Bon Iver

For Emma, Forever Ago

Jagjaguwar






Phosphorescent

Pride

Dead Oceans




As a sucker for folk music, I have recently stumbled upon these two very folky but very different records, both hailing from the new music conglomerate of the Secretly Canadian/Dead Oceans/Jagjaguwar family of record labels. Given, Phosphorescent’s Pride is a few months old at this point, as is For Emma… (as it was self released in a limited run in 2007), but both records have a certain amount of timeless quality to them, thus, why they are getting coverage now. Regardless of the timeliness of this, for the record, I always seem to find the slow-burn folk records in the winter months, and for as cliché as this sounds, I’m glad I came upon these records when I did, as I think I’m far more receptive to them as I would be if I found them in the mid-summer, now that I’m back in the frozen wonder of a Michigan winter. For starters, Bon Iver (French for “Good Winter”) brings to the table a bizarre brand of soulful, modern folk that will undoubtedly make quite a name for himself, aside from his own—a.k.a. Mr. Justin Vernon—while Matthew Houck offers up his fourth full length under his musical alias, Phosphorescent, in the form of a dark, gospel tinged acoustic record entitled Pride. Both artists seem to have carved out their own niche in acoustic guitar-driven semantics, despite the ideal that the winter of 07/08 offers a debut for Vernon, and what might be a solidification of musical tenure for Houck. The difference between these two records is stark, as with the debut Bon Iver record, listeners will get a heavy dose of a sole soul with something to prove, and on the nine tracks that make up For Emma, Forever Ago, we get nothing less than a falsetto voice telling anyone and anything a rather dismal but well-inflected story. But the story behind Vernon’s work reflects his madness, as he relocated himself to a solitary setting in the woods of Wisconsin for the winter last year to record what would become a pseudo-epic opus of loneliness and despair. Starting off with “I am my mother’s only one/ It’s enough” on the record’s opening track “Flume,” tells a portion of Vernon’s bleak story in itself, one of questioning things beyond one’s control, and the rest of the record follows suit, finding his voice at odds with life’s tribulations surrounding love, loss and what one can only imagine else. There has obviously been a relationship woe or two, as tracks like “Skinny Love” and “Creature Fear” state blatantly, and Vernon tells it on the mountain, as if to proverbially scream to anyone who will respectively listen; with lyrics like “When all your love is wasted/Then who the hell was I?” and I was teased by your blouse/spit out by your mouth. Both tracks showcase an intimate moment that shouldn’t be, and knowing the story behind Vernon’s escape, one can only appreciate his telling soul. Houck on the other hand states a bit of a different tone, but manages to convey his own brand of religious, relationship hysteria in “Cocaine Lights,” a track of confounding desperation. As he croons in his own broken drawl, “Lord, truly I am awake/Lord, truly I am afraid/Lord, truly I remain,” solidifying his mellow frenzy with “In the darkness after the cocaine lights, I will miss you with no warning," Houck exhibits a different side of sickening sadness. Although it’s rather simple to see similarities between these two in a matter of content, the delivery is truly what separates the two—whereas Bon Iver’s melancholy relies more on a lonely nature that shows deliberately; Houck’s darkside comes more in the form of a resounding chorale of gloom, literally. It’s not uncommon, for a number of voices to accompany Houck’s over the course of Pride, which offers a very dismal overtone to the work—mainly on “Picture of Our Torn Up Praise” and “Be Dark Night”. However, the standout track on the record finds Houck alone, in “Wolves,” a solo sung ballad, rich in imagery, about said animals confining one to a house that they are ravaging. It is hard not to think that the track might be a metaphor for something or someone else. But with lines like, “They’re staring with blood in their mouths/Mama, they wont let me out,” its hard not to be sold, as even if this is Houck at his worst, he remains starkly convincing as he croons over what sounds like a ukulele and a funeral organ, with a demeanor somewhere between weeping and exploding. Ironically, Vernon offers up his take on the Canis lupus as well, with “Wolves (Acts I and II),” but goes straight to the point of dismay, stating “Someday my pain will mark you,” keeping his symbolism to a minimum but keeping pace with Houck, furthering his case with “With the wild wolves around you/In the morning I’ll call you…can’t you find a clue?”. Where we find Vernon in his constant state of contemplation of things, Houck seems to have figured things out for himself, staking his claim on things with “At Death, A Proclamation,” which might be some of the strongest last words anyone has maybe never said, long before their death, complete with regret and solitude. It is in this light where Phosphorescent dimly shines (all puns intended), and shows rightly his scars of trials himself. Where Vernon acts as a man in the moment and immersed, Houck glows of a man in afterthought; aged and well versed. “The Waves At Night” and “My Dove, My Lamb” are both testament to this, as the former addresses a quaint love and it’s intermissions, while the latter expresses a lullaby of youth, love and balladry in the most poetic of contexts. For as much as these two modern songwriters differ, it’s evident that the age old practice of folk music—no matter what face it takes—turns out best in it’s most raw form; songs of love, scorn, loss and reflection—thus, the reason for the genre in the first place, one might attest. Before this becomes a thesis paper, and for what it’s worth, Pride made it’s way onto a number of best of lists at the tail end of 2007, and I’d be willing to bet that Bon Iver’s debut reissue will probably make it onto a shit-ton of them in 2008. Regardless, these records are both great examples of new takes on a genre that will never cease, and kudos to the triumvirate of labels (DO/SC/Jagjaguwar) that has always been known to support songwriters and their crafts to find and release such works. For fans of folk music of any likeness, Pride and For Emma, Forever Ago offer windows of personal tastes melding with the basic knack of songwriting that is anything but generic, creating listening experiences that come highly recommended.


Bon Iver
Phosphorescent
Dead Oceans
Jagjaguwar

Dub Trio

Another Sound Is Dying

Ipecac



I’ll admit, the premonition that a dub group being released on Mike Patton’s Ipecac Records, intrigued the shit out of me when I first stumbled upon this release. And it’s an intriguing listen to say the least, especially for a group dropping the dub genre in it’s moniker. For starters, Another Sound Is Dying isn’t your daddy’s dub record, nor is it the same type of tunes your stoner roommate in college had blaring from his Marley poster-adorned, smoke filled bedroom; it’s a brand of dub that is far more cerebral than a delayed bassline and some upstroked bar chords over a slowed down 4/4 beat. Basically, this is a band that uses the most basic dub elements and lifts the genre to a completely different, heavy plane that surprisingly enough fits as equal parts Don Caballero, Angel Dust and King For A Day… era Faith No More (believe it or not), and—when Patton is guesting on “No Flag,” the record’s only track with vocals—Biohazard or Sick Of It All. Yes, this might sound like a bizarre combination of bands to associate with a band with some stripped down reggae influences, but their all here and the proof is in the recording itself. The record opening “Not For Nothing,” pushes the listener into their brand of tripped out, head-metal rather quickly, with an off-time guitar riff set over a pounding bassline, only to be stripped away to make headroom for a gaggle of effects and echoes which loom in the track for the first few minutes. The guitars feedback and interject into the track, as one might imagine in a typical dub composition, but with lots of low-end sustain and fuzz as opposed to the clean, compressed guitar tone one would likely hear on a platter from 1970’s Jamaica. However, the trio gets back to a more traditional musical nature with the album’s most concrete example of what these guys are capable of, paying homage to some of the dub masters with “Mortar Dub,” which sounds like it could be a classic recording. Lots of delays, effects, and a rolling reggae drum beat make, what could be the most out of place track on the record one of the most prominent. “Felicitation” ventures into a much more abstract take on the sound, adding a rather atmospheric bend to heavy instrumentalism for the song’s first half, relying on the rhythm section to do the dirty work, which allows the band to further accentuate their knack for reaching the outer limits of their respective musical arena. Other tracks that stand out are the deconstructed “The Midnight Rider,” which calls to mind the discordant jazz tempos of the aforementioned FNM records, and finishing off with a typical 90’s metal progression; “Agonist,” the record’s longest track, which delves deep into the psychedelic nature of classic dub sound and clashes it with some So-Cal speed-punk riffing; “Jog On,” the quickest blast of stoner rock one might ever hear; and the jah-infused, slow-metal burner of “Fuck What You Heard,” which might be the thesis statement for the whole record as it seems to balance out the slow, skank-inducing riddims with otherwise thunderous guitar work. On the whole, this record is quite fitting to be one of Ipecac’s new kids, and it’s no doubt why Patton picked these guys up after collaborating with them in the past on his Peeping Tom project and on one of their older releases as well. It will be interesting to see if Patton’s meathead contingency will pick up on this one like they do most other things he puts his hands on; but this might be a little too brainy for his legions of mosh-pit minions. Regardless, Another Sound Is Dying is a great versatile listen that spans multiple genres despite a band’s attempt to pigeonhole themselves into one. Most purveyors of heavy, time signature-ignoring music will find this one a true delight. And hippies be warned, this record will scare the shit out of you.

