Set at the foot of the Black Mountains in the beautiful Welsh countryside, Green Man Festival is a unique festival of music, comedy, literature, science, academia, and – this year – traditional beers and ciders. The secluded and remote location of the site is absolutely perfect for a festival. City life is immediately forgotten upon arrival, and the few thousand people who attend begin to live completely within the world of The Green Man.

With a strong and stylistically varied line-up of musicians set across four main stages, this year’s festival has a lot of potential that must be delivered. Here’s my Green Man Festival 2013 review:

Thursday

Thursday night at Green Man is effectively a “warm-up” night; many festival-goers are yet to arrive, and only the Far Out tent is open. By 20:45, the tent is absolutely rammed full of people waiting to see Patti Smith. Although the Far Out tent is the second largest venue, it is still far too small for an artist as respected as the “Godmother of Punk”. Consequently, many fans are forced to stand outside, where is is very difficult to hear her. Considering her nickname, Smith plays a surprisingly mellow set with a lack of bass or drums, though this does not stop her punk attitude from seeping through the songs. Highlights include an intimate cover of Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues”, and of course the almost-compulsory fan favorite, “Because the Night”.

Friday

Now in the full swing of festivities, the Mountain Stage (the biggest and central stage) is opened with a set from upcoming band Haiku Salut. One of the traditions of Green Man is to have the main stage opened by the winners of a competition organised by the festival. I asked Haiku Salut to explain how they came to play what they described as an “exciting and ridiculous” slot at the festival:

“We entered the Green Man Rising competition on the Green Man website, and people vote for the bands they want to see. We had to go down to London and play a battle-of-the-bands-type competition, which we were really nervous about, because we thought that maybe the other bands wouldn’t be very nice to the other bands, but everybody was lovely! When they pulled out our name we were shocked – we didn’t expect it in the slightest.”

The trio create an impressive sound, and draw a big crowd into the main arena. They play instrumental music which encompasses a huge range of instrumental styles, ranging from European folk to epic soundscapes to glitchy electronics. The clear bond between the three friends really augments the friendly and communal atmosphere at Green Man. Next up is Peggy Sue, who provide friendly pop-folk tunes embellished with lovely harmonies, perfectly suiting the afternoon atmosphere. This is just one example of the great job the Green Man team do of programming their stages.

Later in the afternoon on the same stage, Julia Holter plays to a very relaxed, and relatively inebriated crowd. Her usually introspective songs are blasted out into the natural amphitheater surrounding the Mountain Stage, resulting in occasionally losing some of their intimacy. Her set would be better suited to the Far Out stage, it seems. There are initially some quite severe sound problems which resolve after twenty minutes, and Holter hits her stride with a spectacular rendition of “Four Gardens”, from last year’s Ekstasis. I asked her about her experience of Green Man, and she highlighted the friendliness of the crowd, and the “warm and friendly” atmosphere around the site.

Over in the Far Out tent, Parquet Courts provide a refreshing contrast to the primarily mellow acts that have played thus far. Their unique brand of high-octane punk rock works surprisingly well for a mid-afternoon set. This is down to the intimacy of the tent, and intensity of their performance. Their songs are based around drums and bass, with over-driven guitars and shouting vocals adding the punk vibe that gives everyone (band included) an opportunity for some headbanging (something that there definitely is not enough of at Green Man). The songs are all very full on, and unsurprisingly about half an hour into their set, the band seem to lose some of that energy which is what makes them so appealing.

Back on the Mountain Stage, Phosphorescent plays an extremely powerful set of Americana which captivates the arena. When Houck plays “Los Angeles”, a highlight from 2010’s Here’s To Taking It Easy, he turns the song into an extended, soulful guitar jam, which is very well received by fans and newcomers alike. Meanwhile on the Far Out stage, Moon Duo pick up where Parquet Courts left off – heavy! Their motorik-psych pop is perfect for the Far Out tent on a sunny afternoon; this is another example of fantastic programming from the Green Man team. The trio (don’t ask) lock into a groove for ten minutes or so and take the tent on a far out journey to space and back fuelled by Ripley Johnson’s face-melting guitar skills. And then they do it again. And again. It really doesn’t tire, and they play an incredible set that is by far the highlight of the day.

