REVIEW: The Radio Dept. - "Clinging To A Scheme"

The Radio Dept. - Clinging To A Scheme

Label: Labrador
Release Date: April 27th, 2009


8.4







BEN SHEENE

Yes, you are reading this correctly. The Radio Dept.’s newest album is finally here. You can hold it in your hands. You can actually listen to it. Honestly I can’t believe it myself. Four years is a long wait for anything and that is how long it has been since the band released their last full length. Clinging To A Scheme’s final (and somewhat excruciating) release has been a test of any fan’s patience. 2006 was a great year for the band not only seeing the release of the sublime Pet Grief but also with three of their songs featured on the soundtrack for Marie Antoinette. Then: two years of waiting and silence. But after the release of the Freddie and the Trojan Horse EP in the summer of 2008 a September release for the new album was announced and then pushed back. In June of 2009 the band put out the single for “David” with still no solid word on when the hell the new album would be releasing. Yet finally in January word came from the band itself that Clinging would come out in March. Yeah, obviously that didn’t hold. Regardless, here I am, having listened to the album and now reviewing it for you. I still find it hard to believe.

I apologize if this small history lesson feels not only boring but unimportant, however, in the scope of my review it is important to keep in mind. Because if you are a fan like me there is absolutely no doubt that you are going to listen to the album but you are also going to wonder if the wait has been worth it. For the most part the answer to that question is yes. With only ten tracks and about thirty five minutes the album is on the short side but the songs here are quality.

The title Clinging To A Scheme works because over the course of their decade-plus as a band The Radio Dept. have hardly changed their style. They haven’t had to. This is chock full of those moments that made Pet Grief so wonderful. Dream pop and fuzzy vocals have been around for awhile but the band quickly perfected their own niche of sound with these elements and more. Opener “Domestic Scene” is reminiscent of that hushed beauty that stole my ears when I first heard Pet Grief’s opener “It’s Personal.” In the space of two and a half minutes you realize that the band still knows what is going on and what its strengths are. Track two is the obvious single “Heaven’s On Fire” which reflects what the band was doing when they released “David”. Both tracks are luscious pop numbers interlaced with some nicely executed moments of jazz instrumentation.

At first I was very untrustworthy of the album because of how attached I am to everything the band has already done. Cautious because I wasn’t sure how to feel about being tugged around for so long to only wait for ten tracks to be pressed on an album and then sent out in the world. My first listen I was overly critical, enjoying the album almost stubbornly. Continuous listens were also pleasant but I wanted more than to just be pleased—I wanted to be blown away. Somewhere along the course of this album and during one of my many listens I found a specific moment where I understood its similar brilliance to everything else the band had done before. “Four Months In The Shade” is just shy of two minutes, it is an instrumental, it is the second to last track, and it is also wonderful. The song made me realize that even given such a small space of time the band is able to deliver.

For me it is hard to pick out a truly “weak” track from the bundle but I would say that both “The Video Dept.” and “Memory Loss” hit me the least. Both songs possess a pacing that does fit with the greater scheme of the whole album but paired together throw me off for some reason. The former does contain that rough gloss that made Lesser Matters such a hazy wonder while the latter features some emotional and well crafted lyrical work.

After a long enough gestation period, however, I feel that the true standout of this album will be in its closer “You Stopped Making Sense.” This song pieces together not only all the elements of the whole album but elements throughout the band’s career. The Radio Dept. has moments where their music is so somber yet the lyrics give way to this scene of sadness and heartbreak. Often singer Johan Duncanson’s voice is near spoken; plainly delivering a stream of lyrics that weigh heavy on the heart. “You Stopped Making Sense” is a microcosm of that sound—the sound that I love. Yeah, it’s sad-ish but damn if it isn’t completely beautiful.

I can’t help but admit that I wanted more from this album. Not necessarily more quality just more songs; more to soak up. Even in short bursts the band has always remained incredible. Maybe the selection process was a little too picky and the band left off some great songs that could have been added. I’m sure many like me would take about anything they could but are probably going to have to wait for an eventual b-side. Clinging To A Scheme is great. It isn’t a band at their worst or at their best. It is The Radio Dept. doing what they have been doing for so long and that is making not just solid music but a lush sound that hits you deeply. Now we just have to hope that the wait for something new isn’t too long.

The Pass - "Colors" (MUSIC VIDEO)

ZACH THAT:

I'm really excited to share the music video for The Pass - "Colors" from their 2010 EP of the same name which is available HERE. Not only is the band amazing, but they were nice enough to allow me to direct the video. Really hope you enjoy and thanks for watching.

Please watch in 720 HD

REVIEW: Javelin - No Mas

Javelin - No Mas

Release Date: April 6th, 2010
Label: Luaka Bop











BRANDON RAE:This musically capricious couple has quite the fitting title for their debut album. George Langford and Tom van Buskirk have the creative capability to drag you down a long stretch of terrain that resembles the polar opposite of a straight and narrow path. You know what? Nevermind this path nonsense. Ignorant imagery. It's more of a warp. A path implies some sort of transition. There are no branches on this album; you're thrown around like a damn rag-doll and you'll probably enjoy most of the ride. Funk, psych, boom-bap hip-hop, 80's pop. No Mas. No More.

You'll find vocals crammed into the mix here and there, though they're beyond easy to dismiss. Apart from an obnoxiously chipmunked "Oh! Centra", Javelin's adventure is sonically focused to keep the voices at a generally drowning level. "Moscow 1980" is what you think it is; a neon-inspired flashback to those electrifying times; the high self-esteem, the laserdiscs, the constant erections. You know, fun stuff I missed out on. It's a forced stereotype of a track, and it succeeds with delicious layers of synth. "The Merkin Jerk" is an energetic piece that kicks around a diverse, animated drum set. "Off My Mind" has keys that would be more than welcome to cameo in the upcoming Sonic video game. "Dep" is a funky, orchestral, accoustic slow jam that'd make Dâm-Funk a happy camper. There's really so much on Javelin's plate, all listeners can hold at least a portion of it dear to their hearts.

