Genres
Listen: Wild Flag – “Romance”
All-female supergroup Wild Flag debuted the first single from their upcoming self-titled debut today on WFMU’s Cherry Blossom Clinic. “Romance” will be released on Wild Flag, which is set to be released on September 13th via Merge Records.
Wild Flag is composed of former Sleater-Kinney members Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss, Helium‘s ex-frontgirl Mary Timony, and The Minders‘ former keyboardist Rebecca Cole. Listen to the track and check out the band’s upcoming tour dates below.
Review: Arctic Monkeys – Suck It and See
Arctic Monkeys – Suck It and See
Released: June 7, 2011
Label: Domino
Purchase: iTunes | Insound | Amazon
Once hailed as the leaders of the Next British Invasion, Arctic Monkeys have returned with Suck It and See, once again proving that the British are still enchanting all these years later. However, this album represents a departure from the Monkeys’ traditional format of quick vocals and whimsical guitar riffs. With a heavier emphasis on distortion and an attitude befit for a grizzled, veteran rocker, Suck It and See sounds less like pop-rock and more like the album The Strokes should have made.
The album begins with the dark twang of singer Alex Turner’s guitar when suddenly his vocals pierce the vibe and lead into the song’s melodic first verse. Add a triumphant chorus and sprinkle in a bass walk or two and you have “She Thunderstorms” which sets the tone for the rest of the record. You won’t hear any of Turner’s near-breathless courses, though. Suck It and See relies more on a slower melody rather than the usual Arctic Monkeys tempo. While it’s depressing that they shook what used to be their trademark sound, “She Thunderstorms” demonstrates that the new, more mature Arctic Monkeys are just as talented as the band that made “Fluorescent Adolescent “ and “I Bet That You Look Good on the Dance Floor.”
But the most interesting song by far on the album isn’t “She Thunderstorms.” Oh no, my friends, that song is rather tamed compared to “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I Moved Your Chair.” Someone must have cranked up Nick O’Malley’s bass because this track is the hardest and heaviest track the Monkeys’ have ever produced. As strange as it feels to write this, this song almost sounds… metal? I’m perplexed that Arctic Monkeys did a song like this, but strangely I’m okay with it. They’ve shed the punk attitude and have taken up the mantle of total badasses. On another other album I would have hated it, but Suck It and See’s darker tone allows this song to shine. Of course, the lyrics are still sarcastic and ridiculous like all Alex Turner-penned songs, especially with the heavy bass and in your face drums. This track is sure to become a fan favorite at concerts because of the audio assault it wages on your ear drums. Just listening to it makes you want to wear a leather jacket, light a cigarette, and spray paint something vaguely political on a nearby building.
The whole album personifies what it means to be a rock star and no song embodies this theme better than the title track and obvious double entendre “Suck It and See.” The song follows Turner as he tries to seduce a young women with golden pick up lines like “You’re rarer than a can of dandelion and burdock/And those other girls are just postmix lemonade.” If you are British, this line is probably hilarious. If you’re like me and are confused why flowers are in a can, the line is basically “You’re a rare soda compared to Country Time lemonade mix”. Excluding the lack quick-fired lyrics, “Suck It and See” is probably the most traditional Arctic Monkeys song on the album. Every line is full of sarcasm and the boyish charm that we all fell in love with back in 2005.
Although there are a lot of gems layered throughout the album, Suck It and See is far from perfect. It suffers from a few duds, specifically the track they teased back in March, “Brick by Brick.” Fans of classic rock might enjoy this throwback track, but in my opinion its cheesiness and overall feel doesn’t fit well with the rest of the songs. The call and response verses are really corny and derail the album after its strong start (“She Thunderstorms”, “Black Treacle”). Thankfully they’re able to pull it back together and despite a couple dull moments, Suck It and See is a great example of how a band can successfully evolve and mature. Arctic Monkeys are back and prove that the Next British Invasion isn’t dead. It’s just getting started.
8.4
Standout Tracks: “Black Treacle”, “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I Moved Your Chair”, and “Suck It and See”
Breathing Blue Announce Barbeque In July
Breathing Blue, a 5-piece New Jersey-grown band that seems to be exploding all over the tri-state area, is throwing a party to celebrate summer with their fans. The “Breathing Blue Barbeque,” will take place all day starting at 2p.m. on Saturday, July 9th at local venue staple The Brighton Bar.
Ever since Breathing Blue released the Breathing Blue EP in June 2010, their presence has been increasingly well known in the alternative music scene. With numerous reviews and positive feedback on the band showing up in the press in places like Absolute Punk and Alter The Press , it can be anticipated that their catchy tunes and intricate guitar work will soon be showcased on rock stations across the nation. Popular tracks like “Sparkle,” and “Chase The World” draw listeners in with vocalist Justin Sanford’s rich lyrics and sound with strong guitar, bass and drums to back it up.
Breathing Blue is known for their unique style in thinking outside-of-the-box when it comes to self-representation. Any band can play a show, but they always stand out above the rest and take it to a new level, especially for this show by inviting other vendors like award-winning Bullfrog’s BBQ to provide tasty cuisine for the crowd during the show, serving more than your average backyard burgers and hotdogs. They’ve invited at least half a dozen other special guests to share the outdoor stage with them to rock this all day event, and when nighttime falls, the party will continue inside The Brighton Bar. Admission is $10; it is a rain-or-shine event, and is all ages to enter, 21+ to drink.
Breathing Blue’s EP can be purchased over at Amazon
Contest: Rise Against T-Shirt and Signed Album
To foster charity work in the community, Rise Against is holding a contest to find out what their fans doing to help out. The band will be selecting 50 of their favorite entries and donating a t-shirt to the Los Angeles Youth Network under each winners name. The winners will also receive a free t-shirt and signed copy of Endgame from the entire band.
To enter, visit our contest page here and fill out the information near the bottom of the page. The band will be selecting winners on June 23.
Free Download of The Kooks’ “The Saboteur”
The Kooks, who are returning with their third studio album Junk Of The Heart, announced earlier this week that they would be offering fans a chance to unlock a brand new song. Each tweet that contained the Twitter hashtag #junkoftheheart unlocked an additional 0.01 seconds of the song. Within hours, the new song, “The Saboteur”, was already unlocked.
You can listen to and download the new song now via The Kooks’ website here.
Review: Arrange – Plantation
Arrange – Plantation
Released: May 17, 2011
Label: N/A
Purchase: Insound | 
Some albums are truly a cinematic experience. While perhaps this descriptor is most often relegated to concept albums, Arrange‘s Plantation proves such should not always be the case. For Plantation, created by Floridian Malcom Lacey, unfolds itself song by song much like a film does scene by scene. And also much like a movie, the listener discovers something previously unnoticed (and therefore unappreciated) with each replay. Thus, Lacey has achieved with Plantation what most artists cannot in a career: to create an album that betters itself with each listen.
It is the subtleties which ultimately set Plantation apart from any other album released thus far this year. One need only listen to the first track, “In Old Theaters”, to notice Lacey’s meticulous attention to detail. The song commences with a gradually building wave of white noise, soon awash in buried piano lines, that crashes into electronic, and later piano, melodies bolstered by prominent percussion. It’s incredibly full; if anything more were added, it would only serve to inundate the track, detracting from its quality. Yet it’s also an understated musical gesture; it’s dramatic but not melodramatic. And that’s precisely why it’s such a beautiful moment.
It’s also not an isolated one. Throughout Plantation, Lacey weaves melodic hooks in and out of the proverbial fabric of each song. Whether it be the synthesized horn entrance in the closing refrain of “Turnpike” or the catchy guitar riff that concludes “When’d You Find Me?”, each added theme contributes a new layer of texture to the track. But these layers aren’t simply stacked upon one another; instead, they intermingle. This counter-melodic interaction showcases Lacey’s songwriting ingenuity; it’s incredible how natural each song sounds considering the complexity.
What strikes the listener first, though, aren’t the musical intricacies of Plantation, but the raw emotion that so pervades the album. “Tearing Up Old Asphalt”, with its haunting piano and heart-wrenching lyrics, is a shining example of this. Lacey intones,”We were young/Kept runnin’ our mouths ’til he tore out our tongues/Didn’t hurt like anything”, his voice shaking as he narrates the story. “Melancholy” isn’t a strong enough adjective to describe the song. It’s tear-inducing.
“Medicine Man” infuses this sadness with fury. Because of this combination, it’s undoubtedly the most affecting track on an album overflowing with feeling. Lyrically, Lacey is devastating, promising, “I am a medicine man/Bring me your colors just to fix them for you”. Yet the narrator, perhaps Lacey himself, has a revelation, realizing that he cannot heal the subject without hurting himself and declares, “I’m not a medicine man/Don’t bring me your colors just to fix them…/I’ll fucking tear you up”. The contrasting sentiment here is profoundly moving, almost frightening. One must wonder exactly what occurred to cause the narrator’s change of heart, but perhaps the brilliance of the lyric lies in that uncertainty.
As the final strains of instrumental closer “Orange Glow (Thank You For the Night)” ring out, one cannot help but picture the credits scrolling down a blank movie screen. Lacey’s — who amounts to the album’s entire crew, acting as writer, producer, and director — final track seems to express gratitude to the listener for givingPlantation their time. It’s an appreciation revealed by both the title and the warmth of the song. The subtle irony here is that anyone who has the pleasure of listening to Plantation has witnessed something incredible and potentially life-changing. Really, it’s Lacey who should be thanked, rather than the listener, for introducing something so indescribably important to music itself.
9.7
Standout Tracks: “When’d You Find Me?”, “Turnpike”, “Tearing Up Old Asphalt”, and “Medicine Man”
You can download the album for free or purchase a physical copy on his Bandcamp page here.
Stream The Wonder Years’ Record Release Show
You can watch The Wonder Years‘ release show for their new album Suburbia I’ve Given You All And Now I’m Nothing live below, courtesy of Hopeless Records. If you like what you see, be sure to order a copy of the album here.
Review: Balance and Composure – Separation
Balance and Composure – Separation
Released: May 10, 2011
Label: No Sleep Records
Purchase: iTunes | Insound | Amazon
Fans of Balance and Composure have been eagerly awaiting a full length release for quite some time now. After releasing two mature EPs and arguably the better side of a split with Tigers Jaw over the last three years, Balance and Composure finally appeased fans with news of Separation, comprised of twelve tracks.
Upon first listen, however, it’s quite possible avid followers of Balance and Composure will be disappointed. Moving towards a more streamlined sound definitely contributed to a loss of “oomph” and raw emotion from the band’s music. However, this more concentrated approach does give Separation a sense of cohesiveness and focus, attributes vital to a successful album.
Separation excels most on songs where Balance and Composure’s 90’s influences are the most apparent. “Stonehands” delivers in this aspect, showcasing both emo and grunge influences, though vocalist Jon Simmons tends to sing a bit nasally especially on words with “long e” vowels. A better culmination of 90’s style and Simmons’ vocal performance is the title track. On the chorus, Simmons utilizes his perfected “sing scream”, a gritty yell, but with definitive pitch. It’s a technique Jesse Lacey of Brand New and Andy Hull of Manchester Orchestra also use, though Simmons’ style feels more passionate.
As a whole, though, Separation seems like more of a turn towards alternative rock. While Balance and Composure do perform this genre with ease and more than competently (take the southern rock vibe of “Galena” or grit and angst of “I Tore You Apart In My Head” for instance), at times the record leans toward typicality, most notably on “Void”, an unfortunate pick for an album opener.
The loss of emotional immediacy might be due in part to the album’s generally flat production. Producer Brian McTernan’s past work has been inconsistent, dipping especially on Emarosa‘s latest self-titled release. WhileSeparation is definitely an improvement for McTernan, the drums sound tinny and lack tone and it’s nearly impossible to tell the band has three guitarists. The production just doesn’t feel as dynamic or raw as a band like Balance and Composure, one who thrives on straddling the crossroads of technicality and passion, needs to fully excel.
However, after multiple listens, Balance and Composure’s passion permeates McTernan’s iffy producing job. Tracks like album standout “Patience” exude intense feeling in the music. Balance and Composure mean every lyric, every guitar strum, every bass line, and every snare hit. Though perhaps Separation only fully demonstrates this with the listener’s patience (yes, I went there), the album isn’t a regression from past work. Balance and Composure is still miles ahead of most other bands operating in their genre. The reason?
Authenticity.
7.7
Standout Tracks: “Patience”, “Galena”, and “I Tore You Apart In My Head”
Interview: Balance and Composure
Balance and Composure vocalist/guitarist Jon Simmons took some time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions. Having recently released Separation through No Sleep Records, the band is beginning to become very well known in the current music scene. Simmons talked about the response to the new record, upcoming tour plans, and the bands he supports. Check out the full interview below.
Jon Simmons – Vocals/guitar
Andy Slaymaker – Guitar/vocals
Erik Petersen – Lead guitar
Matt Warner – Bass
Bailey Van Ellis – Drums
LitS: You guys just released your first full length, Separation, on May 10. What has the fans’ response been like so far?
The fans’ response has been unreal so far. We couldn’t be happier with the reaction or the fact that our fans are so supportive by telling other people about the record. It is rare that I post about certain records people should check out, so the fact that so many fans have posted or spread the word about it is amazing to me. We feel pretty lucky to have such great supporters.
LitS: What was the recording experience like for you guys? Was it at all stressful?
Recording will always be stressful no matter what, but this was our easiest experience in the studio. We got to do what we always dreamed of doing, which was having a lot of time to experiment and record. We worked with Brian McTernan, and he really helped us grow as a band and as songwriters. We couldn’t have asked for a better producer for our first full length. (more…)
Red Hot Chili Peppers Reveal Tracklist to ‘I’m With You’
On August 30, the Red Hot Chili Peppers will release their 10th studio album, I’m With You, via Warner Bros. Records. Today, the band released the album’s 14-song tracklist, which you can see below. The album’s lead single and seventh track, “The Adventures of Raindance Maggie”, is set to premiere on July 18th.
I’m With You Tracklist:
01. Monarchy of Roses
02. Factory of Faith
03. Brendan’s Death Song
04. Ethiopia
05. Annie Wants a Baby
06. Look Around
07. The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie
08. Did I Let You Know
09. Goodbye Hooray
10. Happiness Loves Company
11. Police Station
12. Even You Brutus?
13. Meet Me at the Corner
14. Dance, Dance, Dance
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