Mark’s Pick of the Week: 6 Feet Beneath the Moon by King Krule

            You probably wouldn’t consider someone who is 19 to be very worldly.  19 years isn’t much time to put things into perspective, and make art that will still feel full in 5, 10 or even 20 years.  However, not everyone is Archy Marshall.  Growing up listening to garage, dub, jazz, and old school hip-hop among the dissolution and turmoil of London, King Krule grew up a bit quicker then most.  He has been releasing music under various monikers since 2010 to, and a lot of critical acclaim has been coming his way.  Though his earlier carrier has been filled with one-offs, short projects, and collaborations he has really decided to buckle down for this LP.  He has canceled shows and has remained relatively silent until the album was finished.  All this hard work has resulted in an album that is as somber in its sound and it is diverse in its influences.

            The album opens with guitar and Marshall’s voice.  For the most part that’s all you get.  The guitar has a really full sound hanging in the reverb and echoing off the empty spaces.  Some songs also feature some drum loops as well as some sampling, which is reminiscent of some of his earlier production.  He’s not a strager to moving around styles as well as combining a few.  There are slow burning guitar ballads like “Baby Blue” while the track “The Krockadile" is a fantastic dive into dub.  These twists help to keep this album, which might otherwise be a bit taxing to listen to, moving smoothly.

You might compare his voice to that of Joe Strummer (in that they both sound like they sing with something in their mouth.)  However, the Strummer comparison doesn’t stop there.  Both artists convey the “beat down songwriter.”  They’ve seen some stuff, which is obvious because of what they sing as well as how they sing it.  When you hear him telling the story in “Ocean Bed” or describing hard times in “Easy, Easy” you can get more emotion and description from his voice then what he’s saying.  It’s rough and untrained, but still has this strange appeal like a film noir, where it’s still dark even during the day.

The album also features previously released tracks (Out Getting Ribs, Ocean Bed) as well as a reworked version of “A Lizard State” which much to busy for it’s own good one of the few misses on the album (the horns in “Neptune Estate” was a much better use of the instrument.)

Marshall has changed a lot since he’s started.  His names, recording techniques, and songwriting have gone through more then one transformation in the last few years.  However, he remains true to the style and influence that made him love music in the first place.  It really awesome to hear someone who understands the facets of the music they love, can dissect it, and turn it into something that is all their own.  It’s certainly to early to call this guy anything, but hey every great songwriter started with one album.  Lets see what he does with the rest of them.  

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Mark’s Pick of the Week: Doris by Earl Sweatshirt

            I was thinking recently about how young hip-hop has got in the last few years.  Some of the most exciting acts in the genre were born after 85’.  Between Joey Bada$$, Chance the Rapper, Kendrick Lamar, and the ASAP Mob, Pro Era and of course OFWGKTA, there is a whole new crop of rappers that have either already made classics, are experimenting with new sounds, or haven’t even made a major label début yet.  Probably the youngest and most famous of these is Odd Future’s Earl Sweatshirt.  In 2010 he got famous for being absent when Odd Future exploded, but instead of being left behind he became one of the most interesting facets of the Odd Future traveling circus.  Now he’s back, been featured on a few tracks, and is ready to release his first LP.  Earl must have understood the hype and importance of this album because what he gave us was something worthy of 3 years of waiting.

            The most striking feature of the album is the hooks…there aren’t really any.  Short of the first single “Chum” there aren’t really any hype tracks, head bangers or club hits to be found on this album.  That’s mostly a production choice and the executive producer on the LP is randomblackdude Earl’s pseudonym.  Even if this is a long way from the Earl mixtape there is no shortage of phenomenal rapping.  That being said the rapping is probably the main draw of this album to the casual listener. 

            As far as rap goes there is SO MUCH to cover.  Tyler makes an appearance on the two songs he produced on the album as well as other Odd Future members Domo Genius, Case Veggie, and Frank Ocean (who raps like he did on Oldie!)  Also we have Vince Staples, Mac Miller, and RZA (yeah I know THE RZA!)  All in all it’s a pretty solid lineup, and it shines though in the great wordplay especially from Earl himself. 

            Earl is very good at rapping.  I haven’t met anyone yet who would disagree with that statement.  In fact he is the standout in almost every one of these tracks (I think Tyler and Frank are the only ones that give him a run for his money.)  His themes may be a bit less cartoonish, but his rhymes are just as dangerously complex as ever.  Anyone who knows Earl knows his style might not be totally original, but his is fast making it his own.  His slight lisp and deadpan delivery mixed with more syllables then you could believe you could fit in one breath is really his bread and butter.   His puns and rhymes are spot on as well, and you’ll probably be discovering and rediscovering new ones for many listens.  If you can appreciate rapping at all then you will be quick to forgive Earl for making an album that’s a bit on the somber side.

            In retrospect, this was not the album I expected Earl to put out.  I expected something more like Tyler’s “Wolf” which had both hype tracks and more somber tracks.  Instead Earl decided to make the album he wanted to make, and just let his talent fill in the blanks.  It is certainly worth the hype.  

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Mark’s Pick of the Week: Sunbather by Deafheaven

            If you just look at the album artwork of San-Francisco based black metal band Deafhaven’s sophomore effort you miss a lot of details.  First you miss the fact that it’s a black metal album.  The album artwork for other black metal bands are normally…well black.  This looks more like something Beach House might release.  The second thing you’ll miss is that it’s one of the biggest albums of the year.  Not necessarily big in commercial success or even critical acclaim (though it has been almost universally loved by critics) but shear scale of sound. 

            As John mentioned in his June rap-up, the basic structure of the album is 4 tracks that are about 10 minutes long sandwiched between 3 shorter instrumentals.  The songs have various parts that seem to follow the same life cycle as a star: they burn brighter and harder until they explode releasing the material that will eventually lead to the next one.  At first this might seem like a daunting and jarring experience, and I would have to agree with you.  In the same way that new technology opens up a realm of possibilities both good and bad these guys force you to look at the sound for what it is, and its equal parts scary and amazing.

            Not only does this LP not look like a black metal album, but it also doesn’t behave like one.  Certain elements of the genre like heavy distortion, screeching vocals, and rejection of conventional song structure are still there.  However, the album feels more like a post-rock and shoegaze record in many ways.  Instead of rigidly following the black metal archetype these guys have managed to make an album that is one of the better examples of black metal in songwriting and instrumentation.

            One of the cool things this album establishes is a range of sound.  Some metal bands will do a constant bombarding of sound trying to pack every second with intensity.  While this route is certainly…intense it can desensitize you to the sound and make it tedious.  When the piano part of “Irresistible” moves into the title track you are very, VERY aware of the journey they have just taken you through.

            Finally, and most importantly, the music is just really Damn good.  Everything on this album from the instrumentation, the vocals, the production, and the songwriting is just so tight.  It’s an album that you don’t have to know or even really be a fan of the genre to appreciate because the music is just that well done.  If you’re looking for an album to play while burning up in the atmosphere of some unexplored planet then look no further.  

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Mark's Pick of Week: Jinx by Weekend

Sometimes ambient music seems to sit on its laurels.  If they managed to make themselves sound like they’re 20 miles away from the listener then they’ve done their job.  They mistake the listener’s detachment (or in some extreme cases boredom) as some sort of contentment.  Really, really great lo-fi music sounds like a secret.  It gets right up in your face and whispers and you’re just compelled to sit there and listen.  You might not be moving, but on the inside you’re shaking.  It’s invigorating.  So really good lo-fi is sometimes hard to find, but it’s certainly worth looking for.

            San Francisco based lo-fi band Weekend (not to be confused with Canadian producer The Weekend) Exploded onto the seen in 2010 with their fantastic release “Sports.”  It was a great mix of fuzzy, loud, post-punk that anyone who likes Joy Division, Jesus and Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine could take to right away.  Since then they have been a bit light on their releases choosing to tour heavily and only releasing a 5 track EP “Red.”  A few days ago that all changed with the release of “Jinx.”  Despite the title of the LP these guys managed to make an album that was both on par with their first release, and a step forward in songwriting. 

Instead of just doing “Sports 2.0” these guys managed to move forward in their sound.  Like the album cover suggests they keep the bones, but striped away a lot of the flesh leaving something smooth and dark, but still leaving it just as sinister.  They also brought on a new bassist whose presence is definitely felt on some of the tracks.  Also, while the last album was blown out past the point of recognition, this album steps out from behind the veil a bit.  This allows the songs to feel even more intimate now that you don’t have to strain to hear what they’re singing about.  Speaking of singing, the lyrics of this album feel more involved then the first taking the actual song out of the background of the noise and giving the listener something to hold onto.

            This album does have a few problems with it.  Some of the tracks ease on the gas a bit, and seem to putter on a minute or two longer then necessary while others seem to be missing parts.  However, it is certainly a step in the right direction, and sends the message that these guys aren’t interested in being a one-album band.  “Sports” was a great shot, but “Jinx” burns with the intensity of a band that isn’t done growing, finding its sound, or making good music.  If this is the weaker of their two albums then that is certainly more of a compliment then an insult.  I’d definitely recommend them to anyone who has ever been to a concert where gazing at your shoes was encouraged.  You can order the LP from Slumberland Records or check out their facebook.

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Mark’s Pick of the Week: Welcome to the planet, dear by mnttab

Where does performance art end and music begins or what part does entertainment play in making a song good, or if something is just noisy and different does that mean it’s good?  These are all questions I thought I’d introduce this article with.  Then I noticed I was bobbing up and down to the opening track, and realized those questions are all well and good, but if music is fun then who really cares?

This isn’t the first time I’ve written about the artist known as mnttab.  I posted a quick look at his last EP within half an hour of receiving the link to his bandcamp, and followed it up with an interview for the site.   However, for his first full release from Kansas based "You are already dead!" Records I needed to take a bit more time to swallow this release to see what I could make of it.  This album is certainly noisy, artsy and different, but that doesn’t mean it’s worth writing about.  You’re on the Internet.  In 10 seconds you could find something else new or noisy or whatever, so what makes this stand out to me?

I think the most important thing that draws me to this guy is he really has a signature.  With some bands you can play two of their songs and not be able to tell it’s the same artist.  At first this might seem like a good thing since the artist is obviously evolving and changing.  However, no one can change to the point that you still can’t find a bit of them throughout their entire catalogue.  To me no signature means no personality.  mnttab has a signature in setting of his sound.  He starts with a really blank canvas and fills it up quickly by hurling sounds at the silence like someone might hurl paint at a wall.

Also his production has a very familiar vain to it.  The vocals sound like he is yelling over the din of his own music like he is announcing something over the PA system at a crowded party.  Sometimes you only catch a snippet of what is said or nothing at all, but either way it’s delivery tells you all you need to know.

The last release mainsHum certainly has a similar sound to it, but if his last release was a sprint this is more of a marathon.  Sure a few of the tracks like “Watching Your Lips Move” explode right out of the speakers with all the weird sounds you’d expect from a noise disco album.  However, many more of the tracks seem like the same animal, but chained to a post.  It’s just as ferocious and primal, but instead of getting right into your face it runs to the end of its tether and snarls. 

This works pretty well for his style because he’s giving the songs time to really cook through.  If you let yourself really listen to some of the tracks and feel a couple of the layers wash over you can get a lot.  You can pull apart the pieces and hear which ones fill the whole song, which ones weave in and out, and which just bum rush for a few seconds and are gone.  The whole thing feels less like an album and more like a show.  At a live show people move, the atmosphere can change, but there are still constants that give the whole crazy thing some semblance of a direction.

If you’ve got a bit of time I’d defiantly recommend checking out his bandcamp and trying a few of these tracks.  It’s certainly not an album that opens itself to you right away.  You have to put a bit of effort to really see all that’s there, but if my opinion is worth squat it’s time well spent.  

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Mark’s Pick of the Week: Random Access Memories by Daft Punk

            I recently tried to explain how important Daft Punk is to someone who had never heard them, how they have been one of the flagship EDM artists since their debuted in the 90’s, how they add a much-needed layer of intelligence to the genre, and how countless artists have used their music or production expertise to make some fantastic music.  They understood where I was coming from, but at the same time they just looked like two robots pressing buttons on stage.  How much music could they actually be making?  However, I think that touches on the most important aspect Daft Punk brings to the table: anonymity.  They don’t want you to look at them.  They just want you to dance.

