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

Andrew Bird - Soldier On EP

Andrew Bird
Soldier On EP
(1.2008)
Verdict: Guilty

For some reason when I see that an artist is releasing an EP I have the natural tendency to dismiss whatever music is on the disc without thought. I generally assume that if the songs were any good they would be on a proper album. However, on occasion I have submitted to the alluring call of the catalogue completist and purchased an EP. In most cases I have been less than impressed. Off the top of my head I can’t think of one EP that I consider essential to my musical life. Maybe your musical life is different, but EP’s are just not generally essential to mine. I don’t need more music, in fact I’d probably do well to limit the music I let into my life. I don’t need alternate versions of songs, no matter how much I love them. And I certainly don’t need to own an EP to validate my love of an artist by owning everything they’ve ever released. I just don’t. Now for the contradictions.
Having said so much, Andrew Bird’s EP Soldier On is amazing! (including the alternate versions of ‘Plasticities’ and ‘Heretics’). And this conclusion is not biased by the fact that Andrew Bird’s Mysterious Production of Eggs is one of my favorite albums of all time, although it is. Armchair Apocrypha left me a little concerned that Eggs was just a flash in the pan of greatness. Don’t get me wrong Armchair is good, but there is a distinct line between a good album and a great one, and for me Armchair just didn’t approach the level that Eggs mastered. And then comes Soldier On. Given my inherent skepticism of EPs, it is even more remarkable to me that I can get so excited about a paltry six new songs, and two re-workings of old ones, but Soldier On has reignited my confidence in Andrew Bird. ‘The Trees Were Mistaken’ and ‘How You Gonna Keep ‘em Down on the Farm’ rival any song on Eggs as some of Bird’s best. And the ‘early version’ of 'Heretics' gives insight into the intricacies of Bird’s songwriting, and in my opinion eclipses the album version. Bird shows that his unique style has in no way pigeon holed him. His rhythms and melodies continue to expand and soar. For my money it just doesn’t get much better.

-Spruce Lee

Andrew Bird - "The Tree's Were Mistaken"

Drive By Truckers - Brighter Than Creations Dark

Drive-by Truckers
Brighter Than Creations Dark
(01.2008, New West)
Verdict: If you don't feel dirty listening, than you aren't doing it right.

Some people by nature are fanatical. When something comes along that they really relate to they invest themselves in it fully. Studying back stories, collecting random trivia, and more or less annoying anyone that doesn’t share their affections. I’m not one of those people, except for the annoying part. However, I am a big fan of Drive-by Truckers. Not being a fanatic, I haven’t kept up with Drive-by Truckers’ general goings on since their somewhat disappointing 2006 release. Nor have I taken the time to investigate which members of the band contributed which songs in their extensive catalogue, so when I heard that Jason Isbell had departed the band I wasn’t overly concerned. Then I went back through their albums to look up who wrote which songs and I realized that Isbell in fact wrote many of my all time favorite DBT songs. "Danko/Manuel," "Goddamn Lonely Love," and "Outfit" were all written by Isbell. In retrospect I realized that Isbell was the wild card. DBT’s other principle song writers Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley really are the original essence of DBT’s southern rock sensibilities, but Isbell’s songs made otherwise solid albums into something remarkable. After learning this, I had serious doubts about DBT’s 2008 release Brighter Than Creations Dark. My concern however has proven to be unfounded. Although the addition of Shonna Tucker doesn’t fill the void left by Isbell, her vocals do add a new dynamic to the band, and Hood and Cooley pick up the slack with some of their most interesting and enjoyable songs to date. DBT are truly in their element telling stories of life’s pitfalls, climaxes and generally unnoticed quirks. Brighter Than Creations Dark also finds DBT showing a more humorous side to contrast its generally gritty subject matter. "Bob" is a great song about the kind of odd guy that we all know, "The Righteous Path" rocks you like you know DBT can, and "I’m Sorry Huston" finds DBT at their most country with Shonna Tucker’s vocals. At 19 songs, you’d think that there won't be much left for DBT to sing about after this album, but if our own lives and Drive-by Truckers’ consistent history is any indication, there will be plenty more stories to tell, and hopefully plenty more songs to sing.

-Spruce Lee

Drive By Truckers Myspace

Magnetic Fields - Distortion

The Magnetic Fields
Distortion
(01.2008, Nonesuch)
Verdict: marvelously magnetic indeed

I don’t remember much about 1999, but I do remember going to the record store to check out The Magnetic Fields album 69 Love Songs. I had heard good things about it, and fully expected to purchase it, but one fact about the album had somehow eluded me until I got to the record store; the fact that 69 Love Songs was in fact a three disc set of 69 songs! Feeling a bit intimidated, I decided against purchasing it, and until now hadn’t returned to The Magnetic Fields. A decision I now regret. The Magnetic Fields newest album Distortion has since made me return and revisit those 69 songs I had passed over in 1999. As with their 1999 album, Distortion is as much a description as it is an album title. The first track is mainly instrumental, and each instrument is laden with distortion. The album meanders pleasantly but rather unremarkably through a few tunes, with alternating vocalists. However, on "Please Stop Dancing," the album begins its ascent into a beautifully clever and melodic climax. It isn’t often that songs about lost love can come across as anything less than pitiful. Such songs often turn into an overly sentimentally mushy mess, but Stephin Merritt manages to write pop songs that feel honest, and fun at the same time. Lines like "Drive on, Driver’s" ‘take me to the airport, I need to be extremely far away; so I might forget about her someday’ don’t come across like a lame cliché as they normally might. And maybe it’s because I had a dream about a girl I wish I still had the day I first listened to this album, but "Too Drunk to Dream" is a marvelous ode to the benefits of alcohol on a troubled mind. On Distortion, The Magnetic Fields effectively turn the typically mushy into a masterful album, and that is quite an accomplishment.

-Spruce Lee

Magnetic Fields on Myspace

Spruce Lee's Year End List

Contributing Writer Review
I have done initial reviews on many of these albums, and it is interesting to notice how initial perspectives change, especially when considered on a spectrum. Anyhow heres a list of ten albums.

10. Lounge Legends, by France Gall:
I know this is no where near an '07 release, but it was new to me this year, and considering the retro feel of many of my picks it doesn't seem too out of place. Had it been released this year it would probably be my #1.



9. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, by Spoon:
I had hoped for more when this album came out, but i still can't deny how solid of an album it is.



8. Exit, by Shugo Tokumaru:
As with the Books most recent album, I long for the days of less singing and more atmosphere, but I'll still take this any day of the week.



7. You, You're a History of Rust, by Do Make Say Think:
As other instrumental rock/whatever bands seem to fade into the sunset, this album stands out all the more.



6. Throwing Tongues, by Navigator:
In the last two days this album has worked it's way from being no where on my radar, to number six. I wonder where it would be if i had waited until tomorrow to make this list.

Navigtor on Virb

5. Good Bad Not Evil, by Black Lips:
This album wont revolutionize much but it will electrify most anyone listening.



4. Invitation Songs, by The Cave Singers:
In a year with much for the eclectic and eccentric listener, it is nice to have a simple album with a defining voice, and to realize how good music can still be without all the frills.



3. 100 Days 100 Nights, by Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings:
I have been listenning to the opening and closing tracks of this album on repeat for a while now, and the rest of the album is no slouch either.



1 & 2. Sound of Silver, by LCD Soundsystems & Boxer, by The National:
Because all lists are kind of trivial anyways i figure there's really no sense trying to rack my appreciative senses and decide which one of these should top my list, so both and neither do. But i might have to give a slight edge to LCD on account of their live performance at Thanksgiving Point.





-Spruce Lee

Retrospective - I See A Darkness

Retrospective Guest Review
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
I See A Darkness
(01.1999, Palace Records)
10.0/10

When I become acquainted with an incredible album I generally have one of two immediate reactions, inspiration or devastation. Some albums inspire and motivate my creativity, or at least my desire to be a creative person. Other albums devastate any notion that I might be capable of the type of creativity presented. I See A Darkness is one of the few albums that in some ways inspires, in some ways devastates, but in all ways demands your attention.

I came upon I See A Darkness a few years after its initial release. Music is a constant process of catch up, and in an effort to retrace the musical landscape in which I live I read a critics list of the best albums of the 90’s. It was somewhere on the list, and for an unknown reason this album peaked my interest. Acting on this cursory introduction I bought the album without any notions of what I might encounter. The physical album only added mystery to my approach. The ominous cover was black with a strangely shaped gray skull. On the back was an anything but ominous picture of a goofily smirking, mustachioed Will Oldham sitting on a porch with an old straw like hat on his chest. The disk went into my car stereo.

The first song begins with sparse drums, echoing piano, and simple acoustic bass and guitar. Without much introduction the voice and words arrive. Will Oldham’s warbling, nasal voice sings "Well I’ve been to a minor place." He later clarifies this isn’t an insignificant or small place, it is "minor in a sound alone." From this foreboding start, I See A Darkness proceeds to enthrall, charm, and stupefy with its simplicity, beauty, and conflict. Although slow and dark, with song titles such as "I See a Darkness," and "Death to Everyone", the album is less depressing than one might expect. Will Oldham’s eccentricities color each song, and his smirk seems to pervade the entire album.

To me, the brilliance of the album is epitomized in the chorus of ‘Another Day Full of Bread’ in which Will sings "nip! nap! It’s all a trap. Bo! Bis! And so is this," followed by "ding! dong! A silly song. Sure do say something’s wrong." Now, if you haven’t yet heard the album, try and imagine musical accompaniment and a voice that could legitimize such silly lyrics. Then you will have a vague idea of what this dark yet quirky album is all about. Regardless, it is one of my favorites, and an album that to this day hasn’t relinquished its grip. Also worth notice is Johnny Cash’s cover of the song "I See A Darkness" with Will singing backup.

-Spruce Lee

Bonnie "Prince" Billy - "I See A Darkness"

Black Lips - Good Bad Not Evil

Guest Review
Black Lips
Good Bad Not Evil
(09.2007, Vice Records)
7.5

They always say that you only get one chance to make a first impression. I’m not quite sure who they are that always say that, but it seems true enough. And so it goes with albums. For some reason the first song from Black Lips’ new album that I listened to was the third track, "Step Right Up." My first thought was that they want to be The Velvet Underground. Since that inauspicious beginning I have hardly been able to extract the Lou Reed from my impressions of Good Bad Not Evil. And when I finally do, it’s only to replace the direct lineage of Black Lips songs from one historic band to another. "O Katrina!" is a band trying to be the Animals. "It Feels All Right" is the B-52’s. "How Do You Tell A Child That Someone Has Died" was meant to be on the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack.
In truth, I really like this album, and more so with each listen. However, Black Lips lack an identity of their own that would add credence and power to their catchy, bluesy songs. In fact the few songs that don’t reflect a direct influence from some other band are the weakest ones of the bunch, and to their credit, Black Lips limit those numbers to a curious few. Whether my perceptions of direct influences are accurate or not, Black Lips’ Good Bad Not Evil, is an album that buoys itself up with the strengths of past bands, and not necessarily to its detriment. Their songs don’t seem out of place, or dated, and their energy and straightforward presentation adds to the bands character. This is not an innovative band, nor an album of far reaching influence, but it is one that will appease any inclination to rock, and encourage you to nod your head as vigorously as your uppity hipster attitude will allow.

