Noah & the Whale's "Last Night on Earth" (Recommendation 10/52)

I've never listened to Noah and the Whale before, but this album, Last Night On Earth, is instantly likable. In fact, it was this album that made me decide to change my weekly "review" into a "recommendation."  As I was listening to this album several weeks ago, it occured to me that I just wasn't ready to move on to the next review.  I wanted to savor this album: coming back to it after a couple of weeks hiatus makes me realize this is exactly the kind of thing that I've consistently enjoyed for years.

To set the stage, Noah and the Whale is an English "indie folk" band from London.  According to Wikipedia, the band's name is "is a combination of the title of one of the band's favourite films, The Squid and the Whale, and the director of the film's name, Noah Baumbach."  Sounds good enough for me, so that can stand without further comment.

At this point, I'd say that this is my favorite album of the year.  That's not to say it's the best or the most important, but it's the one that occupies the "sound of the first part of 2011" in my head right now.

Compared to some of the darker, more edgey music that I've listened to thus far this year, this is a simpler and more upbeat album.  It is a more forward looking and ultimately optimistic collection that doesn't extract the emotional toll that so much "indie" and "alternative" music takes on a listener.  Combined with some great hooks and catchy lyrics, it's a thoroughly satisfying album that I expect will stay in my permanent rotation for quite a while.  

The first single that the band released from this album is  L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. It's a pithy, catchy song with a great video:

L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. (Live from RAK Studios) from charlie fink on Vimeo.

Tonight's the Kind of Night is probably my favorite song on the album.  Charlie Fink posted an interesting piece on the bands website where he compared an earlier version of the song:

Tonight by charliefink

with the final version:

TONIGHTS THE KIND OF NIGHT DEMO MSTRD by charliefink

Aside from being a great song, I really want to compliment Fink for having the guts to post an early version of the song for public consumption.  If there's one thing that I've learned from my short tenure in the music business, it's the tendency to not want to release anything before it's time.  It's hard to expose the underbelly of the process, but it's a great way for the audience to really learn more about the it; and I appreciate it immensely.

Here's the video for Give it All Back:

Give It All Back (Live from RAK Studios) from charlie fink on Vimeo.

In the interest of moving on to the next review, I'm going to leave this one here, but I encourage you to buy and listen to the whole album if you like what you've heard.  

Frightened Rabbit "Winter of Mixed Drinks" (Album Review 9/52)

Just over a year ago (February 22, 2010), I posted a video for a forthcoming album from the band Frightened Rabbit. Since the album "Winter of Mixed Drinks" was released last march, I have to say that it's moved me as much as any other musical work ever has.

As I was looking back at the albums I've reviewed since this little project started in January, it struck me that while I've really enjoyed them all, nothing has moved me the way that "Winter of Mixed Drinks" did last year. So, as I was trying to decide what to review this week, I decided to bring this album back to the top of the pile.

I'm not naturally attracted to sad and depressing emotions in music, so this is an odd choice as one of my favorite albums ever. But the raw emotion of Scott Hutchison's singing, the cohesive emotion, and the complete treatment of the thethroughout the album more than offset my natural sunniness.

In her preview of the album last year, Heather Armstrong makes a point of saying that the "Winter of Mixed Drinks" tells a story of a man healing, compared to the downright oppressive "Midnight Organ Fight" (the band's previous album.

One of the things I find so interesting about this album is that so often now, you find an album is a collection of singles. Of course, that model makes perfect sense in today's music market. If you have any interest in the market for music, you should have seen this post about the current state of music sales.

The fact that this album makes sense the way albums used to - as a coherent work of art - makes me love it even more. There is a progression in this album from pain to hopefulness. In the post from the I Am Fuel Your Are Friends blog above, Heather totally nailed it, based on what she heard from the one song available at the time, but it hold all the way through the album.In the first part of this album, the songs evoke the pain of a break-up; but by the end you start to see the glimmer of recovery.

A couple of weeks ago, we were having the perentheme nial discussion of the greatest lead-off songs on an album. I'd like to nominate "Things" in that category. In this song, Hutchison sorts through the physical detritus of his relationship, but acknowledges that its not the things he misses, but the person:

Never need these things
I'll never need them, oh
This is you and me, you are human heat
And the things aren't holy things
And the things bring me light, they bring me
Never need these things
I'll never need them, oh
Never going back, so we can drop the past
And we'll leave it on the floor and run for dear life for the door

The second song "Swim Until You Can't See Land" is equally powerful. I mean, at it's heart it's a song about a man considering suicide. Doesn't get more bleak than that. The emotional kick of this song blows me away every time I hear it. Heres the video:

The bleakness (and the emotional punch) continues with "The Loneliness and the Scream"

Finally, however the pain starts to resolve and you begin to see the light. My favorite song on the album is "Nothing Like You." Although it's a long way from resolution, you can see a glimmer of hope in a new relationship:

While it's the least interesting video of the bunch, it is remains my favorite songs after a million listens. The healing continues in the song "Not Miserable Now"

Though the corners are lit
The dark can return with the flick of a switch
It hasn't turned on me yet, yet

(I am)
Not miserable now
No one knows
No one knows
I'm not miserable

By the time we get to the last several songs on the album, you can feel the pain beginning to recede and the songs begin to look forward. We're still a long way from hopefullness, but signs of life return. The song "Living in Color" promises a future:

Though i dreamt with a rapid eye
By day i hope to rapidly die
And have my organs laid on ice
Gave to somebody thatll treat them right
And as the night started swallowing
You put the blood to my blue lips
Forced the life through still veins
Filled my heart with red again

Bottom line: I hope that you will buy and listen to this whole album. It's an under appreciated classic. Plus - let's just admit it - to an American, almost anything sung in a Scottish accent sounds cool.

Beady Eyes "Different Gear, Still Speeding" (Album Review 8 of 52)

First and foremost, Beady Eye's debut album "Different Gear, Still Speeding" is an homage and an evolution of the sounds of English rock and roll that have explicitly influenced frontman Liam Gallagher.  While I was surprised to hear it as explicitly as it comes across on this album, I think it really works. As weird as it sounds to say this in 2011, if you love the Beatles, you have to give this album a listen.

Former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and the rest of the most recent iteration of Oasis announced in 2009 that they were separating from Noel Gallagher. After a number of tumultuous years between the brothers (Noel and Liam), it surprised few that this would happen eventually.

Also not surprising is the evolution of the sound of Liam Gallagher's music. Although Liam Gallagher has consistently acknowledged the influence of the Beatles in his music, it has never been more readily apparent than it is in this album. Pick any track on this album and the influence is unmistakable. Personally, I could hear it in Oasis' albums from the 90's. But it's right up front here, and they do nothing to allay that perception in the look, sound and feel of the band's image.

For example, take a look at this screenshot from the front page of their website. I know that it comes straight from a Beatles or Stones photo, but I just can't place it. If it doesn't, then they've accomplished the feat of creating memories that don't exist. Your help in ID'ing this memory for me would be much appreciated.

On to the music: There are any number of great tracks on this album, but let's start with the first single, "The Roller."

I'll take you somewhere you never knew you'd been
I'll give you something you never knew you'd feel
The only thing is everything is really tonight, tonight, tonight
Just call me the roller
I'll squeeze and unfold ya
Call me the roller
I just go to show ya

Just look at Liam Gallagher in this video and tell me he's not channelling John Lennon.

It's a cool song and a great video.

One last note about the Beatles sound on this album. Gallagher embraces the comparison and shows that he's confident in his ability to stand up to it in a song unapologetically titled "Beatles and Stones". How many bands do you think could get away with a lyric like this:

I’m gonna stand the test of time
Like Beatles and Stones
I’m on my way home,
just get back to what’s mine
And when I get home, well I’ll be alright
What’s that you say?
Get out the way!

Beyond the "English sound", there are some exceptionally strong rockers on this album. The song "Four Letter Word" has a thoroughly modern musical drive to it. Interestingly enough though, the look of the video is all The Who with the Mod look.

So, I've gone on and on about comparisons to the Beatles. Is there room for a "New" Beatles in the rock world. My answer is yes. Thus sound and the feel of this music sounds fresh. If anything, it rekindles my appreciation of the great legacy that Beady Eye has inherited and moves forward on this album. Thanks, Beady Eye. Now I think I'm going to go listen to a little John Lennon before I go to sleep.

The Civil Wars' "Barton Holow" (Album Review 7/52)

When I was soliciting suggestions for interesting and different music to review a couple weeks ago, a friend recommended The Civil Wars (thanks Kirk - @dkirkmcdonald). I guess that I've seen them mentioned on some of my regular music blogs a couple times, but hadn't really given them a second thought. Also, I've never gotten into Grey's Anatomy, where the song Poison & Wine was featured (more on that later).

Anyway, I decided to give it a non-casual listen - and I'm glad I did, not only because I really like his album, but also because my wife actually likes it too (which isn't the case with everything I play for the whole family). So, thanks for that, Civil Wars.

The Civil Wars are a duo based in Nashville consisting of John Paul White (various guitars and vocals) and Joy William (various keys and vocals). Here's their website.

One other bit of business before I move on to the music: the first time I listened to it, I was already formulating comparisons in my head to The Swell Season. The comparison is obvious on the most elemental level - a man and woman playing acoustic songs about relationships. But the more I listened, the bigger the differences become. The Civil Wars draw heavily from a country/bluegrass/Southern vibe that differentiates them from the Swell Season. In fact, the more I listen, the less apt the comparison seems... In a good way.. For both groups... Comparisons may help us to simplify and compartmentalize what we hear, but I caution myself, and you, not to let simplification limit our horizons.

The Southern influence is most pronounced in songs like the title track Barton Hollow. This song owes a more to great blues traditions than anything else. Joy White's beautiful harmonies on this song belie the desperation in the lyrics. This is my favorite song on the album.

So, I ask you does this lyric look like it comes from a an indie music duo or Robert Johnson?

Ain't going back to Barton Hollow
Devil gonna follow me e'er I go
Won't do me no good washing in the river
Can't no preacher man save my soul

Here's the official video:

For comparison and as a "live performance check", here's a 1 guitar, 2 voice acoustic performance of the song:

One of the great things about YouTube is that you can now see how artists actually sound in live performance. It's one of my favorite ways to gauge artists. As much as I appreciate a great studio recording, if an artist can't pull off a version that's as good or better live, I always think a little less of them. The Civil Wars performance here is every bit as compelling as a studio recording, to my ear.

The group's breakthrough was when their song Poison & Wine" was picked up by Grey's Anatomy and played in it's entirety over a montage of two characters' relationship during season 6 of the show. Here's the video to Poison & Wine

Here's another cool thing. Early in their careers, (their second show, actually) they played at Eddie's Attic in Decatur, GA. The club's sound guy recorded the show and gave them a copy. They released the complete recording and you can download it for free here. That's cool; props to the band for making that available. It's a great show.

That's all for this week, music lovers. Thanks for reading, and let me know what you want to hear about next.

Album Review: The Phantods "Creature" (6 of 52) AND a Rant About Music

The Phantods are a current hometown favorite on the independent alternative scene here in Columbus. They are in rotation at CD-101 (at 102.5) and play regularly throughout the area. But the question comes up in many people's mind when they hear a local act get airplay on their favorite station is "Do they stand up to the national acts I hear on the radio everyday?"

In this case, theanswer is an emphatic "yes." In short, the music is exciting, the lyrics make you think and their live performances live up to the promise of the music. Take a close listen to this whole album and you will find a variety of styles  ranging from driving energetic rock of the title track "Creature" to the rockabilly-influenced "Just Like You", to the gypsy-rock "Thieves".

Taken as a whole, it works beautifully and I recommend highly. The opening track on the album is the title track "Creature". It announces a self-confident thread that I found runs through the album. Not a cocky arrogance, but a mature confidence borne of time and experience.

I've been waiting for the right time
But I've no heart to ask them
Why they do all the things they do
And if it's any consolation
I'm my own creation
And the same should apply to you.

In recent reviews, I've talked about a sense of place (Kings of Leon) and sense of time (Iron & Wine). In this album, the theme that strikes me is a sense of self. The lyric "I'm my own creation, And the same should apply to you" perfectly illustrates the point. This is a song of strength and self-confidence. It's the kind of song I want my kids to take to heart and God knows, I've played it for them enough times this week thinking about what this album says to me. Here's the video:

The song "Blood of Kings" is a rock and roll gem. It's got a great hook that drives through the song with urgency.

We're both so lost and broken
Guided by words unspoken
We may be better off alone
It is the blood of kings
That moves within my veins
Take the name away from me
But their mark will still remain
You ask me am I to be
Sensitive to what you sing
The light inside has made me this way

  Another songs that struck me on this album is "Under the Moon"

I've got my reasons to feel like I do
You can't take them from me
Cause it's what I've been through

Again, the self-awareness and acknowledgement the past in this song is gut-wrenching, but it doesn't ask for pity. It boldly announces without apology a point of view and insists that we acknowledge.

The finale of the album is "Our Last Goodbye". It's a song that reflects on the past, but also takes a confident stand in the present:

We're still here after it all
Through the night I can still hear you call
It's your voice that haunts me inside
It's your voice that keeps me alive
I've got my reasons to feel like I do
You can't take them from me because it's what I've been through

Once again, it's getting late on Sunday night and rather than fully develop a couple of other thoughts I have on this album, I'm going to pull the old bulletize trick and lay them out for you. I'd welcome your thoughts and helping me hash out these ideas:

• Sometimes, I'm listening to this and I hear a cross between Joan Jett and James McMurtry.
• I like the production values of the whole album. Consistently good musicianship throughout. Great guitar and drum abounds.
• Gretchen King has a powerful voice that rings true and stands up to the big sound that accompanies her.

A Rant About Supporting Local Music

In the digital world, it's easy to dismiss your hometown team as good, but not as good as the "national acts." But you're missing out if you don't appreciate your own homegrown talent. Columbus is thick with great musical talent. Great musical talent is all around us, and we have a responsibility and a self-interest in supporting a vibrant homegrown music scene.

Let me just give you a vignette about the type of connection you can have with a local artist. I ordered the Phantods' new album "Creature" shortly after release. Since I still like to have a piece of plastic in my hand and I appreciate album art, I try to buy albums rather than digital downloads (although I do buy a lot of music on digital download). Unfortunately, when I go the CD a couple days later, it was broken into pieces by the USPS. I sent a note to the Phantods via their website, and within a matter of hours, I got not one, but TWO replies from members of the band apologizing for the inconvenience and promising a replacement, which I promptly received.

I don't expect that one day when I meet this band that they'll remember this, but I will. It's an object lesson in actual connection with fans that every artist should take to heart. It makes a difference in the way that fans think about you. The Phantods earned my admiration not only for their music but with their responsiveness and willingness to interact. I love U2, but I don't expect that if I received a broken CD from them that I would get a reply from Bono.

Anyway, enough about this. I think you get my point: a lot of great music comes not from the remains of the mainstream music industry but from our own backyard. Support local artists and you can enjoy a relationship with them that you simply will never get from the majors.