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A week ago the world sat on the eve of the release of what many would consider one of the most anticipated albums of the year as The National were about to release their fifth studio album “High Violet”. I found myself in the camp of those who wondered if they could follow their sensational last album Boxer. I ranked Boxer as my 5th favorite album of the last decade and I still have no regrets about that, but when you make an album that is so universally acclaimed many bands crack under the pressure to follow it up (looking at you “…Trail of the Dead”).

The band is made up of two sets of brothers Scott & Bryan Devendorf who play bass and drums respectively, Aaron and Bryce Desssner handling the guitar duties, while Matt Berninger rounds the group out with his signature baritone and brooding lyrics. Together they set out with those high expectations and created a wonderful addition to their already excellent catalogue.

The album flows cohesively feeling at first almost like an extension of where they left off with Boxer. As is always the case with this band though repeated listens are not only rewarding, but the peeling back caused by those listens reveal both sonic and lyrical nuances that delight your sense of hearing. The music seems to be driven by the rock solid rhythm section which highlight Bryan Devendorf’s drumming. The guitar can be sparse but seems to always come on at exactly the right time. Perhaps the most delightful moments come from the albums arrangements and the addition of the strings that always seem to step in at just the right moment to put emphasis on the songs movement.

Make no mistake though as wonderful and complimentary as the music is  the star here is Matt Berninger’s baritone, and the pictures he paints for us all to relate to with his lyrics. His lyrics speak to a generation of men who are approaching  a point of their lives where they begin to question their lives as fathers, husbands, and citizens of this troubled nation. His lyrics are dark and brooding and he states the thoughts so many of us only share with ourselves at 3am when one considers everything and sleep is the farthest thing our mind is capable of.

For those beginning their quarter life crisis or worrying about their ascent into adulthood as a family man this album speaks like an anthem. When I was formulating what i would write in this review I thought of all the lyrics I would use as examples, but I’ve decided against that. You can read other reviews that sprinkle Berninger’s lyrics as teasers and proof of his vernacular ability. I think you are better suited hearing it yourself for the first time and letting those words wash over you. I’ve played this album loud in the car, working out at the gym, in the background in the morning, but it works best late at night alone with it and your own thoughts. A good listen with headphones is highly recommended.

I’ve heard a lot of good albums this year by a lot of good bands, but the National set themselves apart with this piece of music. It’s hard to pluck out songs because this is an album with a flow and feel to it. Favorite tracks from this would be Conversation 16, Bloodbuzz Ohio, and Lemonworld. Even as I list those I feel guilty not mentioning Sorrow, Anyone’s Ghost, and Afraid of Everyone.

If you enjoyed Boxer there is a lot to like here. Although it does not approache the heights Boxer did this is a fine follow up. The band recently recorded their concert in Brooklyn Saturday night live and much of it is up on Youtube.

Here is a look at an early live form of Conversation 16 from last summer:

Surfer Blood is a 5 piece indie rock group from West Palm Beach Florida who released their debut album ”Astro Coast” in late January on Kanine Records. According to their myspace page the band met one night at a party for Miami’s Ultra Festival and eventually ended up recording their debut in a University of Florida dorm room. Their musical careers picked up steam last year when their lead single “Swim” started gaining fans after appearing on Pitchfork’s top 50 singles of 2009. Since that point the band seems to be gaining more and more fans with sonic comparisons to an array of indie rock royalty the most common being Built to Spill, Pavement, Weezer, and Vampire Weekend.

The album starts out very strong with the one-two punch of the driving “floating vibes” into the catchy indie pop jangle “swim”. In the opening it really showcases the bands promise. These two songs set you up for what feels like the begining of something special and although familar a great new sounding band. Unfortunately the album as an entire piece does not maintain those lofty standards. The songs are not poor but other then a couple other exceptions not much stands out with the album. It is a very solid album with a few strong songs but the band seems to get lost in their sound. The third track “take it easy” launches the band into the “Afro Pop” sound that Vampire Weekend so easily mastered. The band picks things back up again on ”harmonix” which is another stand out track that has a catchy easy going vibe. Although the songs usage of harmonics and jangly riff reminds me perhaps too much of Arcade Fire’s Neighborhood #2 it is not a rip off so much but more of a similar sound.  The strength of the band throughout the entire album is their solid guitar play, and the band showcases some of their chops on the instrumental “neighboring riffs”.

