Tuesday, February 9, 2010

FEATURE ALBUM: BEACH HOUSE RELEASES ONE FOR THE AGES

When Baltimore duo Beach House lit up the musical landscape late last year and delivered a definitive knockout track in the form of the fully formed 'Norway' off their then yet to be released third effort Teen Dream, I couldn't help but get excited about the prospective ear candy that the Chris Coady produced release proper promised to deliver. I also felt a little trepidation that the album may not live up to those lofty expectations and at the risk of sounding sacriligious given all the critic and blog love the album has recieved, initially the first couple of listens failed to deliver. I needn't of worried because no matter, in the end, as with the first two Beach House albums, Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally have again produced a collection of exquisite slow burners, with more accessibility yet lasting qualities where nothing misses the mark. The fact that I've listened to this album more than any other this year thus far is early testimony to how great it is and will turn out to be in posterity. The lesson for reviewers is, don't be premature in judgement. Does Tom Hughes of Guardian fame want another go?

The amazing thing about the Beach House sound is how remarkable it is by being well, unremarkable. Let me explain. The consistent pulse and timing behind the lush, ethereal soundscapes whether it be by using Legrand's synth or a thin or deep sounding drum machine is repetitive across the album but it lays a base for the creation of those soundscapes which are accompanied by lasting hooks and alternation between light and dark, cold and warmth. Scally's guitar is immediately prominent on the metaphoric opener 'Zebra' and combined with Legrand's sun-drenched keys and soaring vocals, its a knockout combination that is immediately on show and extends throughout the albums' 53 minutes. The fact that each song sits between four and six minutes and none outstays its welcome often finishing before you're ready is evidence of the lasting qualities of Teen Dream. 'Silver Soul' is a classic example of the feel on the first two albums but sounds more rounded in an aural sense and delves organically deeper musically. That the pristine 'Norway' is still a standout after three solid months on repeat is unsurprising and the excellent 'Walk In The Park' is further evidence that Beach House is one of the tightest, most innately tuned into eachother duos around. 'Used To Be' sits pretty as the middle track and its change in tempo is a welcome distraction and perfectly paves the way for the familiar melody that dominates 'Lover Of Mine', a track that sports a shoegaze shuffle. 'Real Love' is the best example of Legrand's vocal growth as she displays an almost chanteuse quality. 'Take Care' rounds the album off perfectly and is sublime in its simplicity with only Legrand's vocals changing noticeably backed by Scally's always more than complementary pipes as the musically driven beat continues on relentlessly until the fade out leaves you longing for more. Just start again. I have many times.

Zebra (Live)

Beach House (USA)

From the album 'Teen Dream', Sub Pop

   

Monday, February 8, 2010

DELOREAN BLAST OFF WITH NEW LP DUE MARCH

Those boys from the Basque country are following up on their infectious EP from last year 'Ayrton Senna' with the long awaited full length album Subiza. Due to drop in Europe in March, they recorded in Spain with the help of John Talabot and mixed in New York with Chris Cody (TV On The Radio, Telepathe, !!!, Lemonade). 'Big Dipper' from the EP was a track that put a smile on the face and had you moving from the first beat, with its pounding piano house groove, and Delorean fans will be lining up in droves for another fix.

Starting out as a punk-based guitar band, they have put their own stamp on club music while still using the standard bass-guitar-drums setup, accompanied with keyboards and sampler. Delorean became known for remixing a plethora of artists (Lemonade, Franz Ferdinand (see below), Mystery Jets, Big Pink) and are now hitting the Barcelona music scene.

The four piece, headed by Ekhi Lopetegi are touring North America in March and April and have already sold out three gigs in iconic indie music establishments; The Bowery Ballroom and Webster Hall of NYC and Brooklyn's Music Hall of Williamsburg, with tickets still available at this stage at the esteemed Mercury Lounge (also in NYC).

The upbeat, relentless energy of Delorean live would be a night to remember...dancing the night away to their blissed out beats would be suitably appropriate in Gaudi's Guell Park. Until then, catch them wherever you can if you have half a chance.

 Subiza tracklisting and tour dates below

1 Stay Close
2 Real Love
3 Endless Sunset
4 Grow
5 Simple Graces
6 Infinite Desert
7 Come Wander
8 Warmer Places
9 It's All Ours

03-18 Austin, TX - SXSW
03-19 Austin, TX - SXSW
03-20 Houston, TX - The Meridian
03-22 Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
03-24 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
03-25 Philadelphia, PA - Theater of Living Arts
03-26 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
03-27 New York, NY - Webster Hall
03-28 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
03-29 New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
03-31 Boston, MA - Paradise
04-02 Montreal, Quebec - Club Soda 
04-03 Toronto, Ontario - Phoenix Theatre
04-05 Chicago, IL - Metro
04-06 Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
04-08 Kansas City, MO - The Record Bar
04-09 Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
04-10 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
04-12 Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore Ballroom
04-14 Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theater
04-15 San Francisco, CA - The Independent
04-16 San Francisco, CA - The Independent
04-17 Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex

Live Alone (Delorean Remix)

Franz Ferdinand (SCO)

From the 'The Ultimate Franz Ferdinand Compilation', Zerocast Special

Download here 

Saturday, February 6, 2010

CARIBOU TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM IN APRIL

Dan Snaith is set to follow up the brilliant 2007 Polaris Prize winning release Andorra with a new album called Swim. The record is set for release on April 20 through Merge in the US and City Slang in Europe and the UK. By the sounds of the stunner of a first single, the opening track 'Odessa', the album is going to be a killer. Recorded in both Canada and Wales, the album contains contributions from Luke Lalonde of Born Ruffians and a quartet of jazz musicians. Snaith himself has declared that the new album will sound very different from Andorra in that he has veered away from the nostalgic 60's sound so on the basis of 'Odessa', we can expect to be mesmerised by Caribou's aquatic take on the dance genre. Download 'Odessa' at the link below.

1. Odessa
2. Sun
3. Kaili
4. Found Out
5. Bowls
6. Leave House
7. Hannibal
8. Lalibela
9. Jamelia

Odessa

Caribou (CAN)

From the forthcoming album 'Swim', Merge/City Slang. Out on April 20.

Download here

Friday, February 5, 2010

VAN HALEN vs LAURA BRANIGAN? THE SOUNDS OF NEW GOLDFRAPP

English duo Will Gregory and Alison Goldfrapp are set to release a new album in March, Head First. The Pop Justice blog have labelled the first track to be taken from it, 'Rocket' as sounding 'a bit like Van Halen vs Laura Branigan', very clever and actually pretty close to the mark. Head First promises a departure from the psych electro-folk of Seventh Tree and a more danceable sound closer to 2005's Supernature. I for one still pine for the sounds of Felt Mountain but no matter, every Goldfrapp release contains elements worth close consideration. Although the track isn't as good as this quote again from Pop Justice,

'an all-round win/win crowdpleasing thumbs-aloft 100% take-no-prisoners officially-certified copper-bottomed happy-days-are-here-again belter, and no mistaking.'

We nevertheless look forward to release for the album on March 22. Download 'Rocket' and the equally impressive 'Believer' below.

Rocket

Goldfrapp (ENG)

From the forthcoming album 'Head First', EMI/Mute.

Download here

Believer

Goldfrapp (ENG)

From the forthcoming album 'Head First', EMI/Mute.

Download here
 

Thursday, February 4, 2010

JOANNA NEWSOM RETURNS WITH NEW TRIPLE ALBUM

The exquisitely talented and strangely alluring singer songwriter and harpist Joanna Newsom will release her long awaited third album and follow up to Ys on February 19 in Australia and February 23 everywhere else.Titled Have One On Me, it sprawls over three discs, any one of which is the length of an album itself. The first taste of the record comes in the form of the track '81, a beautifully sparse harp and vocal arrangement that sees Newsom toning down somewhat, the vocal acrobatics that characterised her first two releases. Whether that is indicative of the rest of the album remains to be seen, but one things for sure, on the whole it will have quality written all over it. Download '81 below.

Trackilisting with track lengths

Disc One:
1. Easy 06:04
2. Have One On Me 11:02
3. ‘81 03:51
4. Good Intentions Paving Company 07:02
5. No Provenance 06:25
6. Baby Birch 09:30

Disc Two:
1. On A Good Day 01:48
2. You And Me, Bess 07:12
3. In California 08:41
4. Jackrabbits 04:23
5. Go Long 08:02
6. Occident 05:31

Disc Three:
1. Soft As Chalk 06:29
2. Esme 07:56
3. Autumn 08:01
4. Ribbon Bows 06:10
5. Kingfisher 09:11
6. Does Not Suffice 06:44

'81

Joanna Newsom (USA)

From the forthcoming album 'Have One On Me', Drag City/Spunk. Out on Feb 23 globally and Feb 19 in Australia.

Download here

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

THIS WEEKS ALBUM RELEASES: NEW MIDLAKE LEADS THE PACK

The long awaited follow up to Texan 'AM' rockers Midlake's debut album The Trials Of Van Occupanther is released this week.The Courage Of Others is an attempt at a more expansive contemplative approach than that first release but nevertheless the signature Midlake sound that harks back to simpler times is still very evident. The Courage Of Others is joined, in a week that marks the calm before the new release February storm by the first effort by veteran punk rocker Fred Cole's new outfit Pierced Arrows and new albums from Montreal's We Are Wolves, San Diego natives The Soft Pack and The Album Leaf and New Zealand duo The Brunettes. Check out the list below

MIDLAKE (USA) - The Courage Of Others, Bella Union
WE ARE WOLVES (CAN) - Invisible Violence, Dare To Care
THE BRUNETTES (NZL) - Paper Dolls, Lil' Chief 
PIERCED ARROWS (USA) - Descending Shadows, Vice
THE SOFT PACK (USA) - The Soft Pack, Kernado
GLOSSARY (USA) - Feral Fire, The Rebel Group
THE ALBUM LEAF (USA) - A Chorus Of Storytellers, Sub Pop 
and...
BLIND MAN'S COLOUR (USA) Wooden Blankets, Kanine
MOUNT EERIE (USA) - Black Wooden, Latitudes
U.S GIRLS (USA) - Go Grey, Slitbreeze. 

Here's a selection of tracks from these albums with download links. Enjoy.

Act Of Man

Midlake (USA)

From the album 'The Courage Of Others', Bella Union.

Download here

Blue

We Are Wolves (CAN)

From the album 'Invisible Violence', Dare To Care

Download here

Red Rollerskates

The Brunettes (NZL)

From the album, 'Paper Dolls', Lil' Chief.

Download here

Let It Rain

Pierced Arrows (USA)

From the album 'Descending Shadows', Vice.

Download here

Answer To Yourself

The Soft Pack (USA)

From the album 'The Soft Pack', Kernado.

Download here

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

FIRST VIDEO FROM NEW BEACH HOUSE ALBUM

The interminable wait finally ended last week as the promise elicited by the track 'Norway' came to fruition with the release of Teen Dream by dream popsters Beach House. That track was so good, it managed to achieve the Number 4 spot on the Indie30 Top 100 Songs of 2009, and Teen Dream promises to be among the highlights album wise in 2010. While Owen Pallett's incredibly strong album Heartland usurped the Baltimore duo for the first feature of the year, it must be said that the decision was line ball. The track chosen for the first video 'Silver Soul' includes that trademark Beach House sound and as with the whole album, a familiar sound that possesses new stength and depth. Watch the Victoria Legrand directed clip below. There will be no surprises this Sunday then.

Silver Soul

Beach House (USA)

From the album 'Teen Dream', Sub Pop.

Download here

LAST CALL AT THE TOTE: ICONIC COLLINGWOOD VENUE CLOSES

In another worrying sign for the future of live music in arguably Australia's most vital city for indie and alternative music, Melbourne, iconic inner northern suburbs venue, The Tote Hotel closed its doors for the last time on January 18. Deemed a high risk venue by tough new government liquor licensing laws due to its 3am closure time, the Collingwood establishment's owner said he had no choice due to the unprofitabilty of having to employ security guards when having live acts, the cost of which is way above what the actual bands are paid, often nearly quadrupling that outlay.  John Perring, who is behind the FairGo4Live Music group, which so far has garnered together 20,000 Facebook members and 10,000 signatures on a petition circulating around protesting the link between high risk venues and live music, is investigating the possibility of resurrecting the venue although will be reluctant to do so in the current situation.The Tote joins The Duke Of Windsor, The Greyhound and The Punters Club as live music venues that have closed in recent times and The Arthouse is said to be going the same way. Sad days indeed. Go here to sign the petition.

