Category Archives: Album & EP Reviews

LIGHT FM – Buzz Kill City

Posted on by

You may not know the band’s name, but Light FM had already gained a cult following and plenty of accolades, including tours with Billy Corgan, Grandaddy and The National, as well has having had their music featured on many high profile US TV shows.

A few songs into their second LP ‘Buzz Kill City’ it should be easier to spot why this band have had their music so readily accepted for TV. After all, the alt-rock guitars are wonderfully insistent, some of the hooks are catchy, the vocals in turn containing the kind charm needed for the band’s chosen subgenre often oozes. But it’s not so cut and dried, since ‘Buzz Kill City’ is not an easy record to listen to. Light FM seem intent on pummelling the listener as often as they can, with layers of sound – and some very obtrusive keys. In fact, most of ‘Buzz Kill City’ is hard work all round; not necessarily the work of a band who deserve such media-related attention. However, frontman Josiah Mazzaschi is a cult producer with his own studio and as such has put him in contact with various more established acts, so maybe that’s helped get his music on TV…? [Mazzaschi’s previous credits include work with Rilo Kiley, William Reid and Harper Simon. Having Rilo Kiley and a member of Jesus and Mary Chain on your CV really can’t hurt…not to mention a descendent of the legendary Paul Simon. Earlier in 2011, he also produced an EP by Y Luv, reviewed here.]

‘Buzz Kill City’ has an opening number -‘Mercy’ – which has great guitar driven riff. It comes very well suited to a nasal vocal which in delivery is reminiscent of Billy Corgan, if not in tone, then certainly in the way Mazzaschi stretches the syllables to make them scan. There’s a great, great energy at play here which, sadly, is spoilt by what the band refer to as “bleepy bloopy” synths. Very few things are improved by keyboards which sound like an 8-bit computer game soundtrack and this is absolutely no exception. Looking beyond the synths, the vocals have a familiar charm and the drums are really solid. The lead guitars never break into anything particularly imaginative, but still manage to maintain a degree of fuzzy power. During the crescendo at the end of the song, luckily there’s enough going on within Light FM’s musical chaos to drown out those synths!

The nasty keyboards could be overlooked had they only appeared on ‘Mercy’, but it appears they’re an integral part of Light FM’s core sound. They drone and bleep across various other tracks, killing most of the potential charm within as they relentlessly go about their business. The stabbing keys which sit at the heart of ‘Last Chance’ may not be as intrusive, but they’re still a little annoying. Looking past those, this track is a brilliant piece of indie pop, with a simple yet infectious chorus. Its verses have some fairly noisy guitar lines which occupy more space than the aforementioned stabbing keys, while vocally this number has a twee nature. Hints of Pains of Being Pure at Heart make the band sound a little more playful than before here, though Light FM never quite reach The Pains’ all-round class, despite this being a strong-ish effort.

‘Homeless Love’, at first, plays with a huge influence from early 80s synth pop, and then some very unsubtle drums and guitars hit the listener around the head. Not to be outdone, the keys get louder, adopting an atonal squeal that’s almost completely unnecessary. Hidden amongst the messiness, there’s a well written piece of indie-pop struggling to get out, but you’d need a lot of patience to listen to it past those synths – which by this point are distracting to the point of painful. ‘Ode To Hollywood’ contains a pleasing drum line at the back of an arrangement which mixes alt-rock with hints of new wave. It doesn’t expand too much upon its initial mid paced amble; as such a stronger chorus is very much needed here. A thirty second burst of guitar noise thrown in near the end (clearly in the spirit of Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo) just doesn’t cut it in the interest stakes.

Much better is ‘Kill The Landlord’, a number which takes a familiar lyrical subject and places it against an even more familiar drum part. It’s funny, no matter how many bands directly lift the big drum intro from ‘Be My Baby’, it still has a sound which, after so many decades, is capable of thrilling the listener. Across three and a half minutes, Light FM settle into a great indie pop number which, surprisingly, even finds a suitable use for those ugly keyboards. Instead of bleeping and squalling in a way which jars, Savannah Wheeler unleashes her inner Greg Hawkes and lays down a quirky keyboard line; one carrying a strong influence from The Cars and the 80s new wave. Also quite enjoyable is ‘$5 Paradise’ – a piece of new wavish pop which marries those keys with some pleasing rhythm work and an even better ringing guitar solo.

