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There is no doubt that the pressure has built up for a strong follow-up to the astounding 2001 album Scary World Theory: it was gloriously received by critical acclaim worldwide, followed by trans-continental tours, and a decent amount of well-publicized respect by some of the biggest names in modern rock and pop music.
While the band didn't crack under pressure, they have clearly taken a step in a direction that might disappoint fans of their other albums. The most noticeable difference is that Faking the Books is much more of a "rock" record than anything the group has done previously. After the mellow and meandering opening title track, "Call 1-800-fear," comes on strong, establishing a more prominent guitar presence than ever. It continues through the album where the drums aren't as programmed as they were in the past, and the feel is much more extroverted and rawkus than the rather timid and reserved Scary World Theory. Electronic hums and twitters sound more like afterthoughts and additional coloration as the album sounds more geared around their live show—perhaps both influenced and built for the stage. "Left Handed" is thankfully included for those who didn't want to shell out for the high priced three-track import, but there isn't much else here that is memorable. The issues I have with this album aren't with the production, the playing, or the melodies, it's with the songwriting this time around I think. Uninteresting lyrics are repeated ad nauseam in nearly every song, almost making the music seem somewhat wasted. While I love the group and love their sound, I do admit however that coming away from this record, I have less songs stuck in my head. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate this album by a long shot, but I can't see myself adoring it as much as I have for them in the past. It's kind of like salsa. Sure, there are people who haven't had salsa, and try it and love it the first few times. Soon enough, everybody gets it with their meals and after a while the only salsa that gets noticed and remembered is the salsa with a certain kick. It far exceeds any expectations, with a taste that is often remembered and desired. I think I'll spend more time with that kind of salsa.
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- TJ Norris
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Robert Lippok (To Rococo Rot) has taken Komëit's (Julia Kliemann and Chris Flor) recording "Falling into Place" apart to remodel its contents. He's kept the essential vocals, guitar lines and other critical signatures from the original and just enhanced their lightness of being.Monika Enterprise
The purely instrumental "Parade" is a great example as it just glides along. "It's A Good Thing" reverses Flor's guitarloop and highlights the sinewaves in Kliemann's keyboard while adding undercurrents of freshly stripped white noise. The crawling to life simulated toy keys on "Readymades" is a lullaby for shoegazers everywhere. Tentative percussion and playful pitches brighten its melodic sphere. Suddenly the tandem vocal serves a higher confidence on the linguistically ironic "Rearrange" where they sing "Let's melt words together, take these words for real." Vibe-a-riffic "Schemes Like These" is the would-be hit here - groovy underbeat currents and false-start tapping percussion make for something both movement conscious, in an imposing milieu. Closing with "Three Hours" Lippok's homage to his peers seems to end up somewhere between Mr. Rodgers' neighborhood and something more poignant from Pearl Jam, through the eyes of sea monkeys. Kliemann's wet vocal oozes over a repetitive chord and the formalities of a dissonant, hollow piano.
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- Unwed Sailor - Shadows
- The Potomac Accord - For Jonathan
- Mikael Jorgensen - Jonathan
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I'm not usually one to buy DJ Kicks or DJ mix records but when I saw this collection from the Kompakt label boss sitting in the used bin, I couldn't refuse. Usually, these collections are from artists, who, more often than expected, have pretty poor taste in music and rarely acknowledge any of their contemporaries. It often results in a comp which is of friends and buddies and doesn't hold together nicely as a unit. Meyer, on the other hand, being the head of a label I adore, is an interesting pick, as with his picks, he might choose a bunch of stuff he likes but wouldn't find a place for on his label.Fabric
It is a proverbial (nearly) continuous mix with the definitions of the songs mildly unclear, and a lot sound like they could come close to appearing on a Total compilation, with smooth rhythms and deep sounds, but a number of acts threw me a welcomed curve ball. "Oldschool, Baby," by WestBam and Nena are the first of these curve balls, as I've never cared much for WestBam and I'm scratching my head wondering if this is the same "99 LuftBalloons" chick. (But that's more of a curiosity than much else.) After it's over, the theme returns to the staccato beats of Richard Davis through his "In the Air" track. Through more languid beats and a couple break downs the collection moves like a train passing through different landscapes and countries, maintaining a constant motion without stopping. It seems that on journeys like this, certain familiar things seem to make their presence known, like the sequencing 303 on "Killerteppich" by Robag Wruhme and Wighnomy Brothers, and the sprinkling of Kompakt acts like Superpitcher and Magnet. (Get your cameras ready.) All bets are off, however, when the train makes a second round througvh Thomas Schaeben. The track "Really Real," done with Geiger Ft Schad Privat. The beat changes completely, as the previous track fades out, this fades in and Germans funk out completely to a story about a friend addicted to accident black spots. Words of the steering wheel and cold steel makes me think it's a tribute to the book or film Crash and/or "Warm Leatherette" by The Normal. The cowbell and bass are enough to make me want to seek out more from this Schaeben guy. What follows are more tracks that follow in a funk-influenced style, with more authentic sounding drums and vibrant basslines, and the disc doesn't return to the deep techno sounds that populated the opening. If these compilation albums are here to serve as an introduction to some unfamiliar acts, the prices should be far lower. At a used price, I'd say a mix like this is well worth it, but I am jaded enough to think they're not much more than a fancy packaged sampler.
- WestBam and Nena - Oldschool, Baby (Piano Mix)
- Villalobos - Easy Lee
- Thomas Schaeben and Geiger Ft Schad Privat - Really Real
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Bruno Nicolai, "Perche Quelle Strane Gocce di Sangue sul Corpo di Jennifer?" and "Il Tuo Vizio E una
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A small Italian record label has answered the prayers of eurocult filmand soundtrack fans everywhere. As part of their new series "BrunoNicolai in Giallo," Digitmovies has just released the scores to twoobscure 1972 thrillers bearing the unwieldy titles of Perche Quelle Strane Gocce di Sangue sul Corpo di Jennifer? (What Are Those Strange Drops of Blood on Jennifer's Body) and Il Tuo Vizio E una Stanza Chiusa e Solo Io Ne Ho la Chiave (Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key).Composer Bruno Nicolai's career has often been overshadowed by fellowcountryman Ennio Morricone, for whose scores Nicolai often served asconductor, but slowly his own extensive body of film music is beginningto see the light of day decades later. These two discs mark the firstrelease ever of this music apart from the films, are digitallyremastered, and both contain extra material from the recording sessionsthat were ultimately unused.
![](http://www.brainwashed.com/brain/images/bruno_nicolai-perche_quelle_strane.jpg)
samples:
Il Tuo Vizio, composed for a very liberal film adaptation ofEdgar Allen Poe's "The Black Cat," is accordingly somber and sinister,with more of a classical influence than Perche Quelle Strane.Its themes alternate between two slow movements using harpsicord andoboe with hints of harp and a multitude of strings, and create a moodthat is haunting and seductive. There are, of course, energetic burstswhen the tension is heightened. The results are beautiful, chilling,and often romantic. The pieces at times sound as if they could haveinfluenced Angelo Badalamenti's score for Blue Velvet or In TheNursery's delicate orchestrations. Because each of the releases arebased on one or two primary themes, listening to each as a whole feelrepetitive on an initial listen. But once carried away, it's hardlynoticable. Not only that, but it's entirely possible you'll be hummingthem in your head for days afterwards.
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