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It's an interesting time for the young electronic genre known as "chillwave". Most chillwave artists have only released one or two albums so far (Toro Y Moi, Neon Indian, Washed Out etc.) and there's no telling where the genre will go. There's a whole debate about the necessity of coining the genre but I won't weigh in on that right now.
Memory Tapes, a slightly less electronic chillwave act, continues to incorporate guitars and rock accompaniment in the recently released Player Piano. In general, even on their previous album, the use of guitars in addition to pure electronics gives the band a variety tht artists like Toro Y Moi and Washed Out sometimes lack because of their purely electronic palettes.
Little touches like obviously live drumming and the live guitars on "Sunhits" and "Fell thru ice" (part I) remind listeners that the album had to be created using more than just pro-tools. There is a refreshingly live aspect to Player Piano while still producing patently "chillwave" feelings of hypnosis and immersion. Perhaps there's just more of a rock influence in general. They've got a lot in common with MGMT (post Oracular Spectacular) and Tame Impala.
To keep myself from gushing about the album, I'll end by recommending both halves of"Fell thru the ice" and "This our life" to listeners looking for key tracks.
Grade: A-
"Fly From Here" is the first Yes album released since Alan Benoit replaced vocalist Jon Anderson and in that context, it's a decent album. Benoit's vocals are clearly very different than Anderson's at points but he is able to provide the same effect and evoke the same feelings. No one can truly replace Anderson but it's good that Yes hasn't used that as an excuse to retire before they're ready.
Howe's guitar playing and the band's harmony is still largely intact and the writing is above average even sans Wakeman and Anderson. The arrangements still have a very Wakeman feel to them at times. It's amazing to consider Howe, White, and Squire's ages and realize the stamina it takes to play these songs live OR in the studio. Yes is still touring more heavily than any band I can think of, to boot.
The gems on this record are all movements of "Fly from Here" and "Into the storm".
Grade: C+
For a debut album, "Timez are weird. . ." is strong enough to make me want to keep an ear out for this young man's next step but overall it's a bit lacking. On "Timez. . " Theophilus London is able to straddle many different genres including hip-hop, funk, and r & b but for this reason the album seems a bit scattered.
The whole release has a tight, electronic feel to it and the production is crisp but the songwriting lags at some points. Songs like "Girls Girls $" and "Last Name London" are forgettable and lame but they're offset slightly by a few winners like the 80s inspired, west-coast influenced, "Why even try" and my favorite track, the Prince-esque "Lighthouse". Listeners will notice that London is a much better singer than rapper, at this juncture. But hey, your music isn't exclusively hip-hop in my opinion so sing your heart out, Theo. I like it better than your flow.
Timez is a mixed bag but sadly it's mostly full of garbage. If he buckles down though he could have something unique in the future but I'll still be watching for him at Austin City Limits this fall.
Grade: D
Pictureplane's last full length was pretty good but hampered by a lack of variety. The palette of samples he used was too small overall and this made the album feel old quickly. Individual songs are great (such as "Goth Star") but there is too little variation for all of them to be winners in the context of a single album.
Pic seems to be countering that by playing with the tempo a little more and making each song more distinct from the others. There are more samples this time and less repetition, well as little repetition as there can be for Pictureplane: an artist working in a trance-like genre. The tell-tale trance piano chords still haunt the recording but this time they're put to a better use.
This is a much much stronger release than "Dark Rift".
Grade: B+
Dan Boeckner continues to forge a more electronic path for the now three album deep Handsome Furs side project. The musicians of Wolf Parade have spawned more independent projects than practically any band I can think. They're doing laps around Eric Clapton at this point now that I remember Spencer Krugg's Moonface project which is active again. Anyway..
There's few guitars on Sound Kapital but somehow it still sounds like Handsome Furs. The increased electronics don't however make the release any more tame. Songs like "Damage" use growling synths that mimic guitar in tone and intensity. Sometimes you hardly notice. If anything the album is louder than "Face Control". The important thing about "Sound Kapital" is that by and large the songwriting still follows a rock structure, just with less guitars.
Songs to listen to first include: "bury me standing", "damage", and the very non-rock "what about us?"
Grade: A-
The band's latest album, released yesterday, demonstrates that they're aging gracefully without losing their quirky, creative edge. I have no idea what the cover is about. It's a pink monster truck. I'll peg this weirdo for Pitchfork's top worst album covers of the year but that barely matters.
Meat and potatoes rock is the flavor of this album and it's executed successfully without feeling like it drags. "Judy Is Your Viet Nam" was widely promoted before the release and although it's short in length it tells a humorous story and is a testament to the band's still keen lyrical abilities. "You Probably Get that a Lot" is an extremely tight almost Strokesy rock song definitely signaling a new comfort with the slightly more conventional which is not necessarily a bad thing.
There are still blips and bloops of weirdness (like the goofy "Cloisonne" and "Celebration") but TMBG have taken slightly a more serious approach after releasing their two previous albums mostly for children. It's nice to hear them do some new music for us big kids. I was beginning to get jealous. Can't let the little noise miners have all the fun.
I've been anticipating this album for a very long time and now that it's here, I'm slightly disappointed. That could be because the "Life of Leisure EP" was so captivating and lively that it was impossible to top but "Within and Without" definitely seems to lack a certain life even when judged as a standalone. It's not God-awful by any means but it lacks the excitement and immersion of its predecessor.
Although short, "Life of Leisure" spanned many different moods and tempos from the joyful "New Theory" to the foreboding "Hold Out". However "Within and Without" seems to settle on a single mood of quiet melancholy which makes for a few beautiful songs but leaves the whole album feeling sort of flat on the whole.
The songs to look for on this album are the relatively peppy "Amor Fati", the majestic title track "Within and Without", and the sad "Far Away".
Overall: B-
