The Royal We
The Royal We
Geographic GEOG31LP
2007
I got all excited when I learned that Roxanne Clifford and Patrick Doyle had been in this Scottish group prior to forming Veronica Falls. Unfortunately this band does not sound much like Veronica Falls, they play slightly retro dance pop reminiscent of Neverever which makes sense since that band's leader Jihae Meek was the lead singer of the Royal We (then using her maiden name Jihae Simmons.) When I first played this record I was really disappointed, but with repeated spins I started to appreciate it. I do like Neverever, just not nearly as much as Veronica Falls which was my favorite current band before they broke up. The album gets off to a quiet start with "Back and Forth Forever" which is an acoustic love song driven by Clifford on ukelele. The record shifts into gear with the jumping "All The Rage" which the band released as a single. It is a wonderfully poppy dance song that showcases Simmons' charisma with forceful background vocals from Doyle and Clifford that are as close as this album ever gets to the Veronica Falls sound. "That Ain't My Sweet Love" continues in a similar rocking vein although without the catchy pop hooks. Side one concludes with "Three Is a Crowd" which pumps up the sound of 1960s girl group pop to provide a framework for Simmons to vent her spleen. Joan Sweeney's violin adds some flavor to the band's sound. "I Hate Rock N Roll" also sounds like an update on 1960s pop and once again Sweeney's violin saves the song from blandness. "Willy" allows Clifford more space as a romantic counterpoint to Simmons sardonic vocal which I find very welcome. "French Legality" is a propulsive track driven by a compelling guitar riff that gets me bopping. Simmons vocal is very strong and builds in strength until she is screaming at the end. This is my favorite track after "All The Rage." "Wicked Games" is a cover of the Chris Isaak song taken at a much faster tempo than the original. Simmons rejects the sensitivity and yearning of Isaak's original vocal in favor of a more bitter and cynical approach. I don't really approve, but the song is very compelling and gives the album a stirring finish. This record shows a lot of promise although it was probably for the best that the band broke up. Veronica Falls might have benefited from a more charismatic lead singer like Simmons, but I think Clifford's more diffident style suited that band's introspective approach. Simmons is too exuberant and distracting, she needed a different band that would showcase her unbridled personality. This is still a very enjoyable record and I think the tension between the Simmons and the Clifford/Doyle styles is one of the more stimulating elements of the album. Recommended to fans of Blondie.
I Am The Man
Simone White
Honest Jons Records HJRLP28
2007
I had never heard of Simone White when I caught her opening for John C. Reilly and Friends at a church in Santa Monica back in 2013. It was the perfect setting for her sensitive music and delicate voice. I was enormously impressed by her and shortly afterwards bought this album. The LP has an unusually generous number of cuts, it actually has three more tracks than the CD version much to my delight. "I Didn't Have Any Summer Romance" introduces White's low key style. She breathily croons the words backed by a muted horn section and a laid-back rhythm section. The song is a cover of a 1962 Carole King single that laments that the only thing worse than having a broken heart from a summer romance that dies in the fall is to not have any summer romance at all. Despite the song's age, White's version sounds completely contemporary. "Worm Was Wood" was written by Frank Bango and Richy Vesecky. Without the horn section, this song sounds even more languid than its predecessor. The lyrics feature a series of false statements which are ultimately compared to the illusion and transient nature of love. White's own "The Beep Beep Song" is a whimsical song about love. It sounds like a children's song but its theme is serious. "The American War" is a biting satirical song about American military aggression and gunboat diplomacy. In keeping with its theme, the song has more of a rock flavor with prominent percussion and a guitar riff although White's vocal remains sedate. "Sweetest Love Song" is a lovely track in which White gives up listening to music because she all she wants to hear is the love song that her lover represents. The song is glacially slow placing all its emphasis on the sensuousness of the vocal which totally sends me. "Great Imperialist State" is about being "a spoiled child of the great imperialist state" and the uselessness of such an existence. The music has more tension than the rest of the album with a richer instrumental palate driven by jangly guitar. The song concludes with a musical rave-up with a raga-rock flavor. It is my favorite cut on the album. "Mary Jane" is about a woman with an abusive husband who becomes a musical performer before settling into a comfortable middle-class existence. The song has a jazz-folk flavor to it that along with White's breathy vocal reminds me of Nick Drake. Side one concludes with "Soldier Sailor" which compares a soldier with a sailor and their unhappy situations. The turmoil in the lyrics contrasts with the calmness in the music. Side two begins with another Bango/Vesecky composition, "Roses Are Not Red" which again recounts a series of false statements, this time to emphasize the denial a person experiences after a break-up. Horns and a cello enhance the sparse accompaniment giving the song some much needed color. "We Used to Stand So Tall" coolly