Minimalism: less is definitely more

Whip out those headphones.

A few days ago I wrote about Gustav Holst and briefly about classical music. I mentioned a man named Steve Reich. Reich is a pioneer of American composition, spearheading the transition from full orchestral arrangements to minimalism. Reich is one of the best at using loops to create the craziest of musical harmonies while maintaining a steady pulse. One of my favorite Reich tracks is Music for 18 Musicians. He begins the composition by playing two identical loop tracks of the same note on the same brand of player. He sets the players to the same loop rhythm. Such a weird way to begin any kind of song, right? How can the same notes played simultaneously provide any sort of basis for a song to emerge? Here is where Reich displays his ingenuity. Although the recorders are identical, no two are exactly the same. As a result, the loops split from each other and take on a life of their own. It's the coolest musical mind-f*ck I have ever heard. After the loops split, the rest of the orchestra come in. Each instrument plays in staccato and in perfect harmony with the underlying loops. You can check out movement one of this two movement piece here.

Keeping that in mind, I now turn to how this style has influenced modern artists. S. Carey is a musician caught between two distinct genres. He subscribes to the acoustic and soft styles that define folk, but also resembles minimalist composers like Reich. Many of you have already heard S. Carey's work without realizing it as he is the drummer for Bon Iver. But S. Carey's solo work takes on a unique character. His debut solo album, All We Grow, is in one word: beautiful. The pieces on this album are more experiments than they are formal songs; he plays with combinations of harmonies, layering and layering until he likes what he hears. They don't follow any sort of sequence or pattern; they just continue until a new pattern layer emerges which envelops the old. The result is a cacophonous series of increasingly beautiful harmonies that stuns the ears. Maybe a third of all the tracks combined resemble songs as one would notice in the contemporary sense of the word (I say combined because some tracks will begin experimentally and then evolve into a standard song). This dichotomy makes the album eclectic and diverse. Have a listen to this track off of All We Grow (by the way, this music video is gut-wrenchingly heartwarming). See how he uses the minimalist style coined by Reich and incorporates that into his folk influence. The piano part acts as the loop but also adds to Reich's established precedent by going slightly minor at times. It's really quite cool how the two styles come together. Verdict: 4.7/5. Favorite songs: Move, We Fell, In The Dirt, Mothers, and Broken.

Best, Jonathan

Mansions on the Moon (presented by Diplo and Benzi) and a chillwave

These two groups can be considered separate and together. They're really completely different, but the former did a remix of the latter so I decided to do them both at once.

I just got off the phone with my roommate from college of three years. After catching up for a bit, he suggested I listen to this new album, Paradise Falls, by Mansions on the Moon (a duo from the former Pnuma Trio). This group has some pretty incredible connections, working with the likes of Diplo, DJ Benzi, Pharrell, and Chiddy Bang... Woah. Why have you never heard of them, you ask? Well, because MotM is not as great as their leaders. BUT, they are good... just not great. I am normally not a fan of this type of pop, but these guys bend the metal cookie-cutter molds which their predecessors so brilliantly established. Stick them in a club setting where listening doesn't really matter, and these guys can challenge anyone. Listening to the album leads to a different reaction. One of the defining characteristics of this genre is how there is never a dull moment, and although there is constantly something happening on this album, it's not very conducive to their sound. You understand what they're trying to do, but they're just not doing it. My assessment: I think they're over produced (sorry Diplo, this might actually be your fault), and they overuse processed vocal harmonies. There is too much going on at any given point in time; tone it down just a little and this album might play differently. For example, the high melody is all over the place on the second track; it travels instead of being precise and you lose the traveling melody in the bass and other synth. This is not to say these guys will be lost in the cold. After a little maturity as an established duo, I'm sure they will be on any DJ's playlist. I still find myself bobbing my head, grooving to their beats, and relating to their lyrics. Thus: 3.8/5. You can download Paradise Falls for free on their website. Favorite Songs: Broken Paradise and She Makes Me Feel. The one thing that did surprise me, however, is their acknowledgment of indie music for providing beats that are just as good, if not better, than those of major producers today. And this brings me to Washed Out...

I first heard Washed Out back in college. They were the first band I had encountered of the chillwave genre. How to define chillwave... Technically: the name of the game is effects, sampling, heavily processed vocals, and synth. In relatable terms: put on those wayfarers, head to Cali, find a beach with surfers galore, stare into the abyss until the sun sets while sitting in a tattered old beach chair, and be sure to surround yourself with friends who can finish your sentences. It also calls for sitting on your porch or backyard deck as the sun blares down. That is what I would call chillwave. Washed Out's Life of Leisure is an album I cannot live without (he has since released High Times, but start with LoL). It was a first, and you never forget your first. His sound is reminiscent of Neon Indian, Toro Y Moi, or Small Black, but LoL also has shades of Real Estate and Best Coast hidden in the production value. The album's overall concept is romantically nostalgic as he borrows from 80s' synth-pop. Feel It All Around, the fourth track on this EP, is the strongest. You know that feeling of haziness and blurriness experienced after having your eyes dilated? I imagine he wrote this song in response to one of those visits. Verdict: 4.5/5.

Now... how do MotM and Washed Out relate? The sixth track on the MotM album uses Feel It All Around as its beat. It's significantly sped up, but that is all it needs to be one of the strongest tracks on MotM's album. Lame relation, I know, but I got excited when I heard it.

Washed Out's version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DkslcOhytU

MotM's version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJK8KTQ7fUw

Side note #1: Ultra is so soon and I'm pumped. For those of you who have not looked at this year's line up, you're missing out because it's unreal: Chromeo, Boys Noize, Tiesto, Pendulum, Holy Ghost, Cut Copy, NERD, Crystal Castles, MSTRKRFT, The Disco Biscuits, !!!, and more... It's sure to be a great weekend.

Side note #2: Pitchfork Music Festival tickets go on sale this coming Friday. The lineup can be found here. It's one of the best I've seen in years, and you can bet I'm going to be doing anything I can to make it to Chicago in mid-July.

Side note #3: Battles is back! Well, sort of... they've announced their new album Gloss Drop, but it will be without one of their original members. Their last album, Mirrored, was one of the best releases of 2007. This one could yield a different result.

Best, Jonathan

A quick thank you and surprise track

I just want to extend a warm thank you to all those who have been reading. As the top of this blog suggests, I initially started this because a few of my close friends scattered across the world were badgering me for new music. I'm thrilled to say that in the few days the site has been up, it is just shy of 300 hits from people in 8 different countries. This is not at all what I had signed up for, but I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying it and watching it grow. I'll stick around if you will.

As a gift, I encourage all of you kiddies to learn your ABCs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpIhzFh0yw8&feature=relmfu

Also, a big congratulations to William and Mary's Ice Hockey team for winning the BRHC Championship! All of your Facebook statuses have affirmed the speedy transition from when we couldn't win a single game all season to now. Kudos boys.

More in the AM.

Best, Jonathan

Bill Evans and Jim Hall, two jazz greats, together; and classical music at its best

I'm just going to tell you right off the bat: 5/5. If I could give it anything higher and still have it make sense, I would. Bill Evans was arguably the greatest jazz pianist to ever live. He played with legends such as Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Scott LaFaro, and Charles Mingus. It's easy to listen to his work and recognize there are not even few who are as innovative and masterful as he; he's in a league of his own. Jim Hall is also a master of his six-stringed instrument. He plays fluidly as if his hands were bathed in butter. Both are gurus at constructing melodies and both are incredible chord arrangers when playing rhythm. And here's the kicker, the guitar and piano are both C-instruments; they compete for space in any band. But on Intermodulation, we hear them working together and feeding off each other. This is a six-song album. Every track contains only the two instruments. One artfully dances around in the background while maintaining distance from the lead. They trade multiple times throughout each song. The mood is one of reflection: listening is like taking a half-hour walk by yourself along a river's edge while looking at peaceful city lights and having the stars above. I can't say enough good things about this album. It's a must have for any jazz lover and a must have for anyone new to the genre. Favorite tracks: My Man's Gone Now, Turn Out The Stars, and All Across The City.

I pulled out an old classical favorite last night as I fell asleep: The Planets by Gustav Holst. I don't know much about classical music in comparison to my knowledge of most other genres. I did take a class called The History of Western Music that taught me way more than I had anticipated about classical music (we began in the baroque area with the likes of Guillaume Dufay, Hildegard Von Bingen, and Perotin, and traversed history to the modern classical greats like Reich) and the violin is the only other instrument besides the guitar that I have played seriously, but that hardly makes me knowledgeable. Regardless, I've always enjoyed Holst's journey through the cosmos. My favorite piece is the opener, Mars - The Bringer of War. It begins with the strings section playing a march, but not a Pomp and Circumstance march, a heavy march - one that clearly depicts two armies approaching the clay-colored and dusty battle ground. When the timpani come in, the song explodes with incredible power. The song builds in a frenzy as the brass section loudly joins and the strings swirl. It culminates in a blaring crash and then immediately destructs as if both armies had just completely annihilated each other. The dust then settles and the strings begin to build a swirl and the trumpets lead the powerful brass into a fierce and determined march. The instruments are all guided by a piercing snare. The orchestra pounds its way through with unstoppable force until it's enveloped by another frenzy of string activity in fortondoando (dynamic marks of more than three fs (forte - "loud") - this song is one of the very few in classical music that has ffffs twice). It culminates in the most powerful few seconds of music I have ever heard and then shatters as every instrument hastily descends atonally, ending on a unified note. Aaannnddd that's how the record begins. When I had first heard this classical masterpiece, I was exhausted after the first composition. It's so incredibly intricate and heavy that it actually exhausts your listening capabilities. Not to fear though, the next piece, Venus - The Bringer of Peace, is feather-light. Holst is great at exploiting this kind of auditory exercise so that, by the end of the record, it would be interesting if you found it boring. Easily a 5/5, but that's like saying Mozart's Symphony No. 40 in G minor is easily a 5/5. No shit.

Best, Jonathan

Bowie binge, but it's not Bowie, and a hip-hop single

I wrote this at 2:30 am last night and forgot to click publish... my first sentence explains why.

I'm pretty drunk right now; bare with me. Diamond Dogs is one of my favorite albums of all time. Few bands are able to rock it like David Bowie. But one song off of Wire's latest release, Red Barked Tree, sounds strikingly similar to Bowie's glam-studded and sex-ridden style. I think it's because of the lead singer. His voice is glorious and touched lightly with a swell effect on this track. Not only that, Please Take has thumping drums, processed guitars, and ping-pong bouncing bass - all staples of The Cure in the 80s: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXCKLJGLENs. This is not surprising though as The Cure have admitted that Wire is one of their influences. Combine Bowie and The Cure... I don't know how this can be bad (I even think there is a little bit of The Police hidden in here... yay 80s' Brit-dream-pop!). I am floored with this song. Please Take by Wire deserves a 5/5. Listen here with headphones: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULtTs8JtWzQ. Better yet, buy the song.

I'm on a Bowie-like binge right now for some reason, but I'm not searching for it. It's falling into my lap. Destroyer's ninth studio album, Kaputt, is also reminiscent of Bowie. Dan Bejar, the frontman, is a nutty Canadian and a self-acclaimed Euro-blues singer-songwriter and guitarist. I strongly suggest listening to this album with headphones. He loves to color with crazy synth effects and messes with the balance of the L/R channels. This is especially noticeable in the first song, China Town, where the synth dominates with varying effects, and each effect has a noticeable swell. There are also trumpet and sax solos. It reminds me of what it would probably feel like to be Mario when he gets a winged hat in Mario 64. The second song on the album, Blue Eyes, centers on multiple guitars and a trumpet. It has a really light and jazzy feel. The third song sounds like 80s' pop, so here again the synth is going wild. But the most noticeable instruments are the constant bass and one recurring high-pitched bass melody. I could be frolicking on clouds with this song playing appropriately as the soundtrack. See a trend here? This lovely album is really light-sounding and freeflyingly-upbeat, which makes it great for any type of listening situation (freeflyingly is not a word). It's also not overly ambitious but is versatile enough to maintain the same feel throughout without all the songs resembling each other. I give it a hesitantly generous 4.8/5 because I'm liking it more and more as I continue listening. Definitely put this album into your music library soon. Favorite songs: China Town, Baby Blue Eyes, Poor In Love, Downtown, and Bay Of Pigs.

A while back I was watching Entourage with a friend; he and I both shut up pretty quickly when this song closed out the episode. FreeSol signed to Justin Timberlake's label about 5 years ago and then quickly fused forces with Interscope. He has allegedly been recording his debut album (he has a few mixtapes and singles that blow), but it has been 5 years... and that Entourage episode was last summer. I have no idea what this progressive hip-hopper is waiting for. The single off his supposed album is Don't Give It Away. This song is solid. It's rare that a hip-hop artist produces a formidable love song, but this is an exception. The head-bobbing beat pumps along almost in double-time, but slow down that head bob and it can also be a swirling/flowing beat. The bass is heavy heavy heavy, mostly because it's descends deep on the fretboard of what I would assume to be a 5-string. The track is colored on the high end with a cool little synth riff and at times a pretty mean guitar melody pops up. Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS4H8blCs_M. I give it a 4/5.

Best, Jonathan

Two keepers here: a lo-fi and a folk

Eternal Summers is another one of those indie rock groups that sounds better in the summer than it does in the winter. I take all the blame for this one though because their debut album, Silver, has been sitting in my downloads folder since the end of the summer. My bad. Now that I listened to it, I'm regretting my storing it away in the bowels of my computer like my "Fall 2010" law school folder. What's even more upsetting is that this duo is from Roanoke, VA... a hop, skip, and a jump from my college town of Williamsburg. I'm having this very weird moment right now where I'm dying to go back to Rolfe Road to play catch in the back yard. We'd always have music playing for those lazy summer days right before school started, and this album would be perfect for a long drive down the Colonial Parkway to the beach or just lounging on the front porch of the lodge with a beer and barbecue. This duo excels at demonstrating how versatile lo-fi guitar-drum teams can be. This album is very real - you can hear when they screw up. It's as if they just did 10 takes with absolutely no computer processing, picked the best one, and said, "Okay, I guess that'll do." I think that's enviable, and I think that's what much of modern music is missing. But alas, I'd rather be listening to something else. There's something very special about the carefree summer lifestyle compared to the flu-ridden and drearily-cold-and-snowy mentality of winter (although, I have to admit it's fun living in a place where it's summer all year long). Definitely do not take my advice on this one and definitely grab this album. Unlike the suspect Smith Westerns' album I wrote about yesterday, I know this one will be on my summer playlist. For now, I give it a 2.8/5 because I can't think of a time until summer when I will want to listen to it again. In a few months, I expect it to be at least a 4.2/5. Favorite songs: Pogo, I'll Die Young for Rock n Roll, and Bully in Disguise.

I have a very strong appreciation for folk singers. But that also means I'm very critical of them. Giant Sand is completely new to my folk collection. This guy is awesome; I'd lump him with the likes of The Tallest Man On Earth and J. Tillman. There's one thing though that sets Giant Sand apart from the other two: Howe Gelb, Giant Sand's frontman, doesn't play the prominent instrument. That belongs to the killer guitarist on this album. Seriously, kudos to him. But when Gelb is playing piano, it's almost always completely overshadowed by the five piece band (the exceptions are Chunk Of Coal, Lucky Star Love, Time Flies, and Love A Loser in which he solos wonderfully). I've decided that doesn't matter though. This guy is from Arizona, the band is mostly from Denmark. One listen to this album and you know who did all the work. He is bluesy, country, wild-westy, jazzy, rocky, and folky all on one album; and man do he and his band do it well. The percussion is almost all done with brushes, the guitars have low distortion on them to give the album a rustic appeal, and a steel guitar provides color commentary. Gelb is kind of a bad singer, but an excellent story teller. His lyrics are captivating: I was lonesome / and the wind blew bold / Lonesome / and the wind blew bold / I was lucky she had the eye / to find the diamond in / this chunk of coal / The story's been told a thousand times / but it never gets old / You don't miss your water 'till your well runs dry / You don't miss your spark 'till the night turns cold / But everything she touches turns to gold / She had the eye / to find the diamond in / this old chunk of coal. Despite his great poetic lyrics and story-telling rhetoric, it's completely noticeable when he's off key. But that does not subtract from the album because his singing style adds to the maturity and appeal of Blurry Blue Mountain. Sorry, I should have mentioned the album name earlier. Easily a 4.7/5. Picking favorites for this album is difficult because all the tracks offer something different, and they're all great. But I'm going with: Chunk Of Coal, Spell Bound, No Tellin', Time Flies, and Love A Loser.

I cannot stop listening to the Kisses album I suggested two days ago. If you haven't had the chance to hear it, I definitely think you should. The more I do, the more I like it.

Also, as a note, I'll probably be posting less over the weekend.

Best, Jonathan

A few great singles and a highly anticipated album

The first single to share is Eastover Wives by Dent May. I'm loving this song. It sounds like something that would be played during a late 80s' prom, but with a jazzy touch. But the most intriguing aspect of this song is the lead singer's voice. It's haunting... like Elvis Costello on steroids. It starts with a nice sax and then a stereotypical 80s-sounding bass chimes in with a really catchy riff. Listen carefully for the guitar, it's changy but adds a needed root to the song. The words are comical, but also thoughtful. For example, "High school sweethearts / They only talk about the weather / Never sleep together / Now she's looking for some pleasure / She'll get around / Yeah, she'll get around." The song is full of these interesting moments that at first seem funny, but after close inspection remind you that the future is more surprising or disappointing than the present and may not be what you hoped. You can stream it here: http://cdn02.cdn.gorillavsbear.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/02-Eastover-Wives.mp3. I give it a 3.8/5.

The second single to share is Lemonade by Braids. This song is on the album Native Speaker. I have yet to finish listening to the album, but what I have heard I really like. Lemonade is the opener. Its overall airy feel is created by a perfect combination of echos, delay, and flanger. Similarly to Dent May's frontman, Braid's frontgirl also has a unique and beautiful voice that carries for miles and miles. This song's lyrics are also pretty funny: "And what I / What I found / Is that we / We're all just sleeping around." But then there are times like these when she surprises with insight: "I told him to get fucked and then get laid / Now what do you say to a man who's got no taste / Who's really got no potential / Except to procreate / So inessential." Wow. Despite these strong sentiments, this song is actually upbeat and can be put on repeat without becoming monotonous. You can download it here: http://www.mediafire.com/?mtby2nqwyzw. I give it a 4/5.

My final single to share tonight is Home by Glasser. The song's verses are rather stale and don't really seem to be moving in any concrete direction. The song's chorus, however, is jaw-droppingly beautiful as empty space is saturated with crazy harmonies of her overlapped voice. Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCitAejfYQ8. Overall: 3.5/5.

I cannot find the new Bibio anywhere. Anywhere. Mind Bokeh is due March 29th on WARP Records, but a future release usually doesn't deter fans from somehow finding an album leak. Judging from this British producer's 2009 record, Ambivalence Avenue, his new one is going to be a doozy. Keep a look out for it; there is already anticipation building all over the internet. Here is my favorite Bibio track that some of you might know from the Amazon Kindle commercials: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Eks4gB9tbE.

Best, Jonathan