-Spruce Lee

Liars and Interpol Live At In The Venue

Guest Show Review
You remember silly putty. And how you could press it on a picture in a magazine and then stretch out the face into some humorous abstraction of the original. Well imagine pressing some silly putty on a life size version of Mick Jagger. Then begin stretching it taller and taller until you reach the point just before it becomes ridiculously too tall, but almost. Then exaggerate the already cartoonish characteristics of his face. Put a white suit on it and stick a microphone in its mouth and you have Liars’ lead man Angus Andrew. Once complete, place him on stage and have him prance around maniacally while spitting out verses over drone and reverb-laden tunes and dancing in the oddest manner imaginable. This is the spectacle of Liars. And if not winning over the In The Venue crowd, they definitely made them take notice. After their first song, the two guys standing directly in front of me looked at each other in horror as I smiled to myself. After the second song, one of them leaned over to the other and said, “I’m warming up to them.” The other responded by rolling his eyes. I guess he wasn’t warming.
The set was mostly taken from their most recent release, with a few songs from their next album. As a performance, they were wonderful, but musically they have always left me waiting. The percussion is amazing, and strong enough to sustain nearly any song, but it seems that Liars have recently leaned a bit too much on their strong rhythm section, and not enough on equally interesting melodies and instrumentation. As a result the songs are full of opportunity, but lacking in payoff. But as a stage presence, Angus Andrew and Liars are a show that no one should miss.
Interpol came out donned in, surprise, Black! They then preceded to melancholy the crowd into euphoria, whatever that means, or however that is possible. I was a bit skeptical of their live performances, having heard the tail end of their set at the Curiosa festival a while back, but in the hazy, dark, atmosphere of In The Venue, their songs sounded remarkably crisp. Paul Banks vocals, the culprit of my prior skepticism, were spot on and their linear guitars and backing bass, keyboard, and drums sounded great. However, it was quite a contrast going from the energy of Liars, to the stoicism of Interpol.
Being only somewhat acquainted with Interpol’s newest album, about a quarter of the way through their set they could have been playing the same songs over again and I wouldn’t have been able to tell. But that is part of the charm of Interpol. They have their unique style, it fits them to a T, and like the Strokes, for better or worse they don’t stray far from their established identity. And in the end, Identity is really what Interpol is all about, and they definitely succeeded in maintaining it.

-Spruce Lee

Retrospective - Otis Redding

Retrospective Guest Review

Otis Redding
The Dock of the Bay

(02.1968, Elektra)
10.0

Otis is KING. Many have a qualified form of royalty, or in some instanced anointed themselves. The King of Pop, the Queen of Soul, king of the hill, etc. But in reference to Otis Redding no qualifier is needed. Although primarily a soul man, Otis’ music is infused with blues, rock and roll, jazz, country, and big band underpinnings. And from his explosive live performances, to his untimely death, Otis’ music is a tutorial in passion, sincerity and playfulness that has been all but lost on the cynicism of today. Most people are undoubtedly familiar with Otis Redding’s biggest hit, (Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay, which was released following his death in an airplane crash, but it is important to know a few other things about Otis Redding. Early in his career Otis was really only recognized in the south, but at The Monterey Pop Festival that largely changed. The Saturday lineup at Monterey dictated that he follow Jefferson Airplane, who due to their popularity at the time were effectively headlining the entire weekend. In this un-envious position, Otis emerged on stage and literally stopped people in their tracks. Having just finished watching Jefferson Airplane, most of the crowd began to head for the exits considering the day as good as over, it wasn’t. Otis was on stage, and according to Bob Weir he was “God on stage…shooting lightning and sparks.” Six months later Otis was dead, he was 26. Like many great painters, and writers, Otis’ music wasn’t greatly appreciated until after his death, and if your acquaintance with his music only extends as far as The Dock of the Bay, it still isn’t fully appreciated today. You remember when Aretha sang R-E-S-P-E-C-T? Before that song became an anthem for women’s rights, it was actually written and recorded by Otis’ promising his woman everything she wanted as long as she gave him a little respect when he came home. Otis was also fond of covering great songs of other great artists including The Rolling Stone’s Satisfaction, and a number of Sam Cooke classics. On each of these renditions Otis injected his passionate delivery, often extending his voice beyond its own limits to give it an emotive effect beyond that of any of the soul singers of the time. Now back to the album, The Dock of the Bay begins with the classic song of the same name. I’m not exactly sure what more can be said about a song that contains sounds of the ocean lapping and an incredible whistling outro, but for me it stands nearly alone as one of the few classic songs that despite being overplayed, does not get old. The album veers back and forth from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other without ever losing momentum. From the playful "Don’t Mess With Cupid," to the revival inspired "Glory Of Love," to "Tramp" where Otis and “the Queen” Carla Thomas banter about Otis’ country roots and lack of sophistication. The bantering literally begins:
Carla: “TRAMP!”
Otis: “What’d you call me?”
Carla: “TRAMP!”
Otis: “You Didn’t!”
Could it get any better? Actually yes, this is when you stop reading unfounded reviews, and listen to an incredible album.

-Spruce Lee

Otis Redding live at the Monterey Fesitval

Arcade Fire and LCD Soundsystem Live at Thanksgiving Point

Guest Show Review

So I wasn’t really happy to be at the LCD Soundsystems/Arcade Fire concert. I was excited to see them play, but I was none too thrilled with the way I got there. Through a combination of misunderstanding, accident, and laziness, I purchased my ticket online from ticketmaster. That means on top of my $36 dollar entrance fee, I was charged a $9 service fee, another $4 US fee of some sort, and an additional $2 to be able to print my ticket! All in all I paid around $52, only to find out that I could have bought a ticket at the door for $36. So I was there, but I wasn’t too happy about it. Luckily we arrived just as LCD was beginning their set so I didn’t have much time to stew. And I know this is probably sacrilege, at least it was to the majority of the audience, but I was primarily there to see LCD, and The Arcade Fire were a bonus. Anyways, LCD began…

Jumping ahead, about three quarters of the way through The Arcade Fire’s set they played “My Body is a Cage”, with Win Butler singing “My body is a cage, that keeps me from dancing with the one I love, but my mind holds the key.” I’m sure these lyrics resonate with many risk averse people who just can’t bring themselves to drop all pretenses and dance. In fact it wasn’t long ago that I had such an aversion, skeptically scanning a dancing concert crowd, wondering if I was missing something, or if they were just more easily duped into having fun than I was. Either way, if James Murphy ever lamented in this way, he found the key long ago. I didn’t expect Murphy’s drums and sound loops to translate as well as they did on stage, but live, his songs are infused with a vitality that is lacking from the already energetic album versions. And even though dance music is generally most at home in a dark, strobe lit room, Murphy’s songs felt as if they were meant for the outdoor stage at thanksgiving point. His voice had a freedom that isn’t as present on the albums. And the atmosphere and energy of live instruments playing dance rock held the key for most of the crowd to dance with the one they loved, or whoever was standing next to them.

As LCD finished with one of my favorites, “New York, I Love You…” I was amazed at how much I enjoyed the show, and how quickly I had forgotten about the $52 I had just shelled out. I thought to myself that there was no way The Arcade Fire was going to top them. They didn’t, but they came close.

The Arcade Fire emerged. Four small circular screens played different clips of old 70’s religious sermons or infomercials. And there they were, dressed like some gothic troupe from the hills of Austria, ready to play nearly every song into a frenzy. And they did. Cameras placed in various spots on stage projected different members of the band on the four circular screens. By design the images were grainy and often black and white, giving the whole band an appearance of a gothic Bible belt revival. It was an odd presentation, especially with Win’s wife Regine Chasagne creepily peering into the crowd as if she were possessed (kinda freaked me out). Each of the ten members rearranged themselves throughout the set, playing different instruments and livening up their stage presence. The sound was typical for an outdoor venue, with much of the instrumentation getting lost in the mix, but The Arcade Fire effectively played their songs into their hallmark crescendo, and the crowd followed. And although there is much to be said for the intimate nature of many indie shows, of which this wasn’t one, there is also much to be said for a large crowd resonating the energy of a band on stage.

Michael Scott once said that presents were great because they were an opportunity to tell someone you like them a certain amount of dollars worth. I can now say that although I wasn’t initially happy with spending $52 dollars on a concert, I left the show liking it at least $52 dollars worth. Though I still would have preferred to have only paid $36.

-Spruce Lee

LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

GUEST REVIEW

LCD Soundsystems

Sound Of Silver

(03.2007, Capitol)

8.5/10

Whatever genre James Murphy’s music qualifies as, he has his finger directly on its pulse, and with precision he orchestrates beats, synths, and vocals that manage to loop and loop without becoming monotonous. And again on Sound of Silver, Murphy creates songs with more soul than dance music is used to. The album is book ended by two conflicting thoughts. At one end, the beats and reverb laden vocals of “Get Innocuous!” and on the other, the stripped down “New York, I Love You But... (But You’re Bringing Me Down.)” In “Get Innocuous!”, Murphy encourages us to become harmless? Really? No, it couldn’t be. And in “New York, I Love You” the true spirit of the conflict becomes apparent. Murphy laments that his precious New York has lost all its charm, having become “safer, and wasting [his] time.” So which is it? Or is it the conflict? Or does it really matter? To some it might, but to others the music will stand on its own. Either way, the Sound Of Silver is a lesson in the mathematical paradox of a whole being much more than the sum of its parts. Each part beginning with a simple beat or piano loop, and gradually unfolding and interweaving into something you didn’t really expect. The sum being an album full of wonderfully simple, yet intricate songs, that rarely if ever disappoint. The kind of album anyone should be able to produce with a laptop and some time. That is if you had your finger on the pulse of dance pop/rock. My guess is you don’t. As an aside, you want to know who else is quite a dance music aficionado, check out the 7+ minute album version of David Bowie’s classic “Lets Dance.”

-Spruce Lee

Okkervil River - The Stage Names

GUEST REVIEW!
Okkervil River
The Stage Names
(08.2007, Jagjaguwar)
7.0/10

You know those people you seem to bump into everywhere you go but never really want to talk to. You know them too well to just walk by with a nod of acknowledgment, but not really well enough to have any interests in common, or points of conversation. And they ask a standard like, “How was your weekend?” And you say, “Good,” in that short, slightly higher pitched tone, that does not lend to any further explanation. That is about how I feel about the new Okkervil River album. You ask, “How is the new Okkervil River album?” And in that tone that doesn’t really lend to any further explanation, I say, “good,” and not because I don’t want to talk to you, but because I really don’t have anything to explain about my answer. Is The Stage Names bad? Not in the least. Is it great? Not nearly. It’s much better that mediocre, but not quite good enough to get really enthusiastic about. It’s just good, in a way that doesn’t lend to extensive explanation. The songs are nicely written and pleasantly sung, but there is nothing markedly exceptional about it. But that’s a cop out, so here comes a contrived examination of its merits, demerits, or full disadulations.The album is end heavy, with its best songs coming after the mid mark. The first few songs begin with promise, but generally don’t live up to initial hopes. They linger on the edge of reckless abandon, while never quite obtaining the energy such abandon would give them. The fourth track, “Savanna Smiles,” would be a nice instrumental segue into the second half of the album, were it instrumental, but its not. Too bad. And with track five, the energy emerges, and interestingly enough, it arrives in restraint. “The Plus Ones” succeeds in catching and holding your attention like a good movie, and it does so with an earnestness that is lacking from its energy infused predecessors on this album. The second half of The Stage Names rests more on melody and reveals more of the intricate lyrics that are lost on the frenetic first half. And in the final track, the album fittingly ends by converting into the melody of “Sloop John B.” And so there it is. The album is good.

-Spruce Lee

Okkervil River - "Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe"