Death Becomes Even The Maiden – The Arrangement EP

Alright, I have had it. Seriously. This pisses me off. There’s one thing that can piss me off more than any other: mis-categorization of bands who are claimed to be post-punk. So, HISTORY TIME!

There are a few genres out there that share that genre tag based not on sound, but on the time period. One of these genres is post-punk! Chances are pretty damn good that if you listen to 10 post-punk bands they will share very few characteristics. From around 1978 through 1984 is when most of the post-punk bands were in their prime – taking the DIY aspect of punk and applying it to avant-garde music (and sometimes prog, punk, dub reggae, etc.). The label post-punk applies to This Heat, The Normal, Joy Division, Public Image Ltd., Pere Ubu, Gang of Four, The Slits, The Pop Group, Wire, and Jeri Rossi.

Now, I use it as a descriptor for newer albums, but the term applies to a band that would fit in during this period rather than a band who sounds like they’re ripping off one of the aforementioned bands.

Alright, now that I have that out there, nothing about Death Becomes Even the Maiden are enticing to me. I may have started off nervous because of the press kit comparing them to My Bloody Valentine, Trans Am, The Police, Nirvana, Mission of Burma, Battles, and Fugazi. But nothing about it is “neo-post-punk” like they claim (what does that mean, anyways?). After reading the press quotes accompanying their Arrangement EP, I now even wonder if most people who write about music even bother listening to the album they’re critiquing. The comparisons they make are ridiculous – and straight off the press sheet’s band comparison I listed previously. Death Becomes Even the Maiden is generic like the majority of bands recently to be regarded as post-punk, stuff like The Faint, Bloc Party, Interpol, The Rapture (who I love), and Liars (who I love and who puts on a beastly show).

Essentially what it comes down to is this:

When you’re stealing a sound from a band who watered down a style, you’re going the wrong direction. Try again, sorry.

KIN – Démo Spire

KIN is a fledgling folk quartet from Lorette, a small town outside of Winnipeg, Manitoba, made up of Burke siblings Danielle, Eric, and Ivan and pal David Landreth. Their recently completed demo, Démo Spire, is three tracks worth of ethereal, beautifully orchestrated, and soothing music sung all in the band’s native French. The complex compositions make for songs that are engaging, accessible, and that never grow dull.

Their small-town upbringing led to music playing a big role in the lives of Danielle, who sings and plays guitar, Ivan, the drummer, and Eric, who also plays guitar. Eric and Ivan also sing backup. With Landreth on bass, the Burkes took their long-time interest in music to the next level when they formed KIN in 2005. Danielle’s clear soprano, along with Ivan’s solid drumming, make KIN stand out. The past few years they have spent writing, performing, and honing their skills, and now, the band sounds ready to be a legitimate act on the Winnipeg folk scene.

The best track is perhaps “Orage Humanitaire,” but all of them are unique and, in some ways, haunting. The lyrics will translate to listeners who speak any language, so even non-Francophones can enjoy this intriguing folk-rock. Drawing from a broad spectrum of influences, KIN has a great new sound that can appeal to a wide range of tastes, and they definitely warrant at least a listen or two.

Interview with Mac McCaughan – Essential Albums from Superchunk and Portastatic

Superchunk

No Pocky For Kitty (Matador 1991; re-issued Merge 1999) – The second full-length from Superchunk is the first to feature long-standing 2nd guitarist Jim Wilbur. The album was shaped in true quick and cheap punk-rock fashion, recorded between midnight and 6am in just a few days with Steve Albini at the desk, all whilst Wilbur was battling a fierce bronchial infection. Pocky was where the early-Superchunk sound really came together, slowly shedding the Hüsker Dü influence and branching-out into moodier, occasionally slightly slower pieces. The album features classics such as “Seed Toss,” “Skip Steps 1 & 3,” and “Throwing Things.”

Tossing Seeds (Singles 1989-1991) (Merge, 1992) – If you’re not some sort of completist then you can skip the self-titled debut and save a few bucks on the out-of-print singles by going for this early comp. It contains versions of “Seed Toss” and “Cast Iron”, as well as the semi-legendary “Slack Motherfucker” and “My Noise” from the Superchunk album. Also included are two Sebadoh covers, The Shangri-Las’ “Train From Kansas City,” and the underrated “Garlic.”

Foolish (Merge, 1993) – Ahh, Foolish, perhaps the most polarizing album in the ‘Chunk catalog. Fans either love it to pieces or just kinda like it. This was the first studio album on Merge since splitting from Matador and the first that moved away from the hyperactive pace. Other factors for the change in mood have been exhaustively explored elsewhere; all you need to do is listen to figure it out. Armed with some of the most heart-wrenching words McCaughan had penned to date, Foolish is a great mix of faster songs (“Water Wings,” “Why Do You Have To Put A Date On Everything”) and slower quieter numbers (“Like A Fool,” “A Stage Whisper.”) It is certainly the darkest album they’ve done and a true turning point for the band.

Come Pick Me Up (Merge, 1999) – By now the group was working together on writing songs and the result is a brisk and light album that is arguably their best work. Where on earlier albums the songs could blend into one another, on CPMU each track stands on its own. Every song is punchy ‘n’ pretty, concise ‘n’ catchy, and blessed with the best lyrics McCaughan had penned up to this point.

Here’s To Shutting Up (Merge, 2001) – The last studio album from the band extended the Superchunk sound even further, adding pedal-steel and well-placed keyboards as well as featuring “What Do You Look Forward To?”, their longest song, clocking in at nearly 8 minutes. The word “mature” gets tossed around a lot but HTSU shows the quartet growing up without giving up the energy they’re known for. The following tour, which took place shortly after the 9/11 attacks, is documented on the highly-recommended DVD, Crowding Up Your Visual Field.

Cup Of Sand (Merge, 2003) – So Superchunk hasn’t released an album of new material in nearly 7 years. Take this into consideration: this is their 3rd rarities collection in a span of 15 years. There are artists that have released a paltry 2 albums in their lifetime and still get a greatest hits package. Superchunk can be forgiven for taking some time off. And it’s certainly not like they haven’t been up to other things. Across 2 discs, Cup Of Sand compiles various compilation cuts, one-off singles, B-sides, a few choice covers (Government Issue, Adam and the Ants, David Bowie), and the Laughter Guns EP. It’s perhaps the best place to start for an overview on the evolution of the band. Plus the liner notes are hilarious and worth the $15.00 alone.

Portastatic

I Hope Your Heart Is Not Brittle (Merge, 1994) – In-between touring for Foolish and preparing for the 5th anniversary of Merge, McCaughan found time to write and record the first Portastatic record. After a few singles under the new solo moniker, Brittle is more of a lo-fi affair, featuring a few instrumentals, more hear-rendering songs, and a slightly more mellow approach than Superchunk. That’s not to say there aren’t some rocking numbers however, as “Polaroid,” “Tree Killer” and “Silver Screw” testify.

Slow Note From A Sinking Ship (Merge, 1995) – As great as Brittle is, Slow Note is where the Portastatic project took on a life of its own. Between unleashing Superchunk’s Here’s Where The Strings Come In and touring with Lollapalooza, this little gem was unleashed. The idea to utilize more than just guitar/bass/drums started here, opening track “When You Crashed” begins with pedal-steel and well-utilized keyboards are showcased prominently throughout the album. Standouts include “San Andreas” and “In The Manner Of Anne Frank.”

The Nature Of Sap (Merge, 1997) – The first of the Portastatic LPs to get away from the lo-fi tag, The Nature Of Sap also relied more on keyboards, organs, and synths to move the melodies more than before. There are plenty of instrumentals to create an almost underwater mood throughout the album and it features Mac’s brother Matt on drums and Lambchop’s Jonathan Marx on several tracks.

The Summer Of The Shark (Merge, 2003) – Ten years since the first release under the new name and Portastatic became a full-on rock band. Here, McCaughan strips away any excess sound to create a great folk rock record. Underneath the wonderfully noisy Ira Kaplan like guitar squalls lies an undercurrent of folk songs in the vein of R.E.M. or Buffalo Tom. The Summer Of The Shark is where Portastatic officially became his main focus, going on tour with a full band for the first time.

Bright Ideas (Merge, 2005) – Continuing on with the ‘rock-band’ theme, Bright Ideas lives up to its name. The album is full of varying moods and styles, incorporating the soundtrack work he’s done with a broader sonic palette. It’s also at this point the songs became more direct lyrically, as though a threshold had been reached. Though there is a sense of fun (“I Wanna Know Girls,” “Truckstop Cassettes”) there is also a feeling of realizing some painful truths when it comes to reaching a certain point in one’s life (“Bright Ideas,” “I’m Through With People.”)

Be Still Please (Merge, 2006) – To date, this could be the best album McCaughan has ever released. Combining the rock-band elements of previous Portastatic and Superchunk albums with an earnest bittersweet folk influence made this my album of the year choice for ’06. Many beautiful moments abound from the sweeping strings of “Sour Shores” to the resonating cymbal splashes in “Like A Pearl.” Again, the words reach a breaking point, no longer full of the joyful hope we’re accustomed to but more shaded with tones of skepticism and despair.

Last Harbour – Dead Fires & The Lonely Spark

It certainly makes the writer feel old in realising that nearly a decade has drifted past since Last Harbour first appeared in his erstwhile University town of Leicester, England. Although a lot has happened to Last Harbour during the last decade, it’s strangely comforting to note that the core vision of its co-founding mainstays – singer Kevin Craig and guitarist David Armes – has remained heroically untainted and uncompromised by the passage of time. So whilst the group has relocated to a more northern base-camp (Manchester), lost old and gained new members, switched between several labels (Liquefaction Empire, Alice In Wonder, Tonguemaster and Little Red Rabbit Records), Last Harbour’s intuitive grip on both bleak austerity and chivalrous romanticism has maintained its consistent firmness, as this third full-length set testifies.

In fact, Dead Fires & The Lonely Spark, is perhaps the most undiluted and steadfast Last Harbour LP to date, with the only concession to outside influences coming from the hiring of ‘named’ producer Richard Formby (Spacemen 3, Spectrum, Dakota Suite). With the more elaborate arrangements of its predecessor (2005’s Hold Fast, Pioneer) largely stripped-away, Dead Fires is a much closer representation of the seven-strong Last Harbour live line-up. Additionally, the song-count has been consciously trimmed to nine tightly-focused tracks (compared to the 13 apiece found on Hold Fast… and 2002’s The Host of Wild Creatures) and there are also no instrumental interludes this time around (like the wonderful “Goodbye Huw” from The Host of Wild Creatures). The end result of such self-purging clarity is an album brimming with self-assurance across its suite of nocturnal ballads.

The opening “Broken Nail” and “Saint Luminous Bride” pretty much unfurl the whole LP’s blueprint from the offset. The former finds Sarah Kemp’s typically evocative violin lines and Gina Murphy’s plaintive piano-playing wrapping themselves around Craig’s gently-crooned narrative, whilst the remainder of the ensemble colour in the subtle details. The latter is more representative of Last Harbour’s stormy theatrical-edge, with Craig’s vocals climatically tumbling into a far more threatening timbre, as strings swirl violently and guitars ebb ‘n’ flow forebodingly. This mix of tenderness and toughness recurs throughout the remainder of the record. Thus, the apocalyptic thunder-clapping reaches a vertigo-inducing peak on the searing Crime & The City Solution-indebted “Science Song”, whereas the beatific but bitterly-worded “No-One Ever Said” and “The Further Field” reach more deeply into the rueful rustic realms of the Last Harbour lexicon. Dead Fires sometimes falters however, when these dual musical impulses collide. This means that the predominantly serene strains of “The Accident” are overshadowed by a chaotic closing coda, in which Craig practically screams through a megaphone in a somewhat over-egged fashion. Furthermore, the bizarre Baltic sea-shanty “Out Back”, with Murphy taking the vocal lead, jars too much like “Your Verses” did on Hold Fast… and the absence of vocal-less explorations is missed in balancing the collection’s overall pacing.

These occasionally uncomfortable side-effects are perhaps inevitable given the seemingly deliberate ‘no-prisoners’ approach that Dead Fires prescribes. But then it’s often better to offend some passive consumers rather than pander to fickle market forces. There will always be place for a band like Last Harbour, where doggedness and commitment translates into a respectable canon over a long-term career. Reassuringly, this stern but gradually rewarding long-player certainly fits itself convincingly into Last Harbour’s difficult but durable body of work.

Siberian – With Me

There is more to Seattle than the faded grunge of Nirvana and Death Cab For Cutie’s mellow, poppy tones. Siberian finds itself firmly in the middle of the two extremes, straddling the line with droning, washed out guitars, looping melodies, and a rock solid backbeat.

Though their warbly, overly majestic vocals can get on my nerves slightly, the music itself is varied and complex. It rises and falls dramatically, flowing organically, without any jarring loss of rhythm or meter. There are dirty, grainy melodies that climatically bellow and deep, dark harmonies that simmer and murk. There are some dancey rhythms and pop elements that help break up the gritty tonalities scattered across the record.

However, while it’s a technically good album, there isn’t much that’s memorable on With Me. After listening to it several times, I have yet to take anything away from it – there isn’t enough to stand out from the pack.

Siberian is very smart to reconcile pop and grunge. I hope their next album finds that elusive “it” factor that hooks me in – Siberian is too talented of a band to see waste away.

Prurient – And Still, Wanting

It’s only been about two years since the last Prurient full-length, the brutal and gorgeous Pleasure Ground. In that time, Prurient’s lone member, Dominick Fernow launched his Hospital Productions record store while continuing to churn out plenty of limited edition releases on vinyl, tape and CD. And Still, Wanting is the “official” follow-up to Pleasure Ground and if you thought that Fernow was burning the candle at both ends and it was sure to eventually effect the quality of his work, nothing could be further from the truth. This one should go down as the defining moment in the Prurient catalog to date. It’s a thoroughly refreshing take on noise with a surprising amount of melody, albeit submerged beneath an extra thick layer of swirling, psychedelic static blast.

“Memory Repeating” begins the record with a burst of noise even Masami Akita would be proud to call his own. Then Fernow begins his monologue with “I woke today…not to trains…but to the mowing of a lawn…I woke up not to you…but only me alone.” His voice is a plaintive monotone but run through various effects to produce a most disorienting effect. It constantly keeps the listener guessing as to whether what’s being heard is a modified vocal or the grinding of some machine. “Returning Truth” is a brutal teeth clenching exercise in extreme noise but underneath the layer of static is a subterranean level of warped melody. Once again the vocals are far more interesting than your average fair for this type of music. Much like Hair Police’s Blind Kingdom LP from last year, Fernow takes the idea of voice manipulation and runs with it. His usual barked delivery is transformed through flanging and phasing. These are indeed the offspring of Throbbing Gristle’s original industrial psychedelia.

“Lust End” allows for even more submerged melodies. Fernow is presenting an alternate reality version of Tim Hecker’s work here where the noise-to-melody ratio is turned on its head. There are so many “what-the-fuck” moments in this song alone, where he’s doing things that other modern noise groups just haven’t either had the guts or good sense to try yet. Piercing high end frequencies lash at your ears, but Fernow’s vocals are aiming for the heart. This is one of the most engaging and emotionally charged takes on noise that I’ve come across. It does so without ever running the risk of seeming contrived or syrupy. It all ties into the running theme of loneliness and alienation. And Still, Wanting is a love song to the noise community. By the time it reaches its end with ten minute closer, “Incense and Rubber,” you’ll be ready to start it over from the beginning.

It’s an all-inclusive package depicting Dominick Fernow’s state-of-mind around the time of its recording. The lyrics are mostly appropriated from anonymous sources according to the insert. The artwork is a series of photographs seemingly of Niagara Falls from various vantage points. Last, but certainly not least, is the inclusion of a 5″ vinyl single housed in the same package with two tracks, “Shield (Prologue)” and “Shield (Epilogue),” that serve as bookends to the album. These are only included in the initial pressing so if you want one you might want to get on that, like now. And Still, Wanting looks to be the noise record to beat in this year’s current crop. It’s the noise answer to Sebadoh’s Smash Your Head On the Punk Rock that you didn’t even know was possible. Ladies and gentlemen, this is going down as a classic.

Ida – Lovers Prayers

Chances are you’ve heard of Ida by now. Daniel Littleton and Elizabeth Michell’s first album, Tales Of Brave Ida, was released on then little known label Polyvinyl Recording Company (fellow songwriter Karla Schickele didn’t hop on board until ‘97) . Since then, they’ve honed their folky slowcore sound through years of changing musical climates, adding and changing members and never wavering from their trademark sound, even through a major label deal with Capitol Records gone horribly wrong.

Now seven albums deep and almost 10 years removed from their most celebrated albums, Ida is still making wonderful music with Lovers Prayers. The warm instrumentation and soft harmonies are still there and as inviting as ever, and they can still make noise and dissonance sound as beautiful and appropriate as the cleanest melody. The dense yet minimal arrangements of “The Love Below” and “Gravity” still recall classic Ida sound, like the musical equivalent of a warm blanket, and the opener/title track retains the melodic brilliance they’ve always displayed.

Even though it’s the same Ida, no artist can keep making music for 14 years without branching out to an extent, and Ida tries their hand at a more backwoods approach here at times, involving blues riffs (“Worried Mind Blues”) and a few subtle country touches throughout. This new approach, however, is most noticeable when they strip the songs down to their bones, such as on “Willow Tree” and “Kora.” These songs really accentuate the amazing songwriting of the band’s three main members more so than in previous efforts.

Despite these subtle changes, Ida has been the same band for almost a decade and a half. Lovers Prayers won’t change anyone’s mind, but it is yet another excellent album in a stellar catalogue.

Beach House – Devotion

Dreamy music is just such a pleasant experience sometimes. It’s fun to hear and it takes you away to another place and time. And when it is done well, it can be truly uplifting and such a joy to hear. Baltimore pop duo, Beach House, have done just that with their second album, Devotion. With their brand of intriguing melodies and counter-part harmonies where both band members sing, this album is a surreal listen.

Things start off amazing with the surf-like tendencies of “Wedding Bells.” The music is spacey and ethereal that recalls a calming hymn. The very next song, “You Came to Me” is another special song. Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand sing joint melodies and harmonies as shakers and a tingling keyboard support them. Legrand also sings the verses with such a poignant touch while Scally harmonizes sweet “la-la-las” behind her. Scally then joins her as they both sing the chorus in a wonderful progression.

The best song, and justly so, is the first single off of Beach House, “Gila.” The guitar is the star of the show on this song as it plays a memorable line while Legrand sings. The best parts are when she and the guitar play off each other in a call and response/syncopated style. Legrand sings, “Don’t you waste your time, no, no, oh…” Every time that she sings the “oh” part, the guitar backs her with the perfect notes to make it one catchy hook, as opposed to repetitive drivel. The guitar then plays a menacing melody before Legrand sings again. All of the great and smart choice of sounds and instruments work extremely well: everything from the organ to the atmospheric touches, to the soft drumming, it’s pop perfection.

The same, dream-like feel is a prevalent feature on the album. The shaker on “Holy Dances” is a fantastic touch, as are the sleigh bells on “All the Years.” That’s certainly is an endearing factor on this album, the way everything just flows into each other is superb.

The only song that sounds a bit out of place, is also the shortest, a cover of Daniel Johnston’s “Some Things Last a Long Time.” It’s a piano-driven song with some tribal-like drums that also has the least amount of atmospherics. This quickly changes with “Astronaut,” the longest song here, going just a bit over the five minute mark, that might also be the most upbeat and poppy one on the entire album. It starts off with a great bass line and more organ before Legrand appears with tender vocals. The disoriented guitar line is a great juxtaposition to the driving bass and it ends up being one of the better songs here.

As the album ends with the gentle, fittingly-titled, “Home Again,” you are left with a stunning 42-minute album. A lot of this music recalls many of the Beach Boys lush and diverse sounds—without the sprawling harmonies, of course—with some gorgeous atmospheric touches. This tandem of dream pop has crafted a beautiful, spectral and memorable album with Devotion.

Loom – Angler EP

This 5-song EP, by Salt Lake City quintet Loom, sports an intriguing twist to the progressive indie-rock conventionality by adding violin to the mix. It’s a nice addition to the pounding poly-rhythmic guitars and prog-style drumming, but it’s not enough to put Angler into the regular listening rotation.

Loom employ some Minus-the-Bear-style winding guitar interplay with driving bass rhythms, tight drumming and billowing violin; all intricately layered, musically complex and delivered with a decidedly aggressive edge. But being armed with this intriguing mix and having the ability to mold it effectively into something worthwhile are mutually exclusive.

While the music could be an acquired taste, the vocals are downright bitter. Coming through unproduced and unfiltered, the spastic vocals often border on screamo, and the harsh, sometimes maniacal, rants prove too distracting and shifts the focus away from the music. And even the music, at times, seems more erratic than planned. It’s a constant roller-coaster of chugging and churning, amid frequent tempo changes, with too few choruses, bridges and unflurried passages. The exception being the more song-like and artful “Tracers”.

Loom strive hard not to be a run-of-the-mill band with the use of violin and an antagonistic and convoluted mix of indie and progressive rock. But the results are too often disjointed, and the momentum swings too frequent, that it doesn’t provide enough for the listener to hold on to. While I respect the way the band ignores commercialism and plays a unique brand of rock that defies categorization, a little less unguided frenzy and a little more tempered structure might allow this reviewer to recommend them.

Recommended track: “Tracers”

Broadband Shortwave – Lazy Atoms EP

There are musicians who want to be in bands to make records, play shows, and (hopefully) gain some level of popularity. There are also musicians who never record a thing for public consumption, never play a show, and never get popular (how could they?) because they just play for the fun of playing – no strings or expectations attached. There are plenty of gray areas of course, but if you’re going to be a musician in a band that is recording and playing shows you may as well stick to your guns.

This is what I think about when listening to Broadband Shortwave’s EP Lazy Atoms. The Helena, Montana based band originally formed in 2001, released material in 2002 and 2003 and then broke up for at least three years before reforming and recording this disc at the very end of 2006. What were the members of the band doing all of those years? Playing with other outfits…not playing at all? I have to wonder.

Lazy Atoms revolves around dreamy pop-rock. The first four songs are slow numbers…rhythmic and soft, but pretty. The lyrics are artsy and the singer’s voice is subdued enough to mesh well with the sound Broadband Shortwave seems to be aiming for. “Space Real Estate” sounds a lot like a Dave Matthews Band slow jam – which is either a good or bad thing depending on how you feel about the DMB.

The last two songs, “Shatterhead” and “Technicolor”, are out of place right after these slower tunes. On “Shatterhead” the band shows an upbeat, funkier side that just straddles the fence of being a true rocker. “Technicolor” is even a bit more funky – eclectic even – but it’s missing that extra something to ratchet it up a level. With most bands I tend to enjoy the more upbeat songs over slower ones, but in the case of Broadband Shortwave the opposite is true.

The overall feeling I get fromLazy Atoms is unfocused. The slower, dreamier songs are quite enjoyable, but stacked up against the faster tunes it’s a somewhat confusing affair. I’d like to see the next album or two from this group as a better gauge of sound they’re going for and how much staying power they have as a band. Lazy Atoms isn’t going to win super high praise for excitement or innovation.

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