            It has been about 8 years since Human After All, Daft Punk’s last contribution to their impeccable discography.  Since then we’ve had the live album Alive 2007 and that soundtrack I don’t want to talk about.  So these guys have had a lot of time to regroup, and the anticipation is somewhere in the neighborhood of astronomical.  Did they live up to these guys live up to these expectations?  Not exactly, but in the best way possible.

            If you picked up one of Daft Punk’s first 3 albums you would get a taste of what EDM was about to do.  These guys were defiantly ahead of the curve, and so each album was a preview of what other great music was about to come out in the genre.  In this album instead of looking forward these guys took a 180, and set their gaze square in the late 70’s and 80’s.  The songs are less EDM and more disco, funk, and proto-pop.  However, even when these guys are looking backwards they can’t help but keep moving forward.  The album is not quite from yesterday or today, but instead floats in the ether in-between so people on either side can enjoy it.

            Another big departure for these guys was the total lack of samples in this album.  They also limited the electronic instruments used to drum machines, synthesizers, and vocoders.  Because of this we get to see that these guys are just as talented at performing music as they are producing it.  Everything you hear in this album was recorded for the album, and these guys spared no expense.  They brought in a slew of famous and influential artists including Panda Bear, Nile Rodgers (of Chic), Julian Casablancas (of The Strokes) and Pharrell Williams.  Each contribution is starkly different, and adds a dynamic variation that keeps you dancing throughout.

            As far as individual tracks go there are certainly some standouts. However, if you’re listening to a Daft Punk album for it’s singles I would recommend you reconsider.  These guys have constructed an album with its peaks and crests for you to enjoy in its entirety.  Like one big party, there isn’t just one speed.  There are twist, turns and changes, and the only thing you can do is just keep moving.

            So this might have not been the EDM album I was expecting, but Draft Punk didn’t promise it would be.  All they promised is a good album you can dance to, and they delivered.  Instead of sticking with what works these guys push the boundaries in a genre where “staying the course” might not get you critical acclaim, but can pretty much guarantee a paycheck.  These aren’t trying to be cool or make what they do cool.  They just do what they do, and what do you know, it just happens to be super cool.  I would recommend this album to anyone expect those people who outlawed dancing in “Footloose.”

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Mark’s Pick of the Week: …Like Clockwork by Queens of the Stone Age

I think the coolest thing about QotSA is their band dynamic.  Most bands seem more like an entity then individual people.  Some people play instruments, or write songs, or sing and you put that together and that’s the band.  The way Josh Homme approaches it seems to focus much more on the individual.  As the main songwriter and only permanent member of QotSA it’s easy to think he kind of runs the show, and everyone else just follows.  However, Homme seems to make a point of surrounding himself with some very talented musicians.  This is certainly an advantage because good musicians means good music, but having such strong talent in the studio also means they are less like employees and more like coworkers.  Their opinions and problems can put a lot of strain on the band, but you can’t argue with results. 

A new Queens of the Stone Age album is something I didn’t realize that I was missing until I heard it was coming out.  It’s been six years since their last release, and yet it seems like just the right amount of time has pasted.  They have such a fantastic no holds barred approach to songwriting.  They are hard rock, but saying that is like calling water blue: sure that’s the case, but you’re also missing a ton of other elements that make water, water.  My favorite effort by these guys has to be Songs for the Deaf.  Along with some stand out tracks it is a great concept album that anyone who had to drive cross-country with nothing but a radio can relate to.  Everything else I’ve heard by them is very good as well, and I think it has to do with what I mentioned at the begging of this article. 

Homme is a great musician, but also seems like a good manager.  He can look at what’s working and what isn’t and try to fix it.  He scrapped long time drummer Joey Castillo (a decision that weighed heavy on a lot of the band who consider him a good friend,) and brought in Dave Grohl (who drummed on Songs…).  He also brought in many other artists to add backing vocals including former bassist Nick Oliveri, Trent Reznor (of NIN), Mark Lanegan, and Sir Elton John.  To suggest it’s just Homme who makes these guys as good as they are would be selling a ton of people short.  It’s great to have a good manager, but it doesn’t mean much if you don’t have good players.  All of the performers on this album add their own layer to this fairly dense collection of songs.

