65daysofstatic – The Fall of Math

It took me a while to get to this album. I regret that I didn’t have time to absorb it as much before, because after this I’m positive that it will be in heavy rotation. Teeming with power and intensity comes The Fall of Match, from the UK’s 65daysofstatic. An album originally released in Europe in 2004, The Fall of Math finally hits the U.S. and will undoubtedly cement the band amongst the ranks of some of the greatest instrumental and/or experimental rock acts around.

In a way, what 65days did with this album was take a normal rock song structure and remove the lyrics. But the member’s have done so much more than that and observation of song lengths be damned because either way, this album feels epic. The industrial and haunting intro does little to prepare us for the aural assault of the first two complete tracks. “Install a Beak…” and “Repeat!Repeat!” are married by common tone and melodies and together they are infinitely engaging. In “Install a Beak…” can feel rather repetitious, but the electronics and percussion boom with such grace that its easy to get lost in. “Repeat!…” takes the ideas introduced in “Install…” yet you feel the edgier rocks sounds as the playing field grows in scope. There are so many layers of different types of instruments and sounds that are so well placed, this song deserves repeat listening to fully appreciate and catch every nuance.

I mentioned intensity in the introduction to this review and songs like “I Swallowed Hard, Like I Understood” are a good example of this intensity. The electronic melodies and guitar driven rock combine to take on a ticking time bomb feel. There is almost a sense of dread in these haunting moments and they continue in the title track. And of course there are moments for breathing, such as the electro-string driven breakdown in “The Fall of Math”. Then it moves back into industrial mode in an appropriate coda to a song with such a title.

I’m not sure if this is lifted from At the Drive-In’s “Arcarsenal” off of Relationship of Command but the explosive mid section of “This Cat is a Landmine” certainly evokes it. One element that I should mention about this record is the extremely proficient and all the more creative percussion section. It is solid throughout and the extra spectacle they exhibit fits perfectly with the rest of the foundations epic style. “Hole” is a prime example of all of this. The single off of this album, “Hole” showcases what this band is all about, yet it isn’t quite the strongest track.”Fix the Sky a Little” is almost operatic, yet it leaves us wanting more and “Aren’t We All Running” was a great way to end the album on an epic high note.

Sure there are little moments where the intensity drops in the shorter “filler” songs (“Default This”, “The Last Home Recording”), but these calm moments are almost necessary to temper the madness. But a madness worth enjoying as 65daysofstatic crafted an album worthy of all the praise its garnered in the UK and then some. I can’t wait to check out their latest.

Navy Of The Nice – Navy Of The Nice 7″

It’s Christmas in July when a new stack of 7-inchers arrives on your doorstep. At the top of the heap and sticking out with its Suicide Squeeze-like art work is the first offering from Navy Of The Nice. The project of one man band Nick Jackson these 4 songs show plenty of promise for the future while drawing favorably from the golden era of lo-fi indie rock.

Each song recalls fondly a different forefather of the underground be it Bob Pollard, Jeff Mangum, Mac MacCaughan, or John Darnielle. Right from the start Jackson is spewing forth words at a rapid clip and in a voice quite similar to the main Mountain Goat. It even begins in a manner you could imagine Darnielle starting with, “When the war pigs come for me/pack your bags love, it‘s time to leave…” before they’re off to “Yellow Springs, OH“. Drums and bass come in fuzzy and lift the song skyward and hark, is that a melodica I hear? Nice touch, my friend.

Ooh, but that melodica doesn’t stop there. It carries over into “Sea Cow” as just one of many kitchen sink instruments used such as a banjo and what sounds like some drinking glasses for percussion. As ramshackle as it sounds it makes for a joyous little number which is over far too soon.

Where the Bob Pollard influence comes in is apparent from the descending guitar that open “Roseland.” Jackson sings for notes he can’t quite hit, just like Uncle Bob, but the chorus is far more genuinely rocking than anything on the final GBV albums. Throw in some Archers of Loaf noodling for a solo and you’ve got the catchiest song on the record, happily tucked away on the second side. “Window” wraps the debut up with a Feelies inspired piece, again all too short, with lyrics containing nothing more than “Ahhh, staring drunk out the window.” It creates such a scene, these simple repeating words, a plucky banjo melody, it could be set on a hope filled winter day or a breezy warm spring afternoon. Where “Roseland” rocks, “Window” is filled with wonderful imagery and only takes a minute and a half to transport you somewhere else.

It’s going to take a little more time for Nick Jackson to grow Navy Of The Nice into a sound of his own, but this is a wonderful start.

Duchess Says – Anthologie des 3 Perchoirs

As a reviewer of independent music, I always keep an open mind as to a band’s intentions and aspirations. Even if the music isn’t necessarily original, I give credit for the effort and determination to create something for people to enjoy founded solely on their dreams. For me to completely trash a work without citing any redemption, they must actually insult my intelligence, annoy my ears, and waste my time. Anthologie des 3 Perchoirs by Duchess Says is such an album.

These auditory criminals come from Montreal, and were founded by…well honestly, who cares? The group has been described as having “the fury and intensity of punk rock comprised of screaming guitars, moaning bass and relentless drumming with keyboards and the explosively sexy stylings of vocalist Annie-C. There is something breathtakingly original about Duchess Says and one listen to Anthologie des 3 Perchoirs will cement that impression.” Ha, ha, ha very funny.

Anthologie des 3 Perchoirs opens with “Tenen non neu” and it literally sounds like a drum machine backing up a neutered squirrel. I actually thought “oh my god I’m going to have fun ripping this to threads.” After Ms. Ferret is done making noises, she screams and makes other noises. Wow, what a fantastic opening. It has an industrial techno sound like shoving the worst of 80s pop synth into a garbage disposal. The rest of the album, to its credit, is comprised of actual songs. That’s the best I can say about them; that they do have a beginning, middle and end, complete with verses, bridges and choruses which are all horrible. There are no standouts from this album except the first track, which is simply more amusing and pathetic than the rest of it.

So what exactly is wrong here? Musically, there is no new ground shed. It follows a close blue print of other bands. It is made from the apprentices of garbage 80s music, where the cheesiest keyboards complemented distorted guitar chords over a programmed beat. Vocally, the singer wishes like hell that she was Gwen Stefani, only she lacks the cute innocence Stefani possessed in her glory days, and instead conveys a really bad menstrual cycle. And if this wasn’t enough, the actual production is horrible. There is way too much treble and not enough bass, making it sounds like a MIDI that will cut your ear drums in half. Perhaps back in 1983 when these advancements in music technology where new and innovative, this sound was passable and even exciting. But even looking back then, I can think of a hundred songs that had better writing, catchier melodies and more pleasant vocals and sounds. In 2008, there is no reason to bring this style back. No one missed it, and if they did, they could go back 25 years and be nostalgic for good 80s music, like Kate Bush and Thomas Dolby.

I feel the need to mention that even though Progressive Rock is my forte, I have nothing against punk music or songs built out of a few chords. I love London Calling by The Clash, I think Green Day’s American Idiot is a modern day Quadrophenia (The Who), and I will defend till my dying day that No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom, and especially Return To Saturn, had great songwriting on it for the level of their ability. However, Anthologie des 3 Perchoirs is an abysmal, annoying and completely useless effort. I’ve heard better things in an MRI machine. In fact, I couldn’t even finish listening to it the first time because it was so horrible and offensive. I could tell exactly how the rest of the album would sound, as well as that nothing decent would reveal itself with repeated listening, and that’s never a good thing. Duchess Says can say they’re great, but I say they suck. Bad.

Japanese Sunday – Taps Taps Lights Out

Japanese Sunday play ambient progressive rock. On their new LP, Taps Taps Lights Out, clean tones converse in a brooding internal dialog that inevitably cracks. The release comes amplified in distorted highs and lows. Song parts alter and shift but, for better or worse, the overcast dysphoria never lifts. This largely instrumental album is good, but fails to set the band apart from the many others who play this stuff.

Japanese Sunday’s one distinction is vocal presence. Front man Eric Kusanagi’s vocals don’t convey a message, but rather serve as another ingredient in their instrumental dish. His singing is amateurish but usually passable enough to to earn some points for effort. He’s often pushed back in mix.

Taps Taps Lights Out works as background music, but not for concentrated listenings. Music fans can enjoy a song or 3, but soon find themselves writing grocery lists and wondering what Envy is doing these days. In other words, the songs are formulaic. But, then again, songs in this genre usually are.

It’s the same story over and over: The bass rumbles out the chord progression while clean guitars pick out scale notes, flittering and building before eventually busting into a series of distorted riffs that inhale and exhale before settling on one for the climax. The songs then retreat in to clean guitars.

There’s no denying that Japanese Sunday is good at this.

Their best efforts come early. Track 2, “Eight O’Clock Robot”, rocks with tension and melody, setting the bar for the rest of the album. Up next is “Kagaku”; this chameleon-esque track is a favorite, rising and falling with dynamics and intensity.

With phaser guitar effects, “The Genius of Anonymity” starts crashing before finding some patience and carrying onward. Track 7, “Tigers of Ships”, stands out. Here, guitars aim skyward, abandoning the grounded tension that envelopes the rest of the album. Dreams animated in drum rolls come welcomed.

The remaining tracks are either decent or tiresome, the worst being “Proxy”. This track’s cheaply emoted vocals and sour harmonies dismiss the music. Japanese Sunday would do well to improve their vocals because when vocals are present, they inevitably attract a lot of attention.

But the band perseveres. On Taps Taps Lights Out, this San Diego 4 piece sounds tight and focused. Problem is, so do lots of other bands. Nevertheless, rock fans should listen. Just don’t expect miracles.

Paavoharju – Laulu Laakson Kukista

I have no idea what the word Paavoharju means. I also have no idea what Laulu Laakson Kukista, the title of the Finnish group’s newest album, means either. The point I’m making with this is that language is not a barrier to enjoyment here and I’m assuming that most of you, like me, do not speak Finnish. The music itself is a mostly delightful mix of psychedelic, folk, ambient, and (ugh) world music. This makes for a pleasant listening experience similar to something like Sigur Ros where language becomes secondary to aural enjoyment.

Those familiar with the Fonal roster will note that all of its groups share some similarities to one another, however vague. Kemialliset Ystävät and Islaja trade in the same rotted out sounding folk while Fonal label head Sami Sänpäkkilä’s Es project released an album called A Love Cycle back in 2001 that traded in static eruptions the likes of Jeck and Fennesz could call their own were it not for a distinctly and somehow indescribably Finnish bent. Paavoharju borrows from equally from its brethren to birth a sound wholly unique if not entirely successful.

Laulu Laakson Kukista opens with “Pimeänkarkelo,” one of the more static tinged ambient numbers, but manages to segue effortlessly into a more upbeat dance number with female vocals. This song, “Kevätrumpu,” something about it sounds kind of Bollywood to me. It has an inherent cheesiness to its disco beat and ululating vocals, but its saving grace is the Bjork-like quality of the voice itself. Elsewhere, the group spins more fuzzy ambient yarns and plinks away on a piano before returning to more songs.

The album isn’t without its faults. Personally I think the ambient bits are better than the songs because there are too many moments of would be quality songwriting obscured by the kind of unselfconsciousness all too common in foreign indie rock. In other words, unaware that things they’re trying to do just sound cheesy because they lack the self-aware, American hipsterisms necessary to go “no that sound of a baby giggling at the beginning of track six sounds bad.” Thanks for that by the way Paavoharju, a great song ruined by the unnecessary sounds of baby gurgles. Other than that, there is a song that sounds like a Finnish Nick Drake cover that wouldn’t sound out of place in a commercial for laundry detergent because of its gentle, breezy quality.

Maybe that was a little harsh, but it’s frustrating when you know you’re hearing what would have been a fantastic record that ended up simply “good” because of a few unwise decisions. I trust that Paavoharju will continue to refine the sound established here and on 2005′s Yha Hamaraa into something even more stunning on the next album. Here’s to hoping anyway!

Idiot – 2008 Demo

Idiot, consisting of Nyberg on vox/guitar, Sean Lynch on drums and Jeff Yanchek on bass, met at a Hanson concert according to their Myspace. I think that’s probably a wind-up, since the Hanson influences are few and far between on this demo (fortunately, or maybe not depending on your perspective). Instead this sounds like a very metal version of Queens of the Stone Age, mixed with some of the heavier Muse riffs and hints of the screamy bits employed by Die So Fluid and Cortizone. For me, this does verge a bit too far into “metal” sometimes for my tastes, but it has to be admitted that Idiot do what they do very well and provide some enjoyable vocal melodies and great, heavy riffs.

Opener “Frankie Sharp” has a fast opening riff, reminiscent of Muse’s “Assassin”, from their album Black Holes and Revelations, with all the instruments chugging away furiously. This breaks off suddenly, with the bass guitar making the majority of the noise, to reveal vocals best pictured if you could imagine some kind of Josh Homme/Nick Oliveri hybrid – with Homme doing the melodic stuff and Oliveri doing the screamy bits he was so good at. This is a frenetic and exciting opener to the demo, certainly making it difficult not to be intrigued as to where the rest

“Smile 2012″ seems to rely pretty heavily on the same chugging, fast riff – again very (even more so) reminiscent of “Assassin” by Muse. Again, there is the mix of melodic singing with the occasional System of a Down-esque scream thrown in for good measure. This has a great chorus section, with tremolo guitar parts (it also sounds like there might be some synthed string parts layered in as well) over a really good vocal part that shows off the vocal talents of Nyberg – the only thing that should be said, and it’s a fairly small point and kind of adds to the overall feel of the music, is that his intonation is frankly, appalling, making it very difficult to catch anything but small snippets of the lyrics. Although I do usually have a major issue with this, the generally good tone of his voice and the catchy music kind of makes this a small niggle for me.

“Unimpressed”, the first slow track on the album is very Cortizone-esque, with a typical “System of a Down slow song” drum beat. There are some subtle and understated guitar parts here as well. For the most part there is the same trouble with intonation here, but I did manage to discern this: “Just think of me, as self-righteous/I’m just the result of the mindless”, which is alright, as far as lyrics go. However, I think there is less room for this kind of sloppiness with pronunciation on slower tracks. This said, it’s a very beautiful, epic song that drifts along nicely.

“Big Spender” takes us back to typical heavy form, with a great, dirty sounding bass line that Twiggy Ramirez would be proud of. Actually, this is the first time the bass has been very overstated and obviously doing something other than chugging away at root notes. This instantly kind of makes it the best song on the album for me. The singing is better here as well, with more of the lyrics being decipherable “Hey, big spender, show us all of your self-indulgences/ Be everything that we dream, don’t worry it’s not (something).” Again though, because the song just sounds so bad-ass, it almost doesn’t matter when you can’t hear bits of the lyrics, since you imagine they would most likely be just as bad-ass as the music.

The last track, “Thumbscrews”, definitely has some kind of weird electronic sampling going on underneath the melancholy, sweet acoustic guitar sounds, making me wonder which member of the band is responsible for this, as it’s not credited to any of them on their Myspace. Again, this is a slow number and shows off Nyberg’s vocal range well. The lyrics? I have no idea for the most part. Never mind.

Overall then, this is a great rock album with strong hints of metal thrown in. It has some fantastic riffs and a great vocal tone over the top of it all. However, on slow songs either the intonation needs to be much better, or the vocals need to be higher in the mix for them to come through clearly. I suppose, since it’s a demo, this is the kind of thing that can be ironed out later on. Definitely though, this is worth a listen – especially the heavy tracks, which are a great collection of truly blistering riffs.

Mono In VCF – s/t

Sometimes a band or artist will foolishly lead with the strongest track on their record, thereby setting a near impossible standard for the rest of the album. “Space Oddity,” on the album of the same name, is often noted as a popular example of this. Bowie probably had no idea that he was leading his record with what was to be his most well-known song, but it had an adverse effect on the rest of his album regardless.

The opening guitar and strings on “Escape City Scrapers,” the first track of Mono In VCF’s self-released, self-titled debut, immediately suggests something great. Unfortunately, they led with a song so epic, so intensely regal, that there is no possible way the rest of the album could live up to it. This is not to say the rest of the record is bad, but your ears have already heard what this band is capable of, and you can’t un-hear it.

The album overall is a dark, spacy psychedelic pop affair. At times, such as on “Chanteuse” and “Masha,” they hint at a more atmospheric Portishead-type sound; at others, such as on “Death Of A Spark,” they try a more orchestral pop sound, but they never quite reach the near-perfect combination of the opener.

Between the vocals of singer Kim Miller and the obvious talent of principal songwriter Hunter Lea, this band could record a whole album full of hits, but this is unfortunately not quite there yet. However, considering they’re playing Bumbershoot Fest in Seattle and were hand picked by Jarvis Cocker to open for him, I think Mono In VCF will get plenty of chances to show us what they’re made of.

Beat Circus – Dreamland

Dreamland, Beat Circus’ second release, is proof positive that the concept album did not die with vinyl records and is still very much alive. In fact it is one of the most ambitious and peculiar musical endeavors I’ve ever experienced. Billed as the first part in a “Weird American Gothic” trilogy, it features a 150-page musical score, written by frontman Brian Carpenter, and is based on the turn of the century, Coney Island amusement park, Dreamland, and the denizens of surreal characters that made it eerily alluring.

This music is not for the casual music fan. If you’re looking for sweet pop, sublime indie rock, ambient background music or anything that you can put on and not pay attention to, stay away. Similar in style to The Residents’ Freakshow and like taking a mercurial musical acid trip, Dreamland is a swirling maelstrom of theatrical post-cabaret and vaudevillian post-rock jazz. The 9-member collective, and numerous special guests, create eccentric soundtracks for the equally eccentric stories and bizarre characters that inhabit Dreamland with an exotic array of instruments including pump organ, mandolin, tenor banjo, jawharp, slide guitar, accordion, harmonica, tuba, trombone, saxophones, violin, viola, cello, electronics, drums and percussion.

At times the music sounds like a fitting accompaniment for the opening credits of a Hitchcock movie, a demented soundtrack to a cult-classic animated film or a rousing rumba for a Russian kick-dancing festival, but is always a suitable score for Carpenter’s tale of an impoverished, alcoholic gold miner who makes a pact with the devil before fleeing eastward to work in Dreamland’s sideshows. The combination of lo-fi production, unusual instrument combinations and the intelligent use of unorthodox orchestral arrangements and melancholic strings, all provide a certain antiquated feel, which in turn brings a genuine and familiar quality to the music. In fact there is ample substantive music here, borne out of challenging expressions and executed with skill, but in a darkly theatrical style that is definitely an acquired taste.

Dreamland is filled with piquant musical abstractions and can be quite rewarding for those willing to put in the time and who enjoy impressionistic compositions, like pieces of musical art. Expect many repeated listens before becoming accustomed to the unconventional musical wisdom and assimilate this multi-faceted and original album.

The cover art and booklet, with antique photos of Coney Island and exquisitely designed and colorful graphics, enhances the experience and offers insight to the ideas behind the eccentric music and helps provide a 45 minute musical escape with more entertainment than a 2-hour DVD rental.

Recommended Tracks: “Delirium Tremens”, “Dark Eyes” and “Slavochka”

CSS – Donkey

The story goes that Beyoncé Knowles (of Destiny’s Child, Showgirls, and Jay-Z fame) once said she was “tired of being sexy.” Wait, why am I starting a review with Beyoncé? Oh yeah, so an up and coming, electronic pop, Brazilian band found out and thought it was so dumb and funny — at the same time — that they named themselves that. This translates in Portuguese to ‘Cansei de ser sexy.’ Thus, we get the band CSS, the happy go lucky band that pride themselves on fashioning “equal parts dance party, urban circus, and out-and-out chaos.” The irony lies in a band that have delivered one of the least fun albums of 2008.

Songs like “Rat is Dead (Rage)” and “Left Behind” are trite attempts at disco that come undone. They reveal a façade and demeaning approach because of the music’s dull beats, over-polished production (courtesy of Mark “Spike” Stent) and loveless singing by lead singer, Lovefoxxx. The latter song is a synth-processed, computer-driven song that lacks energy and any kind of happiness. Lovefoxxx confusingly sings that she wants to “dance her ass off ‘til she dies,” but what kind of a request is that when the music is this uninspiring?

CSS got a huge boost in late 2007 when their song, “Music is My Hot, Hot Sex,” was featured in an iPod commercial. However, the band had already released the album whose song that came from way before. So they holed up in a studio in Brazil and started work on a new album. The end result is Donkey: a plain, bland collection of songs that don’t go anywhere and whom render entirely forgettable.

What’s even more sad is that unless you asked what CSS stood for, you’d never guess that these were Brazilians making the music. Innovative and creative bands find ways to inject their own cultural leanings into their music but it appears like CSS dismissed that. Assuming that you would get a jolt of South America in Donkey would surely make an ass out of you and me.

The rare joys on the album arise when the band employs all of their instruments as they do on “Beautiful Song.” Complete with a rugged bass and the most melodic guitar line on the entire album, it provides some life into an otherwise robotic album. And even change of paces like the down-tempo, “Let’s Reggae All Night” achieve little in attempting to save the album. Its No Doubt similarities are a misery and the atmospheric 80s sounds and flashes prove that the band doesn’t know what they are trying to convey.

This is a formulated, 11-song album with songs that all clock in under four minutes long. The problems arise with the redundant method of each song following a rigid, verse-chorus-verse-bridge-chorus structure and they only spiral downhill from here. What you end up with is an album that sounds too samey for its own good and one that is surely one of the year’s biggest disappointments.

The Future Of The Ghost – Freak Out

The Future of the Ghost is a little band from Utah that could do big things one day. The titular “Freak Out” has this great defiant energy to it. “Counter Culture In The Twenty First Century” has this Ramones-esque simplicity to it, with dour chords strummed underneath a whiny, descending vocal line. “Kick You In The Face” has a really cool guitar line that unfortunately gets slightly washed out in the mix. “After All” is the highlight of the album, with a nice, pop hook and an up tempo rhythms. “It Goes Down” follows it up with a killer vocal harmony and a tense chord progression.

Freak Out a charming and earnest record, with punk sensibilities, like a less polished Tokyo Police Club. The only real problem I have is that there isn’t enough meat to it. Tracks sound flimsy, ready to collapse in on themselves at a moment’s notice. I wanted more beefy, compressed tones to really accent the rawness of the record. Nevertheless, the last several songs really save the record, and show the direction The Future Of The Ghost needs to head in.

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