Author: Michael

Posted in Album Reviews

Kevin Drew – Darlings (2014)

Posted on by Michael

31S8D7wv80L__AA160_On Fox drama, Party of Five, one of the best posters I’ve ever seen appeared on the bedroom wall of Neve Campbell’s character. It was the cover to Lush’s Split album. Four lemons featured on the left and the lyrics running down the right side. I’ve looked for that poster for years. While not as great, another standout rock poster in a TV show is on the Mindy Project. Pop culture loving Mindy for whatever reason, other than it fits the décor, has a Broken Social Scene poster in her living room. While it’s been a long while since Broken Social Scene have released anything, they live on every week on a lowly watched but otherwise clever show.

Because of this, I’m reminded of Kevin Drew nearly every week. Earlier this year he released his second solo album, Darlings. Preceded by brilliant single, “Good Sex” (included here), Darlings hums along right from the get go. Most of the tracks lean toward mid-tempo, synth driven variety. “You Gotta Feel It” shines as does “You In Your Were” (featuring backing vocals from Feist). Throughout, Drew sings mainly about love and sex, first track here is called “Body Butter”, but it never veers to being crass. There is a warmth to the sound that makes this second solo album sound both personal and intimate, with far more winners than losers.

7.5/10

Posted in Album Reviews

The War On Drugs – Lost In The Dream (2014)

Posted on by Michael

51V5n3XX4sL__AA160_The War on Drugs’ 2011 sophomore release was as slow burner. Slave Ambient is one of those albums that you put on in the early afternoon and hours later realize you’ve listened to it ten times in a row and still want to hear it again. After receiving quite a bit of critical acclaim and a successful tour, Adam Granduciel (The War on Drugs’ main man) spent fifteen months at home in Philadelphia crafting its follow-up, Lost In The Dream.

The basic sound of Slave Ambient is still intact, Tunnel of Love era Bruce Springsteen with Bob Dylan vocals and a splash of Tom Petty, but the songs have grown longer with half of the ten tracks going over the six minute mark. Opener “Under the Pressure” is a marvel. A piano twinkles in and out before a mid-section breakdown of layered guitars and synthesizers, a drum then kick starts the song back alive. “Eyes To The Wind” turns up Granduciel’s Dylanesque vocal inflections when he sings, “I’m just a bit run down here at the moment, yeah I’m all alone here, living in darkness”. “Burning” contains a piano line that is an absolute dead ringer for Rod Stewart’s “Young Turks”… and is all the better for it.

In the hands of lesser talent, longer tracks can easily lose focus but here that really only happens with the meandering “Disappearing”. Lost In The Dream was crafted in the city but it is the sound of prairie skies, dusty roads and pick-up trucks. Tim Riggins and Lyla Gerrity would surely approve. This is already one of the best albums of 2014. Pennsylvania forever.

8/10

Posted in Album Reviews

Angel Olsen – Burn Your Fire For No Witness (2014)

Posted on by Michael

51CsnBe7lBL__SP160,160,0,T_It’s not often a love song can be described as ferocious, but it seems an apt description for Angel Olsen’s blinding single “Forgiven/Forgotten”. Hearing Olsen shout ”I don’t know anything, but I love you” through a haze of vocal and guitar distortion is mesmerizing. Olsen then taps into her inner Hank Williams for the punk-country twang of “Hi-Five” where she pleads, “I’m giving you my heart, are you giving me your heart?”

And this is how Angel Olsen’s second album, and first for Jagjaguwar, Burn Your Fire For No Witnessstarts out. As you get deeper into the album, Olsen, along with producer John Conglton favour minimal arrangements, letting the vocals mingle with spare instrumentation. The hushed lament of album closer “Windows” and acoustic “Iota” are great examples. But both contain subtle power, the percussion swell in the former and a bass drum that sounds like bombs going off in the distance on the latter. Burn Your Fire… is beautiful, angry, loving and sad all at the same time. This range of emotion makes Angel Olsen’s first full band release, a very compelling listen.

8/10

Review also found at UMFM.com

Posted in Album Reviews

Vikings – Vikings (2014)

Posted on by Michael

0001977414_10Late last year, Winnipeg band Vikings released their 7 song self-titled album. Looking to capture the sound of their electronic pop, the trio (Josh Youngson with brothers David and James McNabb) worked with fellow Winnipegger Andrew Yankiwski of Precursor Productions to mix and master the album. Having formed in 2011, this is the first release for the band and follows a number of opening slots for The Lytics and Twin Shadow as well as festival slots throughout the province.

Vikings gets off to an energetic start with frenzied synths and distorted vocals of “Strange Days”. On the bouncy “Open Up Your Eyes”, the band tries to out Cut Copy Cut Copy and more than succeeds on the expansive “Great Abyss”. The only misstep comes with the first two verses of electro R&B ballad “Save Me” which comes off really creepy before redeeming itself in the second half. That minor quibble aside, Vikings’ debut sparkles throughout.

7.5/10

Review also found at UMFM.com