MP3: The Kills – Silent Night

The Kills are showing their Christmas spirit with an acoustic rendition of “Silent Night”, recorded live with Lauren Laverne on BBC 6 Music. A chord-less guitar progression guides the minimal arrangement as Alison “VV” Mosshart unleashes her solemnly creaky voice. She sounds several years older here than on their rock-edged releases, an apt stylistic shift.

The rock duo released their fourth album, Blood Pressures, earlier this year, a few months before guitarist Jamie Hince married Kate Moss.

Official Site / BUY

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After delivering several albums with flashes of brilliance but a lack of consistency, mr. Gnome have taken their biggest stride with Madness in Miniature, their third full-length album. Their previous two carried a common plague, where style reigned over substance as memorable hooks failed to form with over-active arrangements or superfluous stylistic pursuits. When mr. Gnome were at their best, it usually involved post-rock explosives with vocalist Nicole Barille stretching her exceptional vocal range to the limits. Both her guitar work and drummer/pianist Sam Meister’s technical skill were always apparent, but sometimes the songs struggled in letting loose and allowing melodies to reign over virtuosity.

Madness in Miniature is a different story. Standout “House of Circles” manages to inject freak-folk into a frenzied alt-rock arsenal. Barille’s voice ascends from a moaning whimper into a confident snarl, both accompanied by a backing vocal harmony producing a ghostly yet ethereal effect; the banshee-like ‘ooh’ing is a perfect fit. A clashing between the folk-leaning verses and explosions of alt-rock guitars comes to full fruition slightly past the three-minute mark. Introduced by an epic percussive build-up that marches along in a bluesy White Stripes fashion – and complemented by a quivering Barille, who puts in one of her best vocal performances yet – the conclusion to “House of Circles” is a rampant stunner that embodies mr. Gnome’s energy and structurally innovative tendencies.

“Bit of Tongue” is structurally comparable to “House of Circles”, mainly in the evolution of softer folk verses into loud guitar-based propulsions. It’s a tactic employed throughout the album, avoiding repetition with an eclectic display of stylings in the verses, often containing offshoots of softer folk and pop.  The verses on “Bit of Tongue” float with the whimsy of ‘70s AM-pop , and also with hints of contemporary artists like Marissa Nadler and St. Vincent. Barille projects a presence quite similar to both, especially with the variation in her vocal delivery. The introduction of distortion at the two minute mark increases the tempo, allowing Barille to show off her astute abilities in reflecting rhythmic movements. Despite having such a powerful voice, her willingness to occasionally back down and let the music dictate her vocal intensity – instead of vice versa – results in some of the most memorable moments on the album.

Several interludes, most at less than a minute long, provide intuitive atmospheric flair for Madness in Miniature. “Fly Me Over” is most indicative of this. Placed between the intense “Bit of Tongue” and the straightforward rush of blues-infused power-pop contained in “We Sing Electric”, its serene and nearly religious feel provides brief serenity between two songs containing a constant rush of ideas and twists. It helps that its ending sounds like it would complement the setting of a secluded temple in a Far East mountain range. Even as “We Sing Electric” sounds initially like a straightforward rocker, by the end of the song the tremendous number of ideas is apparent. It sounds like a two-parter despite being under four minutes.

While the first few tracks show Madness in Miniature as a continuous fusion of lighter rock elements with thunderous post-rock eruptions waiting at every turn, the second half of the album contains some efforts that could be considered ballads – at least by mr. Gnome’s standards. The aptly titled “Winter” utilizes crystallized keys and high-pitched note sequences, delivering something that sounds like the alternative equivalent of Sally Shapiro’s similarly arctic-sounding work. The wavering use of tremolo in the backing keys also deliveries a dream-pop vibe typical of Beach House, especially with Barille now alternating between a soft-spoken quiver and emotive proclamations. “Now I feel so ordinary,” she sings before an absolutely gorgeous conclusion, marked by the first use of heavy percussion in the song. It’s a stunning track that fully represents mr. Gnome’s growth. Never before has the duo’s songs resonated with such rich atmospheres and beautifully interwoven hooks.

After this delicately gorgeous ballad, the immediate blast of guitars on “Wolf Girls” may catch some listeners off guard. This somewhat abrasive art-rock trip begins with a bizarre and somewhat repetitive series of animalistic noises and straightforward power-punk verses, but like most songs on Madness in Miniature it evolves into something fascinating. The guitar work in the final two minutes is some of the best on the album, with the hypnotic organ-like accompaniment at the tail-end begging for continued expansion well past its four-minute length. Well, that is until the listener is introduced to the excellent “Outsiders”, a rollicking folk-rocker with hints of Alamo-styled folk. Tempo shifts are hardly noticeable at this point in the album, as listeners have become accustomed to it. But there are no greater tempo-related moments throughout the album than “Outsiders”, to which Barille adapts flawlessly in a vocal performance that rivals “House of Circles” for best on the album. On a triumph of a release like this, rivalries like this are indicative of a generous outpouring of ideas, most of them striking.

