Mother Falcon and Kan Wakan Concert Review

It’s been a long, hot summer in Eugene. I to moved to Oregon from Texas only a year ago and I wasn’t exactly thrilled to be facing temperatures that were matching my relatives’ thermostats in Houston. I needed something to usher in the fall. I’m not a football fan, so the Duck’s opening stomping of some helpless C-list team didn’t put me in the autumn mood. What did bring in the spirit of orange leaves and pumpkin pie was Mother Falcon and Kan Wakan’s performance in Eugene.

I wasn’t even planning on going to the show, I was suffering from allergies when I remembered I was due at University of Oregon’s radio station KWVA to host a performance by Kan Wakan. I went in with sleepy eyes and a nagging cough, but felt lifted after their short set in studio. Their work convinced me to at least see part of their set, and I am beyond glad I did.

While in the station, Kan Wakan had stripped down their set, but on a full stage they brought more power to their nuanced sound. Their debut dropped a few months ago, and they culled from the dark cinematic soul music of that record. There was a lovely ambiance to it all, it was mood music, certainly, but was also deeply engaging, a hard balance to strike. This was due in part to frontwoman K.P’s tremendous vocal work. She was fantastically flexible from track to track, able to bring things down to a low simmer, only to push out raw power in the set’s more energetic moments. Perhaps even more impressive was drummer Amir Oosman’s work. Budding percussionists should study his talents; Oosman was able to propel the songs along without ever being flashy, but if you paid close attention you could pick out the complex rhythms he used so naturally and effortlessly. Their closing track was the 11 minute long epic “Midnight Moon” that sounded like the love child of Ennio Morricone and Pink Floyd, its mesmerizing quality was bolstered by Mother Falcon’s Sterling Steffen as he jumped on stage to burst out a raging saxophone solo.

After Kan Wakan finished, all 56 members of Mother Falcon (I might be rounding up a bit) trickled on stage. Their performance has me coining a new genre “chamber-punk.” The mounds of strings and brass they add lean towards the works of fellow chamber composers San Fermin, but there was an energetic ethos here that spoke more to bands like Fucked Up or Titus Andronicus. During one of the set’s dancier parts, Steffen and fellow sax player Andrew Fontenot rushed into the crowd to play a fevered duet. A 3^rd of the way through Mother Falcon’s performance, the entirety of the crowd was standing in front of the stage, dancing and swaying to the mad rush of the music. “Marigold” had beautiful, fluttering moments balanced by the crazed march of strings, “Sleep” waltzed romantically along and “Porcelain” drew the crowd in with a rare hypnotizing trot. Trumpeter Matt Krolick stood stoically in the midst of it all, flashing brilliant solos and lines between cascading string movements.  Mother Falcon smartly delivered moments of quiet introspection between the more frenetic and harsh tracks, allowing for precious minutes to breathe and rest before the next frantic song.

Single “Dirty Summer” summed the show up in a neat three minute race. The Arcade Fire style “whoa-ohs” had the audience screaming along, and the start-stop motions of the horns made the venue shudder and jitter as those golden notes demanded everyone dance. I was giddy and dizzy as their final notes faded, a sentiment I shared with a good portion of the audience, who often paused to take long breaths of shock as songs ended. I felt in a state of bliss as I biked my way home; the state was so strong that I found myself singing showtunes as I road through the night. Take that as a high note of praise, Mother Falcon is one of the finest live bands I’ve ever had the pleasure to see.

Top 10 Rap Songs of the 2000s

10. Get By- Talib Kweli

It's been said that if talent translated directly into cash, Kweli would be the richest man in the world. And it's hard to argue when he's got tracks like "Get By." He'll get your head rocking even while he's telling you the horrors of the street life. The snapping percussion backs up his breath taking flow as he drops double take inducing internal rhymes. It's the sort of anthemic track that will get you pumped up to change the world.

9. Memory Loss- Deltron 3030

   
Del was already an underground legend when he teamed up with Dan the Automator and Kid Kola for the 2000’s most batshit album. Deltron 3030 was a rap opera where Del literally destroyed other MCs with his psychic rap powers and fought an evil bank that took over the universe (as played by Damon Albarn). And yet, it all was still gold. Del might have rhymed about killing Martians, but his flow was undeniable and, on “Memory Loss,” (with a little help from Sean Lennon), the chorus was impossibly catchy thanks to cartoonish horns. It was a dystopian party to be heard.

8. Paper Planes- MIA

Can we acknowledge how weird “Paper Planes” was? And still is? M.I.A’s British by way of Shri Lanka flow was a shocking break from the Lil Wayne impersonators that dominated the charts at the time and she still sounded more gangsta than any Tha Carter bandwagon jumper. Diplo’s Clash biting production is so catchy that you won’t even notice that M.I.A is threatening to rob everyone listening and raging against a “Third world democracy.” From those starting notes to the final screeching guitar, “Paper Plans” was the weirdest arena ready anthem of the 2000s. Rebellion that’s impossibly danceable is hard to deny.   

7. Feather- Nujabes
 
Now this was a sign of the times. In the mid-2000s the most respected producers were J-Dilla, Madlib, El-P, and Nujabes. A Detroit based soul obsessed virtuoso, a gritty white dude from Brooklyn, an LA recluse, and a mad genius from Tokyo. Nujabes’ jazzy beats were part call back to A Tribe Called Quest and part future shock. The rolling piano of “Feather” moves like a Mobius Strip, mesmerizing and seemingly never ending. Florida based Cise Star brought a philosophical and positive flow to Nujabes’ tranquil beat. “The best laid plans of Mice and Men are never right/I'm just a Vagabond with Flowers for Algernon…/Fly like an arrow of God until I'm gone.” Along with Akin’s musings on race relations, “Feather” proved that the sound of hip-hop could overcome all barriers. 

6. B.O.B.- Outkast
 
“This will be the year we won’t forget!” Shouted Andre 3000 at the start of the nuclear bomb that was “B.O.B.” and damn was it true. Thanks to a slew of stunning songs Outkast took over the world, but no song in their discography was as manically grand as “B.O.B.” Screaming at the horrors of war while singing the praises of life, Outkast blended funk, rock, and sizzling verses into one brain frying song that left nearly everything else in the dust. 3000 and Big Boi both showcased their superhuman rhyming abilities as a choir sang “POWER MUSIC! ELECTRIC REVIVAL!” It still sounds like it was made in the year 2200 and, while it might turn your party apocalyptic; the dance value can’t be ignored. 

5. Clint Eastwood- Gorillaz

Oh hi Del. Didn’t see you there. Yup, Tha Funkee Homosapien is the only MC to make this list twice, and with good reason. For Gorillaz’s first smash hit Del rose to another level. Damon Albarn threw down a stark, scary, and spaghetti western influenced background all while winking that he had “sunshine in a bag.” Each time those cymbal crashes came in, you held your breath, because Del was about to come through with another mindblowing verse. This was the opening rush of Gorillaz’s pop world dominance and there was no better way to start. As Albarn predicted “the future is coming on.”  

4. ALL CAPS- Madvillian
 
Now this was some proper villainy. Both of these mystery men were growing in respect and acclaim, then Madvilliany burst into the scene and, to quote Drake, “Nothing was ever the same.” Madlib’s twitching beat paid tribute to 60s TV shows and MF Doom, in his own strange way, called out weak rappers. Doom was laid back as he unspooled hypnotizing verses and rode Madlib’s delicious beat in a way that no other could. This was two supervillians at their mind boggling finest. Remember to call Doom “your majesty” and ALL CAPS when you spell the man’s name.  

3. Deep Space 9mm- El-P
 
Give or take Aesop Rock’s “None Shall Pass,” no song in the 2000s captured the Bush era paranoia quite like “Deep Space 9mm.” Paired with one of the most thought provoking music videos of its time, El proved to be the most dangerous double threat in the game. The coldness of his flow was only matched by his chilly and industrial beat. He called out the apathy of people who turned a blind eye to injustices perpetrated by the government, pondering if he should live “existence on the fringes and such” or join in. “My generation just sit like ducks.” He also takes shots at his old record label: “Sign to Rawkus? I'd rather be mouth fucked by Nazis unconscious.” “9mm” claws at its restraints, refusing to be dumbed down by the idiot box and watch the ideas of privacy washed away. With the harrowing issue of Drone Warfare hanging over our heads El released “Drones over Bklyn,” but “Deep Space 9mm” still stands as a harrowing exercise in creeping terror. It’s rare to seek out discomfort, but you’ll crave it after “9mm.”    

2. Turn the Page- The Streets
 
Here in ‘murica, U.K. based hip-hop doesn’t get much respect, but it was even worse in the early 2000s. It was a joke, or worse, no one knew about it. Enter Mike Skinner; London based producer and rapper who recorded the entirety of his debut LP in his closet with a mattress as his soundproofing. To put it mildly, Original Pirate Material dominated. According to Metacritic it was the best reviewed album of 2002 and made dozens of end of the year lists. And “Turn the Page” was the cinematic opener. Inspired by Gladiator, Skinner compared his own budding career and balancing the 9 to 5 life to battles in Rome. Over that truly epic string section, Skinner made one of the most compelling sounds of the 2000s, stringing complex rhymes that weaved and ducked, dodging lesser rapper’s quips. It rose above, not just above other hip-hop tracks, but most other tracks of the 2000s into some sort of musical paradise that could make any situation into a stately quest. Not bad for a genre that most people across the pond hadn’t even heard.  

1. Save Yourself- Aesop Rock
 
Hip-hop is in a perpetual state of being saved. Now a days, people are claiming that Kendrick will sweep the major label slog under the rug, but there’s a new savior every few years. At the beginning of the 2000s Aesop had some sage advice for the rap purists trying to resuscitate hip-hop. “Next time you wanna be a hero, try saving something other than hip-hop/And maybe hip-hop'll save you from the pitstop!” Ace has always been a paradox, he doesn’t care about the state of hip-hop and yet he’s one of the best in the game. He made an album about the draining life that is the cubical week while twisting rhymes and words like a Brooklyn based James Joyce. Really, about half a dozen Aesop songs could have topped this list: “We’re Famous,” “9-5er’s Anthem,” “Daylight,” “None Shall Pass,” I could go on. But “Save Yourself” stands as his most complete song, and perhaps the most complete hip-hop song of the 2000s. For classic Ace fans “Save Yourself” is full of brain warping flows (“Who am I? Jabberwoky Superfly!”) and he proves that he doesn’t have to sacrifice speed with his jaw dropping second verse that makes Aesop both the best lyrical rapper in the game and a speed demon. It’s weird as all hell, but it sums up the strange factured world of 2000s hip-hop. 

The 6 Best Albums of 2014...so far...

Benji- Sun Kil Moon

The opening track of Benji starts with a guitar line that crawls back and forth between grief stricken and meditative. It sums up the ebb and flow of the entire album in that way. Mark Kozelek throws us a few laughs here and there, but they’re only momentary reprieves on Benji’s long somber road. Mortality and morality loom over Kozelek’s rambling tales as he touches down on minuscule details. He describes the crimes of infamous serial killer Richard Ramirez with terrifying precision. “A little girl in the Tenderloin was his first/In the laundry room took a dollar from her fist,” he sings over dusky guitars. No one cuts quite as deep as Kozelek from the shockingly raw “Dogs” to the nearly 11 minute self-reflection of “I Watch the Film ‘The Song Remains the Same.’” More so than any gindcore or industrial album you’ll find this year, Benji ain’t for the faint of heart, but once you dive in, there’s no coming back.  

Christmas Island- Andrew Jackson Jihad

“In the days before the damage no one knew that they were happy.” Knowing Andrew Jackson Jihad, they're probably ones that did the damage. Christmas Island is another incredibly fucked up release filled with snipers, Nazis, and a fuck-ton of bullshit. “Stevie Wonder to the bullshit baby!” shouts out Sean Bonnette on the opening track. The newly expanded AJJ conduct one hell of a therapy session that goes “You’re fucked up, I’m fucked up, we’re all fucked up.” It’s the feel bad hit of the summer, as you laugh at jokes you totally shouldn’t laugh at and listen to an album that might just warm your blackened little heart.

CLPPNG- Clipping.

It’s a desolate fucking waste land that Clipping. paints. “Once upon a time there was a moral to a story/But fuck it, they need some ends,” spits Clipping.’s menacing ringleader/MC Daveed Diggs after asking “Who need a fix? You? You?” and if you’re for visceral blood curdling thrills this is your fix. From the cannibalistic killing spree backed by percussion that brings new meaning to “industrial” on “Body and Blood” to the epic gangsta mantra of “Dominoes” Clipping. have the best of both worlds. The manic evil production and the gritty street level bars combine into something horrifying and new.    

In Conflict- Owen Pallett

Owen Pallett needs to write a musical. I’m completely serious. He’ll win a Tony if he can get the funds up and properly put it on Broadway. I say this because In Conflict has all the marks of a grand stage play, abet one made in the 22^nd century. Pallett (with a little help from Brian Eno and the Prague Filmharmonic) creates the year’s most stately songs. These pieces are all based in the world of chamber music, but Pallett becomes bored quickly. He hops from dance, to indie, to synth pop, using each as a filter on his brilliant base. It’s one of the most progressive and forward looking releases of 2014 with Pallett seemingly holding a crystal ball that shows future musical trends. And of course Pallett’s scoring mastery is as stunning as ever. It’s clear he’s saved his best work for himself (sorry Taylor Swift).

Piñata- Freddie Gibbs & Madlib

Piñata is the best hip-hop album of 2014. Don’t even try to argue. The touchstones of recent hip-hop (Kanye, Kendrick, El-P) have broadened rap both musically and thematically. Piñata doesn’t try to, nor does it need to. Listening to Madgibbs is like being served your favorite dish freshly made by a five star chief. You’ve had it before, but it’s never been this good. Gibbs flows like a reincarnated Tupac and Madlib delivers his soulful and bonkers beats. “Thuggin’” “Shitsville” “Uno” and nearly every other song on the album are paragons of hip-hop excellence.  Damn straight Gibbs claims he’s “Number One.”

Tomorrow’s Hits- The Men

There’s a neon glow on the album cover and a neon glow on every note of Tomorrow’s Hits. Not the Vegas neon that burns the eyes, but the dimly humming sort that lights up the dingy bar just enough for you to see the grand mess of it all. That blurred eyed drunkenness is what The Men thrive off of. They play late night classic rock grooves that the DJ can only get away with because it’s two in the morning and the station manager isn’t demanding he play “Hotel California” for the billionth time that day. They also love them some raucous madness that seems ready to completely fall apart at a second’s notice. Lead howler Mark Perro plays the most pissed off version of Bob Dylan possibly imagined over speed addicted brass on “Pearly Gates” and the band rolls into one of the best rock n’ roll songs made in decades on “Different Days,” where Perro screams “Man I hate being young!” and that’s the balance they strike. They still have the energy and enthusiasm of teenagers mixed with the hilariously jaded edge of the touring life. They’re the band playing that neon lit bar that night, reviling in every second of its drunken glory.   

Objectively Perfect 3: Fireworks

                        

If there’s one thing more powerful than beer goggles it’s nostalgia glasses. Kickstarter is based on the hope that the vision given by those glasses is powerful enough to overlook how little is in your bank account, and those sights of the future often win out. Hell, my first song on this series was from a damn Pokémon game and, despite how grand it is on its own merits, I’ll admit that my rose tinted view of “Lillycove City” probably helped propel it onto this “illustrious” list.

But it’s a rare song that feels nostalgic when it has no root in your past. I’ve never been a huge Animal Collective fan and I only started to wonder my way into Strawberry Jam this year, so why does it feel like I’ve known “Fireworks” for my entire life? It was released in 2007 and seems like a brother track to another ’07 masterpiece “All My Friends.” “Fireworks” is happy, bitter, sweet, and melancholy all at once. The top level of the song is made of the “ee-ah-ee” vocals paired with chiming piano that starts as whimsical, but drops into more somber waters as the line progresses. Underneath, the distorted chord progression drives the song along just as much as chugging backwards drumming from Panda Bear. Of course Avey Tare’s vocal performance is stunning. It’s surprising his voice can still be intact after the chorus as he flips between chest and head singing along with beautiful vocal lines turning into yelling within seconds.

But the core of “Fireworks” are Tare’s lyrics. There’s a cry in his voice when he sings “I was dreamin’ of just you,” and “I can't lift you up cause my mind is tired, it's family beaches that I desire.” There’s a longing implanted in every note. The verses have the more jaded side of things and the chorus turns into a fantasy world. AC are desperately looking for a celebration in the midst of humdrum days and the chorus serves as an escape, but early on Tare’s delivers his most crushing lines:

“Then I start to feel tragic, people greet me, I'm polite/"What's the day? "/"What are you doing? "/"How's your mood? "/"How's that song?"/Man it passes right by me, it's behind me, now it's gone.”

Perhaps the false nostalgia comes from my empathy towards Tare. People around you trying to be nice and you can only return the kindness with either apathy or lies. It’s a tough spot to be in, realizing that efforts from everyone else can become completely ineffective. The honesty of “Fireworks” makes it weirdly triumphant. It’s acceptance; acceptance that the daydreams take over and numb you to the outside world. And if your daydreams are this spectacular, why wouldn’t you want to stay? 

Objectively Perfect 2: The Rat

                          

In 1977 the Voyager spacecrafts launched off into the outer reaches of space with two golden records. These shimmering audiophile wet dreams held recordings of greetings in various languages and music from around the world. Some of the songs were placed there to show off the genres of earthly music, from Bach to Chuck Berry, but another portion of the music contained in those golden grooves were supposed to represent human emotions. Most famously, Blind Willie Johnson's "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground" was included to represent the human feeling of loneliness. I have my own ideas on what a modern Voyager record should contain and if we’re talking emotions, “The Rat” would be my absolute pick for anger.

The seething rage of “The Rat” is surprising and terrifying for a few reasons. First of all, The Walkmen are known for tugging on the heart strings, not for stomping heads in. Compare the warmth of a song like “Heaven” to “The Rat” and you’d think the band is stricken by a case of schizophrenia. Secondly is the genre The Walkmen play in, they’re no blackened death metal band or a grindcore act, far from it. Their early days were spent in the New York post-punk revival long peers like The Strokes and this is more vicious a song than any of their fellow NYC rockers ever pulled off.  

“The Rat” has focus, a certain intensity. It’s not a RPG going off; it’s a carefully shot sniper rifle; a precision strike of a violent outburst. The opening guitar is something so dark that it creates anxious fear as Hamilton Leithauser’s so-hoarse-he’s-about-to-lose-his-voice vocals are all aimed at one perpetrator. “You've got a nerve to be asking a favor/You've got a nerve to be calling my number.” He doesn’t scream those words, instead you feel like he’s holding back just the slightest bit, which makes it scarier, like he’s two seconds from completely going off the rails. Matching Leithauser in rage is Matt Barrick’s drum work. Barrick is a criminally underrated drummer and this is his finest performance. The never ending run of 16^th notes could be enough, but he madly dashes across his toms and abuses his snares in the seconds between. Combine that with Leithauser’s mad yells of “Can't you hear me? I'm bleeding on the wall!” and the horror of it all goes up another notch. Then it all turns down. In volume at least.

The bridge is only made up of Leithauser and a scratchy guitar, but it cuts even deeper as the band lays down their complaints. “When I used to go out, I would know everyone that I saw/Now I go out alone if I go out at all,” are the only words sung, but it’s clear from Leithauser’s tone that the happy times are a far distant memory and all he can see is darkness in his future. It all fires back up into the blood-lust filled chorus and the guitars swallow the sound with a brooding energy. It’s a song that can turn the brightest days into anger soaked hours. It becomes a visceral thrill, you might be having one of the most relaxing weeks possible, but for “The Rat”’s four minutes you'll be bitter, angry, jaded and ready to go out and kick some teeth in.     

Objectively Perfect 1: Lillycove City

          

I can’t quite explain why I enjoy waltzes so much. I grew up classical music, but I listened and sang to it so often that I soon became tired of chamber ornamentation and for years wouldn’t touch the genre. But in the same way Fleetwood Mac came back into my collection so did classical music. Those early, formative years were so steeped in “The Chain” and “Ave Maria” that somewhere in the reptile part of my brain they’ve become fused to my enjoyment of music. It’s the waltz, in particular though, that I hold an affinity for. It’s so simple at its base, but the bouncy form and light stride are soothing.

As I was getting back into classical music I discovered that many of my favorite video game soundtracks held songs indebted to European composers. I first noticed it with the stunning Mario Galaxy score and I worked my way backwards until I was at the games that enthralled me as a child; the Pokémon series. I played all of them from Crystal onward a truly mindboggling amount, but the one game cartridge that still holds my heart is Pokémon Emerald. Even as I’ve grown and moved away from video games it stands as a touchstone in my nostalgic galleries. This was, in part, due to the music. I didn’t truly notice it at the time, and I certainly didn’t examine the score under close scrutiny, but those bit-compositions were wonderful. One song was better than the rest. One song had such a strong stake in my childhood that I jumped with joy when I found a fully orchestrated version. “Lillycove City” is, and continues to be, one of the best songs ever placed into a video game. The waltz has all the trademarks of a grand ¾ track. It bounces along with a spirited, yet calm, energy and the main melody line has a great habit of sneaking into my mind, making me hum along. But it’s the small immaculately crafted touches on the sides of that main melody that cement this track as flawless. The airy accordion in the back ground floats effortlessly along with the swaying string section, and the composer was obviously had a flexible mind. The track elegantly flows from staccato lines that give plucked violins the spotlight only seconds before languid legato sections sweep in carrying the song away to its climax. At its base the song seems infused with a smile inducing energy that reminds me of Miyazaki films as much as it does European ball rooms. 

Strange Journeys in Criticism

                          



Journalism is filled with grey space. It’s hard to turn out a story that is truly black or white. Wade into the world of entertainment journalism and things get even murkier. For my work I am, on a near weekly basis, sent free music, receive free tickets to concerts, and am allowed to watch/listen to content that hasn’t be released to the general public. This makes skirting the line between Public Relations and Criticism hard. It would be so easy to shower praise on the artists who give me free things so I can keep getting free things and start positive (if unethical) connections. I’m sure it’s the same way for movie and game critics, but the Music Journalism world (and my own world) recently had an event that blurred the line between PR and criticism. A trio of prominent musicians attacked Complex Magazine over perceived “spineless” writing and in my own, infinitely less important, experience a rapper tried to set lines between fan and critic.

To Complex first. Last year the New York based zine featured Australian rapper Iggy Azalea on their cover. A few weeks ago they reviewed her debut album, giving it a mediocre score. Azalea didn’t directly go after them; instead Lorde went to her tumblr and said this:

“bugs me how publications like complex will profile interesting artists in order to sell copies/get clicks and then shit on their records? it happens to me all the time- pitchfork and that ilk being like “can we interview you?” after totally taking the piss out of me in a review. have a stance on an artist and stick to it. don’t act like you respect them then throw them under the bus.”

Azalea bolstered Lorde’s post with these tweets:

To round out the trio, Grimes also agreed with Lorde’s and Azalea’s sentiments.

And now to my own life. Last month I reviewed Cunninlyguists’ Strange Journey Volume 3. I thought it was a decent release and gave it a 3/5. I called it uneven, but I also said that some of the songs were among the best released in 2014. Hours later Cunninlyguists producer Kno went on a twitter rant against me and my publication. He first informed me that Strange Journey wasn’t an album, but a mixtape, so I had reviewed it incorrectly (I won’t get into the semantics of what is a mixtape and what isn’t, but he was selling it for money and it’s listed as an album under rateyourmusic.com so I stand by my review). It soon became clear that he was angrier about the review itself rather than the mixtape argument.

So what do we take away from this? Complex did its own excellent response to Lorde and Azalea by saying this:

“Lorde declaring “have a stance on an artist and stick to it” is a bizarre notion for an organization like Complex, which is to say bizarre for any media organization that claims to have any journalistic integrity. No one should stick to their opinion when new facts (possibly in the form of new music) are made available that can alter your views. Art and artistry are fluid things.”

In Lorde’s defense I have seen publications, most notably Rolling Stone, run a cover of an artist and then trash their work in the same issue. To me that seems cheap, but Complex sums up a different issue often seen in politics. No one likes a flip-flopper, even if there are valid reasons behind personal views changing. The time between Azalea’s cover photo and review was around eight months. In the cosmic sense that’s a short time, but for journalists it might as well be an eon. Tweets, videos, and entire albums come out in the meantime and our constant searching for new information leads to new opinions. To quote The Guess Who “Seasons changed and so have I.” If my musical tastes hadn’t changed I’d still be listening to Aaron Carter and the Ba-ha men because I liked them when I was five (but my deep appreciation of Weird Al from that time period still stands). Kno, rather ironically, went after Lorde, Azalea, and Grimes with these tweets:

Despite this, Kno has a similar fallacy; you can’t be a critic if you’re a fan. I find this laughable as every music journalist/critic I’ve met has gotten into the business because they are fans. Some artist galvanized them to pick up a pen and write (or turn on the computer and type). I am a fan of Cunninlynguists and I continue to be a fan. A week before my review of the new album I saw them live and gave a glowing concert recap over at Deadendhiphop, but because I wasn’t keen on one thing they did (in a massive catalog) I’m no longer a fan. I’m the enemy. Artists like Kno, Lorde, and other seem to want a neutered version of the music press that acts like a PR team. For Lorde, if you ask her for an interview you’d better give her a good review afterwards. For Kno, fans’ can’t have changing opinions. There wouldn’t be a point then. Every album would be a 10/10 and artists would stay in the same lane, never changing, because there’s no one there to point out flaws.

Queens of the Stone Age Concert Review Portland, Oregon April 15th 2014

          

A few weeks ago I saw Neutral Milk Hotel. It was a transcendent experience that was emotionally potent. I’m not the most emotional person, but I nearly cried towards the end of the set. The show is currently tied for my favorite live set I’ve seen this year. The co-champion is Queens of the Stone Age at the Keller Auditorium. While I was profoundly moved at NMH, Queens simply kicked unprecedented amounts of ass.

My love for QOTSA is well documented, but even I was surprised by how great the show was. Two plus hours of the best rock n’ roll on earth. They opened with the legendary “Feel Good Hit of the Summer” which owns the iconic “C-C-C-Cocaine!” chorus and things only got crazier from there. Homme downed some suspicious clear liquid and announced “I’m fucked up already!” Queens took a strange route by playing their two biggest hits first with “No One Knows” following “Feel Good.” After a brief detour into their self-titled debut with “Avon,” Queens decided to blow the roof off the house by preforming a super charged version of “My God is the Sun.” Anyone that was in the audience quickly realized what fools the Grammy producers were for cutting off one of the best guitar songs of the 2010s prematurely.

            

One of the most impressive things about the set is how natural Jon Theodore sounds working with songs in Queen’s back catalog. The trio of songs from Lullabies to Paralyze were given a heavy boost by Theodore’s colossal drum chops. “Burn the Witch” in particular stomped along with an apocalypse bringing weight thanks to Theodore’s work on the skins. Even on the minimal songs Theodore provided a brutal foundation. …like clockwork cut “Smooth Sailing” (which recently received an uproarious video) lurched along a dangerous pace. Theodore wasn’t the only one bringing his all into “Smooth Sailing” the faux-disco track’s grinding guitar dissonance that serves as a solo was as thrilling as it was uncomfortable, likely to make the entire body shudder.

What put Queens’ set above every other rock concert I’ve seen is their ability to morph songs into more massive pieces on stage. Queens were never afraid of experimenting with their studio work. Three songs in the set nearly doubled their original length. “Make it Wit Chu” was turned into the night’s biggest sing along with the entire crowd chanting “I wanna make it! I wanna make it wit chu!” (Homme commented there was “nothing better than fucking” as the song ended only to come back with “But sometimes it’s just really good to fuck stuff up” as the band lunged into a fantastic “Sick Sick Sick.”) …like clockwork center piece “I Appear Missing” stretched on for over 10 minutes of powerful insanity, but the night’s most spectacular was Rated R’s “Better Living Through Chemistry.” The darkly swirling track is one of Queen’s best, but they made in into something completely different. The atmospheric intro was blown apart by Homme’s vicious guitar work and the band grew in intensity until it seemed like the entire building was quivering. They stopped for a moment, letting it all sink in, before doubling down on their attack and pushed the song to its overwhelming ending. Those nine minutes were some of the finest moments in rock I’ve ever had the honor of hearing.

Queens “closed” with “Go with the Flow” and returned shortly for the encore. And with the encore came Nick Oliveri. The former Queens vocalist and bassist who left the band in 2004 was in the opening band Moistboyz and Homme dedicated “Better Living Through Chemistry” to him, but no one thought Oliveri would be brought out to perform his best Queens song “You Think I Ain’t Worth a Dollar, but I Feel like a Millionaire.” It was as if the entire night had been leading up to this moment. Queens grew in strength with every song and with “Millionaire” they burst into rock n’ roll ecstasy. Queens closed the set with the ever excellent “A Song for the Dead,” but Oliveri’s first performance with Queens in a decade was a legendary moment that left me awe-struck and thrilled to be a part of the experience.

Make no mistake guys, Queens of the Stone Age are the best rock band in the world. 

               

Piñata- Freddie Gibbs & Madlib Album Review

          

In an interview with Radio.com Freddie Gibbs was asked about his jab at Young Jeezy on Piñata cut “Real.” “I ain’t worried about nobody coming at me lyrically. I make these sh*t diss records look like kumbaya…you come at Gibbs man that sword better be sharp.” Those are some fiery words and usually MCs would be running to send slicing tracks Gibbs’ way. But it’ll have to be one seriously ignorant rapper to challenge Gibbs after Piñata. Produced by the man, the myth, the legend, Madlib, Gibbs has made the finest record of his career and one of the best damn rap records in recent memory.

Anyone paying attention to the EPs that Madlib and Gibbs dropped before Piñata knew that something great was coming. Thuggin, Shame, and Deeper all held fantastic tracks. The title track from Deeper was one of the finest hip-hop pieces from 2013, but it’s even better when placed among its brethren. “Deeper,” along with the rest of the tracks here, are fairly straightforward hip-hop, but each song is refined to pure excellence. This is probably Madlib’s best full album production work since Madvilliany and he thrills with his soulful and eclectic beats. There’s the breezy keyboard that pushes “High” along, “Uno” sounds like it sampled some of the Donkey Kong Country soundtrack, and “Knicks” is smooth New York jazz. Madlib never stays in one place, but he makes it all sound so smooth. After the video gamey “Uno” is “Robes” which is a smooth Mo-town throwback with a silky vocal sample. For nearly anyone else those two tracks couldn’t be placed next to each other, but in Madlib’s world it makes perfect sense and with these fantastic beats the guests flourish. Danny Brown gives a high-octane performance on “High” and Raekwon brings extra menace to the already atmospheric “Bomb.” Ab-Soul’s laid back ode to his home town gives levity to “Lakers” and it’s sure to be a summer anthem for California residents. Even Odd Future shows up, with the ever hungry Domo Genius and the always dark Earl Sweatshirt on “Robes.” The only major complaint with the features is that Scarface doesn’t show up on the song titled “Scarface,” he instead drops a great verse on “Broken.”

The guests have a great chemistry with Madlib, but nothing comes close to the mad gansta genius of MadGibbs. Gibbs’ flow combined with the gorgeous soul background of “Deeper” is nearly breath taking and the story. Gibbs spins a tale of jail time and questioned paternity that will, to quote Gibbs, “cut a nigga deep.” Gibbs never sacrifices speed for lyrics and holds the best of both worlds. Madlib pushes Gibbs to top speeds on “Scarface,” “High,” and “Real.” Even on wonky beats like “Real” Gibbs owns it. The truly impressive thing about Piñata is when the album is at its top level, it’s nearly untouchable. “Shitsville” has an absolutely mad beat and is the gangsta anthem of the year and the aforementioned “Bomb” is equal parts swagger and threat. But even when MadGibbs is just having fun it’s amazing. “Harold’s” is Gibbs’ ode to his favorite Chicago restaurant. It’s fun, but Gibbs still sounds like a complete badass. “Scarface” has Madlib cooking up a beat in the same vein of Black Star’s “Definition,” but with Gibbs’ flow acting like a steam roller. “Thuggin’” is Gibbs in a nutshell, smooth, unapologetic, and simply great. “Cause motherfucka I'm thuggin'/Selling you the science of the street rap/…I’m tryin to feed my family, give a fuck about your feedback.” Gibbs might not care, but Jesus has he made a stunning album.

Best Music of March 2014

Albums-

Random Access Fhqwhgads- Daft Punk vs. Strong Bad

 This is the greatest album ever made.

Ahem... to the actual list

Pinata- Freddie Gibbs & Madlib
Often we get wrapped up in the concepts behind hip-hop albums. I’ve definitely done this, my love for Cancer for Cure, Skelethon, and Good Kid mAAd City is thanks to the fantastic stories that connect the songs together. But hot damn, Piñata is the best straight up rap albums made in years. Madlib lays down soulful and smooth beats while Gibbs sounds like a total badass on every single track. It’s gonna be hard for any hip-hop album, or any album in general, to top this.

Say Yes to love- Perfect Pussy
Get ready. Perfect Pussy are going to set fire to your world. In the best punk album released in recent memory frontwoman Meredith Graves tears down everything around her while laying herself emotionally raw and dangerous. This sure as fuck isn’t for the faint of heart.

Tomorrow’s Hits- The Men

The Men have finally released an album worthy of their live show. The big hearted and ramshackle Tomorrow’s Hits is an ode to the most mad-capped of American Classic Rock. Lead yeller Mark Perro sounds like Dylan at his most pissed off on the Chuck Berry on speed “Pearly Gates,” where he spits out “I never wanted this for ya!/A little bit of P-P-P-Paranoia!” It all seems seconds away from falling apart and that’s part of the thrill.

Zentropy- Frankie Cosmos

It’s the smallest album released this year, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be excellent. Frankie morns over her dead dog, gets high, and attends a whole lot of terrible parties over fantastic indie backgrounds. There’s also a humor to the album that makes sure it never becomes a sad-sack album. Still, it’s pretty damn depressing when it wants to be. “Look mom I’m hobbling through/I am gonna be a painter to,” Frankie sings on “Busses.” But that’s just before she sings “This isn’t a party” and a danceable beat kicks in.

Encarnado -Juçara Marçal

This is a strange mix. Math-rock and Brazilian folk music. It works quite well. Juçara Marçal’s voice is as eclectic as her musical tastes and she holds it all together. Without percussion the guitars move in unnerving angular patterns and saxophones buzz like flies. I haven’t translated the lyrics, but if the music is any indication, they will be terrifying and engrossing.

Rooms of the House- La Dispute

No, it’s not as good as Wildlife, but damn is it another great album in La Dispute’s catalog. The ever powerful Jorden Dreyer describes natural disasters and failing relationships and the band sounds as tight as ever. “Stay Happy There,” “THE CHILD WE LOST 1963,” and “HUDSONVILE, MI 1956” stand as some of their most devastating (and best) songs yet.

Crystalline- Hark

Watch out, we might have some new Sludge Metal Titans a coming. The Welsh breed trio play a ferociously heavy mix of hard rock and prog that will sound familiar to fans of Mastodon and Baroness. The riffs are huge, the yelling is vocal cord destroying, and the massive drumming never disappoints.  

NIPOMO- Dva

Combine Latin Jazz, Eastern European noodlings, and the Rayman Legends’ soundtrack and you’ll get something like NIPOMO. The twitching and bouncy album comes from the quite possibly insane Czech Republic based duo. This is music for the most ADHD.  

Range of Light- S. Carey

Bon Iver buddy S. Carey has released his own debut, and it might be even better than his bandmate’s records. The soft and folky album is a reminder of Sufjan Stevens and Cloud Cut, but more importantly, it always focuses on Carey’s beautiful arrangements.

Lost in the Dream- The War on Drugs

Seemingly everyone else on the planet has proclaimed this the best album of 2014. I’m not quite at that level of appreciation, but damn are there some great songs here. The War on Drugs’ heartland rock is a welcome Springsteen tribute that never delves into peachiness and contains some of the year’s best songs in the rambling anthem “Under the Pressure” and the road trip ready “Red Eyes.”

Songs-

Johnny Cash - Out Among the Stars (With Brandon Flowers, Father John Misty, and Local Natives)

The ever stunning Take Away Show from La Blogothèque gives us one of their finest videos. Brandon Flowers reminds us that he’s one of the finest lead singers in pop, Father John Misty gives a winking performance, and Local Natives put a chilling modern spin on “Out Among the Stars.” Each song is a brilliant tribute to a legend.

Space Cadet- Flume ft. Ghostface Killah & Autre Ne Veut

Technically released last year, this remix of Aussie producer Flume was in desperate need of the single treatment. Autre Ne Vuet has a spectacularly funky and weird performance, giving the song an album’s worth of hooks over Flume’s blindingly colorful production. And Ghostface continues to prove he’s the most consistent member of Wu Tang.  

Work Work- Clipping.

The strangest, and quite possibly the best, production we’ll hear all year comes from hyper experimental Clipping. Daveed Diggs’ silky smooth verses flow fantastically into the super-catchy chorus with an automatic call of “Make that work/Get that work.” 

So Sick Stories- RATKING feat. King Krule

The youth of today… No one on this track can illegally drink, but they destroy peers and elders a like. MC Wiki hits a sweet spot between Zack De La Rocha and Eminem while spinning terrifying stories from the worst part of the big apple and Hack puts down a meditative verse. Finally King Krule, though he doesn’t rap, gives the production one of the year’s best hooks. 

Hundred Waters – Cavity

Hundred Waters continue on their merrily weird way with one of their best songs yet. Captivating as always, they’ve crafted something that sounds like a more warped version of The XX. Undefinably sexy, but also off-putting. Another winner and if the rest of the album is up to this standard…. 

Words I don’t remember- How to dress well

How to Dress Well has proven again that he’s got a sharp ear and an even better voice. “Words I don’t Remember” is a wonky and funky tune that will grab both indie and Timberlake fans.

Kingdom Come - The Souljazz Orchestra

The Souljazz Orchestra mix any genre they can get their hands on and “Kingdom Come” is a brilliant blend of globetrotting Jazz. The brass and piano are great, but it’s all about that lurching rhythm.

Happy- Woodkid remix

Woodkid made “Happy” sound sad. I don’t know how I feel about this.

Baby - White Hinterland

Strangely soulful, White Hinterland’s new single is made by one of the year’s best vocal performances and some strangely enticing production.

Dograces- Dub Thompson

Like a slacker version of Tame Impala, Dub Thompson make an acid washed sound with Beck-ish verses and one hell of a chorus. Watch out for these guys in the future.

 

 

 

Deltron 3030 Shit I Should Have Listened to

                       

I’m assuming that my introduction to Del through Gorillaz is fairly common, right? I am disappointed in not delving into Del’s solo work earlier as “Rock the House” and “Clint Eastwood” are some of my favorite tracks from Gorillaz’s self-titled debut. And now, after listening to Deltron 3030, everything makes perfect sense. This completely batshit insane album stands tall as a landmark in weirdo rap.

You don’t even have to buy into the story of Deltron Zero and his rag-tag crew of space anarchists who are attempting to take down the dictators at the Bank of Time, but it helps. Del paints a world where great flows can have magical properties, killing lesser rappers and taking down the corrupt system that rules the universe in the year 3030. Over ten years since its release it still sounds futuristic. Dan the Automator and Kid Koala mix classical, soul, and industrial backgrounds to make Deltron Zero somehow believable. They could have stopped there, just making it a deeply experimental album; instead we get an album that can be as anthemic as it is strange.  Just look at the first proper song on the album “3030” which is held down by a rusty bass and sliding guitars before a freakin choir comes in and Deltron’s robotitized voice calls the chorus over a spaghetti western background. And it’s damn catchy.

3030 thrives off of making the unorthodox instantaneous. Del turns “Update your gray matter/Cause one day it may matter” into one of the album’s biggest hooks and the cartoony horns of “Memory Loss” will be ingrained in your head for days. But it’s also a flexible album, “Positive Contact” and “Virus,” the two biggest songs from the album, are more straightforward and pure hip-hop gold. Yeah Del’s still talking about alien invasions, but shit bangs.

It’s still Del’s show. He’s a national treasure and one of the most underrated MCs ever. His flow is as fast as it is engrossing and it seems absolutely effortless. Even when the world seems to be crashing down in the production Del stays cool and smooth. This is undoubtedly one of the best hip-hop albums I’ve heard in a long time.

Grade: A-

Relationship of Command- At the Drive-In Shit I should have listened to

                           

When going through this large list of critically acclaimed albums I knew I would stumble across a few thorns. There would be albums here and there that I wouldn’t understand the hype. I just didn’t think it would be the second album in, or that it would be from At the Drive-In. After all I think Frances the Mute is one of the best prog albums of the 21^st century (and I’ll be reviewing De-Loused later on) and I’ve been in love with “One Armed Scissor” for a while now. So why can’t I get into Relationship of Command?

Relationship of Command seems to be an album that would absolutely kill live. Cedric Bixler-Zavala delivers pure insanity through his vocals and all the instruments are charged with a strange energy. But it all seems to veer randomly from one thought to the next. Second track “Pattern Against User” has at least four distinct sections but none of them really feel connected like these pieces were messily stitched together. It sounds cool in theory, a punk band shifting from reggae grooves to math-rock interludes but it feels deeply uneven when placed side by side.

The more straightforward punk anthems can also fall flat. “Sleepwalk Capsules” never quite reaches its full potential and “Mannequin Republic” ends up being more grating than menacing. There’s also the spoken word “Invalid Litter Dept” that owns fascinating lyrics but Zavala’s delivery is so strange it becomes unengaging. Thankfully Relationship of Command does have a few excellent tracks tucked in here and there. “Enfilade” has the album’s best chorus with a massive “FREIGHT TRAIN COMMIN’!” And the thrashing “Cosmonaut” hinted at what the El Paso boys would do in future releases. Of course “One Armed Scissor” looms large above the rest of the album. It’s still one of the finest and most striking punk songs released in recent memory, filled to the brim with mad energy, a near perfect riff, and Zavala’s best non-Volta performance.

Still when it all comes down to it I’m really disappointed with Relationship of Command. I realize I’m in a tiny minority here but the whole album (many consider it one of the best rock albums of the 2000s) has issues with cohesion with only a few songs really standing tall. Definitely taking White Pony over this.   

Rating: C-

White Pony- Deftones (Shit I should have listened to)

                        

The alternative rock radio station in my hometown played Deftones occasionally, but they preferred to pool their music from Incubus, Chevelle, and Silversun Pickups. After listening to White Pony I’m surprised Deftones weren’t played more, because every damn band on that radio station owed something to the Deftones. Like a more concise version of Tool White Pony is a complex but sleek set of alternative metal tunes that’s as smart as it is heavy.

If comparing them to the Incubus-ish bands the main advantage Deftones hold is that they never let their sound be completely overtaken by one influence. There are plenty of hardcore break downs on White Pony, but there are just as many slow grooves, glitchy samples, and quiet melodic moments. A lot of this is thanks to Chino Moreno’s ever flexible vocal range, going from the straight arena shots of “Knife Prty” to the seductive verses of “RX Queen.” Stephen Carpenter never played guitar with the normal nu metal ideals, instead using its pure power, combing massive and silvery chords with Chi Cheng’s rumbling bass. Abe Cunningham is the star on the instrumental side though; he manages to be slippery yet crushing without ever making a noticeable shift. He’s never flashy but he holds everything together. Cunningham is the main reason that so many of these songs seem massive yet spacy. One second they’re beautifully drifting, the next crashing down with brutal power.

If there are any complaints here it comes from the songs that just go for the straight metal feel. “Elite” and “Korea” are fine but next to the rest of the album they come off as lumbering. “Passenger” has Tool’s Maynard James Keenan taking over on vocals, but it breaks the album’s flow, as Moreno has a different control on his vocals. It’s by no means a bad track, in fact the chorus has great vocals from Keenan, but I would have loved to hear Moreno’s version. But, geez this album is spectacular when it wants to be. The opening one-two punch is what every Alternative Metal band should try to be, guest singer Rodleen Getsic has a jaw dropping feature on “Knife Prty,”and "Change (In the House of Flies)" is one of Deftones’ most popular for a reason. The two best tracks are “RX Queen” and “Teenager” for completely different reasons. “RX Queen” holds the album’s best riff, a murky and unsettling beast of a line that holds the song’s alternatively sexy and threatening vibe together. “Teenager” is the album’s most beautiful and stands as one of Deftones’ most gorgeous songs, along with "Anniversary of an Uninteresting Event,” its hazy guitar sampling allows Moreno to deliver a tender vocal line that’s spine-tingling. For all the shit that nü-metal gave us in the early 2000s we did get some absolute stunners. White Pony might have been a single gem in a massive pile of rubble, but damn was it worth it.

Rating: B+

Shit I should have listened to

My musical acculturation didn't truly start until around 2005, and even then it was a long road before I became the obnoxious audiophile I am today. Over this year I'll be going through albums released in the 2000s that I never deeply listened to, but are held in high regard by friends or fellow music critics. Alright, get your head phones on. Time to adventure.

St. Vincent: Self-Titled discussion

                        


Nathan: Obviously this is one of the first BIG releases this year and St. Vincent has a well praised discography behind her. So what was everyone expecting going in?

Ryo: I wasn’t impressed at the singles at first, especially “Digital Witness” (I still don’t dig that song), so I was kind of worried how it might turn out. I imagined St. Vincent going all electronic, which sounded like a big gamble.

Juana: I have to admit that I wasn’t too excited about the promotional singles. Unlike Ryo, it was only “Digital Witness” the one I truly liked, since “Birth in Reverse” reminded me a lot to the “Krokodil/Grot” single that I found too messy for my taste and “Prince Johnny” is still a song I can’t fully understand. I think that in Strange Mercy she took a leap towards electronics, but with these three songs I realized that she was going to focus on her guitar and provide a suitable base for it which explains why the sound is so rough.

Marcel: For me, everything leading up to this new self-titled album of Annie Clark’s was super-great. Strange Mercy is by far one of my favorite albums of the 2010s, and everything before that was totally solid. St. Vincent sounds like a departure in Annie’s sound, she’s not doing it for the sake of being an artist anymore, she’s doing it for the popularity now. At least, that’s what I think. The songs on this LP aren’t as exciting or captivating as the ones on Strange Mercy (while i can make an exception for “Prince Johnny”, which is a track I totally love). Her sound doesn’t sound all that impressive anymore, instead it just comes off as really average art rock.

Nathan: I guess I fall between y’alls’ opinions. I enjoyed all of the singles that came out before hand but I still felt apprehensive. Unlike when “Surgeon” was released before Strange Mercy and I completely lost my shit I simply said “oh this is cool.” Despite enjoying all of the songs just fine I didn’t find any of the songs captivating and unfortunately, with one exception, the singles were by far my favorite songs from the album.

Ryo: So am I the only who's riding this album then? Before I give my thoughts on what I liked from St. Vincent, what are some things you liked about Strange Mercy that you found lacking in St. Vincent?

Juana: I wouldn’t say that I dislike St. Vincent, but I’d rather say that I expected something different coming from her. I think that’s my main problem with her new album, since it’s inevitable for me to compare it to her previous ones. I guess I’m still having a hard time trying to see how it can fit in her discography, since one of the things I most liked about her music, and especially about Strange Mercy, was how delicate and polished it was, while I think she is now rather grotesque sometimes. Strange Mercy is all about subtlety; this can be especially noticed in the guitar and how it camouflages in between the rest of the instruments.There are some moments that you may even doubt if it's a guitar what you're listening to!

Marcel: Strange Mercy was a very textured album for me, while St. Vincent on the other hand wears thin after four or five tracks. I wouldn’t say at all that I hated it, but I was just expecting something more flavorful and lively. Strange Mercy also has that flare that you look for in a St. Vincent record, and this new one from her is just very confusing a lot of the time. Another thing I loved about Strange Mercy was that it was full of blaring guitars and philosophical-like lyricism. And everything that I loved about Strange Mercy is just very toned down on St. Vincent, so you don’t really get the best experience of listening to a St. Vincent record when you’re listening to this album. Hell, I would even say that all of her three albums before this are way better than this new one.

Nathan: I agree with Marcel on this one. It’s really funny but my view/background on St. Vincent is scary similar to the way I felt towards Arcade Fire’s Reflektor. Both are groups with their starting three albums dominating my Ipod, their second album was my favorite out of the bunch, the 4th was highly praised and I didn’t like it nearly as much. Not saying it’s bad, just that Annie Clark made freakin’ Actor (sorry Marcel, I also love Strange Mercy, just not as much) and this is a significant step down. The only song here that is on the same level as some of Actor’s work is “Rattlesnake” which I really enjoyed. If she had experimented with electronics like she did on “Rattlesnake” throughout the album I think I would have liked this project a lot more. Unlike Juana I loved the hell out of “Krokodil” and I thought that she just didn’t bring much intensity to many of these songs, instead they just kind of flounder, especially songs like “I Prefer Your Love.” Seems like you’re outnumbered Ryo, but what did you like about it?

Ryo: The fact I like the self titled more might have a bit to do with the fact I’m a new fan to St. Vincent compared to you guys? St. Vincent is basically the first St. Vincent album -- not counting Love This Giant -- that I actually kept up with and got stoked for. Even then, I didn’t have much preconceptions going in. What I liked most from St. Vincent was that it was her most direct music. She speaks more face-to-face, not scared to push it too far. She speaks for herself, most importantly. And I felt the drums helped push that directness forward. I always thought her drums were an underrated part of her music -- I don’t think “Surgeon” would have hit as hard if those drums were pummeling those guitars on. So I loved that it got the shine in a song like “Birth in Reverse” and have it snake as manic and prominent as Annie Clark’s guitar solos. And I got to step in here: “I Prefer Your Love” is my favorite track from St. Vincent. Maybe it’s because it sounds a lot like a song that could be in Strange Mercy. But I love how open Clark sounds. She confesses her love to you straight up with such a certain voice. My favorite part is when she goes, “all the good in me is because of you / it’s true.” It’s the best thank-you ever. I’ve been listening to “I Prefer Your Love” every day since this album came out and I love it so much.

Juana: That’s my favorite part too, because it’s rather simple but so sincere too. Listening to “I Prefer Your Love” I could also understand why St. Vincent insists that she makes pop music, since it has a Madonna’s Ray of Light vibe. However, my favorite song of the album is “Regret”, though I’m still trying to figure out why. It has one of my favorite lines by St. Vincent: “I’m afraid of heaven because I can’t stand the heights/ I’m afraid of you because I can’t be left behind”, which, unless you try to figure out a metaphorical meaning, it’s quite absurd. But when she sings it, her voice is suddenly lonely and you can even feel its slightly tremor. As keep on listening to the album, I realized that rather than enjoying the songs, what I most enjoy are specific moments that could touch me in different ways. And so when I listen to “I Prefer Your Love” or “Regret” I wait expectantly for those lines that always have a strong impact on me as if it was the first time I hear them. Unfortunately, the album as a whole didn’t reach me emotionally. I think that as an old fan, one of the things that most surprised me about St. Vincent, is that it was joined by a change in her image. Her dark and psychotic side that used to be hidden behind an elegant and innocent appearance, is now definitely at the front. In that sense, I think Ryo is right that this could be her most direct music. But for some reason I still think that this new image and sound is too exaggerated and that to highlight it, she sacrificed her human side.

Nathan: The reason I was in love with the first three records was how St. Vincent held terrifying darkness under pretty melodies. It’s a more subtle approach and I think it’s creepier. Something like “Now, Now” or “Cruel” unnerved me much more than anything on this album because there wasn’t as complex. I was never lulled into security then violently shaken out, instead it was just a constant bombardment. It seemed like this album wasn’t as finely crafted and when compared to the rest of her work it ends up falling flat.

Best Music of February 2014

Albums-

Benji- Sun Kil Moon

Jesus guys what else can I say? My first 9/10 of the year.

DEAD- Young Fathers

Like hip-hop’s version of TV on the Radio Young Fathers have made a fantastically experimental album that combines the best aspects from dozens of genres. Spoken word, industrial, soul, and waaaaay too many others to count are mixed together as the "psychedelic hip hop boy band" calmly makes a spectacular album. 

Dialects- Snowmine

Hopping from one genre to the next Dialects is a wonderfully undeceive album. Indie-pop? Folk? Chamber Music? It doesn’t really matter, as it’s constantly beautiful, no matter what genre it wants to be. Snowmine’s Grizzly Bear covering Hall & Oat’s groove has made one of the most delightful albums made this year.

Voices- Phantogram

Phantogram’s hip-hop beats meets indie-rock has paid off in full. Voices is their strongest release yet and has one of the year’s best bangers in “Howlin’ at the Moon.”

West of Calgary- Shakey Graves

February 9^th is the date when music oriented Texans celebrate their best living blues-man. And on this Shakey Graves’ Day our man delivered some grand gifts; free-downloads of some of his best live work. Who knows what he’ll release next year…

Cosmos- Yellow Ostrich

The New York outfit’s mixing of romantic instrumentation and poisonous lyrics has never been better. Inspired by Carl Sagan as much as failed relationships, Cosmos is an unnerving but excellent listen.

Island Intervals- Death Vessel

Figures that Jonsi would show up here; Death Vessel’s newest album sounds like an American version of Sigur Ros’ excellent Valtari. Joel Thibodeau’s fantastic soprano range gives a child-like wonder to these songs and each piece is finely crafted.

E Rey- We Were Promised Jetpacks

No stage banter, no BS. WWPJ deliver a straight up rocking live album that proves they’re one of the loudest bands in the biz and a hell of a live act.

Lord Steppington- Step Brothers

Hip-hop has been taking a bit of a backseat so far in 2014, but leave it up to Evidence and The Alchemist to make an over the top and fantastic piece of boom bap. It’s as good as it is irreverent.

You’re gonna miss it all- Modern Baseball

Caffeine filed hearts rejoice, you have your album. Modern Baseball’s take on pop-punk has enough American Football emo mixed with droll observations of sexual frustration filled weekends to make even the mopiest of listeners perk up.   

Songs-

Dogs- Sun Kil Moon

Sex isn’t a theme avoided by music. It’s everywhere in fact, from teen-pop to death metal. Most of it is covered in metaphors or abstractions and even when the subject does become clearer it’s usually framed as a singular act. “Dogs” isn’t like most songs. It’s the single most emotional raw and truthful song about sex ever made. Mark Kozelek’s lyrics cut painfully deep as he recalls cheating, being cheated on, and medicating a broken heart with drugs and music. “When you lose control and how good it feels to cum/…nobody’s right and nobody’s wrong,” he sums up.

Bright- Maïa Vidal

Entrancing and seductive Vidal’s newest song is a strange combination of chamber and folk. A banjo walks behind a rising organ as Vidal sweetly sings “My parasitic heart has found a host that meets its needs.” It’s a dark and beautiful epic. 

Delorean Dynamite- Todd Terje

Look at that title. LOOK AT IT. IT’S FUCKING PERFECT. Norwegian disco-overlord Todd Terje has dropped one of the most infectious tracks of the year; driving bass lines, funky guitar, and a stream lined sound, it’s got it all. It’s unlikely that Terje has a time machine and went to the future to find this perfect piece of dance music, unlikely, but not impossible.

Daughters of Erebus- PATRICIA

One of the spookiest dance tunes made in recent memory, “Daughters of Erbus” rides a smooth keyboard line as PATRCIA fills in the rest of the song with disorienting noise. Think of it as club music for Hades.

Lonely Press Play- Damon Albarn

Damon Albarn continuous his meditations on modern technology with the lovely and romantic “Loney Press Play.” He describes the boredom of touring and missing a loved one while wasting the hours away on Skype or youtube. Much like his previous single “Everyday Robots” Albarn has no need to stick to one genre, staccato violins, gliding piano, and clacking percussion all combine for another winner. 

love lo(ve)-fi- Simon SMTHNG

The clever title rings true. The tropical and lo fidelity beat is lovely and when the laid back beat kicks in the song is absolutely blissful. Only two complaints: This needs a rapper, and it’s over far too soon.

Lawman- Girl Band

Gritty ain’t the right word. This post-punk song seems like it was infused with concrete. The grating beat might just drive you insane and, if you’re in the right mood, you’ll enjoy it quite a bit.

Thunderstruck- 2Cellos

Gimmicky? Yes. Fucking awesome? Also yes. 2Cellos don’t flip the “String cover of X” concept on its head; they simply do it better than anyone else. The blindingly fast pace of it all is enough to turn heads but the work they put into every beat shows that they’re rock-nerds at heart.

Down From the Rafters- Hundred Waters

There’s not actually much there in Hundred Waters’ new single. Nicole Miglis’ strangely pretty voice hangs like a ghost as clacking percussion and phantom synths move in nervous ways. The song doesn’t explode, but instead transforms towards the end with a shimmering keyboard line. Despite its apparent simplicity “Down from the Rafters” deserves repeat listens.

Fire-scene - S. Carey

You need a bit of calming folk right now. Don’t lie to me.

Life round here- Ellie Goulding & Angel Haze

Despite James Blake’s cold exterior his collaboration with Chance the Rapper was all laughs. Now that those two are rooming together (in what should be filmed as a sitcom) Goulding and Haze decided to make a drearier version of the Overgrown track. Goulding’s voice is great but the real draw is Haze’s verse, in contrast to Chance, Haze drops hard bars with blinding speed.  

Ronald's Dream- Filthy Frank & Friends

Well this is weird. The absurd youtube comedian (best known for sparking the “Harlem Shake” insanity) is actually a good rapper…and producer.

http://pinkguy.bandcamp.com/track/ronalds-dream

Cold day- Black Milk

Less than a year after his excellent No Poison, No Paradise Black Milk is hinting at future releases and if they sound like this…well damn. Over a Madlib like beat with grimy and swaying bass Black Milk rolls along with is ever-fantastic flow. 

Classixx - A Stranger Love (DE LUX COVER)

Classixx released a criminally overlooked dance album last year but maybe this chunk of dance floor-gold will get them more recognition. Over the best bass line made so far this year Classixx make a head bopping groove. It’s as confident as it is sexy.

Rat- Black Bell Records

Last year’s most obnoxious, and best, punk album was The So-So Glos’ Blowout and “Rat” seems to be a close cousin to those songs. Shifted vocals that slide over each other mix with the song’s pseudo-hook to become more catchy then annoying.

Rattlesnake- St. Vincent

I personally found St. Vincent’s newest album disappointing but just before its release she gave us its best song. “Rattlesnake” slithers its way through a glitchy synth line and Annie Clark talking about “taking off my clothes.” I’m down.

FKA x Inc.

Inc. released one of the most seductive albums of last year and FKA Twigs possesses both entrancing and creepy vocals, so why not put them together. It’s a gorgeously spacey song that melds some of the best aspects of both artists.

Psychic Trauma- Cloud nothings

Cloud Nothings are probably on their way towards making another critically acclaimed grimy punk album but I personally didn’t dig their last effort as much as everyone else, but “Psychic Trauma” gives me hope. The sudden beat change is whiplash inducing and the mad drumming caps off the song’s insane feel.

Be Free- King Dude & Chelsea Wolf

Yeah, this is just what Wolf’s music needed, another deep sultry voice. King Dude haunts the song like Tom Waits with voice lessons and of course Wolf weaves dark and beautiful patterns.