Thursday, February 25, 2010
Music to Watch- 'Good Intentions Paving Company' Joanna Newsom
Initially I was going to review a different track off JN's amazing new release Have One on Me. Then I decided that the best track really did deserve some special recognition. This song moved me in a way that neither Ys or Milk Eyed Mender did on first listen. The voice that could once tease grating is suddenly a mature instrument in a pop/country/medieval/dance/folk/woah vibe. This album hosts a groove that is encapsulated in the near seven minutes of Good Intentions Paving Company. Newsom is finally talking about herself without layers and layers of extra text. She is expressing her messages in hook-laden tunes that hold all that technical beauty of Ys without the tendencies that scared some listeners off (while inebriated I once said that Joanna Newsom sounded like an ancient, crazy woman that is eternal). Paving Company is a mini epic that sounds, in my mind, like Newsom smoked a blunt at her piano while listening to Dolly Parton. The Newsome mystique has always been based around whether or not she took her music seriously. She spoke in twisting, knotty fables that were always greatly rewarding after multiple listens to let the text sink in. The mystique has now shifted to something that comes very close to happiness. Newsom speaks in Good Intentions with the voice of a confident woman finding the spring that comes after the melancholia of winter. Really, well worth a listen on a clear morning as you bustle to work. (That sentence intentionally had the word bustle in it)
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Spring is Coming, the mix
What Else Is There (Ft Karin Dreijer Anderson)- Royksopp
I like this song as a pick-up from where the list mix picked up. This is one of the most epic tracks KDA has ever contributed to and, though older, it still sounds like it could be added to many of the last year's pop/electronic albums as a lead single without anyone batting an eyelash.
Run This Town- L'il Wayne
Yeah, so btw if you didn't get in on No Ceilings then you have missed out on a hugely fun release from one of the best living musical artists that just happens to feature a few backtracks we know/love/hate from that ol' radio box the truly indie are not allowed to ever listen to.
Camera Talk- Local Natives
This group just released an extremely confident, well-rounded album by the name of Gorilla Manor. GO LISTEN TO IT IMMEDIATELY. Just kidding, keep reading this blog.
Moonson- Delorean
My infatuation with this Barcelona project continues and I am anxiously awaiting March with the promise of their first full-length(!) This song is the closing track to the Delorean EP and it closes some of the doors flung open by Moonsun while still standing as a great track in its own right.
Thieves in the Night- Hot Chip
While their latest (One Life Stand, 2010) is not my favorite Hot Chip album, our boys still managed to produce some enjoyable tunes. This track gives us a very strong opener in this musical reinvention of the Hot Chip album: think less techno and more pop. Don't expect a Ready for the Floor but do expect another ear-candy treat from the electronic version of Vampire Weekend.
She's the One- Caribou
This is pulled from one of those very prestigious albums that made plenty of '2009 Best' lists. Personally, I feel this track is very technically excellent and has enough heart/soul to make it worth repeated listens.
Satellite Snyper- Pantha du Prince
This brand-spanking-new album for Feb 2010 is GREAT. I love minimalism in electronic music and Pantha du Prince creates (what my itunes calls) blacknoise with aplomb, grace and a seemingly vicious desire to soundtrack the areas between light and dark.
Dream Get Together- Citay
Another brand-spanking new album that will worm its way into top-ten lists everywhere. Simple hooks, simple production and simple ideas meld together in a musically complex and lyrically beautiful 4:11.
Vcr- The XX
I'm going to see the xx in March with JJ (omg!!!!) so I'm stocking up on their bests. VCR captures most of the things we liked about the xx while also giving us an ideal for the hipster relationship we crave despite ourselves.
Cold Spring- Cymbals Eat Guitars
More of that 2009 stuff! This song is not one of the best off of Why there Are Mountains but it's still a damn good track that taps into the winter mentality of Cymbals. Also, the guitar work here is, really, just ridiculously good.
Unspeakable- Mt Sims
Gonna admit it, I had to go back and listened to see what Mt Sims had to offer after a certain opera was released. This track kind of makes me think of what would happen if Mindless Self Indulgence stopped taking acid as a group, tried ecstasy and bought a nice midi keyboard. It's not great but it's not bad either.
