Sunday, November 22, 2009
7th review in-progress
The albums Somebody Outside, Separation Road, and Halfway to Fivepoints by Anna Ternheim!
Prior Experience:
Artist- Fairly familiar with her work and sound
Albums- Listened mostly to Somebody Outside
This is the first case of genuinely familiar territory, though most of my attention has been given to Somebody Outside. The other two albums pose a slight problem, because they contain several of the same tracks (Halfway to Fivepoints was her US debut, comprised of a combination of some songs from the other albums, along with original material or songs found on EPs and singles) so I'll do both of those as a single entry. Anna released another album in 2008 entitled Leaving on a Mayday, which I will try to acquire to review by the time I finish with her other albums.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Animal Collective surprise double feature! - Strawberry Jam and Merriweather Post Pavilion
1. Peacebone
First of all, this album gets bonus points for its optical-illusion cover art.
This is by far the most accessible of the three albums by Animal Collective that I have listened to. Where as the previous two entries can easily be described as "weird", this album finds a better fit with terms like "surreal" and "ambient". The song structure has become more reserved, with much less in the "unexpected outburst" department. Luckily, I find that this shift in presentation does not taint the core of what makes Animal Collective worth listening to. The unique flavor of the band still shines through.
Merriweather Post Pavilion also differs from its predecessors by way of having a more cohesive as a complete album. There are many cases of the end of one song bleeding into the beginning of the next, making start-to-finish listening of the album more enjoyable.
In summary, if you want to check out Animal Collective but aren't sure you can handle the odd style, start here. If you can handle this, then move to the other, more eccentric albums. If this is as weird as you'll go, there's still plenty to love here. And if this is just too odd for you, well... lighten up!
Sounds like: Battles
-Track Listing-
1. In The Flowers
2. My Girls
3. Also Frightened
4. Summertime Clothes
5. Daily Routine
6. Bluish
7. Guys Eyes
8. Taste
9. Lion In A Coma
10. No More Runnin
11. Brother Sport
Best- My Girls, Also Frightened, Summertime Clothes, Bluish, Brother Sport
Worst- Taste
Links:
My Girls video, Very trippy and odd, but business as usual for Animal Collective.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Animal Collective - Feels
1. Did You See The Words
Monday, November 2, 2009
*Update* Reviews Four, Five, and Six!
The albums Feels, Strawberry Jam, and Merriweather Post Pavillion, all by Animal Collective!
This is the first case where I have more than one album by the featured artists, so I've decided to do each album as an individual entry rather than lumping them together. These albums are the group's three most recent LP releases, with five full-length albums before them. If I find I like Animal Collective, I will acquire the rest of their work and comment at some point on their music as a whole.
An Angle - The Truth Is That You Are Alive
Monday, October 26, 2009
*Update* Third review soon to come!
The album The Truth Is That You Are Alive by An Angle!
Prior Experience:
Artist- Listened to a little bit
Album- Listened to a little bit
This album has been in my collection for a while, but it's barely been listened to. Now I'm going to decide for good whether or not it's worth keeping.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Anathallo - Canopy Glow
It's very fresh for me to listen to a band that relies sparingly on guitar work but instead runs on a more orchestral sound, particularly brass instruments like trumpet and trombone. I love the guitar and the huge scope of sounds it can make, but I like hearing less popular instruments get some attention. Anathallo makes this very natural, instead of giving off a "Hey look at us we use uncommon instruments just so we stand out" vibe. It's also worth noting that all of the members of this group sing, so they have a lot of voices to draw on instead of always having to turn to layered vocals (which aren't inherently bad, but have to be judged on a case-by-case basis if you ask me).
If you want a strong example of the flavor of the band, turn to the fourth track, The River. It is by far my favorite song on the album, in part because it touches down on everything the band can do, especially their talent for build-up. The album derives its name from the lyrics of this song, and that quality is well-earned.
Sounds Like: Sufjan Stevens, Arcade Fire, Stars, The New Pornographers
-Track Listing-
1. Noni's Field
2. Italo
3. Northern Lights
4. The River
5. Cafetorium
6. Sleeping Torpor
7. All the First Pages
8. John J. Audubon
9. Bells
10. Tower of Babel
Notable Tracks:
Best- Noni's Field, Italo, The River, Bells
Worst- N/A, every piece of music on this album is a well-polished gem.
Links:
The River- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yTlfWv_Mb0
Bells- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EULo90bOGq0