Review: Will Stratton - New Vanguard Blues (* * * * 1/2)

Patience is a virtue, sure, but one that tends to slow things down and occasionally even seems completely unnecessary. Will Stratton’s third album, New Vanguard Blues, serves as a reminder that impatience can be just as valuable a trait. After offering one of my favorite records of 2009—the consistently stunning No Wonder— Stratton apparently didn’t want to bother taking the traditional route in releasing his third full-length. Recorded and mixed by the songwriter himself over the weekend of July 9th, the album was made available online only a couple weeks later, an unusual but certainly welcome decision as New Vanguard Blues is in many ways Stratton's best effort to date. Shedding the varied sonic decorations that enhanced the tunes on No Wonder, his latest is simple and stripped-down, resulting in a tighter, more focused set of songs that relies almost exclusively on his impressive guitar work for accompaniment. But the album mostly succeeds for the same reason the last one did: Stratton’s singular songwriting, which has only gotten better with time. (Continue reading at In Review Online. . .)

Review: Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me (* * * * 1/2)

Should you be inclined to make such a superficial judgment, you can tell quite a bit about a Joanna Newsom album by its cover. Her amazing debut, 2004's The Milk-Eyed Mender, is adorned with a colorful collage of drawings and photographs both personal and stridently quirky—the music follows suit. Two years later, much changed. Newsom’s sophomore effort (and most would claim her masterpiece), 2006'sYs, featured more refined, mature artwork: a detailed drawing of the singer-songwriter dressed in ornate, Renaissance-era garb displaying an air of confidence and grace. Fittingly, the album is much more lyrically and musically ambitious, and Newsom creates an otherworldly, fantastical listening experience. Four years on, the tradition continues. Joanna's third and most anticipated release, Have One on Me, features artwork of Newsom sprawled out on a couch, nearly obscured by a wealth of exotic furs and other assorted finery. Calling it “busy” would be an understatement—it’s a visual overload—but given the size and scope of this record, nothing less would be appropriate. (Read the rest @ In Review Online)

Monthly Clean-Up: January

I can't get to all the good stuff (or bad stuff, for that matter) in any given month, so I thought I'd sum up my experience with music in the month of January (and hopefully other months too if I decide to make this a more permanent feature). I'll go over a few of my favorites and provide some reviews in brief of things I haven't covered yet. The year got off to a great start, so there's plenty to go over here.


The Best from Chewing Gum for the Ears, January (link to full reviews):

Owen Pallett - Heartland (4.5 Stars)
Owen Pallett's most accomplished album is fittingly released under his own name. It's a unique captivating experience and one we'll certainly be talking about at year's end.

Patty Griffin - Downtown Church (4 Stars)
Griffin's foray into gospel music is a resounding success and easily among her best work. No matter your religious viewpoint, there's something to love about Downtown Church.

Surfer Blood - Astro Coast (4 Stars)
The embodiment of a college rock record, Astro Coast is an exciting debut from surf-rockers Surfer Blood, who recorded the album in their college dorm.

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What I missed in January:

Spoon - Transference (4 Stars)
Spoon's latest feels like both the culmination of all that has gone before it and a new chapter in the band's career, with their signature style covered in a rougher, darker edge that makes Transference a compelling experience.

Laura Veirs - July Flame (4 Stars)
July Flame is a gorgeous album from an artist I wasn't previously familiar with (unfortunately), Laura Veirs. Her twisting melodies and engaging songwriting makes this of my early favorites for the year.

Ray Wylie Hubbard - A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment (Hint: There is No C) (4 Stars)
Hubbard's "Enlightenment" is a gritty, strange, and consistently great folk-rock record rooted in gritty blues and soul music. One that will probably go largely unnoticed this year, but not for lack of quality.

Four Tet - There is Love in You (3.5 Stars)
Hypnotic and sometimes stunning, Four Tet's There is Love in You is my favorite effort from electronic musician Kieran Hebden, whose music I've always appreciated but rarely loved before.

Charlotte Gainsbourg - IRM (3.5 Stars)
French film/music star Gainsbourg teamed up with Beck (who wrote and produced the record) to release her best effort by a long shot, IRM. It's eclectic, weird, and often amazing.

