Showing posts with label grizzly bear. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grizzly bear. Show all posts
, , , , — 0 comments

Listener's Digest: Grizzly Bear - "Will Call (Marfa Demo)"


Coming off their career's best release, 2012's Shields, Grizzly Bear will be releasing an expanded edition of said album, along with a second accompanying record, Shields B-Sides, of outtakes, remixes, and one very good unreleased demo. That demo, the Ed Droste led "Will Call (Marfa Demo)," begins as an atmospheric, downtempo number with minimal percussion until a frantic and driving breakdown comes out of nowhere. As with most of Shields, Daniel Rossen and Christopher Bear's signature guitar and drum work really shines through. Shields B-Sides will be released on November 12th.

 


, , , — 0 comments

Tonight: Grizzly Bear


After months of touring, the four-piece chamber rock act Grizzly Bear will be arriving in Niagara Falls to perform at The Rapids Theatre tonight. The quartet has steadily released LPs and EPs since 2004, and have garnered a reputation as being one of this decade's most exciting projects. Known for their clever, unconventional, guitar- drum- keyboard- bass arrangements, Grizzly Bear pairs this with lyrics and vocal arrangements that cast a sort of disembodied and forlorn atmosphere on their songs. Their most recent LP, Shields, is their most buoyant and unrestrained release yet and checking them out in Niagara Falls is certainly one of the best concert options this summer has to offer. The show starts at 7:30 and tickets are $32.



Jeannette Chin
, , , , , — 0 comments

Listener's Digest: Grizzly Bear - "Sleeping Ute" (Nicolas Jaar Remix)


Record Store Day 2013 is in the books, and hopefully you grabbed a couple goodies yesterday.  While I did not purchase any exclusive RSD releases, I did pick up a copy of Stereolab's Dots and Loops for my collection so I left happy. One of the more interesting releases from yesterday was Nicolas Jaar's remix of Grizzly Bear's "Sleeping Ute." Jaar's nearly 8 minute remix sees Daniel Rossen's jagged riffs delayed as his now distant vocals suspend over a warm haze. Just as quickly as the riff appears, it fades into the background as a steady groove takes over. Rossen's vocals return while various percussion and beats guide the tune to it's end. Chances are you didn't grab a copy of this single yesterday so feel free to enjoy it endlessly below.




, , , — 3 comments

Just Announced: Grizzly Bear


Whoa now. Now this is a big one. The Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls will be hosting avant-garde indie rock act Grizzly Bear on Thursday, August 1st. The Brooklyn based four-piece recently released Shields, maybe their most accomplished works to date, back in September of 2012. The band has reached that can't-do-wrong status over the past couple years, and it's not every day those bands play our area. This will be their first Buffalo appearance since playing the Tralf in 2007 (I think?), so do not hesitate to get in on this show. While prices are not yet known, tickets do go on sale tomorrow at 10am.



, , , , , , , , , , , , — 0 comments

buffaBLOG's Best of 2012: Staff Picks - Mike Torsell


Well, I am sitting here listing to the Charlie Brown Christmas album on repeat, which means one thing...it is the end of the year. And, with it being the end of the year, my overlords at the blog demanded an end of the year post from all of us. And, with me having sold my soul to this blog over the summer, I oblige. So, what can we say about 2012? I mean really? Mac has a gun to my head for this post so I should really say something...help?

 2012 offered a lot to be enthused about with great new releases throughout the year. Whether it was already established artists like Grizzly Bear, Flying Lotus, Jens Lekman, and Spiritualized or new ones like Grimes, Tanlines, and DIIV, there was no shortage of great music. For me, this year was marked by moments where I genuinely began to feel like I was hearing something new - artists taking earlier genres and styles and recombining them in ways that felt fresher than they had in a long time, without feeling like a simple pastiche. Narrowing down a top 5 was difficult, but here are mine: 

 [Note: This was also a great year for album art, so somehow my favorite albums musically linked well with some of my favorite albums visually.]



Cult of Youth – Love Will Prevail: This may be one of the most underrated albums of the year and a reminder that folk music could be something other than the nostalgia and saccharine fueled mix of recent years.  Combining psychedelic elements with darker, more ambiguous lyrics, Cult of Youth created a diverse and challenging album that was willing to blend the discordant with the pastoral in a very satisfying manner.

