I’ll admit to being a relative newcomer to their music; I was recently introduced to their previous album Ode to Sunshine (2008) and spent a good few days obsessing over it – tracks like “People C’mon” and “Trashcan” defining their sound for me – different, upbeat, vibrant, but I know this is a band I will be listening to for a long time. History from Below launches into brilliance with the more politically charged “911″(which for the first few seconds sounds very acoustic and reminiscent of something more fitting to Ingrid Michaelson until the drums kick in!) which takes a satirical stance on the current state of the US economy –‘The folks back east, they say the market’s fine/I heard that before 1929’, and singer Matt Vasquez’s voice adds a sense of raw honesty to the lyrics, as with the entire record, which develops into an album with evident character. Up next is “Bushwick Blues”, which suggests that the band have stepped towards a less folk, more rock direction, but it feels natural, not forced, as Vasquez’s individual vocals driving the band’s truly unique sound. After such an energetic start, calming the album down and setting the tone for the next few tracks (“White Table”, “Ransom Man”, “Devil Knows Your Dead”) comes “Salt in the Wound” which seems to be an emotional and eloquent existential crisis. Far from being depressing, this track has become one of my favorites on the album, its conclusion is not one of despair but hope and respite in the beauty of the world – ‘Now with my heart wide open / I listen to the wind just for a word / Sure, I know it’s futile / But that’s all I have in this world’.

For me, one thing that stands out about this album is that it is certainly a mature and varied progression from Ode to Sunshine – it deals with love, spirituality, politics – and the range of sounds and emotions and intensities are broad – from the subdued, folksy “Scarecrow,” diffused with the soft sounds of birds, to the powerful, upbeat “Golden State,” to the eight minute epic story of “Ballad of Vitaly” – probably my favorite track on the album. Yet despite this variation, it remains cohesive, thanks to Vasquez’s consistent vocal style and the skill and adaptation of the other band members. My only criticism (and it’s a super tiny one!) is that part of me feels that History from Below is lacking maybe one more really upbeat, anthemic track, like those defining Ode to Sunshine. It is undeniable that the band has progressed, but subtly – the energy fueling History from Below [...]]]> If it’s a band with the talent to soar from songs full of catchy hooks, powerful vocals, toe-tapping rhythms, dashes of scathing polemic wit and lyrical prowess to soft-spoken, beautiful ballads you’re after, San Diego’s Delta Spirit are the band for you. Their second full length studio album, History from Below was released at the start of June, and certainly does not disappoint.

I’ll admit to being a relative newcomer to their music; I was recently introduced to their previous album Ode to Sunshine (2008) and spent a good few days obsessing over it – tracks like “People C’mon” and “Trashcan” defining their sound for me – different, upbeat, vibrant, but I know this is a band I will be listening to for a long time. History from Below launches into brilliance with the more politically charged “911″(which for the first few seconds sounds very acoustic and reminiscent of something more fitting to Ingrid Michaelson until the drums kick in!) which takes a satirical stance on the current state of the US economy –‘The folks back east, they say the market’s fine/I heard that before 1929’, and singer Matt Vasquez’s voice adds a sense of raw honesty to the lyrics, as with the entire record, which develops into an album with evident character. Up next is “Bushwick Blues”, which suggests that the band have stepped towards a less folk, more rock direction, but it feels natural, not forced, as Vasquez’s individual vocals driving the band’s truly unique sound. After such an energetic start, calming the album down and setting the tone for the next few tracks (“White Table”, “Ransom Man”, “Devil Knows Your Dead”) comes “Salt in the Wound” which seems to be an emotional and eloquent existential crisis. Far from being depressing, this track has become one of my favorites on the album, its conclusion is not one of despair but hope and respite in the beauty of the world – ‘Now with my heart wide open / I listen to the wind just for a word / Sure, I know it’s futile / But that’s all I have in this world’.

For me, one thing that stands out about this album is that it is certainly a mature and varied progression from Ode to Sunshine – it deals with love, spirituality, politics – and the range of sounds and emotions and intensities are broad – from the subdued, folksy “Scarecrow,” diffused with the soft sounds of birds, to the powerful, upbeat “Golden State,” to the eight minute epic story of “Ballad of Vitaly” – probably my favorite track on the album. Yet despite this variation, it remains cohesive, thanks to Vasquez’s consistent vocal style and the skill and adaptation of the other band members. My only criticism (and it’s a super tiny one!) is that part of me feels that History from Below is lacking maybe one more really upbeat, anthemic track, like those defining Ode to Sunshine. It is undeniable that the band has progressed, but subtly – the energy fueling History from Below is more reserved in some aspects than Ode to Sunshine – it is still powerful, but more mature and precise. There is less of the Americana feel that enlivened their debut – it provides more of a cocktail of genres, still retaining the punchy and original sound that Delta Spirit have defined for themselves, but introducing a new depth – really clear in tracks like “Salt in the Wound” and “Ransom Man”. I love History from Below, and I love Delta Spirit.

If you’re a fan of Harvard, you should already know some things about Jesse Clasen. To name a few, he has an incredible voice and knows how to use it, he plays piano, and occasionally, he will play some horns. What Firewood immediately teaches us is that Jesse had a hidden talent up his sleeve. Sure, he played acoustic guitar on The Inevitable and I, but the guitar on Firewood is much more intricate and it draws you into the song immediately, catching your interest and allowing Clasen to do, well…all the other things he does really well. Don’t come here looking for the pounding drums, groovy bass lines, or dizzying guitars that can be found when listening to Harvard. Just sit back and introduce yourself to the truly one of a kind talent that is The Bear Romantic.

The album starts with “Stay Mine,” an amazing first track that opens with white noise that continues through the whole song.  The acoustic guitar keeps the sense of beat while filling the silence between Clasen’s ethereal wails, and when coupled with the white noise, creates a very somber mood. I’m used to hearing his beautiful high register, but a whole different side of Jesse emerges through The Bear Romantic, and he gets to show off his equally beautiful low register. The very low, repeated notes and the sound of creaking metal add to the dark mood and make it feel like something is pressing on my chest.  Although there is only one line in the entire song, there is never a boring moment. When the last note on guitar is hit, I literally breathe a sigh of relief as the weight on my chest is lifted. It’s a very powerful opening track.

