Bass Lions - ...Is Diamonds (Early Review!)

We haven't heard all that much from Hamilton's Bass Lions for awhile and I'm sure the fans, like myself, were hoping that this was all for a good reason. 2007's More Than Islands was pretty much perfect, not only as a collection of excellent songs in an individual sense, but also in terms of production and in the way that the album presented itself nicely as one flowing piece of music. I'm not sure if that was the band's intention, but I found it hard to separate the tracks, as the whole EP worked so well together. Still, as good as it was, it still felt like a teaser and it left me with a feeling that the band's best work was still ahead of us. Their latest upcoming release, ...Is Diamonds, hints at the fact that this assumption certainly held true, as well as adding credence to the fact that the time away was likely spent honing this stellar piece of work.

While it still keeps that sublime formula of soulful, melancholic indie pop in tact, this latest work boasts an even larger sound that borders on anthemic, while still remaining quite intimate thanks in part to Nathan Stretch's captivating baritone whisper. The most immediately noticeable thing about this particular release is that it has to be the crispest, cleanest production I've ever heard on an independent release. For example, there's a moment at the start of the song New Intuition where you can faintly hear a female voice say "ok", and when I first listened to this on my iPod while standing on the subway, I actually turned around twice to see who was saying this behind me. The sound is that clear and uncluttered. There are other moments like the opening drums in Wind Up Bird [the creeping glacier] or the acoustic picking in You Brought The Bass that really needs to be experienced in headphones to appreciate to the greatest extent. The album was recorded at Last Ounce Studios (Fox Jaws, Oh No Forest Fires) and mastered at Bova Sound (Bahamas, Zeus), which no doubt explains its superior sound. Still, all of this would be pointless if the songs were not up to par, and this release's 22 minutes ends way too early. One of the highlights for me is the opening track Dynamite Quartz, which boats some subtle keyboard work coupled with some beautifully poetic lyricism and some nice harmonies. I also really like Goodbye, Mouth, which is a song who's lyrics sound comical when read back on paper, yet heartbreaking when set to music.

Like the previous release, it's brevity leaves you wanting more, although I've discovered that both albums when played together make for a very satisfying length; just enough to tie me over until the band releases a full length, should they choose to do so. In the meantime, I recommend throwing this one on your player, getting yourself some good quality headphones, and settling in to the crisp, clean sounds of Bass Lions.

Bass Lions ...Is Diamonds is scheduled for release within the next few months. More updates when they come available.

Myspace: Bass Lions
Video: Goodbye Mouth @ Groundswell, Alliston ON on youtube

Other stuff:
The magic pairing of M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel, known by many as She & Him, have released their second album together today, the brilliantly entitled Volume Two, which is reported to have an even more unabashed old school country feel than the first one. The album is streaming for free on Exclaim until March 29th. They're playing The Phoenix on June 9th. [Myspace: She & Him]

Teenage Fanclub finally have a new album set to be released on June 8th on Merge. It's called Shadows, and judging by the free track Baby Lee, which is available as a free download on Pitchfork, it's going to be more of that perfect power pop that we've come to expect and love by Sctoland's favourite popsters.They begin a tour of the U.K. in May, and they'll be following with an American tour later in the year, that I can only hope will showcase a Toronto date as well. [Myspace: Teenage Fanclub]

For those that had to miss this year's Wavelength 500 festival, or for those that simply didn't get to catch as much of it as they would have liked to, Joe at Mechanical Forest Sound has put together an amazing compilation that features a track from every set of all five nights of the festival. It is available to download in .zip format over here. An amazing idea.

For obvious reasons, the passing of Alex Chilton, one of the founders of Big Star, has led to an outpouring of emotion and tribute from the many acts that have been inspired by him through the years. The Alex Chilton tribute show that took place at this year's SXSW was apparently an affair that was both melancholic and celebratory, but nothing tugs at the heart more than Cerulean Blue (For Alex Chilton), a song that was just written and recorded by Superdrag's John Davis and is available as a free download over at Magnet Magazine, along with other artists paying their respects to his work.

Bobby B's 50 Albums Of The Decade (#10 - 6)

For ramblings on how I came to compile this list go here. And for commentary on previous selections: [#50-46] [#45-41] [#40-36] [#35-31] [#30-26] [#25-21] [#20-16] [#15-11]

So how exciting it this 'eh? We're about to embark on my top 10 selections for the 2000's and I, for one, am very surprised at the difference a countdown makes to a blogger's readership. Maybe I should throw a few declining numbers in front of my opinions more often. If you've been following along, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank you for taking an interest, and I'm looking forward to checking out all of the other lists that are sure to emerge over the next few months. But for now, without further ado, here are the final two installments of my completely biased and self-indulgent list of (the best) my favorite albums of the decade:

10. Sorry Love - Pipas (2006)

And the highest climber on the countdown is this obscure little ditty from 2006 by Madrid/London/Brooklyn's Pipas. Claiming a paltry number 23 ranking on my original best of 2006 list, this is an album who's subtle charms needed a little time to percolate before they managed to completely take over my sappy twee-hugging soul. I haven't been seeing this one on any other lists, and if you try googling it, you'll see that it really did receive only a limited bit of coverage. But my goodness, is it infectious, as the hushed whisper of vocalist Lupe Nunez-Fernandez settles into the part of my brain that is usually reserved for falling in love. It sounds corny, but the album sunk into my subconscious like a warm and comforting breeze, to the point that I actually find myself craving it. It has a very minimalistic approach, basically pulled together by two people equipped with only a keyboard, guitar and drum machine but it's in its simplicity that the album scales such wonderful heights. It would be very easy to reference the works of Saint Etienne, Young Marble Giants, Charlotte Gainsbourg or even Camera Obscura when referring to this charming duo, but even those artists haven't been able to lull me into the atmosphere the way that this impressive disc has. And at ten songs and less than 24 minutes, many artists can learn a lesson on what it means to be concise from these guys. If you're unfamiliar with this one (which apparently, most people are) make sure you pick it up and listen to it before you fall asleep at night with a warm cup of tea. When you're done, do it again. If you're human, then there's a good chance that you'll have grown as addicted as I am to this beautiful release. [Myspace: Pipas]

9. The Hazards Of Love - The Decemberists (2009)

Believe it or not, I originally had this album up at an even higher position but opted to err on the side of caution seeing as this album is easily the newest release on the list. I originally intended to have at least a couple more albums from '09 included, but it's very hard to give an album such 'classic' status without letting the dust settle a little bit. However, I'm pretty sure that if I haven't grown sick of Meloy's rock opera about fawns that turn into men at highly inappropriate times, as they fall in love with princesses with grouchy witch mothers who conspire with evil evil beings known as rakes, then I likely never will. I've gushed about this album enough over the course of the year that it probably isn't necessary to do so yet again, but as much as I keep listening to it, I never seem to get sick of it, and believe me, I've been listening to it a lot. Another reason that I can be fairly sure that my love for this album is more than just a passing phase is the fact that, if I were to make a list of my favorite albums of all time, some of the much maligned concept albums of yore would still unashamedly make that list, as I still listen to them quite often. Only time will tell if this is actually Meloy's greatest work, but for now, it is sitting comfortably in my top ten faves of the decade, as well as being probably my second most listened to album of the decade [Myspace: The Decemberists]

8. Sebastopol - Jay Farrar (2001)

The ashes of Uncle Tupelo have been blowing around an awful lot this decade as Wilco has continued to rise to the top of the so-called indie "it" list, and Son Volt have released one solid (if somewhat predictable) album after another. But for those that feel as if Farrar lacks that general need to spread his wings and experiment a bit with his sound, then they've clearly never engaged in more than a simple perfunctory listen to his solo albums, in particular this 2001 release. This is my favorite of his post-Tupelo releases (next to Trace, of course) and it shows him trying his hand in psychedelia, blues, a touch of prog and swirling power pop, along with the usual doses of alt-country. But what helps this album to rise above his other works for me (as great as they all are) is the fact that his gift of melody has never been more defined. Songs like Voodoo Candle, Feed Kill Chain and Direction are amongst the strongest tunes he's ever written, while Make It Alright and Barstow both have a classic feel that would not seem out of place next to some of Neil Young's finest moments. Finally, we all know that Farrar's lyrics can get pretty embarrassing from time to time, and there are certainly some "what the?" moments on this one too, but in most case, his rattling poetic obscurity actually sounds pretty cool, as opposed to being overwrought and contrived, even though I still don't necessarily know what he's talking about: (eg: "aftershock, the daily din, metals and monsters, sanguinary vitamins..." (huh?)) Many fans may not share my enthusiasm for this one as it is surely one that will continue to divide the Farrar camp, but to my ears it's pretty close to perfect. [Myspace: Jay Farrar]

7. Man Made - Teenage Fanclub (2005)

The band who's debut Bandwagonesque back in 1991 actually beat Nirvana's Nevermind as album of the year in Spin's annual poll, cannot be said to be bombarding us with an overabundance of music these days. They don't release material all that often, but when they do, you can pretty much guarantee that it's going to be something endearing and easy to enjoy. When Man Made was released in 2005, I had stated to many of my friends that I think it just may be my favorite album by the Scottish jangle popsters. Today, even with the passing of time, I stand by that claim. Admittedly, choosing your favorite Teenage Fanclub album is sort of like choosing which one of your children you love the best, but I do find that this is their only album that I usually listen to from start to finish. Yes, even the aforementioned Bandwagonesque has a couple of skippers on it. For whatever reason, this album soothes me. The opening track It's All In My Mind is the only song on the album that comes close to being a throwaway, not because it's bad, but because it suffers from a bit of overfamiliarity. But from the second song on, the album unleashes one hook after another, showcasing a gentility that still may not be necessarily new, but its heartwarming nature is a direct result of that dependability. The majority of the albums on my list are here because of the way that they challenge me, but reliability can be equally important, and when I need something that I can rely on, this album is the only one that will do. From this decade anyway. [Myspace: Teenage Fanclub]

6. Third - Portishead (2008)

Speaking of artists that don't release very much, Portishead's record of three albums in 15 years certainly does not make them all that prolific, but the idea of quality over quantity is beyond appropo. This album forces repeat listening, both from the standpoint that it has so much to offer, and also in the way that it makes you want to be sure that you aren't missing anything. In my prior review, I believe that I referred to this album as 'large' and that description still remains true, although I think that it may be more accurate to say that it's 'freakin' huge!' There are moments that are psychotic, yet there are also moments of sheer beauty. It's weird and chaotic, yet it still contains moments that flirt with accessibility. It's a terrifying album, but it is also very endearing, especially during those moments where Beth Gibbons voice is given more prominence in the mix. In other words, this album has it all, and although it can be quite daunting and overwhelmingly jarring at times, it's the type of experience that makes you think, sort of like a good art film. Unlike some of the other choices on my list, this is not an album that I can listen to every day, but for those moments when I need something a little bit shocking, not in lyrical content of course, but in overall ambiance, than this is the go-to album for me. [Myspace: Portishead]

Tomorrow: Bobby B's 50 Albums Of The Decade: The Thrilling Conclusion (#5-1)

The Broken West - I Can't Go On, I'll Go On

The Broken West are from Los Angeles and their sound encapsulates all that the sunny world of LA represents. Originally known as The Brokedown (until a punk band with a similar name made them change), the songs on their debut full-length sound as if they’re heavily influenced by Big Star, Teenage Fanclub, Golden Smog and the like. I even hear a bit of Wilco circa “Summerteeth.” The album kicks off with a slice of Byrds-y power pop perfection called “On The Bubble” which comes with all the necessities…jangly guitars, thrashing tambourine work, a swirling keyboard is introduced in the middle of the first verse and the obligatory handclaps! “So It Goes” kicks it up a notch and then the third song, “Down In The Valley” takes it down just a little bit, with perfect harmonies emphasizing the chorus. As you may have heard, that there has been described as the instructions to making the perfect mix tape. And that’s exactly what “I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On” is. It’s formulaic, and not entirely original but certainly appealing to any fan of the well assembled pop-rock song.

The Broken West will be performing in Toronto at El Mocambo with The Long Winters on March 27th.

Download:
On The Bubble mp3
Down In The Valley mp3

The Broken West on myspace
Purchase “I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On” over at Merge Records.

Perhaps You Missed It: Big Star's #1 Record/Radio City

Another weekly post that I would like to start is what I will call the “Perhaps You Missed It…” post. This is where I will feature a release from the past that should have been huge but for whatever reason, didn’t quite make much of an impression at the time. This week I’m starting with the highly influential Big Star. Talk about wrong place, wrong time. If they had come out in the mid-60’s or the mid-90’s, I’m sure more people would have heard of them. However, their first album, ironically titled #1 Record, was released in 1972. With progressive rock on the FM, and mellow singer-songwriter artists on the AM, people were simply not interested in jangly Byrds-esque pop music. Add to that, very limited support and promotion from their record company (big surprise) and you’ve got a band that was destined to sink deep under the radar of popularity. But Big Star has written some of the greatest pop songs of all time in my opinion and this is showcased heavily on their first two albums, which can be easily found on one CD, aptly entitled #1 Record/Radio City.

No doubt you’ve heard some of these songs before covered by other artists. Elliott Smith, Wilco and Mary Lou Lord have all done beautiful versions of “Thirteen.” “The Ballad Of El Goodo” was covered on the Empire Records soundtrack by Evan Dando. The Bangles did a cool version of “September Gurls” which gets my vote for being the greatest pop song ever written. And probably the most popular cover, “In The Street” can be heard by Cheap Trick as the theme song to “That 70’s Show.” Altogether now: “Hangin’ out! Down the street…” Their influence can also be heard all over the music of early R.E.M., The Replacements, and, most notably Teenage Fanclub. I won’t go over the entire history of the band since it’s been documented all over the place in great detail, but if you haven’t yet heard this masterpiece of an album, please do so. Recently, Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens have reformed the band with a couple members of The Posies. They released a new CD a couple of years ago and they play the occasional show. But nothing compares to those first two albums when it comes to pure jangle pop perfection.

Downloads:
September Gurls mp3
Thirteen mp3

You can purchase Big Star’s #1 Record/Radio City here.