The Sound Room

The Aperion Guide to Summer Music Festivals

by Jason Hicks

With the days lengthening and daffodils blooming it can only mean one thing; the summer music festival season is rapidly approaching!  It used to be that were only a few players on the big time festival scene, and most of them were touring genre-specific festivals like Ozzfest, The Warped Tour or the original Lollapalooza.  These days most festivals go for massive multiple day affairs in one location.  As gas prices skyrocket, condensing many acts onto several stages at one event makes sense for both bands and concertgoers alike.  So grab your sunscreen and lawn chairs for our rundown of the hottest festivals.

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival April 13th-15th & April 20th-22nd Indio, CA

Patterned after European music festivals like Glastonbury and Roskilde, Coachella has kicked off the U.S. festival season since 1999 in the perpetual summer paradise of Palm Springs.  The venue is a big part of the appeal of Coachella as it's held at an immaculately tended polo club that is lined with postcard worthy date palms.  It's not uncommon to see recycled art installations from Nevada's freaky Burning Man festival dotting the grounds.  The weather ranges from perfection to blazing, with nearly zero chance of rain and Woodstock style mud pits.  The bands usually skew toward the electropop end of the spectrum, although this year seems to be decidedly scattershot with acts like Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, Florence + The Machines, The Black Keys and former Oasis head honcho Noel Gallagher topping the bill.  Since the festival has sold out in advance the last couple of years, they are trying out an unusual strategy to increase attendance this time around and are holding two identical festivals on successive weekends.  My advice, go on the second weekend after the kinks have been worked out. 

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival April 27th-May 6th New Orleans, LA

Widely regarded as the city with the richest musical tradition in the country, it's fitting that New Orleans annually hosts one of the most massive and long running musical festivals around.  Just about every New Orleans heavy hitter will be there over the two weekends: Dr. John, The Neville Brothers, Trombone Shorty, Allen Toussiant, The funky Meters, the list goes on and on.  But of course there is also a plenty of other music on tap too.  The rest of the lineup isn't limited to jazz, but it does favor the baby boomer set with artists like Bruce Springsteen, The Beach Boys, Herbie Hancock and Bonnie Raitt being among the main attractions.  Since it's New Orleans the food is also a huge part of the melange, and local offerings of jambalaya, gumbo, bbq and po boys abound.  On top of all that, you'll find a crafts fair and historical exhibits on the festival grounds.  The music ends early each night so marathon minded enthusiasts can venture into the city proper to take in the myriad of local venue shows that extend deep into the night.

Sasquatch Music Festival May 25th-28th George, WA

The Northwest's premiere music festival's lineup this year is so stellar that the festival sold out over a month advance, which is impressive even given the venue's small 20,000 capacity.  Speaking of which, the Gorge Amphitheater is one of the most breathtaking venues in the country with the Columbia Gorge serving as a picture perfect backdrop to the proceedings.  From certain angles it almost looks like the stage is hanging over the Columbia river, although that's not the case.  The schedule is indeed packed with quality indie acts like the newly solo Jack White, Beck and a bunch of locally affiliated bands like The Shins, Carrie Brownstein's Wild Flag and Portland's up and comers Blind Pilot.  The lovely Ms. Brownstein will be doing double duty as she and Fred Armisen will also do a live version of their insanely popular Portlandia sketch TV show, which promises all kinds of hipster in-jokes.  Finally, the on site camping is notorious for all night parties, but pace yourself as the Eastern Washington heat during the day can turn your tent into a sauna in no time.  Since it's sold out, pricey VIP packages or trolling Craigslist are your only hope to get in on the fun if you haven't scored tickets yet.

Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival June 7th-10th Manchester, TN

Bonnaroo, or simply "the Roo" for those in the know, started out as a neo-hippie mecca primarily focused on jam bands in 2002.  Although the name Bonnaroo comes from New Orleans slang for "a really good time" and there has been no shortage of Louisiana based music at the festival over the years as well.  Since around 2006 or so the lineup has included more indie rock and electronic acts and this year is no exception with Radiohead, Bon Iver, Foster the People and Feist all set to perform.  Of course you'll still find the likes of Phish and Umphrey's McGee turning out crunchy grooves.  But music is just the beginning of the offerings, with top comics like Aziz Ansari on hand, a cinema tent, a "Broo'ers" festival with microbrews and more.  If the humidity and surely odorous attendees don't bother you, the Roo is one of the biggest and wildest festivals to catch.

Newport Folk Festival Newport, RI July 28th and 29th

Dating all the way back to 1959 the Newport Folk Festival will always be remembered for the infamous 1965 performance by Bob Dylan in which his newly electric band was met with boos from the crowd.  These days fans can expect to hear a variety of music, which although still rooted in folk and Americana, includes numerous electric rock n' roll acts.  The strategy of appealing to a wider audience since the 90s has paid off and the festival has gained so much prominence that Saturday and two day tickets are already sold out.  The top acts this year include Arlo Guthrie, Patty Griffin, My Morning Jacket, and hot buzz band Alabama Shakes.  There will also be a warm up show of sorts by Wilco with Portland's Blitzen Trapper opening up on Friday July 27th. 

Lollapalooza August 3rd-5th Chicago, IL

Lollapalooza started out as the quintessential alternative music festival in 1991 when it served as founder Perry Farrell's farewell tour with Jane's Addiction.  That petered out in the late 90s, but the festival was reborn in 2005 as a stationary festival in Chicago's Grant Park, which makes for a uniquely urban setting.  The eclectic tradition of the original festival remains in tact as this years acts range from cutting edge groups like electronic rockers M83 and Bassnectar to nostalgia acts like Black Sabbath.  You'll also find a plethora of lounges sponsored by hip companies like Google and Adidas.  Kids 10 and under get in for free and will be treated to their own area with a stage featuring kid friendly acts like Ralph's World and other activities and workshops.

The Definitive Top Ten Albums of 2011

by Jason Hicks

I have long been a proponent of the album, but this year I joined the dark side and became a member of the “cult of the song.”  Using new methods of music delivery such as Spotify and Turntable.fm has radically changed my listening habits, moving from ingesting entire albums at a sitting to playing a hit parade of tracks by disparate artists.  Because of that shift, I struggled with coming up with this list as I never had before.  It wasn’t that there was a lack of quality material; it was just that I hadn’t spent enough time with many albums to come to an opinion I felt was worth sharing.   So after embarking on a month long cram session, catching up on that which I had neglected, I can confidently offer my choices for the top 10 albums of 2011.  Enjoy! 

10. Clams Casino- Instrumental Mixtape

As the line between electronic music and hip hop continues to blur,it’s likely that we will continue to see more producers in the vein of Clams Casino.  While his compositions can be used as the backdrop for rapping, they truly come to life when heard in their instrumental form.  Clams Casino’s music is easily reduced to a formula of clanging grainy beats, darkly buzzing synths and ethereal vocal samples that are often supplied by well-known singers like Bjork and Janelle Monáe.  But even though his sound may be easily identifiable and deconstructed, the sense of melody and dynamism is strong enough to remain engaging for the duration of this collection. 

9.  Com Truise- Galactic Melt

Com Truise, the cheeky moniker of Seth Haley, sounds like what the music of ‘80s video games could have been had their composers not been confined to a mere 8 bits.  While much of the feel of Galactic Melt is indeed retro, from song titles like “VHS Sex” to the pastel geometric shapes on the album cover, the drum patterns and production values undoubtedly mark it as a product of current times.  It’s a sound that I have dubbed “TronTronica”, as it brings to mind Wendy Carlos’ score for the original Tron but also comfortably coexists alongside its contemporaries in the electronica genre.  So put your digitally enhanced Star Wars Blu-Ray on mute, crank this up and enjoy some retro-futurist nostalgia for a high definition ‘80s that never happened until now. 

8. M83- Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

M83’s last album, Saturdays=Youth, was an unabashed love letter to the simpler times of the 80s, with dreamy Cocteau Twins style vocals and glossy guitar leads dominating its soundscape.  Maestro Anthony Gonzales continues this trend with the sprawling Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming which packs candy colored synths, Seinfeld slap bass, soft rock saxophones and no small amount of grandeur into its over 70 minute running time.  It seems to concern some loosely executed theme of dreaming and imagination, complete with a children’s narration of a fantastical transformation into a frog on “Raconte-Moi Une Histoire.”  Like just about any album over 60 minutes there is some filler, notably the several one to two minute instrumental interludes, some of which paradoxically feel like they could be longer.  But when it works on tracks like “Claudia Lewis” and “Steve McQueen”, it’s impossible to deny that Gonzales is the master of nailing the ‘80s sound and turning it into something that is indelibly his own.

7. TV on the Radio- Nine Types of Light

With 2008’s Dear Science, TV on the Radio knocked it out of the park.  It was a dazzling summation and extension of their synthesis of soul, indie rock, electronica and even threw some Afrobeat and string arrangements into the mix.  When placed alongside that masterwork, Nine Types of Light does feel somewhat like a step back, as it is easily the most accessible TVOTR album to date.  Having said that, the album still offers enough pleasures to land it on this list and the band remains firmily entrenched in the upper echelon of indie rock royalty.  Highlights include the slow burning guitars and icy synths of “You” as well as the rave up “No Future Shock.”  The album peaks with the elegiac “Killer Crane” where the unlikely bedfellows of banjo, cello and synths combine to create a track of sublime beauty and quite possibly points the way forward for TVOTR’s future. 

6. Little Dragon- Ritual Union

Little Dragon were thrust into the spotlight in a major way last year after being featured on two tracks of the Gorillaz album Plastic Beach and serving as an opening act on the subsequent massive world tour.  With the release of the Swedish group’s third album they efficiently capitalize on the opportunity to reach a wider audience with a concise set of well-crafted electronic pop tunes.  The music leans toward the leftfield side of the electronic spectrum with drones and chirps floating in the mix and at times can come off as a bit simplistic.  But that only serves to highlight the group’s main strength, the delicately soulful vocals of frontwoman Yukimi Nagano.  After a couple more high profile collaborations this year with the likes of DJ Shadow, she appears to be the guest vocalist du jour.  One can’t help but imagine that a Nagano solo album with top flight producers might be just what she needs to really launch her career into the stratosphere. 

5. Bon Iver- Bon Iver

Bon Iver’s 2007 album To Emma, Forever Ago was so universally acclaimed and adored that the follow up seemed almost destined for backlash.  That the eponymous sophomore effort by Justin Vernon makes no attempt to replicate the rustic heartbreak of To Emma is not as bold of a move as it may seem on the surface.   Reducing comparisons to an apples/oranges type conversation sidesteps the whole question of whether To Emma was a onetime flash in the pan.  From the album opener “Perth” it’s clear that Vernon will be working with a much more expansive pallet of sound with electric guitars, drums and even a horn section cropping up.  Even though the scope has been broadened, Vernon’s falsetto remains as affecting as ever and some of the songs like “Holocene” and “Michicant” remain grounded in the folk genre.  Then there’s the albums real curveball, the album closing “Beth/Rest” that wouldn’t sound out of place if inserted into Air Supply’s Greatest Hits.  If you heard last year’s soft rock tinged indie supergroup Gayngs that also featured Vernon, it may not be quite as much of a shock, but you still have to wonder exactly why it was included here.  That aside, Vernon shows real growth on Bon Iver, and impresses with his ability to incorporate new dimensions into his music successfully.

4. Blitzen Trapper- American Goldwing

On American Goldwing Blitzen Trapper take their adept mining of classic rock tropes and spin it into a loving hommage to the America of the ‘70s and ‘80s.  The songs are full of tales of the open road and dreamers gazing into vast expanses of stars while trying to find the perfect song on an old FM radio.  Musically, it’s a rich slice of Americana full of harmonicas, country tinged slide guitars, banjos and Eric Earley’s world weary Dylan inspired vocals.  The album itself is named after a 1980s Honda touring motorcycle, and the American rite of passage of freewheeling travel looms large.  Another lyrical theme is the depiction of the natural beauty that accompany such road trips.  While in the songwriting department it may not top the best tracks from 2008’s Furr, it does do an excellent job of sustaining a consistent tone.  Sure it’s a nostalgia trip, but with the land of endless opportunity that American Goldwing evokes rapidly disappearing or already gone, now is as good of a time as any to pay tribute to it.  Right down to the mini LP packaging and poster that come with the CD, Blitzen Trapper capture the essence of that bygone era with perfection. 

3.  The Roots- Undun

The Roots have been cranking out consistently outstanding hip hop albums for almost twenty years now, but never before have they attempted an album as ambitious as Undun.  A true rap concept album, it chronicles the rise and fall of a hustler in reverse, opening with his violent demise and retracing the decisions and pressures that led to his undoing.  It’s not the typical glamorous portrayal of the street lifestyle as a bling filled fantasy, but instead fixates primarily on the greed and short sighted get rich quick mentality that has led so many young men to a predictable dead end.  As rapper Black Thought sums it up near the end of the album, “Picture me livin’ life as if I’m some animal/ That consumes its own dreams like I’m a cannibal.”  It’s a bleak and unflinching condemnation of the lifestyle that has wrought ruin upon entire generations of African Americans.  The album closes with a haunting four part instrumental suite for piano and string quartet that even dips into avant free jazz with “Will to Power (3rd Movement).”  The last four tracks, unlike anything put down on a hip hop album before, push the album over the top from great to brilliant.   While not the easiest listen, it is undoubtedly as rewarding and important album as any in The Roots catalog.

2. Tycho- Dive

There have always been two major strains of electronic music; that which was engineered primarily to move bodies on the dance floor, and on the other side, music that was meant for introspective listening in a home environment.  With Tycho’s (nom de reality Scott Hansen) third proper album, he takes his place among the elite purveyors of the latter style.  While he borrows liberally from the warbly analog tones of downtempo masters Boards of Canada, Tycho is quite a bit more blissful and lush as opposed to the moody and at times sorrowful sounds of his forbearers.  There’s also a major emphasis on melody, with acoustic guitar on several tracks.  Relying on traditional song structures is a refreshing change in the context of a genre that can often times get lost in its obsessions for rhythm and timbre.  As the album title and art imply, Dive frequently evokes images of placid marine environments and on top of Hansen’s knack for hooks, the proceedings have a watercolor infused airy quality.  For those looking for new electronic relaxation music with substance, Tycho is just what the doctor ordered.

1.  Akron/Family- S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT

Akron/Family are a virtual encyclopedia of psychedelic motifs, moving effortlessly from heavy Black Sabbath riffs to backwoods folky jams to tribal call and response chants, sometimes all within the same song.  On their fifth full length the group retains all of those qualities to some degree but adds a little more focus this time around and the result is a batch of songs that rivals their previous zenith, 2007’s Love is Simple. The album’s middle section in particular flows beautifully, starting with the brooding “A AAA O A WAY” that transitions seamlessly to “So it Goes”, which starts as a crunchy Lennonesque rocker and floats back to earth hazily into the spinning bombast of “Another Sky."  That in turn leads to the marimba driven stomp of “Light Emerges” and the sequence concludes with the acoustic hymn of “Cast a Net”.  From there the album moves through experimental instrumental sections and a few more folk imbued quiet tracks.  The overall impression is of a band that can write top notch songs, take risks and have it all come together into a cohesive whole that sounds like something truly fresh.

The Top Ten Classical and Jazz Albums of 2011

 

by Oliver Amnuayphol

What a fine year in music for classical and jazz: We were lucky enough to have a veritable plethora of oustanding releases from both the new school and old guard of both genres--so many of them that I had a very tough time narrowing the list down to just 10 combined. Had I more time, I could've easily created a list each for both classical and jazz. Nevertheless, here are the ones that stood out the most:

 

10) Lang Lang, Liszt: My Piano Hero (Sony Masterworks): Add equal parts composing genius and virtuoso playing and you get Lang Lang's latest showstopper. Lang Lang has always been a polarising pianist, but here his originality and expressiveness do justice to the original "rock star" virtuoso who was Franz Liszt. Best of all, it's available on vinyl and sounds absolutely wonderful as such.

 

 

 

 

9) Harry Christopher's The Sixteen, Palestrina, Vol. 1(Coro): Praise be to the angels we have heard on high: The Sixteen have finally released a full Palestrina album, and it was definitely worth the wait. Here the Sixteen gloriously honor Palestrina's polyphonic masterpieces, imbuing every piece with perfectly blended melodies, beautiful sonorities, and soaring harmonies. Not to be missed if you're a Palestrina fan, or of Renaissance liturgical music in general.

 

 

 

8) Jordi Savall/Monserrat Figueras, Monteverdi- Arie e Lamenti (Alia Vox): How fitting that the two guiding lights of pre-classical music have also created the best early music album of the year. Here Figueras' voice, though mildly weathered with time, is still beauty incarnate, and Savall's instrumental prowess is always mesmerizing. Indeed, great music like this can only be born from a love for the music being made, and Savall's and Figueras' love of early music was only eclipsed by their love for each other. Sadly, Ms. Figueras recently passed away from a year long illness, leaving the world a much poorer place.

 

 

7) Gretchen Parlato, The Lost and Found (Obliqsound): No doubt, Parlato is one of the most inventive vocalists around, expressive like no other. Her soft-spoken style just begs you to listen a little closer, and she infuses every track here with a thoroughly modern and unique vibe. Her accompanying musician's are just as freely creative yet remain firmly rooted in jazz fundamentals and improvisation. Definitely the best vocal jazz album of the year.

 

 

 

 

6) Hans Kennel & Bruno Spoerri, Dusty Vibes (Sonorama): Since Kennel and Spoerri spent their careers plying their trade in Europe, most hardcore jazz fans have never even heard of these two. And what a crying shame that is: The tunes here, aired on Swiss radio over 40 years ago, swing as hard as anything heard stateside at the time. A great snapshot of what good jazz in Europe was like in the '60's. And bonus: Also available in glorious vinyl.

 

 

 

 

5) Alexandre Tharaud, Scarlatti (Virgin Classics): I must admit I never heard of Tharaud before I found this album, and boy am I glad I found this one. There's a keen sensitivity to the way Tharaud interprets Scarlatti, particularly his minor sonatas; listen to how Tharaud creates cascades of pellucid, symmetrical melodies with a touch of warmth--like softly melting icicles on a brisk, sun-kissed winter morning. A stellar album.

 

 

 

 

4) Hilary Hahn/Valentina Lisitsa, Charles Ives - Four Sonatas (Deutche Grammophon): Adding this album might be a bit like cheating, since nearly every Hahn album belongs on a given year's "best of" list. Still, there's a conversational interplay between Hahn and Lisitsa that really lets the dissonant magic in these Ives sonatas shine through, and the pair do a fine job of capturing the lighter, more lyrical sides of these compositions. Indeed, dissonance never sounded so harmonious.

 

 

 

 

3) Brian Carpenter's Ghost Train Orchestra, Hothouse Stomp - Music of 1920's Chicago and Harlem (Accurate Records): One listen to Hothouse Stomp and you'll be longing for Prohibition-era hooch and speakeasies. Carpenter and his orchestra have nailed the feel of the roaring 20s, and every musician here is ferociously wailing his (or her) heart out as if it were for the last time. If your musical tastes lean towards the dance-friendly jazzy, or blues-drenched and blearly (or really, anything in between), this album is a must.

 

 

 

 

2) Jason Adasiewicz's Sun Rooms, Spacer (Delmark): Not since the great Bobby Hutcherson has there been a vibraphonist as uniquely talented as Jason Adasiewicz. There's a bit of the avant-garde vibe to his, um, vibes as well, with an intensity few jazz musician's of any instrument can match. Thankfully, there's plenty of that intensity to go around on Spacer, rhythmically underpinning every piece with a propulsive, forward momentum for Adasiewicz' glistening, angular solos. Without a doubt, the year's best jazz recording.

 

 

 

 

1) Helene Grimaud, Resonances (Deutche Grammophon): If I had to pick only one contemporary classical pianist to listen to for the rest of my days, it would be Grimaud, hands down. One listen to this album and you'll quickly understand why: Like every other Grimaud recording I own, each piece here sounds utterly and fantastically dramatic without the slightest hint of virtuoso showmanship. How is this even possible? I can only guess it's because of her innate confidence to play the music with her emotions first, and to take creative chances few others would dare. And holy cripes does she ever deliver. Grimaud's renditions of Bartok's Roumanian Folk Dances in particular are astounding. If you took away all the other "best of's" I picked this year and left me only this one, I would still be perfectly content. Most definitely, indubitably, positively, the best recording of the year.

All Things Vinyl, July 28, 2011: New Avid Pulsus Phono Stage.

by Oliver Amnuayphol

Ahh, the joys of vinyl. Surely you're reading this blog because you know that good vinyl replay is sonically superior and much more musically rewarding than digital bits in any form--which is why you have the killer turntable, tonearm, and cartridge in your hi-fi rack, no? So if you're addicted to analog, don't forget about the all-imporant last link in the LP playback chain, the phono stage: Using a sub-par phono preamp is guaranteed to reverse a good chunk of the performance you've gained from upgrading your vinyl-spinning rig. And yes, I know I've soapboxed about it countless times before, but seriously, do your records a solid and stay away from cheaply made phono preamps--using one would be like putting bicycle wheels on a Ferrari: You'll simply never get the performance you paid for.

I'm not saying you have to spend obscene amounts of money on a phono stage; the NAD PP3i at under $200, for example, is a stunner: it sounds absolutely awesome for the price, and it even has a USB out if you need to make digital copies of your records. But if you've got the scrilla, something like that stunning Avid Pulsare phono preamp I wrote about in a previous ATV will do as much to peg your analog bliss meter as a similarly priced 'table/arm/cartridge combo, if not more. Of course, at five grand the Pulsare is um, quite ambitious, so if you're looking a little lower down the price range, say hello to its little brother, the Pulsus ($1599). Using trickle-down technology and insight gleaned from the Pulsare, the Pulsus utilizes a similar two-chassis design that separates the phono amplification circuits from the regulated power supply. Gain, capacitance, and resistance are all adjustable via DIP switches located on the underside of the phono pre, and the Pulsus even uses premium caps and Neumann HF correction for its passive RIAA equalization. What's more, the Pulsus can provide up to 70db of gain for low output MCs while maintaining an excellent <-67dB noise floor. Yowzers. And sure, two G's ain't exactly pocket change for a phono stage; but if you luvs the vinyls and spin 'em on a high end rig, the Pulsus should be a great match and quite possibly one of the best sub $2k phono stages yet. Available now.

TV on the Radio Mellow Out with Nine Types of Light

by Jason Hicks

When a band releases the follow up to a career defining work it can create somewhat of a conundrum in regards to its analysis.  Should the new work be judged on its own merits, in a vacuum, or should it be compared to the creative heights that preceded it?  So it goes with Nine Types of Light, the latest album from Brooklyn based indie artrockers TV on the Radio.  The last time around on 2008's Dear Science, the band knocked it out of the park, managing to both expand and streamline their sound which resulted in an album so superlative that I named it as a top album of the decade here.  

Nine Types of Light shares the same uncluttered and direct approach as Dear Science, but doesn't quite pack the same punch in the intensity and songwriting departments.  Which isn't to say that the latest offering is devoid of pleasures, as it is most certainly an enjoyable listen, but it's hard not to label it as a stop gap of sorts.  It coasts along on the ground uncovered on Dear Science, and offers little in the way of forwarding the TVOTR sound to new places.  

To be sure there are several nice touches like the icy Enoesque synths and slow burning slide guitars on "You", and David Sitek's production choices are as impeccable and intriguing as ever.  "Killer Crane" provides the album's highlight in the form of a stately piano ballad.  Not only is it the standout, but it does at least hint at a new direction, a warmer and almost pastoral TV on the Radio, which is without a doubt something worth exploring.  But elsewhere many of the tracks blend into midtempo sameness, with the band only really working up a full head of steam a couple of times on tracks like "No Future Shock" and the slashing album closer "Caffeinated Consciousness". 

If something is indeed missing from the proceedings, it must be laid at the feet of co-frontman Kyp Malone.  Since joining the group following their debut EP, Malone's songs have been an aggressive and slightly funkier rejoinder to Tunde Adebimpe's more introspective offerings.  Here he takes the reins as lead vocalist on a scant three out of the album's ten tracks.  In the past he had contributed nearly half of the songs on each album with many of them among the band's all time best, such as "Province" and "Golden Age".  If Nine Types of Light featured a couple more Malone powered house shakers like "No Future Shock" it wouldn't be so easy to dismiss as a minor entry into the TV on the Radio catalog.   

Which brings us back to the initial dilemma; perhaps it shouldn't matter that it doesn't best Dear Science, because at the end of the day TV on the Radio are still making quality music that stands above the majority of their peers.  But on the other hand the nagging "what ifs" are hard to shake, could TV on the Radio have taken their game to yet another level and provided us with a Kid A type shocker?  Of course it's easy to cast such stones from the comfy confines of an intenet armchair.  So I'll take Nine Types of LIght for what it is, a respectably satisfying album from one of today's best bands and hope for a game changer next time around.  

Radiohead Go Solo with The King of Limbs

by Jason Hicks

A new Radiohead album is basically the hipster equivalent of Christmas morning, an event which is unparalleled throughout the year.  In fact it could be argued that the release of the band's 1997 album, OK Computer, was the genesis of the much maligned (and secretly envied) modern hipster universe.  So when it was announced last year that the band was back in the studio and a new album could emerge by the end of 2010, there was much rejoicing in enclaves from Williamsburg to Silver Lake.  Alas, it was not to be and the new year came without so much of a peep from the Radiohead camp.  But then on Valentine's Day the band issued a statement that not only was the new album done, but that it would be called The King of Limbs and available for purchase as a digital download a mere five days later.  This time around the band decided to forgo its paradigm busting "pay what you want" pricing scheme and offered the downloads at typical rates as well as a deluxe "newspaper album" physical release, whatever that means.

A Radiohead album takes some time to digest, but after having lived with it for a couple of weeks enough initial impressions have solidified into a few concrete opinions.  The first most striking thing is that The King of Limbs offers a scant 37 minute run time.  Which in and of itself is fine by me, in fact I'll take a 40 minute "all killer no filler" album over a 78 minute bloated mess any day of the week.  The second thing that grabbed my ear was that this did not sound like the work of a band with five members, but resembled singer Thom Yorke's 2006 solo album The Eraser much more than any other previous Radiohead album.  Especially throughout the album's first half, which is comprised mainly of atmospheric electronic pieces rather than full band compositions. 

Now obviously I don't know what happened at the TKOL sessions, but what I can hear for myself is that many of the tracks don't have real drums or much in the way of guitars.  If you've ever seen Radiohead live you know that guitarist Johnny Greenwood spends a good deal of his time playing synths and manipulating samples.  So it seems likely that he was very involved, but as for the rest of the band their audible absence does hang like a question mark over the proceedings.  Not only that, but the style of the songs in the first half is very much in keeping with the themes and overall feeling of The Eraser, which was billed as solely performed by Thom Yorke.  Take the first four songs of TKOL and mix them into The Eraser playlist and the consistency in the way they sound is fairly striking.

Those first four songs are interesting, but they do have a demo-like quality, seeming like sketches of ideas that haven't quite come to their complete fruition.  Out of those tracks "Feral" probably works the best, although it could be argued that the song is a Burial rip off, the dubstep artist that Yorke has vocally championed.  That aside, its busy beats and vaguely Middle Eastern vocal samples combine to create a coherent mood and vivid musical image.  When the lead single of "Lotus Flower" starts up with slippery beats and hand claps, the second half of the album begins and we are back in territory that is at least reminiscent of Radiohead.  The mix isn't quite as sparse and more linear songwriting comes to the forefront.  "Lotus Flower" also features some of the few intelligible vocals on the album.  On many of the other songs the lyrics are so obscured, both by effects and lack of enunciation, that it feels as though Yorke is going for a "post-lyrical" approach.  By emphasizing the sound of his voice over the actual words, the vocals become just another instrument, which is an intriguing choice.

From there the album closes things out with a very strong run of three songs, moving from a stark piano ballad in the vein of "Pyramid Song" on "Codex", the delicately beautiful "Give Up the Ghost" and then concludes with "Separator", which stands as the set's most fully realized song.   Not only does it sound like it features real bass, but the guitar that creeps in toward the end of the track could almost be called a riff.  Even though the drums are looped it sounds like they were played by drummer Phil Selway, and it's the only track for which I can say that his style is apparent.

All in all you have to hand it to Yorke for continuing to push Radiohead, whoever they are at this point, forward and continually upping the ante and challenging their fans with each release.  The album does feel rather slight, both because of its content and running time, but I felt the same way about The Eraser at first and have developed a deeper appreciation for it since.  At the very least one thing is clear, Yorke will continue to keep us all guessing as to what the future of Radiohead may hold.

The Top Ten Classical and Jazz Albums of 2010

by Oliver Amnuayphol

Yeah, I gotta agree with Jason: 2010 was a less memorable year than some others for rock music. But it was an outstanding year for new and reissue classical and jazz. More releases on vinyl would've been nice, but it's the music that counts, and we were fortunate enough to get some very memorable recordings. Here are my most memorable from 2010:

 

10) Shai Wosner, Brahms and Schoenberg (Onyx Classics): All it takes is a few seconds of listening to this disc to realize there's a unique clarity and richness to Wosner's playing, and the Brahms and Schoenberg works featured here really showcase his talented touch and musical dexterity. Mighty impressive considering this is Wosner's debut recording effort, and a great preview of the wondrous things to come from this young and gifted musician. 

 

 

 

9) Keith Jarrett & Charlie Haden, Jasmine (ECM): Once again, Jarrett and Haden show why they're considered by many to be among the most talented jazz musicians of all time. There's an intimate, familiar, and highly conversational tone that permeates every track on Jasmine, and the duo pulls so much music and sound from their instruments that you have to remind yourself at times there are only two instruments at play here.

 

 

 

8) Isabell Faust, Alexander Melnikov, Beethoven: Complete Violin Sonatas (Harmonia Mundi): Faust and Melnikov do a great job of letting the appropriate temperament of each sonata shine through while imbuing every movement with excellent verve and emotional intensity--a fine balancing act between two accomplished musicians for sure. Their "Kreutzer" is nothing short of magnificent, and the CD even comes with a behind the scenes documentary DVD to boot.

 

 

 

7) Stile Antico, Sheppard: Media Vita (Harmonia Mundi): Finally, someone has done justice to the unique works of Tudor era maestro John Sheppard. And who else could it be but Stile Antico? This relatively young group have always sounded mature beyond their years, and with Media Vita they've really come into their own. Their performance of the antiphonal title track is especially compelling, full of rich sonorities and a chamber music-like fluidity to their singing. And the sound is A-MAZ-ING.

 

 

6) Julia Fischer, Paganini, 24 Caprices, Opus 1 (Decca): Perhaps the most amazing thing about Fischer's Paganini Caprices is not her technical mastery of the repertoire, but how that mastery is merely the foundation of her supremely musical interpretations. Not bad for someone who decided to record Paganini's dazzling works at the ripe old age of 26. Fischer maintains a fairly relaxed vibe throughout the disc, allowing you to focus on the musical lines instead of the notational complexities (that is, if you want to!). An outstanding recording.

 

 

5) Fred Hersch Trio, Whirl (Palmetto Records): If you've never heard pianist Fred Hersch play, you're in for a treat with Whirl--no other current jazz musician so artfully blends virtuoso improvisation and unique melodies quite like Hersch does, and Whirl overflows with them. The interplay and communication between Hersch, drummer Eric Macpherson and bassist John Hebert is always spectacular, and the sound on the LP is sublime.

 

 

 

4) Hilary Hahn, Higdon & Tchaikovsky Violin Concertos (Deutche Grammophon): While nearly every Hahn album could be on any given year's "best of" list, this latest really shows why many consider Hahn to be one of the best violinists in the world today. Her virtuoso technique on this disc is truly beguiling, and her willingness to put a new spin on that old chestnut, the Tchaikovsky concerto, makes for a very refreshing performance.

 

 

 

3) Joyce DiDonato, Colbran, the Muse (Virgin Classics): One listen to this disc and you'll instantly hear why many opera fans say no current operatic performer does Rossini better than DiDonato. And boy, does her love for Rossini's beautiful arias show: Her lithe, exuberant affections fit naturally with Rossini's music, and her impeccable phrasing and technical prowess on Colbran will make you swoon for her. The best opera disc of 2010 for sure.

 

 

 

2) The Cardinall's Musick/Andrew Carwood, Byrd: Infelix Ego (Hyperion): The folks at Hyperion really know their early music, and this latest in their William Byrd series is a stunner. The members of the Cardinall's Musick ensemble have remained pretty much the same for what seems like eons, and it shows: You just can't get these kinds of soaring harmonies, perfectly-pitched melodies and tightly blended vocal parts without years of singing together. Not to be missed if you're a fan of Elizabethan era music.

 

 

 
1) Johanna Martzy, The EMI Recordings (Coup D'archet): Even though the eight EMI/Columbia recordings that comprise this set are not at all new (in fact they're around half a century old), they will be new to most every classical fan out there. That's because most people have never even heard of Martzy, let alone laid eyes (or ears) on any of her recordings. Search for any of the original EMI/Columbia LPs that are included in this set and you'll soon run up against $1000-plus prices on eBay. That means this Coup d'Archet set is most likely the only chance you'll ever have to hear--let alone own--these recordings in all their analog glory. And hear them you must: These are the most thoughtful, intelligent, and musically expressive performances I've ever heard of this repertoire--said repertoire including the Bach Sonatas/Partitas, Schubert Sonatas/Sonatinas, Brahms and Mendelssohn violin concertos, and Beethoven Romances. What's more, everything about this vinyl box set exudes quality and attention to detail--such as the dead-quiet, 100% analog-mastered 180-gram virgin-vinyl pressings, or the high-quality reproduction artwork of the original LP sleeves, or the sumptuously beautiful cloth-bound slipcase for safekeeping. A full review will be forthcoming, but believe me when I say this set is, by a huge margin, the best classical album release of 2010.

 

 

 

The Definitive Top Ten Albums of 2010

by Jason Hicks

2010 wasn't a particularly strong year in terms of music, or perhaps anything else for that matter, but as usual there were some bright spots.  It seemed that many of them came from the hip hop/rap camp, which had several notable releases.  Beyond the two featured here, The Roots and Kanye West also turned in worthy efforts and crossover R&B artist Cee-Lo delivered the single of the year.  Other than that, the other big trends were 60s garage rock revisions and dance rock storming the stage and nabbing my top two spots.  So without further ado here are my picks for best of the year.  

10. Surfer Blood- Astro Coast

Surfer Blood's music instantly conjures a myriad of associations: a less noisy Sonic Youth, a more delicate Pixies, or the obvious comparison to a rework of 60s surf rock as filtered through the sensibilities of a group of kids that grew up listening to indie rock.  But first and foremost what Astro Coast delivers in spades is undeniable hooks and reverby guitar goodness.  But as the gaping shark mouth on the album cover indicates, it isn't always fun and games at the beach.  A melancholy undercurrent runs through many of the songs and lyrical allusions to failed relationships and alcoholism contrast sharply with the sunny vocals and production.  While Surfer Blood never manage to quite outshine their influences, Astro Coast is a very promising debut and their pop instincts are rock solid, so much so that there really is no filler to be found here.  In fact, their music seems to be more substantial than that of some of their wildly successful peers, Vampire Weekend and Silversun Pickups spring to mind, and with a little luck they'll be lapping those bands in no time.  

9.  Janelle Monáe- The Archandroid
Sometimes an album comes along that is so unique that it completely transcends genre to create something new, and The Archandroid falls squarely in that category.  Beyond the artifice of a concept inspired loosely by Fritz Lang's landmark silent film Metropolis and the writings of Philip K. Dick, Janelle Monáe's debut full length squeezes classical, hip hop, jazz, psychedelic funk and even Broadway showtunes all under the ostentatious banner of R&B.  Then there's Monáe's voice, which is a finely tuned instrument that recalls the purity of the great Sarah Vaughan.  With its out there futurist concept, Monáe's voice and a dizzying array of styles and moods, The Archandroid remains novel and engaging throughout its 68 minute run time.  In fact its scope is so broad that by the time indie rockers Of Montreal take over late in the album for "Make the Bus", it doesn't even seem like a left field collaboration.  Such an ambitious and creative work just cannot be ignored.  Erykah Badu, you have your work cut out for you. 

8.  Das Racist- Sit Down, Man

Sure Das Racist is mostly a joke, but when the punchlines flow as fast and furious as they do throughout this Brooklyn based group's second mixtape of the year, it's hard not to take the guys seriously.  Throwing out references from Beetlejuice to Fleet Foxes to Dizzee Rascal, sometimes in the same line, Das Racist is hyper-aware, even breaking the third wall to comment on their own lyrics self consciously with asides like "think it's kind of funny right?" or deeming a rhyme as simply "stupid."  When they sample 90s techno new age gurus Enigma to turn "Return to Innocence" into a drunken singalong the layers of irony get so thick that it reaches near genius levels.   There's even space to throw in a little social commentary noting, "I'm complex/ I'm intelligence in the age of the internet/ Where you are as smart as how quickly you can use your smartphone."  This brand of winking postmodern hip hop is best summed up by the hook of "hahahaha jk?" a sarcastic mobius strip of: "We're not joking/ Just joking we are joking/ Just joking we're not joking."  

7.  Brian Eno- Small Craft in a Milk Sea

From the reverb soaked keyboard that opens Brian Eno's Small Craft in a Milk Sea, it's clear that Eno is back to doing what he does best: crafting eerie but soulful instrumental soundscapes that showcase his impeccable ear for production.  A good portion of the album could be categorized as ambient, the minimalist instrumental music he pioneered, but the man known by his collaborators as "the professor" also throws in a few curveballs.  A sub-theme of aggressive and abrasive toned songs runs through the middle of the album, culminating in the Buckethead style metal guitar streaked "Paleosonic."  In the grand tradition of the finest ambient, focal points periodically rise to the surface and other compositions simply melt into the background.  It may not be as revelatory as classic Eno, but it is the best album bearing his name in ages and will likely stand as a late career highlight.

6. Big Boi- Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son Of Chico Dusty

Just in case anyone thought that Big Boi of Outkast needed foil Andre 3000 to deliver the goods, his solo debut proves that he remains a vital creative force on his own.  Of course like most mainstream hip hop albums he has an array of guests from George Clinton to hot newcomer B.O.B. to back him up, but Sir Lucious is Big Boi's statement that in the Kanye era he is not one to be counted out and he makes a convincing case for the staying power of Southern bounce.  Throughout the proceedings Big Boi proves that his rapidfire flow can work with just about anything, be it a chill Rhodes groove on "Turns Me On", island themes on "Follow Us" and most impressively of all, what sounds to be a British military march on "General Patton."  In many ways it's the companion piece to Janelle Monáe's Archandroid, musically at least, with R&B and rap switching places and fittingly they each pop up as guests on both albums.  Of course we would all like Outkast to get together and give us another ATLiens or Stankonia, but as far as Big Boi is concerned if he continues churning out albums like this, he'll be on top of the rap game either way. 

5. Deerhunter- Halcyon Digest

Deerhunter’s chief songwriter Bradford Cox has quietly become indie’s new golden boy, not only with the efforts of his primary band, but also with the excellent solo releases under the Atlas Sound name.  With Halcyon Digest, Cox continues the roll he has been on and delivers another nuanced and fascinating piece of psychedelia that doesn’t disappoint.   While other bands like the much lauded Woods are content to merely recreate the vintage Nuggets era 60s garage band sound, Deerhunter take that aesthetic and refract it through a digital lens, updating acid rock for the new millennium and truly breaking new ground.  Take a song like “Helicopter” that could have just been a piece of rococo 60s revisionism, but in Cox’s hands it rides a vaguely hip hop inspired beat and packs in synths that firmly establish that this is a piece of music from here and now.   The album also manages to balance both experimentation and accessibility, which on top of sounding fresh with deep roots in the past is quite an achievement. 

4. Caribou- Swim

On Swim Caribou’s Dan Snaith leaves behind the art rock fusion that he had been playing with for the last few years in favor of a free flowing dance party.  While I’m not going to pretend to know exactly why Snaith has abandoned the more live sound that he seemed to be moving toward, his return to a more electronic and dance friendly structure is most welcome if it results in albums as enjoyable as Swim.  Taking cues from the album title many of these songs sound like dancefloor workouts at 20,000 leagues, with liquid basslines and submarine colored synths dominating the sonic palette.   While Snaith’s falsetto vocals are rarely the primary focus, the overall impression is that this is quite the upbeat affair, with only a couple tunes like “Kaili” getting abstract to the point of leaving house type beats altogether.  Swim shows that not only is Snaith unafraid to change directions dramatically midcareer, but also that he can have quite a good time doing it. 

3. Broken Bells- s/t

When word broke that The Shins’ frontman James Mercer and producer extraordinaire Danger Mouse would be teaming up it was anyone’s guess what the resulting album would sound like.  Would it be more like The Shins’ modus operandi jangly indie rock or would Mercer embrace the hip hop style production that he experimented with on tracks like Wincing the Night Away’s “Sea Legs?”  It turns out neither really, as the self titled debut from Broken Bells basically defies any real pigeon-holing and ends up being a batch of strong tunes that draw equally on Mercer’s songwriting talents and Danger Mouse’s production skills.   While Danger Mouse’s other best known collaboration, Gnarls Barkley, ambitiously strained to cover new ground, here the tone is that of laid back effortlessness that puts the spotlight on the songs themselves.  Fortunately for all parties involved the tunes are more than capable of taking center stage, with the album moving through dreamy pop on numbers like “Your Head is on Fire”, sleek falsetto funk on “The Ghost Inside” and even a spaghetti Western motif on "Mongrel Heart", while still keeping an overall coherency.   It will be interesting to see how this project colors Mercer’s next outing with The Shins, should there be one.

2. Hot Chip- One Life Stand

Hot Chip has always been a band poised on the cusp of greatness.  While in the past they have shown flashes of brilliance on tracks like “Boy From School” and “Ready for the Floor” they never quite put together an album as satisfying the whole way though as this year’s One Life Stand.   Effectively mining a theme of the commitment to relationships, sometimes explicitly on tracks like “One Life Stand” and “Brothers” and at other times more abstractly such as the shimmering standout “Alley Cats”; this batch of songs pack an emotional punch that cuts deeper than ever before.   Musically there are a couple of minor developments, with the title cut sporting a calypso flavor and “I Feel Better” finding the group unabashedly embracing dance pop.  However it’s not that Hot Chip are really doing anything that radically different than before, but what they have done is delivered their most consistent, accomplished and lyrically affecting album to date.

1.  LCD Soundsystem- This is Happening

Determined to go out with a bang amid self-generated rumors of an impending break up, James Murphy and Co. brought it all back home with This is Happening.   After exploring more serious and varied territory on 2007’s Sound of Silver, This is Happening finds Murphy circling back to the long form beats plus rants formula that made LCD so explosive when they burst onto the scene nearly a decade ago.  From the nearly nine minute synth driven rave up “Dance Yrself Clean” to the Eno-esque krautrock of “All I Want” every facet of LCD’s sound is represented with songs that definitively express what the band has been trying to convey since its inception.  When Murphy emotes “If you’re afraid of what you need/ Look around you, you’re surrounded/ It won’t get any better” on the album closing “Home”, it’s hard to deny that even if LCD isn’t done, they have reached a logical endpoint of sorts.  The end result is an overwhelming feeling that this chapter has been completed in a nearly flawless fashion.

All Things Vinyl, November 16, 2010: Insound's 20% Off Vinyl LPs Promo! Bob Dylan and Rolling Stones Boxed Sets

by Oliver Amnuayphol

 

Luv you some licorice pizzas? How about a good deal? Well the rock music specialists at Insound have got you covered on both counts: Right now insound.com is running some very special holiday promos, including 20 PERCENT OFF the vinyls if you purchase 10 LPs from their "Top 100 VInyl Albums of 2010" list. Veddy, Veddy Nice! And buh-leeve you me when I say their list is full of top-notch albums--like the latest from Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, and Belle and Sebastian, among others. What's more, also on the list are vinyls that may have been released in previous years, but are still among their top-selling albums--like Animal Collective's "Meriweather" and Bon Iver's awesome debut, "For Emma...".  And did I mention that you also get free shipping on your order if you spend $150? That purchase amount is pretty much guaranteed if you buy 10 LPs. So if you've been wanting a good excuse to stock up on the vinyls, here's the best excuse ever. Insound, I love you.

If you're looking for the perfect vinyl gifts for someone (or yourself!), check out these three epic box sets that are coming soon to a  vinyl stockist near you: One from Bob Dylan, The Original Mono Recordings, and two from The Rolling Stones, 1964 -1969, and 1971 - 2005. All sets are limited edition remasters pressed on 180-gram all-analog vinyl; the Dylan set comprises his first 8 studio recordings, and the Stones sets include 23 studio albums, two “Big Hits” collections, and two rare EPs between them. The Dylan set won't drop until December 21st, while both of the Stones boxes will be released on November 22 worldwide (and November 23 in the U.S.). Street prices seem very reasonable for all sets; Amazon has their exclusive Dylan box for a paltry $203.35, while the Stones sets are listed around $370 each--not bad considering the number of records in each set. So Santa, if you're listening: I've been a very, very good boy this year.

 

Justin Bieber Remix Gives Sigur Ros a Run for the Money

by Jason Hicks

Unless you've been hiding under a rock you are aware of pop's latest great haircut, I mean star, Justin Bieber.  Of course no one other than 12 year olds and the criminally deranged actually listen to his music, but sadly those two demographics alone are enough to push his squeeky clean music into the national consciousness. 

Now here's where it gets interesting; today a slowed down version of Bieber's U Smile surfaced on some blogs.  If you ever wondered how much slower a Bieber track would have to get to become awesome, the universe has answered your query. Once you reduce its speed by 800%, what was formerly disposable bubble gum pop becomes a majestic ambient 35 minute masterpiece.  Seriously, it's amazing and instantly evokes the glacial epic contours of Icelandic experimental group Sigur Ros. 

In all fairness the track, which appears to be credited to a Photon Wave Orchestra, has been altered beyond just the tempo with drums reversed, reverb liberally applied and likely some EQing to remove some sounds and highlight others.  But to remix Bieber to create something that sounds this beautiful and psychedelic is a special kind of genius. 

Check it out below and prepare to have your mind blown:

J. BIEBZ - U SMILE 800% SLOWER by Shamantis

And for comparison's sake here is the remix returned to its original speed: 

It just goes to show that with the right amount of tweaking, today's audio software can allow you to turn the most trifling pop bon bon into left field brilliance.  What was that saying about polishing a. . .   oh never mind that just isn't nice.