Garrison Starr: Amateur
It may be strange for a music industry veteran to title their seventh full-length album Amateur, but that is exactly what Garrison Starr did. There is more than one reason for the name according to Starr. “Before picking (the title), I looked the word up to get the official dictionary definition, and it said someone who does something for the love of it and not for money,” said the singer-songwriter. “Also, I feel like I’m starting over in so many different ways as an artist because I’m in such a different place now in my career and in my life. I just feel like it’s a fresh start, and so I thought it was apropos for that reason, as well.” It is obvious that this album wasn’t created by a newcomer; its strong lyrics, ear-pleasing melodies, and rich vocals had to come from an experienced talent.
Mississippi-born Starr is considered an indie/folk/pop/country/rock artist; this album is a melting pot for those genres with heavy flavoring of country and pop. “The Train That’s Bound for Glory,”“I May Not Let Go,” and “Empire State Building” have a country twang and plucky guitar. I had to check to make sure that “Train” wasn’t a cover of a country standard, it sounds like a classic. Grammy-winning country singer Mary Chapin Carpenter, whom Starr met on early Lilith Fair tours, sings backing vocals on “I May Not Let Go.” Though the above listed songs are country, other songs are pure pop/rock. Electric piano and a guitar wah pedal give “When Nobody Was Looking” more of an edge than the rest of the album, but it would still fit in the rotation on as easy rock station. Each song has a pleasant pop element, pleasing the ear with well-produced combinations of guitar, piano, lead and backing vocals, drums and bass.
The lyrics are the result of soul-searching. “Other People’s Eyes” and “When You’re Really Trying” feature introspective lyrics, each hint at the difficulties in trying to break into the music industry but are easily relatable to those in other industries. The words teem with advice for those who feel like they’re floundering, especially the chorus in “To Garrison on Her 29^th Birthday:” “you can’t decide what a heart decides, you can’t love what you don’t love inside, you can’t change what can’t be changed…”Many cities and states are named throughout the album, especially on “Between the Devil’s Rain and a Dying Language,” which tells the story of a weary touring musician who looks to return home. There are also themes of trains, travel, running/escaping, which could all be related to a touring musician or can be viewed in a broader sense. “The Day the Rains Came to Schoharie” has religious themes of sins being washed away in biblical rains and faith being tested over 40 days and 40 nights.
Starr’s vocals are unique and beautiful. The closest comparison to be is a slightly deeper, richer Emmylou Harris or Martha Wainwright. They adapt to each song, from the country tracks mentioned earlier to pop songs like “Keep Your Head Down.” The MP3 available below is of “I May Not Let Go,” a great example of Starr’s mournful country vocals accompanied by simple instruments and backing vocals by Mary Chapin Carpenter.
Rating: 8.1/10
MP3: Garrison Starr “I May Not Let Go”
Buy: iTunes

Ane Brun: It All Starts With One
On It All Starts With One, Norwegian singer-songwriter Ane Brun has a lot to say, and chooses to say it with a soft, understated coolness. Brun, who runs her own label in Sweden, has become something of a sensation in Scandinavia, with this record marking her third to reach number one in her homeland. Being the sadly ignorant American I am, I must admit that I am not terribly familiar with this overseas sensation for the simple fact that she is overseas. Yet it’s no surprise that Brun’s work hasn’t translated in North America. There’s no sensationalism or sexuality on this record, a stark departure from the Rihanna-soaked US charts. Beyond that, Brun never resorts to any belting or diva swagger to elevate her music. While the temperance of her music is admirable, there are also no moments that really take your breath away and ascend the generally subdued vibe of this album. Brun is certainly more Enya than she is Gaga, and while there is something to be said for her bend toward sincerity rather than gimmicks, It All Starts With One fails to consistently produce anything that demands repeated listening.
Brun sings of love, loss, and loneliness, staying within territory that has certainly been trod before. The album opens with “These Days,” which thankfully isn’t a Nico cover. It has an eerie backdrop of organ music that gives the entire song a sorrowful tone. It’s a very promising opener that builds to a more hopeful place by its end. The song itself is merely quite good, but as a song meant to set the tone for the album, it’s just about perfect. Later in the album, “Worship” features a guest vocalist in Jose Gonzalez, who conspires with Brun’s smooth vocals and a rhythmic guitar strum to create a song that I assume would work great in a yoga class or some other meditative activity that I don’t have the time for. When the strings kick in, the track really finds a sweet spot and produces arguably the highlight of the album. On the next track, “Do You Remember,” Brun takes a more percussive route and the results are generally good. It’s the first song that ‒ in a wacky world where Florence Welch and Gotye are mainstream hits ‒ may actually have a place on American radios.
On the second half of the album, Brun continues to display a really impressive vocal range as the songs slow down a bit more. “What’s Happening With You and Him” walks a tightrope of staying reserved without seeming too air tight and restrained. Brun knows her place and, while she does have a fantastic voice, she knows that she doesn’t have the type of voice that can pull off Adele-like histrionics. The album continues this tone of placidity that is interrupted only occasionally by some furious strings or percussion. Overall, the album can drift into being a bit too subdued in parts. “The Light From One” is atmospheric and more complex than meets the eye, but it also lacks the intensity that its subject matter might deserve.
It All Starts With One presents a truly fascinating international contrast to the highly produced chart-toppers that North America and parts of Europe are accustomed to. There’s an artistry in Brun’s music and a comforting sense of peace. At the same time, the consistently even tone of the album makes its emotional impact somewhat fleeting and makes the album one to be enjoyed in the moment, but not ultimately remembered.
Rating: 6.7/10
MP3: Ane Brun “Worship”
Buy: iTunes or Insound!

The Mowgli’s: Sound the Drum
Smiles are a tough thing to analyze. They are so personal and it is not very often that they actually have any meaning behind them, either resulting because of a stupid joke, social necessity, or an awkward situation. The Mowgli’s, a 7-piece folk-pop and pop-punk band from southern California, attempt to correct this by creating genuine, pure smiles on their new album Sound the Drum. Immediately with the first track, “Hi Hey There Hello,” the band captures sunshine in a bottle and releases it on record. Bright, sunny acoustic guitars, bouncing drums, and vocals that just make you want to jump up and sing along create the sense that this band is very proud of its So-Cal roots. The sunshine does not end there though, as it begins to permeate in every aspect of this album. Handclaps and “do da da’s” are scattered throughout the album, creating a sense of irresistible joy while lyrics like “you’ll get high off my love,” “life will sing,” and “let the good times roll” paint life as one giant be-in. Love as a transcendental idea and as a spiritual “high” seems to be the Mowgli’s message, as communal sung vocals emit a friendly, loving aura that would be at home in the 60’s.
Unfortunately, the Mowgli’s barrage of sunshine and smiles does not penetrate below the surface, as it, instead, remains a very shallow and underwhelming musical experience in many ways. The instrumentation, although featuring some nice horns (“San Francisco”) and interesting piano sounds (“Ca$H”), remains stuck with the standard fare of bright acoustic guitars, chiming electric guitars, boring pop-punk bass and clean-sounding drums. The boring instrumentation is not at all helped by the fact that many of these songs utilize chord progressions that have been heard on every major pop-punk and folk-punk release in the last ten or fifteen years. Songs like “Hi Hey There Hello” and the pop-punk infused “Slowly, Slowly” are just underwhelming because of this reason.
However, this is not to say that the entire album doesn’t possess some form of musical exploration. While the majority of “Sound the Drum” is mired in tired tropes, there are certain tracks that escape this musical hell. “Ca$H” is one such track. Backed by a country shuffle and a saloon piano, this track finds the band exploring a sound that is not present anywhere else on the album (quite successfully I might add). Female and male vocals trade blows in this song as well, creating a dynamic that should have been more present on this album. And while on the topic of the vocals, the band clearly has a talent for vocal arrangement (as evidenced by the subtlety of “Carry Your Will”) and, in fact, this is perhaps the saving grace of this dull musical landscape. Throughout the album the vocals can be cavernous, echoing and huge when the whole band is singing or intimate while one member is singing. This could have given the band an incredible amount of variety and exploration in their music, however it is not taken full advantage of here.
Ultimately, the Mowgli’s never really aspire to do anything else but make you smile and on that count this album does succeed. However, a smile really can’t save Sound the Drum from its use of tired tropes and its overall lack of anything musically exciting.