The second half of the album starting with “twin peaks” and moving through the closing song “catholic pagans” is were the band spirals into some nice average songs that just don’t separate themselves from each other enough for my taste. I can’t point at anything in particular that I dislike about the songs but none of them make me want to rush to hear them again. That is with the exception of “fast jarboni” which may be my favorite song on the album. Like the first song “floating vibes” it finds them returning to that driving feeling. The song really has some nice guitar interplay that gives the listener that “roll down the windows and drive fast in the spring” feeling.

My biggest disappointmentin the album is the production of the ”Astro Coast” itself. As mentioned earlier it was recorded in their dorm room and it has a very lo fi feel. I enjoy this style for many bands, but i think it is a detriment for a band that has some really nice riffs pushing their songs that get lost in mix. On their myspace page they state they did not like what the engineer in the studio was doing to their sound and that is when they took control of it themselves. I’d like to see them find someone they trust to help brighten up some of the guitar sounds and push them to the front. I have a feeling it would help some of the songs that get lost in sameness to me on the album.

I am happy to have heard the album and it has some nice songs on it, but I think they have better music to come in the future. The band is currently on tour and I think seeing them live would probably help bring some of these songs to life. I think if you are a fan of guitar driven indie rock you should at least check out the stand out tracks. This band has a lot to offer and although the overall album was slightly disappointing it also shows great potential. The band reminds me of a lesser version of Cymbals Eat Guitars from last year. Like CEG the band wears their influences on their sleeve but find a way to stay original and sound like a band unto themselves.

Best Tracks-Fast Jarboni, Floating Vibes, Harmonix, Swim

You can hear them on myspace or check them out at an in store performance at Criminal Records on Feb 19 and later that night at the Drunkin Unicorn in Atlanta.

Take a look at the band performing Fast Jarboni live at New Slang:

Next week Massive Attack’s new album Heligoland will grace this land as the first album the trip hop duo has released in seven years. Sure the main collaborators have been busy during that time period, but other than the ep Splitting the Atom that came out last fall this is the first new music from Robert Del Naja (aka 3D) and Grand Marshall (Daddy G). A lot can happen in seven years and that is an extensive amount of time (even by Tool standards) to sit without an album. To mark the occasion 3D and Daddy G brought in some top notch collaborators as they always do. Featured on this album we find Tunde Adebimpe (TV on the Radio) helping out on the first track “Pray For Rain”, Martina Topley Bird (Tricky) offers assistance on “Babel” & “Psyche”, Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star) lends stunning vocals on ”Paradise Circus”,Guy Garvey (Elbow) helps with “Flat of the Blade” and Damon Albarn (Blur & Gorillaz) lends his touch on “Saturday Comes Slow”. Not a bad cast to start your return to form!

To say the album is a switch in direction from their past work is probably not fair. Their seems to be less excitable “trip hop” and more ambient undercurrent. There is something smooth and compelling through out the album that washes over the listener. It seems much more subtle than some of their previous work. A sound that rewards repeated listens, but could get dismissed by those not taking the time to allow the music to sink in.

The guest appearances do trulyhelp to elevate the album as “Pray for Rain” seems to slowly seep into your ears. ”Paradise Circus” jumps out imediatly as it builds slowly one can’t help but be mesmerized by the darkly lovely performance Hope Sandoval delivers. The album closer “Atlas Air” seemed to immediately stand above the rest of the tracks and ends the album on a strong note.

Ultimately I don’t see this as an album that reaches high enough to draw many new fans to their stable. I do think this is a solid album that long time fans will enjoy. We are greeted with glimpses of passion of the past but it seems the album lacks the stand out punch that all great albums deliver. If you are itching to hear more Massive Attack Heligoland will scratch that itch for you, but it may not be the cure all for your desires.

Have a listen for yourself at NPR they are streaming the album in it’s entirety now

Enjoy Paradise Circus:

Roman Candle a creative band from Chapel Hill NC released their second album and first on Carnival Music label ”Oh Tall Tree in the Ear” on May 12, 2009, and if you have not heard of them yet it is time to start paying attention. This family three piece composed of brothers Skip & Logan Matheny and rounded out by Skip’s wife Timshel have put forth an album that demands attention from those who love heartfelt earnest lyrics accompanied by pop infused alt country melodies.

The band’s roots begin around 1997 when things started to form for the UNC Chapel Hill students. They were first signed by Trevor Pryce for his new record label Outlook Music (yes the Trevor Pryce who is DE for the Baltimore Ravens). Things started to pick up for the band in the early 2000’s and since that time they have toured extensively and had a few record label changes before recently settling down with Nashville’s Carnival Music for their current release.

On first listen what stands out is the ease that these songs wash over. You get that feeling that even though you have not heard the album before the descriptive lyrics paint pictures of memories that make for an immediate ease of attachment to the album. Skip Matheny is the lyricist and chief vocalist for the band and he takes his art seriously. For those not familiar with “Oh Tall Tree in the Ear” the title is actually taken from Rainer Maria Rilke’s “Sonnets to Orpheus”. I mention this because Skip goes about his business like a serious lyricist. His lyrics paint pictures like others who before him have mastered the craft. Though after just one listen I’m not ready to crown him in the same hall as dylan, young, or even ryan adams he hits on all cylinders like the best lyricist tend to.

The lyrics may be what captured my immediate attention, but what kept me around was the depth of the musicianship. No one will confuse the musicians as “technically the best”, but they are quite capable of crafting a compelling song. The album has upbeat rockers as well as a nice sprinkling of tender heart felt songs. The first four songs come out of the gate very strong grabbing your attention immediately, but repeated listens soon show that there is not a bad song on this album. Some songs that jump to mind as my favorites are “A Heartbeat”, “Eden Was a Garden”, and “One More Road”. As I already mentioned though what makes this album special is the depth of the album like those of old. This is not one that needs to hold itself up with just a few singles. This is an album that rewards those who go back to it and pay attention to the second half. Perhaps it does not catch you as immediately but the songs are very well crafted and enjoyable.

I don’t always enjoy making comparisons to other bands in reviews, but sometimes it is the best way to get folks who have not heard about a band intrigued. I would say that this band sounds like early Wilco, some Ryan Adams/Whiskeytown, and certainly the Jayhawks. In fact if I had to make a comparison I would say this album compares favorably to the Jayhawks “Hollywood Town Hall”. The songs are less country then that album, but that album like “Oh Tall Tree in the Ear” pulls you in with a few catchy songs, but keeps you there with it’s overall depth. Those familiar with the pleasure of “Hollywood Town Hall” should know I don’t make that comparison lightly.

I saw that because this album has really taken a hold of me. It is one of my favorite albums released this year. In fact I would say it is easily in the top three I have heard this year and only time will tell if it stays there or moves to the top, but I would not be totally surprised if by the end of the year this was my favorite album I have heard.  In case you could not tell yet this album is highly recomended for those who enjoy alt country music or those open to well crafted songs in the alt country vein.

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Here is a video of the band playing “Eden Was A Garden”

Wilco’s newest offering may not reach stores until June 30th but as many of you are probably already aware the  the album leaked last week and was subsequently posted on the bands website for all to hear in its entirety.  If you are one of the few who have not heard it head hereto check it out for yourself. If Wilco (the stream) as it is being referred to is not enough for you the band is actually cool enough to understand you may have to download it. If you do though they are asking that you make a donation to their favorite charity “The Inspiration Corporation”  which they have worked with in the past and will continue to raise money for moving forward.

One thing as a long time Wilco fan i have come to understand is don’t expect the band to make a certain kind of album. The wonderful thing about Wilco (the band) is they do follow their own muse and because of this they typically make wonderful music instead of trying to meet expectations of fans, record labels, or peers. It is what sets them apart from many others on the scene today that may feel pressure to make a record that sounds a certain way.

Wilco (the album) follows that philosophy to the T. This is the first album in the bands entire career that the line up has remained the same for two consecutive albums. Pretty hard to imagine that for a band that is putting out their 8th album this June 30th.

With Wilco (the album) the band shows off their song writing and melody abilities as the they have assembled  the most “pop” friendly album since Summerteeth. For me i find much of the album to be a cross between Summerteeth’s poppiness and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’s layering. Not a bad combo by any stretch of the means. Gone though are the frantic Nels Cline solo’s that dotted Sky Blue Sky. They are replaced with much more well placed and well thought out melodic additions by Nels. Nels is not in your face on this ablum as much as he was on Sky Blue Sky but make no mistake after close listens his influence is undeniably there. As are all the other members of the band too. They all play flawlessly together and seem to be very comfortable with each other as musicians at this point.

The album starts how any album titled Wilco (the album) should kick off and that is with “Wilco (the song)”. Where we find Jeff reassuring his fans during this time of duress not to worry because “Wilco, will love you baby”. Basically showing that a band that has been branded at times as being pretentious has quite a comical side too. The album progresses with nicely layered and darkly melodic tracks “Deeper Down ” and “One Wing” before it jumps into the most interesting song on the album “Bull Black Nova”.

Before the album was readily available to anyone with a computer first reviews of this song would lead you to believe it was a jam of epic proportions. Comparisons to fan favorite live song Spiders were used multiple times as well as one early review mentioning “Nels is finally allowed to go crazy in the studio”.

Settle down boys and girls this song is not the explosive Nels attack many have been waiting to hear on a Wilco album, but once you get past that expectation it is easy to realize it is the most interesting track and one of their best songs they have made. The production of the song and the laying for me harkins back to much of what the band was doing on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. It builds simple yet infections groove and grows from that point. It seems to be about a killer watching the cops at his crime scene from the distance in his Bull Black Chevy Nova. One can only hope in the future they will visit this type of sound again. Also I’m ecstatic to hear this one live as you can’t help but think it will be quite an affair.

The album then progresses into “You and I” a tender ballad that is helped by the presence of some lovely guest vocals provided by Feist. Tweedy and Feist take turns harmonizing and singing and the song comes off as quite a nice number. This is followed by the first single “You Never Know” that is the catchiest song the band has put on an album since “Shot in the Arm”. One can’t help but  hear the Sly and the Family Stone influence on the keys, but other wise it is a song that easily gets stuck in your head and finds Tweedy speaking as the Dad of all Dad rock when he comments: “Come on children. You’re acting like children Every generation thinks its the end of the world”

Then the album loses momentum with “Country Disappeared” and “Solitaire”. On their own i think the songs are very nice and work well, but in the context of the album they just seem to suck the life out of what the first half of the songs works so hard to acquire. Even though “Country Disappeared” has some of the more interesting lyrics of the album the composition of the song really does not do it for me. I think “Solitaire” on its own would have worked, but being placed back to back with “Country Disappeared” makes it a difficult one two punch.

The album picks up again for the final push as “I’ll Fight” goes right back into the territory “You Never Know” captured by putting you in sing along mode again, and “Sunny Feeling” does not stray far from that either. The album closes with a touching lyrically driven “Everlasting” that seems to end the album very well.

I really enjoy this album and I think most Wilco fans will like it also. This one is highly recommended to for those long time fans. If you are new to the band there are probably better albums to start with, but this is one you will eventually want to check out. The biggest complaint for me is adjusting to Nels role on this album. I won’t say he is in the background for this album I just think that the songs did not lend themselves well to wild and crazy solo’s so being the musician that he is Nels does what he does in a more quiet melodic way instead of the over the top insane solo’s we came to expect from his live performances.

My favorite songs initially are “Bull Black Nova”, One Wing, & “I’ll Fight”, but the tenderness of “You and I” should not be dismissed and the more I hear “Deeper Down” the more it seeps into my mind. Fear not Wilco (the fans) that have not heard this yet. You will not be disappointed. It is Wilco and you just know they are gonna love you!

