Album Review: Metals

Metals by Feist (Cherrytree Records, 2011. 50 minutes)

Feist is the stage name for Canadian singer-songwriter, Leslie Feist. Having played in bands since she was 15, Feist rose to fame as a member of Toronto-based indie rock group, Broken Social Scene. While touring with the band, she recorded a collection of songs that eventually became her first solo record, Let It Die which won her two Juno Awards. Her second major label release, The Reminder, was certified gold in the U.S. and won her a Juno Award for album of the year. Her latest record, Metals, has received widespread critical acclaim.

Palladium

My wedding ring is composed of palladium. With the chemical symbol Pd and an atomic number of 46, Palladium, the element, is a building block for a wide variety of everyday objects. Not only is the element a representation of my undying love for my wife, it also functions in connector plating in consumer products. Depending on perspective, the same elementary metal is symbolically priceless or a utilitarian means to entertainment.

Similar to the ways we understand Palladium, Feist’s latest record, Metals, explores the nature of core elements by the various and contrasting ways in which we view them. In fact, in an interview with SPIN magazine Feist admits that “the title Metals was partially inspired by 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus, which is about the Spanish Conquistadors' treatment of precious metals, like gold, versus the Aztec Indians' methods. The former forged intricate weapons; the latter decorated their homes and goods in gold.” (SPIN).

The Good and Bad of a Relationship

A closer look at Metals’ production, composition, and lyrics reveals a group of songs detailing the confusion in relationships when each party comprehends them through a different lens.

Such effects provide gritty and dark results, such as the beautiful opening track, “The Bad in Each Other” which illustrates in woeful splendor,

“A good man, and a good woman / Can’t find the good in each other / And a good man, and a good woman / Will bring out the worst in each other / The bad in each other.”

In the song’s narrative, Feist readily admits that neither person in the relationship is at fault. They are both good. Mixing the two together, however, creates a violent chemical reaction like two useful elements fighting over an electron.

The Tension and Answer

Feist also exhibits the dualistic view of objects through the ways in which the music and lyrics relate. In one of the more aggressive songs, “A Commotion”, Feist uses the verse to build tension and the chorus as an answer,

“It flickered to light / It turned broke what was right / It got the roots by the hair / What was no longer there / It blocked out the sun / It climbed up the stairs / And then it slipped through the cracks / I wasn’t watching my back /

A commotion.”

As “A Commotion” illustrates, Feist’s lyrics and melodies offer glimpses of beauty, simplicity, and poetry. Yet, the instruments add tension to the melody with stark rhythms, tense chord progressions, and attentive production values.

In fact, Metals remains, on the whole, true to the Feist sound of old, but at the same time, contributes a more nuanced take to her style. While her previous record portrays a simple and rootsy take to folk music, Metals adds a greater level of detail. Each track supplies subtle atmospheric additions that give Metals its own impeccable signature.

Melodically Sound and Beautiful in Its Subtlety

Aside from the track “Graveyard”, Metals does not carry an overtly pop hit in the vein of “1234” from her previous album The Reminder. Exploring miscommunication and the perils of undefined relationships, Metals has no room for pop accessibility. But, don’t take this statement as a condemnation of Feist’s art.

Metals is melodically sound and beautiful in its subtlety. The record explores elements in their multiplicity of meaning. Palladium is a wedding ring or a circuit board; gold is a weapon or a home decoration; and a relationship is perfect or broken; it always depends on your perspective. I love Metals and consider a contender for album of the year. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Verdict: 4.5 out of 5

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Posted by: Donovan Richards

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Concert Review: Bon Iver and Other Lives

Concert at the Paramount Theatre, Seattle. September 26, 2011

The Opener

I’ve been to three concerts lately where the opening act is just as good, if not better, than what I came to see. This phenomenon certainly rang true when Bon Iver came to town. His opening act was Other Lives. Like most opening acts, I was incredibly skeptical at first. But, soon a voice akin to Brandon Summers (frontman of Helio Sequence), with complex instrumental melodic lines intertwined with atmospheric bliss changed my mind. 

The band is a Sigur Ros LP and a Godspeed You! Black Emperor album all rolled up in one. Unlike Sigur Ros (or Bon Iver for that matter), the lyrics are actually aurally intelligible. 

I immediately swam through the crowd and bought the album the second they ended their set. I strongly suggest you do the same.

Bon Iver Has Arrived!

Jutsin Vernon (the principle songwriter for Bon Iver) has hit the big time with a crazy light show combined with an amazing sound engineer – props to whoever mixed the house and whoever designed the lights.

Coming from such an intimate first album, the highly produced sophomore release has somewhat shocked me. The band has quickly evolved into production for the masses, and I think that this new album (self-titled  Bon Iver) is perhaps better than the first. It is difficult to not be better with the amazing musicians and talent with which Vernon has surrounded himself.

Don’t Rush!

When playing music, don’t rush. Please. It is my simple plea; lay off the coffee, or grab a glass of wine before the concert. Do whatever it takes to move every song down at least 10 BPM. Sadly, Bon Iver often rushed its songs. I know concerts are exciting, and it must be a thrill to play for a packed Paramount Theatre, but I want something I can bob my head to. I want something I can tap my feet to. On record, Bon Iver provides that; live, it should do the same. 

Music is wonderfully articulated melodic lines; it’s relaxing nuanced introversion. When I can feel whiplash when I bob my head, I think it’s sped up too far. However, if rushing is my only complaint, I think a concert can be a success.

Energy

And it was a success! Bon Iver played the hits. Vernon played the crowd. You could feel the electric energy back in the nose-bleeds, where, sad to say, I resided. The last concert I went to at the Paramount, I couldn’t say I felt the energy. But, Vernon and friends put on an absolutely amazing show. I sincerely hope they come to town again – and I get better seats. But, it is my fear that as this band gets more popular by the day, my dream for a seat up close may be a lost cause. If Bon Iver tours in your town, I recommend that you buy a ticket and enjoy the show!


Verdict: 4 out of 5
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Andrew Jacobson is the director of Choral Studies at Bellevue Christian School in Bellevue, WA. He holds an M.M. in Music Education from Boston University, as well as a B.M. in Music Education from the University of Washington. He loves wine, food, reading, music, and movies. You can reach him at arjacobson@gmail.com.

Album Review: The Rip Tide

The Rip Tide by Beirut (Pompeii Records, 2011. 33 minutes)

Originally the music project of New-Mexico-native Zach Condon, Beirut is an indie rock band which combines Eastern European music, Balkan folk, and Western pop music. While traveling through Europe in his youth, Condon fell in love with world music. This love prompted musical experimentation that resulted in the band. While attending the University of New Mexico, Condon recorded his first record, GulagOrkestar, in his bedroom. He shopped the record to labels and ultimately signed with Ba Da Bing! Records. Before releasing The Rip Tide, Condon founded Pompeii Records giving him full control over his music.

Evaluative Difficulty

I find it difficult to review music. Of all art forms, it is the easiest to passively consume. I can listen to the same album every day during work without learning the lyrics or grasping the artistic structures surrounding the composition.

Moreover, people appreciate music for different reasons and different ways. Some need catchy melodies; others need deep lyrics; some want emotive lyrics; and others desire technical musicianship. If an album possesses one of these facets, it is a success for some but a failure for others. In the wake of these revelations, how could anyone critically evaluate popular music?

A Good Record

Having explained my troubles, let’s move to Beirut’s new release, The Rip Tide. I enjoy this record but I find it difficult to explain why I feel this way. The album does not contain an overarching theme and its music is not overly complex; but I still interact positively with its songs. Zach Condon’s weaving melodies, clever use of horns, and pristine production make for an enjoyable record.

To the Songs

Although the album carries no large-scale theme, the songs are intriguing. First single, “Santa Fe” offers an upbeat tune with tremolo instrumentation. During the chorus, Condon wails,

“Sign me up Santa Fe / Call your son / Signe me up Santa Fe / On the Cross Santa Fe / And all I want.”

Interestingly, Santa Fe possesses dual meaning. Speaking plainly, it refers to a city in New Mexico. This interpretation emits feelings of fondness for an urban landscape. Yet, Santa Fe also means “holy faith.” Thus, the lyrics could also be interpreted as a plea of belief.

“East Harlem” is another highlight of the record. With acoustic instrumentation, beautiful horn melodies, and lyrics of longing, the song unveils impeccably when Condon croons,

“Another rose wilts in East Harlem / And uptown downtown a thousand miles between us / She’s waiting for the night to fall / Let it fall, I’ll never make it in time.”

Lastly, The Rip Tide’s closing song, “Port of Call,” bookends the album perfectly. With ukulele-driven instrumentation, Condon provides perhaps his best vocal performance. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the lyrics of the song are my favorite of the record.

“And I, I call through the air that night / My thoughts were still blurry inside / We were closer then, I’ve been alone some time / Filled your glass with gin / Filled your heart with pride / And you, you had hope for me now / I danced all around it somehow / Be fair to me, I may drift awhile.”

Also, as an aside, the title “Port of Call” is etymologically related to Portugal giving the tune a setting.

The Parts that Comprise the Whole

With intriguing parts, it is easy to conclude that the whole of the album is excellent. Of course, music offers different conclusions for different people and I have found it difficult to convey the way I feel about The Rip Tide. Bottom line, though, is that I love the album enough to recommend it. So give the record a spin!

Verdict: 4.5 of 5

Album Review: Codes and Keys

Codes and Keys by Death Cab for Cutie (Atlantic Records and Barsuk Records, 2011. 45 minutes)

Formed in Bellingham, Washington under the shadow of Western Washington University, Death Cab for Cutie is Ben Gibbard (vocals, guitar, piano), Chris Walla (guitars, production, keyboards), Nick Harmer (bass), and Jason McGerr (drums). The band signed to Barsuk Records off the strength of an early demo written primarily by Ben Gibbard. On Barsuk, Death Cab released four albums to much local and critical acclaim. Transatlanticism – perhaps the most famous release from their time on the Barsuk label – launched Death Cab as an international act. In 2004, Death Cab signed a worldwide deal with Atlantic Records and soon after released Plans, an album that was critically well-received, Grammy nominated, and certified platinum. The band’s next album, Narrow Stairs, became the band’s first album to reach the top of the Billboard charts. Recently, Death Cab released Codes and Keys landing 3^rd on the Billboard Charts.

An Excursus on Stadium Rock

Warranted or not, the general expectation from a stadium-sized rock concert is energetic and danceable music. There are night and day differences between a U2 and Sarah McLachlan show. For U2, the waterfall of guitar echoes fills the stadium and supplies an infectious energy. For Sarah, her muted tones and soft, angelic voice fit better in a smaller setting.

For most rock bands, outgrowing small- and medium-sized clubs requires a reworked sound. For some bands (Muse comes to mind), the transition is remarkably easy. Other bands, however, must shift to a larger sound.

Coldplay: An Illustration

To illustrate, Coldplay offers a modern example of this shift. Outside of the single, “Yellow,” Coldplay’s first record is well-suited as background music at a small club. With intimate instrumentation and lyric-based melodies, Parachutes is a soft record.

As Coldplay grew into a worldwide phenomenon, the band’s sound grew. Recent records X&Y and Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends display a new Coldplay with densely textured instrumentation and grand sonic explorations. In short, these two records translate well in a stadium-sized concert.

The point of this short excursus is to liken Death Cab for Cutie’s current form of inconsistency to its lack of reformed sound as the band grows.

A Band Caught between Large and Small

Death Cab for Cutie made its name as a small club staple in Bellingham and Seattle. With slightly overdriven guitars, simple rhythms, and scholarly lyrics, Death Cab is tailor made for the hipster bar scene.

With success, the band has outgrown its habitat and Codes and Keys illustrates the band’s struggle with remaining true to its classic sound while trying to write big for large shows.

On the one hand, Codes and Keys finds Death Cab for Cutie remaining in similar musical textures to its origins. Chris Walla and Ben Gibbard mostly play an arpeggiated guitar with minimal strumming. Additionally, well-written lyrics remain a core strength in the band.

On the other hand, Codes and Keys finds Death Cab attempting to create a bigger sound. The production on the drums is beefy and loud. Additionally, the first single, “You Are a Tourist” finds a guitar riff drowning in high gain, as if the band knew loud riffage is a recipe for stadium rock.

At the end of the day, Death Cab is caught between who the band was and who they wish to be.

Marriage Makes a Man Happy

Lyrically, Ben Gibbard trades lugubrious stylings for sappy love songs. Clearly influenced by his marriage to indie starling, Zooey Deschanel, Gibbard sings in "Monday Morning,"

“She may be young but she only likes old things / And modern music it ain’t to her tastes / She loves the natural light / Captured in black and white.”

Despite Gibbard’s refusal to write from depths of sorrow, the lyrics in Codes and Keys are not 100 percent sap. In the title track, Gibbard opines,

“But the codes and keys / They can’t protect you from the pangs of jealousy / And when you scream / Love you seem / Like a child throwing stones at the sky / But when they fall back to earth / As minor chords of major works / In separate rooms, a single life / We are one, we are alive!”

With a keen sense of simile and illustrative words, Gibbard’s lyrics still anchor the band.

Sadly, Codes and Keys represents another effort in a transitional period for Death Cab for Cutie. No longer a band confined to small clubs, the band’s intimate indie rock does not translate well to arena shows. While the band recognizes the need for change, they have yet to successfully implement it in the studio. Thus, if you like the sound of pre-major label Death Cab, I think this album will not grace your “best of” list. If you are a fan of stadium rock, I doubt this record will resonate. However, if you are a fan of good lyrics, you might enjoy this record.

Album Review: Strange Negotiations

Strange Negotiations by David Bazan (Barsuk Records, 2011. 41 minutes)

A prolific songwriter, David Bazan began his career as the front man of Pedro the Lion and continued playing in the band The Headphones. Located in Seattle, Washington, Bazan currently works as a solo artist. Known best during his Pedro the Lion days for his theologically rich lyrics, Bazan’s time in The Headphones and as a solo artist depict a philosophical shift as his lyrics combat his problems with alcohol and Evangelical Christianity. Curse Your Branches – considered by many, including myself, to be a masterpiece, is Bazan’s first full-length record as a solo artist. Bazan lives in Edmonds with his wife and daughter.

A Complicated Relationship

I have a complicated relationship with David Bazan. On one hand, his mix of poetic lyricism, threadbare instrumentalism, and exposed vocals supply some of my favorite moments in music. On the other hand, I have reservations with Bazan’s highly publicized quarrel with the Almighty and his struggle with alcoholism. Yet, these inner demons provide fertile ground for profoundly well-written music.

Where Curse Your Branches, Bazan’s first solo effort, explores his fight with alcohol and the end of his relationship with the Christian God, Strange Negotiations projects Bazan’s jaded rancor outward to the rest of society.

Strange Negotiations

In perhaps my favorite tune on the record, “Strange Negotiations,” Bazan’s lyrics express his deeply held turmoil with himself and others. He sings,

“You cut your leg off to save a buck or two / Because you never considered the cost / You find the lowest prices everyday / But would you look at everything we’ve lost / Yeah it’s true I learned it from watching you / But now it’s you who doesn’t know what a dollar is worth / You got the market its own bodyguard / And all the people are getting hurt”

Typical of his lyrics, Bazan masterfully weaves an emotional story in his songs; he writes from a place of vulnerability. Listening to Strange Negotiations is like allowing Bazan to paint a picture in your brain.

Raw Energy

Musically, Bazan exchanges the acoustic guitar and occasional percussive rhythm of Curse Your Branches for raw, three-piece rock. When the first downbeat encounters the eardrum in the opener, “Wolves at the Door,” the listener understands that this record is extremely different. With an overdriven bass, a steady drumbeat, and lead guitar, Strange Negotiations rocks.

Although subtle, my favorite musical moment occurs on “Wolves at the Door.” When the energetic bass riff at the beginning of the songs shift down an octave a couple of bars later, the harmonic difference reverberates deep in my bones. Truthfully, the basic-yet-raw energy makes this record.

Vulnerable Honesty

Despite my reservations with Bazan’s strained relationship with the church, he churns out records with vulnerable honesty. Strange Negotiations is no Curse Your Branches. Not only are the records strikingly different, but also, Curse Your Branches signifies Bazan’s magnum opus. By default, Strange Negotiations fails to keep up.

Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoy Strange Negotiations and recommend it for anyone who enjoys thoughtful lyrics and simplistic rock music.

Album Review: Build a Rocket Boys

Build a Rocket Boys by Elbow (Downtown/Cooperative Music, 2011. 52 minutes)

Formed in 1990 in Manchester, England, Elbow is a successful British rock band. The band is comprised of Guy Garvey (lead vocals), Mark Potter (guitar), Craig Potter (keyboards), Peter Turner (bass), and Richard Jupp (drums). Although Elbow has released 5 albums in their career, The Seldom Seen Kid received the most notoriety after Elbow won the 2008 Mercury Music Prize. Build a Rocket Boys is Elbow’s latest release.

Looking Back

While I am still considered young, I've spent enough time on earth to have memories both of joy and regret. Looking back at the route my life encountered, my memories flicker like a vintage slideshow. No matter the circumstantial drama that inhibited my joy, the filters in my mind’s eye soften these images. In a way, some of my simplest memories slip into poetic imagery.

In a similar way, Elbow’s latest record, Build a Rocket Boys, finds lyricist Guy Garvey painting evocative pictures of his youth. The record centers on themes of childhood, looking back through the memory with rose-colored glasses, and remembering what it meant to be young.

To The Music

The album begins with “The Birds,” an infectious tune anchored by a unique chord progression on the piano.

Garvey sings,

“The birds / Are the keepers of our Secret / As they saw us where we lay / In the deepest grass of springtime / In a reckless guilty haze”

Citing this memory from “bird’s eye view”, the album begins by pointing the listener to an introspective position. Musically, as the tune builds, the band links multiple sections together into a final chorus of sound.

The record continues with “Lippy Kids.” As a delayed keyboard rhythmically echoes the piano melody, Garvey mimics the notes as he sings:

“Lippy kids on the corner again / Lippy kids on the corner begin settling like crows / Though I never perfected the simian stroll / The cigarette senate was everything then / Do they know those days are golden / Build a rocket boys”

As if in lamentation, Garvey urges these burnouts to make something of their life. These kids have unlimited potential and could do much more than “hanging out.”

Vocals Meet Piano

Additionally, this song exhibits Garvey’s trend throughout the album to follow the piano chords and melodies. It is pretty clear that Elbow’s creative process for vocal melodies begins with a piano. Considering that I begin in the same spot, I can’t fault the band for writing piano-based melodies. It is curious, however, that the band kept the piano melodies in the mix as if they exist as a crutch helping Garvey sing the proper notes.

Better Days

On top of framing the songs through memories of youth, Garvey expresses a desire to go back to those simpler days. Almost as if his current life is a prodigal son compared to the way things were, he sings in “Open Arms,”

“Tables are for pounding here / And when we’ve got you surrounded / The man you are will know the man you were / And you’re not the man who fell to Earth / You’re the man of La Mancha / But we’ve love enough to light the street / Cause everybody’s here / We’ve got open arms for broken hearts / Like yours my boy / Come home again”

Ultimately, the plea to “come home again” thematically dominates this record.

Build a Rocket Boys presents some excellent songs. On top of the ones already mentioned, “Neat Little Rows,” “The Night Will Always Win,” and “The River” highlight the best of this record.

A Complicated Version of Coldplay

While the musicianship on the album is not highly technical, the composition and production of Build a Rocket Boys offers the listener countless intricacies as listens mount. With unique chord progressions and full-sounding instrumentation, Elbow’s sound resembles a more complicated version of Coldplay and supports the thematic elements of the record nicely.

Just as my memories flicker in positive-filtered hue, Build a Rocket Boys reminds me of the way things were, the way I wished things would be, and, ultimately, the way life was and is good. If you are a fan of “Brit-pop” or just like well-crafted tunes, I recommend this album.

Album Review: Mine Is Yours

Mine Is Yours by Cold War Kids (Interscope, 2011. 44 minutes)

Based in Long Beach, California, Cold War Kids is an American indie rock band featuring Nathan Willett, Jonnie Russel, Matt Maust, and Matt Aveiro. Formed in 2004 at Biola University, the band released its first EPs in 2005. After signing with Downtown Records in 2006, Cold War Kids released Robbers & Cowards to critical acclaim. Mine Is Yours, the band’s latest effort was released on Interscope Records in 2011.

Made for the Radio

In Cold War Kids’ latest release, Mine Is Yours, a gritty, blues-based indie sound is replaced with catchy and accessible tunes. Employing Jacquire King (he has worked previously with Kings of Leon, Tom Waits, and Modest Mouse) as the producer, Mine Is Yours resembles Only by the Night by Kings of Leon through, vocally-focused mixes, energetic percussion and straightforward instrumentation.

On the whole, Mine Is Yours offers an enjoyable listen, yet I can’t help but feel like the production neutered the presentation, hoping to trade artistic integrity for stadium shows.

In their highly-praised debut, Cold War Kids mixed clean guitar riffs with wailing vocals and metronomic beats. Mine Is Yours, on the other hand, focuses on catchy melodies at the expense of interesting instrumentation and lyricism.

This Song Is about Me! (If Only there Were a Sarcasm Font)

In particular, the lyrics on this album succeed in conveying certain emotions without ever telling a story.  “Finally Begin,” for example, contains a catchy chorus proclaiming,

“Finally open my arms wide / Finally I let you inside / Finally made it past the end / To finally begin.”

Although these lyrics succeed insofar as they provide words for fans to sing, the actual content seems almost irrelevant. In some way, the singer is now open to a relationship. Great – I’m glad he made that choice. I’d like more depth, please.

Yet, It’s a Good Record

Despite my criticisms, Mine Is Yours is not the train wreck it may seem to be from this review.

On top of the pristine-yet-neutered production values presented on the record, the songs offer an enjoyable listen. The reverb-soaked guitars supply depth and despite some weak lyrics, the record has some excellent songs.

Photo by Lee Gwyn

First single, “Louder than Ever” is eminently singable, danceable, and turn-to-eleven-able; the slow-grooving “Sensitive Kid” resembles classic Cold War Kids’ tunes paying homage to what made the band an intriguing newcomer in 2006; and “Cold Toes on the Cold Floor” provides a modern-spin to the most rootsy Tom Waits tunes.

Therefore

In all, Mines Is Yours is an enjoyable but flawed album. By focusing on a stadium sound and unoffensive lyrics, Cold War Kids’ latest product feels tame. Nevertheless, the catchy tunes, rootsy sounds, and solid production values make this album an enjoyable addition to the collection. If you can stomach some meaningless lyrics, I recommend Mine Is Yours.