From the
opening tape hiss, programmed drums, and deep throbbing bassline, this new Drakes Hotel album feels classic – like
a lost classic post-punk album from the likes of For Against or Comsat Angels,
but no, it’s pretty recent. The fifth
Drakes Hotel album was released in November of last year – two years after
their amazing Love’s Not Lazy EP –
but I am just getting around to writing about it now, because of losing three
months of music enjoyment due to health issues.
What a welcome collection of music this is top return to! This collection is tight, urgent and inspired
and their best work since 2007’s Tell Me
Everything.
Have you
ever left a concert – all energized and amped – to an unknown album being
played as exit music on the big speakers with too much bass and wondered to
yourself if it may be the best thing you’ve ever heard? This could be that album. The first four songs are sheer brilliance
lyrically and musically, but it’s not until the album’s middle point, where
things slow down a little and we are treated to “Scuffed Hips” and its chorus
beginning with a soaring “In that space between us” that the narcotic appeal
truly sinks its teeth. Amelia Drake’s spectacular and
otherworldly vocals are as haunting as the dark lyrics, while Chris Y’s guitars are as complex,
layered and strikingly catchy as ever.
This is a cohesive and timeless collection high-lighted by the Kitchens of Distinction reminiscent “Nothing
of Comfort,” which is utterly beautiful.
I am so
thankful that under heard artists such as this Midwestern couple continue to
make such inspiring and exciting music. Now
let’s reward them for their efforts with a much larger audience.
It was maybe
a little over a week ago when I felt like giving up this act I act of writing
about music releases that have me currently inspired and excited.The entire point of writing these things is
to help expose musicians to a wider audience.Of course, silly me, I forgot to go out and find an audience.However, after either receiving news of
upcoming albums by favorite artists, learning about some intriguing new artists,
and then picking up a few new items last week, I decided that I just don’t
care.I’m going to share my thoughts
anyway and hope to connect at least one person to a band somewhere along the
line.Good music gets me every
time.I cannot shut up.Amongst the new items, the most immediate
release comes from The Heart Wants,
because this collection is being released as a digital download only.So much of the music I buy on vinyl or CD is
via mail order, so I often have a lag time between release date and actual
arrival.It’s also immediate in sound
and has been on repeat around here for the entirety of the last week.
The debut
album from The Heart Wants is actually a solo outing by Chris Y from Omaha’s
Drakes Hotel.If you are one of the only ones out there who
have read any of my rough, unschooled music writing over the last several
years, you will know that I am a big proponent of this fantastic duo (see
references galore here).Chris Y is the multi-instrumentalist / sound
guy from that group, who very occasionally takes over lead vocals, but now we
get the opportunity to hear more and not surprisingly, this is really
enjoyable.
All I Remember is Waiting is not a far cry from Drakes Hotel,
so if you’re already familiar and a fan, this is a must.What may be the most startling is the sheer
pure pop that we are introduced to from the get go.The opening song, “Astronomical” has the
familiar Drakes drum machine and the sparkling meshing of guitars and keyboards,
but Chris Y eschews some of the veneer of mystery and intrigue and goes
straight for the catchy direct hook and a chorus that is wordy, but still gets
lodged into repeat mode into the consciousness.And don’t get me started on that upwards bound guitar line and the
chiming bridge.This rivals the best pop
nuggets of Ian Broudie’s sometimes
brilliant Lightning Seeds 25 some
odd years ago.The similar sounding
‘Tales Like Factories” again provides busy breathy harmonies during each verse,
before opening up into a direct hit chorus (which features an Amy Drake appearance on backing
vocals).I’ve never so happily sung
“your heart dies” to myself so much.Another three minute upbeat pop single comes along with “Evil Friends,” which
closes with a majestic orchestral style keyboard flourish that for some reason
reminds me of the beautiful instrumental second half of New Order’s goofy “Every Little Counts” (Brotherhood 1986).
The amazing
music and lyrical imagery that help make Drakes Hotel so impressive continues
unabated throughout All I Remember is
Waiting.“Leave the Scene” is a mid
tempo exploration and reflection about ridding oneself of life’s regrets,
mistakes and stumbles.The clever chorus
of “leave the scene on the cutting room floor” is a nice idea, but then we
begin to realize that song is really a plea to an unrequited love and the
palpable sense of loss and impending heartbreak makes the idea of getting rid
of certain “scenes” more urgent.“Currents in Shade” a dark sounding slow burning song that introduces
some striking piano into the musical mix and evokes the darkness of a Joy Division song.Elsewhere, the piano returns prominently on
the album’s dramatic centerpiece, “Stay Home.”The “Procession”-style keyboard wash of “Stay Home” augments the heavy
crashing of piano chords (reminds me of the piano on The Hurting – era Tears for
Fears - think “Ideas of Opiates”), but instead of feeling the menace of the
oncoming storm, this song provides warmth and comfort, especially when the
guitars and drums kick in.
