Jack White: Blunderbuss

     

     Since the new millennium, the musical zeitgeist has undergone many twists and turns.  Throughout innumerable fads,  Jack White strummed the delicate balance between critical acclaim and commercial success.  Since viewers first laid their eyes on the White Stripes breakthrough lego-based vid, "Fell in Love with a Girl," White seems to have had the Midas touch with every album, band, and collaboration.  He has consistently explored, and mastered, new genres and new partnerships. Now, after sharpening his teeth with everyone in the business, Jack White is exploring his final frontier: a solo album.
     Blunderbuss eclectically glides from one genre to another with the same ease that White's entire career has, and the each song serves as a retrospective, with innuendos of each phase of his career peppered throughout. The album begins with the post-grunge sound reminiscent, but not mimicking of the White Stripes.  As the album flows, however, the songs begin to reflect his diverse musical interests, delving into folky Americana, and into ballsy blues rock, then into a melange of different interpretations of the three.  All songs are driven with White's guitar sensibilities.  White explores textures with extensive use of piano throughout the album.  The beauty of Blunderbuss is that each style is evenly distributed, and done with equal success. Despite being scattered, the album flow is cohesive. 
     Lyrically, White shows is graceful aging, as his lyrics and style reflect over a decade of maturity and success.    He sounds withered and beaten.  White sings deeper and hazier regarding relationships, love and life.  He has dealt with success, loss, and acceptance, and Blunderbuss is his story of it.
     Jack White is no longer simply a great musician.  He is a benchmark for the modern generation, a future Hall of Famer who truly understands the nature of music.  Blunderbuss is not surprising, or exceptional departure from his norm.  More, it is  signpost for a now legendary musician, and what he has learned on his ever-lengthening journey.   Truly a great album.

Toro Y Moi: June 2009

     

     It is a shame that the chillwave movement has become so saturated that some of the pioneers are being pushed to the side.  Such is the case of Chaz Bundick, AKA Toro Y Moi, whose drowsy beats and synth lines helped open the floodgates for nominal acts imitating his beachy sound.  Although the medium itself is now overplayed, Toro Y Moi still proves his worth, and with his release of June 2009, gives his fans a great history lesson of his chillwave journey.
     As can be inferred from the name, June 2009 is a collection of songs Bundick recorded during that respective time frame.  The album proves interesting, as it serves as a perfect precursor to his breakthrough debut Causers of This.  It highlights Bundicks progression from indie rock into electronic, and the slow genesis of his now (in)famous chillwave sound.  The album shows him experimenting with the laid back funky sounds of his later work, and him sowing the seeds of the movement he helped create.  It is interesting to hear Bundick to only begin to investigate the layering and beatwork that he would later perfect, and sometimes the listener can hear a clash with the more indie rock instrumentation of the album.  Whereas Bundick's other works were part of a designated LP set, his trademark seamless fluidity is not present in June 2009.  However, the album is about as cohesive as a compilation can get.  While the album is not a classic, it is a nice frame of reference for his career.
     In a world of modern chillwave, Toro Y Moi reigns supreme.  Those who criticize the sub-genre on the whole should really take inventory of the stamps he left on a truly creative, albeit crowded, style of music.  Anyone wondering Bundick's credibility should hear June 2009, when the Toro Y Moi, and chillwave on the whole, was still in its infant stages.

Allah Las: Tell Me (What it's all about)-EP

     

     Allah Las, the L.A. based psych rock outfit, has just released a new EP, Tell Me (What it's all about).  While only a mere four songs, and less then 15 minutes long,  Tell me represents some of the most authentic sounding psych rock in the psych heavy indie scene.  Differing from many of the other reputable bands in the genre, Allah Las opts to keep their songs short and sweet,  creating a beach, rather than spacey, sound.  Tell Me uses traditional songwriting tactfulness, but combines it with the languid, stoney sound of lo-fi. Allah Las utilizes the simple chord progressions of jangly guitars to create a sound that attests to their love of early sixties rock and roll.  The high vocals and omnipresent reverb really substantiates the EP's sound.  The result a tiny gem of excellent surf rock.

Use Your Illusion

"I strongly request that I not be inducted in absentia and please know that no one is authorized nor may anyone be permitted to accept any induction for me or speak on my behalf. Neither former members, label representatives nor the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame should imply whether directly, indirectly or by omission that I am included in any purported induction of "Guns N' Roses"."

     This was an excerpt from Axl Rose's open letter to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.   The entire gist of the letter was a long winded explanation, essentially trying to deny the existence of Guns and Roses, and the integral part of musical history they represented.  

     In 1988, the rock scene was awash with sleek commercial bands crawling out of all corners Los Angeles.  The polished sound represented little more than label invention, overflowing the already saturated glam rock scene.  Then Appetite For Destruction came out, a gritty and grim look at the true Hollywood and Vine, rather than the fabricated notion created by the record companies.  Their realistic take on life was a far cry than what rock and roll fans were fed.  For the next few years, Guns and Roses amazed the rock world with their increasingly grandiose and prolific albums.....then they stopped.  Heavy vices, bloated egos, and immature demeanor's stopped the band dead in their tracks, never to return again (outside of the soulless moniker still used by Axl).

     While Axl's psuedo-reasoning as to why he cannot be part of the Guns and Roses induction, it lacks relevant thought processes.   Axl urges to the world to quit living in the past, and to "get over it."  Meanwhile, the only person rejecting reality is Axl.  He tells fans to not live in the past, as he piggybacks on the name and songs of a band from twenty years ago.   Axl's assessment that people still even care about a feud or a reunion at this point only reinforces the mythic proportions of his own ego.

      Bands come and go, and some fences can never be mended.  The bizarre thing about Rose is that, where other bands are unable to admit the true reason as to their respective band's demise, Axl seems unable to admit the bands existence.  Induction to the Rock Hall signifies nothing more to Guns and Roses, and the fans, than the credit given for their accomplishments when they were rock royalty.  Fans and critics of Guns and Roses are asking nothing more than validation of the band's achievements: something that all parties are willing to do, except Rose.  It represents no intention of future endeavors.  Within his lengthy diatribe, Rose states that his induction into the Hall of Fame would be disrespectful to the current Guns and Roses lineup, and detrimental to his current "camp."    This is asinine....Axl Rose really needs to get a sensible grasp on what fans, critics, and even the band members themselves, really think about this current lineup.
     Within his letter, Rose reminds us all that friendships end and divorces happen, and we all need to move on.  It seems that the only person who needs to move on is Axl Rose.  For Axl, moving on means acceptance.  The world has accepted that Guns and Roses will never be a band again, and that the magic that happened will never be rekindled.  Now, Axl has to admit that the years 1988-1993 happened, and that musically and culturally, he was an integral part of it.

No Thank You, Mr. Miner.

     

     This morning, I read an interesting piece regarding Phish, and their, according to the author,  slow decline into mediocrity.  The article was written by "Mr. Miner" an intelligent, but notoriously demanding and hard to please Phish fan.  In his article, Miner examined the 2012 Summer tour, and how Phish's lack of touring has led to a musical stagnation.  He bemoans that Phish is no longer the bands number one priority, and it shows through the music.  He primarily cites the 2011 New Years Run as evidence that the band is no longer a unified entity capable of transcendent jamming.
     Theoretically, Miner makes some very solid observations regarding the band.  He is right, the band has been touring significantly less than they have in the nineties, and this can be heard in their shows, be it positive or negative.  There has been three versions of Phish, and a myriad of stylistic eras among them.  Phish 3.0 shows the band engaging in more straightforward music, with less of the exploratory improvisation that defined them in the nineties.  More touring may lead them trying to expand their jams, but the quality may suffer in the process.   Simply making their songs longer for that sake, would almost certainly result in boring improvs.  I, for one, would rather a shorter, inspired, improvisational jam, over an extended session of scale-running.  While the jams have been shorter, there have been very few clunker shows, and many stirring moments. Most true fans would agree that 2011 was an amazing, highlight filled year.  True, a more rigorous tour schedule may sync the band up to a new level, but that opens up a new issue altogether.  This issue regards Miner's argument that Phish is no longer the band's primary concern.

      PHISH IS NO LONGER THE BAND'S PRIMARY CONCERN!!!  Fans grasping onto straws that Phish will have 90 date year will forever be disappointed.  When the band came back in 09, they stated that they will be touring with the interest of their families and their personal well-being in mind.  They have always been open regarding their intention to make plenty of time for whatever endeavors and interests they have, as the band members are now in their late forties.  All members of the band now have families, who at one time suffered from the allotment of time placed on Phish. Allowing the band to create summer plans based on what they want to do, rather than obligation, give them the opportunity to actually enjoy the shows they play.  Those who pine for a hardcore tour itinerary have quickly forgotten about the mostly disastrous Summer 04 tour.  

     Miner makes a statement in his piece, "The band has been back in action for three full years now, and the feeling of “we’re lucky to have them back” has worn off."  I take umbrage with this statement.  At this point in their career, I think we as fans are nothing but lucky to have the band back.  Phish has the money to never pick up an instrument again.  They  have no need to win new fans, nor to appease the ones they have.  The shows they play, no matter the amount, are solely for the fans, and for the enjoyment of the members themselves.  Fans need to count their blessings that Phish is out there playing for sheer enjoyment, as their drive to succeed has long been satiated.  We, as fans, should be grateful our favorite group still loves playing together to the point of playing whatever shows we are blessed with, most of which have great moments.

    The days of massive Phish Tour, and seemingly endless jams,  has long since past, and most hardcore, yet levelheaded fans have gracefully accepted this.  Fans, much like the band, have grown up, and have other considerations outside of free-rides and miracles.  The consistent space exploration of the cowfunk era will most likely not be revisited, but we have also entered a new era.  We are blessed enough to have a band that knows and understands its real and primary fan base, and to continue to, even at a smaller orchestral level, lift the crowd to unknown heights.  Sorry Mr. Miner.....but we ARE lucky.

**Sorry, I said I would never write about Phish**

Wooden Wand: Briarwood (Not necessarily a review, just a recommendation)

    

     Tonight I stumbled upon this band, and album.  I was reading a Phish message board, and it was recommended to fans of lo-fi rock.  Briarwood absolutely blew me away.   Wooden Wand is the pseudonym for James Jackson Toth, an American songwriter who loves life on the road. He has released several self recorded, and self promoted, albums, and by all critical accounts, is an extremely prolific artist.
      Briarwood, released in 2011,  shows Jackson going off on a freak/psych folk tangent, but sheeted with traditional Americana. Each of his beautifully written songs are wrapped in heavy distortion, and acid tinged reverb.  Jackson delicately walks the line between the brains and balls of rock, as he combines tactful production with gritty songwriting and playing.   If I would've heard this album when it came out last year, it would have been on my best of list.  Find this album, and enjoy it.

   You can also listen to his demos here!

The Mars Volta: Nocturniquet

     

     For over a decade, The Mars Volta have consistently set ablaze, and redefined the prog rock genre.  Their albums are like eating at a Brazilian steakhouse, requiring a long time to take in, and even longer to digest.  After nearly three years, their latest record, Nocturniquet, was released.
     The opening track of the album, "The Whip Hand,"  shows Volta taking a more traditional approach to song writing, with (relatively) standard melody.  Eventually, the song progresses into the mentally challenging structure that has made the band so famous and reputable.  The several songs on Nocturniquet bounce back and forth between the same juxtaposition:  straightforward, unexceptional prog rock, and the oddball time signatures and compositions that other bands envy.  The bands slow immersion into more conventional songwriting makes Nocturniquet an easier listen for more casual fans, but die-hard Volta, and prog rock, fans might find the album too boring and benign.  About halfway through the album, the band starts to hit its stride, as the songs and production are more challenging for both the band and the listener.  The second half of Nocturniquet scorches with the proggy grandiose that fans were eagerly waiting for.
       One thing Mars Volta fans might quickly notice is the bands heavy use of synthesizers throughout the album.   While some purists may not immediately buy into this, the use of synths help add a new dynamic to the shredding guitars, and help the songs take flight despite the lack of stimulating song structure and instrumental construction.  Frankly, the songs would sound to thin and uninspired without the synth.
     Nocturniquet is not The Mars Volta's best effort.  Listeners hoping for the thrashing chaos of the past may frown upon the bands subdued sound.  The album is still good, though, and once past the first handful of songs, has a similar, albeit smaller, payoff in the end. Likewise, in typical Mars Volta fashion, the more the album gets, the more complex it becomes.

Chromatics: Kill For Love

     Chromatics, a lo-fi electropop band based out of Oregon, have released Kill For Love, an album of synth based gems stemming from the mind of multi-instrumentalist Johnny Jewel.    The album opens with a haunting cover of Neil Young's timeless classic, "Hey Hey My My (Into the Black)." The electro sound is far more subtle in this song than the rest of the album, but it familiarizes the listener to vocalist Ruth Radelet's elegiac voice, which, when blanketed with Jewel's heavy reverb backdrops, sounds immediately warm and inviting.  From there, Kill For Love spills into several different indie rock styles, with instrumentation that emphasized Radelet's singing, and vice versa.  The commercial highlights of Kill For Love are the heavy electro tunes, which, with their breaks and synthy glitches, are almost danceable.  As the album progresses, however, the album becomes darker and more abstract.   The same sounds are their, but Jewel uses ambiance to create a more ominous, spacial, sound. Jewel also uses extremely avante-garde interludes to further enhance the pop songs, and to augment the shadowy mood of the album.  

 The entire album, Kill For Love, can be streamed here.

Odd Future: The OF Tapes Vol.2

 

      Odd Future, the L.A. based troupe of nihilistic rappers have released there newest mix-tape, The OF Tape, Vol 2.  For this album, the group decided to stop attempting to raise the shock value, and focus more squarely on their music.  The result is a high point for the band.  There is still plenty of shocks, but the Odd Future is no longer merely trying to drop jaws.

      With a group this large, it is easy for a mix-tape such as this to clamor together.  However, despite each members stylistic difference, The OF Tapes incorporate all members of Odd Future with extreme repose.  The unified sound creates fuses each song and sequence into a single energy.  Likewise, the lesser known personas of Odd Future display their talent throughout the album, and are not overly bogged down by the more famous members, namely Tyler and Hodgy.  Especially for a group like Odd Future, less is more, as each member's solo album can often come off as abrasive.  The greater integration of the band allows for a more digestible album.   Odd future is very tactful in there craftsmanship of The OF Tapes, however, as the group's unwritten leaders take on a larger share of the role than the lesser developed rappers.  The result is plenty of representation, without much filler.   
The album drags on a little longer than need be, and the listener will probably not be hounding for more at the end of it.   The listener will, however, be able to recognize, that this is a group of talented rappers who, when unified together, can create a good album.  Definitely worth a listen.