Describing an Of Montreal show is like setting the scene for a circus. Literally. The amount of cartoonish yet elaborate characters, the band-built set of props, the whirlwind of energy… it is difficult to pinpoint which component of the performance merits the most mention. When it comes down to it though, like the mark of any great band, it is the music that keeps people going. For a band like Of Montreal, their set is not an illusion designed to compensate for sub-par music. Neither is frontman Kevin Barnes’ energy, which is the quite opposite of a facade and a vocal part of his music whether on stage or not. So when I saw them for the first time on Saturday night, I was not surprised by the festival-like atmosphere. I knew that would be there. What stunned me was a remarkably tight performance that somehow managed to take the best parts of the band’s music and their renowned stage presence, both of which are anything but subtle. Such immaculate management prevented an overflowing of ideas, which is always possible considering the band’s lofty scope. Fans were treated to quality with no pretentious showmanship.

The success of their performance on Saturday night, the second of a two-night stint at Terminal 5, is no surprise to fans. When you have an opener like Janelle Monáe, who is successfully attaining fame in both independent and mainstream circles, it is hard to have doubts. The little that I caught of her set was excellent, and her re-emergence during the phenomenal “Enemy Gene” later in the night brought emphatic cheering from an audience that were thankful to be given an opener that sounded like a headliner. This occurred about mid-way through Of Montreal’s setlist, which to my delight was culled heavily from their new album, False Priest (review here), and my favorite, Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? (review here). Barnes and co. were able to seamlessly navigate their way around a setlist that, despite their striking stylistic similarities (like Barnes’ falsetto or a funk-heavy rhythm section), contained appropriate variations in tempo and mood.

A rendition of “Casualty of You” was a surprising entry in the midst of jolted dance-friendly efforts like “Godly Intersex” and “Girl Named Hello”, which was accompanied with dancers in pig masks who proceeded to grind it up with Barnes. Yet, they all maintained synchronization even as breathing room got thinner. As the sole ballad-like track on False Priest, “Casualty of You” fit naturally with songs from the same album despite its emotional distance. Barnes’ piano-driven delivery reached believable authenticity despite the more vivacious preceding efforts, which was played with expected mastery by longtime members Bryan Poole, Dottie Alexander, and others. Barnes stole the show’s visual factor, but the music was a collaborative tour-de-force that contained the tightness and infectiousness demanded from funk-heavy efforts.

Performances of “Bunny Ain’t No Kind of Rider” and “She’s a Rejector” reminded me how wonderful Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? was. Even though Barnes is three years past the divorce that plagued him to write many of the exceptional but forlorn efforts on Hissing Fauna, the same intensity was there as if it happened yesterday. It is questionable whether an audience should enjoy an artist’s suffering, so perhaps these tracks sounded bouncier and more fluid than usual because the issue is not as sensitive. Or maybe it is simply that the band was on their game. The intro to “Bunny Ain’t No Kind of Rider” focused on some very interesting glitch-pop, while “She’s a Rejector” retained the same successful anthem-against-heartbreak feel as it did three years ago. These songs were fantastic additions to the False Priest-heavy set, showing more alt-rock and electro-rock than funk but achieving a similar degree of irresistible uniqueness.

These earlier efforts had little dependence on the set or scenery, which Barnes described to Spinner as being a very collaborative effort: “It’s like we’re an art collective, in a way,” he said. “Everyone in the band is contributing, everyone is the crew is contributing and this is very collaborative experience for all of us. Our bass player is responsible for building 85 percent of the props we’re going to use on tour. My brother designed all of them. All of us are involved in filming all the video content.” Seeing as how tightly involved the band’s music was, it is not surprising to see that this was a mutual effort. Barnes may steal the show on more occasions than one, but it is clear that the Georgia-based collective are blessed with additional talent beyond their enigmatic frontman.

For a tour that has seemingly been developed like an elaborate film, with costumes and sets taking the entire summer to create, it certainly lived up to expectations. I am not sure how Barnes had enough time to write a great album like False Priest AND help organize an intricate tour like this, but that is beside the fact. The band put on an exceptional show that was lively but also somewhat grounded, featuring a very accessible setlist (for Of Montreal’s standards) and not straying too far from it, apart from a few admirable Michael Jackson covers to close the night. I recommend that you listen to False Priest, fall in love with it, and check to see if the band is coming somewhere near you. If not, it is one of those tours you will regret missing a year from now.

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Of Montreal – Bunny Ain’t No Kind of Rider

Of Montreal – Coquet Coquette

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by Lauren Tischler

The sound of Ghost Mall is indescribable. But the band, made up of college roommates Pierce, Alex, Cody, and Jimi, give it their best shot. “Garage-y ramshackle pop/ethereal,” lead singer Pierce Lightening struggles, attempting to put a label on his own music. With a lead singer named Pierce Lightening, and influences along the lines of “Babes, Springsteen, Comic Books, and Star Wars,” you are naturally drawn to the quartet. What is surprisingly more interesting than the band members themselves is the music on their first album, Goons.

