05/07 – 05/11:

End of the line, folks. With the conclusion of Comics From Space! comes the conclusion of this blog. I guess. I’d like to find another use for it, but it definitely won’t be a soundtrack anymore. Knowing this was coming, I decided to put on some of my favorites to close things down in style. And since this last week has extra-huge comics, well... it’s a long list. Let’s get to it.

Ramones, Ramones

There are works of art out there that depend on context. You have to put yourself in the mindset of the contemporary audience to fully appreciate its impact and cultural relevance and stuff. And then there’s work that just connects. Ramones might seem a little basic compared to the long, increasingly repetitive punk tradition it inspired, but all the elements that made it exciting in the 70s make it exciting today: High energy, fast pace, bizarre, humorous lyrics, and an inexplicable mix of positive attitude and aggressive music, of some pretty crazy imagery and catchy tunes. Its simple appeal hasn’t changed a bit.

Ramones, “I Don’t Wanna Go Down To The Basement”

Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Trust

After a whirlwind of experimentation in his early career, Elvis Costello’s Trust almost feels like a career retrospective that happens to be made up of new songs. It’s got fast songs, slow songs, political songs, love songs, rock songs, pop songs, r&b songs and country songs. It’s got the whip-smart lyricism, inventive drumming and toe-tapping rhythms that are a hallmark of the early Elvis Costello & The Attractions albums. It’s got a little bit of everything. As a result, it’s the Costello album I revisit the most.

Elvis Costello & The Attractions, “Club Land”

Clutch, Clutch

It’s kind of weird to think this was the Clutch album for a long time. Their 2nd album and 4th release overall, it’s where their sound really seemed to coalesce, where the band that used to play metal with a surprisingly funky rhythm section really became that sound that is unmistakably Clutch. It was where Neil really established himself as a top-notch storyteller, where JP’s drumming and Dan’s bass and Tim’s guitar heroics fully meshed into a sound as likely to inspire dancing as a mosh pit. I hate the term “stoner rock,” but this was where they truly began to fit into that sort of subgenre... as much as they’ve ever fit in anywhere... making the groovy-but-heavy music that would become their trademark. It’s got classic after classic, indispensable entries in their catalog. And yet... I think the renaissance they experienced in the mid-2000s has become the real hallmark of their work. Robot Hive/Exodus is probably the defining Clutch album in the 21st century, the point at which the long-hinted-at blues influence came to the fore and brought a whole new energy to the band. But back in the 90s and even the earliest years of the 2000s, Clutch was unbeatable.

Clutch, “I Have The Body of John Wilkes Booth”

Opeth, Watershed

It's a very different band playing on this album than previous album Ghost Reveries. Line-up changes had been somewhat common in the beginning of the band's fifteen-or-so year history, but from 1997 to 2005 the line-up had been pretty solid. Singer/guitarist/songwriter Mikael Akerfeldt and guitarist Peter Lindgren had been there since the beginning, joined by bassist Martin Mendez and drummer Martin Lopez beginning with their 3rd album, My Arms, Your Hearse. But in 2006, Lopez had to abruptly leave the band for medical reasons, and new drummer Martin Axenrot (who swooped in to save the day on the tour Lopez was forced to abandon) had barely been accepted as a full-time member when Lindgren decided to leave. Adding recently down-sized Arch Enemy guitarist Fredrik Akesson to the line-up with long-time bassist Martin Mendez and keyboard player Per Weiberg (who joined then band in 2005), Akerfeldt found himself fronting a remarkably different group all of a sudden when he began writing for Watershed, the band's 9th album, a defining moment for the band.

Akerfeldt knew the strengths of his new players from being a fan of their previous work, and wrote to suit them, including incredible soaring guitar solos and songs in which the drumming could reach even more frenetic and intense heights than ever before. But he also took Watershed as an opportunity to work more musical styles and textures he loves into the Opeth repertoire. Opeth's albums have traditionally been intriguing mixes of traditional death metal and a kind of baroque classical composition, often blended together in the same song, but here, those styles are joined by everything from jazz fusion to blues to piano ballads, and even Mikael's unabashed love of the Scorpions in the form of some pretty ludicrous guitar work here and there. This is the sound of a band that's made a career out of pushing themselves in new directions pushing harder than ever. And what you get from that is a flawless, engrossing album.

