What We've Been Up To

Hey everybody!

It's been a while since we've posted, but we haven't been dormant. In fact, we've been busier than ever in terms of writing articles.  We're now both editors at the Daily Free Press, Boston University's independent student newspaper, and we're having the time of our lives covering shows/movies, conduction interviews, and more! Lucien is the music editor and Michela is the film & tv editor. A lot of our writing goes here (http://dailyfreepress.com/category/the-muse/) and we've made portfolios of our writings and more!

Lucien:
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Michela:
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And as always, thanks for stopping by!

Death Cab Takes a Step Back From The Ledge

by Lucien Flores
The original version of this article was published on June 24, 2011 for the Daily Free Press.

In 2008 Death Cab For Cutie released Narrow Stairs, and while it’s undeniably their darkest effort to date, it is also their strongest. Even deceptively jolly sounding songs such as the organ-heavy march “You Can Do Better Than Me” are overwhelmingly pessimistic, starting with the oh-so-cheerful lyrics, “I’m starting to feel, we stay together out of fear of dying alone.” “Your New Twin Sized Bed” is another deceptively poppy song about a man who finally throws his queen size bed away after coming to terms with the fact that he’ll never find a love to occupy it.

After years of penning songs about heartbreak, loneliness and mortality, chief songwriter Ben Gibbard and the rest of the group have finally changed their tune on their latest album, Codes & Keys. Perhaps falling in love with and then marrying indie-darling Zooey Deschanel – as Gibbard has just done – will do that to you.

Right from the start, Codes & Keys exhibits a different Death Cab. In interviews, the band stresses how the album focuses much less on guitar and this is evident in opener “Home Is a Fire.” On this track, Gibbard sings softly over a Pink Floyd-“On The Run”-esque backing track. There is an undulating machine-like presence to the song with the fluttering high-hat, muddy keys and occasional random computerized sound. The guitar is practically a non-entity and sets the tone for the rest of the album.

However, “Codes & Keys,” the album’s second song, would be a better introduction to the band’s new sound. Driven by rolling piano and drums and lighthearted strings, “Codes & Keys” is a fun, quick and catchy number that shows the lighter side of a spiritually rejuvenated Death Cab.

“Some Boys” is next. A beating kick drum, heavy breathing and airy Cold War Kids-esque “oooooohs” fill your speakers before Ben Gibbard’s distorted voice and Jacon McGer’s constant high-hat take over. Once again, driving and spiking piano and drums fuel the song, providing it with anticipation for a looming danger that never quite comes as the song ends abruptly.

The album’s strong first half continues with “Doors Unlocked and Open.”  The song’s trancelike first half harkens back to Death Cab’s great eight-minute number, “I Will Possess Your Heart,” with its robotic bass drum and bass guitar. When his vocals kick in, Gibbard sings as if under rippling water, which adds to the track’s pleasant daze.

What follows is the album’s first single and arguably its catchiest song, “You Are a Tourist.” More guitar heavy than most on the album, the song shines with bright drums and an incredibly catchy guitar while chord heavy piano shimmers in the background.

“Unobstructed Views” comes next and almost ruins the moment of catchy tunes that Death Cab established with the last four sounds. It is a dull three minutes of machine-like piano and computerized sounds followed by three minutes of the same supplemented with vocals.

“Monday Morning” and “Portable Television” make up for the dud and return the album back to glory. The former (a song that sounds like the cheerful cousin of The Antlers’ “Two”) somehow turns the line, “Night is gonna fall and the vultures will surround you” into a cheerful chorus whereas the latter is a danceable number almost reminiscent of Okkervil’s River’s “Lost Coastlines.” Like so many other songs on the album, these two tracks are just plain catchy.

It’s fitting that “Stay Young, Go Dancing” is the album’s last track, as it’s further from Narrow Stairs than any other on this record. It’s a love song plain and simple, no doubt inspired by Gibbard’s new bride. Starting with “Life is sweet,” Gibbard later goes on to sing, “Cause when she sings I hear a symphony” and “with her song in your heart it can never bring you down.” Is this his proclamation that he’ll never be down again?  (I’m sure he’s bummed about ridding himself of his queen-sized bed however…)  Well if it is, we can feel secure in knowing that even when Ben Gibbard and co. aren’t descending into depression, Death Cab For Cutie can still produce quality music.

At first listen to Codes & Keys, it seemed there wasn’t much differentiation between songs and found the album to drag a bit, never really advancing from a muted sonic plane. However, after each listen I began to appreciate the individual songs more and more, picking out their subtle differences. No, there isn’t a standalone hit single in the record, but practically every song is catchy or interesting in its own right. While I still thinkNarrow Stairs is a better record, I don’t think Codes & Keys should be scoffed at for being a “lighter effort.”  It should be certainly interesting to see where Death Cab For Cutie goes from here.

Fuzzy Trio at Brighton Music Hall Leads to Musical Confusion

Just before Foster the People exploded to become one of Summer 2011's hottest acts, Common Ground's Michela Smith saw the band, along with the electric Royal Bangs and hippie Grouplove, at Brighton Musical Hall in May. Here's what she thought of the night:

This article originally appeared on Boston University's, The Daily Free Press

By: Michela Smith

The Royal Bangs, Grouplove and Foster the People proved a triple threat at Brighton Music Hall last Thursday, pumping out a night of low-fi excitement, eventually fizzling out in a monotonous wait of equipment setup hell at the end of the night.

The Knoxville trio Royal Bangs took the stage first, a surprising opener as the band is far more eminent that the other two they were sharing the bill with.

The Royal Bangs were just named as one of Spin Magazine’s “Best New Artists for April” and made their television debut on Letterman this month.

Schaefer Bangs on the Keys.

Indicative of their MySpace discovery by Black Keys’ drummer Patrick Carney, the Royal Bangs weave techie flourishes with guitars and voices bathed in effects.

While this layered technique works on record, it seemed to hinder the trio on the Brighton stage as they promoted their latest LP Flux Outside.

The electronic overdrive on all the instruments blurred the individual instrument lines into a cacophonic tangle rendering lead singer Ryan Schaefer completely unintelligible.

Schaefer mirrors the Doors’ Ray Manzarek on keyboards and synths, simultaneously pumping out a bass line and synth lead while guitarist Sam Stratton and drummer Chris Rusk are equally powerful in their corners of the stage.

The Royal Bangs would do well to tone down the fuzz and gel their individual talents into a more coherent sound. While they work on this, pick up Flux Outside to hear their best “Back Then It Was Different.”

Next came Grouplove, a five-piece harmony of lazy surfer ambience pierced by the solid lead voices Christian Zucconi and Hannah Hooper.

Sharin' the Love.

According to the L.A. Times, the five met while all vacationing on the island of Crete and formed out of “ love for one another,” which certainly shined through the shadows at Brighton Music Hall.

Still giddy from their SXSW performance, Grouplove brought fervor as they danced, stomped and jumped about the stage, pumping out instrumentals.

The band’s backing tracks are witty anthems, mixing charming acoustic guitar with catchy hooks.

Grouplove does, however, need to grow lyrically; some tracks sound a little too close to other West Coast acts, many of which perform on the Disney Channel.

Slated to perform next was Foster the People (FTP), a LA-based foursome projected to be the next MGMT. Yet, the dragging forty-five minute wait until FTP finally finished their set-up demolished any eagerness for their performance.

Sean Cimino of Foster The People

FTP echoes MGMT, but lacks the same charisma that strengthens the latter.  While FTP only has one EP, they’ve gathered quite a following with “Pumped Up Kicks,” a heavily-layered piece that features Gorillaz-like vocals.

“Kicks” was the best of FTP’s set and certainly moved Brighton. The potential power of the rest of the night, however, was lost to over-effect that clouded the vocals and instrumentals, especially after the long wait.

While Thursday ‘s show was frustrating in more ways than one, the three groups have promise for the future. Until then, we’ll just have to wait.


Photo Credits: Michela Smith

Portugal. The Man Wow Webster Hall

by Lucien Flores
The original version of this article was published on June 3, 2011 for the Daily Free Press.
 
When I last saw Portugal. The Man March 19, 2010 at the small Highline Ballroom in Manhattan, they had just released their fifth album, American Ghetto, – an album dripping with electronic-Indie-pop influence – on an independent label. Back then, lead singer John Gourley seemed to have a case of stage fright, wearing a hat and hoodie and standing sideways to the audience, often turning his back on his viewers while unleashing guitar solos in the midst of the band’s lively jams. However Gourley’s stage fright never came across as a hindrance and the band’s show was captivating. Needless to say, I made sure to pick up tickets for their next New York City go-round, a June 3 show at a sold out Webster Hall (their biggest to date).

Much has changed for Portugal. The Man in the last year. In April 2010 the Wasilla, Alaska band announced that they were bringing their act to Atlantic records. Recently they have been promoting their July release, In The Mountain, In The Cloud. However, one thing has stayed constant – the band’s live shows are still as passionate and strong as ever.

Coming out in a heavy dose of fog and ambient red and blue lights, the band jumped right into a dark and bluesy intro jam that mixed “How the Leopard Got Its Spots” and “The Home” – two strikingly different numbers made four years apart – and showed how, when it comes to live shows, you can’t predict what you’ll hear next from Portugal. The Man.


Rather than sticking to entertaining, yet predictable, studio arrangements, the band reinvents their songs to create a truly captivating live performance. Neat and tidy pop songs such as “People Say” inherit a whole new character when played live as the band delves into innovative jams that never trail off into oblivion. Not only does the band keep the songs fresh with new arrangements, but Portugal also draws from all over their catalog, playing early favorites such as “AKA M80 The Wolf” and “Chicago” alongside brand new cuts such as “Got It All (This Can’t Be Living Now)” and “Senseless.”

Lesser known songs such as the aptly named “New Orleans” and the hectic “Marching With Six” also saw the light of day and the band even threw in a cover of Etta James’ classic “I’d Rather Go Blind” that sounded as if it belonged in their set.

One remarkable change in the band’s performance is that Gourley seems to have magically gotten over his stage fright. Gone are the days in which the audience would have to tilt their head and squint to get a glimpse of his whole face. Gourley traded in his hat and hoodie for a simple collared shirt and with nothing to hide behind, he faced the audience, singing and soloing with renewed vigor.

Fittingly the final of the night was the band’s magnum opus, “And I.” A cathartic song off the band’s brilliant Censored Colors (2008), it is certainly Portugal’s most “epic” number. Coincidentally this was the band’s opener for that equally brilliant show that mid-March night in 2010. Fitting bookends for this period of rapid change for Portugal. The Man.

Spaghetti Western on the Radio

by Lucien Flores
The original version of this article was published on June 3, 2011 for the Daily Free Press.

Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi, Rome, Capitol, 2011

Brian Burton is a busy man. Known by his pseudonym, Danger Mouse, he has been a mainstay in the music industry ever since he mashed together The Beatles’ White Album with Jay’s Z’s The Black Album to much acclaim in 2004. Since then he has produced albums for The Black Keys, Beck and Gorillaz while also becoming one half of Gnarls Barkley (with Cee Lo Green) and Broken Bells (with James Mercer of The Shins).

While Danger Mouse can be frequently spotted creating and producing hip-hop and indie-rock, he has a strong affinity for the Italian cinema scores of the late 1960s and early 1970s, (think Ennio Morricone’s oft-imitated soundtrack of Sergio Leone’s The Good, The Bad and The Ugly) that stemmed from taking a film course his freshman year of college. Danger Mouse’ adoration for composers such as Morricone, Piero Umiliani and other stalwarts of Italian cinema ultimately fostered his friendship with the Italian producer and Rome co-creator, Daniele Luppi. Soon after meeting each other, Luppi and Danger Mouse became enamored with the idea of creating their very own Italian soundtrack masterpiece and after a half-decade of work, the final product, Rome (a record that Danger Mouse says influenced all his other work for the past five years), is finally out to the public.

Not wanting to skimp on any aspect of the album, Danger Mouse and Luppi did everything possible to preserve the sounds of those classic Italian scores. The two booked Morricone’s Forum Studios in Rome, collected a wealth of vintage instruments and recruited the very same musicians who contributed to the soundtracks that Danger Mouse and Luppi so admire. The pair also pulled some strings to reunite Cantori Moderni di Alessandro Alessandroni – a choir that was commonplace in Morricone scores – as well as 76-year-old Edda Dell’Orso – another favorite of Morricone and Sergio Leone – who provides atmospheric vocals on Rome’s opening track. In an interview with The Guardian, Danger Mouse commented on the bringing together of such musicians, saying, “First day, they all came in and you could tell it was the first time they had been in the same room for a long time. They were hugging, some tears. But then, about two hours in, they’re all yelling at each other.” These veteran musicians, now in their 70s and 80s, provide the life and authenticity of this album.

The Mustache of Greatness: Jack White

Danger Mouse’s Ocean’s Eleven recruitment strategy continued as the brilliant workhorse Jack White and the delicate Norah Jones were enlisted to contribute vocals.  The highlights of this album are Jack White’s three tracks. “The Rose With The Broken Neck,” the album’s first real song, is superb as a familiar higher-voiced Jack White duets with an unfamiliar sounding, lower-pitched Jack White. “The World” is another standout featuring an almost nervous sounding White. However, White’s strongest number and the album’s best track is the fast-moving, all-too-short, “Two Against One.” Starting with clean guitar, White’s impressive fast-talking lyrics and a playful harpsichord soon take over before the song ends much too quickly. Normally we hear White’s voice in front of the bluesy garage-rock of The White Stripes, the gloomy macabre of the Dead Weather and the 70s rock-pop of the Raconteurs; rarely do we get the pleasure of hearing him accompanied by the sweeping and eclectic sounds of an orchestra, and this makes Rome a delight to listen to.

While Norah Jones’ numbers aren’t quite as spellbinding as White’s, “Black,” “Season’s Trees” and “Problem Queen” are all very strong and interesting in their own right and suit her perfectly raspy voice.

Rome is a joy to listen to as we are treated to a multitude of rare instruments. The album’s three short interludes are surprisingly captivating and certainly add to the cinematic feel of the album. With that said, the album can drag a bit due to some uninteresting instrumentals, however, the strength of Rome’s lyrical track
Brian Burton is a busy man. Known by his pseudonym, Danger Mouse, he has been a mainstay in the music industry ever since he mashed together The Beatles’ White Albumwith Jay’s Z’s The Black Album to much acclaim in 2004. Since then he has produced albums for The Black Keys, Beck and Gorillaz while also becoming one half of Gnarls Barkley (with Cee Lo Green) and Broken Bells (with James Mercer of The Shins).

While Danger Mouse can be frequently spotted creating and producing hip-hop and indie-rock, he has a strong affinity for the Italian cinema scores of the late 1960s and early 1970s, (think Ennio Morricone’s oft-imitated soundtrack of Sergio Leone’s The Good, The Bad and The Ugly) that stemmed from taking a film course his freshman year of college. Danger Mouse’ adoration for composers such as Morricone, Piero Umiliani and other stalwarts of Italian cinema ultimately fostered his friendship with the Italian producer and Rome co-creator, Daniele Luppi. Soon after meeting each other, Luppi and Danger Mouse became enamored with the idea of creating their very own Italian soundtrack masterpiece and after a half-decade of work, the final product, Rome (a record that Danger Mouse says influenced all his other work for the past five years), is finally out to the public.

Not wanting to skimp on any aspect of the album, Danger Mouse and Luppi did everything possible to preserve the sounds of those classic Italian scores. The two booked Morricone’s Forum Studios in Rome, collected a wealth of vintage instruments and recruited the very same musicians who contributed to the soundtracks that Danger Mouse and Luppi so admire. The pair also pulled some strings to reunite Cantori Moderni di Alessandro Alessandroni – a choir that was commonplace in Morricone scores – as well as 76-year-old Edda Dell’Orso – another favorite of Morricone and Sergio Leone – who provides atmospheric vocals on Rome’s opening track. In an interview with The Guardian, Danger Mouse commented on the bringing together of such musicians, saying, “First day, they all came in and you could tell it was the first time they had been in the same room for a long time. They were hugging, some tears. But then, about two hours in, they’re all yelling at each other.” These veteran musicians, now in their 70s and 80s, provide the life and authenticity of this album.

Danger Mouse’s Ocean’s Eleven recruitment strategy continued as the brilliant workhorse Jack White and the delicate Norah Jones were enlisted to contribute vocals.  The highlights of this album are Jack White’s three tracks. “The Rose With The Broken Neck,” the album’s first real song, is superb as a familiar higher-voiced Jack White duets with an unfamiliar sounding, lower-pitched Jack White. “The World” is another standout featuring an almost nervous sounding White. However, White’s strongest number and the album’s best track is the fast-moving, all-too-short, “Two Against One.” Starting with clean guitar, White’s impressive fast-talking lyrics and a playful harpsichord soon take over before the song ends much too quickly. Normally we hear White’s voice in front of the bluesy garage-rock of The White Stripes, the gloomy macabre of the Dead Weather and the 70s rock-pop of the Raconteurs; rarely do we get the pleasure of hearing him accompanied by the sweeping and eclectic sounds of an orchestra, and this makes Rome a delight to listen to.

While Norah Jones’ numbers aren’t quite as spellbinding as White’s, “Black,” “Season’s Trees” and “Problem Queen” are all very strong and interesting in their own right and suit her perfectly raspy voice.

Burton, Jones, Luppi, and White

Rome is a joy to listen to as we are treated to a multitude of rare instruments. The album’s three short interludes are surprisingly captivating and certainly add to the cinematic feel of the album. With that said, the album can drag a bit due to some uninteresting instrumentals, however, the strength of Rome’s lyrical tracks and interludes allow listeners to forgive these less interesting moments.

Rome sets the imagination wild by evoking the harsh desert terrain, black-clad baddies and unkempt facial hair of any Clint Eastwood western. However, no matter how entertaining the album is, Rome’s best moments can never reach the cinematic spiraling highs of an Ennio Morricone score. Ultimately, Rome is a quality record that arose out of ambitious project to pay tribute to the greatness of Italian cinema soundtracks and it certainly delivers. Bravo, Danger Mouse, bravo.

Overall Grade: 8

The Puzzling Madmoiselle Adele: A Look at "21"

Yes, I realize this review comes quite a bit after the release of "21." Yet, Adele's enormous success and recent launch of a North American tour renders Adele still very much relevant.

A slightly different version of this review appeared on The Arts Fuse.

By: Michela Smith

Adele looking for "Someone like You" at the Brit Awards

Adele puzzles me. 

A recipient of two 2009 Grammy’s (and three additional nods) for her debut album, 19, Adele drowned the meager wheezes of Katy Perry, Pink, and Leona Lewis to fill the halls of the music industry with her resonating voice. Critics hailed Adele as refreshingly different, a return to the soul & style of Carnaby St. – far preferable to dreary Top 40.

I tuned into the 2011 Brit Awards in February to hear a sample from her sophomore album 21 and can report that her stunning performance of “Someone Like You” left both the home audience and Adele herself in tears after her broken heart determinately fought for a second chance. Yet, upon hearing all of 21, my heart began to break as well, but not because of Adele’s ability to translate emotion. Far too many of the songs – in fact, half of the albums tracks -- sound like Katy Perry and Pink and Leona Lewis.

Adele puzzles me.  

But to begin positively…21’s strongest pieces are those that ironically stray from her award-winning formula of intense heartbreak.

21 opens with unquestionably its best: “Rolling in the Deep.” Punctuating Adele’s silence since 19, a quick-moving, heavily-thumbed guitar line begins, setting metronome-like time for the piece. Adding contrast, the swirls of Adele’s voice enter and swim through the auditory space. The song soon layers, adding bass drum, piano, lead guitar, and Supremes-like backing vocals to paint Adele’s infuriation with an ex-lover she plans to overwhelm in a rage of revenge. Cultured Adele reveals her classical training too, including quintessential blues allusions like “roll your stone” and “reap just what you sow.” This recall of Mississippi Delta ghosts, combined with Adele’s smooth vocals that leech venom, render the track sumptuously addictive.  

The same percussive momentum continues into the following “Rumour Has It,” a track set to the time of a throbbing floor tom-tom mixed with cool, snipey “ooh’s”, reminiscent of 1960s. This time, Adele harnesses an even darker side, shamelessly alluring her flame to leave his proper lover. Adele and her accompanying piano are seductively vindictive, reminding her beau not only of her superior lovemaking, but also how she’s “cold to the core,” tantalizing both her lover and the audience to join her sinful indulgence. 

Melodramatic...


It is at this point that the album begins its decline. “Turning Tables” is a melodramatic declaration in which Adele promises to leave behind a lover who continues to trifle with her affections. While the subject matter itself is moving, Adele’s treatment is not.  The piano and strings weep slowly, weighed down with their oversaturated emotion – sentimentality that’s been done before. They lyrics aren’t particularly innovative either. Lines like “Under your thumb, I can't breathe” are not only derivative, but their generality doesn’t translate the emotion Adele hopes to and causes the reader to pray for a quick table turn to the next track.

“Turning Tables” sounds remarkably close to “The X-Factor” product Leona Lewis’ “Run” and unfortunately, the echoes of Top 40 on 21 continue.  “He Won’t Go” sludges along in monotony to a J-Lo-like pop beat.  “Take It All” fuses Christina Aguilera and Alicia Keyes with a solo piano occasionally accompanied by a gospel voices that chime in on unimaginative lyrics like “How can you walk away from all my tears?” “Lovesong” melts into a bossnova that could appear as any Aguilera or Shakira B-Side and is only slightly redeemed in its background hint of organ, an instrument rarely featured in Top 40. “Set Fire to the Rain” combines all of these influences, creating the most generic pop song on the album. Recognition of the unoriginality of these songs is not meant to suggest plagiarism, but rather an inability to escape the pressures of the mainstream.

Adele: Whhhyyy? Critics hailed you as a beacon of originality, someone to move us away from repetitive Top 40! I didn’t think seeing all those pop stars at Staples Center in 2009 would be so intimidating… Adele – you puzzle me!

Adele Still Reigns Supreme.

Yet, this disappointing imitation shrinks in the shadow of the album’s closer, “Someone Like You.” Accompanied by only a piano, Adele’s respiratory system seemingly inflates on this track, dragging anguish out of the depths of herself to purge her body of her sadness. While the track is an acknowledgment that her past love has happily moved onto another, she literally begs him not to forget her, an agonizing appeal to hear. Despite her range on this track, Adele’s vocals are intimate, envelop the listener in misery, and seemingly encourage an impromptu duet to mourn past lovers together – which usually happens…

The emotion Adele summons in “Someone Like You”, amplified even further in her Brit Awards performance, reassures tactful listeners that her reign as 2009 Best New Artist over dispassionate Top 40 artists isn’t over. Yet, her slip to the mainstream on 21 is evidence she’ll have to fight to avoid that world; perhaps this means choosing a producer other than Columbia Records co-president Rick Rubin who mixed 21. Until then, even with this recent dimming, Mademoiselle Adele’s beacon of originality will continue to twinkle and Adele herself will remain a puzzle.

A Note:

Michela recommends 21 (Bonus Tracks) over the widely-released 21 reviewed here on ArtsFuse. 21 (Bonus Tracks) features five additional tracks which Michela finds makes the album far superior to the original release. 

Overall Grade: 7.5