Yep. Stephon Marbury is that crazy.

Stephon Marbury broadcasting 24 hrs of his life.

ALBUM REVIEW: The Rural Alberta Advantage – Hometowns

Very rarely do drummers stand out on a record. High-level production usually places the drums in the background, subduing even the most captivating of percussionists. Either that, or the band simply has such grandiosity that even extraordinary stickwork simply meshes in with all else (see Radiohead). It’s often difficult to differentiate oneself as a drummer, given the restrictive characteristics of the instrument. Though it may seem like the instrument with the most freedom, sadly most of the time there’s only so much that one can do with a drum set. This is not saying that it isn’t at all possible to captivate listeners with percussion, because as many drummers have proven, it certainly is. Every so often there’s a record that makes the bold move of bringing its rhythm section up front. In these rare occurrences, it’s because the drums are worth that much — because the guy on the set truly has something special going on. In recent memory, it happened with The National’s The Boxer. Well, add another record to the list. Recent Saddle Creek recruits, The Rural Alberta Advantage’s compelling sound on Hometowns, their re-released 2008 debut LP, is majorly indebted to the astounding skill of drummer Paul Banwatt.

The guy is simply a monster of outside-the-box rhythms. It’s hard to say just what his style is akin to. It’s got a whole mess of influences. There are some hints of punk in his hammering, but what’s really so captivating about his style is that it is so unlike anything else. As aforementioned above, the most notable comparison would be to The National’s Bryan Devendorf, only because both share the same tendency to alternate between heads and cymbals feverishly, to use high-hats almost as if they were snare drums, and to make sure each one of the set’s drum heads gets equal recognition. It’s a style equal parts harsh and delicate, juxtaposed with pretty, mellow instrumentation, another reason why it recalls Devendorf’s work with the National. The choppiness and abruptness of his alternating is also slightly reminiscent of Radiohead’s Phil Selway’s work, particularly in the spacious percussion of “Airbag” or “Morning Bell”. Undeniably, Banwatt is in good company.

But, of course, there would be no room for Banwatt’s incredible work behind the set without Nils Edenloff’s impeccable songwriting and the emotive snarl that gives it life. Yes, he sounds a bit like Jeff Mangum, but don’t be fooled into thinking this is some sort of Neutral Milk Hotel knock-off. It is nothing of the sort. Edenloff definitely has some Mangum-isms, but seeing as the Neutral Milk Hotel frontman is one of the kings of indie folk, his wide influence on the genre’s newcomers is inevitable. Nothing wrong with that. His guitar work and vocal stylings recall many Neutral Milk Hotel moments, and the oft hard-hitting drums also hearken back to In the Aeroplane over the Sea, most notably seen on “Rush Apart”, the album’s second track. Nevertheless, there’s something novel here. Little tweaks such as the warm strings and bright xylophone that carry “The Ballad of the RAA”, the Yo La Tengo-esque synth-organ that recalls “Autumn Sweater” on “Sleep All Day”, and of course, Amy Cole’s bright backing vocals. There’s an impeccable balance here, and it’s rather amazing.

Juxtaposition is key to the record’s success: the soft and the hard, the sweet and the harsh. Contrast is present in everything that the trio does. The roughness of Edenloff’s vocals is paired up with the warm, smoothness of Cole’s. He can sound like he’s calming a baby to sleep right before he yells into your ear, only to have Cole come to a motherly rescue. His guitar work is the same way. Fingerpicked slow tunes are in balance with hard-hitting electricity. And I’ve already touched on how the drumming backs it all up in a similar way. Whenever things get too mellow, there’s Banwatt to make sure the energy stays high enough.

Edenloff sings of Canadian geography, mountainous landscapes, his relationship with them, and the relationships that grow and fall apart amongst it all. He is backed by a band that perfectly soundtracks his passionate, troubled words. The band name and album title say it all. This band is from Canada, and they’re going to tell you about it. And so they do, but in a way that doesn’t sound all that patriotic and never seems cheesy. Canada is simply a starting point for the complex themes that the album covers. As each song concludes, the effort’s love/hate motif becomes clearer and clearer.

The album’s first line perfectly sets the scene for the rest of Hometowns: “We invariably/left the prairies/in our heart/since/we never moved an inch.” It is clear that Edenloff loves his country, but can’t help feeling caged by its rural characteristics. There’s hints of this all over the record. A part of him wants to get away from it all, yet as the record’s tracklisting and lyrics reveal, he knows he loves his roots. There were downsides to growing up in the harsh cold of rural Alberta, but in the end, the trio is stronger for them. “Going away again/from this Alberta pen/but I will never/try to forget your Northern eyes,” he sings on “Edmonton”. The record’s first track ends with bittersweet optimism regarding this front: “And all these things will pass/It’s the good ones that will last/And right here what we’ve had/Is a good thing, it will last.” Hometowns is one of the good things. And yes, it will last.

Grade: A

(also available at Consequence of Sound)

R. Kelly’s house is cool if you are an eight year old who loves Space Jam and log cabin basements

Check out this crazy motherfucker’s house

photos via Chicago Decider

I mean I love Space Jam as much as the next guy, but c’mon! (Jim Gaffigan voice)

This dude doesn’t smoke trees, he plays them

Diego Stocco – Music From A Tree from Diego Stocco on Vimeo.

Carles’ take on it is worth a look as well

Thom Yorke debuts new song at Latitude

Why can’t I live in England?

UPDATE: HQ Video Below

Here’s a snippet of a new Yorke penned tune, tentatively titled “The Present Tense.”  No word on whether the track is a Yorke solo endeavor or an in-the-works Radiohead tune.  Either way, I’m excited to hear the bootlegs from this show and watch it develop into something otherworldly, as is inevitable.

New + Radiohead Related = Excitement.

Check out a slew of vids over here, and hopefully a bootleg with surface soon.

Set List:

Thom Yorke Latitude Setlist (via Melophobe)

01 The Eraser
02 Weird Fishes/Argpeggi
03 Atoms For Peace
04 Harrowdown Hill
05 Follow Me Around (”One that’s on the shelf and never made it off. Did you like that? Good! It’s on YouTube now”)
06 Everything In Its Right Place
07 The Present Tense (”A New song, so you know, go for a piss”)
08 Cymbal Rush
09 Black Swan (Not too confident about his guitar loops: “It’ll be a miracle if this works”
10 Videotape

Encore:
11 There There
12 True Love Waits (”Thank you for having me. Have a wicked Sunday”)

Check out that “Like Spinning Plates/Everything in its Right Place” medley.  Also, now we know Thom yorke can’t remember his tuning or instruments.  Human After All.

Everybody see 30 Century Man if you want to hate music (or love it depending on who you are)

Ok, so maybe  it’s a bit blunt, but this movie will fuck with your soul.  Scott Walker is a god . . . at least according to everybody in this film. With interviews from Radiohead, David Bowie, Damon Albarn, and Jarvis Cocker, the film tells the story of cult musician Scott Walker, one time teen pop-idol with the Walker Brothers turned avante-garde freak composer over the course of 40 years.  This movie analyzes the antagonizing creative process and pleasantly demented psyche of a man who hides in the shadows of his former self, but perfectly soundtracks that nightmarish darkness. The film conducts rare interviews with Walker himself and provides an inside look into Walker’s intense recording process, something never before unleashed to the public. It’s definitely a great film, and a particularly riveting look into a musician many know nothing about, and who musicians often site as a major influence.

The only problem is that once you watch the film, for a little while you feel like all other “music” is worthless.  The movie acts as if Scott Walker is god’s gift to sound, and that most else is simply derivative drivel.  Take Brian Eno’s statement when listening to one of Walker’s earlier songs: “It’s humiliating to hear this… We haven’t got any further than this. [Today, with] all these bands that sound like Roxy Music and Talking Heads…it’s a disgrace, really.”

Ok, so the guy is visionary and completely unique.  He makes deep melancholia sound hauntingly fresh, but other music is still ok, Eno.  Not everything has to smack you in the face, pin you down on the ground, and say “listen to this SHIT!!”  But that’s kind of what Walker’s recent music does, so I guess they do have a point.  The man is a sort of genius, capable of producing nightmarish beauty, and this film hammers that idea into your head.  I highly recommend seeing the film, as it is all consuming, but be weary that you may start feeling a bit uneasy about music in general by film’s end.  You can hear the cookie-cutter mother of your imagination comforting you, “Don’t listen to them, honey.  They don’t know what they’re talking about.”  The scary part of it all is, these are the ones who do know what they’re talking about.

For now let’s just say that both Scott Walker and the rest of the world of music can coexist peacefully.

Wind’s Poem

Keep your eyes peeled for this one.  It’s exhilarating.

Can Phil Elverum just stop making everybody else look bad already?

This is the best song of 2009

Should I stab my eyes or ears first?

Since when does Trent Reznor act?

Apparently he is going by the name Gerard Butler.  Also, here’s his coda on getting recognized as an emerging artist.

Something for the Weekend: Albums of the Week (7/3/09)

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.

Spencer Krug’s Favorite Venue is the Black Cat

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.