While a chunk of No Mas is composed of polished Jamz n Jemz material that felt much better in its' raw form, this LP is without a doubt a more welcoming approach to Javelin's introduction. It's mas diverse, mas creative, and mas brilliant than most of the 2010 albums out there.

REVIEW: MGMT - "Congratulations"

MGMT - "Congratulations"

Release Date: April 13th, 2010
Label: Sony/Columbia







ZACH THAT:

It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. Everything was set up for me to absolutely hate this record. Everyone went crazy for “Oracular Spectacular” while I never understood the appeal of three straightforward synth pop hits surrounded by bland track after forgettable song that made up their debut. Then MGMT released what I consider the worst album art of this new decade for the follow up, “Congratulations”. Thoughts of panning this album began floating in my head. Then the track listing was presented with rage inducing song titles. There is no way I will ever like a song called Brian Eno (who does this band think they are writing a song about the great Brian Eno?) and “Lady Dada’s Nightmare” (is this a pun or combination of Lady Gaga and the Dada art movement?…kill me now). I grabbed a pen and paper, pressed play on their early leaked album and prepared myself to scribble funny musings on the horrible moments of this new album. Forty-three minutes later the paper was empty, the pen untouched. The wonderful gift of music had shocked me once again; this band that I had every intention of not liking had made my favorite album of 2010 so far. You see, it’s not about what a band has done in the past, the album artwork, the track titles, what other music bloggers say, it’s about you and the music…and MGMT has won me over with a masterpiece.

The early buzz on this album is that MGMT had lost their way. Where are those infectious synth lines? Where’s the hit single? This sounds nothing like “Oracular Spectacular”! The first thing I want to make extremely clear is that “Congratulations” proves that Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden are extremely smart musicians with an extensive knowledge of music history. “Congratulations” can be summed up as a nod to the 60’s-early 70’s psych rock period with a brilliant contemporary touch. This is an album for fans of The Zombies, The Sonics, The Beach Boys, The Leaves, and many others. The contemporary touch comes with MGMT’s sparse use of a synth hit here or a little echo on the vocals there. When approaching the task of making a 60’s synth album today, there is a fine line between ripping off and homage. MGMT takes these presented options and makes a whole new sound. As a huge fan and student of the entire Zombies catalogue, this album drips with moments that would make Rod Argent proud. From the bass on “It’s Working”, the slow moving melody of “Someone’s Missing”, to the entire song “I Found A Whistle”, the whole album reads as the lost Zombies record that could have followed the classic “Begin Here”.

The influences don’t stop with The Zombies. The title track “Congratulations” is a contemporary spin on the 70’s David Bowie heyday songs. “Brian Eno” is not only a b-side to “Here Come The Worm Jets” but acts as the best example of creating a new sound out of emulating the brilliant music of the past. At every moment of this record there is something already known and something new…this hybrid of sounds creates a delightful and mind altering déjà vu effect (what I consider to be the second biggest obstacle for people reviewing this record). The drums on all these tracks sound like better recorded cuts from The Sonics “Here Are The Sonics”. The album from start to finish, if you really give it close inspection, is a supremely successful experiment in sound fusion, tip toeing the thin line of taking the influence too far and not adding enough…spoiler…they make it across the line with flying colors.

The production on this album might be more impressive than the smart songwriting. Many people know Phil Spector and his wall of sound, but few recognize the genius of English producer Joe Meek. Meek is responsible for what I consider the most important instrumental track of all time with The Tornado’s “Telstar”. Go listen to that song, Meek’s production, and then the goal/success of “Congratulations” becomes crystal clear. I never thought I would hear a contemporary album and feel like Meek was behind it; MGMT has finally laid that thought to rest.

For those who don’t like 60’s psych or appreciate MGMT’s use of diving into the old record stacks as inspiration and wanted another album full of “Electric Feel”, “Kids”, and what nots…you will never like this album, sorry. A band is allowed to change their sound and not have to apologize for it…like MGMT has been doing in recent interviews. If you have an open mind for music I encourage you to go back and listen to The Zombies “Begin Here”, Brian Eno’s “Here Come The Warm Jets”, and David Bowies “Hunky Dory”. Then listen to “Congratulations” and let the fusion set in. Let your mind explore the process. Focus on the timeless sounds and the amazing restraint MGMT uses when selecting to use a more contemporary technique for certain moments to keep the listener on their toes and fresh. This album and the simple pre-conceived notions of hate I had going into “Congratulations” reminded me why I run this blog and more importantly why I love music like nothing else. Music has a lot of bells and whistles, marketing schemes, commercial placements, buzz…but none of that matters when it’s just the listener in a room with the headphones on. It’s raw. One on one. The only thing that matters at that point is if the music is good. Does it hit you emotionally? Twenty years from now when music journalists look back on MGMT, “Congratulations” will be thought of as the more important, lasting, and influential album than “Oracular Spectacular”. MGMT’s “Congratulations” is a highly intelligent masterpiece and I feel sad for anyone who doesn’t give this record a chance.

THE MARCH MUSIC MADNESS 2010 WINNER IS...

ZACH THAT:

After coming in second two years in a row, you, the reader have finally crowned THE ARCADE FIRE March Music Madness champion for 2010. They join Radiohead and Animal Collective in the MMM Hall of Fame. Thanks so much for voting, had over 8,000 votes cast from all over the world. Click below to see the full bracket and how Arcade Fire won it all: