Hum - Downward Is Heavenward

Thanksgiving is coming up! I'm really looking forward to a weekend at home. I'm going to eat till I puke, play some guitar, hang out with family & friends, and probably drink till I puke a second time. What more could a guy ask for?

I have work I should be doing, so I'm going to make this really quick.

Today's album: Hum - Downward is Heavenward

Genre: Alternative Rock, Grunge
Released: 1997
Running time: 10 tracks, 52:04
In a nutshell: Grunge astronauts rock the fuck out!!

The 90's is definitely my favorite decade for rock (the 70's being a close second), probably because of all the left turns the genre took. The departure from blues-based, guitar-hero antics really allowed artists to explore the rock format to its fullest extremes. Bands like Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine pioneered new soundscapes of guitar noise, while other talents such as Billy Corgan developed them into chart-topping pop. Meanwhile, self-proclaimed pariahs criticized society on behalf of a new, directionless generation; Kurt Cobain did so rather abrasively, Billy Joe used a mix of humor and lust, and Brad Nowell...well, his death illustrated a sort of wise complacency that cast his songwriting in a similar light.

So that was what 90's rock looked like, and while Hum doesn't look any different, they definitely found a unique niche for themselves. Mixing the distortion and drive of grunge with shoegaze drones, and even some metal technicality, at times they seem like the best of all worlds. Hum departs from stereotypical 90's rock with lyrical content and vocal style. For the most part, these songs are introspective in a way that comes off as either peaceful or melancholy, but never angry or frustrated. This is strange because singer Matt Talbott shows he can muster a fairly powerful Cobain-growl when he feels like it, which isn't often. Usually, he sings plainly, almost dispassionately, while his band pounds and roars behind him. The overall effect is quite unique, even if the components aren't.

O.W.L. - Of Wondrous Legends

It's been a little over a month since I last posted. I know, I'm such a slacker. Actually, I've been busy trying to convince myself to so schoolwork, and subsequently doing said schoolwork. It's a very time-consuming process. I have an hour or so to kill, so here we are.

Today's album: O.W.L. - Of Wondrous Legends

Genre: Psychadelic, Folk
Released: March 2008, recorded 1971
Running time: 12 tracks, 50:21
In a nutshell: Knights, kings, and carnivals

Apparently this album was originally recorded by Stephen Titra back in 1971, but it was never released to the public. Some hipster record-freak dug up some test pressings and decided to share it with the world last spring.

Did the world really need to listen to this record? Well, maybe we didn't need to, but I think it was an hour well spent. The album is an ornate mix of old, Western European folk and psychadelic rock. This was by no means a new combination; a lot of British rock bands have done this, such as Small Faces, and even Led Zeppelin to a lesser extent. O.W.L. shoots for the same general aesthetic, but with less emphasis on blues, rock, and eclectic psychadelia.

Instrumentally, the band sounds incredible, creating an intricate flow of acoustic folk instruments, flute and wind, xylophone, melodic bass and percussion. The melodies are often sound very medieval-classical, but there are also elements of blues, jazz, and even bossa nova here. My personal favorite is the third track, Be Alive, which adorns a bouncy acoustic guitar with jazzy electric piano, and a catchy bass melody. The musicians are usually virtuosic without being overwhelmingly "progressive".

Lyrically, Titra often tries to transport the listener to a somewhat fantastical version of medieval Europe through musical narrative. A Tale of a Crimson Knight is exactly that; a tale of a knight's encounter with an enchanting maiden. The longest track on the record, Midnight Carnival, matches lyrical description of the setting with alternating currents of groovy psych-rock and woozy atmospherics. The effect is often a bit cheezey, but I think I'd fall for it if I was high enough. This is definitely a stoner/geek album; it takes either drugs or an overactive imagination to really become absorbed in the environment that Titra creates.

This is not to say that this is a concept album, telling a story with a beginning, middle, and end. Titra uses his medieval medium for introspection (in Be Alive), and even political righteousness (Everyman and the Philosopher King). So I think that, on the rare occasion where I feel like smoking a bowl and listening to something this nerdy, I'd rather go all out and listen to something like The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.

Crocodiles - Summer of Hate

I'm gonna make this one rather quick. I have a ton of shit to do, and this happens to be my current mode of procrastination.

