April 2004
THE MOUNTAIN GOATS
(self-released; jmoon00@hotmail.com)
Mr. Moon is so very not Toronto. He is slow and building, he is relaxed and unconcerned. He is unaware of what is buzzing around his head and his attention is focused inward on these precisely scattered notes. Not once does he scream or attempt to attract any attention — instead his melodies stick to their path, like a boy on a sidewalk counting beats and measuring time signatures on his fingers. The comparisons to Tortoise are undeniable — chiming electronics ring into full sounds before dissipating, it’s jazzy and all electronic/instrumental — but this is no TNT-aping post-rock mess. Intricate guitar parts loop and swell, breaking up the electro-drag with a hazy-thick heated moodiness. This has more of an attention-span than most of us could muster; a comfort and a relief in the midst of the hustle and bustle. — SDT
File next to: If we got married, my name would be Star Moon!
ALL NIGHT RADIO
Spirit Stereo Frequency (Sub Pop, www.subpop.com)
When I was given this I couldn’t get past the wicked-bad cover art. I mean, it is really pretty terrible. Two guys who like D&D playing stoners coasting on their own contrails to a grassy knoll outside of an electric blue city. I mean, wow. What’s that about? Not to mention the acid-fringed pen and ink drawings. But enough about that. This is great! Described to me as psych-country (and you don’t get better than that), this is more psychedelic pop, like Ween if they weren’t so silly sometimes, or a lost Elephant 6 band. The songs have that mellow early ’70s groove to them that makes me want to compare them to The Band, or maybe The Byrds, but it’s much more influenced by those bands’ psych contemporaries, as well as current bands (The Olivia Tremor Control and The Essex Green are good reference points). Awful cover art aside, I dig this greatly. — AG
File next to: All those records with the shitty, ugly-ass cover art. You know the ones I mean...
DEVENDRA BANHART
Rejoicing in the Hands (Young God, www.younggodrecords.com)
So magical, soo magical, sooo magical, soooo magical, sooooo magical, soooooo magical, sooooooo absolutely magical... — SW
File next to: The heavens and the cosmos.
BLONDE REDHEAD
Misery Is a Butterfly (4AD, www.4ad.com)
The once noisy rockers have refined their sound from release to release and have now emerged from their cocoon of cacophony, “butterfly-like,” as a deeply romanticized, stylish and moody band. This album has a beautiful and poetic quality that makes me want to listen to it over and over, uncovering its little hidden treasures with each listen. Amedeo Pace and Kazu Makino once again trade off vocal duties at the centre of these fairytale-like songs and they have never sounded better. Their new home on 4AD seems like a suitable stylistic fit for this release as well. This album is a lot more gauzy and sophisticated than previous works. Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons seems to have been the transitory period to arrive at this conclusion, a shadowy world where Goldfrapp arrangements meet Enon. Graceful and incredible. — SV
File next to: The City of Lost Children, indie rock by The Brothers Grimm, butterflies as metaphor.
ELLIOTT BROOD
March 19 @ C’est What (www.weewerk.com)
In the past, when a certain amount of hype is thrown at a band, it’s common knowledge to leave a good amount of room for disappointment. There are however, those fine exceptions, when expectations are exceeded, and this was one of them. Having only heard positive feedback when it came to Elliott Brood, I went into the show feeling pretty neutral. From the get-go, I was hooked. C’est What was set ablaze with song after song evoking the spirit of a young Bob Dylan while fusing it with all the great rockers alike. Who knew a banjo could take the lead so well, keeping time with thumping beats from the drums (the drummer uses a suitcase for a kick drum!) while the guitar seems to ebb and flow with such sweet conviction. This was not your normal three-piece band. This was something new all together. Call it death country, call it alt-country, call it metal country, call it what you will, because everything ends up being lumped into a category at some point. But no matter what you call it, just call it good. A band that is so musically equal in their talent for playing and their ability to write a brilliant song, Elliott Brood should be in your record collection, and on your list of “bands to see.” — RT
File next to: A stompin’ good time.
BURMESE
A Mere Shadow and Reminiscence of Humanity
(tUMULt, www.tumult.net)
Bringing the sludge metal and mixing it up with terrifying overdriven vocals and spliced-up tape manipulation, Burmese are planning to kick your ass bad. Screeching feedback that brings songs to a halt and the bass drum is pounding like crazy, and then there’s that voice, that crazy distorted growl, that does not really sound human in any way. This music would be fun if it weren’t so terrifying — but it is terrifying in the best way possible. Shrieking and amps cutting out into solid feedback, the drums are all toms, eight-minute songs dedicated to this, and implacable Japanese-styled artwork, with flowers, and borders, and snakes! This thing is worth it alone for the tape solo on “Broken Legs, Broken Face, Blood Everywhere,” but really, it is worth it for the violence, the total sludged-out shrieking violence that everyone wants every now and then. And this isn’t stoner rock, it’s just sludged-out and scary, and what better reason is there to love it? — AG
File next to: Sleep (the band), but also, losing sleep (quality rest).
