I took the
Starlight Mints are a pop band from
Next was Make Believe, who are an unclassifiable
I think this was about the time I picked up an orange creamsicle float from the Cold Stone booth. It was mouth watering and you should be jealous. I headed back to the stage for Dead Meadow, a psychedelic rock act from
The Gris Gris was an arty, abstract indie rock band from southern
And thus begins what will hopefully turn out to be the best month of live music in my life. I had intended to travel to
I arrived around 9:45 pm and entered the music room. At 10 pm,
The next group was Bound Stems, who are also based in
There’s not much to say about the headliner, Human Television. They boast impressive influences that actually set the bar a little too high for their current abilities. Their group play was tight, but their unexciting state presence requires that the music do the talking. And the truth is that their music said too little for me to stay through their entire set.
I’ll try to cover all the live music I witness over the next few weeks, which should include day 2 of the Wicker Park Summer Fest, Camera Obscura at
*song does not appear on actual mix CD due to size constraints
Since I’m running out of seasons to talk about, I’m going to start branching into different kinds of mix CD’s. The first to come of my expansion is the Dream Pop Mix. Dream pop, in my mind, encompasses a few different styles of music. Shoegazing and ambient pop are related styles (I’ll explain more later on). On this mix, I tried to explore the evolution of dream pop. The mix starts at the beginning of modern dreaminess, when “dream pop” didn’t really exist yet.
The elements first appeared in the sixties. The Beach Boys are a primary influence of bands in the dream pop genre. I grew up listening to my dad’s copy of Endless Summer, but I had no idea just how influential the work of Brian Wilson and friends has been until recently. “God Only Knows” is my favorite song by them, and it’s a great example of the joyful patchwork of sound they developed on the Pet Sounds album. The next band is a given when talking about any modern group’s influences. The Beatles played an important role here, especially on their drug-tinged late 60’s work like Revolver and Magical Mystery Tour. The Velvet Underground was a band remembered most for their ability to maintain a certain atmosphere and using it to captivate listeners. Many bands are attracted to this emphasis of ambiance over song structure.
The first emissions of an actual genre of dream pop came in the early 80’s. The Jesus and Mary Chain successfully mined those aforementioned 60’s bands and ultimately influenced many groups to come. Cocteau Twins are considered the perfect example of ambient pop with their airy vocals and silky smooth melodies. The Smiths are one of my favorite bands (I will later add The Queen Is Dead to my list of all time favorite albums), but the song I included here is unique. Johnny Marr’s construction of layer upon layer of magnificent guitars is what will forever stand out about his work with the Smiths.
The peak of dream pop occurred in the late 80’s and early 90’s on My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless and Slowdive’s Souvlaki. I already wrote a review of Loveless. It’s ridiculous how the name My Bloody Valentine is thrown around in modern music writing. However, that band (and especially that album) have influenced an endless number of bands and remains one of the most painfully underappreciated works of all time. These two groups are considered quintessential shoegazers. Shoegaze, when done well, finds the vocals pushed way back to become gelled with swirling guitar and keyboards to create a pure sonic orgasm. You really have to hear it (or see it below) to believe it.
Ride, Lush, Chapterhouse, the Boo Radleys, and Spiritualized followed, each with their own take on the world of dreamy indie pop. These bands were prominent from the early to mid 1990’s. Yo La Tengo is another band that deserves mention with their 1997 cover of the Beach Boys’ classic “Little Honda.” Yo La Tengo has established themselves as one of indie rock’s most respectable acts over the past 20 years. Their music employs the classic Beach Boys and Velvet Underground influences, but they are an entity that stands alone. I cannot wait to see them on July 30 at the Pitchfork Music Festival.
Now, in the 21st century, many bands draw inspiration not only from the 60’s groups, but also largely from the shoegazing movement. The Helio Sequence is a pair from
Sybris (who I also reviewed on here not too long ago) is a female-fronted
Not all of the groups here were locked into the dream pop genre. Sometimes it just shines through on a single album, or sometimes just a single song. But all of these songs deserved to be included. Hopefully this list has inspired you in some way. Maybe when people start reading this blog (trust me, I do realize that no one currently reads it) they will start listen to some of these obscure bands. Or maybe my idea of perfect music is not the same as someone else’s. I expect the latter. I write all this for my enjoyment anyways. If you’d like to come along for the ride, feel free to accept my open invitation.
TV on the Radio – Return to
Welcome to my first edition of trashing super-hyped groups that, in my opinion, don’t deserve the attention. I’d prefer not to build a reputation on denouncing anyone. However, my inspiration shows itself in many forms, and one of those is a disgust at the way indie music writers put some groups on an unjustifiable pedestal. Keep in mind that I’m not a professional (not yet anyways). I don’t claim to know everything. These utterances will be strictly from my point of view, and based on what credible information I can get my hands on without wasting too much time on these bands. Now that we’ve cleared all that up, let’s begin.
I first heard the name TV on the Radio on MSU’s Impact 89 FM around my third year of classes. One of the songs from the 2004 LP Desparate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes had minor airplay, but ultimately didn’t fit in with the song oriented station. It has such little affect on me that, looking back, I can’t even remember which song it was. My musical information bank had not yet swelled to its modern day size, so all I knew about them was that one song. But my goal is to cover the present, not the past. So in the present, I ponder the meaning of the band’s name. I think of TV and commercial radio as one and the same. They are just tools of commercialism designed to sell products. Go figure.
What I really want to talk about is their new album, Return to Cookie Mountain, which was released on the 4AD label in early July. According to Metacritic.com (an amazing website that creates weighted averages of music, movies, books, etc based on numerous critic reviews), this album is the fifth best-reviewed of 2006 to date. This is a fact that bothers me initially and even more so after listening to the album once. But before I cover my listening experience, let’s explore what information I can gather about this group.
The first place anyone should be able to look for information on a band is their official website. Unfortunately, theirs is under construction, and I can't find any official-looking Myspace page. So I look through the clips of reviews on Metacritic, which include words like “cataclysmic,” “overwhelming,” “intoxicating,” and “inspiring.” One reviewer even dares to call it “accessible.” Next I turn to Allmusic.com and Pitchforkmedia.com for some credible info. I learn from Pitchfork that an earlier version of the album appeared in the spring with a different track sequence. Ultrahipsters seem to argue over which tracklist they think is more effective. I, on the other hand, think it’s absurd that they completely rearranged the album. In making my mix CD’s, I meticulously arrange the track list to create a mood and flow. When listening to my favorite albums, I can’t imagine the songs occurring in any different order. Pitchfork praises the singer Tunde Adebimpe for staying in the background despite the fact that he has “got about the best set of pipes in indie rock.” I say, without proof otherwise, his voice is unremarkable. Then I remember that many people are tone deaf, and some people genuinely enjoy bad singing voices (like the old timer Bob Dylan, or current hipster wet dreams Clap Your Hands Say Yeah).
Allmusic.com claims that the album “threatens to become more impressive than likeable,” and I agree with that to some extent. Any band that puts more emphasis on experimenting and finding new sonic territory takes an automatic risk. That risk allows for the possibility of creating something incredible or ending up with something that completely lacks an impact. That really lies in the ear of the beholder. Supposedly David Bowie contributes background vocals on “Province,” but I can’t make them out. Although I’m slightly offended that Mr. Bowie would involve himself in such a project, I give him credit for always attempting to be ahead of the trends in music.
Next I turn to the Deli, a
Now let’s talk about listening to the album. The first thing that I pick up on is the emphasis on drum beats. The songs are intentionally repetitive, focusing on atmosphere over song structure or buildup. They give off the impression of being a political band, or at least people who are concerned with societal issues. However, there are few phrases that stand out to me because, like Pitchfork pointed out, the vocals have been withdrawn. There have been instances where this works, such in most shoegaze acts (Allmusic even has the cojones to reference the mother of all shoegaze albums, My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless). However, it only works if the music can create an emotional impact on its own, and that is not the case here.
Certain bands or genres come to mind while listening. The album makes me think of the messy noise of Nine Inch Nails, but I never acknowledged the accomplishments of that group either. At times the beats and vocals even resemble those of Outkast. But where Outkast uses their hip hop and pop abilities to create some of the most infectious and memorable songs of recent years, TOTR falls flat. Caught up in their
Finally I look to YouTube.com to see what kind of video clips of the band are available. After all, if a group can deliver on stage, what does album failure matter? What I find, though, is lackluster. You can have a look yourself.
"Wolf Like Me" at Coachella 2006It seems that I just can’t figure out modern day music critics. After all, Destroyer’s Rubies, which is currently number two on Metacritic’s 2006 list, is definitely my favorite album so far this year. So why do I completely agree with them at times, and other times want to smack them and make them eat their words? Maybe I’m just being close-minded. Maybe I’m so caught up in connection and influences that I only like something if it reminds me of something else that I love. Maybe I should just give TV on the Radio a chance.
The album isn’t even a completely unrewarding listen. It’s not that the music is too complex or eclectic. In a single word, it’s just boring. I don’t hate every song though (“Wolf Like Me” would be fun with some kind of deranged werewolf music video, and “Hours” at least has a catchy drum and bass construction). I mostly just hate the hype. I hate the way critics try to pick diamonds out of dirt hills, like they’re the ones who made the music. I’m not trying to claim a piece of the music. I’m just expressing my thoughts and feelings in an attempt to spread information.
That’s the point of this whole Anti-Hipster thing; to give you my point of view. But don’t take my word for it. Make up your own mind. Decide for yourself. That’s your privilege. I don’t yet know which band or album I’ll focus on next. My next post should be my Dream Pop mix, which will be a refreshing turn from these dark matters.
Over the past nine months, I have been immersed in an actual music scene. It’s not just any music scene though.
Adjusting to life in a big city has been terrible at times. I’ve discovered over the last few months is that every place has a group of people that I don’t want to deal with. In high school, it was the jocks. In college, it was the frats. Now, in
I’m not entirely innocent. From time to time, I do end up liking the music praised in indie music sources such as Pitchfork. And I am going to the Pitchfork Music Festival in July which features some of the bands I’d like to burn. But often, I can’t understand how they come up with some of their far-fetched compliments. Honestly, I’m tired of it. I’m tired of city life. I’m tired of their scenes. I’m tired of the hipsters. And I’m going to do something about it. I’m going to systematically deconstruct the bands that are pronounced as special. I’m going to show that hipsters are just people looking to surrender their individuality and mind power for the sake of being a part of something. I now declare myself the anti-hipster.
The first album that I will attack is “Return to
The fourth album in my all time favorites series is quite different. It’s a fairly recent release and it was created as a side project, not by a true band. It’s important to note that this is a full-fledged album. I read somewhere recently that OK Computer might have been the last great album in the traditional sense. Many seem to believe that the internet and digital music have transferred the emphasis back to single tracks, as opposed to whole albums. However, I disagree with this claim. I think that there are still great albums, even if tracks are pushed on the internet like egg rolls at a Chinese jumbo buffet. You just have to look harder to find the best albums, and you have to spend more time letting them sink in.
What stays with me the longest from my favorite music is the feeling I get ever single time I listen. Often those feelings come from pleasant associated memories (view all my seasonal mix CD’s for example), but sometimes it can be purely created by the album. The beauty of Give Up is that both are true. The music stimulates my mind with the catchy rythyms and emotive lyrics, but there are also many incredible memories evoked. I close my eyes and it’s the spring of 2003 at
The most vital quality about Give Up, in my mind, was its power in heightening awareness of independent music. I was introduced to it through MSU’s Impact 89 FM radio station, where the tracks “Such Great Heights” and “Clark Gable” were played in regular rotation. Then I returned home for the summer to discover (through my younger brother) that everyone at my old high school was listening to the same music. So Give Up was essentially a major step in the right direction for modern music. Many people’s attentions are beginning to turn away from commercial radio and towards something better.
The Postal Service is Ben Gibbard, of Death Cab for Cutie, and Jimmy Tamborello, who has been praised for his ability to cross indie rock with electronica. They reportedly got their name from their initial method of music composition. They would exchange bits and pieces through the mail (although maybe it was email, which would further add to the progressive nature of the album). This indie electronica really rests in a world of its own. Sure, some of it could be compared to Bjork or even Radiohead, but not consistently. Gibbard brought in his quirky songwriting with regular influences like the Smiths, and Tamborello brought a unique blend of beats and sonic trimmings reminiscent of 80’s new wave. The result is something like Phil Collins vs Daft Punk (the group did cover Collins’ easy rock hit “Against All Odds”). Then add on backing vocals from Jenny Lewis (of Rilo Kiley) and Jen Wood, and you have all the ingredients for a damn good musical concoction.
So what about the songs? An album is made up of songs, right? Well, some bands lose focus when making such inventive sound and aren’t able to congeal their ideas into effective songs. Luckily, that is not the case here. “Such
Links:
I grew up in southeastern
In recent years I’ve learned to seek out my own music, and I found all the wonderful sounds that exist beyond the radio frequencies I once knew. Now, in what seems like overnight, dozens of Canadian artists have appeared on my musical radar.
First and foremost is Broken Social Scene. They have established themselves as the premier Canadian (and some would say international) indie rock back. They are actually a collective of
Now to explore those responsible for Broken Social Scene. Stars draw mostly from 80’s acts like the Smiths. They bring together smart orchestration and shimmering pop sounds with an electronic flair. Then there’s the alternating male/female vocals and general sense of awakening. Play this stuff in springtime as the weather is thawing and you won’t regret it. Their track “The Big Fight” from 2005’s Set Yourself On Fire, with its dual viewpoints of an evaporating relationship, was a huge hit on MSU’s Impact Radio in 2005.
Metric have a unique take on new wave. Their danceable rock is effortlessly catchy, but in a way that doesn’t quickly wear out. The female vocals and calculated percussion aren’t far off from Pretty Girls Make Grave or other similar groups. What’s for sure is that Metric puts many new-new wave groups to shame by doing what they do well and with natural flair.
Feist, the one woman project of Leslie Feist, is a mostly lighthearted affair. Her voice flutters with a classic, soulful quality that easily surpasses whatever else is going on in the songs. Feist benefits from not sounding like a singer/songwriter project. The unique instrumentation is at times reminiscent of Fiona Apple, but overall it usually sounds like nothing else. The song “Tout Doucement” boasts French vocals and ragtime piano, and displays some of the more obscure influences involved.
Moving on from the Broken Social Scene theme, another important band is The Arcade Fire. 2004’s Funeral succeeds through its subtleties, and is one of those albums that mesmerizes through its dedication and genuine emotion. David Bowie is an obvious influence, but in a way that allows them to incorporate their own feelings and desires and create something beautiful and new. This is another album where you’ll find French lyrics. It’s just so damn mysterious!
Destroyer began as a single man, Dan Bejar, in
Caribou is an electronica project started in
Islands are a slightly goofy indie rock troupe from
Other bands to watch out for include The Dears (more Smiths lovers from Montreal), Young and Sexy (a promising Vancouver indie pop group and another candidate for my 2006 Top Ten list with Panic When You Find It), Sunset Rubdown (a Montreal band with awkward vocals and trendy arrangements for all the hipsters), and Russian Futurists (a one-man recording project from Toronto that is not unlike Caribou).
So maybe the great white north isn’t such a bad place after all. They did invent hockey and they are superb brewmasters.
