Hour of 13 - The Ritualist (2010)

This is the sophomore release of this doom metal band, and as near as I can tell, this is pretty true to traditional doom metal. I really don’t fully understand what “traditional” doom metal was, but if this is it, then I wasn't far off. This has more in common with Black Sabbath, than some of the bands bordering on drone/doom like Earth. I guess that traditional means the stuff that sort of influenced the doom metal movement. I hear vocals that sound like Ozzy, guitar playing heavily influenced by blues, and drums that have a sort of hollow sound. These guitars, rather than pummeling, grinding, or droning, tend to play tangible riffs. Now, these riffs are of the mid- to low tempo variety, distorted so that they sound kind of bleak, and they tend to ring out a bit (a la drones) but I’m really hearing more Sabbath than the really dirgey stuff that, to me, characterizes doom metal. The guitars really dominate the mix, again lending credence to the doom label, but it’s really just a classic metal, straying closer to blues than doom. If this is “traditional” doom metal, then so be it, but I challenge you to hear this and not immediately think of Sabbath. I’m not the biggest Ozzy/Sabbath fan, but I liked this Hour of 13 album a lot. I tend not to be interested in what I consider classic heavy metal; I tend to like it a bit more unusual or extreme, punishing and technical if it’s of the death metal family or else atmospheric if it’s of the black persuasion. As a “noob” to doom metal, and still unsure if this really qualifies or is just kind of influenced by the same stuff as the forefathers of doom, I’d be interested to hear what more people think of this. Reviews and information about this band are scarce. I must say, this album really hit the spot for me. It’s heavy, dark, mysterious--gave me everything I want from my metal albums--it's got some mean guitars tones that just kind of wash over you as you listen. Very nice.

Deer Tick - The Black Dirt Sessions (2010)

Deer Tick’s third album was recorded around the same time as their second, Born on Flag Day (2009). They play a bluesy sort of alternative country with vocals that approach grunge territory. I thought their music that would be more comfortable in some honky-tonk bar than at some large festival in Texas, until I heard this new album. These songs are stripped-down to the bare essentials. Mostly gone is the distorted guitar buzz that drenched the songs on their 2009 release. Gone is the gritty country vibe. The rural elements are still here; you’ll notice plenty of bluesy guitar tones and the vocals still have that country vibe, but these songs sound clear and crisp, the product (or victim?) of impeccable production. These songs just reveal themselves to you very quickly. You can pick up the melodies and the vocals, and just sort of get it. This album is not so much about creating any sort of mood, just about delivering the melodies. I like a lot of these songs, but cant help wishing there was a bit more going on. Deer Tick haven’t exactly disappointed me, but I’m having trouble getting too excited about this new album. If you liked Born on Flag Day, I’d suggest giving this a listen before you buy it. You might miss the overall grittiness, but these songs really aren’t bad.

Stars - The Five Ghosts (2010)

I enjoyed this album a lot more than I expected to. I expected the sweet, charming vocals. I expected unchallenging, easily digestible song structures, with lots of pleasant keyboard and guitar sounds. A lot of chiming melodies, synths, and songs about breakup, loss, uncertainty, all things I can easily relate to. What I didn’t expect of the latest Stars album, was that it would be as diverse as it is. It really doesn’t take many listens for these songs to each take on their own identity. The album shifts seamlessly between upbeat dance-pop and lush, atmospheric balladry. Similarly, the emotions communicated in the songs shift from sad and reflective to confidence on the more upbeat tunes. The band, especially Amy Millan’s vocals, are of similarly high quality throughout. Millan pulls off each mood quite well, never sounding overly bubbly or too self-loathing. She never approaches anger or outright ebuliance, with her reflections constantly sounding even-headed. This makes her a likable and aesthetically pleasant storyteller on these songs. This is a moody album, but it doesn’t ride a particular disposition to the point of novelty or overindulgence. It’s constantly believable. The music frequently dabbles with the hazy guitar tones characteristic of dream pop (check out “He Dreams He’s Awake.”) The twee sensibilities are pervasive, but there is more to Stars than sugary sweetness. They use their guitars and synthesizers to create the mood, thus taking some pressure of Amy Millan to be the only communicative vessel on this album. A few songs approach dance-pop (“We Don’t Want Your Body”), but only under appropriate restraint, so this never feels too dancey or club-ready. Millan also pulls off sultry, almost bluesy vocals quite well on “Winter Bones.” The male vocals that appear on several tracks, were rather nondescript, with the exception of the album opener, “Dead Hearts.” This track is a duet—really a conversation—between the two vocalists, and is one of the highlights. It’s about as close as two vocalists can come to having “chemistry,” and is a rather affecting track, despite the awkward transitions into the choruses. If you liked Stars before, I don’t see why you wouldn’t like these songs. I’d expect some fans might want that band to change their approach a bit before album six, just to keep things fresh. I think these are talented enough musicians to be able to experiment a little bit without completely abandoning who they are. The band is very good at musically representing the ups and downs relating to their chosen subject matter. They sing about break ups, about people changing, and about coping with such changes. This is an album that pulls off lush and catchy equally well. It plays like a quick tour through a variety of emotions, all presented with a pleasant pop façade.

