2022, I think, has been a difficult year for many of
us. I cannot imagine how difficult the
past few years have been for musicians with the closures and shut downs taking
away essentially every opportunity to perform and share their art or even
create it.My goal in sharing the music
I love with as much gusto as I have is to celebrate it!Not just those that I champion here, but all
of it.I admire the effort and passion
to not only have the talent and creativity and vision to make music, but to
also bring it to the public for those of us who struggle to make things
happen.Considering all of the
obstacles, 2022 has been as vibrant and exciting as any other year in music.These choices below are an approximation of
what I believe my most listened to albums of the year have been.
Canadian
six-piece, Stars, have hit pay dirt
with their 9th album! I
shouldn’t say that, because they have always been consistently good. They have earned my loyalty. If they release new music, I will purchase it
unheard. Stars have returned to
form! This, is also untrue. As I said before, they have always been great! However, they did set the bar very high from
their humble beginning as an electronic duo in 2001 (I was drawn in by their
cover of the Smiths “This Charming
Man”), to the expanded four-piece lineup enhanced LP Heart, then to the amazing all-time classic that is their third LP,
2004’s Set Yourself on Fire. It was this LP that blew my mind. An album that somehow captured some kind of unholy crossing of the Beautiful South and the Delgados. Capturing a melodrama filled with broken
relationships and heartbreak with fantastic orchestral string-laden
arrangements. It was an impossible album
to follow, and to be fair, they’ve done an incredible job trying. Their albums are all consistently good to
great, and they always bring that Fire
melodrama and energy to their live performances. However, From
Capelton Hill brings back the strings and their secret weapon of having
their lead singers, Torquil Campbell
and Amy Millan sing most of the
songs together. I don’t know what it is,
but the seamless combination of their voices seems to elevate the lyrics to
another level. Every song feels that
much more important and crucial.
It’s pretty
remarkable that 21 years on this band has released an album so inspired that it
plays like a best of collection. Drop
the needle anywhere and you’re in a song that sounds like it should be a
single. This record is informed by all
of their past. They have the dramatic
duets full of desperate, sad and longing words from their early work, busy
arrangements like their great 2010 single “Fixed.” They’ve got the disco inspired dance numbers
(a la the No One is Lost LP) of
“Build a Fire” and “If I Never See London Again” (more of a Pet Shop Boys-styled circa ’89
Euro-disco triumph), and wonderful ballads such as “Patterns,” “That Girl,” and
“Snowy Owl.” Sure, the dramatics can be
a bit overboard at times, like in “To Feel What They Feel,” but I think we all
need to be bludgeoned over the head to gain some needed empathy for others, if
we’re ever going to get out of our current ugly state of affairs
culturally.
It’s
downright remarkable that they can pump out such all-time songs like
“Palmistry,” “Pretenders,” and the cinematic “Back at the End,” and “Capelton
Hill.” Personally, I have always loved
Amy Millan’s vocals, and this is the album where she is a part of every
song! And a special shout out to Evan Cranley, as the basslines here are
fun and lively. It is truly inspiring to
hear a band this engaged after doing this for so long.
As a general
rule, I do not write negative record reviews.I don’t feel as though it’s worth my, or especially anyone else’s,
time.It’s already a stretching reason
to consider the time I spend espousing what I believe to be good music to no
one in particular, so wasting that time denigrating someone’s hard work seems
especially pointless.My goal here is
not to judge the artistic value of everything that comes my way – good or bad –
and place its social and cultural importance into some farcical hierarchy.My only goal is to share my excitement about
whatever music comes my way.
Having said
this, the first few times I listened to Stars’
latest album, No One is Lost, I can
easily say that I did not find it very enjoyable.I’ve been buying their music since buying
their debut, Nightsongs, via Parasol Mail Order back in 2001 –
mainly because I was curious to hear their cover of The Smiths’ “This Charming Man,” so I’ve been a fan long enough to
give them the benefit of the doubt.Sure, I never grew very warm to their fifth album, 2010s Five Ghosts, but their last offering,
2012s The North (my #21 pick seen here), was a comforting return to
form.This is the same band that always
brings fun and inspiration to their live performances, and have consistently
put in the work and the growth for me to keep giving the new album a chance,
and sure enough, No One is Lost
started to grow on me.I’ve been playing
the album repeatedly for the last month or so and little by little it has
chipped away at my initial dislike and now here I am trying to distill this
information to my audience of one or two random people, because I think it’s
worth the recommendation and the effort.
