Pedro - "You, Me & Everyone"

Pedro - Green Apples (Mush 2007)

Pedro – You, Me & Everyone / Mush

I have been on the Pedro bandwagon for a good number of years now. Stumbling upon the U.K. producer’s self-titled release back in 2004, the album fit quite snuggly with my then folksy-electronica obsessed radio playlists and beat konducted mind. With almost ten years of production experience on his résumé, James Rutledge concocts refined musical explorations and oddball stylistic balances. His minimalistic laptop manipulations rely on as much acoustic instrumentation as they do electronic samples and make hefty stylistic nods towards rap, folk, jazz and post-rock. Then why am I not going apeshit over his latest release, You, Me & Everyone, despite it being maybe the most realized and adventurous album in his discography? Good question.

Like the clever producer circuit he is typically grouped within, notably Four Tet, Prefuse 73, and Caribou among others, Rutledge has a talent for finding extended samples of jazz and psychedelia (or of course playing the instruments himself) and weaving them into fits of bursting excitement. His music, though often chaotic on the surface, is programmed with immaculate detail and a caring concern for obtuse rhythms and instrumental motifs. Each song bends and twists into any number of directions, but there is almost always a reference point, whether it be a playful keyboard riff, a specific drum sound or something similar. This gives the track a specific character within the overarching theme of the record. Where his prior albums were made up of more melancholy roles though, You, Me & Everyone sounds like Rutledge is scripting a triumph or some other sort of exuberant statement.

Pedro shines the most when his sample-based, multi-layered rhythms are joined by lyrical instrumentation. “Green Apples” and “Red Apples” for example have their fair share of curious rhythmic patterns and electronic interjections, but it’s the moaning saxophone, fluttering flutes and commanding trumpet lines that really move the song. These instruments make frequent appearances throughout the album as well: they ground the time signature destroying “I Am Keeping Up” just as it’s getting out of control… again, provide strong emotional resonance to “Spools” (which also includes strings and electric guitar to much avail), and act as a much needed break from the pulsing, near-club friendly “Vitamins”.

Rutledge takes advantage of a strong synth and breakbeat presence throughout the album as well. “Hope is a Happiness” with its relatively simple break sounds like Dilla remixing Rounds-era Four Tet, while “Hallelujah” transforms heavily effected electric guitar and xylophone into an indie-hop friendly backing track. These more straight-beat leaning tracks are very reminiscent of the Kieran Hebden remixes for Madvillain, minus the Doom of course.

This brings me back to my original question: why am I not gushing over this release? The album closely resembles two other albums by similar artists, Four Tet’s Everything Ecstatic and Caribou’s The Milk of Human Kindness. Like Pedro, both producers began their careers by exploring the more minimal and patient approach to sample-based music. As each career blossomed though, their output became increasingly exuberant and joyous almost to an annoying degree. This is obviously personal preference, but I believe it is also a telling characteristic of the album if you are already invested in Rutledge’s back-catalogue. You, Me & Everyone excels on every level from musicianship to excitement, but if you are expecting the contemplative folktronica that began his career, you may be a bit disappointed. I would strongly suggest checking it out regardless. Very few artists can balance this many opposing styles and still keep the near tangible excitement like Pedro.

Devotion #15

I had an idea in mind for this week, but was going to post a bit later than usual. Then I got a twinge of laziness and contemplated taking the week off and not posting at all, but later decided that I would throw something up that was altogether different from my original idea. Confused? So was I. But I got things figured out earlier today when thinking about how slept on rapper/singer/instrumentalist/producer/DJ/family man Count Bass D is. Hip-Hop culture should be ashamed of itself for not recognizing cats like this more, instead of upholding the thuggishness, materialism, and pretentious, I-am-hip-hop-hear-me-roar posturing that permeates much of the airwaves and discotheques. Okay, so maybe they aren’t “discotheques,” but when Soulja Boy, the Shop Boyz, and that whole brand of coonery get more shine than artists who are putting in three and four times the effort for a fraction of the return, then something is out of order. The rap game is out of order, radio is out of order, fans are out of order, Patrick Masterson is out of order, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers is out of order*, Mitt Romney is definitely out of order, and I’m probably out of order, too, for taking time to rant about some oft-discussed but barely-remedied bullshit instead of checking out this Thai Aroma menu and ordering dinner. I hear you knocking, spicy catfish, and you’re coming in loud and…um, spicy.

As for Dwight Farrell (d/b/a Count Bass D), if you don’t know, he’s a rap veteran crafted from the left-center field, Madlib/J Dilla/Kankick/MF Doom/Oh No/Jneiro Jarel mold – near-mastery and heavy exploration of the drum machine; samples both dusty and known-like-the-back-of-your-hand, painted polka dot and turned inside-out; just the right touches of experimental instrumentation; and off-kilter rapping with couplets that don’t always rhyme and bars that could be filled with two words in one line and ten words the next. If you’re not feeling Count Bass D, then I pity you. You’re a sucker, and we can’t be friends**.

Count Bass D – “Seven Years,” featuring Dionne Farris and “Make a Buck” – Dwight Spitz (High Times 2002)

“Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” – Act Your Waist Size (Fat Beats 2006)

* “The neutrality of this article is disputed.” I bet.

** Of course we can still be friends, silly. Here’s a symbol of our friendship…

MF DOOM – “Rhymes Like Dimes” feat. DJ Cucumber Slice – Operation: Doomsday (Fondle ‘Em 1999)

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - "Scared Famous"

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Politely Declined (Human Ear Music 2007)

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Scared Famous / Human Ear Music

Ariel Marcus Rosenberg aka Ariel Pink is one of the most baffling figures in music. Just large enough for freak-folks the world over to know him, but just small enough to still be something of a secret, Rosenberg has built a weird aura of strange 70s soundtracks and lo-fi, vinyl-ripped 80s TV jingles. He's a master of melody and a bard of bubbly psych-pop, but still he lingers on the fringes even of the more aware.

Maybe a new album in 2008 will change that. For now, we'll have to be content with 17 songs culled from the beautifully mysterious period that surrounds his first full-length release, 2002's House Arrest. Now given that Ariel Pink records his damaged tapes at an insanely prolific rate, it should be pointed out that Scared Famous has already been released in a different format: 2002 also saw the release of a double album, Scared Famous/FF, that had 19 songs on the Scared Famous side to this CD's 17. Even though Haunted Graffiti is the only Ariel Pink incarnation that has seen official commercial release, the reshuffling of the Scared Famous set and the omission of the equally fascinating FF is somewhat bizarre. Perhaps Rosenberg and the lo-fi legend that accompanied him during these recordings, R. Stevie Moore, felt that this would be a better presentation to the masses.

