Wow, it’s been a while. I probably, err definitely, don’t have many loyal readers, but if I do, I know it’s been a while since I’ve done albums of the week. The way this usually works is I pick personal recently discovered older albums and a favorite newer album and talk about them. Just suggestions for those who may have not heard these records yet.
For the 4th of July here are my two picks.
Newer:
The Antlers – Hospice
So maybe another band with the word “Antlers” in their name isn’t such a bad thing. The hazy, chilly atmospheres introduced with Hospice are evidence enough. The brainchild of Peter Silberman, who released several solo recordings under the Antlers moniker, has since evolved into a band of sorts. The music is loud and climactic, emotive and earnest, and has a very intriguings sound. As the title suggests, Hospice (defined by wikipedia as a method of medical treatment and a philosophy of care which focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient’s symptoms) is a filled with dreary subject matter. Though it’s difficult to catch each word, the overall mood ain’t happy. Themes of illness, fractured relationships, and depression are all there. Allegedly crafted while Silberman was in isolation in his NY arpartment, this indie folk/rock meets pop-Shoegaze record is pretty stunning.
Older:
Scott Walker – Scott 4
So apparently Scott Walker is the original baroque pop master, which is news to me. A 2006 documentary, entitled 30th Century Man features interviews from David Bowie, Radiohead members, and Damon Albarn among others. Anyways, his sweeping orchestral pop was pretty much the inspiration for a whole genre of music. Released in ‘69, (his first in 67), many cite Walker as an influence on their tunes. And for good reason, this stuff is pretty awesome. Check it out.
On Pitchfork’s most recent guest list, they asked the guys (and gals) of Sunset Rubdown some questions. When asked about his favorite venue, Spencer Krug responded:
Right now, probably Black Cat in Washington D.C. Not because it’s beautiful or because the sound is amazing or anything, but because the staff are really laid back and gracious and fun. It’s an easy place to be. They treat bands well and aren’t condescending. This last time Sunset went through, they had an old TV out back to throw away, and after we’d packed up our sound-person Dave asked if he could smash it, which is something he’s apparently into. What did the staff do? They brought him a sledgehammer. They even took a few swings themselves. Then we all cleaned up the wreckage together and parted ways. I thought it was really nice.
Too bad I’m going to have to miss them/may have already missed them when they play/played there this summer. Shucks! Gotta show that DC pride.
Check out my review of Dragonslayer, the stellar new relase from Sunset Rubdown, over at CoS.
A very cool video of an early version of “Arpeggi” performed by Thom and Jonny with a full orchestra at the Ether festival in 2005. Thom is truly in the music here, great stuff. Plus, that cellist to his left kind of looks like Ed a little, no? Radiohead need to do a full tour with an orchestra sometime so that my life can be complete.
Here is the link to Popsense’s brilliant mockery of Pitchfork and their review stylings. It’s not as good as that awesome Onion article, but it’s funny as hell nonetheless. The post includes reviews of each individual news piece, track review, and album review that Pitchfork had up yesterday. In Pitchfork fashion, reviews with a score over 8? are put into “Best New” categories. Can someone please explain to me how Pitchfork decides something is “Best New Music,” because I’ve seen 8.0’s that have made it and 8.3’s that haven’t. Anyways . . . 9.8 from Drewviews! Best New Mockery
Bonnaroo 2009 was pretty damn good, let’s get that out of the way. If last year was tightly packed with stellar acts, this year was claustrophobic due to the lack of breathing room in between them.
Too much rain? Meh. Too much mud? Maybe a little. Too many good performances? Well, kind of. My left ankle is swollen from standing around for 14 hrs a day watching some of the best live music that the world has to offer. Over the course of 4 long days, I stood around in chilly terrential downpour, blistering heat, and some of the things that fall in between. But it was all worth it, as I caught show after show until I could no longer stand anymore, at which case I would stumble to my tent and pass out, only to have the Manchester humidity awake me early the next morning.
So with all of the amazing artists to choose from over Bonnaroo’s 4 unbeatable days, which were the best? Who should you have seen? Who should you have missed. Hopefully my top 10 list will help you make some decisions if faced with the opportunity to go see these fine bands perform again. Or maybe you’ll be able to agree or disagree with me. The choice is entirely yours. Anyways, here we go.
10. Grizzly Bear: Friday, This Tent: 5:00-6:15 PM
The harmonies that fill Veckatimest and Yellow House made their way into the Manchester farm over the weekend. Ed Droste, Daniel Rossen, Chris Taylor, and Chris Bear delivered the stunning orchestrations they are known for with ease. It wasn’t hard for most in the crowd to be pleased with such a nice performance.
9.Crystal Castles: Friday, That Tent: 12:45-1:45 AM
(couldnt get any good photos)
It’s hard to say what went on during Crystal Castles’ late night set. It is a literal hazy memory (smoke poured into the sizeable That Tent). There was a DJ, an Alice Glass, and a live Drummer. There were lights. Big lights. And the rest really had to be seen. As glass laid across the front row of the raucous crowd, screaming her heart out, eyes outlined by black, chaos ensued. It was the type of spectacle that was completely incomprehensible, but in a good way. An interesting, fun bonnaroo experience, creepiness and all.
