I DID IT (sorta)

I tried.  Well, I guess I didn't try hard enough...  I get on a plane in 24 hours.  I simply cannot get my _____ of The Year lists all presented and formatted in a way I'd like them before the new year starts.

I've got everything reviewed.  Have my list in the order I want it to be.  I just don't have time to make it pretty.

See you in 2015.

art is fun! (Warpaint)

*from my tumblr earlier this year

Warpaint

Why you'll love it:  Pretty music with lots of atmosphere

Why you'll hate it: boring and forgettable

"Tries way too hard" is one of my most hated phrases of criticism.  I’ve seen lots of acts go for something and not convince me, but the idea of scoffing at somebody for trying really gets on my nerves.  It’s one of those few things that actually brings out a brief "how dare you?" reaction out of me.

You know the kinds of bands that generate criticism like that… Ten years ago, I LOVED The Mars Volta.  I enjoyed At The Drive-in for its unpredictable delivery, and ridiculous vocabulary.  Mars Volta was even more of that, and with a lot of guitar solos.  What’s not to love?  A lot, apparently.  Because Mars Volta made one too many weird songs, and eventually became vilified by the internet for “trying too hard”.  Casually mentioning the Mars Volta in a positive light painted a picture of myself as pathetically vying for attention.  Something not too far apart from the stereotypical eccentric art student, bullshitting some deep meaning out of irrelevant garbage.

The truth was, I was just a normal everyday dork, in my Bad Religion t-shirt, and getting maybe a few questions right watching Jeopardy.  I liked Mars Volta lyrics because they sounded like a crazy man on a subway platform.  It’s just entertainment; not to feel smarter or more hip than other people.  It’s beer & fireworks.  A simple pleasure.

If you change your perspective just a bit on these “tries too hard” bands, you may forget what the big deal is.  There is no pedestal, no agenda, or scheme to create a personality or culture.  Sometimes bands do what they do because it’s fun, even if it sounds like “art”.  This is the impression I get from Warpaint.  After racking my brain spinning their self titled LP over and over, trying to figure out what they’re trying to achieve, I changed my perspective a bit.  Maybe they just think this echoey, mellow, electronic/acoustic nebula sounds pretty, and that’s it.  The point is pretty music.  We get caught up in terms sometimes of what an art band, experimental band, or indie band has to be, when it can be simpler than that.

Warpaint is a pretty album, with emphasis on album.  I’ve tried plucking out samples to go back to, single tracks, and they don’t hold up without the context of the other 45 minutes.  I listened to this album a lot while playing The Binding of Isaac, and that’s when I really started to warm to it.  Just like a well used moody video game soundtrack, you don’t realize how good it is until you catch it creeping up on you when you’re not paying full attention.

Depending on your patience, you have the option.  You can look at Warpaint as trying too hard to sound like this meaningful emotional crooning art piece, but in the end says very little; or you could say it’s just a group that enjoys slow and soft music.  I’m not enamored by Warpaint, but totally get it, and I think I’ve found the right way to enjoy it.

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[END OF THE YEAR UPDATE] - I had a lot to say about music in general in this article, but not much to say about the actual album.  It's good!  Just... doesn't stick with me all that much.  Great background album.  Doesn't do that much more for me, personally.

so I shut it all off (TV on The Radio - Seeds)

TV on The Radio - Seeds

Why you'll love it: An interesting mix of electronics

Why you'll hate it: Lacking in every way to old material

Biggest disappointment of the year.  I probably shouldn't spend that much time on this.  When TV on the Radio last released something, it was my second favorite album of 2012.  They did the impossible, made me genuinely enjoy love songs.  Nine Types of Light was a triumph in perfecting their indie-rock soul infusion.  I really was excited for them to do it once again on Seeds.  The experimentation of electronics were interesting at first.  But after a while, I sorely missed the simplicity of their previous albums.

Seeds' more forefront problem is that it is too busy.  Songs like "Careful You" and "Seeds" are just plain oppressive.   Beneath the surface is the song content, which is rather simple.  The electronic effects start to feel like compensation when the lyrics under deliver.  I called out Dave Grohl for being too predictable with his songs, but TV on The Radio takes simple lyrics and predicable delivery to a whole new level on "Ride", "Could You",  and "Right Now"

Digging deeper, I'm sad to say Seeds just hasn't penetrated my cold exterior the way Nine Types... had.  The way the songs on that album were put together, it dug its way into me.  "Test Pilot" was the only song on here that I have kept coming back to.  It has a chorus that is easy to get swept up in, and a more modest attitude than the rest of the album.  One more nice thing to say is that I really enjoyed their performance of "Happy Idiot" on Letterman.  It's not a song I like otherwise, so it's nice to think they have more of a presence live.  It also got me thinking how much more I might have enjoyed these songs without the overbearing studio effects.

This is TVoTR's first album in 3 years, as well as the first since losing bassist, Gerard Smith.  Hopefully they're just trying to find their way into a new era, and their next effort won't take as long.  I was going into the end of the year expecting to have a lot of great things about this album, but it's just not doing anything for me.

4EVA (Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra - SKA ME FOREVER)

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra - SKA ME FOREVER

Why you'll love it:  World class ska band at its best

Why you'll hate it:  ZERO snark or edge

We're closing in on 25 years of Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, and I'm only counting from the date of the first LP.  I've been singing their praises every year on this blog as the world's (not just Japan's) premier "big band" outfit.  There has been a lot of mud tracked being the name of "ska" in the last 20 years; so let me once again state that this band transcends the genre tag.  Only your social hang-ups can stop you from enjoying TSPO's records, because they are all, at the very least, solid pieces of work, where the talent just leaps out at you.

The last five years of TSPO have been just that.  Standard appreciable big swing, soul, regaae, ska, rock, blues (they do it all) music done well.  Nothing that makes a big impact though.  SKA ME FOREVER feels different.  Living up to its title, the songs of SKA ME FOREVER consistently make a strong impact, and feel fresher than most of their recent material.  This can be firstly attributed a higher rate of guest stars, each brining a unique sound to the table. Takuma Mitamura of 10 Feet brings a surprisingly fitting punch to "閃光" with his reggae influenced rapping.  Kiyosaku Uezu of Mongol800 classes up the album's strongest composition, "流れゆく世界の中で".  Indie rock stalwarts, Asian Kung-Fu Generation slot right in to "Wake Up!" quite well.  The guest star that leaves the strongest impression has to be one of the grandfathers of Shibuya-kei, Fantastic Plastic Machine. His chopped-and-screwed version of "Damned" is the most unique track on the album.

Well fleshed out, and laid back classy numbers like "Horizon" and "Chance" offer some nice relaxing breaks in the second half of the album, and do it a lot of service.  Usually there is too much music like this on a TSPO album for most people's tastes, but alongside all the wacky guest stars and fun songs, these slow numbers do good on reminding you TSPO are after all true musicians, not just gimmicks.  The fun songs may be the only things that turn some people off.  TSPO are overtly positive songwriters.  They cover lounge music classics ("Can't Take My Eyes Off of You") without irony.  Some of the songs may sound a bit like a Five Iron Frenzy number (yeah, I'll admit it, I liked me some FiF back in the day).  Nothing wrong with that, but let's face it.  Being positive and full of love is not "cool".  Some younger listeners may not be able to bear with that.

Only one song on here "One Way Punk" gets on my nerves.  That's mostly because it's played so early, and its sloppy composition and shouty-Engrich leaves a poor first impression for new listeners.  Maybe if it came later in the album I'd find some sort of appreciation for it, but I see it as the only dark mark on an otherwise flawless collection of songs.  Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra has always been a great band, but they usually only put out good albums.  This is a great fucking album.

total bummer (the telephones - SUPER HIGH TENSION!!!)

the telephones - SUPER HIGH TENSION!!!

Why you'll love it: High energy, dumb fun

Why you'll hate it: No so many great songs

Of course this would happen.  Disco rockers, the telephones has been slowly creeping into my circle of trust for years.  You can look back on my reviews dating back to 2009.  My thoughts on telephones have all had a main positive to them: loud, fun, crazy, enjoyably stupid; but always the position that perhaps this is all a guilty pleasure, or wont last.  My progression of thought for each album has gone - "Well, the bubble is certainly going to burst on the next one." / "Ok, somehow they managed to do the same thing EVEN BETTER." / "OK, they've changed thing up just enough to keep it fresh..." / "Alright fine, I admit it, this band is great!" Laugh, Cry, Sing... And Dance!!! climbed pretty far up my top ten of 2013.  It's about time I just shut up and enjoy the telephones.  Then comes SUPER HIGH TENSION!!!...

In many ways, SUPER HIGH TENSION!!! is exactly what I always secretly expected the telphones to become; an underwhelming version of themselves.  While there are still a few great tunes on here, they all have a "...but" qualifier, and are outnumbered by mediocre tracks.  "Take Me Higher" and "Hyper Jump" kick off the album with a ton of firepower, but lack any unpredictable moments, or their trademark wacky humor.  Some enjoyment i get out of them are accidental, in how much the songwriting lacks innovation.  The vocal melodies are sung directly over the main beats.  What it essentially sounds like are when you were a kid making up words and singing them over the music to Sonic The Hedgehog and Megaman stages.  Yes, the way most of SUPER HIGH TENSION!!! is composed is not unlike "Barkerville"

The only song in here with that overt tongue-in-cheek telephones humor is the 80s influenced "Don't Stop The Move , Keep On Dancing!!!" (a single released last year).  A couple more hard-hitting songs litter the tracklist, but just don't have that ridiculousness to make them special.  There is an abundance of ham fisted ballads as well, which Akira Ishige's broken English delivery does nothing for.  SUPER HIGH TENSION!!! closes out as most telephones album do, with a buttery goodbye that never quite hits the mark.

This is the telephones' worst album by far.  It feels hastily thrown together, and lacks character.  This hasn't soured me on past releases though.  I gotta give credit to this band for slowly working their way into my heart.  Their past three albums have been good damn fun, top to bottom.

purple monkey dishwasher (Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Wig Out at Jagbags)

* taken from my tumblr earlier this year

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Wig Out at Jagbags

Why you'll love it: Malkmus at his cleverest

Why you'll hate it: Not that much good content

After all these years, I finally stopped and thought about it.  Why has Stephen Malkmus been so universally beloved? Yeah, I get that he is talented and writes fun songs… but never anything with real emotional resonance.  Malkmus doesn’t strike a chord with romantics (he outright mocks them in his latest album, Wig Out At Jigbags).  I can’t think of a single song of his that speaks to his audience on an even level.  Truth comes in the form of a wink, but never introspection.  Heck, even counter-counter-culture wiseguys who rant about that “smarmy hipster” culture, never really seem to tear into Malkmus.  The man is indie-rock’s Jon Stewart.  Anything you throw his way, he can deflect with a simple “Hey, I’m just a humble comedian songwriter, having fun.”

Stephen Malkmus is so charming, you almost want to hate him, but justifiably can’t.  Not with songs as catchy as “Chartjunk”.  Lyrics like “I put the I in team like no other” prove that even when (sarcastically?) sounding like a total jerk, he can put a smile on your face.  It never has really mattered if he’s writing pure nonsense.  He has a way with words that you can enjoy without knowing the meaning.  The only other man I know to do that in this era is Beck.  The silliness of “Cinnamon & Lesbians” is his scapegoat from the accusations that fall on other songwriters of being too pretentious or clever.  The non-sequiturs on this song MUST be intentionally stupid.

In the few tracks where you do get the joke, it’s often a reward.  “Houston Hades” is a brilliant critique on the lies we tell ourselves and drag others into, just to have a Hollywood love story.  As usual, it’s presented in a way that makes the bitter pill easy to swallow.  The only song that I feel is too on the nose, and therefore a bit scathing, is “Rumble At The Rainbo”; a dressing down of old punks clinging to their prime.

I don’t often focus on songwriting when looking into an album, but the usual jam-band antics of The Jicks are restrained on these sessions.  Many of the songs are short, and the solos are infrequent.  The relaxed pace and increased amount of snark makes Wig Out At Jigbags the most Pavement like of The Jicks’ discography.  As a result, a few songs fall flat where a good old fashioned 4 minute bridge could have given it some personality.

The Jicks do little more here than go with the flow, leaving Wig Out At Jigbags to rest squarely on Malkmus’ underachieving smart-aleck shoulders.  If that gets on your nerves, just repeat to yourself “It’s just an album.  I should really just relax.”

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[END OF THE YEAR UPDATE] - A lot of this album has fallen by the wayside for me.  A shame because "Chartjunk" and "Houston Hades" are two of my favorite Malkmus songs ever.  Nothing else here seems to be anywhere on their level, sadly.

Bright Souls (Spoon - They Want My Soul)

Spoon - They Want My Soul

Why you'll love it:  Spoon's grooviest album in years

Why you'll hate it: A few duds.  Still feels held back.

Historically, Spoon has been one of the most conflicting bands in indie rock for me.  On one hand, they are "deal with the devil" catchy!  At least one song on every album they release is your guaranteed summer jam of that year.  They make music so marketable and applicable, you wonder why they aren't bigger.  On the other hand, I've always felt Spoon, especially for the indie rock acclaim they get, underachieves.  They figured out a simple formula way back in 2001 and hardly have stepped outside of it.  It's like if Sidney Crosby decided he never wanted to lose, and just played hockey for a local minor league instead.

It was really easy to get into a tirade about Spoon in 2010, with the critically panned Transference.  Finally a reason to get on my high horse and yell "Spoon has to change!  Wake up, sheeple!"  Now they had to go and make it hard again.  They Want My Soul is just too damn enjoyable and catchy to hate.  It's the catchiest album of 2014.  Britt Daniel's suave / douchey (your opinion) delivery continues to carry their grooviest songs like "Rainy Taxi" and "Outlier".  My favorite song is probably the rousing "They Want My Soul".  If nothing else, for personally connecting with my crippling social fear of public solicitors and salesmen.

There is a tinge of darkness and weirdness in songs like "Inside Out" and "Knock Knock Knock".  Enough to make me ruminate, once again, over how much Spoon COULD be.  Obviously, you don't make it 15 years in underground pop music without being talented and/or imaginative.  Why aren't they more creative with their perfect-pop formula?  Think about it for too long and it will kill your buzz.  There are two or three songs that go nowhere, but They Want My Soul is essentially Spoon at their "10% of brain" best.

reborn in the stars (Rx Bandits - Gemini, Her Majesty)

Rx Bandits - Gemini, Her Majesty

Why you'll love it:  A straightforward and catchy modern RxB album

Why you'll hate it: Not as technical or impactful as others 

Over the summer I decided to speak into a mic about this album instead of write about it.  I'd like to do this sort of thing more in 2015.  I dunno if I can find the support to routinely do it, but randomly once and a while would be nice.
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[END OF THE YEAR UPDATE] - I wish I could say this album is perfect, but side B is one of the biggest drags they've done.  There are enough highlights to be one of my 2014 favs, but after a few months I realize this album could have had a bit more punch to it.

take 12 (Polysics - Action)

I tried my hand at writing a review for an outlet someone else in the world actually reads!  You can read my review for this album where I first discovered the band, at punknews.org.

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[END OF THE YEAR UPDATE] - I still love this album.  The only thing keeping me from even more paragraphs of praise is the fact that this is my favorite band, and I don't want to come off as a raving lunatic.  This is Polysics' freshest album in more than 5 years.

their time is now (the pillows - Moondust)

the pillows - Moondust

Why you'll love it: Strong and catchy first half

Why you'll hate it: Same ol' schtick. Stale second half. 

Anyone calling the pillows an anime band is living in the past.  It was a pretty grating moniker to begin with, even when it was meant with no harm.  In the 90s, the pillows was a strange and charming Beatles knock off.  Let's say, a more tolerable Oasis.  At the turn of the century, they found their edge with a slew of Pixes and punk inspired albums popularized by an anime.  Since then, the pillows has just been... a band.  Mostly neither here nor there, but they pump out releases at such an incredible rate that they manage to hit the bullseye every once and a while.  In the past 15 years, I'd say only two pillows albums have been remarkable, one flat out bad, and the rest with only about six or seven enjoyable tracks on them.

Moondust finds itself lost in that vast prairie of "ok, I guess" pillows albums.  A just about flawless 15 minutes kicks this album off.  "Clean Slate Revolution" and "Break A Time Machine" are only a fuzzy rough mix away from standing alongside their cherished "FLCL" years.  "About A Rock 'N' Roll Band" is the pillows at their snappy and catchy best in this stagnant and inoffensive era that seems to be going on forever.  "都会のAlice" is clearly the best song on here, with its confident snarky swagger and glitchy chorus.  Sadly, it's a holdover b-side from 2013, and doesn't represent the rest of the album well.

The rest of the album is fleeting, and frankly not all that worth talking about.  A few disposable happy-go-lucky pop songs that they've done 100 times now, and a handful of ballads.  Some ballads plod, like "Happy Birthday" while a couple others, like "Anemone" are given some extra love and care with slow meaty guitar solos and an emotional vocal delivery.

Moondust represents the pillows in more than one way.  It's a pretty strong offering.  I'd say about 8 songs on this album are pretty good.  That's more than the average!  In another way, it represents their frustrating stagnation.  the pillows probably could be much better.  Their songs are packaged and ready to go delicious pop.  All they need is some expression; any kind of deviation from the norm.  the pillows experimented in their early years, and found success in catchy indie-rock.  Ever since finding that success, they've done very little to stray from what's familiar, and have become a watered down version of themselves.  They're a hard working band that has every fundamental right to be the one Japanese band that Americans know (not because of wacky viral shenanigans).  But anyone who has been following them for 10 years should be begging for them to do something different.

Basically, the pillows are John Cena.

art in advertising (Phantogram - Voices)

*written on tumblr earlier this year

Phantogram - Voices

Why you'll love it: high quality trip-hop
Why you'll hate it: disposable and safe

About this time last year, I came across the album Other, by a trip-sytnpop duo called Data Romance.  It was pretty cool.  Nothing amazing, but certainly the best boy/girl trip-sytnpop album I discovered in 2013.  History has seemed to repeat itself yet again in the form of Pantogram.

There is a distinct lack of Bjork like quality in Phantogram, that I enjoyed very much from Data Romance.  The songs are much more radio friendly.  The melodies are catchier, but the singing has much less personality and lyrical depth.  Disposability is Phantogram’s biggest weakness.  At least they make the fleeting moments in your consciousness enjoyable, with driving techno-pop beats, and the occasional glitched out trip-hop cadence.  Phantogram has this really cool way of adding small little touches that make it sound like they’re hacking their own songs.

So there you have it, the projected best boy/girl trip-sytnpop album of 2014.  Now I’ve set a precedence, and will probably have to do some research to dig up one in 2015.

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[END OF THE YEAR UPDATE] - This album kind of fell out of my playlist exactly as I expected it to.  As much as I love the sound, it's too commercially structured to really leave a strong impression.  I'd much prefer if someone made "crazy and dangerous" music with this kind of sound, but most just seem to do "sexy and cool".

damn the days we took for granted (The Menzingers - Rented World)

The Menzingers - Rented World

Why you'll love it:  Catchy dark melodic-punk anthems

Why you'll hate it: Lacks impact, worse version of previous album

If I weren't typing away at a computer, there would be crumpled up reviews of Rented World overflowing out of my wastebasket.  I don't think I've ever reset my views on this album so many times.  I'm still not certain what to think of it after all these months.  This isn't the first time the Menzingers have played with their fanbase's expectations before.  In 2010, they yanked the rug out from under their core punk base by eschewing hard hitting battle cries for melodic rough-edged anthems .

Their new formula wasn't perfected until 2012's On The Impossible Past.  A textbook example of lightning in a bottle.  It captured the mindset of an aging punk perfectly.  The cynicism, the heartache, the nostalgia, the uncertain future... It's an album that came at the right time for the band, and the right time for its audience.  And now for the cursed task of following such a thing up...

I should start by pointing out that Rented World is a more than competent album, performance wise.  There are countless amounts of memorable hooks.  Greg Barnett and Tom May give enthusiastic and emotional vocal performances.  The progression in "Bad Things" is powerful.  The drums and guitars impressively swirl around in "My Friend Kyle".  The opening guitar stings of "I Don't Want To Be An Asshole Anymore" is the best possible start for this album.  This is a perfect road trip sing-along in your car album.  It's just too bad nothing on this album speaks to me in the same way anything had on The Impossible Past.

And that's the trouble I'm having thinking about this album.  Did I change?  On paper, Rented World has what I want from The Menzingers checklist.  There is a ton of pessimism here, but on songs like "Nothing Feels Good Anymore" and "Rodent" it feels a little too forced.  There are lines from "In Remission" and "Where Your Heartache Exists" that I could very well be mis-interpreting, but make me shake my head every time.

I'm also turned off by how the band is selling themselves in the music videos fro this album.  Way too fun-loving and trying to be clever for my taste.  I picture The Menzingers in a dank bar sharing stories over cheap whiskey, not doing corny rom-com parodies and performing in a cascade of party favors.  Again, this all could be entirely my fault.  I could just be salty that the band isn't portraying themselves in the manner I envisioned.

Maybe On The Impossible Past was a "right place / right time" kind of thing.  Or maybe The Menzingers missed the mark here.  One week I'm calling Rented World a big disappointment.  The next, I'm listening to it while I exercise or write, and find myself enjoying it.  All I can say for sure is that this album could have been better.  Whatever comes next, I hope the band doesn't feel compelled to recreate something that just isn't there anymore, and really changes their tone or approach.

Mission Complete (Liars - Mess)

*I wrote this on tumblr back in March

Liars - Mess

Why you'll like it:  Lairs catchiest album

Why you'll hate it:  Loses steam in second half

Tamper your hype, Michael.  Nobody trusts a fanatic.  It’s only a follow up to your favorite album of 2012.  It’s only a decade old band doing what you’ve always wanted them to do.  It’s only a sick, twisted, colorful, glitched out ahhhhhhhhh, this album rocks!

For all of the changes in sound Liars has made over the years, they’re fundamentally a band rooted in working against what people want.  After a hard hitting debut, they saw the rising trend of dance-punk in the early 00’s, and decided to walk away from it.  What followed was a pair of albums so murky and plodding, to this day I still can’t get into them.    I know people love 2006’s Drum’s Not Dead.  I’m just not one of them.  When Liars rose from the depths in the late 00's to make a pair of albums that sound like music again, they came off like a modern day Diogenes.  They show up to the indie rock parties that experimental/art bands have to much pride to participate in, and make a complete mess of it.  2012’s WIXIW ventured into a more discernible, electronic sound, but with a lot more atmosphere.  Some of WIXIW was just plain scary in its lack of clarity.  It was The Shape, and those of us left to pitch or explain it came off sounding like Dr. Loomis.

Liars aren’t done with electronics.  They’re only getting closer to the dance floor with Mess.  With any other band, you’d think this would be a sign of going more mainstream; but Lairs are still finding ways to create abrasive and disturbing imagery despite stepping into the light.  The opening track, “Mask Maker” mixes a sick (as in, “yah bro” cool) glitched out techno beat with a sick (as in gross and scary) garbled voice making perverted/violent requests.  Since 2010’s Sisterworld, Liars has had an obsession with bringing dread and grime into a civilized world.  Mess is their most clear realization of that.

Mess is a top-heavy album; which is usually something that annoys me, but the songs blend together so well, I can’t really blame them for it.  “Mask Maker” starts off strong, and “Vox Tuned D.E.D.” just drops even heaver bombs; but it lets off just enough in the end for “I’m No Gold” to creep in and make its mark.  The second half of “I’m No Gold” introduces an organ which ends up being the foundation of “Pro Anti Anti”.  The transitions in these songs are brilliant.  It’s the most on a roll I’ve ever seen this band with an album.

After that, there are a couple misses.  “Can’t Hear Well” is a poor man’s version of WIXIW's title track.  Angus' monotone vocals work best as a juxtaposition to the insane sounds being made by Liars.  When the melodies are stale, the vocals just drag it down more.  This is the same fault “Boyzone” has.  These songs aren't terrible, but do drag what could have been an otherwise non-stop mind blowing album.  While Mess never regains its stride after the first four tracks, “Dress Walker” an “Mess on A Mission” do their best to leave a mark.  “Dress Walker”, with its strange Gary Numan synthesized vocals, pounding electric drum, and looping sequencers at the end, was when I came to a realization.  “Oh my god, this is Killer7, the album.”  Well… I guess, if Killer7 didn’t already have a soundtrack…  Anyway, Mess is a total joy to listen to, without taking anything from Liars' twisted reputation.  Liars' style usually just wallows in its own filth and requires you to come to it.  Mess comes to you and dumps it all over your clean kitchen floor.

Who knows where Liars can go from here?  Back into their cave?  “Perpetual Village” has a familiar melody to it that reminds me of their self titled album.  The final track, “Left Speaker Blown”, sounds like this synthesized machine that has fueled Liars for two albums is powering down.  If this is the end of experimenting with electronics, what a success its been.

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[END OF THE YEAR UPDATE]  - While the high points of this album still excite me, the low points have only gotten worse.  I also miss how creepy and vague WIXIW was, making this album vastly inferior.  Still a 2014 standout, but I think my initial explosion of joy has died down quite a bit.

the drag on the next one (Lagwagon - Hang)

Lagwagon - Hang

Why you'll love it:  most rocking album of 2014

Why you'll hate it:  still has a few FWC tropes

In the 90's Lagwagon was just a drop in the skate-punk bucket.  While releases like Hoss (1995) resonated with my peers, it never really spoke to me.  I was a Lookout! Records (Ramones influenced) kid, not a Fat-Wreck Chords (Black Flag influenced) kid.  It wasn't until Lagwagon's frontman, Joey Cape, branched out with Bad Astronaut that I began to appreciate his songwriting.  Through the experimental Bad Astronaut, a decade of hard living, and the loss of loved ones, Joey Cape slowly grew into one of punk rock's heaviest hearts.  Bad Astronaut's Houston, We Have A Drinking Problem is one of my favorite albums ever.  Lagwagon's return from hiatus in 2003 (Blaze), easily became the first of theirs I loved.

Hang not only is another great offering from Joey Cape, but a fantastic "roots" Lagwagon album.  You know when an old band does this sort of thing?  They say "We're going back to our roots!" and try to make something that sounds like their first two albums.  Most actually don't live up to their promise.  I didn't see Lagwagon make this promise, but Hang is essentially if their first two albums from the early 90's (Duh and Trashed) were made for me.  It's fast, angry, and aggressive skate-punk, peppered with speed-metal hooks and transitions.  Lagwagon now has the production value and talent to make this kind of music combination sound like a slick machine, and not a muddled mess.

Hang ROCKS.  It is, by a long shot, the most rocking album of 2014 I've heard.  The entire first half of this album rips.  Lagwagon confidently rolls along with this punk-metal hybrid, and I didn't for a second think it was corny or lacking.  Basically what they did was take two genres I've never really cared for, mixed them together in a way that completely won me over, and topped it off with Joey Cape's heartbreaking lyrics.

The greatest moments of this album are when Cape's songwriting collides with the song at high speed.  "Obsolete Absolute" is the hardest rocking song on this album.  A well drawn out intro, hypnotizing guitar riff, devastating drumming, and Joey Cape comes right at it with some of his best stuff.  Especially in the second verse

RUUUUUUN

Running, running, fall behind

Faster, faster, borrowed time

Heritage has lost its mind

We are undefined

It's like they took their comedic song "Falling Apart" and turned it into a nightmare.

Speaking of comedy songs, Hang is devoid of humor, but there is a well appreciated "pop-punk" influenced moment in "Burning Out in Style".  A callback to some of the most fun moments of Blaze, or their catchiest album, Let's Talk About Feelings (1997).  Though it may have all been to lure you into a false sense of security, so they can drop an anvil on you in "One More Song".  On the surface, this song has an inviting passion, and the first time I heard it I mistook it as simply a love letter to music and how you'll never get enough of it.  Hey, I was in my car at the time, not really paying attention.  When the piano moment hit, I just screamed "DISARM!" (my favorite Bad Astronaut song.)  "One More Song" has such a strong emotion to it, I mistook "love and loss" for simply "love", until one name gets thrown into the final chorus.  "...Tony"   OUUUUUUUCH.

I could go on and on about almost every song on this album.  An honest look at nicotine addition in "Drag"... The second wind moment of "Poison in The Well" ... Joey channeling Robert Plant during "Cog in The Machine"...  Lagwagon was a band I used to shrug my shoulders at in my formative years.  Now they're putting out one of my favorite albums of 2014.

something something baby (Kenichi Asai - Nancy)

Kenichi Asai - Nancy

Why you'll love it:  Atmospheric and passionate blues rock

Why you'll hate it:  slow pace, not enough hooks

Kenichi Asai has been one of my favorite names in rock and roll for a while, and an accomplished musician for much longer.  The guy has been in half a dozen amazing bands, with embarrassing names.  If band names like Sherbets, and Blankey Jet City make you chuckle, fair enough. It still makes me laugh too.  But if their music doesn't come to mind immediately after, you're robbing yourself of a wonderful life experience.  Want an experience with a less silly name?  Try Jude, Pontiacs, or maybe Asai's solo career.

What I'm getting at is that in all of his musical projects, Kenichi Asai has over 24 hours total of fantastic music.  Nancy ranks up there near the top of that playlist.

Despite singing in Japanese, Asai gets his emotions through on every single track of Nancy.  Its dark and mysterious when it wants to be, and effortlessly transitions into groovy and cool on a whim.  The opening notes of "Sky Diving Baby" set a tone straight away, only to have your expectations guided here and there throughout the song.  Asai shows his mastery of songwriting, smoothly transitioning from an intimate piano, to wailing guitar solos without feeling stitched together at all.  "Stinger" may be my favorite track on here, with a blood-pumping pace.  Asai has written his fair share of wild rock songs, even as a solo artist; but there is something special about being able to pull something from deep within the listener without resorting to slamming drums and a buzzsaw guitar attack.  Rather than run you over with a song, Asai puts you in the passenger seat and accelerates; weaving in and out of traffic, but never crashing.

Almost every song has a captivating rhythm or a memorable hook. "What Am I" is the only one that I feel can get away from the listener.  The rest of the album has a craft to it that anyone in the world who enjoys rock music can get something out of.  The instrumental, "Johnny Love" is a good example of how much effort Asai puts into crafting his composition.  Even in Japanese, his vocal delivery on the rest of the album has the intended emotional impact.  It's clear he's trying to sound cool on songs like "Parmesan Cheese" & "Rabbit Fur Cap", and he actually does.  When cool Kenichi and emotional Kenichi collide, it's seamless.  The signature guitar line of "Sakura" is one of the most memorable things about Nancy, and Asai's emotional delivery gives that song the total package.

Nancy is one of brightest spots of Kenichi Asai's glowing career.  It's almost $15 on iTunes, and totally worth the jacked up price.  Apparently the cheaper Amazon mp3 version is of questionable quality.  There used to be a full album stream on youtube, but Asai's people took it down.  It's too bad this album isn't more easily or affordably available.  It's a gem.

meanwhile, in Sweden... (Johan Hedberg - Paradiset)

Johan Hedberg - Paradiset

Why you'll love it:  Well produced, rich sound

Why you'll hate it: Vocals and language are rough

As much as I love Labrador Records releases, Paradiset is a tough album for an English only listener to penetrate.  I listen to a lot of foreign acts.  It's usually pretty easy to let the universal language of music take over, and find what makes a song catchy at its core.  Digging deeper, it's usually rewarding to find the passion coming through in a performance without even knowing the words being sung.  There are a few moments in Paradiset where that does happen.  The closer, "Pirayastim" comes to mind immediately.  For the most part, that isn't the case.

In his English speaking project, Suburban Kids With Biblical Names, Johan Hedberg has a charming voice.  His low pitched, dopey delivery fits the sense of humor in their songs.  Lots of fun loving bells & whistles in the sound, and smart-ass quips in the lyrics.  As a solo artist, sticking exclusively to Swedish, Johan sounds a bit out of touch.  The tone of the songs give the impression that his heart is on his sleeve here, with no sarcasm.  It's pretty hard at first to take such a silly voice as his seriously.  There is no overt tomfoolery on this album, and whatever saving grace it needs comes from the music itself.

Labrador Records (who live up to their tagline as "world’s finest purveyor of pop music.") do an incredible job supporting Johan here; who is now at a huge disadvantage without that trademark Suburban Kids snark.  There are a lot of extra touches put into the songs that don't feel needlessly piled on.  Very few of these songs fall flat.  "Det Fula" is peppy.  "Sur Och Tvär" has a groovy Erlend Øye style.  The charm that I know Johan Hedberg has is sadly lost in translation here.  And while the songs can be cute and catchy, they lack the snark that Suburban Kids had in spades.

Paradiset is a fine sounding album that sadly lacks staying power.  Johan's crack at honest songwriting is competent, but comes off a bit hammy due to a lack of any real creative hook.  I sure wish Suburban Kids was still around...

Straighten that hat and tuck in that shirt! (Jamie T - Carry on The Grudge)

Jamie T - Carry on The Grudge

Why you'll love it: Refreshing mature balladry

Why you'll hate it: Less of what "made" Jamie T

Biggest surprise of the year by a mile goes to Jamie T, who's always been, at best, a guilty pleasure of mine.  The scrappy Wimbledon punk made quite a splash in 2007 with his debut.  His slurry English accent.  The catchy hip hop delivery blended with indie rock hooks.  A heavy dose of teenage snobbery.  Panic Prevention was a damn fun album, with enough creativeness to give you the impression that there is more upstairs to this guy than what is led on.

If anything, his 2009 follow up was a textbook sophomore jinx.  It was the same album with much less impact.  That was the last we had heard from the once white hot budding new artist.  Seemingly out of the blue, I stumbled across Jamie T's first album in five years.  My expectations were low, but curiosity was too much to resist.  Could Jamie T STILL be clinging to the same shallow "white boy rap" songwriting style in his late 20s?

NO!  In one of the boldest moves I've sen in a while, Jamie T sheds his signature sound, and basically grows up!  From a business perspective, this is crazy.  Carry on The Grudge is hardly a "fun" album.  It mostly consists of sentimental ballads.  Only for about 10 minutes in the middle do you get something representing the Jamie T of old; and even then, these few songs with a little bite don't have the hip-hop affectations he's known for.  They're more rock focused.

Let's go back to the ballads though.  These are what really made an impression on me.  The first three songs on this album are wonderful.  They're sappy, but strong.  "Limits Lie" has a captivating pace.  The bridge has such a confident drive to it that I was already on board with this uncharted territory comeback for Jamie T.  Carry on The Grudge maintains the same mood just long enough for the only radio friendly pop single to creep its way in.  "Zombie" can be a little simple and corny, but its placement on the album is brilliant.  Just when the thought creeps in that maybe this album is a little bit too somber, the chorus to "Zombie" kicks in.  It's great to hear Jamie T experimenting in more ways to make a fun song than chav-core.

Unfortunately, this album is no classic.  After "Zombie", Jamie T has trouble finding his groove again.  The peppering in of a few hard hitting rock songs make it tougher.  It's not until the last three songs that he recaptures that sentimental magic.  Even then, it's three songs all competing to be the album closer, and one of those three fall flat.  Thankfully, it's a strong number in "They Told Me it Rained" that actually does close out the album.  Deleting what I consider to be the mis-steps, Carry on The Grudge is still 30 minutes of good music.  Not only is that more than I ever expected from a new Jamie T album, but his evolution is seriously impressive.  It's a brave thing to do, and it makes this album feel all the more important.

another sugar rush! (Hideki Kaji - Ice Cream Man)

Hideki Kaji - Ice Cream Man

Why you'll love it:  Honest and unironic happy pop music

Why you'll hate it: Just about the least cool thing in the world

Nothing warms my heart more than the annual reminder that Hideki Kaji is still making music.  Since the mid-90s, he's been a faucet of  simple and sweet rock-n-roll pop.  No amount of terror or tragedy in the world has been able to shake this man.  If you need your fix of music so positive and corny it would make Brian Wilson roll his eyes, Kaji's your man.

Quality-wise, Kaji's never written anything that transcends surface level "this is cute and fun".  He's been a solid run for the last 7 years, with only last year's Sweet Swedish Winter being his only serious misstep.  While the music itself is not terribly creative, he still feels fresh and delightful.  Ice Cream Man hits all of Kaji's strengths.  Songs like "Tropical Girl", "Happy Manchester" and "Jam & Butter Song" bop along at a fun pace; with only the album's title track taking his saccharine attitude a step too far.  The ballads are spiced up with keyboards to stay interesting.  My favorite being the synth-pop influenced "Summer Camp", and the only dud being the minimalist "Pool Side Calling".

As you can tell by the song titles, Hideki Kaji is for real about this pop thing.  Clearly, his style is not something that many people can stomach.  I really do love this guy's material though.  It's all too straightforward and lacking a creative twist for me to praise it as "pop music's best kept secret!", but Kaji's honesty and dedication has always charmed me.  Ice Cream Man is no standout album in 2014, but it's Kaji being as good as ever.  Anyone who drives around town blasting this gets a gold star in just not giving a fuck.

The review of the (Hello Saferide - The Fox, The Hunter And Hello Saferide)

*from my tumblr a couple months ago

Hello Saferide - The Fox, The Hunter And Hello Saferide

Why you'll love it:  A sweet spot between heartbreaking and charming

Why you'll hate it:  If the lyrics don't click, you'll be bored.

To write a fun song that stays on the radio for generations is a great accomplishment. Something that becomes THE lasting memory of a certain mood or place.  Something that can reach out and bridge the gap to a complete stranger, stretching across even lifetimes.  It’s another thing to write a song that in just a brief time, offers those same strangers a true glimpse into the writer’s psyche.  That’s the kind of songwriting Annika Norlin excels at in her latest Hello Saferide album.  Even if her songs don’t evoke anything within yourself, you feel like you’ve gotten to know her on a personal level.  That’s really hard to do!

Annika’s songwriting first got my attention in 2006, with her Hello Saferide debut.  Back then, I was referring to her as the female version of Dr. Frank; with a sharp wit in creating quirky and cute songs about relationships. Hello Saferide’s sophomore effort took a grim turn, and was just plain uncomfortable to listen to.  With the Swedish language project, Säkert!, Annika took the time to explore her darker songwriting style, and find a more interesting way to package it.

Hello Saferide’s return is no less heartbreaking than where it was left.  “Dad Told Me” is a heavy tale of inherited depression, be that through “sadness in the DNA” or “trouble in the family”.  The song “Raspberry Lips” sways at a nauseating prom night pace, until the tone shift and unveils “a darkness, and it’s dying to get out”.  A haunting number, “This Body” closes off the album with mysterious uncertainty, in lyrics such as “It’s like finding a hidden door in the house you always lived in.”

The difference here is Annika’s ability to insert charming lines or an off rhythm delivery where you least expect it.
“I get home and kick my books.  Fuuaaa-ck youuuu knowledge!”
"I went to a mountain just to be sure it was a mountain.  I stood at the top and said ‘Man, this surely is a mountain’”
And of course, and few lines in “I Was Jesus” that are delivered so fast they’re not even presented in the lyric music video for the song!

There are two standout songs on here.  One being “The Crawler”; which at first seems like another cute and funny look into Annika’s insecurities in public.  The focus eventually shits to being about a man who carelessly exercises in public, to the grief of nearby patrons.  I don’t know if this is a song about comparing introverts and extroverts, or maybe a statement on how a society breaks down when people begin to act out from within it.  Either way, it’s a fascinating song, presented with an intimate tone.

The other great song on here is a bit of a throwback, stylistically.  On “Last Night Bus”, Annika sings in the same perky high pitch as she had on the Hello Saferide debut.  It’s done with good reason, too; as the song is an anecdote about her teenage years.  With much courage and faith in the listener, Annika sings about herself befriending Neo Nazis and enjoying their music.  Much like “The Crawler”, this song reveals itself halfway through, as the story continues into some wonderful musings about growing up, maturing, and pondering what shapes your very being at your most impressionable of moments.

“The Fox, The Hunter And Hello Saferide” is far from a total package album.  I’m wondering if it will even be in my top ten in this rather dry year for music.  From a songwriting critique… nothing else lately has even come close. Top scientists need to somehow splice her DNA with that of a no substance / all style band like Spoon.  You’d have music powerful enough to end holy wars.

------------------------
[END OF THE YEAR UPDATE] - I'm still very impressed by Norlin's creativeness on this album.  I wish the music itself was more interesting, though.   Musically, this album does the very least it needs to do to set the tone.  I'm still under its spell, regardless; so it may get an honorary spot in the top ten.

sugar rush (Fujiya & Miyagi - Artificial Sweeteners)

*from my tumblr back in like, June or something

Fujuya & Miyagi - Artificial Sweeteners

Why you'll love it:  Stinging synths, good beats, biting lyrics.

Why you'll hate it:  Shallow, same formula as ever.

For such a simple musical outfit, Fujiya & Miyagi bear an unfortunate creative burden.  Their 2006 album, Transparent Things, couldn’t have come at a better time.  This generation was having a breakthrough in musical influence thanks to the internet.  While others were arguing over to call it “pirating” or “sharing”, kids were able to access rare and foreign trends with ease.  I think the reason why Transparent Things was such an indie hit was because this generation was really into 70’s Krautrock at the moment.

The weird part came when Fujiya & Miyagi kept doing its thing, after interest faded.  The culture looked at them and said “oh… uhm, you guys are really serious about this?  ok”.  Fujiya & Miyagi continued making krautrock records, with only light touches and motifs thrown here and there; much to the disappointment of the modern indie experimental electronic music fan.

Artificial Sweeteners is yet another defiantly simple krautrock album.  This year’s twist comes in the form of synthesizers as bitter as battery acid.  Their trademark monotone vocals, and repetitive spiteful insults strengthen the album’s remorseless robotic sound.  When the Maximum Overdrive comet comes, karaoke machines will only play this album, and display “FUCK YOU” on the LED.

Despite all the bells and whistles here, Fujiya & Miyagi is getting no more complex.  If that’s something you can look past, this is a fun album.  It’s an old fashioned Motorik dance pop recipe, but they’re still throwing in their own little spices that are worthy of praise.

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[END OF THE YEAR UPDATE] - I still enjoy this album in full every now and then.  A bit dragging towards the end, but solid throughout.  I love the colorful album cover, and the Look Around You style of the music videos.  This is on the bubble of my top ten.  Not sure if it will make the cut just yet...

Nothing From Something (Foo Fighters - Sonic Highways)

Foo Fighters - Sonic Highways

Why you'll love it:  Ambitious concept.  First three songs rock.

Why you'll hate it:  Fails to deliver on concept.  Bland material

Maybe it's a sixth sense, or just paranoia; but when I smell bullshit on something, it's hard for me to look past it.  Pound for pound, Foo Fighters is the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful rock band of the last 20 years.  Dave Grohl is one of the coolest people on the planet.  I loved Nate Mendel in Sunny Day Real Estate.  Chris Shiflett saw No Use For A Name through their peak years.  Taylor Hawkins, Pat Smear... I love all these guys.  They deserve their success, and wear it well.  Hey, at the very least, if Foo Fighters weren't here, you'd have Nickelback and Imagine Dragons representing modern mainstream rock.  What would you prefer?

Despite all that love, Foo Fighters are still part of an artistically tepid, and emotionally sterile mainstream music system; that is all about hype and production.  When Foo Fighters announced their next album was going to be an 8 city Americana tour, written on the go, with guest stars and an HBO documentary crew in tow, I groaned.  It all feels like a big orchestrated "event", with very little substance.

I suppose Sonic Highways turned out to be the best it possibly could have.  It's a mostly bland Foo Fighters album with one, maybe two breakout songs.  They've done it before.  Even on their previous album, Wasting Light (2011), which I was mostly positive about.  But that positivity came from its attitude.  Despite a lot of filler tracks and corny lyrics, Wasting Light felt... honest and fun.  Sonic Highways feels like something written for them by a committee.

Even though I found a good half of this album to be "bad", possibly its biggest disappointment is that it doesn't even live up to its promise.  8 songs, recorded in 8 separate "rock and roll capitals" of America.  These songs are meant to represent the culture in which they were produced in.  This just sounds like every other Foo Fighters album to me.  There is a little bit of "Southern twang" in "Something From Nothing", so surely that must be the New Orleans or Nashville... oh wait, Chicago?  Maybe Foo Fighters taking honest attempts at a bluegrass, motown, or no wave song would be disastrous, but it would be something.  These are just a bunch of songs you can find on any other Foo Fighters album, only with Dave Grohl's diminishing songwriting skills.  At best, he is leaving no impression whatsoever.  At worst, it's cliche after cliche and rhyming for the sake of rhyming  Another disappointment, because that motherfiucker can still scream his ass off.

Sonic Highways is only about 15 minutes of worthwhile content, stretched out to 8 songs.  The whole thing is built from a lofty concept that falls embarrassingly short of the mark.  The Foo's last LP filled me with warm feelings.  This album leaves me with nothing. The songs are empty, and marketed with this "America rocks, right?" concept vague enough to one day end up on some smarmy politician's campaign trail.

fryglare.jpg (Erlend Øye - Legao)

Erlend Øye - Legao

Why you'll love it: Soothing groovy island tunes

Why you'll hate it: Lyrics will give you "douche-chills"

In an alternate dimension, Erlend Øye would have released my favorite album of the year.  It's been 5 years since the last Kings of Convenience (on hiatus) and The Whitest Boy Alive (R.I.P.) releases.  Last year, Øye resurfaced as a solo act with "La Prima Estate" and the promise of an all Italian island beach party album.  Things apparently fell through, because we got Legao instead.

Sonically, Legao is pretty fantastic.  It's got more of a Whitest Boy Alive (funky bass) feel to it than I expected.  Unfortunetly nothing as fun and bubbly as "La Prima Estate", but plenty of groovy relaxed melodies.  I was really hoping for an Italian album though, because Erland's lyrics have never connected with me.  They're self serving, judgmental, and vague.  Erland mostly sings about lies and love (and believe me, he does a lot!).  The message is always too obvious to be poetic.  There is no introspection or soul bearing weakness.  It's always lessons given to the listeners.  At best, he comes off as a Mary Sue.  It's not a good look.  At worst, he's sounding like he's just writing these songs to get laid.

These are the frustrating two sides of Legao.  It sounds lovely.  "Save Some Loving", "Fence Me in", "Garota" - all hypnotizing songs.  Erland has the perfect voice to accompany the tone of these songs.  The personality is just too... perhaps guarded, or artificial to relate to.  He's going for the gentle romantic look, but instead comes off like the antagonist in a romantic comedy.  There is just something untrustworthy about him...   And this is why he should sing in Italian for now on.

in flight radio (Elbow - The Take Off And Landing of Everything)

*copy / pasted from my review on tumblr back in March 2014

Elbow - The Take Off And Landing of Everything

Why you'll love it:  Ambitious orchestral sized band ballads

Why you'll hate it: Slow and boring second half

It’s hard to pitch a band like Elbow.  I’ve got a long list of reasons why they’re “good” (Guy Garvey’s impeccable singing voice, and high production values would be at the top of it), but I don’t have much to sell somebody on the creative department.  They’re, in kind terms, a mainstream band.  I could totally see these guys on the Today show; in between segments about footage of dogs barking at the Law & Order theme, and time saving grocery bagging tips.

Elbow is like one of those bands that get used in every movie trailer for a year (oh wait… THEY WERE).  The thing is, they’re better than that.  They’re one of the few bands that have the talent to justify that kind of media push.

I love what I hear in a lot of songs off their latest album, The Take Off And Landing of Everything.  So much that I get drawn in occasionally, and really pay attention.  That’s where Elbow has never really clicked with me.  There isn’t much payoff to all the pomp & circumstance.  The lyrics usually go nowhere, and there is a lot of repetition.  “Charge” is a pitch-perfect moody instrumental, but the moment someone points out how often they say “hey”, boy does that song lose value.  I could be mean and really harp on weak lyrics, but the musical journey (as long as it may be) is worth the time.  Guy Garvey’s voice is really that good.  I could listen to him sing a phone book.  At least The Take Off And Landing of Everything is one of their better “phone books”.

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12-3-14 UPDATE

"My Sad Captains" is starting to feel like one of the best Elbow songs ever.  It's also the only shining moment in an otherwise slog of side B to this record.  When Elbow reels back on the production and just presents a song with subtle atmosphere, they glorify their common Manchester working class subject matter quite well.  But all too often, and especially on this album, they rely too much on theatrics and making the most epic song they can.  I can only hope for more "Fly Boy Blue", and less "New York Morning" next time.

in over my head (Del The Funky Homosapien - Iller Than Most)

Del The Funky Homosapien - Iller Than Most

Why you'll love it:  Cool noise rock approach to rap

Why you'll hate it:  Mostly the same song over and over

I had been considering doing another webcomic style review for this one.  Criticizing rap intimidates me.  My experience listening to it doesn't go much further than The Beastie Boys and Gorillaz (where I first heard of Del).  Fortunately, Iller Than Most leaves a bit more to discuss than just rap in general.

"Leader" sets the pace rightly in more ways than one.  The first thing you'll notice about this album is the sound composition.  It's gritty, noisy, and all over the low and high ends, with every bell and whistle in between.  This is what it sounds like if Zach Hill were to produce a rap album.  I know what your next thought is: but Zach Hill is already associated with a much more successful group called Death Grips! Yes, I know.  Personally, I feel like this sounds much closer to what you would hear on a psychedelic Zach Hill album.

What else stands out quite a bit on this album is Del's never ceasing rant on people ripping him off, and attacking his character on the internet.  So much as he's spending entire parts of songs torturing imitators, and mocking shit-talkers.  It's a bit weird, and kind of distracts from a couple otherwise good songs.  Extra weird considering he was beating the crap out of someone in a song as Deltron 3030 just last year.

Del's beefs tend to get in the way, and a lot of them seem to be about the same exact thing.  It doesn't live up to the cool and unique sound that backs this album.  Maybe there are a lot more rap albums with such a noisy distorted beat throughout, but I've never heard one; so the novelty had me coming back all year.  I wish it was better, but Iller Than Most is worth a curious listen.

Punked (Deerhoof - La Isla Bonita)

Deerhoof - La Isla Bonita

Why you'll love it: Deerhoof harkens back to their noisy years
Why you'll hate it: Not as creative or catchy as they have been

I do not love this album.  I find it annoying, too messy, and hard on my ears at times.  On a few songs, the vocals are off putting, and the lyrics are too silly for me to get over.   Here is your M Night Shyamalan twist... I've been a Deerhoof fan for years!  2012's Breakup Song was one of my favorite albums of 2012!  This entire paragraph makes me out to be a massive hypocrite!

Deerhoof is an acquired taste.  They make a whole lot of noise, and turn it into fun pop music.  Their style is very abrasive; dare I say it, annoying. Yet I, like many fans, love them for it.  We love their creativeness, and ability to challenge the listener.  I guess we all draw the line somewhere...

La Isla Bonita is Deerhoof's messiest album since The Runners Four (2005).  It has an almost nails on chalkboard reverberation to it.  The construction of almost every song seems like it's been put through a blender.  Guitar strikes coming from all angles at any given moment.  There is very little reprieve given to the listener, aside from the tracks "Tiny Bubbles" and "Oh Bummer", which have a horror movie like tone.  "Oh Bummer" especially would have fit right in there with anything on Milk Man (2004).


To be honest, nothing on La Isla Bonita is surprising.  Heck, I was even preparing myself for disappointment.  Ever since 2002's Reveille, Deerhoof albums have had the Star Trek sequels effect (only every other one being beloved).  I should want to hear Deerhoof make me say "ughhh" at first, and eventually win me over.  Maybe in a few months I'll love this album, but for now, joy has only come in moments.  That "badabadabadabada" duel guitar riff in "Last Fad" impresses me every time.  The line "We're gonna haunt you 24/7" from "Black Pitch" makes me chuckle every time.  But, I'm skipping the first two annoying songs every time as well; and always zoning out in the middle of the album, not being able to discern one track from another. La Isla Bonita is sadly stuck somewhere in between too one-note to be considered one of their more creative albums, and too many jagged edges to be one of their more enjoyable ones.

Deerhoof has over a dozen albums by now.  Their whole gimmick is to subvert what you think catchy music should be.  To always be one step ahead of both their fans and their critics.  It's gotta be hard to make something revolutionary every time.  This is one of those cases where they didn't reach that high mark.  But like every other of those albums that fall short, you're still left with a few damn good mainstays in a Deerhoof setlist.  "Doom", "Last Fad", "Oh Bummer": all cool songs.  Unfortunately, this is just one of those Deerhoof albums that will probably get lost somewhere in the middle of their twisted discography.

Oh no! It's (Cibo Matto - Hotel Valentine)

*copy/pasted from a review on tumblr I wrote earlier this year

Cibo Matto - Hotel Valentine

Why you'll love it:  Clever concept, wonderful vocals, funky grooves
Why you'll hate it:  Cheesy outdated rapping style, content is shallow

 Cibo Matto: a “love em or hate em” act if there ever was one.  Even though they’ve been gone for 15 years, and were relatively obscure even then; their funk-fusion coffeehouse bossa-nova jazz isn’t even what they are most known for.  To the casual music fan, it’s themes of feminism, NYC’s hipster beatnik scene, the heavy Japanese accent, and incoherent-pop sensibilities.  If not that, any one of the oddball singles that made a minor splash in underground circles.  

When Cibo Matto is at their most expressive, they’re bound to rub some the wrong way.  The grating “Birthday Cake” fooled most into thinking they were a tone-deaf punk band, and “Know Your Chicken” was considered to be little more than a joke song to many. Their returning LP, Hotel Valentine, has no intention of putting a stop to such alienation.  If the lead single, “MFN” catches any traction, people will misunderstand the duo as delusional, out of touch, and failing to capitalize on long outdated American fashion and hip-hop delivery.  

The truth is Cibo Matto can write good songs, sing well, and actually has a master plan.  Miho Hatori has constructed quite the portfolio over the years as a guest performer on some of your favorite music acts (Gorillaz, Beck, Beastie Boys).  She knows pop music; and is never more creative than when teaming up with Yuka Honda.  Hotel Valentine isn’t just nonsense, it’s a concept album about ghosts. The more you dig, the more you get.  Cibo Matto actually has quite a few charming songs, with soothing melodies.  It was an attribute proven with their second album, and that trend continues here.  “Empty Pool” and “Hotel Valentine” are free of gonzo lyrics or attempts well out of vocal range.

Because of such a long hiatus, Cibo Matto’s return has a welcoming “you’ve still got it” feel to it, and not a rehash of themes from the past two albums.  It’s a good mix of their strange & abrasive with their lesser known fits of depth & substance.  The devotion to “concept album” is a little on the light side.  The references to ghosts and being high don’t go much further than simply stating such things.  As a result, the lyrics get a little redundant, and the songs tougher to discern.  Although, even a thin concept will always get me somewhat invested in an album, so I appreciate the theme.  Cibo Matto is an under appreciated American underground gem (Even their homeland of Japan finds them unmarketable and confusing).  If you give Hotel Valentine (and their entire discography) a deep look, you’ll possibly find more than you expected to.  

Or maybe you just want something that came from planet Funkotron, in which case, Cibo Matto is exactly what you’d expect.

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[END OF THE YEAR UPDATE] I still love this album.  Probably more than I did at the time I wrote that review.  The songs haven't worn out their welcome at all.  Seriously, how cool is it we got new Buffalo Daughter and Cibo Matto albums in 2014?  That by itself is fantastic. That they're two of the best things I've heard all year is a blessing.  2014 rocks.