ALBUM REVIEWS: Sisyphus- Sisyphus
Sufjan Steven’s work in the past few years sure has been interesting to watch, and to say his various endeavors have been peculiar in nature would be an understatement. His out-of-nowhere (and still to this day phenomenal) EP All Delighted People, his turn to explosive electronics on the similarly phenomenal Age of Adz, orchestral endeavors about planets, another giant Christmas box set, plus popping up randomly now and then to sing for The National or talk shit about Savages’ album cover. So, at this point, it’s not surprising that this Indie Super Group is such a delightfully weird combination.
Sisyphus is a combination of Stevens, Trip-Hop and Electronic maestro Son Lux, and abstract Hip-Hop MC Serengeti. The group (formerly known as s/s/s) dropped a fine-but-forgettable EP back in 2012, which made their expansion into album territory a bit more questionable. That EP clearly had a lot of talent spread across it, but Son Lux couldn’t properly paint an electronic landscape for Serengeti to play in, and Stevens sounded downright goofy next to Serengeti (Although I was thankful that Stevens decided to work with a more abstract MC, since that’s the only kind of rapper that could ever really work well with Stevens). Luckily, however, Sisyphus has found the trio flesh out their collaboration and really show that this is a fully formed sound and group.
It’s completely noticeable all over this self-titled album that the three men have worked hard to mesh their sounds together. The sprawling and multifaceted Calm It Down manages to establish all three musicians in one song, allowing Serengeti to drop bars, Son Lux to create some gorgeous and interesting noise, and we get some great Sufjan crooning. One of the finest songs on here is the huge sounding Rhythm of Devotion, which includes an absolutely great verse from Serengeti (The delivery outdoes the lyricism on this song and many others, but Serengeti has a Das Racist charm about him that makes everything fine). The song finds Serengeti almost yelling in front of some loud and off-kilter electronic noise, almost sounding like a Ratking track. Sufjan then comes in front of this wall of noise and sings with a quiet soulful whisper that somehow isn’t drowned out. The robot voices here are also a nice touch.
Serengeti actually gets a lot of chances to shine here, especially with delivery. Shorter Serengeti-centric tracks like Flying Ace and Booty Call aren’t really the best tracks on the album, but they really show off how much this collaboration works. Serengeti’s delivery falls right into place with Son Lux’s contemplative electronics and Sufjan Stevens’ haunting oos and big synths. Sufjan Stevens actually gets a chance to shine throughout the album, with the Illinoise-esque interjections on My Oh My and the entirety of Take Me, which wouldn’t be out of place on a Stevens album (In fact, it’s exactly the kind of song that sounds GREAT on a Stevens album). Son Lux isn’t nearly as exposed as the other two, only interjecting every once in a while with some great effects (The wiping synth at the end of My Oh My is pretty great, even if the singing behind it isn’t).
Sisyphus is an album that shouldn’t work, but somehow it does. It’s a messy collaboration, which shows allover the thing (Some songs can’t quite decide if they’re a collaboration or a solo effort, even if some of these songs are my favorite off the album (Take Me)). But there are subtle details each member contributes that helps with repeat listens. I Won’t Be Affraid, a gorgeous track in the second half, at first comes across as being another Sufjan-solo effort. But behind Steven’s bare delivery is a huge amount of Son Lux production that shines through more and more with repeat listens. Booty Call similarly feels like it’s just a Serengeti solo track, but clearly Son Lux is there. Son Lux is all over this album, it’s just not obvious at first.
There are flaws here and there, with some of the more ambitious songs faltering and the album having some amazing tracks that make others meek in comparison. But even the weakest tracks here are intensely enjoyable. Booty Call is stupid, but it’s an incredibly fun form of stupid (And it’s the best way to deliver stupid- Short). Dishes In the Sink, probably the weakest song here, is a bit too off-kilter for it’s own good, but it still has some great ideas imbedded within it that make it worth hearing. Sisyphus is a weird and confusing album, but it’s also one of the sonically boldest records you’ll hear this year.
Summary: Sisyphus is a major improvement on this Super-Trio’s first EP, meshing 3 very different sounds together to create a surprisingly cohesive and profoundly interesting experience, with even the weakest of songs having a sense of wonder and experimentation about them. The greatest songs here can deftly mesh experimental electronics, abstract Hip-Hop, and chamber pop together in a satisfying cauldron.
Choice Cuts: Rhythm of Devotion, Take Me, I Won’t Be Afraid, Alcohol
Leftovers: Dishes in the Sink
B
You can stream the entire project below. Sisyphus is out now on Asthmatic Kitty.
ALBUM REVIEW: Cut Copy- Free Your Mind
Hey, if you really want to “Lose Yourself To Dance”, forget Pharrell and Daft Punk Check out Free Your Mind.
Cut Copy, in case you were unaware, are a Australian synth pop and electronic dance group. They often have the sound of a sad sack, more energetic version of The Knife. The last time we heard from them, they dropped their cathartic but slightly uneven Zonoscope in 2010. While I love a lot of things about that record (Including the explosive lead single Need You Now), a lot of the album comes across as being a bit too self serious. Now, by no means was it some kind of depressing Joy Division-esque affair. Most of the songs were mostly upbeat and poppy. But the songs towards the end of that album were devoid of anything joyful, which made everything drag. Especially in a year that brought us great records from bands like Hot Chip and LCD Soundsystem, the album paled in comparison.
However, I was wrong to assume Free Your Mind would assume the same path. The drearier and bland songs that plagued Zonoscope have been abandoned, and have been replaced by explosive bits of jubilee. Here, songs stick out more, and the band just sounds like they’re having more fun. This new found fun makes the album an overall better listen, since the self-seriousness did not mesh well with the draggy Zonoscope. Even slower, less loud songs like Dark Corners & Mountain Tops manage to come across as being energetic and very enjoyable (Especially with the light saxophone solo at the end).
Free Your Mind manages to mesh the cathartic synth pop of their previous work (And, in a few moments, feels a bit inspired by the explosive nature of M83’s latest work) and a weird psychedelic trance sound that makes this one of the most enjoyable electronic albums this year. Meet Me In a House of Love really shows this sound, with the electronic synths harking back to 90s trance music quite a bit, but in a way that never comes across as cheesy or overwrought. There seems to be throwbacks to some 80s R&B rhythms throughout the album (Like in the explosive and fun Take Me Higher), which are well executed as well. The songs are also trimmed a bit shorter this time around, which helps.
What really makes this album stick out is just how energized the band seems to be. Even though I wouldn’t say Dan Whitford’s vocals are as passionate as they were on Zonoscope (Which was one of that albums strong points), he sounds absolutely game and really delivers some sweet melodies with a strange melancholy bravado. The synth work bubbles throughout the whole album and they are always demanding attention with their strong sense of energy (Something that Zonoscope was strangely lacking). And even though the lyrics are pretty simple (something that has been a reoccurring complaint about this new album), they mesh with the music perfectly fine.
The flow of the entire album is the one thing that Free Your Mind is slightly lacking. It’s not lacking cohesiveness, but the flow of the album can at times come across as being a bit strange. The small minute long interludes are pleasant, if a bit unnecessary. That almost interrupt the unrelenting freight train of dance music that Free Your Mind has to offer. However, despite the album’s weakness in cohesiveness, it is more than made up for with its gluttonous amount of fantastic songs. I’ll be damned if you can find a better synthpop track this year that’s more infectious and poppy than Free Your Mind, and the ones that come close are all on this album too. It might be a collection of songs, but it’s one of the best collections of songs you’ll hear this year.
Summary: Free Your Mind might come across as being just a collection of songs, but the album is a nonstop dance-fest, full of great pop songs and some wonderful rhythms, a return to a strong form following Zonoscope.
Choice Cuts: Free Your Mind, Take Me Higher, We Are Explorers, Walking In the Sky
Leftovers: All the interludes.
B+/A-
You can stream Take Me Higher below. Free Your Mind is out now on Modular.
EP REVIEW: Dead Girlfriends-Stop Pretending
Dead Girlfriends, the new name of James Brooks’ solo project, is a much more fitting moniker than Elite Gymnastics. At least, in terms of where he’s going with his sound. Last year’s [adult swim] single, Andreja 4 Ever, was a jubilant electronic pop song that soared through the scorching skies of Summer. It was a song that just made me feel really happy. When I first heard of Brooks’ name change, it didn’t make sense. Then I listened to his new EP….and it made complete sense.
Stop Pretending is a moody project, full of atmosphere and a kind of lull. I’d say it’s dark, but it really isn’t. It’s just not as shiny as some of his older stuff. Despite the 90s pop percussion and ear worm melodies, Stop Pretending is an EP that is introspective and introverted. The production on even the most joyful song Stop Pretending creates a nostalgic and grey sound over those confident guitars. Plus, Brooks’ conversational lyrics help too.
I think the lyrics here are a big difference as well. Brooks’ sad sack delivery veers into some entertaining dialogue, and a lot of the lyrics carry a certain brand of missing self esteem that brings something fresh to the table. The way he delivers f-bombs and the word “shit” really feels like an affective vocal percussion rather than some kind of sentence filler. Sad sack music isn’t a new thing at all, but Dead Girlfriends manages to bring a fresh twist to it with the instrumentation and delivery.
There are some clear departures throughout this project, whether it be the gorgeously ambient (if a bit of a filler) Omerta or the vicious noise that starts off the intense On Fraternity. The ebullience of Elite Gymnastics has been replaced by dark sounds and chilling undertones. Hell, his new name is based off of a speech by feminist Andrea Dworkin which basically says “…the progress of women by where they’re now visible, but rather by lowered counts of dead women, battered women, and raped women.”. GAHHH. Sonically, Dead Girlfriends lives up to his new name with this dark, promising little project.
Summary: Stop Pretending presents a really interesting new direction for the artist formerly known as Elite Gymnastics, with some more experimental production and a well executed sense of inversion.
Choice Cut: Words with Friends
Leftovers: Omerta
B+/A- (4-4.5/5)
You can stream the entire project below.
DISCUSSION: Justin Timberlake, Daft Punk, & Disco Revival
So, two days ago JT dropped a teaser video for his new single, the first off of 20/20 Experience Part II. The first thing I thought when I heard the short snippet was “This really sounds like Off the Wall era MJ”. Then the whole song dropped today, and this notion was reaffirmed.
The first big thing that struck me about this song (No, it wasn’t the Woman’s Group Same-Title idiocy that’s getting the Internet super heated) was the fact that is this is yet another 2013 pop song (That, let’s face it, is probably going to be a super-hit) that evokes Disco. Disco: a genre that towards the end of its run was mocked and started this:
Those people starting fires and tossing around batting cages in the field aren’t angry baseball fans. On that night (Which is generally regarded as the last night Disco was a thing), a DJ held a deal where people would bring in Disco records to burn, and the records would discount the tickets. All those angry disco haters decided to storm the field and riot (Like one does). The genre from then on was considered a ridiculous fad and basically dead.
So why is it coming back? Well, it’s actually been coming back for a while now.Hip-Hop sure sampled a lot of it (Especially in the early 00s). Hell, Daft Punk’s earlier work is indebted to disco infused electronic music (Which totally explains why Random Access Memories is basically an experimental disco album). Plus, bands like Holy Ghost! and The Rapture (and to a somewhat lesser degree, LCD Soundsystem) have been doing this for a while now. But why did it catch on?
The most obvious explanation is this: “Get Lucky is crazy good”. And that’s true. It’s probably the best pop song to top the Hot 100 in several years, and the appeal is pretty broad. Nile Rodgers’ smacky guitar brings back older audiences to the old disco age (Whether they like it or not), while Pharrell’s smooth crooning about getting laid meshes with it pretty well. Even more narrow minded Indie-Heads admit that its popularity hasn’t taken away its shine. It’s not just a good disco revival, it’s a good pop track.
Then the album dropped, then came other similar songs. (Blurred Lines isn’t necessarily straight up disco, but it’s funky grooves and vocals recall that era). And now Justin Timberlake (Who was already evoking MJ and some more 80s inspired sounds on 20/20 Experience) brings us a solid, straight up disco track.
Is this revival a bad thing? At the moment, no. I mean, like all trends it has the potential to go awry (Ringtone Rap was fun when The Carter III dropped…but then we got Soulja Boi and Flo Rida). But, in these first couple months, its popularity has been well warranted. All three of these major songs are great. Plus, some more independent musicians like Autre Ne Veut have dropped some seriously groovy disco tracks. Plus, the only reason disco went away in the first place was because of angry punks and pretentious rockers. We still have these, but they’re nowhere near as powerful as they were right at the beginning of the 80s. But for right now, I say Disco’s a good thing. Let the Groove Get In.
What do you think? Is Disco a good thing, or is it terrible? Will it stay around, or are we bound to destroy it because we can’t haven nice things?
ALBUM REVIEW: The Knife- Shaking the Habitual
I’ll just throw this out there before I start: I didn’t care for this album. I’ve listened to it thrice now, this 90 minute expansive and dark epic. But it just hasn’t stuck with me.
The Knife is a experimental synthpop/art pop/ electropop group from Sweden. They’ve been around for a while, and their last album, 2006’s Silent Shout, was heavily acclaimed. The album was OK, since I wasn’t the biggest fan of the sonics. But there were some nice pop songs underneath the darker elements. Plus, they’ve had quite a few truly great tracks, like breakout single Heartbeats (Which, if you’re unfamiliar with their version, you’ve probably heard the one by Jose Gonzalez). 7 years later, they’re back with their 90 minute comeback, Shaking the Habitual. If 90 minutes sounds grueling to you already, just wait.
The album’s opener, A Tooth For an Eye, is probably the best track on here. It uses the same formula as the rest of the albums, except it does it with some kind of immediacy and memorability. While some may find Karin Dreijer’s vocals off-putting, I happen to like them here. They’re weird and unorthodox, and there’s a sense of pain and power to her delivery on this song. The moments where she stretches her voice out to a hungry strain are particularly powerful. That combined with the cool synth work and the awesome production makes this a song worthy of 7 years of anticipation.
However, after that, it kind of goes downhill. Sure, there are songs on Shaking the Habitual that are shorter than the 6 minute A Tooth For an Eye. But there are also a ton that are excruciatingly longer. The main problem this album has is pace: it doesn’t know when songs should be over. The lead single, Full of Fire, is just over 9 minutes long, but could it could have easily been 4 or 5 minutes. At the long length, the track begins to feel like a monotonous trudge. The wild electronic noise at the end of the track is cool, but it comes in 4 minutes too late.
Full of Fire isn’t the only song on here that overstays its welcome. In fact, I’d say pretty much every song on here overstays its welcome. A Cherry On Top is an idea that would suit a short interlude, but instead it’s an 8 minute song. I’d give more examples, but it’s the same thing every time. Several tracks have cool ideas and sounds and experiments, yet they meander for so long that interest in them begins to wane. There are many moments where I had to check the play bar to see how far along I was in a song, and I became frustrated to learn I was only 2 minutes into an 8 minute track. And don’t get me started on Old Dreams Waiting to be Realized. You know what I was waiting for? That song to be over. I’m not against ambient music, but I don’t like it on an album by The Knife.
