Rating: 10/10

Not too long ago, I made some pretty outlandish claims about the awesomeness of Grizzly Bear.  A few months before that, Pitchfork made some insane claims about Animal Collective.  With such heavyweights out there, it would seem that the album-of-the-year talk would be very heated between these two bands.  Well folks, it’s time to introduce a new player in that same conversation.

I had never listened to Dirty Projectors before, so the various accolades thrown to Bitte Orca were a bit surprising to me.  But, with all the good press came a reason to find out what the deal was.

Bitte Orca gets to you by knocking your ears around.  It starts with the mutating rhythms of “Cannibal Resource.”  The beat never finds an exact place to lock in.  Instead, it shifts and attaches to the particular ideas found throughout the song.  The distinctive lyrics further weave in and out, constantly impressing with harmonic females cooing and the confident lead male voice selling a tale about “the arbitrary life.”

The leadoff track is very indicative of the rest of Bitte Orca: it will keep you guessing and on your toes.  A quiet acoustic piece is suddenly turned wild with a single cymbal crash in “Temecula Sunrise.”

Without much warning, the band changes gears for full female singing in “Stillness is the Move” and the reflective “Two Doves.”  A string section also becomes more prominent, rising and falling to accent the tension in each song.

Exciting, memorable moments pepper each song.  The straining repetition of titular phrase “Bitte Orca” accompanies a wild thrashing guitar that cuts right through the center of the initially relaxed “Useful Chamber.”

It’s hard to exactly classify what Dirty Projectors have created in Bitte Orca.  As a cop-out, I could call it “indie rock,” but that really sells short the experience.  Unique vocals and a reluctance to rely on guitar makes the album shift toward R&B, even if everything seems to fit within a rock guise.

What makes the album so good is how the crazy changes and memorable phrases all interact.  Excellent musicianship and endless creativity really go a long way toward making a great album.  Dirty Projectors use both to carefully craft each complex song.

As a warning, you will need to listen carefully to get the most out of Bitte Orca.  However, if you’re willing to let things develop, you will be rewarded by the most complex album of the year.  It’s constantly impressive and a great long-term investment.  Grizzly Bear and Animal Collective now have new competition.

Open admission: I don’t really care for Coldplay.  That’s a careful selection of words – they aren’t a band to dislike, I just don’t particularly care about them.  Of course, they do have a few reasons to love them (see: “Clocks” and “The Scientist”), but I’ve otherwise considered them to be a mediocre Radiohead-cover band (see: “Speed of Sound”).

But then they did something a bit unexpected and released LeftRightLeftRightLeft for free.  I like free things, even if they’re mediocre.  Particularly, I like free music – this external hard drive has plenty of music I don’t always listen to, so why not add this?

I am here to bring glad tidings – this is good free music.  I’m not going to discuss the benefits or failings of the original recordings, but the quality of live music presented here is really excellent.  Layered sounds come through quite nicely, and Chris Martin’s voice never overpowers the instruments (and vice versa).

It’s very clear that Coldplay are excellent showmen, bringing quite a bit of energy to their performance.  It’s an interesting combo on this side of the headphones – there are big bold sounds (like U2), but presented in a personal way.  It’s like the band really cares about every note and word, yet manages to translate their feeling to the crowds.

The majesty of “Clocks” was particularly gripping to me.  I personally view the song as one of the best of this decade, offering musical cohesion and emotional fervor.  Live, the crowds are justifiably excited by the opening.  Suddenly, this special, individual song becomes global and powerful.  A song that jerks tears can also build momentum and bring forth clapping from the masses.  It’s pretty awesome.

The crowds of the recording are also an important note.  They’re never dropped entirely from the mix, but are kept generally low in most cases.  I think this is a good decision, allowing the music to speak without annoying whoops jumping in the way.

