Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse - Dark Night of the Soul

MINE

Mmph.  I really thought I was going to love this, given my previous delight at anything Dangermousy in the world.  I'll admit the songs are prettily composed and well played and everything, but it just didn't grab me.

I'd recommend it for dinner party music, though - there's lots of inoffensive melodies beautifully done.  I just didn't find it compelling.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN and pass the hors d'oeuvres 

YOURZ

It seems as though anything Brian Burton, aka Dangermouse, touches has an undeniable appeal to me.  His work with everyone from Damon Albarn, Beck and The Black Keys have become firm favourites.  Then he teamed up with Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous and an eclectic roster of singers and contributors, including film producer David Lynch.

The opening track Revenge, featuring the beautifully strained vocals of Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne, sets a great benchmark for the rest of the album but only for the first three tracks.  It leads a trio of gorgeous alt-pop before changing gears with Julian Casablancas taking the lead in Little Girl, a bouncing dubby track complete with bass drops.

The following two tracks, the chugging Angel's Harp featuring Black Francis and Pain with vocals by somewhat subdued Mr Iggy Pop, add the rock quotient to the track listing.  After what could only be described as a Lynchian hommage to the psychedelic pop of everyone from The Beatles and Beach Boys to the Lips in Star Eyes (I Can't Catch It), is my favourite track of the album, Everytime I'm With You, voiced by Jason Lytle, formerly of Grandaddy.

However, I can't help feeling a sense of loss.  The death of Linkous prior to its release was a tragic blow.  If only as a testament to his abilities, Dark Night Of The Soul is as fine a document as any.  Vale Sparklehorse...

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.dnots.com/

Grandaddy - Under The Western Freeway

YOURZ

I really like Jason Lytle.  His unassuming delivery and pop sensibilities greatly appeal to me.  I remember the first time I heard this particular album, I was listening to a lot of bands of a similar ilk.  While most of those bands have fallen off the listening queue, Grandaddy have been one of the few bands I still go back and listen to again.  But not so much Under The Western Freeway anymore.  I'm more partial to Sumday, which is a bit later in their career.

Lytle tries to channel the voice of Brian Wilson, then Neil Young then a mix of the two (or maybe it is all Wayne Coyne-inspired).  But there's also something unique about his delivery.  You know he's singing with his eyes closed, experiencing whatever emotion he is trying to convey through his words and projecting it to his audience.  I really like this aspect.

Unfortunately, not everything on this album is worthy.  Some of the tracks, like the title track and Poisoned At Hartsy Thai Food, are indulgent and don't seem to really go anywhere, almost as though they're afterthoughts.  But all can be forgiven when these stand next to such shining tracks as Summer Here Kids and A.M. 180. 

VERDICT: TURN IT UP (mostly)

MINE

YourZ was disappointed when I greeted this with an - ech.  It's not because the music's not good - it is.  But once again the songs are being sung by someone who really doesn't deserve the title of singer.  Whiny and untuneful.  Not as bad as Bob Dylan, but getting there.  In fact there was one song that was so out of tune, I just couldn't listen to it.

I'd call this background music - good for a dinner party but not for intense listening.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

For more information: http://www.myspace.com/grandaddy

Built To Spill - Keep It Like A Secret

YOURZ

What a fucking awesome Forgotten Gem.  I can't figure out why it's sat in my collection for so long without being played, I really can't.  But I'm so pleased the pointy stick landed on it to remind me again.  And it's been so long since I heard Keep It Like A Secret, it's almost like I'm listening to it for the first time again.

I was turned on to this wonderful band by an old friend (g'day Ciaron, if you're reading, give us a call).  He made my day when he said this reminded him of the sort of songs I wrote.  I'd love to say I agree with him but it's hardly true.  Regardless, I was fairly chuffed with the comment.

For me, BTS plumb the spaces between The Grifters, Superchunk, Archers Of Loaf, Pavement and Sebadoh, with a little Grandaddy thrown into the mix as well.  I suppose all this could be gathered loosely under the heading 'Slacker Rock' but as we eschew labels here, lets just leave it at my first descriptive - 'fucking awesome'.  In researching this, I found out they are still putting out records and, in fact, their latest has been rated as good as this one.  *sigh* I guess we have another band to add to the list, Mine.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

YourZ handed me this CD with the comment that he likes this band, but wasn't sure about me.  So I'll start right away with my criticisms.  That drummer sounds like he got a new set of cymbals for his birthday and just can't stop playing them.  And the vocals once or twice moved over into that whiny indie-pop inflection, which irritates me.  Just sing, don't complain!

OK, that's it.

Oh, how about what I liked about Built to Spill?  Everything else.  The melodies are happy and well-structured, the sound is multi-layered and beautifully produced, the songs are hummable and the standout song is track 8, You Were Right.  I'm looking forward to hearing it again.  1999, really?  I'm not surprised I haven't heard this before, because I was working for commercial radio at the time, and it would have passed me by.  It's a pity they weren't more popular here, this is an excellent CD.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.builttospill.com/

M Ward - Hold Time

YOURZ

Matthew Ward, the bugger, gets under your skin and into your head.  Hold Time is a set of songs more like a dose of salts for the senses, a spirit-balming, effortlessly cool set reminiscent of so much while sounding completely original, even when doing covers (Rave On and Oh Lonesome Me), both of which are given startlingly beautiful makeovers, the second also featuring Lucinda Williams on dual vocal duties.

There is no doubt in my mind, M. Ward will be known as one of THE voices of the new century.  His original songs are all keepers, from the stripped down of opener For Beginners and the title track, Hold Time (an instant classic) to the more traditionally arranged Epistemology and To Save Me  (which also features ex-Grandaddy Jason Lytle). 

I was disappointed to read he doesn't like playing live so much (despite putting in performances like this one).  This doesn't bode well to him touring down below, which is a bummer because this is one man I would love to see perform live.  In fact, there's only one other artist I consider to be in the same league as M. Ward and that is Dan Kelly (see our review here).  Thankfully Dan is Australian and loves performing so we will get to see him sooner or later.

Hold Time is so good, I would like to declare it a Forgotten Gem except it hasn't been forgotten and is not likely to be either.  I'm off to see if I can find any of his earlier releases.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

It's just... beautiful.  His voice is so gorgeous, and the production and arranging are equally lush.  I haven't listened to this CD much since YourZ bought it in January and I'm sorry about that.  I'll just blame this blog once again, for getting in the way of my normal random listening to music.  It's preventing me enjoying the more recent purchases we've made in favour of some dreck we've had hanging around the collection for ages.

OK, I've calmed down now.  M Ward does that to you - he exudes calm, which was handy on the way home in heavy traffic last night.  I'm going to make sure I have it on hand the next time I have a long-distance fight with my mother. 

VERDICT: TURN IT UP drown out the sounds that annoy you

For more information: http://www.mwardmusic.com/