popwreckoning

If you like futurepop, industrial, or synth pop, I guarantee you will like the new Martial Cantrele album, You Today. Sean McBride of Xeno & Oaklander fame released his second solo album under the moniker Martial Canterele, coining a new name along with a new album to really introduce his solo work to the world.

This album really is the epitome of synth pop. It’s dark, melancholic, and matches the late winter weather of February pretty perfectly. Writing this during a thunderstorm, it is the perfect backdrop with the layered analog tracks and almost painfully lonely lyrics. It’s crafted with precision, noisy in a very unique way, however it still boasts a very simple structure overall. This balances out lyrics that are clearly yearning for something, philosophical and yet almost obscenely emotionless in the way they are sung. It’s an odd juxtaposition, but it works way too well to have it any other way.

The eleven track album is pretty decent overall. It’s full of meaning, full of longing, full of a lot of varied dark emotions. It’s amazing background music, amazing melancholy relaxing music, amazing companion to a good book or a long drive on a rainy day. However, if you are not already a fan of synth based music, futurepop, or any associated sub genre, it may not be the best album to pick up as your first glimpse of the genre.  Do some research, listen around, and then pick it up once you’ve had some exposure. If you are veteran of the genres, go pick it up. It will find a unique place in your music collection and a unique place in your heart.

Track Listing:

01. Occupy These Terms
02. Market
03. Sidestreets
04.The Empty Sand
05. Still a Part
06. Some Days
07. You Today
08. Secret Stores
09. Don’t Let Me Go
10. Playfair
11. For Us

I have a bit of a history with Greg Dulli’s music. Three of his albums mean a lot to me, but unfortunately I can’t add Dynamite Steps to the list. I’ve listened to it a half dozen times in the last few days, but I still can’t find much to get excited about.

The last Twilight Singers album, Powder Burns, was basically a concept album about doing a lot of cocaine. A whole lot of cocaine. Having done my share of coke, it was a concept I could get behind. It was also an album about redemption and recovery. Albums like that rarely work (Eminem, I’m looking at you.) It’s easy to write about self destruction. It’s much harder to write about the opposite. Pain is a great motivator for amazing art. Health isn’t. It’s just how things work.

Dulli is something of a ‘90’s alt rock survivor. His old band, The Afghan Whigs, is somewhat legendary. How Gentleman didn’t blast him to superstardom, while Nevermind made Cobain the voice of a generation is beyond me. I’m sure I’m not the only person hoping (somewhat naively) Dulli will make another record that earth shattering.

Dynamite Steps isn’t bad. It just doesn’t break any new ground. It sounds amazing when it’s on. I can set my brain on autopilot to this, which is kind of the problem. I want my whole body to be fire when I listen to Dulli’s music. It’s happened many times. I’m sure there are many people who would enjoy this. Twilight Singers albums sell very well. If you’ve ever enjoyed Dulli’s music in the past you’ll find something to enjoy here, I almost guarantee it. I, however, am going to go listen to Congregation again.

Track Listing:
1. Last Night In Town
2. Be Invited
3. Waves
4. Get Lucky
5. On the Corner
6. Gunshots
7. She Was Stolen
8. Blackbird and the Fox
9. Never Seen No Devil
10. The Beginning of the End
11. Dynamite Steps

Dynamite Steps is out now on Sup Pop Records.

I got my first And You Will Know Us By the Trail of the Dead album in 2000. I was ten years old and amazingly blown away even then. The new album Tao of the Dead is just another chapter in the prolific decade plus long career of Trail of the Dead, and frankly, probably my favorite.

Tao of the Dead was recorded in ten days, comprised of their bare bones quartet line up (stripped down from their previous six members) and is comprised of two movements. Movement one (Tao of the Dead) is split into eleven separate tracks and recorded in the key of D. Movement two (Strange News From Another Planet) is five tracks combined into one long compilation song and recorded in the key of F. Similar to the way records were concepted and recorded in previous eras and generations (just ask bands like Pink Floyd, Rush and countless others), this gives the listener a unique experience- two albums per se, for the price of one.

The first movement speaks back to their roots and is complete prog rock, anthematic and cerebral all at once. The lyrics have been placed with painstaking care, budgeted into a background of psychedelic tunage that is sure to scorch you down to your toes. The guitars are loud, obnoxious and incredibly well tabbed, as well as the drums being mildly muted to lend a beat to the song without overpowering the other elements. Bass reverberates and rattles around your brain as frontman Conrad Keely spouts out lyrics with careless grace and pointed nonchalance. Like prog rock of years past, it is very reminiscent of Sunny Day Real Estate and carries overtones of newcomers like Japandroids and Mogwai (who also has a new album out).  It features eleven amazing tracks that blend into one another for an experience that is pretty damn amazing, completely calling for a dimly lit (or unlit) room, surround sound, a lava lamp, and in some cases, a bong (if you’re into that sorta thing).

Favorite tracks from the first movement include “The Wasteland,” “Spiral Jetty,” and “Pure Radio Cosplay.” Lyrics from “Spiral Jetty” have been invading my thoughts at the weirdest of times,”I found a jetty of stone /and I’m standing on my own/the lake enclosed” really resonates with the tone of song and hits close to home, although I am not sure why yet.

The second movement echoes the first, although a little grittier, a little harsher, and even more generally cerebral than the first. At 16:31 in length, I am a tad surprised that it shows such a diversity of the band’s talents. Included are everything from slow anthem pieces to faster dancey indie parts, and even a hint of old ‘90s alt rock. It’s a cacophony of sound and brilliant in its integrity and structure. Following the same general style as they usually bring to the table, they take it a step further in making it one cohesive track. Really, it’s probably one of my favorite pieces of all time. It’s prolific, it’s beautiful, and it’s purely Trail of the Dead.

The album itself is entirely worth buying just for the music. However, add in Keely’s album artwork, and you have one INSANE deal. Not only is the album musically brilliant, but the packaging is pretty. And I mean pretty. Go pick this up now, and sit back and relax. And of course, buy it on vinyl. It’ll sound that much better.

Track Listing:

Tao of the Dead Part I: Tao of the Dead
01. Introduction: Let’s Experiment
02. Pure Radio Cosplay
03. Summer of All Dead Souls
04. Cover the Days Like a Tidal Wave
05. Fall of the Empire
06. The Wasteland
07. The Spiral Jetty
08. Weight of the Sun (or the Post-Modern Prometheus)
09. Pure Radio Cosplay (Reprise)
10. Ebb Away
11. The Fairlight Pendant

Tao of the Dead Part II: Strange News From Another Planet
12. Know Your Honor
Rule by Being Just
The Ship Impossible
Strange Epiphany
Racing and Hunting

I’m just going to tell you right now, when you get the new Bright Eyes album, you need to take 47 minutes out of your day to do nothing else but listen. You like how I assume you’re going to get The People’s Key? It’s because it’s that good.

Seriously. Nothing against Conor Oberst‘s previous efforts, because they’re lovely, but just two songs into this record, I could already sense the awesome that was yet to come.

I was right.

Unlike the mopey acoustic folk that has pervaded Oberst’s career up until now, this record is incredibly infectious without taking itself too seriously. One in particular, “Shell Games” is so bouncy and sunny without being ridiculous. I can just picture the charming-but-not-overly-adorable music video that goes along with it with clever editing and bright colors. The last time Bright Eyes made me want to dance was, well… with Cassadega, but that was country. I wanted to swing dance to do a little jig. Now I actually want to dance, and not ironically.

While I’ll admit to waiting until the last minute to listen to this one, and I was half asleep when I turned it on, the stark spoken word opening woke me up to full attention. Oberst has taken some of the twang from previous albums, electronic and artificial instruments, pop hooks, brilliant lyrics, and put together a fantastic conceptual album.

With The People’s Key, Oberst hasn’t quite abandoned his old ways, but more or less turned up the volume. He’s created a more “finished” album without it being overdone. I don’t know what happened in the last four years, but whatever it is, Oberst has taken it all in and given it back to us in the form of an awesome multidimensional indie pop work of art.

Wait, I know what happened. Oberst grew up. I can hear it in the lyrics.

“Approximated Sunlight” is a beautiful and sleek ballad, “Haile Selassie” is a catchy pop hit, and the rest is just amazing. I’d rather not try and dwell on track by track, because you honestly have to hear this whole thing together. While the songs are great by themselves, hearing all of A People’s Key is an experience all its own.

I’d dare to say that it’s the best Bright Eyes album yet.

And it makes me really excited to see them at the Gorge in May for the Sasquatch Festival. Almost too excited.

Now I just have to make sure that you sat and listened to all 47 minutes of A People’s Key in one sitting. Did you?

Track Listing:

1. Firewall
2. Shell Games
3. Jejune Stars
4. Approximate Sunlight
5. Haile Selassie
6. A Machine Spiritual (In The People’s Key)
7. Triple Spiral
8. Beginner’s Mind
9. Ladder Song
10. One For You, One For Me

Go to http://www.conoroberst.com/

In a nearly twenty year career, Let England Shake is the strangest album PJ Harvey has ever made. Really, the one competition it has is Is This Desire, and that album doesn’t come close. It comes as relief after two albums that I didn’t much care for that Harvey has made her best album to date.

Things start weird, but it takes until track two for the awe to set in. “Goddamn, Europeans,” Harvey sings at the beginning of “The Last Living Rose,” against a backdrop that sounds similar to a number of her older songs. Then, about a minute later, a strange honking instrument sets in. Pure beauty. This is Harvey dumping her sound on its head like only she can.

“The Glorious Land” begins with a bugle, and it’s all Scary Monsters era Bowie, and The Dreaming era Kate Bush. Harvey sings in a chant-like manner. It’s a song about England, most of these are. I get the feeling there’s a story beyond that theme running through the album, but I’m still unraveling it.

Most of these songs leave me grasping for words I can’t find, but I’m mostly dumbfounded. “On Battleship Hill” is sung in a falsetto against an acoustic guitar, drums and piano buried under odd production values. The lead and backing vocals don’t quite match up, and the singing is just behind the beat. It’s very ghostly.

“In The Dark Places“ knocks me on my ass every time. It’s one of the most normal songs here, but there’s something that causes my jaw to drop. A drum beat plays, and as the guitar kicks in she sings, “we got up early/washed our faces.” The lyrics tell a story barely glimpsed. It’s like seeing something unsettling through a dirty window.  That’s actually a pretty good metaphor for the album.

The next song, “Bitter Branches” is a stomper. It seems like a continuation of the last song lyrically. It’s all very exciting: “the soldiers standing/and the boots twisting underneath.” This is scary stuff. “Wave goodbye,” Harvey sings, and I feel myself there.

“Written On The Forehead” has a tribal thing going on. The beat and the voices going on behind Harvey are entrancing. “War here/in our beloved city,” Harvey sings; I can taste war on my tongue.

The album ends with “The Last Colour Of The Earth.” Just under forty minutes, and my head has been blown wide open. I’m saying it now, in February: this is the album of the year. Nothing is going to top this anytime soon. It’s an album for the ages, one I will be dissecting far into the future.

Track Listing:

1. Let England Shake
2. The Last Living Rose
3. The Glorious Land
4. The Words That Maketh Murder
5. All And Everyone
6. On Battleship Hill
7. England
8. In The Dark Places
9. Bitter Branches
10. Hanging In The Wire
11. Written On The Forehead
12. The Colour of The Earth

Let England Shake is out now.

There is one genre that has always perplexed me, in a good way, and that’s post-rock. A genre stylized by heavy distortion pedals, the scarce presence of lyrics, and long, sweeping epics. Scottish band Mogwai is one of the bands that pioneered the genre back in the mid-90s and they’ve kept their purist mentality through all seven of their studio albums. Their newest release, with perhaps the best title I’ve heard in the last year, Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will is the furthest departure from their quiet-loud-quiet aesthetic, but still superb.

At 53 min with just ten songs, we get a range of sounds and emotions, even with just the first three songs. Appropriately titled “White Noise” employs the distortion and ambient noise that accompanies the recognizable guitar, bass, keyboard, and drums. With Mogwai, you never can imagine exactly where all the sounds are coming from within the diegesis of the song, but they all come together beautifully for this wall of sound that’s signature to Mogwai, and post-rock in general.

“Mexican Grand Prix” is more noticeably electronic, and almost New Wave, which was nice, but unexpected on an album with such a title as Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will. “San Pedro,” “George Square Thatcher Death Party,” and “How To Be A Werewolf” are also surprisingly catchy and upbeat, while still holding onto Mogwai’s post-rock roots.

Even with the heavier pop songs, we still get a few of the slower driving ballads like “Death Rays, “ “Letters to the Metro,” and “Too Raging to Cheers.” So it all balances out to be a lovely listen.

The one thing that I love about listening to Mogwai, and reviewing it as well, is that the lyrics are taken out of the picture. I have nothing against lyrics. I love them, but listening to pure music without words makes it more cerebral, more about feeling the music and less about understanding it. No song on the album exemplifies that more than the last song, an 8:29 groove called “You’re Lionel Richie.” You see, if there were distinguishable lyrics to this song, I doubt they’d have anything to do with Lionel Richie, so rather than be a gimmick title that so many artists can sometimes do, the title remains a true mystery. I have no idea what Lionel Richie has to do with fuzzy guitars and ambient noise, but apparently he has something to do with it.

As always, I’m bewildered with Mogwai’s music, but I like it that way.

