Band: Dum Dum Girls Release: 9/2011 Label: Sub Pop
1. “Always Looking” – A+
2. “Bedroom Eyes” – A 3. “Just A Creep” – A- 4. “In My Head” – A-
5. “Heartbeat” – B+ 6. “Caught in One” – A- 7. “Coming Down” – A+ 8. “Wasted Away” – A- 9. “Teardrops On My Pillow” – B+
10. “Hold Your Hand” – B
Comments: Quick thing that I’ve noticed right off: Dee Dee’s voice goes full-circle in the sexiness/appealing category. “Always Looking” is an Austin Powers 4 sound-track candidate with swampy guitar and even a happy-go-lucky clapping part. FELT! HEART! Haven’t heard that kind of stuff since The Go Team! In terms of stuffiness of hooks and all that stuff (pun intended), this album gets high marks. I’ve always thought Dum Dum Girls had some serious development potential when I saw them open twice for KK+BBQ. It was a relatively new band at the time so things live weren’t as “hitting” as on record. But this record is much fuller than I Will Be. We get better harmonies, better vocal focus. As various press releases indicate, Only in Dreams is about relationship emptiness and life emptiness. Despite this subject matter, it never really gets in the way of fun rock ‘n’ roll. It gives Dee Dee a much better platform as a song-writer. Make no mistaking Dum Dum Girls with their girl group contemporaries. The middle chunk of songs are fine pieces, but it’s not until “Coming Down” that things pick up. This song is powerful (as I’ve mentioned in a previous review) and will knock you on your ass if your susceptible to this kind of excellence. Upon showing it to someone, they quipped… is this a live recording? Not so much the case, though the distorted/washed guitars make one wonder. I am fan of this. Puts more focus on the beautiful songwriting. Bridge is perfect: “I THINK I’M COMING DOWN. HERE I GO…HERE I GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.” It does indeed have the same chord progression/vocal stylings as Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You,” but builds on it in a very modern fashion. As a rule, I Will Be packs more immediate punches, more in your face(ness) than Only in Dreams. Only in Dreams takes its time and this just goes to show to you how far this band has come. Going from Sub Pop rookies, to King Khan and BBQ Show openers, to Girls openers, they’ve spent quite a bit of time covering a lot of ground while getting their music out there. And great for them. They are headlining The Paradise in October. Check this out, check that out.
Artist: Shanon and the Clams Full Title: Sleep Talk Year: 2011 Label: 1-2-3-4 GO! Tracklist:
1. Baby Don’t Do It
2. You Will Always Bring Me Flowers
3. The Cult Song
4. Done With You
5. Tired of Being Bad
6. Oh Louie
7. King of the Sea
8. Old Man Winter
9. Toxic Revenge
10. The Woodsman
11. Half Rat
12. Sleep Talk
Comments: I was going to make a valiant effort to not mention Hunx and His Punx during this review since they are obviously a separate entity, but I can’t help it. I’m a superfan! I’ve said it before and I certainly will say it again, the Hunx song “U Don’t Like Rock and Roll,” exemplifies my current thoughts on most of the music I’ve been enjoying for the past couple of years. In that song it is made clear what is Rock and Roll what is not. Fuck U2! Morrissey is okay lol. All jokes aside, for several of us music lovers there is only one true Rock and Roll, and now I will finally get to my point: Shannon and the Clams is the real deal- if you don’t like Shannon and the Clams then I don’t like you! The Clams do a great job of recreating the old sounds of the 60s (amongst other eras/genres- but I’ll get to that later). Both stylistically and sonically they revive the music of decades prior, though they aren’t a complete revivalist band and I’m glad for that. In terms of the recording, they have that great analog sound that once again makes the music feel more like the good old times. In particular, the drums sound excellent, you can hear them very clear, the whole record is very clear and sounds pretty clean, but in a good way. The high quality of the recording and production really complements the fabulous performances and songwriting. The band explores various classic styles of Rock and Roll: Girl Groups (“Baby, Don’t Do It,” “You Will Always Bring Me Flowers”), Teen Tragedy Ballads (“Done With You,” “Oh Louie,” “Tired of Being Bad,” and “The Woodsman”), and loud, fast driving Ramones-esque Punk numbers (“King of the Sea,” “Toxic Revenge), just to name a few. This mixture of different staples of Rock really spices up the album and keeps the listener entertained and excited for most of the record; it makes the band that much stronger and better than many of their peers. Concerning the structure of the record, overall it works well, the different kinds of songs are smoothly thrown in at different moments in the record, so you never really feel overwhelmed or like any style is overstaying its welcome. “Baby Don’t Do It,” is a truly solid opener and gets you pumped for