Broken Bells - Self-titled

Melodic indie rock meets beat heavy trip-hop on the self-titled debut from the two-man supergroup Broken Bells. A collaboration between Shins frontman James Mercer and producer Brian Burton, aka Danger Mouse, Broken Bells finds the duo once again combining Mercer's falsetto vocals with Burton's synth driven beats. The two artists decided to work together after meeting at a Danish music festival in 2004 and finding they were both fans of each others work. They began recording together at Burton's Los Angeles-based studio in 2008 describing their project as "melodic, but experimental, too." The duo went on to produced the track "Insane Lullaby" for David Lynch's book/album project, Dark Night of the Soul, back in 2009.

Burton is no stranger to collaboration having worked with such notable artists as The Black Keys, Beck and Gorillaz, as well as his work with rapper Cee-Lo Green in Gnarles Barkley. Mercer however has been relatively inactive since the 2008 meltdown during which he fired most of his band mates and switched from Sub Pop Records to his own label. I get the impression Mercer is still haunted by those events as most of the lyrics on the new album focus on disappointment, betrayal and pessimism. Emotional lyrics such as "You'll never know how low an angry heart can go" found on "Your Head Is On Fire" say it all.





The best track on the album has to be the synth driven "The High Road," pairing Mercer's heartfelt vocals with an addictive backbeat and some nice guitar riffs. "Cause they know and so do I, The high road is hard to find," Mercer sings, "A detour to your new life, Tell all of your friends goodbye." This track pretty much fulfills my expectations of what a Shins/Dangermouse love-child would sound like. Mercer nudges Burton toward a more relaxed song progression and in turn Burton pulls Mercer towards a little more experimentation and fuzz. The two musicians compliment each other nicely, emphasizing each artists strengths and creating a great mix of genres and influences.

The second track, "Vaporize," does a great job of showcasing the wonderful writing Broken Bells are capable of. "If you want to follow me you should know," Mercer sings, "I was lost then, and I'm lost now, and I doubt I'll ever know which way to go." Mercer delivers emotion in his vocals seldom seen in his work with the Shins. Another personal favorite is the upbeat "The Ghost Inside," a irresistibly catchy beat paired with some funky keyboard and some random hand claps. Throw in an almost pitch perfect Damon Albarn impression from Mercer and this track could easily be a long lost Gorillaz B-side.

Other album highlights include the feedback drenched "Sailing To Nowhere," some post punk guitar on "The Mall & Misery," and the soft synth of "Trap Door." Broken Bells has built a great foundation with their first album, and with the duo already working on a follow up I can't wait to see where this partnership takes them. I'm heading off to SXSW next week and with any luck I'll be able to catch Broken Bells at one of their many show.

Malajube - Labyrinthes

Malajube are a four piece french/canadian indie-rock group hailing from Montreal who have been slowly building buzz in the U.S. for their instrumental interludes and stylistic mash-ups. They already have a large following in the UK after 2006's multi award-winning album Trompe-l'Oeil and despite commercial pressure they continue to make music only in their native French.

The band shifts between psychedelic rock, indie-pop and 80s synth creating an eclectic mix of beautiful tracks that make Labyrinthes an album that easily transcends the language barrier. This is an album full of addicting guitar tone and swirling keyboards that will easily pull the listener in. The music, according to the band's keyboardist Thomas Augustin, "talks to people".

A good indicator of where this album is going to take you is the opening track "Ursuline," a six-minute epic full of all the quiet piano and experimental guitar riffs the rest of the album will soon throw at you. Vocalist Julien Mineau uses his melodic voice and addicting guitar tone to great effect creating an incredibly enjoyable sound, even if you don't know exactly what he's singing about.



As you will soon discover keyboards and pianos are an important part to Malajubes' sound, humming in the background of tracks like "Porte Disparu" and "Luna," giving their sound a hint of ELO at times. While most of the album is very mellow, songs such as "Casablance" and "333" ramp things up a bit giving the album a good balanced feel.