The album, produced by DJ Teenwolf of Ninjasonik, features five well-done and oddly classy songs. The EP starts out with the marijuana-induced “40 Nugs”, and while I would have chosen a different track for the first, it sets an appropriate tone to the album without giving away their mysterious style. Next is “Senile Felines”, setting a dark synthesized tone that lures the listener further in. The next couple of tracks are “Young Liars”, followed by “Balloon Idea’s”, which captures an eerie essence while keeping it light; it samples a few lines from Biz Markie’s “Just a Friend” with convincing maneuvers. The final track, “Johnny Appleseed”, serves as a near-perfect ending. It is more of an anthem than anything, providing the listener with a soft sort of closure.

The album itself is a work of art, but it is clear that Ghost Mall are about performance art more than anything else. Ethan Barnett, a fan, describes a show in full detail. “The first time I saw them, it was in the basement of SUNY New Paltz. It was one of the coldest nights of that winter, but as soon as I got into the basement and Ghost Mall was about to begin their set, I began to sweat because there were about 75 people packed into a small classroom. They began their first song and the room turned into a beehive, with everyone dancing in every direction. The lead singer was lost in the crowd, and all you could see was one of his hands. By the time they began their second song, the keyboardist and guitarist were lost in the mess too. Midway through their set, Pierce was thrown up into a crowd surf, and he held onto a water pole that was soaking wet from condensation. After the final song, “Johnny Appleseed”, everyone ran out the exit covered with sweat. Head to toe.”

“I don’t know what we’re trying to achieve,” Pierce says about his band’s music. “We’re just being honest. Sometimes it’s about our specific friends, sometimes it’s about how everything should be. Mostly, our songs are about the end of the world. So maybe they’re a warning.”

You can catch Ghost Mall on September 24th at 323 Wall Street in Uptown Kingston, New York.

RIYL: Japanther, Penguin Prison, Male Bonding, Urinals, Latterman, Cloud Nothings, Abe Vigoda, Times New Viking, No Age, The Mae Shi, Parts & Labor, Psychedelic Horseshit, AIDS Wolf, Wavves, Lightning Bolt, Jay Reatard, NODZZZ, Sic Alps, HEALTH, Arab on Radar

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Ghost Mall – 40 Nugs

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Ghost Mall – Balloon Ideas

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Ghost Mall – Johnny Appleseed (acoustic version)

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by Jay Mattson

I love to dance.  I feel that this claim deserves some clarification, though.  I’m 23 years old and have never been to a proper dance club.  The mix of top 40 rap hits and overly-conscious attendees do not appeal to me.  That being said, my college years were spent frequenting house parties with dedicated rooms full of kids dancing to the beats of off-beat artists.  With this in mind, I’ve scoured my music collection to find some of the best songs that can get a room full of Bright Eyes-centric hipsters up and moving.

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MSTRKRFT
“Bounce (feat. N.O.R.E. & Isis)
Fist of God

I am a huge fan of the now-defunct Death From Above 1979.  Jesse Keeler and Sebastien Grainger unfortunately parted ways, but Keeler went on to join Al-P to form MSTRKRFT, a more electronics-oriented project that still encompasses DFA1979’s dance-punk essence.  “Bounce” is the first single from their sophomore album, Fist of God, and is a seriously fun listen.  Manipulation is the name of the game and MSTRKRFT is excellent at their craft.  The band has remixed songs from Bloc Party, John Legend, Little Sister, Wolfmother, Usher and many more.  The grandiose swell of “Bounce” makes you want to do just that, and bounce with them the whole way through.

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Death From Above 1979
“Blood on Our Hands (Justice Remix)”
Romance Bloody Romance: Remixes & B-Sides

If the original track was ill, this is deadly.  Corny word-play aside, DFA1979’s remix album, which came out about a year before the duo’s official split in late 2006, is amazing and redundant at the same time.  While the band employed excellent producers, more than half of the entire album is populated by remixes of their biggest singles, “Romantic Rights” and “Black History Month.”  The Justice remix of “Blood on our Hands” made my list because of it’s very Justice-esque attitude. Cacophonous, sporadic and electro-drenched, it took the song to a whole new level.

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Ratatat
“Memphis Bleek – Alright”
Ratatat Remixes, Vol. 2

I had a gamut of Ratatat music to chose from, but for the purposes of your indie dance party, the Ratatat Remixes albums are pinnacle.  Vol. 1 was released in 2004 and Vol. 2 came out in 2007.  Both albums have amazing selections restructured with Ratatat’s original beats replacing the original sounds.  While almost any track from either album can work for this list, Memphis Bleek’s “Alright” is a standout as it successfully integrates a piano melody into the mix that provides such a grandiose nature that it’s hard to turn away.

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Major Lazer
“Keep It Goin’ Louder (feat. Nina Sky & Ricky Blaze)”
Guns Don’t Kill People, Lazers Do

I was a bit late to jump onto the Major Lazer boat.  Major Lazer is the collaboration of DJ/Producers Diplo and Switch.  Their debut album came out in June 2009 and collectively stunned the dancehall/trip-hop/reggae scenes by delivering some of the heaviest and infectious tracks in quite a while.  My favorite song on the album is “Keep It Goin’ Louder”, an all-out surge of electronics and dub-step beats.  Vocals from Ricky Blaze and Nina Sky compliment the mood almost perfectly.  You’ll want to listen to this one on repeat.