Grizzly Bear – Shields: Shields feels like the realization of everything Grizzly Bear has been doing to date. Where Veckatimist felt like somewhat of a step towards something, a step away from the quieter/sparser Yellow House, Shields feels like a synthesis of the two. Grizzly Bear creates haunting and atmospheric music, music that builds until its catharsis seems inevitable. They key may be that they often hold out that catharsis for just a little longer than you expect. This is music built around an emotional core,  around anxiety, a sense of being resigned to fail, of never being able to begin in the first place. Yet, in a way, and through these moments of release, which hit all the more intensely because they are delayed, it offers an almost ritualistic offering of all these feelings into something greater. There are moments here where your hair stands on end. Seeing them live in Toronto was a definite highlight of the year concert-wise.


Mac DeMarco – 2: While nothing on the new Mac DeMarco would sound out of place on an early 80’s release from Postcard Records, there was still something so undeniably great about this album that I had to include it. It might be how effortless everything sounds; DeMarco comfortably turns out brief, catchy, pop songs with jangly guitar and a sauntering backbeat. The whole thing comes together unbelievably well.

Wild Nothing – Nocturne: Dream pop has been everywhere this year and there were certainly some excellent examples of the microgenre, but Wild Nothing transcended that label and made one of the year's strongest albums. In fact, if I had to pick an album I enjoyed the most this year, it would be this one. There is something so appealing to me about Wild Nothing’s aesthetic that I found it hard not to react to this on an almost naïve level. Each song, draped in reverb and a buzzing echo, is tightly composed and deftly layered. It was one of several examples of acts following up an excellent debut with an even more accomplished 2nd record. Maybe the sophomore slump is a myth after all. 


Laurel Halo - Quarantine: This had to be one of the most unique and interesting records to come out this year. Spacey and effecting, Halo composes challenging, ethereal songs that seem to take on spatial dimensions as the album progresses. The instrumentation and vocals mix in such a way that Halo's vocals become spectral, literally haunting the cut up compositions. There is definitely something new and exciting about Halo's work and I am excited to see what is next. 

Honorable Mention:

Father John Misty - Fear Fun
DIIV - Oshin
Tame Impala - Lonerism
Flying Lotus - Until the Quiet Comes
Jens Lekman - I Know What Love Isn't
Sun Araw/M Geddes Gengras/The Congos - Icon Give Thank


Michael Torsell
, , — 0 comments

Picking Up the Slack for MTV: Grizzly Bear


Ok, I have been on a bit of a Grizzly Bear kick for the last couple weeks since the release of their latest album Shields.  A new album from a great band can do that to ya.  The album's current single, the Ed Droste led "Yet Again," is currently giving Japandroids' "The House that Heaven Built" run fun for it's money as my favorite track of the year.  Luckily for me, my obsession can carry for a little while longer as the band just released the music video to said tune.  The clip follows a struggling, young ice skater (the scenes on the ice are beautifully shot) going from the rink to a semi seedy carnival to the woods and back again.  As always, I never know whats going on in any video, but no matter.  The skater appears to be ready to give the ice another shot until she, well, how can I put this... FREAKS THE FUCK OUT.  Enjoy.


mac mcguire
, , , — 0 comments

Uncovered Covers: Night Panther covers Grizzly Bear's "Two Weeks"



With the release of their much anticipated and critically praised album Shields, Brooklyn chamber pop quartet Grizzly Bear seem to have entered that can't-do-no-wrong status of indie rock royalty.  While the band has been releasing music since 2004, it wasn't until their breakthrough album, 2009's Veckatimest, that more than just critics began taking serious notice.  That album's first single, the gorgeous, harmony laden "Two Weeks," was their most successful and accessible cut to date and just a couple weeks ago, Night Panther, the sexualized synth pop duo out of Philadelphia, released their own take on the tune.  The brash, danceable cover is almost unrecognizable to even the most long time GB fan and features almost unimaginably high falsettos.  While we are on the topic, if you have the itch to catch Grizzly Bear live this evening, they just so happen to be playing at Toronto's Massey Hall.  As of yesterday, some tickets were still available.  Enjoy.



mac mcguire
, , , , , , , , , — 4 comments

Album Review: Grizzly Bear - Shields


In addition to a sound afforded with a larger budget, the latest Grizzly Bear album, Shields, is endowed with a certain vitality that their previous albums more or less lacked.  Even though the psychedelic folkgroup is rather reputed, the album comes across as formidably ambitious, but thankfully, the skill-level of the members, individually and collaboratively, has allowed for it's poignant execution, for the audaciously broad ideas to be seamlessly encapsulated through the final product. Amid the pool of highly-anticipated releases of this year, it seems like Grizzly Bear has put out one of the few albums whose actual release will resonate more deeply than its prior hype. 