With The North, Stars seemed to hit reset and
simply write and record an album of songs.Since their incredible sophomore album, Heart (2003), it seems that they’ve put a lot of time and effort
into creating cohesive thematic albums, which is great, but it felt as if they
were stretching things too far and were losing focus on the actual songs.Well, their back at it.No One
is Lost is predominantly about convincing us to let go and have fun – to
just say “fuck it” and not ‘lose’ oneself in the daily grind of survival.The album is bookended by two dance
tracks.“From the Night” is an 80s
dance remix-style song encouraging us all to go out into the night and forget
work and all the boring stuff we have to do (“let’s be young / let’s pretend that
we will never die”), and though its not among my favorites on this collection,
it is hard not to be charmed by the chorus “I don’t care if we never come back
from the night.”The closing title track
similarly tries to reach the empty souls out there (I am raising my hand…) and
encourages us to get out on the dance floor and to “put your hands up ‘cause
everybody dies.”So, even though Stars
are trying to tell us to have fun and are providing the most rousing exuberant
soundtrack they’ve ever presented, in the process, they are painting a bleak
picture of our society and the massive need for escape so many of us need.It may be that darker layer underneath the
gloss that began to appeal to me.“Trap
Door” gives us a brilliant sing-a-long chorus, and a huge dose of
bitterness.Torquil Campbell provides his customary dramatic vocal turn as he
sings about feeling old, fearful and out of place mixing with the kids at the
club (“when you’re standing in the dark it’s hard to see the light”), which
feels very identifiable.
Elsewhere
it’s great to hear their knack for spectacular string arrangements on songs
like the languid “Turn it Up” and gradual build up of “What is to be Done?”,
like they featured so prominently on their creative zenith, 2004’s Set Yourself on Fire.Their more orchestral songs are often the
best settings for so many of their melodramatic songs.However, in the end, it may be the two most
straight forward pop rock songs on the album that will be my lasting favorites.The Amy
Millan fronted “This is the Last Time” is a fun and addictive buzzer, while
the speedy “Are You OK?” rides along a fun stuttering mid-range bass-line,
which belies the seriousness of the singer’s plea to help someone “running away
from life.”
I’m not sure
why it took so much time for this collection of songs to grow on me, but it did
and in some ways, I think this may Stars’ best work since their landmark Set Yourself on Fire.But I will leave that alone for now.As it is, it’s an album worth investigating
and they continue to be a band worthy of attention.Get the album and go out and see them perform
live.Go have some fun!
As I try to
somehow compile my Top 40 music releases of 2013, I find myself
struggling.It is beginning to dawn on
me that I really shouldn’t rank these.There is so little difference in quality in my mind between #1 and #40 –
making the idea of ranking pretty silly.The reason I post these little album breakdowns is in hope of
encouraging others to discover, as I have, and enjoy.But I am stuck in a world where we have to
rank everything.One day I hope to break
free, but in the meantime I will begin posting this mostly arbitrary countdown
over the next few days in installments, but first, I’d like to post a write up
of one of my favorites of 2013 that was actually released in 2012, along with a
few other really great records that somehow didn’t make the Top 40 today, or
this week.On a different day, many of
these may have reached the Top 20.If
any of this makes any sense, than you are way ahead of me.
Forgetters
Forgetters (2012)
(Too Small
To Fail)
Last April I
posted Ache - a sort of piece about Jawbreaker.It was an effort to show my appreciation of
their music from the early to mid 90s, without having to delve too deeply into
the many reasons why.It was during my
“research” for that piece that I found myself irritated and angered by the
weird backlash against that band’s songwriter Blake Schwarzenbach for a big
variety of “sellout” reasons.What is
the reason behind this?Punk rock
scenesters were always the worst, and the reason why, though I love much of the
music historically, I could never fully indentify as a “punk” – especially
within the narrow-minded realm of those who are so immersed in their little
worlds that they cannot see past their noses.I also learned that Blake Schwarzenbach had formed a fourth band: the forgetters
(prior bands were the seminal Jawbreaker, Jets
to Brazil - whose 1998 debut was my #1 pick for that year, and the
short-lived mostly undocumented Thorns
of Life).Where have I been?This new three piece first released a double
7” EP back in 2010, which turns out to be a rough and ready group of songs that
were reminiscent of old Jawbreaker, but in November of last year the now two
piece (with original Against Me!
drummer Kevin Mahon) quietly self-released their debut album.This pleasant surprise was recorded by
Schwarzenbach’s punk contemporary J.
