Death From Above 1979
The Physical World
“It’s the same old song, just a different tune,” go the lyrics in “Right On, Frankenstein,” the second song on the second proper DFA 1979 album. It’s been 10 years since these elephant-faced groove lords put some dirty dance-noise down on plastic. Any fear that DFA 1979 may have deviated from their signature sound is dispelled first thing, even though opener “Cheap Talk” doesn’t burst from the rafters like “Dead Womb” or “Turn it Out” do. Regardless, the pogo-stick-staccato riff and rolling cowbells will indubitably set the mood: dance or die. Bassist Jesse Keeler takes more time to riff around in The Physical World, going into quick modal tangents and playful licks reminiscent of Josh Homme (“Government Trash,” “Cheap Talk”). Drummer and vocalist Sebastien Grainger doesn’t quite sing as high or howl as hard as in You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine, but he makes up for it with a lyrical subtlety previously unseen. Album highlights: “Cheap Talk,” “Virgins,” “White is Red,” “Gemini,” “The Physical World.”
Glass Animals
Zaba
Zaba is the debut album from English indie-rock band Glass Animals. “Black Mambo” starts out with an almost jerky drum beat and lightly strummed guitar before descending into a mellow, groovy jam that moves along at a leisurely pace, aided by the occasional bells and what I strongly suspect is a triangle. “Gooey” plays out smoothly, full of bass and harmonies, and pulses on in a calm, confident pace that highlights the other instrumentation on it. It’s oddly reminiscent of elevator music, but in a good way. “Toes” is also quite groovy, to the point where it’s almost stylized. The act of walking will feel five times cooler while listening to “Toes.” “Cocoa Hooves” is one of the more relaxed tracks on the record, at times jazzy, always chill; driven by a minimalist beat and simple yet effective guitar riff, the track builds up to a thoroughly spacious and busy chorus before descending back into a watery lull.
