Album Review: The Antlers - Burst Apart

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It is always good to see the little band without label support make good. NYC's The Antlers had been plugging away in relative obscurity before their 2009 LP Hospice. The moving opus concerning a dying cancer patient and their caregiver is rife with drama and pathos as the buried vocals scratch and claw from under the sudden blasts of beautiful noise. On their follow-up out now on Frenchkiss Records, Burst Apart sheds the melancholy that made Hospice such a success, in favor of a composition that is lithe and sensual rather than oppressive. Ably venturing forth with "I Don't Want Love", The Antlers lead with their more accessible track. Featuring Peter Silberman's acrobatic falsetto and a solemn organ, this ode to combative lovers benefits from the band's new clarity and confidence. They continue their assuredness on "Parentheses" referencing the paranoid klaxon wails of OK Computer-era Radiohead while Silberman's suggestive lyrics seduce. On "Rolled Together" The Antlers prove that they can keep it simple with a lush, trance-inducing groove and an afflicted chant that floats into space. They even pull off an up tempo number in "Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out" that still stays sultry while building into a rocking coda. The only criticism of Burst Apart is that it runs out of steam on the last songs, often abandoning the seductive groove they fostered and meandering off track instead of commanding attention. Still, The Antlers primary goal was to shed the weight of Hospice and prove they have more to offer than one dramatic concept album. In fact, Burst Apart not only exceeds these goals but resets any preconceived views of what The Antlers are.

Purchase Burst Apart: CD | Vinyl | mp3

Bonus: Check out the video from an in-studio performance of "I Don't Want Love" The Antlers did for Bowlegs Music.

I Don't Want Love


Parentheses (Download)


Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out (Download)

Mixtapes For The Holiday Weekend

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I am looking forward to the holiday weekend in a big way. Hopefully the weather where you reside will be cooperative. In any case, here are some possible soundtrack options for your weekend exploits. Grab the arrows on the widgets below when applicable for a free download.

DFA Records has been releasing a Radio Mixtape series every couple of months or so for free download. The most recent effort is from Gabriel Andruzzi of dance-punk outfit The Rapture who have an album due out this year. In the meantime, dig this house/disco grooves. Grab the rest of the mixes for free here.



Greek Gods dropped this a few months ago blending some of my favorite artists. Four Tet, Gold Panda and Hercules & Love Affair can all be found here.



Nguzunguzu is a party team out of LA that recently received much love from Pitchfork for their recent soul-packed mixtape The Perfect Lullaby. (Download the whole thing for free here.) However, I came across this interesting nugget in my searches for information. The guys source an indelible sample from 80's electronic godfathers Art of Noise and take it out for a walk. Shame it is not a freebie. Enjoy anyways.

Discovery: Galleries

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Scotland's indie pedigree has been flourishing with the recent recognition of The Twilight Sad and Frightened Rabbit and the consistent presence of Mogwai. The latest inclusion is Galleries who follow the well-worn Scottish path of soaring Brit-based pop with an urgent rock foundation. The quartet had self released an EP's back in January and dropped the latest single "Rocket Science" on May 11. Both are available for free download below. Give a listen to a sampler of their music as well. Here's tae ye!

Download the "Rocket Science" single here.

Download the Galleries self-titled EP here.

Galleries

Album Review: Wild Beasts - Smother

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English foursome Wild Beasts have made the topic of sex their milieu. The lyrical theatrics, both in content and delivery, are obvious in their epicene eroticism. On their third album Smother the instrumentation shares equal billing with the vocal acrobatics of Hayden Thorpe. Aching rhythms, playful guitar and opaque keys drift through the mix like a cloud, caressing the listener into a sleepy lull as Thorpe's falsetto embraces tightly and breathes right in your ear. The soaring drama of "Lion's Share" initiates Smother on a dark path, speaking of unredeemed sin and predatory intimacy. The laziness of "Deeper" loosens the reins a bit with a passionate croon and causal piano. The overtures get aggressively seductive on "Plaything" as the percussion intertwines with Thorpe's coos making pure bedroom fodder.

Wild Beasts are at their mightiest on "Loop The Loop" when the guitar finds that playful, circular groove setting a trap one would not want to escape. "Reach A Bit Further" extends that riff, as Thorpe's apologies for his stated indiscretions also encourage limits to be stretched. The aptly titled "End Come Too Soon" finishes out the album like daybreak, a Shakespearean ode to a carnal experience that is equally grateful for the memories and lamenting that all things must end. Ultimately Smother is a detailed exploration that is not for the faint of heart. Vocals featuring such poetic pornography and unabashed androgyny can be a bit unsettling. Glimpses into such private moments often are.

Bonus: Stream selections from Smother and watch the video for "Albatross" below.

Purchase Smother here: CD | Vinyl | mp3

Albatross (Download)


Plaything


Loop the Loop


Reach A Bit Further

Bon Iver Gives Away New Song, Album Out June 21

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The story behind the transformation from everyday Wisconsinite Justin Vernon to indie folk powerhouse Bon Iver is well told. His self-imposed isolation in a cabin one winter following the dual breakup of his band and his girlfriend resulted in the haunting debut album For Emma, Forever Ago. The tastemakers immediately swooned and the public soon followed. His now bursting fan populace included Kanye West, who decided to add him to a couple of songs on his magnum opus My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. His self-titled followup is set for release June 21 on Jagjagawar but the first listen is available below.

The new track "Calgary" is a fresh take on the Bon Iver sound. His fragile falsetto is intact, but the addition of moody synth summates his established folk sound and annexes into a comfortable cross-genre. Also involved here is a satisfyingly emotive squall midway through, revealing a new confidence in song structure. Grab the track below with an email submission or just grab it for free here.

Pre-order Bon Iver here: CD | Vinyl | Deluxe Packages

Memory Tapes Releases Second Teaser Track, Album Out July 5

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The most interesting thing about chillwave in 2011 is how the genre's top artists have deftly moved past it. Dayve Hawk (aka Memory Tapes) seems to have followed the footsteps of Toro Y Moi  by releasing a cleaner, sophomore followup to a breakthrough effort. The new tracks feature a less phased and pitch-bent sound in favor of lighter, carefree and confident reflection on their earlier efforts. Of course, Memory Tapes never quite had the thick studio effects of more 'chilly' artists, but he definitely loved the reverb. Player Piano is due out around Independence Day on Carpark Records, but you can get a sample of the stylistic shift below.

"Wait in the Dark" is definitely a sunny day compared to the hazy feel of Memory Tapes' first full length Seek Magic. It gushes with a cathederal of keys over an open field but also progresses with an open ended theme, signifying a good fit in an album setting. Also included is last month's release of an early mix of another album cut "Today is Our Life". It is a burst of light after a cloudy intro with an undeniable joyous tempo and a (dare I say) rockin' guitar solo. Listen to and download both below.

Wait In The Dark (Download)


Today Is Our Life (Download)


Bonus: Stream the entire 2009 Memory Tapes LP Seek Magic below.

The Fiery Furnaces Go Solo, Come Together Live In Chicago May 10 & 11

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To enjoy The Fiery Furnaces, one must enjoy music without reservation or pretense. Seems simple enough, but what rings out from the capable hands and mouths of Chicago's own sibling combo Matt and Eleanor Friedberger defines modern music by defying convention. Over their bountiful eight year career, they have presented eight albums and a smattering of EP's and singles with no common sound or theme connecting them except the joys of life itself. Over 2011, the Friedbergers have gone their separate ways to work on their own concepts while keep The Fiery Furnaces intact for another day.

Matt Friedberger's latest work centers around Solos, an eight album series available on Fiery Furnaces label Thrill Jockey where each recording centers on Matt using only one instrument and his voice. The first LP Naploeonette utilizing piano was released in January and Meet Me in Miramas showcasing the guitar hit the streets in March. Next up for release this week is Old Regimes where the only instrument is a century-old harp. Next up in the series are drums, organ and the double bass with the last two albums are available as a bonus to finish the series featuring guest artists. Of course, the Solos series is already sold out, but individual albums are available here.

Eleanor Friedberger's new album Last Summer is due out on Merge Records July 12 with new single "My Mistakes" already available as a teaser. A rolling acoustic guitar and piano rhythm sparkles on this more pop-centered expression with Eleanor's sturdy vocals and, despite the precursor of rock music's past mistakes, a finishing saxophone solo.

The Friedbergers have come back together as The Fiery Furnaces for a stripped down mini tour without a backing rhythm section. They will be in Chicago May 10 and 11 at Schuba's. As of post time, tickets are still available here.

Matthew Friedberger - Shirley (Download)


Matthew Friedberger - Meet Me in Miramas (Download)


Eleanor Friedberger - My Mistakes (Download)

The Twilight Sad Give Away Digital EP, New Album Out Later This Year

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Fiery Glasgow quartet The Twilight Sad have been making anthemic indie since '03 that trembles with dark fury, guitar clatter and a pained Scottish brogue that coats the entire concoction with a bitter glaze. The third album is expected out on Fat Cat Records later this year, but fans will be sated with a free EP of acoustic tracks. The eight tracks include music from their 2009 LP Forget The Night Ahead, last year's 12" The Wrong Car and a cover of from The Wedding Present's 1991 album Seamonsters. Download the whole mess below with the entry of your email in the widget below.

Bonus: Stream the originals of two Twilight Sad tracks and watch a video from the acoustic sessions below.

The Twilight Sad - I Became A Prostitute


The Twilight Sad - The Wrong Car

Jenn Wasner Begins Side Project Flock Of Dimes

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Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak is quickly making the best of 2011. Their release Civilian is the early front runner for my Best Albums of the Year list. (Read my review here.) They will grab a lot of attention this summer with a spot on the Lollapalooza bill. Continuing her hot streak she began, in her words, the solo "vanity project" Flock of Dimes. New track "Prison Bride" is available for a listen courtesy of Friends Records in Baltimore and will be featured on an upcoming label complication. The dissonant guitar work on "Prison Bride" is insistent on keeping your attention, but gives away to moments of electric throb that recalls some supernatural interference with a broadcast signal. According to an article on BMore Musically Informed, there are more songs being cultivated for a future release...hopefully sooner rather than later.

Flock of Dimes - Prison Bride

Discovery: D33J

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Now that my blog is starting to get some attention and steady readership, I am getting the always welcome unsigned artist emails. It is a welcome reminder that we live in the 21st century where some inspired musical wunderkind in Germany can read my writings half a world away and send me his homemade EP and press kit with the click of a button. Djavan Santos (aka D33J) is a Cali-based electronic music producer studying in Hamburg on an art school residency. Using his DR-202 drum machine, some odd software patches, spoken word samples and his self-described "shitty Squire mini-guitar", D33J is making music that challenges, toying with tempo and timbre and feels surprisingly warm while speaking volumes without uttering a single word. Influences range all across the electronic spectrum and sources some sunny chillwave grooves as well. His first EP Tide Songs can be found on Bandcamp and downloaded for free below.

Download Tide Songs here.

D33J - Drowning Pools

Album Review: TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light

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What a strange, wonderful and dramatic trip the band TV on the Radio has been. They began with humble art school beginnings releasing a shoddy, self-produced CD and created their explosive debut album Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes less than two years later. The awesome consistency of the band as a unit and the various side projects of the members culminated in their latest release a month ago. It is apparent that this band's longevity or their level of success was never their ultimate goal. Yet here we are listening to Nine Types of Light with the loftiest expectations like the previous decade of creative output of this band was not just this accidental happenstance. Taking a moment to appreciate the huge accomplishment that is TV on the Radio is a prerequisite before listening to any of their releases. The singularity in their sound and the sheer emotional content in their music is unfailingly awe inspiring. Once you put this journey of this band in context, the appreciation comes naturally.

TV on the Radio is always at their best when its avant-garde sound grinds down its retro tastes to a thorn that gets unforgettably stuck. The gradual build on opener "Second Song" tills new soil once again as the lyrics begin at a spoken word confessional that swells into a sweet groove complete with their tip of the hat to retro soul and doo-wop. "New Cannonball Blues" preaches on with end-of-the-world imagery and some well placed profanity amidst the bleating horns and electronic rhythms. Connecting to "Repetition", TV on the Radio lifts from hip hop, Kraftwerk, and The Temptations' antiwar epic "Ball Of Confusion" and throws them into the blender for a pureed glass of paranoia and chaos. The heady romantic strings over the industrial throb on "Forgotten" brings what begins as a light hearted ode to a fitting mushroom cloud finish.

The biggest pill to ingest is the emphasis on balladry on Nine Types of Light that seems to take the teeth out of their gritty sound. The two lengthiest tracks, "Keep Your Heart" and "Killer Crane" can drag in their ultimate trek for tender moments. Yet, they nail the sentiment on "You" that sways with a siding riff and perfect falsetto. Another standout slow jam is the soulful "Will Do" that deftly traverses the space between the apocalypse and Marvin Gaye. The reoccurring theme of a bleak future is common for TV on the Radio, but the emotional nature of some of the songs on Nine Types of Light is a new topic still being explored. Perhaps the long illness and untimely passing of their bass player Gerard Butler had an influence in their more positive and heartfelt reflections. The confrontational nature is still an indelible force on their newest effort. It just rides shotgun with TV on the Radio's best artistic expressions of love itself.

TV on the Radio will be headlining the Pitchfork Music Festival Sunday July 17. Tickets are still available, so you are a fool if you don't go.

Bonus: Stream samples of Nine Types of Light and download various songs below. Also, watch the corresponding movie to the album that the band is calling "a visual re-imaging of the record". Included are videos of every song directed by various artists and friends of the band.

Purchase Nine Types of Light: CD | Vinyl | mp3

Right-click here to download "Will Do".

Right-click here to download "Caffeinated Consciousness".