Ecovillage – Rhonda De Sant Pere 7.4

                Ecovillage create expansive music. It is ambient yet feels a bit like rock. Without any particular percussion it manages to conjure up images of shoegaze. To some degree I’m reminded of a less distant Tim Hecker as the melodies are more noticeable and intimate. 

                “Rhonda De Sant Pere” begins the two-track EP. Out of wisps little movements are formed. The two Swedes (Emil Holmström and Peter Wikström) deftly avoid any stasis in the movement. Vocals appear somewhere on the periphery of the piece. Sustained tones morph in the background. Nothing is ever quite focused but it feels better having a lush, meditative sound than something overpowering. Little inclusions of nature field recordings add to the pastoral feeling of the piece.

                The second half sprawls for over ten minutes. You don’t really notice the time pass by. “Amadeu I” is more melancholy. Fragments of guitar and violin appear out of the murk. Eventually these all build together into a satisfying conclusion. I’m reminded a little bit of Sigur Ros in this song, perhaps this kind of psychedelic music is native to Scandinavia, I’m not entirely sure.

                I am sure about the EP’s quality. Really it came in the nick of time for me. My only hope is they release a full album next time. This is the kind of music you can sit back with and let wash over you for a while. I’d suggest doing exactly that.

Rape Faction – Gone Forever 8.1

                Rape Faction is a group who makes scuzzy, disgusting, low-life music. At no point does the music know what’s going on fully. Guitars jut this way and that being tortured beyond belief. Bass lumbers through each of these eight tracks. Vocals fail to find their way through the hazy noise. It is fantastic.

                “Vaporizer” shocks you into their world. The bass is fuzzed out to near-cartoonish effect. Or it would be funny if it wasn’t so loud. Listening to the song, it appears to be stuck in its own grimy nightmare. “Whiteboy Uptown” sounds like mid-80s Butthole Surfers. Yes, it actually is that chaotic. Drums keep up a martial beat as the guitars try in vain to avoid vast fields of feedback. “2010” barely has a bass line; it is more of a relentless pulse. Guitars grow into a giant mess. 

                The interludes help you cope with the large amount of noise for they don’t believe in bringing you in lightly. No, this Montreal-based band wants to drag you into some bad times. “Everything Dies” reminds me of some sort of dreadful addiction. You’re trying to wean yourself off, but the time moves so slowly. Guitars aren’t even concerned with avoiding feedback. On multiple occasions you can feel them heading into the point of no return, heavy into the red. Eventually it descends into guitar and drum noise. 

                Grimy doesn’t even begin to describe the depraved nature of this album. Familiarity with loud, abrasive shoegaze bands helps. Whatever the singer is singing is for atmosphere; picking out a lyric is near-impossible. No worries though. It is the atmosphere, so consistently kept up, alongside the decadent sound which makes this a real joy of an album.

Belong – Common Era 6.7

                Belong are really hazy on this record, perhaps too hazy for their own good. This album of about nine songs is a natural progression of their sound. I think of their sound as surf music; the literal sound of surf hitting the shore. While this steady, constant far-away sound can be entrancing on the good songs, unfortunately a lot of it seems to go on for too long or feels a bit uninspired. 

                Some of the songs do work for me. The opener “Come See” is fairly excellent. I enjoy the song bass, coming in at the right time. Had more of the songs included the intensity of this one or unpredictably, I might be satisfied with the album as a whole. As soon as it gets into the two minute mark, you’re brought up to a higher level and lifted out of the sound’s complete murk.

                “Keep Still” would be my other favorite from the album. Any trace of the drum machine is erased. Instead you’re given a heavy sea of sound. The gigantic sound is perhaps what they were aiming for with the rest of the songs but failed to reach. 

                Unfortunately, the album, while decent, isn’t as good as you’d hope. Had they perhaps included more low-end, it might have been better than the perpetual overcast feel most of the album contains. Other bands are obvious influences, such as My Bloody Valentine, Spacemen 3, etc. But they never quite reach those band’s heights. Instead they rest in an awkward position between a full blissed out sound via Tim Hecker or a more rock-orientated sound. 

                There are good moments (great ones actually) on this record such as the two aforementioned tracks but as a whole it fails to leave a strong impression.

Explosions in the Sky at Radio City Music Hall

               I’ve gone to concerts at Radio City Music Hall before. Usually they feel a bit stuffy due to me sitting down and politely casting judgment from the nosebleed seats. Tonight that didn’t happen. Instead, I found myself enjoying some of the benefits of having a giant room and seats.

                Eluvium came up first. He introduced himself with a brief “Good Evening” and proceeded to play for a short period of time. While I’d like to comment more on his performance, I happened to constantly hear the crackling of plastic candy around me which distracted me. So from what I could focus on he appeared to be a more indie version of George Winston. The playing was moody which fit the rather awful weather had tonight.

                Low came up next. They were sweeter than I expected them to be. When I hear their music, I think of the best kind of loving-making music. Keep in mind as I say this I’m a giant music nerd. Some of my friends have informed me this distinction is held by Belle & Sebastian. I’d like to change that to these wonderful people from Duluth, Minnesota who virtually embodies Minnesota nice.

                For this concert they had a quartet. All the songs were from their new album “C’mon”. In a live setting, I felt the album really does show a mixture between their “Things We Lost in the Fire” and “I could live in Hope” periods. Most of the songs were extremely quiet and slow. I’m not sure how many in the audience were as excited as I was for them, but I did hear a few ‘I love these guys’ so I’m glad I wasn’t alone.

                Actually, Low being there was the reason I decided to go in the first place. I’d never seen them before. Getting tickets to a concert just to see one of the opening acts probably cements my reputation as a Hipster, in case seeing Animal Collective twice didn’t already do that for me. But Low deserve it. They continually put out a good product.

                “Try to Sleep” started things up, followed by my personal favorite “You See Everything”, then “Nightingale” a few others, finishing off with a loud “Nothing But Heart”. If I had a problem with their set, it was probably a slight displeasure with the bassist. Occasionally I felt the bassist was on a different page than the rest of the band. Usually this wouldn’t be noticeable, but in a band as quiet and dependent on the low end as Low, it irked me ever so slightly. When they ended people clapped but I wished they clapped harder. Low does something so unusual in the music world by following their own muse rather than making naked grabs at the latest trends. Few bands have the guts to do that, so I respect them for the decision.

                Explosions in the Sky are a band I enjoy quite a band. When Post-Rock sort of fell by the wayside, these guys were just starting out. I felt bad for them as they were fairly excellent. They were resigning themselves to a genre with diminishing returns. Bands that get into these fading away genres can get ignored despite their obvious quality.

                Since they were the headlining act, they avoided such a fate. Before they began, they started out with heartfelt thanks towards the preceding two acts, particularly Low. As Explosions in the Sky excels at some of the quieter, more tender aspects of its sound, it didn’t shock me they considered Low a class act. I’m glad they brought Low in for the ride.

                What made them so interesting is their penchant for avoiding some of the Post-Rock template. Build-ups were there for sure, but they also randomly explode. This isn’t so much intellectual music as it is emotional. I didn’t realize a few people could make so much or so little sound. A few moments they literally stopped on a dime. Or the opposite would happen as their guitars propelled us to the sky.

                Perhaps their name is apt. They do well both in an almost shoegaze setting, with mellow guitar interplay. Sometimes they explode into glorious color, all the while never missing sight of the other players. Everyone on stage worked together to make the songs work; there weren’t any solos, a real rarity for a genre that embraces them.

                I hope someday soon when the 90s begin getting mined for material Post-Rock becomes one of those old genres newly embraced. As new bands discover the joy of Post-Rock, they’ll notice Explosions in the Sky kept the seat warm for them.

Mojave 3 – Ask Me Tomorrow 8.1

Oh yes, the mellow relaxation of Mojave 3. After Slowdive took a plunge into the non-existence, some of the members decided to move towards a new kind of sound, based more off of song craft than pure mood. Having said that, don’t expect up-tempo pop music. Rather, it continues in the vein of Slowdive, with blissful slow moving songs.

Probably the biggest shocker is the move towards country on here. The twangs beginning “Love Songs on the Radio” set the pace for what the rest of the album will bring up: quiet guitars, hushed percussion, and singing from far away. Others elements are used sparingly like piano, cello, and tasteful classical adornments. “Mercy” is the loudest song on here, ending the 42 minutes or so of near-narcoleptic music (I mean this as a compliment).  

4AD did a good thing signing them. They don’t release much (5 albums in about a decade) but the quality seems to be kept pretty high. Here’s probably their high point, but most of their discography is fairly solid.

I want a Low-Octane Performance.

Reading about concert reviews, I stumbled upon a Rihanna article. It stated how Rihanna rocks in a sudden surprise show in Manhattan. Everybody all around Times Square started singing with her, glad to have her bestow her presence on mere commoners. They are pleased to see her on such a small stage, it is so exciting.

I hear these words describing concerts all the time. Honestly, I’m a little tired of these performances showing “enthusiasm” for the audience. Rather than these high-octane performances, I want a low-octane performance. When I enter that concert hall, I want the singer or performers to be half-asleep or fully asleep.

There’s a few ways this can happen, and it already looks like pop and indie music are converging on the same point. Pop musicians lip-sync like it was nobody’s business. So you get to watch your favorite artist dance right in front of you. Since they’re performing to a pre-recorded track, they really can give it their all dance-wise. Of course they can go further. Whitney Houston doesn’t lip sync; she just kind of stands there and forgets the lyrics of most of her songs. Perhaps if she decided to get a beer in the middle of her concert as the rest of the band sort of mumbles, then I might want to see her live. 

Indie music as well includes similar forms of sleepiness. Some entire genres are based exclusively on not interacting with the audience. Off the top of my head, I’d say shoegaze does a great job of embodying that non-performance I want others to strive towards. Unable to be bothered with even looking at the audience, they merely play their instruments and stare blankly at their Converse sneakers. 

Outside of rock, there are those legends. Salem could not care less whether or not you enjoy their performance. In fact, when they were asked about their dreadful appearance at South by Southwest, they stated that “Who cares about performing live, we wanted to take a nap. Those audience members should consider themselves lucky to see us. Screw our fans, those guys suck.”  After the fall out and receiving only a 7.5 on Pitchfork for their album, they have since shied away from such middle finger invoking statements. I guess most of the buzz-o-sphere wants musicians who ‘care’ about what they do, rather than having them rap while on psychotropic substances.  Nonetheless, they take “Not giving a fuck” to a whole new level. 

My ideal low octane performance might be an even more lethargic slow version of Sigur Ros. Instead of standing up for the performance, the attendees bring blankets and pillows. As the band begins, they move at a sloth-like pace. Slowly, things build down to the absolute basic parts of the music. Think of a stripped down version of Low and you’re halfway there. Eventually the drummer falls asleep and the guitars play so rarely all you hear is the ghost eminence of what had been a chord. The singer brings all of the band members together and they spoon on stage before falling asleep completely.

I really hope that someday these indie and pop bands will realize how much easier things can be if they take this approach. That way energy could be used more productively by updating their twitter, posting songs up on pitchfork/youtube, and partying hard. Bands, you’re welcome. Audience, buy some sleep attire. May I suggest matching pajamas?

The Fun Years – God was like, No 7.7

Let me take an opposing viewpoint on this. A lot of people are comparing this to Tim Hecker or Fennesz. The Tim Hecker reference comes from his use of warm, fuzzy drones. But unlike his stuff, there’s no sterile editing to perfection. Imperfections in the music (like at the end of “Breech on the Bowstring”) are kept in, rather than edited out. Fennesz makes a bit more sense, but again, he’s fonder of cleaner edits without the muck these guys roll around in. So neither one of these really describe what is going on. 

A guitar leads each one of these songs, giving a sort of structure to the often chaotic drones explored. If I had to pick someone similar, I might choose Janek Schaefer. Like him, they kept a lot of the sounds pretty open, often deftly dealing with the edits. This has an analog heart, not the digital one possessed by Tim Hecker or Fennesz. You can feel it, grasp it, and hug it. It is the sound of pure life.

Using a guitar makes the songs feel that much more alive. Hardy any percussion exists on the album, “And They Think My Name is Dequan” being the exception to the rule. After this track we get the most abrasive one the obnoxiously titled: “Get out of the Obese Crowd”. 

Most of the material on here owes some sort of debt to shoegaze. The rhythms are slow, often melodic, and surprisingly catchy. And if I had to pick what might be a single “Makes Sense to Me” would be the easy pick. By bringing in mellow guitar to plod along the drones makes them that much better. 

So if someone says this is like one of the first two, take exception. The editing on here isn’t that meticulous, the cuts are rawer and more visceral than that. You’re better off for it.

Altar Eagle – Mechanical Gardens 7.4

So apparently this little duo works in the “dream pop” sort of field that Beach House has made popular.  Unlike Beach House though, they veer more towards gauzy ambiance and noise. Their attempts at pure pop generally don’t work out as well (see “Monsters).

Any sort of love one has for bands like Slowdive might allow you to better digest this. Of course, this being the year of nostalgia, there’s little tributes to the 80s. “Pour Your Dark Heart Out” besides having those sustained notes also has a little bit of The Normal’s: Warm Leatherette in the background, sort of anchoring the hazy music with its awkward beat.

The album isn’t very long, so it doesn’t overstay its welcome. But I’d say the more the songs spread out, the better they are. Both the opener “Battlegrounds” and the sweet “You lost your Neon Haze” capitalize off of their confidence with the longer lengths. 

Altar Eagle wisely released this around Fall, since it has a slight decaying feel from both the music and the obscured vocals.

A Sunny Day in Glasgow – Scribble Mural Cosmic Journal 8.5

The name is a misnomer. Glasgow doesn’t experience sunny weather ever. Every day has gloom and despair along the UK’s answer to Newark, New Jersey. In case this doesn’t give you a good enough idea of the level of industrialization, they actually have tours so you can see the vibrant factories.

Sun is all over this record from the moment it begins with “Wake up Pretty”. Musically, it is heavily indebted to early shoegaze. Great portions of it remind me of “So Tough” the Saint Etienne album from 1993, updated for the modern era. “No. 6 Von Karman Street” gives evidence of this. Since that album happens to be a favorite of mine, this one immediately won me over.

Each song has its fair share of off-putting studio effects, loud noise, and long ambient stretches. Songs that start out as straightforward rock delve into noisy excursions like “Things Only I can See” which starts out gentle before going insane. “C’mon” would probably be the single from the album if Sunny decided to avoid the shrieking feedback. Giddy and happy, the rhythm moves drunkenly towards pure bliss.

In case this isn’t enough, you can play the album in any order basically. At the end you get “The Best Summer Ever” which probably is the most fitting ending to the album I can think of. The lyrics are almost decipherable, but still under enough distortion that you just miss it. It leaves things off on the happiest of notes.

Personally, this works so much better for me than the more scattershot “Ashes Grammar”.