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Album review, arctic monkeys, dave — 0 comments

Album Review: Arctic Monkeys - AM

Arctic Monkeys' “I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor” is a song 2006 music listeners are very familiar with. Though the band grew from exciting live shows, Myspace popularity, and a DIY internet buzz, the Arctic Monkeys' initial allure was greatly caused by “IBYLGOTDF.” The ingredients: high energy, a message about dancing girls, and Alex Turner's distinct yet indisputably catchy vocals. On AM, the Monkeys' fifth studio album, there are little traces left of that original pop-punk magic. The band certainly tries to go for a new and honest approach, yet many album songs' lack catchiness and sound like the boring cousins of the Black Keys.

AM's biggest problem is that it's just too slow. Opening track, “Do I Wanna Know,” has a somewhat hook heavy and circular guitar riff, yet it just feels plodding. Many other tracks suffer in similar ways and actually blend together due to recurring drum patterns and spaciousness. From “One For The Road,” to “Arabella,” to “Why'd You Only Call Me When Your High,” the differences in songs are all too subtle.

At most, AM owns two good tracks. The first, “Number One Party Anthem,” is a slow, piano ballad about the sad truths of club life. There is a honesty behind Alex Turner's voice that is impressive, especially when compared with the earlier Arctic Monkeys. The other is “Fireside,” a cool and groove focused tune. The drums sound fabulous on this song in particular, and the vocals are a little more reverberated for that mystery effect.

Ultimately, this is not a must have album and should only be listened to if you are big Arctic Monkeys fan (though you still may not like it because of the band's “new” sound). However, “Fireside” is a strong song that should be checked out below.

Grade: B-

Album review, dave, smith westerns — 0 comments

Album Review: Smith Westerns - Soft Will

Though the size of their catalog may fool you, Smith Westerns are actually a fairly young band. Soft Will, the quartet's third full length album, is an ambitious body of work produced by Chris Coady (Beach House, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV On The Radio). The collaboration has sculpted an easy to listen to album with flowing textures, deliberate garage rock messiness, and echoing dream vocals. The songs surprise the listener with their many thematic shifts, though there is always a “cool” laid back vibe.

The opening track, "3AM Spiritual," is one of Smith Westerns' strongest. Singer/guitarist Cullen Omori opens the tune lightly singing “It's easier to think you're dumb, like you were.” Budding layers of instrumentation follow, leading to a climactic George Harrison inspired guitar solo. The striking thing about this song, and also about the album, is that Cullen sings so softly and carelessly, it's easy to forget that hooks are being cemented into your memory. One may not think that these songs are catchy until the next day... when they are unconsciously being hummed. What a sneaky band!

The other standout track here is album closer, “Varsity.” A highly infectious synth riff dominates this song possibly about high school loneliness. The jam hooks you in from the beginning and grooves well throughout. You should play it more than once.

Though Soft Will is a very listenable album, it is far from extraordinary. The lyrics are often confusing and meaningless. Most songs go on longer than they should, and guitar solos are thrown in a little too often. Still, every song on the album is worth your time, and it's easy to play through all ten in one sitting.

If you want solid and catchy summer music, look no further than Soft Will.

Grade: B+

Album review, camera obscura, dave — 0 comments

Album Review: Camera Obscura - Desire Lines

Camera Obscura's first single, “Park and Ride,” was released in 1998. Since that point, the Scottish band has been on a long sonic journey, experiencing several member and producer changes. One thing that has never shifted is the one-of-a-kind presence of singer/songwriter Tracyanne Cambell and her voice's sad, childlike warmth. Desire Lines, the five piece's (occasional six piece's) 5th studio album, captures Tracyanne's essence better than any other Camera Obscura work. Unfortunately, it comes at a price...

Grammy nominated producer Tucker Martine, who has worked with Neko Case, REM, and My Morning Jacket, gives the band a new sheen. There are no more chaotic strings like the ones found on “Lloyd, I'm Ready to be heartbroken” (which I say every time I'm downtown and do not see my favorite taco truck). However, there are also no songs quite as infectious or exciting. The focus is now entirely on Campbell with the band's slick sound meant only as a backdrop to her soft melodies and lyrics. Campbell's voice sounds fabulous though, there is a milky tenderness that will make you fall in love. Just listen to “Cri Du Coeur,” the album's best track, and you will quickly understand why.