Dub Trio
Ipecac

Li Jianhong

San Sheng Shi

Archive




For those unfamiliar with who Li Jianhong is and what he does, to set the record straight, he hails from Hangzhou, China and is a one-man guitar/effects virtuoso of sorts, who is slowly beginning to get his name heard outside of mainland China. With that said, Archive has come forth with perhaps his most available release on this side of the Pacific with San Sheng Shi, a 51-minute guitar overture that showcases Jianhong's ability to manipulate the guitar to otherworldly sound parameters. Starting off with what must be an ebow and a slew of effects (delay, reverb, sustain and probably more), Jianhong plays a call-and-response between himself and guitar, feedbacking and delaying a sonic melee of sorts for the first 10 minutes or so of the piece. Slowly and dramatically layering in effects and distortion, a wave of reservation sweeps over the piece about 12 minutes in, relying more on an intensifying delay pattern and what manipulations Jianhong can add to it. Quick enough though, the piece takes on a harsh noise identity, almost as if Jianhong is pitchbending while playing, which he very well may be doing. It's hard to decipher exactly what he's running his axe through, since he seems to go from a swirling mess of sound to something more stripped down rather quickly, and back again a few times over in this epic masterwork. At 21 minutes, Jianhong has worked the piece into a dense wall of static, with some guitar tones ruminating deep in the background, leaving any musical overtone out to dry. The piece continues to transform throughout, but never lets up on the effects, which might lead one to wonder what Jianhong would sound like playing a clean guitar, or an acoustic instrument for that matter. Just past the halfway point, the piece makes a stark drop in content, retreating from a droning intensity to a minimal experimentation in tone and sustain. It's easy to say that this is the most elementary moment of the work, as the content reluctantly goes a bit dry and simple. However, it's a nice departure from the mounting intensity that at this point, was building for 33 minutes, and separates the track somewhat into two distinct parts. It's a working listen, and a draining one at that, but with bit of patience, one will eventually get to the end. After a brief pause, for the end of San Sheng Shi, Jianhong adds a bit more of an atmospheric tone over some shrieking guitar riffing and a light amount of white noise, forming the track into something a bit spacier than the first part. It's still a bit overdone, but for what would be construed as the grand finale of such a work, its equal parts harsh psychedelia and catharsis that seem to fit well together to wrap the track up. The closing of the track tones down a bit for the last three minutes in a dark, dirgy drone for a solemn yet fitting end to this rather intense and difficult listen. All in all, the track is quite a work, but this might be a bit too deep for some. This isn't exactly the record you'd want to put on to entertain or to wind down to after a rough day at the job. It is however, a great backdrop soundtrack, that's not going to let you fall asleep; an arousing listen to say the least. For those who look forward to super-epic noise works, this record will appease and astound.

Li Jianhong
Archive

Black Mountain

In The Future

Jagjaguwar




After hearing the first critically acclaimed record from Black Mountain, it would be hard to imagine the band’s sophomore effort to sound like much of a departure from their established, 70’s throwback rock sound. Plainly put, chief songwriter Stephen McBean laid critics to rest with his updated neo-hippie anthems set to pummeling guitar work, a la Sabbath/Zeppelin/Rainbow/etc. Shit, even Vanity Fair gave the band props before they blew the lid off of other bands struggling to do a good job at what Black Mountain made their natural-sounding musical vehicle. Maybe it’s the water, or something that grows from the ground up in British Columbia, but genuine sounding R’N’R has been flowing out of the Vancouver area since these guys showed up. And back for round two, McBean and company have upped the ante yet again, with a sophomore record that has all the right production twists and lyrical accompaniment to secure their place in the oxymoronic arena of intellectual stoner rock. The record opens with the thrashing riff-heavy “Stormy High,” which is rather reminiscent of their past chug-centric jams like “Druganaut” and “Don’t Run Our Hearts,” but there is something distinctly different about the overall sound, which actually amounts to a numerous elements when broken down. A seasoned Mountain listener will notice right away that the synthesizer steps up considerably in the mix, adding diversity to the record that looms throughout for a solid augmentation to the sound. Also, vocalist Amber Webber lets her vocals out of the box that separates her fom the “back-up” singer stigma that she may have been associated with in the past. It’s somewhat ironic, but makes perfect sense, that the band has come around in such fashion, as the space between records made time for all members of this project/collective to venture off into side projects - Blood Meridian, Lightning Dust, Pink Mountaintops, and Sinoia Caves, respectively - only to bring back to the fold some newer elements that fit the band very precisely. “Tyrants,” the first of two epics on Future exhibits this exactly, as the band’s intertwined instrumentation takes the psychedelia to a completely different plane than on any past Black Mountain release; jaunting in and out of minimal rock noodling, a climactic building crescendo of acoustic tones, dismal harmonization and dirgy guitars, only to rain down a musical hellfire of sorts with a thunderous interlude, complete with a call-and-response conclusion of gratuitous soloing and pummeling drums, sealed off with a calm harmonized, dismal lullaby. It’s big. Real big. And believe it or not, it blows some of the largest works by these guys (and their side projects) out of the water. Other tracks, such as “Wucan,” “Evil Ways,” and the Webber-sung “Queens Will Play,” show yet another avenue to the group’s evolving sound, opting for an almost drum-circle/lounge-act brand of psych rock that sounds just as original and unnerving as the band at their most outright and direct. “Stay Free,” a priarily acoustic track, also seems to fit in with the rest of the differences here, providing listeners with a much more organic side to McBean’s songwriting that works better than the last Mountaintops record, relying heavily on the work’s bombastic but soft production. It’s a great living room rocker to say the least. The only track that forces a bit of head scratching would undoubtedly be “Bright Lights,” with it’s glamorized drug-induced drawl. It’s the second epic work of the record, and in all of it’s 16-plus minutes of glory, it touches on about every aspect of the record twice over, but suffers from weak lyrics. After a few bong rips, the words probably make more sense, and the “adventure” metal-tinged theatrics of the track make up for any verbal shortcomings. The record ends on a somewhat rapturous note with “Night Walks,” a quieter, synth-toned downer, probably aimed at easing the listener out of any rock-induced haze that may have occurred over the course of the album. Sure, it sounds somewhat cliché, but this record has some weight as far as rock records go and I highly recommend this record for those who like non-pretentious rock that would do better in an arena than a basement. Black Mountain’s time is coming…

Black Mountain
Jagjaguwar

Ulver

Shadows Of The Sun

Jester/The End Records




Scandinavian Metal is its own breed. From band to band, we never really know what to expect. This is never more apparent than on this record, one I really cannot make heads or tails of. Aside from the minimal back-catalogue of Ulver material I am familiar with, to me, this sounds like a concept record of some kind, or maybe even a soundtrack to some terrible melodrama. Equally appropriate at a funeral pyre or a 14-year old goth kid’s belated circumcision rite, this record offers up very little of anything. First track “Eos” sets the tone for the album, offering a slow-moving, drony bore with very elementary lyrics. Think if Tom Waits regressed 20 years, learned how to actually sing, picked up the ability to gracefully sustain his vocals, and sang lyrics written by any thriving new-metal vocalist (i.e. Aaron Lewis from Staind…), backed up by Silver Mt. Zion on three weeks worth of valium. Second track, “All the Love,” gives us a mere droplet in the still-pond monotony of the rest of the album. Instrumentation varies, vocals actually change in tone, pitch and volume, which ultimately all amounts to what sounds like it could be an unmixed demo of an outtake from Pink Floyd’s Division Bell. At this point, I found it meaningless to pay attention to the songs, as they casually drift into one another, creating the auditory illusion that this record might actually be one long uneventful song. As the record trudges through it’s lo-fi hum of noise, we hear some piano, possibly the use of an E-Bow, some background vocals that sound like a supermarket PA system, and a very out of place brass section offering for a few seconds, a jazzy touch to an otherwise bland and desolate soundscape. The best kept secret on this record—if you can get there—comes in the form of a long silence at the conclusion of the last track. Maybe Ulver thought the listener would hear this epic nuclear explosion of a record and would need 42 seconds of silence upon finishing it to come down from the inherent high this record would give them. This being said, the next time I am ass-naked in a wigwam sweating out the ounce of peyote I just ate, I really hope this record is there to guide me through my vision quest. That’s about the only place I can put this record. I can’t conceivably see it anywhere else, let alone in someone’s record collection—least of all, my own. I don’t think I have ever heard anything as downright boring as this. File under: “Naptime.” Bottom line, this record is a piece of shit, but don’t count it out yet, it could win a lifetime achievement at the Grammy’s for being the most non-climactic record ever.
-RTMA


Ulver / Jester Records

*Ed. Note: The contributors have spoken!