MP3: mr. Gnome – Winter

mr. Gnome – House of Circles

mr. Gnome – Bit of Tongue

mr. Gnome – Wolf Girls

Official Site / BUY

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For many, Outside Lands is the premiere music festival for the West Coast. Numerous Coachella comparisons are warranted; headliners like Arcade Fire, Phish, and Muse mixed well with an assortment of independent acts, many on the verge of breaking out after a hot year of exposure. A handful of them – Lord Huron, Tamaryn, and Major Lazer – should be familiar with OS readers, all touting a following that has been growing rapidly. Outside Lands’ lineup was an excellent representation of old favorites, emerging stars, and unknowns with a boatload of potential. For every big name like Arctic Monkeys and Big Boi, there were groups like Cosmic Suckerpunch, The Stone Foxes, and Diego’s Umbrella; they all maintained a small but avid following prior to Outside Lands, but by the end of Sunday (the 14^th) it was evident their fan bases grew exponentially. Their live presence is the main reason such groups were chosen to appear at this prominent festival. Unlike headliners, a poor performance is a make-or-break scenario, an opportunity that may never be salvaged.

With beer/wine in one hand and something off the grill in the other, most listeners excitably made their way around the Golden Gate Park over the three-day festival. Listeners could have stumbled upon a variety of interesting occurrences. Even to the least dedicated of music fans, it would be fun to see Dave Chappelle cracking jokes on stage during a Big Boi technical malfunction intermission, deadmau5 exposing an orgasm of lights and hallucinations on a crystallized stage, or Arcade Fire frontman Win Butler sharing the stage with soul maven Mavis Staples. And that’s mainly a bunch of superficial appeal, separate from the musical aspect (which Outside Lands dominated as well). Or perhaps you’re one to enjoy the difficult decisions of carefree affluence, like on Friday choosing between seeing Beirut or The Decemberists. For me that’s a fairly easy choice (Beirut), but you know the massive followings for either group would have a strong opinion either way.

In any case, enjoy the tracks from some of Outside Lands’ more unknown artists below. The Stone Foxes present a swanky form of bluesy alt-rock that brings to mind The White Stripes, Allman Brothers, and 12-bar blues modernists. Diego’s Umbrella calls their sound “gypsy rock”, though it sits more in the flamboyant indie-pop category with sparkling key-led hooks and a little bit of Latin percussive flair. They remain a bit rough around their edges, but clearly have the pop smarts to traverse beyond the Disney soundtrack limits. Their sound will be a bit too cartoonish for some, but it’s hard to deny their fast-paced bursts of creativity. Then The New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars, Paper Diamond, and Orgone present something entirely different. Gypsy instrumental, lush electronica, funk revivalism… a bit of everything perhaps? Take a listen:

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THE STONE FOXES

The Stone Foxes – I’m a King Bee

The Stone Foxes – I Killed Robert Johnson

RIYL: The White Stripes, Allman Brothers, The Dead Weather, The Kills, The Black Keys, The Hives, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Dan Auerbach

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DIEGO’S UMBRELLA

Diego’s Umbrella – Richardson

Diego’s Umbrella – Downtown

RIYL: Queen, Hot Hot Heat, The Cross, Deep Purple, Rooney, Randy Newman, Boy Kill Boy, We Are Scientists

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And now for some REAL Gypsy-inspired tunes, courtesy of THE NEW ORLEANS KLEZMER ALL-STARS. They tend to be surprisingly eclectic as their songs progress, showing influences hovering in blues, pop, and R&B:

The New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars – Moroccan Roller

RIYL: Gogol Bordello, Kultur Shock, Balkan Beat Box, Fanfare Cioc?rlia, Goran Bregovi?, Csókolom

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PAPER DIAMOND

Paper Diamond – Levitate

Paper Diamond – Snowfall

RIYL: Röyksopp, Air, Junior Boys, The Field, Groove Armada, The Chemical Brothers, Zero 7, Daft Punk

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ORGONE

Orgone – Who Knows Who

Orgone – Bacano Come Around

RIYL: Funkadelic, Parliament, Sly & the Family Stone, Graham Central, The Poets of Rhythm, Baby Charles, Lefties Soul Connection, Speedometer

