album of the week: 6.3

GO!GO!7188

Go!!GO!GO!Go!!

Victor Entertainment (2010)

Why you'll love it: Impossibly fun rock and roll

Why you'll hate it: Language barrier, a couple slow filler tracks

Of the short list of bands that made Japan's punk scene so fantastic at the turn of the century, GO!GO!7188 is probably the least prolific. But they're still on that short list, and they're the only one to remain intact today, so that's gotta say something right? Their surf rock inspired sound has undergone fresh and welcome changes every few years since the late nineties. Last year's album, Antenna, was entertaining; but saw the band become a bit desperate to find more uncharted territory. It ended up sounding like an odd b-sides collection. This year, for the first time, the trio is dipping back into their past strengths and creating what sounds like a greatest hits album.

There are loads of pop hooks that have defined their past three releases here. The production is generally that dirty nightclub kind of rock and roll that made albums like 竜舌蘭 (2004) so special. Most exciting though, is the youthful energy from a decade ago returning stronger than ever before.

There are songs on this album that sound like they came straight out of the 魚磔 (2001) era; while the song "Ballad" literally has! This is a throwback album done right. The songs just don't have one catchy riff repeated over and over. "耳たぶ2号" alone is packed with enough memorable moments to fill three songs. Where Antenna tried to divide up their piñata of genres, here they seamlessly work them into parts of songs. "まやかしの世界" has a wonderful unexpected moment of pure shredding. The enka sound of 鬣 (2003) makes a welcome return in "今日の歌" . "最後の晩餐" features some of the lounge and swing style that was a big part of my favorite GO!GO! album, 569 (2007).

Due to there not being a single, some filler has made its way onto the full track list. No bad songs to be found here, but trimming the fat may have made this the best GO!GO! release ever. I'm not usually a fan of bands repeating themselves; but with over 10 years of experience, and songs as bad ass as "ええじゃないか", I'm so pleased that GO!GO! has decided to take another lap around the track.

corporate anthem

I'm a pretty big Devo fan, if you pretend they broke up in 1982. The 80's did to them what they did to just about every other great punk/new wave/indie band. I'm also not a fan of musicians performing well beyond their best years without considering their age. So the comeback of Devo over the past year or so has not registered on my radar, until I came across the conception of the new album, due to come out next week.

The big deal behind Something For Everyone is a continuation of the mid-80's corporate embracing insanity that I've always enjoyed by them despite the music quality slipping. With the help of imaginary creative marketing services, Mother LA, Devo has been conducting a series of focus tests to become appealing mainstream icons. You can view all their hilariously awkward focus tests and press releases on their youtube page.

Amidst the focus tests, you'll spot a couple promos for an eposodic reality series forthcoming about the whole ordeal. I'm posting this particular promo if you are too lazy to fish around.

Watching these clips and seeing how it relates to the album content, art, blue energy domes; and the fact that the band is still being creative enough to recreate their image for another album - ok I'm in.

album of the week: 6.2

Club 8

The People's Record

Labrador (2010)

why you'll love it: Instantly catchy, a bit different kind of pop sound from the norm

why you'll hate it: big departure from old sound

2010's Most Improved Band award is closed. Club 8 has already won. The longstanding Labrador records duo has had a respectable discography so far, with its serious and introverted songwriting. It's mostly my Swedish pop fixation that has kept me coming back to them so many times. I'll straight up admit fault; I've always found them to be a bit boring. I don't relate to their hopeless romantic lyrics, and have trouble telling most of their catalogue apart.

Without a single hint of warning, The People's Record feels like a completely different band. If this was a lousy romcom film, this album would be the big party scene where the shy character gets drunk and dances up a storm. This is a straight up summer pop album, with aloof lyrics, saccharine melodies, and positive vibes from start to finish. This may feel like a stab in the back to traditional fans, but I couldn't be happier with it. I was sort of expecting Acid House Kings (which Club 8 is a sort of side project of) to do something like this, but never this outfit.

Unlocking that Swedish pop music gene that I'm absolutely certain exists would be enough to make this album a winner, but Club 8 takes it an extra step. They focused on a particular pop sound here; a very South American feel, with lots of percussion and a distinct guitar playing style. It's quite fresh, and performed creatively enough so that it never comes off as gimmicky or shallow. Also, it's only 10 tracks / 30 minutes, so it doesn't overstay its welcome.

I wonder how long Club 8 has been sitting on a record like this. Is this album their way of saying "Yeah, we could have done this kind of stuff all along, but never wanted to?" I'd love to read about the moment of realization where they decided to go down such a different path. This is the perfect summertime album. If you like pop music at all, The People's Record absolutely cannot be ignored.

WHERE IS YOUR GOD NOW?!

album of the week: 6.1

LCD Soundsystem

This is Happening

DFA (2010)

why you'll love it - fun but not sophomoric

why you'll hate it - very long songs, repetitive

If vampire logic has taught me anything, when you kill the lead vampire the entire race will revert back to humanity. This makes me wonder what NYC hipsters will do if this really is the last LCD Soundsystem album. I've always seen James Murphy as Hipster Prime, no matter how unwilling he plays himself off to be. That's in a way the joy of LCD Soundsystem, who has since the very first single been placing this whole ridiculous indie-hipster culture in a house of mirrors. Not sparing himself from this depreciation, LCD songs can become so convoluted with contradictions; "shut up and dance" usually becomes the most acceptable response.

This is Happening may probably be the best LCD Soundstsyem album, but possibly the least relevant because the last two albums have been enough said. They've already gone down the very ironic and sincere routes. Now all that is left to do is combine them and try to sift out learned mistakes. Murphy retains the songwriting skills that made Sound of Silver (2007) so great. His perspective of an overweight deshieviled man in his 40's trying to survive alongside a youth run culture works even better when handled honestly, which is what made Sound of Silver so memorable.

A lot of the versatility and irony of the first album creeps its way into this one too. I'm not sure how to look at the song "You Wanted A Hit". It's so overt and unnecessary, Murphy and co. must be playing some Devo-esque "are we corporate or not?" prank on the listener. Especially when earlier in the album, there is "Drunk Girls" - the most painfully obvious "we wrote this song for the radio" single I've ever heard. At least the video for "Drunk Girls" is a riot.

Those are the only low points of this album, and they are more head-scratchers than they are bummers. The rest is total dance party. Murphy deliveries many of his lines throughout the album in a rambling spoken word. He's either going of on high speed rants like Chris Leo, or trailing off into non-sequitors like Jonathan Richman. "Pow Pow" is the best example of this. Some of the best synthesized beats they've ever done crop up here as well. "Dance Yrself Clean" is quickly becoming my favorite LCD song. "I Can Change" reminds me of Solvent in the best way. "Home" to me is a fine curtain call if this actually is to be the last LCD album.

Instead of being "so shallow it's fun", LCD Soundsystem has been "so opinionated and divisive it's fun". The fact that so many people waste their time on the internet arguing about how he ripped off this from The Killing Joke, or that from Velvet Underground; or just plain having at go at the inconsequential culture itself Murphy is wrapped in amuses me so much. It makes me like LCD Soundsytem even more. This is Happening is no Sound of Silver in terms of achievement, but is absolutely necessary if you are looking to check them out.