Search: Melody
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This record is a retro genre piece, a loving tribute to a time when ties were skinny, shoes were pointy, black jeans were so tight they hugged our calves, and you could still make a statement by dying your hair jet black. It's poppy punk that steals shamelessly from every riff you've ever heard - hey listen, it's the Ramones! It's the Melody from "Positively 4th Street!" It's that three chord progression from every other pop-punk song from 1979! They note with pride that they play only instruments they do not know how to play and, as their Wikipedia entry wryly notes, "it shows." But so what if it has all the originality of a safety pin through the ear? It doesn't aim to be anything more and it's all that it strives to be - a fun fresh throwback to a loud fast and poppier time. Let's pogo!
- Nancy Baym
Eardrums profiles new Norwegian act Melody Marshals, a band they describe as a mix of Muse, Mew and Placebo: http://eardrumsmusic.com/2007/09/28/new-music-from-norway-Melody-marshals/
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What is a good remix? The one that reduces the song to four-on-the-floor beats and the occasional voice sample? The one that expands on the original, or moves it into a completely new direction? The one that just dresses the original song up in some new clothes, but leaves it easily recognised? For Lowe, the last one seems to be the answer. Every remix on this double album can quite easily be traced back to the original. The problem is that Lowe's Depeche Mode/New Order mimicries weren't that great to begin with. No matter what electro-pop costume the songs are dressed in, melodies falters. The singer sounds tedious and generic instead of depressingly heartfelt. When even the likes of Håkan Lidbo can't make a song interesting, something is clearly wrong! The final track, a Lowe remix of Elegant Machinery's classic "Save me" drives the point home perfectly. Lowe may know their way around the studio and can present crystal clear productions... But it's the original Melody, the original vocals that give the emotional connection. That worm their way into the skull. That makes me remember what an amazing band Elegant Machinery was. How the Swedish synth-pop scene has lost its way. And I'm sure that wasn't the intention behind this redundant, oversized, repetitive collection.
- Hanzan
In the beginning - 1992 or thereabouts - The Bear Quartet wasn't much more than a run-of-the-mill indie act. They were good, but they wore their influences on their sleeve and were barely distinguishable from the rabble. The one thing they did have going for them was location. Aside from the whole big fish/small pond thing, they also had that certain something that I only hear from bands out of Norrland. A certain discordance in the Melody, that unmistakable northern darkness in the lyrics. "You hate the sound of sobbing meat / it's in your eyes whenever we meet" is not the sort of couplet you'd hear from Superchunk, but there you go. On the other hand, I think a lot of people around my age probably have a certain nostalgia for this particular sound so I understand why BQ's first album "Penny century" is held in such high esteem. Ah, the glory days of 'college rock', back when being indie actually meant something! Or did it ever? I was too busy trying to be punk.
The Bear Quartet - Headacher
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Finally, a record worth noticing from Burning Heart again. After lots of mediocre releases, Path of No Return has, judging by the labels own statement, gone full circle with their metal-/hardcore. And I agree in a way. The debut album "Black nights coming", released on the The Mars Volta-label GSR, left me disappointed and indifferent. But after listening to this album, I'm bound to say that they've gone through a huge improvement and have added new dimensions to the music. It's not all about technique and skill anymore; something that was mye overall impression last time around. And from what I've heard, that was the main part to why previous vocalist Adam Hector left the band shortly after the debut. There's a whole different depth to the band nowadays, both when it comes to the music in general, but also in the lyrics and graphics. That is something that I welcome. Musically, it's reminiscent to Swedish colleagues Nine, but also American combos such as Himsa and Snapcase. Yeah, remember those dinosaurs? Hardcore with a metal touch is somewhat the new black these days and, sure, it's easy to accuse the band of jumping on the bandwagon, but having been around since 2001, Path of No Return can be considered veterans in this genre. Not only that, they're veterans with songs! And that's something that lots of other bands in the genre lack. That there are also influences from Swedish hardcore trendsetters Refused is not surprising at all, but they're not making it into a carbon copy except for the bridge in "Broken dances" wherein the guitar Melody is similar to the one in Refused's "Last minute pointer". But where that classic Umeå-band always maintained focus throughout every album, that's what this Örebro-band is having problems. A full-length format seems a bit like overkill, instead an EP-release would've probably been in the band's best interest.
- Jonas Appelqvist
I actually had high hopes for The Perishers' new record. I may have been derisive in the past, often writing them off as mediocre, but time has been kind to them and they've slowly grown on me. "Victorious", in my mind, was their chance to come out blazing, ready to grasp the success they've been teetering on the verge of. I really wanted to like this record a lot and I'd even say that my first impression of the lead single "Carefee" was quite positive. At least I think that's the lead single - it's certainly the biggest standout track on the record. Problem is, I keep listening to it, waiting for some sort of transcendent moment and it never quite happens. The chorus comes and goes, the Melody gets layered on repeatedly, yet I'm left still feeling empty. When I listen to other melancholic pop of this ilk such as, say, Travis, I feel genuinely moved by their climatic moments. Even Coldplay, who I usually find to be dreadfully boring, sometimes gets it right. Older Perishers standouts have it too. But here? Nope, nada. The jury's not out completely though - I've still got another month of listening before the proper album release. My mind could still change, though I'm doubtful.
The Perishers - Carefree
"His spine", yet another Mattias Alkberg song that hides vicious sentiments in a sweet Melody. "Hopelessness, despair / Lack of vision, education sucks / When you're born and torn / Between injustice and bad luck" The strings soar and the knife gets driven deeper into your gut. No optimism, no future. For some people at least: "You know what I need / Rights not charity, hope and equality / Not to be looked down upon / I'm not stupid just constantly reminded otherwise" It's that last bit that really gets me - hear something enough times and there's a chance you might start believing it. Resist! Fight back! Persevere!
The Bear Quartet - His spine
I imagine there's quite a few indie-music types out there that visit this site purely for the latest Swedish indiepop news and are often disappointed that I'm always on about some new drone/noise act that I'm excited about. Look, it's not as if I don't like the stuff, it's just that I find the majority of it to be dreadfully boring. Being said, The Social Services are decidedly not boring. The band is 2/3rds Scottish, but since they're based out of Stockholm, they qualify for coverage here. Like most of my favorite pop acts, there's a touch of melancholy to their music, though not necessarily in an overt "woe is me!" kind of way. "Up in arms", despite the taunting na-na-na vocals, is about war and military conscription - not the most indiepop of subjects, but one that is definitely worth singing about. Wrap it up in a catchy Melody and there you go.
Apparently The Social Services are already in talks with Gramtone Records for the release of their debut album, but until the i's are dotted and t's are crossed, they remain well-qualified for this week's focus of unsigned/up-and-coming artists. Listen to more here: http://www.myspace.com/thesocialservices
The Social Services - Up in arms
July's Record Club selection is the self-titled debut from Mixtapes & Cellmates. On backup: the new EP collection "A retrospective". Young, smart and oblivious to lame trends, Mixtapes are easily one of my favorite indiepop bands right now. That is, if you could label their music as merely that - there's so much else going on, from glitchy electronic beats to fuzzy shoegazer textures and more. For a debut album, this is incredibly well-composed and self-assured and probably just the very start of what I imagine will be a long and fruitful career. "The better half of cynical boys" builds off a clever acoustic guitar figure that frames a simple, frail vocal. The chorus introduces string textures and the guitar gets busier, but they never overwhelm the main vocal melody. It's a delicate balancing act as there's quite a bit going on, but they pull it off without a problem, without ever getting too self-indulgent.
Mixtapes & Cellmates - The better half of cynical boys
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William Hut has a special place in my history. Hut's former group, Poor Rich Ones, first got me interested in Scandinavian pop music way back in 2001. Their album "Happy happy happy," was a sparkling gem, and once I started learning about this band and other talented Scandinavians, I never looked back. Hut has one of the most pleasing, melodically sweet voices in rock and he's clearly in touch with his feminine side. "Nightfall" isn't quite a classic, but it's pretty good. Hut always puts Melody above all else. In fact, all four of the closing songs here capture Hut at his best. Missing are the diverse prog-rock stylings Poor Rich Ones conceived with such flair whereas most songs here are rather simple and laid-back. There are no unequivocally brilliant songs. What is here is merely pretty and kind of soothing, but that is still a good sight better than half the platters I've heard lately.
- Kevin Renick
Apparently "Oeuvreblogs" are the new black? I may not quite have the fervor to post about every single Bear Quartet song ever recorded, but I suppose that my weekly posts qualify in some way. Going strong since January! Take that Perpetua! Carrying on...
Despite being one of Bear Quartet's most different/difficult records, I loved "Saturday night" from the very first moment I heard it. It sounds like nothing else except The Bear Quartet, equal parts irritating and astonishing, often at the same time. Despite being a studio creation, a few of tracks such as "Your name here" aren't too hard to imagine in a live setting. A steady guitar Melody, a recurring keyboard riff. Little bits of noise come and go, but the basics remain throughout. Aside from the explosive refrain of the title, little of the lyrics are discernible. There's echoes of "Disappearing act"/"I don't wanna" in the reference to being curled up in a car and the importance of places, and like those two, it's a troubled love song. "I would fake intimacy but no one was allowed near me / you come clear / I can feel myself rise into something like life / weightless / untroubled / forgiving even myself" Redemption through devotion? That's true love.
The Bear Quartet - Your name here
A new month and a new Record Club selection means that my usual Friday flashback post has been preempted. June's pick: "Fall, fall, falling" from Göteborg-based artist Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words, an absolute crushing record. As DLSODW mainman Thomas Ekelund himself puts it, "It's about yearning, for what was, for what could've been or for it to never have existed. It's about breaking down...apart... up. It's about grotesque reactions and the distortion of memories. It's about self-destruction, -mutilation and -loathing. It's about scars/shards. It's about that sinking feeling. It's about falling." Make no mistake, this is a devastating work, but like all of the best doom-oriented music, its innate sense of foreboding and suffocation is tempered with aching beauty. It's in the darkness that the inspiration and the will to carry on is rediscovered. This is not brutality for brutality's sake, like Brighter Death Now for instance, this is looking deeper.
Previous Dead Letters work tended towards minimalist drone and, while that's still very present, Ekelund has now started to work with much more well-defined rhythms and Melody. Today's mp3 selection "Ashen like the sky" is one of the more extreme examples, sounding something like Godflesh buried at sea. A lot of electronic music can seem cold and distant, but I find that Dead Letters always retains a strong sense of earth or organicness, something I attribute to the fact that everything he does sounds as if it's been rolled in shit and dirt. The method behind the music is digital, but the feeling is very human, very real. The result is very powerful and, naturally, very highly recommended.
Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words - Ashen like the sky
End of All has posted the title track from their forthcoming 7" "Scars": http://www.myspace.com/endofallsweden
Tragedy-style d-beat, 'cept with a stronger (Swedish) sense of melody. Awesome.
Updated Melody Club tourdates:
04/30 - Studentkåren, Luleå (SWE)
05/11 - Älvan, Avesta (SWE)
05/12 - Dala Riot, Malung (SWE)
05/17 - Snitch, NYC, NY
05/19 - Molotow, Hamburg (GER)
05/22 - Szene Wien, Vienna (AUS)
05/23 - Atomic Cafe, Munich (GER)
05/24 - Lido, Berlin (GER)
05/25 - Siesta, Hässleholm (SWE)
05/26 - Spring Break, Kalmar (SWE)
06/14 - Fett Med Kärlek, Uppsala (SWE)
06/17 - Hamnfestivalen, Oxelösund (SWE)
06/28 - Peace And Love, Borlänge (SWE)
06/30 - Kirunafestivalen, Kiruna (SWE)
06/30 - Stadsfestivalen, Skellefteå (SWE)
07/06 - Gatufesten, Sundsvall (SWE)
07/13 - Arvikafestivalen, Arvika (SWE)
07/14 - Sommarrock, Svedala (SWE)
07/14 - Landskronafestivalen, Landskrona (SWE)
08/03 - Luleåkalaset, Luleå (SWE)
08/18 - Folkets Park, Huskvarna (SWE)
08/30 - Alingsås Gästabud, Alingsås (SWE)
Knugen Faller
Lowe
Path of No Return