the rest of the record. Essentially it does what every intro should, set the mood for the record and make your eyes light up enough to want to hear what will happen next. The awesomeness continues with “You Will Always Bring Me Flowers,” one of the strongest songs on this LP. Just a great example of how The Clams can be really soft and sweet at one point and then really let the song take off and go into a new dimension; I love when the song starts to pick up and gets louder, I really feel the passion in Shannon Shaw’s voice, a lot of power. Which by the way, I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned her voice in this review up until now. Her vocals are incredible- top three best living singers, and probably the best part of this record, but I’m not totally positive on that yet, since there’s so much to admire. With that being said, I’m not completely in love with this LP. There’s nothing I hate about this record and every song is at least decent (most are quite fine), but at the same time, for me anyway, the album starts to drag or settle down and I lose some of my initial excitement. I sort of get really used to the aesthetic of the album and I’m looking for something more. Some of the songs just pale next to others, but that could just me my tastes. A song like “Sleep Talk,” however leaves the album on an especially high note. Definitely one of my favorites from the record, the title track is an excellent closer that just has that wonderful feeling of completion to it. Almost like when you hear the first Ramones record for the first time and “Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World,” kicks in. You know it’s the end, but there’s still enough time to have fun! Certainly one of the catchier songs on the album and mixes both the softer and heavier aspects of The Clams very nicely, the best track to dance to lol. In this same vein, “The Cult Song,” is by far the best track here. It exemplifies everything great this band has to offer and has their sound down pat. The song is heavy and bizarre and surely gets you rocking. Another flaw for me in this record is the lack of interesting subject matter, but that’s not really a major concern of mine because I don’t pay too much attention to lyrics anyway. But, “The Cult Song,” is pretty sweet both lyrically and musically. On this cut, the band makes a humorous reference to the Pre-Pre Punk, Ramones-inpsiring, Horror classic Freaks (1932) through the constant, psychotic chanting of “ONE OF US! ONE OF US! ONE OF US!” Fo sho, Cult’ contains the most fun you’ll experience on this record. So, yeah I recommend this to people that really dig this kind of sound- if this old school Rock and Roll and old school Punk is your thang, then you will most likely love this to death. If that’s not your cup of tea, you will probably get bored easily. I’m more of the former and I can tell now this will appear on my “Best of 2011” lists. This is a great companion with (the aforementioned) Hunx and His Punx’s Too Young to Be in Love (2011), Shaw’s other band, but Sleep Talk has more of a Rock edge to it, though just as much as fun and heart.
Band: Handsome Furs Release: 6/2011 Label: Sub Pop
1. “When I Get Back” – A-
2. “Damage” – B+ 3. “Bury Me Standing” – B+ 4. “Memories of the Future” – A- 5. “Serve the People” – B+ 6. “What About Us? – B+ 7. “Repatriated” – A-
8. “Cheap Music” – B+
9. “No Feelings” – B
Comments: If you’ve been listening to the Handsome Furs for the past couple of years (longer, even), you’ll notice that this record swims comfortably in a known sea. Sure, there is no known guitar recorded on this LP. I’d argue that some of the synths create a fuzz reminiscent of a Dan Boeckner guitar (“Cheap Music”), but let us not get caught up in this. “When I Get Back” is getting back to Face Control. Not that they ever departed from it. It’s luscious pop, dance-y, layered, and anthemic. It’s hard for the Furs to mess up their music. Their sound is habitually one of slickness and compactness. That’s why I love ’em. Sometimes they do border on recycled songwriting, principally in structure, but I’d be hard pressed not to say this isn’t common for a lot of bands. Repetitive song endings are Boeckner’s go-to-guys and as ubiquitous as they are (on Sound Kapital and in the past), they remain exciting. Case in point would be “Damage,” which doesn’t really get GOOD ’til the end. A tune like “Memories of the Future” is for sure one of their most electro-dominant. There are a bunch of subtle sounds, some very wobbly and bass heavy, others as delicate as the touch of a toy piano. There a couple of tracks that either overstay their welcome, or simply aren’t as memorable or deserving of multiple listens as others. I do give the band a lot of credit for cutting things off after nine songs. Smart decision. The dance party of Sound Kapital is one that people will remember for being consistently joyous. It’s not an earth shattering dance party nor is it one to elicit boredom.