I think the best way to describe the QotSA’s sound is like walking into the desert.  There’s a sunny but very sinister feeling to this sound, like the heat is starting to get to you.  The opening riff of “Keep Your Eyes Pealed” shoots you right back into that unmistakable wasteland.  For old fans of these guys you’ll be treated to some fantastic guitar driven tracks like “I Sat by the Ocean” and the first single “My God is the Sun.”  There are a few piano ballads in here as well, which isn’t exactly what these guys are known for, but these guys pull them off rather well.

This album really feels like the band is coming full circle.  They went back and picked up the pieces of their last 13 years, kept what they wanted, added in what was missing, and made the record they were supposed to make.  As a fan of this band it is a great treat to listen to, and it suggests that we’re going to be hearing a lot of great stuff from Homme and company in the not to distant future. 

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Mark’s Pick of the Week: All This Useless Beauty by Elvis Costello

           Elvis Costello writes pop music.  It’s some of the tightest, heaviest, and genuine pop music you can find, but it’s still pop music.  Therefore, it’s sometimes hard to find friends in the industry when you write popular music that isn’t always extremely popular.  Because of this I feel like he sometimes get overlooked by certain groups that he kind of in between.  As an example what kind of radio station would play him?  He certainly doesn’t belong on one of the oldie stations or one of the “hits of the 80’s 90’s and today stations” where music goes to die.  He’s not quite classic rock or alternative.  So if his music is good (and I’m not the only critic who thinks his stuff is pretty good) who’s there to play it?

If you look at all of Elvis’ albums (about 32 studio albums spanning 33 years) most people will say “Imperial Bedroom” was his best work.  That’s only 5 years into his career, and you do the math.  He has been putting out basically 1 album a year since he got started.  If you just look at those 5 years they are still pretty impressive (“My Aim is True,” and “This Years Model” in particular along with Bedroom,) but chances are if those 5 years were so good then he’s probably got something more to contribute.  This fact is no more evident then in this album.

            This album began as a compilation of songs he wrote with/for other artists, and was going to have a diverse group of musicians an idea he got while he served as curator of the 1995 Meltdown Festival.  By the time the record was ready for recording the idea was scratched and instead The Attractions were brought in for one last time, and we had a mix of original material, tracks previously recorded by other artists, and songs co-written with other artists.

            I think a great place to start on this album is it’s artwork; a wooden bust in front of a dark backdrop.  For the most part the emphasis of these songs are on the piano and vocals.  With such sparse instrumentation you can almost imagine it being recorded in some small dark room with nothing other then a piano and that bust.  Speaking of piano, on this album we have some of the tightest piano parts on any Costello album, which is no small part to the great Stevie Nieve, Elvis’ piano player in both the Attractions and the Imposters.

             Another great part of this album is its consistency.  The 12 tracks and 50 minutes of the album are evenly distributed between slower ballads, and quicker pop tracks as well as tracks that kind of fall In between.  Not only does it offer something for everyone, but also it helps the album flow.  If you like Costello then you will be entertained throughout the length of this album.

            My favorite tracks on this album are the livelier tracks.  Tracks like “Complicated Shadows,” “Starting to Come to Me,” and “Shallow Grave,” a track co-written by Paul McCartney, all are all fantastic examples of Costello’s mastery of the pop song.  The ballads, which are often driven by the piano, gain much from Costello’s ability to construct some fantastic lyrics.  Unlike some of his older works he seems like more of the narrator then the protagonist, which adds a layer of wisdom to his words.

            If you’ve never heard Elvis before then this might not be the best album to start on, if only because his older stuff is, so much more important.  However, you don’t need to be an old fan to enjoy some of these gems from one of the great songwriters of the past 3 decades.

Mark’s Pick of the Week: Last Summer by Eleanor Friedberger

            It’s been a bit since my last post.  The main reason for that is I’m living in Long Island for the next couple of months, and I have pretty limited internet access.  Being cut off from both new music and the cat videos Steve is constantly sending me has been a bit strange, but it has given me a chance to enjoy the music I already have in my collection instead of having to check out every new release I can.  This is one of the albums that I have been meaning to spotlight, but various other albums have taken president.  Time to rectify that.

