Retrospectus No. 2: Stankonia

The first time I tried to buy Stankonia was at a now defunct ShopKo near my house. My friend Swanson and I rode our bikes down there with the express purpose of picking up the latest from OutKast. I don’t remember what sparked our interest enough to warrant a special trip, but it’s kind of a moot point anyway. We found out the hard way that ShopKo was one of, like, three stores that actually enforced the “Parental Advisory” sticker system. We left the store empty-handed, but walked across the shopping center to Co-Op Records where we purchased the album without any trouble.

We walked our bikes up the giant hill near our houses and listened to the entire album on a boombox in Swanson’s room. We spent a lot of time with Stankonia. I remember sitting in the van on the way back from a family trip with the liner notes out, pouring over the lyrics as I listened to the album. Whenever Swanson and I were together, we would quote our favorite lines and argue the virtues of the two members’ styles. A few years later, Swanson and I had a “band” called Supachubbbs that would perform when either of us had a party, and we made a tradition of closing our sets with a cover of “B.O.B.”.

BREAK.

Stankonia is, on a fundamental level, a weird album. It is the product of two fiercely independent individuals who seem to understand each other so completely it’s almost as if they are two halves of one whole. Just looking at the cover of the album reveals a good deal about their personalities: Big Boi in a simple white shirt, chain out, taking a defiant stance and André 3000 shirtless, hair feathered, jazz hands out. The cover pictures two people who, on the surface, seem to have nothing on common. But once you dig into the record, you realize that their personalities compliment each other perfectly and absolutely.

BREAK.

LOST: Thoughts on The End

As Jacob once famously said “It only ends once, everything else is just progress.” On Sunday night, after six eventful years LOST came to it’s final moments, and overall I found it to a very satisfying send-off to my favorite show. The biggest message of the episode was about remembering and letting go which I think not only applies to the characters but to us as viewers. I’ve had few days of remembering to process everything that happened and before I completely let go, I thought I’d share some of my thoughts on the finale and what what I think it all means (starting with the events on the island).

Video: FM Belfast – Underwear

If you like cool camera tricks and fancy editing in your music videos, this clip for “Underwear” by Icelandic electronica trio FM Belfast may be your dream come true. It’s based on a simple concept with shots of people dancing alone in their underwear (and subsequently making fools of themselves) with some very clever edits then added in by the directing team of Daniel Scheinert and Dan Kwanadds. 

DANIELS, as they are called, use an array of techniques including variable speeds, retiming, time displacement, match cuts, and stop-motion that gives the video a very surrealistic vibe. The result is something that’s technically incredible and, to go along with the lyrics of the song, intimate and joyful. It helps that the track’s not half bad either. Watch the video above and download “Underwear” (plus one more from FM Belfast) below.

MP3 FM Belfast – Underwear
MP3 FM Belfast – Par Avion

The band’s debut album, how to make friends, is out now on Kimi Records.

Best Coast

It seems weird you could be late to the party for a band that hasn’t released or even announced a date for their debut album, but that’s how I feel about lo-fi surf-pop band Best Coast. The band has been the toast of the blogs, pitchfork, and anyone who loves retro sunny pop songs for a while now, and I’d like to throw my hat in the ring. Singer/ guitarist Bethany Costenio fills her music with enough fuzz and reverb to fit in with the chillwave kids and the melodies and nostalgic charm to place her nicely with indie pop standards like Camera Obscura and The Postmarks ( Best Coast would also fit in real nicely on Cheryse’s last mix).

“When I’m With You” is a breezy, sun-soaked tune that’s built around the simple but indelible hook of “when I’m with you I have fun”. The song feels just as innocent and carefree as the lyrics imply. “Our Deal” has more 50’s-era chamber pop feel and showcases Bethany’s delightful vocals. Both these songs are short, sweet, and make you feel good and as summer approaches I don’t think there’s much more you could ask for. Plus, “When I’m With You” comes with a darling music video (embedded below) about an unlikely romance between Bethany and Ronald McDonald and features enough sun, beaches, and In-N-Out Burgers (which seems like a conflict of interest on Ronald’s part but oh well) to immediately transport you to the coast.

MP3 Best Coast – When I’m With You
MP3 Best Coast – Our Deal

Get Best Coast’s latest 7″ on Black Iris.

Summer (Or What It Sounds Like)

Photo taken by the amazing Linus Lohoff – Flickr

What is all this talk about Vitamin-D being a natural source of energy? In terms of getting anything outside of work done, this has honestly been the most unproductive month of my life (unless you count running after the bus). I may have even resorted to compiling a mix because I couldn’t decide on which half-written review I’d like to finish… but I’ll never tell–sometimes it’s better that way. Here’s my first real attempt to let the music speak for itself. Yes, I may be jippin’ you of some sticky intellect, but believe me when I say that I put a lot of time and thought into the song order. Enjoy, and throw some D’s on that…

MP3 Frightened Rabbit – Not Miserable
MP3 Neon Trees – Animal
MP3 The Black Keys – Everlasting Light
MP3 Foals – This Orient
MP3 Broken Social Scene – All to All
MP3 Dr. Dog – Unbearable Why
MP3 Band of Horses – Dilly
MP3 Local Natives – Camera Talk
MP3 The Temper Trap – Fader
MP3 Phantogram – Turn It Off
MP3 Two Door Cinema Club – This Is The Life
MP3 Delorean – Real Love
MP3 Yeasayer – O.N.E.
MP3 Toro y Moi – Low Shoulder
MP3 Surfer Blood – Swim
MP3 The Joy Formidable – Whirring
MP3 Free Energy – Bang Pop
MP3 The New Pornographers – Your Hands (Together)
MP3 The Radio Dept. – David
MP3 The National – Lemonworld
MP3 The Morning Benders – Excuses

Spotify Playlist: Summer (Or What It Sounds Like)

Track Review: Wolf Parade, Stars, Cults

MP3 Wolf Parade – Yulia

I’ve spent the last couple days with Wolf Parade‘s newest Expo 86 on repeat and, as to be expected, it’s a freakin’ brilliant album. The song I keep returning to over and over though, is the incredible Dan Boeckner-penned “Yulia”, which tells a tragic love story of an astronaut on a failed mission who will never see his lover again. It’s a tale that has been told before whether by David Bowie in “Space Oddity” or in the film Moon from last year, but none of that makes this song any less emotional or moving. The lyrics, which have Dan yearning for his “Yulia” amidst heartbreaking lines like “I’m standing here, drifting alone, and my heart beats slow, and I won’t be bringing my body back” are backed by the album’s poppiest music with an aggressively upbeat keyboard riff and drum beat. The melody is wistful and yet incredibly uplifting and even triumphant. This is beautiful, powerful songwriting. I can not overstate how awesome this song is.

MP3 Stars – Fixed

“Fixed” is the first taste we’ve received from the fort from the forthcoming new album, The Five Ghosts of Canadian indie pop troupe Stars. After their last album which I found fairly disappointing, this song shows some good promise for the new album. The song’s punchy keyboards matched with Amy Milan’s delectable vocals make for a fantastic combo and I’m really digging the spacey, electronica-infused outro. The melody is exceptionally pretty and after multiple listens has seeped into my brain. The track lacks a soaring chorus that made “Ageless Beauty” and “Elevator Love Letter” instant classics, but it still gives hope that the band will be returning to the greatness of their earlier albums.

MP3 Cults – Go Outside

This song, by enigmatic NYC-based boy/girl duo Cults, has been building buzz on the interwebs for a while ever since Chris at Gorilla vs Bear premiered the track (and then in DIY fashion released it on his own record label, Forest Family). It really shows how far an infectious sing-a-long chorus and some glockenspiel will go when put in the right hands. The band has used some simple elements and made one of the most charming, joyous tracks of the year. I was very pleased to see that they were announced on the initial lineup of this year’s Pygmalion Festival, and I’m hoping we’ll be hearing more from them soon.

The Middle East

I don’t know if it’s because I’m unwinding after a long night or what, but for whatever reason, the Middle East are totally working for me right now. The band plays just the right kind of lilting, subdued music that is perfect for the 3 a.m. drive home or when you’re letting the next morning sink into you. Apparently the songs on the band’s debut EP are a few years old now, and they’re all the better for it; exploring their music is like cracking open a forgotten bottle of wine.

It’s hard to call anything here a highlight, because each song is just as good as the other, but I find myself coming back to “Lonely” more and more this morning. The song is a seven-plus-minute slow burn that sounds content to just mope along as some macabre folk, until you hit those last two minutes and everything turns to wildfire. The explosive finale is the best moment on the EP, especially when the singer starts shouting over the racket.

“Blood” is some idyllic chamber-folk that, like “Lonely”, makes you wait a bit for the payoff. The singer’s voice sounds almost precious, like it might break at any moment, but then the harmonies wrap around everything like a lived-in sweater, making everything frightened feel safe again. The orchestration shimmers, and the choir that shows up near the end is the perfect touch to the song. Forget what I said about there not being a highlight. “Blood” wins. Or maybe “Lonely” does. Dammit, I might just need to stay up all night again to decide.

MP3 The Middle East – Lonely
MP3 The Middle East – Blood

From the Chaff: The Wild Complete, Milk & Rectangles, Owl

The Wild Complete – The Wild Complete

The Wild Complete play the kind of majestic anthems that get plenty of coverage around here, so readers of this blog should find plenty to like. “The Wild Complete” somehow sounds huge and intimate at the same time; it could be the work of two people in a bedroom or 20 in a music hall. The song builds bit by bit until everything sounds like it’s going to spill over the edges, but just as it’s about to, the band halts everything until just their voices remain. The Wild Complete’s debut EP is full of lofty gems like this one, and it will be fun to see where the band ends up as they continue to refine their sound.

Milk & Rectangles – Unring a Bell

This kind of guitar music was never my thing. Recently though, I’ve started to enjoy it much more, which is lucky because I almost missed out on this song from Milk & Rectangles. “Unring a Bell” is exactly the kind of thing that would have annoyed me a year ago, but now I can’t stop blasting it. I would have thought the disaffected vocals were lazy, but now I find them charming. The rollicking guitars might have been grating to me then, but now I enjoy their fuzziness. I probably still would have loved the chorus, though. That thing is pretty great. The best part? You can nab the whole EP for free over here.

Owl – Goodbye Bye

The first two friends Owl has on MySpace are the Postal Service and Mates of State, a fact that does the job of summing up their sound pretty quickly and accurately. But that doesn’t mean Owl are derivative copycats; sure they have much in common with those two bands, but Owl own their sound. “Goodbye Bye” is hazy electronic pop of the best kind. The think synthesizers sound great, especially when the band starts layering them over each other. The beat and rolling bass move the song forward at steady pace, but it never feels rushed. The whole things sounds tailor-made for laying on your bed with headphones. Owl has seen fit to release their EP for free, so go here and get it.

Jónsi – Live @ The Vic

In the days before this concert I’d read reviews describing Sigur Rós frontman Jónsi‘s live show as a magical, awe-inspiring, tear-inducing experience that would ruin any future concerts for me. I’d seen video of Jónsi performing songs live and some behind-the-scenes shots of the stage. None of this prepared me for the truly amazing concert that I experienced though. Because of its vast scope and engrossing nature, it took me a while to collect my thoughts on this concert (which might explain my delay in reviewing). What’s sure is that Jónsi’s show at The Vic in Chicago was a unforgettable display of the Icelander’s artistic vision as he accompanied his gorgeous songs with incredible visuals that seemed more fitting for an elaborate Broadway stage show than a rock concert.

Jónsi opened the show with an acoustic song called “Stars In Still Water” the first of a few songs that to my knowledge have not been recorded on an album (possibly outtakes from a more acoustic-based Go). The new songs played were exceptionally pretty, but did not have the percussive, jubilant spirit of his recorded work, used primarily as mood-setting pieces and showcases for Jónsi’s otherworldly falsetto. The show really hit it’s stride when the band played the heart-wrenchingly beautiful “Kolnidur” which featured breathtaking visuals of running deer, flying owls, and leaping wolves across the screen curtain that encompassed the entire stage. As the song hit the climax, the curtain fell down revealing what looked like an abandoned greenhouse complete with torn down walls and fauna peeking out the sides.

Next was one of my favorites from Go, “Tornado” which featured some of the prettiest and most epic orchestration of the show as well as one of Jónsi’s most stunning vocal performances. The drumming throughout the night was among the most energetic and dramatic I’ve ever seen. When þorvaldur þorvaldsson would hit a cymbal he wouldn’t just sit idly by, he would leap out of his seat and thrust his arm in the air to finish. All of Jónsi’s band were extremely talented, and although the focus was clearly on the experience of the show and not the members themselves, it was a joy to watch them masterfully jump from instrument to instrument, including pianos, guitars, xylophones, harpsichord, and a second drum set made completely of found items (including a suitcase for the bass drum).

Another Go highlight, “Sinking Friendships” marked the mid-point of the show and had Jónsi moving to the piano to create the twinkling melodies as the backdrop featured visualized water trickling down the walls. I can understand while watching this why many have insisted on seeing the show twice (and perhaps why Jónsi is playing twice on many his stops), as it’s difficult to absorb everything that’s happening on stage. The visuals played an even bigger role as we reached the “poppy” portion of the show and singles “Go Do” and “Boy Lilikoi” were performed back-to-back. Birds fluttered and leaves fell while bright reds and greens filled the stage and the band vigorously played the euphoric tunes. The semi-title track was most delightful with Jónsi strumming a ukulele while the band recreated the intricately arranged, exuberant composition.

The set ended with the triumphant “Around Us” which began with Jónsi playing the sublime piano intro before grabbing two microphones (one which was for sampling his voice) and taking center stage. The band’s performance of this song was nothing short of enchanting and it ended with Jónsi on the floor using the floor pedals to distort and break up his voice, making it sound even more unearthly. The band left the stage briefly before kicking off the encore with the primal, frenticly paced “Animal Arithmetic”. When Jonsi came back out he was sporting a full Native American headdress, his playful, childlike dancing making it near impossible to snap a good picture of the rainbow-colored garb. Projected images showed an army of ants carrying off household items into a forest during the song.

Nothing though, could compare to the band’s final song of the night, “Grow Till Tall”. The band played their heart out, each intently focused on their instrument as the track built to an overwhelming, epic climax. The visuals matched the song’s intensity perfectly beginning with a light snow covering the screens and building to a full windy snowstorm blizzard complete with trees falling over and an array of strobe lighting effects. Jónsi (still in full headdress) was down on his knees unleashing his falsetto into the microphones while swaying as if he himself was succumbing to the storm. The song crescendoed until it was ear-shatteringly loud and then abruptly it was over.

It was a completely immersive experience unlike anything I’d seen or heard before. After the band briefly came back on stage to take a bow (very classy those Icelanders) the audience flooded out onto the Chicago streets with completely stunned looked on their faces. There was hardly any talking while the crowd exited the theater just a shared feeling that we had all witnessed something extraordinary.

MP3 Jonsi – Go Do
MP3 Jonsi – Tornado

There’s more Jónsi pictures after the jump. Click here for the entire set.

The Radio Dept.

Oh, Mother Nature and all of her ambiguity. I would’ve very well forgotten it was Spring if it weren’t for some recent record releases. No, I’m not referring to sunny EPs smelling of BBQs and spilled beer, but rather something distant and timid like The Radio Dept’s latest gem, Clinging to a Scheme… filled with transitional overtones from start to finish, it is an undeniably impelling album that is sure to court us into those longer days of Summer. It’s not here yet, just a little FYI.

The richness of this album is a direct result of their ear for textured instrumentals. They’ve definitely achieved a much happier sound and although Johan’s vocals sort of spill through the speakers… it’s hard to listen to this record without drifting away on his hazy train of thought. The lo-fi hi-hats and precarious use of reverbs mimic the earlier and dare I say better days of dream pop–a style gradually reinventing itself through artists like Washed Out and Toro y Moi. If it succeeds at being anything, I’d say it is truly nostalgic and at just the right time. Yes, the use of an introductory sound clip seems dated and almost goofed on their behalf, but in this case, it works and is more than made up for with whimsical interludes. Let us not forget that these guys have been around for 13 years. As often as history repeats itself, there should be no points taken for any veterans decidedly sticking to the format. In fact, we should be giving credit to those who do it well.

MP3 The Radio Dept. – David
MP3 The Radio Dept. – Heaven’s on Fire