8.Animal Collective: Friday, Which Stage: 2:45-4:00 PM
Close your eyes. Let the waves of water drenched electric fuzz swash their way into your innocent ears. There goes your innocence.
After experiencing the event that is Animal Collective, most other things can seem pretty normal. Animal Collective is a group that grabs hold of the boundaries and beats them as hard as they can against the ground. This seemingly violent display of originality, however, is achieved through sheer eloquence. No matter the caliber of an Animal Collective performance, it is sure to leave some in awe, some downright disappointed, others simply bemused. They’re a band that’s as polarizing as they get. But Friday’s mid-day jaunt saw the boys perform the beach boys infused pysch-pop of Merriweather Post Pavilion in the sunny conditions it was inspired by. Sure, Animal Collective would seem better fitting as a late night act (they do translate better in the dark), but on the flipside, it doesn’t get much sunnier than MPP. And what better setting to perform such bright tracks than under the blazing Tennessee sun?
In a set that consisted mainly of Merriweather songs, the collective was as loose as ever, stretching three minute studio tracks into fifteen minutes, to no contest. It was clear that Avey Tare, Panda Bear, and Geologist, were letting the Bonnaroo vibes rub off on ther acid drenched sound. This was one of the jammiest Animal Collective sets we’ve ever seen. But, it was a great one at that. The thing is, with the Baltimore trio, you never do know exactly what you’re going to get. That’s where half the fun lies. As the guys fluttered through their noisy pop, at times the sound was a bit softer than it could have been, but at others you could shut your eyelids and hear waves of static crash against you. They built a wall of sound and it was easy to get lost in it, as was especially clear in the near 20 minute rendition of “Fireworks”. Ending with the dancy “Brothersport”, Animal Collective closed the door on another great Bonnaroo experience. (also available at Consequence of Sound)
7.Wilco: Saturday, What Stage: 6:00-8:00 PM
Of course, at the Which Stage on Saturday, Wilco did what Wilco always does when they perform. They put on a solid show, filled with explosive energy, laid back whimsical philosophy, and heartbreaking tragedy all in one performance. Playing a great deal of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and highlights from most of their more recent studio albums, including the brand new Wilco (The Album), Wilco made a good choice by not trying to pull of a new album listening party in the form of a live performance. It was hard not to have a good time with Jeff and the rest of the guys in such highs spirits. Tweedy’s touchingly pathetic attempt at humor made fans remember why they fell in love with him in the first place: “If you guys start booing us, we have a built in excuse tonight. We’ll just pretend you’re saying Bruuuuce.” With little crowd laughter, Tweedy pleaded, “I worked on that all day.” But there was no booing to be seen as Nels Cline shredded his strings and bent his guitar’s bridge, Glen Kotche effortlessly flailed about his drum set, and every one else did their part. The controlled chaos that Wilco can bring forth to seemingly simple songs is always great to see live. At the end, the guys proved they aren’t lying when they say “Wilco will love you.” (also available at Consequence of Sound)
6.Okkervil River: Sunday, The Other Tent: 4:30-5:45 PM
Will Sheff and the rest of Okkervil River may take a cynical stab at the concept of being a performer on both The Stage Names and The Stand-Ins, but that doesn’t stop them from taking on the role with flying colors. Sheff and his bandmates soar through ironic tracks such as “Pop Lie” to which every crowd member chants, “He’s the liar who lied in his pop song/And you’re lying when you sing along.” But highlights definitely came about in the form of older tracks such as “Black”, “A Stone”, “For Real”, and of course, the momentous “Westfall”. As Sheff bounced around stage, rubbing heads with his bandmates during their solos, there was more than enough energy on stage. The guys put on a great show, and despite some sound problems (the mix was a little high, and there was a buzzing when Sheff attempted the acoustic songs) the set was one of the best Bonnaroo had to offer. Songs like “A Stone” were executed with pure passion, probably invoking the “cryingest eyes.” Listening to Sheff sing his poetry is a more than worthwhile experience, and catching a beautiful lyric you may have missed in your home will put a smile on your face. I will say that Lauren Gurgiolo doesn’t exactly pull through with her mandolin playing on songs like “Westfall,” but nonetheless, Sheff steals the show and makes it all better. Watching the electricity on stage during Okkervil River’s set was a great way to finish out Bonnaroo, or at least begin to wind down. (also available at Consequence of Sound)
5.Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: Saturday, What Stage: 9:30 AM -12:30 PM
There’s a reason why they call him “The Boss” folks. It’s because he knows how to run a fucking show. Sure, it’s cheesy at times. Sure, Bruce wasn’t able to fully tailor his usual performance to the younger bonnaroo crowd. But did it really matter? Watching the 59 year old run around, sweat dripping from every ancient pore, using more energy than most people my own age (20) have is thrilling enough. But when that same guy is joined by the fucking E Street Band, performing brilliant renditions of classics such as “Thunder Road” and “Growing Up,” it’s hard no to be amazed. Even an ironic impromptu “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” (crowd sign request) was impressive. Bruce Springsteen can do whatever he wants by my book, completely planned routine (not setlist mind you) or not.