examines the decline of America and the deceptions behind wars. The song assumes the guise of a children's song which adds to its cutting effect. "Why Is Your Raincoat Always Crying" returns to Bango/Vesecky once more for a song that uses a person's clothing to dissect their emotions and personality. White's girlish voice is particularly lovely on this track. It is followed by a subdued cover of Ewan MacColl's classic "Dirty Old Town" which describes a romance in a decaying industrial town. It is an odd choice of songs since White's delicate crooning style contrasts with the gritty words, but she manages to put it over anyway. "You May Be In Darkness" is a melancholy description of a break-up, no recriminations just unhappiness pervades the song. The song's minimalist accompaniment features a mournful cello that enhances the sadness in White's voice. "Haven't Got a Dollar To Pay Your House Rent Man" is an old blues song by Morris Rouse and Eddie Jackson recorded by Genevieve Davis in 1927. The song's exuberance offers a welcome contrast to the moodiness of the rest of the album. "Only the Moon" is about unrequited love. It is a sorrowful song that again reminds me of Nick Drake. White has a voice that is perfect for conveying heartbreak. The album perks up at the end for "I Am the Man" which is about her taking responsibility for her life and the world around her instead of blaming the powers that be. In keeping with its upbeat message the song has more energy and a more memorable melody than most of the songs on the record. It is another one of my favorite cuts. I enjoy this record's intelligence and consistency of tone. The lyrics are interesting and have a political edge to them as well that I find refreshing. I'd prefer more dynamic musical accompaniment, but I have to acknowledge that the restrained arrangements serve to place all the record's focus on White's gorgeous voice and fortunately she is a strong enough singer to make it work. Nonetheless I find that I can only listen to this album at certain times. If I listen during the day, it sounds insufferably precious and twee to me. It runs well over 50 minutes and it is so tranquil and relaxed that I don't have the patience to hear it all the way through. I find the best time to listen to it is late at night when I am in a more receptive mood for White's sensitivity and the delicate grain of her voice. Around midnight this album really gets to me. Recommended to fans of the Finches and Inara George.
West
Lucinda Williams
Lost Highway B0015615-01
2007
On the spur of the moment I went to a Lucinda Williams show on Thanksgiving Eve two years ago at the El Rey. I was impressed by her exuberance and vitality in concert those aren't qualities I tend to associate with her recorded music which seems deeply personal and emotional, full of vulnerability and sadness. That is certainly the case with "West" her 8th studio album. "Are You Alright?" opens the album. It sounds like it is directed at a lost lover or friend. She delivers the song with the laconic moan of a vocal that is her trademark. "Mama You Sweet" seems to be about her grief over the death of her mother - the album is dedicated to the memory of her mother and aunt. Considering the misery in the lyrics - she practically makes grief sound like childbirth - the music is surprisingly mellow and pleasant, only the achy quality of Williams' vocal reflects the tone of the lyrics. "Learning How To Live" sounds upbeat musically but it is also about loss, in this case the loss of a lover and trying to recover from heartbreak. She concludes this cheerful side of music with "Fancy Funeral" which is a slow song that says it is better to save your money for practical everyday needs than to spend it on an expensive funeral that is not going to bring your lost one back. Side two opens with "Unsuffer Me" which is one of my favorite tracks. It has howling guitars and a slow heavy rock beat reminiscent of Neil Young as Williams sings of her desire for a lover to liberate her from her state of unhappiness which she equates with physical bondage. She has always been good with evocative metaphors and descriptions. I find her raw vocal very powerful. "Everything Has Changed" in contrast is a gentle folky song that describes how her perception of the world has changed now that she has lost her love, joy and faith. It is a pretty depressing song. The side concludes with another of my favorites, "Come On." This rocked up attack on a former lover who couldn't give her an orgasm is full of energy and anger, a welcome change from the melancholy tone of most of the album. Side three begins with "Where Is My Love." The song features some plaintive string lines but it is basically a sweet song in which she speculates about what her lover is doing. Williams' raspy vocal has a lot of warmth. The moody folk-rocker, "Rescue" starts out describing all the things a lover can't do for you, but concludes by hopefully acknowledging what a lover can do for you with the charming line that he "can tie some ribbons in your hair and show you that he'll always care." I really like this song, it reminds me a bit of Sandy Denny's group, Fotheringay. "What If" lists a lengthy series of unlikely events leading up to the last unlikely event, the payoff line "and we'd love one another in equal amounts." Ouch. It is a slow majestic country tune that benefits from a pretty string arrangement and Williams' wistful vocal. Side four starts with the nine minute long "Wrap My Head Around That," an epic rant in which Williams vents her spleen at an ex-lover. It is a remarkable song with a slinky hypnotic groove over which Williams sings and chants her vindictive lyrics. It's a bit repetitious but it is so dramatic and compelling that I don't get bored, plus the band behind her really cooks. "Words" also seems to be directed at an obnoxious ex-lover but it is mostly about the solace and joy she gets from writing songs. In keeping with the positive feeling of the song, the folk-rock tune is upbeat and propulsive. The album finishes with the lovely "West" which is a hopeful love song. "West" is such a personal and honest album, it is almost uncomfortable to listen to, like overhearing two lovers quarreling next door. It is made tolerable, even enjoyable by the music. Williams may not be the most technically proficient singer around, but she sings with so much feeling and sincerity that I find her voice enormously appealing. The band behind her is terrific and the album is intelligently produced by Hal Willner who I consider one of the best producers around. This album is part of the series of albums Lost Highway re-issued to commemorate their 10th anniversary. I have several of those albums and find them uniformly excellent. It is pressed on clear vinyl in a handsome album package. If you are a Lucinda Williams fan it is well worth seeking out, the woman's voice was made for warmth and vibrancy of vinyl, the next best thing to hearing her live. I have to admit that when the sun is shining and everything is hunky dory, this is not the album I reach for. However if it is late at night or I'm feeling blue, this album sounds great. It is like commiserating with an old friend. Recommended for fans of Tori Amos who wish she was a cowgirl.
Person Pitch
Panda Bear
Paw Tracks PAW 14
2007
I saw Panda Bear at the Hollywood Bowl over the summer. I thought his set was mesmerizing but perhaps the Bowl was not the best venue for him. Most of the hipsters around me barely stopped blabbing and swigging wine to listen to him and my wife and kid were bored out of their minds by him. I guess I can understand that. Like a lot of electronic music his songs are repetitious, but they also have a pop quality that I find very remarkable. He's like a cross between Philip Glass and Brian Wilson. There is a sunny and joyful feeling to his music that distinguishes it from most of the electronic music I've heard. This album is spread over two records but the sides are fairly short since the entire album is only about 44 minutes long. The album features striking collage-style artwork from Agnes Montgomery and contains an insert that reproduces her artwork from the four singles that feature six of the album's tracks. The insert also includes a list of groups and people who influenced the record and there must be close to a hundred of them listed comprising all sorts of disparate genres and styles. Several of the artists are sampled for his tape loops. The album opens with "Comfy in Nautica" which sounds like a psychedelic march. It is a statement on how one should live. I like the line "coolness is having courage, courage to do what is right." "Take Pills" is another philosophy song that expresses a message contrary to its title, namely that the narrator does not want to take pills because he is stronger and no longer needs them. The music has almost a tropical, world beat flavor to it. It is one of my favorite cuts on the record. The B side consists entirely of "Bro's" which is over 12 minutes long. It also has a world music feel to it and I really dig the soaring vocal on it. It is a gorgeous song, the sound is so rich and so multi-textured. I have a hard time deciphering all the words on it but he seems to be telling his friends that he needs his space and has matured beyond them but that he still cares for them. Side C opens with "Good Girl" which is a frenzied Indian music influenced song. The vocal is so distorted that I can't understand the words at all, I had to look them up on the internet to figure them out. I'm not sure what it means but it sounds like he is all stressed out and some girl helps him feel better. I think it is the most extreme song on the album, my kid overheard me listening to it and asked me if a car alarm was going off outside, ha-ha. It segues directly into "Carrots" which returns to the familiar Brian Wilson inspired style that is typical of most of the album to deliver a cutting putdown to critics. The extreme invective in the lyrics contrasts with the beauty of the music. Side D begins with "I'm Not" which is a stunningly beautiful song. Again I couldn't figure out the song until I looked up the lyrics on the internet. It seems to be about impending fatherhood. There is also a French song running through it as well. "Search For Delicious" is perhaps the most abstract song on the album. A collection of bird noises, sound effects and loops accompanying a hypnotic drone, I didn't even realize it had lyrics until I saw them posted on the internet. It reminds me a bit of early 1970s Pink Floyd. The album ends with one of the most conventional songs on the album, "Ponytail" although with Panda Bear, conventional is a relative term, this still sounds pretty out there compared to commercial indie rock. It is a short song about spiritual growth and like most of the music on this album, it is very pleasurable to listen to. This album is one of my favorite albums of the past decade. It manages to synthesize creative influences from past pop music and create something that is both progressive and beautiful. I usually find contemporary electronic music to be more interesting than fun, but this record is both mentally stimulating and enjoyable to listen to. Recommended to people whose favorite Beach Boys album is "Smile."
Imagine Our Love
Lavender Diamond
Matador OLE 752-1
2007
I recently saw Lavender Diamond in concert. It was a tremendous show, the band did a set of all new numbers, aside from the encore. The new songs blew me away, I can hardly wait for them to put out a new album. That was a real treat since I was wondering if Lavender Diamond would ever make music together again. Inspired by the show, I've been playing this treasured LP quite a bit. I never get tired of it. Becky Stark is an extraordinary performer. When I first started hearing her songs on the radio, I wondered if she was putting me on, if this was some sort of performance art type thing. Her persona, a mixture of Melanie's hippie innocence with Cat Power's emotional vulnerability with Tori Amos' artistic integrity with Joni Mitchell's poetic insight on top of a set of pipes worthy of an opera singer, she just seemed too good to be true. I was wrong though, she is definitely the real thing, an authentic musical treasure right here in plastic superficial Southern California. She is such a dominating, overwhelming figure, I never really noticed how good the band was until I saw them live, particularly pianist Steve Gregoropoulos whose fluid solos are achingly beautiful. There are only 3 guys in the band, but when they get going they really rock. This is a great act, if they ever come to your town, you owe it to yourself to check them out. If you don't leave the show with a giant smile on your face, then you have no heart. As for this record, it ought to put a smile on your face as well. If you just glance at the lyrics, the songs seem almost absurdly simple, yet when Stark sings them, they become powerful anthems. I think Stark's strategy is to write basic, heartfelt songs that have a strong direct appeal to the listener promoting her message of the transcendent power of love. Given that she studied Russian Literature and Semiotics at Brown University, I'm sure Stark is perfectly capable of writing complicated lyrics, but I think she has chosen to emphasize the heart over the brain, for me her songs are like hymns of hope and feeling. In this age of irony and distance, this music has a special value to me. It is not whiny emo or self-absorbed confessional music, it is an artist reaching out to the public with her message of fulfillment through being true to your heart. There is a wide variety of music on this record. There are sad, lovelorn songs like "Oh No" and "My Shadow Is A Monday." There is exuberant sunshine pop like "Open Your Heart" and "Here Comes One" which are guaranteed to lift your spirits. There is a country feel to "Garden Rose" and "Side of the Lord" the latter of which reveals Stark's feminist side and her ambivalence about religion. I believe I read somewhere that her mother is a minister which makes sense when you listen to this song. "Like an Arrow" sounds like a tribal dance song and even comes with dance instructions. When I tried them out, I felt like one of the Supremes! The sound of this album is consistently lovely. "I'll Never Lie Again" has some exquisite string arrangements and the vocals on "Dance Until Tomorrow," "When You Wake For Certain" and the inspirational "Find A Way" are mesmerizingly gorgeous. "Bring Me A Song" is my favorite song on the record. Lines like "Bring me a song,
Something to feel,
Bring me a song,
Please make it real" make this the ideal Lavender Diamond theme song. I think Lavender Diamond is one of the most interesting new groups around and I'm so thrilled they are making music again. Becky Stark is a true original. Recommended to anyone who wants to open their heart with their mind (and ears).
