Music is one of the few ways we can revisit the past through our senses. Listeners tend to eternally place themselves in a particular emotional or social location after hearing a song, and this consequently creates a memory or impression of sorts that is often indescribable in words. It can only be accurately relayed as a series of subjective personal emotions. When we hear that specific song several years after our first listen, that emotion is bound to occur again. Whether through mere hypothetical remembrance or direct action, the impact a song or album has on us is never forgotten. In addition to audible and visual reception, taste can certainly allow this as well. The smell of warm cookies is often interpreted as homely and receptive because we often correlate it with our mothers’ tireless dedication. Songs are remembered similarly, although more subtly of course. Defined by popular culture as much as our own experiences, this instilled nostalgia can be both a positive and detrimental entity in artistic criticism. For example, comparing an artist to The Smiths has been commonplace this decade since their influence has been growing unarguably across several genres. But wherever there is a heralded artist, the existence of criticism is also imminent. Melodramatic, linear, and gimmick-y are a few words that have been used to criticize The Smiths before, so one could assume their prevalent followers would inherit the same critics and explanations for criticism, right?

Cats on Fire are one of the few groups alive that deserve individuality in this sense. They take listeners back to mid-’80s Britain with familiarly clawing jangle-pop, led by a witty vocalist that sounds part operatic and part maudlin balladeer in his somber and quivering delivery. Their familiarity to certain jangle-pop legends are evident by now, we get the point. For this familiarity to negatively impact the band’s work, though, would be an absolute crime. This is simply the music they grew up on, and for once within the stream of new artists it has nothing to do with image or commercial appeal. They obviously are going to be attractive to the hordes of Smiths fans, but this demographic is hardly their only one. Cats on Fire encompass a rare form of sincerity that should appeal to fans of outstanding pop music in general, plain and simple. Morrissey, Felt, and the Go-Betweens all show up for a cup of tea at some point throughout Cats on Fire’s second full-length, Our Temperance Movement, but none stay and chat for too long. The treatment of their influences can be integral in determining whether an artist prefers to imitate or innovate, and tending to such obvious artists more out of respect than imitation is how Cat on Fire’s evident growth in maturity is demonstrated on Our Temperance Movement.

Although there remains enough variation in tempo and tone throughout to compensate for a rather straightforward delivery of jangle-pop gems, some influences do stand strong. “Lay Down Your Arms” is more distinctively borrowing from The Smiths, playfully reminding us of Johnny Marr’s little skiffle in his acoustic arrangements and Morrissey’s witty musings on disappointed impressions. “I guess the city people never liked my pen, so it’s back to scenic pastures once again,” Mattias Björkas sings, continuing the album’s theme of emotional and geographical relocation in response to the perils of consensual disappointment. Our Temperance Movement is a rather apt title in this regard, as the four-piece traverse through a variety of stylistic compositions without ever becoming lost in excess. These are solid and impeccably arranged tracks and their precise songwriting is evident. This songwriting, a virtuous use of arpeggios, and rich melodies are the album’s biggest strengths. “The Borders of This Land” is one example of this arpeggiated mastery, which can be a tricky device for pop musicians considering its tendency to run rampantly and excessively. Remember how Aztec Camera’s Roddy Frame dropped jaws with his acoustic work on gems like “Oblivious”, or how Johnny Marr accentuated Morrissey’s sullenly unique voice to the utmost perfection with his arpeggiated chords and interesting tonal production (from simple jangle-pop to the the oscillating overdubs and slide guitar in “How Soon Is Now?”, for instance).

The guitar work on tracks like “The Borders of This Land” and “The Steady Pace” bring to mind legendary accompanists like these, but acoustics are not the only force at work. Keyboards, as any jangle-pop legend could tell us, can be just as vital. The trickle of keys toward the conclusion of “Lay Down Your Arms”, the contagious use of muted harmonics on “Letters From a Voyage to Sweden”, or the burst of triumphant awe in “Horoscope” all provide plenty of satisfying variation. “Tears in Your Cup” also makes great use of this key-based accentuation. Although its progressions are merely reflective of the acoustic guitars, the additional pitch creates graceful circumstances for Björkas’ amiable delivery. This keyboard-acoustic fusion throughout Our Temperance Movement also reminds me of The Housemartins in their more upbeat approach to the jangle-pop genre, which in my opinion makes a comparison to them more relevant than The Smiths. Although Björkas does speak occasionally of being lowered into the ground, political injustices, and the subjugation of Karl Marx, his morbidity is much more restrained than his predecessors. The group even reaches hints of optimism in tracks like a “Letters From a Voyage to Sweden”, a perkily infectious tale of a Swedish-bound cruise-liner filled with adulterers and sexual deviants. While Our Temperance Movement is certainly more catered to admirers of ’80s jangle-pop from Scotland and the UK, this Finnish four-piece has produced a modern gem that should open the genre up for others to explore beyond stereotypes (most of which involve The Smiths). It is one of the most charming and genuinely infectious pop releases of the year.

RIYL: Aztec Camera, The Housemartins, The Smiths, Felt, Belle & Sebastian, Field Music, The Divine Comedy, Another Sunny Day, The Field Mice

8.0/10.0

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Cats on Fire – The Borders of This Land

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Cats on Fire – Letters From a Voyage to Sweden

[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/cfire-let.mp3]

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Cats on Fire – Lay Down Your Arms

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When the time occurs in which technology overtakes many basic human functions and automation becomes a habit, many futurists claim that we will revert into something of a “leisure society”. John Maynard Keynes, one of the forefathers of macroeconomics, projected that most modernized countries would see a decrease in work time and an increase in leisure time, so much that in 2030 we would have more days off than at work. “We shall do more things for ourselves than is usual with the rich to-day,” he wrote in an essay from 1930, “only too glad to have small duties and tasks and routines.” As glorious as a four or five-day weekend sounds though, the chances of this arising within 25 years are quite marginal. Critics claim that Keynes failed to account for people’s relative needs, which are things that people want but are not required to have. Someone could likely live a similar lifestyle from working only three or four days per week now, but it would be very doubtful that they would have the extra expenses to buy things like iPods, stereos, and other products that are nice but not necessary. Also, in our current economic situation, there are people that would gladly take up a well-paying occupation that requires five or six days per week. This “leisure society” seems farther away than when Keynes first envisioned it, but that does not mean that some people cannot yearn for it through artistic means.

This background information can certainly be useful for discovering the origins of The Leisure Society’s name, but what it does more importantly is assist in identifying their desired sound and how they achieve it so successfully. Perhaps the group says it best in their own words, clarifying that “they strive for a time of relaxation through automation, for a moment when they can hold their table tennis bats aloft and salute modernity”. Much like Keynes, their desire for a world in which people are judged by their qualitative actions and not by how long they sit in a cubicle is prevalent. Whether one is best judged by what they do in their free time or how well they perform in a menial occupational task is an argument that cannot be won due to subjectivity. It is also an argument that everyone from economists to philosophers can jump into. As for the boys of The Leisure Society, they present their ideology quite clearly. Through glimpses of luxurious chamber-pop and melodic folk music, they present listeners with a ceaselessly soothing style that is made memorable by lead vocalist Nick Hemming’s delicate voice and naturally infectious songwriting. Simplicity is a concept that The Leisure Society proclaim throughout the album, both in their charming songwriting and lyrical content. Whether they sing of yearning for the days when “life was so much simpler” in “Love’s Enormous Wings” or the overemphasis on assigned tasks in “A Short Weekend Begins With Longing”, it is evident that this British collective value enjoyment through the simple things in life, those in which people often overlook because of demanding schedules and occupational conformity.

“Turned into stone, all the people they had known,” Hemming sings on the effervescent, string-led “A Short Weekend Begins With Longing”. “Lost on their way through a world of blank expression,” he continues. “No one made the time, everybody had their reasons.” The lines seems conventional enough under the caressing strings and gently plucked acoustic guitars, but for Hemming it is a summation of the album’s thematic approach. As they attempt to define the separation between work and leisure time (weekdays and weekends), it is impossible to avoid the sheer charm of The Leisure Society’s songwriting and general stylistic approach. What they have done so effectively is mix stellar orchestration with compatible lyrical sentiments to create an album that reaps from cohesion, resulting in a perfect mood piece. Abrasiveness is not found on one note throughout the 11 tracks on their debuting The Sleeper, showcasing the meticulous craftwork of Hemming’s songwriting. Chamber-pop may be the most readily available genre to clump this one into, but an additional emphasis on folk, country, and pop makes attempting to singularly classifying The Sleeper a futile effort. Though the lyrical focus, structural tendencies, and choice of instrumentation is consistent, longtime fans of Hemming should be hardly surprised that he has offered up enough variety to excite listeners. After all, The Leisure Society’s frontman has been around for quite awhile, and this looks to be just the thing that will lead to his recognition beyond the island of Great Britain.

Even though his best days are still ahead of him, the story of Hemming’s career is quite an interesting one. His first project was an indie-rock group by the name of She Talks to Angels, a short-lived outfit that lasted from 1990 to 1993. The interesting thing is that it featured actor/director Paddy Considine and director Shane Meadows before they became stars in the UK. Considine has starred in a few great movies like In America while being featured prominently in films like Hot Fuzz and The Bourne Ultimatum, while Meadows is considered one of the most promising directors in the UK after directing the already cult-classic Dead Man’s Shoes and the universally acclaimed This Is England. The demise of She Talks to Angels was rooted in both of their desires to pursue film, a belief that proved to benefit both of them and Hemming in the process. Since they were former bandmates, Meadows let Hemming write the music for two of his films, A Room for Romeo Brass and Dead Man’s Shoes. After spending some time in the ’90s with bands like The Telescopes and Unisex, he began constructing the initial stages of The Leisure Society. The group’s debut single, “The Last of the Melting Snow”, was released this past December to a warm reception among British radio shows. The second single, “A Matter of Time”, will be released on March 16th, precisely one week before the release of the album itself, The Sleeper.

While The Sleeper offers plenty of memorable songs, the one that most immediately captivated me was “Love’s Enormous Wings”. The bare effort of a ukulele eventually finds itself complemented by an upright bass, woodwinds, and sparkling keys, paving the way for the song’s excellent development. The melody tends to repeat itself throughout the entire track, with the instrumental additions of a new string arrangement or woodwind accompaniment establishing the subtle melodic alterations. Considering that it is so beautiful though, it is hard to complain. Hemming’s vocals carry this one with extravagance and bliss. “Oh, once life was so much simpler,” he sings. “I had a heart, she owns it now. I’ll get it back some day.” The lyrical tone is melancholic and reflective, but the arrangement suggests otherwise in its briskly infectious delivery. If anything, the track perfectly summarizes how The Leisure Society are able to craft beautiful gems using little more than conventional structures and highly melodic instrumentation. Well, let us not forget Hemming’s stellar songwriting as well. On The Sleeper, all of these forms are showcased in an accessible and memorable manner that should have listeners coming back for more, whether they are in the middle of a workday or just beginning a weekend. The Leisure Society fit nicely on both occasions, even if they tend to be partial to the latter.

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The Leisure Society – Love’s Enormous Wings

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The Leisure Society – A Short Weekend Begins with Longing

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The Leisure Society – The Last of the Melting Snow

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by Mike Mineo

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20. Ra Ra Riot – The Rhumb Line

Losing a member of a band to death can be devastating. No matter how many arguments and fistfights were initiated in the past, it is a fact that many groups tend to form a family-like bond after years and even months of touring and working together. When Ra Ra Riot’s original drummer, John Pike, was found dead on June 3rd of 2007, his former band mates were stunned. “This has felt like the unraveling plot of a tragic piece of fiction,” they said in a press release. However, about a month after Pike’s death, the band announced that they would continue the group in Pike’s memory. A string of tour dates and the eponymous EP in 2007 brought the group increased recognition as they prepared their debut full-length album, The Rhumb Line. The album itself serves as a fine example of the group’s potential, with their flashy style of art-rock serving as both an accessible and contagious interpretation of contemporary indie-rock. The New York-based group works with tinges of post-punk and punk, implementing both cellos and violins over a zealous display of dazzling guitars and tenacious rhythm sections. Vocalist Wesley Miles emits a sharp, slightly high-pitched tone that is reminiscent of vocalists in the vein of Nick Stumpf (The French Kicks) or a more subdued Hamilton Leithauser (The Walkmen). All together, it creates a very convincing sound that proves memorable despite its common originations. In addition to his role as a co-songwriter on a handful of tracks, one notable posthumous contribution from Pike on The Rhumb Line comes in the form of lyrical content. With Miles, he wrote “Dying is Fine”, a gripping track that wholly capitalizes on the group’s stellar mixture of strings and guitars. With an E.E. Cummings quotation serving as the main hook, the topic is emotionally ironic and the melody is addictively consuming. The mournful “Ghost Under Rocks” also makes excellent use of strings, guiding yet another captivating chorus as Miles yelps in perhaps his most emotionally resounding vocal performance on the album. “Here you are, you are breathing like little ghosts under rocks,” he sings, speaking of romanticized suffocation in mildly poetic form. When compared to the regretful – though dynamically vigorous – yelps and moans of “Ghost Under Rocks” and “Dying is Fine”, Miles’ vocals in “Winter ‘05” are appropriately more somber as the strings increase in intricacy and the percussion subtly adds several shuffled components. Along with a cover of Kate Bush’s “Suspended in Gaffa” making the cut, it exemplifies how The Rhumb Line serves as an enjoyably eclectic album within a fused genre that desperately needs it these days.

Ra Ra Riot – Dying is Fine

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19. Gentleman Jesse – Introducing Gentleman Jesse and His Men

One of the most appealing aspects of power-pop is the ability it has to remain untainted in a world where stylistic alteration is often inevitable. While some may argue that the genre’s apparent lack of stylistic ambition is the cause for such sturdy pop ideologies, the crafters of such music never seem to be given enough credit for their reluctance to become submissive toward what is deemed as this week’s fad in the music industry. Gentleman Jesse and His Men, a talented four-piece based out of Atlanta, employ this highly accessible form of power-pop very well, but they are also quite unique when compared to other groups in the genre. Yes, they are comparably intent on hooking in the listener with exceptionally infectious choruses and stellar harmonizing, but Gentleman Jesse and His Men happen to be significantly more nostalgic in approach. Instead of employing a formula in which an overwhelming degree of varying styles clash within a comforting power-pop aroma, the four-piece instead opts to bring back what made the genre so great in the first place. Traditional punk and garage-rock are the main forces at work here, making comparisons to the early workings of power-pop greats Exploding Hearts somewhat unavoidable. Exploding Hearts certainly infused more elements of punk into their overall sound, but the approach and level of melodic alteration remains highly comparable in the sentiment that both groups rely on amiable simplicity to elicit a uniquely engaging charm in which the songwriting and consequential hooks sound freshly invigorating despite the minimal forces of instrumentation at work. On their debut, Introducing Gentleman Jesse and His Men, frontman Jesse Smith plays the role of accessible power-pop vocalist with apparent ease, extracting a youthful tone of amateur exuberance while simultaneously allowing his commendable melodic range to flow naturally with the brisk use of guitar-led instrumentation. This is perhaps best heard on “All I Need Tonight (Is You)”, a track that would likely have been considered a classic by now if it had been released 30 years ago. From the lyrics to the lead guitar progression, the approach is extraordinarily simple but the appeal arrives in the strong melodic form that Smith conveys with the utmost confidence. In conventional power-pop form, he utilizes a callback approach in the utterly irresistible chorus before embellishing the moment with an extremely concise guitar solo. “You Got Me Where You Want Me” and “Attention” also utilize this accustomed callback approach with surprising precision. Those who view most traditional power-pop as a one-trick pony will likely state the same about Gentleman Jesse and His Men’s debut album, but anyone who enjoys fantastic hooks guided by little more than a guitar and rhythm section simply needs to check it out. Intricate it may not be, but this album’s infectiousness is downright undeniable.

Gentleman Jesse – All I Need Tonight (Is You)

Gentleman Jesse – You Got Me Where You Want Me

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18. Håkan Hellström – För sent för Edelweiss

Swedish listeners first caught a glimpse of Hellström in 2000 with his hit single “Känn ingen sorg för mig Göteborg”, with Hellström also releasing his debut album of that same name in November. Prior to the release, Hellström was only recognized as fans of the Swedish indie-pop band Broder Daniel as their drummer, a position he vacated between 1988 and 1994. He then rejoined the band in 1997 with a new role as the bassist, leaving in 2003 to focus solely on his solo career. By that time, Hellström had also released a second album, Det är så jag säger det, in 2002 and was in the midst of writing Ett kolikbarns bekännelser, his third album that released in 2005. Nåt gammalt, nåt nytt, nåt lånat, nåt blått, a compilation of b-sides, was also released the same year. After announcing that he had become a father and planned to take a short break, he emerged with his fourth album, För sent för Edelweiss, three years later in 2008. Though his first three albums exhibited a form of potential that only arrives once every so often in Swedish pop music, Hellström’s style sounded awkward with occasionally out-of-key vocals and repetitive arrangements. However, with För sent för Edelweiss, it looks as if the skilled songwriter has finally lived up to his wholesome potential. When an artist names an album after one of their own songs in particular, the conceptual intentions of the self-titled track take on lofty expectations. When it comes to “För sent för Edelweiss”, it serves as arguably the most pleasing track on both the album and throughout Hellström’s blossoming career thus far. It features the type of melody that will cause anyone – regardless of whether they understand the Swedish lyrics or not – to grin in pure delight, with the hauntingly beautiful instrumentation contrasting impressively with Hellström’s ardent vocals. The light plucking of an acoustic guitar initially finds itself underlying a graceful piano melody as Hellström’s voice quivers over the corresponding melody. When the twinkle of a new piano melody takes charge and establishes the chorus, Hellström’s voice takes on a melodic shift and crafts a devastating hook in the process. When the track concludes with a Sigur Rós-like instrumental recap over the crooning of Hellström, it simply reminds the listener just how elegantly stunning the overall result actually is. Since the title track will generally be recognized as one of the more instrumentally subdued songs on För sent för Edelweiss, first-time listeners of the track will likely be curious as to what Hellström sounds like when accompanied by increasingly noticeable instrumental fervor. As both “Kärlek är ett Brev Skickat Tusen Gånger” and “Jag Vet Inte Vem Jag är Men jag Vet Att Jag är Din” prove, the result is actually just as satisfying. Both songs implement guitar within a style of pop that is most reminiscent of accessible indie-rock, with “Jag Vet Inte Vem Jag är Men jag Vet Att Jag är Din” especially being resounding of the sentiment with a fury of electric guitars and reflective keys. They each remain insanely catchy in their own unique ways though, with “Kärlek är ett Brev Skickat Tusen Gånger” benefiting most from the vocal correspondence between a bluesy guitar, effervescent keys, and Hellström’s impressive vocal performance. With so many great Swedish releases each year, it is quite an indicator that För sent för Edelweiss is one of this year’s best from Sweden.

Håkan Hellström – För sent för Edelweiss

Håkan Hellström – Kärlek är ett Brev Skickat Tusen Gånger

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17. Thomas Function – Celebration

It would be premature for me to judge the chemistry in Thomas Function based on their music and online photos alone, right?. It could all just be a classic attempt to sell records. Well, considering that all pictures I have found of the members together depicts them having insane amounts of fun while at parties, playing shows, and in the studio, superficial corporate achievement seems to be the last things on their mind. In fact, It leads you to believe that these guys might even be having fun while making music together. And apart from the putting the “fun” in “function”, their music plays off just as naturally. Providing heavy doses of southern-rock and folk within a consistent showing of punk, the fact that Thomas Function are able to simultaneously provide odes to energized punk greats in the vein of Television and The Buzzcocks while delivering an array of styles related to folk and contemporary rock contributes prevalently to a style that is wholesomely unique and energetically engaging. The track that brought the four-piece arguably their biggest buzz in 2007 was “Relentless Machine”, a 7″ single that now once again has appeared on their excellent debut album, Celebration. Despite offering 13 tracks that are contained within a similar delivery, the boastful amount of hooks and instrumental variations provide for a form of excitement that most debuts only dream of. “2012 Blues” was a standout immediately for me from the first listen, as its acoustical folk origins are in stark contrast to vigorous punk-oriented gems like “Snake in the Grass” and “Conspiracy of Praise”, a style that reigns over most of the album. In a track like “Can’t Say No”, where a Pixies-like bass line is adjusted accordingly over an organ-led guitar progression that provides visions of classic Television and Velvet Underground, it almost makes for a colossal fusion of great indie-rock and punk bands who have made a significant mark in the past 30 years. The infectious “Can’t Say No” may be too hectic to make such past comparisons entirely spot-on, but the melodically charged energy that Josh Macero’s vocals convey makes the mixture of modernistic enthusiasm with past forms of punk and garage-rock a very satisfying blend. As for fans of The Buzzcocks or even Wire, one listen of “Snake in the Grass” should be convincing enough. Alongside “Conspiracy of Praise” and “A Long Walk”, it employs a concisely familiar form of catchy punk without being overly aggressive or manipulative in the process. With the rhythm section constantly impressing me with its tight coordination, the excellent guitar work making the comparisons to Television even possible, and Macero’s vocals being a constant source of hooks and youthful vibrancy, Celebration packs a very powerful punch that results in it being one of this year’s most satisfying debuts.

Thomas Function – Can’t Say No

Thomas Function – 2012 Blues

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16. Beach House – Devotion

Like many of those who immediately latched onto Beach House’s fantastic self-titled debut in 2006, I kept my admiration for the release no secret. It was an atmospherically beauteous album, flawlessly transcribing humane emotions as diverse as regret, embrace, and heartbreak into a sound that was as much accessible as it was ravishing. Beach House, a two-piece based out of Baltimore consisting of guitarist/keyboardist Alex Scally and vocalist/organist Victoria Legrand, were certainly the center of attention in 2006, as their well-received debut was an album that seemed to find its way onto everyone’s year-end list (it took a respectable #37 on mine). This year, they have reclaimed that same spotlight, with an excellent second album in Devotion that proves even more fulfilling than their debut. Though it may be subtle, Beach House’s own namesake provides for a cleverly suitable effect. Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand craft a sound that ushers the listener away from the hectic rush of complex urbanity, with their style being ceaselessly relaxing without any stylistic mundaneness. Like the location depicted in their namesake, the lushly written songs provide for an escape from petty demands and harsh realities; think of Devotion as a $15, 44-minute vacation. The exquisite “D.A.R.L.I.N.G.” is reminiscent of a lost love ballad from the ’50s or ’60s. Legrand’s vocals and Scally’s guitar progressions are seemingly able to put listeners into an entrancing state, this time being aided by a guitar soaked in reverb and a set of subdued keys. As per usual, Legrand’s vocals are beautifully chilling, being airily husky but giving off a frail sense of imagery in regard to the alluring backing instrumentation. The percussive involvement is always minute, but the lack of involvement makes the delicate nature even more suitably presented in the process. Another aspect that is revived from Beach House’s debut is Legrand’s ability to create a hook using her vocal range alone. Like “D.A.R.L.I.N.G.” and the majority of Devotion, “Gila” is aided by a guitar supplemented by a mixture of keys and organs. Though the bare instrumentation is enough to solicit immediate enjoyment, the moment when Legrand shifts her vocals into a deeper, more sympathetic range by stating, “Don’t you waste your time, no-oh-oh,” it provides for an instant realization in regard to the sheer beauty that the songwriting of Beach House conveys. With songs like these, Beach House’s Devotion is an elegantly beautiful release that sees this talented duo somehow improve upon the excellence of their self-titled debut.

Beach House – D.A.R.L.I.N.G.

Beach House – Gila

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15. Department of Eagles – In Ear Park

A good majority of people have, at one point in their lives, been forced to live with someone who does not exactly coincide with their standards of life. Roommate horror stories can be as amusing as they are appalling, but everyone recognizes that it is a part of life that most unspoiled individuals have to go through in order to live without a larger financial burden. When Fred Nicolaus and Daniel Rossen were assigned by NYU as roommates in their freshman year of college in 2000, they likely went through the usual semi-awkward introductions. The first few weeks may have passed by without much chemistry, but eventually when they found a common bonding point in music, they knew that luck was on their side. After putting out three EPs and two LPs under the name of The Whitey on the Moon UK, the roommates changed their name to Department of Eagles. Their first two full-lengths, The Whitey on the Moon UK LP and The Cold Nose, saw some moderate success with a stylistic array of electronic pop and sample-based instrumentals, but critics often felt that the releases were too disjointed and cluttered to truly capture a consistent audience. Shortly after the release of The Whitey on the Moon UK LP in 2003, Rossen joined the up-and-coming Grizzly Bear as an additional songwriter and guitarist. However, the two returned to working together shortly, recruiting drummer Chris Bear and bassist Nat Baldwin earlier this year to focus on In Ear Park, the duo’s second album under Department of Eagles. While I was personally impressed with some material that Rossen and Nicolaus have collaborated on prior to In Ear Park, this album is a major stepping stone in both of their developments as songwriters. The album itself was written partly as an ode to childhood, with Rossen making it a tribute of sorts to his recently deceased father. The actual “Ear Park” is a park in Los Angeles in which Rossen and his father used to visit, a touching point of significance when the song is being played. A lo-fi charmer, the duo shuffles through a series of intricately composed guitar arpeggios as Rossen relays his tender voice through a midst of backing strings and twinkling keys. The melody and instrumental capacity is astoundingly beautiful, especially when the subject is in consideration. The following track, “No One Does It Like You”, captures the essence of ‘60s pop in extravagant form. Backing vocals are exceptional here, simultaneously adding to both the rhythm section and enthralling melody in the deep and heightened tones, respectively. “Teenagers” is another key-led spectacle that later bursts into a consuming array of subtle horns and strings, highly indicative of the duo’s impeccably placed value on songwriting and production.

Department of Eagles – No One Does It Like You

Department of Eagles – In Ear Park

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14. British Sea Power – Do You Like Rock Music?

The “sophomore slump” is a term that has been applied a countless number of times for musicians, with indie-rock artists arguably being in that recent undesirable majority. It often proves difficult to attempt to pinpoint the cause for such drop-offs in quality, though I believe much of it can be accredited to the amount of pressure an artist receives from their label, the press, and the masses of fans who follow in their every step. In regard to British Sea Power, I admit that they initially set my expectations at a nearly insurmountable high. I consider their fantastic 2003 debut, The Decline of British Sea Power, to be one of the best debuts of this decade and I continue to give it a listen every so often. After the group released their follow-up, Open Season, in 2005, I found that the result was not something I was too personally enamored with. It was not a bad follow-up by any means, just a step back in the direction that the prevalently ambitious British Sea Power intended to go. With their third album, Do You Like Rock Music?, the album’s title seems hypothetical in relation to the brilliant content it conveys. With it, I have once again regained hope that British Sea Power could indeed be one of the most inventive indie-rock bands of the decade. It all begins suitably with “All In It”, a brooding build-up where a choral vocal accompaniment sings reflectively over the steady beat of a snare drum. Once the song begins to subtly fade out and the murmur of a church organ is the only audible presence, a burst of percussion and high-pitched guitar effects collapse onto one another, creating a monumental hook that sets the tone for the rest of Do You Like Rock Music?. The brilliant “Waving Flags” is arguably the best song that British Sea Power have written since the classic “Carrion”, crafting their trademark sound of epic, guitar-oriented rock into a state of pure bliss. Once the ardently grandiose chorus kicks in, any skeptics of the Brighton-based four-piece will likely cower away. Though the structure remains more consistent and the instrumentation more simplistic, the glimmering “Canvey Island” once again finds its strength in a explosive chorus, fully cemented by a preceding verse and bridge where the murmur of strings are presented over the slight strumming of an electric guitar. Depicting the great North Sea flood of 1953, the suitably named British Sea Power carry the song in full force, touching on feelings on disastrous disbelief as Scott “Yan” Wilkinson resoundly croons, “Don’t you think its strange, you know, the way it all works out? Brace yourself for storms and summer drought.” the beautiful “No Need to Cry” rounds off the album very nicely. Being somewhat of a new approach for British Sea Power, they pull off the sympathetic throwback love ballad with ease. Wilkinson turns his vocal intensity down a notch but compensates it with a lush assortment of guitars, subdued percussion, and cooing backing vocals. Unlike the stadium-sized intensity of the choruses in excellent tracks like “Waving Flags” and “Canvey Island”, “No Need to Cry” uses a more subtle approach in being uplifted by a simplistic sprinkling of keys. Regardless, the result is stunningly beautiful when a violin cleverly emerges from the layers of delicately crafted sound during the song’s final few moments. Do You Like Rock Music? opens, continues, and concludes in the same way: with consistent quality. So, if for some reason, the question of “Do you like rock music?” remains etched in your head, it should be quite easy to answer. In regard to this specific album, the answer is an unhesitant “yes”.

British Sea Power – Waving Flags

British Sea Power – Canvey Island

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13. The Walkmen – You & Me

Whether or not The Walkmen regressed on You & Me is a topic with two sides to it. Yes, they returned to a style that was more indicative of their first two albums with a higher emphasis on heavily distorted guitars and angular vocal melodies, but there is still a glaring aspect of You & Me that separates itself from any of The Walkmen’s preceding four releases. While percussively aided keyboards were often at the forefront on Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone and distorted guitars and yelps comprised most of Bows + Arrows, You & Me serves as arguably the most stylistically multifarious album of their commendably consistent career. Their usual use of overpowering guitars, shimmering keys, and clashing percussion is predominant, but when looking at it by a track-by-track basis it becomes evident that efforts like “On the Water” and “Red Moon” contribute to an album whose stylistic scope remains unpredictably consuming. The swirling mixture of keys and horns in “Red Moon” creates some charmingly melodic circumstances for a topic as simple as romantic longing, while the beginnings of “On the Water” invokes the same sort of exotic imagery that songwriters in the vein of Tom Waits have been so known to generate. As the rumbling of bass underlies a glistening guitar progression, singer Hamilton Leithauser concocts a series of vividly appropriate lyrics. “All the years keep rolling, the decades flying by,” he sings as the guitars pick up pace and the track reverts from a mystical bass-led enigma into a hard-rocking fury. “But ahh, the days are long.” This lyrical realization is complemented superbly by Leithauser’s uniquely invigorating howl, an aspect that is aided by instrumentation that increases in intensity as the track progresses. “Red Moon” and “On the Water” are particularly excellent usages of the band’s tendencies to use natural imagery, an effect that supplements the occasional tranquility of both tracks superbly. In terms of each individual song, the songs are not the most structurally adventurous or melodically intimidating in the band’s catalog, but other gems like the anthemic “In the New Year” and the innovative use of percussion in “Postcards From Tony Islands” should convince listeners that the five-piece have clearly succeeded in crafting one of their most fascinatingly compelling releases to date.

The Walkmen – On the Water

The Walkmen – Red Moon

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12. Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer

Few bands manage to be as innovative and instantaneously accessible as Wolf Parade, the acclaimed joint project of Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner. The most impressive thing to me about the two collaborators, however, is not the infectious melodies they create or the constant critical acclaim that comes their way, but rather the stylistic transition that both are able to make seamlessly as they jump from project to project. Both have been renowned as a few of the busiest songwriters in indie-rock and their durability throughout the past several years can mainly attributed to the unique and melodically invigorating aspects that their songwriting triggers. At Mount Zoomer will hardly feel like a sophomore album to most listeners, as both Krug and Boeckner have been employing reminiscent styles in their respective projects of Sunset Rubdown and Handsome Furs ever since Wolf Parade originated. But it is also a common belief to state that Wolf Parade’s debut, Apologies to the Queen Mary, contains the most accessible material from either artist to date, an aspect that arguably derives from intentions to promote their material to a more diversified audience. Krug’s share of material on At Mount Zoomer appears most reminiscent to his work with Sunset Rubdown, with the eerily resounding flair of “Bang Your Drum” and “An Animal in Your Care” employing much of they key-oriented formula over the yelping vocals and consistently revolving song structures that made trademark Sunset Rubdown tracks so memorable. Keeping in mind that At Mount Zoomer comprises of a similar structure in that Krug and Boeckner contribute an even number of separate tracks, I am actually more impressed with Boeckner’s efforts this time around despite Krug’s showings also being expectedly strong. This can be primarily attributed to Boeckner’s increased instrumental virtuosity, as his use of keys and synths has noticeably become more prevalent. This is best evident on “Language City” and “The Grey Estates”, both tracks that utilize an array of sparkling keys in an infectious chorus that is also guided by guitars and rhythmic additives. Despite Boeckner providing for a more consistent offering of quality songwriting, Krug offers one of the best tracks in the excellent “California Dreamer”. Krug’s skills as both a songwriter and excellent keyboardist are in full display as he shifts a minimal introduction of singular keys and backing percussion into a chorus that is the most anthemic and memorable on the album. “I’ll be round, I’ll be round, I’ll be round,” he sings prior to the bridge. “Like a teenager in town where all the other young lovers are found.” It is a moment that is aided purely by the intensifying tempo of deepened keys, a technique that makes the exceptional chorus that follows even more satisfying. A few shrill chords on keys then follow as the fully bolstered rhythm section emerges for the first time. Boeckner’s “Fine Young Cannibals” also serves as a standout, mainly due to a catchy little guitar riff that manages to sound so seductively enthralling over a soulful blend of keys (à la “It’s a Curse”). As the steady delivery of a new wave-like guitar progression eases placidly over concise percussion, it takes over two minutes for the track’s greatest hook to appear. Signaled by the brisk entry of keys, a crescendo of chords flurry over the same guitar progression and intensifying quivers. Keeping in mind that a Krug-Boeckner release without some sort of epic would feel out of place, the concluding “Kissing the Beehive” makes use of both songwriter’s ability to craft alternating song structures within a familiar melody. Though the first several listen will treat nothing to the listener but a few unexpected melodic surprises, each new listen with a better comprehension of the structure provides more in terms of infectiousness and enjoyment. As that track ends, it is easy to note that Krug and Boeckner have once again collaborated for one of the most enjoyable indie-rock releases of the year.

Wolf Parade – Language City

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11. Portishead – Third

Unlike the majority of other groups during the mid ’90s in Britain, Portishead did not become legends by releasing a masterpiece or two alongside a dozen or so middling attempts at reviving glory. Instead, the trio’s status as one of the most mystifyingly ambiguous groups to have an undeniable influence on contemporary music was granted because of sheer quality, not because of an excess of tours or releases. Prior to this year’s release of Third, the group released two albums of new material in the span of 13 years. Both of them, Dummy and Portishead will forever be considered landmark achievements in the genres of trip-hop and atmospheric alternative-pop. Clearly, unless Portishead have something worth releasing, it is not going to see the light of day. This rare ideology continues with Third, an awe-inspiring release that ranks up there with the classic Dummy as being one of the most atmospherically brilliant releases of the past 20 years. Their arrangements are often initially sparse, such as in “The Rip” where only an acoustic guitar and haunting synth pad appears to back Beth Gibbons’ quivering vocals. Like many classic Portishead tracks though, the melodic and instrumental expansion of “The Rip” is what makes the group’s ingenious level of execution so irresistible. As a bassy synth arpeggio backs a lengthily stable croon from Gibbons, a simultaneous percussive ignition occurs as the track steadily fades to black. The vocally brooding nature of “Plastic” and the ethereal, guitar-based murmurs of “We Carry On” may provide indication that Third is Portishead’s least accessible album out of their three, but successive listens will reward even those who are reluctant of the trio’s atmospherically-based talents. Sure, there are less instantaneous hooks, but Third is a grower whose genius is slowly unveiled with careful audible precision. For immediate enjoyment though, a track like the appropriately titled “Machine Gun” (with its percussive bursts) and the melodically enchanting “Hunter”, the latter which proves to be one of Portishead’s most captivating efforts. Haunting is often a common word to describe Portishead’s atmospheric brilliance, and never has being haunted been so enjoyable. A sheer piece of atmospheric perfection, Third is an album to be treasured by fans of Portishead and newcomers alike.

Portishead – Hunter

Portishead – The Rip

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The post Best Albums of 2008: #20 to #11 appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

I do hope to travel across a wide variety of locations one day, but as a middle-class college student I understand that my resources are somewhat limited. That being said, it is a common process for me to singularly identify certain cities based on the musicians who originate from there. You can call it the result of ignorance from a young inexperienced traveler or simply the product of someone who loves music to death, but I have to say that the result is almost always complementary. After all, how else would those not too keen on geography or history identify some of the world’s more bustling and artistically productive areas? Montreal is by no means an unidentifiable city as the second-largest city in Canada, but the prosperous amount of musical activity has certainly brought more attention to the area as a ceaseless hotspot for artists who defy all stylistic and cultural boundaries. From commonly identifiable contemporary acts like Arcade Fire and Wolf Parade to legendary artists like Leonard Cohen who your parents (and hopefully you as well) can identify with, the city has been producing worthwhile artists for decades. That being said, there is little to question in whether or not one of the latest Montreal-based groups, Winter Gloves, have enough of an audience to gain exposure, as they have captured the attention of a city who is used to nothing but the utmost quality in independent music.

Capitalizing on a commonly receptive form of integrated indie-rock and synth-pop that has seen local contemporaries like Stars and Chromeo, go on to national success, Winter Gloves refine their approach by being neither intimidating nor overly aggressive. With ambitiously modernistic minds like Spencer Krug also hailing from the same city, their songs are not even remotely the most complex or intricate pieces to hail from Montreal, but the four-piece are able to emit a form of convincing infectiousness that makes their success appear nearly imminent. In support of their recently released debut album, About a Girl, they are currently wrapping up a Canadian tour that has earned them both hot press and a budding fan base. Prior to this release, however, they put out an EP, Let Me Drive, that primarily consisted of frontman Charles F.’s solo musings. Winter Gloves itself was originally intended to be a solo side project for Charles, but he found the life of a solo musician to be too restrictive for his taste. “When you record everything yourself and then you listen back to the CD, everything is a bit boring,” he said in an interview. “It’s like a talent show for you.” Seeking both an outlet for constructive criticism and stylistic expansion, the search for the proper musicians proved easy for the native of Quebec City when he returned to his native roots.

After he had spent one year overseas in Britain and had gotten a bit bored of the straightforward art-rock infesting the likes of NME, Charles F. relocated back to Montreal in hopes of gathering some like-minded musicians to complete the process of finalizing Winter Groves. First, he looked toward Vincent Chalifour, a friend who had helped him mix the debut EP. After Chalifour’s quick agreement, the two then connected with collaborators Patrick Sayers and Jean-Michel Pigeon, completing the four-piece. First, he looked toward Vincent Chalifour, a friend who had helped him mix the debut EP. Off the heat of the EP alone, the group began touring with the likes of Tokyo Police Club and Jealous Girlfriends despite not being signed to a label at the time. The critical acclaim for both their EP and live shows sent labels a knocking though, and the Toronto-based Paper Bag Records swooped Winter Gloves in anticipation for the release of About a Girl. Now on the same label with the likes of The Acorn, Tokyo Police Club, Sally Shapiro, and Stars, they look to fit well among a group of excellent songwriters and performers that capitalize in a variety of original hooks and multifarious stylistic tendencies.

Although the longest track on About a Girl is no longer than four minutes, this works to the group’s advantage in regard to their stylistic preference. For most of the tracks, if they were any longer then they would overstay their welcome, mainly due to an instrumental focus on keyboards and synths that remains consistently accessible. “I Can’t Tell You” is a fine example of their key-driven sound, often backed by a revolving array of warbling synths and a very brisk rhythm section that can be surprisingly and efficiently complex in specified areas. This is found accordingly in the chorus of “I Can’t Tell You”, where a series of twinkling synths further supplement a repeated key progression as Charles’ vocals change pitch from a series of half-spoken verses to a falsetto-aided bridge. His dynamic range allows the arrangements to flourish abundantly, perhaps overshadowing any simplistic melodic aspects that may turn off some listeners. The opener, “Factories”, is more demonstrative of their enthusiastic nature. In contrast to “I Can’t Tell You”, the track is a constant whirlwind of energy that sees a guitar arpeggio complement an already engaged series of synth lines. The lyrics are generally nonexistent during this section, as Charles opts for a melodic croon that sees his vocals substitute for any extraneous instrumental accompaniments.

I suppose you could make comparisons to a handful of Wolf Parade’s more accessible tracks – “Fancy Claps” or “Modern World” – on a track like “Let Me Drive”, though the structure without being all too predictable. The implementation of handclaps over the building bass line adds to the songs immensely, adding a sense of anticipation that should find the listener in a state of appeasement when the track reaches its conclusion. Overall, About a Girl is not the most intricately resounding thing to come out of Montreal, but it is certainly some of the catchiest material from the city I have heard so far this year.

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Winter Gloves – I Can’t Tell You

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Winter Gloves – Factories

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Winter Gloves – Let Me Drive

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First off, I hope everyone’s holidays treated them well. I took a break from the site for a week and I come back feeling relatively relaxed. After that arduous (though heavily rewarding) “Best Albums of 2007” feature, I felt that any further posts past that point for a week would be the result of complete burn-out. However, as any compiler of such lists would tell you, my list was by no means perfect; no list of that sort ever is. Several posts throughout the end of the year and January are bound to feature artists that flourished in 2007, yet that have been overlooked by me or the scene in general. There is no reason to fret though, as I will obviously continue to expose some of my favorite acts from 2008 in the process. It looks to be an exciting year, musically and otherwise.

When I was first told to check out Robert Wyatt‘s new album, Comicopera, it was near Halloween. Now, upon looking back, I regret not taking the opportunity when I was first informed of it. I just took Comicopera for its first spin this week, one week too late for the annual “Best of 2007” feature. I have to tell you though — this one would have definitely slid into the Top 30 had I listened sooner. I expect to kick myself a few times in the coming weeks for such decisions, though it is admittedly unrealistic to expect to listen to EVERY album from 2007 (though I try to tackle every good one). In regard to Robert Wyatt, I should have seen this coming from a mile away. As even his albums from the last 10 years have shown, Wyatt is one of those rare songwriters where the aspect of age is obsolete. He is an example of quality songwriting, whether it be from his time with Soft Machine in the early 60s or his own solo career (stretching over 40 years). For those who are not too familiar with Soft Machine, I recommend their first four albums, released from 1968 to 1971, as starting points. They are true classics in the field of English rock and pop, exhibiting forms of psychedelia, jazz fusion, funk, and prog-rock that were well beyond their years in the late ’60s. After contributing percussive and vocal duties, Wyatt left the band in 1971. As he began to pursue a gratifying solo career, Soft Machine could never match their early success after that.

As Wyatt has proven since his debut solo album, The End of an Ear, in 1971, his exposed instrumental prowess is as eclectic as his own musical taste. The sense of ambition gathered in a Robert Wyatt album is incomparable to most enduringly consistent acts, in which an artist usually milks one fan-led style in order to remain a prominent figure in their latter years. Wyatt instead takes considerable influence from a widespread array of genres, with several forms of freeform jazz often being the most prominent. It seems that jazz is often the genre in which age is never an aspect that hinders quality. I do not know what to pin it on, though the ceaseless dedication and sheer love for music that a quality jazz musician often conveys certainly has something to do with it. Though some of Wyatt’s songs are indeed strictly jazz, he cannot be classified solely as a jazz artist; his incorporation of world music, psychedelia, and pop has additional influence on each album; the preference of style is never mundane or overwrought with contemporary desperation. After over one dozen solo albums, Comicopera is merely a continuation of his individualized and eclectic talent. Even at his current age of 62, it is one of the best albums of Wyatt’s career too.

When speaking of Comicopera, Radiohead’s own Thom Yorke certainly was not one to hold back his emotions. Considering Wyatt one of his greatest influences, he recommended the album wholeheartedly and called the first track, “Stay Tuned”, “absolutely beautiful”. That seems to sum it up well too. Written for Wyatt by Anja Garbarek (daughter of Norwegian jazz saxophonist Jan Garbarek), it is one of the most brilliant tracks included in Wyatt’s prolific solo career. With the steady chill of the rhythm section presenting an aroma that moves leisurely at a pace that appears seemingly appropriate in contrast to the desolate soundscape that Wyatt conveys with his frailly invigorating voice, a variety of bolstering horns, keys, and cornets can be heard underneath the eventual instrumental growth. Wyatt’s vocals move with the rhythm section during the verse, but the chorus features a beautiful array of brass instruments clashing cohesively together as Wyatt utilizes the voice of a classically trained woman and his own to pull off a hook that ranks up there with his greatest. “I’ll get back to you,” he sings as the song fades into its final moments, capitalizing on the atmosphere of sheer desperation that the song expresses in full form.

The album’s instrumental epicenter, “On the Town Square”, is an absolutely delightful display of jazz fusion, with elements of African music interweaving with jazz in impressive form. With Wyatt on cornett, Gilad Atzmon on tenor saxophone, Del Bartle on electric guitar, and Orphy Robinson on steel pans, with the unique rhythm section serving up a style that gives off a vibe of tropical exoticness. Once a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain (until its abandonment in 1991), Wyatt has been known to dwell on politically active lyrics. Whether he is sharing his own views on religion, politics, or philosophy, his viewpoints – though typically controversial – are emotionally stirring and vividly intimate. “I really envy Christians, I envy Muslims too, it must be great to be so sure,” he begins on “Be Serious”. The song is generally an observatory outlook on the degree religion has on one’s individuality and how, in turn, it affects the restrictive qualities that one is able to endure. “How can I express myself when there’s no ‘self’ to express?” he ponders aloud over the raspy strain of swift electric guitars and hushed percussion. Though one of the most instrumentally linear tracks on Comicopera, Wyatt’s outlook on “Be Serious” is certainly an interesting one, regardless of the listener’s personal philosophy. It is quite an accomplishment that, at age 62, Robert Wyatt can still produce one of the best albums of his exhilarating career in Comicopera.

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Robert Wyatt – Stay Tuned

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Robert Wyatt – On the Town Square

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Robert Wyatt – Be Serious

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If music is your hobby, buy new home furnishings to house your records!   If you’re in the market for home electronics, simply look to the Internet for awesome product discounts. Whether you’re searching for music entertainment centers or want to get a great bargain on portable dvd players, you will discover nearly everything you desire on the Internet.

The post Robert Wyatt Continues an Enduring Legacy appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Sometimes the oddest of mixtures can bring a band together. For The Afternoons, it was a mutual love for the prolific David Bowie and the spicy Indian dish, curry. Hey, whatever works. Since their formation in 1999, lead vocalist/guitarist Richard Griffiths, guitarist Jason Huxley, bassist Sarah Rapi, keyboardist Paul Rapi, and drummer Pete Morgan have been crafting a favorable blend of vintage Brit-pop and 90s alternative with a touch of throwback British invasion. Based out of Cardiff, this Welsh five-piece have been flying under the radar since 2001 with the release of their commendable first album, The Days We Found in the Sun. With expertly crafted melodies providing for one of the many catchy aspects of The Afternoons’ numerous releases, it has remained surprising to me that the UK air play garnered by The Afternoons is limited at best. However, with their new best-of compilation, Baby, You Know the Deal, things are starting to look up for the patient five members of The Afternoons. Released in Spain a few weeks ago, it is a precursor to their fourth full-length album, Sweet Action, due to be released this fall. In hopes of drawing some well-deserved attention from the critics who brushed them off as just another Brit-pop imitation, in Baby, You Know the Deal they have collected the best tracks from their previous two albums, My Lost City and Rocket Summer, in addition to their latest single, “FM (Bys Ar Dy Ddeial)/Neidia Mewn i’r Dwr”. The agreeable result is one of the catchiest releases of the year, compilation or otherwise. From the bouncy orchestral pop of the self-titled “Baby, You Know the Deal” to the glimmering nod to classic Brit-pop in the spectacular “Let’s Fall Apart”, this is the summation of a band whose underrated nature yearns for overdue national recognition. In addition to their dazzling homage to jangle-pop, The Afternoons also show shades of Brian Wilson, The Kinks, and Matthew Sweet in their engaging delivery; a batch of influences that seems to never go wrong.

Personally, this is my first introduction to The Afternoons. Like many of you, I had never even heard of The Afternoons before last week. Prior to listening to them, I expected just another British band capitalizing on the gritty art-rock explosion. After all, it is becoming rare these days to find a band that does not allow their sound to be molded by domestic commercialism. Another version of the Arctic Monkeys or Bloc Party on our hands? Refreshingly, that was not the case. Surprisingly enough, The Afternoons instead reminded me of one of the most popular acts ever to come from Cardiff: Super Furry Animals. Though they lack the psychedelic features and unique vocal deliveries for a precisely reflective comparison, The Afternoons borrow the same auspiciously favorable aspects of 60s pop. They also occasionally dabble in a bit of Welsh, just like their highly respected native predecessors. Rubbing off infectious guitar riffs over sparkling droplets of keys, The Afternoons relay a very familiar yet satisfyingly memorable sound. One of their best tracks that makes use of this is the irresistible single, “Let’s Fall Apart”. Off of their third and most recent album, Rocket Summer, it is a nearly flawless incorporation of pop hooks, authentic optimism, and summery power-pop. “Oh, he broke your heat, filled you up with his pain,” Griffiths sings powerfully during a sprightly chorus, his voice overpowering the backing guitars and light synths. “Let’s fall apart, take it back to the start again.”

As additionally displayed on “Let’s Fall Apart”, much of The Afternoons’ lyrical content tends to deal with the aftereffect of romantic relationships, tending to the bright side of things. While too bouncy and upbeat in melodic ability to be deemed as “coping music”, songs like the excellent “You’ll Never Know” stride in deterministic self-confidence and willpower. “I didn’t grow a beard to my feet, I didn’t lose the will to eat,” Griffiths sings over the usual, catchy assortment of keys and guitars. “But you’ll never that it didn’t hurt so bad.” As clear as the message is in “getting over” a past lover, Griffiths and company pull it off very endearingly with a form of lovable power-pop that is hard to rival. Managing to blend the 60s and 90s together with an indistinguishable passion, The Afternoons are also a gleeful example of the impact Teenage Fanclub made on contemporary music. Being one of the sole bands responsible for pulling power-pop out of the “outdated” category in the late 80s and early 90s, Teenage Fanclub inspired a mass following of bands to pick up a guitar and write songs that embodied quality alternative music, wisely opting to ignore heavier rock styles more abundant in the early 90s. Though Teenage Fanclub now may be remembered for being vital contributors to the sculpting of the grunge era, British pop bands like The Boo-Radleys, Supergrass, and now The Afternoons all borrow heavily from one of Glasgow’s greatest. Songs like “You’ll Never Know”, “Let’s Fall Apart”, and “Never Tell Anybody Anything” reek of Grand Prix-era Teenage Fanclub; a complementary quality that is certainly nothing but enjoyable.

While the soothing baroque-pop of of “Rollerskaters in the Park” is reminiscent of the most lighthearted of Paul McCartney’s solo material and “Canada Geese” is an epic, orchestrally focused ballad in a similar vein, The Afternoons’ most qualitative demonstration of their talents lie in bustling songs that are reflective of the power-pop outbreak in mid-90s Britain. Baby, You Know the Deal is an extremely enjoyable compilation of a severely underrated act whose recognition will hopefully catch up to them in the coming years. To reach such a goal, this compilation is a step in the right direction. Re-releasing songs in the irresistible nature of “Let’s Fall Apart” and “You’ll Never Know” should hopefully bring their exceptional sound to a broader audience. Even if the structures and melodies remain to be somewhat predictable over time, there are just some bands whose sheer catchiness overshadows any minor faults or stylistic inconsistencies. Just like Teenage Fanclub’s most recent compilation, Four Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty-Six Seconds, proved to be beneficial in finding them a well-deserved overseas audience, hopefully Baby, You Know the Deal will be as justifiably rewarding for The Afternoons.

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The Afternoons – Let’s Fall Apart

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The Afternoons – Rocket Summer

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The Afternoons – You’ll Never Know

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First of all, I will reluctantly admit that the above photo is not from the newest “Fruit of the Loom” commercial. As enjoyable as it must be to advertise t-shirts and underwear while eating fruit on television, the four men above are not actors. They are, albeit quite expressive, proficient musicians. Though they shoot some of the most unconventional promo pictures that I have ever come across, those men pictured are all members of Brooklyn’s own The XYZ Affair. Also, I bet you would have never guessed by looking at them that they got their band’s name from a high school history lesson because, as we all know, the actual “XYZ Affair” occurred in 1797 when France got a bit peeved over some evidence that showed America siding with Britain over France. Thanks Wikipedia! It is not surprising after all, as the members of The XYZ Affair all were knowledgeable enough to attend the prestigious NYU. NYU also served as the origination point for the band, as multi-instrumentalist Alex Feder, keyboardist/guitarist Russ Maschmeyer, bassist Chris Bonner, and drummer Sam Rockwell all met at the university sometime around 2000. The fellow Brooklynites hit it off quickly, writing songs at a rapid rate as their campus began to take notice. After releasing a few EPs, The XYZ Affair began to build a steady fan base around NYC with their catchy and accessible form of modern power-pop, eventually landing gigs at respectable NYC venues like the Mercury Lounge. They are currently touring the East Coast and are set to play a show with Dappled Cities on August 17th before they head down to Georgia for two gigs.

Though The XYZ Affair remains unsigned, that did not stop them from self-releasing their debut album, A Few More Published Studies. After several listens, it is safe to say that it should only be a short matter of time before a label picks them up. Delivering infectiously voluminous choruses over heavy power-pop, their music will draw immediate comparisons to Weezer, Ozma, and other geek-rock heroes of the 90s. Distinguishing their sound as “arena rock by music school kids”, The XYZ Affair proudly pronounces their passion for arena rock and power-pop in each and every song on A Few More Published Studies. Much like the majority of Weezer albums, A Few More Published Studies does not reach even forty minutes in length, stretching across only ten songs. The XYZ Affair makes the best of the time spent though, as each song provides a newly individualized pop hook that allows for imperatively distinctive qualities, a trait that many artists foolishly overlook. Speaking of hooks, there are quite a bit of them on A Few More Published Studies. Unforced and whimsically refreshing, tracks like “Little Fool” and “Ideals” burst with raw power, presenting commodious groups of varying guitar riffs over reflective melodies echoed by illustrious vocals and vibrant keys. Given its factors of cohesiveness, “Little Fool” should be the blatant choice for the album’s debuting single. Apart from its devastatingly infectious chorus, the added synth lines prove to be highly effective in relaying and enhancing an already stellar melody. The backing vocals are another impressive, subtly harmonizing in high-pitched croons of glee as The XYZ Affair takes a cue from one of their biggest influences in the Beach Boys. “The best thing that a girl can do,” Feder sings during the soaring chorus, “is be a beautiful little fool.”

While hook-orienteds structural components prove to be a necessity in the production of successful power-pop songs, The XYZ Affair manages to make the common occasion fervent and exciting. The structural tendency of every song tends to be in the form of the conventionally repetitive verse-chorus-verse-chorus, though it is a rare occasion to expect less from a band of The XYZ Affair’s stylistic nature. They hardly raise the bar in terms of innovation, but to many listeners it does and should not even matter. Most of the content on A Few More Published Studies is just catchy as hell regardless. If I were not aware beforehand, I would have most certainly mistook “Ideals” for an Ozma song. Serving up the typical makings of an epic 90s arena-rock/power-pop ballad, Feder supplements the latter part of the explosive chorus with a guitar solo that serves as a form of instant gratification. A similar formula is applied in the similarly excitable “Until They Go Wrong”, this time using the picking patterns of an electric guitar to signify the beginnings of the outro before the evident mini-solo takes over conclusively. The only song on A Few More Published Studies that chooses to hold back on hooks and solos is the acoustic “The Oceana Roll”. Lush and restful, the lack of a rhythm section is a change of pace on the album but it also proves to be an enjoyable break from The XYZ Affair’s typical attempts. With the last lyric being “for you I’ll dance the only dance I know”, it is ironic that Rockwell, the drummer whose instrumentation is absent from “The Oceana Roll”, is the one who could probably relate most to the line. He initially was a ballet major in college. Hey, the dude must have good rhythm.

One of my favorite tracks on A Few More Published Studies, “Academics” is a very observant stab at contemporary society. “We need more academics, the world needs academics now,” Feder muses, later raising the question of whether or not academic pressure is an attributing factor to the degree of social isolation one feels during their school years. The verse contained in the first fifteen seconds oddly sounds like some Xiu Xiu snippet, with Feder sounding eerily like Jamie Stewart over a minimal incorporation of percussion and synth. Expectedly, when the chorus arrives, “Academics” evolves into the form that The XYZ Affair are known for – that is, lovable power-pop that is frequently uplifted by a substantial chorus and an even bigger guitar solo. The lyrics throughout the album are also entertaining, often focused on romantic flustering. Whether it be squeaking “I’m scared of every girl I see” on “Academics” or “My name is Michael, all the chicks hate my guts” on “All My Friends”, the four Brooklynites never create a dull moment, either lyrically or melodically, on A Few More Published Studies. With a plethora of creative hooks to provide for more than enough durability, several songs on The XYZ Affair’s debut make a lasting impression.

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The XYZ Affair – Little Fool

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The XYZ Affair – Academics

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The XYZ Affair – Ideals

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Can this acclaimed four-piece from the UK live up to hefty expectations on their debut? Through powerful, piano-led melodies, the result is satisfying enough.

Air Traffic
Fractured Life
(EMI)
US release date: 14 July 2007
UK release date: 2 July 2007
My PopMatters Review

by Mike Mineo

Hype has a fascinating way of integrating itself into music. It can carry an artist to the heights of success on expectations alone while simultaneously possessing the power to cause a widespread consensus of disappointment, leaving little room for error or artistic experimentation. While the United States and the UK have both recently generated plenty of reputable indie-rock artists who have risen through such commercialized ranks, it is the indie artists from the UK who have seen the most significant form of national publicity. Since the dawning of this decade, arguably every year has witnessed a new act emerging from the UK with a swarm of persistent press by their sides, despite the fact that the majority of these artists had only released one or two songs prior to their global exposure. Such sentiments display the modern importance of a stellar single, often so irresistible that the band hopes that the audience will buy the album just for it in particular. From Bloc Party to the Arctic Monkeys, the recently dubbed “art-rock” explosion has seen artists latch on to the revolving door of what appears to be the most profitable stylistic trend of the moment, often spurring successes based on their rampantly widespread approach alone.

Air Traffic, a quartet from Bournemouth, are the latest in a string of British artists to revel in this form of marketed glory. Their formulaic symptoms for success are highly evident. Apart from the fact that they have drawn critical comparisons to two of Britainâ€s favorite sons in Radiohead and Muse, Air Traffic already have two acclaimed singles on top of the UK charts, a record deal with a major label, and a slew of enthusiastic acclamations from the likes of Steve Lamacq and Jools Holland. What else could an up-and-coming British band ask for? For Air Traffic, several claims of diversity would be helpful. In an effort to distance themselves from the guitar-happy approaches of fellow contemporaries in the vein of the the Rakes or Kaiser Chiefs, Air Traffic takes pride in a technique that relies significantly on the use of piano. As their anticipated debut, Fractured Life, displays, the approach provides for a sense of fresh excitement in the midst of a scene where other repetitive artists rely on agitated guitar chords and habitual rhythm sections for a passionless effect.

From the initial listen, frontman Chris Wall appears to be the driving force behind the bandâ€s excitably stimulating sound. Apart from his imperative piano work and guitar contributions, Wall possesses some of the most powerfully diversifying vocals I have heard all year. Suitable for both invigorating arena rock and sweeping emotional ballads, the vocals transition themselves amicably between each track. Though the comparisons to Coldplayâ€s Chris Martin on piano-oriented tracks like “No More Running Away” or the exceptional single, “Shooting Star”, will likely be the most illustrated among critics, likenesses to Sigur Rós†Jónsi Birgisson or Museâ€s Matthew Bellamy remain more subtly effective in nature. “Empty Space”, one of the most touching tracks on the album, is accompanied solely by Wallâ€s vocals and his distinctive piano-laden melody. Though the track is minimal in production and instrumentation, the sheer power of the melody and lyrical delivery provides for more than enough satisfaction. Wallâ€s falsetto demonstrated in the hearty chorus reaches a pitch that only falls short to the likes of Birgisson or Bellamy, aided even more dramatically by Wallâ€s compelling piano usage. If Air Traffic ever deteriorates for some reason, Wall would most likely be more than content as a solo artist who incorporates nothing but his efficacious vocals and his piano skills into his repertoire.

Despite the heavy involvement of piano throughout the album, Air Traffic also demonstrates on Fractured Life that they can express quality in a more conventional manner. In fact, their breakthrough single, “Charlotte”, relies more vitally on guitars than any other instrument available. Showing a keen ear for infectious riffs, Wall confidently and fervently bursts through a series of consecutive hooks, primarily drawn out by an ecstatic chorus in which Wall exclaims, “Iâ€m wasted, face down on the floor, canâ€t take any more”. As elementary as the lyrics are, the song remains a foot-tapping thrill ride, drawing likable comparisons to the Futureheads and Hot Hot Heat both vocally and instrumentally. Apart from the irritably uneven “Get in Line”, it is the only track on the album that lacks prominent piano use. The other single, “Shooting Star”, implements both the use of guitar and piano seamlessly, being an indication of how Air Traffic performs when they are rolling on all cylinders. Though Fractured Life takes the predictable route by showing its weakness on the last several tracks on the album, it remains an impressive debut largely in part to Chris Wallâ€s eclectic vocal and piano use. While Air Traffic may initially be looked on only as a quality singles band with exceptionally infectious gems like “Shooting Star”, several tracks like the emotionally drawing “Empty Space” provide for a sense of genuine songwriting that very few artists in Air Trafficâ€s niche can accomplish with as much resonance.

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Air Traffic – Shooting Star

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Air Traffic – Just Abuse Me

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Air Traffic – Empty Space

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The post REVIEW: Air Traffic – Fractured Life appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

While their brooding name would sound most appropriate in September, the brightest moments that are derived from Switzerland’s Summer Went Too Soon sounds suitably enjoyable for any time of the year. After all, I cannot think of a seasonal occasion where creatively engineered pop hooks come off as a nuisance. Formed in Geneva by Ian Richter, Kim Schifferli, and Pascal Viscardi, Summer Went Too Soon has been crafting catchy, atmospheric laptop-pop since the trio came together in 2005. Reputable throughout the Swiss local scene with their wide range of influences and eclectic live performances, Summer Went Too Soon have begun to gather a respectable fan base throughout the United States and Britain. With their lyrical content being in English and their melodic capabilities echoing the sentiments of western electronic artists, the receptive feedback is hardly surprising. Another contributing factor is that Summer Went Too Soon defines themselves as an audio-visual experience, incorporating a “VJ set” of sorts during their gigs. While such a concept may come off as outdated, keep in mind that it worked for other respectable artists in a similar mold to Summer Went Too Soon. Both Depeche Mode and Placebo are just a few of the artists who have tried their hand at video incorporation during live shows. However, the thing about those two artists is that such an addition is hardly a necessity for them to put on a good show. What Summer Went Too Soon has yet to prove is whether or not they can sincerely capture substance over style within their musical element.

Summer Went Too Soon released their debut album, the lewdly titled Artists Don’t Fuck Like Civilians, in June. Richter and Schifferli share vocal duties on several tracks, whether it be in the form of a haunting duet or a singular harmonic delivery. Richter takes the lead on eight of the ten tracks; the other two, the infectious “Civilians” and the nearly spoken “Your Best is Not Enough”, are Schifferli’s sparse moments in the spotlight. Richter has a similar vocal style to Brian Molko with a snarl that broods, whines, and wails his way to an already widely employed stylistic establishment. While his dejected style is entirely suitable for the group’s darkly expository sound of downcast synths, reflective keys, and passably applied drum loops, I find myself more enamored with the two songs where Schifferli takes the lead. Richter simply does not have the range or diversity to compete with the likes of other modern synth acts influenced by Depeche Mode, most notably the more impressive White Rose Movement. While it may be due to my overexposure to recent male-led synth acts in the similarly dull vein of She Wants Revenge, I find Schifferli’s use of her feminine vocals to be a breath of fresh air. It is by no strange coincidence that Schifferli’s “Civilians” is the best track on Artists Don’t Fuck Like Civilians by a long mile. Additionally, her vocal accompaniments on the bouncy “Pictures Can Last Forever” or the droopy “Cupid’s Last Meal” being the glue that holds it together.

I will maintain a slight hope that Summer Went Too Soon will someday recognize that their genre of recent dark synth-pop is constantly crowded by a group of lead male vocalists who are quite difficult to distinguish from another. Whether these masses are attempting to impersonate Dave Gahan or Andy Bell, they are never any match for the influential veterans. Hopefully, if this realization is ever met, it will involve the increased involvement of Kim Schifferli in the majority of the tracks as the musical aspect of Summer Went Too Soon remains quite strong and their ability to produce melodically capable synth-pop is admirable, leaving room for potential growth. All three members possess the ability to play synths with additional contributions coming from Richter on piano, Schifferli on bass and Viscardi on guitar. Being a major fan of dark synth-pop pioneers like Depeche Mode and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, I am perfectly content with Summer Went Too Soon’s stylistic purpose. While a real drummer would prove to be quite beneficial, the ten songs on their debut are formulaically consistent and those who admire the likes of “Civilians” and “Tonight I Killed Somebody” will most likely enjoy what the rest of Artists Don’t Fuck Like Civilians has to offer.

While Summer Went Too Soon’s debut is far from perfect, the shining moments are warranted enough to keep the band on my radar. Successful implementations like the weaving of glistening keys into “A Field” or the engaging double vocal mix applied on “Civilians” should provide as building points of triumph for the rookie band. If they capitalize on those desired effects and utilize Schifferli to a more sufficient degree, their sophomore album should boost their status to levels of respectability. If done right, no longer would “VJ sets” be used as an absolute necessity for quality.

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Summer Went Too Soon – Civilians

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Summer Went Too Soon – A Field

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Summer Went Too Soon – Tonight I Killed Somebody

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The post Summer Went Too Soon in Switzerland appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

When Britain’s most infamous tabloid newspaper, The Sun, published a few months ago that Paul Weller and Graham Coxon were in the studio working together on a few new tracks, I assume most people considered it to be a mere rumor. After all, it sounded too good to be true, right? After much deliberation, it appears that the report is indeed true after the release of their collaborative single, “This Old Town”. Weller, one of Britain’s most esteemed songwriters and former frontman of The Jam and The Style Council (both personal favorites of mine), and Coxon, the lead guitarist who was one of the four masterminds behind Blur’s influential Brit-pop run, have more than a few things in common. Apart from the fact that they are also both very respectable solo artists, the two have literally defined a decade through their sheer musical innovation. Whether it was The Jam’s triggering of the mod-punk revival in the late 70s or Blur’s wildly successful molding of Brit-pop throughout the 90s, their impacts on modern music are undeniable. Ironically, all the projects these two talented songwriters have participated in have had limited success in the United States compared to their contemporaries. Though they fared exceedingly well in their native Britain, it seemed that The Jam was always overshadowed by The Clash and Blur was always lagging behind Oasis — in American sales, that is. Though I am American, my tastes have often oddly been from the conventionally British point of view. I personally am and will always be in favor of The Jam and Blur.

Considering that both bands are a few of my favorites of all-time, I suppose it is easy to imagine how excited I was for this collaboration. The duo’s premiere 7″ is certainly presented in a fascinating and excitable format. Set to be released on July 30th by Regal, it will consist of three tracks: “This Old Town”, “Each New Morning”, and “Black River”. As expected, the single, “This Old Town” features writing, instrumental, and vocal credits from both of the credible songwriters while the other two songs are performed separately. “Each New Morning” was written by Coxon and “Black River” is Weller’s individual piece. To complete the recordings for this apparent British “supergroup”, drummer Zak Starkey (son of Ringo) plays on “This Old Town”. Though he is not by any means an official member of either, he is also currently the drummer for Oasis and The Who. I imagine that playing with musicians like Weller, Coxon, the Gallagher brothers, Pete Townshend, and Roger Daltrey certainly is cause for establishment. Either way, his father still has definitive bragging rights. Now available for download, “This Old Town” continues to scale the British charts and currently sits at #67. Go on and buy the track! Weller and Coxon certainly do not deserve to be underneath Fergie and Avril Lavigne. But then again — these two certainly are not doing it for the money. It is obvious that they are doing it purely for the music; an admirable quality that is missing in much of today’s music.

Though I may admittedly be a bit biased on this one, I consider “This Old Town” to be a very enjoyable track. It blends the styles found in the solo material of both artists vividly, resulting in an effect that borders on both British punk and rootsy rock ‘n’ roll. While Coxon takes care much of the vocal work during the verse, both launch into a subtly passionate duet in the chorus that is further excelled by a collection of stellar guitar riffs and poignantly appropriate melodies within the vocal duet. Considering the past efforts of both Weller and Coxon, the guitar work is expectedly stellar. Despite the fact that Coxon is the most vocally prominent in “This Old Town”, the accessible musical aspect is more reminiscent of Weller’s recent solo material in the vein of As is Now. Though it is not up there with the greatest hits of either collaborator, “This Old Town” is a wholesomely gratifying track that contains enough direct spunk to fare reasonably well in the UK. In my judgmental opinion, it certainly lived up to the massive amount of hype.

The other two tracks are . “Each New Morning” sees Coxon reverting back to his familiar form found in his most recent solo release, Love Travels at Illegal Speeds (#25 on my Best of ’06). Through an aggressive set of repetitious guitar riffs and a backing hiss, Coxon employs his distinctively English snarl and establishes the mood quite well. Though “Each New Morning” certainly is of no quality to compete for a spot on any of his recent albums, it is strong for its labeling of a b-side track. Honestly, I was surprised at the great quality of “Black River”. Maybe it is just because I am a huge Paul Weller fan but I am currently enjoying this even more than “This Old Town”. Piano is the main component here, brilliantly composed and radiating a beautiful melody that is of pure delight. Weaving in acoustic strums and ethereal percussion, Weller’s emphasis on melody is just as strong as his days with The Style Council. “Stay with me forever,” Weller pleads zealously, “marry me inside my mind.” He makes it seem so irresistible to refuse. Check out the 7″ of these three tracks when it drops on July 30th. Even if you consider me to just be another biased fan, I highly recommend it.

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Paul Weller & Graham Coxon – This Old Town

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Paul Weller & Graham Coxon – Each New Morning

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Paul Weller & Graham Coxon – Black River

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Official Web Site: Paul Weller

Official Web Site: Graham Coxon

Live Video: “This Old Town”

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The post Weller & Coxon Collaborate on “This Old Town” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.