Fat Lip "The Loneliest Punk" (Delicious Vinyl) Sounds Like: The Second Coming of one of hip-hop's most unique figures. A-
"You know who/back on the block/to bust a rhyme like a four-five glock," says Fat Lip on the opening track of "The Loneliest Punk." After dropping off the hip-hop radar for what might as well have been a lifetime, Fat Lip is back with an album that is going to make waves.
The Pharcyde, the alternative rap group in which Fat Lip got his start, released "LabcabinCalifornia" in 1995. Fat Lip left the group shortly afterward and disappeared for five years. In 2000, he dropped the single "What's Up Fat Lip?" insinuating that a full length was to follow shortly. Now, five years later, that full length has arrived.
This album has been in the works for 10 years, and it shows. Release dates were pushed back and back after the release of the single, hype was built up and then deflated when no album presented itself. But now that it is here, "The Loneliest Punk" will make as big of an impact on the rap world as Wu-Tang's "Up From the 36 Chambers" and Dre's "The Chronic." This album is a piece of hip-hop art.
"The Loneliest Punk" is an introspective, career-spanning requiem. Fat Lip examines being a father, his failure to make it big and his experiences after the breakup of the seminal alternative rap group The Pharcyde. Says Fat Lip, "I could have been a legend like Big and Pac/but I caught a case of writer's block."
One of the things that will ensure the success of this record is Fat Lip's voice. He has a unique voice in hip-hop. On the album's standout track, Fat Lip opines, "Beside the fact my voice is whack/clowns is running round talking 'bout how I smoke crack." In the video for the single, Spike Jonze takes advantage of this perception by featuring Fat Lip on Hollywood Boulevard, accosting tourists in a trench coat and soiled pair of briefs. This is so suggestive of the overall theme of the album: failure.
In the video, Fat Lip passes for a homeless crack addict, not the lyrical impresario he is. Songs addressing his writer's block, his failed marriage, his lost career, all add to this sense of despair. Unlike the Pharcyde albums of Fat Lip's early career, the tone of "The Loneliest Punk" is dark, brooding and depressing. That said, every note, every rhyme is genius. While the album sounds like a funeral mass, Fat Lip definitely is showing that his skills as an emcee are far from dead.
-JEFFREY LAMBERT
Tangiers "The Family Myth" (Frenchkiss) Sounds like: Garage rock that's smarter than the average bear. A
Garage rock is something of an institution. Recently, there have been all sorts of bands taking the helm and going to battle against finger picking. Most college students have heard the White Stripes' "Fell in Love with a Girl." There's something so catchy, so magical even, about it that it's surprising that many bands continue to thrive without even bringing any more diversity to their sound. However, what the Canadian duo Tangiers really excels at on "The Family Myth" is delivering garage rock that is a little something more.
On songs like "That Russian Bastard," bassist and vocalist James Sayce regales the listener with a pitiful yet clever story while guitarist and vocalist Josh Reichmann assists him in coating the troubadour's tale with light and poppy Strokes-like indie rock. As the two trade lyric and music-writing duties from track to track, Jon McCann (formerly of Guided By Voices fame) takes drumming duties, and Shelton Deverell aids with his talents on keyboards and piano. Most songs are pleasant and at least half are hit single material. Though many of the tracks seem to be similar, there are plenty of creative tempo changes and redirections, which, flow quite nicely, rather than disorient.
Tangiers comes off as smart. Smart enough to use sleigh bells in "A Winter's War" and smart enough to deconstruct the Great North American "family myth," which most urban above-average dressers with drug and alcohol habits probably feel the need to address. Tangiers is playing at the Black Cat on Dec. 8.
-JOSH KRAMER
Against Me! "Searching for a Former Clarity" (Fat Wreck Chords) Sounds Like: A watered down "As the Eternal Cowboy"-era Against Me! mixed with generic poppy punk, country, circus music and classic rock. C-
Against Me! makes a radical departure from their D.I.Y. anarcho-punk roots in their latest venture, "Searching for a Former Clarity." It is much more radio-friendly than their earlier albums. While many fans were concerned by the more polished and technical sound found on their previous album, "As the Eternal Cowboy," it still retained much of the "bite" that had defined Against Me! and lyrics that still hit home for many fans. Their latest release, however, comes up short on both counts.
The new album is about half the speed of all their other albums and lacks almost any passion. It's a quasi-concept album about a band struggling to get to the top and being accused of "selling out." This slightly parallels the tale of Against Me!, which started with singer/guitar player Tom Gabel playing highly political, highly emotional songs solo on his acoustic guitar at D.I.Y. punk shows. Now the band plays stadium shows and is being courted by major record labels.
"Searching for a Former Clarity" sounds like Against Me! attempted a radical sound change, a la The Clash after "London Calling." Unfortunately, Against Me! did not execute this nearly as well as The Clash. Most of the songs on the album are mediocre at best and sound nothing like what one would expect. They are a mix of country influenced indie-rock, pop-punk and ballads. There are only three songs that sound even close to any of the earlier Against Me! Albums - "Joy," "Problems" and the title track. Other songs, such as "From Her Lips to God's Ears (The Energizer)," which directly mentions Condoleeza Rice, are too blunt or feel clich?. The listener is ultimately left feeling unfulfilled, like the album never goes anywhere beyond the opening track.
This album is radio friendly, but rather unoriginal. Mediocrity is a theme on the album. This disc on a whole, while not any more terrible than most generic poppy punk, is disappointing coming from such an intense, original, passionate band. For fans of their earlier work, STAY AWAY! This one's a disappointment.
-ANDREW MERRILL
Neon Blonde "Chandeliers in the Savannah" (Dim Mak) Sounds Like: If the Blood Brothers' albums "Crimes" and "Burn, Piano Island, Burn..." had a love child and drank a cocktail of electro-clash and '80s synthpop during the pregnancy. A
Neon Blonde is the side project of Johnny Whitney and Mark Gajadhar from noise/dance/sass band The Blood Brothers. Those familiar with the Blood Brothers will not be surprised at all by this album, as it's a slightly more electronic, melodic variation of the sound of the latest Blood Brothers album, "Crimes."
The album is an interesting twist on the sass/dance sound epitomized by the Blood Brothers. Neon Blonde effectively blends keyboard, bass, guitar and drum machines into a musical, emotional journey through the album. Those unfamiliar with the Blood Brothers may be a little shocked by the album, as it does not hide its genre mashing or intensity, bringing them out with the first tracks. Whitney's voice is, as always, haunting and pleasantly grating. This album feels like a natural progression of the Blood Brothers' sound. It's more danceable, and draws in more genres than the band tends to while still maintaining the intensity of their music.
One standout track is "Chandeliers and Vines," which showcases the versatility of Whitney's voice and Neon Blonde's ability to blend disparate genres. After a gentle, moving ballad there is an excitingly jarring explosion of noise followed by a seamless return to the ballad within a few seconds. However, that explosion pushes the listener out of their comfort zone. This is characteristic of the album.
Those who enjoy The Blood Brothers' albums "Burn, Piano Island, Burn..." or "Crimes," or are just looking to listen to an interesting, creative, original and fun album, should buy this.
- A.M.
Explosions in the Sky "How Strange, Innocence" (Temporary Residence) Sounds like: Mogwai's somehow-related second cousin that shows up to the party confused, yet strangely attractive. C+
Indie slowcore post-rock. Whatever that means, Explosions in the Sky is it. Sometimes creating a new genre is necessary. A band of the new millennium, their success has been mild and somewhat muted after the release of their last two albums. But it all started with their 2000 debut, "How Strange, Innocence," which has now been re-released for wider consumption.
The Austin, Texas post-rockers actually self-released this album in 2000, but now label Temporary Residence brings the album back for more Explosions fans to have a listen. This is not music intended for the party crowd; in fact, if ever the term "sleep music" were appropriate, this may qualify. This is music full of emotion, with subdued yet lively instrumentals that undulate consistently throughout each of its seven tracks. These are long tracks, and at times, many of the songs begin to sound the same.
Perhaps a fault of this particular musical genre is that it is hard to love it, yet difficult to really hate it. It is, at first, confusing to know what to think. Intentionally or not, "How Strange, Innocence" comes across as trying too hard at times, stretching its "instrumental voicebox" beyond reasonable limits. It can sound overly contrived and dramatized in its musical capabilities. Its biggest issue is that music in its genre can fall into the trap of sounding like a bunch of background noise/music. And at times, this album finds its way into this.
While it has its faults, the band knows how to make music that grows on the listener upon repeat examinations. One listen and one might fall asleep. Four listens and the best aspects of the record shine through. Each song takes time to build momentum, but once it reaches the equivalent of a musical climax, it has far-reaching appeal. Appreciating the buildup and the falling action shows the true complexity of the music. It sounds incredible in some spots, which can sometimes mask the monotonous areas in other parts of the tracks.
Sticking to what works seems to be the motto of Explosions in the Sky, and they understand the true potential of instrumental post-rock music. While the previous two albums told us that they had potential, "How Strange, Innocence" leaves the listener satisfied and confused. The album is a conundrum, but is the bands best release to date, ironically. Has there ever been an album so good, yet so bad at the same time?
-ANDREW GARDNER
