Single: Magic Tape
Twosyllable Records, 2009
Rating: ****** (6/10)
Classical trained pianist turned indie-electro vocalist, Olga Bell has received quite a bit of critical praise over the last year. Her dark, atmospheric songs are perhaps what any of the last decade's Top 40 pop stars would sound like if their IQ were magically doubled. In that sense, it's understandable why she's frequently compared to Bjork, the other oddball female singer who has walked the line between pop and "WTF?" (albeit in a rather different direction).
Her new single, "Magic Tape," released this week, will be featured on her forthcoming 7" on Twosyllable Records. The record deal marks important stride for her and her band, whose only album to date was recorded partly in bedrooms, painstakingly produced with minimal resources and finally self-released early last year.
Unfortunately, from this single, it looks like all the praise and progress might be going to the band's head - the song's self-aware strangeness is rather over the top. Bell, you don't need to try so hard! We all get it! You're weird!
On the other hand, you have to admire the band's refusal to stay in any given time signature or key signature for more than a few bars. The song never settles into anything comforting and its repeated jarring is engaging on an intellectual level. It would nice to see this approach with a little more restraint in the sound bank, though, just something to tone it down enough that listeners will be able to focus.
Have some faith in us, Bell! We are paying attention!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Album: The Antlers - Hospice
Album: Hospice
self-released, 2009
Rating: *********' (9.5/10)
When I first listened to the Antlers in late 2008, I shrugged it off as nothing special, but Pop Tarts Suck Toasted was carrying on about this album at such length that I decided to give it a listen. And I was completely taken aback by what I heard.
Hospice is not only an outstanding album, it's one of the most exciting releases since the 90's. I wavered on the rating - sometimes leaning towards 10/10 to help get it into the spotlight it deserves, other times thinking 9/10 would be more appropriate - it's far from perfect and far from the level of the masterpieces it references. In the end, I settled on 9.5 - the highest rating I've given an album to date and also the first time I have ever used a half point. The reason? This album is the most worthy of your attention of any I have ever reviewed (on this blog or elsewhere) - but I don't want to believe this is as good as it's going to get. I want to believe another Loveless or Aeroplane Over The Sea is in the works, and I'm saving the 10/10 for that. But in this meantime, we have this, and this is something.
But to say I enjoy or even like Hospice would be misleading. In fact, it is easily the most unsettling album I have heard in years and for several weeks, it consumed me, even triggering the return of nightmares I thought I had shaken long ago. It's an intensely haunting, profoundly affecting album that will stay with listeners long after the final notes.
On the surface, Hospice is a concept album that intertwines stories of terminal cancer, mental illness and dissolution of a relationship into dysfunction and cruelty. Where these tales intersect is the painful truth that love does not conquer all. The record documents songwriter Peter Silberman's growing awareness of this immutable fact, revealing not only feelings of heartbreak and helplessness, but also, and most importantly, a pervading guilt. The narrator's point of view is always that of a caretaker, seeking to heal, to comfort, to save, and the entire album reads as a confession of failure.
Sonically, Hospice is a creeping ambient lo-fi, as if Radiohead had recorded OK Computer in Thom Yorke's basement. At some moments it assaults the eardrums, while at others, it replicates the shaky hum of life-support machines. But mostly, it is full of subtle sounds breaking up, faltering and struggling under the weight of the album's pain. It is this, the struggle of each sound, that sets Hospice apart from such reference points as OK Computer and Arcade Fire's Funeral. Hospice's best beats are built with shards of static and noise and mixed with such restraint that many listeners may not even notice a drum track at all. Synthesized sounds are prominent, but they never seem like a cheap trick - instead, they mimic the oppressive sterility of the album's hospital setting. The use of horns may be an overblown nod to Neutral Milk Hotel but it's restrained enough to forgive and the other sounds - the weakly bowed banjo, thudding piano chords and shivering guitars - are more inspired. All are masterfully executed.
Over the uneasy ambiance, Silberman's voice carries the album. His high crooning is clear and controlled, but although his tunes and tone are spot-on, there's something unsteady about his delivery - it's the wavering of a young voice delivering painful and personal words. And there is good variety alongside the consistency in his voice, ranging from the surprising dramatics on "Sylvia" to the intimate, homey delivery of "Shiva."
The songwriting on the album is imperfect - the often-understated melodies and the album's tempo make it hard to tie everything nicely together. I think this explains why I didn't get drawn in by Hospice's two singles ("Two" and "Bear") when they were released. But viewing the album as a whole, it becomes much more coherent. Melodies are recycled as Silberman revisits stories and ideas, and viewed in this context, most of the tracks do become memorable, each a unique step in the album's journey.
The only really bad song on the whole album is "Thirteen." The first half is an experiment in loud ambiance that doesn't seem to move the album forward. The second is a short song sung by Silberman and guest vocalist Sharon van Etten. Van Etten is a beautiful singer but the sudden introduction of female vocals is jarring, and the addition of a woman's voice to sing a song subtitled "Sylvia Speaks" takes the album's concept to a level of literalism that is, frankly, goofy.
However, this track is the only outstanding mistake. Hospice's two singles and the album track "Sylvia" are all high points, with engaging rhythms and melodies, identifiable choruses and foot-tappable tempos. And even these are outdone by less structured and more intense tracks like "Atrophy" and "Wake." Rising in and out of murky noise, these songs contain many of Silberman's most uncomfortable revelations.
"Wake" comes second-to-last and marks the climax of the story. It is the album's only true moment of absolution: "Some patients can't be saved / But that burden's not on you / Don't ever let anyone tell you you deserve this." Whenever I listen, it takes a few repetitions for the last line to really sink in, and when it does, it usually brings me to (or past) the brink of tears. Anyone who needs to hear these words needs to hear them over and over again before they can begin to believe it. And when I say "needs," I mean that - for the listeners with whom Hospice resonates (and I know I won't be the only one), this moment, this final refrain, is necessary.
But then again, it's not the final refrain. There is one more track, an understated nightmare that draws narrator and listener alike back into the album's underlying terror. It's not that nothing has been accomplished, it's just that healing is a process without an end. Hospice is mercilessly honest - scars will remain, wounds will reopen and everything will not be alright. Though the emotional strides of Hospice are immense, Silberman seems to realize they are dwarfed by the enormity of the task at hand.
A work of remarkable maturity and profound vision, Hospice doesn't sound like the product of musicians barely in their 20's. Perhaps it's the youth of the members, however, that gives the music its kick - a subtle kick, surely, but enough to hold my famously short attention. It's an imperfect work, of course, but it's still a rare and exciting accomplishment. It's musicians like these who will lead us out of indie rock's dead ends and on a personal level, who will help us mend from life's damages and carry on.
Antlers on MySpace
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Dust It Off: Destroy All Monsters - Bored
Here at Radio Flyer Review, I like to tell you about the cutting edge of indie music, but I hardly ever get a chance to tell you about the great stuff you may have overlooked or forgotten from the last fifty years. So I've decided to run a weekly feature highlighting "cult classic" albums of yesteryear. Hope you enjoy!
Album: Bored (Destroy All Monsters)
Cherry Red, 1999
Recording date: 1978-1979
Talk about your cult classics! Destroy All Monsters was formed in Ann Arbor in 1973 by a group of art students led by ex-model turned artist and singer Niagara and her boyfriend Cary Loren. None of the original members of the band were musicians and their highly avant-garde early years were spent jamming with records and then descending into chaotic noise rock when the record stopped. Their only shows were played guerrilla style - setting up uninvited at parties, etc. - and they were usually promptly ejected.
DAM's second era began in around 1977 when the band basically pestered Ron Asheton of the Stooges and Michael Davis of MC5 into joining. The addition of experienced rock musicians to the line-up was coupled with the explosion of the punk movement, the first scene edgy enough to connect with DAM's music. Combined, these factors moved DAM away from highly avant-garde performance art towards a more musical form of rock.
It was this greatly transformed incarnation of DAM that recorded the three singles featured on Bored. Asheton (always my favorite Stooge) uses his characteristic gritty guitar while Niagara sounds eerily like Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon. And if sounding exactly like Sonic Youth in 1978 isn't being ahead of your time, I don't know what is.
Songs like "You're Gonna Die" spew the band's typical morbid nonsense, while others seem to hint at undecipherable political points. Despite its vast musical differences from the band's early work, Bored accomplishes the same thing - providing a raw and wry commentary on music, art and society. Punk is all about stripping rock to its barest bones and rebuilding it from scratch, but few bands have managed deconstruction to the same extreme as DAM. But for all its artiness, it comes down to this: Bored is a damn fun listen!
Album: Bored (Destroy All Monsters)
Cherry Red, 1999
Recording date: 1978-1979
Talk about your cult classics! Destroy All Monsters was formed in Ann Arbor in 1973 by a group of art students led by ex-model turned artist and singer Niagara and her boyfriend Cary Loren. None of the original members of the band were musicians and their highly avant-garde early years were spent jamming with records and then descending into chaotic noise rock when the record stopped. Their only shows were played guerrilla style - setting up uninvited at parties, etc. - and they were usually promptly ejected.
DAM's second era began in around 1977 when the band basically pestered Ron Asheton of the Stooges and Michael Davis of MC5 into joining. The addition of experienced rock musicians to the line-up was coupled with the explosion of the punk movement, the first scene edgy enough to connect with DAM's music. Combined, these factors moved DAM away from highly avant-garde performance art towards a more musical form of rock.
It was this greatly transformed incarnation of DAM that recorded the three singles featured on Bored. Asheton (always my favorite Stooge) uses his characteristic gritty guitar while Niagara sounds eerily like Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon. And if sounding exactly like Sonic Youth in 1978 isn't being ahead of your time, I don't know what is.
Songs like "You're Gonna Die" spew the band's typical morbid nonsense, while others seem to hint at undecipherable political points. Despite its vast musical differences from the band's early work, Bored accomplishes the same thing - providing a raw and wry commentary on music, art and society. Punk is all about stripping rock to its barest bones and rebuilding it from scratch, but few bands have managed deconstruction to the same extreme as DAM. But for all its artiness, it comes down to this: Bored is a damn fun listen!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Live: Mexico 1910
When: 2/22
Where: Brooklyn Women's Shelter Benefit @ Vanishing Point
Once again, a benefit from the Brooklyn Women's Shelter. Once again, I can't find much information online, so if anyone wants to send me information about how to donate, I'll post that here. In the meantime, I did find this page for volunteers, so please consider giving some of your time.
And the music...
When I walked in, the last band of the night was already playing. Mexico 1910 (or at least, I guess that's who it was) is a four-piece band who performed wearing headlamps. It's not totally original - as someone pointed out to me, Animal Collective has done this - but it was still a pretty cool effect.
The first bars I heard were promising - triumphantly building major chords just the way I like them. I thought, 'I'm gonna like this!'
But I was wrong. It turned out the band's swell wasn't leading up to anything, just the rise-and-fall sounds that seem so integral to post-rock instinct. The music tumbled down from the momentum it had built, wandering aimlessly for the rest of the set. Any given minute of the sound could certainly be called beautiful, but strung together, the beauty was overshadowed by monotony. After a couple of minutes, I was very ready for the band to stop.
Although it can look complex and interesting, post-rock is one of the easiest kinds of music to write and play. It requires minimal songwriting skill, minimal vision and minimal true originality. Yes, it requires strong instrumental prowess, and certainly this band was talented in that regard - their equipment gave them a full palette of lovely sounds, and they found and used each one well. Moreover, it was clear the band had spent enough time playing together that they could anticipate and compliment one another effectively. All this leaves no doubt all four are musically talented, but unfortunately, they just don't live up to their potential.