Helping you recover from the mood created by “Stay Mine” is “Farmers,” a much more upbeat, but not any less dark, track. The repetitive lyrics and simplistic backing are hypnotic, and just conjure up this really dark and mysterious visual. The song definitely does have a dark aspect – “you can’t protest, you can’t move” – the song is directly addressed to the listener, who ‘better be watching the road’. It’s a beautiful warning, that’s enthralling and unnerving at the same time.

Up next is “Kings,” which keeps the upbeat guitar going. “Kings” is the heaviest use of drums on the album this far in, although most of the song is acoustic. Delayed and layered vocals and a little bit of backmasking add so much to this song, creating such a beautiful melody.

“Desantes” slows things down a bit, but from the opening guitar, even if it’s so mellow that I had to actively pay attention to it, I was hooked. It immediately grabbed my attention and never really let it go. “Kill me, I’m worth killing. Use me, I’m worth using. Forget me, I’m worth forgetting. Kiss me, I’m worth kissing.” The lyrics are lovely and the vocal melody is haunting and incredibly vulnerable sounding, the oohs and aahs between the chorus [...]]]>

If you’re a fan of Harvard, you should already know some things about Jesse Clasen. To name a few, he has an incredible voice and knows how to use it, he plays piano, and occasionally, he will play some horns. What Firewood immediately teaches us is that Jesse had a hidden talent up his sleeve. Sure, he played acoustic guitar on The Inevitable and I, but the guitar on Firewood is much more intricate and it draws you into the song immediately, catching your interest and allowing Clasen to do, well…all the other things he does really well. Don’t come here looking for the pounding drums, groovy bass lines, or dizzying guitars that can be found when listening to Harvard. Just sit back and introduce yourself to the truly one of a kind talent that is The Bear Romantic.

The album starts with “Stay Mine,” an amazing first track that opens with white noise that continues through the whole song.  The acoustic guitar keeps the sense of beat while filling the silence between Clasen’s ethereal wails, and when coupled with the white noise, creates a very somber mood. I’m used to hearing his beautiful high register, but a whole different side of Jesse emerges through The Bear Romantic, and he gets to show off his equally beautiful low register. The very low, repeated notes and the sound of creaking metal add to the dark mood and make it feel like something is pressing on my chest.  Although there is only one line in the entire song, there is never a boring moment. When the last note on guitar is hit, I literally breathe a sigh of relief as the weight on my chest is lifted. It’s a very powerful opening track.

Helping you recover from the mood created by “Stay Mine” is “Farmers,” a much more upbeat, but not any less dark, track. The repetitive lyrics and simplistic backing are hypnotic, and just conjure up this really dark and mysterious visual. The song definitely does have a dark aspect – “you can’t protest, you can’t move” – the song is directly addressed to the listener, who ‘better be watching the road’. It’s a beautiful warning, that’s enthralling and unnerving at the same time.

Up next is “Kings,” which keeps the upbeat guitar going. “Kings” is the heaviest use of drums on the album this far in, although most of the song is acoustic. Delayed and layered vocals and a little bit of backmasking add so much to this song, creating such a beautiful melody.

“Desantes” slows things down a bit, but from the opening guitar, even if it’s so mellow that I had to actively pay attention to it, I was hooked. It immediately grabbed my attention and never really let it go. “Kill me, I’m worth killing. Use me, I’m worth using. Forget me, I’m worth forgetting. Kiss me, I’m worth kissing.” The lyrics are lovely and the vocal melody is haunting and incredibly vulnerable sounding, the oohs and aahs between the chorus and verse bringing back the feeling from “Stay Mine.” If there is one singer I’ve heard who truly knows how to use their voice as an instrument, it is Jesse Clasen. The soft oohs, aahs, and layered vocals show another dimension of Clasen’s voice that we never hear in Harvard. “Desantes” is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing.

Track five, “The Shed,” definitely had to grow on me, but it quickly became one of my favorites on the album. It’s got kind of a harsh, jarring guitar, but the slight vibrato at the ends of Jesse’s vocals just make this song fun to listen to. “The Shed” features some of the most obviously disturbing lyrics on the album…lyrics that caught my attention, making me listen to it and allowing it to grow on me. “I’m lying in bed with my best friend. Check if he’s dead.” It’s quite chilling that it ends on that lyric.

The heaviest use of piano on the album, “Point of View” creates another dark mood, due to its low, almost discordant notes. For some reason, the second verse sounds slightly heavier and darker than the first verse, and I prefer the sound of the second verse. I love the haunting oohs and ahhs over the verses. The kalimba echoing the piano is just eerie sounding. The extremely low ending note is chilling, resonating in your bones.

“Yellow” begins with beautifully haunting oohs and aahs, immediately drawing me into the song. The deep vocals on the line, “are you jealous often?” make it stick in my head for a long time after each listen. The horns during the bridge create a sense of mourning and the vocal harmonies are tinted with longing. The lyrics are some of the most straight forward and easy to relate to on the album.

“Sparrows” combines acoustic guitar and piano to create a fuller sound, though still very stripped down and organic feeling. There is a very pretty piano part toward the end that brings up slow motion images of waves crashing into cliffs on a secluded beach somewhere. It’s the perfect mix of lovely and dark, something that the entire album is very good example of.

“The End” brings us to, well, the end. The more I listen to this song the more I love it. Even if you weren’t looking at the track listing you would just know that this would bring the album to a close. This is probably the most vulnerable song on the album…there is nowhere to hide. It’s just Jesse’s soft vocals over a very quiet guitar that barely fills the silence behind him. “He’s in your nightmares. He holds the future in his hands. He kills for pleasure.” “He sets fire to your bones.” Despite having the darkest lyrics on the album, “The End” manages to keep a very inspirational tone with its beautiful vocal melody.

Firewood is an amazing first album, and I certainly hope it’s the first of many. It’s refreshing, unique, and packed with more talent that you can find in most bands, and The Bear Romantic is just one guy. Firewood is completely different from Harvard’s material, which was a really nice surprise. It shows that Clasen is a very talented and versatile musician who will hopefully create lots of new material in the future. I will be eagerly awaiting new music from Jesse Clasen, whether it’s from The Bear Romantic, Harvard, or another project, but until then, Firewood will be on repeat.

The opening to Stegosaur’s Adventure 7″ sounds out as a welcoming conversation starter, a casual greeting to you, the listener on the other side. Jerid Reed Morris, the man behind the vocals, speaks to you of picking the attention of record executives and as you feel part of the conversation, it’s surely hard to wonder how this foursome could evade the kingpin dream-makers of the recording industry.

From first impressions alone, Adventure is a charming creature. The wailing energy of “A Headache”, after the steady intro, chimes familiarly toward that of The Strokes’ Albert Hammond Jr.’s solo work. The bubbling beat makes for perfect body thrashing material. Then “Big Breath”, the soundtrack for a crackling city pavement on a steaming summer’s evening, earns major props for both Jerid Reed Morris and Jose Clement Rodriguez who work flawlessly on the prickling guitar sound that explodes into angst at the middle peak of the song. Anyone who can identify with the longing freedom of M83′s “Don’t Save Us From The Flames” has found the yang to that yin in “Big Breath”.

Finally, the closer, and my personal favorite track, which is called “Bloooooood”, invokes hand clapping rhythms and the Rhodes piano fixture from Mr. Jose Clement Rodriguez throw in the way of Rilo Kiley but an originative edge of cool comes oozing past a barrier of supposals as the layered vocal talent of a ragamuffin choir strike upon the notes. The song slows into a slightly melancholic cry in spite of all the brightness, so you, the captured listener, feel as if you are being pulled with force down a candy rollercoaster of potential terror. It’s up, it’s down, backwards and forwards, but always fresh and never boring.

The only and perhaps the biggest problem with the Adventure 7″ is that closing with a track like “Bloooooood” leaves the listener restless and aching for more. Perhaps this is a method of the band, to keep us hungry and begging for a full, luscious album of chirpy hat tricks.

Stegosaur are the kind of band that are absolutely bursting with potential for massive expansion. For world domination, or domination of the hearts of many. The entire spectrum of their possibility must be explored, recorded, and rushed to record stores as soon as possible. Then, the fun [...]]]>

The opening to Stegosaur’s Adventure 7″ sounds out as a welcoming conversation starter, a casual greeting to you, the listener on the other side. Jerid Reed Morris, the man behind the vocals, speaks to you of picking the attention of record executives and as you feel part of the conversation, it’s surely hard to wonder how this foursome could evade the kingpin dream-makers of the recording industry.

From first impressions alone, Adventure is a charming creature. The wailing energy of “A Headache”, after the steady intro, chimes familiarly toward that of The Strokes’ Albert Hammond Jr.’s solo work. The bubbling beat makes for perfect body thrashing material. Then “Big Breath”, the soundtrack for a crackling city pavement on a steaming summer’s evening, earns major props for both Jerid Reed Morris and Jose Clement Rodriguez who work flawlessly on the prickling guitar sound that explodes into angst at the middle peak of the song. Anyone who can identify with the longing freedom of M83′s “Don’t Save Us From The Flames” has found the yang to that yin in “Big Breath”.

Finally, the closer, and my personal favorite track, which is called “Bloooooood”, invokes hand clapping rhythms and the Rhodes piano fixture from Mr. Jose Clement Rodriguez throw in the way of Rilo Kiley but an originative edge of cool comes oozing past a barrier of supposals as the layered vocal talent of a ragamuffin choir strike upon the notes. The song slows into a slightly melancholic cry in spite of all the brightness, so you, the captured listener, feel as if you are being pulled with force down a candy rollercoaster of potential terror. It’s up, it’s down, backwards and forwards, but always fresh and never boring.

The only and perhaps the biggest problem with the Adventure 7″ is that closing with a track like “Bloooooood” leaves the listener restless and aching for more. Perhaps this is a method of the band, to keep us hungry and begging for a full, luscious album of chirpy hat tricks.

Stegosaur are the kind of band that are absolutely bursting with potential for massive expansion. For world domination, or domination of the hearts of many. The entire spectrum of their possibility must be explored, recorded, and rushed to record stores as soon as possible. Then, the fun will ensue.

Mountain Man start their unique debut album, Made the Harbor, by asking you to ‘follow, follow follow’ and indeed, the voices of Amelia Meath, Molly Sarle, and Alex Sauser-Monnig, like the three sirens of Greek mythology, seem to grab you by the hand and lure you into their ethereal, beautiful world; their songs seduce and enchant you.

When listening, there was nothing to do but lie in silence, to be active felt as if I was doing the music a great disservice, and by the third track, I was utterly enthralled and in love. Like waves, Made the Harbor washes over your mind and pulls you to its depths.

Each track is short and perfectly sweet – the longest being 4:09 – and balances angelically harmonic and defined vocals with the background twangs of an acoustic guitar. Turned up loud, your ears can even make out the soft crackle of white noise which only adds to the natural, analog feel of the record, (often tracks are preceded with echoing speech or soft laughter) recorded in “two large rooms in Bennington Vermont.” Lyrics are varied and poetic, they range from stories to love songs, and the result is a haunting medley of music that feels as if it has echoed through the centuries to finally be recorded; they are shadows from the past, given volume, complexity and depth.

The record even features one cover, collected from the dusty archives of history and given new life- ‘How’m I doin’’ by the Mills Brothers, originally released in 1932. The way the three voices work together, like intertwined threads that stretch through the tracks, woven into harmonies and words produces a fabric of the most exquisite beauty.

The band has apparently only been performing since the Spring of 2009, and this album is a colossal achievement and testimony to their musical talent [...]]]>

Mountain Man start their unique debut album, Made the Harbor, by asking you to ‘follow, follow follow’ and indeed, the voices of Amelia Meath, Molly Sarle, and Alex Sauser-Monnig, like the three sirens of Greek mythology, seem to grab you by the hand and lure you into their ethereal, beautiful world; their songs seduce and enchant you.

When listening, there was nothing to do but lie in silence, to be active felt as if I was doing the music a great disservice, and by the third track, I was utterly enthralled and in love. Like waves, Made the Harbor washes over your mind and pulls you to its depths.

Each track is short and perfectly sweet – the longest being 4:09 – and balances angelically harmonic and defined vocals with the background twangs of an acoustic guitar. Turned up loud, your ears can even make out the soft crackle of white noise which only adds to the natural, analog feel of the record, (often tracks are preceded with echoing speech or soft laughter) recorded in “two large rooms in Bennington Vermont.” Lyrics are varied and poetic, they range from stories to love songs, and the result is a haunting medley of music that feels as if it has echoed through the centuries to finally be recorded; they are shadows from the past, given volume, complexity and depth.

The record even features one cover, collected from the dusty archives of history and given new life- ‘How’m I doin’’ by the Mills Brothers, originally released in 1932. The way the three voices work together, like intertwined threads that stretch through the tracks, woven into harmonies and words produces a fabric of the most exquisite beauty.

The band has apparently only been performing since the Spring of 2009, and this album is a colossal achievement and testimony to their musical talent and compatibility.

I have been following Parades for quite some time, always amazed by their releases. Finally, after months of waiting, their debut album Foreign Tapes has been released and it does not disappoint. The Sydney sextet has gone through many incarnations, changing names and styles left and right, with the final result being a fresh new approach to music and a stellar debut album. Foreign Tapes is what I would describe as being post math rock, having quiet ambient build ups and jolty textbook math rock movements much to the likes of Foals. In short, Parades has produced a standout album which is a tremendous display of Australian innovation and creativity, reaffirming Australian music as some of the best in the world.

Dead Nationale The opening track demonstrates the fusion between the technicality of the guitar work and the ambient echoes in the background. The groove is great throughout the song and the dual male/female vocal melodies are extremely sweet and give the track a very laid back feel until it bursts into an innovative punk riff which brings us to the climax of the track, before more ambience and a hint of electronic synths fill the speakers until the close.

Hunters I think this is one of those songs that will stand the test of time. It is not the kind of song that you would get sick of listening to after a few plays, but rather a song that is always associated with some of your favorites. The song is beautiful in its soft parts and epic in its harder parts. At the center of the song lies the perfect balance between grandness and beauty, and it’s filled with amazing guitar pieces which affirm at this point in the album that this band means business.

Past Lives The song begins with a really cool worldly beat and then builds to a beautiful acoustic section which is charged with simple yet powerful harmonies. The lyrics also play a key role in making this track sound the way it does, especially in the second acoustic section. I can see this as one of my favorite tracks on the album, as it encapsulates the more experimental worldly elements of Parades music.

Invaders (Review) This is perhaps the most electronic song on the album, mainly focusing on electronic drums and synthesizers to give the ambient feel to the track. The alternating individual vocal parts work well in this song, but when they come together it becomes so much more. The track is really colorful with many different layers to it, and the production is second to none. The album at this point has already displayed it’s diversity having showed us examples of world beat, ambient, electro, punk and post rock elements with the overlaying theme of math rock eminent through the tracks.

Springboarder The slow, “interlude track” sounds like something out of Sigur Rós’ back-catalog, demonstrating once again Parades’ post rock sound. The song brings a close to the first half of the album, leaving us to wonder what other genres and elements [...]]]>

I have been following Parades for quite some time, always amazed by their releases. Finally, after months of waiting, their debut album Foreign Tapes has been released and it does not disappoint. The Sydney sextet has gone through many incarnations, changing names and styles left and right, with the final result being a fresh new approach to music and a stellar debut album. Foreign Tapes is what I would describe as being post math rock, having quiet ambient build ups and jolty textbook math rock movements much to the likes of Foals. In short, Parades has produced a standout album which is a tremendous display of Australian innovation and creativity, reaffirming Australian music as some of the best in the world.

Dead Nationale
The opening track demonstrates the fusion between the technicality of the guitar work and the ambient echoes in the background. The groove is great throughout the song and the dual male/female vocal melodies are extremely sweet and give the track a very laid back feel until it bursts into an innovative punk riff which brings us to the climax of the track, before more ambience and a hint of electronic synths fill the speakers until the close.

Hunters
I think this is one of those songs that will stand the test of time. It is not the kind of song that you would get sick of listening to after a few plays, but rather a song that is always associated with some of your favorites. The song is beautiful in its soft parts and epic in its harder parts. At the center of the song lies the perfect balance between grandness and beauty, and it’s filled with amazing guitar pieces which affirm at this point in the album that this band means business.

Past Lives
The song begins with a really cool worldly beat and then builds to a beautiful acoustic section which is charged with simple yet powerful harmonies. The lyrics also play a key role in making this track sound the way it does, especially in the second acoustic section. I can see this as one of my favorite tracks on the album, as it encapsulates the more experimental worldly elements of Parades music.

Invaders (Review)
This is perhaps the most electronic song on the album, mainly focusing on electronic drums and synthesizers to give the ambient feel to the track. The alternating individual vocal parts work well in this song, but when they come together it becomes so much more. The track is really colorful with many different layers to it, and the production is second to none. The album at this point has already displayed it’s diversity having showed us examples of world beat, ambient, electro, punk and post rock elements with the overlaying theme of math rock eminent through the tracks.

Springboarder
The slow, “interlude track” sounds like something out of Sigur Rós’ back-catalog, demonstrating once again Parades’ post rock sound. The song brings a close to the first half of the album, leaving us to wonder what other genres and elements will be explored in the second half.

Lung Full Of Light
An off-beat grand piano and the gorgeous voice of Freya Berkhout are the basis for this unorthodox ballad which is again something fresh and genre bending on this already diverse album. This is without a doubt the most gorgeous song on the album, purely because of its amazing lyrics, moving piano progressions and a hauntingly beautiful voice.

Loserspeak In New Tongue
The true example of Parades’ experimental side, “Loserspeak In New Tongue” has an extremely odd vocal melody and time signature. The track is in a sense like a Picasso painting, it doesn’t seem to be in proportion or fit, and yet it comes together into a very memorable piece of art. How you choose to interpret it is up to you.

