Navigator - Bad Children

Navigator
Bad Children
(05.2009, Magic Goat Music)
RIYL = Mount Eerie, Woods, Times New Viking

On Braden J. McKenna's first two albums under his the pseudonym Navigator, an extremely small portion of the world was treated to some utterly ingenious lo-fi noise pop and indie singer-songwritering. Bad Children, the third full length from Navigator, seems to split the difference between the noise pop recording aesthetic of Songs For Mei and Satsuki with the outsider Americana songwriting from Throwing Tongues. The result is an odd, but enjoyable bout of noise laden Americana. There have only been a few acts in recent memory have successfully engendered dusty western musical tropes with a modern no wave despondence (Castanets, Gowns, Jackie-O), however, even these bands seem light years away from to what Navigator has produced. Instead of mining out the dark corners of folk with echoed reverberation, Bad Children is perpetually upbeat, reiterating the same flurry of C and G chords that Navigator has been pumping his tunes with since his beginning. Really, the closest relative I can think of for Bad Children is the most recent Woods release, Songs of Shame. And, just for the record, I am baffled at Songs of Shame's success. Why, you ask? Well, it really isn’t that great, especially in light of their previous records. But that is just a tangent. Bad Children on the other hand is wholly impressive, plush with warm feedback and ridiculously addictive. In a perfect (read: honest) world, Songs of Shame would be getting middling reviews while Bad Children would be peaking on the Pitchfork Best New Music list. But, then again, Pitchfork has been getting increasingly predictable in recent years (which doesn’t mean that FG doesn’t share some taste with the indie music juggernaut). I guess what I am getting at here is that Bad Children is a pretty high quality, unique little gem filled with a country mile of suburban charm. Reallistically, Navigator isn’t breaking any sound barriers with this ‘new’ sound, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t legitimately refreshing. Oh, and what's the most refreshing part? Mr. Navigator, the proprietor of the wonderful Magic Goat Music web label, is hosting free downloads of Bad Children on his website prior to its physical release. So, help yourself to some lo-fi noise country indie pop genius on Mr. Navigator – you won’t regret it.

-Thistle

download Bad Children here.

Navigator - Songs for Mei and Satsuki

Navigator
Songs for Mei and Satsuki
(07.2008, Magic Goat)
Verdict = gritty, wide-eyed pop nuggets pushing into the red

I think as a reader you deserve an admission from me on this one. I love Hayao Miyazaki films. Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro (with the original dubbing or Japanese voice overs) are among my favourite films of all time. That may seem like an odd admission in preface to an album review, however, Navigator’s latest outing, Songs for Mei and Satsuki, compiles 10 tracks in ode to the legendary Anime director’s various films. The concept is an utterly geeky and obsessive one to be sure, but the result at the hand of Navigator mastermind, Braden J. McKenna, is nothing short of humble adoration turned into wide-eyed brilliance. I guess it might be good to assure people who haven’t seen a Miyazaki film that it isn’t necessary to enjoy this album (though recommended based solely on their merit as film). Even those who have no particular affinity for the films (I don’t think this is possible, but it just may be) will find that the there is no real necessity of caring any way whatsoever about the director's legacy to become enthralled with Songs for Mei and Satsuki. So, enough about the inspiration/gimmick, the music stands on its own creative legs very sturdily. You know what, lets just get all of the technical stuff out of the way up front, I think that McKenna is marketing this thing as a full length album, but the album is super brief at just under twenty minutes in length. And, again, for the record, this may seem like mark in the negative for Navigator, but it isn’t - the work actually holds up pretty nicely as a “full length” in the breadth of its ideas and movement of its sequenced tracks. Eventually, you’ll become so addicted that you’ll have to burn the album three times over onto a separate CDr in order to take as little time possible skipping back to the beginning. So what is this incredible music I speak of that seems completely unhindered by general standards of length and concept? Being that Navigator is pretty much still a virtual unknown some cheap comparisons might be good. The album is kind of like Microphones/Mt. Eerie filtered through Times New Viking’s pedals and recording equipment or perhaps a poppier, major chord version of the Meneguar side-project Woods. I make those comparisons specifically to the album because Navigator has proved himself as something of a shape shifter between this release, his freely downloadable loop based Ep and his much loved debut album from last year, the lo-fi folk spiritual, Throwing Tongues. The progression has been in long strides and the results have been nothing short of exhilarating. With Songs for Mei and Satsuki, Navigator has pretty much secured our permanent attention to anything with the Navigator tag. You simply can’t burn this one out no matter how many times in a row you play it. The hooks and melodies are platinum strength with the ability to withstand any amount of hypothetical radio play or popular acceptance (regardless of how far fetched). Seriously, if I over heard my mainstream hip hop obsessed sister listening to this I would still have no grounds for denying its genius. My final gasp of utter adoration and praise is this, and it is directed to you Mr. McKenna: how do you create a modern pop opus - about cartoons - in just under twenty minutes?

-Mr. Thistle

Navigator on Virb

Navigator - Loop Dreams

LOCAL REVIEW

Navigator
Loop Dreams
(02.2008, Magic Goat)
Verdict = Reverby, Loop Based Navigator

The second release on the downloadable-for-free-quasi-web-label, Magic Goat, comes from the Magic Goat mastermind himself, Navigator. In the short 6 song foray on Loop Dreams, Navigator moves away from the humble, lo-fi acoustics that appeared on his wonderful debut LP, Throwing Tongues, and into more experimental (but no less satisfying) territory. With his loop pedal in tow, Navigator somehow pulls out a bag of short, engaging sonic messes that translate something like Times New Viking via Mt. Eerie/Microphones . The Mt. Eerie/Microphones reference is apt seeing as how the closing track is a major chord translation of Phil Elverum's "Headless Horseman." Navigator also cover's local blues troubadour, Aye Aye's, "Change" for his opener. Both covers are tasteful, inventive recreations that manage to accomplish what the best covers were always meant to accomplish: to become a completely new song as filtered through the ideas of the artist covering them. As a whole Loop Dreams is a successful (free, AKA you should be downloading this right now) outing and a wonderful display of chameleon depth from Navigator. Here is hoping that the energy of this translates into another wonderful full length album in 2008.

-Mr. Thistle

Download on Magic Goat Music

Navigator - Throwing Tongues

LOCAL REVIEW
Navigator
Throwing Tongues
(12.2007, A Star)
9.5/10

Navigator is the moniker of Braden J. McKenna. A self taught musical prodigy, McKenna was in multiple musical projects that rocked Kilby Court and the likes throughout his teenage years. Now he is stepping back into the limelight with new musical aspirations. He currently contributes his ear to a few local acts and writes solo, once under Braden J McKenna, now Navigator. Throwing Tongues is his first Navigator release and it will throw you into an instant love affair. Navigator is probably the first to admit that he isn't the most talented musician around, however, something about the way he is able to create a song is entrancing. It's simple folk pop with occasional electric rock outs. The composition is loose and expressive, nothing feels forced or perfected. McKenna's screechingly high voice quivers unimposing religion laden lyrics about Jonah and the Whale, Elijah, and the place where God resides over beautifully written subtle melodies. The liner notes of Throwing Tongues is a testament to the lo-fi aesthetic, listing the date and location of every recording. The list spans bedrooms and living rooms of friends and family illustrating Navigator's ability to make something out of nothing by being able to record at the drop of a hat. His feeble voice and amature recording abilities/resources seem to push the charm of the record far beyond anything that might have resulted from a studio. Navigator is a joy to see live (lucky there are two Navigator shows this weekend including tonights cd release at Slowtrain- see our previous shows posting!) The albums concise running time (just over thirty minutes) doesn't linger even a moment beyond its welcome, nestling itself precisely long enough to enter your ears and make its way to your heart. These tunes will stay with you, and you will like it! Sassigrass' pick for best album of the year, hands down!

-Sassigrass & Mr. Thistle

Navigator on Virb