Culture Greyhound

If Anthony Gonzalez’ breakthrough album Dead Cities, Red Seas, and Lost Ghosts was a dreamy bedroom experiment, and it pretty much was, that means Before the Dawn Heals Us was a beautiful cinematic sleeper hit, and it also pretty much was. Let’s call Digital Shades Vol. 1 an itch Gonzalez had to scratch – it was an ambient pastiche favoring mood over substance (fingers crossed for no Volume 2). And then there was the masterpiece, Saturdays = Youth. Favoring over-the-top, pathos-driven production and theme, it was a brilliant homage to the 80’s, teenage angst, and young love. It was beautiful, near flawless. It has grown to be one of my favorite albums not just of 2008, or of the last decade, but of all time. It’s one of those albums you turn on before you drift off at night, it’s a cloud that sweeps you away.

So how does Gonzalez top what will no doubt be his finest work? An epic, two-disc conceptual album inspired by Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and childhood slumber. Over 72 minutes and 22 tracks, M83 brings together an array of sounds built around the theme of dreaming, and it really does sound like it. Gonzalez has always been great at building, rather than borrowing, from his older works; here you can hear the grand tinkering of Dead Cities, the bold soundscapes of Before the Dawn, the soft ambience of Digital Shades, and the captivating emotion of Saturdays.

But there’s something more; as with every album, Gonzalez continues to grow. He is now the prominent vocalist for his band, holding his own alongside the declarative Zola Jesus and previous collaborator Morgan Kibby. And his songs now are even more direct pop statements; rather than hinting at the idea of achieving soundtrack-worthy compositions in one part of the album, Gonzalez has stretched them throughout. There is a memorable melody around every corner, in between each instrumental interlude, each playful crescendo with laughing children, each soft acoustic strum.

Sure, it’s nowhere near the brilliance of Saturdays=Youth. Maybe it does run a little long, maybe there are a few too many short interludes, maybe there are slight flaws hidden around the strong highlights. But isn’t that why we love double albums? Their ambition? Their objective? Their adventure? As with any double album, this is meant not to be shuffled around for your commute, but to be listened to in one sitting, or two, or ten. It’s meant to be fully digested as a whole over and over again. And ultimately, that is a rewarding task. It may not be the best M83 album, but it’s certainly one of the best albums of 2011.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Listen to Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming on Spotify.

If you’ve never listened to Ben Folds, you’re deprived of one of the finest pop pianists of the past quarter century. Plain and simple. And now the Nashville songwriter has released the first thing to come close to a greatest hits (other than the energetic Ben Folds Live album). The career-spanning three disc retrospective gives you the hits, highlights, live show energy, wit and charm, and even some demos and outtakes for the hardcore Folds followers. Most of the great Ben Folds Five tracks from the 90’s are here, and the trio even reunited for three new ones, one of which is actually not too bad.

As Folds has aged from jaded college kid to sentimental father figure, his music nowadays is less observational and humorous and more….ballad-y. And the post-Rocking the Suburbs stuff really dwells on that. Still, there are gems from the past years that do not go unnoticed, like “You Don’t Know Me” and “There’s Always Someone Cooler Than You.” While not exactly the best introductory course to Folds’ prolific career (the collection overall seems more for the educated and devoted), the first disc does a decent job of covering big tracks from all of Folds’ full-lengths. And if you like what you hear, I highly recommend you delve further; the man still has a remarkable sense of how to craft a memorable melody.

In what can only be described as a clusterfuck, the always hirsute (and probably stoned) organizers at Transmission have managed to officially, after literally months of anticipation, announce set times and the Nites schedule for this year’s Fun Fun Fun.  Those of us who have attended the fest in years prior are not surprised at the sheer lack of organization.  And because the bands picked usually rule, we are quick to forgive.  Transmission is usually slow getting things together.  They truly are the most casual, laid-back, and Austin-y of the two major promoters in town (love them or hate them, C3 has their shit down pat almost a year before anything happens – but their lineup usually sucks, so you take the good with the bad).

But now that the fest has moved to Auditorium Shores, is selling more tickets, and is bringing bigger acts, I think it’s time for a smoother operation.  Let’s chalk this year up to a learning experience.  With some minor setbacks, usually quickly corrected.  For the few of us who bought early bird tickets when the fest was only a two-day thing and then upgraded, we have only received two wristbands; meanwhile, Ground Ctrl Ticketing does not answer phone calls or e-mails, probably because it’s being run out of a shanty in Pflugerville…. or something.  The schedule today was initially released as a too-small-to-read press release JPEG on Austinist, but thankfully the lineup was posted on the official site shortly after.  Of course, the Nites schedule isn’t finished, and there was some original confusion over what stage Slayer is now playing (they’ve moved to Orange), but everything else seems to be intact.  As is the case when you make an official lineup, some bands were moved around, but it doesn’t seem too far off what was originally announced, and conflicts, at least in my opinion, remain minimal.  So great job, Transmission!  Looking forward to rocking at the Shores.  Now I just need that Friday wristband….

UPDATE: And they took my advice and got an app this year!  But no Android version….?

