Author Archive
Arctic Monkeys – Humbug review
Arctic Monkeys has always been a polarizing band among my friends. I don’t really know anyone who is just “okay” with the Arctic Monkeys. They’re either overrated simpletons or melodic geniuses. I’ve always veered closer to the latter side and this album does well to solidify my position.
Unsurprisingly, Humbug displays a more mature, less danceable sound than their previous studio albums. The bass lines are heavier and vocals more morose. This may be in part a result of Josh Homme’s contributions as co-producer. The band also seems to be moving away from post-punk revival with more complex rhythms and guitar riffs. “Crying Lightning”, the first single, is a straight up psychedelic rock track.
“Dangerous Animals” is a sludgy, accusatory song. It sounds like a strange comparison but I feel a molecule of Layne Staley in the twists and turns of this one. I would also give anything hear Datarock cover this one. Towards the end of the album, we hear more psychedelia with “Dance Little Liar”. The very last track may be my favourite. “The Jeweller’s Hands” sounds like it was authored by my beloved Patrick Wolf. The feel is absolutely haunting and Homme’s presence is undeniable here.
The album was first released in Japan and there are two Japanese bonus tracks – one of which is a Nick Cave cover. I haven’t had the pleasure of listening to it yet but I’m excited hear their spin on “Red Right Hand”.
I believe that this is the perfect way for a band to evolve. There is no question that this is the Arctic Monkeys with Alex Turner’s distinctive voice and the band’s signature quirks but their sound has aged like a fine wine. Humbug is a slowed down and carefully crafted interpretation of the Arctic Monkeys. Sorry Allan, my panties are totally in a bunch over this album.
5/5
Arctic Monkeys – My Propeller
Arctic Monkeys – Crying Lightning
Arctic Monkeys – The Jeweller’s Hands
Datarock @ Foufounes Électriques review
Like any rising star, Datarock came on two hours late to kick off their 2009 North American tour at Les Foufounes Électriques (translates to The Electric Pussies) in Montreal last Friday. But the wait and having to endure Orange Orange was well worth it (thank god for the ridiculously cheap drinks at Foufs – are there bars where you can get beers for $2.50 all night in Toronto?). Say what you will about Datarock and their superficial lack of originality – they put on a damn good show.
I was a little surprised to see Datarock playing at a bar after reading the interview where they expressed their desire to fill “proper” venues. Foufs, catering mainly to a punk crowd, is also a bit of an odd choice for Datarock. There was no scoffing or bitterness from the crowd though. There were three or four enthusiastic teenagers trying very hard to start and sustain a moshpit. Security and the rest of the audience were not amused but I was sort of glad to see that they were having a good time – albeit at the expense of many others.
Datarock joked around the with the crowd about gay kisses and technical difficulties in between a set mostly filled with songs from their debut album. I was pleased because Datarock Datarock is undoubtedly their better album but I would have liked to hear “True Stories” live. I was all set to scream “I LOVE DAVID BYRNE” and everything. Should have done it anyway.
Audience participation was easily achieved because of Datarock’s simple, catchy lyrics. This is important! There’s nothing more embarrassing than a mic angled off the stage being accompanied by confused murmurs and feet shuffling.
Datarock is a genuinely likable band. This is true of the band members and of the band itself. Datarock would have been the most popular kid in high school. He would have been elected student council president without even having to run.
The night ended with a semi-ironic rendition of “Time of Your Life”.
Sorry I didn’t get any photos. My parents even sent me my good camera. The light show was just too intense for me to get any good shots.
Ratatat – “Falcon Jab” music video review
Ratatat’s third studio album (the appropriately named LP3) was completed in only a few weeks but still retains the integrity and sharpness of Ratatat and Classics. The video for the album’s second track, “Falcon Jab” was released recently and contains some interesting movie footage of the 60s film Jason and the Argonauts.
Lyricless music is always a bit of a doozy to make a video for. On one hand, there is much more artistic freedom on the director’s part since there aren’t any verbal indicators as to what the song is about. I always find it disdaining when the video is obviously a different story from the lyrics. But on the flip side, there is really no starting point or basic idea so there is a lot more work to be done. I’m sure there is some temptation to just create some sort of trance-y screensaver-like animation and be done with the whole thing but that’s not very inspiring.
I like this video because it’s a quirky contrast between the modernness of the music and antiquity of the footage (the movie is 45 years older than the song). The colours remind me of the aforementioned screensaver animations but work well with the music.
Jason and the Argonauts tells the story of a mythical Greek hero who is on the quest to obtain the Golden Fleece (fleece of the winged ram Chrysomallos). In typical Greek mythical fashion, Jason is the son of a slain father and lives out a prophecy. His father was overthrown and murdered by Pelias who later sends his son as a mole on Jason’s journey to sabotage him. In the end (spoilers!) everything works out and Jason finds the Golden Fleece and regains the throne. The characters in the footage seem to be mostly of Jason and Hercules (one of men who join Jason on his quest).
The wincing facial expressions are a bit of an oddity and caught me offguard at first. It looks like my 11-year-old brother playing with a video by fastforwarding and rewinding interchangeably. This part would have been just plain silly had there not been some sort of synchronization between the facial movements and the music.
What do you guys think of the song title? Smash Bros reference?
Datarock – True Stories music video
This video is consistent with Datarock’s image (simple and kitschy) but I must say that I expected more. They could have done so much more with this song. I think Datarock is confusing effortless with not making an effort at all. This video is the brain-damaged child of The White Stripes’ Seven Nation Army and an iPod commercial.
Not impressed.
Candy Coated Killahz – It Factor review
Torontonian duo Tosha Dash and Icon the Anomali have releasted their debut album, It Factor. I don’t know if everyone is tired of electro pop / hiphop fusions yet and I’m not sure if there is anything truly unique about Candy Coated Killahz but I will say that It Factor is thoroughly enjoyable. The album does a good job of marrying genres into a seamless relationship.
Tosha’s voice is sweet and sensual but with a sense of attitude. Icon has a subdued style, content with his position in the background. The songs can be a bit drony at times but for the most part, they’re smooth and well-crafted. Sometimes I wish Tosha sang with more excitement – especially in a song like “Booty Bounce”. It’s not a very bouncy song. I’m not really sure whether CCK will be dance anthem stars. I was surprised at the lack of faster songs on the album. It seems like most of the songs need a hearty remix before they can be dance songs.
The one issue I have with the album is the reused themes. I’m beginning to get tired of hearing about rich kids, colours, and dance floors. Is that what electro is doomed to be associated with? I don’t expect genius lyrics but sometimes catchy rhymes aren’t enough to make an album pop.
So, does CCK have the “It Factor”? I think so. This album isn’t perfect but it shows potential and I’m looking forward to hearing more from them.
4/5
Candy Coated Killahz – I Can’t Stop
Candy Coated Killahz – Technicolor Discotheque
Datarock – Red review
Our favourite 80s-obsessed Norweigian electro rockers have conjured up another album full of gimmicky goodness. Datarock resurfaces with their sophmore album, Red, which is significantly less fun than their debut but I don’t think they’ve lost their senses of humour completely. What attracted me to Datarock was their happy-go-lucky lyrics and cheesy puns which seem to make rare appearances on this album. I mean, there’s “True Stories”, a song comprised of Talking Heads song titles. We know that Datarock loves Talking Heads (”Fa-Fa-Fa”) and “True Stories” really brings that sentiment home but I’m torn between loving it and being disappointed that while it’s cute, it’s not really funny or original. It’s a miniscule step above a Talking Heads cover. Actually, I think I would have prefered that.
I like “The Blog” because the beginning reminds me of that song Howard and Vince performed with the electro girls on the Mighty Boosh. It’s also sort of a curve ball intro because as we know, the rest of the album celebrates the past (”Molly”, “Back in the Seventies”). Or maybe it’s just mocking technology and not ironic at all. Either way, it’s clever.
“Fear of Death” sounds like a Teenagers song. It’s not a bad song but the world already has the Teenagers, we don’t really need a doppleganger.
One of the most significant changes on this album is that it’s more live-friendly. I’m not sure how I feel about that. Datarock will always be club music to me – it’s what they do best. There are bands who are valued for their profound lyrics and intricate harmonies. Datarock is not one of them. Datarock is good at being catchy, kitschy, and making me giggle at “Prince Ass”. I understand their desire to evolve but change is not always good. I can see them playing “real” venues, not selling that many tickets, and peacing out of the music world.
3.25/5
NXNE Day 3 – Fake Blood, Dj Barletta @ Wrongbar
I drank a lot last night so let me preface this review by admitting that my memory is a little fuzzy and I’m cranky-nauseous right now. Anyway, Wrongbar last night was … interesting. It was my first time there and I was curious to see whether the place lived up to its hype. After the Social was deemed no longer cool, Wrongbar became the new “it” place of Parkdale – which is fine, except the interior looks almost exactly the same as the Social. My friends were on reduced guestlist so we were lined up outside at ten to eleven which is hilariously early. I was surprised that I had to wait in line even with a priority pass but the NXNE volunteer informed me that there was another line on the other side of the door for the uh, undesirables. The two slow-moving lines going on had me convinced that the place was somehow packed to the brim already. When we got inside, there were like 50 people. Forcing people to stand outside in line to make the club seem hipper? Really? Wrongbar, that scores a lamerific on the lame scale.
Barletta’s set was way less emo than his hair suggested. His mixes were a little “been there, done that” but still quite enjoyable. Being a sucker for cheesy 90s songs, I loved the “What Is Love” remix. I also liked his remix of David Guetta/Kelly Rowland’s “When Love Takes Over”. I think Barletta would benefit from playing more of his originals. “Whisper” is particularly good.
Whisper by DJ Barletta
When Love Takes Over Remix by DJ Barletta
By the time Fake Blood went on, Wrongbar was actually packed. Normally, it’s nice when a venue is filled. Nothing is more awkward than dancing alone. But the place was so hot and humid from the fog that people were constantly going in and out which was understandable but extremely annoying. Fake Blood was amazing but the experience was really dampered by the horrid breathing conditions. After we took a breather and came back in around 3am, there was a mystery liquid dripping from the ceilings. As I looked at the near-unconscious clubrats and the steamed-up glass door, the horror of my realization set in: the mystery liquid was sweat that evaporated, condensed on the ceiling, and was now raining down on my shoulders. Wow, that is overwhelmingly and impressively disgusting.
But more on Fake Blood … Until recently, Fake Blood was a bit of an enigma. Now, it’s pretty common knowledge in the blogosphere that Fake Blood is none other than Theo Keating, half of both electronica/hiphop group, the Wiseguys, and the Black Ghosts. His pièce de résistance “Mars” is catchy but fairly repetitive but I guess that’s characteristic of house music in general. What’s really interesting about Fake Blood is something I completely missed myself:
In each of Fake Blood’s remixes his name is uttered by the original artist, giving his works a tag or audio stamp; amazingly, this is done by cutting the original vocal part into tiny phonetic fragments (phragments?) and reslicing them to construct the words “fake blood”.
- Dermot Solon for Analogue
So that’s pretty neat.
Mars by Fake Blood
Bonde Do Role by Fake Blood
In conclusion, Fake Blood and Dj Barletta get a 4/5 for being good at what they do, Wrongbar gets a 2/5 for making me feel icky.
NXNE Day 2 – No Age @ Lee’s Palace
Continuing my quest for noise, I saw LA duo Randy Randall and Dean Allen Spunt, also known as No Age, who returned to Lee’s Palace after their last show in November 2008. (Unfortunately, I missed their buddies Mika Miko, an almost entirely-female noise punk band earlier on in the night.) No Age formed after Wives, a hardcore/punk trio dissolved in 2005. The DIY ethic of punk rock is still alive with Randall and Spunt though.
I can understand how noise is not everyone’s thing. It certainly took me a long time to “get it”. What is interesting about noise music, which was clearly evident in No Age, is the use of layers through distortion. You can just barely make out Spunt’s deliciously off-key vocals through the clutter of deafening guitarwork and drums. It was an experience.
The venue choice was a good one. Lee’s Palace has that sunken-in floor that was perfect for the ever enthusiastic moshpit going on.
The one criticism I have about the set last night was how incredibly short it was. It was barely 45 minutes and that’s including the couple minutes Randall spent fixing his guitar string a few songs in. I guess that’s typical of festival shows but it rarely takes a full fifteen minutes to set up and I really wished they squeezed a couple more songs in there.
Highlights included Cappo, Brain Burner, and a new track Randall said was dedicated to the underagers.
Cappo by No Age
Brain Burner by No Age
The special guest turned out to be King Khan and the BBQ who I had seen the night earlier at the Horseshoe. I didn’t stay for their show but I will share this picture of King Khan:
I saw him hanging outside the washrooms downstairs at the Horseshoe and asked if I could get a photo with (WITH) him and needless to say, that did not happen.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that Black Lips’ bassist Jared Swilley chimed in on a song at the King Khan show Thursday. Nobody was attacked.
NXNE Day 1 – HEALTH, King Khan, United Steel Workers of Montreal, The Burning Hell, Spooky Ruben
The Horseshoe was near-empty when we arrived around 8pm. A screen on the side of the stage was showing a quirky music video seemingly unrelated to the events coming up but was successful at getting people out of their chairs and onto the floor. 9pm rolled around and the first act, Spookey Ruben, took the stage. Spookey Ruben was … not so spooky. He supposedly got his name during his teenage metalhead days but those days are evidently long gone. Spookey Ruben was nothing short of adorable. His buttery-smooth, sometimes-falsetto voice sang indie pop tunes of humour, unrequited love, and food. His set was a little gimmicky but I totally fell for it. During “Rachel”, Spookey sang into an old telephone receiver, urging the crowd to show their enthusiasm for the hypothetical girl on the other end.
Just Another Way by Spookey Ruben
Next up was The Burning Hell, who was also much less intimidating than their name suggests. The Burning Hell is features frontman Mathias Kom and up to fourteen rotating musicians. Last night, I counted two violinist, an accordion, a harmonica, drums, a few guitars, and a banjo(?). Like Spookey Ruben, The Burning Hell was full of humourous tunes with frequent mentions of a rabbi which somewhat confirmed my theory that Kom was dressed that way because he didn’t have time to change after synagogue.
The Things That People Make by The Burning Hell
By the time United Steel Workers of Montreal took the stage, the floor was comfortably filled. The six-piece alt-country band is signed to Weework, the same label as The Burning Hell. Near the end of their set, Gern F was scarily similar to an evangelist as he banished Satan from my friend’s body. I’m hoping that was sort of tongue-in-cheek.
Jesus We Sweat by United Steel Workers of Montreal
King Khan was the real treat of the night. While setting up, he was wearing a red tshirt that was soon replaced by a turban, gold cape, and sort sort of shawl name of metal ringlets. The crowd went absolutely insane for him. While people were mostly just bopping along or tapping their feet for United Steel Workers, the floor turned into a straight-up moshpit for King Khan. Khan basked in the enthusiasm and played the longest set of the night (just over an hour).
Torture by King Khan and The Shrines (ed. note: I’m having issues with mp3s so I know it was King Khan and the BBQ)
As 1am rolled around, I was starting to get weary and anxious about missing the subway home. HEALTH took ages to set up because of all their synthesizers and other beep-bloop machines. I was introduced to HEALTH with their 2007 album with Crystal Castles and was concerned that they wouldn’t hold their own without Alice Glass’ shrill vocals. (Jupiter Keyes’ “ironic” Nickelback t-shirt didn’t really inspire much confidence either.) But my worries subsided when they finally started playing. Surprisingly, the moshpit died down for the LA noise band. I couldn’t stay for the whole set but I will say that HEALTH gave the best physical performance of the night (so far). No one wants to see noise rockers placidly standing around strumming their guitars and HEALTH definitely knows this.
Heaven (Narctrax Remix) by Health
Amazing Baby and Phoenix at the Phoenix
The Phoenix Concert Theatre was packed to the brim Monday night as every hipster within a twenty-mile radius piled in to see four (actually, I counted six – I guess the keyboard player and drummer don’t really count? ouch) strapping young lads from Versailles, France. But before that, Amazing Baby played the shortest set known to man. It was so short I actually missed it. But I can only assume it was awesome. I was actually really looking forward to seeing Amazing Baby. I know 99% of that crowd was there for Phoenix but their opener could have given them a run for their money. They’re not quite as synthy or upbeat and they only formed a couple of years ago but I think they’re worth watching out for. Anyway, for anyone who was there at 9:30pm sharp, chime in! How was the performance?
The main event wasn’t too shabby either. Opening the show with the opening track from their latest album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. Soon enough, more people than I have ever seen at the Phoenix were groovin’ to “Lisztomania”. To be perfectly honest, I’m not the biggest fan of Phoenix but I will say that they give a fanttastic live performance. Thomas Mars gave it his all and the mystery drummer looked like he got more exercise during the first half hour than I’ve gotten for the past ten years. They actually sound almost the same live as they do on the album. Now, I know that’s not all you look for in a live performance but it’s a definite plus in my book. Towards the end, they sort of started to lose synchronicity but the dehydration was probably getting to them.
From the balcony, I saw some movement in the crowd below which is nice because Toronto is notorious for having paralyzed audiences. There were also an abnromally high number of couples in the crowd which made me wonder if that was the reason the show sold out – everyone just brought their girlfriend? I mean, it was a good show, don’t get me wrong. I’m just not sure if it was 1100-people good. I’m still not buying the hype. The night was worth $20 though.
Photo taken from Frank Yang and Chromewaves. Ed. note: Nancy says the photos are so nostril-y, I say at least he got photos 
.
Amazing Baby – Bayonets
Phoenix – Lisztomania
Phoenix – Girlfriend
