A relaively disjointed review of the new Wavves album I did for Craccum. Guess thats what happens when you try to be clever in every single paragraph...
http://craccum.co.nz/?p=3647
Wavves
King of the Beach
Fat Possum
Remember how good Nevermind was until you found out about the whole emo Nirvana thing? Remember how typical 90s production and lyrical vagueness imprinted each song in your consciousness? King of the Beach provides a similar experience. Sonically, the comparability is limited to pop power choruses with a predominant low-fi, surf-rock ethic, however the albums are equal in spirit.
Opener “King of the Beach” bursts in with a huge riff that the album is riddled with. Nathan Williams’ recent public breakdowns have done nothing to dent his outspoken, confrontational style, with lyrics oozing rebellion. Most exemplary is “Idiot” on which he screams “I won’t ever die, I’m a hero in my mind.”
With former Jay Retard band members entering into the fray, the production is enhanced from his ‘take it or leave it’ basement style recordings of earlier albums, yet the chest thumping power chords which landmarked early singles like “So Bored” and “No Hope Kids” are retained. New additions to the song-writing mix include Beach Boys melodies (see “Baby Say Goodbye”) as well as a hint of Animal Collective in “Mickey Mouse.”
In an album littered with highlights, the summit is reached with the trio of “Post Acid,” “Idiot” and “Green Eyes.” “Post Acid,” the first single, is two minutes of low-fi glory, while “Idiot” allows Williams to address and ultimately ignore his critics. Next up is the gorgeous love song “Green Eyes” which covers not only an ode to a crush, but also an expression of mutiny to everyone else.
King of the Beach may not break new ground but it’s certainly one of the stronger albums of the year. Although “all his friends hate his guts,” Williams doesn’t “give a fuck,” with his love of the riff and pop dynamics conquering any haters out there.
Williams admits he’s an idiot, but his low-fi revolt and simple pop song-writing makes King of the Beach the epitome of expressive idiocy.
4/5
Too dumb to fuck
- Alaister Mughan
Life In One Chord
Friday, August 20, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Shane MacGowan - The Pogues
"I'm just following the Irish tradition of songwriting, the Irish way of life, the human way of life. Cram as much pleasure into life, and rail against the pain you have to suffer as a result. Or scream and rant with the pain, and wait for it to be taken away with beautiful pleasure"
"I'm just following the Irish tradition of songwriting, the Irish way of life, the human way of life. Cram as much pleasure into life, and rail against the pain you have to suffer as a result. Or scream and rant with the pain, and wait for it to be taken away with beautiful pleasure"
Monday, August 9, 2010
Don DeLillo on Self Loathing
Mondays aren't usually the greatest. Trust Don DeLillo to be capable of explaining the value of self-pity:
“Whenever I’m upset over something, I imagine all my friends, relatives and colleagues gathered at my bier. They are very, very sorry they weren’t nicer to me while I lived. Self-pity is something I’ve worked every hard to maintain. Why abandon it just because you grow up? Self-pity is something that children are very good at, which must mean it is natural and important. Imagining yourself dead in the cheapest, sleaziest, most satisfying form of childish self-pity. How sad and remorseful and guilty all those people are, standing by your great bronze coffin. They can’t even look each other in the eye because they know that the death of this decent and compassionate man is the result of a conspiracy they al took part in. The coffin is banked with flowers and lined with a napped fabric in salmon or peach. What wonderful cross-currents of self-pity and self-esteem you are able to wallow in, seeing yourself laid out in a dark suit and tie, looking tanned, fit and rested, as they say presidents are after vacations. But there is something even more childish and satisfying than self-pity, something that explains why I try to see myself dead on a regular basis, a great fellow surrounded by snivelling mournerers. It is my way of punishing people for thinking their own lives are more important than mine”
pg216 White Noise – Don Delillo
“Whenever I’m upset over something, I imagine all my friends, relatives and colleagues gathered at my bier. They are very, very sorry they weren’t nicer to me while I lived. Self-pity is something I’ve worked every hard to maintain. Why abandon it just because you grow up? Self-pity is something that children are very good at, which must mean it is natural and important. Imagining yourself dead in the cheapest, sleaziest, most satisfying form of childish self-pity. How sad and remorseful and guilty all those people are, standing by your great bronze coffin. They can’t even look each other in the eye because they know that the death of this decent and compassionate man is the result of a conspiracy they al took part in. The coffin is banked with flowers and lined with a napped fabric in salmon or peach. What wonderful cross-currents of self-pity and self-esteem you are able to wallow in, seeing yourself laid out in a dark suit and tie, looking tanned, fit and rested, as they say presidents are after vacations. But there is something even more childish and satisfying than self-pity, something that explains why I try to see myself dead on a regular basis, a great fellow surrounded by snivelling mournerers. It is my way of punishing people for thinking their own lives are more important than mine”
pg216 White Noise – Don Delillo
Friday, August 6, 2010
I Liked You When You Where Weird
Apparently Kings of Leon have annoucned a new album to come out soon. Now there are converted to filling in the easy listening Bryan Adams-lite mass 'rock' market scene - its probably best avoided - unless you need to shift some units to the 8+ male/female consumer demographic
Anyway found a clip of the boys from back in the day, where they still sung about booze and girls but sorta actually meant it. Of one of there early Ep's California Waiting has pop-rocks chorus, but its edgy delivery and the sheer strangeness of the bands alt-rock/hillbilly persona made it something special...remember these guys? - when they used to have these haircuts - rather than Calsberg advert cut out costume..
