Band of Horses – Cease To Begin

Formed from the ashes of Carissa’s Wierd by Ben Bridwell and Mat Brooke, Seattle’s Band Of Horses put out one of 2006’s most precious indie-rock records, Everything All The Time. They managed to carve a niche and make a name for themselves with a distinctive blend of radiant and anthemic indie-rock, frothing with jangly and heavily reverbed guitars and refined vocals. Although working with famed indie engineer/producer Phil Ek (Built To Spill, Modest Mouse, The Shins) may have helped make their name, it was the music that ultimately won them many fans and some critical acclaim.

With founding member Brooke having left the band to pursue other musical interests, frontman Bridwell, along with core members Rob Hampton and Creighton Barrett relocated to Bridwell’s home state of South Carolina. Hooking up once again with producer Phil Ek, Band Of Horses set about fashioning their sophomore album, Cease To Begin, equipped with the experiences a break-away and a move bring, along with their ability to craft emotionally stimulating and dreamy indie-rock.

In addition to an overall brighter and slightly softer edge, a subtle southern comfort feel has seeped into a few tracks on Cease To Begin, but don’t despair. While the softer tunes take more time to absorb, they ultimately display some well written, delicate guitar leads and are sung with sweet vocals and lilting melodies that draw comparisons to label-mates The Shins. Other louder tracks have plenty of the edgy, layered guitars, dripping wet with reverbed echoes, that made Everything All The Time so engaging, only this time around they’re even better with a richer and fuller sound.

Opener “Is There A Ghost” starts slowly with a bubbly pop feel that explodes into a raucous good time with a blasting melody and thrashing guitars with Bridwell’s tender wail riding the crests. “Ode to LRC” bridges the gap perfectly between the old and new BOH with their familiar majestic rhythms expanded to include some softer, melancholic touches that segue nicely to the Shins-like “No One’s Gonna Love You” and the oddly named but soothingly vibrant “Detlef Schrempf”. The Southern-fried transgressions of “The General Specific” and “Marry Song” are completely forgiven thanks to the energetically cool and catchy “Islands On The Coast”, a song of the year candidate that boasts some shimmering guitar waves smashing against each other in perfect harmony amongst swirling beats and dynamically smooth drumming. “Cigarettes, Wedding Bands” continues the party and sounds the most like a continuation from Everything All The Time, with the jangly and catchy guitar lines tempered with meatier chords and a dash of aggressiveness. Closer “Window Blues” relaxes the mood with some lazy blues-like rhythms that are like a welcome, late-evening breeze on a hot summer day complete with trippy banjo lead.

Band Of Horses have hit upon an endearing sound by taking their experiences and whipping them up with a variety of styles and influences that are creatively transformed into a unique and cohesive album filled with energetic, emotional and enjoyable indie-rock.

Sister Iodine – Helle

Chick drummers rule. None are quite as awesome as Cheshire Agusta of Stinking Lizaveta, but Lisa Cusack, the “girl” in duo Boy/Girl, could be Cheshire’s younger, less doom-jazz inspired sister. Cusack attacks the skins like nobody’s business and her spare, but calculated style creates a great foundation for “boy” Eric Stiner to spazz out on the guitar. Sometimes guitar and drum duos sound stale and hollow, but Boy/Girl is one of the lucky few that manage to have a really full sound.

Boy/Girl’s second EP – and second produced by a member of John Spencer Blues Explosion – is called Secret Secret Secret Singles and it features barely ten minutes of play time. When you take into account the one minute intro “Alcohol and Certain Medications” (with some sampled audio and little more) and the 30 second interlude “Kxll Kxll Kxll” there isn’t much left but three tracks. But man, do those three tracks kill!

“The Shakes” is somewhat messy and fuzzy, but it suits Stiner’s dirty caterwaul perfectly as he sings “I should have been the one to cry”. The song has a bit of a sleazy ‘bad-touch’ kind of feeling, which makes the duo’s “sexy stalker rock” label seem all the more appropriate. “Stare into the Sun” is a too-short minute and a half tune that starts of stripped-down before slowly burning its way through a back and forth of frenzied screams and lo-fi strumming. Closer “Rorshack” also has a dirty vibe, with Stiner nearly whispering “you are my secret dream, you make me want to scream, scream, scream”. Stalker rock? Yep, and you’ll love every second of it.

Many EPs suffer from “wanting more” syndrome, but this one is made even more infuriating on this front by the two non-songs. What you do get on Secret Secret Secret Singles is absolutely thrilling, though, and it will leave you not just wanting more, but begging for it.

Grampall Jookabox – Scientific Cricket

Some might consider Grampall Jookabox a freak-folk group but I am not too keen on that. When I hear “freak-folk” I think serious, long-bearded neo-hippies and when I hear the music of Grampall Jookabox I picture an old miner drinkin’ ‘shine and playin’ the spoons, laughing and having a good time. I love Joanna Newsom’s Ys and some of Devendra Banhart’s albums, but they take themselves so seriously. Maybe they feel they have to take themselves seriously because of the music they make; it is definitely not what I think of when the term “indie” is thrown around. So, maybe the freak-folkers are finally feeling comfortable to just be weird and fun, making light of music that has been very serious (barring “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree” by Arlo Guthrie) for way too long now.

The beauty of Grampall Jookabox’s debut album, Scientific Cricket, lies in its humor, which is the main feature that makes this album so engaging and addictive. At first, I felt almost put-off by the extremely lo-fi, grainy sound of “Candle, Spirit, Leave” and the plodding chant on “Ponta,” but then I realized that it is fun. This album does not function to revive a sound, it functions to channel old folky sounds into a new, almost Animal Collective-esque body. Grampall Jookabox want you to be jubilant and dance while you listen to their music, not brooding and down-trodden like most folk makes you feel because of the emphasis on death and corruption. But its hard to not laugh when you listen to the track “Liggle Timmy Toothpick” which starts with the lyrics “Little Timmy Toothpick, Skinny as a toothpick/ standing by his mother and she told him if the shoe fits/ wear it!” and later on in the song a girl in the background says “Timmy sucks” and someone else says “Yeah, suck that Timmy! Har har har.” Then on “Biz Biz Business” we hear “Hi, my name’s David and I want an accordion solo! [enter short accordion solo]”

I should not give you the wrong impression, not everything on Scientific Cricket is in jest; there are serious songs like “Good Country Folk,” with its plodding melody following a plodding message about growing up in the country with lonely whistling adding even more beauty to the song. On “We’re The Small Windows” there is a complete “freak(-folk) out” with chipmunk vocals, occasional pounding drums like thunder, and really thin, empty guitar. “We’re The Small Windows” is one of the many tracks that show how Grampall Jookabox work with space and atmosphere, rather than through instrumentation alone, to build an ol’ timey vibe.

Overall I am impressed by the ability of Grampall Jookabox to take a sound that is usually so stiff and serious, turn it around and make every song a genuine joy to listen to, whether the song itself is serious or just screwing around. Every song is very hodge-podge sounding, seemingly just jamming, but the tracks maintain their focus and seem to build excellently; they always leave me feeling fulfilled, whether it is just a track or the entire album I listen to.

As an aside, I was wondering how this band would be able to convert these songs to a live setting and not have them turn back into regular ‘ol folk songs, with sparse acoustic instrumentation and all that typical stuff, but a friend pointed me in the direction of some of their live songs and they are as much fun as the album versions.

The Cinematics – Break EP

The deluge of atmospheric synth and guitar-based bands continues with The Cinematics, a Scottish band that embraces its inner indie-pop with angular guitars and glossy, verse-chorus-verse sing-a-longs that lean more towards The Killers than The Cure. Most of the songs seem to fit in a sonically lacquered and tidily packaged box of coolly displayed angst – catchy, smooth, and with simplistic lyrics of romantic (and other types of) turmoil.

The gift of this band is vocalist Scott Rinning with his clearly enunciated vocals that are, at times, fraught with emotion. Scott also sings with a varied vocal delivery and tone so that he sounds like a different singer on each song, or even for part of a song (recalling Christian Goyer of I Love You, But I’ve Chosen Darkness).

This four-song EP captures the band at their best, with three big, rousing-chorus numbers and a more intimate acoustic number that showcases Scott’s emotional range. The first and third songs can be found on their album A Strange Education.

The crisp, tightly-structured, up-tempo opener, “Break”, has a The Killers-like loping beat and synths, with Scott’s sharp, slightly nasal, clear, and emphatic vocals and delivery sounding somewhat like Piotr (Pete) Fijalkowski of Adorable. A wordless loop of elongated “Ah – ah – ahs” and high-pitched guitar line and synths form the swelling chorus and the song presses forward near the end, with a mingling of three different vocal lines, one being the “Ah – ah” chorus line, the other of Scott exclaiming “Don’t panic”, and the last line of “It’s just a trick of the light, she said”. The zingy guitar line and the wordless calls on the chorus parts hold the song together, and it’s these added touches that make “Break” coalesce instead of break down into just another too-slick, verse-chorus-verse song.

Next up is “Burning Light”, a strong, up-tempo rocker with pushing beat, trilling, reverberating guitars that turn a bit fiery and high-pitched on the choruses, and a jagged, low-end bass guitar line that gives the sound some depth. Scott’s vocals are lighter at first, on the verses, a bit weary and nasal, like Pete of Adorable, but then changes to become more emotive on the chorus, as the song breaks into U2 and Coldplay territory with a bunch of ringing guitars and crashing cymbals. Scott emphasizes his words as he proclaims “This burning light shines down on me, and when I open my eyes, and look down – I hope you’re gone” (simplistic lyrics, but with a nifty twist in that he wants the subject of the song gone).

The band covers Beck’s “Sunday Sun”, starting off in a mellow mood, but quickly changing to upbeat, pounding drums, strummed guitar, and a clear, higher guitar line. Scott’s vocals are cool in tone and sound plainer than in previous songs as he sings “There’s no other ending, Sunday sun. Yesterdays are ending, Sunday sun”, while a wordless arc of “Ahhh”s and “Oh-oh-oh”s, quick tambourine jingle, and strummed guitar round out the rousing chorus.

The stellar closer “Home” is an acoustic number, with a highly emotive Scott backed only by strummed guitar, with the sound of fingers glancing over the strings. Once again, Scott’s vocals sound totally different than on previous songs of this EP. He channels the likes of James Walsh of Starsailor (also in the spare guitar sound) and Jeff Buckley (although less luminous and trembling than Jeff), with clear, slightly broken down, desperate vocals sung in a high register, as he pushes his emotions to the fore, drawing out the words “Yes, I feel it in my hea-ar-ar-art”, vocally acrobatic, and not smooth and reined in like on the studio tracks. The lyrics sound simple on paper, but are given life by Scott’s earnest vocal delivery “Nothing else can make me feel this way. Here I am…I am home”. Sincere and effective.

Gallon Drunk – The Rotten Mile

If the recent reissues of Gallon Drunk’s first three incendiary albums only taught us one thing, then it was the cruel reality that James Johnston has allowed his gathering of mercurial sonic mercenaries to coast along for the best part of a decade under the long-imposing shadow of the group’s early years. Johnston has tacitly acknowledged this uncomfortable truth with the promise that this new full-length set has been cut with spirit of 1993’s From The Heart of Town ringing in his cranium. This, in theory, implies that The Rotten Mile should be infused with both vivid literary wordplay and a brutal played-as-live rawness; in effect being sophisticated and savage in equally potent measures. The burning question is then, has Johnston pulled-off such a lofty aim?

Well – perhaps predictably – it’s a ‘yes’ as well as ‘no’ scenario. The Rotten Mile does indeed attempt bed itself in the dank late-night London lives detailed in the coarse narratives of From The Heart of Town. But whereas the well-drawn dark characters of From The Heart of Town leapt lucidly from the speakers, here the miscreants are far less easy to recognise or define. Johnston instead prefers to converse in broader terms about vengeance, insanity and obsession, in the process making this fresh batch of songs feel far less like a collection of stand-alone short-stories. Indubitably, the fact that Johnston seems far more comfortable hissing his lines low in the recorded mix, suggests that there is a begrudging admission that the core songwriting isn’t quite as scolding as it could be. Such lyrical disappointments aside though, The Rotten Mile is still arguably the best sounding Gallon Drunk album since 1996’s inspired but flawed In The Long Still Night.

In fact, it’s almost as if the slick studio-saturated Black Milk (1999) and Fire Music (2002) never really happened. Nearly all the great Gallon Drunk elements are here again; albeit shaken and stirred, swallowed and spat-out. Which means that The Rotten Mile captures Gallon Drunk re-galvanised in viciously splenetic splendour. The opening blast of the title-track is certainly an apt (re)introduction for sneering guttural vocals, juddering Jesus Lizard bass licks, loose snappy drums, free-noise sax and searing meshes of organ ‘n’ guitar grinding. The grimy grooves continue from thereon in. The thuggish “Give Me Back What’s Mine” could be The Doors beaten to a bloodied blues-rock pulp, the delicious “Down At The Harbour” is a malevolent Morricone-mutation worthy of the band’s own You, The Night… And The Music LP from 1992, the gyrating “Grand Union Canal” is the finest Gallon Drunk single since the terrific “Two Clear Eyes” some ten or so years back and the appropriately-named “Night Panic Bossa” rides a slinky nocturnal-jazz wave that continuously teeters on the crest of an apocalyptic tsunami. There’s room for some subtly too, with “Put The Bolt In The Door” echoing the foreboding atmospherics of The Birthday Party’s “Wildworld” and “On Ward 10” prowling along like a very murky instrumental outtake from Curtis Mayfield’s peerless Superfly. Perhaps the most peculiar and atypical track is the straight-laced yet sarcastic cocktail-bar cover of the jazz-ballad standard, “The Shadow of Your Smile”, which closes proceedings as if it were a rolling over an ironically-schmaltzy end-credits sequence to a particularly gory Tarantino gangster flick.

What has brought Gallon Drunk back to almost full-strength is hard to pinpoint precisely but it matters little when the end product is so righteously gripping and self-assured. Now if James Johnston could just find the words to truly match the lacerating novellas of From The Heart of Town, then we could have another unquestionable classic upon our ears. Until then though, The Rotten Mile does at least pack as many deadly-punches as a brutal Wild West barroom brawl.

Iretsu – The Moon and Stars Remain in the Morning Sky

Iretsu is a foursome out of Portland, Oregon, and the group’s seemingly limitless creativity shows at every turn on this sparkling new album, The Moon and Stars Remain in the Morning Sky. These multi-instrumentalists take risks and ‘experimental’ doesn’t seem to accurately describe the diversity within Iretsu’s music. All in all, this album from Hidden Shoal Recordings is an absolute gem.

Each song delivers something new, whether it’s in the instrumentation, vocals, or lyrics. For example, “Bad Secretary” goes from being a quiet, acoustic mid-tempo song to one that sounds like it would be played at a café in Paris, then finishes with hypnotic, chilling vocals. These somewhat random elements come together beautifully, and Iretsu’s willingness to take risks and do what they like is exactly what keeps the band so fascinating.

Admittedly, electronica is not on my list of favorite musical styles, but Iretsu is able to weave it in flawlessly with touches from unexpected sources such as the mandolin. Loosely labeled as rock, Iretsu transcends genre and classification, perfectly exemplified in “Clear View” and “Led Bat” – both excellent songs. “Wet in the Rain” is a strange delight, since the entire first half is comprised of, well, creepy voices repeating various phrases until it transitions into a soothing instrumental peppered with the same vocals as it draws to a close. Strange as it may be at times, the complexity and eclectic mix of tracks solidify Iretsu as a band that rivals even the likes of Broken Social Scene for musical daring. Which, if you find that not be your cup of tea, is still worth a listen; this album has something for everyone, epitomized by the simple “Antique Platinum”.

Hidden Shoal Recordings consistently releases music that is a cut above the norm, and The Moon and Stars Remain in the Morning Sky is no exception. This album is something completely out of the ordinary, and seeing what this consortium of talented musicians does in the future will undoubtedly be just as interesting.

Vetiver – Columbia – Merriweather Post Pavillion, Maryland – 2007-10-22

It seemed a bit of a stretch to think The Shins could fill at outdoor pavilion the size of Merriweather Post, stuck in the affluent suburbs between Baltimore and DC. On their last jaunt through the area as Wincing The Night Away was just released, having debuted in the Billboard Top 10, they played at a venue that could hold upwards of 3,000 people. Now, close to 6 months later, they were booked at a place that in the past year has hosted a Marilyn Manson/Slayer show, Seal, and, um…Jimmy Buffett. Either the taste of this venue is going south quickly or this is further proof that people are growing sick of such bland acts as Fall Out Boy and someone figured a pairing of The Shins with Spoon would fill seats and serve the greater need. But even with the cream of the indie crop, along with the “freak folk” Vetiver, it doesn’t matter if you’ve been on SNL and on big time movie soundtracks, it doesn’t equate to bodies turning out in droves.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Guessing that sales of a Shins/Vetiver show were slow and with Spoon originally scheduled to perform in DC on that night, someone had the sense to put the two together. Although the pavilion and the field at Merriweather can hold upwards of 15,000 the venue was perhaps half full. This was actually to everyone’s advantage. While not filling the place to capacity it left people thinking these bands were still their own and the bands themselves didn’t need to feel they had to overcompensate in their performances.

Vetiver perhaps played this lack of people the best and it may have actually been one of the larger crowds they’ve performed for. Being hit with the unfortunate opening slot the odds were against them but their update on The Band carried well. Singer/guitarist Andy Cabic, having grown up near the area before relocating to California, related all the shows he had seen, or at least heard, in the woods of Columbia, MD. Truly their sound was most appropriate for the venue. As Merriweather is nestled into the few remaining acres in the area that contains trees, on a crisp autumn night they provided a good soundtrack. Cabic was jovial and humorous in-between songs and the band took to their role well, knowing the daunting task of opening for 2 bands who would have an equal amount of fans showing up. The last several songs of their set were good attention getters, upbeat and rocking, and even their cover of a Fleetwood Mac song was made their own so much it didn’t make me want to vomit at the thought of anything penned by Lindsey Buckingham.

I have no idea where Spoon comes from. Their music and the greatness of it is a sheer anomaly to me. How it is they craft these perfect pop songs, so abnormal and erratic, is a mystery; especially for only 4 men using nothing more than the standard rock and roll set up. Each album becomes better than the last while containing both experimental moments and more radio friendly songs. Fresh off their performance at the CMJ festival several days before they stayed in full on rock mode for close to an hour and the crowd ate up every moment. The largest applauses were spread out for the more popular numbers such as “I Turn My Camera On” and “The Underdog,” (complete with 3 piece horn section) as they were for the older numbers such as Girls Can Tell’s “Anything You Want” and “Me And The Bean.” Having a longer than usual set time allowed them to delve deep into their last 4 albums and choosing songs that aren‘t necessarily the best ones for a crowd of a few thousand. But after playing the festival circuits all summer songs such as “The Two Sides Of Monsieur Valentine” took on a new passion with Britt Daniel knowing when to use the rougher side of his voice. As their popularity grows their live show gets better, easily replicating the magic they use in the studio.

The Shins on the other hand are known for not being able to transmit their America meets Weezer rock from album to stage. It’s not so much that they are bad performers or give lackluster shows; their music isn’t suited for such large live performances, especially when you have to play to the fields. Oh, Inverted World was crafted especially for listening to alone; so intimate and close, even in the more exciting songs. James Mercer is rather reluctant to play to the spotlight and is so earnest it doesn’t feel like an act. Though Wincing The Night Away attempts larger than life moments, in the context of the live performance they don’t hold up well with the older material. Walking on stage as the opening underwater bubbles of “Sleeping Lessons” played seemed like a grand statement, more so when the stage hands unveiled a large backdrop of the album cover at the crucial moment of the song. It was all very big and rock and roll, which is to say, not very Shins-like at all. On such a large stage, literally and figuratively, they seemed somewhat lost. The now obligatory performance of “New Slang” was slowed down and songs such as “Pink Bullets” didn’t carry well. What did work, not surprisingly, were songs with more power to them, “Sea Legs” and “Turn A Square,” for example. And as proof the band was short on material to appease the crowd, they returned to the encore for a performance of Pink Floyd’s “Breathe.” (Incidentally a version of the song is expected to be released soon.)

Each band proved in their own way they are capable, and deserving of, a wider audience. Vetiver and Spoon have no problems projecting this with their live shows while The Shins may be able to do so over time. The difficulty for them is managing to find a closeness with the audience their songs are for.

Linda Draper – Keepsake

Just a few seconds into her fifth studio album, Keepsake, it’s obvious that Linda Draper has the talent to compose clever, rhyming folk pop and the instrumental skills to support her poignant lyrics. Yet, what elevates Draper’s music above some of her contemporaries’ pleasant, if undistinguished, folk balladry is her exquisite blend of voice and pace. Draper’s singing on Keepsake is crisp and passionate, co-produced and engineered by Major Matt Mason USA with such clarity that with eyes closed, you’d swear Draper is actually performing right in your living room.

Keepsake opens with the innocent and romantic “Shine,” as Draper professes her love with lines that rhyme vividly: “I once mistook the clock for the moon / My eyes see things a little out of tune / I’ll die singing when the flowers bloom / I once mistook the clock for the moon / The stars shine like turpentine / For you and me and nobody / Shine for nobody.” Draper provides her own backing vocals in a soft, seductive manner that uniquely complements both biting lyrics (“Sunburned”) and dreamy texts, as on her wistful interpretation of Rick Nelson’s “How Long.”

On such an intimate album, Draper and Major Matt manipulate sound and distance in some irresistible examples of aural confusion. “Too Late” starts off with a blurry background and Draper’s subdued singing, but then she counters with a chorus much sharper in delivery and recording quality. Draper humanizes her ghostly vocals on “Kissing the Ground” with gentle, isolated keyboard notes. Moving around the folk pop sphere, Draper adds flourishes and tweaks her style on occasion to expand her sound. “Traces Of,” the album’s first single, would not be out of place at an after-hours jazz bar, as one day ends and another begins. Between Draper’s piano, the soft bass playing of Robert Woodcock, gentle percussion by Sam Lazarra, and “Here today tomorrow going, going gone” as its most oft repeated line, “Traces Of” seems like jazz trio philosophy at its finest.

From the first note of “Shine” to the final guitar strum of album closer “How Long,” Keepsake is a warm pleasure, enchanting the listener with profound stories in simple settings. While each of the album’s 10 songs hits the heart, the opening trio of tracks is worthy of special mention. The virtues of “Shine” have already been discussed, and the album’s title track follows “Shine” with a prominent toy xylophone and Draper’s wittiest lyrics. In an example of songwriting genius, she offers her take on men and women: “Behind every great man is a great woman in the palm of his hand / And behind every great woman is a great man no one understands / Behind one of these three doors is a great prize waiting for you / And behind every great prize is a great loser to see you through / Just like I used to do / Baby please don’t make me explain myself to you / Just like they do.” The catchy melody and high pitch of the xylophone somehow raise the emotional tempo while keeping the instrumental one static.

Draper’s third masterpiece on her newest album is the bittersweet “Cell Phone.” Clever and exceptionally relevant, “Cell Phone” dissects the risks and rewards of technology in 21st century relationships. “I still do not think I really need one / So what if this makes me a bit archaic / When the truth is there’s no one I care to hear from (all the time) / And calling home only makes me homesick / And the only one I want to talk to is the one that I’m sitting next to / I’ll tell you this when you get off the phone / I’ll tell you all of this when you get off that phone.” Beautifully sung romantic folk music that’s current and throws a punch to the heart from a good place; what more can a listener request? All I ask of Draper is for more songs on her next album. Rationing out her timeless tunes leaves a hunger, not merely a taste, for more.

Sennen – Automatic Writing EP

Sennen is an instrumental group from the Netherlands with two three-song EPs to its credit. The band features a standard bass, guitar, drums, second guitar lineup, but the foursome also melds the trumpet and some synth into their sound. While the cover art of Sennen’s second release, Automatic Writing might make you think the music will be light and airy barely-there soundscapes, this group offers something much more layered and technical that lands just this side of full blown math rock.

Automatic Writing is just three tracks, but with just over thirty minutes of music here you won’t feel let down. The first song, “Redshift”, begins so slowly you may wonder if the band is going to go anywhere with these subtle surges of sound. Right around the point this pops into your head is when Sennen begins to add texture to the song. Just past the three minute mark (“Redshift” clocks in at over eleven minutes) is where the band picks up the pace a bit and the song really comes together. The technical skill of each member is quite apparent and some lovely, fluid arrangements expertly segue from one into another. It’s not as technical as math rock, but the music definitely has a post-rock feel.

“Arcus Glider” is slightly longer at just over twelve minutes and is the somber number of the trio. There’s a bit more focus on the trumpet in the beginning, but this song takes the longest to develop beyond softly layered sounds. The final track, “Hearsay”, is the most complex from the get-go. The shortest song on Automatic Writing, it’s also the one that is quickest to build up into a full-blown piece. The nuances of this track are more unconventional then its predecessors. The trumpet is given a bit more leeway to roam on “Hearsay”, and it makes for an interesting aural experience.

It’s hard to tell how a full-length album would fare for a band like Sennen. Thirty minutes of music seems like a comfortable dose to swallow of this type of instrumental music. It would be nice to see Sennen move toward pieces that have even more spark, but this may be a personal preference. Shoegazing appeals to many people, but for others this type of music doesn’t have a long shelf life.

David Karsten Daniels – Sharp Teeth

It’s 3 a.m. and I’m sitting in front of my computer struggling with how to start this review. The main reason that I’m struggling is research. You see, I do research every time I get a new record just to acclimate myself with previous material. The problem with acclimating myself to David Karsten Daniels’ material, though, is that every song I’ve heard is different.

Daniels seems to have musical split personality disorder. Much of his body of work consists of intimate, minimal songwriting, sung in a plaintive voice, perhaps recalling Will Oldham or Damien Jurado. The other stuff ranges from simple drum and bass accompaniment to complete and total chaos. The latter part is not as enjoyable, although it has its moments.

I point this out because if you’ve ever heard Daniels before, you will be shocked while listening to Sharp Teeth. This album is more focused than anything he’s done so far. It’s the sound of a good songwriter really bearing down and delivering on promise, much like Mirah on C’mon Miracle or Okkervil River on Black Sheep Boy.

The shift is recognizable immediately. “The Dream Before The Ring That Woke Me” could only work as the opener, as it builds on the same 5-chord progression and the lines “there is a joy that you can’t contain/there is a feeling you just can’t explain.” It starts with Daniels singing the lines quietly with his guitar while background noise mostly drowns him out, but crescendos into a near religious experience, slowly adding more singers, guitars, strings, drums, and keyboards, and fades out at the most beautifully textured moment, leading the listener into the album craving more.

From there, Daniels varies stylistically without going overboard in any one song, always keeping it together but never allowing it to be predictable. “American Pastime” could be a Maroon 5 song in an alternate universe, revolving around an upbeat staccato guitar/piano combo. The lyrics are a hilarious description of Daniels being betrayed by someone metaphorically in a baseball game and at war. “Universe Of No Parts” is an eerie but gorgeous acoustic song that references the duality of god, as does “Jesus And The Devil.”

All of this praise is not to say the album is perfect. For starters, it’s way too short. There are ten tracks, but two of them are piano interludes under 2 minutes. Also, “Minnows” and “Beast” are both slow to develop and they take up a combined 12 minutes, most of which is spent not getting to the point fast enough and not really giving you much to get excited about in the meantime (think slower Kind Of Like Spitting songs). The payoff on both is certainly rewarding, but the majority of these songs could’ve been spiced up a bit.

Daniels makes a nice recovery though, ending with the impressive “We Go Right On,” which seems like what he was aiming for with “Beast.” It’s a slow burn that reaches an awesome finish and manages to engage for all 5 minutes. Most importantly, though, the song shows that Daniels’ voice can cut through the song itself, going from the studio microphones and right through you speakers to your heart, and isn’t that what all the great songwriters do? Maybe Daniels is getting close to joining them on that plateau, but for right now, Sharp Teeth delivers on some of that aforementioned promise. Here’s to hoping he keeps it up.

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