Animal Collective posted a track-by-track stream of their upcoming album, Centipede Hz, on their web site. Some listeners caught the album’s streaming premiere at 9PM ET via Animal Collective’s weekly radio transmission, Animal Collective Radio. The band was still considerate for those unable to tune in; all eleven tracks are now available for your listening pleasure. They are accompanied by surreal visual images of everything from our solar system to bustling streets, which – I assume – are directed by Danny Perez. I’m just through a few tracks so far, but it’s sounding nice — “Rosie Oh” and “Applesauce” are a particularly nice 1-2 punch. We’ve already heard “Today’s Supernatural“, and it sounds like there are several tracks that are superior.

In short: Click here to stream Animal Collective’s first full-length since 2009’s Merriweather Post Pavilion.

This is an excuse to post one of my favorites:

MP3: Animal Collective – “Bluish”

Official Site / BUY

The post Stream Animal Collective’s New Album, Centipede Hz appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

I apologize for being late, again, with this. Look on the bright side: we’re only two weeks away from the August compilation. The two combined should feature about 40 bands or so in a span of 15 days. But let’s focus on July for now. Three familiar names kick it off, with tracks that show why their aligning full-lengths are some of the year’s best. “Only In My Dreams” is one of the tamer tracks on Ariel Pink’s Mature Themes, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worthwhile. It’s a twinkling gem that’s one of Ariel’s catchiest to date, with a timeless jangle reminiscent of his ’60s garage-rock covers. The epic “Apocalypse Dreams” from one of my favorites, Tame Impala, can’t be missed either. They sink even deeper into massive psych-rock territory, with the track’s dreamy key arpeggios and interweaving vocal melodies serving as a few of many strong points.

The rest of the compilation features mostly the unknown and rising, the new Animal Collective track being the exception. I love the bubbly post-punk bass throughout Brave Mariner’s “Trees with Diamond Leaves” and its strong anthemic chorus. Fo0d is another interesting one, a sample-friendly bedroom project out of Japan. It sits somewhere between a club-ready beat and bubblegum-pop. Also worth mentioning is the superb build-up on Ghost Toy Castle’s “Bloody Tracks”, which would fit nicely on an Elephant 6 mix alongside the Olivia Tremor Control. In a similar DIY bedroom-pop vein, the full album from Old Smile is available and highly recommended, as is his artwork. I won’t spoil the entire compilation though. There are some surprises I think you’ll like. Enjoy!

01. Tame Impala – “Apocalypse Dreams” (post)
02. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – “Only In My Dreams” (post)
03. Twin Shadow – When the Movie’s Over” (post)
04. Brave Mariner – “Trees with Diamond Leaves” (post)
05. Jessica Hernandez – “Young Dumb & Drunk” (post)
06. Fo0d – “Amusement” (post)
07. Los Encantados – “St Tropez” (post)
08. Animal Collective – “Today’s Supernatural” (post)
09. Old Smile – “When This Becomes Yesterday” (post)
10. Tamaryn – “Sandstone” (post)
11. Daphni – “Ye Ye” (post)
12. Tuff Sunshine – “Let ’em In” (post)
13. Boreal Sons – “iii. Stop” (post)
14. Ghost Toy Castle – “Bloody Tracks” (post)
15. Southern Shores – “Malabar” (post)
16. Keith Canisius – Eddy Mercx” (post)
17. The Young Evils – “Darker Blue Bayou” (post)
18. Horrid Red  – “Joy Inside” (post)

DOWNLOAD ENTIRE COMPILATION>>>
 (134 MB, .RAR)

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The post Obscure Sound: Best of July 2012 appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Like Panda Bear? Great. Enjoy psychedelics? Even better, if you intend on watching this video. If Lennox’s songs weren’t already enough of a mind trip, Danny Perez turned in a music video for “You Can Count on Me” that seems designed for a certain kind of consumption. It’s mind-numbing like his Animal Collective feature film Oddsac — though the latter being in a darker and more interpretive form, rather than the lush psychedelic swirls of “You Can Count on Me”.

As mentioned, the video was produced by Danny Perez, whose Oddsac NYC premiere I wrote about in-depth here. The track was one of the standouts on Panda Bear’s fourth full-length Tomboy, #34 on our list of 2011’s best albums. I also just noticed that “You Can Count on Me” still sounds good if you play three or four copies of it at once, all at different intervals. You could probably say that for most songs on Tomboy.

MySpace / BUY

The post Video: Panda Bear – “You Can Count on Me” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Animal Collective’s show this upcoming Saturday is at Merriweather Post Pavillion, the venue their most popular album was named after. Even beyond the interesting name-based synchronization, it also marks what has become somewhat of a rare occasion. With many members pursuing very worthwhile solo projects (both Avey Tare and Panda Bear released good albums in the past year), the band was pushed aside for a bit. But they’re back in full swing now, prepping their new album and touring. They have mostly traversed the festival circuits as of late, but this Saturday’s show is one in a recent string of venue shows.

The band no longer plays in small venues like the past, but you can expect their recent performances to match the grandiosity of venues like Merriweather Post Pavillion.

Obscure Sound is lucky enough to offer up a pair of tickets to one lucky reader. Since this is targeted mainly to the Maryland/DC area, I suggest you enter since the pool will not be dauntingly large. You’ll have a fairly good chance of winning a ticket for you and one of your friends. The tickets are lawn seats.

The winner will be notified shortly after submissions close, on Friday at 1AM ET. Their tickets will be waiting for them at will call. So with that in mind, I need your name upon submission to be your FIRST AND LAST NAME.

Entering is easy. Just scroll down to the comments field below and type the answer to this question: “What is your favorite Animal Collective release and why?”

Remember to use your real e-mail and full name, so I can contact you and register the tickets in your name. Remember that NO ONE will ever see your e-mail apart from me, so your privacy is guaranteed.

Best of luck! It’s bound to be an amazing show.

SUBMISSIONS ARE CLOSED AND A WINNER HAS BEEN CHOSEN. THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING! LOOK FOR MORE CONTESTS SHORTLY.

Animal Collective – Brothersport

Official Site / Venue / BUY

The post Win Two Animal Collective Tickets for 7/9 appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

With more emphasis on guitars and real drums, Woodsman continue the trend of electronic-induced psychedelia prevalent in major acts today. From Animal Collective’s tribal-like fervency to the lush “chillwave” tag associated with acts like Washed Out and Neon Indian, the most recent crop of the stylistic movement has been surprisingly accessible considering its psychedelic roots. Artists within it now sit alongside contemporary college-radio favorites like The Shins and Beach House with ease as listeners oblivious to the “chillwave” tag either find trendy nostalgic value in it or dismiss it as lo-fi rubbish, often without a clue as to what lo-fi actually is. One could argue to mesh lo-fi and electronic genres for recent artists like Washed Out, who defy lo-fi conventions by replacing tinny strats and minimal percussion with sonorous synths and booming drum loops. But even when the automated percussion is minimized, the flexibility of synth VSTs and samplers dilutes the essence of lo-fi, which is to produce quality songwriting with the bare minimum of resources. The polarizing effect on listeners of early Pavement, Modest Mouse, and later on Ariel Pink had much to do with the defiance of rock/pop expectations; radio listeners were so accustomed to artists cloaking their weaknesses through superfluously glistening production – especially by the late ‘80s and early ’90s – that many perennial lo-fi rock acts were initially questioned, regardless of how highly their songwriting is valued now.

Today, many people perceive lo-fi as anything that sounds gauzy or muddled. The thing is though, shitty production does not equate to lo-fi. The genre should be provided more as a complement than a tag for anyone with cheap recording methods and subpar songs. Woodsman seem well aware of the fact that songwriting helps define lo-fi and NOT vice versa. The Brooklyn/Colorado quartet’s full-length debut Rare Forms capitalizes on both conventions of lo-fi rock and expansive psychedelic efforts without cloaking or manipulating anything. The result is an album that does not confine itself to one approach, but rather a bevy of them completely reliant on the song’s tone and mood. There are plenty of lush, atmospheric psychedelic efforts on the album, but there are also those with heavy noise and drone influences that are potentially ear-piercing. Although repetition does get in the way of quality occasionally, Rare Forms turns out to be a fascinating listen that all artists bent out of shape on this lo-fi tag should listen to. For Woodsman, they set a nice example for weak artists attempting to write music for the lo-fi ideology, out of novelty instead of necessity.

“Dead Awake” explores the experimental path more, alternating between hazy acid-jazz and climactic percussion. When the latter fades momentarily, it resembles a room filled with the voices of distressed spirits; the chilling effect is even more gratifying once the percussion commences again and puts forth a tactfully ambitious turn, where the conventional beat turns into improv-like pit-pats. “Spectral Creatures” also sports some interesting percussion. It sounds like a mad fusion of hi-hats initially, with a constant buzzing drone in the background providing one of few melodic moments. It was obviously written as a lead-in to “I Can’t Move”, a refreshingly suave approach where glimpses of Afro-pop keys and delicate guitar strums combine for a lushly atmospheric effort. Animal Collective comparisons are abundant here, both in the Avey Tare-like vocal delivery and progression of wavy sounds. The chiming bells in the last minute represent the most delightful moment though, with smooth guitar licks gently caressing the bouncy keys with appropriate fervor.

“Future Pulls” takes the most advantage of Woodsman’s natural knack for subtleties. A twangy guitar tremolo is on double loop over vocal sound effects and clicky percussion, both of which evolve minimally to help enhance the sitar-like trance effect of the guitar tremolo. Both this and the following track, “Unnamed”, are successes for the most part, but some more variation would have helped. “Unnamed” takes a route that should be familiar to fans of The Flaming Lips’ newest album, Embryonic. Think of a more subdued, less abrasive version of “Aquarius Sabotage”. “Unnamed” is part psychedelia, noise, and post-punk as well. This percussion-heavy track works around a constant backing drone and warbled yelp of sorts. The experiment here is relatively successful, but it would be nice to see the band flesh out songs like this a tad more. There should be more body and less drone; the impressive use of percussion fortunately keeps the track upright.

