MP3: James Iha – Summer Days

Former Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha is usually associated with his involvement in hard-rocking acts, like the Pumpkins and A Perfect Circle. What’s unknown to some is that Iha released a solo album, Let It Come Down, in 1998. It presented a lush array of country, folk, and pop, more in line with acoustic singer/songwriters than his electric role as a band member — especially for a group like the Pumpkins, who were no strangers to guitar pedals and effects. On the contrary, Let It Come Down was a beautifully stripped-down affair, with lap steels and country twangs resonating more than the amplifiers he usually had his back to while touring the world.

Iha first mentioned a follow-up to Let It Come Down over a decade ago, but other duties kept arising; he co-owns of Scratchie Records, scores films (Linda Linda Linda in 2005), and collaborates with everyone from Fountains Of Wayne to Isobel Campbell. Now that his new album, Look to the Sky, is completed, it’s easy to see why it took so long. The album is a significantly vaster and more experimental effort than Let It Come Down, and the variety of high-profile collaborators certainly helps. Legendary Television frontman Tom Verlaine adds guitar on the breezy jangle of “Till Next Tuesday” and fierce blues-rock of “Appetite”, both clear standouts. Pianist Mike Garson, who has played with everyone from the Pumpkins to Bowie, also appears on “Appetite”, the most fascinating track on the album. Hearing Verlaine and Garson jam sounds even better than expected. Also don’t count out Yeah Yeah Yeahs members Nick Zinner (guitar on “Dream Tonight”) and Karen O (vocals on “Waves”).

The album is certainly not without songs that capitalize on Iha’s signature mellow-pop sound, though. The highly accessible “Summer Days” sounds a lot like the material on Let It Come Down, thanks to its bubbly energy and upbeat stream of acoustic strums and playful keys. It was written and produced with Nathan Larson, the husband of The Cardigans’ Nina Persson, who sings on “Make Believe” and “Till Next Tuesday”. Iha has not only improved on the best aspects of Let It Come Down with familiar gems like “Summer Days” and “Till Next Tuesday”. He has also introduced many new elements to his sound, most of which succeed immensely, like “Appetite”.

Look to the Sky is currently only out in Japan through EMI Japan, but a stateside deal may happen in the near future.

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The Smashing Pumpkins aren’t the only ones to pay tribute to Georges Méliès’ silent short film Le Voyage Dans La Lune. French electronic duo Air take a bow to Méliès with their new album, its name the same as the film. Their first album since 2009’s Love 2, Le Voyage Dans La Lune will be released February 7th through Astralwerks, and feature guest lyrics and vocals from Beach House’s Victoria Legrand (on “Seven Stars”) and Au Revoir Simone (“Who Am I Now?”). The album will include a limited-edition version of the short film and Air’s original music score, from when they provided the score for an updated version of Méliès’ film at its 2011 Cannes Film Festival debut.

Le Voyage Dans La Lune track listing:

01. Astronomic Club
02. Seven Stars
03. Retour sur terre
04. Parade
05. Moon Fever
06. Sonic Armada
07. Who Am I Know?
08. Décollage
09. Cosmic Trip
10. Homme lune
11. Lava

MP3: Air – Cherry Blossom Girl

Air – All I Need

Air – Playground Love

Air – Alone in Kyoto (Goku DRUMSTEP REMIX 2)

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The role of a producer is often undesirable to many young musicians. The arrogance and pretentiousness among many in this niche leads them to believe their creative power is limitless, and so therefore their songs can speak volumes without sophisticated production and mastering. They eventually learn otherwise, but usually not until their music aspirations appear hopeless. Once they realize the poor sound quality of their songs – which they attempt to defend by using mindless labels like “lo-fi” and “###-wave” – will not attract an audience beyond their friends, they either abandon the field entirely or, in some cases, will pursue another method. In the latter case, many will place emphasis almost entirely on the production instead, abandoning the songcraft that may have been adequate enough in the first place. This thin line between polished nothingness and rough-cut potential is fully evident, and the failure to capture the in-between is what leads to the demise of many projects and music aspirations in general. To find the perfect form of production that will accommodate the strengths of one’s songwriting is one of the most difficult endeavors in creating music.

The linearity of today’s hip-hop makes the abundance of “quality” producers around the age of 21 prevalent in that field, if only because the valued practices are rooted in repetition and computer-based gimmicks involving sampling. But in fields of rock, pop, electronic, etc., most of the employed producers are 40+-year-old veterans who have failed for years before succeeding. The reason for this extends beyond the fact that instrumentation is recorded instead of sampled (for the most part). Sound – whether it is borrowed or created personally – needs to be implemented cohesively regardless. But what many perceive as quality hip-hop may need no more than a five-second loop repeating 40 times, as long as the “flow” and “lyrical depth” resounds to a certain audience. This decreased dependence on the aspects of musical composition does not make hip-hop inferior by any means. It is just a different method of production, one that actually caters more to young tech-savvy entrepreneurs than grizzled veterans.

For styles of music that call for not only variation in the instrumentation, but also rapid structural and sonic shifts, there are rarely young producers that get it. Max Fishkin is one of them. Just 21, he has been making music for about a decade. Often his most experience comes from helping others; recently featured Ross Fish and David Pollack both worked with him for their releases, and he has worked with plenty more close to his Springfield, NJ hometown and Rutgers-New Brunswick campus. It is just recently that he is beginning to flourish as a solo artist. Under the clever pseudonym Mass Fiction, he has just released his first full-length, Never Lie Down. It actually was released for free on his 21^st birthday, and can still be obtained for free on his SoundCloud. Fishkin’s production work has varied wildly, from the soulful alt-rock of Bridges and exuberant reggae-ska hybrid of Tromboner to Ross Fish’s creative electro-pop. He has dealt with a surprising amount of varied acts for a producer of any age, so with this it comes as no surprise that Never Lie Down is a very polished affair with a stylistically multifarious nature. With even one go-around, any listener can see the potential of both Fishkin’s songwriting and production skills.

“Jah Take the Wheel” is fully embracing with warm, gauzy layers of synth; it reminds me of The Radio Dept.’s Pet Grief. Choppy percussion then makes its arrival, complete with melodic percussive tweaks typical of dubstep. The track is dark and murky, but not without the playful nature inherent in much of Fishkin’s work that makes his skills as a pop songwriter prevalent in addition to his production chops. The track’s greatest strength comes in the final minute, when a crisply reverbed synth riff – which emulates the sound of a guitar – finds perfect accommodation over another eerie synth pad. A Bob Marley vocal sample is also used prominently here, showcasing a DJ Shadow influence by constructing a full-bodied melody from initial simplicity; the sample is not forced despite its somewhat off-beat presentation, simply because the elements surrounding it – from the guitar lick to the synth-pop beeps – all introduced themselves with grace and precision. It is certainly a job well done, even if it shows off Fishkin’s production skills more than anything.

“Tito Won’t Listen” certainly does not abandon the electronic soundscape entirely, infusing a more rock-oriented direction in addition. The jangly guitars during the main verse are actually reminiscent of ‘90s alt-rock in the vein of Smashing Pumpkins’ more subdued material (“Luna”, “Porcelina of the Vast Oceans”), with a hint of shoegaze thrown in for good measure. Just as the track slows down around the two-minute mark, a hard-rocking reprise of the opening lead emerges with ferocity seen in many indie-rock acts of today, like British Sea Power. The guitar melody here, while theoretically simplistic, achieves infectiousness through excellent rhythmic choices and polished production.

Continuing with the late ‘80s/early ‘90s rock feel, the blissful harmonies of “One Day” recall The Pixies in their purest form. The comparison is not hard to spot during the opener, though once it descends into the verse – with heavier distortion and vocals – Fishkin’s own sound comes out. Before reverting back to the “ooh”ing Pixies-esque harmonies, the guitar lead resembles the polished electro-rock of Ratatat, but without the generic one-trick-pony feel the latter group provides. Mass Fiction’s work is too varied for stiff styles of electro-rock. Guest vocalist Ross Fish keeps his voice hidden behind plenty of reverb, much like Fishkin’s voice on the other tracks, and this song is no different. It sounds like an echo amidst a rainy chaos, waiting to be unleashed with the proper introduction. This introduction is found around 03:07, when the distortion is more relaxed and a bumbling bass and swift guitar arpeggio are the only primary elements at play beyond Fish’s voice. While the vocal range is somewhat limited throughout Never Lie Down, Fishkin’s instrumental dexterity and production skills are not, and this allows the vocal sections on each song to succeed.

Fishkin’s finest piece of songwriting on Never Lie Down is “Spider Queen”. Not because it defies stylictic conventions or is astoundingly innovative though. Instead, this is a great example of the stellar hook-filled songwriting that Fishkin shows on Never Lie Down. Fishkin’s nasally voice reminds me most of The Wrens’ Charles Bissell, and the brilliant hybrid of alt-rock and electronic on “Spider Queen” is best demonstrative of this. Opener “Cold Heart” has the same depth in songwriting, although with more focus on instrumentation. Although Never Lie Down contains only seven tracks that span 28 minutes, it is a great showing of Fishkin’s potential, both as a songwriter and producer. His chops as a producer are especially notable, as he deals in genres that demand a great attention of detail on the production side of things. Considering his age, it’s a rare talent.