The album
closes with two of my favorite songs.“Amelia” is a combination love song and plea for access into the
thoughts and mind of his object of affection.The dramatic chorus is an alarming juxtaposition to the gliding
effortless sounding flow of each verse.Meanwhile, the perfect set closing “Light is Low’ provides a solemn and
resigned farewell.It leaves the
listener satisfied, but filled with lingering thoughts and questions.
Again, if
you’re already a fan of Drakes Hotel, this will be right up your alley.If you’re not, well, you should be.Word has it that a new Drakes Hotel album is
on the horizon, so Chris Y’s foray into creating The Heart Wants album only
gives us all a chance to hear more of this incredible music!Couldn’t ask for more.
Drakes Hotel
is on a hot streak!This five tracker,
their first EP, comes a little over a year after their last full length, Logic Adopts Senses, which is ahead of
their release every 2-3 years track record.They must be feeling inspired, because this EP includes some of their
best work yet and word has it that they will be releasing a series of EPs in
the near future, as well as doing some touring in the new year.The EP starts off with the extended
melancholic “The Night Train Home,” where Amy Drake’s unique, strong and
stellar vocals are placed fully out in front of the mysterious and haunting
soundscape underneath.This song would
make a perfect soundtrack for a night time train ride - lost in thought,
because it absolutely evokes that feeling of reflection and decompression.The upbeat “Young Taste” is up next and finds
DH getting right to the point with a fairly straightforward rock song that
screams single!The lyrics are thought
provoking.It seems to be spelling out
some relationship troubles within each verse, while the chorus (which includes
near power chords!) stretches the theme to a potentially more universal problem
with relationships in general in a world of social media and over sharing.The centerpiece, “Leave It Dark,” includes
everything there has ever been to love about this duo.The sing-a-long chorus is not only full of
wisdom, but is catchy as hell, while the simple repeated piano refrain creates
a solid tuneful base for Chris Y’s stellar guitar work that reaches for the
stratosphere throughout – reminding of the graceful striving cascades that the House of Love created with “Love in a
Car’ oh, so many years ago.It’s amazing
how much variety Drakes Hotel achieves with their modest recording tools, but
“Sense Non Sense” is a huge sounding song that is full of open space and an
atmospheric keyboard line that instills a sense of intrigue that is so
attractive about their music.Maybe this
song would be better served as the hit single with its huge musical climax and
its tale of a dying relationship, which is succinctly and memorably told (“We
had a lack of progress / on a bed of promise / all we used to be got all fucked
up”).Finally, the EP closes with the
dramatic and hopeful sounding “Sick Apart,” which again addresses relationship
issues and miscommunication or lack of within, but seems to find that there can
still be a strong enough core to survive and even thrive.When Amy sings near the end “Keep holding
me…I’ve wanted you for so long,” it feels as though everything will be alright.Please do yourself a favor and track down
this music (their last three albums can be found at CDBaby.com).It is a journey well worth the price of
admission.
Was it
really 2010 when Danish band Northern Portrait released their debut album Criminal Art Lovers?How can it have been that long?Time goes by way too fast, but at least they
are back and they started out 2013 with this beautiful ‘swimming pool blue’
colored 10” vinyl EP – ensuring that no matter what, this year would be a good
year for music.No, Northern Portrait
has not lost their similarities to the
Smiths, but you know what?I’m
glad.I miss that energetic effortless
sound they created, and NP come as close as one can get to such excellence!They also bring to mind the pop explosion in Sweden from the
early 90s from bands like Popsicle, WannadiesThis Perfect Day, Happydeadmen and Easy, with their seeming limitless tunefulness.These guys are so good at writing catchy
tunes with lighter than air guitar intricacies and downtrodden lyrics that
still exhibit a sense of flair and wit.“Happy Nice Day” opens the EP perfectly with what sounds at first glance
like an honest to God ode to the beginning of a happy nice day until we hear
vocalist Stefan Larsen ask “Is that a possibility?” all while listing off a
literal travelogue worth of lonely lost moments around the globe (“I lost my
heart in Hamburg and then my breath in Nice”).It’s a fantastic piece of pure pop filled with “oohs and aahs” and “la
la la las” that cannot avoid improving my day.The travels continue with “Greetings from Paris,” which weaves a fascinating snapshot
story of lost souls trying to find meaning from dashed dreams.The opening refrain “Delayed by an
opportunity to cause a firm and effective mess” gives a hint at the quality
storytelling within.“Bon Voyage!” kicks
off side two with a dancey shuffle beat and some sharp guitar strums atop some
tasteful organ and occasional piano interludes and another travel tale
(“destination: good time”).Finally (and
sadly it has to end), the EP closes with “I Feel Even Better,” which absolutely
glides with a sparkling and yet somehow purely melancholic sound.This one seeks solace in escape instead of
familiarity (nice play off of the old Cheers
TV theme: “Sometimes I want to go where nobody knows my name and they couldn’t
care less if I came”) and I’m not so sure any hope is found by the end (“I’m so
tired of this uninspiring life”).It is
damn refreshing to hear this band’s music and to be allowed to wallow in the
superbly told stories of real sadness and disappointment.
Matinee
recently released a new collection that compiles all of Northern Portrait’s EPs,
B-sides and compilation tracks – entitled Ta!
– which includes this 10” EP.Great
stuff!
The Ocean
Blue has always held a special place in my heart.They came along with 1989’s debut as a rare
American installment in the 80s UK
raincoat rock I loved so much.They fit
nicely with the Echo and the Bunnymen,
the Smiths, and so many more.David Schelzel had a knack for writing deeply
affecting guitar leads and the band could always provide a stellar
landscape.They never had the huge ego
or edge to their music, which always felt like it kept them from attaining a
bigger profile, but it was when they focused on their nice guy reflective songs
that they were always at their best.For
me, their 1991 second LP Cerulean was
their high water mark.Gone was the
gauzy rainy haze of the debut, instead they focused their attention to details
and provided us with a sublime and immaculately crafted album full of sad and
reflective songs and crystalline melodies.It was an album that captured my imagination and comforted me through a
rough and terrible year.Well, four
albums and 22 years later, they are back with another blue themed album, and
though, not quite as perfect, this is a hugely welcome return to the fold
(their previous release being 2004’s very solid Waterworks EP – whose opening instrumental, “Fast Forward Reverse,”
has been expanded and improved and included here).I hate to say it, but this is the Ocean Blue
that I liked so much originally.Their
1999, 60s pop influenced Davy Jones’
Locker, was okay, but not full of the big pristine sound that they always
excelled.Aside from the fine sounding
filler that is “A Rose is a Rose,” every song here is strong.The opening “Give it a Try,” has a huge low
end and may be the most roughshod this band ever gets (which isn’t a lot) and
about as political as well.“Sad Night,
Where is Morning?” and “Ground Gives Way” are both songs that could easily have
supplanted a couple of the good ones from the masterful Cerulean, and not surprisingly both have been selected as singles
to promote the album.“New York 6AM” and “Sunset-Moonrise” are also
standouts with their lush warmth and beauty, while the acoustic strumming of
“Blow My Mind” and “If You Don’t Know Why” remind more of their exciting debut
album.Again, it pains me to say this,
but their ability to recapture some of these old glories that has me
buzzing.I should be embracing their
growth and continued change, and though I have stayed with them through thick
and thin, it has always been their first three albums that shone the brightest,
so this return to form – so to speak – feels so damn right.Here’s hoping that this band thing becomes a
more full time entity once again, so we don’t have to wait so long between
releases.
After
offering up two free downloads peeks at their new material early in 2012, Minneapolis’s The
Chambermaids finally released their third album (mini album?) with this remarkable
Whatever Happened Tomorrow.I first learned of this band with their
second collection, 2009’s Down in the
Berries, whose seven songs fly by with a serious urgency and discordance
that hinted at early Poster Children
crossed with the dreamy dual vocals (provided by siblings Neil and Martha Weir)
and atmospherics of Slowdive.But it was those two songs last year,
“Whirlpool” and “China Blue,” – both included here - that hinted at new
possibilities and a big step forward.“Whirlpool” opens this nine song album with its disjointed beat and
simultaneously edgy and atmospheric guitar layers and spikes, while “China
Blue” crashes in at the end of side one with its massive onrush of noise and a
menacing low end bass rumble.There’s no
doubt that they’ve taken huge inspiration from the tremolo bending exploits of My Bloody Valentine, but they’ve
retained their Midwestern sensibilities throughout – making this sound fresh
and different somehow.The acoustic
strum that opens the powerful “I Wonder Why” leads to a verse that fights not
to be overwhelmed by the beautiful haze of feedback that swirls in from all
sides.Similarly, the Martha fronted
“Scraped Away” is steeped in buzzing noise, but hints melodically like the 60s
influenced Primitives.Meanwhile, “Electric Sky” has the rough hewn
forward motion of Kiwi bands like the early Verlaines or more accurately, the
Straightjacket Fits, or the UK’s
late great whatever-happened-to Venus Beads, all the while concluding with an
addictive cooing repetitive lyrical harmony that is guaranteed to stick in your
craw forever.The penultimate track, the
ebbing and flowing” “Flight of Cranes” is another ground shaker.It’s filled with splashing cymbals, a lazy
low end bass crawl and walls of guitars that bring a striking interlude between
the moody instrumentals that close the album.Somehow I think this band has absorbed everything I’ve liked musically
over the last 25 years and crammed at least a little bit of it all into a brief
25 minutes.This is a must have and it’s
inexpensive in any format!
