All About Lily Chou-Chou

A love for music. A passion for music. An obsession for music. However you want to describe it, the truth is that there are tons of ways for people to represent how strongly they feel about the music they listen to. For some it's simple: When the album of your favourite band drops, be there to pick up the latest release. But others are more diligent, dare I say, obsessive with their music tastes. Sometimes this obsession is relished, dare I say, a compliment; it all depends on the listener.

The truth is, whether a band is the most mainstream band in the nation, or the most independent artist you can find, you'll probably also see some fans tucked in tow, some fans more infatuated than others. And in our day and age, with the viral internet world, it's incredibly easy to express your passion for almost any band on Earth.

In my experience, Japanese bands are the best at gathering a hardcore fanbase, to the point of being wildly mad for the band. While many bands can garner a huge following with graceful ease, I simply haven't ever seen anyone top what some J-rock and J-Pop bands have done. The Pillows has transcended all sorts of barriers: international boundaries, language barriers, and even genre barriers, as their music was prominently featured in the Japanese anime FLCL. Quruli has amassed a wildly extensive fanbase with their perky J-pop, while An Cafe seems to have listeners in every nook and cranny of every continent. Don't even get me started on Dir en grey, the infamous J-rock meets visual kei meets metal band that has quickly began seeping into mainstream American alt-rock. The devotion of these bands fans is incomparable.

Music and the obsession that can pervade it. The idea can almost seem ethereal at times. Neigh, at times, music can seem to have an ether flowing through it. There are a few who are graced by this mysterious ether, but they're the artists who shine forth stronger and brighter than any star in the sky. They transcend the barriers of the world with their own interpretations of the Ether, and their ability to change the world around them without batting an eyelash is what makes their Ether so strong - what makes these artists so powerfully prudent, and so unfathomable (dare I say) utopian. There is one musical artist who's Ether never needs to be judged (besides Debussy, of course). Her name is Lily Chou-Chou.

Let's talk all about Lily Chou-Chou. That's [ree-ree shu-shu] for us off the Islands of the Rising Sun. Lily Chou-Chou is in touch with the Ether. She flows with the Ether. She welcomes you to the Ether. She welcomes you with open arms. Her music is her expression of the Ether, and all us simple peasantfolk need to do is to kokyuu [breathe], and embrace the Ether with our own soul/love/ideals/passions. Lily Chou-Chou is one of the most inspirational, facinating artists to ever create music. Did I also mention she's fictional?

The movie is titled, リリイ・シュシュのすべて [All About Lily Chou-Chou], and was created and directed by Shunji Iwai. All About Lily Chou-Chou was conceived as an online novel through a Japanese BBS titled Lilyholic; some of the fictional characters from the story posted to the BBS; thus, readers of the internet novel were free to post alongside the fictional characters, integrating themselves into the novel as their own web-based characters - becoming a physical presence within the story of Lily Chou-Chou, the mysterious, reclusive, subtle, beautiful Japanese songstress her was entwined with the omnipresent, indescribable force known as the Ether.

From this online novel came All About Lily Chou-Chou, Shunji Iwai's eerie, slightly demented, yet wholly enlightening and masterfully created feature film. Telling the story of several obsessive Lily Chou-Chou, stuck in their country town surrounded by green rice fields in all directions, All About Lily Chou-Chou is truly a one of a kind film. The kids of the story are forced to grow up in reckless abandon, all the while Lily Chou-Chou is planning a huge concert at a local venue. The movie stands a triumphant masterpiece of Iwai's work as a filmmaker and writer.

All About Lily Chou-Chou is easily one of the best films of the last decade, and is definitely something you don't want to miss. How does Voilà!, a simple music blog, tie this in? Easily: All About Lily Chou-Chou offers a very honest expression of the oddity that is music in the modern age, albeit the strange story that accompanies it. It goes into everything from live shows to internet obsession (Lilyphilia, if you will); a diligently crafted story about love and loss - about growing up and learning of life's true Ether - it's true oddity and depravity - all surrounded by beautiful sounds of the fictional Lily Chou-Chou.

It's abstract, yeah, but it's a movie for true music lovers. The movie tops out over two hours, and is entirely in Japanese. It's also contains some extremely intense imagery, and is definitely not for the lighthearted. But if you're the type to stomach something intense, powerful, and magnificent all wrapped together, All About Lily Chou-Chou is right up your alley. You can find yourself a copy of All About Lily Chou-Chou on Amazon.com, at your leisure, or you can hear the wonderful sounds of Lily Chou-Chou herself (vocaled by the singer Salyu) right here, on her Myspace. Welcome to the Ether.

Review: Chase This Light - Jimmy Eat World

When people think of the band Jimmy Eat World (and by people, I mean the average music enthusiast, not hardcore fans), the tune of "The Middle" pops into their head, and they envision a pop-rock band from eight years ago, not knowing that they've since released two amazing records, and before had three others less noticed. True, the hit single did land them in the realm of stardom, allowing many, me included, passage to their great music. But after Bleed American (since retitled simply Jimmy Eat World), and the follow-up hit album Futures, comes their best record yet in Chase This Light, which was released in October of 2007 (but never too old to review it).

The album begins with the single "Big Casino", obviously the most recognizable of all eleven tracks, but also probably the most "rock" song on the record. As the album progresses, we are delighted by a very balanced array of sounds from slower melodies-- "Gotta Be Somebody's Blues" -- to the more upbeat, pop-rock hits like "The Middle"-- "Always Be", "Carry You", "Here it Goes", etc. It may seem vague, and somewhat unoriginal to say that an album is very widely spread, but it is nothing less than true when it comes to Chase This Light, when one second you are rocking out to a great chorus, the next the drums have disappeared and you are merely being serenaded by intense guitar and vocals.

What stands out so much about this album, at least to me, is how easy it is to listen to. Not one song comes across to me as least favorite, but rather each song begs to be my favorite after each listen. Furthermore, not only does it flow incredibly from song to song, they all sound amazingly happy-- that is, as the sun begins to shine increasingly more in beautiful Oregon, I can listen to the entire album through over and over while never ceasing to smile and bang my head in time. Currently, and probably for a long time, my true favorite song is "Always Be", whose chorus is just so uplifting that I can't help but mouth the lyrics every time they come up. But, as I said, each song is so great that to choose a favorite is meaningless. It's followed by "Carry You", which seems to get better as the song goes on, and hits a peak as the last chorus ends-- this is typically where Jimmy Eat World (or JEW for short) is at their best, when the song has been building for a few minutes, they seem to just outdo themselves and an explosion of emotion breaks out.

