In Frame: An Amazing Picture

            This is a retrospective review of In Frame (2010) by Monokle & Galun, and the 15th review here on Track-By-Track.

            Well, it’s the end of August, and that means it’s the end of the retrospective month.  Fortunately, it’s going out with a bang, with 2010’s Russian collaboration, In Frame, by Monokle (beatmaker Vladislav Kudryavtsev) and Galun (vocalist Sergey Galunenko).  For a while, I’ve been addicted to music from the German 12rec label, and this is a good example of why.  The album goes between indie pop, and Radiohead-reminiscent alternative rock, with loads of overlap, and sometimes hints of chillwave.  In fact, a lot of this sounds like Danger Mouse working with Radiohead.
            There are sounds that defy explanation throughout, and most tracks have elements of genres that don’t normally mix well with each other.  I was happy to hear these different influences and styles mixed together in ways that actually work towards inventive and alternative music.  Though overall indie pop, the tracks are also alt-rock, with the guitar featuring prominently in almost every track.


            Here’s my TBT:

            “Happy Sun” begins the album.  It’s a lot like indie poppers Peter Bjorn and John, but with extra processing with hip-hop and trance influences.  There’s loads of sampled vocalizations, noise, and random noises, underneath a solid beat and a great heavily-processed bassline.  Guitars and other instruments are warped and tweaked, like an old-school acid dj got hold of an otherwise happy track, and then threw the mix to a shoegazer to make it palatable.  The track’s name is repeated a lot throughout, to good effect, and the ending reminds me of the Scottish IDM duo Boards of Canada.

            “Colding” is like David Lynch’s work on Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse's Dark Night of the Soul, but with more of a sophisticated and upbeat edge.  The beat is very addictive, and as usual, loads of sampled sounds and great bass brings the track loads of modernity without being horrid or too standard like most of the pop scene.  It’s a fitting title for the song, yet it has a warmth that’s undeniable.  Despite having only a few words throughout, it works extremely well, and even reminds me of some of the best David Wise video game scores.  Falsetto.  Need I say more?

            “Two Times” comes next, and it sounds like Radiohead and Peter Bjorn and John collaborating.  Vocal trails in falsetto overtop sampled other vocal samples, loads of guitars and synths with delays and reverb in abundance, and a heavily processed beat.  When the main vocals kick in, there are actually two of them.  Panned left, a soft spoken part; and right, a sung part; all the while, vocal trails softly panning both directions in tandem.  It’s like "Motion Picture Soundtrack" on Radiohead's Kid A, and the instrumental hidden track on the same album, especially because of the softer sounding xylophone-like synth.

            “Globus” is the 4th track.  It starts with some deep ambient vocals and tones; then some well-timed resonators being fed with what sounds like organs and wind chimes through a Leslie speaker.  It’s mostly instrumental, and very ambient; with slow vibraphone that really makes it relaxing and soothing.  There are so many sounds on this album that it’s just amazing how they’ve been fitted to make the tracks sound better, without altering the mood of the overall tracks they’re part of; and this track is a shining example.

            “Fine Care” is a great psychedelic indie-pop track with chillwave and alt-rock mentality throughout.  It definitely sounds like a hit.  The lyrics are few, but the voices are many; loads of vocal trails in falsetto, cut up, and likely sampled, as well as the vocals that do sing words.  Sampled glockenspiel and a “15 Steps” reminiscent beat work with mk-style synths, and occasional pitch-treated guitars and random noises, to create a rich and textured soundscape, sometimes fed through shifting resonators.  I find it astounding that music like this stuff isn’t constantly on the radio.

            “Air Krispella” slows things down a bit, and gets more modern, without losing its alternativeness.  The vocals are often like duets between The National’s Matt Berninger, and Thom Yorke, with occasional lines from Beck, in some kind of imaginary collaboration.  Loads of sampled sounds, reversed and forewords, and even a strange looped synth solo near the end.  The beat and solid bass have soul influences, but it’s definitely an alternative track with the ambient synths and warm vocals.

            “Crossed Fingers” is the 7th track.  It begins with an ambient guitar loop, then bass and vocals with just enough reverb.  The bass really drives this one, and guitars sometimes sound like kotos or other zithers.  There’s also a great electroacoustic moment at the end that’s like the best of Rune Lindblad, and Brian Eno warped together and awash in reverb.

