Tag Archives: Arts and Entertainment

My Morning Jacket Circuital

31 May

Where Evil Urges faltered in creating an eccentric and larger-than-life world, Circuital crafts such an unassuming atmosphere, that by the time you realize it’s just as nutty as the last album, you’re hooked.

Release Date: May 31, 2011
Record Label: ATO
Rating: 90

If you haven’t figured it out by now, My Morning Jacket is a weird band with a wicked sense of humor. Not sardonic or apathetic like you would expect most rock bands to be, but just a genuinely weird self-aware bunch of guys that as much as they like to rock out are really all about pushing the oddity envelope. However, whereas before these (pardon the pun) evil urges were pushed into the background previously (“Into the Woods” from Z, “They Ran” from The Tennessee Fire), they came full frontal on both their last release and (possibly to the chagrin of many) on Circuital as well.

Before you write off their latest album, however, do know that it’s a better overall effort than Evil Urges. Surprisingly, the reason for that is possibly because Circuital doesn’t straddle the line the way Evil Urges did– where for every “Librarian” and “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream” you had a quintessential MMJ tune like “I’m Amazed”– instead the Kentucky-based band goes all out with reckless abandon.

It all begins with the strangely hypnotic “Victory Dance,” which builds on a deceivingly simplistic rhythm and evolves into a dark, but lovely, piece before leading into the gorgeous title track. Other highlights include the vulnerable “Wonderful (The Way I Feel)” which could eclipse “Golden” as their most stunning track recorded. “Slow Slow Tune” and “Movin Away” are also both some of the better slower songs the band has recorded in quite a while.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the absurd “Outta My System” is likely to be this album’s “Highly Suspicious,” you’re either going to love it or hate it. The insanely theatrical “Holdin On to Black Metal,” however, endears itself with its larger than life scale, and a pitch-perfect understanding and execution of its concept.

Yes, Circuital is out there– it’s not really a concept album so much as it is an affirmation of My Morning Jacket going from an established southern rock band to something more otherworldly and at times, flat-out indescribable, but that’s a good thing. Unlike the frequently half-baked Evil Urges, My Morning Jacket takes the plunge here, and they come up smelling like roses.

My Morning Jacket – “Holdin On To Black Metal”

My Morning Jacket – “Wonderful (The Way I Feel)”

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Coachella 2012 Will Extend to Two Weekends

31 May

It’s the festival that keeps on growing, and just when it seemed like it couldn’t get much bigger after selling out in a mere instant last year, Coachella has announced that next years festival will take place over two weekends. Yes, you’re reading that correctly, two separate weekends. The lineups will be the same, so you won’t miss anything, it’s just intended as a way for everyone to have a chance to go, which is pretty awesome on their part. Coachella weekend one will be April 13-15, 2012, while Coachella weekend two will be April 20-22, 2012.

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Belle & Sebastian Belle & Sebastian Write About Love

11 Oct

Considering the successful run of indie pop albums Belle & Sebastian has released in recent years, it’s easy to dismiss Write About Love, as it marks a return to their gentler AM pop sound. Still, for headphone listening, Write About Love is a lovely album.

Release Date: October 12, 2010
Record Label: Rough Trade
Rating: 84

Their first release of new material in four years, Belle & Sebastian Write About Love is a bit of a departure considering they had seemed to find their stride with Dear Catastropher Waitress and The Life Pursuit– both of which were much more in the vein of true indie-pop and relied on the strength once again of excellent songwriting. In comparison, Write About Love feels like a more slickly produced Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant. The first half of the album oddly highlights the band’s 70′s AM pop radio charm, which has always worked in doses but comes off a bit heavy-handed here. From there, things come together with a handful of more upbeat songs that recall the band’s finer moments, before settling back into a lighter groove once again.

From a musical standpoint, and this is the key here, the album is absurdly lovely and makes for a fantastic headphone album. However, for a band that is as dynamic as Belle & Sebastian can be, Write About Love could be more, and it certainly isn’t helped by the unevenness of the songs.

As odd as it is to wrap your head around hearing Stuart Murdoch perform a duet with Norah Jones, “Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John” is a gorgeously written tune and is the definite highlight of the quieter songs, along with the opening “I Didn’t See It Coming.” “I’m Not Living in the Real World” and “The Ghost of Rockschool” are two other songs that are the finest moments when it comes to B&S more popular forms of indie pop.

Belle & Sebastian Write About Love is a difficult album to pin down, because it’s really quite good. It’s not flashy in any way, and while it’s enjoyable it also certainly won’t wow you– it’s a bit like an accent piece in an art gallery, where it certainly has enough of a distinct charm to not seem out of place with the other works of art, but it doesn’t exactly grab you either. That’s not a bad thing by any means, just don’t expect it to live up to their best work.

“I’m Not Living in the Real World”

 

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Deerhunter Halcyon Digest

28 Sep

Halcyon Digest may be a natural progression for Deerhunter, yet it is still a remarkable album that is certainly worthy for album of the year consideration.

Release Date: September 14, 2010
Record Label: 4AD
Rating: 100

There is truly nothing more exciting than finding a young, talented band hitting its stride, and if there were any questions about it before, Deerhunter is in the midst of something truly special. Whereas their earlier works were known for their relative difficulty, Cryptograms represented a seismic shift, with the first half carrying over their ambient, atmospheric rock while pushing the boundaries ever so much closer to the mainstream. Microcastle then followed (which was named the #1 album of 2008), with a sweeping, Velvet Underground-esque sound that was as irresistible as it was haunting. Now, Brandon Cox and company have taken their ambitions full-steam ahead– creating one of the most lush, polished, affectedly beautiful albums you’ll hear this year. The opening “Earthquake” is a culmination of much of their work– still carrying the shoegazing tradition of My Bloody Valentine while remaining intimate and disorienting enough to sound comfortable on a Portishead album. The strong songwriting disguised through heavily layered dream pop shines brightest on songs such as “Helicopter” as well as “Desire Lines,” while the early single “Revival” and “Coronado” point more directly to their punk rock influences.

Perhaps what makes Halcyon Digest most impressive is that there is a palpable affinity for the influences that make up not only the band, but the individual band members. From Cox suggesting to fans to print out Xeroxed copies of posters throughout their hometowns to the incredible attention to detail, there’s a definite sense of pride and respect for the music that not only makes Halcyon Digest an enjoyable listen, but also proves that Deerhunter is one of the real forces in music today.

A mesmerizing release that surpasses any description that can be attached to it, Deerhunter’s latest release is meant to simply be enjoyed. But like all great art, every time you return, you are guaranteed to be stunned by something new.

“Helicopter”

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