Track Review: Beirut

“Elephant Gun”
from “Lon Gisland EP”
8/10

Zach Condon knows that his audience is still so charmed by “The Gulag Orkestar” that changing things up would not only be unexpected, but it would be disappointing. So he’s is doing what any confident twenty-year-old indie troubadour would do in his place: the same thing he’s been doing for the last year and damn well, too.

“Elephant Gun” is signature Beirut: it kicks off with a churning uke accompanied by Condon’s imminent, classic voice and, just before the song’s nostalgia becomes almost too much to handle, other instruments come shuffling through the door: first an accordion, then a drum kit, then some distant horns, and then some percussive filler.

Though the track still screams of Condon’s Balkan influences, his palate seems to be secretly expanding to other areas of the world. It’s almost unnoticeable at first, but hiding somewhere between the horn embellishments and the accordion rhythm, behind that irresistible 3/4 swoon, is the flavor of the Loire, threatened by the evening fog and echoing with the clacks of wooden shoes on cobblestone.

Lyrically, Condon sticks too his guns, reminiscing about youth (though in his case, it’s not quite “reminiscing” is it?), the passing seasons, and the bygone years of the fictional, European version of his life. The first line, however, is actually quite arresting (“If I was young I’d flee this town / I’d bed my dreams underground / as did I, we drink to die / we drink tonight / far from home, elephant guns / we take them down, one by one”), showing a surprising growth from the warm but often banal verse of “The Gulag Orkestar”.

Though “Elephant Gun” lacks the brass punch of other memorable Beirut tracks, it makes up for it in developing maturity and smooth, apparently effortless songwriting. The song itself stretches to nearly six minutes, the last two comprised mostly of a repeating accordion line, and it’s here that we find the only significant difference between “Elephant Gun” and Beirut’s earlier work: Condon seems to be aware of the nostalgia and international allure his music abounds in and is finally putting them to work for his benefit, giving his yearning listeners just a little bit more before he goes, just one more drinking song before he calls it a night.

Download:
Beirut - Elephant Gun

- Dominick Duhamel -

Tags: Beirut, Lon Gisland, Elephant Gun, Zach Condon, mp3

Track Review: Peter Bjorn & John

“Amsterdam”
from “Writer’s Block”
7.5/10

Being from Sweden, I wonder if Peter Morén, Bjorn Yttling, and John Erikkson knew that arranging their first names in that order would create an acronym similar to that of a popular sandwich. I like to think that they did, mostly because “Writer’s Block” is, at times, home to a strange sense of humor and irony. And so, henceforth, I will refer to the group as PB&J.

“Amsterdam” is a fantastic thing to behold, a shapeshifting tune crafted from various influences that never resonate enough to be predictable. The verses are positively twee, with its silly toy flute (that only gets a little bit annoying) and its catchy, upbeat melody. But the verse soon breaks into a pre-chorus reminiscent of the Shins, followed by a Flaming Lips-esque chorus. Here, vocal interplay is the name of the game; the voices of the three songwriters alternate, sometimes taking the helm, sometimes embellishing the melody with some spot-on harmonies, sometimes taking to the sidelines. And while this variety of elements would normally render the song a quilt composed of mismatching cloth, PB&J not only hide the seams, but make you doubt that they’re really there at all.

The most pleasant surprise of all, however, is the tenuous relationship between the song’s instrumentation and its lyrics. The tune itself may be carefree enough, but a closer look reveals the song to be a narrative of a traveler, lonely without a lover with whom to share the journey. The pre-chorus waxes forlorn with, “Oh, it’s some kind of stupid rule / that you can’t ignore / oh, it’s some kind of natural fact / sometimes you’re just left to be alone,” before a chorus celebrates that old-fashioned, Amsterdam ennui.

If there’s any fault with “Amsterdam”, it’s the song’s novelty. PB&J’s strongest suite is it’s ability to catch the listener unaware, but it goes without saying that the listener can only be caught unaware so many times. Let’s just say that you’re not going to scratch the vinyl off your “Amsterdam” 7-inch but, in the end, it’s for the better, because each time you feel like pulling it out of its sleeve and lay the needle down, it will sound as crisp and inventive as it did the first time.

