May is always an
eventful month, given all the people I know that have birthdays this month,
plus Mother's Day and Memorial Day. This year, May saw a lot of new
albums too. Of course, anyone with ears or eyes knows that Daft Punk's
"Random Access Memories" came out last month. Daft Punk is
undeniably awesome, but I must admit that listening to their new release is
still on my to-do list (I have heard "Get Lucky" though and I don't
see what all the fuss is about... pleasedon'thurtme). But there were
three album release days marked on my calendar last month, and as May is officially
over now, I thought I'd do a recap.
Noah and the Whale: Heart
of Nowhere
May 6, 2013
Noah and the Whale have never been a band to make the same album over and over again. Their first, Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down, was folky and morbidly bright, full of happy-sounding sad songs, which are my favorite kinds of songs. Laura Marling was harmonizing and lending a delicate air to the band. Then she left the band and broke Charlie Fink's heart and holed up in a church to write the heartbreakingly beautiful The First Days Of Spring, which balances the pain with suites of orchestral arrangements which yes, evoke bright sunny days after a long winter. Their third, Last Night On Earth, while it definitely showcased Tom Hobden's signature violin prowess, was a significant departure from the folk beginnings and had a more electronic-y rock-pop sound. Most of the album is stories of multiple characters, seemingly reflecting on their lives and mistakes and moving on from the past. It's very easy to sing along to and plays very well live.
Their latest, Heart
of Nowhere, is similar to the band's last album in that it is more
rock-influenced and tells stories of characters; this time it seems to follow
the same characters from adolescence through their respective comings of age.
Like First Days of Spring, the band has made a short film to
accompany the album, about a futuristic dystopian society where all teenagers
are quarantined from society until they reach adulthood. The album seems
to follow the path of teenage dreams of escape into the world, plans of love
and happiness that seem just on the horizon, only for those dreams to fizzle
out and fade away with age, leaving the protagonists with regret. The
story is nice and has its poignant moments, some songs have sing-along
potential, but musically I can't say that I'm terribly impressed. The
members of Noah and the Whale are undoubtedly good at what they do, and Charlie
Fink's quavering voice always gets me right *here*, but this album doesn't have
a uniquely NATW sound; in fact, much of the album sounds like 80s pop-rock,
like an understated Springsteen perhaps. It doesn't seem like anything
new or different or exciting, at least to me. The first track,
"Heart of Nowhere," which features Anna Calvi on vocals, is the most
likely crowd-pleaser, and the lyrics of "Silver and Gold" personally
resonate with me, but there aren't many obvious stand-out tracks. The
album isn't exactly flat, but there's not much drama nor surprises. I'd
say it's a decent album, just not their best. That said, I still can't
wait for them to come to Chicago so I can see them live again.
(Hopefully this review
won't prejudice you against Noah and the Whale if you were previously
unfamiliar with them. They're a wonderful band.)
Vampire Weekend: Modern
Vampires of the City
May 14, 2013
Modern Vampires is the band's most experimental and edgy--can you even call Vampire Weekend edgy? I'm not sure--album so far. It sounds more like something you'd listen to while speeding through the city or dancing at a rock club than frolicking on a sunny beach on the Gulf, such as their previous two records. It has a good balance of upbeat and mellow songs, and is something you could put on at a party without someone objecting or changing the song. I listened to it this morning on my commute to work and it set a happy tone for the day.
There's Vampire
Weekend's signature sprinkling of odd and cheeky lyrics ("I'm ready for
the house/Such a modest mouse") that occasionally promote inter-religious
harmony ("An orthodox girl fell in love with a guy at the falafel shop/And
why not?") and the motivation for shaving. "Worship You"
is an absolute tongue-twister of a song, and reminds me a lot of King Charles
(just look him up--you're welcome). Perhaps the title "Obvious
Bicycle", the first track on the album, sets the tone for bizarre
word-play. The instrumentation is just as quirky, and it's hard to tell
exactly what you're listening to, machine or musician. "Hudson"
appropriately sounds like you're at the bottom of the cold Hudson Bay and the
distorted vocals on "Diane Young" are silly in a good way.
Rostam Batmanglij talked in an interview about playing with effects for
this album that can be repeated in their live shows, and I bet their tour of
this album will be fantastic.
To sum up, Modern
Vampires of the City shows that Vampire Weekend is constantly
improving and its members are talented without taking themselves too seriously.
The album is well-crafted and fun and will be brilliant live.
Laura Marling: Once
I Was An Eagle
May 28, 2013
You know I can't shut up
about Laura Marling. But if you've listened to her you understand why.
From her first album it was evident that she was an artist to pay
attention to. Her striking lyrics matched with her intricate and powerful
acoustic fingerpicking cut right to the core, somehow making you feel very
melancholy yet somehow happy at the same time. Her new album Once
I Was An Eagle is her best yet. It's the turning point album
that 20 years from now, every music lover will have in their collection, the
album music snobs will stare at you, mouths agape, for not having heard.
It's good. Really good. It's difficult to
believe that this is the same person who played with Noah and the Whale just
five years ago. Her precociousness has become wisdom, her bright,
youthful voice now husky and deep. She's not so much singing as emoting;
every line is delivered carefully and deliberately, every word integral to her
message. The instrumentation is kept simple but hardly seems that way,
such is the power with which it is used. You would be doing yourself
a disservice not to listen to this album in order, start to finish. The
songs flow into one another, all connected through themes of heartbreak, love,
temptation, and regret. Once I Was An Eagle proves that
Marling defies genre: here you can find folk, jazz, bluegrass, rock, blues,
even Spanish guitar. There’s something for everyone.
The album begins with a
suite of four songs which were brought to life in the short film, When
Brave Bird Saved. They deal with the beginnings of heartbreak, of
resentment and regret. Rosie, the main character, bids her lover leave
her mind as she swears off romance. She is full of regret and chides
herself for being so naïve. Following the suite is "Master
Hunter," in which she makes the claim that she's "cured her skin so
nothing gets in/Nothing, not as hard as it tries." She is defiant
and sneering, asserting her new tough shell. She finds herself caving
again though, trying to maintain her tough skin, wary of new love but desiring
it all the same: “I can’t seem to say/I’d like you to stay.” She
becomes a temptress, a sultry sinner in “Devil’s Resting Place,” a dark and
driving track that sounds like a train fast approaching. She
inevitably looks to change course, wishes again for naivety, and searches for
love. You can hear echoes of Bob Dylan in “Where Can I Go” and a
hint of Joni Mitchell (who Marling has been compared to from the
beginning). Rosie hesitantly stumbles into love again, asking “How
does he make love seem sweet/Isn’t that some heavy feat?” in “Love Be
Brave.” The end of the album consists of Rosie reflecting on all
that’s happened through the album’s journey. The final track, “Saved
These Words,” is like the prize at the end of a long treasure hunt. I
think it’s the best track on the album. It is grand and confident
and concludes the album perfectly. She shout-sings “You weren’t my
curse/Thank you naivety, for failing me again!” And so begins again the
eternal cycle.
