As the seasons begin to transition and the nights grow cooler, Natalie Walker’s second solo album might be just the cure for those of us longing for one more touch of the sun’s fading light. Originally the lead vocals of the brilliant trip-hop group Daughter Darling, Walker eventually launched a solo career in 2006 with the release of her debut, Urban Angel. The album’s contents, a gorgeous mixture of airy strings and whispering vocals, soon wove their way onto Gray’s Anatomy episodes and the playlists of KCRW, resulting in an influx of indie-pop fans.
Now, Walker continues on in her traditional style on her new album With You, a soothing, electronica-tinged collection that serves as a fitting companion piece to Walker’s original. Seductive, soothing, and nearly ethereal, the album sways in and out with multi-layered breathing and warm rushes of synthesizers and strings similar to that of Goldfrapp’s latest effort, Seventh Tree. While again utilizing Stuhr, the same production team used for her debut album, Walker’s work has formed a more mature build of sound: More layering, more instruments, and more production techniques all characterize the tracks of With You.
Leading off the album is “Lost My Shadow,” a pensive, drifting track that echoes beautifully as Walker croons: “My shadow sleeps on the outside / She’s far away, strength is fading fast / She says it’s cold and I’m so tired/ She’s all I ever had, now she might not come back.” It’s one of the album’s darkest moments, and a stark contrast to the follow-up track “Pink Neon,” a glittering, beating burst of energy comprised mainly of light, airy notes and falsetto vocals. Unlike her first album, Walker makes use of more than just her whispery vocals on this album. The kiss-off track, “Too Late” is an enjoyable coupling of dismissing lyricism and steady synth-rock beats, all surrounded by a spooky ether of synthesizers that make the track sound like it’s been recorded underwater.
Walker does take more chances within her sophomore effort, including “Ordinary,” an attack track against an ego heavy boyfriend, delivered in a restrained, folk manner reminiscent of indie darling Feist covering an Alanis Morrissette track: “I think you lost your mind / Tight jeans, haircut? Oh, please,” she laments as the song continues to build and build to crashing proportions. However, it’s the fifth track, “Over & Under,” where Walker truly breaks into her own. The track is a moody, multi-layered affair with New Wave influences that rises and falls as Walker goes through all the motions of love. “What’s this again?” Walker wearily speak-sings, “I heard this so many times. You’re scared, I’m tired, I can’t reach in and find a way to say this is the last time,” she pleads, before the brooding chorus launches in its bouncing, electro manner that secures the song as one of the album’s finest tracks.
With a bit more vocal freedom and production experimentation, Walker’s second effort With You marks a distinct growth in her progress as a solo artist. It is a more cohesive, memorable effort, proving her music to be far more than a few layers of vocals. It’s sleepy, sultry, and offers just enough summery warmth to carry into the fall season.
Please check out Natalie's music at her website here!
Photo credit: Jason Frank Rothenberg
Sunday, August 31, 2008
The Summer Daze of Natalie Walker
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Friday, August 15, 2008
The Suite Escape of Janelle Monáe
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In a world of illegal downloading and instant gratification, there is little appreciation for the concept of a full length album. Or so says Janelle Monáe's management team: "The concept of the suite release was inspired by the observation that the youth of the iPod generation no longer buy or listen to entire albums. They listen to playlists. They grab their favorite three to four songs from a particular album, add those to a playlist, and then discard the rest of the album like yesterday's news."
For that reason, Monáe's team has decided to opt for a "suite" collection; quarterly releases that feature a small sampling of tracks juicy enough to both hold the public's interest and leave them begging for more. Last Tuesday saw the release of Monáe's first collection: Metropolis: The Chase Suite.
The album is a concept centered around fictitious Metropolis, a world based on the 1929 silent film bearing the same name. The conflict? Cindi Mayweather, an Alpha Platinum 9000 android, has committed the crime of falling in love with a human, an intolerable act. Now, the chase is on amongst the aliens of Metropolis to find and destroy Mayweather's cyber-soul. Still following? Good, now hang on a bit longer.
The album opens with "The March of the Wolfmasters," a cheeky intergalactic announcement that formally commences the hunt for Cindi Mayweather. As soon as the track fades out, the album surges into its full element: "I-I-I'm an alien from outer space," Monae stutters into the opening of "Violet Stars Happy Hunting!!!" before the operatic backing vocals crash against an unstoppably catchy guitar-synth riff. "Y'all better shut up," she suddenly announces mid-track, as the song moves swiftly into the album's surging organ fueled soul fest, "Many Moons," which is reminiscent of a Gnarls Barkley track on speed.
After "Cybertronic Purgatory," the album's sobering and operatic vocoded half way mark, "Sincerely, Jane" supplies a fresh, new resurgence of energy. Monáe pierces the airwaves along with spirited horn flourishes in this swinging, bossa nova drenched burst of sound. It's a clash of genres, wandering between elements of Motown, jazz, and classic pop standards. The follow up however fails to maintain that energy. "Mr. President," is an uneven, if not misplaced political skewering that doesn't quite pack the same punch as the rest of the album. It's a valiant effort and a beautiful Motown mid-tempo, but the lyrical content feels more like a slightly misguided step than a meaningful contribution to the suite.
