3 Albums, 3 Words

I don't do anything half-assed. At least I try not to. That is why I am still buying music from 2010, still hearing stuff from last year for the first time. I don't want to move too far into 2011 until I am sure I've heard as much of the best stuff as I can from 2010. To that end, here we go with 3 records I just bought and feel the immediate need to talk about. I decided to assign one word to each album to give myself a jumping-off point for discussion. It is the word I think most encapsulates the overall tone of the work. At the end of the day, what more could you want out of a music review than the conciseness of one word? And if you choose to continue to read my thoughts, so much the better...for me.

The National -- High Violet : SERIOUS

I can hear you out there in the interwebs saying, "C'mon, Nich--that's a cop-out. You could describe every one of their albums with that word." You make a startlingly good point--ouch. But I am not reviewing this in the context of their catalog, but rather in the context of all the other music I've been listening to over the last year or so. Why? Because I am under-educated on this band...I feel like I shouldn't tell you this because I'm not sure we know each other that well, but this is the very first National album I've ever listened to all the way through--the first one I've ever owned. I have heard enough samples of the previous work to know vaguely what to expect from their newest opus, but I finally decided to buy this one after seeing so much good press written about it over the past six months and its inclusion in so many "Best of 2010" lists. And the absolute best word I can come up with to describe it is "serious". This is a serious album. Is there humor? Sure, but it's all in a blank-faced, deadpan style--as in the title and chorus of the closer, "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks". Mostly, this is a serious-sounding record for people who have the ability to laugh at sorrow and joylessness, beginning with its title--doesn't "High Violet" sound like a disease, or some color-coded terrorist threat warning?

Lest you go thinking I am not into that, let me assure you that I freaking love this thing. The rhythms are so constantly propulsive and uplifting. Matt Berninger's voice and lyrics are so sage-like and pained. The over-arching ideas here are so lovelorn, so weary and broken-down--but the music, as it often does, has such an amazing curative effect: it's as if the protagonist of each song is hypnotized into a reasonable facsimile of happiness solely by the cathartic experience of putting his thoughts into the world. As serious as it is, this album is all about creating a fantasy in which all things can be explained, and therefore gotten-over.

Song worth repeating: "Anyone's Ghost" - Berninger channels a heart-broken Justin Townes Earle who is in-turn channeling a gut-punched Buddy Holly in this song. The hook is tragically beautiful, complete with an amazing guitar/cello melody that begs to be repeated at high volumes.

Local Natives -- Gorilla Manor : HONEST

It is easy to sit here and say that a band's sound or lyrics contain the abject quality of honesty, but two songs into this album, I was kind of uncomfortable. "Airplanes", if I am not mistaken, is a soul-wrenching ode to a lost family member (grandparent?) that is as sad as it is beautiful. That kind of honesty is always appealing--it is the one thing that a piece of music cannot have too much of: there can be such a thing as being "too accomplished" or "too cool"...there is no such thing as being "too honest"--and the honesty here permeates every note, every word, every drumbeat. I kept finding elements this band used that reminded me somewhat of an album I have been unofficially saying might be my favorite of 2010, Foals' Total Life Forever: the multi-layered vocals, the dense musicality, the overall 'big'-ness of it. One thing that sets it apart from Foals, though, is that where Foals had a somewhat muffled effect on much of their production on TLF, Local Natives keep it splashy--every instrument and vocal is at the forefront of the mix, every single element recorded is in your face as though it were somehow recorded in audio 3-D. The other obvious distinction is that Foals hail from Great Britain, while these guys are 100% California. I could not be more impressed with a debut than I am with this one.

I have to say here that I heard a lot about this album when it was released early last year. I kind of thought the reviews were too complimentary, and that's part of why I didn't check it out before. I have to give respect to everyone who kept recommending it to me. I never would have bought it without all your collective thumbs-up's. The lesson here is, as much as I try to stay on-top of what is new and good, things still slip by me--and, as inevitably happens, I end up feeling like a pig-headed philistine when I realize everyone was right. Better late than never, I guess.

Song worth repeating: "Shape Shifter" - I could have easily put something here like "Um...all of them?", but if I have to pick one (and I do!), I will take this one. From its immediately uplifting bassline/piano and drumwork to the amazing chorus, this song is...ugh...it's so damn good. Regarding the chorus: I want so badly to reprint it here (copyright laws be damned!) because it's beautiful, but instead, I am going to go ahead and demand that you go find this song and listen to it, if only to hear the chorus. I don't make a lot of demands, but this is one I feel good about. Please--listen to this song, if you haven't. If you have, listen again. I insist.

Belle and Sebastian -- Write About Love : SOULFUL

Unlike the previous two entries here, I knew what to expect from this--or at least I thought I did. I have been a fan of B&S since when it was only somewhat cool to be, which is to say, I have a passing knowledge of all their work, and an intimate relationship with some of it. The album I have heard the least of was the one previous to this, The Life Pursuit, and I find myself wondering if I might have been more prepared for this new-fangled Belle and Sebastian if that were not the case. This new version features a Stuart who is just this side of angst-y, drums that are just that side of dynamic, certifiably off-the-charts production, and multiple instruments that are fully electric. Who are these people? Intact, however, are the Golden-Era-of-Pop-Music songwriting and the lyrically erudite sensibilities--turns out it's not so different, after all.

You have to love the title of this work. Writing about love is exactly what this band has been doing for nearly two decades. It's only held together by that theme as much as any of their records is held together by the exact same theme. But there is a feeling here that they have never captured before, a stripped-down soulfulness in every vocal. This is such an accomplished album--a band who is thoroughly satisfying every time out, at the height of its powers but still not afraid to try out some new (to them) sonic techniques.

Song worth repeating: "Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John" - And I can't believe I'm saying it--this song features Norah Jones, who I've never been impressed by. But, damn it, she and Stuart Murdoch trading verses just sound so good together. This is a duet in the spirit of old Motown R&B/Soul music. It's pillow talk for wistful one-time lovers, and it is an absolute gas.

It occurs to me that I never write bad reviews--er, that is to say I don't review music harshly. Perhaps I will get there someday, but here's the thing about that: I have only ever wanted to point people toward great music they may not have heard otherwise. Therefore, I choose to write about music that I like. I think writing about music you don't like is something you do when it's your job (meaning you have to write about music at a constant rate, so at some point you are bound to have to write about something you don't care for), or when you are so moved by its awfulness that you are compelled to tell people. Rest assured there is plenty of stuff I don't like, but why clog up this blog (Ha! "Clog the Blog"! Get it?) with writing about it? If I don't like it, I just won't say anything about it. And that's why you probably won't see bad reviews here in the near future, unless (heaven forbid) I get suckered into buying and listening to something so bad that I feel like you need to hear about its badness, or you want to hire me to write reviews at the aforementioned constant rate. Otherwise, let's just keep it positive. What do you say?

That is all. Thanks for reading.

The Head and The Heart: Live @ Neumo's 1/14/11

Don't read this. Seriously. Many other Seattle-based music observers will have much better accounts of this show, replete with pictures and set-lists and name-dropping. Go read one of those. May I suggest http://www.soundonthesound.com/? They'll probably have one-on-one interviews with all the band members and professional video you can download to your smartphone... All in all, it's probably a much better use of your time. Trust me.

Me? I just got home from this show, and I still have no idea what I'm going to say... I don't know which angle I am going to try and tackle this from.

First, the openers.

Lemolo is hands-down amazing. That is all I can say. I don't know how many more times I'll get to see these ladies, but each time I've been lucky enough to do so I have been blown away. Meagan's voice has always been superb, but it is beginning to take on a life of its own. She is developing a sultriness that invokes Beth Gibbons of Portishead, and it suits her well. Kendra is not only a bad-ass drummer, but conquers the difficult task (for someone behind a drumkit) of being fun to watch--her levity brings a great contrast to Lemolo's music, which can be intense. It's nice to have the balance. If you scroll down this blog a ways, you'll find me marvelling at how much these girls don't seem like twentysomethings, but rather like a well-oiled songmaking machine that has been churning out rock-solid music for years. Seeing them do it live only re-affirms that sentiment.

Curtains For You may be the most musically talented band in Seattle. If you don't believe me, name another group who could bust out a sousaphone at the drop of a hat. These songs are marvelous: they sparkle with 60's multi-part melodies and shine with 21st century wit. Matt Gervais has an enviable range, and a penchant for making really difficult vocal parts seem effortless; and the entire band has a penchant for making really complicated music extremely catchy and danceable. Do yourself a favor and see them. Soon.

The Head and The Heart. Does one talk about how genuine this band is? How do you articulate that? I could talk about the goosebumps I get when they play. But goosebumps are so trite and played-out. Everyone talks about goosebumps. I'd like to think I might be a bit more creative than that. Do I talk about the harmonies? Everyone goes on and on about The Head and The Heart's harmonies. Sure, it's safe, and nigh-indisputable...but why retread well-worn ground?

Let's talk about how they came out to a rousing Jay-Z number. I can't imagine anything more awesomely contradictory than a band like this hitting the stage for one of their first headlining gigs in their hometown with the PA blaring "Bounce wit' me, bounce wit' me...". At the time, I wasn't sure if it was staged that way or if it was just a joke played by the sound guy: I mean, the band was droppin' 'bows all over the place like they expected it, but then again, who doesn't love that song?

I could talk about how they owned the stage... I get the feeling that this band could make Carnegie Hall feel like your living room. They bring a warmth and authenticity to any venue that breaks barriers. Anytime a Seattle hipster crowd can raise its collective fists and sing along without any hint of irony or sarcasm, it is a victory.

But here I go, back to the word "Genuine". That's the best word to describe it. These songs are not altogether unheard-of. They are made of familiar parts: Beatles-esque piano melodies, a rhythm section worthy of Crazy Horse, Charity's vocal parts channeling Alela Diane or Laura Gibson, the ability to concentrate and synthesize the downhome folksiness of any number of classic rock torchbearers, etc., etc. But many bands who have easily-noticeable influences merely sound like they are mimicking those they admire. This band uses those elements as stepping stones to create a feeling and a sound that only belongs to them. No other act I've seen can make something so universal, so visceral, out of parts so seemingly anachronistic. While they are on stage, each member of the crowd--if properly invested emotionally--gets a feeling of being loved, simply for their presence and their willingness to participate. The foot-stomping and hand-clapping becomes contagious; the lyrics become salvos of all the things we are thinking in our heads and then censoring because they ring too true.

Even though they only recently got their record deal, this band is huge. And somehow, many of us are only now noticing that they always have been. From the grandiose road-tripping of "Down in the Valley" to the stately tenderness of "Winter Song", they've been simply being--not becoming--larger than life. All this time they've been saying, "We're well on our way...", and it has been true, in ways we couldn't even begin to conceptualize.

That will never be more obvious than it was tonight.

First Listen: Besnard Lakes - "Are the Roaring Night"

An experiment occurs below. I have always imagined that music reviewers listen to a piece of work at least a dozen times before they write about it. I know I have never presumed to write about something until I know what effect time and repitition will have on it. Below are my initial thoughts on the above album by Canadian chamber-rockers Besnard Lakes--even though it came out last spring, it's still new to me. And when I say "initial thoughts", I mean these are the things that occur to me as I listen to this album for the very first time, without ever having heard a note of it. There's probably several good reasons to not ever write about music in this fashion, but it seems like a fun thing to try, so let's put the needle in the groove, whaddayasay?

Like the Ocean, Like the Innocent
--Great opener. More fluid and dynamic than anything I can remember off of "Are the Dark Horse". This song is wide, expansive. It draws you in like a painting of a meadow at midnight. Classic rock-y, in a good way--maybe some Black Mountain influence? Good start.

Chicago Train
--Ghostly vocals in the intro, very reminicent of "For Agent 13". The instrumentation is sounding a lot more forward on this album so far, not as 'underwater' as they did on "...Dark Horse". So far, I like the new direction, but there was a great claustrophobic feeling about the last album that I am very much into. Great guitar work in this song, though.

Albatross
--I think this is the single. There's an odd, de-tuned sound to the backing guitars and the bass--odd for Besnard that a bassline dominates the melody the way this one does. Great backing choir-style vocals. "And I screamed for you, 'There goes my man!'"--gotta love a band that can clown on the Pixies a bit. Wait a minute--was this whole song about Black Francis...?

Glass Printer
--If "...Dark Horse" had the quality of waves ebbing and flowing and gently lapping on the shoreline, "...Roaring Night" has the quality of tidal waves hitting a deserted island in the same perfect rythym. This song, though otherwise kind of unremarkable on first listen, really encapsulates that. Now onto Side 2...

Land of Living Skies, Part 1: The Land
--Really just a 2-minute ambient set-up for...

Land of Living Skies, Part 2: The Living Skies
--This may be the most narrative BL song I've ever heard. It has a great spaghetti-western feel, I could totally see this in a Quentin Tarantino film. It also has a for-real verse-chorus-verse structure. Whoa--even an instrumental bridge after the second chorus?! Maybe if Yoko Ono had gotten with Brian Wilson instead of John Lennon, this is the type of stuff she'd have had him doing into the late 70's...

And This Is What We Call Progress
--Love the title, so there's that. Another surprisingly rawking number. Love the rolling bass and drums--great driving music (note to self: work on that "car-mounted turntable" idea...). This song is causing involuntary head-nodding. I so did not expect that when I put this record on tonight...

Light Up the Night
--Beginning seems simple enough, but the re-curring cymbal crescendos make me think that some loudness may be forthcoming. And there is the righteous guitar solo.

The Lonely Moan
--Another hushed masterpiece. There's almost a new-wave edge to the interplay of the bass and synth here, it's like an Annie Lennox out-take. If I were sequencing this album, I don't think I'd have made this the closer, even though it is a nice and pretty comedown from the previous track.


Overall take: I like this album. It uses the best parts of "...Dark Horse" and then builds upon them. Ultimately, it's more accessible, overall prettier, and just kind of makes more sense. If there is a knock on it upon first listen, it's that I really liked the claustrophobic feel of "...Dark Horse", and the fact that it, for lack of a better way to say it, made less sense. Strangely, this band has been able to pull off making their sound easier to take in, while also making their audio profile even more complex. Not a small feat.

So, y'know...go buy the damn thing. :)

2011: Newness and its opposite

I am writing this down as a way of giving myself the motivation to actually do it.

My goal is to revamp this blog. The store is dead, long live the store. There were a lot of great things about it, and a few not-so-great things. Now, for better or worse, it is history.

But the blog can still exist, in and of itself. I mean, it has VERY low overhead cost, so even I can't run it into the ground. ... Right?

Kidding.

In all seriousness, my plan is to continue to blog about music--some local, some not. Do some reviews of albums, do some off-the-cuff essay type stuff about the things I love about music in general, or certain pieces of music. Perhaps some of you will continue to read it. I hope so. And, by all means, if you have ideas for topics for me to tackle, serve 'em up. I just might take you up on them.

Currently listening to a compilation I put together for a friend of some of my favorites from 2010: Spoon, Harlem, Crystal Castles, Efterklang...to name a few.

I love that about mixes and playlists--putting seemingly disparate songs together can make you hear each of them in a whole new way.

While I did put together this compilation of some favorites, I have been thinking I might bow out on the idea of doing any definitive Year-End lists...though I might change my mind. If I was doing a list of best lyrics of the year, though, the following would definitely be near the top:

"Someday soon you'll be on fire / and you'll ask me for a glass of water / I'll say "No-o-o-ooo" / You can just let that shit burn." -Harlem, "Someday Soon"


Anyway, whatever. I'm done. For now.

n