The Annuals debut CD – BE HE ME, is a joyous musical celebration
that also uses, in unpretentious ways, ‘found sounds’, i.e. the sound of crickets.
This band has been compared to that seminal 90’s goup, OLIVIA TREMOR CONTROL,
for their use of quirky twists in the music. For all their technical bravado, they do not lose
sight of the emotional states at the core of the music. When it all comes together, as in
‘Brother’, ‘Fair’, and ‘Sway’, the results are awe-inspiring.
The sound is full, confident and straight ahead exuberant. Not to be missed, if you
like a ‘white man’s’ reggae !
Artwork by Jaime Jones
ANNUALS, BE HE ME copyright Ace Fu 2006
~Annuals |
Posted in Indie Music Reviews | By Simon Cerigo | November 28th, 2006, 3:32pm
Let me begin by saying that JOANNA NEWSOM’S 2003 debut CD, Milk-eyed Mender,
was probably one of the best CDs of that year, so the expectations for her second release,
were very high. I’ve been anxiously waiting for this CD for a year and a half.
In fact, 2 years ago, I heard an early bottlegged version of “Cosima” – what became,
in a more refined version, the 5th and last song on her new CD, titled Ys.
And just like the GRIZZLY BEAR CD, YELLOW HOUSE , this is a serious
musical document that reveals its gems, only through serious listening. The songs
run long, averaging between 10 and 15 minutes each, therefore I would recommend
that the listener play one song at a time, and really get a feel for it, before moving
forward.
The involvement of Van Dyke Parks, Steve Albini, and Jim O’Rourke, makes
for a state-of-the-art Indie production.
This is a great CD, even though, or maybe because, it makes demands on the listener.
Painting by: Benjamin A. Vierling
Design by: Richard Good
JOANNA NEWSOM, Ys, 2006 Drag City, Chicago
~Joanna Newsom |
Posted in Indie Music Reviews | By Simon Cerigo | November 16th, 2006, 2:04pm
The new GRIZZLY BEAR CD, YELLOW HOUSE, is a fine example of the
experimental direction some Indie groups are taking. This Brooklyn based group,
which has been compared to ANIMAL COLLECTIVE, because of their use of the human
voice as an instrument, has made a serious musical document. Having said that, the
listeners’ approach to the music must be serious. Casual entertainment seekers
might not be fulfilled by this music. The tracks should be approached one at a time,
it takes a few listens to get into the nuances of each song.
One of the best songs is “Knife” – a roller coaster ride of musical highs and lows,
with great lyrics to boot.
If you are willing to put in the time – the rewards will be huge.
Photography by: Patryce Bak
Design by: Ben Tousley
GRIZZLY BEAR, YELLOW HOUSE, 2006 WARP RECORDS, LONDON
~Grizzly Bear |
Posted in Indie Music Reviews | By Simon Cerigo | November 16th, 2006, 1:53pm
The CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH self-titled debut CD from summer 2005
is one of the stongest and most uplifting independent disks of last year.
It’s funny how the lead vocalist sounds like the lead singer from James –
that great English group from the early 90’s. How refreshing to come across
an Indie group that can really rock on, as in “Upon This Tidal wave of Young Blood”,
one of the best songs on the CD, and possibly one of the best rock+roll anthem
songs ever, period.
Another great song in the same vein is “Let The Cool Goddess Rust Away”.
While “Details Of The War”, “Over and Over Again (Lost and Found)”, and
“In This Home On Ice” are not as hard driving, they are totally amazing in
their own right.
I also love the two sweet instrumental cuts, “Sunshine and Clouds (And
Everything Proud)”, and “Blue Turning Gray” – that are placed at the right
spots. “The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth” is another awesome song
that shows the early Talking Heads influence to great effect.
All you rockers out there: listen and weep; hopefully in celebration !
Art: Dasha Shishkin
Design: Robbie Guertin
ALL SONGS: 2005 CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH
clapyourhandssayyeah.com
~Clap Your Hands Say Yeah |
Posted in Indie Music Reviews | By Simon Cerigo | August 29th, 2006, 9:48am
BENJAMIN BRIDWELL (above left, both photos) and MAT BROOKE (right) of Band of Horses.
(Photos: Robin Laamanen – courtesy Sub Pop Records)
The debut CD of Band of Horse, EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME,
on first listen was so musically seductive and “sweet”, that I was suspicious as to its
substance. After several spins, that concern disappeared in the face of the dark gravity
of the lyrics.
Benjamin Bridwell and Mat Brooke, the core of this lyric and guitar rich band, have crafted
a CD filled with little, intimate, haunting pop-folk jewels, alongside big soaring epic guitar ballads.
The breadth and depth of the guitars owe a debt to that west coast guitar-god,
Doug Martsch aka BUILT TO SPILL, while the underlying, driving beat and tempo
(on the fast songs) remind me in a funny way of the early RAMONES.
All 10 songs are great and are placed in an order on the CD that is seamless.
The more elaborate songs: “The Funeral”, “The Great Salt Lake”, and “Monsters”
are good examples of the powerful beauty contained in this CD.
Play all the way through, and loud for best results.
Band of Horses, EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME, Sub Pop Records, 2006
~Band of Horses |
Posted in Indie Music Reviews | By Simon Cerigo | July 3rd, 2006, 2:13pm
The release of Beirut’s Gulag Orkestar on the Ba Da Bing! label
(home to that great noise band, The Spiney Ant Eaters) is important because it heralds
the arrival of a real musical talent, in the person of lyricist, vocalist, and
ukulele player, Zach Condon.
This debut is also very important because it points towards and adds to the loose
alternative music collection of bands known as the Elephant 6 Collective.
The main 90’s Elephant 6 Bands (Apples in Stereo, Neutral Milk Hotel,
Olivia Tremor Control, Gerbils, Minders, Of Montreal, etc.) have provided
us ‘authentic music nuts’ with music documents (i.e. CDs) of unparalleled beauty,
honesty and musical experimentation.
I highly recommend any of the Elephant 6 CDs. It is former Neutral Milk Hotel
bandmember Jeremy Barnes, who helped Zach Condon put the
Gulag Orkestar CD together and he also plays on several tracks.
This is why the CD might be mistaken for the new Neutral Milk Hotel release
we’ve all been waiting for.
Not to worry, Gulag Orkestar delivers on all of the goals of
musicality, authenticity and search for new sounds that has been the
target of the Elephant 6 family for the last 10 years. Other bands that are
in some way part of the Elephant 6 family are Beulah, Essex Green, Elf Power,
Marshmellow Coast, and Music Tapes.
Beirut, Gulag Orkestar, Ba Da Bing!
Mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side
scanned from the CD:
Cover photo (top photo) ” … found in a library in Leipzig torn out of a book.
If anybody knows the photographer, please get in touch.”
other photos by: Ben Goldberg
OTHER MUSIC, JUNE 12, 2006
Zach Condon, aka Beirut, (foreground) in black shirt, plays at an in-store concert
at OTHER MUSIC, on June 12, 2006.
with him Beirut tour band musician, Paul Collins.
Photo: Nancy Smith
more photos
~Beirut |
Posted in Indie Music Reviews | By Simon Cerigo | June 7th, 2006, 2:12pm
feels, the second CD by the New York based Animal Collective,
is probably the most important alternative CD of 2005. A real gem of an album,
it marches forward from where the Animal Collective left us in 2004,
when they released their legendary debut CD – Sung Tongs .
The feels CD, like Sung Tongs, continues the
Animal Collective’s search for new sounds, while at the same time being much
more accessible. In comparison to Sung Tongs, feels,
has a lot more lyrics, which help flesh out the meaning of the songs.
This does not stop the group from using those lyrics as an abstract sound
element in their quest to explore new sonic territory. Surprisingly all
this experimentation does not result in self-indulgence.
The new CD is as tight as Sung Tongs in its desire to create
new musical paths towards emotive authenticity.
It’s the sexiest experimental music we’ve ever heard . .
IF artlovers had a soundtrack – this would be it !
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE, feels, Fat Cat Records 2005
Layout by Rob Carmichael
animal collective
~Animal Collective |
Posted in Indie Music Reviews | By Simon Cerigo | April 26th, 2006, 10:07am
Cat Power’s new album, THE GREATEST is not a compilation of greatest hits,
though there are a couple of new versions of songs from previous albums. ‘WILLIE’ is a
shorter and more musically fleshed out version of ‘Willie Deadwilder’ from the
Speaking for Trees DVD + CD, while ‘THE MOON’ is from the
MOON PIX CD of 1998. The CD takes its name from the first song.
Chan Marshall aka Cat Power has produced a body of work the last 10 years
that can only be compared to Bob Dylan’s early folk albums and Blonde on Blonde,
for its authentic intimacy and quiet yet playful intensity. The problems she had
in her early live shows were the result of her trying to recreate that painful intimacy
in front of large audiences, after the Indie success of Moon Pix. Her
live performance (one set with acoustic guitar, second set with piano) at the smaller
Knitting Factory in the late 90’s just blew everyone there away.
For devouted fans of Cat Power, this latest CD might at first listen seem a bit uneven,
due to the introduction of alot of other instruments into the mix. Not to worry,
this is only another creative step in Chan Marshall’s relentless quest to conquer
the world of the heart.
CAT POWER, THE GREATEST, 2006 MATADOR RECORDS
Chan Marshall at CANADA, NYC, Sept 9, 2004
Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power, at the opening of: ‘The Somnus Collection, 2005’,
a multimedia exhibit by LILY LUDLOW & MARCELLA MULLINS, CANADA, NYC, Sept 9, 2004.
Photo: Nancy Smith
~Cat Power |
Posted in Indie Music Reviews | By Simon Cerigo | March 9th, 2006, 11:53am
