Jul 31, 2007

Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope (Sire Records, 2006)

"I cut his hair one night, a pair of dull scissors in the yellow light, and he told me that I'd done all right and kissed me til the morning light." So it is, with lines such as this - taken from the song Samson - that Regina Spektor has the ability to paint vivid images in the mind of her listener; images that are oddly uplifting and sweetly melancholy simulataneously.
This album has been on my radar for some time now, however, it was not until recently that I was inspired to pick it up; and for that inspiration I am truly thankful.
The album has a number of great tracks, and while not all of them hit their mark exactly, there is more than enough here to justify repeated listens. The opening number, Fidelity, sees Spektor confessing that by "protecting my heart truly, I got lost in the sounds I hear in my mind," and immediately I can relate. The aforementioned Samson, is a stirring paen to a lost love; her sweetest downfall. Stripped down to the bare essentials - voice and piano - Samson is perfect, winsome in its simplicity.
On The Radio is Spektor at her best. The track carries with it an emotional weight that seems unlikely in a song that, on first listen, appears to revolve around hearing Gun'n'Roses' November Rain on the radio; however, Spektor's playfulness belies the true message in the song, and her summary of how it (life) works, is as touching and succinct as any I have heard.
Though these songs are the albums strongest, there are plenty of other highlights, such as Field Below and 20 Years Of Snow - on which Spektor's classical training on the piano is truly evident.
Begin To Hope is the type of album that can make you smile and feel sad at the same time; it will make you feel nostalgic for things that haven't even happened yet; hopeful for things that will happen in the future.

Check Out: www.myspace.com/reginaspektor

Jul 23, 2007

Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Merge, 2007)

The word 'cool' is bandied around far too liberally in this day and age. A crime of which, on occasion, this very writer has been guilty. What does cool even mean, anymore? I guess everyone has their own definition of cool, however, if your definition of cool is not wide enough to encompass the latest Spoon album, then I can only deduce that your definition of cool is rather uncool.
Indie kids have been going ga-ga for Spoon en masse since the release of their 2002 album, Kill The Moonlight, though the band have been together since 1994. For reasons unbeknownst to myself this is the first Spoon album that I have listened to at length.
Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga opens with the assured swagger of Don't Make Me A Target, and follows with the ethereal, piano driven The Ghost Of You Lingers. The poptasticness of You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb - complete with horn accompaniement - leads into the bass-driven, hand-clap and click strewn gem that is Don't You Evah, at which point you begin to think that there isn't a bad song on this album. Well, you're right, there isn't a bad song on this album. In fact, they are all - to quote from another cool source - money!
If you are looking to boost your cool quotient or are simply looking for some damn fine music, don't make the same mistake that I did in delaying the inevitable, head out to your local music retailer and buy Spoon's Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga right now. Music this good will be heard.

Check Out: www.myspace.com/spoon

Jul 19, 2007

The Polyphonic Spree - The Fragile Army (TVT Records/Good Records, 2007)

An Open Letter To The Polyphonic Spree:

Dear Polyphonic Spree -

There are far too many of you to name individually, so let me begin by saying thank you to you all for being who you are and for choosing to be a part of something so special. There is much happiness to be had in life, though it is often difficult to find it amongst the sadness and tragedy that seems to be a part of everyday life on an ever-increasing basis. Perhaps the key to finding happiness is through accepting that sadness is an intrinsic part of our lives, embracing that sadness, and transforming it into an energy that we can send back into the world as something positive and uplifting. This is definitely the lesson I have learnt from your music.
Starting with The Beginning Stages Of..., followed by Together We're Heavy, and now, with The Fragile Army, you have created music that has the ability to pick up those who have been beaten and broken; a music that coalesces damaged individuals (and we have all been damaged in some way) into something more powerful - a Fragile Army, if you will.
I have seen you play in London, San Franciso, Los Angeles, and, most recently, New York, and each time I have been amazed by not only the music, energy and sheer joy that pours forth from the stage, but also the genuine feeling of rapture that surges through the audience. In the '60s, a Polyphonic Spree show would have certainly been referred to as a happening, and I can strongly attest that it is a happening that all should be a part of at least once in their life.
In a world in which it can often be difficult to see the sun for the dark clouds, thank you for fighting the good fight and doing your best to make the world a brighter place to exist.

Younger Yesterday,
Ben @ inhighfidelity.com

Check Out: www.myspace.com/polyphonicspree

Jul 8, 2007

The White Stripes - Icky Thump (Third Man/Warner Music, 2007)

In late 2000, a relatively unknown two-piece band from Detroit played a series of shows in a number of small venues across Melbourne. One such show was at 9th Ward in the city, and though I'd only heard a couple of the band's songs, I was determined to see them play. For those in the know, there was a buzz surrounding their shows that I hadn't felt before.
Following a boozy afternoon drinking with friends, I managed to convince a few unsuspecting punters to come along to the show with me. Soon after we arrived - the club still only half-full - Jack and Meg White, dressed in red, took to the stage and put on a show of unabashed, bluesy, rock'n'roll that sticks in my head to this day as one of the coolest shows I have ever seen. Jack's screeching guitar and bluesy riffs; Meg's simple, but ever-effective drumming; the looks they shared that kind of creeped you out when you still thought they were brother and sister - all the key aspects of The White Stripes were already in place. It was an awesome display of rock'n'roll showmanship that left the audience sweaty, satisfied, and wanting more.
Fast forward seven years, and The White Stripes have just released their sixth album - Icky Thump - and are playing shows to crowds in the tens of thousands, as opposed to just the tens. If you like The White Stripes, you will love Icky Thump. Stronger than their previous album and full of rocking tunes such as the title track, Icky Thump, 300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues, and the playful, Rag And Bone, this album is a rocking good time.
The White Stripes have never claimed to be high art, they are simply two people coming together to play music that will have you tapping your feet and shaking your hips. Later this year I will see them play in an arena that holds 17,000 people, far more than that Melbourne night long ago, however, I am no less excited. Saviors of rock'n'roll they may or may not be, however, the importance of their contribution to rock'n'roll in 2007 is undeniable.

Check Out: http://www.myspace.com/thewhitestripes