Tony Kaye’s 3rd film, Detachment, follows his running trend of self-aware and existential filmmaking – taking about as long as Terrence Malick working in slow motion. American History X took us to the heart of hatred and a disjointed amount of love, Lake of Fire delivered perhaps the greatest documentary of the decade by delivering neutrality on such an incendiary topic, and Detachment delivers a mixture of docu-drama stylings with a lot of what made American History X so memorable.
The story follows a substitute teacher with issues of his own who is hired aboard an urban school with disrespectful kids. He eventually teaches them to read, write, and holster their weapons and all of them graduate and are accepted into Ivy League schools, except the martyr they had to throw in for emotional support. But, let’s get serious. If this film was another Freedom Writers or Dangerous Minds I would have warned you in advance to keep your critical thinking helmets on and tissues ready. We all know nothing lifts the spirits of the middle class like seeing success in a void of disparity that sits apart from them in some way. It is in creating that disconnect that so many films about high school earn their acclaim. It is about making the public think there is hope in urban school districts.
I digress into socioeconomic blather, so let me continue with the review.
Adrien Brody plays a substitute teacher in a struggling school where he encounters kids who are a lot like he is – formless and without any meaning in their lives. The film is prefaced by a quote from Albert Camus if that gives you any idea of what you’re in for. The rest of the film develops into an existential hell of high school staff and the children they have to deal with on a daily basis. Yet, what separates this film from the rest of the bullshit you see in filmmaking is its polar opposition to other films about education. Instead of taking the side of the kids or even the teachers, this film explores the true depths of depravity that occur in some schools. This is a film that is as visceral as American History X, but with a poetic bridge of documentary style story-telling that creates an inescapable atmosphere.
Led mostly by Adrien Brody’s fantastic acting (I really mean that too. He isn’t just the guy with the big nose who had the balls to kiss Hally Barry. This dude can ACT), the film contains a plethora of other veterans of their craft like the ancient James Caan and Bryan Cranston (or Mr. White as I call him). With such an ensemble cast, you often risk shrouding the film with each person trying to out-dialog each other. I know you remember Mystic River, great movie, but if you can’t admit Tim Robbins and Sean Penn were trying to have a pissing contest mid-film you are delusional. Each actor in this film carries (her)mself with artistic restraint that is really difficult to find. Each has a measure of screen time where they tell a piece of a greater story and manifest an atmosphere instead of an Academy Award nod.
It is always difficult to write film reviews for great films because giving away any piece of the plot takes away from the mystique of sitting in a dark room and letting it wash over you. If I was reviewing something like Harry Potter’s new The Woman in Black, I would tell you something like he wanders around a house for 1 1/2 hours trying to figure out why the fuck things keep going “bump” only to find a woman in black haunting the town, haunting a haunted-looking house, and fucking everyone’s lives up while looking for her dead son. There was some other filler bullshit in there, but you get the idea. I don’t care about ruining bad movies for you, dear reader. In fact, if I am ever to review a film in the future that is clearly a waste of your time (and I will use very good discretion in doing so), I will spoil the goddamn ending.
With that said, go to iTunes and rent Detachment before it hits theaters March 16th. It will probably be a limited release as it is Unrated and will cost you more in gas and kids crying in the theater than you want to take in a weekend. If you enjoy letting the depravity of humanity hover over you under the narrative of a professional filmmaker, then drop the $9.99 and enjoy a fresh bit of high school filmmaking from the glorious USofA.
SPOILERS FOR WOMAN IN BLACK (AKA SHIT YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE SO READ ON!)
Or, you can always just go watch The Woman In Black, but Harry dies at the end and is reunited with his dead wife. No magic wand this time, Harry. No. Magic. Wand.
It’s true, Rufus Leaking and crew just called it quits. In their announcement today, the recently former public television children’s show that also promoted indie music has fallen short of it’s next big step: securing funding and support for a wider, larger television show. For those who have been privy to Pancake Mountain, you already know what hilarious antics are being lost today. For those who have no idea, here’s a few videos that I was exposed to years ago (I think around 2007 or so).
There used to be more videos available, but it seems that many have been pulled down and never reuploaded. There were many interviews from the Warped Tour with Captain Amazing (I think that’s what his name was… I believe the interview I witnessed was the Captain interviewing Anti-Flag?), or The White Stripes teaching children how to count through a song, or the random Ian MacKaye videos about education from their first episodes. Needless to say, the two media being promoted (children’s television and extremely under-the-radar music acts) aren’t necessarily cash cows.
For those who still are lost, Pancake Mountain really stuck their necks out for both indie artists and children. As many of their videos show, they would have bands and artists play for children usually before that act played a show later that night, usually in the same venue. This created 1) a great way to introduce your children to good live music, as well as being able to see a band or artist play live when you might not have been able to if you are a parent and 2) viral promotion for a small indie band or artist. I mean, not too many live videos are out there with +30 children jumping around your stage. A handful of acts that strolled through were indie acts on their way up to bigger and better things, such as Arcade Fire, Tegan & Sara, Katy Perry (seriously, Katy Perry pre- “I Kissed a Girl”), Deerhoof, and the list goes on. This execution of booking soon-to-be-huge music acts and quality children’s programming ends up becoming what many people believed to be a completely new wave of television — some even argued it was a completely new genre of television. Sadly, Pancake Mountain may have been leagues ahead of it’s time.
Rufus Leaking, the face of Pancake Mountain (created by Scott Stuckey), was fairly vague as to specific reasons why they have called it quits. However, we are left with this most telling quote:
The hoity-toity TV network big wigs just couldn’t bring themselves to let us make our show the way it was intended. And, if our punk ethos has taught us anything, it’s never sell out to The Man.
And right you did, Rufus. Right you did.
In my opinion, we have lost one of the more interesting facets of promoting indie music with the loss of Pancake Mountain. Of course, Stuckey seemed to be very focused on promoting children’s programming and education… however, the internet majority of ironic adults who seek out the newest and best music were most likely the viewing majority of Pancake Mountain. Their cartoon expression and interviewing style gave way to a platform of silliness that only the most affluent pop stars seem to be able to garnish on shows like Yo! Gabba Gabba and Sesame Street. Even when these musical demigods of our time are promoted, there is no real execution more than just a cameo and some lyrics changed around in your most popular song to promote the letter of the day. Pancake Mountain was all encompassing: real promotion of artists, real entertainment based around artists, and a solid backbone for promoting children’s programming.
Is this to say we may have seen the first and last of a genre? I would say so. Unless Pancake Mountain finds a way to become a web-based series (highly unlikely) or the “hoity-toity TV big wigs” decide to renegotiate creative freedom for Stuckey and company (even more improbable than the web-based idea) then I don’t believe we will be seeing something as unique and exciting as Pancake Mountain ever again. Which is truly why we are losing one of the most creative and innovative indie media outlets of our time.
So, for fans, parents, and children… I feel that loss with you.
In a very stupid and most appropriate way, Pancake Mountain’s farewell video on YouTube has been blocked via Warner Brothers because of the use of Sinatra’s “My Way”. However, you can view this video (which is both a montage of previous shows with all the characters as well as a completed credits list) HERE.
Denison Witmer is a singer/songwriter who has been making music for a little over a decade now and has a track record that clocks in at eight albums. Asthmatic Kitty Records obviously found this impressive and will be seeing the release of his ninth effort, The Ones Who Wait. Originally recorded as an EP, Denison experienced a standstill during production filled with loss and introspection which caused him to pour his heart out aurally, making for a full length LP. Interestingly enough, Witmer is so brimming with musical creativity that Asthmatic Kitty apparently will be pressing a sequel later on this year.
Listen to “Brooklyn With Your Highest Wall”
The Pros:
Winter may be coming to a close, but Witmer brings about a warm, summery feel throughout a good portion of this album, although the lyrical content suggests otherwise. A few of the songs here deal with the subject of his father’s recent bout with cancer and subsequent death. As one could imagine, such heavy material to write from results in a copious amount of pensive lyrics. This release is chock full of just that paired with his earthy, resonating, acoustic tone.
Witmer’s vocals are very akin to Keith Goodwin of Good Old War; he matches his range and soothing characteristic equally, but holds back by keeping the slightest hush. Armed with an acoustic guitar, he is a force not to be reckoned with, as that would not be his style, but one with a seemingly endless pot of ideas to pull from. Jumping over the track listing, it can be found that he appears to embody different contemporaries, but never truly sticks to one. “Brooklyn With Your Highest Wall,” one of the album’s finest moments, sounds like one of The Sea And Cake‘s slower bossa nova exhibits. Later on, Witmer emulates the cryptic mystique of A.A. Bondy during “Every Passing Day.”
