Fitz and the Tantrums - "Out Of My League" [single] (2013)

Fitz and the Tantrums' new record, More Than Just A Dream, is upon us and I couldn't help but share this single because it's catchier than mononucleosis.  Maybe it's Fitz's anachronistic hair cut.  Maybe it's their stylish and colorful music videos.  Maybe it's the frenetic way Noelle always shimmies around on-stage while banging a tambourine on her gyrating hips (especially eye-catching when done Tina Turner-style in sequins dresses).  Maybe it's the fact that they were and still are, perhaps, one of the most dynamic live bands I remember seeing at SXSW 2011, let alone at the entire Dangerbird Records showcase.  Maybe it's my fascination with their refusal to feature guitar in their songs, almost as a personal band challenge to separate themselves from every other band on the planet and to find creative ways to fill out their sound.  Or maybe, it's simply all of the above.  "Out Of My league" sounds like a bit of a departure from some of their previous efforts that were dripping wet with retrosexuality and I'm not quite sure about this indie-poppish direction in which they're headed.  Is this a reinvention of sound, image, concept, quality?  Noticeably absent: the blue-eyed neo-soul elements or even a modicum of that brass section I became accustomed to from the "MoneyGrabber" days.  Who knows, but for now I really dig this track.  Not enough to move to Los Angeles and start my own tantrum, but enough to recommend "Out Of My League" to you.

Savages - Silence Yourself (2013)

Blimey!  There is sense of urgency.  And then there is Savages and their post-punk musical bullet to the brain.  Dark, rapturous, exciting, intriguing, lush, jagged, unapologetic as hell.  Fans of late-era Sleater-Kinney: brace yourself.  Someone somewhere, perhaps a Siouxsie and The Banshees fan, is listening to this record right now having their mind-blown over and over again.  Or a Joy Division die-hard just got handed this recommendation from a trusted music friend and can't stop air-drumming to Silence Yourself.  Then there's me, a huge fan of both of the aforementioned bands, who cannot shut up about Savages and happily allowed them to bring me out of my quasi QuickCrit posting retirement.

Did I mention Savages is comprised of an all-girl 4-piece band from England?  As much as I love chicks with attitude, there's something inexplicably cooler to me about British chicks with attitude.  And don't even get me started on some of the best "don't fuck with me" basslines I've heard in recent memory.  I don't even know what else I could possibly say except listen to this album and draw your own conclusions.  It's just... ridiculous.  In the best way possible.  If you should perhaps, post-listen, feel the sudden urge to grab the first person who annoys you by the lapels and tell them to "sod off," I cannot be held responsible for what could potentially ensue.  As always, listener discretion is advised.

"Shut Up" and "She Will" are great too.  Then again, so is every other song on the album.

Phosphorescent – Muchacho (2013)

I have been captivated by this album for the last two weeks or so now. Ever since I heard Matthew Houck’s “Wolves” sometime in late 2007 or early 2008, I have been loosely following Phosphorescent, but the last album unfortunately didn't warrant a review, so I think up until now, Phosphorescent has gone undiscussed on QCM. 

On Easter Sunday 2010 at The Independent in San Francisco (where I'll be tonight to see Portugal. The Man), White Hinterland and Bon Iver opened (yes, opened) for Phosphorescent. Most of the people in the audience were there for Bon Iver, specifically, and by the end of Phosphorescent’s set, most people had cleared out due to Houck’s shushing of the increasingly noisy Bon Iver following turned bar scene in the back. The gabbing during Houck's set was in stark contrast to the pin-drop silence Bon Iver was afforded. I hate when people talk during concert sets in small venues, so I have always had a somewhat special appreciation for Houck’s tender songwriting and fragile vocals, despite his hit-or-miss albums.

To me, Muchacho is Phosphorescent's most well-rounded album. The lyrics and songwriting across the board just seem more thought-out and less forced, albeit occasionally borrowed. “The Quotidian Beasts” seems to follow the chord progression of Chris Isaak’s "Wicked Game" – I even found myself mouthing “And I, want to fall in love” during the chorus build-up – and the single "Song for Zula" (below) leads in with a paraphrased reference to the infamous Cash-Carter "Ring of Fire" opening lines in singing "some say love is a burning thing / that it makes a fiery ring." Both are great tracks, and with each, the song takes on new and interesting shapes independent of the nods. My favorite of the tracks is "Ride On / Right On." With its head-nodding charisma and simplicity, "Ride On / Right On" paints a picture of what I view as a wild/fun, but ultimately unfulfilling, life and times. The core of Phosphorescent's sound is the facts that very few vocalists sing love-loss more convincingly than Houck, which may be his single most compelling attribute and shines through on tracks like "Muchacho's Tune," "Terror in the Canyons," and "Down to Go" – decrepit & touching enough that you just want to reach through the speakers and give the guy a hug. Well done on this one.

PAPA - On Tour; Album Forthcoming

PAPA isn't new, but it feels like they are on the cusp of breaking out of the shadows to enter the indie spotlight and they are about to venture out on a small-venue tour. Jump at the opportunity while you can, because I have a feeling that after this next mini tour and the release of a full length they won't be offering too many more free shows. Why would they? The music is great and great music isn't free.

The band's 2011 EP, A Good Woman Is Hard To Find, is excellent (so is the album art; internet search that business), but like all EPs, it is too damn short, coming in at just under 23 minutes. They also released a single last year for the track "Put Me To Work," video below. Nice, right? One can hope that they will come out with all new tracks on the LP rather than simply tacking 3 new songs onto the EP. Time to fire up that album press, gents, the people want more. I, for one, will be ready.

On Tuesday, March 5 the band will making a stop at Brick and Mortar Music Hall in San Francisco, and will be at SOHO in Santa Barbara two days later.

Just a heads up. Now, back to work...

Top 10 Favorite 2012 Portland EPs

Last month I posted my favorite Portland albums from 2012 and not an EP made the list. In this golden age of the EP, that’s just wrong. Whether you buy vinyl, digital, or even tapes, it's never been easier to hear up and coming local bands and I played the shit out of these. So head over to bandcamp.com to be instantly gratified and then pc-pdx.com to hunt down their next show. Guaranteed good times.

1. Grandparents - Fumes EP
   With each release they seem to get better and better or at least I love 'em more, shifting between dreamy shoegaze and rhythmic psych, all with plenty of hooks..
   

2. Pictorials - Learning EP
   Some damn catchy anglophile indie rock. It's okay to throw this on an endless repeating loop. Right? 
   

3. A Happy Death - A Happy Death EP
   Terrific blast of rock n' roll. A little psych, a little surf. Leaves me desperately waiting for more.
   

4. Radiation CIty - Cool Nightmare EP
   Woozy and romantic like a late night stumble after too many Death in the Afternoon cocktails.
5. Tango Alpha Tango - Kill & Haight EP
   Gritty loud garage blues. Go on, break your neck to their hypnotic rhythms.
   
6. Tiger House - Acid Banshee // Camel Party
   Loose dancy indie rock. Whoa oh oh.
   
   
7. The Suicide Notes - The Suicide Notes EP Warning: this girl group regularly burns down Portland dive bars.
8. Pataha Hiss - Dirrty Love EP Tough girl group emerging from the garage. I want front row seats to the street corner brawl with the Suicide Notes. I’ll bring the chains. 
9. Pure Bathing Culture - Pure Bathing Culture EP So damn pretty. Blowing up Blind Pilot style. Catch their cheap shows while you still can.
10. Hollywood Tans - Stolen Stereo Seriously upbeat and fun power pop. Bounce along.
    

QuickCrit Top 40 from 2012 Playlist

Got an extra 2 hours and 40 minutes? Need a DJ for your New Year's Eve party? There are worse options than listening to our favorite 2012 albums playlist.