Bon Iver's 2007 debut For Emma, Forever Ago is an absolutely amazing piece of work. It is a work of deeply personal pain and isolation that songwriter Justin Vernon created in a shack in Wisconsin. The follow up EP Blood Bank seemed to harness that same atmosphere, cementing Vernon as a songwriter of note, and Bon Iver as an act beloved by critics and listeners.
The two and a half years since the release of Blood Bank have seen some changes at camp Bon Iver. The cabin in the woods has been replaced with a studio hand built by Vernon and his brother, the solo singer songwriter has expanded to become a band (plus guests), and Justin himself has cheered the hell up.
That's not to say that what we have here is a collection of upbeat Partridge Family style songs about how great everything is. That wouldn't sit right at all. This is still obviously the same guy who made the stark and raw work of For Emma... but rather than isolating himself he's making music with friends.
Musically this makes the album more layered and interesting, but emotionally it's less open. A lot of the album manages to balance the two quite well. Michicant, Calgary, and Minnesota, WI are all great, rich, and interesting tracks. But every experiment misfires occasionally, and album closer Beth/Rest ends up sounding like a Phil Collins song.
I normally try to steer clear of other people's reviews before I write mine as I don't want to let other opinions influence my own. I was however made aware by twitter that Pitchfork have given the album 9.5/10 which is a pretty remarkable rank from a notoriously critical review source. I also read more than a few rave reactions from other people. Which has all baffled me a little. Not to say that the album isn't good. I just don't think it's 'album of the year' good.
In the end, when the dust has settled, I can't see myself coming back to this album over and over. If I have a craving for Bon Iver I'll be much more likely to put on For Emma... I don't resent Justin for evolving as an artist, or even for getting happy, I just think I wasn't ready to take the journey with him. Maybe I'll catch up if he waits for me.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
City and Colour - Little Hell
City and Colour is the solo side project for Dallas Green (whose name is indeed a city and a colour) of Canadian post-hardcore outfit Alexisonfire (which I'm reliably informed is alexis-on-fire not alex-is-on-fire). Something that surprises me, not just because they sound radically different, but because I've never really cared for Alexisonfire and I really love this album.
City and Colour is one of those acts that kind of crept up on me. I've occasionally seen the second album whilst browsing in record stores (something I can never seem to get my fill of), but never been aware of the music. Earlier this year however Triple J started spinning Fragile Bird, the lead single from this album (which is the third under the City and Colour moniker). Something about the song grabbed me, and managed to keep my attention. It's easily my most listened to song of 2011. With that in mind I had a high level of anticipation for the album.
Anticipation is a tricky thing. Expecting the world from an album can often leave you disappointed. It doesn't matter if the glass is half empty or half full, if you were expecting a full glass you're going to be disappointed. Which often leaves me walking a balancing act between hopeful expectation and guarded skepticism.
Little Hell as an album has completely blown me away. Maybe once a year an album will come along that captures me completely and I don't know what I did without it. I will listen on endless repeat, never getting sick of it. Every song will be my favourite on the album, until the next song starts. Little Hell is one of those albums.
There is a simple everyday beauty to the songs Green has written here. His love songs are touchingly personal, without making you feel like you're intruding. His musings on life are poignant without being heavy handed. It's more like a conversation with a friend than a glance at a stolen diary.
It's difficult for me to define why it is I love this album so much. On the surface there's nothing new or revolutionary at play. The singer/songwriter with the guitar is a model as old as the guitar itself. But something in this album touches me deeply. I want to dive into these songs and immerse myself. When I'm listening to this album I don't care if I never hear anything else for the rest of my life.
I'm too close to this album to be able to tell you if it's qualifiably good. Although in my opinion that emotional reaction is worth more than anything else when it comes to making those decisions. I love this album. Unless something truly amazing comes along this will be my album of 2011.
City and Colour is one of those acts that kind of crept up on me. I've occasionally seen the second album whilst browsing in record stores (something I can never seem to get my fill of), but never been aware of the music. Earlier this year however Triple J started spinning Fragile Bird, the lead single from this album (which is the third under the City and Colour moniker). Something about the song grabbed me, and managed to keep my attention. It's easily my most listened to song of 2011. With that in mind I had a high level of anticipation for the album.
Anticipation is a tricky thing. Expecting the world from an album can often leave you disappointed. It doesn't matter if the glass is half empty or half full, if you were expecting a full glass you're going to be disappointed. Which often leaves me walking a balancing act between hopeful expectation and guarded skepticism.
Little Hell as an album has completely blown me away. Maybe once a year an album will come along that captures me completely and I don't know what I did without it. I will listen on endless repeat, never getting sick of it. Every song will be my favourite on the album, until the next song starts. Little Hell is one of those albums.
There is a simple everyday beauty to the songs Green has written here. His love songs are touchingly personal, without making you feel like you're intruding. His musings on life are poignant without being heavy handed. It's more like a conversation with a friend than a glance at a stolen diary.
It's difficult for me to define why it is I love this album so much. On the surface there's nothing new or revolutionary at play. The singer/songwriter with the guitar is a model as old as the guitar itself. But something in this album touches me deeply. I want to dive into these songs and immerse myself. When I'm listening to this album I don't care if I never hear anything else for the rest of my life.
I'm too close to this album to be able to tell you if it's qualifiably good. Although in my opinion that emotional reaction is worth more than anything else when it comes to making those decisions. I love this album. Unless something truly amazing comes along this will be my album of 2011.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Metronomy - The English Riviera
Joseph Mount's Metronomy started life over a decade ago as a bedroom electronic outfit. The first album is largely full of sound experiments, chip tune sounds, and failed to gain my interest. By the second album there was a clear move towards vocal electronic pop, and A Thing For Me (with its excellent accompanying music video) brought them to my attention. But I was still far from blown away.
Between that second album and now there have been a couple of changes. Bass player Gabriel Stebbing has left to pursue his own musical goals replaced by Gbenga Adelekan, and The group has added a drummer in the form of Lightspeed Champion's Anna Prior. I don't know if it's the new lineup, or if Mount has learned lessons from the many songs and artists he's remixed, but the new Metronomy is fantastic.
The English Riviera doesn't sound like somebody spending hours in his bedroom tweaking sounds and playing with computers and equipment. What we have now is the sound of a band making delicious pop music together. It's an evolution, and one I'm wholeheartedly in favour of. I love the alchemy of music. Sometimes the smallest of changes can turn even the densest lead into pure shining gold.
Mount seems to have taken some time to work on his vocals, and the work has paid dividends. He's managed to find a smooth soul falsetto that matches the new musical direction perfectly. Although with the addition of Prior on drums he no longer takes the lead vocal on all the songs.
That's not to say that this is a completely different musical beast. This is very much a Metronomy album. There are still sweeping electronic vistas, reminiscent of serious 1980s cartoons like Mysterious Cities Of Gold. Mount is still obviously very keen on playing around until he can find new and interesting sounds, but now he's using them as an ingredient in a bigger recipe rather than as the recipe entire.
So in one album, with a few slight changes Metronomy have gone from being an act I was peripherally aware of who occasionally remixed things that I listened to, to being an act I would definitely want to see if they toured. Well played indeed.
Between that second album and now there have been a couple of changes. Bass player Gabriel Stebbing has left to pursue his own musical goals replaced by Gbenga Adelekan, and The group has added a drummer in the form of Lightspeed Champion's Anna Prior. I don't know if it's the new lineup, or if Mount has learned lessons from the many songs and artists he's remixed, but the new Metronomy is fantastic.
The English Riviera doesn't sound like somebody spending hours in his bedroom tweaking sounds and playing with computers and equipment. What we have now is the sound of a band making delicious pop music together. It's an evolution, and one I'm wholeheartedly in favour of. I love the alchemy of music. Sometimes the smallest of changes can turn even the densest lead into pure shining gold.
Mount seems to have taken some time to work on his vocals, and the work has paid dividends. He's managed to find a smooth soul falsetto that matches the new musical direction perfectly. Although with the addition of Prior on drums he no longer takes the lead vocal on all the songs.
That's not to say that this is a completely different musical beast. This is very much a Metronomy album. There are still sweeping electronic vistas, reminiscent of serious 1980s cartoons like Mysterious Cities Of Gold. Mount is still obviously very keen on playing around until he can find new and interesting sounds, but now he's using them as an ingredient in a bigger recipe rather than as the recipe entire.
So in one album, with a few slight changes Metronomy have gone from being an act I was peripherally aware of who occasionally remixed things that I listened to, to being an act I would definitely want to see if they toured. Well played indeed.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Bat For Lashes - Sydney Opera House, June 4th 2011
I know this is a place for album reviews, but perhaps unsurprisingly I also see a fair amount of live music so I thought I'd try my hand at reviewing a concert. Rest assured you will be returned to your regularly scheduled programming after this brief diversion.
Despite having lived most of my life in Canberra, which in a global sense is just down the road from the Sydney Opera House, this is only the third time I've been to a show on Bennelong Point. All three have been in the last nine months too. As one of the world's great iconic buildings the opera house has always looked great, but because this gig is part of the Vivid festival the sails are lit up with animations by French multimedia artists Superbien, and the result is even more impressive.
Bat For Lashes (AKA Natasha Khan) has never performed in Australia prior to her shows at this years Vivid festival, and the sens of anticipation in the opera house's Concert Hall is palpable. With no support act to settle the crowd, or warm them up, there is a lot of expectation to live up to. Although with a secret warm up gig on Thursday, and a sold out show already under her belt from Friday night it's likely that Natasha has already shaken out the cobwebs.
The show opens in the only way it ever could, with Glass, the first track on 2009's sophomore effort Two Suns. Followed, as it is on the album, by Sleep Alone. Natasha's vocal range has always been something that impressed me, but to see her hit those notes live is spellbinding. Add to that the fact that she doesn't just sing the songs, she performs them, and by the time these two songs have settled the audience in, they've been completely won over, any lingering doubts have been forgotten. The applause is enthusiastic, but so rapt is the attention during any given song that were it not for the band, you could doubtless hear a pin drop.
After the two songs from Two Suns, Natasha breaks it up with four songs from 2006's Fur and Gold; Horse and I, Bat's Mouth, The Wizard, and Trophy. I was always a bigger fan of her first album, so the smile on my face when she played these songs (especially the coda she added to Bat's Mouth that segued neatly into The Wizard) is a mile wide. At this point she could probably have thrown in a cover of Rebecca Black's Friday, and nobody in the room would have said a word against her.
I should probably mention the other players on stage too. Natasha hasn't just grabbed some capable session musicians for this gig, she's formed an English supergroup of sorts. From left to right across the stage: on drums we have Sarah Jones, from London's New Young Pony Club, multi instrumentalist and long time Bat For Lashes collaborator (and accomplished solo artist) Wolverhampton's Ben Christophers, on guitar and bass (depending on the song) Charlotte Hatherly from West London, who was in Northern Ireland's Ash for a number of years, and has since gone solo (she also tours in KT Tunstall's band). There is also an English string quartet (apologies, but the only name I caught was that of cellist Danny). Despite being brought together for these performances, the band play very well together. Surely a mark of their combined experience.
As well as the performers, the back of the stage features projections of clips from black and white movies. I think despite the fact that her performance is entirely captivating, Natasha didn't want to leave the audience with nothing to look at. From what little I saw of them the clips seemed to match the music well, and must have been painstakingly chosen, but it was near impossible to tear my eyes away from Natasha.
Apparently these are the only Bat For Lashes shows that will be performed in 2011, because Natasha is hard at work on album number three. Luckily she treats us to a sneak preview with a performance of new song Oh Yeah. Soundwise it's a continuation of the electronic feel of Two Suns, but in no way does it disappoint.
The mythology around second album Two Suns is that there are two sides to Natasha Khan, there is the spiritual, mystical Bat For Lashes and there is the destructive, blonde femme fatale Pearl. Although having finally seen her perform live I would suggest that they are both quite different to Natasha herself. Between songs she is quite sweet, and seems a little baffled (but pleasantly so) at all the love for her in the room. There is little in the way of banter, a brief birthday shout out for Charlotte's sister, and the occasional song announcement. She does ask everyone to stand up and dance for the end of Pearl's Dream, and for all of Daniel. She laughs or giggles at things the audience yell at her, but you can see her compose herself and embody one of her characters to perform the songs themselves.
Near the end of the set a TV is wheeled onto the stage next to Natasha, and Pearl appears on the screen to duet The Big Sleep (a performance provided by Scott Walker on the album). I don't know how many artists perform duets with themselves, but it's not something I've seen before, and the effect is impressive.
The set ends with Wilderness, a bonus track from the deluxe edition of Two Suns, and the band leave the stage. Casting my mind back over the set I can't think of any key songs that were missed to be saved for a triumphant encore, but convention dictates there will be an encore, so we clap until the band come back on stage.
Except the band don't all come back out. Sarah, Charlotte, and Ben cool their heels backstage while Natasha and the string quartet emerge from the wings. Natasha explains that because she's playing in the concert hall at the opera house she wanted do something acoustic, that and she's going to be playing covers (and a reinterpretation of one of her own songs).
I love covers, there's something about hearing a song you know performed differently. It can cast new light on the song, reveal hidden beauty, and even surpass the original. Covers at concerts are a special treat, and this encore is no exception. The first cover is Radiohead's All I Need, which was one of my favourite tracks from In Rainbows and doesn't disappoint here. This is followed by The Cure's Lullaby (The Cure having trod the same stage earlier in the week). Natasha revels in the storytelling aspect of the song and her performance is streets ahead of the original. This is followed by a new interpretation of early b-side Howl, and then a handful more covers including an original arrangement of Johnny Mathis' Wild Is The Wind (which is closer to Nina Simone's and Cat Power's versions than it is to David Bowie's).
After the end of the show, and the inevitable well earned standing ovation, the audience files out. There was something magical about being in that room for those two hours. Expectations were exceeded, hopes fulfilled, and fans secured for life. This easily cements itself in my all time top five gigs, and it's going to take something absolutely astounding to ever knock it out.
Setlist:
Glass
Sleep Alone
Horse and I
Bat's Mouth
The Wizard
Trophy
Siren Song
Moon and Moon
What's A Girl To Do?
Oh Yeah
Pearl's Dream
Prescilla
Daniel
The Big Sleep
Wilderness
-----------------------------
Encore:
All I Need (Radiohead cover)
Lullaby (The Cure cover)
Howl
Wild Is The Wind (Johnny Mathis cover)
Strangelove (Depeche Mode cover)
Solsbury Hill (Peter Gabriel cover)
Despite having lived most of my life in Canberra, which in a global sense is just down the road from the Sydney Opera House, this is only the third time I've been to a show on Bennelong Point. All three have been in the last nine months too. As one of the world's great iconic buildings the opera house has always looked great, but because this gig is part of the Vivid festival the sails are lit up with animations by French multimedia artists Superbien, and the result is even more impressive.
Bat For Lashes (AKA Natasha Khan) has never performed in Australia prior to her shows at this years Vivid festival, and the sens of anticipation in the opera house's Concert Hall is palpable. With no support act to settle the crowd, or warm them up, there is a lot of expectation to live up to. Although with a secret warm up gig on Thursday, and a sold out show already under her belt from Friday night it's likely that Natasha has already shaken out the cobwebs.
The show opens in the only way it ever could, with Glass, the first track on 2009's sophomore effort Two Suns. Followed, as it is on the album, by Sleep Alone. Natasha's vocal range has always been something that impressed me, but to see her hit those notes live is spellbinding. Add to that the fact that she doesn't just sing the songs, she performs them, and by the time these two songs have settled the audience in, they've been completely won over, any lingering doubts have been forgotten. The applause is enthusiastic, but so rapt is the attention during any given song that were it not for the band, you could doubtless hear a pin drop.
After the two songs from Two Suns, Natasha breaks it up with four songs from 2006's Fur and Gold; Horse and I, Bat's Mouth, The Wizard, and Trophy. I was always a bigger fan of her first album, so the smile on my face when she played these songs (especially the coda she added to Bat's Mouth that segued neatly into The Wizard) is a mile wide. At this point she could probably have thrown in a cover of Rebecca Black's Friday, and nobody in the room would have said a word against her.
I should probably mention the other players on stage too. Natasha hasn't just grabbed some capable session musicians for this gig, she's formed an English supergroup of sorts. From left to right across the stage: on drums we have Sarah Jones, from London's New Young Pony Club, multi instrumentalist and long time Bat For Lashes collaborator (and accomplished solo artist) Wolverhampton's Ben Christophers, on guitar and bass (depending on the song) Charlotte Hatherly from West London, who was in Northern Ireland's Ash for a number of years, and has since gone solo (she also tours in KT Tunstall's band). There is also an English string quartet (apologies, but the only name I caught was that of cellist Danny). Despite being brought together for these performances, the band play very well together. Surely a mark of their combined experience.
As well as the performers, the back of the stage features projections of clips from black and white movies. I think despite the fact that her performance is entirely captivating, Natasha didn't want to leave the audience with nothing to look at. From what little I saw of them the clips seemed to match the music well, and must have been painstakingly chosen, but it was near impossible to tear my eyes away from Natasha.
Apparently these are the only Bat For Lashes shows that will be performed in 2011, because Natasha is hard at work on album number three. Luckily she treats us to a sneak preview with a performance of new song Oh Yeah. Soundwise it's a continuation of the electronic feel of Two Suns, but in no way does it disappoint.
The mythology around second album Two Suns is that there are two sides to Natasha Khan, there is the spiritual, mystical Bat For Lashes and there is the destructive, blonde femme fatale Pearl. Although having finally seen her perform live I would suggest that they are both quite different to Natasha herself. Between songs she is quite sweet, and seems a little baffled (but pleasantly so) at all the love for her in the room. There is little in the way of banter, a brief birthday shout out for Charlotte's sister, and the occasional song announcement. She does ask everyone to stand up and dance for the end of Pearl's Dream, and for all of Daniel. She laughs or giggles at things the audience yell at her, but you can see her compose herself and embody one of her characters to perform the songs themselves.
Near the end of the set a TV is wheeled onto the stage next to Natasha, and Pearl appears on the screen to duet The Big Sleep (a performance provided by Scott Walker on the album). I don't know how many artists perform duets with themselves, but it's not something I've seen before, and the effect is impressive.
The set ends with Wilderness, a bonus track from the deluxe edition of Two Suns, and the band leave the stage. Casting my mind back over the set I can't think of any key songs that were missed to be saved for a triumphant encore, but convention dictates there will be an encore, so we clap until the band come back on stage.
Except the band don't all come back out. Sarah, Charlotte, and Ben cool their heels backstage while Natasha and the string quartet emerge from the wings. Natasha explains that because she's playing in the concert hall at the opera house she wanted do something acoustic, that and she's going to be playing covers (and a reinterpretation of one of her own songs).
I love covers, there's something about hearing a song you know performed differently. It can cast new light on the song, reveal hidden beauty, and even surpass the original. Covers at concerts are a special treat, and this encore is no exception. The first cover is Radiohead's All I Need, which was one of my favourite tracks from In Rainbows and doesn't disappoint here. This is followed by The Cure's Lullaby (The Cure having trod the same stage earlier in the week). Natasha revels in the storytelling aspect of the song and her performance is streets ahead of the original. This is followed by a new interpretation of early b-side Howl, and then a handful more covers including an original arrangement of Johnny Mathis' Wild Is The Wind (which is closer to Nina Simone's and Cat Power's versions than it is to David Bowie's).
After the end of the show, and the inevitable well earned standing ovation, the audience files out. There was something magical about being in that room for those two hours. Expectations were exceeded, hopes fulfilled, and fans secured for life. This easily cements itself in my all time top five gigs, and it's going to take something absolutely astounding to ever knock it out.
Setlist:
Glass
Sleep Alone
Horse and I
Bat's Mouth
The Wizard
Trophy
Siren Song
Moon and Moon
What's A Girl To Do?
Oh Yeah
Pearl's Dream
Prescilla
Daniel
The Big Sleep
Wilderness
-----------------------------
Encore:
All I Need (Radiohead cover)
Lullaby (The Cure cover)
Howl
Wild Is The Wind (Johnny Mathis cover)
Strangelove (Depeche Mode cover)
Solsbury Hill (Peter Gabriel cover)
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