Grade: B+ (88)
——————————————————————— Handsome Furs play @ Brighton Music Hall on August 17.
Band: Arctic Monkeys Release: 6/2011 Label: Domino Records
1. “She’s Thunderstorms” – A 2. “Black Treacle” – A 3. “Brick By Brick” – B+ 4. “The Hellcat Spangled Shalala” – A- 5. “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair” – B+ 6. “Library Pictures” – A-
7. “All My Own Stunts” – B
8. “Reckless Serenade” – A+ 9. “Piledriver Waltz” – A-
10. “Love Is A Laserquest” – A-
11. “Suck It and See” – A-
12. “That’s Where You’re Wrong” – A
Comments: The Arctic Monkeys emerged out of nowhere in 2006 with the release of their debut Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not. Shortly thereafter the band became international sensations of sorts. This isn’t to say that they didn’t have to cover a shit load of ground in their native UK before attaining such a status. Somewhere along the line, they got recognized and quite deservingly so. It’s not so often a group of 20 year olds can so finely construct rock n roll gems. I remember checking them out for the first time on YouTube, a relatively new website at the time. I wasn’t blown away, but I liked what I heard. Five years and three records later, the band, led by principal songwriter Alex Turner, still has ‘it’. Turner’s voice is distinctive and aside from his signature vocals, the band ain’t all that different stacked next to their pop sensible “post”-punk revival contemporaries. The Arctics flirt with many a styling on Suck It and See: the soft verse/extremely catchy chorus Humbug-esque “She’s Thunderstorms,” the slow and thoughtful on “Piledriver” and “Love Is,” top notch power pop on “Black Treacle,”the guitar-driven psychedelic “Brick By Brick” and “Don’t Sit Down,” and so on and so forth. “The Hellcat” is reverb drenched with a fitting bass line included. We’ve heard about dancing shoes and the like before from these folks and we hear about ’em again on “All My Own Stunts.” That’s a good song, perhaps one of the only to not stick out too much. That’s all right, because what follows — “Reckless Serenade” — is Arctic Monkeys at their best. The bass, rhythm, and lead are all outstanding. Sometimes Alex is quite fancy with his lyrical content, but this one is fairly easy to comprehend. Humorous from the start, “Topless models…” There might be some Side A people, some Side B people. Side A people want to rock and roll. Side B just want to sit down and have some light music playing. Or maybe after rocking and rolling to Side A you’ll get tired and just toss on B as a way to rest. Either way, this is a truly enjoyable record, with a load of memorable songs. Great summer record player listening.
Full Title: Carve Your Initials Into the Walls of the Night Artist: Deerhunter Year: 2005 Tracks:
1) Bright and Early
2) Cicadas
3) Rotation
4) But, I’m A Boy
5) Three Dolphins Melting Into Orange Wax
6) Snow Dogs
7) Dogs Are Cool
8) Homorobotic
9) Cordless
10) When I Taste Blood
Comments: On Saturday, December 12, 2009, Bradford Cox made this old, obscure, 2005 Deerhunter recording freely available to download from the Deerhunter blog (http://deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com/). He also had this to say: “Responding to several requests I have dug up an old copy of this 2005 Deerhunter CD-R. It features only me and Moses and is very experimental in nature. This was during our “tape phase” when we would often play shows as a duo (or as a trio with colin) playing only tape machines and vocal loops. Recorded live to 2-track cassette machine at Moses’ old house on North Ave & Ponce
“Mastered” at the Old Notown building on my dad’s ancient PC using Soundforge,
Scans of all orignal artwork from the Notown Xerox Machine included.”
