Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid

6.8/10

.

Strictly speaking about the sound/production, this album is refeshing, like drinking clean, clear spring water. Each instrument is heard in its own space and has an intricate and definite purpose. Nothing is rushed, as nearly every song is mid-tempo, but this band wasn't meant to romp and rave. But the textures and layers are really where they excel (when they do excel, that is). And a slight swagger, but nothing too out there, just quiet confidence.

.

Some albums as downtempo as this would make an anxious listener even more unnerved and frustrated. But this relaxes, calms, and reassures.

.

The album starts out of the gate with three bonafide great songs, "Mirrorball" being the highlight of the entire album. The problem is that things lull to a near stop towards the middle, starting with "An Audience With the Pope" to the low point of the album and drag of a song, "The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver." "Slow Riot" tries to steal that accolade just two songs later, however. It's unfortunate that an album with so much potential has such a drab middle section. This has become even more apparent as I review the album, whereas in the past I imagine I let it slide and just drifted my attention elsewhere.

.

"One Day Like This" redeems the album towards the end, and "Friend of Ours" succeeds at being extremely subtle but beautiful at the same time with great touches of piano, providing for a great closer, but ultimately this is a patchy effort where they simply couldn't sustain the near perfection of the first three songs.

Slint - Spiderland

9.6/10

.

I don't think I can possibly comprehend exactly how groundbreaking this album was. I can understand on an intellectual level, but I've heard too much music that's come out since that's been influenced by it to really grasp it.

.

That doesn't mean it isn't amazing. It's meticulous, methodical, and creepy. It's the feeling of alienation.

.

I may be influenced by the name of the album, but I always think of crawling spiders when I hear the almost screeching single note guitar picks, or the smooth winding guitar lines throughout the album. And I can imagine crawling through dark caves, or swimming in the bottom of the ocean in pitch black. It's a very visual album.

.

The strength of the album lies greatly in its sparseness and guitar/drum interplay. Listen to the first minute of "Nosferatu Man" to hear what I mean. It's like the guitars are traveling through the maze that the drums are creating. Or all of "Don, Aman." It's amazing how such a seemingly simple guitar duo can be so effective. Very cool stuff.

.

The vocals are just as raw, if not more so, than the other instruments. A large part of them are spoken, or half-sung. A lot of them are buried in the mix. All of them add to the atmosphere so amazingly being created by everything else.

.

"Washer" just may be my favorite song on the album. I love the drum part and how it flows so well with the guitars. Like I said, there is extremely cool interplay throughout this album. The vocals are most pronounced on this song as well, and very chilling.

.

"Good Morning, Captain" is one of the most amazing closers in the history of music. Seriously. The stark nature of the song climaxes when you hear screeching shouts of "I MISS YOU!!!" to end out the album. It will leave any breathing human speechless.

.

I don't listen to this album a whole lot simply because it requires a very specific mood, and a specific time and place. Those circumstances don't come together very often. But I suppose that's just one more reason to cherish it all that much more.

Joanna Newsom - Have One on Me

7.6/10

.

Those already familiar with Joanna Newsom know that her vocal style is a love-it or hate-it affair. Her quirky, almost fairy-tale nuances and crickles and crackles go along perfectly with lyrics fantasy worlds, full of imagery and flowery language suited more for a hobbit than a grown woman it seems.

.

Have One one Me is where Joanna shows her personal side. This is where she essentially strips everything bare and pours out her soul, her hopes, her dreams, and her sorrows. One learns this even before listening to the music, as each disc sleeve shows a picture of Joanna in a very womanly and nearly provocative manner.

.

Many have compared her vocal approach here to be similar to Joni Mitchell, to which I will wholeheartedly agree. There's a certain maturity to her voice that hasn't been present before. It's a welcome change from a musical style that would've likely turned into self-parody if kept up for too much longer (with that said, I'm a huge fan of her earlier work).

.

So, the thing about this album, TRIPLE album, is that it's massive. You can get lost in it if you hear it all at once, which could be good or bad depending on your attention span and mood. Songs are many times comprised of Newsom and her harp or a piano, with accompaniments used as embellishments rather than core parts. But one thing I can tell you is multiple listens rewards you greatly, as you become familiar with the melodies and nuances and the music starts to turn into a comforting blanket.

.

Disc 1

.

"Easy" shows immediately Joanna's change in artistic vision, with violins and piano guiding her beautiful vocals through a very comforting song to ease you into the album. "Good Intentions Paving Company" is the standout track on this disc, with it's nearly galloping pace and jaunty mood. "Have One on Me" is the epic track running at just over 11 minutes, and one of the best tracks on the entire album. "'81" is a play on the year "A.D. 1" which is spelled out in the lyrics. I believe I also read somewhere '81 is her birth year. "Baby Birch" is another standout, making disc 1 perhaps the strongest of the three.

.

Disc 2

.

Although this is my least favorite of the three discs, "In California" and "Go Long" are standouts. Most of this disc is lacking in variety and it lulls at times because of it. Both the first and second tracks are very laid back and it does the entire disc a disservice for not building up any momentum. This disc prevents the album from being an album of the year contender in my eyes, unless this year turns out to be a real dud.

.

Disc 3

.

This disc contains my favorite song on the album, "Autumn." The mood on this song is just incredible, with Joanna's delicate vocals and some well crafted accompaniment. She sounds most relaxed and vulnerable, and it builds a very strong feeling of longing.

.

There's a lot I didn't cover, but I'll leave the rest for you to discover. It takes some patience, but it will be well rewarded.

(Not so) deep thoughts on the correlation between music and who you view yourself to be

For a long while, the scope of music I was into was pretty narrow (some could easily argue it still is). I was mainly into grunge, hard rock/metal, and alternative rock through early high school years. That evolved into indie rock and some classic rock. First years of college, it was mainly indie music.

The past few years I've grown tired of the same old aesthetic and have decided to let myself go outside of what I'd pigeonholed myself to be. You see, for some, music is very very closely attached to who you view yourself to be. It's the essence of your style, beliefs, and conscious. So when you like something you tend to think shouldn't be "you," it's not even so much a matter of being embarrassed around friends or those close to you that you'd like such music that was so far off from who they picture you to be, it's a matter of letting your own mind and soul be comfortable with it.

It seems silly to worry so much about such trivial things. Most people don't give a crap about what music (or movies, or anything) they like. Most people are less attached than people like me to whom music is such a large part of life. Those who are like me I'm sure can relate.

Maybe I'm just paranoid.

Where am I going with this? Well, for starters, I've grown to like some music with strong country influence. I'd always despised country (and still do for the most part). I've grown to love soul. I bought a Dan Fogelberg album a few months ago. I really enjoy the KT Tunstall album I have in my collection. And well, recently, I've allowed myself to dive into Steely Dan's music for goodness sake. I mean, on the surface that stuff literally sounds like elevater/grocery store music. I was telling my wife a while back that I really shouldn't like the stuff, and even she was baffled. But for reasons I still haven't figured out, heck if I don't think a good Steely Dan album is worthy of my time in the right mood.

I realize people naturally grow in and out of things, whatever it may be. So maybe what I'm talking about really isn't that big of a deal. But for me, at least, maybe it signifies a person who may have been a little too wound up, a little too nervous, and a little too worried, and is finally, albeit slowly, starting to chill out.

The Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy

9.5/10

.

I never could have appreciated this album to its fullest if I hadn't heard it with headphones. The sonic torture this album puts you through is so strangely addicting. It's like putting your ears through a blender, but loving every second of it.

.

There's so many different divergent aspects of the album that meet so perfectly. One moment I'm concentrating on a poppy and catchy melody, but then my attention will be slammed in reverse to the reverberating slabs of noise. Another moment I'll be smiling at the sweetness of the melodies, but a second later I'll feel like headbanging to the massive beat matched with a wall of guitars. It really shouldn't work, but because it does it's amazing to listen to.

.

But the noise isn't a cop out, covering up mediocre songs with a wall of noise, like some claim. I genuinely believe that somebody could have just as easily turned these songs into a classic jangle pop album had the distorted guitars been replaced with clean guitars, and the hollow production replaced with clear and bright production. The great melodies and songs are definitely there.

.

I never thought a pop album could be so devistating and work so well.

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

3.9/10

.

Boredom is the main thing I feel here. Some parts are beautiful, some parts are catchy, but mostly it's incredibly relaxing and melancholy to an extreme fault. I can't possibly see myself wanting to come back to this album more than a couple times.

.

Thing is, this album is missing counterbalancing elements. There's no tension, no dynamics, very little to no catchy melodies, and not nearly enough emotion. It just sounds like a group of people in a studio trying to make a beautiful record, being so careful not to ruin anything that they completely forgot to make inspired, original music. The vocals reflect this as you can almost hear them straining for perfection and trying to sound perfect as opposed to just singing out of emotion.

.

The closest the album reaches the point of being successful is in the opener, "Southern Point," where some minor tones and slight tension grab my ears. "Two Weeks" is a poor attempt at doo-wop and extremely bland for what it's trying to accomplish. The rest of the album just drowns in its own pool of careful and meticulous mediocrity.

.

In a way, it's actually kind of refreshing, because it reassures me that the good music that's out there truly is inspired and maybe it isn't possible to "manufacture" a great album after all. Because that's exactly how this album sounds to me, manufactured perfection. And as such, it's not even close to being perfect.

Can - Tago Mago

8.0/10

How is this record so dang good and fun to listen to? I mean, on the surface it's nothing more than a steady drum beat, jamming guitars, and crazed vocals that drone on and on. But what this album has in spades is a locked in, dead-on groove and one of the coolest rock singers in history. Heck, I'm sold.

The amazing thing is that normally I'd expect music this hypnotic and spacey to kind of float on in the background without keeping my full attention for the entire time. You know, mind wandering music. But not this. I'm captivated like a cat watching a plate of tuna on a merry-go-round. Watch it go 'round, and 'round, and 'round.

The consensus masterpiece of the album, "Halleluhwah," is the perfect example. The drums and bass are locked into a groove that, dang it if I can't stop bobbing my head and tapping my foot to it. It's freaking addicting. And the experimentation over the top of it is fascinating. The screechy violins, the groovy guitars with Damo's scatting alongside them, the crazed keyboards. Count. Me. In.

After the heavy groovefest of "Halleluhwah," "Aumgn" provides a reprieve with its complete absence of a beat, instead opting for noise experiments. The noise is joined by tribal-sounding drums towards the end. It's a welcome palate cleanser, and creates quite a stark, in-the-basement-of-a-dungeon-like ambiance.

"Peking O" is by far the most experimental piece on the album. Electronic beats lay the foundation for wild piano, keyboard, and all sorts of other doodling around. Damo's vocals are played backwards at hyperactive speed with manic beats and keyboards. He sounds like a paranoid, hallucinating 5 year old hyped up on a couple liters of coffee...

And speaking of which, "Bring Me Coffee or Tea" is a great album closer, which calls back to the more conventional aspects of the first half of the record.

I've yet to mention the entire first side of the album, which challenges side B (filled entirely with "Halleluwah") as my favorite side on the album. "Paperhouse" and "Oh Yeah" are especially essential listening.

The key to enjoying this album is to stay with it. It's gotten better with each listen so far for me. It's nearly impossible to capture everything it offers initially. But patience has rewarded me one of the best krautrock albums I've ever heard.