Pop 'stache

Don’t call it a comeback—but after a three-year hiatus, Kaiser Chiefs may just be onto something. After nearly drowning in their pander to the pop charts Yours Truly, Angry Mob and the mixed reception of Off With Their Heads, they’ve re-emerged with a sound more radical than most may have guessed. That said, it’s an album that remains chart-worthy, but packs an underhanded punch and might put them in the eternal vein of Britain’s modern airwaves with bands like Radiohead, Coldplay and Arctic Monkeys, where Blur and Oasis left off. The argument is called The Future Is Medieval.

It’s possible, if they had just kept the momentum from their first album, Kaiser Chiefs could have survived on one hit, “na na na na” sing-along kind of popularity alone—they continue to fill festivals for that reason. The riot predictors invaded our ears with worms like “Ruby,” which stuck and stuck and stuck with you. Now, discontent to imitate, they’ve pushed their pop wave, running a cool, blue gauntlet of sounds with The Future is Medieval. The difference is immediately apparent on single “Little Shocks,” a dark little stroll, where lead Ricky Wilson incants, “I wish I could give you undivided attention every minute, every day but I can’t.”

The band originally released The Future is Medieval as “Create Your Album”: fans visiting the band’s website are presented with 20 songs and a clever apparatus to pick the ten they liked most, select some artwork and download the album. As if that wasn’t enough, anytime someone downloaded your signature mix of Chiefdom, you receive a pound. The innovative approach has seen a decent amount of success—it’s one weakness being fluidity—each listener can come away with a radically different experience of the album. And how many actually paid for all 20? For this reason and others the band released an “official tracklisting” of 10 songs on June 15th, a fairly safe compilation of the whole.

Kaiser Chiefs has always been a sound grounded in the late 1970s, now they’re taking a slightly different look at the era. Instead of their famous brand of Punkish New Wave, they’re tackling Bowie-esque sentiments (check the peculiar namesake and elastic synthesizer on “Man on Mars”) and what might even be a nod to Pink Floyd’s Echoes era.

The Future Is Medieval is rife with funk and head-bopping pop, which is nothing fans haven’t come to love them for, but rather than innovate from the fringe the Chiefs chose to do it from the core. With their relevance steadily waning from their debut in 2004, they don’t have much of a choice but to adapt.

They didn’t leave behind catchy choruses, just branched into a healthy diversity of styles, “Child of the Jago,” is a hard-swinging ballad, while “Things Change” packs off-kilter groove and smacks of LCD Soundsystem. Time will tell if a change in sounds will restore the Kaisers to the throne. It might be that the band is best understood live. The physical energy, charisma and onstage antics are more indicative of its power. Assuming their next few gigs showcase The Future Is Medieval with a bit of the old guns, this summer’s festival circuit for Kaiser Chiefs will be a frivolous one.

Kaiser Chiefs – The Future is Medieval Tracklist:

1. “Little Shocks”
2. “Things Change”
3. “Long Way From Celebrating”
4. “Starts With Nothing”
5. “Out Of Focus”
6. “Dead Or In Serious Trouble”
7. “When All Is Quiet”
8. “Kinda Girl You Are”
9. “Man On Mars”
10. “Child Of The Jago”
11. “Heard It Break”
12. “Coming Up For Air”
13. “If You Will Have Me”

“Welcome to the CD,” Eminem deadpans on Bad Meets Evil’s first album. That short phrase says so much more; in a rap world at the mercy of Odd Future’s gnarled hands, Eminem feels like as much of a bygone format as the compact disc.

Marshall Bruce Mathers III recognizes this, having spent recent years spitting to convince each listener why he sold 10 million of those in the first place. For him, this includes exhuming the insanity of his pre-fame work. Bad Meets Evil is the sick kid Double Dutch with Detroit blue-collar rhymesayer Royce da 5’9″. It’s not their first release: “Nuttin’ to Do/Scary Movies,” the duo’s awesomely flippant street single, came out when Eminem was the shock rapper du jour.

Things have changed. They beefed for a few years, Royce struggled to attain the near-pop status he bid for with 2002’s Rock City, and Eminem got super-sized on pills and McDonald’s, resembling Elvis a little too closely. In 2011, Hell: The Sequel is an event for only the most faithful Stans. The so-called EP is closer to an album at nine songs (add two and make it a meal for the now-requisite deluxe edition), with the feel of Eminem’s extracurricular work where he’s free from making his next all-eyes-on-me statement—think 2006’s new product showcase The Re-Up or D12’s quirky second album, D12 World.

