Track of the Moment: Reflektor by Arcade Fire

     My very first reaction to this new track: Arcade Fire sounds like dance pop! No doubt a result from working with both David Bowie and James Murphy. Yes, they were leaning this way for some time, but I get the strange feeling of “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk. Don’t get me wrong, I was preparing myself for Neo-Arcade Fire since their previous album, The Suburbs, which is known to be the album that punched hardcore Lady Gaga fans in the face at the 2010 Grammy Awards. The first half of the record was similar to the band’s original music, but as it progressed, the songs sounded more pop approved (“Sprawl II” for example). That being said, I was hoping for this album to be at least a cross between the two, like before, and not a full immersion into dance pop. Seeing that this is a double album, the band will still most likely appeal to a wide range of fans. Some 50+ songs were written for the album, so one could imagine that there will be twists and turns to please any listener. 

     Arcade Fire has always been that giant indie group who play artistic rock and do great live, but their albums are more then a rush of adrenaline. In the case of their first album, Funeral, the instrumentation was awe-inspiring, and the lyrics were like bittersweet emotional lullabies that stood coherent to the album’s title. The next release, Neon Bible, took everything from before, added an assortment of politics and social paranoia, and made it about ten times darker. Lead singer, Win Butler, became more like an activist from then on, depicting the downfall of suburban living in none other than  The Suburbs. Fans of the group have been anticipating their next release for some time, but now it is finally here. Surprisingly, I am not disappointed with the new single/album opener, but if I were to hear this band for the first time today, I would not be as impressed. It is a good thing that I do know the band well, because I know that something big is coming.

     The new single, “Reflektor”, is actually the longest song that Arcade Fire has released to date (“Vampire Forest Fire” is a close second place). I think people would agree that it definitely has a 1980’s feel to it, along with an assortment of new instruments. The band is definitely expanding their sound, which can be both good and bad at the same time. What has changed from three years back? For starters, the band is no longer the orchestra that it once was, for only six members remain (Not sure what happened to Sarah Neufeld). Win Butler still plays the “activist” role, however, and this time the album seems to represent the disfunction of the digital age, which does sound fitting. Their sound has obviously become more like disco, but is the band merely embracing the glamorous pop culture, or are they trying to prove a point? One thing I do know is that a band like Arcade Fire does not go into the world of music without having a few tricks up their sleeves, and that is why I am very much looking forward to this new album.

Track of the Moment: Don't Swallow The Cap by The National

     Nothing could really show my true excitement for The National’s new album, Trouble Will Find Me. Naturally, I chose to write about one of the pre-released tracks since the album won’t be out for another month. At first, I was expecting the album to be on more of a down slope after having to compete with such success from both Boxer and High Violet. The new album’s first single released was “Demons” which I have yet to warm up to. Then I heard “Don’t Swallow The Cap”, which I immediately favored more, and like every song of The National’s, it sounded better and better with every listen. This reminded me that The National has never failed in making great albums, so there should be no worries about this one.

     To me, The National stands out among other bands because of how much depth is in their music. The lyrics are genuinely intimate and open ended for interpretation. Every album revolves around something bittersweet and relatable that they could be considered “cold comfort music”. Alligator references the pains of past relationships, while Boxer best portrays the struggles between social classes. At times, their music can sound almost repetitive throughout their discography, but every album definitely deserves a listen. After all, why change something that continues to work?

     As the third track on the band’s sixth album, “Don’t Swallow The Cap” is typical National. From the springing notes to the beautiful chorus, the song is damn catchy. The lyrics continue to amaze me, with the title most likely referencing Tennessee Williams’ death, for Williams has made recurring appearances in The National’s music as a tragic character. The fact that there is lyrical continuity with every album makes frequent listeners feel at home with the new music. It is just as deep and intimate as anything that they have written. My favorite words are at the end when Matt Berninger sings “And if you want to see me cry / Play ‘Let It Be’ or ‘Nevermind’”.  
     If the rest of Trouble Will Find Me continues to express the positive elements displayed in "Don't Swallow The Cap", then this album will deserve its place between great releases like Boxer and Alligator. 

Track of the Moment- Monomania by Deerhunter

Well this is a surprise. Deerhunter have been consistently good across their career, but not in the way that their new track Monomania is. The song really shakes things up in a good way and frankly it kicks ass. Who knew they could kick ass? Deerhunter’s frontman Bradford Cox has always expressed an affinity for aversive punk music, but it has never really made its way into his songs quite like it seems to on Monomania, which has Cox yelping and growling where normally he would coo and croon. At the same time its not that much of a departure from previous records, I don’t see anyone who liked Halcyon Digest being thinking that this is too different to like. More importantly though, if  this new angle did upset fans, Cox and the Deerhunter crew probably wouldn’t care, and hey, isn’t that what rock ‘n roll is all about? This makes me pretty excited to hear the new album, of which Monomania is the title track, and the thing will be released sometime later this year.

 

Track(s) of the Moment: Requiem Demo by Lör

           These guys were suggested to me by a friend of mine a few weeks ago, and like the underachiever I am it has taken me this long to write about them.  Lör is a neoclassical metal band from Philadelphia.  If you don’t know what neoclassical metal is think Rhapsody of Fire (however if you don’t know the former you probably don’t know the ladder.)

            Bands in this realm of music are normally known for their grandeur and colossal sound, and these guys are no exception.  At over 20 minutes their 3-song demo goes through a torrent of transitions, intricate instrumentals, and grandiose operatic vocals.  As a whole piece the record seems a little disjointed, but since this is just a demo hopefully that’s something that gets worked out for the full LP.

            I do not consider myself to be very literate in metal save for some of a few exceptions, but I think that these guys certainly have the individual instrumental talents as well as an overall musical chemistry that can equal one sweet record.

            Go to their bandcamp to hear the demo, and download it as well (it’s pay what you want starting at $0)  Also facebook!

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Track of the Moment: Fever by Night Panther

         
           For the life of me I can’t remember where I found these guys, but back in August I downloaded this track, and I’ve been listening to it a lot since then.  These guys are a self-proclaimed “sex-pop” trio from Doylestown, PA (represent!) I don’t really know what “sex-pop” means, but it’s still pretty catchy!

            This track has some funky parts.  The percussions have a very loose and airy feel, and the horns provide a cool hook that I keep finding myself bobbing my head to.  The vocals are pretty sparse, and allow for the music to kind of just do its thing.  It’s certainly got a sudo-disco thing going for it, and that’s certainly not a bad thing.

            You can download this, and the rest of their songs on their soundcloud and bandcamp.  Also check out their facebook. 

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Track of the Moment: mainsHum EP by mnttaB

This was the closest thing I could find to a band photo...

These guys might not have the most conventional way of spelling “Meant-to-Be,” but nothing about them seems to be very conventional.  Any attempt I may make to categorize them seems to me like it will fall desperately short, so I’ll just mention a few tidbits from their various social media pages.

“Cathartic spastic disco sludge guaranteed to block the sink and leave chunks floating on the surface.”

“Noise-enriched synth-punk mayhem”

“A Melbourne based new romantic, jazz funk, post-nothing, noise-pop smorgasbord with extra mayonnaise.”

            That probably brought up more questions then it answered, but don’t blame me.  I’m about as lost as you guys are.  I am enjoying it though!  These guys are pretty good at building a wall of sound that on the surface seems pretty abrasive, but underneath is something surprisingly catchy.  Very great low-fi effects and lyrics are sprinkled around adding to the dysfunctional nature.

            I feel obligated to throw my hat into the “genre-defining ring,” so here it goes: mnttaB is what you get when you fill a recording studio with water and then throw it into a giant blender…but with the best results possible!

            Check out their new EP “mainsHum” below, as well as their bandcamp and facebook.

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Track of the Moment: In Your Hands by The Heavy

         If you are not familiar with The Heavy, then do you remember that KIA commercial where all the toys are driving the car and jamming out to a certain song? Yeah that was by them. Also, if you were hyped about the game Borderlands 2, then you probably know who I’m talking about. Although they originate from England, I consider them to be a New Orleans version of The Black Keys if that makes any sense. 

The rare track, “In Your Hands”, was released as a B-side for the single, “What Makes A Good Man?” before their latest album that was released last August. One thing that I’ve learned is that you never underestimate the B-sides in 7" singles (unless it’s John Lennon with Yoko Ono). The thing that I found most intriguing about this song was the simplicity of it, at least compared to the songs of their newest album, The Glorious Dead. Nonetheless, it sounds like it could be a reboot of and old gospel tune. It may be a bit simpler for The Heavy, but it has a lot to offer all by itself.

For anyone who has listened to The Heavy’s music, there are regular appearances of horn sections and choirs. In my opinion, the subtle sound of the chorus in the background of “In Your Hands” is what drives this song. It has a great upbeat motion to it, but the voices carry the listener deeper into the song. 

This song brings up the point that you can find amazing music out of rare releases, demos and B-sides. Some of my favorite songs happen to fall under these categories. It may take time, but the findings are well worth the effort.  

Best of 2012 Round-Up: channel Orange by Frank Ocean

Here’s the year-end round up, where I’ll review the albums that made our Top 10 List of 2012. Will I review all of the albums up there? God no. Fuck Swans and their 8 hour albums. I’m a busy man. But I will be cleaning up some albums that I, and some of the staff, loved from last year. So here we are. Time for the first article. Let’s get started. Okay, stop reading this awkward transition and go to the actual article.

Frank Ocean is part of Tyler, The Creator’s Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, although he seems like an outsider to me. For starters, he doesn’t really have that “fuck everything” attitude that permeates every inch of OFWGKTA’s music. But he’s also comes off as an outsider to music. And this album is a perfect distillation as to why he’s different.

For starters, he’s got this wisdom beyond his years. I was surprised to find out he was only 25. He sounds like he’s 45, and has been through hell and back in those years. He’s surprisingly calm and serene in his voice, lyrics, and music, giving it a sense that he’s come to terms everything as a truth of himself, his lovers, and the world he inhabits. There’s no anger, no joy; just cold acceptance of the harshness of reality. And his voice is a huge asset when it comes to this; he doesn’t have the strongest voice, especially compared to someone like The Weeknd or John Legend, but he’s able to make an emotional appeal that outweighs any vocal weakness.

Pandas, champagne, and lotion always make me sad

It’s hard to separate the social context of the lyrics from the album. This is partially due to the emotion behind the lyrics, but also the bombshell Ocean dropped a short time before the album’s release. You see, he came out that at 19, his first love was a man (you can read the statement there, which followed the Based God-based pre-announcement). As a straight, white male, it’s hard for me to be able to speak on how it may affect not only Frank’s career, but R&B and hip-hop music and culture. But, in essence, there’s a lot of homophobia in black culture. Prior to Obama’s support of gay marriage, only 41% of African-Americans supported it, and since Obama’s support, the leader of the Nation of Islam denounced it. Not to mention the tens of thousands of rap songs that have less than subtle homophobic undertones, or at the very least pro-heterosexual undertones. It was a major risk for Ocean to come out, but any possible damage remains to be seen.

However, this announcement gives significant context to Ocean’s lyrics. Songs like “Forest Gump” and “Thinkin’ Bout You” become that much more personal and real to the listener. Given his history of being a writer for both male and female singers, it wouldn’t be hard to think that these songs were just coming from another voice, another character. But now we can believe that these songs came from deep within, adding another layer to music with plenty of layers. In fact, this album is so layered, that it very well could be nothing more than what it presents itself – a series of beautiful, heartfelt songs.

But “Bad Religion” is the centerpiece of Ocean’s sexual identity, and one of the stand out tracks on the album, with an Islamic taxi cab driver acting as his shrink, while Ocean ponders religion, and its effects on him as a bisexual or homosexual man. Should he hate himself for being this way, or should he hate a god that he’s loved and been faithful to for his entire life? For those in the LGBT community and practice any of The Big 3 religions, this is a common conundrum they face, leading to the high rates of suicide and depression amongst those who attend gay-to-straight conversion camps. This Rap Genius article explains it better than I ever could, so read that.

I haven’t had a chance to invest too much time into his first mixtape/album thing, Nostalgia, Ultra, but if channel Orange is anything to go by, it’ll be worth a listen. There’s a reason this album is a top pick by most of our staff, and has had top finishes across a variety of publications around the world. Do yourself a favor, and check out channel Orange. Speaking of favors, do yourself another favor and like Frogs on a Log on Facebook.

Track of the Moment- Grown Up by Danny Brown

 I have a lot of respect for artists who can stay relevant by releasing new albums. I have even more respect for artists who can stay relevant by releasing only a single, and that is something that Danny Brown has done. Despite not putting out an album this year, Brown comes across as a man who has been busier than ever, staying endlessly connected on Twitter and somehow finding time to write Grown Up. For someone who prides himself on how explicitly he can describe sex acts, Grown Up is a comparatively clean song that features a beat catchier than his usual work.  On top of that it has got some real lyrical gems like, “Hotter than a Hot Pocket out the Devil’s Microwave”. If that wasn’t enough, it has also got one of the best videos of the year to go with it, one part silly one part adorable two parts incredibly creative. It is pretty difficult to find anything negative to say about Danny Brown, which is strange  considering how abrasive he can be at times, but with albums as good as The Hybrid and XXX under his belt, I can’t imagine his next record will be anything other than fantastic. 

Track of the Moment- Bugg'n by TNGHT

 

Isn’t it strange when a band receives more popularity than you expect? That happened a few times last year; mainly I was caught off guard by how much positive press Diiv received, how Purity Ring took off. But the main shock came from the collaboration of electronic producers Lunice and Hudson Mohawk , TNGHT. TNGHT have been popping up everywhere, particularly the track  Bugg’n, todays track of the moment. Rapped over on Captain Murphy’s debut mix tape, mixed into Rustie’s BBC Essentials Mix, the song really took off. TNGHT even drew the attention of Kanye West who showed up unannounced at one of their concerts and began rapping over their stuff. With heavy beats and weird electronics that just beg to rapped over, expect good things from TNGHT in the future. Their discography of one Ep really leaves the listener wanting more and hopefully they don’t leave it that way.

Dan's Track of the Moment: Troubles From So Long Ago by Wooly & the Mammoth

A great way to start out the new year is an introduction of an indie folk band that hails from Brooklyn, NY. They are “Wooly & the Mammoth”. The group of talented musicians have an upcoming release of their very first EP, and are now preparing to move out of New York City. They are expected to arrive in Philly towards the end of February.

So far they’ve released three original songs up for download, and I’m impressed of how well they arrange their instruments. The sound that they create is both new and old. One could easily relate them to other indie folk bands like “Fleet Foxes” or “Tallest Man On Earth”. Their sound is a battle between the ages, for example, the electric guitar gives their songs a modern, alternative feel to it, while the violin gives them a bit of authentic revival. Ian Holubiak’s voice reminds me of Billy Joe Armstrong’s, but at the same time he can remind me of Bob Dylan’s. Both voices annoy me at times, but don’t worry he pulls it off pretty well.

The song, “Troubles From So Long Ago” is a great tune. It’s catchy and it has a nice buildup from beginning to end, starting with just the guitar, then adding on strings, vocals, drums, bass and electric guitar. The instruments are evenly balanced too, meaning it’s not just a mash up of sounds. I can pick out what is what, which is good to have in a song. The guitar solos mix with the violin solos and lyrics really well, ending the song with a bang.

“Wooly & the Mammoth” has a great sound, and I believe these musicians have a promising future ahead of them. I look forward to more of their releases.  You can download a free copy of the track on the widget below.

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