Pop 'stache

This year in music has been one of change. Artists are branching out and trying something different. Some experience success in experimentation, and others flounder. After three years, the indie community’s favorite art-pop trio has brought forth its third studio album, Mosquito.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs has become known for its minimalistic, poetic verses coupled with complex and lush music. Mosquito is Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ experiment, and the band’s hypothesis is correct: the new synth-punk formula works just fine to quench the thirst of the band’s throngs of fans.

Singer Karen O’s philosophy has always been to “pull [the listener] by the collar,” and Mosquito‘s opening track “Sacrilege” wastes no time getting to the grabbing. A wave of sound baptizes the listener in watery distress while a gospel choir comes in to administer the baptism by fire.

“Subway” starts with an almost anxious quavering reminiscent of “M.A.P.S.,” but slowly, something more haunting manifests. Lyrics like, “I waited and I waited for the express train/Wanna catch up to you wherever you are,” leave an odd sense of being lost in a chase. It definitely sets the stage for something new.

The title track charges into the ear and rips it to shreds. Here’s where Yeah Yeah Yeahs really introduces its approach to this record.

It ought to go down in history as a hallmark synth-punk song, and requires attentive listening in order for the full effect to register. “Under The Earth” falsely leads the listener to believe that an It’s Blitz! track has appeared in this odd sea of the wildly new, and while it is a little more like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs sound listeners are used to, it has an edge that seems to be a darker shade of pink.

The trio has always focused on relationships—a study of irrational human behavior in its own way. While Yeah Yeah Yeahs usually channels a sleepy soft sound in these essays (listen back to “Hysteric” and “Little Shadow”), Mosquito‘s “Slave” illustrates the vivid grunge of intoxicatingly dangerous relationships with a sexy, energetic mantra: “You keep me keep me/Your slave, can I feed on your love?”

In “These Paths,” the notes travel up and down and back around, as if to conceptualize the lyrics. “These paths will cross again, again.” Throughout the album, and especially in this track, Karen O has pushed the boundaries on her vocal style, reaching for harsher ranges that still manage to create an ethereal image of the vocalist.

It may be underrated now, but hopefully  “Area 51” will one day be recognized for its brilliant, zany musicality. Yeah Yeah Yeahs launches up into outer space and the sound conjures an image that makes the listener feel as if they are on a planet from an old, Japanese-Monster movie. It’s evolution, not revolution, and this track seals the deal on Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ new sound.

“Buried Alive (Featuring Dr. Octagon)” continues with the rush of change by featuring a rap artist. It’s alright, but nothing more; it seems to push the envelope a bit too far. That is, until the rap ends and the song almost magically comes full circle. It brings a little art-pop into the mix of Mosquito‘s sleek, dark energy.

Featuring as few lyrics as humanly possible, “Always” and “Despair” deliver soothing assurances—highlighting Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ unique and phenomenal talent for minimalistic sound.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs knows how to end it all in a sweet, melancholic, and loving sort of way, as proven by the closing track, “Wedding Song.”  The acoustic version sounds even better if you get a chance to listen to the Deluxe Edition, but as is, “Wedding Song” lets the listener know that Yeah Yeah Yeahs might move forward, but won’t ask you to move too far and too fast for your own good.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Mosquito tracklist:

1. “Sacrilege”
2. “Subway”
3. “Mosquito”
4. “Under The Earth”
5. “Slave”
6. “These Paths”
7. “Area 52”
8. “Buried Alive (Featuring Dr. Octagon)”
9. “Always”
10. “Despair”
11. “Wedding Song”

Iron & Wine’s Ghost on Ghost slides in with a weird jam of whining guitars and organs, with odd beats strung around them—only for a cymbal crash to cut the section off and have “Caught in the Briars” come in with a that familiar Iron and Wine sound. No, it is not the fall-asleep-over-an-acoustic-guitar sound that made Iron & Wine rise to prominence, but the Simon and Garfunkel-like radio-pop with a full and talented band that it’s been dipping into since The Shepherd’s Dog.

Sam Beam, the man behind Iron & Wine, has been slowly expanding since his debut effort, The Creek Drank the Cradle, and Ghost on Ghost is another point of maturity in this movement.

The track “The Desert Babbler” brings out a nod to the matured music that inspires Beam, with “oooo”s and “ahhhh”s sitting dainty over his voice. It rides the line between Iron & Wine’s idiosyncrasies and radio-friendly pop tunes of the 1950s.

“Joy” is a great nugget among the rest of this album. Where the most recent Iron & Wine sound is filled to the brim, “Joy” comes back to the naked music that Beam started with.

Beam’s voice echoes within the “heartfelt, silly sort of bumbling tune,” as he puts it, but still, a warm glow of joy from the ease of his troubled mind translates well.

There are vocal phrases and instrument choices on Ghost on Ghost that come close to Sufjan Stevens’ work—namely the section where Beam sings, “And it all came down to you and I,” on  “Grace for Saints and Ramblers.” Though it’s not imitative of Stevens, it is in the same vein, with jingling bells and an electric piano riff that sits far from prominence, and fills out the section more than one might notice.

A soft, Hammond-like organ, brass raising tension, and 8-bit synth make their little introductions on “Grass Widows.” The quick entry and exit of these sounds exemplify the patience and attentiveness Beam has for small, golden moments in his music. Where his first album had airy samples and lo-fi shimmers of guitar, his latest work introduces a broader range of instrumentation that taps into this patience.

“Singers and the Endless Song” has stripped down verses that also exemplify Beam’s willingness to explore, with little sound but percussion and his tender vocals, which are capped with fluid piano lines and brass additions that add a fullness more fluid than obtrusive—a quality that Ghost on Ghost retains from end to end.

Even less obtrusive are tracks like “Sundown (Back to the Briars),” in which tranquil moments of cymbal rushes bleed into clunking xylophones that accent layers upon layers of Beam’s looping vocals. As if returning us back to the “Briars,” where the album started, string arrangements build and reach over the rest of the sound, like a soundtrack to returning home from a journey across an Iron & Wine soundscape.

“Winter Prayers” is another example of this, with moments that resonate with older Iron & Wine material. Beam’s acoustic strumming pulls the song along by the hand into colder places more quaint and calm than the rest of Ghost on Ghost.

While calmness and movements away from tension define most of the album, its best moment defies these qualities and comes halfway through “Lovers’ Revolution.” The drums take up pace, and a saxophone feud bursts out in colorful freedom.

Though the entire song is notable amidst the rest of Ghost on Ghost, this moment, along with other jazzy interjections that peep in on the beginnings and ends of some tracks, are the most compelling parts of the album.

Iron & Wine is not a project that people gravitate toward for the excitement, and for this the music often comes off as trite. Despite that, Beam’s impeccable lyricism and beautiful patience behind his guitar bring out a great feeling that a sea of other musicians with acoustic guitars will never be able to achieve.

Iron & Wine – Ghost on Ghost tracklist:

1. “Caught in the Briars”
2. “The Desert Babbler”
3. “Joy”
4. “Low Light Buddy of Mine”
5. “Grace for Saints and Ramblers”
6. “Grass Widows”
7. “Singers and the Endless Song”
8. “Sundown (Back in the Briars)”
9. “Winter Prayers”
10. “New Mexico’s No Breeze”
11. “Lovers’ Revolution”
12. “Baby Center Stage”

Kid Cudi breaks away from his Man On The Moon almost-trilogy with his third album, Indicud, released April 16. Cudi’s recent leave from Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Music label to focus on his own Wicked Awesome Records marks a bold step toward a higher volume of self-produced tracks. Indicud, fully produced by Cudi apart from “Red Eye” (co-produced by Hit-Boy), exemplifies the beginning of this respectable transition. Tracks “New York City Rage Fest” and “The Flight Of The Moon Man” exhibit Cudi’s production skills, abilities that likely override his rhyming game on Indicud.

Indicud is an especially long album—capping at 70 minutes—allowing plenty of time and space to show us what Cudi can do. Guests RZA, King Chip, A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar and Michael Bolton hint at a gold album, but even with 18 tracks to prove himself quality-tuned and progressive, Kid Cudi falls short.

Playing like a gloomy apocalyptic soundtrack, most of Indicud’s tracks seem to blend together into dark, low-toned, minor monotony. Opening track “The Resurrection of Scott Mescudi” is a dim intro, with beats almost nonexistent, setting listeners up for a far-from-uplifting album.

Too many of Indicud‘s tracks are bland, confined by mild flavors, hyper-subdued beats, and repetitive lyrical themes.

There’s nothing wrong with a minimalistic style, but when an album lacks the capacity to hook, so will it lack large-scale positive reception. Indicud is clearly an intentional stray from his catchier, dancier styles on Man On The Moon I and II, but the concern stems from its ambiguously drawn new direction.

Lyrically, Indicud declares not much more than a redundant delivery of Cudi’s mistrust in the world and fake former friends. Few tracks discuss deeper revelations or even the slightest bit of interesting thought. The one realization we can obtain from Indicud is just how deep Cudi’s struggles with sobriety go, as themes in this album frequently return to his need to smoke weed.

With verbal strength that is long overdue, on “Brothers (feat. King Chip and A$AP Rocky)” Cudi raps about hood camaraderie and appreciation for loyal friendship. With each guest hosting a verse on the topic, A$AP shines while Chip and Cudi follow close behind. Cudi’s concluding line, “The brothers that I never had made my life a lot less sad,” highlights a larger album theme in which Cudi increasingly differentiates between those worth his brotherhood and those most certainly not.

In “The Unfuckwittable,” he calmly sings about taking a higher path and seeking good over fake in the world, demonstrating clarity for Cudi both in production and lyrical content. The second single, “Immortal,” expresses his newfound sense of inner peace, while referencing his history of depression and lack of sustainable hope. These tracks are humbling among an album of heavy, ill-expressed pride.

“Just What I Am” is a refreshing dip out of Indicud’s pool of lonely sounds, honoring Cudi’s recognizable style with stimulating flow and high vocal energy.

Echoing beats backdrop nicely for Cudi’s ultra-slow motion dub production. Lyrics remain dark, as Cudi again outlines his struggles with quitting weed and dealing with the “troubled, scary” world we live in:  “Hm, when it rains it pours, whiskey bottles on the sinks and floors/Every day to find sane’s a chore, amidst a dream with no exit doors.”

Self-referential music should be valued; honesty is courageous and Cudi’s struggles and subsequent expressions certainly do warrant recognition. Maybe it’s time for Cudi to alleviate some of his public darkness though, before he loses relevancy and a patient fanbase to the more creative lyrics of one of many hip hop artists reaching for fame today.

Kid Cudi – Indicud tracklist:

1. “The Resurrection Of Scott Mescudi”
2. “Unfuckwittable”
3. “Just What I Am (feat. King Chip)”
4. “Young Lady (feat. Father John Misty)”
5. “King Wizard”
6. “Immortal”
7. “Solo Dolo Part II (feat. Kendrick Lamar)”
8. “Girls (feat. Too Short)”
9. “New York City Rage Fest”
10. “Red Eye (feat. Haim)”
11. “Mad Solar”
12. “Beez (feat. RZA)”
13. “Brothers (feat. King Chip & A$AP Rocky)”
14. “Burn Baby Burn”
15. “Lord Of The Sad And Lonely”
16. “Cold Blooded”
17. “Afterwards (Bring Yo Friends) (feat. Michael Bolton & King Chip)”
18. “The Flight Of The Moon Man”

The Young Empires’ debut EP, Wake All My Youth, celebrates the exuberance of youth with a dance-pop flair that affirms these Toronto lads’ faith in the power of the beat.

Guitars shimmer, beats pulsate, and Euro-house synthesizers glide through the mix. All of it grooves; none of it falters by the trio’s ambitions. After all, it is the forebearer of its own genre, haute rock, which singer Matthew Vlahovich explains is the “sound of a cosmopolitan experience.”

It’s really a sound that resonates from the clubs of Europe to the fashion runways of Paris. It’s not a soundtrack of the privileged; it’s fit for consumption on all levels. It’s carefree and beguiling stuff from a band whose members approach 30.

Most of the songs on Wake All My Youth are familiar to Canadian fans, as the original has circulated in the Great White North for a few years. On this second go-round, the band expands its compositions with a heavy dollop of synthesizers for a cleaner pop sheen.

Big choruses rule the roost, however, as these Canucks display the sensibilities forged by their forefathers like New Order and Violator-era Depeche Mode. The songs are wrapped up in the band’s romantic investment in the vitality of youth and the sense of optimism afforded to those less jaded souls.

On the opener, “Rain of Gold,” a distant flute ushers in a flood of African percussion and synth before the track mutates to an anthem of sorts for Vlahovich, who calls out: “Echo, echo/when you call my heart/when you call my love/when you call my youth.”

Drummer Taylor Hill packs a percussive wallop on the new EP, enhancing the melodies of his band mates in the rapid boil of “Enter Through the Sun” and the urgency of “We Don’t Sleep Tonight.”

The middle track, “Beaches,” is like a soundtrack to a Caribbean sunset as it drips with lustful intentions before a rush of guitars and percussion breaks free. The band invokes some Pet Shop Boys-esque synth-pop on the reflective “Earth Plates Are Shifting.”

This may be nitpicking, but sometimes the band tinkers and noodles with the knobs of the mixing board a bit too much. The two remixed tracks that close the collection lean toward self-indulgence. On the new release, the synthesizers step forward on “White Doves,” slightly varying the bristling guitar and crackling beats that make the original such a joy.

Still, when Vlahovich implores, “In the sun, when you’re young/you find a way back home,” he’s making it clear the band’s home is on the dance floor and that all are invited to join him.

Young Empires – Wake All My Youth (Worldwide Release) Tracklist:

1. “Rain Of Gold”
2. “Enter Through The Sun”
3. “White Doves”
4. “We Don’t Sleep Tonight”
5. “Beaches”
6. “Earth Plates Are Shifting”
7. “White Doves (Natural Animal Remix)”
8. “We Don’t Sleep Tonight (ColeCo Remix)”

Chicagoland native Fall Out Boy returned to the spotlight this month with its fifth studio album, Save Rock And Roll, released on April 16 via Islands. A surprise to fans and critics across the world, Fall Out Boy decided to record the album in secret which, according to its website upon release, allowed for the production of new music under minimal supervision and nonexistent expectations.

The members note their intentions to make music for themselves and nobody else. After a nearly five year gap since the group’s last release, we can say to that decision: Fair enough, Fall Out Boy.

And the results? An adaptation toward this decade’s new style of hyper-collaborative pop music, a definite transformation of energy with each of the album’s 11 tracks. FOB declares together that this album is “meant to be played loud, with the windows down on summer nights.”

Save Rock And Roll indulges a large generation of nostalgic, moshing, 20-something mega-fans hoping to scream along with catchy beats and sovereign statements.

There might not be anything on the album as catchy as Infinity On High’s “This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race,” but “Young Volcanoes” certainly makes a great runner up. “Just One Yesterday” is possibly the closest track to saving rock and roll on the album, hosting sublime, punch-driving bass rhythms and sexy, Evanescence-esque vocals. These songs as Fall Out Boy’s transitory vehicles are familiar enough to grasp and fresh enough to stick.

“The Phoenix” opens the album with a hard-hitting, ambitious sound. Words hint at change and revelatory sentiments. Lyrical self-reference carries over from previous albums: “So we can take the world back from a heart attack” implies a personal role in rock and roll’s salvation.

“My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)” follows suit as the album’s grand anthem single, as does the t(w)een pop jam “Alone Together.” These flirty and self-righteous pop melodies are fit to ruffle the skirts of another generation of young romantics.

Fall Out Boy explores a far less emo production style on Save Rock And Roll, disposing of the full-belted vocal tags from past signature hits “Sugar We’re Goin Down,” “Dance Dance,” and “Dead On Arrival.” Instead, we see an inclination toward gentler pop anthems and multi-genre conditions.

A versatile lineup of guests heightens the album’s relevance in a pop generation that seems increasingly interested in off-beat collaborations.

Elton John, Courtney Love, Foxes, and Big Sean each add their vocals to Save Rock And Roll. The oddly diverse cameo roster and a brief morph into dubstep on “Death Valley” project a bit of Fall Out Boy’s soul/sound searching attitude.

Perhaps referencing hip hop, folk, and dubstep is a tip-off to the band’s appreciation of contemporary pop music as it exists since the mid-2000s, or maybe it’s an older band’s sheer strive for relevance in a space that might not have room for emo anymore. Either way, it’s hard to avoid the slight smell of desperation while wondering what the next track will have in store.

Fall Out Boy –  Save Rock And Roll  tracklist:

1. “The Phoenix”
2. “My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)”
3. “Alone Together”
4. “Where Did The Party Go”
5. “Just One Yesterday (feat. Foxes)”
6. “The Mighty Fall (feat. Big Sean)”
7. “Miss Missing You”
8. “Death Valley”
9. “Young Volcanoes”
10. “Rat A Tat (feat. Courtney Love)”
11. “Save Rock And Roll (feat. Elton John)”

The Dear Hunter formed in the early half of the 2000s in Providence, Rhode Island. It was initially a side project of Casey Crescenzo (originally of The Receiving End of Sirens), but quickly grew into a primary focus. The band’s first three albums were written with a story in mind, involving the birth, life, and death of a boy called “The Dear Hunter.”

While the band has seen many members throughout its decade-long career, the current lineup consists solely of Casey Crescenzo and his brother, Nick. Their newest album, Migrant, is the band’s first attempt at releasing an album without a concept. The resulting work fluctuates between raw honesty and overcompensation.

The opener, “Bring You Down,” enters with a dense string chord, then relaxes into a slow piano ballad. Crescenzo’s vocals are quiet and reflective: “He took me by surprise/a stranger in my eager eyes.” The chorus is a medley of horns, drums, and the   lyrics, “Don’t let me bring you down!” The song ends with a trembling piano line. It’s a well constructed opener, reminiscent of Sufjan Stevens and Mumford & Sons.

Track two, “Whisper,” is a driven, determined tune. The drums are more present, heavy on the kick and snare. The vocals are at the forefront once again, delicate during the verses and powerful at the chorus as Crescenzo sings, “I think we’ve all made our greatest mistakes, and it’s time to let go.”

“Whisper” is a good follow up to the opener, fluctuating between folk and rock. The lyrics are well written and imbued with honesty. However, the first four tracks of the album are so similar as to be nearly indistinguishable.

The album finally explores new sounds and textures at track seven, “Girl.” The guitars are angsty, the drums crunchy. The exuberant, speaker-filling harmonies are traded in for more vulnerable and solitary vocals. The guitar breaks are sexy and smooth, and work well to shift attention from the vocals. “Girl” stands out as something special on an album with a predictable formula.

With its exposed songwriting,  “This Vicious Place” is anther stand out track. The piano is light and contemplative and the drums are passive and relaxed, meant to keep time and not take the spotlight. The lyrics are mournful: “I would give it all away for one last chance to speak to you, lover,”  Crescenzo sings. The song ends with a guitar solo that shifts key every other bar, making this one of the strongest tracks on the album.

The closer, “Don’t Look Back,” is another lyric-centered track. Drowned out guitars wail in the background as the piano line dances above them. There’s a nice key change at the chorus, giving the track a hopeful edge. Crescenzo sings, “She was only doing what she thought was best.” The song fades out with the lyrics, “Don’t look back, don’t look back.” It’s a dark, mysterious, and moving closer.

The Dear Hunter’s Migrant is a well-constructed album. It creates a full sound with a limited number of instruments. The music and lyrics are honest and straightforward, making this a powerful piece of work.

However, the songwriting is predictable, redundant, and eventually loses its edge. As a result, the music comes off as overly dramatic at times, layering vocals and guitars and violins in hopes of creating something that isn’t there. The album is at its best when it’s most simple, when there is one vocal line, one piano line, and a few violin flourishes.

At its core, this music is meant to be vulnerable, and it accomplishes this goal only when it doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not.

The Dear Hunter – Migrant tracklist:

1. “Bring You Down”
2. “Whisper”
3. “Shame”
4. “An Escape”
5. “Shouting at the Rain”
6. “The Kiss of Life”
7. “Girl”
8. “Cycles”
9. “Sweet Naivete”
10. “Let Go”
11. “This Vicious Place”
12. “Don’t Look Back”

One day, Kansas City will not only be well-known for its barbecue, its irrational number of fountains, its seemingly infinite number of cows, or as Paris of the Plains, but also as the hometown of The Grisly Hand.

With a strong Midwest following, The Grisly Hand has a polished sound that is a quirky blend of folk and country. It doesn’t take much for these guys to win over a crowd; the combination of lead singer Lauren Krum’s sweet crooning and stage presence, the relatable stories told through the lyrics, and that contagious beat scores a bullseye time after time.

On April 26, The Grisly Hand presents its first full-length CD, Country Singles, a conglomeration of blue grass, country, folk, Americana, and maybe even a splash of two-stepping. That lovable, toe-tapping, blast-through-your-car-speakers-on-a-warm-day Grisly grit is back with even more twang, soul, and steel guitar than before.

Fans who have patiently awaited new material from The Grisly Hand (it’s been more than a year since the band released any tracks), will be nothing short of tickled with Country Singles. The group released the first single, “If You Say So,” a few weeks ago to whet the appetite of its loyal listeners. The song has a familiar percussion-heavy sound that will bring fans right back to where Grisly Hand left off with Safe House and Western Ave.

What makes Country Singles so powerful and dynamic is the balance of slow ballads and songs with quick tempos and lots of energy.

Tracks like “Municipal Farm Blues” and “Rude Gambler” will get listeners on their feet, whereas the more somber songs such as “Amusia” and “Coup de Coeur” highlight the versatility and maturity of the band’s skill set.

An album favorite is the quick-witted “(If You’re Leavin’) Take The Trash Out (When You Go),” with a playful cat-and-mouse-like game between Krum and guitarist/vocalist Jimmy Fitzner. When Krum sings “If you’re leaving take the trash out when you go…” and Fitzner returns with, “I left last night, and I took the trash out when I went.”

These genre-defying country singles will appeal to more than just cowboys and truckers. Anyone with an appreciation for Americana or even a predisposition to break out into a dance can latch onto the wildfire these Grislys are about to spread.

The Grisly Hand – Country Singles Tracklisting:

1. “Coal & Black”
2. “Phineas Gage”
3. “If You Say So”
4. “Municipal Farm Blues”
5. “Amusia”
6. “Blind Horse”
7. “That’s Not Affection”
8. “(If You’re Leavin’) Take The Trash Out (When You Go)”
9. “Coup de Coeur”
10. “Rude Gambler”
11. “Any Other Way”
12. “Country Singles”

Dawes records drip with a comfortableness and easy feeling of a Jackson Browne or Crosby, Stills, and Nash record — no doubt lessons learned on the road opening for such acts as Browne, Alison Krauss, and Bob Dylan.

“I need a cold beer from a dressing room/I need a string of dates back out/I think there are a few of us/That still belong out on the road,” guitarist and vocalist Taylor Goldsmith sings on “From the Right Angle,” a catchy ditty pleading for a lover to stick around.

The Los Angeles-based band’s third studio album, Stories Don’t End, continues on the same path of its 1970s, Laurel Canyon-influenced predecessors, the punchier Nothing is Wrong (2011) and the subtle North Hills (2009).

The self-aware quartet aims to add some distance from the 1970s folk-rock comparisons that follow at every pass. The solution? Record 2,300 miles from home in Asheville, North Carolina, nestled between the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains, with new producer Jacquire King.

The musical advances are slight even with a multiple Grammy-award winner (Kings of Leon and Buddy Guy) behind the mixing console. That’s not a bad thing, as the band still succumbs to the spell of sturdy guitar riffs supported by pianos, organs, and three-part harmonies.

On songs like “Hey Lover,” Goldsmith croons about pick-up trucks and raising a family. “Just Like My Luck” is a confessional beauty that expertly avoids any sentimentally. Robbie Robertson might even admire the guitar picking and subsequent solo on “From a Window Seat.”

The music frames itself around slice of life lyrics that Goldsmith unwinds during the album’s 12 songs. On the aforementioned “Hey Lover,” Goldsmith drops this gem: “But I want to raise with you and watch our younglings hatch/Fucking make the first letters of their first names match.” He takes a more urgent tone as he gently invites a potential amour to offer him a chance on “Someone Will.”

So, yes, Dawes plays too nice and works according to one playbook, but it’s a winning one. There’ll be time to explore the vast rock landscape next time around.

Dawes – Stories Don’t End Tracklist:

1. “Just Beneath the Surface”
2. “From a Window Seat”
3. “Just My Luck”
4. “Someone Will”
5. “Most People”
6. “Something in Common”
7. “Hey Lover”
8. “Bear Witness”
9. “Stories Don’t End”
10. “From The Right Angle”
11. “Side Effects”
12. “Just Beneath The Surface (Reprise)”

Villagers frontman Conor O’Brien writes cinematically and squeezes a great deal of drama into his dark and vivid lyrics.

“Naked on the toilet with a toothbrush in his mouth/when he suddenly acquired an overwhelming sense of doubt,” O’Brien begins on “Earthly Pleasure” before launching into a four-minute time traveling tale of murder, the devil, and a goddess sipping ginger tea. The music crescendos as guitars ride in tandem with a galloping drum rhythm, strings, and synthesizers.

The song is indicative of the sonic adventure that is {Awayland}, O’Brien’s follow-up to Villagers’ 2010 somber and accomplished debut, Becoming a Jackal.

With {Awayland}, O’Brien’s lithe voice wraps itself around narratives brimming with big ideas. “Nothing Arrived” is an atheist delight as the Dublin native sings, “I waited for something, but something died/so I waited for nothing, and nothing arrived.”

O’Brien graduated with an English literature degree and he draws from writers like Carl Sagan and Kurt Vonnegut into his songs, which depict tragic comedies. The album unfolds from the perspective of a character similar to Slaughterhouse-Five’s Billy Pilgrim, an innocent man living in an amoral world, O’Brien said in an interview.

Toward the end of the album, O’Brien tackles the evolution of human intelligence with references to Burj Khalifa and sequoia trees on “Passing a Message.” The song, which seemingly speaks to the uneasy existence between nature and man’s need to develop, is full of O’Brien’s lyrical ambition (“Honeybee to atrophy/I guess I’m losing my trail here/but it takes loss to be free”) matched by music that builds to a climactic groove.

To O’Brien’s credit, {Awayland} works because he never overreaches to let his songwriting and arrangements shine. Think of the album as an ongoing invitation to fully immerse yourself into his eccentric world.

Villagers – {Awayland} Tracklist:

1. “My Lighthouse”
2. “Earthly Pleasure”
3. “The Waves”
4. “Judgement Call”
5. “Nothing Arrived”
6. “The Bell”
7. “{Awayland}”
8. “Passing a Message”
9. “Grateful Song”
10. “In a Newfound Land You Are Free”
11. “Rhythm Composer”

American Wolf can best be described as an experimental ambient electronic indie dream rock group. This title reflects the confusingly diverse array of sounds the five members create and call music.

Myriad may be so titled because it brings a myriad of thoughts and feelings to the listener. American Wolf has been described as “intellectual,” which sounds suspiciously like a pompous way of describing something that’s experimental simply for the sake of being experimental. In any event, first impressions, no matter how shallow, are not turning out great for American Wolf.

“Dark Matter” enters in with, well, darkness. Electronic tones, fuzzy vocals, heavy bass lines, and incessant guitar solos come across as checkered and jaded, with a dash of trying-too-hard.

American Wolf is going for a space theme, trying to appeal to the listener’s sense of insignificance when reflecting on the immensity of the universe, but creating grandiose tracks is not the most effective way to nurse an exploratory atmosphere.

The  chewy center of the album delivers a little bit of sunshine in the darkness, though.  “Skin Tight” and “Open Me” are pleasant tracks that would make for a good distraction on a rainy day.  The former is a peaceful, soulful lullaby that would fit seamlessly in a movie soundtrack, while the latter has a repetitive electone rhythm that could be featured on a “myriad” (see what I did there?) of video game soundtracks.

The whole album seems like a soundtrack for another art medium, rather than an atmospheric record constructed for a small indie following. It crafts mental landscapes, rather than telling the listener anything. It has its place somewhere, but it doesn’t stand on its own.

“The Secret to Passing Through” reveals just how monotonous and uncreative the vocals really are. They seem to blend together into a bland protein shake made of the same patterns, chords, and tones that any “mom-on-the-go” drinks every morning. If this track reveals the lack of creativity, though, “Letting You Out” reveals just how inventive American Wolf is with its instruments.

This is where the group succeeds in connecting to the listener. The diversity of sounds underneath are phenomenal and showcase the talent of the band. At least there’s an overall theme. Many artists struggle with finding the balance of keeping a core sound, while keeping the whole album interesting. American Wolf may be young in its career, but it shows promise.

Of course, no review could be complete without mentioning the album’s namesake track, “Myriad.” It follows the same pattern that most of the tracks use. At this point, it’s tired.

Myriad is a stewpot, to say the least. While becoming tired quickly, the album is full of different instrumental elements that entice the listener with their hooks. Yet, they lose their charm once they hit the four minute point.

