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:
Portfolio
Twitter

Michela:
Portfolio
Twitter

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.

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

Kickin' It With Keeler (Patrick Keeler of The Greenhornes/Raconteurs)

by Lucien Flores
The original version of this article was published on April 7, 2011 for the Daily Free Press.

 Patrick Keeler at Work

A few weeks ago Common Ground's Lucien Flores talked over phone with Patrick Keeler whose band - the three-piece garage rockers The Greenhornes - played Brighton Music Hall last night.  The Greenhornes’ sound drips of their influences (those quintessential 1960s bands such as The Who, The Kinks, The Stones, The Animals, and others that defined a generation) and their latest album, ★★★★ (4 Stars), dropped late last year to positive reception.  The band is composed of guitarist/vocalist Craig Fox, bassist Jack Lawrence, and drummer Patrick Keeler.  

Keeler is the band’s impressive drummer and even if you don’t recognize the name you’ll be sure to his recognize his work. Aside from founding The Greenhornes in 1996, Keeler and fellow bandmate Jack Lawrence comprise the rhythm section of Jack White and Brendan Benson’s supergroup, The Raconteurs (you might recognize them for their hit “Steady As She Goes.”). Keeler, Lawrence, and White also collaborated on Loretta Lynn’s Grammy-winning album, Van Lear Rose, and Wanda Jackson’s recent The Party Ain’t Over. We at Common Ground are very thankful that Keeler who, even while suffering from a cold, sacrificed his time to answer a few of our questions.  He seemed equally as appreciative for the chance of being interviewed and came off like a genuinely nice and down-to-earth person.

Lawrence, Fox, and Keeler

LF: ★★★★ was the Greenhorns’ release after a pretty sizable hiatus. [In fact, ★★★★ is the band’s first studio album in eight years]  What were those first rehearsals after being apart?

PK: It was pretty amazing. We didn’t really rehearse so much…to make the record. In the studios we got shows booked when we were ready to put out the record. Those rehearsals were pretty amazing. Just kind of going back to everything we’ve ever done since 1996 and how easily a bunch of the old stuff kind of came out and how hard it was to do the new stuff.

LF: You guys formed in ‘96. What’s it like playing with the same two guys for so long? What’s your relationship like now and just how much have you grown together as musicians?

PK: As musicians we’ve all really grown up together and just kind of play off each other, listen to each other, and make each other better for sure. You grow up and you know each other a little better and it’s going well.

LF: I think it’s pretty safe to say that The Greenhornes and The Raconteurs have this 60s/70s influence. How did you yourself get introduced to the era of music?

PK: I think it was just growing up; where I grew up and the kind of music my dad listened to and my older brother listened to and it was kind of discovering what you like. I guess I only liked that kind of music. That was what I had most access to and I guess it stuck with me better. We all a kind of similar taste in music and that’s how we all got together in the first place.

LF: Whom do you consider your biggest influences in terms of drummers?

PK: Hmm, I don’t know. I’ve got a lot of them. Probably Buddy Rich or Mitch Mitchell.

LF: We’ve been talking about the music from the 60s/70s, however, what contemporary music to you listen to?

PK: I like Dungen a lot…it’s a Swedish band, called like “Dungeon”… sort of… but [in] Swedish (laughs). I like them. I like a lot of stuff. I listen to a lot of stuff

LF: What do you find yourself doing when you come to Boston? Are there any spots you tend to frequent or is it different every time?

PK: I’m dying to really try a Wagamama there. I want to do a general compare and contrast. That’s like the food that saves you when you’re in Europe…in the UK…and now they have them in Boston. I would love to try that.

LF: You’ve been very busy over the last couple years. You and Jack Lawrence played in the Raconteurs and played on Loretta Lynn’s [Van Lear Rose] and Wanda Jackson’s [The Party ‘Aint Over]. How do you manage all these projects?

PK: Well, it’s a lot easier than you think. You just show up and play (laughs). But I’ve been fortunate to get to work with some very cool people.

LF: Were you yourself influenced by their music styles?

PK: I think you always pick up something from whatever you do. Anytime you record something new with somebody else, you’re going to pick up something. 

 












LF: Did you find that The Greenhornes find a heightened popularity with these other projects?

PK: Yeah we’ve benefitted from all of us doing different things over the years.  Getting back together, kind of doing it the way we would traditional we would do it, which was, we never had an idea of how to do this stuff (record or anything). It’s all trial by error, you know?

LF: How’s the fan support been for your first tour in a while and your first album in years?

