Delorean--Subiza (album review)

Last year’s four track Ayrton Senna EP by Barcelona’s (via Basque Country) Delorean took blogosphere by storm. It was the sound of endless Summer and instead of embracing more relaxed attitude like some of their chilwave transatlantic contemporaries such as Washed Out, Delorean chose to party. Their combination of early 90’s synths mixed with funky guitar and bass interplay was as exhilarating as it was exhilarating to watch the former Formula 1 champion and legend whose name the EP barred. Add to this mixtape which was called appropriately enough, The Ayrton Senna mixtape, and was available on Delorean’s myspace, and featured with two of the cuts from the EP featured 6 Delorean remixes of artists ranging from The Big Pink to Lemonade to the Teenagers. I dare to say some of the remixes, in particular The Big Pinks “Too Young To Love”, were even better than Delorean’s original material. In any case it was clear that this is the band able to put their own stamp on other peoples’ song or create some summer magic all by themselves.

Subiza’s nine tracks overall are more complex and less immediate than the ones on its successful predecessor. This does not mean that there are no obvious smile-inducing, wave-your-hands songs; it’s just that most of the songs are not as immediate. This was by the design. While recording the album band did say that they wanted to challenge themselves, especially when they play live to have songs with more complex arrangements. They have certainly succeeded at that.

The first single and the opening track “Stay Close” is almost like a case in point. Its sounds swell up time and time again just to never burst, creating a bittersweet, longing feeling. Not to worry though, as the very next track “Real Love” is not only the biggest grin inducing track Delorean have ever written, but also the pinnacle of Delorean’s career up to now. As it’s chopped, pitched up “aaah, aaah, aaaa” vocals come in and out, organ like synth, tension building samples and house piano riff collide to create feeling of blissful joy unequaled in music this year. It also helps that singer Ekhi Lopettegi’s voice has never sounded better than it does here. Another highlight of Subiza is slower tempo, breakbeat-laced track, “Simple Graces”. This joy generator has one of the best, if not the best, purest piano house riffs made since the rave-crazy days of early 90’s and tracks like “Step On” by Manchester’s (or better Madchester’s) Happy Mondays. Just listen to “Simple Graces” starting at 1:27, so simple, yet so hair-on-the-back-of-the-neck-standing-beautiful.

However, this is also where Subiza sharply contrasts with its last year’s four track predecessor on which the main strength in songs like “Deli” and “Moonson” was the interplay between guitar and bass. On Subiza, the strength lies in layers of layers of electronic sounds. Guitars are still somewhat present, mainly on song “Grow” which by the way sounds like it could fight with “Simple Graces” to be the third single, but there is no doubt that Delorean have moved more into electronically dominated waters than what they’ve displayed since their 2006 album Into the Plateau. As we have seen, this growth has its strengths, but also has its weaknesses especially present in the last four songs. This is when album seems to lose its momentum as beats become repetitive and songs seem a bit overproduced. It’s true that the very last song, “It’s All Ours” featuring some complex percussion pattern, stands out, but nothing shines like the first five tracks.

Interestingly enough, in the Delorean live shows their drummer Igor (nice name by the way) Escudeo brings so much energy to the performance, especially in the way he nails those explosive fills over the electronic beats, creating walls of tension, thus taking songs to the levels not heard on the official recordings. Seeing them live is not only aural and visual, but physical experience as well, as these four guys from Barcelona bring in so much enthusiasm and intensity to their concerts that it is impossible just to stand and not join them dancing. Hopefully on their next album they’ll more consistently harness that live energy in the studio.


Grade: 8.4/10

Igor M.

The National--High Violet (album review)

Although not immediately apparent from energetic, but not so polished sounding opening track, "Terrible Love", High Violet is an ambitious and lush sounding album. It is the National taking their craft to the next level. While technically it is an indie album, this is the sound for the masses, sound for these uncertain, fast-changing times. The band has been on a hot streak, especially with their last two full lengths releases, garnering critical praise as well as many new devoted fans. Those two: 2005 Alligator and 2007 Boxer each had a distinctive flavor. While Alligator had more musical range and featured two songs which featured Matt Berninger primal screaming (Abel and Mr. November) Boxer was more cohesive as a whole and displayed a lot of restraint and tension. Hardcore fans were left wondering how will High Violet compare. And the answer is: it is somewhere in-between the two.

The National are a certainly a band where each member brings their share to the table, but not many will disagree that two signature aspects of the band are Matt Berninger’s voice and Bryan Devendorf’s drumming. Good news is that on High Violet both of them sound better than ever. Matt’s baritone (often compared to Nick Cave or Tindersticks' Stuart A. Staples) has been stretched to the upper boundaries with great results. This is most obvious on "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks", "Afraid Of Everyone" and the chorus of "Little Faith". Bryan’s usually highly dynamic drumming is well, more dynamic and more varied than ever. Just listen to the clicking hi-hats and their interaction with other pieces of drum kit in "Sorrow" and "Conversation 16" or heartbeat like, muted kick drum of "Runaway". And while we are on the subject of drumming, here we find something which distinguishes the National from any other band in music, and it is best found in song Sorrow. Almost any other band with those lyrics would sound dreary, depressed, but Bryan figuratively speaking, like the physical heart of the band keeps the song’s blood pumping, making it sound at the same time exhilarating, as Matt’s deep vocal delivery, especially the line I don’t wanna get over you, makes it chilling. I confess that playing "Sorrow" while driving I still haven’t been able to stop tapping the stirring wheel of my car!

Another one of the highlights of the album, in the album full of highlights is above mentioned "Afraid Of Everyone" which features high background vocals by band’s friend Sufjan Stevens and lyrical display of paranoia of a father (as Matt has also recently become one) in post 9/11 world. Its lyrics and mood are nicely accented with paranoid sounding guitar riff and one part marching, another part machine gun-like drumming pattern. And the way this song ends with Matt repeating haunting line “You’re the voices swallowing my soul, soul, soul” while Bryan behind the drum kit unloads what sounds like a few clips of his machine gun drum pattern, making it the highlight moment in ten year history of this hardworking NYC via Ohio band.

Furthermore, the band has expanded their sound by the increased use of orchestra, wind instruments and strings. It’s safe to say that every song features some parts played by the classical instruments. This is however done with lots of finesse as these five men masterly know how much is enough before they enter dangerous MOR waters. And this may be the qualities I admire the most in the National--their talent to know when to hold back instead just go for it and sound like just another U2 or Coldplay with their stadium anthems (not that those two didn’t create two of the most emotionally incredible moments in rock music in last 20 years in "One" and "the Scientist", respectively).

Additionally, this time around songs’ lyrics seem to be much more direct, more personal and less cryptic or about the lives of others (with maybe exception in "Conversation 16", "Lemonworld" and "Vanderlyle"). This superbly correlates with Matt’s more emotional singing, making the album easily their warmest to date. Obviously, in the past they’ve had a few songs on each release that would be in this category such as the fan favorite "About Today" (from Cherry Tree EP), "Daughters Of The Soho Riots" (from Alligator) or "Slow Show" (from the Boxer), but here the whole album permeates warmth even when not lyrically then by its sound.

High Violet is National’s most accomplished work, something they have hinted at in the past five years. Here they literally take helm as Americas finest rock band, carefully walking the line of artistic credibility and accessibility, releasing something that will be hard to surpass in musicianship, passion and vision, anytime soon in this new decade.

Grade: 9.5/10

Igor M.

ceo--white magic (album review)

One thing that can be said with certainty about very independent and very enigmatic Swedish label, Sincerely Yours is that it has a vision. Its artist all share and express similar views of life. Ever since 2006, and labels’ first music release New Waves by the label bosses, the Tough Alliance (who were previously signed to Service), it became apparent that the sound of the label although tropical, sunshine drenched and utterly optimistic is made by the people who not only have an abundance of musical talent, but are truly standing behind their music and are actually saying something. Over the last four years TTA’s songs in particular were almost manifestos of sorts. Just check out these lines from their various songs: "There’s new waves coming in/don’t know where to begin/new trophies to win/ new ways to fit in” (“Silly Crimes”), “Looking for gold,baby where is that sold/That can’t be bought or sold” (“Looking For Gold”), “You are worth something special, something real” (from Something Special), “It’s something bright,it’s something pure/Something that you’ve never felt before.” (“First Class Riot”).

Fast forward to 2010 and here is the latest release, the debut album by Eric Berglund, previously better known as the one half of TTA, under pseudonym, ceo (all small letters). What immediately strikes with the opening track, "All Around" is its serious, meditative, hymn like ambiance. It is lead by the gorgeous strings playing very classical sounding melody. When the drums actually kick in, they are subdued, muted, very different from anything TTA have done before, but really fitting with overall feel of the composition. And then come the words, as strong proclamation as TTA have ever done before: “I’ve been all around your world/I have bounced on every horizon/Now I’m coming home/To face the demons on my own/I’ve been all around my mind/I’ve been caught up running in circles/I leave it all behind/To challenge space, to challenge time” Wow, OK we are listening! This is not some escapist stuff, this sounds personal.

During the next two songs album relaxes a bit as catchy pop melodies kick in, but still the themes are truth, honesty and love. Speaking of which, “Love And Do What You Will” is one of the highlight of the album, with it’s beautiful acoustic guitar led intros and outros (quite reminiscent of TTA’s B-side to “Neo Violence” single, “Lucky”). As the song progresses big syncopated beats come in and sweet, wide-eyed vocals immerse us in what sounds like a perfect summer of 2010 pop anthem. As we are getting comfortable in the pop-bliss bubble, here comes ceo to take us back to wilderness. And that’s what the song that carries album’s name sounds like. Tribal rhythms, chants, animal noises, pulsating floor shaking bass, flamenco guitar and it all builds to a beautiful, KLF’s “Last Train To Trancentral” breakdown-sound-alike melody. “White Magic” is the most “tropical” and therefore the most TTA-like song on the album, and I guess there is no surprise that it is also the only song here that shares the writing credit with Henning Furst, the other half of TTA.

And then as if we didn’t have enough range in the first half of the album, next comes the most unusual sounding beauty “Oh God, Oh Dear”, which boasts long intro, unusual time signature, very organic sounding kick drum and tambourine, and melody-leading violin and cello. If anything it reminds of some of the Beatles’ more adventurous creations, e.g. “Eleanor Rigby”. As gorgeous and infectious everything on the album is, the very centerpiece is surely the first single, “Come With Me”, with its spliced up female and male vocal samples bouncing of each other (male saying “I keep it real”), chugging bassline and most of all, stunning synth strings. If “Love and Do What You Will” is one of Eric’s most infectious songs ever, than “Come With Me” is just (pardon me as I quote Tina Turner) simply the best. Just check out that bridge that leads into instrumental section which starts with soaring, heart-tugging strings followed by piano accompanied by electric guitar’s highly atmospheric riff that wouldn’t be out of place on Interpol’s debut album. And as all the good things must come to an end, here everything actually comes full circle as “Den Blomstertid Nu Kommer”, (song that kids in Sweden sing at the end of the school year until they graduate), ends with same strings played melody which opened up the album. It’s just that now it is played higher, in a different key as if indicating that we’ve been on a journey. And we were, though brief in time, what a journey it was, not a second was wasted! Where does ceo (or TTA) go from here none of us know and neither does he (as he sings on “Illuminata: ‘Future is not my home’”), but one thing is for sure, we’ve been witnessing “something special, something real”.

Grade: 9.2/10

Igor M.