“Pleasant” and “mature” are words that come to mind when sitting through Desire Lines. This is, of course, what happens when you give the poppiest of pop bands an album full of ballads. The first single, “Do It Again,” will fool you into thinking there are more energetic songs. Not the case! “This Is Love (Feels Alright),” “Fifth Line To The Throne,” and “Every Weekday” are examples of the slow moving songs this album offers. Yet. they never quite reel the listener in the way Camera Obscura has in the past. “French Navy,” off of My Maudlin Career, is an example of the Scots' gone catchy.

Desire Lines does have a few memorable numbers besides “Cri Du Coeur.” The upbeat “Break It To You Gently” (featuring Neko Case) leaves an imprint, along with the somber “William's Heart.” This album is not about any one individual song. Rather, it is about one individual. Tracyanne Cambell is arguably the best sounding frontwomen of modern indie pop and Desire Lines is an essential listen strictly for that reason.

Grade: B

Album review, dave, junip — 0 comments

Album Review: Junip - Junip

Normally “solo” projects develop after bandmates become sick of each other (or their conflicting ideas) and separation/creative freedom is needed. Junip blossomed from the exact opposite. The Swedish born Jose Gonzalez was first a very successful solo artist. According to interviews, he found touring “solo” to be very lonely. Thus, his friends Elias Araya (drums) and Tobias Winterkorn (organ, moog synth) joined him. Their first album, Fields, was released in 2010. After three years, Junip returns with the self-titled Junip. I believe this collaborative approach was the right decision for Gonzalez, as the album contains some of his greatest music to date.

Junip can best be described as chilled out drone rock with a vibrant and intricate rhythm section. The vocals have an urgency to them even with their ghostliness. The album's first track and single, “Line Of Fire,” happens to be its finest moment. A descent on the organ and flickering guitar begin this journey of somberness and triumph. “What would you do, if it all came back to you, each crest of each wave, bright as lightning.” Gonzalez's lyrics may occasionally feel simple, but his impassioned deliveries give them radiance.

“Line Of Fire” is Junip's strongest track because it shows the band's true capabilities. It transports the listener to a sad and magical place, keeping him/her there for longer than the duration of the song. The accompanying music video is awesomely done. I recommend you watch it as soon as possible (see below).

Many other songs on the album do not achieve this level of excellence. In fact, there are only three other compositions that leave a lasting impression. They happen to be fantastic though. On the attitude filled “So Clear,” the skillful interplay between guitar and moog synth jumps out. The chorus is aggressively catchy. “Your Life, Your Call” is the album's second single and actually represents “Part II” of the music video series. It is not quite as powerful as “Part I,” aka, “Line Of Fire.” The track, however, is the catchiest one on the album and will get stuck in your head for days.

The last wonderful song on Junip is “Walking Lighty,” a feel good tune from an otherwise morose album (not that that's a bad thing). The percussion is especially engaging here with the addition of the woodblock. This may even be considered a danceable song!

Unfortunately, the other music that fills the album feels like, GASP, filler material. These six remaining compositions are mostly slow and plodding mood setters. They are backgrounds to songs without any real meat. The aforementioned four tracks give us the atmosphere, but also give us great songwriting to hold on to.

While it is a challenge to listen through Junip in its entirety without getting bored, the songs that stand out really do stand out among today's better music.

Grade: B+

Album review, dave, david bowie — 2 comments

Album Review: David Bowie - The Next Day

I will preface this review by stating that I tried very hard to like the album. Why? Because this is Bowie man! David Bowie has written some of the catchiest, most iconic, and idiosyncratic pop songs out there. From “Space Oddity” to “Ziggy Stardust,” to “Changes” to “Oh You Pretty Things” (the list goes on for a while), the man has permanently changed the course of rock music. He has also made quite the impact on image and androgyny. Clearly, his new record deserves a fare shot at making its way into my memory bank. So I gave it a shot... and then another... and another... and I have come to a conclusion. The Next Day is not a great album. It is not even a contender for a “good” David Bowie album. I cannot ride the wave of positive reviews. The recent heart attack survivor may be sixty-six, but he will get no slack from me.

My main problem with The Next Day is that it is devoid of memorable and unique pop hooks, something that was once a staple of Bowie's songwriting. Let's start with the title track and album opener. The song sounds like it could have been written as a B-side for the Labyrinth soundtrack. Bowie barks lyrics about a man being tortured, possibly during Medieval Times. It could also be a metaphor for Bowie as some sort of martyr. Who knows? The song is interesting. David Bowie's deep vocal delivery during the choruses is exciting and really weird! Unfortunately, it is still a bland song by Bowie standards.

“Dirty Boys” is a very lethargic piece... and one that I will skip over in this review (I also skip over it when listening to the album). “The Stars (Are Out Tonight)” is the second best song on the album. Jagged guitars surround Bowie as he sings about some twisted vision of stardom. The music video is very strong and worth checking out. Note: it has a wonderful chicken carving scene with Tilda Swinton.

The album's finest moment comes in “Where Are We Now.” While still an underwhelming song for Bowie, it is the most honest track on “The Next Day.” Bowie acts his age, recalling time in Berlin, and that he is “walking the dead.” I liked this song after the first listen, but it gets absurdly better when paired with the music video. I believe this is one of the best visual interpretations of a song in years. It is sad, eery, and wonderful.

Other album highlights include the unique guitar riff/drum combo in “I'd Rather Be High,” the low key, yet very pleasant “So She,” and the solid rocker “I'll Take You There.” Nothing on the album is bad per se, unless you compare it to great David Bowie tracks... then this stuff is awful!

Has Bowie lost his touch? In my opinion, yes. Lyrically this could be Bowie's most inspired, maybe even profound material. However, if I want to listen to profound lyrics without pop melodies I'll choose Bob Dylan. Bowie was best at lodging powerful, resonating hooks into listeners heads and hearts. There are few traces of that magic here. Listen to The Next Day to get your new Bowie fix, watch the music video to “Where Are We Now” to be visually stimulated, and then spend the rest of your time with yesterday's Bowie. Those overplayed songs are still infinitely more enjoyable than anything found on this album.

Grade: C+

~Dave Muntner

Artist Spotlight, dave, the tins — 0 comments

Ask Dave: A Musician on a Mission

The long awaited second installment of Tins drummer Dave Muenter's "Ask Dave" Series is finally here. The guy has been kind of busy, so let's give him a little break.

Question - What kinds of music genres do you like?

Dave - Remember when you went on your first date in middle-school? You were wearing too much of your dad's cologne, your date's parents dropped the both of you off to see a PG movie starring Tom Arnold, and at one point, you were just sitting and talking before the previews. What did she ask you to find out what you had in common? I'll tell you...

First it was,

“What is your favorite Sour Patch Kid?”

And second, after you say, “the red ones” and there is a long pause, she asks:

“What kind of music do you like?”

Yes, “what kind of music do you like”... What kind of music DO you like (biotch)? The international question to ask when you have nothing else to talk about before the age of fifteen. It's that purity in a child that makes music so powerful. However, as most people who are associated with this blog can tell you, if you can only enjoy listening to one genre (ex. Country, Pop, Latin, Alternative Rock), then you have an underdeveloped musical brain... much like a middle-schooler.

A great song is a great song. It doesn't matter if it is on top 40 radio (like “Pumped up Kicks”), or a classical masterpiece (like Beethoven's Fifth Symphony), or a Bizarre yet new experience (like "15 Step" by Radio Head), or anything from the Beatles catalog.

Great may be interpretive, but one who has listened to a vast array of music will appreciate something intriguing... and recognize genius. It is unfortunate, and disgusts me, to see someone who likes all kinds of bad music from one genre, as opposed to listening to great music from many genres. Let's take a rock lover for instance. He will listen to Nickleback, The Foo Fighters, and Nirvana. He will not be able to tell the difference between the three. To see the complete superiority of Nirvana over the other two... because he has a baby's musical mind... (The Foo are great though btw).

I personally “lean” towards Indie as far as contemporary music goes. Indie to me just means it is weird. Different. Which I like. Not just independent from a record label (this is obviously no longer the case). You can have rap that is Indie, pop that is Indie, Rock... Why listen to the same old crap that has been done better twenty years earlier (like a lot of mainstream pop)?

So, if someone asks you “what kind of music do you like?” Either:

a) Don't talk to them. They don't know music.

b) Really don't talk to them if they are in middle-school you creep!

c) Show them the light... great music of all varieties should be appreciated.

Also, I really hate Country

~dm

The Tins - White Out by weallwantsome1