Whether intentional or not, these similarities that peep through the cracks aren’t drastic enough to take away from The Ones Who Wait‘s conventions. This record holds together like glue while simultaneously showcasing Witmer’s talent and diversity in songwriting. Any mention of this LP would be lacking a crucial detail if the closer “I Live In Your Ghost” was not made note of. Thoughtfully placed as the final track, Denison pays beautiful tribute to his father in this song that at heart is half-dirge and half-celebration of an indelibly important person in the songwriter’s life.
The Cons:
The Ones Who Wait hits a rough patch for the three song streak of “Light On My Face” to “One More Day.” It isn’t that those tunes are inherently bad at all, but that particular sequence sticks out as inconsistent to the rest of the album. His crafting of those songs becomes pretty predictable to the listener, which up until then was completely out of the question. Labeling them as “filler” would be a mistake though, as the underlying reason is probably that the surrounding greatness outshines this gap.
The Verdict:
Denison Witmer has been kept a secret for all too long. He has definitely proved himself as an artist on The Ones Who Wait, and Asthmatic Kitty Records is wise to welcome him to their roster. Here’s to eagerly awaiting the arrival of part two!
Something I normally discuss in my reviews — teeth. Having an album that really sinks it’s teeth into your being usually is indicative of a good album for me. There is something to be said of that sort of fresh-wound feeling I get when something really lays into me. Cursive did this a handful of times to me. Domestica and Burst and Bloom were introduced to me at the same time, right around when Burst and Bloom came out. The Ugly Organ followed shortly after. All three dominated me for the following months after being introduced. The Good Life came out with Album of the Year, which also engulfed my life. On a weird note, I ended up buying the limited edition acoustic version and had no idea that the album was a full band effort. That went on for… four or so years. In my opinion, these four releases were hallmark for albums with teeth.
As a handful of Cursive fans will relate, the albums mentioned above (and, for some, the inclusion of Happy Hollow) seem to be where Cursive will stand in people’s minds, whereas their previous album Mama, I’m Swollen may have fallen short of expectations. This latest album, I Am Gemini, is yet another concept album — seemingly a stream of thought, as Kasher speaks of how he wrote this album track-by-track, from the beginning to the end of the album. The album itself details two twin brothers, one of good and one of evil. They are separated at birth but end up finding each other back in a home together. The album’s release comes with a manuscript of a play (which I thought were just lyrics, but it seems it’s a bit more than that). We’ll discuss that and more after the jump.
Listen to “The Cat and Mouse” below!
The Pros
I think a huge pro for this album was the fact that Cursive came out with a new album. Although 3 years isn’t necessarily a long wait in terms of albums being released, especially if you’re Tim Kasher and splitting your time between two successful projects, it’s a time where hiatus and extremely long waits for albums or tours exist. Take it from former Cursive member and current leader of Criteria, Steven Petersen — last tour they went out on was well over four years ago and their last album was in 2005, and yet… they are still considered a current and active band on the Saddle Creek roster.
Some true good qualities of this album lay in the particular instances within songs, where some of these parts are some of the most aggressive Cursive jams I’ve heard. There is definitely something to be said about a track like “Drunken Birds,” which doesn’t exactly fall into the cookie cutter Cursive ideology I’ve come to love but brings to the table something almost evil. Not exactly teeth, but something else… like a very exotic piece of flare.
The songs themselves seem to have a more progressive nature attached to all of them, with many songs swimming through traditional verses or choruses. This is no doubt the work of Kasher’s latest writing style, and at times it really gets interesting. The focus ends up falling on the lyrics for me, as the instrumentation around the vocals becomes too chaotic to follow unless you’re completely blocking out Kasher’s story.
The album ends up feeling sort of disjointed at times, and that works to a sort-of advantage. There is no lack of creativity in Cursive, and this album is a great argument as many of the best qualities of this album come in very tiny bites, and sometimes only once throughout a song (much less, a single time throughout the entire album). This sort of style of writing assumes you’ll be overwhelmed with awesome music from different arrangements that you just won’t know what the hell to think until it’s too late.
The Cons
The ADD nature of the album’s song structuring is definitely hit-or-miss. At times, the short bits and song-within-song style works and feels fun and exciting and I feel like the lyrics pop out of my speakers due to this. However, nothing settles in. Nothing digs down and buries itself into my mind. I find it unfair to compare past albums of the same band to their latest, but it turns out that Cursive stands alone in the weird piece-wise concept album category… so, comparing this to other Cursive albums, I find it lacks the proverbial teeth I’ve mentioned. It’s as if there are genius songs within this album that haven’t been pieced together correctly — as if the album has this sort of Lego-like ability to reform itself into something potentially better than what it is with all the same parts. Some parts are just too short and should have elaborated upon, like the end of “Twin Dragon/Hello Skeleton”, and some parts feel too familiar, like the end of “Wowowow”. I think the only take-away song from this album is “Drunken Birds”, as it’s the only song that made me feel complete after listening to it.
However, maybe my cons are something of a musical troll on Cursive’s part. Maybe the awkward, uncomfortable feeling that resonates throughout the album is a ploy to further put you into this house with Cassius and Pollock. The idea behind the album seems to focus around the uneasy tension between these brothers, so what better way to exhibit that than actually making you feel uncomfortable when listening to the album? If this was intentional, then Cursive and Tim Kasher may be headed into a new era of Cursive and the concept album. If this wasn’t intentional, then I basically just said this album was a complete mess.
The Verdict
After seeing them perform a heavy chunk of this album live last week, it’s easy for me to say that many of these songs live were simply more interesting than what is presented on I Am Gemini. The aggressive and pulsing nature contrasted between these very mellow and overly-simple lulls for lyrical accent felt really great live. Coming back that night and trying to re-experience this album in that light just did not fall right. At times, it was a stretch for me to even think the same song on the album was the same song live. There was something that just ate me whole with some of these tracks live that didn’t happen when I had the headphones on. It’s not a knock on the production, as Matt Bayles performed some wonders making this album sound huge albeit only five people. It’s not a knock on the songs themselves, as they sounded a million times better live. Maybe it’s just the new style? I can’t pin point what I don’t like about the album, but there is something that is missing. All the pieces very well may be there, but the organization might be lacking… or… hrmm. I’m not sure. This was a hard one to figure out.
Noise Pop 2012, San Francisco’s version of NYC’s CMJ, had a stellar night last night. Down the street was a sold out show with Grimes, and up the street was another sold out show for Die Antwoord. Needless to say, Cursive and friends packed the house at Great American Music Hall last night.
The day itself was gearing to be perfect (minus a slight breeze in the early evening). It was fairly warm for hoodie weather, around mid-70F (~23C). Pretty classic Bay Area weather, in my opinion.
Taxes were first up, bringing a sort of pop rock vibe met with some twangy guitar riffs sprinkled throughout. The lead singer, Robby Cronholm, was the most charming with his lawnmower-fight haircut and a care-free dance/hop. This band’s charm seemed to win out the handful of people who showed up for the openers. Their closer, “Acquaintances, Accomplices”, was no doubt the highlight of their set. People who liked Forgive Durden‘s Wonderland,The Get Up Kids‘ On the Wire, or Kevin Devine‘s Put Your Ghost to Rest may enjoy this band.
Virgin Islands, a Seattle band who Tim Kasher announced were “friends from long ago”, brought a heavier sound to the stage. Their style mixed a punk sound with a garage rock style. I thought these guys were going to shred on guitar, but much of their songs that included “solos” were more along the lines of feedbacking guitars and pseudoplaying. That’s not to say they weren’t talented, they were definitely a driving force if the crowd was more active, but I was more interested in watching them play versus listening to them play. You might be into these guys if you’re into Josh Homme anything or Valient Thorr.
Ume, the mainstay supporting act for Cursive on this tour, was something fierce. They mash up a dose of very heavy, almost metal, guitar riffs paired with a fairly ominous vocal styling from guitarist and vocalist Lauren Larson. The apocalyptic sounds that doomed the crowd took everyone by surprise, as all the members of the band were unassuming thrashers. A patronizing “d’awwww” echoed through the Great American when Larson thanked the crowd after a song, as her voice was akin to a shy schoolgirl’s. Standing on her side of the stage was fairly breathtaking, as her fingers only stopped moving to play a handful of chords on a handful of songs. Many of the tracks were feats of finger endurance, as Larson literally shredded away any guitar competition on the stage this night. And I haven’t even begun to discuss her stage presence: her methods of rocking out were arguably the most animated of the night, as she bounced around, hairbanged, and strutted across the stage — all the while picking away at the equivalent of a set-long guitar solo, mind you. Ume was unrelenting, to say the least. A must-see and must-hear for people into Russian Circles, Mew, any post-rock, any math-rock.
Of course, the bulk of the Hall was here for the pride of Omaha — Cursive. Tonight marked their first show since the release of I Am Gemini, their latest concept album about tragic twin brothers. As expected, half of the show seemingly consisted of track from I Am Gemini, which… to be honest, sounded much more interesting live than on the album. As with new albums, the crowd seemed out of it until the third song from the set, “A Gentleman Caller”, sent a familiar singalong throughout the crowd. The energy inevitably turned into a full on crowd mosh pit, which was to be expected for a popular band like Cursive. The familiar tracks like “Some Red Handed Sleight of Hand” and “The Martyr” drew some of the loudest singalongs, whereas the crowd would fall extremely silent and still for tracks like “The Sun and The Moon” or “The Cat and Mouse”, two of the tracks promoted before the release of I Am Gemini.
The most impressive track came from the slower, seemingly darker version of “The Recluse”. For any Cursive fan whose first show was last night, this rendition of “The Recluse” may have been a sort of religious experience. It’s hard to fight the power of this song and a few hundred of kids all singing the backup vocals without fail.
Kasher and company ended the night with “Sink to the Beat” from Burst and Bloom and a track from I Am Gemini that I couldn’t pinpoint. The murmurs from the crowd outside of the venue was hoping to hear something more along the lines of “The Great Decay” or “Mothership, Mothership, Do You Read Me?” rather than “This House Alive” or “This House a Lie”. During the encore, Kasher stated something that might not have got through to the alcohol-laden crowd — Noise Pop’s 20th anniversary. His argument was that San Francisco was lucky (and possibly spoiled [or he was possibly jealous]) to have such a city-wide festival be in operation for the past twenty years — something he said Omaha wouldn’t even be able to comprehend. And he is completely right, this entire week can be filled with nights just like last night for an avid concert-goer, which makes something like Noise Pop not just unique and rare but potentially overlooked for the die hard music adventurer.
The night ended with two roses tossed upon the stage, one narrowly missing Kasher in the face. And how appropriate, as the 20-somethings and 30-somethings in the crowd were more than polite and classy (aside from the two idiots who tried to fight each other in between songs… that was silly). Kasher stayed on stage for a few more minutes, tweaking away at his guitar pedals while also autographing ticket stubs, until he jumped up emphatically with a huge smile and arms out, as if he was trying to hug the room, and skipped of stage.
With that, my Wednesday Noise Pop day was complete. Until tonight, friends.
Remember when Freeway recorded “Follow My Moves” with Birdman, meaning that Lil Wayne’s adopted daddy was on a Rhymesayers track? I took that as a sign that in the shrinking world of hip-hop no one really knows what the hell is going on. It seems like regional associations and rivalries between “mainstream” and “underground” artists have completely disappeared; there’s only a few dollars left in the rap game, and everyone is going hard to get them. (This, by the way, explains why Bun B has spent the past three years rapping over anything his management hands him.)
To confirm my suspicision, I present this:
You heard that right: it’s Killer Mike, from an album produced entirely by El-P. On Adult Swim’s record label. Featuring T.I. and (who else??) Bun B. You guys– I’m actually excited about this!
Adult Swim has a good track record with hip-hop, working with everyone from MF Doom and Danger Mouse to Clams Casino and Madlib. And we all know that everything El-P touches turns to awesome. The beat here starts off deceptively Dirty South-ish and then turns crazy, violent, exactly what you imagine Def Jux beats would sound like from now until the dystopian future El-P has always predicted had El-P not shelved Def Jux indefinitely in 2010.
I’m not the biggest Killer Mike fan, but El-P’s production enhances Mike’s flow, forcing him out of the seat-leaned-back lane and into a more frenetic cadence. The fact that Mike pulls it off and still sounds like himself is impressive. Meanwhile, T.I. doesn’t sound so hungry (prison food will do that to you) but Bun B is exactly as solid as he is on everything else. Bun’s got rapping down to a science now, and can throw off lines like “Being trill is an onomatopoeia” without raising eyebrows.
If “Big Beast” is any indication, I’m going to like this forthcoming album. I’m also excited to see who else this album features. Whoever it is, though, they better split the profits up quick. Rumor has it that Odd Future is collaborating with Kanye West. When that happens, good luck getting a hip-hop dollar that doesn’t have self-loathing and stripper residue all over it.
After the positive response from Dan Jordan’s last audio review, and a handful of recommendations for him to do, I put him to the test again with Sunny Day Real Estate‘s pioneering album Diary. Many of our readers, if not most, have heard stories of how Diary was a jumping point into the era of emo music. Most of the music I was into when I started getting into music stemmed from Sunny Day Real Estate’s Diary influence, or so they say. Most classically, Dan Hoerner played with Chris Carrabba on So Impossible EP, which was one of those albums I played to death. From there, I wanted to play lead guitar like Hoerner. As I listened further into late 90s and early 00s music, flares of SDRE’s song structuring throughout the music I listened to sort of gave that silent nod back to Diary. At least, that’s what I assumed.
Of course, not many share my viewpoint. And further past that, Dan Jordan shares little to none of my viewpoints. For those who don’t know about Dan Jordan, he is a person who would be on the more extreme side of not listening to music. He sits in his room in England and plays video games all day. When he’s not playing video games, he’s either listening to sports radio or riding his bike around town. The first and last time he listened to an album in full was when I had him listen to In the Aeroplane Over the Sea last month. His musical knowledge is fairly minute, spanning only from video games, UK reality TV shows, and tid-bits from movies and radio. The last time he had a “favorite band” was when some idiot on a webcam chat room was playing Depeche Mode and Dan Jordan thought it (and he) was hilarious. Needless to say, he does not seek out music… music finds him.
Being a man of little music knowledge, Dan Jordan reflects a population outside of the indie music bubble readers of 402 most likely don’t belong to: the musically uneducated. That’s not to say they are musically uneducated as in they don’t know how to play a guitar or a flute, but they aren’t familiar with the rich history indie music today has built itself upon. With that, there are many albums we may consider “classic,” “legendary,” or “pioneering” and yet Dan Jordan and the majority of the world have no idea about such albums. Furthermore, if they are so legendary and influential, what would the layman or laywoman say about such an album? What of the person with no experience with music at all?
For those who cannot listen to the entire thing below (it’s kind of long) key excerpts have been transcribed below. Hope you enjoy!
Listen to (or download) the entire interview/review below!
Dan Jordan: I think the vocals are too quiet. You can hear the instruments more than the vocals.
Nick Wan: Does it sound good though?
DJ: Yeah, but at times it feels like the instruments are flooding the vocals, you know what I mean? If this album sounds like how this song sounds, then this will be better [than In the Aeroplane Over the Sea]
NW: Why did they name it “Seven”?
DJ: Because this song is four minutes and forty-SEVEN seconds long.
On “In Circles”
DJ: This song sounds like bedtime music. Well, not anymore. Maybe that part was just a build up to the main bit.
On “Song About an Angel”
DJ: Probably about some girl he likes.
NW: What if it’s about an actual angel?
DJ: What? They don’t exist.
NW: You don’t know that.
DJ: I think he wants the angel to save the egg people from the fire [in regards to the album art].
DJ: This song was shit.
On “Round”
DJ: All these songs are sounding the same, can we stop listening to this now please? This song is alright, it’s almost chase music caliber.
On “47″
DJ: The guy on guitar sounds pretty good.
On “The Blankets Were The Stairs”
DJ: What does the song title mean? A blanket staircase, which doesn’t support anyone or anything. A trollcase.
NW: Metaphorically, what could it mean?
DJ: Maybe they can see the stairs but they can’t climb up the stairs to get to where they want, because they are blankets. I can’t really hear what they are saying because the instruments are too loud.