Robbins (from the also much-maligned, but amazing Jawbox) and it is epic in scope and takes many listens to
unfold.Sound wise, simply this probably
lands somewhere between Jawbreaker and the cleaner Jets to Brazil.This is the first album Schwarzenbach has
released in 10 years, after the JTB trailed off with, frankly, a really boring
album, so it is nice to hear some spark and vigor put back into his music.These 11 songs begin with the lo-fi “Strike,”
which makes for a quiet and modest introduction into what will unfold.It turns out Robbins’ recording is actually
quite bold, clear and deep.This is a
varied collection and despite their two piece status, these songs are adorned
with all kinds of subtle flourishes, including strings, piano, and
vibraphone.Many of these songs start
quiet and simple and build to amazing crescendos.Blake is, as always, excellent, at twisting
around phrases to evoke the power of strained personal relationships (“Hoop and
Swan” and the ballad “Turn Away”), but there is a stronger political slant to
these words, then his past work.“In America” is
powerful song taking on our country’s loss of innocence post 9/11, but also our
collective loss of perspective.Plus
their really choice cover of the Human
League’s excellent “Seconds” pairs well and really captures another time
when we, as a country, lost our heads.The foot stomping builder, “Lie Artist,” at face value could be about a
troubled relationship, but I tend to believe it’s about our failed banking
system and the government’s reluctance to actually enact change.The other rocker is the buzzing “O Deadly
Death,” which reminds of Jets to Brazil’s Orange Rhyming Dictionary.Like
all of his prior work, this album is full of incredible lyrics and though the
album is heavy, there are definitely enough straightforward songs and hooks to
make this something to return to again and again.“I’m Not Immune” is probably the “single” of
the bunch.It’s the song that could
capture most of the fans of Blake’s varied past, but also grab onto a whole new
crop.He starts with the lyrical
refrain: “If you could see for once / one inch beyond the nose / that cuts the
air before your face / you would not sing, my dear, with such high zest / about
the wonders of this modern world” and continues to spout an angry tale atop
layers of guitars and a fist-pumping chorus.There’s also the heartbreaking “Die by Your Own Hand,” which is
immediately thrust into his huge pantheon of deeply personal songs that are so
identifiable and painful and so cathartic.It’s this personal connection that I have with so much of
Schwarzenbach’s music that has always made writing about it so difficult and
this is no different.He is such a
talented lyricist and with Mahon’s
tasteful percussion and precise drumming, these two have carved out an album
that needs to be heard.
January
brought us these two surprise previously unreleased songs from indie
veterans/pioneers Dinosaur Jr.These two
songs were recorded during the I Bet On
Sky sessions (their 2012 10th LP, my #22 pick seen here) and they really should’ve made the
album – though it was pretty epic on its own.Both of these songs are highlight singles in themselves!The J Mascis led “Now the Fall” is simply one
of his numerous catchy three plus minute catchy yet fried out sounding pop
songs.The slow, meandering verse
blossoms into a very tasty, foot stomping chorus and bridge combination and
what sounds like a guitar/keyboard mesh that opens a new door to their
sound.The Lou Barlow led “Ricochet” is,
much like his two contributions for I Bet
On Sky, excellent.Some of his best
work fronting Dinosaur Jr. as is this.Barlow’s lyrics are always a little more open and heartfelt sounding,
and this one is aggressive and memorable like his best work with Sebadoh, but with the bonus of Mascis’
shredding guitars.This is a must have
single for fans and even a good starting point for the curious.What can possibly be next for these guys?
