Category: Album Reviews

After All
People Like You Records
thepeacocks.ch

Swiss psychobilly merchants The Peacocks are a well-oiled rock n’ roll machine, not to mention hardened road dogs; yet the news that they recently celebrated their 20^th anniversary comes as something of a surprise. Hey, maybe playing psychobilly is the key to retaining your youthful good looks, as these guys seem to be aging well.

Not that it would particularly matter if they weren’t, though, because most of ‘After All’ hits the target in fine style. At fifteen tracks long, it would have been easy for the record to start to blur into one long mass of twanging double bass and scratchy guitar, but as the arresting country-influenced title track bursts forth from the speakers, it’s clear that the Peacocks haven’t lost their ear for a great melody. Those who would dismiss these guys for supposedly not being ‘pure’ psychobilly are missing out; variety is no bad thing, and there’s plenty of it on display here.

For the most part, the tunes clock in at less three minutes, and still manage to leave a decent impression. ‘Boring’ sees the band taking lyrical pot-shots at trend chasers over a simple yet insanely catchy riff; ‘Lean On Me’ creeps along with vocalist Hasu singing sleepily over a lone organ backing, before some rockin’ double bass action kicks in, and the relentless pace slows slightly for the mellow but anthemic ‘Better Times’.

‘After All’ isn’t quite perfect, but overall it’s as fine an example of modern psychobilly as you could hope for – and will hopefully increase the band’s small but loyal fanbase this side of the Channel (strange how psychobilly seems to be much more popular in mainland Europe). Watch out for a clutch of UK dates in November.

Alex Gosman

24H
W+K Tokyo Lab / EMI Music Japan
hifana.com/24h

Openly billed as a concept album, the latest release from the Japanese breakbeat duo Hifana may well be the first of its kind in the perpetually underground genre. After all, the world of turntablism rarely considers unifying themes in an LP to be anything more than superfluous, and it’s hardly frequent as it is to come across a breakbeat album by one artist that isn’t indistinguishable from a compilation CD.

In 24H, the duo that so fluidly blend the old and the new, take their bag of traditional Japanese instrumental samples and beat-up MPCs to the notion of everyday living in a fast-paced contemporary city. Hailing from Tokyo, their hometown seems a more than adequate locale.

It begins with two unhesitant and pounding tracks that grow rapidly from a stereotypical university student’s morning-themed soundscape to a groggy bass wobbler. The growling bassline of Robot Namesake is the closest rendition of the noise I make every morning upon waking I’ve heard yet. Chinza Dopeness furthers the haze, as he yawns his way through a sleepy rap while machines cook breakfast and alarms are left running behind more bass assaults in ‘Wake Up’. Then, we progress through to ‘Work It’ and ‘Damn It Ringtone’, both of which are coherently evocative of that daily struggle in an epic slave-song meets Jet Set Radio urban beatfest, but from that point onwards I’m a little lost.

I attribute this to my knowledge of the Japanese language being extensive enough to cover ‘ohayo gozaimasu’ (‘good morning’) and that’s about it. UFO and Touring Tour could well be littered with post-modern poetry about rush-hour or standing in line at a bank machine for all I know. Rest assured, though the message may not reach you, the sonic brew is consistently boiling over throughout their scholarly follow-up to 2007’s Connect. If Flying Lotus created a cosmic opera with the intricate Cosmogramma then Hifana have likewise penned an unfinished urban symphony that’s forever on repeat for the daily downtown vernacular.

Stanley

Root For Ruin
Wichita

“We’ve still got our appetites”, repeats the chorus hook from Root For Ruin’s opening track, the very question on the lips of Les Savy Fav fans hungry for new music. The band’s last album Let’s Stay Friends saw them reach new levels of critical and commercial appreciation, but three years later the band are back, wrestling the commitments of being in a touring band with having families and growing up. Not a particularly punk rock idea to be getting across in the opening paragraph of a record review, but rather, the grim reality of life as a maturing indie band that sticks to their guns.

The good news is fans of the Fav needn’t worry, as the band has cooked up another great record to fuel their energetic live performances. The opening two tracks ‘Appetites’ and ‘Dirty Knails’ are vintage Les Savy Fav rock tracks, taking the distinctive guitar sound the band have perfected on recent albums and turning it up loud. From here on, however, things take an interesting turn.

‘Sleepless in Silverlake’ is a slow burner, using a wistful lead guitar line with lyrics about staying up late drinking and pissing cares away. ‘High and Unhinged’ is a song about “waltzing our way to the bottom of the barrel”, while ‘Dear Crutches’ is wearier still. It’s this song which gets to the heart of ‘Root for Ruin’, an album about getting older, feeling cynical and the effects of being constantly on the road. While I hate bands that whine about touring, this isn’t at all the tone taken by vocalist Tim Harrington. Instead, the singer gives an honest account of his state of mind, adding an extra dimension to the band’s recorded sound.

Don’t get me wrong, this is not a downbeat album, and there are still rock tracks aplenty. Single ‘Let’s Get Out of Here’ is the poppiest the band have ever been, approaching something very close to a radio friendly sound. After the success of an out and out rock album with Let’s Stay Friends, however, it would make no sense to repeat that process all over again. Les Savy Fav have taken this point in time to nicely re-evaluate their career, mixing enough of the spirit of old with something new and refreshing. Perhaps not what I expexted from Les Savy Fav, but to these ears this is a resounding success.

Sleekly Lion

Les Savy Fav – Let’s Get Out Of Here by Crossfire Music

Prevenge
Last Gang Records

BOM BOM BOM BOM GZZZZZZ WEEEP WEEEP GZZZZZZZZ WEEP WEEP GZZZZZZ BZZZZZZ WZZZZ WAAAAP WAAAP BOM BOM BOM. Yeah, so that’s what this EP sounds like and considering Aku Raski, the big bearded beat bringer better known as Huoratron does not muck about with delaying the loud and messy drop then let’s not bother with pleasantries in the opening paragraph of this review. Hopefully you’ll agree that this record is so much of a sensory clusterfuck that you’ll forgive me for that unintentional gross overuse of alliteration in that last sentence.

It would be very easy to dismiss this record as nothing more than noise that just so happens to cause your eyes to squint and your arms to start pumping towards the sky a lot, which it does, but its influences are cleverly selected and crafted with precision and cultural capital. The Rollin’ & Scratchin’ inspired electronic punk euphoria is matched by timeless 90s house beats. You know the ones, those perfectly inserted hi-hats that Deadmau5 often relies upon to make those 10 minute progtronics seem a little shorter. Huoratron on the other hand blends the two sounds into something that doesn’t mess around, works independently without the need for clichéd build ups, it’s just instant POW POW WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAZZZZZZZ.

Pick any song, they’re all as relentless as the last. Prevenge is an EP that summons your passion for music, whether it’s overwhelming love or punishing hatred, this record will at the very least make you feel something.

Stanley

You can download gBay free from the Crossfire Soundcloud below or watch the gnarly video for Corporate Occult here.

Huoratron – gBay by Crossfire Music

Lazers Never Die
Mad Decent
www.majorlazer.com

It’s somehow fitting that Diplo and Switch should release an EP now, just as M.I.A.’s highly anticipated third album falls hard on its face. After the huge (and largely tedious) press campaign surrounding the ultimately bloated (and even more tediously titled) ///Y/, Major Lazer have managed to cobble together an EP that is fresh and exhilarating. Although there are only two new songs here, additional remixes from Buraka Som Sistema, K.L.A.M and Radiohead’s Thom Yorke make for a surprisingly cohesive five song package.

It’s in fact M.I.A. who sets Lazers Never Die into motion with ‘Sound Of Siren’, serving as a timely reminder of the chemistry she shares with Diplo. The classic ingredients are all there; a big chorus hook and military drum beat form the song’s structure, while Busy Signal goes in hard over the verses. There’s nothing overly complicated about Diplo and Switch’s production, they simply know what sounds good and execute it perfectly time and time again. ‘Good Enuff’, too, is little more than a simple reggae progression, but vocal contributions from Collie Buddz and Lindi Ortega add instant and memorable melodies.

