Track Reviews: The Nightmare Before Christmas

Or: "Paper Stereo's John Higgins takes a shit all over mainstream pop rock in honor of Halloween."--Ed.

This year, Disney has decided to re-release one of Tim Burton’s best works in 3-D. I’ve heard some pretty mixed reviews about the whole 3-D thing, but what I hate is what Disney has done to the soundtrack. They added a second CD to the album with five covers. I thought it could’ve been cool when I first heard about it, but then I found out what bands had signed on to do this.

1. Fall Out Boy – What is This
First is Fall Out Boy’s take on “What is This.” How is it different? First of all, it sucks ass. The nice, lush orchestral instrumentation has shrunken down to a 4-piece setup. Unsurprisingly, the song does not work when the melodies and harmonies are just done with chunky guitars and vocals. That, and the bass sounds like it’s coming out of a little toy. Oh, and did I mention that these guys can’t sing for crap? The main guy sounds awful, and on top of that he doesn’t even sound like he’s into the song. He’s just reading words on a page. 1/10

2. Panic! At the Disco – This is Halloween [Download]
I don’t know how you can call this a cover. These guys have managed to barely touch the instrumentation at all, and yet they have easily made one of the worst songs of the bunch. As a side note, I really wonder if these guys can play any instruments, since I highly doubt they’re capable of playing all the string/wind instruments on this track and some others they’ve done. Oh, and this is some of the worst vocals out of these five tracks. It sounds uninspired, weak, and out of tune. Honestly, this band can’t do anything right. 0/10

3. Marilyn Manson – This is Halloween [Download]
Marilyn Manson does a different take on the same song. This time it’s grungy sounding guitars, and heavy pounding drums. You know—a lot of what he normally does. What’s nice though is that he actually makes it sounds like this is his song, and it still fits the Nightmare Before Christmas theme. His vocals feature all his little tricks, and it fits in nicely. The only thing I have with this song, though, is that I think I find it funnier than good. It just seems a little silly for Marilyn Manson to be singing about this, doesn’t it? 5/10

4. She Wants Revenge – Kidnap the Sandy Claws [Download]
Do you want to hear what this song would sound like if it was done by a really bad Joy Division rip-off group? Yeah, I didn’t think so. Just about everything in this cover is wrong. The main problems is that it’s just way too slow and the guy sounds depressed. And why is it so monotonic? I thought this was supposed to be an upbeat track? That kind of juxtaposition isn’t even artsy, it’s just dumb. Simply put, the music doesn’t fit at all. 0/10

5. Fiona Apple – Sally’s Song [Download]
Now here is the main reason why I was still interested in hearing these tracks. If anyone can do justice to this track, it’s Fiona Apple. Vocally, everything’s pushed down what sounds like an octave, but it still works. It makes the song a little darker and draws more attention to the musical accompaniment. The vibraphone and soft background drums are great additions as well as keeping the lovely supporting string section. And then that quick stop in the final chorus is placed just right to accent the lyrics. Very nice job overall. 7/10

- John Higgins -

Tags: Nightmare Before Christmas, Disney, Fiona Apple, mp3

Album Review: The White Stripes

“Get Behind Me Satan”
V2; 2005
6.5/10

"Death can't be lying / it's the truth and it don't make a noise." On the newest White Stripes album, Jack White recalls a lyric from his band’s second album, “De Stijl”, but he should be recalling a lot more from it. The truth is that the noise the White Stripes make on “Get Behind Me Satan” lacks the punch of their earlier work, and it's brought them one step closer to their musical grave.

I have always fiercely defended the White Stripes' stripped-down, minimalist approach to rock, and I always will. Sure, I'll admit that Meg White isn’t much more than a powerful metronome with an average voice, but with Jack White running the show, she's never needed to be much more than that. With his signature off-pitch wail and aggressive guitar riffs, Jack doesn't even need a bassist to back him up. Meg pounds the hell out of her drum set, and Jack's vocals swagger over every frantic, dirty, gut-wrenching lick he plays.

I wish so much that Get Behind me Satan had sounded anything like the White Stripes I just described.

The album is a perfect example of quality being sacrificed for experimentation. Jack White has gotten marimba-happy, and I’m left wondering where his guitar has gone.

Most of the tracks are quality tunes when judged alone. The introduction of marimba and piano to the band's sound produces a number of eerie pseudo-ballads that would have sounded great scattered throughout several albums. Together, they make up a record that just plods along through one heavy track after another. Most of the songs are too long and sound too similar to each other. “Get Behind Me Satan” lacks the intensity and fury that the White Stripes are truly capable of. When your only real instrument is a guitar, it's unwise to just put it on the backburner.

While the album disappoints in its overall flavor, there are a few saving graces. The first is lyrics. Jack White's lyrical style is highly underrated. On “Get Behind Me Satan”, he goes from romantic and complex rhyming schemes (“Oh Rita, oh Rita / if you lived in Mesita / I would move you with the beat of a drum / and this picture is proof / that although you're aloof / you had the shiniest tooth 'neath the sun”) to playful verse that seems to serve no point other than to accompany the music (“And all the chickens get it / and them singing canaries get it / whoo!/ even strawberries get it / I want you to get with it.”)

Another nice surprise on the album is Meg's song, "Passive Manipulation". Similar to her drumming style, Meg repeats one verse over and over, but with a coy authority that stamps her strange brand of cuteness on the unsettling theme of female oppression.

The most original song on the album is "Ghost", in which Jack tells the story of his tragic romance with the spirit of a dead girl. The song is an up-tempo bluegrass tune, with banjos and harmonies that sound straight out of a hoe-down.

Jack White salvages the album in the end with "I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet)". He has always had a knack for tender, tongue-in-cheek ballads like "I Wanna Be The Boy", but this one is possibly his best. This piano tune has a slow swing with noticeable crescendos in all the right places. "She's homely, and she's cranky, and her hair's in a net/ Well I'm lonely, but I ain't that lonely yet". Maybe the White Stripes won’t settle for homely lovers, but judging by “Get Behind Me Satan”, they were a little more willing to settle for mediocrity.

Download:
The White Stripes - Little Ghost
The White Stripes - Passive Manipulation
The White Stripes - I’m Lonely (But I Ain’t That Lonely Yet)

- Stacey Capoot -

Tags: White Stripes, Jack White, Get Behind Me Satan, mp3

Column: I Hate to Say This, Bob, but Shape Up

Despite his age, arthritis, and a lifetime of smoking, Bob Dylan continues to play sold-out shows in huge arenas. At this point in his career, though, many – including myself – attend simply to be able to say that they have “seen Bob Dylan.” Despite what I had heard about his voice and age, I spent $50 to sit in the nosebleed section of nosebleed sections, the top row in the upper balcony at The Forum in Inglewood. I wasn’t expecting to be blown away.

His back faced me and there was no big screen for reference. Dylan played keys for the entirety of his short hour-and-a-half set. Nevertheless, I can say I’ve seen Bob Dylan.

It’s a terrible disappointment that my expectations, based on what I had been told, were true. His music doesn’t matter much to the crowd. Instead, it’s simply his presence that people pay hundreds of dollars to see. Bob Dylan at the mic, loud music, flashing lights.

But could he be putting on better live shows? Can he still sing like he used to, or is he changing the melodies and structures of his songs to fit for his dying voice? Is he able to entrance the audience like he did forty years ago? If so, why wouldn’t he give us all he’s got? He’s widely known to be moody, especially on stage. Why not just take some Prozac and get on with the show? Tens of thousands of people paid for this.

The light show had a greater effect on the audience than the songs. Dramatic light displays made the Forum erupt in cheers even during the most unenthused and unrecognizable versions of his classic “Like a Rolling Stone.” We’re being tricked by a lightshow in place of a Godlike figure, a figure who for some reason never does what the public wants him to do. Maybe he is God, playing with our emotions.

Most of you reading this have either already experienced my disappointment or have already heard, through other means, what Bob Dylan’s concerts are like in the 2000’s. These days, people describe his voice not even with words, but with a knowing glance, a disappointed face and a roll of the eyes that says, “If only he’d sing the songs like he used to.”

And I understand if his voice is going – smoking and age generally start to fuck an individual over around his age. However, if he were to sing his songs like he used to and screwed up, it would be far more brave and entertaining than what he’s doing now. He’s melted his sound – one that forty years ago was characterized by several distinct separate influences – into a generic rock band lacking any soul.

From my view, he still looked like Dylan from ’65, held himself the same way, walked and moved his arms like young Dylan. And that was the high point, to see him in person, with my own eyes. But the music – the reason for all the hype, the reason one should pay for a concert – was lacking.

Passion was hard to find on Friday night.

- Austin Bauer -

Tags: Bob Dylan, Modern Times, Live, mp3

Live: Beirut 10/21/06

For your viewing pleasure, a photo montage:


A Hawk and A Hacksaw’s Heather Trost and Jeremy Barnes.


The great Jeremy Barnes, former Neutral Milk Hotel drummer and the brains behind A Hawk and A Hacksaw. As you can see, he has drumsticks and bells attached to various parts of his body so he can play various instruments with each limb.


Beirut’s band consisted of Zach Condon and seven backing members.






Mr. Zach “I am young and talented” Condon, the man behind Beirut.