The quality of the individual songs can be argued, but that’s left for reviews of the individual albums.  What is in LeftRight is a great introduction to Coldplay and a very nice free album to add to your collection.  The score below isn’t a number (but so you know, the music would not get a 10).  Instead, it’s a clear reminder that free things are excellent, and we should be very thankful for this one.

RATING: GET IT NOW

Let it be said that I love the internet:

This image is hilarious, and it’s quite funny how the media is so upset by this Joker-reference.  I find it odd that there is such outrage over this, but the loud liberals were allowed to call GWB “Hitler” without any complaints.

Essential Listening will return to its regularly (un)scheduled nonsense in the next few days.

RATING: 9.6/10

Sad admission: I am rather late to the Dinosaur Jr. party.  A quick Google search yields lots of information about their glory days as influential indie icons.  Unfortunately, that means very little to me – I’m sure the band has touched quite a bit of what I hear today, but it’s hard to tell now.  Heck, I even missed out on their previous album, the relatively recent Beyond.

Well here I am now, rather cured of my mistakes and drooling for more thanks to the loud, brilliant and inspired Farm.

Farm kicks into gear right away with a quick drum flourish that brings in the guitars.  Oh the guitars.  Every song on the album will have you itching to find the nearest six-string and shred along with the band.  J Mascis is a force of nature, pulling out the most powerful riffs in every song, before going into solos that would make Eddie Van Halen stop and listen.

It’s hard to pick out particular highlight songs because they all bring interesting solos and guitar patterns to the table.  Opener “Pieces” starts things off right with a great punch of energy and a structure that refuses to surrender.

“Ocean in the Way” takes a slightly different pace, offering a slightly more swung feel, allowing for guitar exploration between nearly every phrase instead of in only one place.  “Plans” starts slower and offers the most beautifully aching solo in years.  Even the longest songs (“I Don’t Want to Go There” and “Said the People”) manage to remain engaging throughout the over seven minutes of play.

While the main focus is rightfully on the guitar sounds, a portion Farm’s success needs to be credited to the drums.  Instead of just forming a foundation for J Mascis to lift his guitar solos, the percussive elements of each song allow for a personality to develop.  Even further, the drummer is not afraid to add fills and personally expand a track.

This combination of instantly-memorable guitars and bold drums makes Farm a requirement for fans of rock.  While there are lyrics and singing, the instruments steal the show here, forming their own poetic phrases.  Listen for the guitars, get swept away by the whole experience and wonder why no one else in music is playing a guitar like Dinosaur Jr.

Political blogs are everywhere.  This is not a political blog.  Essential Listening remains devoted to music.  However, the Supreme Court confirmation hearings have reminded me of my views and I felt like a random post would be nice.

I am a Republican.  I do not support much of the presidency of George W Bush.

These statements likely contradict in the minds of many moderates and liberals today.  Clearly (seemingly) my Republican status must make me a Bush supporter.

That is simply not the case.

The unfortunate reality is that, until the election of Barack Obama, the Republican Party was slipping away for me, becoming a shell of what I support.

In my mind, the Republican Party is summarized by Ronald Reagan (almost).  The essential consideration is small, un-intrusive government.  This means fewer social programs, less bloat and less spending.

This should again raise a flag for all liberals.  How can a Republican support less spending if Bush spent so much?

Therein lies the problem: George Bush was more a Democrat than Republican.  Instead of being conservative with the budget, he spent.  Instead of cutting down the bureaucracy, he expanded the role of government in education and surveillance.  Suddenly, the government was huge and powerful.

This is not what a “real” Republican ought support.  Quite suddenly, Bush seemed no better than the liberals he “opposed.”  And somehow, the “republican” politicians followed.  They spent, they grew government and alienated their base.

It is interesting now to see the Obama economic policies unfold.  Essentially taking over where Bush left off, this president is lending money to banks, taking over the auto industry and attempting to stimulate the economy through huge spending bills.

So where is the money?  If we’ve spent this much, why isn’t every state feeling the impact right now?

I don’t like the idea of government running my life.  Blame it on my enjoyment of freedom, if you must.  But having government seemingly in control of so much of the economy (essentially becoming the farmer feeding the companies), it feels as if there is a sudden connection between government and employment or government and purchases.

I don’t want to rely on government to regulate my choices.  I’m a strong believer in competition resulting in a better living environment.  Furthermore, why does government know what is best for companies?  And why do all companies necessarily need to survive right now?  If a market is shrinking or no longer exists (like the market for American-made cars), why try to artificially prop it up?

The larger the government, the less power the individual holds.  By taking over industries or interjecting in healthcare as a new provider, government gains power.  Other competition falls (how do you compete with a multi-trillion dollar “company” like Washington?), and we’re left with one choice.

Clearly that goes to the extreme, and I recognize the failings in the current systems (especially healthcare), but the suggestion that government provides all the answers is absurd and generally foolish.

Innovators exist within our country, working to improve their fields.  By shutting of their voices with a single answer via government, we all lose.

I’m happy to see that current Republicans are “suddenly” remembering their root core as supporters of small government.  However, this quick change in the Obama world is awfully fishy, and seems just as a counterpoint to the Democrat policies.

I am a Republican because I support small government.  But I want those who represent me to actually mean it when they claim that Obama’s spending is over-the-top.  A quick reminder would serve well: they’re the same people who were giddy about giving Bush more money for no reason.

It has been two years since the release of the most recent Smashing Pumpkins effort (released on July 6, 2007).  For a band once known for bold, grand, drama-filled albums, Zeitgeist represents a great change for Billy Corgan – and a very unfortunate one at that.

In the past, the emphasis was on rock and pop.  Even the earliest releases (Gish and Siamese Dream) were focused on mass exposure concerns.  Rooted in blues-rock and layered guitars, both albums added excellence through the extra flourishes.  Siamese Dream was especially great with lighter outings in “Today” and full orchestral excess in “Disarm.”

The later works were even larger in scale, featuring show tunes (“Tonight, Tonight”), glam-electronic-rock (“Ava Adore”), eight minute epics (“For Martha”) and strange concept-like albums (Machina/The Machines of God).

Unlike all of these, Zeitgeist is a massive shift toward hard rock, and only hard rock.  From the beginning of the album, big drums and bigger guitars smack your ears, demanding singular attention at the music.  This would be great if used carefully.

Instead, the Pumpkins try to build a whole album off of one sound: loud, bass-y guitars and pounding drums.  There is no variation.  Even “lighter” efforts like “Bleeding the Orchid” quickly shift to a crazed aural assault, really just representing a slower version of the previous songs on the album.

Zeitgeist might have fared better if Billy Corgan weren’t so insistent on using his vocal delivery.  Possibly expressive passages (like through “Bring The Light”) might have been emotionally meaningful if not delivered through a nasally sneer.  Corgan’s voice doesn’t work so well in this new setting of thrashing guitars.

Maybe the only upside to Zeitgeist is the presence of Jimmy Chamberlain, longtime drummer for the Pumpkins.  He remains and offers thrilling fills, rolls and attacks.  Sadly, the whole album is not a drum solo, and the mainly-Corgan effort fails because of this.

Fans of The Smashing Pumpkins are advised to pass this one up.  The sound does not fit any hopes and only manages to frustrated with repeated listens.  This release mainly suits fans of standard “modern rock,” perhaps a Nickelback fan looking for something more guitar-based.

Now that the band is down to only Corgan, I no longer look forward to future releases from “The Smashing Pumpkins.”  Corgan no longer sounds interested in previous efforts.  Instead, he only looks to be out of attention and money, using the name of his once-great band to reap the benefits.

RATING: 2.5/10

After recently hitting pretty big (Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga in the Billboard top 10), it’s interesting to consider the path of Spoon.  This band out of Austin seems to have achieved that elusive indie crossover status.  However, this wasn’t without effort and great change within the band’s sound.

Spoon is now amongst my favorite artists, but it’s a bit harder to see their greatness in their early days.

Early Days: Pixie Phone

It is effortless to peg early Spoon efforts as Pixies-inspired.  Dynamic shifts, near-scream vocals and thrashing guitars instantly recall the sounds of Surfer Rosa and Doolittle.  However, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing: Pixies are lauded as one of the great rock bands.  To copy one of the greats is probably a wise choice.

Unfortunately, Spoon’s first two albums do very little to stand apart from other bands.  Thankfully there are two points that differentiate the group: Britt Daniels and Jim Eno.

For all the derivative sounds, lead singer and main composer Britt Daniels had a knack for sonic quality from the start.  By ensuring that first album Telephono was an excellent Pixies facsimile, the record nearly stands the test of time.

The second facet of Spoon’s early success is in drummer Jim Eno.  Inventive fills and a great sense of rhythm infect every song on Telephono.

Spoon began a significant shift in two late-90s releases: Soft Effects EP and A Series of Sneaks.  While still retaining the arena-sized sound of Pixies, the sonic textures and qualities of each song were now driving outside the realm of even Doolittle.

“Mountain to Sound” and “Waiting for the Kid to Come Out” (both from Soft Effects) offered a more nuanced Spoon sound.  While featuring heavily distorted vocals, very few extra sounds permeated “Mountain,” offering a look into the future of the band.  Similarly, “Waiting for the Kid” held to the soft-loud-soft structure in a careful manner.  Verses were very soft, nearly stripping the song of all noise.

A Series of Sneaks saw Spoon transform further, nearly closing in on a blend of Doolittle and Radiohead’s The Bends.  Much of the difference here was in vocal delivery.  Suddenly, Britt Daniels didn’t need to lean on any Black Francis impersonations.  Daniels sounds more confident here, willing to utilize his own expressivity in crafting songs.

Spoon seemed to be on the verge of something great with Sneaks, building memorable songs and starting to rely on individual style.  Unfortunately, this release didn’t seem to be the thing a major label wanted.

Getting Dumped and Starting Over

A Series of Sneaks was released on major label Elektra in 1998.  But with little marketing support and low album sales, Spoon was dumped.  This kind of support can rather shake a band.  Spoon responded harshly with the two-song single “The Agony of Laffitte.”  The scathing songs about former Elektra ally Ron Laffitte dropped in an intermediary period for the band.

Soon enough, Spoon landed with indie label Merge (the home of Neutral Milk Hotel, and eventually Arcade Fire).  In this case, the change was much more than just a sticker on a record.  Spoon was in for a massive overhaul.

The Best Four Consecutive Records

From this point forward, Spoon began what seemed to be an experiment in minimalism.  Instead of building on the big Pixies sounds, Britt Daniels explored the core of his songs, stripping each track to the bare minimum components.

This change was instantly seen on Girls Can Tell, an album that offered a decidedly lighter Spoon with more organ and piano noises.  The constant barrage of crunchy guitar was all but removed, instead allowing minimal guitar interjections to reign.

This shift worked almost flawlessly.  Instead of a set of songs that sounded alike, Girls Can Tell offered unique styling in each track.  This shift was also reflected by longer songs.  Few pieces were two minutes, and a few even stretched beyond the four-minute mark.

Girls Can Tell also brought a new level of lyrical complexity, offering insight into the emotional world of the band.  “The Fitted Shirt” brought a memorable tale of growth and admiration for a father figure.  “Chicago at Night” holds excellent imagery, built around a haunting organ and expressive guitar.

But Spoon did not stop here.  Suddenly the band had a distinctive sound and one great album.  They followed this up with an even better album: Kill the Moonlight.

Quite suddenly, Spoon had altered their career path through insane songwriting talent.  Daniels and Eno tightened each song, turning Kill the Moonlight into a brilliant effort.  Organs, pianos and light electronics might point toward musical excess, but are used economically in “Small Stakes,” “Paper Tiger,” and “Vittorio E.”

Somehow, the band managed to continue this momentum through their next two albums.  Gimmie Fiction and Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga are packed with memorable songs – each track distinctive, yet clear of any unneeded sounds.

The Library

I would argue that Spoon has the strongest top-to-bottom library in all modern music.  This is a fairly bold claim, but the band constantly offers innovative approaches to the realm of rock.  Funk, soul and R&B can be pulled from recent hits “You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb” and “Don’t You Evah.”  Pure fun is available in “Sister Jack.”  Appropriate guitar solos (nothing fancy, but still fun) is there in “Believing is Art.”

For any variation on rock, Spoon seems to have an answer.  But their method is why they’re so noteworthy: pulling away at music to leave the core.  It’s a risky proposition (what happens when you have too little?), but Daniels has proven again and again that he’s a qualified artist.

The future looks bright for Spoon.  Being on Merge, they needn’t worry about the pains of a major label.  However, they’ve now gained the kind of success that many on the big-brands crave.  This achievement through (pardon the cliché) being themselves is very encouraging.  I can’t wait to see what Spoon is going to dismantle next.

Just a brief update today (I’m not really around an internet connection long enough for much else).

It has now been one year since I started Essential Listening.  It’s pretty profound to realize that I’ve stuck with this for so long.  My last blogging endeavors only lasted a month at most.
Thanks to everyone who has read this stuff – it’s cool to look at the stats and realize that some people actual read this at times.

I hope to keep blogging into the future, and maybe mix it up a bit more with different topics – maybe some videogames, politics and other geeky stuff.  At any rate, thanks again for sticking with this blog, even through the slow points.  It has been a fun ride and makes music even more fun.

On this, the first official day of summer, I think it’s nice to consider some summer-oriented tracks.  Some of these songs feature commentary on summer, but others are just the sort of catchy stuff that summer anthems are made of.

“Steal My Sunshine” by Len

Seemingly known for nothing else, Len’s hit song came in 1999 and is still infectious today.  Built on a solid beat (boom, cha-ka) the whole thing hits its stride when the female vocals chime in “if you steal my sunshine.”  It’s such an effective tool and makes the song difficult to ignore, even 10 years later.

“Stacy’s Mom” by Fountains of Wayne

I know.  It’s so dumb.  The video is also dumb, albeit in a very funny stupid way.  But you cannot ignore this song.  Starting with that riff right from The Cars, adding the little cymbal fill from The Cars and building on some synth (also from The Cars), you’re quickly drawn in.

Yes, Fountains of Wayne totally took the tools, the structure of the song, and the hooks from The Cars.  But if you’re going to steal, why not steal from one of the catchiest bands out there?  “Stacy’s Mom” is a modern-day “Just What I Needed,” and mostly because it is the same song.  However, you won’t forget it (the lyrics make you laugh, even after the song is over), and it’s a great summer tune.

“Summertime Blues” by Eddie Cochran

No summer list would be complete without some version of this song.  Originally recorded by Eddie Cochran, this version is arguably the purest, addressing voting rights while lamenting about long summer days.  Even removed from the political background, “Summertime Blues” is a still a catchy song and seemingly respected throughout the musical community; the number of covers of for this song is staggering, further providing evidence to its universal nature.

“Opiate Summer” by Vendetta Red

Mostly remembered for their minor hit “Shatterday,” Vendetta Red offered a slightly different look at the boring world of early-decade punk rock.  The difference here was their singer – one with a Robert Plant style of delivery.  Focus was more on the falsetto than other vocal aspects.

The best song of their 2003 release (Between the Never and the Now) was “Opiate Summer.”  Dark verses full of self-deprecation were offset by the bright, anthemic choruses.  This balance ended up being the selling point and really brought out the best in the band.