Writing Indie Music Reviews Sure Doesnt Pay The Farking Bills...

No, Colony Collapse Disorder is not the title of the latest Apples In Stereo album. If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you’ll know that I like to throw in occasional “science-y” stuff into the mix. Because I like to annoy everyone who comes here thinking this is a pure music review site.

Anyhow, this is some serious stuff that I had read about quite awhile ago but it’s only now surfacing in the mainstream media. Bees are dying, and some of it has to do with CCD where the adult bees in a colony mysteriously bail from the hives.

I don’t mean to be an alarmist, but this seems pretty serious. Most people think all that bees provide is honey - I’m no science major but the truth is that they are crucial in pollination for important crops as well. It’s so serious that major food companies are starting to really pay attention. You may have seen Haagen-Dazs commercials about the bees and thought it was some sort of weird marketing ploy. It’s not. They’re VERY concerned about this, and rightly so. If Bee Thousand becomes Bee Fifty, there’s going to be even more problems with the availability of produce in the future.

Edit: I just realized it would have been even better had I named the post “Do The Collapse” to tie in with the GBV reference…

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Sudden Ensemble
Life In A Birdcage

Initial Thoughts on Sudden Ensemble’s album “Life In A Birdcage”:

1. Slightly atonal indie rock is “interesting” at 8:30am in the morning.
2. “Beautiful Shape” is a shambling beautiful shape.
3. “Combustion Blues” is an earful!
4. Robert Pollard vs. Sudden Ensemble in a barfight: not sure who would win yet.
5. I bet this album could get good airplay on KXLU.
6. I like their haircuts.

Despite the fact that I’ve been listening to more mellow stuff lately, I took a shine to this release for its sheer audacity and gritty lo fi texture. Imagine Beat Happening or Will from Imperial Teen singing over Guided By Voices or early Sebadoh (Jason’s) tracks. Some of the stuff is rather bluesy, but in a good way. You’re also going to think this is weirdness - but certain songs really remind me of Apples in Stereo. Or Sissybar. Especially that last track. I dunno why. Wait, actually that one reminds me of a Sonic Youth song. I can’t decide.

My favorite song so far is the rockin’ “Bonfire” but others are just as good and, er, “challenging”. The CD definitely has moments where it veers toward the experimental. Fair warning to all. But I have to say that after the morning coffee kicked in, this was a pretty fun listen. Ah yes, that peaceful uneasy feeling…

Visit:
Sudden Ensemble website
Name website

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Annabella
Say Goodnight

I lost the sheet that came with this CD, but decided to give it a review anyhow. The Texas based husband / wife duo Annabella makes lovely indie pop that really reminds me of Innocence Mission, Mojave 3, maybe Sarah McLaughlin a little. Later into the CD, on “Just So You Know”, I realized that The Sundays comparison was entirely valid as well.

The music is understated and dreamy, a bit of a departure from other up-tempo indie duos like Viva Voce and Quasi. Piano and other instruments add nice touches. For me, Terri Dittmar’s voice falls into that category of exquisitely beautiful, but tiny bit too mainstream. But I think that may actually increase the band’s fanbase. All in all, I really liked this CD - it’s such an undeniably pretty album.

Listen:
Sun Is King

Visit:
Annabella website
on Myspace

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Dear Bands Who Sent Me Stuff This Year,

Sorries, I’ve been very slow to get to yer music - you see, like normal polar bears I usually hibernate through the winter. Seeing as it was a very long and cold winter, I haven’t really gotten my paws under me yet. Thusly, there are a million and one CDs and bio sheets that sit on my couch yet untouched. Oh, bodder…

I even missed SXSW. No, I don’t mean that I didn’t go. I mean I completely forgot about it. You see - I’ve been hibernating. Usually when you hibernate you sleep in a cave under the snow. That makes it very difficult for music news to percolate down. I didn’t listen to one broadcast from SXSW yet. Geez, I am behind. All this great music is passing me by. In one ear out the udder. Fiddle, fuddle.

Also, I have been attending Chinese Acupuncture sessions in order to cure a particular polar bear affliction that causes me some hardship when using the computer. Thusly, I try not to use the computer as much right now while they stick the needles in various locales. Ouch, ouch.

To sum it up: I have been living in a cave all winter long. Your patience is appreciated, thank yous.

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Sera Cahoone
Only As The Day Is Long

I’d actually been looking forward to this album for a really long time. Funny, the first time I heard Sera Cahoone I had no idea she also sprang forth from the (now seminal) band Carissa’s Wierd. I just knew she was somehow related to Band of Horses and I really liked the songs from her first solo album that I heard.

Now that SubPop picked her up, she’s got another album out - “Only As The Day Is Long.” It’s a lovely little folky country album. Truthfully, I like the more sparse moments of the first 3 songs on the album - when “Runnin’ Your Way” starts up I get a little antsy. For me, the current alt-country-folk americana thingy that’s so popular walks a pretty delicate line between boring mainstream country and amazing indie folk. It’s never the Dixie Chicks (thankfully), but give me the slower stuff on the album any day. “You’re Not Broken” is a great track - plaintive and simple.

Visit:
Sera Cahoone’s website
Sera Cahoone on MySpace

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We used to have Dungeons and Dragons campaigns going in the 70s and 80s. Good times. Dungeon Master: “You can’t carry a 10 foot pole in a backpack…” Me: “But I have this backpack of Infinite Holding…” Encumberance? What Encumberance. Most games ended up getting involved in a 9th level Wish spell somehow…

In honor of Gygax, I’ve put Weezer’s Blue album on repeat - “In The Garage” to be specific.

Rest in peace Gary Gygax…

by Palebear | 1 Comment

Citified
The Meeting After The Meeting

Lately, I have been really digging the album from Citified. Listening to “The Meeting After The Meeting” is like being in a shoegazer timewarp. Definitely channeling some good old Cure, Echo and the Bunnyman and The Church, this is one the best albums I’ve heard lately in this genre. Hey, the neu 80s are back with a vengeance so it’s no surprise that bands that sound like this are popping up left and right. Still, I think Citified does it really well - they get in a few more modern music knocks as well - I hear some Autumns in the mix, Mark Kozelek, maybe some Kingsbury Manx (interesting that the album was engineered by Jerry Kee). Swirling and nostalgically beautiful, this album is definitely a keeper.

Visit:
Citified Myspace
Eskimo Kiss website

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OK am I the only one who is really, really, really tired of the band Hold Steady? I suspect I am, because I continue to hear this completely annoying band being played 24/7 on indie radio. I don’t normally come out and post negative stuff, but hey, I was in a funk the other day.

Here’s my thing: I’ve heard Randy Newman and I don’t care to hear him any more. I just can’t see what anyone sees in this band, they’re absolutely horrible with their trite, stupid catchphrases - and because I know I will attract the wrath of Hold Steady fans around the world, I guess I’ll turn off comments on this post. I think I almost hate them more than Joanna Newsom. Anyhow, sing it along with me: There’s always other bands (there’s always other bands) There’s always other bands (you can’t make me like them). Gahhh

p.s. i don’t even know what picture it is i grabbed and put a big X on… I don’t even know if this is the band members… I don’t even care.

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Death To Anders
Fictitious Business

I’ve been trying to figure out this CD from Death to Anders. From the opening track, I thought at first it was going to be standard indie pop /rock with vocals that reminded me of Sugarplastic, Silver Scooter or maybe Oranger. But then “Ghost Rock” comes smashing in with distortion and strange chords - kinda Sonic Youth meets Possum Dixon and Weezer. The sound is alternately quirky, anthemic and then slightly atonal. The style is all over the map - hoedown countryish to shoegazer ballads to noisy freakouts. There’s another indie band that I can’t remember that sounds very close to this Silverlake band. This is their second album, it’s quite good. Or at least interesting. But I have to admit it’s going to take a few listens…

Visit:
Death To Anders website
Death To Anders Myspace

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Helio Sequence
Keep Your Eyes Ahead

These guys know how to snack. Look at the photo below: doughnuts, cookies and milk perfectly and strategically placed. Does that ordered and harmonious tablesetting signify anything about their newest album Keep Your Eyes Ahead. Surely, and deliciously.

That’s not to say that The Helio Sequence’s music is wooden and fixed in any way. But I think that their songs have benefitted a bit from structure and order. The former album I heard, Love and Distance, had moments of brilliant pop and rock embedded in occasionally meandering electronic forays. The songs on this album just seem more concentrated and focused. If you think that I ripped that idea off from the official bio, you’re wrong - but it’s nice that we’re all on the same page there. Apparently, that is exactly the conclusion that Brandon Summers, who is one half of the duo that also includes Benjamin Weikel, came to after nearly losing his singing voice permanently. He opted to do some soul-searching, and I think the music benefits from it.

They sometimes kinda like fellow Subpop labelmates Rogue Wave, but Helio Sequence’s sound is a bit more ethereal and dreamy. Not cavernous reverb, but quite a bit. The synthesizer stuff is still there, but it’s very controlled. Instead of a distraction, it’s tasty flavoring - like the sprinkles on that doughnut. My favorite track on the album comes in past the halfway mark and is the title track. Bouncy, driving and melodic, “Keep Your Eyes Ahead” is sure to win over new fans with its power pop and slightly disco driven beat.

As a complete changeup, “Shed Your Love” is a lovely acoustic ballad, and is sure to get some face-time on teen angst OC type shows. Reminds me a bit of James for some reason. The plaintive country folk-singer song “Broken Afternoon” and the hoe-down of “No Regrets” is even more of a departure - dare I say it sounds like they’re taking a try at sounding like Dylan? Or maybe M. Ward? I know they’re no stranger to shades of country (the previous album had that”Harmonica Song”), but this is quite different - and I really like the new avenues they’re exploring..

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