Those who are in touch with the group's musical repertoire will most likely be able to identify a coherent aesthetic vision that neatly strings together the group's collective output. It's as though from the start, Ed Droste had in mind a vision that was laid out within the blueprint of his musical project and the addition of Chris Bear, Daniel Rossen, and Chris Taylor equipped the vision with the means to expand its trajectory while at the same time refine itself. Today, reference to the band's music conjures associations with a distinct textural quality that mimics the morphing climate that is wholly New England- landscape-culture-temperature and all. In the same vein of many other notable musical acts, Grizzly Bear has experienced the career highlight of sculpting a unique sound whose genesis listeners and critics will always attribute to them; the pillar of sound that would circumscribe an environment of lush desolation.

Through the release of Shields, Grizzly Bear reaffirms their fidelity to this signature faculty, however, using an approach which curiously enough deviates from a path they have opted for in the past.  Regarding the construction of Shields, bits and pieces from recent interviews fill in a portrait of four individuals who turned to a more idiosyncratic creative process than ones they have grown accustomed to. This time around, Droste reveals that they were less subdued, often stepping out of their traditional roles in the band- writing parts for each other and exchanging input in a manner that was shamelessly honest.

To the listeners relief, the uninhibited approach paid off tremendously. In Shields, you can almost hear the vibrant atmosphere of the spirited ideology unfurl as the tracks reveal themselves one after the other.  An instagram photo posted by the group several months ago on their official Facebook page reveals what guitarist/vocalist Rossen saw when he glanced down during a practice session- an assortment of instruments scattered throughout a shining wood floor, unidentifiable effect boards and a nexus of tangled wire framing a dizzying array of colorful guitar pedals.

The musical notation of the instruments within this album is more intricate than that of Veckatimist.  Structure wise, the tracks display the most expressive level of musicality they have achieved to date.  The transitions are more spontaneous, the pauses are more dramatic, the build-ups are more expansive, the vocals are clearer and more pleading.

In "Yet Again," the first single released from the album, Droste does not shy away from embracing a strangely upbeat attitude, singing "Take it all in stride, speak don't confide" to a melody line that wouldn't sound out of place in a desert shoot-off scene from an old western flick. The instrumentation, a bright chord sequence colored with atmospheric organ notes, circles a heavily pronounced rhythm consisting of slapping bass lines supported by pounding toms.

The rewards of their stylistic advancements can be most vividly experienced in the 2nd to last track, "Half Gate," where the flow of the first half (n.p.i) is reminiscent of Fleet Foxes, that is until it suddenly explodes into a fountain of burbling layers which create a sonic experience equivalent to that of a monsoon. Alongside the lead vocal melody supplemented with angelic vocal aahs akin to war cries, heavy brass notes paired with metallic guitar riffs ride over deep tribal-like drums rolls. It’s something like an orchestral swelling, the emotional effect of which being heightened by the spiritual content that surfaces in the lyrics.

This is not to imply that all the tracks off the album are ecstatically charged in this way.  Shields contains its share of diversity. For instance, the track "Gun-Shy" is reminiscent of sun-kissed Yo La Tengo while the Rossen spearheaded number "Sun In Your Eyes" (the last track of the album) evokes the circus colored imagery that characterized Veckatimest. Each song is discernible from the other and the moods of them range from the mellow ambiguity of Yellow House to the rapturous suspense characterizing "Half-Gate."

It is evident that the four members of Grizzly Bear have meticulously seen to it that the end product of their efforts be fully refined. In any given second of the album, you won't come across an extraneous note,  or find an instrument overpowering over another, or notice a snare hit that misleads the vocal rhythm, or even a vocal rhythm that misleads a snare hit. Compositionally speaking, the group pulls off a deft balance among the many layers in each song, and as a result the album as a whole sounds anything but sloppy.

