wavelength


	January 2004
	AFTER THE TROOPS LEAVE After the Troops Leave www.afterthetroopsleave.com Dudes, I don’t have a review for this bad boy. Every time I put it on it’s like, Oh, they sound like a cross between Pink Floyd and Godspeed You Bla — zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. They do sing in other languages? Um. Yeah, I guess I’m saying it totally sucks and now they’ll read this and send some angry letter, but at least this time (judging by their song titles and liner notes) it’ll be an articulate angry letter. You know who I’m talking about. – BotP File next to: Political but who the fuck really cares? The new R.E.M album is political.
	ARKITEKCHUR Should or The Drawing Boarded Colour Target Future Theater Wars(s) tbtmo, www.tbtmo.com "You're not paying attention," states Mr. Joseph Lisiandro in the booklet of this abstract and compelling work of non-fiction. He is right. Politics and music have become separate of late, and Joseph seems very passionate about a new dialectic for the 21st Century. The music, imagery and prose are inseparable and the disc (both physically and acoustically) mashes abstract poetry, graphic photographs of war casualties both in the USA and the Middle East, and an excerpt from the frightening Project for the New American Century; a U.S. right wing manifesto of alarming proportions. Wake up. Get this record. – MD File next to: Some protesters, healthy paranoia, The Orb.
	MATTHEW BARBER Means And Ends (Paper Bag, www.paperbagrecords.com) It’s tough to pan a local. It's like putting down your own team. So I won't. Instead, I'll direct you over to the newest Two-Minute Miracles or Jack Breakfast albums and we'll all have a party. Anyway, Matthew released Means And Ends like nine months ago so hopefully he's so "over it" by now. — JB File next to: Mel's moose, Toronto Life Magazine, Luba Goy and every other misdirected Torontonian attempt at world-classism.
	BROKEN TREE FORT Klanks on Parade (Robin Hood, www.angelfire.com/hi/robinhoodtapes) More home recordings from Mark Roberts, who’s been recording since his early teens. For this demo, he’s backed with a full band (either that or he plays the instruments on all tracks for each song) to create an ultra lo-fi production of disenchanted fuzzed-out, psych-rock songs about imaginary people. This CD is pretty amazing partly because of the murky sounding recording and partly because it takes a lot of influence from garage rock, psych-rock and sludged-out indie rock, with a heavy nod in Elevator’s direction. Mark’s also got a fascination with mentioning Klanks in almost every track — imaginary evil characters, apparently all his own made up mythology. He mixes this heavy sound with his own twee-mannered narrative on doctors and Klanks to create a really fantastic and unique demo. — KK File next to: Elevator, early Guided by Voices.
	NELLY FURTADO Folklore (www.nellyfurtado.com) Hey, did you guys hear that new record by the government? I think they’re getting better. Way to go, Federal Government! — BOTP feat. CH File next to: Your tax dollars at work.
	THE GAY You Know the Rules (Mint, www.mintrecs.com) Gay: adj. Showing or characterized by cheerfulness and lighthearted excitement; merry. Bright or lively, especially in colour: a gay, sunny room. Never before has a band so perfectly fit their chosen moniker. Vancouver’s The Gay sound, well, gay. From the opening accordion riffs of “Opulent Canine,” one is immediately struck by the joyful and simplistic nature of The Gay’s music. The sunny pop sounds of You Know the Rules are aided by the skilled knob twirlery of New Pornographer Kurt Dahle, who succeeds in capturing the inspired charm of The Gay on tape. With a clever wit penetrating every song on this album, one cannot help but take all of the band’s music with a grain of salt. That, plus drummer Keith Parry has one of those moustaches that connects to his sideburns. The wonderful tongue-in-cheek/over-the-top pop of this album is perfectly suited for listening in a gay, sunny room. — SS File next to: The New Pornographers, The Salteens.
