Record Review

Fang Island: Fang Island, Rating 9.1

Alright get ready for a few sentences of me gushing over this band. Help me, my face just melted! Fang Island plays to all of my likes, it's like they asked me "Anton, what would you like to hear in a rock album." Lots and lots of duel guitar solos...check, finger tapping guitar licks...check, shouting choruses...check and fun...CHECK. Fang Island describes their music as "Everyone high fiving everyone." which after listening to it is pretty accurate.

Here they are playing for a kindergarden class

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUA6vWLBn8k

Record Reviews

Johnny Cash: American Recordings VI Ain’t No Grave, Rating 5.0

How can you write anything bad about Mr. Cash. The album isn’t bad but I don’t think it needed to be released. “American Recordings VI” sounds like it’s all the songs that weren’t good enough to make the cut for “American Recordings V” which were both recorded in the few months between the death of June and his own. It’s hard to listen to songs about death and dying from a guy who is actually dying. I want to remember cash as the guy who “shot a man in Reno just to watch him die.”

Peter Gabriel: Scratch My Back, Rating 5.8

“Scratch my Back” is the first part of Gabriel’s cover album project the 2nd being “I’ll Scratch Yours.” Gabriel covers the likes of Bowie, Bon Iver, Lou Reed, Radiohead, Arcade Fire and Neil Young. No guitars, no bass, no drums only piano and orchestral arrangements. “Scratch my Back” is a very pretty album but it’s almost equally as awkward. I’m not sure this really needed to be made. This album is a good one to have on while you work, doesn’t take a whole lot of concentration. However there are a couple stand out songs that just too good to glance over “Flume” by Bon Iver and “The Book of Love” by The Magnetic Fields. Let’s hope for better when the artist’s cover Gabriel’s songs on “I’ll Scratch Yours.”

These New Puritans: Hidden, Rating 7.2

Q: What do you get when you mix Gil Evan’s-esque arrangements, Kodo style drumming, Choirs and synthesizers? A: “Hidden” by These New Puritans. This honestly sounds like nothing I’ve heard before so I have nothing really to compare it to. The first couple songs sound like they could be used on a horror movie (probably vampire based, but not like that twilight junk) soundtrack, dark and ominous. Then it moves to more of the mind of a serial killer feel through the middle, a little off but always calculated. Towards the end you feel like you just took a quaalude and you’re floating on clouds. I have a feeling this will be an album I continue to come back to.

New Format

Hello Wigwam readers...All 2 of you (that might be wishful thinking). Instead of doing monthly record reviews I'm just going to post them as I write them. It will be easier for me and it creates more posts.

Are You Local? SXSW Send off @ First Ave 3/6

The night started out at Pizza Luce for a litte pre show drinks and grub. Other than a little problem getting a beer, dinner was excellent as usual. A few of us headed over to First Ave to see a few local bands perform before they head down to SXSW in Austin, TX. We walked in halfway through Romantica's set and my interest was peaked and I'd like to see a full set of theirs. Good energetic alt country. The Pines took the stage next and it was a pretty boring set. I think I like them as a band but First Ave might be too big of a venue for them right now. Next up was Jeremy Messersmith who I've seen before and was just ok but this set he had a full band and sounded really good. He tried out a few new songs on us and I dug them quite a bit. The highlight of the night though was the next band Peter Wolf Crier. 2 guys, drums, guitar and singing. Good rock energy, lots off vocal looping and a pretty kick ass cover of Helter Skelter.

We left before Lookbook took the stage because it had been a long day but I would like to see them soon.

Trivia Win @ Mac's Industrial for the Gold Medal Merkins

Mary and I met some friends at Mac's in NE for a little bar trivia. Our main mission was to beat the table of diverse nerds that have won the last four weeks in a row. We were on fire, our minds were melded as one super brain. We were fairly confident we all of our answers except for 2. Diverse nerd table = 25, Gold Medal Merkins = 29. We ended up taking 1st place with a score of 29 of 31, winning a $25 bar tab. Victory for the Merkins!

Retribution Gospel Choir @ The Triple Rock 2/20

We set out to the Triple Rock to see one of the side projects of Low's front man Alan Sparhawk. It was exactly what I expected to see, loud and just like the album. It was fun to see a good smiply old rock show. No pretentious indie rockers, no artsy fartsy stuff just pure rock and roll.

February Album Reviews

Los Campesinos!: Romance is Boring, Rating 7.1

Los Campesinos! Have grown up? And I don’t know how I feel about it. If “Romance is Boring” was the first album I heard by Los Camp I’d probably would have rated it higher but I know how zany and unpredictable they can be after listening to “Hold On Now Youngster.” The songs on this album are tighter and more structured which isn’t a bad thing it’s just different. I still really like this album and will have to just accept that it’s not more of the same.

Lil’ Wayne: Rebirth, Rating 3.2

Over the last year I’ve have become a Lil’ Wayne fan. His rhymes are tight and quite humorous at times. It’s a little overwhelming at first looking at his discography and figuring out where to start. Lil Wayne is a song producing machine but I’m starting to learn it’s not all great. “Rebirth” is Wayne’s attempt at a rock album. I found it lyrically and musically boring. It sounds like an out of the box rock record with Weezy singing auto tune all over it. I guess I just have to wait a couple months to the next release and hope its better.

Hot Chip: One Life Stand, Rating 8.0

“One Life Stand” has been getting a lot of play in the Hyundai recently and usually at very high volumes. The CD is a little front heavy but I’m starting to appreciate the 2nd half a little more with each listen. It also helps that the last song on the album is “Take It In” which could be one of the best songs of the year (I know it’s only February). I have a feeling that “One Night Stand” will get some attention this year but will probably receive more praise down the road, I think this is kind of a sleeper album.

Yeasayer: Odd Blood, Rating 4.3

“Odd Blood” could be the biggest disappointment of the year. I really enjoyed Yeasayer’s unique debut release “All Hour Cymbals” and have been waiting for new material from them for a while. I was extremely pleased with the song “Tightrope” which they provided for the CD “Dark Was The Night” and equally as pleased with the first single from “Odd Blood”, “Ambling Alp” which was release in December. “Odd Blood” (in my mind) had potential to be album of the year…then I heard it. The album has 3 maybe 4 solid songs on it and lacks the potential and feeling their earlier releases had. Having seen them live a couple times I had actually heard about half the songs on “Odd Blood” before it came out and they sounded great live, but on the album they come across boring and almost amateurish. I haven’t given up on Yeasayer in any means and I plan on seeing them live at the end of April.

Local Natives: Gorilla Manor, Rating 8.1

No surprise I love this album, it has all the things I like, great harmonies, unique percussion and good guitar work. I would describe “Gorilla Manor” as a rocked up Grizzly Bear album. Local Natives are a new band out of LA and you can really tell on the album they are having fun being a band. In no way does the album ever feel pretentious or forced. I having a feeling this band is going to become pretty big in the indie world and has some crossover success similar to Phoenix.

Mumford & Sons: Sign No More, Rating 2.8

Get ready, here they come…With the recent success of Fleet Foxes and The Avett Brothers we are starting to get a gaggle of bands trying to ride the folk rock wave while they can. I have to admit that I am a fan of their single “Little Lion Man” but unlike the other mentioned bands, “Sigh No More” ends at their single. I found the rest of the album to be boring and emotionless. So if this type of music is your thing than this will probably fit nicely in your collection but I don’t see Mumford & Sons having any staying power in this genre.

Rural Alberta Advantage @ The Cedar 1/15

Mary and I had seen RAA a few months ago at 7th Street Entry and loved the band live. So when we saw they were coming back we were excited to see one of our favorite new bands again this time at the cedar. We were a little surprised when we walked in and the show was seated. Now I've seen both seated (Ryan Adam, Happy Apple) and non-seated (Fleet Foxes, Camera Obscura) shows at the Cedar but was not expecting RAA to be seated. We found our spot and it was actually quite nice to sit for the opener Dark Dark Dark who were kind of boring. RAA took the stage and it was immediately awkward to be seated. After the first song they mentioned that this is the first seated show they've played and said "please feel free to stand up and dance." For the next couple songs people kept standing then sitting, standing then sitting. It took about 5 songs for the cedar to collectively figure out that yes this may be acoustic but it's still a fucking rock show and finally stood up. RAA's energy is infectious and I plan on seeing them every time they are in town. I am always amazed with how good their drummer is.

January Album Reviews

Vampire Weekend: Contra, Rating 8.1

Initially I was(and still am) a little underwhelmed with the first single “Horchata” which was released about a month before the release. It seemed like more of the same but more annoying vocally. But being the first big release of the year (and being a fan of their debut) I had to give the album a fair shot. First listen through I was a fan. Contra is less calculated then their debut and a better start to finish listen. The stand out song on the album in my opinion is “Giving up the Gun” which if you haven’t seen the video for yet do yourself a favor and google it.

Owen Pallett: Heartland, Rating 6.8

Heartland is defiantly a mood album for me. Pallett (formally Final Fantasy) is music arranging genius. Heartland is filled with beautiful strings loops, keyboards and airy vocals. This is not an album you’d put on in the car for your commute but more for listening to while you work or read a book. I know that is probably a huge slap in the face to say its background music but those albums are needed. I have seen him live and he is amazing, one man on stage making so much music.

Spoon: Transference, Rating 7.2

Probably my least favorite Spoon album that I own, but I really like Spoon so it’s still a good album. Transference may grow on me more though over the year. It’s a very minimal instrument wise compared to Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga which seemed to have every instrument ever made on it. Stand out tracks are “I saw the light” and the gritty “Written in Reverse” If you like Spoon it’s a must.

Surfer Blood: Astro Coast, Rating 8.3

I saw Surfer Blood open for Art Brut last year before this album was out and I was pleasantly surprised. I couldn’t wait for the album to come out and when it did I wasn’t disappointed. Surfer Blood is a guitar driven pop rock band with a surf feel. If you are a fan of bands like Weezer or Pavement you’ll dig Surfer Blood. Even though Astro Coast came out in January this could be the summer album of the year!

Four Tet: There is Love in You, Rating 7.1

Four Tet has been around in the techno world for about 10 years but this is my first encounter with him. I really like this album, it’s not fist pumping sweaty rave music and it’s not background ambient. It finds a perfect place in between to entertain your ears. The songs start minimalistic and build and then deconstruct with layers of loops and vocals. If you are into electronic music give this one a spin, it may fit your fancy.

Beach House: Teen Dream, Rating 9.1

It’s weird I always find it the hardest to write about albums I really like. I guess if I had to some Teen Dream up in one word it would have to be beautiful. Victoria Legrand's androgynous voice is truly dreamy and mixes so well with the music. Every song on his album is indie pop perfection. The worst thing about this album is the cover. Buy it.

Retribution Gospel Choir: 2, Rating 6.6

Low’s frontman Alan Sparhawk shows his rock side in his 3 piece band Retribution Gospel Choir. Sparhawk is not creating anything new with this album but he is producing some extremely catchy guitar loaded pop rock songs. Track one “Hide It Away” Was stuck in my head for weeks after one listen. It’s amazing how well Alan’s voice works for both Low and RGC. I’d say 50% of this album is solid and the other 50% is good.

Charlotte Gainsbourg: IRM, Rating 8.5

I’ll have to admit I did not fall in love with this album on first listen. I knew it was good but it took me a few listens to appreciate it. IRM is produced by Beck and you can really hear his styling come through on this record and he performs with Charlotte on “Heaven Can Wait.” Charlotte’s voice is not one that would win any singing competitions but she uses it well with the tracks she is given. I enjoy this album more and more with every listen.