Here is a great clip from the song One Wing performed last summer. This is a bit different then what ended up on the album. The jam at the end did not make the album and Pat’s solo displayed live here (part of that jam) is no where to be found either.

Gaslight Anthem’s sophomore album “The ‘59 Sound” came roaring out of the Jersey Shore this summer as if they were “sprung from cages out on Hwy 9″. If you did not know any better i could tell you that the lead singer was the bastard child of the boss himself Bruce Springsteen and all you would say is well that makes a lot of sense now i understand why they write similar songs and sing like each other. To classify them as strictly a rip off band though is a misconception. Similar … yes, but hardly a rip off.

The band is a four piece with Brian Fallon handling guitar/vocal duties, Alex Levine on bass, Benny Horowitz on drums, and Alex Rosamila on guitar. As you have probably already guessed they are from Jersey and draw from the bustling Hardcore punk movement that has been prominent over the past several years as well as the Godfather of all things Jersey Bruce Springsteen. A little folky, a spice of punk rock, and some good old fashioned rock seem to be the recipe they strive for here. They never go too far to any of the extremes. Just when you think they take punk rock to the verge of emo they come right back at you with soulful rock that can’t be denied. I’m impressed by the crispness and flow of the album. The songs never linger too long which is good for a band like this. They are writing bar rock songs that get their point across in three to four minutes. There sound seems to feel like it would be at home in your local bar down the road, but they hint at having greater ambitions to take on arena rock anthems in the future with their sound as well.

The songs are about coming of age in the tough times we all face currently, falling in and out of love, and living for the moment. Many are stand outs but for me the album finishes strong with the run from “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues”, “Meet me by the Rivers Edge”,”Here’s Looking at you Kid”, and The “Backseat”. Not to be missed earlier in the album though are the expertly composed title cut and “Miles Davis & the Cool”. My favorite track being “Even Cowgirls get the Blues” which unfortunately is not a song based on the brilliant Tom Robbins book, but is still a very good tune nonetheless.

This album garnished a lot of praise this year and it is deservedly so. It is an easy listen that is catchy enough to jump out at you. I wish i got this album in the summer when it came out. I can see how this is a spring or summer album to blast on your way down the shore or to the boardwalk. Many may scoff at the comparisons to Bruce Springsteen and write them off as an unoriginal new band. Indeed  they have a lot of ground to cover to be considered on the same level as the Boss, but I’m willing to give them a shot and see where they go after this.  I would recommend this album to fans of another often compared to Bruce band the Killers. 

I’l rate this one a 3.25 out of 5 stars. I would go ahead and give it the 3.5 but the slight lack of orginality bumps them down a little. That said i kept waiting for a Derek Jeter or Yankees reference and I might have been forced to give up the 3.5 ranking! This album was a pleasant surprise that came out of nowhere for me this year.

3.25 Stars out of 5

Myspace

Here they are ealier this month doing the title cut from their album on Conan:

In 2008 Portland Oregon’s Blitzen Trapper released “Furr” their fourth effort and first on their new label Sub Pop. The group slowly built up to Sub Pop with their first three albums being released on their own until their appeal grew strong enough to be noticed by the Pacific Northwest powerhouse indie label. The band is a sextet that consist of:

• Eric Early- Guitar, Vocals
• Erik Menteer- Guitar,Keyboard
• Brian Koch- Drums, Vocals
• Michael VanPelt- Bass
• Drew Laughery- Keyboard
• Marty Marquis- Guitar, Keyboard, Vocals

The easy adjectives for their sound are lo-fi and folk, but this is not just the next folk driven band to come down the pipeline. They utilize their instruments to create a sonic landscape around their vocals/lyrics that slowly creeps into the listeners mind and draws you back for more. If I’ve found anything with this album it is that the more I listen to it the more I appreciate it. There is a catchiness to their songs that subtly creeps into your mind. In some ways their sound most reminds me of the band Of Montreal.

