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(02/29/16 9:56pm)
Released 2/19/16 via Dead Oceans
6/7 stars
“I’ve been trying to find new life in old material,” Marlon Williams said.
I was fortunate enough to talk with the New Zealand native about his new album before he performed Feb. 9 at the Bishop. Mentally apply a thick accent to those words and swoon.
Williams released his self-titled debut album earlier this month via the Bloomington-based label Dead Oceans, that boasts the likes of Mitski, The Tallest Man On Earth, Phosphorescent and others. Since the album has been out in New Zealand for over a year, Williams said he’s had to try new things with his old songs in order to keep his performances fresh.
Finding new life in old material could be a metaphor for the album in general. Williams is a throwback. He’s a tall, dark and handsome cowboy who traded in his Stetson hat for a wide-brimmed fedora. In New Zealand, he grew up listening to Graham Parsons and early Elvis records, which is patently obvious from the first few bars of “Hello Miss Lonesome” to the final fade of “Everyone’s Got Something To Say”. Crooning his way through all nine tracks with amorous swagger, Williams appeals to the romantic in all of us.
He’s quick to classify himself as a country artist, but that word seems to have fumbled its definition in 21st-century America. "Bro-country" has overtaken the genre that was once defined by dark novelists, Johnny Cash and horseback rides into the western sunset. Williams sings of jailhouses and wars, not a never-ending summer of blue jeans, beer and fornication in the back of a Chevrolet. Just when all seemed lost, Williams washed the makeup from country’s face. It’s invigorating.
Like any country artist worth his boots, Williams is a true storyteller. A warm acoustic guitar and harmonized “oooh”s from backing vocalists serve as his language. His eerie account of a dead lover named Lucy in “Strange Things” is haunting enough to deserve its own late-night campfire. Violins, folk percussion and the occasional pedal steel bolster the tender intimacy of this album. They stomp out any expectations of a flimsy singer-songwriter collection. Williams stretches high notes in “Hello Miss Lonesome” and “When I Was A Young Girl” to let everyone know he’s not messing around.
Oddly enough, Williams didn’t even write his personal favorite track. “Dark Child” was written by one of his friends, he said. It’s arguably the strongest of the nine. As the song and album illustrate, he thrives in minor keys. The slight quiver in his timbre seems to work best with forlorn accompaniment. “When I Was A Young Girl” is another great example.
It’s also another cover. In fact, there are four covers on the album it total: “Dark Child”, “I’m Lost Without Her”, “Silent Passage” and “When I Was A Young Girl”. The fourth was first popularized by Nina Simone, but Williams said he enjoys inverting the genre in his version. He captures every bit of emotion the song has to offer with a raw acoustic guitar and the voice of a broken heart. When the album concludes with “Everyone’s Got Something To Say”, Williams never strums the final chord. It sounds unfinished. The song is, but the cowboy isn’t. Marlon Williams is just getting started.
Hello Miss Lonesome
After All
Dark Child
I’m Lost Without Her
The Lonely Side Of Her
Silent Passage
Strange things
When I Was A Young Girl
Everyone’s Got Something To Say
Make sure to check out:
“Dark Child”
“Strange Things”
(02/19/16 12:34am)
U.S. Release: 2/5/16 via RCA Records
5/7 stars
History has repeated itself once again. The United States is a half step behind the British on the music front.
Last October, London’s indie heartthrobs Bastille tweeted praises for fellow Englishmen Nothing But Thieves. Their self-titled debut album had just dropped to the lauding masses, but those of us bound stateside had to wait a few more months for it to bridge the Atlantic Ocean. Then Feb. 5 arrived.
RCA Records released the album. The band has since booked a slew of upcoming U.S. shows, performed on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and even released a music video starring RJ Mitte (aka Walter Jr., aka Flynn, aka if you’re not a "Breaking Bad" fan this makes no sense to you).
It’s safe to say the album is a hit. Nothing But Thieves merges alternative modernity with rocking guitars to create their alluring sound. Lead singer Conor Mason’s vocals are first class. His pipes have the purity of a pop star and the strength of a seasoned veteran. It’s difficult to place this group into a specific genre. They mix watery indie guitar licks and distorted power chords while keeping a hint of pop sensibility. Their melodies glue themselves to the underside of your skull without making you want to bang your head against the nearest brick. The sheer catchiness of these tracks transports the American listener back to a day when Fall Out Boy was king and Green Day practically owned radio. Nothing But Thieves are obviously far from pop-punk, but they trigger a similar feeling of empowerment in listeners. These guys are making rock music with a contemporary twist that appeals to their generation.
Each track is like a single. It takes all of 51 seconds for the opening track, “Excuse Me”, to drop jaws by showcasing Mason’s vocal versatility. The same is true of “Itch”, which is fit for a full-volume blast. “Trip Switch” captures the personality of the album through its poppy chorus and its tasty alt-rock drum and guitar pocket. It’s a great segue into the depths of the chilling ballad, “Lover, Please Stay”. Grab the deluxe album to experience the irresistibly syncopated verses and grimy guitar solos of “Hanging” or the Muse-esque “Six Billion”. You won’t be disappointed.
Here’s the rundown.
Italicized tracks are only on the deluxe album.
Excuse Me
Ban All the Music
Wake Up Call
Itch
If I Get High
Graveyard Whistling
Hostage
Trip Switch
Lover, Please Stay
Drawing Pins
Painkiller
Tempt You (Evocatio)
Honey Whiskey
Hanging
Neon Brother
Six Billion
Thank heavens the Brits have done it again. This album is the real deal. Nothing But Thieves deserve nothing but praise, and they’re out to steal your heart.
Seriously though, check out:
“Lover, Please Stay”
“Hanging”
“Itch”
(01/15/16 5:59am)
Released: 1/9/16, via Mom+ Pop
6/7 stars
The Spanish queens of Hinds are bringing summer with them everywhere they go. Thanks to the release of their debut album Leave Me Alone on Mom + Pop Music, the world doesn’t have to wait for a concert to feel their warm vibes. Their lo-fi style is a personal invitation to party. Every once in a while, tiny imperfections in the guitar and vocal tracks bring a raw quality, like there are only a few inches of microphone between you and the girls. Even the album art beckons the listener to join in on the fun.
In the 12 recordings that make up the album, and there isn’t a weak one in the bunch. Carlotta Cosials (guitar, vocals), Ana Garcia Perrote (guitar, vocals), Ade Martin (bass) and Amber Grimbergen (drums) romance listeners through surf guitars and pop-sensible melodies; many of the tracks feature short, crisp guitar quips that imitate the vocals.
The girls have cleverly managed to hold redundancy at arm’s length. Each track tracks maintain a consistent sound, binding the album as a whole. After listening, you’ll become very familiar with the springy reverb in their guitars, but you’ll never feel like you’re listening to the same song over and over again. “I’ll Be Your Man” may start with the same chord progression as “Chili Town”, but it’s almost like an acoustic epilogue to its predecessor.
Cosials and Perrote’s vocal ping-pong match is one of the strongest characteristics of this band. It’s also what makes the group so unique. Cosials often takes the lead with her soft crooner style before Perrote interjects with true rock attack. The fact that their English is a bit flawed works to Hinds’ advantage in that the lyrics never sound overly planned. Cosials and Perrote sing what they’re feeling, and sometimes that includes a scream or two. There is great freedom expressed in their music.
There’s also great spunk.
As the album’s title suggests, these girls don’t want anyone telling them what to do. Hinds' strong will is palpable throughout the album. They scoff at gender rules and barriers in songs like “And I Will Send Your Flowers Back” and “I’ll Be Your Man.” In the latter, Cosials and Perrote sing, “I could be your baby, but I’ll be your man."
Even this early in their career, Hinds has proven that they don’t need to be men in order to succeed in the world of rock music. The album has a few love songs, but the overall theme is one of independence. There’s so much personality dripping from each track. Introduce your ears to near perfection in broken English.
Garden
Fat Calmed Kiddos
Warts
Easy
Castigadas En El Granero
Solar Gap
Chili Town
Bamboo
San Diego
And I Will Send Your Flowers Back
I’ll Be Your Man
Walking Home
Be sure to check out:
“Garden”
“Chili Town”
“Bamboo”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E67rVvLkXhI
(11/28/15 8:12pm)
Released 11/13/15
3/7
This must be what 2015 sounds like. Every decade comes packaged with a certain sound. For example, whenever you hear a song dominated by a cracking snare drum, you know it was probably released in the ‘80s. Givers’ effort to merge synth pop with indie vocals seems to be a pretty good picture of how people will remember this decade. With their follow-up album to 2011’s In Light, Givers have lived up to their name. New Kingdom is a reverb-laden gift from the Louisiana five-piece.
A lot of people will remember these guys from their previous album’s hit “Up Up Up” (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, grab a copy of FIFA 12). It showed us that these folks know their way around a catchy melody. New Kingdom is full of the same. You’re going to have hard time getting tracks like “Record High, Record Low” and “Sure Thang” out of your head.
Lead singers Taylor Guarisco and Tif Lamson have an infectious back-and-forth. If they didn’t play off each other so well, occasionally adding a third or fourth part to their ambient harmonies, this album might become another typical piece of modern music birthed behind someone’s computer screen. It’s certainly got the gut-busting drums and bass for it. Though the album is dangerously heavy on post-production, the vocalists have managed to keep things fresh for us.
The problem I personally have with so much post-prod is its tendency to blur together. Catchy beats are great in certain context. Don’t get me wrong. They’re just not very unique anymore. You can be sure this album is coming soon to a soundtrack, party or shopping mall near you, but it’s probably not one for casual listening. You’ll hear it and want to dance. Its dreamy gauntlet of sounds will transport you to a colorful mirage, but you’ll eventually have to realize it’s just a mirage. The whole of the music will lose its shimmer. It’s the fate of all pop music, and though this album is a great image of our decade in sound, it’s still just pop music.
Intro
Bermuda
Remember
Sure Thang
Mother Of Love
Growls
Blinking
Record High, Record Low
Sleeper Hold
Shaky but True
Wishing Well
Layback
Lightning
Be sure to check out:
“Sure Thang”
“Blinking”
“Record High, Record Low”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqOLs6aeZD8&feature=youtu.be
(11/10/15 4:11pm)
Released 10/30/15
4/7
When we first started the band our intention was to make folk music with IDM inspired drums. Just a weird factoid.
— Foxing (@FOXINGtheband) November 8, 2015
That’s a strange root to grow from, but Foxing seems to have found its stride by evolving into something completely different. There’s not a lot of folk in Dealer, the post-emo band’s sophomore effort. Instead, these mustachioed Saint Louiacs have painted a soundscape that dropped alongside the leaves of the season. It’s the prime soundtrack for a walk through a colored forest, or for staring out a rainy window, or for stargazing. Yeah. This album was made for a gaze.
The 11-song soundscape beckons the listener into a trancelike state. “Weave,” the opening track, picks up as though it was already looping in existence and greets the listener with a “thank you for joining us” type of feeling. Ambient sounds and a heavy dose of reverb course through every track, but the band still manages to keep an impressively clean sound. Each instrument joins in only when it’s absolutely necessary to the cohesion of the album. Spells of a single lead guitar riff, paired with lead singer Conor Murphy’s reserved passion, culminate in a full polyphonic climax complete with horns, synths, and booming drums.
Here’s the full track list:
Weave
The Magdalene
Night Channels
Laundered
Indica
Winding Cloth
Redwoods
Glass Coughs
Eiffel
Coda
Three on a Match
Foxing’s mastery of personal sound makes up for the simplicity of Dealer’s melodies. You don’t need ultra-complexity in composition when you can create such a clear vision through tone color. This vision is complete with almost-indistinguishable sounds, like screeching strings in the middle of “Winding Cloth” that would make Alfred Hitchcock blush. “Coda,” an instrumental piece like “Winding Cloth”, tees up “Three on a Match” with precision and speaks to the many flawless transitions of this album.
If there is one negative to creating a soundscape, it comes in its redundancy. Whereas “The Magdalene” and “Night Channels” stand out as the gems of the album, the final six tracks are pretty forgettable. They complete the image with the same lead guitar/lead singer tag-teamed melody as their predecessors but fail to establish an identity of their own.
Though some may find Foxing’s unique approach mundane, the album is a perfect atmospheric image for the changing seasons. Go see what I’m talking about, and take a listen to:
“Night Channels”
"The Magdalene"
https://soundcloud.com/triplecrownrecords/foxing-themagdalene
(10/13/15 7:04am)
Released 9/25/15
4/7
The last time we saw Jack White he was High-Ball-Stepping his way to the top of the charts. Lazaretto, his solo album released in June of 2014, was fantastic. One haircut, one project, and one drum set later Jack White is back. The apple isn’t falling very far from the Lazaretto, either.
