Tag: Mp3s
Mention the name Deathbed and you're likely to hear "the bed that eats (people)?" Thank you Patton Oswalt! However, the Deathbed I'm talking about today comes from Finland and play raging hardcore in the vein of Converge. Somehow I doubt that Patton is a fan, though I suppose anything is possible. Anyhow, like I said, Deathbed are a Finnish hardcore act and, unlike a lot of bands I hear coming out of that scene, are neither part of the toughguy scene (see Fullhouse Records) nor are they all that rock'n'roll (ala many of the bands on Combat Rock Industry). Instead, they go for a rawer, more straight-up brutal sound. The recording is super thick and heavy, but the riffs are far more d-beat than metal. It's also quite assuredly modern - note that I initially compared them to Converge, not any Dis-bands of yore. They toss a few subtle harmonies in here and there and are just as apt to indulge in dissonant doom parts as they are to break into a punishing breakdown. They keep things straightforward enough (~80% of the songs are in the 2-2:30 range), but every once in a while will hit you with something unexpected that'll make you take notice, whether it's some subtle cymbal work or something like the atmospheric instrumental "CXVI". On the minus side, the lyrics are unexceptional and the record lacks dynamics, so it doesn't stand up well to repeated listens. Still, I appreciate what they're doing and there's no denying that these dudes put some serious rage into their music. I can always appreciate that.
Deathbed - Neon light fantasy
Typically, I'm not too big on the punk-funk thing. !!! was a massive disappointment after the Yah Mos and I always liked the Rapture better back in the beginning, when they sounded more like Wire. Yet, somehow The Je Ne Sais Quoi appeals to me. Maybe it's the lack of personal history? Or perhaps it's simply because they're a better band? TJNSQ succeeds where the others fail, by maintaining that punk energy and, at the same time, displaying serious musical chops. I wouldn't necessarily call them virtuosic, but they hold their own far better than the other examples I've cited. There's a lot of syncopation going on in the title track "Rhythm" (as one would expect from the title), but it's nothing that would trip you up on the dancefloor. That would defeat the point, right? And listen to those tight vocal lines - that's the stuff that makes TJNSQ better than average. While I'm still not bonkers about this sort of thing, they do what they do and they do it well. I can get down with that.
The Je Ne Sais Quoi - Rhythm
New (exclusive?) track today from Norway's The Opium Cartel, the solo project of Jacob Holm-Lupo (White Willow). On this particular track, he's joined by fellow WW member Sylvia Skjellestad on lead vocals, so if you're at all familiar with that band, this will probably sound quite similar. But whereas WW displays a strong prog influence, The Opium Cartel is far, far mellower no doubt largely due to the influence of producer and fellow collaborator Mattias Olsson (Pineforest Crunch, Änglagård, Nanook of the North, etc). For recording nerds like myself, it's possible to let Mattias' signature warm synth sounds and excellent layering skills overwhelm the track, but it can also be enjoyed as a fine atmospheric pop song. I'm reminded a bit of fellow Norwegian artrockers The 3rd and the Mortal, but it's probably a bit more akin to David Sylvian or Kate Bush as this style of prog/pop is far more weighted towards the pop side of things. Y'know, the kind of thing that appeals to 'serious' music types and high-minded critics without alienating the general listening audience. It's possible to geek out on it, but can be readily enjoyed by anyone as the the overall prettiness of the music is by far its strongest asset.
The Opium Cartel - Three sleepers
Once again, I am blessed with a guest contributor for this week's Bear Quartet post. Not only am I happy to take the day off, but I find that one of the best things about this series is reading other people's thoughts on the mighty BQ. So with that, here's Christoffer Davidsson:
There are a few things truly beautiful in life. It can be moments, places, people and so on. Lately, for me, it's been "I'm still her", one of many great songs on "Angry brigade". Peter Nuottaniemi's lyrics are hopeful, yet dark. Saying it's all going to hell, but that it's all right. I hope.
"There's happiness where and when I least expect
everything that I see will outlive me
there's happiness and of course fear and death
loneliness hard regrets, one fire less
we'll never ride into the sun with the end
hung above our hardships and our love
I didn't cry not until we lowered you
down into the cold ground the cold cold ground"
Jari's guitars are wonderful as always and I think Håkan Hellström would have killed for them, and maybe he will. Although Matt Giordano already covered this song, I think it is worth posting again. That's how good it is.
Enjoy.
Agreed. That's a statement that's impossible to deny.
The Bear Quartet - I'm still her
More Svensk postpunk for you in this week's Friday post, this time coming from the band Syster Lycklig. Petter Brundell started the band in the fall of '82 after leaving synthpunk act Ståålfågel (another band definitely worth checking out) and the new trio displayed a far more straightforward, pop-friendly sound. Straightforward compared to Ståålfågel, that is, though you can certainly draw comparisons between Syster Lycklig and other acts of the era such as U2. They certainly have that same kind of big, shimmery guitar sound 'cept that the track I'm featuring today puts it through more a weird, wind-tunnel effect. The way the echoes of delay resonate over the syncopated bass/drum line is simply fantastic. Even better, if you like this song, you can download the band's entire discography from their website (look under 'Lyssna'). How awesome is that?
Syster Lycklig - Drömgränd
Piroth are sister duo Johanna and Nina Piroth and together they create the kind of tight harmonies that you typically only hear from siblings. It's not too unlike The Roches, 'cept you'd have to swap their sense of humor for a large dose of Nordic melancholy. So yeah, we're talking folksy chamber-pop - more baroque than that other Stockholm-based sister duo Taxi Taxi!, but perhaps not so much as The Tiny. Actually, this particular track has more of a renaissance/medieval feel. The duo is still far more tweepop that early music overall, but it certainly has that vibe - the triplet rhythm, the storyline in the lyrics. That's pretty damn old-fashioned if you ask me. Or would that be 'olde fashioned' with an e? Not that I'm complaining - it's quite nice regardless.
Piroth - Waltz for prima ballerina
Back to the new music today with a track from The Bell. I posted a demo track from these guys almost a year and a half ago back when they were called You Is Stupid and even then, I knew they were onto something special. As said before (and reiterated by the recent NPR feature), The Bell's postpunk sound is far more Echo and the Bunnymen-influenced pop than Joy Division-style bleakness. Dark enough to be considered goth, but still very hook-oriented. Naturally, this fits in quite well with many of the similar bands from the early 80s that I've been listening to recently. "Leave me" is an angry song, but also a bit weary. The delivery is a bit flippant, but oh-so-close to breaking. This is the last straw - if things get pushed any further, it'll be bad news. A simple two-line chorus turns into a mantra. I like this a lot.
The Bell - Leave me
My weekend: hours in front of the computer, converting the old data (approx. 1300 rows in the db) to the new format (now close to 20k rows). Good times, right? So if it seems like I was a little hasty about getting the new site up, that would be because it's true. I was hasty and I know there's a bunch of stuff that needs fixing and that's what I plan on doing over the next week or so. Most of the big stuff should be done, but if you see any problems please report them to me here. Otherwise, take a stroll around and enjoy some of the new features such as the new review section and the improved tags (which will soon be even better as I categorize more news posts going forward).
So, in keeping with the theme of being slightly broken down, here's "Just a little out of tune" from Kristofer Åström off of his latest album "Rainawaytown". I'm pretty sure I've said it numerous times already, but this is one of my favorite albums released in 2007 and it's been in steady rotation ever since it was released in April. This is the most raucous rock'n'roll tracks on said record and I think it does well to represent my frantic frame of mind. Bear with me, I'll be back on top of things soon.
Kristofer Åström - A little out of tune
This week's Bear Quartet post comes courtesy of Lisa BK, Jim Kelly's better half:
The Bear Quartet's music and lyrics are so fascinating by themselves - so compelling and intricate and complex - they make me into an airhead. I don't know any of their songs' titles, see - I'm totally bewitched by the art. I usually have to hum or sing the song to Jim so he can identify it for me; failing that, we have to trot out the CDs and have a listen (bummer, I know) in order to find my favorites' names. The other day, he told me I really liked a song called "You built your life upon the ruins of mine", and I had no idea what he was talking about until he sent me the lyrics and I saw the following unforgettable lines:
but one day you'll get married
to someone big and scary
a hairy monster of a man
who'll make sure he's taken care of
'cause of burdens you've been carrying
kill him off if you can
Oh! That one! Yes! The one that our daughter used to walk around singing when she was three! Yes, yes, that one.
What kills me about the above part of this 1997 song (it appears as a b-side on the "His spine" EP) is not the lyrics, though they're certainly moving; no, it's the the slightly somber and conversational tone of the verse, with its acoustic guitar which then slides into a bootstrappy, oh-well chorus, with a strident piano and some handclaps moving things along. By the end of the chorus, though - after he sings kill him off if you can - it's turned into the most wistful thing, all "oooooo" with the background vocal and a little tiny bit of lonely, atmospheric slide guitar buried in the mix at the very end. Oh, the production. Ten straight plays in one sitting? I'm still hearing things I've never heard before. This is a b-side, people.
Bear Quartet, during this period, came completely into their own as a band. Their music and lyrics from the late 1990s possess depth, layers, maturity, great lyrics, and flawless songwriting and musicianship found nowhere else in their oeuvre; when songs like "YBYLUTROM" are castoffs, it's clear that BQ had discovered the Rosetta Stone for creating the kind of music that doesn't betray when it was written. The kind you hum for your husband so he can tell you what it is because, well, you were so taken by everything else going on...
The Bear Quartet - You built your life upon the ruins of mine
My first introduction to the music of Ted Gärdestad came via Lukas Moodysson's film "Tillsammans" ("Together"). Not only are Ted's songs featured in the soundtrack, but one of his albums is featured prominently in a scene when it's given as a gift. My impression at the time was that Ted was a David Cassidy/Leif Garrett-type figure; a teen heartthrob, cute and harmless. However, now that I've actually spent some time with the new 3CD best-of collection "För kärlekens skull", I have to revise my opinion. Ted Gärdestad is more than a smiling boy with shaggy hair, he's a tremendous songwriter of near-perfect 70s pop. It's no surprise that ABBA manager Stig Anderson recognized his talent and signed him to Polar Music at the age of 15. My heart soars when I hear those opening chords. I can't help it. It's a terrible shame that he came to such an unfortunate end, especially after experiencing a brief revival. I might not be as much of a fan of his later work (disc 3 does not get much airtime in my house), but there's no denying his artistry. 100% classic.
Ted Gärdestad - Jag vill ha en egen måne
There's a brand new netrelease today from Tsukimono, so I'm posting the lead track "Osaka drop" as today's mp3 download. For those unaware, Tsukimono is the musical alias of Johan Gustavsson, a prolific Göteborg-based artist who you might also know from his work with Scraps of Tape, Viktor Sjöberg New Jazz Ensemble, The Colour Black or one his many, many other collaborative projects. This four-track EP is a perfect netrelease candidate as it is a highly conceptual work - every sound you hear originated as a field recording that was captured during SoT's recent Japanese tour in June. Johan then took the sounds and manipulated them, thus creating the work you hear today. All of this done while still on tour. The result resembles drone/ambient music, but never quite settles into anything resembling wallpaper due to natural sound source and glitchy editing. I am proud to offer this as my latest IAT.MP3 release and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. And to Johan who is sick in bed today: feel better! Much love!
Tsukimono - Osaka drop
New rock'n'roll today from Finland's Sweatmaster. I don't find "Animal" to be as catchy their last single "Song with no words", but that's okay 'cuz it's a tough one to top. "Animal" does have a stronger hook in that guitar riff that follows each verse line. And the chorus is ridiculously simple in the best possible way. Endless repeats of a single word trumps actual singing any day. When they throw a cowbell breakdown before the final chorus, that's just the icing on the cake.
Sweatmaster - Animal
As hinted at last week, today's mp3 post is on The Indecision Alarm, the flipside band on the new Enemy Alliance split. I posted about Enemy Alliance first, but I think I prefer The Indecision Alarm overall. They've got an even stronger wistful vibe, further enhanced by their preference of open chords over power chords. They also tend to be a bit slower and that suits me just fine. As for the big choruses with harmonized vocals - yeah, they've got those too, though they tend to be a bit rougher. That's fine by me as I find the imperfections hold more charm and are far more inviting for group singalongs. That's part of the punk promise: you can do it too! I can't say for sure that TIA is the type of band that will set up and play on the floor instead of the stage to be on the same level as the people, but that's the feeling I get from the music. I like this a lot.
Read more of The Indecision Alarm's ongoing tour diary: https://www.tiaband.com/blog.asp?ID=22
The Indecision Alarm - Making bets in a burning house
José González has lost the element of surprise, so the new album "In our nature" might seem slightly disappointing at first. Same lofi production, same instrumentation 'cept for a slight bit more percussion and backing vocals. There appears to be very little progression on the surface. Dig deeper though and you might be surprised - all the talk about "In our nature" being darker and far angrier than its predecessor are true. The songwriting is stronger and more consistent as well. It's easy to let "Heartbeats" (and other covers) overshadow José's own self-penned material, but his songs stand fine on their own - there's a reason I chose "Crosses" for my first "Reader's companion" comp. José does not fit the stereotype of melancholy/depressed singer/songwriter and that's that. Nick Drake comparisons begone!
"Down the line" is the first song on the new record to grab my attention, mostly because I instantly recognized it from the last time I saw José perform live. I love the way the composition builds on the steady strum of that high chord and gentle slap-back pitter-patter rhythm. "Don't let the darkness eat you up." A song of hope? Reassurance? Or a warning?
José González - Down the line
This week's Bear Quartet post comes courtesy of Jim Kelly from Parasol, probably the most BQ-obsessed person I know (besides myself, I guess). His pick: "I would be poor". Read on:
It's a simple sentiment: "without you I'd have nothing" and one of the sweetest love songs in existence, within The Bear Quartet canon and without. And lo and behold this sweetly simple ode was penned by "the kid", keyboard player Calle Olsson. "I would be poor" (a "Gay icon" album b-side from the "Load it" EP), is a song of two stripes, split right down the middle. What starts out as a plaintive acoustic ballad backed by gently tinkling ivories (foreshadowing!), with Mattias crooning about sticks and stones and every little thing, about how treasures mean nothing without the love of your life to share it... at the midpoint Calle's piano rears up and the song becomes a sure-fire, immediately smile-inducing, rowdy ragtime shamble, with a singalong gang chorus and a keening keyboard's siren wails hanging like streamers. A paean to someone (or everyone), and ripe for your (potential) special someone's next mixtape.
The Bear Quartet - I would be poor