Amherst Lane

I find myself constantly gravitating towards musik that is not pop, but has a pop aesthetic. This must be the duality in my nature, being that I am a twin born under Gemini, the sign of the twins. Which brings me to one of my new favorite bands, a couple of fellow twins, Tegan and Sara. These two Canadian songwriters have captured my heart with their fourth ablum “So Jealous”

“So Jealous” is solid all the way through. The album starts with “You wouldn’t like me”, a song that is introduced in layers and makes for a perfect introduction. This album’s most noticeable traits are its clean production and distinctive vocals. Tegan and Sara have great voices, and since they share genetically identical vocal cords, harmonize with each other really well. They make full use of this in songs like “I know I know I know”. It’s also songs like this, that remind me how powerful simple songwriting can be.
This brings us to their single “Walking with the Ghost”. This song is not only one of the best of the album, but one of the freshest songs I’ve heard in a while. Once again they have found power in simplicity. This song uses a repetitive rock riff and heavy compression to drive its theme home. “Speak Slow” is a another nice addition to the album. Just when you feel that things are getting a little too heavy, this song rolls in to lift you up. It is upbeat, fun, and once again makes great use of those voices I love to hear. (The video for this song is an excellent chance to see them hamming it up)

All in all, “So Jealous” is a solid album with some really great songs. There is a light and carefree feel to this album. None of the songs sound forced or overthought. There is also a vulnerability in their songs that isn’t hidden, but explored. All this combined with their unique sounding voices, has made me an instant fan.
www.teganandsara.com

The album is “In Everything Give Thanks” and the band is Tenebre.

The album busts open with the track “The Story of a Boy On a Ladder.” The minute the Stand Up bass, drums and guitar kick in you know your in for a special treat. This is complex stuff. I could not believe my ears. I haven’t heard anything done like this in a long time. I thought “Post Rock” was dead, but these guys proved that wrong.

It’s hard to believe that these guys are so young and making such complex music like this. There is not one weak track on this album. I love the way Max Foreman fingertaps all of the songs. I thought that this would get tiresome but I can’t get enough of it. Patrick Taylor plays the upright bass like a seasoned Jazz veteran and Daniel Pearce smacks the drums as if he were the bastard son of John Herndon. This is some good stuff.

The song “Libelle” is like a long last jazz classic that these guys just put the right amount of post rock twist to. This is the song that made me fall in love with these guys music.

“Painting Walls” is another stron jazz/post rock song. The stand up bass really stands out in this song. Patrick Taylor and Daniel Pearce really stand out in this track. This would be one of my favorites on the album. It’s like listening to one lovely track after another.

“Lies and Libations” begins with a mellow guitar track tapped out by Max Foreman with ease. This stuff just seems to come easy to these guys. The Don Caballero, or shall I say Ian Williams influence shows up in this song about halfway through and ends with a nice string ensemble.

“Somerset” is a nice break from the jazzy stuff. It’s a really nice rock track, well not straight up rock but rock none the less. Tenebre puts their technical abilities to good use on this track. There is a lot of good time changes in this track and they handle it with a lot of ease. The end of this track is just plain awesome.

“A Call From Jane” always makes me sway my head and makes me wish I could play the guitar part. This is my favorite track on the album just cool laid back bass with some jazzy drums and an amazing guitar part. I love the free form style used towards the end and then they just bring it all back together with ease. I really want to see these guys play live just to see them play this song.

“Wick” sounds like Max Foreman is testing Daniel Pearce’s drum skills by finger tapping some crazy guitar part, and Mr. Pearce just matches him with ease. This song has another great ending where everything just comes together at the end.

“In Everything Give Thanks” is the last track that seems to pull the interlude songs together into one track. This song just puts the ribbon on top of this beautiful package. What a way to end an album.

Overall this is my favorite album of the year so far. This one is going to be hard to beat. So far Aloha, Calexico and .moneen. have not done better than this album yet so we’ll see what comes later on in the year, but I can tell you these guys have a good thing going and I can’t wait to see them play live. I also can’t wait to see where these guys go in the future.

Listen to some of their stuff here and here

I would suggest everyone get to listening to this stuff. It’s beautiful. Look for an exclusive interview with Tenebre soon.

After a long wait, the Flaming Lips have released “At war with the Mystics”, the much anticipated follow-up to “Yoshimi Battles the Pink robots”.

Mystics is a true culmination of everything they have been exploring for the past decade. As the Lips continue to experiment with their sound, I feel they have found a happy medium between their early rock days and their current multi-tracked mastery. Mystics also brings back the raw emotion and vulnerablility you would expect from the Flaming Lips.
The first impression I got from “the Yeah Yeah Yeah song.” was the reassuring sense of positive energy that Wayne always exudes in his lyrics. Always a message to be heard, this song punches you in the face with its pop sensitivity. Not ones to ever be “mainstream”, the Lips are never afraid to add in the aural delights they are known for. This song is full of handclaps, synthesizers, and even a talk-box? The driving drums continue to carry you through the song to be dumped into song #2, but not before you hear a candid admission by Steven about messing up the track (A wonderful touch as always).

“Free Radicals” reminds me of Beck or Prince. It’s a nice departure stylistically.

“Sound of Failure” is another example of the Lips exploring the space around them. This song is full of lush melodies and intermingling sounds. My favorite part is the weaving of the distorted guitar with the seventies-like flute playing, that is almost percussive at times. This song ends with a mellow soundtrack theme that is beautiful and haunting.

“My Cosmic Autumn Rebellion” is a definant headphone track. This song is crammed full of bird sounds, frills, and mind crushing organs. It’s like being in a sonic garden. Following this one is another touching glimpse into candor.

“Vein of Stars” has a slight samba feel to it, that gives this song a light bouncing feel, under it thoughful lyrics.

“It overtakes me” was a little off-putting to me at first, but this song is definately one of the albums jewels. After the lively jam in the first part of the song, we are treated at the end to a closing section that feels like it is straight out of “Zaireeka”. The lyrics are as usual disarming, sharing a quiet moment with humility.

“Mr. Ambulance Driver” sounds like one of those songs you’ve never heard, but heard a million times. I am a huge fan of Micheal Ivin’s bass playing, and I feel that he is extremely under appreciated as the groove genius that he is. Michael’s bass is the backbone which drives this soothing disco-like ride.

With “Haven’t got a clue” we see the Lips at their best. During this song they blend electronic sounds with garageband-style antics. In this track Wayne decides to forgo an instrument in favor of his mouth. We hear his own personal style of electronic scat singing. Something that I’ve heard everyone do in a car or at home, but rarely on an album. Whether this was meant to be an example of what he wanted to hear, or the way it was planned all along, it still made its way into the final cut. And for that I am grateful.

“The Wand” speaks for itself. This is what it would sound like if you took Sid and Marty Croft, wrapped them in bubble wrap and splattered them against a wall at 200 miles an hour.

“Pompeii AM Gotterdammerung” is either an homage or a direct rip-off of the “Dr. Who?” theme song. Either way it’s a badass song with driving bass and splashing gravity waves.

“Goin on” is another seventies throwback. Once again, just when you think that the Lips have polished up too much, they throw in those odd vocal backing “uh huhs”. It is one of the albums best examples of their Beatle-esque vocal overdubbing.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” a really good cover of a great song. Rhett saw them live at the SXSW ‘06 and said that their live version of this was spot on.

The last official track, before a longer remix of “the Yeah yeah yeah song” is a bonus track called “The Gold in the Mountain of our Madness.” This trudging rhythm softly errupts into an amazing moral song about life and what you make of it. This track goes from sparse acoustic guitar to explosive flurishes.

In the end the last song is my favorite song, not because I like the song itself better than the rest, but because it ends the album on a high note. It reminds me why I love the Lips so much. Because, for all the sadness and depression that can be found in the world, their message is a constant reminder that there is good in the world, if you choose to see it. -Tony Foster
www.flaminglips.com