Album Review: Monkeytown
With Monkeytown, Berlin-based electronic maestros Modeselektor have released their best album to date. Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary’s tastes are beyond eclectic. In an interview, the pair labeled Modeselektor as “happy metal, hard rap, country-ambient, Russian crunk” and stressed, “We don’t like it if people tag us as being a certain style or school or scene or whatever. We don’t really care about all that.” The duo certainly do not limit themselves to genre on Monkeytown.
After numerous listens, “Pretentious Friends” may just be the track of the year for me. Among the guests on Monkeytown, LA-based emccee Busdriver is the standout. His humor and fluctuating speed of delivery align perfectly with Modeselektor’s frantic beats on the only hip hop-infused track on the record. The mid-song phone call “was fabulous!”
Modeselektor “Pretentious Friends” feat. Busdriver (MONKEYTOWN015) OUT SEP 30 by Modeselektor
Much of the press around the album centered on Thom Yorke appearing on two of the tracks. Yorke is a huge fan of the band, and Modeselektor has supported Radiohead on tours overseas. Yorke has expressed that the band is one of his inspirations for getting so deep into electronic styles with recent Radiohead and solo releases. On Monkeytown, both Yorke appearances are stellar. His vocals are looped throughout much of “Shipwreck,” fitting nicely with the off-beat drum and bass. Yorke delivers three brilliant, high-pitched verses in the track using an original vocal delivery. It’s like nothing I’ve heard from him before. The second Yorke track, “This,” features more looped segments of different vocal pieces. There are no standard verses, but the use of these vocal fragments play nicely off Modeselektor’s intensely layered composition.
Album standouts include “Grillwalker,” and “Green Light Go.” The latter may be the most straightforward track on the record in terms of traditional song structure, and features Australia-based experimental rockers PVT. “Berlin” may be the most single-friendly and chartable track on Monkeytown, featuring a catchy R&B hook and guest appearance by Romanian-German singer, Miss Platinum. The slowly building “Blue Chords” and the subdued “War Cry” serve as beautiful bookends to a near-perfect album. I’m not sure how Monkeytown will be topped as my favorite album of 2011. I haven’t been this excited about an electronic album since LCD Soundsystem’s This Is Happening. This one deserves to be part of your vinyl collection. It’s 56 minutes of aural bliss.
Listen to excerpts from the album below or stream the entire thing on the album player on the right side of the page [via Spin]
Album Review: Burst Apart
To attempt to follow up Hospice, The Antlers magnificent, near-flawless 2009 concept album, with another emotionally-draining, concept-heavy release would have been a mistake, if not impossible. Burst Apart is certainly emotional and serves as one of our favorite albums of the 2011 so far. While Hospice was best enjoyed in the context of the album as a whole, Burst Apart follows a more traditional song-based format. Album standout “Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out” features lead Antler Peter Silberman’s chilling falsetto set against a folk-rock soundtrack. The track’s angsty climax induces goosebumps after repeated listens. The band played the track on The Tonight Show recently (see the video below).
Burst Apart does stay quiet for long periods of time, as did Hospice. Instrumental track “Tiptoe” serves as an instrumental intermission between numerous gems. However, Burst Apart is much more upbeat then its predecessor. “Parenthesis” finds the amp turned up a bit on Silberman’s guitar blended with searing synths and effects creating an eerie atmosphere. For the most part, the album finds its strengths in the subtle beauty of tracks like “No Windows” and “Corsicana.” Silberman’s background falsetto on the former serves as a haunting contrast to the track’s verses. In the end, the record does not reach the heights that Hospice did in 2009 but does accomplish what it most likely set out to: deliver an honest, moody and minimalist record with no filler.
