SF Music Geeks Club Mk. 2

[peener weener]

rough guidelines

• we listen to 2 albums every week
• every member submits an album (once in a while-ish, don't overcrowd the list)
• you submit an album by posting its name, a short introduction, and where possible a link to a full stream of it (youtube/spotify/etc.) if not possible, y'all know how it goes
• weeks start on sunday and end on the following sunday
• we all write down our thoughts at the end of the week

i think this is fine, but do speak up about whatever.

i don't think this kind of thing needs any additional spreadsheets or formal entries or whatever. so i'll kick it off:

[spoiler=Pescado Rabioso - Artaud]

Luis Alberto Spinetta was an argentine music legend. Pescado Rabioso was one of his many projects, but this album in particular is my favourite of his and generally considered his best. Most of it is carried by a simple acoustic guitar, but there is so much raw emotion throughout and his song-writing is so masterful that it really doesn't seem that way somehow. Maybe my favourite aspect of Spinetta is his poetic lyricism, which sadly a lot of you will not be able to appreciate.

Psychedelic, folk rock, blues

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPbm0kkzTWk

QUEUE

This Week:

(Disinnocence)

Windmills - Broken Record (Ambling Falchion)

[spoiler=Upcoming/Past Weeks]

Upcoming:

Gorillaz - Demon Days (TheCosmicDude)

Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly (Marusu) youtube link has dead songs, but it's on spotify in full

Past weeks:

Pescado Rabioso - Artaud (fuccboi)

Slint - Spiderland (Dijon Mustard)

Lianne La Havas - Blood (Phoenix Wright)

Pianos Become the Teeth - Keep You (Disinnocence)

James Townes Earle - Midnight at the Movies (ThatCosmicDude)

Hiatus Kaiyote - Choose Your Weapon (Marusu)

Board of Whores - s/t (Ambling Falchion)

The Weeknd - House of Balloons (fuccboi)

Panda Bear - Person Pitch (Dijon Mustard)

King Crimson - Discipline (Gaia)

Edited October 13, 2015 by fuccboi

[DarthMikey]

I think this is a great idea, but maybe you should just organize a queue in the first post? People can post the album they want to be reviewed whenever they want, and when the time comes they can post the link and a description and everything. Or they could just post all of that when they first are added to the queue, assuming they won't remember when the time comes for their album...

Edited August 19, 2015 by TheCosmicDude

[peener weener]

i'm not sure what you're trying to say, but having a queue of albums is the idea, yes. i could make a compromise and take several submissions at once and establish a rotation system with a first come first serve basis or something, i guess.

Edited August 19, 2015 by fuccboi

[DarthMikey]

I don't think I do either now that I re-read the first post? Excuse me while I cry.

[Dijon Mustard]

[spoiler=Slint - Spiderland]Spiderland is a really influential album. Stripped-down but complex, quiet then loud, your favorite post-rock band loves this shit. It manages to be really dark despite having just one song about Nosferatu. One of my favorite rock albums.

Edited August 20, 2015 by Dijon Mustard

[peener weener]

so today is the first day of the first week.

albums this week:

Artaud by Pescado Rabioso

Spiderland by Slint

this doesn't seem to be gathering a lot of attention though

[Disinnocence]

Okay, okay, sorry I haven't posted here yet. I've just been a little busy as of late. But, I'll try to be here more.

[spoiler=Pianos Become The Teeth - Keep You]One of the bands in The Wave (an in-joke between bands like Touche Amore, La Dispute, Defeater, and Do Make Med), and probably the most "post-rock" influenced out of them. "Keep You" represents a change in sound for PBTT, with less screams (if any, I suppose) and a softer, more ethereal (?) sound, but not any less impactful than their others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuGUWqDdUH0

Also, they have a deluxe version on Spotify if you want to listen to the three extra tracks. I haven't listened to them yet, so I couldn't say if they're worth it or not.

Edited August 25, 2015 by Disinnocence

[Phoenix Wright]

didn't know this existed. i am definitely down for this! i wish sf had more music lovers.

let's see...

lianne la havas -- blood. you can find it in full on spotify.

i don't actually know too much about the album or the artist (haven't listened to it myself! i've been meaning to, though). i listened to its single, unstoppable, and what i can say about it is that her voice is amazing. supposed to be a neo-soul album.

Edited August 27, 2015 by Phoenix Wright

[peener weener]

i don't have time rn but we should write down our thoughts between today and tomorrow

[Blaze The Great]

Will try to post. Not sure if I will do so often, but I'll try.

[peener weener]

[spoiler=Slint - Spiderland]

the album that set off post-rock. the spoken word, the grand instrumentation, the weird arrangements, the slow building and bustling crescendoes. it's all there. it creates this very unsettling atmosphere. the guitar riffs are brooding and ominous, and the vocals are one of two things: spoken word in an anxious whisper, narrating encounters with fortune tellers, or croaky shouting. it evokes such dark emotions so vividly that you can't help but feel worried. hell, the vocalist checked himself into a mental hospital the day he finished recording.

fav track: nosferatu man

9/10

[Disinnocence]

Okay, so since I only listened to the two albums last night (I promise from here on, I'll try to listen earlier), so, I didn't really get too much time to get my thoughts together on them, so mine won't be all that great probably.

Slint - Spiderland

This being my very first listen to "Spiderland," I had a certain expectation of this album, considering all the praise behind it, and also being one of the most influential albums in post/math-rock. The most notable feature on the album is it's dark, manic atmosphere surrounding the entire record. This, pieced together with Brian McMahan's deranged mumbling's (about what, I don't know, because I only listened to it once and I haven't looked up the lyrics, so, I can't comment on this), makes this one of the darkest post-rock albums to date. Although, to me, this album doesn't really feel post-rockish to me. It has all the makings of a post-rock album, with the building crescendos, the dark and repetitive instrumentation, and the artwork, but it just feels to me this is something different from post-rock, math-rock, and any other genre in general. To me, it's Spiderland.

Highlights: Washer (the first part of this song honestly sounds like a darker, more experimental Death Cab for Cutie), For Dinner... (a brief respite from the rest of the album), Good Morning Captain

Pescado Rabioso - Artaud

I was trying to find something other to say about this album other than the fact that it's simply beautiful, but I think saying just that might do it justice; because this album is beautiful. Just listening to the album was an overall nice experience. I'll be honest though, not being able to understand the lyrics of the album probably takes away some of the emotional impact of the lyrics themselves, but, I felt the emotion in his voice more than anything. The musicianship on the album was also very good, but I think the spotlight of the album is Luis' heartfelt voice. This also being a very praised album, as it's named the best Argentine Rock Album of all Time, I had somewhat the same expectations as I did on Spiderland. I feel this album succeeded in living up to them.

Highlights (I'm going to list the English names for the tracks): Cemetery Club, By, Cantata of Yellow Bridges, and the track with the really weird sampling on it. It was one of the last two tracks.

Pretty good first week, imo. Listened to two very well praised album, and both were fantastic.

Edited August 30, 2015 by Disinnocence

[DarthMikey]

[spoiler=Albums]Very interesting albums! I've never even heard of either artist, and I found both albums pretty interesting. Artaud was, without a doubt, a very pretty record; lots of careful, highly melodic guitar playing, gentle, shuffling rhythms, and gorgeous vocals from Spinetta. If this album really is regarded as one of the best Argentine rock albums, I can easily see why, though honestly I got more of a softer, folk-ish vibe from the album as a whole, along with, of course, some elements at play from Hispanic music. I agree with others that it's a little more difficult to appreciate the songs without understanding the lyrics, but the melodies touch you enough that it almost doesn't feel important when you're listening. A great album, definitely one to remember. Favorite songs: "All The Leaves Are Wind," "Trickery" (gonna try and trust Google Translate on those names...)

Spiderland was like a totally different ball-game. Creepy, nervy, grim, non-traditional rock with buckets of atmosphere; it definitely strikes a unique chord, and does so very well, practically enveloping you in its world of gloom. I thought the singer was one of the most interesting parts of the whole album's sound, even though I don't really consider myself a fan of his style; muted, rambling whispering alternating with crazed, manic growling. The vocals are always mixed-down and a little out of the way, though. On the one hand, this makes them a unique tool that add to the overall atmosphere more than serving as the centerpiece of each song, but it also makes a lot of the vocal tracks feel almost like afterthoughts to me, like random improvisations done at whim over the base music. Still, the instrumental compositions were great, and driven by a talented, well-trained band with a great sense for dynamics. I don't know if Spiderland converted me to post-rock, but I certainly appreciated it and got a good sense for the sorts of ideas that drive the genre. Favorite songs: "Nosferatu Man," "Good Morning, Captain"

I have a recommendation of my own, though it might come off as kind of a boring choice after the last two. Try to bear with me, though!

[spoiler=Midnight At The Movies]

Justin Townes Earle ~ "Midnight At The Movies"

Genre(s): Alt-country, folk rock, Americana

Year of release: 2009

(I'm sorry to say I can't actually find a YouTube link for the entire album; you'll have to turn to Spotify.)

Midnight At The Movies is a pretty genuine, raw, simple singer-songwriter's album, with a lot of the instrumentation reflecting Earle's old-timey tastes (at least at this point in time; lately his style has leaned more towards a weird, rather white mix of Memphis soul and acoustic rock). I think he's a great songwriter; "Mama's Eyes," "Can't Hardly Wait," and "Black-Eyed Suzy" are all big favorites of mine; and his voice, while it might come off a little limited in range at first, is quite expressive, and I personally like his deep baritone timbre. It's not a perfect album, but I do think it's quite a good one, and while the rootsier sound may not suit everyone's tastes I hope you'll give it a chance anyways.

[peener weener]

[spoiler=Pescado Rabioso - Artaud]

I think "beautiful" describes this album perfectly well. The melodies and riffs are mostly soft and subtle, and his voice is non-confrontative, emotional, and sensitive. Like he's talking to you early in the morning, when the sun hasn't risen entirely. In his song-writing you can hear flashes of prog rock and psychedelic rock, even though it's for all intents and purposes a folk album. I guess it's only the clash of the poplar music styles of the early 70's. Over all of this he delivers his indecipherable poetry and metaphors, which don't quite make sense as much as they make you feel what he wanted you to, put an image into your mind. The 9-minute epic Cantata de Puentes Amarillos is a pefect example of this:

With all this blood around me,

I don't know what to look at.

The blood laughs stupidly,

like this song.

But at what?

Dirty their hands like always

Clocks melt/rot in their minds

Decadence. That's the emotion. You're not entirely sure you know what he's talking about when he sings about clocks rotting in people's minds, but you know it isn't pretty. Incidentially, this is my favourite track.

im dropping the numbered ratings cause i realised they're kinda dumb

[Marusu]

[spoiler=Hiatus Kaiyote - Choose Your Weapon]

Hiatus Kaiyote made their name as a neo-soul quartet, but on Choose Your Weapon they incorporate elements of jazz and latin music as well, and I've really been digging it lately.

[peener weener]

so today week 2 starts. clearly the set times were more like a rough guideline than anything else...

you can still post your thoughts ftr

This week's albums:

Lianne La Havas - Blood

Pianos Become the Teeth - Keep You

[Dijon Mustard]

oh yeah forgot to type up my #thoughts yesterday oops
[spoiler=Artaud]Psychedelic music used to be about replicating the drugs all its musicians were on, but it turns out that psychedelic sounds can serve other, slightly more D.A.R.E.-friendly purposes. On top of that, there's a history of these "hippie" bands in the midst of internal strife (!) famously making some of the best albums ever (White Album, Forever Changes, Abbey Road, etc.). Artaud, essentially a solo album recorded under the Pescado Rabioso name after the band split over creative differences, would fit in this category. It has plenty of pretty sounds that seem just out of reach, as if luring you into the clouds, but the vibe is different. It seems invested in reality, even at its most surrealistic. There's alienation! Despair! Decomposition! A song about cemeteries! The album's therapeutic nature is clear even to me, a person who doesn't speak the language. Artaud takes to the skies so you can see everything, like the Ghost of Argentina Yet to Come. And that's probably my favorite thing about the album. It's invested in making varied, interesting music from front to back, rather than coasting along on the high it induces, and it has Reasons for being varied, interesting music. One of these songs has to be the right prescription for you. "Por" (with its artful lyricism that I know is there even though, yes, I'm a non-speaker), "La Sed Verdadera" (it sounds kinda like a Beatles song), "A Starosta, el Idiota" (it straight-up samples a Beatles song), "Bajan" (a reminder of what "blues-soaked" is meant to refer to), or "Todas las Hojas del Viento" and "Las Habladurias del Mundo" (straightforward, rocking bookends). My personal favorite is "Cantata de Puentes Amarillos," a holyyyy-shit masterpiece that feels like it taps into everything and leaves you wondering if there's anything else to sing about. And that's how many so-called psychedelic albums leave you viewing the world - if you feel like you're a part of, or "one" with, everything, you'll probably realize that the answer is to love everything, maaaaaan. Or maybe everything isn't full of love. I listened to Slayer growing up, I wouldn't know.
Favorite tracks: Cantata de Puentes Amarillos, Supercheria, Bajan
Would recommend to: People who are willing to accept that "platos de cafe" taps into something profound that they'll probably never understand

[spoiler=Spiderland]Spiderland is a sneaky, disarmingly simple album based around a few central tricks. 1) The math-y riffs get you to feel like you have to pay attention in order to keep up, but they're not so complex that you throw your hands up and admit defeat or disengage 2) Much of the vocals are so quiet that you feel like you have to "lean in" in order to hear them 3) There are no extraneous sounds that could distract from 1), 2), or the groove of a song. "Breadcrumb Trail" presents itself as a puzzle that reinforces how pointless everything outside the puzzle is by throwing a silly story about a fortune teller at you. "Nosferatu Man" is a groovier song that sucks you in with its whispers even as the guitars become harsher around them. By the time "Don, Aman" hits, it tries to have you so entranced that it feels like the opening line "Don stepped outside" is being whispered from inside you. About 30% of the way through the album, the whole thing absorbs you and becomes an album of introspection rather than one about fortune tellers and Nosferatu and whatever else. Or something. Fuck if I know. It's like a movie that kills off the protagonist after a half hour, but even on repeat viewings you never see it coming. Bastards. It's my favorite pull-the-rug-out-from-under-you move in music, outside of perhaps some extended-metaphor hip-hop songs. So from there, "Washer" is the heart of the album, "For Dinner..." is the calm, and "Good Morning, Captain" is the storm (the band famously required medical attention after recording that storm btw). And after all that, less than 40 minutes has passed. It manages to subvert everything without coming off like it's trying to, like Tago Mago before it, all the while reminding you that subversion isn't some purely intellectual exercise that produces music meant to be appreciated rather than loved. It subverts everything for the sake of being self-obsessed, like the young nerds who made it. The best post-rock album so far.
Favorite tracks: Good Morning, Captain; Nosferatu Man; Washer
Would recommend to: Rock contrarians, Nosferatu, self-obsessed nerds, people who know what a Tago Mago is

tl;dr i rambled and got fake deep, these are both 5-star albums imo tbh fr. i'll read y'all's thoughts tonight

[Knight Falchion]

How did I forget about this

Thoughts will be posted either tonight or tomorrow

EDIT: Thoughts below; I apologize for rambling with little substance

Slint- Spiderland

I have little familiarity with the genre(s) this album helped create as the only similar-sounding album I've heard is Swans' To Be Kind, so this was a fresh experience for me. The tone of the music and the mood are what set it apart for me; it was depressive, but it felt contemplative to me because of the softly spoken lyrics. Speaking of lyrics, I wasn't quite able to catch all of them and admittedly didn't bother to look them up, but I'll assume they kept with the tone set by the instrumentation. Their control of dynamics is impressive and the sudden outburst of raw emotion at the end of Good Morning, Captain is intensely affecting. To me, it feels like the whole album builds up to that point, and the pay off is amazing. Harsh and dark, maybe, but amazing. This album was well-worth my time, and I look forward to further exploring the genre.

Favorites: Don, Aman; Washer; Good Morning, Captain

Pescado Rabioso - Artaud

The first thing that struck me was Spinetta's vocals. As others have stated, his voice is simply beautiful and full of emotion, and the album feels very... personal because of this. The long "o" vowels are standouts in how smooth they are. The exciting variety present in the tracks shows off Spinetta's compositional skills, especially in the supporting lines. They never feel too repetitive or droning and only add to the tone of each track, and I find the mix of bass and guitar in Bajan to be the epitome of this in the album. The solo guitar in Bajan is also notable with its complex rhythms. I wish I had more to say as I do love this album, but alas, my creative juices/general musical knowledge have run out.

Favorites: Todas la hojas son del viento; Supercheria; Bajan

I'll work on getting more in depth with my analysis as this goes on.

Edited September 2, 2015 by Ambling Falchion

[peener weener]

we should be kicking off with thoughts today

edit: just should mention i enjoyed reading what y'all wrote last week. we should keep this thing rolling.

Edited September 5, 2015 by fuccboi

[Phoenix Wright]

so, finally posting my quick thoughts.

artaud has beautiful instrumentation and emotion. it's a fantastic album. i wish i could understand the lyrics as they are.

i couldn't get into spiderland as much as i wanted. i'm not a fan of the vocal styles employed, and for me, if a song has vocals, they're extremely important to me. if there's a voiceless version out there, i like that one way better. the instrumentation is very good. post-rock has always been good with its syncopation.

[Disinnocence]

Yeah, I still did the same thing where I just listened to both of the albums the night before, so whatever. This (probably) won't happen again.

Also, something pretty much everyone else said, I enjoyed reading all your thoughts, as they give me a better perspective on the albums.

[spoiler=Some things I said about these albums]I'm gonna steal borrow the idea of emboldening my favorite track off each album.

Pianos Become The Teeth - Keep You

As I said before, Keep You represented a change in sound for the band. The first two albums were a lot more screamo influenced, while still retaining the post-rock sound. Keep You casts off basically all screaming (there's a little but during the middle of Say Nothing, but that's about it), and adopts a more mellow, quieter tone. The music is also noticeably more melodic and soft, due to the band branching more into the pock-rock sound. The feeling I get off this album is honesty. Every song, every lyric, and every note sounds honest and heartfelt. A lot of it probably comes from Kyle Durfey's very personal writing style, as all of PBtT's albums have been about personal affairs. The intensity of their first two albums may not be as prominent in Keep You, but the more precise and melodic sound makes this my favorite record by them. (On a side not: I wanted to do some analysis on the lyrics, but I'm not too good at interpretation, and I think the meanings of these songs are somewhat spelled out, despite still being vague and metaphorical.)

Highlights: Say Nothing, Ripple Water Shine, Old Jaw, Repine, The Queen (I guess all the songs off this one are great.)

To comment on the three bonus tracks; If you liked the album, I'd suggest checking them out, 895 and Arizona are really great. Dancing isn't bad, but it's probably my least favorite out of the three.

Lianne La Havas - Blood

I'm not 100% sure what genre this album is, taking influences from soul, to gospel, to jazz, and many more, but this album is groovy as fuck. The album itself is very upbeat and uplifting. The instrumentation is somewhat busy, but intriguing, and doesn't overcrowd the album. But the driving force of the album is Lianne's emotive and powerful (?) voice. The album definitely wouldn't be as good without her on vocals (kind of obvious, considering it is just her on this album). The lyrics on this album are also very personal and introspective. As I saw somewhere else, it's always nice to see a good pop album come out, because I'm usually not into this kind of music, but I might have to pick this one up. (Side note: Sorry I didn't say much about this album. I was running out of time to write stuff, and I'm not really familiar with this type of music, so, I didn't have too much to say on it. I really enjoy it though. I don't want to sound like I'm giving the other album more attention.)

Highlights: Green & Gold, Midnight, Unstoppable, Ghost (Again, every song is really good of this one.)

One more thing.

Do my thoughts sound too rambly? Like, I've never liked the way my thoughts flow, because they seem to just be very disjointed to me.

TL;DR: PBtT sound like Explosions in the Sky with vocals; Lianne La Havas is the female Prince (I don't know, I've just heard people describe her as that before). Both albums were 10/10.

Edited September 7, 2015 by Disinnocence

[DarthMikey]

[spoiler=Albums]I'm not very familiar with neo-soul; there's a bunch of classic soul/R&B that I like, but I've never ventured much into the genre's modern stuff, probably because I've been a little turned off by modern R&B singers like Usher and R. Kelly. Lianne La Havas's Blood was a very pleasant surprise in every way; pulsing with vitality, emotion, and pure musical power, it's the best proper introduction to neo-soul I feel I could have asked for. A lot of the album has a really "thick" sound to it; there's a bunch of facets shining here, with the pop melodies intertwining with hip-hop beats, EDM production techniques, folk tenderness and acoustic instrumentation, brassy jazz flourishes, and of course, Lianne's powerhouse voice lifting the whole thing to a completely different level, whether she's crooning softly or belting it out. There's a lot of good contrast, too, in the way the slow-burning acoustic tracks mix with the balls-out soul stompers. I'm a big fan of the album's sound in general; there's a lot of interesting instrumentation swirling around in the background on the bigger songs, and the atmosphere is great, kind of smoky and subdued but with a simmering passion always lurking beneath the surface, in true soul fashion. Overall I'd rate Blood very highly. An excellent album, with a lot of craftsmanship and care poured into it. Favorite songs: "Unstoppable," "Green and Gold," "Tokyo," "Midnight"

Pianos Become the Teeth were a little hard getting used to; they sounded like a band I've heard ages ago, but there's a certain something about their sound that kept me on my toes throughout the whole album. It kind of reminded me of Spiderland in that way; it wasn't as paranoid, and it didn't feel like it was about to collapse into a mess of noise any second (both feelings that album gave me), but some of the same musical ideas that gave that album its distinctive atmosphere were present here to my ears. I guess that's what files them both under post-rock, though in other ways they felt pretty different. Anyway, Keep You was a good record, full of personal, painful songs and pasted together with a very melancholy mood, only occasionally jumping forth with a sort of ragged energy in the way that most of the (i.e.; not much) post-hardcore I've heard does. The band was great, weepy guitar lines locking in with strong rhythms to put together some good arrangements. One problem I had is that some of the songs kind of melded together for me; the sound is very cohesive, but that also means that sometimes the group sounds the same during particularly quiet and loud sections of different tracks. On a similar point, there just aren't many great melodies here; the overall sound might be memorable, but the dense arrangements also create an issue where it's hard for one clear, strong melody to jump out at you. (Don't mean to bring up Spiderland again, but this is a problem I had with it, too, but didn't articulate a week ago.) Still, in spite of some flaws, the music remains focused and impactful throughout, and the band does stir some emotions in unexpected ways, almost sneaking up on you. It's good stuff, if not among my collection of absolute favorites. Favorite songs: "Repine," "The Queen"

Edited September 8, 2015 by TheCosmicDude

[Knight Falchion]

[spoiler=thoughts n' stuff]

Lianne La Havas- Blood

I think the first thing I should mention is that RnB/soul, modern or not, usually isn't my thing, but this album gripped me from the get-go. Unstoppable was a multi-layered powerhouse with beautiful melodies delivered by an equally beautiful voice, while Green and Gold followed up with a more upbeat rhythm and lighter instrumentation that was just as gripping as the opening. The album just continued to impress from there, and La Havas's vocals were definitely the highlight. The supporting instrumentation never devolved into simplicity either, still delivering some catchy and complex lines even in the slower songs.

Favorites: Unstoppable, Green and Gold, What You Don't Do

Pianos Become the Teeth- Keep You

This album is probably my second favorite out of the four thus far, following Artaud. The instrumentation is fantastic, especially in the drums- I feel like a lot of bands in this genre(and a lot of others, really) tend to focus too much on guitar, but PBtT nails both aspects imo. I haven't heard their previous work so I can't really comment on the transition from a screamo influence, but I will say that I really dig the vocals in this one, especially when he's singing lines that have a narrower range of pitches. There's just something about the way his voice flows in these lines that I just love. Speaking of flow, the transition between the first three songs is really smooth, and I always appreciate it when bands make that extra effort to improve the listening experience of the whole album.

Favorites: Ripple Water Shine, April, Lesions, Enamor Me, Traces

As for the bonus tracks, I would agree with Disinnocence's assessment and have nothing further to add.

Man, the emotion present in all these albums has been killer. In a good way, of course.

I'm gonna steal borrow the idea of emboldening my favorite track off each album.

Steal away! I'd be lying if I said reading your guys' thoughts didn't influence the ways I looked at the albums. Ngl this is my favorite thing about serenes right now.

Anyways, I have a recommendation:

[spoiler=Board of Whores- Board of Whores]The full album is on Spotify. introduction ripped verbatim from their website

"Atlanta based electronic punk rock band Board Of Whores was formed in 2010 by producer - musician Willis Corley. The initial arrangements were recorded on a 4-track with a 12-string acoustic in an attempt to break the common stale environments dictating artistic creation. Later that year, a collaboration was assembled with frontman Eddie Edwards to solicit the freshman sessions of the Mesopotamia EP produced at East Atlanta Recording Studios. The group reached about four generations deep in influences from Iggy Pop, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and T Rex with an infused syndicate over a new wave Gothic Appeal such as Joy Division, Sisters Of Mercy as well as Love and Rockets with glam hints of Ziggy Stardust. What came out was an electro equation that is a dark dance beneath a landscape of lush guitar and harmonic vocal lines which provoke a unique sonic element. Their self-titled, sophomore release Board of Whores arrived via JMD Distribution/INgrooves/Universal Music Group in January of 2012. To quote the artists, "Board Of Whores will be a collage of post modern culture composed on a bar nap.""

Edited September 7, 2015 by Ambling Falchion

[Dijon Mustard]

my #thoughts wherein i stay bad at talking about music when i talk about music

[spoiler=Pianos Become the Teeth - Keep You]Every day, somewhere in the world, a punk kid mellows out. It's tempting to think of this as "growing up," as if The Youth should have a monopoly on fiery passion and doing whatever they feel like doing. Of course, punks don't always mellow out by choice - some just get tired. Baltimore post-hardcore band Pianos Become the Teeth would have you think they exist in a permanent state of exhaustion. It's not pity they're after; they have too much pride for that. More crucially, they're too proud to ever disavow the punk spirit they embraced so fully as children. In case you don't believe them, they've taken the time on Keep You to detail all the emotional baggage weighing them down. On "Repine," singer Kyle Durfey chants, "Your wick won't burn away" enough times that you'll be just as convinced of its truth as he is. It's one of the few chant-able lines from a man who hails sadness as his muse. The freedom of post-hardcore/emocore allows him to chase this muse however he sees fit. Punk is a strictly-defined, fast-paced genre; ironically, Durfey's mind works too fast to fit neatly into a traditional punk song. A passing glance at a photograph will have him sending words quivering and careening towards an ultimate question. Standing by principles has left him wanting for answers, so he's going to need more time than a Sex Pistols song. The thought of a "drink at Otto's" leads to thoughts of mortality and loss on album-opener "Ripple Water Shine." A drink from a mug has the same effect on "April." He finally conjures up the energy to shout on "Say Nothing," a song that sees him embrace the sleep-is-the-cousin-of-death mentality only for the album to plod to a quiet end. Perhaps maturity isn't actually found in sadness, in focusing on the dark instead of the light, as he seems to think it is, just as it isn't found in turning a cold shoulder to youth. As long as Durfey dedicates his passion to tireless self-reflection, he's all the more likely to stumble upon a more satisfactory answer, like one of his melodies from nowhere. Writing about not finding what he's looking for is his specialty, anyway.

Favorite Tracks: Repine, Ripple Water Shine, Enamor Me

[spoiler=Lianne La Havas - Blood]This modern take on soul music is clean, polished, and snazzily produced. The formula can be boiled down to putting Lianne in varied situations and hoping she can meet the challenge. The potential for emulsion can be disregarded when she treats the music as a sort of launching pad. Polish isn't a bad thing; there's nothing to bicker with when Lianne belts it on "Unstoppable." The delicately plucked "Green & Gold" can't help but feel like a song-length segue to "What You Won't Do." Not only is the singing in the latter strong, but the lyrics are a genuinely clever bit of pop songwriting. With songs like this and "Grow," confidence is key. The more she pushes herself, the more satisfying the results. It's pure confidence meant to inspire confidence - again, a simple formula - as the album offers nothing diversionary outside of "Never Get Enough." With booming drums, distortion, and filtered vocals, it's the one sonically dominant song offered here. Otherwise, it's an album that puts its star front and center, on her own. When she decides against singing down to her environment in favor of transcending it, the result is something really infectious. Personally, I'd like her to develop a more cohesive sonic vision on future albums, one in which the tone of her voice feels more at home at its most intimate.
Favorite tracks: Unstoppable, What You Won't Do, Grow

Edited September 7, 2015 by Dijon Mustard

[peener weener]

i've listened to the albums a couple times the past week. i'll be posting my thoughts as soon as i get back home tomorrow!! #sorryforthewait

THIS (NEW) WEEK:

James Townes Earle - Midnight at the Movies (ThatCosmicDude)

Hiatus Kaiyote - Choose Your Weapon (Marusu)

Edited September 7, 2015 by fuccboi