Tim Hecker

Norberg

Room 40



When Tim Hecker isn’t busy writing and releasing his acclaimed works for various labels, he’s out doing 20 or so shows a year in differing locales worldwide. And in between studio releases, he’ll occasionally get some of his work out to chide fans over or give insight as to what he might be formulating for an upcoming LP. His contribution to Staalplaat’s Mort Aux Vaches series in 2005 spliced some of his various sound elements from Mirages (Alien8, 2004) into a much warmer and refined work, attributes that could be said of his last full-length, Harmony In Ultraviolet, released on Kranky in 2006. With this, his latest offering, Hecker again leads one to wonder what he’s got up his sleeve for his next studio mix. Recorded live in Sweden, Norberg is a 20-minute overture of sorts that finds Mr. Hecker seamlessly blending a barrage of sounds into a pastiche work that touches on various elemental parts of his back catalogue. Starting out with some static tones and what sounds like a well played xylophone, the work slowly forms into a clutter of white noise and oscillations, helped out by some drenched reverb acting as some sort of compression. Sounds drift in and out of Hecker’s work, as a few minutes in, it is very evident that the artist is in his element, and his live skills are quite well-honed. For a few minutes, traces of the scratchy guitar nuances of “Acephale,” the opening track off of Mirages, can be heard blazing out of the enveloping noise that Hecker has built up, only to tone down to a very minimal but dense moment, before working into a much more sparse, organic tone reminiscent of some of the less distorted works on Harmony. An active listen will undoubtedly sing praise to Hecker’s busy hands and brain for this performance, as minimal effects are thrown in at an alarming rate, changing less of the soundscape as a whole, placing emphasis on the input. At the halfway point, the work is at its most delicate, with waves of delay and reverb washing over the composition giving it a very solemn and suspended feel. Here, Mr. Hecker shines, as a constant backdrop for the work settles in, allowing him to experiment with what’s going on at the forefront of his performance, creating a multidimensional field of sound, so to speak, that is both cavernous but very spacious. Shards of white noise wash back in, around three minutes before the piece ends, returning the work to a complex minimalism that races toward the end of his performance. The performance ends on a harsher note than the whole work itself conveys, but to the delight of the audience. It’s hard to tell if this is standard live fare from Hecker or not, since there isn’t much live stuff of his floating around in cyberspace or released in hardcopy. Regardless though, Hecker’s performance is both intimate and verbose, and by no means overdone. Norberg is a great encapsulation of a modern master at his craft.

Tim Hecker
Room 40

LSD POND

LSD POND

Archive




For those in pursuit of some new outer-limits rock recordings, perhaps the best place to check is figuring out what Scott Slimm has up his sleeve for the new year. The latest addition to his Archive catalog comes in the form of a two-disc collaboration between various members of Slimm’s back-catalog as LSD POND, a collection of improvised recordings between members of Philly-based noise rockers Bardo Pond, and two of Japan’s highly revered psych acts, LSD March and Masami Kawaguchi’s New Rock Syndicate. Having done recordings for Slimm in the past, one can only imagine that this was a dream come true for the man and his label when these three groups of musicians decided to shack up in a practice space between tour dates sometime late last year. The finished product—which is beautifully hand packaged with foil stamping and a nice floral design motif—is truly one for those looking for epic rock ‘n’ roll works tinged with a heavy dose of a drug-induced swagger. Seriously, there are moments all captured here that make strong cases for why certain mind-altering substances exist, all in musical form. Of the two discs of material—that together comprise a whopping almost-two-and-a-half hours of music—this release offers up, it must be noted that the players vary on each disc, but the sum of the parts justify the whole here, without a doubt. Cutting to the chase, the first disc shows a side of down-tempo stoner works, complete with gratuitous soloing and rolling bass lines that could fit the bill at even the worst of the “Jam Band” scene’s venues. “We are LSD POND,” as the introduction (on both discs, ironically) is called, serves as the 17-minute space-rock segue into “Hikari Naki Sekai,” which easily puts this prior claim to rest. It’s hard not to imagine being trapped at some wacky hippie festival only to find that these guys might be the saving grace of the whole thing, based solely on the idea that their bass guitars are the right amount of “fuzzed out” to make it bearable. Really though, the rhythm section and wah pedal madness, makes a strong case that genuine hippie music will never die, but the bombast that goes along with up to 8 people playing out simultaneously (it doesn’t specify just how many people are actually on each piece, but a honed ear can hear at least six) sets this apart on a similar astral plane so to speak. At 15 minutes in though, the track somehow manages to coalesce into a noisy stoner rock mess that is very delightful as it is deep. The other tracks on the first disc offer more sides to this multi-talented ensemble, as “Tamerai To Kurushimi” incites a very swampy, dissonant piece that might have listeners reminiscing of some of the more listenable Sunburned works, complete with a primal tom beat, some fuzzy bass, lots of tolerable feedback and swirling guitars. “Utuwa No Naka No Mizu” is the fourth offering, which, with its driving upbeat drumming makes the track almost danceable. For all of the frenzied guitar work here, the cacophonous nature of the track fits together well at the hands of an even amount of sustain, phaser and distortion, putting everything in balance. This may be the tightest track of the collboration, relying on much of its rhythm section, and is probably what Acid Mothers Temple’s studio material should sound like, if they didn’t always go ape shit with oscillators. The last offering on the first disc is a solid free-form work, and fits nicely as the last track, giving listeners a very spacey send-off into the sinister fray that is the other half of this monstrosity of sound. Whereas the first disc of material ventures into more of the psychedelics rooted in, say, San Francisco, disc two will leave the listener somewhere far, far away. In three tracks, the left brain to this project takes a quite different approach, with the addition of vocals and electronics that veers off path if you will, to a much darker place. Think whatever acid was killing people at Woodstock, and one would be on the right path. The second “We Are LSD POND” starts off on a much different note than the first one does, with a massive distorted, lurking bass line that volleys around a looping, utterly Asian influenced guitar riff until various elements seep in and turn the work into a sludgy bastard-cousin of doom metal. It’s like night and day in comparison to the previous material, and continues on with no sign of abandon. About 18 or so minutes in, ghastly, female vocals careen into the mix to create a sound that is outright, impure sexual psychosis. The electronics are heavy and blatant, as is the rest of the music being created. Plainly put, it must have been insane to be in the room at the time of this recording. The longest track on the recording is “Sugatanaki Kyofu,” the middle track here, and is by far the most introverted work from this collection, as it starts out in all the glory of low-end rumbling and shrill effects that sound as though something is coming to a boil. The track does not sound as though it was an on-the-spot conception of these guitar-wielding artists, relying more on a noise aesthetic; but nonetheless, takes a hostile amount of time building into an erratic squall of sound experimentation. Feedback and some glacial guitar soloing clear a way for the most subdued music here, enveloped in a heavy mass of tone, noise and random percussion. Somewhere beyond the midpoint of the track, it retreats to somewhere in the realm of Black Metal (of all places)-- there’s a flute being played, and a heavy wave of tone splicing the track, but all the while, holding onto the natural character that the work has become. The last offering is perhaps the deepest head trip of the bunch, as vocalist Isobel Sollenberger again lends her larynx to the mix for another round of tortured song. There’s a heavy rock element driving the vibe here that will have listeners nodding along in the mildly psychotic way that Boris drives people to. In addition, there’s also a live radio, tribal drumming and some creeped out electronic scribbling that close the work out on a rather chilly note. This is by far one of the deepest psychedelic rock records I have ever come across, probably due to the fact that it is a shit ton of sound. Almost 2.5 hours of wild music makes for a somewhat fatiguing listen. This work is very well done for a live session with no overdubs, as the sound is as impeccable as the content is otherworldly.

Bardo Pond
LSD March
Archive

KTL

3

OR





Towards the end of last year, the uber-dark collaborators known as KTL offered up their final release of musical media for 2007 in the form of a one-sided 12" simply titled 3--following suit with their previous installments of studio recordings. For the record, Stephen O'Malley and Peter Rehberg had their hands quite full in 2007 with many live dates for the release of their second LP, the tracking of a new score for the 1922 silent film The Phantom Carriage (set to release in February), and the release of two live recordings, but somehow the duo managed to give followers of their craft this two-song work, which is testament to the drive that KTL have to keep their successful collboration growing. Where their previous studio works found the two at the basis for a sound concept (KTL) and the refinement of said concept (KTL 2), 3 finds the collaborators at each of their roots--electronic tweaking and for the first time, blatantly recognizable slow riffing--on the first track, "Loud Game." Not that O'Malley hasn't brought the sludge out on previous KTL works, but the opening moments of "Loud Game" will have Sunn0))) purists rejoicing in some sort of black rapture as his well-toned guitar drones carry the five-minute track into a flurry of Rehberg's oscillations and tone bends. There are moments when the piece seems to let up on the heaviness, but the practice between these two has become seamless, and even when the low-end isn't as present, O'Malley and Rehberg make up for it in crafting a sonic organ-like haze that is every bit as malevolent. "Sunday" is the second work, a much more sparse track, that leans further towards the previously epic nature of the duo. Lots of speaker panning and chorus effects border "Sunday" on a slow and minimal psychedelic note, as the track sounds very aquatic and luminous, but holds onto the dismal identity that KTL made their own on KTL 2. Well-timed feedback squeaking and a pulsing bass tone add a nice atmospheric sense for a sound experience that looms with despair. For two tracks, O'Malley and Rehberg have put together an abridged version, so to speak, of what they've previously done and have also brought a few new ideas to the fray. As far as instrumentation goes, these two have stuck to the same formulas for three records thus far, and they still continue to progress their sound, which should be quite exciting for fans and those who might not be fans yet. A great shorter listen which might be more accessible for those who aren't acquainted with this project yet.