Opeth, “The Lotus Eater”

Prince, Purple Rain

This album has almost become cliche, really. I associate it with so many other things, at this point. But if you give it your full attention, it will remind you of why it’s so common that it’s almost a punchline. Especially for a guy like Prince, who hasn’t exactly been known for his restraint of over the years, it’s a quick, near-perfect blast of good times. Even the hyper-serious, melodramatic stuff like “When Doves Cry” and the title song... whether that’s experience rather than the song again or not, it’s just fun to listen to. And the songs that were obviously meant to be fun are (to use another word you associate with Prince) positively delirious. From that ridiculous intro to the last notes of that guitar solo that was a rare reminder for the time that Prince is a lot more than a hypnotic voice and flamboyant costume, it’s just tough to beat.

Prince, “Purple Rain”

Electric Six, Fire

E6 has come to be one of my all-time favorite bands. Funny music is, I think, not as tricky as people make it out to be. It’s just that people don’t approach it properly. A gimmick or novelty song is only as good as the joke is fresh. You got maybe 5 listens before it loses its appeal. Electric Six are one of the rare entities that combine funny lyrics with songs that are actually great, and that is the key to giving the songs a long shelf life. You could take so many of Electric Six’s songs, give them serious new lyrics and make less-silly people love them. Sure, the ludicrous lyrics of “Naked Pictures of Your Mother” or “I’m The Bomb” will never be as funny as they were the first time you heard them, but the songs themselves still groove like mad.

Fire is the entry point for me (and most fans not in the Detroit area, I assume). I was completely unprepared for “Gay Bar” and “Danger! High Voltage.” I heard the former in a silly animation in the early days of internet memes, not too long after the album had been released, and within moments I’d investigated who those guys were and what they sounded like and where I could get more. And like I said, it may not make me laugh out loud anymore, but it’s still a great time to listen to.

Electric Six, “Naked Pictures (Of Your Mother)”

Ballzack, Yeah Indeed

Speaking of funny music that isn’t a joke, here’s Ballzack. Ballzack is a New Orleans rapper and former comedian who has been making funny rap music that’s actually good for years. While his first album had a sort of “alternative rap” feel and his 2nd was really out there and experimental, on this, his 3rd album, he combines his humor with his love of New Orleans’ own hip hop subgenre, bounce. The intentional goofiness of songs about his friend Eric calling a ferret a “Limousine mouse” or building a robot is fused to the handclap samples, call and response segments and chants of bounce to make a record to satisfy comedy fans and bounce fans alike. Like I said with Electric Six, the jokes may not have the punch they had in 2008, but they’re as fun to listen to as ever.

Ballzack, “A Rainbow In Marrero”

Andrew WK, Close Calls With Brick Walls

And I guess that gives Mr. Andrew Wilkes-Krier the dubious honor of being the last guy I talk about in one of these posts. Who really knows what’s going on with Andrew WK? His only DVD release to date is even called Who Knows? Is he a dead serious party metal ambassador of good times and believing in yourself? Is he the fictional character some truly bizarre internet conspiracy theories would have you believe? Is he, along with Lady Gaga, a living brainwashing machine deployed by the Illuminati to distract you from their master plan that even weirder conspiracy theories claim? (The internet, everybody!) I dunno. I know that this album was an amazing left turn, though. After the breakneck party metal goofiness of I Get Wet and the slightly more grandiose music and self-help-style lyrics of The Wolf, WK blasted off into a dozen new directions at once with CCWBW. Initially released in Japan and South Korea only, this album finds him experimenting with a new style of music on almost every track. The raspy shout of the previous two albums is replaced with actual singing. The songs are more ludicrous than ever, but the spirit of adventure found in them is powerful. Friends of mine who couldn’t stand Andrew WK before this were forced to admit this stuff was pretty fun upon hearing it. Only one song, “Not Going to Bed,” bears any strong resemblance to the speed metal dance offs of the past. Instead, CCWBW features nutty ballads (“I Came For You,” “Hand On The Place”), a scuzzed up weird-a-thon about the dangers of drug dealing (“Pushing Drugs”), a fizzy rave up dedicated to Las Vegas, a baffling instrumental interlude (“Dr. Dumond”), a slow burning directionless meditation on... something... (“Mark My Grace”), songs that defy any kind of category (“Close Calls With Bal Harbour,” “Golden-Eyed Dog”), and one song admonishing you never to call him “Andy” or even “Ann,” among others. It’s a tour de force, with a new surprise around every corner. It’s utterly insane and I love it.

Andrew WK, “Pushing Drugs”

And with that, dear friends, we’ve reached the end of our journey. Maybe I’ll find that new use for this blog, I dunno. Stay tuned!

There ya go.

--D

04/30 – 05/04:

Electric Six, Heartbeats & Brainwaves

The release of a new Electric Six album is cause for celebration. It is, in fact, the soundtrack to its own celebration. Heartbeats & Brainwaves is a more synth-driven album, taking the dance rock we’ve come to depend on and turning down the “rock” part a little. The result is more akin to 2nd album Senior Smoke than most of their catalog: glorious, bombastic, even catchier than usual. And lyrically, Dick Valentine really brought it this time, delivering some of the Six’s more absurd, delightful songs to date in songs like “Gridlock!,” “It Gets Hot,” and “Food Dog.” Electric Six songs that get really excited about mundane events tend to be homeruns, and “Free Samples” is no exception. It’s about getting free samples. Even moody opener “Psychic Visions” offers plenty of fun. The whole album is a great time from start to finish. The first three Electric Six albums are far and away the best, and a big part of that for me is they all sound different. The first is really rock oriented, the second more dance-based, and the third stretched out and tried some new genres. After that, until last year’s Zodiac, they’d mostly settled into a reliable, Fire-esque, dance rock sound. But Zodiac began and Heartbeats & Brainwaves continues a new era of experimentation, and I am all for it. Electric Six are on top of their game right now.

Electric Six, “It Gets Hot”

Screaming Females, Ugly

Screaming Females are an interesting band. Album after album, they don’t do much to change their style, but they seem to refine and get closer to the heart of that style every time. Each album features tighter playing, more guitar solos, a more confident and elastic vocal approach, and just plain better songs than the last. Their catalog just gets exponentially better as you listen through it, and it starts out pretty strong in the first place. Ugly mostly keeps up the trend, although there are a couple of spots with the most experimentation we’ve heard from the band, most obviously closing ballad “It’s Nice.” That song’s fragile strings and focus on the calmer, more vulnernable end of singer/guitarist Marissa Paternoster’s wonderfully pliable voice is definitely new territory for the band. But for the most part, it’s the no frills, super-fun rock’n’roll you’ve come to expect, only even better than you remember it. Whether light speed attacks like “Tell Me No” or quasi-title track “Something Ugly,” the poppier approach of “Rotten Apple,” the more subdued menace of “Red Hand” or the booming swagger of “Expire” and the oddly hypnotic 7:30 minute epic “Doom 84,” it’s everything you love about the band, but it still manages to sound fresh and exciting. That’s quite a tightrope, but they pull it off every time.

Screaming Females, “Expire”

Big Baby Gandhi, No 1 2 Look Up 2 mixtape

Big Baby Gandhi is the protege of Das Racist’s Heems, and I think he was the first person signed to Heems’ Greedhead label. Gandhi had provided beats and guest verses for DR, and this is his 2nd mixtape on his own. Already he’s showing some growth. His last tape had great production, and his lyricism could be clever, but his delivery was basically just an album-length shrill yell. Gandhi still gets pretty heated most of the time when he’s rapping, but his voice doesn’t get so high, and that might not sound like a big change, but it is. He sounds a lot more controlled and focused here. The production is wide-ranging and versatile. Most of it is provided by others, which is surprising since Gandhi is a talented beatmaker. Guest appearances from the usual suspects of the Greedhead umbrella are present (With Lakutis in particular coming in with a memorable moment). It’s a solid showing, but I think Gandhi’s best material is still ahead of him. You can download the record here.

Big Baby Gandhi with Das Racist, “Blue Magic”

First Serve, First Serve

First Serve is a concept album. Pretty rare in hip hop. It’s more than that, really, it’s like a rapped musical. It’s been compared to Prince Paul’s A Prince Among Thieves in that respect. De La Soul’s Plug One And Plug Two, Posdnous and Dave, play two young rappers on their way to success, and we witness what happens when they find it, and what it does to their friendship. It’s a lively story, maybe not the most original plot line, but well realized. And most importantly, though the record does a great job of telling a story, the songs never suffer from being a part of a larger piece. Very few guest stars provide voices along the way. It’s mostly just Pos & Dave, rapping over production by French DJs Chokolate & Khalid. It’s a fun listen.

First Serve, “Must B The Music”

Lushlife, Plateau Vision

I listen to a lot of music, you may have noticed. And I have this thing... it doesn’t happen too often, but once in awhile... I will listen to a record I’ve had for some time and realize I like it a lot more than I thought I did. It’s hard to articulate, but there comes a moment where I think, “Man, this is really great!” even after many listens. A grower, I guess. Such was the case with Lushlife’s 2011 mixtape, No More Golden Days. It might’ve taken awhile to to go from “good” to “great” in my head, but once it did, I was very impatient for the release of his first proper album, Plateau Vision.

Now it’s here, and... I have mixed feelings. Its 11-track running time features 3 songs I haven’t heard in some form already. Three other tracks are transported as-is from the mixtape. And the remaining 5 songs are all either a beat from the mixtape with new vocals, or vocals from the mixtape with new production, or some other reconfiguration. Even Heems’ guest verse, the appearance of which is what put No More Golden Days on my radar to begin with, is reused (in a truncated form). One song from the mixtape actually appears on Plateau Vision twice, in 2 different configurations. In spite of the release schedule, he material here seems to have come first. Except when it obviously didn’t. “Still I Hear The Word Progress,” for example, features a guest verse from Styles P, but the remixed version featured on last year’s mixtape had a recurring vocal sample that turns out to have come from Styles P’s verse. This is most definitely the “real” version, but when you hear it months and months after the remix... which one is the real version to you? And, on the other hand, there’s the Heems verse. On the mixtape, he appeared on “Adult Goth,” a song based on samples of the Gang Gang Dance song of the same name, something Heems notes in his first line. Here, he’s on a song called “Halle-Bopp Was the Bedouins,” with the reference to Gang Gang Dance excised, and a Lushlife verse from a different song on the mixtape added. The history of these songs seems pretty confusing.

It’s hard for me to render judgement on this thing. The new songs are great. The new production is top-notch. But... the old production and old lyrics and old vocals are good, too, and I know them all-too well. It’s hard to get excited about an album with so few surprises on it. But... it’s a really good album. It’s sort of like this: If you’ve never heard No More Golden Days, you’d love this album. If you have heard No More Golden Days, you will... appreciate this. I don’t regret buying it or anything... No More Golden Days is amazing and it was free, I’d gladly pay for this even if I didn’t like it just out of gratitude, and this does have some new stuff... but ironically, this feels more like a collection of remixes & outtakes, which is what the mixtape was meant to be. Frustrating. Or really good. It depends on you.

Lushlife, “Magnolia”

There you go.

--D

04/23 – 04/27:

Meshuggah, Koloss

Since last we heard from Meshuggah, a whole thing has sprung up trying to turn them into a genre called “djent.” It’s really dumb. The perfectly synced stop-start guitars & drums and palm mutes that Meshuggah favors these days sound cool, sure, but it’s hardly enough to build a genre out of. And, on the other hand, most of the bands don’t actually sound like Meshuggah, they just have songs with parts that sound like Meshuggah, which makes the whole thing even flimsier.

But Meshuggah have changed a lot over the years, themselves, and the band that currently sounds like a factory designed to produce flawless heavy metal is back, making it clear that there’s only one band in their genre. Koloss is definitely of a piece with previous album obZen, maintaining its unrelenting assault, but adding a surprising amount of groove. It doesn’t have anything as fast as “Combustion” or “Bleed” from that album (Though “The Demon’s Name Is Surveillance” and “The Hurt That Finds you First” will still get your blood pumping), but I think it has a greater coherence from front to back. Like obZen, Koloss might seem simpler than past efforts at first, but while the increasingly weird experimentation of their 2000s work is mostly gone, it’s replaced with songs where the trick isn’t necessarily inventing a new way to play so much as making more familiar song forms fit that strange Meshuggah sound. The jagged guitar parts and odd pattern of the drums on “Marrow,” “Break Those Bones Whose Sinew Gave It Motion” or “Swarm” recall the Meshuggah of the 90s, but never simply return to the style they played at the time. The aforementioned new focus on groove is an interesting experiment itself. “Do Not Look Down” has a groove bordering on funky, even, yet still sounds like Meshuggah. The 6-minute “Demiurge” adds spooky atmospherics to the mix, while instrumental closer “The Last Vigil” lives up to its name, a surprisingly quiet, reflective piece more about atmosphere than song. There are so many new sounds to take in. The band continues to find new ways to expand on their sound, to find new layers and paths within it, without ever really changing it. It’s a difficult balancing act, but they pull it off. Accept no substitutes.

Meshuggah, “Do Not Look Down”

Paul Weller, Sonik Kicks

In recent years, Paul Weller has alternated between more straightforward rock records and more experimental albums. Previous offering Wake Up The Nation was a rocking call to action, but its predecessor, 22 Dreams, was almost a different style of music for every track, and it was preceded by his first rock album in several years, As Is Now. so that puts Sonik Kicks on track to be a bit more loose and experimental, and lo, it is. While it has straight up rockers like “Kling I Klang!,” and”Around The Lake,” most of its running time is made up of tracks with a little bit more spirit of adventure. Electronics find their way into his music for the first time of significance since the latter days of The Style Council, he experiments with dance rock and dub, there’s a Middle Eastern flavor to “Driftiers,” and there are a few ballads in a classic Weller mode. But while the stylistic variety of 22 Dreams gave it an unwieldy sprawl that was hard to appreciate all together, Sonik Kicks is remarkably focused for all its flights of fancy. This complete feeling is helped along by some songs that flow into each other or odd little interludes. It doesn’t take much, but it makes a big difference, as the album is so much more fluid and a really enjoyable listen from start to finish. Weller has experienced something of a Renaissance in the 2000s (the 3rd?... 4th?... of his career, even), and Sonik Kicks may be the best album of this period.

Paul Weller, “Drifters”

Sharon Van Etten, Tramp

Sharon Van Etten’s apparently been doing it for years, but I am just getting on the bandwagon here. Seems like a pretty good place to climb aboard. This album’s thoughtful, vulnerable tone is almost hypnotic, reeling you in deeper with each subsequent song. It reminds me in places of PJ Harvey, post-new wave 80s “alternative,” folksy singer-songwriter fare and more as it unwinds its running time, but it manages to shift very subtly from song to song and sound to sound, creating a true album experience in a music world where that’s becoming a lost art. The introspective, forlorn “Give Out” makes way for the album’s only real rocker in “Serpents,” which is in turn followed by the stripped down ballad “Kevin’s,” but it all feels of a piece and unified. It’s a great record.

Sharon Van Etten, “Give Out”

There you go.

--D

04/16 – 04/20:

Boy Crisis, Tulipomania

Once upon a time, the future Kool AD of Das Racist almost made his way into the mainstream music biz as the singer for a dance-rock band called Boy Crisis. Founded at the same art college where he met his Das Racist co-conspirator Heems, Boy Crisis has the sound of a band like, say, Franz Ferdinand, but even then, Victor’s lyrics were humorous and unique, and really make the group stand out. Their record deal never quite worked out, and Victor ended up being a rapper, but for awhile there, things were looking very different for him.

Boy Crisis, “The Fountain of Youth”

The Dead Weather, Horehound

This album sounds like a bunch of friends playing music for fun. In the best way possible. That those friends happen to be from  lot of famous bands isn’t really the important thing, though it was certainly what got the band its hype. Its sloppy, fuzzed out, swaggering, blues-drenched romps hit me right between the eyes. It’s not revolutionary, it’s not cutting edge, it’s just a great time. It’s got more attitude and visceral appeal than any of the bands its members hail from, frankly. I never noticed... never even considered... how risque Bob Dylan’s “New Pony” was until I heard Allison Mossheart sing it. It’s one of the most fun albums I’ve heard in years.

The Dead Weather, “Treat Me Like Your Mother”

Mastodon, Leviathan

Mastodon’s second album is, I gather, many fans’ favorite. But for whatever reason, it’s never been mine. Opener “Blood & Thunder” is undeniably one of the very best Mastodon songs ever made. It’s on the strength of that song that I always put it on. “That song is awesome, surely I’ll want to hear this.” But somewhere in its running time, my attention always seems to wander off. Even the instrumental noodling that tended to crop up on their proper debut, Remission, never failed to keep me engaged. I can’t really explain it. I offer no defense, Mastodon fans, feel free to hate on me. I like it ok, but it’s just not as visceral as Remission or as experimental as Blood Mountain.

Mastodon, “Blood & Thunder”

God Forbid, Equilibrium

God Forbid’s 6th album is sort of a new start for the band. Founder Dallas Coyle left, replaced by Matt Wicklund from Himsa. Matt brings some new ideas to the group, and the result is an album that still sounds very much like God Forbid, but tries some new things, too. Fickle people cried foul, and worse “djent,” over album opener “Don’t Tell Me What To Dream.” Claims to “djentness” are exaggerated, but it does represent the first of many new approaches on the album. Dallas taking his half of the clean vocal harmonies he created with his brother, Doc, out of the mix is noted, but not only does Doc still provide clean vocals, traditionally growling frontman Byron Davis adds some clean vocals to his repertoire, as well. He hasn’t abandoned his more aggressive style, just switched it up some, and the results are a big success. The most striking departure on the album, which seems to have gotten oddly little press, is its overwhelming positivity and spirituality. Far from being Christian metal or anything, Equilibrium nevertheless does add some words of encouragement and references to a higher power that may surprise people. God Forbid has never sounded stale, has never made an album that wasn’t worthy of their legacy, but even so, they sound revitalized on Equilibrium.

God Forbid, “Where We Come From”

There you go.

--D

04/09 – 04/13:

Veil of Maya, Eclipse

I wasn’t too keen on the last album by this band, [id]. It mostly seemed like a retread of 2nd album The Common Man’s Collapse. The songs sounded really same-y and familiar, and while it had a few nice moments, I was worried that I was done with this group. Eclipse, then, is a welcome surprise, expanding on their strengths, showing positive growth, and really destroying everything in its path. It’s an all-out assault on the senses for 28 brief minutes, but that’s not all it is. These songs find the band really upping their songwriting game, exploring more coherent compositions without compromising anything that made their sound their own. They’ve infused their work with a little more melody this time out, especially in the instrumental title track, but the unbelievable guitar pyrotechnics and seemingly impossible drumming are still in full effect. The most amusing moment comes near the end of “Punisher,” where a sample of a youtube user making fun of Periphery’s guitar sound is answered by Veil of Maya playing his impression of them. With Periphery’s Misha Mansoor at the boards producing, that’s even more humorous. Eclipse was a welcome surprise, and has become one of my most-listened albums in the intervening weeks.

Veil of Maya, “Punisher”

Every Time I Die, Ex-Lives

In the realm of aggressive music, it’s pretty well understood that most bands are either going to call it quits or mellow out, often pretty fast. I don’t blame them, either. Playing intense, crazy music to people going completely insane every night, the singer screaming himself hoarse... that just can’t go on forever (Unless you’re Slayer). So Every Time I Die is an interesting anomaly, indeed, as they seem to be getting only more extreme with age. A few years ago, 4th album The Big Dirty seemed to hint at a blueprint for the band’s mellowing future: leaning more heavily on the more Southern Rock aspects of their sound, with singer Keith Buckley relying more on clean vocals. It would’ve been a natural transition to continue making good, but different music.

Instead, 2009’s New Junk Aesthetic found them roaring back with renewed intensity, and now Ex-Lives takes them to dizzying new heights of speed and aggression. Ex-Lives is the most uncompromising explosion of aggression they’ve ever issued by far. New drummer Legs Leger’s first time recording with the band is a revelation, and seems to have energized the band completely, and the return of longtime bassist Steve Miccichie to join stalwart guitarists Jordan Buckley and Andy Williams is welcome.

A signature element of ETID’s popularity has been Keith’s unique, literate, often hilarious lyrics. The lyric sheet for this record are an honest, personal response to feelings of isolation and sadness while on tour with his side project, supergroup The Damned Things. As a result, there’s not a whole lot of laughs this time, and the darkened feel of the lyrics compliments the brutal music. But it’s not all just an abusive wall of sound. One of the album’s darkest hours comes in the relatively radio friendly “Revival Sickness.” A lively banjo lead creates a memorable moment, and closer “Indian Giver” has an atmospheric approach that is new territory for the band. Ratcheting up the intensity hasn’t stopped them from finding new ways to play. And the results are maybe the best album Every Time I Die has ever made.

Every Time I Die, “Underwater Bimbos From Outer Space”

Ava Luna, Ice Level

A few months ago I talked about Ava Luna’s disappointing 2nd EP and said I hoped this album would right their course. Oh boy, did it. The more seductive, groovy sound of their first EP returns, but tempered with some of the complexity they were trying for on 3rd Avenue Island. Ice Level gives the female vocalists more of the spotlight while combining some pretty undeniable, complicated drum patterns, a little more noise and a lot of soul into an album that flies by and fairly cries out for a replay. For my money, the back-to-back power of the slow burning “Stages,” the super funky “Wrenning Day,” and the infinitely catchy “Sequential Holdings” make up the albums backbone, but there’s not a bad song on the all-too-brief set.

Ava Luna, “Wrenning Day”

 

Skatalites, Ball of Fire

Skatalites may not be a household name, but they should be. With a membership made of many musicians who had been influential in Jamaica separately, The Skatalites were one of the earliest ska groups in the late 50s and early 60s, and played on records that helped popularize reggae outside of Jamaica. Their reach is substantial, but somehow fame never came with it. A big part of this is they often weren’t billed as a group, but simply served as the backing band for a single performer, often one of their own ranks. As The Skatalites, they released comparatively little material, making collecting their early work pretty challening. But famous or not, their influence has endured, and the rather inexplicable ska/punk revival of the 90s brought them attention from a whole new generation. Mine, as it turns out. For some one who really got into “ska” with the 3rd wave, which amounts to little more than punk rock bands with horns, being introduced to The Skatalites was a real eye opener. I fell in love instantly, and it was this record that did the job. By the time of its recording, most original members (Or even 2nd generation members) had retired or died, but the band just kept recruiting top musicians and recording and touring.

Ball of Fire finds the band reworking many of their early classics (And the James Bond theme) into the instrumental, improvisational style that has become their trademark, so it serves as a sort of greatest hits, but not. Some of the songs are altered so considerably that the work really stands on its own. It’s impossible to ignore. The music will get you moving whether you like it or not. And I like it a lot.

Skatalites, “Latin Goes Ska”

Sharon Van Etten, Tramp

Sharon Van Etten’s apparently been doing it for years, but I am just getting on the bandwagon here. Seems like a pretty good place to climb aboard. This album’s thoughtful, vulnerable tone is almost hypnotic, reeling you in deeper with each subsequent song. It reminds me in places of PJ Harvey, post-new wave 80s “alternative,” folksy singer-songwriter fare and more as it unwinds its running time, but it manages to shift very subtly from song to song and sound to sound, creating a true album experience in a music world where that’s becoming a lost art. The introspective, forlorn “Give Out” makes way for the album’s only real rocker in “Serpents,” which is in turn followed by the stripped down ballad “Kevin’s,” but it all feels of a piece and unified. It’s a great record.

Sharon Van Etten, “Give Out”

There you go.

--D

04/02 – 04/06:

Every Time I Die, Ex-Lives

In the realm of aggressive music, it’s pretty well understood that most bands are either going to call it quits or mellow out, often pretty fast. I don’t blame them, either. Playing intense, crazy music to people going completely insane every night, the singer screaming himself hoarse... that just can’t go on forever (Unless you’re Slayer). So Every Time I Die is an interesting anomaly, indeed, as they seem to be getting only more extreme with age. A few years ago, 4th album The Big Dirty seemed to hint at a blueprint for the band’s mellowing future: leaning more heavily on the more Southern Rock aspects of their sound, with singer Keith Buckley relying more on clean vocals. It would’ve been a natural transition to continue making good, but different music.

Instead, 2009’s New Junk Aesthetic found them roaring back with renewed intensity, and now Ex-Lives takes them to dizzying new heights of speed and aggression. Ex-Lives is the most uncompromising explosion of aggression they’ve ever issued by far. New drummer Legs Leger’s first time recording with the band is a revelation, and seems to have energized the band completely, and the return of longtime bassist Steve Miccichie to join stalwart guitarists Jordan Buckley and Andy Williams is welcome.

A signature element of ETID’s popularity has been Keith’s unique, literate, often hilarious lyrics. The lyric sheet for this record are an honest, personal response to feelings of isolation and sadness while on tour with his side project, supergroup The Damned Things. As a result, there’s not a whole lot of laughs this time, and the darkened feel of the lyrics compliments the brutal music. But it’s not all just an abusive wall of sound. One of the album’s darkest hours comes in the relatively radio friendly “Revival Sickness.” A lively banjo lead creates a memorable moment, and closer “Indian Giver” has an atmospheric approach that is new territory for the band. Ratcheting up the intensity hasn’t stopped them from finding new ways to play. And the results are maybe the best album Every Time I Die has ever made.

Every Time I Die, “Underwater Bimbos From Outer Space”

Ava Luna, Ice Level

A few months ago I talked about Ava Luna’s disappointing 2nd EP and said I hoped this album would right their course. Oh boy, did it. The more seductive, groovy sound of their first EP returns, but tempered with some of the complexity they were trying for on 3rd Avenue Island. Ice Level gives the female vocalists more of the spotlight while combining some pretty undeniable, complicated drum patterns, a little more noise and a lot of soul into an album that flies by and fairly cries out for a replay. For my money, the back-to-back power of the slow burning “Stages,” the super funky “Wrenning Day,” and the infinitely catchy “Sequential Holdings” make up the albums backbone, but there’s not a bad song on the all-too-brief set.

Ava Luna, “Wrenning Day”

Now, Now, Threads

It’s been awhile since Now, Now Every Children’s first full-length, Cars. Since then, they’ve had record label woes, dropped half their band name, gotten signed by Death Cab For Cutie’s Chris Walla, and released a tantalizing EP called Neighbors. And Threads makes good on the promises of that EP. The band’s sound is fuller now than before the name change, more polished and refined, but the dream-like atmosphere and ambiguous lyrics that allow you to get lost in their songs, coupled with occasional exhilarating bursts of speed, the factors that made me a fan, are still firmly in place. Now, Now has really stepped up their game in the last couple of years, and I’m really pleased to hear the results.

Now, Now, “Thread”

Big KRIT, 4evaNaday mixtape

Prolific, difficult-to-categorize Mississippi rapper Big KRIT’s latest free mixtape is, as usual, filled with the kind of high quality material other rappers would save for a retail album. KRIT presents a level of diversity in terms of sound and subject matter pretty much rivaled by no one, especially in the South. The album begins with a few somber, introspective songs about struggle and loss before transitioning into more upbeat fare. There’s something for everyone here. You want real emotion in your hip hop? Done. You want just fun, high energy songs you can play at a party? Done. You want old school songs? Done. You want songs that revel in the now? Done. You want conscious rap? Done. You want sex rap? Done. And all of this for free. You really can’t go wrong. Get it here.

Big KRIT, “1986”

There you go.

--D

03/26 – 03/30:

Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Area 52

At first, I was going to skip this. It doesn’t have any new songs on it. But then I listened to samples on Amazon, and wow, did my opinion change. Herein we find mind-blowing guitar duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela teamed up with a 13-piece Cuban orchestra, reworking songs from their previous albums to take advantage of the expanded sound, and the results are spectacular. Some songs retain their original sound and flavor, just enhanced with horns, keys, and percussion. Others are so dramatically different they might as well be new compositions. Rodrigo’s impossible soloing goes electric here, which is exciting. If I have a complaint, it’s that Gabriela’s percussive technique is rendered unnecessary by the expanded group. Her deft use of the guitar’s body for percussion as much as the strings gives their usual work much of its character, but here her rapping on the guitar is replaced by drums, congas, all sorts of percussion options. Nevertheless, the intricate guitar work of both players is still center stage in these new takes, and they are a wonder to behold.

Rodrigo Y Gabriela with CUBA, “Tamacun”

Now, Now, Threads

It’s been awhile since Now, Now Every Children’s first full-length, Cars. Since then, they’ve had record label woes, dropped half their band name, gotten signed by Death Cab For Cutie’s Chris Walla, and released a tantalizing EP called Neighbors. And Threads makes good on the promises of that EP. The band’s sound is fuller now than before the name change, more polished and refined, but the dream-like atmosphere and ambiguous lyrics that allow you to get lost in their songs, coupled with occasional exhilarating bursts of speed, the factors that made me a fan, are still firmly in place. Now, Now has really stepped up their game in the last couple of years, and I’m really pleased to hear the results.

Now, Now, “Thread”

Every Time I Die, Ex-Lives

In the realm of aggressive music, it’s pretty well understood that most bands are either going to call it quits or mellow out, often pretty fast. I don’t blame them, either. Playing intense, crazy music to people going completely insane every night, the singer screaming himself hoarse... that just can’t go on forever (Unless you’re Slayer). So Every Time I Die is an interesting anomaly, indeed, as they seem to be getting only more extreme with age. A few years ago, 4th album The Big Dirty seemed to hint at a blueprint for the band’s mellowing future: leaning more heavily on the more Southern Rock aspects of their sound, with singer Keith Buckley relying more on clean vocals. It would’ve been a natural transition to continue making good, but different music.

Instead, 2009’s New Junk Aesthetic found them roaring back with renewed intensity, and now Ex-Lives takes them to dizzying new heights of speed and aggression. Ex-Lives is the most uncompromising explosion of aggression they’ve ever issued by far. New drummer Legs Leger’s first time recording with the band is a revelation, and seems to have energized the band completely, and the return of longtime bassist Steve Miccichie to join stalwart guitarists Jordan Buckley and Andy Williams is welcome.

A signature element of ETID’s popularity has been Keith’s unique, literate, often hilarious lyrics. The lyric sheet for this record are an honest, personal response to feelings of isolation and sadness while on tour with his side project, supergroup The Damned Things. As a result, there’s not a whole lot of laughs this time, and the darkened feel of the lyrics compliments the brutal music. But it’s not all just an abusive wall of sound. One of the album’s darkest hours comes in the relatively radio friendly “Revival Sickness.” A lively banjo lead creates a memorable moment, and closer “Indian Giver” has an atmospheric approach that is new territory for the band. Ratcheting up the intensity hasn’t stopped them from finding new ways to play. And the results are maybe the best album Every Time I Die has ever made.

Every Time I Die, “Underwater Bimbos From Outer Space”

Veil of Maya, Eclipse

I wasn’t too keen on the last album by this band, [id]. It mostly seemed like a retread of 2nd album The Common Man’s Collapse. The songs sounded really same-y and familiar, and while it had a few nice moments, I was worried that I was done with this group. Eclipse, then, is a welcome surprise, expanding on their strengths, showing positive growth, and really destroying everything in its path. It’s an all-out assault on the senses for 28 brief minutes, but that’s not all it is. These songs find the band really upping their songwriting game, exploring more coherent compositions without compromising anything that made their sound their own. They’ve infused their work with a little more melody this time out, especially in the instrumental title track, but the unbelievable guitar pyrotechnics and seemingly impossible drumming are still in full effect. The most amusing moment comes near the end of “Punisher,” where a sample of a youtube user making fun of Periphery’s guitar sound is answered by Veil of Maya playing his impression of them. With Periphery’s Misha Mansoor at the boards producing, that’s even more humorous.  Eclipse was a welcome surprise, and has become one of my most-listened albums in the intervening weeks.

Veil of Maya, “Punisher”

There you go.

--D