4.Nine Inch Nails:
Saturday, Which Stage: 1:00-3:00 AM
It’s hard to believe Trent Reznor when he says that this will be Nine Inch Nails’ final tour. After all, Reznor has taken long breaks in between albums up until his recent kick of productivity. But it sounded so sincere when mid-set Reznor stated, “It just dawned on me that tonight is our last show in the US.” If NIN genius is indeed calling it quits for good, then Saturday’s 1 AM set made everyone in attendance quite mournful of the loss. Drawing highlights from nearly every one of NIN’s albums, the set was chock full of raucous sing alongs and heart wrenching ballads that only Reznor could pin down. Skittish drum machines, ominous fog, and glaring strobe lights welcomed Reznor and touring band to the stage. The guys were at the top of their game, in a performance that was different from most other NIN shows. Instead of the usual, perfectly orchestrated, art-piece like NIN show, Reznor’s Bonnaroo performance came across as a raw, impromptu, intimate performance. Perhaps this was due to the rather informal way everything was done, the minimal band size (only four of them), and the lack of ornate lighting (though the lights weren’t completely simple). It was like seeing them in your backyard, despite the huge crowd that looked on. Everybody was chanting along to “Head Like A Hole” and “The Hand that Feeds”, and a surprise cover of Joy Division’s “Dead Souls” was exciting, but not until the stunning rendition of “Hurt” did it feel like this was the last time any of us would see NIN again. As Reznor sang the sad tune, nearly on the verge of tears, lighters went up, and he signed off, possibly for the last time ever on American soil.
3. David Byrne: Friday, Which Stage: 8:45-10:45 PM
Man, can this guy put on a show. If the amazing renditions of Talking Heads classics such as “Born Under Punches,” “Once in a Lifetime,” and “Heaven” didn’t get you, then maybe the insane choreography going on the entire time did. Dressed in all white, Mr. Byrne stepped on stage, glowing with charisma. He came out, made a funny and humble joke, and then went right into things. Over the course of 85 minutes, Byrne wowed. His band was great, switching instruments and tasks, dancing behind and interacting with the man himself. Byrne was all over the place, and perfectly focused on the task at hand simultaneously. It was a stunning performance unlike many you will ever see. The guy is also so modest it’s hard to believe. He must realize that he was a member of one of rock’s most influential groups. Nah, doesn’t phase the guy. He’s what we call a show stopper.
2. Dirty Projectors: Friday, That Tent: 1:30-2:30 PM
Where the hell do I start? This was a performance absolutely not to be missed. It’s hard to pack all of what Dave Longstreth and his Dirty Projectors do into one word, but as the name suggests, dirty is quite an appropriate descriptor. Not the kind of dirty that makes you want to take a shower, but the kind that makes you turn to the random dude next to you and say “Damn, that guy is dirty!” If Bitte Orca hasn’t hit your radar yet, or if you simply don’t “get” the Dirty Projectors, see them live as soon as you can. Hell, see them live as many times as you can. On the heels of their recent masterpiece, the folks that make up the experimental Brooklyn outfit brought forth enough goods to make the rest of Bonnaroo’s Friday, and maybe even most of the weekend, look like a shitshow. If it wasn’t Longstreth’s insanely glitchy, mind bending, intricate guitar work—something that seemed to wander aimlessly during solos, but somehow kept time (how that drummer kept it together was beyond me) — then, perhaps it was the triple (sometimes quadruple) threat of perfectly harmonized oscillating vocals that made it all so good. But, then again, maybe it was the intensely ornate breakdowns and power thrashing that went on in between during songs like ‘Temecula Sunrise’”. Oh hell, it was everything. All of it was almost too much to take in.
There’s nothing better than a pleasant surprise, especially at a music festival. The Dirty Projectors’ mid-day Friday set was that and more. It was a perplexing performance. One that was both awe inspiring and confusing. The crowd went nuts throughout the Bitte Orca heavy set, most notably while watching on as the ever-so-cute Amber Coffman stunned them with “Stillness is the Move,” one of the finest tracks on that record. These guys know what they’re doing, and the wow factor was as high as could be. But to really go for the gold, Longstreth invited “friend” David Byrne onstage to join the group (after all he did curate the stage and invite them to the festival) for a high energy rendition of their Dark Was the Night contribution, “Knotty Pine”, to end the set. Yes, it’s safe to say that the Dirty Projectors’ left their mark in Manchester this weekend. (also available at Consequence of Sound)
1. Bon Iver: Saturday, This Tent: 3:30-4:45 PM
The name may translate to “Good Winter” in French, perhaps raising some doubts as to how the chilly, atmospheric folk would translate in the blistering Tennessee heat. But, for Justin Vernon and the rest of Bon Iver, the name could mean “Bad Band” and they would still blow everybody within a hundred feet right off their feet. Justin and the dudes that make up the impossibly humble, yet unbelievably powerful Bon Iver, did exactly that on Saturday. The large “This Tent” was packed tight with bodies. I mean packed. Rumor has it that Drew Berrymore and Justin Long watched on from the equally populated VIP area to the stages side. There really wasn’t a more electric crowd at all of Bonnaroo, and for good reason. This was a hair raising, bone chilling, downright beautiful thing to witness. And it wasn’t soft or cutesy either. Throughout the unbelievable performance, Vernon attacked his electric guitar, two drummers slammed their arms down with great force, and atmospheric textures still found their way in. Perfect control was the key here, and it was there in excess. Vernon sat down with his national resonator for a stirring rendition of “Skinny Love,” with every single audience member singing along. He stood up and thrashed on songs like “Wolves” in a set that included a wonderful cover of Yo La Tengo’s “I Feel Like Going Home” and highlights from the beautiful For Emma, Forever Ago.
The true high point of the best performance at 2009’s installment of Bonnaroo (yep, I said it), however, came at the set’s bittersweet end. Nobody wanted the guys to exit the stage, but it would have been wrong to attempt to follow up all the raw energy and utter passion that Vernon and the rest of his band brought out during the impossibly climactic “Wolves”. With the crowd filling in by chanting the mantra-like ending lyrics “What might have been lost” Vernon was able to take his falsetto to immeasurable heights, impossibly crooning his way to a finish. Drums crashed, and chaos ensued before it was all over and the guys walked off of the stage, drenched in sweat (at least Justin was). Not one person could say it didn’t leave them standing in amazement, and the festival’s true highlight left everybody wanting to see Bon Iver again as soon as humanly possible. It may not have been a good winter, but it was definitely a phenomenal something. (also available at Consequence of Sound)
I’m also just in the beginning of this awesome video. I’m famous!
So I got to do a Bonnaroo Press conference with Gregg Gillis, aka Girl Talk a few months ago. I asked him the question I have been dying to know the answer to for quite a while: Whether it was just my inherent tendency to overanalyze all music, looking for meaning deep within something that has none, or if the music of Girl Talk does indeed contain a great deal of social commentary. Here’s how it went down:
Drew Litowitz: Hey Gregg. I have always been curious. A lot of people say that there is a lot of social commentary, very subtle social commentary in your mashups.
Gregg Gillis: Yes.
Drew Litowitz: I was wondering how you feel about that and whether or not – if you feel that that is true how it translates in a live setting.
Gregg Gillis: You know I definitely think there is a level of commentary in the music. It is something I don’t want to push on people I think first and foremost. You know I like to just make you know music that is interesting. You can wrap your head around, sit down and just listen to it as an album like any other album.
But there is definitely – I think on the album for me you know I think I am kind of pushing my general philosophy on music and art and life in general and just that you know there is a lot of moments on the album where it might be very explicit ((inaudible)) or next to very sincere heartfelt 70s soft rock ballads, or you know potentially like you know an aggressive guitar riff next to soft singing or you know something like that.
But I liked it. You know I think when doing this style of music, and to make it transform, it is nice to take elements that are from different worlds and kind of combining them together to make something new. So I feel like the commentary in all of that would be that for me, I feel like all music has value. And I feel like what we understand you know the critically acclaimed album of this era, or the album that everyone is bashing in this era.
It is just – it is – a lot of times it is a mob mentality. And I don’t think just everyone thinks one particular – just because all the magazines and press people think one particular album is important for right now. I don’t think that is necessarily has to be important for you as an individual you know. So I think with all the music, I try to break it down and say this is – everything I sample is primarily within the top 40 spectrum.
You know radio music, major label release music. It’s all entertainment. And some things are viewed as artistically valid and artistically important. Other things are viewed as trash or pop or throwaway. And to me, it is like all of those songs impact different people. And all of them are important to different people. And all of them make people happy or sad or whatever. And it is all – you know it is all in the eye of the beholder, and it is just you know.
So I try to kind of break all the songs down and say you know Sonic Youth is no more artistically relevant than Paul McCartney who is no more artistically relevant than this person, or there is that person or you know people with different impacts in the history of music. But for right now it is all pop music. And they all are songs.
So yes I think that is kind of the level of commentary in the music to just to kind of open up your ears and not kind of get caught in that mob mentality of you know liking what everyone is telling you to like, and it is OK to embrace all these different forms of music. And everything is valid and everything is important to somebody.
And I think for the second part of your question you know I think a lot of the commentary stuff absolutely gets lost in the context of the show, which is fine. I have used this show and the albums as two different experiences. And I feel like I play them differently. And the last (setting) I can’t really edit and cue samples to the level of detail that I can on the album you know. I think in the last setting it is very live. And sitting down to edit an album, maybe one minute of the album will take me you know eight hours to edit together, whereas I could do a live take of it in Real Time in one minute.
So I feel like a lot of the stuff you know it is not about that. I feel like the last show is a bit more functional you know. It has a functional role as the celebratory sort of environment. You know something you might dance to or get on stage or you know get ((inaudible)), too.
So I feel like the difference in the album where I feel like you can celebrate to it and party to it. But it is something where I want it to also be a hedge for an album where you can sit down and kind of on a Sunday afternoon and just take it all in.
Drew Litowitz: All right great. Thanks a lot.
So yeah. I’m not a complete moron, from the man himself. But, really, Gregg is the one making the music so I give him all the credit. Thanks for giving me an amazing answer, see you at the ‘Roo.
So I have been to many a show of late, but haven’t exactly been doing my part to review each one. Here’s a collection of photos from recent shows I attended, some reviews for others are over at Consequence of Sound. These were all pretty spectacular.
Iron and Wine @ Abrons Art Center, NYC 5/17/09
Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy @ The Birchmere, Alexandria, VA 5/23/09
If you’ve never heard the name Will Oldham before, don’t be so sure you’ve never heard any of the man’s music (or seen a movie he has appeared in). Johnny Cash covered his classic “I See A Darkness” on American III and Oldham even appears in an installment of Trapped in the Closet. The 38 year old Louisville, Kentucky native has released material under so many different monikers that his birth name merely exists as a blurred reminder of what lies beneath it all. The names Palace, Palace Brothers, Palace Music, and Bonnie Billy all remain as distant labels for Oldham’s back catalog, but of course, his most prolific and prominent persona is the slow-swooning, heartbroken folkie, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy.
Oldham spent his early years under the Bonnie handle exploring the depths of darkness left in the wake of a broken heart. Pairing his own interwoven vocals with sparse, somber instrumentation, works like I See A Darkness and Master and Everyone stand as relics of depressive, lovesick introspection. Though 2006’s impossibly lush and spacious The Letting Go didn’t hint at an eventual turn to a more country based sound, 2008’s Lie Down in the Light brought forth the twang. Though billed by Oldham himself as the smaller record of the two (Beware would be the bigger one), the album introduced a new side that wasn’t going anywhere for a while. The record definitely seems to be a sister to its predecessor, but it doesn’t come across as immediately more ambitious. The country, however, is still omnipresent. Gram Parsons may be long gone, but with the latest offering from Mr. Oldham, he may be living on through Bonnie “Prince” Billy.
For Oldham, an all out country approach certainly shakes off some of the initial gloom found on earlier efforts, incorporating more up-tempo, major key tunes with often bizarrely comical lyrics. Take for instance, the first lines from album-opener “Beware Your Only Friend”: “I want to be/your only friend/(is that scary?).” As a fiddle brushes against sharp acoustic strumming, Emmylou Harris-style vocals respond humorously to Oldham’s deranged Oedipal urges. At first glance, the song just sounds like another piece of ear candy from the bearded folkie, but a close listen to the interplay between backup and lead vocals reveals a creepily funny song, explicitly warning a certain someone against Oldham’s obsessive tendencies. This type of humor isn’t a surprise either, coming from the guy who once opened a track with the line “If I could fuck a mountain, lord, I would fuck a mountain” and later pleaded for public fellatio under the guise of a love duet.
So begins Beware, with appropriate caution to all: Will Oldham is a weird dude, and he’s warning you in case you didn’t already know, though he doesn’t really get any more bizarre as the album progresses through, and certain songs do maintain a serious tone. What follows is a solid grouping of tunes that seem to move through 60’s folk-country and contemporary alt-folk checklists–all in keeping with his signature Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy character. The record pays as much homage to country music as it revitalizes the genre. Of course, there are a variety of song types. While some tracks are still more upbeat than usual, there are definitely enough slower mellower tunes here to cater to fans who still See A Darkness. Pedal steels, fiddles, electric guitars, hammers, and pulls come and go while Oldham complains and philosophizes on love, his own life, death, and all that falls between. Warm layered vocals create atmospheres that explode and then calm down and then lament over themselves.
Oldham appears to have reached comfortable ground, but continues to bring new sounds into his repertoire, perpetuating his own evolution. The Prince has no trouble wearing his influences on his sleeves, either. Hell, even the album cover harkens back to Neil Young’s Tonight’s the Night. Though I wouldn’t associate that particular Neil Young album with this record, Young’s influence is present, along with dozens of others. While some songs stick to a simple country aesthetic (“You Don’t Love Me”), others delve into the experimental (the delay rich “Heart’s Arms”). Oldham proves here, that he is as much of a Jeff Tweedy as he is a Flying Burrito Brother, but that in the end, he is none other than Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy. His new cowboy hat doesn’t cast an impenetrable shadow over the Billy of old, but rather brings forth a welcomed kick to his perfected sound. With the range of song selections, you’ll be able to cry while you simultaneously square dance at the hoedown.
Oldham has yet to distance himself from heartbreak, but really, why should he? He has surveyed every angle of love’s unfortunate backlash, and in doing so has found that sticking to one melancholic sound isn’t necessary in getting the point across. With Beware, Oldham continues to contrast himself with himself. A look back at all of his music reveals a great deal of diversity in the genre of folk. Beware reminds us that, as always, “Love Hurts”, but that some southern twang certainly makes it a whole lot easier to swallow.