Peter Rehberg
Stephen O'Malley

A Morning Stumble

I came across a great website with lots of streaming audio of some great artists this morning, located at RADIO WNE, which is a radio programme based in France. On their Live Archives, there are hours upon hours of high-quality live recordings of many bands we've covered here and a whole lot more. They also have a page on a popular social networking site that you can access HERE.

Happy Hunting.
-D

2007, A Year...

2007 was a very trying year for me to say the least, and I before going any further I want to thank anyone who contacted the Slow Alarm, left comments, sent along CDs for review, or read my writing; it is sincerely appreciated in the highest of regard. For what started off as a personal outlet to keep my mind off of other aspects of my life that are now in the past, this page was more so a personal venture into writing about things I found intriguing—and never did I expect the amount of communication and feedback that I did receive for the eight-or-so months that I plugged away at covering music (while I should have been selling mortgages at work). Regardless, a shortlist of people I’d like to thank for getting me motivated to write this past year would be as follows;

- The folks at Kranky, Public Guilt, Alien8, Community Library, Peter at Editions Mego, Eric at FE, Scott Slimm at Archive, and Adam Tercala. And if you are reading this, I thank you wholeheartedly for taking the time to stop by. 2008 will find me somewhat settled at last, and I will devote more time and effort to continue posting here, and I will also be enlisting the help of some fellow minds to help me spur the Slow Alarm along. I hope all of you have a well and just holiday season, check back regularly for some more content—I look forward to it as I hope you do.

-Dan

With that being said, here is our lengthy 2007 recap of 20 or so records we found to be outstanding in their own right, whether I covered them on The Slow Alarm or not. And there are also a few records reflected upon by Richie, my sole contributor and brother. Enjoy.


Slow Alarm’s Best Records of 2007


Apparat – Walls
I felt like I slept on this record when it came out, but to be honest, I couldn’t stop listening to it for long enough to sit down and write about it. It is an excellent record for a car ride, as Sascha Ring’s latest electro-pop masterpiece completely envelopes the listener with impeccable production, bass-heavy beats and overtly sensuous vocal tracks courtesy of Raz Ohara. This record took me back to when I first heard National Skyline some years ago, but works the same formula into something much bigger and much better. The typical electronic nature of this recording is completely overshadowed by its complexity, making Walls one of the standout records of 2007 whether or not it got the coverage. This is multi-faceted record that anyone could enjoy that deserves every bit of praise it has received. Excellent to say the least.

The National – Boxer
2007 was the year that, amongst other changes in my life, I got back into rock and roll—due largely in part to this record. Given, The National is quite different of a breed of music than I covered here, but it’s hard not to like a record that is truly “pure” in nature from beginning to end. Boxer starts and finishes strong, is honest in demeanor, flawless in delivery, and is hands-down, the best rock record of the year. I was always one who never trusted the hype engine, but it seems the indie-media-circus got this one right, and the Brooklyn-via-Ohio quintet came forth with a work of art with their latest. With vocalist Matt Berninger’s starkly sincere lyrics accompanied by the rest of the band’s musical output, this is truly a “band” record in every sense of the word.

Besnard Lakes – Are The Dark Horse
This was another record that got me back into pursuing various rock records this year, and for good reason. Perhaps the most overlooked record of the year, Are The Dark Horse brings the best aspects of rock and roll –big stoner riffing; dual male/female vocals; dismal, paranoid lyrics; throwback tone and epic, cinematic climaxes—and puts it all into a contemporary rock context that is accessible as it is incredible.

Strategy - Future Rock
Paul Dickow was one of the first DJ-oriented noise/drone artists I got into back when he dropped Drumsolo’s Delight some years ago. This past year he dropped the shimmering loopy nature of that record to forge Future Rock, which is a record of exactly that—a musical brand that is way before it’s time. I reviewed this one so if you haven’t read it, do some digging here and you’re sure to find it.

Plies - The Real Testament
In and amongst the exaggerated world of hip-hop loudmouths and red carpeteers, there still remains a glimmer of hope that rap still has what created it in the first place: reality. While the Kanye's and the Luda's tout money and mansions, Plies takes a page out of the hip-hop history books somewhere among the Geto Boys and Ol' Dirty Bastard, focusing on what his blingy brethren seem to have forgotten, life's unsexy dark side. Through fifteen cognac and adrenaline fueled tracks, Plies takes us to the courtroom, the cell block, the strip club, and the heavily-armed trenches of a snitch's front yard hedgerow. Preaching his gospel of staying true, staying up, and a free wheeling by-any-means-necessary lifestyle, Plies sets himself at least a bullet or two apart from hip-hop's headliners. Culminating in "Murkin Season" (see urbandictionary.com Murk-1. to beat one's ass so badly they die from their injuries, or 2. to kill), a caveat to the rest of the album's testimony, Plies reiterates that loose lips do none more than increase the lead content in your blood- a fitting conclusion to the rough ghetto portrayal we are presented with in the preceding fourteen songs. Further, at a time when some cultural figureheads are issuing salvos for a cleaner hip-hop image, Plies keeps his material a little closer to the streets, rife with mysogyny and crime, reminding us some 350 times why the likes of the Reverend Al Sharpton and Russell Simmons are not his boys.

Ween – La Cucaracha
I will forever be a Ween fan, and anxiously look forward to every release of theirs. This one was no different, and as Ween continues to write music along their, now, 20-plus year tenure, La Cucaracha finds them comfortably doing what they do best. A solid record for Ween fans and new listeners alike—just listen to the song “Object,” which is lyrically, one of the best Ween offerings ever--and a record closing smooth jazz piece entitled "Your Party" which features the legendary David Sanborn, laying down some porno-sax madness.

Magnolia Electric Co. - The Black Ram (from Sojourner)
Jason Molina is a busy troubadour, and the Sojourner Box Set was aimed to capture his wandering spirit through various sessions he recorded with different musicians. Although the box is a great collection of works, The Black Ram session, recorded with David Lowery (Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven), manages to encapsulate Molina’s dismal, darkside of songwriting more so than anything he’s done since Songs: Ohia’s Didn’t It Rain. This is a great but short listen, and just goes to show the value of the producer when it comes to the finished product of a record.

Nadja - Radiance Of Shadows
One of four records that Nadja released in 2007, Radiance Of Shadows offers listeners three almost-half-hour songs of ambient doom soundscapes. I could go on and on about how deep and big this record is, but I wouldn’t do it justice. It's absolutely huge. Loud drony heaviness that is well done.

Okkervil River - The Stage Names
Another record that got me back into rock music this year was this one. I think because the writing on it is erratic and stream-of-consciousness, that The Stage Names threw me for a loop because in all of my closed-mindedness I expect pop-rock records to be pretty straightforward. The lyrical content here is a lot to grasp, but as a writer, I really appreciate it, and the music is great as well. The record can be a bit neurotic and folky at times, but it does this record a favor or two along the way. Homeboy’s got a lot to say. Another record that was overlooked I think.

Witchcraft - The Alchemist
I never heard of these guys until I was back in Detroit on a whim and they happened to be playing a show—and I had’ne been to a show in so long, I up and went… These Swedes have their shit together. I could only liken it to the best aspects of Sabbath and Zeppelin (songwriting, riffs, vocals, etc…) thrown together for the absolute tightest live show I’ve ever seen. Apparently these guys were a tribute to the doom band Pentagram, but they’ve come a long way. The record itself has a raw, stripped down quality to it that lets the band’s live side shine, while uncompromisingly showing the true essence of what good stoner metal should sound like.

RV Paintings - Trinity Rivers
Another record I covered from the extended Starving Weirdos family tree, that gets deeper and murkier with each listen. Just put this one on the other day after a long break from listening to a lot of noise stuff, and it truly takes me to a different place. Read the review in it’s entirety on the site.

Black Dice - Load Blown
Black Dice have long been hit or miss with me (As has the whole Animal Collective/Paw Tracks crew as well), but after hearing Load Blown, I can truly say I am a Black Dice fan. I’ve seen them a few times to mixed feelings, but after their last record and this one, I think these guys are coming around in some sort of evolutionary way that is sitting better with my outer-limits tastes. Hopefully it’s sitting better with more folks too, as I see big things for these guys and their weirdo electronic crafting.

Modeselektor – Happy Birthday!
Truly one of my favorite records of the year, I gave this one some grand praise here on the site and it is well deserving. Look up the review to hear me getting all stiff over this record. I put this on at a soiree I was attending a few months ago, and the whole room got blown away. This record comes highly recommended for one of the best techno/electronic records of the year. Go buy it.