The first encore, in which the band climbed down with their instruments to play among the audience.



Download:
Beirut - The Gulag Orkestar
Beirut - Mount Wroclai (Idle Days)

- Dominick Duhamel -

Tags: Beirut, Gulag Orkestar, Zach Condon, mp3

Track Review: Lupe Fiasco

“Daydreamin’ (Feat. Jill Scott)’’
from “Food & Liquor”
8.5/10

Lupe Fiasco’s “Food & Liquor” is a strong contender for this year’s best debut album, and tracks like “Daydreamin’”, with its toned-down orchestral production, jazzy breakdowns, and explosive verses, is exactly why.

Though much of “Food & Liquor” suffers from over-ambitious production (too much strings, too many things going on in the background, drum tracks that lose focus, etc.), “Daydreamin’” nails exactly what sweeping, orchestral production should be: a background on which the emcee and whomever else he has in the studio can work their magic.

The track sticks to a straight chorus-verse-chorus-verse-chorus arrangement, each of the sections interesting enough to make its simplicity appreciated. Jill Scott’s choruses (and especially the last one) are jazzy and soulful, and in the end it’s her parts that stand out, adding wonderful contrast to Lupe’s straight-up badass rhymes.

Another absolutely fantastic contrast takes place between the lyrical themes of the verses and choruses. While Jill Scott sings simple but colorful lines like, “Daydream / I dream of you amid the flowers / for a couple of hours / such a beautiful day”, Lupe spins a web of social criticism and blazing satire, jumping from technology gone awry to the degradation of women to the problems with hip-hop. Check this line: “Now come on everybody, let’s make cocaine cool / we need a few more half-naked women up in the pool / and hold this MAC-10 that’s all covered in jewels / and can you please put your titties closer to the 22s?” Lupe’s got something to say, and he’s not afraid to say it. Needless to say, this is a refreshing thing to hear from mainstream music.

But Fiasco’s greatest moment is his last line, as the orchestra builds up and Jill Scott prepares to go into her monumental last chorus: “I’d like to thank the streets that drove me crazy / and all the televisions out there that raised me.” And, in that instant, it’s totally clear why Lupe Fiasco’s one of the most exciting new voices in hip-hop and why, in his best moments, he can pit his flow against anyone.

Download:
Lupe Fiasco - Daydreamin’ (Feat. Jill Scott)

- Dominick Duhamel -

Related Tags: Lupe Fiasco, Food & Liquor, Jill Scott, mp3

Track Review: The OhSees

“The Guilded Cunt”
from “The Cool Death of Island Raiders”
7.5/10

Contary to what would be totally hilarous, I didn’t pick this track to review because of its name. I picked it because, title aside, “The Guilded Cunt” is the among the strongest tracks (as well as the opener) on the OhSees most recent album, “The Cool Death of Island Raiders”, released on Narnack Records earlier this year.

Though the swampy, suffocated production is apparent within the tracks first few seconds and obscures some of the track’s better moments, the vocal interplay and whisper of a rhythm is colorful enough to make a statement regardless. The band itself sounds as if it’s perpetually trying to keep up with the rhythm, but succeeds in balancing the fine line between loose and sloppy. The quirky, slightly dissonant guitar is the most conspicuous of the instruments, but the preschool-caliber drum beat, with its hissing hi-hats, is the silent anchor of the song and keeps the sonic backdrop rolling.

Dwyer spends the entire song with his head in the clouds, his back-of-the-mouth falsetto lending verses like “Tell me you love me / tell me that is all you know to do” the teenage innocent they require to make the jump from clichéd to charming. Brigid Dawson’s vocals serve a similar purpose, hiding in a simple harmony behind Dwyer’s before emerging forth to color what could be referred to as the chorus with a bright, descending vocal riff.

The song’s 2:43 runtime is short enough to keep the song’s few elements interesting, and, when the last delayed guitar chord echoes out of the mix, we are left with a better conception of Dwyer’s ability to make something simple sound entirely original by pushing the boundary between the totally exhausted and the wonderfully absurd. It’s a shame that Dwyer didn’t deliver more tracks like this one.

Download:
The OhSees - The Guilded Cunt

- Dominick Duhamel -

Tags: OhSees, Guilded Cunt, Island Raiders, mp3

Live: The Dresden Dolls 10/10/06

What’s better than going to see The Dresden Dolls live on a Tuesday night? Going to see them live for free. And that’s what I did Tuesday Night over at the Orpheum Theater. Since no one listening to UCLAradio.com wanted the free tickets we were giving away, I ended up with a pair. I was skeptical at first about how cool this show would be, but now that I know I have no idea why anyone wouldn’t want free tickets to see The Dresden Dolls.