In the evening, Midlake play on the Mountain Stage to an almost full arena. They give us a taste of songs from their new album, which sound, well, like Midlake songs. Their alt-country tunes comfortably fill the field, but lack energy and are actually quite boring. The main stage is closed by Kings of Convenience who do play a set full of energy, and leave fans with smiles on their faces. There have been some great acts today, complemented by brilliant sunshine, but most of the highly-anticipated acts are yet to play.

Saturday

After Friday’s heatwave, Saturday’s skies are back to the typically Welsh grey. No major downpours, but Glanusk Park is greeted by regular showers. The Slow Show play early afternoon on the main stage, and provide the festival with laid-back, mellow songs to help ease Friday’s hangover. According to their press release, the band describe their sound as comparable to Neil Young, Tom Waits and Bob Dylan but claim fellow Northern bands such as Elbow and I Am Kloot echo throughout their music. In reality, the band seem like a cheap imitation of The National (who, incidentally, have a song called “Slow Show”). Baritone vocals sung over slow horns and strings might sound great, but the band lack the basic songwriting skills of The National, and have a very boring rhythm section. At one point, the four band members leave the stage and the frontman plays ‘Flowers To Burn’ on his own with a guitar. He leaves some guitar effects turned on which clash with his deep vocals resulting in a cringe-worthy sound.

Later on the Walled Garden Stage (the third stage), things are made more interesting by Rozi Plain who plays fun, jangly pop. The catchy and danceable tunes transcend the rain, and Plain’s cheery rapport is infectious. The set finishes with ten people on stage (including a baby) holding up colored circular pieces of card. “Why?”, you ask? Why not?

A new addition to Green Man for 2013 is the tiny-but-brilliant Green Man Rising stage, which showcases up and coming bands from around the UK, including many of the entrants of the Green Man Rising competition. Early in the evening, local-ish lads Rad Stewart play a set. Their sound is remarkably similar to Stephen Malkmus’, but their songs contain typically British wit. They are far more interesting than many of the bands that play just a few hundred meters away on the colossal Mountain Stage. However, that’s not to say that all acts playing the main stage of the festival are uninteresting. Low prove this point with their signature drone-driven pop/rock. They emit an extremely powerful sound considering just three musicians are on stage. The lack of treble frequencies suits the slightly ominous weather, and the songs led by Mimi Parker’s vocals add a pastoral feel to the set.

By the time Fossil Collective play on the Green Man Rising stage it has started to rain, but this doesn’t stop the band from singing catchy melodies over alt-country instrumentation. The super-sweet harmonies created by Dave Fendick and Jonny Hooker are sweetened further by the smell of fresh doughnuts wafting through the garden. It really is a lovely set, despite the rain. I chatted to Dave afterwards, who was extremely pleased to come to Green Man for the first time. He says that it feels amazing to play at here, and it’s a special festival because “it’s not so big that you completely lose yourself, it’s quite intimate but there’s a lot to do. It’s just a nice vibe”.

The Horrors play on the Mountain Stage to a huge crowd later in the evening, but are difficult to engage with. Their boring electro-pop offers no moments of interest, and their set relies solely on hardcore fans in the audience, of which there is a surprisingly large amount. Meanwhile on the Walled Garden stage, Olof Arnolds sings beautiful, solo a cappella folk songs in the vein of The Wicker Man Soundtrack, with a voice not dissimilar to Kate Bush. This kind of act is what Green Man hosts brilliantly – quirky, talented and niche. Later on the same stage, Allah-Las play to a relatively small crowd. Perhaps this is due to the weather combined with time of day; the four-piece play woozy, Nuggets-esque ’60s pop which doesn’t suit a night-time performance, especially in the rain.