Orthodox - Gran Poder
I got into Doom metal a bit all over again this year too, and Orthodox is one of the reasons why. I think this record came out back in ’06 but was released domestically by Southern Lord this year. Regardless, it’s a jam—a glacially paced, slow jam—with some crazy vibrato vocals and low-end crunches a-plenty. They released another record this year I have yet to get my hands on, Amanecer en Puerta Oscura, but I’m sure its quite pleasing to the slow-metal palate. All around, a great exciting band hailing from Spain of all places, that are sure to make some wake in the metal world in the near future.

Matthew Dear - Asa Breed
I have to throw some praise at one of my hometown favorites, Matthew Dear for his latest work, Asa Breed. This record came out of nowhere for me, as I wasn’t as enthralled with some of his previous work as friends of mine were. But to no avail, I find this record to be one of the year’s most captivating, as Dear covers all the bases as a singer, songwriter and a producer here, and the end result is a playful yet carefully constructed take on electro pop that is neither cliché nor overdone. A great record that definitely did not get the nod it should have this year.

The Field - From Here We Go Sublime
I’m sure this record is on just about every hipster’s best of list this year, and it’s on mine too. It’s fucking incredible for how not incredible it is—if that makes any sense.

Pastorius/Williams/McLaughlin - Trio Of Doom
I got my hands on quite a few jazz records this year, and this one is by far the best of the bunch. Recorded live at the Havana Jazz Festival in 1979, this 25-minute improvisation is a blazing example of jazz greats being thematically on point for a live show. Pastorius and Williams are nearly metronomic in their ability to keep time over McLaughlin’s lightning fast fingers and arpeggios, for a live experience that is overly energetic and begging to be heard. Apparently the tapes were kept under wraps for quite some time, and along with their release are some studio attempts to capture the magic they had on stage that night—for a 40 minute record of some truly heady jazz. Solid, and a must have for Pastorius fans as his bass work is just ridiculous. The more one listens to this, the wilder it gets.

KTL- 2
Dark, drony, creepy, scary, cold noise records that aren’t totally stupid are tough to come by, and KTL redefines the genre. 2 took the already existing formulaic properties of KTL and twisted it up in all the right fashions. This is an avant-garde masterpiece of sound exploration, for two dudes who have continued to receive much critical acclaim for their one-off collaboration that has blossomed into much more. Highly Recommended.

Radiohead - In Rainbows
Radiohead does it again. The biggest band in the world scourges the recording industry first, by releasing their own album, and again, by issuing a download-by-donation-only sale at initial release. Admittedly, I was skeptical about this release and the hype engine surrounding it. This particularly based on my lack of enthusiasm over their previous few albums, but upon hearing In Rainbows, found myself pleasantly surprised. All in all, what we get is a brilliant synopsis of the band's capabilities through a well produced layering of sounds, textures and vocals, reminiscent of the band's entire back catalogue. Where with Radiohead it seems that pundits and critics are always longing for something "more Bends, more OK Computer", this album comes closer than any previous effort. Instead of reverting to techniques and styles from their earlier works, Radiohead seems to mature and evolve beautifully, bringing their updated forays with them, almost as if they'd redone some demo's from along the way with the superb production and technique that has come to characterize their present day audible incarnation. What the band offers us is an album essentially full of singles. "All I Need" and "Videotape" are true gems, with the rest of the record offering exceptional support. The bottom line- this is Radiohead's best album since OK Computer- and does not disappoint.

Maserati - Inventions For The New Season
This record became my proverbial “chill-out” record (or whatever the kiddies are calling it) of 2007, as it’s trance-like rock qualities just always put me in a great mood whenever I listened to it. This record is all about the tight nature of instrumental rock that a lot of the dime-a-dozen “post” rock (again, whatever the kiddies are calling it) bands don’t know shit about. The swirls/loops/delays/madness that these guys manage to hash out on this record are truly the work of well-tuned masters of analog instrumentation. A great listen.

Modest Mouse - We We’re Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
This record just rips all the way through, and not just because Johnny Marr is their new guitar player…well, maybe he has something to do with it, but regardless of all of the hub-bub about this record, it really is that good. Sure Isaac Brock is a super creep to some people, but he can craft some great songs despite that this is his 17000th record. That and much of this record metaphorically encapsulated much about what was going on in my life in the first half of 2007, and for that I guess I have some personal connections, but even though, this is a damn fine sounding record of hopelessness and despair. Priceless.

Honorable Mentions:

Puberty/Miguel/Catacata – In The House of Whores
The Ponys- Turn The Lights Out
Pig Destroyer - Phantom Limb
Baroness - The Red Album
Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover
Grails - Burning Off Impurities
Growing - Vision Swim
Jesu - Conqueror
Devendra Banhart - Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
Starving Weirdos - Shrine Of The Post-Hypnotic
Stars Of The Lid - And Their Refinement Of The Decline

There you have it. Agree? Disagree? Drop us a line.
Cheers.

Baroness

The Red Album

Relapse




When I first heard Baroness, I’ll admit that I wasn’t into the metal stuff as much as I was a few years beforehand—however, I’ll always have a soft-spot in my heart for well-done thrash metal. And when I came across the first two Baroness EPs (First and Second, both released on Hyperrealist in 2003 and 2005 respectively), I was taken aback by the group due to their stripped-down and raw sound that was rather captivating in regards to the direction that metal has been head-ing (all puns intended) in the past few years thanks to bands like ISIS, Pelican, Jesu and numerous others. But opposed to the thick, full, progressive sound of the newest wave of metal powerhouses, Baroness strode close in demeanor but still managed to be riff-and-lead heavy while maintaining a balance of tone and sludge for a uniform sound. This might be what got them the nod from Relapse, but whatever the cause, the legendary metal label most recently offered up the band’s latest, The Red Album, and surprisingly, it steps away from the rawer mix for yet something else the band can call their own, a grizzly but clean tone of metal that will definitely push the envelope. From the outset of the record, it is evident that the band is charting new waters, as the opening track, “Rays On Pinion,” starts on somewhat of an atmospheric note before blazing into a delay/reverb/ride cymbal drenched introduction to the album’s most epic track—one that will have listeners wondering where the crunch is. But before long, the band picks up steam and rolls headfirst into some pitch-bend heavy, southern-tinged riffing to give the record a taste of what’s to come. The vocals thunder in, shouting “Save your soul!” in textbook Von Till-styled, gravelly growl—however, the guitar tone sounds surprisingly clean for a metal-record-opening track. It’s bittersweet, as dueling guitars quickly follow in some truly Maiden-esque fashion, giving Baroness’ new sound an identity all its own; not pretentious but still forceful and well done. Track two, “The Birthing,” barrels in without warning with loud pummeling riffs and drums, finding the band at it’s most rooted, and it sounds profound. Chainsaw guitar riffs weigh nicely against a well-mixed blend of rhythm and vocals, only to make way for more dueling leads that are technical and progressive, but not in a prog-rock way. “Wanderlust” also displays this trait almost deliberately, as a spaced out guitar driven intro makes way for yet more dueling, labyrinthine guitar work. The track itself might be best suited for what the layman might refer to as a “single,” as it brushes close with the vibe that neu-metal gods Mastodon have been channeling for the past couple records. Regardless, that’s about as close as the comparison will get, as Baroness isn’t feeding off one band more than they feed off their intra-band energy. The record also shows a left-brain to its right, as a couple experimental tracks grace the plastic here—namely the acoustic psychedelics of “Cockroach En Fleur” and “Teeth of the Cogwheel,” which finds the band on a superbly heavy, instrumental space-rock jam, complete with masturbatory free-form guitar soloing and primal drumming. It’s this diversity that Baroness can call their own, as this is a “metal” record, but keeps each track separate and original, creating an exciting new work that the genre needs more than the band needs the genre. It’s far to early to speculate, but it’s a great sense of wonder to see what these new-schoolers will put together in the future. If they stay on their same route, history repeating itself is not in the cards for Baroness, and whatever they do next will more than likely justify its means. The Red Album is at the least deserving and needs to be heard. Highly Recommended.


Relapse Records
Baroness

Modeselektor

Happy Birthday!