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Cosmic Suckerpunch – In Love with a Robot

RIYL: Pearl Jam, Built to Spill, Pavement, Sebadoh, Archers of Loaf, Superchunk, No Age

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But alas, the days of summer festivals are over — at least for another nine or ten months. So for those starting to shuffle to class, save on next year’s tickets by checking out the Back to School Music Guide presented by Best Buy. Enter to win a $250 gift card to Best Buy and save on tablets, smartphones, and laptops. This deal was passed on to me, but I guess it’s more of a shock that you can buy a decent laptop these days for $300. That gift card would do the trick:

The post Dark Horses From Outside Lands appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Emma-Louise can make anyone’s knees weaken with her fluctuating voice; it’s on powerful display between deeply sobering narratives and near-falsetto gasps, alternating with genius precision in accordance with her stirring arrangements. On her new four-song release, Full Hearts & Empty Rooms, the 19-year-old Aussie shows a surprising range of approaches in guiding her efforts to respectable stylistic plateaus. The opener, “Bugs”, is more telling of the singer’s conventional radio-ready side. The initial folk-heavy leanings make a somewhat disappointing transition to country-pop “ooh”ing, which sounds like it belongs on the Country Strong soundtrack. It’s a surprising choice as the opener considering it shows Emma-Louise’s most linear side by a long shot. Immediately, the outstanding “Jungle” relinquishes any doubts about Emma-Louise’s aim; whether she is shooting for the stars as a legitimate artist or commercialized image is abruptly answered, clearly favoring the former.

“Jungle” explains why comparisons to Florence + The Machine are so abundant, and in my opinion also to The Rosebuds. Like Kelly Crisp, Emma-Louise shows dominance in theatrical tonal shifts and “Jungle” is arguably the finest example of that. Heavily reverbed organ stabs provide the only musical guide during the song’s first moments, with an airy synth pad signaling entry for a light single-note guitar progression and steady kick drum. “Heeeyyyy,” she calls out four times before the chorus, gradually increasing in pitch and emotion as the main hook is introduced – “My head is a jungle, my head is a jungle.” The verse is an exceptionally nonchalant counterpart, depicting a semi-narrative as Emma-Louise follows the existent structure. Apart from additional guitar progressions and interesting vocal layers at the end, it generally follows on this conventional path but does so with the confidence and swagger to maintain interest.

While Emma-Louise has clearly found her voice at such a young age, it is easy to see why most listeners would prefer the depth of “Jungle” to the somewhat cliché “Bugs”. Considering the other three tracks showcase the ambition that Emma-Louise is capable of tackling, it is not much to worry about. “Al’s Song” tells us why Emma-Louise should continue to pursue narrative lyrical structures that encourage hybrids of soul, jazz, and folk. Her voice is suitable for all three approaches, and her knack for theatrical hooks doesn’t discourage that. The gorgeous minimalism of “1000 Sundowns” is aptly titled, and is sure to earn plenty of comparisons to “the female version of Jeff Buckley” – at least on the vocal front. Not a bad comparison for a 19-year-old, even if it’s clear that Emma-Louise is far from the norm for musicians her age.

You can purchase Full Hearts & Empty Rooms for $3 (40% discount) via GroopEase for the next two days.

RIYL: The Rosebuds, Florence + The Machine, The Kills, Adele, Kate Nash, Bat For Lashes, Adele, Lykke Li, La Roux, Sia, Little Boots, Oh Land

Emma-Louise – Jungle

Emma Louise – 1000 Sundowns

Bandcamp / MySpace / BUY (40% discount)

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This is a wonderful day. February is no more, and finally we can bid farewell to the dullness and bitter cold of the month. Suitably enough, I was sick for the majority of it. Now that March is here, it is hardly surprising that I feel infinitely better. Being able to keep my windows open throughout the day makes me feel less stressed, for whatever reason. Despite the consistently miserable tendencies of February, the month was as exciting musically as any. Radiohead was certainly the big artist last month, announcing and releasing their eighth LP in that short span. I thought it was OK… nothing amazing. Later this week, we will feature a second look at the album by another writer. Multiple opinions seem warranted for an album this polarizing.

Apart from Radiohead, February was a month dominated by up-and-comers. I gave Dirty Beaches’ debut full-length significant acclaim, so I urge everyone to check him out if you haven’t already. Speaking of great new nostalgia-heavy artists, Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship bring us back to late-’80s alternative-rock on college radio with several excellent songs off their new album, Hanga-Fang. Then you have Unknown Mortal Orchestra, with their refreshing take on ’60s psychedelia and funk. The Rural Alberta Advantage and Coma Cinema sit more in the contemporary cutting-edge vein, but you can certainly hear more past-inspired awe in Silver Swans’ work, which echoes glistening ’80s post-punk with enjoyable accuracy. The compilation is rounded out by a new track from popular art-rock duo The Kills, and a classic offering from The Beach Boys. I have been on an extreme Brian Wilson obsession as of late, and his breadth of work continues to amaze me. If there is any artist whose music can get us ready for warmer weather and great music, it’s him.

01. Radiohead – Separator (post)
02. Dirty Beaches – True Blue (post)
03. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues (post)
04. Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship – I’m Not a Father (post)
05. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Ffunny Ffrends (post)
06. The Rural Alberta Advantage – Stamp (post)
07. Coma Cinema – Business as Usual (post)
08. Silver Swans – Holidays (post)
09. The Kills – Satellite (post)
10. The Beach Boys – I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times (post)

DOWNLOAD ENTIRE COMPILATION>>> (46.3 MB, .RAR)

The post Obscure Sound: Best of February 2011 appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.

Top News Story:

The White Stripes (1999-2011)

In a relatively painless manner, the White Stripes announced on Wednesday their dissolution.  While many immediately began speculating as to the reason, Jack and Meg posted a letter informing fans that it was simply time for the White Stripes to be finished.  The Whites made it clear in the letter that it was not a time for mourning, but a time to reflect upon what has been made and the integrity of that music.  Jack and Meg White gave us seven amazing albums and a decade of touring.  Most bands don’t have the decency to bow out gracefully (see the Rolling Stones, U2), so it’s refreshing to see the White Stripes do just that.

The White Stripes – Seven Nation Army

The White Stripes – Jolene

BUY

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New Tracks:

The Kills – Satellite

* The first single from the Kills’ new album, Blood Pressures.  This track is a dirty, grimy, punchy showcase of the kind of sound the Kills produce so well.  While I was disappointed in Midnight Boom back in 2008, it was mostly because it didn’t show the same energy that No Wow conjured back in 2005.  “Satellite” never has a low point. Hopefully, the rest of the album will act accordingly.

Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues

* I’ll be the first to say I fell in love with Fleet Foxes’ 2008 debut.  Unfortunately, Robin Pecknold’s brand of psychedelic folk started to irritate me for unexplainable reasons.  I later realized that it was because Fleet Foxes inevitably sounded fluffy; it was full of over-arranged instruments and hyper-flourished vocals.  And while those elements were attractive at first, they soon came to be a point of resentment.  This leads me to “Helplessness Blues”, a very Fleet Foxes-esque track, indeed.  All the standard parts are there (acoustic guitar, Pecknold vocals eventually soaring, crashing breakdown into an instrumental medley.)  What struck me about this song was how much more pompous Pecknold sounds now than he did in 2008.  What before could be chalked up to underground naivety now sounds silly and ridiculous coming from a band who has enjoyed success and should be pushing the boundaries instead of resting on their laurels.  If you like Fleet Foxes, you’ll love “Helplessness Blues.”  If you don’t love Fleet Foxes, this song won’t change your opinion.

Michael Jackson/Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Thriller/Heads Will Roll (Glee)

* Because it appeals to a huge audience, because it covers Broadway (and off-) musicals, because it’s so insanely, hugely popular, Glee gets a pretty bad rap among the “underground” music community.  And granted, most of the songs chosen for the show are downright abysmal (Celine Dion, Lizza Minnelli!?!?), but sometimes – just sometimes – the show succeeds in rising above it’s pop/musical rut (i.e. – “Proud Mary”, “River Deep, Mountain High”, “Valerie”) This mash-up of (arguably) the best songs by both Michael Jackson and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs is one of those good moments.  And honestly, if Danger Mouse or Girl Talk mashed them up, we’d all be bowing to their insight.  A simple bump in energy creates an amazing combination that will be totally overlooked by many simply because it carries the Glee brand.

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Artist Profile:

Black Mountain

The Black Mountain Army began as a joke; an anecdote between friends in the Vancouver area.  Today, the BMA represents the musicians, artists and bands associated with the Army’s primary group, Black Mountain.  And at the top of that peak is Stephen McBean, the vocalist and guitarist for Black Mountain and Pink Mountaintops.  Perhaps the most eccentric of the band, McBean is often obscured behind his long, wavy hair and massive beard.  But to lead an outfit that plays psychedelic acid rock, McBean is a champion.  The band’s debut EP, Drugunaut, came out in early 2005 and their self-titled LP was released later the same year on Jagjaguwar Records to rave reviews.  In 2008, In the Future was released.  Black Mountain’s sophomore LP marked a huge growth for the band.  A more unified sound and focused mixing proved successful.  The deluxe edition came packaged with Bastards of Light, a three-song EP.  Over the next two years, McBean and Company released the Stormy High single and Lucy Brown b/w Shelter on Sub Pop Records.  2010 saw the release of Wilderness Heart, their third on Jagjaguwar.

Bassist Matt Camirand and Drummer Joshua Wells moonlight in the alternative country band Blood Meridian. Wells also plays with vocalist Webber as Lightning Dust. Additionally, Schmidt has a solo moniker, Sinoia Caves, which only released one album of six tracks back in 2006.  Lightning Dust has two excellent albums, Lightning Dust and Infinite Light, under their belt, and Blood Meridian released three albums, all before 2007.

Of course, this couldn’t be a Black Mountain feature without mentioning Pink Mountaintops, the expanded band.  All the members of Black Mountain proper appear, along with ten to twelve other members, some of whom change with each album.  The self-titled LP actually came out in 2004, a year before Black Mountain’s first album.  In 2006, Pink Mountaintops released Axis of Evol, and Oustide Love in 2009.  And while Black Mountain’s acidic, dirty guitar riffs drive forward their psychedelic rock, Pink Mountaintops plays more lighthearted, melodic jams designed to let you sing along with the five or six recorded vocalists.  They’re sound is more straightforward through more traditional word play coupled with expansive instrumentals.

Read Jay’s review of Wilderness Heart here.

Black Mountain – The Hair Song

Black Mountain – Old Fangs

Pink Mountaintops – Come Down

BUY

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Song of the Week:

The Beach Boys – I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times

by Mike Mineo

I have been on a Beach Boys kick as of late. This was surely evidenced by my appreciative Bullion feature, but even that did not allow me to touch on one of the greatest songwriters ever. Brian Wilson’s story is a particularly touching one, as undisputed genius is a rare case and one that rarely results in a happy ending. Wilson has struggled with mental illness since the ’70s, and to see him emerge triumphantly at the beginning of 2000 with a new-found sense of focus exhilarated me. One of – if not the – greatest American songwriters of all-time was once again able to focus on the craft he loved so much. The craft that he saw as an escape from insecurities, psychological abuse from his father, and times that just weren’t made for an innovator like him.

On the classic Pet Sounds, this is precisely why “I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times” resounds so strongly. He wrote it at a time where friends thought Pet Sounds would be an unequivocal disaster, not perhaps the greatest album of all-time. “Every time I get the inspiration to go change things around / No one wants to help me look for places, where new things might be found” is a particularly poignant line, as his absurd amount of creativity drew criticism from band members like (the terrible) Mike Love simply because his mind was too elementary to grasp Wilson’s direction. All could see this frustration come full circle when Wilson went through years of self-abuse after Pet Sounds, with his mind eventually under full control of a psychologist named Eugene Landy whose methods deprived Wilson of the creativity that made Pet Sounds an American classic.

These methods made Wilson somewhat stable, but his innovation had practically been defeated and music became an insubstantial part in his life. When he emerged again in the late ’80s with a self-titled solo album (at a time when Mike Love had already sabotaged the Beach Boys into a cash-craving joke), Wilson’s material had his typical stylistic trademarks, but it was clear that his brilliance had been stymied by an over-controlling force in Landy. It was not until 1998’s Imagination where the first glimpses of a return to form were found. At this point, he was again healthy enough to commit himself to music. More importantly, his enthusiasm was back. This resulted in the triumphant recovery of SMiLE – the lost Beach Boys classic – in 2004. The songs date back to the ’60s, but the new recordings of Wilson’s voice and stellar backing band made it sound as good as any Beach Boys classic. Take a listen to the album if you haven’t already. It’s a real American treasure, and any musical historian would agree.

Indeed, Wilson “Just Wasn’t Made for These Times” in the ’60s, but it was not his fault that audiences were not able to recognize blazing innovation and stylistic transformation at this period in music. The Beach Boys’ transformation from feel-good pop songs like “Surfin’ U.S.A.” into bleak, moody territory was initially criticized by audiences and some band members alike. What is clear now, though, is that it served as one of the first instances in pop music where an artist was undergoing a radical period of artistic transformation, one where he stayed true to himself and his cast of moods instead of what would bring the greatest profits. The classic Pet Sounds and SMiLE are evidence of this. At the time, such genuine sentiments were mostly absent in music. As a result, any fan of independent music should be appreciative of Wilson’s contributions, both as a musician and a figure who encouraged artists to pursue their own drive and creativity without regard for what the radio considers profitable at the time. He is a legend in several capacities.

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