Score: 5.4/10
MP3: The Mowgli’s “Ca$H”
Buy: iTunes

Reptar: Body Faucet
On Body Faucet, the unfortunately named Reptar deliver the season’s first essential barbecue soundtrack with an album that suggests their potential to be the next bearers of the Athens, Georgia torch carried by such legends as R.E.M., B-52s and the mighty Vic Chesnutt. These are hard – and musically disparate – acts to follow, but that doesn’t matter because Reptar takes a different approach, putting dreamy keyboards, bass, and drums before to any guitar jangle. Reptar channels African music as imagined by Vampire Weekend and Paul Simon’s Graceland, evoking energy and warmth to the degree that it begs the question whether Reptar’s sound might owe more to the Georgia heat than the music of their Athens progenitors. Their press materials make allusions to a self-assigned mandate of musical exploration. They deliver. Though Body Faucet has designs on the dance floor from the album’s opening and doesn’t let up for the whole of its one-hour running time, the songs are dense enough, both musically and lyrically, to qualify as think pieces as well. The sonic playfulness and percussive fluidity of Reptar’s sound is best embodied in “Natural Bridge,” a song whose traditional pop structure is interrupted not only by a synthy laser battle, but also a monster-voiced sidebar with singer Graham Ulicny’s sense of self-doubt. Body Faucet could be a blue print for the proper full-length debut. It’s ambitious enough to raise questions about where the band will go in the future, but so fully-realized that it will stand on it’s own if Reptar (such an unfortunate name) doesn’t put out another album.
Rating: 8.0/10
MP3: Reptar “Natural Bridge”
Buy: iTunes or Insound! vinyl

Interludes After Midnight: Blockhead
In an industry where the audience seems overly-interested in the production side of the mix (i.e. the beats), it is a wonder why multi-talented DJs and turnabilists and producers do not dominate the forefront of the scene. It is the eclectic ones, however, that deserve the most attention; beat-makers with the dynamic aptitude to create a sound just like that of Blockhead’s are the more notable ones.
Born and raised in Manhattan, Blockhead took a liking to hip hop at a young age; first rapping, then beat-making. Being the man behind the music was just the thing for this gifted artist. It was later that he would produce for underground phenom, Aesop Rock; Blockhead’s career would launch into one full of artsy production and profound instrumentals that would make him into the clever artist that he is today. Like most of his albums and productions, Interludes After Midnight feature some spacey, downtrodden beats layered with some minor edgy synths and eerie ambiance. Personally, almost every track seems like a little story – hence the interludes. While the album maintains a relatively melancholy mood, every beat seems to take the listener’s mind on a strange journey through musical space. Another odd feature to Blockhead’s beats are their constant changing every thirty seconds or so; it’s almost a little hard to quaintly absorb the beat before he goes and changes it up again. Now this is not so bad because it keeps the listener on their feet and forces concentration. I had to focus on listening to the songs to keep up with the music since it changed so frequently, but it was rather enjoyable.
The opener “Never Forget Your Token” creates a false-mood for the album, and by that I mean the rest of the album doesn’t sound anything like the first track, which could be good or bad. Personally, I prefer consistency while listening to an album, which this album does alright, just not with the first track. The second track “Creeps Crouchin’” particularly caught my attention. It’s exotic and has some industrial sounds, both in the drums and the background music. This song sets the mood better for this album and this almost unusual melodic element to the song creeps from track to track for pretty much the entire duration of the record. Blockhead begins to throw in different elements to the mix like his jazzy samples in “Meet You At Tower Records.” Again, not necessarily a bad thing, just a little off with the consistency.
Overall, the album is a little strange. Blockhead is one dynamic producer, I know that, but his strange sounds and eerie background noises are almost distracting from the beat itself, which should be more of a major focus in my opinion. Tracks like “Panic in Funkytown” and “Tools of the Industry” are just plain weird, but songs like “Beyond Reach” which features Baby Dayliner really give the album a likable feel. Blockhead is an acquired taste; a taste I’m not used to yet. To get a taste of Blockhead, however, I highly recommend you listen to either “Creeps Crouchin’” or “Tools of the Industry” to really get a listen for how odd yet creatively enjoyable this guy can get. Blockhead is an overall alright producer, this album just didn’t seem to do it for me.
Rating: 6.5/10
MP3: Blockhead “Creeps Crouchin’”
Buy: iTunes

If you enjoy Stone’s writing check out his website at Hip Hop Speakeasy

Orbital: Wonky
For a decade from 1991-2001, British techno duo Orbital were one of the biggest names in dance music. Their 1993 album Orbital 02 is considered a classic by many in the dance community. They achieved mainstream success in their native UK as well as in the US with singles like “Chime,” “Are We Here?,” and “The Saint.” By 2004, Orbital split up and many thought the band to be dead. In 2008, the band resurrected their career, playing major European festivals and releasing a greatest hits album. However, their new album, Wonky represents their first new album since their reformation.
Having closed their career on a string of poorly received albums, it would seem important for Orbital to reintroduce themselves to the world as a force on Wonky. Instead what Orbital do on Wonky is re-introduce themselves to the world as Orbit. The album is filled with angelic synth sounds over fairly standard drum programming. Opening track “One Big Moment” delivers perhaps the biggest punch with its pitch-bending synths over a driving dance beat. The airy synth sounds are kept mainly in the background for the track giving it some levity without sounding too “in the sky.”
The majority of the album is spent “in the sky.” “Never” is mainly comprised of the “angelic vocal” synth setting with the “celestial drops” setting playing second fiddle. It essentially sounds like the soundtrack of going to heaven; it is relaxing and ethereal but a little boring. “New France” is Orbital’s big collaborative effort with Zola Jesus but Zola is generally confined to being a real life “angelic vocal” setting. Her minimal vocals are used as no more than a sample buried deep within the mix of four-on-the-floor drums and celestrial synths. It makes me wonder why the group bothered tapping her and surely paying a large appearance fee when the same effect could have been garnered with the use of a sample for far less money.
While the airy content of the album is not overly exciting for modern dance listeners, it is better than when Orbital attempt to go modern. “Beezledub” is the duo’s grand foray into the dubstep genre. The track sounds like an early Joker remix of The Chemical Brothers‘ “Setting Sun.” The track is slow and sounds like Orbital is just trying to prove to listeners that they can make the bass wobble if they want.
But with the exception of “Beezledub,” there is nothing particularly wrong with Wonky. The album shows Orbital doing what they do best. My concern is “who wants to hear Orbital do what they do best?” A decade and a half removed from the rave culture of the mid-90s that gave rise to them, Orbital sound more like an artifact of a past time than a glimpse into the future. In a dance culture that is concerned with “raging,” Orbital are striving for something much more Godly. While I can appreciate their effort to a certain extent, I wonder how many others under the age of 30 can?
Rating: 5.9/10
MP3: Orbital “One Big Moment”
Buy: iTunes

Twin Trip: Twin Trip
This self-titled concept album is the first from Twin Trip, which was made up of vocalist/songwriter/multi-instumentalist Felix Penny and drummer Micah Van Hove when the album was recorded (Van Hove has since left; keyboardist/guitarist Gigie Hall and bassist Eric Olsen later joined.) Influence from David Bowie, Radiohead, and classical music can be heard throughout the album. Classical influences manifest themselves through familiar ascents and descents as well as a piano and strings to accompany the punchy guitar and drums. As a concept album, there’s a story being told both lyrically and sonically. The band claims the story is subtle, told through recurring themes. There are definite themes of outer space, insanity, love, separation from a lover, the circus/clowns, but despite listening to the album nearly a dozen times I still have not found the story.
The first few songs blend together so smoothly that you almost have to check if a new track has started. After about the fifth song, this is not an issue. In fact, some of the songs are so dramatically different that sound like they belong not just on a different album, but like they are from a different artist. Radiohead and Bowie’s influence can be heard on the first few tracks, there’s “Space Oddity” hints in many of the songs. Pretty songs “Lullaby for a Xenophile” and “Man on the Moon” give a feeling a floating through space through the airy guitar plucking. Then there are some unique tracks. “Four Wise Monkeys” has a dance beat; if Chromeo went mad and started writing songs about insanity and monkeys in their brains, it would be similar to this.  It is followed by “I Dream of You,” a simple love song that builds into a piano- and cello-fueled instrumental break. Next up is “Brain Dead,” which sounds like mid-90s grunge with some mainstream polish.  Insanity is a recurring theme in the lyrics throughout the whole album, so perhaps the strange mixture of genres is a reflection of manic and depressive moods while the smooth transitions at the beginning of the album mark a time of stability.
It’s difficult to choose a recommended one track due to how different many songs on the album are. The stand-out songs are “Born to Kill” and “Lullaby for a Xenophile.” “Born to Kill” starts with fast-paced guitar and features beautiful piano parts. This Muse-like track suits Penny’s vocals perfectly. “Lullaby” is built on ascending and descending emotionally-charged vocals, guitar effects, beautiful strings, plus prominent drums and cymbals. If I were to rate just “Lullaby,” the song would earn a nine. Neither of these stand-out songs are indicative of the sound of the rest of the album and have little in common with the other tracks. The MP3 below, “Heavy Load,” is a better indication of some of the sounds on the album as it contains many of the themes in the lyrics and sounds. It’s the second song on the album, from the “period of stability” I mentioned earlier. Since the tracks are so different from one another, you’ll likely find a song you enjoy if not the entire album.
Rating: 7.7/10
MP3: Twin Trip “Heavy Load”
Buy:

The Hudson Branch: World Kid
Literati and musicians alike will love World Kid, by Chicago natives, The Hudson Branch. Unfortunately, much unlike Vampire Weekend’s first release with its relentlessly upbeat deliverance and catchy guitar/drum/bass/orchestra work, The Hudson Branch will have problems appealing to a larger audience.
Like most thinking bands, these mid-west indiosos combine atmospheric ambiance with emotionally aware lyrics. World Kid’s finer tracks work in a seductive almost entrancing schism of intelligent design. This is good. In truth it’s what I tend to look for when buying albums. However, a lack of definitive brand or any recognizable personal touch leaves me wanting more from the Hudson Branch. They’re smart; you’d be hard pressed to find anyone in the know accusing them of being otherwise, and they treat the audience as if we were as well. But they don’t demand anything other than our silent attention. What the record doesn’t do is leave us guessing or play with our intellect. Wisdom cannot be taught, it’s a thing to marvel at with laughter. And in my humble opinion, this pushes the nine, securely mid-tempo tracks of the group’s second album into pedantry.
Neither does World Kid, (the title an homage to the old ‘I’ve burned my passport and declared myself a citizen of the world,’ sentiment) offer much in the doomed method of cataclysmic annihilation we’ve come to anticipate in this advanced year of our Lord 2012. “I said kiss me you’re beautiful, these truly are the last days.” I realize I should brush up on my science and mathematics, but give me heartsparked poetry and intense emphatic melody. It’s finals week and I really can’t be bothered with everything on my plate to consider anything other than the good time bands working the festival circuit this summer after classes let out.
Timing is the most mismanaged asset of World Kid. The weather is warming and so is my blood. The Hudson Branch have released the perfect depths of December album in spring. This doesn’t make any sense to me. I don’t want to be reflective and insightful right now. I want to dance until I fall down. I want to drink and sing and watch them short skirts as they pass by. I want to bullshit with handsome, worldly young men, and tell all my best stories to crowds of raucous strangers. The last thing I want to do is think about my place in the universe or “The Periodic Table of Elegance.” As clever as it may be, while listening to the track I can’t help but wonder what Pete Doherty’s getting into right now. I appreciate the alliteration of “Tread Trample Tremble Trampoline,” while simultaneously running over the chorus line to Deer Tick’s “Let’s All Go to the Bar.”
World Kid is romantic, thought provoking material. The Hudson Branch has a bright future ahead, and I really look forward to watching them mature as a band. I think the breadth of the musicianship featured on this album, along with the opulent, organic lyrics deserves at the very least a listen… just not right now.
Rating: 4.8/10
MP3: The Hudson Branch “Move Ons”
Buy: iTunes or

Fanfarlo: Rooms Filled With Light
In 2009, Fanfarlo released their debut album, Reservoir. The album was noted by critics for its use of baroque instrumentation with indie folk songwriting similar to Arcade Fire. The band does little to end the Arcade Fire comparisons on their new album, Rooms Filled With Light. Much like how Arcade Fire’s sound evolved from baroque pop with Funeral to a more rocky sound with Neon Bible, Fanfarlo seems to be going through the same change.
The album opens with the quick violin hits of “Replicate.” The track is the classic definition of baroque pop, with no use of traditional “rock” instruments instead completely relying on strings and various esoteric percussion. But the track is not setting the mood for the album, instead it is acting as a bridge between the old Fanfarlo and their new sound. “Deconstruction” begins the march into their new sound. The quick string hits are still there but forced back in the mix behind driving drums, bass, guitar, and keyboard. The mix of male and female vocals can not help but evoke memories of Arcade Fire, especially with lead singer Simon Balthazer’s Win Butler-esque voice and intonation.
That is not to say that Fanfarlo does not take any chances on Rooms Filled With Light. There is the horn-filled Madness-esque “Tunguska” or the bass-heavy Talking Heads-inspired bopper “Tightrope,” the latter of which might be the finest song on the album. But for the most part, Fanfarlo seems content to stay in Arcade Fire’s shadow. The question is, do you care? Rooms Filled With Light does not surpass The Suburbs in greatness either musically or conceptually but it does provide just as many catchy songs that once burrowed into your head will be difficult to get out. In the end, many album’s do not even inch towards that line; so instead of crucifying Rooms Filled With Light for what it lacks, I celebrate it for what it is: a catchy-indie pop album from Britain’s wannabe Arcade Fire.
Rating: 7.3/10
MP3: Fanfarlo “Tightrope”
Buy: iTunes or Insound! vinyl

The Dandy Warhols: This Machine
Only a few truly special artists exercise longevity by staying exciting and spirited over the course of many years. The greats can do it; Paul Simon, Tom Waits, Radiohead come to mind. And while the Dandy Warhols haven’t been around that long (they formed in 1994), they are certainly veterans of the genre at this point. Such standing puts them in a crucial position on this album. After a string of albums that didn’t really approach 2000’s Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia in terms of quality, The Dandy Warhols have to prove to us that they are capable veterans and not, well, old. Unfortunately This Machine never really gets off the ground, never indicating that the Dandy Warhols are in the mood for making exciting, new music.
The album opens with “Sad Vacation” a forgettable song that doesn’t accomplish anything in terms of setting the album’s tone. It’s essentially color-by-numbers rock with a generic guitar riff, some reverb and lyrics that do not make much of an impact. Its successor, “The Autumn Carnival” has a bit more of a punk feel to it, and there’s a sense of comfort in Courtney Taylor-Taylor’s moody vocals that stand as the centerpiece of the song, while never dominating it. Later on, “Enjoy Yourself” is easily the most frustrating ‒ dare I say, soul-crushing? ‒ song on the record. It’s probably the most “pop” song on the album, with a solid chorus and some psychedelic synth interludes, which I’m always a sucker for. But the lyrics. Oh, the lyrics. The songwriting here just lacks any sort of nuance and, for a veteran band, it sounds startlingly amateur. “I used to be cool,” croons Taylor-Taylor, “Too cool for rules/too cool for school.” It’s just vapid and essentially destroys any of the song’s redeeming qualities. You almost wonder if they’re just messing with you.
There are a few songs on this album masquerading as experimental, yet really they’re just highly instrumental but still ultimately lazy and uninteresting. The latter half of the album settles into a bit more of a groove. “I Am Free” is the first time that the Dandy Warhols seem to be having any sort of fun. It’s well-written and the extensive use of horns adds a jolt of life that this album was thirsting for. It stands as a welcome departure from the dull, dispirited songs like “Well They’re Gone” that inhabit This Machine’s first half.
Aside from “Enjoy Yourself” there’s nothing on this album that is offensively terrible. It’s simply dull and never really wakes up. The songwriting is all over the place and they take a few sonic chances that really add nothing. It also doesn’t have enough of an overriding, album-wide theme to weave it together and make up for its lack of stand-out songs. Longtime fans will of course be excited about hearing the band’s new music. Yet, judging by this album’s tone, they may be dismayed to find that the Dandy Warhols are comparatively less excited about making new music.
Rating: 4.7/10
MP3: The Dandy Warhols “I Am Free”
Buy: iTunes or Insound! vinyl