On “Pherton Skeurton”
NW: Is this your favorite song?
DJ: Yeah. Because it’s simple, just piano and vocals.
NW: But the last album we did was just guitar and vocals.
DJ: But piano gives out more pleasant sounds. It’s more professional.
On “48″
DJ: Not my favorite. Is this the second part of “47″? What’s he saying, “We’re inside”? I don’t like the scream that much.
On “Grendel”
DJ: It’s good. It’s relaxing. Apart from now. It just follows the pattern of all the other songs. It has a quiet build up and halfway through it sort of unleashes.
On “Sometimes”
DJ: This song is going to drag on.
On Diary in general
DJ: This album is better than the last album [Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea].
DJ: This could be his form of a diary. And these songs are just stories about his life.
DJ: This music is depressing. Because it sounds the same.
NW: You think every song has sounded the same?
DJ: Yeah. God damn it. This is shit.
NW: What’s the worst part about this album?
DJ: The album art. Because it tricked me into listening to this shit.
NW: If you were going to do an activity to this music, what would it be?
DJ: Maybe read a book.
NW: If you were going to eat something to this music, what would it be?
DJ: Maybe grapes. Or coffee cake. Something that’s soft so you can actually hear the music.
NW: Would you consider this soft rock?
DJ: Yeah.
NW: What would Simon Cowell say about this album?
DJ: “You have star quality.” I don’t think he would like it but he would know it’s good. He would know it would sell.
DJ: Where’s the song called “Diary”? I thought that there was always a song named after the album.
DJ: Emos would like this. Because it’s emo music.
NW: What if you were a rock band, like this band, and someone started calling you something other than rock music?
DJ: I would say that’s their interpretation.
NW: You wouldn’t feel angry?
DJ: No, because you’re making money and they aren’t.
DJ: 6/10. I know 402 Productions is a big fan of rating systems. I liked the more subtle parts. The quiet parts. But that’s often ruined by the louder parts. I liked the use of piano but not the lack of the piano. I recommend this to people who want to start a band and lack inspiration. This is just the basic shit a band needs to be playing in order to sound good to the mainstream. The mainstream emo. If you want to impress an emo you need to sound like this. This was worthy of background music. Something I would just listen to without noticing. It’s good because it’s worthy of being exposed to my ears.
On Sunny Day Real Estate in general
DJ: This is rock music.
NW: Is this what you would consider emo music?
DJ: Eh, scene music.
NW: What is scene music?
DJ: I don’t know what scene music is. It just sounded appropriate.
NW: What do you think emo music is, then?
DJ: Like, My Chemical Romance.
NW: What does Sunny Day Real Estate mean?
DJ: Um, it could be real estate agents who try to sell houses in Florida. There is tons of real estate in Florida.
DJ: This band sounds like a stepping stone band. Like a band before they moved on to a bigger band.
Closing thoughts
Sadly, I’m not too sure how much of my praising the album midway through played in Dan Jordan’s thoughts. He did mention that this album was “the basic shit a band needs to be playing to sound good to the mainstream emo”. However, Dan Jordan’s idea of emo music is My Chemical Romance. He continues on to mention that this album’s song structuring, of intricate verses met with heavily distorted choruses, was something that ruined many of the songs for him. Dan Jordan did nail the fact that this band was initially just rock music to him and that it was from the 90s. Something that may have been most interesting is idea that he didn’t believe this was emo music initially, nor did it sound like emo music (or at least, what he thought was emo music). This isn’t really a plus or minus against labeling subsequent SDRE-type music as emo, but rather an interesting point on labeling in general. Who the fuck cares what kind of music it’s listed under?
In a sort of interesting twist, Dan Jordan believes this to be a decent album to listen to as muzak. His interest in the slower, cleaner sounding parts of the album shines a bit of light on the type of music Dan Jordan would be interested in. However, his dislike of Neutral Milk Hotel’s ItAOtS is sort of baffling, as that was not only slower and cleaner (in fact, almost entirely acoustic) but also the vocals were more clearly audible, which was also a knock on Diary he had. If you listened to the review, you may have noticed some of the albums may bring a certain slower, quieter, cleaner sound to the table that Dan Jordan may actually like but we have yet to get to that point.
