In Simple Math’s 10 song, forty-five minute makeup, Manchester Orchestra rip through the most earnestly revealing and thematically fulfilling album they’ve put out during their still green career. Composed as a concept album documenting frontman Andy Hull’s near divorce with his wife, it’s hard to think of another time when Hull has made himself so deliberately vulnerable. The album’s confessional opener finds Hull lamenting “You’re probably too busy with your work. Or am I just excusing you for leaving me alone?” This theme of isolation is plays heavily throughout the album.

After the soft-spoken intro, the record proceeds to kick into overdrive, diving head first into a pool of grungy and dirty southern inspired rock reminiscent of much of 2009′s METN. “Mighty” boasts muted guitar riffs that swagger in place behind Hull’s biting melody while “Pensacola” has the albums loudest and most immediate moments, including a joyous bridge of drunken gang vocals, juxtaposed to Hull’s lyricism that laments the plague of disconnect affecting so many touring musicians and their loved ones whilst on the road. It’s easy to hear the fatigue in Hull’s voice when he admits “I’m tired of talking to a wall, when I could talk to someone else. I just got seven days without a word, and you’re with someone somewhere else.”

After the scathing first section of the record, Manchester Orchestra begin to explore more thematically brilliant composition. If there is one thing that differentiates Simple Math from it’s predecessors, it’s found in the fleshed out maturity displayed on songs like “Pale Black Eye” and “Virgin” which both showcase moments unheard in previous MO material. Whether it be the swelling string section that puts a forceful close to “Pale Black Eye” or the eerie addition of children singing the chorus of “Virgin”, Simple Math’s arsenal is laden with epic atmosphere and unabashed depth.

“Virgin” marks a sort of bookmark in the album, one of transitioning between the hulking hooks of it’s first half into a more reserved and premeditated form of attack. “Simple Math”, the albums first single is a ballad bordering on existential crisis amongst swirling strings and a feral finale which gives way to “Leave It Alone”. The track opens with Hull’s slightly distorted and dissonant vocals before crawling to a defeated and exhausted conclusion. “So take me or don’t. I’ve built up this kingdom you’d hopefully loathe. If we end up alone. A plague on my head and a curse in my home.” It’s the calculated self-awareness that Hull displays, which makes it crystal clear just how painful and exhausting Simple Math’s subject matter really is.

The record then wearily heads into the final stretch with “Apprehension”, a cryptic and masterfully written track which gives way to Simple Math’s end-piece “Leaky Breaks”. In the band’s previous releases, the album’s final spot has been reserved for the records emotive climax. (See “Colly Strings” and “The River”) “Leaky Breaks” is instead, a breezy and subdued closer which feels like the band taking a collective deep breath. Jonathan Corley leads the track with a floating bass line, walking on top of whimsical guitar. The song sounds vaguely like a nod to Modest Mouse circa 2004 if Isaac Brock turned in his lisp for a southern drawl. Ending on a tone of apprehensive finality, Hull leads the track home cooing farewell to the ground tread over the draining last fourty-five minutes.

With Simple Math, Manchester Orchestra have proven that they are no longer a band playing in the shadow of the music that influenced them, but a band that has exceeded the shadow of their influence. The dubiety of time will quiet any comparisons between Simple Math and it’s predecessors, and no comparison is really necessary. Simple Math stands up in an already flawless discography and marks another chapter in their bright, bright future. With such calm and confident poise, this band has finally stepped into the shoes they were always meant to wear and are poised now to sit at the top as the scenes’ much needed savior.

Virgin by Manchester Orchestra
Simple Math is out May 10th via Favorite Gentlemen
Purchase // Simple Math

Since I got my hands on Coloring Book i’ve struggled to listen to anything else. When I learned of the EP’s release I was tied up and unable to immediately listen. I asked my little brother who shares the same passion for things on the harder side of the spectrum to listen to it. After asking for his initial reaction, his meager response was:

“It’s unlike anything they’ve ever done, but I have a sneaking suspicion you’ll really like it.”

He was supremely correct on both counts. For a band that has been long known for their unrepentant ferocity, Coloring Book is completely void of the pressing screams or pummeling mosh-pit instrumentation they’ve become so well known for. Instead, the EP consists of a water-tight percussion section, slowly layered with jazzy-keys and euphoric atmosphere, coupled with intermittent glitches and lullaby-like interludes. Daryl Palumbo continues to impress as one of the most dynamic frontmen in today’s scene. His distinct delivery showcases the greener side of his pipes ranging from the pleading chorus of “Gold” to the timid and emotionally draining performance on standout track “Daytona White”

I’ll be completely honest, Our Colour Green was solid, but it left me definitely craving more material. I can’t say I feel the same after digesting on Coloring Book. While I certainly will be listening anytime these guys put out something new, this EP has me feeling strangely satisfied after such a draining wait.

MP3// Vanilla Poltergeist Snake
MP3// Daytona White

Over the past two years of running things here at BWC, I’ve been subjected to more music than I can handle most of the time. It’s a constant struggle trying to find a balance between delving through the constant stream of new releases and sitting down to actually enjoy the albums that catch on. However, every once in a while a band drops something on your ears that is so undeniably catchy and immediate that you have to shun everything else away in favor of it. That’s what Four Year Strong did to me with their latest release Enemy Of The World.

Enter in the lead track “It Must Really Suck to be Four Year Strong Right Now” a hard hitting and tantalizing preview of all the goodies that lie ahead, featuring one of the most infectious breakdowns throughout the whole disc. EOTW waste no space pummeling through the subsequent 10 songs, accelerating at an exhausting pace full of jabbing hooks and knobbed-up production that take it a step above any previous work from the bands catalog

Whether it’s the riot inciting chorus of “Wasting Time (Eternal Summer)” or the perfected building into maniacal shouts of “The Body That Pays The Bill$”, Four Year Strong prove that they already know what they do well, and with EOTW they have taken that formula and simply turned up the knobs beyond their breaking point. The combination of co-vocalists Dan O’Connor and Alan Day complement each other throughout, displayed beyond perfection during the call and return shouts of “Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride”.

While EOTW contains some of the most “brutal” moments in Four Year Strong’s catalog (see the raucous ending of “What The Hell Is A Gigawatt?”) it also contains some of the more poppier productions the band have put to disc. “Find My Way Back” and “One Step At A Time” both find the band restraining themselves (i use that term VERY lightly) to create immediate pop that still carries the band’s trademarked bite.

By the end of your first listen through Enemy Of The World, you may very well feel like you’ve just been hit by a truck, and trust me that feeling doesn’t let up any through repeated listens. Enemy Of The World is a defining album in the staling genre that it represents, and deserves to be treated as such. I’ve had many awkward moments sitting at red-lights while blaring these songs out my window, probably looking like a madman or somebody having a seizure to nervous onlookers, but I could care less because I love this album SO MUCH, and that’s the beauty of discovering these rarities. So join along with me, roll your windows down, turn it up, and sing along.

mp3// wasting time (eternal summer)
mp3// what the hell is a gigawatt?
purchase// enemy of the world
myspace// four year strong

Freelance Whales started in late 2008, which is quite an impressive thought to consider when listening to their debut. Weathervanes is a quirk-pop masterpiece, filled with a glut of instruments including harmonium, banjo, cello, and glockenspiel. Every year there’s always an album that seemingly comes out of nowhere to hit me like a truck; the dark horse album of the year. This is it.

The thing that makes Weathervanes so good is it’s unexplainable ability to combine the immediacy of it’s songs with a depth of songwriting that is unmatched by too many. The first week after being introduced to Weathervanes, it was the only thing I listened to. I took it with me wherever I went, all the while waiting for the eventual crash that accompanies a record that favors instant appeal instead of good songwriting. I thought this was THAT record, but I was wrong. Weathervanes is the best of both worlds; instantly addicting and positively refreshing with each listen.

Weathervanes is built like a truck. At 13 songs and just a tad over 45 minutes, there is not a second lost in it’s makeup. Even the three spacey interludes that divide the album into thirds are well put and attentive to detail. The first third of the record showcases it’s catchiest moments coming in the form of “Generator ^1st Floor”, “Hannah” and “Starring”. “Hannah” is arguaby the album’s catchiest number leading off with a thick synth and varied instrumentation, which later retreats in favor of the tune’s catchy word play; “Hannah takes the stairs/ And I usually take the elevator/ Every now and then she offers me a lemon now-n-later.” However, it is “Starring” that has the biggest potential for radio-ready single stardom, with a chorus that doesn’t stop at sticking to your brain, but is only content with making a permanent imprint on it.

When trying to pinpoint Freelance Whales, it’s hard to tell what influences their sound. While song’s like “Broken Horse” could easily be mistaken for a Sufjan Steven’s single, other tracks like “Generator ^ 2nd Floor” “Ghosting” and “We Could Be Friends” all draw influence from acts like Anathallo, Postal Service, or even The Arcade Fire. That is not to say that they sound anything like those bands, as “Weathervanes” content is all their own. This is the biggest thing that Freelance Whales have going for them. Unsigned, young and full of potential, their sound is not necessarily what’s popular right now, but they could easily change that. However, the best part about them is that they don’t seem to care about changing anything, but are merely content with impromptu performances in the subways of New York, spreading their sound the old fashioned way, through word of mouth and good old determined hard work. And if they can do that and keep their output as precisely magnificent as their debut, that’s fine by me.

mp3 // starring
mp3 // hannah
myspace // freelance whales
purchase // weathervanes

At first glance, everything about Small Black points to the assumption that they are doomed to be just another hot trend band that will burn out before they even have a chance to light. They hail from the hipster infested streets of Brooklyn, make generous usage of electronically fuzzed out lo-fi, and already have the lauded pitchfork stamp of approval. However, in contrast to many other bands who have experienced similar scenarios and failed miserably for it, Small Black’s debut self titled EP points to something definitively bigger than the sum of their parts.

The aforementioned pitchfork approved single “Despicable Dogs” is a glimmering start to the demure assaulting sounds of the EP, showcasing the band’s defiant ability of densely layering simple blankets of soundscape with melodic vocals which become a mainstay in the EP’s makeup. Meanwhile “Weird Machines” makes haste with an electrifying keyboard lead that takes the spotlight as the hazy background covers vocalist Ryan Heyners swoon in an blanket of atmospheric snow.

The EP’s middle piece “Bad Lover” gives you just enough time to bring yourself down from the euphoria inducing stoned cloud of fuzz to catch the EP’s closing one two punch of “Pleasant Experience” and “Lady In The Wires” which both subsequently squash any voice of unreason that states that these guys are not legitimate.

Small Black’s debut EP is everything a good EP should be. At 5 songs, it’s lean, mean, concise and void of anything remotely resembling “filler”. While it may not be the most groundbreaking stuff to come out this year, it’s certainly some of the best of it’s kind, something that the Brooklyn based duo should be very proud of.

DOWNLOAD:: Despicable Dogs [MP3]
DOWNLOAD:: Weird Machines [MP3]
Small Black at Myspace
Purchase Small Black EP

Artist: Atlas Sound
Album: Logos
Label: Kranky (US) 4AD (Europe)
Release Date: October 20

Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox is slowy turning into the kind of rare musical genius wunderkind that are unfortunately so few and far between. Through a slew of Bedroom Demo’s, discharged EP’s and self-indulgent full-lengths, Cox has cemented himself as not only a notable songwriter, but one that’s output is nearly as prolific as it’s contents. Logos, the fourth full-length released under the Atlas Sound moniker, is the summation of all of Cox’s previous work climaxed into a documented and focused collection.

“The Light that Failed” opens the album with a repeated acoustic guitar riff, backed by dissonant hisses and moans, capitalizing on Cox’s penchant for eerie minimalist layering which is followed by “An Orchid” a track that is just as similar to anything in the Atlas Sound back catalog. With that, Cox delves into a pool of psychedelic pop and ambient trickery. Logos’ lead single “Walkabout” lights the album on fire with it’s cameo by Animal Collective’s Panda Bear. The two frontmen switch off on the track’s vocal-duties which is backed by luminous and almost tropical instrumentation, making itself one of Logos’ brightest moments.

Elsewhere, Cox mixes simplistic bedroom acoustics with his ruminating vocal delivery on “Attic Lights” and delves into long-winded yet concisely focused shoegaze on “Quick Canal”. All of the previously aforementioned material is merely the the bread sandwiching the meat of the album. “Washington School” creates a bouncing wall of poppish euphoria to the tune of Cox’s reverbed vocals, while the album standout “Shelia” showcases Cox at his songwriting peak, boasting one of the catchiest three and a half minutes you’ll hear this year.

It seems that with Logo’s, Bradford Cox has finally left the confines of his bedroom to give his work the cliche’d “breath of fresh air”. The sound heard throughout Logos is both consistent and addicting, compounding soaring soundscapes with conservative whispers making Logos not only one of the shining moments of 2009, but arguably Cox’s best work to date.

DOWNLOAD:: Atlas Sound – Washington School
DOWNLOAD:: Atlas Sound – Shelia
Atlas Sound at Myspace

After a three year gap since 2006′s critically acclaimed “The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me”, the group that have been subject to ridiculous hyperbole such as “America’s answer to Radiohead” are back with their fourth studio full-length, oddly entitled Daisy. Opposed to what the album name may suggest, there is nothing life-bearing or illuminating about it. Instead, Daisy continues on the disheartening path trodden by their former releases, and sometimes surpasses it. There are demented moments throughout that sound like a soundtrack to someone slowly delving into insanity, and maybe they are. Anyone following Brand New’s discography would easily note the progressive and intimately depressing nature of it’s content. If this is true, then consider “Daisy” the train finally coming off the tracks.

Frontman Jesse Lacey said himself in various interviews leading up to Daisy’s release that this record would be more raw and louder than anything previously released, a sound more indicative of the band’s live performance. The album opener “Vices” as well as “Gasoline” are both scathing examples of the new formula fine-tuned to perfection, featuring howling feedback, expertly syncopated to Lane and Tierney’s steady rhythm. Both songs sound like someone trying to intentionally break your speakers. “Sink” also plays the part featuring one of the most ruckus-inducing choruses that Brand New have penned to date.

However, as with any experiment, there are times when the formula goes terribly wrong. Lead single “At the Bottom” fails in attempting to be immediately accessible on an album that is anything but. Elsewhere “In a Jar” is a monotone lyrical disaster with verses that are as sharp as a dull spoon. The album’s second track “Bed” feels incomplete and raw, almost as if it wasn’t fully written before the band begun tracking. The trend is not limited to these, as lyrically Daisy leaves a lot to be desired.

In previous releases Jesse Lacey has been the penman, writing the majority of Brand New’s lyrics. For Daisy, it was noted that guitarist Vince Accardi had taken on the daunting task of wielding the pen for the majority of Daisy’s tracks and the change is painfully noticeable. Whereas Lacey has always been noted as one of the sharpest wordsmiths of modern times, his absence on most of Daisy’s lyrical credits is a blinding glare in it’s makeup. Daisy cements itself as the first album since their debut to make me actually cringe at some of it’s lyrical matter.

That is not to say that it is at all an utter failure. There are still moments reminiscent of the Brand New of old. From the halfway point of the enigmatic interlude “Be Gone” Brand New really hit their stride. Both of “Bought a Bride” and the album’s title track shine brightly, showcasing cryptic yet poignant lyricism that is unmistakably vintage Brand New. Where “Bought a Bride” contains some of the album’s strongest material lyrically, “Daisy” features eerie recordings and industrial nu-metal instrumentation that somehow actually works.

Throughout all the struggle and trial that is laced in Daisy’s tracks, the album closer “Noro” is the haunting culmination of it all. Beginning with a wall of feedback the track leads into a ghostly 90 second introduction of Accardi’s guitar work backing Lacey’s exhausted words. Much discussion has been made recently to whether this will be the final release for Brand New. While the response from the band has been somewhat mixed, if “Noro” is any indication, it could very well be the last closing song penned by Brand New. If so, it’s a hell of a way to go out. Before closing with the same hymn that opened the record, Lacey ends the track bluntly “I wanna burn down everything we’ve begun, I wanna kill it, eat my young” before fading out into a maniacal chant of “I’m on my way to hell.” To say that his closing words leave a cold, chilling atmosphere in Daisy’s wake would be a vast understatement.

Though the critical reception for Daisy has been more bi-polar than any release put out by the band, I can’t help but find myself on the fence. Daisy is a fantastic record, but ultimately fails to captivate on the depth of songwriting that has come to be expected from the band. While the run-time of Daisy is an acceptable 40 minutes, it feels more like getting filled up on junk-food versus a hot home cooked meal. This is not to say that Daisy is a “bad” record as many critics would have you believe. The band have stated that this was the record they had to write for themselves in order to stay together. If that is true, then consider Daisy a necessary evil in the legacy of Brand New.

DOWNLOAD:: Vices [MP3]
DOWNLOAD:: Bought a Bride (Acoustic) [MP3]

Myspace | Official | Purchase

When discussion arises on the most influential bands on the last ten years of modern rock music, Thrice is and should always be somewhere in the discussion. The band have both struggled and triumphed since their prophetic and strangely titled debut “Identity Crisis” in 2000. Since then, the band have endured the classic battle that so many bands face; growing and progressing as musicians while trying to maintain a solidified fan base.

It’s not an easy thing to do, considering the architecture of a musical landscape today, where chug chug riffage, auto-tuned lifeless vocals and bad haircuts are a mainstay in many of their predecessors catalogs. It seems that many of their fans would be content with a continual carbon copy of “The Artist In The Ambulance”. However, with the band’s sixth proper full-length (or seventh, depending on how you count The Alchemy Index) , Thrice had different and better plans, bringing forth ‘Beggars’, the album that could very easily go down as the best release of their careers.

Beggars is not the most intricate record, nor the most experimental release in Thrice’s impressive discography. However, the solidified composition and reserved greatness in every song on the album makes it easy to listen to and nearly impossible to forget. The masterful musicianship displayed by guitarist Teppei Teranishi is perfectly balanced in every aspect, lending way for the Breckenridge brother’s flawless percussion section. Combined, it’s hard to think of a time when Thrice songwriting prowess was more evident than now.

The album opener “All The World Is Mad” is a raucous introduction with a chunky distortion-layered bass leading way for Kensrue’s introspections on an inherently evil society. The one-two punch combo of this and follow-up track “The Weight” combine for the musically hardest moments on Beggars. It is immediately apparent in these songs that Kensrue has found his voice, and is at the top of his game both lyrically and vocally.

Kensrue has never been one to hide his Christian faith, and as with much of Thrice’s earlier material, it is put center-stage throughout most, if not all of Beggars. While Kensrue touches on issues that are relevant world-wide, he doesn’t preach for one second. Instead he let’s his impeccable storytelling do the talking, revealing hard-hitting truths about a “world gone mad”.

On album standout “Doublespeak” Kensrue laments the denial of the poor’s suffering while the rich prosper. Meanwhile the cold barren keys of “Wood and Wire” tell the tale of an innocent man on his way to face the death-penalty for “for a crime of which I’m innocent”, quietly referencing the death of the bible’s Jesus Christ. The allusions to the bible do not end there. On “The Great Exchange” Kensrue alludes to it, similarly as he tells the story of a sailor who takes part in a mutiny of his ship and sentences his captain to die. The ship later sinks and as the sailor is ready to be drowned by the sea, his mutinied captain reaches out his hand to save him, only to be drowned himself in the heroic act.

This kind of emotionally draining storytelling leads way to the album’s finale which is arguably the best song Thrice have penned to date. The album title track starts off with demure guitar and drums, and slowly builds into a grooving coda. In the book of Psalms of the modern bible, it references the tongue as a sharp sword. I can’t help but think of any other way to describe the song lyrically as Kensrue quietly takes shots at the rich politicians and corrupt businessmen of the world. However, he is not immune to the criticism, and he is fully aware as he sorrowfully repines

“If there’s one thing I know in this world, we are beggars, all.”

While Beggars contains some of the most lyrically complex themes that the band have written to date, it still retains it’s listenability by being up front and incredibly personal in the delivery of it’s arrangements. All of the band seem to have come together, hitting stride in perfect harmony. The result is the album of Thrice’s career, one that can be enjoyed equally by the die-hard fans still headbanging to the breakdown in ‘Paper Tigers’ and the intent listener, content with growing with the band as they better themselves on each release.

mp3:: thrice – beggars
myspace | official | purchase mp3 | pre-order

The album opens with “Be Calm” finding Ruess backed by a delicate string section before blowing into a dashing paranoid exposure on the lead vocalist’s mental struggles with the recent disbandment of his past. Ruess carries the same theme throughout Aim and Ignite, much similar to his recent project, always seemingly brinking on an emotional breakdown whilst somehow keeping his pieces somewhat intact. The nostalgia found throughout Aim and Ignite doesn’t stop there. In fact, it seems that nostalgia is the framework for many ofAim and Ignite’s lyrical themes. In “Barlights” Ruess is found reminiscing in front of a gospel choir of past times running through his neighborhood with old friends;

“Now all the barlights are blinking in time
to Mexican music, it’s taunting the pavement
and I feel alive.”

On the album’s first single “At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)” Ruess makes it readily apparent that he does not find full contentment in all of his past. The song finds the album at one of it’s catchiest moments, with a hollering chorus and cloudless blue sky instrumentation that borders on Jamaican Reggae masking it’s somewhat depressing lyrical content.

The rest of the album is held together by steady contributors like “Light A Roman Candle With Me” “Walking The Dog” and “Benson Hedges” which all stay true to Aim and Ignite’s vast yet concise assortment of sound, making way for the album’s standout track “The Gambler” which may very well be the best song that has ever been penned by Nate Ruess. Written from the perspective of an aging couple, (one could very well assume it to be Ruess’s parents) the song tells the tale of a life-long love from the time of their introduction to their seemingly warm ending. Backed by a moving piano and swooning strings, “The Gambler” is incredibly moving, due to it’s immaculate composition and emotive lyrical content.

As “Take Your Time (Coming Home)” closes the album to the tune of a euphoric bar-room brawl, it becomes clear that Aim and Ignite is a work that is sure to impress old fans as well as garner a substantial amount of new followers. The acclaim and growth that has followed fun in just a short year is well deserved. With it’s release, the band have done what many try so hard but fail to achieve; creating a balanced pop record that is steady and intricate while not taking itself so seriously that it becomes tiring or faded. After all, by the band name chosen by Ruess & Co. it’s easily apparent what the goal of this project really is…

fun.

mp3:: fun. – be calm
mp3:: fun. – i wanna be the one
purchase | myspace | official

show review – fun. @ avalon 5/13/09

What follows is a record capitalizing further on the experimental force of 2006′s …And The Battle Begun, taking cues from the band’s esoteric side project, The Sound of Animals Fighting. Chock full of eccentric time signatures, hypnotic guitar riffs and poignant booming bass all backed by possibly the best drummer in today’s scene, Mandala is a force of illuminating prowess.

The Bandits have always been known for their extremely talented musicianship. Listening through Mandala can be a tiring experience at first, delving through change-up verses, fastball choruses and intertwining interludes it’s hard to imagine Embree and co doing it live, but they did. In fact, Mandala and it’s two predecessors were both recorded as a live band directly to tape. In a world where so many bands use pro-tools, auto-tune and so many other techniques to serve up a polished product, it’s refreshing to hear a band content with the little mistakes, giving the album a feel of genuine sincerity.

For fans of the band’s most recent work, Mandala will sit just fine. With tracks like “Hope Is A Butterfly, No Net It’s Captor” and the album opener “My Lonesome Only Friend” trekking in the path of cerebral progressive-rock, Mandala at times sounds very similar to it’s predecessor. That is not to say that it is …And The Battle Begun redux. With the aforementioned departure of Borth, guitarist Steve Choi has been left to flourish many of Mandala’s tracks with atmospheric keyboard, which gives a lot of the record a more experimental feel. Tracks like “Breakfast Cat”, “Mietras La Veo Sonarr” and “It’s Only Another Parsec” capitalize on Rx Bandits signature sound melded with hints of The Sound of Animals Fighting’s latest, keeping it accessible and listener friendly.

The ruckus created in the beginning and ending of Mandala create a thick sandwich for the middle section of the record which explores a much more reserved sound reminiscent of Matt Embree’s solo project Love You, Moon. Both “White Lies” and the live-show-interlude converted to full song “March Of The Caterpillar” diversify Mandala even further, slowing things down a bit before kicking into full gear for the finale. “Bring Our Children Home or Everything Is Nothing” is a bombastic closer, intent on voicing it’s political choir in epic and effectively emotional fashion closing Mandala on it’s definitive high point.

While Mandala might not take the giant leap of progression found on …And The Battle Begun, it still finds the band in a place of steady contentment. The energy and the flow is all we have come to expect from a band of such stature, and it does well serving as the next chapter in Rx Bandit’s already impressive story.
purchase | label | official
stream mandala in full @myspace

The Satanic Satanist, Alaska-native Portugal. The Man’s fourth full-length release in four years was conceived as the soundtrack to vocalist’s John Gourley’s experiences of growing up in the majestic daunting lands of Alaska.  While these intentions feel warm and genuine behind Satanist’s cool demeanor, the album itself plays as if it’s stuck in an apathetic rut sounding less like it’s intentions and more like a very tired group of musicians.

Since PTM’s 2006 full-length debut Waiter: You Vultures! the band has put out a total of four full-lengths and two EP’s.  For those not counting, thats 6 releases in a meager 4 years!  Along with a seemingly never-ending touring schedule, it’s hard to imagine the collective finding time to even sleep.  Where their previous release, Censored Colors checked in at at a tiring and frenetic 15 song pace, The Satanic Satanist features a much thinner 11 song track list.  Unfortunately, the depth and musicianship of the majority of songs is just as thin.

Satanist’s strong-point is easily identified in the first three tracks.  The lead track/single “People Say” is by far the disc’s standout, featuring a blazing chorus, and kickback riffage that made this band so easily accessible.  “Work All Day” layers fat bass line over hip-hop centered drum beats with Gourley’s dual croons in full control.

As the album hits it’s halfway point, the album seems to get stuck in cruise control, as if PTM are merely content with just jamming.  At this point, the depth and quality of the songs start take a steep drop.  “The Woods” tries to be an experimental psychedelic-rock jam but feels more like a bored and lazy drone.  “Guns and Dogs” plays as a tribute back to generic classic rock but with it’s drowsy lyricism, it fails at ever really getting off the ground, and with the one-two combo of closers “Let You Down” and “Mornings” Satanist closes with a dull and unimpressive thud.

Some may say I’m being too harsh on Portugal. The Man, but if anything, I’m saying these things because, really, I love these guys.  These guys are capable of great things.  They have all the tools to make a five-star album, and I know with a little bit of rest and time, they can re-emerge and make something that will make us all forget about The Satanic Satanist.

purchase | label | official | myspace
mp3:: portugal. the man – people say
mp3:: portugal. the man – lovers in love

4.5 /5

To say it’s been a good year for Grizzly Bear would be an epic understatement.

The band’s third full-length release Veckatimest is one that has launched the New York native four piece from relatively unknown freak-folk beginnings into Billboard’s Top 10 Charts and indie stardom.

Listening through Veckatimest, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype that has surrounded it since the band debuted “Two Weeks” on Letterman last year.  Unlike so many bands and records that have followed the same potentially deadly path before them, Veckatimest not only delivers on the hype but goes over and above to heights left untouched by only a special few albums.

The album opener, “Southern Point” twangs through an upbeat victorious brawl building and slowing in gentle neck break fashion, followed by “Two Weeks” the culprit for all the attention garnered to the release even months before it’s premature leak.  It would be hard to argue that any other song in Grizzly Bear’s catalogue matches the accessibility found on “Two Weeks” an undeniably infectious anthem led by a stark and simple keyboard oddly reminiscent of Dr. Dre’s infamous “Still Dre”.  The oh’s and ah’s of Grizzly Bear’s dynamic chamber add a pop sensibility never revealed before Veckatimest.

Grizzly Bear’s original break-out album “Yellow House” was an underground favorite due in large to the band’s eccentric song structures and varied yet odd instrumentation.  The big pull to the act however, was the foursome’s ability to create a epic landscapes with their four-part lush vocal harmonies.  Veckatimest has only refined and built on this attribute, making their harmonies even more accessible and apparent.

This is audible enough on “All We Ask” a slow burner that starts in a barren acoustic opening before building into it’s choral climax.  If you feel like your drifting down a lazy river on a hot summer day when the band break into the closing lines “I can’t get out of what I’m into with you.” it won’t be the last time that Veckatimest will lull you into a fuzzy stupor.

What makes this album more than just good and nearly above great is it’s ability to create and withhold the listener in this environment throughout.  If that is this album’s thesis then consider the closer “Foreground” the sole source.  Backed by a minimalist piano, lead vocalist Ed Droste proves why he is an ever growing icon in today’s independent music scene.  Lending his voice to what will prove to be the most achingly ravishing track recorded by Grizzly Bear, Veckatimest is ended on a hair-raising whispering howl.  And with that, Veckatimest is ends on a note that is sure to captivate and encapsulate listeners with it’s sunny soundscapes.

mp3:: grizzly bear- all we ask
mp3:: grizzly bear- cheerleader

Three years ago, prior to the September 2006 release of mewithoutYou’s third full-length Brother, Sister, the band was known to me by little more than the recognition of “January 1979″. I was intrigued the first time I heard the song, watching the video on some music TV channel, seeing front man Aaron Weiss dance around in his captains outfit shouting things I didn’t understand. I picked up Brother, Sister early one morning after working a long graveyard shift stocking groceries at a local Wal-Mart. Little did I know as I drove home that dark morning, in the frigid Utah winter that what I was listening too would soon become the most profound, life-altering album I had ever heard. I would spend the next 3 years emersed in the depths of Brother, Sister’s lyric booklet, put in awe by the sheer magnitude of a songwriter who is still left unmatched in his deft pen-weilding abilities. Let this be a preface that I may be biased by my undying love for mewithoutYou but It’s impossible for me to believe that this band could write a bad album, and their follow-up, it’s all crazy! it’s all false! it’s all a dream! it’s alright is no exception to that rule.

mewithoutYou has always been known and loved for their ability to craft mathy post-hardcore anthems filled with the hollering-spoken word of Aaron Weiss. It is no surprise that once a band drops nearly everything that has made them recognizable up to a point, a backlash will present itself. In recent interviews prior to the release of it’s all crazy!… the band stated that they went into the songwriting process with no rules and no direction, which is suprising for a band known for everything opposite. Although, it’s all crazy!… may not be the bands most cohesive collection, at 11 songs, the record is void of excessiveness and plays with a very noticeable sense of direction.

it’s all crazy!… opens with perhaps the most poppy song on the record. Backed by an electronic keyboard and thumping bass riff, “every though a Thought of You” begins what will undoubtetly become the bands most polarizing record. The song plays with swift percision in a normal 4/4 timed fashion. The simplicity that will be so apparent throughout the rest of the record is immediately showcased, both musically and in Weiss’s lyricism.

The record’s first half is by far, it’s strongest. “every thought a Thought of You” is followed by the strongest cut “the Fox, the Crow, and the Cookie” where Weiss introduces imagery that will be the central theme for the rest of the record. The song tells the story of a Fox who distracts a local Baker selling his goods on the streets of his poverty-stricken community so that a nearby crow can steal some of his baked treats. After the crow steals the goods, the Fox asks for the stolen cookie. Reluctant at first, the crow is wooed by the Fox’s sly request to hear the crow’s “pearls of wisdom” and the “passion in [his] caw”. The Crow opens his beak to sing, and drops the cookie which is then taken by the Fox. The crow is immediately humbled by the Fox’s trickery as the song climaxes into one of the most oddly beautiful stanzas i’ve ever heard. “we’ll rest upon the knee, where all divisions cease to be!”

The climactic finish of “…the Cookie” is followed by “the Angel of Death came to David’s room” which details the dialogue between…you guessed it, the Angel of Death and David. The song is a slow builder which begin’s with Weiss’s timid spoken word delivery, and then builds into one of the most beautiful refrains the band has ever written (see also: “in a sweater poorly knit”). “goodbye, I!” is a steady follow-up which features mewithoutYou’s signature guitar riffage, creating the perfect backdrop for the albums focal point; Weiss’s lyrics.

As the album progresses, it is apparent that it’s all crazy!… is an album released on the major themes of contentment and worship of God. While the band’s sprituality has always been apart of the main theme of each release, it’s all crazy!… marks the first album to stray away from the questioning and doubt in their relationship, and move towards a straight up record of praise and forgiveness, themes that seem to have been lost in a mainstream American Christianity, marred by a nationalistic supremist exclusivity contradictory to it’s roots. This is clear on what follows in “a Stick, a Carrot & String” where Weiss sings
“When the rain picks up,
and the sun goes down,
sinner, come inside!
with no money, come and buy
no clever talk nor gift to bring
requires our lowly, lovely king
come, all empty handed
you don’t need anything”

The theme continues on “bullet to Binary (pt. two) which ends on Weiss preaching
“we all well know,
we’re gonna reap what we sow
but Grace, we all know,
can take the place of all we owe
so why not lets forgive everyone, everywhere, everything all the time?”

If the album begins to slow down even a little, then it begins with “Timothy Hay”. The track opens with a sunny humming by Weiss and finishes with a layered chorus singing “What a beautiful God there must be!”. While the track is not bad in the slightest, it lacks the depth found in it’s predecessors. The chorus leads into the albums lowest point “Fig with a Bellyache” which is led by eery “ba da da’s” and and spring-like instrumentation. The track is the only one that can be found on the album that lacks certainty and direction, both lyrically and musically, and ends unimpressively awkward.

The three songs that follow keep it’s all crazy!… on track. Cattail Down follows the previously established formula of slowly building it’s way into an epic finish. Featuring a brass backing, and a jazzy guitar riff, the track flows flawlessly into it’s epic ending. However, it seems that lyrically, Weiss is at his best when using parables as his direction. “the King Beetle on a Coconut Estate” tells the story of a colony of beetles, living on an estate where at the end of the day, the helpers rake up the leaves and burn them near the lake. The curious leader and King Beetle calls on the colony to investigate the fiery mystery. All attempts come back unsuccesfull, and the track ends with the King Beetle giving all of his “wealth” to the “poor and alone” and flying “headlong into the blazing unknown!” The track ends masterfully, as the band questions “Why not be utterly changed into fire?”

The album closes on the straightforward anthem “Allah, Allah, Allah” in which Weiss retains his lyrical prowess with suprisingly simple yet powerful words. It is on the closer, that mewithoutYou seems less of a band, and more of a travelling community, content on being messengers of love and forgiveness, as the Neutral Milk Hotel-esque horns become the backdrop to Weiss’s closing “if you’d care to sing Forgiveness songs, come down and join our band, we’ll cut you like a sword, and sing Forgiveness songs!”

It is in these closing words that mewithoutYou’s “statement” can ultimately be found. It would be easy to spend enormous amounts of time studying the lyrics of Aaron Weiss, however, he has made it for the first time, somewhat easy to retain the message. It is easy to write it’s all crazy!… off as lazy or apathetic when comparing it to it’s predecessors. However, when this is done, one loses focus on the message that is ultimately intended by the band. One that seems less focused on the wounds inflicted by self-doubt and more focused on letting them heal. Weiss says it best himself in the closing lines of the album;

“don’t worry, it’ll heal just fine!”

mp3:: mewithoutYou – the Fox, the Crow, the Cookie
mp3:: mewithoutYou – Allah, Allah, Allah

Happiness, the third full-length from Dance Gavin Dance showcases the band somewhat hitting their stride after the travesty of an album that was their self-titled sophomore releases.  They dropped the guy who couldn’t scream, and while the replacement seems to be a tad bit generic, it suffices and blends in a lot better with what this band seems to be trying for.

Instrumentally “Happiness” is right up there with “Downtown Battle Mountain”.  Dance Gavin Dance have always been one of those rarities.  A “scene band” that actually can piece together a pretty awesome song.  Lyrically, this record is probably just as bad as self-titled.  If there is one thing that this band needs, it’s a new lyricist.

The first half of the album is definitely the strongest.  “Tree Village” and “NASA” are both prime examples of what this band is capable of, while “Self-Trepanation” kicks off with the hardest minute of song this band has ever written.  Unfortunately, in the latter half of the album the band succumbs to played out party-rock songs.  This band is capable of alot of things, but Strawberry Swisher Parts 1 and 2 are both gut-wrechingly terrible, the former full of cheezy, god-awful lyricism and the former being the most boring song they’ve written to date.  “Carl Baker” is too long, and fumbles over itself before I eventually have to hit SKIP and I can’t believe the band had the balls to rap on the closer “Powder to the People”.  The last 30 seconds or so is full of an sweetly intense instrumental, but other than that, it’s worthless.

Overall, Happiness is definitely better than it’s predecessor, if only because of how strong the first half of the album is.   At 10 songs though, it definitely could have been a lot better.  In the midst of several member changes, this band has managed to release 3 albums in 3 years which is a point that is deserving of applause, but I can’t help but wonder what they could do if they took their time on the next one.

In 2007, Louisiana native four piece As Cities Burn released their sophmore album, Come Now Sleep. A follow up to fan-favorite “Son, I Loved You At Your Darkest”, Sleep was an album marked by it’s absence of their then frontman TJ Bonnette. Along with TJ, went the band’s often generic polished brand of screamo, which was replaced by a more progressive blend of post-rock and bluesy post-hardcore stylings. Since then, As Cities Burn have been a band recognized for their progression. The expectations were no different with the band’s third release, Hell or High Water. Written by vocalist/guitarist Cody Bonnette and friend Tyler Orr, Hell or High Water does not resemble the black and white difference from it’s predecessor that was so polarizing in their previous release, but strays just far enough from the formula to garner the attention of the new and familiar ears alike.

The polished opener, “84 Sheepdog” starts the album with the paranoid lines “They fix your brain when you were young”. followed by an electronic-marred bass line and their trademark riffage, Sheepdog calls out shallow-rooted faith with lyrical themes very familiar to the band. The difference between Hell or High Water and Come Now Sleep is immediately apparent with it’s kick-off. Instead of the barren yet epic building formula of “Contact”, “Sheepdog” sets an unusual tone, one that is more instantly gratifying and poppish in it’s demeanor yet ultimately unfamiliar to the band.

“Errand Rum” continues where it’s previous track left off, but never really takes off due to it’s lack of a strong chorus. “Into The Sea”, one of the albums best cuts combines a slow brooding verse, with an uplifting chorus and features some of the albums best guitar-work. While the complexity of the songs are not as apparent as on Come Now Sleep, frontman Cody Bonnette’s improvement in the vocal and lyrical departments is hard not to notice. On “Made Too Pretty” the formula for the rest of the album is pretty much set. In comparison to CNS, HOHW is much more reserved in it’s delivery. Where CNS featured a stop and go pace backing heavy-hitting post-hardcore anthems with slower gloomy hymns, HOWH never gets as angry or confrontational as it’s predecessor, which becomes one of it’s biggest faults.

“Lady Blue”, features what sounds like two songs molded into one. Featuring floor stomping percussion and distant hollow vocals it is probably one of the more “experimental” songs on the disc. “Daughter” is a stripped down piece that features the traditional band plus a piano. Bonnette owns the track with his simple yet effective vocal delivery, creating the perfect atmosphere for the follow-up track “Pirate Blues”

“Pirate Blues” is hands down the album’s shining prize. The track ecompasses everything that this band is about, and everything that has made me fall in love with them. The track, much like the rest of the album, showcases a band less concerned with the intricacies of their songwriting. With an uncomplicated song structure and an inspiring chorus, Bonnette once again takes the spotlight with lyrics like “I wanna catch in a song, notes I don’t hear yet, but I will when I’m gone.”

What follows is without a doubt the worst album closer I have ever had to sit through in my entire life. I almost cried the first time I heard “Capo”, a dance-rock failure that sounds a bit too much like Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”. The track has no business on this album, or anywhere in As Cities Burn’s discography. I’m honestly still trying to figure out if putting it on the album over the I-Tunes exclusive “Gates” was some kind of cruel joke played by the band.

With that exception, Hell or High Water may not be the bands best work, but it is still ultimately a success. While the album does not come close to it’s predecessor in it’s songwriting or epic stature, it is nonetheless an appluaded effort; one that will keep myself and other As Cities Burn fans coming back for more if the band does decide to continue making music.

MP3 :: As Cities Burn – Into The Sea
MP3 :: As Cities Burn – Pirate Blues

For artists that have been around for as long as prolific singer/songwriter Conor Oberst, there is always a turning point in ones career. For Oberst, this undeniably came in between the time gap of late winter 2005 and the spring of 2007 in which Oberst, following a double album release of the career defining “I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning” and “Digital Ash in a Digital Urn” went to “get clean”. What followed was a complete change to the Bright Eyes moniker. It was no longer an alias for Oberst to drive his songwriting machine through, but an actual full-fledged band. The last release under Bright Eyes; 2007′s Cassadaga was just a glimpse of the polarizing path Oberst had chose to take; a path void of his signature lo-fi angst in favor of a grander alternative country sound. Oberst then dropped the Bright Eyes name altogether in 2008 with his self-titled release “Conor Oberst”. Fast forward almost a year and Outer South, the second official album under the Conor Oberst title is here.

Outer South is a collection of 16, yes SIXTEEN songs clocking in at a little over an hours time. The initial jaw dropping excitement of the thought of 16 new songs to add to my already swollen Conor Oberst iTunes archive was quickly turned into gut-wrenching dissapointment as I played through Outer South for the first time. Out of the 16 new songs, 7 of them feature vocalists other than Oberst from his Mystic Valley Band which seemed like downright blasphemy to me. However, after some time to digest the songs, it’s not as bad as it sounds. In fact, some of these guys actually did an alright job, considering the footsteps that had to follow.

“Big Black Nothing”, “Bloodline” and “Worldwide” are all definite contributors to Outer South. While nothing quite overcomes Obersts looming shadow, the aforementioned tracks do their best to at least keep up with the pace set by Oberst. However, the other four tracks don’t fare so well. “Air Matress” is a keyboard driven pop diddy that I would have never fathomed hearing on a release of Oberst’s. The high pitched whiny vocals, layered on top of a lone speedy synthesizer makes me feel like I’m surrounded by a bunch of dorky kids in sweatbands at a hellogoodbye concert. “Eagle on a Pole”, redone and rerecorded from 2008′s “Conor Oberst” is painfully slow, and at four and a half minutes, is easily the worst song on the album. The closer “Snake Hill” is not a bad song really, but using it as an album closer rather than “White Shoes” was a monumental mistake.

Maybe I’m blinded by my fanboy goggles, but It’s hard for me to really hate any song that Oberst puts out. If theres one word I would use to describe him, it’s consistent. There is nothing different with Outer South, except that maybe his sound is just getting more and more mainstream. Out of the 9 songs penned by him, it’s hard to find a song I really don’t like. “Slowly (Oh So Slowly)” and “Nikorette” are both radio-ready alt-country jams that would undeniably appeal to most mainstream audiences. “Ten Women” finds Oberst doing his best to channel his inner Bob Dylan while “To All The Lights In The Windows” blasts religion, treading lyrical territory very familiar to any Oberst release. “White Shoes” is a drawn out acoustic ballad that brings back memories of other epic album closers like “Milk Thistle” and “Lime Tree”, and should have gotten the nod to follow suit. “Roosevelt Room” is a searing political anthem, taking abrasive shots at the former Bush administration and is easily the album’s standout track, as well as one of the best songs Oberst has penned in the past decade.

While Outer South will undoubtedly be another polarizing release, drawing out both the new followers and the pissed off elitists who want Oberst to be 18 again, it’s nice to see Conor taking things a little less serious. Don’t misunderstand me, Outer South is still nowhere in the same league as “I’m Wide Awake..” or “Lifted” but it’s probably safe to say that he’s long since passed his prime. Once you learn to accept that, Outer South becomes a much easier album to enjoy.

MP3:: Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band – Roosevelt Room
MP3:: Conor Oberst and The Mystiv Valley Band – Spoiled

If you’ve had your ear anywhere close to the ground in the past 3 years, chances are you’ve heard the rumblings of Manchester Orchestra’s stampeding hype machine slowly nearing. The band’s debut full-length I’m Like a Virgin Losing a Child was an almost instant success after it’s 2006 release. Many believe this largely due to the very strong backing by scene-heavyweight Jesse Lacey. Combining dynamic pop songs with scathing building anthems, and whispered ballads, Virgin steadily became a cult-classic. Since then, the anticipation for their second album has been slowly swelling. Fast forward nearly three years and it’s finally here. Not only does Mean Everything to Nothing live up to its potentially crippling hype, it destroys any notion of a cliched Sophomore Slump.

If there’s one noticeable difference between Mean Everything and it’s predecessor it’s the intensity. Mean Everything is much more produced, and in its sound, dauntingly bigger. Every member of the band has improved leaps and bounds in their instrumentation since Virgin. This intensity is immediately apparent in the paranoid opener “The Only One” as Hull sings “I am the only one that thinks I’m going crazy / and I don’t know what to do. I am the only son of a pastor I know / who does the things I do” The album’s introducing lines play perfectly into the schizophrenia tinged word play that dominates Hull’s lyrical themes throughout the album.

The gnawing intensity that opens the album seeps into the subsequent 5 tracks, making the first half of Mean Everything one of the most powerful first halfs of any album I’ve heard in the past decade. “Shake It Out” is one of the albums best tracks, featuring what is one of the most intense vocal performances that I’ve ever heard by Andy Hull. The pummeling closing of “Shake It Out” then streams right into the album’s first single “I’ve Got Friends”. The track features sugar-poppish keyboard blips, and group sing-alongs making it impossible to forget.

The following track is without a doubt the best song that this band has ever written. “Pride” opens up with an ominous clean guitar part backed by Hull’s intimidated wavering vocals. The track then kicks into a dominating southern-rock sludge sticking true to the bands Atlanta roots. The song builds and falls before it’s thunderous climax as Hull roars “I think I’m dyin!” No matter how many times I play this song, I find it impossible not to foolishly bang my head, with my rock-star air guitar power stance as adrenaline pumps through my blood.

Andy Hull recently stated in an interview that “Theres a difference between people who use God as a way to sleep at night and people are so convicted by their beliefs that they can’t….I’m in category 2.” Hull makes this apparent on one of those most lyrically smart songs on the album. “In My Teeth” features Hull shouting “God spoke a theory straight into my brain, God damn did you mean to do that to me?” and laments “What happens when I don’t know what happens?” Faith and sprituality have always been at the forefront of Hulls lyrics and while it seems to have been toned down somewhat on Mean Everything, it is no less apparent here.

After the onslaught of the opening first half, the album tones down considerably, starting with the short, anxiety packed “100 Dollars” which is followed by the heart-tugging ballad “I Can Feel A Hot One” (released on the bands Let My Pride… EP in late 2008). The following two tracks “My Friend Marcus” and “Tony The Tiger” get as close to “forgettable” as anything on this album. While ultimately the two songs are enjoyable and play a dynamic part in the album as a whole, they aren’t as engaging or immediately fulfilling as the rest of the album. The title track “Mean Everything to Nothing” contains some of the albums most memorable lyrics (“I found a note in my grandfathers coat and when I read it out loud I got cold.”) but becomes a little bit formulaic after the second chorus. The album closer “The River” pales in comparison to Virgin’s “Where Have You Been?” but follows the same juxtaposed lyrical theme of Hull’s daily religious struggles. The song bleeds repentance and confession in brutal honest fashion to an invisible God where Hull sings the lines “I’m gonna leave you the first chance I get.”, then later closes the song pleading “Oh my God, make me clean again.”

It is apparent that when Manchester Orchestra set out to write this album, they went with clear intentions to make a masterpiece, and a masterpiece is exactly what they have delivered. In an industry where we are constantly being subjected to bands intent on selling us an image rather than a song, it’s refreshing to see a band come along and create something so naturally beautiful and unforced. And for that, Manchester Orchestra deserve all the acclaim in the world.

Who Are You Now? is the 3rd studio release from Seattle based pop-rock quintet This Providence. The disc is a notable landmark in their six year career, which consists of two previously released albums and one EP that garnered polarized attention for their clear-cut Gatsbys American Dream-esque math-pop. Who Are You Now? is a notable shift in This Providence’s career as it sounds nothing like their previous efforts. Filled with radio-ready pop-hooks and onobtrusive cookie-cutter songwriting, it’s the obvious and ironic intentions behind this release that make it almost as offensive as the music is bad.

The album opener “Sure As Hell” kicks things off with the bar raised high. Stripped down, eerily ambiental and reverbed guitar layer the backdrop for Dan Young’s desperate pleading. Clocking in at just under two minutes, the song sounds a lot like Brand New a la Deja Entendu’s opener “Tatou”. From here on, the album takes a earsplitting nosedive. The remanining 40 minutes of Who Are You Now? play like an uninspired, watered down version of every bad song labelmates The Academy Is have ever written. The musical backbone that made previous efforts by these guys so tightly written and enjoyable is now gone in favor of flavorless pop jams (“This Is The Real Thing”, “Selfish”, “Chasing The Wind”) and re-recorded songs that weren’t-good-enough-for-a-full-length-but-we’ll-throw-em-on-there-anyway (“Sand In Your Shoes”, “My Beautiful Rescue”). Since the 2006 departure of bassist Phil Cobrea, This Providence just don’t seem to have the ability (or maybe the desire) to make the mathy driven pop-rock that made them so enjoyable in the first place. Instead, they chose to write and release Who Are You Now? which is not only the name of the worst album they’ve written to date, but a question that they should all seriously take some time to contemplate themselves.

Myspace | Official

Brother’s Blood is the fifth release by New York based singer/songwriter Kevin Devine. It could very well be the best album he’s made in his career. Brother’s Blood uses subject matter that is familiar to Devine’s back catalog, touching on topics from substance abuse and lost love to scathing political criticism. Backed by his new band, Brother’s Blood plays out ridiculously confident and poised, while maintaining a likeable rawness and listenability.

Compromised of 11 songs that span 51 minutes, Brother’s Blood is a step back from the direction journeyed on his Capitol release Put Your Ghost to Rest. In favor of the structured simplistic pop songs that dominated Ghost, Devine and his “Goddamned Band” opt for a more dynamic thought-out sound. This is immediately relevant on tracks like “Carnival” which begins with a lo-fi reverbed riff and schizophrenically builds into a paranoid hollering climax. This is just one of the album’s many highlights.

The following 2 tracks “Time To Burn” and “Hand of God” showcase Devine’s criminally underrated lyrical ability. During his career, Devine has never been one to garner much of any hype. Devine has been better known as a dedicated musician who relentlessly tours anytime he gets a chance. Case in point: In a near two year span, Devine played close to 600 shows. With the combination of this plethora of shows on his back and a new record coming out on one of the most impressive up and coming labels on the scene (Favorite Gentlemen), something tells me that Devine won’t be out of the spotlight for much longer.

Devine explores territory ranging from detatched acoustic soul (Fever Moon) to gratifying acoustic pop (I Could Be With Anyone). However, what makes Brother’s Blood a step above the rest of his back catalogue is found in standout offerings that equate higher than anything he has done before. The first being the title track “Brother’s Blood”. Clocking in at just under 8 minutes, this song stands out as possibly the most abrasive epic song Devine has penned to date. Beginning with a drawn out 2 minute intro, the song trembles and shakes to it’s tottering finale ending with Devine lamenting at the top of his lungs “My sorry heart, my sorry heart!”

Two tracks later “It’s Only Your Life” plays as what would have been a perfect album closer. The track is compromised of nothing but Devine and his guitar, and as he ends the song with the lines “to fix or ruin, to figure what to do with, it’s only your life, to fix or ruin, cause no one else is going to do it. it’s only your life” a sense of closure and accomplishment is apparent almost as if a new page is being turned on what will be the defining album of Kevin Devine’s career.

Stream “Carnival” HERE

Metric is back with their first full-length release since 2005′s “Live it Out.” In between the 4 year span of relative inactivity as a band, front woman Emily Haines has gone on to release two solo-efforts and has returned for Metric’s 3rd full-length on the top of her game. From the opening track and first single “Help, I’m Alive” to the epic closer “Stadium Love”, Fantasies plays exactly how the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s latest effort wishes it would have.

Haines dominates “Fantasies” with her sick, ambitious, usual word-play, covering topics from desperate apathy (“Help, I’m Alive”) to unwanted love (“Sick Muse”). Haine’s signature sexually charged lyrical themes also find their place throughout Fantasies such as on the album’s third track “Satellite Mind” where she croons
“heard you fuck through the wall
i heard you fuck when i’m bored”

If there are any lines on Fantasies that can sum up the shock-and-awe aggression that is found as a prominent theme throughout Fantasies, it’s right here. It’s almost as if Haines has grown tired of the fragile piano ballads from her 2006 solo effort Knives Don’t Have Your Back and it’s succeeding EP. Rather than sitting back as a demure lead, Metric have pulled off what is probably their most accessible album to date. As the album winds down, one would expect the album to close on a graceful note, instead we are given the album’s top track, a fist pumping synth-pop anthem with a raucous chorus that closes the album with a resounding bang. It’s in these final closing moments of Fantasies that it’s full potential is realized as a immovable collection of synth-pop jams that are addictive as they are rewarding with each successive spin.