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Sleigh Bells
“Crown on the Ground”
2HELLWU (CD-R)

Without even a legitimate single pressed yet, Sleigh Bells is positioned to take the underground music scene by storm.  The pairing of Derek Miller (formerly of Poison the Well, of all things) and Alexis Krauss has yielded mighty results.  Focusing on growling, lo-fi aesthetic paired with throbbing beats creates a noisy, trippy, absolutely amazing dance experience.  They’re already set to play both 2010 Coachella Music & Arts Festival and Pitchfork Music Festival, again, with no official releases as of this date.

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MGMT
“Kids”
Oracular Spectacular

Oh, MGMT…will you ever relive this level of hype, this amount of stardom?  In 2008, Columbia Records (?!?!) released MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular album to a growing audience, primarily because of the nostalgic/futuristic jam, “Kids.”  It makes sense that “Kids” was MGMT’s biggest hit, as it had appeared, in one iteration or another, on every one of their prior releases.  Of course, their Columbia release provided listeners with the best version, the most clean and well-produced.  And while the band achieved a sort-of international stardom, one wonders if they can make lightning strike twice (has anyone heard “Flash Delirium?; not that good.)  I’m satisfied listening to MGMT from 2008, reveling in “Kids”s stupendous minimalism fused with hazy electronic banter.

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M.I.A.
“20 Dollar”
Kala

Yes it came out in 2007, and no it’s not “Paper Planes.”  In fact, that track is one of my least favorite songs on Kala, M.I.A.’s last release.  “$20” is a far better, far more bumpin’ alternative hip-hop track than “Paper Planes” could ever aspire to be.  This song about the Sri Lankan civil war, it’s ramifications on it’s people and how they’re forced to take up arms is fascinating, erratically engaging and well-produced by Diplo and Switch (or Major Lazer.)

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Julian Casablancas
“11th Dimension”
Phrazes for the Young

I never thought I’d be including a track from a member of the Strokes on a dance party list.  But alas, the world changes in surprising ways.  Casablancas’ 2009 solo outing, Phrazes for the Young, was pretty damn good.  Granted, it was no Strokes album, but it satiated my thirst while I wait for the Strokes’ 2010 album.  “11th Dimension” is by and far one of the best tracks on the album and perhaps the dance-iest.  Hypnotic synthesizers and Casablancas’ ridiculously luring vocal stylings are a fantastic match that makes for a great track.  While it’s still reminiscent of the Strokes, Casablancas has made a name for himself in the vein of electro-pop dance music (which may sound weird, but sounds excellent.)

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Hot Chip
“And I Was a Boy From School”
The Warning

This has been a favorite of mine since I heard it back in 2006.  Hot Chip knows how to work their way around a dance beat and no song makes this more evident than The Warning’s “And I Was a Boy From School.”  A constant electro-bump sets the perfect backdrop for a ‘story’ of some ridiculous relationship between the song’s “Boy” character and his perpetual love interest.  This one keeps the party moving.

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Crystal Castles
“Black Panther”
Crystal Castles

I was lucky enough to see Crystal Castles live at Coachella Music Festival 2009 and it was amazing.  Even though they went on 30 minutes late, the electronic duo of Ethan Kath and Alice Glass can only be described as epic.  Kath’s electronica/dance/techno music coupled with Glass’ erratic vocals are astounding and “Black Panther”, being one of the more straightforward and technically refined songs on their debut album makes it a perfect addition to any dance party playlist.

The post Your Indie Dance Party, Vol. 1 appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

If it is possible to be ambitiously impatient, Kevin Martin would exemplify it perfectly. His ambition and impatience often clash for the listeners’ enjoyment, producing a variety of projects that all encompass his ingenuity without being restrained by observational cohesiveness. In addition to his ambition and impatience, Martin has always resembled a perfectionist of sorts in his music. To pursue various stylistic endeavors is a risky venture when cohesiveness is looked for since successful albums require flow. Stylistic creativity for perfectionists can sometimes be found in rare compilations, where flow is not entirely necessary. Martin has exhibited knowledge in dozens of genres – from dubstep to surf-rock – since his emergence in the early ’90s and his ambition, innovation, and preciseness have led to his abundance of projects. The Bug is his most recently notable, with last year’s London Zoo appearing on my best-of, and other past projects included God, Techno Animal, and Ice. While retaining his groundbreaking work in dub music, each project explored different territory. From his early fascination with jazzcore and industrial hip-hop to his recent forays with dancehall and grime, Martin has always juggled his cohesive and ambitious traits proportionately.

Despite the success of The Bug, it is not surprising to see a prolific artist like Martin appear dissatisfied. He was recently quoted as calling The Bug too “caricatured” of late, which came to the surprise of those that enjoyed London Zoo last year (me being one of them). The surprise never evolved to impatience though, as being a trait that Martin also possess it meant a new project would come soon. He formed King Midas Sound in response. Roger Robinson was already very familiar with Martin, previously appearing on Bug tracks like “You and Me” and “Thief of Dreams” in addition to his work with Pressure, another dubstep project by Martin on Hyperdub. Robinson seemed to be one of few that could keep up with Martin’s ambition, as his vocals are versatile enough to satisfy a plethora of styles. The two decided to form King Midas Sound after appearing mutually fervent over a certain stylistic movement. They had always enjoyed the genre of “Lovers Rock”, which found its peak in London during the ’70s with its seductively lavish form of reggae (female vocalists, smooth soul influence, etc.). In combining Martin’s originality in the fields of dubstep and electronica with Robinson’s serenely hypnotic vocals, King Midas Sound is one of Martin’s most fascinating ventures yet.

Martin has conquered several genres and is able to masterfully and audibly emulate most emotions, but no songwriter could successfully supplant the vocal role of someone like Robinson. Similar to how Elizabeth Fraser supplemented the beautiful atmospherics of Massive Attack’s Mezzanine, these types of works tend to benefit greatly from appropriate vocalists. I say “appropriate” before “great” because these singers have to posses the perfect tone for these atmospheric works; a high score for the “wow factor” just is not going to cut it. A falsetto under Martin’s murky layers of industrial synths and pulsing rhythms may not sound great on paper, but the duo’s inventiveness have created something worth noting. They claim it to be an ode of sorts to Lover’s rock and, although there is certainly a reggae influence in the rhythm section alongside Robinson’s caressing vocals, their original grip is so strong that the result sounds like a new concoction rather than a tribute. King Midas Sound’s new album, Waiting for You, is one of those rare albums that captures both atmospheric depth and stylistic fascination in its own unique form. With Martin and Robinson at the helm it is not really a surprise.

Opener “Cool Out” sounds as if the ghosts of reggae greats congregated in a dance hall and let their spirits do the singing. Robinson’s vocals are suave and accentuated as Martin employs a very choppy, reggae-oriented rhythm section. The vocals and percussive stomps are reverb-heavy as expected in the realm of dubstep, but it is never unnecessary in this case. Some electronic projects have the tendency of getting sloppy with reverb, in turn creating excess layers of sound that do nothing but tamper with the song’s core. The tracks on Waiting for You are different though, as Martin and Robinson’s masterful synchronization produces a sound that is at times haunting, infectious, and absolutely stunning. The self-titled track marvels at its own subtle beauty with flourishes of high-pitched synth pads and twinkles of keys, the sounds of wind chimes nearly establishing a hip-hop feel. One could understandably anticipate a rap cameo on any of these tracks with the swagger in Martin’s production, though Robinson’s cool and pastoral vocals provide a more fulfilling rendition that provide more genuine emotion than rhythmic resonance. Other tracks like “Dahlin” show how they further perfect this approach, a practice that excels throughout the album. The sheer execution of Waiting for You is outstanding as a whole and this is one of the reasons why. A collaboration as fine as the one between Martin and Robinson is rare, and it usually results in a showstopper like Waiting for You.

RIYL: The Bug, Massive Attack, Boards of Canada, Gregory Isaacs, Cornell Campbell, Horace Andy, Washed Out, Joker, Martyn

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King Midas Sound – Waiting For You

[audio:http://mineorecords.com/mp3/kmsound-wai.mp3]

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King Midas Sound – Cool Out

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King Midas Sound – Dahlin

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Afternoon naps are a pretty amiable thing to name your band after, even if it is hardly the most exciting. These few hours are simple but highly productive, at least in the sense that recuperation amidst a weekday’s chaos is rare, and these are the reasons why it can be so enjoyable. Although somewhat misleading, this was precisely the intention the Cleveland-based Afternoon Naps had when exposing their sound. They do not hold back that their structures are traditional, their instrumental selection is restrained, or that their influences have been making great power-pop before them. It sounds familiar and simple, just like their namesake, and this is ironically why their second full-length album, Parade, has resulted in such a success. It sounds like a product of shimmering jangle-rock, catchy ’60s pop, and richly arranged Brit-pop, all genres interconnected by a similar tendency to remain durable, accessible, and musically impressive throughout the simplest of appearances. Simplicity does not always correlate with predictability though; guitars, keys, synths, and bass were all lead instruments at some point for the greatest of these artists in their respective genres. Afternoon Maps should become notable with Parade for applying just this, which results in a remarkable sophomore effort that sounds both freshly invigorating and oddly nostalgic.

Based around songwriters Tom Dechristofaro and Leia Hohenfeld, Afternoon Naps have a very reliable formula that works tremendously on Parade. They wear their psychedelic-pop and retrospective influences on their sleeves, but tracks like “Mitten Fingers” sound all too relevant today. This marvel of an effort propels the group to pop perfection with little more than a few swipes of an electric guitar, a droning organ, and a dual male-female vocal delivery executed with precision. It begins how it ends, with a single repeating riff occasionally complemented by gurgles of synth or blobs of bass. But when Dechristofaro and Hohenfeld travel together into a truly beautiful chorus, the high-pitched pad status of the synthesizer complements the ever-continuing guitar riff brilliantly and listeners will likely be left in awe of the group’s melodic grasp. This is the type of wonderful theatrics groups like Teenage Fanclub were able to touch on, who were also another group creating shimmering power-pop from a locale with more clouds than sunshine (Glasgow). Afternoon Naps are so consistent in their unique blend of influences though that just one influence would be unjust. The xylophone twinkling over the wavering synths and acoustic guitars on “Seasons May Change” appears more contemporary with its indie-pop fixings, even if the full acoustics resemble the jangly likes of The Go-Betweens or The Smiths (with a more optimistic demeanor, of course).

Some of the finest creations on Parade are influenced by psychedelic-pop, as “Beach Bums” could easily show. Complete with its lead organ, bustling rhythm guitar, and accompanying acoustics, “Anything you want to ask of me just whisper it to the breeze,” they both sing. “I will try my hardest not to scream as waves crash on top of me.” The melodrama of ’80s British post-punk and jangle-pop is certainly evident in the lyrical content and vocal tone of both singers, but the melody is more distinctively reminiscent of psychedelic-pop with its hazy underlying production and use of reverb. Tracks more enamored with old-fashioned ’60s pop tend to treat the tradition nicely, only adding spotty warbles of synth for an updated effect. Hohenfeld takes the role of girl-pop chanteuse on “The Day We Started”, a track that would have sounded appropriate on God Help the Girl’s ’60s-inspired debut. This simultaneous emphasis on both ’60s pop and contemporary indie-pop makes the comparison to Stuart Murdoch and such aforementioned probably the most accurate you can make for Afternoon Naps “Bubblegum 45” is another fun effort, reminding me vividly of Pizzicato 5 with its fast-paced vocal deliveries (often with their “ba-da-ba-ba-ba”-ing) and vigorous woodwind accompaniments. This makes it one of the album’s most unclassifiable efforts, which sits nicely alongside more focused themes in the vein of psychedelia of jangle-pop.

Parade is certainly a colorful album with its nostalgic influences and sharp production, with most of its songs refusing to keep in a straight stylistic line. This is why it is hardly surprising that “Discoverse” goes balls-out disco with its funky synth lines and addictive bass lines. It is not the most technically impressive effort from the group, but the instrumental interlude that closes out the final minute of the song is remarkable in its imitation of a genre mostly swooped up for mockery. “Discoverse” is one of the few fun disco re-interpretations out there, even if the band manages to cloak most of the genre’s embarrassments in great pop songwriting. This is hardly hidden, however, on the majestic opener, “Plum City Fight Song”. Dramatic strings, soaring guitars, and dual vocal deliveries establish quite the presence for Afternoon Naps from the get-go. The best thing about Parade is how the group sustains its continuous excellence despite the stylistic twists and turns they may undertake. Afternoon Naps have clearly separated themselves from their peers with ingenious songwriting and production, delivering fresh excellence while never letting go of the influences that were so essential in helping them craft this album.

8.5/10.0

RIYL: God Help the Girl, Teenage Fanclub, Belle & Sebastian, Field Music, Pizzicato 5, The Lucksmiths

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Afternoon Naps – Beach Bums

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Afternoon Naps – Mitten Fingers

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Afternoon Naps – Bubblegum 45

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To describe Aficionado as a sudden output of energy would probably the most accurate, as I doubt many bands possess the cumulative energy of this aspiring ten-piece from upstate New York. Ten members who play everything from exotic woodwind instruments to roaring guitars is not a common group composition after all, so when Aficionado takes the stage I can only imagine what goes through the audience’s minds. It would appear to have such a high potential for sloppiness or thematic pretentiousness based on the visual presentation alone. Laura Carrozza, backing vocalist and flute player, stands apart from the rest of her band members, most of them looking like a mixture of truckers and ’70s revivalists with their long bears and sloppy exterior. What resonates from this collective turns out to be to the contrary though, as this group impresses through a series of highly excitable tracks that embody original ideas and delicious hooks without ever treading too long or too intricately.

Taking a cue from punk acts of the early ’90s like At the Drive-In, Aficionado may initially impose whispers of post-hardcore and/or emo that may scare off many listeners accustomed to indie-rock. What I hope is that listeners give Aficionado a chance, as further listening shows that their ambition spreading across several genres makes them more comparable to groups like Slint, The Pixies, and Chavez. These, of course, are all artists that were integral to the development of today’s indie-rock. Aficionado are simply infusing a slight touch of early ’90s punk (though only the good kind). They make it easy for the desperate journalists by calling their special blend “progressive-indie”. Forming in 2004 amongst a group of close friends, Aficionado blended these influences with tight chemistry and emerged with a well-received album, Circus Music, in 2008. Critics noted the release for its enjoyable energy and strong musicianship, even if the songwriting did not correlate with the potential quite yet.

