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Beastie Boys

Make Some Noise
Capitol

It’s been a while since we last heard music from the Beastie Boys. It was 2009 when they dropped their track featuring Nasty Nas Too Many Rappers and had everyone clamouring for a new album to drop, but with MCA’s fight against cancer, the album took a deserved lay-off. However, now the New York trio are back with Make Some Noise and it was absolutely worth the wait.

The intro wah-wahs slowly before the drums are unleashed and segue into a backdrop for the inimitable MCs to bring the house down. The drums are crisp, the tune is fun and the gang vocal chorus is classic Beasties. We all know what the rappers sound like and we all love them, so hearing them on a fresh beat is as enjoyable as it could ever be.

With MCA rapping about parties on the right and the left, it seems inevitable that your feet will start to tap, your legs’ll shake, your head will nod and before you know if you’re having your very own personal party in your chair. And that’s what the Beastie Boys are all about – getting rowdy. Despite their age, they can still mix it with the very best and if this is any indication of the new album, we’re all in for a treat.

“It’s the anti-depresser” runs one of the opening lines, too bloody right!

Abjekt.

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Mudmowth

Sledgehammer Kisses
Associated Minds

Mudmowth is an artist that many in the UK know and rever and with Sledgehammer Kisses, he makes his return, teaming up alongside Metabeats on production. Having made his name as CRST making predominently dance based music, it may seem odd that Metabeats has teamed up with the rapper however, the doubt is dispelled immediately on tracks like Maad Tight with the low-down horns bringing to mind some of Dre’s beats on Chronic.

Lyrically this release does the business too with lines like “sparking my tumbleweed peace pipe / blowing smoke rings out your cheap mics” showing just why the Associated Minds camp have got behind the MC in recent years. The beats fit the rhymes perfectly throughout and whilst this is a good album to listen to carefully, it’s just as easy to bang on whilst doing something and let the production do the work for you.

Tracks like Life’s Never Enough is reminiscent of the hip hop the UK was bringing out in the early 2000s and Sing Tears proves you don’t need to have an overly complicated beat to make a good track, its simple piano chord sample and boom-bap drums revolving around the verse and Richie Hayes’ sung chorus.

Having been championed by various magazines, including Plan B who picked one of his previous releases as their hip hop album of the year, it’s certainly one for the fans of his work. Associated Minds have definitely got something to be proud of here.

Abjekt.

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Queens Of The Stone Age

Queens Of The Stone Age (Re-issue)
Domino/Rekords Rekords

QOTSAIf the following QOTSA albums catapulted them into the public eye as messiahs of rock ‘n’ roll guitars and hard hitting drums, this more modest debut was a style guide signalling their intent as masters of the carefully constructed mind-infiltrating riff. This re-issue combines the original track listing with relevant bonus tracks from the same period slotted in, boosting an already brilliant album.

The original 11 tracks plus three bonus tracks is frontman and modern rock pioneer Josh Homme’s musical manifesto. It was the product of his attempt to create an instantly recognisable sound, something that he continued to do with engineer-like precision well into the next decade. As soon as you hear the opening four agitated guitar notes on this album you imagine the towering figure of Homme picking them.

The repetitive riffs introduced in opener Regular John and littering the entire album share the same monotony and neurotic demeanour as Krautrock, except Dusseldorph has now become a desert and guitars have descended from the skies. Homme is seemingly infatuated by his own melodic creations and milks them for all they are worth like a hungry wolf devouring an almost bare carcass. They become the axis for each track to spin around and often they contain no more than three notes or one chord. Accompanying these riffs are driving power chords that cut right through your body and give the songs a sense of urgency and direction. Occasional screeching guitar solos present on If Only and bonus track The Bronze are like trapped flys bouncing around a small glass, before giving way to the assured sound that is Homme’s vocal.

The one song that epitomizes 90s QOTSA is Walkin’ on the Sidewalks, a repetitive and punchy rock ‘n’ roll track that transforms into a two-and –a-half minute tunnel of panicky one note jabs. The taunting vocals of You Would Know tread purposefully into the second half of the album, which is bolstered by the additions of the precariously unpredictable These Aren’t The Droids You’re Looking For and the climatic stomp of Spiders and Vinegaroons.

If a commercially successful and critically acclaimed third album has ever got you into a band, tracing them back to their musical roots can often lead to the discovery of a band flirting with genres and finding a niche. QOTSA on the other hand are a band that started out with a clear vision of what they wanted to do. This neatly concocted album is clear proof of that, with signature QOTSA sounds from the off. It also originally came with a handwritten Josh Homme thesis of how he was going to take over the world, with references to an ex Nirvana drummer, a black, white and red rendered video and something about vultures. He’s good.

