Some Goodness for the Morning

Video Throwback: Pavement-Cut Your Hair - RCRDLBL

A bit of old fashioned 1990s indie goodness:

Smoke Coming from Recording Machines

A Place to Bury Strangers Too Loud for Record Press - Pitchfork

This is the reason why I love this band; so loud they break the recording equipment through pure sound. Not that I expect the production studio to be too pleased about that, but still, way cooler than most bands could hope to achieve. Looking at their tour schedule, their stop in Dallas is at the American Airlines Center, not a small venue by any means. So either they're touring with a major act or their sound is so big no other venue will take them out of fear of causing mass seizures. Again, what other band could provide such sheer noise pleasure?

Morning Goodness

Ballet Dancers Perform to the Pixies - Cory Doctorow @ BoingBoing

Always trust in the Doctorow to bring the goodness for a sleepy mind.

Oh...Well, Of Course

1) The Teenagers suck
2) Tim Goldsworthy is a member of UNKLE. Now everything makes sense.
3)The Ting Tings are fun
4) Lykke Li is charmingly clever. Which means I'm torn between breaking her hands and having her babies
5)Bishop Allen - friendly in that Austin sort of way. Why is it Houston bands kick your teeth in and take your wallet while Austin bands offer you good beer free?
6) Fuck Buttons should collapse your skull and you should thank them for it.

7)There's nothing as achingly beautiful as a soulful man, a microphone and a guitar.

Review: Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours

Cut Copy @ MySpace

Cut Copy's new album dropped this past Tuesday and immediately hit the regular rotation for my various media players. In Ghost Colours is by leaps and bounds better than their previous effort, Bright Like Neon Love, which is not to say that their last album was bad. Far from it. Simply put though, the additional production help from the fellows at DFA Records added that undercurrent of 70s disco to Cut Copy's heavy slabs of 80s italo-disco. So there's disco all around; some cheesy, some knee-buckling, and some that simply amazes.
What makes Colours a different, better album that Neon Love is Cut Copy's development as a serious pop act versus a disco-influenced side show. Dan Whitford's lyrics have improved while maintaining his lush, humming vocals. One could easily confuse bits of Whitford's singing with that of Morrissey yet such a comparison doesn't feel forced. The addition of Mitchell Scott and Tim Hoey in the line-up adds to the fullness of Cut Copy's sound without pushing them too far in the direction of a more traditional electro-rock act.
But it's the production qualities that mark this album. Where some of the remixes off Neon Love ended up better than the originals, such as the Digitalism remix of "Going Nowhere", it seems that Whitford has taken these lessons to heart. Working with Tim Goldsworthy of DFA and LCD Soundsystem fame has had its benefits as well. The breaks are timed perfectly and the rise and fall of each song feels seemless and appropriate. Relying mostly on live or looped drums has improved the sound as well, substituting what would otherwise have been an electric beat with the organics of analog. The bass lines also share a similar development, trending towards a disco-funk that shows Goldsworthy's influence.
I don't love this album, but I do like the hell out of it. It's a club album, for sure, but unfortunately not a car album. What I look forward to now is the slew of remixes sure to come out of this album with French producer Joakim leading the way on "Hearts on Fire". In Ghost Colours has some legs to it, both in its own right and as fodder for the djs of London, Melbourne, and Berlin.

More Dodos for Your Head

The Dodos @ the Mercury Lounge 4-6-08 - Friction NYC

A surprise for me that the Dodos sold out the Mercury Lounge in New York, but not too much of one. Their brand of Elephant Six-style song composition and choice in instrument selection blends together in an amazing fashion under the vocals of Meric Long. Their instore at Good Records here in Dallas after a week of SXSW madness was still mesmerizing and smile-inducing. They provide an excellent example of how a two-person act (with the occasional help of a third player) can produce a full sound and as much foot-stomping rock as any four or five-piece group. I highly recommend their new album Visiter and their previous album Beware of Maniacs.

Preview Review

The Whip @ MySpace

The Whip has garnered some weird sort of acclaim, enough so that they've caught my attention. I've listened to a few tracks, tried to get a grasp of their sound. It's electro-rock, for sure, but whether it actually does anything different or new that the ever-growing number of electro-rock acts I don't think so. Part of the point of electro-rock is to craft music that you can play on the dance floor and while the Whip succeed to a degree, honestly I find it kind of boring. Much in the same way that bands began popping up with a garage sound during the early part of the decade the Whip seem to think that playing it by the book will get them a record deal and a few years of touring, which it probably will. But it's still a dilution of the genre and a sign that perhaps the electro-rock scene is approaching its peak, if it hasn't already. In other words, bands like the Whip make me sad because they announce the consumerization of a sound versus the creating and stretching of a new one.

The Dodos Instore @ Good Records 3-18-08

After their whirlwind time in Austin during SXSW, the Dodos came to Dallas for a couple of shows and probably some much needed rest. While I wasn't able to see them play at Lola's in Ft. Worth I did catch their Good Records instore with MissInfo of fotophonic. I only snapped a few shots, in part because the crowd was so thin it felt intrusive, but also because I was rather well captivated by the music.
The set-up was a basic two-man deal: one on guitar and vocals, one on drums. There was a third guy for the sounds that Meric Long (singer/guitarist) and Logan Kroeber (drummer) couldn't produce or replicate themselves. Long had a dual mike set with one mike both on a slight reverb plus routed through a pedal that allowed him to either loop or double up the sound. For the vocals the loop was more common while Long also put his guitar through another loop/double-up plug. The effect was worth the effort as Long was able to bring in a twin guitar sound or a trumpet loop when the song required it. Kroeber, the drummer, had an unusual kit as well. Three drums, including the snare, but no kick drum for that bass sound. He also had only two cymbal stands, but the primary stand used two cymbals with a smaller one layered atop the other.
All of this is to say that I was interested in hearing how these two gents would perform live after listening to their first album Beware of Maniacs and a few song available before their new album dropped the day of the instore. For the most part the additional sound guy was there for the bits and pieces of sound that neither Long or Kroeber were able to do themselves, although if they could I'm sure they would have. The two-person non-electro set-up was a delight to see for its own aesthetic purposes. The music itself however, was astounding. It's not often that a band with an arrangement like the Dodos have can make their songs sound better live but they pulled it off brilliantly. They were dead tired by the looks of it. Even so, they didn't hesitate to play with all their heart. The two songs I wanted to hear ("Men" and "Fools") were excellent and I'm a little disappointed I didn't have anything to record the set with. As I said, the instore was for the release of their new album Visiter, which has quickly found itself in rotation on my cd player and iPod. It's an excellent album, one that I suggest you actually pay money for.

The Dodos @ MySpace
The Dodos Music
The Dodos @ Amazon

Review: The Full Service

The Full Service
The Full Service @ MySpace

I probably should just let this one go. An unsolicited request to review, or at least preview, the Full Service from Austin. The two tracks I listened to--Blueberry Farm and Hi-Ho--are technically proficient. The composition of their music is thoughtful and lacking in many of the traditional indie rock band clichés. Being from Austin, they successfully avoid coming off sounding like a Voxtrot copy-cat, but I don't think that alone is necessarily a good thing. Being technically proficient and having the ability to write songs that are not overtly offensive to the ears, while far better than most, does not exactly endear one's self to the band. The music of the Full Service just kind of floated in, made a few funny faces, maybe told a sweet joke or two and then just as quietly took their leave. Unlike Satié who wanted to, and in fact did, write furniture music, the Full Service write wallpaper music. Yes, it's there, but after five minutes it fades into the background. If you'd like a comparison then I'd say they have a sound similar to that of Whitest Boy Alive but without the novelty of taking minimalist music to an extreme in a traditional indie rock band set up. So goddamnit, put some fucking substance into it. Fuck, just fill out the sound a little and the lyrics wouldn't sound so trite. Keyboards, jangly noise, just something to add that touch of indie cred would do it. The Full Service can save themselves and even standout in the music scene if they just tried to not be so small, soft and sweet.

Review: The One

The One @ Amazon.com
Shinichi Osawa @ MySpace

I discovered this electro artist by accident a couple of months ago and have loved his stuff ever since. Shinichi (I think that's his last name unless they've Americanized it) produces the same type of dance-floor fused pop music that the likes of Simian Mobile Disco and Digitalism produce, only, I think, more inventive. The One was release in October of last year but it's still not available in the States, which is a damn shame. Fans of Soulwax or Shitdisco would love what Shinichi has to offer. It's not italo by any means but the music does have the shimmering sound that makes italo-disco so lovable. Still, fat key basses and minimalist backgrounds are used to great effect, particular when Shinichi finally drops the beat. This is electro properly done with some real club bangers mixed in with a few softer, Ellen Allien-style numbers. Few of the songs actually top six minutes making this album distinctly different from the euro-style club music and more inline with the SMD and Soulwax format. Grab a couple of tracks from elbo.ws or wherever you can. The import, while worth it, is a touch pricey.

Review: Robotique Majestique

Robotique Majestique @ Amazon.com
Ghostland Observatory @ MySpace

It's been about a week since I've been listening to Ghostland Observatory's latest album and I must say that it proves the power of electro-rock. Not to say that electro-rock is the only viable form of music right now, but it is the most versatile in terms of song structure, instrumentation and, perhaps most importantly, band composition. When a band can run on one or two people alone that says something about the genre. Some of the best acts from across the pond are two-man acts. But again, this is not to say that electro-rock is a superior genre. What it is, is the genre of the 21st century. I think James Murphy said it best in "Losing My Edge" with the lyric 'I hear that you and your band is throwing out your guitars and buying turntables/I hear you and your band is throwing out your turntables and buying guitars'.
This fusion of pop elements with the electro music of the European dance floors, on perfect display in Ghostland's music, allows for a different sort of thinking about composition and artform. Ghostland has chosen to take some basic punk elements and ditch the guitar parts for thick and heavy synths. The vocals sound almost as if they came from an 80s hair band, but the beat is an Americanized import of Euro beats. Moreover, they have the breakdowns of good dance-floor club bangers that tease the crowd and whip them into a frenzy. And all of this comes from a band from Austin, TX, not NYC, not Canada, not San Franscico, but Texas. How long electro-rock sticks around I really can't say. I think it is reaching a peaking, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The changes and directions electro can take at this point is fairly wide open. But for the moment, Ghostland Observatory captures the spirit of electro without feeling contrived or over-produced. They deserve your attention and, yes, money. Go see a show if you can, or even buy one of the albums.

Elastica, In Memory of

For some reason this is one of those albums that hasn't aged really. It still sound just as brilliant now as it did then. Of course, the great bands of the Brit-pop scene tended to have that effect. Perhaps it was the ennui they reflect in their music but it still sound current. Elastica remains on rotation in my car, both in cd and cassette tape forms.

I hear your band has sold your guitars and bought turntables

Robotique Majestique - Ghostland Observatory

An hour of listening and I can already tell this album will make it onto my regular car rotation. Now if only they would play a proper Dallas venue.

Three Days Later - Review: Finally Punk

So I went to check out the Melodica thing Saturday night and was pretty amazed by the turnout. I only made it to the Amsterdam but between Tree Wave and Finally Punk I was pretty pleased. The girls of Finally Punk were great and didn't even throw a bottle at me despite me hitting them with a flash ever twenty seconds or so. It was satisfying to the soul to hear a proper 30 second song. That and the ability of the band members to swap places constantly was just a sign of great talent. If you get the chance then check out their web page or if you're in Austin go see them play.

Review: Made in the Dark

It's been about a week since Hot Chip dropped their new album Made in the Dark and I've had enough time to absorb the album for a proper review. The money shot on the album is that, while not like their previous effort this album lacks the truly amazing songs Hot Chip is capable of. On the other hand, it also lacks the songs that made it an album you had to occasionally skip tracks on. Instead, Made in the Dark is a solid album, playable from beginning to end. The album is front-loaded with the known songs with Shake a Fist and Ready for the Floor falling in the second and third spots respectively. Yet this is not necessarily a draw-back as you are left with another ten tracks of quality music that fit together like an album. In particular are the trio of tracks set in the middle of the album--Made in the Dark, One Pure Thought, Hold On--show the range of Hot Chips abilities. Even though Pitchfork wasn't enamored with the album for it's lack of distinctive hits and seeming continuation of their genre-splicing style without any forward movement.
Of course, I have to offer my disagreement. I don't believe in bands having some grand scheme in the way they release albums (except for Radiohead, who passed from this realm sometime in 1996 and came back superheroes). But I do believe that some albums are necessary in the career of a band. Where their slew of remixes and brilliant second album brought them hits and fame, this, their third album, shows the limits of their genre-jumping. The album the Pitchfork staff label as flawed but likable is probably the last of its kind for Hot Chip.
It goes without saying their production values are top-notch, but I think they will need in the future a producer who curtails some of their more self-conscious, fourth-wall breaking moments. The risk though, is that some of the fun will fall out of Hot Chip's style, but we won't know that until they ready their next album. I don't want them to become too serious. But considering their style thus far, I don't think that's too great of a risk. Either way, I do get the feeling that their next album will surpass The Warning in brilliance while maintain their album wide listenability.

The Waste Land

Ghostland Observatory @ MySpace

I've forgotten to do this enough so I'm posting about Austin act Ghostland Observatory. I've tried very hard not to like these guys, my natural tendency is to recoil from anything with any kind of hype. But their mix of glitchy electronics and spastic vocals have gotten to me, enough so that I'm actually anxious for their next album Robotique Magistique to drop at the end of the month. But for the moment I have to settle with three tracks from the forthcoming album. Check it.

The Hippies Have Obama's Back

Grateful Dead Plan Fundraiser Concert for Obama - Truemors

Looks like Sen. Obama is tying up the aging hippie vote. I just hope it's not ten minutes of Sen. Obama followed by three hours of a guitar solo.

Water Produces the Best Sound

New mixes in the mix of newness. I learned tonight that I do indeed like Ghostland Observatory and MGMT, that Kid Sister has a great sound while rapping about people I'd sooner stab in the throat than shake hands with, that Beat the Devil has one of the best vocalists around at the moment, and that the Carps deserve far more attention than they are getting. These are the fruits of my web-driven head. Enjoy.

Bring On The Noize!

A Place to Bury Strangers @ MySpace
A Place to Bury Strangers Home Page

I like knowing that the Jesus and Mary Chain are alive and well still. A little louder please? K, thx.

Strength through Unity

Hey, I'm looking for some incredibly gay pseudo-rave music ten years too late. Oh, and it has to have a faux-masculine singer, preferably Australian.

Oh...

Wait...

Okay, this'll do.