Search: Abandon
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Mimas traffics in postrock textures and timbres, but their music really draws more on post-Radiohead style melancholy alt-rock for inspiration. Which is postrock in a way, as they Abandon all typical verse-chorus structures, but the music is still very, very rock. That's actually why I like them -- so many postrock bands tiptoe around actual heaviness or take so long to get there it barely matters, but Mimas actively embraces large outbursts of explosive distortion. They are also quite good at arranging vocals, another critical postrock shortcoming. If I have to endure another bout of soft whispered poetry, please kill me ok? I was sick of it by the time Indian Summer put out their 2nd 7". Anyhow, Mimas still have room to grow, but they show promise and, most importantly, are brimming with enthusiasm. I like that.
Mimas - Mac, get your gear
More Finnish weirdness for you today courtesy of CMX, a long-running act that rose out of the mid-80s hardcore scene. But don't go into this expected the usual fast/harsh punk because they quickly Abandoned that approach and started to incorporate more mainstream rock and progressive influences into their sound. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is pretty much all I know. According to Wikipedia the band is fairly renown at home, which makes sense considering how much they remind me of Kent at times. It's that big, melancholy rock sound, though in CMX's case, it's filtered through that odd Suomi sensibility that touches so much of their music. This particular song is a gem simply because it manages to match classic Finnish tango with pop, prog and hardrock. It's that kind of eclecticism that makes Scandinavian music so great! It's the old being made new again, the past and present coming together. And yet, still the past -- this came out in 1994, after all -- but it doesn't sound dated to me. Weird for weirdness sake almost never works; these guys make it sound natural.
CMX - Nainen tanssii tangoa
Swedish doom act Abandon has completed work on their massive new album "The dead end" and have samples posted on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/inrealitywesuffer
There's no deal signed yet for a release, but if you're up for putting out a 106-minute 2CD/3LP album, get in touch.
Watch news footage from San Diego featuring an Abandoned drug boat being washed ashore with commentary from Turbonegro bassist Happy Tom who just happened to be on the scene: http://www.kusi.com/home/17993667.html?video=YHI&t=a
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Two steps forward, one step back? Fans of the elegant dronepop majesty of "Fall, fall falling" will see this CDR release as a disappointing regression, but those of us who are familiar and appreciative of earlier Dead Letters works will not be daunted. Consisting of three dark and dingy long-form pieces for a grand total of forty-nine minutes, "A line: align" is in fact a throwback to Thomas Ekelund's roots and it is not without its rewards as there are definitely moments of great beauty rising from within the filth. Opener "At Keiller's Park (Summer 2006)" is the weakest of the bunch in that takes far too long to get going, often Abandoning themes just as soon as they begin to take hold. Patience is eventually rewarded, though not nearly as well as I'd like. The other two however, fare much better in comparison by adhering to a far more concise narrative arc, not to mention a vastly increased level of volume. As much as I appreciate the subtle crackle of processed field recordings, it's the dull, aching throb of pure noise that affects me most, both mentally and physically. When a melody emerges from the squall and I can feel it tingling all the way down to my toes, that's magic. Ultimately, "A line: align" doesn't compete with any of the "proper" Dead Letters full-lengths, but I don't think it intends to. As a way station to whatever comes next, it'll do just fine.
- Avi Roig
Benea Reach are a frustrating band. One minute they'll neck-deep in metalcore cliché, but then all of a sudden they'll turn it around completely with a riff that'll blow your mind. You get both in the first 30 seconds of "New waters". It opens with a plodding stomp riff and then it opens up into pure epicness, replete with harsh screams and weirdo syncopation. It's those moments that redeem the band and elevate them above the rabble. Otherwise, it's nothing but tedium and generic e-chug Meshuggah riffs. They do the polyrhythmic thing well, but it's such a tired exercise at this point in time when you consider that "Destroy erase improve" came out over 10 years ago. There's so much uncharted melodic territory that's far more worthy of exploration. I hear it in bands like Mare (RIP) and Kayo Dot, but only in moments of Benea Reach. Perhaps it won't be until the next album when they completely Abandon the mosh to embrace their progressive side. So much potential!
Benea Reach - New waters
Swedish art-punks I Date A Wolf will release a new EP on March 1. They describe the material as "completely new and completely different from [previous album] Postmodern Decay," and that "this time around we Abandoned the digital stuff to go just drums and guitar." Hear samples of older stuff here: http://www.myspace.com/idateawolf
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Saturated with towering vocals that often exceed the normal male range, hook after marvelous hook, and drumming so fluid, present, and masterful that it is as fascinating to listen to as the vocal and guitar work, Lukestar may have crafted the best Scandinavian rock/pop album since Last Days of April's "Ascend to the stars". Continuing in that vein of music that was so crudely labeled 'emo', a sound mostly Abandoned a few years back, Lukestar effortlessly combine aspects of LDoA with the more dynamic fluency of Mew's debut album. "Lake Toba" is a reminder of why bands like Seven Feet Four have been able to maintain their presence and importance, and an indication of the future of this genre (and, more importantly, that this sound actually has a future). While the musicianship is damned proficient, it's the songwriting that brings you back over and over, keeping the album remarkable and engaging after repeated listens, and allowing for the album to be enjoyed as a whole without skipping around the tracklist. Anthemic and vulnerable, hopeful yet cautious, "Lake Toba" is everything that rock record with serious pop sensibility should be. And with that voice, those drums, and a level of musical craftsmanship and consistency that has been lacking on far too many similar records, Lukestar's newest effort is in good position to be one of the best album of 2008.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
Susanne Sundfør is the most AOR artist on my year-end top 10 list, but that shouldn't preclude her from appealing to most everyone. Plainly put, she's a remarkable talent - not just a fine songwriter and pianist, but one of the best voices I've ever heard. She is capable of amazing pyrotechnics, reaching dizzying highs and wailing with Abandon. Somehow, and this is one of her greatest assets, it never comes across as gratuitous. It just fits. "Walls" was her first single, first released back in late 2006 to considerable acclaim from the Norwegian media and I'm posting it today as a reminder to her considerable abilities. Maybe it's just me getting old, but I'm constantly awed by the fact that she's only 21 years old, which means that was probably 18 or 19 when she wrote this, perhaps even younger. That certainly bodes well for the future.
Susanne Sundfør - Walls
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This compilation of sold-out EPs hit the shelves not too long after their debut full-length and offers the ears the band's early development. Personally, I find this material more enjoyable than the self-titled album, mainly due to the prevalent heavy shoegaze elements. Here the shoegaze fuzz accentuates the beauty and gives off an ethereal quality to songs such as "C: you D: the ride home" and "Something less than last time". Their future move of abandoning the pretty, melodic slight drone for great pop hooks is no surprise really, however what the listener gets here is a stellar example of where I consider the band to excel - in shoegaze buried pop.
- Matt Giordano
Swedish act September Malevolence has started work on a new album. As for what to expect, here's what they say: "We are no longer an instrumental post-rock band, I guess we never really were instrumental but now we've Abandoned that path totally. This album will reflect some of the darker sides of life."
New music from David Åhlén: http://www.myspace.com/thetorontoblessing
This appears to be the electronic shoegazer half that he dropped when he went "solo" under his own name after Abandoning the Namur moniker. Still sounds great, of course.
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I want badly to give this record an 8 or a 9, though while "Drum of glass", "Neon", and "Lowlife" all convey that nervous energy perfect before a good night out, there is a complete lack of focus on Monomen's self-titled LP. The huge synth rock approach similar to that of fellow Scandinavians Strip Music and 80s champions New Order is bizarrely Abandoned for a series of instrumental tracks in the latter half of the album. Why the band thought removing the vocalist's near perfect 80s goth delivery would in any way enhance the record is beyond me. These instrumental compositions are not bad, "Aurora" is even damned good, but the sudden shift in gears detrimentally affects the overall feel and solidity of the album. Luckily, Monomen close with "Lowlife", and much can be forgiven when lost in those final minutes of the record. The "Monomen LP" is a worthy collection of tracks, I just hope that the next records keep the instrumentals, interesting and competent as they are, as b-sides only.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
David Åhlén kicks off his US tour tonight in NYC so I've got the a-side from his new single "Wasted breaths" for you to hear. Big ups to his label Compunctio for being gracious enough to share.
When I heard that David was Abandoning his Namur moniker and heading in a more acoustic direction, I was braced for disappointment. Would his music still succeed minus the lush shoegazer artifice? Thankfully, yes, it does. David is a strong, passionate vocalist and fittingly, he lets his voice carry the material. Two chords is all he needs. Go see him live, I'll be at the Seattle show for sure:
05/24 - Pianos, NYC
05/25 - Pianos, NYC
05/28 - The Starline, Fresno, CA
05/29 - The Independent, San Fransisco, CA w/Loney, Dear
05/30 - Dolores Park Church, San Fransisco, CA
05/31 - Barkin' Dog Grill
David Åhlén - Wasted breaths
Fluxblog has new tracks today from both Robyn and Santa Maria, the solo project of Concretes/Heikki vocalist Maria Eriksson: http://www.fluxblog.org/2007/02/things-i-Abandon-only-Abandon-me.html
Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words
Lukestar
Mixtapes & Cellmates