It's not that post-rock is a dead end or that traditional song structures are the only way to hold an audience's attention. But finding something engaging in the wandering, instrumental post-rock is exceptional, and unfortunately, Mexico 1910 is not the exception.
Where: Brooklyn Women's Shelter Benefit @ Vanishing Point
Once again, a benefit from the Brooklyn Women's Shelter. Once again, I can't find much information online, so if anyone wants to send me information about how to donate, I'll post that here. In the meantime, I did find this page for volunteers, so please consider giving some of your time.
And the music...
When I walked in, the last band of the night was already playing. Mexico 1910 (or at least, I guess that's who it was) is a four-piece band who performed wearing headlamps. It's not totally original - as someone pointed out to me, Animal Collective has done this - but it was still a pretty cool effect.
The first bars I heard were promising - triumphantly building major chords just the way I like them. I thought, 'I'm gonna like this!'
But I was wrong. It turned out the band's swell wasn't leading up to anything, just the rise-and-fall sounds that seem so integral to post-rock instinct. The music tumbled down from the momentum it had built, wandering aimlessly for the rest of the set. Any given minute of the sound could certainly be called beautiful, but strung together, the beauty was overshadowed by monotony. After a couple of minutes, I was very ready for the band to stop.
Although it can look complex and interesting, post-rock is one of the easiest kinds of music to write and play. It requires minimal songwriting skill, minimal vision and minimal true originality. Yes, it requires strong instrumental prowess, and certainly this band was talented in that regard - their equipment gave them a full palette of lovely sounds, and they found and used each one well. Moreover, it was clear the band had spent enough time playing together that they could anticipate and compliment one another effectively. All this leaves no doubt all four are musically talented, but unfortunately, they just don't live up to their potential.
It's not that post-rock is a dead end or that traditional song structures are the only way to hold an audience's attention. But finding something engaging in the wandering, instrumental post-rock is exceptional, and unfortunately, Mexico 1910 is not the exception.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Live: A.R.E. Weapons and Bellmer Dolls
When: 2/19
Where: Cameo
I wrote up the Bellmer Dolls not that long ago and was planning to leave them alone for a bit, but when I found out they were playing with the legendary A.R.E. Weapons, I couldn't pass it up. I arrived at the new Williamsburg venue Cameo so late I thought I might miss the entire show, but in fact, the first act, Services, was just finishing when I made it into the room.
Services - I'm not sure what to make of this band, having only caught the last few bars of their set, but it certainly left me scratching my head. It seemed to combine 70's style and dance moves with some amalgamation of cheap 80's synth pop, Krautrock and trashy metal. I couldn't even figure out if it was awesome or terrible. Maybe it made more sense if you saw the whole set? Or maybe not.
A.R.E. Weapons - A.R.E. Weapons were once signed to indie mainstay Rough Trade and have been a known name in the NYC underground for almost a decade. While the quality of their recorded material is spotty at best, their live show has secured their reputation among audiences at fringe of the indie music scene. I'd never seen them play before and naturally, I was intrigued.
The first word that comes to mind for the band's performance is assaultive. The sheer volume is most of that, but the sound is also heavy-hitting and the delivery intense and aggressive. The line-up has changed numerous times since the band's founding, and for this show, the band was whittled down to two members. Some research leads me to believe there are usually four of them, but having seen the band as a duo, it's hard to understand why they'd need two more people - just two of them are pretty much enough to knock you over.
With one member on synth and the other on guitar and vocals, the band sounded pretty much like no-wave synth duo Suicide - a fact the band even acknowledged at one point. They topped their electronic beats with massive, distorted noise rock, but maintained a sense of song structure and vague orientation within key signatures, an approach that made their forays into noise far more enjoyable than most bands'. The musical chemistry between the two members on stage was also exceptional. They seemed to be completely in sync with one another, complimenting one another so naturally they might have been reading each other's minds.
My only complaint lies with the vocals, which could be a bit trite at times, particularly in the lyrics. I understand the trashy, cliched pattern of the vocals was used intentionally much in the way the Ramones reference the idiocy of 50's pop. But just because it's done on purpose doesn't make it the best decision - this sort of juxtaposition is rather overdone and the songs would be better if they stood on their own merit. :: MySpace
The Bellmer Dolls - I'm afraid my assessment of this band will always be colored with nostalgia for the good ol' days. Like any band that's at its best raw and live, the Bellmer Dolls have gravitated ever so slightly towards complacency and convention with time. Their garage goth is still aggressive and their delivery still wild, but their set seems more planned now - they break far less equipment and improvise less than they once did.
The Bellmer Dolls
But they still do some damage both to the stage equipment and to the audience's eardrums, and they are still very much worth getting excited about. The band debuted some new songs at the show that ultimately didn't live up to the tribal minimalism of Bellmer's early material - they were good, but didn't sound as unique. But just when I was about to get worried, the band launched into a new song that very much captures their old spirit - anchored by the tense, driving bass line, the song's bare aggression left no doubt that the Bellmer Dolls are still very much with us.
The band also played most of their best old material, snarling out classics and ending on a massive rendition of "Push, Push" which did, true to tradition, end in a lot of shit getting knocked over and broken. Maybe not as much damage as they would have done a year ago, but still, it was from the heart. And still, the band is one of the best around these days - worthy not only of an audience but of a lasting legacy in the American underground. :: MySpace
Where: Cameo
I wrote up the Bellmer Dolls not that long ago and was planning to leave them alone for a bit, but when I found out they were playing with the legendary A.R.E. Weapons, I couldn't pass it up. I arrived at the new Williamsburg venue Cameo so late I thought I might miss the entire show, but in fact, the first act, Services, was just finishing when I made it into the room.
Services - I'm not sure what to make of this band, having only caught the last few bars of their set, but it certainly left me scratching my head. It seemed to combine 70's style and dance moves with some amalgamation of cheap 80's synth pop, Krautrock and trashy metal. I couldn't even figure out if it was awesome or terrible. Maybe it made more sense if you saw the whole set? Or maybe not.
A.R.E. Weapons - A.R.E. Weapons were once signed to indie mainstay Rough Trade and have been a known name in the NYC underground for almost a decade. While the quality of their recorded material is spotty at best, their live show has secured their reputation among audiences at fringe of the indie music scene. I'd never seen them play before and naturally, I was intrigued.
The first word that comes to mind for the band's performance is assaultive. The sheer volume is most of that, but the sound is also heavy-hitting and the delivery intense and aggressive. The line-up has changed numerous times since the band's founding, and for this show, the band was whittled down to two members. Some research leads me to believe there are usually four of them, but having seen the band as a duo, it's hard to understand why they'd need two more people - just two of them are pretty much enough to knock you over.
With one member on synth and the other on guitar and vocals, the band sounded pretty much like no-wave synth duo Suicide - a fact the band even acknowledged at one point. They topped their electronic beats with massive, distorted noise rock, but maintained a sense of song structure and vague orientation within key signatures, an approach that made their forays into noise far more enjoyable than most bands'. The musical chemistry between the two members on stage was also exceptional. They seemed to be completely in sync with one another, complimenting one another so naturally they might have been reading each other's minds.
My only complaint lies with the vocals, which could be a bit trite at times, particularly in the lyrics. I understand the trashy, cliched pattern of the vocals was used intentionally much in the way the Ramones reference the idiocy of 50's pop. But just because it's done on purpose doesn't make it the best decision - this sort of juxtaposition is rather overdone and the songs would be better if they stood on their own merit. :: MySpace
The Bellmer Dolls - I'm afraid my assessment of this band will always be colored with nostalgia for the good ol' days. Like any band that's at its best raw and live, the Bellmer Dolls have gravitated ever so slightly towards complacency and convention with time. Their garage goth is still aggressive and their delivery still wild, but their set seems more planned now - they break far less equipment and improvise less than they once did.
The Bellmer Dolls
But they still do some damage both to the stage equipment and to the audience's eardrums, and they are still very much worth getting excited about. The band debuted some new songs at the show that ultimately didn't live up to the tribal minimalism of Bellmer's early material - they were good, but didn't sound as unique. But just when I was about to get worried, the band launched into a new song that very much captures their old spirit - anchored by the tense, driving bass line, the song's bare aggression left no doubt that the Bellmer Dolls are still very much with us.
The band also played most of their best old material, snarling out classics and ending on a massive rendition of "Push, Push" which did, true to tradition, end in a lot of shit getting knocked over and broken. Maybe not as much damage as they would have done a year ago, but still, it was from the heart. And still, the band is one of the best around these days - worthy not only of an audience but of a lasting legacy in the American underground. :: MySpace
Upcoming Shows: Harlem Shakes, Swirlies, Mahogany + more
I already posted these last week, but just a reminder - these are all going to incredible shows!! I highly recommend all of them.
Wednesday, February 25
Tokyo Police Club and the Harlem Shakes @ Webster Hall - East Village, Manhattan - $18
If you missed the Harlem Shakes with Shilpa Ray on Valentines Day, then you really messed up. But all is not lost - you can still see the Shakes before they leave town. They are opening for Tokyo Police Club, another great pop band, at Webster Hall next week. It should be a very solid show. :: TPC MySpace :: HS MySpace
Thursday, February 26
Coin Under Tongue @ Cake Shop - LES, Manhattan - $7
To be honest, I don't know much about Coin Under Tongue except that it includes members of Dirty On Purpose and it's all the rage right now in the NYC underground. The second half of that doesn't really mean anything, but the first part (members of Dirty On Purpose) gives me pretty much blind faith that this band rocks. They are too cool to have a MySpace page, so I guess we'll just have to show up and see what it's all about.
Friday, February 27
Swirlies + Takka Takka, Autodrone @ Mercury Lounge - LES, Manhattan - $12
The Swirlies are a classic shoegazer band from the 90's, here again to capitalize off the current shoegaze fad - and who can blame them? They have chosen well for their supporting acts - Takka Takka is a pretty straight-up weird indie rock band that's been trendy for a surprisingly long time now. Autodrone is a band that could well be on the verge of a major break-through - their 2008 full-length debut reworks the darkest of New Wave ideas into 90's shoegaze soundscapes, with a touch of grunge and even prog just to keep it rocking hard. :: Swirlies MySpace :: TT MySpace :: Autodrone MySpace
Saturday, February 28
Mahogany and Blacklist + Cruel Black Dove and Depreciation Guild @ Mercury Lounge - LES, Manhattan - $10
Go to this show! Trust me. Mahogany's dream-pop and Blacklist's dark 80's soundscapes are going to make a delightfully varied but still cohesive evening (and a busy one for James Minor, who is a member of both bands). My last live review of Mahogany is here and my last review of Blacklist is here. And don't forget, those headliners are coupled with another 80's-esque, goth-influenced band, Cruel Black Dove, as well as electro-shoegazers Depreciation Guild, one of the best shoegaze bands around and also one of the hottest NY bands of the moment. This show is really, really, really going to kick some serious ass. :: Mahogany MySpace :: Blacklist MySpace :: CBD MySpace :: DG MySpace
Wednesday, February 25
Tokyo Police Club and the Harlem Shakes @ Webster Hall - East Village, Manhattan - $18
If you missed the Harlem Shakes with Shilpa Ray on Valentines Day, then you really messed up. But all is not lost - you can still see the Shakes before they leave town. They are opening for Tokyo Police Club, another great pop band, at Webster Hall next week. It should be a very solid show. :: TPC MySpace :: HS MySpace
Thursday, February 26
Coin Under Tongue @ Cake Shop - LES, Manhattan - $7
To be honest, I don't know much about Coin Under Tongue except that it includes members of Dirty On Purpose and it's all the rage right now in the NYC underground. The second half of that doesn't really mean anything, but the first part (members of Dirty On Purpose) gives me pretty much blind faith that this band rocks. They are too cool to have a MySpace page, so I guess we'll just have to show up and see what it's all about.