Monday, February 1, 2010

LAST MONTHS ALBUM RELEASES: THE BEST OF JANUARY

2010 certainly started off with a bang with brand new albums from Owen Pallett (this weeks feature album - see review below), Spoon, Beach House, Four Tet, Vampire Weekend, Surfer Blood, Magnetic Fields, Laura Veirs, Toro Y Moi, Dinowalrus, Basia Bulat and Clipd Beaks among the highlights. To make up for the fact you've been without us for two months and we've been without you, we've chosen a track from each of these releases for you to download courtesy of the wonderful blog sites you will encounter as you click 'here'. Check them out while you're at it.

Midnight Directives

Owen Pallett (CAN)

From the album 'Heartland', Domino.

Download here

Written In Reverse

Spoon (USA)

From the album 'Transference', Merge.

Download here

Zebra

Beach House (USA)

From the album 'Teen Dream', Sub Pop.

Download here

Angel Echoes

Four Tet (USA)

From the album 'There Is Love In You', Domino.

Download here

White Sky

Vampire Weekend (USA)

From the album 'Contra', XL Recordings.

Download here

Swim

Surfer Blood (USA)

From the album 'Astrocoast', Kanine.

Download here

You Have To Be Out Of Your Mind

Magnetic Fields (USA)

From the album 'Realism', Nonesuch.

Download here

July Flame

Laura Veirs (USA)

From the album 'July Flame', Raven Marching Band.

Download here

Blessa
Talamak

Toro Y Moi (USA)

From the album 'Causers Of This', Carpark.

Download here

Nuke 'Em, Duke 'Em

Dinowalrus (USA)

From the album '%', Kanine.

Download here

Gold Rush

Basia Bulat (CAN)

From the album 'Heart Of My Own', Secret City

Download here

Home

Clipd Beaks (USA)

From the album 'To Realize', Lovepump United

Download here

FEATURE ALBUM: OWEN PALLETT AFTER THE FINAL FANTASY

Stepping out from behind the Final Fantasy moniker he wore for his first two albums, Canadian violinist, composer and pop music extraordinaire Owen Pallett has produced with his third, Heartland, twelve tracks laden with a perfect organic fusion of pop and classical arrangements that bear the mark of a skilled yet sensitive hand. Armed with the class of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and ably assisted in parts by Nico Muhly, the orchestral arranger for the last Grizzly Bear and Antony And The Johnsons albums, Pallett has released a singularly original, vital and lyrically existential piece of work, an excellent way to kick off the new decade for true music lovers and aficionados of the artist in particular.

Always sporting a pop centre, Heartland ebbs and flows, resting on a meticulous mixture of electronic loops, tweaks and beats that combine seamlessly with rich strings, horns and traditional orchestral percussion. The tension that underpins the music is readily recognisable with every twist and turn. Equally impressive is the navel gazing lyrical theme that sees the artist pitted against an ultra violent unreasonable farmer named Lewis. The album is peppered with literate contemplation as Pallett examines his actions in response to his protagonist. Vocally he has never sounded better, in fact musically, lyrically and vocally, Heartland is the total package.

Standout tracks include the sonically adventurous opener 'Midnight Directives and the album's two centrepiece tracks, the jaunty, trippy, yet pastoral  'Oh Heartland, Up Yours' and the pulsing tangle 'Lewis Takes Off His Shirt'. Other highlights are the off kilter, almost creepy 'Keep The Dog Quiet', the immmediate 'The Great Elsewhere', the beautiful lament, 'E For The Estranged' and the punchy 'Tryst With Mephistopheles'.

Overall, Pallett has excelled with Heartland. It's depth of arrangement and mastery of the pop genre is truly remarkable It's an ambitious yet humble effort and by far his most complete effort surpassing in depth and ambition his last under the Final Fantasy moniker, the unusually titled He Poos Clouds.This album had a great deal of competition in grabbing the first Indie30 feature album of 2010. With the quality of the competition, in essence, its a testimony to Heartland's intelligence, imagination and lasting qualities, most of which are yet to unravel. This reviewer looks forward to unfurling this album further as the year progresses. Stunning!