MyLifeInOneSound

Companion - Gold Panda

Sun, 19 Aug 2012 20:55:28 +0100

Dancy, chilled out post dubsetep, glitch-hop release from Gold Panda combines the three EPs. Not totally my thing but, through the superimposed record crackle, there is some definite innovation: especially in Quitters Raga (the best of the album)

Bon Iver - Bon Iver

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 14:28:00 +0100

Even though it lacks the catchy hits, like ‘Flume’ and ‘Skinny lover’ of its predecessor, the epicness (is that even a word?) and yet subtle beauty of the eponymous second album from Bon Iver makes it, for me, a far superior work.

What strikes me, when listening to this album is the way that Bon Iver are able to create an equal depth of sound and emotion with one instrument, playing almost unaccompanied, as they do with a what seems like a whole orchestra. Of course, this is nothing new for them; it’s what we all loved about the simple yet powerful acoustic tracks, like ‘Skinny Lover’, on ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’.

Despite the insane number of instrumental layers that are packed into some tracks on the album, I never got the impression that there was too much going on or that any song seemed crowded. It’s an incredibly subtle art and I found that, because this is the sort of album that you’ll end up playing over and over, with each repeat I noticed something new. Whether it was the distant clanging of industry in the background, an almost inaudible playing of pipes that nonetheless adds so much depth or a mini solo-ete on one of a host of instruments. It is the undoubted finesse of the musicians here, and there are a lot of them to credit, that makes the Bon Iver sound so special.

Justin Vernon’s voice is a treat too. Such a piercing and pure falsetto for most of the album, but then it can also be so resonant and bassy when it needs to be. You get the impression that he has really poured his heart into this music; something which, of course, is synonymous with Bon Iver.

Personally, when I saw the album art for this release, I was a little put off… But after listening to the album once through I realised just how appropriate it is. listening to this album is like being transported to a whimsical fantasy world shrouded by mist. Its painful and yet wholesome and I get the sense that this is a healing album. Listening to it alone and with headphones is, for me, almost like a deep spiritual experience that can drag up all kinds of feelings before helping to settle them again in what, ought to be but often isn’t, a more comfortable place. It’s a heck of a listen, but be prepared to give a little of your time, and perhaps of yourself, to really enjoy it.

Songs to give you a feel for the album:

1. Perth

2. Holocene

3. Michicant

Undersea EP - The Antlers

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 18:50:20 +0100

An interesting development from the Antlers, their new EP Undersea takes them in a much more atmospheric, ambient direction.

We keep the beat... - Jonathan Boulet

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 17:21:00 +0100

An emotive explosion of sound: We Keep The Beat, Found The Sound, See The Need, Start The Heart is a tasteful mix of beautiful melody and unrestrained passion that will dominate my summer at least.

Australian musician/singer/visionary and just general bearded musical genius Jonathan Boulet, in the habit of playing every instrument under the sun and mixing it all together himself, has created something magical here that will undoubtedly dominate our top 25 most played this summer. There is something special in the raw, gypsy-rustic, tone of this album, having said that, its incredibly complex music and professionally executed but without feeling over produced. This effect is perhaps created by the extensive array of instruments used throughout the album (including pan-pipes which has become something of a taboo instrument in modern music) but don’t worry, its actually quite refreshing!

One thing that I really liked about the album (and that I always enjoy when it’s done as well as it has been here) is the experimental nature of the percussion throughout. Boulet casually uses household objects on occasion (perhaps tins or jars) to create a unique sound in some tracks while the rest of the album is filled with intense beats that will barely ever stay the same for any length of time and yet seem to integrate naturally with the music.

Vocals are a combination of Boulet’s boy band esque vocals, a chorus that sounds like its made up of a few Boulet clones and random woops, yells, humms and general noises that are slipped in where appropriate. Lyrically the album seems to express an annoyed disillusionment with society’s reliance on convention and need to conform. Ideas synonymous with the Modernist movement of the late/early 19th/20th centuries are littered throughout, and yet the tone of the album is almost a loud celebratory rebellion against ‘typical Modernist style’ (whatever that means).

