Junior Boys – Begone Dull Care (Domino, 2009)

‘Hazel’

When is an electro record not an electro record? Probably, listeners of Junior Boys’ Begone Dull Care might answer, when its idiosyncratic brand of nonchalant ennui provokes, not the floor-filling ‘2003′ vibe elicited by some of it’s more rambunctious cousins, but a soporific, hypnotic foot-tapping.

Indeed, the retro haze achieved by Canadian duo Jeremy Greenspan and Matt Didemus on their third album seems like it was only realised via the discovery of some ancient synthesizers — such is the feeling of scrap-book polaroids and disco-chic cool achieved here.

The song writing is less articulate than on their previous two records, yet there is much on offer to please fans of indie-styled electro. The album is named after Norman McLaren’s 1950 pulsating, abstract animation and, while this explains the superb minimalism of Begone Dull Care, 1980s sexual groove is still its overture. “Work it baby, work it,” hushes Greenspan on the seductive Work.

Hazel, the standout, potential radio-botherer, is the only moment where Greenspan’s vocals raise to anything above a hushed aside. Elsewhere, The Animator conveys a similar marriage of laid-back disco and breezy, detuned, electronic pop which can only be described as Boards of Canada playing electro in a 1980s cocaine’n'cocktails bar.

The arpeggiated bass-lines, basic synth bleeps, and languor-inducing vocals are enough to keep heads nodding as much as anything served up by the ubiquitous Postal Service or the aberration that are MGMT. Although this is a few steps ahead in a watered-down genre, its lackadaisical approach may see it lose out to more obnoxious pretenders when vying for the attention of the dance-floor.

iPod shuffle winner when:
Trying to pull off a detached, 1985 vibe and looking for something to accompany your white chinos, big watch, and blasé, far-off gaze.

iPod shuffle sinner when:
Your house party’s music is being taken care of by DJ iPod and, after an assault on the senses (and on good taste) by Pendulum or some such, Parallel Lines drops and leaves everyone who isn’t a French android feeling mildly flat.

Sean AKA Nordic Soul is the Decibel Festival Curator and Director, he is my good friend and one of the greatest contributors to Seattle’s thriving underground music community. This is a very insightful summary of electronic music in 2009 with his Top 15 list at the bottom as well:

From Sean:

Every year it’s part of my job at PlayNetwork to come up with a list of top albums and overall assessment of music trends for the year. Below is my brief review of what I felt was a pretty landmark year for electronic music in the US and in general. Barring any incredible releases over the next month, these are my picks for the year. Keep in mind this list is strictly made up of albums; not EPs, 12’s or remixes (i.e 95% of the electronic music I purchased this year).

2009 in Review : Binary Pop, Warp’s Legacy, Dub Mutations and the Return of Sexy Dance Music

2009 has been an incredibly innovative year in relation to music production. Artists like Animal Collective, Fever Ray, Royksopp and Moderat have proven once and for all that digital beats and electronic sound design can appeal to a pop audience that otherwise wouldn’t find themselves listening to “electronic music”.

This year also marks the 20 year anniversary of the greatest electronic music label (arguably greatest label) of all time, Warp Records, which has had an exceptional year across the board with strong indie releases from Grizzly Bear and Maximo Park as well as strong releases from their more obscure electronic artists like Tim Exile and Clark. Warp’s 20th anniversary box set is not only one of the best reviewed collections of they year, it’s also a brilliant testament to the label’s vast catalog of ground breaking artists (i.e. Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada, Jamie Lidell, Nightmares on Wax, Prefuse 73, Autechre, Broadcast, Plaid, Battles, Squarepusher, etc).

In addition, 2009 witnessed the rise of Dubstep as a respected genre in the US through acclaimed UK labels like Hyperdub (Burial, Kode9, Joker, Zomby, Flying Lotus) and Tectonic (2562, Martyn, DJ Pinch, Benga) both of whom continue to blur the boundaries between Grime, Dub, West Coast Hip Hop and Detroit Techno. With the avid support of tastemakers like BBC Radio 1’s Mary Anne Hobbs and Low End Theory’s Daddy Kev (Alpha Pup Records) UK Dubstep and West Coast Glitch Hop / Hip Hop have both become quintessential styles on the electronic music frontline in the US. From Burning Man to this year’s Movement festival in Detroit, Dubstep and Glitch Hop have fully emerged in 2009 as a staple sound in North America.

