There was a lot of music this year that really spoke to me, but were undeniably niche. Instead of hamfisted justifications for their presence in my top ten, I've decided to create an "honorable mentions" list of 2015.
Here are the top five things that deserve a high five, a gold star, a hug, the game ball, or maybe one of those scratch n sniff fruit stickers...
The fearless dedication to 90's alt-rock in Bully's debut, Feels Like.
It's only one note, but a loud and clear one. I can't wait to see where they go next. Alicia Bognanno has the range, and her band has enough hooks to do some really creative things...
Check out: This appropriately 90's video for "Trying"
L'Orange bringing back gimmicky hip-hop in a big way.
I wanted to write about both of these L'Orange produced albums this year, but writing about hip-hop has always intimidated me. I'm a huge fan of Dan The Automator, and all the themed albums he produced in the 90s/00s, such as Deltron 3030, and Lovage. Time? Astonishing! and The Night Took Us In Like Family definitely follow in that same vein. The only thing that kept these from breaking into my top ten was the way the samples were clumsily inserted into the mix without any real grace and flow. I love me some songs about time travel and 1920s gangsters, but not enough to overlook how jarring the experiences were from song to song.
2015's most charming album: Noun's Throw Your Body On The Gears And Stop The Machine With Your Blood
There is enough character in this album to cast in a film. Baked in teen goth imagery and lore. The delivery is just straight enough for the music to stand on its own merits, but the entire package is adorable.
the telephones bow out on their own terms with Bye Bye Hello
It requires a bit of homework, and a high tolerance of... whatever the telephones do, to appreciate it; but this dumb ass band generated more sentiment than anything else I've heard all year. The nostalgia soaked ballads are just as fun as they are heavy. I'm gonna miss these dorks.
Check out: ... these 75 seconds of "Something Good" because that's all YouTube in NA has. Good grief, Japanese music industry, find your chill.
Noun Throw Your Body on The Gears And Stop The Machine With Your Blood
why you'll love it: fun and kitschy goth, adorably grim
why you'll hate it: cheap production, tame compared to Screaming Females
I haven't played a new video game all year. The closest I've come has been The Binding of Isaac's DLC content: Afterbirth. It's a retro-Zelda inspired dungeon crawl that's drenched in cartoony gore and occult imagery. The best description of Noun's sophomore album, Throw Your Body on The Gears And Stop The Machine With Your Blood, is that it's the perfect companion to a game like The Binding of Isaac. It's the exact same tone, very similar music, and even the album cover looks like it could be a boss fight.
For those not into indie-roguelikes, Noun would be more commonly known as a side project by Marissa Paternoster (of Screaming Females). The 2010 debut came and went, but all of the ridiculous goth influence of Throw Your Body... gives Noun some real character. It's like a high-schooler's notebook in audio form.
Don't expect the same level of power and grit a traditional Screaming Females album has. Right from the first few seconds of this album, you know you're getting a DIY effort. The cheap drum machine effect would come off as irritating in most cases, but here it just adds to the kitsch. "Pain" and "Tidal Wave" sound more like the Doom soundtracks than they do any Screaming Females songs. There are a few outstanding guitar licks, but even those feel nerfed by the mix.
Musically, there is nothing outstanding about Throw Your Body.... Paternoser's dark imagery takes up all of the spotlight, and she does a fantastic job of walking that thin line between fun and corny. Even some of my favorite bands that specify in horror, like The Paper Chase, sometimes threw out a cheeseball line about skeletons. I can't think of a single moment of Noun's 36 minutes of theatric sorrow that had me roll my eyes. This album is soaking wet with misery, but the delivery is dry as a bone.
As 2015 comes to a close, I'm seeing plenty of albums that aren't exactly a total package, but cater so well to its niche that I just want to give them a big hug. Throw Your Body on The Gears And Stop The Machine With Your Blood is certainly one of those, as much as it would probably resent the hug.
An all too familiar nag of frustration pokes me while I listen to the latest Laura Stevenson album. Her 2013 album, Wheel, was a triumph in taking her folk laced songwriting to the next level. This year's follow-up, Cocksure, just doesn't have the same kind of impact. I really wish it did, because Laura's personal brand is higher than ever right now. Honesty shines through in her songwriting, she's a confident live performer, and comes off as the kind of person that you believe deserves success. Sadly, nothing in Cocksure is lives up to her best work. The album sails by, hitting all of her familiar notes, bit delivering nothing that really sticks.
Oddly enough, her friend and occasional collaborator, Jeff Rosenstock, left the same exact impression on me this year. A release that has me repeating "this could be better, this has been better" with every song. The best moments of this album only feel like ancillary tracks on better albums. "Out With A Whimper" and "You Know Where You Can Find Me" open and close Cocksure with Laura's masterful pacing. There are compelling lows and heartfelt highs. They aren't amazing songs, but are clear highlights compared to everything in between.
A staple of this album is Laura trying to affect a more positive vibe in her songs. I don't necessarily feel this is a bad thing. Limbeck wrote a country-influenced album in 2003 called Hi, Everything's Great. It oozes with joy and optimism. I still enjoy it today. Laura's take on positivity comes off as forced, and just an excuse for what sounds like a mediocre radio song. Her simplification is at its worst in "Torch Song". This main riff is Matchbox 20 levels of "offensively simple". With a few subtle touches, "Life is Long" delivers the best pop song of Cocksure. She adds just a little bit of spice to the riff to make it fun, especially that little bit at 95 seconds in.
All in all, "Torch Song" is the only track on here that actually gets on my nerves. "Ticker Tape" is one of her better slow songs, with a real density to it, like something off of Grizzly Bear's Yellow House. That's the most remarkable thing I've got to say about the middle 15 minutes of this album! There is that little going on. If not for Wheel really knocking my socks off, I'd probably be lighter on Cocksure. It's another nice little country-influenced album by this talented and likable songwriter. It's a more consistent album than the ones she did before Wheel. It's just that Wheel exists now, and there is no going back from that.
why you'll love it: the best loud dumb rock and roll album of 2015
why you'll hate it: Some cheesy lyrics, nothing ambitious
I've got a new tagline for The Birthday: Best middle-eight in the business! They've shown the knack to turn me around on a song before. My favorite album of theirs (2010's Star Blows) opens up with frontman, Chiba Yusuke, screaming "I'VE GOT A FREE STONE, YEAH". It's a cringey line, but after 5 minutes, you may find yourself singing along to one of the silliest choruses in rock n roll. That's the power The Birthday wields, and it's used to great effect on their latest album, Blood And Love Circus.
Most of The Birthday's latest batch of songs aren't "saved" by an incredible guitar solo and bridge. They're already good songs, catapulted into the upper stratosphere. The solo and proceeding breakdown of "I Know" is pretty much my favorite rock moment of 2015. "Twenty Four"'s moment of surf-thrash is a close second. "Door", "Sombrerose", and "Billy Black" mutate their final verses into fist-raising powerhouses.
