Since their debut in 1995, Blonde Redhead has been evolving, and without sacrificing any of their originality, their style has increased into an aspect that is progressively more melodic and suitably decorous. While the changes are somewhat subtle between each of their albums, the transitions are more than apparent between any two nonconsecutive releases. Though I was previously not much of a fan and I had only enjoyed a few songs, Blonde Redhead’s newest album, 23, grabbed me instantly. Released last week on 4AD Records, it has received a large amount of acclaimed press and has already sold over 11,000 copies after its first week of release. Though I realize that nearly every music blog and publication have covered this gem by now, I simply could not resist. Aside from the initial irresistibility, 23 was a major contributing factor that instilled in me a realization of the band’s strengthening focus on songwriting and originality. These aspects caused me to retrace my steps and listen to their older albums which now, while looking back, I question myself why I was not particularly fond of them all those years ago. 23 begins with a bittersweet tug into Kazu Makinoâ€s voice, fronting exceptionally well layered music that is as catchy as it is haunting. Amedeo Pace shares guitar duties with Kazu while his brother, Simone, plays drums and occasional bongos, an instrumental aspect that is starting to gradually increase into the band’s ceaseless repetroire. While Kazu’s voice has become slightly gentler in nature, Amedeo’s vocals still have the pleasantly emotional whine of previous albums, causing both Kazu’s and Amedeo’s vocals to integrate into the music and stylistic composition perfectly. The album’s first single, “Silently”, is the most playfully illuminated song on the album, though as far as Kazu’s vocal songs go, I prefer the curiously inviting “Dr. Strangeluv” and minimalist synth-driven “Top Ranking”. The three songs that Amedeo sings on are all equally as solid, with “SW” and “Publisher” being slightly more reminiscent of their previous album, Misery Is a Butterfly. Another track that I found to be exceptionally enjoyable was the excitable indie-pop of “Spring and by Summer Fall”, which can nearly pass for an grandiose sing-a-long after several repeated listens.

Though it may be exclusively personal, I have also learned that 23 can bring back even the most oddest and nostalgic childhood memories. Through stylistically polished production and clever songwriting, the genial “SW” has moments that, as odd it may sound, conjures up memories of the atmospheric Marble Gardens level from the retro “Sonic the Hedgehog”, as well as certain brass incorporations that The Beatles redefined with the classic Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Though the comparison may come off as a bit generic, those who have both the Sega game and The Beatles album forever trapped in their nostalgic minds may agree. Another highlight of the album, “Heroine”, has Kazu’s naturally etched voice cloaked in a vocoder, though it comes off as sounding surprisingly and distinctively natural. “Heroine”, like the other songs on the album, is easy to imagine in a deep movie, which makes perfect sense considering the band’s off-stage hobbies. The trio claims to hold an undying love for soundtracks, which is not entirely difficult to comprehend. Also, it must have been strenuously difficult to choose a single for 23, as nearly all the songs would have worked just as well. Though none of the tracks stand as a distinctive winner above the rest, this simply provides as an example for general consistency throughout the entire album. Personally, 23 was a gateway album for me and I imagine it will be for many others as well. Though the name of this evolving band has become fairly common and is not in traditional nature to the other more relatively unknown artists on this site, Blonde Redhead is still a band whose distinctiveness and ingenuity makes up for a group who should continue to rise in influence and acclaim.

——————————————————————————————

Blonde Redhead – Spring and by Summer Fall

——————————————————————————————

Blonde Redhead – Heroine

——————————————————————————————

Blonde Redhead – Top Ranking

——————————————————————————————

Official Web Site

BUY

The post Reflecting on the Acclaimed: Blonde Redhead’s “23” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

