Santogold - Self Titled

Santogold
Santogold
(04.2008, Dowtown)
Verdict: Supplying fresh jams for your next summer BBQ

Remember Tiffany? That hot babe from the 80's with the hit jam "I Think We're Alone Now?" She was was pretty cool right? Right? Her hair was at least. Well, as much as we might laugh at the glorious decade of my birth and youth, also known as the 80's, music sure is emulating it quite a bit. This new little sensation known as Santogold is no exception. It's a polished 80's throwback with a little updatery. And that's not a bad thing. It's a little Tiffany, a little Gwen Steffani, and a little M.I.A. In fact one song "Creator" is a little too M.I.A. and just feels like a rip off, but M.I.A must like is since she invited Santogold to tour some with her this year. Every song on this album feels completely different as Santogold employs influences from raggae to dance hall to 70's punk and everything in between. Although its diversity is wide, the album remains cohesive and an absolute pleasure if you skip over "Creator" and the immaturely penned "Shove It." Other than those two tracks, every songs offers a wonderful new discovery of Santogold's crazy gooey voice and catchy hookery. Pick up this album soon, for it is perfect to pump during this wonderful drive-with-your-windows-down weather we are having. If not, just listen closely as you watch reruns of Entourage or Grey's Anatomy, or while playing Grand Theft Auto this weekend, and you may just catch a clip or the new pop sensation Santgold.

-Sassigrass

Gregor Samsa - Rest

Gregor Samsa
Rest
(05.2008, Kora)
Verdict = A sweeping, majestic epic

Gregor Samsa has always dealt with music on the grandest scale. In some ways I think the band is just about the closest thing that America has to Sigur Ros. Rest, their third full length album finds the band still entrenched in classical, minimalistic, swelling orchestrations, but this time composing from a different angle. As the bands key members seem to have splintered away from Virginia to DC, Chicago and New York, Rest became (possibly because of necessity) a product of modern technological phenomenon of electronic mail (AKA e-mail). Ok, so email is pretty familiar now, however, the idea of composing an album as complex and classical in nature as Rest via recordings passed between members of the world wide web must have been as daunting as it must have been exciting. The results are breathtaking and as much, if not more, cohesive than their previous releases. Gregor Samsa maintains their signature slow paced, lulling beauty on Rest, drifting from song to song like a dream. The instrumental focus has changed slightly, incorporating more piano and less guitar. The change has created a more pristine, fragile feel to the songs as if they were constructed of the finest porcelain. It is this fragility that requires an unfettered attention, giving the feeling that any false move might crack the otherwise perfect glacial document. Rest is a glowing testament to patience and, when the tones are this perfect, the power of volume. Rest deserves to be listened to at full volume which is not something I can recommend for every album. Simply gorgeous.

-Mr. Thistle

Gregor Samsa - "Jeroen Ven Aken"

Jim Noir - Self Titled

Jim Noir
Jim Noir
(04.2008, Barsurk)
Verdict = Kaleidoscopic pop magic

Ok, I’m just going to put this out there: has 2008 been going a bit slow so far? I mean obviously there have been plenty of great releases and what not, but it seems like there have been fewer releases that have been sticking. This is most likely the result of bad listening habits rather than shallow music. If you are a religious FG reader and have been wondering why we’ve been so skittery in our recent postings, it’s because it is the summer and we decided to take it as such and only post when we feel like it for awhile which means only the stuff that demands us to write about it is going up. Jim Noir fits this category perfectly. Distilling elements of pure pop bliss as found in bands such as Caribou, The Beach Boys, Dungen, The Beta Band, Black Moth Super Rainbow and The Ruby Suns (among plenty of others), Noir has produced an album that has to be mentioned as well as one of the most substantial pop statements of 2008 thus far. On his sophomore, self titled release Noir employs a variety of giddy harmonies, flashy electronics and golden melodies to create a full length album packed with exotic colours and plenty of sun. Noir is an able one man band here as well with instruments soaring in from all angles and vocals of all different treatments rising in the mêlée. Dynamic, inventive, creative and seated in retro psychedelics, Noir’s sophomore effort is beautiful. I don’t know if it is the cover that has implanted this in my head, but the whole album feels like floating through some vibrant nebula in a space suit just smiling away into the void. With an album this potent it won’t take much cajoling to get me to grab Noirs debut release, Tower of Love.

-Mr. Thistle

Jim Noir Myspace

Torche - Meanderthal

Torche
Meanderthal
(04.2008, Hydra Head)
Verdict = Life affirming heavy metal

I have been in a kind of metal phase over the last couple weeks, listening to a lot of the highlights I’ve found from the last couple years and desperately wanting to grow my hair super long and wrangle with some tacky double necked guitar. Torche has been the highlight of this indulgence with their self titled debut and last years In Return 10”. In reference to Torche’s Meanderthal I have been read at least a couple references to Foo Fighters which is kind of funny, mostly because it is oddly fitting. However, if your going to throw Foo Fighters in as an ingredient you better be tempering it with the instrumental heft of Mastodon. Actually, I think Torche falls closer in line with anthemic noise rockers Parts & Labor than the Foo Fighters, but we should really avoid comparisons because albums like Meanderthal belong in a category all their own. Torche is just one of those few bands who capture the absolute destruction inherent in heavy metal and somehow turn it skyward into soaring, accessible rock anthems. Avoiding the classic guttural metal scream, Torche’s vocals lay evenly in the mix along side the grizzled riffs and crashing percussion and actually find melody and the occasional harmony. It is this fearless embrace of pop that is the X factor in the success of Meanderthal. I honestly don’t see the record reaching very far, even within the fields of metal, but if there ever was a perfect crossover record as far as metal is concerned, this is the one. Meanderthal is more than just the metal album of the year so far.

-Mr. Thistle

Torche's Myspace

Shows This Week

Thursday (5.29), Casiotone For The Painfully Alone will bring his Eeyore-esque cloud of mopesterness (good word huh?) along with Foot Foot to Kilby Court to start off the weekend a day in advance this week.

Friday (5.30), Joan Of Arc and The Future of the Ghost are playing The Urban Lounge, but to be honest, I am pretty sick of The Urban Lounge with all their late shows and bar atmospherics. I am just an old women though, I’m sure you kids would love it.

Friday (5.30), Kilby Court will have the distinct pleasure of hosting indie rock heroes, White Rabbits and The Furs. Nothing else to say really on that one…er, we like White Rabbits?

Saturday (5.31), Cryptacize will fill Kilby Court with their quaint, off kilter take on indie pop. Oh, did I mention that Chris Cohen (ex-Deerhoof) is in the band? If I didn’t, I’m sure someone else will.

Matmos - Supreme Balloon

Matmos
Supreme Balloon
(05.2008, Matador)
Verdict = Blissful synths and blissful synths only.

In every review of this album you'll most likely find some reference to Matmos’ unconventional past, littered with inventive experimental albums built around one or more odd audio concepts (i.e. samples of “freshly cut hair” or "the amplified neural activity of crayfish”) and now, despite my initial intentions not to involve myself, this is one of them. Matmos basically ask for it with a sticker right on the plastic wrapping of Supreme Balloon that announces that they completely avoided their precious microphones this time around with an album created solely with synthesizers. It is funny how even their attempt to not have some overriding sampling concept has turned Supreme Balloon into Matmos’ “synths only” concept album. Well all that aside (I mean who hasn’t made an album completely out of synthesizers? Besides me that is), Supreme Balloon is every bit as captivating as Matmos’ previous releases and every bit as fun as well. I have always found it super impressive when an artist can create something genuinely engaging and terrific while still maintaining a sense of humor. Matmos accomplish this unapologetically. The cover art for Supreme Balloon illustrates the mood of the album perfectly, placing the duo in a hot air balloon mangled with various electronics and speakers spewing out clouds of colorful geometric goodness. Supreme Balloon is indeed a colorful cloud of supreme goodness. Bouncy, rubbery and alien, the noises produced here are bright and joyful as they are bizarre and adventurous. All and all, if you put all this emphasis on the non concept concept aside, or whatever (I am sure I am over emphasizing this) Supreme Balloon is a smart album that you can boogie to. Oh, and a word to the wise, grab this sucka on 180 gram double vinyl and you will be glad you did, first and foremost you get three bonus, non CD tracks (I promise you’ll want these because the CD version somehow manages to be just a tad too short for full satisfaction – i.e. it is good enough to make you wish it was longer) and you can avoid the tacky “secret” song tagged onto the end of the album with its extended dead air and such (didn’t this go out of style in the 90s?). Just so you know.

-Mr. Thistle

Matmos - "Rainbow Flag"

Nadja - Desire in Uneasiness

Nadja
Desire in Uneasiness
(04.2008, Crucial Blast)
Verdict = Earth’s kid brother

Nadja is going to, and may have already, had a hard time avoiding comparison to Earth’s most recent forays into doomy, repetitive Americana. With Earth’s indie status as rock luminaries practically carved in stone due to their near 20 years of successive, um…earth rumblings (sorry), Nadja are standing under a pretty heavy shadow. However, the band’s output belies their relatively young life and shows a kind of ambivalence to this fact. Grinding away with repetitive gritty motifs of doom laden sludge rock, Nadja’s gloomy, pulsating riffs crash like infinitely emboldened waves of sound. Desire of Uneasiness’ self reflective descriptiveness is a musical palindrome of sorts: the songs on the album both begin uneasy, plodding and awkward before reaching the transcendental in the grip of their length while simultaneously reaching uneasiness after a perfectly fine riff trudges slowly, grating an uncertain evolution. That each track can be listened to in this dual fashion depending the mood of the listener adds a depth to Desire in Uneasiness that defies its apparent simplicities. This can occasionally work against Nadja, though, when “uneasiness” translates into “unappealing.” Overall however, Nadja’s dark march satisfies stride for stride and while it can be easily compared to the equally terrific Bees Made Honey In The Lion’s Skull (and while I continue to find enjoyment pitting albums against each other), Desire in Uneasiness is as accomplished a foe as any who wish to crack Earth’s overarching drone-doom monument.

-Mr. Thistle

Nadja - "Disambiguation"

Nat Baldwin - Most Valuable Player

Nat Baldwin
Most Valuable Player
(04.2008, Broken Sparrow)
Verdict = Living up to his album title

I have been anticipating Most Valuable Player for some time since becoming infatuated with Nat Baldwin's debut EP, Lights Out, and then his debut full length, Enter the Wind, a couple years back. The thick double bass and emotive croon seem custom fitted to my tastes: gorgeous, amiable, left field pop. I actually downloaded four tracks from Nat Baldwin’s Myspace page two years ago that were, as of then unreleased, that have shown up retooled here on MVP. The result is a testament to the time taken refining these time tested tracks. MVP soars magnificently as an avant pop masterpiece. Baldwin’s approach here is similar to past efforts where his voice and double bass have taken the forefront, focusing on the skeletal beauty of his compositions. Consequentially, the songs feel immediately personable, as if they were being played specifically for you in your bedroom. It is this intimacy that really allows MVP to flourish. Despite his individual proficiency, Baldwin has also wrangled in support from Dave Longstreth, whom he has played with in The Dirty Projectors. Longstreth’s guitar, still brimming from its use in Rise Above, adds to the already present similarities between the two artists. Baldwin also takes production assistance from Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor on MVP which bears his most polished sound to date. The assistance never seems to cloud Baldwin’s original intent as demos I’ve had of “Dome Branches,” “Black Square,” “One Two Three” and De-Attached” come full circle. Baldwin has even tacked on a reimagination of previously recorded track “Enter the Light Out” with mesmerizing results. All and all, the time spent on MVP reaps the benefits of a lush, meticulously refined album that it worthy of the highest regard, and while almost completely opposite in its approach to pop music, MVP is probably the greatest rival to Subtle’s ExitingARM in the race for best album of the year.

-Mr. Thistle

Nat Baldwin - "Lake Eerie"

Hula Hooper - Good Morning Good Evening

Hula Hooper
Good Morning Good Evening
(04.2008, Creation Centre)
Verdict = A must have; terrifically gorgeous!

We here at FG have spoken highly of the wonderful Creation Centre label before, but for those who missed those appreciative remarks, the web based label have a penchant for releasing awesome EP sized music from all ranges of up and coming experimental artists. Their catalog is mostly light hearted and beautiful and always high quality. The most incredible part about it all is that their releases are free. That’s right, you can hop on over to creation-centre.com right now and download everything they’ve ever released. The first item on your list, however, must be Hula Hooper’s Good Morning Good Evening. Hooper’s four song release with Creation Centre last month may very well be my favourite of the whole lot (OK, lets just say it’s a tie with Miki Odagiri’s Fables). At the very least, the opening track, “Respiration 1,” with over 8 minutes of glowingly atmospheric vocal loops has to be my very favourite track from the label as well as one of my favourite songs so far for 2008. To quote the mini album description on the site: “lovely is an understatement.” And for only spanning 4 songs, Good Morning Good Evening is just about as dynamic as it gets, flowing from the opening ambience into a lilting summer jam “light” that simply can’t be played without transporting you to some tropical paradise. “Evening Song” flows wonderfully dreamlike, adding plush electronics and bells to Hooper’s melodious vocal croon. The album closes with, “Reach,” a breezy pop song and actual lyrics. Download this right now and inject your life with a potent shot of beauty and happiness, you’ll be glad you did.

-Mr. Thistle

Download Good Morning Good Evening

Shows This Week

Friday (5.23), I am going to miss Del The Funky Homosapien at The Paladium with Bukue One and it isn’t because The 11th Hour is getting middling reviews (or the fact that I have yet to listen to it). I’m just busy and burnt out on shows. However, I’m betting that those who do attend this show will be more than satisfied. Eccentric hip hop for the whole family!



Saturday (5.24), capitalizing on the re-emergence of contemporaries Portishead and My Bloody Valentine, Swervedriver are trying their hand at the come back and more power to them. Hopefully the gauzy shoe-gazers can pull one out of the hat at The Paladium.

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"