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

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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.

Steffaloo 'Meet Me In Montauk' album review (for kevchino.com)

It's the simple things in life that are usually most pleasing and Steffaloo lays testament to this in her latest release 'Meet Me In Montauk'. A photographer, musician, traveler and general lover and liver of life Steffaloo has comprised a selection of mostly acoustic tracks that strive to restore beauty in the basics.

With soft and whimsical vocals reminiscent of Feist yet tinged with a hint of Karen O, laden with acoustic fingerpicking, clicks, claps and melodic harmonies 'Meet Me In Montauk' is bare, raw and often shows how simply enigmatic music and words can be when stripped back to the bare essentials. The production is minimal, the instruments perfectly paired and the lyrics sincere and heartfelt. Tracks such as 'Oh My God', 'Just Strangers' and 'On Fire' tug squarely at the heart strings, while the more upbeat 'A Song to Sing', 'The Letting Go' and title track 'Meet Me in Montauk' definitely have a more island-hopping stolling-through-the-sand feel to them. The only oddity of the album is final track 'Fly Away (version ii)' and it's horrible use of a synthesized vocal effect that does not sit well as the last brush stroke of her masterpiece.

While the vocals are melancholy and the lyrics intriguing the constant use of barely-there acoustic guitar lets the songs run into one big lovely soft lullaby for grown ups. The music is simple and effective but can lull you into forgetting which track it is you are in fact listening to. The album is a fine one overall but one waits with anticipation for a more definitive album. That said it may be Steffaloo's creative simplicity and undefinability that eventually propels her into greater success. A self-professed '…hippy heart… wanderin' soul' it's easy to see her wandering her way with her siren song into peoples hearts the world over.

Cass McCombs 'Humor Risk' album review (for kevchino.com)

A well versed and well traveled Californian, Cass McCombs has recently released his latest effort 'Humor Risk'. This is an amazing feat considering his fifth LP 'Wit's End' was released a mere 7 months ago.

We are left to wonder whether the release of 'Humor Risk' is simply an attempt to sell off leftover scraps and editing suite cuts from his last album, due to the rapidity of it's release and it's dismal quality. It features some lovely guitar melodies here and there and tracks like 'Robin Egg Blue' contain some nice instrumental layering, but the song tends to get lost in the layers and on a whole the album is dreary, drab and goes on and on and on and…

Opener 'Loves Thine Enemy' and 'The Same Thing' are definitely the only 2 tracks worth listening to with their sweet indie-pop tones. 'Mystery Mail' would get a look in also if it didn't go for 7 minutes and 50 seconds. It starts off well with a good rock sound and some nice hooks but ends up sounding like a record stuck on a needle. Basically the album peaks at the end of the first track and it's all downhill from there. I think the biggest low is when McCombs squeezes an extra line (and a bad one at that) into the last line of 'To Every Man His Chimera'.

The album is drab, dreary and uninspiring. McCombs lyrical masturbation coupled with the albums lack of definition and bad production makes for some displeasing background music at best. The songs are bland and go on for too long, the lyrics are slow and draining and I for one will never be listening to this again.

Faces On Film 'Some Weather' album review (for kevchino.com)

Avid exploration and conquering new worlds does not come easy these days. With the world being so overpopulated and intertwined the only real place for exploring new and wild frontiers is music, and that's just what Boston act Faces On Film have done. Based on a recurring dream of lead singer and guitarist Mike Fiore their latest offering 'Some Weather' is a cross country caravan ride of heartfelt lyrics and musical excellence.

With sultry bass lines and drum fills, guitar riffs laden with sweet country twang, 60's influenced keys and Fiore's eerie crooning vocals, likened to those of Jim James (My Morning Jacket), the album eases you through a musical landscape unlike any other. Loosely based on a dream Fiore had of being an explorer, crossing uncharted territories and discovering new lands, the songs seem to follow his journey in a sense, starting off heady and striking before mellowing out into a deep heavy hearted tone.

Stand out tracks are definitely openers 'Knot In The Vine' and 'Moon's Row' with their striking guitar chords and almost tribal drum beats, followed by melodic ballad 'Harlem Rose' which melts like treacle over the ear drums. 'Great Move North' also impresses, exuding such sexiness and feeling it's almost like a prom dance number sung especially for those making out in dark corners. And with the addition of tribal sounding drum beats and jingling bells on tracks such as 'Make Nice' and 'Garrison' the album truly gives the feeling of crossing quiet eerie plains by caravan convoy at night.

Beautifully written and exceptionally executed this is a sure fire favorite you will never tire of listening to.

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)

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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)

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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.