This year
has had me all in a flux with music.I’m
confused.I have always prided myself in
not allowing myself to get stuck in a time period musically.I always bristle inside when I hear someone
say, “They don’t make music like they used to,” because generally in my age
bracket that’s coming from someone who stopped paying attention to new music
after the Outfield broke up.I’ve always believed that every year is
crammed with fantastic music, no matter what, it may take more effort to track
down sometimes, but it’s out there.But
more and more, I’m starting to wonder if I truly am stuck in a time long gone,
just in a different way.Am I simply
listening to new music by the same old bands (see Kitchens of Distinction, Swervedriver,
My Bloody Valentine, The Ocean Blue, and many more – see
elsewhere on this list!!)?Or am I
listening to only newer bands that remind me of times gone by (The History of Apple Pie, Chambermaids, Just Handshakes, Ex Cops,
and many more – see elsewhere on this damn list!!)?It’s starting to seem clear to me that I am
stuck in a rut, or is it simply because there’s really nothing new anymore to
begin with?When I first heard Extended Plays by Cheatahs (a
compilation of their two four song EP releases during 2012), I was stunned and
still am how perfect of a melding their sound is of Ride and Swerverdriver.There’s no way around it.It’s
almost as if Swervedriver stepped in to perform Ride’s Smile compilation (their US debut was similarly a grouping
of their first two EPs).It is that
exacting.They have the big pounding
rawk and blistering feedback of Swervedriver and the more tuneful and melodic
touches of Ride and the abandon of both.The songs are all generally about escape or desire to escape, sometimes
with a loved one, sometimes without.So, how do I judge this?Well,
I’m trying to take off my “Oh my God I’m getting old!!” hat and just enjoy it
all for what it is.And damn, I enjoy
this!I have listened to the teeth
rattling riff of “The Swan,” the teetering on the edge of control “Fountain
Park,” the tight and endlessly addictive guitar hook of “Flake,” the two minute
bursting at the seams “Ripper,” and the music collector nerd junkie escape fun
of “Jacobi” (“Do you wanna ride tonight?Do you wanna go inside?I got
loads of 45s?”) over and over again and it gets my pulse pounding and makes me
bounce my head around and wish I could still grow the mop of hair I used to
have back in the day.When it all comes
down to it, these eight songs are fun to listen to, and isn’t that what it’s
all about?
The double
A-sided single released toward the end of this year features a snapshot of what
we might expect from Cheatahs debut album due out in February.“Cut the Grass” continues their thread of
upbeat buzzing fire, but this time with a kind of spooky keyboard line that
floats around the intro and the conclusion.This sudden fade out of the song is a bit of a disappointment, but
another great song nonetheless.Meanwhile, “Kenworth” is a full on blaster of guitars and dreamy vocals
that simultaneously floats and feels unleashed and chaotic.Wow.Not as immediately catchy as their other material, but maybe more of
this is to come.Looking forward to the
debut, whether or not my mind will ever wrap around the idea of how old this
stuff sometimes makes me feel, despite reigniting my old energy and fire for
this music.
It’s
fitting that I have spent this entire Sunday so far listening to music.I just learned that Lou Reed has passed away.Without the music he and JohnCale, Sterling Morrison and Maureen
Tucker created as the Velvet
Underground, pretty much none of the music I so enjoy today would be the
same.They are the predominant influence
for the styles that I generally gravitate – music that can be harsh and
pristine at the same time; music that can be simply constructed but filled with
complex stories and emotions.Reed’s
influence is so massive that the entire feed of my Facebook page right now is filled with tributes from nearly every artist
or band that I “like,” all of them proclaiming a love of his music.
This sad news
came to my attention just as I logged in to my computer to write a new music
synopsis.It is one meant to be an
experiment.Since I’ve started whatever
this Blogger page is, I have begun
each year with a listing of my favorite records of the prior year.As each year ends, I wait too long before
writing the 40 or so pieces for each artist in the “countdown,” and I always
feel stressed and burned out by the end of it.My goal, at this point (I am not good at promises or proclamations), is
to begin 2014 by writing about new music, as it comes into my life, as the year
progresses, instead of saving it all up till the end.My hope is that this will sharpen my writing
and listening skills, keep me more connected with the music that inspires me,
and lessen the load at year’s end.I’m
certain that I will question my motives for writing about music at all during
the several expected points of discouragement that will overtake me along the
journey.Yet, I know that no matter
what, it is my love of music and passion for trying to share that love that
will keep me returning no matter what – whether I want to or not.This experiment will change the way I listen
to and absorb music and maybe this will reignite my spark.
So, here it
goes: The home recording husband and wife duo, Drakes Hotel, currently residing in Iowa, was nice enough to send
me an advance copy of their new CD EP and it moved me to try to write a piece
about it.It will be released on
November 12th.
Drakes Hotel
Love’s Not Lazy EP
(DH Music)
Drakes
Hotel is on a hot streak!This five
tracker, their first EP, comes a little over a year after their last full
length, Logic Adopts Senses (my #17
pick of 2012, seen here), which is
ahead of their release every 2-3 years track record.They must be feeling inspired, because this
EP includes some of their best work yet and word has it that they will be
releasing a series of EPs in the near future, as well as doing some touring in
the new year.
The EP
starts off with the extended melancholic “The Night Train Home,” where Amy Drake’s unique, strong and stellar
vocals are placed fully out in front of the mysterious and haunting soundscape underneath.This song would make a perfect soundtrack for
a night time train ride - lost in thought, because it absolutely evokes that feeling
of reflection and decompression.
The upbeat
“Young Taste” is up next and finds DH getting right to the point with a fairly
straightforward rock song that screams single!The lyrics are thought provoking.It seems to be spelling out some relationship troubles within each
verse, while the chorus (which includes near power chords!) stretches the theme
to a potentially more universal problem with relationships in general in a
world of social media and over sharing.
The
centerpiece, “Leave It Dark,” includes everything there has ever been to love
about this duo.The sing-a-long chorus
is not only full of wisdom, but is catchy as hell, while the simple repeated
piano refrain creates a solid tuneful base for Chris Y’s stellar guitar work that reaches for the stratosphere
throughout – reminding of the graceful striving cascades that the House of Love created with “Love in a
Car’ oh, so many years ago.
It’s
amazing how much variety Drakes Hotel achieves with their modest recording
tools, but “Sense Non Sense” is a huge sounding song that is full of open space
and an atmospheric keyboard line that instills a sense of intrigue that is so
attractive about their music.Maybe this
song would be better served as the hit single with its huge musical climax and
its tale of a dying relationship, which is succinctly and memorably told (“We
had a lack of progress / on a bed of promise / all we used to be got all fucked
up”).
Finally,
the EP closes with the dramatic and hopeful sounding “Sick Apart,” which again
addresses relationship issues and miscommunication or lack of within, but seems
to find that there can still be a strong enough core to survive and even
thrive.When Amy sings near the end
“Keep holding me…I’ve wanted you for so long,” it feels as though everything
will be alright.
Please do
yourself a favor and track down this music (their last three albums can be
found at CDBaby.com).It is a journey
well worth the price of admission.
Veronica Falls’ debut album (my 2011 #9 pick seen here) was quite an eye opener. If the year had just lasted a bit longer, I would hazard a guess that it would’ve risen higher than my random and arbitrary #9 ranking. Their spell-binding vocal harmonies and precisely strummed dry guitars adorn some incredibly timeless pop songs on top of some very dark lyrics. That is definitely the place to begin, if you’re unfamiliar, but for those of us needing a fresh fix this post tour single is quite an appetizer. “My Heart Beats” is easily as good as anything from that album. The low end rumbles and shakes its way through a very simple but powerful tune. It may be because the vocals are more upfront in this one, or how the guitars jangle and howl alternately, but this is a great sign that they are here for the long haul. The quiet reflective organ driven “Killing Time” is a request to spend time with someone who may or may not concur. It’s simple, but eerily heartbreaking. They have recently released a preview to their early 2013 album named “Teenage,” and it is worth a look too. Bring on the new album!
(veronicafalls.com)
Veronica Falls-My Heart Beats
19.
Nature Set If I Crawl, You Crawl EP
(Dufflecoat)
I was hoping for a full album from these gals and guy after their fun and exhilarating 7” EP on Elefant Records last year (my 2011 #14 pick seen here), but I will have to make due with this 5 songer for the time being. Three of these songs appeared late last year on a split cassette release (with Former Lover – a project started by former Long Blondes’ guitarist songwriter Dorian Cox. The Long Blondes’ former bassist Reenie Hollis is now in Nature Set.), but I am glad they have been rescued from that horrible format. I know cassettes are kind of hip these days, but for those of us who were around when that was the biggest selling music format – believe me when I say that there is a good reason they are now mostly gone. Anyway, this EP opens right where last year’s single left off with the super 60s garage rock inspired organ infused “Avalanche” and it is superb! “If You Lived Here You’d Be home By Now” continues the organ fueled sound, but increases the pace and throws in some nice handclaps and their oddly high pitched background harmonies (luckily they keep those things low in the mix – they are a bit worrisome). “Hands” feels more like the bulk of the 7” from last year, as it would fit right in on an old Go-Go’s album, while “Albatross” brings back that organ (is that a farfisa? I don’t know these things) and a commanding vocal. “I Am a Planet” finishes this off with a punky burst of fun. Another excellent EP! Will there be an album in store for 2013?
(natureset.info)
Nature Set-Avalanche
18.
