Review: Wilco - The Whole Love

Wilco is a band that requires no introduction. If you don't know about Wilco, then I don't know where you've been the last ten years. Catch up here. All caught up? Good. Proceed to the next paragraph.

On September 27, Wilco will be releasing their newest album, The Whole Love. TWL is classic Wilco: well-written indie pop, infused with alt-country, punk, and experimentation. TWL spans the typical Wilco palette of soothing, heart-felt songs to full-on rockers, but the album doesn't come off as a tired repeat of their back catalog.

The record opens with "Art of Almost," a pseudo-electronic, mid-tempo groove, which devolves into some heavy guitar work from Nels Cline, resulting in a delightfully mind-melting extended solo. It is sparse and vast at times, allowing many varying textures to enter and leave without cluttering the soundscape. The song seems like a departure from the typical Wilco formula, and with its placement as the first track, I was wondering if we were about to witness a very different Wilco album. The next song "I Might," which is also the first single issued from this album, contrasts the opener nicely while also reassuring the listener that this is the Wilco you know well. Take that as you will.

"I Might" is easily the most poppy and accessible tune on the record (makes you wonder why they made it the single...) and follows along where Wilco (The Album) left off, reminiscent of songs like "Sonny Feeling" and "Wilco (The Song)." From this point, The Whole Love can be easily divided into two categories: the slow tunes and the uptempo, country-pop rockers. The record, with a few exceptions, alternates between these two types for the remainder of the album. In both cases, the songs feel like an extension of Wilco (The Album).

The slower songs are all brilliantly crafted and garner more appreciation with each listen. Like all Wilco albums, the production features many subtle gestures that are not immediately recognized. "Black Moon" perhaps does this best with the outstanding ebb and flow of the string section. Tremolo'd violins punctuate the verses while massive cellos give the chorus a very deep and meaty sound, providing a dynamic climax. The other slow tunes "Sunloathe," "Open Mind," and "Rising Red Lung" are all quality songs but do not stand out in the same way as "Black Moon." However, they feel like songs that will grow better with each listen. There's no way I can know that for sure yet, but Wilco has a good track record with this sort of thing.

The other half is populated by what I'll call "The Wilco Pop Song," i.e., that combination of alt-country-Americana, rock, and catchy choruses that has brought them so much acclaim and popularity. Again, this is Wilco perpetuating their classic sound and not expanding to a great degree. The title track, "Dawned on Me," "Born Alone," "Capitol City," "Standing O," and "Whole Love" all utilize "The Wilco Pop Song" formula very well--"Born Alone" and "Standing O" being the best of the bunch. The two songs are just solid rock songs. During one my listens, I stopped taking notes and gave such a thorough and inspired air-drumming performance of "Born Alone" that I flooded the cap of one of my nicer pens.

The curious thing about this song, however, is its spot on the album. It is such a quality song and its placement right in the middle helps propel the album forward, though "Open Mind" seems to take all that steam right back. I'm not one to typically criticize track order, as it is a very difficult portion of putting together a record, and with so many possible options available I don't believe any critic is in a good position to question it. But the persistent alternations of up-tempo and down-tempo songs on this album detracts a bit from it, I believe, and nowhere more so than from "Born Alone" to "Open Mind." This especially is the case with the tracks' placement in the vinyl format. The album is on two LPs, that is four sides in total. The end of side two is "Born Alone" into "Open Mind." It seems to me that "Born Alone" is such a perfect way to end a side, and with the resurgence of vinyl, that fact does not seem trivial to me. But I digress...

Amidst these up-tempo numbers lies the album's low point, "Capitol City." While it's not a terrible song, I don't feel it adds to the record. Jeff Tweedy can write some cheesy songs at times, but in this case I find it overly kitschy, and on an album jam-packed with good songs, I'm not sure why this one made the cut.

Undeniably the best parts of this record are the opener and the closer. "Art of Almost" is a fantastic departure from the Wilco formula and shows that Tweedy still has some tricks up his sleeve, and "One Sunday Morning" is just a masterful song. It is twelve minutes long, but it hardly feels like it. One of the criteria I've maintained for what makes a great song is when it can breach the seven minute mark, and the listener is oblivious to it. That was the case with me for this song. When I found the track listing for this album on Wikipedia after one or two listens, I was amazed to see that this song surpasses twelve minutes. "One Sunday Morning" attains its length without any major tangents and without boring the listener (at least not this one). The song reminds me of an epic Bob Dylan song, where great track length is achieved by telling a story over the same music. But in this case I have no idea what Jeff Tweedy is singing about, and I don't really care. The song is just incredibly peaceful and soothing. I'm only along for the smooth ride.

TWL is not a big departure from their previous work, but rather feels like a fitting next step, a derivation. Its moments of adventure are tempered with safe territory. One must wonder if we'll ever see another release like A Ghost Is Born, where Wilco truly trod new territory with beautiful experimentation and straight-to-the-bone, deep songwriting. Nonetheless The Whole Love is an incredibly enjoyable album. Jeff Tweedy can always be counted on to write good songs, and the band has the talent to provide those songs with the quality music the songs deserve. As always Nels Cline delivers some great guitar work, though he's really only given free reign on "Art of Almost."

Links: Pre-order

Cheers,

The Flying Dutchman.

Missed a week, will be back next week PLUS my Hurricane Irene playlist OR How I Escaped My Certain Fate

To all my loyal readers...you know all one or two of you, my apologies for not having a post this last weekend. I blame Hurricane Irene for throwing off my whole weekend. In all seriousness, I had a seriously productive weekend planned that Irene just flushed straight down the tubes. I'll be back next weekend with a review...still not sure what it will be yet. If you know of something new/to-be-released/just-released let me know, and I'll review it.

Until next week, cheers,

The Flying Dutchman.

P.S. enjoy my Hurricane Irene playlist in the meantime (warning, may contain inside jokes):

Review: Banana Phonetic - The Facts of Evolution

A little over one year ago, my old band, Admiral Rakes, played at a show at the now-defunct Harper's Ferry. My friend and bass player in said group, Brendan McGrath, got a band he knew to open for us. The name of this group was Banana Phonetic. Fairly quickly into their set it became very clear to me that these guys should not be opening for us but the other way around. They were tight, energetic, and fun and had killer songs.

Last year they released the indie-pop gem, Western End EP, and have followed that up this year with another EP, The Facts of Evolution. The EP utilizes the same formula as their first: catchy, mellow pop tunes with pleasing jammy offshoots. That is not to say that Banana Phonetic are repeating themselves; this EP has a feel all its own. For only five songs it has surprising depth--from the rocking "Anna Lee" to the subtle and sensitive "Manipulated Sun."

Two songs in particular jumped out at me from the first listen and each time thereafter: the title track and "Manipulated Sun." "The Facts of Evolution" catches your ear immediately with its country beat, johnny greenwood-esgue guitar tone, and semi-falsetto verse. Though, as the title suggests, this song really evolves. The jangly verses give way to two quick break-downs with pounding, low-end piano that add sudden darkness to the track before propelling the song back to the sunny sound of the opening. After the second break-down, a catchy and major-blues guitar solo leads the listener right back to a sunny verse. But after this third verse the song comes into its own. A break-down follows the verse as before but propels the song into an insanely hooky refrain, repeating "You turn a long time into a little while." The tempo is cut in half and the key changes to the relative minor, and you're in a completely new place. You're not sure how you got here, but you like it.

"Manipulated Sun" has the same pop sensibility as rest of the record but without the layered guitars and jammy outros. The song contrasts stripped-down verses that feature just an acoustic guitar, voice, a slide guitar caked in reverb, and very subtle drumming with massive choruses that feel like a cathartic release to pent up tension from the pre-choruses. Whether the lyrics back that up, I have no idea, I must admit. The vocals convey great emotion that really drive the track and make it stand out. The chorus repeats, "Happiness is just a state of mind" and is delivered with complexity, leaving the listener wondering whether this is a grand realization or a hopeless attempt at persuasion. Either way the refrain hits home.

Overall this record is good. It's catchy, it's entertaining, it's got great riffs and memorable melodies. It does, however, lack the same cohesion as Western End. I don't want to put that down as a negative though. This EP displays diversity, breadth and quality songwriting.

Below you'll find the embed from Bandcamp for the EP. You can stream the whole thing, but if you enjoy it I encourage you to purchase it and help support these independent, unsigned artists who have a lot of potential.

Review: Haunted House - Blue Ghost Blues

Haunted House’s new record, Blue Ghost Blues, is an exploration. Harrowing guitars—provided by Loren Connors and Andrew Burnes—and Suzanne Langille’s poignant vocals circle around the persistent rhythms of Neel Murgai’s daf, a large hand drum often used in Middle Eastern and Central Asian music.

Returning from a ten-year hiatus, Haunted House perform together as if they were never apart. The record breathes in and out like a living thing, a remarkable feat given the experimental and improvised nature of the work. Fitting to the name of both the album and the band, the piece as a whole feels like some sort of exotic, spiritual ritual. The repetitive rhythms bring to mind a meditative mantra—the blues’ version of a chanted Om. On the other hand, the vocals give the work the effect of being seated in the middle of a séance. You are not an observer in this séance; you are in the middle of it, waiting for communication with spirits.

Musically, the record at times feels almost too cluttered to the point of disservice to its emotive noise. However, Blue Ghost Blues carefully avoids this trapping by utilizing the whole spectrum of dynamic range. The whole record pushes and pulls against itself from loud to soft. There are two clear halves on this record, the first half being far louder than the second. “Millie’s Not Afraid” and the title track comprise the first half and establish the character and entity of the piece, while the final three songs offer a counterpoint against this entity. The first two songs are built on thunderous grooves that take several minutes each to develop, and the intensity only briefly subsides until the listener is plunged back into a windstorm of distortion and feedback. The final three tracks, on the other hand, feature open textures and more exploratory passages. Yes, these last songs have very loud moments, but they are overall more dynamic.

The standout of the record is definitely the title track. “Blue Ghost Blues” is a cover of a Lonnie Johnson song, though it retains little resemblance to the original. The song starts quietly and over the first six minutes increases dramatically in intensity and complexity. The drumming goes from simple and persistent to massive fills that are pure chaotic energy, and this drumming is the foundation that pushes the song forward. Loren Connor’s tremolo’d feedback comes in in waves and surges back and forth against the persistent 2/4 of the song, constantly fighting against the rhythm of the drums and the other guitar. Imbedded in this whirling chaos is Suzanne Langille’s haunted singing. She takes the lyrics of the original and personifies the terror they express. In its finale “Blue Ghost Blues” seems almost peaceful—either the haunting ghost has finally left, or the haunted occupant is dead, his fears realized.

This record is difficult to review and even more difficult to give a rating. That said I’m reluctantly giving it a  3.5/5. Moments of this record display sheer brilliance, while other times the music drags on in redundance. Those moments of brilliance mostly outshine the duller moments, though not enough to make the record live up to its possibilities. Perhaps it’s a casualty of the hiatus.


Links: Pre-order physical, download digital

Cheers,

The Flying Dutchman

Mission of Burma at Beekman Beer Garden Beach Club

I honestly had no idea what to expect from Mission of Burma's show yesterday at the Beekman Beer Garden at South Street Seaport. I had seen a couple youtube videos of their recent performances and had an inkling that, despite their age (I believe they're all past 50 at this point), the men of Burma could rock hard. Well these pentagenarians can indeed rock very, very, very hard. They spared no energy or effort in yesterday's set, and the spirited crowd greatly appreciated their monumental presence. Burma was ushered back for not only one, but two encores.

The great majority of their set consisted of material off the most recent three albums. In fact for roughly the first forty-five minutes of the set the only pre-hiatus songs they performed were "This is not a Photograph" and "Dead Pool." However this clearly disappointed no one. The crowd never was bored or just waiting to hear the classics; a surprising number of fans knew the newer material very well in fact (something I've been working on).

While this first forty-five minutes or so was very enjoyable and high energy it was the close of the performance that made it truly special. They wrapped up the initial set with a trio of classics: "Mica," "That's How I Escaped My Certain Fate," and "Red." They left the stage but the crowd did not budge an inch. Immediately, the disparate applause and cheers became a resounding, in-sync plea for Mission Of Burma to return to the stage. As to be expected they wasted no time and returned to the stage to play "1001 Pleasant Dreams," and "Peking Spring." The crowd naturally went crazy for "Peking" and when Burma exited again, the crowd also refused to budge once again. This time it took a little more convincing. But they did eventually return for the second encore, and Roger Miller said we were very annoying for making them do another song in such awful heat. But not only did they do another song, they did two of the best songs in their entire catalog, closing the show with "The Ballad of Johnny Burma" and "Academy Fight Song." The energy and volume was palpable at this point. I think we, the crowd, would have stayed to try to get another encore, but we all knew two things. One, that what we just saw couldn't be topped. Two, we probably couldn't take any more. It was positively overwhelming in the best way.

Needless to say this was a great show. It's hard to say much more than that. This was a solid, energetic show from some of punk rock's great pioneers.

Pictures below include a couple of shots of the opening act, The Labor Pool.

Review: Dan Melchior und Das Menace - Catbirds and Cardinals

If you've never heard of Dan Melchior before, you're not alone, but you are definitely missing out. The English native, living currently in Durham, North Carolina, has an impressive list of releases and collaborations. His career began with collaborations with garage-rock mainstays Billy Childish and Holly Golightly, but he quickly branched off to form his own band and do his own thing. The resulting band, Broke Revue, gained critical acclaim and a strong following before disbanding in 2004. Dan now plays under the name Dan Melchior und Das Menace, although on the recent record he is the only musician.

That brings us to Catbirds and Cardinals. The record recalls Syd Barrett with its clever lyrics and melodies that I can think of no other description besides "Barrett-like." If the album is reminiscent of Syd Barrett, it is not necessarily in specific style but rather in its spirit. The songs, overall, are very catchy but reluctantly so. The verses are somewhat jagged and abrasive, yet they give way to overtly catchy choruses that one could find easily singing in the shower. In this sense, Catbirds and Cardinals, may come off as conventional if not a bit quirky, but for the beautifully crafted barrages of noise that refuse to relent. The listening experience is both pleasurable and overwhelming as you find yourself amidst an ocean of fuzz and saturated vocals and guitars.

The records starts off very strongly. The opening "Summer in Siberia" might be the strongest track of the eleven. The song forfeits no introduction, but smacks the listener immediately in the ears as if to say "This record will be LOUD." But the chorus betrays the song's abrasive intent with its infectious, catchy melody. Try not to sing along. I dare you. The song establishes the character of the rest of the album: loud and fuzzy with melodies that position themselves uncomfortably between only two, alternating chords. And I mean that in a good way.

"Squalor on a Sunday" picks up right where "Summer in Siberia" left off. One persistent riff drives the whole song, while a brilliant organ part brings the listener back to 1967 London psychedelia. Hell, it might even be a Farfisa. An extended guitar solo pushes this song past the five-minute mark, making it the second longest song, but despite the singular groove, the song does not drag on. The length seems fitting to the song's psychedelic character.

The listener is given brief respite from the noise with the more calm "Deep Fried Circuits." If "Summer in Siberia" would be the fitting single off the record, then this song would make the perfect B-side. It provides the perfect contrast to the up-tempo, aural assault of the other songs. The song gives the album its crux, its shape: after it, the album re-builds its intensity rather than jump right back into it. Though sonically very different, "Deep Fried Circuits" does not feel like an outlier on the album. The organ parts and guitar solo give the song a cool intensity that allows it not to be a misfit, but rather a deep, long exhalation among the frantic breaths.

Finally, the album closes perfectly with "Gnomes on the Runway." Like "Deep Fried Circuits", it is a fitting contrast to the other songs on the record, while bearing enough resemblance that it does not feel out of place. As with much of the rest of the album, the melody finds its niche between two alternating chords. This progression remains for the chorus, but the words are repetitive and funny, and the melody is catchy, making it another easy chorus to sing along to. But the song stands out for its very slow crescendo that takes five minutes to crest. The song builds and builds subtly and artfully until almost exactly five minutes when, rather than a cathartic climax, there is a cool, short decrescendo that brings the song back to where it began. And with that the album is over. You wonder for a second how such a loud and abrasive album ended so peacefully. But you only wonder for a second, because after that pause, you realize you've started it over again.

I'm giving the record a 4/5 rating. It's thoroughly enjoyable but bogs down a bit after "Deep Fried Circuits," but not enough for me to go lower than a 4. Great record, it has my solid recommendation.

Links: Pre-order and Sample here, Download "English Shame" for free

Cheers,

The Flying Dutchman.

Up Next: Legendary post-punk rockers Mission of Burma play Beekman Beer Garden. I'll post a review with pictures.

The Flying Dutchman Reviews Your Music

So my first attempt at a blog was both lame and stupid. I quickly ran out of things to say as, I guess, I just don't live a very interesting life. So I'm starting it over again with something I've wanted to do for a very long time. Write music reviews. I've been wanting to write a music blog for awhile but kept making excuses. No more excuses. I'm starting. I will post my first review tomorrow. The album being reviewed will be Dan Melchior und Das Menace's Catbirds and Cardinals.

Cheers,

The Flying Dutchman.