Anyway found a clip of the boys from back in the day, where they still sung about booze and girls but sorta actually meant it. Of one of there early Ep's California Waiting has pop-rocks chorus, but its edgy delivery and the sheer strangeness of the bands alt-rock/hillbilly persona made it something special...remember these guys? - when they used to have these haircuts - rather than Calsberg advert cut out costume..
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Presence
A magazine a do a little writing for - Presence - has just gone to the printers for its latest issue. If your bored check it out online at http://www.presencemagazine.co.nz/ - you can view pdfs of the past issue - of which I did a few reviews - and keep a look out for it around Auckland!!
The Minties
This is an unpublished review I wrote a while back for Craccum. Additionally "Say Goodbye" has recently been announced as a nominee for the Silver Scrolls soundwriting awards - lets hope Dane Rumble loses out to this one...
The noticeable feature of Bad Buzz is that it isn’t actually an EP! The Mint Chicks have replaced the CD with a beautifully designed USB stick. Whether or not this innovation will eventuate beyond being a good looking gimmick is debatable. However their new 60’s sound is definitively more enduring.
The Mint Chicks have always advocated their 60’s influence, which becomes evident on Bad Buzz. The first two tracks feature the vintage keys and lyrical content harking back to 60’s pop group The Zombies.
Nevertheless a prospective focus is forged throughout. Consider the twin pop prowess of “Bad Buzz” and “Say Goodbye”. The delicate keys and song structures are soon broken up by instrumental breakdowns and the welcome return of Michael Logie’s thumping bass.
The rhyme section is more appreciable than on Screens explaining the bands recent double-drum live set up. Additionally the Brian Eno-ish escapades in Screens are filtered into the mix, prominent in the EP’s feature-piece “You’ve Got Spray Paint In Your Third Eye”.
The Minites haven’t written a song this downright epic since “Opium of the People.” Ruben Nielsen’s guitars screeches out of a throbbing rhythm section, while Kody’s hopeful vocals lulls you along to an erotic sing-along chorus, despite its typically obscure lyrics. The effecting sound-scapes return before minimal bleeping creeps the song to its conclusion, leaving you gasping for more.
The Mint Chicks prove yet again why they are New Zealand most respected underground act, managing to refresh their sound yet retaining their distinctly ‘Minty’ core.
The noticeable feature of Bad Buzz is that it isn’t actually an EP! The Mint Chicks have replaced the CD with a beautifully designed USB stick. Whether or not this innovation will eventuate beyond being a good looking gimmick is debatable. However their new 60’s sound is definitively more enduring.
The Mint Chicks have always advocated their 60’s influence, which becomes evident on Bad Buzz. The first two tracks feature the vintage keys and lyrical content harking back to 60’s pop group The Zombies.
Nevertheless a prospective focus is forged throughout. Consider the twin pop prowess of “Bad Buzz” and “Say Goodbye”. The delicate keys and song structures are soon broken up by instrumental breakdowns and the welcome return of Michael Logie’s thumping bass.
The rhyme section is more appreciable than on Screens explaining the bands recent double-drum live set up. Additionally the Brian Eno-ish escapades in Screens are filtered into the mix, prominent in the EP’s feature-piece “You’ve Got Spray Paint In Your Third Eye”.
The Minites haven’t written a song this downright epic since “Opium of the People.” Ruben Nielsen’s guitars screeches out of a throbbing rhythm section, while Kody’s hopeful vocals lulls you along to an erotic sing-along chorus, despite its typically obscure lyrics. The effecting sound-scapes return before minimal bleeping creeps the song to its conclusion, leaving you gasping for more.
The Mint Chicks prove yet again why they are New Zealand most respected underground act, managing to refresh their sound yet retaining their distinctly ‘Minty’ core.
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