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| Hammock Maybe They Will Sing For Us Tomorrow |
| Tuesday, June 24, 2008 |
Maybe They Will Sing For Us Tomorrow is both a step forward and a step back for Tennessee-based Hammock. It's a step forward in that it's their most mature album to date; it's deeply moving, intricate in its detail, and gentle in its approach. As much as I love Hammock's work, I don't think it's an insult to their storied discography to suggest that this is clearly their best work to date.
In terms of musical ideas, Tomorrow eschews the formula of Raising Your Voice, Trying to Stop an Echo. That record felt a bit more "rock" in that the compositional style felt more traditional; it sounded like the work of a rock band. It was also not an instrumental work; several songs featured the words of Marc Byrd--haunting, melancholy words recalling the passing of a spiritual mentor. Instead, Tomorrow recalls The Sleepover Series, Volume 1 and Stranded Under Endless Sky--two EP's of deep ambient drones and melodies. Irony moment: it was not until last year that Hammock played a single live show. (I'm kicking myself for missing it--had I realized it, I would have been there!) Echo sounded like an experienced live band. The recording method for Tomorrow was inspired by their live performances, and was apparently recorded live.
Tomorrow amazes in its seamlessness; it flows so naturally, so organically, that you never notice when one song ends and another one begins. Heck, sitting down in front of my computer with it playing gently on iTunes, I still can't recognize the seams without looking. This seamlessness is what makes the record so utterly beautiful; it is a restful head-trip. In my restless nights, I've turned this record on, and have used it as a cure for insomnia. At one point, I woke up from it feeling refreshed from what felt like a few hours' sleep, only to find the record was just coming to an end! A deep rest in less than 45 minutes--that's value for dollar, my friend.
Ultimately, though, it's with great honor that I say that Maybe They Will Sing For Us Tomorrow is one of the best albums of 2008. A more beautiful album, I have yet to hear...
Listen To: "This Kind of Life Keeps Breaking Your Heart"
Maybe They Will Sing For Us Tomorrow is available now via DarlaLabels: Darla Records, hammock, reviews h |
posted by Joseph Kyle @ 6:33 AM  |
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| Auburn Lull Begin Civil Twilight |
| Friday, May 9, 2008 |
So, how do you describe perfection? How do you put into words the indefinable, to describe a sound so wonderfully indescribable? Honestly, I can't tell you-I just told you I can’t describe this record. But that's okay, I think I'll let the music speak for itself.
Listen To: Civil Twilight
If I were in Auburn Lull, I would be proud of Begin Civil Twilight. It is a creative high point; it is easily their best record to date, and it is a seamless trip through aquatic galaxies and celestial seas. The record proves that they truly are the children of Eno and Budd and Guthrie, yet they possess their own identity. It floats by lackadaisically, without pause, without concern. They take their time with the music they make, and the delicate details of this album prove why those of us who know the band, we don’t mind the wait.
If I were with Darla Records, I would be proud to release Begin Civil Twilight. It is no secret that the label is one of my favorites. They have released many records I listen to on a weekly basis, and I will support them and sing their praises as long as I am writing about music, but damn--this record is a total, utter mindblower. I would honor James and Chandra by commending them for their good taste, but they already know that.
As a long-time follower of Auburn Lull, I am extremely proud of Begin Civil Twilight. I remember when this band started out on limited-edition vinyl, and I spent a pretty penny collecting their works, but as I said earlier, I do not complain about the length of time for records to appear; I have yet to be disappointed. And Begin Civil Twilight has played in my overnight playlists for sleepy times ever since I got it.
I wish I could give you all this record in toto, but, alas, I cannot. I want Auburn Lull to get paid. But consider it a gift, my friend, of the song I have posted, because the record is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful things you’ll hear all year. Simple words for simple melodies and simply beautiful sounds...Labels: auburn lull, Darla Records, reviews a |
| posted by Joseph Kyle @ 8:17 PM |
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| Japancakes The Sleepy Strange |
| Monday, March 24, 2008 |
The Sleepy Strange, Japancakes' sophomore album (and last record in Darla Records' reissue campaign) found the band honing in on the sound that makes them oh-so special. For the first time, the pedal steel takes a lead role in the band, propelling the band's overall sound into a dreamy space wonderland. The album title is 100% correct; it is "the" record, the record is very "sleepy," and it is, in its way, quite "strange." It's strange in the sense that the music is practically 'new age,' definitely 'ambient,' rather 'country,' yet it cannot be truly called those things. I can only think of one artist to compare this record to, and that is the painfully obscure Transparent Music, the debut album by pedal steel maestro, BJ Cole. To make it stranger, the songs on that record sound like Japancakes outtakes, yet those songs are all classical compositions!
See how appropriate this album title is?
Ultimately, The Sleepy Strange is where Japancakes became the band we know and love today. The album's sole flaw--and it's more a personal taste thing than a true flaw--is that the songs, while gorgeous, seem to ramble on a bit too long. Then again, that's not a criticism of the actual music, so maybe I shouldn't have brought it up. "The Waiting" is eight minutes of pure heavenly bliss, a gentle, relaxing ride up the stairway to an aural paradise. So is the next song, "Disconnect the Cable." Same thing for the next song, "This Year's Beat." What of the next song, "Vanishing Point?" I'm sure you can see where I'm going here.
The Sleepy Strange is a lovely little record from a highly talented band. It's a record any band should be proud to release, and saving it from the dustbin of obscurity was a wise decision.
Listen To: "Vanishing Point"Labels: Darla Records, Japancakes, Reviews J |
| posted by Joseph Kyle @ 12:33 PM |
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| Japancakes Down the Elements |
| Thursday, March 20, 2008 |
Down The Elements, a four-song EP, appeared next, and was a bit of a departure from If I Could See Dallas. It's succinct; it's darker, and it's a bit more captivating. The band's maturity is obvious. The EP doesn't contain what has become their patented gentle, country-flavored space rock; instead, its four tracks are deep, heavy explorations of straightforward "rock," and it's quite satisfying. By "deep, heavy" I mean "long," as two of the four songs break the ten minute mark; the title track is over fifteen minutes. Down the Elements was a bit of a clearing-house for this big rock sound, and served a purpose as a one-off experiment. What appeared next, however, would be a definitive statement.
Listen to: "Sputnik"
Down the Elements is available now on Darla RecordsLabels: Darla Records, Japancakes, Reviews J |
| posted by Joseph Kyle @ 5:17 PM |
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| Japancakes If I Could See Dallas |
| Wednesday, March 19, 2008 |
If I Could See Dallas, Japancakes' formidable debut album, is very much a record of its time. Though there are hints and traces of the wonderful country-space rock that would become their trademark, the band obviously displays the rather common trademark sounds of independent rock, circa 1998. I bought this album when it first came out, and thought it was a bit too derivative of other bands I liked at the time--Tortoise, primarily, but also other bands, many of which are more obscure than Japancakes!
To be fair, though, If I Could See Dallas is Japancake's debut, and it suffers from the malady common to most debut albums: lack of focus. As a basic rule, a debut album should never be nearly eighty minutes long, especially an album that contains soft, gentle instrumental music. If two or three songs had been omitted, Dallas would have been a stronger, more cohesive album. It's hard to stay focused (and, well, awake) with so much content.
Faults aside, it's hard to criticize Dallas for its musical content. The band's trademark sound had yet to be fully realized; it's interesting to hear them take on more traditional post-rock, such as "Westworld" and "Elevator Headphone." And their country space-rock style can be heard on "A Short Mile" and the gorgeous twelve-minute "Elephants." But I have a special love of the final song, "Allah Rahka," an eight minute rock jam, full of sitars, drums, violins, and a swirling psychedelic melody.
If I Could See Dallas is an enjoyable record, though perhaps too long. Its length does not negate its quality, and the record definitely set the marker high for the band's future.
Listen To: A Short Mile"
If I Could See Dallas is available now on Darla RecordsLabels: Darla Records, Japancakes, Reviews J |
| posted by Joseph Kyle @ 5:11 PM |
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| Japancakes Loveless/Giving Machines |
| Tuesday, December 11, 2007 |
Athens' instrumental country space-rockers Japancakes took a few years off, and in the interim have presented two new albums for your new consideration; one of which you've probably heard of, and the other, probably not. Yes, Japancakes received a great deal of attention for their album Loveless, which, technically, isn't their record at all. It's a song-by-song cover of the seminal My Bloody Valentine album. Instead of overwhelming melodies and blissed-out guitars and righteously wonderful singing drowned out by white hot noise, Japancakes have rendered and reworked Kevin Shields' masterpiece into something soft and tender and sweet and relaxing--at times, their versions almost qualify as Musak. The novelty of this release has earned them some attention, but I'm not entirely satisfied with Loveless. Oh, don't get me wrong, their arrangements are definintely pretty, and it's Japancakes at their always-enganging best, but the original album is such a unique and brilliant work, after a while, I get bored with what they're doing and wish to listen to the original.
Giving Machines, their latest album, is a much more satisfying affair. Other than a cover of Cocteau Twins' wonderful "Heaven or Las Vegas," it's all original compositions, and it's fine material at that. The band certainly has not lost any of their charm, and the material here is, well, classic Japancakes. It's big, grand instrumental passages that blend quiet harmonies and atmosphers with rustic, simple instrumentation. By that, I mean pedal steel. I am reminded of pedal steel master BJ Cole and his 1990s experiments with electronica. In my mind, that sort of sums up Japancakes: an electronica-composing country band. Much like Loveless, this record is also quiet and pretty and subtle; what they do, they do well.
I'm really can't think of what to say about their music, because, really, what more could I say? Japancakes' music is special, and if you know their music, then you know just how damn good their music is. If you don't, there's really no better place to start than Giving Machines. I do recommend Loveless, but not to the new; there's so much more to this veteran band than a one-off cover album. If you're wanting more, word has it a reissue campaign will soon take place, bringing all of those classic early Japancakes records back to a store near you--so there's plenty of activity going on for those enthralled by them. (I am, can't you tell?)
Listen To: Lalita (from Giving Machines)
Listen To: When You Sleep (from Loveless)
Giving Machines and Loveless are available now on Darla RecordsLabels: Darla Records, Japancakes, Loveless |
| posted by Joseph Kyle @ 12:16 PM |
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| Harold Budd & Robin Guthrie Before the Day Breaks/After the Night Falls |
| Wednesday, October 24, 2007 |
If you are a connoisseur of ambient music, then you understand why a collaboration between Harold Budd and Robin Guthrie is one worth drooling over. Between them, they are responsible for not only some of the most beautiful music of the past twenty-five years, but they're also responsible for entire genres of music--beautiful, thought-provoking, relaxing music. They've collaborated in the past; 1986's Cocteau Twins collaboration The Moon & The Melodies is one of the most beautiful collections of music, and easily the Twins' high point. After that collaboration, Guthrie appeared on Budd's The White Arcades, an album I consider Budd's masterpiece. Budd and Guthrie collaborated a decade later on the soundtrack to Mysterious Skin, but that was not an in-person collaboration. Last year's collaboration yielded two beautiful albums' worth of material, released as sister albums After the Night Falls and Before the Day Breaks.
When I heard of their collaboration last year, I couldn't wait. It excited me greatly! And I'm happy to report that the results do not disappoint. Musically speaking, the material found on these two albums recall The White Arcades; Budd's piano and keyboard work amalgamates wonderfully with Guthrie's gentle, distinctive guitar style. It would have proven understandable that both take turns sharing the lead, but theirs is a rarity: two innovators who can compose music that sounds like their individual work, yet sounds like a true collaboration. Theirs is a world of gentle atmospherics, bound together by ethereal strums of a guitar and the star-like twinkle of a piano.
In the compilation process, Budd and Guthrie decided to link the two albums thematically, by song titles. So, for instance, After's second song, "Avenue of Shapes" is mirrored with Before's "A Formless Path." Some might find it charming; others might find it annoyingly artsy. It doesn't distract from the music, nor does it have anything to do with the music, really. Besides, does music this beautiful even need something as utterly arbitrary as a song title? I think not. After the Night Falls and Before the Day Breaks are sparkling crown jewels in the crowns of these men's already storied careers.
I don't think I need to say that they're also two of the best records of 2007, do I?
Now, if we could only get Mr. Budd and Andy Partridge back together...
Listen To: "A Formless Path"
Listen To: "Avenue of Shapes"
After the Night Falls and Before the Day Breaks are both available now on Darla RecordsLabels: Ambient, bo07, Darla Records, Harold Budd, Robin Guthrie |
| posted by Joseph Kyle @ 7:00 PM |
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| Influences: Rumskib |
| Saturday, September 22, 2007 |
In this initial installment, we will be talking to artists about the music that influenced them, and in so doing, presenting a little taste of what inspired them. For the first installment, I've spoken to Keith Canisius, of the wonderful Danish band Rumskib. You may or may not recall, but it was his band's debut self-titled album that made me want to write about music again. Once you check out his influences, go check out their music, and enjoy what you hear! I'm sure you will.
Howard Jones "Equality" (from the album Human's Lib)
Howard Jones was probably the first artist I was into. At the age of 5, I especially liked the Human's Lib album, which still is an incredible album. I remember watching his videos on TV in the winter of 1984 asking my parents if I could have a Mohawk hair-do like his.
The album has great nostalgic value for me, because it's a major part of my musical childhood. It's hard to choose a favorite song from the album, because I found almost all the songs on the album are wonderful. I still like them.
I think I liked the song Equality best. I simply loved the Synth figure in it. It still sounds awesome. Overall the album has great melodies, great Synth & intelligent pop structure – Great fashion!
I have a brother ten years older than me, so I was lucky to hear a lot of great electro pop bands from that period: Depeche mode, Human league, B52's, Devo, Van Halen, but Howard Jones was probably my favorite in those very early years of my life.
2.
Kraftwerk "Musique Non Stop"
A couple of years ago, I discovered Kraftwerk thru my brother. I remember their first single from the album Cinema Café, "Boing, Boom Tschak" because it was played on TV. The video was very special in 1986, because it was a 3D computer animated video. The music and band were very cool--very different and exotic. It sounded like nothing I had ever heard before, and it was very good. The band had a simple, confident and special style, but still maintaining classic pop elements and melody. And what 8 year old boy doesn't like robots?.
Van Halen "Mean Street"
I started playing Guitar at the age of 13. When I was a teenager, I was listening to a lot of Metallica (Justice for all) & Guns 'n roses (Appetite for destruction). It was probably good old Eddie Van Halen that made guitar interesting for me at that time. I think I was kind of geeky--staying in my room pulling the whammy bar and practicing tapping all day long on the guitar before I even could play a song. I think some family members were glad when I moved my amp to an outside room!
I still like the old Van Halen stuff and listen to it once in a blue moon--like when I'm drinking with the boys!
Sonic Youth "Teenage Riot"
In high school, I started to make new friends who also loved music. I started listening to a lot of indie-rock. I remember listening to Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation, and I thought it was fantastic how they used their guitars, tuning them odd, playing noisy and wild, but still creating great songs with good guitar riffs, melodies & atmosphere. I guess the attitude and style they had was appealing as well being in the age we where in (18). A friend played me My bloody valentine, but I didn't like it at the time. Runners up – Early Suede, Mew, The Cure, Blur (Park life)
Cocteau Twins "Frou Frou Foxes In Midsummer Fires" (from the album Heaven or Las Vegas
As the internet started to blossom, I started discovering bands on the Internet. Some sites had links to similar artists, so you could learn about others like them if you found one you liked.
It was wonderful! I used to take what I called "internet trips", where I just went from band to band. One day, I stumbled upon The Cocteau twins.
I think the first song I heard with them was the opener from Heaven or Las Vegas. I remember being totally amazed by it. The melodies and vocals sounded from out if this world, beautiful and exotic. The guitar sounded like something I had been searching for myself, but never had heard before. They sounded so dreamy, but still kind of intense and direct.
Robin Guthrie would just repeat these simple kinds of arpeggio riffs and it sounded totally awesome, I thought!? But the vocals carried it to even much higher places.
I soon had all their albums and ep's and used to play them for myself while drinking wine, sitting by myself listening quietly and thoughtfully to it before going out with friends.
I had just moved to a new and bigger town with some good friends, so it was a special feeling of freedom that summer of 2001, listening to those records and starting a new life.
It was a fun summer!
"Serena Maneesh "Un-Deux"
I don't think I really ever found a band since those days I liked as much. But I still get surprised once in a while. Serena Maneesh are creating some of the best music these days. It's psychedelic, it's dreamy, it's shoegaze, it's in your face noisy rock and yet so sensitive and melodic.
It's strange being compared to bands you never listened to (Curve, Lush, Slowdive ect.) putting out an album. So hopefully there are still lots and lots of music to discover out there, Joseph!!
I could've mentioned lots of bands, but these artists had a great impact at certain ages and periods of my life.
Sincerely,
Keith Canisius from Rumskib
Rumskib's self-titled debut is available now on Darla RecordsLabels: Darla Records, influences, Rumskib |
| posted by Joseph Kyle @ 9:59 AM |
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| Rumskib "Rumskib" |
| Tuesday, April 24, 2007 |
This record, I have to say, was the final straw for me. It made me change my decision to stop writing and publishing reviews, because this record is simply one of the most amazing records I've heard this year, and it's one of the best records of the shoegazing movement since...1991. Is that music writer hyperbole? Am I just being dramatic? HELL NO. The duo of Rumskib consists of Keith Canisius and Tine Louise Kortermand, along with one of Jonas Munk, the mastermind behind the wonderful electronica project Manual. Here's a rundown of what these three have done. They've simply taken everything that was good about the whole shoegazing/blisspop/dreampop/4AD movement, condensed it and interpreted in their own special way, and have produced a record that rivals the best of the records it inspired. Let's put it another way: when I received this record, I decided to listen to it on my nightly stroll down the road. I put it on my discman, turned it up, and had a MASSIVE sense of déjà vu, because I can still recall the first time nearly two decades ago, when I walked down this same long, dusty road all the while having my mind blown by the brilliant, new sounds of records like Victorialand, Loveless, Gala, Strange Free World and 'I'. Rumskib belongs in that pantheon, my friends; it's that powerful and that good. But about that walk. I didn't know what to expect, but the first quiet seconds of "Hearts of Fire" made me think something good was about to happen. And then it did, and oh GOD, did it! At the thirty-two second mark, the sound EXPLODES into a multicolored Technicolor kaleidoscope of sound, with loud guitars, hauntingly beautiful vocals, and some of the dreamiest bliss-pop I've heard in ages. I mean, I still think A Sunny Day in Glasgow is making amazing music, but let me tell you, I quickly forgot about their wonderful revivalist record, because, hell, Rumskib is effin' REAL, man. As I walked, I was blown away by the wonderful sounds held within this mysteriously wonderful album. "Sneak" made me walk faster, with its fast-paced rock beat; "Crucial Love Games" made me wish I were in love, so that I could include it on a mix tape; "Girl Afraid" made me both think of The Smiths and of Miki Beryeni, "Think Eyes Away" made me want to find a computer and see if Rumskib had more records, and the concluding song "Love At First Sight" sums up my feelings for Rumskib--I fell in love with this record from the very first note, and now, after having listened to it about 40 times, I'm still in love with it. I have to say this, too. Yes, Rumskib sounds familiar, but who cares? The best song on here is called "Dreampoppers Tribute," so you should know that they know what they're doing is, in part, an homage to greatness. But then again, we're talking about living in the now, and what they do sounds wonderfully fresh and inspiring. Kortermand sounds exactly like Liz Fraser, which makes Rumskib even more wonderful. That Rumskib shares a label with Robin Guthrie seemingly makes the world seem right, too. I'm just glad there's a band that knows how to make beautiful music with unintelligible words and heavy-handed whammy-bar guitar. Rumskib, quite honestly, made me fall back in love with music. It made me remember why I started writing about music, and it made me really, truly excited about music once again. Other records have seemingly been that way, but there's no comparison between those records and this one. Early contender for album of the year? Damn straight. Labels: bo07, Darla Records, Rumskib, Shoegazing's Not Dead It Just Went Back To Europe |
| posted by Joseph Kyle @ 3:56 PM |
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