Album Review: Volcanic Sunlight
Some reviews have called Saul William’s latest effort, Volcanic Sunlight, a misstep. I’d call it more of a sidestep and would argue that it’s his bravest, if not best, release to date. The Trent Reznor-produced The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust was my favorite album of 2007. With hints that the record incorporated mostly leftover compositions from Reznor’s previous works, one might have expected a disconnect between the music and Saul’s vocals. There was none, and the Trent/Saul collaboration was lightning in a bottle. For Volcanic Sunlight, Saul Williams uprooted himself, made Paris his new home, and got rid of some past demons. Williams has said in interviews that he’s freed himself of a lot of his past rage: “I think I’ve exorcised a lot of my anger through my music in the past, whereas this time around this really just feels perfect.” [via RockFeedback]
Williams has said the album is more of a focus on the music than his vocals. I’m not sure we’re listening to the same record. This might be true on lighter, poppier tracks like “Dance” and “Girls Have More Fun,” but the slam poet still brings heavy lyrics, via both singing and spoken word. Without the production and programming previously provided by Reznor, Williams seems to be open to exploring pop and dance music. I suppose this is what is throwing off some other reviews. Maybe Saul has figured out something we have yet to and is celebrating his new-found revelations. Standout tracks “Triumph” and “Fallup,” as well as the first single “Dance,” sound celebratory in nature. “Triumph” breaks new ground for Williams. The chorus features a pure musical liturgy that embodies Saul’s increasing sense of hope. “Fall Up” is one of the calmest tracks Saul has written and encompasses a slow-tempo R&B composition. “Patience” and “Give It Up” resemble the intensity of much of Williams’ past discography and make Volcanic Sunlight Saul’s most diverse, yet cohesive, work yet. You can check out the videos for “Explain My Heart” and “Dance” below:
Album Review: Nine Types Of Light
Return to Cookie Mountain is one of my all-time favorite records, so I’m with the minority of those who were not completely enamored by the band’s last release Dear Science. Yet, in Nine Types of Light, TV on the Radio has made a bold, unpredictable masterstroke that defies the characterization of a major label band. It’s as if TVOTR has found a recipe for songwriting that pleases the suits at Interscope, but, more importantly, remains loyal to fans who have followed the band into stardom.
Nine Types of Lights is a record from a band with absolute confidence in their craft. While a move from Brooklyn to LA during the recording process may have signaled that something has changed or needed changing, guitarist/producer Dave Sitek’s LA studio appears to have provided little interference on the band’s fifth full-length effort. They certainly brought Brooklyn’s soul with them on standout tracks like “Keep Your Heart” and “You.” The former would have fit nicely in the track listing for Return to Cookie Mountain, while the latter is my early pick for favorite track of the year. And “Caffeinated Consciousness” serves as a thunderous album closer, a stark contrast to “Lover’s Day” on Dear Science or the never-really-ending (14 “untitled” tracks)Return to Cookie Mountain. Maybe this communicates that the band is more sure of themselves these days and slightly less melancholy as Kyp Malone chants “We’re the tail-end of the sun | To a greener hideaway | Where in peace I found my fun” … probably not. It sounds more like the band just has more confidence that humanity will find its way out of the mire.
In the end, Nine Types of Light sounds like a more reserved revisiting of the formula that made me such a huge fan of the band when I first heard the stunning “Staring at the Sun” on the end credits of Entourage (not a true story). While it didn’t affect me as much or hit the creative peak that Return to Cookie Mountain did, it’s undoubtedly on my short list for favorite albums of 2011 so far. The band also made a 60-minute-long film to accompany the album and features each track. Watch and listen to Nine Types of Light in its entirety below:
Album Review: Chuckles and Mr. Squeezy
Dredg’s new direction may be an inspired attempt to recreate their progressive sound, but it’s not a record that will be on my playlist very much this summer. The news of Dan The Automator (Loveage, Gorillaz) as producer raised expectations and made this album one of my most anticipated releases of the year.
Ultimately, the album is haunted by a generic, radio-friendly formula that offers very little of the creativity found on classic Dredg releases like El Cielo and Catch Without Arms. Album opener, “Another Tribe,” offers a tease of what could have been, featuring Dan The Automator’s signature sound. However, Chuckles and Mr. Squeezy continues with bland offerings like “Upon Returning” and “Somebody is Laughing.” Hard core Dredg fans may be pleased to find live, unreleased favorite “The Ornament” on the tracklist. However, the studio version feels out of place and not nearly as interesting as the live incarnation. I’m still a huge Dredg fan, but I hope the band steers the musical direction back toward progressive, creative soundscapes on the next release.
Chuckles And Mr. Squeezy by Dredg
Album Review: Tomboy
Panda Bear follows up the all-time great Person Pitch, an effort that won him unanimous critical acclaim, with a moody, guitar-driven collection of hit-or-miss anthems. The album serves as a near-perfect soundtrack to the summer but doesn’t warrant the repeat listens of his former masterstroke. To be fair, practically nothing would. The pressure to follow up one of our generation’s most unique, creative, and addicting records was a task that even Noah Lennox was not going to be able to pull off.
Tomboy includes several standout tracks, including the hypnotic “Last Night at the Jetty.” The track features Lennox’s standard falsetto but expands into euphoric harmonies during the song’s blissful peaks. My two favorite tracks, “Drone” and “Scheherezade,” are atmospheric pieces where Panda Bear uses that falsetto as an instrument to compliment simple melody from noise and drones. It’s a beautiful exercise that isn’t experimented with at this level beyond the two tracks.
Ultimately, Panda Bear does not reach the heights of his last effort but provides a solid statement that his solo career beyond Animal Collective will continue to push the boundaries of pop and experimental music. I still find Avey Tare’s Down There to be a less repetitive, more cohesive and creative exploration of what the genre needs and represents. It’s more affecting on repeated listens.
Album Review: Angles
What a massively addicting album this is! From the masterstroke of an opener in “Machu Picchu,” which is personally my favorite track of 2011 so far, to the Cornel West namedrop in “Life Is Simple In The Moonlight.” Yes, Is This It? was THE album that reinvigorated an apathetic rock scene early last decade. And it was an album that cannot be disputed as an all-time great. Fortunately, The Strokes topped themselves with 2003′s Room on Fire, which I contend is their best.
With their fourth album, Angles, the band releases their most diverse album to date. In a sense, they have reinvented their sound and challenged themselves to progress their amazingly successful formula. Of course, you still have that classic Strokes sound in tracks like “Under Cover Of Darkness” and “Taken For A Fool.” But I’m a bit disappointed by all the fans who are instantly dismissing so much of this album. “You’re So Right” has been labeled a “throw away” in many reviews and by fans on social networks. The track is refreshingly unique and comprises elements the band has yet to explore. I’m reminded of Radiohead when listening to the glitchy percussion and late screeching guitars. Julian Casablancas never ceases to amaze me with his ability to deliver vocals with a unique approach on each track, which is exemplified on “You’re So Right.” It may be an unpopular declaration, but it’s a standout for me on Angles.
Angles is not an album that I needed repeated listens to appreciate. The 80s vibe of “Two Kinds of Happiness” and “Games” and the Steely Dan homage on “Gratisfaction” had me instantly hooked. It’s a shame that many reviews of the album focus on the struggles the band had during recording sessions. Some even admit that you hear a separation in Julian’s vocals and the rest of the band. Let’s write about the music, ya’ll! I revisit the discography more often than I’d like to admit, but Angles is my favorite album of 2011. Hipsters, you may resume your head bob.
Album Review: Collapse Into Now
Collapse Into Now is without a doubt R.E.M.’s best effort in the 15 years that have passed since New Adventures in Hi-Fi. It’s the most “R.E.M”sounding record in a long time as well. Back is Peter Buck’s mandolin, and back are the classic lyrics of Michael Stipe. A lot of people wrote this band off when Bill Berry retired in 1997, saying they would never again reach the perfect flow of albums like Automatic For The People and Green; it seems that they’ve finally proven the critics wrong with Collapse.
Although 2008’s Accelerate was a great punch in the arm for the band and a return to the form of the classic Document, their latest seems like a real comeback for the band responsible for some of the best songs of their generation. Although opening with back to back rockers “Discoverer” and “All the Best” might trick you into thinking this is Accelerate Part 2, they dial it back a bit with “Überlin,” an easily relatable story of just making it through the day with your dignity intact. Another highlight, “Walk it Back,” brings to mind “Drive” off of Automatic with its almost laid back shuffle and lyrical content. The album ends with the hauntingly beautiful almost spoken word “Blue,” featuring guest vocals from Patti Smith. This my friends is one of the best songs this band has ever written. “Blue” also has one of the best codas I’ve ever heard in a song, reprising lead off track “Discoverer” in the final seconds.