DEERHOOF
Milk Man (5RC, www.5rc.com)
The artwork on this one creeps me out bad. What I assume is the Milk Man stands there, hooded, androgynous, with strawberries and bananas stabbed into his head and armpits. And it frightens me. And then — I put it on the stereo, and that fear is forgotten. While I was a little disappointed with Apple O`, this album’s predecessor, I have to say that Milk Man is a return to form. The band are learning how to use dynamics to their advantage again, and drummer whiz Greg Saunier goes easy on the skins this time around. The guitars shred shit to pieces, but above it all there are Satomi Matsuzaki’s melodic bass lines and childlike vocals. If there were justice, the title-track would be a hit single, the album would be topping charts, and the band would be receiving the praise they’ve deserved from the start. — AG
File next to: Yo we should have a hit single, wait we can’t have a hit single, shit...
THE ELECTED
Me First (Sub Pop, www.subpop.com)
A project of Rilo Kiley member Blake Sennett, this release sees his band-mate Jenny Lewis, Postal Service techno-pop whiz-kid Jimmy Tamborello and Saddle Creek producer Mike Mogis joining a cast of indie stars bringing their subtle touches to the table. The result is generally quite an interesting listen and quite beautiful in arrangement. Ultimately, I don’t see myself listening to this everyday although there are some nice Grandaddy meets rural Mercury Rev moments. “Release” seems like an indirect and stylistic love letter to Elliott Smith (indeed it was recorded in his studio on downtime and he is thanked first in the liner notes for his patronage). His spirit seems to permeate every song here as muse. An interesting mix of countrified-rock styling and harmonies pitted against delicate techno flourishes. — SV
File next to: Elliott Smith R.I.P., Bright Eyes, friends ‘round for acoustic guitar jams and ProTools tinkering.
ANDRE ETHIER
Andre Ethier With Christopher Sands feat. Pickles and Price (Sonic Unyon, www.sonicunyon.com)
The first time I listened to this, I didn’t really care one way or the other. The second time, I liked it a lot. The third time, it was great. Deadly Snakes front-man Andre Ethier provides here a collection of garage blues songs that are reminiscent of The Band, some Bob Dylan, and any other scrappy folk/blues act. Mostly it sounds like toned-down Snakes (the vocal comparison is obvious), especially “I Want to Die” from their latest, Ode To Joy. I can’t really get across how much I enjoy this — it is basically what I have been looking for lately; sort of The Black Keys if they’d tone it down a notch and add some piano, sort of like the Snakes, sort of like... I dunno. It’s heartfelt, though. And that means it’s good in my books. — AG
File next to: Smog, Dylan, The Deadly Snakes, Makers Mark at 2pm.
GOLF
Master’s In Set Theory (www.golftheband.com)
Golf is the brainchild of Chicago economist Jason Briggeman, with concepts and input from various friends and associates. Kicking off with the prophetic “The Track Order Will Rule,” Golf’s debut record is the sonic equivalent of all the kids in the gifted class getting hammered and doing a bit of karaoke, yet never falling over, with emphasis on inside jokes. You have to love a guy with the audacity to sneer “Who’s David Lowery?” in his snottiest voice, and then cover Camper Van Beethoven four tracks later. All in all, this album is completely bratty, low-fi, ironic and earnest, except when it is stilted, overdubbed, precious and jaded. — SB
File next to: Economics, rock’n’roll, unwarranted confidence.
NATHAN LAWR & THE MINOTAUR ORCHESTRA: A Night in the Minotaur Woods, March 18 @ The Music Gallery
With a 13-person-strong orchestra onstage, singer/songwriter/guitarist Nathan Lawr and vibraphonist/arranger Paul Aucoin’s presentation of A Night in the Minotaur Woods was a triumph of restraint. I was expecting something grandiose and overwhelming, but Aucoin’s arrangements were tasteful through and through: Very rarely were all 13 musicians playing all at once. This required patience on behalf of many of the players, and the horns and woodwinds seemed a little underused, but this opened the perfect space for Lawr’s songs to reside in cosily. The tunes themselves also resist the “orchestral pop” trend towards the grand gesture, happily having their say in just three or four tidy minutes. This refreshing lack of pretension makes Lawr by far my favourite Canadian tunesmith who receives support from Maple Music. Extra credit is due to the Sea Snakes’ Jim McIntyre for sitting still and delivering nothing more than perfect vocal harmonies. All in all, this show was living proof that pop music can sparkle gorgeously without excessive ornamentation. — JD
File next to: Oh my god is it the last song already? Nooooo...
LES MOUCHES
Blood Orgy!!! EP (Blocks R.C., www.blocksblocksblocks.com)
My mom used to make surprise balls instead of loot bags at birthday parties when I was little. They were balls of different colored crepe paper, and when you unrolled them, little prizes would come out and you would get more and more excited until you reached the bigger prize at the middle, which was usually delicious candy. This record reminds me of that feeling of excitement and delight at the discovery of something new every time I listen to it. Plus, at the end you are sitting on the floor surrounded by a mountain of rainbow paper and a handful of prizes. The only things the surprise balls lacked were insane freak-out drums, beautifully orchestrated horn arrangements, and lovely, wistful vocals. Live, Les Mouches are heartbreaking, so it’s nice to have the songs on CD and be able to concentrate on the music itself, without distracting beautiful boys getting in the way. — JP
File next to: The Microphones, Playgirl magazine.
LIARS
They Were Wrong, So We Drowned
(Mute, www.mute.com; www.liarsliarsliars.com)
The Liars backlash has begun. People keep talking about what a disappointment this record is, but really, if you’ve been following their progress, this is the obvious culmination of what they’ve been doing for the past year. Even as early as the Fins to Make Us More Fish-Like EP, they were adding layers of noise to their trademark dance-y-post-punk sound, and that doesn’t even take into account the bizarre (at the time) split they did with Oneida. Really, though, when it all comes down to it, this is a good album. The beats are still there, the singles are still there (check out “There’s Always Room on the Broom” for what’s sure to be one of the singles of the year), it’s just organized differently. I mean, it’s a concept album about witches, come on, what did you expect? That’s not to say it’s bad. Because it’s not. It’s awesome. I advise you check this out — it’s even free off of their website! — AG
File next to: Brainiac, Les Savy Fav, and a bunch of bands who made a quick transition without telling anybody.
LOGH
The Raging Sun (Bad Taste, www.badtasterecords.com)
Minimalist soundscapes abound on The Raging Sun, though they are frequently juxtaposed with moments of cleverly structured almost-pop songwriting. With a sound strikingly reminiscent of Sigor Rós or earlier Radiohead, Logh’s second album is an incredibly dark listening experience. Painting sonic pictures of desolation and loneliness, rebated percussion echoes through song like “The Contractor And The Assassin.” Tinkering piano notes float through the background of “End Cycle,” while vocalist Mattias Friberg allows his hushed musings the chance to tumble over the loose and meandering melody. While Bad Taste is known mostly as the European home to acts like Danko Jones and Satanic Surfers, Logh have proven over their last two records that the Swedish label is not interested solely in bringing the rock. They also want to bring the sadness, the emptiness, and the heartache. The Raging Sun brings it. — SS
File next to: Sigurhead.
MANISHEVITZ
City Life (Jagjaguwar, www.jagjaguwar.com)
What happened to Manishevitz? I mean, what the fuck? First thing I do is I find their brilliant Rollover for four dollars at a record store, and I picked it up, because I recognized the name, and it was some pretty good piano-dirge type things. Next thing I know, I’m hooked, buy City Life, and it sounds like ’70s glam rock. The singer even affects this terrible British accent. Why? I mean, really — why... — AG
File next to: T. Rex, David Bowie, Roxy Music, stuff that you enjoy but you probably wouldn’t enjoy if it were being pulled off now, because it had already been done to death. DONE TO DEATH.
THE MOUNTAIN GOATS
We Shall All Be Healed (4AD, www.4ad.com)
A message to the converted: please listen to this album with headphones. And to those of you unfamiliar with John Darnielle’s beautiful and addictive band, The Mountain Goats, you will soon be converted as well. I’m just not sure if this is the best album with which to do the converting. Darnielle’s earlier work is filled with clever humour and optimism, even when dealing with themes like death, failure, and yes, monkeys. According to his website, his preceding work is based on entirely fictional people, while We Shall All Be Healed is much more personal. I find that ironic, since his earlier lyrics strike me as being much more passionate than the ones I hear on this album. But for some reason I liked it much more once I listened to it with headphones, perhaps because the slightly distorted recording quality that’s so prevalent in his other work could finally be heard, and it took the edge off Darnielle’s new-found pessimism. — SK
File next to: Blankets, late-night writing, lo-fi inspiration.
PELT
Pearls from the River (VHF, www.vhfrecords.com)
This album is kind of old (it was released in ’03), but since no one ever seems to talk about it, I think it deserves some mention. You see, because Pelt are one of those new-psych bands that, instead of rocking the fuck out, tone it down John Fahey stylee, kicking out beautiful acoustic ragas that drone on past the 16-minute mark much of the time, but stay cool because of the variations in the playing, especially in guitarist Jack Rose’s finger-picked guitar and banjo. My only problem with this is it’s similarity to some of their other stuff, but even with that I can’t complain. This has interesting liner notes and is worth picking up. — AG
File next to: John Fahey, Jackie-O Mofo, acoustic raga head music?
RAISING THE FAWN
The North Sea (Sonic Unyon, www.sonicunyon.com)
About a year ago, Raising the Fawn finished this, their second full-length album, and then two members left. A new drummer was found, an amazing EP was recorded (last year’s By The Warmth Of Your Flame), and now that full-length is being released. Largely a concept album, it’s easy to connect the dots to Radiohead, Pink Floyd and Low. When I first listened to this album, I thought, “It’s a little boring.” But on the third listen, the beefy bass line that comes in after a minute and a half on the title track laid a finger on me, like a tendril pulling me in. The more I listened, the more fingers I felt. The drumming that comes in halfway through “The News”; the lyrics of “July 23rd;” then the entire second minute or so of the title track and the way John Crossingham sings the word “and.” The bass on “Top to Bottom.” More listens, more fingers, until the album had grasped me completely. It now has a firm hold on me. — RM
File next to: Quicksand, but if quicksand were a good thing.
SIXTOO
Chewing On Glass (Ninja Tune, www.ninjatune.net)
There’s nothing better than kraut-hop. Damo Suzuki freakin’ it, while Sixtoo lays down the bizniz. After listening to this I made a psychedelic scrambled egg sandwich at six a.m. and tripped out to it with the sunshine beaming though my window. Oh my, that was a wondrous event. I can’t imagine anything better than this. — SW
File next to: Godspeed, Can, and well yes DJ Shadow.
THE TIE REDS
Holy Crap! It’s The Tie Reds
(order from undergroundmedicine.com)
This criminally underrated release is a 30-minute/13-song collection of short energetic blasts of garage pop perfection. How come you’ve never heard of them? Maybe it’s that the release is independent or maybe it’s the fact that the band broke up before the release was even put out (no doubt ensuring them legendary status in the history of indie rock). But unlike so many other Brooklyn garage-inflected bands, these guys seem(ed) to get it and get right to the point. They simply kick out the wicked jams with no deliberation or fuss. Total unabashed fun is the goal here with their ragged one-take quality songs creating instant delight. The hidden drunken answering machine song at the end is hilarious. This is one great party on disc. I wish I could have seen them live. Buy this by any means necessary. Reform, Tie Reds, reform! — SV
File next to: The unruly bastard child of The Buzzcocks and The Undertones, pogo party fools and ripping shit up.
XIU XIU
Fabulous Muscles (5RC, www.5rc.com; www.xiuxiu.org)
After the catastrophic and essential A Promise, Xiu Xiu takes a right turn and releases a synth-drenched rainbow-coloured pop album. Fabulous Muscles has what previous albums have been missing — perfect pop songs. And every song’s a contender. Standouts include the title track and “I Luv The Valley OH!,” an ode to pig-bottom-dom and perhaps Jamie Stewart’s greatest achievement. While FM doesn’t touch the previous albums in terms of inventiveness and tenacity, finally there’s a Xiu Xiu album you can make out to. — JB
File next to: Depeche Mode and 15,000 vengeful ex-lovers.
SDT = STAR DT AG = ANTHONY GERACE, SW = SOMEWOLF, SV = STEVEN VENN, RT = RAE TRACKS, SB = SHAUNNA BEDNAREK, JD = JONNY DOVERCOURT, SS = SAM SUTHERLAND, SK = SARAH KOLASKY, RM = RYAN MCLAREN, JB = JAM BUTTY
Send material for review to: Wavelength, PO Box 86010 -- 670 Bloor St. W. Toronto ON M6G 1L2, attn: Star DT or email star@wavelengthtoronto.com