Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Rick Ross featuring The-Dream “All I Really Want”

I have no previous investment in Rick Ross, and I do not care at all about the various embarrassing scandals exposing his ridiculous attempts at seeming like an authentic gangster despite his past in law enforcement. Honestly, I think that anyone who needs a musician to be more “authentic” than talented is an immature imbecile and bereft of taste. Ross certainly is gifted. He may not be the best in the biz, but his voice is an inviting presence, particularly on slick, luxurious tracks that recall the heyday of Biggie Smalls and the high-end absurdity of Hype Williams videos. Ross’ rhymes cannot come close to that of Smalls’, but he slips comfortably into a variation on the “Big Poppa” persona in this song, presenting himself as an unlikely ladies man with a macho bravado that is just slightly eclipsed by his sensitivity and affection for the woman he is addressing. The-Dream adds some strong vocal hooks and the track’s crisp, busy beats add just a touch of roughness to the smooth tone of the arrangement, but the emphasis is rightly placed on Ross’ gravelly voice and the sweetness of his lyrics.

Buy it from Amazon.

Liechtenstein “All At Once”

“All At Once” all but begs for annotation, but its pleasures come more from Liechtenstein’s craft and skill than in simply recreating the feeling of recordings from 20-30 years ago. There are no original moves here, but every part of the song is well executed and locks together as part of a larger framework. I’m especially fond of the way the bass throbs with a sinister, muted sexuality, and how the vocal harmony seems to indicate shifting and overlapping planes.

Buy it from Amazon.

St. Vincent “The Neighbors”

Annie Clark tends to deliver her vocal parts with a calm, steady tone that makes even her most anxious lyrics come across as extraordinarily lucid, but as she sings the emotional climax of “The Neighbors,” her voice trembles a tiny bit, indicating great stress and strain in the slightest inflection.

“How can Monday be alright, and then on Tuesday lose my mind?”

She sounds genuinely exasperated by her emotional instability, in the way that only someone who identifies as a solid, well-adjusted person can be. The composition mirrors that tension when its gorgeous melody and airy string arrangement crash into a heavily processed guitar part that synthesizes a hundred shades of angst and frustration into a concentrated yet strangely muted gut-punch of sound. In context, it seems like deeply repressed negativity coming up to the surface, but still remaining just barely under control.

Buy it from Amazon. You can find my review of this album on Pitchfork here.

Phantom/Ghost “Ornithology”

I suppose this song just had to be about birds in some way, or at the very least, some other thing that flies through the air. Birds make the most sense, though — beautiful, not particularly menacing, and small enough to have a measure of grace. The prepared piano in this piece has an incredibly lovely tone, especially when they hit these bright notes that seem to sparkle for just moment as the key is struck. It all comes together to create this strange vision of my mind of small birds darting through the sky, but rather than being made of flesh and bone and feathers, the birds are brief flickers of colorful light, like fireworks.

Buy it from Amazon.

The Breeders “Fate To Fatal”

This “classic rock” sounds works well for Kim Deal. Her voice and persona slips so well into the sort of raw, groovy rock and roll that barely holds together as its performers attempt to get across some vague yet highly potent desire. Deal sounds sweet, wounded, wonderful, and bewildered as she shouts it out over this music, which sways and staggers with an awkward, drunken version of grace. It sounds like the moment before something or other — it could be some kind of victory for her, or maybe she just passes out.

Buy it from Amazon.

Bombadil “Sad Birthday”

There is a lovely crispness to the treble in this song. It rings out, giving the impression of an object with a tight, solid form, but somehow lacking in weight and density. It’s a funny thing to realize that these men are actually singing about someone having a sad birthday. It certainly suits the emotional, empathetic tone of the melody, but it nevertheless seems like a trivial subject for a composition that implies something much more epic.

Visit the Bombadil MySpace page.

Fluxblog still needs your help! To reiterate what I wrote in this post, I am currently in very bad shape financially, and I’m asking for your support in order to keep this site going. If Fluxblog means anything to you, now is the time to step up and show your support. Ryan Catbird and John Cei Douglas‘ t-shirt designs are still on sale for a limited time — I plan on cutting off orders within the next two weeks, so if you’ve been putting it off, you’ve got until then, or you’re just going to miss out. If you’re not interested in t-shirts but want to help, you can donate whatever you like here. Every dollar is appreciated! (If you do this, though, you may want to email me your address, as you might get a little something in return anyway.) Thank you!

Richard Swift “The Atlantic Ocean”

“The Atlantic Ocean” is bouncy, assertive and smooth, which is more or less the impression its character wishes to convey to the world at large. He’s terribly self-conscious, but he’s making it work for himself — he’s insinuated himself into a scene, he’s built up his social and cultural capital and he’s ready to spend. He may not be fully at peace with his studied affectations, but he’s become what he wants to be, and that is something to be proud (and envious) of, given how much courage it can take to actually go through with such a thing. Maybe he’ll get lucky, and he’ll eventually get to the point when he, as Courtney Love used to sing, will be able to fake it so real he’ll be beyond fake.

Buy it from Amazon.

Marnie Stern “The Package Is Wrapped”

One of my favorite things about Marnie Stern’s music is that her lyrics very often express this unshakable certainty that we have the power to change our habits, rework our minds, and improve ourselves. It’s not hippie dippie babble, either. When she sings about rearranging her mind or grabbing victory from the jaws of defeat, it comes from a place of knowing how hard it is to do just that, and the intense focus and discipline required to fundamentally shift one’s way of thinking and living. This subject matter is an inspired and appropriate match for her music, which overflows not only with excitement and energy, but this feeling of anxiety and impatience. That’s part of why her sentiment feels so true — she’s psyching herself up, grappling with neuroses, pushing herself to the limit, and all the while there is this powerful yearning for the end result that comes through in every note. Ultimately, the desire to triumph drowns out every other feeling and thought, and it’s just amazing. I don’t know how anyone could hear this without getting a jolt of adrenaline, or feeling overcome with ambition.

Buy it from Amazon.

Pavement “Cataracts”

There is a part of me that is incredibly frustrated by the fact that this song is an incomplete sketch, and will likely remain so for all time. I find it hard to understand why anyone, even someone so overflowing with high quality music as Stephen Malkmus, could throw this away without even finishing it, or at least trying one more take without calling out instructions to his drummer. Still, knowing Malkmus’ tendencies as well as I do, I get the feeling that if he had completed the song, he probably would’ve altered the lyrics so that its moments of totally straightforward flirtatiousness would become more silly or opaque. This would not have been such a great thing, particularly as this song does so much to capture the rawest essence of Malkmus in flirt mode — sweet yet chill, funny but direct, clever without trying very hard.

The fact that he’s barely got his words together makes the mumbled bits come off like unimportant asides, underlining the importance of his clear, declarative statements. It’s like he’s nervously darting his eyes around the room, but making perfect, confident eye contact when he says exactly what he means. I’m fond of the fact that he’s singing bold, direct lines like “I know why you love me, dear,” and “take a chance on how you feel now,” but it’s even better when he spits out a perfectly formed Malkmusian come-on like “you’re nothing but a specialized thing I would like to know about.” Even when shambling about, the guy has this impossible grace. Some guys go for smoothness and swagger, but he barely ever seems like he’s trying too hard to impress — he just does. He’s got style for miles and miles, so much style that songs like this get wasted.

Buy it from Amazon.

Fluxblog needs your help. As you’re probably aware, times are very tough right now. As you’re maybe not aware, things have been especially rough on me — being a writer in this economy absolutely sucks, and even when freelance gigs are available, they seldom pay particularly well, and checks tend to come in at absurd, unpredictable intervals that can lead to rather disastrous bank balances when rent time comes at the first of the month. Maybe you’re thinking “oh, Fluxblog has ads now, that guy must be raking it in.” Well, you’d be wrong about that! The economic downturn has led to very modest ad rates for websites across the board. Every penny counts, of course, and this is where you come in: By buying one (or both!) of the new Fluxblog t-shirts, you are helping to keep my head above water financially, and ensuring the continued existence of this site.

If Fluxblog means anything to you, this is the time to show your support. Maybe you’ve found some of your new favorite bands. Maybe you’re in a band or work for a label that I’ve given positive coverage. Maybe you’re a fan of the writing. Maybe you just think I’m a good dude. If you ever wanted to give something back, now is the time. This site is a one-man operation, and it is a labor of love. A lot of time and effort goes into the curation and the writing — this isn’t some nonsense site that slaps up every promo mp3 that hits the inbox, and the text isn’t some bullshit copy pulled from PR blasts. My motivation has always been writing for and serving an audience — now it’s your turn to do me a solid.

I’ve always hated the idea of having a donation button on the site. I don’t want to take too much from you, and if you’re going to give something to me, I feel the need to give you something in return. That’s why we’ve got the t-shirts — it’s just the same as when WFMU or NPR have their fund raising drives, and you get some swag for your donation. If you hate t-shirts, you should still chip in. If you don’t want the shirt, you can give it to charity or use it as a rag. You could even email me a note and tell me not to send one to you. Whatever makes me you happy is fine with me.

Thank you!

Tiga “Shoes”

I enjoy this song because of, and not in spite of, the fact that it very much sounds like something Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim would do on Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job! as a joke. Though it’s clear enough that Tiga is taking the music a lot more seriously than they would, it’s also pretty obvious that the vocals are intentionally campy and ridiculous. Basically, as the track funks along, Tiga flirts with and flatters a lady in relatively strange ways, and she rejects him at every turn, and the end result is a track in which it’s difficult to tell whether this is part of some odd sexual game they are playing, or if he’s a weirdo getting shot down for good reason, or if she’s just this incredibly aloof and unfeeling ice queen.

Buy it from Amazon.

Still Flyin’ “Following The Itinerary”

Very often when someone has a profound experience, they will go on to do everything they can to recreate that experience, and almost inevitably, the transcendental magic of spontaneity and inspiration mutates into the choreographed drudgery of ritual. “Following The Itinerary” is indeed about a group of people attempting to recapture the excitement and peace of a joyful moment, but it’s so mellow and laid back that it’s hard to imagine these people accidentally having a bad time for trying too hard, or getting too bummed out if they miss their mark. Actually, just listening to this, it’s impossible to imagine that they wouldn’t have a lovely time doing whatever they’ve got planned.

Buy it from Amazon.

Feadz featuring MC Wesley “Subiu, Desceu”

How’s this for a good time: All the lewd bass and bold beats of Baille funk, but with the dayglo synth tones and sleazy whimsy of French house. French producer Feadz is clearly reverent of the Brazilian sound, but not overly so — rather than studiously ape his inspirations, he opts for a delightfully goofy tone. This silliness flatters the vocals of 8 year old MC Wesley, who raps confidently in the typically horny cadences of Baille funk for an effect that is simultaneously adorable and vaguely unsettling.

Buy it from Amazon.

Junior Boys “Parallel Lines”

There is no trust in this song — not for the person being addressed, or the language either person uses to end their relationship. Every civil consideration is called into question, and every word uttered is analyzed for traces of malice, or taken as evidence of the empty rituals of human interaction. Like virtually all Junior Boys songs, the music is comfortable but chilly, and the lyrics are direct, but aloof and dispassionate despite the subtle soulful inflections in Jeremy Greenspan’s voice. The most uneasy aspect of this piece is just how pleasurable it feels, and how that seems to deepen the singer’s disconnection from the person addressed by encouraging the notion that he’s getting some small measure of sadistic gratification out of putting up a distant, unfeeling front. The song also sounds kinda sexy, which isn’t an adjective I’d prefer to use to describe something with such a passive-aggressive tone, but there you go.

Buy it from Amazon.

I am very excited to announce that the first-ever Fluxblog t-shirts are now available for pre-order from my special FluxTees mini-site. There are two designs — one by Ryan Catbird, based on the old Sonic Youth Washing Machine t-shirts, and the other is by cartoonist John Cei Douglas, and it is very cute and twee. I think they’re both top-notch, and that you will all look adorable wearing them.

I’m going to be real with you: If you buy one of these shirts, you’re going to be helping me out a lot. I’m a freelance writer without health insurance in a very dire economy, and money has been very tight in recent months. If you’re a fan of the site and all its satellite projects — the tumblr, the podcast, the mixes, Pop Songs 07-08 — now is the time to show your support. This isn’t a pledge drive, per se, but your purchase will go a long way towards keeping me from having to sell a kidney on the black market to pay the rent. Okay, probably not that, but you get the idea.

I will take pre-orders for 2-3 weeks, and then I’ll have the t-shirts made, and I hope to have them all sent out within 2-3 weeks of receiving them from the factory. I’m being somewhat cautious about this — doing this as a pre-order minimizes and/or eliminates problems with overstock, and allows you to get exactly the size that you want. Also, keep in mind that I will not be reprinting these designs. If this goes over well, I’ll probably have new designs down the line, but these are strictly limited edition.

Anyway! Fluxblog t-shirts! Buy them!

of Montreal @ Music Hall of Williamsburg 4/17/2009

The Past Is A Grotesque Animal / Nonpareil Of Favor / Gronlandic Edit / For Our Elegant Caste / She’s A Rejecter / I Was A Landscape In Your Dreams / Sink The Seine / Cato As A Pun / Labyrinthian Pomp / Beware Our Nubile Miscreants / The Wet Butcher’s Fist aka Coquet Coquet / Faberge Falls For Shuggie / October Is Eternal / Mingusings / An Eluardian Instance / Id Engager // Requiem For OMM2 / A Sentence Of Sorts In Kongsvinger / Moonage Daydream (with Janelle Monae)

The current version of the of Montreal concert spectacular: Fewer costume changes/much less nudity from Kevin; fewer musicians/more drum machine songs; brand new skits; greater emphasis on screens. There were three very large screens behind the band, and it had a somewhat immersive effect, akin to being up very close in a movie theater and losing your peripheral vision. This was particularly effective during “The Past Is A Grotesque Animal,” which felt a bit like being trapped with the band inside of an early 80s music video. I was also very fond of the inexplicable Christmas theme for “Nonpareil Of Favor.” Even with so much imagery, a lot of this is a blur in my memory — I mostly remember dancing and singing, and the enthusiasm of the girl I went with, who makes some of the best happy/wow faces anyone will ever see.

of Montreal “Beware Our Nubile Miscreants” (Acoustic Spinner Session Version)

Given how many “nice guys” struggle with sexual jealousy and resentment directed toward insensitive, selfish alpha male types, it seems as though there would be a lot more songs with the subject matter of “Beware Our Nubile Miscreants.” Of course, it’s hard to imagine very many would be as fun, or as self-aware, since it’s pretty clear from the needling, condescending tone that the character is kind of a prick in his own way. He seems to take just a bit too much pleasure in pointing out his rival’s enormous faults, and when he keeps going back to his central complaint — “you only like him cos he’s sexually appealing!” — he seems oblivious to the “no duh!”-ness of that observation. It makes him come off like something out of a Judd Apatow movie, i.e., a fantasy world in which sloppy, neurotic geeks are somehow entitled to sexually appealing women, and women are somehow made out to be the shallow jerks. Nevertheless, it can be very easy to relate to this character — some men are just so incredibly toxic, yet get rewarded with the affection of incredible women, and the unfairness of it all can be maddening.

Buy it from Polyvinyl Records.

Guido Möbius “Roosevelt Mayo”

ITINERARY:

00:00 – 00:16 Tentative electronic squeaking.

Look around the room nervously; feel unprepared.

00:17 – 00:48 Funk sequence with incomprehensible vocals.

Loosen hips and shoulders slightly, fret about whether or not you are wearing appropriate funk attire.

00:49 – 01:21 Dizzy percussion with nausea-inducing bass sound.

Tip over, get back on your feet.

01:22 – 02:02 Wait, is this actually Primus?

No, it’s not. It is not Tom Waits either.

02:03 – 02:41 Clangy plateau, with boings.

There is nothing that can be done here.

02:42 – 4:12 Horn time, with odd metallic scratching.

Smile; it’s horn time! Nevermind that scratching! Just keep smiling because it’s HORN TIME.

04:13 – 04:49 Cool down sequence.

Hang out, take a sip of water. Keep on your feet. Something is about to happen. Please stick around.

04:50 – 05:51 ☜ ↑☟☞ → ※ ⇧↩☝☜ ♺☺☟⇧‽‽‽∞

Thank you for coming!

Buy it from Amazon.

U2 “No Line On The Horizon”

“No Line On The Horizon” is just about the only song on the album of the same name that taps into the magic that defines U2’s best work, but it does so better than anything they have recorded since 1997, so I guess that’s something, right? Whereas most late-period U2 songs pin vague optimistic sentiment on to bright, wide-open sounds, “No Line…” has a darker tone and sounds like someone fighting hard to escape their doubt and frustration, and clinging desperately to some idealized person representing their hopes and aspirations. Taking the lyrics at face value, this person seems to be something of a Manic Pixie Dream Girl, and her insights are somewhat…cosmic. Her point — and Bono’s, of course — is essentially that the future is malleable, and so are we, and we should never feel as though our time is up while we’re still alive. As the song moves along, Bono sounds increasingly motivated, and by the end, he’s practically overflowing with excitement, and the feeling is contagious. Maybe this is what it’s like to be inside the head of a super-achiever?

Buy it from Amazon.

Animal Collective “Also Frightened”

Even though Avey Tare asks “Are you also frightened?” at the climax of this song, he does not seem at all fearful or cowardly. As the music sweeps up and his voice beckons out, it evokes a jolt of adrenaline, signals his bravery, and encourages our own. The sound answers his question: “Yes, maybe, but I don’t care. I’m going to do it anyway.” It’s the start of the adventure.

Buy it from Amazon.

Hanne Hukkelberg “In Here/Out There”

I’m not a panic attack sort of person, and I’m very grateful for that. I feel like I’m at a fairly even keel most of the time, and though I have my fair share of anxieties, they tend not to be overwhelming or disruptive. However, there are rare days when they are very disruptive, and I feel like a mess; like I’m not even myself. This is how it was for me yesterday. I’m not going to play dumb and say that there was no good reason for me to feel freaked out — I could make a small list — but the scale of that angst was suddenly, inexplicably much greater than normal, and difficult to shake.

A lot of music sounded awful in this state. I listened to PJ Harvey for a while, and though that felt right, it only seemed to escalate the intensity of my emotions. I had to stop with that. The new St. Vincent album, which I listen to quite a bit lately, felt right but took on a much darker tone than I’d previously noticed. Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavilion and James Rabbit’s Perfect Waves had a slightly pacifying effect, but didn’t quite resonate.

As I slowly came out of this feeling, I heard “In Here/Out There” by Hanne Hukkelberg, and I identified with it immediately. It’s not quite soothing — it’s slow, but rather nervous and twitchy — but it provides some measure of solace and commiseration, in part because Hukkelberg is singing about trying to get through fear and anxiety. Better still, as the song reaches its climax, it builds toward a final moment when all the pressure seems to disappear. Close your eyes, breathe steadily, loosen your body and…..it’s over. Just like that.

Buy it from Amazon.

Dogs Die In Hot Cars “Pop Nonsense”

“Pop Nonsense” is a very optimistic song, but it’s not about expecting desired outcomes so much as working hard for the things that you want, and being open to positive possibilities. The tone is bright and upbeat, but the mood is slightly anxious, with hints of doubt and insecurity mixing in with the singer’s self-directed pep talk. It’s not enough negativity to undermine the essential sentiment, but just enough to humanize both the singer and the song. The title seems to dismiss itself as being trite and banal, but that defensiveness is unnecessary — there is a balance of tone and elegance of structure in this music that feels honest and true, and not even slightly naïve. This is optimism for cynics.

Get the demos for Dogs Die In Hot Cars’ next album — and help finish them! — on the band’s official site.

Chain and the Gang “Unpronounceable Name”

Ian Svenonius is a writer, a musician, and a performer, but above all other things, he is a character. I have never met the man, but I’m willing to believe that he never lets the mask slip, and essentially just became the persona he created many years ago simply by living it every day. To be very clear, I’m not calling him a phony — I think that this is more or less what we all do in our lives, but that his affectations are much more bold and well-curated than most. Nevertheless, he is a distinct, larger-than-life character, and he’s out there walking around in the world, living his life every day. It’s funny to think of him in totally ordinary situations, or having to regularly engage with people who would just be confused or annoyed by his shtick.

Since it’s unlikely that we’ll ever see an Ian Svenonius reality television series, the best window we have into the world of Svenonius-the-character and/or Svenonius-the-man are songs like “Unpronounceable Name,” in which he presents himself within a scenario that could be fictional, but is just plausible enough to seem like a slice of his life. It’s a groovy little tune with a lively swing that suits him rather well, particularly as he plays the role of a romantic lead in pursuit of a woman with a name so difficult to pronounce that she becomes incredibly elusive, and nearly mythical.

Buy it from K Records.

Hammarin & Robin “Hell Knows I’m In Love”

Hammarin, the singer of this new pop duo from Sweden, has a tremendously flamboyant and theatrical vocal affectation, to the point where it’s easy to hear him and wonder if he’s just making fun of guys like Antony and Andy Bell from Erasure. Oh no no no no. This guy may be campy, but he’s incredibly sincere, and his style is perfect suited to the high drama of this song in which he weighs the pros and cons of committing himself to the notion of being in love. It’s about casting aside fear of pain, and taking the risk that it all may work out. His over-the-top delivery is precisely what the song demands — the arrangement, lyrics, and melody convey a very earnest yearning and an admirable measure of courage, and he just nails it, particularly as he resolves to go all in on the climax. Falling in love may be mundane as a statistical phenomenon, but on an individual level, it’s rare and special and momentous and terrifying, and this song is totally present in that state of mind.

Get the double a-side single for free from the Mad For It label.

Rubies “Stand In A Line”

There are two distinct modes in this song — a gentle groove with pretty arpeggiated guitar, and a somewhat uneasy disco chorus that picks up the pace while amping up the neuroses. I favor the verses. I suppose when given the choice I’d rather feel comfortable and pensive rather than vaguely nervous and confused. All the same, the transition between the two sections is musically and emotionally seamless, and the overall tone and effect recalls the Cardigans’ excellent hit “Lovefool.” “Stand In A Line” doesn’t have the same sort of giddy high, but it nearly matches the balance of casual grooviness and muted inner turmoil. When the song shifts back to the more mellow section only to bounce right back, it’s hard not to wonder if the sweet, relaxed bit only exacerbates the frustration expressed in the chorus.

Buy it via the Rubies MySpace page.