The Ariel Abshire interview is done and posted. Go to the Rants page or click here.
I will do what I can to add reviews as fast and as often as possible this summer, and will try to update the radio every 2-3 weeks as well.
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 10+
Lykke Li - "Youth Novels" Lykke (pronounced "lickey") is a swedish artist who may have slipped thru your indie cracks because she is on a "major" label of all things. I came across her accidentally and after watching a few of her videos one quickly comes to the conclusion that's she's one of those people who is a little "out there". In the world of art however that is almost always a good thing, and it certainly is in this case. Something one notices right away is she sings with a very hard edged accent, and she often rolls and trills some of her vowels. Yes, it's too cool. On top of all this her voice is very pure, with quite incredible range and she is not afraid to take it to places one would not expect someone with a set of pipes like this to go, in other words it always doesn't have to be so pretty. All of this of course would be of little value of the songs were no good, but fortunately for us they are not only high quality all the way thru, there is a good deal of variance of structure and style. Despite that they all do clearly belong together so the album has a decided feel and cohesiveness to it. This is probably due to the pang, the air of desolation Lykki's voice brings to the whole affair. The good thing is it's not one of those drive you away voices, it's one of those suck you in types. Songs range from the touching and delicate Tonight to the killer single I'm Good, I'm Gone and back to very pop accessible tracks like Little Bit. This album is a genuine joy and a must buy of the year. Ignore this at your own peril.
Label ~ Atlantic, 14 Tracks, 2008
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 9.6
Melpo Mene - "Bring The Lions Out" I had been quite expectant of this follow up to their acclaimed debut, not only because I simply adore that record but I simply adored the first single off this, I Adore You. With all that adoration going on you'd think I'd have reviewed it sooner. I spent every week last fall checking their website and it never came out and finally the holidays came, I forgot about it and here we are. I was at first disturbed by the cover, because I have always felt you can judge works by their covers, and this cover is simply ugly and if it has a point, it's lost on me. Well, so much for that... lets put it on.... The first track Hit the Boy is a very great song and a perfect opener. The following track Society however is one of the kinds of indescribably lovely gems this band is capable of. Wow, I thought, this is going to kick some ass and it did right up to track seven when the album takes a sudden dark slow turn. Now, many of their songs are downtempo to begin with, but they are still things of beauty melodically and lyrically. Tracks 7-12 however by and large are not. They are not awful, but they are below the level this band should be producing. So there we have it. I'd rate the first 6 tracks 10+ without question, and the last 6 about 8.4. Is this worth getting? Absolutely, but if you are new to them you should get their debut first for two reasons. One, it is better and two it's the one that will go OOP soonest, so get it while you can. You'll then have time to come and partake of the joys offered here. It's not a full cup but when it's on it is magnificent.
Label ~ Imperial, 12 Tracks, 2008
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 9.3
Hepburns - "Trojan Hearse" Yeah, I did a double take too the first time I saw this album title. It's the sort of witty double entendre we expect from Matt Jones and he never seems to disappoint. However the cover is a bit ugly and doesn't seem to have anything to do with said title. Still, I was as giddy as a schoolgirl when I put it on and all fears seemed to be allayed. The opener, Paperboy is a lovely slow number with some great horn accents, and the next track Breakfast Of Champions is the quintessential Hepburns type single, and so it went... However by the end I began to feel that the songs didn't quite seem to belong together, or at least didn't have any kind of message. Also there is a general sense of melancholy that grows thruout the affair (and even a bit of tunelessness) and by the end... yes, even I have said "that's enough" and have taken it off before the final note sounds. I know, heresy from the worlds biggest Hepburns fan, but there it is. This isn't bad, and in fact it's often brilliant but I wish it was a little more coherent and perhaps a smidge less depressing at times. One of the things Matt excells at is taking painful topics and writing about them in ways that make you laugh, and at least think. On here the sadness is often just that, but hey, maybe it's just me. I am a pop whore after all. This is a must for fans, but again my advice for first times is seek out one of their other albums and start there. Two things of note as well - They are not on Radio Khartoum anymore and Pat Grover did not play drums on this recording. If either of those facts has had their effect, I do not know.
Label ~ Bendigedig, 11 Tracks, 2009
4/20/09
This is a quicky to let you know the radio has been updated and that a lot of new reviews will be upcoming over the next few months, and I mean a lot. In the meantime I finished a new rant about downloading I think you all should read, especially if you are a Billie The Vision fan.... Click here.
We would also like to announce and congratulate Luke from our Popsicle shop as he has made the turbulent descent into fatherhood with the birth of his first child, a girl. Our warmest wishes go out to him and his family. I can't wait to watch his already receding and greying hairline deteriorate at an even faster pace now.
The Ariel Abshire album made me think about Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys recently, and I found this video to share with you. Wills was a man way ahead of his time playing music (which was essentially country) in a manner no white people at the time played it. Called hot jazz or western swing, this burns, it's raunchy ("never have one girl, at a time, we always have... seven, eight or nine...") and if you study his facial expressions and ticks during the song, the man is almost possessed. This is just sublime and brilliant on every possible level. Enjoy.
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 10+
Ariel Abshire - "Exclamation Love" Every once in a great while a thing comes along that is so beyond our mortal expectations that it leaves us speechless, completely numbed and dumbstruck. This is just such a thing. The marvel here is that this album is a tour of delight and misery, of love and rejection, hate, suffering and joy and redemption. These complex emotions are wrapped in songs so catchy with lyrics so insightful you are instantly their prisoner and singing the entire album by the second listen. Then you realize this revelation, this near masterpiece, is the work of a 17 year old girl. That is when the thunder claps, and the brimstone is smelled. It also doesn't take long to strike upon listening, as the opening and title track is the most white hot and impassioned ode to unrequited love I have ever heard. Musically the song is brilliantly sublime with a martial beat which makes her incredibly empassioned lryics hit home like a juggernaut of emotion. Kicks ass doesn't even begin to describe this, and ohh... Lord, what a voice. I have long been repulsed by the talentless worms who grovel for their moment of "fame" by debasing themselves to get on the hideous program called "American Idol". You want someone to worship and idolize? There is a girl from Austin Texas named Ariel who didn't wait for the tour to come to her town. She went out and made her album and it is wise beyond her years and heady beyond her experiences, or perhaps not and that is the really amazing thing about it. In any event, it deserves your idolatry far more than that tripe does. I'll rate this one Holy crap with a bullet.
Label ~ Darla, 11 Tracks, 2008
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 9.9
Charade - "Keeping Up Appearances" This is the third long player from one of the real iron horses in the indie stable, as the core of this band has been making music for close to 20 years now. You'd almost have to wonder if there is anything left in the tank at this point, and the second track, The World Is Going Under to me comes dangerously close to ripping off the melody of the song "Heat Wave" but I suppose they can be forgiven. On this album there is a slight departure in sound as the over all feeling here is a folky kind of 60's feel, not the Bacharach inspired moods so often copied by most others. On top of that Magnus Karlsson sings a bit more than usual, not that that's a bad thing either. Despite all this however they can't occasionally help falling back into sounding like the Shermans on tracks like Heroes and Villians and I have no problem with that, as the track is a real standout. Honestly, what more is there to say? If you've been on the circuit for years you know this band and this is definitely an album you'll want. If you are new, this is actually such an interesting departure that while I often suggest people begin at the beginning with bands that are new to them, in this case this is a perfect departure point. It's also available in our Popsicle shop, so get on with it already.
Label ~ Skipping Stones, 11 Tracks, 2008
3/22/09
It hasn't been a review firestorm lately, but I also haven't fallen back to my old ways. What's more, for the first time in a long while I ordered new stuff. That put me in the same old predicament however - Do I hold the new stuff while I try to finish all the older things I never did, or do I simply abandon the old and start afresh? In the past I always tried to get the older stuff done, but this time I am not. I'll fill it in when I can, if I can and if I can't, then I can't. So expect many new reviews soon and often. One day I may go back thru the older stuff and just list them as good, bad or ugly.
One thing about this site is I have never been one to sound off much on social or political issues, but it's gotten to the point that it's about time some things get said, and I'm the man to say them. So new "Rants" will start appearing and trust me, it won't be pretty... interesting and provacative reading I hope, but rest assured you're all getting a spanking.
Anyway, since new reviews will be up soon the radio will also be updated soon, so if you haven't listened to it yet, do so. What follows now is the last of the Plastilina reviews, and note that many of the titles reviewed can be found in our Popsicle web shop.
