Category: Hipster (Page 2 of 7)

Steal This Song: Little Tybee, “Nero”

January 26, 2011 /

There are few slopes that are as slippery as music that could fairly be described as precious. A wrong move in any direction, and that ‘c’ becomes a ‘tent’, if you know what we mean. It was therefore with great trepidation that we clicked Play on the song from Little Tybee, a group of Georgians whose press release was quick to mention Fleet Foxes. And don’t get us wrong, we like Fleet Foxes…but do we need a dozen of them?

little tybee

As it turns out, “Nero,” the first song from the band’s upcoming album Humorous to Bees, is probably being done a disservice by being compared to anyone, but you know how press releases work – they need to mention a couple of successful bands to give the reader a reference point (and truthfully, that’s exactly how we like it). If anything, the song reminds us of a less amped version of the Noisettes’ song “Wild Young Hearts,” perhaps refitted for play in a jazz club. Trade out drum sticks for brushes, throw in some fiddle, and groove, man. Good stuff. The record drops in April. Hopefully this will tide you over until then.

Click here to download Little Tybee’s “Nero”

Adult Contemporary, Americana, Artists, CD Reviews, Downloads, Hipster, Me Myself and iPod, Pop, Steal This Song

Destroyer: Kaputt

January 20, 2011 /


RIYL: Dirty Projectors, David Bowie, anything on Kompakt

Though he may be more known for his role in indie rock supergroup the New Pornographers, Dan Bejar has been enticing people into his strange world for the past 15 years via Destroyer. Backed by a frequently rotating cast of band members, Bejar uses Destroyer to craft his own brand of avant-pop-rock, unmistakable to anyone who has ever heard it. Over the course of nine albums, he weaves tales of numerous women, told in a hybrid of speech-yelp-singing with non-sequiturs, dense, visually striking metaphors (so dense someone created a Wiki for them), and references to his own body of work. So what happens when you’ve spent 15 years basically perfecting your own genre? What happens when what starts out as weird suddenly becomes the standard? With Kaputt, Destroyer’s ambitious tenth album, Bejar proves he can still make us question our notions of normality and taste.

When he serenades someone in “Blue Eyes” with the line, “Your first love’s New Order,” Bejar surely must be speaking of himself, because with the heavy synths, the saxophone and the female backing vocals that flutter throughout Kaputt, he seems to be unleashing his inner ‘80s. But, as tacky and oppressive as those reference points can be, under Bejar’s particular guidance, they are transformed into something delicate, as though he accidentally played dance records at half-speed and heard something he liked.

The first half of “Suicide Demo For Kara Walker” would make a decent soundtrack for footage of outer space. It opens with slow, steady synths, various sounds floating in and out of the background, such as a quiet guitar riff, light chimes, and what sounds like someone breathing. The song shifts drastically about half-way through, when some relative of the flute jumps in, followed by Bejar’s voice, cautioning, “Fool child, you’re never gonna make it / New York City just wants to see you naked, and they will / Though they’d never say so.” By the time the backing vocals arrive, one might conjure an image of Bejar in a white suit, performing at a hotel somewhere in Hawaii with a Robert Palmer-style all-woman band.

Though it arrives at the end of the album, “Bay of Pigs” serves as the obvious transition piece between Kaputt and Destroyer’s earlier works. Loosely relating to the 1961 invasion of Cuba, Bejar built an EP around it last year. In its original form, “Bay of Pigs” was over 13 minutes long. In its slightly trimmed down length, the 11-minute opus still finds time to transition from droning ambience to scaling blips that sound like they could come from an early Nintendo game, to the guitar-based avant-pop sound he became known for, complete with hand claps. It was around “Bay of Pigs” that Bejar’s record label, Merge, coined the term “ambient disco,” which is the most apropos classification for anything off of Kaputt.

Take off one of those Ts, and Kaputt becomes “kaput,” which means to incapacitate, break, ruin, or destroy. Knowing Bejar’s self-referential tendencies, it could be that he found a cheeky way to create a self-titled album. But with the new direction he’s embarking on, it speaks more fittingly to the ways he is destroying the Destroyer of the past, killing his old sound to create something new. (Merge 2011)

Destroyer MySpace page

Alternative, Ambient, CD Reviews, Dance, Electronica, Hipster, Indie, Indie Labels, Progressive, Psychedelic, Rock

Bullz-Eye’s Favorite Albums of 2010: Staff Writer James Eldred’s picks

December 7, 2010 /

I would like to preface this list by saying that I have not yet listened to Cee-Lo Green’s new album nor Kanye West’s latest – which everyone and their mother is telling me is a freaking masterpiece. So a more apt title of this list might be “The Top 10 albums of the year that I got around to.”

1. Foxy Shazam: Foxy Shazam
If I had my way this list would have one album. That’s right, this album is so good that it is actually the 10 best albums of the year. Hell, it’s the 20 best albums of the year, and the five best albums of 2009. Foxy Shazam aren’t just a band; they are a force of nature that will kick your ass, steal your lunch money and make sweet love to you all at the same time. “Count Me Out,” “Bye Bye Symphony,” “Bombs Away,” the list just goes on and on, every song on this album could be a Top 10 single. Yet somehow none of them have been. America, you’re letting me down even more than usual. There is no greater band on the planet than Foxy Shazam. They are here to take over the world and be the biggest rock stars since the Beatles. So if you all could just accept that already and buy this album now, that would be great.

2. Goldfrapp: Head First
Most artists who try to recreate that classic ’80s dance sound usually crash and burn, sounding more like a parody of the music they’re trying to replicate (Owl City springs to mind) than the real deal. But Goldfrapp pulled it off with this release, channeling the soundtrack to “Flashdance” and Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical” (in a good way!) on instantly danceable tracks like “Rocket” and “Alive.”

3. The Sword: Warp Riders
There are not enough metal bands making concept albums about intergalactic space battles. Thankfully the Sword realized this, and updated their mythology-based themes for the 21st century, changing their focus on medieval wizards and warriors to space-faring heroes and transcendental beings who traverse space and time. The fist-pounding metal that accompanies the far out narrative is pretty damn good as well.

4. Coheed & Cambria: Year of the Black Rainbow
Okay, maybe there are other bands creating concept albums about intergalactic space battles. But while the Sword is like “Aliens,” direct and to the point, Coheed & Cambria’s conclusion to their epic Armory Wars saga is like “Star Trek,” “Star Wars” and Rush’s 2112 all rolled into one incredibly overblown and bombastic delight.

5. Sleigh Bells: Treats
What is it about Brooklyn and male/female electronic duos? First Matt & Kim, and now these two. But while Matt & Kim delivered the audio equivalent of a big hug with Sidewalks, Sleigh Bells’ Treats is like a sonic punch in the face, a bizarre combination of industrial, punk and straight-up noise that is louder and more original than any other record this year.

6. Matt & Kim: Sidewalks
Not everyone seems to be jamming on this, the third release release by the Brooklyn duo. But why not? Sure, they opened up their sound a bit and don’t have the same lo-fi charm they had on their first two albums, but with fun-beyond-fun tracks like the opener “Block After Block” and “AM/FM Sound,” who cares? The funnest record to come out this year.

7. Nitzer Ebb: Industrial Complex
This has been out in some form since late 2009, but it didn’t get a wide release until this year, so it counts. Besides, it would be a shame not to shine further light on this shockingly stellar reunion record. Before this, Nitzer Ebb hadn’t been in the studio in 15 years, and they hadn’t been making music worth listening to for even longer. How the hell the could reform after all that time and not only make a good record, but a great record that stands up next to their best, is a welcome surprise.

8. The Orb Featuring David Gilmour: Metallic Spheres
The Orb are well known for creating soundscapes that take their listener’s a trip that is best traveled while on drugs. Taking that into account, its amazing that it took this long for them to team up with someone from Pink Floyd. A trip so deep that you might not even needs heavy medication to appreciate it.

9. Girl Talk: All Day
Opening Feed the Animals with a mash-up of UGK’s “International Player’s Anthem (I Choose You)” and the Spencer Davis Group’s “Gimme Some Lovin” was smart. But the opening notes of All Day, which mix together Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” and Ludacris’ “Move Bitch,” are pure pop genius. Girl Talk didn’t do anything new with his latest all-illegal release – he just did what did before, masterfully mixing together dozens of songs all at one, better than he ever has before.

10. Diskjokke: En Fin Tid
I like Tangerine Dream, okay? There, I said it. And this Norwegian DJ and producer made the best Tangerine Dream album since 1979 with this minimalistic and beautiful collection of downbeat but cheerful-sounding dance songs. Not for everyone, obviously, but it was almost tailor-made for me.

Alternative, Ambient, Artists, CD Reviews, Dance, Electronica, Hipster, Industrial, Metal, Rock

Bullz-Eye’s Favorite Albums of 2010: Staff Writer Greg Schwartz’s picks

December 7, 2010 /

It’s been another bad year for the recording industry, but another great year for music fans. Rock ‘n’ roll is alive and well, as is the opportunity to see it performed live. Musicians can still make a living, but they have to hit the road and seize modern marketing opportunities. One thing that will never change is the public’s desire to hear great music. Bands that can deliver still have a chance to write their own ticket.

Top 10 lists are of course inherently subjective, and this observer’s faves will always lean toward the guitar-driven rock side of the music spectrum. I was certain that the debut album from the long-awaited Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band would be topping my list this year, especially after the slew of terrific new tunes they delivered in two stellar shows at the New Orleans Jazzfest back in April. But the album isn’t coming out until 2011. Here’s my take on the best albums and songs that were released in 2010.

10. The Henry Clay People: Somewhere on the Golden Coast
This is just an old-fashioned, ’90s-style indie-alternative rock ‘n’ roll album that stands out with its energetic yet down-to-earth sound. No Pro Tools trickery going on here, just a band plugging into their amps and turning up the volume. It’s got loud guitars with melodic hooks, rocking piano and zeitgeist lyrics from singer/guitarist Joey Siara that tap into this modern era of Depression and discontent. “Working Part Time” is one of the great anthems of the year, while “End of an Empire” sounds like an alt-rock prophecy.

9. The Sword: Warp Riders
The Austin, Texas hard rockers deliver a blast from the past that is easily the best metal album to come along in some time. It’s like a cross between Metallica, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Thin Lizzy, which equals metal heaven. It’s chock full of great riffs, furious rhythms and tight metal mayhem with a twist of classic rock flavor.

8. Stone Temple Pilots: Stone Temple Pilots
Back together with their first new album in years, STP deliver a rocking platter that recalls their ’90s heyday as alt-rock icons. Guitarist Dean DeLeo is at his best throughout, putting on a clinic of plucking guitar strings and alternative guitar strumming. Scott Weiland conquered his demons (temporarily at least), and sounds great here. The band doesn’t play it safe, either. There’s big rockers like the Zepp-ish “Take a Load Off,” the swaggering “Huckleberry Crumble” and the hard-charging “Hazy Daze.” But the band also stretches out with pop rock gems like “Dare if You Dare,” the uplifting “Cinnamon” and the Bowie-esque “First Kiss on Mars.”

7. Juliana Hatfield: Peace + Love
In a year where peace and love were in short supply, the Gen-X songstress delivered a stripped-down acoustic album that comforts the weary soul. It’s low-fi, but it’s some of Hatfield’s best work, demonstrating what a deep vibe can be conjured from just a girl and her guitar (and a little bit of piano and percussion here and there.) Songs like the title track, “The End of War”, “Why Can’t We Love Each Other” and “Faith in Our Friends” offer a melodic sense of hope for the future that I found myself returning to time and again.

6. The Macrodots: The Other Side
Rock goddess Cathy Richardson has been wowing audiences since 2008 in Jefferson Starship, where she fills in for the legendary Grace Slick in stunning fashion. Now she’s taken that classic rock aura and teamed up with former Scandal guitarist Zack Smith to create a great new band. Richardson has a dynamic range that few can match, evidenced from the powerful opening title track. “Beautiful Girl” shows a softer side, yet in compelling fashion. The metaphysical “I Am” soars, while “Not Too Late” and “Every Time” just flat out rock with great hooks and arrangements. This is a band ready to break out to a large audience if they could just get the exposure.

5. Grace Potter & the Nocturnals: Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
Vermont blues babe Grace Potter has got her band clicking at a higher level here with the addition of bassist Catherine Popper (formerly of Ryan Adams & the Cardinals). There’s a variety of classic rock influences at work, yet the band’s sound ripples with fresh energy. There’s lots of big hooks, hot riffs and a variety of vocal styles from Potter. The songs range from hard rock to pop, blues and even a bit of reggae. The dynamic bass playing from Popper boosts the sound throughout, and especially in the live setting, making her the rock ‘n’ roll acquisition of the year.

4. The Dead Weather: Sea of Cowards
With the nation plunged into the worse economic depression since the 1930s, there were plenty of blues to mine. Few albums provided as cathartic an antidote for venting out those blues than this barnburner from Jack White, Alison Mosshart and company. White sets up Mosshart to be the star, giving the dark angel a perfect setting to belt out those intense blues in compelling fashion. “Hustle and Cuss” has one of the year’s best grooves, while “The Difference Between Us” and “I’m Mad” find Mosshart really cutting loose over the deep, dark riffage. The album’s urgent energy and masterful old-school production value really stand out.

3. Ryan Bingham & the Dead Horses: Junky Star
This album finds Bingham moving in bit more of a country-ish direction, following his Oscar win with “The Weary Kind.” But he still delivers some of his best rock ‘n’ roll tunes – he’s just interpersing them with some more atmospheric tunes. It’s hard to think of anyone else who is blending rock, country and blues as seamlessly as Bingham does. He’s got one of the most soulful, comforting voices in rock and everything sounds great here thanks to production from T Bone Burnett. The album has a cinematic sort of flow, and some of the year’s best lyrics with zeitgeist rockers like “Depression” and “Direction of the Wind”, both of which tap deep into the hard times of the foul economy and shameful political climate.

2. Galactic: Ya-Ka-May
The New Orleans funk masters score their best studio album yet by bringing in a wide variety of friends to help them explore their diverse influences. There’s memorable vocal tunes like “Heart of Steel,” “Dark Water” and “You Don’t Know.” There’s deep party grooves like “Boe Money” and “Cineramascope,” where the band emphasizes the horns. There’s raucous bounce rap, atmospheric blues, a little bit of everything. It’s all an intentional mix to emphasize the Crescent City’s many diverse sonic flavors. The common denominator is drummer Stanton Moore, who puts on a groove clinic throughout.

1. School of Seven Bells: Disconnect from Desire
It’s always hard to decide which album is the best of the year, but this one gets the nod due to the utterly unique sonic landscape it explores. There’s no other album that made me feel like I was hearing a new sound. Guitarist/producer Ben Curtis conjures a mystical vibe by blending his creative guitar work with trippy electronic flavors and big beats for a soaring dream pop sound. Twin sisters Ally and Claudia Deheza then add their siren-like vocals for mystical harmonies that often seem to conjure another reality. It’s too bad that Claudia dropped out of the band this fall, but it doesn’t diminish what an achievement this album is.

Honorable mentions

Herbie Hancock: The Imagine Project
Beats Antique: Blind Threshold
Big Gigantic: A Place Behind the Moon
Earl Greyhound: Suspicious Package
Sheryl Crow: 100 Miles From Memphis
Los Lobos: Tin Can Trust
The New Pornographers: Together
Robert Randolph & the Family Band: We Walk This Road
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: Mojo
7 Walkers: 7 Walkers
Hole: Nobody’s Daughter
Nas & Damian Marley: Distant Relatives
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings: I Learned the Hard Way
Here We Go Magic: Pigeons
She and Him: Vol.2
Arcade Fire: The Suburbs
LCD Soundsystem: This Is Happening
Sleepy Sun: Fever
Jenny & Johnny: I’m Having Fun Now
Railroad Earth: Railroad Earth
Devo: Something for Everybody
Melissa Auf Der Mauer: Out of Our Minds
Michael Franti & Spearhead: The Sound of Sunshine
Slash: Slash

Songs

10. “The New Fuck You,” Street Sweeper Social Club
This killer tune blends Boots Riley’s hip-hop rebel style with some of Tom Morello’s classic Rage-style riffage for one of the year’s best anthems. In a world that is rapidly sliding down the tubes while most stand around feeling helpless, Street Sweeper Social Club lays it on the line in this instant classic chorus – “Revolution is the new fuck you.” You wanna stick it to the Man? Stop spending your money at McDonalds and Wal-Mart.

9. “Summer Day, Sheryl Crow
This combo of deep soul and a catchy hooks is what great pop songs are all about. Sheryl is at her best here and it’s great to hear her tapping back into her roots.

8. “Collector,” Here We Go Magic
This is a next-level song that has the kind of unique sonic energy that suggests this band is just scratching the surface of what seems to be an immense potential. The blend of minimalist style with surging sonic hooks is one of the year’s most unique tunes.

7. “The Game Gets Old,” Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings
This majestic soul tune about dealing with another broken heart offers instant catharsis to the lovelorn. That makes it an instant classic, especially with way Jones and crew bring the old soul vibe into the modern era with such feeling and craft.

6. “Laredo,” Band of Horses
If the whole album rocked like this infectious melodic gem, Band of Horses would be my favorite new band. Alas, this is far and away the best tune on the album.

5. “Black Elk Speaks,” Railroad Earth
This bluesy ode to the legendary Sioux medicine man is probably the hardest rocking song the band has ever put out, and it’s got an appropriately mystical flavor that makes it one of the year’s best. Deep stuff.

4. “Tiny Light,” Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
The band’s lead single has it all, a classic rock vibe with a mystical twist, some of Grace’s best lyrics and most urgent vocals, plus a smoking jam at the end that proves you can stick a jam into a pop rock song and get away with it.

3. “Babelonia,” School of Seven Bells
This tune is a magical blend of rock, pop and psychedelia. The tight rocking beat and angelic vocals make for a compelling dichotomy.

2. “Shotgun,” Earl Greyhound
Power trio rock at it’s best, this hard-hitting tune has a mesmerizing quality that can transform an audience of casual onlookers into instant converts.

1. “Depression,” Ryan Bingham & the Dead Horses
The government is clearly lying about the unemployment rate, but leave it to the rockers to tell the truth about how this so-called Recession is really a Depression. This cathartic, up-beat rocker about transcending that economic Depression taps the current zeitgeist like no other tune did this year.

Alternative, Americana, Artists, Blues, CD Reviews, Electronica, Hip Hop, Hipster, Jam Band, Metal, Pop, Progressive, Rock, Rock Babes

Girl Talk: All Day

December 6, 2010 /


RIYL: Popular music

Girl Talk’s albums have always been a Top 40 of sorts for the ADD set, but with All Day he takes it to new heights. His breakthrough album Night Ripper featured samples from approximately 150 songs. His follow-up, 2008’s Feed the Animals, had about 300. All Day‘s massive menagerie of liberated cut-ups and clips tops out at close to 400. At 71 minutes in length, that averages out to about 5.6 songs a minute.

Like all Girl Talk (real name Gregg Gillis) albums, it’s one continuous mix, constantly changing and evolving, so its impossible to rate individual tracks. However, some highlight sections include the opening minute, which combines Ludacris’ “Move Bitch” with Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs”; the brilliant combining of Rihanna’s “Rude Boy” with Fugazi’s classic “Waiting Room,” and an awesome combination of Toadies’ “Possum Kingdom” with vocal samples from about half a dozen different rap tracks.

Nearly anyone with good enough sound mixing software and a basic understanding of time signatures can mix songs together, but Gillis doesn’t only top amateur mash-up artists with his quantity of tracks sampled, but with his inspiration in choosing tracks. But only Gillis has the gumption to mix together ODB’s “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” with Radiohead’s “Creep,” to added unexpected meaning to ODB’s ode of dirty sex and some much needed levity to Thom Yorke’s self-loathing warble.

It doesn’t have the novelty of previous Girl Talk releases – we’ve all heard this before by now. But that doesn’t change the fact that this is a truly awesome mix, and one of his most entertaining to date. (Illegal Art 2010)

Girl Talk MySpace Page

CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Dance, Electronica, Hipster

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