Bpitch Control




The need for a drawn-out introduction for this record is at best, miniscule. Why, one might ask? Because this is the record of 2007. It’s got something for everyone, right down to it’s title, and as far as electronic records go, Modeselektor has trashed the genre for something much more accessible and easygoing without compromising any of it’s true aesthetic. What does Happy Birthday! have to offer? Lets see… Throw-back techno? Check. Futurist electronica that could make Daft Punk weep? Check. Thrashing sleaze-rap? Check. French Hip-hop? Check. Outer-space dancehall anthems? Check. A mantra featuring Thom Yorke? Check. The list goes on and on, and as cliché as it might seem, this Berlin duo manages to pull it off in the most genuine of fashion—akin to what Lavelle and Shadow did with UNKLE’s Psyence Fiction, only opting instead for multi-faceted electronica as opposed to independently-spirited hipster trip-hop. Happy Birthday! is the duo’s second long-player for Berlin’s Bpitch Control, and wastes no time in making the statement that techno-bred tunes can still be playful and serious, and at times still tongue-in-cheek. “Godspeed” a heavily layered, slowed-down electro-ascent, sets the immediate tone for the record, that it’s going to be a hell of a time, as we ride the psyches of Sebastian Szary and Gernot Bronsert through 17 of their latest offerings, which peak with diversity while holding close to their club-pounding roots. The first vocal offering (courtesy of Parisian hip-hoppers TTC) is an attention-deficit-dream of a song, straddling a fence that separates spastic electronics and the finest in French club hip-hop. Although some might never fully understand the track (its sung completely in French), it’s hard not to love “2000007,” even if only for it’s sarcastic title, or the fact that the chorus hollers out the numerals in a French-English hybrid of “Two-zero-zero-zero-zero-zero-SET!” The other lyrical selections all include guest musicians, and every one of them fit seemingly well into the context of what Modeselektor as set out to achieve. Otto Von Schirach offers his noise and vocals in the super-fun, collaborative shout-out/party banger “Hyper Hyper;” The Puppetmastaz—Germany’s premier porno-rap puppet show—contribute to “Dark Side of the Sun,” which dabbles in silly, dirty raps and a radio-friendly beat that could give Lil’ Jon a run for his money; and notably, Thom Yorke offers his vox up for “The White Flash,” a stark and tripped-out, but superbly produced number that acts rather minimally in it’s demeanor. However, as Yorke’s vocals are predominantly at the front of the mix, he only offers up two or three repeated lines, as the Selektors delve deep into dark electronica for a truly haunting beat. It’s in this moment where it is evident that Happy Birthday! doesn’t rely on star power at all, as Modeselektor is blazing their own trail with unknowns and known artists alike. Further proving this is, “Let Your Love Grow,” which features Dominican expat Paul St. Hilaire giving due diligence to what Caribbean dancehall might sound like some years in the future. It’s absolutely stunning, and for as experimental as this track might be, it comes off clean and experienced, for one of the album’s standout tracks. The remainder of the record is largely music-only, and shows off the roots-ier side of Szary and Bronsert’s engaging craft. The title track throws in some almost gypsy-esque synthesizer lines in with a party beat for an innovative twist; “Sucker Pin” ventures into the analog styling of 8-bit video game music with astounding, ass-shaking results; and “The First Rebirth” offers an updated take on old-school futuristic science-fiction music, complete with a distant synth loop for a truly vintage feel. However, “The Wedding Toccato Theme” might be the party jam of the record, as its dirgy nature feels both gangsta and club, for a truly liberating listen. What the title is all about is beyond me, but the audio content alone is worth every second; it’s a metaphor for what this whole record is about, baffling at times, but a strong release in every sense of the word. This is definitely one of the best records of the year, and it’s fair to say that whatever is left to be released in 2007 has some serious competition as Modeselektor has effortlessly raised the bar with Happy Birthday!. At equal parts jam to beat to pulse to lyrics to whatever else, if you can’t shake your ass to this record, you simply can’t shake your ass—this record is of priceless quality.


Bpitch Control
Modeselektor

Kemialliset Ystävät

s/t

Fonal





When it comes to outer limits collective music, few names come to mind when addressing those who truly push the envelope when it comes to musical sound aesthetic. Sunburned Hand Of The Man and No Neck Blues Band might be a couple that one can think of stateside, but outside of the good ‘ol USA, there’s more than likely a bumper crop of such artists that will rarely get recognized for their tripped-out, discordant output, one of which would undoubtedly be Finland’s Kemialliset Ystävät. I’d be willing to bet that since this side of the pond rarely focuses on things going on in Scandinavia, that only true purveyors of the avant garde and acid-folk circles have ever heard of this outfit, but their sound should definitely reach further than the blotter paper and headphones of these select few people. On their self-titled fourth LP, this ever-changing collective of musicians explore, well, whatever it is they explore, with reckless abandon for anything traditional as far as song structure goes. “He Tulivat Taivaan Ääristä” starts the record on a briefly pulsating synth note, quickly joined in by what sounds like vintage typing samples before the track adopts some flute-like tones, feedback and various other erratic sounds—creating much more of a sound collage than an actual “song” per se; and the rest of the record follows suit, for a bizarre and strange audio voyage into a mess of deep psychedelia. “Tulinen Kiihdytys” accentuates this as the freakiest of folk meets the freakiest of electronics for some serious sound-pandemonium, only to fade into a somewhat monotonous cacophony of plucked strings, electronic spasms and what sounds like some pretty primal growls. Things stick pretty close to this murky nature, with the exception of “Soluskye,” which can only be described as the most spacey offering here, going heavy on oscillations and blips for just under two minutes, long enough for listeners to get a grip before heading into the most musical offering, “Superhimmeli,” which will be the most accessible track for new listeners. It draws a miniscule parallel to what AMT might sound like collaborating with the multi-instrumentalism of say, Tarentel, but to even put such a comparison out there probably won’t do the track much justice. And it’s this ideal that finds Kemialliset Ystävät in their element, one that is truly hard to decipher, and about as difficult to take in. In my best lack of being able to explain this, this offering might be too rich and deep for some of the more experienced purveyors of head-music, not to mention, outright baffling to someone who is not familiar to such a musical culture. Despite all of this, the record closes on somewhat of an organic note with what must be some field recordings manipulated into a vicious texture that begs to be explored, but even in such a context, “Älyvaahtoa” still overflows with various sound elements to it’s breaking point. The closing track, “Himmeli Kutsuu Minua” differs greatly, and with good measure, as chanting permeates through a very, very far-eastern melody (!) that could rightly-so be from a desert planet far away from here. Think if you will, what the cantina band from Tatooine might sound like on some of the craziest pharmaceutical-grade mind drugs, and we might be getting close… or just further away from describing this. This record might take a few solid months of listening before anything sets in. Heavy, real heavy.

Fonal
Kemialliset Ystävät

False

2007

M_nus




Fresh off the heels of his well-received Asa Breed full-length, Matthew Dear delivers yet another long player in what sounds like a studio-cut DJ set under his minimalist club moniker False. Titled 2007, Dear showcases that in addition to developing as a producer, musician and vocalist—that he still can attack the turntables and mixer in veteran fashion. In his first CD release for Richie Hawtin’s Minus imprint, Dear strips off the fuller sound that his recent releases under his own name and as Audion have offered up, opting to go into full lounge mode with a mellow but well timed record full of activity. There’s track titles thrown in for good measure, but the record plays all the way through without pause and flows effortlessly, which leads one to wonder why the titles exist and the set is broken up into 14 tracks. However, I’m sure its for the digital age of sampling an artist’s work, etc. and despite this, it doesn’t effect the overall playability of the record. Starting off with “Indy 3000,” the record starts silently and slowly builds in volume with the sound of engines blazing before the metronome kicks in for tempo allowing a solid and silent transition into “Meat Me In The Market,” which slowly begins to breathe life into the work. The metronomic rhythm turns to a blip-heavy beat before long with echoing synth sounds chiming in and out for a great evening starting track. It’s not so much anything that’s too dance floor-ready, but this would start to get people moving with ease. The record really picks up with “Timing,” the fourth track, about 10 minutes in, starting off in a much more blatant club fashion, before slowly changing to a rhythm heavy, aquatic sounding techno thumper with some sound samples looping in the background. As the track turns into “Alright Liar,” kicks and claps usher in and the track is momentarily overflowing with sound before subtly fading into a more synth-heavy work, accentuating Dear’s layering abilities. “Face The Rain” and “Fed On Youth,” two tracks that were featured on a 12” single earlier in the year also make appearances here, with the former standing alone as a piece for only a couple minutes; and the latter as part of a medley later in the record accompanied by “HLM” and “DLG” for one of the disc’s longer and most danceable works complete with foghorn synthesizer tones, phased out arpeggios and a hyperactive tapping beat. “Stomachs/Anklebiter” is the longest section of work here, coming in at almost nine minutes of experimental techno, starting with what sounds like xylophone tones for melody getting trampled down by an electronic hi-hat beat before getting targeted with what sounds like the firing sound from the Lazer Tag knock-off Photon gun, delayed and reverbed out that rushes around in the background. Its probably the most active and entertaining of “tracks” here, and an ample one to hold for later in a set. The closing remarks if you will come in the form of “Forgetting,” which starts on the actual audio samples that are manipulated throughout the end of “Anklebiter,” some sort of dialogue from what sounds like an old cult movie, but it’s hard to decipher as the beat rushes in and the sample itself is hazed out with effects. But it is clear that some of it says “signing off,” which puts a unique playful spin on the artist’s finale/exit. It ends on a waterlogged, eerie sounding note of almost horror movie-score qualities as the dialogue ventures back into the sound-frame. It’s almost as if Dear is toying around as the sound clip says “You heard it live folks” before ending with a minute of ringing silence. 2007 is a solid hour’s worth of music that is an easy listen that could appeal to more folks than the techno heads who eagerly awaited this release. In addition to being a headphone wonder, 2007 could easily adopt the role of a social record that does well in the car or as background music. Although not as much of a banger as some of Dear’s other efforts, this one is not meant to be, but rather a solid representation of Dear’s many schools of thought nonetheless.


M_nus
Matthew Dear

Kevin Drumm and Daniel Menche

Gauntlet

Editions Mego



Recently, both Menche and Drumm have released solo works of their own, but Editions Mego has offered up the first collaboration between these two as it’s latest release, one that definitely shines a new light on these two accomplished artists with a stunning improvised piece. Titled Gauntlet, the piece dabbles in the otherwise metal imagery the name suggests, but comes off more as a dark, heavy work that allows both to showcase their respective workings in musical noise. Starting off with a hypnotic guitar line that goes heavy on distorted tone, the track takes on a deep feel instantaneously with an otherwise traditional introduction. But before long, Gauntlet morphs and submerges into something quite different, with Menche’s sound fashioning bleeding into the work, diluting Drumm’s guitar with a hazy static element that changes the identity of the work into something far more drone-based and electric. It’s difficult to pin down what exactly Menche is working with (besides an Organ, which he is credited as using)—but that’s in his nature, forging sounds with an array of mechanisms—however, it does the track due diligence by forming an intense reverberation that one could definitely expect from these two. Seven or eight minutes in, the two of them come close to tapping into the brand of shimmering noise heard on the first KTL recording, but in a much more up-front fashion, as the guitar sounds have turned heavier on reverb and distortion, while Menche’s cloud-of-tone creeps slowly towards the forefront of the work. Close to the 10-minute mark, hisses of feedback scrape along before some noisy pulses sound off against a phased-out loop of static for yet another textural element to the piece. There is definitely a lot at play between these two masters as the track shifts seamlessly through various textures and depths. Almost 20 minutes in, listeners will find Gauntlet at it’s most subdued, stepping away from the volume, with the first inkling of some lonesome drone as some mild oscillations wave in the background before resigning to some high-pitched static for a few minutes. The work slowly grows back into layered experimentation towards the outset of the almost 29-minute piece, then fades out slowly but actively, before closing out in dead ringer fashion, leaving the listener hanging, in a sense. There would be no right or wrong way to end such an improvisation, and in the end, the track is fitting all the way though, effortlessly bridging the gap between intensity and calm for an otherwise cathartic piece. Similar to other such collaborations, Gauntlet continues to grow with each listen, and should definitely please fans of harsh noise and heavier drone alike. Highly recommended.


Editions Mego
Daniel Menche
Kevin Drumm (Wikipedia)

RV Paintings

Trinity Rivers

Root Strata




As Starving Weirdos continue to churn out release after release on various labels in various formats, RV Paintings comes as a breather between whatever the Weirdos are planning next. Here, Weirdo Brian Pyle offers his hand to something else; an intimate styled recording with his brother and a third party that yields some gracefully dynamic sounds. Not that SW doesn’t typically deal in dynamic sounds, but for the noise-wielding, sometimes-dissonant, outer-limits styled compositions that they manage to conjure up, Trinity Rivers manages to tap into something a bit more reserved than the heavy-on-the-mindfuck that we’re used to hearing from these guys and their associated parties. What RV Paintings brings to the table is a recording of majestic qualities contrasted from the Weirdos’ macabre, that further accentuates the “without borders” approach to music making that we’ve come to appreciate from this north Californian collective of musicians. Starting off with “South Fork Trinity,” the recording takes a slow, almost ambient approach, drifting effortlessly for close to 12 minutes with a cacophonous blend of guitar sustains, percussive elements and slow acid-folk guitar plucks for a track that comes off in film score-quality glory. It’s an otherworldly meditative track in comparison to some of the recent material we’ve heard from Pyle and company, and manages to hold to its nature without effort before fading to silence. The other two tracks here, take a subtle but different approach, using some decisively different elements to create some equally masterful works. “Mad River” introduces a tape loop to the structure of a quickly growing sound that resonates in cyclic fashion with increasing speed only to slow to an effect-laden piece that transforms into spaced-out ambience with great ease. Swells and oscillations permeate the background with such delicate manner that sounds almost begin to shuffle from the mix and take over one another, shrouded in increasing static tones. It’s a deep, constant listen that doesn’t change too much in its demeanor that states RV Paintings’ ability to work within a minimal but deep context. Before the track ends though, the focus drifts further from its initial premise, offering a sparse, dark soundscape that flows into an unconscious place, finishing off with a field recording sample of waves crashing for a truly organic feel. The last track, “North Fork Trinity” holds stable in defining the sounds of this project as well, but begins on more of an industrial feel. Not in the pulsating, KMFDM-like manner, but there’s something surprisingly mechanized about how the final track takes off that will have listeners wondering what these guys are channeling; and, with what are they making such sounds? Regardless, “North Fork Trinity” ties the record together in all of its differing manners to be it's most complex and active work, as cymbal crashes drift into play simultaneously with some guitar functioning that makes way for a chaotic build to a docile climax of the track at it’s midpoint. The record itself drifts out in it’s last eight minutes or so with a forged sound collage of sorts, as mild percussion taps over a mess of manipulated field recordings and audio samples, before building into an intense drone to finish. On the whole, Trinity Rivers is a deep listen into uncharted territory that is probably best navigated by a Weirdo to say the least. However, the delicate nature that this release can be handled in is also a plus as it shows an expansive sound that is far from camp yet strikingly solid for the first recording for this trio. Let’s hope it’s not their last.


Root Strata

Starving Weirdos

Scarecrow Frequency

Somber Atlantic

Somber Atlantic Records




For every dead end road that leads nowhere, there’s probably a “last resort” saloon somewhere along the way to warn those who venture of their last stop before their impending trip to empty earth. And for every one of these fine such establishments, there’s probably no house band, but alas, there is now an act that could fill such shoes, in the form of a solo project by Mr. John Argetsinger, an Alaskan native songwriter/photographer, aptly named Scarecrow Frequency. Maybe it’s the vast expanses that the state offers, or the months with no sunlight, one can only imagine, but at his best, Argetsinger manages to convey a distant, sparse nature to rock music with this first effort recorded at home on an 8-track cassette recorder and PC. But regardless of where the project hails from, the imagery that is captured so well sounds like that from a vagabond, as Argetsinger’s music gives a sense of wonder as well as a sense of wander in all it’s grandiosity. Tracks like “Hope” and “Body In The Slot Canyon” offer vignettes of musical introspection in a clean, instrumental fashion that calls to mind a small part of Explosions In The Sky’s rock sound of crisp tone. “San Antonio” offers a similar vibe, but with a mellow almost-jazz drum beat to hold it together. On a different note, “And I’ll Sell All My Nightmares” conjures up a shoegaze pace of clean guitars over a reverb-heavy guitar backdrop with longing vocals shuffling forth in the mix for a strong, constant, one-parted number that will have one digging out early Mogwai records. Although most of the record is instrumental, Argetsinger also play’s a bit with tape loops and sound samples to keep the record interesting, namely on the title track and “1963,” which offers the artist’s take on providing a musical soundtrack to Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream…” speech. All in all, Argetsinger’s work here feels like an artist’s first, bleeding with vision and in an entirely deep manner that new artists embrace with something to prove. It’s no doubt that this kid’s got a future ahead of him in music, as he carves pretty deep into creativity with Somber Atlantic. However, the only thing the record has working against it is that some of it tends to blend too well, with added elements being the only things that separate some of the tracks from sounding too much like others. Despite this though, if this aspect truly is the Achilles’ heel of this release, Scarecrow Frequency will be pretty close to invincible if Argetsinger sticks to the same nod that brought him to this point. There’s room for growth here, but all in good time. This would be a great driving record for those times when you’ve got nowhere to go.


Scarecrow Frequency

Somber Atlantic Records

In Rotation: Summer 2007

Summer is hot in South Florida, and I'm still in denial about just how hot it is. For the record, for as much time as I spend listening to all sorts of great sounds, I can't listen to psych and noise all the time, so when the rest of the folks down here have their windows up and their A/C blazing, these five records have been on repeat in my car at questionable volumes:




Matthew Dear

Asa Breed

Ghostly




As Dear is poised to have a great year between all of his musical aliases (Audion, False, among others), his recent release under his actual name shines through as a template for blazing electro-pop that many could take a cue from. His synth chops, beats and guitar lines on Asa Breed meld effortlessly to forge a clean record that transcends numerous genres as his vocal arrangements haunt speakers in the most playful of fashion. "Neighborhoods," "Shy" and "Midnight Lovers" are all exceptional songs, but the closing track, "Vine To Vine" might just take the cake for one of the best death ballads (!) of all time--done only in the manner that Dear calls his own.






Geto Boys

Greatest Hits

Asylum Records




Growing up a suburbanite youth in metro Detroit at the peak of the gangsta rap explosion of the early 90's, the Geto Boys offered a nice departure from all the west-coast shit that eveybody was passing around. I still remember buying the single for "Crooked Officer" in the wake of Bodycount's "Cop Killer" controversy, and thinking it was totally bad ass. Well the greatest hits might be the only record one should own by Houston's finest MC's of the old school. It's got all the tracks that are essential, from "Mind Playin' Tricks" and "Damn It Feels Good To Be a Gangsta" to some more raw cuts like "Mind Of a Lunatic" and "Geto Fantasy" that go nice on a hot, humid drive home from the office. It makes me feel bad for the kids these days who think that Chamillionaire and Paul Wall are Houston hip-hop, when the Geto Boys will forever own the Fifth Ward.








