Pete & The Pirates - Little Death

Pete & The Pirates
Little Death
(02.2008, Stolen)
Verdict = this album is as awesome as its cover

Sassigrass says I’m wrong, but I just can’t shake the fact that Pete & The Pirates’ Little Death sounds a whole lot like The Figurines’ Skeleton. After her insistence that they are definitely distinguishable and my repeated listens thereafter it is pretty obvious that I am mostly an idiot. Still, it feels like The Figurines and if you like The Figurines you’ll love Pete & The Pirates. I mean really, feel free to choose any fledgling indie band busting out infectious power chords and you’ll be able to reference them to Pete & The Pirates, but that doesn’t mean that don’t do what they do well. In fact, I would be quite happy to post up Pete and his Pirates against anyone making waves under those genre flags, because they do it as well as anyone. Little Death contains perfectly formed pop songs that are easy to love, the kind of record that you can always listen to with satisfactory results. Right now the Ipod jack in my car is busted so I’ve had to revert to an old CD changer with the capacity to hold 10 albums. For some people 10 albums is more than enough to have on hand at all times, but for all the driving I do back and forth from work and in and out of downtown and for all the music that I listen to, 10 albums is pretty limited. I mean it is kind of liberating in a way not having to sort through the 782 artist on my Ipod in order to find one to listen to, but there is also the factor of having nothing to want to listen to. That is where Pete & The Pirates come in. I always leave a slot for Little Death in the changer because, while I sort various new, inconsistent and difficult records, it is inevitable that I will need a solid, energetic pop record sometimes to just enjoy life to. Little Death is that record.

-Mr. Thistle

Subtle - ExitingARM

Subtle
ExitingARM
(05.2008, Lex)
Verdict = Their “pop” record is also their perfect record

Anyone who regularly visits Forest Gospel is probably aware that we tend to gush unapologetically over the albums that we adore. I for one am probably most guilty of being super excited about albums to the point of extensive hyperboles. I guess it follows that we are much more fans than critics (hence our abolition of a rating system that never seemed to travel below an 8). Anywho, we are also selective, meaning we only write about the music we love, and just for the record we absolutely adore Subtle. Forest Gospel’s name, as some of you may be aware, hails from an Animal Collective song. It is kind of an ode to a band who’s unending creativity and high standard of musical output has charmed us to almost no end. As highly as we all think of Animal Collective in these parts, the blog may as well have been named 'Our Hero Yes' in respect of Subtle. The bands may mine widely different genres and forms, but the essence is that both are on the forefront expanding what pop music is and what it can be. Last night I spent a late night, beyond all better judgment, at The Urban Lounge to witness the monstrosity that is the Subtle machine live. It is my third time seeing the group and it never gets old. Dose One’s spastic, microphone hopping showmanship; Jel’s mind-blowing drum pad mastery, Alexander Kort’s vigorous cello playing and Jordan Dalrymple’s and Marty Dowers’ multi-instrumental bombast (and of course Dax’s looming spirit); simply put the band couldn’t stand to lose one member. Live, they were perfectly formed, tight, compelling and beyond awesome. ExitingARM is no different. The band’s professed “pop” album, ExitingARM definitely strays a bit more from the hip hop roots of the previous albums in the trilogy of 'Our Hero Yes', with Dose One adding much more melodic vocal lines and plenty of hooks. Don’t get worried though, Subtle do what they do with expertness and Dose’s tongue twisters are not gone completely from the album. To be honest, I have been listening to ExitingARM for awhile now and initially I found the transition to more pop oriented songs slightly difficult. However, after repeated listens, the infinitely layered album continues to become more and more amazing, unfolding into a pristine document of everything that is good about the band. On ExitingARM Subtle has truly reached the “genrelessness” that they have always pined for, incorporating just about everything to create a hyper, glowing document of complete originality. There is no way I am going to dissect this thing, just suffice it to say that ExitingARM is the best album so far of 2008.

-Mr. Thistle

Subtle - "Unlikely Rock Shock"

The Black Keys - Attack & Release

The Black Keys
Attack & Release
(04.2008, Nonesuch)
Verdict: (Spruce Lee never writes verdicts)

I have been sitting on this review for a while now, and I’m actually glad I haven’t put thoughts to paper until now. In the intervening time between getting the album and writing this review I have had ample opportunity to listen, and I did listen. However, it was never quality time listening. I would try and listen, but every time I did, something would come up. I would end up making a phone call, begin studying for finals, or start watching American Idol, and before I knew it the album had finished playing and I had hardly heard a note. At first I chalked up my disinterest in the fact that Attack & Release just didn’t have the gems of The Black Keys previous efforts. There was no attention grabbing song like Rubber Factory’s ‘The Lengths’, it didn’t have the gritty consistency of Thickfreakness, and even lacked some of the bluesyness that had endeared the band to me on their initial release, The Big Come Up. And in spite of all this, I just realized how good Attack & Release is. Regrettably, The Black Keys seem unavoidably linked with The White Stripes as the driving forces in modern blues rock. And with the commercial success of recent White Stripes outings, The Black Keys will likely continue to play second fiddle. However, with The White Stripes going the way of Weezer, with their Beverly Hills anthem rock crap I would suggest to the world that The Black Keys should be playing second fiddle to no one, least of all The White Stripes. (Also, if albums were people and could get in the ring and settle all the comparisons through physical combat, there is no doubt that Attack & Release would destroy Icky Thump). Sorry for that rant. If you’re still reading I’ll get to the point. Compared to previous Black Keys albums, Attack and Release is less bluesy, but more gypsy. It is less gritty, but more seductive. It’s not a huge departure, but enough show that The Black Keys can successfully shift gears, and won’t resign themselves to just rehash the same old blues no matter how successful they have been doing it.

-Spruce Lee

Shows This Week

Tonight! (5/12), the almighty Subtle will grace Salt Lake City once again to thoroughly remind us that Dose One, Jel and Co. are finest purveyors of everything pop, indie rock, hip hop and electronic. On the eve of the release of their third full length, ExitingARM (which is absolutely fantastic), the group is hitting up The Urban Lounge with high profile locals The Future of the Ghost and Palace of Buddies. One of the best live shows you will ever see and Forest Gospel's live pick of the week (which should be a quite notable considering the amazing shows going down later this week)!

Subtle - "The Long Vein of the Law"


Thursday (5/15), Dead Meadow are bringing their complete amp destroying, ear contorting psych fury to Kilby Court along sides touring partners The Furs. You'll probably want to remember ear plugs for this super heavy sludge fest. A must for Comets on Fire fans!

Dead Meadow - "What Needs Must Be"


Friday (5/16), Tapes 'n Tapes and Austin hype mongerers, White Denim, are bringing the rock back to indie rock for their show at In the Venue. Should be blissful. (PS this show will be happening the same time as Atmosphere's emo rap set in the same venue)

Tapes 'n Tapes - "Insistor"


White Denim live


Friday (5/16), New Pornographer/Swan Lake compatriot Dan Bejar will be rolling out his long time solo act Destroyer at The Urban Lounge with Devon Williams. The show should be plenty late so that you can catch White Denim and T & T or gallery stroll before heading on over. Don't miss the lyricism and hair!

Destoyer live


Saturday (5/17), Powerman 5000 are playing at The Grail. I couldn't resist the mention.

No Age - Nouns

No Age
Nouns
(05.2008, Sub Pop)
Verdict = The same, lovable No Age

After the glory of No Age’s, Weirdo Rippers, the Los Angeles noise punks are back with a Sub Pop full length, Nouns. To be honest, while Weirdo Rippers was fresh and utterly delicious, I had a hard time imagining the band really building on the dynamic they had created. I mean, there is only so much you can do with feedback, power chords and some punky drums right? This is where I am supposed to say “Wrong!” but I still feel like that is pretty much the case. No Age still manages to rock pretty substantially on Nouns though. There are no real revelations here for those familiar with No Age aside from the record being more cohesive as a whole in comparison to Weirdo Ripper’s collection of singles, but that shouldn’t dissuade those who enjoyed Weirdo Rippers because the No Age formula is still as sweet as ever and Nouns contains some of their best anthemic jams to date. The transition from the fuzzy three minute haze of “Keechie” into the album center piece “Sleeper Hold” stands as an adequate reason alone to adore this record. Nouns is pretty accessible to in comparison to similar bands like Times New Viking or Psychedelic Horses Hit (:)) by keeping the high end feedback to a minimum. So, for people who just can’t stand the grating speaker corruption that seems to be Siltbreeze’s fortay, but still want to rock with a little bit of noise, No Age are your darlings. It may not be the almost perfect, revelatory event some have lauded, but Nouns still hits the spot with sloppy, disjointed, poppy, avant punk.

-Mr. Thistle

No Age performing "Sleeper Hold" live

Animal Collective - Water Curses EP

Animal Collective
Water Curses EP
(05.2008, Paradise Recordings)
Verdict: Always different, always wonderful.

I have courted a long time love for Animal Collective. In fact, if I was forced to pick only one band as my favorite band of all time, it would be them. Last years Strawberry Jam was a hit and a half. I loved it, but I was simultaneously a little bored with it. Not really bored as in alt country bored, but bored when listening compared to listening to their past releases. Don't get me wrong, I loved Strawberry Jam. I loved that they were moving in new directions, but I sure was hoping that they weren't going to stay that way forever or go any further in that direction (like some bands tend to do once they get to the point of pop opportunity, such as Modest Mouse, Weezer and the likes). AC's progress has been something to behold from their earliest releases to the present. They are a forever morphing band. It's that freshness that keeps them so interesting. Water Curses is a new EP with four of the freshest songs you will ever audibly drink of. They still have some of that level of pop accessibility that was on Strawberry Jam but the tracks seems to draw heavier comparisons to Feels, but don't really fit onto either. The tracks are a little bit slower and less dancey and have more experimentation and inspiration from the world music phenomenon. Opening hit, "Water Curses" is a polka-esque, whale mating, dance pop in the Alps jam. "Street Flash" is a hauntingly echoed melody heavy slow jam that is followed by the similarly vibed, Jetsons sound effects and Eastern instrument filled "Cobwebs." The album is wrapped up with "Seal Eyeing" another slow bubbly underwater type of song filled with piano and vocals reminiscent of Avey and Kria's beautiful backward escapade of last year. The songs are wonderful, but what is even more wonderful is that this EP proves that there is still a lot more creation and innovation to be expected from the band in the years to come and they thoroughly search all regions of influence and musical creativity in order to always be producing the most interesting music around.

-Sassigrass

AC - "Water Curses"

Alan Wilkis - Babies Dream Big

Alan Wilkis
Babies Dream Big
(2008, Wilcassettes)
Verdict = Just in time for Summer

First off, thank you Alan Wilkis for finding us and having the mind enough to know that we would love Babies Dream Big. Alan dropped this on us pretty much out of the blue and we have had our heads bobbing ever since. Babies Dream Big is Wilkis’ amalgamation of everything good about the 60's 70’s and 80’s. Light hearted and groovy as all get out, Babies Dream Big incorporates all of it; blazing guitar riffs, rubbery electronic bass, addictive Casio keyboard lines and soulful R&B vocals. It is pretty much impossible to sit still and keep a straight face while the album is playing. The entirety of the album is simply chock full of life affirming smiles and booty shaking grooves. It is completely fresh too. Despite its endless retro influences, Babies Dream Big is a perfect release for 2008 with light hints of The Dirty Projectors, plenty of Dan Deacon-esque goofery and more white soul than Jamie Lidell could ever hope for. Seeing as how every track can’t be my favourite, gems like “Burnin’,” “Milk and Cookies” and “In My Dreams” are perfect tracks for any good mixtape. Ultimately, Babies Dream Big is a supremely sequenced album of hits from front to back. It is kind of suprising really, since most of the time when listening to an album as care free and dancy as this there is parades of filler, and only a few jams worthy of repeat listens. With Wilkis, however, the prerogative to keep things awesome throughout reigns true. Grab this album because you won’t want to be caught with you windows rolled down this summer unless you’re blasting Babies Dream Big.

-Mr. Thistle

Alan Wilkis on Myspace

Who's Your Favorite Son, God? - Out of Body Diva

Who’s Your Favorite Son, God?
Out of Body Diva
(03.2008, Holy Mountain)
Verdict = this album will break your bones even if your sitting still

It is beginning to actually feel like summer here in Salt Lake City (knock on wood) with snow only falling once every other week or so. Seriously though, for all the Godliness of this place, you would think that we might be able to manage a more consistent weather pattern. Fortunately, Who’s Your Favorite Son, God? is here to manage my temperament rain or shine. Bleating and contorting through their manic, blistering debut on Holy Mountain (after The Julie Mittens I just couldn’t leave HM down for long), Out of Body Diva, is the perfect mind scrambling blitzkriegery with which to reboot to. Chaotic and surging in and out of cohesiveness, WYFSG is impulsive in all the right ways. Improvisationally hectic enough to have you verging on a full body melt down, but right-minded enough to reign you in just before the impending collapse with jagged riffs and gilded hooks. I listen to my fare share of ADHD, spazzed out noise rock, but somehow WYFSG manage to avoid comparisons and are all the better for it. For its short time span, listening to Out of Body Diva is surprisingly exhausting. Like, ‘you’ll physically collapse after listening to it’ exhausting. Seems WYFSG know exactly how far they can push it with their mind altering clatter. Out of Body Diva is a rockin’ exorcism of the highest variety.

-Mr. Thistle

Who's Your Favorite Son, God? on Myspace

Shows This Week

Wednesday (5/7), Copenhagen, Denmark’s Efterklang will play their gorgeously orchestrated glitchy post rock to the Urban Lounge with special guests Slaraffenland. Efterklang released the magnificent Parades last year, and though there isn’t much competition this week, are most certainly FG’s live pick of the week as they would be on most any week of the year.

Efterklang


Slaraffenland live


Saturday (5/10), American Music Club’s Mark Eitzel and crew are playing the Urban Lounge. With over a decade successful indie songwriting up their sleeve, AMC are the prefect band to drift away to over the weekend.

American Music Club - "Western Sky"

Portishead - Third

Portishead
Third
(04.2008, Mercury)
Verdict = Not Dummy, but not at all bad

It is always with tepid anticipation that we welcome back the heroes of yesteryear. Too often the reunion and reformation of bands leads to damaging releases. However, it seems that there has been a recent wave of positive comeback stories as far as the indie music world is concerned with Portishead being the most recent. Third, the band's first album in over ten years, scores highly by retaining the elements that propelled the band to legendary status while still remaining fresh. Beth Gibbons is still the hazy diva of austerity and claustrophobia that she has always managed to be. In such a lengthy career, her heavy, nihilistic vocals are still at the peak of their sorrowful, menacing ability; the bitter constancy of the age old trip hoppers. The advancement comes in form of the production. It is still relatively sparse and somehow permanently emanating the dark blue hues that are found on the majority of the band's album covers (including Third), however, there is a certain grittiness, a certain genius in the mechanical drums and the odd clicks and spurs that flutter throughout the album that make it instantly distinguishable from their self titled album and Dummy. Simply put, it feels like the band was never on hiatus; as if they were still relishing in the creative genius that wrought their first two works. The album forgoes all the hubbub, forgets the pressure and simply gets down to business just the way you've always hoped. Third is immaculate and sits pristinely next to its forbearers.

-Mr. Thistle

Portishead - "Threads"

{{{Sunset}}} - Bright Blue Dreams

{{{Sunset}}}
Bright Blue Dreams
(03.2008, Autobus)
Verdict = America’s New Beta Band

The demise of The Beta Band was a tough one for me. The band’s weird mix of hip hop beats and slow baked bizarre-pop was truly transcendent. The demise of Sound Team, however, wasn’t that tough for me; probably because I never listened to them. I think I may have heard an MP3 once, but even now I don’t really have a strong enough desire to look them up and describe the differences between them and bassist Bill Baird’s new project {{{Sunset}}}. All I know is that it is about time someone resurrected The Beta Band and molded it into something new. I don’t know whether {{{Sunset}}} would find that flattering, demeaning or annoying, but there really isn’t any way around it in my mind. On Bright Blue Dreams, Baird has built meandering pop concoctions with a heavy heart beat, a druggy mist and a left field pitch that sinks deep into your skin. As difficult as it is to be pegged in the shadows of another band, Baird does things right here in taking an idea and making it wholly his own. {{{Sunset}}} is successful because while I personally might be reminded of The Beta Band, it is just as easy to distinguish Bright Blue Dreams on its own merits (apparently I am just too lazy to do so). The light hearted, major chord drowsiness that permeates the album is simply blissful and rewarding. The songs aren’t densely arranged with too many surprising twists and turns, however, repeated listens are recommended as the subtly of production genius seems to bleed through endlessly on each spin. So, again, I’m not trying to box in {{{Sunset}}} with the endless Beta Band referencing, I’m just saying this: I loved the Beta Band, but now that {{{Sunset}}} is here I can stop worrying about the former's grand reunion. Or this: thank you Bill Baird.

-Mr. Thistle

{{{Sunset}}} - "Man's Heart Compaint"

The Rational Academy - A Heart Against Your Own

The Rational Academy
A Heart Against Your Own
(03.2008, Someone Good)
Verdict = Delicate Lovesick Pop

The Rational Academy is bringing back the forlorn love and indie pop of my high school career in a big way on their debut, A Heart Against Your Own. For those awaiting what exactly that means as far as a critic, rest assured, it is a good thing. Beyond the pure pop nostalgia, The Rational Acedemy have created a seamless album that I can’t really penetrate with anything but appreciation. With both male and female vocals in the mix, the band sounds something like Death Cab For Cutie if they teamed with Maria Taylor in their heyday. The album flows wonderfully through the first three songs’ undeniably hook filled pleasantries before the album is split into two (there are only seven tracks total). “2004,” along with the two songs following it, extends the album a bit further than the first three sings did in both song length (particularly "Squid & Whale" which surpasses the 12 minute mark) and aesthetic. In the second half The Rational Academy becomes a bit dreamy in some spots, a bit fuzzier in others, but in the end they retain the same pop spirit that can be found on the album throughout. The capstone is album closer, “Airport Nation,” which may as well be a lost Death Cab B-side hearkening that band’s best moments in a short two minute foray. The album should really be kind of cringe worthy seeing as how we are not quite fully detached from that period when Tim Kasher and Ben Gibbard were successfully wearing their hearts on their sleeves, yet it is somehow endearing and as wonderful sounding as it would’ve been in Y2K. To put it another way (even this is going to sound dated now); if you couldn’t help but like The Postal Service, A Heart Against Your Own is an album for you.

-Mr. Thistle

The Rational Academy - "Deer"