il Buono, il Brutto, il AlbumArto: Tim Buckley

il Buono, il Brutto, il AlbumArto.

Take a band. Take its album cover highlights. Take its album cover lowlights.
Swish it all around in your mouth. Comment.


Tim Buckley

I must be a sucker for live images because once again I prefer an in-action photograph of the performer over any of the posed shots. This is the cover to The Copenhagen Tapes, a live recording from a 1968 performance in Denmark. I like how Buckley's black shirt camouflages him with the black background, and the only thing you can really see clearly is his head cocked to the side as croons one of his soul-stirring love songs (or one of his manic jazz-edelic pieces). There's some emotion being presented here, and I like my album covers to emote.



This is the cover to Buckley's final studio album, 1974's Look at the Fool. It'd be too easy to make a comment regarding the album title, so I'll instead direct my jabs at the artwork itself. Cal Schenkel, who did a lot of awesomely weird art design for the Mothers of Invention, is credited with the art direction here. I don't know if that means he painted the picture himself or commissioned a freelance artist who showcases all of his work at his uncle's Wyoming trading post. I like to think this is part of a larger picture with wolves howling at the moon, maybe a couple deer grazing in a nearby field, and it's all printed on some grandmother's sweater.

From Buckley's final album to his very first, take a look at his self-titled debut, released in 1966 when he was only 19-years-old. I imagine he sent the same image to a number of local fashion agencies. I like that wall for some reason, probably because it appears incompletely painted. In fact, if that's fresh paint then the young Buckley has just ruined the back of his turtle neck. He is a handsome figure standing there (a somewhat awkward figure as well), but is that garish tweed jacket eating him? What's going on here?

MMFRR#13 -- The Lakeside Is For Killers

Often, in lieu of actual people wanting to be my Myspace friends, I get piles of friend requests from bands and musicians attempting to get me to check 'em out/attend their shows/join their street teams. Naturally a great bulk of these bands are awful and I want nothing to do with them, yet the requests keep coming. As a mild form of revenge I have decided to review these bands. Welcome to another therapeutic entry of what I like to call Myspace Music Friends Request Review.

I have often wondered what the lakeside is for. I would have guessed fishing or a nice picnic. Nope. The Lakeside is for Killers.

(Careful, heavy flannel will always tip a picture over)

This entry, lucky number 13, is a special one. Drummer Nich specifically asked me to review his band for this particular purpose. I was all, "Are you sure, 'cause what if you suck?" And he was all, "Bring it!" And I was all, "Fine, I will." And he was all... actually, this conversation never happened, but he still wanted me to check out the band, be they awesome, awful, or otherwise. Anything for promotion's sake, I guess. There really is no such thing as bad publicity.

I've often been leery of local bands no matter where I've lived, and it's a terrible bias to have. A band doesn't have to be from a major metropolitan area in order to be good, but I've had to sit through too many not-at-all-good small-town local openers to assume otherwise. Of course now I must remind myself that the "town" in which I currently live has a metro area of half-a-million people and these reservations I have don't make any sense anyway.

I'm still hesitant to publicly review a local band though because if the members don't like what I have to say THEY KNOW WHERE I LIVE. There are five members in TLIFK, only one of me, and I sure don't know any kung-fu.

Am I leading up to another dismal review of another dismal Myspace band? Let's take a look at the evidence.

- Bogged down Myspace? Check, somewhat. It still slows down my computer, but I've seen much, much worse.
- South Park illustrations of band members? Check. For some reason I freakin' hate that.
- No "real" website? Check. And no, Purevolume.com doesn't count. Invest in your own dang domain! (As I write this on Blogger.com).

Otherwise there's not much else to complain about, and these items are nitpicky anyway.

But what about the music?
They've got all the explosive stops and starts of metalcore, but the vocal delivery of southern rock. We could amalgamate the terms and call it drrtycore™. I like the call-and-responses, I like the guitar work, I like the change in rhythms, and I like the screamy bits. I like that the backup vocalists are capable of good screams even though this isn't really a screamy band, per se. I like the songwriting. This is good stuff. These songs are also very well recorded considering they're just demos.

Also, bonus points for naming a song after a "Double Indemnity" quote. You're just a little taller.

I wish there were more than two songs because I certainly want to hear more. I mean, I have heard more (a live performance at the freezing cold Embassy in London), but I would like to hear more studio-quality recordings. Post more songs, fools. Get on that.

And thank you for disproving the notion that all local bands, at least in this municipality, suck.

I give The Lakeside Is For Killers
8 Walter Neffs out of 10.

"You're Not Smarter, Walter, You're Just A Little Taller" (.mp3)

2005

It's far easier to pick five great songs from the 1950's when there were only, like, ten albums released every year (half of which belonged to Frank Sinatra) than it is to choose five great songs from within the past couple years as there are literally hundreds of thousands of LPs and EPs and singles and samplers and CD-Rs currently being produced. So, after a painstaking narrowing-down process, here are five completely awesome songs from 2005.


Sleater-Kinney - Jumpers
This is a rockin' catchy little ditty, but if you pay attention to the lyrics you'll find something terribly sad going on. I'd explain it all to you but listening and experiencing the story yourself is half the fun. I will point out that all the verses save the last are told in first person present tense. The last verse is told in first person past tense, effectively (and tragically) concluding the song and story. Adding another layer of finality to the song is the fact that it appears on Sleater-Kinney's final studio album, The Woods.


El Perro Del Mar - Party
Instead of sad lyrics sung to an upbeat tune, here we have happy lyrics set to a sad tune. "Come on over, baby, there's a party going on." Yeah! "Be-bop, Be-bop-a-lula." That's right, rock it like Gene Vincent! But before you include this onto the rockin' portion of your party mix you should first consider the moderately slow tempo, the moderately lo-fi recording, and the moderately wispy vocals of Sarah Assbring. Moderate, yes, but catchy as all get-out. I don't know about you, but this song gets stuck in my head for days at a time.

Discover America - Green Eyes
Chris Staples... with beats and loops! But his lyrical wit and his unique take on love songs remain. Also unique, at least compared to Staples previous efforts, is the feel of this song. There are several layers of electro-thumpety-thump underlying everything and it creates an interesting, almost-but-not-really foggy atmosphere. Lyrically this is a song about that unapproachable ultra-hip scene goddess who (the twist!) is not as snobbish as you might think. She's not impressed, but she's so polite.


Christian Kjellvander - Drunken Hands
Kjellvander is Sweden's answer to Richard Buckner, but in my world I can accept them both. Also acceptable are songs that begin quietly and conclude loudly -- "build-up" songs. "Drunken Hands" begin with Kjellvander's deep and warbled voice setting a mid-western scene. He goes on to describe something I can't put my finger on (but still very obviously bleak) as the music builds behind him. The final minute is head-nodding bliss, a surprising guitar-chug that could go on forever.


Animal Collective - Grass
Some Animal Collective songs go on for dozens of minutes. I can't handle that. There's only so much ambient pseudo-earthy rhythmic indie whateverness I can take in one sitting. But this... clocking in at just under three minutes, "Grass" is absolutely perfect and is a great song to fire you up if you ever need to run a race or wrestle a gorilla or sprint through a brick wall. I have absolutely no idea what this song is about, but like good poetry there's a sensation and/or indescribable imagery painted by the words. Couple that with the unique sound of the song itself and you've got yourself a tune that is experienced rather than just heard.

The Letter T

In this series I spotlight five bands and/or artists whose names begin with the same letter. I try to feature active (or recently active... it's hard to keep current with all the break-ups) performers so as to reflect who I'm listening to and enjoying at the moment.

T

Tegan & Sara
Gulity pleasure? They were until The Con, which is unabashedly awesome, was released. Now there's nothin' guilty about 'em. On the surface they appear to be a gimmick (twins! from Canada!) but they're quite serious about their music and have steadily matured with each full-length release. Again, 2007's The Con is a very good collection of songs and I look forward to whatever it is they're planning to release later this year. As far as their music sound goes they've done a couple electrobeat-heavy songs and, at the other end of the spectrum, some acoustic-punk, but mostly it's sleek tinny-voiced post-new wave indie rock. Also, they rock the mullets, and there ain't nothin' you can say about that.
"Back In Your Head (Tyler Fedchuk's 1/2 ALIVE Disco Remix)"


Tilly and the Wall
Speaking of gimmicks... Tapdancing! Regardless of what you think, tapdancing does make the percussion more interesting and it does make their live shows that much more fun to watch. Tilly and the Wall are fun to listen to as well, thanks to that tappity-tap-tap. Most of their songs, in fact, utilize the toe-tapping in lieu of a drum set proper. And, for whatever it's worth they've been on Sesame Street. Is that considered selling out?
Go to their Team Love Records page for a handful of downloadable .mp3s, including:
"Cacophony"
and, if you're not a fan of the taps,
"The Freest Man (CSS Remix)"


Two Gallants
"Two Gallants" is a James Joyce short story about two young Irish men who fancy themselves players (i.e. "playas") and think nothing of using women to aquire money and cigars. But according to the dictionary a gallant is a noble and chivalrous individual. See what Mr. Joyce did there? This doesn't have much to do with these Two Gallants who compose and perform some very excellent bluesyalternamericanafolkcountry music. Murder ballads and the like. They are a bit of a throwback, but only in the best possible way.
There's a lot of music and video up for grabs on their website. Highlights:
"Las Cruces Jail (Radio Edit)" (a song that will tear your face off)
"Waves of Grain" (a nine-minute epic)



Rosie Thomas
In every interview with Thomas I've read she cracks jokes and is all funny and stuff. She has, in fact, dabbled in stand-up comedy. Then you listen to her music and it sounds so serious and diary-honest. I can't reconcile the two and have decided to treat her as two different people: Rosie Thomas the witty and charming individual, and Rosie Thomas the heart-on-her-sleeve singer/songwriter.
You can stream These Friends of Mine in its entirety over at Virb.com. I like "Much Farther to Go".
Also stream all of If Songs Could Be Held. My favorite there is "Pretty Dress".
There's also her Christmas album if, Lord help you, you're still in the Christmas spirit.
She's also done a lot of backup vocals for Damien Jurado and Sufjan Stevens and others, so she'll often sneak in when you least expect her.
And finally:
"Leftover Coffee"
"Wages of Sin" (a Bruce Springsteen cover with Damien Jurado)


Trenches
Trenches are a sludgy hardcore-ish band from Indiana. For a while their only claim to fame was owning Haste The Day's former lead vocalist. Then they started releasing snippets of music over the Internet. Then they signed to SolidState Records. Then they released a full-length album. Now their claim to fame is being really stinkin' good. There are some doom influences (everything sounds better when it's doomed), a bit of ye olde 'core, some metal, and a lot of atmosphere.
Stream whatever they've got on their Myspace.
"Eyes Open (demo)"

The Goods of '08

For better or worse another calendar year has come to an end and now we turn our thoughts backward. There was some good music, there was lots of bad music, and there was much more I completely missed. I'm usually a year behind the trends anyway.

Here're my '08 faves, albums that resonated especially well with me. Go talk to Pitchfork if you want a "Best Of" list ('cause they will tell you what you like, and you will just have to deal with it). (Pitchfork motto: "We're easy to hate on!)


The Baseball Project
Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails
It's tough for me to deny an album completely dedicated to baseball. These songs hearken back to the good ol' days of the game with songs about its stars (Ted Williams, Satchel Paige) and its tragic figures (Ed Delahanty). Each toe-tapping tune tells a poignant story and each one is surprisingly informational. By the end of "Harvey Haddix" you'll have memorized a handful of players who have thrown perfect no-hit games.
"Jackie's Lament"

Crystal Castles
Crystal Castles
The opening track has a surprising groove to it and puts to question what the remainder of the album may sound like. The remainder of the album, of course, is full of the 2-bit hemorrhage-inducing electro-core that we've all come to love, but this time with a disco bent. Completely awesome.
"Untrust Us"



Forest Fire
Survival
Do you know what makes a good album better? When it's FREE. Check out Survival in its entirety by going HERE. If you like them (and you should) then donate some cash moneys. The tunes themselves are a bit swarthy, a bit folksy, very woodsy, inexplicably sad... if you like Blitzen Trapper then you'll appreciate what these guys do to your ears.
"I Make Windows"


Fulton Lights
The Way We Ride
Do you know what makes another good album better? When it's ALSO FREE. Click HERE to scoop up the goodies (and be sure to thank Catbird Records for all the freebies). Anyway, Fulton Lights: The Way We Ride... hazey and dark but with enough groove to keep your attention. This was my surprise find of the year and I highly recommend giving this one a listen.
"This Is The Way We Ride"


Jenny Lewis
Acid Tongue
I was disappointed by 2006's Rabbit Fur Coat (though it did have a couple very excellent moments), but I was (and continue to be) blown away by Acid Tongue. The ballads are quiet but sincere, and the entire album plays out like a wacky confessional. It's the upbeat songs that will really get you going, though. Can you scoot your boots to a song called "Jack Killed Mom"? Oh, yes you can. On the whole Acid Tongue is a lot of fun. In addition to being so dang good it also features guest performers M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel and Elvis Costello.
"Acid Tongue"

Jesper Norda
Little Ones EP
Another freebie. Thank goodness for the Internet. Go HERE for these five songs plus a handful of bonus ones. These tunes are sparse, all ballads, and often just feature a piano and Norda's no-frills voice.
"Tomorrow You Will Be Forgiven But Tonight You Will Have Your Teeth Knocked Out"




Kathleen Edwards
Asking For Flowers
Despite containing the one (and only one) K.E. song I don't care for, Asking For Flowers is her best album. Sure, I'll pass on "Cheapest Key", but I can't pass anything else. A few of these songs fall into the social commentary category ("Alicia Ross", "Oh Canada") while the rest are about strained relationships and, uh, shooting cats. As you can see by this Last.fm chart I listened to this album last year way more than I listened to any other full-length release.
"Scared At Night"

Ladytron
Velocifero
Velocifero picks up where Witching Hour left off three years ago (and it's about time) but with way more Bulgarian. There's more of the cloudy/muddy electronic instrumentation that made Witching Hour great, but the delivery here is, like in their earlier releases, more deliberate. The songs here are murky but clear, dense but obvious. I don't know if that makes any sense to you. Whatever, it doesn't matter. Just listen and enjoy.



The Out_Circuit
Pierce the Empire With a Sound
It's been five years since Nathan Burke released an Out_Circuit full-lengther, and thankfully it was worth the wait. There's lots of mellow-but-uneasy music-to-fill-the-lull-just-before-the-bloody-apocalypse stuff, but there's also a fair bit of tortured screaming. Fun for everybody! That's drummer extraordinaire Matt Johnson bangin' out some of those beats, and Sean Ingram from Coelesce making your ears bleed on "The Fall of Las Vegas". Stream 6/10ths of the album on Virb.com HERE.
"Come Out Shooting"