Brief Interview with Damu the Fudgemunk, conducted via e-mail. (Oct 2007)
By: Saif Khan
Damu the Fudgemunk is the true-school producer/DJ of hip-hop duo “Y Society”; comprised of himself and Boston-based MC, Insight. Having garnered critical acclaim as the DJ for Panacea and benefited from the ability to broadcast his skills on the cyber highway that is Youtube; his music was finally released for all to hear in the autumn of 2007. His warm, dusty production style is merged with the narrative wit of Insight on “Travel At Your Own Pace”.
S.KHAN:
What’s up man, much respect for all the great beats & thank you for giving me chance to interview you.
First of all, Id like to ask what order these came in : Damu the
DJ, Damu the Producer and Damu the record digger.
DAMU:
Well I guess the "record digger" came first before beats and djing. I inherited a lot of records as a young teen. My first trial at hip- hop was emceeing honestly. I had a partner in Jr. High School and we would rhyme and rhyme...Freestyling non-stop! Hahah!!
Then we realized we needed beats so I decided to buy a turntable and listen to my records. I had no idea I wanted to produce and I would become a nerd! I wanted to rhyme! After having a record collection, it led to me buying a DJ setup at 16 and then at 17 I bought my first sampler. I later bought the MPC at 19 and I’m 23 now. Believe it or not, I'm a MC first! (Not something I brag about though…) I didn't really find out what I wanted to do until around 18. Making beats… Aw yeah!
S.KHAN:
As a producer and a drummer, I take my inspiration from both
producers & drummers I look up to. Questlove from the Roots stated that one of his biggest drumming influences was the late, great Jay Dee. He said that Jay’s manner of chopping, programming & sampling drums made him re-think the way in which the drums could be played.
Would you say your production methods are influenced by
musicians/instrumentalists as well as producers; and if so, who are they?
DAMU:
Great question. I can relate to Questlove's statement because I play drums. I've been exposed to musicians all my life; my pops was a drummer. Being that this is an electronic form of music, certain producers aim for a level of organics. Machines often emulate, but are not the greatest substitutes for real instruments, which is why we sample. I can say, the more I analyze the dynamics of a musicians playing, the more I'm inspired to carry that same ethic over to the MPC. Now I look at my machine as more of an instrument; and that's where it gets fun.
You feel like you're making music and not ‘just’ beats. As for musicians, I love Bill Bruford, Phill Collins, Ron Carter, Jeff Berlin, Jaco, Zappa, James Brown... I could go forever and ever.
S.KHAN: A lot of people have been inclined to say that your production style is reminiscent of legendary Pete Rock and Diamond D. While I think the resemblance is clear, your style definitely carries an element of originality and I feel your samples come from a wider variety of sources. Do you have any particular method to
your sampling or does it usually depend on what kind of track you are
looking to create?
DAMU:
Yeah, I get those comparisons all day and its because I'm the SUC-cessor and they're the PRE-decessors. They taught and inspired me to do what they were doing. By the time I was able to make beats, my heroes had already been producing for over a decade. Everything I do, is a result of their influence. I appreciate you noticing my originality. Word, I do sample mad records of many genre's and styles. I go through phases of different vibes… It also depends on the record I pull…
Sonically I have a nice array of beats.
Jazzy is my favourite, but yo I have 1000's of beats!! Haha! One day I'll leak my instrumental LP's and you'll hear for yourself.
S.KHAN: I look forward to it, thanks very much for your time Damu.
DAMU: Thanks, Saif.
Friday 28 March 2008
Wednesday 19 March 2008
Cinematic Orchestra & Patrick Watson - Gig Review
Alright,
So we arrive at Bracknell Arts Centre and the beautiful ground upon which it was built, with its surrounding park and forest enclosures suggesting a peaceful atmosphere.
(The carnies across the road ruined the ambiance a little, however...)
After some exploration of the area and some overpriced Dr. Pepper I make my way inside the charming venue; which was considerably bigger than I expected.
For those enjoying the view from the wings and terraces, the seating was adequate and well-arranged, as for the main standing area,
Everyone is sat on the floor carefully listening to the astounding Patrick Watson and his band. Two of my friends make comparison to Coldplay, but that is a passing reference and doesn't say much about Mr. Watson's music, which is of an entirely different brand. Id compare him more to the likes of Devendra Banhart, not only for the singer/songwriter verisimilitude, but for the beautifully humane qualities in his singing.
His smooth, soothing voice was accompanied by his piano playing and voice manipulation, (through delay pedals and such) as well as a guitarist, bassist and drummer (Who definetely had a bit of Mitch Mitchell in him...).
The music was varied and often changed moods during songs, but was always pleasant and creative. For his last song, he walked out into the middle of the group of people huddled on the floor and sang with no mic, accompanied by an acoustic guitar; titled "The Man Under The Sea". The warmth of this gesture was raucously appreciated by the audience as we all cheered him back to the stage to finish the tune with the rest of his band-mates.
Patrick Watson's band not only provided good foil as an opening act for Cinematic Orchestra, but were thoroughly enjoyable on their own merit and I may have to invest in one of this gentle soul's releases soon. His latest opus is called "Close To Paradise" for anyone interested. Definitely an act to watch.
So, some minutes passed and Cinematic Orchestra made their way to the stage, with a considerably smaller ensemble than I expected : Double Bass (Classy), Keyboards, Saxophone, Drums, Guitar and Sampler/Mixer.
Finally, I was about to witness the phenomenon of drumming that is Luke Flowers. I had already developed a great respect for his Tony Williams-esque playing and couldn't wait to see it live.
After some applause, the Orchestra started playing the opening measures to "Burnout (Awakening Of A Woman)", much to my uncontrolled joy as it is my favorite composition of theirs.
From here on in, I had moments where I would totally forget I was stood in an amphitheatre with several other people. I was in a masterclass. after about 20 minutes of this intense concentration, I snapped out and realised "oh yeah, I'm at a gig..."
Luke Flowers showed me that there is so much more to some aspects of drumming, his incredible feel and ability to flow through the song and switch the beat (not that easy in 7/8) while constantly implying the pulse was nothing short of amazing. The saxophonist also played his heart out and his ass off with some incredible solos and quite a distinctive approach : no cues from the song, no suggestion from the rest of the band that they were building towards their saxophonist taking a solo, they just came intermittently and they were always right.
However, there were some problems, the guitar tone at times was questionable and occasionally was inaudible, which was a shame because the guitarist appeared to be pouring a lot into it.
The other slightly strange thing was that head honcho J.Swincoe was not often doing much other than conducting and affecting the mix, throwing in the odd sample or cue. I would have expected a bit more from the man at the helm of this mighty crew.
The keys and saxophone were the only instruments to really take any solos however, besides an extended drum break from Mr. Flowers, thankfully accompanied by the double bass pattern. (Tangent: I cant stand when drum solos are interpreted as being something that have to happen in solitude, why cant the bass keep 'time'? Or have some horn stabs to play around or sync up with?? Major pet peeve of mine...)
Needless to say, the "solo" was impeccable, and as a good friend mentioned " You could really live it thorough his faces"...indeed, what would drumming be without a "drum face"?
So this awesomeness continued for much longer, about another hour passed before I looked at my watch and the Orchestra moved into "Ode to The Big Sea" from their first release, 'Motion'. Well, if grooves like this don't make you shake, you may have no soul.
Patrick Watson then joined the Orchestra for a couple of numbers (the collaborative tour started to make more sense here) from their new release, "Ma Fleur". (For those of you who are REALLY that French-incapacitatae, that means "My Flower".
An uptempo swing, every instrument finds their pocket within the space allotted and hypnotically so. Again, it was in places like this where I saw the true awesomeness of Luke Flowers : From a solid beat that requires 4 limb independence to breaking up his patterns around the drums, often not playing an actual beat, but just comping with the sounds and instruments; to the flowing jazz bits which were reminiscent of Philly Joe Jones incredible sticksmanship...this cat just made my jaw STAY on the floor. Its one thing when you see an artist that can MAKE your jaw drop, but when you see one who can KEEP it there....you know you are in the presence of something special.
Love, Peace & Lookin' After Your Niece.
"Thought we was closer to genesis before all this, technology was cordless; senseless courtship" - Vast Aire
The Decline of The Red Hot Chili Peppers
Yes, yes
It IS a subject which has been addressed at least a handful of times, but I feel no one is really getting into the pulp of the problem.
Just a quick recap to give some context of where we as Chili fans currently stand.
Its been 24 years since the Chili's man-handled their way onto the scene, with their exciting-yet-misfiring self-titled debut. Granted, part of the reason that album misfired a little was due to 2 of the original members not being present. Ok, so a couple years passed and original guitarist Slovak returned to the fray, they hook up with George Clinton to release their second album aaaaannnd....its better. Still inconsistent, but a definite improvement; still Jack Irons (original RHCP drummer) is not involved in any of the recordings.
So we progress to 1987, the release is "Uplift Mofo Party Plan"; which REMAINS one of their BEST albums ever. Uptempo punk with a swing, punctuated with funk riffs, some blistering guitar work from Slovak and relentless bass grooves from Flea.
here, their economy of delivering material had improved; they began to harness the qualities of their energetic live shows with their obvious musical dexterity played with extreme PASSION. You could really FEEL this record.
Sadly, a year later guitarist Slovak would pass away, paying the ultimate price for over-indulging in heavy narcotics. This left all band-members disconsolate; eventually resulting in Jack Irons leaving the band as he "couldnt see this shit happen to my best friends".
Remaining Peppers' Kiedis and Flea considered calling time on the band, but thankfully decided against it; as the band would release 2 landmark albums in the 3 years to follow.
A young Frusciante was recruited, adding a new dimension to the band with his songwriting ability as well as his multi-faceted guitar stylings. Chad Smith was recommended for the drum stool by a friend of the Peppers, who said "he eats drums for breakfast". nice.
1989 saw the release of the jubilant and aggressive "Mother's Milk"; where the Chilis began incorporating more melodic ideas than ever before, while retaining their hard sound and funk-inflected playing. It contains some of the band's best material, such as "Stone Cold Bush", "Taste The Pain" and "Subway to Venus".
Well, by now everyone knows what came next. the one they wont stop talking about, Blood Sugar Sex Magik.
It kind of goes without saying that this is a ridiculously good album; again containing some of the funkiest tracks laid down by the Chilis ("If You Have To Ask" and "Mellowship Slinky in B Major" should serve as good examples) along with the politicised element of things (Power of Equality), and another turn to the more traditional forms of melody and harmony (Under The Bridge, I Could Have Lied).
So then came the second bout of bad luck, Frusicante quits the band at the apparent peak of their powers; claiming to be at odds with the spirits in his realm. He begins a 6 year addiction to Cocaine and Heroin, mostly administered intravenously. Dark.
The Chili's remain in limbo for a while before adding Dave Navarro (previously of the mercurial Jane's Addiction) to the lineup; doing shows and releasing "One Hot Minute"; which remains the MOST UNDERRATED Chili's album, bar none.
This album is probably largely ignored due to the difference in approach from the previous albums. Its darker, more psychedelic, heavier and infused with a sense of melancholy; even on the expertly crafted "Aeroplane". These qualities are mainly attributed to Navarro's presence on guitar and his infatuation with progressive rock and ethereal sounds.
Granted it does have its weaker moments, on songs such as "One Big Mob" "Tearjerker" and "Falling Into Grace"; but its strong points far outweigh the downsides.
If you havent heard this just cause it doesnt have Frusciante on guitar, dont be a dick; go get a copy of this album somehow and enjoy the PASSION of delivery.
Yeah, yeah from here on I bet you all know the story, Navarro's out after "only" helping sell 5 mil of OHM and creative differences; Frusicante CHECKS HIMSELF INTO REHAB AND QUITS COLD TURKEY.
That man has had an interesting life, never heard of someone go into such a heavy drug addiction and decide exactly when to come out, no problems with relapses. He clearly feels that it was a valuable period in his life. All heroin and cocaine users should be so lucky as him to have such epiphanies!
So, the original Chilis are back together, everyone is off the drugs aaaaaand Californication.
Pretty damn good actually. kind of a more half and half effort; with the first 8 tracks and a couple of the latter ones being really well executed, but with a definite pop sensibility.
The rest of the material is where the analysis of the Chili's downward spiral can begin.
The funkier tracks on this album are veeerrrry suspect.
"Purple Stain"...its a blemish on the album : the funk in it doesnt seem to be coming from the same exciting place it did in Mothers Milk or Uplift Mofo. It seems to be fabricated and somewhat sterile...I wanst best pleased. Given that this is a 15 track album, Id say 6 tracks could have been eradicated to make it an even bigger classic than it has become.
But wait, the Chili's would plunge lower still!
Apparently, at this time, Flea wanted to bust out some dirty funk grooves but Frusciante wanted to explore mellow guitar parts and "people with good chords, you know, like Johnny Marr".
While the potential for Smiths style chords combined with Frusciante's expertise was a tantalizing idea; it did not work so well in practice. Frusicante's vision not materializing (probably due to the friction between his and Flea's desire of what to play) effectively along with Kiedis's totally abandoned rapping, replaced by a barely passable excuse for singing; a terrible aesthetic decision given his often intelligent wordplay (which is more suited to his quirky rapping style).
By The Way is released in 2002.
It is bland, uneventful and lacks the gusto which I (and im sure many others) came to love the Chilis for. Sure, since this new audience has developed after the release of Californication, it catered to their simplistic, uninqusitive mindsets; but what about those of us who were cheering the Chili's in the early and mid 90's? Where have our funky patrons of mayhem disappeared to? What is this watered down approach?
Hmmm, cue a period of boycotting the Chili's music, waiting as each year passed with people still playing that fucking album....
2006 : Stadium Arcadium.
Its a double LP.....a time-tested sign of the last hurrah before a band implodes or goes off to become actors....or some other bullshit.
But wait, its actually BETTER than either Californication or By The Way (though beating BTW is not difficult). Its just a damn shame there is 28 songs. Shoulda really been about 17 or 18 either compressed onto one really good album or a pretty decent double album.
Still, It produces (for me) some of the best Chilis tracks EVER. (She's Only 18, Readymade & Hey) They continue to tour for this album, slowly pulling out more and more of the great tracks from their past work to keep us early-chilios happy.
What does all this mean? Well, it could suggest the band taking a step back into the "right" direction; or what many of us feel we want to hear from the Chilis : That great swagger, the bursting passion, that overt energy and absolute LOVE for making funky, hard rocking fucking music. Forget the haters lambasting the Chilis as some "white funk band" (theyve been hating for years)/ The Chilis are for REAL, or at least they certainly used to be.
Dont get me wrong, the new record's major plusses are that Frusicante is going for it (though he still has WAY more in his arsenal) and that Chad Smith is actually stomping some sick drum tracks on this album; something that neither have done in a while, so fingers crossed that continues. However, those two upsides are countered by the massive downsides : The unacceptable understatement of Flea and Kiedis continuing to sing...
It is important to remember that this decline we (the old heads) interpret is simultaneously created a new fanbase for the Chilis (after a lengthy hiatus during which a new generation got slightly older, don't forget), created by the material on Californication and By The Way; and they have to cater to that too I suppose...*fills with lament*
Hmmm... Some would say 'fuck catering to people', right? I mean, make it cause you wanna make it! Well...its not quite that simple.
But then, when they started out, they kicked ass, were funky as hell and didnt give a FUCK what anyone thought. Now it seems they are stuck between trying to please old fans who YEARN for that funky, hard, passionate shit; and the new fans who want the Chilis that can literally crap out hits.
Plus, we have to keep in mind many years have passed and they have been through a lot of shit in the 2 and a half decades they have been in the game (NOT MANY LAST ANYWHERE NEAR THAT LONG, LET ALONE BECOME HOUSEHOLD NAMES), and as Chad Smith accurately says in his ever-honset and forthright aire, "If you wanna hear those kind of tunes, go put on that record!".
Bands priorites change, their tastes change, cirumstances, etc. etc.
I get myself needlessly angry listening to the older Chilis albums I love so much, seeing as I feel they will never make that style of music again, where they were at their creative apex (which also happened to include a lot of conflict); but there is no need for me to.
All I can do is play Uplift Mofo Party Plan at Max Volume on my stereo, jumping around like a nut and hope that they do keep the funk from the SOUL; and that the next album is shorter (Many of you will know that Antony Kiedis has said it will be a 10-track-hit-em-&-quit-em style affair...some will not...) and more PASSIONATE in its delivery, with Flea, Frusciante and Smith at the CORE of the tunes.
Love, Peace & Clean Sheets.
"You can find him at the pub with the grub stain, chuggin' on a small tub of pain to his bugged brain" - King MF DOOM
Kings Of Leon - Because Of The Times - Review
I think it is important to start this off by saying that KOL are one of the bands from the indie-related revival (started circa 2001 thanks to The Strokes) that I actually like.
That has made reviewing this album somewhat difficult. The reason for that is that while I am disappointed with this record overall, I strive to commend them on the strong points within the 13-track frame.
I was introduced to this intriguing band by one of my best friends; although their constant exposure on MTV shortly after the release of their raw, dirty-swamp rock debut: "Youth and Young Manhood" had made me aware of who they were. In time, I came to enjoy that album and the follow-up, "Aha Shake Heartbreak" as two of my favorite modern rock records, period.
What has confused me somewhat, however, is that the band have been lumped in with the rest of the MTV2 fodder (Remember The Hives??) while clearly being cut from a more superior cloth.
While the first release established the gutsy, Southern-fried sound of KOL & the sophomore album showcased a more diverse and musically mature outfit; the latest album is somewhat of an enigma to me.
Caught somewhere between trying to shed the tag of a punky, fuzz-inflected Creedence and simultaneously trying to infuse more varied elements into their music; "Because Of The Times" comes off as an unfinished, stumbling experiment. That is not to say that the album feels incomplete, but rather that the new direction KOL are striving to push themselves in (and kudos to them for making the effort) remains under-developed. As if where they are going musically is a destination they have not arrived at just yet.
We, the listeners will have a better idea of where/what that place is on the next album.
With that said, the album has clear highlights (along with a lot of average tracks) such as opener "Knocked Up", a reverb-laden tale of eloping with one's baby mama; no matter who objects. Within the first minute of this track, old-school KOL fans will realize they are about to hear something different from the more concise delivery of the first two records : The lack of a defined song structure and no relying on a lo-fi sound. Not to mention opening the record with a 7-minute track is a welcome 'fuck-you' to all bands concerned with commercial radio-play.
Somewhat typical of a band's third album, straightaway the experimentation factor is evident. Not so much because the sound appears to be bigger, but more because the sound has been more meticulously worked than on previous KOL.
From the slow-burn of "Knocked Up" to the crunching, screeching (literally, Caleb's voice box must have hurt doing the takes for that one) muddy thrash of "Charmer"; KOL assure their loyal fanbase that they haven't ditched their temper altogether.
An abrupt ending to "Charmer" takes us directly to a winding synth with Caleb's tear-jerking vocal and the bassline of "On Call" which sounds like it may have been lifted from The Doors' stomper "Five to One".
Once more, the time taken over the SOUND of the band is evident, with the rapid decay on Caleb's shouts of 'Be There!' and the distortion of Jared's bass tone. This track also shows my main issue with this album, which is that it tentatively suggests a number of ways it could turn before copping out and taking none of them.
Onto one of the more interesting tracks, "McFearless" which opens with the main fuzzed-out riff (layered with a higher, wah-covered guitar) and a half-time drum beat from the underrated Nathan Followill. All the elements suggest it will be a strong point on the album until the chorus descends into archetypal stadium rock. Perhaps its saving grace is the drum break in between the 2nd and 3rd chorus, with a delay-ridden snare pattern; before the song peters out into feedback.
Perhaps the best cut off the record arrives next, with the excellent title of "Black Thumbnail". Taking just the right amount of time to build up to the meat of the song with a chiming guitar and naked vocals, this is where KOL really excel. All four members are on form here but Caleb takes the limelight with his piercing voice and excellent lyrics
("From runways to the road, I ramble alone/ This thumbnail-sized heart is black as coal")
and the song reaches a nice climax with a wailing guitar interlude from the ever-improving Matthew.
From a contender for best track to a contender for most confused track, "My Party"'s dancefloor shuffle is parading as sinister with its boomy bassline and reversed guitar licks but is too reminiscent of the likes of Panic at the Disco and CSS to be taken seriously, even if KOL rock it way better than those *cough* 'bands' *cough* and the drum breakdown with "oooh's" is rather unnecessary.
From here on in, the album become less and less cogent, with "True Love Way" suffering from an overly-formulaic approach (power chords + disenfranchised love story) and "Ragoo"'s reggae-tinged rhythm not gelling with its half-time chorus; although it showcases more vocal prowess from Caleb Followill.
"Fans" is another plus-moment on the record, with the acoustic guitar providing perfect foil for a reflective, vulnerable vocal; with an air of joy and delusion all at once. This feeling is perhaps best captured by the shout-out to London "All the rainy days, they ain't so bad when you're the King".
The slow waltz of "Runner" is the big brother of "Rememo" from their second album, and serves as a decent example of how KOL can retain their balance between swamp-swagger and tearful honesty even on slower-paced numbers.
A few shades better is "Trunk", featuring spaghetti-western guitars and surprisingly smooth bass. A substantial helping of delay is used on both the lead guitar melody and the vocals, but it is nothing less than fitting as it descends into the beautifully-haunting chorus of "oooh's" as the band switches between both sections with an ease and grace not usually associated with KOL.
The penultimate number is "Camaro", suitably titled when one hears its driving pulse and would be perfect for a cruise with a catchy guitar melody and another insisting guitar interlude (Matthew Followill's lead style could not really be described as soloing as it generally revolves around the song).
Album closer "Arizona" is vintage KOL end of album material; similar to "Talahina Sky" off Y&YM and "Where Nobody Knows" from ASH. The tempo is brought right down to emphasize the maturity of the music, as has been the trend for the band since their earlier, raucous, misbehaving days. Slowly unfolding and pensive, the guitar melody precedes the vocal line as Caleb recounts yet another tale of a woman he may or may not have carnal knowledge of; we are merely left with snapshots from his memories of time spent with the woman in question; as the track culminates in the only real guitar solo on the album and dwindles off into the distance, not really ever saying goodbye.
At the beginning of this album review I stated that "Because Of The Times" was an album I did NOT like, while in reality, it is the patchiness of the album that has failed to endear it to me. Sure, it had weak, predictable moments; but it also had some very interesting sections and at times, demonstrates poignance and real musical growth from the four relatives from Nashville.
It may certainly grow on me, but given the consistency of the previous two KOL releases and how immediate my enjoyment of them was, I have to be critical of this record. Its experimentation (which is a positive as it means the band are not willing to let their "sound" be the only musical method they can be defined by) means that it sacrifices a coherent presentation; but such is the nature of 80 percent of bands' third albums'. To put it in perspective alongside peers of theirs, they did a whole lot better than The Strokes third effort; but both albums would have benefited from the culling of three or four tracks.
Here's hoping the 4th album presents a more well-travelled cousin of this rambling, sporadic bastard child.
"We, New York the narcotic, strength in metal & fibre optics, where mercenaries is paid to trade hot stock tips, for profits, thirsty crimi-nals dig pockets, hard knuckles on the second-hand of working class watches, skyscrapers is colossus, the cost of living is preposterous, stay alive, you play or die, no options..." - Mighty Mos Def
That has made reviewing this album somewhat difficult. The reason for that is that while I am disappointed with this record overall, I strive to commend them on the strong points within the 13-track frame.
I was introduced to this intriguing band by one of my best friends; although their constant exposure on MTV shortly after the release of their raw, dirty-swamp rock debut: "Youth and Young Manhood" had made me aware of who they were. In time, I came to enjoy that album and the follow-up, "Aha Shake Heartbreak" as two of my favorite modern rock records, period.
What has confused me somewhat, however, is that the band have been lumped in with the rest of the MTV2 fodder (Remember The Hives??) while clearly being cut from a more superior cloth.
While the first release established the gutsy, Southern-fried sound of KOL & the sophomore album showcased a more diverse and musically mature outfit; the latest album is somewhat of an enigma to me.
Caught somewhere between trying to shed the tag of a punky, fuzz-inflected Creedence and simultaneously trying to infuse more varied elements into their music; "Because Of The Times" comes off as an unfinished, stumbling experiment. That is not to say that the album feels incomplete, but rather that the new direction KOL are striving to push themselves in (and kudos to them for making the effort) remains under-developed. As if where they are going musically is a destination they have not arrived at just yet.
We, the listeners will have a better idea of where/what that place is on the next album.
With that said, the album has clear highlights (along with a lot of average tracks) such as opener "Knocked Up", a reverb-laden tale of eloping with one's baby mama; no matter who objects. Within the first minute of this track, old-school KOL fans will realize they are about to hear something different from the more concise delivery of the first two records : The lack of a defined song structure and no relying on a lo-fi sound. Not to mention opening the record with a 7-minute track is a welcome 'fuck-you' to all bands concerned with commercial radio-play.
Somewhat typical of a band's third album, straightaway the experimentation factor is evident. Not so much because the sound appears to be bigger, but more because the sound has been more meticulously worked than on previous KOL.
From the slow-burn of "Knocked Up" to the crunching, screeching (literally, Caleb's voice box must have hurt doing the takes for that one) muddy thrash of "Charmer"; KOL assure their loyal fanbase that they haven't ditched their temper altogether.
An abrupt ending to "Charmer" takes us directly to a winding synth with Caleb's tear-jerking vocal and the bassline of "On Call" which sounds like it may have been lifted from The Doors' stomper "Five to One".
Once more, the time taken over the SOUND of the band is evident, with the rapid decay on Caleb's shouts of 'Be There!' and the distortion of Jared's bass tone. This track also shows my main issue with this album, which is that it tentatively suggests a number of ways it could turn before copping out and taking none of them.
Onto one of the more interesting tracks, "McFearless" which opens with the main fuzzed-out riff (layered with a higher, wah-covered guitar) and a half-time drum beat from the underrated Nathan Followill. All the elements suggest it will be a strong point on the album until the chorus descends into archetypal stadium rock. Perhaps its saving grace is the drum break in between the 2nd and 3rd chorus, with a delay-ridden snare pattern; before the song peters out into feedback.
Perhaps the best cut off the record arrives next, with the excellent title of "Black Thumbnail". Taking just the right amount of time to build up to the meat of the song with a chiming guitar and naked vocals, this is where KOL really excel. All four members are on form here but Caleb takes the limelight with his piercing voice and excellent lyrics
("From runways to the road, I ramble alone/ This thumbnail-sized heart is black as coal")
and the song reaches a nice climax with a wailing guitar interlude from the ever-improving Matthew.
From a contender for best track to a contender for most confused track, "My Party"'s dancefloor shuffle is parading as sinister with its boomy bassline and reversed guitar licks but is too reminiscent of the likes of Panic at the Disco and CSS to be taken seriously, even if KOL rock it way better than those *cough* 'bands' *cough* and the drum breakdown with "oooh's" is rather unnecessary.
From here on in, the album become less and less cogent, with "True Love Way" suffering from an overly-formulaic approach (power chords + disenfranchised love story) and "Ragoo"'s reggae-tinged rhythm not gelling with its half-time chorus; although it showcases more vocal prowess from Caleb Followill.
"Fans" is another plus-moment on the record, with the acoustic guitar providing perfect foil for a reflective, vulnerable vocal; with an air of joy and delusion all at once. This feeling is perhaps best captured by the shout-out to London "All the rainy days, they ain't so bad when you're the King".
The slow waltz of "Runner" is the big brother of "Rememo" from their second album, and serves as a decent example of how KOL can retain their balance between swamp-swagger and tearful honesty even on slower-paced numbers.
A few shades better is "Trunk", featuring spaghetti-western guitars and surprisingly smooth bass. A substantial helping of delay is used on both the lead guitar melody and the vocals, but it is nothing less than fitting as it descends into the beautifully-haunting chorus of "oooh's" as the band switches between both sections with an ease and grace not usually associated with KOL.
The penultimate number is "Camaro", suitably titled when one hears its driving pulse and would be perfect for a cruise with a catchy guitar melody and another insisting guitar interlude (Matthew Followill's lead style could not really be described as soloing as it generally revolves around the song).
Album closer "Arizona" is vintage KOL end of album material; similar to "Talahina Sky" off Y&YM and "Where Nobody Knows" from ASH. The tempo is brought right down to emphasize the maturity of the music, as has been the trend for the band since their earlier, raucous, misbehaving days. Slowly unfolding and pensive, the guitar melody precedes the vocal line as Caleb recounts yet another tale of a woman he may or may not have carnal knowledge of; we are merely left with snapshots from his memories of time spent with the woman in question; as the track culminates in the only real guitar solo on the album and dwindles off into the distance, not really ever saying goodbye.
At the beginning of this album review I stated that "Because Of The Times" was an album I did NOT like, while in reality, it is the patchiness of the album that has failed to endear it to me. Sure, it had weak, predictable moments; but it also had some very interesting sections and at times, demonstrates poignance and real musical growth from the four relatives from Nashville.
It may certainly grow on me, but given the consistency of the previous two KOL releases and how immediate my enjoyment of them was, I have to be critical of this record. Its experimentation (which is a positive as it means the band are not willing to let their "sound" be the only musical method they can be defined by) means that it sacrifices a coherent presentation; but such is the nature of 80 percent of bands' third albums'. To put it in perspective alongside peers of theirs, they did a whole lot better than The Strokes third effort; but both albums would have benefited from the culling of three or four tracks.
Here's hoping the 4th album presents a more well-travelled cousin of this rambling, sporadic bastard child.
"We, New York the narcotic, strength in metal & fibre optics, where mercenaries is paid to trade hot stock tips, for profits, thirsty crimi-nals dig pockets, hard knuckles on the second-hand of working class watches, skyscrapers is colossus, the cost of living is preposterous, stay alive, you play or die, no options..." - Mighty Mos Def
Tuesday 18 March 2008
Scenesterism
Picture the following : You attend a gig you have been eagerly anticipating, perhaps of one of your favorite musicians/bands. You go down to the venue that is hosting the event to witness the concert and enjoy the music you love. So far, so good. However, some of you will have noticed that if you get there in time for the warm-up act, (normally not at full capacity at this stage) you will usually be able to spot the curse of 21st Century music : the scenester.
This person often has very little interest in the music on display (and sometimes music in general) and will attend the venue/gig for purposes of popularity and *sighs* 'coolness'.
Yes, this is going to be a rant, and rightly so. As an (admittedly hardcore) music lover, I have no time for folk who go places merely to get props from the cool crew. I view it as leeching upon the culture and having no positive/constructive contribution. Even a passive listener contributes something!
I am going to the concert to see the musicians/DJ's/performers, and I expect to be able to enjoy that without coming across these shallow sentinels du jour.
Let me make it clear that I am not talking about someone who goes to a gig on the hunch that it might be good and is looking a little lost, (I actually applaud that attitude) or that guy who went to the gig to accompany his friend (no one likes rolling solo).
I am directing this at that guy/girl who shows up, perhaps overdressed; and pays little to no attention to the music. And you can see them looking around at other cats to see if people are noticing their attendance!!!
While it annoys me on a personal level, to be somewhat more objective about the matter, I am bewildered by the mindset of those who go to an event, but not for the event itself...instead they are more concerned with being 'at the spot' because someone/something told them that its 'where its at'.
While I feel this is evermore present with the current vomit-inducing 'indie' scene (which bears no resemblance to the original 'Indie rock' boom...cause its NOT INDEPENDENTLY RUN!) I am perfectly aware that it has plagued music events for decades.
For example, the psychedelic movement of the late 1960's attracted an enormous amount of people who got caught up in the whole circus of social (and anti-social) activities that revolved around the music, BUT not the actual music.
Any of the music festival footage of the time attests to this, with several people too smashed out of their brains on various substances and completely missing the message and angle of the music they were witnessing. If anything, their faux-pas is all the more criminal because of the volume of great musicians that were performing during this era.
What is truly worrying and obviously annoying about scenesterism now, is that it is somewhat promoted through various media sources. MTV's broadcasting has lost all & any measure of quality control, even the once-trustworthy MTV2 has descended to showing footage of nothing but bands such as the Killers, the Fillers and the other Twiddlers.
With impressionable young people being the core demographic of MTV, this results in waves of kids and teenagers thinking they need to mimic these groups behavior right down to the dress sense.
This does nothing but help create newer waves of scenesters, who are inherently shallow and prime targets for any marketing companies flogging products that dictate the "scene", as they snap it all up immediately, desperate to not be negatively judged by their equally shallow peers.
Like I said before, this phenomenon affects all genres of music, but from my personal experience, it seems that rock-based music is the main victim. I suppose one could get much deeper into it and start to question the self-esteem and confidence of the scenester, but Ill leave that to the psych-students.
It just goes to show the radical difference in mindsets of those who go because they love the music and those who go because of the social status it will afford them.
Some will say I have been harsh in my judgment of scenesters but those who take a moment to flip through their mental Rolodex of recent gigs-to-posers ratio will feel me on this one.
Love, Peace & Fuck the Police
"Im waiting for the day she strolls through muddy waters & slaughters, sons & daughters, & bloodies mothers & fathers; lovely little case study cast-away cutie, masturbating in the back of that matinee movie..." - Slug
This person often has very little interest in the music on display (and sometimes music in general) and will attend the venue/gig for purposes of popularity and *sighs* 'coolness'.
Yes, this is going to be a rant, and rightly so. As an (admittedly hardcore) music lover, I have no time for folk who go places merely to get props from the cool crew. I view it as leeching upon the culture and having no positive/constructive contribution. Even a passive listener contributes something!
I am going to the concert to see the musicians/DJ's/performers, and I expect to be able to enjoy that without coming across these shallow sentinels du jour.
Let me make it clear that I am not talking about someone who goes to a gig on the hunch that it might be good and is looking a little lost, (I actually applaud that attitude) or that guy who went to the gig to accompany his friend (no one likes rolling solo).
I am directing this at that guy/girl who shows up, perhaps overdressed; and pays little to no attention to the music. And you can see them looking around at other cats to see if people are noticing their attendance!!!
While it annoys me on a personal level, to be somewhat more objective about the matter, I am bewildered by the mindset of those who go to an event, but not for the event itself...instead they are more concerned with being 'at the spot' because someone/something told them that its 'where its at'.
While I feel this is evermore present with the current vomit-inducing 'indie' scene (which bears no resemblance to the original 'Indie rock' boom...cause its NOT INDEPENDENTLY RUN!) I am perfectly aware that it has plagued music events for decades.
For example, the psychedelic movement of the late 1960's attracted an enormous amount of people who got caught up in the whole circus of social (and anti-social) activities that revolved around the music, BUT not the actual music.
Any of the music festival footage of the time attests to this, with several people too smashed out of their brains on various substances and completely missing the message and angle of the music they were witnessing. If anything, their faux-pas is all the more criminal because of the volume of great musicians that were performing during this era.
What is truly worrying and obviously annoying about scenesterism now, is that it is somewhat promoted through various media sources. MTV's broadcasting has lost all & any measure of quality control, even the once-trustworthy MTV2 has descended to showing footage of nothing but bands such as the Killers, the Fillers and the other Twiddlers.
With impressionable young people being the core demographic of MTV, this results in waves of kids and teenagers thinking they need to mimic these groups behavior right down to the dress sense.
This does nothing but help create newer waves of scenesters, who are inherently shallow and prime targets for any marketing companies flogging products that dictate the "scene", as they snap it all up immediately, desperate to not be negatively judged by their equally shallow peers.
Like I said before, this phenomenon affects all genres of music, but from my personal experience, it seems that rock-based music is the main victim. I suppose one could get much deeper into it and start to question the self-esteem and confidence of the scenester, but Ill leave that to the psych-students.
It just goes to show the radical difference in mindsets of those who go because they love the music and those who go because of the social status it will afford them.
Some will say I have been harsh in my judgment of scenesters but those who take a moment to flip through their mental Rolodex of recent gigs-to-posers ratio will feel me on this one.
Love, Peace & Fuck the Police
"Im waiting for the day she strolls through muddy waters & slaughters, sons & daughters, & bloodies mothers & fathers; lovely little case study cast-away cutie, masturbating in the back of that matinee movie..." - Slug
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