R.E.M. seem to have found a producer who fits them in the new millennium with Ireland’s Jacknife Lee. He brings a classic sound to these new songs that can simply make you smile and remember albums’ past. Collapse Into Now is, at times, a cross between Out of Time and Monster, showing that they can be contemplative but also kick out the jams when they need to. If you’re a fan of any era of R.E.M, I can’t recommend this album enough. It draws on all of the band’s strengths without sounding redundant and contains some of their strongest songwriting in years. I’d be very surprised if this isn’t near the top of a few lists come year’s end.
Album Review: Let England Shake
On Let England Shake, PJ Harvey’s fifth album since 2000, she takes a new direction both in songwriting and vocal style. Gone is the sometimes harsh singing that listeners have become accustomed to. Also gone are the abrasive songs heard on albums like Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea and Uh Huh Her, replaced with almost quiet, contemplative tracks that deal with the subject of war and the havoc it can cause ordinary people.
The title track kicks off the album with an addictive xylophone melody and Harvey’s new high register. It’s been said her new voice is distracting and not fitting to the music; however, this reviewer couldn’t disagree more. Her voice fits the songs perfectly and actually makes you wonder what her other albums would sound like had they been sung in this fashion. The first single, “The Words That Maketh Murder,” sounds a bit like Patti Smith Lite, which coming from any other artist might come across like a joke. Here though, Harvey is able to suck you into a story of war’s destruction in the Middle East, leaving us with one of the most intelligent songs to be released this year.
PJ Harvey sounds vital on this album in a way she hasn’t in years. This is one of the most subdued efforts from her that I can remember hearing and serves as evidence that a protest album can actually come across quite well in the modern era. The album tends to drag on a bit towards the end and, at times, the message gets lost. In the end, this is another solid effort from the lovely Ms. Harvey. I’d recommend this if you enjoy a little intelligence with your music listening experience.
Album Review: The King Of Limbs
Radiohead took a four-year hiatus only to return and release an eight-song, 37-minute LP of pretentious, heavily-looped B-sides. That sentiment seems to be a popular complaint among the talentless members of the underachieving blogosphere. Let’s take another listen, evaluators! Radiohead albums have always required repeated listens. I despised Amnesiac upon first listen, but the album grew until it sprouted into a six-month addiction during Napster’s peak. Why are we expecting another OK Computer or Kid A? Let your favorite band explore new ground, experiment, and not give a fuck what you think …
The King of Limbs not layered enough for you? The opening track, “Bloom” features more gorgeous layers than I can recall from other songs in the entire discography. Haunting strings and the high-pitched perfection of an emotional Thom Yorke conduct a stunning wall of noise. “Little by Little” sounds like a bastard child of Amnesiac and In Rainbows. “Feral” is my favorite track this week, a complete departure from anything the band has released in years. Yorke is definitely wearing his recent collabs with Flying Lotus and Modeselektor on his sleeve. “Lotus Flower” is a beautiful and stifling track that features exquisitely ambiguous lyrics from Yorke, who also serves up a free-form dance for the official video (see below) inspired by his freak-out antics during live shows. YouTube videos immediately surfaced with Yorke dancing to mainstream dance favorites like Beyonce’s “Single Ladies.” I’m not going to embed it here, you can search for yourself.
“Codex” finds Yorke at a piano singing a heart-wrenching ballad: “Jump off the end into a clear lake | No one around, just dragonflies | Flying to the side, no one gets hurt | You’ve done nothing wrong.” Although the song reminds me of “Last Flowers” or “Videotape” from In Rainbows, it’s a severely stripped down track that relies on Yorke’s delicate delivery and late accompanying strings. Another highlight is “Give Up The Ghost,” which finds Yorke singing along with a sampled version of his own voice, as he’s done on previous efforts (see “I Will” from Hail to the Thief). For those complaining there is no guitar on this album, have you listened closing track, “Separator”? Johnny Greenwood’s melodic guitar arrangement accompanies Yorke’s harmonies and Selway’s off-time back beat for a nearly perfect ending. “If you think this is over, then you’re wrong” Yorke repeats four times near the end of the track. While some are hoping for a sequel, I’m going to put this one on for another spin and be thankful my generation’s most talented group of musicians still finds the energy and inspiration to continuously challenge my musical predispositions. The King of Limbs is our early leader for favorite album of the year.