All I know is that this leaner, meaner, round and plastic version of Scared Famous might arguably be better than the original. "Gopacapulco" was originally buried late in the tracklisting; now it opens the album on a bouncy note that wouldn't sound out of place in the late-60s. Every reaction to every Ariel Pink song is pretty much the same: How can this have been made by a Beverly Hills High class of '96 graduate at the turn of the millennium? Yet this is part of the analog magic as the tape gets beaten up and the fuzz muddies the recordings. It's a far cry from the crystalline production of modern pop.

But all of these songs, from "Are You Gonna Look After My Boys?" to "The List (My Favorite Song)," have their own quirks and moments that make not just this album but Ariel Pink's output in general so endearing. I find it difficult to think of someone roving the same territory at the moment, other than the other five members of his newly minted live band. It doesn't matter that each song runs roughly four minutes and after a short while you begin to learn the nuances of the drum machine: You're sucked in because these songs are so fundamentally good. They are built for success in a sonic environment that encourages anything but.

The reason this review is so short is that I don't think I can shed any more light on Ariel Pink than the music can. In this case, I'll choose to make it short and let the selection do most of the talking. Scared Famous is a nice refresher as to why people love this guy in the first place, but I'll be more interested to see what's in store for 2008. Odds are that it will be more of the gloriously gritty avant-pop that Rosenberg has made his name on. Scared famous? Hardly. Ariel Pink has never sounded more unprepared for the big-time. Bring it on.

Radio Show Playlist: 11/28/07

6a:
1. Dinosaur Jr. - The Lung - You're Living All Over Me (SST 1987)
2. Poster Children - Space Gun - Daisychain Reaction (Twin/Tone 1990)
3. Sonic Youth - Pattern Recognition - Sonic Nurse (Geffen 2004)
4. Wire - 23 Years Too Late - Read & Burn 03 (Pinkflag 2007)
5. Joe Lally - Skin and Bone - Nothing is Underrated (Dischord 2007)
6. Mission of Burma - Dirt - ONoffON (Matador 2004)
7. Pixies - Bone Machine - Surfer Rosa (4AD 1988)
8. Minutemen - Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing - Double Nickels on the Dime (SST 1984)
9. Push-Pull - You Are Dead - 3 EP (Joyful Noise 2007)
10. Erase Errata - Marathon - The Structure of Scientific Misconceptions/The System of Scientific Misconstructions (Toyo 2001)
11. Watchers - Crumbs ft. James Chance - Vampire Driver (Gern Blandsten 2007)
12. Antelope - Reflector - Reflector (Dischord 2007)
13. Michael Columbia - Predator - Stay Hard EP (Alabaster/Galapagos4 2006)

7a:
1. Six Organs of Admittance - Alone With the Alone - Shelter From the Ash (Drag City 2007)
2. Gabor Szabo - Mizrab - The Sorcerer (Impulse! 1967)
3. Paul Metzger - Orans - Deliverance (Locust 2007)
4. Woods - Keep It On - How to Survive In / In the Woods (Shrimper 2007, originally 2005)
5. Coach Fingers - A Pine Bush Fantasy - With Friends and Family (Locust 2006)
6. Henry Flynt - Amphetamine Fantasy - Nova'Billy (Locust 2007, recorded 1975)
7. (((Powerhouse Sound))) - Coxsonne - Oslo/Chicago: (((Breaks))) (Atavistic 2007)
8. Lee Morgan - The Sidewinder - The Sidewinder (Blue Note 1963)

8a:
1. The Lightmen Plus One - Cold Bair - Energy Control Center (Lightin' 1972)
2. Junior Murvin - Bad Weed - Bad Weed/Cross Over 12" (Trojan 1978)
3. Marcia Griffiths - Gypsy Man - Jonny Greenwood is the Controller (Trojan 2007, recorded 1974)
4. Alton Ellis - Arise Black Man - Arise Black Man: 1968-1978 (Moll-Selekta 1999, recorded 196?)
5. Fire Engines - Meat Whiplash - Hungry Beat (Acute 2007, originally 1981)
6. Caetano Veloso - Musa Hibrida - Ce (Nonesuch 2006)
7. Gal Costa - Relance - India (Philips 1973)
8. Saturday Looks Good to Me - When I Lose My Eyes - Fill Up the Room (K 2007)
9. Everyone'd - Friends of Mine - Everyone'd (Brilliante 2006)
10. Destroyer - New Ways of Living - Your Blues (Merge 2004)

Death Becomes Even the Maiden - "The Arrangement" EP

Death Becomes Even the Maiden - To Your End (Vie Devant Soi 2007)

Death Becomes Even the Maiden - The Arrangement EP / Vie Devant Soi

On Saturday we mentioned briefly how the braintrust behind Factory Records branched out to reach the enthusiastic young group of musicians on the other side of the English Channel which led to the creation of Factory Benelux. Over two decades on from artists like Marine and Minny Pops, Death Becomes Even the Maiden found themselves in a similar situation experienced in reverse for pressings of their latest release, The Arrangement: The Columbia, South Carolina trio opted for Brussels label Vie Devant Soi.

As a matter of coincidence, "Control" is the first of five songs presented here. This is by far the cleanest track on the album and, as a direct result, sounds the most like Joy Division and Factory anything. The difference is that there's no macabre monotone in bassist and lead singer Eric Greenwood's voice. The man is pure Jehu, utterly Unwound in his vocal delivery. You get that in the chorus of "Control," but for the most part clean guitar parts courtesy Heyward Sims and rapid-fire drummer Chris Powell's hi-hat madness dominate proceedings. Not too surprising when you consider Greenwood's old band was named From Safety to Where.

"We Have Your Diamonds" is a better example of grimy guitars and Soda City scribe Tug Baker's accurate description of 'the Maiden as "Nirvana doing Joy Division covers." In other words, Greenwood is more willing to let his excellent screaming talents loose on this track. You'd never know it from the introduction, but eventually the song blossoms into something that would not sound out of place in Louisville or San Diego a decade ago. "Identify" follows in this same path with a lot more crashing cymbals and a ringing guitar sound piercing through the chorus. It's a vivid display of getting the most out of what you've got.

As a fan of feedback, "To Your End" was a personal favorite of this particular listener. For me, "To Your End" represents the exact opposite end of the spectrum from "Control:" All of Death Becomes Even the Maiden's most chaotic elements reveal themselves for the loudest song on the EP and a perfect foil for the concluding track, "Frames." I might get a bollocking for saying this, but "Frames" also has ghosts of early Mineral with only Chris Simpson's wailing thankfully absent. The music is straight from a The Power of Failing. b-side, and I mean that in the best possible way.

The point is that, between all of these musical reference points - Joy Division, Nirvana, Unwound, Young Widows, Mineral, Drive Like Jehu - lies Death Becomes Even the Maiden on their own point in the middle, balancing rigid and nervous post-punk rhythms with the raw fury of primed post-hardcore. Considering how easy it would be to simply kick back with a 40 down at the Congaree and listen to Kenny Chesney, one of Columbia's finest bands has backed up their debut 7" with a better EP that shows how alive one of the quietest college towns in the Southeast really is. Sorry, did I say quiet? Bring earplugs. You'll need them.

Woods - "How to Survive In / In the Woods"

Woods - Holes (Shrimper 2007, originally 2005)

Woods – How to Survive In / In the Woods / Shrimper

One of the most pleasant musical surprises of this year has come from two woodsmen… pardon me, woodsists. A deconstructed folk-pop duo, Woods peaked out from behind the trees in the early moments of 2007 and dropped a lo-fi pop album that may sneak onto the shortlist of my year’s favorite records. Off-kilter, playful and downright infectious, At Rear House’s mix of “memorable verse-chorus-verse songs with weirdo farmland explorations” has provided much solace over the last eleven months whenever I needed a break from the complexity of the city. With the success of the release, Shrimper has been nice enough to re-release Woods’ debut recordings, How to Survive In / In the Woods, as well.

Comprised of Jeremy Earl and Christian DeRoeck, both of the smart Brooklyn indie rock band Meneguar (think Les Savy Fav with the vocal charm of The Dismemberment Plan or mid-career Q and Not U), and select friends, Woods became an outlet for the pair to explore bare essential folk and the construct of vocal harmonies. This initial release from 2005 was previously only available on cassette through their analog tape-loving label Fuck-It Tapes, which has also unleashed cassette-only releases from the likes of Excepter, Magik Markers, Jana Hunter, Raccoo-oo-oon, Hair Police, Wooden Wand & the Vanishing Voice and a myriad of other near-unclassifiable experimental bands (notice that nearly every release on their website is sold out).

How to Survive In / In the Woods closely resembles their 2007 folk-pop delight: affectionately wavering vocal harmonies, bare-boned acoustic guitar backdrops, plenty of tape hiss and a desire to balance syrupy pop melodies with noisy experimentation. But where At Rear House displayed an unpredictable prowess for concise pop ditties, How to Survive In / In the Woods features the pair toying with outlying ideas much more.

From the opening strums, Woods makes it apparent their main concern is undiluted pop pleasantries. “Holes” skips along for a brief two minutes of perfectly aligned vocal harmonies, a simple acoustic guitar-led rhythm and oddball, almost Frank Black-like lyrics, “Based on your reflection / skin and bones, skin and bones / how long til we forget / skin and bones, skin and bones.” The harmony flips for “Kid’s Got Heart” with the lower register now leading the way; it gives the tune more of an unsettled feeling. Guitar interplay begins to take precedent as well. Faintly surf-derived interjections of electric guitar carve out a driving melody as feedback swallows the track by song’s end.

“How to Survive In” is the first of three increasingly disturbed instrumental-based tracks. These more outlandish pieces, pulling influence from the likes of Sandy Bull, Sonic Youth and Henry Flynt, were casualties in the recording of At Rear House, which is kind of a shame because they provide deeper insight to the pair’s musical ideals. Yes, catchy lo-fi folk-pop appears to be Woods main concern, but there are much more underlying inspirations for the music than what the final product may solely display.

If these pop ditties are what sold you on the band though, then there are plenty of those for the picking as well. “Keep It On” is probably the ripest of your choices; so much so, it’s the only track to be re-recorded for At Rear House. Counterintuitively, the original version of the song features a much deeper mix with richer tones weaving amongst the over-modulated and sparse drum plods. The arcing vocal melody led by an easily accessible high-pitched voice is what hooks you in though, and it’s an approach they took advantage of much more with their sophomore release.

Like most respectable pop music these days, Woods makes sure to powder their pop with outlandish noise excursions and plenty of quirk. It rarely overshadows their refined songwriting though, and by no surprise, those imbalances are the album’s weakest cuts (“God Hates the Faithless”, “Holier Than No One”). I’m quite pleased that Shrimper decided to re-release How to Survive In / In the Woods in formats friendly to us stuck in the 21st Century, because it acts as both an essential insight into the development of Woods and a strong, worthwhile release in itself. Folksy, playful, nostalgic, weird and infectious, Woods’ music contains all of the essential elements of quality pop music without any unnecessary sugarcoating.

Singleversity #37

Audiversity’s weekly column, slightly modified, on random music in a predetermined number of words between 1 & 150. This week's randomly generated number: 69.

MA:



Plucked from the very first entry of the Ethiopiques series (they are cruising somewhere around 23 these days), “Wètètié Maré” and its mellow-soul vibe sounds as if it slinked out of a late night recording session at Stax studios in the early 60s. Actually recorded by Muluqèn Mèllèssè a decade later, it is the type of exotic jam that reminds you that a “groove” is an international feeling.

PM:









Lurking in the shadows of "Control" and a slew of needless Joy Division reissues arriving just in time for the holidays is an equally fascinating story of Factory Benelux apostles from the Low Countries. The Names are one of the best examples with a Martin Hannett connection that virtually no one knows; 1981 single "Calcutta" shows a Brussels-based group at the peak of their brief arc. Somebody reissue Swimming!

Fuel for Our Fiery Ears

Have you ever dreamt of a day
where bloggers give a rest
to all the music they review
and their opinion fests?

And I'm not talking about Easter
or another day for Christ
I'm talking something other
than a remix comp for Feist,

a day on the calendar
when pale, scrawny white guys
actually feed themselves
on something more than Bright Eyes

Well, there exists such a day
where The Hype Machine can relax:
No Burial b-sides to catch,
no new Sufjan tracks.

There's not a word to be heard from Justice
or a blip from the DFA,
nothing from The Black Kids (Haha)
nor from Freeway (today, anyway).

This is a day where we all take a break
away from Sally Shapiro,
away from cheap PBR, mp3s
and rounds of Guitar Hero.

So while we here dine in modesty
and spend time with our real-life friends,
we suggest you do the same
instead of revisiting The Bends.

Love,
Audiversity

Radio Show Playlist: 11/21/07

6a:
1. Velvet Underground - Heroin - 1969: Velvet Underground Live, Vol. 2 (Mercury 1974)
2. Randall of Nazareth - It's Nice to Know - Randall of Nazareth (Drag City 2007)
3. Michio Kurihara - Pendulum on the G String-The Last Cicada - Sunset Notes (20/20/20 2007)
4. Charalambides - Do You See? - Likeness (Kranky 2007)
5. Zelienople - Parts are Lost - His/Hers (Type 2007)
6. Six Organs of Admittance - Strangled Road - Shelter from the Ash (Drag City 2007)
7. Karate - Original Spies - 595 (Southern 2007, recorded 2003)
8. Cass McCombs - Pregnant Pause - Dropping the Writ (Domino 2007)

7a:
1. Speck Mountain - Midnight Sun - Summer Above (Burnt Brown Sounds 2007)
2. Rachel's - Water from the Same Source - System/Layers (Quarterstick 2003)
3. Cloudland Canyon - Silver Tongued Sisyphus - Silver Tongued Sisyphus (Kranky 2007)
4. The World on Higher Downs - Alpine Low - Land Patterns (Plop 2007)
5. Pole - Pferd - Steingarten (~scape 2007)
6. Slicker - Zead - Confidence in Duber (Hefty 1998)
7. Pedro - Seven Eight - Pedro (Schema 2004)
8. Prefuse 73 - Class of 73 Bells - Preparations (WARP 2007)
9. Adventure Time - Kappabashi - Dreams of Water Themes (Plug Research 2003)

8a:
1. Yesterday's New Quintet - Send One You're Love - Stevie (Stones Throw 2001)
2. Caetano Veloso - Nao Identificado - Caetano Veloso (Philips 1969)
3. Cannonball Adderley - Maria Tres Filhos - The Happy People (Capitol 1972)
4. His Name is Alive - Sweet Earth Flying - Sweet Earth Flower: A Tribute to Marion Brown (High Two 2007)
5. Art Ensemble of Chicago - Theme Amour Universal - Les Stance a Sophie (Universal Sound 1970)
6. Mulugen Mellesse - Wetetie Mare - Ethiopiques Vol. 1: Golden Years of Modern Ethiopian Music 1969-1975 (Buda Musique 1998, recorded 1975)
7. The Upsetters - Return of Django - A Live Injection: Lee Perry Anthology 1968-1979 (Trojan 2001, recorded 1969)
8. The Congos - Congoman - Heart of the Congos (Blood & Fire 1977)
9. Frank Black Francis - The Holiday Song - Frank Black Francis (SpinART 2004)
10. The Breeders - Divine Hammer - Last Splash (4AD 1993)
11. Wire - No Warning Given - Read & Burn 03 (Pinkflag 2007)

Wire - "Read & Burn 03"

Wire - No Warning Given (Pinkflag 2007)

Wire – Read & Burn 03 / Pinkflag

Where would we be without Wire? It’s pretty hard to understate the influence they’ve had on contemporary underground music with today’s stylistic hybrid upon hybrid upon hybrid nature. Wire is the club where the punk kids, the noisemakers, the avant-poppers and… well England can all intermingle merrily, trade ideas and become better, more ambitious musicians as a result. It seems almost unfair that the London foursome is still recording new material, and quality new material at that. Not that we are not already iconically revering the band, but all the hoopla surrounding the Ian Curtis movie has me wondering exactly why we hold the tragic stories on such higher levels than the persevering ones. Curtis certainly does deserve your respect, but don’t spend all your time wallowing in the past or you are going to miss the opportunity to experience living legends while they are still, you know, living.

Wire is working on decade four of their unprecedented and unpredictable career. The post-punk pioneers have made a living out of patience and reinvention. “Out of ideas? No worries, we’ll just take a break. Go out, experience the world, flesh out some of those inklings you’ve got and we’ll meet back here in five years. Our audience will be waiting.” And wait we did. Here we are on the third reactivation of the band and believe it or not, the music is still pertinent, creative and urgent as ever. Who would of thought just not forcing creativity would be the key to a career of longevity and significance? “Common sense” you say? Well look around.

Enter entry number three into the Read & Burn series, a collection of EPs commenced in 2002. Eerily enough, this series is faintly mirroring their initial period of recording, 1977-79. Read & Burn 01/Pink Flag were urgent displays of taut, jagged punk. Read & Burn 02/Chairs Missing keeps the sparse brashness but begins to intertwine moments of melody and that hyphenated “art” tag begins to come into play. Read & Burn 03, notably released some five years after 02, enters into the same post-punk territory of 154: songs melt into experimental songscapes, texture and melody take precedent over intensity, and the lovable quirk of the band is in full swing.

The four-song EP opens with the ten-minute “23 Years Too Late”. Narrating atop atmospheric synthesizers and Graham Lewis’s taut bass line, the full-throated prose carefully tiptoes the line of goofy and cerebral. It’s the type of oddball abstraction that has defined Wire’s career, and with the more lulling moments tied together by the Colin Newman-led punk outbursts, you have got a quintessential Wire track… just stretched out to an unpredictable level (which further solidifies my point).

“Our Time” harks back to second phase Wire, 1987-91. Pitch-shifting synthesizers swirl amongst a post-punk bass line and slowly erupting guitars while Newman deadpans with eerie urgency. It certainly has that A Bell is a Cup aesthetic to it where Newman’s pop melodies are prominent and perpendicular to the wall of near-shoegazing guitars. “No Warning Given” stays tract with this sound, but with more of a punk backbeat to up the tempo. The guitar sound is particularly lush with each strum sent soaring over top the increasingly textured song. It’s that sound Wire is particularly good at achieving: simultaneously clinical and warm.

The final of the four tracks, “Desert Diving”, is more of the mechanical pop song found on Newman’s Githead releases. The music is not necessarily complex, but the instrumentation continuously weaves and wavers thanks to the immaculate studio processing. It’s a lulling tune lined with low-register, atmospheric guitar noise, which only further emphasizes the anthemic choral outburst before the track’s end.

Maybe the most exciting aspect of Read & Burn 03, besides of course the first new Wire material in five years, is that it actually may be a preview of what’s to come in the near future. According to the press release, though 03 is a stand alone EP, it is actually just four finished songs from a much larger set of recordings. In other words, a new full-length Wire album very well may be in the works. Yes, we are excited. Yes, you should be excited. And yes, we are expecting the unexpected.