It’s hard to judge an album without basing it on the context of the artist’s career. After Shiina Ringo put out her “last” album, Karuki Zaamen Kuri no Hana (translated: Kalk, Semen, Chestnut Flower), or her last before creating Tokyo Jihen, I didn’t believe a greater pop album could be made. In short, Ringo’s first album was a multi-platinum J-pop album and in my eyes the least impressive of her career. As she become a more experimental and talented songwriter (yes, she writes a lot of her own material unlike most famous Japanese artists), her albums became both more solid and beautiful, and less popular. Karuki Zaamen Kuri no Hana, while the low point of her albums sales, had some of the catchiest and most beautiful vocal melodies I’ve ever heard, backed by a variety of over thirty instruments. Hardly any of the songs could be classified, let alone the entire album, and everything in the songs were placed perfectly. Calling her the Björk of Japan may be more accurate than calling her the depiction of J-pop, but neither descriptions entail the right idea. My high opinion of Karuki Zaamen Kuri no Hana has not been challenged, even with my varied disposition toward her recently released Heisei Fuzoku, an album that I initially had mixed views about. The album consists of thirteen songs, all but four of which are not original to the album. This causes a certain difficulty in my evaluation of the album, as it would appear biased to someone completely new to Shiina Ringoâ€s music. The album was done in collaboration with violinist/pianist Neko Saito and the old songs showcase his presence the most. Some of the songs are also featured on the soundtrack to the movie “Sakuran” (Confusion), to which Ringo is the musical director. The whole album is meant to carry a similar theme to the movie, which is the story of an Oiran (a high class courtesan in Edo Period Japan).

The album’s opener, and the most unique of the re-done songs, “Gamble”, contains an epic inception, complete with full orchestration. It’s a great re-introduction after such Ringo’s lengthy absence. As for the other re-done songs, each adapts very well as a different take on the original versions. They all have the original excellent songwriting in tact and are merely slight reconstructions. “Yokushitsu”, in its fourth recorded version, is the largest exception of the reconstructed bunch. It’s a remix of two older versions that were completely different, one being techno and the other being Disney-esque. “Papaya Mango” is a Rosemary Clooney song and the album’s lowest point, in my opinion. The old songs are certainly interesting takes on the originals but they occasionally are not varied enough for a noticable difference. Though many of them were played live this way, the new takes on the songs have been growing on me and I imagine I will become more appreciative with additional listens. I already canâ€t get enough of the manic scat feel of “Meisai” and though “Ishiki” does lose some of itâ€s tragic element, itâ€s just as sensual. The new songs are definitely the high point for any fan, and possibly for new listeners as well, though it may hint as to why she has not released an album full of new material. Those who have heard her entire catalogue know that she rarely plays with the same toys very long, as if she becomes bored with a specific sound after exploring it. These songs are original in style but overlap territory covered in other songs. “Oiran” and “Hatsukoi Shoujo” are her second attempts at a more electronic sound (her first being the original version of “Yokushitsu”), the latter of the two being as haunting and beautiful as Iâ€ve come to expect, causing me to wish that she had a full album of stuff like it. “Karisome Otome” features accordion and violin like some of my favorite Shiina Ringo songs and while the single version of “Sakuran” also has an accordion, the album version contains more of a big band sound. Interestingly, the single version of “Karisome Otome” (featuring SOIL&PIMP Sessions) had this big band sound, causing the two songs to switch styles. “Kono Yo no Kagiri”, a duet with her brother Junpei, is the album’s single and last track. It may be the most playfully childlike song of her career and while I wouldn’t place it among my favorites, it’s still a good song full of fun sing-along duets, horns and bells.

It’s difficult for me to evaluate almost any of these songs fairly because they were new attempts at songs that I already thought were as close to perfection as musically possible. With that in mind, I’ll leave you with two versions of “Ishiki” to hear the difference. I can’t figure out if this would be a good introduction to Shiina Ringo, but I’m sure at the very least it will spark interest for many listeners, even with the possibility that it will take away from the appreciation of the original versions of the songs. However, I do believe that Heisei Fuzoku would have been a perfect opportunity to make her way overseas, being that this album is half in English with a track in French. Previously her English songs appeared forced, and her voice didn’t sound nearly as good in English as it did in Japanese, but Heisei Fuzoku shows a new grasp for the language, while also being a collection of great songs from different times of her career. Honestly, I hope she and her record labels attempt to sell it overseas, as I heard Heisei Fuzoku was on sale for iTunes worldwide. I believe a Shiina Ringo or Tokyo Jihen world tour would be just about the greatest music related news this decade for me (as long as it stopped in Boston or NYC), as well as opening the talented artist up for the world. Heisei Fuzoku is most certainly an album full of good, if not great music, but given the context of her career, itâ€s really hard to appreciate the way it would be if these songs were all original. 8.0/10

——————————————————————————————

Shiina Ringo – Gamble

——————————————————————————————

Shiina Ringo – Ishiki

Shiina Ringo – Ishiki (older version from Karuki Zaamen Kuri no Hana)

