25th May2011

Album Reviews: David Bazan – Strange Negotiations

by Blake

David Bazan is a singer-songwriter known for his solo debut Curse Your Branches, but more stigmatized was his work in Pedro the Lion. I have seen this man in concert during his Branches tour and was really impressed. I was a big Pedro the Lion fan and I also grabbed onto his solo material like it was a gift from the gods. However, I can’t help but be perplexed by this constant religious battle that rages within his fan base. I really don’t care if he is a Christian, Atheist, Muslim, or Scientologist. You can’t help those who feel very affected by his conversion – like he turned his back on them. He immediately spits on some faces, and then dribbles onto his own bib.

The Opener

Wolves At The Door by David Bazan

Pros

The album opens with “Wolves At The Door” as Bazan defiantly spouts off “You’re a goddamn fool, but I love you” x12. He chose a very interesting way to introduce the album. Is he trying to scare his loyal religious listeners into adopting the new world order of Bazan? Either way, it was a thought-provoking song, but definitely an anthem of rebellion. “Level With Yourself” is on par with his first release’s second track. He likes to hammer in a nail with his intros and jump into jubilee on the second track. Others like “Virginia” and “Don’t Change” are heavy on Pedro (perhaps attributed to his backing band) with the same introverted lyrical symbolism. This is enjoyable if you really like his songwriting style or still need your Pedro fix. I have always preferred his more abrasive and poetic tracks. “Hard To Be” off of Curse Your Branches was one of my favorites from his debut for this reason – his lyricism matched the melancholy mood and it played through like a confession. It was bewildering and gorgeous. I will say that the title track, “Strange Negotiations” has elements that I really liked. His lyric scheme on it is a funky and dreary mix that breaks the monotony up a little bit. Sorry Bazanians, but the time has come. Set your Americano down, bookmark your Bukowski, and hear me out.

Cons

Instrumentally speaking, the album is a flat-line. The melancholy bridges from Curse Your Branches weren’t prominent and the emotion wasn’t there. I set such high standards for Bazan because I know what he is capable of. Curse Your Branches was 402’s Album Of The Year in 2009. His follow-up is noticeably weaker. When listening, I try to let the album wash over me and listen without even opening an eye. I let him tell his tale and then respond based upon that sensory experience. Curse Your Branches was an emotional album full of poetic landscapes and soul wrenching lyrics. Strange Negotiations isn’t a powerhouse. This year I have heard amazing folk from artists like Blake Mills (who I mention a lot this year for good reason). I have a lot of respect for artists who can tell a story or even translate abstractions into the musical medium in a “real” way. As I said earlier, “Wolves At The Door” serves as a great provocative intro, but the following tracks just let me down more and more as the 40 minutes ticked down. Even the closing track “Won’t Let Go” sang me out into an abyss – in this case, one that didn’t stare back at me. After giving the tracks multiple listens, I have come to the same conclusion: they don’t feel genuine.

Verdict

David Bazan is a very interesting artist. It seems like he wants to be a poet more than an actual storyteller, which is fine. Then he throws these curve-balls at his audience with profane tracks like “Wolves At The Door”. I’m not religious by any means, but it was distracting considering his past and the struggles he has had with Christians questioning his stance. David Bazan can be whoever he wants to be. Is he a freedom fighter for critical thinking? A provocateur? I suppose that is what makes him such an interesting person. He shrouds himself in mystery and rides the fine line of religiosity and being a self-indulgent spectacle. I am not making any judgment calls, and neither should you. I can say this: after a few rotations of his new album, I don’t think you will find what you’re looking for. This isn’t Curse Your Branches, nor is it artistic evolution. This is just a really shallow representation of what he is capable of. I left empty-handed and very disappointed. If you can find something to hold onto, good for you. I will try to forget he followed up such a beautiful album with such blandness. Everyone knows he can do better than this. Hell, David Bazan knows he can do better than this.

 

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30th Dec2009

NW Reviews: Albums of the Year

by nickwan

Now, in one massive post, the albums of the year from some of us here at 402 Productions!

Nick Wan’s list:

The album of the year is…

David Bazan - Curse Your Branches

David Bazan - Curse Your Branches

Best album this year? It’s hard to compete against someone who has produced three cult followings for three different projects, has put out multiple albums without a lull over the past decade, has attracted a mass following from three different parts of the Seattle-indie world, and has the talent to put out Curse Your Branches, which is a cumulative effort from all three of his faces (Pedro the Lion, Headphones, and David Bazan the solo act). Some might argue that all three sounds the same, but all three are actually very different. From the full on live three piece band to the synth-pop-rock to the singer-songwriter and now a mix of all three and more, Bazan has crafted the best showing in 2009 with Curse Your Branches.

Here are my top albums in no particular order, but possibly in particular genres.

Tegan & Sara - Sainthood

Tegan & Sara - Sainthood

The Quins, along with the two producers who put out The Con and So Jealous, have reached the #2 spot on my list for not failing to deliver the next installment of Tegan & Sara. The album, Sainthood, takes a major step away from their past acoustic singer-songwriter beginnings towards more band-oriented music. The cohesiveness between all the instruments punched in with catchy vocal melodies make up a very big surprise from the Canadian twins. Although very different than their older stuff, the album itself still had some minor shortcomings. For instance, rehashing “niche” pop-punk songs from Tegan (e.g. “Northshore”) and the random one-off indie-pop song from Sara (e.g. “Alligator”) make for predictability. Also, the lack of a solid “hit” on the album might not stand the test of time in the later years, unlike their past albums where there has been a definite “hit” (e.g. “Back in your Head”, “Walking With a Ghost”, “Monday Monday Monday”, etc). However, for this year, this album has shown musical maturity and growth from the Plunk sisters and it seems as if the next step might be even more surprising than this step with Sainthood.

Owen - New Leaves

Owen - New Leaves

Owen, aka Mike Kinsella, cradles us with another Chicago-indie hit. New Leaves is what happens when Mike goes from his bedroom to a larger room with a band in mind. The songs on this album might not have that “there’s a pillow next to me” sound, but the album does have the “how will I play this live, solo acoustic?” sound. Kinsella’s response to playing these songs solo? Playing them with a band. Owen, the band form, took form for the album release party — a first since Mike played in American Football in the late 90′s. The album is consistent and doesn’t have a downfall at any given point, but does take on a bit of wear when compared to his other bedroom hits. The album itself is the less-keyboard-y version of Bazan’s album in my opinion, which doesn’t sit too well with the Owen fan base since Mike has only elaborated on what accompanies his playing rather than changing the entire sound of how he plays music. Still, the album is the best thing Owen has come out with since i do perceive and one could only hope he plays an actual tour with a band some time soon.

Fanfarlo - Reservoir

Fanfarlo - Reservoir

Fanfarlo, a newcomer from London, has set the bar high for indie pop a la Noah and the Whale and Beirut. These guys jumped on the scene early this year with this release and has flown under the radar ever since.  Only touring in the USA once, ever, Fanfarlo hasn’t seem to have broken out of their shell. This album, I would say, seems to be able to withstand the test of time. And should Fanfarlo be able to reach out and become something like Noah and the Whale or Beirut here in America, then this album could be one of those albums people look back on and say, “damn, should have picked up on these guys back in 2009″. I got your back, Fanfarlo. For whatever that is worth.

fun. - Aim and Ignite

fun. - Aim and Ignite

It took a hard while for me to justify this album over Morrissey, but I did. Nate Ruess and company are venturing forth into a new realm of music that is slowly catching on. Although some might agree that Forgive Durden’s Razia’s Shadow was more pinnacle in pinning the new fascination behind this new theatre-rock, fun. is doing their part to further the genre into something maybe less story based and something more musical based. fun. is taking the eccentric and elaborate arrangements of theatre and putting that into indie-rock form, creating this new music that seemingly only few bands are trying out lately. fun. should look forward to a big year in 2010, as should the indie-pop-rock scene.

Malajube - Labyrinthes

Malajube - Labyrinthes

I was turned into a big fan after my first few listens to this album. I think these guys might be the most under rated and over looked band right now. Sure, the French language isn’t the greatest “sing-along” language, but the music is everything from warm and fuzzy to hard and complex. These guys touch on a lot of different bases with their album, honing in a sound that seems so peculiar that it makes the listening aspect of this album a lot more fun. It definitely makes the lack of knowing what they are saying a lot more convenient. A good musical album, regardless of what they are singing.

And that’s all from this year. There is a post I put up for potential albums of the year, including links to the reviews, so if you want to see what I was considering check it out here. Hope you liked the podcast, and I hope to have a few more coming soon.

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20th Oct2009

Russian Circles – Geneva

by nickwan
Russian Circles - Geneva

Russian Circles - Geneva

Chicago instrumental rock strikes yet again with their newest release, Geneva. What seperates Geneva from their other albums? Sadly, not much… but much like Bazan’s last release, Russian Circles provides a consistancy that is rest-assured for the instrumental-rock scene.

This album picks up where Station left off, and bears many similarities to that album. Unlike their freshman release, Enter, both this new album and their sophomore release had more of a conceptual vibe to the album. Enter provided us with a set of songs that were very good but had no link throughout each song. Station dwelled more in the area of linking all the songs with a common musical thread. Geneva seems to do what Station has done, with this musical threading of songs, but with the original intensity that came with Enter. It’s back to basics, and with these guys that means more metal and less fancy-dancy noises.

A newcomer to this album is the introduction of other instruments. As a three-piece, Russian Circles have held their own using only guitar, bass, and drums. Station introduced some very light synth. Geneva introduces violins into the mix along with samples of other media, much to the likings of From Monuments to Masses or The Books.

Overall, this album hits on many good strides that Russian Circles should be expected to be making. However, that plays into the predictability of this album, which does pose a “boring” factor on the album at times. The introduction of new instruments definitely countered the boring predictability somewhat. Overall, good. And in my opinion, their best album.

goodalbumalbumoftheyearnominee

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29th Sep2009

Paramore – brand new eyes

by nickwan
brand new eyes

brand new eyes

If you have preconceived notions about the pop-punkers Paramore, please throw them out the window. I have always been an advocate for these kids (just ask Felisha) and completely loved Riot!. They had that harder sound about them that carried a little more weight with me than some of these other fake-sounding aggressive bands. Maybe that was mainly because the band’s main influences are close to my own… At the Drive-In, Fugazi, various hardcore bands… This is just what ended coming out of their amps and mouths. And I totally dig it.

Many will disagree with me, but Paramore is one of the few bands who come close to sounding like At the Drive-In with this new album. It’s got this crazy vibe about it that only the Hell Paso crew brought to the table oh so long ago. I mean, it doesn’t seem that Hayley and gang are doing copious amounts of drugs like the ATDI guys were doing, but they are definitely doing something, and that something is called right. They are definitely doing it right.

The first two tracks, “Careful” and “Ignorance”, definitely give me that older aggressive vibe I always liked. The third track is more than likely the second single off the album, but has some nasty lyrics about it that my friend Brandon Lowder probably has uttered before. The next few tracks keep it moving with that progressive punky sound those late 90s bands used to put out. I’m trying really hard not to live in the past, but this album is making it much more difficult.

Dare I say… brand new eyes is actually a better album than Brand New’s Daisy? I think I will say that. However, does it top Owen’s New Leaves? It’s hard to say. Can it top David Bazan’s Curse Your Branches? I mean… how can you top the albums of the year? I guess if you made the album of the year, then you would obviously top the previous contenders… but is Paramore, those teenagers from Franklin, Tennessee, really going to top one of Chicago’s greatest indie musicians, or even one of Seattle’s best singer-songwriters? Well, let’s give it a few more listens, but sources point to no. But this album definitely is a contender for a top spot for albums of the year. At the highest, maybe #3 or #2… but it’ll be pretty hard to compete with Bazan and Kinsella. At least on my list.

(Still waiting on Tegan and Sara)

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16th Sep2009

Owen – New Leaves

by nickwan

Not only has Mike Kinsella brought lists of confusion to those who want to play his songs since he rarely ever plays in standard tuning, but does it in such a way that makes you think “damn… this doesn’t sound like it’s that hard”. When it comes to simple sounding music, Mike Kinsella in his “Owen” persona takes the cake. The layers of instruments, the simple use of distortion, and yes… the weird time signatures that pop in and out of the record, make his new album New Leaves his best album to date, and a contender for album of the year.

Mike Kinsella is no guitarist by design. Originally the drummer for influential Chicago indie band Cap’n Jazz, Mike Kinsella found his way to the guitar in his own studio outfit dubbed American Football. A few years pass, and Owen is created. His first album being completely different from his next albums, this newest album is the most “kick back” to his older upbeat sound. New Leaves takes the intricacies of At Home With… and the indie-pop sound of I do perceive. and fuses the two into this new creation.

The Polyvinyl site (Mike’s label) officially states that this album was recorded over the course of two years, with three producers other than Mike to help him with the noise. Unlike At Home With…, New Leaves doesn’t set out with the intent to be that “at home” feeling album. Although, as usual, Kinsella brings the notion of an “at home” feel not for one entire song but rather in and out of songs — never once does this album encounter just a solo attempt with guitar and vocals as his previous albums have showcased in at least one song.

Something that definitely is a kick back to I do perceive and those songs would be the electric guitars. Although they sparsely appear throughout his discography, I do perceive had the bulk of the electric vibe to it. This album, New Leaves, definitely brings that attitude and feel back. Songs like “Never Been Born” and “The Only Child of Aergia” showcase this brilliantly. As for the more At Home With… flavor, “Ugly on the Inside” is the best earthy-acoustic sound produced on this album, with reminiscence of “Sad Waltzes of Pietro Crespi” off of At Home With… Although, some people might be surprised to hear that “Good Friends, Bad Habits” is not the original acoustic demo he posted on his MySpace page a few months ago. On the contrary, it doesn’t sound like it at all… however, if you ever get a chance to see Mike live, you will be surprised usually to hear what the acoustic versions of most of his songs sound like.

The pros for this album: Mike Kinsella is not afraid to go back and revisit those old sounds he once created. Many artists today feel like tampering with older stuff is almost on a level of unoriginality. Mike Kinsella uses his predefined sound as more of a base rather than a complete rip off to start his album. I would definitely say it is most different from other albums he has put out. Another pro is that there isn’t any of those “Owen-esque” bridges or outros that last half of the length of the song (e.g. “Bad News” and most of his first album, self-titled). Some people might not think that’s a pro, but I am a firm believer of a studio vs live sound… and the infinite outro is definitely an on-stage-only execution.

The cons for this album… when will you ever actually hear any of these songs? Much less, with a band? I know he played with a band in promotion of this album ONCE in his hometown of CHICAGO… but unfortunately, the last time I flew out to Chicago for a show with Mike Kinsella was when he put together a Fugazi cover band and right after one song downtown Chicago had a black out. Sweet flight over, bro. Mike Kinsella is a father first, also. Touring for him is seldom and usually to the east coast. Plus, he usually never headlines… so his sets are anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes long. Another con, going along with the live sound theme, is the idea that all these songs not only have band components to them but they are practically integral. With the past albums, and most pronounced with At Home With…, Mike Kinsella used a backing band in the studio only to make the (usually acoustic) guitar and vocals more accentuated.  Rather, this newest album has a lot of bass guitar and piano that become the main rhythm or most memorable lead to the songs where they are featured. To be honest, the first time I saw him play “Bad News”  I honestly thought to myself “holy shit, he’s playing the rhythm and lead at the same time…” so, with that in mind, it’s possible he surprises us with his guitar madness yet again.

In the race for album of the year, this album is my personal favorite of the year. The five most memorable albums thus far have been: Owen – New Leaves, David Bazan – Curse Your Branches, fun. – Aim and Ignite, Brand New – Daisy, and Ace Enders & a Million Different People – When I Hit the Ground . The next most exciting album for me to hear will be Tegan and Sara’s new album Sainthood along with AFI’s upcoming album Crash Love. It’s always possible that Glassjaw might throw a new album out there… but who’s to say? Far is expected to have an album out for sale before the year end as well, so there is definitely plenty of music to look forward to still… it’ll just be hard to top this album.

This album doesn’t officially come out until September 22nd, but if you were lucky and got the pre-order then it’s been at your doorstep since yesterday at the earliest.

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