Show review - Modern Exchange 6-21-11

Ready Set Rendezvous

Ready Set Rendezvous are a three piece pop-punk band that hail from Livonia, Michigan. Their sound is more or less standard at first blush, but is more rewarding with repeated listens. It's relatively obvious that they're trying to break the mold of pop-punk music by incorporating alternating tempos and left-of-center musical arrangements. While this doesn't always pay off, when it works, it's a great thing. This approach makes their better songs seem like mini-suites, creating a sort of pop-punk opera. Incredibly ambitious for a band this young. I'm looking forward to seeing where they go from here.

80D

The downriver area is of no shortage of hardcore metal acts, and this works to 80D's determent. This band of four from Monroe, Michigan are hardcore down to it's most primitive elements. While this works in their favor at times, it mostly makes them sound basic and somewhat bland. Operating without a bassist, they still manage to get a crushingly heavy sound. Introspective lyrics and Henry Rollins-like posturing from the singer makes them seem both like musicians in touch with their inner selves, and poorly xeroxed copies of better bands from a better time.

Hello Kelly

The only band on the bill not originating in the downriver area, Hello Kelly are a professional touring band from Nashville, Tennessee. They play a brand of tight pop-punk with U2-like atmospherics and, at times, shy bedroom pop leanings. Amazing showmen, they whipped the small crowd into a fervor and played to the room as if it were an arena. Anthemic music and triumphant vocals served to lift the atmosphere to new heights, and had the whole crowd singing along. Be sure to check them out if they come to your area.

Sidestreet-Hitchhikers

Sidestreet-Hitchhikers are a blues-rock band out of Wyandotte, MI. With a sound that fuses their love of blues and a more alternative sensibility, SS-HH were a force to be reckoned with. I say were, of course, as this was their last show. It's quite a shame, because I had a lot of faith in this band. Playing with a fury not often matched in this local scene, SS-HH shows were always a joyous occasion for the few fans who actually got to see them. Short-lived as they were, they were quite legendary, and I can't wait to see what these guys do next.

The Whistlers

About the closest thing to true noise pop in the area, The Whistlers are as tuneful as they are raucous. Their set was unfortunately marred with technical problems and poor attendance, which is par for the course when it comes to shows at the Modern Exchange. I believe the sound guy was absent after the first song, when microphone feedback deafened the crowd and the band, making it impossible for the band to go on. After that issue was solved, The Whistlers launched into a full-on set full of their candy-coated noise jams. Their set ended with most of the audience on the stage, myself included, banging on instruments and making a monstrous racket. A wonderfully fun band. Go see them if you get a chance.

Entry Points: Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello exemplifies the term "musical chameleon". Starting out as a standard singer-songwriter fronting a bar band, he has moved effortlessly throughout several different musical genres. The main problem of such genre-hopping is that it's nearly impossible to know where to start as a new listener. Wading through this musical sea, though sometimes difficult, is a rewarding experience.

Entry Points: This Year's Model and Armed Forces



Popular opinion states that Costello's first three albums are his best, and that statement isn't very far off. While My Aim is True showcases some great musical moments by his backing band, clover, the songcraft isn't mature enough to warrant it being the proper place to start. This Year's Model introduces The Attractions, Costello's new band that would last the next decade. The intensity of their playing feeds off of Costello's new lyrics, which showcase his anger at it's most seething. "No Action", the opening salvo, is a burst of energy, both flailing and literate in it's dismissal of love. This feeling is echoed in "This Year's Girl", "You Belong To Me", and "Lipstick Vogue". Despite the inherent anger, this is also Costello at his most accessible. The punky beat and slippery bass lines of "Pump It Up" will infect you, as will the bubbly power pop of "(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea". This is a can't miss record.



On the same coin is Costello's next record, the monolithic Armed Forces. Every song contained is a new wave mini-masterpiece. The soaring opener of "Accidents Will Happen" segues brilliantly into the up-tempo "Senior Service". This album showcased the band beginning to become more musically adventurous, with the ABBA-esque opening piano of "Oliver's Army", and the synthesizer experiments of "Big Boys" and "Green Shirt". Rather than making the album sound dated, the synths keep the record fresh over 20 years later. The only bad cut on the album is the circus-organ driven "Sunday's Best", though it's so forgettable that it won't be missed when the track is skipped. Of course, no review of this album would be complete without mentioning the driving closer, a cover of Nick Lowe's "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?". Simply put, it's an excellent end to an amazing record.



Next Steps: Blood & Chocolate and Imperial Bedroom



Blood & Chocolate is an ugly beast. This record found Costello turning his anger inward, damning himself for the collapse of his marriage and the dissolution of his relationship with his mistress. This record finds The Attractions playing with reckless abandon, almost beating the songs into submission. This approach fits the content of the songs well. Songs like "I Hope You're Happy Now" or "I Want You" can't be played gently. "Tokyo Storm Warning" recalls Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues" with it's mouthfuls of aerobic wordplay. "Next Time Round" ends the album on a bittersweet note, where the singer tells of his sorrows, but assures us that he'll be alright.



Imperial Bedroom is Costello's Revolver. After five albums of brilliant, but fairly standard, power-pop (and one country-rock diversion), EC buried himself in the studio, determined to make a record with a new sound. The baroque pop contained here is a real treat, using many unfamiliar sounds to Costello fans, such as accordion on "The Long Honeymoon", or Harpsichord on "You Little Fool". "...And In Every Home" receives a full orchestra treatment, fitting of it's Beatles-inspired origins. The screaming intro of "Man Out Of Time" belies the tender sentiments of a broken man. The album isn't without it's difficult bits, but on the whole, it's a satisfying record.



Avoid: Mighty Like A Rose, Kojak Variety, and Cruel Smile

Mighty Like A Rose and Kojak Variety both come out of Costello's mostly dreadful mid-period. Most of the albums in this time, from MLAR spanning to All This Useless Beauty are good for a few great songs buried in the dreck, but these two are the worst of the lot. The one great track on MLAR is "The Other Side of Summer", a Beach Boys inspired hit that examines the contradictions of modern living. Kojak Variety is a soulless album of covers, and isn't worth your time or Costello's, possibly the reason why it wasn't released until about five years after it was recorded.

Cruel Smile was my first Elvis Costello album, and it's possibly my favorite. Composed of B-sides, remixes and live tracks from the mostly superb When I Was Cruel, it's an album for hardcore EC fans. That in mind, I have to say avoid it. It's not something easily digestible by the casual fan.

Joy Division, New Order, and the case against Greatest Hits.

"Greatest hits albums are for housewives and little girls!" - Bruce McCulloch, The Kids in the Hall

Like any great band, Joy Division and New Order have long legacies. Joy Division, of course, being the mope-rock forerunners who kept their sound fresh and barely classifiable until the fateful day when singer Ian Curtis committed suicide. Out of their ashes came New Order, who, while falling into the same JD tropes at the beginning, became the leaders of the new dance rock rebellion. Going from creating the goth subgenre to making disco cool again makes for a deep and mostly wonderful catalouge, filled to the brim with amazing songs.

That's where the "Greatest Hits" problem comes in. Most of the time, labels will cash in on artistic integrity to make a quick buck off a band's back catalouge, and these two bands have had the same treatment, time and time again. Between the two groups, they've had a total of 18 compilation albums, including iTunes-only playlists, live albums, and two large box sets. Obviously, there is some overlap here. In fact, the compilations seem to dip from the same 20 or so songs. Where does it stop?

On May 18th, 2011, Rhino UK announced yet another JD/NO Greatest Hits, entitled Total. with it's Peter Saville-designed artwork, it hearkens back to New Order's 1993 offering, Republic. This is a slightly different machine, though, as one of it's main selling points is a previously unreleased New Order track, "Hellbent". Up for streaming on Pitchfork, the song sounds well enough for late-period New Order, which is obviously where it's sourced from, but pales in comparison to their previous glories. The rest of the album is dedicated to the same collection of singles that can be found on previous compilations. This one is seemingly New Order heavy, with thirteen NO tracks compared to a paltry five Joy Division songs.

My main gripe is, why the redundancy? This new track could have been released as a downloadable single, or even kept stashed away in the vaults, never to be heard by the public at large. I'm sure we wouldn't miss a song deemed not good enough for a recent New Order album. JD/NO fans have no need for a new Greatest Hits, as we already own the discographies. Casual fans can choose from the nearly twenty other compilations available. This is a completely redundant release, and a blemish on the legacy of two wonderful bands that made beautiful music.

Review: No Age - Glitter 12" + 7"

No Age are a modern guitar pop oddity. Formed in late 2005, the guitar-and-drum duo have made a name for themselves by eschewing the normal in-roads of most indie bands. Their first songs were released on five limited vinyl-only EPs on five different indie record labels, most of which went quickly out of print. Their sound is gritty pop buried under mountians of noise. They are accessible to their fans, often sticking around to hang out with them after shows. It wouldn't be a stretch to call them the Sonic Youth of our generation.

This approach came to maturation in their 2010 LP, Everything In Between. Tidal waves of guitar and drums crashing on the beach of the heart, the songs on this album are ultra cinematic. Attack and retreat, grasp and release, celebrating the joy and pain of life. This is especially evident on the album's first single, the moving "Glitter". Released a month before the album, the song is available on two vinyl-only editions, both with their own b-sides.



The 12" inch version, backed with "In Rebound" and "Vision II", is the primary release. The three songs move and flow together like a mini-album. "In Rebound", with it's Casio-flavored intro, is the most up-tempo song. It's a fully realized punk rock song that wouldn't be out of place on their first full-length, Nouns, though I can see why it was left off the new album. "Vision II" is another winning song, though much more ambient. It puts it's emphasis on texture, burying the vocals under sheets of echo. Tribal drums propel it through torrents of guitar. The only downside to this single is the title song. What initially attracted me to this release was the long version of "Glitter". Hoping it would be a 12" remix like so many of No Age's 80s heroes, it's really just the album version with three minutes of guitar noise tacked onto the end. It's something that would have killed a lesser song. Luckily, you can just pull the needle off the record.



The 7" version is pretty much the same beast. The album version of "Glitter" is the a-side, of course, backed with the song "Inflorescense". The b-side is a heartfelt pop tune in the vein of such EIB highlights as "Common Heat" and "Valley Hump Crash". It's likely that it was left off the album because of that similarity. It's the kind of pop gem that No Age specializes in, fuzzed out with fistfuls of white noise. It wouldn't sound out of place played on an acoustic guitar.



These two releases are special. In an era where most songs are released digitally, these are vinyl-only, though each one comes with a download code for a digital version from Sub Pop's website. Both are intensely satisfying records, worthy of your money.

Key tracks: "Glitter" "In Rebound" "Inflorescence"

Welcome!

Welcome to my new music blog! I'll be using this space to share record reviews, news, editorials and the like. Really, it's just a place to hone my craft as I look for a career in the journalism industry, but that doesn't mean I can't have fun with it!

I have a few ideas for features that I will develop in the future, but for the time being, I'll stick to record reviews and the occasional news post. The few features I have lined up are:

Entry Points: Certain artists have large bodies of work, and jumping into their catalog can be a daunting prospect for a new listener. Entry Points seeks to streamline that task, giving the newbie the essential albums, and an outline of where to go from there.

Second Spin: In addition to reviewing new records, I want to go back in time a bit, and give an older album a second shot. Perhaps a then-classic that hasn't aged well, or an unfairly maligned piece that deserves a second chance! No record I review under this feature will be less than ten years old.

My Life In Music: A more personal project, I will be choosing fifty-two albums from my past and review them weekly, as well as give some backstory on my own life. It may prove to be an eye-opening experience for both the reader and the writer!

So, that's it for now. I want to get back into the habit of writing at least once a day, or every two days at the least. That's really the whole point of this blog. But, I fear this introduction has grown too long, so farewell for now. I hope you enjoy this as much as I will!