Best Coast
The Only Place
7.3/10
The sophomore slum is a bitch. And Best Coast’s second full-length is proof of that. Bethany Cosentino and bandmate Bob Bruno follow up their amazing debut buzzy and light Crazy For You (which ended up as my 9th favorite album of 2010) with their “take-me-serious” record The Only Place — an album so devoid of fun and joy it’s a drag to get through.
The album’s self-titled lead single was one of the best things here and that really didn’t leave any sort of impression on me. It’s a decent track but Cosentino sounds like she’s just doing her thing without any effort. “Hey let’s write a song about how GREAT California is yeah!” is pretty much how I imagine things went down on this record. “Hey, let’s still kinda write about boys and being sad but let’s do it in a SAD way instead of the opposite!” The only thing that really sticks on the record is the closing track “Up All Night.” But after listening to it a few times, I soon realized it was pretty much a slowed down version of “Bratty B” — a Crazy For You highlight.
It’s not that the rest of the record is terrible though. Things mostly range from boring to lame and at times the record is a pain to sit through. On the bright side, the production pretty much does a 180 here and things are hi-fi and we can hear everything (not sure we really want to) to a tee. We can thank Jon Brion for that. Brion has produced records for Kanye, Fiona Apple and some soundtracks as well. One song where the production sounds fantastic is on the jazzy “Dreaming My Life Away.”
The hooks are here for most of the songs but they aren’t developed enough to be as infectious as the tracks on Best Coast’s debut. Instead the band turns out tracks that sound forced and confusing; startling the line to take Best Coast in a new direction or reamin in familiar territory where things become stale.
Listen to “The Only Place” below:
Beach House
Bloom
8.5/10
Must Listen
Here we are at Beach House’s fourth studio album, Bloom. I’ve watch the band grow up since their 2006 self-titled debut and although the Baltimore band hasn’t made huge stylistic changes, Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally have created subtle shifts in their music to create more-than-solid albums that have propelled Beach House into a defining band of a genre.
Bloom follows up the duo’s 2010 critically acclaimed record Teen Dream (which ended up as my 18th favorite album of the year) Beach House don’t diverge much from their sound that was found there (and their other records) but when you’re this good at making dream pop music and you’ve found a formula that works well…why change?
The opener and lead single “Myth” is Beach House at their finest. The song…well, blooms. It starts off small with a rusty-bell beat and then swells to a glowing array of synths and guitar effects while Legrand’s dusty vocals shimmer through it all. The following track, “Wild,” is another standout. It opens with a child-like-Casio drum loop until the song (blooms) bursts open with Scally’s nautical/hazy guitar playing. The song is about a drunken/abusive father but it’s sung so beautifully you wouldn’t really have any idea.
“Other People” and “New Year” both feature strong hooks underlying a glorious dream pop aesthetic that Beach House has created for themselves and that other bands use as a templete for their own music. “On the Sea” and “Irene” (which has the bonus track “Where You Go”) are also great tracks. There really isn’t much to say that hasn’t been said. It is what you’d expect — and while I slam other bands for doing this Beach House have license to do this because they’ve perfect a sound. When you’re this good at something you don’t really need to stop. Its’ really what we all want to hear.
Sure, it’s easy to compair Beach House to other bands but those other band’s pretty much lifted what Beach House have created. And Bloom exemplifies what Beach House is about: they cannot do any wrong with their sound. Rather than getting old or stale, the duo is wise enough to change up just the right thing to keep listeners and fans captivated and entranced with their dusty, antique-sounding jams.
Listen to Beach House’s “Myth” below:
Niki & the Dove
Instinct
8.1/10
Recommended
Last October the Swedish duo Niki & the Dove released an EP that I think most people didn’t pay attention. Admittedly, I didn’t either. But after catching some buzz on the heal of their debut full-length, titled Instinct (thanks to the killer single “Tomorrow”) the band has gained some recognition, and rightfully so.
Opener “Tomorrow” showcases Malin Dahlstrom’s vocals, which (as lazy as this may sound) sound like a combination of Bjork, Karin Andersson (The Knife, Fever Ray), and a little bit of Florence Welch. The hook is spectacular as Dahlstrom belts out ”Oh, if tomorrow comes/ I wanna waste my love on you” while Gustaf Karlof’s synths shimmer. The album then rolls into some decent jams, including “The Drummer,” but things really take off in the album’s gut.