Download:
Peter Bjorn & John - Amsterdam

- Dominick Duhamel -

Tags: Peter Bjorn John, Amsterdam, Writer's Block, mp3

Happy Thanksgiving

Unfortunately, our Thanksgiving did not involve writing articles for the blog, so check back Monday for cool new shit. Until then, enjoy a bombass acoustic set from TV on the Radio, courtesty of the folks at AOL. Hope you all had a great holiday.

Album Review: Jay-Z (Part 2)

“Kingdom Come”
Roc-a-Fella/Def Jam; 2006
4.5/10

To counter the unspecific nature of Part 1, we’re taking “Kingdom Come” and combing it over track by track:

1. The Prelude (prod. B-Money)
This track could’ve actually acted as a decent warm up to a better album, but in this case all it really does is toy with our hopes. The beat is all smooth strings and spaghetti bass groove. Jigga even lays down some decent verses, spitting at the end, “I used think rappin’ at 38 was ill / but last year alone I grossed 38 mill / I know I ain’t quite 38, but still / the flow’s so special, got a .38 feel.”

2. Oh My God (prod. Just Blaze) [Download]
One of the album’s better tracks. Uses the verse beat a bit too much as a crutch in light of uninteresting chorus breaks, but Jay-Z keeps up well enough. It could’ve been shorter.

3. Kingdom Come (prod. Just Blaze) [Download]
At this point in the album, you’re thinking it’s actually pretty good. “Kingdom Come” is actually pretty bangin’; the beat is a little cheesy 80’s at points, but for the most part its energy makes up for it. Jay-Z’s “I’m CEO and goin’ God” verses aren’t standout, but he never falters. It’s also got a decent chorus of “I will be king of New York / I will be New York / not only NYC, I’m hip-hop’s savior / so after this flow you might owe me a favor.” An apt title track, I’d say.

4. Show Me What You Got (prod. Just Blaze)
And so the downhill slope begins. The beat’s got interesting moments for sure, but a lot of it feels cut-and-paste and the drums are overly ambitious and rob the song of momentum. There are a couple hot moments in Jigga’s verses, especially the “Mike Jordan of recording” part, but most of it’s sub-par. Unfortunately, the chorus gets annoying pretty quick (as does the Public Enemy sample), unless you’re interested in how many different ways there are to refer to a pretty girl. Which I’m not.

5. Lost Ones (feat. Chrissette Michelle, prod. Dr. Dre)
Oh god, a ballad. Boring piano. Boring flow. Michelle’s chorus is cute enough, I guess, but it just feels out of place. The message is okay.

6. Do U Wanna Ride (feat. John Legend, prod. Kanye West) [Download]
This song is five and a half minutes long. Four of which consists of John Legend singing the same thing over and over. I know he’s got a warm, classic voice, but it’s a bit much. Jigga’s verses aren’t bad either and by the end, you wish it’d been a little more Hov, a little less John Legend. But it’s all part of the power play: you gotta let the listeners know that Legend is working for you. And what better way than making him sing way more than necessary?

7. 30 Something (prod. Dr. Dre)
Sounds like he stole the beat from Justin Timberlake. Sounds like he’s recycling rhymes. Sounds like he’s rapping “30’s the new 20” and forgetting that he’s actually 37. And 37’s clearly not the new 27, since 27-year-old Hov would be beating the shit out of whatever Hov is rappin’ on this song.

8. I Made It (prod. DJ Khalil)
It’s a touching tribute to Jay’s momma, but the vintage porn beat just makes it uncomfortable. And other than tear-jerking words, Jigga’s role is totally forgettable.

9. Anything (feat. Usher & Pharrell, prod. The Neptunes)
Usher (feat. Jay-Z & Pharrell). That’s all I need to say, really. Or better yet, Akon (feat. Jay-Z & Pharrell). The kid’s doing his best to rip off Usher anyway.

10. Hollywood (feat. Beyoncé, prod. Scyience)
We’re all very happy that Jay-Z and Beyoncé are able to overcome their past and work together, but we’d be happier if the track was a little better. Beyoncé sounds perfect, as usual, and pretty much steals the song from her ex. Maybe she’s finally learned to keep her friends close and her enemies closer. The few seconds Jay gets in the spotlight are halfway decent, but the beat and spotlight are both Beyoncé’s.

11. Trouble (prod. Dr. Dre)
Come on Dre, what is this Friday-night-out-clubbing bullshit? If Jigga gets on a club’s playlist, it’s not because he’s tailored for it, but because he’s good enough to make resistance totally futile. Sounds like Alice Deejay masturbating on three decks of gold-plated synths. Which, obviously, makes it hard to focus in Jay’s verses. And that wouldn’t be so bad if Jay’s verses weren’t some of the best on the album.