Now, considering this was just a private recording not intended for official release this is more of a shout out then a review. It’s more of a way for me to keep things interesting and spread the word of some of Deerhunter’s lesser known work. I consider them to be one of the best Rock and Roll bands today and of all time, for that matter. This recording from 2005 is to me their most experimental and shows the different intricacies and dynamics of their sound and perhaps how it has evolved. What we hear on this recording is far different from much of their output and as I said far more experimental with practically none of the pop elements we are accustom to in Deerhunter’s music, which is totally fine and cool in a way. I always enjoy hearing something by a band that is completely different from anything else they have released. At the same time, one can definitely see how this is Deerhunter and how these sounds/elements/vibes would eventually find their way into later works. On this reocrding, we hear a lot of dance- club scene music (especially on “But, I’m a Boy) which could faintly be heard on their debut LP Turn It Up Faggot, also from 2005 (though recorded in 2003 or 2004). Except on that record, they were far more beastial, garage, and chaotic- also there was a full band, if I’m not mistaken. Bradford always describes that record in a negative manner, saying they weren’t ready and that they were a young band. That could be said about Carve Your Initals.. but I feel like this recording is actually the stronger of the two and feels more complete; I don’t know, maybe it’s just me. I actually prefer Faggot, but this record (if you want to call it that) has its sound down pat and as far as experimentation goes, it seems like it is alway open to anything, while the former felt confined, albeit nice to rock and freak out to. There is a lot to be appreciated here and best of all it shows the potential and neat character of what would later become an amazing band.
I know I’m a year and half late on this, but thanks for this free CD Bradford!
Artist: Deerhunter Full Title: Fluorescent Grey EP Year: 2007 Label: Kranky Tracks:
1) Fluorescent Grey- 9
2) Dr. Glass- 7/8
3) Like New- 7
4) Wash Off- 9 Comments: Fluorescent Grey is a strong release from the always mind blowing Deerhunter. FG is a good middle ground between the more experimental aspects of Deerhunter’s earlier career and what would become their far more accessible, pop driven style in future albums. In this sense, this EP is a nice companion to their then previous LP Cryptograms (2007), as they often appear together as one full package. FG is representative of the more traditional pop song half of Cryptograms, leaving the more experimental, ambient half behind for this release. In some ways, Deerhunter recycles many of the same ideas and sounds from that record, but overall the songs are so strong it really doesn’t matter. I can’t say there’s a huge progression, except maybe in the title track, which is easily one of the group’s finest songs in all of their catalog, but who cares?! This is an EP, and a great one at that. Deerhunter’s lesser works are half your average band’s strongest records, if even that. Anyway, I love the opening guitar riff to FG and the vocals are really creepy, but what stands out the most is definitely when the song “explodes” midway through after Bradford utters the classic line “you were my God in high school.” Just everything about the song is fantastic, the simple drums the contrast between mellow, calm vibes and complete chaos, violence; a great microcosm for Deerhunter as a whole. The next two tracks “Dr. Glass” and “Like New” are pretty solid and demonstrate the band’s talent as songwriters, but they are not on par with the first last and tracks. Speaking of which, “Wash Off, ” the final song is now one of my favorites from these guys. It’s a really catchy song, and the guitars sound like they are from some sort of 80s John Hughes flick: it simultaneously displays the pop side of them with the equally bizarre side of their music. In terms of lyrics, these are some of the most fascinating I’ve seen from Bradford (actually that could be said for all the songs here)- I love how it gets really manic and wild when Bradford starts singing “I was sixteen” over and over again. For whatever reason, it just makes the music seem that much more intriguing and strange for that matter. WO really showcases the Punk, Garage, if you will side to the band, which is usually there, but not as apparent. Here, Bradford, Lockett, Josh, Colin, and Moses place their Atlanta roots on their sleeves. I feel like this track perfectly captures the frenetic aspect of early Deerhunter in perhaps a bit more soothing fashion, but very tight and purposeful, and that’s the way I like it! So, now after hearing this EP, I’m kicking myself for waiting so long to actually sit down and listen to all four of these songs as one collective. Without a doubt, a sound record and as with all of Deerhunter’s releases, powerful enough to stand alone, but shares that wonderfully distinctive, calmly menacing quality that runs throughout all of Deerhunter’s discography.
Artist: Deerhunter Full Title: Deerhunter iTunes Live From SoHo Year: 2011 Tracks:
1) Desire Lines- 9
2) Hazel St.- 9
3) Don’t Cry- 9/10
4) Revival- 9
5) Helicoptor- 9
6) Fountain Stairs- 9
7) Rainwater Casette Exchange- 8
8) He Would Have laughed- 9
Comments: Having seen Deerhunter three times now, I can say with certainty that this is the real deal. Of course, not the same as seeing them physically live, but I can imagine this is as close as you will get to experiencing the band live from a recording. In any case, Deerhunter is one thee finest live acts around, so when I heard they released a live performance via iTunes I jumped at the chance to hear it. This recording is a strong indicator of the group’s sets in the past year, with a heavy emphasis on their most recent release, the incredible, Halcyon Digest (2010). The show begins with the new classic “Desire Lines”- truly a perfect opener. DL is one of Deerhunter’s defining songs as a Rock and Roll band, which they undeniably are; few modern musical acts share this same presence- it must be an Atlanta thing :). Seriously though, for my money these guys tap into this sort of epic Rock and Roll band of The Rolling Stones, Who, and Led Zeppelin variety, that powerful. And absolutely DL displays this. Moses’ drumwork just gets you pumped for what will happen next and the strong, pulsing guitars complement this. Lockett Pundt’s vocals are extremely welcoming and easy on the ears, and yet they are driven by a fantastic Rock and Roll/pop song force, you can tell he and the whole band have done their homework. Overall, I prefer the studio version and the vocals are a little bit too soft for me, but it’s still a pretty solid way to get things started. What I really dig, by far one of my favorite aspects of this release is the transition from DL to “Hazel St,” from Cryptograms (2007), one of the few non-Halycon tracks. I defnitely appreciate Hazel more when the band rocks right into its catchy opening lines. This time around Bradford Cox takes care of the vocals and he does the tunes’ studio counterpart justice. It’s not a carbon copy, but if you like the studio version, you should really enjoy this one as well. In particular, the guitars stand out the most. Once again, one of my favorite parts is the transition from this song to the next (“Don’t Cry”)- easily one of my favorite from the last record and in general. This song showcases Bradford’s talent as a frontman (if he is- I think he hates being called that and I agree Deerhunter is more of a whole band experience, not just the Bradford show as some critics, fans, etc. like to think). But, without a doubt, he just has that presence to him. DC is a comforting, amazing pop song and to reiterate Deerhunter simply can pull off what most bands seem to try. We’ve seen this song before, we see it all the time in so many (weaker) bands, I feel it could be a song that U2 would fuck up. Deerhunter is a much stronger band and therefore there is far more weight to the words, the music, and the overall delivery. My favorite song from SoHo or let me rephrase that the best performance here (“Don’t Cry is my favorite in general) is definitely “Helicoptor,” a song I reall dig on record, but I feel like everything is enhanced live, as if it was meant to be heard just live. I love the beginning, another great example of how their songs build and build in anticipation. The reverb is also excellent here. Another stand out song, well this tune always stands out to me live is “Rainwater Cassette Exchange,” the other non-Halycon cut. Rainwater live sounds much different (at least to me) than the version heard on the Rainwater Cassette Exchange EP, which is always great when any band switches it up a little bit. I love the almost 80s- like drum beats and I love the little guitar hook, very danceable, I get that impression anyway. In general, that EP was always very un-Deerhunter to me, but in good way and it shows in this performance for sure. Last, but certainly not least, “He Would Have Laughed,” (in honor of our boy Jimmy Lee Lindsey or more micro-famously known as Jay Reatard) is the closer, an obvious, but no less thrilling way to conclude the set. In fact, this is also one of the few tunes I prefer over the original. I adore the sound of the drums and as a whole I think the song just works better live, much like “Helicoptor,”- it is more effective. On record HWHL is a bit long-winded, though still awesome, it starts to lose its effect toward the end. But, live the song takes a whole new character and doesn’t feel drawn out, but rather essential like every word is purposeful, even if that’s not the case. A sweet and sincere eulogy. I also find humor when Bradford sings “Ohh shut the fuck up” in such an almost apathetic voice before he sings the more expected line “shut your mouth.” All in all, I really dig SoHO and how it captures Deerhunter in concert instead of trying to mimic their studio sound like most live releases do.
