The Stils-Oceans Will Rise

It´s been a boring week since school´s out until January, so I´ve had nothing interesting to do (and I probably never will, I don't lead the most exciting life ever, to be honest)

I was beginning to get bored of playing the same 5 albums over and over again, so I decided to not-so-randomly pick an album from the ones I used to listen to a lot but hadn't really listened to in a considerable amount of time, and I chose this one. I´ve listened to it 4 or 5 times since yesterday (like I said before, I used to listen to this one quite a lot, hell, I'll even go as far as saying it used to be one of my favorites back in the day, but for whatever reason, I stopped listening to it) because it actually is a very, very good album, and the only Stills album I´ve had the chance to listen to in its entirety. 

Moving away from the personal stories and irrelevant facts and onto the part people actually give half a fuck about, this album stands out for three reasons mainly: The guitars, the drums/percussions and the lyrics, which, when combined, make a very solid and remarkable indie record. It's an LP with really, really powerful tunes. None of them sound the same (as contradictory as that may sound coming from a band that may have even come off as generic and unexciting in the past) even though all of them were composed by the same band. (no shit, Sherlock) Each song sounds quite different and interesting from the other, thus making for an entertaining and enjoyable listen. If you ever heard the lead single from it, Being Here, you'll more thank likely think that it's an album that lives off of that song's (unattained) glory, but it actually doesn't, and as amazing as this may sound, it's actually one of the weaker tracks compared to what the rest of the album has to offer. At a first glance...or...err...listen, it's just your average folk rock/indie rock album with the catchy tunes and rather melancholic backgrounds that just end up sounding unexciting at times...but it's actually more than that. It's a very complete listen, very well-arranged music, and even better written lyrics. You may have to be into music a lot to fully appreciate all the epic tunes Fletcher and friends have created,  but even if you aren't, you'll immediately notice the seductive and nostalgia-evoking riffs, the non-generic-at-all and quite creative drum/percussion beats (which happen to be my favorite part of the record, more often than not leading me to just play along on my legs and just try to figure out the complex and fun drum patterns) and obviously, what always makes me classify music as good or dull: The lyrics. My oh my the lyrics in this record happen to be top-notch. It´s a pretty good album overall, although it sometimes does get repetitive after a while (even though none of the songs are...yeah, I know, that´s weird) but aside from that unimportant detail, it´s a really good option if you just want a good listen to spend your free time on.

Now, after just a very simple insight on what the album has to offer, lets actually go deeper into the best parts of it:

Percussionist Julien Blais: He´s the driving force of the band's music. The one that truly makes this a worthy, exciting and enjoyable listen. It is said that without a good drummer and a good bass player the band´s equilibrium goes to hell, fucking everything up no matter how good the guitar players or lead singer are, because you have no structure, you have no base. The only thing you have, is a tasty dish, but no plate to serve it on. (velcum, my son, to my twisted mind. Basic band composition lesson #1: Get yourself a good bass player and a good drummer, and you'll be good to go for the first 5 minutes of your weekend rockstar phase) But when you´ve got Julien  and Oliver , there´s nothing to worry about. (Oliver's the bass player, by the way...should have probably pointed that out before, but meh, it's my blog, I point shit out when I feel like it, not when I'm meant to. And I should have definitely pointed that out at the very beginning of my blogger adventure, to make sure you'd hate me long before actually reading my lame reviews) The two musicians establish the base of The Still's music, but obviously, what we were focusing on here, was the fantastic drum work. Julien's technique and creativity are fantastic, he didn't take the easy road and just exploited the despicable hi-hat/snare/bass/snare/hi-hat/crash formula, he actually took the long road...and walked it. The complex and amazing patterns he chooses to play on the record are amazing just because they make good music sound great.

