PJ Harvey & John Parish no compromise - FILTER Magazine

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BILL CALLAHAN Sometimes I Wish We Were 88% an Eagle DRAG CITY “Jim Cain,” the opening track on Bill Callahan’s second post-Smog release, begins with that old familiar baritone groaning, “I started out in search of ordinary things.” His stories are simple, his instrumentation sparse, his rhythms precise, and his voice profound. And yet there’s something unsettling about these songs, as if the microphones were placed somewhere inside of Callahan’s chest cavity. We wonder whether we should stand so close, but none of us dare to move. MARTY GARNER JEFF APTER A Pure Drop: 88% The Life of Jeff Buckley BACKBEAT Jeffrey Scott Buckley, dead at age 30, accomplished what most well-aged songwriters fail to do their entire lives—make music that is powerful, purposeful and positively unforgettable. A soul that was as tormented as it was beautiful, Buckley had a passion for experimentation and curiosity, and sadly, his penchant for testing the waters finally caught up with him in the end. Jeff Apter’s new biography sheds light on the famed singer’s last days, while reminding us of how blessed we were to hear Buckley’s music while he was alive. ERIK NOWLAN PETE DOHERTY Grace/Wastelands 86% ASTRALWERKS Pete Doherty—drunkard, druggy, and deacon—wears the oversized shoes that we made for him. And he does it well. We longed for a fragile, dangerous iconoclast and Doherty has been much obliged to fulfill our wishes, from tabloids to television. But on his solo debut, Doherty opted to invite the train wreck into the listener’s living room, keeping every bit stripped down with acoustic guitars and casually eerie instrumentals. Late nights, cigarette smoke, and beautiful self-destruction—it’s just as we’d want it. COLIN STUTZ MR. LIF I Heard It Today 83% BLOODBOT TACTICAL ENTERPRISES While the brilliance of I Phantom drew on the tension of his straightforwardness, I Heard It Today positions Lif’s conversational musings as transitional points to broader discussions of racism, the economy and the housing crisis. Complete with sampled news blips and some indulgent scribbling, which do at times feel a bit heavy-handed, Mr. Lif tips his hat a tad too much. Still, the lyrical content appeals to a Def Jux Lif: one upholding that the only escape from total dystopian control is self-awareness. AJ PACITTI SERGE GAINSBOURG Histoire de Melody Nelson 94% [reissue] LIGHT IN THE ATTIC Though he’s likely better known as the hound-dog face of caricatured pervy Franco pop (what other recording artist would possibly want themselves photographed holding a silver dildo), the prolific Serge Gainsbourg had a far more sensitive touch than his blunt persona evinced. Available now on its first-ever official U.S. release after years of absurd import prices, Histoire de Melody Nelson is a splendid suite of melodious dry bass worthy of Young Marble Giants, curtains of sweet guitar and tight kit work. But it may be the weightless arrangements for strings and horns that rank this among Gainsbourg’s finest works. Hey Beck…was this what you were going for in Sea Change Oui, we thought so. BERNARDO RONDEAU Ricky Gervais: 87% Out of England HBO From the man who unleashed The Office upon the world—which spawned the American knockoff of the same name starring Steve Carell—and the less popular but perhaps even funnier HBO series Extras, comes over an hour of stand-up comedy from the original comedy boss himself. Although you might be distracted by subtle differences between Gervais’ stand-up style compared to his acting performances, in the end, you’ll be right at home with his self-defacing banter and oh-so-awkward anecdotes. Are you having a laugh ERIK NOWLAN CURSIVE Mama, I’m Swollen 75% SADDLE CREEK Mama, I’m Swollen suggests a handwritten letter to home gone wrong—horribly, horribly wrong. Equal parts noise-rock with a respect for tried-and-true melodies, these tales of misery have enough gumption to truly lay it on the line. Love “It’s a game of fetch we’ll never win.” Sex “We’re at our worst when it’s from our lips/We’re at our best when it’s from the hips.” In less than an hour, Cursive’s transgressive gibber-jabber advocates enough for you to throw in the towel, and by the end, you’re anxious enough to wave your white flag. MATT ELDER It’s like a private party in your inbox. Get information on local happenings including shows, clubs and exclusive Filter events. Sign up now at filtermagazine.com LOS ANGE GELE LES NE W YORK SE ATA TLE PHIL ILAD ELPH P IA DALL LLAS CHICAG AGO MIAMI SAN FR ANCI SC O DE NV ER BOSTON PO RTLA ND AU STIN WASHIN GT ON DC LO NDON 24 FILTER GOOD MUSIC GUIDE
OBITS I Blame You 90% SUB POP With every passing decade, it’s more difficult to pin down this leaky, methanebloated balloon known as rock and roll. Luckily, Obits have in their debut a pretty good idea. Hard smashed, straight punk garage beats, side-smirked howls recounting tales of rough-luck love, and guitars recalling anything from The Kinks to The Cramps to Sonic Youth. Helmed mainly by Rick Froberg (Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes), the sound is familiar, but hey—it’s rock and roll, and it damn well should be. SAM ROUDMAN MASTODON Crack the Skye 87% REPRISE Crack the Skye’s superhuman narrative mimics an astral travel into space. Unlike its Icarus-like protagonist, Mastodon defies the sun. The Atlanta quartet’s journey from the dirty bogs of Southern metal to the summits of prog is without flaw. Melodic wormholes into King Crimson classicism (“Divinations”), a killer Frank Zappa lick (“The Czar”), and gargantuan psychedelic ballads (“The Baron”) annul any minor instances of overwrought lyricism. Mastodon’s fourth is an out-of-body experience. KYLE LEMMON STERLING ANDREWS Gooseberries 82% EENIE MEENIE In 2008, Los Angeles-based photographer Sterling Andrews gathered several well-known and up-andcoming California musicians in order to photograph them in highly-stylized, strangely Burton-esque environments. The result: a series of portraits that vary from whimsical tableaus of play-fighting rocksters to graceful poses by pretty songstresses. Although some portraits are more successful than others, it largely depends on whether or not you are familiar with the bands—so Los Angelenos, count yourselves lucky. Included in the collection are Silversun Pickups, Great Northern, Earlimart and Rogue Wave. ERIK NOWLAN RÖYKSOPP Junior 87% ASTRALWERKS If there’s anything this Norwegian duo will be remembered for, it will be as the kings not of convenience, but rather of the international licensing agreement. From Geico to Apple, their ability to create kitschy snowscapes has made them one of the more salient sounds in advertising. In 2004, however, they flipped their monochromatic aesthetic for a bit of darkness and shocked us all with their depth. Junior is a bit of both worlds—an odd mélange of narcissistic Vangelis-meets- Badalamenti (“Röyksopp Forever”) and drugged-out dance beats (“Tricky Tricky”). Add collaborations from Swedes Robyn, Lykke Li, Karin Dreijer-Andersson and countryman Anneli Drecker (“Sparks”) and it’s got something for every set of ears. KENDAH EL-ALI MONO Hymn to the Immortal Wind 86% TEMPORARY RESIDENCE Mono doesn’t give you the payoffs when you want them. Instead, it pulls them out in expert spells of instrumental agony. This isn’t the big-bump hooks of Explosions in the Sky or the heavenly grandeur of Sigur Rós; it’s a classic tragedy that pulls at the corners of the eyes. And when the sun shifts and light enters the room—as on “Silent Flight, Sleeping Dawn”—it can be blinding. MARTY GARNER BLACK JOE LEWIS & THE HONEYBEARS Tell ’Em What Your Name Is! 89% LOST HIGHWAY The first time in earshot, it would be easy to mistake Black Joe Lewis for straight James Brown rehash. Tell ’Em What Your Name Is! may well be the most soulful funk record in a while, but its influences range wider than the Godfather alone. Garage rock-informed freak-outs (“Boogie”), hilarious Thorogood-esque soul sketches (“Get Yo Shit”), and satirical plantation hymns (“Master Sold My Baby”) are piled high in The Honeybears’ corner. Lewis is legit. Ow! KYLE MacKINNEL Street Fighter IV 90% PS3, XBOX 360 CAPCOM 25 fighters return to do battle— including mainstays like Ryu and Chun Li, and completely new ones like Abel and Crimson Viper. Oh, and the game is in faux-3D, so you still get the classic feel of Street Fighter as well as new game mechanics that lend themselves well to deeper depth perception. The graphics are cartoony at times, but they still fit the series well. It’s official, the king is back! ZACH ROSENBERG RIVERBOAT GAMBLERS Underneath the Owl 75% VOLCOM After signing to Volcom four years ago, it looks as though Texas’ Riverboat Gamblers are in a period of stasis. Their sound is more produced and flat than raw and gritty, and it’s been that way ever since their 2007 release, To the Confusion of Our Enemies. As a result, the quintet’s fifth album is nothing new—a collection of 11 songs that you’d swear you’ve heard before. KATRINA NATTRESS ARE YOUROAD ARE YOUROAD WORTHY WWW.GETROADWORN.COM SIGN YOUR BAND UP TO WIN A ROAD-READY PACKAGE FROM FENDER ® AND TOYOTA ® ! IN PARTNERSHIP WITH: TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY. SEE COMPETITION WEBSITE FOR DETAILS. UPLOAD YOUR VIDEO TODAY! 26 FILTER GOOD MUSIC GUIDE
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PJ Harvey & John Parish no compromise - FILTER Magazine

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