The song to follow this one, "Electable (Give it Up)", again repeats my frustration, a very catchy lyric repeating "give it up!" throughout the song. "Gotta Be Somebody's Blues" is kind of jammed in between the ten faster, upbeat, songs, but not to say that it is out of place. The song alone demands respect with its attention to detail, a great skill JEW employs throughout their softer songs, adding to them beautiful lyrics, and some cool effects to brighten them up. "Feeling Lucky" acts as sort of a reprise of "Let it Happen" or "Electable", retreating to the upbeat pop-rock song, and again employing great harmony vocals. "Here it Goes", along with "Chase This Light", and "Firefight", act as great builder-ups to the finale-- each have very catchy choruses, particularly "Here It Goes". "Dizzy", the last track, is the dream of all pop-rock drummers (like me), not too fast, but not too slow, a perfect tempo to play to. If I had to choose a 2nd favorite, it might be this song-- not only does it use great drum technique, the lyrics are great, the chord progression is perfect, and like all JEW songs, the chorus is just right for the rest of the song. I especially enjoy the lyrics, "I tried, but it rang and rang / I called all night. On a pay-phone, remember those / from another life."

I highly recommend this album, along with the rest of their discography. But personally, having been a fan of theirs for a long time, and being well versed in their collection, I love this album the most. I cannot stress enough how well this album plays together, from start to finish-- not a moment of dissatisfaction, not a second of displeasure, just insanely catchy, pop-rocky genius for 40 minutes straight. And what's not to love about that?

Review: The Hazards Of Love - The Decemberists

The Decemberists have come a long way from when their first EP was released—a simply orchestrated set of six songs that were devised of nothing more than vocals, a few guitars, some acoustic bass, accordion and perhaps an organ here or there. Across the span of four full-length albums and a few shorter EPs, the band has accrued many styles, and what seems like an entire army of support in fans. But nothing prior to this release could have even slightly prepared my ears for what they have created over the last two and a half years since The Crane Wife hit stores. And this masterpiece encompasses sounds that I couldn't have even imagined to be this same band if I hadn't heard them in years past.

The band dabbled with the idea of a concept album with The Crane Wife, when merely two songs dealt with the story in its title. But with the coming of The Hazards of Love - from start to finish - nearly one hour of music - is entirety a flood of drama, romance, revenge, and excitement, that leaves me—listener and humble fan—breathless.




I. Prelude

What begins as a small hum of sound grows continuously, and, with the addition of the organ and eventual strings, becomes a foreboding of the album as a whole. The song alone grants vision into the epic tale about to be told.

II. The Hazards of Love 1 (The Prettiest Whistles Won't Wrestle the Thistles Undone)

I heard this song played by Colin solo over the winter, and to hear it finally put together with the rest of the band is pure bliss. As the first track featuring lyrics, it gave me hope for the rest of the album that Colin hadn't lost his touch for amazing wordplay, fascinating word choice, and - as always - perfection in the voicing of his lyrics (...perhaps I'm biased). The track seems to hit a climax in the third section when the drums kick in, softly persuading me to nod my head up and down in time. And as Colin repeats: "Undone...,” and Chris' suave guitar solo exits; I am left gasping for more.

III. A Bower Scene

"Hazards of Love 1", this, and the next song played seamlessly in Colin's live renditions, but of course, were missing the additions of his ensemble. This track may be one of my favorites in the album due to the effect it plays on me. Perpetually in crescendo, it continues to create suspense, leading ultimately in each verse to the hardest riff I've heard The Decemberists even dare to play, topped off with Colin's echoing voice fading into noise, and a perfect transition into the next track.

IV. Won't Want For Love (Margaret in the Taiga)

With this song we are introduced to Margaret, voiced by Becky Stark of Lavender Diamond, whose voice penetrates even the weakest ear. The notion of using alternate voices in song to portray female characters has been used before in their songs - "Mariner's Revenge Song", "Chimbley Sweep", etc - but never before has it been used in this way, throughout the album, and so deeply focused. When listening it feels almost like an opera to which just the audio has been recorded. The attention and emotion is so evident that it makes me appreciate it that much more.

V. The Hazards of Love 2 (Wager All)

Reverting back to the first of the quarter of title tracks, we are presented with simple guitar and Colin's vocals, lightly garlanded with Chris's guitar, Nate's bass, and harmonies, and slowly accented by John's drums. Entering just after Colin echoes, "The hazards of love," are the gentle tones of Jenny's organ to serenade us into the second verse. What began as perhaps my least favorite song easily grows to woo me just as every other song has done, demanding that I sing along as loud as my lungs can allow, "I will wager all!"

VI. The Queen's Approach

In enters the Queen's character, yet not her voice, and the story begins to complicate ever so slowly. And might I add, it had been a very long time gone from banjo in this band's music, and may it stay for good.

VII. Isn't it a Lovely Night?

Voiced in duet by Becky and Colin, this song presents what little hopes one can have for light-hearted music in the album. Even the content of the lyrics is that of celebration rather than sorrow, displaying the birth of Margaret's child to William, her love. It's in times like these that I am reminded of the quirky band that I fell in love with from the beginning, when after the lyrics have passed, the waltz breaks in to serenade us a few rounds before regressing back to the story.

VIII. The Wanting Comes in Waves / Repaid

Perhaps the most complex of the album's songs, broken into four parts, as if a mirroring conversation between son and mother, we are dropped right into the thick of the Queen's plot. This song defines solely in part one's chorus the genius that is Colin Meloy, if I can be so bold. Part two (and four respectively) enters the voice of the Queen - Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond - strong and full of depth. I was very impressed with the range she showed, from the lows in the verse, to the very high notes she belts in the pinnacle of the song. But what most impressed me was how she took on the character of the Queen. Even when merely listening to the vocals, I can feel the effort she puts in and I can see the character in my mind. It's a truly inspiring performance.

IX. An Interlude

A much needed relaxing song. Pure bliss: banjo, acoustic guitar in the foreground, echoing ambient guitar in the background, a song that reminds me very much of "Of Angels and Angles" (off of Picaresque) in its style. A great addition, especially following the emotion driven song before it, and perhaps the song it precedes as well.

