Mildly Pleased

Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City

If you’re looking for an in-depth analysis of the 1995 Eddie Murphy classic Vampire in Brooklyn, look elsewhere. Instead, here’s something that’s almost as good. Modern Vampires of the City is the third release from Vampire Weekend, the indie pop foursome that’s getting harder and harder to classify. Lucky for them, that’s what makes them so great. Vampire Weekend’s sound has always been tricky to pinpoint. They started out a little Paul Simon-y, their second album was faintly electronic and now they’ve become something almost impossible to define because it’s like nothing we’ve ever heard. Modern Vampires of the City is an amalgamation of everything Vampire Weekend has done previously and then some. Ezra Koenig’s lyrics are more scholarly and insightful than ever, Rostam Batmanglij’s production is more ambitious, and the two Chris’ hold down an always steady rhythm section.

One of the most defining characteristics of Modern Vampires is its foray into baroque pop. Vampire Weekend had played with this classically romantic sound on past songs like “M79″ but here it’s more refined. “Step” is a prime example with its sweeping elegance. There’s a great sense of maturity and growth on Modern Vampires but that doesn’t mean it can’t have fun too. It’s hard to think of anything more enjoyable than the oddly danceable “Diane Young”. Other songs like “Finger Back” and “Worship You” remind us that Vampire Weekend haven’t forgotten the playful punch of their first album. For an artist to grow and adapt without abandoning the sound that made them famous is quite an accomplishment.

I will say that Modern Vampires of the City may not feel as instantly approachable as the first two albums. It’s an unusual sound at first but if you have a pulse you should be able to adapt. I also miss the brevity of past Vampire Weekend songs but I’d sacrifice that any day for better songs. You know you love an album when you eagerly look forward to the next time you sit down and listen to it all over again. Ya Hey!

Favorite Tracks: “Diane Young,” “Step,” “Ya Hey”

Ray Harryhausen: 1920 – 2013
I’m shocked that I didn’t hear about this earlier. Ray Harryhausen was one of the greatest special effects artists of his time. As one of the top pioneers in stop-motion photography he brought countless fantastical creatures to the screen. From his early years as an assistant to Willis H. O’Brien (the animator behind King Kong) on Mighty Joy Young to his monster laden cult classic Clash of the Titans thirtysomething years later, Harryhausen captured the imaginations of many. I’ll always remember him best for Jason and the Argonauts (1963), a film that Tom Hanks once declared: “The greatest movie ever made.” It’s got Hydras, Harpes, a giant statue monster and who could forget the skeletons? When Todd Armstrong faces off against those bony bad guys set to the music of Bernard Herrmann, I get chills.

It’s disappointing that stop-motion has become somewhat of relic, but in a way that only makes Harryhausen’s work more special. It was a different era where effects work was done not with computers but with one’s bare hands. I have a lot of admiration for the patience and attention to detail Harryhause had. So much so in fact that I’ve decided to do a written Top Ten Tribute post to Harryhausen next week. Be on the look out for “Top Ten Harryhausen Monsters” though it wont be easy picking a winner.

The Strokes – Comedown Machine

I feel the same way about The Strokes that I do The Simpsons, it’s not that what they do today is bad, but when you compare it to what it once was it it seems bad. The Strokes released two of the greatest rock albums of the 2000s but have felt directionless since then. First Impressions of Mars was too long with too many cooks (songwriters) in the kitchen. Similarly, each song on Angles had so many parts that it felt like a confused Frankenstein’s monster chasing villagers into the hills. I wouldn’t say either of these albums were bad but they lacked identity. Do the Strokes still want to be East Coast garage rockers? Do they want to be an 80s tribute band? Why can’t they capture what they once had?

Comedown Machine, like Angles is another throw back to the days of vinyl records and Phil Collins domination. Songs like “Tap Out” and “Partners in Crime” wouldn’t have been out of place in a Duran Duran setlist. Titles like, “80′s Comedown Machine” are even less subtle with their message of “We like to do things old school.” As if Julian Casablancas hadn’t already paid his respects to the era of a-ha with his solo record Phrazes for the Young. There’s nothing wrong with going retro if you do it right. But what leaves me more concerned are the tracks I can’t even define.

The album’s lead single “One Way Trigger” is my least favorite Strokes’ single of all time. A mess of busy synths and uncharacteristic falsetto makes for a confusing listen. Luckily, the followup “All the Time” rings more true. It’s not quite hit single material but could have made a nice middle of the lineup track on Room on Fire. Alas, nothing else here harkens back to The Strokes of yesteryear. As many times as I listen to Comedown Machine it just doesn’t want me to remember it.

In my experience, an immediate tepid reaction to a band I like usually leads to a less negative response as times goes by. I adjust to a “new” sound and begin to appreciate it for what it is as opposed to what I want it to be. Yet the more I listen to Comedown Machine the more crestfallen I become. It’s becoming more and more clear that this band will never be what I want it to be ever again. I’m sad to say I have very little interest in what The Strokes will do next. You don’t like my attitude? Then Comedown at me bro.

Favorite Tracks: “All the Time,” “Tap Out”

Atoms for Peace – Amok

It’s been out for awhile, but we couldn’t let this one slip under the radar. Amok is the debut album from “supergroup” Atoms for Peace, aka Thom Yorke’s second solo album. I say this not only for the record’s striking resemblance to Yorke’s 2006 solo debut The Eraser but also it’s lack of humans. Yorke has said time and time again that if he had to choose he’d make music with a computer over real instruments. This ideology appears to be in effect as I have trouble making out what the other non-computer members of the band are doing. Every once in awhile you get that funky Flea bass line, but most of the time it sounds like the bad guy from Tron is doing most of the heavy lifting.

The members of Atmos for Peace are: Thom Yorke (vocals/guitar/keyboards/pretty much everything), Flea (bass), Nigel Godrich (Programming, meaning he’s really just the producer), studio musician Joey Waronker (drums), and Chili Pepper’s collaborator Mario Refosco (percussion). The album begins with “Before Your Very Eyes” one of the few examples on Amok of a whole band playing together. The results are a slightly funky, progressive jam complete with Yorke’s trademark ghostly vocals. This is followed by “Default” one of my favorites and a more appropriate representation of this album. Though “Where’s the band?” (Say it like Clara Peller) is my only question. I don’t hear anyone but synths, beat machines and Yorke. Do I have a problem with that? Yes and no.

The music doesn’t bother me on Amok, quite the contrary. My problem is that this was advertised as a collaboration when it really isn’t. That aside, Atoms for Peace is still a stark and atmospheric record that occupies a fascinatingly strange soundspace. Most importantly, it should appease both fans of Yorke’s solo music and fans of Radiohead. They probably wont fall head over heels for it, but they’ll appreciate it’s eerie beauty and creeping beats. I’m quite partial to “Judge, Jury and Executioner”, the track I could most imagine being a Radiohead song.

At times I feel like Amok is just Thom Yorke dickin’ around, but the more i listen the more it grows on me. There’s never a right way to approach Yorke’s music, you just have to dive right in and either sink or swim.

Favorite Tracks: “Default,” “Dropped,” “Judge, Jury and Executioner”

They Might Be Giants – Nanobots

A new They Might Be Giants album couldn’t have come at a better time. I’ve recently rekindled my love for Malcolm in the Middle (of which TMBG were frequent musical contributors) and am considering seeing the two John’s this June. Before Nanobots, my timeline for TMBG ended at about 1998. I’d never had much interest in pursuing their later work and even less interest pursuing their children’s music. With Nanobots I figured worst case scenario it would be a mildly pleasing collection of poppy, satirical, history lessons. But big surprise, I really like this album.

On the surface, not much separates Nanobots from any previous TMBG record. The songs are short, plentiful and overflowing with wit and poppy melodies. Vocal duties are split evenly between John Linnell and John Flansburgh, both of whom hold their own. Personally, I’ve always been partial to John Flansburgh. Though Linnell’s songs have often been the big “hits”, Flansburgh’s vocals have a certain sensitivity that I’ve always found alluring. Flansburgh’s creeping “Black Ops” is one of my favorite songs on the record. That aside I love both of these guys and admire how well they still work together even after thirtysomething years.

The microscopic namesake of the album sums up the band’s approach quite nicely. Leave it to a group like TMBG to release an album with 25 songs that only clocks in at 44 minutes. About nine songs are under a minute and yet, they miraculously hold their own against the rest of the bunch. I listen to the 43 second “Sleep” or the 17 second “Nouns” and can’t get over the fact that TMBG has hooked me in such a minuscule amount of time. They often leave me wanting more but maybe it’s for the best. If those songs were longer maybe they wouldn’t be as special.

All in all it comes down to the melodies and Nanobots is full of memorable ones. It’s amazing to me that a band now on their 16th album could still sound just as enthusiastic and prolific as they did on their first. I doubt Nanobots will win over any new fans for this culty nerd duo, but it should appease their old fans and the nanobots hiding within.

Favorite Tracks: “Black Ops”, “Circular Karate Chop”, “You’re On Fire”