Tripping Over Your Eyes
“Tripping Over Your Eyes” is a soft and appropriate track for this time in the album. The well-executed “interlude” track is well positioned between the most experimental and progressive song, “Loserspeak In New Tongue,” and the longest track on the album, “Marigold,” which clocks up at about six and a half minutes long. The track welcomes back the grand piano, but this time we are approached with the male vocals which are just as beautiful as the female counterpart featured in “Lung Full Of Light”.

Marigold
The opening of this six and a half minute epic slowly layers different instruments on top of one another and builds up to a grand introduction to the vocal section. The song can be considered the most poppy song on the album, yet Parades doesn’t compromise their sound to produce a crappy piece of pop rubbish. They take the good things about pop music and make it their own to deliver to us a new and catchy summer anthem.

Vulturehood
I don’t know why but for some reason this song reminds me of some of MGMT’s more acoustic sounding work. The song grows and grows until we are brought back to earth for the album to fade out yet remain in our heads; this basic yet powerful song brings this magnificent effort from Parades to a close.

This album is a triumph from beginning to end and will definitely be a contender for one of the best albums of the year. The problem is that no one really knows about it, which is why I chose to review it. Hopefully Positivexposure will do what it is intended to do and reward this hardworking band by sharing their amazing efforts with the world and give this truly brilliant album the respect it deserves.

Best Track: Hunters

The first thing I want to say before I talk about the music is that I’ve always enjoyed MGMT’s carefree style of both performing and their general manner, and this feeling certainly comes through in the packaging of Congratulations. I purchased the Limited Edition, and the coolest thing about this album case is that it has a scratch off cover, that’s right, a scratch off cover, and soon after getting it home (but after I had put the CD on of course) I found myself scratching away to reveal the image underneath. It was a strangely rewarding little activity, and I think it really reflects the fun and childish nature of MGMT.

Now, onto the main attraction, the music. If you’re just coming off Oracular Spectacular, you’re not going to love the album straight away. Sure, there are songs such as “Flash Delirium” and Congratulations that certainly have the same feel and mood as some of the songs of O.S, but I’ve noticed MGMT has gone for a more reserved approach, not to say that there aren’t some very adventurous songs, I just feel as though MGMT has found what their sound should be, and they’re not groping for a style as I felt they were on O.S. Though you can be thankful, MGMT has found the perfect blend between their dancing, electronic songs, and their acoustic/rock tracks.

One issue with some of the songs on the album is that I don’t feel as though they are fully realised or acted upon. Some tracks really hit a high and then are suddenly cut sort, only for the next song to begin, which will momentarily disappoint, sometimes leaving you feeling a bit unsatisfied with songs. Luckily, the next track is sure to be delectable, so you’re quickly reassured that yes, you are enjoying this music a lot.

MGMT’s Congratulations is something that can only be decided on after one full, uninterrupted listening. But I’m sure that you will find that Congratulations is not just an album, it is a gift, one from Ben, Andrew, Matt, James and Will. It’s a gift of what they have to offer, which is a beautiful blend of sporadic, almost meaningless lyrics, soothing guitars, echoing harmonic voices and alarming keyboards and synth. It’s something to call by MGMT’s name. This is what MGMT wants us to think [...]]]> When MGMT released their first studio album, Oracular Spectacular, back in 2008, they basically placed themselves on the the Indie/Alternative map as a go to band for great dance (“Electric Feel”, “Kids”), ballad-y acoustic (“Pieces of What”, “Weekend Wars”) and just totally weird, eclectic tunes (“4th Dimensional Transition”). I myself loved the album, and MGMT has been a favourite of mine ever since, so when I heard that they were working on their second album, I’m sure you can imagine my excitement. It was a tough wait, but finally Congratulations is upon us.

The first thing I want to say before I talk about the music is that I’ve always enjoyed MGMT’s carefree style of both performing and their general manner, and this feeling certainly comes through in the packaging of Congratulations. I purchased the Limited Edition, and the coolest thing about this album case is that it has a scratch off cover, that’s right, a scratch off cover, and soon after getting it home (but after I had put the CD on of course) I found myself scratching away to reveal the image underneath. It was a strangely rewarding little activity, and I think it really reflects the fun and childish nature of MGMT.

Now, onto the main attraction, the music. If you’re just coming off Oracular Spectacular, you’re not going to love the album straight away. Sure, there are songs such as “Flash Delirium” and Congratulations that certainly have the same feel and mood as some of the songs of O.S, but I’ve noticed MGMT has gone for a more reserved approach, not to say that there aren’t some very adventurous songs, I just feel as though MGMT has found what their sound should be, and they’re not groping for a style as I felt they were on O.S. Though you can be thankful, MGMT has found the perfect blend between their dancing, electronic songs, and their acoustic/rock tracks.

One issue with some of the songs on the album is that I don’t feel as though they are fully realised or acted upon. Some tracks really hit a high and then are suddenly cut sort, only for the next song to begin, which will momentarily disappoint, sometimes leaving you feeling a bit unsatisfied with songs. Luckily, the next track is sure to be delectable, so you’re quickly reassured that yes, you are enjoying this music a lot.

MGMT’s Congratulations is something that can only be decided on after one full, uninterrupted listening. But I’m sure that you will find that Congratulations is not just an album, it is a gift, one from Ben, Andrew, Matt, James and Will. It’s a gift of what they have to offer, which is a beautiful blend of sporadic, almost meaningless lyrics, soothing guitars, echoing harmonic voices and alarming keyboards and synth. It’s something to call by MGMT’s name. This is what MGMT wants us to think of them.

It comes out tomorrow and will cure any post-Vday blues. (Check it out!)

Dreams of Dreams The first track starts off with the popping sound of fireworks. Anticipation. It’s the start of something great. In comes some Nintendo-esque guitar. It starts to get a bit churchy  toward the end with the very inspirational “they are all within my reach, they are free” gang vocals over an organ, but, this doesn’t ruin the mood at all. In fact, when I first heard that Fang Island has three guitarists, I thought it would all be just noise…They’re definitely a guitar based band but they don’t overdo it or leave other instruments out.