Another emerging trend has been the Deep House and Tech House revival, which has been experiencing a resurgence the past few years as club-goers have tired of the heady, sterility of Minimal Techno and the frenetic, over the top sound of Electro House. Artists like Gui Boratto, Voodeux, Pezzner, Milton Jackson, Stimming, Mode D, Catz n Dogz, DJ T and Dixon have all helped in keeping underground dance music both sexy and musical.

Overall 2009 has been a phenomenal year for technologically driven music, proving that creativity is truly catching up with the tools used for musical expression in the digital age.

Here are my Top 15 albums of the year:

1. Animal Collective “Merriweather Post Pavilion” Domino Records

2. Various “Warp 20” (Box Set) Warp Records

3. Moderat (aka Apparat & Modeselektor) “Moderat” Bpitch Control Records

4. Fever Ray “Fever Ray” Rabid Records

5. Phil Kieran “Shh” Cocoon Recordings

6. Nosaj Thing “Drift” Alpha Pup Records

7. Jon Hopkins “Insides” Domino Records

8. Various “5 : Five Years of Hyperdub” Hyperdub Records

9. Lusine “A Certain Distance” Ghostly International

10. Grizzly Bear “Veckatimest” Warp Records

11. Gui Boratto “Take My Breath Away” Kompakt Records

12. 2562 “Unbalance” Tectonic Records

13. Modeselektor “Body Language Vol. 8” Get Physical Music

14. Tim Hecker “An Imaginary Country” Kranky Records

15. Voodeux “The Paranormal” Mothership Records

Did I mention I’m going to be reviewing the new Animal Collective EP, Fall Be Kind, for Tiny Mix Tapes? It’ll be my first AC review for any mag, any site … if you’ve known me over the years you know full-well how crazy this is, as A. Collective are likely my favorite band.

“Graze” is another triumph for Avey Tare, Panda Bear, Deakin and Geologist. It opens a lot

Fingerpaints! Picture pages! Bill Cosby?

 like “In the Flowers,” what with a vocal solo backed by a string-drenched sound-collage haze, but there is no EXPLOSION to be found here.

Rather, “Graze” segues into an adorable mini-suite of pan flute straight from Medieval Times (the funspot, not the era in time), backed by click-clack drumming AC is famous for (esp. on Feels). Best of all, the melody sung over top is another classic, addictive Animal Collective melody that fits nicely alongside the catchy refrains of “Derek,” “Brother Sport” and “My Girls.”

Can Animal Collective do any wrong? This Investigator, in answer to this question, says No.

Nick: Melodic to the point of prettiness.

so you don’t like it?

no, no you’re confused.

I don’t like wimpy, I do like pretty.

there’s some strange level shifts going on.

did he engineer this himself?

ehh.. maybe.

this is going on a bit long.

it’s very musical, nice bits of…..instrumentalisation?

or whatever you call it.

{track 3: Movie On The Way Down}

is this the same album?

why would I change it?

wow, ok well this is a whole different feel.

more contemplative.

it’s hard to believe this was written by the same person.

you should hear some of his other stuff.

very..

versatility and eclecticism come to mind.

but very nice.

lovely music.

{track 4: Through The Night Softly}

he uses everything doesn’t he?

{huge cheesy/amazing sax solo comes blasting in}

hahahaha oh my god!

just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water!

it’s pretty incredible really.

the only disadvantage is it’s not like listening to an album, it’s like he has a split personality.

in a recent interview Jim said that this record ‘represents a real failure for me.’

if it’s a real failure, why did he publish it?

that is a bit much isn’t it?

giving us his failures, that’s not very nice.

please buy my failure.

I guess it’s just one of the best failures ever committed to tape.

http://www.myspace.com/halfwaytoathreeway

…this outstanding album (Crazy Rhythms) immediately finds its way onto my albums of the year list on account of it being re-released this month by Domino Records.

