MUSIC REVIEWS: The Thermals, Mirah, Anni Rossi, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Dark Was the Night
The Thermals
Now We Can See
(Kill Rock Stars)
Now We Can See, by the Thermals is a slightly garage, slightly alternative punk album that erupts with a whole lot of kinetic and explosive energy. With Hutch Harrisâs exuberant and charming emotively spirited vocals, a very punk, fast thumping indie bassist in Kathy Foster and squeaky tight super speedy drums by Westin Glass, The Thermals radiate frenzy-licious rock power. Using a catchy unpretentious combination of power chords and amped up decibel high vocals, they maintain enough of a trashy indie attack that makes each song a powerhouse of sound teetering on the likelihood of explosion. Coming together in 2002 and hailing from Portland, Oregon, at times their songs can be compared to earlier albums by the Breeders, especially the lead song, âNow We Can See.â Their standout power is the righteous flow of big sonic energy, managing to possess all good things that make great records, melody, entertaining hooks and tangible lyrics, with contemplated topics on self-righteousness, love, love lost, remorse, and surviving. âWhen I Was Afraidâ is a foot-tapping catchy hook of a tune, where the bandâs sound collides in a shoulder shrugging assault against Hutchâs declaratory vocals. Break out the skinny jeans, busted up corduroys, Rocawear Construct jeans or Banana Republic cotton crop pants, the ferociousness of The Thermals will most likely make them your new favorite.
Although I didn’t know of Mirah before listening to her new release (A)spera, (translated loosely from Latin to mean “adversities”) I’m glad I’m getting into this at the beginning of springtime, with all its strings and ethereality. At the beginning of the album, I picture myself on a side porch, gazing out at a garden, or better yet, walking through it. What I like most about this album are the small things: the sound of the guitar strings on songs like “The World Is Falling,” the subdued undercurrent, the bells, the overall organic nature. I’m so used to hearing overproduced songs that this one was a breath of fresh air for me. Mirah’s voice is delicate and feminine, and the music sounds like a tiny, intimate orchestra. Harp strings envelope the song, “Shells,” and then the tempo picks up in “Country of the Future” with drums akin to a military parade and castanets. She seems to be combining all of my favorite instruments on this album, and they blend together in such an unexpectedly great way. The album continues to carry a slightly stronger force beyond these two songs, with “Gone Are All the Days,” where hand drums and upright bass circle in a jazzlike dance. What results is an album that both soothes and challenges the mind.
Anni Rossiâs debut album Rockwell features ten short songs that highlight the artistâs classically trained abilities with the viola. The 23-year old alt-folk singer songwriter from Minnesota also plays the keyboard on several tracks like âEcology.â The album was produced by Steve Albini, whose resume includes work with Nirvana, the Stooges, the Pixies, and Joanna Newsome, with whom Rossi is sometimes compared. She has toured with The Tings Tings and Electrelane through Europe, and just completed an appearance at SXSW. Overall, the album provides some interesting tracks but somewhat disappoints in its entirety. Whether itâs the soft and simple production, the use of minimal instruments on each song, or Anniâs voice fluctuating up every fifth note, the album eventually begins to drag. Rather, the songwriting is good, but Anniâs voice seems way too naked in most of the songs and her voice just isnât good enough by itself to carry the music. Songs to note are Rossiâs remake of the Ace of Base song, âLiving in Danger,â the pulsating âWheelpusher,â and âThe West Coastâ a song that truly highlights Rossiâs mastery with the viola. One or two acoustical songs might have been nice but not an entire acoustical album.
Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears
Tell âEm What Your Name Is
(Lost Highway)
I had the fortune of catching Austin based Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears live at this past SXSW, and it was an amazing, electric show that had the entire crowd clapping and dancing! Black Joe Lewis is among this group of new singers that are bringing back the old school, vintage blues, and soul. All of these singers: a sober Amy Winehouse (whom I also saw live in what was a rare US performance at SXSW several years ago) and Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, have a gift for the live performance, but only Amy Winehouse has truly transcended performing live with a pop quality CD (and again, I stress a sober Winehouse live). I really hoped the same would be true for Black Joe Lewis and his debut CD, Tell âEm What Your Name Is, but after several listens, only a few songs stand out, and really none appear to have âhitâ potential. âSugarfootâ is probably their best song, followed by âBig Booty Womanâ or âBoogie,â but overall, most songs on the album are too derivative of that 60âs genre, and lack necessary components of evolved song writing. At times, youâd swear Black Joe was James Brown, and the interplay between the many musicians in the band is unfortunately something that can only truly be appreciated live. But if youâre hoping for an Amy Winehouse quality CD (which may be unfair), youâll be disappointed.
Red Hot Compilation
Dark Was The Night
(4AD)
Dark Was The Night is the new compilation from the Red Hot Organization. Some of you may remember the Red Hot + Blue and No Alternative albums (among others) from the early 90s. As those efforts showcased the eraâs top talent, this collection does the same. Released to raise money for HIV and AIDS, it weighs-in at two discs and 31 tracksâconsisting of a mixture of covers and new songs from artists such as, Arcade Fire, Grizzly Bear, Sufjan Stevens, Spoon, Bon Iver, Yeasayer, etc, etc; and it nicely captures the collective aesthetic of the current independent (I use that term lightly) music scene. As with most great records, each listen tends to digest the album more thoroughly.
However, upon first listen the song that struck me immediately was âTrain Song,â a Ben Gibbard + Feist cover of 70âs English songstress Vashti Bunyan. Itâs a basic acoustic driven melody, but Feistâs falsetto injects a ghostly howl that resonates at the end of each chorus thatâs pretty badassâintoning the railroad echo of the Delta blues singers. Also, David Byrne and The Dirty Projectorsâ âKnotty Pineâ is a spastic pop-tart of a track that is just fun and dancy. Upon further listens, though, âTightropeâ by Yeasayer and Grizzly Bearâs âDeep Blue Seaâ have been the songs that have stuck with me the most, but I assume itâs a temporal thing that will only lead to some future new faves. That seems to be how this record works.
Essentially, the Red Hot Organization has again brought together a collection of contemporary musicâs top talents to produce a charity album full of great songs for a pressing, worthwhile cause. And again, they succeeded. Thumbs up.