This is the third full LP credited to The Dead Weather. It’s a fitting title for the deadly cluster of artists who’ve already made their fame elsewhere. White takes a seat behind the drums, Dean Fertita of Queens of the Stone Age fame wears an explosive guitar, and White’s Raconteurs bandmate Jack Lawrence fills out the bass while The Kills’ lead singer Alison Mosshart lends her sinister vocal delivery. The strings are thick, the pockets are tight, and the vocals are dominant.
In an interview with Reddit last year, Robert Plant had this to say about the former White Stripes front man,
“I love Jack White’s buccaneer spirit, the way he dodges through musical horizons.”
Well Mr. Plant, if White’s a buccaneer, this album is his cannonball. Each track courses with the venom that we’ve come to expect from the supergroup. The guitars crash almost as hard as the drums do, and while the solos may not drop any jaws, they’ll sure break a few. The Dead Weather will ease you in with a beat and layer on a screaming riff only to make way for Mosshart to sing like the pistol-packing lovechild of Stevie Nicks and Ozzie Osbourne. These guys could take the hum of a cranked up amplifier and turn it into a soundtrack of spring-loaded chaos.
Here’s the rundown:
I Feel Love (Every Million Miles)
Buzzkill(er)
Let Me Through
Three Dollar Hat
Lose The Right
Rough Detective
Open Up
Be Still
Mile Markers
Cop and Go
Too Bad
Impossible Winner
The band isn’t straying too far from their previous sounds, but if it’s not broke, don’t fix it, right? The Dead Weather starts the listener off with arguably the best song on the album in “I Feel Love (Every Million Miles)”. Send this one through your headphones, go for a walk, and tell me you don’t feel as confident as Donald Trump is in his toupee. “Mile Markers” and “Three Dollar Hat” are lyrically captivating, and the soulful outro of “Impossible Winner” is executed with another level of class. Don't miss this album.
Give these three a look:
“Open Up”
“Mile Markers”
"I Feel Love (Every Million Miles)"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98oMvKF-78Y
(09/29/15 8:04pm)
Released: 9/18/15
5/7
Mac Miller just woke up from a dream. His latest album, GO:OD AM, is the story of the morning after. It’s his first LP since signing with Warner Bros. Records in October of 2014, and it bleeds with perspective. It’s Miller catching more than a glimpse of sunlight as he exits the woods of a drug-soaked past.
I’ll tell you what it’s not. It’s not another mindless “we made it” album that exists solely for the culturally celebrated purpose of hype. We’ve all seen a lot of those in recent years. It’s not a full recovery either. It’s an introspective story that can’t be read on a surface level. Miller isn’t going to pretend he’s committed to sobering up. Rather, he’s learned from his experience. He’s trying to find the balance between perfection and apathy, “between heaven and hell,” as he references in “Brand Name” and later in “Ascension,” the latter of which provides an answer:
“What’s between heaven and hell? A brand new me.”
Here’s the track list:
Doors
Brand Name
Rush Hour
Two Matches (feat. Ab-Soul)
100 Grandkids
Time Flies (feat. Lil B)
Weekend (feat. Miguel)
Clubhouse
In the Bag
Break the Law
Perfect Circle / God Speed
When In Rome
ROS
Cut the Check (feat. Chief Keef)
Ascension
Jump
The Festival (feat. Lil Dragon)
Like the afterglow of an acid trip, the album winds its way through halfway-psychedelic sound waves and mixed emotions. Raw piano riffs and faded horns provide a landscape that mingles with jazz at times. In “Perfect Circle/God Speed,” you can almost hear the piano’s hammer strike its chord, and it’s beautiful.
Let me stop for a second to note that “Perfect Circle” is the epitome of the album. It’s a reverb-filled, eerie culmination of his admittedly egotistical style, and it’s so vulnerable. “ROS” is a true love song, tracks like “In the Bag” and “Cut the Check” celebrate his success, but nothing preaches the message of life’s process like “Perfect Circle / God Speed.”
Oh, and don’t worry. He’s still as lyrically sharp as ever.
“I’ve been murdering the game. I’m almost out of victims. This food for thought usually enough to feed 1000 pigeons.” (from “Time Flies”)
Most people know Miller as a lyrical suburbanite who wanders into childhood nostalgia for inspiration, and that certainly hasn’t left him yet. But GO:OD AM is the “what next.” He’s building on the foundation by baring his soul. He’s not fully enlightened, but he has learned. You should too. Grab this album.
If you decide I'm full of it, at least check out:
“Brand Name”
“Perfect Circle / God Speed”
“100 Grandkids”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDCoM1x7U38