RIYL: The Wrens, DJ Shadow, Air, Radiohead, Smashing Pumpkins, The Radio Dept., Pinback, MGMT, The American Analog Set, Minus the Bear, Built to Spill, Ross Fish, The Appleseed Cast, Sharks Keep Moving, El Ten Eleven, Modest Mouse, The Sea and Cake, Cursive

Mass Fiction – Spider Queen

Mass Fiction – Jah Take the Wheel

Mass Fiction – Cold Heart

Mass Fiction – One Day

Never Lie Down by Mass Fiction

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I have no complaints about post-punk fetishism. If an artist justifies their attempts to replicate the dark, grumbling moodiness of bands like The Chameleons UK or Joy Division, then listeners are generally treated to polished songwriting that parallels styles arising from primitive psychedelic-rock. Post-punk, shoegaze, and indie-rock show frequent tributes to early forms of psychedelic-rock – like that of 13th Floor Elevators, The Beatles, and The Byrds – and often serve as a gateway for older listeners struggling to identify with modern indie-rock sensations in the vein of Phoenix or Vampire Weekend. Recent notables – like the post-punk of Twin Shadow, Tamaryn’s shoegaze, and Beach House’s mixture of both – find success among young and older listeners alike because their music offers some classic familiarities while staying faithful to the “indie-rock” tag that permits contemporary production techniques. An all-girl rock group from LA by the name of Warpaint looks to be joining that venerable list with their outstanding new album, The Fool.

The ethereal guitar tone fuzzy bass in the gripping “Undertow” resembles the spacey guitar work of artists like The Smashing Pumpkins or The Cure, particularly on respective albums like Siamese Dream or The Head on the Door. The increase in hi-hats around the 02:30 mark signals a snazzy twist, with the lethargic pacing of moody guitars transitioning to a quicker flurry of angular guitar chords. “Runnin’, runnin’, runnin’,” Emily Kokal repeats, “from the troubles.” The howl that complements the plea here is pretty spine-tingling, as is the percussively involved conclusion. Tracks like this and the fluttering arpeggio-led “Warpaint” remind me distinctively of Deerhunter, who produce an unrivaled blend of indie-rock and post-punk that does not confine itself to the stereotypes of either. Comparisons to Fleetwood Mac are not far off either.

The ambition of Deerhunter and Warpaint fit as well in alt-rock as they do in shoegaze or post-punk, and that is simply because both have an infinite grasp of psychedelic-rock concepts. The intricate layering of guitars, stop-start percussion patterns, and flashes of synth allow infectious hybrids to be bred that remain indebted to quality songwriting. The quality is enough to allow the existence of a subtle vocalist, who employs mood and pacing over ferocity and flexible pitch. It seems natural in a style like this, where the tonal resonation that houses the songwriting in question reigns supreme. This is one the main drawing points of The Fool, which certainly has something for everyone from the lush balladry of “Baby” to intricate rock efforts like the exceptional “Bees”.

“Bees” is an immediate standout on the album for its interesting percussion, which sets itself apart from the other efforts by opting for rhythm that sounds more sample-based than the organic presence of other efforts. This serves as a decoy though, and we see why during the chorus when a grumbling bass erupts over new drums that are more aligned with post-punk expectations, in being simplistic but aptly concise. A middle-eastern melodic theme is somewhat consistent throughout as well. The high-pitched guitar lick at the tail-end of each verse is reminiscent of the jangly guitar work of Sonic Youth and Yo La Tengo, two more influences that are clearly at play throughout The Fool. It is hard not to love the transition from high-pitched plucks to lower ones as the bass line becomes more boisterous over an eerie set of “dah-dah-dah”s from the variety of talented vocalists in Warpaint. There is alteration between Emily Kokal and Theresa Wayman on the vocal front, but it hardly matters on who it is since both show mastery and similar tonal recognition.

“Shadows”, one of Wayman’s vocal offerings, works with a phased acoustic guitar to usher in a ghostly serene form of indie-folk. A little trickle of piano signals the bass-led tremolo and drum-line percussion as Wayman’s vocals soar with vigor familiar to fans of Hope Sandoval. “The things you once told me, the thoughts you once gave me,” jump-starts an excellent chorus featuring grainy piano chords and subsequent percussion that shows outstanding pace as usual. Wayman’s hollers and yelps that conclude the latter part of this track is also notable, as is the balmy bridge that leads to a chaotically brilliant final 45 seconds.

Moments like this comprise the bulk of The Fool, which will certainly be one of the most talked-about albums of the year by its end. There is little stylistic innovation here, but the sheer charisma and innovation of the band is extremely present. Simply put, their songwriting is a homage to post-punk and shoegaze without containing stylistically superfluous aspects that artistic admirers of these genres often fall victim to. There is absolutely no filler to speak of on The Fool, which is as sharp as any rock album of 2010. It is an album that is going to get absolutely gushing reviews once it reaches a broader audience. A free preview of The Fool on Hype Machine this week will not hurt those chances at all. Check it out below:

RIYL: Deerhunter, The Cure, Smashing Pumpkins, Fleetwood Mac, Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo, Sleater-Kinney, Twin Sister, Best Coast, Dum Dum Girls, Tamaryn, Beach House, Twin Shadow, Glasser, Blackbird Blackbird, Marissa Nadler, Beach Fossils, Zola Jesus 13th Floor Elevators, The Beatles, The Byrds

Warpaint – Bees

Warpaint – Undertow

Warpaint – Shadows

Official Site

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