Rose Elinor Dougall The Distractions EP
(download only)
Where might you have heard of Rose prior to this? She began her career as “Rosay,” one of the founders of the fantastic pop trio The Pipettes, 6 or 7 years ago. She was the bratty brunette with the rich voice. Now she’s out on her own and creating something very different from her old group. Early this year, Rose let slip a little three song download only EP titled The Distractions and it is definitely a step forward from her solid debut solo album – 2010’s Without Why. This set opens with the spectacular builder “The Night,” which opens with a twangy guitar line atop echoing layers of reverb and a slow groove from the rhythm section. It would fit right in with the best work on her debut – reminding a bit of the standout track “Find Me Out.” However, “The Night” is really a pairing of two different interpretations of the same set of lyrics, as about halfway through, the slow burn transitions into an upbeat head bobbing rocker crammed with stratospheric layers upon layers of high end guitars and a throbbing low end. The second song, “I’ve Always Known,” is the true single of the EP, as it’s bouncing beat and chiming guitars set the stage for a classic two timing lover story, where the narrator is simply resigned to let the cheater go. Finally, the final song is the choppy “Hanging Around” – my least favorite of the group, but one that has grown on me over time. The strong-handed electric strum drives this song right into a very strong chorus. Word has it that these songs were recorded shortly after Rose’s solo debut and is a stop gap release before her next album – but not a sign of things to come. I’m not sure what to make of this news, since the first two songs here would’ve been my favorites if they had made it onto Without Why and I so want to hear more like this! No matter the case, she has made a strong argument in favor of keeping an ear out for her future work. This is amazing.
(roseelinordougall.bandcamp.com/album/the-distractions-ep)
Rose Elinor Dougall-The Night
17.
Drakes Hotel Logic Adopts Senses
(DH Music)
Okay, so this is the fourth album from the nomadic (I believe they are currently in Omaha, NE these days) married duo Drakes Hotel, but really this is their third offering, since their unknown debut is only a piece of ancient lore that is a closely guarded secret. Ever since their 2007 (sort of debut), Tell Me Everything (my #5 album of 2007), I have been hooked on their unique sound, which is somehow both a wall of noise and stripped down (I know – that makes no sense, but buy their music and do better, please!). Nothing on this reaches the urgent call to re-connect with reality as Tell Me Everything’s highpoint “Broadcast to the Addicted,” but “Kids R Chrome” is a close second as Amy Drake shouts at us to wake up to life over an electrifying guitar line before explaining the she thinks “the kids are sleeping” in the chorus – fantastic! The album is frontloaded with most of my favorites on the first half. The beautiful and mysterious sounding “Cillian” is a simmering song of full love, or is it obsession? You decide, as you soak in Chris Y’s creeping guitar work that reminds me of the experimental and otherworldly recordings from fellow Nebraskan’s For Against as found on their In the Marshes recordings. “From Over” and “Game Show Heart” should both be hit singles, as they are incredibly catchy and Drake’s vocals are, as always, intoxicating. Chris Y takes over the lead vocals on a pair of tough sounding songs “All My Days” (“Didn’t expect to kiss the bricks”) and “Told A Tale,” which adds to the incredible variety that these two conjure up with fairly simple recordings. That makes three great albums in a row.
(drakeshotelmusic.com)
Drakes Hotel-From Over
16.
The Twilight Sad No One Can Ever Know
(Fatcat)
What can one say about the Twilight Sad? They are pretty much one of those acquired taste bands. They are so dark, claustrophobic and sinister that it’s difficult to sell the idea of them to anyone, unless they are already bought in on that style of music. All three of their albums are steeped in singer James Graham’s vague but tragic via innuendo words. There always seems to be some undercurrent of something that has happened that is so dark and unforgivable in his stories that it’s incredibly intriguing and allows the listener’s mind to fill in the blanks and most likely make it even darker. Until this third album, Andy MacFarlane’s huge waves of guitars have always added to their overwhelming edge by punctuating the unnerving words with blasts of noise and crescendos at just the right moment. It makes for something that can be incredibly cathartic and almost primal when listened to at deafening volumes, but it is definitely mood music. It takes a rare bird who can listen to this kind of thing at any old time. With No One Can Ever Know, the Twilight Sad has brought in noted remixer Andrew Weatherall to produce (or “anti-produce”) this work. What that has done is change the sound by bringing in layers of keyboards and placing those up front. Normally such a statement sounds like the death knell for a band looking to change things up a bit, but in this case it opens the door for more opportunity for growth. The sounds explored on the first two albums seemed to have the potential of closing in on itself. Now they have retained their heart and soul and expanded their horizons. It doesn’t hurt that they’ve written some of their best songs here either. The opener “Alphabet” is an intense pounder with howls of off-putting strange sounding keyboards that sweep back and forth, as Graham’s powerful chorus gives us a glimpse that things are still confused and messed up (“So sick to death of the sight of you now / Safe to say I never wanted you more”). It is definitely one of the songs of the year for me. It’s clear from the get-go that Weatherall’s guidance hasn’t effected the band’s intense focus of guiding their fans through some serious shit, as they do on the epic “Dead City,” the post OK Computer Radiohead-ish “Sick” and the amazing closer “Kill it in the Morning.” This all could fit in with best post-punk of the early 80s, like the Cure’s similarly oppressive and chilling Pornography. Again, one probably has to buy into this to begin with to appreciate it, but if you do, it is spectacular and their best work yet.
(thetwilightsad.com)
The Twilight Sad-Dead City
15.
