Perfume Genius 'Put Your Back N 2 It' album review (for kevchino.com)

View the original article HERE.

Described on his record label’s website as ‘…a gorgeous soundtrack for anyone trying to keep it together in everyday life,” Put Your Back N 2 It is the latest release from Perfume Genius, aka Seattle singer-songwriter Mike Hadreas. Hadreas himself states, “Everyone has stuff. Staying healthy can be more depressing and confusing than being fucked up. But I want to make music that’s honest and hopeful.”

It may then come as a shock to some that this album made me want to curl up into a ball and die. It is fairly obvious from this collection of slow, sad but sometimes sweet, macabre sonnets that Hadreas has fought some battles in his life, and it seems he carries the remnants of them heavy on his shoulders. Rest assured, this makes for great creative fodder, and the tracks are truly heartfelt, powerful, and emotionally charged. “Honest” is definitely a word I would use to describe them. “Hopeful” is not.

While tracks such as “Dark Parts” (about Hadreas’s mother) and “Take Me Home” (a self-professed “pop song about hookerism”) have elements of hope about them both lyrically and musically—as well as being slightly more upbeat and uplifting in their musical traits—the bulk of the tracks have a slow and morbid sound with lamenting and reflective overtones. His constant use of brooding piano, ambient background arrangements, and heavyhearted subject matter coupled with his listless, almost whispering vocals, can make the album quite draining on one’s psyche. While I’m sure this is what was intended—to make the listener come to terms with their demons and their shady past and accept them for what they are—I’m not sure that’s what I want to do when I sit down to listen to an album.

Various tracks, such as “17,” “All Waters,” and title track “Put Your Back N 2 It,” touch on the trials and tribulations of being a gay man and give beautiful and raw insight into a life that some of us will never know. “AWOL Marine” and “Floating Spit” touch on how far human beings are willing to go before they hit rock bottom, juxtaposing the subject matter with light and airy piano melodies, synthesizer, and samples. The standout track is definitely “Hood,” a melodic, soulful, fast-tempo ballad of what comes of baring your inner self to someone else.

While this is a truly emotional and honest album from Hadreas, a blatant and no-holds-barred baring of the soul, brought together it can become overbearing and just too much to take in. It’s good that people going through the same life experiences can realize they’re not alone through Perfume Genius’s music, but an album of this bemoaning ilk is not going to make them get up, shake off their demons, and move on with their life. Beautifully crafted, heart-achingly honest, but way too heavy both lyrically and musically.

The Strange Boys 'Live Music' album review (for kevchino.com)

If indeed you can, imagine if The Strokes grew up in Texas… The results may have sounded a lot like Austin band The Strange Boys. With an ever-present country twang, quirky crooning vocals, surly guitar riffs and a side of harmonica all rooted solidly in old blues and R'n'B the band offers up an eclectic range of tunes on their latest effort 'Live Music'.

Opening with a cute piano-based pop ditty entitled 'Me and You' the album is off to a promising start. Tracks such as 'Punk Pyjamas', 'Omnia Boa', 'Mama Shelter' and 'My Life Beats Me' follow through with an upbeat country feel and great blues guitar riffs which show that not all country/blues artists' baby's have left them, nor are they down and out - at least not all of the time. And 'Omnia Boa' has a fantastic locomotive drum beat that makes you feel you've just hopped a freight train heading straight to the Mississippi delta.

Other tracks like 'Walking Two By Two', 'Saddest' and 'Over The River & Through The Woulds' follow a true slow surly country style, and the vocals on 'Right Before' are reminiscent of a lowly hound dog howling his blues at the moon.

I've never been averse to a bit of country and The Strange Boys certainly breathe some much needed new life into the genre. It may take a few listens, but 'Live Music' is a good little album bringing the old school to the new school with it's mix of blues piano, gritty country tones and subtle indie twists.

Jens Lekman 'Having An Argument With Myself' EP review (for kevchino.com)

See the original article HERE!

Popular Swede Jens Lekman's new release, a 5 track EP entitled 'An Argument With Myself', seems to be exactly that. A short and sweet work with heavy 80s reggae influences the EP is lyrically laden with witty, descriptive personal descriptions of Lekman's life.

Title track 'Having An Argument With Myself' follows his train of thought as he stumbles home after a night out on the town through drunken backpackers on the city streets, lamenting over issues with his partner. 'Waiting On Kirsten' appears to be an ode to an unrequited love as well as to the city of Göteborg, describing a city that has come into itself and changed for the better - "And the VIP lines are not for the clubs, but for healthcare, apartments and jobs" - but unfortunately the relationship with Kirsten does not follow suit. 'A Promise' is a more funky sounding yet still 80s influenced track with an almost easy listening feel, as is with following track 'New Directions'. Ending with 'So This Guy At My Office' Lekman sinks into pure and simple reggae and depicts a conversation at the end of the day between two loved one's - "The day starts when you get here, and ends when you leave". 

And there you have it - a basic, descriptive, blow by blow account of the latest Jens Lekman EP, which seems to be the basic ethos of this whole offering. While the lyrics are interesting and cleverly written it does feel as though Lekman has simply sat down with a Casio keyboard, hit the Reggae setting and blurted out whatever was on his mind at the time. The songs have a sweet storytelling quality about them, but overall come across as quite uneventful and trivial. While I'm sure there is feeling and passion there the songs are delivered in such a way they could almost be classed in the Easy Listening/Elevator Musak genre.

The Rapture 'In The Grace of Your Love' album review (for kevchino.com)

See the original article posted HERE!

With dissension in the ranks and the eventual loss of a member it's no surprise The Rapture's latest offering 'In The Grace of Your Love' was turned out a good 5 years after their previous critically acclaimed release 'Pieces of the People We Love'. Frontman Luke Jenner took time out from the band in 2009 due to personal issues - many of which themes are present on the album - and rumored creative differences with bassist Mattie Safer who eventually left the band altogether. But we all know tumultuous times often produce the most inspired works, and with the help of Phoenix producer/Cassius member Phillipe Zdar The Rapture have turned their respective frowns upside down.

The album plays host to an astounding cross section of genres - from their usual electro-pop sound to indie rock to 80's disco (no doubt stemming from Zdar) to gospel, reggae and afro-beat. This is an obvious testament to the talents of the band and is put across with a good line of continuity. There is an ever-present dark and moody underlay throughout which may stem from the loss of Jenner's Mother to suicide in 2009 as well as the loss of a band member, but coupled with the at first slightly odd but eventually obviously essential 80's-esque dance and disco overtones, the album generates an impressive bass-laden, all-encompassing sound.

Each song is an epic musical exploration within itself but there are some true stand out tracks. 'Come Back To Me' is a fantastically simple dance number that turns from a jaunty island romp reminiscent of Boney M into a deep dark house track without skipping a beat. Title track 'In the Grace of Your Love' transports us back to the 80's with it's classic synth backdrop but keeps us at the modern forefront with it's brooding bass line, indie rock riffs and cymbal smashing drum fills. 'How Deep Is Your Love' hooks with it's dramatic piano from the get go and keeps you going with it's fantastic fuzz baseline and funky, almost tribal percussion effects. Closing out with 'It Takes Time to be A Man' ends the album on a definite high note with it's sexy bluesy tone and slow smooth tempo.

A fine piece of work from a fine NYC outfit. It's very clear that, even with familial loves lost and creative ties severed, this band will never have anywhere to go but up.

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks 'Mirror Traffic' review (for kevchino.com)

See the original article posted HERE!

Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks are a great band, and definitely the only good thing to come of the 1999 dissolution of Pavement. With ever-evolving members coming from acts such as Sleater-Kinney and The Decemberists, the musical talent within this band is astonishing before even touching on the abilities of their well-known lead singer.

Mirror Traffic is the band’s fifth studio release, and by collaborating with none other than Beck, it seems they're just getting better and better. A full-bodied album with great eclectic depth and musicianship, Mirror Traffic is the perfect punchy, rocky, upbeat, dance-around-the-house-on-a-Sunday-afternoon-in-your-underwear soundtrack. It's fifteen sweet tracks of glorious vocals and melodies that will make you want to sing out loud.

The signature Malkmus melodic guitar and vocals are ever present throughout, but the album has an underlying tone of bluesy rock that definitely sets it apart. Coupled with that true indie rock sound (of course reminiscent of Pavement at times), the result is a triumphant collection of rock-out tracks, tongue-in-cheek ballads, and lyrical metaphorical twists and turns. “Senator” is a tight, cutting, punchy song, perfectly matched to its political content: “I know what the senator wants / What the senator wants is a blow job.” “Spazz” follows suit with erratic riffs and time changes, reverting to a raw punk sound, as is also done in “Tune Grief.” “All Over Gently” is a humorous look at breakups that all couples should live by: “There's been some soft grass growing between us / When they talk about bad blood, they don't mean us.”

But it must be said that the standout track of the album is “Share the Red,” a slower, cruise-ier, more blues-laden ditty that warms the heart—“Have you no tears, have you no heart / You've got no idea what sets you apart, and still you're winning”—and includes some great guitar solos to boot. Plus, the epic climaxes at the end of almost every track make the song endings just as anticipated as their beginnings.

An amazing offering from an amazing act that will never disappoint. Enjoyable, inspiring, full of character, and impossible to turn off.

Kate Bush 'The Directors Cut' review (for Kevchino.com)

See the original article posted here: http://kevchino.com/review/kate-bush/director-s-cut/2269

Kate Bush's latest release, Director’s Cut, is the first on her own label, Fish People. Comprising of four tracks taken from the original album Sensual World (released 1989), and seven tracks from original album The Red Shoes (1993), the songs have been rerecorded by Bush to offer a new take on various old favorites. While most of the instrumentation has remained the same, many of the tracks have been recorded in a lower key due to Bush’s now lower vocal tones.

Bush has even gone as far as to alter the lyrics to The Sensual World’s title track, giving it the new moniker “Flower of the Mountain.” The reasoning behind this being, when originally recording this song, Bush wished to set an excerpt from Ulysses by James Joyce to an instrumental piece she’d composed, but was refused the rights. Upon asking a second time around for the Director’s Cut project, permission was granted, and the initial concept came to light.

The two original albums have an endearing and unique Bush-esque quality about them that is no doubt also swayed by memories associated to them around the original release dates. Both were outstanding albums and did relatively well at the time—The Red Shoes being the last album Bush recorded before taking a twelve-year hiatus, and being accompanied by a short film Bush produced herself, titled The Line, The Cross and The Curve. The new album is available in a deluxe box set, which includes all three albums, enabling the listener to sample both the old and the new and survey the merits of having new life breathed into the tracks.

However, one cannot help but wonder the point of all this. Why rerecord these albums? Were the original recordings not a worthy caliber within themselves? And if Bush was stepping into the studio, why not simply record new pieces instead of altering older songs? While the recording of the aforementioned “Flower of the Mountain” is an interesting story in itself, most of the remaining tracks come across as overproduced, erratic, and sometimes just plain bizarre. The addition of bloodcurdling screaming at the finale of “Lily” is a fine example of this, and “A Woman’s Work” has not benefited from the rerecordings whatsoever.

In theory an interesting project to undertake, but in the end a seemingly pointless one.

Beirut 'The Riptide' review (for kevchino.com)

See the original article posted here: http://kevchino.com/review/beirut/riptide/2258

Listening to a Beirut album is like taking a round-the-world trip. Their aptitude to swathe the musical elements of different cultures makes them shine like a star in the world of modern music. They’ve been described as world music, folk, and indie, all the way over to Balkan and Eastern European Gypsy. What they are is simply outstanding, and The Rip Tide further showcases their pure talent and ability to think outside the box.

Founding member Zach Condon’s vocals both comfort and haunt as they lead you across the landscape of this latest offering from the US-based act. Staying true to their original Eastern Gypsy feel with the use of a great range of horns and brass, accordions and waltz-tempoed drum rolls, the album does include hints of modernism within its folds, making it pure poetry in motion.

The first single released from the album, “East Harlem,” medically depicts another love lost on the deceptively small island of Manhattan—“uptown, downtown, a thousand miles between us.” Ballads such as “Goshen” and “The Peacock” present perfectly the strength and character of Condon’s vocals and tug sharply at the heartstrings. And title track “The Rip Tide” sways with rousing string and vocal compositions that leave you adrift in a sea of worldly harmonies.

An inspiring listen that leads you to thoughts of the finer things in life—dancing, kissing, singing, a fine glass of wine, a moonlit night—The Rip Tide transports you to lands far away in an instant and leaves you full of life and humbled by Beirut’s musical prowess. Sweet, beautiful music indeed.