Band: Thee Oh Sees Release: 5/2011 Label: In The Red
1. “I Need Seed” – A 2. “Corprophagist” – A-
3. “Stinking Cloud” – B
4. “Corrupted Coffin” – A
5. “Pleasure Blimp” – B+ 6. “A Wall, A Century” – B+ 7. “Spider Cider” – B 8. “Whipping Continues” – B+ 9. “Blood on the Deck” – A-
10. “Castlemania” – B- 11. “AA Warm Breeze” – B 12. “Idea for Rubber Dog” – B- 13. “The Horse Was Lost” – B+
14. “I Won’t Hurt You” – B15. “If I Stay Too Long” – A+ 16. “What Are We Craving?”- B-
Comments: For Castlemania, Thee Oh Sees seem to have rekindled (an understatement considering the band’s output) their interest in noisy experimentalism, all in the name of the pop hook. John Dwyer and Brigid Dawson deserve a great deal of credit for crafting ‘thee song’, but I feel obligated to mention how crucial the other members, Petey Dammit and Mike Shoun, were to this album. I mean, I don’t know this for a fact, but the reason why a lot of the tunes — the tunes that aren’t obvious pop gems — simply stick is due to sturdy rhythm. I’m talking about a thing like “Corprophagist,” which is all experimental and weird, but still maintains this unprecedented sense of pop realism. The speaking guitar noises as I like to call them because on their own… they blend in so well with the parts that Dwyer sings. Instrumentally speaking, “The Horse Is Lost” has a very dreary, yet optimistic feel to it. The obvious pop gems are tunes like “I Need Seed” (a psychedelic trip in itself, if you have a strong imagination of it), the dream/space rocker “Corrupted Coffin”, and the top of the Pops-esque, Brit invasion “If I Stay Too Long.” Now, the chorus in that song (and the ending) is one of the best I’ve heard in a while. It’s big. Now, now, my experience listening to Thee Oh Sees up to this point never included anything like this. It’s albums like these that might not get the end grade they deserve, but merit many listens after listens. I’ll give this one more chances and more time, but I’ve expressed my admiration for what I really dig above.
Comments: If you like ’em old punk/power-pop tunes short, you like The Hussy. This Wisconsin duo exist by creating bursts of energy that truly makes you want to click that replay button over (or pick up the needle on the record player, if that is your thing). I’ve been loving “Sexi Ladi”…replaying the crap out of it! It brings me back to the days last year when I heard Cum Stain’s self-titled. The music is recorded brash and loud and for me that is something I really love in an album. “Alright…peace…bro!” Really digging the dual vocals on “Pavement” and the sweet end jamming on “Have A Say”. Contemporary[ish] bands that have a similar aesthetic would be Ty Segall mayne, pre-Jay Reatard Jay Reatard (sup, “Lymes”), ’02/’03 Black Lips (“Pushin My Luck), Dirtbombs in the 9tees. All excellent frames of reference.
Grade: B+ (89)
Website:http://thehussy.bandcamp.com/ Tour Dates: If the Hussy swing by your city, be sure to check them out. In fact, they are playing with some bands that I really love, including, but not limited too: The Growlers, Pujol, PEACH KELLI POP, and Wheels On Fire! Here are the dates: http://www.kindturkeyrecords.com/artists/thehussy
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 