Their new EP, The Myth About Real Life, was produced by Don Fury in Troy, New York, which is about a ten minute drive from their native Albany. The opening, self-titled track is one that possesses the energy of favorites from Circus Music, with an even more expansive approach that results in newly cohesive song structures in alignment with the impressive multi-instrumentation. The initial brass sounds like an intro to a ska track with its thumping progression, only until a saxophone emerges with a seductive whimper to accentuate the jazz influence. The lead vocals of Nick Warchol emit a nasally, whimpery croon that shows a surprising amount of range among the powerfully alternating structures. The group’s ability to sound anthemic is inarguable. Carrozza’s backing vocals apply to this standard on both the self-titled cut and “The Same Original Idea”.

“The Same Original Idea” increases the dramatics with its introduction as Carrozza frequents more solos and verses over the fragile progression of a piano and delicate woodwinds. What sounds like a potential ballad eventually turns into the same balls-out, rock-filled atmosphere of “The Myth About Real Life”’s heightened moments, only this time with more unpredictable guitar-based transitions that resemble the progressive-rock of Yes, King Crimson, and other prog-rock forefathers. “It was a million and one of the same goddamn thing,” Warchol gripes. The intensity is raw and pure, only eclipsed by the powerful instrumentation and angelic interruptions from Carrozza. “I Don’t Believe We Met” continues in this fusion of post-hardcore, indie-rock, and progressive-rock, showing some epic ambitiousness in the use of keyboards and guitars similar to “The Same Original Ideas”. And although some ideas on the songs tend to repeat themselves in use, the varying approaches make it impressive enough to enjoy with ease. Catchiness and musical chops may eclipse groundbreaking stylistic integration for Aficionado, but with the chops of ten similarly-minded musicians at your disposal it is probably for the better.

RIYL: Slint, At the Drive-In, Yes, Kansas, The Hold Steady, King Crimson

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Aficionado – The Myth About Real Life

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Aficionado – The Same Original Idea

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Aficionado – I Don’t Believe We’ve Met

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The Cubical recorded their debut album during the humid Californian summer, complemented by the production skills of a veteran in Dave Sardy whose resume includes Johnny Cash and The Rolling Stones. A reputable producer, a studio in Hollywood, and touting the glories of a California sun are commonly characteristics of any short-lived, big-label act these days, so it would probably be easy to group The Cubical in with the rest. How premature that would be though, especially considering that their sound is the contrary of such cliches. Their studied approach takes listeners to the past with a refreshing ideology rather than bringing them to familiar territory with nothing but a pre-designed template at their side. This is one way to prove that The Cubical transcend their natural advantages, though Dan Wilson’s vocal delivery is singularly the component that separates them from the others featured on this site that also attribute slight stylistic interpretations to common themes of the past.

That Wilson sounds like a possessed madman just waiting for an exorcism makes his presence uniquely empowering on its own. As listeners will learn though, this is not the primary allure. How Wilson is able to manipulate his half-enraged, half-deranged tone is what brings The Cubical’s debut, Come Sing These Crippled Tunes, to great heights. For instance, we all know that Tom Waits has a coarsely unique voice that is entirely his own. Certainly his audience is attracted to it too, but do you honestly think they would keep coming back if he had nothing to say? He relays all kinds of wonderfully bizarre narratives, but how he alternates his vocal pattern (somber whimper developing into a coarse mumble, etc.) in coordination with the content at hand. The band’s own producer, Dave Sardy, could probably tell you that himself by working with Johnny Cash, who even before Waits had this technique down pat. Neither have the voice that Simon Cowell would get on his knees for, but they were both inarguably able to accomplish more vocalized distinction than any eventual winner of Americal Idol will thanks in part to this ability. Correlating one’s God-given vocal chords with the applicable songwriting that their talents provided them is quite difficult, but artists like Cash and Waits have paved the way for talented musicians like The Cubical in that regard.

As Wilson croons about a certain infatuation with little fingertips and a tiny silhouette on “Edward the Confessor”, listeners will be tempted to either cower in fear and raised eyebrows or take solace in a voice that is one of the most unique devices for interpretation you are likely to find on a rock album. With roaring guitars, bluesy organs, and thunderous percussion, the five-piece tread in territories of rockabilly and power-pop depending on the effort, though modernistic classic-rock might be the best tag for this group. “Edward the Confessor” is frantic in its guitar-powered romps, making room for occasional absences of instrumentation in its entirety for breaks that serve to either introduce a rollicking guitar solo or a coarse rumble from Wilson. Either one is welcome throughout the entire effort as Wilson pleads for forgiveness to a beloved who evolves from an object of infatuation to a symbolic representation of repressed desires and superficial privation. “No, no, pay the price with such fame and virtue,” he screeches, allowing for the shift between repressed forgiveness and exhausted agitation.

Like any good film, the best part about The Cubical is how it keeps the listener on the edge of their seat despite some predictable consistencies. Although Wilson’s voice may take some getting used to in its resonant consistency and tonal pattern, it becomes a redeeming component of the band’s sound in tracks like “Edward the Confessor” and “Like Me (I’m a Peacock)”. The latter begins with a guitar riff that is so soaked in so much reverb and old-fashioned melodic goodness that it immediately invokes nostalgia. The chorus follows a similar path, even if Wilson’s lyrical urgings of ripping his unrequited lover from the ground may have been a bit too risque for the ’60s. The music is not too far from the era though, as the classic-rock feel is better than ever here with nothing more than guitar and rhythm dominating successfully. Wilson calls himself a demon quite suitably in the lyrics as well, and his voice only allows for the listener to picture the face of a disgruntled but talented individual whose repressed adoration has led him to this point. This point? I almost made the point of artistic triumph sound detrimental for a second. My apologies. The Cubical deal with some pretty gruesome takes on romanticism and repressed love throughout Come Sing These Crippled Tunes, but at all points it is simply a refreshing addition to a sound that would not sound appropriate any other way. Would you really want Dan Wilson’s voice to be singing about lollipops and rainbows? I didn’t think so.

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The Cubical – Edward the Confessor

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The Cubical – Like Me (I’m a Peacock)

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The Cubical – Great White Lie

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Dead Young Records

MySpace

BUY

The post Come Sing These Crippled Tunes appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Summery indie-pop, intricate art-rock, and a little bit of blues were the mainstays this month, featuring a bunch of new faces apart from Sunset Rubdown. Their new album, Dragonslayer, is fantastic and their track on this month’s best-of is one of the best Krug has ever written, which is quite complementary considering his prolific work ethic. The likes of Klum and Alligators offer up a similar style of art-rock, showcasing plenty of clever hooks with a modernistic edge that grants them plenty of great moments. Pomegranates, Wild Moccasins and Armen Firman offer up a summery style of indie-pop that is suited perfectly for June, while Robert Bradley and T. Nile prove to be more traditional with some soulful blues. Dubious Ranger and Bowerbirds offer up something different, with the former showing some infectious comedic chops and the latter exhibiting some of the most beautiful folk harmonies I have heard all year. Plenty of gems were covered this month, so here’s hoping that June is just as strong.

01. Sunset Rubdown – Apollo and the Buffalo and Anna Anna Anna Oh! (post)
02. Klum – Nonbeliever (post)
03. Alligators – Original Fear (post)
04. Bowerbirds – Beneath Your Tree (post)
05. Armen Firman – Porch Dweller (post)
06. Dubious Ranger – Weapon (post)
07. Wild Moccasins – Spanish and Jazz (post)
08. Pomegranates – Corriander (post)
09. Robert Bradley’s Blackwater Surprise – Alabama (post)
10. T. Nile – Reverie (post)

DOWNLOAD ENTIRE COMPILATION>>> (55.8 MB, .RAR)

The post Obscure Sound: Best of May 2009 appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

To be honest, I am shocked that I have had the time to update lately. Finals and papers have been bombarding me since Monday, and I have a few more papers due next week. Finals have certainly taken their toll on me, but I have become accustomed to listening to music while writing by now. As a result, neglecting the fine few artists featured this month was not  an option. Whether you want your girl-group pop (God Help the Girl), the latest trend in electro-pop (Neon Indian), or a familiar face (Jarvis Cocker), this month should satisfy most needs. These are all songs that I have had on repeat at some point. It is indicative of their shared infectiousness, which is commendable considering the diverse array of styles presented here.

01. God Help the Girl – God Help the Girl (post)
02. Delay Trees – About Brothers (post)
03. Jarvis Cocker – I Never Said I Was Deep (post)
04. Clues – Remember Severed Head (post)
05. Two Door Cinema Club – Something Good Can Work (post)
06. Neon Indian – 6669 (I Don’t Know If You Know) (post)
07. Anna Järvinen – Boulevarden (post)
08. Crocodiles – Here Comes the Sky (post)
09. The Kingsbury Manx – Well, Whatever (post)
10. God Help the Girl – Perfection as a Hipster (post)

DOWNLOAD ENTIRE COMPILATION>>> (41.1 MB, .RAR)

The post Obscure Sound: Best of April 2009 appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Belle & Sebastian have always been one of the finest examples of how simplicity and intricacy are not exclusive entities in music. The Glasgow-based group’s melodies have always been extremely accessible; the arrangements feature consuming assortments of keys and orchestral elements that are smoothly integrated under Stuart Murdoch’s wistful, choir boy-like vocals. His delivery is filled with a harmonically satisfying touch of innocence, making his elaborate lyrical content catch many first-time listeners off guard when they come to expect stories of generic romance. Murdoch’s accessible exterior is upheld by a thought-provoking interior that has done extraordinary justice on the common perception of Belle & Sebastian. Murdoch is a gifted songwriter and most of his content exceeds indie-pop contemporaries by a long mile, but it is his subtle ambition that has made Belle & Sebastian one of the most recognizable groups of the indie-pop era. Murdoch’s touches of conceptual and metaphorical brilliance within an instantaneously accessible vein of pop music has earned them rampant comparisons to Simon & Garfunkel. They were responsible for bringing an accessible but poetically invigorating form of folk-rock to the masses in the late ‘60s, and Belle & Sebastian did similarly in the late ‘90s with their blissful interpretation of indie-pop. Their success has continued this decade, and a new project from Murdoch is further indication of his willingness to fuse a simple concept with enjoyable intricacies that are quite easy to overlook.

It is almost painful for music fans to recognize that there are thousands of songs written by legendary artists that will never be uncovered, all because the artist deemed the material not suitable enough for a certain album or style that was synonymous with them or their label. Murdoch has released seven albums and numerous EPs since 1996, so his work ethic is of no question. It also means that, like many other musicians, he likely has a bunch of songs lying around that will never see the light of day. Belle & Sebastian’s remarkable consistency shows that they comprehend quality though, so I doubt Murdoch could go without releasing something worthwhile if he has it on his shelf. Murdoch revealed his initial intentions surrounding his new project, God Help the Girl, in August 2007, stating in a blog entry that he was looking for three vocalists (two girls, one guy) to help him with it. Contestants submitted a self-portrait and a recording of their vocals over instrumental versions of two Belle & Sebastian songs, “Funny Little Frog” and “The Psychiatrist Is In.” Belle & Sebastian are typically seen as rather low-key in their recording methods, rarely reaching for the grandiose or overly spectacular. But this method, while different, coincides with the group’s personable music in that they do not need big names to achieve success. In fact, one of the main stars on God Help the Girl is making her first major appearance.

For God Help the Girl, the style of music may be a tinge different, but the level of quality remains the same. The official web site coins God Help the Girl as a mixture of “musicals, sixties’ girl groups, eighties’ indie and, most of all, classic pop records.” The charm of Murdoch’s songwriting and the Belle & Sebastian band’s background instrumentation is familiar and constantly refreshing, but the additional emphasis on the girl-group pop ideology provides a fascinating flux toward Murdoch’s chirpy indie-pop or acoustical tales. Catherine Ireton won the user-submitted grand prize and is the lead vocalist on most of the project’s album, presenting an extremely powerful voice that is ardent enough to fit both in the girl groups of the ‘60s and the fashionable indie-rock of the ‘80s. If her voice sounds familiar to Belle & Sebastian fans then that is because she provided backing vocals on The Life Pursuit’s “White Collar Boy.” It is not all Ireton and Murdoch on the album though, as Belle & Sebastian’s fame has admittedly awarded them with some privileges. A 45-piece orchestra directed by Rick Wentworth (Withnail & I) appears throughout the album, and The Divine Comedy’s Neil Hannon lends his orchestral-pop chops on the highly amusing “Perfection as a Hipster.” Hannon and Murdoch, both brilliant songwriters in their own right, provide for a fantastic collaboration that capitalizes on both of their oddball pop appeal. In addition to the excellent collection of songs on God Help the Girl, it eludes to several potential collaborative successes; Hannon-Murdoch, Murdoch-Ireton, and even Hannon-Ireton (as shown on “Perfection as Hipster”) are all successful collaborations, which serves appropriate on an album that shows collaboration as an excellent practice when under the watchful eyes of someone as talented as Murdoch.

In regard to the correspondence between Murdoch, Ireton, and their shared girl-group fetish, the self-titled track plays with the clichés of girl groups while maintaining originality, modernistic relevance, and the majestic pop songwriting that one could come to expect on any great Belle & Sebastian album. “There is no way I’m looking for a boyfriend,” Ireton begins the track, her vocals prominent over a poppy bass line and a combination of subdued guitars and keys. In typical ‘60s pop fashion, the strings kick in during the chorus as Ireton unveils the song’s hook in excellent fashion. The lyrical content is more straightforward than one would expect from Murdoch, but one has to keep in mind the track’s resemblance to girl-group pop. If there were any interpretable tangents, it would have been a detriment. Also, since God Help the Girl is designed to serve as the basis and soundtrack for a Murdoch-written movie by the same name, one would have to assume that all the content is precisely crafted here. The film starts production in 2010 and though no one can say for sure whether it will be good or not, the one certainty is that the film’s soundtrack will be great.

“Musicians, Please Take Heed” is another stroke of excellence, being more brooding and developmental than most of the tracks on the album. The transition in mood is reminiscent of how The Shangri-Las were able to infuse a girl-group delivery into songs that were bleaker than the ‘60s pop stereotype suggests. The elaborate explanation of hallucinogens and drug-induced hallucinations is more indicative of Murdoch’s usual intricacies here, and the sweeping strings over the steady woodwinds and brisk bass line provide excellent support for a track that serves as one of the biggest stylistic successes on the album. Upon my first several listens though, God Help the Girl shows that it certainly has what it takes to rank among Belle & Sebastian’s finest material, even if Murdoch claims it too be different from his usual material. Regardless, it succeeds tremendously and echoes the similar sentiments of consistency, melodic appeal, and replay-ability that have made Belle & Sebastian household names in indie-pop. If one is a fan of either girl groups or Belle & Sebastian, this one is definitely worth picking up when it is released on June 22nd. And if you are a fan of both, this may end up being one of your yearly favorites.

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God Help the Girl – God Help the Girl

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God Help the Girl – Musicians, Please Take Heed

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God Help the Girl – Perfection as a Hipster

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Official Web Site

MySpace

Matador Records

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