Thrill Jockey
For Radian's second long player, the Austrian trio have consciouslymoved away from the more clinical and stringent sound of theirMego-associated first album. Rhythmic laptop clicks have beensurrendered for the sake of cooperative collaboration, as the membersare all taking equal parts, without the noises taking center stage.Known widely for their live act, the band has made a more noticablyconscious effort to attempt to convey that vibe on record this timearound. At times, when the band gets going, it can be a marvelloustreat. Beats are broken, riffs are made, and the feeling lies somewherebetween 1970s gangster-movie chase music and Ryoji Ikeda-like sine-wavenoises. There are numerous struggles when incorporating silence intothe mix, which might work for an attentive, unchatty audience, but forthe most part on record, these moments sound almost too-directionless.Thankfully the group will be out on the road soon with Pan American, soby then I'm sure everything will click in very, very nicely.
For Radian's second long player, the Austrian trio have consciouslymoved away from the more clinical and stringent sound of theirMego-associated first album. Rhythmic laptop clicks have beensurrendered for the sake of cooperative collaboration, as the membersare all taking equal parts, without the noises taking center stage.Known widely for their live act, the band has made a more noticablyconscious effort to attempt to convey that vibe on record this timearound. At times, when the band gets going, it can be a marvelloustreat. Beats are broken, riffs are made, and the feeling lies somewherebetween 1970s gangster-movie chase music and Ryoji Ikeda-like sine-wavenoises. There are numerous struggles when incorporating silence intothe mix, which might work for an attentive, unchatty audience, but forthe most part on record, these moments sound almost too-directionless.Thankfully the group will be out on the road soon with Pan American, soby then I'm sure everything will click in very, very nicely.
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This "best of" collection of woozy, kitschy plunderphonia looks back onten years of PLU releases over the course of 30 tracks. The finermoments foster nostalgia for childhood memories you've never had, asVicki Bennett's strong suit is the whimsical collage of sounds thatappeal to the immature side of her audience. Uneasy listening, bathroomhumor, gaudy polka jaunts, field recordings and happy singalongs allemerge from the blender as a dadaistic children's record. That's not tosay that this music is unsophisticated; many of the juxtapositions arebrilliant. The closest comparison I could make would be Stock, Hausenand Walkman, but PLU does not shoehorn the samples into beat-orientedelectronic music. People Like Us has a very personalized approachthat has more to do with the silly innocence of Spike Jones than thedark cynicism of fellow cut-uppers Negativland. But this innocence issavagely taken advantage of on "If someone touches you," which ishilarious but will have you feeling creepy for laughing. Sort of likethe deviant side of Paul Rubens creeping onto the set of the Pee WeeHerman show and molesting the talking chair. The parts of this recordthat fall short for me are some of the vocal snippets pulled from radiointerviews and TV call-ins as they just don't share the exotic appealof the musical constructions. But the slow spots don't take too muchaway from this highly entertaining retrospective. 
For this 6-track EP, AmAnSet has enlisted the remixing assistance oflabel mates Her Space Holiday as well as Belgian Morr Musicup-and-comer Styrofoam. The EP kicks off with a re-working of an oldertrack, followed by a charming cover of Her Space Holiday's "TheseDays'. Both of the remixers, whose expertise lies primarily inelectronic-based music, fuse digital elements into tracks from theTexas quintet's most recent release, 'Know By Heart.' Marc Bianchi ofHSH puts an edgy spin on "Aaron & Maria", and turns the title trackinto a funky trip hop feast of sliced and diced vocals with anunobtrusive touch of drum 'n' bass. Both remixes feature the orchestralgilding present on much of Her Space Holiday's last album. Styrofoam'sremixes have the warmth and subtlety that is signature of so many ofthe Morr Music artists. He adds gently crunchy beats to "The Postman",stripping the original of nearly everything but the original vocaltrack, and turns the instrumental "We're Computerizing and We JustDon't Need You Anymore" into a delicate ambient piece. 'Updates' isplesant treat for fans of all the artists and labels involved.
In recent years, forgive my unflattering opinion, it seems that womenin rock forgot how to, well, rock. Piano crap like Sarah McLachlan andFiona Apple can only spawn weaker alternatives, with other femaleartists doing soul rip-offs or beach rock retreads that do not nor cannot satisfy the hunger in our souls to hear a woman who can rock. Andhere, without any warning, comes Seana Carmody of Swirlies fame with agreat solo debut. Sure, she slides into familiar territory on some ofthese songs, and it doesn't necessarily rock you into oblivion, but itdoes a great job of creating a mood and keeping you there. And, on sometracks, most notably on 'Tailgate', the rock happens in a big way, andalmost as a kiss off to non-believers. For the most part, I suppose youcould call this shoegazer rock, as it does provoke that response onmost of these songs. But Carmody has a great voice, and gets so closeto the sound of others without parodying or copying that it comes outsounding completely original and unique. The double-tracking of thevocals allows for minor differences that punctuate some songs on abizarre note, and the saccharine quality that may annoy after a whilefrom some doesn't grate when Carmody expresses it. Mostly, this musicis full, raucous, and moving, with short jabs of loud aggression. Onthe eight-minute-plus closer 'Stay Awake', however, it excels to awhole new level of noise, meandering and crashing on top of itself withan interesting Mogwai-esque sustain, though it seems the noise'spurpose was to add time to this too-short disc. It's an accomplisheddebut of pretty good songs worth sampling, though.
The Chap are a new group formed by Karamasov guitarist Johannes vonWeizsaecker. If you heard Lo's _Fresh Fruit_ budget compilation from ayear or two back, this is the Johannes behind the stunning "My MyRock'n'Roll", a catchy guitar number evoking a feel of casualsophistication. The knowing hipness persists on this a 10" mini-albumof original and witty instrumental rock. Having named themselves afterthe modern gentleman's publication which offers advice on the semioticsof smoking and of facial hair, and which has a "sartorial agony" page,they're in no position to deny the accusation that they're pretentious,but frankly this is what I want in a band -- particularly when, as withThe Chap, the pretence is more of a wry smile than a sneering glance.
My record collection reads like many other music-obsessed mid-20s malecomputer geeks (let's be honest). I've got loads of laptop generatedmusic, a bunch of jazz (especially stuff on the 'fringe'), some goodol' Krautrock, not to mention the classics: Zeppelin, Floyd, etc, toname just a few of the genres represented on my shelf (but, I am proudto say, no Magnetic Fields or the like). But I'm lacking somethingintegral in my record collection: BLUEGRASS. I was brought up inAppalachia, with bluegrass and old-time music around me my entirechildhood. The lack of Louvin Brothers or Carter family records in myapartment is therefore appalling; I've always liked and appreciatedbluegrass and old-time, and a good banjo player always knocks my socksoff more than a flashy guitar player. So where are my Flatt &Scruggs LPs? It must be city life - how can I ever have "KnoxvilleGirl" in my head when I'm trying not to get hit by cabs as I speedwalkto the subway? All of this is leading up to the fact that I love thisCD by The Boggs, who live in the same city I do and somehow findthemselves inspired to pick up banjo, mandolin, etc and make somedamned fine downhome bluegrass. On the cover of the album, the bandlooks like deceivingly like any other NYC band, possibly one that wouldmake "dance music with a punk edge," but the Boggs couldn't be furtherfrom the typical NYC trend in bands. Though no one is going to confusethe Boggs with Doc Watson or Bill Monroe, this is straight upbluegrass, not 'alt country' or 'bluegrass-infused rock.' Usually, Imake progression a priority in the music I like; that is to say, I liketo use the argument, "Why listen to [new artist making music in an oldstyle] when I could just listen to [artist from 20-18 years ago]?", butI find myself unable to justify that argument with the Boggs. Maybe Ilike them so much because there aren't too many people up north makingmusic coming from an Appalachian influence (though I must admit I don'tknow the true roots of the members of the Boggs). In a city overflowingwith bands aping bands that ape 20 years ago, it's refreshing to hear agroup whose music isn't dictated by their surroundings.
Asmus Tietchens and Vidna Obmana have been collaborating on "recycling"projects since 1995, using each other's work to build uniquetransformations. For this 2 CD set, they have turned their attentionsto a third party. I've never heard Shifts, but I have enjoyed Frans deWaard's other minimalist ventures as Quest and as a member of Beequeen.For "The Shifts Recyclings," Tietchens and Obmana use de Waard'sambient guitar material, and lay out their interpretations across adisc apiece. The two have produced beautiful and strikingly differentresults - it's hard to imagine that these sounds came from the samesource. Tietchens cranks up his electron microscope and focuses oncrackling ice, eyeless subterranean creatures, and earth drones. Thereis a fantastic variety of organic sounds here that hold few hints ofthe source material or the method by which they were created.Tietchens' pieces really seem to occur naturally out of nowhere, andconjure up mental images of strange phenomena. Vidna Obmana's disc is arevelation for me. I don't remember hearing anything of Obmana'sbefore, and didn't know what to expect. While Tietchens' disc exploresthe caves, Obmana's wafts through the upper atmosphere. His first threepieces focus on sublime drones and dramatic crescendoes that build upmightily then subside into a metallic haze. I am somewhat reminded ofCristoph Heemann and Stuart Dempster, but this material seems to havemore of a foundation in classical archetypes. Epic themes seem to behinted, but get lost in the shimmering undulations of sound. The hazeevaporates during the last half of the disc, revealing mournful musicalpassages. The guitar has been forged into a baroque orchestra of brassand strings that strains out a beautiful dirge. "The Shifts Recyclings"is an excellent collaboration, and illuminates the strengths of allthree involved. I'd be interested to hear their interpretations ofless-ambient source material in future "recyclings."
There's really a shortage of good prog rock these days, mostly becauseof the overwhelming need for the artists or critics to make each albuma concept record. Good ideas can rarely be carried that far, as NineInch Nails showed on "The Fragile". Really, has anyone accomplishedthis feat as well as Genesis on "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway"? Sowhat if a band played surprisingly good prog rock but didn't make it aconcept album, and it moved the minds and souls of millions toaccomplish near-impossible feats? Well, The Standard have at leastlanded the first part on this, their second full-length. And I'm notsure I'd call them prog rock, but this album has that general feel allover it to me. The first track opens quietly enough on acoustic guitarand with soft vocals and keyboards, but then rips into loud guitars andkeyboard swells that would make Peter Gabriel blush. 'The Five-FactorModel' starts off stuttering and stopping, but then settles into a nicegroove that carries the wieght of the lyrics ("I could not sustain it","I could not explain it") well. And those keyboards again, ringing andbuzzing with bizarre fluidity and intensity. The album continues withsimilar themes and airy vocals, sounding at times like the best albumRush never made, others like the best moments on the Archers of Loaf'slast studio album which was the best they'd made in terms of structureand power. This is music from a band that will improve over time, buthave made a pretty damned fine start.
A highly anticipated return for this band with many faces. They're thefirst Pearl Jam side project - guitarist Stone Gossard was the first torecord a project without any of that band's members; they're afunk-rock project that Brits loved for their catchy single '20thCentury'; they're the band that named themselves after the guy whoowned the rights to the first band name they wanted, Shame; they're theband that gave Jeremy Toback a place on the alternative rock map sothat he could start his mildly successful solo career. Why so muchanticipation, you ask? Brad's first album in five years, "Welcome toDiscovery Park" is their first for Redline Entertainment, consumerconglomerate Best Buy's fledgling independent label - Prince is alsoone of their few signings. Their tours are always wildly successful,and their albums have sold moderately. And with lead singer ShawnSmith's other two projects, Satchel and Pigeonhed, gone seemingly forgood, Brad is all he's got, and fans want to hear more of him. It showson this release, which is one of its major weaknesses. Smith is theprimary songwriter and performer on most of these tracks, as he hasbeen in the past. However, something's changed. His writing is morepedestrian, more mellow than it has ever been. Gone are the pure funkmoments of earlier releases, and the slower material has nowhere nearthe power of 'Screen' or 'The Full Sentence', mainly because Smithseems afraid/ashamed of his falsetto on these songs, where he has usedit in the past to great success. Admirable touches are added byThaddeus Turner and Elizabeth Pupo-Walker, new to the Brad scene, buteven Gossard seems more subdued than ever or he's taking his cues fromSmith. Plus, Toback appears only on a few tracks, which weakens thealbum's appeal as a group project. This has the feeling of a Smith solorecord that he wanted Brad to be the backing band on, and it's notanywhere near as dynamic. They're not taking any chances. On theirfirst two records, we also got to hear Toback's voice, and Gossard's,on occasion. Not this time. And why not? It certainly couldn't havehurt the record any. I'll still listen, but with caution from now on.This is not the Brad I was used to, that much is crystal clear.
The title track of this EP continues in the brutalising, complicatedstyle of 'Confield', which has caused such polarization in the Autechrefan base. Booth and Brown have earned the freedom at this point intheir career to lay down sheer digital noise if they want to, and tosee it consumed in numbers that must far exceed even flagship MEGOreleases. And, like their work on 'Confield', "Gantz_graf" is anauthoritative track that hammers and screams with pure digital flavours.