“Somebody” is Instinct’s centerpiece. The heartbeat drumming builds up to a cacophony of synths, thud-thuding beats, and Dahlstrom’s screeching voice. The 80s throw back glistens even during the creepy breakdown. It’s a powerhouse of a song. As is the following track, “Love to the Test.” A down-tempo song that dances on the edge of R&B as the songstress sings, “The first time I saw you/ I saw you/ I thought maybe ‘can I hold you?’/ What’s the time and what’s your number boy?/ I can’t wait to get to know you/ To know you.” “DJ, Ease My Mind,” which can be found on the band’s EP is also a stand out but takes some time to grow. Dahlstrom pushes out the hook that eventually burrows its way into your mind and clicks.
“The Gentle Roar” is a wild song but Dahlstrom comes way too close to sounding like Fever Ray. The song is too “bright” for Fever Ray but the vocals are almost exchangeable as she whispers “Born on a Friday/ Keys on the table.” ”The Drummer,” also on the EP, is a fun 80s throwback pop song that is easy to digest. It may not be the most challenging thing on the record but it’s still great to get down to.
Unfortunately, Instinct ends on a bad note as the few closing tracks are dull and hollow. “The Fox,” a single that also showed up on the EP, is a dizzy track that hides in the shadows of the other songs. “Winterheart” and the 8 minute “Under the Bridges” have moments of brightness but overall fall flat.
Niki & the Dove’s debut effort is a nice one. Although their sound may not be the most innovative and even sound very familiar at times they know how to create (for the most part) rememberable hooks and fun pop songs that often times pack a powerful punch. You’ll find yourself singing Dahlstrom’s lyrics throughout your day, which will undoubtedly bring a smile to your face.
Watch the music video for “Tomorrow” below:
Santigold
Master of My Make-Believe
7.0/10
A lot has changed in four years — the amount of time Santigold put out her last and first record. Even Santigold changed herself (besides her name): she’s been put through the ringer in a way. She’s now signed to a bigger label and working with bigger producers and has been exposed to more musicians and collaborations. And after waiting for four long years for Santi to follow up her then-self-titled debut we get a limp and lackluster collection of songs that hides in the shadows of her first LP.
Looking back, Santogold was a bit uneven itself. Sure it had powerhouse tracks, like the singles “L.E.S. Artistests,” “Creator,” “Lights Out,” and others but I don’t think the record held up as well as we all thought it would at the time. But Santigold’s sophomore album lacks the charm her debut had and the mid-tempo tracks, which make up most of the album, are faceless and a bit hollow.
But let’s start with the good: opener “GO!” featuring the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Karen O. (and produced by the band’s guitarist Nick Zinner) is one of the strongest tracks. The hook is viable and Santi sounds focused and sound. The single “Disparate Youth” is a step down but still is an enjoyable tack but it doesn’t even come close to the highlights on her debut. “The Riot’s Gone” is an emotional almost ballad track where Santi finally makes a personal connection. She sounds tired but in a good way. The production (thanks to Zinner’s “Maps” guitar work) also boosts the song. The new wave “The Keepers” is a fun song but fails in comparison to something like “I’m a Lady.” The closer “Big Mouth” echoes the best of Santigold and melts a number of genres into one cohesive track.
There are a number of decent tracks on Make-Believe but none of them emerge as a representation of a Santigod Song. Surely, the other tracks I’ve yet to mention achieve that. The sloppy “Pirate in the Water” is a reggae and indie pop mashup that does not deliver. “God from the Machine” is another flat track with boring guitars flowing over marching drums and Santi sounding like she’d rather be anywhere else but recording this song.
On “The Fame” Santi sound way too much like M.I.A. — someone she’s been compared to often. Yeah, it may sound lazy calling her a M.I.A. copycat but jesus “The Fame” is just some straight up copycatting bullshit. While “Freak Like Me” is a pretty good jam it’s hard not to recall Gwen Stefani’s mega-hit “Rich Girl” as the melodies (which actually come from a song of the same name in FIddler on the Roof). Even though “Look at These Hoes” is decent it sound’s Wil.i.am produced it (not a good thing) or it was left off some Black Eyed Peas album but Santi polished it up.
