Old Man River - Trust

YOURZ

Phew, after the hard-as rush of Mastodon yesterday, Old Man River is like stepping outside a packed, hot, sweaty venue into the air of a cool summer evening. 

Yet another associate of one of our favourites, Luke Steele, Old Man River is the stage and band name for Ohad Rein, a Sydney-based musician who first came to our attention through his association with Nations By The River, who we've previously reviewed here. 

Crossing the line between pop and alt-country, Old Man River aren't trying to rewrite the popular music songbook.  Instead, they're bringing a sensitivity and timelessness to what is often times a tired genre.  It helps that Rein has a effortlessly pleasing voice and the ability to write tracks that stick in this listener's head for days. 

And thanks to some quick thinking by Mine, it looks as though we'll be seeing him live later in the month.  What a lovely way to start what looks to be a very busy few months for us on the live music front. (Mine says: always the way in the southern hemisphere summer, but who's complaining? Gorillaz here we come!!!)

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

Another in our seemingly-endless selection of "beautiful music" - which has prompted me to create a playlist for the iPod.  Sleepy Jackson, M Ward, Nations By The River, Elliot Smith, Martin Craft - who else?  I could go for days just listening to one gorgeous, dreamy pop song after another.  My life would float by in a haze of roses and light.  Soma for the ears.

I wonder how long I'd last before the need for some serious dirty rock emerged.  And will this output sometime in the future make its way on to a "beautiful music" radio station?  Does this mean I'm listening to the equivalent of Simon and Garfunkel?  (YourZ sez: no, this is better in so many ways)  Do I know what I'm talking about?

Whatever I mean, I'm glad we have this CD.  Long live dreamy pop.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://trustomr.com/

Machine Translations - Happy

YOURZ

Oh, it has been so long since I listened to this album.  For that reason alone, it has to be a Forgotten Gem, but it is so much more, believe me.

I don’t know how to describe J Walker, the man behind and responsible for the wondrous world of Machine Translations.  For all you international readers (hi there, friends), the best way I can put this is that J is the Australian version of Eel’s main man, Mark Everett, or E, as he is known.  The only difference is that J doesn’t seem to be as bogged down in bleakness as E often admits to being.

Happy, Walker’s fifth full length outing, continues his mostly-alone forays into the spaces between pop and folk.  He enlists various key players along the way to help paint his sound-scapes, but more so, it is his abilities as a multi-instrumentalist and the often unusual instruments that carry the songs.

I know this might sound obvious but while listening to Happy, I can’t help but smile.  Its not because the music is overly upbeat (some of its anything but) or is filled with great hooks (which it is) but it is the overall ambience.  This is pure pop magnificence.  Why we only have this album, though, is something we need to address, Mine.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

MINE

I can't call it a Forgotten Gem, but I can call it a "Why haven't we got more of him?"  When we first got Happy it was barely off the CD player.  And it makes its way back there semi-regularly, but now my brief foray into research shows there are more albums!  New albums!  Begging to be bought!

Now, how can I explain my enthusiasm.  I guess MT falls into the realm of stripped-back artists we love like M Ward... but also of experimental soundscapers like Sigur Ros.  There are pure pop moments and other where the man behind the band - J Walker - has definitely gone mad with the buttons and loops.  But even so, it's all good.  Really.  All of it!  Especially She Wears A Mask which is so damn hummable it's been chasing me around all day.

Don't take my word for it, watch Amnesia.  Then buy the album.  And all his others, because that's what I intend we should do ASAP.  If we did it for M Ward, we should do it for J Walker.  (YourZ sez: great minds think alike, my love)

VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://www.machinetranslations.org/

Badly Drawn Boy - The Hour Of Bewilderbeast

MINE

I tried hard to like Badly Drawn Boy, given every critic in the world (it seemed) has sung his praises, but really I can't.

That's because he just puts too much into each song.  I mean, the melodies are lovely, but I really have no idea if he can sing, because all his vocals are muffled and/or obscured by the layers and layers and layers and... layers of other stuff that's going on.