Maybe it’s the crowd? I’m not fond of the whole Hot Topic goth look or anything, but it wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. And no one were really jackass or anything, it was a pretty easy-going crowd. And the Dresden Dolls put on one hell of a show. Brian Viglione is absolutely amazing on the drums and was so animated throughout the whole set it was impossible to ignore him. Amanda Palmer, the singer/pianist, is just as talented, but doesn’t come off nearly as lively. The two together, though, makes up a very tight duo that’s able to pull off some really hard little maneuvers while throwing in some funny visuals everywhere in their songs.

They opened their set with the “Yes, Virignia” opening track “Sex Changes.” It was a great pick, showcasing the duo’s talent of very nice dynamic control. Brian was everywhere on the drums, throwing in little clicks, chokes, and other accents through out the verses. The sound guy also did a great job in micing the drums, because they sounded so fucking good. Really, the sound was just so badass. And with any free limb they had, Amanda and Brian would point out to the crowd or do whatever they could to incite cheers from the crowd. Then, during their second song “Gravity,” two appropriately dressed women came on stage and did a choreographed routine. It didn’t really add to the song or anything, but it was neat to witness nonetheless and it did fit well with the whole circus-act theme I think they had going on.

Some of the stand out tracks of the night were “Coin-Operated Boy,” “Modern Moonlight,” and “Bad Habit.” On the album, “Coin-Operated Boy” featured some pretty weird sections that would be hard to translate well on stage, namely the end of the first chorus in which the song “skips” during the final line numerous times. The “skiping” is really just eliminating the last sixteenth note, thus creating a very awkward time signature. But Brian and Amanda pulled it off flawlessly, and even made it cooler sounding than it did on CD. They also nailed the super slow retard in the middle of the song. Then, “Modern Moonlight” sounded great even though it’s at such a blazing fast tempo. It’s not one of my favorite songs or anything, but you couldn’t help but be amazed at what you were watching. The tempo barely even dragged, if it even dragged at all. Then “Bad Habit” was just awesome. Amanda, though having very little voice lessons, had her strong vocal performance of the night with this song.

The main set of the night ended off with one of the fan favorite, “Half Jack.” It just started off with a bass note just playing eighth notes, and then Brian started coming with drums. Soon enough, he was just going crazy everywhere on the set. Pretty much, before the song even really began, Brian gave the crowd an amazing drum solo. And with every huge snare shot he made, I felt that much more inferior. And then the song finally started. The song was great and everything, but I just kept thinking about how cool that solo was. Part of it is just how Brian plays; he makes it look so easy. And he has all these little mannerisms while he’s playing, which made it look like he was just having fun and not trying to impress anyone. It was pretty awesome.

The duo then came back on stage for the encore, and enlisted the help of the frontman from the opening band The Red Paintings. The three of them performed a cover the Tears of Fears’ “Mad World” that was pretty cool, and better than the Gary Jules version. Then they ended off the night with “Sing,” their single from the new album. During the ending, everyone that had performed that night came on stage to…sing….the ending. It was a cool little sight. And I didn’t even need to pay for any of it. How cool.

Download:
The Dresden Dolls - Sex Changes
The Dresden Dolls - Modern Moonlight
The Dresden Dolls - Coin-Operated Boy

- John Higgins -

Tags: Dresden Dolls, Orpheum Theater, Live, mp3

Live: Blood Brothers & Eagles of Death Metal 10/10/06

Judging from the headline alone it sounds like quite the odd pairing of bands, so thankfully for both you and my editor, there is an explanation. It started off as yet another in a string of free Amoeba Records shows that I’ve been attending lately because a.) They’ve been having mysteriously high-quality shows lately and b.) Well, they’re free. The downside of this is, of course, that the nearest Amoeba Records is located in LA. The City of Angels and I have a very love-hate relationship with one another that most commonly falls towards the latter. That said, I would drive pretty much anywhere in the state to see the Blood Brothers put on one of their famed live performances.

Not surprisingly, we were a bit late so we became relegated to the back of the store, but every spot is a good spot when the total cost is zero dollars. The band opened up strong with “Set Fire to the Face on Fire,” the opening track off their new album, “Young Machetes”. Even though the five members, including two lead vocalists, were packed onto a small stage, there was no lack of energy emanating from the band. The drums sounded heavy and crisp, almost more so than on the record and the song pulsed with the manic energy that informed the band’s early records. The rest of the show was slightly less impressive, as it saw the band basically playing the album in order with a few omissions here and there. This is even more of an issue with this particular performance because the majority of the most exciting songs come at the end of “Young Machetes”. Still, disregarding the horrible mistake that is “You’re the Dream Unicorn,” all of the songs were as tight and fun as you’d expect from The Blood Brothers. It’s unfortunate that they fell into the predictable in-store performance blunder of drawing exclusively from the new album they are trying to promote at the time. Predominately picking new songs is one thing, but to entirely neglect your entire back catalogue is just poor judgment. The band’s newest single, “Laser Life” lost a lot of the recorded version’s “too close to emo for it’s own good” sheen and just sounded like a terrifying piano led carnival romp.

As the band winded down with “Giant Swan” (last song on the album, last song at the show, get it?) everyone crowded toward the front of the stage in anticipation of the band signing albums. I’m as much of a starfucker as anyone else, so I was right up there with them, my copy of “…Burn, Piano Island, Burn” firmly in hand. Just about the time the band was signing my friend’s boot (each one of them responding with a shocking amount of band unity with the same questioning, “shoe?”) we received a call stating that the Eagles of Death Metal were playing a show across the street. Now, if you’ve ever been to the Amoeba in Hollywood, you know that across the street stands…a Jack in the Box. So we walked out of the doors of the record store expecting to spend some time cozying up the Jesse “The Devil” Hughes next to the soda machine in a fast food restaurant. A few phone calls later we were informed that we’re quite stupid, and that the show was behind the Jack in the Box in a vacant parking lot. I’m still not 100% sure what the whole situation was, but I do know that it was being filmed, we had to sign waivers and that The Eagles of Death Metal always put on a fucking rock show. Apparently they had played a set earlier in the evening and this time around it was the exact same set only as Jesse put it, “a lot faster.” This is slightly embarrassing, but that show solidifies EODM’s position as the band I’ve seen live the most times (5) only slightly edging out the Pixies (4). That’s not technically a complaint though, simply a fact, as I have yet to be disappointed.

Much of the show is a bit hazy to me because one of my friends couldn’t get into the filming because she didn’t have I.D. and the Sunset Blvd. Jack in the Box is not the most shining of establishments to be late and night, but it was still remarkably enjoyable. They played mostly songs off their second album, but kept to a fairly upbeat set include (from what I remember) “Don’t Speak”, “Cherry Cola”, “Kiss the Devil”, and “Just 19.” During each song different ladies from the audience (which numbered under 100) were invited onstage to dance with the band. These encounters ranged from awesome to incredibly awkward, with some participants seemingly unaware of both who the band was, and why they were on a stage. During the show every member of the band found some way to inadvertently damage their instrument with second guitarist “Darling” Dave Catching going as far as to split his Flying V in half and finishing the job by heaving it against his amplifier. For the final song the entire female portion of the audience made it onstage as the band finished off the show with “Speaking In Tongues.” The entire show was filled with pure rock and roll goodness, even if at times it bordered slightly on parody, it was the best kind of parody; the kind that wears aviator sunglasses and a pretty impressive mustache. I might hate the bitch, but damn it if Hollywood doesn’t always show me a good time.

- Matt Lindsay -

Tags: Eagles of Death Metal, Blood Brothers, Live, mp3

Live: Sufjan Stevens 10/9/06

The crowd at a Sufjan Stevens concert is about as indie as you’ll ever see. I knew this the second I walked in the doors of the Wiltern Theater. Tight pants, bandanas, high-wasted belts, tights and boots, everywhere I looked. This was an audience that was here for one purpose: to worship Sufjan as king of their own little world.

My friends and I missed My Brightest Diamond’s first song, and we regretted it the second we heard Shana Worden’s breathtaking voice resonating throughout the venue. Each of My Brightest Diamond’s songs was a lullaby on the brink disintegrating into phantasmagoric, nightmarish landscapes, commanded in full by the frontwoman’s powerful and somber stage presence. Their set drew almost entirely from their debut album, released earlier this year on Ashtmatic Kitty, but the surprising highlight was the cover of Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good”, which gave Worden the space to show how truly dynamic and beautiful her voice is. As their set closed, there wasn’t a person in the room who didn’t want Worden to stay onstage.

Which proved to be a wonderful thing indeed when she came back on as part of Sufjan’s band, dubbed “Majesty the Snowbird and the Magical Butterfly Brigade”. After a half hour of waiting and excited chatting (mostly concerning the presence of Danny DeVito, who was apparently somewhere in the venue), Sufjan’s eleven-piece orchestra came on stage, donning butterfly wings and various colorful masks. They began the instrumental buildup to “Sister”, during which the proper band (which included a much loosened-up and very enthusiastic Worden) made its entrance. Sufjan came on last, his gigantic wings making him the clear center of attention on stage as he sat down at the piano.