According the frontman Julien Mineau the album is knotted with a "ribbon of religious imagery" which explores the continuing cultural presence of Catholicism in Quebec. The province of Quebec is about 83% Catholic and Malajube do not seem to be big fans of organized religion. "You rent and sell your soul / because you want to live forever", translated from the hard hitting "333", "I know that one day / I'll be eaten by bugs". Not that you need to know the meaning to enjoy this great album, but it adds another dimension to the music and for me helps understand these four musicians a little better. To be sure this is a band I will be following for some time to come.

Bonus: The video that launched Malajube into indie-rock stardom in 2006. "Montreal -40°C".

Blitzen Trapper - Black River Killer EP

The release of Furr in 2008 launched Blitzen Trapper into the indie rock spotlight, landing the Oregon-based experimental folk-rock band at the top of many international music charts. They received a two-page feature in Rolling Stone and were ranked #13 on their 'Best Albums of 2008" list as well as being named as supporting acts for Wilco and Fleet Foxes during their UK tour.

In August Blitzen Trapper released the Black River Killer EP, a collection of previously unreleased tracks that up till now fans have only been able to hear in concert or on one of the bands self released CDRs. While the CDRs were cheap and low quality this new EP is professionally recorded so don't let fears of low quality stop you. The EP contains six new songs and of course the title track "Black River Killer", a Johnny Cash-syle murder ballad fans may recognize from 2008s Furr. Despite being on the short side, we're talking 17 minutes of music people, there are still enough well-written songs and cool lyrics to make Black River Killer well worth a listen.

There really are some great songs on this EP, from the distorted harmonica blasts on "Silver Moon" to the finger picking greatness of "Black Rock". Its really hard to pick a favorite track, but I tend to gravitate toward "Going Down", a great piano-driven piece that sounds like something Ringo Starr might have recorded after waking up after a hard night. "It's loose lips sinking ships tonight", lead singer Eric Earley tells the listener, "This girls a cluster of light / Drips I think of lipstick burnt round fingertips". I can't help but compare this song to early Beatles or ELO, Earley's aged voice working perfectly with the guitar almost makes you forget that this is a group of 20-somthing guys from Oregon.



And of course there is the aforementioned title track, Black River Killer, a macabre tale written from the perspective of a murderer after the towns people have discovered his latest victim. "They found a girl's body in an open pit / Her mouth was sewn shut but her eyes were still wide / Gazing through the fog to the other side". The song continues with a great western/gothic tale that charts the killers encounters with the law and his journey seeking redemption. It's a great song that brings back memories of watching old western gunslinger movies with my grandfather when I was young.

Black River Killer is a great collection of songs that show off the full musical gamut Blitzen Trapper is capable of. An interesting blend of folk/country/indie rock with bits of Johnny Cash, Tom Petty, David Bowie and the Beatles sprinkled all over the place. It's easy for any true fan of music to find something they like in the mix. And if you do like what you hear make sure to check out Furr, I can guarantee you wont regret it.

As a bonus here is Wilco and Blitzen Trapper performing "California Stars" in Dublin. Enjoy!

www.blitzentrapper.net/
www.myspace.com/blitzentrapper

Harlem Shakes (RIP) - Technicolor Health

The cover of Harlem Shakes new EP, Technicolor Health, depicts a rainbow over a desolate city street in a serious state of disrepair. This image illustrates the kind of clear-eyed optimism that the New York quintet radiated in their music and is a perfect introduction to a great album. Infused with bits of jazz, soul, and Latin rhythms, Harlem Shakes stirred up all kinds of buzz back in 2007 when they released their debut EP, Burning Birthdays. After hitting the road for a series of tours with bands like Deerhoof and Vampire Weekend, Harlem Shakes teamed up with producer Chris Zane (The Walkmen, Passion Pit) in the summer of 2008 to record their last album Technicolor Health. Yes kids, that's right, I said last. But well get to that later.