Sunday

Sunday afternoon hits, and the weather is back on form. Blue skies ahoy. Huw M sings lovely folk songs in Welsh on the Walled Garden stage with the refreshing use of a cello and tambourine instead of the usual bass and drum kit rhythm section. His sweet voice sings catchy melodies, and the use of the Welsh language is a lovely salute to the beautiful landscape that Green Man sits in. Over on the Mountain Stage, Fanfarlo play sunny pop music with a slightly psych tinge. The trumpet and violin interact with each other in a way that creates a dreamy vibe perfectly suited to a hazy Sunday afternoon.

From the outset, Sunday was always about the Far Out stage. Mikal Cronin hits us with some extremely energized psych-punk. Despite the loud, screaming guitars, he still provides catchy melodies and ultra-sunny songs. One of his guitar strings breaks mid song, but this only seems to drive him to play harder! The rhythm guitar could do with a volume boost, especially when Cronin launches into an incredible extended wig-out and makes his 12-string scream. Despite this, the set is fantastic and provides a much needed energy boost on a Sunday afternoon. After sound problems cause a major delay, Woods come on 45 minutes later. Their woozy psych-pop fills the Far Out tent, and catchy falsetto vocals interact beautifully with the 12-string guitar. Woods play with such brilliant energy and focus that just doesn’t come across on record. They are an incredible live band and perfectly suit Green Man.

On the Walled Garden stage indie hero Darren Hayman plays with a four-piece band. Immediately it’s clear that the set would be heavier than usual, and a real contrast to the last few of his albums which are all relatively mellow and quiet. Today he plays with an electric guitar, and his familiar songs are successfully transferred to alt-rock stylings, but still managing to retain their uniquely British charm. The set is closed with a mesmerizing rendition of ‘Winter Makes You Want Me More’, which today begins with four part harmony and builds into Hayman shouting the refrain whilst the band provide a backing track full of energy, with real focus on the melody of the fiddle interacting with the vocals. The set is incredible, and is a definite highlight of the weekend.

The Far Out stage is still running behind schedule due to Woods’ sound problems, and British Sea Power’s elaborate set takes longer than expected to assemble. Every mic stand and amplifier is covered in foliage and fairy lights. When the band finally come on half an hour late, they play a set which really does make up for the delays. We are treated to fan favorite after fan favorite, people in giant bear costumes walking around the audience, band members crowd surfing, and guitars being thrown impressively high into the air. British Sea Power are a unique live experience, but this doesn’t stop them playing brilliant rock songs. One fan is met by a roar of applause when he screams “WHAT A BAND! WHAT A FUCKING BAND!”.

The Far Out stage is closed by a predictably dark set from Swans, who turn down their notoriously loud equipment, presumably due to festival regulations. Despite being turned down, sound created by the two percussionists, Michael Gira’s shouts, and merciless guitars is still intense, and many parents with children can be seen hurrying away from the tent midway through the first song. Gira seems to have magical powers and commands his band through the apocalyptic noise-rock voyage. Even when he is not using his microphone or playing guitar, he holds the stage by madly flailing around as relentless sonic blasts fill the tent and beyond. At the end of the set, there is an atmosphere as if everyone here has experienced something special, together as a collective. Perhaps this is a reflection of Green Man. Perhaps this is just Swans being so intense people are glad to have survived the performance. Either way, quite a magical feeling is present when Swans finish playing.

Despite growing from a one-day, 300-capacity event, to a four-day 15,000 capacity event in just ten years, the feeling of independence and community is still strong all weekend. With music varying from a-cappella folk to motorik space-rock to apocalyptic noise, not to mention literature and comedy tents and 99 different ales and ciders to try, Green Man is a truly unique festival. Haiku Salut took the liberty of writing me a haiku to sum up the festival for them:

“Look at the mountains

It’s fucking sun shining, yeah?

There’s Freddos backstage.”

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Mr. M is Lambchop’s first album since OH (Ohio), which is now four years old. They are one of the most consistently extraordinary bands currently producing music, so it comes as no surprise that their new record is entirely worth the wait. It is a touching album which is dedicated to the late Vic Chesnutt, a man who inspired and influenced Lambchop more than anyone else.

Mr. M opens with the lushly orchestrated slow number “If Not I’ll Just Die”. It’s an expressive song sung from the deep heart of frontman Kurt Wagner. Every syllable he sings is delivered with a vital clarity; you can hear every murmur he makes. After another mellow song, the record moves to lead single “Gone Tomorrow”. This is a relatively up-tempo song for Lambchop, and they pull it off extremely well. Being the lead single, it’s the most immediately accessible song on the album. Its catchy chorus is superbly carried by Wagner, who seamlessly manipulates the words each time the chorus is heard.

The fifth track on the album, “Gar” perfectly illustrates that Lambchop’s signature sound is not solely indebted to Kurt Wagner’s voice, as it is (apart from some female vocals) an instrumental track. Even without the frontman’s signature vocals, this bass-driven composition is clearly the work of Lambchop. It, like the majority of the band’s songs, possesses a soul of its own, which really does give the unique character of a trademark Lambchop track.

In “Nice Without Mercy”, Wagner’s voice is put to excellent use; he harmonizes with himself through multiple layers to create what can only be described as a beautiful dissonance. This is an effective accompaniment to the plodding music beneath. The next track on Mr. M is a personal favorite, “Buttons”. Hardcore Lambchop fans will recognize it from the band’s 2010 Daytrotter session. It tells the tear-jerking story of an unnamed protagonists who goes off the rails. The lyrics “I used to know your girlfriend, back when you used to have a girlfriend / She was nice and you were not, but I was the big prick back then” always stand out, and seem to be deeply personal for Wagner. Throughout the record, his lyrics leave the listener asking questions about the album and its beautiful songs. Despite the words of the songs being extremely abstract and at times hard to make sense of, it is clear they mean a huge amount to Wagner.

Mr. M really does demonstrate the fact that Lambchop are an evolving band. They have come so far since the country songs on How I Quit Smoking in 1996. People who say they peaked with 2000’s Nixon need to realize that Lambchop are almost a different band now; they do not retrace their steps, but instead continue to explore in different directions, all the while retaining their signature, lush sound.

MP3: Lambchop – Gone Tomorrow

MP3

Official Site / BUY

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Bon Iver – O2 Academy, Birmingham – 11/09/11

Too many artists these days fall victim to it… playing material live exactly as they are heard on their records. This safe approach usually doesn’t result in an all-out disaster, but it fails to make for a memorable gig. After attending Bon Iver’s set this past Wednesday, I was delighted to find out he falls well outside this plight.

After a strong support slot from Kathleen Edwards, Justin Vernon and his nine-man band took to the stage of the O2 Academy Birmingham. The venue isn’t a fantastic one; it’s plastered in neon advertisements and half of the viewing space is obstructed by pillars. It just lacks any signs of sentiment. When they started to play, however, the room was immediately filled with magic. Vernon opened with “Perth”, the first song on his most recent album, and applied a mellow instrumental break to move seamlessly into “Minnesota, WI”. After a lively rendition of “Towers” (again, from the most recent album), they played “Creature Fear”, which is a peaceful song from the 2008 breakthrough debut, For Emma, Forever Ago. Despite the version on the album being calm and placid, Justin Vernon made use of the talented band to inject vibrant life and energy into it. It was extremely interesting to hear a song that so many people know and love completely reworked.

Singing “Hinnom, TX”, Vernon demonstrated his unique ability to sing in both pitch-perfect falsetto and hauntingly deep tones. He has one of the most versatile voices on the planet, and it’s often wrongly overlooked as “just another high-pitched male.” Hearing him words “I was not magnificent” during “Holocene” was an emotional moment, and it was clear that everyone in the room wanted to assure him just how magnificent he is. This poignant number was followed by the contrasting “Blood Bank” from the 2009 EP of the same name. This was another song that was reworked for performance, with all three percussionists pounding their drums to the beat from the moment of conception. The room was flooded in crimson from the powerful lights, and this just added to the intensity of the song. “Blood Bank” was a real highlight of the night. The other major highlight was, surprisingly, a three or four-minute instrumental jam. All members of Bon Iver and its touring band were playing their instruments with prevalent vigor, creating a complex soundscape not dissimilar Explosions In The Sky’s darker material. This, combined with the violently flashing lights, was an absolutely phenomenal addition to the set.

Following several songs from the new, self-titled album and “Re: Stacks” from the first, Vernon invited his support act onto the stage to play one of her songs that “only a real super-fan would know”. This was a lovely moment; he was genuinely appreciative of Kathleen Edwards’ presence on their tour. The band then proceeded to add magnificence to their set with one of the best tracks on the Bon Iver album, “Berth/Rest”. As soon as the beautiful synth was set into motion, the whole audience prepared themselves for the wonderful song they were about to witness. Hearing this emotional ballad played live was truly fantastic, and once again new life was breathed into it by the talented band. They ended the set with the much-anticipated “Skinny Love”, perhaps Bon Iver’s most popular track and one that has become a live staple. This song seems to have gained the band a lot of popularity over the last year or so, and it was clear that many audience members were waiting to hear it. The majority of people were singing along at the top of their lungs. Much of the time this ruins a song at a gig, but the communal joy of hearing the masterpiece live was lovely.

Persistent applause and cheers from the audience prompted Bon Iver to return to the stage for an extremely appreciated encore. Before they started playing, Justin Vernon invited the crowd to sing along to the second half of the song, getting louder and louder until you “freak out and lose all your shit”. After practicing a few bars, they jumped into “The Wolves”. What started as a quiet song soon turned into a brilliant cacophony of 3000 voices singing “what might have been lost” over and over with pure exhilaration. The show then ended on a high note with an upbeat, full version of “For Emma”.

Justin Vernon has journeyed a long way since founding the now famous Bon Iver. With his live performances he is clearly benefiting from having a large group of musicians at his side. Every live success made use of each of the nine musicians onstage. Nothing was too dense, and nothing was too thin. Bon Iver have proved themselves to be more than just an excellent studio band. They’re even better live.

Bon Iver – Skinny Love

Bon Iver – Calgary

Bon Iver – Holocene

Bon Iver – Bonnie Hathaway

Official Site / BUY

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David Fendick and Jonny Hooker are two multi-instrumentalists from Leeds, UK. Together they are Fossil Collective, an alternative-folk band influenced by artists like Simon and Garfunkel, Neil Young, and Fleetwood Mac. It’s easy to dismiss the band’s sound as standard indie-folk with your parents’ favorite groups as their influences. However, on closer inspection, you can hear complex guitar work in a similar style to Midlake, or beautiful melodies like Bon Iver. All the while, the band retains their own signature style of effective harmonies overlapping various layers of instrumentation.

Their debut EP was released in 2010 to justifiably glowing reviews. Honey Slides EP is a three-song stroke of success. It showcases the duo’s brilliant talent as songwriters, musicians, and vocalists. On each of the songs, their production appears as the work of a veteran; the instrumentation is not overly dense, but also not too thin. This is because they write songs to fit the sound they want, rather than writing songs to fit the usual five-piece band. If they want a particular sound on a track, be it slide guitar or violin, they drag someone specific into the studio to play it. This is why they called the band Fossil “Collective”; it’s an assortment of contributing musicians that alternate based on David and Jonny’s musical needs. Their success shows this as a very effective system, at least for them personally. When I asked the duo how they write their songs, they told me Jonny often comes up with an initial idea on an acoustic guitar, and then Dave helps build the song to its final product. Their lyrics are a collective effort.

Honey Slides EP opens with “On and On”, an upbeat song with a catchy melody. Its relatively basic structure is not at all a weakness due to the excellent musicianship all around. Both the lead and backing vocals are perfect; the rhythm section is intricately written to get the right sound, and there is even a flute solo! The EP then moves on to a contrasting slow number. The intro of “Without a Fight” touts a relaxed slide guitar which sets up perfectly for the tranquil sounds that unfold. The two-part harmony is sung beautifully over the peaceful accompaniment. The drum work is so light that, if it wasn’t for the rolling sense of rhythm, you’d barely notice it was there. It’s a lovely, lush song that serves as one of the EP’s highlights.

The final track of the Honey Slides opens with gorgeous, a-cappella vocals. It continues into the most powerful of the three songs, “When Frank Became an Orb”. The song is full of emotion, eventually fading out as a tease – leaving listeners wanting more. This effort sounds like their final goodbye as small, independent musicians before their full-length is released and they inevitably gain well-deserved fame. Honey Slides EP is a must-have for any fan of the alternative-folk-rock scene.

Fossil Collective’s debut LP is due to be released early next year. If it’s anything like this EP, it’s well worth looking out for. They have completed ten tracks so far and still have three to record Once the album is finished, they intend to “tour like mad”, so we should all have the privilege of seeing them in a nearby town. These guys are up-and-coming talents that are going to be up there among the indie-folk elite.

RIYL: Radiohead, Manic Street Preachers, Fleetwood Mac, Muse, Kasabian, Oasis, PJ Harvey, Blur, Blonde Redhead, The Verve, The Flaming Lips, Train, Franz Ferdinand, Field Music

Fossil Collective – On and On

Fossil Collective – When Frank Became an Orb

Fossil Collective – Without a Fight

Official Site / MySpace / BUY

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Treefight for Sunlight is an apt name for the Danish four-piece. Well, the Sunlight part at least. Their sun-drenched, euphoric harmonies emit every existing positive emotion.  When their eponymous debut album was released earlier this year, I assumed it would be thrown into the spotlight and serve as one of the year’s most praised alternative releases. For reasons that I cannot understand, this was not the case.

When jumping into their unique sound of ecstatic summer pop, it’s easy to think of The Beach Boys, The Zombies, Beach House, and MGMT, all uniting their sounds to create an accessible sense of pop-laden euphoria. They combine falsetto vocals with dreamy compositions that transport you to the happiest place in the world.  They somehow create this magical effect with just their voices, a keyboard, guitar, bass and drums. At this point, I don’t want you to get the wrong impression; they’re not cheesy. They make glorious pop music in a way that still retains rawness and creativity.

Some songs do stand out more than others. Among a few, “What Became of You and I?” always sticks out as a strong number. The precise and tight drumming from Mathias Sørensen puts all focus on the trance-like, catchy melody beautifully carried out by Christian Rohde Lindinger. He also demonstrated the power of his voice when I saw the band live; they played a note-for-note cover of the Kate Bush classic, “Wuthering Heights”. It was phenomenal. “Facing the Sun” was the first single and epitomizes the entire album. Its upbeat tempo and complex rhythms, combined with jovial riffs and catchy vocals, make for a track that never fails to put you in a good mood.

One song is an oddity, in that it isn’t in the same style as the rest of the jolly album. “Tambourhinocerous Jam” is a conciisely dark instrumental, tambourine-based jam. Usually, I would put this down to pure pretentiousness; however it fits in well with the record. It keeps you alert and stops you losing interest in the golden formula that the band seems to have found. Any darkness left from that track is quickly hidden away by the familiar brightness of “Riddles and Rhymes” with its fantastic climax of an ending.

On the whole, Treefight for Sunlight is one that is an instant source of upbeat optimism. From the explosions of pure ecstasy at the start of “The Universe Is a Woman” to the enchanting tone of the guitar in “Facing the Sun”, it is clear that these four young Danes posses huge amounts of talent as instrumentalists and songwriters. Regularly playing and writing music together since they were children has, without a doubt, paid off.

RIYL: The Beach Boys, The Zombies, Beach House, MGMT, Kate Bush, Figurines, Gruff Rhys, Sea of Bees, Wild Nothing, Twin Sister, Tennis, Lower Dens

Treefight for Sunlight – What Became Of You And I?

Treefight for Sunlight – Facing the Sun

Treefight for Sunlight – Time Stretcher

Treefight for Sunlight – Wuthering Heights (live)

Official Site / MySpace / BUY

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by Jay Platt

Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor debuts his new solo project, CANT, with the full-length Dreams Come True. Featuring frequent collaborator and post-punk revivalist Twin Shadow (George Lewis Jr.), it is a more electronic-oriented and sensually layered release than Grizzly Bear efforts. Despite this, both projects deliver crisp production and engaging layers of melodies that combine for a memorably haunting effect.

When I heard Taylor was releasing an album, I expected it to be similar to Grizzly Bear’s breakthrough Veckatimest. This is clearly not the case. On first listen, I didn’t think much of the album at all. It was too dense and didn’t meet my stylistic expectations. However, many opportunities for exploration open up after the first few listens. The opening “Too Late Too Far” begins with a hectic electronic drum beat, much like the beginning of Radiohead’s “15 Step”.  Once enough time has passed for the chaotic rhythm to settle in, a repetitive bass-line starts, closely followed by the caressing vocals. The harmonies and melodies in this song are a little basic, but the complex rhythm and intricate sound effects maintain a level of interest. After a refreshing reverb-filled breakdown, the now-comforting rhythm starts again with a vocal line buried under the mix, like an eerie sample. Here, the voice is used more as an instrument than to traditionally maintain interest with a melody.

The second track, “Believe” is much mellower, providing excellent contrast to “Too Late Too Far” in several capacities. The spacey alternating panning effect of the slowly rolling drum beat is quite interesting, adding itself to the detailed shimmering background noises. The words “you won’t believe” are sung in beautiful harmony, giving the song a very relaxed feel. It  is a perfect setup for the next track. The muted trumpet riff in “The Edge”, combined with the delicate drum beat, makes for what initially sounds like a soul song. Things soon get back to normal when the layered vocal line starts, accompanied by a distorted synthesiser playing a complimenting riff. This is my favorite track on the album; it’s constantly changing and feels much more personal than the rest of the record. The peaceful guitar, gentle voice, and dreamy synth makes track four, “BANG”, sound like a Beach House song; perhaps they influenced Chris Taylor when they supported Grizzly Bear on their 2010 tour. This marks the end of the first half of the album, and after a short piano-driven instrumental breather, the electric sounds of CANT resume.

“She Found a Way Out” begins with sparse texture, but they gradually add layers that steadily build up. Still, it never quite reaches a climax before fading out in pulsating synth waves. The track’s ambiance is quite comforting. At ease in a different sense is “Answer”, which resembles Four Tet with its strong electronic beat, chopped up vocals and catchy recurring melody. Then arrives the title track, which is extremely dark with plenty of distorted sound effects and striking synth notes. Its nightmare-ish, ominous presence is one that should resonate with most listeners. The penultimate track begins in the same dark way, but finishes with a much more melodic and soulful piano and vocal solo. This is a small taste of the album closer, “Bericht”. The apt choice to make it the closer is solidified once Taylor’s voice joins the lonely piano. “And it’s all come down to this” he sings, carrying the calming lull of the song on his shoulders.

The album certainly makes an interesting listen, and is by no means a step backwards for Chris Taylor. Throughout the album, he utilizes several production techniques that would not be found on a Grizzly Bear release. The sample-like vocals and intricate sound effects show that he is not only a musician, but also a very talented producer with extreme attention to detail. Grizzly Bear fans knew that already, but Dreams Come True proves even to the most attentive fans that Taylor can successfully pursue styles that are well out of Grizzly Bear’s comfort zone. Taylor’s bright future extends beyond his role in a notable indie-rock group. His skills as a producer will likely extend his list of collaborators rapidly as his talents and accomplices grow.

CANT – The Edge

CANT – Believe

CANT – Too Late Too Far

Terrible Records / BUY

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by Jay Platt

Bill Callahan has a voice like no other man on earth; it’s haunting, intimate, spontaneous and passionate. The first thing heard on Apocalypse is Callahan singing a single line, unaccompanied: “The real people went away.”

The soul put into this line alone creates the illusion that he is making up each of his perfectly worded lyrics on the spot. His beautiful voice lures the listener into the dark world of Apocalypse, which is much darker than his previous album, Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle (released in 2009). That opened with a jovial acoustic guitar riff, a precursor to the overall tone of Eagle; it was going to be beautiful, not quite unsettling. The beginning of Apocalypse lacks this reassurance, and consequently adds an air of darkness to the album. The rolling drum beat of the album’s opener “Drover” brings the song to life, immediately transporting you to another much darker and solitary place. The song is jam-packed full of emotion; even the guitar strumming seems full of energy and passion. This opening track brilliantly sets up the rest of Apocalypse.

The next effort, “Baby’s Breath”, begins with sparse instrumentation and builds up to a fantastic climax, only to die down again, leaving the listener wanting more. Thankfully the listener gets more, in the form of “America!” Musically, it’s somewhat repetitive yet unpredictably exciting. The ongoing guitar riff combined with the dominating drums keep the song driving forward, with Callahan’s lyrical ability showcasing their rare form of preciseness. He doesn’t use the conventional method of rhythmically placing syllables on the strong beats of the song, instead singing them in a way much more detached from the accompanying music. These lyrics are some of the best in his catalog, a message of how America is losing itself and its former glory: “Afghanistan, Vietnam, Iran, Native America / Well everyone’s allowed a past they don’t care to mention.” The album’s title also reflects this.

“Universal Applicant” is a stark contrast to “America!”; it’s a very cryptic song. Its interpretation seems to be quite subjective, more so than most songs. This is potentially indebted to the instrumentation, or it could rely on the lyrics. The minimalist guitar and piano riffs make the song feel on edge as if it’s about to explode into something chaotic, which despite his spontaneity is not a common term to describe Callahan. It does the opposite, and by the end of the song it traverses to a much calmer place.

This is the ideal state for the next song, a highlight of 2011, “Riding for the Feeling”. This song leaks pure passion; it’s clear that Callahan has put every last drop of sentiment into it. It tends to enforce an odd attachment to Callahan, in a personal and sympathetic light that makes one want to comfort him. “Riding for the Feeling” seems as if it’s sung in a reflective state, looking back on the last part of his life in sadness and wondering if things could have been different. Perhaps this is specifically about his long-term relationship with Joanna Newsom, with whom he had an emotional break-up period. Bill puts his soul into every second of it, and the result is heartbreaking and brilliant. The slow, pounding drums combined with the repetitive guitar chords create a melancholic effect that captivates you.

The final song, “One Fine Morning”, is slow, enchanting, and emotional. However, it’s not emotional in a sad way, but in a nicely uplifting and comforting way. I hesitate to call Apocalypse a “storm”, but saying that “One Fine Morning” is like the calm after a storm is an apt description. It reassures the listener that everything’s going to be fine and that life goes on, no matter how ugly the world is becoming.

As a whole, the album works beautifully. Throughout, it is driven by Callahan’s two-piece band but led heroically by his phenomenal voice. He chooses each word carefully and intricately lays them over his touching compositions, just at the right time. Apocalypse provides the listener with a unique and abstract view of not only how Callahan feels about himself and his scenario, but also about the world as a whole.

Bill Callahan – Riding for the Feeling

Bill Callahan – Drove

Bill Callahan – One Fine Morning

Bill Callahan – Baby’s Breath

Bill Callahan – America!

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