After a slew of shorter releases that contained a bunch of hits and misses, Rare Forms is not the huge jump forward some fans were hoping for. Still, it is Woodsman’s most consistent and impressive release to date barring a few mundane efforts. The emphasis on repetition can become grating with a handful of thin concepts, though some tracks succeed greatly. In “Beat the Heat” there is a moment where a fluttering harmonica arpeggio enhances the overall mood of the track without sacrificing the initial presentation. In the process, it contributes an infectious quality that paces cohesively with the tones of psychedelia already present. I hope that Woodsman plant similar devices to this one on their next release, which judging from their prolific nature should not be too far off in the future.

RIYL: The Flaming Lips, Sonic Youth, Young Prisms, Kraftwerk, Mercury Rev, KeepAway, Small Black, Pill Wonder, Animal Collective, Neon Indian, Memory Tapes, Modest Mouse

Woodsman – I Can’t Move

Woodsman – Beat the Heat

Woodsman – Insects

Tumblr / MySpace / BUY

The post Beware the Woodsman appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

by Mike Mineo

Down There may be the most apt album title of the year. Avey Tare’s debut full-length sounds like it was recorded in some submerged swamp, where the croaking of frogs and buzzing of flies is enough to satisfy the percussive urges of Tare – AKA David Portner, best known for his work in Animal Collective. Portner’s production on his debut full-length is resourceful yet serene, sparse enough for his voice to tremble with signature passion yet expansive enough to allow for the monumental build-ups that Animal Collective fans are accustomed to. The truth is that Down There was recorded at a church in upstate New York, not some brooding cave that magically lights up in a variety of colors with each accompanying synth arpeggio. That is simply what your imagination will concoct when listening to an album like this, full of sounds and ideas that trigger the most bizarre of images.

The album begins with a very low-pitched voice ominously proclaiming “down there!”, followed by a scream that sounds like it came from someone or something that just fell into an endless hole of abyss. Through this, it is immediately apparent that Portner is taking this swampily melodic delivery seriously. There is not anything on Down There that resembles the spontaneous screams in “For Reverend Green” or the crunchy loops in “Summertime Clothes”. Portner said himself that songs on Down There will not appeal to fans of Animal Collective’s “sugary” stuff, like “My Girls”. This album’s tone is more along the lines of “No More Runnin’” or more appropriately “Bluish”, both tracks that contain initial sereneness that is flexible enough to allow for tonal expansion. Some tracks on Down There – particularly “Cemeteries” and “Heads Hammock” – lack the explosive hooks of such past favorites, but they are in the minority here. These “mood” tracks are not particularly dazzling on their own, but in the context of Down There – which finds literally every song transitioning beautifully into the next – they serve an essential purpose. This is an album that Portner wrote in response to some personal struggles the past few years, like the separation with his wife Kría Brekkan, the death of his grandmother, and the diagnosis of his sister with cancer. Even on the tracks where the melodies are not as strong, the savvy emotional punch of the content is not in doubt.

When one looks at the highlights on Down There, it is not a crime to say that they compare to any classic Animal Collective or Panda Bear tracks. “Ghost of Books” is absolutely stunning, building up to a frantic combo of trickling keys and dub-like bass where Portner repeats, “I’m so tired of disappearing. You’re so beautiful you can’t hear me.” The final two minutes of this are quite extraordinary, melodically empowering and structurally gripping. “Ghost of Books” does have stiff competition for the album’s most impressive effort though. Any of the first three tracks, and later the heartrending “Heather in the Hospital”, holds similar worth. The latter contains morbid imagery over some translucent twinkle of keys, reminiscent in a way of Alan Ball’s “Six Feet Under”. “Machines of modern magic keeping folks above the ground,” he sings, before overlapping several vocal cuts to express that “it brings me down.” The passion is evident, illustrating the scene at a hospital where the light of day passes through windows to momentarily touch those that are bandaged and on their deathbeds.

He details the pain and suffering of boyfriend the dad, the mom… yet he remains unable to relate to the pain of the patient, suffering selflessly in their hospital bed. It is heartbreaking yet entirely comprehensible – the feeling of helplessness as you look at someone you love in pain. It is easy to spot the sincerity in this song, as Portner wrote it about his family’s experience with his sister’s cancer. It follows a similar delivery of The Antlers’ gorgeously tragic Hospice, one of 2009’s best and also one of the most genuine musical pieces detailing the witnessing of bed-bound suffering. The next track, “Lucky 1”, is essentially a continuation of “Heather in the Hospital”. Its bubbly synths sound like a triumphant reprise of sorts, ending the album with a hint of optimism after revealing one of Portner’s most personal tracks.

Down There is not all emotionally heavy, which may be fortunate considering it had the chance to override Portner’s blatant melodic tendencies. The exuberantly melodic “Oliver Twist” is more Animal Collective-like with its warbly vocals and heavy synth pads, which provide a beautiful arrangement that carries the synth stabs to a vibrant percussive accompaniment. It is here, in the final minute or so, that Portner’s vocal chops show their full potential. The ferocity of his vocals seem reliant on the ferocity of percussion; the consistently dubstep-like drums that take up much of Down There means that Portner’s voice is consistently restrained as well, at least compared to earlier Animal Collective material. But there is usually one or two segments of a song that yields very interesting results, where the song gets busy. In “Laughing Hieroglyphic” we find it when the keyboards subtly change melody; the instrumentation is only slightly different, but the dual punch of Portner’s climaxing voca melody and percussive stomps bring the listener to the song’s primary hook.

“3 Umbrellas” is more straightforward and tropical-sounding. The echoey Afro-pop and repeating structure make it perhaps the album’s most conventional track. It is not nearly as interesting as the others, but still delightfully catchy. It stands as one of three excellent tracks that open up the album though. If not for the dull period that encompasses “Cemeteries” and “Heads Hammock”, Down There would be a stunning listen completely throughout. As it stands though, it plays like a very well-crafted album that should allow listeners to appreciate Portner’s additions to Animal Collective’s vast catalog even more. Personally, I believe there are some tracks on here that overshadow recent Panda Bear solo tracks by a wide margin. There is little reason to compare though, as both artists remain required listening nonetheless.

8.5/10.0

RIYL: Animal Collective, Panda Bear, How to Dress Well, Deerhunter, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, El Guincho, Women, Teengirl Fantasy, No Age, Candy Claws, Wavves, Gold Panda, James Blake, Glasser, Active Child, The Tough Alliance, CEO, Magic Kids, Twin Sister, Here We Go Magic

Avey Tare – Oliver Twist

Avey Tare – Lucky 1

Paw Tracks

BUY

The post Avey Tare – Down There (2010) appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Ross Fish, an 18-year-old from central Jersey, has interesting standards. Whereas most of his peers attempt to specialize in DJing, hip-hop beatmaking, or other more accessible pathways to the creation of electronic music, Fish actually has a grasp on the melodic and technical components of the style. Though his age suggests this is a recent upstart, Fish has been working in various projects for years now. Alongside frequent collaborator Max Fishkin (Mass Fiction), his past efforts in Hey Zeus! showed a songwriter with a mind for structure and melody, even if his skills in those areas had yet to come to fruition. With the recent release of a new album, Dreams Feel Real, he has advanced from manufacturing snazzy electronic sounds to memorable songs. For many his age, this is a complex jump that results in failure or premature retirement. But for him it simply marks a beginning worth taking seriously.

The album begins enjoyably enough with some vintage chiptune, courtesy of “Outside Your Mind”. While the rest of Dreams Feel Real shows more technically advanced material, this is one of the more downright infectious efforts. The chorus, with Fish’s accentuated delivery and addition of moog-like synths and organs, raises the stakes from elementary to advanced. His melodic grasp here is commendable, with a voice that emits a nasally burst of emotion akin to Steve Bays or Rob Crow. “I’m thinking it’s time that you step outside your mind,” he sings, paving the way for an organ to momentarily take over before the chiptune beeps resume. The sentiments of romanticized regret and opportunism are the farthest from complex or thought-provoking, but the intentions of this pop-minded track would not have coordinated well with that. It is a fun and bright opener for sure.

“Francine the Dub Queen” features some help from Fish’s grandmother, even if the assortment of moogs and sampling is a bit beyond her years. But like her grandson, she may be ahead of them. Grime, dubstep, hip-hop… Fish has a grasp of them all. And while this solo release sees him taking more accessible ground in “Outside Your Mind” and the bouncy “Eyes on You”, tracks like “Francine the Dub Queen” and “Nihil ex Nihilio” resemble his past project, Hey Zeus!, in its incorporation of acid-induced electronica. For that, think Avalanches’ sample-friendly demeanor, but replace their summer-y vacation vibe with a darker, more dubstep-oriented approach. On “Francine”, his grandmother’s chopped-up vocal additions are great in the sense of novelty, but even that fact aside the track shows great leaps in terms of Fish’s developmental ability. This track flows with studied vigor, the twinkling synth pads and stuttering beats finding a cross between DJ Shadow and Justice that should entertain both the dance-friendly and beat-intense crowds.

“The Smoker” rides on its abrupt transitions, perhaps serving as a bit too hectic and transitional for the stoned state its title may suggest. The evolution from ramped-up electronica to a more subdued, pop-minded arpeggio is tasteful here, as are the subtle additions Ross makes to each verse of the former vein. Some of the transitions to broader melodic territory seem forced, but the actual melodies are never to be reckoned with. Cohesiveness will come in due time for Fish, but as his melodic and technical skills cast a shadow over most of his peers.

In terms of commercial appeal, I think the only track with more potential than “Outside Your Mind” for radio play is “Crack Me Up”. The song loves it some tremolo, as the keys and guitars create a stomping stampede of sorts before Fish gives in to a wholly reflective vocal melody in the verse. Like “Outside Your Mind”, it is not the most advanced effort by a long shot, but at least when Fish relies on simplicity he produces a melodically satisfying song. You have to love little touches, like the concluding sax or key-aided percussion, on top of general success.

Dreams Feel Real is an album worth listening to for several reasons. On one hand, it shows an artist that has gotten increasingly better over the past few years. This appears to be the first release of Fish’s where his experience has finally paid off into something cumulatively worthwhile. Some tracks are simplistic and poppy, while others are ambitious and require patience. However, for whatever lacks in cohesiveness is always made up for in melodic and technical appeal. In that spectrum, Fish has little to improve upon. This is precisely why his next release is on my radar.