Master of My Make-Believe is a clear letdown. Santi will have her fans but things on her second LP are muddled: too many ideas that don’t blend full of empty lyrics and stale hooks. Things feel too constructed and try-too-hard to achieve a person/view point that doesn’t really feel like Santigold. I’ve seen her live and I know she has personality, charm, charisma and talent but there are only a few moments that all of her strong traits shine through.
Watch the video for “Disparate Youth” below:
Magic Wands
Aloha Moon
6.7/10
In 2009 the Nashville, Tenn., band Magic Wands dropped an unexpected and magnificent EP called Magic Love and Dreams. And honestly — it was one of my favorite things from that year and something I kept coming back to. The five tracks were indie pop at it’s best. But after 2009 the duo, which is made up of Chris and Dexy Valentine, fell of the radar for awhile until they released their debut LP, Aloha Moon. At it’s best the music here is nonthreatening and doesn’t push any boundaries. But at it’s worst the album suggests that Magic Wands’ EP was a fluke and the band will be scrubbed away by better, stronger and talented musicians that tout a cause.
I guess that’s my biggest problem with Magic Wands: while their music for the most part is good, there’s a void and emptiness that its pretty apparent. The duo are spewing what they believe hipsters want to hear in an indie pop band. There isn’t too much going on besides some catchy hooks and melodies but there isn’t enough of those to carry you through the entire LP. The title track “Aloha Moon” is kind of a strange concept to go for. Hawaii and the beach and that aesthetic I guess has been done to death with chillwave and the revival of surf rock but Magic Wands don’t even execute that to its fullest. If that’s what you’re going to name your record I expect more beachness to go along with it.
The best thing about Aloha Moon are the tracks that came from the band’s EP, including “Black Magic” and “Teenage Love.” But even on the latter song, there is something lost in the newer version. I can’t put my finger on it but it lacks the confidence the EP had. Some of them are reworked and others are left as is. For the new cuts, “Kaleidoscope Hearts” is a standout.
The other songs range from forgettable to bland to fluff. Although “Crystal” is somewhat catchy, it is just way too typical of a song to be on this record by a band named Magic Wands. “Space” is a decent track but again, it goes right through you. “Wolves” is the least appealing song on Aloha Moon with its “dark” synths just hanging in the abyss that the track has created for itself.
It’s a shame to see Magic Wands go by the wayside like this. But in a completive world of cutesie indie bands that churn out reverbed, synth drenched songs about the beach and having your heart broken etc you have to bring something strong or important to the table. The fact of the matter is, a few catchy hooks won’t take you that far unless the entire LP is a cohesive sound PACKED with pop melodies that bristle in the glowing summer sun. But unfortunately for Magic Wands, their debut record will be shrugged off for albums that are what Aloha Moon tries to be.
Listen to the reworked version of “Kiss Me Dead” below:
CFCF
Exercises
7.9/10
Recommended
Mike Silver’s latest EP/mini-album is one of his strongest efforts. Silver, better known as CFCF, composes eight ethereal tracks that elegantly flow thanks to piano loops and righteous sampling. Exercises is a clear indication that Silver is departing from his older sound that he established on 2009’s full-length Continent and is more in tune with the Night Bus mixes he made last year.
As I just hinted, “Exercise #5 (September)” is the standout and is CFCF’s take on David Sylvain’s song of the same name. Silver’s voice makes the track what it is and elevates the song far past the other tracks on the EP. Perhaps if he included vocals on the other songs, we’d have something super stellar here.
Opening track “Exercise #1(Entry)” sets the mood perfectly and is just the right thing to open the album. The following song, “Exercises #2 (School)” also is a beautiful track. Pretty much everything here goes down easy but at times sounds don’t differentiate from each other as much as I wish and the backend of Exercises becomes muddled. Nevertheless, the mood of this EP is exactly what I want to hear in 2012 and from CFCF.
Although none of the songs come close to resemble Silver’s remix of Elite Gymnastic’s “Here in Heaven” there is still a sense of a Tokyo aesthetic in all 8 tracks and everything is just incredibly sexy. I really, really hope, however, that CFCF somehow embodies that remix in his next release and takes things further. It is probably one of my favorite things of the year and I just want every CFCF song to sound like that single remix. Can you really blame me though?
Listen to CFCF’s “Exercise #5 (September)” below:
Dawn Richard
Armor On EP
8.4/10
Must Listen
Dawn Richard isn’t an A-list pop star. She probably boarders B or C or maybe even D. If you don’t know who she is you’re probably not alone. She’s not a new artist — Richard has been around for awhile as a member of the P. Diddy created group, Danity Kane. She’s released some solo stuff but nothing that has impacted the/my music world…until now. On her “EP” (kind of weird calling it an EP as it clocks in at 38 minutes and has 10 tracks but I’m not one to argue) Armor On the pop star puts out a cohesive and lush record, full of deep, strong and chiseled songs.
The best thing about Richard’s EP is the production. It’s off the chain. Each beat, loop, sound effect, autotune is placed in exactly the right spot. The tone this record has is borderlines night bus and the R&B star sounds like her and her team drew inspiration from someone like Burial.
The lead single “Bombs” is one of the best tracks on Armor On. Although Richard’s voice isn’t something to remember her swag combined with the sick production turn “Bombs” from an ordinary pop/R&B song into something magical. “Automatic” is another fierce standout. Richard is commanding with her vocals while beats boom and spiral throughout the track. Although “Faith” sounds like it leaned too much on Drake’s “Take Care” and borrowed from Rihanna’s “We Found Love” it still holds on. A piano riff loops over Richard chanting “You never lost faith in me.” The track then explodes with handclaps and futuristic synths electrocuting your eardrums.
“Black Lipstick” is where the production sounds most like Burial with the fast tin-can drumming and the spacey synths echoing around each other. The hook here and even the versus are killer, once again due to Richard’s powerful attitude. “Change” and “Heaven” are both amazing track full of throbbing melodies and sexy tones. The latter track sounds like 808s and Heartbreaks Kanye West had his way with it as Richard’s voice is doused in auto tone and jungle drums pound away.
Armor On does lose a little steam towards the end, however. “Scripture” isn’t terrible but when put against the other tracks on the record it cowers in fear. “Save You From Me (Remix)” is bland and forgettable but “Outro (Battle)” is somewhat of a pick-me-up and ends the EP on a decent note.
Richard’s latest effort comes out of nowhere and is a force to be reckoned with although it will most likely and unfortunately never make an impact on the charts. Nevertheless, any fan of R&B and pop should check this out and get the word around. It’s an brilliant sounding record that punches and grabs you right in the gut.
Watch the video for “Bombs” below:
Spiritualized
Sweet Heart Sweet Light
8.5/10
Recommended
The iconic British space rock band Spiritualized are BACK. Fronted by mastermind Jason Pierce, the band’s founder and only consistant member, Spiritualized follow up their 2008 LP with Sweet Heat Sweet Light — a heartfelt album full of pure right-on-the-nose indie rock; spiced up with organs and booming choirs.
The band’s lead singer “Hey Jane” is hands down the best thing here and a strong contender for song of the year. It clocks in at nearly 9 minutes long but not one second is wasted. The song is alive — it has personality with its building guitars and Pierce’s Lou Reed vocals.
Although I don’t have much experience with Spiritualized, this album echoes the Velvet Underground. This is probably a really stupid thing to say in a review but whatever. Sounds of White Light/ White Heat and The Velvet Underground and even Loaded drip in and out of Sweet Light. The sweet song “Little Girl” (an other strong track) bleeds Reedness and the sunny pop 60s aesthetic. But Pierce isn’t merely playing copy cat: there is a strong sense of modern indie rock that is injected to each track.
But the throwbacks shine the best like on the honest “Life is a Problem” where Pierce earnestly sings about Jesus. It’s refreshing and nice to hear. Even if you’re not religious the goal of the song is a pleasant one. The closing track “So Long You Pretty Thing” (David Bowie?) is a booming, glowing finale to a solid record of glorious rock songs, like “Too Late” and “Mary.”
Sweet Light may be my first introduction to Spiritualized but it did not disappoint at all. I hate to sound ignat in my review here but I really enjoyed this album and I don’t have the time to checkout the band’s full discography or Pierce’s Spaceman 3 etc. Nevertheless, you don’t need to be a Spiritualized expert to realize that the band’s latest effort is a brilliant one.
