Print Edition: October 24, 2012
Titus Andronicus
Local Business
While Local Business lacks the cinematic ambition of Titus Andronicus’ sophomore effort—a messy mash-up of Civil War history, New Jersey folklore, drug dependency and one hell of a break up called The Monitor—it is a much more consistent effort from Patrick Stickles’ careening, cantankerous punk outfit. Relieved of such a restrictive thematic framework, Local Business is looser but more focused on a track-by-track basis. Abrasive as ever, Stickles and company shout verbose, uncomfortably personal lyrics and fist-pumping refrains over a drunk and disorderly roadhouse band anchored by Eric Harm’s propulsive drumming, finally given the thunderous production it’s always deserved. Centrepiece “My Eating Disorder” showcases the band at its full powers, opening with a guitar riff borrowed from the Stones’ “Rocks Off” before diving on into a vicious minor-key punk refrain and concluding the eight-minute track with a prog-rock breakdown complete with harmonic guitar solo. Titus Andronicus seem to have most trouble with mid-length songs, like the stately and forgettable first single “In A Big City” but can be consistently relied on for intricately composed epics and short bursts of punk rock glory, like the minute-long “Food Fight!” which lurches forward with the same joyride abandon as The New York Dolls.
The New Values
The New Values
Taking cues from the British, as well as the L.A. punk scene of the 1970s, the three-piece Vancouver punk band The New Values kick up a hellacious racket on their new self-titled record that strays from the more conventional garage rock and dives into fast punk and unabashed rock & roll. The New Values, made up of some the current members of the Modernettes lineup, don’t use constant buildups that lead to climaxes in their songs; rather they use breakneck rhythms that descend their songs into chaos. The art-punk trio has produced a record with some intuitive songwriting, yet their record is more about attitude than content, as the tunes aren’t as much sung as they are snarled. The music crackles with bratty energy, and singer Adam Sabla growls about humorous online breakups and little known Toronto filmmakers with a grueling intensity and release of frustration reminiscent of acts like The Germs. Although they utilize punk’s traditional manic frenzy and unbridled enthusiasm, The New Values also add elements of new wave, and underground sounds to the mix, creating noisy spasms of straightforward, but effective, rock noise.
Graham Wright
Apple Breath
This short and sweet EP opens and closes with the noise of a cell phone notification. A circular motion is present throughout the album; the second track establishes a cycle of the seasons and curls in on itself with a simple, melodic refrain. Interestingly enough, the album as a whole is reminiscent of Wright’s full-length album of last year, Shirts vs Skins. Some of the progressions are so similar that I would almost call it a b-side – after listening to the EP for an hour, I found myself whistling the tracks from the full album. At first this is a little disappointing, but at the root of things it’s just nice to hear Wright’s wistful lyrics and mellow upbeat tunes in a fresh way. Think of it as an extension rather than an exploration; there’s not a whole lot of new territory covered, but this album has the same chill Canadian vibes that make Wright’s work so intrinsically honest and decent. We hear sentiments about separated love and the details of everyday life that Wright somehow puts a special gleam on, and for a free side-project EP, this album delivers everything it promises.
G-Dragon
One of a Kind
Many North American critics of K-pop paint it as nothing but an assemblage of Western influences (the worst, most over-produced ones, of course). According to this view, G-Dragon, lead rapper of male group Big Bang, steals the sounds of rap and hip hop without any understanding of the milieu that led to its creation. Responding with over-confidence and knowing it, G-Dragon on One of a Kind sends out provocations and seeks to separate from categorizations. As with his main group, G-Dragon moves between partying alone (spite) and asking “why” questions about love objects (sentiment). On “That XX” he sings “Love is blind/baby you’re so blind,” but he’s the one left in the dark, with only insults to counter with. G-Dragon’s carefully maintained exterior—insensitive and inexperienced but not—is both part of his appeal and something he wants to rip apart. “Tonight,” a song where G-Dragon tries to avoid the consequences of his actions toward others, finds his conflicted immaturity (he knows the other side of the argument) mingling with the celebratory chorus, leading to the rising refrain “We’re rocking our lives away,” and the knowing, playful interjection “[it’s the] same shit!”
