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Tyler, The Creator Goblin

14 May

Much like everything else out of the Odd Future camp, Goblin is not for everyone with its extremely dark and graphic subject matter. If you’re able to wander into this dark sonic space, however, you’re in for a truly special debut.

Release Date: May 10, 2011
Record Label: XL
Rating: 90

At this point, you either love the Odd Future crew or you hate them. Goblin isn’t going to change that, nor is that what Tyler, The Creator is trying to accomplish. Goblin, despite being a major label debut, is essentially a follow-up to his Bastard mixtape, even starting out with an intro track with his fake alter-ego psychologist that is helping Tyler sift through his emotions on the album.

“I’m not a f****** role model/I’m a 19-year old f****** emotional roller coaster with pipe dreams,” Tyler begins, following with the lines “okay you guys f****** caught me, I’m not a rapist or a serial killer, I lied.” From the onset, Tyler is immediately debunking, or attempting to anyway, much of the controversy surrounding Odd Future in general, but particularly him.

Even so, despite the semi-confessional lyrics on the opener and a number of other tracks, Tyler, The Creator easily switches to the highly gifted yet controversial lyricist that has garnered him both praise and disdain. It’s funny, its crude, and sometimes it’s just plain wrong, but for better or worse Goblin is the inner trappings of a 19-year old with an overly-active imagination, daddy issues and a decidedly sharp wit and dark sense of humor. Perhaps it’s only refreshing in that it’s so brutally honest (to a fault), but either way, Tyler, The Creator appears to not only be the appropriate face of OFWGKTA, but he’s a talented rapper and producer in his own right.

While tracks like “Radical” and to a lesser degree “Sandwitches” are slightly redundant, Goblins brightest moments come from tracks such as “Yonkers,” “Nightmare,” “Tron Cat,” and even pulling off a pop jam with reasonable swag in “She.” The production is always sharp at the minimum, and often times flat-out ridiculous (see “Transylvania”).

While it’s sure to resurrect much the seemingly never-ending debate as to whether or not the misogynistic and violent lyrics carry much weight for listeners or are instead recognized solely for shock value (and if that even makes a difference), Goblin is an abstract work of art, despite its faults.

Tyler, The Creator – “Yonkers” (Radio Edit)

tUnE-yArDs w h o k i l l

23 Apr

Merrill Garbus’ sophomore release is impressively cocksure, surprisingly cohesive, and most importantly catapults her into being one of the most important artists around right now.

Release Date: April 19, 2011
Record Label: 4AD
Rating: 100

When Garbus released her debut album Bird-Brains using nothing more than a handheld recorder and Audacity, it was apparent that the voice behind the lo-fi presentation was something worthwhile. What was unexpected however, is just how far Garbus would be able to push the envelope with her follow-up w h o k i l l.

Fortunately, 4AD seemed to pick-up Garbus’ immense talent and merely handed her the keys to a studio and left her to her own devices. The results are superlative to say the least. It’s polished, sure, but it’s also just as experimental (perhaps more so) than ever before. Working only with bassist Nate Brenner, w h o k i l l has a surprisingly full sound, packed with looped vocals, heavily layered African-influenced beats, and occasionally horns and other sampled noises.

Despite her wide range of influences, the most obvious of which is African music, what makes tUnE-yArDs so successful is that it’s never derivative. One can certainly point to TV on the Radio, perhaps Animal Collective, as contemporaries, but it’s never a paint-by-numbers affair.

Instead, if anything, the staggering integrity with which Garbus’ approaches her music reminds of Janelle Monáe’s impressive The ArchAndroid. Both display impeccable attention to detail, and are freewheeling as can be without ever losing focus. Last, but certainly not least, they are both incredibly strong female voices in complete and total control of their respective musical destinies.

While the whole album is impressive from beginning to end, its tracks such as the single “Bizness” or the bombastic “Gangsta” where Garbus flexes her genre-melding talents. Likewise, when she slows things down on the absolutely gorgeous “Powa” (which contains some of the best vocals you’ll hear this year), and “Doorstep” you see that even in her most exposed moments that Garbus is a formidable musician.

Already established as a talented live act, Garbus put her skills to work and finally had a budget to match her talents. The result is one of the best albums you’ll hear all year, one that should really put tUnE-yArDs on the map.

“Powa”

“Bizness”

TV on the Radio Nine Types of Light

17 Apr

The idea of TV on the Radio releasing a “sunny” album may be hard to digest, but Nine Types of Light is a terrific album regardless.

Release Date: April 12, 2011
Record Label: Interscope
Rating: 84

To prove that certain clichés exist for a reason, enter TV on the Radio’s Nine Types of Light, released after the band’s move from Brooklyn to sunny Los Angeles. Largely gone are the stark, densely layered and occasionally foreboding sounds that so properly reflected the bands roots in a post 9/11 world. Instead, they are replaced with an appropriate, though surprising, glimmer of hope and bittersweet nuance. If anything Nine Types of Light should come with a disclaimer for fans, as they are certain to require more listens than usual to truly understand, let alone appreciate what’s going on.

David Sitek’s production is slicker than ever, only daring to even broach anything remotely gritty on songs like “Caffeinated Consciousness,” which even then are more similar to Peter Gabriel than the genre-melding brilliance they have done previously. Still, the band sounds engaged, so it’s clear that this is a conscious shift, rather than TV on the Radio suddenly deciding to phone it in.

Still, this conundrum is a bit reminiscent of Wilco’s Sky Blue Sky, an album that by most stretches of the imagination was quite good– or at the very least serviceable. However, on the heels of A Ghost is Born and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, many thought the band suddenly aged overnight into the genre of “dad rock.” Similarly here, all the elements of TV on the Radio’s former glory is on display, just with sun-drenched production and a much lesser sense of urgency. Even songs like “No Future Shock” seem to stop just short of being a full-out immersive display a la “Wolf Like Me.” Conversely, the band is at their strongest on their more mature-sounding ballads such as “Will Do” and “Killer Crane.”

That may not seem like a big shift, but it’s enough to make the band’s once statement-driven sound almost appear timid at first blush. Even so, the end result is still a thing of beauty. Whatever one can argue the album lacks in staying power, it’s still as immaculately detailed as anything you’ll hear from the band, only now it comes in a much sunnier packaging.

“Will Do”

Foo Fighters Wasting Light

10 Apr

Easily their best album since 1999′s There is Nothing Left to Lose, this definitive rocker is sure to appease all the fans who felt that Dave Grohl and company had lost their way.

Release Date: April 12, 2011
Record Label: RCA
Rating: 86

For the better part of the last decade, Foo Fighters seemed to be on cruise control– perhaps realizing that besides being one of the few leftover 90′s alt bands that can still do no wrong, they have also found a way to still endear themselves to mainstream audiences despite their alternative roots. Of course, with the combination of newfound maturity and perhaps a dash of complacency, one could equally argue that it sounds more like the guys are phoning it in rather than putting in a full effort. If nothing else, Wasting Light disproves that Foo Fighters are still comfortable resting on their laurels. Recorded in its entirety in Dave Grohl’s basement, and featuring the return of guitarist Pat Smear, not to mention Bob Mould (Hüsker Dü) and Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic, there’s a definite edge to Wasting Light that has been virtually unseen from the Foos in recent memory.

The metal-esque “White Limo” sounds like a Probot b-side with a heavy dose of Queens of the Stone Age, while Grohl and company show their knack for writing  a great mainstream rock track with the opening “Bridge Burning” and “Rope.” If anything, you’ll notice that there is a lot of QOTSA/Them Crooked Vultures tinges on this album, and that’s truly a good thing. It offsets the quieter and sleeker jams that one has come to expect from Foo Fighters, and adds a nuanced feel that has frankly been missing from their music.

It should go without saying, but more than a decade in, and on their seventh studio album, Foo Fighters aren’t making any plans to reinvent or shock the rock world, but there’s a subtle beauty and grace to a well-executed Foo release. Wasting Light has that bit down in spades.

Listen to Wasting Light in its entirety below

 

Bibio Mind Bokeh

3 Apr

Mind Bokeh can’t match the charm of its predecessor, but it still creates a distinctive and largely enjoyable sonic journey.

Release Date: March 29, 2011
Record Label: Warp
Rating: 81

After crafting such a summery breakthrough album in Ambivalence Avenue, which features the single “Lovers’ Carvings” (featured in those Kindle ads), it seems a bit surprising that Stephen Wilkinson would decide to proceed down a path that is largely the antithesis of his previous effort. Edgier, nuanced and decidedly not radio friendly in any sense, Mind Bokeh is going to only truly appeal those that understand Bibio as a dubstep and electronic producer, not anyone that is going on based on what he did on Ambivalence Avenue.

Quirks aside, there is still the same smart and concise productions that make Bibio a joy to listen to, especially when he does open things up on tracks such as “Pretentious” and specifically “Anything New.” The latter is a true summer banger, with a slick baseline, finger snaps and a decent hook to boot– if nothing else, it’d be easy to see a number of underground rappers sampling it for their future mixtapes. Another true standout is “K is for Kelson,” a bubble-gum pop tune that has shades of Jackson 5 and brims along with glee.

If you can accept Mind Bokeh for what it is– or more aptly, look at the album in a vacuum, there is a lot to enjoy.  It’s issues only lie within its overall cohesion, and that’s something that only stands out more when you look at all that Wilkinson accomplished on his previous releases. That being said, you can see that there is some decided experimentation taking place here, and for a restless artist that’s always a good thing– perhaps on his next release he’ll be able to tie it all together. In the meantime, Mind Bokeh has a great number of strengths that are noteworthy in their own right.

“Anything New”

“K is for Kelson”

The Strokes Angles

21 Mar

Perhaps they should have taken a cue from The White Stripes and quit while they were ahead.

Release Date: March 22, 2011
Record Label: RCA
Rating: 55

Nostalgia is a tricky beast– and there are few things in life as bad as swearing that something was great, only to revisit it and find that there was hardly anything special about it at all. Even worse are the times that the things you held dear sputtered out with such futility that it makes you question their original existence. For a decade, a garage rock revival that was seemingly built on nostalgia and featured such acclaimed bands as The White Stripes, The Hives (remember them?) and The Strokes, supposedly saved rock music as we know it– or remembered it. In an odd twist of fate, MTV seemingly embraced this generation of “The” bands, even going so far as featuring a “Battle of the Bands” between The Hives and The Vines. That last sentence is completely laughable now, but at the time it was a pretty big deal.

These days, The Hives are still touring but are largely forgotten (you barely even hear “Hate To Say I Told You So” anymore), joining a cesspool of other bands that people and critics largely rooted for, perhaps against better judgment. Even the bands that most thought could stand the test of time (The White Stripes) have sputtered out. Thankfully, Jack and Meg decided to hang it up before ever releasing something as detrimental as The Strokes’ Angles or First Impressions of Earth.

In what was a notoriously dreadful recording situation, The Strokes did nearly all of their recording separately, using a slapdash approach so problematic that it truly shows on the final product. Julian Casablancas seems as though he saved up all his energy for the lead single and just didn’t care enough to do much more. Also, while there are elements of fine songwriting and the craftsmanship they displayed on their first two albums, The Strokes can’t seem to get out of their own way. It’s truly as though they decided to let their own individual egos duke it out rather than produce a congruent sound, and consequentially as a listener you’re subjected to a nonsensical, occasionally worthless, trite and overtly pretentious set of songs that contain as much hot air as a Kanye West tweet.

Truth be told, we all should have seen this coming, but we all wanted to believe in the nostalgia that is Is This It?, an album so lauded that one could argue that it destroyed the band if it weren’t for their follow-up Room on Fire. It was then that people thought, perhaps unfairly, that maybe this New York City band could be the rock n’ roll saviors the critics wanted to be after all.

Now, thirteen years since the bands formation, the whole affair feels as forced as a Charlie Sheen joke, and Angles stands as the final straw in a charade where a band who (correctly or incorrectly) was thought to be the epitome of a new millenium rock n’ roll cool, instead showed their true colors of apathy and delusive grandeur.

You can stream Angles in its entirety from The Strokes’ website.

Gruff Rhys Hotel Shampoo

5 Mar

Gruff Rhys, whether as a solo artist or as the frontman of Super Furry Animals, always impresses, and Hotel Shampoo is no exception to the rule.

Release Date: February 14, 2011 (UK), May 3 (US)
Record Label: Wichita (US)
Rating: 93

Hotel Shampoo, like seemingly every other project that Gruff Rhys touches, exists within some sort of gleefully twisted alternative universe. Partially retro, always random, and with a largely sentimental 60′s pop heart, Hotel Shampoo beams with an enthusiasm largely unmatched, especially on such songs as “Sensations in the Dark,” “Shark Ridden Waters,” “Take a Sentence” and “Honey All Over.” A much more consistent effort than his previous Candylion, there’s also less-reliance on the cute, while maintaining the same sort of fun boundless energy for which he’s known. A lovely, thoughtfully made release, Hotel Shampoo is a pure joy for any listener.

“Sensations in the Dark”

Toro y Moi Underneath the Pine

27 Feb

Toro y Moi’s latest is full of good ideas, unfortunately the execution is not always there.

Release Date: February 22, 2011
Record Label: Carpark
Rating: 78

Nearing the front of the chillwave movement stands Chazwick Bundwick, who under the stage name Toro Y Moi has made quite the immediate impact between his debut Causers of This and a number of subsequent 7″ vinyl releases since. Now on his highly anticipated sophomore release, Bundwick continues to map out the well-established blueprint of the genre, but unfortunately never seems to have the wherewithal to push the album farther in an effort to make it more than merely charming. Songs like “How I Know”  and “Go With You” feel like they should be much more impressive than they end up being, seemingly satisfied with merely existing in the background rather than doing anything to grab the listener’s attention. When things do finally click, most notably on the infectious electro-funk track “Still Sound,” you see why so much hype and praise has been placed upon Toro y Moi– he clearly knows how to write music, the constancy just isn’t there. As an EP, Underneath the Pine would be a perfect summer prelude, as it stands however, it’s just a bit too long and a bit too bland to truly stand out.

“Still Sound”

 

Conquering Animal Sound Kammerspiel

27 Feb

A wonderfully beautiful debut.

Release Date: February 15, 2011
Record Label: Gizeh
Rating: 93

Somewhere between late period Björk and CocoRosie resides the sonic qualities of this immensely charming Glasgow band. At its heart its finely crafted pop music, in its most highly affected form– nuanced, haunting, guarded with bursts of organic sonic pops and whispers that require multiple listens to unfold like the layers of an onion. The attention to detail is unrelenting, and while there’s nothing for passive listeners to pick out of the air and enjoy, Kammerspiel is playful enough that it’s not intimidating either. Anneke Kampan’s vocals are sweet and transcendent, able to gently float above the softer accompanying sounds on some tracks, while able to pierce through the heavy productions of others. While the album as a whole is more impressive than its individual parts, the impact and atmospheric depth that the band is able to accomplish within a thirty-eight minute span is staggering. A very impressive debut, Kammerspiel is truly a stand out.

Listen to the album below:

Radiohead The King of Limbs

23 Feb

Radiohead’s latest doesn’t hold up to the ever lofty expectations fans place upon them, but it’s still an intriguing release nonetheless.

Release Date: February 18, 2011
Record Label: Self-Released
Rating: 86

A Radiohead release has become something of an event these days for music aficionados. Even detractors that detest the band find themselves checking in to see what the longstanding Oxford sextet has accomplished with their most recent release. While the pricing isn’t the revolutionary pay-what-you-feel-like model, The King of Limbs nonetheless is still initially a digital and vinyl-only release. With its heavily weathered production and highlighted micro-detail in the percussive elements of every song, it’s clear that Radiohead is now heading in a different, yet very intriguing direction. Likely to draw similarities to Amnesiac and Hail to the Thief (with a hint of  Thom Yorke’s The Eraser thrown in for good measure), The King of Limbs differentiates itself extensively by being less dark and moody, but rather pensive and neurotic. Finding a good hook to latch on to is surprisingly rare here as well, as most of the album is about creating a singular atmosphere. While it works a whole heck of a lot better than the meandering Hail to the Thief, there’s still a sense of identity crisis on The King of Limbs. Songs like “Little by Little” and “Morning Mr Magpie” have an air of familiarity to them, but the music never quite emerges out into the light, satisfied instead to linger in the murky, polyrhythmic darkness. Meanwhile, “Lotus Flower” and “Codex” are the appropriate centerpieces of the album as they appear to be the most realized tracks. Likewise, “Give Up the Ghost” is a gorgeous, albeit somewhat restrained song. Is The King of Limbs a prelude to something bigger, or merely something to tide the fans over? Perhaps it’s a bit of both, and only time will be able to answer that question. In the meantime, if you can enjoy The King of Limbs as an impressive atmospheric exercise that’s likely best meant to be enjoyed on vinyl, you will be highly satisfied. It won’t change the music landscape forever, but you can’t expect them to get everything right all the time.

“Codex”

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