Paper Tongues – Paper Tongues
(A&M/Octone)
2.5
I don’t really know how to quantify Paper Tongues. It’s not a festering pile of crap. It’s not the musical genius of that Bird and the Bee album I reviewed a couple of months ago. It’s just kind of meh.
See, certain tracks remind me a little bit of Guillemots, and others make me think of Girlsareshort; there’s a little hint of a mediocre Freddy Mercury sound-alike in some songs. There’s a little bit of Keane in it, too, but without the actual good qualities. There’s some weird Mika-like rapping.
The truth about Paper Tongues is that there’s not a lot here to make me really excited. I can think of a list of other bands and albums I’d listen to over this one. They do what Paper Tongues do, but better. In the words of the Beastie Boys, ch-check them out:
Guillemots – Red
Keane – Under the Iron Sea
Girlsareshort – Earlynorthamerican
-- Doug Messel
Skullflower – Strange Keys to Untune Gods' Firmament – (Two disc set)
(Neurot Recordings)
5
Veteran UK noise act Skullflower are about as far from the mainstream as possible. Kudos to Neurot Recordings for bringing this savage yet mystical monolith of guitar-oriented noise to American ears (with no regard for commercial potential). Yes, this is truly a labor of love, though some listeners may be scarred by the end of this two hour mass of mostly formless and rhythm-free aural siege. Beginning with the fried feedback of "Shivering Aurora," the first disc moves abruptly into the drone/noise masterpiece "Starlit Mire," which refers to noted chaos magician and artist Austin Osman Spare, not Psychic TV, I'm sure. From there, it's back to the reckless "Enochian Tapestries" before the all-consuming invocation within "City Of Dis." "Basement of an Impure Universe" is the sound of pain, pure and simple. Disc two is no less forgiving, opening with the grinding "Nibelungen" and continuing to the absolutely brutal catastrophe of "Blood Mirror Streams." While some bands coax different sounds out of their instruments, Skullflower strangle them, for lack of a better description. Theirs is the sound of all-consuming terror. Not for the faint-hearted, Strange Keys… is an overwhelming, overloaded, and ultimately purifying listening experience.
-- Todd Zachritz
Lonestar - Party Heard Around the World
(Saguaro Road)
5
Lonestar releases their first album in almost four years on April 27. Although the band replaced their lead singer in 2007, Party Heard Around The World, the band’s tenth album, meets up to the expectations of a band that has been a staple in country music for some time. The lead voice may be different, but the music does not disappoint with up-beat tempos and soft guitar sounds that are the norm for country music. The three singles for this album include “You’re The Reason Why,” “The Future,” and “Let Me Love You.”
“You’re the Reason Why” is a love song that does the slow verses then up-tempo chorus thing with notable pauses in between that keeps listeners interested to hear what is coming next.
“The Future” is another romantic song that starts off with a beautiful, but fleeting, guitar and piano duet, but the soft sound of the violin in the background gives the song that perfect dynamic, along with random electric guitar riffs that will catch you by surprise. The best thing is that this song does not drown listeners with lyrics that drip with romance, but instead gives more to think about with lines like “The future is a big, wide open highway/ I wanna drive it our way/Just keep rolling along, rolling along.”
And although the final single is yet again another song about love, “Let Me Love You” is tastefully done with simplistic ideas about loving someone and lyrics like “Let me fall/Let me rise/Let me dance in your eyes/And show you who you are.”
When the songs end, you will want to play them again.
-- Kristina Kercher
Mike Patton – Mondo Cane
(Ipecac)
5
Snips of Patton’s live European Mondo Cane performances have been all over the Web for some time, but the wait is over – May 4 sees the official release of this new batch of structured insanity from the mind of a man so utterly possessed with weirdness and beauty it’s impossible to pin him down. Fans of Mike’s various projects over the many years he’s been in the public consciousness know what I mean…
Jesus, where to begin? In Mike’s words, “My purpose in revisiting these pieces is not to relive the past, not for nostalgia, but more to illustrate through modern and adventurous interpretation exactly how vital and important this music still is.”
“This music” is eleven tracks of Italian-language moments of full orchestration (Mike employed a 30-piece orchestra and chorus), bells, bleeps, hellish guitars (“Ore D.Amore”), Mr. Bungle-esque-lysergic acid trips (“Che Notte!”), lovemaking on a golden hillside in Sicily (“Scalinatella”), moments of aural mis en scene from The Godfather (and much cinema in general), plus songs previously recorded by The Blackmen, Connie Francis and Ennio Morricone. In short, Mondo Cane is composed of awesomely bizarre and beautiful spasms of music that utterly defies structured placement.
What else would we expect from the man from such bands as the aforementioned Mr. Bungle, Faith No More, Tomahawk, Fantomas and Peeping Tom?
Is this an instant classic for fans? Possibly. Is it accessible to general audiences? A perhaps-surprising maybe. Hipsters will dig it and their grandmothers probably will too. Fans of Patton need this album; everyone else should at least give it a listen with open ears and an open mind.
-- Dylan Gibbs
Fareed Haque and the Flat Earth Ensemble – Flat Planet
(Owl Studios)
4
Fareed Haque enjoys a unique spot in the music world today. He is one of but a handful of guitarists whose career spans the spectrum of musical expression and whose versatility has made him an immensely valuable player with everyone from Paquito D’Rivera, Sting, and Medeski, Martin, and Wood to symphony orchestras in the Americas and abroad. His style speaks of the diversity of the global traveler yet is only exemplified by this single, magnificent performer.
Born in 1963 and raised in Chicago, Fareed is the product of a Pakistani heritage that has led him to be one of the sires of the Indo-Jazz movement. And the Chilean side, garnered from his mother, show Fareed’s passion for the baroque and South American music. Because of the extensive travel he experienced as a youth, he was exposed to many different styles of music and culture. As the public hears and views him today, his mastery of the eclectic has become his trademark.
Flat Planet is the eighth album that Fareed has solely produced since the 1988, Voices Rising. Fareed has been interested in producing and promoting Indo-Jazz for quite some time. In 2001 he co-founded the jam band Garaj Mahal and is still seen by some as a prominent member of the “jamband” scene. With the release of Flat Planet, Fareed Haque combines Hindustani folk music and a groove that is one of the most distinct examples of world fusion on the music planet today.
The Flat Earth Ensemble is a group of some of the most talented musicians in jazz. And Fareed takes them and blends their talents with that of classical, sub-continental instrumentation of the tabla, dhol, and sitar, among others. The sitar and jazz have been associated before, most notably with Dave Pike and John McLaughlin. Fareed’s latest evolution pushes the groove and the musicianship to, as of yet, unheard of levels.
Flat Planet consists of eleven cuts, with the last three presenting a 15 minute whirlwind entitled “The Four Corners Suite.” Of the other cuts my favorites are “Big Bhangra” (1), “Uneven Mantra” (3), and “Blue Hindoo” (4). “Big Bhangra” begin this Hindustani ride with a solid jazz flavor. “Uneven Mantra” claims it moniker from the unusual seven-beat cycle in an interesting, extended melody. Keyboardist Rob Clearfield is given plenty of room to soar before Fareed comes out with a smoking classical solo. And “Blue Hindoo”, my personal favorite, brings it all together with a smooth jazz feeling that brings a smile to my face every time I hear it.
I was fortunate enough to see Fareed Haque and the Flat Earth Ensemble at the Rapp-Owen Granary in New Harmony, Indiana as one of the events in the 2010 Under the Beams Winter Concert Series. WUEV 91.5 FM was involved in promoting several of this year’s events. It was a treat to see such a group of consummate musicians. And to see the sitar and tabla interlaced with some tasty jazz was an experience that I will long remember. Flat Planet may be somewhat adventurous for those just beginning to appreciate other forms of music beside Western, popular music. I do encourage anyone who is truly interested in a broad horizon to give it a listen. An expanded mind would be a terrible thing to waste.