            “Justalite” has what sounds like a soft wind instrument, and warped guitar and additional synths, before the beat and vocals cut in.  The lyrics repeat like a fast drone track, and the guitar is more prominent in this one.  The glockenspiel sounds like Sigur Rós near the end, though this is very much a Monokle and Galun original.  They bring sounds together in such a way to both soothe and unsettle at times, like this track’s light yet downtempo feeling.

            “Get At Will” is the 9th track.  Guitars (pitch treated, and warped) once again take the forefront, with a chopped beat, strange synths, and quite possibly some bass.  It’s an instrumental track, and guitars surround, emphasizing the psychedelic style that Monokle and Galun dabble with amidst their overall indie pop genre.  It’s refreshing to hear things in different ears, because, after all, we’re listening to music in stereo.
    Here’s my TBT:

            “Long” is downtempo with vibraphone and guitar, and bass that drives the track until the drums break in at full, and make it a post-rock crossover.  The lyrics are minimal and repetitive as usual, but also sung with loads of feeling, like all of the tracks.  The end is like a great ambient song with guitar overdubs.

            “Smolder” is the second-last track.  Some of the sped-up whispering vocals from the first track’s end return, but this time, with overarching deep ambient sounds surrounding them.  The guitar and bass are beautiful, and very warm.  It reminds me of that dusky time when everything is blue, yet as if someone has a warm fire to gather around in the early fall.  Look for piano and synths, in this instrumental.

            “Means” is the final track.  It’s softer, warmer, and brighter, than most of the other tracks, until the beats cut in with processed flair.  There are more lyrics, though the lyrics don’t seem as important as the sound.  More guitar, and processed samples, then a synth solo that screams both old and new.  The ending is a bit abrupt, but doesn’t hurt the track.

            Overall, it’s a strong alternative album, with both great creativity and attention to melody.  You can get this album, and loads more, for pay-what-you-want at http://12rec.bandcamp.com.  Then be sad that the label is not releasing anymore.

Despondent Transponder: Not Just a Fleeting Joy

            This is a retrospective review of the Fleeting Joys album Despondent Transponder (2006), and the 12th review on this blog.

            Fleeting Joys is a Shoegaze band from California, in a mainly traditional sense.  There are moments when they are more 90s alt-metal/alt-rock than shoegaze, but overall, this is one of those albums I’d recommend to anyone who wants to know what shoegaze sounds like, and who might not have had as much time bleeding their ears on the progenitors like I have (figuratively).  They have a great sound, with mainly drifting guitars, driving bass, riding drums, and vocals with a dreamy quality resurrected from the shoegaze-explosion of the 90s.
            I actually came across their formerly-lost song, Golden Now, first, and after listening to it a couple dozen times on headphones, I wanted more.  Fortunately, Despondent Transponder didn’t disappoint.  This is a strong album, and I’m glad I can write about it, even though they’ve since released newer material, because it’s so richly textured, and raw.  After all this time, it’s still relevant and enjoyable, as loads of the album just sticks with you.
            Here’s my TBT:

            The album starts with the song “The Breakup”.  It’s a modern-style shoegaze purist track, with loads of reverse-reverb and transparent overdrive.  A great start, it’s a chilled-out track, and they make use of the Kevin Shields glide guitar style of playing well.  This is another epitome of shoegazing music, like last week’s, but in a different way.  Fleeting Joys have a certain laid-back harshness about their sound on Despondent Transponder that makes their sound generally somewhere between indie rock, metal, and shoegaze proper.  Vocals are beautiful, layered, and calmly foreboding; drums ride in the verses, and are hard-hitting in the choruses; bass blasts out overdriven tones; and there’s even a great coda with samples and a perfect example of shoegazing in its element.

            “Lovely Crawl” comes next, and it’s a kind of hard-rock shoegaze mix.  Enveloping guitar and great soft breathy vocals are nicely juxtaposed by heavy bass, and slow-driving drums.  There are loads of layers in the track, many of them vocal, but some guitar, like the solos that shout out alt-rock done right.