It's another CD that got me annoyed enough to yell at it, and abandon listening about three songs from the end.  So I'm sorry if one of those is a masterpiece, but even then it wouldn't be enough to keep it hanging around.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

YOURZ

I really don't know what to make of Damon Gough, aka Badly Drawn Boy.  The Hour Of Bewilderbeast was talked about a lot when it came out and I'm really not one for taking much notice of hype, particularly when it's led by the British music press who continually display a heavy bias towards their own.

It wasn't until this album turned up in a discount bin that I actually got it and gave it a listen.  And then it went straight into the collection where it's stayed ever since.  It kind of reminds me of over-earnest young solo musicians playing at a local open-mic night to three friends and bar staff.  The reality is if I wanted to listen to something like this, I'd go to Nick Drake or M Ward or, in fact, just about anyone else.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

For more information: http://www.badlydrawnboy.co.uk/

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/

Monsters of Folk - Monsters of Folk

MINE

The difficulty of buying music for my wonderful husband can be divided into two areas.

1. He doesn't like being told what music to listen to (as previously mentioned).  I dread hearing the phrase "Well... it's alright" when I've paid my money and made a choice for something I thought would be right up his alley.
   
   
2. He buys it first.  I don't know how many times I've been gazumped by him proudly bearing home a CD I've already earmarked for a gift in the lead-up to Christmas or his birthday.  And I have to smile while mentally swearing loudly.

But in this instance, I was surprised to find he wasn't even considering buying Monsters of Folk, even though the review I'd read of it made it sound like it had YourZ written all over it.  In fact, I even tried to hide the Q magazine the review was in, burying it under a pile of stuff on the kitchen table so he wouldn't take it into his head to give himself a little Christmas magic while shopping for others.

 

The best part about it is, I love it too! *does little happy dance*  It's another one of those albums that offers a range of different styles, but all well-crafted, tuneful songs that just make you feel happy when you listen to them.  From the kitchen to the living room to the car, this CD fits just about everywhere I/we listen to music.

VERDICT: TURN IT UP


YOURZ

It's kind of weird but the three albums I've been most impressed by in the last few months have ostensibly been created by super-groups of a sort, these being The Dead Weather, Them Crooked Vultures and this band, Monsters Of Folk.  The first two I actively sought and bought myself.  This one, however, turned up as a Christmas gift from Mine.

I'm usually resistant to anyone else buying me music but Mine, despite her pop-diva delectations, does generally have good taste. (Mine says: high praise indeed...)  But she did better than good in selecting this disc, let me tell you.  It's become a firm favourite when I need a break away from my hard rock yearnings of late.

Featuring Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes, Jim James from My Morning Jacket and M Ward from She & Him, MOF have tailored a suite of songs that gets better with every listen, as far as I'm  concerned.

With the exception of Oberst, I'm not familiar with any of the rest of MOF's individual careers.  Of course, I've heard of My Morning Jacket and M. Ward but like a lot of music around at the moment, it all kind of blends into one big mushy mess and I can't be bothered trying to wade through it all to sort out the good from the crap.  I'd rather spend my time actively seeking out music I'm interested in and know will suit my ever-increasing standards.

The opening song, Dear God (sincerely MOF), could confuse the listener, with its trip-hop loops and scratchy beats.  I was really excited when I first heard this track because it led me to think the rest of the album might be similar, which would be something truly different for the players involved.  But it seems as though MOF were merely teasing us, because for the rest of the album, they moved back to their most creatively comfortable territory.  It's here, in their new folk rock/American stylings, where they harmonize, complement and truly shine.

The one thing I've learnt from this is there's still room in my musical palate for new styles.  Also, the mushy mess I spoke of earlier is now a lot less bothersome.  I'm off to listen to some M. Ward and My Morning Jacket.  At least I'll be familiar with the voices.


VERDICT: TURN IT UP

For more information: http://monstersoffolk.com/