Dead or Alive- Sophisticated Boom Boom (1984)

Dead or Alive is an English pop group from Liverpool. Before their frontman Pete Burns became known in the mainstream for making money in gossip television, they actually released awesome music.  It seems to me, Dead or Alive is a specimen band demonstrating, how popular and club music has changed during the last decades. They are best known for synth-pop and electronic dance music having come a long way starting out with rock, becoming famous in the 80´s, especially in Japan and ending up releasing electronic dance music in the 90´s, which had a bit deteriorated sound as pop music by that time all-in-all.

Dead or Alive reached their higher success with their second album Youthquake (1985), and the single You Spin Me Round (Like a Record). I hold the album in high regards indeed, however I decided to write the review on their first album Sophisticated Boom Boom, as Burns´s voice still has the same low-pitched profoundness on it, that he demonstrated in the early years, that I so happen to appreciate.

Dead or Alive´s first release Birth Of A Nation (EP) came out under the name Nightmares in Wax in 1980. My first encounter with their early releases was seeing the studio recording of them performing Flowers and what struck me at first was the certain alikeness of Burns´s voice to that of Jim Morrison´s. The early Dead or Alive places in the gothic and post-punk scene and takes on to pop from there. Although the 90´s brought a new wave of punk with grunge onto the musical landscape, it did not affect them as the band had led in another direction by then. But not completely.

The very first song of Dead or Alive that I heard was the cover of Rebel Rebel (1995). It is not certain to my knowledge how much other direct influence they received from Bowie, who was a much-played artist in Blitz club in London, where the new-romantics resided with Boy George, who has claimed to have regarded Pete Burns as an early example. The two were often compared for their androgynous image with a big hat and ribbon-tied dreads. Burns, heavily influenced by punk movement discovered Vivienne Westwood and adopted that look from her fashion stages. See it here:

Misty Circles is my personal favourite from the album. The final album version is a good dance-song but the earlier ones have quite a melancholic undertone. I think the final version with quicker tempo fits better to the whole concept and makes the song more compact. Slower singing contrasted to a constantly ringing backing rhythm creates a dramatic feeling, as if the emotion would be carried by instruments and thoughts by vocals. Burns´s voice here is deep and masculine, not very resonant as usual, a bit characteristically growly, but carries out the higher notes with ease. The real desperation of the song is hidden in the lyrics, which I find to be very poetical without any unnecessary sugarcoating. Unlike many poems that end up being so artistically strained, that only the author knows what they talk about, the message of the song comes across very clear, however misty the circle.

Album version:

Their first UK Top 40 single That's the Way (I Like It) (cover of KC & the Sunshine Band) is also their most known song from the album up to this day. The famous phrase was already recited on Nightmares in Wax album in quite a perverted punk song Black Leather. The song has not lost any funk in the new cover but gained a new stereotype-breaking perspective in their video and has a more of a rock kinda feeling to it.

Another song that stands out for me on the album is Absolutely Nothing. It sounds sophisticated, earnest and demanding. It starts a bit flirty, suggestive and grows quickly more serious. The strongest part of the song is towards the end, when the tone changes into outright accusing, like a toddler tramping feet against the floor and demanding a candy. The high female vocals are a good balance to Burns´ s low and brute voice. 

The next song right after is What I Want, which has a highly energetic beat. The aggressive vocals in the chorus go well with the generally benevolent aggressiveness of the song.Tempo is quick throughout the song, which I really like, because somehow I can not stand slow pointless parts in pop songs, that are only there to take time for winding up to repeat the chorus again. This song winds up in the beginning and once reached to the culmination, it does not suddenly lose its breath before the end. Listening to What I Want feels like someone has told you to shut up, carried you off for a really speedy carousel ride and does not let go any more. 

 The following Far Too Hard is the only slower and more tender song on this album. It tells about wanting to apologize but pride getting in the way. I think many of us can relate to that kind of situation.  It is not however self-evidently clear what it is the speaker needs to apologize for or to whom, but the lyrics: "I am young man/Fascinated with my profile in the mirror/and that´s a dangerous direction/Men should never make it with their own reflection" suggest his narcissistic self-love and what it can lead up to. It is a heart-breaking song, because we know now what it really led up to, at least for Burns. His voice in this song shows another side, more clear, it has lost its typical matte sound and the register is high but not loud, which is not what we get often on this album. It is a very beautiful but a sad song- paradoxically many sad things tend to be beautiful. 

 Sit On It is a more energetic one once again and although it is about the same length as other songs, it seems to me every time to end too quickly. The song is bustling quickly towards the end and once you get there, you can not believe that is it already. Although there are many repetitions I tend to not notice them, as they don´t seem to bother me. The vocals here are loud, bold and full of energy with a bestial or wild feeling to them. I especially like them at 1.44- 2.14, they are tender and coarse at the same time, which makes me think, if anyone else sang this song, they would only ruin it, because the whole quality sits in the voice. 

Selfish Side is a bit different one, as the vocals have been changed into unrecognizable but the song has a good catchy tune and strong beat. It is curious, self-determining, fresh and adventurous. Being not necessarily a sad song, it leaves one a bit wavering in the unknown. 

The final song leaving out the remixes is The Stranger, which was made in 1982 and belongs among one of the earliest songs of Dead or Alive. Just by listening one could easily hear it is very similar to their other early songs. It has mystery, questions, uncertainty and gloominess, all components present in Birth Of A Nation.  Also the vocals are more sliding, long and a bit more crawling. I regard this song one of my very favourites of Dead or Alive over-all.

Sophisticated Boom Boom is the first and the best album of Dead or Alive as far as I am concerned. It holds true 80´s dance music feeling but also hints on the previous goth club culture through The Stranger. The whole album is a beautiful compact and needs no special mood for listening. It is one of those albums that has a persistent value as a pioneer, a placeholder and a reminder of the magnificent times gone by.

Slipknot - .5 The Gray Chapter (2014)

When choosing the artist to write about, the first that popped into my mind was Slipknot and their latest album .5 The Gray Chapter. The fifth studio album of the American nu-metal band was definitely going to be a bit different from the previous and most certainly a long-waited one.

Finally, .5 The Gray Chapter was released in October, 2014 and received a lot of feedback. It was the first album the band released after the death of one of the founding members Paul Gray and the departure of the long-time drummer Joey Jordison, who had been kicked out of the band. Band started to release teasers of the upcoming album in July 2014. Teasers were all about 15 second long clips from the upcoming video for the single “The Negative One”. The clips did not include any lyrics and mostly featured horrifying flashy images of a young woman wearing a white gown. In addition, all the social media accounts of band had gone black and the shrill images and clips suggested there was something new to be coming up from the group. Fans were eager to find out what was the new album going to sound like after the death of Gray and departure of Jordison, who were the new members of the group and what were their mask going to look like (as one of the features that the band is known for is wearing scary masks in all of their music videos and performances). Due to all these emotions fans expected a dark, intense, hard-hitting album and I can assure you that they were not let down.

First song on the album is title “XIX”. It is a perfect and a typical intro song. The sounds of bag-pipe, Corey Taylor (front man and the lead singer of the band) mumbling in a pissed off way build up the flawless tension for the upcoming material on the album. The track goes on adding more instruments, like drums, acoustic guitar and Taylor intensively singing. At about the 2:20 the song gets a bit more catchy as the rhythm picks up and lyrics get more intensive. And then the song ends. Just like that. You are built up with emotions and then left with nothing. Like I said, a perfect song for intro and to make you wonder what there is more to come up.

The next track is called “Sarcastrophe” and to me it sounds like it picks up from where the last track was cut off. It starts slow and with the same muted drums and acoustic guitar as “XIX”, but then the tables turn as the hard guitar riffs come in with Taylor growling. The intensity of him singing and the lyrics with percussion drums really show that these guys are full of anger and they are here to make a statement. Also, when I first heard “Sarcastrophe”, one of my very first thoughts was that this album is really going to be high-quality. The song is heavy, has lot of instruments and features, but in my opinion it is also airy and not at all overwhelming – it really makes senses and all of the elements complete one another.

Following up is “AOV”. This is one of my favourite songs from the album. It is fast, aggressive and reminds me the songs from their début album Slipknot. This track, in my opinion, is the first one on the album to première the skills of the new drummer and his death metal style. In the lyrics, Corey Taylor also prevails what the acronym AOV means: We bury what we fear the most / Approaching original violence.

Next up is “The Devil in I”, which is also the most known song from the album and the second single. The track is very enthralling and a “classic Slipknot track” with the catchy phrase line and an easy beat to follow. At first, this was my favourite song from the album as I really enjoyed the music video for the song. But the album has more to come – although, this might be the best known track, it definitely is not the high point of the album.

After the “Devil in I” comes “Killpop”. When first listening to the song I had very mixed emotions. It did not sound like Slipknot to me, it reminded me a ballad in some way and the vocals were just too soft and fragile for the Corey Taylor I was use to. But then the song grew onto me. Especially the hard hitting chorus, where Corey really shows his vocal power. The more I listened to the song, the more I started to notice all the details in it. The lyrics that can be taken ambiguously, the custom percussion (my favourite!), the ballad in it that builds up to be very heavy, the story that the song tells and so much more. And of course, the cherry on top is the video for this song. Very satanic, full of symbols, mystic and beautiful – a true Slipknot classic again.

In the eyes of a fan, the next song “Skeptic” is a direct and the most noticeable reference to the late Paul Gray:

Legend! / Bastard! / Best friend! / Why? / Why do the limits have to realign / Hero! / Martyr! / Mystery! / God – he was the best of us / The world will never see another crazy motherfucker like you / The world will never know another man as amazing as you.

I do not have a lot to say about this song. It is great, it has a gripping rhythm, fast beat and is definitely meaningful, because of the lyrics. One of the best from the album.

Next up is “Lech”, one of my recent favourites from the album. In my opinion, this is the most emotional song on the album. When you concentrate on the lyrics and on the way that Corey Taylor passes them on, you can almost feel him going psycho:

And I'll eat the skins of my brothers / Yellow pastor bones will make a perfect wall / Gonna fill in the cracks of these feelings / With every terrible piece or maybe nothing at all.

The song is the most punk and fastest on the album, therefore I believe it is the craziest song when performed live, mostly for the audience.

“Goodbye”, then again, is the slowest song on the album and definitely the saddest one. The last stanza of the song is again a reference to Paul Gray (but then again, the whole album is dedicated to him and focused on grief). The song is not a disappointment, but if I had a choice, I would not put it on play.

Then comes “Nomadic”. This song sounds the least Slipknot to me, in fact if I would not recognize Corey Taylor's voice and the ever so Slipknot-like percussion drums, then I would never say that this is a Slipknot's song. The guitar riffs are weirdly chopped off and then they are followed by this weird melodic chorus mixed with electronic snippets by the DJ. Overall, I did not like this song.

“The One That Kills The Least” takes off again with this ballad like vocals, but the stanza is anxious and powerful. Overall the song is yet another slower one, but it is different from the previous, because throughout the song it feels like it will speed up but actually slows down again with the chorus. Not a bad song, but again nothing special.

Next song on the album is “Custer”, the third single from the album, and after the previous three songs that were slower and a bit disappointing, “Custer” is the perfect change of theme. It is the song where you can again feel Taylor going lunatic, but in my opinion, this is also the track where the whole band follows the lead and gives it all. I feel like this is again a song that will not leave a single person in the audience just standing, but will make them go crazy with the band. The overall sound of the song is very pounding and explosive.

“Be Prepared For Hell” is an interlude, and when I usually do not like them then this one is different. The band has used this track for lead-in at the start of their recent shows (and as on the album, the next track up is “The Negative One”). This interlude is one of the scariest from Slipknot (or one of the scariest at all) that I have ever heard. It starts with distorted speaking that “if they will not let him out, he will die” and it is followed by Taylor: Be prepared for Hell and I say oh well / Just tell me when I can open my eyes and realized I've died. The track ends in a maniac laugh and the atmosphere of this track will definitely give you the chills.

“Be Prepared For Hell” was the silver bullet introduction for the next track “The Negative One”. This is also another song that the most famous one from the album. It was the first song they released after the death of Paul Gray and departure of Joe Jordison. The band has said they treated this single more like a gift to the fans, not only as the first single. The track was accepted very well – it was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2015. The short clips used for the teasers of the upcoming album were all from the music video of “The Negative One” and the video now has over 14 million plays on Youtube. The video is repulsive, but this is nothing new with Slipknot. It includes a dead goat, blood, nudity, madwomen, flowers and much more. The sound of the song is chaotic and reminds me some of their earlier work from previous albums. But then again, it is a song that perfectly describes this whole album – aggressive vocals, fast guitar riffs, drum rolls and DJ scratches. A classical hit by the band.

The last song from the album is “If Rain Is What You Want”. This is the longest track from the album and the tempo of the song is slow, again. But this time I like the tempo of the song. It is a perfect conclusion to the whole album and draws the line at the right point. The song builds up with slow and soft vocals, then the muddy and harsh guitar riffs come in and disappear as fast as they approached. Definitely a powerful ending to the album.

The deluxe version of the album includes five more tracks, which of three are ghost tracks. I am not going to discuss these track as they are hard to find online and they are not really something I would then again choose to listen.

To conclude I think .5 The Gray Chapter is one of the most coherent and focused albums of Slipknot. It is the ideal comeback of the band after such a long wait and the greatest dedication to Paul Gray that the band could have ever made. The album includes all the things that Slipknot is known for – brutality, disgust, infallible writing and ominous lyrics. For the fan of Slipknot (and metal) the album was definitely worth the wait and will become one of the classics of the genre. 

Sandra Timpmann

AURORA - All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend (2016)

My choice for this review came rather easily, simply because it is an album I have now been listening to and obsessing over for months, ever since it came out on March 11, 2016. All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend is the debut studio album by the 19-year-old Norwegian singer-songwriter Aurora Aksnes, whose preferred stage name is AURORA.

I honestly cannot really even remember how I came to know of her or her music, probably either through Spotify ads, or YouTube recommendations, but I am so glad that I did. This art/indie popish album has not left my head, and vice-versa, I have not grown tired of it, which is also saying something. It is an album that through the collection of Aurora’s self-written songs showcases an emotionally powerful, yet an incredible vulnerable journey. However, I am fairly certain that it is not an album for everyone’s taste as it conveys a somewhat fairy-like, otherworldly, and almost a magical vibe. I know this sounds all too Hobbit-like and Narnian, but those are the places that immediately come to mind and I cannot help but imagine myself in them, too. It is an album that allows you to imagine an alternative universe, and disassociate from the reality of now; it is a fantastical form of escapism. This type of vibe probably has to do with Aurora’s Scandinavian background, and her ability to incorporate the magical scenery into a lyrical and musical harmony. It is also the reason – including her voice - why she has been compared to fellow Scandinavians Lykke Li and Björk, whereas she herself has said that her main inspirations in song-writing have been Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.  

The album opens with “Runaway”, an eerie beginning, where you immediately get a sense of just how amazing, yet haunting her voice is. The song starts out quite slow, with Aurora not really even singing but just making background sounds. However, I could not help but be sucked in already. In the background, you get the echo of water droplets, and soft drums that only seem to enhance her vocals. Halfway through the song, though, when the chorus kicks in for the second time, the song makes use of the synth-pop elements, picking up the tempo, and making Aurora’s vocals even more demanding and the meaning behind the lyrics more urgent. In addition, watching the music video with Aurora’s own home as the scenic backdrop and her literally running through it adds a whole other elemental aspect to the song, and brings the words - But now take me home / Take me home where I belong / I got no other place to go – to life.

The second song on the album, “Conqueror”, is quite different from the previous one. There is no eeriness or mystical elements. It is downright bubbly, perky, and seemingly a happy pop song – if you were to ignore the lyrics and just enjoy the music. For me, it is the kind of song that whenever the chorus hits, I cannot help but jump up and down like a crazy person, and sing along the words with her. Despite the somewhat depressing lyrics - Broken me and broken them / You are broken too - she has managed to create an atmosphere with the upbeat drums and melody that you don’t even care for the reality check that the lyrics are conveying.

Third track on the album is “Running with the Wolves” – probably Aurora’s best known song, and my personal favorite. Much the same as “Runaway”, it starts slowly, tentatively with the spotlight on her pure vocals, and a quiet hum of electronics backing her up. The chorus of the song, however, is the reason I love this piece so much – the drums become more intense and punctuated, and Aurora’s own voice comes to resemble a faux wolf howling in the night. The chorus is also the part where I see myself transcend onto an icy, snow-covered mountain in the middle of fjords in Norway, literally running side by side with a wolf pack, even though I might just be walking down the street in sunny Estonia.

Following that is “Lucky”, one of the calmer, quieter and introspective tunes on the album. However, that does not draw away from the impact of the song. This is where the theme of letting go and moving on comes forth. It shows the struggle of wanting to give in, but eventually being strong enough to stay alive - And I feel the light for the very first time / Not anybody knows that I am lucky to be alive - and Aurora carries that message powerfully with her haunting vocals backed up by a piano.

Continuing with the theme of life comes “Winter Bird”, a lonely, dreamy tune that essentially captures the essence of winter. It is chilly, icy, and vulnerable – a perfect Nordic song - where once again Aurora’s vocals shine through as they intertwine pop and folk sounds.   

Next in line is “I Went Too Far”, where I feel as though Florence Welch and a softer version of Calvin Harris meet in the middle. From the start you would not consider it a pop song, yet as the chorus hits, a whole other realization comes with it. It is a song that carries a more gloomy lyrical content - I went too far when I was begging on my knees / When I cut my hands, will you just stand and watch me bleed? - which is accompanied by an up-lifting and clubby dance beat.

“Through the Eyes of a Child” is another more introspective and soothing songs of the album. It is haunting and mesmerizing, a nostalgic and wide-eyed look back on your childhood with a lyrical reminder of how innocent life was, and how easy it is to lose that childlike wonder once you’re grown. It’s a song that solely rests on Aurora’s vocal abilities and lets them soulfully flow.

Next song on the album, “Warrior”, is anything but soothing or calm as the title would suggest. It hits with a battle-ready chorus as Aurora almost cries out for love to conquer our minds and let light in. It’s another piece where power comes through the intense drums in the background, yet manages to stay vulnerable with Aurora’s vocals and lyrics.
“Under the Water” is an angsty ballad that wonderfully mixes Norwegian folk, heavy drums, and oriental themes as a backdrop, which romanticizes and contemplates drowning in the most haunted way - Under the water we die / Then why do we jump in? / Why do we jump in? Lyrically it is quite unnerving, and once again, shows the deep, troubling undertones of the album.

“Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 1)” is definitely one of the darker songs on the album as it recounts the story of her own death, a tale of mercy killing. I, personally, prefer the acoustic version of the song, which is available on the deluxe version, as that makes the song even eerier and profound, and the lyrics shine through more poignantly, and the overall atmosphere is more vulnerable. Nevertheless, the non-acoustic version still manages to have that deeper undertone, with just a light pop/folk beat in the background and the tempo slightly quickened.

“Home” is a song that touches upon the theme of rebirth, survival, and finding hope. It’s definitely a song, where you feel the Nordic hollowness and force as Aurora sounds like a full-bodied choir that is well harmonized.

And the last song on the non-deluxe version of the album is “Black Water Lilies”. It’s a dreamy, slightly oriental-tuned, and again, drowning-themed ballad. It brims with elements of nature and Aurora’s vocals flow right alongside them.

On the deluxe version, you also get to hear “Half the World Away” – the ever famous Oasis song that Aurora covered for the John Lewis Christmas ad, toning and slowing it down when compared with the original. You also find an acoustic version of “Nature Boy”, previously made famous by Nat King Cole, and David Bowie, who recorded a techno version for Moulin Rouge! However, Aurora manages to make it her own with cello and a guitar as her backdrop.

All in all, I am super glad that I discovered this record, and I feel as though AURORA has made a fantastically strong start for her future self. All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend incredibly showcases her lyrical and vocal genius, as well as sort of redefines what it means to create electro-pop/folk tunes. It combines highs and lows, sorrowful ballads and battle-ready hymns. To me, it’s an amazing piece of work, and tugs at the emotions every listen. 

Anni Sandra Varblane

Son Lux - Bones

I was introduced to Son Lux through the recommendations that YouTube sometimes  presents on its homepage. Although compiled based on the content and music I frequently listen to, the suggestions usually strike a wrong note. Fortunately, they really got it right this time.

Son Lux, aka Ryan Lott is an American producer, collaborator and artist. His works include soundtracks for various films (Paper Towns, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby etc.) and tunes for different commercial projects. Lott is also a member of trip hop group Sisyphus and has additionally been associated with names like Arcade Fire,  Lorde and even Beyonce.

Until 2015 Son Lux was mostly a solo act, but his fourth album Bones demonstrates a collaborative trio composed of guitarist Rafiq Bhatia, drummer Ian Chang and Lott himself. The additions to the group compliment and refine Lott and his unique style, bringing something truly special to the table. The three together produce futuristic and dynamic sounds, creating something quite uncommon.

Defining the style of Son Lux is quite tricky. Especially when assessing Bones and its 11 one-of-a-kind singles. They could be described as electro-chamber pop, trip hop or even post-rock. It is evident that one of the objectives of Son Lux is to experiment, e.g. blend and mix different styles together. Thus it is difficult to point out 1 or 2 dominant approaches.

That been said, the music of Son Lux can be recognized easily.  Lott’s own intense, often robotic vocals are a giveaway.  With past singles and albums (We are Rising, Lanterns) one could also instantly observe how he fiercely harmonizes with different textures, instruments and patterns. It often feels like it is all too much but then you stumble upon singles like “Easy”, which strikes and conquers with its minimalism. Up to now, the track has also been their greatest success.

Bones was released on June 23, 2015. It was right about the same time I discovered Son Lux and I had a wonderful opportunity to go through all 4 albums at the same time and witness how Lott had evolved throughout the years.  Whereas previous albums seemed more experimental and all over the place, Bones definitely tries to tell a cohesive story. Many concepts and messages repeat themselves in different songs and to me, they all represent the main idea – reinveting yourself and discovering one’s true potential. The subject of time is also quite prominent. Bones tries to encourage the listener to seize the day and appreciate the now.

The first single from Son Lux I got to know was “Your Day Will Come”. Sometimes when listening to a new song and hearing just the first couple of seconds of it you know instantly that this is going to be something good.  This was definitely one of those songs and until this day it is still very special to me. I felt like I had found an artist that represents everything I look for in music. The message of the single is strong and it spoke to me right away. It also stands for one of the recurring subjects of the album, “Your Day Will Come” is about breaking free, finding your moment and the courage to shine. It has an enlivening and inspiring effect, although the sound itself can actually be described as dark and at times even a little bit creepy. That is also quite characteristic to Son Lux. “Your Day Will Come” is one of the more simplistic songs from the album and it is a nice change from the heavy drums and electronic blends.

The first full track on the album is “Change is Everything”, which up to now has been the most popular single on Bones. Although Son Lux does not qualify as a mainstream artist, this song is probably the only one that could appeal to mainstream audiences. It is the most pop-sounding and at the same time the most hard-hitting of all the singles. Again, the content refers to the now, the present and what is there to come in the future. ‘’See the bones glow as they break free’’ pretty much summarizes what to me the whole concept of the album is. The song is also accompanied by a simple, yet unique and creative video.

As a contrast to the previous, “You Don’t Know Me” features some intriguing images with Tatiana Maslany and Noah Segan. The general feeling of the song and video combined together is dark, weird and a little bit terrifying. The single is a standout not only for its video but also because similarly to “Your Day Will Come” it is much more simplistic compared to the other tracks. To my mind, Son lux really excels when they go for more simple patterns and textures, since a lot of the other singles get carried away with blending and mixing different sounds together, often making it difficult to listen to.

“You Don’t Know Me” also emerges because of the message behind the video and song.  There are a couple of ways to interpret all of it. The most obvious one leans directly on its haunting lyrics. The line ‘you don’t know me’ is repeated throughout the song and in the video we see Tatiana who is clearly very unhappy with her relationship but pretends to be otherwise in front of her ignorant partner. In the other part of the video she spends her time running a freaky cult of some sort. So, the first idea that comes through is that we really do not know each other all that well even if we have spent half of our lives together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL35e5mwD5I

The director of the video actually wanted to draw attention on the empty rituals that we tend to in life, specifically those that relate to relationships and religion.

Another standout on the album is “Undone”, also accompanied by a powerful video. In this one we see a woman desperately trying to run away from something, we might presume it is an unfavorable romance. If we have a closer look at the lyrics, it is clear that the song addressess issues of identity and insecurity:

You want to say it but your mouth is shut

Oh, something is calling but you won't know what

Who are you

What then will you do?

The single is different from the rest of the album since it is much more jazzy and it highlights the guitar instead of heavy electronic beats. I was quite indifferent to the song before, but after the premiere of the video my mind was changed. It lifted the track to another level and I found a whole new meaning to it.

The album closes with two singles “Now I Want” and “Breathe Out” (a response to the first track on the album “Breathe In”). In the first one the story of time and freedom gets wrapped up with the lyrics  ‘Now I want to be free, Now I want to be free’ performed  until the end of the song. Although  the rest of the lyrics are still quite dark and intense, among all the tracks on the album “Now I Want” is also one of the more uplifting and inspiring tunes. It summarizes the album on a positive note.

Bones is a great album, but it is not something you play when you are trying to relax or unwind. It is often difficult to follow because the intense eletronic rhythms and different textures blended together are just too much to take in. At times it also feels a little bit chaotic and clumsy. Nevertheless, the futuristic album features some true masterpieces, some of which are also accompanied by unique and evocative music videos. Overall, the style and vibe of the album is dark but the main messages coming through are about hope, becoming free and discovering one’s true self. Although some of the tracks do not impress, over half of the album still shines and comes through magnificently. Considering all of the previous, I give Bones a 7.5 out of 10 points. 

Katriin Hint

Explosions in the Sky – The Wilderness (2016)

The Wilderness is the 7th studio release by the American post-rock band Explosions in the Sky. It proves to be most probably one of the softest and subtlest Explosions’ albums so far. The band’s music is known for being a great soundtrack material, they have also specifically written film scores in the past. With the new album their style continues to characterise scenes of sorts – the emotion behind the sound of Explosions’ creation makes it easy to see why their music is largely used in films. The Wilderness also suggests that EITS is discovering new grounds, different ways to look at music, at life in general. The track titles imply that the band is going far dimensions: „Disintegration Anxiety“ may refer to a lift-off, when the sheer force makes one feel like one’s falling to pieces; whereas „Infinite Orbit“ hints that when faced with a multitude of space, ideas and possibilities, the only thing that one can do is to marvel at it all. So as always, Explosions’ music tells a story, it lets the imagination run free, it gives the space for the listener to contemplate, at the same time delivering a symphony of sounds – as they were colors in space.

Although, I doubt whether The Wilderness can be called post-rock anymore: it’s rather different from the majestic greatness that Explosions’ evoked with their earlier albums, that unveiled tracks that were 9–12 minutes in length. Here the longest piece lasts for 7 minutes and 14 seconds, which is a remarkable change, considering that the previous studio album Take Care, Take Care, Take Care featured a track that ran for 10 minutes and 7 seconds.

Obviously one cannot say that the lenght of the piece dictates over how powerful impact the music has on the listener. Don’t get me wrong – The Wilderness still stands for what Explosions’ is known for: its often dream-like disposition can and will suddenly change either into a low guitar rhythm or a sequence of snare drums, bass, electronics and orchestral instruments. Yet the mood is kind of restrained, the listeners aren’t smothered in the sheer mass of instrumental destruction. No, this feels way more laid-back compared to the earlier stuff that the four guys from Austin have released. As it is complex matter to review music that has absolutely no lyrics, I’ll try to describe the different notions I experienced as follows.

(The tracks in perhaps a higher quality)

„Wilderness“ sounds like running through the forest, exploring the surroundings. Maybe stopping every once in awhile to breathe in the moist air. Slowly gathering itself and repeating the rhythm, it gives a great introduction to the journey one’s about to experience when listening to this album. Towards the end of the track the listener is out of the forest, large plains are to be seen as far the eye reaches.

„The Ecstatics“ also has a repeating rhythm that keeps on going throughout the track. It reminds me level music of a vintage video game. The mellow beginning changes mid-part, into a orchestra of instruments, the epic drums play a huge role in creating this ecstatic mood of the track.

„Tangle Formations“ fits most with EITS has done before – the „punch“ is close to the beginning of the track and the guitars and drums go playing almost straight away. There are well-suited parts where the tempo goes down – this isn’t heavy metal, right? – and the mellow guitar rhythms take over. The magic of EITS is noticeable, it is distinctively straightforward.

One of the lengthiest tracks of the album is „Logic Of A Dream“. The second single of The Wilderness has the slow quiet start, but soon the epic dream sequence begins: it seems that EITS had „falling asleep“ in mind when they recorded this track: not in the boring blissful way that a baby falls asleep, but literal falling – from a high-story building or a cliff, into an abyss of dark thoughts and reminisques. At times it does sound like something that would accompany Mccounaughey in the fourth dimension. But then again, much happier tunes take over – perhaps now a baby could rest listening to it. This changes during the last two minutes of the track as one hears some kind of echos – is the dream collapsing?

„Disintegration Anxiety“ is the first single from the album and it features a lot of interesting elements – stangely it was released on the same day that David Bowie left this world. The intro reminds me a mixture of sounds that metal objects would cause when you’re driving past them at high speed – a bridge, the massive skyscrapers of metropolises... Then a guitar follows, which changes into one of the most fascinating sequence of guitars and drums I’ve ever heard. The relatively simple guitar pattern plays almost throughout the track, there’s something awfully catchy in it. The ending brings back the electric guitar and the energetic sound fades away.

„Losing The Light“ – heartbeats from a distance change into guitar static, a piano and a string instrument soon enter. Compared to other tracks is this one very calm and slow. Electronic music insturments are also used in here, as well as this precice rhythm that at times can feel quite monotonous. The title may refer that this is the sound of the setting sun – or, this may be death itself.

„Infinite Orbit“ is one of the most rock-like tracks of the album and with 2 minutes and 38 seconds it is also the shortest audio from the album. Its gradual rise isn’t that impressive and since it only lasts for two and a half minutes, then it feels kind of unfinished – something that certainly isn’t inherent to Explosions in the Sky.

The longest track by 7 minutes and 14 seconds is „Colors In Space“. The introductory features a strange metal cable sound, just as a wire would do after it has been cut. Again a guitar sequence follows. The track mostly inhabits swell, positive-sounding vibrations and at times it feels more like an ambient band. The middle changes considerably as a whole different beat starts playing. Sunny vibes take a different form at the very last minute, which just sounds like a black hole is successfully absorbing you in.

The 9th and final track of The Wilderness, „Landing Cliffs“ is a contemplation on poetry in music – it ... it doesn’t sound post-rock at all, the pace and patience of the track suggest this being the work of Stumbleine, for example – or something that one could find when in search of „relaxing studying music“ from Youtube.

Overall, the album holds together quite nice – there aren’t tracks that differ that much from each other. Somehow a parallel with M83’s Junk comes to mind – an album that dropped only a week after The Wilderness was released. Junk received some pretty harsh reviews, that blabbed about how this was a major detour by M83 and not towards the right direction. Luckily this is not a problem for Explosions in the Sky – sure, they took an excursion from their usual always-a-magnum-opus style to deliver something more private, more solitary; and it paid off. Well, at least mostly it did. The highlights of this album, „Tangle Formations“ and „Disintegration Anxiety“ are distinctively similar to EITS’s music in the past, whilst some other tracks from The Wilderness can sound either boring or tiresome, due to the same rhythm going on and on and on. For breaking a habit and taking a break from the soundtrack business to deliever an album that has some very impressing soundscapes, I’d give The Wilderness 7/10.

Against the Current - Gravity EP (2014) + Wasteland (2016)

Martin Männik

One may think that the age of garage bands are over and the only way to get recognition is to audition for Xfactor or American Idol, but hold on! There’s also Youtube, that’s perfect for unknown bands to get the recognition they deserve. All you need is a camera, a microphone, a laptop and a good song and you’re good to go. That’s exactly how New York’s trio Against the Current did it. In 2014, they uploaded their first EP “Gravity” to Youtube. EP features six songs, that try to bring the borders of rock and pop closer together and is filled with strong emotions. Against the Current is one of these bands that you don’t quite get at first. When listening the EP for the first time, one may not think much of it, but something brings you back to it again and again. All songs on the “Gravity” EP have a weakness – somewhat dull verses, but that’s not bothersome, since they have extremely catchy and powerful choruses.

The EP begins with the track “Gravity”. That is the song that got the band a wider recognition and allowed the band to quit their jobs to pursue the music career. Soon after the release of the song, the band was touring all over the US and Europe. The song starts out with a grungy guitar riff and drum beat that are backing the vocals. Listening to the verse brings “High School Musical” to mind with its simplicity and cliché lyrics about teenage love. However, when the chorus hits, it hits like a hammer and it’s a completely different story. One has to double-check, that it’s Chrissy Costanza, and not Hayley Williams of Paramore, that’s singing. The timbre and the power of the singer’s voice on the higher notes may confuse any listener, that isn’t a fan of the either band.

Rest of the tracks on the EP are standing in the shadow of “Gravity”, since that is the song everybody wants to hear on their live performances.

However, more recent news about Against the Current is that they will be releasing their first full-length album on 20^th of May 2016. The album will be called “In Our Bones” and they have already released three of the songs as teasers of what is yet to come. Here’s one of the songs – “Wasteland”:

When artists stop experimenting with different genres and styles and find something that suits them - that’s when the good stuff is created. That is exactly what Against the Current has done. After almost two years since the release of their “Gravity” EP, the band has stayed true to their pop/rock combo and the result is “Wasteland”.

“Wasteland” has shifted the band’s genre focus slightly towards pop, but rock elements are still clearly present. The verse and pre-chorus are made much more interesting and unpredictable with vocal dynamics. They have also used the old trick of build-up after the first chorus that gives you the concept of “here it comes”, but instead, a regular verse goes on. Furthermore, the chorus doesn’t hit like hammer this time. However, the instrumental part after the second chorus drops a very powerful mix of different effects and sounds, and the outcome is awesome if you have a sub-woofer or good headphones at home.

The outro features the same instrumental part and adds this to the chorus. The outcome is a bit too much of everything in one part of the song, however a good song should have some kind of culmination.

In conclusion, it is good to see that the band has matured a bit in these two years since the release of “Gravity” and has collected a lot of experience on and off stage. A lead singer with a powerful voice and a good songwriter make this band one to watch. If they can keep this up and don’t stray from their path, the trio will go far. Their upcoming debut album will show, if the rest of the album keeps up with their pre-released sneakpeek.

Of Monsters and Men - My head is an animal (2011)

Martin Männik

When Of Monsters and Men was first formed in 2010, Reykjavik, Iceland, nobody could anticipate such success for the group. It all began when lead singer and guitarist Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and her friend Brynjar Leifsson who plays an electric guitar, decided to form a band. Soon after they met Ragnar Þórhallsson, who also sings and plays acoustic guitar, and drummer Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson. Together they went on and won Músíktilraunir in 2010, an annual battle of the bands competition in Iceland. After that two more members – bass and keys, joined the band.

It was not long before the group produced their first single “Little Talks”, which was a huge hit. The single alternates male and female vocals, which meet at the chorus and merge into a perfect chemical reaction. Single also features trumpets and with six members, the band may look like a small orchestra, but still they manage to keep the mix of many different sounds light and catchy. It was “Little Talks” that received radio-air play and got the band worldwide recognition.

In 2011, the band released their first full-length album “My head is an animal”. After the album kicks off with “Dirty Paws”. The song starts with delicate guitar plucking, what is soon joined by Nanna’s and Brynjar’s soft vocals. Just as the listener starts to think that this is one of those pleasant guitar melody and vocals duos, the drummer kicks off and the song picks up the pace. The opening song is followed by “King and Lionheart”, which, as the title suggest, is a song about valor and bravery. The lyrics were written by Nanna for her little brother, telling him that they will always have each other’s backs. Again, it opens with vocals and strumming of the guitar, but others quickly join in and make your foot tap along with the drum beat.

At this point, as the album progresses, it is clear that its strengths are perfect blending of the vocals that complement one-another, catchy melodies and mysterious lyrics. Throughout the whole album, an array of Nordic features are quietly served to the listener in the background, such as howling wind, creaking sounds, but also snow and Viking heraldry in the videos. Even most of the lyrics make you imagine a fairytalish (if that’s a word) land with brisk weather, tall mountains and different creatures. It almost feels like the band has written melodies for Icelandic folk tales and sings them out. The album screams Iceland in its every aspect. For example the album’s first track “Dirty Paws” was used in the movie “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”. The song was used as a background track for a scene, where Ben Stiller rides a bike on a lonely road in the middle of Icelandic wilderness, and the combo felt so right, that not even Björk could have pulled that one off.

In conclusion the album “My head is an animal” is an impressive debut. It’s full of emotional lyrics, dynamic vocals, mysterious but beautiful instrumental sounds and melodies. It’s one of those albums that sound good played live in front of a huge audience, but sound even better whilst sitting around the campfire at night. Indie-folk seems to have picked up and gaining popularity and the bands of that genre seem to have reached wider audiences.

Archive – Controlling Crowds (2009)

Martin Eisenschmidt

Controlling Crowds is the sixth studio album of the British trip-hop progressive / alternative group Archive which was released worldwide on March 30, 2009.
The album is divided into three different parts and the group originally wanted to also include a fourth part, which was later released as “Controlling Crowds – Part IV” on October 19 of the same year.
As the album is divided into parts by Archive, it is arguable they tried to tell a story with the album. The name of the album, the lyrical content and the music, all invoke a feeling of an Orwellian dictator society. The first song already starts with a very repetitive synth that feels just a little uneasy yet mesmerising.
Repetition is actually a fairly important tool, which Archive employs in many of their tracks, to further advance the Orwellian theme. In the song Bullets, during the final parts of the song, the lyrics start repeating the words “personal responsibility”, yet after a while the lyrics have changed to “personal response insanity”. In the track “Dangervisit”, while the background vocals repeat “Feel, trust, obey”, the main vocalist starts singing “swing your love, swing your love, swing your love, swing it” which changes into “sleep along” (sounds like a play on the classic remark “wake up sheeple!”, whenever conspiracy theories are talked about). The changes were so subtle, that they escaped me during my first listens.
Musically, Controlling Crowds ranges from progressive rock tracks to your stereotypical hip-hop background tracks to ambient ballads. It is definitely not an easy to listen album, as it requires you to pay attention to really appreciate and notice the changes and additions to the mood and ambience the group tries to make. This is further made more difficult by the fact that the average track length is about six minutes (ranging from 3.5 minutes up to 10 minutes) and many tracks employ musical repetition to build said atmosphere and to hide the changes made to it. This means, that while listening to the tracks as a background music while walking or driving, it is hard to appreciate them all, yet some songs have a haunting enough theme to still be stuck in your head long after you have stopped listening.

Go crazy, punch a higher floor (FURTHER UPDATED)

I did announce a session at the end of our last meeting but this change of plan is quite obvious - for next Wednesday, let's read Simon Reynolds on Prince...

...and here's some listening to go with it

Also, a different, technical angle by Tom Moon.

NEW! Nestor ja Morna (or this time solely Nestor) presented this selection of rare&unreleased tracks + Prince's 1984 birthday live. And here's more on Camille by Derek Walmsley.

Un Homme et... un Pop (UPDATED)

No class this week but for next Wednesday, please read and compare reviews for "Post Pop Depression" by Iggy Pop (feat Josh Homme):

NEW! A little primer for brushing up on Iggy's earlier oeuvre