            “Go and Come Back” is the third track.  It’s slower and softer than most of the album.  The guitar drifts in and out of its own reverb, and the vocals are beautiful.  The drums throughout are textured and played in a way to perfectly support and shine at the same time, as the bass grounds.  “Go and Come Back” is like lifting from the ground, but knowing you’ll never get lost in the sky.

            “I Want More Life” starts out with some string-samples being pitch warped, and then erupts into a kind of upbeat shoegaze speed-metal, in which the drums speed the track up, and the guitar give the illusion that the drums aren’t going fast at all.  Of course, it can certainly get the heart going, but it calms as it rages on.  It’s like an upper and a downer, not that I’d advise either of those non-musically.  It’s amazing that instrumental tracks can get this good.

            “Satellite” is fast and washed out with great guitar and high vocals.  The bass gives a backdrop to the track, and actually helps keep the key for the vocals, because great drums and warped guitar only help to imbue the track with a chaotic ordered-ness.  There’s an instrumental bridge after the middle of the track that’s to die for.  Look for it, and repeat ad infinitum.

            “While I’m Waiting”, the sixth track, comes after a low-end distorted fade-in.  The keyboard is like a good pop-line from the 90s, in the midst of a great 90s revival song.  It sounds optimistic, even though the lyrics are a bit Slowdivey.  Layered vocal harmonies fade out with the sweet anachronistic bass-line at the end.

            “Magnificent Oblivion” warps and flourishes, and a kind of repeating tremolo that sounds like a cd skipping on a synth track gives it a nice catchiness inside of the atmosphere created by warm bass, soft drums (with classic shoegaze-style cymbal rides), shy and dreamy vocals, and cold-and-aching-sounding guitar.  It’s a longer track, and addictive to boot.

            “Where Do I End” is the eighth track, and it sounds more 90s metal than shoegaze, even though it’s definitely a crossover.  I love the vocals and tonal combinations of the guitar and bass.  Actually, I love the ultra-90s-alt-rock drums too.  Actually, I adore this whole album, so if I don’t mention something, it’s not for lack of enjoyment.  Loads of fuzz and some great fake-out endings and hiss near the end.

            “Young Girls Fangs” comes next.  It begins with static, and what sounds like a guitar (or five) being fed through a Leslie speaker (or an emulator of one).  It’s another instrumental, and synths and guitar sound like the only parts to this track, even though bass is prevalent.  It’s just that the bass is so melded perfectly with the guitar’s chords and rhythm (and rejection thereof), that it doesn’t sound like anything could be that on-time outside of being built-in.

            “Patron Saint” is a hard-rock shoegaze mix.  The bass and drums are more modern rock (well-performed modern-rock, that is), and the vocals are more chilled out.  The guitar is almost impossible to describe without talking about pedals, looping, and sounds that defy description.  So instead of trying to analyze it to death, I’ll just say that it creates a kind of wildly out-of-control atmosphere, that somehow the bass manages to persuade back into non-noise-rock territory.  It’s an odd song to end on in some ways (it was the original ending of Despondent Transponder, before Golden Now was rediscovered by the band), but it does sound like an ending nonetheless.  And a bit like a Sonic Youth solo.

            “Golden Now” is the last track on the digital version of Despondent Transponder.  It’s a Heavenly sound with loads of slowly modulated guitar, bass supporting all the tones, drums that grab the attention with analogue-sounding distortion, and a killer vocal-lyrical combination.  It’s the reason I found this album, really.  As complex as it is laid-back, and dark as it is uplifting, it’s a paradox set to music.  Just listening to the drums brings by my adoration of tube mics, and the whole thing is done to a T.

            Overall, an amazing and interesting display of power and grace, usually simultaneously.  Fleeting Joys has since released a new album, and you can stream both for free at http://fleetingjoys1.bandcamp.com, and purchase CD-quality downloads at that link as well.  Like many bands, they can’t live up to their name.  The joy that is Fleeting Joys actually lasts a long time.

Here There Anywhere Like You: Me Like

            This is a review of the Here There Anywhere Like You EP (2013) by Newglads, and the ninth review here on Track-By-Track.

            This will probably be as close to pop-rock as I get with this blog.  That being said, there are enough alt-rock sounds in Here There Anywhere Like You to fit the style I’m going for with Track-By-Track.  Newglads is an Italian band formed in 2012 by Matteo Fallica (the guitarist and singer) and Christiano Belluzzo (the producer and main songwriter).  Their sound is definitely influenced by Oasis, though there are also some similarities with Radiohead, R.E.M., and Our Lady Peace, in this EP.
            This is an EP to listen to in high-quality, because it’s mastered and mixed so well (audiophile talking here), as well as performed expertly.  The songs are structured more like straight-up rock, but at times, different genres of alt-rock show themselves in the way these classic structures are played.  It’s also completely sung in English, which is interesting for a band not from a mainly English country.  A lot of times, it reminds me of the upbeat songs I grew up listening to, and the lyrical hooks and some of the melodies will stick in the brain like honey on toast.
            Here’s my TBT:

            The EP starts with “All in a Row”, which sounds a bit like like early R.E.M. and Radiohead.  Though it’s not very alternative in the Sonic Youth sense, the style is deceptive.  It’s well-produced and written, and layers of guitar bring that old-school alt-rock dimension to it.  There’s even a slide guitar solo; the solo being a long-forgotten art in modern rock, and begging to be brought back from purely metal circles.  Drums are slightly indie, but eqs make it go beyond the genre.  I must point out that listening to the different layers on this and every track on the EP is amazing at high headphone levels.  I had to resist the urge to crank it up to ear-damaging decibles.

            “Morning Lies” reminds me of a kind of pop-rock, especially the vocals, though the textured guitars again bring layers of alt-influence to the track.  There are obvious Oasis influences on this, but not to a fault.  Fast sharp drums drive the track, and bass plays support well.  Though the vocals are a bit processed-sounding, there are some great harmonies.  The end brings harmony to a climax, and everything mixes well into a slightly nostalgic modernistic ending.

            “Winding Road” comes next, and though the opening guitar is a bit irksome in the beginning, the heavily-delay-effected guitar bits more than make up for it.  The chorus is really well-done, and the vocals and guitars mix well.  The bass is nearly imperceptible (on my headphones), but played well.  I feel like this track could work better with less Oasis, and more of the alt-rock influences some of it clearly displays, though it’s still a good song nonetheless.

            “Stand Till You Fall” is the fourth track.  Once again, definite Oasis influence, especially on the guitars.  Drums and percussion work well in the track, though this might be a case of too much guitar.  I know this sounds like an odd description for part of a rock track, but the amount of guitar tracks at times are kind of like having so many great colours in a painting that the overall picture is detracted from.  Fortunately, good bass, an Oasis-style solo, and some great vocal melodies and hooks make it very enjoyable.

            “Little Dreams” is slower, and has a softer sound.  Hooks galore, like much of the EP, and a great guitar solo drenched in warm reverb.  The harmonies are great, and the guitars really drive the track.  There are some acoustics buried in the track, and great bass and drums.  The lyrics are surprisingly good, and sometimes the harmonies remind me of “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” by R.E.M.

            “Unpredictable” is another Oasis-style track.  The chorus is the best part, with great harmony and softly overdriven guitars.  Bass feels just right in the mix as well.  The drums are perfectly equalized to be both addictive and not overpowering, and the vocals’ processed-sound actually enhances this one.  It’s a bit like Our Lady Peace, especially their Healthy in Paranoid Times album.  This might be the hit on the EP, because although I wasn’t totally sold in the beginning, by the time the second chorus came, I was happily completely immersed in it, and didn’t want it to end.  The levels are perfect, and instruments cut out just at the right times, to make it addictive to the extreme.

            “Whenever It Rains” is the last track on the EP.  Wonderfully, shoegaze starts the track, and this is the most alternative one on Here There Anywhere Like You.  It really sums up the power of rock, especially for fans of Radiohead’s “Blow Out” (like myself).  Lyrics are good, and drums are classic, in the 90s real-drums sense.  The last line “I’m going out in style” is exactly what this mainly shoegaze track does by ending the EP.

            Overall, this is a very enjoyable EP.  Though occasionally a little heavy on the pop-rock, it’s a strong release, and well-produced, performed, and written.  You can get Here There Anywhere Like You, and the most recent songs by Newglads in CD-quality at http://newglads.bandcamp.com, for pay-what-you-want prices.  Get out your Lennon-style glasses; here comes some new masters of melody.

Haunted: Far Beyond Dreams

            This is a review of the album Haunted (2013), by Another Green World, and the third review here on Track-By-Track.

            I don’t remember exactly how I found Another Green World’s music.  It might have been that I was searching for Brian Eno's album of the same name, or I might have been just randomly searching for glo-fi bands.  Whatever the case, I found the album In Dreams by Another Green World, which turned out to be the first album by Memphis-based solo-artist Alec West.
            Haunted marks a slight yet significant change in style for West’s project; a glo-fi/dream pop release, with some acoustic guitars, a more sparse sound, and a lighter equalization.  Though at times I miss the old pleasantly-muddled and nearly-stonewalled sound of Another Green World, this solidifies West’s progression towards a kind of high-end production that is at once addictive and more accessible to listeners.  Though not every track is catchy, the ones that are, are extremely repeatable. It goes beyond In Dreams, if not as a concept, as a more etherial and genre-defying album.
            Here’s my TBT:

            “Glowing” is an instrumental intro track.  Dream pop synths, and some lo-fi drums make it sound like a portable video-game’s title screen music.

            “Moment” is a slight break in style for Another Green World.  This time, some acoustic guitars, and surf-style riffs, along with the classic analogue noises and reverb-cushioned vocals that West developed his sound with.  It’s upbeat, and placed perfectly as a second track.  The lyrics (what I can hear of them) are sweet and dreamy.  It’s a chillwave/dream pop combo that’s upbeat from the start. The drums are light, and in that just right addictive equalization, and the ending is filled with a kind of nostalgic analogue atmosphere, only describable if you’ve heard old-school synth modulation, like West’s previous work.

            “Mosiac” comes next, with a darker tone more like In Dreams.  It feels a little long, but it’s in a very dreamy lo-fi/chillwave genre-rift, and the arcade-game noises are pleasing to the ear.  I still prefer the original heavily-compressed version on West’s Vision Quest EP, but it’s great as a sparser alternate version.  Synths abounds.

            The 4th track, “Blood”, starts with a sound like leftover brostep, and then pleasantly surprises with a totally surf/chillwave pastiche of upbeat acoustic guitars, catchy drums, and insanely catchy digital tones, all in mono (though the streaming version seems to be slightly stereo).  The vocals, as we of the shoegaze ilk are used to, are obscured; loads of reverb and delays make the track suitably and lovingly alternative.  It’s very Summery, and reminds me of Observer Drift’s Fjords (the first album reviewed here on Track-By-Track).  Oddly, what I think is the refrain: “Take my blood”, is in sharp contrast to the happy and optimistic tone of the music.  This is the hit on the album, despite the good quality of the whole album.

            “Memory” is a short instrumental.  It’s something I’ve found mainly with smaller and independent bands, that they still value (and rightly so) the instrumental and experimental songs, as well as the more-traditional ones with words.  This song is short enough to remember, and long enough to define somewhere in dream pop or glo-fi (which is what I regard as a slightly less upbeat and muddier chillwave, despite the standard definition which has them as the same sub-genre).

            “When” is the 6th track; gladly another Summery dream pop one.  The beat is very catchy, and it ends way too soon for my liking.  It’s addictive, and sounds like a Spring day, erupting with loads of atmosphere; loads of good ‘80s sounds, and a great ending.  The guitars are very slightly shoegazey, and the bass is definite dream pop.  It’s that song you hear on the radio in the old days, that you never knew the name of, and never did catch who did it.  Extremely etherial.

            “Scientific” is a chorus-pedal-driven song, and the beat, as usual with West’s work, draws the listener in immediately.  This one could do better with slightly less reverb on the verses’ vocals, but only from a lyrical point of view.  They create an atmosphere of uncertainty, within an otherwise grounding, certain, track.  It’s unusual for most bands to have reverb almost exclusively on the vocals, which is definitely a plus for anyone (like me) looking for originality.

            “Passion” starts off with old-school toms, and the vocals are at the forefront of this one.  It, like the rest of the album, is refreshingly non-pitch-corrected.  The lyrics are great, especially for a kind of love song, and really work with this style.  The chorus could have more elaboration, but it’s definitely a hook.  Classic new-wave guitars and synths make it a little nostalgic.

            “Forest”, the 9th track, is another instrumental, with more of that chillwave sound.  Loads of pitch modulation covered by reverb, or perhaps vice-versa.

            “Skyscraper” is slower, and a bit like Nexus Nooka from Another Green World’s earlier Nexus Nooka/Game Genie release.  This one has the clearest vocals, and more great textured drums.  The guitars make a great shoegaze-ish backing to the track, and when they are at the forefront, it’s like listening to a pool of guitar.

            As the penultimate track, “Geologist” is a return to that super-reverb sound.  This one sounds a bit like Yung Life (the second album reviewed on this blog).  It’s very 80s, and the synths are complimented by more surf-guitar.  It’s always refreshing to hear surf done right, and this fast-paced song is in that crossover between old and faux-old, in a good way.

            “Spectre” is the final track, oddly a darker instrumental in the glo-fi subgenre.  Imagine The Killers, with a dark-ambient producer.  It doesn’t quite feel like an end to the album, though it lives up the album’s name, unlike the album’s general optimistic yet otherworldly tone.

            Overall, this album has some pretty sweet chillwave/dream pop sounds, and some tracks pleasantly defy categorization in either of these sub-genres.  This is an experience in both sparse and textured sounds, and West is well on his way to amassing a new audience, at the same time as keeping older fans satisfied.  You can stream this album for free at http://synthrecords.bandcamp.com, and buy it in CD quality at that link; and for older Another Green World releases, you can check out http://anothergreenworld.bandcamp.com.  And for the full experience, play some old VHS tapes in the background, on a heavily magnetized tv.

Yung Life: '80s for the '10s

            This is a review of the eponymous LP Yung Life (2012), and the second review here on Track-By-Track.

            I first found out about this band from a Said Deep mixtape on Bandcamp.  I heard the first track off the album, and immediately wanted more.  This album was just the fix of upbeat new wave that I needed.
            This album (surprisingly, Yung Life's first LP) leaps immeasurably far ahead of the previous albums on their Bandcamp page, and is insanely repeatable.  The melodic construction of every song is heavily influenced by good 80s and early 90s pop, and is well done in pretty much every respect.  And most of the songs have great hooks.
            Yung Life's reliance on synths isn't to the point where there's nothing but generators on the album; great vocals, guitars, bass, and drums, make this an album based in the techniques of yesteryear, without being bogged down by old clichés.   I’m used to giving glowing reviews because there’s so much good music out there, and this album is no exception: It surpassed all of my expectations.
            Here’s my TBT:

            “Isn’t This” has some great lyrics, and the styles of the synths and guitars do each other justice.  Drums are good and grounding, and the vocal harmonies make this worthy of radio play in the 80s (the New Wave 80s stations, that is).  It’s about the dissolution of childhood into a more (or less) observant adulthood, and makes me think of memories that might not have existed.

            “Breaker” brings me right back to everything I used to love about rock on the radio, and the bass is an excellent floor to the track.  Hi-freq synths are magical, and the occasional stabs are perfectly in-keeping with the 80s vibe of the album.  I’m surprised that anything this well-produced is being offered for free.

            “Back For You” is addictive, and I’ve found myself wanting to sing along with the chorus when I’m walking down the street.  The touch of what sounds like a car horn has psyched me out a few times, and somehow enhances the track.  This is definitely one of the best tracks on the album, even though I’m tempted to say that of many others.

            “Pathfinder” has a great catchy opening, and the non-lyrical vocalizations remind me of M83’s Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming.  The classic drum toms are perfect to bring back memories of those classic 80s songs, yet the song is not too nostalgic to resemble any specific song.  The solo is similarly classic.

            The 5th track, “Find Me”, is ultra-80s-pop.  It sounds like the opening of some movie not half-worth the song’s inclusion.  The lyrics aren’t complex, but the chorus is undeniably addictive, and the harmonies help make up for the lack of complexity.  The occasional guitar chord lead-offs give the track the atmosphere of the days when radio-music was still good (again, good radio-stations).

            “I’m Burning” is also not lyrically complex.  I find myself wanting more words, but the track is still good despite lyrical simplicity.  The synths drive this, though the guitar makes them even better.  Vocal reverbs are great, though I am a reverb glutton.

            “Hiding Girl” is a weaker song on the album.  The M83 vocal-snippets return, but the chorus’s lyrics detract from the song, because they sound too pop-standard.  As usual, the instruments and singing are done like pros, but there is one little sample that neatly pans left at around 3 minutes in, that distracts me from the rest of the song.

            The aptly-named “90s Dreams” is a return to the album’s overall quality.  Though some parts of the song are cut-in by other parts a little abruptly, it sounds somewhat fitting, because the album is mainly in a retro-style; it brings back memories of analogue editing.  Not much lyrical complexity, but the hook is great, and the classic shift in key near the end brings me to more nostalgia for songs I forgot I listened to.

            “Holy” is a watery track (chorus-pedals and other pitch modulation), and the lyrics are finally more complex.  The part where most of the instruments cut out is done expertly, and the bass and guitar sound like something off of Lauper’s greatest hits.  It’s refreshing that so many tracks have great natural-sounding harmonies, instead of that annoyingly pitch-corrected cack we hear in most so-called modern pop.

            The final track, “Over Time in Time”, surprises with its transcendence.  It’s a definite ending to this strong album.  Despite a brief blip that likely only audiophiles (like I) will notice, the laser-style and hi-freq synths give it a great feeling, and the lyrics harken back to “Isn’t This”.  The drums have just the right energy to give the other instruments a perfect place in the whole thing.

            Considering all that this album has: Its surprisingly great vocals, its classic guitar and drums, the ground-level yet prominent bass, the synths that make you want to rent out a Moog just for the experience, and its pay-what-you-want price-tag (as of writing this review); you should give a listen before you have to tell your friends you haven't heard of that band.  You can get this shockingly good album at: http://yunglife.bandcamp.com, and links to their most recent single is on their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/#!/yunglifeband).  And then you should rent out a surprisingly good old-school movie like Quick Change, and make a night of it.

Fjords: Sounds of Summer

 

            Well, here it goes.  The first review, the first real day of action, here on Track-By-Track.  Hope it goes well.  Wish me luck?

             I’m reviewing Observer Drift’s second full-length album, Fjords (2013). I’ve been a fan of this artist’s music ever since I came across the LP Corridors, on a random shoegaze search on Bandcamp. I first downloaded it almost straight on to my mp3 player, and later thought: “Wow, these people are really good”. Little did I know then, it only took one person (Collin Ward, to be exact) to make these sounds. I’ve been hooked ever since. That was a year ago.
             This time, Fjords sets a new bar for quality in independent music. Many of the songs sound like they were produced and mastered in a professional studio, yet without too much attention to the standard verse-chorus-bridge stuff most songs now apply themselves to. It’s free-flowing, and above all, it sounds extremely modern, or maybe even post-modern, in a good way. I feel like this is a sample of the new style of music, whether many mainstream radio stations and labels catch on or not.

            This album is everything I hoped for and more, and won’t disappoint, whether you’re looking for relaxing or energizing music.  And it’s an interesting departure from Ward’s previous work, without ignoring or throwing out the things that made his older songs work so well.

            Here’s my TBT:

            The album starts with “Machine”, which sounds like a somewhat more modern callback to Corridors; the perfect intro to the next hour of your life.  There are some Jónsi & Alex-esque sounds, pleasantly overpowered by spacey-synths, and that trademark guitar style Ward has by now perfected.  At just over 6 minutes, I was glad to not worry about it ending too soon.  In the last third of the song, it breaks into an Arcade Fire-like amalgam of the sounds of the previous Observer Drift sounds, but again, with more modern synths, to let you know you’re in for a new ride.

            Next, comes “Sporting Chance”, which is a danceable song, and in which, the album really takes on its new style.  The vocals are deftly sung, with just enough reverb to make it mainly a chillwave song, without taking away its good-pop catchiness; and the synth and guitar hooks make it that much more awesome.

            "Azimuth" is the third track, which is a bit indie, but the (likely) pitch-treated guitar makes it transcend beyond most indie songs.  Great synth tones bring it far into the 21st century.  The lyrics are basic, and very catchy.  It builds, and though it didn’t immediately grab me, by the end of the song, I loved it.  And as you’ll probably hear in future reviews, I’m a huge fan of falsetto.

            "Riptide" brings a syncopated beat, with loads of Summer energy in the vocals and instrumentation.  The lyric: “You hit me like a riptide” makes me think of how this album pretty much immediately catches and captivates; this album will hit you like a riptide, but you’ll want to stay in its sonic ocean.  A nice synth solo in the middle brings back the good 80s style we’ve all but forgotten in modern pop, only to be abruptly stopped by the sound of rain, and an ambient guitar line, and before you expect, it's a whole new melody.  The line “Keep to the plan and don’t look back” sums up the style and pace of this album.

            The title track brings a whole new dimension to Ward’s work.  It feels like an instant hit.  The acoustic guitar and slow beat makes it mellow, yet powerful, and vocals are treated with a great eq, and heavy reverb at all the best times.  It instantly makes me think of a sunset, maybe because of the hook: “We can live tonight”.

            "Marina" comes next, and it’s reminiscent of the first Observer Drift release, Coloured My Heart Red (EP).  Love the treated or sampled tones that occassionally add some great watery mood to the song.  The lyrics didn’t catch me at first, but as with the rest of Observer Drift, it’s addictive, without bad side-effects.

            "Lingonberry" definitely showcases lo-fi influences well, and there are some great lyrics throughout.  Like many of the other songs, it has hit-quality, without losing the alternativeness which makes it so great.  It’s a bit like Ward’s first release as well.  And Ward’s lyrical skill actually made me grin during this one.

            The 8th track, "Never Strangers", is a change of style once again, sounding reminiscent of Coldplay at first.  It begins with guitar and a few soft non-guitar tones, and then, as if by request, it becomes an almost “Modern Man” Arcade Fire-style indie track.  It takes you right out of your expectations, and gets better with every second.  Some of the vocal harmonies also remind me of M83, and the lyrics are top-notch.  And the ending is really fitting.

            "Mirror Image" gets back to the sun-and-water-soaked sound Azimuth, Riptide, and Sporting Chance also showcase.  It just sounds like Summer.  The interesting guitar chords are a bit like what I expected from My Bloody Valentine after all these years, and a bit like what they came up with; but not to digress, they’re perfectly complimented by great lyrical hooks, which Ward seems to be something of a pro at writing.  It seems like some guitar tracks are slowed or pitch-changed below normal, and the electronic drum track is great, even though it only really becomes noticeable at the end.

            The 10th track, "Binary Love", was the only track to be partially released long before the album was released.  The chorus was first available on the Observer Drift Soundcloud page, and though it’s a great track, I was actually surprised that some of the levels and layers sound held-back more on this release.  I think the Soundcloud demo had more reverb, so the track feels a bit more right there.  The beat is very addictive, and with the guitar and lyrical hooks, I bet it would be great for party-style dancing.

            “Parallel Place” brings in some more Corridors-style night-mist atmosphere.  The guitars and synths perfectly compliment each other in the beginning, and then the drums abruptly show themselves.  This sounds like it would be a good ending for the album, especially because of the lyrics, but it’s actually just a slower, softer moment on the album.  It becomes an anthem, with some Sigur Rós-esque glockenspiel near the end.

            “Up in Arms” feels almost like a post-script, after what felt like the end (don’t worry, the real end is coming later); but it reminds the listener that it’s more about the continually-changing evolution from sound to sound and style to style on this album.  It’s very surfy, and has that Observer Drift sound.  Dangerously catchy.

            The penultimate track, “Gnarly Crunch”, is an instrumental track, with trancy-synths, and lightly funk-influenced bass, with a guitar that sometimes sounds like a classic vibraphone.

            The final track, “Teach Me”, is a very fitting and unexpected ending.  It’s mainly a folky song, that totally takes the listener by surprise.  Great vocals and heartfelt guitar make this perfect for the wind-down after the awake energy of most of the album.  I won’t ruin the surprise by saying any more, but though it's almost redundant to say this, it proves that this album has been about change, yet with a certain nostalgia and reverence of the past.

            Overall, this album is extremely strong, and were I a doctor, I’d prescribe it for patients as a cure for the blues (mental, not musical; blues music is great).  You can stream it for free at http://observerdrift.bandcamp.com, and you can get CD quality versions of the streaming tracks, and the final, order-only track, from that link as well.  As the line goes in the opening track of Ward’s first EP “Sometimes it pays for us to wait”.  And it certainly has with Fjords.