The only two songs that need to overcome Chiba Yusuke's now typical odd use of Western slang are "Rock Your Animal" and "Love Shot". "Rock Your Animal" comes off as the kind of song that may depend on your blood alcohol content. It has a traditional addictive western garage rock riff, but lyrics that are dumb as mud. "Love Shot" is saved by the best damn middle-eight in the business (this branding is a work in progress). If you can hang with it for 2 minutes, you'll be rewarded with the swinging beat morphing into a whirling dervish.
With a few weird English lines expected, the only real drawback I can assign to The Birthday's 8th album is that it finds them playing it safe. No song comes close to any of their bigger, wilder, or more melodically experimental moments in the past. I'd probably harp on this more if this wasn't a comeback album of sorts. Last year's Come Together is the only significant blemish in their discography. It was mostly brutish and messy. Their mojo is 95% back on this latest LP. That other 5% goes to the the quick and dirty track, "Shan Shan". It has that "needless b-side" feeling to it, as most of Come Together had.
The most experimentation heard on this album is very subtle, and probably coincidental. It's a little bit of psychobilly influence. There is a carnival sideshow like rhythm to "Love Shot" and "FullbodyのBlood". Probably the best use of this influence is the guitar effects used in "Mother". How do I explain this sound? You've heard it before. You know in like 70's detective tv shows/movies, when there is a car chase, and it has that "wakka-chu wakka-chu" guitar sound? Don't look at me like that, just nod! yeah, that! Anyway, it helps make "Mother" one of the best songs on here, contested by "I Know". It's a shame the two early singles are the best songs on the album, but this is an addictive one. It's got consistency and ability to deliver an unfiltered wild rock and roll in a year where there is little of that to be found. I may just be high on The Birthday finding their groove again, but Blood And Love Circus is muscling its way into my very competitive top ten of 2015.
Why you'll love it: Non-stop dance party
Why You'll hate it: repetitive, low energy
It's easy for our generation to get way too critical. I mean, even all this pointless writing I do ends up creating a persuasion in my brain as to what I think some music should be. If a band strays from that description or anticipation I wrote of them, I may not be as easy to accept when they act otherwise. It's so easy to consume music these days, and to fall into your little comfort zone, with everything you want at your disposal. If something doesn't gel right away, it's their problem, because you're just two clicks away from what you know you like. !!! has managed to get me to stop worrying and just enjoy what they do.
Of course I can't just stop there. I've got some not so great things to say about their 6th album, As if. That doesn't keep me from enjoying almost all of it, though. Even at its lowest points, As if has me silently bobbing my head. THR!!!ER was one of my favorite albums of 2013, so I was hoping their follow up would have me up out of my chair. Aside from being the two best songs, the early singles, "Bam City" and "Freedom! '15" have rude and spiteful lyrics that led me to believe they were getting their early days swag back. There is a bit more snark to be found on As if (such as lying about never being to Rio or Spain in "Every Little Bit Counts". Trolled by Nic Offer again!!), but not enough as I had hoped. How can I be disappointed though, when the beats on "Ooo" and "Til The Money Runs Out" are so good?
!!! can still write a bad-ass disco song. The only real problem with As If is that it feels a bit light. The low-end pitch shifted voice is not all that interesting, and using it to book-end the album dampens initial and final impressions. !!! plays with the dials a little bit too much on this offering. "Slyd" sounded great on the last album, but I don't want to hear half a dozen of them. The instrumentals are groovy, but kill the energy of its surrounding tracks. A lot of songs on here like "Sick Ass Moon" and "Funk" feel like remix versions of unreleased superior songs.
As If fell quite short of my expectations. Again, that doesn't mean I don't enjoy it. It may grow on me. Strange Weather, Isn't It? sure has over the last five years. Dismissals are easy. Skipping to the next song is easy. They're hard habits to break, but !!! is helping me relocate my chill. I hoped As If was going to knock my socks off. They're still on my feet, but propped up on the table swaying to the beat, and that's pretty damn good too.
why you'll love it: What it would sound like if cyborgs made music
why you'll hate it: Lacks the beloved gimmicks of their previous releases
Sometimes, we don't know what we want. When most people talk about a band like Battles, we tend to build upon that "math-rock" moniker. We talk about their complicated layerings and precise instrumentation. We talk about how their sound is appreciated on more levels than just a catchy beat. Here is a casually brushed away truth about the last two Battles albums... they're pretty damn catchy. So much that when Battles delivers an unfiltered application of what we say the band is all about, we realize how important those pop sensibilities were.
La Di Da Di sounds like what should have been Battles' debut LP. When Battles first surfaced in the early 2000s, they released two EPs of straightforward instrumentals. I remember how initially disgusted some fans were when their first full-length featured vocals (fed through a pitch shifter). In their follow up, Battles lost the voice and creative mind behind those vocals, and instead recruited guest vocalists. Those vocal contributions led to an even more pop-structured compositions. Despite getting closer and closer to a pop band with every release, Battles fans still consider "tight musicianship" to be the band's MO.
Every Battles album has been a curveball. On this one, the band throws away all gimmicks, and puts their reputation on the line as an intriguing math-rock trio. Battles plays with slowly manipulated loops. Their process, well documented, seems like a complete logistical nightmare. As they always have, La Di Da Di proves that Battles are tight and impressive performers. Sadly, this album comes ten years too late for their career. The pop experimentation on Mirrored and Gloss Drop just feels more substantial than what's on La Di Da Di. It's like something is missing from these sessions. Especially when some of the tracks rely too heavily on the same rhythm, and don't really transform enough to sustain more than three minutes. Others fail to build to a satisfying climax. Only "The Yabba" and "Luu Le" seem to make a real impression, while everything else in between comes off as Battles "just messin around".
That's a tough criticism to have because, I know it's untrue if you take the time to really investigate and pick these songs apart. It's hard to build a case against that glib remark when songs like "Tricentennial" and "Megatouch" are literally that irritating to listen to. The second half of the album physically gives me a headache because of the high-end soundscape they use. A lot of tracks throughout feel incomplete. Some like "Dot Com" and "Summer Simmer" are quite good, but would otherwise be cool down or transitionary tracks on the previous releases.
It sounds like I'm really dragging this album through the mud. i should reiterate that the band's talented performance still shines through. While John Stanier doesn't have as many opportunities to really shine, his drumming is still impossibly precise as ever. La Di Da Di is much more of a band effort this time out, with no one really getting their solo stuff in. There is still at least a good 30 minutes of good music here; but even if the album were just six really good songs, it still would have felt shallow. There is no "Atlas" to be found here. No "Ice Cream". Just a bunch of "Futura"s. "Futura" was a great song on Gloss Drop! If you're in a certain mindset, you could argue it was the best track on Gloss Drop! Sadly, what La Di Da Di proves more than anything is that an album of just "Futura"s isn't going to cut it for where they are right now. That ship has sailed.
Why you'll love it: Excellent composition, strong songwriting
why you'll hate it: Lacks impact, and diversity
Over the last decade, "Ben Folds': the personality" has become more revered to me than his actual output. It's been a decade since the guy has put out an album that I really love from top to bottom; and almost double that since the heyday of Ben Folds Five. Yet I still look forward to new Ben Folds material. I still make sure to catch when he appears on TV or streams a concert; and it's not because of how good those old songs are. He is a unique, clever, humble, and oddball personality in pop culture.
The biggest problem with Ben Folds' songwriting over the last ten years has been struggling with connecting to his audience from his position of fame and success. Ben Folds' career has been not so unlike Rivers Cuomo. Some nobody misfit manages to become the voice of a culture. In doing so, he is driven away from that culture, and loses his muse. Where their paths diverge is that Folds retained his humility and snark. In Way To Normal (2010) he stayed true to himself and "wrote what he knew", for better or worse. It resulted in an honest effort, but the world Ben lives in now is just no longer relatable to that original audience. When Ben Folds Five reunited, he tried to recapture that misfit charm, and just couldn't relate to that world anymore.
So There pretty much entirely dodges those trappings. Ben writes about relationships, psychological shortcomings, and humiliating fits of temper that manage to bridge that class/success gap. The closest-to-home song, "Yes Man" manages to invite the listener into his world by admitting an odd positive to that "nobody misfit" life - it keeps you in check. It reminds you of what you need to overcome. "Capable of Anything" is probably the best song on here, because of it's wordplay, and the very relatable subject matter of rejecting phony generic "inspirational catch phrases".
Of course, what makes "Capable of Anything" (and the rest of So There) such a joy to listen to is the orchestral ensemble, yMusic, that subtly accompanies Ben Folds. He could have piped in the orchestra much louder, and used it as gimmick; and even if it was, it still would have sounded cool. Instead, yMusic mildly peppers his songs. Oddly enough, the loudest song on here is the juvenile "F10-D-A". Ben himself admits it's a dumb joke song, and I like it. I think it's cute and harmless, but can understand it turning off some people; especially on an album so short. If you don't count the "Concerto For Piano And Orchestra" three moment piece with the Nashville Symphony that closes the album, you're only dealing with a half hour and only 8 songs of new Ben Folds material.
As a fan of short albums, and considering Ben Folds' past couple offerings, I'm happy that this album concluded before he started to lose focus. So There has little impact, but the most substance and genuine charm from Ben Folds in ages. I'd much rather listen to him age gracefully than try to write "Song For The Dumped" yet again.
why you'll love it: Foals finally shows a little character
why you'll hate it: Still not enough to justify their style
Foals is one of those bands I just can't stop saying "what if" about. Talent and high production drips from every one of their albums; yet only their fiery post-punk debut has a shred of character to it. Their older-brother band, Bloc Party shares the same journey of never trying to follow up their popular debut. At least Bloc Party tries something new with each release. They may fail at it sometimes, but I can see what they're aiming for. Foals... I can't describe why they abandoned almost everything that made their debut so great. I can't even describe what took its place. Just... boring old ballad focused rock. For two albums, Foals have tried to make these epic, well layered rock songs, but they have no soul. They sound like narcs. It must be hard for this band to get drugs...
What Went Down sees Antidotes and a burned bridge far away in the rear-view. They're never going back. I've come to accept that. So what now? Talent alone kept their last release, Holy Fire, afloat, but another album of that is pointless. The saving grace of What Went Down is a slight addition of grit and edge. It isn't much, but for a band this good, even a little bit goes a long way.
The self titled opening track of What Went Down has the most life I've seen out of Foals since their debut singles. It's hard hitting, a little bit messy (something new for them), and is more believable than their standard fare. Nothing else on the album tries to run as dark, which is definitely a complaint, but a little bit of that grime seeps its way into most of the tracks. "Mountain At My Gates" and "Night Swimmers" play out like standard modern Foals songs, but slowly get infected, and start to turn. The transition in "Night Swimmers" is especially well produced. "Snake Oil" and "A Knife in The Ocean" definitely benefit from a little "umph" as well. As a result of this small surge of a musical theme, songs that don't have it stand out more. "Birch Tree" and "Lonely Hunter" would just be any other song on the last two Foals albums, but serve up some nice little soft melodies here.
By no means has Foals righted all their wrongs though. There are still a couple songs on here that go absolutely nowhere. The gritty influence of What Went Wrong is literally the bare minimum of what creativity they need to hold my attention. It really goes to show how talented the band is at making music. Even after a few weeks with the album, I've come back to it plenty of times. This album is just fine. Even their past couple albums have been "just fine" after you trim away the songs that don't work at all. The thing is they used to be more than that. There is nothing about how they play that says they can't be like that again, or anything they want to be. It's as if they just... don't wanna.
Foals is like Randy Orton: the band. All the talent in the world, but a seeming willingness NOT to have any kind of personality whatsoever. So you can either tune out, or just enjoy the performance from a technical mindset. VINTAGE YANNIS
why you'll hate it: Too much downtime, loses the plot at the end
Let's just get right down to what the most brilliant moment of this album is. The songs that make up the second act of The Most Lamentable Tragedy are structured as a mirrored reverse of act one. When you find yourself lost in this labyrinth, just hold on to that memory, because that is fucking awesome.
The Most Lamentable Tradgedy, with all its stumbles, comes off as destiny for Titus Andronicus. Not only thematically (with the title and continuation of their "No Future" series of songs.) This is logically where Patrick Stickles would find himself, as a songwriter/performer who is very open about his depression and other mental disorders. He confronts his issues head on with this album. While concept albums are no stranger to +@ (their biggest claim to fame is their 2010 Civil War epic, The Monitor), they've broken through to another plateau of production that does justice to their big-band compositions and layered structure.
This is a 90 minute plus album with 29 tracks. It's as long as most films. Without context, this album sounds like a total mess. There are multiple tracks on here that are just one sustained note, or even complete silence. These aren't just brief transitions either, and they're every fifth or sixth track. Before anything, Titus Andronicus is a rowdy mic-swinging bar room brawl style punk band; and these tracks appear to serve no purpose other than to kill all the energy drummed up. It's a lot of energy too! Weak production has plagued +@ their whole disgography, and this is the first album that seems to feel full and clear.
The answer to why these tracks exist lie in the structure of the album. This is a five act story about a doppleganger (or alternate personality) that awakens in the mind of a severely depressed individual. Once you lay out the tracks in the five act structure, you'll notice these "energy-sapping" tracks all serve as transitions from one act to another. Could they have been shorter or more cleverly woven into the surrounding songs? Fuck yeah they could have. It would have made for a better album too! But stepping back and seeing the full picture allowed me to respect the album more, or at least see the method within the madness. Which brings us back to that amazing first and second act structure.
Act one is about frustrated lonely depression. The songs are high-energy, but are about the lowest of low spirits. An original song called "I Lost My Mind", quickly shifts into a wild punk song called "Look Alive". Then a transition into act two (about a more social but aggressive multiple personality): a wild punk song called "Lookalike", a cover song called "I Lost My Mind", and series of free wheeling high-energy songs with a much more socially optimistic tone, finally concluding with "More Perfect Union".
Right there - those 45 minutes, even with a couple weird transitionary tracks, makes a perfectly laid out album. The songs themselves are fun and rocking, even if you really aren't into the lyrics. The only complaint really is that the Daniel Johnston song "I Lost My Mind" makes the earlier +@ cut seem poor by comparison. If you were to end The Most Lamentable Tragedy right here at these first two acts, I'd probably be talking about my favorite album of the year right now. There are a few good songs to come, but from here on out, things get... messy.
One note transitions become replaced by actual songs in acts three and four; which sounds like an improvement, but I find them to be annoying. Maybe to some, "Sun Salutation" is an interesting deep cut of a hymn, but as someone who served 13 years in Catholic school, it just brings up boring memories of sit-stand-kneel. The aggressive "(S)HE SAID / (S)HE SAID" and its reprise, "Funny Feeling" take up the bulk of act three. I assume this is about the more socially active personality having too much power or aggression, and it affecting others in relationships... the thread is starting to get lost on me here. Nevertheless, this is followed by one of the best songs of the album, "Fatal Flaw" It doesn't do anything different than the swashbuckling first two acts, but ends up summing up the feel and concepts of this album into one song incredibly well. "Fatal Flaw" is usually the song I share when telling people about this album.
Act four feels like a complete detour. I've lost the story by now entirely. Despite that, "Come on, Siobhán" is fun as all get-out. It's maybe too good. Those string harmonies give me serious deja-vu. This has to be a cover, right? It's so familiar! It's already in the company of covers. A so-so rendition if The Pogues' "A Pair of Brown Eyes" follows, as well as... "Auld Lang Syne"? Yes, that song people sing at New Years Eve. Your guess is as good as mine as to why it's here. The most interesting moment of this strange and pointless 4th act of covers (?) is when +@ covers themselves! "I'm Going Insane" is a reprise of "Titus Andronicus vs. The Absurd Universe" off their previous LP.
Even with respect to the ideas that went into this album, the final act is a total trainwreck to me. Most of the songs on it are the kind of low-production aching ballads the band was known for in their first two albums. If you're way into their old stuff, you may dig it, but I just find it to be an absolute chore to sit through. The only redeeming moment of act five to me is "Into The Void". Where its fits into the big story of The Most Lamentable Tragedy, I have no idea; but it's at least one last ass-kicker of a song.
It's a shame that an album that starts so strong goes off the rails in the last two acts. In a strange way, it's appropriate for the content. The mind is complicated. It's easy to lose oneself. Also, they say it right in the title, this is a tragedy! These faults help the album's theme. As turned around as the story gets, it still comes off as deliberate. This album is hard to digest and understand in one chunk. Maybe these acts should have been instead released independently as 5 EPs over the year. Despite all the "what could have been"s, this album is going to be in my 2015 top ten, for sure. If it were only those first two acts, my number one FOOOOOR SURE! But I have to accept it as a whole. I wish this album was more succinct with their transitions. I wish they didn't detour into cover-ville, and I wish they could have found a more listenable way to present a tragic ending. Nevertheless, it's Titus Andronicus' shining moment, and they should be applauded for it.
why you'll love it: Evocative soul and rock
why you'll hate it: slow, and lyrically impenetrable
Kenichi Asai: a name I throw around quite a bit here. Not just because he put out one of my favorite records last year (Nancy). Not just because he is this generation's most consistent and expressive rock and roll songwriter. It's also because this dude doesn't slow down for a minute. When it's not his solo career, it's one of the handful of bands he's fronted over the last twenty years.
This year, the wheel stops on Sherbets, his longest lasting outfit. Also, his most melodically ambitious. Rarely does Sherbets deliver a heavy hitting rock number (like so many of his other projects do). This quintet explores the softer side of rock, with plenty of psychedelic and soul influences. Much like the rest of Sherbets' catalogue, when きれいな血 finds the right groove, the melodies can be very evocative, despite the lyrics being a complete mystery. The title track and "ひょっとして" deliver a rich, dreamlike soundscape. The instrumental track "Massive Hooligan" has just as much grace and power; proving that vocals are only icing. If you have plenty of imagination, this is one of Sherbets' most accessible albums.
Because きれいな血 is mostly built on etherial melodies, the garage-rock single "Lady Nedy" gets the side-eye from me. I hate when singles fail to represent the actual tone of an album. Sherbets have had plenty of rock songs in the past, but "Lady Nedy" is alone in a crowd. The following track, "Now I'm Here" soothes into a harder edge much more smoothly. "Lady Nedy" just sort of forces its way into the album. I'd be angry... if the song wasn't so good! Actually it's only the repetitive "Freeze Market" and stilted ballad "She" that are low-lights. Everything else comes together to make Sherbets' strongest release in over five years.
It's admirable how much range Sherbets can create with such a mellow sound. "ミツバチ" sours high in the air with Qumico Fucci's best performance on the album, while the groovy low end focused "ワナフィー" has its catchiest beat. Aside from "Lady Nedy" Sherbets doesn't stray from a chill, well polished pace. The last three songs don't seem to make their mark in the same way the rest of the tracks do, but by this point Sherbets has me fully engaged, so it's easy to ride out. At the very least I like how, "New Ruby Tuesday" softly closes things out like blowing out a candle and watching the smoke drift away.
Sherbets has an ambitious sound; meaning sometimes their message doesn't come though, and they can come off as unfocused. きれいな血 is certainly not one of those efforts. While it probably can't stand up to the more immediately enjoyable albums of 2015, this one of the most intimate works of Kenichi Asai's career.
why you'll love it: simple, effective, punk/grunge
why you'll hate it: nothing new
If 90's grunge and power-pop is the music this generation will make when they feel "retro", then I think we've discovered millennials' greatest gift to pop culture.
I'm done. That's all you need. This review is over.
That's how well Bully emulates that 90's rock sound. The fuzz, the emotion (and apathy), the pop sensibilities. Heck, they even have the music video style down. The only thing this album is lacking is Matt Pinfield introducing it. Alicia Bognanno's voice has great range, and as the introducing song proves, she's not afraid to take it to dangerous places. From yelling, to song-speaking, to crooning.
Maybe the 90's never really went away thanks to bands like Dinosaur Jr., Built To Spill, and Giant Drag. Although, Bully has that moment in time trapped better than any of those bands. They really do sound like something out of that MTV's Buzz Bin compilation CD (if you're in your 30s, you know you had this as a kid, admit it!). This is also a negative mark, because Feels Like is just as disposable as those "Buzz Bin" singles from the 90s. They clearly don't have the kind of creative interest (on this album) to make something a bit more meaningful, and put them in the same ballpark as those legends of 90s alt-rock.
Thankfully, the album moves fast (under 30 mins), and leaves behind a few good highlights. I'm always happy listening to this album, but never impressed. But hey, they're a young band, with plenty of time to experiment. For now, a short and sweet statement of "this is where we come from" is just fine. You can worry about where they're going another day.
why you'll love it: an effective bittersweet farewell
why you'll hate it: disco dorks 'til the very end
Well, here we are. It's the end of the road for the telephones (probably?). With the exception of their 2008 debut, I've been chronicling every album of their journey on this blog. It's just plain crazy to think from the first review I posted here (of their 2009 sophomore effort, Dance Hall Monsters) that I would be getting sentimental over this incredibly silly band. The progression of reviews have went from "this is fun, but there is no way this can last" to "well, ok, they tweaked just enough to continue to be fun, but the bubble is bursting" to "god dammit, ok fine, this band rocks!"
A lot of that has to do with the brand the telephones have built. Their consistency of traditional "disco" songs had become established for quite a while. I say "disco" in quotes, because half the time these songs are just manic punk rock belters that scream "disco" in the chorus. Yes, it's stupid, but they did it enough times where it became charming. It's even been disappointing when they don't deliver a "disco" song (as in the creatively bankrupt 2014 LP, SUPER HIGH TENSION!!!).
Even their music videos have helped establish their own culture. Yes, music videos have continued to be relevant thanks to the telephones. Themes and references have carried through from video to video, just as they have in a couple songs, like the self-refferental "D.E.N.W.A." All of these ideas culminate in their latest music video for "Something Good". It's a big dreamy mess of nearly a decade's worth of memorable imagery. As frivolous as everything seemed in the telephones' stupid disco songs and music videos, it's all heartwarming nostalgia now.
The meta of Bye Bye Hello goes a long way; so much that it even managed to enhance what has been the band's weakness: ballads. They've been getting a little bit better at it in the past two albums, but the heartfelt stuff on Bye Bye Hello is now my favorite material. You can feel the presence and importance of "Amber Romance" opening up the album more than any obligatory ballad they have drummed up to close out albums in the past.
Songs like "Amber Romance", "Something Good", "Thank You Disco!!!", and "Love is All" define this album. So much, that other tracks that don't have a "thank you, goodbye" theme to them feel out of place. It's a shame, because, they're fine songs! "Pretty Pretty Pretty" is a sweet little instrumental. "Let's Talk About Music" has that kind of "I can't tell of this is stupid, unconventionally clever, or accidentally brilliant" chram that Akria Ishige brings with his stunted English lyrics. "Relationships" and "Jesus" have the kind of fire that SUPER HIGH TENSION!!! tried to create last year. But all of those songs feel redundant and obstructive in the face of a wonderful little love letter the telephones have crafted for their fans.
Judging this album as if it stood on its own, I think there are only a few duds. "When The Zombies Come" goes nowhere" and the closer, "Evergreen" just doesn't have the same impact the rest of the ballads have. The rest of the album is fun, and there might be something newcomers get out of it. The bass lines are the dopest! I am amazed how innovative of a bassist, Ryohei Nagashima has become over the years. There is a sort of epicness in Nobuaki Okamoto's synthesizers this time out. "Last Night", "Jesus" and "My Hero" have these echoing Castlevanina like grand organ thing going. It's a cool little tweak in their sound, specific to only this album. Make no mistake though, this album is meant for fans, and the sentiment will certainly be lost on first-timers.
It's always great when a band has the oppurtinity to say goodbye on their own terms. I never thought the telephones would become a perfect example of that. I'm gonna miss these guys. Five years ago, they were nothing more than dumb fun to me, with no thought of that ever changing. Now that it's all said and done, they proved me wrong by staying (mostly) consistent through the years, and giving their insanity meaning.
why you'll love it: more groovy instrumentals
why you'll hate it: more of the same
I don't think I've ever explained here why I love instrumental music so much. Like in the way a book lets you imagine what a character's voice or certain features are, instrumentals have more freedom to be about different things. They can suit the moment you create, rather than a very specific topic or mood. Also, the way lyrics are sung or how callously hammered the message can be sometimes ruins an otherwise great song. Instrumentals dodge that bullet.
Ratatat has been making instrumentals for over ten years now, while barely ever straying from their formula. Whatever novelty of chilled out computer beats met with endless guitar solos has worn thin by Magnifique. The dusting of a dignified classical affectation, and the weird tape deck scrobbing transitions don't do enough to make this album sound like anything more than a handful of new tunes by Ratatat. The classical intro and outro tracks are cool! I wish more was done with them! The "transmissions" that pop up in between tracks are cool too! I wish more was done with them as well! Ratatat still has that strut; that ability to make whatever they do sound cool, no matter how aggressive or laid back they get. If it weren't for my love of instrumentals though, I don't know how much staying power Magnifique would have...
Anything on this release can easily slot into Ratatat's now five album catalogue, but it's not without highlights. "Cream on Chrome" is one of the suavest songs they've ever done. Forget Tom Hardy or Idris Elba, can we somehow get this song to be the next James Bond? It has a tender and confident low end, and transitions perfectly into an aggressive chorus. It sneaks in through the window, and charges back out through the wall. The falsely labeled track, "Abrasive", has a pleasant beat that just goes up and up and up. It's like the song is cheering you on as you climb a mountain, ramping up the positivity with every plateau you hit. I also find the music video charming, and want a gif of every single animation in it. It's a fine second single. Here's to hoping "Nightclub Amnesia" is a third. Getting uncharacteristically video-gamey, Ratatat pitch shifts a driving club beat, with some of the grittiest guitar work on the album. It's the longest and loudest song on the album. I also love how it ends with a zen-like reverberating ding, at its highest point of climax.
The rest of Magnifique's songs just sort of orbit around those three. None of them are bad. Some lack flair, but none are short on swagger. Some fat could have been trimmed, but I don't think anyone's impression of the album would have changed. Ratatat is coasting. That would seem like a very bad thing if they didn't look so good doing it.
I have a whole lot of nice things to say about this album. All-in-all, Everything Everything is probably the most exciting new (to me) discovery of 2015. It feels like a lifetime ago that the gonzo-pop unit, Architecture in Helsinki went from the second coming of Talking Heads to a band I'd like to forget exists all together. Does it Offend You Yeah? had a fearless approach to all of my favorite pop and rock guilty pleasures before they fell off the face of the planet. Foals has some of the most appetizing production and knack for post-punk riffs I've ever heard, but usually are too high minded to have fun with them.
Everything Everything has all the talent and creativeness to be any of those things. They are my new obsession. A little bit of art, pop, rock, and that subtle British darkness & cynicism. Now all I need for is that mess of ingredients to be parsed out into a perfect recipe. With Get To Heaven, they're almost there...
Everything Everything walks the line between impossibly catchy pop, weird experimental vocals, and impressive musical performance. Usually that is a good thing, but they never properly explore where they cast their nets. I feel overcome by their versatility. There are some people who play an open world video game like Fallout or Grand Theft Auto, and become burdened by the freedom. There is so much to do, that some people become racked with indecision, and just give up. That is what Get To Heaven feels like to me. I don't know what band I want Everything Everything to be, but it feels like a waste of something great to try and be something in between all of them.
Get To Heaven starts S-T-R-O-N-G. Even that album cover has a colorful and exciting flair to it. "To The Blade" blasts off like a time bomb. Everything Everything practically trolls the listener into playing it loud, introducing a low volume performance with a ridiculously high production sheen. Even when knowing the song is going to explode, I'm compelled to crank up that intro. "To The Blade" shows off Everything Everything's potential to be your new favorite manic rock band. The disco sing-along "Distant Past", and the stomp & clap choir number "Regret" instead say "no no no, we are your new favorite twee-pop weirdo band." "Spring / Sun / Winter / Dread" and "Get To Heaven" bring the radio friendly pop. A lot of songs on the second half explore honest and impressive musical endeavors. Everything Everything can do anything anything. It's pretty cool, but none of it feels like their full creative or musical potential is reached.
Now that the big gripe is off my chest, let's just look at Get To Heaven for what it is. It's a damn fun party album. The first 20 minutes of it are near flawless (maybe the chorus to "Spring / Sun / Winter / Dread" is a bit hokey). The halfway point of "The Wheel (is Turning Now)" really kills the momentum of this album, though. I'm not sure why they would bring all the action to a halt (in both the album, and a pretty cool song) with an outro like this. It almost sounds like the track is skipping for 2.5 minutes. "Fortune 500" and "Blast Doors" are ok songs, but aren't impressive enough to get things back on track. "Zero Pharaoh" and "Warm Healer" are amazing Gorillaz and Foals impersonations, respectively. I don't mean that in an insulting way, either. "Zero Pharaoh" especially, is one of my album highlights. But again, both of these songs are slow, and just can't recapture the thrill of the first half of this album. "No Reptiles" is probably the only skippable song on here, thanks to the lyrics. The metaphors just don't work for me, and "I'm going to kill a stranger / So don't you be a stranger." is the most cringeworthy line on the whole album.
Jonathan Higgs's marathon of falsetto will probably be the most remembered takeaway from first time listeners. He does tend to rely on it far too much. It may be a turn off to some, and its effect wears off as the album progresses. There are few moments where Higgs sings in a different key, and sometimes even in a reggae/hip-hop cadence (to much success, as hard as that is to believe). If Higgs pinballed his range more often, there would really be something there.
And so we come back to the "if only..." thoughts. Get To Heaven is a fun pop album, that tries a lot of things, and is individually successful at each of them. With a some focus though, wow... I can't help but think they would have really made something quite special.
why you'll love it: The most incredible dismissal of "old dudes can't rock"
why you'll hate it: Really dumb lyrics
The Sonics have done it. They may have cheated a bit, but so far it's looking like The Sonics... a band in their 70's, after more than 40 years of hanging up their guitars, have put out the most natural rough and dirty rock and roll album of 2015. This, in a year thus far occupied by John Reis, Screaming Females, and Drenge.
The Sonics combine garage rock & roll with swing, surf, and punk. It's not anything that hasn't been done well before, it's just done with perfect execution here. It's as loud, hard-hitting, and fun in every way a simple rock album should be. Performance wise, this album is like one giant "fuck you" to anyone that comes close to using the phrase "too old to rock". The band is practically busting out of the stereo here. Jerry Roslie screams like he's 26. Just about every instrument used packs a punch, and there are a lot of them. Saxophones, organs, and tambourines get their shit in. Jim Diamond deserves as much credit as the band for mixing everything just right.
So here is how The Sonics cheated... a good 2/3 of this album are covers. The original cut, "Bad Betty" sneaks its way early into the album undetected, but otherwise, covers get all the glory here. Granted, they're kick ass covers. It's pretty obvious though when the rest of the new material makes its way into the track list. The repetitive riff in "I've Got Your Number" makes it impossible for me not to sing "LAND OF THE HOT KNIVES". Sometimes predictable lyrics fit right in with a simple song structure, but "Save The Planet" has lyrics so corny ("If you want to go to Mars / You might be disappointed / Cause they've got no whiskey bars") it may take you out of the moment. The closer, "Spend The Night" is about as awkward as a man in his 70's talking about young lust vs love should be.
The wheels start to come off in the last 10 minutes, but This is The Sonics doesn't stick around long enough for its decline to leave a poor impression. The performances in these original cuts still rock hard, especially "Bad Betty". So if you shut your brain off, they shouldn't be a problem. Covers may not be as "legitimate", but man, they're gonna kick your ass. A record of old songs performed by a bunch of old dudes kicked my ass. There's no better praise I can give this album than that.
I am getting really tried of saying this with every Japanese release that I like: trust me, this is awesome stuff.
Towa Tei is an art-pop musician, most known in the western world as 1/3 of this cheesy dance group from the early 90's, Deee-Lite. I know him first as a solo artist due to my obsession with Shibutya-kei music ten years ago, thanks to the Katamari Damacy video game series. No, really, trust me...
Towa Tei's solo output has mainly been focused on composition and production. Bright and bouncy synths, weird obscure voice samples that all sound like they came out of a MST3K short, guest vocalists from all over the Japanese pop industry; all chopped and screwed together in a Picasso like manner. He's been hit or miss his whole career. His 2011 album (Sunny), is personally my favorite Shibuya-kei album of all time. The 2013 follow up (Lucky), just threw a bunch of stuff at the wall that did not stick. The kind of music Towa Tei makes is tough to manage. When he focuses too much on a hook, it just gets annoying and repetitive. Likewise, it's just as easy to find himself at the other end of the spectrum, when there are just weird sounds and no hook.
Sunny had that sweet spot. Cute has it too, and in such a more innovative way. There is much wider array of bopping, clicking, and hooting synths. The opening tracks sound like playing with the sound test in an old video game's options menu. "Fluke"and "Tope Note" demo the low and high end of whats to come. "Luv Pandemic" is the first actual song, and boy is it a catchy one. Towa Tei is expertly transitioning from one exciting hook to the next. The drum and bass heavy verses, the stuttering pre-chorus... everything about this song screams summer hit. I find it very similar to Hot Chip's "Ready For The Floor".
In fact, Cute has a lot to share with Hot Chip in their late 2000's. Both use an abstract / art deco approach to music, and insert just enough pop before watering it down. Both seem heavily influenced by Kraftwerk. Just as Hot Chip follows up "Ready For The Floor" with the Kraftwerk-esque "Bendable Posable", Towa Tei offers up an instant reprise of "Luv Pandemic" with "NOTV". It's a track with deep, echoey synths, very much like the kind you would hear on the 1977 Kraftwerk album Trans-Europe Express.
UA has an impressive showing on the mellowed out "Sound of Music". Her oddly deep voice fits in wonderfully with Towa Tei's off kilter attempt at chill-wave. I don't follow her solo career, so this is the first I've heard of her since the one-and-done Kenichi Asai collaboration, Ajico. It's nice to hear she's still got it.
The bulk of this album is mostly tranquil instrumentals. Towa Tei plays with his toys in an island / bossa-nova style. Not much hits on the same level of "Luv Pandemic", but that shouldn't take away from his most consistent release probably ever. Because of how all the sounds pop and echo, I'm engaged with Cute all the way through to the end; even as things wind down in the last ten minutes. Going from synths firing away like pistons to reverberating into the ether by the end of the album is a nice little journey.
Towa Tei resists his urges to borrow from the corny R&B dance scene he grew out of, and sticks to robotic synthpop with a Shibuya-kei flavor. As a result, Cute has its own unique sound and character; and Towa Tei comes off as confident rather than out of touch. Cute is low on the hits, but makes up for it in consistency and style. If you dig catchy music, Shibuya-kei, instrumentals, or weird robot sounds, Cute has what you're looking for in a very well put together package.
why you'll love it: The best T(I)NC album in years
why you'll hate it: The worst Refused album in years
Deep down, we all know this wasn't going to be good. I mean... we're lucky for what little good Freedom has. Before listing off the (many) reasons why Refused's reunion album, Freedom, does not live up to their reputation; let's consider the reputation: A little record from 1998 called The Shape of Punk To Come.
It's a hardcore record that seriously rocks. You can't take anything away from that. It busts at the seems with youthful aggression, but what made it so special at the time was focused aggression. It was punk and hardcore contained in a high-production studio atmosphere with no distillation whatsoever.
The Shape of Punk To Come was one of the first albums I ever loved that has screaming in it. That's how distant I was from hardcore music at the time. It wasn't the first, but one of. My first was probably At The Drive-In's Relationship of Command, which came out in 2000. So maybe without The Shape... there would be no Relationship... as we know it? I dunno. Number Girl is probably my favorite hardcore band. They put out what I consider to be eastern culture's The Shape of Punk To Come, Num Heavymetallic (2002). In that same year, NYC's GlassJAw released their only album of theirs I loved, Worship & Tribute. They all combine high production, artful presentation, and wild aggression without a shred of chauvinistic oppression. They all exist in the wake of The Shape of Punk To Come. Did Refused really inspire a new wave of hardcore... man, I don't know; but I can't erase that dotted line.
When you have an album that casts a shadow so big it eclipses a genre, and even other bands on the other side of the globe... what chance do the creators themselves have to escape it? Another notch against Freedom, is that nobody really asked for it. After Refused's fucking death, Dennis Lyxzén hopped genres and started the mod-punk quartet The (International) Noise Conspiracy. Eventually, that band jumped the shark, but Dennis proved to the world that he had more than one note; so nobody was hurting for more material from him. Even when Refused reunited a couple years ago (and was killing it live), nobody was asking for new songs. We've canonized The Shape of Punk To Come and were happy to have one more chance to see those songs performed live with "umph".
And yet, here we are. A fine collaboration of bells & whistles that nobody asked for - Freedom. What makes Freedom so frustrating to me, is that I don't find it to be all that terrible. I can't just cast it off so easily. Lyxzén brings it on the mic. He has every bit of fury he had over 15 years ago. The actual songs, though... Here is where things get complicated. "Elektra" would be one hell of a Foo Fighters track. There are ripping guitars, and some damn good power-screaming; but it's an arena rock song, not a Refused song. "War on The Palaces" is probably the best T(I)NC song I've heard in a while, only it's a Refused song instead. Freedom probably would have made for a better T(I)NC album, now that I think about it. That was a band that needed redemption.
A lot of Dennis' hammy political lyrics come through in a bad way on Freedom as well. I never minded it so much on T(I)NC albums because the music was so groovy, but songs like "Destroy The Man" sound rough with a straight faced delivery. Between the shallow political statements and corny arena-rock approach to many of the songs, Refused sounds more like a mid-life crisis than a trendsetter.
There are a couple of highlights to this record, though. And each of them sound like Refused-ass-Refused songs. I love the creative effort put into "Old Friends / New War". "Dawkins Christ" is probably the best song on here. I think the climax to "Thought is Blood" ("When we needed god, we thought of god") is the most exhilarating moment of the whole album. Sadly, buried in the middle of these good songs, is not only the least-Refused thing I've ever heard, but an offense to just about every cell of taste I have in my body - the laughable sing-along "Françafrique". WHAT. WHERE. THEY. THINKING?
"366" is an ok song too, buried in a rather messy, forgettable, or "not Refused at all" second half. Again, I have to reiterate, Freedom's biggest problem is its older brother. The only way Freedom would have been acceptable is if Refused improved on The Shape of Punk To Come, or made as big of a cultural splash. Noted, it's only been a couple months since its release, but I don't think big-handclapply glam rock is going to be the new face of hardcore.
I could have just been glib and just made some "hurr hurr should have stayed dead" jokes, but I wanted to give Refused a little bit of credit here. They tried. Freedom has a couple duds, but standing on its own, it's not a bad album. It's just a wholly unnecessary one.
Drenge Undertow
why you'll love it: zero fucks blues rock
why you'll hate it: one note, slogs after 20 mins
Here is your classic sophomore jinx in full effect. Undertow is an unapologetic grunge rock album. The lyrics are ice cold, and the the guitars are sludgy. Drenge succeeded in creating a more atmospheric and moody second effort. Problem is, it's not as striking as their fiery debut.
While it will forever exist under the shadow of their self titled debut, Undertow has a life of its own. The moody introduction track bleeds into "Running Wild" in such a satisfying way. (I love albums with a good flow). "Never Awake" chugs along with the kind of pace and stone cold fervor that makes you want to raise your beer high in the air and rattle along to it.
Of course the real breakout song on this album is "We Can Do What We Want". It has raucous punk rock energy, and just about the catchiest vocal hook of 2015. It's the perfect soundtrack to all the crazy things you'll never do in life (get chased through a crowded market / smash up a antique shop). Its catchy riff and universally understood chorus makes it inevitable to end up in film trailers some day; or even worse, something like a credit card commercial ("Shop where you want! Do what you want! With American Express!").
The first half of Undertow rides high on the one-two punch of it's moody introduction and hard hitting tracks. Not much changes in "Favorite Son" and "The Snake", as Eoin Loveless finds new and creative subjects to accompany his raspy delivery. Although, it starts to become obvious early into the second half of the album that not much about it is going to vary, and there isn't going to be another "We Can Do What We Want" to stir up energy again. "The Woods" is the only standout track in the last half of the album. It has a wistful tone, and fitting (yet hammy) religious nursery rhyme chorus; delivered somewhat like Ian Curtis. There is a post-punk tinge to Undertow that I appreciate. If more was done with it, perhaps this album would not have run out of gas so early.
The last two tracks are what really slow things down to a crawl. They take up over a third(!) of the album, and leave on a whimper. With the way Undertow sputters into the finish line, it's no wonder fans were disappointed. Drenge's maudlin delivery has personality, but just doesn't hold a lot of interest, unfortunately.
One quick aside; I LOVE The album cover. If Undertow's final songs were as evocative and vaguely foreboding as that image, they would be a lot more interesting. Like a horror movie that shows too much of the monster, Drenge spells it all out in the lyrics and piles on the grunge.
why you'll love it: A return to a more "fun & trashy" Hot Chip
why you'll hate it: Too cheesy and immature
I don't think I'll be any happier to eat my own words in 2015. Back in the late 2000's, Hot Chip was one of the most daring and creative bands out there. They created wild and weird abstract pop art. The sound was sharp, snappy, and catchy. Their attitude was culturally defiant. A group of pasty white Brits working off of classic American R&B templates, gangster rap stereotypes, and smashing it directly into new wave synth-pop and modern house music. Unlike Beastie Boys, they didn't overcome their awkward presence; they embraced it. The Warning (2006) & Made in The Dark (2008) are incredible albums because they fearlessly tackle genres that normally would cast-off a band as pretentious, over saturated, or not cool enough to belong in. It all worked due to their confidence and admittance that it's all in the name of kitschy fun.
Eventually, the tide started to shift. The last two Hot Chip albums have had a few fun singles, but saw them take themselves more seriously. Honest love songs, and few moments of absurdity. It was almost like Hot Chip had finally seen themselves as the forefront of R&B and UK house music, instead of the weird kids in the back of the class.
Now you can see why titling your album Why Make Sense? is one hell of a tease to me. I built myself up so see a return of prime Hot Chip. "Hurrache Lights" is a fine single, but they pulled the same bait & switch with their last album's lead single. Plus, it's nowhere on the brain-busting level of "Shake A Fist" or "Arrest Yourself". Their next single, "Need You Now" is probably the most derivative house music ballad I've ever heard. By this point, Why Make Sense? was looking like one big con.
What surfaced was something I never expected: a roots album. For the most part, the songs of Why Make Sense? harken back to Hot Chip's original sound: a simple and trashy take on soul and funk. Only now they have their veteran studio experience and an arsenal of synthesizers. Why Make Sense? is essentially a big budget sequel to their debut LP, Coming on Strong (2004). If you were to listen to "The Beach Party" (off Coming on Strong) and "Cry For You". you wouldn't think much has changed in 10 years.
They're still making more love songs than I would prefer them to, but Why Make Sense? has that humble and fun take that has been missing for a while. Hot Chip's hot takes on relationships this time out are comically oversimplified or just plain don't make sense. Strangely, that's what makes these songs work. They find a catchy beat, and do just enough to it to make it sound good. Thanks to this silly and simple "budget CD bin" songwriting approach, Hot Chip once again recaptures that "Weirdos who don't belong in this genre" magic. The achingly cheesy rap verse in "Love is The Future", with casio-like beats. The laughably simple mottos of "Started Right" and "Easy To Get". A song titled "White Wine And Fried Chicken" has the perfect little home on this album. This album reeks of glued on plastic jewels and Elvis Presley collector plates. Hot Chip are once again R&B's lovable dorks.
Hot Chip isn't just going for a cheap thrill, thankfully. They've come to far to undo ten years of growth. I did side-eye "Huarache Lights" at first take, but admit, it's one hell of a track. Between the First Choice sampling on this track (a perfect fit) and De La Soul's guest spot on "Love is The Future", I can see Hot Chip one day going down the Gorillaz/Battles route of guest vocalists. Not to take anything away from Alexis Taylor's indistinguishable croon. While we're on about vocals, the 2nd most sincerely impressive track has got to be "Dark Night", and it's all because of the best fucking performance by Joe Goddard I've ever heard. I had to look up a live performance to make sure it was him.
If the world revolved around me, the album's self titled closer would represent the album. The song "Why Make Sense?" is one of the most sonically abrasive tunes they've ever done. It's an avalanche of synthesizers, making for their biggest closer ever. A message that Hot Chip can still make a defiant artistic statement when they want to. Hot Chip has managed to have its cake and eat it too with this album. The love songs that have defined them for the past five years are still in full bloom, but their kitschy roots show more than ever. That third side of theirs that I love so much is the least represented, but i know being sour over that is just selfish. Yes, the album is that good.
why you'll love it: English song titles for convenience
why you'll hate it: bland as toast with no butter
In their heyday, I'd refer to Asian Kung-Fu Generation as "that band from that anime you like." I'm not so sure how true that is anymore. I don't really know what glibly refer to them as, other than "that rock band that is sometimes good." Being neither here nor there has been this quartet's curse for ten years now.
For a long time, Asian Kung-Fu Generation might as well have been Microsoft's Clippy. When I was getting into fringe punk and garage rock bands from Japan in the late 2000's, their simple American influenced pop-rock would not stop cropping up. Their saturation, due to fans interested in little more than Japanese pop-culture, was frustrating to wade through. A frustration that I unfairly took out on the band. Even when being kind, there is nothing experimental or outstanding about Asian Kung-Fu Generation. They essentially sound like a typical indie-emo act. Now, this isn't exactly a terrible thing if the songs are good, which is sometimes the case. While I still don't feel like their popularity outside of Japan is well deserved, they have put out a decent amount of solid tunes over the years. I have to admit, for a band that colors within the lines 100% of the time, they can impress every now and then.
Even as they release their 8th album, Wonder Future, I'm having trouble understanding why a band so capable is so.... plain. It's almost as if the group has doubled down on the plain-ness with this release. The album art alone is devoid of their mainstay wildly floral Yusuke Nakamura artwork. Literally nothing replaces it. Another sure sign of mediocrity came in that they recorded at Foo Fighters' LA studio. The same Foo Fighters that have have only put out one album over the last ten years that hasn't been tragically generic.
That big ugly arena rock mixing style is probably the most damning aspect of the album. Everything is mixed so loudly that nothing shines. When trying to connect with a foreign song, it's important to have a melody or riff to latch on to, or a strong vocal performance to feel the emotion. In Wonder Future's case, it's just one big hollow sound. A shame, because there are some good songs buried in the mess. "Little Lennon"and "Signal on The Street" have a strong driving pace. The power-ballad, "Eternal Sunshine" hits all the right marks. The best song on here is unfortunately a holdover. "Standard" has much more personality on the version recorded last year for a compilation.
The low points of this album only reiterate the band's unfortunate production choice and nagging mediocrity. "Easter" and "Planet of The Apes" reek of bog-standard aggressive production. An echoey mix, distorted vocals, and just too much pomp and circumstance for a simple song. A more down to earth presentation would have made the tracks feel more personable. Instead they sound like they were generated by an computer program labeled "loudrockmusic.exe". "Caterpillar" and "Wonder Future" go absolutely nowhere. They may have had a saving grace in the form of impressive drum and/or guitar work, but everything is so clumsily layered it just sounds like white noise.
Somewhere in the middle is "Opera Glasses", with its confounding structure. Perhaps in an attempt to recapture the magic of a popular song from yesteryear, "Senseless", "Opera Glasses" completely upends itself after the first chorus into a quirky refrain. Obviously the most experimental songwriting on the album, but it feels a little too "Frankenstien'd" together to be actually enjoyable. And again, the mixing just isn't versatile enough to do the concept justice.
It's been almost three years since the last Asian Kung-Fu Generation album, five since the last actually good one, and seven since the last one that was generally praised by fans. The impulsive and high energy style of their formative years landed them anime deals that indirectly drove me mad; but I think I'd prefer that today over being plain as cardboard.
The fearless dedication to 90's alt-rock in Bully's debut, Feels Like.
L'Orange bringing back gimmicky hip-hop in a big way.
2015's most charming album: Noun's Throw Your Body On The Gears And Stop The Machine With Your Blood
The "best sounding" album of 2015: Sleater Kinney's comeback release, No Cities To Love
the telephones bow out on their own terms with Bye Bye Hello