My first couple listens through the only song that really drew my attention was “Black River”. It is a story driven song telling us the tale of a murderer who just can’t change his ways.  Soon the title track “Furr” another story song this time about the coming of age of a boy raised by wolves and seduced by a girl started to click along with the first two tracks “Sleepytime in the Western World” & “Gold for Bread”.  For me those seemed to be the first four songs that had immediate accessibility, but as you take the time and continue to allow this album to grow with you it tends to sink into your mind slowly and other tracks come to the forefront as well.

The songs although they seem to get better with every listen they never seem to open the door and convince me they are doing anything special. A very solid and good set of songs that are interesting but for some reason I’m concerned about their long term appeal to me. I would like to see them live I think some of the songs from the album may take on a life of their own in the live setting. As of now I’ll be giving “Furr” a solid rating, but in six months one of two things will have happened. I will have either fallen madly in love with the album and wish I was not so pessimistic about it after my first week of listening, or my initial assessment of their songs being good, but not strong enough to hold my long term appeal will prove to be truthful.

This is a good band and I’m sure there are some out there that love their music and rightfully so as it is done well, but they fall just a little short for me. If you are on the fence about them I think they are worth checking out, I just won’t be going out of my way to push this album on friends.

2.75 Stars out of 5

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Here the band is performing “Furr” on Conan:

Frightened Rabbit’s new album “Midnight Organ Fight” is the Glasgow band’s second full length album. They were formed in 2004 as three piece which included two brothers Scott & Grant Hutchisson (guitar/vocals & drums respectively) and their friend Billy adding a second guitar sound to round out the band. They began playing locally in Glasgow’s pub scene and building a small following that just seemed to keep growing. Their first album was released by the bands personal label to great acclaim on the internet. They got so much publicity from that album that Universal picked them up for this years release of “Midnight Organ Fight” their second offering as a band.

The album seems to sneak up on you. It is a grower in the sense that my first initial listen’s outside of some poingnent attention grabbing lyrics and some good pop sensibility I did not quite get what all the fuss was about this album. Subsequent listens though bring how well done this album is to the forefront. I can’t say that this is a Great album, but it is very good and very well done. The songs flow and have an album feel to them which in this digital age is always a pleasantry from a band.

I can’t help but think if the band released a single they would be remiss to not start with “Fast Blood”. A song that just builds to soaring melodies. Scott pours his heart and soul into singing on this song and you can hear it in his voice. Sonically on this track they have some interesting guitar playing that is not flashy but does just enough to capture your interest. ”Old Fashioned” reminds me of an Uncle Tupelo song and on “Poke” I just can’t help but hear a similarity to Bright Eyes singing style, yet  even with some of these similarities you never feel like that band is copying anyone.  It truely  is their own sound they are exploring.

They certiantly have a way with attention grabbing lyrics. None more glaring then on “Keep Yourself Warm” when he preaches to the listener that “It takes more then Fucking someone you don’t know to keep Warm, you won’t find love in a hole”  On the wonderfully penned song “the Twist” he explores this theme a little differently telling all that will listen that he “Needs Human Heat, I need Company”,  Then later on the track “Floating in the Forth” he confides to the listener that he’ll “save suicide for another day”. The attention grabbing  lyrics are not just for relationship songs though on  ”Heads Roll Off” we find them questining religion  right from the start with this opening line: ”Jesus, is just a Spanish Boys name, How come one man got so much fame”.

It would be easy for someone to hear this album two or three times and just walk away and dismiss it as yet another band writing sad lyrics with and indie rock singer and indie rock melodies, and I guess at the core that is what Frightened Rabbit has done with this album. That said walking away from this album is a grave mistake because the more you listen the more you notice that they do what they do very well and you start to find your self singing along with them. I was very pleased with this album and I’m excited to see where this band goes. I could certainly hear them on the next indie laden soundtrack for a movie that comes out. They would fit in well and certainly deserve the further exposure.

3.25 Stars out of 5

Click here to Buy “The Midnight Organ Fight” NOW

Here is a very honest and naked solo perfomance by Scott of “Fast Blood”