Nevertheless, she redeems herself in the end with the climactic "Sing," a mellow ballad that captures Monáe's inner Garland with emotion-wrought delivery as she croons: "Smile, though your heart is aching / Smile, even though it's breaking." It's both fractured and haunting, similar to something that might have been found on Amy Winehouse's Frank. "Thank you, thank you very much," she whispers as the track winds down, making it clear that we've already touched back down to Earth.
Employing a rich, soulful sound and heaps of confident showmanship, it becomes clear why James Brown and Judy Garland are ranked amongst Monáe's greatest musical influences. She comes armed with an assured, silky smooth voice that can belt within an impressively controlled range, yet she's never afraid to throw caution to the wind and riff her way up and down a track with ease.
With all this talk of cyborgs, androids, and electro daggers, Monáe still manages to merge space-age surrealism with real world emotion without falling prey to cheesiness. The concept truly works here, and a complete story is told within the constraints of the album. Interweaving the sounds of classic seventies soul, today's electro and synth sounds, and throwback classic pop rhythms, there's little that hasn't been covered within this seven track triumph.
Despite a great familiarity with the kinds of music being used within each song, I have honestly never heard anything like this album before. Janelle Monáe isn't just genre-bending--she's inventing. A surefire contender for album of the year, Metropolis: The Chase Suite is a shining powerhouse of cybertronic invention and lofty imagination. I don't quite know what to expect next from Janelle Monáe, but then again, I don't think anyone does. Well, except for Cindi Mayweather.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Out To Sea...
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Here's a nice Sunday find I've been keeping in my back pocket for the past week! Riding high off of Kaskade's dreamy Strobelite Seduction (which is still providing the soundtrack to my summer!) it's Oceanlab's debut album, Sirens of the Sea.
The group is composed of the brilliant trio behind Above & Beyond (Jonathan Grant, Tony McGuinness, Paavo Siljamäki) plus one: Jessica Suissa, an adept singer with a drifting vocal quality that is positively trance ready.
The thirteen track compilation, a side-project by the group, is an engrossing experience. The main goal here seems to be a conjuration of all the sensations of the sea. Granted I'm a bit biased in my love for all things marine, but this album is a quality effort. Oceanlab's entire album is intricately layered with ambience, echoing sea-like tones and driving pulsations of modern trance sounds. Judging by one of their only interviews, this wasn't just a run-of-the-mill beat mashing job: "One of the tracks we're working on right now features a 56 piece mouse choir. We went diving in Formentera too to record some noises from the dolphins." That's right, a mouse choir. Not sure where they got all the mice from, or if they wore coordinated outfits during recording, though I do believe it's the same choir that did the lead vocals on Katy Perry's new album.
But back to good music. A majority of the album is, in fact, somewhat slow: The increasingly soaring "Ashes" and current smash single "Miracle" are examples of this. Yet in many instances, the album provides the BPM of a modern club track while retaining a sleepy nature, like the Dannii-esque "Come Home," "If I Could Fly," and title track "Sirens of the Sea." The collection that the group provides is impressively disarming, providing an enveloping nature as fluid as the ocean itself.
To order Sirens of the Sea, please head over to Amazon or check out their official page here.
Friday, August 1, 2008
We've Come To Kick Your Ass.
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Hey! You there! You feel in the mood for some anthemic electro grunge? I know I am!
With his first major EP Kick N' Run, Don Rimini is jumping onto the mixing board with his sleeves rolled up, ready to unleash one hell of a set. Pulsating, pumping, and consistently aggressive, the five track package works a bit like being strapped to a ticking time bomb thrown into the line of fire. The grinding synths are unforgivably loud, while the massive, pounding bass bumps drop and drip as quickly as sweat atop the dancefloor.
The beats bouncing off this set are punishingly addictive, combining sweet-toothed old-school synth sounds with prickling, punching electro stings. Ebbing through screaming highs and colossal crashes back down, the compilation is one jittery trip. "Nervous Breakdown" is the highlight for me, heavy with stammering, stunted vocal glitches and glittering nineties club riffs. Then there's the closer "Hools," which supplies a cock-and-loaded explosion of dooming, damning electro slices. Certainly able to fit snugly within a setlist featuring MSTRKRFT and Justice, Rimini's set shows major glimmers of promise for conquering the dancefloor.
As a MuuMuse Excluusive, check out the streaming clips from the EP now!
Don Rimini - Rave OnDon Rimini - Nervous BreakdownDon Rimini - Hools
For more information, please check out Don Rimini's Music MySpace here.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Shoot baby, shoot baby
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I learned of Get Well Soon a few weeks back thanks to 8/1, but never got around to posting about this incredible debut.
With sweeping, hypnotic combinations of folk, indie-rock, classical, and electronica influences, each track within Rest Now Your Weary Head, You Will Get Well Soon plays like a uniquely crafted genre-bending concoction. It makes sense, considering the album is more like a "greatest hits" of nearly three years of smaller music releases from the group. Interchanging the romantic sounds of accordian and piano with looming guitar riffs and crashing drums, the album offers a diverse taste geared toward no sound in particular. Konstantin Gropper, the main member of the project, dominates this album with a cold, unaffected tone that is both chilling and occasionally sardonic; the perfect killjoy to the otherwise bright flourishes of the music around his voice. Gropper's voice is a cool collection of some of the more melting vocals in pop: The apocalyptic tone of Nick Cave and the theatrics of David Bowie come to mind for me.
Highlights include "Witches! Witches! Rest Now In The Fire," a romantic stringed foray into sixties pop melodics and witchy condemnation as well as "If This Hat Is Missing, I Have Gone Hunting," which bounces merrily between apocalyptic guitar/accordian melded madness and taunting chants. The real highlight for me here is "People Magazine Front Cover," an ebbing carousel of lofty financial fantasies. The song operates as a critique of modern capitalism, moving its storyteller closer into madness as the song continues on in its waltzing fashion: "Now that we're rich and we own half of Asia/ We'll use our money to change the world/ Baby, we'll reinvent monarchy/ We will rule the world." It's hopeless at times, majestic at others.
The album, and I do tend to overuse this word, is epic in many ways. In this case though, I believe the means are truly deserving of such a heavy-handed label. Merging morosity with beauty, Get Well Soon has created a morbid fascination within me that's kept me listening for weeks. Check out the Get Well Soon MySpace here.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Drifting Away
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Time for something somewhat different. Let's head over to a part of the world where the number one artist isn't a man with a tattoo of a tear on the side of his face. I'm talking, of course, about Asia. Taiwan, more specifically.
Just a little while ago, I happened upon my latest discovery, Ms. Peggy Hsu. Judging by the picture above, you can tell that she is a rather pretty lady, even when hampered down by an elaborate clown costume. In fact, I see a little Mariah in her. Thankfully though, that's not who I'm hearing.
Infused with jazzy notes and plenty of romantic accordion sounds, Peggy Hsu's music is both pleasant and airy, perfect for a summer night's sloppy, regrettable hook-up(s). She's got a great, relaxing style along with her vocals, and her songs are all peaceful and fluid, ranging from bossa-nova to nearly pop. She's a bit like Émilie Simon, though less experimental. Her 2001 debut album, Balloon, received quite a bit of fanfare when it was first released, leading to several music and lyric awards. Six years later in May of 2007, she returned with a second album, called Peggy's Wish Box. And no, I'm not going near that title.
I highly recommend that you give her a chance by heading over to her MySpace to hear a few songs from Wish Box. There's even some English thrown into many of her songs for good measure. Below is the song, "Pink Dress," which is pretty representative of her poppier sound (give it a moment to load the play box).
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Another Night Out, Another Dancefloor
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Seems like just a few weeks ago I was posting about his 2006 release, Love Mysterious. Now, Kaskade has returned to the floor with the release of Strobelite Seduction. On his fifth solo effort, Chicago-based Ryan Raddon makes all the right moves in transforming and evolving the personality of his sound. Utilizing some ethereal textures, glittering synths, and angelic vocal performances, Kaskade's latest release may just be his finest yet. 
One of the finest moments of the album, opening track "Move For Me," was constructed entirely via AIM with fellow electro artist, Deadmau5, though you'd never guess it. The song is a lush, entrancing experience that captures the entire feel of the album in a span of four minutes. Beyond, there are countless stand-outs from the tracklisting. It's actually difficult for me to specify certain songs from this album--which is a crushing blow to mediocre albums, and a sweeping victory for high achievers. This one belongs in the latter category.
It's also well worth noting that the vocal delivery on album tracks such as "Back On You," "Step One Two," and "Pose" is simply top notch. Each song's performer deserves accolades in their own right for their impressive, dance-ready tone.
Perhaps more so than previous releases, Strobelite Seduction performs as a cohesive and comprehensive collection of lighter house and electro samples. Some have even been toying with the idea of Kaskade's rise to impressive heights among the house scene. Some reviewers have been throwing around names such as Armand Van Helden and Junior Vasquez in comparison. Rightfully so. Check out Kaskade's MySpace here, and order his new album here.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
One Scoop Retro...Two Scoops Now.
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Hold on to your hard hats, everyone--it's time to take a brief sweep through Pitchfork territory. Go ahead and gather up the 1980's (sans the Speak-N-Spell), dark pop, sprinkles (shots, if you will) of indie-electro shivers, Anthony Gonzales, and a few good producers including Ken Thomas, Ewan Pearson, and Morgan Kibby. Jumble that all up t
ogether and what have you? Nope, not Xanadu, though kudos to you for your unwavering optimistic attitude toward the film's revival. No, it's the latest album by M83, entitled Saturdays=Youth.
Intending to supply a nod or two to those golden days of yore, Mr. Gonzales has thrown a wrench into his typical electro-ambient stylings with the occasional blips and bleeps that made the '80's so undeniably cheesy and wonderful. Now don't roll your eyes just yet. I, like you, am quite beyond the whole '80's revival scene (it's so mid-'00's), but when I say revival, it's not in regards to the mere usage of a few blaring synthesizers, but more of a subtle recapturing of the sounds and noises of 1980's New Wave pop.
Saturdays=Youth is stunning, truly. The moody, breathy male and female vocals of the album carry well over its collection of strumming guitars and clouded synths, allowing each track its own unearthly sound. Layered tracks like the first single, "Couleurs" as well as lead-off track "You Appearing" and "Highway of Endless Dreams" prove that the involved producers are adept at doing more than merely recreating yesterday's sounds, but rather carving complex monuments devoted to previous conquerors of all things synthesized. Gonzales also proves to pave his own inroads into dark pop, providing songs like "Graveyard Girl" and "Kim & Jessie," unmistakably legitimate tracks that fall in line perfectly with the best of them--from Depeche Mode to New Order. There's also the breathtaking sixth track, "Up!" of which I'm convinced features Allison Goldfrapp's tender vocals. Through the album's deeply dark melodies and brighter flourishes however, Gonzales never loses his way for a second.
If you're interested in learning more about the album, head over to Amazon to hear clips of the tracks, or to the M83 MySpace for additional information.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Alanis: A Duel Perspective
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If you weren't already aware, Alanis Morrissette's got a new record out, and it's quite good. But don't take it from just me...take it from me and my guest writer, RJ (AutomaticTLC).
RJ:
I live the American dream and can back this up with one simple trait that over two-thirds of Americans all share: I haven't listened to an Alanis Morrissette album since Jagged Little Pill. With that being said, as soon as it was let out that this forgotten rock star was teaming up with the lush and lovely Guy Sigsworth, Flavors of Entanglement automatically jumped on to the "buy this now" list.
Alanis could care less about the opening paragraph of this review, because according to track number one, she is a "Citizen of the Planet," not just the United States. African, Middle Eastern and modern rock influences electronically thrive through this absolutely flawless aggressive down-tempo vibe and sounds like something that could be played over the opening track of an epic movie. A Natalie Imbruglia-esque "Underneath" plays after.
Flavors of Entanglement's highlight track is not buried too far into the album. "Straitjacket" is five steps up from Britney Spears' "Piece Of Me," and grabs the listener from the beginning industrial grinding synths, angst filled lyrics, and the line, "I don't know who you're talking to with such fucking disrespect" all the way through to a bass drop, when the track then explodes into an angry and emotional diary that vows, "I swear you won't be happy till I'm bound in a straitjacket." Well Alanis, I always did like you better when you were a raging psychopath. Ryan Reynolds (Alanis' ex) must be shaking in his boots.
The music your ears will moan over doesn't stop in the insane asylum. "Versions of Violence" follows with eerie dragged out verses and is offers a call out to any sort of violence, lamenting that no matter how small of a violent act is committed, a mark is still left on that person. "Not as We" smooths things out with a solemn piano melody. Its a nice break and allows you to turn down the volume, as the prior two tracks demanded that you cranked it up.
"In Praise of the Vulnerable Man" dive
s into more happier territory and offers the epic "Moratorium" to build and lead you to think back of Frou Frou's "Shh" and "Psychobabble" songs off of their wildly popular Details album. From here on out, the album pretty much follows in the same path as its been going on, as "Torch" offers yet another piano track and "Giggling Again for No Reason" which sums up every aspect of the album, as it offers an electronic haven, as well as a down-tempo groove and a small bit of guitar. Giggling not only gets respect for its super cute track title, but for its eclectic energy."Tapes" starts out like something that experimental group Pink Floyd would take a stab at producing if they were still together and trying new things in the studio and continues to keep an ambient-like state, while still staying true to the electronic-rock sound that drives this album. Haunting background vocals that start toward the middle of the track and then resurface towards the end make this song a special gem in Flavors of Entanglement.
Sadly, "Incomplete" sounds extremely incomplete and could have easily been replaced with something else to finish the album. Lyrically, it has everything that usually ends out an album that is this amazing, however, the lyrical melody of the verses offers a childlike atmosphere, as does the acoustic guitar sound, but until this point, the album has been strictly mature-adult sounding. Why bring on the extreme happiness now? Doesn't make sense, however, the chorus offers layer after layer and has subtle Imogen Heap-like background vocals, which is a plus.
Overall, the album is like this: you know when you're out in the cold and someone keeps punching you over and over again and it hurts extra hard in the spot they keep hitting you because your body is borderline numb? Flavors of Entanglement offers that punch and while its not the same "I will burn down your house motherfucker" momentum that her debut album offers, its the best thing since.
Note: Please make sure to play this album through your stereo. It sounds so much better than listening through computer speakers.
Brad:
"I don't know who you're talking to with such fucking disrespect," the Canadian songstress growls off the top verse of "Straitjacket" the third track from the upcoming album, Flavors of Entanglement. And in that moment, there's little doubt of what's already been established: Alanis Morrissette is at her prime when pissed. It's a fact that's been beaten to death within mainstream media over the past ten years. But unlike the ultra-angst of Jagged Little Pill and Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, discontent is only a minor theme of the Flavors experience. There's contemplation, restlessness, and pure happiness...all components of Alanis' dizzying array of emotions in the past few months.
Written during the break-up period of her engagement to Ryan Reynolds last year and produced only a few months ago, Flavors features an array of emotions that have only recently been tapped. As she's explained in recent interviews, the album is very much a snapshot of the very recent experiences in Morrissette's life. With the help of producer Guy Sigsworth's signature gothic, stringed tinglings of electricity, the songs featured here offer a stunning variety of sound--perhaps her most diverse collection yet.
