It can be difficult to gain a balanced perspective on an album after reading a single summary of the music. Bias can tilt a review, as can personal taste, history and just about everything else that is unique to the person writing it. So in an effort to offer an expanded perspective in such a medium, here are Three reactions, Three impressions, Three Takes on Lava Bangers by Doomtree producer Lazerbeak.

Jon Behm (Reviler)

79/100

I was initially a bit skeptical to hear that Doomtree producer Lazerbeak was putting out a solo instrumental record so close on the heels of both No Kings as well as crew-mate Sims’ Bad Time Zoo. Both of those records featured some terrific beats from the young producer, and conventional wisdom would imply that Beak’s “best” was tapped for those two projects, that whatever was leftover could only be the stuff that didn’t make the cut. Surprisingly, though, Lava Bangers is far from a collection of also-rans.

Listening to the record, it seems likely that none of this stuff was produced with the end goal of retrofitting for a Doomtree rap joint. Somewhat like RJD2’s Deadringer (with which Lava Bangers shares a few similarities), the album’s twenty tracks play more like a maestro’s orchestra rather than a collection of discarded rap beats. The overarching aesthetic seems to be one of epic bombast—track after track pounds the senses with high volume beats and distorted samples. While there are a few moments of respite, the record heavily loaded with “bangers,” as the record’s name clearly states.

Where Lazerbeak’s production skills really show are in the intricately molded dynamics within each individual track. They may come together to form a bludgeoning stomper, but each element belies the mark of a delicate hand. Asiatic flutes, for example, might not have a great deal of business in a club banger on their own. In Lazerbeak’s hands, though, they are expertly folded into the mix. He’s a micro-musician working on a macro scale, and the results are often spectacular.

Josh Keller (Reviler)

76/100

Following up his 2010 solo LP, Legend Recognize Legend, Lazerbeak is back with a new instrumental LP. Fans of Beak, and the Doomtree collective in general, know that he hasn’t been sitting around drinking mojitos on the beach during the break, as he was all over the Sims breakthrough Bad Time Zoo and the recently released crew LP No Kings. Somehow he still found time to collect the 20 songs on his latest offering to the world, Lava Bangers (out now on Doomtree Records).

With so much new material, I wondered going into Lava Bangers if the release would feel a bit like a retread and not stand shoulder to shoulder with his recent (very good) work. Unfortunately, it seems this is the case. Is this saying that Lava Bangers isn’t good and doesn’t contain some downright jams? No. But is it the album I would send someone new to Lazerbeak? Again, no. There are definite highlights—including the confident, horn-laden strut from “LRL” into “Bully” and the buzzing “Smash Hit”—but many of the songs feel like shells building towards the final steps of completion. I said last week when reviewing the new Silky Johnson beat tape that I appreciate beat tapes that are standalone documents, not skeleton tracks lumped together, either waiting for or stripped of vocals. There some great beats collected on Lava Bangers’ 20 tracks, showing without a doubt that Lazerbeak is incredibly talented and has an ear for hard-hitting jams. I would just argue that they would be better served delivered in a different fashion.

Ali Elabbady (Background Noise Crew, Egypto Knuckles)

89/100

On “Legend Recognize Legend,” we got to see the remnants of Beak’s pop-memories mixed with a hip-hop sensibility. It’s safe to say things are different, that his production is a mainstay in the local scene. After delivering the production on Sims’s Bad Time Zoo, we get Lava Bangers, which is largely a collection of Beak’s finest beats that for some reason or another never saw the light of day. Lava Bangers stays true to his moniker for his beats. We get those same bomb-squad influenced drums mixed with different instrumental textures that keep the pop influence evident. Lava Bangers plays a lot like Madlib’s “Beat Konducta” series, in the sense that the blends are seamless and straight-forward—a body of work to be taken as a whole rather than in small doses.

Lazerbeak “Smash Hit” by doomtree

In the Twin Cities, Poliça is currently the slickest thing since green-painted bike lanes. The group—comprised of music community veterans Channy Leaneagh, Drew Christopherson, Ben Ivascu, and Chris Bierden—has rocketed in popularity in the half year or so they have been playing together, which culminated in a sold-out Valentine’s Day album release show for their debut, Give You the Ghost. Very impressive.

These types of mega-events tend to warrant some pandering to the impressionable crowd. (Us included. Who doesn’t love a happy dose of sentimental emotional manipulation?) Thus, the tasteful cover song.

We asked members of the local music community to share the songs they’d like to hear Channy and company cover during the big show.

Of course, we also want to know what songs you’d like to hear Poliça cover—so leave your suggestions in the comment box.

(Here is a Spotify playlist of most of the songs on the list—listen while you read: Reviler.org presents 50 Songs That Poliça Should Cover. Also, you read our review of Give You the Ghost and listen to a couple of songs off of the album.)

Jon Schober (The Current)

Captain & Tennille – “Love Will Keep Us Together”
Replace the clanky keyboard sounds, slow it down by half, auto-tune it all, and have the guys “do-do” the backup vocals. You’ll see what I mean.

Holy Fuck – “SHT MTN”
The new rendition would be a little softer with Channy’s blipped spelling of “H-O-L-Y-F-U-C-K.” I imagine the live performance of this getting violent.

A Place To Bury Strangers – “To Fix the Gash In Your Head”
“I want to take you down,” “Kick Your Head In,” “I’ll make you feel my sorrow.” ’Nough said. Channy would then need to jump from five stacked monitors and blow the power in the venue (which is what happened when I saw these guys in Texas).

Josh Keller (Reviler)

Brian Eno – “And Then So Clear”
I wanted to choose “This,” the album opener from the 2005’s Another Day on Earth, but the warped vocal shenanigans of “And Then So Clear” just fits too closely with the sound Poliça is creating to ignore.  I probably could fill this whole list with Brian Eno songs they should cover. (. . . Maybe Turf Club New Year’s Eve cover show 2012?)

Peter and the Wolf – “Safe Travels”
A song that I love that probably would have been a better fit for Channy’s time with Roma di Luna. The hushed melody and plaintive lyrics would, in my estimation, sound great painted with a lush electronic brush and sung, preferably sans vocal whitewash, in Channy’s songbird vocals.

John Maus – “Hey Moon”/“Believer”/“Cop Killer”/“Keep Pushing On”
Any of these songs from Maus’s standout 2011 LP We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves would fit into the musical style of the band, and I think both could take on a whole new dynamic when you substitute Maus’s madman baritone with Channy’s much more serene vocal styling.

Games – “Strawberry Skies”
This song was my top track of 2010 and found the band (now called Ford & Lopatin) creating a slinky electro-pop that breathes funky life into a chilly genre. Laurel Halo’s vocal turn on this track is a stone cold classic, but I am fairly certain Channy could pull it off.

Pure X – “Easy”
Another song that matches well with the band’s aesthetic. Pure X have been one of the best atmospheric pop groups over the last few years, and this song—one of the best they have released—would be a really good fit.

Zoe Prinds-Flash (Site)

Michael Jackson – “Thriller”

The Replacements – “We’re Coming Out”

Blackstreet – “No Diggity”

69 Boyz – “Tootsie Roll”
Relevant video:

Sage Dahlen (Cedar Cultural Center)

Low – “Little Argument with Myself”
Maybe the reason it is so hard for this fellow to count stars is because they’re wandering…

Soundgarden – “Black Hole Sun”
To replace the D’Angelo version that I would like to remove from my consciousness forever.

Gotye – “Somebody That I Used to Know”
It might just be me, but I think this seductive/sad tune could really work with Channy’s croon and some auto-tune.

A-Ha – “Take On Me”
Self ’splanatory.

Jon Behm (Reviler)

David Lynch – “Good Day Today”
While “Pinky’s Dream” might be the more obvious Lynch choice, considering it features female vocals (Karen O’s), but I think that “Good Day Today” sounds more like a Poliça song. In fact it wouldn’t take a whole lot of imagination to pretend that this song is actually Lynch covering Poliça.

Janelle Monae – “Sir Greendown”
This is a sweetly beautiful song that I would love to hear Poliça take in a darker, grittier direction. The dreamy synths could easily take on a colder, more ominous tone, and Channy’s vocals would fit it perfectly.  It is a post-apocalyptic robot love song after all, so why not make it sound more like one?

The Specials – “Gangster”
This would be a pretty adventurous cover for the band, and I am all for bands stepping out of their comfort zone once in awhile (don’t look at number four). I would love to hear what the band could do with this moody, dark post-punk-cum-reggae classic.

Portishead – “Silence”
This one almost seems too obvious. The rhythm plays a huge part in this song, and I have no doubt that Ben Ivascu and Drew Christopherson could take it in some interesting directions with the twin drumming. And of course Channy as Beth Gibbons is pretty much a given. I would LOVE to hear this cover live and see the band have some fun with it.

Lekar Hum Deewana Dil – “Yaado Ki Baraat”
OK, I just want some band, any band, to cover this Bollywood classic and do a frame by frame remake of this video. I figure Poliça could get Mike Noyce involved again on guitar and if maybe Channy wouldn’t mind learning Hindi, then I think this could be a hit. Too much to ask?

First Runner-Up: Any Broadcast song, really. But maybe “Pendulum,” if I had to choose. Another one to file under “obvious,” but one of my favorite bands that I think would make excellent candidates for a Poliça cover. Better than, say Kate Bush, who everyone covers, or Björk, whose uniqueness I don’t think lends itself to covers well.

Certificate for Participation: Smog – “Justice Aversion”
Just thought of this one and want to tack it onto the end. Why not?

Ali Elabbady (Background Noise Crew, Egypto Knuckles)

David Sylvian – “Red Guitar”
Channy could pull off a great rendition of Sylvian’s wonderful vocals on this original cut. Not to mention the fact that Sylvian was also part of a defunct band prior to going solo.

Kanye West – “Coldest Winter”
Given Channy’s newfound love of auto-tune (plus the band’s tight rhythmic structure, like on “I See My Mother”), this wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Radiohead – “Knives Out”
The almost bossa nova-like arrangement of “Violent Games” would match this Radiohead song perfectly. Plus, given a voice as powerful as Yorke, Channy could pull this one off rather well.

A-Ha – “Take On Me”
Most of Give You the Ghost, from a musical standpoint, reminded me of a lot of the music I grew up listening to in the ’80s, and I think the band would be able to pull this cover off without a hitch.

The Jets – “Crush On You”
Could totally be done. Although a far stretch of the imagination, “Fist Teeth Money” sounds rhythmically akin to this Jets track. Plus, it’s not a bad shout-out to MPLS, right?

Dana Raidt (METRO Magazine)

Al Green – “Here I Am (Come and Take Me)”
While under normal circumstances I would never encourage vocoder-y effects to be introduced into an Al Green masterpiece (blasphemy!), the vulnerability and subdued nature of this song would be perfect for Channy, and I would be curious to hear what the rest of the band does with the horn part.

Cat Power – “He War”
Channy has a, well, Chan-y voice and is one of the only singers I know of who could do a Chan Marshall song justice. The drums really carry it, so the two-drummer situation would only enhance that.

Danzig – “Soul on Fire”
I’d love to see Poliça take on something a little evil, and this seems like a good place to start—this or Sabbath.

George Harrison – “My Sweet Lord”
There’s a lot of slow buildup to an epic, layered chorus, and a band like Poliça could do amazing things with that dynamic.

Cocteau Twins – “Alas Dies Laughing”
Channy is probably one of the few people who could even begin to get Elizabeth Fraser’s weird phrasing and mumbly affect right, and the sparseness of the song fits the rest of the band perfectly.

Harley Brown (Consequence of Sound)

Aaliyah – “Don’t Know What To Tell Ya”
Aaliyah’s sultry vocals and Timbaland’s bumpin’ beats fit Channy Leneagh’s exchanges with quick-fingered bassist Chris Bierden like her “lock and [her] key.”

James Blake – “I Never Learnt To Share”
This song’s heartbreakingly lonely lyrics reflect Leneagh’s own songwriting, and dueling drummers would destroy Blake’s slow-building crescendo.

Al Green – “Love And Happiness”
After seeing Poliça soundcheck to Ace of Base, it’s clear they’ve got a playful side. And what’s better for that than Al Green’s groovy soul-searching?

Will Wlizlo (Reviler, @willwlizlo)

David Bowie – “Ashes to Ashes”
Bowie is the undisputed Queen Diva of Space-Funk. Poliça could do an honorable and faithful tribute to Mr. Stardust and Mjr. Tom. (Substitute for the young ‘uns: “Modern Love” or “Suffragette City.”)

Big K.R.I.T. – “The Vent”
This ambient-backed rap song is unironically ready to be covered by an electronic band. The lyrical content focuses on the anxieties of loss, success, and introspection—just like Poliça’s debut album.

Depeche Mode – “Policy of Truth”
The last song of disenchanted heartbreak that ever needed to be written. It should help keep Valentine’s Day in perspective.

Fiona Apple – “Better Version of Me”
I’m an unashamed Fiona Apple fanboy, and I’d argue Channy’s singing style is modeled after Apple’s (or greatly influenced by it). Replace the grungy guitar with synth muscle and the wonky percussion with dual drumming. Voila!

Tortoise – “The Lithium Stiffs”
I like the idea of a group that puts vocals front-and-center covering an instrumental song. Granted, there’s a voxy synth sample in this It’s All Around You-era Tortoise cut, but it would lend ample room for the rest of the band to jam like it’s 2004. (Substitute for the young ‘uns: “Angel Echoes (Caribou remix)” by Four Tet.)

Ryan O’Leary

Bruce Springsteen – “Born to Run”
The lyrics “Just wrap your legs around these velvet rims and strap your hands across my engines” must be paired with Drew Christopherson and Ben Ivascu’s attacks.

Talking Heads – “Once in a Lifetime”
Channy could definitely pull off a sultry David Byrne.

Iggy Pop – “The Passenger”
It would work, trust me. Plus, Channy looks a lot like a late seventies Iggy.

Ginuwine – “Ride my Pony”
Straight-up sex attack that would make the boring music journalists littering the crowd get nastay.

It can be difficult to gain a balanced perspective on an album after reading a single summary of the music. Bias can tilt a review, as can personal taste, history and just about everything else that is unique to the person writing it. So in an effort to offer an expanded perspective in such a medium, here are Four reactions, Four impressions, Four Takes on Give You The Ghost by Poliça.

Jon Behm, Reviler

80/100

The Twin Cities hype machine is a pretty strange beast, but at least lately I gotta say that I am not at odds with it nearly as much as I like to pretend to be. I mean, I am of the opinion that the various current local kings and queens of The Scene are, in most cases, deserving of their crowns. Bands like The Cloak Ox and Doomtree for instance, two bands that had very good years in 2011. Sure, we still overlook bands (Brute Heart, Food Pyramid, Lighted, Skoal Kodiak, etc., etc.), but at least most of the bands we have been honing in on lately aren’t completely terrible (with notable exceptions like Howler). And with the current most-hyped local darling, Polica, I also gotta say that I think we got another one right.  While the contrarian in me wants to tell Poliça’s sold out crowds that there are plenty of other great local bands they should also line up to see, the other part of me is lining up right there with them.

Now, with me at least, Poliça did have an unfair advantage, because I have always been a big fan of Channy’s vocals. Whether folk, country, or new wave—Channy always manages to make it sound both amazing and effortless. While the vocal effects on the band’s new record warp and distort her voice into a colder, more distant warble, Channy’s talent is still evident in the richness of tone and pitch that the computer cannot mask. The effects don’t always work—in “The Maker” the reverb leaves the vocals a bit harried and directionless—as if the tracks were pinging around in a well. Mostly though, they are completely on point. The vocals carry the otherwise unremarkable “Form” completely. And in great tracks like “Amongster” and “Wandering Star,” the auto-tune and echo effects seem like a perfect combination. They also serve to muddle-up the lyrics and make them a bit harder to understand—which is a plus because there isn’t anything incredibly profound being said. I don’t think the lyrics are meant to be profound—Channy’s words seem to come from a dark inner place and, though sung, they almost seem to be more like the mutterings of a tormented person.

But let’s not solely consider Channy’s contribution. Poliça also features a very strong cast of musicians who are every bit as integral to the sound. Ryan Olsen’s production sounds quite a bit similar to what he did with Gayngs: smooth, silky tones and reverb that cushion everything in a barbiturate cloud. The Dual drummers Ben Ivanscu and Drew Christopherson are highly in-tune with each other’s vibes, and in tunes like “Amongster” it’s interesting just to listen to the two of them roll across the scope of the song like a violent hailstorm. Bassist Chris Bierden stands out the most in “Leading to Death,” where his nimble fingers give the rhythm a much-needed slice of funk. Guest Mike Noyce’s impression isn’t as noticeable—he only contributes (vocals?) to two tracks (“Wandering Star” and “Lay Your Cards Out”).

What’s remarkable about Poliça as a group is how finely in-tune with each other they appear to be, which seems unusual for such a new project. However each of these band members is a local music veteran, and many of them have been collaborating on other projects for years (Gayngs, Marijuana Deathsquads). It should be no surprise that they sound as good as they do. And they do sound good: every single ticket holder who sold out the band’s upcoming First Avenue performance is right about that much. They are one of many great bands that make up our local scene—and I think all the hype being sent their way is pretty well deserved.

Will Wlizlo, Reviler, @willwlizlo

40/100

Channy Leaneagh has come a long way from busking fiddle at farmers markets. Having won over the collective, sentimental heart of the Twin Cities as the lead female vocalist of folky ensemble Roma di Luna, Channy and her former partner Alexie Casselle pulled the plug on the project after more than half a decade. The two have moved on to pursue other projects. Alexie is returning much of his focus to his twin hip-hop projects, Kill the Vultures and Crescent Moon is in Big Trouble. Channy, as you might have heard if you’ve had half as much sensory capacity as Joe Bonham in Johnny Got His Gun, has started a little band called Poliça.

Poliça is an aesthetic about-face for Channy, who dropped the neo-rustic roots rock and songbird vocals of Roma di Luna for synthesizer riffs and an auto-tuner. She’s backed up by a trio of local vets: Ben Ivascu of STNNNG on drums; Vampire Hands’ Chris Bierden on bass; and every-other-Minneapolis-band’s honorary member Drew Christopherson, also on drums and electronics. Bon Iver member Mike Noyce appears on a pair of tracks. On top of all that, Give You the Ghost was produced by Gayngs-kingpin Ryan Olsen and one of the dudes from Spoon. From a sheer-firepower perspective, Poliça is a juggernaut.

From a finished-product perspective, though, the band leaves plenty to be desired. This is not meant as a snipe-job, but the element of GYTG I’m least impressed by is Channy’s vocal work. What made her performances with Roma di Luna so memorable was a sort of delicateness—that she could so finely manipulate her intonation and delivery to evoke a wide range of emotions and switch between styles. Auto-tune and delay effects, unfortunately, steamroll her naturally robust, intricate voice. As she belts out repetitive lyrics, Channy sounds caged by the digital manipulation—her wings clipped. On tracks like “Amongster” and “Leading to Death,” the melodies lack human emotion, like they’re anonymous samples from a ‘90s trance compilation.

As the vocals suffer, so do the lyrics. Many of Channy’s lines seem like she lifted them off the angsty pages of her high-school diary. Here are a few offending groaners. On “I See My Mother,” she sings with a young Conor Oberst-esque kicked-puppy sentiment, “I swallow whiskey, I take to powder, drink the flowers, but I am still so so sad, and that makes you feel bad.” Feeling like a gothling that no one understands? Listen to “Form,” on which Channy sings “Wish you would kick me in my face, I’m the victim I did it.” “I need some time to think about my life without you,” she croons on another song. I think Lisa Loeb just filed a suit for identity theft.

Lyrics don’t always need to be literary—in certain circumstances, the more vapid the better—but when vocals are front-and-center, they should at least break away from cliché. Channy is one of few artists legitimately experimenting with the artistic limits auto-tune, and for that she deserves credit. But I want a little harder push. Votel is another local group working in this vein (And, surprise!, also features Drew Christopherson.) But in my opinion, Votel does it more successfully and less predictably.

Not to be a complete crank, I admit there are some standout excellent moments on GYTG. Poliça have a great sense for balance and flow. The album’s mix masterfully juxtaposes the low, jammy grooves of the band and Channy’s rocketing voice. “Lay Your Cards Out” and “Fist Teeth Money” are positively immersive, dunking the listener in a cold, electronic ocean. “Dark Star” is my favorite track; it starts with a wonky disco beat and becomes increasingly complex and surprising as the song wears on. What’s more, Channy overcomes the clipping limitations imposed by the vocal effects. Live, I’m sure I’d have to fight tooth-and-nail to avoid embarrassing myself on the dance floor.

There’s a sense of drive on the debut album, but a type of drive more akin to a pack of teenagers doing donuts in a high school parking lot at 3 a.m. The songs are circular, and it seems like the only way they can coax an emotional response out of me is by increasing the tempo and volume. That could mean I’m a cold-hearted bastard; it could also mean that something positively fundamental is missing.

Poliça draw elements from Portishead, the Eurthymics, and, weirdly, Fleetwood Mac. But as far as the band aesthetically distances itself from Roma di Luna, the corpse of Channy’s former group will still bang on the floor like a Minnesotan Tell-Tale Heart. Going forward, the best way for Poliça to give up their history’s ghost might be to reason with it—and honor its memory.

Josh, Reviler 

78/100

I fully expected that the debut album from Minneapolis (super) group Poliça would be something I wouldn’t like, a record destined for the dust pile because of its relation to the Gayngs/Bon Iver/“effect laden vocals and chilled out pop” sound that permeates the scene surrounding those two bands. I am happy to say that I went in with an open mind and left impressed with Give You the Ghost, the group’s debut record (out now digitally and dropping on wax on local label Totally Gross National Product on Feb 14th).

Fronted by the ethereal vocal stylings of Channy Leaneagh (Roma di Luna) and put together by local sound-wizard Ryan Olsen, the record is a moody slab of buzzing electronic pop music. It’s all held together by the dual drums of Drew Christopherson and Ben Ivascu and the rich bass lines of Chris Bierden (he of Vampire Hands fame). Despite having pipes that most of us in the local scene have come to recognize as something special, Leaneagh’s vocals are no more than a layer in the sound, so warped with effects that they simply become another cog in the machine. Which is disappointing. Despite the fact that what should be the highlight of the record is in fact buried under a tsunami of effects, the record still finds a way to succeed in a cool way.

Highlights on the 11 song, 45-minute effort include the thumping “I See My Mother,” the galloping space funk of “Dark Star,” and the soulful, neo-R&B of “Lay Your Cards Right.” The formula gets tired at points, namely the overdone and faux dramatic slush of “The Maker,” but it’s a well-produced record (the songs mesh together excellently) and is brimming with talent—even if it isn’t always used in the way I would have thought best. Despite my reservations that the record was going to be a hollow Gayngs/Bon Iver retread, it actually finds a way to feel less formulaic and needlessly overdone as the latest records from those two bands. More than likely it’s going to find the group some big time success.

It can be difficult to gain a balanced perspective on an album after reading a single summary of the music. Bias can tilt a review, as can personal taste, history and just about everything else that is unique to the person writing it. So in an effort to offer an expanded perspective in such a medium, here are Four reactions, Four impressions, Four Takes on undun by The Roots.

Michael Herriges (Midwest Broadcast)

85/100

Undun is a heavy album. If you’re not familiar with the concept already, it tells the story of the undoing of a semi-fictional drug dealer named Redford Stephens in reverse, starting with his death and progressing through everything that lead up to it. It seems to be an album that you love or think is just okay. I love it.

The reason I love it is because it’s the most meticulously crafted rap album released in years. It’s incredibly down-tempo for a rap album. The grooves unwind slowly, matching the narrative at hand. The instrumental codas come off as a little self-indulgent. After becoming familiar with the album, I found myself skipping them.

That leaves the listener with about 32 minutes worth of rap. And not a minute is wasted. Black Thought’s lyrical attention to detail is exceptional. Dice Raw contributes a few excellent guest verses and choruses. Phonte’s tough talking verse on “One Time” is chock full of clever punch lines, but still contributes to character development. Big K.R.I.T.’s verse on “Make My” is a fantastic self-reflection from the eyes of the dying protagonist.

What I’m getting at is that rarely is a musical or lyrical moment wasted on Undun. ?uestlove and the Roots were able to trim all excess fat and make a concept album that’s meant to be digested in one whole, brief listen. The band is still taking risks, pushing themselves musically, and broadening the notions of what hip-hop can do and say. And they’re doing this 13 albums into their career. Few bands ever have remained as consistently excellent as The Roots. Undun is yet another crowning achievement in their long career.

Josh

92/100

You can call it a comeback, return to form, or whatever, but the latest LP undun by the Roots is a crystal clear example of how the group still has it and why they are one of the best bands in music (rap or otherwise) right now. The 14 tracks on undun are heartfelt, polished, challenging, and, even though it is a heavy concept album about the crack game and the toll it takes, a record that ultimately is really fun to listen to. Ranging from the absolute show stoppers “Make My”  and “One Time” to the lush closing sequence featuring the arrangements of Sufjan Stevens, the record is as commanding and well thought out as any record I heard over the past year.  The story works its way backwards from the death of the protagonist to his birth, showing how easy it is to get lost in the game when you live in a society that doesn’t offer you very many choices. For the band to have made—and pulled off—a concept album of any depth, while still making it one of the most musically rewarding records of the year, shows the amazing talent of Black Thought, Questlove, and the crew.

The Roots – UNDUN from The Ghettonerd Company, LLC on Vimeo.

Ali Elabbady (Background Noise Crew, Egypto Knuckles)

98/100

Listening to Undun, the newest and 13th album from The Roots, one picks up on an uneasy attitude. While it is a concept album that revolves around the main character, Redford, and his untimely demise, it is clear that The Roots continue to up the ante creatively, leaving no detail unsaid. Black Thought returns with an unsettling yet awesome performance as the main character, while other folks such as Dice Raw, Big K.R.I.T., Phonte, Greg Porn, and Truck North spread themselves as other characters within Redford’s forever unfolding manifesto, especially on such tracks as the stark “The OtherSide” and the blood-curdling-eeriness that is “Make My.” That’s not even mentioning that the virtuosic tail end of the record (comprised of four movements), which has Sufjan Stevens reprising a song from his Greetings From Michigan record. The Roots continue their awesome streak with Undun, which goes down as what a great concept record should sound like.

Jon Jon Scott (Sound Verite)

88/100

With the Roots, feelings run deep. They are the talented “rap-band” that is different and alternative. They’re always dependable and reliable; sometimes arty, other times jammy, just fine enough with each jump. One always wants more, hoping for the best Roots record ever with each release, which usually leaves you still wanting something new, something even more special. On undun they deliver—although it is short at 38 minutes, including the closing quartet of instrumentals.

On the hypnotic “Sleep,” the vocals “I’ve lost a lot of sleep to dreams” begins with Black Thought: “To catch a thief, who stole the soul I prayed to keep, insomniac, bad dreams got me losing sleep.”  He continues, “The music played on, and told me I was meant to be awake, It’s unresolved like everything I had at stake, illegal activity controls my black symphony, orchestrated like it happened incidentally.” “Make My” features the red-hot southern rapper Big K.R.I.T..  K.R.I.T. is cool, but he ain’t saying nothing that we couldn’t hear from Black Thought. “Make My’s” mid-tempo vibe is a perfect canvas for Black Thought as he ponders if there’s such a thing as heaven.  “The spirit in the sky scream homicide” opens  “One Time,” with assistance from Phonte (Little Brother) and Dice Raw.

On the heavy hitter “Stomp,” ace produced by Just Blaze, The Roots find the right board dude who delivers a banger as Black Thought asks  “What is it back to the essence of? Greatness, I wasn’t in the presence of” shows Black Thought in a Charlie Mingus mood, “Speaking of pieces of a man, Staring at a future in the creases of my hand, It reads like a final letter I’m leaving for my fam but, It’s written in language they will never understand.” The sterling pianos of “The OtherSide” are anchored by a beautiful melody and soul-crooner Bilal. “Listen if it not for these hood inventions, I’d just be another kid from the block with no intentions” rhymes Black Thought, as if to ask what’s the point of it all.  The eighties pop stylings of “Lighthouse” shows a lighter moment, as do the smooth post neo-soul R&B of “I Remember” and the mournful ballad “Tip The Scale”.

This, their 13th record, adds up to a “concept” album of a young, lost-too-soon black male. Staying in the same reality-based “dark” lane lyrically as the past three records, Game Theory, Rising Down, and How I Got Over, undun challenges with its brooding, surreal view of the current urban landscape. The exception with undun is that most of the vocals are by Black Thought—no big guest names, really—with assists coming primarily from their home team of Dice Raw, Greg Porn, and Truck North. There’s still the strong preference for Black Thought to carry the entire the narrative.

Musically, The Roots have arrived where folks have been expecting them to go. With the album’s driving arrangements and layered production, ?uestlove reaches for the grandiosity of Radiohead’s of Kid A with the execution of Mile Davis Kind Of Blue. He goes for epic-like space on the closing quartet of “Redford (For Yia-Yia & Pappou),” “Possibility,” “Will To Power,” and “Finality.” I love the fact that the whole record clocks in under 40 minutes; the only nag perhaps is the missing closing statement from Black Thought, which would have really finished the record in fantastic fashion. The ambition and reach of undun may be the The Roots strongest statement since 1999’s brilliant Things Fall Apart and hints of their 1996 masterpiece Illadelph Halflife.

The Roots – One Time ft Phonte & Dice Raw by Punablog

It can be difficult to gain a balanced perspective on an album after reading a single summary of the music. Bias can tilt a review, as can personal taste, history, and just about everything else that is unique to the person writing it. So in an effort to offer an expanded perspective in such a medium, here are Four reactions, Four impressions, Four Takes on the new record El Camino from Akron, Ohio blues duo The Black Keys.

Steve Skavnak  (@steveskavnak)

 73/100

Many years ago, before I knew a single thing about The Black Keys, I just assumed they were White Stripes wannabes. They, like Jack and Meg, were a duo, also centered their sound around “blues-rock,” and, hell, even had a similar band name (similar in the same way that my Pearl Jam-loving neighbor growing up started a band called Diamond Smash). With every release, though, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney have truly crafted their own defining sound, something that continues with El Camino.

El Camino highlights all of The Black Keys’ strengths. Crunchy guitars give way to splashy cymbals accompanied by pulsing organ on almost every song. It’s what you’d expect . . . safe, but not the least bit boring. Not a single track would falter on the radio, for length or commercial appeal. From the punchy hook on “Gold on the Ceiling” to the self-searching love loss of “Little Black Submarines” to the soulful falsetto-rich chorus on “Stop Stop,” you could imagine The Current overplaying every single track. Still, after ten 3-4 minute songs, I’m left wanting more. The songs are impeccably structured, but still feel a tad rigid at times. I’d love to hear just one of the songs given a 4-minute guitar interlude of the Wilco variety. The talent is there, but the exploration is absent.

The Black Keys are [currently] skipping the Twin Cities on their early 2012 tour, but don’t be surprised if Rock the Garden, SoundTown or the inaugural First Avenue festival nabs the duo to close out their respective events next summer. With Jack White too busy driving his cute little yellow van around, someone has to hold down the blues-rock fort.

Ali Elabbady (Background Noise Crew, Egypto Knuckles)

94/100

Many ask the question “how do you follow up after Brothers?” While it is a tough question to pose, the Black Keys shrug off their stellar album and follow it up with El Camino, yet another great album in their discography.  For this one, the Keys, along with producer extraordinaire Danger Mouse, deliver rock that has a down-home, bluesy feel. And while it’s not as bluesy as their earlier efforts, it definitely carries the same energy as Brothers and manages to maintain a jukebox-like feel—where someone walks into a bar, orders a whiskey neat, and cues up an old 45”.  You can hear it with the blood-rushing energetic jam “Lonely Boy” and the toe-tapping antics in “Gold On The Ceiling.”  However, there is also nice subtlety in the acoustics of “Little Black Submarines,” and while that is the lone jam that kind of slows things down a bit, the rest of it is energetic. If you’ve ever seen the Black Keys live in concert, this record matches the energy of their live show.

Josh (Reviler)

66/100

The Black Keys allow for a good case study in the music nerd parlor game of the “popularity chicken or egg.”  Does a band get to the point of playing Saturday Night Live and selling enough records to become “popular” and then go limp and create boring music, or is the boring music actually the meal ticket to the riches previously described? While trying not to be that crotchety guy in the Guided by Voices t-shirt and crusty Chuck Taylors, The Black Keys seem tailor-fit to be saddled with the “they were better and more interesting with their earlier (less popular) material” albatross. Where it seemed like guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney valued rough aesthetics and gritty blues—capped by fuzzy productions and not-quite-perfect performances—on The Big Come Up and Thickfreakness (their first two LPs), they now seem to strive for a more tailored sound.  The greasy funk of “Gold on the Ceiling” doesn’t feel like a “recorded live in the studio” take, like a lot of their older material, but a polished blues-rock number.  The choruses of “Stop Stop” and “Nova Baby” are especially disappointing, seemingly built to be played on the radio and stripped of the grit and feeling that made their earlier work so enjoyable.  Did they write a mass consumption-bating LP like El Camino because they have tasted the fruits of being popular? Or was their fruit-tasting the byproduct of their initial willingness to scrub clean their sound and make it more appealing to a larger audience?  Who knows, but either way, El Camino was a further disappointment from a band that at one point I would not have been able to see being so disappointing.

Jon (Reviler)

70/100

Sooner or later, it seems that a lot of artists get to a point in their career (if they make it that far) where they start to view their musical prerogative as “having fun” rather than “making serious art.” I am not really sure if the Black Keys ever had the serious art phase, but their new record El Camino definitely seems to be of the alternate variety. It’s a big rock party devoid of any pretense whatsoever. And like most artist’s “fun” records that come later in their career, it is correspondingly pretty forgettable. There are some fun guitar riffs, some boot-stomping rhythms, and a great deal of swagger. But most of it just doesn’t have much weight. In comparison to some of the Keys’ earlier works it at least seemed like they were trying to have their blues rock anthems taken seriously, even as recently as 2009’s Brothers. From the jokey album art right down through the mediocre tunes, El Camino just seems mailed in.

It can be difficult to gain a balanced perspective on an album after reading a single summary of the music. Bias can tilt a review, as can personal taste, history and just about everything else that is unique to the person writing it. So in an effort to offer an expanded perspective in such a medium, here are Four reactions, Four impressions, Four Takes on the new record from Twin Cities hip hop collective Doomtree, “No Kings”

Ali Elbbady (Egypto Knuckles, Background Noise Crew)

94/100

No Kings, the sophomore effort from Doomtree, is a very different beast from their self-titled effort in so many ways.  Gone are the extensive tracklisting that their self-titled debut had, and traded in for a tour-de-force given in 12 tracks clocking in 46 minutes.  Whereas the first Doomtree effort had all the members scattered all over the disc along with a couple cameos, No Kings has all the members participating on each and every track in some way, shape or form, and those couple of changes along with a couple members no longer there (namely MK Larada and Turbo Nemesis), make No Kings an effort that is worthy of Doomtree’s stature in the scene, and more importantly shows off the more than talented roster they have in all their current members. 

Jon (Reviler)

85/100

There are a couple things that really stand out to me in the new Doomtree record.  First and foremost while No Kings contains a number of jams in the classic Doomtree ouvre, there are also a number of instances where the group sounds downright hard.  The collective has (to me anyways) always been more the thinking person’s answer to swaggering “in your face” rap.  However in songs like the grittily produced “Punch Out” they sound genuinely dangerous.  Swear words! Violence! It’s like Doomtree got punched in the nose and suddenly they just start freaking out and fucking shit up.  As far as the state of the world these days I think that the anger works perfectly against the cultural backdrop of bubbling animosity that has currently people in the streets protesting the status quo.  “Bolt Cutter” could be a theme song for anyone who has ever fought to claim a public space, whether that be a chunk of pavement outside Wall Street or vast stretches of abandoned Detroit (Also Loon samples!).   “Beacon,” “No Way” and “Own Yours” sound similarly pissed off and disillusioned.

The other thing that stands out about No Kings is that, as far as artistic development goes, the whole crew has never sounded better.  The beats by Lazerbeak and Paper Tiger both sound lean and professional, and Dessa, POS, Sims, Cecil Otter, and Mike Mictlan have never sounded as confident or as lyrically skilled.  Move Doomtree one square ahead on the road to fame because this shit just keeps getting better.

Josh (Reviler)

 81/100

Doomtree could be at their Wu Tang circa late 1990′s moment, when the group, which started as a sum stronger than it’s separate parts, released their first non classic album The W.  At that point we had heard classic albums from a good chunk of the group, just as has been the case with Doomtree over the last few years.  The five MC’s (POS, Dessa, Cecil Otter, Sims and Mike Mictlan) plus the team of DJ’s (Paper Tiger and Lazerbeak) have really stepped out from under the shadow of their influential collective/label/group.  Does that mean that their new crew LP No Kings is a bloated letdown that leaves listeners grabbing for their copies of Bad Time Zoo, Hand Over Fist or Audition?  Far from it.  While your favorite MC’s mic time may be limited slightly by the large number of cooks in the kitchen, each rapper has their moments in the sun on No Kings.  The album is a dark, hard charging affair with the MC’s painting on the heavy canvass created by Paper Tiger and Lazerbeak.   The 12 songs range from the gritty “Bolt Cutter” to the snare explosions of “Punch-Out” and don’t back down for a second.  On “Bangarang,” the hook finds the crew singing “all these rappers sound the same, beats-sound the same, raps-sound the same,” clearly disgusted by the conformity of the rap game at this current moment.  Despite their crew and solo successes, Doomtree clearly are still concerned with broadening their sound and stretching what their sound can be, and No Kings show that they still have some great tricks up their sleeves.  With No Kings, they have proven that, despite wide ranging solo success that could have splintered the group, they have come back as strong as ever and shown that they still are as powerful together as they are on their own.

You can order a copy of No Kings now via Doomtree.net.

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It can be difficult to gain a balanced perspective on an album after reading a single summary of the music. Bias can tilt a review, as can personal taste, history and just about everything else that is unique to the person writing it. So in an effort to offer an expanded perspective in such a medium, here are Four reactions, Four impressions, Four Takes on Bad As Me by Tom Waits.

Chris Besinger (STNNNG)

80/100

Jon Behm

75/100

I can’t believe its really been seven years since Real Gone already. How time flies.  Not for Tom Waits though.  Despite the years Waits seems perpetually stuck in his own time-averse version of Americana, a niche that is easily described in most contexts as “Waitsian.”  If you don’t know by now what Tom Waits sounds like by now I am going to leave it for you to discover on your own.  Waits’ newest record Bad As Me finds the artist once again growling and crooning over a set of brand new songs.   And despite the generally universal acclaim the album has already received (as well as my own Waits fandom) I am only really into about half of the new album.  Most of the first half of Bad as Me is decent but somewhat forgettable, with the possible exception of “Chicago” and definite exception of “Talking At The Same Time,” which I had to look up to make sure that, yes, that was in fact Waits singing in a spooky falsetto.  The worst of the lot is “Satisfied” with its cringeworthy lyrics and “Hell Broke Luce,” which sounds like Waits made up on the spot.  On the flipside I have found that Waits’ sadder side seems to improve exceptionally over time – his ballads ‘Kiss Me” and “Last leaf on the Tree” I would name as amongst his best sad sack blues joints.  Overall it adds up to some exceptional, some mediocre and some in the middle.  Frankly I’ll take it.  Despite bad As me not really tickling me all the way through I am still just grateful that Waits is still out there making records.

Josh

82/100

Tom Waits has always been an artist that keeps you on your toes, from album to album changing his sound and always mixing and matching his first love of back alley ballads and his penchant for chain rattling, Howlin Wolf inspired folk dirges.  On his latest album, Bad As Me, he changes the game from song to song, showing both his tender and introspective side and his massive, earth shaking rock and roll growl, making an unsteady but rewarding LP.  Waits is tender and worn on tracks like “Talking at the Same Time,” “Face to the Highway,” “Pay Me,” “Back in the Crowd,” “New Years Eve,” “Kiss Me” and the heartbreaking lament “Last Leaf.”  The other half is pure hell and brimstone Waits, lead by the raucous title track and the sinister “Hell Broke Luce.”  He is joined by his friend Keith Richards on the album and you can hear his influence on the rootsy “Satisfied” and the wobbly swing of “Chicago.”  A listener who is jacked up from the more upbeat material or lulled into tranquility by the slower songs will be quickly snapped back into the reality of listening to a genius chameleon like Waits.  His madcat ideas are so exciting to soak in and his style, indebted to many but beholden to none, is a breath of fresh air in a world full of fakers and thieves.  After waiting seven years since his last LP and then hearing the bursting waves of material so full of life, one can only hope we don’t have to wait so long for his next LP.

Adam

90/100

It’s been seven long years since we’ve last heard anything new from Tom Waits and let me tell you this: it’s been worth it. Bad As Me is 17^th album from Waits and is all co-written with his wife Kathleen Brennan and features the usual cast of characters we’ve come to expect on a 90s and beyond Tom Waits record: Marc Ribot, Keith Richards, Flea, Les Claypool, etc. Where Bad As Me starts to differ is the programmed elements, samples, turntables experiments and similar have started working themselves back out of the mix into a more classic Rain Dogs era sound.

The records kicks off in a flurry of banjo and horns (not to mention Richards on guitar) with Chicago. “Raised Right Men” is pretty standard fair for a post-90s Waits, punctuated by sharp stabs of Organ. “Talking At The Same Time” is a wonderful piece of hazy jazz noir hearkening back to the Rain Dogs era which fades into the souped up Eddie Cochran rock n roll of “Get Lost”. Waits slows down on a couple of tracks as well, the accordion ballad “Pay Me” and the scratchy record sound of “Kiss Me”. We even hear Waits hitting his heaviest with the metal-esque guitars and stomp of “Hell Broke Luce”. It’s the title track however that is the standout of the entire album with a split personality set of vocals and Marc Ribot’s always fascinating guitar playing.

Bad As Me is the strongest offering we’ve seen from Tom Waits in a few albums and one of the better things I’ve heard all year. It seems that the longer we have to wait (Bone Machine to Mule Variations was the last 7 year break between albums) the better we get.

It can be difficult to gain a balanced perspective on an album after reading a single summary of the music. Bias can tilt a review, as can personal taste, history and just about everything else that is unique to the person writing it. So in an effort to offer an expanded perspective in such a medium, here are three reactions, three impressions, Three Takes on Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming by M83.

Matt Linden

There’s no contesting the fact that Anthony Gonzales’ new album Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming is a grand statement. It’s a a double-album in the truest sense: 22 songs over 72 minutes. There are flashes of full-blown pop, unwinding instrumental interludes and cascades of spacey soundscapes fans have come to know from the band. While the album is a clear display of Gonzales pushing his own conceptual boundaries, the sounds within play out like retrospective, with him not only showing his new confidence as a singer, but also making continual nods to his discography. It’s a bold move for any musician nowadays to drop the double album and it’s daunting as a listener. In a lot of ways I think the album is incredibly bogged down by its length, but it’s not without its rewards.

Luckily, Hurry Up kicks off with six excellent tracks that each feed off the energy that comes before them. Together, “Midnight City,” “New Map” “OK Pal” and “Reunion” show a more confident Gonzales stepping up and delivering some of the best and biggest vocal performances in his catalog. His voice reaches out of the synth haze that once washed over them and it becomes the main focal point. This is probably the biggest difference that longtime M83 fans will notice on the new album. And for how good all of the tracks play out, it’s kind of a shame that it took so long for him to step up and command mic. The album then drips into the kind of ambient headspace that he’s always dabbled with before coming back with the piano ballad “Splendor.” One of the better standout tracks towards the end is the head-spinning “Steve McQueen,” which will probably be a great live staple.

Now, in all honesty, I’m pretty back and forth with the record as a whole. I want to dislike it just because it’s so long and I rarely want to sit through the whole thing, but there are some tremendous songs on this album and plenty that I enjoy. And just like his other releases, there’s an abundance of wonder and nostalgia and adolescence that cast a really dream-y mood to the whole thing. In the end, though, I think this album is better, and more enjoyable, in small EP-sized doses – which it has about 4 of. What’s really impressive is that throughout the 20+ song album there aren’t as many interlude tracks as I was expecting. And many of the songs clock at 4+ minutes. It’s a real feat that Gonzales was able to realize this album for better or worse, even if some will feel like me. Props to him for seemingly doing the unthinkable: making a double album in a time when the “album” seems obsolete.

Steve Skavnak (@steveskavnak)

76/100

Maroon 5. Matchbox 20. 30 Seconds to Mars. There have been plenty of bands that have taken a giant turd on the ‘numbered’ band name. Enough so that instant skepticism shrouds my subconscious whenever any band, no matter the positivity of their past output, releases a new record under a numerical moniker.

M83’s first record since 2008’s slightly over-hyped Saturdays = Youth is a behemoth in both size and scope. The fact that Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming is double album is a bit curious, though. Over the two discs we’re given 22 songs, 6 of which clock in at under 2 minutes each, almost acting as interludes than songs themselves, and often times seeming a bit pointless & unfinished. While a good percentage of the rest of the tracks are smartly constructed and feature epic crescendos, the half-dozen shorties really seem out of place. Oh, and then there’s “Raconte-Moi Une Histoire,” a seemingly childish tale that is actually about tripping on frogs, which seems oddly ok even though a 7 year old is narrating the story.

Overall, this is a nice change of pace record. Rather than fixating on the backing sound wall, M83 expertly executes some addictive hooks that take a page from the MGMT playbook, but are obviously created more for a live setting than the album itself. Is this an album of the year contender? No. Is it even in the Top 10? Probably not. It is, however, the kind of kick-you-in-the-pants fun suitable for 6pm on a Friday, when you’re sick of the U2 & 3 Doors Down your less interesting coworkers have been streaming all week.

Ali Elabbady (Background Noise Crew, Egypto Knuckles)

90/100

You know, its become too few and far between that we get some multi-disc efforts. And maybe perhaps we have Joanna Newsom to thank, after all her last opus “Have One On Me”, sprawled over 3 discs, was surprisingly consistent for anything of a multi-disc effort. When talk arose that M83 would do the same with his newest record, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, many never questioned it, especially being the talented visionary that Anthony Gonzales is. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming picks right up in creating a similar mood and feel to Saturdays = Youth, although he focuses more on the youth sound of the equation, especially after hearing the slick dance jam of the lead single “Midnight City.” Elsewhere, there’s “Reunion” which is more along the lines of XTC meets Talking Heads, whereas such interludes as “Where The Boats Go,” and “Train to Plutton,” among many others serve as great segways between the energetic tunes and the odes to the 80s new-wave, dashed in shoegaze. Without contention, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming continues the streak that M83 has continued to ride on since he put out Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts. Gonzales and company have yet to make a mediocre record.

It can be difficult to gain a balanced perspective on an album after reading a single summary of the music. Bias can tilt a review, as can personal taste, history and just about everything else that is unique to the person writing it. So in an effort to offer an expanded perspective in such a medium, here are three reactions, three impressions, Three Takes on Audio, Video, Disco by Justice.

Ali Elabbady (Background Noise Crew, Egypto Knuckles)

82/100

It’s been four years since the debut album from Justice. † was an interesting record nonetheless, if not for its exercise if microsampling, then the numerous dance jams it created. “DVNO,” and “D.A.N.C.E” were just all around fun party anthems if nothing else, and their new record, Audio, Video, Disco, should come as no surprise in the natural progression of what Justice wants to create. Although this go round, as wonderful as the song structures are this go round, some of the memorable antics of what made us love Justice in the first place is a tad hard to swallow. Prog-rock, when sampled correctly at least can create some epic breakdowns, beginnings, and endings for song structure, and in this aspect, Justice does the best with what they’re given, and for the most part it works, especially when songs like “On’N'On” and “Canon (Primo)” come into play. For the most part though, Audio, Video, Disco attempts to put more structure into the prog-rock jams they’re trying to create, and while the attempts are honest, there are few occasions in which the execution sometimes comes off as half-assed, such as on “New Lands” or “Helix. Regardless, it should be interesting to see where both members of Justice are able to create after such a feat as Audio, Video, Disco.

Jon Behm

85/100
Justice’s Audio, Video, Disco isn’t one of those records that takes a lot of time to get into. From the aggressive opening of “Horsepower” onward it’s pretty evident that the record is going to be a huge hit. The French pair has shifted their sound from hyper electronic dance music to a more prog-influenced, 70’s metal/rock sound. And on top of that very electric guitar-heavy base is a sort of electronic veneer that lends the sound the sort of tinny quality of early video games. It’s a bit like if the SNES had come out with Rock Band in 1992 and then filled it with Rush and Queen songs.
The sonic shift is a good move for the band – simply going down the same road as Cross over again ran the risk of sounding stale and un-creative (despite how great that record was). The only misstep is in “Brainvision” which sounds like Justice invited Ratatat into the studio to record for them (one of the more irritating bands of recent memory).
Great bands need to keep their sound on the move to a certain extent, and that is precisely what Justice has excelled at here. What remains to be seen is how much staying power AVD will have. Since I haven’t had that much time to listen to it I am still mainly just wowed by its glossy veneer. Will it still resonate a year from now? My gut says that it will. It’s a tough call though. Despite loving “D.A.N.C.E.” (from the first record) enthusiastically for at least a year or two I am finally kind of sick of hearing it. “Civilization” is definitely AVD’s “D.A.N.C.E.” and correspondingly, I currently love it to death. I just hope the love lasts.

Josh

74/100

Earlier this year there was a fake Justice song that dropped on the internet, which sounded like a crappier version of the banging electronic jams they brought on their debut LP Cross.  Fans were relieved to find out it wasn’t the band taking a step back, but I couldn’t help thinking in the back of my head as I listened to their sophomore LP Audio, Video, Disco, that the 11 song LP felt like a tired pastiche compared with the Cross.  While songs like “Civilization” and “Cannon” bring that bass rattling, Daft Punk emulating synth raucous that made the band so big, most of the album feels tired and half baked.  “Horsepower” feels like a paper tiger, “Brainvision” is a song that has no heart (or beat) and the title track is just outright cheesy.  While Audio, Video, Disco is Justice taking a step back, you have to take into account what that means.  Justice at half strength still have crisper synths and heavier beats than most bands doing what they do.  While I listened to Audio, Video, Disco I couldn’t help but wishing I could keep the good songs and pretend the less stellar ones were fakes, I realized that wasn’t the case in this situation.  Maybe their debut set the bar too high for me, but their sophomore effort feels like a step backwards, even if that step backwards still leaves them miles ahead of most of their peers.

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It can be difficult to gain a balanced perspective on an album after reading a single summary of the music. Bias can tilt a review, as can personal taste, history and just about everything else that is unique to the person writing it. So in an effort to offer an expanded perspective in such a medium, here are three reactions, three impressions, Three Takes on Parallax by Atlas Sound.

Jeremy Hovda

86/100

It’s starting to seem like Bradford Cox can do no wrong. Every Deerhunter album has been stronger than the last (Halcyon Digest topped my “Best of 2010” list) and the same seems to be true for his solo side-project, Atlas Sound.  Parallax, had a tall order to fill following up on 2009’s winning Logos, but it manages brilliantly. Cox once again uses the Atlas Sound moniker to explore more of his pop sensibilities, staying away from the psychedelic noise-rock elements that characterize the Deerhunter sound.  This is not to say that he gives up any of the complexity.  On the contrary, Parallax has an incredibly intricate and dense sound for something from a one-man pop band.  Most of these tracks are built out of simple lines from an array of instruments, all layered into a contrapuntal harmony, with melodies so sad they’re happy – or so happy they’re sad.  The first three tracks on this album – “The Shakes,” “Amplifiers,” and “Te Amo” – are among his best ever.  And, while the album drags a bit in the middle with “Mona Lisa” (intoning the grating lyric, “the Mona Lisa has got you, oh oh), as well as with “Praying Man,” and “Doldrums,” it picks up quickly with the catchy “My Angel is Broken” and ends on a sunny note with “Lightworks.”  It says everything that the kind of song that most bands spend their career trying to write, Bradford Cox throws in at the #12 spot.

79/100

Between Deerhunter and Atlas Sound, Bradford Cox keeps up such a steady stream of output that I keep thinking that sooner or later some of it is going to be terrible.  So far though, Cox seems par for the course – pretty much just releasing solid effort after solid effort, sometimes sublime and sometimes just plain good.   And based on a few weeks of listening to the new Atlas Sound record Parallax, I think it belongs mostly in the just “good” category.  While it’s got some really great tunes (particularly towards the end – the last four songs are an excellent bloc) there are also some songs (like “Mona Lisa” and “Amplifiers”) that I like but am not in love with just for the simple fact that they don’t sweep me off my feet.  I am likely setting the bar a little too high considering how much I loved the past few Deerhunter and Atlas Sound albums, but try as I might I just can’t connect with the new record the way I have done with Logos, Halcyon Digest, Microcastle, etc.  A lot of Cox’s works have been slow builders for me though so ask me in a few months and I may have grown to love Parallax.

Josh

80/100

Bradford Cox is almost too talented for his own good. With his seemingly endless releases with Deerhunter and his more solo based work as Atlas Sound coming in wave after dreamy pop wave, it is hard to keep up with him.  His material ranges from good to amazing, so the good material can sometimes find a way to get lost in the noise. His latest Atlas Sound LP, Parallax, is one of those “good” records.  It is a quiet, contemplative record featuring minimal guitar work layered with Cox’s brittle but powerful vocals. Ranging from the really sleepy “Terra Incognita”  to the somber but somewhat propulsive “Nightworks,” Parallax does what the other Atlas Sound projects have done and really highlights the intimate, cut-open-a-vein songwriting that Cox does so well.  Highlights include album opener “The Shakes” and the wobbly, static filled title track.  Parallax is another great effort by Cox and company and shows again why he is one of the most consistently rewarding indie songwriters around right now.  Is it his best work? No.  Is work that isn’t his best still probably better than 90% of people doing similar things right now? Definitely.

It can be difficult to gain a balanced perspective on an album after reading a single summary of the music. Bias can tilt a review, as can personal taste, history and just about everything else that is unique to the person writing it. So in an effort to offer an expanded perspective in such a medium, here are three reactions, three impressions, Three Takes on In the Grace of Your Love by The Rapture.

Michael Herriges (Midwest Broadcast)

83/100

The Rapture have been around for over a decade, but it seems as if the majority of that time has been spent not making music. It’s been five years since their last release. Furthermore, their history as a band has been nothing short of tumultuous, filled with interpersonal conflict between members — their one-time bassist/singer quit, and frontman Luke Jenner quit and rejoined. Despite their apparently inconsistent recording habits and lineup changes, the Rapture’s new album, In the Grace of Your Love, still successfully sounds like a Rapture album. And a good one at that.

In interviews Luke Jenner stated that he wanted to make a more positive-sounding album, so he studied gospel music and even joined a church choir. These influences are apparent throughout the album, primarily lyrically. Jenner’s songs touch on deeply personal topics — the loss of his mother and learning to be a father. This makes the album their most intimate yet, a true labor of love and mourning.

The album also continues on the path of 2006’s Pieces of the People We Love, straying further from their punk roots. Much of In the Grace of Your Love is variegated. Consecutive songs often sound like they don’t belong on the same album. The guitar driven “Blue Bird” segues right into the dance floor polka of “Come Back To Me.” The languid-psych of “Roller Coaster” transitions into the hook-driven synth-pop of “Children.” Of course there’s the absolute monster of a single “How Deep Is Your Love?”, powered by a disco piano loop and a glorious fuzzy bass line. The closer, “It Takes Time To Be A Man,” ends on a beautiful chorus of Jenner wailing “Hallelujah,” a final nod to the gospel impulse that drives much of the album.

The Rapture have grown gracefully since 2003’s Echoes. Jenner’s paranoiac wail of a voice is now more mature and melodic, but he hasn’t lost his knack for writing a great hook. The band’s signature punk sound is gone, but they still kept one foot on the dance floor. In the Grace of Your Love succeeds by showcasing the band’s new directions while still recognizing their past. It may have taken five years to get this far, but it’s good to have the Rapture back.

Ali Elabbady (CEO/Producer; Background Noise, Egypto Knuckles)

81/100

Josh (Reviler)

66/100

I am a giant DFA geek and was just about the target age when their big album Echos came out in 2003, but for whatever reason I have never fully connected with The Rapture during their heyday, and have never really caught on to their work to this day.  Coming into their latest work In The Grace of Your Love pretty much neutral, I left feeling like I had just listened to the most hollow, generic indie rock album of the year.  Sounding nothing like their dance floor filling DFA ilk, In the Grace of Love feels more like a less creative Yeasayer record or a less funky TV on the Radio LP pulled together will little creativity and less musical chops.  From the lifeless “Miss You” to the busy but lackluster “Rollercoaster” to the hollow, cheesy faux soul funk of “Never Die Again,” the record feels like an extended test session that never delivers on any of the structural promises the genre jumping music could provide. The title track pumps a little life into the record, but for the most part each song served as an excruciating test to see if I could make it through the entire track before having to endure the next.   I am starting to think I didn’t miss much back in 2003.

Catch the band Sept 26th at the Varsity Theater.

It can be difficult to gain a balanced perspective on an album after reading a single summary of the music. Bias can tilt a review, as can personal taste, history and just about everything else that is unique to the person writing it. So in an effort to offer an expanded perspective in such a medium, here are four reactions, four impressions, Four Takes on Only in Dreams by Dum Dum Girls.

Jon (Reviler)

74/100

I have mixed feelings about the new record from Dum Dum Girls. On one hand, I heartily applaud that the gals have broadened their sound.  Where they started out as just one of many throwback, 60’s-nostalgic “girl groups” the Dum Dum’s have started to show that they aren’t just a one-gimmick pony.  Only In Dreams branches out into 70’s AM rock, country, and modern pop.  I definitely think that this is the right move for them since our current 60’s infatuation can only last so long (though it’s not quite over yet).

At the same time while I enthusiastically back the band’s stylistic adventurousness, I feel like they are still trying to figure out where they stand.  The new record awkwardly straddles the span between the light pop fare of its first half and its meatier backend, which features standouts “”Wasted Away” and “Teardrops on My Pillow,” both of which are terrific forays into new territory.  Its territory I would like to see the band explore further but they don’t seem quite ready yet to follow that impulse completely (see “Bedroom Eyes” for the other end of the spectrum).  As it stands I think that I like where the Dum Dum Girls are heading, but with Only In Dreams I think they are only halfway there.

Erica Krumm (Oaks, Wunky Zine)

55/100

Although Dum Dum Girls’ new record, Only In Dreams, is a poppy, light and sometimes ALMOST fun listening experience, it feels dull and uninspired, like the record was written in a single, bored weekend.

Unlike the Girls’ last record, I will Be, Only In Dreams, lacks the same moody sexiness, and is drastically less emotive. The Songs, “Wasted Away,” and “Bedroom Eyes,” are clever and inarguably catchy, which is what Dum Dum Girls do best. Here they channel later Go Go’s poppy summertime punk complete with Belinda Carlisle-esq vocals. However, these songs lack the needed sincerity and purposefulness required to pull off such simplicity. The song, “Coming Down” begins dreamy and enchanting, but lasts for six plus minutes without vision. A seemingly endless chain of breakdowns and repeated choruses.

There are things that the Dum Dum Girls do very well here. Front woman, Dee Dee, has a voice that is easy on the ears and there are many strands of thoughtful and pretty harmonies as well as very decent surfy guitar hooks.

This much too tasteful and simple record failed to capture my heart or keep my attention  after many determined listens, but I wont give up hope that someday the Dum Dum Girls will be blasted in my living room again.

 83/100

Dum Dum Girls will be at the Turf Club on Oct. 12th with Crocodiles

Dum Dum Girls – Only in Dreams by subpop