Mark Beckett

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J Mascis

J Mascis
Several Shades Of Why
Sub Pop

Several-Shades-Of-WhyIt’s bizarre to think that J Mascis has released his first ever solo album this month but the Dinosaur Jr front man has returned with a wonderful record where for once he has traded the Marshall amps he is so famous for playing through for an acoustic guitar, a tambourine and a few select guests.

‘Several Shades Of Why‘ sees J at his very best singing classic, Mascis folk tunes and lazy, West Coast songs alongside guest appearances from Kurt Vile, Kevin Drew from Broken Social Scene, Ben Bridwell from Band of Horses and many others.

On first listen I kind of just dismissed this as another Mascis record as Dinosaur Jr albums of late have not exactly lived up to the likes of Bug and Green Mind, but after spending some time with this the full 10 tracks make for a very impressive (nearly all) acoustic album that follows J’s electric contributions to the latest Dead Confederate and Sweet Apple albums with a mature but magical presence.

The best way of introducing this to you is by watching Sub Pop labelmate Chad VanGaalen‘s amazing video for the track Not Enough as it will definitely take you on a journey that should lead you to discovering a cracking summer chiller.

Emilio Gonzales

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Anna Calvi

Anna Calvi
Anna Calvi
Domino Records

Bursting at the seams with passion, atmosphere, seduction and beauty, Anna Calvi’s debut is a velvet encased gem delivered straight from dimly lit backstreet burlesque clubs. Seductive guitar tones and surges of wild euphoria drift through ten sexually charged tracks.

In reality, the album was not made in such captivating circumstances as the sound suggests, but rather as a result of Anna locking herself in a basement in Fulham. The dark sophistication came not from her surroundings but from within an evocatively artistic brain.

Opener ‘Rider to the Sea’ is dripping with rich colour and guitars descending from the Hendrix school of instrumental love making. This flows effortlessly into ‘No More Words’, the first example of Anna’s ability to change the pace and slow a track right down to a serene minimalism, before angelic backing vocals proceed to lift you from your seat.

‘Desire’ builds into a hugely uplifting vocal, which oozes Patti Smith-esque presence as you hang on to her every word. Like the previous track, big fan and unofficial mentor Brian Eno provides backing vocals on ‘Suzanne and I’, a track awash wish dreamy guitar and haunting reverb.

Empty space plays a huge part in the feel of the album. Pockets of near silence give way to Anna’s soft vocals and when she belts it out there is a realisation, a notification that we are listening to a talent to behold. Just as the silence is important, Anna’s ambition to create an orchestral sound from just a guitar, drums and a harmonium, has really come to life on this record. Who needs an orchestra when you have a reverb pedal and a gut instinct for textured sound.

Carefully calculated sound effects and samples play wonderfully on the ears and give the record even more depth and poignancy. One of Anna’s biggest talents is her ability to convey the meaning of a song instrumentally, a trait no more evident than on the lyrically sparse ‘The Devil’ a fittingly morose ballad at the heart of the record.

Right at the death the musical wasteland of ‘Morning Light’ acts as a long intro to the album closer ‘Love Won’t Be Leaving’, five and a half minutes of intense heart pouring into a letter written to a lost love, a heart-wrenching end to an incredible album. Anna’s musical intelligence and sophistication mixed with seductive prowess is there for all to see in this powerful debut, it’ll leave you walking around Soho at midnight reflecting on lost love, either that or looking for a basement in Fulham.

Mark Beckett.

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Various Artists

Various Artists
Heartbeats
Available from here.

The tragic situation in Japan needs no introduction. However, the on-going problems and recovery process are among many ideas that may not have fully sunk into your minds and so the urgency of our action to help those in need cannot be stressed or emphasised enough. Any perspective needed is right there in front of us: we have it pretty easy in this country and I’m sure many of us will settle for a few days of sunshine amidst moderate grey skies every year in exchange for not constantly being under mortal threat from the planet we live on. Every little act really does help, so it’s reassuring to see so many musicians thoughtfully utilising their positions to raise awareness and support the recovery process.

One of our favourite producers, Submerse, has teamed up with Andy Bee and Toby ‘Price’ Godwin and spearheaded a music project with the sole purpose of raising money for Japan. It’s a great simple idea that’s already gained wide support from producers and musicians across the world and is very worthy of your attention, not just for the cause it represents, but for the staggering amount of goodness packaged inside.