12. Dig A Hole (feat. Sterling Simms, prod. Swiss Beatz)
Jay’s imported Swiss Beat is as amateur as his production gets. And, as far as I’m concerned, Sterling Simms can go fuck himself. The chorus is ridiculous, and the verses aren’t much of a break, seeing as Jay never gets any sort of momentum going. Quite possibly the worst track on the album.

13. Minority Report (feat. Ne-Yo, prod. Dr. Dre)
This track’s probably the most memorable on the album, if only because of the emotional immediacy and the ménage of devastating Katrina clips (including, thankfully, Kanye’s “George Bush doesn’t care about black people”). It’s not hokey enough to be considered a ballad, but the beat is still delicate and sad, consisting of little more than a drum track, a strummed guitar, and quiet synths. Still, it’s lacking musically, but at present it’s an important song and, for that, Jay should be applauded.

14. Beach Chair (feat. Chris Martin, prod. Chris Martin)
It makes me sick, thinking of alt rock’s lamb and hip-hop’s lion shaking hands, chatting in the studio, sharing Starbuck’s and chatting about the clothes they wear and the lives of mainstream music celebrities. The beat’s not half bad, but the idea of Mr. Nice Guy doing some work for a rapper with “street cred” totally annihilates anything that could have been. Martin’s choruses are as generic as any of his work with Coldplay, all falsetto and lackluster absurdity. This, as the album’s last song, is Jay-Z’s sorry statement, trying to persuade us that he deserves our respect because he’s working with Chris Martin, but really just making us want Chris Martin was dead and wish Jay-Z wasn’t so concerned with being a legend that he’s willing to give up everything that made him what he is today to convince us.

- Dominick Duhamel -

Tags: Jay-Z, Kingdom Come, Beyoncé, John Legend, mp3

Album Review: Jay-Z (Part 1)

“Kingdom Come”
Roc-a-Fella/Def Jam; 2006
4.5/10

There’s something that was written in the New York Times (that was later reiterated in a Cokemachineglow track review) that was so spot-on I couldn’t resist repeating it here. It’s the dichotomy between rappers Jay-Z and Diddy. Up until this year their differences were crystal clear; Jay-Z was the one with the mad flow and three of the best hip-hop albums of all time to his credit and Diddy was the one who discovered Biggie Smalls and started his own line of clothing. But what NY Times writer Kelefa Sanneh asserts is that, in light of their new albums, their role is reversed: Jay-Z is looking to transcend his “god of rap” label and establish himself as an entrepreneur and Diddy is doing his best to “rap” instead of make money.

Once you’ve realized the truth of these words, “Kingdom Come” suddenly becomes this strange, paradoxical entity. We all knew Hova wouldn’t be “retired” for long; judging by some of the rhymes on “The Black Album” and various cameos since then, it was nothing if not logical that Jay would be back soon enough. And, as was also to be expected, the album is full of Jay-Z’s “check me out I’m the motherfucking Genghis Khan of hip-hop’s Mongolia” verses, constantly reasserting his own status as a legend, a rags-to-riches-through-rap story that’s impressive, to be sure, but nothing we haven’t heard before.

And that’s where our expectations stop being met. For some who once spit “there’s never been a nigga this good for this long”, it’s hard to believe what his flow’s been reduced to. “Kingdom Come” is riddled with forced and stale rhymes; they’re choppy and unfocused, never getting enough momentum to do anything but build anticipation for a payoff that never actually arrives. I’m not going to pretend like it’s all bad, because it’s not; there’s moments where the old Jay shines through, busting some fresh material on “Do U Wanna Ride” and “Trouble”. But even then, if those verses were on “The Blueprint”, they would be the low points.

As Jay showed us on “The Black Album”, if we can’t depend fully on his flow, we can depend on his beats. If Hov can do anything, he can recruit a shitload of A-list producers that’ll lay out a potluck of smooth samples and fresh rhythms, and “Kingdom Come” is no exception: we got Just Blaze, Dre, The Neptunes, Kanye West, Chris Martin (WTF??!!), Swiss Beatz, blah blah blah, but it’s just what it should be. It’s not that it’s weak, it’s just entirely forgettable. “Show Me What You Got” sounds good for the first couple spins, but after that it starts to sound hackneyed and convoluted. “Anything” and “Hollywood” sound quite simply like they should not be on a rap album; they’d fit better on a r&b album. And then there’s the downright wankery of Mr. Martin’s track, all reverbed and epic but so flaccid and uninspired that you wonder who let him in the studio in the first place. That sonofabitch needs to be choked.