The set took equally from Sufjan’s three main albums, including a surprisingly large amount of songs from 2004’s underrated “Seven Swans”. The sound at the Wiltern was superb, each of the instruments (and, most notably, the drums) conspicuous and bright, giving the whole set a vitality that often lacks in big-band affairs. The crowd was indeed infatuated, and spent the night shouting obsessive adorations to Stevens, that, the majority of the time, he seemed uncomfortable reacting to. The man himself seemed a little ill at ease the whole night, throwing frustrated looks toward the orchestra and counting time signatures under his breath, but very rarely did any of these things interfere with the music.

Before he began “The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts”, Sufjan announced that they would be throwing inflatable Supermen out into the crowd to celebrate the fictional hero and, two minutes later, the audience was wildly tossing the Man of Steel off the mezzanine and up in the air in celebration as the band worked passionately through the song. Before beginning “Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head!”, Sufjan shared a moment with a member of the crowd who applauded the Detroit Tigers’ victory over the New York Yankees. But, as Sufjan began rambling with hometown patriotism, Worden interrupted him by starting the song mid-sentence, smiling coyly and humbling the indie icon.

Stevens got the idea, and the next time he told a story, the background to “The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades”, he made sure to tell it extra fast, which had the appreciative audience laughing and itching with anticipation of one of the highlights off “Illinois”. Later in the evening, when Sufjan played one of his original Christmas songs, inflatable Santa Clauses made their way into the audience, many of whom danced along with the Supermen that were still circulating.

“Chicago” was, of course, a crowd favorite, though Stevens played it with less fervor than was expected from such an energetic, emotional song. The highlight of the night, however, was Sufjan’s one new song, “Majesty the Snowbird”, an epic, sweeping tale that contrasts with the oft-impersonal staccatos of his “Illinois” compositions and is among the best signs of good things to come in the world of Sufjan.

The encore eschewed the orchestra for a much more personal, acoustic performance. Both “To Be Alone With You” and “The Dress Looks Nice On You” were gorgeous and reverent, and Sufjan left the stage to a crowd simply overflowing with love. He expressed gratitude the best he could, lingering almost confusedly onstage long after his band had left, bowing and waving.

And so the night was a triumph. Whatever difficulties Sufjan was having went almost entirely unnoticed and the utterly responsive crowd, along with Shana Worden’s charming and dynamic contributions, made the whole show an experience to remember, a tribute to a man who has stolen the hearts of the indie world and who, that night, proved that he deserved them.

Setlist:
1. Sister
2. The Transfiguration
3. The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts
4. He Woke Me Up Again
5. Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head!
6. The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades
7. John Wayne Gacy, Jr.
8. A Good Man Is Hard To Find
9. Majesty the Songbird
10. Casimir Pulaski Day
11. Jacksonville
12. That Was The Worst Christmas Ever
13. Chicago
14. The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders

Encore:
15. To Be Alone With You
16. The Dress Looks Nice On You

Download:
My Brightest Diamond - Workhorse
Sufjan Stevens - The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades
Sufjan Stevens - The Dress Looks Nice On You

- Dominick Duhamel -

Tags: Sufjan Stevens, My Brightest Diamond, Majesty Songbird, mp3

Album Review: The Hold Steady

“Boys and Girls in America”
Vagrant; 2006
8.5/10

If your high school English teacher was anything like I imagined mine to be, every day at five in the afternoon, he’d crack a beer, put on “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” and moan about how apathetic and stupid his students are. For a few years now, every time the class fails their reading quiz for the second time, or fails to see the most obvious analogy, he’ll sullenly drive back home in his beat up VW, slam in The Hold Steady and begin a night of mid-week binge drinking.

Since their first release “Almost Killed Me” in 2004, and last year’s critically acclaimed “Separation Sunday”, the Hold Steady have magnificently paired singer Craig Finn’s nasal snarl with monstrous bar rock destruction. Their music reeks with the alcoholic chaos of youth, and those still trying to cling onto it. Finn consistently spins craftily intertwined stories of people trapped in alluring ruin of alcoholism and the scene. And with the clever referencing of the band name, reoccurring characters, and commonly used phrases draped over some of the beastliest and most triumphant of riffs, they’ve created something both unique and undeniably awesome. Like Steely Dan (the greatest band of all time), The Hold Steady have managed a lyrical disconnect which allows them to reach unmatchable heights both lyrically and musically. While their latest release, “Boys and Girls in America” displays change in both style and content (owing in large part to their signing to Vagrant Records), the spirit of The Hold Steady is stronger than ever and they manage to churn out one of the most irresistible albums of the year.

Vagrant was my favorite record label freshman year of high school and I can honestly say if today I met myself back then, I would punch myself in the face. However, amid their woefully abysmal roster (Senses Fail, Dashboard Confessional), Vagrant has snagged some actual talent (Paul Westerberg, Eels, and now The Hold Steady). The new label however has signaled a marked change in style including more polished production, less abrasive riffage, and more singing on the part of Finn. The production, done by John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Andrew W.K.), is far cleaner and more accessible than their often aggressive tone and harmonies of previous tracks (see The Swish, Most People are DJs, etc.).

Lead single, “Chips Ahoy!” starts disappointingly with power chords that wouldn’t be too foreign on today’s modern rock radio. Fortunately, the cheese isn’t so thick as to drown out Finn’s vocals, which for once sound sincere and personal instead of his usual objective wit. And, for the rest of the album, the band members do what they do best, cranking out powerful, unabashed rock songs such as “Soft Hot Light” and “Stuck Between Stations”. The second song that’s been readily available for quite some time is “First Night”, a ballad roll call of the characters from the first two albums. Predictable? Cheesy? Out of character? Yeah, but it all works, and comes to an awesomely overwhelming climax. The other stand out track is “Citrus”, a slow acoustic ballad to alcohol (what else?) which with accordion accents and Finn’s less than soothing singing voice, comes out surprisingly touching.

I could go on and pick apart each and every track, but that would kind of ruin the fun. Despite it’s initial disappointment, every time I listen to the album, it sounds stronger and stronger and I cannot help but be charmed by these guys. Check it out. Hell yeah.

Download:
The Hold Steady - Hot Soft Light
The Hold Steady - Citrus

- S.A. Andrée -

Tags: Hold Steady, Boys and Girls in America, Vagrant, mp3

Mixtape: On the Road

Find forty-seven minutes of open road and this collection of tracks will change your life. Or, at the very least, make driving an extremely enjoyable experience. Also, on the subject of driving music, be sure to refer back to my Ryan Adams column.

1. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Spread Your Love [Download]
Thundering love madness, gritty and dirty and groovy. The one BRMC track that, to me, stands out above all the others. Dig that massive ending.

2. Amadou & Mariam – Coulibaly [Download]
They may be too blind to drive, but Amadou & Mariam are selfless enough to make excellent driving music for others. Percussive and cyclical, this track is full of life.

3. Spoon – I Summon You
A fun, relentless guitar part drives this song while Britt Daniel pines for a far-off love. Maybe this song will help him make the journey to her. Fuck that joke.

4. Kings of Leon – Molly’s Chambers
Kings of Leon, back in the days they rocked with Southern fury, delivered this simple, energetic track to the masses. Check that motherfuckin’ guitar solo. Finger lickin’ good.

5. Interpol – PDA
Massive 1-2-3 drums give this song great vitality, and the pairing of unstoppable guitars and urgent vocals make this an on-the-road must.

6. M. Ward – Helicopter
This song has that traditional southern story-song feel to it, and showcases M. Ward at his best. “Let us sway into the sunset, I have done all I can do in this town.” Amen.

7. Brightblack Morning Light – Everybody Daylight [Download]
So moody and gorgeous and hypnotic and groove-tastic. Let it melt you to the steering well, let it crawl down your throat, let it breeze through your hair. Don’t listen… feel.

8. Man Man – Spider Cider [Download]
Because I love Man Man too much to leave them off this list. Damn good lyrics, a fun rhythm, and plenty of crazy sounds and effects to keep you wondering. Mmm mmm good.

9. Wilco – A Shot In The Arm [Alt. Version]
Because who listens to the other version? Certainly not me. It’s spacious and melodic and free. “Maybe all I need is a shot in the arm, something in my veins bloodier than blood.” Holy shit, man.

10. Tapes N’ Tapes – The Insistor
Yes, Tapes N’ Tapes is overrated. But this song is amazing, and has a great rhythm. Plus, the bridge is a fantastic buildup that ends with the priceless line, “Kelly, Kelly, hold your water tight!”

11. The Black Keys – 10 A.M. Automatic
The Black Keys were born to make music for the road. Two-piece blues works alarmingly well, and this song is among their best. Once you’re sick of this mixtape, any Black Keys albums will work just as well.

12. Pavement – Range Life
Another spacious rocker, this time from Pavement’s “Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain”. A general, all-around fantastic song. Stephen Malkmus, you’re priceless.

- Dominick Duhamel -

Previous Mixtapes: Murder Ballads, An Acoustic Evening, Artists On My iTunes That Start With "B", Badass Drum Mix 1, Songs for the Sleepy

Tags: Driving Music, Road, Mixtape, mp3

Album Review: Beck

“The Information”
Interscope; 2006
6.5/10

The question is: How big of an influence does a producer have?

When you’re talking about Nigel Godrich, one of the world’s most renowned producers – whose impressive list of clients includes Radiohead, Pavement, and, uh, Sir Paul McCartney – there must be some difference. These legendary bands didn’t hire him for nothing. But this leads us to another, more important question: Are the differences made by such a highly regarded producer necessarily a good thing?

“The Information,” produced by Nigel Godrich, has solidified my preference of the Dust Brothers’ production of Beck to Godrich’s. Making their home in LA, The Dust Brothers (“Odelay”, “Guero”), seem to connect more to Beck’s geographic musical roots, creating hip-hop beats with raunchier production and a laid-back, left coast attitude. Godrich, on the other hand, focuses on walls of digital sound, tons of effects, and sampled schizophrenia. It always seems like a good time with the Dust Brothers, but a bit of a drag with Godrich. It works for Radiohead, but is often too depressing for Beck.

This is a strong album, but a mixed bag of emotions for me. “The Information” is exactly what I was expecting, which is disappointing. There is little exploration. With Beck’s usual tendency to go wildly different directions and break new ground for himself, I had to be disappointed. It’s not that it’s a failure – I was just expecting better from one of my all-time favorite Scientologists. This album borrows too freely from his previous records and lacks any strong melodies. Near-constant production tricks are futile attempts by Godrich to make up for this fact. Nowhere is the production more superfluous and distracting than on the would-be pretty, organic ballad “New Round.” Keep the strings, the vocals, and the guitar; scrap the thousand digital bleeps and speech samples. It’s not that I don’t appreciate this type of production; I mean, I love Olivia Tremor Control. But it’s too overdone for Beck.

One of the first songs, “I Think I’m In Love,” could have been a weak knockoff of Wilco’s “Spiders (Kidsmoke)” if it weren’t for a short, incredible string break that may be the high point of the album. Backwards pianos crescendo to open the soundscape with hard strumming acoustic guitar and a George Martin string break – a short, monumental aural orgasm. There’s something memorable about such fleeting ecstasy. While he may use some distracting production techniques, Godrich has proven his ear for producing strings ¬– they were similarly impressive on 2002’s “Sea Change.”

Strings are the strongest aspect of “The Information.” Clearly written by the same people (and produced by the same Nigel) who did strings for “Sea Change,” they manage to bring some freshness to Beck. Whereas “Sea Change” was rarely without a full string section, “The Information” gives more space and uses the section less often, which, in turn, is more effective.

“Strange Apparition” is a throwback to Beck’s folksy roots. Not that it doesn’t rock (with badass piano and some of the album’s most energetic moments), but considering Beck’s increasingly liberal use of electronic sounds and samples over the past several years, this could be considered a friggin’ hillbilly hoedown. It almost brings the mid-90’s to mind, with elements of Pearl Jam and, dare I say it, Counting Crows. Surprising, to say the least.

The final track, “The Horrible,” is Beck’s answer to the Beatles’ “Revolution 9.” Like the Liverpudlians’ nine-minute sonic freakout, the brilliantly named “The Horrible” clocks in at over ten minutes and sounds like an acid trip that could have inspired “I Am The Walrus.” A few minutes of wildly panned samples and synth effects lead into the bass falling into a groove, and Beck finally emerges with his characteristic verse phrasing. You may think the weirdness is over, but it’s actually just low in the mix. The bass line from “Cellphone’s Dead” reappears sporadically, which is clearly ripped off from Herbie Hancock’s “Chameleon.” (OK, call it “homage.”) The soundscape is soon overcome by warm, ethereal synths and uber-present speech samples. It’s among the strangest experiments Beck has ever allowed on an album. And I fucking dig it, especially to wrap up an average album that lacks much exploration.

As should be expected, Nigel Godrich brings “The Information” together with a certain instrumental aesthetic, namely the consistent use of tribal drums; large, clear, spacious vocals; middle-eastern sounding synth and/or guitar lines; and heavy production effects, especially reverb, throughout the album.

Overall, while it can be deemed a success, I probably won’t be able to retain “The Information” and will resort to my preferred “Odelay” and “Guero.” This album just doesn’t seem like it will stick. Unlike “Odelay,” it won’t be nostalgic ten years from now. It won’t bring me back to my crazy college days. Still, I look forward to seeing him on Saturday, and I hope Nigel Godrich is there, too, so I can have a little talk with him.

Download:
Beck - I Think I'm In Love
Beck - Strange Apparition
Beck - The Horrible

- Austin Bauer -

Tags: Beck, The Information, Nigel Godrick, mp3

Taking A Day Off

Here at Paper Stereo, we are tired and have decided to take a little break from blogging. Be sure to tune in Wednesay for a review of Beck's "The Information".

Peace and love to our readers.