Print Edition: July 3, 2013
Sean Nelson
Make Good Choices
Make Good Choices opens with a spoken and nonsensical question and answer: “The only real answer to the question ‘Whither rock and roll?’ is ‘hither’. Some misguided people think the answer is ‘thither’?! They’re wrong! Those theories are passé!” This sets the tone for the band, which is unabashedly self-critical of the workings of both music and the musical world, best demonstrated in “Kicking Me Out of the Band” and “Creative Differences.” I originally thought it was a little too meta for my taste to write music about music, but I was won over by the simple tunes, clever couplets and comforting rhythms of the album as a whole. This isn’t music you have to think too hard about, or work to understand. The heart and spark of the band is lead singer Sean Nelson, whose floating vocals are reminiscent of Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard in all the best ways. Another star element of the band is the unapologetic piano on many tracks; on “Advance and Retreat” you can hear the physical mechanism of the key being pushed down and rising again, just like you can when you’re playing an ancient piano. It’s a subtle and excellent touch. While a couple of numbers are a little over-the-top and skip-worthy (“Ski Lift Incident,” “More Good News From the Front” come to mind), others are making their way straight to my playlist of quintessential summer tunes – and I suspect they’ll stay there for a good long while.
Lightning Dust
Fantasy
There’s a lot to love about Black Mountain’s vast, cousin-of-psychadelic style of rock, but spinoff group Lightning Dust provides a flipside to that. A pointed, simple contrast in sound echoes clear throughout Lightning Dust’s third album Fantasy, which contains none of the Black Mountain-ish songs that cropped up on their first two albums. Joshua Wells’ throwback synth and spare drum textures provide a platform for Amber Webber’s voice, proving it as equally strong when positioned as the centre of an entire album as it is competing and rising above a drowning, wailing station of guitar and organ. It’s striking how quiet the album is, allowing space usually filled up by production to simply exist, free of growing drones or building to crescendo, save perhaps the synth-on-its-last-legs of album closer “Never Again.” Whether calm or more animated, Webber’s voice is Fantasy’s entire presence, from still and slow-beginning songs like “Moon” and “Agatha,” to the more production-heavy dusk portraits of “Reckless and Wild” and “Loaded Gun,” the sound even on these not cloying pastiche but made to suit Webber’s voice, standing out in its simplicity.
The Mantles
Long Enough to Leave
While both experimentation and redefining of what is considered “the norm” are crucial when maximizing music’s potential, revivalism within music’s traditional boundaries is often considered stagnant and dull. Bands that try to recover this music are labeled as imitators who rehash production styles that have been a mainstay in popular music for almost half a century, sometimes even longer. There is the fine line that runs between revivalism and pure replication, a line which Long Enough to Leave, the Mantles’ sophomore release, walks very carefully. Although most tracks on the record hint to their musical inspirations, the songs feel modern – especially compared to other bands that lean on nostalgic styles. The band’s vocalist Michael Olivares even plays around lyrically with the idea of homage and revivalism, singing refrains like, “Maybe you can help me get out of here and reappear somewhere else” on the Bats-esqe track entitled “Hello.” Within the confines of revivalism, the Mantles’ innovative fortitude is remarkable, and even if Long Enough to Leave doesn’t break the mold, their songs are fantastic and sound good the first time you hear them.
Empire of the Sun
Ice On the Dune
It’s taken roughly four-and-a-half years but we’re finally with Empire of the Sun’s sophomore follow-up, Ice On the Dune. It’s by listening to lead singer Luke Steele talk about the album that you really get a sense for the creativity and the difficulties that came along with it. And while they’re known for being a bit unconventional in their costume, light guitars and performances in creating a narrative saga, Steel and Nick Littlemore are also very talented musicians. The goal of this album was to be progressive but also retain their underlying core as a warm, high-energy indie synthpop band. And it appears they’ve done that very well. The album opens up with “Lux,” which is essentially an epic prelude before really pumping things into high gear with “DNA.” Third on the track list is “Alive,” the feel-good single that’s already making the rounds. From here on, the rest of the album stays consistently above par compared to most similar acts. But there are two songs that really elevate the album to an outstanding level. One of those songs is “Concert Pitch.” Aided by the clean pulsing percussion, this song will easily become an anthem in its own right. And then there’s “I’ll Be Around,” a song that radiates far beyond even the album. The sound flows and breezes through the beautifully poetic lyrics of realization. It’s the embodiment of a cool summer night, if a song can possess such things.