Finally, Dan Jordan’s little to no experience with music in contrast with the heavy dose of music analysis he is participating in may start to reflect in later reviews. We may have to get creative with what albums he’ll be listening to. Maybe a mixtape is in order?
The staff question-and-answer routine continues with…
Starting in 2011 and continuing on, a heavy flow of bands whose existence has been put on hold for a while have been given new life. Whether it’s a one-off tour or a full-fledged reunion, who are you most excited to have back?
Nick Wan:
At The Drive-In. Almost all bands and artists on this site have either been inspired by or love ATDI. And yet, there has never been a band since to come near the influential prowess they possessed. Not to mention, they have been heralded as the best live band of all time; so the kids born in the 90s have never seen a show of theirs in person.
Adam Finley:
Ben Folds Five. Yeah, I know, Ben is a magical fountain of awesome songwriting with or without the rest of the band, but it’s awesome to see the old lineup back together in all their garage nerd-rocky glory. And Ben says a new album is “happening fo sho”. Show me the mosh pit.
Nate Pavlot:
I’m most excited to see Dispatch back together. Back in the day they were one of the first groups to inspire me to pick up a guitar, and my inner-bro could not be more excited that they’re recording again.
Ryan Gabos:
Although I won’t get to see them, Archers Of Loaf getting back together is awesome. I’ve enjoyed watching fan-recorded videos of these guys still pulling off their flawless indie rocking anthems. One faux-reunion I did get to experience was Joan Of Arc’s addition of Victor Villarreal to their lineup which resulted in them playing a few Owls tunes on tour. I say faux-reunion because only two of the four members were actually in Owls, but nonetheless, it felt really awesome belting the words to “Everyone Is My Friend” back at Tim Kinsella from a few feet away.
Life Size Maps are a trio of Brooklynites who have the distinction of utilizing a cellist in place of the typical bass guitar, and a wide variety of percussion instruments that add just the right amount of clank to the mix. At heart, they are truly a young, awesome bunch of noise rockers. Last year, I reviewed their debut EPMagnifier. If you have not checked it out yet, do so and get your hands on it. The five songs were epic, fast, and displayed a promising outlook for the group. Quite recently, they have released a new three-song EP for free entitled Weird Luck.
Listen to ”Weird Luck”
The Pros:
The most pleasing thing to say about this EP is that they have stayed true to their sound, and Weird Luck is essentially three more great songs from this band. That is a huge compliment, considering how perfect their previous effort is. There is a fairly substantial change in LSM’s approach this time around involving tempo and new, additional sounds. This batch of tunes keeps to a consistent rushing pace, landing them somewhere closer to Dinosaur Jr. and less like Unwound in this particular instance, compared to Magnifier. After the beautiful beginning squeal of Mike McKeever’s guitar that kicks off the titular opener, it is made apparent that the gang’s supply of fun noisemakers has grown over time, with a synth line taking over as the central hook.
McKeever’s tonality underwent a slight facelift that seems permanent throughout the record. Now, he dons a flavor akin to Bob Mould’s trademark Hüsker Dü distortion mixed with a sheet of Reynolds Wrap encasing the fretboard. Drummer Jordyn Blakely and cellist Rob Karpay hold up way more than their ends of the deal, indicated in Rob’s unique instrument allowing him to go beyond the ordinary bassist’s limitations and Jordyn’s characteristically quiet-then-clattered playing style, (“Wind In The Furnace”).
The Cons:
Weird Luck is no companion piece to Magnifier; it is a separate embodiment of Life Size Maps’ quickly blossoming musical ventures. The only qualm one would have with this after hearing their debut would deal with the slimming down of song structure array. Given that there are three songs to work with on this EP, it would have been nice to see them differ more intensely. “The Sleepy Northeast,” easily the best track on Magnifier, is a pulse-pounding slow burner with the power to move mountains. It would have been wonderful to hear another masterpiece such as that, but you aren’t necessarily left with any complaints.
The Verdict:
While their debut was a sizable gift under the tree, Weird Luck is similar to a stocking stuffer. Three more suavely executed noise rockers for your listening pleasure, and they are for free. What else could you ask for? Well, if Life Size Maps ever get around to knocking out a full length album that matches the talent and consistency from their current catalogue, it may be something of landmark potential. For now, here are a few scraps that leave you wanting so much more.