X. The Rake's Song

We've all heard it, or at least I hope we've all heard it. It might be the only song from the album fit to be a single, and maybe that's why they released it a good two months prior to the LP's release. Colin reminds us with the Rake that he is amazing at creating characters we love to hear of, and yet loathe the very core. He did it with the antagonist of "Mariner's Revenge Song", or that of "The Landlord's Daughter", or the "Shankill Butchers", and he does it again with the Rake. Beautifully woven into lyric, we learn that this man married at twenty-one, watched as his wife bore three children, and on the fourth, died during the birth, taking along the unborn - and "ugly," mind you - Myfanwy. So what does he do? He kills them one by one: by poison, by drowning, and lastly, by burning. Colin's sure done it, we loathe him, but we love to hear the story told: "All right! All right! All right!"

XI. The Abduction of Margaret

Replaying to the tune of "A Bower Scene," the story of Margaret is resumed. Sort of an annex to one of my favorite songs on the album, I'm kindly rewarded with a couple more minutes to bang my head in rocking.

XII. The Queen's Rebuke / The Crossing

And oh what a joy to find that that super rock riff is itself the foundation for a song of its own, sung by none other than Shara Worden, the Queen. Delicately played slowly, and lightly harmonized by soft vocals, this song is absolutely brilliant, not to mention a pretty cool solo by Chris Funk separating the two verses, and after to bridge between the two parts of the song, in which the organ plays again a strong role. The crossing is that of the wild river, spoken of in the song prior, and to which the next song is devoted, a rival to the title of my favorite song.

XIII. Annan Water

Beginning beautifully, with light ukulele, accordion, and shakers of course, then the entering of the strong acoustic 12-string that Colin so often uses, he chants my favorite verse of the album: "Annan Water, you loom so deep and wide / I would cross over if you would stem the tide / Or build a boat that I might ford the other side / To reach the farther shore where my true love lies in wait for me." Alone this verse stands to show what beauty Colin can weave through his lyrics. The chorus of this song stands out a bit also, dropping what seems like any form of beat and rhythm, solely relying on Jenny's organ and Colin's voice to carry us, but all the more entrancing. And just as much, the brilliant solo work of Chris Funk in the interlude.

XIV. Margaret in Captivity

Back we are shown to Colin's guitar and solo voice, and a menacing feeling as Nate enters on his acoustic bass. The piece starts to find its place as Becky chants the same words Colin previously called in "Won't Want For Love." The song ends adding strings and building to a great climax fading into the next track.

XV. The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge!)

I told you there was revenge, just not for whom. It took me a few listens, I admit, to connect this piece to the album's story, but when finally identifying its lyrics, we are given vindication for the Rake's murdered children. In what might be the band's most haunting song to date, creepy organ, somewhat odd drums and sound effects, and downright torturous strings prying at my ears, I can find solace knowing that the band has created something that no one else could even fathom, and then somehow enjoy the sinister song.

XVI. The Wanting Comes in Waves (Reprise)

Beginning to the same rocked out version of its former song in "Hazards of Love 3", this track presents itself as a very nice recovery tune, and alludes to my truly favorite song of the album.

XVII. The Hazards of Love 4 (The Drowned)

What can I say to compress such an amazing song as this? It begins with flawless guitar, perfect bass, incredible lyric work, and to a drummer, the perfect tempo for an album finisher. And with each verse, I'm convinced of its perfection, to which I'm only convinced wrong when the next verse comes, beautiful and full of emotion. Chris has an awe-inspiring slide guitar solo in between, aided by strings, giving way for my favorite of all verses: "Margaret the lapping waves are licking quietly at our ankles / Another bow, another breath, this brilliant chill's come for the shackle / With this long last rush of air we speak our vows in starry whisper / And when the waves came crashing down / he closed his eyes and softly kissed her." And with its end, softly chanting, "These hazards of love / never more will bother us," I'm almost convinced that I myself will no longer bear the burdens of love.

Review: Mama, I'm Swollen - Cursive

I am a huge Cursive fan. I began listening to them when I was in seventh grade (mind you I am now a high school senior), with songs from a mixed CD that a good friend made for me. She later burned me copies of The Ugly Organ and Domestica, both of which I listened to incessantly. I was obsessed. I still list The Ugly Organ in my top five most influential CDs - ones that changed me, got me through hard times, and were just plain good.

When I was at the end of my eighth grade year, I saw Cursive (as well as my favorite poet, Saul Williams) on the Plea for Peace tour at Trees in Dallas. It was the most beautiful musical experience I had ever had. I nearly cried. And of course, I was in eighth grade and had not experienced much live music, so I may have just been overwhelmed by everything... but their performance struck a chord in my heart.

The newest addition to their repertoire, Mama, I'm Swollen, does not disappoint. "Let Me Up" has dynamic contrast comparable to that of "The Lament of Pretty Baby", with soft whispers and builds up to big bangs. My favorite song on the album is the CD's (I suppose) namesake, "Mama, I'm Swollen". The verse, "Born 'neath the blood red sun" is haunting and is always running through my mind.

I know the actual description of the CD is short; I'm listening to it. I'm distracted. I love it more than any words I can write. I am thrilled that Cursive still has it in them. Buy it, right now. It's really inexpensive online, and 100000% worth it. Yes, I know that there is no such percentage.

Thank you for reading! Dosvedanya, mio bombinos!

Review: Tonight: Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand

Consistency is a fickle thing, especially in the music business. You build a rapport with your initial fans, of course. You debut your band to the world, because you have this awesome, unique sound, which you know people will like, and you're dying to share. Then comes the tricky part. Because music is like an art form, and the only way it's really interesting is if it's constantly evolving. You want to advance your style, to attract a new, broader audience, but don't want to lose your true fans who have supported your collective through thick and thin. Plenty of bands struggle with this difficult decision - the decision of changing to make their sound better, or choosing not to fix something that isn't broken - and both roads are well travelled.


But there is one band whose style, grace, eclectic nature, and wonderfully fun musical vibrancy which has done the unheard of: they have maintained the musical stylings that they began their career with, while maturing and evolving their musical expressions into a sexy, smooth, sleek sound that continues to impress. They have entirely usurped the cliché that a band can not remain themselves with any amount of consistency as they continue to grow and make new, grandiose musical hits. They effortless set themselves apart from their peers with their distinct sound and exciting presentation and image. Though, I guess these things come naturally when you name yourself after Austrian Archdukes. This band is, in fact, Franz Ferdinand, after all.

Some may not remember, but back in the day (we're talking 2004, folks), if you had your eye out for new music - and kept aforementioned eyes pinned to the telly - you were likely to have caught wind of a certain new music that was causing a lot of chatter amongst musically intrigued. Something about a fabulously directed video, using tons of abstract images, and quirky, vintage looking pop-art. The song had an incredibly addictive beat, and the lyrics quite a blast to sing along to. And all anyone really knew was that the song belonged to some impeccably dressed band from Scotland who nobody really ever heard of.

Franz Ferdinand certainly has come quite a long way from their eponymous freshman release and songs like "Take Me Out" and "The Dark of the Matinée." After about seven years, which have led these folks all around the world playing their danceable art rock, Franz Ferdinand has come full circle in their sound with the release of their third album, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand. For the die-hard fan who has been listening since the release of Franz Ferdinand, Tonight presents a definite change in Franz Ferdinand's sound. But of course, sound was a big issue to be addressed by the band.

They point this out in their mini-documentary for Tonight: Franz Ferdinand. "Part of the evolution of a band is developing a sound and an identity.... if you're going to move on, you're going to have to lose certain elements of your previous sound." Indeed, Franz Ferdinand planned the change, and the change shows. Tonight emphasizes a strong element of electronic instrumentation, taking away from the odd aesthetic of off-kilter chords and wild guitar strumming that Franz Ferdinand built their sound upon in the past. "We used a lot more electronic gear on this record, but we tried to play it live as a band."

This natural element shines forth in Tonight as well. Every song on the record sounds vibrant, novel, and crisp. But the shift in style goes beyond Franz Ferdinand's evolution of from aesthetics, into the ideals of a switch in mood. You Could Have It So Much Better had "Fade Together," and "Eleanor Put Your Boots Back On," both songs which were more sombre and toned down for the Scottish quartet's usual styles. None of this same sort of calm sentimentalism on Tonight; this is part of the skin Franz Ferdinand has shed in their evolution. Tonight ends in a sort of quiet reflection with "Dream Again," and an almost perky love ditty, "Katherine Kiss Me." And these are the only two exceptions on the record.

The rest of the album is a sheer torrent of dancing, sweating, and feisty belligerence. In the same way Architecture In Helsinki separated from their original sound on Places Like This, Franz Ferdinand opted that Tonight should express two ideals very concretely: raucous fun and rampant frivolity. 'Come on, let's get high. Well, I'm bored... I'm bored. Let's get high!' chants the lyrics of "Ulysses" as the introduction song builds until it blasts straight into a chorus of wild parties and drunken nights of soaking rain lost in downtown Glasgow. And, how do they say? 'The night is still young.' Indeed, Tonight is still young after the last squeaks and squeals trail off at "Ulysses'" end. Then your hurled through a hurricane of dance-rock-art-pop rock that is scientifically crafted to make your body move.

Heavy in bass and electronic keyboards, among other abstract ambient noises which add a thorough density, Tonight is a steady, invigorating, enlivening lecture in fêtes. Franz Ferdinand's past style has always been somewhat danceable, but extravagantly boisterous, attitude packed anthems like "Turn It On," "No You Girls," and "What She Came For," are the sort of songs that make club DJs drool and leave listeners weak at the knees. And this doesn't even begin to touch on how expressive Tonight. As Alex Kapranos says, "Tonight: Franz Ferdinand is music... to fling yourself around your room to as you psyche yourself for a night of hedonism, for the dance-floor, flirtation, for your desolate heart-stop, for losing it and loving losing it, for the chemical surge in your bloodstream. Its for that lonely hour gently rocking yourself waiting for dawn and it all to be even again."

The entire album boils down to "Lucid Dream," which is possibly Franz Ferdinand's most experimental song to date. Beginning in an almost reminiscent mood, recollective of something on the tame side, such as "Walk Away," "Lucid Dream" breaks out of its shells into a devilish, disorienting, hypnotic four-minute long instrumental that will break the bass on any speaker that has reached the appropriate volume. A song you'd expect off !!!'s latest album. It's a trip, to explicate as eloquently as possible. But all the while, throughout Franz Ferdinand's graphic changes, they have retained a certain part of themselves. Something distinct, unique, to the surreptitious to these silly Scots. While their new sound is different, it will certainly not detract any lovers of everything that is Franz Ferdinand.

They say things are "changing for the better." Sometimes change isn't a good thing, sure. But they also say that sometimes, you can have "too much of a good thing." That's the story of Franz Ferdinand: too much of a good thing, so they made it better. Tonight: Franz Ferdinand is a rowdy and boisterous celebration of partying, and is a record that can't be missed those under the beat of the dancing hearts.

Review: We Brave Bee Stings And All - Thao with The Get Down Stay Down

Cursive said it best: "We all know art is hard." Art and expression are hand in hand. They're dating, in fact. Don't worry, they practice safe sex and they seamlessly blend together to make wonderfully new and enthralling forms of visual, audio and/or imaginative bliss. But art and expression are also progressive; the process of expressing oneself through an art form is an active and ongoing process. Whether the artist has just finished his masterpiece painting, the director just picked up his first video camera, or the songwriter slammed into the infamous writer's block halfway through their latest song, there is always a "to be continued..." There will always more to express, and new ways to express; ergo, our artists must stay in top form to continue expressing themselves in the strongest way they possibly can.

But Thao Nguyen knows a thing or two about expression. "Feet Asleep is a tribute song for my mother," Thao says in an interview with imeem. "She owns a laundromat and drycleaner. Her hours are sick: about eight to eleven at night everyday for the past ten years.... The narrative perspective of 'Feet Asleep' is from her voice, saying things that she would never say. Y'know, complaining or acknowledging the difficulty and the hardship of it. Cause she never would, but in a way, I'm complaining for her.... But to make it less depressing, I made it a hootenanny."

Yes, Thao knows art and expression like the back or her hand. For this Virginia-bred singer-songwriter, creativity from her and her band, The Get Down Stay Down, have been flowing like a steady river since they formed. And they now have a shining beacon of expression under their belt with their latest release, We Brave Bee Stings And All. The album stands strong on all forms as a great expression of life, love, and family are combined into a steady, some dare say poppy, blend of contemporary folk rock that will certainly perk a fine listener's ears.
We Brave Bee Stings... launches straight into a blast of guitars, brass, and ukulele with "Beat (Health, Life and Fire)," introducing the expert poetic skills of Nguyen, the excellent production abilities of producer Tucker Martine (The Decemberists, Sufjan Stevens, Laura Veirs), and the musical talents of The Get Down Stay Down. And the album doesn't slow down there, following up with "Bag Of Hammers," "Big Kid Table," and many more excellently composed songs, all with a unique story to tell.

"I was a Sociology in Women's Studies major in college, and women's advocacy work - because of the way I grew up - I've always been interested. And so, 'Swimming Pools' is essentially about how women before me and women of my generation have to voluntarily and involuntarily sort of absorb everything that's out there," Nguyen says. "It's the idea that we can somehow absorb all of that before the little girls grow up."

"Geography" tells the tough story about cheaters with the almost completely antonymous, fun filled folk-pop juxtaposed along to the lyrics, while excellent songs like "Fear and Convenience" highlight Thao's amazing guitar playing while retaining that the progressiveness and honest pulse the entire album flies like a flag. We Brave Bee Stings... never slows down, consistently treating listeners to the beautiful country-tinged songs that only Thao and her posse can seem to produce.
We Brave Bee Stings And All offers an excellent set of songs that any avid music fan would love, especially if your in the mood for some contemporary folk with a flair. We Brave Bee Stings And All is currently available at fine retailers and online outlets as we speak. Expression and art both come in many forms, both requiring a great deal of experience to accomplish correctly. It seems quite apparent that this sophomore release proves that Thao with The Get Down Stay Down have all the experience in spades, and aren't about to hesitate in laying it on the table. The Big Kid Table, even.

Review: Narrow Stairs - Death Cab for Cutie

The marching drum of a career a'drums, a'drums, a'drums in all of us. And we, the people, ever march on so obediently to our faithful callings. From high school, like gazing off a cliff on the west coast out at the endless Pacific Ocean, the world is filled with an endless amount of opportunity. Everyone knows, staring at those western waters, that Japan, China, Australia, Hawaii, Russia, and the rest of the world rests over a few thousand miles of sea. In our lives, our options lay as vast and as open as the Pacific. Where we go, what we do, well that's just up to us.

Musicians face a shoddy, trampled, rough road to trod down. It's not easy to be a rock star in this post-Y2K society, though in essence, it never has been a breeze. Making a name for yourself to record labels, and then gaining street credibility has always been tough; the task is only more cumbersome in our disconnected, intangible superconnection with endless Myspace accounts of would-be troubadours coming and going on a daily basis. Creativity is not a commodity sold at Wal-Mart, and touring is one of the most difficult processes, physically, mentally, and monetarily. To be a successful band is to overcome many, many obstacles that your average desk job won't be dishing out.

But there are veterans amongst the throng of up-and-coming stars, who have influenced music for years; whom are role models for aforementioned would-be's; who's sound has evolved as many times as they have put out an album. Those veterans are Death Cab for Cutie, who put out Something About Airplanes an entire decade ago. The band which has helped bourgeon the talents of Ben Gibbard; the band that has helped develop one of the brightest producers in the music scene, Chris Walla; the band which has slowly defined love with each of their six studio albums. Or maybe they have made love more confusing; one can never tell.

But once again, after all the years, the humble quartet has produced their seventh and latest studio release, Narrow Stairs. Death Cab's music has remained progressive throughout the years of their tenure in the music scene, and the subtle transitions in their sound are audible - almost tangible - in their latest release.

"When we recorded Plans, it was our first major label record, and I think it was a very surgical process," dummer Jason McGerr says on the phone, during Death Cab's documentary, Open Windows, for Current TV. "We really took time to, y'know, groom the whole thing. And this record was a little more like rolling into work with bedhead. If there a little flub, or little twist, or a little turn, or a little bit of a bend here or there in a performance, we signed off on it - we were okay with it... If it feels good, it's good enough to make the record."

Death Cab's style had a prominent shift from Transatlanticism to Plans. Whereas Transatlanticism boasted a more quiet, harmonious, but sociable shift from their previous endeavours on The Photo Album, Plans touted a strange, new Death Cab; a much more matured sound (which says a lot for those who know Death Cab's discography) which leaned toward quiet and sad tunes; toward lamentations rather than explanations. The observance to detail put into Plans was very noticeable, and surely an invigorating change.

But with the release of Narrow Stairs, Death Cab's sound has progressed to a more humbled, personal sound - a quiet, yet pronounced happiness - while retaining a realist perspective that is drifting in the dreams of an idealist. Narrow Stairs opens at a whisper with "Bixby Canyon Bridge," inspired by a very Kerouac style of self-discovery. The song quietly whistles into the ear before it explodes in a vast, heavily layered landscape of sound that nears dream-like status.

"I Will Possess Your Heart," Narrow Stairs' first single, follows as the second track, and by far the best song, which sets the experimental style Death Cab preaches for the rest of the album. The edited versions of this song do it no justice, as the album version launches with a four minute long instrumental intro, slowly building into a deafening, dissonant crescendo, then falling back so close to silence before re-texturing back to a reverberating brilliance. "The song just unfolded as we were playing together," says Ben Gibbard in his interview for Open Windows. "And everybody was kind of just finding themselves in the song... By the time the song turns into this juggernaut, everybody's just moving forward... with this fervour that I feel like we earned as the song keeps building, and building..."

After the buzz of the speakers quiets at the end of track two, the album launches forth into a steady stream of excellently composed songs. "No Sunlight" allows Death Cab for Cutie to flex their muscles with some of their pop tendencies, while the backhanded compliments of "You Can Do Better Than Me" are like an awkward antonym to "What Sarah Said" from Plans. "Grapevine Fires" takes listeners to the west coast, with cultural references of the California grass fires. Nostalgia lingers in songs like "Cath..." which brings reminders of "We Laugh Indoors" from The Photo Album, while the album's finale, "The Ice Is Getting Thinner," takes listeners back to "20th Century Towers" from Death Cab's Stability EP.

The musical composition throughout Narrow Stairs shifts from fast to slow - quiet to loud - soft to heavy - back and forth, throughout the entire length of the album. Ben Gibbard's lyrics play with love, veering away from the clichéd and tweaked view, and instead toying with a realistic, matter-of-fact sort of love. "I've always been interested in lionizing the small moments in life... in my own little way, I've tried to do that," says Gibbard. "The vast majority of life is... not very profound, so you kind of have to try to find find a little profundity in the more mundane elements of life. And I think that tends to be the more interesting."

As these veterans a'drum, a'drum, a'drum away to their musical career, their ingenuity filling our speakers, we can take a deep breath, and hope life will make just a little more sense. Narrow Stairs is now available to in stores and on the internet now, and our favourite minstrels are currently touring stateside, straight through the summer, until August. Death Cab for Cutie's latest album is different; a glorious exclamation of life in its simplest form, expressed in the most complex way one can express such a mind-bogglingly confusing event. Death Cab shows that they don't have a few cards up their sleeve, but a whole deck that they're waiting to deal in an excellent hand.

Review: [self-titled] - Bam Bam

It's difficult to define "good music." People say consistently, constantly, incessantly, "I like good music. I listen to the greatest music. I'll only listen to the best music." But what is this good music that everyone's talking about? How do you define good music? I think one definition that everyone can agree on is: that good music can be listened to by a large audience and accepted, that good music can transcend our society's barriers, that good music breeds talent from talented, versatile musicians, and that good music is pretty damn fun to listen to.


Bam Bam, of Monterrey, Mexico, accomplishes all of the above, and do so fluently with the release of their brand new, debut, self-titled album. These fun folks play an eclectic style of progressive, but extremely textured indie rock with a Mexican flair. Regular readers will remember them from the article featuring them for South By Southwest. It just so happens that just before their march into Austin, they released their debut album to the public. And the results were fabulous.


First off, Bam Bam has a unique style in which the band can thrive with their creativity, molding amazing hits. They tease their listeners, giving their building, breathing album the powerful introduction that is "Oro Flash." Then it's straight to business with solid songs dipped in indie rock perfection. No gimmicks with these songs; Bam Bam keeps it simple with incredibly well textured songs throughout the entire album. Their style is fast paced and thorough, but not too eccentric and esoteric to deter the average listener. In fact, Bam Bam makes hits that are infinitely magnetic, drawing listeners from far and wide.

Secondly, they transcend our society's barriers. Oh, did I not mention? When I said Bam Bam is from Monterrey, I meant it. 100% of their songs' lyrics are in Spanish. While some have started poring through Spanish-[insert language] dictionaries or are ready to invest in the purchase to find the poetic meanings of these wonderful songs, Bam Bam's music is universal. The draw from catchy songs like "Trepebalcones" can have anyone dancing and dying to sing along, whether you're from the United States, Russia, or Japan.

Third, no band, especially one releasing their debut album, could get by without a little help from each other. Bam Bam is a group effort, and it shows in spades. The quartet uses every instrument in their arsenal, creating everything from slow moving wonders like "Si Viviera En Paris," hits that sound like they already sound as if they belong on the radio, like "Por Favor No Vuelvas A Nacer," and true finales, as shown in "Astrobilly."

Fourth, did I mention their music is pretty damn fun? Bam Bam has a solid run of seven incredibly strong songs that will keep your ears begging for more after the album ends at nearly 30 minutes, which need I remind is a very impressive feat for any sort of debut. The band truly shines with their unique style ever-reminiscent of J-Rock band, The Pillows, with amazing tracks such as "Hi-Q." The shining moment of Bam Bam is "Sin Las Patas Traseras," which sounds like the Mexican version of long lost Canadian-twin song, "Superconnected" by Broken Social Scene, as Bam Bam allows the song to lavish in huge, sheer, speaker-breaking walls of sound and wild dissonance, proving that they can easily stand nose to nose with true veterans in the field.

The true spirit of Bam Bam's debut is that of wild parties, tonnes of energy, ecstatic atmosphere, and the best music to be heard from Central America. Released on March 19th, via Nene Records of Monterrey, Mexico, the album is presently available through the Nene Record website for free download. You can also snag yourself physical copy of Bam Bam if you get in contact with lead vocalist/guitarist Mou at [mou@gmail.com]. This is an album of 2008 that you are definitely not going to want to miss, from a band that proves Mexico has a fair point to make with their own brand of indie rock.

Jingle Spells For Christmas 2007

Okay, granted, it's only the second week in November. Who wants to think about Christmas now? Thanksgiving hasn't even passed, and even though everyone and their mother knows that Christmas is right around the corner, and after we've had all our post-turkey naps we'll have to struggle our way waste deep in muggles to get into the Christmas shopping.

Well he's a good sign of the coming Christmas that you can take advantage of now. And yes, I did say muggles, because this year you can spend your Christmas with wizards. The Leaky Cauldron, notorious blog-anthology-thing for Harry Potter nerds, is doing their yearly act of charity. Every year, they hold of sale with the intention of giving away all proceeds to Book Aid, a foundation which promotes literacy. Nice eh?

This year, they're doing something a tad different. They're presenting Jingle Spells: Leaky's Rocking Christmas 2007 as their fund raiser. Jingle Spells is a compilation of your favorite Wizard Rock artists singing joyous Potter-related Christmas songs.

If you've been missing out on the fun, there's his whole new genre of music known as Wizard Rock, which specializes in music strictly about wizards, unicorns, and the Harry Potter universe. It's a pretty big deal, and about as independent as music gets these days.

Jingle Spells is essentially Sufjan Stevens' Songs For Christmas without the long song titles and banjos. Bouncy, eclectic wizard rock from the best in the genre (including Harry and the Potters, Draco and the Malfoys, and Ginny and the Heartbreakers (I'm not making these names up)). And I must say, I can't WAIT for the Gred and Forge's song "The Twelve Days Of Wizard Christmas" and The Moaning Myrtles "Wrocking Around The Bathroom."

Why tell you all this pre-Thanksgiving then? Because The Leaky Cauldron is selling this only for limited release. You have to put your orders in before December 10th. Sure, you have a lot of time, but you definitely don't want to miss your chance to grab this limited album. Be sure to mosey on over to The Leaky Cauldron and place your order, not to mention check out the playlist with previews of the songs.

Album Review: Punch Your Lights Out EP - Danger: Radio

It has been long time waiting, but FINALLY, after many months of being forced to refresh their Myspace page, Danger: Radio is releasing their EP, Punch Your Lights Out, on iTunes. Before now, Danger: Radio had only been selling at their shows, a sure let down to fans who hadn't been able to see them. No longer!

I've been crazy for Danger: Radio for longer than I care to remember. I picked on them along with Andrew De Torres' exploits with The Scene Aesthetic, way back before D:R somehow got their original Myspace deleted. Since then, I've been able to see their style of music grow and evolve in ways that I'd be forced to use adjectives that are synonymous to "good."

Danger: Radio is a crazy little quintet out of Washington who's forte is for the wild and dancey. With an eccentric, and truly unique form of dance rock, mixing classic 80s vibes and funk, with modern rock and alt.-indie vibes and their fun/singable lyrics, these guys just have the need to party coming out of every section of your speakers. I have never failed in showing Danger: Radio to a friend and not see them desperately hide the embarrassment when they realized their body naturally had started moving to the groove.

