Last evening Badly Drawn Boy took to the pulpit of First Unitarian Church’s sanctuary for a nearly full house. I’ve missed opportunities to see Damon Gough in the past so I was excited to finally be in town for his gig. If you’re not familiar with the name you’re still probably familiar with Gough’s music – he wrote the soundtrack for About A Boy and has had songs featured on a number of commercials. In the 10 years he’s been releasing recorded material he’s travel quite a trajectory of musical development; proving his ability to create wonderful little worlds with his lyrics and arrangements. After catching yesterday’s hour plus set I’m disappointed to say the magic of his work remains mostly in his recorded work.
To open the solo set he nibbled at the songs most familiar to the audience – pieces from About A Boy & his album Have You Fed The Fish- but there was admitted discomfort with playing some of the songs because he had grown accustomed to playing with a band. While he was a bit weak to start he eventually found his footing and was at his best when it was just him and his guitar. That was when you could really hear the layers in his arrangements and pay attention to the delicacy of his lyrics. “I’ll Carry On,” a song written for the BBC movie Fattest Man In Britain, was a prime example of Gough talent for setting a vivid emotional scene without exploiting it. After playing a good mix of his earlier stuff he began to pull out some of the new pieces from It’s What I’m Thinking pt 1 his most recent release. It quickly started going down hill.
The newer material lacks the charm and creativity that has always appealed to me in Badly Drawn Boy’s work. At times it felt too much like tired hippy pop of the mid nineties and at others it was weak aimless soundscapes void of any real hook . To help fill out these new track Gough brought a guitarist and bassist on stage to join him which really only muddied the waters. There clearly wasn’t much time for the trio to practice which left made it feel like an unraveling jam session. I would have much rather the solo set had remained a true solo set. Even if it meant dropping some of the effects and depth I think it would have made to last part of the set manageable. Alas, with the chaos of accompaniment unfamiliar with the material left me feeling rather anxious and disappointed.
While it is brave stuff to explore new territory I would hope that Gough doesn’t sacrifice the essence of what makes him a notable songwriter – his lyrics & unique arrangements.
As I am busy combing through the last 12 months of music and shows trying to figure out to fit this fantastic year of music into a respectable recap I thought I would give you a few of the delicious covers that I’ve discovered lately. So dig in, listen carefully and enjoy.
Dynamite (Taio Cruz Cover) – Sarah Winters
Go (Daniel Johnston cover) – Sparkelhorse + Flaming Lips
The Wrote And The Writ (Johnny Flynn cover) – Laura Marling
Sleepyhead (Passion Pit cover) – Emil & Friends
My Doorbell (White Stripes cover) – Strangefolk
Radioactive (Kings Of Leon cover) – Cee-lo Green
Pull My Heart Away (Jack Penate cover) – Alex Winston
I Love You Always Forever (Donna Lewis cover) – Jukebox The Ghost
Lisbon, the new album from The Walkmen, is the group doing what they do best; providing a fully tailored neo-retro musical experience. The five piece from D.C. has been plugging away creating well thought out indie pop albums for 5+ years and while they may not be straying into major new territory they continue to live up to the reputation their early releases, like the impressive Bows + Arrows and P***y Cats, established.
The Walkmen’s loose but carefully structured sound – created by snappy guitars, captivating strings, rich horns, concise percussion and keys played with the appropriate amount of swagger – was incredibly distinct when they first emerged. Now that every third band “breaking” onto the scene is claiming some sort of retro lo-fi angle it is easy for them to get lost in the shuffle. However, with Lisbon the group proves what sets them apart is not only a dedication to their sonic aesthetic but also to the level of skill required to make it a true experience and not just a song.
The Walkmen isn’t a group for an anxious listener. You have to be fairly chill – or at least open to the prospect of becoming chill- really appreciate the levels of wonder their structure and delivery can reveal. Whether it is a cool track like “Torch Song” or “Stranded” which swagger with a steady confidence – achieved mainly by the interplay between the assertive guitars and solid percussion- or an epic ballad like “Blue As Your Blood”, whose full emotional weight is accomplished by the rise and fall of tautly executed instrumentals, you’re not going absorb the true wealth of The Walkman’s offering. Listen carefully and you will notice the mask Hamilton Leithauser’s affected croon places over the chorus of horns clean and simple bass line on “Stranded;” if the vocals were to be pulled away it would be an entirely different song. Or, close your eyes and take in the full soundscape being created with the waltz like “While I Shovel Snow.”
If you only give Lisbon a cursory listen you’re apt to find it a little tedious and too much like all the other “retro” bands out there; and I admit perhaps the greatest weakness of this album is that it doesn’t immediately set itself apart from the masses, or even their own previous work. However, if you make some time to really dig into the layers being offered up on Lisbon you’ll find yourself wrapped in astounding music.
Shaking Through, the Philly based music project that allows artists the opportunity to create and produce a track with some of the finest folks and equipment in the biz, has just wrapped their first season and have set their sights on 2011. It was a remarkable first year and in order for next year to be just as stellar even more awesome they’ve launched a kickstarter campaign.
I know many of you are stretching the dollars for the holidays but if you have a few extra bucks might I suggest donating them to this excellent cause.
So delightfully creepy; this video proves that not even gruesome imagery can fight the smile evoking tunes La Sera is coming to be known for. The group, fronted by Vivian Girls’ Katy Goodman, has been busy cranking out the ditties with a 7″ that dropped November 17th and a full album due out February 15th on Hardly Art. Yeah, it’s a long time to wait but the 7″ is truly worth it and will tide you over til you get the full enchilada.
[MP3] Never Come Around
I really dig what The Agitator is doing both socially and musically. He uses his music to bring awareness to social/political issues and even considers his live performances an act of protest. As you can see in this video he is actually really good at bringing people together too. The even more remarkable thing is that he does it all with only two drummers in tow. It takes a lot to create a movement with just a huge voice and raw percussion but The Agitator manages to do just that. He’s doing a show in the UK tomorrow to protest the rising university prices and I’m sure it’s going to be quite the statement.
Little Comets are a whole lotta fun as is this video. There are some days when you’ve just gotta cut loose, get a little weird and dance a little crazy. Little Comets are making the perfect light weight pop to soundtrack those very moments. Regardless of where your running or how you’re letting out your ya ya’s it’s well worth your while to have them playing. Their album In Search Of Elusive Little Comets is due out January 31st. For now you’re going to have to make do with this awesome a cappella version of “Joanna.”
[MP3] Joanna
I have a pair of tickets to Badly Drawn Boy’s show next week (Dec 7th) at First Unitarian Church. To enter send me an email (emma <at> theworldinapapercup <dot> com) with “Badly Drawn Boy” as the subject line and include your name in the body of the email. Winner will be chosen Saturday.
It’s going to be a fabulous show made even more fabulous if you don’t have to pay for your tickets!
Good Luck!
This is some mellow mellow music. Lord Huron uses the hollow distance of reverb almost instrumentally, allowing the harmonies and up tempo guitars to play off of each other while the echo grounds the full sound. Instead of using the effect to carry the arrangements into ethereal wafts the tracks on the new EP Mighty are assertive adventures through many many layers of sound – particularly on the title piece. If you’re in need of music to get lost in or distract a busy mind look no further.
[MP3] Mighty
Electric Owls has turned unusual electronic musical manipulations mixed with banjos and unfussy vocals into a rather addictive new flavor of music. It doesn’t strive to disturb or rage it is just- very matter-a-factly – fun and refreshing. Helmed by Andy Harod (The Comas) their second EP Cullowhee Songs is infused with creativity and a clear musical curiosity which makes for some good good listening. No word of a tour right now but I certainly hope the new brings Electric Owl east as I’d love to hear this live.
[MP3] When I Was A Flood
The Dig are a vocally suave foursome whose newest release Electric Toys is a pretty fantastic representation of their knack for combining a good twisty tale with catchy riffs. Upon first listen the arrangements sit comfortably in the ears as above average poppish rock but give it a deeper listen and you catch the lyrics that are unfurling underneath. “Your Already Gone” is a perfect soundtrack bit for moment of self loathing, particularly during those more fickle romantic moments. Other tunes from the new album catch you with the basic story telling.
[MP3] Two Sisters In Love
I will come straight out and say it, I don’t “get” Sufjan Stevens new EP but, when the label’s press release contains the following:
“The EP, All Delighted People, is built around two different versions of Sufjan’s long-form epic ballad “All Delighted People,” a dramatic homage to the Apocalypse, existential ennui, and Paul Simon’s “Sounds of Silence.”
I don’t get too hung up on trying to “get” it and just listen to the music, which I find is the key to truly enjoying this EP. Taking a stroll through the 60 minutes of experimental music making I found myself referencing a totally random assortment of musical touch point. From the trippy Pink Floyd-esque guitar riffs in the monstrous piece “Dojariah” to the tender acoustic chamber folk track “Heirloom” – which definitely carries some heavy S & G influence – to the sparse ballad “Arnika” which circles back around to Steven’s previous work this is an EP overrun with inspiration. Steven’s undeniable musical ability is only part of what makes All Delighted People successful, the other major factor is the creator’s confidence in his experimental approach.
The eight tracks that make up All Delighted People are all very independent pieces, drawing on their own pools of inspiration and expressed in whatever manner Steven’s feels appropriate to sufficiently represent the . No where is this better demonstrated than on the 17 minute closer “Dojariah” which pulls out all the stops- fuzzy guitar solos, rhythmic chanted choruses, inconsistent but effective horns – all to achieve his “guitar jam-for-single-mothers.” The chaos of the arrangement’s opening peaks then dips beautifully into Steven’s own lyrical ode. While 17 minutes may seem a bit much on the surface he truly uses every moment to tell his story.
The titular track comes in two variations (Classic Rock and Original) on the EP and are the most focused tracks Stevens offers up on this release. They achieve their epic sound with classic techniques like swelling strings and rich horn sections but arranged within the quirky structure Stevens relishes. The distinct pluck of the banjo and the off beat lyrics push it just enough off course to make it refreshing without being too obtuse. Of course he is taking this new material on the road this fall where I’m sure it will pick up even more flavor – and maybe, within the context of the live show, make a bit more sense – but for the $5 he is asking this is a 60 minute adventure well worth having.
[MP3] Too Much (short version)
Madeline Adams is another young singer with gobs more talent than I’ll ever have and she wields her skills without using over simplified cliche lyrical confessions. Miss Adams has clearly studied the greats and adopted their surefooted vocals while covering some more modern subject matter. While she may not be reinventing the genre she is extending it’s relevance with fine form. She’ll be opening for Elf Power on their European tour which sounds like a pretty fantastic bill.
[MP3] White Flag
This band is a lot of fun. The Oxford trio has a very careful sound pieced together to create full soundscapes that still manage to be playful. Their vocals spread neatly over their simple arrangements – clean percussion and synths giving pluck to uncomplicated guitar and bass lines- in the way that melds the music into a whole. I’m particularly fond of this acustic version of their hit “Microlite.”
[MP3] Microlite (acoustic)
There is something dreamy but luscious about Youth Sounds’ lead vocals that belies their ability to crank out a solid rock line. The four piece from New Orleans have a very subtle way of working their way into your head. It took me a few times passing through their new EP The Bit Parts before I realized I was unconsciously humming the chorus from “Smoke & Mirrors” during my bike ride to work. They have a far amount of room to grow but given the chance and the support I have now doubt their sound could one day be epic. For now it’s easily consumable and very nicely presented.
[MP3] As Strangers Would
Shaking Through’s first season is coming to and end and YVYLN’s Mark Schonenveld’s last pick is Philly’s Party Photographers, a fine choice if I do say so myself. These punk rockers embody the kind of spirit that makes the Philly music scene so spectacular; they’re laid back music lovers from different backgrounds who have a lot of fun playing together. The track they wrote for their Shaking Through session was their 21st -therefore aptly named “21″- reflects the same gritty rock sound they’re known for. If you haven’t heard Party Photographers yet, or checked out the Shaking Through series, this is a great intro. Head on over to Shaking Through’s website and browse through the video snippets from the session. Like this nice peak into that Philly scene I mentioned…
Shaking Through: Party Photographers – The Philadelphia Scene from Weathervane Music on Vimeo.
Download “21″ from Shaking Through HERE