Careful Crossers I love how the song picks up energy right out of the gate and continues the inspirational vibe. This song has a very big sound..in fact it’s one of the largest sounding songs on the album. Maybe something an orchestra of guitarists could do. There is a stunning guitar riff about halfway through the song and the guitar fades between the ears, which I thought was a nice touch. The songs on this album are all just the right length.

Daisy This is the song that initially hooked me on Fang Island. It’s got a great drum beat and really catchy vocals. “Ooh, that’s alright, hey that’s okay.” The entire song is a great mix of slow and fast, creating a great mix of eclectic beats and hand claps, and no matter how much someone denies it…everyone loves hand claps. Just like with all of the songs on Fang Island, there is tons going on and they manage to reign it all in and make it work together beautifully.

Life Coach I feel like this song had a lot of potential to be annoying with its repetition and odd sounding guitar, and while it isn’t my favorite song on the album, it’s not annoying. I like how the faster guitar offsets the main guitar, and it sounds like there’s another guitar harmonizing with the fast guitar. I think these are what prevent the song from being annoying.

Sideswiper Who doesn’t love gang vocals? I definitely can’t understand any of the vocals in this song, but, it doesn’t matter. I don’t care what they’re saying because no matter what the words are I’d still feel great singing along. I bet they have to blow on their fingers after this song to put out the fire… frantic in all the right ways. There are bits of slow acoustic sounds subtly mixed in. This song sounds like a big reveal…if it were a movie sound track, where the vocals start would be where everything was in slow motion and started to make sense, [...]]]>
Brooklyn quintet Fang Island has created a 30 minute sonic journey of positivity and inspiration. Imagine winning the lottery…your first kiss…getting the girl…winning the game just at the buzzer…getting a promotion…having all your dreams come true. If your life were made into a movie, Fang Island would be playing very prominently in the background during all of those moments.

It comes out tomorrow and will cure any post-Vday blues. (Check it out!)

Dreams of Dreams
The first track starts off with the popping sound of fireworks. Anticipation. It’s the start of something great. In comes some Nintendo-esque guitar. It starts to get a bit churchy  toward the end with the very inspirational “they are all within my reach, they are free” gang vocals over an organ, but, this doesn’t ruin the mood at all. In fact, when I first heard that Fang Island has three guitarists, I thought it would all be just noise…They’re definitely a guitar based band but they don’t overdo it or leave other instruments out.

Careful Crossers
I love how the song picks up energy right out of the gate and continues the inspirational vibe. This song has a very big sound..in fact it’s one of the largest sounding songs on the album. Maybe something an orchestra of guitarists could do. There is a stunning guitar riff about halfway through the song and the guitar fades between the ears, which I thought was a nice touch. The songs on this album are all just the right length.

Daisy
This is the song that initially hooked me on Fang Island. It’s got a great drum beat and really catchy vocals. “Ooh, that’s alright, hey that’s okay.” The entire song is a great mix of slow and fast, creating a great mix of eclectic beats and hand claps, and no matter how much someone denies it…everyone loves hand claps. Just like with all of the songs on Fang Island, there is tons going on and they manage to reign it all in and make it work together beautifully.

Life Coach
I feel like this song had a lot of potential to be annoying with its repetition and odd sounding guitar, and while it isn’t my favorite song on the album, it’s not annoying. I like how the faster guitar offsets the main guitar, and it sounds like there’s another guitar harmonizing with the fast guitar. I think these are what prevent the song from being annoying.

Sideswiper
Who doesn’t love gang vocals? I definitely can’t understand any of the vocals in this song, but, it doesn’t matter. I don’t care what they’re saying because no matter what the words are I’d still feel great singing along. I bet they have to blow on their fingers after this song to put out the fire… frantic in all the right ways. There are bits of slow acoustic sounds subtly mixed in. This song sounds like a big reveal…if it were a movie sound track, where the vocals start would be where everything was in slow motion and started to make sense, and the softer, slower guitar would be the happy resolution before the credits.

The Illinois
Definitely not one of the more memorable songs on the album. More harmonizing guitars, though, make it very enjoyable. This is another song where they must have to blow on their fingers…I can’t even keep a strumming pattern for more than 5 seconds, let alone play like this. Then, everything fades to a stop and there’s nothing but more gang vocals, followed by guitars that make for a nice lead in to “Treeton.”

Treeton
In most of the vocals on Fang Island there are multiple people singing, but one higher pitched voice is prominent. However, during some parts of this song, one lower voice is prominent, allowing for outright harmonies, not gang vocals. Later on in the song, gang vocals are song on a single word, “woah.” The guitar here sounds kind of like birds trilling. “Treeton” has a nice and simple catchy rhythm, and the rhythm develops and gets more complex toward the end as it adds more riffs and separate rhythms.

Davy Crockett
This is definitely one of my favorite songs on the album. It starts of slow but not boring, with a very serene and simple keyboard sound. The entire song is an incredible buildup, and  in comes the anthemic guitar sound, followed by “Ooh ooh woah,” and something about Davy Crockett. It’s another song I can’t understand the lyrics of, but pretend I do so I can sing along anyway. I love the incredibly deep drum/clap sound toward the end. There are more harmonies instead of gang vocals, and I like these the best, especially the higher harmonies.

Welcome Wagon
Probably the “heaviest” song on the album, especially at the beginning, but also one of the most light-hearted sounding songs on the album, with its high-pitched, fun rhythm-ed guitar. I really love the technical element of the guitars in this song.

Dorian
If this were a movie sound track, “Dorian” would be playing during the end credits. It’s very melodic and ends just as the album began: with fireworks.

BOTTOM LINE:
This is an incredibly strong début from a band that will hopefully set the course for 2010. I’m easily predicting that Fang Island will be on my ‘best of 2010’ list, unless of course 2010 is an amazing year for music. Don’t judge a band by their biography is a lesson I learned from Fang Island…sure, this album is primarily instrumental and I love vocals, but this never even enters into the picture when I listen to this album. I think that people can love this album no matter what they’re normally into.