D:R's style for Punch Your Lights Out is refined from their completely original sound, previously heard on their limited released album, The Difference Between Love and Envy; but their new material is perfected, mastered, and a real treat. Essentially, this is a compilation of all the demos they've produced over the past year or so, but ever so worth the measly 5$ it will cost you. All 5 songs on the EP keep the mood, and keep your body moving the entire time. Party Foul gets funky down to a science, while you get a taste of the latest D:R offers with two of their more recent works, Sparkle Baby Shine and Keep It Up.

The Punch Your Lights Out EP is a huge break and relief from the serious and introspective mumbo-jumbo that music sometimes gets dragged down in. This will stretch out you limbs and get you on your feet! Warning: Side effects may be random dance parties and fun times. In some severe cases, extreme euphoria has been noted in listeners. In the event that happiness continues for longer than the length of the album, please be sure to contact your local physicians at Danger: Radio's Myspace to catch some of their latest material.

Album Review: In Rainbows - Radiohead

Ever listened to a record that everybody was raving about and right after listening, not quite understanding the hype? Wasn't all you expected? Completely different than you had pictured it? That's a little like how In Rainbows was the first time I listened to it. The overall sound of the album is not what I expected considering the sound of their last release, 2003's Hail to the Thief. However, just as many Radiohead albums before it, this one takes time to grow on you. I was not surprised as this. With Pablo Honey, The Bends, and OK Computer as your only previous knowledge of Radiohead, I would be shocked if you could honestly appreciate and love Kid A on the first listen. The distinguishing attribute about this breaking-in process for In Rainbows, however, is the speed at which it happened. I had a large grin on my face throughout the whole first listen, but it was just so...different. Now, midway through my fifth listen, I am in love with this album. My fondness for this album has grown exponentially with each listen. Anyways, moving on to the album.

Radiohead's sound is both incredibly stripped down and lush at the same time. If you're a dedicated Radiohead fan like me, you know one of their trademarks is their thick, full production, never leaving out something that could add to the experience. Producer Nigel Godrich has been known (not so fondly, by many fans) to tone down the drums and bass in past Radiohead cuts, and for adding effects, from discreet to blatant, to vocalist Thom Yorke's voice. This time around, it's a whole different ball game. Yorke's voice is crisp, up front, and on many songs on the album, completely unrendered. Phil Selway's drumming is, for the most part, completely live and acoustic (as opposed to electronically mixed and tweaked in tone), and is anything but toned down. The true stars of this album, however, are the Greenwood brothers, Colin and Jonny. Colin's bass playing is booming and rhythmic (just when you thought his bass on Airbag from OK Computer was as melodic as it would get for him), and is never in the "background." Jonny's string arrangements, quite frankly, are the best he's ever written. Some are saying this a band at their peak, and that might just be true. Aside from personal preference, it's apparent that Radiohead is showing no signs of slowing down, considering that the album's special discbox release in December includes a second bonus disc of more new tracks; plenty of the creative juices have been flowing in these sessions. Ok, I'll do a review now, for real.

1. 15 Step
What was once a fun, light beat (from the tour version) is now a furious, pounding tantrum, driving the song forward from the very beginning. On the other end of the spectrum, Jonny's guitar riff is still as sweet and infectious as ever. Remember those school kids I mentioned? Well they're not clapping, like I expected. They're cheering! A few times near the end of the song, a fun "Yay!" is let out, bringing back more of the song's friendly nature that it had on tour.

2. Bodysnatchers
Once a rocker, always a rocker. This doesn't deviate from that. It rocks even harder this time around, putting some wicked distortion on that opening guitar riff. It does ease up a bit in the bridge, as opposed to the constant build from the tour version, but the breakdown near the end is as groovy as can be.

3. Nude
What is there to say about Nude? How do you make an endlessly, painfully beautiful song even more heavenly? Jonny Greenwood's genius string arrangements. We knew from a previous Dead Air Space post in February 2006 that there was to be a string quartet on this track, which is partly why this was the most anticipated track on the album for me. There is an intro now, with strings and Thom's voice, leading into the familiar bass line and drum beat. What follows is the most gorgeous four minutes I've heard since "How To Disappear Completely" from Kid A.

4. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
The first few seconds of this track surprised me. The tour version started with the guitars of Ed, Thom, and Jonny, leading into the rhythm section's entrance, and the song was off. It now starts with Phil alone, playing the fast-paced beat, completely unrendered. This led into the song, which probably deviated the most from the tour version than any of the songs. The "weird fishes" section is accompanied by some synth pad sounds reminiscent of those on "Worrywort," the b-side from the single "Knives Out." After an added interlude, the song heads out as before.

5. All I Need
Of all of the tour bootlegs, this was honestly my least favorite. Now, it's a complete 180 degree turn from before. This atmospheric ballad is based on Yorke's piano, which is now a distorted synth. This song's climax is perhaps the most glorious of any on the album (and there's plenty of them, too), ending in an explosion of ethereal goodness.

6. Faust Arp
As I expected, this track was the acoustic track we heard on Nigel's Dead Air Space. And boy, is it ear candy. This finger-picked, folk-esque track is complimented by the best Jonny's string arrangements on the album. Think of a cross between The Beatles' "Blackbird" from the White Album and "She's Leaving Home" from Sgt. Pepper's. Already sounds serene, doesn't it?

7. Reckoner
*applauds*
Radiohead has successfully fooled every fan and critic in the world with this one. Expecting to hear the ripping guitar riff and furious opening line ("Feeling pulled apart by horses") of the "Reckoner" I'd grown to love, this was not what we expected. In fact, the title is the only similarity between the two songs. This song, driven by a tambourine and some fabulous drumming from Phil, continues the vibe of Faust Arp. With a soft riff from Jonny, some warm piano chords from Thom (or Jonny, who knows), some more tasty string arrangements, and Thom's most beautiful falsetto to date, this song is all kinds of yummy.

8. House of Cards
Perhaps the most laid-back song Radiohead's ever written, House of Cards is nearly identical to it's tour equivalent, save omitting some of the background vocals heard on the tour. This song is a good example of uber-reverb at work. The booming in the background is reminiscent of "The Amazing Sounds of Orgy," the b-side off of the "Pyramid Song" single. This song will lull you to sleep in a warm, fuzzy way.

9. Jigsaw Falling Into Place
This track is a sure standout. Building from the beginning, the intense acoustic guitar drives the track, with some low strings complementing the background vocals. The sound of this song is immensely crisp, with a powerful driving force in Phil's drumming and Colin's staccato bass line.

10. Videotape
Of all the tracks on this album, this one is the most complained about in the Radiohead community (I'm an active member on Mortigi Tempo, a Radiohead message board, so I hear plenty of other fans' opinions). What could have been described as "epic" when played live, this track has been toned down, and is now a dark, minimalistic ballad. Comprised of Yorke's piano and vocals, Colin's bass, and a drum beat that you can't really call a beat, this song exhibits the phrase "more is less." The drum beat stumbles and trips, and gives a sense of instability, which may take away from the experience for some, but for me, it just added another layer of suspense. Nonetheless, this is an undeniably haunting closer.

While In Rainbows might not have flowed as seamlessly as Kid A or OK Computer, it was no doubt very cohesive. Of course, my rating now will inevitably change over time, with more plays. As I will for all Radiohead reviews, I will give a standard star rating and set it in my rankings for Radiohead albums. I do this because Radiohead's albums, in my opinion, are simply brilliant (maybe with the exclusion of Pablo Honey...), and while some are clearly better than the other Radiohead albums, it should not take away from how it is against other music out there today.

FOR NOW: OK Computer* = Kid A > In Rainbows > Amnesiac > Hail to the Thief > The Bends >Pablo Honey

*this might have a slight advantage over Kid A for me due to its sentimental value, but based on the music, I see them equally


In Rainbows: * * * * *

Edit:
P.S. This is impressive: On the first day, In Rainbows sold 1.2 million copies.

Review: In Rainbows - Radiohead

Picture this: you run a small shop that sells vegetables in a market. You're humble, but you're known for your amazing vegetables that you sell - they're simply the best thing anyone's ever tasted. But crime is rampant in the market. Everywhere, people's foods and goods are getting stolen by seedy characters. You know you've been thieved from, but there is little you can do to stop it. Instead of tightening security like all your peers though, you do something different. You open your shop for the day, and leave a note on the desk. It says, "These are my vegetables. People tell me that they are wonderful vegetables. Please take what you need, and pay me as much as you see fit. I value your custom." You leave your vegetables out there, unattended, for the masses to take as they please, possibly for no money.


This is exactly what Radiohead has done. In a shocking endeavour that blows any other recent album release out of the water, Radiohead announced merely a week ago that their new album, In Rainbows, will debut online for download. All you have to do is sign up on the website, and offer a sum of money for the album. That is to say, offer any sum of money of your choosing. $50... 20$... free? Radiohead, in a sense, has given their album away, to the masses of the internet, for no money.

The theory is this: music now adays is littered with people who really don't care about bands. They care about the music, and that's all they want; and they will get this music by any means necessary. Music piracy is at an all-time high, simply because it's so easy. Leaked albums spread like wildfire once they hit the net, and with file sharing rampantly spreading, anyone could share entire albums for no money to thousands of people. It's the new form of bootlegging.

Radiohead understood this. So, they did away with the illegality of stealing and sharing music, and essentially said to everyone, "This is the new album, you can have it if you want. If you feel like donating some money for it, be our guest. If not, that's cool - we hope you like it anyway."


Offering a major production, nay, one of the most anticipated albums in years (especially after their hiatus since 2004) for no money? You may think it too good to be true, but in fact, it is fact. The key is, donations are accepted, by whoever is willing to donate (up to £100). Furthermore, for the oppressively addicted fans that Radiohead easily produces, they offered the oddity of a "discbox," a huge special edition of In Rainbows, containing everything from vinyl copies of the album, an extra disc of entirely new material to acompany the original publicly released album, and a hardcover book, all for the price of £40 (about $80US). With tons of fans drooling upon this revelation, there is sure to be a fair amount of discboxs being sent out by December 3rd.



And what of the downloadable content? Just because the album was released for a possible $0.00 profit doesn't mean it's haphazard by any means. On the contrary, this is possibly one of Radiohead's highest achievements. Using an immense amount of minimalism, foreign to their style, and a new recording style, they've pushed their own boundaries to the brinks. Bodysnatchers squashes the conventional single with ease, bringing out fast paced, blazing instruments to every section of your ears, brining back almost the same quality of noise pop. And without further delay, they launch into a soft, slow, beautifully quiet song like Nude. In Rainbows is characterized like a heartbeat's pulse, up and down, from fast and chaos to quiet harmony, and everywhere in between.

In Rainbows is, needless to say, epic; and with songs like All I Need, Faust Arp, and House of Cards, there is little argument against Radiohead at this point. Furthermore, the revolutionary new, brave way of introducing their album is simply profound, and has for once, in a very long time, made the release date of a cd again significant to everyone who gets the album, and has helped make everyone a little happier in doing so by uniting them. With a truly revolutionary sound after a patiently waited hiatus, and a revolutionary new way of debuting albums, it won't be difficult to proclaim Radiohead's In Rainbows is one of the most profound albums of 2007 as well as the decade.

The Rescue - Explosions In The Sky

The Rescue
by Explosions In The Sky
(Review written: April 15, 2006)

Music can be frustrating. That’s a given. I’m sure just about anyone has tried something musically, and I can almost assume that most of aforementioned people are mere amateurs at anything musical (myself included). I can willingly accept my faults, which are many.

There are a lot of things that go into making an album, and being able to present a message you’d like to express, but how about for an entirely instrumental band?

That’s the task that forever awaits Explosions In The Sky. After releasing Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place though, Explosions has decided to take a step back in the song writing process with their release of their 2005 EP, The Rescue.

Normally, a song could be written with great haste, and quickly recorded. But sometimes, songs for Explosions would take literal weeks to come up with as they searched for perfection. The novel concept behind The Rescue though is that the band aimed for a simple, somewhat daunting, but still interesting build of a record: write and record a song every day for two weeks. No riffs were allowed to be written beforehand, making the album essentially an instrumental improvisation.

Two weeks eventually turned into 8 days, but this surely doesn’t diminish the presence this The Rescue exudes. The album still has everything we’ve come to know and love about our favorite Texas post-rockers, but with many innovations and experimentations (including vocals, gasp!).
The songs are much shorter than your typical Explosions track, but each track boasts unique novelties, such as Day 1’s bells, that more than make up. The obvious “ambient song” of an instrumental band shows up on Day 3, a real gem on The Rescue, which includes very distant textured instrumenting along with audio clips from an occasion when their van broke down on their very first tour. The real shining piece of The Rescue shows on the diligent combination of instruments on Day 5, from a result of mixing everything from a piano and xylophone to a tambourine and jingle bells, with everything in between.

Explosions In The Sky proves that with a little ingenuity and abstract thinking, very interesting things can occur, and also show they aren’t a one trick pony and still have something to surprise their fans. Hopefully some ideas drawn from The Rescue EP will rub off on their next full length album.