	JIM GUTHRIE Now, More Than Ever (Three Gut, www.threegutrecords.com) In the past, Guthrie has recorded his songs with his Playstation, but replaced it with a full band for live shows. This changed some songs, like Morning Noon Night’s “Trouble,” dramatically. For this album, Guthrie went straight to the full band. The result is a sound more akin to his recent live performances with a fully orchestrated, epic sound. This is a progression up and to the right. It’s similar, but different and better. There’s no guitar-and-vocals-only tracks like MNN’s “3am,” but NMTE has “The Evangelist,” which echo’s the same stargazer melancholy. Notes are perfectly placed and Guthrie’s trademark whimsy, like playing to a backdrop of rain and sirens, peppers each track without ever dominating or becoming ugly. It may take a few listens to mourn the loss of the Playstation, but then you’ll realize that yes, this is still Jim Guthrie doing the Jim Guthrie thing, and goddam, it’s fucking good. — RM File next to: 44 minutes and 14 seconds in heaven.
	HER SPACE HOLIDAY Young Machines (Wichita, www.wichita-recordings.com) This record is poison. Normally, I don’t listen to the lyrics of albums too closely — who cares if the lyrics to Notwist songs are terrible, they’re German, they’re trying hard and the songs sound great. But in the case of Her Space Holiday, the lyrics are so unavoidably bad and leave such a terrible stain in your ears that they cannot possibly be ignored. This record made me want to cut off my genitals, it made me want to say sorry to every girl I knew just for the fact that there are men like this who probably live in our neighbourhoods. This album filled me with revulsion and loathing that was so profound I had to take a bath. Take the song “Meet The Pressures,” wherein Mr. Her Space Holiday confronts his critics. Not only does he manage to demonstrate the extent to which he cannot at all cope with criticism, that he lacks any sense of largesse, self-doubt or even humility, he makes it obvious that he’s a complete man-infant. Check out his rhetorical thrust: “You are wrong for cutting up my records because I already know that I don’t sing in a beautiful voice and to say as much to me is like mocking the disabled. Also: I’m screwing your wife, she loves my songs and thinks I’m great.” The worst part of this whole display, especially when compared to its thematic predecessor, “Get in the Ring” by Guns N’ Roses, is that Axl Rose at least knew he hated women — this guy probably thinks he’s a feminist. If you want to hear about some kind of toxic infant’s relationship “problems” (but really, if you ask him, he doesn’t have any problems...they have problems) over top of sub-Postal Service beats, or if you’re the guy in the frat house who gets action through the whole “sensitive” act and you’re looking for pointers, this is really the record for you. If you are a human being who still has feelings and might feel love for someone (anyone) ever in your life or if you like real fun or hate hanging around with jerks this record is NOT for you. — 2C File next to: Motel magazine, all unpleasant experiences with art-jocks, feelings of dread and terrible.
	IRON & WINE The Sea & the Rhythm (Sub Pop, www.subpop.com) You know how when you’re a kid sometimes you would repeat the same word over and over until it became meaningless? Okay, so if somehow you manage that with a bunch of this record, then maybe the lyrics won’t poke you so brutishly. And now that words are just unloaded combinations of syllable and emphasis, holy shit, Iron & Wine is beautiful. Usually lines like “the milk from your breast is on my lips” can’t really slip by without a yikes face and a handful of relentless mockery, but something in this Crosby, Stills & Nash gone lo-fi indie (r)awkward makes the cut. Yes, it’s probably the banjo. But whatever — one shudder in return for an almost completely pretty and perfect folk-y disc seems like a fair trade to me. — SDT File next to: That psychological disorder where you can’t function because you’re too afraid of embarrassing other people that apparently only occurs in Japan, theories that homely men with beards are better than sexy dudes.
