Just in...Chemical Brothers: Born in the Echoes

     A release from big electronica icons like The Chemical Brothers, The Crystal Method, Daft Punk, etc...is always a good thing since they come around rarely more than once every four to five years. This time around we are graced with some new material from The Chemical Brothers that strays some from their previous characteristic work. As a whole the songs on their 8th album, Born in the Echoes, shift almost seamlessly from one to the next and contain a lot of vocals patterned over each other. The cover is bizarre almost like it belongs in caves or temples from South American native Indians (Mayans, Aztecs or Incans).
     I am not well versed enough, honestly, to suggest what genre of electronica this album lies under. I am fairly certain that it lies within the realm of Electro House but feel that it contains elements of Techno because of how melded together and driving the rhythms are as a whole. I think this is a smart album. I think The Chemical Brothers in the past created music that was perhaps more adventurous but perhaps harder to understand. Born in the Echoes is much more accessible as it uses dance elements more readily. I'm not sure all the songs are mind-blowingly good either, however. I think, rather, they lay solid groundwork for other artists and DJ's to sample, formulate their own mixes and create conversation more or less like electronic music has always intended to be used.
     Some of the highlights for me are:
1) "Sometimes I Feel So Deserted" - just a perfect opener
2) "Go" - almost rap/hip hop at times, but kind of like a work out track too
3) "Under Neon Lights" - includes St. Vincent's singer Annie Clark
5) "I'll See You There" - great drumming beats and sort of droning bagpipe type synth instrument throughout. Great track.
7) "Reflexion" - starts a bit slow but has Radiohead reminiscent synth sounds that are interesting
    Go out and listen to the entire album, deluxe edition included on Spotify. Sorry no streams I could embed a track from for the 'Monthly Sample Tracks'. Enjoy!

Just in...Sufjan Stevens: Carrie & Lowell

     Sufjan Stevens is one of the poster boys for indie music, especially in the folk category where this latest release enjoys a beautiful repose. Inspired by the passing of Sufjan's mother, this gorgeous expression of grief, doubt, faith and question is compared to the Psalmist David from the Bible on the Washington Post website, here. Carrie, Sufjan's mother (Lowell his step-father), apparently battled alcoholism and mental illness most of her life, which may have provided Sufjan with less than a normal upbringing and childhood affection for his mother. Speculation aside, the album is wrought with affection for his mother, imagery from his childhood and questions about life, death and God's provision.
     Much unlike his most previous albums, The Age of Adz (2010) and Silver & Gold (2012), Carrie & Lowell is neither abrasively electronic or whimsical. Rather it is flowing, fleeting and fearless in its expression. The whole thing is fragile in sense. Its almost as if I expect to hear Sufjan not able to hold back tears and sobs in the recording studio or something. This album makes me deeply empathetic or at least compassionate because I can only imagine how my own mother's death would make me feel. The sound itself is more like "Enchanting Ghost" from All Delighted People (EP, 2010). Multiple guitar-like instruments grace each track, applying hopeful sonority, with more ambient and somber synthesizer tones appearing once in a while.
     Some highlights, or songs I have particularly enjoyed listening to are:
(1) "Death with Dignity" - the title says it all and begs the question, how is death dignifying? this song just lays the groundwork for the entire album really well, entering in to the conversation with an honest and open mind, the piano taking over the melody is a nice touch as well
(2) "Should Have Known Better" - a beautiful guitar track with a gorgeous melody overtop, I could listen to this one over and over, its so calming and yet serious in context, this song delves as far as Carrie & Lowell does into the realm of the electronic that Sufjan's latest releases have been riddled with, yet does not travel too far
(4) "Drawn to the Blood" - instead of broken guitar chords this song contains quickly strummed chords that repeat as they fade in and out, ending in a wash of ambient synth chords and strings
(5) "Eugene" - contrite and pretty, with a lovely cadence on the ends of phrases, this is short and sweet
(8) "Carrie & Lowell" - the banjo and teasingly more upbeat nature of this song provides hope and beauty, especially with the twinkling metallic-like emanations from plucking guitar strings, glitches and sleigh bells with mellowed chords in the synthesizer
(9) "John My Beloved" - this song has an ostinato pinging sound that reminds me of Coldplay's song "Midnight", even thought it has a different quality
(10) "No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross" - just has a gorgeous melody with simple broken chords on a guitar, the guitar is stable in a sense and Sufjan's vocals are falsetto with some quiver and ethereal ooh's that balance the stability in a profound way
    If you want to hear it all, check out Spotify, or Sufjan's Bandcamp website here (all but two tracks have been opened up for free playing). His album also appeared on NPR's First Listen, here, but may be taken down shortly since it has just released. I've embedded the title track "Carrie & Lowell" over under the 'Monthly Sample Tracks'. Enjoy!

Dolly Spartans: Dolly Spartans

     I've been listening to the Dolly Spartans a lot lately, and hearing them on WITR 89.7 The Pulse of Music (Monroe Community College's radio station, my personal favorite, their website here and song logger that shows every song they play dating back years here). I think the combination of Spring, summer style drinks and a little dancing makes this group a fantastic listen. They are fun, upbeat and remind me of The Strokes immensely (never a bad thing). Dolly Spartans is a New York indie group headed by Michael Eliran. Their first release is self-titled and came out November 30, 2014. They are apparently hitting it big in the Big Apple, but they don't seem to have a website yet or any information on Wikipedia. That's ok, I don't mind an underground act making it big. Apparently Michael Eliran started a festival of underground music bands called Blue and Lucky, the name of Dolly Spartan's manager's two dogs. The festival has become a record label of sorts for indie acts through the PR group Noble Media, based in New York of course. Here's an article on the Examiner website about the Blue and Lucky festival.
     You can listen to the entire album for free on their Bandcamp, here. They are also on Spotify. Check out one of my favorite songs that is so The Strokes at points, "Tell Me" over under the 'Monthly Sample Tracks'. Enjoy!

Hey Rosetta!: Second Sight

     So far the best album I've heard this year, I'm counting it as 2015 because it was released in the U.S. in 2015, is actually a 2014 Canadian (then German and Australian) release. Why we were deprived for so long to receive this refreshing listen from seven-piece Canadian rock band Hey Rosetta! frustrates me, but it's never too late! The album artwork, seen above, is apparently of a style called Kintsukuroi, or making something broken more beautiful by highlighting its flaws. The above shards of pottery were remolded with gold to create a masterpiece of visual art. It truly takes a second glance to even discover what hidden gem the cover holds.
     Anyway, the music is what I'm more interested in as usual. Hey Rosetta!'s fourth album since 2006, Second Sight. Previous albums are: Plan Your Escape from 2006, Into Your Lungs (and Around Your Heart and On Through Your Blood) from 2008, and Seeds from 2011. Second Sight, is a mostly upbeat pop/rock offering with great use of brass in the background to add a grander sound. They kind of remind me of the hoppy lines of Hungry Kids of Hungary combined with epic nature of The National. Some highlights include the first song, "Soft Offering (For the Oft Suffering)", "Neon Beyond", "Kintsukuroi" and "Alcatraz" as a slow song choice.
     Sorry this post is remarkably short for how much I have listened to the album recently when I get a chance to even listen to music. Working two jobs is killing my downtime and I am not purposely keeping this blunt. Anyway, take a listen on Spotify (where there is also a version of the album with commentary on each song on the album), their Bandcamp website (here) that has a compilation album and single of "Kintsukuroi" or check out the song "Kintsukuroi" embedded over under 'Monthly Sample Tracks'. Enjoy!

Lawrence Arabia: The Sparrow

    The New Zealand/Australian music scene doesn't always make its way here. I'm sure Triple-J has a pretty solid following from both countries and I believe that station tends to be pretty up on the indie scene. One such act that I'd only heard recently on WITR, 89.7 FM, "The Pulse of Music", is Lawrence Arabia. The face of Lawrence Arabia is the solo act of New Zealander James Milne, who is also the frontman for a band called The Reduction Agents. The latter has one album released, The Dance Reduction Agents (2006). Other productions James Milne has been involved with is bassist for Okkervil River, a Texas indie rock band, and as multi-instrumental rotating member of The Brunettes. Lawrence Arabia was once on the L'il Chief Records lineup when Milne released his debut, Lawrence Arabia (2006), but more recently is on Honorary Bedouin Records for his second album, Chanting (2009) and now the much more recognized label Bella Union for The Sparrow (2012).
    A fair description of Lawrence Arabia's musical style on The Sparrow is a light neo-classic rock (think Beatles-esque arrangements) with chamber pop and folk sensibilities. The string playing is beautiful while haunting at times, adding depth to the harmony and rhythm of several tracks. Brass also plays a backup role throughout and piano is found on nearly every track. The drumming is not overdone and the poppy electric bass produces funk leanings. James Milne himself has a widely ranged voice, utilizing falsetto in some places while capturing a classic rock characteristic timbre. Some time I definitely hear essence of Radiohead as well, which is never a bad thing.
    Some of my favorite tracks on The Sparrow are:
3) "The Listening Times" - track 3, has lush vocals and a folk dirge-like rhythmic feeling with very effective usage of violin pizzicato.
6) "Early Kneecappings" - track 6, phenomenal, sounds a lot like a Radiohead song the way it emerges and expands throughout the track, the string tremelos at the end of the song are nice (though they sound scratchy and should have been produced by multiple violins not just one to make them sound more even? unless that was the intended effect), this would have been quite a contender in the 2012 best songs had I heard of Lawrence Arabia back then.
9) "Legends" - track 9, is an interesting track that flows from one style to the next in effort to wind things down and tie up the album, which it does nicely, there are beautiful moments and unique string lines.
    Overall, the album has dark brooding tendencies, with many melodies turning to a minor key often to produce a very somber and mellow quality. Take a listen to their entire album (and discography) on Lawrence Arabia's Bandcamp, here (which also has The Reduction Agents), or just check out the track "Early Kneecappings" over under the 'Monthly Sample Tracks'. Enjoy!

Year in Review: Top Albums/Songs of 2014

    It's that time of year again, the best of:

Top 5 Albums:
honorable mention:
Weatherhouse - Phil Selway
Fuego - Phish
Tomorrow's Modern Boxes - Thom Yorke
The Greener Grass Band (EP)
Things Are Really Great Here, Sort Of... - Andrew Bird

5) Lions - William Fitzsimmons
4) Lighght - Kishi Bashi
3) The Inevitable End - Röyksopp
2) Ghost Stories - Coldplay

drumroll please....
1) Animals - Bend Sinister
This is the album I have repeatedly returned to this year more than any other. It is just fun and enjoyable to listen to over and over. And the first track is awesome! (hint hint)

And now on to the Top 20 Songs:
honorable mention:
"Slow Down" - We Are Scientists (TV en Francais)
"Dumb Luck" - We Are Scientists (previously released on their 2013 album Business Casual)
"Brandon" - William Fitzsimmons
"Centralia" - William Fitzsimmons
"Lions" - William Fitzsimmons
"Well Enough" - William Fitzsimmons
"Hold" - William Fitzsimmons
"Fuego" - Phish
"Devotion to a Dream" - Phish
"Waiting All Night" - Phish
"Interference" - Thom Yorke
"A Brain in a Bottle" - Thom Yorke
"Guess Again!" - Thom Yorke
"My Sister's Tiny Hands" - Andrew Bird
"Skulls" - Röyksopp
"Rong" - Röyksopp

20) "Someone So Plain" - Greener Grass Band
19) "Rude Boy" - Greener Grass Band
18) "Running to the Sea" - Röyksopp
17) "Oceans" - Coldplay
16) "Sordid Affair" - Röyksopp
15) "Don't Go Now" - Phil Selway
14) "True Love" - Coldplay
13) "The Ballad of Mr. Steak" - Kishi Bashi
12) "Bittersweet Genesis for Him and for Her" - Kishi Bashi
11) "Carry on Phenomenon" - Kishi Bashi
10) "Seventeen" - Bend Sinister
9) "Teacher" - Bend Sinister
8) "O" - Coldplay
7) "Frog's Singing" - Andrew Bird
6) "Save Me" - Röyksopp
5) "Monument" - Röyksopp
4) "Midnight" - Coldplay
3) "Fancy Pants" - Bend Sinister
2) "A Sky Full of Stars" - Coldplay

and the highest honors goes to...
1) "Best of You" - Bend Sinister
Again, can't stop listening to this one, it is epic and powerful, a great power rock song with killer guitar lines and driving piano throughout! There are also great style changes, with a softer ballad section in the middle before it builds to a climax again with fantastic vocals. Love it!