This release reaffirms that Grizzly Bear rightfully holds the status of being among the list of current musical artists who remain at the precipice of expanding sonic possibilities, among the list of bands that seizes the prospects offered by the classic guitar, bass, keyboard, and drum set combo. Altogether, the experience of listening to Shields in it's entirety leaves a mark that is best recapitulated by a segment of their own lyrics:

Silver inside
Rushing on
Endless abundance overflows
Always surround you, always glows
(From “Sun In Your Eyes")


Grade: A-

P.S Feel free to comment & share any opinions you have on this album.


Jeannette Chin
, , , , , , , , , , , , , — 7 comments

Top 10 September Album Releases


Here we are, face to face with September and it’s difficult to be upset. In most ways this summer has been incredibly good to us; we should be very grateful. There’ve been a surplus of incredible shows and events to check out in WNY all season long and all of that great momentum just seems to be carrying over into the fall as well. In many ways we perceive Autumn as a season of decline, but it’s also a period of renewal and harvest. While autumn carries a certain nostalgic weight, it is also a chance to start fresh and look ahead to new beginnings. And new music. There's a ton of new music.

10. Rudi Zygadlo - Tragicomedies
Rudi Zygaldo gets the name of his first transfixing single “Melpomene” from the Greek Muse of Singing who later becomes the Muse of Tragedy, often depicted with a mask in one hand and a knife or club in the other. After discovering this, the image itself becomes nicely aligned with said single from his newest release Tragicomedies. The Scotland native’s sound can be attributed to a mix of pop, contemporary electronic, and a touch of dubstep. He has previous released an LP Great Western Laymen from Planet Mu records out of Kent, England. Tragicomedies is due out 9/24. Listen to "Melpomene" below:


9. The xx - Coesist
The xx are a South London quartet who came to prominence in 2009 with their sparse, yet fresh sounding self-titled debut. The xx received raved reviews and their popularity has since skyrocketed, enough to get them the #15 spot on (the predictable) Pitchfork’s People’s List, a recent tally the site undertook to measure their readers’ top 200 albums since the media publication launched in 1996. Yes, you could call them a buzz band, but even if you aren’t blown away by their minimal take on indie-pop, it doesn’t hurt to see what they’re up to 3 years and millions of fans later. I already have a few opinions about the latest single “Angels”, but give it a listen and decide for yourself what you think. Their album Coexist is due out 9/11 via Young Turks.




8. David Byrne and St. Vincent - Love This Giant
In May I had the great opportunity of seeing St. Vincent at Town Ballroom as she set out on her Strange Mercy tour and it was easily one of the best shows I’ve seen this year. In between songs during her outstanding performance she chatted with the audience and told a few stories, and that’s when I first heard that she would be releasing an album with none other than David Byrne, who she claims is one of her greatest influences. The former Talking Heads frontman and her started this project back in 2009 when they met at a benefit concert called Dark Was The Night put on by Red Hot. The two hit it off and after being asked to collaborate for a similar event by Housing Works, the two agreed to make music together. What started as a small undertaking of writing a few songs together, the project blossomed and they quickly agreed it would be a good idea to release a full collaborative album, obviously an amazing idea. The songs are unique in that they center around horn instruments instead of their typical respective guitar ensembles, which you can especially pick up on in the latest single from the album Love This Giant called “Weekend in the Dust”. The album is due out 9/11 via 4AD and can be pre-ordered here.

7. Dum Dum Girls - End of Daze EP
Lo-fi surf-rockers Dum Dum Girls recently set out to develop a cleaner sound on their sophomore record, Only In Dreams, released last year, and now they’re checking in with a 5-track EP, End of Daze due out 9/25. The latest track from the short stack, “Lord Knows”, was featured a couple weeks ago on the blog, citing the track’s full and anthemic tone. Listen to the “Lord Knows” below:


6. Efterklang - Piramida
The opening track of orchestral indie-rock outfit Efterklang’s fourth LP Piramida, is rhythmically captivating, beginning with spacey pings layered with choral harmonies fading in and out, and wild snares running ear to ear. Lead singer Casper Clausens belts a gentle intro, “It’s impossible and over mountain Doka / and I wonder, I wonder, I wonder.” Since their 2010 album Magic Chairs, which first got them on board with 4AD, the group has been busy touring, writing, and even released a collaborative film with Vincent Moon called An Island, which is based around music from Magic Chairs. I highly recommend you download the 48 minute film, which you can do on a name-your-price basis here. What makes Piramida the group’s most compelling release to date is their recording process which consisted of the musicians spending 9 days on the Norwegian island of Spitzbergen taking over 1000 different recordings at the industrial settlement of Piramida, now a ghost town 1000 kilometers from the North Pole. Watch the intriguing trailer for the album below:


5. Chris Cohen - Overgrown Path
Chris Cohen has contributed to a lot of different projects in the last decade or so, including: The Curtains, Cryptacize, and Deerhoof. To add to his resume, Cohen has also toured with the likes of Ariel Pink, Cass McCombs and Danielson. Now, the 37-year-old Vermonter is releasing his very first collection under his own name due out 9/25 entitled Overgrown Path. The debut single from the album, “Caller No. 99”, is a catchy psych-rock ditty with phased-out guitar loops and Ringo-esque percussion. You can download it below: 

  

4. Thee Oh Sees - Putrifiers II
Thee Oh Sees’ debut single off their latest (and 14th) album “Flood’s New Light” deals the cascading tie-died riffs and kick/snare rhythms we’ve come to expect from the San Francisco outfit, but with a slightly more polished approach. Which is just fine, because sonically, it might be their most mature release yet. Even better news is that the group will be headlining a show here in  WNY at Town Ballroom on 9/25. It get’s better: Ty Segall will be opening. Pre-order tickets here. 



3. Cat Power - Sun
Cat Power, otherwise known as Chan Marshall, is releasing new material for the first time in six years with her latest LP Sun, due out 9/4 on Matador. The album is available to stream over at The Guardian, and I’m sure you’ll find it on a few ‘best of 2012’ lists come December. The first single off the new record “Ruin” is an upbeat track (maybe her most cheery to date) with accelerating keys and drums that cross-stitch into a catchy rhythmic motif. Listen below:




2. Animal Collective - Centipede Hz
The New York-via-Baltimore experimental quartet released one of the best records of the past decade in 2009 with Merriweather Post Pavilion, and now 3 years later we are just itching to see how they will follow it up. Their answer: Centipede Hz. If you thought the Collective couldn’t get any freakier, think again. The album has been available to stream for a couple weeks now, and while it might not live up to the impression of its predessessor, it does not dissappoint in the slightest. The albums due out 9/4. Stream the ten song album complete with psychadelic videos here.
1. Grizzly Bear - Shields 
The latest track from Grizzly Bear “Yet Again” off their newest record Shields might be their most gorgeous single to date. Ed Droste takes the reigns on vocals as the listener is drenched with expansive guitar strokes and trademark harmonies, and it seems Grizzly Bear has only gotten better at expanding their sonic bag-of-tricks. And this isn’t very surprising. Since 2009’s Veckatimest, which is easily the Brooklynites’ best record to date, the group has spent sometime touring and working on solo projects with Daniel Rossen releasing his EP Silent Hour/Golden Mile in March of this year and Chris Taylor releasing his record Dreams Come True under his CANT moniker last September. These creative endevors have only pushed this group’s creative potential even further, which is why Shields will be one of the best records of the year. Shields is due out 9/18 on Warp. Pre-order it here.

Tom Dennis
, , , , — 0 comments

StePhest Colbchella '012 RocktAugustFest Wrap Up

buffaBLOG knows your time is valuable, so here's this week's Colbert Report "StePhest Colbchella '012 RocktAugustFest" performances (plus a few web exclusives because we love you) in one handy post for your Friday consumption. Fun Fact 1: 3 of the 4 acts featured have played WNY in the last few years. Fun Fact 2: additional performances as well as Colbert's interviews with the bands can be found at Colbertnation.com .

 You're welcome.

 Monday, Fun..


Tuesday, Grizzly Bear.



Wednesday, Santigold.


Thursday, The Flaming Lips.



