Album Review: "Flowers for Vases//descansos" by Hayley Williams

Cover Art for "Flowers for Vases//descansos"

Hayley Williams released her second solo album, "Flowers for Vases//descansos" this past Friday, 5 February 2021. A video of the audio for one of the songs on the album showed up on my YouTube recommendations. Since it was just the audio, they were using the cover artwork as the thumbnail and that's what truly drew me in. I found it sensual and evocative. The cover features a feminine body (probably Williams) immersed in water, with the water swirling from shades of deep magenta and hot pink to a viscous white. That first song echoed something I have been feeling intensely, so much so that I decided to listen to the album on Spotify. This is one of those albums - for me - that appeared at precisely the exact time I needed it. I've been incredibly interested in healing modalities for various reasons (PPD, Complex-PTSD, general trauma recovery) and music therapy is one of those obvious tracks for me to explore, because it's been such a major tool in my own journey. Lately, artists have been releasing albums that are not only intensely personal, but also provide as much healing for the listener as they did for the artist making them. I think it's just that 2020 stirred up so much shit for everyone that we'll be working through those triggers deep into 2021 and beyond. I personally welcome music that helps me feel my own feelings, because I have a hard time doing that. I repress a lot of things, I put on a happy face for others because I think that's what they need (regardless of what I need), and so it's usually not apparent I'm in distress until things get really bad. Believe me - it's something I'm aware of and I'm working on.

This album is very much about memories and the unexpected grief they bring with them. The subtitle for this album - and the name of one of the tracks - is "descansos," which is a Spanish term for a memorial placed at the site of a violent and unexpected death. They are often seen at the site of fatal auto accidents. These are very common in New Mexico (as well as other places in the Southwest, particularly places with a large Hispanic population) and were a familiar site in my childhood. You can sort of hear that slightly Western influence in the songs on the album. Overall, the tone of the album was low-key, almost folksy - I could imagine Williams testing out the songs around a campfire, a flannel shirt protecting her from the desert winds. All the songs embody a different aspect of loneliness, the kind of loneliness you only get by ruminating on old memories, both good and bad. It is not clear what she is feeling this grief from. The songs could be interpreted as arising from a bad breakup (Williams got a divorce in 2017), a death of a loved one, or maybe she's just working through the pain she felt as a child during her own parents' divorce. It could be an amalgamation of all three. The songs are so amorphous, it seems as if Williams has left it to the listener to decide what memories this album elicits for them. Let's do a brief walkthrough of the songs on this album, hitting the highlights and my favorites (including the song that sparked this post) so you can get a feel for the musical journey you'll get if you decide to listen through.

First thing to go was the sound of his voice

These are the opening lyrics of this album. "First Thing to Go" captures that desperation you feel when you know you're forgetting pieces of a person and you're trying to hold on. Part of you knows it might be for the best, but you don't want to lose them completely. I mentioned this feeling a few posts ago. It reminds me of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." You think things will be easier if you could just forget. But the good things disappear, too. Like the sound of their voice, the exact color of their eyes, the feel of their hands in yours. These sensory things that feel so memorable in the moment start to fade away. The final torture of time and distance, because you're present the whole time, aware that it's happening. Watching it slip through your hands, like so much water. Just for reference - because I can't help myself - Hayley's Chiron is in Cancer, directly opposite her Sun in Capricorn (she actually has a whole stellium in Cap - Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are all in the game). She's very aware of her wounds and this placement can definitely show up as protecting her pain out of sentimental nostalgia. 

After this, the album moves into "My Limb," easily the catchiest song and one of my favorites. The chorus is stuck in my head even now. The idea expressed is that, some people are so interconnected to you, it's like losing a limb when they're gone. Part of you would rather die ("bleed out" to use her imagery) than let go of them. To even let go of the memories of them. In amputations, there's this phenomena of phantom sensations. I think we get that for other things, too, especially with connections. Like with phones. If you're used to getting a lot of messages on your phone, you might hear rings or feel vibrations, but when you check your phone, there's nothing. It's a disconcerting feeling. Almost like you're losing your mind, because it's clear you're obviously imagining it.

If you gotta amputate, don't give me the tourniquet

You wish that I would run away, sever what isn't working

But I'll let my body bleed out, leaning to my left side

If your part of me is gone now, do I wanna survive?

The next song is called "Asystole." I had to google what that meant, so I'll share the meaning for your benefit - an asystole is the sound of the lack of a heartbeat. You may be more familiar with the term "flatlining." That's an asystole. The lyrics show her trying to convince herself she's better off without the person she's singing about. But, in reality, she feels dead and wants to be revived. The mind is trying to talk the heart out of what it knows. This leads very aptly into the next song, "Trigger." This is another one of those relationship post-mortem songs. Trying to figure out why this one person, this one relationship hurt so much. A lot of it comes down to our attachment style, our core wounds from childhood, and our expectations of Love. Most relationships will activate a couple of these things but at a manageable level. Once in a while, though, one relationship will activate all of them at once. These usually blow up pretty quickly, because time and distance is needed to work through the "triggers." Otherwise, you're just hurting each other.

'Cause I got the trigger, but you hold the gun

How come you never put the safety on?

Let's move forward to "Good Grief." This one hit hard. Not only does it most incorporate the Western undertones into the melody, but the lyrics are devastatingly honest about the physical side effects of grief. The opening lines are about not eating since the triggering event. Starvation is my go-to self-destructive behavior and when I'm severely depressed, I lose a lot of weight. During the first few weeks of PPD, I hardly ate. My first day out of the hospital after my second son was born, my dad and husband went out to get me one of my favorite meals - Tofu Pad Thai. What I used to be able to devour in one or two meals, I could barely eat a few bites. In fact, I barely ate at all the first month after giving birth. I don't want to go into the reasons why - all I can say is it didn't feel worth the trouble. To quote the song, "there's no such thing as good grief." But, it is necessary to move through grief when it's triggered, or else you get stuck at one of the stages. Sadness, Anger, Bargaining, Denial - or maybe you just keep waffling between all the stages. It's a process. And you have to keep going until you reach and can sustain Acceptance.

"KYRH" stands for "Keep You Right Here." This is the song I found on YouTube that pulled me into this musical journey. It's so fucking simple - only a few lines of lyrics, repeated in two verses. She allows the piano to fill in the rest. And that's how you know it's good poetry, when only a few words can elicit such emotional catharsis. You understand exactly how she's feeling. She's going to keep this person as close as she can, without crossing whatever line has been drawn. Sometimes, that's all you can do.

Keep you right here where the line is

At my fingers, on the surface

Keep you right here where the line is

Keep you right here

The final song I'm going to bring to your attention is "No Use I Just Do." There's this thing I do, as a hopeless romantic - always striving to truly understand what love is. Especially with everything I've been learning about trauma bonds and attachment wounds and inner child healing, I went through a couple months not believing Love was a real thing. It seems all I see everywhere are wounded, broken people who are just afraid to be alone. They don't really care if it's love as long as someone is there. There was a point where it felt like I had a black hole where my heart should be. Again, this is where feeling my feelings (through embodiment practices) has become so vital. It has helped me to know how love feels like in my body (an overpowering warmth radiating from my heart). Because Love is not a mental thing - when it's real, it is inconvenient, it doesn't make sense, it can't really even be justified. It just is. It's just there and you don't know what to do with it. Especially when it has nowhere to go. Words can't describe it, it has to be felt. It's easy to find someone to fill in a space, but the heart is wiser than that. It knows where to go in those quiet moments. I love the chorus on this - it's like a mantra. And the hopeless romantic part of me wants to bathe in it forever, it's that beautiful.

If I just wanted someone to hold

Then really, anyone would do

I close my eyes and really try

Not to turn 'em into you

It's no use, I just love you

It's no use, I just love you

It's no use, I just love you

It's no use, I just love you

It's no use, I just do

My final recommendation - I highly encourage you to go give this album a listen because it's worth it. It's gorgeous all the way through. I found myself wishing the songs were longer and, in terms of length, it is a short listen at 42 minutes from start to finish. Going to share the audio video for "KYRH" as a taster. Enjoy!

"KYRH" Video

"The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders from Mars" by David Bowie

Ranking: #35 (but it's higher on my personal list)

Original Release Date: 16 June 1972

Genre: Glam Rock

"The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders from Mars" was a concept album that wasn't really a concept album. Essentially, it was pieced together from pre-recorded songs, with a loose theme behind it. Most of the story was written after the album was released, but Ziggy Stardust was a bisexual alien rockstar. David Bowie had built a reputation as having an androgynous persona and Ziggy was an extension of that. Ziggy Stardust became a character that David Bowie played when he performed, because that was his style. He totally immersed himself in the characters he created for his music. Ziggy was inspired by Vince Taylor, Legendary Stardust Cowboy, and the fashion imaginings of Kansai Yamamoto. The story goes that Ziggy Stardust is Earth's Musical Messiah. With only 5 years to live and complete his mission, he gathers a following of disciples. Ziggy meets his end on stage, being torn apart by the Infinites while he performs for his fans. A fitting end for Rock'n'Roll Space Jesus. I can't imagine it any other way.

In the Year of our Lord 1972, the world was in its usual turmoil. It was a particularly bloody year in partisan terrorism. In the United Kingdom, the Irish Civil War raged on and in June of 1972, a couple of British soldiers died after stepping on land mines planted by the IRA and gun fights ensued throughout Ireland. The fighting results in negotiations between the IRA and the British Government. More deaths, more fighting until an agreed cease-fire is reached. Unfortunately, after the implementation date of the cease-fire, the infamous Bloody Friday bombings occurred in July. Over 20 bombs exploded in the span of 80 minutes, killing 9 people and injuring over 100 more. This was followed by Bloody Sunday, when 14 unarmed Catholic protesters were gunned down by the British Army. The Troubles, as the Northern Ireland Conflict is affectionately known as, carried on until 1998. I knew a guy from Ireland who grew up during these times. He recalled being in a pub with his friends when the IRA walked in, announced that any Catholics should leave, and then shot up the place. He, being Catholic (and not an idiot), obviously left. I know that story makes the IRA look bad, but the Loyalists were just as bad, possibly even worse because 85% of Loyalist casualties were civilians. All this is still very relevant, by the way, especially as Brexit looms over the UK. The hard border that resulted from Northern Ireland joining the UK was one of the aggravating factors during the Troubles and Brexit may result in the loss of the current open border situation. It should also be noted that the majority of Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU, making the reunification of Ireland an actual possibility. With a younger generation in charge - a generation that grew up during the Conflict and is less concerned with religious differences - it's a possibility that seems even more likely as the British government keeps bumbling the negotiations.

There's a starman waiting in the sky

He'd like to come and meet us

But he thinks he'd blow our minds

There's a starman waiting in the sky

He's told us not to blow it

Cause he knows it's all worthwhile

He told me:

Let the children lose it

Let the children use it

Let all the children boogie

Outside of the United Kingdom wasn't much better. The US was still embroiled in the Vietnam War (and it is not going well) but this year will mark the withdrawal of the last ground troops in Vietnam. Oh....and the Watergate Scandal broke, which ultimately led to Richard Nixon being impeached and resigning in disgrace. Three Arab gunmen opened fire at an airport in Tel Aviv, killing 26 people. Then, in September, an Arab gunman murdered 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics. And deadly earthquakes hit Turkey, Iraq, and Nicaragua, killing thousands. Clearly, we needed Ziggy Stardust (or some other savior, alien or otherwise) during 1972. But it wasn't all bad. This was also the year that Martin Scorsese's iconic film, "The Godfather" was released. Don McLean's classic song, "American Pie" held the number 1 spot in the US for four weeks. And HBO launched as the first subscription cable services. On the day "Ziggy Stardust" was released, the sun was in Gemini. This is fitting because Gemini's planetary ruler is Mercury. The Roman god, Mercury, is often depicted as an androgynous figure, much like David Bowie early in his career. There was also a lot of cardinal energy on this day, with multiple inner planet placements in Cancer, Uranus in Libra, North Node in Capricorn, and the Midheaven in Aries (I used 0800 as the "birth time" for this chart). Cardinal energy is all about getting shit started. Although David Bowie was already a popular artist when this album was released, "Ziggy Stardust" is considered the album that truly cemented his status as a music legend and pop icon. Finally, the Moon was in Leo, enhancing the desire for passion, creativity, and drama, which this album has in spades.

I also wanted to do a quick look at David Bowie's chart. Both his birthday (Jan 8) and his deathday (Jan 10) passed recently, which is why I chose this album to listen to. His Moon is in Leo, meaning that Ziggy was released during his monthly moon return. He was an Aquarius rising - this sign is co-ruled by Uranus and individuals with placements in Aquarius are often future-oriented and inventive, taking great interest in big ideas and new concepts. Aquarius placements tend to be independent and can have a reputation for rebelliousness. This all sounds very applicable to David Bowie. I also found it interesting that his 12th House (considered a House of Endings) is ruled by Capricorn (his Sun sign) and he died very close to his birthday. I'd be interested to see if there's a pattern of dying near your birthday if your sun falls in the 12th House. Coincidentally, his North Node (considered an indicator of Destiny) falls in Gemini and "Ziggy Stardust" was released during Gemini season. Finally, his Chiron was in Scorpio, indicating that he was gifted in helping people through periods of extreme transformation and had a talent for "alchemy," i.e., making something beautiful out of the unwanted. David Bowie as an artist, especially in the early days, attracted people who felt like freaks, outcasts, and strangers. By embracing his own inner weirdness, he signaled to his followers to be unafraid of who they truly were. That he accepted them as they accepted him, inside and out, eccentricities and all.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: As I'm writing this, I'm extremely pissed off. Mercury in Capricorn is square Uranus in Taurus. That's obviously not why I'm angry, but it's certainly not helping. I've had an extremely busy and stressful week. I'm a little off schedule with this project but I'm hoping to get back on track next week. More to come.

"Starman" Video

"The Velvet Underground & Nico"

Ranking: #13

Original Release Date:  12 March 1967

Genre: Psychedelic Rock

This was the debut album for The Velvet Underground, which they developed during their work in 1966 with Andy Warhol's Exploding Plastic Inevitable tour. At Warhol's urging, they included the vocals of German singer, Nico, in their recording of certain songs on the album. Let's set the stage - the bulk of the recording was done in April 1966. It was pretty boring month in what was an overall dramatic year - "The Sound of Music" won at the Oscars. Historically, the tide was turning regarding support for the Vietnam War, as protests sprung up more frequently in the United States and across the other parts of the world. The hemlines for the iconic '60s mini-skirt hit the upper thigh, causing mothers everywhere to clutch their pearls in horror. And Star Trek made it's debut in September of 1966, amidst a smattering of American and Soviet successes in the race to space. The airwaves were being dominated by the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Rolling Stones. In the face of all this talent, both at home and abroad, the Velvet Underground - with their proto-punk sound and songs that veered a bit too deeply into controversial topics - were fairly unknown. When "The Velvet Underground & Nico" was released, literally no one cared. Their debut album would initially only sell about 30,000 copies - nowhere near platinum (or even gold) status - but this album is cited as a major influence in the emergence of more experimental sub-genres that came in later eras.

The content of this album was, at the time, explosively controversial. It covers drug abuse, prostitution, BDSM (the song, "Venus in Furs," was inspired the iconic 19th century novel about sado-masochism), and other forms of sexual deviancy. Lou Reed, the chief songwriter, was inspired by the poetry and works of Beat generation writers, such as Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs. He felt that combining the dark subject matter in their works with the rawness inherent in music was "obvious." The music on the album varies from song to song. Some songs tend towards the folk music, others are more obviously rock-based. The band wanted to experiment with the range they could get from their instruments, to create a truly unique sound. John Cale played viola on "Venus in Furs" and "Black Angel's Death Song." In the latter, you can really hear the effect of his style of detuning and distorting the notes to get a distinct quality. On other songs, the guitars were often tuned in different ways, including Reed's invention of "Ostrich Tuning" in which all the strings are tuned to the same note. Combine that with Nico's deep crooning and Reed's sing-song chanting, and you've got an album that is somewhat of a mess but also deeply interesting to listen to. The final song, "European Son," ends with what essentially a 5-minute jam session that slowly devolves into chaos. An assault to the senses, but in a good way. I'd like to think Lou Reed would consider that a compliment.

Later albums would be more organized and orchestrated, but the Velvet Underground's debut reflected the culture it was born into. A nation trying to reclaim its voice in the midst of a Civil Rights movement and an unpopular war. A music scene dominated by overseas pop-rock, where everything seemed happy, even when it wasn't. And a future that was ripe with possibilities as we got closer and closer to reaching the moon. America was a hot mess during the '60s, much like this album. But the events that occurred during those years shaped the country for decades to follow.

I am tired, I am weary

I could sleep for a thousand years

A thousand dreams that would awake me

Different colors made of tears

Astrologically speaking, 12 March 1967 was a fairly good day. The Sun was in Pisces, which is fitting since a good portion of the album is chill and dreamy sounding. Mercury was retrograde, which could explain why critics at the time didn't get the album, but it's cited retroactively being influential. That tends to happen in charts where Mercury is Retrograde - the person or event's underlying messages aren't understood clearly but become more powerful as time goes on. There are a lot of Aries placements in this chart as well - Aries is the sign of individuality and those with key placements in Aries tend to blaze a trail wherever they go. The final thing I will point out about this album's chart is that multiple planets/points were in opposition and conjunction. The Sun was opposite Uranus - an individual with this aspect would be considered a free-spirited person who believes they are immune to the rules. Uranus was conjunct Pluto, a generational aspect that indicates a shifting global environment away from the status quo. Pluto was also conjunct the Midheaven, another placement which would indicate the potential to be powerful and influential. Interesting.

The song featured to day from the album will be "Venus in Furs," to showcase the creative use of the viola. It also embodies the exact blend of irreverent lyrics and hazy, psychedelic melody that defined the Velvet Underground. Enjoy!

"Venus in Furs" Video

Album Release Tuesday: Vox Humana Preview

Vox Humana

by Papertwin

Impression:  I'm not a big fan of techno and electronica. If I do listen to it, it tends to be lyric heavy and very pop-py (I know...that's barely even a description....it's been a long day). But, I approach life with the assumption that practically everything is an acquired taste and I'll try anything once - twice, thrice, maybe even 15 times! - until I like it or at least until I don't want to bash my brains in. It worked with sparkling mineral water and it even (sort of) worked with Maroon 5 -- now I wait about 25 to 30 seconds before I change the radio station, which, coincidentally, is the amount of time it takes me to decide if I want to deal with that shit for 3 to 5 minutes. Anyway, when I started listening to Vox Humana, I was concerned it was going to end up being a half hour plus of the same crap I could go to a nightclub to hear if I was really feeling masochistic. It was all synthesized beats and scales and I was all like "Oh noes!" But then the intro to "Alkaline" ended and the dream-like waves of sound began. The guy has a very mellow voice and the overall sound reminds me of a more energetic Walter Meego track mixed with New Wave punk a la Depeche Mode and The Cure. Not surprisingly, they list The Cure as one of their influence. I don't mind -- Who doesn't like The Cure? Am I right?! Anyway, their first EP provided excellent background music while I worked on a project for work. I would like to delve into the lyrics more because it sounded like there was more to them than just pretty words, but for right now, it's enough to get lost in the beats.

Songs I Enjoyed:  I loved "Sonar." I listened to the whole album (it's not very long) a couple of times to get a feel for the sound but I listened to this song probably like 6 or 7 times. I also enjoyed the mirrored vocals in "Whale" - while the lead singer sung the melody, a distorted track of what I assume was his voice was layered over top. I think the goal was to give the impression that it was part of a whale recording. Pretty much hit the mark -- it's super creepy but in a good way.

Sounds Like:  Dreamy synth-pop heavily influenced by early 80s punk

Buy it on:  June 17th, 2014

Review: Mister Heavenly

Out of Love

by Mister Heavenly



Impression:   It seems like supergroups are a trending musician side project -- example: Tinted Windows which has Taylor Hanson, James Iha from the Smashing Pumpkins, Adam Schlesinger  from Fountains of Wayne, and Bun E. Carlos from Cheap Trick....I know....weird group but, trust me, it's working.  Mister Heavenly is comprised of Honus Honus of Man Man, Nicholas Thorburn of The Unicorns, and Joe Plummer of Modest Mouse, with Michael Cera of "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" fame as their touring bassist.  Sounds super awesome to me!  Out of Love is their first album and it kicks off with "Bronx Sniper" which starts off all sweet and indie and then immediately busts out into a raw, powerful anthem.  The whole album has that indie sound you'd expect mixed experimentally with influences from Doo Wop, Reggae, and sometimes, a dash of Grunge.  This makes for some interesting tracks that aren't always what you expect.  Great lyrics throughout, so I'll just highlight a few of my favorites -- Is it too late say that I want you/More than a man should ever admit to/Is it passe to say that I need you/More than a man should ever commit to -- the first line from "Reggae Pie" which, as you might have guessed, has a cool laid back vibe in addition to telling words.  "Harm You," in my opinion, channels Chris Isaac a tad at the beginning but -- come on -- who doesn't love Chris Isaac, my friends?  All in all, great freshman album -- it definitely has variety and that is always a plus in my book.

Check Out: "Bronx Sniper," "Reggae Pie," and "Wise Man" to get a sampling of all the different flavors they are trying out but the whole album is worth a listen and, for what it's worth, made it onto my Buy list. 

Sounds Like:  Supercool Indie Rock not constrained by the boundaries of genre

Buy it Here:  Amazon and iTunes

Review: The Irrepressibles

Mirror, Mirror

By The Irrepressibles

Impression:  I wanted to find something new and different to review for today....and I found it and, as hoped, it is a gem.  The Irrepressibles isn't the kind of sound people are used to.  The short story is that it's far more theatrical and dramatic.  The even shorter story is that it's awesome and, true to form, I loved every minute.  Jamie McDermott, who serves as the composer and vocalist, is a performance artist from London, and if you see pictures of him on the Internet, he is no stranger to flashy make-up and costumes.  What truly makes him unique as an artist, though, is his gorgeous tenor voice that has a range few females can achieve --reaching death-defying falsetto heights before plummeting to deep melancholic reverie-- and a vibrato that seriously makes me jealous (I've always had a pretty straight vocal sound).  It's a voice that emotes character -- even if that character is a younger, more sensitive version of Snidely Whiplash.  Indeed, the whole album sounds as if it could be sung from the point of view of a villain in a storybook--or at least that's my impression-- and it's an interesting perspective.  Don't let the comic books fool you, a hero is always a hero but a villain is a unique entity unto himself.  There is always a tragic backstory behind why those hot messes became bitter criminal masterminds--Oh, how soon we forget the sad conclusion of "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog." 

The vocals and the concept are supported by a magnificent ten-piece orchestra which fills in the spaces with enchanting violins, airy flutes, and fantastic guitar music played by none other than the composer himself.  This is an incredible first album and, even if you don't fully understand the music, reserve your judgement and preconceived notions until after you've listened to it one time through.

Songs to Check Out:  This has gone to the top of My List but I get that not everyone is open to new experiences so wet your feet with .... "In Your Eyes," "Nuclear Skies," and my personal favorite, "The Tide."  Otherwise, their first single is "In This Shirt." 

Sounds Like:  Experimental Glam Rock from a fairytale cabaret

Buy it here:  Amazon and Itunes

More info:  The Irrepressibles Website

Review: Razika

Program 91

by Razika

Impression:  Razika is a girl-group from Norway.  What drove me to listen to this album was the chipper sound of the opening track, "Youth."  I love ska already, but Razika has a lighter sound that reminds me of California -- not the beaches, but the skateparks.  The vocals are beautiful and they remind me a little of the British girl-group The Like, except that the singers have that delightful Northern European lilt -- sort of like Nena (who is from Germany--not quite Northern European but the accent is similar.)  Half the songs were in Norwegian, so they could be singing about blowing random guys behind the Walgreen's and I'd still be bobbing my head along with the music.  Lyrics-wise, the English ones were a little repetitive but I'm chalking that up to the message being lost in translation.  Occasionally, the sound reminds me a little of 1960s girl groups (like "Why Have We to Wait")and I don't think Razika would feel out of place in mini-dresses and go-go boots....as long as they could play they're instruments, of course.  Definitely worth a listen.

Songs I Enjoyed:  I'm loving the summer-y feel of "Above all,"  the beach carnival vibe of "Nytt Pa Nytt," and the acoustic sweetness of "Walk in the Park."

Sounds Like:  Neo ska mixed with girl-driven indie rock

Buy it at:  Amazon

Review: The Ettes

Wicked Will

by The Ettes

Impression:  The Ettes are a Nashville-based band that has been around since about 2004 and has gotten much more recognition overseas than here in the States.  Wicked Will is their fourth studio album.  The Ettes are considered "as good as modern-day garage rock gets" and I am inclined to agree.  The lyrics are pointed -- sweet and short -- in fact, almost too short because the whole album (which has 12 songs on it) took me only about 30-minutes to listen to....probably less.  I was definitely wanting more.  As far as sound goes, a likely comparison could be made to the girl-driven groups of the early 90s and possibly all the way back to the days when The Runaways ruled the airwaves-- a quality that was a welcome addition to the Whip It soundtrack.  Coco Hames' voice is incredibly sweet in contrast to the dark backdrop of the music, recalling the days of 60s songstresses like Leslie Gore and Nancy Sinatra (old favorites in my book).   Overall, I liked it and recommend you give it a listen over at Spinner.

If I had money, I would buy:  I really would like to buy the whole CD...it's been short-listed, as a result.  Usually, I would list a bunch of songs I like and would buy but the number in this case makes it impractical to buy every song separately.  I think you should check out "One by One," "Teeth", and "The Worst There Is" if you want to guage their sound before considering a purchase.

Sounds Like:  Fuzzbox-driven indie rock with the occasional Southern twang

Where You can buy it:  Amazon and iTunes

Check out more:  The Ettes website

Review: The Milk Carton Kids

Prologue

By The Milk Carton Kids

Impression:  While the band hails from LA, the music they produce sounds like it comes straight out of the hills of West Virginia.  With only the use of a guitar and their voices, the duo weaves folksy ballads reminiscent of Woody Guthrie.  For the most part, the freshman album is relatively slow and melancholy but ends on a high note with "I Still Want a Little More."  The lyrics are thoughtful and carefully written and the harmonies are perfect -- at moments, the voices are amplified in a multi-tonal wave of sound, underscoring the inherent beauty of the human voice.  The guitar is skillfully played, using a fingerpicking style rather than strumming -- in this way, the listener is hearing actual notes instead of chords, which provides a nice contrast to the harmonizing in the vocals.

If I had money, I would buy:  "Michigan" and perhaps, "I Still Want a Little More"....Folk music is one of the genres my ear isn't particularly tuned into--the only folk artist I've gotten into is Joni Mitchell.  Though, I enjoyed the music, but I'm not sure it's something I would listen to on repeat and I didn't feel the album is diverse enough to warrant buying in it's entirety.

Sounds Like:  Folk-tinged Americana

Review: Young Von Prettylips

Young Von Prettylips

By Young Buffalo

Impression:  This short album from Young Buffalo opens up with "Only We Can Keep You From Harm" which, in the beginning, reminds me of Native American trible chants, like from a very serious spiritual ceremony.  These rhythmic vocals continue throughout other songs, each one developing into a faster tempo.  The Spinner short introduction describes the album as mixing power punk with indie rock, but I hear the power punk side the loudest during "Full Metal Whacket," which sounds slightly more chaotic as the track moves on, reaching a crescendo before returning to the chipper melody from the first few bars.  At the beginning of "Catapilah," I detect a hint of rockabilly in the guitar which is promptly drowned out by a clattering of cymbals and---my oh my -- a tambourine, if my ears serve me correctly.  The album ends with the somber "Bury Me," bringing it full circle.  On the singer -- in my opinion, he hearkens back to Second Wave bands in the 80s, if/when they did more acoustic stuff.  I'm cool with that....

If I had money, I would:  I'd probably buy it.  It's a short album, so I doubt it costs more than $4 on iTunes or Amazon.  But, since I don't have money, I'll be honest -- it's not at the top of my (exceedingly long) list.  However, it's not at the bottom either.  I'd say in the upper third of my list of songs/albums I need to download/acquire.

How the artist describes their sound:  Primitive indie rock that yearns for a simpler time but is gripped by obsession....that's my not-so-accurate summation based on the ramblings from their last.fm page.  I told you I heard tribal chanting!!!



Album Review: Locksley

Locksley

by Locksley

Impression: I'm trying to decide whether the sound has a California beach vibe with Rockabilly influences or a Rockabilly vibe with California influences.  I'm thinking the latter, because the songs get blues-ier as the album progresses and a few even include the deft use of a rockin' harmonica in the background.  This album reminds me of a set list that might be used by a band playing at a prom in a flashback, like in "Back to the Future."  In fact, I could very clearly picture a pretty blonde dancing with her high school sweetheart encased in a terrible confection of taffeta and chiffon while listening to "Away from Here."  How could I describe that in a more succinct way?  The album was nostalgic without sounding dated.  And while the lyrics weren't particularly poignant, they were catchy as hell. The majority of the songs were also pretty bouncy and upbeat, making this an excellent album to dance around in your underwear to....not that I do that, of course.  I'm just saying.

If I had money, I would: Contemplate buying the whole album, because it's definitely music I would listen to on my own time.  However, if I only had a few bucks to ration out, I would spend them on "Darling, It's True," "Don't Make Me Wait," and "The Way That We Go."

How does the artist describe their sound:  Punk Doo-wop --I would agree with that summation.