Maserati

Inventions For The New Season

Temporary Residence



I was unfamiliar with Maserati before I stumbled upon this record, and I ended up liking it a lot. I rarely read reviews of stuff before I give it my own assessment, but I was surprised to see some of the marginal press this record got, based on what people think instrumental rock should sound like, as if it has a formula that makes it worthy or not. Regardless, this record has great production and has a lot going for it. For starters, the tracks vary in length, which is nice in the day and age of bands releasing instrmental music in epic proportions for each song. It's also great that the effects and such stay rather subtle in the context of what these guys are doing, as none of the delays or reverb are too overdone, creating a strong sounding record that sways, sustains and grows in monsterous fashion. "Inventions" is a great rock song, "Kalimera" offers a more mellow spacey side to the band, and "The World Outside" ends the record on a rather poppy note, but the whole record is a great timed listen, whether it's driving, playing Scrabble or cooking, this is a great soundtrack.







Pig Destroyer

Phantom Limb

Relapse




I saw these guys a few years ago in a gymnasium and it sounded like total garbage, but on record, Pig Destroyer slays just about any other grind band in it's wake, and their newest record takes no prisoners. Apparently they got a full-time drummer and a noise-artist for added texture to their sound, but regardless of the changes, the riffs and growls make this record what it is. Either you hate grindcore or you love it, and Phantom Limb probably won't convert any haters, but for those who are into fast, blistering metal, Pig Destroyer are the masters. "Thought Crime Spree" and "Girl In The Slayer Jacket" are unstoppable tracks.







Okkervil River

The Stage Names

Jagjaguwar




I heard good things about these guys, but aside from hearing the name thrown around, wasn't too familiar with what they do. I still picked this one up on recommendation and can't get enough of the stripped down songwriting and bombastic musical score that accompanies it. Its a truly refreshing record without the pompous nature of contemporary artists like Arcade Fire and Conor Oberst--of whom I'm sure this record has already been compared to. Its already available for purchase/free download from Jagjaguwar but doesnt officially get released until next week, but this record is off the chains, and if it doesnt make some of the top-whatever-lists for this year, I would be very surprised. "Our Life Is Not A Movie" might be one of the best track-one's I've ever heard; much more fitting than "Smells Like Teen Spirit," but maybe not in comparison to "Bring Tha Ruckus."

If anyone has further recommendations for summer records, comment them to me, I'd love to hear what anyone else is playing out. Cheers.

Death Ambient

Drunken Forest

Tzadik




For those that are unfamiliar with John Zorn’s Tzadik imprint, the not-for-profit label is home to many gems of avant-garde music, and has been for many years. Based loosely around a cricle of well-known master musicians including Mike Patton, Fred Frith, Sylvie Courvoisier, Zorn himself, and countless others, Tzadik showcases a side of music that is unwilling to yield, and as experimental music continues to thrive, will do so well into the future. In the wide ranges of focus that the label covers (Radical Jewish Culture, a composer series, Oracles – which focuses on vivid musical output of various females, and countless others), Tzadik’s focus on new music hailing from Japan is one it’s strongest aims. Within the series, one will find countless releases from some of Japan’s rising artists such as Afrirampo and Melt Banana, as well as some of the country’s cornerstone noise forgers such as Merzbow, Ikue Mori, Keiji Haino, and Ruins. However, some of the releases that hold the strongest are numerous collaborations (of which Tzadik offers many), one of which is Death Ambient; a super-group if you will, comprised of Mori, Frith, and multi instrumentalist Kato Hideki. Drunken Forest is the trio’s third and latest release for the label, and features guest percussionist Jim Pugilese to round out the effort for a unique venture into electro-acoustic sound. The most noticeable aspect of this collaboration right off the bat, is the use of various instruments that create this musical window into the heads of the four players. The sound is delicate at times, and at others, crushingly intense as the calculated blending of such an instrumental array comes off deep and heavy. Most notably, “Belarus” shows this early in the recording, reeling off of the two opening tracks with a somber violin segue into a vast-but-tight weaving of carefully practiced electronics, ukulele and guitar that offers a glimpse into a stark existence of sinister darkness, carried off by what sounds to be Mori’s superb electronics. “Cocktail of Chemicals” follows nicely behind starting on a completely different note, with a fractured guitar line and what could be field recordings of birds—but with such a foursome at the helm here, it could very well be any of the instruments, played with such mastery. There are also some live recordings in the mix of liquids being titrated, for a much more blatant feel of a “cocktail,” accompanied by some low-end noise. At times it’s hard to pinpoint what is exactly going on, but Mori’s live laptop-ing shines through much of the recording, especially on “Yellow Rain,” as her work is chased around by distant banjo plucks and some distorted guitar sustains, but still manages to take precedent. However, others manage to let their craft shine as well, as does Pugilese towards the end of the track by percussively simulating rainfall, and also on tracks like “River Tigris” and the title track, with erratic but well timed rhythms. Hideki and Frith also shine on “Drunken Forest”, as they do for most of the recording offering a hypnotic intertwining of their instrumentation skills that creates a strong force of sound, resulting in one of the disc’s most solid works. The rest of the record remains as more force to hold the project up, as none of it is “filler” material but well orchestrated pieces of outer-limits ambience that will have fans of “noise-band” outfits like Tarentel and Bardo Pond finding a subtle new context to appreciate. This might be over the heads of folks expecting something a little more rock oriented, but for an atmospheric experiment into a dark, murky world, Drunken Forest excels with effortless composure.


Tzadik

Alexandre St. Onge

Mon Animal Est Possible

Alien8 Recordings




For many, putting a single identity to Montreal’s vast and multi-faceted music scene is quite a task, as it should be, with artistic ideals hailing from various sorts of outlets that permeate the city’s rather large amalgamation of musicians. Originally thought to have spawned from the prevalence of its world-renowned jazz festival, the music community in Montreal began to flourish in the 1980’s into something a bit harder to grasp, as an influx of artists began to experiment with music that was then unclassifiable, thus forming Ambiences Magnetiques as an avenue for avant-garde sounds to be accessed and heard. From this point, Montreal’s scene began to flourish, and in the following years to the present, many artists have ushered in their own styles, following in the footsteps of their predecessors to keep the city’s underground identity strong and profound. Where Alexandre St. Onge fits into this back story started in the mid 90’s as an emerging player known mostly for bass and double bass duties in largely improvised free jazz circles, but became part of the Ambiences Magnetiques family in 1997 as a member of Klaxon Gueule—a group of electronic improvisers with Michel Cote and Bernard Falaise. Since then, St. Onge has been on numerous recordings (and labels, including his own microlabel Squint Fucker Press) as a solo artist, collaborator or as a member of many bands including Et Sans, Shalabi Effect and Feu Therese. His latest effort comes in the form of a collection of electronic love songs, and while it does stay tightly crafted to his experimental nature, Mon Animal Est Possible (his second solo release for the Alien8 imprint) also manages to find St. Onge at his most charming and developed. Musically, the record is as many-sided as the musician is himself, but somehow manages to come off as a uniform release, if only in its collected obscurity. The title track acts as an introduction of sorts, but does nothing to pave the way for “La Passion De La Transparence,” which acts as the opening track in all of it’s epic and erotic glory. Film score-quality strings arrangements offer a minimal sustain that delicately blankets the aura of the piece, as St. Onge and Fanny, his female counterpart, give due diligence to sexuality in slow sound--with him layering in vocal tracks in call and response fashion to her panting, gasping and moaning—for an experimental perspective on erotica. Other tracks here deliver a similar overtone, but none in such blatant fashion. “L’extase Spectrale” follows, with a calm after the storm if you will, relying on more of a drone based inflection with softly spoken vocal arrangements and some textbook clicks and blips; and later in the record “L’epiphanie Duride” offers a dialogue of sorts in a stark, spacial context, leaving the listener in slight contemplation as the track largely relies on words rather than the musical aspect. Perhaps the most dynamic work on the record is “Bebe,” which begins in much more of a mellow atmospheric note as distorted tones shuffle quickly and effortlessly with speaker pans, vaguely calling to mind a harpsichord of all things, before vocal tracks take over, in coos and whispers to end the piece on a quiet but weighty note. For a record as exploratory as this, St. Onge seems to have honed in on something he can truly call his own—not unlike his previous solo works—in a fashion we have not seen so much in his back catalogue. Mon Animal Est Possible is testament to yet another side of Mr. St. Onge’s versatile musical abilities that is unique as the scene that spawned him, leaving us wondering what’s to expect from him in the future.

*For a detailed selection of some of St. Onge’s various works, head to Actuelle CD, the home of Ambiences Magnetiques and many other great Montreal based labels.

Alien8 Recordings