Now, second and third best parts will be on the same section, just to speed things up for you so you can go listen to the record now: The guitars and the lyrics. Like the drums/percussions, no matter how much of a music geek you are or how little knowledge of it you have, they immediately stand out and stay there without leaving you for a single second, kinda like an aura of melancholy that embraces you and tells you a haunting story with each new riff and note played. It is nothing too impressive, (even though Rooibos/Palm Wine Drinkard deserves a special mention for the memorable riffs) but it manages to do the work perfectly. It fulfills it's only goal in the record with such a fantastic elegance that you can't help but want more and more. The guitars in this record are the perfect companions to the lyrics, keyboards and drums. They are played just the way any guitar is meant to be played, with love and passion, after all, your guitar is like your girlfriend, if you don't have that burning desire to make the most of it, to love her, to treat her with passion and respect, then you should just quit because you lack the fundamental feelings to even have one. And finally, the beautiful, beautiful lyrics. It's already implied, considering I give a special mention to the lyrics on each of my reviews, that I myself am a lyricist, or poet, whichever one works just fine for me. For this record, as well as with for many of the ones I've reviewed, they are key to the incredibleness of it. Tim and co. have the remarkable ability to write lyrics that complement the haunting and beautiful music they compose, and even though there are actually some rather...dumb and shitty moments on the record, they remain as some of the best parts throughout most of it. They are very touching and melancholic, abstract and poetic, and, like in every great lyrical composition, are completely up to the listener to make a pertinent interpretation of them. Consider these following fragments as small treats from yours truly, so you can start to feel an even bigger need to listen to this album:

Dinosaurs:

The roads wash in the shadows

Of a thousand manta rays

Volcanic waves

Our hopes are in vain

Snow In California:

I lost my way out

In a land of darkness

End of light

With no one left here to

Show me how I died

Hands On Fire:

It starts with a match

And the wind that blows

What you bury inside

What no one knows

I'll make my move

No eyes in sight

The slightest touch

The wrong choice 

Makes it right

I saw the flames

Crawl up your spine

When the room got warm

I froze up inside

Beautiful. In my humble (and mostly biased opinion) Dinosaur´s lyrics are probably the best in the whole album, and it´s a relatively short song, which is a shame. Oh well, I guess we can live with that. Let´s move to the final parts of this review. Phew, that surely makes you think huh? Feeling excited about what's in store for you? Can't hold the excitement in any longer? Want to listen to it now? Well, I've got good news for you, we're almost done!

Best Tracks:

1-Don´t Talk Down

2-Snow In California

3-Everything I Build

4-Panic

5-Dinosaurs

6-Rooibos/Palm Wine Drinkard

7-Statue Of Sirens

Final Verdict: Not your average indie record, that´s for sure, which makes this a really good listen. The guitars, the precussion, the lyrics, the keyboards, the music overall is beautiful, all the songs set different moods, some have a lot of energy while some are soothing and pacifying tunes that bring the mystical power of relaxation to the listener. Despite the obvious musical differences that each song may have, a curious fact about all of them is that they all have the same melancholic and even slightly saddening vibe to them in some extent. In some tracks, it's barely noticeable, but still there, while in others, it's a little too overwhelming. 

Recommended? Hell yes. Why? well, these Canadians created a beautiful, pacifying and soothing indie recording...and we love beavers...

Rating: 8.8/10

Broken Bells-Broken Bells

Perfect debut albums are milestones in the history of music, albums that were released to immediate universal acclaim. Few bands have managed to create these musical jewels, and being a part of the list of artists that have requires more than a hit single, more than a catchy riff, more than a melodic solo. A very small amount of bands had achieved the daunting task of joining during these last 2 decades, very very few....until quite a lot joined in 2010. We saw (or should I say...heard?) some of the best debuts in a looooong time, like Them Crooked Vultures (which will be reviewed soon) and obviously Broken Bells. It´s an insanely hard task for a novice musician and/or band to come up with a great debut album, no matter who he/they is/are or where he/they is/are from. This exclusive list dates to the golden days of hard rock, alas the beginning of the heavy metal ages (In Van Halen's case, I know it's late 70s, but still, don't contradict me) Yes, I´m talking about some of the best musicians history has given us, Led Zeppelin and Van Halen (I use these two as examples because people can easily relate to them and to their music. Who hasn't heard Immigrant Song or Jump at some point in their lives, right? But if you disagree on my choice, then please, by all means, do leave my blog, you deaf wanker) Led Zeppelin I had the memorable and immediately recognizable Good Times Bad Times, the painful ode to heartbreak Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, the blunt Your Time Is Gonna Come, and the simply legendary album closer How Many More Times. Jimmy, John, Bonzo and Robert were young men, and they created what today is considered as one of the top 10 albums in the history of music (at least on MY list...magazine editors and writers have proven to be as objective and informed as the shit they've been sticking up their ears and asses for the past 60 years...).  Van Halen did something similar, hitting the listener in the face with Eddie's disgustingly beautiful mastership of the guitar that, at times, was too hot to handle for the typical late 70s-early 80s music listener. Eruption is the most remarkable expression of how to fuck the shit out of a guitar (in a sexual way, of course. Not saying he fucked his guitar as in, sucking at playing it...lol). Completely unexpected and unheard of.  Atomic Punk's riff is something else, bordering on the too-catchy-to-be-pop-but-not-pop-enough-to-be-on-the-radio composition. Ain't Talkin' Bout Love is just...mindblowingly good for a song about being loose and lonely (Always picking my personal favorites, I'm such a bad reviewer, am I not?) and all these fantastic songs came on Van Halen I, another perfect debut. Zepp and VH became two of the few bands in music history to go straight to rock & roll heaven, to achieve legend status almost immediately. Other acknowledgeable debuts include Buddy Holly's, The Doors', Sir Lord Baltimore´s, Gun N´Roses' and Nirvana´s, just to name a few. Now, if you know your music, you will have realized by now that each of these bands released their respective debuts in different decades (Ah, I see what you did there Charlie, you're so smart) meaning it'd take well over 10 years for flawless debuts to be released (with some exceptions obviously, and before you say anything about me not including more examples, why the hell would I do that? Including two was already more than enough. Stop complaining, dammit) So, where does Broken Bells come in? Am I really comparing a synthrock indie band that just came to be with Led Zeppelin and Van Halen? Guitar-driven, blues-infused rock? Yes. I without a single doubt am. Why? Read further and you'll find out.

After explaining with lack of smart arguments and details what a perfect debut album is, let's move on to the big big question y'all have been asking to yr'selves: What makes this album so special? Well, that´s an easy one:

If The Smiths (or Morrisey, if you will) were to have an affair with New Order and MGMT at the same time, while being married to and adopting Erasure's habits (or, in this case, musical elements), this would be the result. Lyrically, this fantastic album borders on the nostalgic and reflexive. The abstract and emotionally unstable. There's a sad, dark and metaphoric atmosphere that immediately embraces the listener, trapping them in an innuendo of synthesizers and catchy, harmonic and nostalgia-evoking riffs. Instrumentally, bands like MGMT and My Bloody Valentine will come to mind here and there, but obviously encapsulated in that special something The Shins-esque vibe thanks to Mercer's immediately recognizable voice and his ever-lovely and quite creative vocal melodies. Modern synthpop music with traces of early 90s lo-fi here and there. Add Danger Mouse, a reknown (and remarkable) producer and musician that has been around for a while now, and has released quite a handful of memorable albums, be it as a producer, guest musician or solo, to that unique and bizarre mix and you get this, probably my favorite album of 2010 so far. The lyrics on this album are key, the music is fantastic and quite catchy, at least three or four tracks are bound to be stuck in your head for a while, but the thing that stood out the most for me (like always, since I myself am a lyricist/poet) were the lyrics, and once you know them by heart and actually start to feel their meaning, not only read it, you'll actually see why this album is a perfect debut. On a random note, the lyrics will always be like the dressing on a salad (the salad being the music) without them, it´s just vegetables (the vegetables being the music, although even if it had no lyrics, it would still be a fantastic album, the final tracks on it, Mongrel Heart and The Mall & Misery are my favorites on it, because in my opinion they are the most complete on the album, both lyrically and musically) All of the tracks are really good and will definitely stick with you for a while, taking you to that place, that beautiful and sacred place, known as...Nirvana. *Angelic voice*

My only real complaint would be that it´s too short, and October should have been replaced with Meyrin Fields, but it´s still a great track.

Best Tracks:

1-The High Road
2-Vaporize
3-The Ghost Inside
4-Mongrel Heart
5-The Mall & Misery

Final Verdict: A must have if you´ve always been fond of Danger Mouse's productions/remixes and love James Mercer´s unique and immediately recongizable voice and his fantastic vocal melodies...oh, and if you´re into dark, haunting lo-fi synthrock.

Rating: 9.3/10

Side Notes: Listening to it once won´t be enough, you really have to listen through the music to let your soul fly. I listened to it around 20 times on my first week with it, and it´s still one of my most played albums ever. Beautiful, simply beautiful.

MGMT-Congratulations

Following 2008´s commerciallly succesful Oracular Spectacular, Congratulations completely reinvents MGMT´s music style in a never-before-imagined-way. It´s impressive how much progress the band have made in the last 2 years, because we all knew it would be quite hard to come up with something better than Oracular, which even though was a very pop-oriented album and barely had hints of any kind of psychedelism and was a complete success, with songs like Electric Feel and The Youth, that became party-favorites, lacked anything really interesting for the picky music listener. This album though, is the complete opposite. Even though it still has the "classic" MGMT sound (if it can even be labeled as such, considering it's a band that has been around for less than a decade), the catchy, digestible and easy-to-listen-to music, it's also evolved and been introduced to a completely new style, turning something as basic as keyboard and drum machine beats into pure psychedelic magic. The first single off the album, Flash Delirium, sounded much more elaborate than the synthpop/rock singles from Oracular both lyrically and instrumentally, and this could either mean two things: The band was in the transition process, was going to lose fans because of their new sound, or just wanted to trick us into believing that they were doing the former. Luckily for us, it meant the former. Of course that first single wasn't enough insight of what direction the band were taking, but on the long run, it would help to prove something very important: They evolved, they improved and they became a completely new band. Like I already said, yes, the album still has their trademark keyboard-driven sound, but unlike it's predecessor, the album is a much more psychedelic rock-oriented (and influenced) album. Of course one can not just claim they evolved and became a psychedelic band because of one or two songs, especially not considering that a couple of the tracks on the album sound just more elaborate but could have easily been on their first album, but if there is one thing, one element on this record, that will leave you speechless and will more than likely make you applaud and shed a tear, is the 12-minute epic Siberian Breaks. Before I get further into it, let me clarify one simple thing. I could easily review all the tracks in this lovely record, one by one, but that's not my style, plus, I'll resume (and more than likely clarify your musical doubts about how good or bad this record sounds) every possible element with the following semi-review. This magical and legendary song comes from out of nowhere, the elements of it are unprecedented for an indie pop band, and the underlying essence it holds exceeds any possible vision of what the band could have composed 2 years ago. The heartfelt lyrics, the legendary progressive-based 3-segment instrumentation, the mood, the vibe, the musical elements, the majestic emotional landscapes it guides us through, just...everything about it resonates pure beauty and psychedelic magic. This is the song that completely showcases where the band is going (Along with Lady Dada's Nightmare, which sits right there at the very top of the album, combining the classical MGMT essence with the newfound MGMT essence to create yet another fantastic psychedelic/synth rock composition) and if there is one part of the song that will mark you (if you actually appreciate music) is when Andrew starts singing:

"I hope I die before I get sold"

The Who allusion perhaps? Either way, it's the most haunting moment on the record. It basically sums up all the wishes of any musician whose only goal is doing what they love in life, without being a victim of the puppeteers that handle this long-lost-art and newfound goldmine. Of course it could cause controversy and be considered as a hypocritical statement, considering these guys started out as nothing but a very charming, exciting, young indie pop band, but if they had actually had the cynicism of spitting out something so profound back in the day, they would probably be on my black list by now, but they didn't. They waited until they had the musical arguments to do so. Psychedelic music in general has long since faded from what you could consider as Pop music, and this is the main element of this record, psychedelicism, thus giving them the biggest backup to their seldom statement. If all these fancy words baffled your childish, non-educated mind, then let me make it easy for you, young reader: It's as simple as this, Psychedelic music is not Pop music, hasn't been for the past 20 years, and there are no signs that it will be in the immediate (or coming) future. To conclude with the review of the major musical statement of this record, the aforementioned song (and basically all of this marvelous record): It basically has all the elements you could possibly love about any kind of musical composition. It's such a perfect song in every way we post-Barret Pink Floyd fans can easily relate to the tea set. Yes, I just said Siberian Breaks is a Pink Floyd-like masterpiece, it sounds like them in their best progressive years (and even in their final acid years, before Barret left, considering the song itself also has typical 60's pop-music elements and the fact that progressive rock started out in the late 60s) Hate me now, or love me even more, that's up to you, dear reader, but this song could have easily been composed by Pink Floyd, simple as that. It's completely up to you to agree or to disagree, but you'd be deaf not to consider this as one of the best songs of the decade. At least on the "mainstream" scene (because who even listens to the non-mainstream songs I listen to, like...seriously)

Best Tracks:

1-It´s Working

2-Song For Dan Treacy

3-Siberian Breaks

4-Flash Delirium

5-Lady Da Da´s Nightmare

6-Congratulations

(Yes, practically all songs)

Final Verdict: Of course there are remains of the music they first attracted us with, but not as many as old fans would have liked, but that´s good! (In my humble opinion) because it just comes to prove how talented they are as musicians, evolving in a majestic way in less than 2 years. If you want to give a good CD as a present to someone, (or to yourself) don´t look any further, this is as good as music can get (at least in 2010 and on the mainstream scene, paired with Anathema´s We're Here Because We're Here and a couple of others)

9/10

Side Notes: Yes, the album´s artwork is epic. I don't really know if the members were the responsibles for it, but it's really cool and interesting, very cartoonish and funny. Buy the special edition CD, it comes with a really cool poster, you won´t regret it!

Girls-Album



There are moments in life we all wait for, moments that we hope will change our lives in some extent, be it economically, emotionally or in any other way...well, this isn´t one of those moments, at all. I was just trying to make you lose some of your precious time. Instead, this is one of those albums we music lovers wait for. Before I dare type any kind of review, I must first clarify something: I am an indie-music lover, and the indie scene has always been my favorite one, (in case anyone was actually wondering) but I'm also an objective reviewer, and although most of the time my reviews and/or comments will be biased, I will always try to be as objective as possible and as I usually am. Now, let's continue, shall we? I'm certain I spent well over 2 years waiting for another band to come out of nowhere and make it big so I could brag about the fact that I listened to them before they were cool...okno... I was patiently waiting for a worthy indie band/album that would once again change the way I see indie music. There had been good, catchy and fun bands every now and then, but nothing that stood out enough for me. But surprise surprise, luckily for me, and for anyone who shared that (pathetic) dream, the wait is over. I know this album came out a year ago, and yes, I had heard some of its tracks during 2009, but recently got it as a gift (because I´m too greedy to spend 12 dollars on a CD) and have been mesmerized ever since. Christopher Owens (the band´s mysterious frontman that vaguely resembles Brett Anderson) had one hell of a childhood. Probably worse than yours, you causeless martyr. He was part of a religious-kind of thing, somewhat like a cult, which did nothing but limit poor little Chris in what he was able to do, to think, to even dream of being and of course, in case it wasn't more than implied already, to listen to. But one glorious day he somehow managed to get ahold of music by great bands like Guns N´ Roses, The Clash and the like...and that's when his love for music and desire to create such majestic sounds like the ones he was being exposed to were born (not immediately, of course. Now, put down that Appetite for Destruction copy you're holding in your hands, it won't make you any more talented...not that you had any talent, to begin with anyway) This is just another perfect example of how life-changing music can be. Poor Chris went from being a restrained, troubled young boy to a...well...depressive, poetic and troubled man, but the point is, we indie lovers are happy he got through this period of his life, because he is one darn good musician.

His personal demons and frustrations/traumas are reflected more often than not in every track, be it in the mood the band sets with the music, the lyrics in each song or the emotion put into simple words, transforming a simple "I wish" into an aching "Please let me get what I want for once in my fucking miserable life". The opening track on the album, Lust for Life (which is not related to Iggy in any way) is a perfect example of the way the band plays with the listener's emotions. You'd think it's just another generic, upbeat poppy song with mediocre production. But there is something beneath that happiness that the music almost unnoticeably evokes, something much darker and sad. Something as mellow as melancholy itself. It's all a matter of opinion, but it's only the first track, and Owens is already spitting out his frustrations in a very classy and indirect way. 

It's an obscure kind of pure beauty, a vaguely sad song music-wise, but a song that makes you think a lot lyrics-wise,  Hear it once, twice, thrice, enjoy it and you'll probably feel happy, maybe you'll start singing along to it or dancing or putting it on one of your horribly titled teenage playlists, but start letting it get to you, getting inside of you, and it will make you think about life. Something so trivial like why can´t we appreciate what we have and enjoy life as we are supposed to comes to mind immediately after a while. Now, put that feeling of existentialism and sadness in practically all 12 songs on the album and what do you get? Simple, a complete indie music jewel. Something so deep and profound that exceeds any possible vision of what a new indie band could come up with. It obviously makes many other thoughts arise and makes us ask ourselves a handful of different questions, ranging from various topics, like love, isolation, loneliness and even positivity and trust, hoping that everything will somehow be alright in the end...somehow. Do any of those things make you think of any legendary 80s Post-Punk bands that love to fuck us up with their never-ending depression? Yes? No? (And I'm not only talking about one band, if you know your music...you'll immediately notice the influences Girls has) Even if you couldn't, you don't need to. Another perfect example of the beauty and feeling put in this album is Headache, a beautiful love song about loyalty and wanting to be with that one special person, and just, wanting them to show you that the love and happiness is reciprocal. You may or may not have heard at least one of the singles from this album, and you're probably wondering, what about the music itself? Well, it obviously has the typical indie formula: create a catchy riff and either play it the entire song or just go a step up or down in the scale while a drum machine backs it up, accompanied by either prominent bass lines or almost unnoticable ones, dreamy keyboards, lo-fi production and sing-along choruses for the masses. But still, there is something else about the band, something that I dare consider as progressive. It's not the fact that they have a 6+ minute long song, it's not the fact that they vary the generic formula mentioned above quite a handful of times throughout the record, it's not the fact that there are unexpected melodies that go beyond amazing and complex at times, it's the fact that they have a mastery of their instruments, and they showcase it in the solos, in the tempo-variations, in the tunings used, in the riffs created. It's obviously all part of the creativity they have as musicians, but one can't simply label them as an "average indie band" because they are years ahead of any other indie band trying to make it big and to be heard and liked. The music and the lyrics are fantastic, so leave your prejudice behind, quit wasting your time and either listen to the entire album online or actually buy it (support the band, even if they'll just get a misery of the income from the sale). Don't be one of those despicable snobs that only waste their time criticizing genres that they don't seem to know enough of, thus leading them to automatically label them as bad, shitty, generic, for hipsters (oh how I love that one) or simply boring. It doesn't matter what kind of music you are the most into, because if you truly consider yourself a music lover with at least an inch of brain, you will definitely see this album as what it is, a masterpiece. You want more opinions? you want more proof? Let's randomly quote a fellow independent reviewer: 

"[It's] that reckless enthusiasm, that's real, and it

powers every deadpan plea in Girls', let's be

honest, amazing hits. --Fader "

Now: Who (or WHAT) the fuck is "Fader", you ask?...I have no clue, and I couldn't care less, but the quote above is concrete and correct, there's nothing else to it. 

Best tracks:

1-Lust For Life

2-Laura

3-Ghost Mouth

4-God Damned

5-Big Bad Mean Motherfucker

6-Hellhole Ratrace

7-Headache

8-Summertime

9-Lauren Marie

10-Morning Light

11-Curls

12-Darling

All 12 tracks on the album. No doubt about it. 

Final Verdict: I could give you more reasons of why this album is an indie masterpiece...but I´d rather not. I´ll just use 3 words that will make any possible argument invalid and useless:

INDIE MUSIC JEWEL

Rating: 10/10

Awesome Job Chris, awesome Job Chet (as if they were going to read this...oh well)

10 out of 10, completely deserved. Someday this album will set a standard among the ever-growing Indie-scene

Side Note: Broken Dreams Club EP is out now! another masterpiece by Girls, go buy it now!

Greetings:

Hello there, you probably came into this page in look for music and animals, right? well, let me tell you, you´re in the wrong place, but either way, you just entered a magnificent blog created by a music lover. You´ll find reviews about new CDs, old classics, personal favs and many more. If you like what you read, suggest this humble blog to your friends, family or other music lovers! I would really appreciate it!

Well, some basic information about me:

I was born on the 4th of June (I´ll keep my age a secret,just in case it affects your thoughts about my blog)
I love animals, especially cats and dogs (basset hounds are my favourite dogs!)
I love cooking and playing football
I´m arritmic (:/)
I´m quite tall ;)
etc.