Strangers Die Everyday – Esther

Portland, Oregon’s Strangers Die Everyday are one among many instrumental bands. The toughest thing about being an instrumental band is trying to come up with something that’s going to catch people’s interests right from the beginning of the song in order to hold their attention without the benefit of lyrics. From the beginning, “Esther” intrigued me and with its bold choices kept me listening to the end.

The melancholic strings move slowly along, building and building towards a coming apocalypse. But not quite. Instead, the drums are the only booming we get, with the clean undertones of moving guitar and bass lines. The strings continue, toying with a Middle-Eastern like melody. Not typically my bag of tea, but its effective nonetheless. At certain points you expect the band to crank their distortion but they shatter those expectations by keeping most of the song quiet. An unconventional and bold choice. To some the strings will become monotonous, and during the highs later in the song, they reminded me of Jonny Greenwood’s work on the There Will Be Blood soundtrack.

And much like the landscapes and images in that particular movie, “Esther” reminds me of an arid dessert. Unfortunately, it ends way to soon but this song is filled with massive potential and fans of bands like Godspeed! You Black Emperor and Mogwai should check it out.

The Phantom Family Halo – The Legend of Black Six

Perhaps best described as “quiet psychedelia,” The Phantom Family Halo’s music comes off as a cross between Low and Dead Meadow. You’ve got the occasional riffing and the spacey, mysterious lyrics from whatever Hawkwind or maybe Blue Cheer album, but you’ve also got some understated and gentle tracks on The Legend of Black Six.

The distant, hazy tunes mix some 70s-sounding production values with some less-used instrumentation (“bowed bass”) to set a pretty consistent mood throughout. “In the Back of My Head” throws some creepy noises into your headphones, somewhere far away from the steady bass and almost spoken-word singing. A lot of times bands like this reverb the vocals and bury them in the mix, but that’s not the usual modus operandi on this disc. Instead they’re right up front. And while other bands might have gone for some rock-chop drumming to pummel the tunes into your head, again not so with The Phantom Family Halo. You can go songs without so much as a snare drum.

The title track takes 15 minutes to unfold. Its middle passage is noisy and otherworldly, separating the Sgt. Peppers lead-in from the 5 minutes of plaintive coda the closes it out. “Stop the Biting” sounds like early Grifters, when that band was still deciding how to use its instruments. The overtly psychedelic “Slender Head” has the kind of guitar line that you expect when you hear the genre name-checked, but it isn’t so much a stomping rocker as it is a sudued exploration. While it has some of the hallmarks of past influences, it’s decidedly more patient and relaxed.

The only tune that really approaches the rock side of stoner-rock is “Broken By The Way.” It’s got the half-time tambourine and the sinister choruses, the fuzzed-out guitar, the pedestrian low end, and a few drum fills. But even this tune isn’t too heavy, really.

The Legend of Black Six doesn’t sound like a band exerting itself. It sounds like a few friends putting together some (tongue-in-cheek?) tunes to show that they can travel back in time and conjure some of what the late 60s and early 70s found so appealing in its Pink Floyds and its Roky Ericksons. But this time around, the band wants to re-imagine the sound as it would have sounded had the musicians been on depressants and not so much of the stimulants.

Hercules and Love Affair – Hercules and Love Affair

In past years, it definitely seems to me at least, that every year is a good year for the electronic(a) genre. Last year was a supposed weak year for hip-hop/rap, the year before we didn’t have a lot of solid rock albums and the list goes on. Well, 2008 is no different in terms of electronic music. Almost four months in and we have a great set of albums to add to our CD racks.

Electronic music is often downplayed or disregarded because “real” instruments are not used to create its sonic sound. And though this statement may be true in a strictly technical sense, the genre still lives and breaths of rich and diverse music. What we have been lacking — inside the electronic genre itself — is some good, old fashioned disco music. Wait, what? Disco’s dead? And it’s been dead for almost thirty years? Tell that to Andrew Butler, the brilliant producer/DJ behind Hercules and Love Affair. With his craft of smart, funky, bouncy and extremely danceable music, Hercules and Love Affair’s self-titled debut is a wonderful piece of music.

Now, the album is produced by both Butler and friend Tim Goldsworthy and other members are rumored to include Kim Ann Foxman and Nomi. This is an album that from the opening notes grabs you and doesn’t let go. The music is energetic, lively and it’s all done with a great attention to detail.

The funk-infused “Hercules Theme” is a significant standpoint. Back-up singers provide the vocals as fluttering strings and jazzy horns provide memorable melodies. The music moves in and out of focus before it finally ends with a somewhat sloppy (it’s meant to sound loose) and terrific trumpet solo.

As a reviewer and close follower of music and all its forms, this is unmistakable disco music. It’s meant for the dance floor and some forward thinking DJs would be smart to play this in their clubs. Songs like the jumpy “Athene,” the laid-back “Iris” and the bass-driven “This is My Love” scream to be danced to. The music is catchy and the varied use of vocals makes for an intriguing listen. Unlike some other electronic albums that feature nine-minute tracks where the music makers simply jam out, this is a tight and concise record.

And besides the obvious LCD Soundsystem-influenced “This is My Love” another stand out is the first single, “Blind.” This is where multi-dimensional and gifted singer, Antony Hegarty truly shines. He’s featured on five different songs on here and on this fast-paced song, complete with its syncopated hi-hat and almost staccato trumpet is easily one of the best—if not the best—songs of the year. What really makes Hercules and Love Affair such a strong album and what really pushes it to that “remarkable” level are Hegarty’s fabulous vocals. Without a doubt, a very smart and successful idea.

This is a winner in so many different ways; the music is impeccable, the sequencing is seamless, the production inhales and exhales life and the overall sound is killer. It’s really hard to think or assume that there will be another electronic album as good as this one released the rest of the year — it’s highly unlikely.

Lemuria – Get Better

Lemuria keeps it simple. They invoke early and mid-1990′s alternative rock: a time when DIY musicians played loose sing alongs, synthesizing a generations’ nagging pessimism with cautious optimism. On Get Better, overdriven guitars carry accessible songs and dry vocals towards a hook. It’s good, but it’s shelf life is questionable.

Lyrics trace a soured relationship. Female vocals lead, but a male accompaniment is never far away. His needs improvement. But imperfection is a major player here. Dissonance is a hallmark, as it is in many of the better independent productions. In fact, track 7, “Dog”, is nothing without its flaws.

In Lemuria’s Get Better, you’ll find all the difference between a Jessica Simpson product and an indie band’s labor of love. It may lack the glitz and glamor but these head bobbing chord changes and easy rhythms are much more attractive.

Sporting few gimmicks, Get Better is pretty uniform. Standout tracks include opener “Pants” and the misdirected odes “Lipstick” and “Buzz”. The album’s later tracks pick up pace.

This band has been around for more than four years, so there is a good chance you know what they do. But the uninitiated would do well to check them out–especially fans of Husker Du, Discount, Superchunk, Jawbreaker, and Rainer Maria. And even if you don’t like those bands, Lemuria’s battle weary take on distortion and their home styled vocals can make friends with any alt rock fan.

The Huguenots – Discography

Who the hell are The Huguenots? Kurt Ballou (Converge), Aaron Stuart (Piebald), Dan Colby (The Explosion, The Never Never), and Matt Oates (Angels of Meth, The Never Never), that’s who! No, but seriously, if you’ve never heard of the band you’re not alone. If you don’t check them out after this review, you’re a moron.

Surprisingly, the album is called Discography for no damn reason at all. Just kidding, it’s because it is the band’s entire body of work! Imagine that! Unfortunately, the band’s entire body of work is a mere 11 songs (five appear twice making for 16 tracks) and they don’t play or write music together anymore. Regardless, they pack a hell of a punch with the material herein.

You can hear a lot of Converge in their sound thanks to Ballou’s presence, but this is in more of an avant-punk direction, something like if Converge and Botch teamed up for a split of Black Flag covers. It’s hard to explain but it’s heavy, genre-bending shit with a ton of intensity and punk’s sense of playfulness. Hell, some of this stuff is well over a decade old and still sounds fresh and lively today.

If you missed The Huguenots the first time around, don’t make the same bonehead mistake twice. These guys were one solid full-length away from blowing up and undoubtedly were one of the pioneers of this style of noisy, slash’n'burn punk. On the other hand, the bands implosion freed up Kurt’s time to focus on Converge’s godliness, so whatever. Bottom line: if a more punk-rooted Converge sounds at all appetizing to you, buy this now.

The Exit Strategy – City Of Microphones

The Exit Strategy are a throwback for sure. At initial listen, the Fugazi influence is apparent, but there’s a lot of Jawbox, Quicksand, and At The Drive In in there as well, an amalgam of bands you loved in high school. J Robbins even manned the boards for this one!

The problem with City Of Microphones is that the above description is pretty much all there is to it. They don’t really expand on the sounds of those bands, but rather combine them. Derivation isn’t always the worst thing a band can do, but it’s bad when it’s the ONLY thing they do.

With that being said, The Exit Strategy sure sound like they’re having a good time, and that energy makes the already well-written music very infectious. “X-Rays” kicks off the album with some catchy guitar work, “Big Gunpowder” is an almost danceable number with some impressive bass work, and “The First The Finest The Future” is reminiscent of Q And Not U in the best possible way.

Unfortunately, the album as whole still leaves you with the impression that you’ve heard it before. It doesn’t beg to be listened to over and over again. There are any factors that make a record “good,” and this record might have a couple, but ultimately, City Of Microphones may leave you reaching for the records of those aforementioned bands you loved back in the day.

Esoteric – The Blood of the Eyes

This review will not do this band justice. Esoteric, in my opinion, personifies doom. Only Loss, Ataraxie, Moss, Worship, and Mournful Congregation can compete with Esoteric. The group’s use of multiple genres creates a style of doom that is rarely, if ever heard. The mixture of heavy and light creates a contrast that is heavier than hell. In all honesty, do yourself a favor and listen to these guys.

“The Blood of the Eyes” starts with a guitar riff that is overpowering in it’s simplicity and beauty. When the whole band comes in, they creat death and life through their music. The vocals add the perfect accents to this monolith of pain. A must listen for all.

Sequoia – Time to Change

Chicago-based rock trio Sequoia has been on the receiving end of a great deal of positive press, but their newest album, Time to Change, is a mixture of really good and pretty mediocre. The major problem does not lie in the lyrics or melodies, but rather the vocals. The songs in themselves, which includes the drumming, guitar sounds, and bass lines, are creative and original, but the way in which the vocals go along – or don’t go along – with the rest of the music is a disappointment. The harmonies help, but in some cases, the vocal stylings are drab and unimaginatively used.

The music by itself is truly good, possibly even something special, as exemplified on the track “Waverly, TN.” The catchy “Still Wasted” is one of the album’s best tracks, and this is also where the vocals pick up into something a bit better than what was shown on the first three tracks. They still are not as good as they could be; for example, on the great “Across the Pond,” the song would have been even better had they abandoned the vocals altogether. Luckily, it does seem as though Sequoia is at least moving in the right direction.

Another positive element of Sequoia’s music is the drumming of Dan Wagner, who is shown in fine form on “Doormat.” Bassist Tim Jepsen is also outstanding on this track and the above-mentioned “Still Wasted.” The closing track, “New Years Resolutions,” is a gorgeous acoustic number that proves singer Wade Work’s voice is actually pretty solid. Sequoia warrants a look, and the vocal issues will undoubtedly get better with time.

Trembling Blue Stars – Exploring The Shadows EP

While listening to Trembling Blue Stars’ brief and beautiful EP, Exploring The Shadows, a common expression comes to mind: “change or die.” Somehow, that reality has skipped Bobby Wratten, lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist for The Field Mice, Northern Picture Library, and Trembling Blue Stars. Through all three bands and two decades of recording, Wratten has turned explicit sulking with delicate guitars into a career. Without deviating significantly from Wratten’s repertoire, Exploring The Shadows does offer some memorable surprises.

For starters, “Beautiful Blank” is faster than many of Trembling Blue Stars’ songs and atypical in its dominant jangly 60s pop mode. Beth Arzy’s gorgeous voice and breathy choruses carry tremendous charisma, enhancing the catchiness of the repeated lines, “Rich girl / Poor girl / Beggar girl / Thief.” The band delves more into synthesized beats on the EP’s second track, “As Easy as Being Alone.” The song features some aural similarities to Saint Etienne’s darker work, not surprising given that Ian Catt has produced so many recordings for that trio and Wratten’s various ventures over the years.

Confirming that his exploration of styles is limited yet lovely, Wratten complements Exploring The Shadows’ first half with “Outside Looking Elsewhere” and “And Then Silence,” two languid pieces that would have sat comfortably on Trembling Blue Stars’ first two albums from 1996 and 1998, respectively. Admired and consumed by a devoted cult that loves its pop music literal and cute, Wratten demonstrates with Exploring The Shadows that his band’s bittersweet indie pop is just as relevant, introspective, and effective as it has been for over a decade.

The Armed Forces – Modern Gospel for Modern Men & Women

Nashville pop-punk outfit The Armed Forces, fronted by 21-year-old Brandon Jazz, has had a lot of hype surrounding them, but all these expectations fall short of reality on the new 5-track album. The Armed Forces are akin to a more in-your-face version of Thrills as far as their sound is concerned. Pop-punk, or pop music in general, can be a fun thing to listen to, but this featherweight record is under par in several ways. Lyrically, The Armed Forces lack depth and substance, using tired, brainless, recycled content that carries little weight. In pop music, the lyrics should stick in the mind of the listener, but these songs just couldn’t do that. The best track of the five, “Now, Now People,” is easily the best-written of the entire bunch, but even this solid track can’t save the rest of the album, which, in some cases, borders on offensive.

Music does not always have to be excessively intelligent to be enjoyable, but it also has to learn to get beyond the sixth-grade level if it wants to appeal to more than a gaggle of screaming thirteen-year-old girls. Unfortunately for the Armed Forces, they have a long way to go in terms of developing a mature sound. One of the most notable and positive elements of this album is the strong bass lines throughout, which are nothing short of the backbone for the entire record, but still are definitely not enough to warrant the album that close of a look, if any look at all. Modern Gospel for Modern Men & Women also blunders with its weak, forced vocals and unimaginative guitar work. There is much higher-quality and smarter pop music out there, so don’t feel bad about passing this album up.

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