-- Paul Mattingly
Psycho – The Grind Years
(Selfmadegod Records)
3.5
This Boston group's 1990-1994 output is re-released on this fine 52-track collection, and it's packed with brutal and fun hairballs of noise, grunts, and riffs! Ranging from scuzzy gutter punk to ultra-blast grindcore, Psycho's over-the-top thrash and spittle-covered punk exhibit a wicked sense of humor and some superb musical chops. Fans of everything from classic punk rock to early Napalm Death will find plenty to chew on here. Production is hit-and-miss (invariably due to the numerous recording conditions and time periods), but the mood (?) here is of reckless abandon and good, heavy aggression. It's hard to single out tracks, as the majority of them run about a minute apiece, and some log in at as little as 11 seconds, but suffice to say there are plenty of gnarly and fun blasts here. The Grind Years is perfectly-executed old-school grindcore/punk with attitude, poise, and spirit.
--Todd Zachritz
Various Artists – Kick-Ass Soundtrack
(DGC/Interscope)
3
Having not seen this film yet, I can confess that this idiosyncratic mix works in an odd, yet appealing way on its own, despite the needless film dialogue splashed between cuts. With several "big beat" dance/rock hybrids leading off, I almost mistook this soundtrack for a mid-90's compilation. The Prodigy return with a pair of recent songs
-- the funky, even soulful instrumental "Stand Up," and the heavier "Omen," which echoes their more aggressive mid-90's work. MIKA Vs RedOne's title cut is an insipid mainstream danceclubber, which leads into the always-dependable Primal Scream, who contribute a funky, bratty dance/rock cut called "Can't Go Back." Along for the ride we have the FM-radio rock of Pretty Reckless, the fun, surfy original Dickies track "Banana Splits" (kudos to the producers for resurrecting this 1979 punk classic), the kaleidoscopic pop of Sparks' original "This Town Ain't Big Enough," a cover of Joan Jett's immortal "Bad Reputation" by a group called The Hit Girls, and some exotic classics from Ennio Morricone and Elvis Presley, whose gospel "An American Trilogy" is seemingly out of place, but manages to close things out appealingly. In short, it's a mixed bag on this one, with some worthy tracks alongside the obligatory filler.
--Todd Zachritz
The Constellations – Southern Gothic
(Virgin)
3.5
Okay, immediately I have to say that where Paper Tongues try to make this cool rap-rock hybrid thing work—and fail at it miserably—The Constellations succeed. Maybe it’s just more believable because Elijah Jones, ironically, manages to channel a more authentic vibe than the Asher Roth wannabe vocalist of the other band (ironic because Asher Roth collaborates on a track on Southern Gothic). Cee-Lo Green makes an appearance, too, and I can be down with that. Really, they just seem like better musicians. The instrumentation is more fun. Above all, though there’s just a consistency in this album that makes it enjoyable. It kind of reminds me of Spoon in places, and I dig Spoon, so it’s cool. This one comes out in June, so be on the lookout. It’s not the greatest thing ever, but it’s serviceable.
-- Doug Messel
Burzum – Belus
(Byelobog Productions)
4
Easily among the most influential and controversial bands in the Norwegian black metal circuit (look it up, I won't go into the gory and sensational details here), Burzum's first album in 11 years doesn't disappoint. Opening with the atmospheric "Leukes Renkespill," Varg Vikernes (who seems to be the sole member) descends into atmospheric (and surprisingly melodic) black metal on "Belus' Doed."
But his palette isn't as monochromatic as or stifling as that genre has become. "Glamselens Elv" is an epic 11-plus minute Viking-style romp that is as much classical in style as it is metallic. "Kaimadalthas' Nedstigning" is just under 7 minutes, but manages to range from dark Norse chant to more traditional black metal wailing - effective and unusual.
"Keliohesten" is an unwavering blitzkrieg of rolling drums and thunderous, almost industrial-style riff, while the closing, "Belus Tibakekomst (Konklusjon)" is an almost SWANS-like mantra, with building guitar textures and drones. With Belus Vikernes and Burzum proves that he is moving beyond the traditional black metal sound that he helped to instigate, and (shady) politics aside, this is a powerful and triumphant return.
--Todd Zachritz
