MARK KOZELEK MARK KOZELEK WITH BEN BOYE & JIM WHITE Caldo Verde / Rough Trade Folk, Jazz Rock, Spoken Word, Slowcore. Listening Format: CD YOU'VE GOTTA BE FREAKIN' KIDDING ME!!!!!
If you happen to be one of the two people who regularly reads Frenchie's Reviews, you'll know that I've already written in depth thoughts on the previous THREE Mark Kozelek albums released in 2017 (here is the proof), and God dammit here comes another one! That's right, this is the 4th studio album that Mark Kozelek has released this year, and the second of which is a double album. So that is 6 CDs of new music in one year with a total running time of about 4.5 hours! HOLY SHIT!
So I'm gonna do something a little different this time around. Let's play the Mark Kozelek drinking game! Every time Mark talks about any of the following*, you take a shot**:
- Mark mentions Caroline. - Mark mentions a dead relative or pet. - Mark name checks a famous person he has met. - Mark mentions a show he has been watching on HBO. - Mark mentions his age. - Mark mentions the date and/or time. But if I have to be serious, even though I've already had to endure (and I mean ENDURE) 4 hours of Mark Kozelek rambling already this year, I surprisingly happened to enjoy this album more than any of his prior 2017 works. As you can imagine, because Mark is putting out vast quantities of music in such a short time span, his albums have become very messy, sporadic and repeated a lot of ideas, and in some ways that is still true here. The main difference comes from his collaborative partners, Ben Boye and Jim White (who played drums in The Dirty Three). These guys are seriously talented musicians. This double album leans to more of a Jazz Rock sound, whilst still taking in Folk elements that Mark Kozelek usually revels in. Mark really rises to the challenge of telling improvised stories, ramblings and spoken word over these long off-kilter jazzy dirges. It actually makes so much sense that I wonder why his prior works in this new Spoken Word (or Folk Rap as some have dubbed it) haven't gone for a more jazzy approach before now. The three performers bounce off each other really well. Yes Mark repeats topics he has already gone over before, but he also freshens the pot. Songs about his cat, Donald Trump bashings, the death of Chris Cornell, a recalling of a dream where he spoke to Elliott Smith's ghost, and even a song about the Ariana Grande Manchester Arena terrorist attack (which happened in my hometown).
If you haven't liked any of Mark Kozelek's many recent albums of Spoken Word, then this one isn't exactly going to win you over, but musically and lyrically it is easily the most captivating of his 2017 works, and one of the overall best things he has done since his masterpiece 'Benji'. 8/10 *I can't be fuckin' assed to count... The lyric sheet is like unfolding a road map! ** I do not actually endorse this drinking game, it will most likely kill you before disc 2 is finished!
STEVEN WILSON TO THE BONE Caroline International. Art Pop, Alternative Rock, Progressive Rock. Listening Format: Digital. When it comes to modern Progressive Rock, nobody feels like more of a flag-bearer of the genre than Steven Wilson. Sure the "dinosaurs" of the 70s still hold all the acclaim. Whilst Prog has certainly influenced many artists that came after it, and latched onto other subgenres of music, there aren't as many artists in the music limelight who quite openly embrace the somewhat untrendy term. Steven Wilson is one of the brightest stars. He fully embraces all that is Prog. Wilson has even been integral in remastering classic 70s Prog albums by the likes of Hawkwind and Jethro Tull, fully immersing himself into the history of the genre. The Londoner has been making music since the late 80s in various different forms, but his most famous act is Porcupine Tree. Whilst many of the genre leaders like Yes, Genesis and ELP spent their 80s derailing into Pop music and somewhat leaving behind Prog altogether, by the end of the decade Progressive Rock started to see a resurgence with artists inspired by the likes of 'Close to the Edge', 'In the Court of the Crimson King' and 'Dark Side of the Moon' starting to surface. The likes of Dream Theater, Spock's Beard and of course Porcupine Tree. With Steven Wilson as their main songwriter and frontman, Porcupine Tree were truly a progressive band. They explored multiple styles and subgenres, never making the same album twice, always expanding their sound and making complex, thought provoking music. The band seem to be on indefinite hiatus now, but Steven Wilson has basically carried on a similar sound and ethos into his solo ventures. Wilson's first three solo albums were as Prog as it comes. In particular 'The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories)' was full of mind-boggling complex instrumentation, different movements, long instrumental jamming and soloing, varying themes and time signature changes, analogue production and mastering. It genuinely felt like it was a lost gem from the 70s heyday of Prog. The album that followed, 'Hand. Cannot. Erase' in comparison sacrificed a lot of those things in order to make a much more cohesive and accessible album in terms of songwriting, combining catchy hooks and soaring melodies, with complex playing and Wilson's fetish for the mellotron! This album also sounded much more personal lyrically and much more modern. Sure there were touches of nostalgia, but it very much sounded like what a modern Prog album should. Not all of the Prog-heads got on board with it, but I personally found it to be his best solo album yet (amongst a mighty fine discography). In a way Wilson's fifth full length album 'To the Bone' takes this direction even further. 'To the Bone' is Steven Wilson's most accessible, catchy, hook-laden and Pop oriented album in his solo discography. There isn't even a song that breaches the 10 minute mark! Has he gone mad???
'To the Bone' sucked me right in from the start, opening with one of the strongest tracks (rightly so since it is the title track of the album). After a Morricone inspired Spaghetti Western style intro, bursts a very upbeat and stripped back sound. Production-wise it instantly feels so bright and colourful, with a slight Funk influence kicking in the chorus, complete with soulful female backing vocals. The second half of the song beautifully opens into a dreamy and uplifting ending, punctuated by floaty synth and mellotron that overwhelms the guitar. Wilson's voice cuts through magically. 'Pariah' is a huge standout on the album which sees Wilson's duet partner Ninet Tayeb return. She stirred up such a massive presence on Wilson's previous album 'Hand. Cannot. Erase', especially with her solo vocal on the outstanding downer ballad 'Routine'. They recapture that magic on 'Pariah' with their voices gelling so wonderfully together that it will be hard to imagine future Steven Wilson albums without her presence. Wilson has just got better and better and working in such strong, overwhelming melodies. Surprisingly the two minute long acoustic ballad 'Blank Tapes' is a wonderful little inclusion on the album. It's not often we hear a Steven Wilson track sounding so brittle and so short, so this was a lovely surprise. 'To the Bone' isn't a complete home-run though. 'Detonation' is the clearest attempt to do something more typically "Proggy" but falls a little short with off tangent guitar soloing and changes in direction that don't quite flow. It begins with an intriguing Electronic beat intro, and ends with funky Talking Heads inspired Funk Rock. In an album filled with more linear tunes, it's weird that the most "typical" Steven Wilson track sounds out of place and overbloated. Even still there are still interesting ideas in this track even if as a whole it doesn't quite come together. The single 'Permanating' is a track I keep going back on forth on. I felt like hearing it on it's own, with the video, it sort of worked, but placing it bang in the middle of the album, it feels so jarring. The record suddenly takes a massive sonic jolt, into something really loud and kind of obnoxious. ''Permanating' sounds like a Scissor Sisters song, and genuinely just as camp with pounding piano chords and Wilson's "oh yeah, I'm going full falsetto and you can't stop me!" vocals. It's fun, but I kind of feel like this would have been better as a non-album single. I just don't feel like it fits the flow of 'To the Bone'. So is 'To the Bone' a Progressive Rock record at all? Yes actually. Steven Wilson continues to prove that he is a progressive artist, and even with a discography as vast as his (if you count all his other projects), it is incredible that the man still has so many fresh ideas inside him, good ones too! Don't get me wrong, 'To the Bone' is not for the King Crimson fan, or for those that enjoy listening to Rick Wakeman make mad, violent love to his keyboards, clad in full wizard attire. Wilson has already done plenty of that kind stuff in the past. With 'To the Bone' he has taken risks and proved that he can make compelling Pop and radio friendly music, which still honours the sound, style, production, writing and ultimately the ethos of Progressive Rock. In many ways, 'To the Bone' makes me think of Arcade Fires' latest album 'Everything Now'. Arcade Fire were once a band known for thinking outside of the box, making challenging and thought provoking music. But with 'Everything Now' they decided to make a catchier, Poppier record and it just fell flat on it's face. Steven Wilson has shown us the right way to make more accessible, easy on the ear music, and yet not sacrifice artistic integrity. 'To the Bone' very much has a less is more approach, but it actually channels two of Porcupine Tree's lighter more accessible and Pop-oriented albums 'Lightbulb Sun' and 'Stupid Dream'. What the album lacks in pomposity and pretension, it more than makes up for in strong melodies, hard hitting choruses and well written songs. If anyone else made this album it would be seen as one of the most ambitious and versatile of the year, yet because STEVEN WILSON, has made this album, somehow it might come across as less ambitious and striking compared to his past discography highs. I personally feel like the tipping scale has worked in Wilson's favour. The lack of pure Prog trademarks is more than suitably made up for with the emphasis on huge melodies and strong writing. And in terms of sound and production, this is still a near immaculate effort. Wilson still manages to inject so many amazing textures, soundscapes and atmospheres, playing with a more than suitable team of collaborators. The man very much knows what he is doing and has invited his listeners into yet another unique and distinctive world full of wonders. It isn't as dark as previous outings, and perhaps it doesn't quite hit as hard as his last two records, but it very much stands on it's own merits. Like the album sleeve and title suggest, this is Steven Wilson stripped to the bone. 8/10.
BRAND NEW SCIENCE FICTION Procrastinate! Music Traitors (Self-Released) Emo, Alternative Rock, Post-Hardcore. Listening Format: Digital BRAND NEW Brand New, BRAND NEW Brand New, BRAND NEW BRAND NEW!!!!! DROPPED RIGHT OUT OF THE BLUE!!! NOW IT'S TIME FOR A REVIEW... When you think of the word Emo, it conjurers a lot of images, some of them are perhaps even derogatory or completely misguided. I remember as a teenager hearing At the Drive In, REM, Bright Eyes, Elliott Smith AND My Chemical Romance get described as "Emo"... But if there is one thing I know for sure, when referring to Emo as a music subgenre, Brand New are one of the first bands that should come to mind. This seminal New York formed band really are one of the most important Alternative Rock acts of the noughties. Their first album was released in 2001, and their previous release 'Daisy' bookended the decade in 2009. After that there were a few tours, and a few re-issues and archival releases, but just a week ago, Brand New's fifth album 'Science Fiction' dropped out of the blue, self-released by the band digitally, with physical releases due to follow. Their first album in 8 years! So what can we expect from a BRAND NEW Brand New album in 2017? Recently their fellow peers American Football returned with a new album after a 17 year hiatus, and it was met with a very lukewarm reception from fans and critics. I personally thought it was great, but surprisingly the prospect of a more mature and grown up American Football fell on deaf ears. The Emo kids have now become Emo adults with families and houses... The natural expectation for Brand New's return would put them in a similar scenario. These guys aren't kids any more. They are all grown up and have very much matured, and this is the direction their music will move in too, right?! Their last album 'Daisy' injected more Post-Hardcore elements than ever, and was a rather visceral record, but Brand New have always shown a maturity in their writing too, with some exceptional Folk influenced ballads to their name. "Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis' am'right!? Naturally 'Science Fiction' is by far their most mature and downbeat album to date. Long gone are the silly overlong song titles. Lyrically this is a very introspective record. Musically there are a lot of moments that verge on Indie Folk, with the Post-Hardcore side of the band taking much more of a backseat. 'Science Fiction' opens with a really ominous, crackling spoken word sample, as if you'd accidentally put on an old Godspeed You! Black Emperor record! It's actually a fantastic way to set the tone, as 'Lit Me Up' evolves into a slow-burning, spacey dirge filled with atmospheric reverb guitar. 'Could Never Be Heaven' is a straight up Folk ballad something (early) Sun Kil Moon might have written. Stand out 'In the Water' combines those acoustic guitar driven verses with loud, explosive guitar choruses, but has this late 70s "Ditch Trilogy" Neil Young kind of swampy feel going on. 'Science Fiction' is very much a laid back, restrained and reflective record, but the whole band still sound incredibly emotive and impassioned. As always, Jesse Lacey's vocals are show stealing, emoting so much raw feeling, and increasing versatility. Though the overall tone of 'Science Fiction' is downbeat, sorrowful, dark and languid, there are still some bright, colourful and energetic moments on the record. 'Can't Get It Out' is a massive uplifting and anthemic song. It almost has that whiff of being a festival flag waver sing along, with this huge chorus punctuated with pounding drums and roaring guitar power chords. It's a simple, radio friendly gem of a song. 'Same Logic/Teeth' is brimming with ferocity, one of the few times where Lacey reaches for those yelping Hardcore influenced screams. Whilst 'Science Fiction' is a fantastically bold and consistent record, it isn't without the occasional stumbles in its hour long run time. "451" is a little too upbeat for it's own good, with this sort of Americana country ramble vibe going on. 'Desert''s falsetto harmonised vocal chorus comes across a little too over the top, but I guess every classic Emo album goes FULL EMO at some points, eh!? The album ends on a breathtaking finale, 'Batter Up'. A slow, dreamy, atmospheric Post-Rock track reminiscent of Mogwai's classic 'CODY'. This beautiful, softly sung gem reads like an epitaph and is such a sad, genuinely tear-jerking and powerful way for such a seminal band to bow out.
'Science Fiction' is strongly hinted to be Brand New's final album, with one last hurrah tour to follow, and not only is this a fantastic and logical way to go out, but it was totally worth that long wait too. Dropping it for free online was a neat little surprise for eagerly waiting fans. Brand New have delivered with a heavyweight album that has enough justified gold on it to be able to pull off that feat. It's no wonder why music fans are going absolutely crazy with joy at the release of this album. Some long time fans may lament the lack of the more fiery side of Brand New - There are is certainly no 'Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades' or 'Gasoline' on this record. But what we have hear perfectly reflects where this band are at in 2017, and the personalities of the band members nearing 40 years old. 'Science Fiction' is a deeply spun and involved record that reveals more and more colour and personality with each listen. Brand New have successfully created their most mature, sincere and introspective record in their discography, favouring sadness, beauty, texture and solitude over their more in your face moments of the past. It rings with just as much passion and true emotion as anything they have done prior, perhaps even more so. I personally can't wait to hold a physical copy in my hands. Brand New. 'Science Fiction'. A near perfect way to end a saga. 9/10.
ARCADE FIRE EVERYTHING NOW Columbia Records Alternative Rock, Art Pop, Electro-Funk, Disco-Pop. Listening Format: CD Arcade Fire are genuinely one of my favourite Alternative/Indie Rock bands, especially of the past 10 years. I was fortunate enough to hear them right from the start when their self-titled EP first came out, and I remember the video premiere of 'Power Out' back in the pre-YouTube MTV2 days. I've enjoyed following this band throughout my twenties and I feel like they have always been flag wavers for forward thinking, grand, majestic, bold and ambitious Rock music. Their first three albums in particular are already classics of the genre and era in my eyes. I actually really enjoyed 'Reflektor' for the most part too. Previous album 'Reflektor' saw a step into a more Electronic direction, with influences of Disco and Funk popping into their sound. I guess the whole Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams thing made a huge impact around the time. Arcade Fire also enlisted James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem fame to add his magic touch. Though the album received mixed reviews from fans and critics, Arcade Fire have decided to delve even further into the realm of Electro-Pop, Funk and Disco with their fifth full length, 'Everything Now'. Even before this album came out, a big chunk of their fanbase seemed to let out a collective groan, but surely such an innovative band can't sink that low... Right!? From the first listen it is obvious that Arcade Fire have been listening to a lot of Abba, Talking Heads, Bowie's 'Young Americans' and even more LCD Soundsystem. 'Everything Now' is their most overtly Pop-centric, commercial and radio friendly album to date. In particular it sounds worlds away from the band who made the dark and brooding 'Neon Bible' album. Regardless, I think 'Everything Now' gets off to a fairly good start. The title track and lead single is so uplifting, boombastic and catchy. The chanted chorus will get stuck in your head, and the production is fantastically layered. Certainly Arcade Fire doing what they do best. The funky as hell Disco grooves on 'Signs of Life' actually work really well. There is such a strong influence of Abba, Chic and even Donna Summer on this track. There are even FREAKIN' AIR RAID SIRENS in the mix! Perfectly nostalgic, and yet refreshingly modern too. Second single 'Creature Comfort' kicks off with an infectious Goldfrapp-esque Electro groove, but is sadly let down by some really cringey lyrics. "She dreams about dying all the time / She told me she came so close / Filled up the bathtub and put on our first record"... Ugh really Win Butler? That is some bad self-congratulatory fourth wall breaking. The whole song's lyrics about self harm, suicide, depression and body dysmorphia just come across so obnoxious and over the top when paired with such a happy, bouncy melody. The song also suffers from adding too many layers. The amazing Electro-Funk groove of the intro could have easily have carried the song, but the layers of synths, Regine Chassagne's high pitched backing wails, and a glockenspiel melody that makes it sound like an '80s Christmas song... It's just loses any sense of subtlety. 'Chemistry' has to be the worst song this band have ever recorded. Like... What even is this?! How did it make the final cut of the album??? It's a proper cat-sat-on-the-mat happy little ditty that makes MGMT sound like Pink Floyd. 'Infinite Content' is another painfully underwritten song that suddenly brings in these Punk-influenced guitars sounding absolutely nothing like anything else on this album, and it just sounds so amateurish and far too polished, with all the edges rounded off... 'Electric Blue' is the token song with Regine Chassagne on lead solo vocals (there's at least one on every Arcade Fire record) and this is one of the better songs here. The funky disco grooves are back and actually suit the shiny production style they are going for, unlike the horror of 'Infinite Content' (which lasts less than two minutes long by the way). 'Electric Blue' has a catchy stomp with an icy high pitched wail that works really well, I could see this being a hit in Indie Rock club nights. Again it reminded me of Goldfrapp. What happened to Arcade Fire only sounding like Arcade Fire eh? I don't want to go on describing every track on this album. What we have here is an incredibly mixed bag of songs. There are tracks that I genuinely enjoyed and feel fit in with the aesthetics and vibes that Arcade Fire are all about, but for the first time on an Arcade Fire, I'm hearing tracks that are genuinely terrible, underwritten, amateurish and directionless. A big surprise from such an accomplished band five albums into their journey. Arcade Fire are lucky enough to be in one of those rare positions, where they have complete creative control of their sound, have headlined Glastonbury Festival, and continue to have strong album sales. They've had a similar amount of critical acclaim and simultaneous chart success as Radiohead before them. A band in this incredible position should not at all be simplifying their sound and aiming to make their most radio-friendly, Pop and commercial sounds yet. This is the exact point where Arcade Fire should be dropping their most experimental, abstract and challenging material yet, like what Radiohead continued to do after the success story that was 'OK Computer'. I'm pretty sure that no Arcade Fire fans wanted them to make this kind of record. And whilst the final results are far from being horrible, in fact I've enjoyed a good chunk of this record on a superficial level, but Arcade Fire have such a strong reputation to uphold. I really feel like Arcade Fire have just sold themselves short with this record. We all know they are capable of SO MUCH BETTER, they've proved it again and again in the past. 'Everything Now' is pretty mediocre, forgettable and just way too simplistic and middle of the road for a band of this stature. An absolute missed opportunity and a lack of ambition or direction completely haunt this record from start to finish. It's not bad, but it is also so far below all of their previous efforts that it is almost painful... 5/10.
LANA DEL REY LUST FOR LIFE Interscope Records Dream Pop, Alternative R&B Listening Format: CD I'm not going to lie, when I first looked at the album sleeve (she's... Smiling!?) and the tracklist for this album, my first thought was "oh lord... This is gonna suck, this is gonna suck so hard!" The thought of Lana Del Rey pairing up with A$AP Rocky and The Weeknd felt so benign to me. And the reason I made this assumption is because I enjoyed her last album 'Honeymoon' so much. I always think of Lana Del Rey as being a forward thinking Pop singer and musician. Many of the artistic decisions she has made in the last few years have set such a high standard compared to most of her peers. Just about EVERY Pop artist, male or female, these days are cramming their albums with unnecessary guest rappers, and Trap influenced R&B beats, because it is trendy and it boosts sales. I've always thought of Lana Del Rey to be outside of doing what is considered "trendy". The more she sings over these earthy, string-laden, dreamy soundscapes the better she sounds. In return, by avoiding doing what all of her peers are doing, she ended up being a trend-setter in her own right. With this being the case it was very much wrong of me to make the assumption that 'Lust For Life' would suck, especially coming off of 'Honeymoon', which I feel was her best and most accomplished full length yet. I guess I looked at that tracklist, the featuring and producer list, and hit the panic button, assuming she was about to undo exactly what makes her stand out so well. So how DOES the album fare? Right off the bat, Lana Del Rey is sounding in fantastic form. 'Love' is a huge track to open with. Her voice is just sounding better and better with each release, and she absolutely soars across the chorus. Title track and single 'Lust For Life' is utterly sublime... The production on this track from Max Martin is outstanding. It captures that Twin Peaks Dream Pop style perfectly. There is a definite throwback to the '50s Spector girl group sound in the verses, and then the knockout "Take off all your clothes" chorus with The Weeknd is one of the most majestic things you'll hear all year. The way the two vocals combine is magical and the song is utterly catchy. It's goes from sounding nostalgic to cutting edge and modern all in just a verse to chorus transition. Without a doubt one of the best Lana Del Rey songs ever. Though 'Lust For Life' starts incredibly strongly, we are still talking about a 70 minute long opus here. In the middle stretch of the album we start to hear the Trap beats coming into the production, though thankfully they are mixed fairly low. That earthy Dream Pop sound still manages to be a dominant force, and the use of strings and moody suspended chord synths absolutely still shine through, along with Del Rey's powerful, diverse and haunting vocal delivery. The two songs that I feared featuring A$AP Rocky are lumped together. 'Summer Bummer' is actually a good song in it's own right, and just about manages to fit within the flow of the album, but 'Groupie Love' is a particular lowlight. It feels more like an A$AP Rocky song where Lana Del Rey is the guest on the track. Admittedly, I expected much worse from these two tracks, but they do sort of work in the context of this album. I do get that such a long album needs to throw in some curveballs to keep things interesting, so it just about gets a pass from me. Sadly though, the album is rather front loaded. The last twenty minutes in particular does start to run out of steam. Even though the Stevie Nicks and Sean Ono Lennon collaborations appear, I feel like most of the best ideas had already been spent by this point. Ultimately, when it comes to listening to Lana Del Rey, I like her to be selfish. I genuinely think she is at her best when she does her own thing, singing her heart out over nostalgic, dreamy ballads. I have to wonder whether it was her decision to bring in Trap beats, guest rappers and features, or is it a product of being on a major label? Regardless, she has still managed to turn out a mostly very strong album. I don't think A$AP Rocky gelled with her at all, but it was nowhere near a disaster like I had wrongly assumed. And the duet with The Weeknd is absolutely inspired. In fact in many spots on this album, Lana Del Rey sounds at the top of her game. I think this is her best vocal performance to date, and in terms of writing and production, she still stands miles ahead of other Pop vocalists. She can genuinely go toe to toe with the likes of Beyonce, Rihanna, Sia and Katy Perry, and often come out as the most forward thinking and interesting to listen to. Personally I think the 'Paradise' EP she released back in 2012 is her most groundbreaking release that just felt 100% Lana, but 'Lust For Life', whilst flawed, is still a very strong release that far exceeded my expectations. 7/10.
INTRODUCTION It should come as no secret that Mark Kozelek is a musical idol of mine. I consider him to be the best songwriter and lyricist out there. His ear for bone chilling, heart-breaking melodies and guitar arpeggios rarely seems to diminish, and he delivers some of the most heart on your sleeve, honest, passionate, direct and emotional lyrics of any singer out there. Kozelek first arrived with his band Red House Painters who released their 1992 debut album on 4AD Records. In retrospect they are now considered to be one of the greatest and most consistent Folk/Rock bands of the 90s. The 00s saw a change of name to Sun Kil Moon, but it was basically Mark's continuation of the project, instead housed on his own record label Caldo Verde. He has put out many solo albums, studio albums, live albums and collaborations under his own name and the Sun Kil Moon moniker throughout the last two decades. 2013's 'Perils From the Sea' album (originally planned to be released under the name Sun Kil Moon & The Album Leaf, but changed to Mark Kozelek & Jimmy LaValle at the last minute) saw a drastic shift in Mark's songwriting, lyrical and vocal style. He seemed to put less emphasis on singing and contemporary Folk songwriting, and instead started delivering these long, rambling stories that were half sung, half spoken word. Over the many albums that followed including his critically acclaimed 'Benji' and 'Universal Themes', Mark expanded on this style even further and really started delivering much more experimental works. Since 2013 he has entered the most prolific stage of his career. Where once he would put out an album every 2 years, now he is consistently putting out about 3 albums a year! The lyric booklets (or posters) that come with his CDs fold out like road maps. In 2017 alone, Mark Kozelek has released 3 studio albums in January, May and July respectively (one being a double album), amounting in 4 hours of brand new material and a LOT of spoken word. I'm going to review all 3 of them in one, long Kozelek style rambling mess!
SUN KIL MOON COMMON AS LIGHT & LOVE ARE RED VALLEYS OF BLOOD Caldo Verde Records. Folk, Spoken Word, Alternative Rock, Singer/Songwriter. Listening Format: CD As I mentioned in the introduction, Mark Kozelek has switched to a Spoken Word style to the point where he barely even sings any more. 'Common As Light & Love Are Red Valleys of Blood' is by far one of his most striking and experimental works yet, pushing this new Spoken Word style further than he ever has before. In comparison, 'Jesu / Sun Kil Moon' and 'Universal Themes' had plenty of Spoken Word passages, but also had a fair bit of singing as well. This DOUBLE album comes unquestionably close to being a full on Rap album. But make a note, it is certainly not a Hip Hop album (yes there is a difference), though it does contain a longer lyric sheet than Kendrick Lamar's 'To Pimp a Butterfly'. Many of the tracks on this album see drummer Steve Shelley laying down a Hip Hop inspired kick and snare drum beat as Mark delivers every single thought he has ever had in 2016 out loud. The songs are all very, very repetitive, largely built on one groove and rarely switching up. If you are lucky there might be some sort of chorus. One of the most interesting things about being a Mark Kozelek fan recently is following his stories album to album. Familiar lyrical themes continue to crop up and he will reference celebrities or real life people in his life across multiple albums, or sometimes even follow up on a story he has already told on a previous song. It's rare to hear something this meta and self-referential in Rock and Folk music. Again Hip Hop is really the most prominent genre where an artist's lyrics will talk about other celebrities, real life people they know, and even mention themselves in the third person. It genuinely would not surprise me if Mark Kozelek had been listening to a lot of Hip Hop around the time he began writing this album. Mark's main lyrical stories on not just this album, but most of his recent albums seem to revolve around the following: His girlfriend Caroline. I feel like I practically know her from the amount Mark talks about what they get upto! Mark's favourite HBO shows. He loves True Detective! Touring and playing shows. There is often an obligatory story of an experience he had playing a particular show, or getting heckled by a crowd member. He talks about US politics a lot, touching upon his views on Trump, Clinton and guns quite often (he is anti-gun which is refreshing to hear). But the most emotionally involved stories of his often come when he describes friends and family members who have tragically passed away before their time. Mark Kozelek seems to be surrounded by death and tragedy. The way he went into so much painstaking detail about the death of his cousin Carissa in a house fire on 'Benji''s 'Carissa' has lead to not just one of his greatest songs, but truly one of the greatest songs of the decade. Mark certainly has a lot of interesting stories to tell, and name drops a lot of other musicians. There is a hilarious tongue in cheek moment 2 minutes into 'Philadelphia Cop' where Mark stops the song to pretend to take a phone call from Sufjan Stevens! However whether or not the listener finds Mark's stories interesting or not, or whether or not they have the patience to endure them is a big test on this album. It is OVER 2 HOURS long, of basically non stop rambling. There are barely any moments where the music is just allowed to play, and it kind of makes the musicianship take a backseat to Mark's voice. Also as much as I love to hear Mark sing (I've listened to him for days on end) hearing his monotone voice speaking for 2 hours is a rather draining experience. Listening to this album in full starts to become akin to listening to an audio commentary track on a DVD. I feel like in terms of the music and songs here, this isn't Kozelek at his best. 5 or the 16 tracks presented here exceed the 9 minute mark, and only have one or two actual melodies or distinct sections to show for. Many tracks leave the Folk realm entirely. 'Philadelphia Cop' and 'The Highway Song' both sound very Funk inspired. There are a few tracks that feel like legitimate songs. 'I Love Portugal' is a standout that actually has a chorus you can sing along to. 'Bergen to Trondheim' is a moving tribute written after the passing of Muhammad Ali (Mark's love of boxing has always been a common theme in his writing). But on the flipside 'Sarah Lawrence College Song' has a very unpleasant chorus hook that you just wish had not been included. 'Common As Light...' is an incredibly self indulgent album that is basically just a vehicle for Mark to express as many of his inner monologues as possible. The album transpires like somebody reading out loud their diary or autobiography, and the music often feels second rate, especially coming from such a master songwriter. Nothing comes close to the emotionally invested and heart warming classics he has written such as 'Carry Me Ohio', 'Katy Song', 'Lost Verses' or 'I Watched the Film The Song Remains the Same'. I genuinely want to praise this album for its ambitions. It's like Mark has actually managed to invent Folk Rap with this album. And the album breaks the fourth wall so hard that it is strangely mesmerizing and certainly a unique listening experience. But I feel like in terms of songwriting and album flow, listening to the entire thing is too much of an overwhelming and exhausting experience to really enjoy. It would have been a much more successful outing if all the fat had been trimmed away. So much of this album is excruciating to sit through, even for experienced Mark Kozelek fans. I feel like a newbie to his work would be even more bewildered by this double album. And consider that this is just the first of 3 albums to be released by Mark in 2017! 6/10. _______________
JESU & SUN KIL MOON 30 SECONDS TO THE DECLINE OF PLANET EARTH Caldo Verde Records. Folk, Spoken Word, Alternative Rock, Singer/Songwriter. Listening Format: CD So as if Mark Kozelek dropping a double album of Spoken Word driven Folk music wasn't enough, a few months later arrives ANOTHER album of... Basically more of the same. At least it isn't a double album this time, but it is still SEVENTY SEVEN MINUTES IN LENGTH... Dear God... The main difference between this album and 'Common As Light...' is that Justin K Broadrick of Godflesh and Jesu fame has written the bulk of the music. Mark basically just acts as primary lyricist and vocalist this time around. Justin and Mark became friends a few years ago after Mark happened to attend a Godflesh concert and was blown away... And yes he even wrote about the experience in 'The Possum' on Sun Kil Moon's 'Universal Themes' album. He also recorded a great Folk rendition of Godflesh's classic 'Like Rats'. Musically it is fairly similar to the sounds Kozelek conjured up on 'Common As Light...'. Lots of lengthy, drawn out, repetitive and stream of consciousness dirges. Except this time Broadrick has favoured programmed drums over Steve Shelley's live drums. There is a less of a Folk influence and more of an Electronic influence this time around. Sadly this album is really a low point in the career of both of these legendary artists who I consider heroes of mine. At least their first collab had a bit more variety, with Broadrick even managing to successfully implement his droning, distorted guitars in the mix. Here these lengthy songs sound very rushed, using very unmemorable, entry level Electronic beats that barely hold any atmosphere or depth. In terms of an album flow as well, plonking a 17 minute long meandering track of nothingness into just the second track in the tracklist is just poor album structuring. I wanted to give up on the entire album about 5 minutes into this go nowhere track, but I managed to stick it out. On this track, 'Wheat Bread', Mark rambles on about hanging out at South By SouthWest and going on dates with his girlfriend Caroline. Once again, it feels like Mark has ran out of any fresh or interesting stories to tell and is just repeating things again. He already talked about the SXSW festival on 'Philadelphia Cop'. This 17 minute dross barely qualifies as a song, it is just infuriating to listen to. 'Needles Disney' is just as excruciating, describing a junkie wandering around Disneyland. 'The Greatest Conversation Ever In the History of the Universe' is about as mundane as the song title is to read. Another 10 minutes of second rate Electronica and Mark rambling on. The song ends with the lyrics "I'm gonna go to sleep now, there's nothing more to write". I mean... Really? The first time I got to the 5th track 'He's Bad' I actually just turned this album off and was like "FUCK THIS, I'M THROWING IN THE TOWEL! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANY MORE"!!! 'He's Bad' is Mark's commentary on Michael Jackson and whether MJ was a paedophile or not. I mean really, it's 2017 and you are choosing NOW to express this message? And this is coming from a musician who released a beautiful cover version of 'I'll Be There' in tribute to him after he died. The song has the chorus 'He's Bad, He's dead and I'm glad", which is just in incredibly bad taste... Honestly I did not look forward going back to finish off this record, but I felt like I had to. Fortunately just to tease me, the final track 'A Dream of Winter' is actually a good song. It sounds like a PROPER SONG!!! Mark Kozelek actually sings. The song has a familiar structure and rests on a beautiful acoustic guitar arpeggio with his best vocal delivery on the album by far. But everything else on this record sounds extremely rushed and knocked together. This album feels like a bunch of leftovers from both the first Jesu & Sun Kil Moon collab, as well as 'Common as Light...'. Another big problem is the timing of this release. Sun Kil Moon has already dropped a 2 hour + record that is incredibly dense and challenging. I don't think a lot of fans were ready for ANOTHER release so soon (with a third one on the way after that). Sadly I have to say this is without contest, the lowest point in both Justin and Mark's prolific and great music careers. 3/10. _______________
MARK KOZELEK & SEAN YEATON YELLOW KITCHEN Caldo Verde Records Folk, Spoken Word, Avant-Garde, Singer/Songwriter. Listening Format: CD It's safe to say that I wasn't exactly looking forward to this release, considering I wasn't exactly ecstatic about Mark Kozelek's two other albums of 2017. Even though this is a fairly similar sound and writing approach to the two Sun Kil Moon albums released earlier this year, this one was just released under the Mark Kozelek name for reasons unknown. This one is a collaboration with Parquet Courts' Sean Yeaton, so I was expecting to hear some noisy rock, perhaps similar to some of the cuts from 'Universal Themes'. What I heard instead was very far from that. Musically this album has a very diverse array of instruments. I've heard piano, horns, wind instruments and guitars all crop up throughout this album. The overall vibe though is very dark, discordant and esoteric. None of the songs here adhere to a traditional structure and it is by far the most experimental and haunting release that Mark Kozelek has ever been a part of. On this release Mark Kozelek vocally does a very similar thing to the other albums. Lots of spoken word, singing kept to a minimum, lots of long rambling. Tracks range from 5-12 minutes, but an overall running time of 45 minutes is actually a breath of fresh air, making it the most easy to digest of the three releases he has made this year. Lyrically I guess it does repeat a lot of stories and themes that Mark has already expressed repeatedly. Opener 'Time to Destination' is a scathing bashing of the Trump/Clinton election run up. Whilst 'The Reasons I Love You' is literally a list of 10 reasons why he loves his girlfriend Caroline (who has practically become a star in her own right, cropping up on nearly every Mark Kozelek release since 2013). Whilst I am still not completely sold on Mark's Spoken Word phase of writing, 'Yellow Kitchen' is actually one of the most interesting releases in this style and surprisingly my favourite of his 3 albums released in 2017. It is genuinely the most unique and experimental. Mark's rambling fits really well over this experimental musicianship composed by Sean Yeaton, and evokes a whole different mood and vibe to the previous two 2017 albums. This is really dark and eerie stuff, and Mark's voice adapts very well to these weird sounds. I've heard some people compare this to Scott Walker's 'The Drift' and it is a pretty apt comparison. This is really strange and sinister, and I am genuinely enjoying it a lot more than I expected I would. Closing song 'Daffodils' literally sounds nightmarish and has Mark Kozelek barking like a wild dog. Surprisingly the album that seems to be getting the least attention from critics and fans is actually the best! 7/10. _______________ CONCLUSION This new Spoken Word phase of Mark Kozelek's career is what I like to call his "midlife crisis" phase. The guy is heading towards 50 years old now and he is probably tired of just writing amazing Folk music. Whilst I do miss how Mark would write these achingly beautiful guitar melodies and sing his heart out, I do appreciate this new direction he has taken. Mark Kozelek has genuinely released some of the most evocative, boundary pushing and experimental releases of the decade. I also get the impression that he is just doing whatever the fuck he wants, with whoever he wants, and he doesn't care about what anyone else thinks or even about album sales so much. But I think if he really, really wants to succeed in this style, he just needs to slow the fuck down. You don't need to be putting out 3 albums a year, or repeating the same ideas and lyrical themes. The rule of "quality over quantity" should still apply. Instead of releasing 4 hours of music in the space of 6 months, if Mark Kozelek had thought to just pick the best hour of all this material and release that instead, I think he would have made a far larger impression. It is one thing to challenge your listeners and fans, but Mark has gone a step too far and overloaded and bombarded his fans with too much material that becomes tedious to wade through. There is a bit of gold in all 3 of these releases, but it has not exactly been a pleasant experience wading through all 4 hours of it.
CKY THE PHOENIX e-one Music. Alternative Metal, Alternative Rock. Listening Format: CD & Digital
If you are like me and you were a teenager at the start of the 2000s then you will probably have a soft spot for CKY. Back then, MTV was still worth watching, extreme sports were cooler than a good meme, and the show Jackass was must watch television. So those who enjoyed watching men eating their own puke and falling off skateboards will undoubtedly hold CKY's first two albums dearly. Even to this day, 'Volume 1' and 'Infiltrate. Destroy. Rebuild.' are brilliant staple-pieces of American early 00s Alternative Rock/Metal. I can still look back fondly with rose-tinted glasses on songs as classy as '96 Quite Bitter Beings', 'Sara's Mask', 'Disengage the Simulator', 'Flesh Into Gear' and 'Escape From Hellview', and think back to where the most stressful time in my life was cringing as the Jackass crew hurt themselves for my viewing pleasure. For some reason though, by the time CKY's 2005 album 'An Answer Can Be Found' rolled along, my music and viewing pleasures had changed drastically. This and their subsequent album (2009's 'Carver City') didn't even enter my radar. Even at the time I don't remember hearing one song from them or being aware of their existence. Just as the interest in Jackass declined by the end of the decade, so did the interest in anything resembling Nu-Metal. Things are different in 2017 though. Nostalgia is a powerful entity. It's a year where the SNES is available on shelves again, there is a new Blade Runner, Star Wars AND Alien film... Even fucking Jumanji is getting a reboot! FUCKING JUMANJI!!! So you know, might as well give the new CKY album a listen. WHY THE FUCK NOT!? It's worth noting that band founder, lead vocalist and contributing songwriter Deron Miller has left the band. Chad Ginsburg has not only stepped in to take over lead vocals but also produced the album... And OH...DEAR...LORD. I'm not even kidding, his vocal performance on this album sounds like your mate who always drinks way too much, stumbles about, slurs all his words and eventually collapses in front of the toilet. Deron Miller had a pretty versatile voice that was able to do awesome shouty vocals, as well as clean vocals that had a strong sense of melodicism. He would also use the dynamics of his voice to bring shades of dark and light to their songs. Well all that has gone out of the window. Chad Ginsburg is not cut out for the lead vocal role. His voice is incredibly one dimensional, and his deep, low pitched drawl seems to awkwardly try and tackle a higher range that just sounds like nails on a chalkboard. He flat out murders all of the songs here. His voice just seems to keep warbling uncontrollably, like he was genuinely hammered in that recording booth. But it would be unfair to single out his vocals, as the entire remnants of CKY really seem to struggle all over this record.
The best example is heard in the lead single, 'Days of Self Destruction'. It actually kicks off with a decent riff that sounds reminiscent of vintage CKY, but about 10 seconds in it is ruined by Chad's awful vocal. The song stumbles through a generic verse/chorus/verse phase and then in a spot where Deron Miller would probably have added an interesting change in gear, instead the band close off the song with A MINUTE AND A HALF of obnoxious guitar soloing. I'm not even kidding it feels like it is the first time CKY have ever attempted to play guitar solos! In the music video, Mastodon's Brent Hinds even appears to be teaching the band members how to play, which is an amusing touch. The truth is, this entire album is absolutely littered with these eyebrow raising guitar solos that serve no purpose other than to pad out a lack of song structure and ideas. 'Days of Self Destruction' ends as the title brilliantly prophesizes, with a wankfest of completely unmemorable, passionless and horribly mixed guitar dross until the song ends on an awkward fade out, like the sound engineer had said 'Nope... Not on my watch!" Seriously, this isn't a Frank Zappa album, this isn't an Yngwie Malmsteen album... What were you thinking??? 'Head For a Breakdown' is also plagued with horribly mixed and flat sounding guitar licks and solos when Ginsburg isn't barfing over the track, piercing the brain with their horribleness. Even the guitars sound like they are vomiting... Perhaps even worse is there are some Poppier numbers on this album that actually sound like they are trying to sound like Fall Out Boy... Recent Fall Out Boy (which is far worse). Opening track 'Replaceable' has this awful upbeat dance friendly stomp that just does not fit the CKY sound at all.
'The Phoenix' has 8 songs and only lasts 30 minutes, and manages to say absolutely nothing worthwhile in the process. Generic riffs, awful vocals, and some of the worst excuses for guitar solos I have ever heard. The songs lack any dynamics or strong hooks. Most of the choruses just end up repeating whatever the title is over and over. The mix is horrible, with the lead guitar lines in particular having this really piercing tone that claws at the inside of my ears, and the vocals are completely the opposite pitch to the guitars, often sounding off key, sloppy and unintelligible. There is such a consistent lack of spark or imagination across this whole album, that I don't even know why they bothered to go and record these songs in the first place. Awful attempts at Pop crossovers, half assed performances, songs only memorable for how laughably moronic they are... I feel like Deron Miller must have got the last laugh, because he successfully managed to escape from hellview before the bomb dropped! You know when you look at an album's track titles and it seems to be telling the story for you... 'Replaceable', 'Days of Self Destruction', 'Head For a Breakdown', 'Wiping Off the Dead'... Yeah... It will take something really special to prevent this from being the worst album of 2017. Maybe I'll go check out that new Linkin Park album everyone is raving about... 2/10.
WASHED OUT MISTER MELLOW Stones Throw Records. Chillwave, Downtempo, Dream Pop, Electronic. Listening Format: CD & Digital
Stones Throw Records was the shit in the 00s. It was known for having the most cutting edge, weird and forward thinking sounds in Hip Hop predominantly. Legendary artists such as J Dilla, Madlib and MF DOOM once thrived on the label. They even made a film about it back in 2013, the excellent Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton... And then after that, just as it felt like the label was about to enter a next level phase... Nothing much happened. I honestly have tried to keep up with Stones Throw since then, but haven't really heard anything that has grabbed me. Madlib is testing out his own label, dodgy posthumous J Dilla releases keep popping up (on other labels) and MF DOOM has moved over to LEX. On the other side of the crossroads, Washed Out was at the forefront of a "microgenre" (or non genre in my opinion) named Chillwave. The alias of Ernest Greene, Washed Out arrived on the scene in 2009. His big single 'Feel It All Around' was picked up as the theme song to Portlandia, and his debut album received a critical round of applause, which is where I first heard the term Chillwave. What is Chillwave? Well it's not really a genre at all. It's basically just a hodge podge of dreamy psychedelia, hazy reverbed vocals, and elements of funky Hip Hop as well as Downtempo Electronica. Basically imagine Air and Madlib making love in a cave...!?
Cut to 2017 and Washed Out's third full length album comes out on Stones Throw Records (his previous works were on Sub Pop). Alas we can all agree it sounds like a great fit. After all his breakout song that put him on the map, 'Feel It All Around' certainly exists in that Post-Dilla & Madlib kind of bubble, even if it sounded more at home with Indie Rock fans than Hip Hop heads. I guess the expectation for Washed Out joining Stones Throw is that he might be able to channel those Hip Hop influences even further, or perhaps make his most abstract and forward thinking album to date?
Well it certainly feels like Washed Out has tried to go for that Stones Throw sound. Yet he hasn't full immersed himself into it, as some of the tracks here feel a little too much of a retreat to what he has already accomplished before. When 'Burn Out Blues' kicks into life, that pumping bassline and laid back Hip Hop-esque beat feels majestic. Even when his washed out (ahem) unintelligible vocals kick in, it sounds pretty fresh. 'Floating By' is another track that seems to implement a more dense and abstract approach. Even though it is a fairly simple and dreamy song, it is the little details that shift and change on this track that elevate it. 'Hard to Say Goodbye' goes a little too funky and upbeat, as it has this Balearic Disco beat that feels so warm and nostalgic, like something Metronomy would pump out. 'Down & Out' honours Hip Hop more than any other track here, opening with the sounds of police sirens, and an eerie spoken word sample, as it leads into 'Instant Calm' which has a hard kick and snare combo. In just 29 minutes (yes this album is only 1 minute longer than 'Reign In Blood') Washed Out packs in a vast amount of ideas and sounds. All the tracks flow into each other really well, switching up styles and tempos erratically, similar to how his sonic peer Bibio operates. Washed Out has pushed his skills in production and sound crafting further than ever. There are so many layers and intricate details all over this album. The way Washed Out makes a sound college of eerie backmasked samples segueing 'Hard to Say Goodbye' and 'Down & Out' is such a commanding and ear grabbing moment on the record. But the biggest problems lay in the words written on the spine. Because a lot of these songs suffer from being too washed out and too mellow! I say the songs are washed out because, whilst there are plenty of ideas sonically, in terms of actual songwriting a lot of these songs feel too short and under-developed. In fact the album flows more like a mixtape than an album. Most of the tracks feel more like snippets and ideas than full compositions. And even the songs that do feel complete just feel a little too soft and unmemorable. Other than the interesting mix and layering, nothing of the vocals or melodies really ever grab me. Though I can appreciate Washed Out has made a step forward and pushed his skills as a producer, I feel that his previous albums were ultimately better written, more cohesive and memorable. 'Mister Mellow' is very much style over substance. 6/10.
CHASTITY BELT I USED TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME ALONE Indie Rock, Jangle-Pop. Hardly Art. Listening Format: CD
Chastity Belt are a quartet from Seattle, Washington, the home of Grunge, which is ever so slightly channeled in the aesthetics of their sound. This is their third full length album and what I believe is the boldest and most distinct record from the all girl band yet.
Chastity Belt on the surface have a lot of 90s throwback vibes that recall bands like Pavement, delivering slacker vibes with plenty of ragged, jangly guitars and a lo-fi, rough around the edges, scuzzy sound. There are many points where vocalist Julia Shapiro will drift out of key or go slightly flat, but in that magical naive way where it doesn't at all offend the ears, similar to bands like The Raincoats or The Vaselines. Whilst the album doesn't offer much in the way of variation, it does offer lots of heart, and the entire set of songs carries a lot of vibrance and momentum. Even though the production sound isn't particularly bright, the compositions and performances themselves are full of colour. The chiming guitars and hazy vocals in particular add such dreamy and pleasant feels.
From the rockin' opener 'Different Now', to the slowly strummed dirge on 'Used to Spend', the album thoroughly evokes an urgency, rawness and passion that shines the whole way through. Ultimate proof that great performances and heartfelt songs can make up for a lack of technical finesse. Recommended for fans of The Dum Dum Girls, Best Coast and Waxahatchee. 8/10.
CIGARETTES AFTER SEX CIGARETTES AFTER SEX Indie Rock, Slowcore, Dream Pop Partisan Records. Listening Format: CD
Cigarettes After Sex are a Texan formed Indie Rock band who are releasing their proper full length debut album. The band have actually been around for a while now, with their self released demo appearing in 2011 which didn't make such an impact. However their 2012 EP fared much better, with the track 'Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby' becoming a slow-burning hit. The band kind of went dormant for quite a few years, but a reissue of said EP last year renewed interest in the band who had started touring once more. Cigarettes After Sex now seem to be picking up their momentum faster than ever before and are starting to see the attention they have been looking for. For those who have known of the band's work before this album, you'll hear that almost nothing has changed in their sound. Even in the years following that 2012 EP, Cigarettes After Sex haven't added or subtracted anything. Their sound has that 90s throwback that is especially popular this decade. In particular they seem to take influences from the lesser known "Slowcore" movement of the early 90s. Their stark, stripped down and bare-bones sound is especially reminiscent of early Red House Painters and Low records (particularly 'Down Colorful Hill' and 'I Could Live In Hope' respectively). However Cigarettes After Sex are nowhere near as harrowing, melancholic or doom-ridden sonically or lyrically. But the comparison comes from their slow jangly music that is so bare it has nothing to hide. There also seems to be a strong influence of early 90s 4AD acts such as This Mortal Coil and Cocteau Twins too (in fact 'Each Time You Fall In Love' has a very similar sound and melody to Cocteau Twins' 'Pitch the Baby'). Cigarettes After Sex admirably have nothing flashy about their sound. The drums are mostly hi-hat and snare, the guitars slightly reverberated, but their sound is just as raw in approach as it would be on stage or in the studio. Absolutely no studio trickery or effects sound like they have been added in post. In many ways this makes the band sound completely genuine and honest, but such starkness could be a turn off for some listeners.
The album has a few really strong songs, kicking off with 'K.' which is as strong an opener as their best known hit 'Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby'. As I said before, they sound EXACTLY as they did when they released that song 5 years prior. Greg Gonzalez's androgynous voice is just as bittersweet and inviting as always. Perhaps the true star of this record. His vocals are just so warm, emotive and passionate without really even trying. He rarely feels to the need to elevate his voice or push his vocal chords in anyway, always revelling in a laid back, chilled out hush, much like the band as a whole. Cigarettes After Sex are a band that never introduce a heavy riff or even a loud build up in their songs. Their music is almost calculatedly brittle and laid back, like the band sat down the entire time they wrote and recorded these songs. Single 'Apocalypse' is another huge hitting and emotive song that was effectively released as a promotional single. I particularly enjoy 'Flash'. A rare time where the band mix up the formula a bit. The song revolves around a beat similar to Massive Attack's 'Teardrop' and shows a dub influenced bassline.
The problem with Cigarettes After Sex being so strictly chained to a specific sound is that the album really lacks any variation. Even if I think back on Red House Painters' debut as a sonic comparison, they also had a fairly strict vision for their sound and approach, yet still managed to hit us with a curveball with the brilliant 'Lord Kill the Pain', a faster tempo song reminiscent of REM. All ten tracks on this album have almost the same approach, structure and aesthetic running through them. I feel like even just one or two curveballs or surprises would have benefited this record. After multiple listens, my excitement for this record started to wane. Their 2012 EP lasted 18 minutes long and was built on 4 incredibly strong tracks. But transitioning over to an entire full length record and keeping the same strict aesthetic has made for a much more difficult listening experience running at 45 minutes. Unless this is your absolute favourite band or sound in the world, enjoying the entire duration is going to be tough. In fact the longest and slowest song 'Opera House' is the lowest point on the album.
'Cigarettes After Sex' is ultimately a solid, passionate and very focused debut. The band have clearly made no compromises in their sound and their vision and delivered more of exactly what made their 2012 EP so popular. There are a few genuinely stunning tracks, and they certainly have a down to earth sound and delivery that will hopefully tug at your heartstrings. But I can't deny that I really wanted to like this album more than I did. It really is a one-dimensional affair that just about pulls through into moments of greatness, although the overall consistency of their EP was better. If you are new to this band though, it's definitely one I would recommend. They are certainly one of the more interesting Indie Rock bands I have heard this decade. For a debut full length, it just about works, but I'd like to see this band think more outside of the box in the future and take me to different places with their sound. 7/10.
DYSTOPIAN FUTURE MOVIES TIME Post Rock, Atmospheric Sludge Metal, Dream Pop. Oak Island Records Listening Format: CD
Dystopian Future Movies are an Atmospheric Rock trio from Nottingham, England and this is their debut album 'Time'. Their music is written by vocalist and guitarist Caroline Cawley with apt lyrics that seem to evoke a fear of things to come. DFM have built up their own signature style of writing that combines elements of Post Rock combined with the classic loudQUIETloud formula. Though their songs tend to average the 5-6 minute mark (as opposed to Post Rock's often lengthier dirges), they often build up slowly and gradually, ebbing and flowing between soft, Ambient textured and atmospheric clean guitar passages, and loud and explosive distorted guitar sections. Whilst this is far from a new or unique approach, it is the genuine delivery and craft of this band that helps them to stand out.
'Time' has been produced by drummer Bill Fisher (who also plays in Church of the Cosmic Skull alongside Caroline), and excellently so as one of the biggest selling points of this debut full length is how lush and realised everything sounds. For just a guitar, bass, drums and vocal trio their music genuinely sounds bigger than the sum of its parts. There are many subtle textures to be heard, whether it is a guitar effect here, or a buried vocal line there, revealing themselves further with each listen. Even when the drums are playing at a steady, slow pace, they are always interesting, adding a hypnotic quality, and then booming into life with choppy fills and aggressive playing when necessary (check out the intro to 'Dulled Gilt'). Caroline Cawley's voice and guitar sound are completely inseparable. The two always play in complete harmony with each other as the songs build. Every clean guitar passage will be complimented with a hushed and fragile vocal that verges on a whisper, whilst every distorted riff that soars into Sludge Metal will be accompanied with Caroline's gnarlier screams and howls. She is clearly the real star of the band and her voice and use of melancholic chord progressions often grab the listener and are full of genuine moments of darkness as well as beauty. In particular lead single 'Pieces' sums up exactly what DFM do best all in one track. The dynamics of the song are teasing and alluring. Just as the song feels like it is going to explode into thundering riffs, the trio will suddenly pull back into soft and slow dreamy rock again. It takes a couple of builds up and crescendos before that momentum they allude to fires into life, taking the listener on that journey. 'Fortunate Ones' is another huge highlight on the album and certainly the most "Metal" song here. The track bursts into life much sooner with pounding drums and chugging riffs, whilst still holding on to that fragility that haunts their sound and writing style. But perhaps my favourite track of all is the beautiful 'Inertia'. This song has the brightest production and the most colourful sound, lead by mostly clean guitar that recalls Smashing Pumpkins 'Mayonaise'. 'Inertia' is a perfectly placed centrepiece on the album and the liveliest and prettiest track. Whilst I genuinely enjoy all seven tracks on this album, the way the album ends is a little underwhelming. 'Fugitive Minds' is a good track but just as it feels like the song is building to its climax, a misplaced fade out interrupts the song all too early. It feels like the studio engineer yelled "Time's up!" and cut them off mid song. 'Fugitive Minds' not only feels unfinished, but it leaves the album without a powerful finale that it so deserved. I feel like 'Forgotten Ones' would have served as a much better climax to the album, or at just 37 minutes, something else could have come in to close off the album. At least DFM have sent me off wanting more, in what is genuinely the only detracting moment on the record. Dystopian Future Movies have successfully built on the promise of their fantastic EPs and delivered one of the most emotive and haunting Rock/Metal album's I have heard this year. For a debut album, 'Time' is a more than solid surface to leap off and I expect DFM will go on to even greater things in the future! Recommended for fans of Chelsea Wolfe, Slint, True Widow and Esben & the Witch. 8/10.