Last spring
Rose Elinor Dougall (who began her career as one third of the lovable Pipettes) issued a free three song
download with her then backing band The Distractions and it was simply
magnificent (my #18 pick of 2012 seen here).Those songs built upon her dreamy 2010 debut
album Without Why and infused it with
some added boost and band energy.This
is the first new material she has released since then and she’s still showing
off some serious songwriting talent and yet another mild stylistic change.The opening title track starts off sounding
almost exactly like OMD’s “Shame”
from their 1986 The Pacific Age, with
its light keyboard twinkles and airy flow before upping the ante with her
soaring vocals during the chorus.Next
up is “Poison Ivy” with its horror movie piano backdrop, rolling drums and what
turns into a highlight of this group.The B-side opener, “Strange Warnings” is the big standout, as it comes
closest to the songs from last year’s release.There is melancholia present, as with much of her solo work so far, but
with the repetitive mysterious guitar riff, some excellent drumming and her
vocals steeped in reverb, this hints at everything from 80s Cocteau Twins to Strawberry Switchblade.The
closer, “Sink Back into Blue,” is a dub style experiment with spoken word story
underneath some sound effects and a heavy beat.This is another nice entry to her slowly building catalog.My only complaint is the hugely dated 80s
sounding production.It is fine to draw
inspiration from music of that time, but this has an odd, not-so-timeless sound
to it.I hope it ages better than it
seems like it will.
The second
album from this Belfast
foursome is my introduction.The New Life is an album that would’ve
been a highlight of my teenage years, when I was just discovering and absorbing
music like this.Wow.This is post punk perfection – all the way
down to the black and white simplicity of the album sleeve.The bass as lead instrument, tastefully and
artfully provided by Claire Miskimmon, the reverb drenched guitar work, the
spare drumming and the washes of creepy organs and atmospheric keyboards make
for a sound that always tugs at my ears.The album evokes those early years of the Cure (17 Seconds and Faith), The Sound, or the Comsat
Angels, or early New Order.After all of these years, it actually sounds
pretty fresh again, especially done so damn skillfully.They employ the extended instrumental
openings to songs, which has become a lost art in pop music.“Hypnotic Regression,” is the place to start
with its streamlined rhythm and catchy spiraling chorus, while still steeped in
reverb, vocalist’s Cathal Cully’s vocals are a little clearer and not so
distant.One can’t miss the heavy
pounding drums and spooky keyboards of “Occultation” or the dramatic “The
Olympia,” both of which recall the efforts of the otherworldly and mysterious
early Independent Project label
bands.Everything is in place and
appropriately dark and menacing.The
only aspect missing is that Cully’s vocals are a bit flat and very unemotional
and having them buried so deep in the echo chamber laden mix that some of the
songs lack a strikingly memorable hook.This album is very well done, however, and definitely worth a listen if
you are interested with any of the previously mentioned artists.And oh, that bass is relentless and beautiful.The band has also issued and 12” single
featuring a cover of Brian Eno’s
“Third Uncle” (famously covered by Bauhaus),
along with a couple of remixes of album tracks.
The last two
to three years has seen me buying Slumberland Records at a similar rate to my
old days of mail ordering from them when they started out on the east coast and
were teaching us of the sounds of Black
Tambourine, Lilys and Velocity Girl.This little 7” single would’ve been one I
would’ve bought back then, if it had been available. “Creep the Creeps”is a reverb heavy classic pop song along the
lines of some of those early Black
Tambourine singles, or like the Amy
Linton fronted Aislers’ Set
filling our heads with handclaps, a simple guitar hook and a need to bounce
one’s head along throughout these two and a half minutes.The b-side “New Ex-Boyfriend,” takes the same
elements, but adds on some serious urgency and speed.This song is strums along nicely, but it’s in
the tempo changing chorus where this song really shines.This is the band’s second release, so maybe
their first album will be along soon?
After a
surprising return in 2011 when the Primitives graced us with four new songs (#30
pick seen here) after over a decade
apart, and then graced us with an album of obscure 60s covers last year (#39
pick seen here), they have once again
treated us to some new material in February of this year with this limited
edition 45.If you have been hesitant to
return to the Primitives fold, might I recommend this one as the place to
begin?The A-side, “Lose the Reason”
contains their signature woosh that the Primitives first burst onto the scene
with back in the mid to late 80s!There
are handclaps and ‘la-la-las’ atop washes of organs and guitars and a fresh
sing-along chorus, but the highlight is with the verses where Tracy Tracy asks
questions about the state of a relationship and Paul provides discouraging
responses (“Sift the ashes find a glimmer / Nothing glowing here at all”).It’s a fantastic piece of pure infectious
pop.“Always Coming Back” on the
flipside, is much more in line with the 60s vibe the band has been mining since
their return.It’s a good bouncy song,
but lacks the more modern urgency that I prefer.However, knowing that they still have songs
like “Lose the Reason” in their repertoire is a welcome sign!
Too many limited
edition vinyl singles to track down anymore.Canada’s Stars released a 7” last September as a lead in for a quick US
tour featuring two songs that apparently did not make the cut for 2012’s The North (my #21 pick seen here), but out of fatigue alone, I opted
for the digital download.At any rate,
these two outtakes are far more than that.Amy Milan’s “Wishful” would’ve easily been one of the best songs on that
collection - fitting right in with “Backlines.”It includes a nice mid-range bass lead during each verse before leading
into a frantic, splashing and soaring chorus.It has all of the drama and verve that the best of Stars always
contains.The imaginary B-side is the
Torquil Campbell fronted “The Light,” which is also very solid.This one is more electronic and has a sparse
opening verse before blooming into an easy disco beat and tumbling electronic
rhythm.This is a tasty treat.
Nada Surf The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy
(Barsuk)
Nada Surf’s sixth album (not counting 2010’s covers LP If I Had a Hi-Fi), comes along after four years away and has them sounding refreshed. 2008’s Lucky was a decent album, but a little stiff, and it turns out, not that memorable, which is a let down after their two best albums (2002’s Let Go and 2005’s The Weight is a Gift). Maybe doing the all-covers record gave them a little kick in the pants, because The Stars feels and sounds a lot more alive and loose and vibrant. Maybe it could also be the addition of a second guitarist in the valuable Doug Gillard (Death of Samantha, Cobra Verde, Guided by Voices, etc.) who adds a lot of depth and energy to this recording. When the opening “Clear Eye Clouded Mind” jump starts things, we are immediately welcomed to an added urgency with the extra guitar coloring. The production of the album is mixed with blurred edges in the same way that John Agnello’s work with Dinosaur Jr. does, which gives this a live feel. This works well and is a welcome sign after the hyper meticulous feel of their last album. The highlight here for me, personally, is the reflective “When I Was Young,” which works as a thesis for the bulk of the record overall. Here we find Matthew Caws thinking about his childhood in a dead moment of a late summer afternoon and how his life measures up to his old dreams of the future (“When I was young / I didn’t know if I was better off asleep or up / Now I’ve grown up / I wonder what was that world I was dreaming of”). We find references to lost youth everywhere and a strong desire to recapture the passion of it. “The Moon is Calling,” “No Snow on the Mountain” and “The Future” are all favorites on a consistently enjoyable record. Nada Surf’s sweet melodies will always be welcome.
(nadasurf.com)
Nada Surf-When I Was Young
29.
Black Tambourine OneTwoThreeFour 2x7” EP
(Slumberland)
What a huge surprise! I never ever thought we’d hear actual new Black Tambourine recordings ever again after they re-released their Complete Recordings a couple of years ago – which cleaned out the vaults! Yet, here we get a double 7” release with four brand new recordings, but not four brand new songs, because oddly enough, these are all covers of old Ramones songs. This is a band that never recorded an album – all of their songs appeared on vinyl singles and label compilations and there weren’t very many of them to begin with. Word has it that this recording was done for the 20th anniversary of the Chickfactor fanzine that vocalist Pam Berry helped create twenty some years ago. Anyway, the music is great! These are all inspired choices (i.e.: old Ramones song that I approve of) that fit right in the what Black Tambourine were best at – dreamy, buzzy, sometimes soft, but usually abrasive, short pop songs - in other words, a perfect setting for Ramones songs. This set opens with the “Rock-n-Roll High School” single “I Want You Around,” which along with “Do You Remember Rock-n-Roll Radio” was the first song I ever heard from that legendary band. Such good memories. Here, BT takes the acoustic strum of the original and stamps it with their own fuzzy atmospherics. The next two songs are culled from the Ramones’ second LP Leave Home with the dreamy “What’s Your Game,” and a cranked up version of “I Remember You.” Finally, Side D finds us touching on the most well known song of the bunch: “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” from 1976’s debut album. Here it sounds like a completely different song – a song that could’ve been found on BT’s By Tomorrow 7” EP back in 1991. This is a nice treat.
(slumberlandrecords.com)
Sometimes we all need a good old solid rock band to guide us through the days. Might I recommend the endlessly catchy and straight-ahead band Midway Still? They have been at this off and on for a long long time and have graced us with their 4th long-player. After returning from the obscurity of the early 90s haze of punk and rock out of the blue in 2010 with their 3rd, Note to Self (my 2010 #11 pick – seen here), I kind of figured that they’d disappear back into the ether again, while affirming that they’ve always been criminally overlooked. Yet, here they are with their seemingly effortless ability to write a narcotic laced chorus that leads to addictive repeated listens. This second “comeback” album has the sound of a band refreshed and inspired. Midway Still’s heavy power chords and pounding rhythm section drive us through a batch of angst ridden upbeat numbers that feel comfortingly familiar and fun. How can anyone deny the joys of hearing the big open hooks of songs like “This is How it Ends” – with its huge bring-it-on-home finale, or the frantic punk of “Miss You”? There’s also much to find from the stumbling forward press of “No Guarantees,” and the identifiable and angry “Seeing Red.” I love to simply crank these songs and rock out like a teenager again. The secret weapons on this one though are the mid tempo numbers “Left Behind” and “It’s Easy,” both of which beg to be massive summer time hits that blast from car stereos all over the globe in my strange imaginary world (apparently). The album closes with a cover of ELO’s “Mr. Blue Sky,” which continues Midway Still’s run of choice cover songs, and shows us that they are truly back, enjoying themselves and hopefully to stay for a little while this time! They’ve set up their own label and have already started reissuing some of their amazing back catalogue and some other bands as well! Check it out.
(midwaystill.com)
Midway Still-This Time
26.
Eux Autres Sun is Sunk EP
“Tilt the Crown” 7”
(Where it’s at is Where You Are)
It’s hard to believe that Eux Autres’ last album was in 2010 (my #19 pick for that year – seen here). It seems like I just took that CD off of my heavy rotation. Of course, that pretty much is true. Their succinct 60’s style pop is quite intoxicating and seems to get better over time. Sun is Sunk, their EP from early this year, picks up exactly where their third LP, Broken Bow, left off. Their sound is fuller now that brother and sister, Nicholas and Heather Larimer, have been joined by drummer Yoshi Nakamoto. This has opened up the songbook a bit. The low-fi two-piece days are past, allowing them to develop their old style classic pop sound. They manage to capture a similar reflective vibe that Amy Linton did with the Aisler’s Set (Yoshi’s former group) with the added bonus of two vocalists. All six songs here are strong with the best being “Right Again,” “Broken Record,” the closing “Ring Out” and the restless “Home Tonight.”
(euxautres.com)
The year ended with a very limited edition single courtesy of the seven sevens singles released by WIAIWYA records this year (see Standard Fare review as well). This three song 7” was a very nice surprise and continues these kids’ winning streak of catchy tunes. “Tilt the Crown” is a jaunty ray of November sunshine with its handclaps, tambourines and delightful chorus, while “Smollis Theme” is a short instrumental. “What it is” closes out this slab of colored vinyl with some interesting old organ sounds and soulful falsettos atop of a timeless piece of pop. This is a band that needs much more attention to their consistently great music. Check it out!
(wiaiwya-7777777.blogspot.com)
Eux Autres-Home Tonight
25.
School of Seven Bells
Ghostory
“Kiss Them for Me” 7”
(Ghostly International/Vagrant)
It was about 5:30 am, on this past Valentine’s Day, and I was driving a big rig on the Interstate taking supplies out to a rainy parking lot for a big work fundraiser and I had on the local “alternative” radio station KNRK. Surprisingly, they broke free of their weird post grunge, hard rock, nearly unchanged “alternative” playlist from their mid-90s creation to play an as of yet unreleased song by New York’s School of Seven Bells. I had only ever heard of them up to that point, but turned up the volume in that rare chance of hearing good new music on the radio. The song was the lead off from the third album, “The Night,” and it immediately got under my skin – in all the best of ways. The chiming guitars, grinding bass and ethereal vocals reminded me of the first time I had heard the Cocteau Twins as a middle schooler in the mid 80s. I loved it and had it stuck in my head for several weeks until it was finally released to the public. Despite the warmth in my heart for the pre-LP single, it took me a little longer to absorb the more electronic aspects of the full album. It’s not that I’m against keyboard driven songs and drum machines; it’s just that over time, I have found the more “human” instruments to provide a generally longer lasting shelf-life. Having said that, the clinical approach to many of these songs, began to reveal a nice fuzzy melodic center that melted its way into my psyche for many repeated listens. These songs are somehow danceable and dream-like while mostly firmly based in strong pop song structures. It is a pleasant noise that the beautiful Alejandra Deheza and Benjamin Curtis make that at times can hint at a less gritty and angry Curve. It still think they’ve found their best moments in the more straight-forward tunes like “The Night,” “Lafaye,” and the fun upbeat drive of “Scavenger,” as opposed to the cold computerized vocals of “Low Times” and “White Wind.” The album closes with the dreamy epic “When You Sing,” which amazingly swipes the dance beat from My Bloody Valentine’s groundbreaking “Soon” and provides a satisfying flourishing finale.