            Eleanor Friedberger is one half of The Fiery Furnaces, a fairly seasoned indie rock band, along with her brother Matthew.  I only really knew them by name until I heard the lead single to Friedberger’s forthcoming album Personal Record, “Stare at the Sun”.  After listening to that track a few times I started checking out her other stuff.  At first glance she seems like the hipster/manic pixie girl type.  She rights really sunny pop songs that are much more serious then your garden-variety tracks while still maintaining a almost uncomfortable familiarity with the audience.  The music consists mostly of jangly percussion, simple rhythm guitar, and keyboard sprinkled in.  Don’t get me wrong the songwriting is really good, but what really makes them stand out Friedberger herself. 

Instead of following the normal pop song arch with simple, easy-to-remember lyrics she instead fills up the lines with non-rhyming and oftentimes non-repetitive stanzas.  She lets the sound of the words and the rhythm in which she delivers them carry the weight that rhyming normally would.  It allows her to do things with her lyrics most artists couldn’t.  A lot of her songs feel extremely personal.  Her lines are full of so much imagery and description that I can’t imagine her not experiencing some of these things herself.  She is able to do this because she doesn’t have to confine her words to a certain rhyme scheme and number of syllables.  At the risk of sounding a bit poetic: the freestyle way she wields her vocals makes some of the songs feel like she’s not singing with the music, but because of it.

On this album she kind of takes that formula to the bank.  The songs obviously have a bit of a range to them, but they’re either slower or faster pop songs.  Songs like “I Won't Fall Apart on You Tonight” are toe tappers while songs like “Inn of the 7^th Rain” have a bit more restrain and compel you more to listen rather then dance. To me the stand out track on this album is the opener: “My Mistakes.”  Out of all the tracks on this album this one seems the “poppiest.”  It proves that even if most of her tracks are a bit more artsy and serious she can have no problem writing a track that you could just hum all day.  It’s just one of those earworms that you can’t help but move to. 

I would defiantly recommend adding Ms. Friedberger to your collection if you’re a fan of indie pop with a nice amount of substance underneath.  Her new album “Personal Record” drops June 4^th.  You can check out her website and facebook here.

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Mark’s Pick of the Week: Silence Yourself by Savages

            No…seriously this can’t be this good.  Some of the comparisons I’m hearing about this band include the likes of Queens of the Stone Age, Bauhus, Wired, The Raincoats, Public Image Ltd, Gang of Four, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Magazine, and Joy Division.  Hell, Geoff Barrow of Portishead called them “one of those classic bands that you just love.”  This was before their debut album even came out.  I’m pretty optimistic, but even still.  I think the critics are getting my hopes up to high.

            The about paragrapgh was written before I listened to this album.  I had heard “Shut Up” and “Husband” before the album came out and I was excited about this release.  However, two good singles doesn’t mean a phenomenal album, and it certainly doesn’t mean any of the great things every preview I’ve read so far had said about them.  Luckily for me this was not a time where my imagination has set the bar way to high…in fact my imagination pretty much low-balled these guys.

This album rocks.  I know that’s a cliché, but there is no other word to describe it.  It rocks…no I mean it R.O.C.K.S. It is energy made into sound that hit you like it can and will physically harm you.  Savages is an all female 4 piece from London that is making some of the most serious and artistic post-punk I have heard in a long while.  They certainly bare some similarities to the bands mentioned above, but they are something that is greater then the sum of these parts, and at the same time something totally different. 

I have heard of a lot of bands that say they want to remain genreless or something like that.  Normally I am against this because you can certainly remain artistically free, and still be able to give people an idea of what your music sounds like.  It’s less of a cage that you’re forcing yourself to conform to, and more of a map to give people who might listen an idea of what to expect.  You shouldn’t have to stress that you’re different (I have found that many bands who are all about that tend to be pretty much stale copies of other bands).  If you’re totally different it’s something everyone else should/will be saying.  Some bands are awesome without needing to be different and vice versa.  It takes serious talent, vision, and energy to be both.  Savages has all three of these, and that is certainly something that comes across in this release.