My vinyl copy from 1980 is amost unplayable now.  But it really rocks.  Indeed it apparently ranked #49 in Rolling Stone’s top 100 albums of the 1980s, and #69 on Pitchfork Media’s similar list.

Although every track is a classic and self-penned by the band the one that totally freaked me was “Everybody’s got something to hide except me and my Monkey” – a Lennon/McCartney cover fro (I think) The White Album.  It’s played at a hundred  miles an hour on jangly guitars that apparently were fed straight into the sound-desk for their distinctive sound.  It’s a classic and you can hear it on Spotify.

Trust me.  You’ll love it.  And I count myself among the visionaries who bought and cherished it! (I don’t know ANYONE else that has it).

max tundra forever holds a place in my dark little heart after his appearance at supersonic two years ago when he irritated a buncha hardcore dudes by daring to play big fucking pop music at an experimental music fest.  i said this at the time:  frenetic light through murk and the alphabetised joy of a bedroom timberlake. the subtle nuances of tiny man offending blokes in black tee’s.  a glorious testament to the cleansing redeemer of fun.  breaking in the sun with bowls fullof pop prog  techno glitch sugar.

i’ve ran out of words this week so here’s some pictures to help sum up the sheer fucking joy of a max tundra set…

max tundra / domino

Junior Boys

Avant la tempête de ce week-end qui risque de faire des ravages (alcools,cigarettes à gogo et nuits blanches), je vous propose d’écouter un titre que j’apprécie beaucoup et que j’ai découvert par hasard sur la toile : Dull To Pause. C’est un morceau issu de l’abum Begone Dull Care paru en 2009 chez Domino Records réalisé par un jeune groupe canadien. Originaire d’Hamilton, ce duo fait plutôt dans le pop électronique. Ce qui m’a séduit chez eux, c’est leur côté cool cool posé et c’est vrai que la voix de Jeremy Greenspan est plutôt séduisante. Je les avais dans le collimateur depuis un bon moment, et je trouvais dommage que leur talent ne soit pas assez reconnu. Voici donc Junior Boys avec leur titre Dull To Pause.

Junior Boys - Dull To Pause

Site Officiel

]]> http://lastsplash.wordpress.com/2009/09/12/pastels-tenniscoats-two-sunsets/ Sat, 12 Sep 2009 18:14:09 +0000 eduardo http://lastsplash.wordpress.com/2009/09/12/pastels-tenniscoats-two-sunsets/

Two Sunsets [2009] <-Download

Vazou o tão esperado novo álbum do seminal Pastels, a banda mais importante a surgir na fértil Escócia. Two Sunsets foi lançado em parceria com os japoneses do Tenniscoats, que também é formado por um casal. Das doze músicas que compõem este split, apenas a abertura Tokyo Glasgow é creditada às duas bandas.  Stephen Pastel e Katrina Mitchell contribuem com oito faixas, entre elas a que dá nome ao disco e o single Vivid Youth – cujo clipe, rodado em super 8, deixou os fãs de indie pop ainda mais ansiosos por este lançamento. O coadjuvante duo nipônico contribui com apenas três, sendo que uma delas é About You, cover do Jesus and Mary Chain, já lançada anteriormente como b-side. Um álbum irretocável, assim como tudo que leva a assinatura de Stephen McRobbie.

Pastels - Yomigaeru

Tenniscoats - About You (Jesus and Mary Chain)

ps. O arquivo está em 224 kbps, mas parece que foi ripado do vinil. Algumas faixas apresentam problemas, em breve postaremos uma versão melhor.

Brooklyn-based six-piece Dirty Projectors will release a new four-track EP, Temecula Sunrise, on September 28th. The release includes Bitte Orca album tracks, “Temecula Sunrise” and “Cannibal Resourse”, alongside new tracks, “Ascending Melody” and “Emblem of the World”. The release will available on 12-inch vinyl. @ stereokill

Meanwhile, enjoy the awesome Bitte Orca, released on June 9, 2009.

Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca [Domino, 2009]

http://rapidshare.com/files/243382405/DP-BO-2009.rar
password: ilovemusic

On October 5th, Domino will release Lou Barlows new album, Goodnight Unknown. In the four years since his career-redefining, mostly acoustic record Emoh, Lou Barlow has reunited with Dinosaur Jr. and reissued three of Sebadohs classic albums. But as the brilliant new Goodnight Unknown illustrates, hes hardly living in the past. Borrowing the live-band energy of Dinosaur Jr. and the stylistic reach of Sebadoh, Barlow has built on Emohs full production and written a set of immediate, melodic pop songs that Lou describes as, a cross between my later work with Folk Implosion and my earlier work with Sebadohto my ears, anyway.

Arctic Monkey’s third album landed today, having already received a promo copy i’m well informed of its brilliance. I’d suggest you get £8.99 and buy it.

Domino recordings ©

x

Just ahead of the next FUTUREMUSIC post, it’s worth pointing out a few things of note from the last couple of days. Firstly, a ‘new’ Radiohead track has leaked all over the interweb and it’s really rather good. You can listen via this YouTube video clip:

Use your common sense when looking at the video to figure out where you might be able to find a link to download an mp3 of said song. Some of the guitars sound very much from the ‘In Rainbows’ era, but the general murkiness and brooding nature hint at a different direction. No idea where it’s actually from but some of their more obsessive forum types have come up with a theory that this is the lead track from a secret EP to be made available on Monday. I wouldn’t hold your breath.

Secondly, Domino Records are getting bloody good at including MP3 download links with their new vinyl releases. Last week, I opened up the Wild Beasts‘ new album (good, but a bit obsessed with sex) and found a card allowing me a free download, went to the Domino site and found that, by using the drop down arrow next to where it tells you that you’ll be getting a 320kbps MP3 download, you can actually opt for a free download in the uncompressed WAV format. For nowt! Bargain. Likewise, this has happened today when I typed in the code that comes with the new Arctic Monkeys 10″ for ‘Crying Lightning‘. A very generous approach from Domino – worth bearing in mind, as there’s a download code included with the Oxfam-only 7″ of this release, which is out on Monday – and something which will crop up in more detail in one of the upcoming FUTUREMUSIC pieces.

Finally, you’ll notice some really rather lovely little changes have occurred down the side of the blog, largely to do with Spotify. Provided you have the splendid free music streaming service installed, you’ll be able to listen to a vast majority of the music covered on the site. The albums listed in my ‘Just Played’ section (stuff I’ve, you guessed it, just played) plus my current top ten of 2009 and the 20 Best from 2008 are all linked to Spotify is possible. The odd album isn’t on there so I’ve provided the next best thing but, if we take the Top 20 albums of 2008 as an example, 19 out of those 20 records can be played on Spotify. Treat yourself and fill your ears.

Right then, FUTUREMUSIC 5 time…

I got a little ambitious with my pans for this thing over the summer. I’m going to get back into it in baby steps.

Basically, if you want to be anybody, you have to know this song.

Know it, like it. Or hate it. Just don’t expect me to talk to you if you choose the latter.

El otro día estaba platicando con un amigo sobre lo dañino que es el hype para las bandas. Si no saben que es el hype métanse a Urban Dictionary, porque me da mucha flojera explicarlo y ustedes ya deberían de estar al tanto.

En dicha conversación aparecieron los Arctic Monkeys, banda víctima de la atención desmesurada de los medios, quienes los colocaron en un altar por la razón que gusten y manden. No estamos discutiendo la calidad de la banda, simplemente el respeto que se tiene a los Monkeys, en relación a este fenómeno. Muy a la “Thou shalt not stop liking a band ’cause they have become popular”… algo así, de Dan Le Sac. Y en efecto: “Arctic Monkeys, just a band”.

El punto es: El vocalista de Arctic Monkeys al tener un proyecto alterno al que conocemos como The Last Shadow Puppets, el cual fue alabado por la crítica, pudo conseguir el respeto y reconocimiento de la crítica y de los fans, sobre todo de los rejegos.

Fue hasta ese proycto cuando Alex Turner, vía el alabado y amado proyecto de The Last Shadow Puppets y el constante crecimiento de Arctic Monkeys, por fin consiguieron la legitimidad del pueblo indie o whatever, o por lo menos de sus  líderes de opinión, que como todos sabemos: o son muy elocuentes o tienen skinny jeans más skinny que los tuyos.

Eeeen fin, el pueblo indie ahora los ve zarpar en este nuevo video, donde las guitarras ahora suenan más soberbias y menos adolescentes. No han perdido el ritmo creepy que los caracteriza, pero el track se siente como una oleada diferente. Como siempre las vocales encantadoras de Turner le dan el carisma al track que distingue en gran parte el trabajo de los Arctic. Este corte de su nueva producción es prueba de que no tienen que hacer un escándalo para que los escuchemos, esta canción más tranquilita que sus otros primeros sencillos, los convierte en colosos del océano o dioses marinos del rock británico. Literal.

Me recuerda al pintor de tormentas William Turner, coincidencia en el apellido, y coincidencia con el nuevo video de esta banda.

*LA CAJA DE MÚSICA HA AMADO SIEMPRE A LOS ARCTIC MONKEYS. SIEMPRE.

Este es el video de “Crying Lightning”, del álbum Humbug el cual será editado como Dios manda! por Domino Records, y cuyo lanzamiento está fechado para el 25 de agosto.

Je suis ici, chers lecteurs, pour vous présenter le tant attendu Humbug, troisième album des très très très prometteurs Arctic Monkeys.  Et oui, il est enfin là (date de sortie 24 aout) à l’orée de nos oreilles, et nous sommes fin prêts à nous en prendre plein la tronche. Les petits de Sheffield auraient, en plus de James Ford (Simian Mobile Disco), pris Josh Homme(QOTSA) – ou l’inverse – pour créer ce troisième opus d’une épopée déjà bien entamé ede succès. C’est ainsi que nous avons vu, sous nos yeux, des petits devenir grands, plus mûrs, presque plus virils en à peine 3 albums. Humbug se présente sombre et grave ; voyons ce qu’il en est.

La première écoute n’aiguille pas vraiment mon avis définitif. Je peux toutefois admirer encore une fois la beauté de My Propeller que j’avais si mal jugée aux premières écoutes. Les titres passent, on ne sait pas vraiment où se mettre, ce n’est ni habituel, ni sortant de l’ordre établi. Je reste dans l’attente d’une réponse à tout ceci.

L’album est introduit par My Propeller. J’avais au début très mal jugé ce titre ; tout d’abord, le chant si lisse (Alex Turner chante vraiment) puis, je ne sais pas, ce n’était pas ce à quoi on était habitué. Avec du recul, je trouve ce morceau incroyable ; sa batterie et son sublime riff sont justes parfaits. A la fois poétique et cruel, ce premier titre est incroyable. On enchaine avec l’excellent Crying Lightning qui avec – lui aussi – du recul est encore plus parfait que son prédécesseur. La diction est étonnante, l’instru est diaboliquement bonne. Finalement, ce single ressemble assez à ce qu’ils faisaient auparavant. Certes, l’ambiance est moins légère mais on reconnait de loin nos petits gars. Humbug cède au coté obscure avec Dangerous Animals. Un titre quelque peu répétitif, parfois trop bruyant…pas top. Secret Door nous sauve. Le titre est ordonné, propre et mélodieux. Certes, ce n’est pas le titre du siècle mais on passe un agréable moment. Potion Approaching a quelques bons cotés mais reste étouffant, presque malsain…Fire And The Thud ne nous rassure pas vraiment, Alex chante encore…je dis non. Cornerstone dispose d’une mélodie pop pas désagréable, pas très Arctic Monkeys dans l’énergie mais on ne va pas cracher sur une chanson aussi bien rodée. Dance Little Liar prolonge la noirceur d’Humbug à un point que je ne peux plus suivre. Chaque accord est de plus en plus désespéré malgré un punch assuré par cette (je le redis) sublime batterie et cette ligne de basse remarquable. Tiens…Moi aussi je commence à désespérer. Pretty Vistors nous donne un bon coup de poing de quoi ne pas trop sommeiller! Là encore on reconnait la patte des AM…Et Merci! Turner ne chante presque pas! Les chœurs sont les bienvenu et donnent à la chanson un air d’hymne d’empire du mal.Pas mal du tout ce coup de poing…on appréciera le geste. On finit avec The Jeweller’s Hands qui repart un peu comme il est arrivé… sans fracas, sans excitation et sans enthousiasme. Bien entendu, le morceau est plutôt pas mal, c’est mélodieux, bien fait blablabla….mais aucune fortes émotions me tourmentent mise à part cette envie grandissante de plonger dans une dépression post-traumatique arctic monkeysienne.

En conclusion, vous l’aurez bien compris, je suis extrêmement déçue. Je ne remets pas du tout en question la technique et la sublime production de cet album, juste de la tournure que prenne les Arctic Monkeys. Certes, ils ont muris, grandis mais ont presque perdu leur fougue d’antan qui faisait sourire, sautiller, “kiffer sa race“(faut le dire). Bien entendu, “Favourite Worst Nightmare” avait des parts d’ombre mais restait frais et juste. Humbug est une chose sombre, très bien fait mais ne procurant qu’une vague sensation de terreur et de frustration. Je m’arrêterais là sous peine de me répéter indéfiniment. Il ne manque plus que  le live pour infirmer mes craintes…..Nous verrons bien…

En Note ca donnerait un timide : 11/20 que je donne objectivement et non en tant que fan.

EDIT :

Finalement, je crois commencer à aimer Humbug. Il n’est ni simple, ni agréable de rester fachés avec un groupe que j’aimais tant, donc j’ai fais un effort. Au bout de quelques écoutes de plus, je dois bien vous avouez qu’on s’y attache. Les mélodies deviennent plus évidentes, la voix “lissée” n’est pas si fade. Je commence à comprendre où les Arctic Monkeys voulaient en venir. Ce n’est pas forcément la voie que je préférais mais qu’il en soit ainsi ; les Arctic Monkeys sont toujours d’actualité.

La note est à la hausse : 13/20

]]> http://musicilistento.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/arctic-monkeys-slate-ivor-novello-awards/ Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:48:51 +0000 Admin2 http://musicilistento.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/arctic-monkeys-slate-ivor-novello-awards/ http://themuseinmusic.com/2009/07/27/arctic-monkeys-videos-tracks-and-web-transmission/ Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:08:24 +0000 Patrick http://themuseinmusic.com/2009/07/27/arctic-monkeys-videos-tracks-and-web-transmission/

The Arctic Monkeys have been preping their highly anticipated third full length LP by road testing the new tracks. Luckily, some quick thinking fans have been recording the songs and posting them on You Tube for all of us to get a sneak peak of.  “Crying Lightning” is the only track that has been officially released and it is fantastic. You can link to the other tracks that have been leaked from the tracklist that is posted below.

This Thursday (July 30th) Arctic Monkeys will be performing a live webcast of tracks off Humbug. It will air at 9PM UK time. I will let you do the conversion to US time. You can view the trailer for it here.

Arctic Monkeys – “Crying Lightning”

Tracklist:

Ok. Me levanto hoy, un día previo a mi cumpleaños y como nadie más se despertaba, (ni siquiera mi ansiosa Golden Retriever, Lara), decidí prender la compu y ver qué nuevas nos traía Pitchfork. En una de esas terminé viendo un video de Cass McCombs que no me gustó en Youtube, usuario Domino Records.

En fin, terminé viendo en este video. “Tape Song” es un track que nunca tengo presente, pero cada vez que lo redescubro me vuelve a gustar y me vuelve a gustar y me vuelve a gustar y así hasta el infinito. O bueno, no tanto.

Y aparte está lleno de verdad “Time ain’t gonna fix it, honey time don’t give a shit”… no queremos despertarnos pesimistas en la Caja de Música, pero aparte de la sabiduría de los Kills, el chiste es depertarse como este video que es más cool que… um…

The Kills, Midnight Boom, “Tape Song” Domino Recods 2008, o 2007?

Redescubrir canciones o bandas es un fenómeno divertidísimo, de ahí que he creado una nueva categoría para este blog que se llama Memory Crane, Grúa de Memorias. Me gusta más en español, pero bueno, ni modo,  ya lo hice.