Switching attention to the remixes, tracks from 2009’s Guns Don’t Kill People – Lazers Do are reworked and given new dimensions. Buraka Som Sistema’s take on ‘Bruk Out’ is extended into a six minute house jam, yet it somehow manages to keep the original’s authentic flavour. While K.L.A.M.’s ‘Can’t Stop Now’ remix is perhaps the only dud of the bunch, the ‘heavyweight’ contribution from Thom Yorke really delivers. Yorke’s spin on ‘Jump Up’ keeps the vocals firmly in the foreground, yet adds layers of tense electronics that put the song into a new context. While it’s typical of Yorke’s past solo adventures, his remix emphasizes the best qualities of the original.

It would be easy for Diplo and Switch to lay back and rest on their past successes, yet Lazers Never Die is another record that both individuals can be proud of. Major Lazer don’t get bogged down in big concepts and ideas, they simply make tracks that BANG.

Sleekly Lion

Birds And Planes
Friends Vs Records
myspace.com/dinosaurpileup

This is the first single from Dinosaur Pile-Up’s forthcoming album ‘Growing Pains’. ‘Birds And Planes’ is a tightly wound ball of energy, fuelled mainly by a stonking great riff and some huge hooky melodies. Both catchy and heavy in all the right places and all the right doses, this track has been making headway in the notoriously difficult-to-crack world of music radio. And rightly so. There are no frills here, just honest, straight-up songwriting skills. If you’re after a summer anthem, you need look no further. Matt Bigland’s assured vocals are backed up by an astoundingly massive wall of sound, especially considering this is music from a three-piece setup. Yes, it’s a little bit Foo Fighters, a little bit Nirvana, but ultimately, DPU have breathed new life into an otherwise stagnant genre and created something that, whilst it may not be overflowing with absolute originality, is essentially exhilarating and exuberant.

‘Birds And Planes’ is a slice of catchy rock music that’s not setting out to change the world but is aiming to bring a smile to people’s faces and incite them to sing along with glee. If this single is any indication of what is to come with their album, it’s a record that’s going to be in contention to make many ‘Best of 2010’ lists.

The band are set to hit the road in October prior to the album’s release on 4^th October and, assuming they can recreate the massiveness of this single in the live arena, you’re going to want to check them out.

You can listen to the single and download B-side ‘Headspinner’ at www.dinosaurpileup.com.

Winey G

Birds & Planes by FriendsVsRecords

Treats
N.E.E.T.
myspace.com/sleighbellsmusic

A few things you should probably know about Sleigh Bells, if you haven’t already been over-exposed to the details of their being.

1. By all accounts, they are LOUD live. Like, you’re going to need earplugs.
2. The brains behind the operation, Derek Miller (beats, guitars, songwriting), is actually also in post-hardcore staples Poison The Well, who’ve recently gone on hiatus – presumably in no small part due to Miller’s foray into indie hipsterism.
3. Vocalist Alexis Krauss was a fledgling school teacher before coming across Miller and starting to work on music with him.
4. The duo are signed to M.I.A.’s N.E.E.T. label.

This one immediately became an office favourite. Stupidly over-hyped – if you haven’t heard the music itself yet you might be reluctant to give into the craze – but the truth is that this album rocks. ‘Treats’ is a pretty apt title as each track is a nugget of raucous beats and riffs, topped off with some alternately sugary-sweet and military-like shouting vocals from Alexis Krauss. Widely touted as electro or noise-pop or some sort of combination between the words electro, noise, pop and rock, it’s kind of difficult to decide whether Sleigh Bells are more rock-fuelled or more electronic-oriented. They tread the line between the two influences very well indeed. ‘Straight A’s’ in particular is a flurry of fuzzy loud guitar riffs that could only really fall into the rock spectrum of genre classification. This is followed up with ‘A/B Machines’ which incorporates a jangly guitar riff with uber-repetitive vocals and some siren-type noises and clap-like beats.

Throughout the album, programmed bleeps and beats are coupled with Derek Miller’s crunching guitar riffs. One of the main things to hook you in is the damn hypnotic effect of repetitive rhythms in Sleigh Bells’ music. Where in some music, repetition just makes for boredom, Sleigh Bells use it to great effect with the organized pattern of rhythms making their creations even more enthralling. With there being only two members of this outfit, and only one of them being responsible for all the instrumentals, it’s clear that the duo do rely a lot on programming and electronics to beef up their sound. I mean, their sound is pretty beefy. Not songwriting in the classical sense of the word but, however they’ve gone about making this music, it sounds fresh and original and, above all, makes for one of the most fun listens this year.

Winegums