Monolith Cocktail 003

Monolith Cocktail 003

Dominic Valvona
Richie Ainger


White Denim’s ‘Fits’

First thing first guys whose bright idea was it to release the vinyl version in the thickest and stiffest piece of cardboard ever produced in the known World?
It was so rigid and awaked that when the shop assistant tried to put the record into the said concrete like sleeve she nearly broke it, yeah yeah so I got a free poster and all that but please next time think about the practicalities.
Oh and yes we do buy the records we review by the way, though a freebie would be nice once in a while, it gives us empty pockets but we can feel free to write how we want and with a smug impunity.

Right we got the sleeve issue out of the way so lets take an actual look at the record itself.
‘Fits’ is either the first LP proper or the follow up to the hastily assembled ‘WorkOut Holiday’ LP, depending on how you see it, from the Texas power trio. Its nice to see the guys are working to the Sixties work ethic, soon they will be releasing three singles a year that don’t appear on the album just like the bands they are obviously influenced by.
In short White Denim are a blues/garage rock/psychedelic/funk/afro beat jumble of a band that manage to straddle all the aforementioned genres whilst achieving a indescribable unique sound all of their own.

A lot of reviews have already garbled on about the disjointedness and multitude of ideas thrown into the incredible thirty-five minute record, which is all true and apparent but theirs a much more refined and melodic approach to this LP.
In fact its much more subtle and calm than ‘WorkOut Holiday’, they’ve also moved on into a late Sixties/early Seventies feel though they still rock out in the vain of Cream and The Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Overall it’s more subdued and dare I say a little safer.

Come with me now as we take a more detailed look at the tracks.
Opener ‘Radio Milk’ sets us up comfortably with the familiar grooves were used to form previous records of theirs. They easily slip into Sonics, Cream and the Music Machine whilst the vocals are purely from that era, invoking the spirit of Hendrix. I think the late great Lester Bangs would have loved these guys.
‘All Consolation’ sounds like Royal Trux playing the songs off Radioheads ‘The Bends’ whilst someone treads on a whammy effects pedal and gets it stuck.
Incredibly this tune emits a real soulfulness that you really don’t expect, the kind of moments you find on The Stooges ‘Fun House’, maybe more blues but still something really moving. This is one of the many highlights found on ‘Tight Fit’.
‘Say What You Want’ ventures into some Eastern raga with front man James Petralli giving it some more of that Hendrix magic, not sure where we are going on this one as it kind of filters out as soon as it starts.
Rolling into ‘El Hard Attack DCWYN’ we treated to a heavy dose of Tex-Mex vocals and backing which arrive via those San Antonio garage bands you find on the many compilations from Sundazed and the like. Think Question Mark And The Mysterians mixing it up with Nick Cave’s Bad Seeds at their most ferocious.
It took me longer to write that sentence then the song took to start and finish,
Time for the single I believe, ah its here in the form of ‘I Start To Run’, a great little burst of chaos that seems to have a rhythm all of its own making. Strangely catchy this tune also comes across as quite ridiculous.
The first use of synthetic toms I’ve heard on a White Denim record, what next?
Infectious and very angular it’s this years ‘Lets Talk About It’.
Side A close with ‘Everybody Somebody’, be aware the download/CD have a different track list layout, a slice of Sixties classic garage rocker ‘Action Women’ by The Litter which transcends any actual age as it fidgets left and right until it finds the groove it likes.
So far we are only seventeen minutes into the record these boys don’t mess about.

The B side opens up with ‘Sex Player’ a jazz instrumental as performed by The Doors era ‘LA Woman’, theirs also some Sun Ra creeping in there too.
Effortlessly cool as usual we move into ‘Mirrored And Reverse’ a broody Dead Meadows stonk that’s been given a sedative or two just to calm it down.
More of those jazz grooves follow with ‘Paint Yourself’ a pleasant enough melody and again calming influence after the extreme workout we have so far had to endure. Theirs lots of space here which tends to step into meandering at times leading to a loss of direction which carries on into the next track ‘I’d Have It Just The Way We Were’.
We are now invited to a dare I say it a sweeter mood, which drops a chord every now and then just to keep us on our toes. White Denim pens a romantic lament, which seems to be a key theme, especially on this side of the LP.
‘Regina Holding Hands’ opens with an acoustic guitar that actually sounds like a radio friendly tune that has something of early Lenny Kravitz about it. The similar themes are continued as Petralli croons what could be their most commercial track yet.
The closing ‘Synch’ reminded me of Jeff Buckley, which also seemed to be influential on the last album. Also the chord sequence and feel of the track took me back to the dark old days of Nirvana, though I maybe wrong.
Another broody piece of blues tinged jazz that could be a taste of things to follow.


So we have a second extraordinary and feverish LPs from one of the most exciting and talented bands of the moment. ‘’Fits’ is not as such an improvement on ‘Workout Holiday’ but instead it is a more mature and polished record.
The space and subtlety opens a new avenue for White Denim, still edgy but a potential for crossing over into a more radio friendly proposition.
I’m a little worried but I rate this band so much that I’m assured they will sidestep the success and stay in the rougher edge territory we loved so much and which is evident in their live performances.


DV



Canadian LPs you should own

For some reason Canada have really got their act together this century. The sheer quality and amount of amazing bands coming out of our North American friends is staggering, just feast your eyes over this small quality list of bands - Arcade Fire, Besnard Lakes, Broken Social Scene, Metric, The Dears, Wolf Parade and Holy Fuck just to mention a few.
Maybe those guys have just been sitting in wait all those lost years, planning an invasion of such intensity that we poor Brits can’t actually muster a defence. I mean we have churned out some right old shit and even our top bands can’t seem to manage putting together a complete LP yet which is any good all the way through.
These Canadians make the best LPs – sorry no argument it’s a fact.
Every example below has been heaped with, which is rightly so, huge critical acclaim, though sometimes sales have not followed.

So here it is me and Richie guide to twenty Canadian bands LPs that you should rightly own, if you dare call yourself a music fan.
I have been naughty and added some extra bits but then it’s my blog so deal with it!

Just a little bit about the criteria for this list. Basically every LP had have been released in the last 9 years and had to be by Canadian bands – simple yes?

If you would like to add comments or argue the toss feel free.

Arcade Fire – ‘Funeral’ (Rough Trade 2005)

The best debut I have had the pleasure of hearing this (almost) decade. It came from nowhere and took me by surprise but the album on the first listen took me. It is just simply stunning.

RA

This really changed the music scene for the better and upped the anti, their can never be enough praise for this LP. Kids when your Dad says the bands of his era were better tell him he’s a fool.
Rarely has the immense power of their songs been rivalled, I cried when I first heard it – really that did happen.
God bless you guys.

DV


Arcade Fire – ‘Neon Bible’ (Rough Trade 2007)

The follow up to the almost unbeatable Funeral, but Win Butler his band almost do it. Amazingly upbeat songs about dark subjects, but it is let down by a weak moment or two. This doesn't stop it from being an outstanding effort.

RA

Controversial but I actually prefer this to Funeral, it has a much darker and political tones as well as being to my ears more mature.
They manage to actually get better. I’m looking forward to the third effort.

DV

Besnard Lakes – ‘Are The Dark Horse’ (Jagjaguwar 2007)

Classic underground LP from one of Canada’s quite kept secrets. Again critically acclaimed at the time but failed to make an impact which is unjustifiable.
Brian Wilson heavy vocals with songs about war, apocalypse and history all played out to the most beautiful and sensuous melodies imaginable. One of the most pleasant listens you will ever have the fortune to listen to.

DV

Broken Social Scene–‘You Forgot It In People’ (Arts and Crafts 2003)

Twee as fuck but a very good listen, a mixture of Yo La Tengo's longer rambling tracks and Belle And Sebastian makes this album one of the must have Canadian efforts.

RA

The Canadian super group of sorts, every member has played in every band that’s come out of the country. Feist maybe the biggest name so far to have come out of BSS but the rest of the band have been behind some of the best tunes this decade.
Great introduction LP that sets out their experimental stall for all to see.

DV

Clues – ‘Clues’ (Constellation Records 2009)

With the founding member of The Unicorns, Alden Penner, and a member of Arcade Fire, Brendan Reed on board, this Montreal 'super group' have made one of my favourite albums of 2009. With nods to the Fiery Furnaces and produced by Canada's own genius Efrim Menuck, Clues is a jittery album full of quality.

RA

Dears, The – ‘Gang Of Losers’ (Bella Union 2006)

One of the most underrated bands of recent years that release seminal LP after LP, if there were truly any justice these guys would be huge. Indie anthems, which use startling melodies and multi layers of such exquisite lushness that you, find yourself welling up.
You almost forget how actually poignant the lyrics are as homelessness, suicide, lost love and the government putting us down.
From start to finish this is one of the greatest LPs ever.

DV

Death From Above 1979- ‘You're A Woman, I'm A Machine’ (Last Gang 2005)

A wonderfully dirty, brutal album., two guys, a drummer and a bassist, making music about sex and doing it very well. A very good album if you want to get a party started or vented some frustrations. Very fun indeed!

RA

Heavy as hell, electro played out as hard as can get. This disco metal LP will kick start any party or riot off. Who’d have thought that just a drum kit and a bass guitar could make such great tunes, though it only lasted this one LP and the guys went off to form Masterkraft.
‘Pull Out’ and ‘Turn It Out’ are examples of turning metal into dance floor fillers.

DV

Godspeed You! Black Emperor -‘Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven’ - (Kranky 2000)

If you don't know about GY!BE then this is the place to start. Truly amazing, this record is both uplifting and heavy in the same chord. The album is untouchable. Everything about it is well thought out, Coney Island quotes et al. GY!BE had no peers but post rock will never reach the same heights again without this band.

RA

Experimental sounds capes and snippets of media played out to the merest hint of a tune, like Clouddead without the vocals. Less is indeed more with GSYBE.
Great LP to lose yourselves in, soundtrack to a movie never conceived.

DV

Godspeed You! Black Emperor – ‘Yanqui U.X.O.’ (Constellation 2002)

The final album released by this Montreal outfit before they went on hiatus. An album filled with angst at the world around them (major record companies monopolising the market and the illegal wars America was fighting at the time). Not a patch on earlier efforts but still very good.

RA

Like Aphrodite’s Child’s seminal 666 but without any tunes this LP certainly pushes the listener. Like the music Eno should be making instead of pissing around with MOR rock bands, GSYBE manage to craft a slice of post rock excellence worth every second of your precise time.

DV

Holy Fuck – ‘Holy Fuck’ (Young Turks 2007)

A relentless, unforgiving and mad brilliant indie-electro album that will have you moving your feet in no time. Check these guys out live if you ever get the chance. Even better!

RA

A worthy take on the krautrock genre played to a modern electro sensibility. Canada do dance music just as well as they do indie and post rock.
Awesome heavy beats and twiddle twitchy sounds overlaid to the coolest baselines.

DV

Metric- ‘Live It Out’ (Last Gang Records 2005)

With sultry female vocals courtesy of Emily Haines and outstanding songs (Monster Hospital and Glass Ceiling), this band have made a 'controversial' album in Live It Out, Pitchfork gave it 4.2/10. But I love it so there!

RA

New Pornographers, The – ‘Twin Cinema’ (Mint Records/Matador Records 2005)

Critically acclaimed and one of Canada’s most popular bands, The New Pornographers haven’t quite made the impact that Arcade Fire achieved.
This third of their four LPs so far, it features complex chord structures and melodies it even features on the Rock Band game.
Search these guys out as they are truly a visionary band.

DV



Ohbijou- ‘Beacons’ (Bella Union records 2009)

Too soon to fully take stock of the impact this album may have. But on first impressions, this band has a good future in front of them. Influences include fellow Canadians Arcade Fire.

RA

Stars – ‘In Our Bedroom After The War’ (Arts & Crafts records 2007)

Now this is a grower. Initially, it comes across as too polished and bland to listen too. But on further investigation, it is a quite sumptuous album with lovely duets and harmonies, mixed with spacey synths.

RA

Thee Silver Mt. Zion Orchestra And Tra La La Band- ‘Born Into Trouble As The Sparks Fly Upwards’ (Constellation)

And the award for the most pretentious band and album name to come out of Canada is….. but joking aside, what an album. Efrim Menuck and co carry on where GY!BE left off, plenty of epic instrumentation and original ideas, which leave the listener wanting more.

RA

Tokyo Police Club- ‘A Lesson In Crime’ (Paper Bag records 2006)

Ok, so this is technically an EP or mini album depending on your point of view. But it is stuffed full of good indie pop songs, Nature Of The Experiment and Shoulders & Arms (this track borrows the Bloc Party blueprint). It is a shame they couldn't follow this up with their album 'Elephant Shell'.
RA

Yes yes The Strokes whatever! They actually manage to surpass them on this record, heavy distortion and vocals through a megaphone may not be on first listen highly original but take time to listen and you find it’s a very infectious.
Not bad for a set of young rascals debut, though as Richie says they couldn’t quite follow it up on their anticipated next LP.

DV

Unicorns, The – ‘Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone’ (Alien8 Recordings 2003)

Odd and strange in equal measures, this Canadian underground three piece write campfire tunes to cut your wrists by. This shouldn’t put you off just look at the track list ‘I Don't Wanna Die’ and ‘Inoculate the Innocuous’ for fun.
They even manage to reference fellow peers Arcade Fire by featuring a sample of their song ‘Headlights Look Like Diamonds’ reversed in the track ‘Tuff Luff’.

DV


Woodpigeon- ‘Treasury Library Canada’ (End Of The Road records 2009)

Sounding like the child of Grizzly Bear, Camera Obscura and belle and Sebastian, this Canadian outfit are in the same predicament as Ohbijou. But as The 405 (a well respected online music site) gave this 9/10, expect more from these guys.

RA


Wolf Parade- ‘Apologies To Queen Mary’ (Sub Pop 2005)

The second best debut I have had the pleasure of hearing this (almost) decade. Plenty of evidence of sublime song writing and odd melody structures. Listen to 'I'll Believe In Anything' and you'll understand. Amazing album by an amazing
band!

RA

Quite possibly the greatest debut LP of the last decade, even surpassing Arcade Fire – what do you think about that!
Every track is instantly a classic, believe me when I say this is a must have LP.
Elegant, melodies a plenty, interesting chord changes and a vocal style you either love or hate. Jesus please just get a copy, I can’t possibly do this record justice.

DV

Wolf Parade – ‘At Mount Zoomer’ (Sub Pop 2008)

Almost impossibility, At Mount Zoomer comes close to bettering Apologies To Queen Mary. Full of quirky numbers and catchy insightful songs, but it doesn't have the impact of the debut, which is shame really because many bands wish that they could record an album as good as this one.

RA

I have already written a pretty compressive piece for FAULT on this LP but I will just say it’s a worthy follow up to one of the most seminal debuts ever made.
Great playing and great tunes culminate in a future lost classic.
The opening salvo of ‘Soldiers Grin’ and ‘Call It A Ritual’ represent one of the highlights of last year, worth the three-year wait.






Caught Live

Manic Street Preachers w/ The Answering Machine - Brighton Dome - 2nd June 2009

This is the fifth time I have seen the Manics in two years and every time they have seemed to be a vibrant and refreshing live band, until this evening. They seemed to be flat onstage. Granted, Nicky Wire was suffering from a slipped disc and couldn't prowl the stage in his usual manner, but something about their performance was different. This feeling wasn't aided by their choice of support act, The Answering Machine. No slight on these guys, but they didn't seem to fill the stage (which is quite a size at the Dome). They tried to interest the crowd, but their style of music, a blend of indie pop and Franz Ferdinand, isn't something that the middle aged Manics fan (who is still wishing that it was 1994, that The Holy Bible had just been released and that the Manic Street Preachers were at their creative peak) would go for. They tried 'interesting' and pretentious stage moves but it just wouldn't work for them. Maybe playing to a more musically receptive audience in a smaller venue would suit these guys.

This evening, the Manics played two sets. The first was Journal For Plagued Lovers in full, whilst the second was a greatest hits set. I hadn't had time to familiarise myself with the new album, but on first impressions I wasn't taken by it. I was hoping a live rendition would help sway me. But it didn't. I struggle to see why the Manics thought it was relevant to release this. Lyrically, it is of a high standard as you'd expect from Mr Edwards, but musically the Manics have tried to reach the heights of The Holy Bible and failed quite dismally. It sounds bloated and almost Foo Fighters-esque, hollow guitars with no depth behind them. I got restless during JFPL as parts of it were embarrassing to watch. The set started strongly with 'Peeled Apples' and 'Jackie Collins Existential Question Time', but it soon faded with 'She Bathed Herself In A Bath Of Bleach'. The set never picked again after this song and it seemed to be lifeless, as if the Manics were just going through the motions.

The greatest hits set injected a little life into floundering gig, unfortunately some of the song selections baffled me. JFPL is the 'follow up' to The Holy Bible. I expected there to a Bible heavy set, but only Faster got an airing. 'All Surface, No Feeling', 'Ocean Spray' and 'Tsunami' could have been replaced for stronger songs. The set grew stronger after this but the damage had already been done with the lacklustre Journal For Plagued Lovers set. 'Stop In The Name Of Love' into 'Motown Junk' got the crowd moving for the finale of 'You Love Us' and finally 'A Design For Life'.

During the whole evening, I couldn't help but feel that the Manic Street Preachers were 'cashing' in on Richy. They have had this material a long time and choosing a more suitable time (maybe the tenth anniversary of The Bible?) to release it may have been appropriate. But to tour it badly, whilst that Jennie Saville painting stared out at the doting crowd who have moved on with the band over the last 15 years, disappointed me a lot. Relying on lyrics from a man who has been missing for the best part of 15 years to get an ailing band restarted should tell the Manics something about their situation now.

RA