Arbouretum mainman David Heumann's J. Mascis meets Jerry Garcia guitarwork has shown up on releases by the Anomoanon,Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Cass McCombs and a host of other less well known indie rock groups. Being a highly sought after session player may be the reason why his own group has only released three full length albums in their seven year existence. While the group's two previous releases, Long Live the Well-Doer and Rites of Uncovering, featured a revolving line up of players, their newest release, Song of the Pearl, has a consistent line up throughout. Absent also are the sprawling instrumental passages that made up large portions of their previous albums. None of Song of the Pearl's eight tracks much exceed the six minute mark, focusing much more on the actual song than extended guitar workouts. Not that they don't still rock out, as evidenced on the track "Infinite Corridors," where Heumann and fellow guitarist Steven Strohmeier duel a la Neil Young and Danny Whitten circa 1969.
Heumann's songwriting shows a strong British folk influence, especially that of Sandy Denny and Fairport Convention. The track "Down By the Fall Line" mixes a haunting, celtic-inspired melody with a thick almost grunge-like musical backing. Elsewhere, the group experiments with a string arrangement on the title track and two drummers on "Thin Dominion." These embellishments never get in the way of the song, however. They only serve to further enhance the atmosphere of each piece.
The album concludes with an opium-paced version of Bob Dylan's "Tomorrow is a Long Time." Though the idea of covering one of the most covered artists of all time may seem suspect, Heumann and co. pull if off with restrained beauty. A perfect ending to a great album.
Check out this video for "Down By the Fall Line" and let me know what you think. Cheers.
Hello friends. Time for another installment of the music that's blessed my ears in the past week.
First up.....
Richard & Linda Thompson -I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight (Island 1974)--a great mix of bleak musings on life ("The End of the Rainbow") and the need for a good weekend bender (the title track), held together by Richard's arabesque guitar work and wife Linda's beautiful voice. RIYL-late 60's British Folk, existential doubt
Nicolai Dunger - Tranquil Isolation (Overcoat 2003)--an exquisite folk rock masterpiece made by a Swedish ex-footballer? Yup, that's right. Dunger heads to Shelbyville, KY, hooks up with the Oldham clan (Will & Paul) and channels his inner Van Morrison. Perfect for those lazy twilights that seem infinite. RIYL-Moondance-era Van Morrison, Kentucky bourbon.
Palace - Arise, Therefore (Drag City 1996)--continuing the Oldham theme, here we find Will "Bonnie 'Prince' Billy" Oldham researching the darker parameters of the human condition. A stark release, even by his usual standards, but one of his most interesting. The fourth track, whose title is unfit to print, is one of my favorites in his entire oeuvre. RIYL-hmmmm, that's tough. Maybe the darkest, slowest Neil Young times ten without the Neil.
Nina Simone - To Be Free:The Nina Simone Story (Sony 2008)--one of the greatest voices in the history of American music, bar none. Whether it's jazz, blues, folk, pop or other, Nina makes a song her own. Equally at ease with a Gershwin standard ("I Loves You Porgy") as she is with fiery protest ("Mississippi Goddam"). Oh yeah, she's also an AMAZING pianist. RIYL--just get some of her music ok? If you have a pulse and functioning ears you'll love it.
Dinosaur Jr. - You're Living All Over Me (SST 1987)--guitars, guitars, guitars, guitars. But buried underneath all those guitars is some of the best pop music this side of the Atlantic. RIYL--Marshall stacks, fuzz pedals, furry things.
There you have it folks. Another list of essential listening from the vaults of the illuminated Don. Keep on the lookout for fnords.
Josh Homme has always been an innovator. When he was a teenager he formed Kyuss, the seminal stoner rock band. Not only did the band pioneer a sound, but their live shows established them as legends of the
underground. They played in isolated parts of the California desert and the band would run
their equipment entirely off generators. The combination of original music presented in an original way never resulted in commercial success. However, they have been highly inspirational for scores of underground metal bands, and the band's influence is still held in high regards today.
After Kyuss disbanded, Homme started his own project Queens of the Stone Age. Homme has been the only constant member through five studio albums and a wide array of sounds. Starting off as a riff rock band in the late 90's, Queens of the Stone Age has evolved into a band that pushes the limits of mainstream rock music. Their latest album, 2007's Era Vulgaris, is an unique and captivating album. The guitars are sparse, but somehow sound huge. The drums are mechanical, but somehow groove. The album is simple and complex at the same time, and took Queens to a whole new level of weird.
Era Vulgaris features songs with huge hooks revolving around repeating guitar riffs and odd vocal melodies. The drums are electronic sounding at times, but focus on snare and kick drum grooves that encourage head nodding and body moving. The sparse use of toms and cymbals make the drums sound more like a beat machine than a live drummer, but somehow it only adds to the groovy nature of the record. The vocals are densely layered with harmonies and backgrounds, and the guitars make the most of effects and feedback to give the album a truly distinctive sound. An odd album for sure, but without being weird just for the sake of eccentricity. The album is a puzzle made of many complicated pieces to show a simple picture. Era Vulgaris is like a coloring book comprised of fine art.
Josh Homme, a self-diagnosed musical schizophrenic, not only breaks new ground with his group Queens of the Stone Age, but also stays busy with a wide variety of projects. His group The Eagles of Death Metal have released 3 albums in the last 6 years and in his newest group Them Crooked Vultures he is joined by rock legends Dave Grohl, John Paul Jones, and Alain Johannes. Homme also runs his own studio Rancho de la Luna in the California desert. There he has recorded and released 10 volumes of “The Desert Sessions," impromptu writing and recording sessions featuring other well known musicians. 2009 also saw Homme producing music other than his own for the first time, the Arctic Monkeys wonderfully bizarre 3rd album Humbug. A true musical polyglot, there seems to be no instrument or piece of music that Josh Homme can't totally rock out.
Allen Collins used a Gibson Firebird for most of his career with Lynyrd Skynyrd. He is pictured above with an Explorer. The picture below is from the "Tribute Gibson" Explorer, a re-issue of that famous guitar .
Sonic Youth has always dabbled with the eccentric qualities of recorded music. However, they have spent the last few years putting out music with strong pop tendencies, focusing on arrangement and hooks. Last year Sonic Youth returned to creating music that was interesting, intense, and certainly weird.
Sonic Youth has had many different phases in their long career, but they have always remained original and inspiring to legions of musicians. They spent the 80's playing very noisy, wild, and pretty much out of tune rock music. The 90's saw the band become a little more aggressive, but they still crafted long winding songs layered with guitar feedback and echoed vocals (they even started to tune their guitars a little more) Then unsurprisingly Sonic Youth shifted their sound again in the 2000's.
2002's Murray Street, 2004's Sonic Nurse, and 2006's Rather Ripped are all records that showed progression and development, but they were comprised of songs that were soft-spoken and more easily digestible. Rather Ripped was the culmination of the pop rebirth of Sonic Youth, featuring songs under 4 minutes in length and strong pop arrangements. It was almost unbelievable that this great noise band was also capable of writing great pop songs. However, a lot of fans were still itching for the strange that Sonic Youth had done so well in the past.
After a three year recording break, the band came back with The Eternal. While not as odd as some of their 80's material, this album definitely marked a transition for the band. It should come as no surprise that this was their first independent release in 20 years. The band felt a sense of freedom after leaving Geffen Records, and they were able to craft a jagged, intricate record. The Eternal is aggressive, unique, and definitely worth an attentive listen. It features pounding drums, dissonant guitar melodies, intrusive vocals, and as always with Sonic Youth a perfect blend of recording effects and organic tones.
The mark of a great band is being able to progress and diverge from the expected path. Sonic Youth has never sold a million records, but they have established themselves as one of the most unique, inspirational, and just plain cool bands of the past 30 years, and for some reason I just don't think they are near done.
Arctic Monkeys have certainly had a unique career. Their debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, went to #1 on the British charts by the time the young lads had barely reached maturity. Their next album, Favourite Worst Nightmare, debuted at #1 on the charts and the ten songs on the album occupied the top ten spots of the British Singles Chart. Such successes are not easily followed, and it was hard to guess just what would come next.
Fortunately, instead of trying to manufacture record sales through a recreation of their previous sound, the band enlisted the help of Queens of the Stone Age and Them Crooked Vultures frontman Josh Homme. They packed up and headed to Homme's Rancho De La Luna Studio in Joshua Tree, California. It turns out spending a couple months in the desert does wonders for your music.
The album is a downright creepy batch of songs. Its full of eerie guitar and vocal effects, but still contains the intriguing lyrics and melodies that have become the band's trademark. Songs such as “Dangerous Animals” and “Dance Little Liar” interweave drum hooks and guitar lines that leave you excited, but also looking over your shoulder, as the ominous sounds build up suspense without ever really reaching a climax.
This album might not sell as well as their previous releases, but I strongly recommend giving Humbug a good listen. The band have reached the next level in artistry, and their continued progression is a mark of a great band.
1. Papa M - Live From A Shark Cage (Drag City 1999)--hands down my favorite bedtime listening. Neither live, nor in a shark cage. Just beautifully layered guitar meanderings and some found sounds.
2. Leonard Cohen - Songs From A Room (Columbia 1969)--although his debut is also good bedtime listening, this starker sophomore effort is ideal for a good night's rest or a rainy afternoon snooze.
3. Brian Eno - Ambient 1: Music for Airports (EG 1978)--like aural Ambien. I don't think i've ever actually heard the second half of this album as after the first 20 minutes i'm fast asleep. Great for long layovers as well.
4. Dirty Three - Whatever You Love, You Are (Touch & Go 2000)--maybe not everyone's cup of warm milk as it can get slightly raucous in parts. Classical violin, layered guitar and ramshackle percussion intertwine as you drift into dreamland.
5. The For Carnation self-titled (Touch & Go 2000)--ya know how you always wanted to go to sleep listening to Spiderland but always woke up in a fright as soon as the loud parts kicked in? Fret no more. Brian McMahan and co ease off the throttle and deliver a spooky, sexy bedtime masterpiece. Not just for sleeping either (wink wink, nudge nudge)
I know there's a lot more great sleepy music out there. That's why you should leave a comment and list some more. And remember, in the words of David Berman, "sleeping is the only love."
--hadn't listened to this one in a while but recently got back into it after watching the Burma documentary Not A Photograph. Good to know they're back together and still putting our great albums. RIYL-Gang of Four, Wire
--after all the recent praise surrounding Smog man Bill Callahan's Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle, i decided to go back to the album that got me into the man in the first place. Classic mid-90's indie misanthropy. RIYL-early Leonard Cohen, kittens
--perhaps influenced by my previous selection, pulled out this disc that i've not listened to in some time. Outsider pop with immaculate production. RIYL-sounds that make your earhole feel good
--one of my favorite releases of the last year. Eco black metal from the forests of the Pacific Northwest. Need i say more? RIYL-full moons, winter solstice
What music are you currently grooving/driving/sleeping to? Drop me a comment yo.
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Nicolai Dunger
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