Our week of non-stop demo music continues today with yet another band with an unfortunate name, the Instrumen. Everyone should know by now that I'm a sucker for angular hardcore/rock in the fine tradition of bands such as Jesus Lizard and Shellac and these dudes deliver the goods. As is stands right now, the vocals are kinda on the weak side and lacking in personality, but the riffs are solid, twisted and sharp as knives. Once they find their David Yow (whether it's within themselves or in an as-yet-unfound new member), they'll be on fire. I also wouldn't mind hearing a little more Melody in there sometimes - they would benefit from the variety. The shimmering riff at the end of "Alcohol" is a shining example of what I'd like to hear more of. But since it's almost Easter, I've decided to post the song "Oh like Jesus" instead. It's seasonably appropriate, right?
Search: Melody
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Our week of non-stop demo music continues today with yet another band with an unfortunate name, the Instrumen. Everyone should know by now that I'm a sucker for angular hardcore/rock in the fine tradition of bands such as Jesus Lizard and Shellac and these dudes deliver the goods. As is stands right now, the vocals are kinda on the weak side and lacking in personality, but the riffs are solid, twisted and sharp as knives. Once they find their David Yow (whether it's within themselves or in an as-yet-unfound new member), they'll be on fire. I also wouldn't mind hearing a little more Melody in there sometimes - they would benefit from the variety. The shimmering riff at the end of "Alcohol" is a shining example of what I'd like to hear more of. But since it's almost Easter, I've decided to post the song "Oh like Jesus" instead. It's seasonably appropriate, right?
Instrumen - Oh like Jesus
Lars Bygdén
Trading happiness for songs
Massproduktion
I like to think I'm one of the most open-minded listeners around, but dad gum it, this new record by Swedish folkie/country minstrel Lars Bygdén tested my patience. If it weren't for his name, you wouldn't have a friggin' CLUE that this thing came from within a thousand miles of the Arctic Circle. It sounds like safe, low-rent stuff from Nashville or somewhere else in the American south. I started scratching my brow on track two, "Thinking 'bout you," as our boy turns up the eloquence meter to, uh, ONE, with this verse: "I'm thinkin' 'bout chu (definitely pronounced as CHEW--c'mon, Lars, you're SWEDISH, not AMERICAN BACKWOODS)/With everything that I do/I'm movin' too fast/Won't give you no rest/I'm always thinkin' 'bout chu." I kept scratching through several bland, acoustic ballady numbers--only perking up my ears for the uptempo "Dream on," which you can actually tap your foot to, the sorta poignant "For the old folks" (a straight tribute to your ma and pa's generation; "I guess they need a thought or two," LB tells us), and "I couldn't help it," which, if you forget it's from Sweden, is one of the nicer and more wistfully sweet ballads here, Bygdén picking at the old six-string with some heart. But otherwise, this record is seriously lacking in some key musical ingredients: little things like originality, Melody, emotional interest, etc. It's hard to imagine many folks making it to track 11 without yawning. Lars, m'boy, I'm sure you're a decent, sincere chap, and I promise I like Americana as much as you. But rough it up a bit or head for the edge, otherwise you're gonna start sounding like you belong in Branson. And that would be a terrible fate for a nice Swedish boy.
- Kevin Renick
Motorpsycho
Black hole / Blank canvas
Stickman Records
I am not familiar at all with Motorpsycho's career but from what I understand they like to explore a lot of genres. Well "Black hole / Black canvas" certainly qualifies as a very diverse record, as diverse as I have heard. Once upon a time, it was an admired quality for band to be diverse. I mean, the Rolling Stones went from country to blues to rockabilly on a single record and nobody ever complained. Nowadays, bands that do that are accused of being "unfocused" or some other crap. Well Motorpsycho are Krautrock, stoner-rock, even a bit post-punk and I love every minute of it. What is even better is the fact that it all makes sense because they have a great sense of Melody and they use it with consistency throughout their explorations. Great record.
- Simon Thibaudeau
New mp3 today from Motorpsycho, one of Norway's greatest rock bands, if not the greatest. Word on the street is that the band's new double album "Black hole black canvas" is the band's best work in many, many years and you know what? It's true. For many people, the term "prog-rock" conjures up images of bands like Rush or some other sort of noodly wanker with stupid hair, but when I apply it to Motorpsycho, I'm using it as it was originally intended. Motorpsycho is progressive - they stretch the boundries of genre to create something amazing. In the same way that many 70s classic rock acts used to evade pigeonholing, "Black hole black canvas" is all over the map musically, but always grounded and held together by the band's amazing sense of Melody. It's distinctive and immediately recognizable. This particular song that I've posted today is the album's first single "Hyena". It's a powerful pop song with a grandiose, soaring quality that I just love. Recommend listening? Hell yes.
MP3: Motorpsycho - Hyena
New mp3 today from Motorpsycho, one of Norway's greatest rock bands, if not the greatest. Word on the street is that the band's new double album "Black hole black canvas" is the band's best work in many, many years and you know what? It's true. For many people, the term "prog-rock" conjures up images of bands like Rush or some other sort of noodly wanker with stupid hair, but when I apply it to Motorpsycho, I'm using it as it was originally intended. Motorpsycho is progressive - they stretch the boundaries of genre to create something amazing. In the same way that many 70s classic rock acts used to evade pigeonholing, "Black hole black canvas" is all over the map musically, but always grounded and held together by the band's amazing sense of Melody. It's distinctive and immediately recognizable. This particular song that I've posted today is the album's first single "Hyena". It's a powerful pop song with a grandiose, soaring quality that I just love. Recommend listening? Hell yes.
Motorpsycho - Hyena
David & The Citizens
s/t
Friendly Fire
David & the Citizens have released two full length LPs and a handful of EPs on Sweden's Adrian Recordings. This EP, their first American release, pulls songs from these previous releases into a short and sweet collection. A few of their best numbers are here, "Now she sleeps in a box in the good soil of Denmark" is a curious sing-along song despite the dark lyrics, and "Big chill" (featuring Mattias Alkberg of Bear Quartet and Mattias Alkberg BD) is invigorating as all get out. "Lets not fall apart" showcases frontman David Fridlund's uncanny grasp of Melody. Their songs are always an intriguing contrast between lyrics that border on suicidal despair and bouncy melodies brimming with joy. These aren't all the songs I would have picked to showcase their strengths - there are none of their slower beauties, and some of their most compelling numbers like "Song against life" (now there's a theme for a sing-along-song!) are missing, while a few of those included ("Grey coated morning," which was an early single but is hardly their best) might be better left off. All in all, though, it's a fine introduction to a wonderful band for those who don't want to spring for the full catalogue and build their own favorite song playlists.
- Nancy Baym
I'm not sure what my problem is, but I've only just recently started to really dig into the Morningside Records catalogue. I've known about the label for awhile now, but never bothered getting a hold of any of their releases until Figurines started to get international attention. Lame, I know. However, I'm not going to talk about Figurines today (I'll wait until after I see them in Seattle next week). The Morningside artist that has impressed me the most so far is Jomi Massage, so that's who I'm posting an mp3 from today. The most obvious point of reference for JM is "Dry"-era PJ Harvey. You know the sound: caterwauling vocals and noisy, lurching rock interspersed with quieter, more tender moments. But JM trumps PJ by incorporating a much diverse and layered melodic sensibility. I like older PJ stuff a lot, but there's something more interesting going on here that's also, most importantly, much more consistent. This particular track that I've posted today starts off with a droning Melody and then explodes into a fireball of white noise which keeps burning furiously until a sudden stop at the end. It's a total cliffhanger of a song, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
MP3: Jomi Massage - Journal June II
I'm not sure what my problem is, but I've only just recently started to really dig into the Morningside Records catalogue. I've known about the label for awhile now, but never bothered getting a hold of any of their releases until Figurines started to get international attention. Lame, I know. However, I'm not going to talk about Figurines today (I'll wait until after I see them in Seattle next week). The Morningside artist that has impressed me the most so far is Jomi Massage, so that's who I'm posting an mp3 from today. The most obvious point of reference for JM is "Dry"-era PJ Harvey. You know the sound: caterwauling vocals and noisy, lurching rock interspersed with quieter, more tender moments. But JM trumps PJ by incorporating a much diverse and layered melodic sensibility. I like older PJ stuff a lot, but there's something more interesting going on here that's also, most importantly, much more consistent. This particular track that I've posted today starts off with a droning Melody and then explodes into a fireball of white noise which keeps burning furiously until a sudden stop at the end. It's a total cliffhanger of a song, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Jomi Massage - Journal June II
Did you see that list of the top instrumental/post-rock albums over at Decoy Music? Claiming the #1 spot is a band from Norway cleverly named Samuel Jackson Five. I had seen their name in passing before, but I had no idea what they sounded like so I immediately went out and got a copy of their record "Easily misunderstood". I'm not the biggest post-rock/instrumental aficionado, so I'm not exactly qualified to state whether or not the album deserves the #1 ranking, but I do like what I hear: looping, hypnotic riffs, loud epic passages and a pronounced Scandinavian sense of Melody. Some of the tracks remind me a bit of Finnish post-rockers Magyar Posse but then again, on tracks like the one I've posted today, you'll hear that SJ5 takes the "rock" part of the genre name much more seriously. It starts out quiet, but right around 2:30 they crank it up and kick out the jams.