The music on this record is so tight I think because four musicians who know each other, and love the music are playing it.  The vocals are poetry.  It’s poetry, not just in what’s being said, but how it is said.  Jehnny Beth just commands your attention.  They also know the importance of hooks.  Most of these tracks, especially on the A side of the album, can get you moving no problem.  They are just fun songs to listen to.  They may have intricate musical pieces and serious themes, but above all they are just really cool rock songs.

The bass in this album is possibly the most striking feature on this album.  It’s certainly not extremely flashy like something you might hear from Primus or Red Hot Chili Peppers, but it’s undeniable there’s something powerful about it.  In between vocals you can hear, full force, the magic the bass is creating just below the surface.

“Shut Up” is, in my humble opinion, the best way they could have chosen to start this album.  It is exactly what you expect before you listen, and it sets the tone for what is to come: awesomeness.  There are certainly plenty of tracks on this album like the opener, but some like “Strife” are content to smolder as opposed to explode.  Even if these seem more reserved they carry just as much energy as every other track, which seems to be the unifying feature of every one of these songs.

“Waiting For A Sign” and “Dead Nature,” which are at about the half waypoint, are like the band is taking a breather.  The songs are a bit less imposing, but they are still great in their own way.  I don’t know if it’s for their sake or ours, but by no means are they through.  They come right back with “She Will” a song that right from the start I knew was about to get a bit crazy, and by the end had properly eased me back into the “million miles per hour” that is the rest of the album.

            The song “I Am Here” a declaration of self-identity or however you want to phrase it is so appropriate for this album because these guys are here.  This album, it’s good (if I didn’t make it clear before.)  As long as there are people there will be this album.  It’s immortality, and these guys are playing music like they are aware that people in the distant future will hear it.  It doesn’t matter the language these future humans speak because energy is a universal language. 

            By far my biggest complaint is that this album is only about 40 minutes long…

For tour dates and other Savages' news check out their website. 

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Mark’s Pick of the Week: 10 Day by Chance the Rapper

            Rap culture in Chicago (at least from the perspective of an outsider like me) seems to be pretty “Drill” heavy.  Chief Keef, got big with tracks like “Don’t Like” and “Love Sosa” and pretty soon similar acts started getting signed left and right.  The music is very tough, violent and produced to a sleek chrome shine.  It’s not necessarily my cup of tea, but they get points for enthusiasm.  On some of these tracks the artists are hungry, and even if their rhymes are a bit on the simpler side (on “Love Sosa” almost every line ends with boy or Sosa) they are generating an energy that’s pretty hard to ignore.  However, Chicago’s a big place, and not everyone there is making Youtube videos while under house arrest.  Some are made while they are suspended from high school.

            Chance the Rapper is from Chicago and is less Keef and more Lupe (another Chicago native.)  While being suspended from his high school for drug possession he allegedly decided to silence the people who mocked his aspirations to be a musician.  The result is the mix tape “10 Day.”  The enthusiasm that I mentioned above is present, but the vehicle is a bit different.

Instead of Drill his beats are extremely diverse. He is a fantastic 90’s throwback like Joey Bada$$ (what do you know they did a track together).  This is most obvious in tracks like “Juke Juke” which uses the oh-so-smooth beat from “Between the Sheets” by The Isley Brothers.  That is the same beat sampled on  “Big Poppa” off of The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Ready To Die” one of the most important gangster rap albums, as well as rap album in general.  Both songs do the original justice in their own way.  While Biggie is all right with just riding the beat Chance is a big more on the offensive, moving back and forth between quicker and more relaxed flows.

The variation in the production is both a hallmark of some of the 90’s best as well as some of the revivalist acts.  Chance moves between electronic, funk, jazz, some gospel sprinkled in there and roots reggae.  Some tracks sound like they were recorded in studio, and some sound like they were really bedroom tracks which is a welcome release from a culture that basically makes you choose between one or the other depending on your audience, genre or label.  The only thing that really stays completely constant is this clearly talented newcomer. 

Chance has the lyrical aptitude as well as the shear rhythm.  Listening to tracks like “Brain Cells” and “Nostalgia” can give you a good idea of how good he is at sculpting a fantastic track out of the beats while “F*uk You Tahm Bout” and “Windows” are club worthy tracks that he carries with the confidence of any of those other “rappers” you can hear at clubs.  Personally, I’d take these tracks any day.

I will admit that I thought 1999 was a better mixtape as a whole, but both that and this mean the same thing: a young, talented kid who can make really good music with nothing but some home studio equipment and no money.  When these tapes reach the right people these talented people get better studios, awesome features, great producers, and we get the validation that the internet truly bridged the final gap between talent and success (*cough* Section 80).  Without a way to mass distribute his work for free Chance could be another juvenile delinquent. Instead he just released his second mix tape today.  So I would highly recommend downloading both (Acid Rap is downloading on my browser as I type this). 

                                                                                                                                                     You can downloads 10 Day compliments of Mixtape Monkey and Acid Rap off of WeTransfer

Bottom line: Chance the Rapper is pretty great today, so I can only imagine how fantastic Chance the Rapper will be tomorrow.  Check out the blog on Facebook.

Mark’s Pick of the Week: The Only Place by Best Coast

            Three things brought this article to existence.  First, I recently suggested to a friend she listen to “Crazy For You,” which is one of my favorite albums.  She liked it, and I told her I loved “Crazy For You” but didn’t care for the follow up.  The second thing to happen was I recently watched this interview with Best Coast and Wavves, and it reminded me how cool both artists are.  I really wished for some new Best Coast, so I figured I’d listen to “The Only Place.” If I remembered correctly it wasn’t awful, just different.  Finally, during the second track “Why I Cry” I found myself moving to the music while Bethany Cosentino sang “You seem to think that you know everything.”  Obviously I don’t think she was talking to me, but it him me that I had been kind of bashing the album a bit for not being what “Crazy For You” was for me.  I’m always advocating giving every album enough time for you to enjoy it, and I snuff one of my favorite artists because it’s a bit different.  As you can see I have seen the error of my ways.

            If you haven’t heard the first album you can click the link above article, and check it out.  It is my by far the album I recommend most, and it also seems to have the best results.  The music is as sunny as it is sincere.  If any album personifies a high school summer by the beach, falling in and out of love, more then this I haven’t found it.   The songs are simple in their composition and lyricism, but they take those few inches and go a long way with it.    I was expecting much of the same from Best Coast on their second album, but what I got was a bit different.

 

The first LP was a day at the beach album.  You could hear foamy surf, grainy sand, and sun sun sun, in every song.  This album is more of an evening at the boardwalk album.  The beach is still there, but it is more off to the side.  The whole thing seems cleaner, and isn’t bursting with energy.  We here less Ramones and more Beach Boys.  In fact a few of the tracks seem very heavily Beach Boys influenced.  Listen to “How They Want Me To Be” and tell me you don’t hear a bit of “Pet Sounds” era elements.

That isn’t to say we aren’t treated to some beachier tracks.  The title track certainly shows that Best Coast isn’t ready to leave the beach just yet.  It sounds a bit more studio then any of the other tracks on their first release, but the spirit is still the same.  Also “Do You Love Me Like You Used To” has a great chugging guitar part that would be just at home on either LP’s.

To sum up my feelings about this record I would say I still like the songs, but I’m a bit leery about the direction.  I would be more then happy for them to keep making records like this.  However, if they are going to move out of the garage and into the studio some of the elements that made the first album so amazing are going to get left behind.  I think they sound their best when they are as close to the listener as possible where we can hear the imperfections and humanity.  Bethany Cosentino isn’t some pop star, she’s a real person with real problems and regrets.  When you can hear that in her songs they can hit hardest. 

However, tomorrow Best Coast is releasing their new single for record store day.  Unfortunately, I don’t have a link, but it seems like they’re heading back towards the ocean on this release.  If you can get down to your local record store this April 20^th definitely get yourself a copy!  Until then I can just put these two releases on repeat.  Also check us out on facebook, where I will defiantly post a link as soon as I have one.

UPDATE: We got Youtube clips of the new single: