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30 September 2004

Minus the Bear, They Make Beer Commercials Like This (Arena Rock)
The name of this taut five-song EP suggests a playful irony, as do the song titles themselves: "Hey! Is That a Ninja Up There?," "Let's Play Clowns," "I'm Totally Not Down with Rob's Alien." But if these titles have anything to do with the chilly, clinical music attached to them, I couldn't detect it; instead the alienation evoked by these inside jokes was perfected by the emotional inaccessability of their musical approach: angular guitar lines tricked up with delay and reverb, relentlessly uptempo and utterly soul-free drum patterns, and impressionistic lyrics delivered in standard indie-rock mutter, rising to a semi-whine when the dynamics require it. As with the similarly methodical Sea and the Cake, you must be an android (or aspire to be one) to connect with this music, but perhaps the band rejects that mode of appreciative listening altogether. Perhaps they want you to grudgingly admit their efficient competence and technical precision even while you remain unmoved, the way one must often concede a Miller Lite ad's effectiveness without having any intention of drinking that piss-water.
      — Rob Horning

Wale Oyejide, One Day, Everything Changed (Shaman Work Recordings)
Nigeria-born student Wale Oyejide first broke cover as instrumental hip-hop artist Science Fiction. This time around he's got a much more song-based, politicised approach and a new name for his sound, "broken jazz", which is apt as in general his grooves come off as a lounge slant on West London's broken beat scene, with some obvious production cues from Jay Dee, who guests. Unfortunately his songwriting isn't great, his singing often somewhat flat and his politics simplistic ("I don't give a good goddamn about none of these government laws/ Cause when all is said and done I'm going to answer to my God", ironically exactly the international attitude of the US government he's lambasting), whilst his compositions, though pretty and atmospheric, often fail to develop and consequently feel unfinished. Ever-reliable fellow ATL resident MF DOOM is surprisingly personal on the Mos Def-aping "This is Dedicated to...", but overall the album remains frustratingly uninvolving despite its appealing sonic sheen. From here, Oyejide could bring in live instrumentation and really go for jazz appeal, or target the dancefloor Detroit-style; I feel he has the potential to be hip-hop's Osunlade (or possibly a US IG Culture), but to reach anywhere near those heights he'll have to make music a lot more focused and fully-realised than this.
      — Stefan Braidwood

Oval-Teen, Yorkville, IL (Bi-Fi)
In its five-year existence, Oval-Teen released a disproportionate amount of music. Constantly crafting three-minute indie-pop magic, the band never got a toehold on the airwaves and disbanded in 1999. Two years later, Oval-Teen's final album was released on MOC Records, to less than stellar reviews. Bi-Fi Records has released 500 copies of Yorkville, IL, a similarly long-delayed and -anticipated retrospective, named for the fertile soils of the band's hometown outside Chicago. The 55-song double album showcases Oval-Teen's sweet, straightforward pop songs, born of an admitted lack of angst in their exurban adolescences. This general conviviality is manifest throughout Oval-Teen's catalog. Songs like the sugary, Beach Boys-inspired "Run Away With Me" and the upright rocker "Smyle" show that Oval-Teen spanned the center of the pop spectrum. Released far too late to rekindle popular interest in the band, Yorkville is nonetheless a must-have for fans of the band and of lo-fi pop in general.
      — Matthew Wheeland

Skill 7 Stamina 12, Robotics with Strings (Junior Aspirin)
As indicated by the role-playing attributes of their name, Skill 7 Stamina 12 are like a gaggle of bored gamers looking for something new to play. They attempt to compress their fondness for dissonant jazz-like improvisation and pop-free prog workouts into a more fashionable indie-rock context. The result often sounds like Tortoise, or even Stereolab minus the Farfisa (and occasional Dutch vocals instead of French, courtesy of singer Maaike Schoorel). The playful title track, the succinct, staccato "Make New Friends", and the almost conventional "Sofa" are the lone examples of deliberate songwriting here; the bulk of the material feels sculpted from casual jam sessions, which undoubtedly keeps the band relaxed, yet introverted and detached from their audience. "3rd Disco from Home" merely imitates a dance beat for thirty seconds at a time before moving on to something else, and the band never seem to turn the rhythm outward as great dance songs require. "Brie and Bones" shows the opposite approach, working the song up from a two-minute harmonic prog bit into a punk-funk groove akin to Gang of Four. "Platform" stumbles upon the underlying jazzy groove of the early Doors and runs with it. Closing the record in busy, dissonant fashion, "Spirit of the Age" ably demonstrates the band's ability to extend their playing beyond the boundaries of song for a duration fitting of their name. The low score they've awarded themselves in skill, however, is a flat-out lie, perhaps to mask the instrumental prowess that unfairly tends to handicap any semi-accomplished band attempting success via the DIY ethic, and with good cause; the rhythm section of Nathaniel Mellors and Ashley Marlowe is truly so far beyond the realm of punk that one listen to the record betrays the band's indie pretension as the stylistic exercise it is.
      — Richard T. Williams

The Oranges Band, Two Thousands (Morphius)
Having already padded their resume with 2003's fine effort, All Around, the Oranges are staying busy in the studio and on the road, maintaining their status as a member of Lookout! Records' stable of rising stars. As the band's visibility increases however, it might be easy to lose sight of its humbler beginnings, thus the importance of Two Thousands. An interesting glimpse back into the not so distant past, the new release packages the Orange's first Morphius recordings, (2000's The Five Dollar EP and 2001's Nine Hundred Miles of Fucking Hell), with a small handful of bonus material. Running the gambit from the garage rawness of the Seeds, to the quirky polished pop of Talking Heads, the tracks evidence the evolutionary process of a decidedly eclectic group. Although every track is not a creative masterpiece, enough quality material is included to make this offering very worthwhile for established fans or those just finding out. At the very least, Two Thousands will serve as an artistic barometer for all Oranges' future efforts, as the band continues to improve and become more accessible to the masses.
      — Adam Williams

Lucia, From the Land of Volcanos (Control Group)
Fans of industrial collective KMFDM might be interested in the new solo debut by former member Lucia Cifarelli, especially because KMFDM's Sascha Konietzko co-wrote and co-produced four tracks, but many might be surprised at just how mainstream From the Land of Volcanos really is. Cifarelli has had her share of bad luck, including being abruptly dropped by Universal in early 2003, delaying the release of her album for more than a year, but she's shown resilience despite all the adversity, and thanks to some help from Control Group, the album is finally out. Cifarelli is obviously making a bid to become the next rock goddess, employing the songwriting services of longtime Madonna collaborator Patrick Leonard and producer Ian Stanley, who adds a glossy pop sheen to the record, but the whole experience leaves the listener with an empty feeling. The album is accessible and pleasant enough, but the thing is, it sounds too much like other artists, and has virtually no personality of its own, sounding heavily influenced by late-90s alternative rock acts like Garbage and Republica, and little else. The four edgier Konietzko tracks, "What You Become", "Who Asked You", "Monkey Puzzle Tree", and "Little Rose" are indeed the best tracks, but the rest of the album ranges from middling pop rock ("So Clever") to annoyingly wretched exercises in pop cliches ("We Are Angels"). If this came out in 1996, it might have sounded cutting-edge, but in 2004, it all sounds tired and recycled.
      — Adrien Begrand

Tragedy Andy, It's Never Too Late To Start Over (Pop Smear)
The press kit says "Tragedy Andy is a high energy, indie pop/alt-rock band…." When did you ever hear of a low energy band? Anyway, Tragedy Andy's niche market is radio-friendly power pop meets Vans Warped Tour's second stage. On the stellar and suffocating, tight "Safe To Say", the youthful quartet is simply on! With three vocalists, the harmonies are another appealing aspect. To continue this momentum is the hard part, but the teeny bopper power punk oozing on "Damsel" makes it hard not to admire. Comparisons to Green-182 or Blink Day are obvious with polished nuggets like "Arrival Of Me" with its delayed harmonies. Unfortunately they stall somewhat during the mid-tempo "Three A.M. Delirium" that rhythmically goes all over the place looking for something special musically. Tragedy Andy hit paydirt again on the relentless "November", but the whiny post-pubescent vocals can be grating at times despite some fine guitar work by Justin Borgos, Dusty Brooks and Matt Fazzi. The pedestrian, punk-by-numbers approach on "Fifteen Minute Climb" might annoy some people though. All in all it's a decent effort although really doesn't separate themselves from anything else on the market. A good album though.
      — Jason MacNeil

The Porcupines, EeenieMeenieMeineeMojo! (Maize)
Bill Retoff's latest band, The Porcupines, are a real band posing as a cartoon rock band posing as a real band (think the Monkees or the Archies). EeenieMeenieMeineeMojo! can't escape the taint of novelty one-off, but the Porcupines make a strong case that the roots of modern day indie pop line in Saturday morning bubblegum rock. The band perfectly captures the sound of the fluffy kiddie rock of yesteryear, particularly with their harmonies, and Retoff has a knack for the insanely catchy melodies. The record is so enjoyable, particularly the longing "Wilson Porter's Grown-Up Daughter", that I feel like a killjoy in pointing out that EeenieMeenieMeineeMojo! is as disposable as its animated inspirations. Of course, the ephemeral nature of the music is part of the Porcupines' charm, so it's hard to blame the band for setting their sights a smidgen too low.
      — Hunter A. Felt

Little Milton / Mighty Sam McClain / Reverend Raven and His Chain-Smoking Altar Boys, The Blues Is Alright -- Live at Kalamazoo (Animated Music/Verese Sarabande)
While you won't find any spectacular moments on The Blues Is Alright -- Live at Kalamazoo, you will find plenty of high-quality blues in a Chicago style reminiscent of B.B. King. Little Milton gets the first disc of this double-album, and he deserves the full space. He gives six stretched-out tracks here, ending with his best known number, the one that gives this album its title. Vocalist Mighty Sam McClain leads his band through another six numbers, including his best-known piece, "New Man in Town". McClain's set has more of an R&B groove to it than the other artists here, but he fits in well between Little Milton and Reverend Raven. Raven and the Altar Boys return to a more traditional blues sound, led by some excellent harp playing. He gives a nod to Slim Harpo before closing with "My Back Scratcher". This album, the third in the Along the Blues Highway captures three of today's notable bluesmen in good form, and is certainly worth the drive.
      — Justin Cober-Lake

The Gunshy, No Man's Blues (Latest Flame)
As Jeff Tweedy is basically Wilco, Matt Arbogast is basically The Gunshy. Recording this album in two stints recently, The Gunshy sound like the distant relative of Tom Waits as Arbogast's fragile, whiskey stained pipes are delectable on the slow "Reason To Retreat". It's a perfect start that is part Celtic sway and driving power pop as The Gunshy ride a never-ending crescendo. He later perfects this on the rambling rock-tinted "Your Favorite Dylan Song". Arbogast isn't the happy-go-lucky sort on the sparse folk of "I Will Die Alone" which could make a grown man cry. "I know I will die alone," he sings as a guitar is heard in the distance. It's this depressingly yet gorgeous style that makes The Gunshy so damn good! "Congratulations" doesn't reinvent the wheel but has Arbogast spewing a tad more venom at his target. "Dead Ends" has more of an up-tempo roots rock base. The landmark moment comes during an angry "Seven Weeks" that hits a nerve. "I'm fuckin' up my life for rock and roll," he sings on the captivating effort. The Gunshy come off as if they have a gun nearby and are penning letters before they do something drastic, including on the lovable "Breakin' Some Bad Habits" featuring Michelle Moyer on cello. Going down such a dark path is not recommended, but The Gunshy has done a yeoman's job walking it and should reap the rewards from it.
      — Jason MacNeil