The Record Store Day limited 45 from these guys revealed a very nice cover version and live staple of Siouxsie and the Banshees, apparently underrated 1991 “hit,” “Kiss Them for Me.” I say underrated, because when Siouxsie released that song, I felt it was a devastating garish sellout from one of the most respectable women from the original punk/postpunk days I have always been so fixated on. But, at SVIIB’s show and with this single, this song sounds fantastic. I love the looping dual beats and am incredibly happy to have it. The B-side “When She Was Me” employs a more repetitive straight ahead dance beat similar to that of the Pet Shop Boys with their Introspective LP (think “I Want a Dog”) and it is catchy as hell. Why didn’t this make the album? I’m so happy I decided to turn up the radio that cold, dark, rainy holiday morning instead of switching it off.
(sviib.com)
School of Seven Bells-Lafaye
24.
Hospitality Hospitality
“The Drift” 7”
(Merge)
What a pleasant little debut! This is a sophisticated cosmopolitan sort of album that harkens towards big city lifestyles and crafty day jobs. Amber Papini fronts this New York trio (now a quartet) and her cutesy affected style of singing adds a fun whimsy and dreamlike quality to this collection. This all reminds me a little of the long lost and missed Suddenly, Tammy! from the mid 90s, if Beth Sorrentino played guitar instead of piano, while a couple of favorite tracks, like “Betty Wang” and the perfect “Liberal Arts” evoke a little bit of the baroque pop of Ivy. The album is brilliantly produced as all of the varied instruments (guitar, bass, drums, saxophones, strings, piano, keyboards, etc.) really pop. As a listener, it sounds like you’re completely surrounded and immersed by the dry and live sounding instruments. This is a promising and exciting debut.
Meanwhile, their much more recent recordings, released as a double A-side 45, find Hospitality hitting a looser rock-n-roll vibe and it brings an exciting edge. “The Drift” has Amber Papini taking on a kind of shouting faux British accent sing-speak style that feels like something from the early 80s British invasion, before the song drifts into a dreamy quiet middle and the finally closes with an instrumental jam session! Wow! Fantastic! The other A-side is a song written by producer and multi-instrumentalist Nathan Michel and it too is upbeat and alive with energy. With this new single the anticipation for new material only grows.
(mergerecords.com/artists/hospitality or facebook.com/hospitalitylives)
Hospitality-Friends of Friends
23.
The Frank and Walters Greenwich Mean Time
(Fifa)
I was first drawn to Irish band the Frank and Walters back in 1991 when they drew comparisons to first LP A House (whose singer, Dave Couse, also produced some of their work) with their early EPs on the fledgling Irish record label Setanta. I stayed when their punchy pop songs really caught me. I loved their energy and their somewhat sarcastic way with words. Now after so many years and a lot of albums, they have become pretty obscure on these shores. They disappeared in 2000, with the release of their fourth album Glass, an experiment with electronics that I stayed clear of. They’ve now put out two albums in the last twelve years and after the last, the strong record A Renewed Interest in Happiness, I thought they were finally gone for good. So, here we are, Greenwich Mean Time, is their sixth, and I have to say it is one of their best! To me their peak was with 1997’s The Grand Parade (and the shimmering “Indian Ocean” EP) and the heavy and emotional Beauty Becomes More Than Life (1999), after they dropped the sardonic fun and started making more heartfelt worldly music. This new one finds them recapturing their light-handed seemingly effortless melody stuffed guitar work. Their strength, as always, is the ability to craft hummable tunes and, of course, the good guy vocals of Paul Linehan who has an amazing way of expressing a wide emotional range. Many of these songs rival the best of their work from the late 90s, while the most upbeat songs, like the opener “Indie Love Song,” “20 Years,” and “The Clock,” all remind of their more light-hearted early years. This is a fine and welcome return from these veterans.
(frankandwalters.com)
The Frank & Walters-Indie Love Song
22.
Dinosaur Jr. I Bet on Sky
(Jagjaguwar)
I’m not sure what brought J Mascis and Lou Barlow back together, but it’s been quite a ride since they reformed the original line-up of Dinosaur (with drummer Murph) back in 2005. It didn’t seem possible due to the public animosity on display, especially from Barlow throughout his various touring indie incarnations. However, here we are with three strong albums in, several tours crisscrossing the globe and no sign of an end in sight. With I Bet On Sky, their tenth album overall, we find Dinosaur Jr. discovering some new territory to cover, which is a pleasant surprise. Check out the opening “Don’t Pretend You Didn’t Know” and the subtle introduction of momentum keyboards underneath the strumming guitars (they still crunch heavy in the chorus), while the end of the song brings in a soft piano melody paired with Mascis’ feed backing guitar. It’s excellent. There are new touches of this expansion throughout. “Almost Fare” is driven by acoustics and a peaceful trance-inducing minor chord, while “I Know It All So Well,” finds some serious wah-wah guitar work and busy and loose drumming that feels brand new. Don’t be scared by these changes though, because this is still Dinosaur Jr. through and through and maybe their best album since the essentially Mascis solo outing Green Mind (check out the rocking “Pierce the Morning Rain” reminding a little of the sweeping power of “The Wagon”). Lou Barlow’s usual two song additions here for the first time don’t feel like he’s holding back, as they have in the past. “Rude” is a propulsive heartfelt driver that rivals some of his best early Sebadoh work, while “Recognition” truly feels like he’s working with the entire band, with the viciously tight bridge, wild drums and an epic Mascis guitar solo. I’d love to see them continue this upward trajectory.
(dinosaurjr.com)
Dinosaur Jr.-Watch the Corners
21.
Stars The North
(Soft Revolution/ATO)
What a relief this album is. After Stars’ last album, 2010’s The Five Ghosts, I was worried that they were running out of inspiration. Aside from a few songs, it never gelled with me. It also ways felt forced and lacking their trademark all in aspirations. They had been building and steadily improving with each album, from the Pet Shop Boys via The Smiths two piece debut Nightsongs in 2001 to the bigger pastures of 2003’s Heart and then peaking with 2004’s epic and orchestral Set Yourself on Fire. Ever since, the arc has been mildly downward, but hopefully, they bottomed out with The Five Ghosts. This 6th album feels refreshed and reinvigorated. Maybe that’s why The North simply appeared in stores with very little promotion or press, so they could re-introduce themselves to the world and begin again. Musically, they have always taken cues from various 80s pop and indie acts, but their stamp has always been the overwrought melodrama of singer Torquil Campbell and the cool and calming Amy Millan. They are both at their best when they sing together to create romantic narratives – generally of the longing or crumbling kind, as in the closer highpoint of “Walls,” or the outrageously cheesy and fun “Do You Want to Die Together?” The North is not anywhere near their pinnacle, but it reveals itself in a easy and relaxed manner, which is best represented in the oddly mixed together middle section of the album with the aforementioned “Do You Want to Die Together?,” the teenage slow dance “Light Changing Colour,” and electronic atmospheric “The Loose Ends Will Make Knots” – which act as a strange medley. This album for me, however, is front-loaded. My favorite tracks are the first five. The mid-tempo Human League-ish “The Theory of Relativity” kicks things off nicely with a narrative about growing up, while “Backlines” is a stuttering short pop song that explodes into a dreamy atmospheric chorus. That dreamy aspect is revisited on another Millan fronted “Through the Mines,” which is as close as they’ve come to hinting at the so-called shoegaze influence of bands like Lush since her “Ageless Beauty” in 2004. The title track acts as an ad hoc ode to their native Canada and its long winters, as does the piano ballad love song “The 400,” which is a dream song for a stage actor to over sing on Broadway! A song that should really be a hit though is their uplifting song “Hold on When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It.” It’s catchy as hell and has that magnificent New Order bass line at each bridge. So glad to have my Stars back.
(youarestars.com)
Stars-The Theory of Relativity
You can find the remainder of the Top 40 of 2012 via the following links:
