Earlimart
Mentor Tormentor
2007 | Shout Factory
Did you know Earlimart was an actual town in California? I did not. For
some reason I tend to forget that they are from right here in Los
Angeles (or there about). And we are lucky to have such a great band.
In their newest release, Mentor Tormentor, they burst out 15 lush new tracks. Yes folks, fifteen.
The
first song off the album, "Fakey Fake", builds with that slow intensity
that I love about Earlimart; they know how to stretch a song to its
capacity, filling it with both a somber tone and soft, sunny fluidity.
This can be said about many of their songs on here. Aaron Espinoza's
vocals lean toward bittersweet, but when they add hand claps and
whistles to songs ("Nothing Is True") it makes cracks of warmth burn
through the song, complementing both sides.
"You Never Had It"
feels like it wants to be the kid brother to the alt-country scene.
There is something under the surface with Earlimart occasionally that
makes me think this; It's very subtle in the way they play, maybe it's
the guitar playing. This shows up again in "The Little Things" and
"Cold Cold Heaven".
I always feel a little sad listening to
Earlimart though, like listening to a sad story from a friend. I think
this quality to them actually draws you into their music more, making
you feel more connected to what they are singing. Another way they
accomplish this too is in the half-whispering of the vocals, the way
they sometimes fade in and out of the music, like on "Bloody Nose" and
"The World".
Overall Earlimart stepped up and released a prize
of a record, unable to let me pick out just a few songs to be heard.
It's worth listening to the whole thing, again and again.
-Elana Rintala
(Looking for something similar? Try these bands: Great Northern, Elliott Smith, Grandaddy)
Caribou
Andorra
2007 | Merge
I
will admit that I've heard the names Manitoba and Caribou in passing
many times (and not in reference to the Canadian Province or the
animal) however I did not act upon the mention of the names. Until now,
and I'm kicking myself. On his latest release Andorra, Daniel
Snaith (a.k.a Caribou) unleashes a lush, multi-layered cavalcade of
dreamy electro-pop music that both feels sprung out of the wilderness
and very focused.
"Melody Day" starts off the album with a rush
of energy, and sleigh bells. The psych element that is present, either
overtly or subtly, on the rest of the album begins here with swirling
guitars and hushed vocals that rise and fall with a strange child-like
pitch. And yet, at the same time, there is the frantic drumming that is
found in more drum 'n bass artists. It is this combination of live and
electro beats, fused so naturally together, that makes Caribou shine.
The tracks take on little "worlds" complete with sounds that could be
nature or completely computer generated, other-worldly noises. In
"Irene", rain showers or possibly static add an eerie dimension to the
song along with the pitch bending of the keys reminiscent of some of
the newer Jennifer Gentle.
Occasionally, when more of the
electro side comes out, such as in the tracks "Niobe" and "After
Hours", ethereal washes of sound envelop the ears wile pulsing soft
beats waver in the background that strongly reminds me of Air's Moon
Safari. Andorra is a solid listen though, accessible for
those who might shy away from more "electro" acts. I'd recommend
"Melody Day", "Sandy", and "Eli".
-Elana Rintala
(Looking for something similar? Try these bands: Air, The Helio Sequence, Stereolab, and Animal Collective)
Rilo Kiley
Under the Blacklight
2007 | Warner Bros.
Everyone seems to be talking about how Fleetwood Mac was channeled through Jenny Lewis in Rilo Kiley's newest release Under the Blacklight.
Doesn't someone have to be dead to be channeled? Maybe it's because
this vein of music has in fact been dormant and now unleashed as Rilo
Kiley decides to make the bold decision to challenge there usual indie
pop numbers. Surprisingly, it fits them as they tweak it to their
liking.
Jenny Lewis' voice has a sultry quality that honestly I
enjoy more than Stevie Nicks, so comparisons aside, I can relate more
to this updated style. Under the Blacklight starts out more
classic 70's rock but then slowly starts to unravel into a more
country-tinged rock although ending the album on more of a 80's junior
high dance song, complete with drum machine and electric hand claps is
an odd choice. "Give A Little Love" is probably the most out of place
song on there for me. Even the Spanish refrained "Dejalo" includes a
catchy chorus that borders on being kitschy, but in the fun way. The
rest of the album I find makes more sense. "Silver Lining", "Close
Call", and "Dreamworld" follow along the lines of that 70's rock
everyone is pointing to, while "Breakin' Up" slides more into the,
well, disco style. With the back up singers and tambourine, I expect
someone to shout out DISCO fever at some point. It's pretty upbeat and
dance-y though, and enjoyable to listen to without being obnoxious as
you might expect something from that era of music. The title track
takes the album into the more country territory, with more crisp guitar
sounds and mellow mood. There is also a running theme with
relationships, albeit bad ones, dealing with young love ("15"), ending
love ("Breakin' Up"), and just plain messed up ones ("Dejalo").
This
dark turn into sex and love takes a couple listens to fully get what it
being said over the mellow rock sounds, but worth it. I'd recommend
listening to "The Moneymaker", "Under the Blacklight", and "The Angels
Hung Around".
-Elana Rintala
(Looking for something similar? Try these bands: Amateurs, Neko Case, and Amy Millan.)
Tony Wilson, the enigmatic and ultra-confident man you may have seen in the excellent film 24 Hour Party People, has died from complications due to kidney cancer today.
According to reports from the BBC, he had been struggling with the disease for over a year and had one of his kidneys removed this past January. Wilson was also undergoing chemotherapy and drug treatment, which became very expensive for the iconic label owner.
After starting out as a television reporter in the 1970s, Wilson formed the highly influential Factory Records after discovering punk rock. Factory is best known for releasing amazing records by Joy Division, New Order, Happy Mondays and A Certain Ratio. The label went under in 1992 and the infamous Hacienda shut down in 1997.
Phil Saxe, who used to work at Factory
Records with Wilson, told the BBC: "Part of me, part of Manchester,
part of modern British music has died tonight. Tony was a genius,
basically. He was a visionary in that he helped bands, who otherwise
wouldn't have made it, who were a bit out of the ordinary."
"He helped them realise their dreams and through that probably realised himself to be Mr Manchester".
R.I.P. Tony Wilson
Okkervil River
The Stage Names
2007 | Jagjaguwar
In anticipation of the new album by Okkervil River, The Stage Names,
I began reflecting upon the first time I ever listened to them. A
friend of mine sat me down and made me listen to the song "Westfall"
off their album Don't Fall in Love with Everyone You See from
2002. I was struck dumb by the haunting intensity of not only Will
Sheff's vocals, but also of the flat out disturbing lyrics he was
singing. I learned from there that Okkervil River is a complete package
for a band; they not only sound good, but they can tell a story as good
as any great storyteller can, keeping you enthralled and hanging on
edge. And yet again on their new release do they do that again, making
every second of the nine songs stand out and pull you in.
The Stage Names starts out punchy and then lulls you into a softer, more melodic listen
as plot after plot unfolds in each song. And in the end, recreate their
version of the "Sloop John B" that brings the album back up into full
swing. "Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe" packs pounding drums, OOh-ing
choruses, and Sheff's wailing voice into the opening track,
highlighting their rock side. "A Hand to Take Hold of the Scene" is a
jangly pop tune reminiscent of Voxtrot's lighthearted piano-tinged
songs- a song you can probably even dance to. They also fall back into
their more folky, country tunes in such tracks as the bittersweet "A
Girl in Port" and "Title Track".
On earlier albums, there was
always some bumps, whether in the delivery of the vocals, or the
production value not being consistent. However, here the kinks have
been smoothed out into a more accomplished sounding album. I'd
recommend "Unless It Kicks", "A Hand to Take Hold of the Scene" and "A
Girl in Port".
-Elana Rintala
(Sounds like: The Decemberists, Bishop Allen, Calexico)
Executives at SoundExchange don't exchange anything, other than handfuls of cash to people who help them get more of it. The fine folks who brought us digital-music royalty collections and months of stressful, sleepless nights, have been caught lobbying to MusicFirst Coalition.
MusicFirst is basically a front that represents the special interests of the major labels. A federal appeals court handed them some justice because they were caught lobbying to levy performance royalties on terrestrial radio stations. These people are horrible human beings.
Of course lobbying is not allowed for a company like SoundExchange. Their nonprofit status prohibits them from spending money on anything other than the "administering and settling of disputes from the collection, distribution and calculation of royalties."
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