brit pop

Thirteen

admin — Tue, 25 May 2010 00:00:00 +0000

“Jangly” is a complimentary adjective in my music lexicon. It's a descriptor applied quite often to indie rock bands of the early '90s: think classic-era music from UK label 4AD. In the case of Texas trio Tribella, jangly serves as both a term of endearment as well as a nod to their forebearers. These darlings of the Austin music scene produce edgy ethereal power pop, showcased in fine form on their debut full-length album Thirteen.

Released on the heels of the six-song EP My Guest List, and following the band's 2009 U.S. tour, Tribella's Thirteen is an ambitious collection, featuring nine (highly) original songs and one remix. Tribella has three members: lyricist, guitarist and lead vocalist Sarah Glynn, bassist Rae Golding, and drummer/vocalist Dena Gerbrecht. They've kept good live company, sharing stages with such artists as San Antonio trio Girl in a Coma and music festival mainstay Sarah Bettens (K's Choice). The group dips its toes into pseudo-Britpop, indie rock, prog, shoegaze, and even math rock. The result is a gleaming multifaceted expanse, leaping joyously from rhythm to rhythm–often within the same song–while still achieving a constancy of sound that successfully unifies the album.

With lyrics like “Think of all the books you'll read/Now that you're rid of me,” the title track is wry bittersweet barb. Its sting hearkens back to the Lush song, “Ciao!” (featuring Jarvis Cocker of Pulp), in which a recently separated couple barrage each other with insults while wallowing in regret and denial. “Revolution Script” eloquently considers the socio-political impact of our actions, sans preachiness: “Look back with a rock in my hand/Throw it in the future/Hope it might land.”

Previously released EP lead track “My Guest List” also features prominently on Thirteen, both in its original form and as a tinkling, yet somewhat tepid, remix courtesy of Eric LeRoc. There's a sassy defiant charm to its chorus: “And all the world that matters/Will be on my guest list/And all my friends that matter/Will be on my guest list.” It seems to be at once mocking such a shallow mentality, while at the same time celebrating the truly important things in our own little microcosms by bestowing upon them the honor of VIP status.

For me, Tribella's sound is so familiar that it's difficult to critique. I just... like it. I delight in their use of irregular meters (highlighted with the title song, which is played in 13/8 time), their cynical-sweet lyrics, and most of all, Glynn and Gerbrecht's dense harmonies. If your heart doesn't beat to the rhythms of groups like Belly, Throwing Muses, Lush, or Metric, then Tribella might not be your cup of tea. Not everyone cottons to the complex flavors of genre-defying rock. But do me a favor: give it a teensy taste. Please? You never know. You just might like it.

Written by: M. Brianna Stallings, May 24th 2010

Nothing Out Loud

admin — Fri, 21 May 2010 00:01:00 +0000

By Alejandra O’Leary

Alejandra O’Leary has released an album of high-quality, well-articulated, catchy pop songs that plumb the depths and the banalities of modern life. Influenced by 1960s British compositions and production, the record is wonderfully warm and the songs are well arranged with fleshed out, but never overdone, instrumentation.

The album begins with the pop-perfect tumult of “Ever After,” “Love I Been In,” and “Tremor.” The lyrics crackle with accessible Ivy League intelligence and innuendo. Sleepless nights and frustrated affairs never sounded so good. On “Ever After” O’Leary laments that she’s “tired of giving you my free labor, no time clock, no nights off, well I hate it,” in a Marxism-infused kiss-off. The tracks are both fiery and reflective and are filled with longing and righteous anger.

The middle of the record moves toward pensive territory and features O’Leary’s voice and guitar playing. While this may be familiar terrain for singer-songwriters, O’Leary’s mastery of the pop hook pushes these tracks beyond the realm of the ordinary. Melodies and choruses stick in your head and you find your self humming a refrain with a feeling of warm satisfaction. Nothing Out Loud picks up again towards the end with the standout “I Love Your Tone,” which could just as easily be an ode to an electric guitar as to a lover. The smart songwriting and arranging on Nothing Out Loud places O’Leary in the company of powerhouses like Liz Phair, Britpoppers Elastica, or even the 1960s country-inflected indie rock of She and Him.

While O’Leary’s song craft may be new to many listeners, she has been writing and performing guitar-based pop for well over a decade. As a teenager she graced the Thursday morning airwaves on Southern Maine community radio appearing as a guest on a friend’s show under the guise of “Guitar Girl.” As a listener and aspiring musician I was always impressed by her bravado to perform live on air. Since then, O’Leary has honed her serious commitment to song writing and used that same bravado to create a playfully mature record.

Written by: Eleanor J. Bader, May 20th 2010

Tidings

admin — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 01:00:00 +0000

By Wolf People

Jagjaguwar

The first Wolf People album released in the U.S., Tidings is comprised of three years worth of psychedelic, folksy Brit rock recordings, some of which were composed before the formation of the current lineup. The tracks often blend together, and multiple interludes—one appropriately titled “Scraps”—stitch together thirty-second banjo solos and full-length songs about darkness and friendship.

Single “October Fires” is a catchy tune, the best produced of the slightly haphazard bunch. With an infectious guitar riff repeated throughout, it sounds as though it could have been written any time within the last thirty years—and that’s quite a compliment, as it would have stood the test of time were it a vintage track. “Black Water” follows in close second place, a song that feels reminiscent of a British brewpub full of smokers in leather jackets.

I’m admittedly torn about the resurgence of wolf popularity. While other similarly named bands—Wolf Eyes, Wolfmother, Wolf Colonel, Sea Wolf, even the forerunner, now-defunct Wolfie—may have long ago signaled the popular rise of ugly kitsch, I’m one of those girls who grew up with kids in the wolf t-shirts. You know the ones I mean; every hipster boutique is selling them these days, complete with the terrible blue-gray tie-dye and moon shining on the gray wolf silkscreen. Even Shakira has a song out about how she’s a “she wolf.” (Why must gender be assumed male unless otherwise stated?)

In the past, Wolf People have supported the likes of Dinosaur Jr. on tour. Hit up the Jagjaguwar site to see when they might roll through your region to promote Tidings.

Written by: Brittany Shoot, February 14th 2010

TV is My Parent

admin — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0000

By Sia

Monkey Puzzle Records

Sia's latest release is a concert DVD called TV is My Parent, which includes a set from her concert at the Hiro Ballroom in New York, four music videos, and traditional "behind the scenes with the band" footage. While I'm a big fan of Sia's quirky avant-garde pop, a concert DVD isn't usually something I would pick up. If I already have the music on CD, why do I need lower quality versions punctuated with inaudible on-stage banter? However, I have to admit that once I started watching the DVD, I was really really enjoying myself.

What makes a project like this work is Sia's relationship with the audience. This isn't a spectacle like Gwen Stafani and her Harajuku Girls, or Britney Spears lip-syncing her way through a series of electronically-produced songs. Sia's playfulness and energy are infectious, and her vocals have an intensity that demands immersion.

The show opens with Sia and her bandmates dressed as day-glow children's drawing. Most of the concert set is from her latest album, Some People Have Real Problems. The songs chosen for the DVD showcase Sia's songwriting at its best, from the haunting "Breathe Me" (a song some of you might remember from HBO's Six Feet Under series finale) to the honest and flippant "The Girl You Lost to Cocaine" that features satisfying lines like: "'cause I'll never get laid while I'm running your life." Her radio-friendly "Little Black Sandals" opens the concert and also features an adorable young girl singing backup.

The concert is definitely the highlight of TV is My Parent. The "behind the scenes" filming is fun—particularly when she's scheduled to do a signing at Starbucks, but can't find the right one because there are four on the same street. The problem is it doesn't tell the audience much about her creative process or thoughts about her music.

Following the band around makes the viewer feel distinctly like being the only sober person at a party, seeing a drummer rub his nipples is only really amusing once.

The music videos are great, and (as any Sia fan would expect) they are weird. The line between creativity and hipster obscurity is finely tread here but she comes off more Bjork than Feist. "Soon We'll be Found" is the real gem, with Sia's signature child-like art being used as a metaphor for the innocence of new love.

While I've never considered Sia in the vein of feminist music, there is something distinctly refreshing about her approach to sexuality in her lyrics and her own aesthetic. While aloof and friendly on stage and when interacting with fans, Sia is clearly an artist first. Her songs are largely about connecting to other people and could be applied to the complexities of any relationship.

My feeling is that TV is My Parent is for Sia fans. If you're new to her music, a better introduction would be to buy her solo albums and prepare for the unexpected urge to do interpretive dance.

Written by: Jennifer Burgess, July 25th 2009

Girls and Weather

admin — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 12:41:00 +0000

By The Rumble Strips

Fallout Records

Rumble strips are those bumpy edges along the highway that essentially—hopefully—keep you from driving into a ditch. Did you ever start to doze off on an interstate freeway or make a turn too sharp off an exit ramp? Then you’ve probably rolled over a rumble strip. Not really similar due to their lack of grating and bumpy transitions, The Rumble Strips are a UK band with a lot of heart. Earnest Brit-pop with a large horn presence, Girls and Weather is their debut release with a lot of room for growth.

Most of the album showcases fresh work, though the track “Motorcycle” was first released in 2005 as the band was just getting its bearings after switching the lineup. With a consistent roster since, comprised of childhood pals, the fellas of The Rumble Strips chose to re-release “Motorcycle,” which is a little too sugary sweet for me in its lamenting that a bicycle is not a motorcycle. In fact, much of the album, including their single “Girls and Boys In Love,” is similar bubbly pop. The single “Alarm Clock” goes so far as to include lyrics “beep, beep, beep,” but no one ever said pop music doesn’t rely on predictable formulas, right?

The band just wrapped their first major North American tour, but check their website for future dates. This disc has been out for a little over a year, but you aren’t behind. Just go grab a copy and act like you knew all along.

Written by: Brittany Shoot, November 16th 2008

No Need to Be Downhearted

admin — Thu, 24 May 2007 19:43:00 +0000

By Electric Soft Parade

Better Looking Records

The latest album from Electric Soft Parade, entitled No need to be Downhearted, is fantastic. The album has a mix of easy listening pieces that are perfect for a relaxed evening and fun light hearted songs that can put a smile on just about anyone’s face. As the band’s name suggests the music has a soft, electronic accompaniment that rounds out the music, along with catchy beats, enjoyable guitar and meaningful lyrics. My favorite track on the album is “Have you ever felt like it’s too late.” The lyrics are great and the rhythm is fun and catchy. Electric Soft Parade avoids the pitfalls that some bands fall into, where every song sounds the same. Each piece on the album is different, yet has the distinct sound that allows the listener to be able to immediately recognize what band it is. I highly recommend this album to anyone who is a fan of the 80s music genre, brit pop and intelligent pop music in general.

Written by: Diana Tierney, May 24th 2007