	ALICIA KEYS Diary of Alicia Keys(www.aliciakeys.net) OK, so Mary J. Blige replaced crappy R&B with new crappy R&B, Erykah Badu not only ruined Outkast by making Andre Benjamin spend two albums not getting over her (with a third one to come?) but also evolved into a musician making music that’s an exercise to listen to, Angie Stone is a little too Christian and only grownups without children like Macy Gray. You gotta listen to some R&B though — and that’s where this record is like a happy little amazing piano and ’70s style beacon (like where the spider’s gonna eat Frodo and he grabs that bottle and it lights up and scares the spider and Gollum’s all, “Eat the hobbitses”). A little O’Jays, a little Al Green, a little Isaac Hayes — I mean, just because it’s mainstream doesn’t mean it’s bad (see Nelly Furtado review). — BOTP File next to: It’s like Bolt Thrower but if the songs weren’t about futuristic war.
	LITTLE CLEVER I’m In Love With You (www.littleclever.com) If TNT had made the cultural waves that Nevermind had, there’d be a million bands like this instead of a million Puddle Of Mudds. Can you imagine? All the kids’d be urbane but whimsical, witty yet vague and sweet but adult. Knotty bass lines and fast, bop-rock drums would drive us crazy on Edge 102 every day, and I’d be saying, “If I hear one more band use that chopped up sound” — BOTP File next to: Utopian optimism; 1998 retro.
	METAXU Rumors Of War (No Type, www.notype.com) Metaxu is a new project by Filippo Paolini and Maurizio Martusciello. This Italian duo have made important political statements on their Rumors Of...War release. This album features tracks examining the thin line that exists between war and peace. Through their compositions it is evident that they have concerned themselves with pivotal moments of recent world history — especially the times when history itself seemed to end all at once. They examine chaos and violence through tones, loops, microtones, strangely composed drones and arranged keyboard lines. They examine the many tragedies of the world including those that have happened at Hiroshima, New York City and Sarajevo. These tracks are drenched with hints of darkness, pain and hope. The quietly interwoven clips of news and other spoken word statements scattered around the tracks makes it even more intense. As a whole, this CD is a relaxing yet challenging listen. The track titles are clearly pointing out the meanings behind the music, directing your attentions to events that we should be clearly remembering in the world. — AS File next to: Jeremy Boyle, Takagi Masakatsu, Tetsue Inoue and Donnachea Costello.
	MIND OF A SQUID Down Low (www.mindofasquid.com) Eric Culp's epic drone rock jam band releases their long awaited first release. The live shows have been amazing; a bombastic take on atmospheric music. On record, Mind of a Squid's compositions stand up, casually stringing together riff after cyclic riff. The band really shines on the more experimental pieces, especially "Seven Suns" and "The Bridge,” which ease gracefully in and out of electronic noise and tape loops. Hopefully future releases will see less straight forward production and greater compositional variety. An impressive debut. — JB File next to: Bethany Curve, Pink Floyd, Do Make Say Think.
	MOJAVE 3 Spoon and Rafter (4AD; mojave3online.com) Album number four for Mojave 3 is one of the most easy-going releases I’ve heard this year. Again, Neil Halstead brings his influences of pastoral British folk and American country music to the fore. Again, the beautiful voice of Rachel Goswell gets relegated to the background (her forthcoming solo album might up the ante). After a couple of repeated listens I felt totally stress-free. Sometimes you need albums like this, pure and simple. It just carries you along on its mellow wave haunted by pedal steel, piano and Theremin. Some of the melodies and harmonizing are truly heartbreaking in a beautiful way. The epic song-within-a-song “Bluebird of Happiness” is something you could listen to all day while gazing out on the range. A bit more orchestrated and refined than previous efforts but still seeming like more of the same. But if somethin’ ain’t broke you don’t fix it, right? — SV File next to: Nick Drake, Mercury Rev, softer Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci.
	THE PATIENTS Mary Claire La Flare (Permafrost, www.permafrostrecords.com) After sauntering through Toronto’s indie rock circuit for a few years, The Patients have recently been signed to Permafrost Records and have released their debut EP, Mary Claire La Flare. The album starts off with the title track, a melodic indie pop song. Stu Stout’s virile vocals are balanced by a female accompaniment. Trumpets wail and Ian Lane’s drumming keeps the track upbeat. Track two, “Gimme All Your Affection” is my favourite song on the EP. It shifts between lethargic guitar twangs and catchy, rolling crescendos. “We’re Gorgeous” pulls the listener into the saloon for swaying harmonies, slide guitar, a little piano, and a hint of Dylan in Stout’s singing. Maybe they aren’t really gorgeous, but the photos included in the album booklet show The Patients are kind of cute. At least, they can write some good rock songs. Mary Claire La Flare proves the five-piece is worth following. — SVA File next to: Pretty enough for rock’n’roll.
	THE RAPTURE Echoes (DFA; www.therapturemusic.com) Debut full-length from NYC’s disco-punk hybrids, arguably one of the most anticipated debuts of 2003 in the indie community is a mish mash of so many genres it’s hard to believe you’re not listening to a compilation. Are they punk? Are they funk? Are they house? Are they Depeche Mode!? Needless to say, the band manages to come through with a fairly decent debut after all, even if it does take six or seven listens through. It may grow on you. Sometimes I felt as though I was listening to previously unreleased Cure and Duran Duran tracks the band had somehow found and remixed. The Rapture has an identity crisis — with songs like “Heaven,” “The Coming of Spring” and “House of Jealous Lovers” there’s simply no need for these guys to spew out the old “new wave” sound. Stick to what you know and keep the heavy funk rock coming. They had us hooked with “Out of the Races,” all they had to do was reel us in. Maybe next time around. — RT File next to: who knows.
	RATSICULE Un Chaud Combo (www.ratsicule.com) This girl duo reminds me a bit of Thee Headcoatees — they write very cute pop songs and rock’n’roll tunes about underwear and pink Volvos. Its party music, but they make it interesting by varying their songs. On some tracks they distort their guitars and sing really cute lyrics, which makes them dead ringers for The Donnas. On other tracks, they sing over a keyboard and drum machine. They do a good job of making a fun album, and also model themselves as Brigitte Bardot’s younger sisters. This album is perfect for a girly primpfest or sleepover, if yr into that kind of thing. — KK File next to: Thee Headcoatees, The Donnas.
	SWAIN The Single (Imaginary Albums, www.imaginaryalbums.com) I always thought that part and parcel of appreciating a good piece of art is going out and paying for it. Imaginary Albums doesn’t agree. All their albums are available for download from www.imaginaryalbums.com. Can you believe it? Anyways. Swain is definitely worth the download. No processing or analog sampling here, just straight MIDI compositions. Digital glocks and horns get tiresome real quick, but the fascinating beats ripple and tinkle like 100 tiny Panasonic waterfalls. The later tracks are particularly potent, especially the guitar led “Hours Like Days” and the bubbly “Synapsis.” — JB File next to: Things that are cheap but nutritious, like $1 Saigon subs or The Learning Channel.
	T.E.A.M. Sparkle Rocks (www.teamrocks.tk) There’s something to be said for high school honesty. Over the course of this EP, Toronto’s T.E.A.M. offer up five reasons why you wish you could be this passionate about punk rock again. From the poppy vocal layering of “Sold Myself to the Corner” to the handclaps and discordant guitars of “Catty Girls For A Deserving Group of Boys,” Sparkle Rocks succeeds in making the most of mid-fi production, trading studio trickery for strong songwriting and unique vocal delivery. With an emphasis on sincerity over showy musicianship, T.E.A.M. are somewhat reminiscent of long-gone Vancouver punk/emo pioneers d.b.s., whose passion was the key ingredient to their musical success. With a similar attitude and a dedication to integrity and openness, T.E.A.M. have proven with Sparkle Rocks that they indeed can rock. And sparkle. — SS File next to: A better version of the punk rock band you started in the 11th grade, d.b.s.
	ROSIE THOMAS Only With Laughter Can You Win (Sub Pop, www.subpop.com) Sometimes things are way too pretty for their own good. This album is a case in point. Sure she sounds like Joni Mitchell a bit and that’s all good, but her songs don’t really seem to say anything nor change all that much in mood and structure from one to the next. There’s neither diversity nor depth that even a Sarah McLachlan might achieve. The first song seems the same as the tenth. This would appear to be Sub Pop’s strange attempt at catering to the aging indie rocker who would much rather tend to the roses, polish silver or hit the Pier One than rock out. It’s all niceties and Hallmark sugary and that’s the problem. It has no edge, no sarcasm, no humour and a dull earnestness that just makes me yawn. It’s all very gentle, sickeningly pleasant and ultimately forgettable. Skip it. — SV File next to: Kind of like Joni, not as good as Lori Carson; Sub Pop, what were you thinking?
	TINKERTOY Transatlantic Love Machine (Noise Factory, noisefactoryrecords.com) Real life everyday noises can be beautiful things when micro-sampled, experimented with and backed up by a hypnotic beat. This is something that Andrew Wedman and Paul Shrimpton know very well. On this EP release for Noise Factory, Tinkertoy have managed to add back in some naturalness by using real object sounds as their instruments, creating a varied and attractive tackle kit of ambient instrumentals and melodies. Their experiments yield some great atmospheres here that seem to ebb and flow in an interesting and continuous wash cycle. Much like a washing machine, we have circles of repeated sounds that can be hypnotic and trance-inducing. It seems that despite the distance, with Shrimpton being here and Wedman in Barcelona during this recording, they still manage to create an interesting hybrid, meticulously remixing each others’ samples like they were side by side. — SV File next to: Global communication, Matthew Herbert, dark nights at the robot factory.
	VARIOUS ARTISTS Active Suspension vs. Clapping Music (As Corpus/Chronowax; www.activesuspension.org, www.clappingmusic.com) It is sobering to realize that you have grown up to be not quite as smart as you were told you were when you were a child. For example, I was thrilled to discover this exciting new French band called Active Suspension vs. Clapping Music. What a great name, I thought. They had an incredibly diverse sound, from glitchy pop to Papa Mmm-good fingerpicky folk to ambient vocal chanting things. And since the record cover depicted 19 people, I pictured some mega-pancultural Parisian avant-garde music collective all living together in some beautiful old house filled with instruments and laptops. Upon further, less distracted investigation, it turns out it’s actually a compilation of tracks by such artists as Domotic, Hypo and the lovely Colleen. Yes, I might be an idiot, but the record is still awesome. — JD File next to: The perfect mix CD of obscurities your friend kindly gave you but neglected to include the track listing; the French are so hot this year.
	WINTERSLEEP Wintersleep (Dependent, www.dependentmusic.com) If thoughts of the prolonged, bleak, cold Canadian winter leave you reaching for a razor blade in the hope of ending your desperate, sad existence, Wintersleep have made just the record for you. These immensely talented Nova Scotians have created a record as desolate and miserable as their name implies, yet the beauty that seems to seep through the darkness of the 12 songs contained here is what keeps them listenable. Beyond listenable. The clever storytelling that occurs in the song “Snowstorm” showcases a band with a true gift for songwriting and narrative, while other tracks, such as the stellar “Avalanche,” demonstrate a very Pixies-esque sense of dynamic sensibility. Though at times they sound a little bit too much like b sides from the Everything That I Long For sessions, the songs on this album contain a subtle beauty that is only accentuated by the dark that surrounds them. — SS File next to: Hayden, seasonal depression.



	Reviewed by: Nora Charles (NC), Jonny Dovercourt (JD), Craig Fraid Dunsmuir (CFD), Paddy O'Donnell (PO'D), Doc Pickles (DP), Buddy of the Pines (BP), Steven Venn (SV). Send material for review to: Wavelength, 868 Dovercourt Rd. Toronto ON M6H 2X5, attn: Nora Charles. Please do our planet a favour and keep press clippings, glossy promotional folders, etc., to a minimum. Interested in writing reviews for Wavelength? Contact review editrix Nora Charles.