Author: mdefeo

frustration plantation

‘Often described as a Gothic Victorian cello-rock ensemble, Rasputina is bound to creep you the hell out.

Or not. They make music that T-Bone Burnett is bound to select for a film at some point. That is, if the Coen brothers ever made a Goth flick.

Cellos, drums, voice. That’s the only formula this trio uses to make music. It’s unique, to say the least.

After getting past the initial shock, the songs lend themselves to an unclassifiable but more approachable nature.

I’m not sure what it is or how to describe it. In that task, I’ve definitely failed. If a matter of personal opinion makes a difference, though, the songs begin humorously and soon turn to depressing. Nearly all of them remind me of that Crash Test Dummies song, “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm.”

The album is different than just about anything else you’ll ever here and that novelty may be just enough reason to purchase this album. The songs are misplaced by a century and a quarter but that’s no reason for the record to just go directly on the shelf to collect dust. Give it at least one listen first.

good times coming back again

‘Old-fashioned working-class roots-rock is something that is overlooked too often nowadays.

Quality music with a message, held high over the laddered steps of folk music, is also something that is not easy to find. Many post-hardcore bands have reached into their socialist upbringings to cover the occasional traditional folk song with an updated edge. A punk version of a Phil Ochs or Pete Seeger song is easy to come by. Well-written, acoustic or soft-electric-driven originals with a purpose are difficult to find.

As a matter of fact, the only real and successful pioneer in that field over the past ten years, has been Ani DiFranco, and that may be the best contemporary to use as comparison for Greg MacPherson.

Canadian-born and blue-collar-proud writer Greg MacPherson’s second full-length CD, “Good Times Coming Back Again,” leans toward making him the male counterpart of DiFranco. Now that Ani has given up the message, though, he may be a queenless king.

His music is potent, his message is clear, and his voice is distinguishable, and at times its low vibrato and sometimes spoken-word rhythm is even reminiscent of DiFranco’s.

He has taken the singer/songwriter nature of his music and brought it one step further by rounding it out with a full band. The occasional synthesizer and effects pedal congeals into a rough finish over the music’s stripped-down sound, providing the songs with dimensions that can be twisted and turned around into a variety of vantage points.

The songs are like sonic Rubik’s cubes, presenting different tones and patterns with each of those twists and turns. Sometimes, it’s a struggle to align each side up with all of the same colors. Other times, it is the collision of varicolored shapes that creates beauty.

Ultimately, the sides are not too hard to line up. The songs are simple, honest, and forthright. The music makes you picture MacPherson in jeans and a white undershirt, sitting alone at the bar drinking a domestic beer; a picture often associated with similar sounding singing/songwriting trailblazer Bruce Springsteen.

Maybe, then, that’s a better comparison. He’s more of The Boss than an angry feminist.

http://www.flatulence-filter.com

‘Does your wind blow uncontrollably? How about your trumpet? Is it playing “Birth of the Uncool?”

Then the Flatulence Filter is for you. Originally known as TooT TrappeR, this helpful product can decrease the embarrassment caused by letting an excessive amount of unwanted ones fly.

Yes sir or ma’am, you’d better believe there’s a product out there that can help cut back on up to 90 percent of offensive odors at home, in the office or in the car. That’s right, this product is mobile. The Flatulence Filter is nothing more than an activated charcoal air filtration system built into the form of a pad or a seat cushion. Depending upon usage, the pad will last up to six months and the cushion can last up to a year. The Filter runs about $17 to $40 on average. The best part is, it fits on any seat!

This product has been tested and comes with a guarantee. The tested sounds painful.

According to a Reuters’ article, “Study subjects ate 200 grams of pinto beans on the night before the study plus 15 grams of lactulose two hours before gas collections. Researchers collected flatulus via rectal tubes from 16 healthy subjects…”

The article goes on to describe more about the testing process but that is not our concern. Rectal tubes? Hello!?! We hope these test subjects were paid a good deal of cash to have tubes stuck up their butts.

So, there’s a product out there that can take the bite out of your air biscuits. Now, it’s just a matter of weighing out the options on the embarrassment scale: is it worse to have the smell or to have something on your seat that lets everyone know you’re trying to cover up the stench, you stinky, stink person.

Just keep in mind, it will ONLY filter out the smell.

Complete information about farts can be found at http://www.heptune.com/farts.html. For more farting euphemisms, visit http://www.goofball.com/fart_list. For info on fart candy, visit http://www.biffleys.com/Novelty/fartcandy.htm. To find out more about the remote-control fart machine, visit http://www.fartmart.com/display.asp?sku=2. We could go on like this all day.

That’s the way they get by

‘”I think they were dead on,” begins Spoon mastermind Brit Daniel, when asked about how the critics placed “Kill the Moonlight,” the band’s most recent album, in the top 10 of 2002.

“It’s the best and most varied sounding record we’ve made. I listened to it the other day. People should get enjoyment from their records. You should make it for yourself. If you can’t listen to it, that’s a bad sign.”

Austin, Texas-based Spoon is gearing up for a tour and will most likely be taking their impressive catalogue of works on the road with them for van listening sessions.

“Rock band,” Daniel continues, in an effort to punctiliously describe the band’s sound. If a vague and somewhat simple sounding generic characterization is what he’s going for, then that bland phrase is what he’ll get.

“It sounds like twelve little monkeys picking bugs off each other’s backs.”

Daniel has been spending off-tour time writing new songs, as Spoon’s “other half” Jim Eno gallivants across the country assisting in numerous musical projects.

songs about running away

‘Why are albums so hard to define as either good or bad? A black-and-white answer seems like such a simple thing to give. Buy this album. Don’t ever listen to this person’s music again. This is the info we want to know. It’s what we want to be told. But there are too many variables. Each album is approached differently, depending upon what previous work this artist may have done, what other people have said and even what the cover may look like. There are an infinite number of different factors that play into an initial yes/no response to an album.

In Dennis Lyxzen’s case, his band credentials play a big factor in the way “Songs About Running Away” will be perceived. He first made his mark as a vocalist in the seminal post-hardcore band the Refused. The band was very cutting-edge. Their music crossed over multiple genres and was evenly tempered with Lyxzen’s vocals. To put it simply, their sound was hard. Then, he moved to The International Noise Conspiracy, which aligned itself with old soul and R&B music. They rocked out when necessary but let their short guitar licks and full rhythms play the most prominent role in their songwriting.

Now, with “The Lost Patrol,” Lyxzen tries the man-with-an-axe, stripped-down route. These songs do occasionally hint at TINC’s repertoire but it’s particularly well-suited for coffee shops and other such mellow settings. It’s got that slow-is-the-new-fast vibe tattooed across it.

That’s very minimalist of you, Dennis. Where do you go from here, a capella? Gregorian chant?

One thing can be verily stated, this is a long way from his days in the Refused. Whether the music is boring or a perfect and logical progression is up to you to decide.

song in the air

‘There are some bands out there that, no matter what, can be expected to produce high quality records. Elliott is putting the finishing touches on this reputation for themselves. For all intents and purposes, “Song in the Air” seals the deal.

The record is astounding. It is a necessity for any collection. There is nothing to disagree with on this, the band’s third full length. No matter what style of music you consider to be your favorite, Elliott will fit in. They make little to set boundaries for themselves. Plain and simple, it is just good music written by a good band.

“Song in the Air” is arguably the best of the Elliott records so far. The band has an easily palatable style that makes their songwriting deceptively simple. It is thoroughly textured, but is not too heavy. The album is well mixed and well produced, allowing it to be enjoyable on many levels. In the soundscape, there is always something different to focus on and enjoy. There is always something a little bit different that presents itself to you with each listen. This is not to say that there are an infinite number of delicate sounds hidden in the background. Rather, each instrument is spaced out properly so that it can be fully enjoyed for how good it really is.

Each part of the album is written with the utmost of care and precision. It is a delicate balance of interwoven fabrics that catch your ear no matter what mood you are in, shy of feeling very pumped and aggressive. This is not the album to rock out to. It is a light red wine album intended to be savored. It is one of Revelations Records softer, finer points.

The highlights of this record do come back-to-back in the front end of this album, which is the only downside to this record. It is not carefully balanced and trails off a bit towards the end. “Carry On,” “Believe,” and “Beijing (too many people)” are infectiously melodic tunes that will stick with you days after hearing them. Together, they carry the album from better to best status, relative to the prior Elliot records.

All together, “Song in the Air” is a good starting point for those who are unfamiliar with Elliott and it is a necessity for fans of the band. Regardless, it is a good addition to any collection of albums.

web 1.0, bitches

‘Don’t let the name fool you – this band is amazing. Without a doubt, this is the best thing recently released on Interscope, the people responsible for T.A.T.u. and 50 Cent. Amazing, simply amazing. This EP is a great follow up to their epochal full length of last year, “Source Tags & Codes.” It sounds like a rebuilt and upscale version of Edison except much, much better. This is worthy of much more praise than it is getting right now. The full-length to follow could easily be one of the best albums of the year. The band members are my new heroes.

kill us now

‘”Kill Us Now” is one of the best albums of 2003 and will remain so through the end of the year. It is equal parts Beatles, The Doves, Luna, Sigur Ros, Silver Scooter, Spoon, and Superchunk, swirling into an apotheosized musical aura. It is pure, divined from the rock Gods up above.

On the album’s second track, “Plastic Hearts,” the vocals ring out on the line “Just wind us up and we’ll make a good impression.” Someone must have wound them extremely tight.

Hello Defective has created a lucid and masterful work of true artistry. The album’s infectious grooves and transy vocals hit hard right from the start. “Kill Us Now” is full, whole complete. The adjectives that describe this album are relentless, one slightly different from the last but each is unable to accurately describe the record’s attributes on its own. Only in a succession such as astounding, amazing, mind-blowing, can more closely portray the band in their true and deserved light.

Myth has it that this Brit-based band consists of rather well accomplished members, including a Film Director (Armitage) and a product of MENSA (Kirby). It’s no wonder the music has such an intellectual air to it. As they sing in “Dim Like A Dog’s House,” “All our brains start out the same size.” The likes of Kirby and Armitage prove that some musicians turn out to be much more mentally well endowed than others end up being in the long run.

Hello Defective in the incarnation of what Oasis was hyped up to be. This band of musical prodigies may be able to accomplish just that because there is no media hype surrounding them. They are coming out of the woodworks to achieve the unachievable.

In addition to Kirby and Armitage’s well-defined musical muscle, much of the album’s thanks should go to the work David Hoffner has put into the band with the aid of his Mac. This only further proves the statement that a good deal of the most influential and highly acclaimed records over the last half-decade are assisted by computers.

Of course, musical purists will disagree on this subjective statement. No matter which side of this statement you stand on, it is difficult to argue the high quality of this album that should quickly make its way out of obscurity and into the limelight.

This poor reference aside, the band will have you at Hello.

loses control

‘After a long bought with depression and the continuous struggle to separate past from present, Robert Nanna and company have reemerged with a new Hey Mercedes LP, “Loses Control.” The name speaks volumes about the band and their most recent record.

As what appears to be a conscious decision, “Loses” does not congeal into a certain sound. It sways from classic rock to wistful pop to a version of indie-punk that is incompatible with early Hey Mercedes or any Braid material.

The spirit of this record has manifested their mental torment. It speaks of the band’s struggles. The loss of one member and the addition of another is apparent. Nanna’s sinking battleship of emotions cries out to anyone who will listen. It’s a wreck hiding behind a smile. The tenor of the record displays firm composure. It lets the casual listener know that everything is all right, and there is no need to worry. It’s a smokescreen or a card trick, showing the band’s diversity in their ability to pull off tight and well-structured compositions in a number of different genres.

Most of all it is confusing for fans of Nanna who have followed his path since the Friction days. You’re left in a sense of heightened curiosity, wondering what he is going to do next – and why.

a mark, a mission, a brand, a scar

‘Shit. The time I never thought would come has arrived.

After taking advantage of numerous opportunities to make insulting comments directed towards Chris Carraba, allow me to be the first to admit that the new Dashboard Confessional album is amazing.

“A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar” shows the full fledged band of Dashboard Confessional at its pinnacle to date. This is a full-on indie rock album bound to disappoint 13-year-old girls everywhere.

Sorry girls. You’ll get over it.

Carraba still wears his heart on his sleeve but everything else about the band has changed. He explores a bit more both vocally and musically. There are a lot of throaty whispers that lead into the patented sustained screams he does so well. The music is loud and distinct from previous Dashboard records.

As Andrew Beaujon, Senior Contributing Writer for Spin Magazine, pointed out in a previous interview, “Dashboard Confessional is suited well for the teenage crowd because the songs Carraba sings are about the beginnings and ends of relationships. When you’re a teenager, that’s all you have. There is no middle.”

The band has not strayed too much from that formula but that Unplugged moment of tear drenched teenager screaming along to the songs has passed. Carraba is going for it with this record. It’s a sure bet to say he’s got it.

This record has a part Taking Back Sunday and part Onelinedrawing feel to it. It does not necessarily sound like both or either, but it picks up on the same vibes that those bands give off.

Dashboard Confessional is reborn and it’s pretty damned exciting. The band’s survived the indie scene, the commercial arena, and now they’re back with full reign to do it their own way.

“A Mark” is a worthy record and will make fans out of all Carraba haters.

As John Doe of the punk band X once said, “It’s just a guy making fucking music. I don’t see what the big deal is.”

This album is bound to go platinum and earn critical praise from both mainstream and independent circles.

Carraba’s in control and there’s nothing to worry about.

There, I said it. Are you happy?