——————————————————————————————

Shiina Ringo – Meisai

——————————————————————————————

Official Web Site

BUY

The post REVIEW: Shiina Ringo – Heisei Fuzoku appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Imagine inviting one of your favorite musicians to play in your country only to end up collaborating with them in what eventually becomes an ongoing project. Though already an Israeli pop/rock star, Aviv Geffen experienced just that when he invited Porcupine Tree to play in Israel. Because Porcupine Tree is a driving force in modern prog-rock with a cult following that spans the entire globe, this wasnâ€t all that far fetched. While in Israel, singer/guitarist/songwriter Steven Wilson and Geffen became friends and started working on music together. The result was Blackfield. By 2004, Blackfield had released their first album, which was the self-titled Blackfield. Vocals and guitar are shared between the two founding members but the music is very piano driven. Reminiscent of both the spacey synth driven rock that can often be heard in a Porcupine Tree song, Aviv Geffen adds a sound that is unmistakably that of solitude. Something about his songwriting and voice sound unbearably lonesome, even more than I imagine he intended them, and it makes for some beautiful songs. Wilson on the other hand sings some of the best clean vocal melodies around. “Scars” and “Cloudy Now” were originally Geffenâ€s own songs that were filled out by Wilson as if he naturally fit them. For the most part, the rest of the songs on the album were written by the two together on a collaborative effort. “Open Mind” opens the album and while none of the other songs have any heavy guitars, they are certainly no less intense. Blackfield, though only ten tracks, is an album that can easily be listened to straight through. Last week, despite busy schedules with their band and solo material, the duo released their second album with the simplistic title of Blackfield II.

With their second effort, you can see that the two have developed a more innovative sound together, as they borrow much less from their separate projects. Blackfield II opens strong with it’s leading single “Once” and immediately thereafter reminds us of their first release with “1,000 People”, which could have easily fit on the first album. In fact, many songs on the album could have fit on the first album, including “The Killer” and “Some Day”. The album retains the lonesome sound of the first with elements that include the electric guitar moans over sweet acoustics, epic synths, and soft bittersweet piano, though they contain their individuality nicely. Though overall, the band (which is essentially a side project) has evolved very little, evolving is not really something they should feel the desire to do. Blackfield was a great collection and Blackfield II is merely an extension of it’s preceding great collection. I canâ€t imagine any fan of either Porcupine Tree or Aviv Geffen not loving these albums, as the two lend to each other so well. Their sounds blend naturally into each other into something both unique and very characteristic of their own respective careers. As for those who have not heard either, anyone who can appreciate a blend of pop and progressive instrumentation and songwriting will most certainly enjoy either album, as they borrow skillfully from both ends of the spectrum. If you want more, both Aviv Geffen and Porcupine Tree have dozens of albums each with new releases on the way. Also, in case you were wondering, Aviv Geffen does not sing in the majority of the songs on the first album. He actually sings about 1/3 of the vocals on both albums, despite most of the songs posted below featuring him on vocals.

——————————————————————————————

Blackfield – Once

——————————————————————————————

Blackfield – Some Day

——————————————————————————————

Blackfield – The Hole In Me

——————————————————————————————

Blackfield – Pain

——————————————————————————————

Official Web Site

BUY

The post Blackfield appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

If thereâ€s one thing that I know about pop music in America, itâ€s that the more well crafted something is, the less likely it is to become successful. After all, albums sell better when they are aimed at the short attention spans of 13 year old girls. This doesnâ€t seem t stop other countries from producing some brilliant pop music. Émilie Simon of France is solid proof that pop is, for the most part, better elsewhere. Her self-titled debut from 2003 is STILL on the French charts even after she’s put out two other albums. Her dark, electronic based music is overwhelmingly scenic behind her often whispering voice, which is simultaneously cute and beautiful. Despite the album’s popularity, I believed she had not yet found her creative flow. The only 2 songs that stood out were the singles, “Désert”, which exemplified her signature sound, and the cute song “Flowers”, both of which have great videos on her myspace, linked below. While working on her second album, which she was already intending on giving a “wintery” feel, she was asked by director Luc Jacquet to write a score for his movie, La Marche de l’empereur, known to many of you as March of the Penguins. Despite it being a beautiful album with the lyrics sung in English, the American version of the movie dropped her soundtrack, leaving me all the more bitter about American tastes, perhaps they wanted something that sounded a little more “American Dream” (march on brave soldiers!). This, for me, is a dilemma. Do I watch the American version with Morgan Freeman, or the French version with this great soundtrack? I still havenâ€t decided. Most of her soundtrack is full of chimes and harp-like snow sounds which I imagine fit the movie well. “Antarctic” holds the sounds of a frontier, somewhere man has never been before and her humming/moaning is beautiful. “Motherâ€s Pain”, with it’s tragic strings, sounds like it almost could have fit on the American soundtrack. In contrast, I canâ€t imagine how “All is White” in all of its pop glory or “Song of the Storm” could fit into any movie, but when, “Can’t you hear my storm coming …Big dark clouds forming”, comes out of her mouth, it brings out a dark beauty in nature that is as sexy as it is dark and beautiful. It also hinted that she could have a more raw energy to her, despite her cute, whispery voice.