Maximo Park The National Health (2 CD)
(V2)
When this came out, I kept reading about how this was a comeback album for Maximo Park, which makes no sense to me. Maybe there was near break up news that I missed out on. I know there was a solo album or two floated about since 2009’s Quicken the Heart, but it was only three years between albums. Maybe that comeback reference had to do with a creative comeback. Again, a little confused, since they only have a small selection of four albums in seven years, and none of the prior three were weak. Sure, they have not achieved the full on frantic spectacular energy and captivating tunes of their amazing 2005 debut, A Certain Trigger, but each record has some very good songs. It could’ve been a reference to the breakneck preview single and title track “The National Health,” which rivals their early drive and passion and tosses in some timely words about today’s uncertain economy and a society that seems to be sinking into near total apathy and/or distraction. However, this album isn’t far removed from the more keyboard heavy third offering; Quicken the Heart, than anything from the first two. There’s nothing wrong with this though, because their nice guy heart on sleeve words suit the more lovelorn romanticisms and milder tempos of their more current material. In fact, a few of these songs delve into the realm of the gushing and breathy perfection of OMD’s 80’s classic “If You Leave.” “The Undercurrents” is so full of airy atmospherics, lush background vocals and Paul Smith’s striving melodramatic yearnings that it achieves the windswept heartbreak it wants. This is a compliment, by the way. They find other highs with similar songs on “Reluctant Love,” the regretful “This is What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” (“The biggest mistake of all / I didn’t return your call / the biggest mistake of all / my explanation stall”), and the low bass murmuring acoustic ballad “Unfamiliar Places.” Instead of a comeback, this feels much more like a continuing slow evolution of a solid band.
The second CD is comprised of four acoustic versions of album tracks. It’s nice to hear especially, “Hips and Lips” in this setting, because it is quite different from the odd passive aggressive slow roar of the album version (“the way you stick out your lips / and keep your hands on your hips / and I’m supposed to know...what that means”). Not essential, but a nice addition.
(maximopark.com)
Maximo Park-The Undercurrents
14.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
“Jeremy” 7”
(Slumberland)
This is such a great treat! The Pains of Being Pure at Heart have been a favorite around here for the last few years (their 2011 album Belong was my #16 pick seen here), but I think their strength is as a singles band. Their songs of youthful energy are ideal in short bursts of rejuvenation that beg to be listened to over and over, as opposed to stuck in the long playing format. This time this young and fun band shines their sunshine onto two songs from two of my old favorites from 20 years ago. “Jeremy” is a forgotten gem from the Magnetic Fields’ second album (Distant Plastic Trees from 1992) and where on Stephin Merritt’s version it has a toy like orchestral sound; here the Pains bring on their rush of fresh air and rock the shit out of it! This, not only reminded me of how much I love that old Magnetic Fields album, but gave me a new version to love! The B-side is not to be missed either. It’s from the lesser known F.M. Cornog’s East River Pipe and his 1992 single rare sort of upbeat (for him) a-side “My Life is Wrong.” Again the Pains instill this old classic with chiming and buzzing fire and turn it into a power pop burner! Maybe if I send them requests they can revive a bunch of other lost classics from my old collection! Well done kids!
(thepainsofbeingpureatheart.com)
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart-Jeremy
13.
The Wedding Present Valentina
(Scopitones)
This is the third album (8th overall) for the Wedding Present, since David Gedge’s hiatus with Cinerama for 8 or 9 years, around the turn of the century. Gedge, the band’s leader and only original member, has not changed his tune that much over the years. He still sings about love and lust and awkwardness over the top of dry and cleanly strummed guitars. Yet, somehow it can always find a way to sound fresh, despite their old tag-line “every song sounds the same.” However, sometimes it sounds fresher than others. I welcomed their return with 2005’s Take Fountain and ‘08’s El Rey, but both of those albums had a short shelf life with me. Neither one urged repeated plays over time, but Valentina sounds revitalized and is my favorite of theirs since 1996’s Saturnalia. Maybe it’s because both of these albums share a little bit of experimentalism and messing about with the tried and true formula. While Saturnalia introduced some old fashioned keyboard layers into the mix (a retro vision of the future kind of sound), Valentina adds an odd minute long burst of noise at the end of the frantic “Back a Bit…Stop,” and then throws us some dual drums on “End Credits.” The focus and unity of this album is what strikes me, as well as the welcome addition of more female vocals (thanks to now former member Terry De Castro and newcomer bassist Pepe Le Moko) to fill out his little love adventures. The album makes complete sense from start to finish – giving it an added vibrancy. But who can deny the joy of hearing Gedge’s consistent and never ending run of short stories about running into his next crush and the trials and tribulations that stem from there on out? It could get old if he weren’t so good at making it so damn relatable and human and filled with self deprecation (“You’re really way out of my league” from the stomping “Meet Cute”). After nearly 30 years of doing this, Gedge has been taking his band out on tour and revisiting high points from the past by performing favorite albums as whole sets, which is both excellent (as a fan of the old material) and a shame, because this new material is one of those high points and shouldn’t get the short shrift. Just check out the uplifting happy ending in “Mystery Date” – “No one could’ve been more surprised than me/ when you wrote your number down and said ‘call me at the first opportunity’/ because this does not happen to me/ things like this do not happen to me.” So good.
(scopitones.co.uk)
The Wedding Present-You Jane
12.
Young Galaxy
“Shoreless Kid” 7”
(Paper Bag)
Oh, this single is exactly what I needed to hear from Young Galaxy - a double A-sided good old fashioned vinyl single with two excellent brand new songs. Young Galaxy has released three albums beginning with 2007’s beautiful sweeping epic majesty of their self-titled debut (that year’s #12 pick for me) and, personally, as they’ve become more electronic with each successive release, my interest has dwindled. 2011’s almost entirely electronic Shapeshifting has a handful of excellent songs, but nothing as captivating as their first album, or the transition album Invisible Republic (2010’s #12 pick seen here). However, when YG get things right, they are so amazing that they will always find a loyalty well up inside of me. So, when this single emerged, I knew had to give them another chance. So glad I did, because the mostly electronic “Shoreless Kid” is a nice little 80s-ish dance number with a set of fantastic lyrics sung in unison by both lead vocalists - Stephen Ramsay and Catherine McCandless - telling the story of an empty life that is so identifiable, it’s a little eerie (“headed to your bedroom / to hear your favorite songs / and dream of the day / when you finally slip away”). I love this song now and I would’ve loved it in 1985/86 when I was a huge Depeche Mode and Pet Shop Boys fan. This is smart and touching. The other a-side, finds YG giving us another catchy song that holds truer to their earlier work, but more upbeat. “Youth is Wasted on the Young” is another ode to losing oneself (a lonely and angsty self) in music. It drives and grinds like an early Cure single and the chorus gives us an amazing line – one that I so wish I had come up with: “I wouldn’t mind dying at all / if it weren’t for the songs I’d miss.” Maybe now that they’ve solidified a new rhythm section, this is a sign of a promising balanced direction of things to come. They are supposed to be working on that fourth album now and I am really excited for this one, based on this sampling.
(younggalaxy.com)
Young Galaxy-Shoreless Kid
11.
The Raveonettes Into the Night EP Observator
(The Orchard/Vice)
Normally I feature full albums in my reviews when reviewing an artist’s output for a year – not singles and EPs. In this case, The Raveonettes Into the Night four song EP is the reason why it is where it is in this silly countdown, why I purchased Observator the day it was released, and the reason I went to see them play live late this Summer. I’m not 100% sure why I purchased this EP in the first place. I liked the little bit of the Raveonettes that I’d heard, especially songs like “Last Dance” and their faithful cover of old favorite “My Boyfriend’s Back” originally by girl group the Angels in 1963. Maybe it’s because songwriter Sune Rose Wagner and “My Boyfriend’s Back” co-writer Richard Gottehrer have done such wonders producing the last few Dum Dum Girls records that I’m so gung ho for, or because the EP was only $3 new in the local shop, or maybe I bought it unheard because Sharin Foo sits on the cover near a window with what seems to be the longest pair of arms in the world reaching down to touch her shoulders. Whatever the case may be, when I played this, I could not stop playing it. The 60s girl group heartbreak songs drenched in a huge wall of Specter-ish sound is always a winner with me, especially when that sound is draped in 80s post-punk band fuzz and dissonance. All of these songs are so such full of magic and spine-tingling moments and massive exaggerated drums solidifying the experience with a deep low heartbeat thud. “Into the Night” leads in with a harshly struck dry guitar notes before exploding into euphoric breathy vocals and inside that full on wall of noise. The lyrics are a simple framework of heartbreak and a need to be taken “into the night,” but it is the effect of the music that drives the message home and makes it so damn powerful. Similarly, the grinding “Night Comes Out” craves the facelessness of the night life and during the stellar buzzing chorus we learn that “when the sun goes down we have fun.” The up tempo “Too Close to Heartbreak” pounds through its 3 minutes in much the same way and will have you happily singing along with the chorus “do you care if I die?” Lastly, is the somewhat throwaway “Bad Ghosts.” It sounds amazing, until we reach the chorus, which is repetitive in all the wrong ways, but the guitar solo bridges and the two verses save the song. The whole experience of this EP is only a little over twelve minutes and it is so freaking perfect sounding! It cannot be cranked enough.
Meanwhile the album is my favorite so far of what I’ve heard from them, but it lacks the wallop and immediacy of the timeless sounding EP released five months prior. The ghostly piano strains throughout give this album cohesiveness that some of their prior work seems to lack for me. Plus it’s to the point. None of these songs over stay their welcome. Naturally two of my favorites are “Downtown” and “You Hit Me (I’m Down),” the two that come closest to the massive sounds of the EP that I am so in love with. But the acoustic country inflected starter “Young and Cold” sets a nice mood that continues in a reflective and simple Velvet Underground manner that continues throughout. This is really good work and after seeing them live, I think I need to take a closer listen to their prior material.
(theraveonettes.com)
The Raveonettes-Into the Night
The remainder of 2012's Top 40 can be found via these links:
