Aaron Espinoza and Ariana Murray (of Earlimart) together with Jason Lytle and Aaron Burtch (Grandaddy) have got together under the moniker Admiral Radley. It’s hard not to feel sunny when Admiral Radley proclaims their love in phrases like “I’m citrus in summertime / You’re haggis and cider,” on the title track, but it’s just as hard not to feel the awkwardness of the oddly placed, whispered ‘yeah’s. This is how it goes for the rest of the album: What are decent guitar-driven pop/rock songs full of solid drums and clear piano are often gussied up with unwarranted effects or too much care to be completely effective or even memorable. The good points: “Sunburn Kids” is a sunny, head-bopping track; “Lonesome Co.” and “Ghost of Syllables” have good composition backed with pleasant instruments passing by in the background; and Murray’s voice stands out on the very pretty “The Thread,” which sounds like the actual music that ballerina on your sister’s music box dancer dances to. It’s gentle, paced, piano-based, and tells a story of two young people thinking about growing old side by side. On the next few tracks things speed up again – or at least they sound like they do, until a minute in, when you realise things are going to stay at the same emotional level for a while. There are great guitars and stirring bass, but there’s no musical revelation, no emotional current in the wires. “I’m All Fucked on Beer” is an obnoxious and fuzzy 4 minutes of frat-house noise and gratuitous nasal vocals. I Heart California has some great moments, but Admiral Radley makes it too easy to feel indifferent about the vast majority of the record. (The Ship, www.the-ship.com) Adrienne Yeung
Paris Suit Yourself – My Main Shitstain
Well honestly, the title says most of it. This album is a pretty large shit stain, but cleans itself up quite nicely. It is one of those albums that when seen in a record store, you can’t even think of ever taking it seriously after reading their name and ever buying it. Even the cover is boring, but slightly cool! My first listen, I could not put my finger on how to classify this band, because their music is just so fucked up and confusing, but after a second round, I started to understand the craziness this album beheld. The first song gives a large tribal feel with the beginning beat, but then you are thrown off track with strange tribal vocals, but then in relief, there is a synth playing beautiful chords in the background. But do I like it? That was the question I had to ask myself again and again. I guess it’s safe to say that PSY has made their own unique sound containing rebellious punk, tribal, rock, and alt techno with some selection of French vocals here and there. I had to admit, one song, “Decadense” was stuck in my head for some time. If you’re into really intense music that’s full of life and confusion, Paris Suit Yourself’s My Main Shitstain could be something to look into. (Big Dada www.bigdada.com) Nicholas Van Doeselaar
Parts & Labor – Constant Future
Parts and Labor’s sixth noise-rock album bursts into 12 electric-led and thunderous battles – and all of them sound like richly illustrated tales of victory. With 10 years behind them, Parts & Labor have definitely found a structure they like. Lack of variation works in their favour here: these songs are narrated by clear electric guitar melodies riding on top of drums pounding and kicking sound higher and higher until you’ve got a personal hurricane in your headphones. Dan Friel and B.J. Warshaw’s harmonies are magnified and deep, lending an almost religious and kingly feel to this record. “Echo Chamber” has a vaguely Irish intro, quickly punctuated by measured shots of pummelling drums. “Bright White” is pretty unremarkable with its constant fuzziness, but “Pure Annihilation” has no shortage of hooks. Definitely a must-listen for fans of Japanther, Obits, and Dan Friel. (JMZ records, www.jmzrecords.com) Adrienne Yeung
Ringo Deathstarr – Colour Trip
Austin’s Ringo Deathstarr has it tough. Before opening the case, I had already judged the bejeezus out of them. What a stupid name. What a stupid, stupid name. First hint to them: get a different name. Second hint: keep doing everything else the same. Any band that manages to essentially replicate My Bloody Valentine’s sound without sounding trite has me listening intently. It’s pretty common knowledge now because of the good old interwebs how Kevin Shields managed his groundbreaking guitar effects that propelled his band to eternal alt-music stardom (that’s what they called indie music back then, kids), and Ringo Deathstarr’s guitarist Elliott Frazier has spent his time tweaking knobs and placing speakers and whatever else you have to do to get that sought-after sound. The guitars sound exactly- exactly- like Loveless-era MBV. So do the drums and female vocals. Does this make the band as good or as groundbreaking as My Bloody Valentine? Good lord, no. No no no, no, an emphatic no. Lemme rephrase: NUP. I hate to make this review a straight side-by-side comparison to MBV, but Deathstarr’s asking for it. Look at what they’re playing! They want it. They want everybody talking about them to be forced to, even in passing, reference MBV. Even if you’ve never heard of My Bloody Valentine, somehow those words will escape past your lips if you’re talking about Ringo Deathstarr. So, here you go Ringos. You versus one of the best, most groundbreakingest groups of the last 30 years. Ahem. So, where MBV used their guitars in a nuanced, sophisticated way to create atmosphere, tension, rhythm and melody all in one, you, harnessers of this awesome power, have bent it to your own hipster-happy devices. You’ve used it to make poppy jams about getting really high and ex-girlfriends stealing your cardigans (“I’m So High,” “Imagine Hearts,” respectively, if you couldn’t figure that one). That being said, I still don’t know what the hell MBV were singing about. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t about getting high, even though Kevin Shields has been higher than your hipster brains could handle, for the last 15 years. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it. Don’t spill any on your cardigan though – such a disaster would probably spawn at least another EP’s worth of material. This just makes me want to listen to Loveless and scowl at this album. Wait, why am I putting it back in the CD player? Why has “I’m So High” been stuck in my head for the past week? Oh, goddamnit. (Club AC360, http://www.myspace.com/ringodeathstarr) David Nowacki
Major Organ and the Adding Machine – Major Organ and the Adding Machine
This Major Organ album is quite possibly the most confusing and alienating record born from the great womb of the Elephant 6. Suspected fathers from bands Neutral Milk Hotel, Of Montreal, Apples In Stereo and Olivia Tremor Control came together and… made… this! It’s definitely a pop-album, one slathered in sounds reminiscent of the “Combinations” from OTC’s album Black Foliage; spliced-up tape pieces, pastiches of perverted pop, “non-music” to some (or perhaps to most). Those who dislike the weirdness of OTC’s splintered weirdo songs or NMH’s bent carnival music would best ignore this; you won’t find what you want here. Here are a lot of songs, many ideas of songs, buried under electronic gauze and hazy shards of broken sounds. Anything that makes a noise is an instrument. It’s very strange and it’s very, very beautiful.
This reissue tacks on 8 bonus tracks, including the Christmas compilation contribution, a cover of “What A Wonderful World” (pretty tough to muck this one up) and a DVD of the same name. It’s a short film starring E6 luminaries, weird costumes, homemade creations and two cute kids plunked down in one of the weirdest situations committed to video. Both the album and movie are whimsical and childlike, expression without fear of rejection. That kind of innocent experimentation yields a bushel of aural happiness. And it’s a great bonus for the CD-buying consumer. There’s a lot of gold that there well, you just gotta go deep ’n’ dig. (Orange Twin, www.orangetwin.com) Patrick Michalishyn
Autumn Defense – Once Around
They better have a defense for the other three seasons. The Autumn Defense’s is the fourth album from Wilco members John Stirratt and Pat Sansone, which makes them a side project of the famous indie band. All I have to say is, why not stick with playing in Wilco and leave side projects for musicians who actually have something interesting to contribute to the music community? At times, Once Around sounds like it’s trying to emulate sixties pop/rock. The result is stale, ignorable, commercial pop music that one mocks when it frequently appears as background music in the latest formulaic romantic comedy. I will say that this is NOT the worst music I’ve ever heard. The title track starts out with Wilco’s signature picking on acoustic guitar and the drums focused on tom, bass and hi-hat. However, the song’s uninspired lyrics: (“You are my only one / When it’s said and done / My heart beats one by one”) and bland pop vocal styling are the ultimate downfall of this album. (Yep Roc, www.yeproc.com) Kyra Leib
Lia Ices – Grown Unknown
Brooklyn’s Lia Ices is moving up in the world. Since she released her first album Necima in 2008 on relatively unknown label Rare Book Room, she’s been signed to Jagjaguwar and even coaxed indie’s hottest sensitive cabin-dweller, Justin Vernon, onto her album. So what’s all this, then? Who is Lia Ices and why should I care? Well, the short of the who is easy enough. She’s that sorta-weird singer-songwriter lady. You know the one, Kate Bush birthed her in the late eighties and she’s floated around since under various forms and aliases. Lia Ices is a pseudonym, and I suspect this might be that offspring’s latest incarnation. Mz. Ices certainly can’t be faulted for lack of trying – Grown Unknown is intricately crafted, and quite pleasant to listen to. She incorporates all sorts of instruments and styles, often in the same song, while always remaining in the comfortable singer-songwriter suit. The album plods along, and you might occasionally nod your head, or find yourself impressed at the unexpected stylistic flourishes, but it’s rarely enough to compel you into investing yourself in the album. In fact, it wasn’t until the eponymous fifth track that I was truly drawn in. It seems like she found some extra creative spark halfway through the album, and she fortunately runs with it. The creativity peaks with “Grown Unknown” and continues for the rest of the album, but tapers with each passing track. When she can muster enough of this energy to sustain an entire album, it might be a classic, but for now, all she’s mustered is an occasionally intriguing but generally sort of boring effort. (Jagjaguwar, www.liaices.com) David Nowacki
Flying Fox and the Hunter Gatherers – Hans My Lion
Don’t get me wrong: There is a distinct lack of hose and medieval gallivanting on this album, but nevertheless, what Flying Fox and the Hunter Gatherers’ first full-length album immediately brings to mind is a dark and obscure folk tale with origins somewhere in the 10th century. What does this sound like? Dark and jazzy, salacious and circusy, ravenously passionate pop. The classically trained sextet behind this sound commands instruments such as glockenspiel, guitar, accordion, keyboard, cymbals, violin, trumpet, and saxophone that burst into musical richness inside your brain. Lead vocalist Jesse Krause’s elastic voice growls low and rough at times, but in the next second swoops quivering up the scales. The poetic lyrics are a joy to read. “Nurse” is lewd, dark, and juicy, and contains one of the best moments on the record – a rare moment free of instruments that’s like suddenly being alone in a room with Jekyll who transforms into grinning Hyde. Here, Krause sounds lasciviously desperate and menacingly violent before breaking into full-blown mania. This album is busy – a massive understatement – and it’s sometimes hard to tell where songs begin and end. Listening to this will make you want to run out of your apartment to dance in a fire with woodland animals, caring only about the moment.That’s the spirit of Hans my Lion, and he lives whenever you do. (Head in the Sand, www.headinthesand.ca) Adrienne Yeung
Yuck – Yuck
Yuck is the self-titled second release of the British indie rock band. When I first started listening to this album I silently compared what I heard to the indie rock legend Pavement. Very high praise indeed. The album has some quality of pace or vocal style that I couldn’t quite lay my finger on. Not to say that I think this band has achieved the same level of genius as Pavement, yet they approach it on the last couple tracks. At times Yuck employs a wall of sound, and rough sounding guitars. On tracks like “Sunday” the guitar comes out more clear and melodically focused. Not surprisingly I found myself much preferring “Stutter” or “Holing Out,” the songs that showcase the grungy sounding electric guitar and tinny-far-away vocals. Still, Yuck maintains a very accessible rock sensibility throughout most of the album. My favourite track by far is “Rubber,” which is a full on shoegazing trip, with downplayed melodic vocals and the electric guitar a mess of noisy trebly awesomeness. This track is a slower pace but it feels like a solid insurmountable rock anthem, with the drums picking up at the end crashing symbols and snare. (Fat Possum, www.fatpossum.com) Kyra Leib
Pac Div – Mania
In Mania, the California trio come together once again to produce another summertime soundtrack. Opening strong with “The Mirror,” the three emcees trade introspective verses, “I like to get high but its great to be sober / Yesterday was hard but it made me a soldier,” over a joyful string section sample before jumping into a plethora of songs with their distinctive blend of braggadocio and playful misogyny. Like, Big Mibbs, and Be Young switch up the mood for a bit with “Nobody’s Perfect,” reminding us to keep our head up over an irresistible piano-laced backdrop and soothing female chorus. After that, its back to regular business for a while as the trio rips apart Lords of the Underground’s “Chief Rocka” instrumental before going in on the minimalist “Your Fucking Song.” “Saved” brings the mood back to uplifting with its bouncy piano and a chorus that hearkens back to their Church League Champions days, “Man I just got paid / Put your hands in the sky like you just got saved.” Mania mixes the playful sound Pacific Division is known for with a few tracks with a distinctive West Coast Bay Area bounce that adds a welcome freshness to their repertoire. Their album, Grown Kid Syndrome, may not have a release date just yet, but Mania should hold you down for the summer. (2 Dope Boys, www.2dopeboyz.com) RB Beniza