Semiautomatic – Resident Genius

My last run-in with the 5 Rue Christine label came in the form of Xiu Xiu’s Knife Play. That was an album that I found hard to swallow. I thought it was a good attempt at creating an artsy album of electronic doom, but it tried too hard and ended up sounding overly serious and depressing. The next thing I know, I see the album on many best-of-the-year-so-far lists. Resident Genius leaves me with a similar feeling. I applaud its effort at sounding different than the majority of what is being released today. I also find that it has a lot to offer with many enjoyable moments. But each time I listen through the album I am left with an unenthusiastic feeling about it.
The first track, “Eat Your Eyes,” leaves me unsettled. We have dirty guitars, dirty female yells (Akiko), industrial atmospherics, and new-wave synths. It’s an interesting combination to be sure. But what I don’t know at this point is whether or not it’s going to work. The title song switches gears entirely, coming off as more of a straightforward synth-pop number, and an enjoyable one at that, as the vocals are kept under control and the song is more structured. Interestingly enough, however, is the fact that the song almost blatantly rips off both Joy Division’s drumming technique and a synthesizer beat from a certain Gary Numan song off of The Pleasure Principle. I am still not quite sure how I feel about Semiautomatic. The following rather enjoyable spy movie-sounding instrumental only further confounds me about where this group is headed.
The male half of the duo (Ropstyle) sings on “Dramatics,” a song that is far too grating on the ears both vocally and musically to be enjoyable. The early 90s techno that is “Orbit Kills the Tulip” follows, serving as another needed break from the overly harsh vocals. “Slushee Machine” is an interesting song to say the least, with rapid drumming and gothic synthesizers, along with curious lyrics: “they said that queer is a gene / we said yeah queer is a gene / because there’s gotta be / there’s gotta be a reason for it…put me in your slushee machine / I want to be your frozen treat.” But the Kathleen Hannah-with-more-grizzle vocals again don’t fit the music very well. Yet another instrumental follows, which begins as a tribute to Republic-era New Order, but soon turns into pointless guitar distortion. As the first half of the album comes to an end, I am left divided. Resident Genius has a live sound with catchy synth licks and drumming, but it also has the more often than not grating vocals and dirty guitar playing.
The second half of Resident Genius is comprised of largely unforgettable dance instrumentals, except for three tracks that stick out. The first is the organ-heavy “Dressed Up,” the dreamiest number to be found on the album. It is a song with a hopeful 80s feel, but without the cheese. The chorus borrows the lyrics, “what I like about you / you really know how to dance,” delivering them in an utmost synth-pop fashion. “Tight Pants” surprisingly reaps Joy Division of all its elements this time around. The drumming, guitar, and even Peter Hook-esque droning bass playing sound remarkably like said band. But if I were to compare the lyrics “every fuckin week ever fuckin day / I’m so bored I wish I could die” to those of Ian Curtis, well…you get the picture. Finally, we get a standard trip-hop track, “Epilogue.”
Resident Genius is a difficult album to recommend. It takes a go at so many different styles on its 14 tracks that the album, unsurprisingly, does not feel very cohesive. Another problem is that Semiautomatic draws inspiration from a number of my favorite bands from the post-punk era. And anybody who has heard the bands that Semiautomatic takes queue from could not help but feel let down. Still, a fan of all the styles mentioned might find Resident Genius to be an enjoyable listen. I still cannot decide whether I prefer an album such as this that tries to create its own sound and ends up with so-so results, or an album that is not very original but does what it does well. I am still divided. I look forward to the album that 5RC releases that is original but also a great album. I know that it is only time before this happens.

The Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots

I don’t know how they (advertisers/marketers) did it without piles of MTV videos and a little controversial subject matter, but most everyone has heard or at least heard of the Flaming Lips. Back when killing toads with tennis rackets and learning the blood code for Mortal Kombat were desensitizing my decadent ethos, I knew that the Flaming Lips was growing a buzz, but I didn’t know whether they were the songwriters that penned “Blister in the Sun” or if it was some kind of 80s porn movie that I was conceived on. My first attempt at listening to them was with the first song on Zaireeka. Due to our shoddy equipment, the CDs were not *NSync; besides, I don’t think I was ready for that album. So it took me another couple years to properly discover them, and that discovery came in the form of The Soft Bulletin, one of the most amazing and influential albums of the 90s.
And now we have its highly anticipated follow-up, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. The most obvious shift from the band’s previous outings is the interplay between the vocals and the music. Where many songs on The Soft Bulletin are comprised of dynamic, climactic, tagent-filled compositions, the songs on Yoshimi are a bit more streamlined. This is likely due to the fact that most of the songs coast on a similar mid-tempo beat and melodic bassline, evident on tracks like “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots pt. 1,” “Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell,” “Are You a Hypnotist?,” and “It’s Summertime.” This apparent shift in musicianship causes the background music to sound like a plate that the vocals were thrown upon, whereas the music on The Soft Bulletin accentuated the vocal melodies in an engaging give-and-take manner.
This idea of carelessly written vocal parts and less active musicianship could be attributed to the band’s songwriting process for the album. A couple months before the release of the album, the band’s official website mentioned how nearly half of the songs intended for the album had no vocals at that point, and the band was unsure how many of those instrumentals would actually end up with vocals. Since Yoshimi has only two instrumentals, we can induce that the vocals were probably not the band’s primary concern. One could argue that this concentration on the music rather than the vocals would make the instrumentation stronger. But on the other hand, it could have ultimately affected the overall dynamic of the songs because the lack of creative involvement with Wayne Coyne’s vocal lines. Also, the unpredictable tangents that characterized Zaireeka and The Soft Bulletin are no longer present, as the songs rely on the aforementioned robotic drum beats and melodic basslines. It almost seems like the Flaming Lips has regressed a little, structurally and rhythmically speaking.
Other than the speculation about the vocals and the missing tangents, Yoshimi is very strong. The music is not any stranger than before, but it is definitely spacier, providing yet another great album for late-night driving. The first half echoes songs on Clouds Taste Metallic or Transmissions from the Satellite Heart more than they do any of their other albums; they are upbeat, brim with the band’s trademark quirkiness, and have a similar sunshine underpin. The overall tone of the last half is more relaxed and subdued, harkening the softer moments on The Soft Bulletin. Although not as grand, the songs have less instruments clouding the music and more concentration on contrapuntal melodies. Nearly every song is drenched with reverb, and the vocals for most songs are run through a delay. Opposed to previous outings, the Lips employ more synths, keyboards, and samples, and they use the guitar as the filler rather than the primary rhythm force.
Album centerpiece “In the Morning of the Magicians” is the most engaging song on the album (one of the only songs that does not rely on a constant drum beat and melodic bassline). The song is extended over six minutes in length and manages to entertain the listener with its shifting styles; it would rest comfortably on Zaireeka due to its unpredictable structure. Although “Are You a Hypnotist?” is plagued with the banal mid-tempo drum beat, the beat proves much more creative and interesting this time around. Diminished guitar notes and off-kilter vocals provide the song an eerie feeling as Coyne unravels yet another unusual narrative.
Elswhere, “One More Robot/Sympathy 3000-21″ is a piano-laden melancholy number about – you guessed it – robots. The song has one of the best choruses that I’ve heard in quite awhile, and the outro is simply beautiful with its melting strings and smiling synths that catapult the song toward the heavens. The craziest, most outrageous track is the instrumental “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots pt. 2.” It’s abrasive, distorted, bubbly, and in-your-face, one of the Flaming Lips’ weirdest songs. Generalizing the rest of the tracks, most of them are fairly straightforward, but it takes repeated listens to get the most of every sound – and trust me, there are layers upon layers of noise throughout its 11 tracks.
Who knew such a huge major label corporation could foster such an amazing band like the Flaming Lips? Despite the cash cow and the suits of the band’s corporate daddy, their CDs remain in ubiquity even among the elitist snobby type, nudged comfortably between their Fennesz and Fly Pan Am CDs. The great thing is, the band uses its major label money to experiment, such as with Zaireeka (4-disc set sold for the price of one) and the forthcoming movie, Xmas on Mars. Critics and fans give what only a handful of other commercial artists have been lucky enough to receive: respect. And respect is not given to just anyone; it is something that must be earned, and the Flaming Lips has definitely earned its respect.
The Flaming Lips have come a long way since its inception in 1983. No longer is the band the spokesgroup for weird, quirky music, but they are the leaders of the abundantly forming transcendent art-rock bands. With an impressive catalog of experimental rock music, the Flaming Lips have carved an exciting musical career, one of prolificacy and creativity. With Yoshimi, this zany quartet creates new sounds with an ear on the past. Though the band’s structural experimental nature is not as prominent on Yoshimi, the album holds its own on the strength of the pop songs itself. Sure, Yoshimi didn’t really exceed its exquisite predecessor, but does it really matter anyway? Alone, this album is very strong with very few weak moments. And that’s more than I could ask of any album, whether it was preceded with an amazing album or not. Invest in the Flaming Lips; the stock is rising motherfucker.