Friday, February 27
Swirlies + Takka Takka, Autodrone @ Mercury Lounge - LES, Manhattan - $12
The Swirlies are a classic shoegazer band from the 90's, here again to capitalize off the current shoegaze fad - and who can blame them? They have chosen well for their supporting acts - Takka Takka is a pretty straight-up weird indie rock band that's been trendy for a surprisingly long time now. Autodrone is a band that could well be on the verge of a major break-through - their 2008 full-length debut reworks the darkest of New Wave ideas into 90's shoegaze soundscapes, with a touch of grunge and even prog just to keep it rocking hard. :: Swirlies MySpace :: TT MySpace :: Autodrone MySpace
Saturday, February 28
Mahogany and Blacklist + Cruel Black Dove and Depreciation Guild @ Mercury Lounge - LES, Manhattan - $10
Go to this show! Trust me. Mahogany's dream-pop and Blacklist's dark 80's soundscapes are going to make a delightfully varied but still cohesive evening (and a busy one for James Minor, who is a member of both bands). My last live review of Mahogany is here and my last review of Blacklist is here. And don't forget, those headliners are coupled with another 80's-esque, goth-influenced band, Cruel Black Dove, as well as electro-shoegazers Depreciation Guild, one of the best shoegaze bands around and also one of the hottest NY bands of the moment. This show is really, really, really going to kick some serious ass. :: Mahogany MySpace :: Blacklist MySpace :: CBD MySpace :: DG MySpace
Friday, February 20, 2009
Release: Gracefully - The Underground Sundae
The Underground Sundae [EP]
Self-released, 2009
Rating: ****** (6/10)
Underground psychedelic pop band Gracefully (formerly known as So L'il) released a free, downloadable EP on Saturday. Yay!
I've been a fan of Gracefully for a while now, since long before the name-change and through several line-up shifts as well. None of these changes really matter because the band's true engine is the strange and brilliant mind of its founder and (to my knowledge) only consistent member, Ben Malkin. And apparently, that remains intact.
As EPs, and particularly free EPs tend to be, The Underground Sunday seems a little unfinished. It's not Malkin's best work, but it's definitely enjoyable and very worth five minutes to download. It's also not a bad introduction to what this band is all about - dreamy, druggy, shoegazey pop.
By far, the best song of the bunch is "Spank Me Slowly," which sounds nothing like the name suggests - it's a sad, tumbling waltz with lyrics based nautical metaphors, something about being on a sinking ship. It's intensely beautiful and might even make it onto a list of my favorite songs ever.
Of course, I've had this song in my possession for a while now because the band seems to stick it on every release. And I can't really blame them - if I wrote a song this beautiful, you can bet I'd be tacking it onto everything else I did. Also, it's hard to say what's an "official" release from Gracefully. The last thing I have from the band is a CDR with no name or track listing and just a square of an apparently-random magazine page for album art. Is this an LP? Who's to say? And in the end, it doesn't matter if Malkin wants to recycle songs - after all, it's not like he's asking anyone to pay for them!
The other songs are also worth a listen. The EP gives a little more to hold on to than some of the band's work - there are more melodies and structures here that you can get a handle on. It's still very psychedelic though, so don't expect a straightforward listen. The music does meander, drifting in and out of focus and not hurrying towards any destination, but it's got enough pop sensibility to hold my attention anyway.
The only really ungrounded song is the closer, "Dear Whipping Boy," and it wouldn't be a real So L'il release without at least one formless experimental number. And although its brand of experimentalism has been done a thousand times over, "Dear Whipping Boy" is still an enjoyable listen. "Underground Sundae" is probably the strongest track after "Spank Me Slowly," with a quirky and not-quite-catchy melody over a rainbow of noisy chords.
Here's what you do: go to gracefully.bandcamp.com and download the record. Then lie down on your bed, put it on and let your mind wander. It's twenty minutes well spent.
Gracefully on MySpace
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