Lindstrøm & Christabelle - Real Life is No Cool (3.5 Stars)
With singer Christabelle, Lindstrøm takes his "space-disco" music in a decidedly more pop direction with this danceable and very cool collection of tunes on his latest.

The Magnetic Fields - Realism (3.5 Stars)
The remarkably consistent Stephin Merritt releases another solid effort with The Magnetic Fields, Realism, which doesn't give us much we haven't heard before yet includes plenty of reasons to listen just the same.

Beach House - Teen Dream (3 Stars)
One of the more acclaimed record's of January, Teen Dream didn't impress me like it did so many others. But it's a beautiful album and consistent as well, another fine addition to the band's catalog.

OK Go - Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky (2.5)
You gotta hand it to the guys for branching out a bit from their former releases, but the results of OK Go's latest just doesn't excite often enough to be memorable.

Review: Owen Pallett - Heartland (* * * * 1/2)

The shedding of the Final Fantasy moniker that once marked the solo work of Owen Pallett, regardless of what instigated it, is one I imagine won’t be as disruptive to his career as some. Pallett’s notoriety within the indie community, built both from the quality of his own releases and the gorgeous string arrangements he’s created for the likes of Arcade Fire and Grizzly Bear, has assured any work he now does to be quite transparent. Perhaps it’s fitting if not convenient, then, that Heartland should bear his own name, as it would seem to represent the completion of his transition into something more than a distinguished composer and arranger or even a violin virtuoso (though those skills are certainly on constant display throughout the record). The exquisitely crafted 12 tracks of the record make a solid case for Owen Pallett as songwriter, musician, and performer of considerable talent, one that has made his most accomplished and cohesive album with this latest release.

Right from the outset of opener “Midnight Directives,” Pallett introduces an approach quite different from his last two outings, with skittering electronic beats and synths now complimenting the signature violin and vocal combo that has so long characterized Final Fantasy. The effect shouldn’t be off-putting to longtime fans as the music retains a familiar edge, but songs like “Midnight Directives” and a similarly stylized track, “The Great Elsewhere,” are less obvious in their showcase of instrumental talent and more a compliment to Pallett’s songwriting and compositional abilities than many of his previous tunes. And while electronic instrumentation isn’t completely foreign to Pallett’s music, the frequency and depth with which he incorporates these elements throughout Heartland, even on the more organic songs, makes this project a progressive one in regards to his personal portfolio and results in an enjoyably inimitable listening experience by any standard. The lyrical peculiarity, familiar vocals, and swirling strings still evoke the unique musical personality that has and perhaps always will identify Owen Pallett, but he’s creating distance here, refusing to simply rely on past (and mostly successful) tricks and opening up a refreshingly ambitious new chapter.

Evolution alone isn’t what makes Heartland such a thoroughly stunning album, however, it’s the way Pallett so comfortably and confidently introduces this new approach while simultaneously offering his strongest collection of songs that truly impresses. While the record finds him delving even further into the depths of his fantastical imagination in the odd and twisted concept that winds its way throughout the album, the tracks themselves actually work as stand-alone pieces more consistently than before while remaining integral pieces of the story. Two clear standouts are “Lewis Takes Action,” with its Beach Boys-esque harmonies and engaging melody, and its companion piece and perhaps the most accessible track, “Lewis Takes Off His Shirt,” both excellent example of the warmer, more expansive “pop” sound Pallett embraces here, with the latter being very much removed from the sparse, classical style that classified his earlier releases. Between the swirling, energetic tracks that comprise the majority of the album, there are moments of familiar subtlety on balladry like “Heartland, Up Yours” and the heartbreaking “E is for Estranged” serving to give the record near perfect balance and pacing.

As is par for the course with Pallett, each moment of Heartland is exquisitely crafted and presented, and even with the complexity of more instruments and sounds, he restrains himself just enough to create consistently lush, detailed backdrops without overcomplicating things. There are many ideas revealed throughout the record, but never does it feel weighty or bloated during its 46 minutes. And while it’s probably accurate to say that the Pallett isn’t playing to his previously established strengths as often, Heartland doesn’t come across as a truly exploratory or experimental album. Rather, its progress simply shows that his considerable reach in no way exceeds his grasp and that his ideas sound just as wonderful in practice as they surely did in their conception, which is a rare thing indeed.