If this album were shorter, I’d probably like it a bit more. Not by a lot, because I’ve never been a big fan of their dark electronic aesthetic. I thought Silent Shout was just kind of…OK. But the reason it was OK rather than somewhat mediocre was because, despite the slight indulgence, there was some great pop on it. There is no semblance of any pop on this album. It’s just a lot of creepy, creepy electronic music. Which, at some points, works alright. A lot of these songs, on paper, are OK. But the execution (Specifically, the pace) is really off. I’m not saying the album is bad, because I’m sure some people will love this. In fact, I’m positive that a lot of people like this. There are cool ideas, like some super scary vocals on Fracking Fluid Injection and some cello work on A Cherry On Top. Plus, there are more plain songs like Ready to Lose that work nicely. I just didn’t enjoy the whole thing.
Summary: While Shaking the Habitual has some cool ideas and instruments (and objectively awesome vocals), it suffers from a severely dragging pace, which takes songs and stretches them beyond their limits.
Choice Cuts- A Tooth For an Eye, Ready to Lose
Leftovers- Crake, Old Dreams Waiting to be Realized
2-2.5/5
Stream Full of Fire and A Tooth For an Eye below. Shaking the Habitual is out now on Mute
ALBUM REVIEW: Kavinsky- OutRun
You can’t talk about Vincent Belorgey, AKA Kavinsky, without bringing up Drive, so I’m just going to do it right away. If it wasn’t for Kavinsky’s fantastic Nightcall being in the opening credits for Nicolas Winding Refn’s 2011 film Drive (One of my favorite movies), no one would really give a damn about Kavinsky. Much like that movie, a lot of Kavinsky’s music relies on an older aesthetic. Specifically, one of a 1980s variety. However, with this album, that aesthetic doesn’t do much to enhance the music. It really acts as a crutch.
If you’ve ever heard anything by Justice or Daft Punk, Kavinsky is basically making the same music. The second track, Blizzard, sounds like something Justice would have released when D.A.N.C.E. blew up. Which is the fatal flaw with OutRun. Nothing feels fresh or original. Aside from Nightcall, none of these tracks do anything original. It’s mostly just french house with 80s synths injected into them.
It does give off a strange mood, and it’s an album that makes a whole lot of sense. It sounds like the soundtrack to an awesomely cheesy 80s flick. When I listened to it, it felt like I was wearing a leather jacket, driving a sweet car, chasing bad guys. So I’ll give it that. It also works as great mood music. Much like the Drive soundtrack, this feels like it would be enhanced when played at night, because a lot of it has an ominous cool to it.
The album does get a bit repetitive. Most of the songs are really just 1/2 songs repeated twice. None of the song structures are remotely interesting, which is typical of House music. It could have been done a bit less obviously, however. There are some tracks that stick out. Nightcall, of course, is still a phenomenal track that, in my opinion, sounds great even without the movie backing it. Plus, the single ProtoVision is an absolute explosion of synthesizers, house, and adrenaline. It’s a really fun track with a lot of attitude, and it sounds great.
There are some vocalists here and there, and the quality varies. The vocals on Odd Look are OK, but are ridiculously compressed and flattened by the production. Also, I don’t know who’s rapping on Suburbia, but he’s terrible. The rapping overshadows pretty much everything underneath it, the chorus is dopey, and the lyrics abruptly pull you out of that 80s mindset the album tries so hard to maintain. I mean, I’m pretty sure he’s talking about Facebook at some point. It just doesn’t feel right.
So, OutRun is really just OK, nothing more, nothing less. It’s rather underwhelming, especially given how great Nightcall is. After Chromatics were featured on the same soundtrack, they released a phenomonal masterpiece in the form of Kill For Love. I just wish Kavinsky could have pulled off the same.
Summary: OutRun is OK, with some alright house tracks, but it comes across as a bit underwhelming, with a huge discrepancy between album highlights and lowlights.
Choice Cuts- Nightcall, ProtoVision
3/5
Stream Dead Cruiser below. OutRun is out now on Record Makers
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