Towards the Bare Hill- Efterklang
This is a definite oldie-but-goodie. Efterklang has released plans for a 2010 album and I put Tripper and Parades on my 'Zune' once more so I can get back into the mood for EPIC norwegians making EPIC songs about EPIC topics. Have I mentioned that Efterklang might suffer from just a tad too much drama? Regardless, this song is pretty and has plenty of dudes belting out unintelligible lines about, no doubt, some very far-reaching and epic topic.
The Strangers- St Vincent
If you haven't been obsessed with St. Vincent since her sublimely creepy debut Marry Me then you have been missing out on some of the best character acting happening in music today. This song kicks off her 2009 Actor album and sets the tone for a CD full of songs about unhappy, confined women. Yaaaaaay!
Calculation Theme- Metric
Closing on another throwback just made sense. Also, if you ask me, this is the best thing Metric has yet created.
This mix sees alot less throwback and alot more of the things we grew to love over the last year. Notably, several of these songs will have new friends as their artists expand the ol' discography in 2010.
I like this song as a pick-up from where the list mix picked up. This is one of the most epic tracks KDA has ever contributed to and, though older, it still sounds like it could be added to many of the last year's pop/electronic albums as a lead single without anyone batting an eyelash.
Run This Town- L'il Wayne
Yeah, so btw if you didn't get in on No Ceilings then you have missed out on a hugely fun release from one of the best living musical artists that just happens to feature a few backtracks we know/love/hate from that ol' radio box the truly indie are not allowed to ever listen to.
Camera Talk- Local Natives
This group just released an extremely confident, well-rounded album by the name of Gorilla Manor. GO LISTEN TO IT IMMEDIATELY. Just kidding, keep reading this blog.
Moonson- Delorean
My infatuation with this Barcelona project continues and I am anxiously awaiting March with the promise of their first full-length(!) This song is the closing track to the Delorean EP and it closes some of the doors flung open by Moonsun while still standing as a great track in its own right.
Thieves in the Night- Hot Chip
While their latest (One Life Stand, 2010) is not my favorite Hot Chip album, our boys still managed to produce some enjoyable tunes. This track gives us a very strong opener in this musical reinvention of the Hot Chip album: think less techno and more pop. Don't expect a Ready for the Floor but do expect another ear-candy treat from the electronic version of Vampire Weekend.
She's the One- Caribou
This is pulled from one of those very prestigious albums that made plenty of '2009 Best' lists. Personally, I feel this track is very technically excellent and has enough heart/soul to make it worth repeated listens.
Satellite Snyper- Pantha du Prince
This brand-spanking-new album for Feb 2010 is GREAT. I love minimalism in electronic music and Pantha du Prince creates (what my itunes calls) blacknoise with aplomb, grace and a seemingly vicious desire to soundtrack the areas between light and dark.
Dream Get Together- Citay
Another brand-spanking new album that will worm its way into top-ten lists everywhere. Simple hooks, simple production and simple ideas meld together in a musically complex and lyrically beautiful 4:11.
Vcr- The XX
I'm going to see the xx in March with JJ (omg!!!!) so I'm stocking up on their bests. VCR captures most of the things we liked about the xx while also giving us an ideal for the hipster relationship we crave despite ourselves.
Cold Spring- Cymbals Eat Guitars
More of that 2009 stuff! This song is not one of the best off of Why there Are Mountains but it's still a damn good track that taps into the winter mentality of Cymbals. Also, the guitar work here is, really, just ridiculously good.
Unspeakable- Mt Sims
Gonna admit it, I had to go back and listened to see what Mt Sims had to offer after a certain opera was released. This track kind of makes me think of what would happen if Mindless Self Indulgence stopped taking acid as a group, tried ecstasy and bought a nice midi keyboard. It's not great but it's not bad either.
Towards the Bare Hill- Efterklang
This is a definite oldie-but-goodie. Efterklang has released plans for a 2010 album and I put Tripper and Parades on my 'Zune' once more so I can get back into the mood for EPIC norwegians making EPIC songs about EPIC topics. Have I mentioned that Efterklang might suffer from just a tad too much drama? Regardless, this song is pretty and has plenty of dudes belting out unintelligible lines about, no doubt, some very far-reaching and epic topic.
The Strangers- St Vincent
If you haven't been obsessed with St. Vincent since her sublimely creepy debut Marry Me then you have been missing out on some of the best character acting happening in music today. This song kicks off her 2009 Actor album and sets the tone for a CD full of songs about unhappy, confined women. Yaaaaaay!
Calculation Theme- Metric
Closing on another throwback just made sense. Also, if you ask me, this is the best thing Metric has yet created.
This mix sees alot less throwback and alot more of the things we grew to love over the last year. Notably, several of these songs will have new friends as their artists expand the ol' discography in 2010.
Friday, February 12, 2010
"Tomorrow, in a Year" The Knife
I'm just gonna say it, This album is hard as a dick but far more rewarding than any sexual appendage I've met so far. This is the quintessential album for people who REALLY like music. I warn you now, if you're looking for a follow-up to Silent Shout or the second chapter of Fever Ray then you will be swiftly disappointed. The vast majority of Tomorrow, in a Year is the kind of sound experimentation that we've not heard from the Knife in so blunt a package. The programming and sampling present in this album are, and I won't bandy this word about easily, Revolutionary. Legitimately, after I listened to this album from start to finish I felt as though I'd just heard something colossally important. This music feels important because it expands our definition of opera and electronic music quite dramatically. New opera has not achieved the artistic highs or sonic perfection of classic composition (looking at you Brunderfly) because they try too quickly to imitate an established sound and performance style. The Knife deftly avoided the grand issue of making music 'operatic' by focusing on their own strengths. The Knife has created an operatic experience that not only feels like an opera sounds like the best electronic album possible in the medium. The Knife has vastly exceeded expectations that were already sky-high simply by relying on their established strengths of drama, experimentation and strong composition holding together disparate sounds.
The high point of this album is, without a doubt, Seeds. This nine minute follow-up to Colouring of Pigeons (the single) bases itself on a percussive line that hearkens back to Heartbeats or Pass this On while still showcasing a mezzo-soprano and the ephemeral voice of Mt. Sims. Seeds is great because it builds on the texture of Variation of Birds (track 7), the vocal strength of the mezzo noted throughout the first act but notably in Upheaved (Track4) and Annie's Box (track 10), and it serves as an in-the-face reminder of why Karin Dreijer Anderson stands as one of the best modern composers out there. Seeds is incredibly dense and it showcases that hip-hop possee sound of Colouring of Pigeons while moving to critique opera and electronic music (something I feel the entire album succeeds at). Seeds climaxes with a jarring loop of vocalizations from the mezzo that feels soaring and cramped at the same time. The loop never quite matches up and the harmonies are close but never exact. This is the maddening humor of the entire opera. The piece spends alot of time building and then uses a vocal loop as another sound to stick through the sampler. All the vocal sampling and playing that The Knife has become famous for is safe as a walk in the park when you compare it to the balls it takes for a piece that closes with a clunky vocal line played against another and another. Literally, this feels like a slap in the face to music snobs of a certain pedigree and it feels like electronic music gone slightly awry. It's still beautiful but it's off. By choosing to put the female voice in a looped vocalization she is degraded to just another sound in the track but she is also put forward as an interesting option of how electronic music can evolve. If Bjork can make Medulla withher rapper buddies and some choirs, why can't The Knife make more tracks that have opera singers doing nothing more than vocalizing while someone sings over? I feel that Tomorrow, in a Year is immensely successful at asking smart musical questions and providing interesting, musically evocative scenes through its inherent quirkiness.
Unlike some soundtracks where you can only tangentially pick out a plot this album was never intended to provide a 'plot' to its listener. It was written to convey the emotions and character of evolutionary thought. In that, the opera is vastly successful at conveying dread, hope, fear, destruction, noise, pain and the humyn condition that arsises from it all. The last four tracks of the album are easily the best because they are, immedately, the closest to a typical piece from The Knife. The last four tracks are also strongest because they build on an entire first act of sound experiment and musical build-up. Colouring of Pigeons feels like even more of a gigantic climax after eleven tracks that feel like the kind of musical/mental games electronic artists would probably play all the time if they could convince us to buy albums of nothing but odd drum lines and occassional electronic screeching (OH WAIT I JUST BOUGHT THAT).
I do have to say that this feels like the most mature work by a long shot from any of the artists involved, specifically Mt Sims. After Ultrasex I had mainly written off Mt Sims but now feel that there could be hope after all for the dance act that lucked into the prestige project of the decade. The real work in this opera seems to be done by Olof Anderson. The first act puts the DJ and production skills of the male half of the Knife in the forefront. The second most work is done by the mezzo who is put to the test in every single piece as another sound in the texture of electronic music. The rest of the components all come together when need be and give the listener new surprises with each track. The album feels like a well-lead ensemble piece and its many collaborators ensure that there is never a lack of fresh ideas or thoughts.
I'll say that Tomorrow, in a Year is definitely not for the faint of heart. To add to that, however, I must say that it is the most musically rewarding experience I've had in a long while. This album is a distance from anything I've ever heard before. What Tomorrow, in a Year ultimately succeeds at is establishing its own legitimacy as an electronic foray into the stuffy, mainly static world of classical music. This is a fascinating album and I cannot recommend it enough to music lovers everywhere. For the non-music lovers, why are you reading this blog in the first place?
PS- If that really is Karin Dreijer Anderson singing on the alternate vocal track of Annie's Box then I cannot wait to see what her next project sounds like in light of her still-growing abilities and eccentricities. If the sound of the next The Knife album is put together with the synthy fun of The Height of Summer (track 15) then I really cannot wait to see what happens when siblings reunite and we get a follow-up to my favorite album of the past decade- Silent Shout.
The high point of this album is, without a doubt, Seeds. This nine minute follow-up to Colouring of Pigeons (the single) bases itself on a percussive line that hearkens back to Heartbeats or Pass this On while still showcasing a mezzo-soprano and the ephemeral voice of Mt. Sims. Seeds is great because it builds on the texture of Variation of Birds (track 7), the vocal strength of the mezzo noted throughout the first act but notably in Upheaved (Track4) and Annie's Box (track 10), and it serves as an in-the-face reminder of why Karin Dreijer Anderson stands as one of the best modern composers out there. Seeds is incredibly dense and it showcases that hip-hop possee sound of Colouring of Pigeons while moving to critique opera and electronic music (something I feel the entire album succeeds at). Seeds climaxes with a jarring loop of vocalizations from the mezzo that feels soaring and cramped at the same time. The loop never quite matches up and the harmonies are close but never exact. This is the maddening humor of the entire opera. The piece spends alot of time building and then uses a vocal loop as another sound to stick through the sampler. All the vocal sampling and playing that The Knife has become famous for is safe as a walk in the park when you compare it to the balls it takes for a piece that closes with a clunky vocal line played against another and another. Literally, this feels like a slap in the face to music snobs of a certain pedigree and it feels like electronic music gone slightly awry. It's still beautiful but it's off. By choosing to put the female voice in a looped vocalization she is degraded to just another sound in the track but she is also put forward as an interesting option of how electronic music can evolve. If Bjork can make Medulla withher rapper buddies and some choirs, why can't The Knife make more tracks that have opera singers doing nothing more than vocalizing while someone sings over? I feel that Tomorrow, in a Year is immensely successful at asking smart musical questions and providing interesting, musically evocative scenes through its inherent quirkiness.
Unlike some soundtracks where you can only tangentially pick out a plot this album was never intended to provide a 'plot' to its listener. It was written to convey the emotions and character of evolutionary thought. In that, the opera is vastly successful at conveying dread, hope, fear, destruction, noise, pain and the humyn condition that arsises from it all. The last four tracks of the album are easily the best because they are, immedately, the closest to a typical piece from The Knife. The last four tracks are also strongest because they build on an entire first act of sound experiment and musical build-up. Colouring of Pigeons feels like even more of a gigantic climax after eleven tracks that feel like the kind of musical/mental games electronic artists would probably play all the time if they could convince us to buy albums of nothing but odd drum lines and occassional electronic screeching (OH WAIT I JUST BOUGHT THAT).
I do have to say that this feels like the most mature work by a long shot from any of the artists involved, specifically Mt Sims. After Ultrasex I had mainly written off Mt Sims but now feel that there could be hope after all for the dance act that lucked into the prestige project of the decade. The real work in this opera seems to be done by Olof Anderson. The first act puts the DJ and production skills of the male half of the Knife in the forefront. The second most work is done by the mezzo who is put to the test in every single piece as another sound in the texture of electronic music. The rest of the components all come together when need be and give the listener new surprises with each track. The album feels like a well-lead ensemble piece and its many collaborators ensure that there is never a lack of fresh ideas or thoughts.