Today I continue a series of posts dedicated to the best albums of the last decade, posting analysis of one album at a time.

35. Clipse – Hell Hath No Fury

Most people prefer Lord Willing. I don’t blame them. After all, it was minimalist coke rap like “Grindin'” that made the Neptunes so famous. And four years later, when they finally dropped this follow up, that sound was less fresh. “Mr. Me Too” isn’t as sharp. No argument here. I guess I just like this one better because it was the first I heard. I came to the debut late, and while I can’t deny how great it is, nostalgia has the edge on this one; I spent more time with Hell Hath No Fury, and I still do.

But let’s get one thing straight: this album is a worthy contender, it’s excellent. Every song is a banger. How can you hate on the unpredictable percussion alongside Slim Thug’s guest chorus on “Wamp Wamp?” Pusha T’s wit is in high gear throughout, he makes peddling cocaine sound like an articulate profession. Fan favorite “Ride Around Shining” bumps (“the black Martha Stewart, let me show ya how to do it!”), “Dirty Money” is still hilarious, and I’ll never forget when I learned what the word “trill” meant. There’s no getting around it; Clipse’s second LP, probably their last great one, is an album for the popped trunks, or, in my case, the blown-out factory tweeters.

Listen to Hell Hath No Fury on Spotify.

PAPA: “I Am The Lion King” from Hit City U.S.A. on Vimeo.

Every Saturday, I post a 15-20 minute podcast featuring some tracks I’ve been jamming the previous week, as well as some commentary and random musings from yours truly. Enjoy!

Tracklist:

G-Side – Impossible (Javelin Remix)
Boris – Spoon
Kendrick Lamar – Cloud 10
M83 – Wait

A friend of mine and I were discussing the awesome awesome lineup for Fun Fun Fun Fest this year, and recently, they announced their schedule for our viewing pleasure. My friend was excited, but admitted he knew only a few bands. Where, he wondered aloud, could he find a comprehensive rundown of each band, a sampling of their musical chops, so he could further educate himself before the finest weekend of his year? I assume the Fun Fun Fun website has such a playlist, and they do, and it’s cool, but I wanted to make my own. So every Friday, from now until the fest (that’s nine weeks), I will be posting a playlist for your educational purposes for each stage and day, excluding the Yellow stage, which is mostly comedy.

This week’s playlist covers the bands playing on the Orange (Indie) stage on Sunday – Lenuria, Le Butcherettes, Asobi Seksu, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Mates of State, The Budos Band, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Architecture In Helsinki, Hum, and Blonde Redhead.

Listen to the playlist on Spotify.

Missing From Playlist (not on Spotify yet): Crooks

My Stage Pick: Hum

Take a listen to You’d Prefer An Astronaut, the classic breakthrough album for this underrated shoegaze 90’s band, and you’ll hear why I’m so excited these guys are reunited. Hearing “Stars” live is one life-long ambition I can cross off my list after November.

As far as musical depravity and sheer idiocy goes, Insane Clown Posse take the crown. We all think Jack White might be a little too collao-happy these days. We all know who they are, we all love to hate them. Except those who love them. And those people? They love them a LOT. Those people, in case you haven’t heard, are called Juggalos. They’re usually uneducated, working class, low income, Midwestern. And even if they’re perfect strangers, the Juggalos all consider themselves “family.” And for one weekend out of the year they all gather together to absorb the enormous marketing campaign the band has created, featuring bands, wrestling, a mini-fairground atmosphere, and all the drugs and sex with homely-looking people you can handle. This mini-doc didn’t really change my perception of the Juggalos; these are the people that throw shit at bands they don’t like, bands that their “heroes” booked for them. But if there’s one thing you can take away, it’s that these people are misunderstood. It’s the underbelly, the service industry, the America that’s all around you, but you don’t hear about. It’s like a Fight Club or something. And for four days, they have their own little Woodstock. In many ways, it resembles Woodstock. Perfect strangers treat each other like brothers and sisters, free love reigns, nudity abounds, drugs are abundant. Is aspires to be Woodstock, but like the Hatchet Man logo itself, there is that underlying violent theme, the theme that made ICP one of the best-selling shock rap groups ever – if you don’t like something, fucking tear it apart.

American Juggalo from Sean Dunne on Vimeo.

In what can easily be qualified as one of the busiest weeks of my year (finals week), it’s nice to take a break from education for….more education? Humor. Let’s call it humor. Because Lil Wayne ranting and raving about his legacy for half an hour in the wake of the death of Steve Jobs is pretty funny. I mean, I know rap music DNA is about bragging and stuntin’ and all that, but comparing yourself to one of the greatest modern creative minds for half an hour while giving a tour of your Cribs-worthy house…..it’s a bit over the top. And then posting your obvious weed-influenced stream-of-consciousness lunacy on the Web for the world to see, like what you’re saying is a new idea, or even a complete one….well, that’s the funny part. I mean, if you wanna make a skateboard video, just make one, man.

WEEZY F BABY PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT from DERICK G on Vimeo.

Drake ~ Headlines (Official Video) from OctobersVeryOwn on Vimeo.