Autolux, Future Perfect (DMZ)
After an excellent self-released EP and innumerable album delays, we finally have Autolux's debut full-length. Future Perfect is an instantly memorable album that presents a perfect balance between tight pop songwriting and soaring soundscapes -- dreamy melodies, shoegaze-scorched guitars, and dynamic rhythms abound. Sounding vaguely like My Bloody Valentine if they had restrained their proclivity for feedback symphonies and focused their energy on forming song-based compositions with exuberant pop melodies, Autolux may not have recorded their crowning achievement yet, but Future Perfect is a strong stepping stone that cannot be denied. Songs like "Sugarless, " "Great Days for the Passenger Element" and "Asleep at the Trigger" point toward a wondrous and beautiful future, and show promise at the intersection between pop songs and shoegaze feedback where so many other bands fail.
      — Ryan Potts

Gov't Mule, The Deepest End: Live in Concert (ATO)
There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. That's the basic problem with Gov't Mule's live CD/DVD, The Deepest End: Live in Concert, A star-studded night of jamming that runs more than six hours across two CDs and a DVD, the package shows off what is best about the band -- but also demonstrates everything that's wrong with the entire jam-band genre. Warren Haynes, lead singer and guitarist, is a virtuoso with a strong voice and a he's solid rock songwriter, while band mates Matt Abts (drums) and Danny Louis (keyboards) also can flat out play. The problem is they play and play and play. This six-hour show to often devolves into self-indulgent soloing and pyrotechnics -- a 15:38-minute version of "Blindman in the Dark", better on the DVD than the CD because you get to see the band as it works, pushed me past the edge of my endurance as a listener. That's not to say that there aren't worthy and truly explosive moments. Bela Fleck turns in a riveting performance on electric banjo on "Lay of the Sunflower" while the Dirty Dozen Brass Band spices up "John the Revelator." James Brown's classic "Down and Out in New York City" gets a jump-start from trombonist Fred Wesley, who played on the James Brown original. David Hidalgo and Conrad Lozano of Los Lobos help drive Cream's "Politician" and the Haynes' original "I Shall Return". I know the highlight for some will be Les Claypool's out-of-his-head turn on "Greasy Granny's Gopher Gravy" (parts 1 and 2), but I just couldn't enter the performance in any meaningful way. And that's generally how I feel about this massive disc. As a document of a night of explosive showmanship (the DVD offers more than the CD), it succeeds. But as a piece of art, as something designed to affect the emotional core of the listener, I feel as if something is missing. The Deepest End: Live in Concert is certainly spectacular, but it lacks heart, lacks that ability to connect in a deeper way. It is spectacle. It speaks at the listener but not to the listener (the exceptio is a surprisingly touching version of the Eagles's "Wasted Time" on the DVD). Fans of the Mule and the jam-band genre more generally will likely disagree.
      — Hank Kalet

Jordan Knight, Jordan Knight Performs New Kids on the Block: The Remix Album (Empire)
Yes, you read it correctly -- this is an album of New Kids on the Block remixes done by one of the New Kids himself. In an era where no one from even the recent boy-band onslaught save Justin Timberlake can catch any kind of break (unless you count Nick Lachey's mixed blessing), what chance in the world does Jordan Knight stand among a fickle record-buying public? What purpose could this possibly serve other than to squeeze the last drops from a forgotten fad? Even listening to this with an open mind, the only possible conclusion to reach is that this is every bit the cheapo exploitation project it appears. Perhaps there are those out there in music-buying land that think that what the world had been heretofore missing is some adult-contemporary takes on lame teen pop, or maybe the missing piece of the puzzle in some sad soul's life was a worldbeat version of "Hangin' Tough". Then again, maybe not.
      — Brian James

.: posted by Editor 7:38 AM