Watch the awesome music video for “Hey Jane” below:
Moonface
With Siiani: Heatbreaking Bravery
8.8/10
Must Listen
Spencer Krug is in like 500 bands. Or at least he has spawned 500 bands? Whatever but the guy is in a lot of bands makes a lot of music and when you make THAT much music a lot of it isn’t going to be that good. I don’t think anyone really LOVES Frogs Eyes besides Krug superfans. Anyway, at the same hand, you’re going to end up making some really great music ie: Wolf Parade’s Apologies to the Queen Mary and just about all of Sunset Rubdown’s albums. Last year Krug went sorta-solo with his debut LP under the moniker Moonface. Organ Music Not Vibraphone Like I’d Hoped was a decent effort but suffered from a lack of editing. The elements were there though: stunning writing, lush sounds and of course Kurg’s unmistakable vocals. But with Moonface’s second record, With Siiani: Heartbreaking Bravery, Krug summons the power of Bruce Springsteen (a kind of surprising source of inspiration) but more importantly, he is incredibly focused and instead of turning out a mixed-bag we get a brilliant and cohesive album that offers some of Krug’s best music to date.
The opener “Heartbreaking Bravery” easily sets the tone for the LP. Slow drums rattle on over a wailing guitar and Krug coos, well, heartbreaking lyrics, “I want your sex/ but I’m not a fox with blood-stained lips/ standing over the kill,” “When you see names of angels on the back of your eyelids/ they look like they were carved in a fit of violence” and “I am afraid/ you are the cure” the heart-wrenching chorus goes. “Yesterday’s Fire” is one of the most Springsteen-y tracks on Bravery. Krug even sounds like him on some spots, changing up his elastic voice into a masculine and confident sound. Although half of “Shitty City” is a guitar-explosion and a build up with spastic synths and pounding drums, once Krug kicks in the lyrics the song jumps to another level: “We should have gotten smart/ we should have gotten good/ we should have gotten out of this town/ while we could” he sings in a sort of deadpan vocal.
But the real centerpiece here is “Quick Fire, I Tried” — a song that builds upon itself with fun bongos and a taste of piano here and there that ties up the song beautifully. Once again, the brilliant singer pounds out lyrics like “I tried to take your gifts/ but I cannot change the way I hate those objects” and “I tried to be good/ but my fathers live inside me like old servants.” Another amazing standout is “Headed for the Door,” which is an eiree track that very slowly builds and builds. Its execution, however, is so spot on it’s impossible not to be enamored with the song. And yes, you guessed it, the lyrics are breathtaking “She was searching for an answers but the answer was a war,” Krug sings just before the song erupts. The two closing tracks, “Teary Eyed and Bloody Lips” (“Teary eyes and bloody lips/ make you look like Stevie Nicks) and “Lay Your Cheek on Down” (“To wrap your arms around the boulder/ because it is the only thing/ and the wisest thing around/ Lay your cheek on down”) are flooring and end just on the right note.
Bravery shows that Krug is an insane and brilliant musician. Some argue that he is one of the best songwriters of our generation and I have to argue that in his favor. Although his vocals have been both praised and slammed there is something wonderful about it. Just like his lyrics his voice is raw, ugly and straightforward. I don’t think another singer could really pull off what Krug is able to do — and that totally shows on this Moonface album. Krug is able to restrain himself in all the right areas and each song ends up being fantastic. There really isn’t anything to hate on this album as there are usually on other Krug records. On Bravery Krug and the Moonface crew hit a homerun and nail everything with a stunning amount of intellect and poise.
Listen to standout “Headed for the Door” below:
I know I know I’m super late with this list this year — but I had a difficult time picking 10 films that I REALLY loved in 2011. Some movies were beyond perfect but overall I don’t think 2011 was the best year for moviegoers. Nevertheless, I’ve picked 10 films I personally loved. Mind you, I’m no movie critic at all but I think it’s fun to share. So in standard Rate That Album fashion, I’ll give three words that I feel best describe the film (as I did in 2009 and 2010). So here they are!:
10. Weekend
Adorable. Real. Hopeful.
09. Contagion
Engaging. Unsettling. Nerve-racking.
08. Melancholia
Aggravating. Depressing. Empty.
07. Another Earth
Adventurous. Weird. Lovely.
06. Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Light. Hilarious. Surprising.
05. The Skin I Live In
Sickening. Shocking. Dynamic.
04. The Artist
Adorable. Sincere. Unique.
03. Midnight in Paris
Brilliant. Different. Pretty.
02. The Tree of Life
Breathtaking. Stunning. Classic.
01. Drive
Badass. Slick. Couture.