Today's album: Crocodiles - Summer of Hate
Genre: Indie Rock, Shoegaze, Noise Punk
Released: 2009
Running time: 9 tracks, 33:59
In a nutshell: Yet another noise-punk duo captures our attention

Is pop-punk done yet? I'm actually asking you because I honestly don't know. I still listen to pop-punk albums I was in to about 5-7 years ago for the sake of nostalgia, but otherwise I feel like I've grown out of the genre. It was (still is?) cheezy fun, but I'm not 17 anymore.

That being said, I'm beginning to see a new pop-punk trend forming in indie/hipster circles: the lo-fi, noise-punk duo. As far as I can tell this started with No Age, and has gained momentum with bands like Wavves and Japandroids. These bands are freakin' cool, in that unmistakably high school way; that is to say, cool without reason. Cool without money, without football field conquests, without glitz or glam. They are cool with raw charisma, or more specifically, raw hooks. They supplement these hooks with thoughtful, spirited, and often messy sonic soundscapes. This is their way of rebelling against the structures that make them cool; in other words, this is what gives their cool substance.

So, are Crocodiles jumping onto this bandwagon? Maybe. They definitely have the hooks and charisma needed to hang with the cool kids. Their radio hit, I Wanna Kill, is brilliantly catchy, dirty, and yes, probably stolen. Refuse Angels buzzes and screeches with fast-paced feedback, like a JAMC song about to derail.

Other tracks, such as the stompy waltz of Flash of Light, seem to reign the noise in a little more. In fact, I would say that the entire album's use of effects is much more directed than you might expected. The result may not be totally original, but it's incredibly enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed the slow, psychadelic parade of Here Comes the Sky. Overall, there seems to be more of an effort to please here, which ironically makes Summer of Hate less of a sellout than you might think, given the pretentious abrasiveness of current trends.

Yea. Take that pitchfork.

Drag the River - It's Crazy

It's been a shitty week. Nothin' like a whiskey-soaked alt-country album to match my mood. Check it out.

Today's album: Drag the River - It's Crazy

Genre: Alt-Country
Released: June 6, 2006
Running time: 13 tracks, 1:09:15
In a nutshell: Crack open a beer and enjoy the twang

I just listened to this for the first time, and absolutely loved it. I've always had a soft spot in my heart for country, having been raised on country radio. Of course I realize that contemporary country radio has less to do with actual country, and more to do with sugar-coated Americana, but when you're young you'll latch onto just about anything that catchy.

To be fair, Drag the River isn't 100% country either; they definitely belong in the alt-country niche. The band actually has a punk background, which is reflected in the music; a few of the songs have a bit more drive than you'd expect from traditional country. Even the slower drawl of Fire & Flood ends with a shockingly abrasive guitar solo, totally overpowering the otherwise complacent rhythm section. Beatuiful & Damned also adds just a hint of distortion to the slide-guitar for a rather unnerving effect. For the most part, however, the album features all the rollicking twang you'd probably expect.

What really distinguishes this album is the lyrics. These aren't exactly rednecks...or perhaps they are, but they seem to feel a bit out of place nonetheless. The theme of alcohol is fairly consistent, but is often used to convey a deeper sort of emotional turmoil. In other words, there aren't any point-blank narratives here. At the same time, the album avoids gutter-depression with some really fun songs, especially the 3 song suite of Amazing G-Dirty Lips-Cousins.

The final track on the album is a 30 minute reprise of the entire album, but it sounds more or less the same. Some of the songs sound like they have been mixed a bit better, such as album highlight Me & Joe Drove Out to California, but otherwise there isn't much of a difference.

This is definitely recommended. It's 5 o'clock, I'm on my second beer of many, and I'm feeling a lot better. I hope everyone has a great weekend. Hasta luego...

Now, Now Every Children - Cars

I fixed my speakers! It was as easy as opening them up, finding what looked like a loose wire of some sort, reconnecting it, and BAM! I can listen to music again. What a relief! I really didn't want to spend money on new ones.

Today's Album: Now, Now Every Children - Cars

Genre: Indie Rock
Released: due February 10, 2009
Running time: 11 tracks, 38:30
In a nutshell: Dynamic female-fronted indie rock

This band is new to me only in the sense that I haven't listened to them before. Their formula is instantly familiar, and very enjoyable, even if it's not very interesting. Now, Now Every Car is your typical girl-fronted indie rock band; feminine without being effeminate, heavy without weight, light without delicacy. Definitely listen to this if you're into Metric, or maybe Tegan and Sara, and don't mind sacrificing their hooks for a little bit of spirit.

I think I'm onto something there. I couldn't really say why I like this album at first; the crunchy guitars, tight beats, and silky smooth vocals are consistent to the point of being a bit dreary. I think it's a matter of spirit. This kind of stuff will really hit the spot if you're in the mood, and I think there may be a good deal of substance to explore in the lyrics.

The most interesting moments on the album come when the band plays the 'adorable/quirky' card. My favorite track is We Know Martha Webber, a song with heavy keyboards and oddball lyrics; I'll ask my friends on the internet / if twenty-five cents is cause for excitement...
I could picture this band doing a suburban-epic sort of album, like the Arcade Fire's Funeral. Such an undertaking would require a little more BANG! out of them, but I think the format would work.

Guided by Voices - Bee Thousand

Hi there! I've got about an hour to kill, so I thought I'd write some. This is good practice; school starts this Thursday, and it's time to start kicking my brain into gear.

Today's album: Guided by Voices - Bee Thousand

Genre(s): Indie Rock, Lo-fi
Released: June 20, 1994
Running time: 20 songs, 43:27
In a nutshell: tape-hiss bliss

One of my all time favorites has popped up today. This is good, I am totally in the mood for this music.

Bee Thousand is an indie cult classic, the masterpiece of GBV's songwriting duo, Robert Pollard and Tobin Sprout. I think it takes a couple of listens to really get this album, partly because the fuzzy lo-fi aesthetic doesn't come easily to everyone, and partly because of Pollard's schizo lyrics. If you can digest these aspects, then it comes to you: these songs are fucking catchy. And there is no filler! They could have taken a handful of these songs, extended them by a couple of minutes (most of the tracks are under two minutes), added filler songs, and still have had a nice album filled with rich moments.

In my head, I used to compare Pollard/Sprout to Lennon/McCartney. They do have some similarities; for one, they both have the same good-cop-bad-cop thing going on. Sprout adds a more sensitive, poppy sound to Pollard's rough, psych-punk tendencies, although he tends to contribute less than McCartney did (Sprout wrote 5 of the 20 tracks on Bee Thousand). Both songwriting teams also split up to pursue rather flat solo careers. Sprout's mewing sensitivity is boring without Pollard's louder musicianship, and Pollard's wacky imagination is too raw without Sprout's pop sensibilities.

I've never listened to any other GBV albums, mostly because I'm still stuck on this one. I have Do the Collapse, and I'm a little bit afraid to listen to it as it is frequently referred to as GBV's "clean album". I used to have time to listen to albums I knew I would hate, but I have been extra busy lately. That's fine by me.

Until next time, friends!

Flying Lotus - L.A. EP 3x3

I wasn't planning on posting today, but I'm not in the mood to finish packing or run the other million errands I have to run, so I'll procrastinate a bit.

New Philly tonight! Woo!

Today's album: Flying Lotus - L.A. Ep 3x3

Genre(s): Instrumental Hip-hop, Indie electronic
Released: due in a couple months or so?
Running time: 7 tracks, 28:42

Today's album is actually an EP; the third in a set of three being released by Flying Lotus. The EPs contain a couple new tracks, but are mainly remixes and re-imaginings of the tracks from his 2008 album titled Los Angeles.

I don't usually spend a lot of time listening to EPs. I feel like they usually exist either as an afterthought or a preview to their companion LPs. As a preview, they can be exciting if they represent a new direction the artist is taking, but as an afterthought EPs only really work if the prior album has been picked clean by a listener who is still hungry for more.

I've never listened to Los Angeles, but I think I'm going to have to now. Upon first listen, I couldn't help but feel a little let down. There were good beats on about 3 of the 7 tracks. The rest of the EP was slow-burning ambiance, like the aptly titled track Endless White. Where beats were actually present, they were glitchy and dissonant. It was obvious to me that these were meticulously crafted songs, but I suppose that the reason I felt let down was that they lacked the swagger and confidence one expects to hear in a hip-hop track.

Doing a bit of research on the EPs didn't make them any more enjoyable to listen to, but they did spark my interest in Los Angeles and Flying Lotus as an artist. First off, he is related somehow to the Coltranes (I think Alice Coltrane was his aunt?), and there's probably enough talent in that family tree to last generations. Second, apparently his tracks are featured on Adult Swim wipes. Listen to the track Grapsicles, you might recognize it. Third, I have yet to find a bad review of Los Angeles. I'm gonna have to check this out.

It'll probably be a while before I find time to post again. Until then...get yo shit!

Indian Jewelry - Free Gold!

Hello, dearest friends. Another beautiful day, another beautiful album. I only have two days left in San Diego! I'll miss my friends, but I can't wait to be back in school...

Today's album: Indian Jewelry - Free Gold!


Genre(s): Psychadelic Rock, Shoegaze, Experimental
Released: May 20, 2008
Running Time: 14 songs, 50:45
In a nutshell: pretty drones, no real songs

I think I've listened to this album in its entirety just once. I never listened to it again, because it's a bit tiring. Basically, this band focuses on recreating the 60's psychadelic sound with new, shoegaze textures. The guitars sound Eastern underneath the layers of distortion and effects, and they tend to just drone along with the unremarkable rhythm section. This format is wonderful at first, but the absence of any real hooks or discernible lyrical content makes the album as a whole seem dull. Then again, if you plug in your headphones and really pay attention, you might find the sheer amount of detail packed into every song rewarding.

I'm hungover. Time to pick up my little brother, and then maybe take a nap. Peace!

The Velvet Underground and Nico

Good morning! How 'bout them Chargers? They had me biting my nails last night. Let's see what we've got today, iTunes...

Today's album: The Velvet Underground & Nico

Genre(s): Classic Rock, Proto-punk
Released: January, 1967
Running Time: 11 tracks, 48:51
In a nutshell: seminal classic rock

There's not a lot to say about this album that hasn't already been said a million times before. This is, after all, a critic's album: it was widely acclaimed, but made very little money initially.

What really strikes me about this music is how Lou Reed and Nico mix glam and grit. A lot of Lou Reed's songs are dirty, lo-fi rock pieces about scoring drugs, the prime example of this being the screechingly loud Run Run Run. When Nico steps up to the plate, the infielders move in, so to speak. The music becomes much cleaner to match her exotic vocals, but at the same time the band still finds ways to muck it up just a bit. Take, for example, the stuttering of the eastern guitar lines in All Tomorrow's Parties. The hiccups in the guitar's timing, along with the slightly-too-heavy bass/drum combo make the song a little more unnerving than your typical 60's psychadelic trip.

I regret not owning this record on vinyl. I'd love to hear it with some crackle and pop, au naturel. This album is also a lot better if listened to as loud as possible. This is definitely a lo-fi album; you won't get anything from it with a pair of headphones.

First post! Sigur Ros - ( )

Hi! My name is Darick, but my friends call me Deekay. You can call me Deekay too. Don't worry, you aren't being presumptuous in doing so.

I love music. In fact, I love music so much that I am not content with simply listening to it. I have to think about it, and now, write about it too. Every day (or as often as possible), I will set my iTunes on shuffle and write about the album that pops up. My taste in music is more or less indiscriminate, and my collection is large and growing. Actually, there is a lot of music loaded into iTunes that I haven't even gotten around to listening to yet. So I suppose this blog is as much a personal record of my own explorations as it is something I would like to share with other enthusiasts.

Today's album: Sigur Ros - ( )
Genre(s): Indie, Post-Rock, Ambient
Released: October, 2002
Running Time: 8 tracks, 1:11:47
In a nutshell: Zzzzzzzzz....

There are a lot of Sigur Ros fans out there, I suppose. I'm not really one of them, but I'll admit that it's very good music. This particular album isn't really doing much for me.

I think Sigur Ros both epitomizes, and somewhat evades the post-rock genre. For those of you who aren't familiar with the term, post-rock refers to instrumental rock which usually focuses on a quiet-loud-quiet formula to create a sense of drama. Unlike ambient music, which will lie quietly in the background until the listener chooses to pluck interesting details from it, post-rock tends to slowly creep up on you, eventually hitting you with something loud and dramatic. Sigur Ros often manages to evade the post-rock label because of its strange vocals, crooned in a made up language. The vocals give Sigur Ros a poppier sound on other albums, making them more immediately rewarding.

But not on ( ). This album has all the post-rock build-up with none of the character. I would suggest only listening to track 7, which is the album's 13 minute magnum opus. The track starts with cold ambiance coupled with slow, melancholic vocals. As the instrumentation builds up in volume, the pace never changes. Much of the album is like this, making the listener sift through endless shades of gray. You have to be in a specific mood to listen to this, and even then it is probably better to just have it on in the background.