Ironic Music

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It’s the first day of Spring. But, ironically it’s dark outside and pouring with rain. However, it is Spring! And I’m in the upside down part of the world; a world that features much new, ironic music. Like Japanese named two-pieces that are actually English three pieces; American sounding Swedes; Mexican sounding Americans; church organ playing heathens; and a girl called Patience who sings with ADHD. They and more can be read about here and previewed here.

Vast Aire – You Know (You Like It)

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Vast Aire is a New York MC and one half of Cannibal Ox. He may also be the former leader of the Lost Boys from Hook... He’s had plenty to do with El-P and the Def Jux label which should instantly give you an idea of his likely style. El-Producto himself produced for Cannibal Ox’s debut album, but Deuces Wilde features a range of producers led by Melodious Monk and also featuring wicked beats by Aspect One and You Know which comes from across the Atlantic from French producer Le Parasite – and it’s my call for best beat on the album.
Aire’s real name is Theodore Arrington and the rhymes he brings are equally wordy. Every track is thick with metaphor and New York City swagger. Even when he raps about insecurities and self-doubt he sounds confident, which is on the regular, as Deuces Wilde contains a nice balance of party content and life’s reflections. Maybe a bit pretentious, but can you enjoy a rapper who isn’t?

Bomb the Bass – Butterfingers (feat. Fujiya & Miyagi)

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Over 20 years ago Bomb the Bass - real name Tim Simenon - was a part of the DJ movement that was first being pioneered in the UK. Simenon has been DJing and producing since the days before The Chemical Brothers were even thinking about calling themselves the Dust Brothers. For twenty years he has influenced and followed the sounds of electronic music in the UK and had hits with Beat Dis, Winter in July and the awesome Bug Powder Dust. More recently, however, Bomb the Bass has gone back to its roots of stripped down, synth heavy tunes with trademark walloping bass. Future Chaos was started in late 2006 and is finally being released later in September this year. Butterfingers is a perfect display of Simenon’s new old sound. It, and it’s delightfully cute filmclip both show off the minimoog style that produced Future Chaos. The record features several guest vocalists, and on Butterfingers it’s the laidback ponderings of Fujiya & Miyagi who wax over the slowly pulsating beats.

Fujiya & Miyagi – Uh

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That laidback voice on Butterfingers also appears on an LP debut of its own, released this September. On it is Uh. And be wary of any song that’s exactly three minutes in length. Chances are it’s a precisely produced pop hit. This surprisingly English pop group have produced Lightbulbs and that smooth, philosophical voice belongs to David Best who drips it over funk inspired melodies. The distinctive voice and matter-of-fact delivery give a massive Flight of the Concords vibe, even though despite regular the verbal sparring there’s only one singer. It shares the same coy, whispering delivery over simple but groovy instrumentation. Like Uh, it’s all mostly synth driven and bass heavy though in some places acoustic guitar takes hold for more reflective reflection.

Rex the Dog – I Can See You, Can You See Me?

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The last time I saw British techno producer Rex the Dog he was inside a giant, red shipping container and had plenty of people moving to his beats. Probably most well known for his remixes of The Knife and Röyksopp’s Beautiful Day Without You, lately he’s been focused on the laptop production of a new album The Rex the Dog Show, another LP this month with a September release date.
Rex the Dog’s trademark sound comes from the Korg 700S that figures in all his music. In I Can See You it features heavily, responsible for a perky, feel good melody. Beyond that everything else is trademark Rex, booming bass and plenty of 80s influence. The perfect springtime dance.

Pivot – In the Blood

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It was pouring rain when the scattered rumbling of In the Blood pulsed from my speakers the first time. Perhaps I was privileged to be in the throes of raw, unpredictable nature when Pivot’s compliment to it made those first chaotic bursts of sound. Once Australian, now London based, Pivot are orchestrators of atmosphere. Their new instrumental LP O Soundtrack My Heart is grabbing attention as the first Australian appearance in the prestigious, quirky Warp catalogue. It’s a place they fit perfectly. Their sound is a blend between prog rock, math rock and ambient/industrial electronic styling, with the latter ingredient coming from the influence of newest member David Miller.
Pivot fire synths and filters through their music more than, say, Battles, but it’s not music to dance to. Like most of Soundtrack’s track titles, their songs show no respect for syntax. There’s no predictable meter and despite being electronic it defies sounding mechanical. Movement comes from nervous twitches rather than foot taps. In the Blood almost implies biology as it streams out a natural, disjointed sound. Pivot have mastered delivery, executing changes in tempo, volume and harmony to produce a sound that simply looms.

The Grates – Earthquake

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Patience isn’t the most apt name for the boisterous front-woman of Brisbane’s The Grates. Their new album - Teeth Lost, Hearts Won – struggles to contain a song longer than three minutes. Patience is happy to bellow lyrics and screams while the rest of the band belt out riffs at frantic pace. Even on Earthquake the softer acoustic intro lasts all of four seconds before power chords begin racing from your speakers.
Following up years of EPs and finally a debut in 2006, The Grates are now sounding remarkably consistent all the way through Teeth Lost. It’s the sound of a band that’s found a sound they love making and that they know people love listening to. Rather than a few singles and the rest filler there’s no lows here, just one rapidly moving high.

The Hold Steady – Sequestered in Memphis

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It took me a few listens to start appreciating the class of The Hold Steady. Mainly because on first listen it’s hard to pick up the quality storytelling sealed inside the energetic rock and roll noise of this Brooklyn five piece. Stay Positive doesn’t have a layer of instrumentation on it that can’t be described as rollicking, pounding, energetic or screaming. Those attributes belong to a big assortment too. Trumpets, keyboards and harmonicas all compete for dominance like a gospel choir against the groundwork of guitars, bass and rhythm section. And though they might rock, they also get deep. Components like the funkily jammed church organ are just the beginning of their religious undertones. The Hold Steady examine many themes on Stay Positive, some are religious others include Americana, sex, nostalgia and there’s Sequestered in Memphis which lead singer Craig Finn regales like an episode of CSI with exceptional lyrical work.

Buffalo Killers – Get Together Now Today

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Let it Ride is music for the restless, a fuzzy rock testimonial to a time 40 years ago when the lazy riffs and psychedelic swirls of what is now classic rock grew harder and started featuring heavier, Led Zepplin riffs. It’s music for people who think almost any major problem can be solved by getting into a van and driving down the highway into a sunset. These chords are the type played by hairy men who stink of whiskey and take to the stage to scratch out rock like the Kings of Leon’s older, disreputable cousin; similar number of family members, but way more bongs.
Much of the credit for nailing this sound goes to the production work of Dan Auerbach. The Black Key’s guitarist is an expert on mastering songs that sound like they were inspired by bar fights, endless deserts and morning afters. Get Together Now Today never tries to hide its influences as it tries to be a 1970s rock classic. It’s definitely a tribute. And given the outpouring of grief regarding Wolfmother’s recent break up, there’s certainly a market for it.

The Tallest Man on Earth – I Won’t Be Found

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Spring may be just around the corner, but it’s hard to ignore the winter that still grips me, what with the pouring rain on my roof and roaring fireplace in the near vicinity. This means there’s still a place for smoky, folk music in my life as well as yours. The Tallest Man on Earth is the name and voice of Kristian Matsson, the unexpectedly Swedish bard who’s drawing Bob Dylan comparisons for his cracked, acoustic folk tunes on his first LP Shallow Grave. Matsson’s flawed voice, raw strums and storytelling are powerful enough to show why he’s so often being compared to Dylan as well as Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam. His scratchy singing and passionate guitar playing are the kind that shuts down a room, or silences a campfire crowd.

Calexico – Victor Jara’s Hands

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As Spring does arrive, the days get longer and the nights get warmer the music also heats up. Before I heard a copy of Carried to Dust my only experience with Arizona band Calexico was their collaboration with Iron & Wine on 2005’s In the Reins EP. And while the folk sounds of that EP were pleasantly sleepy, they make the warmth and energy that bursts from opening track Victor Jara’s Hands was surprising.
Calexico have dived into a pool of south-of-the-border influences, loading up on soulful horns, maracas and I assume tiny guitars to add flavour to their rock sound. The Mexican influences and Chilean culture are more than superficial, with the tribute to Victor Jara just beginning the depth to which they explore the culture. Carried to Dust finds good balance between fiesta and enlightenment.

Human Highway – The Sound

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The future will remember naughties Montréal as an indie rock goldmine. At some point - after Men Without Hats disbanded - everyone compulsively started guitar bands, recruited all who could play an instrument and incestuously collaborated with each other. You couldn’t even whistle a tune as you walked down Crescent Street without Spencer Krug appearing from the shadows and jamming out an accompanying keyboard harmony. In just the last few years this city has spawned mutant combos like Islands, Sunset Rubdown, Arcade Fire and now Islands continue to produce side projects where they see fit. This time the combination is Islands’ lead singer Nick Thorburn and solo artist Jim Guthrie who you may remember from 2004’s Now, More than Ever.
Phew! Opening ditty of Human Highways debut LP Moody Motorcycle is The Sound which shows a lot of Islands influence. It‘s a track with minimal melody coming from strip backed guitar and shakers. The percussion really drives this song, providing the precise rhythm for Thorburn’s optimistic lullaby vocals to bring the song to its springtime, xylophone/whistling/keyboard climax.

Stereolab – Neon Beanbag

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Stereolab have been around for 18 years creating all sorts of music, so their latest LP - Chemical Chords - is unlikely to tickle the fancy of every one of their fans. In some ways a revisit to their past, in others a new direction, Chemical Chords is best appreciated for what it is on its own. Neon Beanbag makes for the best introduction in that regard. It’s a looping, synth driven plate of pop-psychedelica. Its chirpy chords and springtime drumbeat certainly encourages the imagination of fluoro waves and sparkling lights. That makes it perfect for the new season; it’s practically picnic music. A tune for walking down garden paths to as flowers burst into bloom and animals sing together.

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