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 8.7
Stars In Coma - "You're Still Frozen In Time" This album is a compilation work of newer material and older re-worked tracks by Swede André Brorsson. Other reviewers have likened this album to Felt and perhaps the Pastels. I thought at first it reminded me somewhat of some of Andreas Mattsson's work, and perhaps some of it does but this album really is a bit all over the map. Not that it goes from folk to techno or anything that extreme, but rather we expect albums to have a sort of continuity of sound, and this sort of does not. I suppose that should be expected because this is after all a collection of songs over a long period. That said there are some really nice moments on here, such as the wistfully delicate Life Without The Community which is one of my favorite cuts, and Invisibility Trick which reminds me quite a bit of fellow Swedish act Nixon. In fact the only complaint I can levy against this album is the recording quality isn't as good as I might hope. It's not awful, but I wish it was a little better. This becomes apparent because it's one of those albums that sounds better and better when you play it on worse and worse gear. So all you people living the low life with I pods and ear buds should love it. In any event, this is well worth a listen.
Label ~ Plastilina, 13 Tracks, 2007
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 9.9
Indurain - "What You Get For Being Naive" This is the debut EP by yet another brilliant Swedish outfit and it has quickly become one of my recent favorites. I assume taking their name from ex Spanish cycling great Miguel Indurain, they are perhaps more akin to english "light" techno bands than they are to any Swedish contemporaries. Yes, that means this affair is light, breezy, poppy but not so much so that it's fluff. In fact tracks like If I Had A Film are quite reminiscent of the stuff the Lovekevins put out with heady introspection and some very good lyrics. In fact the styles presented vary quite a bit from track to track on this outing but yet it never sounds like it doesn't all belong together. There's even some great female vocal accompaniment on The Secret Life. Without question this is about as good as this sort of thing gets. Since I practically stopped reviewing recently I only did those handful of things worth doing, so it seemed like all I give out are 10's. Because of that I only gave this a 9.5. But thru the course of listening to it as I write the review I kept adding points. I'll stop at 9.9 and leave them room to grow, but this is very good and should be on your list. It's also recorded very well to boot.
Label ~ Plastilina, 5 Tracks, 2008
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 9
Second Hand Furniture - "Game, Set, Match" If I asked you to name the Swedish band who in the 90's made an album called "Game, Set, Match" you would say..??? Of course, the Happydeadmen. Every statement above also applies to this album, except while these tracks were recorded in the 90's, no album was ever made, nothing ever happened and the tracks got shelved and forgotten. That is until Plastilina Records came along, lovingly gathered them all together, cleaned them up, and released them as a really nice (but poorly titled, I don't like when the title of a well know album gets copied) debut album. What is instantly clear is this band was heavily influenced by the C86 period of UK music and bands like the Shop Assistants, Mighty Mighty and the Brilliant Corners. There is both male and female vocal duty on here, and in either case you'd swear you're listening to some forgotten C86 gem dug up and released by Firestation on one of their "Sound Of Leamington Spa" releases. It's all here, jangly guitars, good but a bit flat recording values and voices that even sound like their British counterparts. Honestly, every time a new track starts I'm instantly reminded of some other UK band from that period. So if you like that period and genre you really can't loose with this. It probably is better than the 9 I gave it but in truth it's kind of all been done before and there isn't anything especially new here, even if this is done pretty well. Our thanks to Plastilina for saving it for posterity.
Label ~ Plastilina, 14 Tracks, 2007
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 9.3
Hari And Aino - "Hari And Aino" Yes, here we have another debut album from yet another Swedish band. It is amazing isn't it, there are only like 9 thousand people in all of Sweden or something, isn't there? I think they all have an album out :^ ) Anyway, lead singer Andrea Dahlkild has a voice very reminiscent of Jessica Griffin of the Wood-Be-Goods which is perhaps odd as she is best known for her received pronunciation accent. All I know is the two women do sound quite a bit alike. Musically it's a very interesting journey, jangly and poppy without becoming overt pop, but it's not rock either. It's also generally upbeat while retaining a bit of melancholy. I have seen comments comparing them to Blondie but that I don't see at all. Deb Harry barked and growled and Andrea does not do that at all. Emotion is there, sometimes even an air of breathlessness, but hers' is a voice that walks with you rather than talks at you. The songs also are not the type that are instantly accessible, their structure is sometimes slightly unusual, and this may be one of their strongest suits. It means this isn't cut from the same cloth as all the rest and that it requires a little time and listening on your part. This is the kind of album that may not be the kind of thing you pull out first in a pack of new discs to listen to, but 6 months later it may very well be your favorite from that pile.
Label ~ Plastilina, 10 Tracks, 2008
1/30/09
I don't even know if it's been 2 or 3 years now since I saw the Acid House Kings play live, and at their show in NYC I also got to see Don Lennon for the first time as well. I had heard of him, but for whatever reason didn't own anything by him (except for his cover of "Tonight" on the then latest AHK single). I was very impressed with him live and went right up afterwards to chat and buy the album he was selling. (It was Routine, his newest one was not out just yet) I told him I'd be reviewing it and it's an old story now but he told me he was sure I'd trash it.
Well, I didn't trash it, and I liked his subsequent new one even more. I suppose he was so pleased he sent me copies of his first 2 albums. I liked them so much I then went and bought the third one myself. Now, after all this time I finally make amends and review the damn things. I apologise both to Don and you that I took so long to review these, as he truly is a national treasure and they are simply must own albums. So, for once I'll begin at the beginning....
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 10+
Don Lennon - "Maniac" One might say this review is really a day late and dollar short. Does anyone really care about a twelve year old album? If you don't yet own it, you damn well should. I don't know what it is about this guy that makes him so incredibly likeable. Yes, he's earnest, honest, sincere, thoughtful, kind and above all genuine but the really amazing part is somehow all that comes across in his music. I like Don, I mean I really like Don. All of his albums kind of landed on me all at once, and I worked my way backwards for whatever reason and it just kept getting better. Then I got to this album, which simply floors me and leaves me entirely speechless. Yes, all he sings about is parties, dancing and talking to girls and in fact the word party appears more times on this album than on probably every other album combined from 1997. It matters not. That's another amazing aspect he brings - A quirky nerdy-ness, and he can be forgiven just about any trespass. Songs like Dance Music which are amazing both for their simplicity as well as their catchy brilliance. When the songs gets to a lovely musical bridge near the end, it's like a knife in the heart. It's like this way thruout this album, as on the sublime Walk On By with it's ultra swank and sexy organ lines, cool lyrics and then the orchestra kicks in...... and while the songs may traffic in late teen themes it's not like we all didn't go thru it. When Don sings "Once I went to a party, with some kids I didn't know...... I didn't even want to..... they made me go, they made me go, they made me party all the time.... and make new friends." Yes, it's the acme of simplicity, but I have so been there, I'm sure you've been there and while it might be a while ago for some of us, when he sings it man it really strikes a chord. Perhaps the magic of his songs (aside from the incredibly good arrangements and melody) is that he is like the Edward R Murrow of teen angst, and general human observation. Don can illuminate what appears no more than the most trivial of threads, but it's one that stitches the fabric of all our lives together. He shows you his heart, and then you realize it's your own heart you see thru him. I love him for that. I say this not lightly - Don Lennon is a national treasure, and this is his finest, most shining moment of an album. Pure, sparkling, heartfelt genius and one of the very best of the past 20 years. Find it, buy it, listen to it, love it. You will feel the joy.
Label ~ Martin Philip, 14 Tracks, 1997
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 10
Don Lennon - "Don Lennon" While Don's debut dealt with parties and girls, his sophomore effort has a general theme running thru it of commenting on "rock" bands. It's clear this is the album where his analytical "talking out loud" lyrical style really began. It would hardly be much different than if I began singing this review, only if I did it it would suck. As before, it works because 1 - He's endearing and 2- The songs have brilliant, catchy melodies and great arrangements. However the music is a bit simpler on this album, less instrumentation and a little more reliance on guitar which is not a bad thing given how he plays, but what I consider his "Bragg like" ability to stand up and do it entirely alone was starting to show here as well. While all the songs are great my faves are possibly the non music commentary ones, such as the exquisitely delicate Halloween and the genuine and quite touching Get To Know My Neighbors which I simply adore. The only thing I can even say about this album that bothers me is the songs tend to be perhaps too short, most clocking in at just about 2 minutes even. They are so good, the melodies so strong, you are waiting for and almost expecting (or is that hoping) every song will break off into a bridge and come back to repeat the lyrics, fall into the chorus and then end at the 3+ minute mark, only they don't. Oh well, you can't always have it your way. So for that alone it doesn't get the full Monty, but never the less this is a damn fine album and along with the first I consider this a must own.
Label ~ MP, 14 Tracks, 1999
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 9.6
Don Lennon - "Downtown" Our Don continues somewhat where he left off on his last album with his focus on rock bands, only this time he really zeros in on his targets. The first to take it on the chin is Dave Matthews. In fact the sublime sarcasm in which he tears Dave apart on Matthews Comes Alive is simply a joy to partake in. Then it's Lenny Kravitz turn, as he gives the people of Lisbon a warning, that he'll be "gone in the morning..." but of course you can buy your piece of him before then. Don even comments on his own musical past in the delicate and touching Boston Music Scene. On a whole as well I'd say this album is a bit more introspective and less pop oriented than the two that went before. Not necessarily slow, just a bit less energetic. It ends oddly enough with a song called John Cale where Don apparently has a dream where he is Cale, and finds himself re-living his life - from speaking with a Welsh accent to being stoned in the back of a limo bitching about Lou Reed. It's the kind of song only Don would do, or could do, and it's one of the highlights on here. I can't say enough about this guy and his work stands well above the majority of his contemporaries. It is a shame that in the sewer of the music world we live in today he should go as unknown as he is. Seek Don out, you'll be glad you did.
Label ~ Secretly Canadian, 10 Tracks, 2001
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 9
Luke Jackson - "...And Then Some" This is the third long player from Luke who runs our Popsicle shop. I first met him many years ago now (like most people I suppose) when I bought Swedish crap from him off Ebay. We began to talk, realized our mutual fondness for the genre and things progressed from there. At the time I did not realize he was also an artist who had an album out, however when he sent me a copy of it I was a bit taken aback because it had more to do with classic rock than Swedish indie. I chalked him up as a closet metal head and moved on.... which brings us to the present where I found out album number two had been completed. OK, I'll admit it, I was afraid to ask for a copy because I figured I wouldn't like it. But when he sent me a "melange" of clips for his sample for the popsicle shop ad, I was surprised to find I was not entirely revolted by it, and in fact it was a bit charming. So I asked for it. What I got was even more surprising. Not only is it on his own Popsicle recordings label (which I knew about) he sent a CD and vinyl album which was also a 180g pressing in a gorgeous sleeve. That had to cost this boy some change. I could only think of what a waste it would all be if it was gonna suck.... Well, it doesn't suck, it's not classic rock (although rock "licks" can be heard time and again) it has emotion, coherence, a theme and some excellent musicianship. In other words it's a nice collection of songs. Somewhat unexpected as well is the inclusion of a string section which appears on a number of the tracks. All of these things can most likely be attributed to the fact that he went to Sweden to record this with many of the friends he has acquired over the years. The only thing I'm still confused about is the theme. The songs are a collection written over a decades span or so, and most of them harbour themes of fear, pain, despair and of cutting old ties. Yet over this time I know he was living like an international playboy: Having drinks with Flemming Borby in Germany one night, Cocktails with Holm on the Thames the next, then off to Stockholm for a Smörgåsbord with someone named Magnus. (I couldn't keep them all straight) Perhaps the inspiration came from the depressing letters I wrote him about my life. If that's true, I got screwed out of an album sleeve credit. Joking aside, I'll end this review with two sets of advice. To the consumer - If you like the music normally reviewed on this site this is an album you should check out as it appears our Luke has arrived at last. It can be found in our Popsicle shop. And to you Sir Luke, either buy a bottle of Grecian formulae or get a trim, you're approaching sporting a Larry Fine there on top.
Label ~ Popsicle, 10 Tracks, 2008
1/01/09
What a right bastard I have been. I know in the past I had my "lapses" but in 08 I simply vanished and did nothing. So I sat down and thought it over and realized I either had to find the time for the Spinzone or call it quits for good. You're reading this tells you who won. I also redid the site again and tried to bring back some of the old while retaining some of the new. I was not happy about the layout the last time, the whole blog thing didn't work, so I am going back to things the way they were.
To celebrate I am going to be doing reviews again! Yes, for real, and I mean it. How long it will last who can say but I feel bad about what happened over the last year and I have a desire to make amends. So expect new ones OFTEN, and I really mean that. Also, we got a lot of great new stuff in the Popsicle shop so go check that out, and we discovered the problem with the paypal code and that should be solved shortly. Here's to a great 09 for us all. It's the last of the naughts... lets make the most of her.
Oh yes, and the radio has finally been updated too.
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 10+
Labrador - "Caleidoscope Aeroplane" Here is the third long player from everyones favorite Dane Flemming Borby. It appears he was in a bit of a quandary about how to go about recording this album and he had trouble finding musicians who had the requisite talent but who would behave like the trained minions he requires. Disgusted, he shuffled off to Cuba and while there stumbled into a group of musicians who were all he was looking for and more. He quickly laid down some tracks with them, took them back home and mastered them and was so happy he wrote the rest of the album and returned to record it with these people. So, the obvious question would be does this album have a Latin flavour? No. OK, does it have a.... lets say tropical flavour? No. Well, it must remind one of summer.... the sea.... cigars....? No, no, no. Flemming has always had a clear penchant for a 60's Bacharach & David sound: mellow, mellifluous, swank, suave. Even when the songs are clearly on the melancholic side there is an emotive breathlessness about them. I don't think anyone understands or does this better than he does these days. That said this album perhaps borrows more from 80's acts like Roxy Music and Spandau Ballet than his previous work did. I hesitate to say this is his most "complete" album (in that all the songs so naturally belong together) because the past work was so wonderful, but it would probably not be incorrect to imply that. This is simply a luxuriating album that will transport the listener to a better place of mind, something the best pop music alone can do. One of the years best.
Label ~ Divine, 9 Tracks, 2008
This is a video from a guy named Gus from Scotland who I think does some of the best "one man band" stuff I've ever seen. Here he is doing what I think is the best ever cover of Georgie Girl with Duglas from the BMX bandits. Enjoy.
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 9.7
Twig - "Life After Ridge" As part of my recent resurgance I got a number of promos from Plastilina Records (the rest will be featured in a mass review next time) and this one perhaps stands out from the rest for a very unexpected reason. Being a Swedish band I figured it would be good, but that the lead singers voice would be a 95% dead on copy of Edwyn Collins came as a real shock. It's not "kind of" either, if someone played "Ciao Ciao Bomb" and told you it was a new Orange Juice song (or rather a lost OJ song as the music here is decidedly 80's) you would not doubt it at all. Some reviews have claimed this band reminds them of the Wake, but that I don't agree that. There are superficial guitar sounds that are not far removed from the Wake but the song structures tend to be nothing like them. I can't peg any one sound alike band, but the period is definitely 82-85, and that was a period that was often quirky (lets say the Thompson Twins for example) and at times the music is not far removed from that sort of quirk. Actually now that I think of it the band it reminds me of was called Fiction Factory but they were an obscure UK band from that time and I and 3 other people probably own their album. That part is probably immaterial anyway as some of this sounds like early Cure too. What matters is the voice is good, and if you know OJ it will mesmerize you alone. The music is also good, and quite varied. In fact I only didn't give it a 10 because I feel this band has it in them to refine and find their own identity even more and the 10 will come. Whether you liked the 80's or not this is a must own and sure to please and worth it just for the cover. Cats playing croquet? How can you loose? It is available in our Popsicle shop.
Label ~ Plastilina, 11 Tracks, 2008
Hip-ometer Rating ~ 9.8
Artisokka - "Sea Bed" I was thrilled to say the least recently when I was contacted by this band and asked whether I would like to review their new album. How loud can one scream yes? Their debut remains one of my most listened to albums and I'd probably rate it one of the top 10 of the last 20 years. This continues right where that left off and while similar it explores enough new territiory to make the voyage interesting and rewarding in it's own right. One of the things I most love about their sound is how it strains and yearns, especially when the violin plays. What is peculiar is the music as before has an obscure jazz like tinge but the instruments playing it: Cello, moog synth, fiddles, are not what comes to mind when one starts mentioning jazz instruments. Another brilliant thing about them is their songs are never "upbeat" or what you would call a pop single, yet neither is the album slow or morose. That is due in large part I believe to their unique ability to weave such complicated but complimentay patterns with the music so that the ears never tire, but nor do they get overwhelmed. They truly are like the image on the cover: A cloudy day, a stormy sea, wild fits of wind. On the surface it seems dull and un-eventfull but when one opens ones senses fully to what is going on around them they are soon amazed and eventually over whelmed at the beautiful complexities encompassing them. I love this band, and this is simply put another gem.
Label ~ Azule Jo, 9 Tracks, 2008
Don Lennon - Maniac