And as an added bonus, the Lips performing The Colbert Report theme song while Wayne Coyne and Colbert walk over the crowd in space bubbles.

Cliff Parks
, , , , , , — 0 comments

Listener's Digest: July 27 - August 2



Grizzly Bear and Unicorn Kid have done me a huge favor. I am, of course, assuming that they know of my column and timed the release of their latest songs in order to be included in this week’s edition of Listener’s Digest. That is the most logical explanation for this fortuitously timed new song, right? Of course I am right; in fact I am right 85% of the time. The other 15%? We never speak of that, ever. Do you hear me? We never speak of what happened that night. If anyone asks, I had nothing to do with the nuclear meltdown in Japan. Nothing! Anyway, another week means another selection of great new music.

Grizzly Bear – “Yet Again:” It is instantly obvious that this is a shift towards something more accessible for Grizzly Bear. A straight forward rock song is new territory for the band, currently finishing up their fourth album. However, "Yet Again"retains the melancholic minor-chord mood the band has been cultivating over the years. While "Yet Again," is new territory, Grizzly Bear appears confident and the song is excellent. Brooding and haunting, the guitars swirl and crash around Ed Droste's vocals until finally coming apart at the end, the stormy crash reminding you that this is still a Grizzly Bear song. 


Dum Dum Girls – “Lord Knows:” A slow, sultry track off of their forthcoming EP, Dum Dum Girls continue to establish their  growth as a band. Band leader Kristin Gundred's evocative vocals carry the song, which is backed by a subtle guitar line and plodding drums. A bridge featuring only Gundred's vocals demonstrates her strength as a writer of moody and atmospheric rock songs. 



JJ Doom – “Guv’nor”: A new collaboration between the enigmatic MF Doom and Jneiro Jarel, "Guv'nor" features Doom rapping over a very brief sample looped to a  twitchy and percussive effect. The beat is consistently on the brink of being terribly annoying, but never quite reaches that point, somehow, in turn, making it a very captivating. An array of brief vocal samples and screams end the track on a weird note. 



Unicorn Kid – “Need U:” In a certain way, the over the top maximalist sound of Unicorn Kid makes a lot of sense, coming across as the logical coming together of a certain style and sensibility. This new single, released only a few hours ago is jubilant, with a breathless quality running throughout. At times, "Need U" seems like it can barely keep up with itself as blaring synths and samples seem to pile on top of each other with little moment for air. 





The Sea and Cake – “Harps:” This new song from the Chicago veterans is considerably different from the Unicorn Kid track and may be a good breather. The Sea and Cake have been consistently putting out great music since the mid-90's. A breezy and smooth song, "Harps" is standard material for The Sea and Cake. However, in their case, consistency is not a bad thing. Actually, the prominent synth line is a new addition to their sound, one that works well. 



Michael Torsell
, — 0 comments

New Grizzly Bear album this fall


It feels likes in been year's since Grizzly Bear released something new.  While all of the band members have been busy, from singer/guitarist Daniel Rossen's great solo E.P. Silent Hour/Golden Mile, to bassist/producer solo Chris Taylor 's project CANT, to the various collaborations from co-singer Ed Droste, the three years since their breakthrough album, the lush, orchestral Veckatimest, dropped has felt like much longer for fans.  The Brooklyn four piece will release much anticipated follow up album on September 18th.  The release has yet to be titled, but one track, "Sleeping Ute", is already out.  The Rossen led number already sounds like a GB classic, full of angular guitars and chaotic percussion.  The band, who also announced fall tour dates, sadly will not be making a stop in Buffalo(although not from lack of trying....), but they will be at Toronto's Massy Hall on September 26th.


mac mcguire
, , , — 0 comments

Album Review: Daniel Rossen - Silent Hour/Golden Mile



On his first solo EP, Silent Hour/Golden Mile, Daniel Rossen truly exemplifies his capability to arrange tempestuous, wide-ranging music. The grandiosity of this little 5-track record comes at the perfect time for the folk-jazz-everything-rock crooner. His band Grizzly Bear is in Cape Cod brewing up a new album after the release of one of 2009’s best releases, Vekatimest. After such a successful year, Rossen was suffering that post-road syndrome that we’ve seen before, to the point where he was questioning his motives to make any new music at all. Isolating himself and making every effort to push past the despondent voices holding him back from creation, Rossen has created an introspective whirlwind of airs and it’s pretty easy to get caught up in the cyclonic landscape of styles on the record as well. 


