WK8 - Spoon - Transference (5)

Released - 1/19/10

Label - Merge Records

BLURB - Admittedly, I've never really listened to Spoon. I knew that they were some sort of indie rock band of note, with perhaps a couple of big singles over the past five or so years. I ended up buying "Transference" the day it came out because every trade post insisted it would be epic. Two months later, I'm still having trouble getting into the album. There are brief stints of greatness, but the overall record lacks a sense of continuity and flow. Some tracks come off as polished and tight, while others sound like they were recorded on a four track in someone's basement. Considering all of the hype prior to this release, it's fairly easy to understand why all of the commotion has died down.

Rating - 5 out of 10

FULL STORY - Of the fleeting glimpses of brilliance on "Transference," the third track "The Mystery Zone" has been receiving most of the attention. Muffled organs and strings reel the listener in with a daze and sense of confusion. While the song is somewhat monotonous, there is an aspect of garage-band-psychadellica going on that really catches your ear. Listening to the song feels like you're being sucked into some kind of...mystery zone. Adding to the confusion, the song cuts out mid phrase as it's ending.

"Written in Reverse" has a certain indie-bluegrass-ragtime feel to it. Huge, bouncing piano chords serve as the foundation for the track while equally huge vocals are dished out by Britt Daniels. The song ebbs and flows with varying degrees of intensity and chaos allowing listeners to remain interested.

Another one of the better songs on the album is actually the last track. "Nobody Gets Me But You" is a new-wave sounding ditty with an incredibly wet base line. Being injected into this funky beat are random effects with both piano and guitar riffs. It's definitely a very experimental track (although it still has a solid core) and one which I feel I'll be one of the few who actually like it. Much like the rest of this album, this track feels more like an idea as opposed to a song. But the tight groove mixed with some weird sound effects and distortion are usually right up my alley.

"Transference" in the end, has to be considered some sort of a bust. The whole album feels forced and unnatural. There remains to be seen, any kind of flow or momentum to the record - which makes it impossible to get into. I know because I've been trying to appreciate this album for the past two months and it's just not happening. It's like someone suggested - 'hey lets make another album' on a whim, and "Transference" was the outcome. Fragmented ideas and open ended musical elements are far too common here. Aside from the three tracks I mentioned above, the remnants are boring filler material that fail to accomplish any one thing. Maybe it's just my musical taste, but this album is just not my brand of tea.

Tracks

1.) Before Destruction

2.) Is Love Forever?

3.) The Mystery Zone

4.) Who Makes Your Money

5.) Written in Reverse

6.) I Saw the Light

7.) Trouble Comes Running

8.) Goodnight Laura

9.) Out Go the Lights

10.) Got Nuffin

11.) Nobody Gets Me But You

WK7 - Hot Chip - One Life Stand (5.5)

Released - 2/1/10

Label - EMI

BLURB - Hot Chip's been around the block the last several years, or so I'm told. Admittedly, this is the first Hot Chip album I've ever purchased or listened to. I know, I know...get with the times! I actually tried getting tickets to see Hot Chip with French Horn Rebellion at MHoW but it sold out in a minute and tickets were actually going for about $150 a piece on craigslist. Are they that good? I know French Horn Rebellion is. What we have with 'One Life Stand' is a collection of indie, electronic pop tracks that scream vanilla ice cream. Everyone and their cousin is telling me that Hot Chip is amazing and if don't like them, then...well...I just don't get it. I'm sorry, but am I missing something? This album is super top heavy and has an overall blandness to it that really makes it hard for me to get through. Yes, a couple of the tracks are amazing, but that's about it.

Rating - 5.5 out of 10

FULL STORY - Pitchfork had a really great line when reviewing this album, calling it a 'geek-chic, dancehall excursion.' That's perfect. It should be noted that they also gave the album a sparkling review. I however, will not. But the 'geek-chic' line really hits home for me. My initial thought of this album was, wow...the vocals do not sync well with the music at all. Not to be cruel, but it really sounds like a geek trying to croon over lines of keyboards and synthesizers. To me it's as if Hot Chip is trying to push a square peg through a round hole, and after about an hour of trying they said, screw it - we'll call it 'One Life Stand.'

The first track, 'Thieves in the Night' is arguably the best song on the album. The track starts off unassuming with just a steady kick drum and slowly building bass and synth lines. The music itself is pretty remarkable, teetering on the edge of indie pop and electronic dancehall. And just when you think you're in the middle of a rave, distorted guitar riffs chime in and add a distinct wrinkle to the song. The only flaw on this track, though, is the vocals. They simply don't match with the music. It sounds forced and uninspired and takes all of the momentum and enthusiasm out of the track. The vocals are also definitely more spoken than sung - and it just doesn't feel right.

'Hand Me Down Your Love' has a much more organic and real feel to it. There is a real piano, a real electric guitar and a real drum kit. This should be good, right? Not exactly - Hot Chip finds a way to throw in this recurring weird, electronic-alien voice that turns the song into a gimmick. After a while the song turns into this monotonous, mediocre track that fails to go anywhere and is being constantly prodded with this weird voicing.

In keeping with the times, 'I Feel Better' features auto-tune, and for me this works. It's a creative way to hide and mask the vocals, while blending in with a background symphony of strings. Once the song gets going, it's actually very good. I can actually listen to it...and kind of like it. Hot Chip does a lot of tricks here looping varying lines of vocals and dialogues over a great beat and a chorus of violins.

The title track, 'One Life Stand' features an almost ominous bass line that does a nice job promoting unrest and anticipation. It's kind of dark and is the first song on the album that actually draws the listener in and keeps them on the edge of their seat. But almost right on cue, Hot Chip gives us yet another bland and slowed down chorus that fails to accomplish any kind of goal. 'One Life Stand' is more or less a cool collection of verses, for which you have to wade through several choruses to enjoy.

From here on out the album drops off the table, bordering on the edge of unlistenable. Huge masses of filler and forgettable songs painfully flood the album. Lyrically, there is a cliched and forced sincerity that comes off disingenuous and once again, fails to mix well with the music. Try to listen to 'Slush' without skipping ahead. It's impossible - like trying to eat a tablespoon of pure cinnamon.

Over the past four years Hot Chip has released albums and supplemented them with several EP's. I feel like 'One Life Stand' should have been a four song EP (consisting of the first four tracks of the album). The album has a couple good ideas and flashes of brilliance, but in it's entirety - it's an abysmal display of their talent. I know I am supposed to like this, but I just can't.

Tracks

1.) Thieves in the Night

2.) Hand Me Down Your Love

3.) I Feel Better

4.) One Life Stand

5.) Brothers

6.) Slush

7.) Alley Cats

8.) We Have Love

9.) Keep Quiet

10.) Take It In

WK6 - Toro y Moi - Causers of This (10)

Released - 2/2/10

Label - Carpark Records

BLURB - I went to see Neon Indian at Mercury Lounge three months ago and Toro y Moi was opening. We had no idea who he was, so of course we decided it would be better to just come later (after the openers) and get some pre-show drinks in our system. Idiots. The irony in this is that, in constantly looking for that great new band or great new sound, I spend a lot of time going to shows and researching up and coming acts. So it makes perfect sense that the one time I purposely show up late to a show, I miss the artist that may have just released the best album of 2010. 'Causers of This' is a complete amalgamation of the music I've been listening to over the last several months and is filled with relaxing grooves, hazy synths and chopped up samples. It's one of those records that, when you hit play for the first time, you know instantly that it's going to exceed your expectations.

Rating - 10 out of 10

FULL STORY - 'Causers of This' is an album that most people will never hear. But for those of us in the indie and underground world it's a different story. The hype and anticipation for this album has been steadily building to the point where it's impossible not to know who Toro y Moi is. Aside from features on Pitchfork: TV and Brooklyn Vegan, Toro y Moi (real name - Chaz Bundick) even appeared in Kanye West's blog. A pretty big deal for someone that no one really knew of, up until about four months ago. With all of this underground hype and buzz it seems entirely too cliche to jump on the bandwagon and fall in love with Toro y Moi because I'm supposed to. But after listening to this album every day for the last two weeks I can honestly say that it lives up to the hype - and dare I say - exceeds it.

The music itself on 'Causers of This' gently sweeps across numerous genres including hip hop, 80's pop, R&B and glo-fi. If forced, I would have to liken him to an urban version of Panda Bear. The great thing about all of these up and coming DIY solo artists is the fact that they can operate without any true set of guidelines. There's no bass player chiming in with his opinion, or singer that wants to suddenly change the band's feel. Instead, you're left with one man, his musical sensibility and how he chooses to represent his individual talents and ideas. You're getting the music in it's most organic and natural state.

Now usually I'd go through some of the highlights of the album, but with 'Causers of This' I feel that each track bears a similar weight and importance...and my two sense...

The single 'Blessa' opens up the record and provides a hazy introduction to just exactly what Toro y Moi is all about. This slow moving track wanders around several musical themes and seems to be constantly morphing into different shapes. Above anything else, it's extremely conceptual and plays with the idea of what a traditional song should consist of. Occasionally he'll settle down into a decent groove, but for the most part it's a dizzying display of ambient fog and confusion - like getting a head rush when you first wake up in the morning. Everything seems like it's in slow motion and you're not quite sure what's going on.

Cascading out of 'Blessa' is 'Minors,' which serves as a brief wake up call of sorts. Towers of synthesizers and stretched out vocals stand tall over a bed of effects. Bundick seemingly operates amidst a more structured feel, but during the verses he once again wanders through feelings of confusion and indifference. Bending keyboard notes and synth lines casually appear and disappear as fleeting ideas while Toro y Moi successfully attempts to personify apathy and hopelessness (both lyrically and musically) with the song fluttering in tempo and mood.

We're finally met with more of an upbeat groove on 'Imprint After.' This track provides a catchy synth hook that dances around steady snare hits and a smooth bass line. Halfway through the song, 'Imprint After' becomes downright infectious. As soon as you reach the one minute mark, everything locks into place and the song catapults into another stratosphere. Once this laid back jam finally resolves, we get a steady dose of Bundick's vocals over acoustic piano chords. While his voice is certainly less than spectacular, Toro y Moi finds clever ways to disguise and mask his tone. Often times he'll blend the vocals into other background vocals or understate them against his many layers of ambient effects. This is what the good ones do. Bundick recognizes the fact that alone, his vocals aren't good enough - but when fused with his own musical creativity - it's a hurdle that can easily be jumped.

'Lissoms' and 'Fax Shadow' really showcase Bundick's raw talent to mix and match musical themes and motifs. 'Lissoms' is ripe with experimental beats and interpretations. The song is constantly being cut up, mixed and re-mixed, settling into several nice grooves along the way. The way in which the beats and themes are chopped up really reminds me of Flying Lotus. At times it can be a little chaotic, but it's always leading to something. And this is exactly what Toro y Moi does as 'Lissoms' slows down and indiscernibly morphs into 'Fax Shadow.' Before we even realize it, we're surrounded by an entirely different, ambient groove and being pelted with mashed up samples and background vocals.

'Thanks Vision' provides us with what very well could be a radio single. Well...could be. This bright and colorful pop track effortlessly bounces around a simple progression of chords and synthesizers - but don't get too attached. Toro y Moi eventually brands it as his own and delves off into varying degrees of experimentation. While he doesn't stray too far from the original setup, he never does revisit the pop structure that he establishes in the introduction. Instead, the track moves into a light and airy jam casually floating around for the duration of the song.

The Flying Lotus and perhaps even a little Thievery Corporation comparisons surface again on 'Freak Love.' Like the 'Lissoms -> Fax Shadow' suite, 'Freak Love' is a collection of chopped up vocals and augmented drum beats. Occasionally he'll settle into a set groove, but the majority of the track is fragmented ideas and concepts, which brilliantly sway between psychedelic electronica and interpretive R&B.

'Talamak' is likely the first song of the album that sticks to a set idea (keep in mind, we're seven songs deep now). Foggy, futuristic synth leads and a great snare drum are all that is really needed for the bedrock on this track. Here, Toro y Moi also revisits some of the pop tendencies we briefly saw on 'Thanks Vision,' and further elaborates on them with one of the better vocal performances of the record. 'Talamak' ends as it beautifully transitions into the contemporary 80's pop-sounding, 'You Hid.' Blasts of distorted keyboards slowly pulse as a muted R&B guitar riff emerges, creating what could be vaguely be categorized as a ballad. I imagine it's how a song in 1983 would sound if everyone at prom was on acid.

And now it gets good...no, great. It makes sense that 'Causers of This' is bottom heavy. Typically with modern releases, labels will front load the first five tracks of an album with the singles and leave the remainder as monotonous filler. But I think it's safe to say that Toro y Moi, and the album, are atypical. The last three tracks (should you have the bonus track version) are easily three of the best tracks on the album - maybe even three of the best tracks from 2010 so far. Bundick kind of inadvertently sets up 'Causers of This' as a test for his listeners. For those that are open minded and intelligent enough to accept and acknowledge his unique style, creativity and, ultimately, his talent - there is a veritable light at the end of the tunnel for us. I'll go on record, however, and say that even without the latter tracks in the album, it's still one of the best releases of 2010. It's still ingenious and awe inspiring.

With the above being said...'Low Shoulders' is probably the coolest song I've ever heard. Everything about it is hip, trendy, fun and exciting. You can instantly tell from the opening keyboard riff that it's going to be great, as several layered, chunky bass lines begin to surface in the background. There is a brief pause and as we're greeted in unison with keyboard and synth hits, we realize that we need to be dancing. It's at this point that drums kick in and the song takes off. From here on out it's perfection. I'm not lying when I say that I've listened to this song at least ten times a day for the last two weeks. You can check my iTunes play count. 'Low Shoulders' dances between glo-fi and disco in a way that is not only catchy, but infinitely enjoyable. There is nothing but good vibes going on with this track. It also has one of the better keyboard solos you'll ever hear.

Toro y Moi proceeds to throw us back a couple decades on the title track, 'Causers of This.' Here's yet another fun, catchy, upbeat track that is a modern take on what very well could have been a Bobby Brown or New Edition track. While it's not as tightly produced (not that is should be) as it's predecessors, 'Causers of This' is filled with wet bass lines, clean guitar riffs and electronic drums which screams 1980's pop. The modern twist Bundick throws into the mix is the constant cutting, chopping and sampling of his riffs and vocals. I'd say it's like a DJ remixing 'Every Little Step I Take,' but I don't feel that's accurate or gives the song it's just due.

For those of us lucky enough to purchase the bonus track edition, we were given 'Eden' as the last track. Once again we have a very bass heavy, retro pop song filled with chimes and synthesizers. However, once get midway through the track we suddenly move into Daft Punk territory. The song instantly goes from retro to spacey and we're met with that patented Daft Punk 'robot' voice. From here on out the entire pace of the song increases ten fold into that of a trance song at a rave. The track eventually fades into the album's ending and we're shit out of luck.

What's left to say? With Toro y Moi there is some kind of intangible force that not only draws you in and but has you constantly wanting more. His take on music is equal parts intoxicating and addictive. The album has a certain duplicity to it that is fairly groundbreaking. When listening to the album as a whole, it's fairly difficult to ascertain where songs start and stop - almost like it's one continuous project. Even more bizarre, is that you could argue each song sounds like a mini album, in it's own right. The tempos are constantly changing, the instrumentation alters considerably and there seems to be a revolving door of vocal melodies and themes. However you try to decipher it or break it down, 'Causers of This' is no ordinary record - and to avoid any ambiguity, I think it will end up being one of (if not) the best album of 2010.

Tracks

1.) Blessa

2.) Minors

3.) Imprint After

4.) Lissoms

5.) Fax Shadow

6.) Thanks Vision

7.) Freak Love

8.) Talamak

9.) You Hid

10.) Low Shoulders

11.) Causers of This

12.) Eden

WK5 - Beach House - Teen Dream (8)

Released - 1/26/10

Label - Sub Pop Records

BLURB - Mixing aspects of folk, indie and dream-pop, Beach House floods their latest release 'Teen Dream,' with waves of sonic charm and storytelling. For the outsiders looking in, it's hard to really explain what Beach House sounds like - I guess it's some kind of cross between Fleetwood Mac and Grizzly Bear, filled with reverb. Whatever it is, it works - even though Beach House's polarity has been enigmatic at best over the last several years. It seems that anyone and everyone who hears Beach House has a definitive opinion on their sound, be it good or bad. 'Teen Dream' bridges the gap between the lovers and haters, becoming the group's most accessible and approachable record to date. Everything from the feel of the music to the honesty of the lyrics is entirely relatable. Looks like Beach House has finally opened up their gates and simply want us to press play.

Rating - 8 out of 10

FULL STORY - As a New Yorker, by law, I frequent Pitchfork more than the average person. A lot of times Pitchfork is way too cool to post positive music reviews. They tend to have their noses in the air when it comes to trending indie music, and rightly so, but every now and then they'll throw out a rating of 9 or higher (out of 10) to see if we're paying attention. Of recent memory, they handed Animal Collective's 'Merriweather Post Pavilion' a big juicy 9.6 last year. But needless to be said, Pitchfork is very, very critical of the music they listen to and review. Beach House's 'Teen Dream' garnered a 9. That's fairly impressive in it's own right. You have to realize though, Pitchfork's 9 is something to be admired or reveled, the type of record that comes around once maybe every five years or so. 'Teen Dream' is good...but it's not that good.

I won't lie, I have been anticipating this album for quite some time. I researched Beach House with great fervor last year while I was in my 'Grizzly Bear' phase. I even stood in line for three hours to see them co-headline a free show in Williamsburg, only to be turned away after capacity was met. I was ok with that, but somehow Jay-Z and Beyonce got in, and I know they didn't stand in that line. That's another story for another day.

Without wasting any more time, I'll just say that 'Norway' is the best song on the album. This track's been around for a while and was even featured on iTunes as their weekly free download about a couple of months back. Given the fact that people love free things, it got a ton of downloads by some not-so-intelligent music fans and subsequently a ton of terrible reviews. I just looked back again at some of them and could only laugh at the comments. One particular review by a girl who's user name was "Ilikealltypesofmusic" said she was frustrated by how the instruments they were using sounded broken...

What she is referring to is this wobbly organ tone that is matched with a palette of stretched out and elastic sounding guitar notes that bend in all kinds of directions, which actually makes the entire track sparkle with character and mood. To me this is the selling point. With an extremely polished and bright chorus waiting in the wings, the verse pulls the listener in and prods their ears with an array of tones, colors, moods and haze that are outside of your average person's definition of normal. This uniqueness and ingenuity kind of inadvertently keeps the listener hanging on with each musical strand that floats by. When the chorus hits, everything seems to lock in together, creating a euphoric chant about the westernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula...and somehow it's cool. 'Norway' also has this really amazing, understated psychedelic charm to it that is almost dizzying. Every time I listen to this song I always somehow become disoriented and feel like I'm drunk or about to fall over. Everything about the texture and feel of this song, and how the chorus plays off the verse...it just works.

The third track on 'Teen Dream' goes a little dark for the dreamy duo. While the music itself on 'Walk in the Park' consists of pulsing organs and a lower, seemingly uninterested guitar riff, the lyrics focus in on the loss of a good friend:

"The face that you saw in the door isn't looking at you anymore. The name that you call in it's place isn't waiting for your embrace. The word that you learned to behold cannot hold you anymore. In a matter of time, it would slip from my mind. In and out of my life, you would slip from my mind. In a matter of time..."

The lyrics and swirling combinations of keyboards and guitars are filled with raw emotion making it very easy to get lost in. I think it's a fair point to say that this is really the calling card of Beach House's music.

'Used to Be' is one of the stars of the record and is filled with classic piano and vocal melodies. Accompanying this couple, is a steadily building percussion section which pushes the song along nicely. With a beat that starts off as just a kick drum, 'Used to Be' patiently works in an entire snare brush kit transforming the song into more of an uptempo rhythm, which is something that certainly Beach House is not known for. But don't worry, they slow it back down for a beautiful and dramatic ending. The whole song seems to transverse the life of a balloon. Slowly the melodies and rhythm begin filling up space and expanding, yet never being too forceful or straining. Then for the majority of the song everything seems to be fully formed and working together in unison. The vocals play off the piano, while the snare and cymbal hits lift everything into the proper musical stratosphere. After this scenario has been exhausted, we slowly and peacefully fall back to the ground and finally come to rest as Victoria Legrand's voice more or less sings us to sleep.

The sixth track, 'Lover of Mine' is another somewhat 'newer' sounding Beach House song in that it's again slightly uptempo. Bright guitar riffs highlight and illuminate Legrand's vocals when necessary, brilliantly accenting her tone and pitch. This is another thing that is truly great about Beach House...there are very few acts that can play off each other as well as Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally. There are points where Legrand's vocals really seem like an extension of Scally's guitar. Then there are other times when it feels like the guitar or piano is singing in Legrand's voice. This constant matching, accenting and fusing of sounds and vocals transforms each of their songs into these dreamy homogenous pop creations.

'Teen Dream' is easy to get lost in. It's easy to press play, let it run, and soak it in. Throughout all of the haze and ambience, pop motifs continuously surface, evoking moods in the sincerest and rawest of forms. I do, however, think there is a large glaring hole in the record with 'Norway,' - it's that good. It's almost too good for the album. 'Teen Dream' is one of those albums that you can genuinely put on and not have to worry about skipping ahead, for the most part all ten tracks piece together nicely. If you walk into the room and hear this album playing, it's damn near impossible to figure out if someone just pressed play or if it's already eight songs deep. I'm still trying to figure out if this is good or bad. And ultimately that's what I really think detracts from this Beach House disc, but don't get me wrong...it's still amazing. But with the truly great albums, any one song can arguably be the best on the record. I can't make that case with 'Teen Dream.' So while this album is definitely one of the best of 2010, it's not the best. For the foreseeable future I'll always think of 'Teen Dream' as the Beach House record that has Norway on it.

Tracks

1.) Zebra

2.) Silver Soul

3.) Norway

4.) Walk in the Park

5.) Used to Be

6.) Lover of Mine

7.) Better Times

8.) 10 Mile Stereo

9.) Real Love

10.) Take Care