Gas Huffer – The Rest of Us

Gas Huffer is one of those bands I have heard about countless times, browsing through reviews, wandering around the record store, or checking off things I want in assorted mail order catalogs, and yet I have somehow managed not to ever actually listen to them until I got this in the mail. They have been around forever, with The Rest of Us being something like their sixth album, but from what I can tell, they still seem to be going strong. The band takes the standard garage punk format, adds a heavy dose of the blues, and then sprays it with hints of everything from country to surf to pop. If anyone ever decides to make a punk-rock western movie, there is no doubt Gas Huffer will be included on the soundtrack.
If you took a blues bar band and a scrappy punk band and threw them in a garage filled with nothing but musical equipment and producer Jack Endino, this is what the result would sound like. It is crisp and clear, but in a stripped-down way that works well with the band’s style. The opening title track kicks things into full gear, complete with enormous bluesy guitar solos, and from that point on the band rarely stops to wipe away the sweat from its face, except on the occasional slower and more R&B track like “Goodbye Crescent,” or the darker “Ghost in the Lighthouse.” Songs like “Lexington Nightlife” (a personal favorite because of it being about life in Boston), “The Day the Bottom Fell Out,” and “Horse and Wagon” are pure blues rock, inspiring the listener to saddle up to the bar, order a Budweiser or two, and tap a foot with the rhythms. The band’s more aggressive punk edge comes out on heavier cuts like “Aldedly Blues,” “Glass Bottom Boat,” “Third Party Man,” “I’m So Delighted,” and “Babytown.”
Equal parts Neil Young and The Cramps, The Rest of Us proves itself as a fun little romp that doesn’t take itself too seriously or waste too much time on textures and complications. The whole package feels as though it came straight from the garage and through your stereo, maybe with a quick stop at the store for a six-pack and some cigarettes on the way.

Cassius Clay – Special Guest Star

Ahhhh, the guilty pleasures of nerdy power-pop, and Cassius Clay is exactly that sort of band. The power comes in the form of big, crunchy riffs and pounding drum and bass work. The pop comes via sweet guitar hooks, polished vocals, simple but thoughtful lyrics everyone can relate to, and swirling high-pitched keyboards. Together, these elements create the perfect soundtrack to a carefree summer day in the sun, or just lounging around the house.
Some songs, like “Been Waiting” and “Sweating Bullets,” blend the sugary sweet pop of bands like Weezer with a more classic rock vibe. Others, like the excellent “More Like Me,” as well as “Simulated Actions” and “Every Time,” rock harder than the others and aren’t too terribly far away from being able to fit in with modern rock-pop bands like Foo Fighters or Everclear. A couple of songs, like the nerdy-as-hell “Fucked Me Over,” a true anthem for anyone with relationship problems, bring about a sort of Elvis Costello feel, with simple harmonies and vintage sounding keyboards. “Dress Up in Real Life” features glimpses of shear pop gooey-ness, making the Weezer or Rentals comparison almost a necessity. And the band knows the pop format well, keeping things short and sweet, with five of the nine songs not taking more than three minutes to finish up, and the other four not daring to take more than four. But there is still a complexity here, most evident on tracks like “AM Radio” and “Lemon Tree,” which takes a couple of listens to notice. The multiple layers of instrumentation and effects are quite smart, but without sprawling out and taking the song in too many different directions.
For a debut album from a young and small band on a similarly small label, Special Guest Star leaves a deeper impression than expected. Any fans of simple, sweet, and short power-pop will eat this up. This is the sort of fun you wouldn’t be surprised hearing stashed between the whines of Staind and Nickelback on some modern rock radio station you happen to come across on the radio dial. And though it is easy to toss them into the mindless mass-produced pop category, there also seems to be some hints at depth that should prove to be quite interesting on the follow-up.

Roma – Surrender on Demand

It is amusing to me that in the early 90s when people were throwing around the term “grunge” like Senator McCarthy threw around “communist,” that it held very little meaning to most of us. It seemed like there were so many bands doing so many different things that you’d never think to put them in the same category. Mudhoney really didn’t seem that much like Nirvana. However, 10 years gone, it’s a handy term, perhaps overused by certain lazy reviewers. However, in this case, I’m going to be one of these lazy bastards, because there doesn’t seem to be a much better description of this outfit.
It’s almost as if this trio has spent a lot of time distilling several of the great bands of the “grunge” era into what Roma is. The songwriting displays the catchy, vaguely metal leanings of a group like Tad (see especially “Don’t Complain.”) The sludgy fuzzed-up guitars bring to mind Mudhoney at their greasy best. So what’s not to like about that?
Devon Irish’s vocals are the most obvious focus of my pigeonholing of this act. The guy couldn’t sound more like Kurt Cobain if he tried, and it really sounds like he’s trying. It’s astounding how his voice apes Cobain’s: the lower register crooning where he’s playfully struggling with pitches, right down to the tormented yelling. It’s like he studied just how to have his voice break up to a hoarse yell at the same places and pitches. It’s not as if this just happens occasionally, because pretty much the whole disc sounds like Kurt himself sat in on the sessions. Even some of the songs ape the Nirvana approach: “Said and Done” sounds like an Incesticide track that I never got around to hearing. I can’t tell if this makes me upset or if it spooks me out.
I liked Nirvana as much as the next guy. And you know what they say, it’s all been done before. But the outright aping of one’s influences puts one dangerously close to tribute band territory, the sworn enemy of original live music, and that made this album hard for me to enjoy. It’s obvious that Roma is talented and has the instrumental skills to go really far, but if they continue along this road they might end up as “Come As You Are – The ULTIMATE Nirvana Tribute,” and that would be a shame. Here’s hoping that their next effort branches out a bit more and the real personality of this group shines through.

The Regal Line – S/T EP

The Regal Line are a three-piece band out of San Diego with a sound that will turn back to clocks to the days when things like Nashville radio ruled the day. This EP serves as a demo full of music from a time long gone, which is nice to see still in the hearts of a band like this. The lineup consists of two guitars and a stand-up bass to give a feel of a dust ball rolling through an open desert. It puts the listener in the mind of sounds that you would hear all over the place at the very early beginning of rock when it was country-based. This CD also comes in some fun packaging in a little paper sleeve with the disc shaped like a 45 record, which is always a neat effect.
“If You Decide to Go” starts this disc off with some popping noises you would most likely hear on a record that stop when the music comes in. The guitar kicks in with some nice rolling lines that accompany singer Jason Moody’s deep vocals. This song has a very nice down-home country groove that is good to hear nowadays, when most of modern country is overproduced sap. “Right By My Side” has a darker galloping sound that mixes very well with the vocals of moody and Barry Cavener. “How Do I Say I Love You” is in the form of an old country ballad done superbly in a heart wrenching manner.
It is good to hear music like this played today that harkens back to the roots of the music when it began. The music is simple, pure, and heartfelt, a contrast to these days of overproduced pop drivel. The band has a lot going for it on this disc with the minimal music that will make the listener happy to hear something this enjoyable. This CD is full of sounds of a time where music was real and something new. This is a good start and will hopefully garner some attention for this band.

The Miracle of 86 – Kevin Kolankowski

The Miracle of 86 are a four-piece poppy emo band coming out of New York. They have a sound a little bit like an emo version of Counting Crows with a stripped-down folky rock sound. The CD is titled after a close friend of the band who actually helped out and played drums on the disc. The band has crafted their sound by touring on such events as the Warped Tour on the D.I.Y stage and opening for other bands.
“When it’s on My Mind” sports a bouncy jangly beat that has some very nice melodies. The vocals crack when attempting to reach the high notes, which serves nicely on this song. “I Think You Meant to Say No” has a nice soft rhythmic guitar under Kevin Devine’s moaning vocals. “A Less Important Place” is kind of an overbearing pleat that is pretty grating with Devine sounding like a whinier version of the singer from Counting Crows. This song becomes very annoying and is pretty hard to listen to.
Their cover of Bob Dylan’s “One Too Many Mornings” is done surprisingly well musically and vocally. Devine’s voice isn’t the best but it serves a purpose here, and the band compliments nicely with it’s folky feel. “Your Quicksilver Moment” also seems familiar to the Counting Crows with its slightly folky approach. It is a rather sentimental song and, although grating, Devine’s voice carries a little power. Their cover of Pavement’s “Range Life” is also reasonably well done in a tasteful manner. The band doesn’t go as overboard as the original, and the vocals come out nicely in the spoken/sung style.
This disc is pretty hit and miss with more misses that anything else. When they hit their mark it can be kind of compelling, but when they don’t it becomes very annoying and hard to take. The music has a little bit of folky influences, which are kind of nice and add something different. Devine’s vocal stylings become overbearing throughout this CD since it doesn’t always fit where the songs go. This record has some good points, but the bad outweigh them.

Dwindle – Expectance Acceptance EP

Dwindle are a three-piece coming out of Minneapolis, and they recorded this EP with J. Robbins as producer. This EP was supposed to come out last year as a teaser for an upcoming full-length, but both got pushed back. This EP serves as a warm-up for the upcoming second full-length from the band. This band is proficient in guitar-based indie-rock along the lines of Slint and others of that ilk.
“Resigned” is full of loud, crunching guitar work combined with very strong drumming, making a nice combination. The song has a very anthemic melody and is very catchy. “End of an Error” is a little slower with bright sparkling guitar and a very strong rhythm section moving everything along. The song cuts off at the end very abruptly, which halts the flow and stilts the impression of the song.
“Save for Future Use” starts off as a very nice slow grooving song that uses its pacing very nicely. The guitar takes on an echoey droning style that accentuates the somewhat depressed tone. The song breaks down in the middle with some frantic screaming guitar over the dark soundscape already there. This effect is top-notch on this song and makes for a very tense moment on a CD of mellow music. The disc ends with two versions of “Normative Forecasting” with very different dynamics, creating quite a different contrast between each take.
The band does a good job of keeping their more mellow music interesting and shifting for the listener. J. Robbins shows a deft touch in this recording and does a good job of keeping everything flowing, crisp, and different. The band refuse to get stuck in a mellow groove, and they show they aren’t afraid to experiment with different sounds. This EP is a good stop-gap and one that picks interest in the upcoming CD which will be interesting to hear. This has caught my interest. It is nothing breathtaking by any means, but it will be good to hear where they will be taking us next trip.

Various Artists – American Polka: Old Tunes and New Sounds

As every self-respecting music fan prides themselves on being open-minded, yet discriminating, connoisseurs of all cultural music traditions, it’s surprising that most wouldn’t touch polka with a 10 foot wiener schnitzel. It features many of the hallmarks of classic ethnic folk styles – it has happy driving rhythms, an honest blue-collar pedigree, and a lengthy tradition dating back to the Old World and many of our ancestors. In short, it seems that too many of us have images of our grandparents playing it on Sunday afternoons or visions of goofy bald-headed men in Milwaukee dancing with accordions to truly give it a fighting chance. Still, anyone who is going to call himself/herself a true expert on American music can hardly ignore the seminal influence of polka, and American Polka: Old Tunes and New Sounds is a most painless introduction to those formative sounds.
Split fairly evenly between strictly traditional artists and more contemporary ones, the collection lovingly presents the ethic of the music those immigrants from Poland, Germany, and various other Eastern European locales brought with them to this country over 100 years ago. You get the upbeat danceable “honky” style of Li’l Wally on “Who’d You Like to Love You” and the standards of American polka king Frankie Yankovic with “Beer Barrel Polka” and the uproariously mournful “Who Stole the Kishka?” beside the powerfully focused 1920′s clarinet and accordion duo named the Lager-Olsen Quartet on “Chicken Polka.” Admittedly, it’s pretty inspired stuff, bristling with an energy akin to klezmer and with the good-natured innocence (if not naiveté) of its creators. You also see the great tradition of the music in bands like Joe Patek’s Orchestra, a franchise that formed in 1895 and only officially ended its run in 1987, with their big backbeat and almost jump-blues quality. You hear polka as a communal music experience with the “community band” of the Shiner Hobo Band, which is the congregating of all the drums, accordions, tubas, clarinets, and whatever else is around in the town of Shiner, Texas, for a wild cacophony of town jamming.
Some of selections fall into a category of polka oddities, such as the Hawaiian guitars and fiddle of the Medina River Boys, which really sounds more like Mexican folk music than anything recognizable as polka. Narciso Martinez forms the logical line between polka and conjunto music, with his lively Norteno accordion playing. Similarly, El Trio Alegre, a stringband from the 1930′s comprised of just fiddle and guitar, find a classy laidback vibe not normally associated with what we might conceive as being polka. The inclusion of Los Lobos’ “Aselma” shows just how much the polka and Tex-Mex traditions have merged over the years, as it’s impossible to find just where the one tradition ends and the other begins.
Unfortunately, the third category found in the collection is that of modern novelty polka, which generally finds contemporary musicians who seemingly enjoy playing and poking fun at the tradition. Here we get the stupidly humorous “You Can’t Teach the Japanese to Polka” by the Happy Schnapps Trio and the strangely unsettling tempo changes uncovered through the merging of Ramones-styled punk rock with traditional polka by the Polish Muslims and their “That’s Why God Invented the Polka.” Even worse is the barely bearable double entendres of the “Wiener Dog Polka” by Polkacide. Just as strange is the inclusion of avant-garde artists who have tackled the polka genre, with Guy Klusevsek and his fairly straight “Some of That ‘Old Time Soul’ Polka” and Elliott Sharp’s hard driving, almost punk-ska of “Happy Chappie Polka.” Brave Combo’s polka rendering of Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” isn’t as bad as it should be, but it is hardly an obligatory listen among the disc’s 25 tracks.
As a single-disc overview of American polka music, it’s hard to think one could do a whole lot better than this, as it seemingly catches the development of the music at every stage. You get a lot of the traditional artists and songs of the genre, a smattering of obscurities, and a few too many modern novelties. The heart of the music seems to be one of genuine joy and pride in presenting the craftsmanship of the music and the preservation of its legacy. And while it’s doubtful that you’ll end up plastering a Frankie Yankovic poster on your wall, you may find more than a few reasons to admit that polka isn’t the musical pariah that you might have thought it was.

Picastro – Red Your Blues

Already on the tongues of tastemakers everywhere North of the border, Toronto’s Picastro are a succulent mix of female vocals, cello, steeped electric and acoustic guitars, and drums to dwell upon. Red Your Blues is stunning in that its originator Liz Hysen genetically is supposed to be deaf. Reading that tidbit of information, you have to wonder if perhaps one hears on another level when raised in a deaf family and sign language is your first language.
“Winter Notes” offers an introduction of mood setting guitar and cello and it’s one that strikes most of Red Your Blues. To describe the mood is difficult, but sullen is one word that comes to mind. It’s like those occasional moments that Smog, Dirty Three, or the For Carnation have played with in the past. The cello is indeed an affective means to inspire or subdue the listener’s feeling for the song with its rich sounds and long, slow pulling notes. These are coarse sounds when you can actually feel the hairs of the bow sliding and smooth enough to undulate somewhere near your heart. You hear that from Rachel McBride’s cello in “Fifth Wall” atop Zak Hanna’s guitar dirge and Evan Clarke’s straightforward drumming.
But most surprising, aside from her acoustic accompaniment to most song’s, is Liz Hysen’s unique singing voice that will win over more than a few fans of Catpower’s Chan Marshall. It’s a natural voice that starts from the soul and allows lyrics to be whispered from her mouth with perhaps a bit more resonance than what you and I might be able to muster. It’s not the importance of words in “No Name” that the listener will immediately focus on, but rather it’s the way that Liz shares these with you that is of more concern. But then noticing lyrics, a guitar’s slight harmonics dispersed throughout the song punctuate words that are fit to expose the listener: “…stop waiting, stop wanting, stop being.” Red Your Blues is a surprisingly strong and profound work from Picastro.

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