Search: Melody
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Britta Persson's "Cliffhanger" is both the first single and lead track off her new album "Kill Hollywood me" and it's a great song with an odd, unconventional Melody that almost seems modal in timbre. As the title suggests, the chords shift restlessly without quite coming to a pleasant "pop" resolve until maybe the bridge. Even then, there's still an uneasiness to it. The very out/almost dissonant voicings of the piano only add to the unsettledness. It's definitely the jazziest we've ever heard from her and, as Lars suggests, is also reminiscent of adventurous 70s rock. Best of all however, is Britta's newfound level of supreme confidence. Her early demos were charming and always displayed huge potential for her talent, potential that's now being fully realized. The new record is good, but I think I'm even more excited to hear what's next.
Britta Persson - Cliffhanger
The remake of "Poems, ballader och lite blues" (as discussed yesterday) isn't the only new release paying tribute to Cornelis Vreeswijk; Mats Öberg's new record "Improvisational two" is comprised entirely of solo improvisations based on Vreeswijk songs. Listening to this track that I've posted may remind you of Jan Johansson which of course is quite fitting, seeing as how Johansson played on the original version from the album "Grimascher och telegram" (1966). Mats' take on the piece is, naturally, a bit more free given the solo/improv setting, but the melody carries through and that's the most important part. And what a lovely melody it is! If the language barrier is too much for you to take, try this instead.
Mats Öberg - En visa om ett rosenblad
The first single from the new Firefox AK album "If I were a Melody" will be "Winter rose". It features a guest appearance from husband Tiger Lou/Rasmus Kellerman and will include b-side remixes from Özgur Can, Tellevika, Assid and Jimmy O. Look for it in mid-January. As for the album itself, it's still due out on February 20.
Zeigeist might be no more, but that's not stopping them from releasing more remixes. Their version of Universal Poplab's "I could say I'm sorry" (off the new "Uprising - The remixes" album) shows them at their best, taking a fairly typical EBM track and upping the pop/electro aspects. Soften the edges, smooth it out, streamline it. Add some squiggly 80s electro sound effects, a bit of vocoder - retro without being overtly so, exactly the kind of thing that gained Zeigeist popularity in the first place (once you got past the clever distro scheme). It slightly diminishes the angst of the lyrics by cannibalizing the chorus, but that's fine because it's far more dancefloor-friendly as a lighthearted romp. Besides, the melody is strong enough to carry it through regardless.
Universal Poplab - I could say I'm sorry (Zeigeist remix)
Note: The last few Fridays of the year are dedicated to revisiting great tracks I passed on when they were fresh.
I ignored "Subtle changes" when Labrador first posted it for free download because a) I'm not a Sambassadeur fan and b) every blogger and their mother was already talking about it. If I was to cover it and hate it, I'm just being a contrarian dick, but if it goes the other way, my voice is apt to get lost in the hub-bub. So, I decided to let some distance grow between us and goddamn it if this song one of the year's best singles. I still wouldn't consider myself a full-on Sambassadeur fan as the rest of the album holds no interest for me, but this track is amazing. I love that galloping beat, anchored by the constant strum of acoustic guitars and the hi-hat heavy drumbeat, free from unnecessary or excessive fills. And the way the strings keep pushing higher and higher, elevating the Melody to soaring altitude. Even with understated, whispery vocals, "Subtle changes" is undeniably majestic. There's a lot going on in the arrangement too - besides the careful counterpoint accents, if you listen carefully and you'll hear bits of pizzicato strings amidst the subtle, but necessary percussion. Every ingredient is perfectly placed so that it never becomes overwhelming or cluttered. All in all, a pop triumph.
Sambassadeur - Subtle changes
"Hip" starts out sounding like a piano being dragged down stairs. Not tossed, mind you, it goes it bursts. There are hints of a cohesive Melody, but it keeps shifting in microtonal increments amidst squeals and squalls. "Violent and exciting," she sings and her choice of words is apt. "Playful and distorted." The chorus however, is something else entirely, a driving rush of screeching distortion and mechanical pounding bassnotes. "Childish and obnoxious," back into the verse, this time keeping it short and to the point. It calls to mind the twisted circus atmosphere of The Paper Chase, except whereas they typically sound hunted and haunted, Marybell Katastrophy is definitely the hunter. It's not so distressing as it is celebratory. There's a certain glee to it and that makes it all the more inviting. Irresistible even.
Marybell Katastrophy - Hip
The lyrics of this track are straight out of the Big Black playbook. To slip into the persona of someone disreputable, not necessarily looking for sympathy, rather taking it as matter-of-fact. A glimpse into their life, for better or worse. For an early Bear Quartet track, it's surprisingly discordant as well. Nothing quite Albini-esque, but there is a definitely level of unease in the Melody, especially in the way that the first half of each line in the chorus is left hanging. It's a sophisticated arrangement actually and quite a bit different from their other material of that time, hence the EP b-side treatment. I bet if they had put a bit more punch into the performance, it might even sound like Chavez. As is, it's not hard to imagine how it could be transformed as such in a live setting. So many tiny buildups and (potentially) soaring guitar lines! Typically I am anti the slacker approach, but it kinda works here. At least it gives it a touch of their own, despite my various attempts at artist comparison.
The Bear Quartet - Hot meal
As mentioned on Saturday, the new Record of the Month for December is Jonna Lee's "10 pieces, 10 bruises", a very pretty and understated album that reminds me a bit of "Emmerdale" or "Life"-era Cardigans. The music is very sweet on the surface, but there's always a tender melancholy underneath. There's a touch of that same sort of retro/lounge vibe as well, though far less kitsch in Jonna's case. "And your love" is her latest single and it's a duet with frequent collaborator/current tour partner Ed Harcourt. Subdued and breathy, the piece slowly builds on its steady rhythm, layering increasingly languid Melody lines on top of one another until the foundation set by the acoustic guitars is barely audible. The simple syncopation lends the tune a slight edge of urgency, but it never sounds hurried. As they say themselves, it finds its way. Listen carefully at the end and you'll hear Jonna exclaim "That was amazing!" Hard not to agree.
For Scandinavian tourdates, go to myspace: http://www.myspace.com/jonnaleemusic
Buy the CD here or here.
Jonna Lee - And your love (ft. Ed Harcourt)
Razzia has confirmed that Firefox AK's new album "If I were a Melody" will be released on February 20.
7
After two releasing stellar albums in the same year, it's not that much of a surprise that a band's follow-up EP would be a bit of a hangover. Beefing up the "Västerbron" single with three new tracks (that feel more like demos), Laakso has gotten a bit more dark to kick into their fall tour. Other than the single, "England" would have to be the best track on the album, and, clocking in at over seven minutes, is quite epic for Laakso. The lyrics and Melody are in top self-depricating fashion and it's the most complete of the three b-sides. The middle two, "Lack of blood" and "Great times underground", come across more as rough ideas and, when it comes down to it, lack those great hooks we all have come to love Laakso for. However, the potential is still there for the next Laakso album being great.
(As a comparison, the feel of this is very similar to the "Aussie girl" EP).
- Matt Giordano
I saw the Lisa Gerrard doc "Sanctuary" yesterday which got me thinking about the human voice as an instrument, about how affecting it can be even if you don't understand the words being sung or, as in Gerrard's case (as with Sigur Rós and others), no actual words are being used at all. Emotion comes through the performance and Melody, not the lyrics. And that made me think back to the "Ny musik för landssorg" comp (as discussed here) - the gravity of the subject matter led each artist to use wordless vocals, if they used words at all. Really, what can one say to ease the suffering of national tragedy? Words fail us. However, there is one exception and that is Sara Berg and her track "Not alone". The sentiment is simple enough that it works, but it's still a risky move. The potential for pompous pretention is infinite.
In addition to its appearance on "Ny musik för landssorg", "Not alone" also appears on Sara Berg's album "When I was a young child I used to feel pleasure from playing with others". Generally speaking, the formula remains the same - Sara excels at taking deep sentiments and simplifying them, setting them against her tightly wound beats. What could easily turn into the kind of overwrought, all-too-serious display that turns people off from most theatrical goth-rock, is instead handled with care and the right amount of subtlety. Some tracks, such as today's mp3 "Crawl back from under", work better than others, but that's mostly due to the music, not the vocals. Sara is unusually vocal-centric for an electronic artist and I think it's both an asset and a liability; an asset because it differentiates her from the rabble, a liability because her tracks can often be lacking. At her worst, it's never that bad, but she never quite soars either. I have to say that I appreciate her on a conceptional level more than anything else.
Sara Berg - Crawl back from under
I received a 4-track CDR from Lukestar way back in April. There wasn't much info included in the package, just that the band was currently on the prowl for a record deal and that the tracks were recorded by Carl Vikman in Sweden. No song titles, no band bio, nothin'. I has seen Lukestar's name in passing, but didn't really know much about them 'cept that they were loosely associated with the Norwegian hardcore scene, or at least that seemed the be the circle they travelled in. However, upon listening, I was taken aback - what's up with this squeaky, androgynous voice? Is this supposed to be emopop? And that drumming... my god! That's what makes the band. The first chorus comes in and teases you with a gigantic hook, only to give way to another, more drawn-out verse with an even more amazing drum break. Then the second chorus, bigger than the last and straight into a triumphant bridge of dueling guitars lines over even busier drums. It's within the realm of noiserock, but not really all that noisy. Melody still rules. One more short, final chorus and, all of a sudden, it's over. The first time I heard it, I was left scratching my head. Not only did it totally defy expectations (those vocals!), but it wasn't quite like anything I'd heard before. Definitely comparable to a lot of the bands Carl Vikman has worked with before - Seven Feet Four, Trapdoor Fucking Exit, Traktor and so on - but with its own unique flavor. Way more pop to be sure, though still rooted in hardcore. Think back to before emo became a bad word. It took me a bit to process, but repeated listens eventually embedded "White shade" firmly into my brain. There's something really intriguing about the way it teases you with the main chorus hook and then moves on. It's such a fantastic part, but it passes by so quickly! In many ways, its stinginess is its strength - I get blindsided and am left wanting more. You might not get it immediately the first time through, but it'll get you.
Too bad Lukestar's album won't be out until 2008 - I was really looking forward to hearing more. As-is, the four tracks I do have remain some of the best stuff I've heard this year.
Lukestar - White shade
It's surprisingly easy for a band like Paris to slip under the radar. There's no quirks, no gimmicks; just a solid band playing pop music on conventional rock instruments. But y'know what? Sometimes that's enough. In a world where everything has to be bigger, brasher, more more more, a band like Paris can be awfully refreshing. "When I laid my eyes on you" is the first single from the band's new record "The landlord is kind enough to let us have our little sessions", so named because they recorded most of said album in bassist Mattias Svensson's living room. It's a nice little mid-tempo number with a fuzzy synth doing a counterpoint Melody with the vocal line. The chorus takes the same idea and opens it up a bit wider with louder guitars and crashing drums. I love the way they split each line at "find/fine" with a ricocheting guitar chord and a single bar of half-time. There's quite a bit of syncopation going on, though it's softened by conspicuous reverb and delay. Remember, this is essentially disco-pop (hear that doubled-up hi-hat!), so it goes with the territory. Plenty of postpunk acts attempt to exploit similar tactics, but sometimes I want something a bit cheerier and that's exactly where Paris comes in.
Watch the video: [click here]
Buy it: [click here]
Paris - When I laid my eyes on you
Musically, I like Meleeh quite a bit. They've got a great balance of aggression and Melody and they throw in just enough little rhythmic tricks to keep things interesting without overdoing it. The weak link however, are the vocals. They aren't bad per se, but they're definitely far too screechy for my tastes. Of the many influences they draw from Refused, that's definitely the one I appreciate the least. The syncopated breakdown on "Malign" on the other hand, is pretty damn awesome.
Meleeh - Malign
Our usual Friday programming is being preempted this week because I've got an extra-special treat, Tobias Hellkvist performing a cover of "Abomination" by KVLR. What could be better than one of the current best up-and-coming acts covering one of my all-time favorites? Naturally, I think it's awesome, but then again, how could I not? It's almost as if it was tailormade just for me!
Tobias' version keeps the basic Melody intact, but by stripping away the heavy drums (one of KVLR's main calling-cards), he gives the song a whole new feeling. Johan Sellman's original vocal is commanding and venomous while Tobias sings with something that's more akin to simmering resentment. There's a slight weariness that's at odds with the lyrics, but it works in the end, kinda in the same way that the new José González record does. You don't have to shout to show you're angry, y'know? It's the quiet ones that you really gotta watch out for.
Tobias Hellkvist - Abomination
Laakso