I'll say that Tomorrow, in a Year is definitely not for the faint of heart. To add to that, however, I must say that it is the most musically rewarding experience I've had in a long while. This album is a distance from anything I've ever heard before. What Tomorrow, in a Year ultimately succeeds at is establishing its own legitimacy as an electronic foray into the stuffy, mainly static world of classical music. This is a fascinating album and I cannot recommend it enough to music lovers everywhere. For the non-music lovers, why are you reading this blog in the first place?
PS- If that really is Karin Dreijer Anderson singing on the alternate vocal track of Annie's Box then I cannot wait to see what her next project sounds like in light of her still-growing abilities and eccentricities. If the sound of the next The Knife album is put together with the synthy fun of The Height of Summer (track 15) then I really cannot wait to see what happens when siblings reunite and we get a follow-up to my favorite album of the past decade- Silent Shout.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Music to watch: Delorean- "Seasun"
First off, this song sounds effortlessly cool. The danceable beat and extended production both lend themselves to a perfect driving-around, singing in the bathroom, dancin'-by-myself kind of vibe. This controlled aplomb is a glorious reminder that we're back in the eighties. The song itself has a Cansei de Ser Sexy grew up sort of sound that lurks behind different riffs that build and build and climax into the final vocal track. The song is ambitious without being dangerous or really experimental. Interestingly, I'd say it's this ambition that makes this Barcelona project so full of heart. The emotive aspect of 'Seasun' makes it the perfect song with which to walk out and greet the crowd. The song and nearly the entire Ayrton Senna EP it was released on feels alive, summery, and expressive in a chic, European sort of way.
'Never be the same again' is an ambitious lyric to embody but the song fully succeeds at changing the moment and tone of one's day within the first fifteen seconds. I loved this song for its escapism. It felt legitimate and strong without being contrived or gimmicky in its glam-ed out earnestness. If their upcoming full-length album (Subiza US release not anounced but Europe release for March 15) is as strong as this single suggests, Delorean will be soundtracking the summer months of 2010.
'Never be the same again' is an ambitious lyric to embody but the song fully succeeds at changing the moment and tone of one's day within the first fifteen seconds. I loved this song for its escapism. It felt legitimate and strong without being contrived or gimmicky in its glam-ed out earnestness. If their upcoming full-length album (Subiza US release not anounced but Europe release for March 15) is as strong as this single suggests, Delorean will be soundtracking the summer months of 2010.
Valentine's Day Mix
1) From Africa to Malaga- JJ
2) What the Snowman Learned About Love- Stars
3) Heartbeat- Annie
4) Lust for Life- Girls
5) DLZ- TV on the Radio
6) This if my Love- Hercules and Love Affair
7) I Believe- Simian Mobile Disco
8) Hot Mess- Sam Sparro
9) Find my Soul- Sally Shapiro
10) Feel the Love- Cut Copy
11) Be Mine- Robyn
12) Drive On, Driver- Magnetic Fields
13) I'm a Lady- Santogold
14) Oslo in the Summertime- Of Montreal
15) Happy Birthday- Modeselektor
16) Tricky Tricky (ft Karin Dreijer Anderson)- Royksopp
17 Make You Feel my Love- Adele
It's alot of throwback but I like the transitions and emotion of this playlist. The feeling seems to be love staying almost out of reach. You can feel it when you grasp for it but the music always takes it a step further.
2) What the Snowman Learned About Love- Stars
3) Heartbeat- Annie
4) Lust for Life- Girls
5) DLZ- TV on the Radio
6) This if my Love- Hercules and Love Affair
7) I Believe- Simian Mobile Disco
8) Hot Mess- Sam Sparro
9) Find my Soul- Sally Shapiro
10) Feel the Love- Cut Copy
11) Be Mine- Robyn
12) Drive On, Driver- Magnetic Fields
13) I'm a Lady- Santogold
14) Oslo in the Summertime- Of Montreal
15) Happy Birthday- Modeselektor
16) Tricky Tricky (ft Karin Dreijer Anderson)- Royksopp
17 Make You Feel my Love- Adele
It's alot of throwback but I like the transitions and emotion of this playlist. The feeling seems to be love staying almost out of reach. You can feel it when you grasp for it but the music always takes it a step further.
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