“Sink or Swim” This is probably the most pleasant opening on the album. It’s the catchiest song on the album, but of course it’s catchy, it’s Bernard Sumner and Phil Cunningham we’re talking about here. It’s obviously the single for a reason and a great choice for the first track. It’s energetic and immediately grabs your attention and doesn’t let it go.

“Twist of Fate” The bass and guitar lines of this song make for an energetic song that will probably be the easiest to translate live. “Twist of Fate” has the pleasure of having some of the heaviest drums on the album, giving it a little bit more energy than the rest of the songs.

“Summer Days” Bad Lieutenant’s great mix of throwbacks to great music and new influences really shows in this song for me. The bass is prominent and funky, and the guitar is loud without overpowering everything else that is great about the song. It’s definitely Sumner’s best vocal performance on the album other than the chorus of “This is H0me.”

“This is Home” This is a runner up for best song on the album. The opening sounds a lot like something The Cure would have written and the bass line definitely reminds me of a softer Elastica, who were pretty much the gods of bass lines. If I am not mistaken, Jake Evans sings this song. His voice is a lot deeper than I would have imagined! I would have liked hearing more of Jake on the album, but maybe on the next album. Not only are the chorus lyrics beautiful, so is the vocal melody. (“I want you by my side, girl I’m doing it for you, gonna open your eyes, I’m gonna take you higher than a bird can fly, girl, I’m so in love with you.”) I like how this song manages to be soft and upbeat at the same time. From the words that I can decipher, this has sappy love song potential, but Bad Lieutenant have avoided that with the happy sounding guitar and high harmonies. Synthesizer strings and pad were the perfect touch to the ending of this song. So far, this is a great album to sing to, something very important to me because I don’t just listen to music, I want to experience it.

“Running Out of Luck” A nice and steady bass line keeps this ultra-soft song going strong.

“Dynamo” The keyboards definitely sound like The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” but since when is that a bad thing? [...]]]>

When I first heard about New Order members Bernard Sumner and Phil Cunningham’s new band Bad Lieutenant, I thought, ‘Wow, are they going to sell any albums? Music is totally different today…’ This is probably because I wasn’t around in the 80s, (and I’m also not even old enough to remember Nirvana!) so the only New Order song I know is “Blue Monday,” which is pretty much Sumner talking to great music. Not hearing a synthesizer right away and actually hearing Bernard Sumner sing was a big and pleasant surprise.

“Sink or Swim”
This is probably the most pleasant opening on the album. It’s the catchiest song on the album, but of course it’s catchy, it’s Bernard Sumner and Phil Cunningham we’re talking about here. It’s obviously the single for a reason and a great choice for the first track. It’s energetic and immediately grabs your attention and doesn’t let it go.

“Twist of Fate”
The bass and guitar lines of this song make for an energetic song that will probably be the easiest to translate live. “Twist of Fate” has the pleasure of having some of the heaviest drums on the album, giving it a little bit more energy than the rest of the songs.

“Summer Days”
Bad Lieutenant’s great mix of throwbacks to great music and new influences really shows in this song for me. The bass is prominent and funky, and the guitar is loud without overpowering everything else that is great about the song. It’s definitely Sumner’s best vocal performance on the album other than the chorus of “This is H0me.”

“This is Home”
This is a runner up for best song on the album. The opening sounds a lot like something The Cure would have written and the bass line definitely reminds me of a softer Elastica, who were pretty much the gods of bass lines. If I am not mistaken, Jake Evans sings this song. His voice is a lot deeper than I would have imagined! I would have liked hearing more of Jake on the album, but maybe on the next album. Not only are the chorus lyrics beautiful, so is the vocal melody. (“I want you by my side, girl I’m doing it for you, gonna open your eyes, I’m gonna take you higher than a bird can fly, girl, I’m so in love with you.”) I like how this song manages to be soft and upbeat at the same time. From the words that I can decipher, this has sappy love song potential, but Bad Lieutenant have avoided that with the happy sounding guitar and high harmonies. Synthesizer strings and pad were the perfect touch to the ending of this song. So far, this is a great album to sing to, something very important to me because I don’t just listen to music, I want to experience it.

“Running Out of Luck”
A nice and steady bass line keeps this ultra-soft song going strong.

“Dynamo”
The keyboards definitely sound like The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” but since when is that a bad thing? It’s poppy and simple, with soaring vocals and simple, almost deep lyrics. “Life is a precious thing,” is repeated throughout the song, and of course I’m won over by the ‘doo doo doos’ that I love so much!

“Poisonous Intent”
This song is sort of hard to take seriously because its lyrics are sort of like I am watching a COPS re-run. (“Hey bad man, where are you gonna go” vs. COPS theme song “bad boys, whatcha gonna do.”) Otherwise, this is a great song. The bass line sounds very electronic and it supports the song quite nicely. It’s so far the heaviest use of electronics on the album. While this band is pretty much defined as being ‘not New Order,’ and not using synthesizers, they do, but because this band is guitar based, the synth is eased in slowly.

“These Changes”
The vocals of the chorus sound like a 90s alt-rock song which, with me being a 90s child and all, wins me over.

“Walk on Silver Water”
The lyrics of this song are very sweet and humble, “I can’t walk on water or still the raging sea. I can’t move a mountain.” Who doesn’t love harmonizing guitars?

“Shine Like the Sun”
There’s that synth we’ve been waiting for. It opens with a heavy focus on a fun synth part.

“Runaway”
I love the deep piano that comes in mid-verse. A nice blend of traditional instruments and electronics is seen in this song. A beautiful acoustic guitar, a classic piano sound, and a synthesizer all blend to make this song fit in with the album as well as stand out on its own. All the different instruments help keep your attention, as there is always something intricate to listen to.

“Head Into Tomorrow”
This song is definitely the most simple on the album, starting with a nice folky guitar riff. Add in some light piano here and there, Jake Evans’ smooth voice, and Bernard Sumner’s harmonies, and you’ve got a great transition into what you think will be the even softer side of the album.

“Falling Tree”
This track sounds like it was meant for the beginning half of the album. It’s upbeat once again, probably to give “Split the Atom” more impact as the closing song.

“Split the Atom”
A great, uplifting and inspiring opening. This immediately became my favourite song on the album. “You say your heart was in his hands, while he was busy making other plans,” “I would do anything for you; split the atom until it’s two, stand in front of a speeding train,” are just a few of the lyrics that make this song beautiful and easy to relate to for everyone. Not to break out the cheesy writing, but this song just sounds like a summer day in a vast, open field with sunshine and butterflies and gigantic puffy clouds [preferably in the shape of something doubly cheesy.] I feel like I need to hear this song as the ending of a movie, the conclusion of a movie where everything is working out perfectly and you leave knowing there wont be a sequel because the ending was perfect. Or, it could even be the inspiring movie trailer song [sometimes, they're better than the dang movie!] Jake Evans’ deep, soft vocals complement the higher pitched albums. If I had to remember Bad Lieutenant in one way, it would be that they were great at writing beautiful lyrics to soft but upbeat tracks, a formula that Bad Lieutenant seems to have mastered. Never a boring moment during this song, this was the perfect closing track.

(forgive me if any of the lyrics I typed up are wrong!)

Bottom Line: I don’t exactly understand the cover art, but we’re lucky it even says the band’s name on it, trust me. A total surprise when you look at it going in as a product of New Order. My one and only gripe is that the production could have used a bit of work, because some of the vocals tend to get muddied in the mix and when you have such great singers, why the vocal filters? However, taking into account that this was recorded in home studios and produced by Bad Lieutenant themselves, that gripe goes out the window because I would never guess that this wasn’t a completely professional job.

Newborns on the music scene, fun. are the bubbly indie pop trio formed by The Format’s Nate Ruess. After listening, there is no doubt in my mind that fun. have indeed produced one of the most essential albums, pop or otherwise, of 2009. The band’s name itself is enough to give music listeners reason to pick up Aim & Ignite, but curiosity shouldn’t be your only reason for checking out the group’s debut album.

Aim & Ignite is an infectious, melodic, and outright brilliant album, from start to finish. Listeners shouldn’t shy away from the “pop” label the band has been given – in reality, their pop influences lie in the same vein as the Beach Boys, Queen, and in some cases, 50s doo-wop. The album is really a confection, and every slice of the cake is better than the last. No filling in this pastry, the entire thing is legitimate. As fun. says, “She brings me a cake/we celebrate/I have arrived.”

Initial Thoughts: Lowercase spelled, improperly punctuated, and indie pop labeled? I can’t say I was impressed or looking forward to fun. With those stats, I was expecting yet another cranked out, commercially successful side project.

Now: This really is indie pop, the very definition of it. fun. legitimates the genre itself.

Best Track: Light A Roman Candle With Me. Incredibly tough decision, and I only picked this because it was the first one that stuck out [...]]]>

Newborns on the music scene, fun. are the bubbly indie pop trio formed by The Format’s Nate Ruess. After listening, there is no doubt in my mind that fun. have indeed produced one of the most essential albums, pop or otherwise, of 2009. The band’s name itself is enough to give music listeners reason to pick up Aim & Ignite, but curiosity shouldn’t be your only reason for checking out the group’s debut album.

Aim & Ignite is an infectious, melodic, and outright brilliant album, from start to finish. Listeners shouldn’t shy away from the “pop” label the band has been given – in reality, their pop influences lie in the same vein as the Beach Boys, Queen, and in some cases, 50s doo-wop. The album is really a confection, and every slice of the cake is better than the last. No filling in this pastry, the entire thing is legitimate. As fun. says, “She brings me a cake/we celebrate/I have arrived.”

Initial Thoughts: Lowercase spelled, improperly punctuated, and indie pop labeled? I can’t say I was impressed or looking forward to fun. With those stats, I was expecting yet another cranked out, commercially successful side project.

Now: This really is indie pop, the very definition of it. fun. legitimates the genre itself.

Best Track: Light A Roman Candle With Me. Incredibly tough decision, and I only picked this because it was the first one that stuck out to me.

When’s the last time you’ve hear a pop-punk band talking about good grades? A Clear Blurr, the teenage quartet from New Jersey consisting of honor students and even a golf team captain, is getting ready to release their second studio album, Trigonometry. Yes folks, Trigonometry. A Clear Blurr’s infectious melodies and poppy bass take me back to the good old days when New Found Glory had just dropped the ‘A’ from their name.

If you’ve been lacking some quality old-school late ’90s/early ’00s pop-punk lately, pick up a copy of Trigonometry when it drops in September and quench your cravings quicker than you can say, ‘What’s a CD?’

Initial Thoughts: At first, as I was coming off of an all-I-want-to-listen-to-is-NFG bender, I thought that this was just another bunch of teenagers trying to copy bands like New Found Glory and Blink-182.

Now: I then realized that they weren’t trying, they were comparable on the same level as NFG and Blink and that, if I didn’t know they were fresh out of high school, I would never have guessed.

Best Track: Brain Dead. It’s an energetic song everyone can relate to.

DROPS [...]]]>

When’s the last time you’ve hear a pop-punk band talking about good grades? A Clear Blurr, the teenage quartet from New Jersey consisting of honor students and even a golf team captain, is getting ready to release their second studio album, Trigonometry. Yes folks, Trigonometry. A Clear Blurr’s infectious melodies and poppy bass take me back to the good old days when New Found Glory had just dropped the ‘A’ from their name.

If you’ve been lacking some quality old-school late ’90s/early ’00s pop-punk lately, pick up a copy of Trigonometry when it drops in September and quench your cravings quicker than you can say, ‘What’s a CD?’

Initial Thoughts: At first, as I was coming off of an all-I-want-to-listen-to-is-NFG bender, I thought that this was just another bunch of teenagers trying to copy bands like New Found Glory and Blink-182.

Now: I then realized that they weren’t trying, they were comparable on the same level as NFG and Blink and that, if I didn’t know they were fresh out of high school, I would never have guessed.

Best Track: Brain Dead. It’s an energetic song everyone can relate to.

DROPS SEPTEMBER 29