For better or worse, Hell: The Sequel continues Em’s recent dedication to both breathless lyrical flips (better) and putting faceless singers on limp-dick hooks crafted to lure the junior high crowd (worse). Still, the fact that pull-yourself-up crossover cheese is limited to one surprisingly deece song (the Bruno Mars-assisted “Lighters”) is everyone’s victory.

Here both rappers are more heinous than ever, and that’s saying something after Relapse‘s bloodthirsty blur of fantasy and reality. Hell is a ‘roided monster ready to max out: Em and Royce have never been more disgusting than on “A Kiss,” which could make the most depraved sex addict blink, and never more bugged- (drugged)-out than on “I’m On Everything,” where the perpetually flustered Mike Epps lists intoxicants for a rap equivalent of Queens of the Stone Age’s “Feel Good Hit of the Summer.”

Eminem’s the selling point—always has been—but what of Royce’s contributions? “I remember signing my first deal/Now I’m the second best, I can deal with that” is a rare touching moment in the middle of “Lighters,” whose radio cheese still can’t mask the genuine frustration of a thirtysomething man still considered a sidekick. He’s mad-dog hungry on “Welcome 2 Hell” and “Above the Law,” but elsewhere he lags with a zombified auto-rap (no-brow humor like “A chick wanted a hug/She was fat/I gave her dap, then I told her to scat” doesn’t exactly warrant an excited cadence, either).

Despite a fierce start, Hell runs out of fire quickly. Pointless posse cut “Loud Noises” (yes, there’s the Anchorman sample) is nothing but, with Slaughterhouse—Royce’s group including Crooked I, a rapper who has achieved the feat of being signed to both Death Row and Virgin Records and remaining a nobody—showing up to redefine the word “unremarkable.”

Nothing on Hell: The Sequel approaches the heathen chemistry of Bad Meets Evil’s older songs; it largely sounds like the two could have recorded their verses separately, an exception being the agile tag-team spelling bee in “I’m On Everything.” Every faggot, fuck and fellatio sounds forced, right down to Eminem’s new penchant for meticulously set up puns (your reaction to the oral sex/decapitation ultimatum preceding “if you don’t give me head, then I’m-a have to take it!” will be a familiar one by the end).

Eminem only produces one song here, leaving the dirty work to mainstays like Havoc and Mr. Porter. The surging grit of “Fast Lane” is ample red carpet for both performers’ fast-tongued raps, and Sly Jordan’s vocals on the refrain set him up as a worthy heir to Nate Dogg’s velvet throne. But musically, Hell is boring as hell. There’s no kooky first single for relief, just overcast horror movie imitations with all the excitement of a weekday Kmart visit (oh yeah, Eminem raps about that, too).

It’s all a big drag when it shouldn’t be, an unfortunate part of the late ’90s nostalgia wave (think Limp Bizkit’s upcoming Gold Cobra or the current Backstreet Boys tour). Things ain’t like they used to be for either Eminem or Royce, with both rappers long past their prime. A decade ago, this could have been a respectable Marshall Mathers LP victory lap; today, the formulaic evil on Hell: The Sequel just sounds bad.

Bad Meets Evil – Hell: The Sequel Tracklist:

1. “Welcome 2 Hell”
2. “Fast Lane”
3. “The Reunion”
4. “Above The Law”
5. “I’m On Everything”
6. “A Kiss”
7. “Lighters”
8. “Take From Me”
9. “Loud Noises”
10. “Living Proof” (Bonus)
11. “Echo” (Bonus)

It’s been just more than a year since Northwest Indiana/Chicago, Ill.-based Grown Ups released its debut full-length, More Songs. The LP proved the band’s debut EP Songs was no fluke, and that Grown Ups’ pop-punk leanings allowed it to stand out from the rest of the current neo-emo bands. Its latest release, and first for Doghouse Records, is Hand Holder—a four-song EP that sees Grown Ups blur the line between uptempo punk and noodle-y emo.

Hand Holder opens with “Wig Wham,” a song that wouldn’t have felt out of place on More Songs. The track is anything but formulaic, transitioning quickly between staccato verses and sing-along choruses seamlessly. When it slows down midway through, it displays why the band has found a home alongside other emo-revivalists.

Although Grown Ups underwent a lineup change prior to Hand Holder’s recording—bassist Andy Tokarski has been replaced by Kyle Wolak—the group has reached new peaks in songwriting. The bass lines are more pronounced than on earlier work, and the already impressive drumming courtesy Jacob Bonham is more dynamic when implementing different styles.

What hasn’t changed is the intricate interplay between guitarists Adam Sheets and Doyle Martin. Grown Ups’ guitar work is not only technically proficient, but it also shifts dramatically in each song. In doing so, guitar leads become as infectious as the song’s chorus, something seen on the highly accessible “Couch-King.”

It would be easy to write Hand Holder off as more of the same from Grown Ups, but the improved sound quality of the recording brings out subtleties that show the band is heading down new avenues.

Immediately noticeable is the fact that Martin’s vocals are significantly smoother than on Grown Ups’ previous releases. This change is off-putting at first, as it makes the songs appear far too polished. On “Well Water,” Hand Holder’s final track, Martin trades in his vulnerable yelp to approach the song in subdued manner. In doing so, it allows for Wolak’s harmonies to complement Martin and inject a rawer energy into the song. Wolak also makes an impact on “Wildlife,” where the group’s dual vocals see his snottier style cut through and inject a refreshing new take on the group’s sound.

In addition to Martin’s shift in vocal style, Hand Holder sees a change in lyrical content. Each of the four tracks are still introspective and personal, but they seem to focus on Martin’s fear of stagnation. “Couch-King” basks in the negativity—“I was king of the couch/I reigned for 28 days/Building mountains of clothes/Making pillars of plates”—while “Wigwam” questions why one would stay still in the first place, “What good is life if it won’t change/ So why wait?”

If Hand Holder has an overall theme, it’s progression. Grown Ups consciously works to be catchier, faster, more technical and more mature than ever. It’s easy to say the band’s “growing up,” but that’s too easy. The band’s not content being a one-trick pony, and Hand Holder sees the band approach the future by putting its best foot forward.

Grown Ups – Hand Holder Tracklist:

1. “Wig Wham”
2. “Wildlife”
3. “Couch-King”
4. “Well Water”

There is no shortage of intensity and imagination in uneXpect’s newest album release, Fables of the Sleepless Empire. In many respects the phrase “avant-garde” gets thrown around when a band has that certain “I don’t know what.”  What uneXpect brings to the table is a combination of a melodic symphony, metal guitar riffs and a scary vocal set befitting only of a Halloween party for ghouls older than 21.

As metal acts were pouring out to the masses in the mid-’90s, uneXpect came to the table with a shtick not yet thought of in the states. Hailing from Montreal and touting a seven-person line up, their grasp into the world of intellectual obscurity is without limits.  The vocal grouping of syriaK, Artagoth and Leïlindel lend a vicious lyrical attack that can only be described as a medieval metal opera.

UneXpect is a self-made organism and makes no qualms about it. They self-released their first album, Utopia, and it’s no different for their latest installment. With their first record, uneXpect was able to get on the radar of a number countries around the world.  Self-promotion, distribution and a heavy Internet presence can be accredited to their early success. They were then picked up by The End Records and released their second album, In a Flesh Aquarium.

Their efforts are continuously refined. As they spend more time on the road and in the studio, there is a definite improvement on a sound already developed as something intense and unique. On Fables uneXpect explores the deepest realms of metal fused with a circus-like atmosphere and come out of it with a face-melting ride.

“The Quantum Symphony” has everything from a gypsy-like fiddle to a monster mashing of killer vocals in the breakdown. The song is intense; it throws back and forth between syriaK’s, Artagoth’s and Leïlindel’s vocals and sets in a layer of old school robot vocalization that makes it transcend the visage of reality.

“Words” has an amazing opening hook that ties you right into the song right at the beginning. The dancing bass line belted out from a nine-string bass backed by mandolin and violin has a bohemian undertone to it.  The metal lyrical possession of the song lends it to something similar to a near-six-minute exorcism.  Fantastic is an understatement for this song, but fitting for the time being. With lyrics like “Just melt the armor/And taste the nectar divine,” it’s thought-provoking and abstract.

They maintain an air of bravado throughout the album and its no mistake that their live sets are intense. Picture Cirque de Soleil-like stage presence with a Rammstein feel in the music, twist it all together with a band of gypsy travelers and you have uneXpect in every respect.

They have a sound all their own and in order to keep the attention of the fast moving music world, one needs to be on the cutting edge.

As Fables is an intense journey musically, it can be hard to follow at times. There is no question of each contributor’s talents and imagination, but unless one is listening with a willing ear, it can feel disjointed at times. There is plenty of stop and go that would otherwise make this album a chore to listen to if it’s not what someone is expecting. All things considered, there is no reason to not have this album playing when one is feeling most creative or needing to express one’s self.

uneXpect – Fables of the Sleepless Empire Tracklist:

1. “Unsolved Ideas of a Distorted Guest”
2. “Words”
3. “Orange Vigilantes”
4. “Mechanical Phoenix”
5. “The Quantum Symphony”
6. “Unfed Pendulum”
7. “In the Mind of the Last Whale”
8. “Silence This Parasite”
9. “A Fading Stance”
10. “When the Joyful Dead Are Dancing”
11. “Until Yet a Few More Deaths Do Us Part”

As up-and-coming participants in the hip-hop community have ostensibly taken the game to the web, blog buzz undoubtedly factors into an act’s visibility. And while this occasionally spurs impressive prolificacy (it’s okay if you want to take a breather, Lil B), it obviously doesn’t guarantee quality (see: Lil B). So if the upstarts from OFWGKTA represent the A-bomb in the war for online rap supremacy, Shabazz Palaces is more akin to something like a submarine.

Shabazz Palaces is headed by Ishmael “Butterfly” Butler of Digable Planets renown, and indie mainstay Sub Pop has just released the group’s first full-length, Black Up, following two self-released EPs (both deserve a listen from anyone who enjoys this LP). Aside from this, little is known about the shadowy group, which makes for a refreshing approach in a genre whose contributors frequently delight in unabashed boastfulness. It’s not that Shabazz Palaces is too cool for hip-hop’s flashier indulgences, but logic dictates the less the listener knows about the artist, the more he or she can focus on the music itself. This concept is almost novel in a society where privacy seems increasingly more like a luxury rather than a right.

Now, a perfectly sensible response question: how’s the music? Does it warrant the closely guarded secrecy, which in itself goes a long way toward generating hype? Happily, yes it does. Newcomers unfamiliar with the progressive craftsmanship established on Shabazz Palaces’ previous efforts might not immediately take to the stark production and loopy lyricism on Black Up, but anyone willing to submit himself to a few attentive listens will likely come away pleased, not perturbed.

The production on Black Up recalls the work of another mysterious hip-hopper, Death Grips, whose recently released Exmilitary features a similarly chilly, glitchy sound. But while Death Grips gleefully hurls himself against sledgehammer beats well-suited for his shouted verses, the sonic collages on Black Up sound tailor-made to complement the group’s quick yet unforced delivery.

Shabazz Palaces also include some arrestingly off-the-wall touches, eerie howls that call to mind passing trains in the night or a child’s pleading sobs.

Admittedly, high-minded, excessively long song titles like “An Echo From The Hosts That Profess Infinitum” or “A Treatease Dedicated to The Avian Airess from North East Nubis (1000 Questions, 1 Answer)” suggest cryptic masturbation à la The Mars Volta, the reality is much less of a slog. For instance, “A treatease” is simply about a pick-up attempt. As far as subject matter goes, that’s fairly pop-friendly, which is to say no one should go into Black Up expecting Shabazz Palaces to intentionally befuddle its audience.

Shabazz Palaces – Black Up Tracklist:

1. “Free Press and Curl”
2. “An Echo From The Hosts That Profess Infinitum”
3. “Are You. Can You. Were You? (Felt)”
4. “A Treatease Dedicated to The Avian Airess from North East Nubis (1000 Questions, 1 Answer)”
5. “Youlogy”
6. “Endeavors For Never (the Last Time We Spoke You Were Not Here. I Saw You Though.)”
7. “Recollections of the Wrath”
8. “King’s New Clothes Were Made By His Own Hands, The”
9. “Yeah You”
10. “Swerve… the Reeping of All That is Worthwhile (Noir Not Withstanding)”

The soulful solemn sound coming from the work of Bon Iver in their latest collection of sounds is comfortably relative. It carries the same falsetto vocals and heavy, progressive guitar that fans have come to know and relate with, making the new self-titled record a sounding success primarily because of its familiarity.

Not only that, the greatest element of the record is that it differs from Bon Iver’s previous For Emma, Forever Ago precisely the right amount. No fans want to hear a duplicate of a debut record when they’re delivered a sophomore comeback.

Throughout the record, there are traces of other styles mixed in. The way certain tracks are mixed almost causes the band to venture away from their particular indie/folk genre. Some songs display a more industrial sound, straying from the stricter guitar, synth and vocal sound they used to produce. The innovation in the new instruments, including a horn section near the middle of the record, reassures Bon Iver’s progression as stylists and musicians. There are audible references to generations past. We even hear a hint of country twang at a few points along the way, particular in the closing lines of “Towers” and final swooner “Beth/Rest.”

Releasing “Calgary” as the first single for Bon Iver prefaces listeners for what was about to come but also didn’t give away too much. The track is reminiscent of something one might hear from the band’s past but with a heavier drum beat. It almost served as a transition from former Bon Iver sounds, featuring a built-up focus of energy and a heartbreaking chorus falsetto, and showcasing the new taste of the band with a bit more professional flavor.