Devotion #14

When was the last time you heard a real anthem?

I have to thank the lil’ homey H.E.R. for reminding me just how dope this track is – stellar, nostalgia-laced lyricism; creative use of a widely-known sample, including the original Nat King Cole passage at the song’s close (which probably cost a mint to clear); a gorgeous chorus sung by Miss Chrisette Michelle; kick drums the way kick drums are meant to be heard. Nas is an anomaly in mainstream hip-hop, because unlike many of his peers, you can remove the music from his songs and let the words stand on their own merit. He raps with a clarity and Everyman appeal that is rare from someone of his caliber. Soft-spoken by nature, Nas commands you to listen to him because he always seems to have something to say – something topical, something meaningful, and something relevant to the greater cultural good. This is why his releases will always be important to the sustenance and evolution of hip-hop music. I can’t wait for his next, due in December and affectionately titled, “Nigger.” That's going to be a fun one, for sure.

Now, who wants to go to Uncle Paulie’s?!?!

MNO – “Julia” – Backspin: A Six Degrees 10-Year Anniversary Project (Six Degrees 2007)

There isn’t much I can say about the Beatles self-titled masterpiece that hasn’t already been said in the 39 years since its release. It’s far beyond a “personal favorite” for me. The Beatles may possibly be the one album I have listened to the most throughout my life, with X-Clan’s To the East, Blackwards ranking a close second. I found MNO’s cover of “Julia” very tastefully done. It’s a pretty little electro thing, which expands on the Beatles original by utilizing chimes, vibes, and off-center percussion to create an ambient and almost jazzy turn on what was first an unaccompanied John Lennon acoustic solo. While not as poignant as its predecessor, MNO’s “Julia” is one of three worthwhile covers – including the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows” (Shrift) and Pink Floyd’s “Echoes” (Banco de Gaia) – that close out this compilation.

For a quick comparison of the two versions, listen to the Beatles’ “Julia” here.

And here is “Mother Nature's Son” from The Beatles, just because I think it’s great.

Clutchy Hopkins – “Love of a Woman,” featuring Darondo – Walking Backwards (Ubiquity 2007)

Who is Clutchy Hopkins? Damned if I know. I hit up a contact at Ubiquity, and all he had to offer was, “Clutchy is Clutchy, homes.” So Clutchy remains a mystery to me. But if dealing with him is anything like dealing with that Quasimoto clown, I don’t think I want to know who Clutchy is. My sister went on a date with Quas once and hasn’t been the same since.

This guy seems to have a pretty good handle on the Clutchy mystique – that is, if “pretty good handle” means “no fucking clue.” But I’m glad someone is on the case. I’ll definitely keep my ear to the streets on this one, so one day, when Clutchy lands on the cover of Spin, I’ll be able to look back and say that I didn’t know him back when no one else knew him, either.

The Peelers – “I Don't Want To” – Let’s Detonate (Beercan 2006)

The Peelers are a band out of Chicago that play good, honest rock and roll. The gentlemen in the picture are also Peelers – members of the London Metropolitan Police Force during the mid-19^th century. It’s nice to sit back and let Google Images do the work. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but when it comes to rock criticism and analysis, I’m not one for overkill. These guys aren’t trying to cure cancer. It’s rock and roll. Sometimes, you might need a thousand words. Other times, you only need 15.

Theory Hazit – “Gossip Synopsis” – Extra Credit (Hip Hop IS Music 2007)

There are references to Theory Hazit’s Christian beliefs all throughout his debut, Extra Credit. So it’s safe to assume that Jesus is his Homeboy. But Jesus and I aren’t as tight. I’m pretty much accepting of all denominations, but I’m a lot closer to this kid as a representative of the Jewish faith than I am to the Chosen One. Hell, a friend of mine almost had me convinced last week that Jesus was Prince. Religious preferences aside, I have great admiration for Theory Hazit as an artist, because the rapper, DJ, and producer has crafted one of the best hip-hop releases of the year. And I’m not just whistling “Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos” here. It’s hard being moved by rap music right now, especially after taking in so much for so long and having to deal with a good portion of the current crop being garbage. But for the gospel according to Theory Hazit to keep the attention of a hater like myself, he must be doing something right. And he is – attacking “Gossip Synopsis” with content and lyrical dexterity that MCs in higher tax brackets probably wish they possessed. Blessed are the poor, indeed.

Singleversity #36

Audiversity’s weekly column, slightly modified, on random music in a predetermined number of words between 1 & 150. This week's randomly generated number: 65.

MA:



Henry Flynt is a complicated man. So much so in fact that I am not even going to attempt to summarize his incredible avant-garde career in this brief paragraph. BUT, the kind people of Locust have released a gem of a left-field country-rock record from Flynt’s band in the mid-70s. "The International" is just a small dose of the must-hear rambunctiousness of Nova’Billy.

PM:



While Americans prepare for Thanksgiving this coming week, Canadians are still debating the identity of the Gustav Mahler graffiti artist that emerged in the Corktown neighborhood of Toronto during their own Thanksgiving last month. This portion of "Resurrection" is the conclusion of his famous Symphony No. 2. I know, I know, it’s his most popular; so sue us for being populists every now and then.

Malcolm Middleton - "A Brighter Beat"

Malcolm Middleton - Fuck It, I Love You (Full Time Hobby 2007)

Malcolm Middleton - A Brighter Beat / Full Time Hobby

In the canon of history's great drinkers - Ulysses S. Grant, Shane MacGowan, Duff from Velvet Revolver, Amy Winehouse - there are two guys that hold a special place of their own for alcoholic artistry. Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton made their name under the Arab Strap moniker throughout the Chemikal Underground by slaying audiences on both sides of the Atlantic with their wry twist on life in another kind of middle - Falkirk, Scotland, unglamorously located halfway between the refined air of Edinburgh and the roughened beauty of Glasgow. Given the Chemikal connection, Arab Strap quickly adapted to become Glaswegian visionaries of their own by proxy - when Aereogramme was a little too forced and Mogwai a little too wordless, there was Arab Strap to hold down their own brand of bitter post-folk, with seconds on the bitter. And thirds on the lager.

Ten Years of Tears was the epilogue earlier this year to an Arab Strap story full of cheap drinks and great songs. But neither gentlemen were too sorry to see it go, and Moffat now carries on in instrumental form after being the 'Strap's lead singer for so many years under the name L. Pierre. Middleton has opted out of the sexual antics to stick with his own name as he has done since 2002's excellent but impossibly named 5:14 Fluoxytine Seagull Alcohol John Nicotine. 2005's Into the Woods was a good deal brighter and Middleton continues on an upward swing away from his bottoming out with A Brighter Beat, which admittedly came out in February in the UK but is just now getting a release date from Full Time Hobby in the US.

Good thing they remembered to get around to that, too. This is a fantastic little album that brings forth both bright pop songs ("We're All Going to Die," obviously) and classic folkaholism Arab Strap were so famous for ("Somebody Loves You"). He's not doing it all on his own, with a laundry list of assistants including Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite, Barry Burns of The Delgados, Middleton's old compatriot Moffat, and wonderful female vocalists Nicola MacLeod and Jenny Reeve (another Arab Strap accomplice who also plays violin here).

"We're All Going to Die" is exactly the kind of song that made onlookers wonder whether to laugh or cry to Arab Strap. Riding a rollicking, fast-paced tempo, Middleton's trademark accent and relatively limited range are used to maximum effect. Boisterous is the first word to come to mind, but instinct says that despite a swooping orchestral backdrop, you really shouldn't get your hopes up too high for this to be the ebullient intro to a Malcolm Middleton party mix.

"Fight Like the Night" starts off a little mellow, but an 80s synth and another relatively upbeat tempo give it a different feel from late-night pub crawl casualties. That fighting figures prominently in the lyrics may make such a bouncy sound coincidental, but I get the impression that Middleton is the kind of guy who gives away a lot less than he knows. In short, he's clever and his wit never leaves him no matter the bar tab.

"Death Love Depression Love Death" starts off quietly enough, but like the general format of this record, it bursts to life and sounds as much a folk-punk song for three-quarters of its running as anything else. It's also one of the most aggressive tracks on the album, which sets "Fuck It, I Love You" up perfectly. With xylophones and a stupid Belle & Sebastian grin as the backdrop to the verse, Malcolm inevitably drops into a melancholy fall for the chorus complete with Reeve and strings. "When are you comin' home?" he asks in earnest. The answer doesn't matter, because the text message on his mobile has already shown the broken nature of another one of Malcolm's lost loves. This is the cardinal mistake he'll never learn; if he does, his music career would certainly change dramatically somehow.

Strings (and brass) also feature heavily in the lurching grandeur of "Superhero Songwriters," which feels a lot larger than it is. Halfway through, everything drops out and it's just you and Malcolm hanging out with an acoustic six-string again. Fade in on the tickled ivory, then ride out on a fuzzy guitar and lamenting a change of the world from your bedroom. Ba-da-dum nah nuh, nah nuh. A pop album for people who hate pop music. Yes.

Malcolm Middleton described it that way himself earlier this year. There's no doubt that the shades of Arab Strap past are still lingering, but Middleton has brought a brightening influence into his music. Who knows how much Falkirk pubs have made off of this guy, but if his music is anything to go by, Malcolm Middleton's bar tab might be changing for the lesser. Three albums in to a solo career that has only recently become his primary focus, it's sounding like a good thing. We'll raise a glass to that, toast a future full of sober-folk, and wonder what the hell will come of it all. There's only one way to find out.

The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Ire Works"

The Dillinger Escape Plan - Mouth of Ghosts (Relapse 2007)

The Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works / Relapse

There was a palpable sense of excitement when news first spread that The Dillinger Escape Plan had recorded the follow-up to 2004's Miss Machine earlier this year. That album brought out an art in the brutality of their systematic deconstruction of tech-metal that was less obvious on the seminal Calculating Infinity, and seeing what would come next had me intrigued. Though I have come to appreciate their extensive catalog that stretches back to the band's formation in New Jersey around 1997, the question on my mind was the question on everybody else's, too: Where does one of the most ceaselessly creative and reliably intense bands go from here?

What follows is an approximate arc of interest for a mature metal and loud-rock fan.

From Letters to Dave: The Dillinger Escape Plan and My Love of GMail:
"1998: I hear the Under the Running Board single and it makes me go, "huh," and then I keep listening to death metal.
1999: Calculating Infinity is released and I mosh with my steering wheel.
1999: I see the DEP at Fireside, complete with almost no lights on and an onstage firebreather. My friend Jarrett gets someone else's blood all over his shirt. I fear for my well-being.
1999: I see the DEP open for Mr. Bungle at Metro. They give it their all but no one except for me cares.
2000-2001: I do some other stuff
2002: DEP release that EP with Mike Patton singing for them. Mr. Bungle fans go bonkers. I buy the CDEP used.
2004: Miss Machine comes out and I try really hard to like it. I fail.
2007: The DEP only has one original member. Their new drummer looks like he shreds (courtesy of YouTube). I'm willing to give them another chance, but the review is all yours."

Did you see that last bit? The review is all yours. Dave Hofer's excuse is that he has a million other things he needs to listen to. The average fan's excuse is that they don't want to appear too interested in Ire Works, because if they did and it turned out sucking then they would look like a sissy. Nobody likes a sissy, bro. Even The Boy Least Likely To have Enema FX Mingeboxes and Mesa Boogies now.

So let's just say this right out: If you've only heard "Black Bubblegum" or just aren't feeling that stream from their MySpace page, stop what you're doing and listen to this album. Politely speaking, The Dillinger Escape Plan will blow you away on Ire Works precisely because they won't blow you away at all. When you've been to the top, done savored the juice of speed and technical precision, then you've got two options for surprising fans and keeping things interesting for yourself: Make a lot of line-up changes, and incorporate some other influences.

"Fix Your Face" doesn't give it away, but the DEP has done both. Though Ire Works took less time to make than the boundless Miss Machine, the band lost both founding drummer Chris Pennie (to, er, Coheed & Cambria) and longtime guitarist Brian Benoit (to nerve damage) went on indefinite hiatus, leaving Ben Weinman as the only remaining original member. Despite this, ex-Stolen Babies skinbeater Gil Sharone came in to fill the seat, and he's at least as accomplished. The evidence is all over the first two tracks as the band rips through both "Fix Your Face" and "Lurch."

There's been a lot of talk over what the hell is going on with an almost Blood Brothers-esque performance on "Black Bubblegum." This is a pretty unexpected move from a band known for its brutality, but the high-pitched synthesizers and modern rock chorus provide a nice breather between the opening one-two combination and the extreme sound of "Sick on Sunday," the DEP's best impression of one of their imitators (in Genghis Tron) that they've yet recorded. All too briefly, the band shows it can still display the dexterity that made them icons earlier this decade. The electronic passages dominate the song, much like 'Tron's "Arms," but even still, it provides a change of pace from the songs before it. These were the same guys, after all, who covered Aphex Twin. It's not totally out of nowhere.

"When Acting As a Particle" is the first instrumental and though it fits in well with this new DEP vision, it would've been better as an ambient intro for "Nong Eye Gong." Of course, eventually the band decides that these instrumentals aren't better on their own, and though there have been some complaints about "Dead As History" (which features Mastodon's Brent Hinds) and the epic salsa(?)-tinged closer "Mouths of Ghosts" having intros that are way too long, it's this element of the breaks between the extremes that makes the louder portions (such as "82588") so acutely recognized.

Ultimately, that's what's changed here. Instead of giving the listener no time to breathe, The Dillinger Escape Plan are breathing themselves. Content with a discography that has already proven they can be tech-metal when they want to, this group is exploring other options and looking to shed supposed fans who aren't prepared to defend the merits of not going further, of not taking risks, of not trying something different. The reward is that those who may not have been into The Dillinger Escape Plan before can now meet them halfway in a twisted tech-metal playground that continues to burn weakened bridges and focus on the future. Even if the actual music isn't to your taste, the statement ought to be. A fresh step forward is the only way to finding new sounds.

Junk Science - "Gran'Dad's Nerve Tonic"

Junk Science - Jerry Maguire (Embedded/Def Jux 2007)

Junk Science - Gran'Dad's Nerve Tonic / Embedded/Def Jux

Junk Science's Gran'Dad's Nerve Tonic has been my hip-hop joint of choice lately. This love affair with the Brooklyn duet extends back to early 2006 when I inadvertently stumbled upon their 2005 release Feeding Einstein. It was easy to warm up to, not just for its funny-like-a-clown rhymes but also for its tricky production. Anytime you can work The Muppets' Statler & Waldorf into an album and make it flow, you've got my vote.

Two years on from their last release, they've returned. Baje One and DJ Snafu are even sharper on this concept album about the nerve tonic that brief skits splicing up the musical material tie together. What is the nature of this nerve tonic? Maybe the nerve tonic is hip-hop itself, maybe it's the adversity facing hip-hop these days, maybe it's just a drink in the fridge. Whatever it is, the source of inspiration for this record has led to another outstanding release that is sure to have backpackers updating their iPods once they actually find out about this thing.

Seriously, why is the love for Junk Science so limited? Are we really burned out enough at this point to just assume that, once Def Jux released I'll Sleep When You're Dead, '07 was finished? I don't know man. Maybe it's just the fatigue everybody feels at the end of the year. But Baje and Snafu are a reason to care. They're yet another reason to love hip-hop this year. They're holding it down for Brooklyn when it would be easy to say not much is going on there at the moment.

Their intentions are clear from the beginning of "Slojo" as the bottle is popped open and you're downing the glorious noise tonic that Snafu juxtaposes with dreamy guitars and A Tribe Called Quest sonic tricks so often. There's a lo-fi funk sample that forms the basis for the opener, but Baje One's voice is given a little more grit in the mic and it's not really an indication for how his voice comes through on the rest of the record.

Now "Pop Rocks," "Pop Rocks" is a song that sounds more in tune with the generic "Junk Science sound" - if such a thing is possible. The song starts off with a good old college days story but quickly finds a gritty urban beat to balance out the smooth flamenco guitar. This kind of thing is what Junk Science are so good at - Baje One never sounds like he's about to lose his cool no matter what he's rhyming about. Paying the bills, coaching high school basketball, talking about the progression of hip-hop, whatever. Everything's fair game when you've downed a 40 and you're just exhibiting your talent.

The difference in Junk Science and so many other hip-hop artists lies in the secret to their successful formula: "We just havin' fun while a lot of rap kids really havin' none / Aww." No kidding! These guys may be living in slummy apartment buildings and living paycheck to paycheck, but they're having a hell of a time doing it. "Come on hip-hop / why your face so tense?"

To this end, the duo practices what they preach. "Do it Easy" rides a galloping beat, but hear those island guitar strums that sound straight out of a Wii menu. It's a deceptively easygoing track that keeps you relaxed. It also fits nicely in the track sequence, which doesn't look that balanced on paper: Guests figure heavily here, and though the weight of their contributions heavily, five of the album's 14 songs have guests (and Daedelus remixes "Do it Easy" as a coda) and they're all bunched within six songs of each other in the middle of the album.

No matter: They make it flow smoothly, and by breaking songs up with brief clips that hint at the continued use (and abuse) of the tonic, Junk Science build a story of hip-hop's Indie Everyman just trying to enjoy making his way through the world. Sterling example, right here: "Jerry Maguire." It's not necessarily an outstanding track on this record, but it does perfectly capture the attitude of these guys.

That may be the most refreshing aspect of Gran'Dad's Nerve Tonic. Attitude accounts for so much when it comes to emcees and how they approach their songs. Look, everybody knows it's good to have serious records and without them a lot of social problems wouldn't get a second glance. But sometimes a playful record, a record that's willing to poke fun at itself and at its contemporaries, that is just as necessary. "Ah, you know about the tonic." Words from the Pedro, indeed. By the time this ends, you will know the tonic... and the junk science that's used to make it.

Push-Pull - "3" EP

Push-Pull - Brain Fever (Joyful Noise 2007)

Push-Pull - 3 EP / Joyful Noise

One of the best parts about 3 is its brevity. In fact, in the most neglected traditions of blogging, we're going to keep this review short in the spirit of Bloomington, Indiana's Push-Pull. These guys - all of whom are affectionately named Mike - tear through their six-pack faster than an awkward neighbor at a wedding reception. Even with a bonus track buried long after "Union Songs" wraps up, this album clocks in at a mighty, er, 18 minutes.

Brevity isn't the big story, because anyone can make an album brief (except for The Mars Volta). The story is that, between the three of them, Push-Pull have exhumed the ghosts of everyone they list in their biography as they attempt to find their own sound. Is there an element of everything Ian MacKaye has done, combined with the furious manual dexterity of Shellac of North America (whose Bob Weston mastered this album)? The Wipers? Big Star? Maybe a simpler ...Trail of Dead pre-Madonna action? Check please. We got a winner here.

Like a strike of garage-punk lightning, Push-Pull make short work of their all-original material. If there was to be a hypothetical single from this album, or at least a song for people to listen to if they could only listen to one, "Brain Fever" is it. Howling vocals on the edge of bursting vocal chords and enough feedback to make it all worthwhile, "Brain Fever" is a mission statement with a purpose at less than two minutes. Comparatively speaking, that's a pretty long track for this young band. Though "Union Songs" cheats at almost a dozen minutes given the barbershop free-time bop of the bonus track, "Mike and Bob" is genuinely just over two minutes.

The crashing cymbals and fluid bass grooves of these songs, bashed out relentlessly for the duration of the album, is juxtaposed with crunchy guitars with ample distortion and feedback. The band trades vocals between Mike Notaro and Mike Brivadsky, while all three (Mike Hoggatt is the drummer) share songwriting duties.

They've got a lot of potential brewing here, evidenced plainly on "Brain Fever" and the Lucero-like ending of "Union Songs." Maybe they intend to write these songs as short as they are, but for all of their power and swagger, Push-Pull has hopefully got more ideas floating around to work with and showcase soon. This album, recorded in Nashville and only just recently released, is sort of the polar opposite of Triclops! EP Café Brutalia that came out late last year. While that tended toward the extended when it wasn't sticking to the punk plot, Push-Pull tend to cut the excess out. The only real exception is the bonus hidden track at the end of the album which sounds like the whitest guys alive trying to come up with their own TV on the Radio track. It certainly is something different from the rest of these songs, even though all it amounts to is an alternate version of the first track of an album they never released. Still pretty good.

I wouldn't recommend they follow the a capella route too much further, but it does provide a nice surprise at the end of a debut EP that displays just enough promise for the common gutter-punk to be interested as much as the Shellac devotee. Somewhere in here is an entire song of "Twin Peaks" quotations, and though I'd name it for you, knowledge at this web address of "Twin Peaks" is sorely lacking. The point is that, even though Brivadsky has said they make songs that are "fun for [the band] to play and [they] think is interesting," they've also got the intelligence to try and slip in a little direct Rolling Stones references as well. If you like the sound of "Brain Fever" and the idea of a rock band having a good time with their songwriting process, check Push-Pull out and keep tabs on them. With luck, there will be plenty more to come.

That brevity thing mentioned earlier: 3 is ready to entertain. Do you have your PBR pulled out and ready to swig?

Radio Show Playlist: 11/14/07

6a:
1. Wire - No Warning Given - Read & Burn 3 (Pink Flag 2007)
2. A Place to Bury Strangers - Ocean - A Place to Bury Strangers (Killer Pimp 2007)
3. Clinic - Come Into Our Room - Walking With Thee (Domino 2002)
4. Black Dice - Drool - Load Blown (Paw Tracks 2007)
5. Arthur Russell - Hiding Your Present From You - Sprinfield (2006 Audika, recorded 1985)
6. Bird Show - Greeting the Morning - Lightning Ghost (Kranky 2006)
7. Clear Horizon - Watching the Sea - Clear Horizon (Kranky 2003)
8. HiM - What's Up Tonight - Peoples (Bubblecore 2006)
9. Tortoise - Gamera - Gamera/Cliff Dweller Society 12" (Duophonic 1995)

7a:
1. Prefuse 73 - Spaced & Dissonant - Preparations (WARP 2007)
2. Reminder - Days of Awe - West Side Cabin EP (Ropeadope 2007)
3. Boards of Canada - Roygbiv - Music Has the Right to Children (WARP 1998)
4. Lusine - Jetstream - Language Barrier (Hymen 2007)
5. Takagi Masakatsu - j.f.p. - Journal for People (Carpark 2006)
6. Jan Jelinek - Vibraphonspulen - Kosmischer Pitch (~scape 2006)
7. Paul Duncan - Tired and Beholden - Be Careful What You Call Home (Hometapes 2005)
8. Bevel - Low Income Glade - Phoenician Terrane (Contraphonic 2007)
9. (smog) - Our Anniversary - Supper (Drag City 2003)
10. Six Organs of Admittance - Alone with the Alone - Shelter From the Ash (Drag City 2007)
11. Citay - Little Kingdom - Little Kingdom (Dead Oceans 2007)

8a:
1. Brightblack Morning Light - Friend of Time - Brightblack Morning Light (Matador 2006)
2. Morning Recordings - The Welcome Kinetic - The Welcome Kinetic (Loose Thread 2007)
3. Cal Tjader - Afro Blue - Soul Sauce (Verve 1964)
4. His Name is Alive - Capricorn Moon (live) - Sweet Earth Flower: A Tribute to Marion Brown (High Two 2007)
5. John Coltrane - I Want to Talk About You (live) - Selflessness (Impulse!, recorded 1963)
6. Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Band - Express Yourself II - You're So Beautiful (Warner 1971)
7. G&D - One - The Message Uni Versa (Look 2007)
8. Pharoahs - Track of My Tears - Awakening (Luv n'Haight 1996, originally 1972)
9. Alton Ellis - Mad Mad - When Rhythm Was King (Heartbeat 2007, recorded 1967)

Burial - "Untrue"

Burial - Etched Headplate (Hyperdub 2007)

Burial - Untrue / Hyperdub

I woke up this morning preparing for a frosty sunrise as has often been the case here in Chicago recently. But instead of finding freezing water tickling the rims of my windows and trees struggling to shake the ice off their limbs, I found 57 degrees and a peacoat too warm for its own good. There hasn't been a serious frost, but it nearly feels like an Indian summer and that can only mean there is still time for last-gasp albums of the year. It always seems to happen right before the American Thanksgiving: A left-field release emerges from the pastures to capture the imaginations of everyone who thought their top ten list was already finished.

Consequently, albums that are released in the last quarter of the year tend to be hyped up more than those in the first quarter, which remains the other big release date season. It's all strategy: If you go with a spring release, you risk people forgetting why your music was so good. If you go with an autumn release, you risk people talking too much in the fall and forgetting why your music was so good in the spring. Cycles are short and memories are getting shorter, but it's possible that Burial might beat this rap. Untrue is his second full-length following a self-titled debut in 2006 and many are arguing this is one of the best albums of the year.

One of the reasons people seem to be loving this is for the depth of Burial's soul-influenced melodies that one can find beneath the "corroded two-step" which has become a favorite description of mine in the run-up to this album. Dorian Lynskey is right in that this album sounds corroded, like it was made in the basements of a level on "GoldenEye." In fact, Untrue might be 2007's version of "GoldenEye:" Mechanical in some places, archaic and decrepit in others, at times dark and alien, at other times synthetically lit... And somewhere deep beneath the surface beats a heart that only lets itself out of the shadows in brief, fleeting calls to itself. In the caverns of Arkhangelsk, only Burial c