The albums title comes from the novel "Mysteries in Pittsburgh" by Michael Chambon, a coming-of-age tale set during the early 1980s in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The phrase 'in our Technicolor health and high spirits' served as inspiration for the band during the creation of the album, a difficult time for the bands members. In a world full of cynical indie rock, Technicolor Health is refreshingly positive from start to finish. Full of catchy hooks, synth washes and clever writing that keeps telling the listener that things are looking up. The track "Strictly Game" perfectly sum up the feel of the album with the great lyrics "make a lot of money, take a lot of shit, feel real bad, then get over it, this will be a better year". The album stresses leaving the negative behind and looking toward tomorrow, a great listen for anyone having a bad day/week/year.



Throughout the record the band never rests, constantly switching time signatures and tempos, adding quirky instrumental embellishments, and simply playing their hearts out for the entire 37 minutes. Lead singer Lexy Benaim puts his high-pitched vocals to good use, injecting emotion into the songs leaving the listener feeling that the band has actually lived what they are singing about. Brent Katz, who has been with the band since their early dance club days, uses drums and drum machines to give the songs their poppy upbeat feel. Kendrick Strauch (keyboard), Tod Goldstein (guitar) and Jose Soegaard (bass) all give solid performances as well as providing all the back up 'oohs' and 'aahs'.

Technicolor Health is full of hopeful hooks and high harmonies combined with witty wordplay and an irresistible energy. There are plenty of great tracks that I can talk about, from the great album opener "Nothing But Change Part II" to the almost folk tracks "Strictly Game" and "Niagara Falls". While "Strictly Game" has the most hit potential, "Sunlight" is clearly the standout track on the album, an upbeat song using drum machines, synths and acoustic strums to create a indie-pop gem that you will be humming for weeks. Also making an appearance on the new album is Harlem Shakes long time live staple "TFO" (a family-friendly acronym for "The Fucking Ocean"), the song that served as my first introduction to Harlem Shakes.

And now for the bad news, despite producing one of the best albums of 2009 Harlem Shakes broke up earlier this month. A bit ironic considering the overall positive nature of their songs. However there is some good news, Shakes' guitarist Todd Goldstein is currently working on a side project called Arms, which will re-release their first album, Kids Aflame, in the US digitally on October 27th. I haven't heard it yet but I remain optimistic that it will be great.

Julian Plenti - Is...Skyscraper

It will take most people all of 5 seconds to realize that Julian Plenti is in fact the unmistakable voice of Interpol front-man Paul Banks. Hidden under a bad haircut and horrible satin shirt, Banks is fooling no one. However he is playing the pseudonym to the hilt going so far as to give interviews in character, insisting that journalists refer to him as 'Julian' and making any reference to Interpol forbidden. The problem is that despite being a fairly good album, Banks has delivered a solo debut that will sound inescapably to most people like a solo record of the guy from Interpol. It is his voice, that unmistakable, near-mono-tonal singing that destroys any attempt to distance Plenti from his Interpol past.

That said, Is... Skyscraper is actually pretty good if not all that original. The album has two very distinct styles of songs. The first of which is the uptempo indie rock sound we all recognize as Interpol, complete with all the catchy rhythms and angular guitars of Banks 9-5 band. Tracks such as "Only If You Run", "Games for Days", and "Fly As You Might" all sound like they could be Interpol demos.

Then there are the softer, moody tracks full of symphonic touches such as the horn filled "Unwind" and the nice acoustic lullaby "On The Esplanade". One of the most impressive tracks, "Skyscraper" is a soft string-led mood piece filled with haunting undertones. Another must listen is "Madrid Song", a slow and beautiful piece utilizing piano and strings over the haunting lyrics "come have at us, we are strong".

When all is said and done Is... Skyscraper ends up being a mediocre attempt to stand apart from his Interpol past. It seems that Banks, or Plenti, is forgetting that solo albums are a time for artists to forge their own creative innovations. Given the effort Banks put into his appearance and the dedication to stay in character, it's too bad that his music didn't take on an equally drastic change. In the end the problem is that no matter what Banks does his solo songs are always going to sound like Interpol b-sides, his voice is just too distinct.

http://julianplenti.com/

Band of Skulls @ Fubar 8/24/09

Arriving hours before the concert began, my friend Matt and I pulled up next to Fubar around 7pm on a Monday night to find all three members of Band of Skulls standing on the sidewalk not more than fifteen feet from where we parked the car. They had a couple guitars and were about to head down to a nearby restaurant for a quick bite before the show. We waited the appropriate non-stalker-ish time before we followed. At that point neither I nor my friend Matt had the courage to attempt contact, so we sat a few tables over from the band and had a drink. After a short time we walked back down the street to Fubar where the show was later going to take place.

Walking inside was a bit of a shock to the system due to the fact that there was hardly anybody there. A few people were tuning some instruments as we walked past the stage to the back of the room where the '21 and over' section started. After inquiring at the bar I discovered that the Skulls would be playing around 10pm, meaning we were very very early. Deciding the time should be used wisely I threw away my earlier plan of staying sober and decided to get another drink. This is the point where I was introduced to Sol, quite possibly the best Mexican beer I have ever had. Best described as a better tasting Corona with a hint of vanilla, Sol is now one of my favorite beers.

We listened to an acoustic one-man outfit serenade the total of 5 people in the room for awhile before deciding to go wandering. After getting our hands stamped we walked outside to an empty street and noticed that the members of Band of Skulls were now relaxing in a booth at the front of the empty bar. At this point I was hit with the honest truth, no one was coming to this show. We had left Springfield early and flew down the highway to St. Louis expecting a packed and maybe even sold out show. Instead we stumbled onto a rare opportunity, to see a great band in a very intimate, low key setting before the rest of the world caught on to how good they really were.

After a short adventure around the historic district of St. Louis in search of a sharpie we returned to Fubar. I took in the last few songs of a band Matt described as "Modest Mouse meets Fallout Boy," before deciding to go make contact with the members of Band of Skulls. I picked up an LP of Baby Darling Doll Face Honey for $15 at the merch table and walked over to the bass player for Band of Skulls, Emma Richardson, still sitting with her band mates in their booth. The best way to describe her reaction to my autograph inquiry would be... exhilarated amazement. With an excited "Of course!" she ripped the album out of my hands and started tearing the plastic wrapping off. She pulled a folded poster out of the sleeve that I hadn't even known was there and asked my name before signing it.

The poster was a large reproduction of one of Emma Richardsons' paintings. As she handed the album to guitarist Russell Marsden I asked her about the painting and the album cover. It was indeed from her gallery "Meat Me At The Butchers," but as she informed me, had been cut in half and mirrored for the cover which she wasn't too happy about. Matt showed up shortly with his own purchased LP to be signed, which Emma again tore the plastic off in search of the poster. After all three members had signed our LPs we talked a little about their tour so far and the fact that we had drove two hours to see them. "We wanted to catch you before you get so big that we'll have to pay $80 for a ticket to a stadium show," I told them. "That would be great," Russell replied,"not that you have to pay $80 but that we would have lots of people come to see us." He continued to tell about how they had played an early set at Lallapalooza and mentioned how few people had showed up. I wanted to bring up the alarming lack of people at the current show but didn't have the courage.

Band of Skulls played a powerhouse of a set to a not so packed crowd of 23 fans. It was pure rock n' roll with driving guitar riffs and deep bass grooves. Many small venues suffer acoustically from their design, but Fubar sounded very good with the small exception of the low volume of Emmas' mic. They played most of the songs from their new album including "Light Of the morning," "Fires," "Blood," and my favorite "Cold Fame." They ended the show with the song "Impossible" and walked off the stage while the sound system replayed the last few fuzzy guitar cords over and over. A great ending to an amazing show.

After the show we went back over to the other bar where the band was meeting with all the fans who had come to see them play. They signed albums and posters and listened to fans profess their love for the new album. I was able to overhear a middle aged man tell his story to Emma about how he was there to get a autograph for his son who was a giant fan but couldn't be there because it was a school night. We were able to talk to Emma a little about their show and the importance of artist having sharpies at shows, after which I gave her the one we had quested for earlier. The 70s band Heart came up in our conversation and I was amazed to learn that she had never heard of them. Later I mentioned this fact to their drummer Matthew Hayward. He laughed and scolded Emma, "What!? You've never heard of Heart!" after which two girls at the table started to sing "Magic Man."

As a joke Emma and Matthew both signed a small poster with personal messages for one of my co-workers, Beth, who loves Heart. Emmas' message was about how she didn't know who Heart was but was sure they rocked. Matthews' message was "Beth!! You like Heart!? I like Heart! Lets get together!" (It is also funny to note that when I gave Beth the poster the next day she was listening to Heart in her office.) We left St. Louis near 1am to begin our long trip back to Springfield, the car ride spent listening to Band of Skulls and talking about the show.

Band of Skulls - BDDFH

First off, no Band of Skulls is not a black metal band. They are in fact a solid alt-rock trio from Britain who just released their first album, Baby Darling Doll Face Honey, which is a great album considering it was recorded only months after the band was formed. Seriously there really isn't a bad song in the 16 tracks of fuzzed-out guitar riffs, rock duets and smokey lyrics. Its also interesting to note that the album was recorded at Courtyard Studios in Oxfordshire, the same studio where Radiohead recorded some of their early albums. That doesn't really have a bearing on the quality of the music on BDDFH but for a giant Radiohead fan like myself its a nice piece of trivia.

The UK trio consist of Russell Marsden (vocals/guitar), Emma Richardson (vocals/bass) and Matthew Hayward (drums). All of which are contributing writers for the band which is why BDDFH feels like a mixed bag at times. Influences are all over the map including southern-rock, blues-folk and acoustic-pop. Listening to this album is almost like a crash corse in music history with hints of Zeppelin and Heart to more modern bands like Kings of Leon and Dead Weather. In fact sometimes if your not paying close attention it's easy to confuse Band of Skulls with one of Jack Whites side projects. Marsden seems to be doing his best at times to emulate White in both his vocals and his southern/bluesy guitar playing on songs like "Death By Diamonds And Pearls."

Richardson ends up being the standout member of Band of Skulls with her emotion and vocal talent on tracks such as "Blood" and "Patterns." The sensitive, acoustic guitar ballad "Honest" is one of the best songs on the album. Her beautiful and soothing voice echos that of Alison Mosshart (The Kills/Dead Weather) and is only enhanced when joined by the vocals of Marsden on "Fires." On top of being an amazing singer and bass player, Richardson is also a very talented painter. Two paintings from her recent exhibition "Meat Me At The Butchers" have been used as covers for the digital and CD releases of BDDFH. Her paintings are abstract works that she says could be human innards or muscle.

The album closes with the elegant "Cold Fame," a melancholy indie-rock ballad featuring Marsden on vocals. A very emotional song with standout lyrics:

What's the point of fame if it's been abused?
What's a kid like me even got to lose?
Here I am on your bed again,
it's too big for the room it's in.
Wash your face and mouth just a little bit,
Everybody knows that you're good at it.
Nothing hurts like an answer phone,
drinking some, waking up alone.
Maybe if I try just a little more,
I can take myself from this dirty floor.
Walk through buildings of elegance,
just like you are intelligent.
But still I fall from grace with this microphone,
How'd you find yourself if you never roam?
Certainly I'm indebted baby, certainly, certainly...

Already receiving rave reviews from their show at Lollapalooza and joining the ranks of bands like Muse and Radiohead on the 'New Moon' soundtrack, Band of Skulls is set to explode in the coming months. They are now touring the U.S. and Canada for the second time with a stop at Fubar in St. Louis August 24th, which is just close enough that I might try to pop over and catch them. Because lets face it good music is worth loosing sleep over.

http://www.bandofskulls.com/
http://www.myspace.com/bandofskulls