Morrissette is still a brilliant storyteller, and tracks like "Underneath," the lead-off single, illuminate her talent in its exploration of the inner arguments that make their way out into the grander scheme of things. There's the breathlessly beautiful, simple piano ballad "Not As We" which showcases a more uncommonly seen vulnerable side, while "Versions of Violence" exists as a menacing almighty eruption of discontent. In fact, it's difficult to go through a track-by-track review, as each song is so wonderfully crafted.One particular, unexpected standout from the pack here though is "Giggling Again For No Reason," which might as well have been an album track right off of Imogen Heap's epic Speak For Yourself. It's beautifully listless and teeming with richly layered sound in the same style as the gloriously talented Ms. Heap. "Tapes" too is an outright triumph, featuring an out of body-like experience into the mind of the artist herself. As the album glides into its final throws, this electro-lite masterpiece is an impressive source of delight.
Flavors is probably her finest moment since her breakthrough album released ten years ago. I could recall at least eight tracks off the top of my head that I would classify as instant successes, which is an incredibly rare occurrence for a single album. You'll certainly be seeing this one featured in the "best of" write-ups later on in the year. With lyrics as searching as that of Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, jubilant moments of So Called Chaos, and captivating, raw emotion reminiscent of Jagged Little Pill, the album is an laudable collection of things past and a marker of maturity for the artist as diverse and talented as Ms. Morrissette. A true artist, indeed.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
When Life Gives You Lemons...
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The critically acclaimed and underground Hip-Hop duo Atmosphere have been pumping out some of the most influential songs since the early 1990's, but its 0n their sixth album, cleverly titled When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold that has earned them airtime on entertainment outlets such as MTV and MySpace and morphed the two into more than just another group none of your friends know of. Sean "Slug" Dailey's introspective and personal rhymes flow aggressively and eloquently over Anthony "Ant" Davis' production with combines elements of not only hip-hop, but also of the rock, electronica and pop realms. Together, the atmospheric duo deliver one of 2008's best albums. And if you don't think that the Rap genre is your cup of tea at all, take a listen to their electro-inspired first single "Shoulda Known" or turn on the ending half of "Glasshouse" (fast forward to about 3:17) and think again.
Lemons starts off with the sound of a toy box and introduces one of the most well put together piano based hip-hop beats. "Like The Rest Of Us" supplies an urban bass and thin snare that sends a relaxing groove as Slug raps about wanting to fly away and trying to stop running in place. "Puppets" ensures that while Slug is running in place, the album is not. However, it is Paint That Shit Gold's third track "The Skinny" which sends the album into a political and electronic influenced frenzy. It opens with industrial drums that sound like something off a Nine Inch Nails' record, as well as a suspicious synth that sets the mood for a song about a sexually abusive pimp who forces a girl to pleasure him orally and hints at prostitution.
"The Dreamer" stays true to alternative hip-hop influences, setting up an issue of teenage pregnancy and young love and moving right on into the album's highlight and first single "Shoulda Known." A tale of spur-of-the-moment sex and drugs, Slug raps over an extremely Electronica-inspired groove. Even if it has gotten praise and recognition, it would be unjust not to call this one of this years most under-appreciated singles.
"You" holds a special place in the hearts of waiters and waitresses across the universe as it narrates the tale of a restaurant worker forced to put on a plastic smile, only to remove it at the end of the night. The thing about When Life Gives you... is that it not only covers the topics of alcohol, drugs and sex, but also issues more people could relate to and could possibly face day to day. The track could easily be on a Nouveau Riche album if it were a bit more indie sounding. A fluttering/reverberated snare also provides something that isn't normally heard in the urban world.
Although "Painting" is nice and offers a great guitar sound, "Glasshouse" is the album's climax and most creative moment on the album. Slug's introspective lyrics involving a panicked, upset and sick woman not realizing what house she is in after waking up after a night are extremely innovative and bring back an aspect of storytelling that has been lost in the hip-hop world for many years. Not only is the shocking story (with a great twist at the end that I absolutely will not spoil for you), but the dark-electro beat paints an image all on its own as it winds down and transforms into a lush, emotional and extremely creative semi-ambient masterpiece, reminiscent of pop-sounding trip-hop. It's unlike anything ever I've heard in the urban world before.
"Yesterday," has a beat that is a more light hearted version of Scarface's "My Block" and at times, could compare lyrically as well. However, while you may think that the artist is rhyming about an ex-girlfriend or friend, Slug revels at the end of the track a more emotional and deep person, which will also be kept secret. I seriously thought that this track was terrible until I heard the last few lines of the last verse. Once you hear that, this song will no longer sound like a sappy "I miss you, come back to me" song, but something that may cut deeper.
"Gurantees" has a strictly acoustic feel to it and "Me" could easily be used as a track to an R&B star but slow the album down a bit. "Wild Wild Horses" picks it up a little with horns and a beach like vibe but its "Can't Break" that brings the album back to the electronic influences that us here at MuuMuse love.