Oh, and we musn’t forget about the ten million guests on “Kingdom Come”: Chrisette Michelle, John Legend, Usher, Pharrell, Beyonce, Sterling Simms, Ne-Yo, Chris Martin… and here’s where the NY Times thing really clicks: half these people should not be on a hip-hop album, least of all a Jay-Z album. It’s a power play is what it is; it’s Hova saying, “Hey, check out all the famous people I can get on the album, all the famous producers I can get in the studio, and all the things I’ve accomplished.” And yeah, it’s impressive. But all that is impressive without listening to the album; it’s independent from “Kingdom Come” entirely. No one doubts Jay’s pull. If he told us he could get John Legend in the studio, we would’ve believed him. But all the actual material on “Kingdom Come”, for the first time, makes us question if he really deserves all those people giving him props. His past says he does deserve it, but the new album says otherwise. It says he’s become someone capable of consolidating musicians and producers and styles and time periods into one album, but someone incapable of delivering the goods himself. It’s self-parody, going from “these famous people respect me for what I’ve accomplished” to “I’m accomplished because these famous people work with me”. And it’s not convincing. Good for Jay, he’s got high-class friends, but he needs to be more than just the company he keeps.

“Kingdom Come” is Jay-Z the entrepreneur extolling the virtues of Jay-Z the 32-year-old and inadvertently lamenting the downhill slope of Jay-Z the rapper. And, to be honest, I miss the days Shawn Carter rapped that he was the best and I listened because he was right. Young Hov, rest in peace. Old Hov, maybe give Bruce Willis a call. I hear he and Diddy had a falling out.

Since the album is not being released until tomorrow, we’re not going to post free tracks for download until Wednesday, during the second part of our “Kingdom Come” review. Until then, you can check out the video for “Show Me What You Got” right here.

- Dominick Duhamel -

Tags: Jay-Z, Kingdom Come, Hov, Diddy, mp3

Live: The Velvet Teen 11/9/06

I can’t say enough good things about The Velvet Teen. After losing the very awesome and very talented Logan Whitehurst on the drums, they picked up the amazing Casey Deitz. Not only that, but the Judah Nagler’s vocals and Josh Staples bass playing have continued to improve and grow more solid with each record. And to top it off, they have made one of the best albums of the year, “Cum Laude”.

Too bad they were not headlining the El Rey last Friday night. Instead, Minus the Bear was headlining while The Velvet Teen and two other group all took turns opening. That didn’t spoil my fun though—in fact, I knew that this may have been the perfect opportunity to see them. With them opening, that meant the guys were probably going to focus pretty much all of their set promoting the new album. How cool is that?

And promote the new album they did. Judah, Casey, and Josh came on stage and opened strong with “333,” the opening track of Cum Laude. At this point I started to realize and wonder exactly how Casey would play all his drum parts to these songs. On the album, it all sounds pretty stream-of-conscious, thus making it a very difficult challenge to re-create it note for note or even something fairly close. Instead, Casey just played his normal free-form style while just trying to keep the main ideas of the rhythms and accents similar. The result is pretty neat, since you kind of end up with your own little unique version of the song.

The band then continued right on playing through their new album with “Flicking Clint.” Instead of that brilliant little syncopated snare/hi-hat fill before the bass enters in, Casey opted for a triplet-figure over the whole drumset. Still very cool, but I still think that snare fill is exactly what’s needed. Then, on this song another thing came to mind. Though Judah’s vocals were already being slightly distorted, it felt like something was still missing. It turns out it was a megaphone, as Judah pulled one out during the song and began to sing and yell into it pointed at the mic. Not only did it just look so incredibly bad ass, but it sounded awesome as well.

In the middle of the set, the guys decided to throw in a little song from the past to mix things up a bit. They chose to play “Caspian Can Wait” from their first full length, “Out of the Fierce Parade”. It was pretty interesting to see them perform the song, mostly because Casey didn’t help make this song. In the back of my mind, I was kind of hoping Casey would turn the song up-side down with his drumming, throwing in crazy rhythms and syncopated figures. He instead chose the wiser path, not straying too far from Logan Whitehurst’s original idea. It was great to hear them play the song nonetheless, as it was one of my favorites from that particular album, and they performed it very well.

After that little diversion, they continued running through most of their new album, all the while keeping up all the energy and intensity. By the third or fourth song, I could already hear people around me say, “Wow, these guys are pretty sweet,” or “The drummer is amazing.” Even with the lack of heavy-guitar usage and completely out of left field drumming, they were clicking with the crowd.

To end it all, what better song to play then “Gyzmkid”? The final chorus of the song was easily the high point of the entire night, as the band just nailed everything. Vocals, drums, and bass; everything was just right on and in key. Not only that, but I finally answered a near 7-month old question of how Casey plays that verse drum riff. On the album, it sounds like a lot of double-bass, but it turns out it’s a mix of the bass drum and floor tom. It still looks very hard to play. And after Casey had already beat his way through the majority of the album, he looked physically drained midway through the final song. But it didn’t stop him or the others from rocking out as hard as they could in the end.

Needless to say, I really should’ve just left the El Rey after The Velvet Teen was over. Though Minus the Bear were the headliners, a lot of factors ruined their performance for me. Their set was plagued with a bad mixing job, weak-sounding instruments, and out-of-tune vocals here and there. Not only that, but their energy on stage could not even compare to energy The Velvet Teen brought. The Velvet Teen might be a small three-piece band, but they have the energy of a big five-piece group. And they also have an amazing album out; get it now if you haven’t already.

Setlist:
1. 333
2. Flicking Clint
3. Tokyoto
4. Noi Boi
5. Caspian Can Wait
6. Building a Whale
7. Spin the Wink
8. Gyzmkid

Download:
The Velvet Teen - 333
The Velvet Teen - Caspian Can Wait
The Velvet Teen - Spin the Wink

- John Higgins -

Tags: Velvet Teen, Cum Laude, El Rey, Minus the Bear, mp3

Live: The Hold Steady 11/12/06

For your viewing pleasure, a photo montage:


The Hold Steady playing an acoustic live set outisde Lou’s Records in Encinitas, CA on an overcast afternoon.




ACCORDIAN IN & ALL OVER YOUR FACE.


Craig Finn and beer: like peanut butter and jelly, only with some rock ‘n roll involved. Actually, alot of rock 'n roll.




“Gonna walk around and drink some more, gonna walk around and drink some more, gonna walk around and drink.”

- Dominick Duhamel -

Tags: Hold Steady, Boys and Girls In America, Lou's Records, mp3

Taking A Day Off (Again)

Sorry, we've got nothing written and no time to write something new, so we're taking the day off. We suck, we know. Check back on Wednesday for some live Hold Steady photos. Peace and love.

Track Reviews: The Good the Bad & the Queen, Grinderman, The Blow

In keeping with the “almost end-of-the-year track reviews of bands we haven’t covered yet but probably should because they are either good, bad, or disappointing or what not humdinger roundup fun time (phew)”, here’s some more.

1. The Good the Bad & the Queen – Herculean [Listen]
Ahhh, how refreshing, a “supergroup” (barf) of sorts that doesn’t reek of total bullshit. Comprised of Damon Albarn, Paul Simonon, Simon Tong, and Tony Allen, the band’s first single, “Herculean”, sounds not unlike Damon’s cartoon hip-hop day job the Gorillaz with the legendary Africa 70 drummer Tony Allen keeping the beat instead of some giant monkey thing. I was never a big Blur fan, though I am starting to come around, but damn it if Mr. Albarn doesn’t know his way around a gorgeous pop song. He’s still able to keep lines like, “It’s bigger than you and the welfare state / and we’ll keep singing, it’s not too late / for you,” from sounding forced or preachy, even if it’s been quite some time since he’s thought much about welfare. It’s his megaphone vocals paired with a litany of background strings and various oohs and ahhs that prevent the song from sounding anything like antiquated rockers trying to keep up. Instead the band sounds like Brit Pop frontrunners at the top of their game. Each of the players sounds enlivened by the new surroundings and, if this song is any indication of what the rest of the album is like, then TGTBATQ is a debut worth waiting for. The rest of the single leaves something to be desired, but most of that is due to the fact that they lack the vocal stylings of Mr. Blur himself. This review might be a bit undependable due to the fact that I have temporarily misplaced my copy of the band’s already out-of-print first single and have resorted to watching a blurry YouTube video on repeat, but fuck it. If the album version is substantially different I’ll buy you all sodas. (Idiot Note: you can actually stream the song off the band’s website. A detective, I am not.) 7.5/10

2. Grinderman – No Pussy Blues [Listen]
Nick Cave is my favorite musical artist of all time. Sorry Johnny Cash. My apologies Ray Charles, but it’s the truth. There. It’s been said. He could record himself kicking babies in a nursery and I’d probably give it at least a 7. So in all fairness (and in even more laziness) I’m not even going to attempt a review. It’s Nick Cave singing about sex, masturbation, violence and how he’s not getting any. Come on. 8/10

3. The Blow – True Affection [Download]
My favorite song off The Blow’s most recent album, “Paper Television”, has changed at least 4 times since I purchased the little devil. At first it was the obvious choice, “Parenthesis”, with all its “Boyfriends Back” aping and too-cute-for-its-own-good chorus (“When you’re holding me / we make a pair of parenthesis.”) Then I moved on to the snare rattling of “The Long List of Girls”, but the title simply became too awkward to sing along with when my car windows are down, which they often are. After a brief stop at “Babay,” I’ve finally settled on “True Affection,” and I feel like this one is sticking. No promises. Based on the fact that fans convinced the band to stream “True Affection” from their website over the rest of the album, at least I know I’m in good company. I’ve even gone as far as convincing other people that their favorite song off the album isn’t what they think it is and is, in fact, “True Affection.” Basically, I’m a fan. The finger snap percussion alone makes the song worth mentioning, but the lyrics are what make it remarkable. Lines like, “You'd surface face first and we'd share our thought bubbles / and I still believe in the phrases that we breathed” have a way of reaffirming your trust in not only pop music, but in humanity. “True Affection” is a track that you fall asleep to, hoping that its essence somehow finds its way into your head and takes up residence there. The real lynchpin of the song rests in its second verse, which I will now painstakingly copy, and paste in its entirety. “Your depths made a pressure / that punctured my works / and all your fluids couldn't tolerate / the force of my thirst / I love the place where / we shared our tiny grace / but because it's real doesn't mean it's gonna work.” The juxtaposition of such unhinged passion and stubborn fear is what raises this song from pretty to poignant. Maybe it’s due to the fact that the song speaks directly to a personal situation I’m involved with that makes me consider it so moving, or maybe it is truly that good. Whatever the case, this is the rare kind of song that has the ability to brighten up a fairly dreary autumn and warm you through winter. Ridiculous? Yes. But it’s late, and that’s what you’re getting. 9/10

- Matt Lindsay -

Related Tags: Good the Bad and the Queen, Grinderman, The Blow, mp3

Track Reviews: Asobi Seksu, Beach House, Horse Feathers

As we’ve hit November and the year is starting to wind down, I wanted to give props to some great artists that haven’t gotten attention from Paper Stereo yet by reviewing some of their more representative tracks. I’ll probably most a couple more of these multiple track reviews before the year is over, so keep an eye open.

1. Asobi Seksu – Exotic Animal Parade [Download]
I wouldn’t say this is the best track on Asobi Seksu’s new album, “Citrus” (that would have to go to “Nefi+Girly”), but I would say it’s the most telling of the band’s real potential. The first half is (quality, if not a little standard) sugar-coated, down-tempo pop with sluggish, atmospheric breakdowns, but its true purpose is to lull you into a false sense of security. Frontwoman Yuki Chikudate keeps you dreaming peacefully in your bed before totally blowing you up at the 2:43 mark, at which musical ridiculousness is taken to another level. The band mushroom clouds into a wailing, reverberated cacophony that’s mixed to absolute perfection and momentous enough to demand your full, unadulterated attention. Think My Bloody Valentine with sleeker pop production. And then think, “Ho. Lee. Shit.” 8/10

