Play It As It Lays #379
Valleys
With muffled vocals in minor keys, purposeful feedback, and dominating drums Valleys eerie folk sound resembles a bizarre nightmare.
The duo’s album, Sometimes Water Kills People, can almost be considered as one extensive song, rather than nine separate tracks, thanks to its consistently moderate tempo and transitions that melt the endings into the beginnings of subsequent songs. Lyrics and vocals take a back seat to their mystifying guitar preludes, or thundering drum patterns. The six minutes of “CR68C†is composed solely of stifled screeching guitar riffs with simultaneous plucking, and brief interludes of drumming.
If it’s intricate music patterns or inspirational lyrics you’re after, you’re headed in the wrong direction. I admit it was difficult to digest Valleys’ synthesized additives and unorthodox style. But by track two, “Santiago,†I was hooked to their repetitive lyrics and mellow mood. Tie for first goes to “Le Sujet Est Delicat†and “Tan Linesâ€; the addicting oriental instrumentals coming in halfway through the former and the simple yet poetic lyrics of the latter skyrocketed their play count.
-By Brie Roche-Lilliott
The Cinematics
Imagine the Smiths on Ritalin. The Cinematics play peppy angst-filled post-punk pop—especially on “New Mexico.” They slow it down and gloom it out on “Love & Terror,” building the track around the guitar riff of “Personal Jesus.” The Glasgow band seem happy to reside sonically in that peculiar time period between the ’80s and ’90s. This fits my theory that many sounds of popular music tend to rotate on a twenty year cycle. It matters less when the music emerges; the quality of sound and song reign supreme and regardless of their influences, The Cinematics seem to be settling into their own space on this sophomore release.
You Can Never Have Enough Raveonettes
Various: Moodgadget—The Nocturnal Suite
Working with a smaller affiliate, Moodgadget Records, Ghostly recently introduced to the world 38 tracks from 33 new electronic artists on two discs. (Qualifier: Some artists are newer than others, and one, Daniel Johnson, not so new at all, but new perhaps to many a Ghostly consumer). More than introducing new talent, The Nocturnal Suite reminds music aficionados once again that the electronic genre, especially in the hands of Sam Valenti IV and company, is neither narrow nor nostalgic. The compilation also demonstrates that these gatekeepers and soapboxers of the genre don’t discriminate on the basis of the quantity of electronic instruments utilized. Moodgadget like Ghostly eschews genre for aesthetics.
The sound difference between the four artists presented as a sample of the compilation illustrate its musical pastiche. Worst Friends represent the dancier side of things with their disco house track; Shigeto is more experimental and glitchy, while New Villager crosses over into the arena indie rock sound. Mux Mool’s got two tracks featured, a broken-up hip-hop joint, and this lush trance-like piece. Arm yourself with this arsenal and you’ll be equipped to declare war on any pedestrian party.
Continue reading “Various: Moodgadget—The Nocturnal Suite”
RJD2’s Monday Madness
UltraChorus
The title of this first UltraChorus track reminds me of my five-year-old. He started talking later than most children do and he often uses his own syntax and vocabulary (he named his stuffed puppy LLPP, pronounced “lil-lip”). When he gets tired of listening to me, or anyone for that matter, he’ll shake his hands and say, “Too many words, Dad.” We’ve quickly adapted, for better or for worse, his version of English and whenever we’re bored of anyone’s verbal tirades, anytime their words keep talking and we’ve stopped listening, we shake our hands and repeat our kid’s mantra. Their single artwork offers a keen graphic representation of this “too many words” phenomenon.
Musically, I can’t get enough of UltraChorus. These boys from Minneapolis have got pep! Chris from the band used to be in Sukpatch, and his latest project is an extension of the bedroom beats he cranked out for Grand Royal way back in the ’90s. Add the words “bubblegum disco” to the mix and you’ve got an idea of the party this duo dishes out.
The Books are Back
Secondstar
Upon entering the nondescript disc into my player and pressing play, unexpected sounds of the early ’60s folk revival greeted me. Upcoming solo musicians and bands alike attempt this sound often, aiming for the blues-rock appeal of Dylan and the Byrds. Despite many failures at this seemingly futile endeavor, Secondstar’s EP Teeth effortlessly masters it.
Liam Carey, the only permanent member of Secondstar, duplicates that mellow folksy-blues sound with the help of guest vocalists, lead banjo, and simple melodies. He says Teeth “is kind of a bridge from an older time of more tragic songs, to today, with more pop-influenced songs.” Although only five tracks long, Teeth boasts a mature, eerie quality, transcending many of his contemporaries. The EP opens with “Ravens†and its instantly infectious a capella harmonizing and hand-clapping intro. “Kites and Arrows†blends melodic whistling with melancholic lyrics in a minor key. However, “Pieces†maintains a slightly more upbeat tempo and employs additional banjo, lending it a dreamy, southern tone. Sink your teeth into “Ravens” and if you want more, a download of the entire EP is available here.
by Brie Roche-Lilliott