Download Dreams Feel Real by clicking HERE. (.ZIP file, 90.8MB). You can also check out more info at Ross’ Dropbox.

Top photo by Charline Tetiyevsky. Album art by Stephen Cohen.

RIYL: DJ Shadow, UNKLE, RJD2, Kid Koala, Cut Chemist, Amon Tobin, Avey Tare, Pinback, Coldcut, Dr. Octagon, CFCF, Massive Attack, Bonobo, The Chemical Brothers, Gorillaz, Nightmares on Wax, Daft Punk, Mr. Scruff, Skalpel, Avalanches, Hot Hot Heat, Animal Collective, Boards of Canada, Aphex Twin, Quantic

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Ross Fish – Outside Your Mind

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Ross Fish – Francine the Dub Queen

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Ross Fish – Crack Me Up

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The post His Dreams Feel Real appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

by Mike Mineo

Kevin Barnes has been both a subject of criticism and acclaim, the latter encouraging his one-of-a-kind talent and the other focusing on his whimsical songwriting, sometimes resulting in efforts where he sings grating falsetto over music with no backbone. His songwriting has brought moments of incomparable pop brilliance, illustrated broadly on Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?, and there is no doubting the flamboyant frontman’s talents, but listeners are often forced to tread through lackluster moments to reach the dizzying heights of melodic and conceptual goodness that range in styles from glam and funk to straight-cut indie-rock.

These heights are admittedly grander than most indie-rock bands of the ’00s and Of Montreal’s success is well-deserved. After all, Barnes’ erratic songwriting and idiosyncratic methods can make their stunning moments that much more effective. But it also makes the filler increasingly evident, making it hard to distinguish whether Barnes is working toward a killer hook, thematic message, or an all-out jam session. If the band called it wraps now, 2007’s Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? would likely be considered their masterpiece, if only for the fact that it captures a cohesive format – both musically and lyrically – that Barnes is somewhat reluctant to embrace.

With their new album, False Priest, Barnes and co. have broken new ground in perfectly juggling their ambition with some much-needed cohesiveness. To some dismay, there are no efforts here that specialize in noise-rock or even psychedelia. Still, if one is able to push Barnes’ past stylistic experimentation out the window, then the embrace for False Priest should be easy to understand. It offers the most straightforward set of pop songs Of Montreal have produced in their career, which would be an issue if not for the fact that the melodies and lyrical content are both remarkably consistent and tolerably ambitious. The humor and wit is prevalent as usual, but now offered in a more congenial format where traditional structures are embraced and big-time choruses are able to repeat more than once. The delivery and confidence is immediately comparable to Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?, except for the fact that False Priest offers production with greater clarity (courtesy of Jon Brion).

As amazing as some of the sounds Of Montreal were able to produce using VST plugins alone, Brion’s presence here is undeniably beneficial. It was not vital per say, but it is always preferable to smoke a Cuban over a 7-11 dutch. In addition to albums by Big Boi and Gorillaz, False Priest is one of the best produced albums of 2010 in its polished quality alone. And like those, it would be safe to say there are not any blatant duds on the album, even if some are incomparably greater than others. The first song on the album, “I Feel Ya Strutter”, might actually be the weakest with its rushed delivery and underwhelming chorus, which is a great example of how Barnes over-estimates the power of a falsetto over a melody that simply does not satisfy. This may be the only track on False Priest that favors stylistic fetishism over quality songwriting, a plague that occurred to Skeletal Lamping. Other efforts like “Our Riotous Defects” and “Hydra Fancies” elegantly build toward a well-constructed chorus, while “I Feel Ya Strutter” shows rushed composure in literally writing a song around the chorus. Unlike its predecessor though, False Priest only gets better after the first track.

“Our Riotous Defects” encompasses what most people love about Of Montreal. When Barnes employs his falsetto over a bare piano like he does in the beginning here, he places a heavy reliance on the current melody and that which follows. Here, the explosive electro-funk chorus bursts with an energy familiar to fans of tracks like “Bunny Ain’t No Kind of Rider”, where subtle laid-back melodies eventually conjoin for a memorable chorus. “Crazy girl, you’re just a crazy girl!” Barnes yelps over the ascending synths. “I don’t know why, I even try, to understand you!” As you can see here, psychotic partners and the venomous relationships they create and self-destruct is essentially the concept of False Priest, and this is enforced most coherently on the irresistible “Famine Affair”.

Drawing some inspiration from Robert Smith for sure, “Famine Affair” is a concisely catchy indie-pop effort that relies on boosted bass, a crystallized synth pad, and a playful little electric guitar. The lyrics are intentionally simplistic – “you’re a bad thing! a useless thing!” – but that is exactly the point. “I thought she was my Annie Hall, or at least Ali MacGraw,” Barnes starts during the song’s most infectious moments, not sounding the least bit rushed. The keyboards during this section are exceptionally harmonious and this really shows what Barnes is capable of doing when he writes down a thematically coherent song with no disdain for traditional structures. The next effort, “Casualty of You”, expands upon the track’s ideology with a significantly more melodramatic presentation. Strings and piano are the main players here, the strings reaching unparalleled emotional representation during the song’s middle parts. Suffering at the hands of a “significant other” with no regard for your well-being is masterfully delivered as well, with this two-minute orchestral addition providing excellent closure to the preceding “Famine Affair”.

As for the meat of False Priest, there is nothing to complain about beyond the opening track and the closer, a terribly jumbled and incoherent “You Do Mutilate?”. The album should have concluded with the swankily infectious “Around the Way”. These are poor bookends but the album in its entirety is outstanding, the three unmentioned standouts being “Godly Intersex”, “Enemy Gene”, and “Hydra Fancies”. These consecutive tracks offer ten straight minutes of Barnes at his peak, showing a vein of songwriting that coincides with his impressive ambition without appearing too cluttered or disjointed. Guest vocalist Janelle Monáe continues her sweeping collaborative success this year with “Enemy Gene”, a track that begins with Gorillaz-like grimey electronica and then succumbs to pure pop elegance, courtesy of Ms. Monáe’s gripping presence and Barnes’ pre-destined intentions to write this song specifically for her inclusion. Expect this one to be on the radio.

“Hydra Fancies” has an elegant, retro pop feel to it during its chorus, even if it is juxtaposed by somewhat of an overly active series of verses that portrary funk more than delicate pop. The transition from verse to chorus is a bit rough as a result, but the song receives high marks for its hybrid of restrained pop goodness, wonderfully enthralling vocal harmonics, and delightful synth solo that wraps it all up. “Godly Intersex” is a personal favorite and easily engages from the beginning with its bubbly synth presentation. And of course, as the title entails, there are plenty of lyrical quips typical of Barnes. Infatuation, abuse, and neglect – as stark as they be to each other – are feelings conveyed by Barnes all throughout False Priest, and his proper variation of humor and serious infliction help aid an album that is emotionally demanding, humorously witty, and melodically superb. Not to mention, both the songwriting and production is the most cohesive out of the band’s ten albums. Even if it lacks the balls-out ambition of its predecessors, False Priest is a phenomenal accomplishment for Of Montreal.

9.0/10.0

RIYL: David Bowie, Funkadelic, The Oliva Tremor Control, The Apples in Stereo, The Unicorns, Beulah, Elf Power, The Fiery Furrnaces, Circulatory System, The Magnetic Fields, The Boy Least Likely To, Animal Collective, Starlight Mints, Tilly and the Wall, The Decemberists, Tilly and the Wall, The Silent League, Dressy Bessy

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Of Montreal – Coquet Coquette

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Oops! I’m not allowed to post either “Famine Affair” or “Godly Intersex”, but definitely seek those out (+ the entire album) on your own!

The clip below has the following songs in the specified order:
“Our Riotous Defects” -> “Hydra Fancies” -> “Godly Intersex” -> “Like a Tourist” -> “Enemy Gene”

Official Site

MySpace

BUY

The post Of Montreal – False Priest (2010) appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Continuing the surge of experimental-pop from Montreal, Pop Winds excel in diverging colorful psychedelia and indie-rock to create a sound that is familiarly addictive, yet still relatively incomparable. On “Owl Eyes”, the trio’s vocals combine for multiple harmonies over squirts of brass and synth arpeggios, the wide variety of synths sliding and squirming all over their creative palette to create a sound that is more majestic electro-pop than 16-bit SNES tributes. It would be fairly easy to compare Pop Winds to Animal Collective’s more accessible works, recently “My Girls” and “Summertime Clothes”, simply because they specialize in similar arsenals and are able to show their experimental chops while keeping it initially engaging. But it would be more justified to name The Helio Sequence instead, as Pop Winds certainly show more pop than psychedelia through song structures that are traditional and somewhat restrained, even if percussive and melodic elements travel with greater ambition than most pop groups.

An obvious appreciation for brass infusion into electronica is shown in both “Owl Eyes” and “Drowning in the Dark”, but unlike the pathetic abundance of unnecessary brass solos (which even the likes of Junior Boys are guilty of), these are additions that expand the initial composition into an even more worthwhile state. The three members of Pop Winds – Austin Milne, Devon Welsh, and Kyle Bennett – are adept at collaborations and certain mutual appreciations like this show their chemistry well, as they tread just the right line between automated-sounding electronica and completely organic pop music. The 8-bit drum machines or samples that are often used as percussion only work because the other arrangements are so impressive, with “Drowning in the Dark” taking on its own evolutionary form through glittery synth arpeggios and “Owl Eyes” seizing the concept of anthemic with a chorus bursting with exuberant yelps, brass, and synths. It can really get you going, like most tracks on the trio’s newest album on Arbutus Records, The Turquoise.

“Feel It” is most dependent on the brass, as it actually serves as the lead melody initially. This is of course not the case for long, as fluttering synths eventually align themselves perfectly with the trio’s vocals (which – as stereotypical as it sounds – does sound like a meshing of Panda Bear, Brandon Summers, and Fred Schneider). But as the trickle of synths quickly descend and ascend, the success and originality becomes apparent. The afro-pop vibe here is extremely noticeable as well, especially when the vocals cry out “No! no! no! no!” in a rhythmic combustion that could be likened to Paul Simon. Of course, since electronica aligns with afro-pop and indie-rock in the most seamless of ways, the comparisons will be a bit more contemporary than Mr. Simon, even though he remains an integral influence today with this emerging hybrid. Pop Winds is one of the few artists that enable this formula to sound fresh. The other artists are all brand names in indie-rock at this point, and if they keep it up I would not be surprised to see Pop Winds achieve the same status.

RIYL: The Helio Sequence, Menomena, Animal Collective, Rogue Wave, Annuals, Vampire Weekend, Ambulance LTD, Earlimart, Fruit Bats, Pinback, Stars of Track and Field, Matt Pond PA, Aqueduct, Minus the Bear, Local Natives, The American Analog Set, Viva Voce, Enon, The Rosebuds, Mellowdrone, Sea Wolf, Maritime, Band of Horses

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Pop Winds – Feel It

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Pop Winds – Owl Eyes

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Pop Winds – Drowning in the Dark

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Arbutus Records

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by Mike Mineo

Despite ambition’s positive impact on art in general, an artist can face a large obstacle in managing to present this ambition without an ill effect on the work itself. This is applied specifically to artists that are consummate individualists, opting to record every instrument and aspect of production in their basements. These artists are trailblazers of personality on record, a stark opponent to the corporate-bound machines of today. Ariel Pink is certainly a personality on record. He is a rare exhibition of DIY recording with a technical likeness to artists that excelled in this personalized format; there are many examples of this ideology – from Todd Rundgren and Joe Meek to R. Stevie Moore and Jandek – even if their sounds are not remotely comparable. As such examples show, reclusive behavior and enigmatic presences are common characteristics of so-called “outsider artists.” Pink’s personality is much too boisterous for this grouping though, and this is why it becomes such an essential part of his music, for better or worse. His whimpers and yelps have no regard for conventional tone, his arrangements are almost never in ABA form, and his style of production emphasizes a demeanor that is both earnest and painfully personal. These aspects are usually indicative of avant-garde leanings, and while Pink is certainly avant-garde, he possesses a rare knack for melody that is superior to his peers. His songs manage to be infectious or, at the very least, interestingly successful even in the face of anticipated ambition. His utilization of home recording and resourceful songwriting creates an impression that is rare for DIY artists, being that of an inimitable likeness early in their career.

There is little for me to expand upon in regard to Pink’s background (since I did so here), but if there was only one word of advice I could give someone about his material, it would be to focus on the music more than the demanding personality on record. One could go on about his influence on emerging genres like chillwave, and that is certainly a fine point, but I hope that aspects like this and his audible personality do not overshadow the music for some people. When listening to any of Pink’s previous albums it can be an initially daunting task to focus on such, especially considering Pink’s mixture of mouth-beat percussion and cassette-like production that remain far from conventional polish. How they add to a dizzying array of musical styles, from the whimpering ’60s pop of “Among Dreams” to the brooding post-punk of “Haunted Graffiti” and “Gray Sunset”, is consistently exceptional. And these are only examples from his breathtaking debut album, The Doldrums. The releases that followed brought more of the same innovation and variation, his gauzy production being the only constant in a thunderous unveiling of creative techniques and melodic wizardry.

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti represents Mr. Pink (real name: Ariel Rosenberg) and his backing band, which until the recent release of Before Today was not utilized with the utmost precision in a studio environment. Here, he pushes aside his tendency of working alone and strikes up collaboration with a very proficient band and producer. The results, as expected, are a far cry from Pink’s earlier material, production-wise. ’60s cover “Bright Lit Blue Skies” eases listeners into this sharper production with an extraordinarily catchy song, even if it is precisely the same as the original. If anything, the accessible is a great lead-in to “L’estat (Acc. to the Widow’s Maid)”, the first true test as to whether Pink’s ambitious songwriting can fit seamlessly into clarified production. “Bright Lit Blue Skies” is a stark contrast to what listeners expect from Pink, as it utilizes a very predictable structure, yet its appearance is almost essential in allowing the constant variation of “L’estat (Acc. to the Widow’s Maid)” to flow and flourish.

Anyone who was fortunate enough to focus on the actual music of Pink’s past material should not be surprised that this song, and several others on Before Today, do not suffer from increased clarity. In fact, many benefit from this. Pink demonstrates precisely the same amount of quality here as on predecessors like The Doldrums and House Arrest. Unlike the lukewarm response of those though (which I respectfully disagree with), the critics are due to eat this one up because it represents what they have been anticipating: a version of Ariel Pink that retains his unparalleled ambition, but with a greater sense of clarity that is implemented efficiently enough as to not dilute the creativity that has built his reputation up to this point. The most fearful qualm I had about Before Today was that it would be an example of over-production, like if Steve Albini produced for a band that relied on mellow keyboards as opposed to roaring guitars. The production team of Pink, Rik Pekkonen, and Sunny Levine (Quincy Jones’ grandson) work magic here though, and the delicate transitioning from humble lo-fi bedroom pop to glossy sleekness could not have been conquered better. Pink did not write music different for a different mode of production, and his own confidence in his songwriting is what makes Before Today a commendable feat.

As reviewers have already mentioned, a prior introduction for Before Today is not necessary unless you wish to experience the production transitioning. This album is no sequel per say, which could have been argued for any of his prior releases. Before Today seems like a new step altogether, even if Pink threw in a handful of old songs on the album. One of these, “Beverly Kills”, is inferior to its original, and this has nothing to do with the quality of production. Like the original, the chirpy synths complement Pink’s alternating falsetto and spoken-word with a successfully vintage ’80s feel. However, the hook here – “can’t stop the press!” – is significantly less ardently spoken than the original and probably does not even require the exclamation point in this instance. The plan was to add more subtlety to a track with some swift melodic moves, but it instead dampened its biggest punch. And while the re-workings of “Can’t Hear My Eyes” and “Revolution’s a Lie” are nice, they are mainly unnecessary and the latter is the dullest effort on the album. As for the other re-working (if you can even call it that), “Round and Round” is probably known to you already as one of the best songs of 2010. A far cry from its original “Frontman/Hold On (I’m Calling)”, it finds the perfect balance between suave lo-fi electronica and soaring rock anthems. It is generally faultless and I wish more pop artists would follow suit in making pop songs both infectious and adventurous. One cannot foresee the track’s structural future despite accurately and enjoyably singing along. How could a pop song be better? For Ariel Pink, it can’t.

Two of the most interesting new songs are “Butt-House Blondies” and “Menopause Man”, which in their titles alone evokes Pink’s tendency to hold nothing back; as long as it fits within the context of the song, it is fair game. “Butt-House Blondies” lives up immensely to its name by being arguably the most rocking song in Pink’s discography, recalling grunge specifically but also Queens of the Stone Age’s blend of hard-rock and neo-psychedelia. Pink’s coarse verses clumsily find their way over repeating guitar riffs, preparing for an energetic chorus that finds a little more than a groan accompanying extreme distortion. It works surprisingly well for Pink, who has touched upon elements of rock in songs like “Haunted Graffiti” but never quite in the hard-rocking vein of “Butt-House Blondies”. Easily the song’s best moment comes around the minute-and-a-half mark, where one of the finest guitar solos I have heard in from a new artist in years takes place. These type of solos are a dying breed in ambitious rock music, and when someone like Pink decides to tackle it and achieve extraordinary success you can’t help but yearn for the days when such solos were customary. Now, it usually appears as extraneous filler that simply reflects the vocal melody, but not for Ariel Pink. His ambition is too ahead of that, and on “Butt-House Blondies” it shows over the grunting of a sexually pleasured woman. Hey, and while Pink is far from a sex symbol, concisely excellent guitar solos can make some women do almost anything.

“Menopause Man” is easily the most reminiscent of Pink’s early material. A placidly thumping bass line and sporadic scattering of keys help churn out one of his metaphysical tales of gender transformation, as listeners again find unique topics and understated production go hand-in-hand. “Rape me, castrate me, make me gay,” he sings after the soul-tinged chorus. “Lady, I’m a lady from today.” When he cries out “make me menstrual!” you probably won’t even be surprised, simply because the first reaction is usually toward the music. The verses, while subdued, usher in an exceptional chorus that borrows some elements of soul in its falsetto-bearing loop. This track is quite exceptional, and addictive enough that even homophobes will shout out “Rape me, castrate me, make me gay!” with gleeful confidence. Reminiscences” is somewhat of a throwaway and “Hot Body Rub” is more for suave feel than melody, but their instrumental additions are not a detriment to the album. In fact, nothing here is really a detriment apart from the dull “Revolution’s a Lie”. So you can simply pretend the album is 12 tracks instead of 11 and have little reason to skip over anything.

Ariel Pink’s emergence has been a slow but steady process over the past decade. With Before Today he has solidified his impending importance this coming decade, thanks mainly to the attentiveness of the Pink/Pekkonen/Levine production team. It was clear this album is not more polished sounding because Pink wants more radio airplay; if he did, there would be more songs in the vein of “Bright Lit Blue Skies” included. Here, his songwriting is as innovative and unpredictable as ever, except with a more cohesive vision and style of production that allows this ambition to flow freely and without restraint, which even with great songwriting was sometimes the case with the weaker moments of his previous material. To Ariel Pink fans there was never potential to fulfill, since that fulfillment was already accomplished immediately with the ever-durable The Doldrums. Still, to elicit a serious response there was acknowledgment that a more polished product would be demanded, one that did not sound like bedroom demos despite how seamlessly that technique fit within his songs. Before Today is a nearly flawless representation of an artistic transitioning, all while retaining the quality aspects that provided the artist with recognition in the first place.

9.0/10.0

RIYL: Washed Out, Neon Indian, Frank Zappa, John Maus, R. Stevie Moore, Nite Jewel, Ducktails, Panda Bear, Wavves, Ganglians, The Chameleons UK, Todd Rundgren, Joe Meek, The Smiths, Caribou, Interpol, Phantom Power, Memory Cassette, Real Estate, Girls, Memoryhouse, Animal Collective

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Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Round and Round

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Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Bright Lit Blue Skies

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Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Beverly Kills

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ARIEL PINK DOWNLOADS (scroll down  a bit)

The post Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today (2010) appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.