Friday, January 30, 2009

Doves "Jetstream"


Manchester's The Doves will release their 4th studio album, entitled Kingdom of Rust, on April 7th. The first track to be released from their album is entitled "Jetstream" (This is likely not a single track, though). You can snake the track from their website (http://www.doves.net/) in exchange for your email address.
The track was envisioned by the band as a song accompanying the closing credits of the film "Bladerunner".

Like Doves previous work, "Jetstream" is atmospheric and layered. At first listen, it seems to stretch out against the backdrop of light staccato beats, almost laboring in its rhythym. But, the track begins its steady construction of pace and layers from this foundation, all in good time. The addition of thicker beats and fuzzy, imperfect guitars (all familiar to Dove's sound) propel the song.


Once the track hits its stride, there is a noticeable electronic, almost club-like feel to some of the short pumping rhythyms and the swirling keyboards that loft over the vocals. This isn't the track you want to break out the ol' glow stick in your living room for, but there are some hints of Cut Copy-esque backdrops and flourishes.


Ultimately, the track fits well with Dove's previous work, and introduces a more electronic feel to their previous atmospherics. The noticeable direction in this track , though, is an attention to the texture of the layers layed over the atmospheric body of the song. Each texture, such as a buzzing guitar or a choppy keyboard, is relatively clear and unique, but matches the feel of the song. It is as if Doves are analyzing their own elemental atmospherics and isolating particular pieces of that in the more pure forms.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Big Money ... No Whammies ... Come on 2009!

Like exuberant contestants on that 80's classic Press Your Luck, burgeoning indie artists and their record companies are looking for big spins in 2009. Will the usual sleeze-ball on the right make off with the cash, or will this be one of those episodes where the unassuming shy girl at the middle podium hits the jackpot? Who's gonna get that first whammy?

The scheduled releases for winter 2009 include some anticipated follow-up efforts to some excellent past albums, and a few potential freshman phenoms. A complete list of albums scheduled to hit shelves and internet outlets can be found at Pitchforkmedia.com (http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/148203-the-pitchfork-guide-to-upcoming-releases-winter-2009). Here's a short list of the albums Pulled Pork is looking forward to this winter.

January 20th

Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion (Domino)

Bon Iver: Blood Bank (Jagjaguwar)

Robert Pollard: The Crawling Distance (Guided by Voices Inc.)

January 26th

Franz Ferdinand: Tonight: Franz Ferdinand (Domino) (UK release)

January 27th

The Bird and the Bee: Ray Guns Are Not the Future (Blue Note)

Bruce Springsteen: Working on a Dream (Columbia)

Johnny Cash: Johnny Cash Remixed (Compadre)

February 3rd

Handsome Furs: Face Control (Sub Pop)

Heartless Bastards: The Mountain (Fat Possum)

Iran: Dissolver (Narnack)

February 9th

Lily Allen: It's Not Me, It's You (Regal) (UK release)

February 17th

Abe Vigoda: Reviver EP (PPM)

...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead: The Century of Self (Richter Scale)

Asobi Seksu: Hush (Polyvinyl)

M. Ward: Hold Time (Merge)

Morrissey: Years of Refusal (Attack/Lost Highway) (U.S. release)

February 24th

Black Lips: 200 Million Thousand (Vice)

March 3rd

Neko Case: Middle Cyclone (Anti-)

March 10th

Bishop Allen: Grrr... (Dead Oceans)

March 17th

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy: Beware (Drag City) (U.S. release)

April 7th

Lady Sovereign: Jigsaw (Midget/EMI) (U.S. release)

The Thermals: Now We Can See (Kill Rock Stars)

April

Art Brut: Art Brut Versus Satan (Downtown)

Ida Maria: Fortress Round My Heart (Upper 11) (U.S. release, out now internationally)

Other artists that Pulled Pork anticipates a new release from are The National, Jeremy Enigk, and Doves. All of these albums will arrive with high expectations.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Best Album of 2009 Crowned !


After an eternity of 6 days, the indie music world has finally found its best album of the 2009 music year. Why did it ever take this long ? I have already previewed all of the year's releases in my omnipotent clairvoyance, and can find no better candidate. Here it is !!
Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion
(from Domino)
Here are what the reviews are proclaiming.
Pitchforkmedia.com's Mark Richardson rated the album a 9.6/10. He calls it " a new kind of electronic pop-- one which is machine-generated and revels in technology but is also deeply human, never drawing too much attention to its digital
Stereogum's Amrit Singh proclaims it a "masterstoke." He adds that it "demands and rewards repeat, complete listening." (His article provides a nice overview of the Pitchfork and SPIN reviews.) (http://stereogum.com/archives/is-merriweather-post-pavilion-the-best-album-of-2_043641.html)
SPIN's Andy Beta gives the album four stars. He writes that "these stalwart innovators -- David "Avey Tare" Portner (guitar, samples), Noah "Panda Bear" Lennox (drums, vocals, samples), and Brian "Geologist" Weitz (electronics, samples), now scattered among New York, Portugal, and Washington, D.C., respectively -- elude all experimental-noise, freak-folk, and indie-rock tags, and create a startling, pounding, effulgent sonic template." (http://www.spin.com/reviews/animal-collective-merriweather-post-pavilion-domino)
Only 6 days into 2009, and I am already behind. Seriously ... I haven't even heard a track yet off this album and I already feel guilty for not owning 4 copies (and the vinyl). Really ... I haven't even finished my anticipated releases post ... ARGGHH!
If you want to get ahead of this blogger on the year, you can listen to the track "My Girls" on the band's MySpace.com page: http://www.myspace.com/animalcollectivetheband)
And you can hear "Brother Sport" on Stereogum. com here (mp3 provided by NPR Live): http://stereogum.com/archives/mp3/new-animal-collective-brother-sport_036271.html
The album is set for release on January 20th, 2009.

Left on the Burner in 2008

It happens every year. The best music of the year stands out in my mind rather clearly (in no particular order, of course). Those worthy albums, the artistic gems I want to pull from my glove compartment just at the right time so that the others in the car happen to notice (ohhh ... you saw that ... just a little album I heard of ... ), leap forward in my mind. And yet, those albums didn't always contain the tracks I listened to repeatedly.

Here is a list of tracks that I returned to over and over, and still did not find a place on a lot of "Best of ..." lists. These are the ones I came back to, just because they were flat out enjoyable.


Neon Neon: "Dream Cars," from the album Stainless Steel
(Hint: This is a fun album minus a few tracks that these lads should have contributed to a Justin Timberlake and T pain duet. The fellows of Neon Neon turn in some great 80's retro-tunes, which quite frankly they should concentrate on).


Delta Spirit: "Trashcan," from the album Ode to Sunshine
(Hint: Another great album for your full listening pleasure)


School of Seven Bells: "Half Asleep," from the album Alpinisms
(Hint: A really nice album as well, even if it does journey on into long psychedelic realms in some junctures.)


(Note: This album made some lists. I suspect it was released too late in the year to make the impression it probably should have on many lists).

Parts and Labor: "Satellites," from the album Receivers
(Note: This album suffered from the same problem as the School of Seven Bells release).

Glasvegas: "Geraldine," from the album Glasvegas

Kaiser Chiefs: "Never Miss a Beat", from the album Off With their Heads

Thao with the Get Down Stay Down: "Bag of Hammers," from the album We Brave Bee Stings and All
(Did anyone else notice this song in the background of a Kath and Kim episode? Wow ... I just admitted I watch that show!)

M83: "Graveyard Girl", from the album Saturdays=Youth
(Yes, this track and album did get a lot of critical attention. But, come on, it is a great song!)

Gentlemen Auction House: "The Book of Matches," from the album Alphabet Graveyard

Deerhoof: "The Tears and Music of Love", "Offend Maggie," and "My Purple Past"
(Hint: This is a fantastic guitar driven, experimental album. I understand the reservations you are having as you read this - it is Deerhoof. But, these tracks are very accessible, and may in fact kick your ass!)

The Stills: "Being Here," from the album Oceans Will Rise

Jenny Lewis: "The New Messiah," from the album Acid Tongue

Passion Pit:"Sleepy Head," from the album Chunk of Change

Frightened Rabbit: "The Twist" from the album Midnight Organ Fight

The Futureheads: "The Beginning of the Twist" from the album This Is Not the World

The Whigs:"Right Hand on My Heart" from the album Mission Control
(I have might have given this track, and the Hold Steady track below, the most spins of any other track this year.)

The Hold Steady: "Slapped Actress" from the album Stay Positive

This is not an exhaustive list. In addition, it is clearly biased towards the latter part of the year (what the hell was I listening to last January anyway ?).