The leading track, “Up On High” comes in with the familiar acoustic sound we’ve come to know from Rossen, fused with a groovy Beatles-esque bass-line and palliative string instruments. Rossen opens his sprawling vocals, emphasizing the isolation, “In this big empty room / Finally feel free / To sing for me.” It’s a simple line, but potent enough to capture images of great space and contemplation. Rossen’s lyrics have never been very opaque, these are all ideas easy to step into, but reflective all the same. The song works as one big metaphor, Rossen is setting out into a storm of existential resolutions: “If the tides should all turn / Push me off to sea / Swim for me.” 


“Return To Form” is the most complex song on the EP, and one of the greatest I’ve ever heard from Rossen. Smack in the middle, it’s energetic acoustic pluckings get you wishing you were kicking around rocks and hiking the Grand Canyon on a starry night. Rossen nails it, “It's time again for your return / Now find the peace you deserve / The stars hang in a shroud.” The mood is heavy-handed, but necessarily so. It’s not hard to see Rossen thinking up these songs on long, contemplative walks at twilight. Then 20 seconds past the 3-minute mark we’re suddenly experiencing a marvelous topography of overdriven guitar and drum fills. George Harrison comes to mind. 


With the climax of “Return to Form” comes a song that returns to the most elemental form of song-writting, the piano, where Rossen brings us down and laments of a Saint that has no name or place. On "Saint Nothing" we are again being taken to a familiar place of remoteness. The vocals are stirring, fantastically layered at the end as Rossen sings “How Long?” over and over. “Golden Mile” brings it home with bright mandolin. There is a heavenly quality to this song; the vocals are comforting, there is a willingness to prevail, to win the fight for the imagination. Rossen wails, “There is bliss in this mess / There is magnus all around.” Rossen has done something very noteworthy with this song. He has added a redemptive tint to an already colorful, and wide-ranging little collection of songs. There is despair in Silent Hour/Golden Mile, but in the end an epiphanic truth that rings out in a most uplifting way, and this is a most impressive feat to be done in just five songs.

Grade: A-


Tom Dennis
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , — 0 comments

Top 10 March Album Releases to be Excited About



In weather lore (yes, there is such a thing), March is said to "come in like a lion and go out like a lamb," and there has often been a correlation with the course of new music that follows suit.  You’ll notice that this month's new release list is twice as long as February's was.  You might’ve also noticed that it went up to about 50 degrees on Monday.  Still, don’t let mother nature or these musicians fool you.  We’re still in it for the long haul.  While most of us perceive March 21st to be the first official day of Spring, the indie music community sort of kicks off Spring on the third Saturday of April, Record Store Day (i.e. the single greatest holiday ever created.)  We Buffalonians are usually safe to start celebrating Spring around that same time. Usually. 


While we have endured a lot more lamb-like conditions this winter, here are ten artists releasing some roaring new music this month (see what I did there?).  You can be pretty thrilled that this winter is just about over, and celebrate in anticipation of some great new tunes this March.

10. Canary Girls: Everything is Changing 
Technically, the Canary Girls were supposed to release their first LP at the end of February, but our patience will soon be rewarded by what's sure to be an awesome first album by an incredible new local talent. Formed in October, the electro-indie group have played numerous shows together and hopefully an album release show is in sight as well. In the mean time listen to their tune, "Waves and Stations" and stay tuned for updates.





9. Mirroring: Foreign Body
If you haven’t heard of Mirroring, that’s okay, they're a fairly new group. Surfing through P4K’s Best New Tracks about a week ago I came upon their song “Fell Sound” and was instantly impressed with its obscure, dreamy haze. Mirroring consists of Grouper’s Liz Harris and Tiny Vesper’s Jesy Fortino. Their first LP Foreign Body is set for release on March 19 via Kranky.