Blitzen Trapper - Destroyer of the Void (2010)

I’ve tried to get into Blitzen Trapper each time they’ve released an album for the past three releases and I’m afraid they still don’t really interest me all that much. On Destroyer of the Void, I hear a lot of classic influences. There is a distinctly Southern feel to the whole album, with songs that have a dirty sort of guitar sound, banjos and harmonicas, the sort of stuff that makes you think of some tavern off a dirt road in the Deep South. Another influence is mid-era Beatles. The vocals sound like they’re somewhere in between Lennon and McCartney territory, perhaps a little closer to the former. The melodies sung are very Beatlesque, reminding me of albums like Revolver and Rubber Soul. Of course this is all packaged as a folk-rock album. It has that sort of aesthetic, the lyrics tend to come from a weary, love-starved, traveler. I think I hear the influence of Love as well, an early folk-rock group. These influences give the songs a distinctly late-60s feel to it, but beyond that, Blitzen Trapper really doesn’t do much to make this sound their own. This album is a nice tribute to some of the sounds of 40 years ago, but it feels sort of anonymous. I can listen to The Beatles, or Love, or Grateful Dead and get it right from the source. I probably wouldn’t though, and that’s the thing about this album. If you’re a die hard Dead, Love, or even just a fan of early folk-rock with a bit of psychedelia thrown in, this will probably cure your itch. My problem is not that this is a bad set of songs, they are actually quite well written and performed proficiently. You have to care for the band’s influences to appreciate Blitzen Trapper. I give them credit for some really good vocal hooks, some clever songwriting, and generally being a talented band, but this is all sort of under the heavy shadow of their predecessors. If you’re looking for something that fits nicely alongside the folk-rock, or even psychedelic-tinged rock of the late 60s and 70s, maybe this band is for you. Check it out.

Wolf Parade - Expo 86 (2010)

Wolf Parade is the collaboration of two prolific singer/songwriters, with a handful of other projects under their belts. Within the indie community (whatever that means), they might as well be Gods. Spencer Krug is worshipped beyond anyone this side of Steven Malkmus, and let’s face it, he’s a talented guy. Krug has written and performed some incredible music with Wolf Parade, Sunset Rubdown, and Swan Lake, to name the most prominent of his projects. Wolf Parade’s third album is due out at the end of June, and the music doesn’t feel quite as fresh as it did the first time around. Apologies to the Queen Mary (2005) was an immaculately crafted pop/rock album. It had character, was fun, approachable, and the attention to detail on that album was impressive. Down to every last pause, every last fill, the band seemed to make all the “right” choices, if that makes sense. I liked At Mount Zoomer (2008) too, but thought it was a moodier, less accessible album.

I often wonder how an artist with a variety of projects can return to one after extensive work in others, and not have the music colored by his/her more recent work. Dan Boekner’s songs don’t really sound like his work in Handsome Furs, and Spencer Krug’s don’t really sound like Sunset Rubdown songs, but I hear influences from both of those bands on this album. I hear Handsome Furs in the rigid, angular nature of some of the riffs. I hear Sunset Rubdown in the more left-field direction of Krug’s songs.

Another issue with Wolf Parade is that they embody many indie stereotypes. The eccentricity in Krug’s voice, his abstract lyrics, the odd song titles, the stylistic choices they make on their records. But let’s not confuse Wolf Parade’s adventurousness with indie wankery. It really isn’t. Wolf Parade is a band that is not afraid to take chances. They’ll include a verse here, a note there, a shift in melody anywhere, that seems odd from the standard pop/rock rulebook. That’s a really cool thing, and it’s part of what makes Wolf Parade an interesting band to me. My issue with the new album is that the band covers these songs with too much fluff. The synths and guitars wail in ways that distract somewhat from the skeletons of these songs. That makes these songs far more challenging than the ones the band released five years ago. My opinion of this album is largely a positive one. I expect that over the coming weeks, I’ll discover more to like about it.

Another gripe of mine is that there are too many “who-oh’s” in these songs. One vocalist will be singing, and the other will keep interjecting with “who-oh, who-oh, who-oh.” That gets annoying after a while.

