ASOBI SEKSU

'Stay Awake' (7" Single)

I totally missed this when it was released back at the tail-end of September 2007, so thanks to SPIN magazine for pimping it in their 'Download This' section of this month's issue. 'Citrus', the 2006 LP from modern shoegazer's Asobi Seksu, ended up being one of my favorite releases that year and I was excited to check out something a bit more recent.

'Stay Awake' is another wonderful, nearly epic, slice of post-dream-pop on par w/ anything from the aforementioned long-player, definitely worth DL'ing (avail on iTunes, etc.)...but the true gem comes in the form of the perfect B-Side. 'And Then He Kissed Me' was a Phil Spector classic originally performed by The Crystals and proves to be an even cooler cover done up w/ some touches of shoegaze. Vocalist Yuki delivers the goods on a performance as classic as the song itself.

Even better, the single was recorded as part of Gigantic Recordings 7" series and can be ordered in limited edition gate fold picture sleeve w/ the vinyl goodness nestled inside. Check out the homage to 60's Asian pop 45's and classic American girl group art tickling my retro-loving fancy at the microsite set up HERE. So, take a listen to the B-side to the left, check out the site and order up one for yourself. Tasty!

Stylin'. Profilin'. Whoo.

Sorry kids, i've been busy at work and really haven't had much to post up w/ anyhow...but i'm working on some stuff. Until then, please enjoy some words of wisdom from my sensei, the Nature Boy...

BOB MOULD

'District Line'

That's right, bitches...TWO reviews in one day! Alongside the previous post, the upcoming release from one of alt-rock's elder statesmen, Bob Mould, has provided me w/ some great music to ring in the new year.

I think since his last dalliance w/ an actual group effort w/ Sugar, Bob's fans have had a tumultuous love/hate relationship w/ his musical output and, while i've personally enjoyed a large part of it, 'District Line' will probably continue to fan those flames. With the announcement of every new album has come the inevitable foreshadowing of a 'return to form' of earlier work...most of it based more in hopeful prognosticating than fact.

Some early reviews of/e-buzz around the album are tagging it as everything from Sugar-esque to 'Workbook' meets 'Modulate' and those renderings aren't untrue. That said, it's only part of the story and sound. Equal parts of everything he has ever done are combined w/ an obviously more seasoned sensibility in his songwriting...both musically and lyrically.

From the opening track, 'Stupid Now', it's apparent that Bob still knows his way around a hook...if not that he knows it SO well the song borders on being pop. 'Who Needs To Dream' is another successful exercise in that sweeping acoustic/electric interplay and contemplative ballad 'Old Highs, New Lows' retains enough power in it's musicality that it somehow still ends up 'rocking'. Following up the blistering 'Return to Dust' is the lead off single 'The Silence Between Us', that finds that signature Mould-groove about the frailties of relationships peppered w/ angry busts of laser-sharp electric guitar riffing.

The rest of the disc continues the lush Mould arrangements in fine form w/ the only weak spot being the dancey 'Shelter Me'...not a bad tune, just pretty so-so amidst the rest of the more substantial songs on the album. My only other complaint, one that has been made about a lot of recorded work, is that the vocals are often over-modulated unnecessarily and, worse yet, completely buried in the mix...but I get past that more and more w/ each listen.

I enjoyed his last album while a lot of others seemed underwhelmed, the calls of a 'return to form' may have finally come to fruition w/ 'District Line'...even scarier, these songs will probably become even weightier live. Wear some earplugs for the tour in March and until then and the album's official release on 2-Feb, get a taste in the sample area.

HELIO SEQUENCE

'Keep Your Eyes Ahead'

Well, only several weeks into the new year and I actually have an album (or two) to review. Luckily, the upcoming Sub-Pop release from Helio Sequence is an absolutely fantastic way to kick off 2008. Hope the rest of the year can keep up!

Anyhow, I actually just got into the band a little bit before Thanksgiving and their previous release, 'Love & Distance', had taken up some prime listening time since then. Said album, found the band evolving from a Radiohead/My Bloody Valentine-lite to more of an early U2/Cure w/ a twist of Postal Service type thing...more focus on well-structured compositions than an electronic wall of sound.

'Keep Your Eyes Ahead' continues down that path of more mature sound. While I really enjoyed the beautiful cacophony of 2001's 'Young Effectuals' and suggest checking it out, I think it's made me appreciate the craftsmanship found on the subsequent releases a bit more.

The opener, 'Lately', just soars...the chiming guitars and minimalist (but rock solid back beat) give way to additional aural flourishes that seem ready to explode into something massive at any time, but never does. The dark pop rolls on from there and at times, on the two tracks that follow, almost bounces...never truly danceable, but it grooves.

The glitch-folk of 'You Can Come to Me' and down tempo (but wonderful) balladry of 'Shed Your Love' offer a bit of a breather, before you are thrust headfirst into the musically jogging title track. The rest of the album continues to impress (especially the uplifting 'Hallelujah') until the final track, 'No Regrets'...not a brad track, but just a bit too campfire sing-songy to feel necessary in the overall context.

Bottom line, I always love it when I get my hands on a truly good album's worth of material by an artist...and this is one of those instances. I've heard they are great live as well, but for now...you can check out their latest recorded work on 29-Jan. Trust me, you'll fall in love with it...check out a sample to the left and you'll see what I mean.

More Coming Attractions

Woefully behind on posting up w/ trailers for upcoming flicks i'm kind of geeked to check out, so let's remedy that. I'd really like to check out 'Cloverfield' this weekend, but the buzz from the mysterious trailer released last Summer has kind of worn off. Some others i'm looking forward to...

10,000 B.C. (7-Mar-08)

Prehistoric epic blockbuster by the same dude who did 'Independence Day'. Looks like it is chock full of some great FX and kind of has that '300' feel to it...just in a much larger scope. Could be a lot of fun.

Speed Racer (9-May-08)

C'mon...it's Speed Racer for Christ's sake. I would jet home after school just to catch the cartoon, it was one of my favorites. Funny enough, I was not as enamored w/ the Wachowski brothers/Matrix phenomenon...but I do like how this kind of keeps the anime/cartoon aesthetic and breakneck pace of the series.

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army (11-Jul-08)

I saw the first one in the theatre and it was almost too much story to wrap my head around amidst the beautiful FX and cinematography. Repeated viewings since then and some dabbling in the comic book it's based on, have made this one of my most anticipated flicks of the Summer (and w/ Batman, Iron Man and The Hulk that's saying something).

Save me an aisle seat, hopefully i'll get out of the house to enjoy some of these. Whee!

BEST OF 2007

Hey kids...Happy New Year. A little late on that, but it has been a whirlwind the past few weeks between the holidays, the passing of my Grandfather and a trip out to the big Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. I'll spare you the details, outside of a surreal moment in our booth that I realized I was explaining some of our product to the great Sheila E!

That said, before I lose my music blogging license, I figured I better post up w/ the obligatory 'Best of 2007' list. To note, a better title would be 'Music I Most Enjoyed in 2007' as there is no way in hell I can find the time to listen to everything that comes out nowadays and, really, who the hell cares what I think?! I will say that a few of these were indeed good enough to stand up to a majority of releases that did make most of the lists and ALL are worth checking out. So, without any further delay...

1. Miracle Fortress - 'Five Roses'

2. Spoon - 'Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga'

3. The Cult - 'Born Into This'

4. Band of Horses - 'Cease to Begin'

5. Ohmega Watts - 'Watts Happening'

6. The National - 'Boxer'

7. Amy Winehouse - 'Back to Black'

8. Foo Fighters - 'Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace'

9. Beastie Boys - 'The Mix-Up'

10. Mobius Band - 'Heaven'

A few surprises...at least for me. The fact that I was able to get past all of the tabloid bullshit/really enjoy the Amy Winehouse album and eventually growing to love the new Beasties record threw me for a loop. While not at all that e-cool to include either on my list, the new Cult and Foo Fighters records helped me rekindle my love of the rock music in a big way and ended up getting a lot of ear time.

Spoon released a fantastic follow up to their previous (and my least favorite) release. Band of Horses and The National, even with most music bloggers decrying their offerings as inferior to previous releases, were too good not to give year-end props. My man Ohmega Watts stepped it up w/ a musically diverse slice of awesomeness and blew away any notion of the sophomore slump. A new discovery for me in Mobius Band spent a lot of time on the stereo and, finally, the sweet, sunny pop of Miracle Fortress held the top spot from first listen.

A new year and hopefully a lot of good music to look forward to...I guess that'll reamin to be seen. I finally got my 80GB iPod Classic for x-mas, so i'll have plenty of room. More fun stufff on the way...to 2008 and beyond!