Benji Hughes - Songs in the Key of Animals (Merge, 2016)

Benji Hughes

Songs in the Key of Animals

Merge

2016

Rating: 6.5 well-fed giraffes out of 10

I have no idea what to make of this Benji Hughes record.  He's from Charlotte so he's sort of a local, but despite playing live A LOT all over the Triangle over at least the last five years if not longer, I've never paid much attention.  By all accounts he puts on a tremendous live show, so not seeing him after all of these years is probably a personal failing on my part.  This record, "Songs in the Key of Animals," his first for Merge, is stylistically all over the map.  He'll span from Parliment-like funk one song to a modern impression of Dr. John on the next song to something that sounds like an outtake from a National album after that.  Thing is, he does a damn fine job of all of these different styles without any of them feeling like mimicry or he's ripping the original artists off.

As interesting as this record is, I'm not sure how much I would actually listen to it just out of the blue.  It's almost too all over the place, like a mixtape with no theme.  But I definitely want to go see him live now, because there's no way these songs aren't fun

performed with a full band.  

Bully - Feels Like (Columbia, 2015)

Bully

Feels Like

Columbia

2015

Rating: 7.5 old habits out of 10

The sound of the nineties are alive and well with the new kids, and Bully are as good an example as any currently on the scene.  I see lots of PJ Harvey comparisons, and maybe I hear that a little in the vocals, but musically I'm not there at all.  I've even seen some Hole comparisons, which get a huge "hell no" from me (I never liked Hole so there's a lot of bias in that reaction).  On Bully's best songs like "Milkman," "I Remember," and "Brainfreeze," the most apt comparison might be the driving indie punk guitars of Superchunk or the mid-nineties version of Dinosaur Jr (when it was really just J Mascis solo even though he still called it Dinosaur Jr.).  Bully doesn't sound exactly like Speedy Ortiz, but both acts are mining the same territory musically - and for my money, Bully are doing it just a little bit better.  I'll be honest, not nuts about their slower songs, but hopefully they grow on me.  The upbeat tracks (such as those mentioned above) are so damn good it doesn't matter though, as this record is a keeper for sure. 

Kurt Vile - B'lieve I'm Goin Down... (Matador, 2015)

Kurt Vile 

B'lieve I'm Goin Down...

Matador

2015

Rating: 7.5 giant chocolate chip cookies out of 10

I often wonder if my brain would automatically think of Kurt Vile and War on Drugs at the same time if I didn't already know of their connection, because it's what I always get stuck in my head whether I like it or not.  The War on Drugs went in more of a rock direction ala Tom Petty or Dire Straits, and Vile likes to hang out in the folkier/Bob Dylan-esque part of town - but the same vibe is there for me for both artists.  I kinda feel like either act could cover the work of the other and make it feel like they were the original authors of the songs.  Why does any of this matter?  It doesn't, but my stupid brain was really stuck on this topic as I listened to "B'lieve I'm Goin Down...". 

Long story short, this record is probably Vile's best work; "Pretty Pimpin'" is an amazing opener and the best song on the album; and I'd give anything to hear War on Drugs take Vile's folky songs and get real loud and stretchy with them like they do so well. 

Parquet Courts - Monastic Living EP (Rough Trade, 2015)

Parquet Courts

Monastic Living EP

Rough Trade

2015

Rating: 5.5 coozy bottle openers out of 10

I appreciate that Parquet Courts got a wild hair and decided they would try to do a Devo imitation for this EP, but it instantly reminded me that I'd rather just listen to the real Devo.  I suppose points to them for reminding me to listen to Devo, and that's not a bad thing.  Everyone should listen to more Devo. 

Mount Moriah - Calvander 7'' (Merge, 2015)

Mount Moriah
Calvander 7''
Merge
2015

Rating: 7 bloody bags out of 10

The last Mount Moriah album "Miracle Temple" was still a pretty good effort, but I loved their self-titled debut so much and had such high expectations they really had nowhere to go but down.  Happily, I like this new seven inch by them so much it re-ignited my excitement and I've already pre-ordered their next album that's coming out in the next month or two.  The title track and the demo version of "Baby Blue" are both going to be on that next record, and both are totally great - a little twangy, a little dark, just the way I like their jams.  The best track is the final one though, and the biggest reason to hunt this wax down -  a live version of "Plane" from their self-titled effort.  Probably my second favorite song of theirs ever, and the recording is resplendent.  I'm real happy with this. 

Royal Headache - High (What's Your Rupture?, 2015)

Royal Headache
High
What's Your Rupture?
2015

Rating: 7.5 poor socialites out of 10

I'm pretty sure I initially thought this release by Royal Headache was Royal Baths, a band from San Francisco I saw live once that was kinda boring.  Because of that, I didn't listen to this for ages, just sitting there on my computer collecting digital dust.  Eventually I threw it on and...oh yeah, it's a totally different band and I'm an idiot.  Every year there is at least one release that I listen to the shit out of the next year...my money is on "High" being very high on that list.

The band's sound is a little all over the place, and don't really sound anything like the rest of the indie/punk crowd coming out of Australia these days.  I suppose it is a big ass country and there would be no reason for things to be homogeneous to begin with, but it's easy to put other places in those nice neat boxes.  More than anything they do a jangly pop-punk thing, but certainly not only that.  The singer can get a little soulful, see "Wouldn't You Know";  the band can sound like they are doing a Style Council cover, see "Need You", or perhaps Soul Asylum, see "Carolina"; and probably my favorite is the opener "My Own Fantasy," which would sound right at home on a Terry Malts album.  The main thing that unites all these different influences is the band does all of them really well, and I'm already looking forward to listening to this record on repeat for a good chunk of 2016. 

Low - Ones and Sixes (Sub Pop, 2015)

Low
Ones and Sixes
Sub Pop
2015

Rating: 8 breathing snails out of 10

I've long been a total fanboy of Low, both in recorded form and live, ever since I randomly bought a used copy of "The Curtain Hits the Cast" in college...nearly twenty years ago.  I don't feel good about typing that.   I do, however, feel good about this new Low record "Ones and Sixes."  There are never any great leaps or changes in what Low does - it's always subtle, and often takes a few listens to pinpoint.  The two most noteworthy items on "Ones and Sixes" are the use of electronic drums to augment the simple drum beats that usually populate their tracks, and a strong Cocteau Twins vibe from the guitars on a few songs.  Make no mistake though, any fan of Low is going to feel right at home with this one.  As is always the case anytime they release a record, it's one of my favorites of the year. 

Destroyer - Poison Season (Merge, 2015)

Destroyer
Poison Season
Merge
2015

Rating: 8.5 male potency drugs out of 10

It wasn't until I read another review that I realized this latest Destroyer album, "Poison Season," carried a New York City theme throughout much of the songs.  Listen, I hardly ever pay attention to lyrics - so long as they aren't super blatantly stupid, singers can pretty much be saying whatever they want.  The thing is that musically, this album sounds very much like the late seventies in the greater New York City area - there are easy comparisons to Springsteen, Lou Reed and Bowie of that era.  Not the vocals mind you - Dan Bejar sounds nothing like those three titans, but is amazing all the same on his own terms.  The second track on the album, "Dream Lover," is instantly one of the top five best songs Destroyer has ever released - very strong praise in my opinion.  I keep waiting for the inevitable downhill slide with Bejar and Destroyer, but album after album they not only meet but surpass my expectations. 

Archers of Loaf - Curse of the Loaf - Live at Cat's Cradle (ARRA, 2015)

Archers of Loaf
Curse of the Loaf - Live at Cat's Cradle
ARRA
2015

Rating: vs. the Greatest of All Time

As a self-professed superfan of the Archers of Loaf, the only thing that could possibly keep me from loving this is if the live recording was bad.  It's not.  I've seen them a good half-dozen times since their reformation, including one of the nights when this was recorded (August 19-20, 2011) if I remember correctly, and they give me that same excitement that they did when I saw them for the first time more than twenty years ago.  No, a live recording isn't quite as good as the live experience, but it's still a damn fine representation of what is so great about this band. 

Flesh Wounds - In the Mouth EP (Snot, 2015)

Flesh Wounds
In the Mouth EP
Snot
2015

Rating: 8 political journals out of 10

Running through six songs in about thirteen minutes, Flesh Wounds like to get right to the point.  This is aggro old school-style punk that almost borders on hardcore at times.  On the opener "Attack," it feels like you're being attacked for the entire 78 seconds of the song.  This is a lot closer to early Black Flag or Negative Approach or the punk coming out of DC than it is the modern happy-go-lucky garage punk that the kids love so much.  Most of the songs sound like singer Montgomery Morris is eating the microphone while he sings...I can attest after seeing them live a number of times that this is actually the case.  As a side note, they have a song called "Joy Division Killed My Boner."

Caspian - Dust and Disquiet (Triple Crown, 2015)

Caspian
Dust and Disquiet
Triple Crown
2015

Rating: 7.5 headphone planets out of 10

I honest to god couldn't tell you much of anything that sets Caspian apart from Explosions in the Sky or Mono or This Will Destroy You or <insert the name of other post-rock band here>, but I can tell you it sounds totally fuckin' great.  They do occasionally sing, and I mean very occasionally, so that's one small difference.  Maybe a little more piano in their music?  that's total speculation.  They do the whole quiet-loud-quiet thing as well as anyone.  I recently saw them perform live on the tour for this record, and it was outstanding.  As with all of these bands, this is much better when listened to through headphones...jamming it through your car radio while cruising down the freeway, you're going to lose a lot of the nuance.  This is definitely worth a listen though, regardless of format. 

Pavement - The Secret History, Vol. 1 (Matador, 2015)

Pavement
The Secret History, Vol. 1
Matador
2015

Rating: 9 distant voices out of 10

A compilation of B-sides, Peel sessions, live records, and miscellaneous other tracks from one of my favorite bands of all time, Pavement.  If you're already a fan like myself, you'll recognize the B-sides from some of their seven inches, but it's nice to have them all in one spot.  The recordings on the Peel sessions are obviously excellent as is usually the case with Peel sessions.  The live recordings are all from a 1992 concert in Brixton, and these are A+ as well - and as someone who's seen a couple of "phoned in" Pavement gigs, it sounds like the band is on their game here.  Owning this is a no-brainer for fans like myself; anyone new to Pavement would probably still enjoy this, but I'd suggest grabbing a copy of "Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain" and/or "Slanted and Enchanted" first. 

Mac McCaughan - Non-Believers (Merge, 2015)

Mac McCaughan
Non-Believers
Merge
2015

Rating: 7.5 fresh limes out of 10

Portastatic seemed like it was already basically the solo act of Superchunk's Mac McCaughan, a place for him to record and release his poppier songs.  Apparently for reasons I'm not aware of and too lazy to try and look up, he needed to distance himself from that outlet as well, releasing his first ever solo record "Non-Believers" under his own name.  Not that I'm complaining obviously - I'm a huge fan of everything the man puts to tape, and this album is no different.  Except for some guest appearances by label-mates Michael Benjamin Lerner (Telekinesis), Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak), and Annie Hayden Spent), everything on this album was written and recorded by Mac himself.  Despite the name change, this feels and sounds A LOT like a Portastatic record, not that there's anything wrong with that - I'm certainly digging it, one of my favorite records of the year.  

A possible side note - these songs take on a much more rockin' vibe live, as Mac has recruited the punk band Flesh Wounds to be his backing musicians when playing gigs most of the time.  It's definitely worth seeing them perform and gives the songs a whole new life - it wouldn't be terrible idea for Merge to record the Flesh Wound versions of these tracks and release them as well...it would almost be like an entirely new Mac McCaughan record. 

The Dodos - Individ (Polyvinyl, 2015)

The Dodos
Individ
Polyvinyl
2015

Rating: 7 synaptic trees out of 10

I'm pretty sure everyone has a band or bands that fall into this category - every time you hear them you love their music, and yet you rarely ever listen to them..and you have no idea why.  That's where I've always been with the Dodos.  I'm listening to this record, "Individ," as I type this, and it sounds fantastic - every song is strong, very catchy and should be something I revisit frequently.  "The Tide" and "Goodbyes and Endings" are especially noteworthy, both heavily driven by the drums (not uncommon with this band) but held together by the vocals of Meric Long.  But if my past history is any indicator, I'll forget about this record nearly as soon as I stop listening to it...likely forgotten until the Dodos' next release, when I have this exact same revelation.  Sorry Dodos, you deserve better because you're definitely holding up your end of the bargain. 

Bandway - Buddies (The Man Who Drives the Van, 2015)

Bandway
Buddies
The Man Who Drives the Van
2015

Rating: infinity + 1

I've used "bandwayrules" as my name on message boards and in email addresses for nearly 20 years now...go ahead and guess how excited I am that Bandway released their first new record in thirteen years.  

I don't have the words for it.  "Buddies" is amazing.  Everything they do is amazing.  They have a song on here called "White Nipples."  Last time I saw them live Brooks played air guitar on a vacuum cleaner.  They are everything.  Buy all of their records.  The end.