Kevin
Mathews:
September,
2005
So Much Music, So
Little Time
I gave up collecting comic books about a
year or so ago. Partly because I found that the cost of buying
these 22-paged pamphlets just was not giving me value for
money. Now, direct comic book stores would typically have
to factor in shipping and freight costs and thus what would
cost US$2.50 in the States would cost me about US$3.00 here
in Singapore. That, and the fact that traditional super-hero
comic books were getting more and more formulaic was the final
straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. Sure, the alternative
comics were also interesting e.g. Eightball, Optic Nerve,
Love & Rockets etc, but these were more expensive than
mainstream comics and so, something had to give. Recently,
I was browsing around the graphic novel section of Kinokuniya
- a huge Japanese book store here - and decided to pick up
Top Ten: Forty-Niners and Marvel: 1602 which collectively
should have cost me US$49.98 (at cover price) but instead
I paid about US$10 less! Guess I'm buying comics again, albeit
at a different pace and in a different format.
So what has this got to do with my monthly pop music column,
you may well ask?
With limited financial resources, the decision to purchase
anything is often not an easy one. The sheer number of pop-rock
albums out there is staggering and having to determine if
a particular CD is worth the money you're paying can get rather
tricky. But I'll do me best to close the gap. Ready?
Blurb-O-Rama: The New Wave
of the New Wave of the New Wave
Maximo Park A Certain
Trigger (Warp)
A stylish cover, a familiar post-punk sound and a live bonus
EP distinguish this debut release from this promising Geordie
outfit. Everything you ever loved about the early 80s comes
back to roost here. Highlights include the dynamic "Apply
Some Pressure," edgy "Going Missing" and breezy
"The Coast Is Always Changing." Highly recommended.
www.maximopark.com
Barracudas Self-Titled
(NDN)
Making a welcome return to recording is British surf-punk
legends Barracudas with this eponymous comeback album. Barracudas
serve up a fresh batch of rocking numbers infused with the
pub-rock and old school punk of the late 70s. Tracks like
"I Believe In Everything," "Something New"
and "What You Want Is What You Get" truly deliver.
If you wanna rock 'n' roll, then this one's for you! www.thebarracudas.net
Kaiser Chiefs Employment
(B-Unique/Universal)
Coming ten years after Blur's magnificent Britpop trilogy,
Kaiser Chiefs may be seen as unapologetic Britpop revivalists
but in the context of these brilliant 12 songs, Kaiser Chiefs
have done marvelously to carry on the grand tradition of The
Kinks and XTC. "I Predict A Riot" is one of the
songs of the year. www.kaiserchiefs.net
Gomez Split the Difference
(Virgin)
This 2004 release showcases the gift of Gomez to re-create
the wondrous roots-rock sounds of the early 70s. Think: Gram
Parsons, Bob Dylan, The Band, Neil Young et al. Songs like
the chugging "These 3 Sins," the psychedelic "Silence"
and the sprightly "Catch Me Up" define this fine
album as an essential one for '70s rock lovers.
Supergrass Road To Rouen
(Parlophone)
More British 70s rock pretensions - this time from the crown
jesters of the Britpop era. The influence of The Who, the
Kinks and Pink Floyd is still evident but their mature 70s
incarnations instead. *Road To Rouen* hearkens back to the
textured majesty that was *In It For The Money*. At nine songs
and 35 minutes long, *Road To Rouen* packs a compressed punch
and yet another notch on the gun for Gaz Coombes and co. www.roadtorouen.com
British Sea Power Open
Season (Rough Trade)
No sophomore slump for BSP. Open Season builds well
on the intensity of the dynamic debut. Again the 80s figure
strongly, specifically Echo & the Bunnymen. Less gloomy
than its predecessor, there are sweet moments (like "Be
Gone" and "Like A Honeycomb"), which will sweep
you off your feet effortlessly. www.britishseapower.co.uk
The Decemberists Picaresque
(Kill Rock Stars)
Just to prove that American bands can play that British art
rock as well, comes Colin Meloy and his merry band of musical
anarchists. Meloy uses the Smiths, XTC and the Kinks as his
template whilst reaching back to the farther reaches of music
history to pluck out strange and wonderful gems like "We
Both Go Down Together," "The Sporting Life"
and "The Engine Driver." Album of the year? Picaresque
will come real close. www.killrockstars.com
HAL Self-Titled
(Rough Trade)
HAL will probably not escape comparisons with fellow countrymen
The Thrills for some time to come. Sure, the modus operandi
is familiar - mining the rich vein that is '70s classic soft-rock.
In my opinion, HAL is already ahead of The Thrills. In "Play
The Hits," HAL has conjured a pop ditty that is both
throwaway and deep - a talent that The Thrills have yet to
reveal. Much to savor here for serious pop listeners. www.halmusic.com
Tan Sleeve American Blood
(Cheft)
Now this is the kind of album that Tan Sleeve imagines Neil
Young should be making nowadays. Let's just say its rustic
country-folk-blues rock that isn't afraid to take the contrary
stance - like in "When Lindsay Buckingham Shaved His
Beard" and "Condoleezza Will Lead Us." Potent
stuff. www.tansleeve.com
Low The Great Destroyer
(Sub Pop)
There is a great gumbo brewing in Low's kitchen. This mixture
of fervent tunes/harmonies and discordant instrumentation
works so well especially with the first-rate song craft on
display here. A powerful sonic experience. www.chairkickers.com
Precious little filler this time around,
folks. Any one of these discs would come with my recommendation.
As for the graphic novels, well… I found Forty-Niners
a tad disappointing, almost as if writer Alan Moore was slumming
it by rehashing previous Top Ten stories. Despite initial
reservations, Marvel 1602 turned out to be a treat, I mean,
after dispensing with the artificial construct of setting
Marvel heroes in Victorian England, it was a rip-snorting
super-hero action adventure of the best kind. If any comic
book publishers out there need reviews of graphic novels,
I'm game. Get in touch, will ya?
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