Dan Deacon: "Spiderman of the Rings"

Despite a silly title, whimsical lyrics, and playful compositions, Dan Deacon’s “Spiderman of the Rings” is music one should definitely take seriously. The album is comprised of the sort of glitchy, electronic tinkering that made up Sufjan Stevens’ second, pre-states album, “Year of the Rabbit.” At the same time, Deacon’s music has a much more playful feel than Sufjan’s, as evidenced by the title of the album and the tracks it contains. The end result is a fun-filled album, that should not go unnoticed.

“Woody Woodpecker” starts the album off on a rather sour note, to be honest. Almost every second of this 4-minute song is plagued by a sample of the iconic cartoon character’s grimace-inducing chuckle, repeated over and over. The song clearly serves as the introduction to “Spiderman of the Rings,” as it lacks the focus and characteristics of the album’s real songs. As such, it’s distractiveness can be excused and easily skipped over. “The Crystal Cat” picks things up a notch, and introduces listeners to what will be an ongoing theme throughout the album; the utilization of squeaky pitch-shifted vocals. What Deacon is actually saying here is a mystery to me, though I get the feeling that what is actually said is less important than what role the vocal melody plays with everything else that is going on.

“Wham City” is a 12-minute epic that features what sounds like a Munchkin Choir singing “There is a mountain of snow across a big land. We have a castle enclosed, there is a fountain. Out of the fountain flows gold into a huge hand,” and other ridiculous, though admirable lyrics. The song is constantly evolving throughout it’s 12 minutes, even coming to a complete halt at one point, only to slowly rebuild into its opening theme once again. It is certainly an ambitious song, and as such, it is also the highlight of the album.

“Big Milk” is the moment on the album where Deacon sounds most like Sufjan Stevens ala “Year of the Rabbit.” It is a mostly calm song that features a xylophone and serves as a much needed exhale to the song it follows. “Okie Dokie” finds Dan coming as close as he ever does to a full on sing-along as he repeats “I’ve got a rattlesnake gun” like a mantra. Other highlights on the album include “Snake Mistakes” and “Pink Batman,” both of which are excellently composed and brilliantly executed by Deacon as he chooses the perfect sounds for each part of the songs. It’s hard to imagine them sounding like anything else.

Overall, “Spiderman of the Rings” is anything but disappointing or ill-advised. Deacon comes off as a musician who slaves over his craft, spending hours locked away in his bedroom turning knobs, pushing buttons, and figuring out the perfect lyric for a 5-second segment. Despite his distinctly childish approach to songwriting, his songs are so intricate and complex that they are clearly made by someone who knows what he is doing. Though the talent displayed on the album is astronomical, I have a hard time believing in its longevity. It doesn’t seem like an album that I can play repeatedly for weeks without growing tired of it. But it’s hard to be disappointed when I know that the time I am able to devote to the album will be some of the most enjoyable I’ve had in recent memory. If anything, Dan Deacon has created something that you’ll always have fond memories of, even if the appeal wears off too soon. Quite simply, it is something you’ll have a hard time forgetting. That’s a good thing.

Recommended for fans of Sufjan Stevens’ “Enjoy Your Rabbit” and anybody who wants to relive the endless wonder of childhood in music form.

Key Tracks:
1. “Wham City”
2. “Okie Dokie”
3. “Snake Mistakes”
4. “Pink Batman”

7 out of 10 Stars

Go News Go! – The Weekly News Recap

Better than last week, still worse than most weeks, it’s this week!

• A crazy person live. Album review soon.
• Slint is back baby…wait, who?
• Flaming Lips go on tour, completely ignore you!
• More non-news from Radiohead. Click if you care!
• Places to Avoid at All Costs: 2007 Edition.
• Places to Avoid at All Costs: 2007 Edition Part Deux.
• Possibly the only reason to ever support The White Stripes.
• Field Music breaks up by….not breaking up? WTF?
• Short List Prize goes to…*sigh*
• Brock is deconstructing. Is this news anymore?
• VIDEO: Paul Rudd and David Wain singing Karaoke to Of Montreal
• Cale’s Guide to Making Your Ears Hate You

Top 5 Of Montreal Albums

Sorry about the late post. Usually I get these lists up before most of you guys are even awake. But I spent all day thinking about what my list would be and what selections would make it up. In the end, I couldn’t think of anything decent at all. So here you have it; Plan B! It is no secret that Of Montreal is my absolute favorite band on planet earth. Their library is deep, with hundreds of songs to enjoy (and others to cringe at). With so many songs and albums under their belt, you’d think it would be tough for me to pick my top 5 albums…but it isn’t. I’ve given this a lot of thought. Enjoy Plan B.#5: “Coquelicot Asleep in the Poppies: A Variety of Whimsical Verse” (2001) – I’ve tried to explain this album to friends, but the fact of the matter is that I really have no clue what the hell is going on here. I think it’s about this girl named Coquelicot who falls asleep and dreams about zany Characters…but I’m just not sure. What I am sure about, however, is that I’m absolutely in love with every aspect of this album. Every song, every melody, every ridiculous story about a detective who evaporates into cocoa…this is a brilliant album. Drug-induced circus music, as I always say.

#4: “The Sunlandic Twins” (2005) – In truth, Of Montreal had two breakout albums. Their first garnered them attention from critics and fans alike. Their second garnered attention from prepubescent girls. This is the latter. Never fear though. Despite the fact that The Sunlandic Twins is uncharacteristically mainstream for a band like Of Montreal, it contains some of their best songs to date, including the absolutely funky “Oslo in the Summertime” and the party-fave “The Party’s Crashing Us.” Definitely an essential for any Of Montreal fan.

#3: “The Gay Parade” (1999)- This is Of Montreal’s first breakout album, and according to many, their best. While I absolutely love meeting all the kooky townspeople in The Gay Parade, there’s nothing like #s 2 and 1 on the list. Still, there’s no denying that songs like “Fun Loving Nun” and “Niki Coco and the Invisible Tree” are anything but brilliant! This was the first real concept album created by Kevin Barnes and Co. and it’s definitely their best. If you’ve never heard “The Gay Parade,” you are missing out on one of the most unique and satisfying musical experiences of the last decade. Check it out!

#2: “Satanic Panic in the Attic” (2004) – Despite the fact that “The Gay Parade” was the first Of Montreal album I ever heard, THIS was the first one I ever bought. Walking around the Virgin Megastore (RIP) one day, I passed this CD and remembered that I had heard of this band. The rest is history. From start to finish, it’s filled with crazy stories, confusing lyrics and memorable compositions…pretty much like every other Of Montreal album. The fact that it was my first could possibly help its standing in this list. But the fact that it’s totally awesome doesn’t hurt either.

#1: “Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?” (2007)- Who would’ve thought that Kevin Barnes could actually write an album about himself rather than a cast of characters, and who would’ve thought that that album would also be his best? Certainly not me. In fact, I was so in love with “Satanic Panic in the Attic” for so long that I thought it could never have been dethroned. Clearly, I was wrong. “Hissing Fauna” mixes the elecro-pop sounds of “The Sunlandic Twins” with the what-the-hell-is-going-on vibe of “The Gay Parade” and “Coquelicot.” The result is the Of Montreal album that I’ve always wanted, and their most solid album to date. That’s why it’s #1. Duh.

Justice: "†"

If the opening seconds of Justice’s debut album, “ †,” don’t tell you a thing about what you’re in store for, you aren’t listening. The mudded brass come marching in like they are coming to destroy, and in a way they are. Justice is a dance/electronica group, to be sure, but to label them as such is travesty in and of itself. Like that imperial death march, Justice is here to destroy. In this case, they have come to demolish your preconceived notions about what dance music is and what it can be. Now, until recently I have avidly campaigned against the genre which I feel is cluttered with mundane “artists” who rely on bad samples and horrendous loops to captivate a somewhat dimwitted audience. My opinion is slowly starting to change as I am introduced to artists who are challenging this perception. Justice is one of them.

From the opening track to the very last second of “†,” I found myself, not only captivated, but amazed, entertained, and energized. Justice comes off as a bull charging towards its victim, with so much momentum and energy that attempting to slow it down would be a fruitless endeavor. Their songs are constantly changing, never relying on a single loop or phrase for too long. And these songs are not lite, easy-listening electronica songs either. They’re harsh and brash, with the mids turned up too high for comfort. It’s not your average dance album, it is a revelation!

“Let There Be Light” begins with a near-unlistenable melody, but adds in drums, a thumping bassline, and so many cuts and glitches that you’ll be in love with it before you know it. It concludes with an absolutely awesome composition that harmonizes synths with synths in a way that sounds like it’d be better suited for the closing credits of a Super Mario Bros. game than a dance record. “D.A.N.C.E.” is one of the few songs on ” †” with actual vocals, and while I found them a bit childish and annoying at first, I was shocked to find the song stuck in my head hours after I first encountered. The song sounds like the Jackson 5 on methamphetamines, if only for the lyrics, “Do the D.A.N.C.E., stick to the B.E.A.T.” The disco-esque strings and sing-along quality of the song make the song a sure-fire hit, which is probably why it is the album’s first single.

Elsewhere on the album, there’s the cut-filled “New Jack,” the completely overpowering, yet satisfying “Phantom Pt. I” (and it’s more audience friendly second part), and the 100% guilty pleasure “The Party.” The latter features such terrible rap-lines as “Let’s get drunk and freaky-fied,” and if you actually find yourself liking it, then you may want to see if pigs grew wings. It’s the one low point on an otherwise flawless album.

The best part about “†” is the fact that it never gets boring, an attribute clearly made possible by the group’s insistence on keeping the songs fresh around every corner and their refusal to use one loop or riff for any extended period of time. The quality of the songs is through the roof, and the genres touched upon in each song are too numerous to mention. While “D.A.N.C.E.” is clearly your crowd-pleaser, songs like “Stress” (which envokes serious Requiem for a Dream soundtrack memories) and “Waters of Nazareth” are designed for the sole purpose of making you nod your head in approval while simultaneously scratching it, thinking “What the heck am I listening to?” “ †” is an achievement in electronic music that should be listened to by fans and naysayers of the genre alike. Finding a true definition for the music contained on this album is impossible, so I’ll just call it this: amazing!

Recommended for fans of electronic music and anyone who wants to experience shock and awe firsthand.

Key Tracks:
1. “Let There Be Light”
2. “D.A.N.C.E.”
3. “Phantom Pt. I”
4. “DVNO”
5. “Stress”

7 out of 10 Stars

Video of the Week – Week 23

“Bandits” by Midlake from the album “The Trials of Van Occupanther”

Young Galaxy: "Young Galaxy"

Fronted by ex-Stars member Stephen Ramsay and his significant other Catherine McCandless, Young Galaxy is one of the latest indie acts to come from the consistently amazing Arts & Crafts label. In the band’s debut LP, Young Galaxy creates a truly cosmic/spacey sound that lends itself perfectly to their name. While clearly drawing from influences in the classic rock genre, the band also seems to fall into the trap of relying too heavily on what is now an overused and extraordinarily basic indie rock sound. The result is an album that proves the band to be a talented group of individuals, but also one that hasn’t quite hit their stride just yet.

Young Galaxy’s debut, self-titled LP begins with what is arguably the strongest song on the album, “Swing Your Heartache.” The song is an agonizing and bleak meditation on the life, filled with such “uplifting” lyrics as “We believe in time that you will see the frontier is misery.” Though the song may falter a bit during the uninspired and cliche-ridden bridge, hearing the band harmonize “Come on babe, swing your heartache” never really gets old, even once the song crosses the 6-minute mark.

“No Matter How Hard You Try” is a largely-incomprehensible song with layer upon layer of instrumentation that at times can seem a bit overpowering. The vocals seem buried under everything else going on, and the song ultimately fails because of it. On the contrary, “Lazy Religion” is almost minimalistic in comparison. The song features airy guitars, synths, and pianos that bring out the vocals. A subtle harmony is utilized throughout the song that’s particularly potent when the chorus rolls around (“I don’t mind. Take what you want. It’s a lazy religion”). The song is another high note for the album.

Unfortunately for Young Galaxy and those who will listen to this album, “Young Galaxy” features more lows than highs. The major flaw of the album is it’s lack of “Wow” moments. The lyrics here are rarely poignant or meaningful, the music is utterly bland throughout, often sounding like a mix of every other so-so indie band out there today! I’ve listened to “Young Galxay” several times through and each time I walk away completely unaffected, unmoved, and entirely disappointed. Young Galaxy has talent, as clearly demonstrated in “Swing Your Heartache” and a few others on the album, but for a band on the Arts & Crafts label, my expectations were not met. “Young Galaxy” is a respectable first effort, but in the end it is still a disappointment.

Recommended for anyone interested in checking out a talented band with a bright future ahead of them, even if this album may contradict such a statement.

Key Tracks:
1. “Swing Your Heartache”
2. “Lazy Religion”
3. “Sun’s Coming Up and My Plane’s Going Down”
4. “Embers”

5 out of 10 Stars

You’re Welcome

That’s right! Not only is today my 23rd birthday, but it’s also the day that I reached the 1,000 Helpful Votes landmark on Amazon.com. To the 350 of you who disagree, HA! I still win!

Go News Go! – The Weekly News Recap

• Pictures of The Pipettes in America. Like you care…
• Rilo Kiley release date + tracklist.

No really. That’s all.

5 Necessities For A Perfect Summer Soundtrack

What is a summer album? Beats me! The truth of thematter is, you just know one when you hear it. It could be The Beach Boys, maybe something less poppy but heavily influenced by California rock. Whatever it is, it has to be the perfect thing to rock in your 80s-style boombox when you’re laid out on the beach with your friends, or the perfect album to play on your iPod when you’re traveling through Europe or even mowing your lawn for your parents (a terrible, terrible tragedy by all means). To most of the world, Summer is just like the rest of the year…only hotter. But for all you college kids out there who just need some music to get you through the heat and hotties, here are my Top 5 recommended albums guaranteed to get your Summer going!

#5: Rilo Kiley: “The Execution of All Things” – It is less lo-fi than their debut, but not as emo as their third. Rilo Kiley’s second studio album is the perfect fit for when you and your buddies are piled into your dirty El Camino headed to God knows where. The ladies love it, and as long as you have at least one or two hipster friends in tow you’ll surely win some always-appreciated cred points.

#4: Of Montreal: “The Sunlandic Twins” – While you’re away at school for the semester, your parents are busy huddled in an underground bunker devising the most cruel forms of manual labor that they can force upon you when you come home for the summer. So whether you’re painting the house, building a deck, or mowing the lawn, Of Montreal’s “The Sunlandic Twins” offers just enough sunny indie-pop goodness to take your mind off the fact that all your other friends are doing something infinitely more enjoyable. Besides, you can totally empathize with Kevin Barnes when he says “Let’s pretend we’re in Antarctica!” Believe me, when July rolls around in Texas, Antarctica is my #1 vacation destination. Now if only I wasn’t poor.

#3: Incubus: “Morning View” – Of all of Incubus’ albums, none feel more California-y than “Morning View,” and that’s a good thing! This is one you want to pump out with your buddies that don’t wear chick pants or invest their money in hair products. The perfect album to play when you are all outside, grilling up hamburgers or tossing the football. It’s not the manliest of albums, to be sure. But it’s just manly enough.

#2: The Aliens: “Astronomy for Dogs” – This album will be released in the United States on June 19th, and if there was ever an album that would define the Summer of 2007 this would be it! Drawing from influences like The Beach Boys, the Bee Gees, and tons of other artists from before you were born, “Astronomy for Dogs” is a near-carefree album that is the perfect accompaniment to basically any activity that you could ever think of doing in the summer months. Unless of course sitting in a dark room all day writing poetry is your idea of a jam-up summer activity. In that case, I would recommend Portishead and/or anti-depressants.

#1: Rooney: “Rooney” – Rooney’s self-titled debut is just waiting to be dusted off this summer! While it is clearly a rip-off of The Beach Boys sunny California pop, Rooney respectfully ganks the style and makes it something entirely their own. For a lot of college kids, summer is about going to the beach working on the tan. If you somehow find yourself engaged in such aterribly dull situation as this, “Rooney” is the perfect album to take your mind of the fact that you’re, in all likelihood, giving yourself skin cancer for the sake of “beauty.” Enjoy the melanoma, pawn. I’ll be doing something more productive, like pouring hours upon hours into video games. *sigh* O summer!

Harmonix Says, "Insert Song Here"

A few weeks back I posted my Top 5 tracks that should be in Guitar Hero. Today, I may be getting the next best thing. On Harmonix’s official Rock Band website, they’ve added a feature where you can suggest your 4 most wanted songs and if enough people feel the same way, your songs may just make it in the final game. Head over to this website and do good by me. The tracks I’ve selected are:

“Hysteria” by Muse
“Carry the Zero” by Built to Spill
“Paranoid Android” by Radiohead
“Hooray, It’s L.A.” by Blindside

If you’d like to be my for-real friend, go vote for the same thing. Then we’ll talk.