"The Waitress" starts out with a mellow piano that sounds like something J-pop singer Shono Juli would pull out on one of her brilliant albums, but soon brings in the bass, the snare, and jazz-like instruments as a story of a homeless man is rhymed. "In Her Music Box" ends the album on a cute note and is a song about Slug's daughter and is very Eminem like...only good.
All in all, this album needs to be something that makes it into every home across the universe this year because there is something for everyone on it. The easy listening fans, the jazz fans, the electronic fans, the pop fans, rock fans, and hip-hop freaks. Atmosphere get an A+ for crafting such a beautiful urban piece of art, and should definitely receive more recognition than they've got.
BONUS: The video for "Shoulda Known" is not only creative, but is also very homo-friendly, as its main subjects are two lesbians. Check it out!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Ghost In The Machine
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In a word, haunting. Instilling unconventional vocals along with distorted '80's power synth sounds, Zeigeist just may be the new "it" group to lead their proudly pop-happy country to the top of the pop charts yet again. Chock full of unforgettable riffs and crisp electro noises from the year 2010, the band's album The Jade Machine is one long breath of Swedish electro bliss. Though many of the songs featured are undeniably similar to the output of fellow Swedes The Knife ("Dawn Night" is essentially "We Share Our Mother's Health"), the album retains an originality of its own within its more mainstream, digestable pop-electro sound. Sure, that's not always a better thing, but it certainly works for them.
There's even a hint of Goldfrapp hidden beneath the fragmented synthesizer, especially within "The Lake." "Wrecked Metal" might as well have come directly from the Depeche Mode back catalog, bouncing along with the original synth-band's familiar air of hopelessness, darkness, and pure sex. "Cuffs" is uncomfortably similar to Kelly Osbourne's genius pop-noir hit, "One Word," but I'll consider it a posthumous nod to the original. (No, she's not dead, but that career sure is.) I'm even getting some waves of The Presets every now and then while listening. This is an incredibly promising, incredibly exciting release, and I highly encourage you to check out their MySpace now and order the album. Make sure you check out their pictures as well. I don't know if they're promotional or actual lives, but the visuals of their performances seem epic.
It's quite difficult to track down a proper live, so enjoy this thirty second clip. I've no idea what's happening here (there looks to be some triangle lights, a giant dancing space creature, and Liza Minelli) but it appears they make for a rather good show.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Quirky Beauty
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I made a little Muusical faux-pas tonight, mentioning the album but forgetting to post my review of Martha Wainwright's spectacular second full length album, I Know You're Married, But I've Got Feelings Too. And yes, the title's perfection is on par with the album's contents. Now yes, this is Rufus Wainwright's sister. She's got a musical career of her own, you know. These things can get a little messy sometimes when siblings take on the industry, but thankfully the Wainwrights are settled comfortably into their own musical niches in life.
The opening track to Wainwright's album, "Bleeding All Over You," may be a little off-putting at first. With a frolicking country twang, the first few bars of the song weren't initially captivating, and neither were Martha's unusual vocal skills. Sort of a cross between Tori Amos and Stevie Nicks, Martha's got a brightly eccentric, at times cartoon-ish voice that drifts the line between bold and beautiful throughout the CD. Once the song carries into the chorus however, there's no doubt that the artist has crafted something wonderful.
But before you've got a chance to envelop yourselves into the mood of the first track, "You Cheated Me," bursts in with a wonderfully catchy jaunt into vindication and anger. "You cheated me, and I can't believe it / I've been calling since four o' clock last night," she laments throughout the chorus.It's not Kelly Clarkson angst, but it's tangibly tart."Jesus and Mary" then sweeps in, a pensive, calculating whirlwind of biblical allusions and vocal exorcism. It's a beautiful little trip while it lasts, short as the ride may be. Oh, and that yelling middle eight is a brief moment of hallucinogenic, religious bliss, short as it may be.
And so the album continues in this fashion--or rather, in no fashion in particular. Each track is wonderfully assorted; sultry, vindictive, and often as theatrical as her brother's work, the album closes to form a mature, fulfilling work of art.
Much in the same vein of my all-time favorite bands, The Cardigans, Wainwright has her way with the sounds and sways of typical country twang, yet never employs the genre into her music. Instead, the plucks of the guitar form the canvas for something much prettier in the long run--a beautiful composition, at that.
Please check out her MySpace here to listen to upcoming tracks from the new album!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Introducing...Charlotte Sometimes
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I think this could be the beginning of something really lovely. For no reason in particular, I accidentally stumbled upon the MySpace of up-and-coming artist, Charlotte Sometimes while avoiding my studies. With a genre label of "Nu-Jazz/Alternative/Pop" (ooh!), I was naturally quite intrigued. After the first song off the page ("How I Could Just Kill A Man"), I was sold. It was catchy, melodic, and full of deep, rich sound. She's got a definite top notch singer-songwriter quality, but thankfully lacks the monotony that plagues so many one hit wonder crooners that pop up on the radio every month or so. "Love Song," anyone? Just saying.
Like a more orchestrated version of Fiona Apple's voice, Charlotte delivers with a rich set of emotion-fueled pipes and an urgent vibrato. It's a little amazing that she's only twenty, since her vocal skills are at the same level as that of a seasoned musician. I'm also quite smitten with her self-image. She see
ms to bemuse herself with the idea of a stage persona versus her natural self: "For the most part I like to write poetry and hang out in my apartment and cry, but when I'm on stage I'm a man eating machine. It's a way of being two people but still remaining myself."
The man eating becomes apparent from the get-go off of her debut, Waves & The Both Of Us. The songs are charged with a burning energy with lyrics than are more biting than one would expect. They're absolutely loaded with well executed vocal performances, never providing a dull moment...I'm honestly blown away by her singing ability. As for her sound? It's a refreshing blend of mellowed hip-hop grooves a la Lily Allen, chugging guitars, a deep nu-jazzy undercurrent, and a nice melodic Regina Spektor nature, give or take a crazy pill...a winning combination, in my opinion.
So far, so very wonderful. I see opportunities of promise, and growth, and all of the squishy things that make a musician pump out tunes far, far into the future. This is the first time I've been excited about a new artist for some time. Give her a try, you never know when they'll take off into the mainstream. Check her out at her MySpace, buy the album (which was actually released two days ago) on iTunes, or stream the entire album over at iMeem now!
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Punching Gold
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When I heard "Creator," I didn't want to like her. Sure, it was good...but that's M.I.A.'s territory! So, I neglected to listen to her debut album for many weeks. Finally, I decided to check out her video for "L.E.S. Artistes," which came out recently. Only now do I realize that my criticism was unjust--she's much more than the follow-up act I assumed she was trying to be.
With Gwen Stefani ska-like vocal stylings, the Yeah Yeah Yeah's warbling, crashing sounds, some Blondie, some reggae, the M.I.A. experimentalist beats, and a handful of tricks of her own, Santogold is the new big thing; she's different, exciting, and promising. Her debut is an eclectic collection of the above--never too much of the same, the songs are complexly varied in their styles, speeds, and sounds.
The lead off tracks (which happen to offer the greatest departures of the album as well), "You'll Find A Way" and "L.E.S. Artistes" are raw, biting indie-pop gems, full of explosive energy. "Unstoppable," the reggae-tinged electro drifter, and "Creator" offer the clearest lines of symmetry to M.I.A.'s work, though they're thankfully not perfectly exact. Then there's "My Superman" and "Starstruck" which both move at a near snail-like pace, though they're nothing short of hauntingly paced mind-fucks. The bonus track album closer, "You'll Find A Way (Switch & Seiden Remix)" is an amazing reinterpretation of the original--converting the song's original indie-rock flavor into unforgivably hard-hitting, guns blazing electro warfare. In short, there's never a dull moment.
Playful, carefree, and explosive, the debut holds a lot of promise...I'm a big fan, plain and simple. I think the aspect I like most about Santogold is her sound...or lack thereof. She's not any artist in particular, as evidenced within this album. She bounces around between genres, combining and stripping down, but never actually conforming to a specific niche. Come in with no expectations, and leave without labeling it, because you can't. So do yourselves a favor and check out her MySpace here, as well as the video for "L.E.S. Artistes" below.
And if you can't get enough, listen to the remix of "You'll Find A Way" that I spoke of below. Heaven!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Interview With...Electrocute!
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They're cute, they're crunchy, and most importantly...they're back! Collaborating with mega producer and master remixer Junkie XL, the power-pop electro duo Electrocute have just released their newest EP, On The Beat. Combining the light hearted glee of '60's beach party music, garage band punk, and the throbbing pulses of today's most modern electro sounds, the girl's six track mini-album provides a quick, powerful thrust of addictive energy in just over twenty minutes. I was quite pleased with the total package; it's exciting, unpredictable, and relentlessly teasing. Just listen to the first ten seconds of "On The Beat" and tell me you're not thirsting for more. So check it out and ride the beats while they last, because before you know it, the album's notes blare to a close and the party's over. Click here to download the album from here, and check out their MySpace here!
Your new EP, On The Beat, just came out on April 15th. Congratulations! What are your thoughts on this new record?
We are just happy to be free from a label and independently releasing our own music again. It's really fun and we feel now that we are all set up to digit
ally distribute our songs we will be much more prolific and it's an exciting new world in music.How long did it take to construct this EP?
All of our lives and about 6 months.
You worked with Junkie XL in producing this, who happens to be one of my favorite producers. What was the experience like working with him?
He is totally awesome. We also collaborated with him on some songwriting for 3 songs on his latest album "Booming Back At You" and one of the songs called "Mad Pursuit" that's featuring Electrocute was just in the movie "21" as well as the soundtrack CD. We love working with him. He's a really nice guy, one of the smartest people we've ever met. The guys brain is just on fire. But he's also a great sound crafter and he gave the songs a different life.
Any disagreements, or was this a very cordial experience?
He got mad because we drank so much of his fancy coffee out of his $4000 espresso machine (ha,ha)
It features a rather interesting album cover as well, haha! What's that all about?
It took a really long time to decide upon the album cover as you can imagine. The photo was taken by Evan Lane who is extremely talented "we met him on myspace". The shoot was really fun as it involved raincoats, bikinis, cling wrap and a fog machine. Voilà!
Having recently acquired three new members to make up a fuller live band, do you feel that your live shows have more to offer now?
Well, we've always prided ourselves of dishing up pretty exciting live shows compared to most. But the musicians playing with us are exceptional and it's a lot of fun to get their different input into the songs we have created.
I wish I could go to a show--you should tour over on this side of the pond!
We tour everywhere they will have us! When's the show?
Now what sort of music do you get your influence from to create music?
It changes all the time as we both have extremely short attention spans.
In your biography, you say that the band was inspired by the sounds of the Berlin electroclash scene. Since I wasn't there, I would love to know what that was like. Can you describe the environment at that time?
Fun, deranged, lost, and no damage control.
What about the electro scene in America? Is there even one?
yeah, there's all kinds of music here. we don't really pay too much attention to "scenes". Just great music, interesting people. They are rare but you find them everywh
ere you go.Now Nicole, you co-wrote "Heaven on Earth" with Freescha for Britney. As her number one fan, I feel required to ask if you worked directly with Britney or not, and if so, what that was like? Were you aware that the song would be serviced to Britney?
Number 1 fan? I'm sure that would have to mean you have beaten out some very obsessed people, I've seen some of the fansites. Britney is great, she did an amazing job with the song. It's one of the best songs I've ever written and I think it fit nicely to her voice.
And now, what's next for Electrocute?
We are heading off to Europe for the month of May for a mini tour and we will commence work on a new E.P once we get back to L.A.
Any last things you'd like to say to our readers?
Look out for our new video for the song "On The Beat". Its a collaboration with Jeaneen Lund and the ultra talented dancer/choreographer Ryan Heffington and his "Fingered" dance troupe.
I'd like to thank Electrocute for popping in and giving us all a taste of what's happening. I look forward to seeing more!
Portishead Returns With Sounds To Die For...Literally.
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The drawn out bass and hip-hop melodies that made Portishead one of the driving forces of the trip-hop genre may be gone, but the vocals, lyrics, instrumental moods that make you want to hang yourself from your repressed depression are all still as vibrant as ever on their cleverly titled third album Third, their first studio release in eleven years.
Through black out-dark electronic, ambient and industrial influences, Beth Gibbons, Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley deliver another masterpiece that is sure to be rotating in stereos across college music lover's dorm rooms for years to come.
"Silence," the albums opener track is definitely anything but what the title suggests. Hi-hats, pianos, electronic beeps that resemble something you'd hear when you press a panic button, and tribal percussion (amongst other layers) make the track sound like something you'd hear on the group's self-titled 1997 release--if it were to be re-released in 2008. "Did you know when you lost?" Ms. Gibbons painfully moans over the track. Uhh..you didn't lose anything. You still got the beat, Ms. Thang!
An abruptly silent cut off ends the first song and moves you into "Hunter," which starts like a depressing down-tempo jazz track on drugs, moves into yet another round of electronic "THE WORLD WILL EXPLODE" beeps, and dives right back into suicidal-industrial jazz. This is probably the song that stays the most true to the Bristol sound (or trip-hop) genre.
"Nylon Smile" follows and brings the tribal beats back. The vocals start off with harmonies that could easily be stuck into a R&B tune if the melody wasn't dragged out with Beth's crazy voice. "I don't know what I've done to deserve you.." she sings. I don't know what I've done to deserve to have my ears ejaculating over every second of this CD so far, suicide woman.
If this kind of music is not for you, I am absolutely not lying when I tell you to hop on AmazonMP3's download Third's fourth track "The Rip" right now. RIGHT NOW!!! Absolutely everything about this song is shining and perfect. If anyone can find a flaw in this song, please tell me. Everything from the instrumental, the vocals, the lyrics, and the melody screams, "Put me on a Goldfrapp CD right now, damn it!" Synths! Oh god, the synths! Also, there is a random hi-hat at 2:33. Yes, a completely random hi-hat sound that makes the song even more special because it only happens once in the song--and its not expected at all. However, I don't like how the song fades out just as the track is getting good. While this is the album's best track, it could have definitely been developed into something more. Then again, Portishead always seems to fade out their tracks when its getting good. It's their thing....
"Plastic" sounds like someone is trying to perform at a church, but a helicopter keeps flying over the place. It develops into a battle ground of guitars, electronic beeps and squeals, dark synths, and tom-tom drums. Its a song you'd hear during a down-tempo version of an opera. Hmm..a down-tempo opera, wouldn't that be hot? "We Carry On" soon follows with a high looped electronic sound and if you extract the distorted bass, you could place it in a happy-bubbly t.A.T.u. song, where it'd sound just as good.
"Deep Water" offers a calm before the storm. It sounds like the group made a stop in Hawaii and decided to turn some Hawaiian tunes into a simplistic down-tempo vibe. They got it spot on! It also combines 1950's style harmonies. This is the album's happiest point, offering the lyrics "deep water won't scare me tonight." Awe..happy.
Just when you think someone gave this album some uppers, "Machine Gun" suddenly shoots the album's only spark of joyfulness nine times in the heart and lets it bleed all over the cold, hard concrete floor while screaming "STOP SMILING, FUCKHEAD." This song will not hesitate to shoot you...and it will not miss. Not once. Every other measure it offers a round of two percussive sixteenth notes in the form of industrial drums as Beth cries your death. She effing cries it. She knows you're dying when you hear th