EPISODE 7 - Bangers & Thrash

EPISODE 7: BANGERS & THRASH

  

Song: Higher Ground

Artist: TNGHT

Album: TNGHT ****

Startin' this all off with a HUGE one! When it comes to the duo TNGHT, I will fully admit that I judged the book by it's cover with this release. Having known nothing about them and only seeing the name, I totally passed them off as another 'Capitalized-No-Vowels' generic indie pop group. I then found out TNGHT was a collab of Hudson Mohawke & Lunice. That was all it took to make me reconsider. WOW, I could not have been more wrong with my snap judgement. This EP is ALL bangers. Hip hop beats with original instrumentation layered over top. Heavy bass, heavy beats. Turn this up loud and nod that head.

Song: Elation

Artist: Jack Perejuan

Album: Elation ***

This Australian youngin' is the first of 2 entries on this episode & next, that had been featured in the amazing surf documentary 'Thirty Thousand'. It's a must see, even if you're not too down on the surfing front. It's just a well put together film about traveling down the west coast of Africa in search of waves. Fantastic soundtrack, it's even won awards for it. 'Elation' is a very poppy, very catchy and very aussie gem, that stands out on this soundtrack. We expect some big things from this fella down the line, keep an eye out.

  

Song: Today's Supernatural

Artist: Animal Collective

Album: Centipede Hz ****

 I don’t know how people review Animal Collective records. What do you add? What do you compare it to? You can’t really even compare them to other Animal Collective records… but I’ll try a little. Like most other albums, there’s less euphoria here than on Merriweather Post Pavillion. It’s less ‘feel good’. The screams are back. So is Deakin. Uh…. Maybe they shouldn’t let him sing? I read someone describe his voice as too ‘conversational’ for the aesthetic. Kind of a shame, but I feel the same way. I mean, great record, though. You have to hear it. There may be a time when it’s not important to hear what Animal Collective are doing, but we’re not there yet. Should be around the time that it starts to make sense to review their music.

Song: Wildest Moments

Artist: Jessie Ware

Album: Devotion ***

You may already recognize this voice, even if you don't know the name. She's appeared on a few different studio tracks with SBTRKT as well as performing live with them. This is her first album out on her own. Nothing really original or out of the ordinary, just a catchy ass pop song. Sometimes you just need that, amiright? The big drums at the beginning really remind me of The Big Pink's 'Dominoes', which is awesome in itself. A word of warning though, the chorus will end up in your head for hours afterwards. Fact.

Song: Reagan's Skeleton

Artist: Yeasayer

Album: Fragrant World ****

Saw these guys this summer. We got the mutant dance party we were expecting, and a kick out of their new 4th member, a presumably ironic caricature of a Latino percussionist complete with short pony tail and half open pink silk shirt. People capture the essence of the band when they talk about an uneasy marriage of future-funk and distopian alarmism. If you got out of the rain in Blade Runner’s LA and into a club, Yeasayer would be headlining. Even more so on this record than any before it. There’s not really a highlight as strong as ‘ONE’ from Odd Blood, but I’m a fan of a band refining their sound to its essence, and this is solid work toward that end front to back. 

Song: Carried Away

Artist: Passion Pit

Album: Gossamer ****

I, like many people, was not overly impressed when this release came out. It could have been that MTV was playing the shit out of 'Take a Walk', (which for the record, I still don't think is that strong of a song, or showcases what the album really has to offer. (Hey label guy who picks the singles, get your shit together.) Dismissing this album early on could have been because of my absolute love of the sugary goodness of their previous release 'Manners' and the fact that I felt like I wasn't instantly drawn in with these songs. Regardless, I was determined to give Gossamer a fair shot, and started to play it front to back a few more times. I now see how much deeper & darker of an album it really is. Passion Pit have released something here that shows their musical maturity level has upped itself tenfold in that this flows much more like an album of collective songs, rather than a bunch of catchy singles that don't relate. The synths are still there, the upbeat poppyness is still there, but they've done it in a way that would appeal to more than just the 16 year old Bieber-lovers. Give it an honest run front to back when you're on your next road trip, or on a sunday afternoon and I promise you'll see what the fuss is (or should have been) about.

Song: Hyped-Up Plus Tax
Artist: Dabrye
Album: One / Three ****

Ahhhhhhh. So cool that we finally get to play this on a cast. You pronounce it DAW-bree. I like to pronounce it ‘Debris’, anyway. Shit, back in 2001, bedroom beats suddenly started became very electronic, clean, minimal, and glitttttttchy following the influence of Dabrye and Prefuse 73 (among others). No one quite did it like them. This is the first in a trilogy that’s STILL not complete. Two / Three had its moments of pure genius, but this record and the mini-lp on Prefuse 73’s Eastern Development label (‘Instrmntl’) drew the blueprints for that old new Detroit Hip Hop.  Also, Dabrye is an alias; his real name is TAD MULLINIX.

  

Song: The Full Retard

Artist: El-P

Album: Cancer For Cure ***

This man has his hand in everything! A member of Company Flow, member of the Weathermen, Owner & CEO of Definitive Jux records, and involved in the art collective Cardboard City with Daryl Palumbo of Glassjaw, among others.
Filthy rhymes, filthy beats, filthy science fiction fan. You should probably just do what he says and 'bang this shit like they do in the future'.

Song: The Only One
Artist: Danger Mouse and Jemini
Album: Ghetto Pop Life *****

This is front to back one of my favorite hip hop albums. It predates Danger’s exhausting proliferation, and showcases what he does best – dusty samples and knockin’ beats. Jemini’s a lot of fun, too. Way better for hip hop than Gnarls Barkley was for r&b or Broken Bells was for indie pop. Check it out. Good hip-hop’s in scant supply. Yes it is.

  

Song: Baby Don't Dance

Artist: Mother Mother

Album: Eureka ****

Loving the feel good vibe of this jam. I've been real late on Mother Mother, but after Af' mentioned checking out their previous releases, I'm a little mad at myself for not knowing about them sooner. I've been seeing much more of them on TV and Radio, so likely you've heard their stuff and maybe just not realized who it was. Catchy synth alt-rock done right. 

Song: Kinski Assassin
Artist: Ariel Pink’s Haunted Grafitti
Album: Mature Themes ****

 

















 EH-WHOSUNKMYBAAAAAATLESHIP?!-EH-ISANKMYBAAAAAAATLESHIP!
EH-WHOSUNKMYBAAAAAATLESHIP?!-EH-ISANKMYBAAAAAAATLESHIP!
EH-WHOSUNKMYBAAAAAATLESHIP?!-EH-ISANKMYBAAAAAAATLESHIP!
EH-WHOSUNKMYBAAAAAATLESHIP?!-EH-ISANKMYBAAAAAAATLESHIP!
TRA-LA-LA-LA-LAAAAAAAAAA! (That’s right).
TRA-LA-LA-LA-LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Song: The End of the World is Bigger than Love
Artist: Jens Lekman
Album: I Know What Love Isn’t ****

 

 I just got to see him live! I effectively chose between Jens and Grizzly Bear, and totally happy with my choice. Love this dude. Straight up. We could hang out. Eventually I’d find out why he’s been wearing a hat in every promo for this record, but I wouldn’t tell anyone. I think this song is in the running for best Jens song of all time, and definitely the most important inversion of a love song cliché of all time. Heard it over a year ago for the first time, glad he included it on the album. Man. So like, Yeasayer, Grizzly Bear, Animal Collective, Jens… lots of dystopian sentiment. Can’t wait till the world gets better again. Remember HOPE in ’08? Good times, good tunes. We could use another deadbeat summer.

Song: Speak in Rounds
Artist: Grizzly Bear
Album: Shields ****

 

There are several moments of music-production-consciousness raising moment on the new Grizzle Bizzle Albizzle, but most people I’ve heard from’s heads explode shortly after the run of tracks that include the opener, this, the short instrumental, and Yet Again (tracks 1-4). Ed’s voice has changed a little, I think. Less choir-boy. More anxious. Actually, this album makes me a little anxious in general. Songs like half-gate just seem so apocalyptic and threatening.  So good, though. No surprises, one of the best of the year. Who knows when we’re gonna play more Grizzly Bear, so I’ll just remind you: Johnny Greenwood’s favorite band. Johnny Greenwood. From Radiohead. You remember Radiohead.