MP3: The Samuel Jackson Five - No name
Did you see that list of the top instrumental/post-rock albums over at Decoy Music? Claiming the #1 spot is a band from Norway cleverly named Samuel Jackson Five. I had seen their name in passing before, but I had no idea what they sounded like so I immediately went out and got a copy of their record "Easily misunderstood". I'm not the biggest post-rock/instrumental aficionado, so I'm not exactly qualified to state whether or not the album deserves the #1 ranking, but I do like what I hear: looping, hypnotic riffs, loud epic passages and a pronounced Scandinavian sense of Melody. Some of the tracks remind me a bit of Finnish post-rockers Magyar Posse but then again, on tracks like the one I've posted today, you'll hear that SJ5 takes the "rock" part of the genre name much more seriously. It starts out quiet, but right around 2:30 they crank it up and kick out the jams.
The Samuel Jackson Five - No name
Cake on Cake
Live @ Radio Cherokee, St. Louis, MO, 12/15/05
I was stunned when I learned that Sweden's Cake on Cake would be performing at a tiny coffeehouse here in St. Louis. Hey, it ain't cheap to fly newbie artists over from Scandinavia, and clearly, the profit margin won't be high playing at venues with a capacity of a mere coupla dozen enthusiasts. Nonetheless, Helena Sundin, who pretty much IS Cake on Cake (assisted by label boss and sideman Josh Penn onstage), was here in the flesh, and I couldn't have been more delighted. "I see no stars", Cake on Cake's debut, manages to be both lush and lo-fi at the same time: Sundin plays all manner of instruments on the disc, with piano, metallophone and melodica the prominent musical elements. Sundin overdubs harmonies, but for the live show, Penn sang the harmony parts (and a couple of tunes featured tape loops over which Sundin sang and played along). Early problems with mic feedback were handled deftly and charmingly by Sundin; she just patiently waited for Radio Cherokee's sound guys to get it right. The music was sweet, sincere and melodic. Sundin played about ten songs and her wispy, girlish vocals had the rapt attention of the small crowd. Highlights included "Pictures from 1964" (about "the time when my mom was young"), the curiously titled "Fell asleep like an acrobat, woke up like a rock" (which Sundin said was about going out to night clubs) and the sublime "Animals and humans", which was delightfully quirky and managed to make Sundin thoroughly compelling simply by doing an elementary rhythm part with an egg maraca. Sundin's cover of Mojave 3's "Tomorrow's taken" had an extra emotional edge, as she told everyone how much she liked the song, and clearly it had some deep personal connection for her. It's always amazing to me to see artists get a full piano sound out of a tiny onstage electronic keyboard, and Sundin made the most of hers, serving up one childlike little Melody after another. She's a soft breeze of an artist, this woman, and despite the modest presentation of both her CD and her onstage performance, Sundin has a substantial, multi-faceted talent that is sure to only get more interesting as time goes on. I left utterly entranced.
- Kevin Renick
Unarmed Enemies
s/t EP
Songs I Wish I Had Written
Unarmed Enemies are the latest signing to new Swedish label, Songs I Wish I Had Written. Unarmed Enemies make the best electronic music in that it has Melody, humor and a warmth to it, unlike groups like Ladytron. This humor arises in "Hustlers recharged", where the narrator of the song ponders what it will be like to be fifty years old, have no hair and appalling taste in clothes. This track is also given the remix treatment on the EP by the name-droopingly hip Mr. Suitcase who transforms it into a Europop monster. Right, I'm now off to start my petition to get their cover version of The Go-Between's "Going blind" released.
- Nick Levine