Re: - mnant (Constellation): A nice lo-fi collaboration between a Montreal native and an American. Signed to the revered Constellation label (original home of Godspeed You Black Emperor!), re: make a fine minimalist electronic sound that doesn’t sound too busy. The album is wonderfully understated with little packaging and not much info on the band. At times, re: do venture into some crazy Mouse on Mars-style kraut-rock, but they mostly keep the drone solid throughout the album. Very solid debut.
Final Grade: B+
Mogwai – Rock Action (Matador): From Scotland, Mogwai have a great reputation among experimental rock fans. This album finds them in more ambient territories. Although there are some dissonant sounds, they are not overpowering to the individual songs. Most drone along aimlessly for minutes at a time before anything happens. They make a nice sound, but its too slow and meandering for my tastes.
Final Grade: C+
The Pixies – Complete B Sides (4AD): The Pixies defined alternative rock in the early 90s and continue to be a massive influence on rock today. This CD wraps up all those Pixies tracks you couldn’t find. Surprisingly, there isn’t much chaff on this disk, since B-sides usually are full of stuff not good enough to get on an album. Some favourites, like the UK Surf version of “Wave of Mutilation” and the Neil Young cover “Winterlong”, are great to see on this collection. There is even a tune sung by Kim Deal (“Into the White”). If you are a Pixies fan (and who isn’t?) you must own this disk.
Final Grade: B
Rammstein – Mutter (Universal): Rammstein’s music is perfect for this confusing, angry world we live in. Screaming in German combined with metal guitars always equals nice aggressive music. Unfortunately, aggression is about all the band have going for them anymore. Their first album was welcome, since Rammstein’s brand of industrial metal died with KMFDM, but this album is just a carbon copy of “Sehnsucht”. Basically, looped metal guitars and growled German vocals. The kids should love this, but avoid if you are a serious industrial freak.
Final Grade: C-
Andy Votel – Styles of the Unexpected (Twisted Nerve/XL): The label head of Twisted Nerve, home to Badly Drawn Boy amongst others, serves up a not-unappealing slab of British trip-hop. This disc is very loops, lots of strange noises percolated through the druggy trip-hop beats. The occasional female voice rises above the din to add a familiar aspect for the listener to grab onto. Votel creates a strange, droning soundscape that too often drifts into the background, no matter how strange the trip might be. Admittedly, this is what trip hop is supposed to be. I found it a bit too spacy for my liking, but, as trip-hop goes, this is good stuff.
Final Grade: C+
Gabor Csupo – Liquid Fire (Tone Casualties): Who woulda thunk it? Cartoon mogul Gabor Csupo (of Klasky/Csupo fame) is an electronic musician! I knew he like the music, due to his launching of his own record label, Tone Casualties. And, he is actually good at it! Channelling the best stuff from Brian Eno, Frank Zappa and Barry Adamson, Csupo, makes two disks worth of excellent weirdo electronics. Cartoon and computer bleeps and bloops are everywhere, along with a keen sense of landscape. The tracks alternately sweep along in lush orchestral soundscapes, or concentrate their power into 2-3 minutes of computerized music. Given this is a two album set, there is a big chance to mess this up. Fortunately, this never happens. This is a great disk for any serious or casual listener of electronic music.
Final Grade: A
Hangedup – S/T (Constellation): This is typical fare from Constellation: dense angular droning pop. Hangedup features Gen Heistek and Eric Craven (both of Sackville) playing pop on a viola and drums. The arrangements are sparse and vocals are non-existent. Still, the music is not abrasive and is actually pleasant at times. The haunting minimalism is what drives this album to its success. This sort of music has a tendency to be pretentious, but this album doesn’t feel that way. The band even has some fun, covering New Order’s “Blue Monday”. If you like Godspeed You Black Emperor!, you already know what to expect. Nice album.
Final Grade: B
Air – 10,000 Hz Legend (Astralwerks): In a world where dance-oriented techno and dark electronics dominate the electronic music scene, a band like Air is, well, a breath of fresh air. Air, from France, play goofy and fun electronic pop like it was 1982. They sound like an 80s era synth-pop outfit, only set against the backdrop of Japan. Their twee take on electronic pop is very original for this day and age. Unfortunately, the band seems a bit unfocused on this release. Could be the influence of Beck, who collaborated with them in the past and on this record, showing up in the tune “The Vagabond”. Beck is well and good and I am a fan, but his whacked out noodling seems very out of place for the band. Instead of adding another layer to the music, the Beck-ish elements distract from Air’s strengths. This is a hit and miss album. When its on, its good. When its not, its horrid.
Final Grade: C-
The Wipeouters – P’Twaaang!!! (Tone Casualties): What a pleasure to hold new DEVO music in my hands and here it coming over my speakers! Okay, the band isn’t DEVO, but its pretty close. Mark, Bob 1 and Bob 2 team up with Josh Mancell to form the Wipeouters, a strange new-wave surf outfit. Equal parts DEVO and The Ventures, this album is a nice distraction from the usually staid and laid-back sounds of traditional surf music. Not to say that surf music isn’t a high-energy form of music, The Wipeouters just push it in an unexpected direction. The warbling surf-rock guitar is here, as well as some corny tiki sounds, but there is also weird analog synths and sampling. Vocals are few, only three songs feature them (one even has another DEVO, Gerry C, on vocals). You won’t miss them though. Here’s to new DEVO music, whatever form it takes!
Final Grade: A
Bardo Pond – Dilate (Matador): Man, the time seems to roll by quickly when you listen to this record. Each song seems to merge into the next, creating a drone-heavy soundscape that draws the listener right in. Bardo Pond are a group of drug-addled psychedelic rockers from Philadelphia. To live up to their reputation, this album literally sounds like a drug trip. Drones go on for minutes, fuzzed out guitars are everywhere and female vocals drift incoherently out of the noise. Bardo Pond are deep into the drone, man, and it’s cool. Good if you need about an hour of time to think about absolutely nothing.
Final Grade: B+