REAL ESTATE - Days (Domino)

Toward the end of 2009 Real Estate shuffled onto the indie rock scene with their effortlessly brilliant self-titled Lp. Despite its mid-November release and lack of deafening hype, the album managed to work its way into more than a few year-end lists. Following in the vein of Pavement at their most lackadaisical the record made for perfect lazy day music to be enjoyed alone or with friends, at home or on the lake, in the dead of winter or in the full blaze of summer. It was the ideal soundtrack for those moments when life was about living and nothing more. The band followed up their debut with a whole lot of touring. Over the past 18 months, I personally ended up seeing them on four separate occasions, and while always a great live band, each subsequent show found them sounding tighter and bigger than the one before. I mention this because all of that touring seems to be partially responsible for the larger and more expansive sound of "Days," the band's much anticipated sophomore album.

While some bands expand their sound by piling on more instrumentation or experimenting with song structure, Real Estate stick to the same basic template as their previous record. This time around, though, their performance is more precise and layered making for a grander sounding record than their relatively lo-fi debut. Whereas previously the band drew comparisons to early R.E.M., the point of reference here is the band that influenced Athens' finest to begin with - The Byrds. Choruses hum with layered harmonies, and guitars shimmer and swell much like the forefathers of jangle rock at the height of their power. It is surely no coincidence that "Days" contains a song called "Younger Than Yesterday," the same title of The Byrds classic fourth album. Also no real coincidence that the hazy dark track recalls everyone from The Byrds to fellow travelers Buffalo Springfield and Neil Young. The net result of this development is that there is a timelessness to these tracks that is sorely lacking from most modern artists' work. There is no doubt that "Days" will sound as spectacular decades from now as it does today.

Another variation in the band's approach this time out is that while everything felt so relaxed and carefree on their debut, here there is a world wariness that seeps into many of the record's tracks. Songs like "Green Aisles" and "Out Of Tune" bare the stamp of resignation, and more than just a little melancholy around the edges of each track. The songs' initial laid-back vibe is deceptive, as closer listens reveals something sounding more like the kind of exhaustion that sets in after life has had its way with you. Of course, some songs maintain their buoyancy against the rising tide of discontent. Tracks like "Easy" and "It's Real" bounce along like the Feelies playing a late-80s house party.

Two of the most interesting songs on the album, "Municipality" and "Three Blocks," find the group pushing themselves in a slightly different direction. "Municipality" is a syncopated rock song (or at least as much rock as Real Estate is capable of) that expresses a longing for an idealized utopia of new houses with well-maintained gardens and freshly-cut lawns where lovers share their lives together. When lead singer Martin Courtney says "that's not anything like my reality," it cuts to the core even as Matthew Mondanile's hypnotic guitar playing soothes. This dichotomy between contentment and sadness runs throughout the album, making for one of the most intriguing musical balancing acts I've heard in some time. "Three Blocks" maintains that tension between light and dark. While the track almost sounds like a romantic waltz, the lyrics reveal something more existential and ponderous: "All those people all around me, were they strangers or was it me, figure out what I want to be."

With "Days," Real Estate have met and exceeded the expectations facing them in the wake of their perfect debut record. Granted there are a couple of extraneous tracks here, like the instrumental "Kinder Blumen," which adds nothing to the band's catalog, but when all is said and done, it is easy to overlook such minor missteps given the strength of the rest of the record. What is most compelling about this album is that even during its most relaxed moments, there is a restless and discontented heart that beats throughout. Given the growth already apparent here, I can't wait to hear what the band does with that restlessness next time out. For now though, I'm more than happy than to lose myself in the sun and rain of "Days."

"Green Aisles" live


"It's Real" live


"Out of Tune" live

6(66) METAL ALBUMS JUST IN TIME FOR HELLOWEEN

To be honest, I've had serious writer's block for the past two weeks. My day job has sucked the life out of me and yet great albums have continued to be released. What follows is a summation of some of those albums that fall into the metal category. If you like anything hard, I promise there is something among this list that will be your next new favorite album. These are all perfect records for the month that is Rocktober.

#1 MASTODON - The Hunter (Reprise)

As if my writer's block wasn't enough, I find myself struggling with what more there is to say about Mastodon? They are one of the few metal bands that enjoy both critical and popular success, and who are long enough in the game that you should know what to expect from these guys. Yet, "The Hunter" finds the band switching gears and moving away from the complex concept albums they are known for. Instead, the record is a collection of stand-alone songs that run the metal and hard rock gamut. The end result is easily the band's most accessible album to date, but accessible does not mean "false metal."

Sounding at times like Rush meets Black Sabbath, at others like classic Queens of the Stone Age and Alice In Chains, these songs are easy to like. Yet, even at their most poppy, as on the Torche-like "Blasteroid," the band is as tightly coiled as ever. Throughout the record, the band proves that catchy is not a bad thing, even in metal. Lead single "Curl of the Burl" is full of incredible hooks, but maintains the band's signature beefy sound. For my money, it's one of the best songs of the year, and proof positive that metal doesn't have to be alienating to be powerful. Other songs, like "Stargasm," sound like a Mastodon album crammed into a single four-minute plus song, while still others find the band exploring new territory entirely, such as on ballads "The Hunter" and "The Sparrow" or the bizzaro Celtic/monster movie mashup that is "Creature Lives."

While not having a central concept to form songs around has freed the band to produce incredibly tight and varied epics in miniature throughout "The Hunter," there is certainly an argument to be made that the record lacks the consistency in feel and sound that was evident on the band's other records. In truth, there is a grab bag quality to the record, and you will inevitably like some song more than others. At the same time, the band never loses themselves in pointless interludes or overly technical bridges and segues. Everything here is played with an immediacy that was arguably lacking from some of the band's other work. In the end, it's Mastodon, and it's pretty damn great. There is plenty here to satisfy long-time fans, while new comers will find countless points of entry into the band's sound.

"Curl of the Burl"

#2 YOB - Atma (Profound Lore)

I've always really wanted to love Yob. Ever since I became a doom freak upon hearing Sunn 0)))'s "White" records for the first time I thought that Buddhism (a philosophy that I am a horrible practitioner of) and the plodding slabs of heaviness roaring out of so many sunn amps went together like bread and butter. Listen to the Gyuto Monks of Tibet (or better yet, the Monks of the Drepung Loseling Monastery) and listen to a top of the line doom album and you will find much in common. They both share a singularity of focus through repition meant to bring about the eventual cessation of the listener's ego as it dissolves into the sound field of the recording. Southern Lord described it best while promoting a Sunn 0))) live aktion in 2009: "It will be a return to...primal origins, an approach respecting a zen concept of shoshin." So when I discovered some years back that Yob drew a whole lot of influence from eastern philosophy I was ready to find a new favorite band. Unfortunately I was somewhat underwhelmed by what I heard from them. I liked it, but I wasn't blown away.

A couple of years ago, when I had all but forgotten about the band, I started hearing rumblings again about Yob and their superb 2009 release "The Great Cessation." I eventually gave them another chance and was floored by what I heard. Yob may have had some growing pains, but they have emerged as one of the tightest, heaviest and most effective bands in metal today. "Atma" is an absolute masterpiece that deserves to sit near the top of every "Best Of" list of 2011. Whether it is the razor-sharp riffage of the titular track or the progressive pummeling of "Adrift In The Ocean" the band are at the height of their power, sounding like a far more adventurous and disciplined Sleep.

"Atma"

#3 CRAFT - Void (Southern Lord)

This masterwork of misanthropy almost was not. Craft nearly called it quits following the annihilation fest of 2005's "Fuck The Universe," but thankfully did not. Instead they replaced their original drummer, regrouped and spent a few years putting together "Void," their most challenging and "mature" (in a good way, I promise) album to date. Certainly the band's classic black metal roots underlie everything on the album, but they also continue to incorporate a great deal of experimentation, albeit experimentation dripping with filth and grime.