Track Listing:

Bonnaroo X has as announced its lineup with a little help from Conan O’Brien.

The festival is June 9-12, 2011 in Manchester, Tennessee.

As always, the festival is a diverse mix of electronica, jam bands, folk, rock, indie and rap. Among some of the biggest names playing the fest are Eminem, Arcade Fire, Lil Wayne, Widespread Panic, the Strokes, Girl Talk, Neil Young and more. Buffalo Springfield is even reuniting for the fest.

You can watch the lineup announcement video with Conan below or visit Bonnaroo.com for further details.

In the Noughties, the British music scene was littered with female blue eyed soul singers; the ones that stood out in front were bad girl Amy Winehouse, doe-eyed lass Duffy, groovy Joss Stone, and the wild card, Adele, who managed a breakout hit here in the U.S. with “Chasing Pavements.” The London soul singer is back in 2011 with her second album. Like 19, her debut album released in 2008, this one is named 21, for the age she wrote these songs. Kind of unimaginative. Well, this is a woman who writes mostly ballads…and this album went straight to #1 on its first week of release in the UK in mid-January, and when it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

I feel it necessary to start this review by saying Adele has a great voice. She really does. The problem I have with 21 is that all the songs are too similar. There are essentially two types of sound on here: there are delicate acoustic tunes, and there are over the top, over-orchestrated ones with backing soul singers. Then there’s only so many times you can hear a woman singing the sentiment, “what did I do wrong? I’ll change, if you [come back / stay with me].” See “Don’t You Remember,” “I’ll Be Waiting,” “One and Only,” and “He Won’t Go.” It’s not that I’m a cold, heartless stone. I’ve loved and lost, I can relate to the feelings, generally. I’m no feminist, but I chafe at hearing another woman singing how she’s going to give up everything for her man to get him.

Then there’s the opposite emotion, which I think comes across as more real. “Rolling in the Deep” was chosen as the lead single. And with good reason. The tempo is upbeat (thudding drums and banging piano chords), and when it comes to emotion, there’s nothing like a woman scorned. When she sings, “we could have had at it all / rolling in the deep / you had my heart and soul / in your hands / but you played it / to the beat” and “you’re gonna wish you / had never met me,” you feel it. Maybe it’s no “You Oughta Know,” but it’s close. “Rumour Has It” is cut from the same cloth, but the shouted “rumour has it!” over and over gets annoying after a while.

The strength of Adele‘s voice comes across winningly in “Someone Like You”; this is the one song on here I can overlook the cloyingness. Also included on this album is an inspired cover of the Cure‘s “Lovesong.” This could have gone terribly wrong, but Adele gives the ’80s classic proper reverence with a bossa nova interpretation that Robert Smith should be applauding. Like sappy ballads? This one’s for you.

21 by Adele will be released on XL Recordings on February 22. She will be touring North America in support of this album on the dates below.

Track Listing:
01. Rolling in the Deep
02. Rumour Has It
03. Turning Tables
04. Don’t You Remember
05. Set the Fire to Rain
06. He Won’t Go
07. Take It All
08. I’ll Be Waiting
09. One and Only
10. Lovesong
11. Someone Like You

Tour Dates:
May 12 – 9:30 Club / Washington, DC
May 13 – Electric Factory / Philadelphia
May 15 – House of Blues / Boston
May 16 – Olympia Theater / Montreal
May 18 – Kool Haus / Toronto
May 19 – Beacon Theatre / New York City
May 23 – Royal Oak Music Theatre / Royal Oak
May 24 – Riviera Theater / Chicago
May 26 – First Avenue / Minneapolis
May 28 – Ogden Theatre / Denver
May 29 – Depot / Salt Lake City
May 31 – Commodore Ballroom / Vancouver, BC
June 01 – Showbox at the Market / Seattle
June 03 – Crystal Ballroom / Portland
June 04 – Warfield Theatre / San Francisco
June 08 – Humphreys Concerts by the Bay / San Diego
June 09 – Wiltern / Los Angeles
June 12 – Stubbs Waller Creek / Austin
June 15 – House of Blues / Dallas
June 17 – Tabernacle / Atlanta
June 18 – Orange Peel / Asheville
June 20 – Ryman Auditorium / Nashville

Adele: website | myspace | Adele Announces May and June North American Tour, Album Stream Available on NPR

In Washington last year, two adjacent businesses on H Street Northeast, the tiny live music venue Red and Black Bar and the burlesque house Palace of Wonders joined forces to create a combined venue, the Red Palace. I’d seen some shows at the Red and Black and while it was intimate, the ambiance was nothing to write home about. The new and improved Red Palace, I am happy to report, is a revelation. The performance space is on the top floor of the place and is as intimate as my other favorite venue in the city, DC9 (no wonder, it’s owned by the same folks) and it cleans up real nice. For my first show at Red Palace, I was there Saturday night to see the band who provided my best gig of 2010, the Postelles of New York City.

There were two opening acts for the night. Toronto rock band Dinosaur Bones was up first. Bass player Branko Scekic endeared them to the audience by starting their set, whispering, “We’re Dinosaur Bones. And we’re from Canada. We’re a long way from home.” Enter the “awwws.” Interestingly, he was the one delivering the jokes for this band (not their singer Ben Fox), commenting how much he loved Washington, saying, “my favorite [thing to see in DC] is the Washington Monument, because everyone knows what it looks like, no dicking around.” Laughter.

But let’s talk about the music. Listening to them live the first time, I had trouble thinking of how I would describe them. They’ve got Led Zeppelin riffs; disaffected, post-grunge Aaron Lewis (Staind)-like vocals, and the occasional feel of Creed? “Royalty” was a sure highlight, what a sexy bass line and great guitars accompanying it. It’s also worth nothing their lead guitarist Joel Clifton has an uncanny resemblance to Megadeth‘s Dave Mustaine. Make of that what you will. The band’s debut album, My Divider, will be released soon.

Snowmine, the other opener, is a Brooklyn psych pop band. When I think of “Brooklyn” and “psych pop” I think of Bear in Heaven. Similar, but Snowmine has a more tropical vibe. Think Bear in Heaven meets Cut Copy. If Jurassic Park had a house band, it would sound like Snowmine. Their first track, “Danger in the Snow!”, began with prehistoric programmed rumblings. But most of their songs involve maraca and tambourine shaking and big beats, and I also thought of the new wave of Men at Work and Toto‘s “Africa” as possible reference points. Cool vibe. I was definitely into the more upbeat numbers like “Penny” and “The Hill.” They also have an album coming out soon, called Laminate Pink Animal. Check ‘em out.

It’s hard for me to comprehend that the guys of the Postelles are barely into their twenties. I’ve seen them three times now (once, opening for Hockey, and twice as a headliner), and they play like seasoned veterans. It may be because of the many times they’ve played in our town, they always get an amazing reception, and who doesn’t play a great show when you have a great audience? Their debut album has been delayed for a long while but rumor has it that it will finally be released in April; physical copies of The Postelles were available at the DC show.

They previewed two songs newer than those on the debut album, “Bum Bum Bum” and “Running Red Lights,” both of which were in the standard Postelles vein of classic rock ‘n’ roll. In these days of high-tech gadgets, programming, and autotune, it was so nice to see four guys singing and playing guitars, bass, and drums without relying on electronics. Their songs are so poppy and peppy, it’s impossible not to have a good time letting while this band is playing. The crowd, while interested in seeing the band, appeared stiff at the start of their set, but everyone was dancing by the time the band got to “Sleep on the Dance Floor” (with its killer bass line) and “White Night,” right before the encore. It wasn’t much of an encore, because as quickly as they had jumped offstage, they jumped right back on, singing “Boy’s Best Friend” (an ode to a ex-girlfriend who turns out to be a lesbian) and a raucous rendition of “Beat on the Brat” by the Ramones that will forever be cemented in my mind. (It’s not every day a faithful blogger like me gets to duet with one of my favorite bands!)

The Postelles Set List
Bum Bum Bum (new song)
Looking Glass
1, 2, 3 Stop
She She
Stella
Hey Little Sister
Hound Dog (Elvis Presley cover)
Running Red Lights (new song)
Sleep on the Dance Floor
White Night
//
Boy’s Best Friend
Beat on the Brat (Ramones cover)

Tour Dates
Feb 16 – Maxwell’s / Hoboken
Feb 18 – First Unitarian Church / Philadelphia

The Postelles: website | myspace | interview with | @ Rock ‘n’ Roll Hotel | The Postelles Premiere First Promo Video, “White Night” | The Postelles Announce Fall North American Tour
Dinosaur Bones: myspace
Snowmine: website | myspace

Every year in Kansas City, 96.5 the Buzz throws a free Valentine’s Day show complete with VD themed games such as Spin the Bottle and more. This year, AWOLNATION, Fitz & The Tantrums and the Limousines rounded out Afentra’s VD Party‘s lineup.

The event quickly filled to capacity.

PopWreckoning’s Erica Cassella was there and shares these photos of Fitz & the Tantrums and AWOLNATION: