New Wax
Postdata is a new self-released project by Paul Murphy, who otherwise fronts award-winning Nova Scotia band Wintersleep. The album started a few years ago when Murphy and his brother Michael sketched some ideas into rough songs which were meant as a gift to their mother. The duo later got together to add polish to those sketches and to add more tracks to what would eventually become Postdata. Sonically, the project couldn't be more different than Wintersleep. The songs are sparse and atmospheric and combine a stripped-down folk aesthetic with noisy undertones. Thematically, Murphy's sentiments revolve around some heady themes: family, time, mortality. Murphy references his grandparents a number of times and pays homage to them with cryptic lyrical snapshots. Elsewhere, like on the lovely "Paranoid Clusters," Murphy displays an image-driven stream-of-consciousness approach. He sings: "Beneath a paranoid cluster of falling stars/ In the big black belly of the universe/ Old rotted out lumber and abandoned cars/ Bring your friends and family, flashlights, tape recorders/ Random stacks of letters, pens, postcards unmarked/ Cellphones smashed and scattered, plastic body parts, acre upon acre, layer upon layer/ Photographs of Jesus, Brando, Joan of Arc." Poetic at times, earnest and melancholy others, Postdata manages to be both intimate and far-reaching, personal yet dialed into themes universal to the human condition. -- Capt. Obvious
1.27.2010
Postdata (2010)
January Mixtape
SIDE A
1. The Tallest Man On Earth - King Of Spain
2. Surfer Blood - Swim
3. Beach House - Norway
4. Owen Pallett - Lewis Takes Action
5. Seabear - Lion Face Boy
6. Fionn Regan - Protection Racket
7. Worker Bee - No Dreams
SIDE B
1. Midlake - Acts Of Man
2. Rogue Wave - Good Morning
3. Shearwater - Black Eyes
4. She & Him - In The Sun
5. Get Well Soon - 5 Steps/7 Swords
6. Wild Yaks - River May Come
7. Thomas Western - Your Front Door
1.26.2010
Lohio
You Should Know
In the span of five songs, Pittsburgh's Lohio covers plenty of sonic territory. On their latest effort, a self-titled EP self-released late last year, the trio shifts from jangly Americana to bouncy indie-pop. Take the slow-burning, Neil Young-inspired opener "Grandfather's Chaise," which builds from quietly sparse to raucous and loud. Then there's the infectious "Waiting For The End Of The Summertime" with it's 70's pop aesthetic and Beach Boys-reminiscent "ooh ooh ooh ooh." On the sunnier tracks, singer Greg Dutton's voice is reminiscent of The Jayhawks' Gary Louris, while other times, like on the hushed "We'll Hide Ourselves Underneath," he exhibits the fragile timbre of Elliott Smith. His vocal pliability suits the music well because their genre seems to change from track to track. That's what makes the band's new EP such a treat. Lohio manages to offer variety in spades and they tackle each song with a deft understanding of melody and arrangement. Definitely worth a listen. -- Capt. Obvious
Retribution Gospel Choir: 2 (2010)
New Wax
On their eponymous debut Retribution Gospel Choir, Alan Sparhawk and company proved they could very well bring the rock. Sparhawk, who's better known as an integral piece of the slowcore band Low, shook all preconceptions by churning out a collection of songs more keen on arena-sized rock riffs than slow-burning minimalist fare. Under the production of Mark Kozelek, the band's first album exhibited decidedly Crazy Horse-esque leanings. Their new album 2, which is their first on heralded label Sub Pop, extends that sound with bigger guitars and catchier hooks. While moments on the album vary in success from over-the-top bar band ("White Wolf") to catchy hard rock ("Working Hard"), it's refreshing to hear Sparhawk indulge a bit, even when the results get a little overblown. From the instantly likable "Hide It Away" to the sprawling "Electric Guitar," the band keeps the volume knob on 11. High five for forced Spinal Tap references! -- Capt. Obvious
Listen:
MP3: Retribution Gospel Choir - Hide It Away
MP3: Retribution Gospel Choir - Poor Man's Daughter
Tags:
1.22.2010
The Covers Mixtape XXII
SIDE A
1. Fanfarlo - A Minor Place (Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Cover)
2. The Low Anthem - Dignity (Bob Dylan Cover)
3. The Rural Alberta Advantage - Eye Of The Tiger (Survivor Cover)
4. Wilco - Any Major Dude Will Tell You (Steely Dan Cover)
5. Califone - For The Turnstiles (Neil Young Cover)
6. Eels - Can't Help Falling In Love (Elvis Presley Cover)
7. Jay Reatard - Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle (Nirvana Cover)
SIDE B
1. Joshua James - Custom Concern (Modest Mouse Cover)
2. Vic Chesnutt - Like A Monkey In The Zoo (Daniel Johnston Cover)
3. My Morning Jacket - Rocket Man (Elton John Cover)
4. Dan Mangan - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (The Smiths Cover)
5. Matt Pond PA - Holiday Road (Lindsey Buckingham Cover)
6. Woodpigeon - Mother (Pink Floyd Cover)
7. Laura Marling - Roll Away Your Stone (Mumford & Sons Cover)
1.11.2010
Lissie
You Should Know
Listening to Lissie Maurus' EP Why You Runnin' feels like thumbing through a photo album of sepia-toned Midwestern imagery. Her songs are about cornfields, moonshine, the mighty Mississippi River, and of course, lost love. It's folk music with a hearty helping of soul and Lissie's vocals throughout Why You Runnin' soar. Her delivery is one part blues-chanteuse/one part old-school country songstress, and with that trance-inducing echoed vocal effect it's no wonder that Band Of Horses member Bill Reynolds played a pivotal role in the production of the EP. She even tackles classic country territory with a lovely cover of Hank Williams' "Wedding Bells." Recently released on Oxford, Mississippi's reputable Fat Possum label, Lissie's Why You Runnin' should pique your curiosity. It'll be interesting to see what she can do with a full album of original material. -- Capt. Obvious
1.10.2010
Laura Veirs: July Flame (2010)
New Wax
Some music is gorgeous to a fault, and if you're not listening closely enough, Portland folk songstress Laura Veirs' new album July Flame may, at first glance, appear to be a pretty-yet-forgettable affair. Sure, Veirs' unassumingly thin vocals and lushly ornate arrangements make for decent background music, but to overlook the artistic merit of July Flame would be a shame. While Veirs' songs are undoubtedly delicate they are not without their surprises. The horns on "Summer Is The Champion" add an unexpected robustness while My Morning Jacket's Jim James' throaty vocals lend an interesting juxtaposition to Veirs' on the sparse "Make Something Good." Elsewhere, the disarming "Where Are You Driving" overlays a loosely plucked banjo with beautiful string flourishes and the plugged-in title track offers punch to an otherwise understated album. Veirs even visits alt. country territory on the pedal steel-laden "Sun Is King." With July Flame, her seventh album to date, Veirs offers plenty of variety and the deftness you'd expect from a seasoned songwriter. Just don't blink, you might let its beauty pass you by. -- Capt. Obvious
Vikesh Kapoor
You Should Know
Sometimes as a music blogger you're confronted with an awkward situation: an artist contacts you and gives you material that just doesn't resonate with you. They've poured their blood, sweat, and tears into their art, and here you are, a lowly blogger, passing judgment on the fruits of their labor. When Vikesh Kapoor contacted me recently with his new 3-song 7" entitled Newspress Scare, I really hoped I'd like it. After all, he seemed like such a nice guy. Well Vikesh, color me impressed. Having self-released an EP in 2008 entitled On The Tail Of A White Donkey and opened for acts such as A.A. Bondy and Willy Mason, Vikesh returns with this lovely 3-song collection. The mini-album opens with a sprawling title track. Through a fictional story about a town whose news press has broken, Kapoor muses on media's societal influence and the frightening power of propaganda. With a laid-back yet precise delivery, Kapoor navigates effortlessly through lyrical nuggets such as "The mayor slumps up on his soapbox and looks to his scuffed black boots/ He knows his megaphone is plugged with slogans he never understood." On the less lofty, yet equally gorgeous "Oh, Siv," Kapoor visits well-traveled girl-leaves-boy territory without sounding trite or disingenuous. Rounding off this impressive little 7" is a wonderful cover of the popular standard "Mack The Knife." Kapoor's future as a songwriter is bright, and Newspress Scare is merely a glimpse into his potential. The 7" will be available digitally on February 1st via Michigan record label Good People. -- Capt. Obvious