I suppose this album could be likened in ways to Mumford and Sons, with whom Boulet has toured in the past. However, this is a lot less mainstream and I’m tempted to compare it to the early work of avant garde musicians Animal Collective (as at times it does verge on the psychedelic), perhaps with a little bit of punk flavouring thrown in for good measure.

It’s a heck of a ride though, that is a real treat for the ears and the last track “Cent Voix” an 8 minute long symphony of humming is well needed; simply to let your heartbeat return to a normal rate before you play the album all over again!

Songs to give you a feel for the album:

FM AM CB TV
Dread is the place
You’re a Animal

It's Blitz - Yeah Yeah Yeah's

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 17:50:15 +0100

Electronic indie dance-pop from 2009, a notoriously good year for music, It’s Blitz combines catchy beats and glittery synth with song writing and lyrics that perhaps lacks depth but nonetheless hits the spot.

Although this album is known mostly for its more upbeat dance floor fillers like ‘Heads Will Roll’ and ‘Zero’ there is so much more to be enjoyed here than first meets the ears. (vocalist) Karen O’s voice, in songs like ‘Soft shock’ cuts through the chaos of roaring saw bass and looped samples that build throughout the track, giving a wonderful impression of vulnerability but also an eerie power in her quivering notes. I really like her voice in this album, sometimes a female vocalist taking the lead in this kind of band can be a little abrasive relying on outdated conventions of how women should use their voices, or they can lack power and become a bit wishy washy. Karen does neither, singing in her own way, unafraid to just shout and have a good time with the lyrics when it’s appropriate…and that’s not to say she doesn’t song with a certain finesse when required!

The production values throughout the album are exceptional, as the album was almost entirely conceived and performed in the studio. “Brian [Chase] would play lots of different drumbeats and we’d record it, chop it up and then make a groove loop out of it. Nick (Zinner) would then just jam to it, and we’d come up with an interesting rhythm part. Karen [O] would listen to that and come up with a vocal melody and then suddenly everything would fall into place.”

Lyrically the album is interesting, focusing on a disillusionment with stardom and the world of show business in some songs while in others touching on slightly worn-out, although not disingenuous notions of love and rejection. Of course along side this there are some songs that have clearly been written then and there in the studio, the lyrics are fun and catchy but nothing too deep… at least not as far as i can decipher!

One things that struck me was the power of simplicity in the album, often i find that electronic music can have a little bit too much going on at once and everything becomes a little bit too chaotic. This is managed well and there seems to have been a deliberate effort to keep things as minimalistic as possible while still allowing percussion (which i particularly liked) and vocals to pack a punch.

Live Another Yesterday - The Penelopes

Sat, 07 Jul 2012 16:10:00 +0100

The newest album from French electro-pop dance musicians ‘The Penelopes’ seems to me like a cross between ‘Air’ and ‘Neon Indian’ (with perhaps a little ‘S-Club 7’?)

To be honest I am a little torn with this one because; while the beats and melodies of the album are in keeping with that breed of elecro-indie, coined by bands like MGMT, sampling all kinds of 8-bit sounds that give songs like ‘Summer Life’ and ‘Epiphany Part 2’ a bit of an edge. Lyrically and often when songs break out into a chorus, it all gets a little bit childish and, after a few listens, kind of annoying.

Despite their seriously cool accents which cut through the upbeat and pop-esque tones, sounding as chilled and nonchalant as it is possible for a French man to sound (which is very). Sometimes I found myself struck with a kind of embarrassment about the simplistic subject matter of songs like ‘Life Without Frontiers’ or ‘Epiphany Part 1’ that are essentially about their disillusionment with Paris (the band having recently relocated to London in 2011) and now missing their families (whom they apparently left behind). At times I couldn’t help myself from thinking “Are they REALLY singing about this crap?!… seriously?” The first song on the album ‘Summer Life’ is a 4 minute 18 second lament about how much they’ll miss the weather of their favourite season… If you ask me, it all seems a little pre-school and the language barrier, caused by obviously native French speakers writing and singing in English, means that sometimes the wording is a little clumsy and naïve sounding; a little like reading from a children’s book

