Thursday, June 29, 2006

Xiu Xiu - The Air Force ADVANCE

Xiu Xiu - The Air Force
Release: September 15, 2006 - 5RC
Please forgive me for repeating myself, but Xiu Xiu is an important band. Primarily a moniker for Jamie Stewart and whoever he wants to play with him, Xiu Xiu is not only prolific in their output, but they're consistently interesting. What some people call a 'train wreck', others (like myself) call beautiful.
Xiu Xiu make beauty from the most amazing sounds and textures. Comparing Xiu Xiu to Talk Talk is like comparing Oasis to the Beatles, it requires a hearty dose of 'no shit'. It seems, however, that Xiu Xiu is creating these things from scratch. The unlistenable musical segments are still, somehow, compellingly listenable. Stretches of noise are, for the most part, left behind before you can't tolerate it any more.

The first track 'Buzzsaw' intimately introduces the record with Xiu Xiu's patented awkward beauty. 'I'm not like that...' rings in your ears, and somehow gets stuck in your head. Like a cracker in your beard. Songs like 'Boy Soprano' and 'Vulture Piano' include more instrumentation, while reminding us of the most accessible tracks from A Promise and Knife Play.

Halfway through the album, however, The Air Force seems to hit a reef. The first few cohesive tracks are then followed by five songs which have no tempo or chorus. Until finally, track nine ('Save Me') gives you something to move to again.

This latest effort from Xiu Xiu is, all in all, right in line with their previous efforts. Great, moving tracks are offset by formless musical beauty. All of this is, of course, par for the Xiu Xiuic course. While Xiu Xiu haven't exactly progressed lightyears since last year's outing La Foret, it is still a great album, and is perhaps one of their best.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Cursive - Happy Hollow ADVANCE

Cursive - Happy Hollow
Release: August 22, 2006 - Saddle Creek Records
In a 2006 independent music world, where bands from Omaha are becoming less and less important/good, Cursive will attempt to follow up 2003's brilliant The Ugly Organ. Happy Hollow, Cursive's new record which comes out August 22nd, seems anemic and bloated, and finds lead singer/songwriter Tim Kasher playing to everything but his strengths.
Similar to how The Ugly Organ displayed its thematic melodrama through recurring themes and musical devices (aka, the organ... duh), happy hollow starts and finishes with variations on 'Hymns for the Heathen'. Furthermore it lyrics center around a grown up 'Dorothy' (presumably from the Wizard of Oz) who is a disillusioned and failing to cope with the pressures of modern day life. The whole record, therefore, seems to laugh in the face of the 'happily ever after' ideal.
Musically, Happy Hollow too closely resembles Kasher's side project The Good Life, with bouncing choruses and twangy riffs and chord progressions that have never been seen on a Cursive record. This latest version of Cursive, of course, hits harder than the Good Life ever could, mainly because Cursive's drummer Clint Schnase is light years better than everyone that Kasher has enlisted to drum for the Good Life (they all seem to suck balls). Most pronounced, however, is the loss of Cursive's wicked cellist Gretta. Her presence is dearly missed, as she brought unique depth and textures to both of Cursive's finest achievements; 2002's Burst and Bloom EP and the aforementioned Ugly Organ. Her parts are now replaced by unfortunate horns (see track 1 of Modest Mouse's Good News for People Who Love Bad News). The result is terribly disappointing.
The lyrical content of Happy Hollow is also a let down. The themes, while appreciated, are not at coherent or compelling as they have been in the past. The common thread of Dorothy being older and worn down by the daily work routine is interesting, but far from being as weighty as in, say Domestica or The Ugly Organ. Also interspersed throughout the record are pointed stabs at organized religion, preachers, and god him/herself.
This is where I see the greatest weakness of the record: Kasher's jaded view on religion.
In 'Rise Up! Rise Up!' Kasher proclaims 'Please forgive me for questioning divinity, its an ugly job, but I think I'm up for it...' No Tim, you're not. His blanket statements of not knowing where to find god, or people who live like they believe in him/her are overdone and hardly why we listen to Tim Kasher. In the song 'Big Bang' Kasher whines, "We need a purpose in life, a survival guide, we need explanations for how we arrived, there was a big bang once... but the clergy man doesn't agree..."

The reason I listen to Tim Kasher, and why have savored every moment of their last three records, is because of his incredible self-consciousness and avid description of his human condition. Mainly, I listen to Tim Kasher for the same reason I listen to Greg Dulli (Afghan Whigs/Twilight Singers), because they put to words what your dark side feels and fears. The existential commentary coming from Kasher is, therefore, rendered rather pathetic. Not that I don't have great sympathy for his positions, I would just rather listen to these things from a Jeremy Enigk, or a Jason Martin, or a David Bazan.

All of this leads me to feel quite disappointed with Cursive's new direction, lineup, and record. There are songs that I reluctantly have to say are just bad songs. Musically, I fear he's strayed too far to the Good Life, and lyrically it seems Kasher has strayed too far from himself.

That isn't to say, however, that the album does not have its highlights. The intro for 'Dorothy at Forty' is, in fact, fucking rock. It is the kind of rock and roll guitar/bass/drum movement that made me fall in love with Cursive's Domestica all those years ago. The song, however, ends up breaking into a bouncy number which ends up too quirky to withstand the weight of the song.

Slower songs, however, like 'Bad Sects' and 'Into the Fold' are perhaps the albums best songs, as musically they are reminiscent of 'The Recluse'. It is actually in these quieter songs that Kasher's amazingly dynamic voice is displayed best, and it is in these few quiet moments where it sounds most genuine. Unfortunately, though, the quirky inauthentic moments overwhelm any of the sincerity hidden in Happy Hollow.

RIYL: The Good Life, Bright Eyes

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Thom Yorke - The Eraser ADVANCE

Thom Yorke - The Eraser ADVANCE
Release: July 11, 2006 - XL Recordings
Having been immensely unimpressed with the last two Radiohead records (i must be the only one who thought Hail to the Thief was 90% crap), The Eraser comes as a breath of fresh air. What I expected was a guitar rock album, kind of like many of the live bootlegs floating around which feature Thom with only an acoustic guitar. I was expecting 'Killer Cars' and 'True Love Waits' but what has arrived is much different.
Instead of the singer-songwriter dribble out there which has been extremely and unfortunately influenced by Yorke (a la the Bends), The Eraser sounds like Kid A. The track, not the album. Thick electronic textures sound like they emminate from a woumb, not a drum machine. Thom's vocals sound a bit more interested than they have in years, and perhaps better. At the same time thick (like 'Pulk Pull Revolving Doors') and delicate (like Bjork's Vespertine), it seems like if you listen to it on your laptop you woud have a completely different experience than in your Hummer.
Familiar are Yorke's brooding and pessimistic lyrics, as well as melodies and basslines which could clearly pass as Radiohead's.
All in all, I'm extremely impressed and hopeful about what Thom Yorke is doing, which has not been the case since the monumental Kid A and its anemic little brother Amnesiac.

RIYL: Radiohead

Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of This Country

Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of the Country
Release: June 6, 2006 - Merge Records
Camera Obscura makes music that is appealing for one reason: great, amazing, beautiful MELODIES. The first track 'Lloyd, I'm ready to be heartbroken' has litterally been stuck in my head for the last six days.
CO is a Scottish outfit which features deliscious female vocals which, at times, sound more Scandanavian (ie. the Cardigans). These perfectly compliment the lush 50's infused pop drone (see Belle and Sebastian). Let's Get Out of the Country is very much in line with their two previous full-length efforts, though perhaps eclipses them both with more grandiouse instrumentation, polished production, and adorable melodies.
I completely recomend this record for sunny Saturday afternoons and relaxing dinner making with your loved ones. Songs like the title track just leave you smiling, but don't leave the cheesy residue that many others in this genre would. You can not be sad while listening to this record.

RILY: The Cardigans, Belle and Sebastian, Isobel Cambell