Arctic Monkeys - AM

I've been a huge fan of the Monkeys since their first album. And always with diminishing returns. (But to be fair, they had far to fall.) The second and third albums fared well for me. But the last, "Suck It And See", even with one of my fave songs of that year, was still a disappointment. One- they had an equally genius talent at the producer chair with Josh Homme. And while his influence helped, they wrote some lazy silly songs throughout. But nothing is going to turn me off so much to not give the new one a spin, even though I am confused as to why they named it after Alanis Morissette.

And I am pleasantly surprised to find track one being not only great, but a perfect fit for my year end compilation album. (More on that never) But "Do I Wanna Know?" is a simple rock tune, musically. Unlike the frantic staccato of what will amount to their career best-of. Lyrically, Alex will never cease to tie the tongues of karaokiers from Tokyo to London, and this track is no different. The theme though is an awesomely laid-out pining of the distant woman, wondering if she'll love him back without having the balls to ask.

 

"We both know that the nights were mainly made for saying things that you can't say tomorrow day"

 

Track two "R U Mine?" is similarly vocabularically satisfying, but the real draw here is musical. Like I said, the band is generally running at as frantic a pace as Turner's mouth. Here, though, they take a lesson, no doubt from Homme (who isn't producing, but still shows up). What results is not psychedelic by any stretch, but still disjointed but still rhythmically together but still in a very awesome way. (stutter intentional)

 

There's also a straight-up quality love song, in the vein of the band's "Cornerstone" or "Only Ones Who Know", with "No. 1 Party Anthem". It's darkly toned - but sweet and sexy all at once. Other tracks seem boring, but listen again. "Arabella" and "Mad Sounds" for example are both examples of where the band seems to be lagging off, and they're definitely simpler; but really these are excellent songs. It just takes a close listen for your brain to shift into a feel that's unlike what you're used to.

 

At the end of the day, this is a major upstep. Where I thought that "Suck It" had too much suck, "AM" has more... (sorry- I have no writer tricks to link "AM" to "good") My point is, this is easily my favorite Monkeys record since the debut. (5 of 5 stars)

Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks

I recently reconnected myself with NIN after a period of dormancy. [With_Teeth] was especially awesome, but the overtly political Year Zero also had good shit to offer. I even found something to take home from the two-disc ethereal instrumental Ghosts album. Having said that, my favorite of Trent is the guitar-centered rage of the Broken EP.

 

It's important to note that as to where I'm coming from, because there's nary a sight of guitar on Hesitation Marks. Which is okay. Clearly the focus of Nails has always been the synthesizer. My biggest draw against this record is not its lack of rocking. Through all the sounds, it still "rocks".

 

But I feel a formula. I feel a stagnation. With this record in total, as opposed to fractions of previous albums, I feel like Trent is purposefully employing only what is the most basic elements expected of him. There's always a disjointed electro beat to introduce the tune. It always grows with a more tuneful electronic blip pattern. Low registered vocals kick the song out. Greater synthesized drones kick up the noise level as live drums make the beat steadier. Vocals get louder and more impassioned. Vocals get doubled to attempt to avoid repetition. Song out.

 

The lyrics are also all the same. If Trent gets a nickel for every time he asked that he could get away from wherever he was currently at, he'd be a rich man. It's aggravated regret over and over with out substantially describing the emotion. And he got by on that once. As a young artist, "Down In It" was an awesome way to say nothing more than, "This sucks." And as a mature artist, I don't require that you actually grow or change, but I do have to believe that you're not just phoning it in.

 

Outside of my own bitching, I actually do have a favorite. "Everything" is an upbeat, dancey, noisy new wave tune that stands out like a sore thumb against the rest of the tracks. The bass riff could have been lifted from a Green Day outtake. The bridge between verses could bleed itself into a "Just Like Heaven" cover. It gives me hope that Trent will live another day and not hesitate to grow a little. (2 of 5 stars)

 

Franz Ferdinand - Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action

The latest from the Scotlanders is not going to surprise anyone. If you're at all familiar with the band, then this collection of songs will deliver what you'd expect. Upbeat danceable rock tunes with a monotoned vocal and some sing-along choruses.

 

It's hard to say anything else about it. A quick blast of thirty minute fun. One of the notable things I found was in the lyrics. Alex gets a little wordy in order to follow the syncopation in a way that I haven't heard since Gary Cherone. "Outside fresh avaricide, but inside our love, you'll be alright"  And other times, it's downright silly: "While I'm away you can let the mouse go down on you." Or the other song where he relates his fleeting relationships with losing his car keys. Or being king of the trees and animals. I could go on...

 

But the album is mostly about breakups, my favorite rock topic. My favorite is the rockiest. "Love Illumination" is almost a garage tune with the slick '70s riff. But also valuable is the mellowest. "The Universe Expanded", the promise of a separating couple to meet again when the universe retracts. The album closer is the perfect capper to this mood. "Goodbye Lovers & Friends" toys with the idea that this is not the end, but then finally assures us that it is indeed.

 

An album title that mostly does not lie. (3.5 of 5 stars)

 

Julia Holter - Loud City Song

A universally acclaimed record, I feel enough like giving it a shot as nothing else jumped out at me this week. And while I won't be giving it such praise, hopefully I'll be descriptive enough for you to judge whether or not you'll agree.

The album kicks off with a minimalist "World". It's clear that Julia is a much more competent multi-instrumentalist than she is a vocalist. She whispers and faintly sighs and remains a general bore until track two. "Maxim's I"  does not include any greater vocal prowess or melodic sensibility, but the underlying instrumentation feels like a breezy carnival in a winter wonderland.

The whole of the album has an experimental air, like Laurie Anderson traded her sterile electronica and mixed her style with a more Enya-like ethereal drone. The live player accompaniment is a definite bonus to the tuneless song style Julia projects. Don't get me wrong, this is not the stuff of Tom Waits and hot jazz. But "In The Green Wild" for example, plays against a strong jazz bass background that adds a romance where Julia does not herself.

In summary, Julia does indeed build some splendid aural landscapes. But I prefer my music to be less musical score and more "song". (2.5 of 5 stars)

White Lies - Big TV

British synth pop isn't necessarily my jam, but there are exceptions to every rule. I was able to take a song or two in my life's journey from The Bravery, which is very much like White Lies. No such exceptions are going to be included here.

 

The closest to a jam is "There Goes Our Love Again", a clear single with a soaring sing-along chorus. It will completely obvious when the band breaks down live and lets the crowd clap along and chant how far they did or did not go. "Be Your Man" is also an upbeat track with potential, but suffers from a formulaic approach to British synth pop. And true, I wouldn't trap a garage rock band with that complaint. But fuck it, if I'm expanding my musical view, I want a reason to.

 

Other tracks have that Duran Duran-ishness about them. "First Time Caller" is a silly metaphor about working up the courage to speak. "...but a long time listener. I've been waiting a while to talk to you." And this song isn't the only lyrical eye rolls on the record. The big ballad, "Change" does the paired off word play that you see a lot. "I'm going to miss the way I missed you - But I'm okay if you're okay" It may have been clever once, but not so much now.

 

My only problem with Big TV is that it's just too bland. The bedrock of a synth drone, playing chords to lead the guitarist to. The drummer's sixteenth-note high-hat-hits. The earnest vocal verses and the soaring vocal choruses. I didn't hear anything that gave me a reason to replace Depeche Mode in my time. (2 of 5 stars)

 

Pond - Hobo Rocket

The fifth record by an Australian psychedelic rock band, this is my first experience with them. I had to listen to this record a couple of times because I wan't sure about everything. I mean, the band definitely rocks. Huge sixties fuzzed-out riffs.

But when the psychedelic verses take over, it gets a little odd. Like, what are we doing here? The vocals are unitelligible and overechoed. Track one is a great example. "Whatever Happened to the Million Head Collide" fades in and tries to paint a pretty picture, but when the band kicks in - it's bad-LSD-trip time.

When you do get more than a little vocal, like on "Xanman", it comes off sounding like The James Gang, which is fine. Neither the vocal nor the lack of melody will be missed when the groove is being grooved.

 

"O Dharma" is the only real full-on boner on the record. A slow, acoustic mess which is barely played together. A layered Fleet Foxes type of vocal interlude doesn't add enough interest. Just too sloppy to achieve that kind of sound. And while not as boring, "Aloneaflameaflower" is basically Pond's version of "Black Sabbath". A pretty straight cover.

 

The title track is the weirdest of the bunch. A hip-shaker with lots of feedback, it also includes an old Australian man talk-singing about a hobo on a rocket. Kind of like Lou Reed's Metallica album. But the ace in the Pondhole is the clip below. "Giant Tortoise" is huge and bass-y. The riff-rock hook takes over the dream pop verse. It's the best definition of what Pond does best. (3 of 5 stars)

Alela Diane - About Farewell

 

An indie folk artist from Portland via California, Alela has been around a while with the likes of Devendra Banhart and Wild Divine.

Alela keeps it mellow throughout. The songs revolve around the title and are about the relationships that reach their expiration date. Alela's deliberate acoustic strumming and fingerpicking is generally unaccompanied by rhythm tracks. The production is enhanced with the most common of instrumentation that you'd find on indie folk. Some piano, some mandolin, etc.The focus is on the songwriting.

So the storytelling style is going to remind the listener of Joni Mitchell or even Bon Iver. There's situational observations throughout. The weather, the sunshine, etc. Alela's voice though is closer to Natalie Merchant's though. Mellow and controlled, she avoids excessive vocal trilling or many melodic dynamics.

The deepest of these cuts is "The Way We Fall", as seen in the accompanying amazingly shot video. The video is solo acoustic. The album version of this track includes some percussion and horns. I cannot decide which is better.

Enjoyable on a sleepy autumn afternoon. But if I were to put any of this on your mixtape, we're probably breaking up. (3 of 5 stars)