Listen to this Immediately!

Posted by Jonathan Elbaz |

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With their last album, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Animal Collective proved they had just a little bit of 'normal' in them. Everything in their collection leading up to Merriweather was thick, atmospheric psychedelia loaded with the sounds of the universe. While the stuff was certainly innovative, it wasn't the most tuneful, the kind of music you have to try hard to enjoy.

But with Merriweather, they integrated just a hint of accessibility into their sound. Tracks like "My Girls" and "Summertime Clothes" are perfectly hummable, music you don't have to listen to when you're either alone curled up in your room or under the influence of drugs.

It's been nine months since the release of that album, and the band is back with Fall Be Kind, a 5-track EP that, at 27 minutes in length, seems more like a complete album. While the whole EP is quite good, the centerpiece and masterpiece is "What Would I Want? Sky," a 7-minute aural joy-ride.

I can't even begin to explain how much I love this song. It's the most hummable, enjoyable, and simply fun Animal Collective song ever released. The song is broken down into two distinct pieces, with the first half built on a percussive, mesmerizing beat. These first few minutes retain the signature Animal Collective style present on their previous releases. There's the call and response vocals, endless array of synths, and weird effects the band always sprinkles in.

But the cosmic shift happens 3 minutes in, where the track morphs into a Beach Boys' style singalong, pitting Panda Bear's floating melodies against a sample of the Grateful Dead's "Unbroken Chain." It meshes beautifully. I might sound crazy, but this is an Animal Collective song you can blast in the car with the windows down. Yes, with the windows down; people at red lights won't glare at you like you're trying to channel the UFO from Close Encounters.


10/10

Switchfoot - Hello Hurricane Review

Posted by Jonathan Elbaz |

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Jon Foreman, the lead singer of San Diego-based Switchfoot, says of his band’s name: “To switch your feet means to take a new stance facing the opposite direction. It’s about change and movement, a different way of approaching life and music.”

After six albums from the California surfer boys, Foreman and the crew are back with Hello Hurricane, released on November 10. Apparently the whole “different approach” philosophy has been put on the backburner, as the album is inherently pedestrian.

Some of the tracks have potential, but quickly dissolve into clichéd radio drudge. “Mess of Me,” the lead single, offers a heavy blues take on the pharmaceutical industry. Foreman croons away while the band trucks along behind him, filling in with twangy riffs that would seem more at home on a Wolfmother record. But the song’s momentum comes to a quick halt when the sing-along pop-punk chorus arrives, and Foreman’s mindless lyrics certainly don’t pick up the slack. The song’s hook: “I want to spend the rest of my life alive.” That’s deep.

The title track resolves to a similar fate. The introduction of “Hello Hurricane” is a breath of fresh air, as a sweeping array of vocal melodies float over the rich atmospheric reverb. The oohs and aahs work beautifully, serving as the calm before the storm. After an MGMT-mashed-up-with-Coldplay-esque verse, the song descends into yet another melodramatic pop-punk chorus about a love strong enough to withstand the mightiest storm.

Switchfoot is working hard with the tired formula ever so common in contemporary rock. They’re trying to cater to everyone, hoping that the dudes will dig the face-melting stomps and the chicks will tear up to the touching ballads. In reality, what they end up with is boring collection filled with the repetitive tricks of Nickelback and blink-182.

Hello Hurricane is no more or less accessible than any other Switchfoot album, so fans of hits “Meant to Live” and “Dare You to Move” should have no problem finding the album enjoyable. But by the same token, the band shouldn’t expect a parade of new fans jumping on to the bandwagon.

4/10

Lyric of the Week - 11/01/09

Posted by Jonathan Elbaz |

Category :

Arctic Monkeys - "Still Take You Home"

Well it's ever so funny
Cause I don't think you're special, I don't think you're cool.
You're just probably alright
But under these lights you look beautiful.


Billy Corgan and the Infinite Stream of Bullshit

Posted by Jonathan Elbaz |

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Why does Billy Corgan have to be such an ass? First of all, he's been vigorously beating his dead horse (the horse being The Smashing Pumpkins) for a few years now. His whiny, screeching voice is truly the only survivor left, as Corgan is the sole founding member still in the band.

And Corgan still seems to have a lot to whine about. As H1N1 (swine flu), threatens to resurge as a pandemic this winter, Corgan has suddenly become a expert on the matter. Overestimating the weight of his opinions, he's taking every opportunity to point out how the media is simply creating unwarranted propaganda regarding the virus.

Read this:
I would suggest however that it is possible the virus is not a naturally occurring virus. I have read reports from people who say (as doctors) that there is evidence to suggest this virus was created by man; to call it Swine Flu is then a misnomer, as it really is Swine Flu plus some other stuff stitched together.

Is he legitimately serious? Billy Boy, you're not a doctor, not a scientist, not a journalist, and not even that good of a singer. Nobody honestly gives a shit what you think about H1N1. You can try to salvage what's left with The Smashing Pumpkins, but please stop masquerading as a credible social figure.

In many situations, musicians and athletes are apathetic towards controversial issues, responding quickly with "I'm just a golfer," the phrase Tiger Woods' often replies with when asked a tough question. It's great when people in the public eye care about national problems; it's just the stream of bullshit from ignorant morons like Corgan that we can do without.

Arctic Monkeys

Posted by Jonathan Elbaz |

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Hopefully getting Arctic Monkeys tickets tomorrow. 9:30 club is ridiculously small, so there should be a bloody mad rush at 10 AM. The Sheffield quartet has steadily gained a solid fan base in the states after years of bloody nuts popularity across the pond. The week their debut was released in 2006, UK magazines dubbed the band as one of the greatest to hit rock n' roll in decades.

When you hear critics and fans making judgements with such haste, you tend to dismiss it as bullshit, feelings that will just die down in a matter of weeks. But for some reason, whatever people said about the Arctic Monkeys was spot on: they were four teen geniuses, wrapped up in a messy, volatile adolescent culture. They were ready to howl about every drunken fight with a dance club bouncer and every debatable decision with a mediocre-looking girl who suddenly became beautiful under the shoddy lighting and the influence of various substances.

What the Arctic Monkeys do better than any of their contemporaries is tell stories. Frontman Alex Turner's lyrics aren't pretentious or abstract or overly-metaphorical. He just tells of what he observes on crowded streets around him, and he tells it with flair. Turner spits out his phrases at a maddening pace, rapping and crooning while leaving any listener who isn't with him behind. It's easy to get lost in his lyrics, but when you have the persistence and the patience to keep up, you realize the genius of his storytelling, however ordinary the stories are.

UPDATE: Though tickets sold out in about 90 minutes, my friend and I were able to snag a pair. Bring on the Brits!
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