PopMatters Music Short Takes

Dmonstrations, Night Trrors, Shock! (Gold Standard Laboratories)

Dmonstrations, a Southern California/Tokyo post-punk band, tries to carve a place for themselves in the same space as Deerhoof, but end up just sounding like a tribute band. Singer Tetsunori Tawaraya has the freakout thing without the cutesy manga thing; actually, he’s also in Japanese punk band 2Up, which released a similarly messy (but slightly harder) CD, Teenage Mondo Trash, earlier this year. But Dmonstrations brings a bit of pop to the formula, only to explode into chaos when just when you’re getting comfortable. Even though this music has its complexity, it is of the simplest kind: put a drum rhythm in opposition to the bass, add some screeching guitars, and directionless art-vocal. Fragments of melody strain to get a look in on tracks like “Coelacanth Shower”, but are thwarted by Tawaraya’s whiny scream. But three tracks prove there’s more to the band than posture: “London Machine” alternates chaotic atonality with a slow-played arpeggio riff totally Dmonstrations’ own; “I (heart) Night Trrors” effectively conjures a true night terror, with out of tune drones and subtle effects fizzing through the air; and “Polyp” is quite effective at creating this feeling of marching chaos. The messiness is studied, but if the band cleaned up just a little, this difficult disc would have a much wider appeal. [Amazon]

All India Radio, Each Other (Minty Fresh)

The Australian trio All India Radio creates ambient electronic soundscapes mixed with a bass line, a beating drum, and sometimes a guitar. They also weave human voices into the blend as well as samples of conventional instruments—especially a violin—and odd sonic elements from various unknown and disparate sources. The result can be downright spooky and a little disturbing. It’s hard to imagine anyone chilling to this. But it’s also hard to imagine anyone doing anything else with this music. The music possesses a brittle, crystal clarity that evokes being alone on deserts of sand or a distant planet with an oxygen free atmosphere. Despite the group’s name, this disc has nothing to do with India or the radio. Despite the album’s title, this album seems particularly lonesome and lonely. The music seems sincerely executed rather than ironic. Maybe the point is that it’s only when we are alone that we realize how much we need each other. The dreamlike quality of the disc suggests that it may be best to listen to this with a friend or risk living in a nightmare world by oneself. [Amazon]

Team Doyobi, The Kphanapic Fragments (Skam)

Team Doyobi occupies a space of the experimental electronic spectrum somewhere between the eight-bit screech of Dat Politic (with whom they’ve appeared on old Tigerbeat 6 compilations) and the glitch melody variations of Com.A (with whom they’ve appeared on old Fat Cat compilations).  Since 2004’s Choose Your Own Adventure the duo, formerly of Leeds, have tightened their sound for greater focus and cohesion without sacrificing any of the eclecticism:  rhythm and melody alike waver in constant danger of breaking apart completely, victims of still-fresh DSP trickery and a heavy dose of old-fashioned dissonant arrangement.  The album also comes in two parts:  the first two tracks span a full 30 minutes of IDM-as-acid-trip ambient noise-noodling, gradually building analog melodies out chaos and letting them fall away again.  As a whole its a bit self-indulgent and over-long but still not without assorted charms and intrigues.  Fortunately, the second half picks up with a set of more compact, rhythmic, and frequently brilliant pieces like the ricocheting detuned piano of “Goobers”, the distortion-solo techno of “Song of the Metabeast”, and closer “Mostly Harmless”, which sets up and systematically destroys what is likely Doyobi’s solidest groove to date. [Amazon]

Plastic Little, Plastic Little Presents DJ Lowbudget: She’s Mature Mini-Mega-Remix (Tonearm)

2006 might just go down as the year hip-hop was saved too many times. While veritable rap titans like Jay and Nas go toe-to-toe to resuscitate an art form whose very death is still hotly contested, it takes artists like Plastic Little to do the real hard work of the “saving”: continuing to produce the honest, real, and idiosyncratic funky shit that lets you know hip-hop was never dead. On the eve of the release of their second full-length album, She’s Mature, Plastic Little and DJ Lowbudget have put together a tight eight-minute “mini-mega-remix” for promotional release to hype up the fans. It works perfectly, eschewing the harsher electronic beats Plastic Little tend to prefer for a funkier, dustier sound that suits them perfectly while still doing a great job of both previewing the album in spirit and showcasing the group’s best aspects. Plastic Little are silly, crazy, off-kilter dopeness from Philly, tight enough to lay down their skills and wise enough not to take themselves too seriously; here they revel in their personality, switching easily from sentiments like “stab a cracka” (over Dilla’s classic “Fuck the Police") to, at one point, a light-hearted cop of Stefani’s sing-songy “Hollaback Girl” cadence. Plastic Little never say it, but the music says it for them. “We are hip-hop. Remember? This shit should be fun.” [Amazon]

Various Artists, Trampled: The Elefant Traks Remix Album (Elefant Traks)

Elefant Traks is one of the oldest and most respected hip-hop labels in Australia, started by members of the Herd, which has played a similarly influential role in fostering some of the more original Aussie-accented hip-hop coming out of the East Coast—of Australia, of course. The backbone of the label’s still the Herd, and so it’s no surprise that on Trampled, a spring remix album, is heavy on that group’s (and its members’) contributions: they account for seven tracks and seven remixes out of the 18 tracks. It’s a pity that, even with this contribution, the album doesn’t feel as much a cohesive whole as a convenient catch-all for a set of middling-to-good hip-hop and dub-influenced electronica. But there are some high points. Most consistently, Unkle Ho’s work is surprisingly high quality, varying from easy dub-influenced reggae with smoked-out female vocal (his remix of Hermitude’s “Music from the Mind") to “The Show“‘s milked Eastern European, over-the-top Fagan vibe. Plutonic lab’s remix of Hermitude is really excellent instrumental hip-hop—even approaching RJD2 level—interesting and full of effect with a broken beat. And Traksewt’s remix of the TZU track “Recoil” serves the song well, an appropriation of Australia’s national anthem to outrage. But despite these highlights, the mix never really takes off. It’s admirable there’s a label dedicated to releasing the work of these artists; they just need a bit better of an editor. [Amazon]

Scanners, Violence Is Golden (Dim Mak)

Oh boy, here come Scanners, a band that delivers “Joy” with a reckless abandon, albeit in a very tight, polished pop rock format. It’s just dark enough to make the lead singer Sarah Daly sound like a cross between Miss P.J. Harvey and Miss Chrissy Hynde on the extremely ear pleasing and almost head-turning opener. And never does Scanners let up on being relentless, as if each note of “Lowlife” has the band’s future in the balance. It’s quite refreshing and breaks out beautifully as Daly adds some violin to the proceedings. Each number takes on a life of its own, but still hits all the criteria for a great song—great hook, great melody, and great delivery, as is the case with the crunchier “In My Dreams”. And in much the same way that Led Zeppelin’s IV slows down with “The Battle of Evermore”, this record slows down with the guitar buzz of “Changing Times”, which bubbles under the surface. Things also slow down later on during the tender, dreamy pop of “Look What You Started”, which is the best song the Pretenders never recorded. But after that downtime, things are so effin’ fantastic with the delectable “Bombs” and the rowdy, seedy punk oozing out of “Air 164” that you are left with an orgasmic expression on your face. The same can be exclaimed for “Raw”, which is, well, raw, god damn it. [Amazon]

Cute Is What We Aim For, The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch (Fueled By Ramen)

This band’s aim is not exactly true. The songs sound like high school gossip, which is not ever cute. At least vocalist Shaant’s singing is snotty instead of whiney, keeping Cute Is What We Aim For far away from one stereotypically emo element. ”Drama doesn’t follow me”, Shaant admits during “There’s a Class for This”. ”It rides on my back”, he continues. Over-the-top drama is sold with stripped-down, pop-rock hooks that mostly prevent overbearing emotional mood swings. Group vocals, as found on “Risqué” and a few other places, highlight Cute Is What We Aim For hooks. But this group is too precocious for its own good. Song titles alone, like “I Put the ‘Metro’ in Metronome” and “Sweat the Battle Before the Battle Sweats You”, try too hard to impress. This group has much to say, but lacks the right words to say it all. It shouldn’t be so cute. [Amazon]

Hugo of Anthropia, A My Favorite Things Short Take: Iron Maiden for Maidens

A My Favourite Things Short Take: Iron Maiden for Maidens
--By Hugo, of Anthropia

It goes without saying that Iron Maiden had a great impact on most of the actual metal artists. Bands as different as Cradle of Filth, Dream Theater, or System of a Down regularly cite Maiden as an influence. So I won’t be very original in saying that I’m also part of their die-hard fanbase.

“Fear of the Dark” live was the first metal song I ever heard. “Whoa, someone can sing like that?” and “Damn, this guitarist is amazing too!” were certainly my first responses, just before asking “Who is that band?” At that time, I wondered if Dave Murray had some “special pedal effect” to play at that speed. Young and naïve? Yes, I certainly was at that time, but it doesn’t take anything away from Steve Harris’s team.

I won’t go on about Bruce Dickinson’s super charisma and energy, or Adrian Smith’s amazing songs. Everybody knows that these guys are great (and they really have to be, to be up there for 25 years!). But I do have something to add:

I’m sure that male metal fans (and even worse, prog-metal fans) notice that, sometimes (always?), girls change their attitude when they discover the musical preferences of these guys. “You’re a weirdo.” “Don’t even look at me, you satanic music lover!” And so on. Sick of hearing that? Then this method is for you:

How to Make a Girl Understand That Metal Is Good for Her:

1) Make her sit (this is the most delicate point, but if she does it, it means that she’s on the way of the cure)
2) Put a headphone on her ears.
3) Make her listen to 2 or 3 Maiden songs (nothing too aggressive; start with “Wasted Years” or “The Clairvoyant")
4) Play them again
5) There are now 2 possibilities :
a) She left, running away, screaming incomprehensible words (maybe the introduction to Iron Maiden worked, but you will never know, as you’ll never see her again)
b) She looks at you, tears filling her eyes, saying that this music is so cool, and that she finally understands. If you feel a good vibe, then…
6) Spend the night with the girl… and all that thanks to Iron Maiden!

Seriously, I converted a lot of friends to metal thanks to Maiden. Man, this band saved my social life!

(PS: The method also works with guys. Step 6 is optional in this case.) [Amazon]