None the less, if you liked any of Neon Indian or Air’s work and ever wished they’d do a collaborative album with Steps then you are going to LOVE THIS ALBUM! It’s packed full of 80’s pop conventions and ambient keyboard layered with saw bass beats that are intensely funky and that do give certain songs a respectable edge. Also watch out for track 5 ‘The Sweet Song’, it’s by no means a little reminiscent of the Pokémon videogame battle music, so if you happen to be wading thigh deep in long grass and a wild Ratatta wants to fight, you’ll have the ideal soundtrack!

Songs to give you a feel for the album:

1. ‘Summer Life’

2. ‘Never Live another yesterday’

3. The Sweet Song.

Also I give this a 6/11 on the junction11 scale.

Feels - Animal Collective

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:32:24 +0000

Is the sixth studio-recorded album from Animal Collective boasting a much more rustic and free sound than their latest having guitarist Deakin and various ‘oh so indie’ sound altering techniques at their disposal.

One feature that you’ll notice straight away is the crazy detuned, yet oddly nice sounding, guitars that create a kind of hypnotic skewed weirdness to the album. It’s a little bit like looking at the world through 3D glasses; but for your ears. Trust me, it’s more pleasant than it sounds. In fact this album has been, and continues to be, one of my favorite albums of all time.

This effect (explains Geologist) was created when the band decided that they wanted to use a friends out of tune piano for some of the album. “it’s not out of tune in any traditional whole step/half step kind of way…we’re talking micro-tonally out of tune after years of not being professionally tuned and subtle natural detuning.” As a result all of the other instruments and loops used were tuned to be in line with this piano something that produces this unique and fascinating effect.

It’s an album that just has SO much energy and connects with me emotionally in a way that few other albums can. Unlike Merriweather Post Pavilion (their latest) that is a tad electronic and in places can be slow, feeling a little bit more mature and touching on the beauty of family life. Feels is energetic and gives me a sensation of young love at a carnival or festive occasion, discovering all these new feelings for the first time. Crazy and passionate with so much excitement and care. If Merriweather is an married couple with two kids and a dog, then Feels is the same passionate pair just meeting and starting out together.

The lyrics are also just genius in parts. One of the reasons why this album is so high on the list of my favorites .

Songs to give you a feel for the album would be:

Did you see the words
Purple Bottle
Banshee Beat

peace x

Good news for people who love bad news - Modest Mouse

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 19:05:16 +0100

Post-Punk/Post-Grunge music for people who like that sort of thing. This is the most well known and popular album of their discography mostly down to the mainstream success of Float On and Ocean Breathes Salty.

It’s not for everyone, and I can’t be bothered to go on about it, but give it a listen and see what you think. I might come back to this and write a proper thing later but here are the ‘songs to give you a feel for the album’:

Float on
World at large
Blame it on the Tetons

Go tell fire to the Mountain - WU LYF

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 19:39:00 +0100

The debut from WU LYF, one of the latest indie sensations to come out of the Manchester alternative music scene, ‘Go tell fire to the Mountain’ is as raw as they come, not to say that it’s not without its charms.

Famously elusive, WU LYF have been pretty hard to get any information on declining interviews from everyone and acting like they don’t want to get famous. The band’s name is an abbreviation of World Unite Lucifer Youth Foundation from the organization associated with them the Lucifer youth foundation. Here is a section of their mission statement for your enjoyment:

Established in 1998, The Lucifer Youth Foundation is a non-for-profit organization anchored to the concrete truths of unconditioned youth. The LYF encompases a selection of disciplines including petty crime, détourned design, dolla talk, busting heads, cutting film, scripting-ill literature and playing heavy (pop)

Paying tribute to the indie tradition of creating music with what you have: D.I.Y style, Go tell fire to the Mountain features a brave amount of organ probably because they decided to neglect the traditional studio method and record their album in a church. A stroke of genius as the organ is actually very powerful and the echoey acoustics of the church really give the music a nice low-fi raw garage rock sound.

The album reminds me of a clash between Band of Horses and Kings of Leon’s early material, it’s wonderfully rough around the edges and is full of emotion with their roaring, hoarse voices screaming lyrics at the microphone amidst the chime of the organ and heavy beats of the drum. instantly i get the feeling that they’d put on an awesome live show.

Songs to give you a feel for the album:

Dirt
We bros
LYF

Two Dancers - The Wild Beasts

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 22:25:00 +0100

The Wild Beasts’ second studio album really is a triumph of modern indie, mixing power and energy with simple, clean sounding, rhythms means our ears are in for a treat.

One thing that I really liked about the album was the bands endless commitment to an expansive percussion that really brings on the funk factor and, with a few tracks, makes what would otherwise be fairly standard unexceptional songs into something sensational.

The bands two lead singers Hayden Thorpe and Tom Fleming both have a really interesting vocal capacity and i am a fan of their styles. Thorpe, taking on the bulk of the vocal work, has a very clear cut voice that shines through the, often crowded, musical accompaniment and is at times oddly chilling. In contrast Fleming’s voice is rich and wild (at times), he really adds the power to the tracks on which he sings. I also love like the use of vocals as an instrument in their own right, in any band, but especially the subtle way that The Wild Beasts use their voices: just in the background and only a little but it really enhances their sound.

Lyrically the music is good too, dragging up various social issues from father’s for justice protests, through the drunken antics of the youth and past prostitution. While they aren’t the first band to parade around the mishaps of their society, they certainly do it with a level of class that hasn’t been seen in a long while.

Songs to give you a feel for the album:

We’ve still got the taste dancing on our tongues.
The fun powder plot
Two dancers (both parts)

enjoy,

Get Behind Me Satan - The White Stripes

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:31:41 +0100

The 5th album from the spectacular guitar wielding White Stripes, takes on new direction but still has the power and charm of their older and more popular work.

A distinct move away from the heavy guitar riff driven tracks that The White Stripes had produced in earlier albums, Get Behind Me Satan makes a nice change from their usual pace and is much less guitar focused, taking greater advantage of rhythm to drive the music. It could even be said that the piano takes the place of Jack’s guitar throughout the album, not that there isn’t a decent portion of screaming guitar. Certainly the album is a little more out there and arty that previous work, but i really feel like this is a move in the right direction and they don’t sell out their garage rock, heavy riff, simple beat foundations that allowed them to rise to popularity in the early 2000s.

Jack White’s voice is as wild and manic as ever and full of passion lyrically. “Truth is the number one theme throughout the album,” he admitted when quizzed. Yeah, i can believe that, Take, Forever for Her, and Doorbell are certainly about honesty and truth in some degree or another. Really for me, it’s his voice (and guitar talent) that has always been the attraction to The White Stripes so its really great to hear him really let loose again on the album.

Songs to give you a feel for the album:

Doorbell
Forever for her
Blue Orchid.

If you like them then give the whole thing a listen.

Hot Fuss - The Killers

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 22:35:16 +0100

Despite looking a little old and dusty now that the hype The Killers enjoyed in the mid 2000s has died down; their debut, one of the first albums that I really loved, is still as good today as it was then.

An eyeopening mix of electronic sound and 80s post-punk rock smashed together and put through a mangle with modern pop culture leaving something that still feels fresh and exciting even now; 7 years later. Brandon Flowers voice is so clear cut and and classic, yet with so much energy and passion, we see him really show how good he can be in All These Things That I Have Done.

With songs like Mr Brightside and Smile Like You Mean It that have become immortalised in my mind as some of the great anthems of my youth; it’s hard for me to imagine anyone not liking this album. I remember “I’ve got soul, but I’m not a soldier.” being endlessly chanted around school, thinking that every song had a personal resonance with my life and having whole weeks where I would listen only to this album on repeat.

Songs to give you a feel for the album:

Smile like you mean it.
Mr Brightside.
On Top

Everyone should already have this album in their life, i just wanted to remind you that it’s a treasure.

Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 20:35:00 +0100

Just on the right side on Pop/Indie, friendly fires’ eponymous first album is a crazy mix of dance music conventions spread evenly over some seriously funky indie rock foundations that gives the album a nice post-pop feel.

One thing that i love about friendly fires is the confident use of a wild and varied percussion set which gives their music: notably songs ‘Paris’ and ‘Jump in the pool’ a dance-ability that make you ~~want~~ NEED to move. The bass too is pelvis thrustingly solid throughout the album and really gives the music its funky edge and acts as a catalyst in the reaction: You + This Album = Love.

The songs towards the end of the album have a much less dance music influenced sound to them and remind me more of that classic indie rock sound, except they’ve still got that awesome bass and percussion pumping away in the background making everything wonderful. I haven’t yet given their new album ‘Pala’ a fair listen to yet, but i wouldn’t be surprised if they went down the less dancy route with that.

Songs to give you a feel for the album:

Jump in the pool
Skeleton boy
Paris

Return to Cookie Mountain - TV on the Radio

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 22:16:00 +0100

Another album that, like previous ones, flawlessly suceeds in being both unnervingly wierd sounding and yet very enjoyable to listen to…

…Return to Cookie Mountain experiments with sampling, loops, percussion, and vocals to produce something magical.

One undeniably noticeable element of TV on the Radio’s music is Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimpe’s experimental vocals, as the driving force behind their songs, that cut through the often hectic musical accompaniment and form much of the melody. TV on the Radio is all about experimenting with sound and often their music seems a little discordant at first but, as a band on the cutting edge of art rock, they can, i feel, be forgiven for the rough edges. Especially as when they get it right, for example in Staring at the Sun from the album Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes (2004), they get it right in a BIG way.

Songs to give you a feel for the album:

I was a Lover
Playhouses
Wolf like me

As usual i urge you to take time and listen to the whole album and enjoy.

The Suburbs - Arcade Fire

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 23:13:00 +0100

The third album from the multi-instument switching sensation Arcade Fire is yet another hit achieving acclamation at the Grammy’s and The BRIT awards as well as an 87% average score on Metacritic.

It’s an impressive piece of work that is reminiscent of the instant loveabillity that listeners experienced with their début ‘Funeral’. Lyrically the subject of the album is a nostalgic impression of Win and William Butler’s childhood and adolescent years growing up in Houston through which we gain access to that unique, yet oddly familiar, out of city sub-culture. Just like previous albums the style of music and pace is varied and occasionally changes mid song but you can expect to fall in love straight away with at least half of the tracks; while others may take a few listens to really gain your appreciation when they do they’ll be your favourites.

Songs to give you a feel for the album:

Suburban War
Rococo
Ready to start

As with most of the albums I write about I would recommend listening the whole way through and just taking time to really enjoy.

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 22:55:00 +0100

The self titled first album from, the fantastically folky, Fleet Foxes really is about as good as it gets when it comes to 21st century popular folk.

Along a similar, although waaaayy more chilled out, vein as Mumford & Sons; the album combines beautiful and often poetic lyrics with super-cool and ultra-refined melodies.

The structure and feel of the songs, after a first listen, might seem pretty basic; with a lot of ‘common sense’ chord progressions throughout. However, a closer listen reveals the true depth of Fleet Foxes’ genius and this simple framework of easy, chilled out chording at the centre of their sound allows them to subtly expand and deviate when you least expect it - and every time they do ‘their thing’ it’s infinitely satisfying.

This album is THE DEFINITION of chilled out and I found myself, while listening to this album for the second or third time, drifting off into a kind of semi-conscious daydream state; only to wake suddenly out of pure amazement at actually how good this is. It’s not every day that an album makes you consciously aware of how good it is while you’re listening to it.

For a first listen i would strongly suggest getting yourself a good pair of headphones and going for a walk somewhere natural like a forest or mountain. This album is, for me, the ultimate companion to the appreciation of the rugged yet beautiful, and often sublime, escape of nature. If hobbits had a favourite album: this would be it.

Songs to give you a feel of the album:

Ragged Wood
Tiger Mountain Peasant Song
Your Protector

Might also be worth mentioning that Fleet Foxes second album ‘Helplessness blues’ is scheduled for release on the 3rd of May 2011. Can’t wait!

All Day- Girl Talk

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 18:17:00 +0100

Album number 5 for Mash-up sensation: Gregg Gillis (aka: Girl Talk) is yet another triumph, blending some of the best indie/rock/rap/pop/retro into something magical.

‘All Day’ is sort of like listening to the most bad ass indie DJ ever, squeezing their whole set into one of the most enjoyable hours and ten minutes in Mp3 format. If any album was going to be a definite party pleaser: THIS IS IT. While the mix is filled with tons of great tunes and tight raps mixed together with all that great stuff that people who appreciate music can really enjoy, the album also appeals to the more musically challenged, dropping in some more mainstream tracks too.

Songs to give you a sense of the album:

This doesn’t really apply with this one I’m afraid. The bast way to experience this album is to just put on the first track and let the whole thing play. It’s gap-less so you’ll hardly be able to distinguish where one track ends and another begins. This album stays pretty flawless until the end… and its quite a finale.

In the Aeroplane over the Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:09:23 +0100

This is the second studio album from Neutral Milk Hotel: it’s a nice mix of experimental psych rock with raw folk music; described by Jason Ankeny as “either the work of a genius or an utter crackpot, with the truth probably falling somewhere in between.”

Not only is the album filled with the powerful simplicity of folk guitar, but also the warm blasts of trumpets, horns, organs and accordians that elevate the music to new hights. The inspiration for the album, despite it never being admitted to by the band, is clearly, to some extent concerned with the life of Anne Frank. References to ‘the communists daughter’ throughout, and various illutions to the Holocaust in ‘Oh Comely’ as well Jeff Mangum’s own personal interest in Frank’s diary, make her a likely candidate for the albums inspiration.

Songs to give you a sense of the album as a whole would be:

1. ‘King of Carrot Flowers’ (parts 1,2&3)

2. ‘In the Aeroplane over the Sea’

3.’Oh Comely”

I’d also like to honourably mention ‘Two headed boy’ as a fantastic track.

Hospice - The Antlers

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 21:14:00 +0000

Critically acclaimed concept album: Hospice, is the third release from The Antlers and details a sombre and emotionally challenging account of an abusive relationship using the conceit of hospice worker and a terminally ill patient.

It’s a slow paced album and definitely one to accompany those sad moments in life. However, song’s like ‘Sylvia’ and ‘Two’ and ‘Bear’ that seem to break from the mood of the album still continue the conceptual theme of the album and don’t feel out of place among some of the more melancholy tracks. My advice; don’t be put off by the depressing nature of the subject material, this is a stunningly beautiful album with interesting and powerful instrumentals and often haunting vocals.

In addition I’d also like to mention that they put on a wonderful live show that is honestly unmissable for anyone who enjoyed this album or any of their previous works.

My top picks to get a sense of the album are:

1. Two

2. Kettering

3. Shiva

Merriweather Post Pavilion - Animal Collective

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 14:30:00 +0000

Truly one of the greatest albums of this century, this latest from the experimental neo-psychodelic Animal Collective follows along in the same vein as previous albums, combining the truly poetic with raw emotion and musical accompaniment that can’t fail to excite. With Deakin (guitar) taking time out for personal reasons, the band were forced to rely more heavily upon computer generated sounds and samplers, something which heavily influenced the style of the album…In a good way.

The lyrics and subject material of the album, feel as organic and emotive as in previous works but it’s clear that the band have matured in their own lives as well as musically. ‘In The Flowers’ and ‘My Girls’ both have strong illusions to Panda Bear’s personal life; the strain of touring and finding fame on himself and his new family.

My top picks from the album that will give you a good taste of what to expect from the record as a whole are:

1. ‘My Girls’

2. ‘Summertime Clothes’

3. ‘Guys Eyes’