The flow of songs from start to finish on Bon Iver is remarkable.

It’s unknown whether the songs were made to mash together or if it was simply a coincidence. Either way, it’s a delight to the ears. It makes for an ease to the likes of the listener, facing no interruptions between singer Justin Vernon’s breaths.

Along the flow there are a number of highlights. “Perth” opens the record quite calmly and slowly as it builds anticipation. The same mellow, hushed type of tune follows “Holocene” along the lines “I could see for miles, miles, miles,” drawing a sort of contemplative and photographic scene.

Soon the mood shifts to a more positive tone and reaches its height when it trails to “Towers” and ending with an exciting combination of strumming acoustic guitar and happy horns. It’s unfortunate that there aren’t more moments like this on the album.

People expect to jam to soft sounds when they turn to this band, but it could be easily taken as depressing music. And with this tiny glimpse of strong energy, it’s a shame there couldn’t be more exultation heard this time around.

A light piano accompanies the delicate lines of “Wash” at a dreamy near-end of the compilation, leading closer to the finale.

With that, the greatest moment in Bon Iver’s self-titled happens in the final song. The beginning sounds as if it were taken from a movie made in the early ’90s, featuring heavy bass drum and an easily iconic electric piano sampling. The chorus nearly completes the song before it is finished, but it is all made complete by the fact that the song is a closer in itself. It completes the record as a subtle celebration of music with a hushed success. As a part of a very complete record, it is a true spectacle to hear.

Bon Iver – Bon Iver Tracklist:

1. “Perth”
2. “Minnesota, WI”
3. “Holocene”
4. “Towers”
5. “Michicant”
6. “Hinnom, TX”
7. “Wash.”
8. “Calgary”
9. “Lisbon, OH”
10. “Beth/Rest”

First things first: Com Truise might be the most annoying name for anything, ever. It’s not funny. It’s not clever. It’s not even a play on words. So from the gate, New York synth-meister Seth Haley (who uses the pseudonym Com Truise among many other aliases) purports a coy a sensibility—one he might find cheeky but others might find maddening.

He set the Internet ablaze last year with his admittedly intriguing EP Cyanide Sisters, a collection of bass-heavy dance tunes that were strikingly mature in nature. The sound was diverse, ranging from danceable to outright intimidating.

So to little surprise—and in spite of his moniker—Haley has created something pretty spectacular in his newest effort, Galactic Melt. It’s an album full of rich and deep textures, with synth sounds so brooding yet so fetching you’ll almost feel guilty for bobbing along—as if the music is verboten.

Haley’s eclectic taste isn’t hurting matters, either. The album works best when all the pieces work together. New wave-inspired keys and funk’d out bass lines are his bread and butter, and to be fair, much of the album’s tracks are assorted variations on that theme. However Galactic Mess is anything but complacent. The album possesses a sleek, ultramodern feel that sounds great in a pair of headphones.

Perhaps Haley’s greatest gift is his ear for melody—something sorely lacking in the synth genre. He isn’t afraid to be catchy. Songs like “Cathode Girls” and “Hyperlips” sound like spaced out Ratatat songs, fitted with their penchant for pop structuring—except Haley’s rouse is to make it all sound as organic as possible.

And he succeeds. The album is effortlessly listenable in addition to being something that breeds introspection. Despite its pithiness (the album clocks in at meager 10 tracks) there’s enough material for multiple listens.

His ’80s influence is obvious, but Haley is clearly drawing from other realms of inspiration.

“Brokendate” begins with the distorted voice of somebody giving dating advice (something about not taking a girl to a beach) before drifting into what sounds like an intro to a cable access television show. “Ether Drift,” meanwhile, sounds like just that—a meandrous yet well-crafted foray into a forest of fuzzy keyboards and erratic drum loops.

Really, the aural qualities of the album cannot be understated. Seeing as Galactic Melt has been gestating for more than three years, it’s no surprise Haley was able to insert so many different tones into the album. That nothing on the album ever feels chaotic or out of place is also something of a minor miracle. Even the best work from similar act Flying Lotus tends to drag when given critical listen.

Galactic Melt, however, is seamless. The tracks ebb and flow in a harmonious fashion, speaking to Haley’s ability to sustain a mood perfectly. He never stays on a single idea or theme for too long.

Similar albums quickly become indulgent gimmicks. Haley, however, stays grounded in his aesthetic, aiming to create an experience rather than to perpetuate a style. So much of the synth trend is merely fashionable—this album sounds like a piece of art.

