Candied Pop

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? It has been nearly two months since I’ve shown my face around here but in that time I’ve stumbled across some real gems like Pirats Sound Sistema.

Contrary to popular myth I’m not as worldly some might lead you to believe and am no way a polyglot as I have enough difficulty being understood in my native tongue. That said, Pirats Sound Sistema is, to my best guess, from Spain judging by the Spanish imprint and the vocals. Let it be said I am also a lazy detective. Anyway, Pirat’s Sound System Vol. II is a fantastic summer album that slams together the best of Reggae, Hip Hop, Dub, and Dance Hall with the occasional smattering of Ska like the sublime “Lletres de colors”. The album is fresh and fun especially when they mash disparate elements like they do with “Pel teu bé” which opens with a smokey Middle Eastern feel only to quickly be swept up into a backwards leaning Electro/Dance Hall piece that begs you to shake the change loose from your pockets.

Here’s a video to give you a good feel for their sound…

You can also grab a sample of “Tancs” on their label’s website or just grab the album from eMusic. Highly recommended.

Manic, quirky, odd, fun, funky, strutting, nerdy are all adjectives that stick very well to Deerhoof’s latest, Friend Opportunity. The problem is that I really wanted to like this album for all the positive things I have read and heard from friends about the band as it appeared to be an ideal blend of Indie Pop and Prog Rock. Now, I’ve sat on this review for a couple of months (you might say I’ve been sitting on the site for the same amount of time!) in the hopes that repeated listens would spark something in me beyond a general sense of ennui. Sadly, no, the album did not ignite any passion in me.

This is not to say, however, that Friend Opportunity is a terrible release rather it is technically superior with tight compositions and production values and while all that is great it is a sort of empty intellectual exercise in music. What I think it is lacking is a dose of raw intensity. Take the opening track for instance with its buzzsaw Jon Spencer riff which just tears in and out in a self-conscious manner that is precisely orchestrated and much to clean both of which detract from its intended well-muscled angularity. Granted, precision is the hallmark of Prog Rock but as other bands have demonstrated you can be precise while still being impassioned and loose; give a listen to King Crimson’s “The Great Deceiver” or, for a more contemporary example, “Peter Criss Jazz” by Don Cabellero. Where the band excels, however, is in weaving together some pretty intricate rhythms, nesting heady percussion sections into machine like chopping guitar riffs, “Cast Off Crown” is a great example. “Galaxist” a short sweet track that soars, demonstrating the potential for an album unfortunately weighted down by pretense.

So while the album has some real bright spots and is definitely worth a listen it ultimately failed to captivate me. Take a sample of the album and judge for yourself as my opinion is in the minority (almost).

There was a time when I was deep into Ambient–thanks to an introduction to the genre via Future Sound of London, Aphex Twin, Thom Brennan, and Robert Rich–but had drifted away from the genre in the past years for one reason or another. Recently, I picked up Stars of the Lid on a complete lark, partly because of the positive word of mouth and partly because I was thirsty for something new and and Their Refinement of the Decline deserves the praise that it is receiving as well as more than quenched my thirst for new sounds while renewing my interest in Ambient.

Reviewing Ambient albums is a challenge. What do you focus on? Most of the work in the genre is slow building and often very abstract with tempos measured in minutes and key changes that occur almost imperceptibly.  Pieces are designed around textures and moods with the aim of conveying a particular state of mind. While most Ambient works are developed using purely electronic means, and Their Refinement of the Decline is built upon symphonic instrumentation there is the use of a brass section, soft strings, and even some choral fragments all of which lend it a warm human quality and is reminiscent of the more exotic leaning Temple Of The Invisible which made heavy use of human performed instruments.

Much of the album drifts by like a soundtrack for a non-existent film (”Apreludes (in C sharp major)” has every feeling of dropped into the middle of a planetarium show). It is lush and unobtrusive and is best listened to when your mind is calm and when you have two hours free to be gently carried from beginning to end. This is a perfect example of headphone music as the work envelopes you, softly wrapping threads of sound that caress and coax.  Throw it on your favorite player and take a walk outside, rain or shine, woods or scrap yard, it doesn’tt matter as the album will provide a theme for almost any environment.

You can sample some the album over at their Myspace page, including “Apreludes (in C sharp major)” which has an accompanying video.  Beautiful and highly recommend.

Fanfare Ciocarlia are new to me and I’m left scratching my head wonder why in the hell I have not heard of this band before. They are billed as a Romanian Gypsy Brass Band but their music has wider roots that tap into many different cultures from Turkey, Macedonia, Bulgaria, and even hint at elements of Bollywood and pop standards from the US. To date they have released five albums all of which make use of blistering horn lines and tricky rhythms. Queens and Kings is no exception.

This is one of those albums that explodes in the opening notes, giving you little time to catch your breath or gather your wits as the band kicks up the dust and begins to spin you about. It is a beautiful album filled with an energy that is at once aggressive yet filled with joy and a pleasure of being alive. “Sandala” features some of the tightest brass playing I have ever heard with a tuba line that nimble dances about light as a feather. “Ibrahim” follows in suit matching staccato rhythms to a husky yet strangely enchanting vocals of Esma Redzepova but cool things down a little on “Ma Maren Ma” eventually turning that into a slow burning number with “Nakelavishe” where Redzepova makes a moving reprise.

To give you a little taste of their energy here’s a video from this year’s tour, shot in Berlin.

Since picking up this album the wife and I have been unable to put it down, giving it a spin nearly every day, just getting drunk on its intoxicating melodies and rhythms. You can find out more about the band on their page over at Asphalt Tango or over at Wikipedia which has a nice write up about the band and their music. Easily makes my Best of 2007 list. Very highly recommended.