Indie and Lo-Fi music reviews

This album is great on so many levels. Will is in fine form, delivering a heart wrenching performance and the band is spot on while still retaining a ruggedness which gives the songs character. Also, the songs are beefed up to full out hard rock mode which approaches the most ragged Neil Young or (dare I say) Pearl Jam. Tracks from the album 'Master and Everyone' benifit from this reworking, giving them a force and power that was perhaps lacking on that record. Recorded prior to the release of 'Super Wolf' you can hear the germs of that album here as 'Summer in the South East' prominently features Oldham collabrator Matt Sweeney and his more rock oriented guitar playing. The recording itself reveals what sounds like a very intimate affair with audience interaction and between song banter. Tack on another half star to give this an overall rating of 4.5

With due respect to both artists,'Summer in the South-East', evokes the moral gravity of Kurt Cobain's,'Unplugged' session. It's an uncanny presence and something to do with their respective intensity; that a certain visual and tonal depth is shaped by pain and the questions arising from it. This would be unbearable, and far from the visceral pleasure of the music, if it were the full story. Its compelling intimacy, in part, derives from its rough impurities. Even the counter harmonies are delightfully skewered to add to Oldham's 'darkness'. Affecting a phraseology that would sit comfortably in the mid C19th while probing his inner state with existential concision, he's fashioned a folk vision for our times, which, in this setting, rocks out. The selection is a virtual encapsulation of Oldham's 'greatest hits', and for this listener, they read as an emotive landscape of terror and beauty. The set has a sweetly balanced feel, raking the best versions from several performances to deliver the graceful contrasts of expanded and contracted space, speed and colour. You get a whiff of Neil Young and Jim Morrison in here, but Oldham is a total and welcome original to the fin de siecle. I've rarely been moved this way, though I do remember the first occasion when the tubercular rasping of Dylan's voice whopped me from behind in '65, and the world seemed to shift a few important degrees.

I have to say that Pink Nasty is one of the most talented singers out there today and she gets to show off her vocals with the best singer/songwriters out there. Don't ever change.
Also, Ryder Mcnair playing keyboards is amazing!

If this is the "teaser" EP then the full blown follow up to Antique Glow should be something to behold. The first track is a joyous psychedellic romp with a warped and beautiful melody that descends into beautiful chaos and "Let's Go Out Tonight" is one of the damn finest love songs to either a girl or a city (or both) it does not get sappy and maintains Stoltz's trademarked ramshackle homespun vision...oh and it still rocks.

www.AbsolutePunk.net

Blake Sennett is gonna grab you by the bootstraps and giddyup off into the sunset with your country heart, assuming you've got one. Finally answering the question, "What would Elliot Smith have sounded like if he dug up his old lap-steel and watched too many old Clint Eastwood flics?" (not that anyone ever actually asked) the Rilo Kiley guitar-man lays down part breathy emo cry-baby and part baroque alt-country ballad and ends up with something either simply endearing, overly glitzy, or a combination of the two.

A relatively far cry from Rilo Kiley counterpart and love interest Jenny Lewis' nakedly melodic solo debut, and also from The Elected's electronically pampered premiere, the sophomore Sun, Sun, Sun bursts with a sense of relief and exuberance. Despite Sennett's always meek vocal quality, the arrangements on this disc flood forth like rays of sunshine through the clouds, unabashedly hopeful and maybe even celebratory. You've got to imagine that an artist titling his record as such isn't dwelling on the gloomy side of life, and while bluesy at times, these songs certainly won't get you down. As Blake says in the soulful "Did Me Good", "I've seen trouble come my way/I've seen many a dark day/But I've seen the sun comin' up in your face." Each song seems to develop a cheerful mantra of sort, as the choruses repeat phrases like "It was love," "I'm not going home, I'm already there," "You did me good," and "I'll be your man."

In the vein of Bright Eyes and similar projects, there is a wealth of personal story-telling going on in the verses, making for a distanced listening experience, which really sets the instrumental work on display. The abundance of clean licks, rhythmic keys, and an expressive brass section will charm your ass relentlessly, but by the time track 11 or so rolls around, the luster starts to feel too familiar, and you might find yourself wishing Mike Mogis had been back on board for the second go-around.

Call it pageantry, or call it an artist merely expressing radiance, Sun, Sun, Sun shines vibrantly throughout. Perhaps there is no song as thrillingly sweet as Me First's "A Time for Emily" and perhaps the record as a whole is lighter fare than the last. Still, you can't fault a man for making a big cheery record, especially not when it's crafted by hands and hearts as skilled and delicate as those of The Elected.

-www.AbsolutePunk.net

This album represents everything I wanted this band to achieve. Awesome melodies, wanderous lyrics, and an all around heartwarming sound. I could have wished for nothing more from this second Elected release. If this album doesn't make you smile while listening to it, there is definitely something wrong with you.

This album at first glance seems somewhat mediocre but leaves
a craving in your ear that does not go away. It's addiction
is beyond belief and attaches itself to your life instantly. It's all simple brilliance wrapped in tireless melody and guitar. The piano ballads compliment Blake Sennet's guitar and vocals perfectly. Other elements of blues and country play a role but the album floats whole heartedly like clouds on a Shin's cover. It's all truly captivating as well as compelling. It's depth is unreal. Taking you so far under the surface, you forget there was one. It's indie soul but it's also more. If your a rilo kiley fan, it's probably not at all what you would expect but hints at emulation in shadows. This is album is truly a sleeper, at first glance it doesn't appear to
have a whole lot under the hood or seems to have much depth. But like a flower under the 'Sun Sun Sun' it flourishes into something powerful. I must have listened to this album atleast a dozen times consecutively, for the moment it made no other album matter. It's laid out so brilliantly that you insist on searching through it's timeless depth. It's a great songwrite album like Ryan Adams or Bob Dylan but it speaks on different parallels, it's certainly aggressively passive. It's subtle and passionate. I haven't listened to an album this much since Ryan Adams 29. This album carries with it an obscure country twang, truthful indie rock, well produced fusion of harmony, folk and singer-song write mastermind. It's intruiging around every corner. I now realize where a lot of Rilo Kiley's brilliant melodies come from. Blake's voice may not be the strongest force out there but he makes it up with passion and originality, it's more like a heavy sketch of hills and valleys
than it is a solid vector. All framed carefully in its brilliant production.

I was introduced to the Mountain Goats via this album. My initial impression was mixed. I was not fond of the strange voice that accompanied the folky music. However, the lyrics were enough to give it a second listen. A week later, this album had earned a permanent place in my cd player. It takes some getting used to, but lead singer John Darnielle's voice is actually quite enjoyable.
The strongest aspect of this album is its cohesiveness. While songs like "Broom People" and "This Year" are excellent by themselves, they are only fully appreciated in the context of the whole album. The lyrics are at once witty and deep. For anyone who puts songwriting as their top priority in music selection, this album is a must have.

Mountain Goats is basically one man, John Darnielle, a superb lyricist and a singer whose voice sounds both sandpapery and tentative. He sings here of life with an abusive stepfather, a subject not exactly made for easy listening, but The Sunset Tree, a humane and sympathetic freeing from a sad past, is not bitter, achieves strength and -- particularly in Song for Dennis Brown -- addresses some universal and inescapable experiences.

This might sound like dreary medicine to take, but instead it's good and almost pleasant listening. There is a cheerful, pop edge to some of the music, most notably in Dance Music and This Year. A greater reason, though, is Darnielle's own storytelling -- his stepfather sounds like a monster, but he is not denied his own humanity ("you are sleeping off your demons") and Darnielle even manages -- on hearing of the man's death -- to recall a fragile good memory, going together in an early morning years previously to watch horses work out. It helps too that in this history Darnielle recogizes his own teenaged self as not exactly perfect, describing himself and a girlfriend as "twin high-maintenance machines."

In its unflinching look at and ultimate release from past pain, The Sunset Tree was one of the best albums of 2005. It's ambitious, mature, realized, and -- not least -- tuneful. Buy it.

I love them, but The Mountain Goats aren't for everyone. I do, however think this is their most accessible album, so don't be afraid to give it a try. A number of styles, sounds and moods are covered throughout the album from the poppy "Dance Music" to the desperate "Dilaudid". "Dilaudid", by the way, makes me feel the way parts of "For Whom the Bell Tolls" did.

If you appreciate lyrics as much as (or more than) the quality of the sound, then definitely give this album a shot. I personally like the sound, but let's face it - like a lot of lo-fi stuff, it's not superb musicianship.

3 1/2

Proving to be ultra ambitious ever since day one as far as album releasing was concerned, Steven's low-fi massive debut will be a treat for any fan, but for first timers should be avoided in favor of his newer releases. Mixing his folk roots with early alternative, electronic and world music, anyone listening to Sufjan, would at least take notice, if not necessarily start the celebration just yet. The eclectic songwriter is as unhinged as ever, sometimes wiping distorted chaos into whispered ballad with the ease of a pro, you could already see the vast production intuition amongst the youthful vibe. Although many of these songs do seem adolescent when compared to his further releases, one must at least acknowledge that this is some of the most intelligent adolescent instrumentation that someone so young, yet so open to play, could produce in our sad market.

After getting "Illinoise" and really liking it I wanted more, so I tried this one. It's different than "Illinoise" but very good in it's own way. The songs have a more folk kind of sound, and I think the singing style is softer. At times it is very soft and wispy and other times it is very uplifting. I really have grown to love this music.

I only wanted to say that Sufjan is a musical genious. If you haven't heard of him you should have. If you listen to this album it will make you smile. I have heard that his music is too commercial and that's ridiculous. You won't hear anything even close to this on the radio. Enjoi

When I first listened to this album, I was a little disappointed, because what I considered the most impressive thing about Of Montreal, namely the wandering, almost stream of consciousness melody lines over really intelligent chord progressions, was lacking. On a purely musical level, the tracks on The Sunlandic Twins are much simpler and also, ffor the most part, lower energy than past Of Montreal efforts.
Than said, songs like "forecast [...] future" and "the party's crashing us" among others are nearly perfect pop songs, staying in my head for weeks by some strange alchemy. Really really really fun.

This band is on a roll. Satanic Panic in the Attic was a ton of fun and had one of the best songs of last year in "Disconnect the Dots." And this one picks up from there and keeps driving ahead. Psychedelic, mischevious, poppy as sin, with hooks and melodies abounding. The first time I played it, I wound up re-cuing "The Party's Crashing Us Now" about 7 seven times in a row. That's still a favorite, along with "Wraith Pinned to the Mist." And the stuff on the bonus disc is excellent.

Heard these guys on a live set podcast with Nic Harcourt from KCRW, and got hooked. This quirky album sounds fresh and brand new, yet vaguely familiar. I hear a mash of the Beatles (was that a REAL mellotron??), TRex, Disco, XTC, Heaven 17, 10cc, Wow! REALLY catchy tunes with great lyrics & harmonies, interesting, original arrangements and a cheekiness you gotta admire. They'll skillfully stretch your sonic sensibilities, then pull you back into a comfort zone. Such a relief from the formulaic crud out there! Oh, and my "skip button" finger got a welcome rest!

That's *almost* an exact quote from Bob Pollard about the Suitcase series. I thought it was just a joke at the time, but there's definitely some truth there! It could be argued that each Suitcase will be more *amusing* than the previous one, but we'll have to wait for #3 to make that distinction. Personally, I really like about 50% of the first Suitcase, and closer to about 20% of what's here. I don't regret the purchase though- "I am Decided", "Your Charming Proposal", "Invisible Train to Earth" and the versions of "Perch Warble" and "Dusty Bushworms" here are all really, really good. Plus there seems to be a good recording of a very early (Forever Since Breakfast early) live show spread throughout, with songs that haven't appeared elsewhere. But the large majority of "songs" here are just complete throw-aways: weird (sometimes cool) tape collages, solo (sometimes interesting) guitar instrumentals, noisy and inebriated jam sessions with Bob improvising lyrics, etc etc. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of these people who says Pollard "needs an editor"; a talent like his should not be censored or compromised in any way, imo. But with this, the whole point is that it's scraping the bottom of the barrel as it were, so it shouldn't be too surprising that much of this falls into the "somewhat amusing" category rather than the "simply amazing."

Look...I really love Robert Pollard! I REALLY do! I have dozens of GBV/Pollard discs. They're/He's easily my favorite artist of the past twelve years or so. And I truly enjoyed the first Suitcase. I still listen to it on a fairly regular basis. But this new collection truly seems (to me at least) to lend credence to some critics' belief that Pollard is in serious need of an editor. I know...as even Bob says, if ya don't want it then don't buy it. But I did want it and I did trust Bob that my $45 would buy lots of good stuff. For the first time ever, I feel more than a little let down with a GBV/Robert Pollard release. Very few of the songs on Suitcase 2 have caught my interest, even after repeated listens. It's not a matter of atrocious sound...I love lo-fi and in fact, would rather listen to 'old-skool' GBV, Pavement, Book of Kills, Rob Christensen, Daniel Johnston, et al...but this four disc set comes perilously close to scraping the bottom of the proverbial barrel. That said, there are still some really good songs scattered throughout, but nothing as good as the best stuff on Suitcase 1. The most interesting thing about Suitcase 2 are the several tracks which are clearly early blueprints for later GBV classics, most notable being "Rocket Head" which later morphed into "Teenage FBI". In the end, though I don't think this is a very good collection, I'd still buy it if you're a big GBV fan. While it won't set your world on fire, there's probably a few tracks on it that will make you smile and the package is pretty cool as well.

i actually dig this release a lot more than suitcase 1. though suitcase 1 had many amazing songs, including my favorite GBV song ever ("sing it out"), suitcase 2 is entirely more listenable. there are many highlights and not as many that drag (which makes suitcase 1 a rather spotty listen for me). the bulk of this set is stuff from the 80's that tends to eclipse the tracks that ended up on GBV's 80's albums. the only songs i could do without are most of the 2005 demos, which sound like they were intended for the suitcase (that defeats the purpose, right?).

favorites include two from 1992: "drugs and eggs" is an infectious little ditty with such a beautiful melody it's astounding that it was never released. "heavy crown" is a hard rocker that sadly lacks a band (another acoustic gem). a bit of melody from the latter song later showed up on the GBV hit "everywhere with helicopter" but this song is ten times better.

my advice is that if you don't own suitcase 1, get 2 first. 2 is more accsessible. both are fine purchases for a GBV nut, and provide hours of listening. the fun is sifting through the wreckage and discovering the good stuff.