Tag: Mp3s
It might not always be readily apparent, but The Bear Quartet are punk. It's not so obvious because they're smart enough to eschew the uniform, both in sound and dress. It's all about attitude and, on this particular song, that's obvious from just the title. It's total, all-out refusal. "I detest everything they've blessed / I abhor everything they stand for." Caught up the same system, but definitely not with the same goals. But who's in charge and running the show? Unfortunately, it's almost never the underclass with whom BQ are aligned. "They seek profit, they think global / but see poverty as a personal failure and shame." To which they respond, "so call me killjoy / but there's a certain happiness and success / I'd like to destroy." It's not kill yr idols, more like topple the ivory tower. Fight cynicism, do the right thing? The ethical thing? Not stated, but implied. With a wah-wah soundtrack? Sure, why not?
The Bear Quartet - I'm not in here with you (you're in here with me)
Note: The last few Fridays of the year are dedicated to revisiting great tracks I passed on when they were fresh.
This one's for all the people who only know José González from his covers. It's been well-established that he's a brilliant reinterpreter of other people's songs, but unfortunately, such attention is detrimental to the appreciation of his self-penned material. It's a shame because he's really quite good, at times even great. For instance, I fell in love with "Crosses" before I ever heard "Heartbeats", hence its inclusion on my first "Reader's companion" comp. As for his sophomore release "In our nature", "Teardrops" is a fine cover selection, but it can't come close to touching the beauty of "Cycling trivialities". It's a bitter piece lamenting the endless parade of bullshit we all face, building up far beyond his usual sparse guitar+vocals sound. "Who cares in a hundred years from now?" A fitting epitaph for such an epic album closer. My hope is that José's originals will be the songs of his that we want to hear in years to come. It will live on for me at the very least.
José González - Cycling trivialities
I make no secret of my appreciation for children's music. "Bamses dunder hits!" still gets regular airplay in my house and no, I have no children of my own and my dogs hate singing and dancing so it's definitely not for their benefit. Naturally, when I heard about the new Bröderna Lindren record "Vuxen barnmusik!" ("Children's music for adults!"), I knew I needed to have it. Factor in the all-star cast of guest vocalists (Kristofer Åström, Ebbot Lundberg and Asha Ali, to name a few) and a backing band featuring drummer Fredrik Sandsten from The Soundtrack of Our Lives and I. If you're of a certain age (an adult?), you'll probably feel the same as it harkens back to the kind of songs I/we grew up on on Sesame Street, Schoolhouse Rock, The Muppet Show and so on: classic rock/pop that's happy and easygoing with plenty of opportunities for singalongs. Now, as for the track I've selected today, it features Mattias Alkberg from The Bear Quartet/MABD and is one of the more balladesque numbers. Not only is it one of the best vocal performances I've heard from him in awhile, it's also about dogs (more or less), so I'm all about it. Enjoy!
Bröderna Lindgren - En hund som jag (ft. Mattias Alkberg)
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)
Me: So, how would you describe this singer?
Wife: He sounds like an aging tranny on the skids, out of meds, reduced to rolling around on a baby grand in a Thai piano bar. If Waylon and Madam split up and Madam went off to do a solo act, this would be what it would sound like.
Me: I don't think he has proper muscle control.
Wife: Maybe he's disabled?
Me: Wow, that would be embarrassing.
Wife: In that case, he would be brave.
Tarnation Street - Outside
I really like The Carny. Solid songwriting, good arrangements, fun big-band instrumentation, yadda yadda and so on and so forth. Refreshingly straightforward and free from quirks. "Bestseller" starts off with a bit that almost seems lifted from The Proclaimers' "500 miles", but that horn refrain takes things in a different direction once you get past the staccato, herky-jerky rhythm of the first verse. Reminiscent, but not the same. I also like it a touch better than the retro vibe of lead single "Sun in your eyes". That's a good song too, but not quite upbeat enough to get me going this dark and rainy Monday morning. The brass wins out over the organ, that's just the way it goes.
The Carny - Bestseller
Musically, this one's definitely a b-side. Reminiscent of plenty of other fine Bear Quartet tunes, but unfocused; too many notes left hanging. Lyrically though, "Roads home" is something different. It's the oft-visited theme of resignation and loss, but with a tinge of defiance.
All my friends / all those rapid losing ends can't show me
how I should be wearing my coat / against the cold
where good intentions croak
I walk a road and it's called home
To me, that says "I'm taking my ball and going home." A conscious choice, not ostracization. "And the part of me
that's about to die / would never tell you a cruel lie." Better to suck it up, eh? It's only after the second chorus that the music rises up and offers payoff. A solo, trading bars with a weird, out of place synth smudge, performed with Jari's deft feel and a patient touch. A short, but sweet coda to a difficult song.
The Bear Quartet - Roads home
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
"Los Suaves Negroes: A lounge & bossa tribute to Turbonegro", a novelty tribute to a novelty band. Oh joy. Not that it's much of a stretch to up Turbonegro's kitsch factor and transcribe their tunes to a different genre, it's just not that exciting. Once you get past the shock factor of hearing someone sweetly coo "I got erection", what else is there? Sure, it's funny, but does it hold up to repeat listens? Not so much.
Per och Helena - I got erection
I've been following Shoot the Breeze for awhile now, noting their slow and steady improvement over the years. Every new release is slightly better than the last and their proper debut full-length "Ministers of mind" is no exception. Problem is, "slightly better" is just that. They've finally managed to get a proper studio recording, but unfortunately that poses a new set of problems. Shoot the Breeze consider themselves a live band and it shows; what works on stage doesn't necessarily translate on record. Every tiny gaffe, every imperfection is under the microscope. Perhaps if they had gone with a rawer, more "live" sound, it would suit them better. Not that they need to record with Steve Albini, but they probably need to rethink their approach, whether that's embracing their strengths as a live act or utilizing the studio as another instrument. I still really like what they're trying to do - think "Dream police"-era Cheap Trick meets Mötley Crüe/Def Leppard; 80s arena rock with a strong powerpop vibe - but it's still not quite there yet.
Shoot the Breeze - Ministers
"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 Bones are the kind of band I would've loved as a teenager, but find harder to get excited about as I near 30. I still love a lot of the pop-punk from my youth, but I'm not exactly clamoring for more, y'know? Still, The Bones are good at what they do and far more enjoyable than most of their Warped Tour-ready brethren. Part of that is personal nostalgia as their sound definitely harkens back to 90s-era SoCal punk ala NoFX or maybe The Vandals and Guttermouth. They don't indulge so much in the typical fast Fat Wreck-style skatepunk beats, but they've got the same smooth, super-tight sound, ripe with unexpectedly dense vocal harmonies and the same sort of self-depreciating juvenile humor. Like I said, not necessarily my thing, but I can still appreciate it. There's certainly enough strong powerpop hooks to make it work and I dig the dual vocalists. For contrast, consider fellow Swedes Smalltown, a contemporary melodic pop-punk band I like a lot. They both come from the same place, 'cept that Smalltown takes a rougher, more heartfelt approach that wins me over. The roughness of The Bones comes from more of a superficial, Social Distortion-esque place; you know the type: black leather jacket, heavy drinker, down on his luck, probably has the number 13 tattooed somewhere. I can't help but that of that stuff as some sort of glamrock pose. So yeah, definitely not my scene, but good enough for a few listens.
The Bones - Mighty touchdown
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
I've decided to dedicate the last few Fridays of 2007 to tracks that I neglected to post earlier this year. Whether I decided to go with a different album track or missed the boat completely, I hope to rectify my neglect. For my first selection, I figure I'll continue on the same tangent I was on yesterday with something else from Flora & Fauna. Moder Jords Massiva are a collective of sorts, featuring a vast, revolving cast of members. My impression is that they are best experienced as a live act, but their albums are decent too. Still, as with Rigas (and maybe even moreso), there are definite standout tracks that rise above the rest. Their most recent album "Ren ondska" sat on my desk for a long, long time before I actually listened to it. And even once I did, it took me a while to wrap my head around it, leading us to where we are today, months after its initial release. I'm still not at a point where I feel comfortable passing final judgment on the album as a whole, but I know what I like and I love the track "Ingenting". The momentum of the beat and bassline reminds me a lot of Fattaru's "100:-", one of 2006's best singles. Some of those synth tones are kinda similar too. MJM's rapping can't compete, but the cadence possesses the same urgency and similarly revisits the songtitle at the end of each line. "Ingenting" has more of a bounce to it as well, with that steady four-on-the-floor kick and doubled-up hi-hat. Same dark club vibe too, but nowhere near as aggressive. That's important, 'cuz it makes it more dancefloor-friendly. Good stuff, too bad I didn't jump on it when it was new.
Moder Jords Massiva - Ingenting
Lars kind of hinted at it in his review without coming right out with it: Rigas is more about individual tracks than a cohesive whole. It makes sense when you consider how prolific Henrik von Euler is with all of his many, many projects. Besides Rigas there's skweee alter-ego Rigas den Andre as well as bands like Moder Jords Massiva, The Chrysler and who knows what else? Singles have always been his strong point and it was only after listening to various tracks from "The hardest pocket to pick" isolated on shuffle did they start to stand out. The two already-released singles "Dead like you" and the title track were the first to rise above the rabble and today's track "It's a shame" falls in at #3. In some ways, Rigas reminds me of Dieter Schöön in that the music is always some kind of lackadaisical weirdo electro, 'cept that Rigas typically aims much bigger with his choruses and pop ambitions. There's definite crossover potential. It's still plenty quirky, but not to point of alienation. Think of it as a gateway drug - dig this and maybe you should start investigating some of the other, more out-there stuff Euler works with at his label Flora & Fauna.
Rigas - It's a shame