Last Word: Owen Pallett’s first album under his own name is his most accomplished release to date, a progressive and thoroughly entertaining record that combines remarkable musicianship with a newly found pop aesthetic.

MySpace

Discographer: Wilco (via In Review Online)

Over at In Review Online is a look at the entire studio catalog of Wilco, which you can read in its entirety or you can check out the reviews written by yours truly, the debut A.M. and the inimitable Summerteeth. Links below:

Discographer #2 - Who Are Wilco?

Review - Melody A.M. (* * 1/2) From the ashes of famed country-folk band Uncle Tupelo, both Son Volt and Wilco emerged; the former led by the initial band’s front man, Jay Farrar, the latter by Jeff Tweedy. While the details behind Uncle Tupelo’s breakup aren’t entirely clear, the drama between the two artists resulted in a split that was anything but amicable. Bitterly going their separate ways, both of the singers formed new groups and released albums quickly – Wilco with A.M. and Son Volt with Trace. Though Uncle Tupelo fans were undoubtedly interested to see which record would be the stronger of the two, the band members themselves looked at the releases as a sort of rivalry as well. It quickly became evident by both popular and critical reception that A.M. wasn’t the quality of record Tweedy and company would need to get out from under their previous bandmate’s shadow. (Continue Reading...)

Review - Summerteeth (* * * * 1/2) Following their 1995 debut, A.M., Wilco didn’t so much evolve as they intentionally transformed, barely resembling their twangy former selves as they dove headlong into rock ‘n’ roll on 1996’s double album Being There and then, two years later, turned their attention to arty pop song writing, producing 1999's sprawling Summerteeth. Though the band had started as a fragment of the disbanded Uncle Tupelo, Wilco sought to distance themselves from their former incarnation; and by Summerteeth, any resemblance to the former group would have been slight if not imagined. The new approach was largely defined by the more integral role that multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett played in the creation of the album. In addition to playing guitar, keys, and occasionally bass and drums, Bennett was responsible for much of the pop-oriented production of frontman Jeff Tweedy’s material. However, and in light of arguments which transpired between Bennett and Tweedy during the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot sessions, it’s clear that Wilco's metamorphosis has always been driven chiefly by Tweedy's ambitions. (Continue Reading...)

Review: St. Vincent - Actor (* * * * 1/2)

Like her choice of album art for her sophomore solo effort, Actor, Annie Clark’s music is often beguiling, though her experimental pop style has won her more than a few fans since her debut in 2007. The former Polyphonic Spree member’s decision to go it alone under the moniker St. Vincent seems to have been an excellent one, as her new album expands on the promise of her debut, Marry Me, and further establishes Clark as one of indie rock’s premier new songwriters. Apparently, Clark’s more orchestral style stemmed from using Apple’s Garage Band to write many of the songs, which were then fleshed out with her signature guitar playing, strings, woodwinds, and more to give her often eerie narratives the proper background. Whether it was the unique songwriting approach or simply a series of great musical ideas, Actor is a truly exceptional record even by Clark’s own high standard.

She wastes no time in getting things off the ground with “The Strangers,” a relatively sparse tune with her gorgeous voice floating over synthetic beats, keys, and the occasional burst of heavily distorted guitar. It’s a striking song that ushers in a sense of immediacy and urgency that continues throughout Actor despite the album’s relatively mid-tempo nature. On many of the songs, the vocals are introduced almost immediately (and no later than thirty seconds in), serving as a constant reminder that as abstract or strange as the music may occasionally be, this is primarily a songwriter’s record. Clark’s lyrics stir up a mixture of emotions that are often slightly unsettling, made more so by music that’s consistently beautiful but never predictable or stationary. Especially eclectic are “Marrow,” which starts eerily with soft vocals over simple synthesizers before erupting into a distorted plea for help that’s genuinely startling, and “Black Rainbow,” which gently carries on until it begins to devolve into a noisy, hazy climax of guitar, drums, and sinister string arrangements.

Sitting squarely and appropriately in the middle of the record is the hauntingly elegant “Laughing with a Mouthful of Blood,” the perfect combination of Clark’s love of both dramatic arrangements and simply stunning melodies. The following half of the album, aside from the aforementioned “Marrow,” is slightly more relaxed but no less compelling. “The Bed” churns slowly and thoughtfully, “The Party” is refreshingly approachable in its gentle pop presentation, and closer “The Sequel” is a brief and lovely final thought. By the end of the record’s 39 minutes, you’re left with what I’ve found to be a rare feeling of real satisfaction, unmarred by weak or distracting moments that plague so many albums by promising and talented artists. That’s not to say that Actor is perfect, but it’s certainly great enough to warrant the high praise it has received.

The production, the sequencing, and the presentation on Actor are all top-notch. In fact, it can be accurately said that Annie Clark doesn’t so much show promise now as she realizes and fulfills it. Of course, she has so much time to continue to impress us that we can’t cap her potential here, but Actor should receive its proper dues as much more than just a transitional piece leading to future greatness. St. Vincent has arrived, and everyone should be getting on board.

Last Word: Actor, Annie Clark’s sophomore effort as St. Vincent, is a mature, complex, and remarkably gripping blend of intriguing experimentation and beautiful melodies.

Review: Amadou & Mariam - Welcome to Mali (* * * * 1/2)

I tried to ignore this album but it found me just the same, and I can’t describe how glad I am that it did. It’s not that I actively avoided listening to it, but even with the stellar reviews pouring in last year, I never took the time to track it down and give it a chance. Fortunately, Welcome to Mali was just recently released in the U.S. and a couple weeks ago, a copy showed up in my mailbox. The time for ignorance was past. After about four minutes with the record, I had instantly fallen in love with these unlikely rock stars, Amadou & Mariam, the fifty-year-old blind couple from Mali. No, it’s not a gimmick, these two are making inspiring and legitimately fantastic music, combining influences from around the world in an amalgamation of all that’s exciting about rock, blues, soul, and pop.

Mariam’s warm and kind, yet strong and stern, voice takes the lead on about half of the cuts on Welcome to Mali, while her husband’s smooth, earnest vocals are more prominent on the rest, though the two musicians both contribute significantly to each track. Opener “Sabali” caught Pitchfork’s attention last year and was listed as number 15 on their top tracks of 2008, and for good reason. Mariam’s voice glides smoothly over layers of keyboards and drum machine in a retro-pop-meets-Afro-pop moment that is both surprising and magical. It’s the first of many genuinely awe-inspiring songs packed into the duo’s fifth disc, though it also stands out distinctly from the rest in terms of style.

Although the album’s fifteen songs explore so much territory and feature a generous amount of studio production, much of the record still feels tied directly to the couple’s traditional roots. Songs like “Magossa,” and “Djuru,” both Mariam’s, sound grounded and relatively simple, and it’s her half of record that holds more tightly to a generally familiar Afropop style which the producers dress up fashionably. A few tracks, like the funky “Unissons Nous,” a collaboration with blues singer/songwriter Keziah Jones, blend Mariam’s traditionalism with blues and soul influences for especially impressive results. Her appeal lies in her sincere delivery and overall sweetness that make her songs so easy to love and enjoy.

Amadou’s songs more frequently feature the stylish genre blends that help give the record such a universal appeal. In addition to singing, he contributes his stellar guitar skills throughout the record, claiming influences like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. His love of rock ‘n’ roll comes through loud and clear on most of his material, especially the incendiary “Masiteladi” and the poppy, infectious “Compagnon De Lavie,” the former of which more prominently feature his signature guitar work. Elsewhere, he explores funk and soul on “Africa” (featuring guest rapper K’Naan), classic rock on “Bozos,” and expansive chamber-pop on the English-language track “I Follow You.” With a team of talented musicians to back him up, Amadou confidently blazes through each track with flair.

The couple’s willingness to embrace a wealth of seemingly incongruent ideas and explore new musical possibilities makes the album fascinating, but it’s their ability to reign in those influences with such apparent ease and confidence that takes the music to another level. The songs can occasionally feel weighed down under too much production, but the beautiful melodies and emotive vocals create something special in each song, a remarkable accomplishment for any musician. Though the duo sings primarily in French and Bambara, the music itself is so expressive it never matters much that you can’t understand what’s being said. Welcome to Mali is a superb album, illuminating, uplifting, and truly special.
Last Word: Amadou & Mariam return with their inspired and inspiring fifth record, a fantastic blend of influences gathered from around the World and presented with style and sincerity.

Review: Yeasayer - All Hour Cymbals (* * * * 1/2)

If you've noticed the date on this review, you may be thinking that discussing an album released in 2007 in 2009 is unnecessary, and generally I'd agree with you. Unfortunately, I missed out on Yeasayer the year they released their stunning debut, All Hour Cymbals, only catching up with them recently after hearing their fantastic new song on the Dark Was the Night compilation (go check it out, it's called "Tightrope"). Now that I've finally had the opportunity to hear the record that started it all, I felt that this review needed writing, simply to inform any who might not yet be familiar with this exciting band why this deserves your attention. Quite simply, All Hour Cymbals is one of the best, if not THE best psychedelic rock album in recent memory, a record that pushes boundaries while remaining approachable and immensely enjoyable.

In my experience, at least recently, most albums seem to be front-loaded with many of the better tunes, and All Hour Cymbals certainly follows that trend with an amazing three-song introduction. "Sunrise" opens with solid drum stomp with subtle keys and guitars behind singer Anand Wilder's semi-nonsensical phrases, then cruises along, building layers of instruments and vocal harmony before fading into "Wait for the Summer," a spacey, sitar-laced, psych-rock tune. "2080," the record's first single and the third track, sounds a bit more traditional at first, with Beach Boys-esque harmonies climaxing in a group-shout chorus that even manages to includes a choir of children without seeming gimmicky (well, as much as that's possibly, anyway). The band find an excellent balance between psychedelic experimentation and the familiar musical elements that keep the songs from becoming too abstract while still allowing them to remain fresh and interesting. The lyrics are kept simple and frequently repetitive, but while Yeasayer may not be great storytellers, they know their way around a great vocal hook or sing-a-long chorus.

The rest of the album doesn't quite reach the incredibly high standard set by the first three tracks, but the results are consistently great throughout. "Forgiveness" starts with a trippy, head-spinning introduction before settling into a rhythmic groove which shifts subtly a few times before fading out. "Wait for the Wintertime" is a noisier, angry, tune that uses horns and raw guitar to make an intense explosion of sound, and the superb closer, "Red Cave," is the most folk tune of the bunch, a more straightforward acoustic song featuring four-part harmony provided by all band members. The variation on All Hour Cymbals might be distracting if not for the group's ability to explore so many directions while maintaining enough of a signature sound that keeps the record focused and comprehensible.

At every turn, the band show remarkable musicianship and a love for the unusual that makes their debut such an exciting and surprising album. The music contains elements of the psychedelic rock of the sixties and seventies, but the band approach the songs with a fresh perspective and create something entirely their own. Yeasayer are currently in the works on a new record, but make sure you pick this one up, All Hour Cymbals is an album not to be missed.

Oh, and you should seriously check out these mostly acapella performances on La Blogotheque; fantastic.

Review: White Denim - Exposion (* * * * 1/2)

Austin-based art-punk group White Denim are, unfortunately, flying well below the radar, which made them easy to miss in 2008. The band started selling CD-R copies of their debut record, Exposion, last year and eventually made the release official in a digital format from their website (no, you can't find it on iTunes). Their unique and energetic blend of a variety of genres combined with a raw, rough presentation makes their music fun, exciting, and just strange enough that it stands out amid a plethora of like-minded groups. While the band remain something of a secret for now, I imagine it won't be long before people take notice.

I suppose the easiest way to classify White Denim is to call them a rock band, because they do rock...hard, but it doesn't really describe the frenetically paced selection of tunes on Exposion. The group keep their sound fairly straightforward, using a basic guitar/bass/drum combination, but stylistically, they're all over the place throughout the album's 36 minutes. Opener "Don't Look That Way At It" is an oddball indie punk song that features singer/songwriter James Patrelli's acrobatic vocals and fiery guitar and bass riffs, while follower "Transparency" leans much more toward classic rock, as do the soulful "All You Really Have To Do" and the restless "Heart From All Of Us." Closer "Sitting" finishes things spectacularly with joyous horn arrangements over a melodic pop-rock tune that turns into messy explosion of noise before fading. Patrelli proves himself to be both a versatile singer and guitarist, which keeps the record consistently surprising and fun, and the band more than ably backs him up at every turn.

Some of the more interesting tracks on the record are actually the handful of instrumentals thrown in, especially the 'single' "Shake Shake Shake," which rocks some sweet riffs between shouted nonsense at the beginning and ending. "Migration Wind" shows a (slightly) more settled side of the band with layers of acoustic guitar over the simple bass and drum line before the volume goes up, while "WDA" is a constantly shifting arrangement of ear-pleasing rock 'n' roll that doesn't need vocals to entertain.

While Exposion may feel a little scattered, you'll have such a good time that it's unlikely to matter much anyway. The music is simply presented and exceptionally played, and there's not one dud to be found among the 11 tracks, a remarkable achievement considering this is the group's first go-round. White Denim are making rock music fun again, and they're doing it with obvious talent and a great deal of style.


Check out some of White Denim's tunes on MySpace or head over to their website where you can purchase the record (the only place, as far as I know).

Review: Neko Case - Middle Cyclone (* * * * 1/2)

You should never judge a book by its cover, nor an album but its cover art, I would think, but sometimes what you see on the outside can actually give you a decent indication of what you’re likely to find in the author’s/artist’s material. Such is the case with Neko Case’s latest record, Middle Cyclone, the front of which shows Case kneeling on the hood of a muscle car, ready to pounce, sword in hand, flame of red hair blowing in the wind. It’s strange, sexy, and somehow alluring, much like Case’s latest batch of beautiful folk-pop tunes, and it should come as no surprise that she was directly involved in the art and design. ‘Cyclone’ is a well-written and exceptionally recorded singer/songwriter album that features a slew of guests including M. Ward and members of the New Pornographers, Calexico, and Giant sand.

Immediately, Case gets her gorgeous, smooth voice front-and-center with an upbeat and oddball love story in which she describes herself as a destructive force of nature in “This Tornado Loves You.” As she sings her story about how she ‘carve[d] your name across three counties’ and ‘smashed every transformer with every trailer ‘till nothing was standing,’ you mind find yourself relieved she’s not singing about you, but the song is absolutely captivating. Elsewhere, Case sings about her frustration with love in “The Next Time You Say Forever,” human nature in “I’m an Animal,” and loneliness on the album’s title track. Middle Cyclone hits its stride about halfway through the album with two stunning tracks, “Fever” and “Magpie to the Morning,” each featuring fantastic guitar work from M. Ward and some of Case’s best writing. From there, the record cruises to a strong finish with fewer highlights but mostly great material nonetheless. Even when the occasional song doesn’t seem to fit especially well, like the dramatic, eerie “Prison Girls,” the results are at least interesting.

Each song feels carefully crafted, with consistently impressive songwriting at every turn and a band that adds life to Case’s poetry, excelling at a variety of styles. Only occasionally do the arrangements stay very simple, as on the quiet, acoustic “Vengeance Is Sleeping.” Generally, seven or eight people are involved, adding layers of vocal harmony, strings, and guitar to create a sound that is sometimes rock (“People Got A Lotta Nerve”), sometimes orchestral (“Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth,” and occasionally classic pop (“Don’t Forget Me”). Neko Case may be the mastermind behind it all, but she has a wealth of talent at her disposal as well. Fortunately, Case’s arrangements - done with the help of bandmate Paul Rigby - never make the music feel crowded or unnecessarily complex, allowing the focus to remain on her angelic voice and gifted lyricism.

Throughout its 14 songs, Middle Cyclone frequently feels so comfortable and effortless that it’s easy to forget how rarely an album comes together this well. The record is both approachable and refreshingly unique, a fantastic showcase of Case’s talent as a songwriter, arranger, and singer. Neko Case offers another compelling collection of songs that are just as easy to enjoy as they are to appreciate. Middle Cyclone is a thoroughly great singer/songwriter album and a reminder as to why Case belongs amid indie rock’s royalty.