words: Jamie Milton originally scribed for gigwise.com
The previous decade left us with music in a state of evolution, spiralling out of control. A hype machine; playing God with bands plummeting themselves either voluntarily or through a dedicated PR team, into an increasingly influential (when powers combine) blogosphere. It left us with many a popular act, usually American (although The xx managed to take the US before they even played a show there thanks to technology), getting rave reviews across the globe following a flurried spell of being the “next big thing” or producing the “album of the year”. Animal Collective, Vampire Weekend, Grizzly Bear – they all managed it. Question is, are they, and Yeasayer, immune to criticism to some extent because there is such a powerful buzz around them, the senses shattered and objectivity undermined?
It seems about the right time to make every effort to view an album like ‘Odd Blood‘ in its separate context; to ignore the surroundings, to take it and to play it like it’s a spontaneous purchase from a record store. Pretend ‘All Hour Cymbals’, the stunning but flawed starting point from the band, released in 2007, doesn’t exist. Everyone expects Yeasayer to step up, turning promise into something really substantial, but forget that. ‘Odd Blood’, on its own, would be an exceptional start to a band’s career. Context included, and it’s an outstanding follow-up.
Divided into two halves, Yeasayer seem intent on proving many points with their second album; the first being to remove a mass-produced tag of being “world hippies”, the second to demonstrate togetherness and even progression despite a minor line-up change, the third to prove themselves to be amongst some of the finest American exports. They come out of ‘Odd Blood‘ as experts at carefully crafting pop (‘O.N.E, ‘Ambling Alp‘), as well as pervious experimenters of the same genre (‘Love Me Girl’, ‘Rome‘). From the instant to the challenging, ‘Odd Blood‘ swings its position dramatically from streamlined and concise to restless and unpredictable.
The main talking point has to be ‘Ambling Alp’, the leading single, an anthemic tug at your heartstrings. The motto of “stick up for yourself, son!” and the sense of defiance and triumph that comes with it, sets a precedent for memorable one-liners with huge meanings: From the sex-fuelled “Everybody’s talking ’bout me and my baby, makin’ love till the mornin’ light” in ‘Mondegreen’ to the frank “You’re stuck in my mind, all the time” in ‘I Remember’. Every meaning and notion sees more poignant, more directly applied. And that’s very much replicated in the first five tracks of ‘Odd Blood’. Onwards from snarling, low-tempo opener ‘The Children’, the album evolves into a gung-ho giver of hits, ‘O.N.E‘ stands out; frantic drums merging with a stunning bass-line and the cry of “Hold me like the phone, hold me like you used to, control me like you used to“.
Balladry is where the band particularly shine. The latter half of the record shows a retreating to roots of old in ‘Strange Reunions’ but more noticeable is ‘Madder Red’; a song that explores the kind of melody every musician’s had in their head all their life, only they’ve forgotten to apply it. A Bollywood-vibe sets a background for which Chris Keating’ covers his melancholic vocals with. Keating is the show-man on ‘Odd Blood’; even though he doesn’t write or perform on every song, his switch from love-struck to love-less, from confident to thin-skinned, is strikingly evident.
But no matter where ‘Odd Blood’ seems intent on going, regardless of whether it plays quick-fix pop or something more indirect, consistence arrives in the band’s knack for making frighteningly complex music, deep; ideas roaming around in corners and the shadows. This is pop music immune to criticism, not because of its context, but because of its innate ability to cover all bases – to write pop at its purest form.
For the next ten days, Music Fan’s Mic will be posting about the names likely to forge a successful 12 months from January onwards. We’ll be turning each name inside out, x-raying them and evaluating three things:
- Whether the MFM writers are fans
- Whether [insert artist here] deserves to be successful
- Whether [insert artist here] will be successful
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Coming up strong is Surfer Blood, a West Palm Beach, Florida entity, with debut album, ‘Astro Coast‘, not far off.
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It’s refreshing when a band, forced to endure comparison after comparison with the same, single act, don’t go off on one: “We love Pinkerton and we love the Blue Album”, said guitarist Thomas Fekete in a recent interview with Interview Magazine. Weezer seems to be just about the only name associated with Surfer Blood’s potent, no-looking-back sound of thick feedback and up-tempo optimism. They list Women, Yo La Tengo as more suitable influences and whilst it’s easy to pick up a similar vibe from the both the aforementioned and Surfer Blood’s songs, the latter have a more nostalgic vibe to their songs, one that ultimately recalls Weezer.
And it’s one of the first times we’ve been allowed to call a 90s sound “nostalgic”. The influx of 80s-synth-pop-reminiscing acts in the past couple of years has allowed Surfer Blood to strike 2010 as an “about time” band, one that we’ve been waiting for. They won’t be remembered solely for bringing back the hazy memories of a pop-orientated decade (members themselves declare that they’re in it for the long run), and other bands will master the nostalgic vibe more so than Surfer Blood, but it’s easy to see the forthcoming debut, ‘Astro Coast’, as a real musical breakthrough, even if it doesn’t sound entirely original.
The album comes out in January, announcing Surfer Blood as not just an exciting prospect, but one with substance. With the support of 98% of the American blogosphere, as well as the ever-influential Pitchfork, ‘Astro Coast’ merely needs a couple of decent reviews to kick-start its reign over the next twelve months. On the receiving end of a positive rambling of words from Spin already, the outlook on the horizon looks fine from the coast.
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‘Floating Vibes (Live)’
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The record itself? Well it’s far from just fully-flung power chords and hazy noise, as recent single ‘Swim (To Reach The End)‘ might have you believe. It packs subtle build-up, afro-pop, gentle guitar patterns and a Japandroids-esque sense of triumph. As starting points go, ‘Astro Coast’ puts Surfer Blood in a fine position. [Jamie Milton]
For the next ten days, Music Fan’s Mic will be posting about the names likely to forge a successful 12 months from January onwards. We’ll be turning each name inside out, x-raying them and evaluating three things:
- Whether the MFM writers are fans
- Whether [insert artist here] deserves to be successful
- Whether [insert artist here] will be successful
Secondly we have Florida-cum-NY The Drums, a band backed heavily by NME, so much so that they’re the only band without an album out to feature on their forthcoming Awards Tour.
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Sick of synths, The Drums’ attempt on making pop music is a more guitar orientated one to many of the other ten acts we’re choosing to cover. Jangly, tight riffs carry unoriginal albeit stunningly catchy melodies and nothing goes on too long. They keep religiously to a verse/chorus/sometimes a bridge structure of song-writing – no ambience, no build-up, no come down. Their live performances reek of attitude, as each members moves animatedly back and forth, breaths away from an audience in equal swagger.
Their very first gig in the UK was more of a media showcase than an iPod conference. In attendance were journalists, record company heads and Boy George. Interviews with the band can’t avoid use of the word “buzz”, so much so the band must by now have an automated response to the predictable “how do you deal with so much buzz?” question. But there is something stirring. The Drums could be important to the 2010’s as The Strokes were to the 2000’s. They have similar origin, similar energy to their songs. You get the sense however, that a lot of people aren’t going to sit well with The Drums’ music. This is attention-seeking pop music that when played in excess, can grate. Their ‘Summertime!’ EP, limited to six songs, was near flawless. But any more than six might begin to push things. Repeat listens of ‘Let’s Go Surffing’ have already irritated a fair few. Don’t count out a huge backlash against the band’s popularity in 2010.
But here’s the fact: The Drums may already be irritating to some, but at the same time they’re gathering in a loyal, bulky fanbase of young, love-struck music lovers. The biggest-selling artists are the ones that divide opinion.
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‘Let’s Go Surfing’
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But there’s just something undeniably fresh and exciting about this band. They seem committed, focused. They conduct themselves well in interviews, and seem intent on only one thing: creating perfect pop. Perfect pop is not everybody’s cup of tea, but The Drums are in full awareness of that.
O. Children remain, to me, the band today most capable of releasing a debut album that’s not just spectacular and bold but also very mature. They’ve been working for some time on it. I heard a demo version of ‘Ruins’ which I think might have been the working title of the album. It was scrappy, sounded unfinished, but it was as dark as anything I’d ever heard.
For The Golden Filter to seep out the doom and gloom from Tobias and co.’s fascinating sound would be to defeat the point. Instead, they manage to adapt it into “world spirit” drums and soft, tender backing vocals. All the haunting, twisted one-liners remain (“wake up honey, there’s a knocking at the door”), as bolts of jagged guitar are interplayed with perfect timing. Luscious but still very much like the kind of person you’d avoid on the street, just in case they’ve got a nasty secret…
With modern day pop music, there are no limits. Artists are flocking towards it because they know it a) sells well and b) gives room for development. Animal Collective were the most notable entry into more glossy stratospheres and Yeasayer are most definitely the next indie-cred-sweethearts turning their heads towards a more streamlined direction.
‘Odd Blood’ defines pop as something far from simple; more twisted than the norm. Yeasayer absorb all the energy and fun from debut ‘All Hour Cymbals’ and apply it into something far more electronic and bass-heavy on their second record. This being one of the most anticipated releases of 2010, it’s bound to surprise a few people with its sheer intent on keeping to accessible melodies and rich tones. As the album progresses, the bass notes appear more driven, Chris Keating begins to forge a “heartthrob” reputation with his bittersweet account of the loss of love (“I thought you should know, you don’t move me anymore, and I’m glad that you don’t, ’cause I can’t take it anymore” being a stand out line on ‘O.N.E‘).
Everything applied is perfectly calculated, performing its own unique role, adding to a constantly hectic atmosphere that ranges from cinematic to just plain ridiculous. And Yeasayer sound like a band that have been working not just together but on this very sound for an incredibly long time. Balladry is perfected in the far-from-one-dimensional ‘I Remember‘ and the stunning Washed Out-meets-Bollywood ‘Madder Red‘. More up-tempo affairs such as single ‘Ambling Alp‘ and must-be-next-single ‘O.N.E‘ are precise but distinctive, the latter of which packs punch and power above tap-tap percussion and Keating’s down-beat melancholic vocal performance.
The activity and drive of ‘Ambling Alp’ continues all the way within ‘Odd Blood’, as does the unusual, acid-trip mentality applied in the single’s video. It’s everything you would expect and everything you wouldn’t at the same time.
words: Jamie Milton
originally scribed for gigwise
Let’s cut the clichéd expressions some slack. There are very few times when you can bring out the “…and look at you now!“, pre/post-makeover shot from not-much-of-a-looker to hubba-hubba-God-bless-Rimmel-London, but now’s one of them. Animal Collective started 2009 as a cult band, celebrated by the majority of their listeners who knew their beloved were on the fringe of something much greater. And alas, here they are now, rounding off a year of critical acclaim and tolerance of the word “hype”, certified as a band who polarize opinion. Now, everyone has something to say about Animal Collective.
And now for something completely different.
The trio were accused of streamlining their music on ‘Merriweather Post Pavilion‘, creating pop songs (“heaven forbid!”) and selfishly waving goodbye to the experimenting guts that defined the band in the past. Here, we witness a return to methods of old on ‘Fall Be Kind‘, a merging of the glossy, velvet tongue from the latest album with a more tasteful knack for variety and alternatives, such as that found on ‘Feels‘.
EP’s are very often a means of re-assuring a group of fans who might have felt let down by a previous release. ‘Fall Be Kind’ does seem to attempt that, not least achieve that, only offering three minutes of rich, succinct pop in the climax of ‘What Would I Want? Sky‘. That may be the finest three minutes the band have recorded to date; Avey Tare’s vocals float on its back above the Grateful Dead samples and the bells and the cries – the line “I should be floating but I’m weighted by thinking” encompassing what Animal Collective always have been and always will be about.
But the rest of this collection of songs tilts its head towards elongation and the switching of one mood to another. Take ‘Graze’ as the perfect example: the opener breathes warm synthetic air around you for the first half before erupting into a, brace yourself, pan-flute solo. And yes, it might be the best (the only) pan-flute solo recorded in history but most importantly it shows the group succumbing to their ways of old whilst completely re-inventing their scope of sound at the same time.
But ‘Fall Be Kind’ does make every effort of maintaining its two feet in the headscape of ‘Merriweather…’. The theme of daily life, routine, normality that defined January’s album resounds in ‘On A Highway’. Exposing perhaps Avey Tare’s most personal batch of lyrics to date, telling the tale of a band touring, becoming anxious, sleepy. He talks of letting “some hash relax me” and his envy of “Noah’s dreaming”. It’s a removal from the natural/nautical imagery that seems to creep into every one of the band’s rhyming couplets. A very exclusive tale of coping with monotony.
And quite significantly this shows Animal Collective continuing to break the doors down, to evolve into something they never thought themselves capable of a few years back. The decade has been theirs in which to progress forward from leftfield acoustic-bred lullabies to glossy displays of summer-pop. Realistically, you can only expect them to continue to do the same. And of course, await the clichéd expression (every review of this EP should have one); ‘Fall Be Kind‘ rounds off the year of their lives on an absolute high.
Summer 2010: mark my words, you’ll be hearing a lot of this. And Gypsy and the Cat are another reason why I think MGMT recorded something really significant in ‘Oracular Spectacular’, by giving way to Empire of the Sun and now Jona Vark, they’re enlightened us to some of the most cuddly, sun-tinged pop songs for some time.
‘Jona Vark’ is all about the chorus, a chorus which lyrically features merely the song title – “her name is Joo-na-ha, Jona Vark“. On a personal note, next summer I’ll be cooking in a camper van in Western Australia and by God, this song is going to soundtrack it, I’m sure of it.
ALBUM REVIEW: Rihanna – Rated R words: Jamie Milton — originally scribed for MusicOMH
The buzz around decade-defining hit Umbrella has petered out and it’s due time that post-assault, a hardened Rihanna comes out fighting in dominatrix attire and an added aura of vulnerability. Hundreds of producers and songwriters (most notably Chase and Status) have worked with the Barbados-born superstar to make her most adult work to date in ‘Rated R’.
There has been a drastic progression from lollipop-licking pop princess to a damaged good in the image and sound of Rihanna. A Def Jam release, ‘Rated R’ always has the intention of being a provocative work of pop, disguising its accessibility in sharp guitar licks and plentiful use of expletives. It’s fuelled by controversy and kiss-and-tell and it thrives in it’s position as an album that was always going to be interesting and talked-about after the Chris Brown scandal.
And in that was an opportunity for Rihanna to come out fighting with real venom, a “get back up again” determination – ‘Rated R’ could have been all dark corners and in-your-face temper. Then, we might have had a classic on our hands. But instead this is an album that opts to cater for the variety of fans that flock to this artist in support of her talent and her troubles. It’s a diverse work and this so happens to be the biggest set-back.
There’s also a dubious inclusion of Guns ‘n Roses guitarist Slash in Rockstar 101 which adds bulk to the odd choice of putting guitar self-indulgence at the very heart of the record. But where this record really stumbles is in its dithering indecision – a lack of cohesive direction. From squeaky, regret-ridden ballads Stupid In Love and contrastingly doom-laden Russian Roulette, we move onto the monotonous, beat heavy Rockstar 101 and Fire Bomb. And when a decent vibe is mustered up by dance grooves in Rude Boy, the pace is then instantly set back to default with acoustic slow-burner Photographs in which Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am takes centre stage.
Obviously the advantage of moving from something as dark as G4L onto the immaculately innofensive latino number Te Amo is that it gives Rihanna a healthy position when it comes to releasing singles. And there’s many a potential hit in this album; Rude Boy in particular, a song that borrows Cut Copy dance jolts and adds them onto an infectious shout-out-loud chorus. Wherever the tide of public opinion turns over the next 12 months, it’s likely that ‘Rated R’ will be able to unleash a suitable single accordingly.
Whilst the context surrounding this much-awaited album is dealt with in the gloomy outlook amidst the look and feel of the majority of what’s here, the ultimate damage that came to this woman isn’t used to give this record a handicap. Yes, it’s more than touched upon over the course of ‘Rated R’ but not to the point in which Rihanna demands the sympathy vote. It’s an album that can stand on it’s own two feet and makes a point of showing so – it’s more defiant than defeated.
‘Rated R’ feels like that push of upper body strength to lift Rihanna up from the ground and back into the realms of where she belongs. Quite significantly, it even manages to at times allow a celebrated artist back into prime position with exemplary displays of catchy pop. Nevertheless, you can’t help but feel that this is an artist still growing and maturing in opposition to a frightening event that could have forced a star into wanting out of the public eye.
All mp3s posted on Music Fan's Mic are posted after gaining the relevant permission.
Jamie Milton began Music Fan's Mic in 2006 as a means of publishing and collecting his reviews for other publications. Since then both Milton and Gareth O'Malley are co-running the blog and posting the best new music on a regular basis.
Boom-box-in':
Yeasayer - Odd Blood LP
Final Fantasy Heartland LP
Beach House - Teen Dream LP
These New Puritans - We Want War
Gigi - The Old Graveyard
jj - The xx Intro
Toro Y Moi - Causers of This LP
Liars - Sisterworld LP
Vampire Weekend - White Sky
Los Campesinos! - In Medias Res
MFM @ HYPEM