The band shifts comfortably between incredibly textured pieces like "The Ground Surrenders," stripped down tracks like the brutal "I Want To Commit Murder," and about everything in-between. It's sort of amazing how diverse this record is without ever losing its grim edge. Every time I have put this on, I've found something new to love. There are a lot of treasures to unpack here, making it one of the more rewarding records of the year. This one gets my highest recommendation and will hopefully prove to be the sleeper record of the year for many listeners. It's that good.

#4 FALSE - S/T (Gilead Media)

I really don't know a whole hell of a lot about False. From what little I can gather, they are a female fronted band and the guys from Thou dig them a lot. Being that Skeletons & Candy worships Thou just a tinsy bit, I was more than willing to give this band a listen, and was more than a little thrilled to find myself blown away by what I heard.

This self-titled ep consists of two twelve-minute plus songs of some of the most twisted genre-bending metal that I've heard since Portal. False certainly channels in black metal, but also incorporates plenty of doom and math rock into the equation. As if to prove the band's versatility, the most powerful moment on the record is the post-rock interlude during the incredible "Sleepmaker" that sounds not dissimilar to some of Thou's "Summit" sessions. I suspect that there is much greatness to come from this band, and can't wait to hear a future full-length.

"Sleepmaker"

#5 ALL PIGS MUST DIE - God Is War (Southern Lord)

With a name like All Pigs Must Die, and an album called "God Is War," what exactly do you expect this band to sound like? The answer, of course, is Slayer at their punkiest, which they do, and which they pull off spectacularly. This is hardcore thrash at it's absolute finest. Furious punk tempos are broken up by riffage ranging from lightening fast to brutal and deliberate, as lead singer Kevin Baker screams out lyrics like "kill them all" and "all will burn."

What sets APMD apart from the slew of crust/hardcore bands that Southern Lord have been emphasizing lately is that these guys not only have better chops, they also have a sense of songcraft that makes for a listen that is more compelling than those records you put on simply because you need something to get aggro with. Evan as the band continues to pummel, there are so many mind-blowing shifts in dynamics here and memorable razor-sharp riffs that this feels like something of a watershed album. I could see this becoming the "Reign In Blood" of the hardcore set, and frankly they need it. Hardcore has never been my favorite of the extreme metal genres, but All Pigs Must Die makes it more compelling than it has ever been. I couldn't recommend this album more highly.

"Third World Genocide" live

#6 BLACK COBRA - Invernal (Southern Lord)

Black Cobra's "Invernal" is another brutal full-throttle attack from Southern Lord. As a duo that sounds beefier and heavier than most bands twice their size, Black Cobra are known for mixing breakneck metal with sludge to powerful effect. "Invernal" is the band's fourth album overall, and second for SL, following in the wake of 2009's excellent "Chronomega." The record finds drummer Rafa Martinez and guitarist Jason Landrian ratcheting things up even further, sounding more relentless than ever, which I didn't think possible. Imagine that you are being pursued by every single sentient being on earth, and they will not stop until you are dead. This is the soundtrack to that nightmarish death race.

While onslaught really is what this band does best, when they throw in a little diversity it only adds to the overall effect. Songs like "Crimson Blade" and "Corrosion Fields" stand out as a result of stylistic and tempo shifts. At the same time, even the most monolithic of tracks are full of endless twists and turns to keep listeners hooked for some time. This was one of the most anticipated releases of the year for me personally, and I can easily say that it has more than exceeded my expectations. I'll be dissecting "Invernal" in the weeks and months to come with a large satisfied grin on my face.

"Avalanche"

WILCO - The Whole Love (dBpm)

Sad fact: I haven't given a shit about anything Wilco has done in years. Given the slew of mediocre to boring releases in the wake of the masterful "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot," I can't really be blamed for my apathy. After all, it is not my fault that one of the greatest bands in the world went from all killer to all filler overnight. I spent more than a few moments in time over the years wondering what went wrong. Was the real talent in the band actually Jay Bennett? Was a sober Jeff Tweedy a lame Jeff Tweedy? After a while, I really just didn't give a damn. There were plenty of bands out there making great music to occupy my time. The tragedy, though, was that none of those bands sounded like Wilco at their height. When Wilco was at the top of their game, no one, other than maybe Radiohead, could touch them. Their ability to mix experimentalism with pop was astonishing on a level that approached the Beatles, and the aforementioned Radiohead. So when early positive reviews of the band's latest work "The Whole Love" began to surface, I was hopeful, if more than a little skeptical; after all, "Sky Blue Sky" and "Wilco (the Album)" all received generally positive reviews initially, reviews that arguably were padded by the goodwill Wilco had garnered over the years. Fortunately this time out, those initial reviews were spot on, maybe even a little too conservative in their praise, or maybe it's that the sound of Wilco caring about music again is so damn exciting that I can't really temper my own praise. Regardless, I love this record.

Opener "Art of Almost" starts the album out strong with pulsating electronics, a skittish Radiohead-like bass and beat, and anxious strings that swell at just the right moment. It's a massive, almost unwieldy, number that would sound like slop in a lesser band's hands, but Wilco control this beast all the way up until the end when they let loose with a torrent of blistering guitar that rocks harder than anything their English counterpart has done in years. If there is one drawback to "The Whole Love," it is that there aren't any other songs quite like "Art of Almost" on the album. At the same time what follows is the band's most consistent, catchy and enjoyable record in years.

For the most part, the record channels in catchy pop songs with experimental fringe like lead single "I Might," which is easily the band's most memorable song since "War On War" and "Heavy Metal Drummer." Ultimately, if there is a record most like "The Whole Love" in Wilco's back catalog it is the psychedelic pop candy of "Summerteeth," yet rather than sound like a Brian Wilson production, this sounds like Wilco and Wilco only. One of the record's best tracks, "Born Alone," is the kind of song that only this band could make. The song starts off like a Jayhawks' song, and then explodes into the sky with a shimmering repetitive guitar motif and galloping drums. From there it only grows bigger and better like a fireworks display. It's the mixture of the familiar with the foreign, in this case americana with krautrock, that makes the song so much like Wilco at their best, and also because it is Wilco at their best.

There are lots of little treats scattered throughout the record as well, including "Black Moon," which sounds suspiciously like Tweedy's Uncle Tupelo classic "Black Eye." I guess if you are going to cannibalise your own music, you might as well cannibalise one of your finest moments. It's a welcome song that will strike the mystic chords of memory in more than a few listeners. "Sunloathe" is a nice little slice of the kind of psych-futurism that characterized the Flaming Lips, Radiohead (once again), and Wilco back in the day and is another welcome diversion. The Van Dyke Parks influenced "Capital City" is also a distinctive highlight. Really there isn't a bad song on this record. There is no filler here. Each song has its charm and each finds the band fully awake and engaged.

The record closes with the beautiful and delicate "One Sunday Morning (Song For Jane Smiley's Boyfriend)." As an aside, I couldn't help but think of Badly Drawn Boy at his best when I first heard the track. It's a pitch perfect acoustic shuffle complete with chimes, piano and powerful, but understated, emotion. At over twelve minutes in length, it's the album's longest track, yet it casts such a spell that it leaves you wanting more. The same could be said for the whole record.

If you had told me a month ago that I would fall in love with the new Wilco record, I would have laughed in your face and told you to fuck off. Partly because deep down I wanted that to be true, but believed it no longer possible. Thankfully "The Whole Love" is a prima facie example of why F. Scott Fitzgerald was full of shit when he said "there are no second acts in American lives." This is the sound of Wilco no longer going through the motions. Instead, they are making music worthy of their hallowed name for the first time in years. "The Whole Love" easily gets my highest recommendation possible.

"Art Of Almost"


"I Might"


"Black Moon"