2. Beach House – Apple Orchard [Download]
This Baltimore-based duo’s choice of a band name is really spot-on. Beach House makes music that, though it probably doesn’t need mentioning, belongs in a spacious old house whose back porch is met on all sides by sand and ocean tides; a monument to a quiet and careless lifestyle. “Apple Orchard”, my personal favorite track from Beach House’s self-titled debut, conveys that image with a wash of synths, lazy guitar lines, and vocal melodies that stretch out across the song like sand along the shoreline. The syrupy atmosphere is almost as irresistible as the chorus: “Let’s lie down for awhile / lay your head in the arms / old-fashioned.” It’s simple, to be sure, but, combined with the expressive background and subtle melodies, it’s nothing if not totally convincing. “Apple Orchards” is coming home and feeling like you never left; it’s forgetting that anything other than staring at the clouds ever mattered; it’s knowing that the world interacts with you as much as you interact with the world, if only you let it. 8.5/10

3. Horse Feathers – Falling Through the Roof [Download]
This year hasn’t been a great one for folk or any of its immediate cousins (psych folk, neo-folk… you get the idea), but Horse Feathers has delivered “Words Are Dead,” a solid album of gorgeous, southern tunes that deserve recognition. The song begins with simple guitar and violin interplay in 3/4 with dreamy, reserved vocals; halfway through, however, the band transitions into a tighter, 4/4 groove grounded in staccatoed cello notes and violin accompaniment. Justin Ringle’s vocals open up as he sings “Maybe / you will bruise / as you fall right through this roof / again was once”. This song belongs in a wood cabin, and its listeners belong by the fire, warming their cheeks before breaking into wine-inspired interpretive dances. This is the kind of affecting, back-country folk we haven’t heard since Iron & Wine’s “Our Endless Numbered Days”—and though it may not quite compare, “Falling Through the Roof” still provides a rustic, well-crafted roof to protect us from the cold in the coming winter months. Come on in, it’s warm inside. 7.5/10

- Dominick Duhamel -

Related Tags: Asobi Seksu, Beach House, Horse Feathers, mp3

Album Review: Subtle

“For Hero: For Fool”
Astralwerks; 2006
9/10

So how can you possibly tell whether or not she has really listened to “For Hero: For Fool”? After all, since all women react differently to Subtle (just as men do), how can you tell whether she saw the heavens or was simply attempting to feed Doseone’s ego?

Well, there are plenty of ways in which to determine that your Subtle partner has reached the acme of Subtle pleasure. Whereas some women make it quite obvious that they're listening to “For Hero: For Fool”, other women are quiet as a mouse and expect you to know that they're satisfied.

Some women have no problem being vocal and voicing what they want Subtle to do. They scream, dig their nails into Doseone’s back (or the bed as the case may be), pull Doseone’s hair, cry, and in extreme situations, they black out for a moment.

Squeeze Those Muscles
Are you feeling her Subtle muscles contract? Well then, more likely than not, your partner is reaching her climactic level in the Subtle department. If she begins squeezing and then releasing her Subtle muscles, it's because Doseone is hitting that spot that she loves so much… so keep listening to it!

Another way to be sure is to wait until you feel her get extremely wet. Squeezing the muscles may mean she's about to listen to “For Hero: For Fool”, but unless you continue to listen to “For Hero: For Fool”, she may not reach that climactic finale she wants so desperately to attain. If she begins to juice, well then Doseone, we have a winner!

The love for Subtle may or may not "flow out". A small percentage of women, while listening to “For Hero: For Fool”, will experience what is called Subtle ejaculation. During Subtle ejaculation, love for Subtle is expelled from the urethra. This love for Subtle is not to be mistaken for urine because it is made from a different substance.

The majority of women, however, will not experience this. They will merely experience an increase in love for Subtle, which can still be just as intense for them. But every man can hope for a Subtle ejaculator!

Moan or Groan?
If you're blessed enough to have a vocal woman for a Subtle partner, then welcome to the wonderful world of prediction. This technique is simple in determining whether your lady is really listening to “For Hero: For Fool” or if she's simply acting like an interested Subtle fan for the sake of the situation.

If her moaning is constant and periodic, as though she's making noise mechanically (“ooh, yeah, ooh, yeah, ooh, ooh, yeah, yeah”—you get the picture), then it's quite likely that she's putting on a performance. Whether she's faking it to get it over with or because she doesn't want to hurt Doseone’s feelings, some women think that it's necessary to act as though they're listening to “For Hero: For Fool”. Go figure.

The rest of us, however, have no qualm about letting out distinct sounds while listening to “For Hero: For Fool”. If your friend moans as though she's disoriented or bewildered, then it's my belief that love for Subtle is on its way to the surface.

If she begins to grasp at things, or screams and shouts that she wants it harder, faster and that Doseone shouldn't stop, then take heed and do as she says. Who knows, perhaps her excitement will make you listen to “For Hero: For Fool” also, thus killing two birds with one stone!

Rider beware: there exist the "conniving Subtle listeners" that are so convincing, you'll probably never know that they're fooling you. In any case, enjoy the ride because if she's so adamant about lying, it's not Doseone’s fault.

If You Don’t Get to Know, You’ll Never Know
Gentlemen, you have to realize that if you constantly engage in one-night-Subtle-listening-parties, it's likely that you'll rarely figure out whether or not your woman of the hour is listening to “For Hero: For Fool” or not. The best way to get to know what women want is by having either long-term Subtle listening sessions or constant casual Subtle listening sessions with a “friend”.

Of course I'm not implying that all women are the same; au-contraire, they're individual beings with differing wants and needs. But by spending some time in a relationship, you can learn about and understand a woman's need for Subtle. You can figure out what is pleasurable and what is undesirable.

As a wise woman once told me, "It's better to have listened to ‘For Hero: For Fool’ with one person a million times than a million people one time."

Download:
Subtle - Middleclass Kill
Subtle - Midas Gutz
Subtle - Return of the Vein

- Vanessa Burton (with liberties taken by Dominick Duhamel) -

Tags: Subtle, Doseone, For Hero: For Fool, Anticon, mp3

Track Reviews: Peaches, Bonnie Billy, Califone

Check out these recently released covers/remixes, and dig them. Pretend these are a counterpoint to John’s “Nightmare Before Christmas” reviews, if only because these songs are good and those songs are not (except for Fiona Apple's, and that's because she is a goddess).

1. Peaches – Boys Wanna Be Her (Flaming Lips Remix) [Download]
Peaches songs are always too long. I dig that she’s edgy and crude, and, in her better moments, the instrumentation is fantastically gritty and in-your-face, but I’ve always felt that her songs would benefit by being shorter. So I was happy to see that the Flaming Lips lopped over forty seconds off of “Boys Wanna Be Her”, and, in that shorter amount of time, use varied, textured production to makes your average Peaches song new and interesting. The gritty bass is still there, but the massive electronic drum beat and synth work in the background bring a sense of dynamics to the song that the original is lacking. This kind of new angle to Peaches’ music is just what she needs to stay exciting and evade the slippery slope of gimmickry; hopefully, the producer of her next album will take a cue from the Flaming Lips. 7/10

2. Bonnie “Prince” Billy – Goodbye Old Stepstone [Download]
Will Oldham recorded this version of “Goodbye Old Stepstone”, based on folk legend Bascomb Lamar Lunsford’s version, at his Daytrotter Session. He’s clearly in his element; the somber lyrics and simple acoustic guitar could have fit anywhere on 2003’s “Master and Everyone”, and actually outdoes much of the more folksy tracks in his back catalogue. “Goodbye Old Stepstone” provides a very clear way to link Oldham’s own material to the old-time country and folk he’s influenced by; when listening to the track, it’s easy to see that his arrangements and lyrics share much in common with traditional songs. It’s Oldham stripped down to his most basic elements, a tribute to his own raw talent as well as that of the many artists that came before him. 7.5/10

3. Califone – The Orchids [Download]
Strange that the standout track on Califone’s new album, “Roots and Crowns”, should be a cover. But unless you were familiar with Pyschic TV or someone told you ahead of time, you could never tell—Califone does a phenomenal job making “The Orchids” its own. Tim Rutili’s vocals blend perfectly with the simple, descending guitar riff, and the subtle, experimental breaks between verses blend in seamlessly. And then there’s the sublime, heartfelt chorus—“And in the morning after night / I fell in the love with the light.” In Califone’s hands, the track is warm, inviting, and something you should not miss out on. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. 8.5/10

- Dominick Duhamel -

Tags: Peaches, Flaming Lips, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Califone, mp3

Album Review: The Mars Volta

"Amputechture"
GSL/Universal; 2006
3/10

The Mars Volta attacked with urine! Bixler-Zavala threatens offender!



But I think that after releasing something like "Amputechture", they should've expected it. In fact, they almost deserve it. Almost. Remember when the Mars Volta were good? Yeah, I do too.

- Dominick Duhamel -

Tags: Mars Volta, Amputechture, Urine, mp3