Overall, Light FM’s tunes are hard work. There arrangements are so in-your-face and distracting it’s really hard to see how their compositions could have ever been embraced by so many TV shows. ‘Buzz Kill City’ ought to be far more enjoyable than it actually is… It’s not a dead loss by any means; when Light FM softens their sound, there are sparks of something more tuneful and well-rounded. It’s a pity that just doesn’t happen very often.

September 2011

JUSTIN KLINE – Triangle EP

Posted on by

Justin Kline’s 2008 EP ‘Six Songs’ is one of many brilliant, yet unsung power pop releases of the 00’s; it’s six numbers recalling the work of Will Owsley (who sadly left us in 2010). Kline’s follow –up release isn’t exactly what he had planned. With a new release nearing completion, his studio was broken into and the master tapes were stolen.

With only a couple of the songs surviving, work on his full length debut would have to start almost from scratch. So in the meantime, Kline released the early mixes of the two surviving songs, coupled with a couple of out-takes as an EP. ‘Triangle’ (which seems like an odd name, when you consider it features four numbers) is almost split in two regarding musical styles: two of the numbers feature a similar kind of Owsley meets Jellyfish power pop (as delivered on the ‘Six Songs’ release), while the other two show far more invention – maybe pushing things a little too far into unnecessarily quirky territory.

‘Baby, You’re a Mess’ features Kline in classic power pop mode. During this superbly arranged piece of seventies-themed, Jellyfish inspired pop/rock, Kline delivers a simple, catchy hook. His slightly high register is backed ably by chiming chords, solid drumming and an uncomplicated bassline, then topped with an occasional keyboard fill that could be best described as Cars-esque. A strong opener, certainly – one which is almost certain to please fans of Kline’s previous EP. With a slightly spikier feel and use of a timeless “na na”, ‘Alison, We Cannot Be Friends’ takes this style and cranks it up a notch. A strong lead vocal is counterbalanced by multi-layered harmonies and once again, the musical arrangement is brilliant. Beneath the layers of vocals, Kline’s use of electric piano is subtle and although a twangy guitar solo may not appear to be the most obvious style choice here, somehow it seems to work. The end musical arrangement seems far too chirpy for a song about a break-up, but musically, at least, it’s another almost faultless example of classic power pop.

‘Please Go Away’ opts for a carny vibe. It’s not the kind of cool and sinister carnival atmosphere conjured up by Tom Waits on his ‘Blood Money’ disc. Nor is it the kind of brilliant sideshow you could possibly associate with Alice Cooper. No, Kline’s carnival atmospheres are brightly coloured, dizzy affairs – kinda like being stuck on a merry-go-round horse in ‘Mary Poppins’, while being force-fed candyfloss by Dick Van Dyke. A piano waltz provides something off-kilter, but it doesn’t stop there: Kline’s distinctive vocal style makes the piece feel as though it’s spinning even further and keyboard overdubs create a feeling of increasing unease. Throw on some sleigh bells for good measure and the end result becomes rather claustrophobic. ‘The Coffee Song’ closes the EP with a similarly styled sugar overload, being another power pop waltz with multi-tracked vocals, sleigh bells, stabbed piano, whistling and glockenspiel overdubs. Like ‘Please Go Away’ it’s impossible to deny that the end result is expertly crafted – and with great production values – but it’s more than a little cloying.

Since two of ‘Triangle’s four songs veer a little too far towards kitsch values, this is not quite as essential as Kline’s previous EP. If you were a fan of Kline previously, you’ll certainly find something here to make you sit up and take notice, but first time listeners may be better advised to seek out ‘Six Songs’ first.

October 2010

DANIEL TASHIAN – Arthur

Posted on by

Following the release of the third Silver Seas album ‘Chateau Revenge!’ in July 2010, frontman Daniel Tashian must have worked solidly over the following year. The Silver Seas released an acoustic counterpart to that aforementioned album and played various live shows, while Tashian’s second solo release – the semi-acoustic EP ‘The Lights of Town’ – was also released. By the summer of 2011, Tashian had recorded and released another solo record. ‘Arthur’ brings together nine songs, supposedly themed around the movie of the same name, although naturally, they’re capable of standing alone as individual compositions.

‘When You’re Gone’ is brimming with seventies pop goodness, the kind which sits at the heart of Tashian’s best compositions. It may feature some sharp guitar chords in places, but a harmony vocal, warm bass and soft electric piano lend a strong sense of melody. It’s a number which showcases Tashian’s gift for arrangement. As good as it is, maybe it could have done with being a tad longer… By the time you really get a feel for this track, it’s gone. Equally top-notch Tashian, ‘Tigerlily’ combines acoustic guitars and a smooth electric piano. The lead vocal is also suitably smooth, as the track ambles in a way which evokes a warm summer evening, with its friendly, yet slightly downbeat vibes. Its retroness makes it feel at once very familiar, but never in a way which would suggest Tashian is recycling previously used ideas. The acoustic based ‘Lighthouse’ is pure lounge-pop; it’s not bad by any means – Tashian’s voice is strong and the slide guitar lends a certain mood, but the slight samba rhythm leans on the side of just a little too easy. Still, if the intention here was to capture the feeling of the sea and drifting, it’s certainly successful.

‘Nightmarch’ finds Tashian in a rockier mood than usual, as he cries out above a jangling rhythm guitar, augmented by slightly edgy lead guitar work. The drums are fairly crashy here, too, and the bass appears unobtrusive yet rather busy in its overall approach. There’s a reasonable chorus on show, but it’s a number which requires a few plays before you’ll realise how good it is. ‘Swimming Against The Tide’ opts for a mood that’s almost disco-pop. Tashian’s vocal is strong, but unless you’re really into stuff which sounds like a Bee Gees demo sketch dressed in a Jeff Lynne cloak, it’s just a little too retro. Still, if that’s your bag, you’ll find a really funky bassline (which sounds like it was powered from a keyboard) and a generally tight arrangement here. For those who’ve spent a lot of time with The Silver Seas’ ‘High Society’ or ‘Chateau Revenge!’ there’s a possibility you’ll end up feeling that this number could’ve been the basis for something better.

‘Anna’ is an equal match for ‘Tigerlily’ in terms of greatness. Musically, it sits other end of the scale, being this album’s most feelgood number. An upfront bassline leads the way with a warm riff, which sounds incredibly effective when pitched against occasional electric piano and ringing guitar chords. Tashian’s vocal moves between whispered verses and sung choruses; the contrast between the two styles is effective. His soulful approach on a what is a very enjoyable chorus should have been this track’s big draw, but Tashian takes things a step farther… An occasional string sting tops things off excellently, reminding the listener of this artist’s obvious love for ELO and all things 70s AM radio. While this sounds a little like a ‘Chateau Revenge!’ leftover at times (mostly through its use of electric piano), it’s not second division in quality – and for those who’ve already fallen in love with The Silver Seas sound, this will likely be the number which – unsurprisingly – stands out on ‘Arthur’.

‘Arthur’ contains some enjoyable material which, in a couple of places, finds Tashian branching out a little. Since it doesn’t always reach the dizzy heights of some of the best Silver Seas stuff, it may not be the best entry point to Daniel Tashian’s work. As you’d expect from a great songwriter, though, ‘Arthur’ isn’t without a few genuine gems.

September 2011

ANTHRAX – Worship Music

Posted on by

In the second half of the 00s, things became rather complicated in camp Anthrax.  After a 2005 tour reuniting the band with vocalist Joey Belladonna (who’d previously left the band in 1991), it was reported that Belladonna would be staying on to record new material.  This proved not to be, but understandably Anthrax’s “other” vocalist John Bush was unsettled.  He too, chose not to write new material with the band.  In 2007, Anthrax found a new frontman in Dan Nelson (formerly of Devilsize), with whom they played various live shows.  Work on a new album – provisionally entitled ‘Worship Music’ – began and was all but completed.  It was scheduled for a 2009 release; and then, Dan Nelson left the band and John Bush returned.  It seemed very hard to keep track of who was actually officially part of Anthrax at this point and who was not.

The proposed tour with John Bush was cancelled, bar a few festival shows – including a five date run in Australia.  Following the shows, it was announced that if legalities could be “ironed out”, Bush would re-record some of Nelson’s vocals on the ‘Worship Music’ tracks; after all, the band had a near-complete record ready to go.  This plan, too, fell by the wayside.  And then, at the beginning of 2010, Joey Belladonna returned for more live shows.

Following a string of live dates and festival appearances, Anthrax returned to the studio to finish off the troubled ‘Worship Music’.  Belladonna recorded new vocal tracks for some already complete songs.  Other songs had a degree of re-writing, while others songs were scrapped.  In their place, the band wrote completely fresh material with Belladonna.  It may not be the album as originally planned, but the finished version of ‘Worship Music’ eventually appeared in September 2011 – some two years later than planned.

The lead single ‘Fight ’Em ’Til You Can’t’ would suggest that ‘Worship Music’ picks up almost exactly where Anthrax left off with Belladonna in 1990, complete with a riff which even echoes that of ‘Persistence of Time’.  With chugging down-strokes pitched against Charlie Benante’s double bass drum, its intro is classic, classic Anthrax.  This is a feeling which doesn’t dissipate once Belladonna opens his mouth.  As you may expect, having Joey back out front just sounds right. It’s such a distinctive sound; and let’s face it, with the fans’ favourite frontman back in the fold, their “classic” sound had to be revisited.  The pre-chorus doesn’t quite live up to early promise (although the band sound as tight as possible), but that’s more than made up for with the big hook which follows.  The chorus proper is a little poppy; definitely catchy, lightning up the heavier elements.  Throw in a screaming Scott Ian solo and ‘Fight ’Em…’ recalls every reason you loved Anthrax in the 80s (yes, even those of you who turned your back on the band in the 90s). As a piece of classic metal, this track is just superb.

That’s not to say ‘Worship Music’ is a complete re-tread of Anthrax circa 1989-1990.  There are other songs here which recall other periods from the band’s past, and a few which push the band forward. ‘The Devil You Know’ is another absolute belter of a song, this time a little less thrashy and a little sharper edged.  It’s here Anthrax recall moments of their ‘Sound of White Noise’ incarnation, combining solid riffing with another huge hook.  It sounds like it was tailor made for a John Bush vocal, but even so Belladonna sounds like the consummate professional; his vocal makes its presence really felt throughout.  The songwriting is incredibly good here too, striking the perfect balance between aggression and melody.  It’s interesting to hear Belladonna’s vocal over music which is so rooted in Anthrax’s later direction, and it is perhaps, one of the best tracks recorded by the band since the mid nineties.  ‘In The End’ comes with the kind of riff you’ve come to love from Anthrax, yet it’s balanced by moments which sound rather slick.  While the smoothness of the arrangement won’t suit all tastes, the staccato riffs are upfront enough to carry the piece, while Belladonna’s vocal is one of this album’s most emotional.  Over the years, he’s lost none of his range or presence.  The second half of the track features a shift in key and moves even father towards a multi-layered sound (with some lovely twin lead work).  The extended arrangement clocks in at almost seven minutes, but never feels overlong; everything has its place.  This is followed by something less grandiose, as ‘The Giant’ meshes a great chorus – featuring another top vocal arrangement – with a jagged, riff based verse which harks back to the sounds of ‘Stomp 442’.  The tuneful vocals occasionally feel at odds with the number’s aggressive riffs, but after a few listens, this juxtaposition of styles appears to be a masterstroke.

Opening with a few rather atonal chords, ‘The Crawl’ couldn’t be any further from Anthrax’s classic sound if it tried.  Even once Benante’s drums start to pound slowly and Belladonna’s vocal takes centre stage, this plodding arrangement has more in common with post-grunge alternative rock than any kind of “proper” metal.  By the end of the first verse, things really start to lag, and the track never recovers.  Stretched across five and a half minutes, it could be said its pre-chorus has a half decent riff, though you’ll find plenty of better riffs spread across other infinitely superior tunes elsewhere on ‘Worship Music’.  ‘Earth On Hell’ is almost the complete opposite, with Anthrax tearing through really hard riffs, pushing the album in a direction which brings things much closer to ‘Among The Living’ territory.  The main riffs are of the classic thrash metal variety; these are intercut with a few moments where Anthrax play faster and more aggressively than ever before, with a buzz-saw intensity.  It’s not a complete thrashfest, however, since they’ve found room for a really melodic chorus.  Definitely one of the standout cuts.

‘Judas Priest’ provides metal thrills driven by a chugging riff and some classy metallic guitar squeals courtesy of Scott Ian and Rob Caggioni, while Benante’s drum sounds carry a huge amount of power.  In fact, Belladonna’s vocal is the track’s weakest element.  It’s not a bad vocal by any means – and it’s given a boost by a more rousing backing vocal throughout – it’s just a little underwhelming compared to the music laid down by the rest of the band.  For lead guitar work, this track is a sure fire winner, since the featured solos toward the end are absolutely killer.  The brief twin lead moment is an especially nice touch.  Like ‘The Crawl’, ‘I’m Alive’ finds Anthrax branching out a little, but with greater results.  An intro combines muted riffing in a hardcore style, combined with cleaner guitar work, which is then overlaid by a wordless vocal.  The muted riff stays the course, providing a fantastic groove metal element.  While the music has a degree of much welcome heaviness, Belladonna’s vocal has a commercial feel, which is reinforced further by a singalong chorus.  A hugely accessible piece, it’s one of the most commercial tracks in the Anthrax cannon, with a hook that could be described – at a pinch – as pop-oriented.  More open minded listeners will realise there’s nothing wrong with that of course.  For those who feel Anthrax have moved too far in a “radio-friendly rock” direction here, hopefully they’ll find solace in a guitar solo, which although brief, is the stuff of classic metal.

While you won’t find anything as mature as ‘Black Lodge’ on ‘Worship Music’, most of the material here is first rate, with only ‘The Crawl’ being the obvious clunker.  As a finished work, it’s hard to say how it compares to the intended ‘Worship Music’; but considering it pulls together lots of the best elements of Anthrax’s past, in this guise, it’s easily the best album Anthrax have released since the sorely underrated ‘Stomp 442’.

September 2011

THE REMINDING IDEAS – The House Of Weather

Posted on by

The Reminding Ideas are not interested in pleasing others with their music. The pairing of vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Michael Magnum and multi-instrumentalist Matt Soule claim not to care for any musical boundaries.  Without those boundaries many often follow, the possibilities should be wide-open.  Realising this, The Reminding Ideas have strived to create a distinctive sound; one they could call their own.  At least fifty percent of the time, they’ve not even managed that, since huge chunks of ‘House of Weather’ resembles some of Radiohead’s post ‘OK Computer’ output – only badly arranged and played by amateurs.

‘Vegetables’ is a number with a sound that’s very characteristic of most of The Reminding Ideas’ works.  It begins with a lone voice, before a programmed loop chimes in.  The first thing you’ll notice about said loop is that it comes loaded with a jarring offbeat…although that’s not as jarring as the clumsy splicing at its end.  We have to assume The Reminding Ideas have chosen to present the programmed element this way on purpose – and if so, it certainly pricks up the listeners ears (at least, the first time it’s heard).  However, whether this is a good or bad thing will solely be decided by the individual.  By the time the alternative rock fuelled guitars kick in, it all starts to take form.  The music has a presence and Magnum’s lead vocal sounds more settled, but soon it becomes evident this is all style and no substance.  ‘August’ begins with a cold electronic basis, over which Magnum adds a slightly haunting melody.  On first listen, you’d hope for it breaking into something crashy.  No such luck, though… Instead the tune ambles along, punctuated by a repeated piano chord, over which Magnum offers more long vocal notes.  Magnum and Soule then wander along for about four more minutes in search of an actual tune, teasing the listener; occasionally they threaten to do something interesting…yet never quite manage it.

‘The Remaining Idea’ has an extended instrumental intro, with a well placed piano motif.  The piano chords are played against a really leading bassline.  It’s one of The Reamining Ideas’ better musical ideas, but it’s still made a little unnerving by an off kilter rhythm track.  The lead vocals are almost there as an extra piece of instrumentation, but don’t add much to the overall piece; while the backwards loops and guitar feedback at the end sounds like an afterthought.  It’s almost as if Magnum and Soule had no idea how to bring this particular piece to a close.  By the time ‘This Is Where We Breathe’ appears with haunting vocal passages (subject to huge amounts of post-production), stabbed piano and a drum loop – things are sounding rather familiar.  You’ve already heard The Reminding Ideas have a good stab at this previously.  Seemingly, having no boundaries brings its own boundaries.

‘Swarm of Bees’ is the only track worth spending any real time with.  The electronic loops have a reasonable bottom end, while Magnum’s lead vocal sounds more natural.  The real drums have a solid live sound and the guitars bring a great crashy indie-rock sensibility when they’re present.  The second half of the track features extensive use of looped vocals in places and generally, it’s still not too bad.  Having said that, this is the kind of thing you will have heard on any post-millennium Radiohead record, so…uh, it’s not really worth getting excited about.

A couple of The Reminding Ideas’ musical structures just about work – in a fashion – but most miss the mark completely.  None of songs have instant choruses (or in most cases any hooks at all), but unfortunately, none of the tunes will stick in your head either.  ‘House of Weather’ is an avant-garde record for those not adventurous enough to listen to anything truly avant-garde.  This is avant-light – the kind of music created for those who think Radiohead and The Flaming Lips are somehow groundbreaking. You may find a flicker of an interesting idea here on occasion, but with so much genuinely great music out there waiting to be discovered (be it commercial and hook filled, properly avant-garde or whatever), life’s just too short for The Reminding Ideas and their wanton self-indulgence.

September 2011