It’s a flawed album, but a worthwhile soundtrack in a way. To be fair, there are a “myriad” (I can’t stop myself) of soundtracks that register with people on a deep emotional level, but we must consider the purpose of the tool. A soundtrack supports a main idea: a movie, a video game, etc. An album ought to stand by itself. American Wolf shows promise in its apparent knowledge of music theory and instrumental practice, but needs to reconsider the way it gets its sound to the listener.

American Wolf- Myriad tracklist:

1. “Dark Matter”
2. “Mahrz”
3. “Skin Tight”
4. “Open Me”
5. “Mother”
6. “The Secret to Passing Through”
7. “Phenomenon”
8. “Letting You Out”
9. “Myriad”

Justin Vernon is nothing if not an aggressively safe songwriter. His more adventurous meanderings in indie rock with Volcano Choir and Gayngs aside, Vernon’s myriad projects all find him blending into the necessary stylistic surroundings required to garner favor in such genres.

Some work better than others: his impressionistic indie-rock on Bon Iver beats the just too Ryan Adams-y alt-country of DeYarmond Edison. Just so, his new “supergroup” The Shouting Matches plunges Vernon into blues-rock, coming up for air only to show off Grownass Man’s profound competency, if nothing close to revelatory genre experimentation.

Perhaps the reason Vernon gets so religiously praised in corners of the indie world is because of his wide competency in various genres. For fans unfamiliar with traditional blues-rock fare outside the watered-down hokum of Kings of Leon, Grownass Man will feel vital, a piece of retro statement-making with each twist down the American rock highway.

Vernon and company, Phil Cook and Brian Moen, grind down their vocals to a tin can and explode standout “Heaven Knows” with screaming harmonica and waves of heavy guitar reminiscent of Led Zeppelin or vintage Black Crowes.

Much of the record flows on these giant blues touchstone bands, veering onto the lighter side of the tracks to find a lovely, consistent guitar rhythm on the more accessible “Seven Sisters” or “I’ll Be True.”

Fans who only know Vernon from Bon Iver will find his delivery almost diametrically opposed to his more famous project’s vox; instead of remaining high in his falsetto (which honestly might have been a fascinating choice for Grownass Man), Vernon wanders back to the Marc Cohn-style R&B croon that made some of DeYarmond Edison’s albums so interesting. Taken together, Grownass Man hits immediate pleasure centers—the album’s closer, “I Need a Change,” is as soulful as you might hear an indie-rocker get.

Sad, then, that The Shouting Matches seem perfectly content to handle the blues-rock genre with encyclopedic competency and not push the envelope at all.

None of the songs on the record are in any way misfires, yet the album feels hollow of artistic intent or purpose.

For a record with such fantastic guitar tone as Grownass Man’s, as the instrumental “Milkman” bears out forcefully, looking back at it feels like surveying a landscape of missed opportunity. Perhaps some of this is intentional—arriving with little fanfare save for an immediate invitation to Coachella, The Shouting Matches don’t dictate themselves as anything other than a side project. Which, sadly, makes Grownass Man more or a lark than an album.

With the reinvigoration of R&B and soul into the hip-hop formula, blues-rock seems primed to find its way back into the lexicon of some of the more important (and consistent) indie-rock bands of the day. Justin Vernon, as Bon Iver, certainly fits this description. But The Shouting Matches, and Grownass Man, feels like a door opener for Bon Iver descendants to discover the healing power of a soulful voice and a passionately played guitar.

But the songs here feel like genre workouts primed to take off to an unseen place, only to fade out prematurely. For those few minutes, songs like “Seven Sisters” and “Avery Hill” take over. They are perfectly enjoyable blues-rock derivations played by Justin Vernon and friends. If used as a jumping off point, or simply as back porch beer drinking music, Grownass Man succeeds in almost every facet.

In terms of variations on the theme, or a concerted effort to move the genre forward à la Bon Iver, Bon Iver, Vernon seems not to care.

The Shouting Matches – Grownass Man Tracklist

1. “Avery Hill”
2. “Gallup, NM”
3. “Heaven Knows”
4. “Mother When?”
5. “Seven Sisters”
6. “Milkman”
7. “New Theme”
8. “Three Dollar Bill”
9. “I’ll Be True”
10. “I Need a Change”