New This Week: Best Coast, Fuzz, Trentemøller, RJD2, of Montreal
Best Coast - Fade Away: Best Coast return to form with their new EP, Fade Away. The first release on Bethany Cosentino’s “Jewel City” imprint finds the band blending the gorgeous clarity of 2012’s “The Only Place” with the charming nostalgia of pseudo-classic, “Crazy For You”. If their last album was too large a divergence from the debut that won you over, then this may be a chance to fall in love with the group’s soothing croon and Ventures backbeats all over again. Best Coast have filled out their supposed “two member” sound with a veritable wall of Fender guitars and Motown-style “ooh-aah” harmonies. A rhythmic army of crisp snares, tambourines, and hand claps pack a wallop that would surely knock Phil Spector’s wig off. With lead melodies and riffs that could be found in an oldschool jukebox as easily as they could be heard in the background of an episode of “Friends”, the songwriting on this record owes as much credit to the sixties as it does to the nineties, drawing influence from Wanda Jackson to Sleater Kinney. Unlike previous efforts, “Fade Away” gives the impression that Best Coast has finally evolved into a true “band” rather than a platform to showcase Cosentino’s vocal acrobatics and lovestruck lyrics. If you'd denounced them as just another LA buzzband, give em a second try. At the least, “Fade Away” stands as the work of a talented couple of musicians who have effectively conjured up the sounds of many beloved records of the past.
PS: BC are playing a benefit for LA animal shelters+rescue at the Fonda on the 21st, tickets on sale now! NICK
Recommended Tracks: “Fear of My Identity”, “Who Have I Become?”, “Baby I’m Crying”
Fuzz - Fuzz: My ears are so happy. I intro’d my profound obsession for this album in last week’s music email. I’m at the point where I need to force myself to stop listening to it so that it doesn’t get played out. Fuzz, Ty Segall’s freshest outfit of psychedelic hard garage rock, is a trio including the Ty guy himself on drums with childhood friends Roland Cosio and Charles Moothart taking on bass and guitar, respectively. Amazingly enough, this album was knocked out over a span of 2 fucking days. How? I don’t know. They aren’t human. Every element is ”fuzzy” and intense, dizzying your cognitive ability and absorbing you into each brilliant track. The preliminary seconds of the first track, “Earthen Gate,” will straight off give you a pretty good idea of what you’re in for. “What’s in My Head” has the sexiest guitar riff that I’ve heard in a long time, at around 2 minutes and 50 seconds. Fuzz demolishes any semblance that modern hard and garage rock can’t be improved upon and transformed. The album is beautiful the entire way through. Ty’s MAD drumming skills trigger a stark differential from any other work he has done previously, though his voice still calls back to the likes of Marc Bolan and Ozzy himself. The guitar work is equally extraordinary; amazement can accurately describe the reaction to the first listen of “Loose Sutures” (get straight to the nitty gritty at 3 minutes in). Charles Mootheart fucking destroys the fools out there with their normative riffs, sliding up the guitar’s neck with a very tense and solitary note escalation. Ty brings the drums into conversation, each instrument taking its turn to gleam, and culminating in a marvelous SWELL of the most harmonious instrumental amalgamation. I wish the stupid IOS 7 update made it easier to rewind songs because this portion calls for several uninterrupted listens. And omfg they did a cover of 21st Century Schizoid Man.
They’re playing The Satellite on October 25th. Tickets are cheapo. I’m not 21 but I’ll figure out a sneaky way to get in. It would be really awesome if someone could teach me how to be a ninja before then. Or if someone has a parka or poncho they can smuggle me in with that’d be grrrreeeaaatttttttttttttt. Ari
Recommended Tracks: Anything from the album. Start with these though: “What’s In My Head”, “HazeMaze”, “Loose Sutures”, “One”
Trentemøller - Lost: As the album begins I am at once captivated by the hypnotic female vocals that stand out like a siren song, beckoning me closer. However as I listen more carefully, I begin to realize that the real potency of ‘Lost’ lies in the production value. Anders Trentmøller’s productive brilliance can only be overshadowed for so long by his arsenal of vocal guests. His songs begin quite tame and slowly build up into massive electro-cosms, yet it his flawless intricacies that truly set him apart from the hordes of producers that have recently flood the music scene. The album is full of energy, perpetuating itself with relentless bass intermingled with spastic synth hooks. If more raves began booking artists like Trentmøller, I’d perhaps consider submitting my body to the merciless physical harassment and neurotransmitter imbalance in order to get down with my bad self. Until then I’ll be eating my candy instead of wearing it.
Recommended tracks: Gravity, Still On Fire, Candy Tongue, Trails, Deceive
Allow me to introduce the very first MoM album review by our new apprentice, James Clifford! One of us, one of us:
RJD2 - More Is Than Isn't: RJD2’s production incorporates an eclectic collage of sounds, ranging from jazzy horn sections to bombastic synths to neo-soul and world music. At the album’s foundation is the constant presence of groove, whether it be in the form of a hard-hitting hip-hop backbeat, Motown inspired funk, or an afro-cuban rhythm section. Most tracks are instrumental which creates an almost cinematic mood, however the constant mesh of different styles allows it to still be interesting. jCLIFF
(James I'm sorry, I know that's the lamest nickname. I'll think of a better one)
of Montreal - Lousy with Sylvianbriar: Lucky for y'all I saved this one from the clutches of slush bin obscurity. This album is what you get when you read Sylvia Plath while listening to a bunch of late 60s psychedelic records. It’s rockin’ and it’s groovy, but deceivingly so because the content is DARK - “Your mother hung herself… when she was four months pregnant with your sister”… wow. But then tune out the words and you’ll think you’re listening to the feel good album of the year. OnLousy with Sylvianbriar, of Montreal are getting back to the roots, but not their own roots. Some of these tracks are pure country rock n’ roll evoking a young Gram Parsons while others possess the earnest airiness of Pearls Before Swine. I love the slide guitar on “Fugitive Air” and the gritty vocals fit just right. “She Ain’t Speakin’ Now” is another stand out for me. As far as I’m considered this album exonerates of Montreal for their slew of crappy albums over the past five years. All hail the Elephant 6 and long live Athens music. SHILL
Recommended Tracks: “Fugitive Air”, “She Ain’t Speakin’ Now”, “Hegira Émigré”
RIYL: MGMT, Deerhunter, Dandy Warhols