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Peter Wolf Crier - Inter-Be (2010)

This is the debut album of a folk duo from Jagjaguar records, who have some very good artists on their roster. The vocals often remind me of M. Ward, a very good thing, though sometimes they enter a more soulful area. The music is built around simple guitar melodies and percussion. These songs are not badly written, they just don’t sound as though they are performed with much passion, which is a shame, because the album has some fine moments that would be made even better if performed with more conviction. I think this is a band to watch, as they probably are capable of topping this.

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Band of Horses - Infinite Arms (2010)

I’ve been a huge fan of Band of Horses’ combination of folk and arena rock. Their guitar sound makes their best songs sound absolutely massive. Infinite Arms is somewhat different from their first two albums. It’s more towards the folky end of the spectrum, with an overall quieter sound and less atmospherics going on. The focus is clearly on the songs themselves, the hooks and melodies, instead of just creating an intense atmosphere and it works pretty well. It’s too soon to say whether this reaches the heights of the previous two albums, but it’s pretty clear this isn’t a disappointment by any means. Some songs like “Compliments,” “Laredo,” “Dilly,” and “Older” are among their catchiest.

Holy Fuck - Latin (2010)

Holy Fuck do electronic music really well. They have that whole thing down where you take a simple beat and riff, preferably a catchy one like the bass riff that propels “Red Lights,” and gradually add elements to build to song to build tension that eventually erupts as the song concludes. Drums join the bass riff, followed by warm synth notes, and then the underlying riff changes occasionally to keep the song interesting. Holy Fuck’s Latin is just filled to the brim with gripping beats, unpredictable turns, and tunefulness throughout. This album starts with a gloomy ambient track, “MD,” before it really gets going. The mood is distinctly eerie, as on “Latin America” which has an almost-industrial backdrop to a cymbal-heavy beat. One interesting thing Holy Fuck do throughout is combine contrasting sounds. On “Stay Lit,” for example, a sunny synth melody provides the backdrop for grungy guitar noise that comes and goes as the song progresses giving the song a dark, almost post-punk feel, though you cant ignore the almost blissful synthesizers. “Stilettos” is the reverse of this. The song uses a bass melody and a tribal-sounding drum beat to provide the rhythm, while the synths add brightness in spots. Latin is a compelling album because it isn’t content to just give you something to dance to; every catchy electronic melody is replaced or shifts into another equally catchy one. Also the album plays with different moods to an interesting effect. There is really no electronic album I’d rather hear at this point.

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Pianos Become the Teeth - Old Pride (2010)

“Old Pride” is a fitting name for this Baltimore band’s debut album. They’re a throwback to the days when screamo has yet to be popularized and bastardized by fashionable scenesters but was an outlet for pure anguish. Most mallcore faux-emo bands are about dyed hair and controlled (safe) bursts of aggression. They wouldn’t know true catharsis if it kicked them in the face, let alone came through their Bose speakers. Pianos Become the Teeth, true to those D.C. bands from twenty years ago, are not about pummeling your eardrums until they bleed. Often the screamed vocals are backed by beautiful, melodic guitar work. They frequently mix in mellow, atmospheric passages, which give the music added complexity. In this way, the music represents a wider range of human emotion and just feels more relevant. Sure, these songs are generally bleak, often heavy, and not all that accessible, but they are diverse despite residing within the framework of early emo. Within a given song, the mood changes and shifts, tension builds and is released, guitar melodies come and go. The percussion is intricate and the pretty guitar-based ambient parts, such as on the last half of “Young Fire” are gorgeous. These 8 songs breeze by lasting only 36 minutes, and I immediately found myself needing to relisten just because I hadn’t quite gotten enough. That said, if you don’t like heavy music, or have an aversion to screaming, this is not for you.

For their singer’s explanation of the album title and the meaning behind each of the songs, check this interview.

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The Kissaway Trail - Sleep Mountain (2010)

While listening to The Kissaway Trail, I kept thinking of The Arcade Fire and Death Cab for Cutie. The Kissaway Trail’s brand of indie rock relies on a very spaced out, atmospheric vibe. The songs tend to start slow and gradually built to a huge-sounding climax. They make heavy use of ambiance, using strings to build tension like The Arcade Fire. The record also feels very safe. It’s approachable, unchallenging, and wears its heart on its sleeve. The music is beautiful throughout, though it isn’t really distinctive. Anyone can play a pretty melody, and The Kissaway Trail do that throughout the album. The problem is that it is very clear what sort of sound they are going for, and they do not do it as well as some of their obvious peers. Additionally, at 55 minutes, the album is too long. You probably won’t remember anything ten minutes after it ends unless you spend a lot of time with this album. My favorite track is “Don’t Wake Up,” which uses a pleasant organ melody to make it stand out slightly. The drumming is the most lively component of the band, and it goes a long way to lending a sense of hugeness to these songs. The Kissaway Trail are a band worth watching, but they haven’t done anything especially noteworthy yet.

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