The first compilation (unmixed) has been hand-picked from an enormous range of submissions by Submerse and co. and is due to feature cuts from Phaeleh, Dj Madd, RSD, Donga & Blake, Submerse, Price, Resketch, Whistla, Rrritalin, Duncan Powell, Sclist, Sentinels , VVV, Klaxons (a previously unheard official remix from Steve Aoki!), Indigo, Blnd!, Valta & Minikin, Sines , Opti, Von D, Littlefoot AND more. This is no slapdash compilation of b-sides. This is the real deal, for a very real cause. For just a fiver you’re getting 20 fresh cuts of delicious tuna and 100% of that fiver will go straight to the Red Cross in support of Japan’s recovery from the tsunami disaster that occurred last week.

Have a listen to the official Soundcloud set below which features some very notable selections (some of which have long been overdue a release…) including VVV’s deep, deep, deeeeeeeep and cavernous, Burial-like ‘No Longer’ and an extra special cut from Submerse himself. ‘I’d Rather Have You’ is an emotional, string-driven future garage gem that blissfully wanders through similar territories occupied by some of his biggest tunes (‘Hold It Down’, ‘OVA’ – both hugely recommended of course) and is guaranteed to sit well amongst the rest of the tunes from a stellar range of artists who are all at the top of their game. Show your support for this one.

Joe Moynihan.

Heartbeats – First Set by Heartbeats365

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Sebadoh

Sebadoh
Bakesale
Domino Records

With the formation of Sebadoh in 1986, Lou Barlow managed to escape the song writing power struggle between him and his former Dinosaur Jr bandmate J Mascis, and the result? An equally innovative project which saw Barlow writing the majority of the songs, penning seven studio albums in the process. Barlow continued to produce fuzzy lo-fi music on four track tape decks until he broadened his recording techniques in the mid 90s, the result? The cult classic Bakesale, which is now being reissued by Domino.

1994 was a breakthrough year for many lo-fi bands and the like, including Pavement’s Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain and Dinosaur Jr’s Without a Sound reaching more mainstream audiences, where before they only had underground acclaim. 1994 also saw the highly successful debuts for Portishead who had lo-fi credentials and Weezer who were influenced by the scene. Released in the same year, Bakesale could easily have been lost amongst some of these more well-known classics but it certainly deserves to be held in similar high regards. Sebadoh’s unsung masterpiece has now been rediscovered and remastered where once it may have been forgotten.

The album contains 15 tracks of angry and bittersweet songs which stay faithful to the old distorted sound but add more accomplished production techniques. The guitar riffs are more prominent than the original, where they were slightly lost in the tide of the songs, a shame for such well crafted intricacies. There is more clarity and distinction between every sound, however they have managed to retain the rawness that epitomizes their sound.

License to Confuse does a perfect job as an opener. It’s unforgivingly catchy without being too annoying and nagging and it’s explosive from the off. Fast paced vocals, meandering guitars and drum fills really set the tone for the rest of the album.

A notable feature of Sebadoh is their constant rotation of band duties. Just like the songwriting, they each have a go on different instruments like excited children with short attention spans. The first sign of change is on Not a Friend where the responsibility of drumming is handed over to Eric Gaffney in a melodic song with a wonderfully lazy rhythm.

An early highlight is Not Too Amused, the longest track on the album and a huge statement of intent. It builds and builds, gathering momentum and generating new levels of anger with every lyric, culminating in an almost shouting delivery from Jason Loewenstein. The pauses in vocals make way for quirky guitar fills and the constant fuzz only adds to the animosity towards the subject matter.

The simplicity of the chord sequences on tracks such as Got It act as innocent backdrops to the menacing vocals, but songs like these can often fade out to soon, with the majority of songs clocking in at less than three minutes. Shit Soup is allowed to run a little longer however and marks the peak of the records anger with heavy bursts of overdrive that propel the song into an orbit of frustration and desperate lyrical imagery. Sentiments such as ‘you’re shit soup/and I’m in the reflection booth/two glass eyes behind cheap sunglasses’ shows an admirable eye for detail.

Towards the end of the record Mystery Man has gleaming guitar moments and Temptation Tide sweeps over as quickly as the title suggests. Closing the record is the dramatically stop start Together or Alone that draws the album to a forlorn climax. Amidst all the powerchords and chaotic lead guitar are masses of raw emotion that help to make this a fascinating listen. Now this remastered version is back with more force than ever for a second turbulent onslaught on your unsuspecting ears.

Mark Beckett.

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Sims

Sims
Bad Time Zoo
Doomtree Records

Having released his debut album Lights Out Paris in 2005, it took a good while for Sims to bring out the follow-up but it was most definitely worth the wait. Bad Time Zoo is 14 track record full of cutting lyrics which range from the apathy of modern society to the simple fact that the MC loves his girlfried all layered over supremely powerful production from Lava Banger creator Lazerbeak.

Opening up as he means to go on, the Minneapolis rapper claiming that we “dropped the borders but we kept them walls” and being “so close I could almost see your breath / but so far I can’t hear your words” before lamenting the so-called “time of plenty” whilst all the while feeling like something is missing.

It’s a theme that runs through the album but never once falls into the preaching category, which is a testament to the ability of Sims’ lyrics, who despite all the problems we face implores us to “drop that cynicism” on Weight. Listening to these beats, that task doesn’t seem quite so difficult.

Relying more on his own talent than bringing in scores of guests, Sims does relent on Too Much by having P.O.S. giving his take on a near-disasterous road accident. Far from taking away from Sims, it simply goes to show how talent the Doomtree camp are as both mould their flows over the beat in their own inimitable style.

It’s impossible to pick a stand-out track on the record, such is the quality of the output – every time the play button is pressed, a new favourite presents itself. Suffice to say it’s worth multiple plays, so that every layer of the rap patchwork can get its time to shine, something it does brighter than ever.

The production is similarly tight all the way through the album from the horn led melody of Burn It Down to the dub-influenced, piano sampling LMG, the heavy drums of The Veldt and In My Sleep to the scratched vocal samples in Radio Opaque. Lazerbeak has one-upped himself once again, providing the perfect backdrop for his crew mate. The beats fit the rapper and the rapper’s flow fits the production, it’s rare that this happens over such a consistent period of time, yet that’s what you get on Bad Time Zoo.

Whether you’re into rap bangers or introspective backpack tunes, you need to check out this album. Doomtree just get better and better and with this latest release, Sims announces himself as a bonafide king. Absolutely brilliant.

See for yourself by listening [and then supporting great independent music by buying] here.

Abjekt.

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Radio Birdman

Live In Texas
(Crying Sun)

This could well prove to be the last will and testament of Australia’s proto-punk pioneers Radio Birdman, who are permanently grounded following their 2007 tour. They’ve called it quits previously, in not so dissimilar circumstances, way back in ’78. So, never say never (again), but best not hold your breath.

Dedicated followers of the band will eagerly add this live disc to their collections alongside “Eureka Birdman” – that captured the band in all their primal glory, way back in ’77 at the Eureka Hotel, Geelong – and “Ritualism”, with the original band reunited in ‘96 and cranking out the hits to a studio audience.

Fast forward to 2007, and core members Rob Younger (vocals) and guitarists Deniz Tek and Chris Masuak are joined by rock steady bassist Jim Dickson and drummer Russell Hopkinson, but sadly for this tour keyboardist Pip Hoyle was not on-board due to family commitments. Pip’s hammering of the keys is a key ‘Birdman ingredient, and though clearly missed, his absence is made up for by Deniz and Chris stepping up to the mark with a voluminous dual guitar attack. Sonic! This is definitely a warts ‘n all recording, and is suitably raw to boot, which in itself is great RocknRoll defined. The material is a mix of old/classics, new (as was – from the “Zeno Beach” album) and covers, with their take on The Kinks “Till The End Of The Day” really hitting a high point. I thought The Who’s “Circles” meandered a bit, although it probably offered up Rob the chance for a breather!

‘Live in Texas’ is definitely a requisite fans purchase, whilst those fresh-eared and curious are recommended to track down a copy of ‘Birdman’s seminal debut “Radio’s Appear” – one of the greatest albums ever made in my humble opinion. Yeah Hup!

Pete Craven

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The Get Up Kids

The Get Up Kids
There Are Rules
Quality Hill Records

The Get Up Kids are legends. That’s what puts them in somewhat of a difficult position now they’re back on the scene and creating new music. The fans of the band the first time around are very much stuck in the albums released way back when. So any reaction to the band’s new material is going to be somewhat coloured by this bias toward their past releases. The best thing to do with the band’s new album – There Are Rules – is to forget they existed back then. Listen with fresh ears and make your mind up about it on the music’s merits alone.

It’s a different sound for the band but one that is equally honest and certainly true to where The Get Up Kids are right now. There are echoes of On A Wire and Guilt Show present as dark undertones abound from opener Tithe, with its reverberating bassline and scuzzy guitars as Matt Pryor’s vocal tops off the texture with a yearning insistence alongside its characteristic lilting melodiousness.

The Get Up Kids are playing with different sound qualities and textures constantly on this record. Automatic has an off-kilter, roving bassline interspersed with synth chords and The Widow Paris has a haunting, irregular keyboard line juxtaposed against a repetitive bass riff. The prominence of bass is a theme throughout this album with the guitars almost taking a backseat in many of the songs as bass and keys hold their own and Pryor’s vocal rounds it all off. An interesting direction and one which may throw existing fans of the band off-guard but ultimately this is an album well worth your time and a fantastic body of music in its own right.

Winegums.

Untitled from PAT VAMOS on Vimeo.