In 2006, Émilie Simon proved to be one of those artists who is constantly improving. Végétal is her first and hopefully not her last, truly solid album. It is flower themed, but you would have never known if you didn’t pay attention to the lyrics, which are split between English and French. It is also her most versatile album yet. I imagine this was the first album where she was fully comfortable with herself. “Swimming” and the lighter “In the Lake” could have fit on her first album, though I find it to be, like this entire album, better than any of her previous songs. “Fleur de saison” and “Never fall in love” are her first shots at rock-oriented songs and they share that dark, scenic teasing that is found in most of her music. From this album, I leave you with songs which show both that dark sexy whispery pop I keep describing and the new edgier sound she has begun exploring as of late. In late 2006, she released The Flower Book, which could be described as either a greatest hits album, or an introductory compilation for Americans, for she has finally made her way onto the shores in which I reside and I sincerely regret missing her first US tour that coincided with the album’s release. Later this year, she will release A l’Olympia, her first live album.

——————————————————————————————

Émilie Simon – Antarctic

——————————————————————————————

Émilie Simon – Le Vieil Amant

——————————————————————————————

Émilie Simon – Opium

——————————————————————————————

Émilie Simon – Rose Hybride De Thé

——————————————————————————————

Official Web Site

BUY

The post Émilie Simon: Bells and Beats appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

When the words “rock” and “rap” are both used to describe the same music, it’s easy to assume it’s just some trash. I mean, let’s be honest here, the late 90’s nu-metal explosion didn’t exactly leave the best taste in anyone’s mouth. But change some of the ingredients, throw in a little disco, and a lot more soul into the music and see what happens. K-OS (Knowledge of Self), born Kevin Brereton, successfully decorates his hip hop with anything he sees fit. Regardless of how fans of the gun toting bling bling school of hip hop may respond to him, K-OS is bold and his music is some of the most well-crafted you can find on a major label. A native Canadian of Trinidadian descent Brereton, through his lyrics, paints the picture of a black man frustrated by pressures to fit cultural stereotype, all while keeping an open mind and writing true music in spite of it. His lyrics are a shift between social commentary, emotional expression and frustration with the current state of hip hop, as he cites influence ranging from New Order to Slick Rick.

K-OS put out singles in 1993 and 1996, but before releasing an album, which he had more than enough songs to do, he withdrew from the spotlight, discontent with the direction he was going in. Finally, in 2002 K-OS put out Exit, followed by 2004â€s eclectic Joyful Rebellion. Though you might be able to pull a classification for songs like “Man I Used to Be” and the album’s first single, “Crabbucket” as funk-hop, there are songs that are strictly hip hop (“B-Boy Stance”) and non-hip hop songs (such as the reggae-rock “Crucial”). Joyful Rebellion understandably had 5 singles and won plenty of awards in Canada, but was unfortunately overlooked in the US, in favor of such American classics as “Drop it like it’s Hot”. Each album successively and successfully blends more genres together and at some points you even forget you were listening to an album you found in the “rap section”. 2006â€s Atlantis: Hymns for Disco continues this pattern of explorative hip hop. At some point, listening to this album, you realize that not only is this man a true songwriter, but his voice is also great. Whether itâ€s “Crabbucket”‘s part two/parody/retake, the almost indie-rock “Born to Run” or one of the catchiest songs of 2006, “Black Ice Hymn 4 Disco”, Breretonâ€s voice, which was always good, truly shines. I heard he plays with a full band and I could not be more excited to see him come February.

——————————————————————————————-

K-OS – Man I Used to Be

——————————————————————————————-

K-OS – Black Ice – Hymn 4 Disco

——————————————————————————————-

K-OS – Valhalla

——————————————————————————————-

Official Web Site

BUY

The post K-OS: Intelligent Hip Hop appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

The town of Woodstock NY is usually peaceful and quiet, but on a good day one can catch a glimpse of its lively music scene. In the early 90â€s, the spotlight never stayed on this tightly knit community to pick up some of its impressive gems. While two Woodstock festival revivals were had, the local bands that rocked the show seemed to be quickly forgotten in memories of riots. Among them was the funky rocking sound of Peacebomb. With a strong, small cult following from the area, Singer Max Olsen says it best, “We are Peacebomb, sharp, never dull, an oxymoron, not I. This is not a hyperbole, my friend Roger, This is not a metaphor. We are that”. This closely resembles the bands lyrics, and whether Max is a genius, insane, or both isnâ€t really clear, and doesnâ€t really matter. Peacebomb is/was a ridiculous good time for all. The band only saw one release, IsWas in 1992, and while the band is now, for the most part, defunct, they are known to put on reunion shows once in a while with new songs and all kinds of surprises. Most of the bands line-up is currently part of the great prog-metal-funk-pop outfit 3. There have been rumors for the last year that Peacebomb may release a long-awaited second album, but these have not been confirmed.

____________

Peacebomb – Slackers

____________

Peacebomb – Tom

____________

Peacebomb – U.F.O.’s

____________

Purevolume site

The only place I know to snag an album is at a 3 Show

The post MUSIC DOWNLOADS: Peacebomb appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

For some, like myself, the Japanese noise scene is full of music that isn’t that enjoyable, and the Japanese pop scene is usually too fake. It’s strange that something right in between could be so enjoyable. Aside from being 20% noise and 30% j-pop, Polysics are about 30% new wave and 20% punk. Polysics…..OR DIEEEEEEE! In case you can’t tell, the band is endlessly obsessed with Devo and other 80’s bands of the sort, and it sure shows, yet the band manage originality. As Spastic (or “Spathic”) as Melt Banana but about 20 times catchier, any headaches Polysics may cause are a much better deal than a saturday morning hangover. Sometimes gimmickey but never without an excess of fun and craziness. Vocals are traded mostly between male singer Hiroyuki Hayashi, female singer Kayo, and Kayo with a vocoder. Sometimes you may wonder if Polysics is singing in English or Japanese. Often the answer is…..no one really knows, though most of the lyrics resemble one or the other slightly. Certainly a great live show with a diverse American fanbase. This band has somehow made its way into the American indie scene (perhaps by releasing their albums via Asian Man Records) but still draws many fat goth kids due to their fame in Japan and subsequent fame among anime fans. Yes, only fat goth kids, are there really any other kind?

____________

Polysics – Each Life Each End (Sputnikless mix)

____________

Polysics – Ah-Yeah

____________

Polysics – Baby BIAS

____________

Official Website

BUY

The post MUSIC DOWNLOADS: Polysics appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

If only American radio knew that pop music could be real music. It seems that any good pop in America takes second seat to the likes of boy bands and Madonna, even in the post boy-band era, certainly long after the Madonna-era. This does not seem to hold true in most other countries, certainly not in France. The amount of timeâ€s Iâ€ve shaken my booty to Daft Punks Discovery is definitely in the millions by now. Right next to Daft Punk in the “Great pop music you donâ€t need to look hard for (French edition)” is Camille. Her cute voice is hardly enough to make you think she knows what sheâ€s doing, but the first few songs from Le Sac de Fil prove otherwise. Whether you are a teeny bopper or an indie-rocker, these songs are pretty. Her first album melds pop and traditional French music together effortlessly. Her second album, Le Fil, was more daring with a tone that persisted throughout the album and wacky Bjork-esque acapella (even some mouth farting….for lack of a better word). If this music doesnâ€t put you in the mood for lovin†or at least the mood for relaxing and smiling, I canâ€t imagine what would. And I hear if you search real hard, you can find her covering The Guns of Brixton with “Nouvelle Vague”, a bossa nova cover band.

_______________

Camille – Paris

_______________

Camille – Au Port

_______________

myspace

Nouvelles vagues

BUY

The post MUSIC DOWNLOADS: Camille appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.