I don’t know if I’m the only one who realizes this, or maybe just the only one who cares, but it seems that the new Eminem single “Crack a Bottle” makes use of a beat originally found on Wu Tang Clan’s Think Differently Music. The original song, “Preservation,” which features both Del and Aesop was one of the highlights from that effort, and I don’t see how Eminem came to make it his own for “Crack a Bottle.” The song is allegedly produced by Dr. Dre, so what’s the deal? Help me out here.
Remember that time I did a post about seeing Ryan Adams in LA? Well, since this little engagement, people have been googleing variations of “Ryan Adams Mandy Moore” like crazy. I’m talking 629 views of that post alone. I’d like to thank Ryan Adams and Mandy Moore’s engagement for creating the highest traffic drewviews has ever seen (and also making some pretty good music (at least Adams)). At this rate, maybe I should start posting on here more regularly again.
The other night I was listening to Smiley Smile in the comforts of my own bed. I dosed off to the album’s perfect but deranged vocal harmonies and awoke to find myself in the dark on an inflatable mattress floating atop some anonymous ocean. Off in the distance on the closest landmass visible, I could see lit torches and bodies shuffling, the faint sounds of primitive drumming and tropical melodica could be heard off in the distance. I leapt up in fear and fell into the water. Headphones still intact, I became submerged in the ocean’s depths. Under the water, the sounds from that strange island meshed together with the vocal harmonies of Brian Wilson, Mike Love, and co. into one mass of sub aquatic noise. Then what appeared to be various drum machines, synthesizers, and effects pedals began to splash into the water and float around me. Instantaneously, the sun rose above, casting a blinding light that shone through. What followed was like nothing I’d ever heard before. The clatter was incomprehensible. It was so pleasingly confusing that I almost didn’t want to swim up above the surface to breath, though I knew if I didn’t I would soon meet my end. Eventually the noise died down and I broke through the plane of the water’s surface, gasping for air. I had no idea what I had just experienced, but immediately I longed to swim back under and see if I could try to make some sense out of it.
Ok, so maybe none of the aforementioned events ever actually happened, however a listen through Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavilion comes close enough. Simply put, Baltimore crew’s latest effort is one hell of a trip. Noah “Panda Bear” Lennox, David “Avey Tare” Portner, and Brain “Geologist” Weitz (I guess Deakin is on vacation) have done something special with their latest effort, and it would be hard and downright wrong to say otherwise. Of course, the boys that make up Animal Collective have always been an interestingly unique and perplexing force, from their lo-fi psych folk experimentations on Spirit They’re Gone Spirit They’ve Vanished to 2007’s double whammy of Panda Bear’s sample based Person Pitch and the Collective’s electro infused Strawberry Jam. Always ambitious and inventive, the group has made vast changes in style and sound (remember acoustic guitars?) throughout their near nine year existence, never repeating themselves and continually refusing to care what anybody thinks (see last year’s performance on Conan). Still, no matter how amazing or confusing any of the group’s back catalog may be, it will henceforth be Merriweather Post Pavilion that will stand as their career defining effort, at least until its follow-up is released. Simply put, it is the culmination of everything that came before it.
Where Sung Tongs and Feels wandered and drifted, Merriweather is concise and determined, and where Strawberry Jam and Person Pitch introduced the electronic foundation into the mix, Merriweather takes it to another level, nearly convincing us that everything that preceded it was just a warm-up lap. Likewise, elements from each and every one of the group’s previous albums are here, however it is the synthesis of all these ingredients that makes it all so exhilarating. Merriweather definitely further extends the more electronic direction that the collective took with Strawberry Jam—noisy electronic loops and samples, rolling climactic drum beats, overpowering synthesizers, numerous effects pedals, etc.—yet much has changed in just under two years. First and foremost, gone are the previously ever-present yelps and screams from Avey Tare, once a cornerstone of the Animal Collective sound. Some will undoubtedly miss those raspy yells, but the end result of the change is magnificent enough to make them just as easily forget that they were ever there in the first place. Instead, Panda Bear and Avey work together, creating near perfection by interweaving their similar yet respectively distinct vocalizations. With this move alone, it is clear that the boys have chosen lushness, at least in the vocal department. Additionally, the vocals now take a half-step down from the foreground, and instead echo around, contributing to the atmospheric wall of sound created by numerous samples and virtually inexplicable ornate “instrumentation.” This, however, does not compromise the gorgeously catchy melodies or beautiful harmonies that the fellas have always brought to the table. Stunning, hummable melodies harmonize with one another and mesh into layer upon layer of vast electronic blips and miscellaneous sounds. The songcraft alone is awe-inspiring enough to make many amateur songwriters simply give up altogether.