Com Truise – Galactic Melt Tracklist:

1. “Terminal”
2. “VHS Love”
3. “Cathode Girls”
4. “Air Cal”
5. “Flightwave”
6. “Hyperlips”
7. “Brokendate”
8. “Glawio”
9. “Ether Drift”
10. “Futureworld”

Woods’ Sun and Shade is the band’s sixth studio album in just as many years. Producing an album every year is no small feat, but sometimes a little more time for fine-tuning and experimentation helps flesh out a record.

This is particularly true for Sun and Shade, where a little more gestation time could’ve turned a good album into a great one. While S&S contains glimpses of promise, (namely their more daring sound experiments and overall genuine enthusiasm), most of the record ends up being slightly predictable (if still very solidly constructed), psychedelic freak folk.

There are a few unique elements at play in Woods’ lo-fi dynamic, the most interesting (and possibly most divisive) of which is singer Jeremy Earl’s voice.

Either whispering or yelping and harboring an occasional country twang, Earl’s voice manages to give a somewhat standard psychedelic folk sound a lot of character. There’s something in his voice that is very fragile and very honest that really brings a lot more power to the band’s music.

Songs like album-opener “Pushing Onlys” and the psychedelic “To Have In the Home” that choose to capitalize on Earl’s voice end up being Sun and Shade’s biggest highlights.

Conversely, the album’s two longer instrumental tracks, the hypnotic “Out of the Eye” and the 10-minute desert crawl “Sol y Sombra,” wind up feeling a little slow without Earl’s voice present to reel in the listener. They’re still technically sound tracks that show off what the band can do with their instruments, but they wind up dragging a bit compared to other songs on the album.

Overall, Woods’ instrumentation feels pretty standard for a folk band, and most of Sun and Shade’s songs develop a rather rigid pattern that never really surprises the listener in any remarkable way. Songs like “Pushing Onlys” (which features a horn section to great effect) or “White Out” (whose rolling bassline and summery guitars are a welcome change of pace) challenge this predictability, but surprises are kept to a minimum. Most songs cling to a well-treaded folk sound that doesn’t try very hard to break from the norm.

Despite all that, the band manages to be surprisingly endearing through their honest, relatable lyrics and warming tones that keep the album feeling real.

There’s an intangible sort of truth in Woods’ sound that makes you believe this music comes straight from the heart. It might be a stretch to call the album “powerful,” but it’s definitely cute, and at some points genuinely touching. Because of the likable vocalist and undeniable authenticity and honesty in its sound, Sun and Shade is still an enjoyable album, but one that occasionally plays it a little too safe. If the band chooses to branch out and expand on those few elements that really separate them from the pack, their music has the potential to become really exciting, really innovative stuff. But for now, it’s only okay.

Wood s Sun and Shade Tracklisting:

1. “Pushing Onlys”
2. “Any Other Day”
3. “Be All Be Easy
4. “Out of the Eye”
5. “Hand It Out”
6. “To Have in the Home”
7. “Sol y Sombra”
8. “Wouldn’t Waste”
9. “Who Do I Think I Am?”
10. “What Faces the Sheet”
11. “White Out”
12. “Say Goodbye”

Pittsburgh duo Zombi continue to be the odd man out on the Relapse label. Escape Velocity is their fourth full-length and fourth for the typically metal-oriented label. To be fair, though, Zombi’s Tangerine Dream-meets-Rush style would be the odd man out on any label. So unfortunately while the band has found a home with the label, they haven’t found a home in many collections simply because there isn’t much of an audience for them and they often get ignored by major publications. Fortunately their latest release gives music fans and critics no reason not to give them a shot.

Where 2009’s Spirit Animal was overindulgent – its five tracks taking up nearly an hour – Escape Velocity reins things in significantly. This five-track set only lasts 33 minutes and the listening experience is much more pleasant as a result. The repetitive looping can only be entertaining for so long. The shorter tracks also help Zombi focus on their strengths. With Spirit Animal the group attempted to stretch their compositional boundaries and the product was often cheesy retro-prog synth lines or multi-part tracks that were as tiring as they were tireless. Escape Velocity remedies this by sticking to the basics: hypnotic loops and steady, punchy drums.

Escape Velocity bears cover art harkening back to classic Rush, something like a companion art piece to the cover of Hemispheres. Oddly, this album bears the least-overt  Rush influence in the sound. In fact, Steve Moore’s groovy bass work is missing on this one. Not only that, but the group avoids the odd time signatures they so often used on previous records, often opting instead for four-on-the-floor beats that make the longer tracks somewhat danceable. An interesting move to be sure, but a good one.

The streamlining results in a great first album for those who are intrigued by the group’s unique sound.

That having been said, the material here, like with all of the material preceding it, is going to be best experienced live. These guys kill on stage and some of the magic and energy really dies when put to tape. It’s hard to fully engross oneself in Escape Velocity and may be best suited as background music for gaming, but it’s worth a shot.

Zombi – Escape Velocity tracklisting

1. “Escape Velocity”
2. “Slow Oscillations”
3. “Shrunken Heads”
4. “DE3”
5. “Time Of Troubles”

When your job title is that of singer-songwriter, you’re charged with doing two things really well.

This self-titled album is no. 7 for Sondre Lerche, and the Norwegian artist still doesn’t excel at poignant vocals or affecting compositions. Sheer creamed corn blandness, however, isn’t the reason for the John Malkovich amount of hair in the rating. While mediocre songwriters flood countless suburban coffeehouses, making no impression and gently letting patrons go on living their lives, there are hints of a more accomplished writer on Sondre Lerche, accenting what is largely a set of irritating songs with all the finesse of a conceited high school theatre kid.

The stately piano break and orchestral sunrise in “Ricochet,” the double-time shuffle in “Go Right Ahead,” and the major chord that resolves a wandering verse in “Living Dangerously” are all example of the toned writer lurking within Lerche’s skinny frame. “Living Dangerously” in particular recalls the middle finger-shaped void Fiona Apple has twice left in HBO-friendly alt-pop. It’s here where the melodic twists and turns make for an exciting trip instead of a confusing one (even if that harmonica is a little too close to the graying yuppie pseudo-cool of mid-’90s Sting).

Such songs are the exception, not the rule, on Sondre Lerche. It’s amazing how he manages to say exactly nothing over the course of his self-titled album’s 40 minutes.

Lyrics like “Somewhere in a house across the sea/Maybe in a distant memory” are pretty much par for the course. The prettiest part of that one—the god awful “Ricochet”—is the end, and that’s not even a pithy joke; he settles down for a stately final piano chord which, while simple, will never go out of style.

While it boasts a stronger hit-single chorus than most of Sondre Lerche’s 10 middling songs, its successor “Private Caller” sounds like it should be making jaded waiters plug their ears and beg for Maroon 5 at an upscale chain restaurant. And then there are the songs so lightweight they’ll make you airsick, as in “Red Flags.”

Lerche’s voice suggests a more sallow Jeff Mangum without the homespun intensity. Most irritating is when he (intentionally?) sings out of tune, which compounds the meandering nature of the songs that only seem to lock in on the most annoying choruses.

You can’t fault Lerche for not trying. It’s his seventh album, and while he fills it with clichés like “what a great mess we’re in,” he and his producers take great care to accentuate his attempted cleverness elsewhere. On the hyper-literate cabaret of “Never Mind The Typos,” his voice gets further away when he sings “Now if you’ll excuse me/I’ve gone deaf in one ear.” There is a late album comeback saving Sondre Lerche from Sondre Lerche, with the blue-eyed blues carnival of “Tied Up to the Tide” evoking an early John Lennon outtake, ending in a blaring chord and shrieking feedback.

That finale of “Tied Up” and closing track “When the River” solidifies the feeling that better work lies ahead; as it stands, Lerche gave his name to an album that represents potential in bursts. His challenge in “Go Right Ahead”—”Anybody want to try now/You go right ahead now/I don’t wanna waste your time”—sounds like the age old challenge against negative music criticism (“why don’t you write something better, then!”). The response is simple: that’s his job as a singer-songwriter, and after a decade of making music, it sounds like he’s up for review. He should be the one dishing it out.

Sondre Lerche – s/t Tracklist:

1. “Ricochet”
2. “Private Caller”
3. “Red Flags”
4. “Go Right Ahead”
5. “Coliseum Town”
6. “Nevermind The Typos”
7. “Domino”
8. “Living Dangerously”
9. “Tied Up To The Tide”
10. “When The River”

Although the old adage goes, “girls are made of sugar, spice and everything nice,” The Coathangers are a different breed of girl. They’re all sharp edges dunked in a surf punk coating. All of which they boldly bare on their latest release, Larceny & Old Lace. Whether that translates into a good record is questionable.

The Atlanta-based, all-girl quintet crafts their songs with a collaborative spirit and aggressive voice. Each member sings, and a variety of instruments are used to create an odd mix of trippy rock and punk anthems. During more controlled moments their sound is interesting, but they lose appeal when cultivating chaos becomes the focus of the music; they scream and shout, but it’s rarely in key. Take the seventh track the album, “Johnny,” which is full of loathe and spite. Unfortunately, those feelings don’t translate into a good or cogent song. It’s just four voices decrying an asshole the listener could care less about. The lyrics “Johnny’s going to hell for what he did/The look in his eye was so redic/He didn’t learn his lessons well now he’s gonna go to hell,” fails to strike a chord or say anything interesting. The discordant guitar behind it and atonal, winy vocals only makes an empty song that much more grating.

That’s not to say they never find a tune on their album. When they get away from excessive decibels talent shines through.

“My Baby” is sung in a whisper, but backed by menacing guitar melodies that add another layer to the song. Also, ”Go Away,” a light and sugary track, is a tell-off that uses a quiet tone as opposed to screeching. It manages to use subtlety, and keeps the band’s dangerous tone without defaulting to off-putting screaming. The back and forth they do so well is also ripe for frenetic song crafting, and the band frequently takes advantage of it in their vocal performances. In “Chicken: 30” the quintet sings each syllable of the song’s title by bouncing it off each other. The content is gibberish, but the technique they use makes it appealing to the ear. When the band makes those odd and interesting choices they shine.

Unfortunately, the content is usually overshadowed by their atonal weakness and attitude. Aggression is fine and all, but it isn’t a substitute for good music.  Subtlety, perspective, and variety are part of the many ingredients that make a good song. While those show up in bits and pieces in the album the majority of it sticks to the band’s established formula.

The Coathangers – Larceny & Old Lace Tracklist:

1. “Hurricane”
2. “Trailer Park Boneyard”
3. “Go Away”
4. “Sicker”
5. “Call to Nothing”
6. “Jaybird”
7. “Johnny”
8. “My Baby”
9. “Chicken: 30”
10. “Well Alright”
11. “Tabbaco Rd.”

Chicago indie-rock ensemble, Panther Style have brought the alternative rock sound back to the Windy City. The alternative music genre really hasn’t seen much popularity here since the early ’90s but was important, nonetheless. With old school acts like Smashing Pumpkins and Pixies still reverberating across radio airwaves, Panther Style put together their first-run debut and eloquently called it ¡Emergencia!.

The album name is fitting in more ways than one. Being a noun in Spanish meaning “emergency” the name something of an attention getter and the fact that it’s a feminine word in the Spanish language plays off the vocals of Jeanne McClure and Melissa Koehl. So far as Windy City indie music scene is concerned, this profusion of musical talent is top notch and set to soar into the stratosphere.

Panther Style is a mishmashed group of musicians from all walks of life in the Chicago area. Rock troupers McClure, Al Rodis, Dan Lutger and Koehl from bands like: Mary Tyler Morphine, Siderunners, Dyslexic Apaches and Reptoids come together to create what Reverbnation is calling “heavy, tasty pop.”

Their debut album is poppy, for sure, but it also has moments of unrefined garage hints. An excellent example is their hard-hitting standout, “The Instrumental,” which is anything but your average, run-of-the-mill instrumental. The name alone is quite deceiving, because there are a substantial amount of lyrics throughout. “Don’t Say You Will” follows suit with stabbing guitar riffs and a heavy bass line. It has something reminiscent of the Buzzcocks with their driving guitar licks and shrill vocal appeal.

As the album progresses, so does Panther Style’s sound. From song to song, the band trades off on multiple scopes of tempo and lyrical styling from girly sounding songs like “Biggest Fan” and “Forbidden” to more hard hitting ditty’s like “Sex Panther.”

The echo-y vocals are constant throughout, grounding the music and making the album an excellent collection, but with the change of a track the ear is treated to another take on pounding rock ‘n’ roll.

Though Panther Style does a good job of melding old and new within their music, they take a trip back—way back. They take the listener on a sojourning trip to a time when MTV had cool shit like 120 Minutes and—lets face it—actual music. Panther Style included an amazing cover of The Posies song, “Blind Eyes Open” as their closing track. Few things can be said about an album that brings older music back to life and Panther Style does it with good form.

¡Emergencia! is a solid album, but lacks showcasing the band’s male counterparts in the vocals. This album is a great record but the future for Panther Style could lay in their vocal diversity. There is no groundbreaking takeaway here, but as the music world continues to turn, those who stand out the most will live on.

Panther Style – ¡Emergencia! Tracklist:

1. “Seeing… Just Not Believing”
2. “Rhino”
3. “The Instrumental”
4. “Fingers Crossed”
5. “Biggest Fan”
6. “Straight Razor”
7. “Forbidden”
8. “Sex Panther”
9. “Don’t Say You Will”
10. “Blind Eyes Open”