November 2006
Record
Kasabian
Shiny Toy Guns
The Decemberists
Badly Drawn Boy
The Blood Brothers
The Divine Comedy
The Dears
120 Days
Cursive
Psychic Ills
Soulwax
The Oohlas
The Klaxons
Los Abandoned
The Vasco Era
Blood Meridian
Beach House
The Poems
Bettie Serveert
Philip Glass
Devastations
TK Webb
Clark
The Future Sound of London
Richard Buckner
Bright Light Fever
Prophet Omega
Low Frequency Stereo In Stereo
Fields
The Karabal Nightlife
Reviews
Kasabian
Empire
RCA Records
Most bands from England now are nerds,
revivalists, or just lame sentimentalists. It's great to see a band that is more like The Rolling Stones and The Sex
Pistols. That is what rock and roll is about: danger and unhealthy habits.
Kasabian's first album was a mix of Chemical Brothers and Oasis, and was
absolutely great for four songs. Most of the rest was atmosphere and filler. I saw them
play a few times at the end of last summer 2005 and they already had a few
new songs that were as good as anything on their first album. They have lost one
member but no energy. They have hooked up with the perfect producer too: Jim
Abbiss. The first two songs "Empire" and "Shoot The Runner" are amazing.
There is an emphasis on strings and production on this album. They have already
proved that they are an interesting live act. One of the best songs is "Sun
Rise Light Flies." Sergio Pizzorno has proved that he is an excellent songwriter.
They have brought a lot of bombast to this album. It seems to have worked. I
guess most of the album has to do with the disappointments with war. Kasabian
is sort of making a place for themselves with their brand of electronic rock.
It is valid music. They have made a better album than Razorlight and Jet, for
sure. It may be music for the uneducated and the unwashed, but it is still
good. We have enough student bands already.
Shiny Toy Guns
We Are Pilots
Universal Records
All I can say is Wow! I have been hearing about this band for years. They
were stuck in the ghetto of the Sunset Strip. Unless you liked going to the Key
Club or Viper Room, and standing next to some dipshit who thought he was the
next Axl Rose, you could never see this band play. I heard a version of "Le
Disko" and I thought that they were great. These guys are not so much new wave
revivalists, but they are probably more New Wave than Berlin and Blondie. You
must realize that some of those old bands couldn't really play very well. Shiny
Toy Guns can play and they have a record that sounds great! Plus the singing of
Carah Faye is superb. One listen of "Don't Cry Out" just blows away the
competition. I was into The Human League the first time around, and this is
exciting music all the way through. Other songs like "Chemistry Of A Car Crash"
might have more to do with emo punk and middle of the road pop, but that is okay
in the overall picture. Any band that can be a vehicle for good music is to be
cheered on. This bands points more to the world of Peaches and Depeche Mode
than to Fall Out Boy and Panic at The Disco. That is a good thing I think. This
is good fun. They have been playing a lot with The Sounds this year. That is
a cool combo.
The Decemberists
The Crane Wife
Capitol
I have seen the Decemberists a few times. I was thinking to myself "What's
the big deal?" They are supposed to be a literary band? I was an English major
and I didn't get any of the references. So years have passed and I hear this
album and I finally hear something of the greatness in this band. It may be as
ambitious album as The Arcade Fire. The songs are solid. They were an indie
rock band from Portland. Being on a bigger label can make people wonder. It is
often a band wants to expand their sound on third and fourth albums. Bands, who
have played a lot of shows around the USA and Europe, start to get inspired
by that. Some bands just have a new group of songs and they may have recorded
them before a big label got involved. I like the folk bits with sounds a little
like Steeleye Span. The three-part song at the beginning "The Island" is
amazing. The guitar sounds on this record are amazing. Colin Meloy is very
talented. I look forward to seeing them play again. And maybe I might look into
picking up some of their early albums? I think that I should do that right about
now. I look up to these guys.
Badly Drawn Boy
Born In The UK
Astralwerks
I have been a Badly Drawn Boy fan all these years. I had an early EP back in
1999. I have seen him a few times and it has been enjoyable. He played some
long shows at the Bowery Ballroom. He played by himself and with a band. He had
a bunch of songs with him just on acoustic guitar. Some songs with him on
piano. This album sounds much similar to his previous material. There may be more
of a Springsteen vibe on this one. Where some of the other albums were about
his life and modern times, this one is more a look back at his childhood.
Seven-year-old kids weren't into punk rock back then. This album can be subtitled
"life under Thatcherism." It's a very subtle album. It doesn't really hit you
over the head with how much of genius Damon Gough is. It is not really
innovative. Most of the songs build, so if you give up on them too early, you are
missing out. Maybe this music is like mid-period Elton John and Billy Joel? It
is very moving for some reason. Sometimes it's hip to be yourself. There is
enough good stuff on this album for anyone. I guess that Badly Drawn Boy wanted
to do five albums in five years. But this album is a more edited effort.
The Blood Brothers
Young Machetes
V2 Records
I saw these guys play a few times over the years. Recently they opened for
the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. They are still an exciting band. For me they are the
closest thing to The Birthday Party that I can think of. It's more in terms of
energy. They are not mere copyists. They have a knack for interesting titles like
"We Ride Skeletal Lightning." One of my favorites is "Laser Life." Their vocal
range is so amazing. They explore rhythm in "Camouflage, Camouflage." After
the initial assault of the first six songs, they have an almost pop song with
"Spit Shine Your Black Clouds." This is a cool song. I am ready to dance. This
is their best album. The Blood Brothers have not mellowed out. They are
exciting as ever. This is something to worship. The Blood Brothers can do amazing
things.
The Divine Comedy
Victory For The Comic Muse
Parlophone
I have been following the work of Neil Hannon for almost a decade now. When I
first got into his music, it was around the time of his "Fin de Siecle"
album. It was a top ten album, and he was in the British press all the time. When
he did Regeneration, it was sort of a flop. Hannon then spent a lot of time in
America touring, opening up for Ben Folds. This resulted in the album Absent
Friends, which was his most basic album. With this new album, he has gone back
to the days of Fin de Siecle. Most of the past year has been spent in
collaboration. It's exciting that Hannon has a fresh batch of songs so soon. "Mother
Dear" and "Diva Lady" could be songs from an earlier album. But they are
done with so much knowingness and experience. Hannon doesn't just seem like some
guy hiding behind some decadent pose. Songs like "Lady Of A Certain Age"
don't ring like empty. They seem like real life experiences. Hannon has a great
ability for amazing harmony. Almost all these songs are new and memorable. Also
there is a great sense of humor in these songs. Hannon was experimenting for a
few years, and these could have been dull moments in a someone else's hands.
This is definitely his best album since Casanova.
The Dears
Gang of Losers
Arts & Crafts
A few years ago there was all this interest in bands from Toronto and
Montreal. The scenes in Detroit and NYC had dried up and people where looking for the
next Seattle. There were a few good bands like Animal Collective and Arcade
Fire. But a bunch of bands that were sort of dull got signed too. The Dears I
saw play in New York a few years ago. They were okay but I couldn't see what
all the fuss was about. A few magazines wrote about them like they were the next
coming of The Smiths. I don't know if they are that good. On both of their
albums there are a few good songs. They have interesting moments. Nothing too
memorable. The Dears operate in a musical landscape that is foreign to me. Their
music is like a dialogue with bands that I don't care enough about. There is
room for a lot of bands and likes out there. This one is over my head I guess.
120 Days
120 Days
Vice Records
Norway is more known for its garage bands. Those rock and roll places in the
arctic north. 120 Days has much more to do with psychedelic rock and prog.
They are more like Secret Machines and Dungen. Many of their songs are over seven
minutes long. This album begins with the amazing nine-minute song "Come Out,
Come Down, Fade Out, Be Gone." There are also some concise pop songs like
"Sleepwalking." This stuff is spacey and out there. It is good winter music. 120
Days might be one of those cool bands people will be talking about in the next
few years. This music is the truth!
Cursive
Happy Hollow
Saddle Creek
Cursive is probably the bets band from the Saddle Creek lineup. Their
musicianship and live shows are well known. They have released many side projects in
the past year. Now we have the first album in a while. It is definitely a new
sound. They have expanded the sound. It sounds like a band trying out new
things. Songs like "Dorothy At Forty" doesn't really sound like their past work.
There is much tension in almost every song. The energy doesn't let up. Cursive
is always interesting and should have more listeners. They are touring a lot,
so maybe this is a chance to see them.
Psychic Ills
Early Violence
The Social Registry
Psychic Ills is one of the most important bands from NYC right now. They sort
of happened after the garage rock explosion. They are more underground and
more experimental. The vocals are always low in the mix. I saw them play
recently with Indian Jewelry. They are more like that: spaced out rock. They have
more in common with Explosions In The Sky and Mogwai than with a proper rock
band. The vocals are almost like another musical instrument. Most of the rhythms
create a hypnotic state. Words only get in the way. This is a very arty band. I
got one of their early singles, which I thought was like the Velvet
Underground. But I have recently seen them live, and they were more like a black metal
band. They use repetition and layered sounds much like a painter uses paint.
This is amazing stuff. The NYC scene may be dead, but Psychic Ills are proof
that there is still life.
Soulwax
Nite Versions
Modular
I heard this record a few months ago and it has been a favorite listen. Every
song is a jamming track. I used to some other types of music from Modular.
"E-Talking" is a heavy track with a driving bass line. This band sounds like it
could be an updated version of M People. It could be some studio project. But
I heard they have a real live band and they are really entertaining. Maybe
like Basement Jaxx or Massive Attack? Most of the tracks are up though. Other
favorite are "I Love Techno" and "NY Lipps" which are the best electro and
disco tracks I have heard all year. Another great jam is "Krack." This sound is
amazing and very fresh. This is up there with Hot Chip and The Knife for me.
This is a must have record. Amazing.
The Oohlas
Best Stop Pop
Stolen Transmission
I was pretty excited when I first heard this record. I saw them play with The
Duke Spirit and it was interesting. I got the CD and thought "Oh Boy!" I
immediately connected with it and thought it was lovely. Then someone from Stolen
Transmission started spamming me on Myspace all the time. They kept asking me
if I like the album. It was a buzzkill. Then I tried to go see them at
Hollywood and Highland and the power went out. I tried to go to see them at
Cinespace and the people at the door were assholes. I was ready to praise this band to
high heavens, but I was beat down by reality. Every time I think of this band
now, I think how ripped off I was. I was swindled. I like the song "Small
Parts" a lot. But when I think of the band The Oohlas, I have a bad taste in my
mouth.
The Klaxons
Xan Valley EP
Modular
I guess this band is about the New Rave. It's a little dark and full of
humor. A little bit of Happy Monday and New Order here and there. I am still
suffering from all that drug abuse from the last decade. I can announce that glow
sticks are back. I know that some places like in the Bay Area and Nos Center,
they have never went away. These people have never heard of The Strokes or White
Stripes. Maybe they don't read the NME either? Anyway this EP is pretty good.
I like "The Bouncer" a lot. I played it at my club night and people looked
confused. One thought it was the new Art Brut single. We have got Girl Talk and
The Knife. There are some weird bands out there now.
Los Abandoned
Mix Tape
Sanctuary
This record has been sitting around on my desk for a few months. I thought
that I had already written about it and then I couldn't find the review. I
wanted to say something about it since it rocks so hard. Of course the song "Van
Nuys" got my attention right away. This band is like a new punk band. They sing
in Spanish and English. They have a guy like Eddie Van Halen on lead guitar.
It's an amazing band with a unique sound. I need them. Los Abandoned are
beauty.
The Vasco Era
Miles
Records
These guys played with Wolfmother recently. They are another hard rocking
outfit from Australia. They are okay but not as good as Wolfmother and Jet. This
record is okay. It is not bad. Not much to say.
Blood Meridian
Kick Up The Dust
V2 Records
This is the dude from Black Mountain. Side projects are the new black. They
named this after a Cormac McCarthy novel. I am surprised no one has come up
with this name before. Well this is a fine album. I used to listen to a lot of
Sparklehorse and Grandaddy. There is a little Nick Cave and Gun Club on here as
well. As well as Handsome Family stuff. It is good all the way through. I like
"In The Forest, Under The Moon" a lot. There is a depth to these songs. It's
very literary.
Beach House
Beach House
Carpark Records
This is the latest hip band. There is a lot of talk about them on the
Internet. They create moody atmospheric music like Mazzy Star. They have song titles
like "Saltwater" and "Tokyo Witch." They have a lot of keyboards and spacey
vocals. It's a little bit like British psychedelic music. There is an
obsession with childhood. Far out. Light one up and see you at the depressed poetry
reading. Definitely this is the bohemian band of the month. All you people with
berets and books by Sartre should listen up.
The Poems
Young America
Minty Fresh
This is a Scottish band. They are very twee. It has a who's who of the
Scotland music industry. Isobelle Campbell and Norman Blake both make an appearance.
This is the sort of records that Minty Fresh used to come out with. This is
very much a producer's group with an arrangement of friends. They are taking up
the vacuum left by The Delgados and Arab Strap. More of a Belle & Sebastian
type band though. Not sure about them.
Bettie Serveert
Bare Stripped Bare
Minty Fresh
Bettie Serveert was one of those zeitgeist bands a decade ago. Anything was
better than the stuffy attitude of Grunge. This is the second record from the
new lineup. This is mostly an acoustic album. There are some new songs and some
old ones reworked. They have been featured on TV shows like The OC and One
Tree Hill. So I guess this is more music to be included in Grey's Anatomy. Hell
is other people indeed.
Philip Glass
Music from "The Illusionist"
Rykodisc
Sometimes it may seem that SF Burning doesn't write about any of these
records, but this music is always a favorite. I have been a fan of Philip Glass all
my life. I used to see him walking around in NYC a while back. It was
awe-inspiring. It was like walking in a Starbucks and ordering a cafˇ americano behind
Samuel Beckett. I saw this movie and it was lame. But this soundtrack is
amazing. Very dark and full of sounds. It is nothing like the minimalism of the
past. Philip Glass is doing some of his best work today. And here it is.
Devastations
Coal
Brassland
Well, the Australian renaissance didn't end with Wolfmother. Devastations is
another cool band to come out in the past few years. They are a little like
Tindersticks. They are like all these recent bands that wear suits and have a
little bit of Goth and fascination with Germany. Some of the best songs are "The
Night I Couldn't Stop Crying." There is vulnerability and power all in the
same song. Devastations may be the best band out there from down under right
now. The tone and the themes are refreshing. There is very little like this out
there right now. Check it out.
TK Webb
Phantom Parade
The Social Registry
This record has been kicking around for a while. I didn't write anything
about it because it didn't come out until late November 2006. Now we are there it
is still exciting. I find this record totally unique and without equals.
Obviously TK Webb draws a lot from Americana music and folk. But he can also play
shows with Black Dice. It is a strange range. Many of the records I have
reviewed this month pretty much ignore the obsessions with techno and garage rock.
This music is a little bit snobbish. It is music that exists in its own world.
It is pretty much a rejection of the modern world. It prefers some idealized
pre-ironic world. Good luck.
Clark
Body Riddle
Warp Records
Warp Records has released some interesting records in the past year. It has
been a wide variety. This CLARK record is more like the regular Warp Records
that I have known in the past like Plaid and Aphex Twin. There is a little
obsessions with German techno on a few tracks. Then there is also an interest in
sounds from New York art rock traditions. This is one of those techno records
that should be talked about more. Clark is definitely a provocative act. I would
like to see this record reach the lazy masses.
The Future Sound of London
Teachings From The Electronic Brain
Astralwerks
This is one of the weirdest bands of all time. They have never performed a
live gig. They have headlined gigs and festivals, but beamed in their set from
their studio. Not many pictures were taken of them. Their music is the main
focus. They are like the Thomas Pynchon of music. They are known entirely through
their work. Since most of it is instrumental and abstract, this makes them a
further mysterious case. Of course all the best tracks from all six albums are
collected here. Most people know "Papua New Guinea." There is also the
appearance of Liz Frazer on "Lifeforms." One of the only human moments of the
work. This band is probably the purest techno band there ever was. They make
Kraftwerk look like show offs. This consolidates FSOL in the electronic music hall
of fame. Moby also has a Best Of out right now. How time flies?
Richard Buckner
Meadow
Merge
I saw Richard Buckner play earlier this year. He sort of reminded me of
people like Mark Eitzel and M Ward. Really direct music. It is American folk music.
Just the most basic form of music. Some of his other records were Buckner
solo. This one has a full band, and sounds more like REM or Guided By Voices.
This is really emotional work by someone who has real talent. When all trends
have come and gone, there will still be the art of Richard Buckner. You want
reality? This is proof!
Bright Light Fever
The Evening Owl
Stolen Transmission
Oh no, another one by Stolen Transmission. Are they going to stalk me about
this record too? I like this one. It is not as great as The Horrors or The
Oohlas, but it is pretty interesting. Most of the excitement comes from the vocals
of Evan Ferro. He sort of sounds like the guy in Muse. The music is more
stripped down though. Maybe a little like Foo Fighters. This is pretty good.
Prophet Omega
The Natural World
Astralwerks
This is a pretty good one from Astralwerks. It's a one-man band. At time it
is like Red Hot Chili Peppers and others like The Stone Roses. It is a fusion
of rock and funk and dance music. There are some down tempo gems like
"Downpour." This dude is from NYC, although he sounds like he spent some time in
Manchester. "Dear Satellite" is a little like Primal Scream. This is a fun album.
Low Frequency Stereo In Stereo
The Last Temptation of...
Gigantic Music
I have had this CD in my collection for a few months. I finally got to listen
to it today. It is sort of retro and sort of futuristic. They are definitely
into some garage rock sounds. The guitar sounds are definitely stuck in
Ventures land. The vocals and the songs make them sound more like Blonde Redhead and
Stereolab. This is a new band to check out!
Fields
7 From The Village
Black Lab Records
I have been reading a lot about this band. I think it is the same band. I
thought "Hey, I have this CD in my review stack." It was time to check it out.
This is a band from the UK. They definitely have an original sound. There is
definitely a folksy feel to most of their songs. They like to harmonize a lot. I
like this song "Brittlesticks." There is some great guitar picking on
"Sisters." When I listen to this record, I think of that exciting time when I first
heard Doves and Badly Drawn Boy. There was nothing going on in music, and it
seemed like I was looking at an open vista. Fields are my champions. They are
the way I see the future.
The Karabal Nightlife
The Other Shore
(thekarabalnightlife.com)
Many new bands are nothing but their record collections. For a few years now
most bands have been reviving the past without adding anything of themselves.
They have just been showing us their cool influences. What a band needs to be
relevant now is have a unique point of view. They also must have something to
say. They can't just rely on that fact that young people may have not heard of
Joy Division and Gang of Four. The Karabal Nightlife, from Los Angeles, is
definitely one of these rare unique bands. They may lift things from The Beatles
and Neutral Milk Hotel, but it's hardly a patch in the overall landscape.
"Mare Nostrum" is one of the songs that is all over the place. It is a true song
of hope and longing. There is a very specialness to songs like "Absence."
Some of these songs go a little deeper than most bands. One of my favorites is
"I Know Too Much." Another highlight is "I Need A Girl." Even though this is a
band releasing their first album now, this album sounds like a band at the
height of their powers. I find singer Jesse Davis's voice very appealing. The
band is a tight unit. "Devil's Mind" is more like Blues. Probably the best song
is "Cicadas." This song is like a short story. "Sea of Sleep" is another
cool song. The Other Shore is an amazing album. It is great all the way through.
The involvement of Rick Parker (Von Bondies, BRMC) makes it all the better.
Much in music now is fad and karaoke. The Karabal Nightlife is the real deal.
Alexander Laurence
