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 The
Other Side of Summer
By
John Brodeur
Back
in my school days, a fav orite summer-break habit was to sleep
until noon, stay in, and play the hell out of my records while
the “normal” kids went outside and “played.” So what; I was
pale. If this were then, these would be some of the records
I’d probably be spinning ad nauseum this summer. Rather, here
are a few MP3 folders that I’ll be accessing on a frequent
basis using my personal computer. Music is so boring these
days.
St.
Vincent
Actor
The
most intoxicating record of the season is Annie Clark’s latest
wonder. Her songs unfold like black-and-white landscapes,
with the harsh light of her soprano saturating the rolling
oddities underneath. Clark reportedly was influenced by the
music of old Disney films during the recording process; she
incorporates those sweeping, sometimes sinister sounds into
post-rock and electronic skeletons to make some truly wicked
tones. There’s plenty of discord—Clark sings “Paint the black
hole blacker” in an overall cautionary tone, warning perhaps
of what lies ahead—but the tracks, no matter how cynical,
are commercial enough to invite anyone in search of a spectacle.
Sure enough, by the ethereal but driving “Actor,” you’re hooked—and
just in time for the tense Hitchcockian strings of “Black
Rainbow” to set up a cliffhanger for the great second half.
You’ll want to hang around to see what happens next.
 Jarvis
Cocker
Further
Complications
It’s
hard enough to tell when Jarvis Cocker is being serious; putting
his loveable mope to a garage-rock soundtrack only further
masks his trademark irony. Since we’re dealing with Brit-rock’s
great prankster, it’s possible that, from the title down,
he aimed to take the bar down a notch with Further Complications.
(His first post-Pulp disc certainly set it quite high.) Indeed,
Jarvis tries on a grittier sound than usual at the start,
to varying degrees of success: Stooges references (“Homewrecker!”)
are generally a good thing; clunky tunes (“Fuckingsong”) are
not. He’s at his best on songs that follow in the grand Jarvis
tradition: minor epics (“Slush,” the quite funny “I Never
Said I Was Deep”) and disco epics, like closer “You’re in
My Eyes (Discosong),” which dispenses the mirth over eight-and-a-half
filler-free minutes. The second half of Further Complications
is a great success; and not just in contrast to the hit-or-miss
first half.
 Bat
for Lashes
Two
Suns
Natasha
Khan is probably thrilled to death or sick and tired of Tori
Amos comparisons. Doesn’t matter, they’re not going to go
away anytime soon. But Khan’s music, under the name Bat for
Lashes, transcends easy labels by expertly incorporating classical,
world music, and art-rock themes. There’s a bit of everything
on Two Suns, with references to Depeche Mode, Bjork,
Genesis, Neil Young and Eurythmics. It really is refreshing
to hear a young act pay homage to production elements from
’80s recordings without any kitschy underpinnings, which is
what makes the cool, haunting breeze of “Daniel” one of the
year’s best singles so far. The album continually pushes boundaries,
peaking late with the epic “Pearl’s Dream.” The Broadwayisms
of closer “The Big Sleep” almost break the meter on melodrama,
but the ship doesn’t sink under the ballast.
 …And
You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead
The
Century of Self
Speaking
of epics: On their last few releases, Trail of Dead never
shied away from putting their label’s money where their mouths
were, creating a series of three increasingly outsize, blatantly
(some would say too) ambitious records. (I’m generally on
the side of big songs and bigger ideas, but I can appreciate
the argument.) Early in The Century of Self, they’re
out to show that their first post-Interscope release won’t
disappoint in that regard. But the massive opening theme of
“Giants Causeway” is a little misleading—when the pomp gives
way and “Far Pavilions” revisits the driving, call-and-response
post-punk of their early releases, you can hear a vitality
that’s been not necessarily missing, but glossed over, in
the past. It’s a direct result of the band tracking live as
opposed to doing endless overdubs, and the songs are bigger
than the ideas this time, too: You’ll hear references to Oasis,
Jane’s Addiction, even Aerosmith in these new anthems. (Right?)
Trail of Dead are ready for a fight, and they outnumber you.
Just go along with them.
 |
 Jay
Bennett
The
Palace at 4am (Part I) (with Edward Burch)
Whatever
Happened I Apologize
When
Palace came out in 2002, I found Jay Bennett’s first
post-Wilco disc to be just as worthy of repeated listens,
if not dissection, as Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (both were
released the same day). Bennett was working at the top of
his game, having made Wilco sound like Wilco on their two
best records, and you can really feel the craft he brought
to the table in making these songs, which stem from an eight-year
recording collaboration with singer-guitarist Edward Burch.
Bennett has an obvious appreciation for Trust-era Elvis
Costello, and the chops to take it beyond straight homage.
In some regards, it’s Summerteeth II, complete with
a George Harrison-esque read of “My Darling.”
Last fall, Bennett issued Whatever Happened I Apologize
as a free download through online “label” Rockproper.com.
It’s an intimate 10-song set recorded at Bennett’s Pieholden
Suite Sound, with the artist’s voice accompanied by just acoustic
guitar and occasional organ or bass. Burch makes an appearance
on “I’ll Decorate My Love,” the most upbeat of a batch of
pretty dark Americana. Dark’s not quite right—he may say he’ll
“be glad when it’s over” on “How Dull They Make the Razor,”
but he also knows the answer’s not so simple (“In the end
I suppose you sink or you swim”). If you liked Joe Pernice
circa Scud Mountain Boys, Whatever could be the best
free zip file you’ll not spend a dime on this year.
Bennett’s death this week deserves to be more than just a
footnote. He was a remarkable musician and songwriter,
and either (or both) of these albums would be a good way to
acquaint yourself with his talent.
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