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.

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...

Magic & Fur - The Last Of The Late Night Lost (2011)

Magic & Fur were my most anticipated album of 2010 ...I anticipated, but it didn't happen. Now, it has been nearly two full years since we first crowed about the forthcoming album, and it is finally here. Yeah! The majority of Last Of The Late Night Lost has been released in some manner or another, whether it be through bandcamp or EP, but the music still feels like a warm, fresh morning. "Christine" and "Apple Falls" remain the stand-out singles—solid longevity—with uptempo beats and hook-laden riffs that pull you in with great build-ups. "Do Not Toll The Bell" is a bass-line driven five star track reminiscent of "Heroes"-era Bowie. "Us" is my favorite of the newcomers, with a sing-along chorus and a head-nodding beat. I feel that the overall comparisons to Bowie and Interpol's sound still stand given the heavy emphasis on reverberating baritone vocals. The music is self-described as, "noir-soaked, hypnotic pop songs," which I think is partially off-base because, in my mind, noir tends to be associated with dark, cynical drama, and this album makes you want to happily bob about to the hypnotic pop, rather than wallow in it. Maybe that's just me. Regardless of your personal reaction to the music, this album is excellent beginning to end with a broad range of smooth sounds and solid songwriting. Hopefully we'll be seeing them stateside soon.

The album will be available on Monday, May 16 by download only. 

Bravestation - 2010 EP (2010)

We don't have an EP section in the QuickCrit Music Survey, but if we did, I think this would probably take my top spot. These four dudes out of Toronto lace pleasant vocal harmonies over rhythmic, indie synth pop for a combination that is both winsome and dreamy. The sound is super clean with hints of Yeasayer's creativity and folk-influenced fun. "White Wolves" is probably the catchiest of the tracks, but the other 4 are all enjoyable and well-balanced. With two EPs under their belt, 2011 may be the right time to release a full-length offering. After thoroughly enjoying these stellar tracks for the last few months of the year, I will be ready for some new tunes courtesy of Bravestation.

Download the 5 song EP free & legal here.

Holmes - "There'll Be No Christmas Without You"

To be perfectly honest, I loath most Christmas music. I will do the majority of my Christmas shopping online simply because going into stores playing Christmas music on a never-ending loop makes me want to buy everyone earplugs and vodka as gifts. For that reason, I am constantly on the lookout for "acceptable" Christmas tunes. For example, Leon Redbone's album Christmas Island? Fantastic. Julian Casablancas' jam "I Wish It Was Christmas Today"? Solidly listenable. Jessie Baylin's sexy "Mrs. Christmas"? Very nice. Robert Earl Keen's "Merry Christmas From The Family"? Legend! Probably the best. I suppose we can now throw Holmes' "There'll Be No Christmas Without You" (mp3) in there. A little sappy, but it sure beats "Jingle Bells" on repeat. You almost forget that it is a Christmas song, which is the way Christmas songs should play out. Any other suggestions?

Delorean - "Stay Close" (single)

Resident dreamer here, back with your daily dose of music-related fantasy and whimsy. Do you ever look out the window, close your eyes, and pretend you've just been transported to a life of infinite tranquility and beauty on the Balearic Islands of say, I dunno, Majorca? Ibiza, mayhaps? No? Oh... yeah, umm, me neither. In case the cold hand of reality just kicked your ass and perpetually precludes you from jetsetting, thankfully Spanish alternative dance band Delorean makes gorgeous synth pop soundscapes that temporarily delude you into thinking you're already there in your mind everytime you turn up their new [and my current favorite] record, Subiza (2010)... a stunning album that tastes like summer and plays like a neverending sonic dream. I find my affinity to this band hysterical, considering I've never been the discotheque-frequenting type, I don't summer in Europe, and I dislike dancing with anyone anywhere outside of the bedroom. But Delorean makes me want to hop on in, steal Plutonium from some angry Libyans, speed up to 88mph, and kickstart that flux capacitor to transport me back to a mid-'90s all-night house party slash rave off the coast of Spain. Such is the magical power of Delorean for making me nostalgic for a time and place I never even experienced, or thought I'd ever miss. While I absolutely adore the sweet shimmer of "Real Love" and the entrancing beat of "Warmer Places," the euphoric "Stay Close" is, hands-down, my favorite track and I'm utterly beguiled by it, much like I would be with the nonchalant delivery of an unintentional witticism a crush makes when we're talking on the phone. Like those last few bites of a really great dessert, I enjoy slowly savoring the melody of "Stay Close" in my head. I also find myself still remembering how the song makes me feel long after I'm done listening to it. In fact, if I were to make a mix CD for my boy-du-jour, I would strategically place "Stay Close" as the final track... with the hopes that after listening, he too would find himself doing the very same about all things me.

I can't seem to get enough of the official video for "Stay Close." Getting frisky on the beach, swimming, frolicking, cute animals, hues of clear blue water and endless sunshine... it's pretty much a 4:33 long video clip of everything I love in life, set to a killer nostalgic soundtrack. Jump in and get wet:



Awesome live clip here. I'm really digging the colorful stage set-up. Another great live clip from SXSW 2010 here.

OK Go - Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky (2010)

OK Go have made a house-hold name for themselves by recording high school cheer choreographed, single-shot videos that go viral seconds after posting and then are followed up by scores of impersonations and blogosphere commentary. It all started with "A Million Ways" followed up by "Here It Goes Again"  and, now, most recently, "This Too Shall Pass." Lost amidst all this YouTube hype for the general public is the fact that OK Go actually makes music in addition to those tracks featured in their widely watched, low-budget videos. It is undeniable that the aforementioned trio of songs are excellent; "This Too Shall Pass" being what I consider to be the most catchy, and lovable of all the songs off Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky, but it also should be noted that with this album the OK Go have matured in their songwriting and musical diversity. OK Go's singles have been appealing from the get go, but this is perhaps the first album of theirs that I have truly enjoyed from beginning to end. Songs like the electro, fist-pump inducing, bass-thumping "White Knuckles" (below), the jerky, 'tude filled "WTF?" or the TV On The Radio-esque "Needing/Getting" all show that OK Go have decided to stop being something cliché (I know that sounds harsh, but I like when bands differentiate themselves) and to embrace a very broad spectrum that cannot be classified or, at times, even identified in one short review... although I'm not sure what to make of "Before The Earth Was Round" (Thoughts? Comments?). I wouldn't say that this album brings anything groundbreaking to the table, but it is a solid on each track and covers the gamut of styles & influences that won't leave you bored. Since you've likely already seen the new video, enjoy this one for a fresh new beat. "Back From Kathmandu" and "In The Glass" are also quite good.

White Knuckles - OK Go

The Noisettes - "Never Forget You" [video] (2009)

I might be late on the ball, but I don't know anything about British band The Noisettes and/or their discography... except that I kinda sorta love this cute little track I just heard. It reminds me of The Supremes meets Camera Obscura meets __________.



Thoughts? Something tells me Awmercy, Brasilliant, and/or Ve1cro may dig this one the most. But I could be wrong!

PDX Pop Now! 2009 Compilation

PDX Pop Now is coming up (July 24-26) and I am amped. It's a free festival showcasing local Portland up and coming musicians. To prep, I picked up the compilation and started taking notes. Oddly, only 15 of the 40 bands featured on the double disc compilation will actually play the festival and 34 more are playing that were not included. While it may not be very representative, it still makes for a pretty good listen. In particular tracks by The Mint Chicks (garage pop), Benoît Pioulard (pretty indie folk), Dirty Mittens (indie pop), Explode Into Colors (instrumental indie), and Luck-One (chill hip hop) got me excited to see them live. The comp is rounded out by a couple of slightly more well-known artists like M. Ward, Starfucker, Mirah, and Blue Giant, who all contributed a good song from their most recent releases, but won't perform.

Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca (2009)

Besides the Yeah Yeah Yeah's It's Blitz, I've been having a hard time finding any new music this year that was blowing my mind. Lots of kind of floppy follow-ups and disappointing debuts from promising artists.

I'd never heard of the Dirty Projectors before maybe February...but all of a sudden I was hearing a lot about them. This is apparently their fifth album and they were featured on the tremendous "Dark Is the Night".

Listening to Bitte Orca is a bit like licking a 9v battery. It's anticipation and a mild, but palpable surprise. It's confusing at first, but intriguing. And then you start hitting that shit, like, a couple of times a day.

I can see why they were paired with David Byrne on Dark Was the Night and Bjork (doing whatever thing they were doing that I didn't bother to read about), there are easily recognizable influences abound. I'm also hearing some Antony, and maybe a hint of Sufjan.

Hey Dirty Projectors. You're kind of blowing my mind right now.

Andrew Bird - Noble Beast & Useless Creatures (2009)

Between Noble Beast and Useless Creatures, Andrew Bird is releasing nearly 2 hours of new music to kick off 2009. Not too surprisingly, Bird delivers excellence again with catchy & easy to listen to string ensambles, mellow vocals and carefree whistling throughout Noble Beast. Nothing crazy or cutting edge here, but consistent creative quality that both soothes and entertains—a stellar follow-up to Bird's captivating 2007 release Armchair Apocrypha. Useless Creatures, the accompanying "bonus EP," is all instrumental strangeness, albeit interesting and surprisingly listenable, that plays like the soundtrack to an artistic indie film. They may not be useless, but they certainly are odd creatures. All in all a must listen for this early year, and another feather in the cap of this extremely talented and creative multi-instrumentalist.

Grab a listen to: "Not a Robot, But a Ghost," "Fitz & Dizzyspells," and "Anonanimal" (especially after the jazzy snare drum interlude).

Annuals - Such Fun (2008)

I like the Annuals. I like their shambolic indie rock and the first half of the album is lots of fun. It's a little more polished than Be He Me, more along the lines of their song on the Wet Zoo split EP. Over all, the band sounds tighter. They work in a little punk guitar strum before breaking into pop shimmer, never straying to far from a melody. I especially like the rhythmic guitar on "Hot Night Hounds" and the stuttering drums on "Springtime". "Down The Mountain" adds a little country to the mix. However, none of the songs on the second half of the album stand out, slipping by pleasantly, but without leaving much of an impression. I had higher hopes for this album.

Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line (2008)

Ra Ra Riot’s 2008 release, The Rhumb Line, will sound mightily familiar to any of you who are acquainted with their 2007 self-titled EP. Four tracks are featured on both releases, arguably the best songs on the album, and only one or two of the additions really stand out. The best of the repeated tracks, “Ghost Under Rocks” and “Dying Is Fine,” have noticeably improved recording & production—less lo-fi garage band promo tape, more studio filtered cleanliness. The interesting additions are the Kate Bush cover "Suspended in Gaffa,” and “Oh, La,” which for a brief second I thought was an alternate lyrics cover of The Kook’s 2006 track “Ooh La” (notice the subtle difference… clever). If you enjoyed the 2007 EP release, which I did, I would definitely recommend this polished extension; however, be prepared for similarities throughout.

No Age - Nouns (2008)

No Age made no attempts to clean up their dirty grungy sound for their second album. Thank God. Nouns is raw, it sounds like it came straight from the gutter outside some shit-hole club in LA directly to you. No Age don't need no high quality sound to impress, they're totally mocking me for having such fancy-pants headphones. This punk duo makes an impressive amount of racket, but there are surprising licks of melody folded into all the feedback and guitar noise. They've also really mastered the art of tension and release. The buildups to their songs are drawn out - sometimes longer than the actual melody portion - and when they finally punch through they sound all the better for it. No Age is one of my favorites because they're so unexpectedly beautiful at times, and completely gritty at others. Best of both worlds.

Faves: Eraser, Cappo, Here Should Be My Home and Brain Burner

Sun Kil Moon - April (2008)

Dating back to the days of Red House Painters, Mark Kozelek’s projects have favored a simple musical formula: a voice & a guitar. Despite this depiction, Sun Kil Moon is not entirely a one-man show… there are other instruments and backing vocals. However, April mostly comports with the pleasantness of the minimalist approach, which is augmented by Kozelek’s calming voice and songwriting style. Patience in the development of each song (SKM is not shy about taking songs into, and above, the 9 minute range) induces a relaxing mood by allowing the music to linger without interruption. With a few exceptions, such as "Tonight The Sky," which has a fuller, plugged-in sound, the role of each instrument is delicate and secondary to the vocals and lyrics (See "Heron Blue"). For those unacquainted with Kozelek’s style, I would recommend Ghosts of the Great Highway (Sun Kil Moon's 1st album) over April; however, for those already appreciative of the relaxing intimacy of his music, April should be a welcome collection of mellow, reflective musical storytelling.

Relax to: "Tonight The Sky" for something plugged-in, and “Lucky Man” for the “a voice & a guitar” approach.

Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago (2008)

This is a very enjoyable, mellow album. Everything sounds heartfelt throughout this patiently, fine crafted collection of acoustic solitude. Primarily falsetto vocals are supplemented by an undertone of steady acoustic guitar and subtle sporadic snare and bass drumming... this gives the songs a beautifully captivating simplicity. For Emma is perhaps my favorite study/reading album that I have discovered so far this year—in the realm of Iron & Wine’s The Shepherd's Dog—and given the amount of time I spend studying, it may break into my favorite new albums overall.

For the uninitiated: "Blindsided," "Skinny Love," “For Emma”