I would be hard pressed to find a better album opener in 2009 than “In The Flowers,” a track that begins with haunting looped grunts but slowly unveils itself as a colorful pop track, equipped with unforgettable vocal melodies and a hair raising, eye widening drum pounding climax. From its first few seconds, the album immediately launches into ultra-sunny trip through organic electro infused psychedelic soundscapes, a journey that remains consistent and cohesive throughout its 54 brilliant minutes. It is an astonishing collection of charming and clever songs that has to be heard to believe.
If Hendrix wore an acid soaked headband, then AC’s Lennox, Portner, and Weitz wear full body suits. Yes, it is safe to say the lads have reached psychedelic perfection, and not by following the rules. The boys of Animal Collective have mapped out some previously uncharted seas, producing a style of music that could belong to no one else; a distinctive, flawless fusion of the semi- automated and the wholly organic. Psychedelic music has never sounded like this before, and it is safe to say that it will never be the same. If this is your first experience with Animal Collective, don’t be afraid to hop off of the mattress and take the dive in, just know that you may never want to resurface.
It’s been a pretty tame year as far as music goes. There was certainly some incredible stuff released, but it was not as overwhelming as last year. My top 10 list is a collection of my personal favorites of the year, and deviates pretty far from Consequence of Sound’s top 10, which is great in its own respect. CoS’ Top Albums pretty much cover all of these in one place or another. I’ll link my review of each respective album, if one exists, for your reading pleasure. Otherwise there’s a little blurb. Here it is:
This album and subsequent EP have pushed me to the point that I pretty much want to hear whatever Justin Vernon’s layered whispery vocals sing. He is every singer songwriter’s dream and I wholeheartedly believe he is deserving of the hype he’s been recieving. The lyrics are about love, but not in the cliche sense. The atmosphere’s are vibrant and chilling. A man and his guitar have never sounded so magical.
Depressing subject matter has never been so danceable. These guys continue to bring the goods with each release. If you thought 2006’s Return to Cookie Mountain was great, do not miss this.
Mark Kozelek knows how to make some sad folk songs. His inability to make a song thats under 4 minutes won’t really bother you when the songs are this good. His blend of alt-folk and folk rock instrumentation goes perfectly with that magnificent voice of his.
Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy is the king of indie folk, end of story. Where the brilliant I See A Darkness and The Letting Go were dreary, Lie Down in the Light is twangy and upbeat. The songs are all full of great and clever wordplay that tricks you into singing along, before you realize what it is you are singing about. The highlight would have to be “So Everyone” a song that pleads for public fallacio, in the guise of a charming love ballad. Will Oldham is one weird dude, but boy can he write a song. A great record from a great songwriter.
These brothers from Scotland have got this whole music thing pretty much down. From the fiddle driven album opening “The Modern Leper,” to the last track it’s hard not to love this album.
yeah, don’t bother telling me Bon Iver didn’t come out this year. I am considering it as such, because it kicks ass. Ok? Be sure to check out all the fun end of the year lists over at Consequence of Sound.
There was once a song entitled “Creep”. A band from Oxfordshire, England wrote it in 1992. Its style can best be described as derivative of the grunge that ruled the alternative radio waves at the time. The song was nothing novel, hardly important, and pretty much just more of the same. However, this did not stop it from becoming one of the most popular rock songs of the 1990s. When reissued in 1993, after its initially poor reception, the band that we all know as Radiohead became popular for no reason at all.
Why Radiohead became one of the biggest bands in the world is difficult to explain. There is nothing about their music that would appeal to the masses. They are far from mainstream. Yet, for some reason, their fanbase is immense. They are a cult band that has taken over modern music. Everybody loves Radiohead, but it’s hard to find a Radiohead fan. It’s one of the biggest music paradoxes I can think of, and I guess we can owe it all to that one song, from the early 90’s, that no Radiohead fan likes to believe was written by their five favorite musicians.
But what “Creep” did for the band extended far past notoriety. Their follow up to 1993’s Pablo Honey, 1995’s The Bends, would be filled with the paranoid and claustrophobic anthems that we would grow to know and love as the bulk of Radiohead’s catalogue. And what better inspiration for these feelings than the group’s reaction to what they had just gone through? The reflections of a band being shot to the top, for one song, that they themselves weren’t even proud of, and not knowing what to do with themselves when it was all over.
When a diver surfaces too quickly, rushing up from the depths of the ocean, the effects can often be fatal. The differential in pressure of water inside and out of the body causes what is inside to explode, like opening a shaken soda bottle, bursting veins and often killing the diver. This is commonly referred to as “The Bends”. Like the metaphor suggests, Radiohead surfaced too quickly with the unexpected popularity of “Creep”, and the pressure was almost too much. But thankfully the action was not fatal. In fact, it was far from it, inspiring some of the most important music in modern rock and forming a foundation for the five consecutively mind blowing albums that would follow.
“Where do we go from here/The words are coming out all weird/Where are you now/When I need you?” Thom Yorke sings from the album’s title track, addressing the boredom and lack of recognition that the band once faced. A popular rock group rarely discusses the down side of being famous, like not knowing who to trust (”Who are my real friends?”), but Radiohead did just that. The Bends is filled with dark imagery, often found in references to the human circulatory system (”My Iron Lung”), all set against 90’s alternative pop rock music with a twist.
But, the radio waves weren’t ready for Jonny Greenwood’s backbreaking solos, the band’s triple threat of atmospheric guitar work, or Thom Yorke’s self-alienating lyrics and unique vocal delivery. Where the band could have stayed the course of the common throwaway 90’s alt band, they rewrote the rules, taking the music that was popular at the time and tearing it apart, making something of their own out of it in the process. Radiohead looked at themselves, looked at the world, and wrote about how the two things fit together.
Fame and lust were ridiculed in “High and Dry”, which pinned down egocentricity and greed for fame by depicting an Evil Knieval-esque stuntman in poor light. Consumerism was pitied with “Fake Plastic Trees”, which discussed the ambivalence of materialism through the eyes of a plastic surgeon and his Barbie-doll wife, both dissatisfied with the lives they have made for themselves. Images like these fill the album, personal issues shown metaphorically through the stories and scenarios created in the songs.
Furthermore, the album retains a great deal of variety in song styles. It begins with the effects laden-guitar heavy rocker “Planet Telex,” and ends with the slow building, finger picked ballad “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”, but not before lapsing into numerous versions and combinations of the two styles, in between. It has it all. Loud, soft, loud-soft, and everything else, showcasing a band that takes just as much pleasure in rocking out as they do in slowing it down.
Radiohead didn’t reinvent rock music with The Bends, they just reinvented themselves, something they would do again, and again, and again throughout the next decade and a half. They bent the rock and roll success story, transforming themselves from how South Park would later describe them: “They’re the band that sings that song “I’m a Creeeeeep, I’m a Weirdoooooo” (Eric Cartman), to one of rock’s most important and influential bands, a conundrum that can go without explanation. Though The Bends is not their strongest album, (*cough Ok Computer *cough) it is what any Radiohead newcomer should start with, because it’s where the band began to mold themselves into what they would later become, a shapeshifting monster of a rock band.
So, I pitched a feature to the new site, called List ‘Em Carefully. And it’s on its second go-round. I did the first one, and another writer has done the second. See what you think over there.
Here is the link to my bio on the new site, from there you can see my archive where I have a concert review and an album review. There is more to come, so keep on looking, and I will periodically post things here.
On Pitchfork’s most recent guest list, they asked the guys (and gals) of Sunset Rubdown some questions. When asked about his favorite venue, Spencer Krug responded:
Here 
The harmonies that fill Veckatimest and Yellow House made their way into the Manchester farm over the weekend. Ed Droste, Daniel Rossen, Chris Taylor, and Chris Bear delivered the stunning orchestrations they are known for with ease. It wasn’t hard for most in the crowd to be pleased with such a nice performance.
(couldnt get any good photos)
If you’ve never heard the name Will Oldham before, don’t be so sure you’ve never heard any of the man’s music (or seen a movie he has appeared in). Johnny Cash covered his classic “I See A Darkness” on American III and Oldham even appears in an installment of Trapped in the Closet. The 38 year old Louisville, Kentucky native has released material under so many different monikers that his birth name merely exists as a blurred reminder of what lies beneath it all. The names Palace, Palace Brothers, Palace Music, and Bonnie Billy all remain as distant labels for Oldham’s back catalog, but of course, his most prolific and prominent persona is the slow-swooning, heartbroken folkie, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy.
The other night I was listening to Smiley Smile in the comforts of my own bed. I dosed off to the album’s perfect but deranged vocal harmonies and awoke to find myself in the dark on an inflatable mattress floating atop some anonymous ocean. Off in the distance on the closest landmass visible, I could see lit torches and bodies shuffling, the faint sounds of primitive drumming and tropical melodica could be heard off in the distance. I leapt up in fear and fell into the water. Headphones still intact, I became submerged in the ocean’s depths. Under the water, the sounds from that strange island meshed together with the vocal harmonies of Brian Wilson, Mike Love, and co. into one mass of sub aquatic noise. Then what appeared to be various drum machines, synthesizers, and effects pedals began to splash into the water and float around me. Instantaneously, the sun rose above, casting a blinding light that shone through. What followed was like nothing I’d ever heard before. The clatter was incomprehensible. It was so pleasingly confusing that I almost didn’t want to swim up above the surface to breath, though I knew if I didn’t I would soon meet my end. Eventually the noise died down and I broke through the plane of the water’s surface, gasping for air. I had no idea what I had just experienced, but immediately I longed to swim back under and see if I could try to make some sense out of it.
Fame and lust were ridiculed in “High and Dry”, which pinned down egocentricity and greed for fame by depicting an Evil Knieval-esque stuntman in poor light. Consumerism was pitied with “Fake Plastic Trees”, which discussed the ambivalence of materialism through the eyes of a plastic surgeon and his Barbie-doll wife, both dissatisfied with the lives they have made for themselves. Images like these fill the album, personal issues shown metaphorically through the stories and scenarios created in the songs.
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