogplyphs in Peru dating back to 650 A.D. created by the Nazca civilization so that thousands of years later we could take picture of them via satellite (just kidding, they may have had something to do with their religion or constellations or whatever and can actually be seen from atop the surrounding foothills). Regardless, NZCA/Lines is a chill, R&B and Aaliyah inspired group that plays around with [let's be honest] 80's pop-electronica (with a self-labeled genre of CS-60, which is simply an older lite version of the CS-80 Yamaha synthesizer). Their debut, NZCA/Lines, just dropped fairly recently on February 27, 2012, on Lo Recordings; and though I have never heard of it until today seems to be doing pretty well--reviews I've read being positive. NZCA/Lines is based in London and is headed by Michael Lovett. Otherwise, not a super amount of information out about NZCA/Lines. They do not have a Wikipedia page (come on, if you want to be taken seriously, or if you are someone, you have a Wikipedia entry nowadays!). Anyway, their website is here.
    I should mention right off the bat (after all that introductory stuff) that NZCA/Lines is not necessarily my style. It is not nearly my favorite album--won't make my top 15 for 2012 even. But, at the same time there is something that draws me to it. The lushness, the airy vocals in octaves or falsetto and the deep bass timbres. It reminds me of a cheap recording project some people do on their laptop or in their home studio. The beats are kind of fake sounding, but not horrible and definitely not to the point of that even worse 80's sound that I cannot stand. Their music is completely synth driven and yet remains interesting, with a nice balance between slower and more upbeat songs. Basically, if I did not like it at all, I would not be sharing it.
    A few different places to get a taste of their music. First, a complete track listing and review, here, on BBC Music. Then, check out this site here that has fairly long samples of the entire album. Also, a few full songs on SoundCloud, with two remixes, here. And, their Facebook has one song that the other doesn't I believe, here. Then, an official video of their first single, "Compass Points", on Vimeo here (very trippy, angular and kaleidoscopic). Finally, I have linked their song "Okinawa Channels" over under the 'Monthly Sample Tracks'. Hope you enjoy or at least hear a little different side of music!

Shearwater: Animal Joy

    I put Shearwater's SoundCloud page, through Sub Pop Records, on my bookmarks, planning on revisiting the album, Animal Joy, at a later date to see if it grew on me. And, it has. Jonathan Meiburg, lead singer, has much to do with that, as his voice has the sort of distinct color as does Matt Berninger (The National) or Guy Garvey (Elbow). I also find their harmonic use similar to Radiohead at times, not completely as Shearwater will throw in a really nice chord and it won't necessarily go where Radiohead will take it, but if it did anyone would mistaken it for a Thom Yorke composition. An older song of theirs, "The Snow Leopard", from Rook, is a good example. They also sound like Junip sometimes.
    Shearwater has quite the extensive discography actually, with Animal Joy being their seventh full release. Their other studio releases are: The Dissolving Room (2001), Everybody Makes Mistakes (2002), Winged Life (2004), Palo Santo (2006), Rook (2008), and The Golden Archipelago (2010). They have also self-produced a record called Shearwater is Enron (2010), which is a mostly improvised set of ten tracks that includes live material the band played as "Enron" in a show in Albuquerque in 2010. Two different EPs are also part of the mix, Theives (2005) and The Snow Leopard (2008). Most of their work is on the Misra Record label, while others are on Matador. Animal Joy is on Sub Pop.
    Shearwater originally had more members I believe when it was formed in Austin, Texas, in 1999. Its current trio is Meiburg, joined by his ex-wife, Kim Burke (bass), and drummer/vibraphonist Thor Harris. Will Sheff, one of its founders, is no longer with the band (he and Meiburg came from the alt-country/folk band Okkervil River). Apparently Shearwater has an affinity for animals. Many of their album covers have pictures of animals, as well as some album and song titles that refer to animals (i.e. Winged Life, Rook, "Sing, Little Birdie", "The Snow Leopard", "Rook"). Furthermore, their name comes from a seabird that has roughly 30 species, and was chosen by Meiburg who holds a degree in geography with an emphasis on ornithology. They claim it was decided upon because of the sound of Shearwater, but maybe just because they love birds.
    I see above I have written a lot about the band and not so much about their sound. So, I will do that now. Here's a closer look at Shearwater's album, Animal Joy:
(1) "Animal Joy" - simple guitar accompaniment and really nice melody, hopeful sounding, layers are gradually added and it is a nice blend by the end.
(2) "Breaking the Yearlings" - heavier track overall, rhythmic and driving.
(3) "Dread Sovereign" - more laid back, with the Junip-esque guitar timbre, a simple repeating rhythm and lyrical melody overtop, background vocals of Meiburg dubbed in later as well.
(4) "You as You Were" - vibraphone and piano rock, with drums coming in later, tune cooks all the way tot the end, but has fairly simple chords over and over again--nevertheless effective and climactic.
(5) "Insolence" - very subdued, a slow steady beat that sounds like brushes on snare, choruses increase the volume a bit with nice guitar chords and distortion towards the end.
(6) "Immaculate" - another up tempo track, with guitar driven hooks, kind of sounds like a folk band that has just found electric guitars or something.
(7) "Open Your Houses" - more repeated drum beats, kind of a slow "boom chick", with some piano and chorus is "Open up, open up, open up...", fades out.
(8) "Run the Banner Down" - very nice smooth softer track, with some shaker, and drums played with timpani sticks (soft tips), folksy and soothing--love the ending with the chord that just sits and fades.
(9) "Pushing the River" - up tempo drumming, smeary dreamy guitar, with acoustic on the main verses, contains an interlude of sorts where everything sort of dies down before coming back stronger.
(10) "Star of the Age" - more of the same heavy drum beat, semi-slow, with vocals on top of the texture, and a mix of ethereal piano and guitar sounds, even some harp I think--fade out.
    Check out the entire album streamed on Sup Pop's SoundCloud here. Also MySpace has it here if you prefer that. And a rundown of their discography is on Shearwater's website here, and you can listen to a few tracks from older records there also. I have linked the song "Breaking the Yearlings" over under 'Monthly Sample Tracks'. Enjoy!