8. The Men: Open Your Heart
Brooklyn Punk-rockers The Men are following up last year’s LP Leave Home with the riff-laden new LP Open Your Heart. From the title of the title track "Open Your Heart" one might assume that the group might be deviating from their heavy, Ramone's influenced, non-trendy punk sound, but only slightly. The four-piece group still sound like they recorded this in 1975, but the attitude of the music is positively 2012. The LP is set for release on March 6, you can preorder it on their website for $15 vinyl, $12 CD. They have also set a tour date to play The Bug Jar in Rochester on March 23.



7. Late Night Tales: Belle and Sebastian
If you're unfamiliar with the Late Night Tales series, let me first inform you, out of the 25 tracks on this collection, only one song is by Belle and Sebastian...and it's a cover of "Crash" by The Primitives. Late Night Tales is a series where a renowned musical group or musician compiles what they think would be the best "late night" selection. So while this isn't exactly a release of new songs, it is still jam packed with some killer tunes by the likes of Broadcast, Gold Panda, Blood, Sweat & Tears, and Toro y Moi. This 2 CD compilation will be out March 26. For more information and a track listing visit the Belle and Sebastians website.




6.  s / s / s: Beak & Claw
Comprised of indie-folker Sufjan Stevens, rapper Serengeti, and electro-pop artist Son Lux, it is not hard to figure out how s / s / s conjured up this clever name for their new collaborative project. While their new EP is only four songs, make no mistake, these three artists have shown their capabilities in compacting complex sounds and concepts in each of their own previous albums. While no tracks from the EP have been released yet, the short collection of songs is said to be jam packed with fuzzy bass, adventorous vocals, and Sufjan auto-tuned. Beak & Claw comes out March 20, and can be preordered on Insound’s website. Listen to the 2009 track "You Are The Blood" which Sufjan and Serengeti first joined forces on.



5. Andrew Bird: Break It Yourself
A new track from Andrew Bird’s newest album (since 2009’s Noble Beast) surfaced mid-February called “The Crown Salesman” and is available for a free download on Bird’s facebook page. The track really illustrates how Bird has evolved as a folk-rock artist. Bird’s claim to fame as the multi-instrumental, whistling songwriter might be in jeopardy as both this track and the first single “Eyeoneye” are wrought with rough guitar riffs and feedback. Bird’s voice takes control, and there is a fullness to these tracks that should really foreshadow what will likely be a strong album. Break It Yourself is out March 6.




4. Tanlines: Mixed Emotions
The Brooklyn electro-pop duo are releasing their debut full-length, Mixed Emotions, on March 20 after having previously released two acclaimed EPs in 2010. The first single off the album "Brothers" is catchy and danceable. This LP is sure to be a hit that will last throughout the summer months. You can pre-order it on vinyl or CD on Matador's website.



3. Daniel Rossen: Silent Mile/Golden Hour
Known from his vocal and multi-instrumental work with Grizzly Bear, Daniel Rossen will be releasing his solo 4-track EP Silent Hour/Golden Mile on March 20 via Warp. In the past few years, it seems like every other band is taking time off so its members can pursue a solo project. Even Rossen’s bandmate Chris Taylor released his own solo album last year under the name CANT, not to mention, on his own record label. On “Silent Song” Rossen does little to deviate from the Grizzly Bear sound, which is essentially good news. Rossen really shows off his songwriting skills on the lonely piano track “Saint Nothing.” We can anticipate as much variety as any 4 song release will warrant on Rossen’s EP, but we also need to remember who we’re dealing with here.



2. The Shins: Port of Morrow
Yes. The Shins have finally come out of hiding and will be releasing their first record in 5 years on March 20. The first single off Port of Morrow, “Simple Song” is anything but with thick guitar riffs, jangly paino, and far-reaching, catchy vocals. While keeping their Garden State sound, there seems to be a more direct and more up-beat vibe going on, and it just really works sonically. 





1. Poor Moon: Illusion 
Sub Pop recently signed Poor Moon, which consists of Fleet Foxes’ members Christian Wargo and Casey Wescott, and Ian and Peter Murray from The Christmas Cards. The first track off the 5-song EP "People in Her Mind" is a poppy, guitar-bop tune with summery vocals that will really get you excited for this snow to melt. From all the success that Fleet Foxes have had, and with J. Tillman coming out with a solo release this May, there is a lot of talk as to whether these guys can go out and do it on their own. I'm betting Poor Moon will not disappoint when their album comes out March 27.


Tom Dennis
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)