PK: Oh it’s been great man. It was cool in a way that we took a break because now there’s people that were way too young or that didn’t know us before, that never saw us, that are coming out. It’s been really good.

LF: During your hiatus, did it ever look like the Greenhornes were done or was there always a belief that you guys would come back and finish the album?

White, Keeler, Lawrence, and Benson: The Raconteurs

PK: Well we were always working on our record. We’re not quitting at that point, it’s like why quit if we’ve been a band this long?

LF: Do the Raconteurs have any future plans?

PK: Yeah, I’m sure we do somewhere down the line. I’m sure we’ll do something some day.

LF:  You’ve talked about how you guys were working on ★★★★ for a while. What were you guys try to do differently on this album compared to any of your earlier albums?

PK:  Well we weren’t trying to do anything. We recorded this one differently by kind of writing the songs in the studio. Before we had already had songs ready to go and we knocked ‘em out really quick. This one, we just took our time and worked the songs in the studio. It probably shows its difference that way.

LF: Jack Lawrence makes his vocal debut for The Greenhornes on this album [on the songs “Go Tell Henry”], now, do you ever possibly see yourself doing that down that line?

PK: I don’t know. At the moment I can barely do a speech because I’m sick (laughs). I don’t think so. I don’t know. I have no idea.

DeVotchKa Conquers Paradise

by Lucien Flores
The original version of this article was published on March 29, 2011 for the Daily Free Press.

The eclectic indie rock outfit DeVotchKa brought their Eastern-European romps, Latin flair and theatric indie-rock to the Paradise Rock Club on Saturday in what proved to be a tremendously fun evening. The opening act, Mariachi El Bronx – a side project of hardcore rockers The Bronx – fully embraced their traditional Mexican alter egos. Dapper in ornate black charro outfits, they got the audience dancing to the harmony of vihuela, Guitarrón, trumpet, violin and more. After El Bronx’s lively 30-minute set, DeVotchKa took the stage, kicking things off with “The Alley,” the opener of their most recent album, 100 Lovers. While DeVotchKa seems intent on reaching the cathartic highs of bands such as Arcade Fire on 100 Lovers, they still are an act that’s ripe for intimate settings reminiscent of their early burlesque days, and their showing at Paradise certainly reflected that.

Urata Parties On During "Ranchero"

Lead singer Nick Urata delivered lyrics in his perfectly sultry voice. His graying scruff, a perfect complement to his passionate croon, heightened his suave wine-swigging, all-black-wearing persona. While Urata was certainly not a man of many words, he forged a great connection with the audience. During the band’s indie-classic, “How It Ends,” Urata had the audience take over, turning his microphone to the loyal supporters who returned the love by sharing lyrical duties.

DeVotchKa pulled from all over their collection in their 19-song set.  Highlights include “The Man From San Sebastian” with its sinister cinematic Spanish flair, their menacing Mexican Western “The Enemy Guns” and the unexpected and simple accordion and guitar cover of Neil Young’s “Only Love Can Break Your Heart.” However, it was DeVotchKa’s many Eastern-European romps that really took the show to higher level. Songs such as “Basso Profundo” and “Vengo! Vengo!” got the audience moving and grooving to the sounds of accordion, violin and a sousaphone ornamented with multicolored Christmas lights.

The band closed with “Ranchero,” a track with modest beginnings that soon transformed into yet another buoyant European number. What made the piece even more stirring was Urata’s use of two unconventional instruments, the bouzouki and Theremin, the former being a Greek mandolin-looking instrument that delivered an unexpectedly dark vibe while the latter is an eerie sounding electric device. Throughout the song, Urata frantically played his bouzouki while performing a leg-kicking jive reminiscent of a Russian folk dance. Urata then ventured over to the Theremin, playing both instruments at once, much to the delight of the audience. After what felt like 10 exhilarating minutes, Urata thanked the audience, took a swig of wine, raised his arms and spilled all over himself. This didn’t perturb him, and he nonchalantly went back to playing the bouzouki, this time with the wine bottle.

Overall, DeVotchka’s worldly roots blended effortlessly with their indie rock for a captivating show. They played a lively hour and a half in front of a highly energetic crowd, proving that the bouzouki can certainly be badass.

DeVotchKa "100 Lovers"

We're aware that we haven't written much recently so we're going to overwhelm you with posts today.  The first of many will be an album review of DeVotchKa's 100 Lovers.

by Lucien Flores
The original version of this article was published on March 18, 2011 for the Arts Fuse.

DeVotchKa, 100 Lovers, Anti-, 2011

The members of DeVotchKa call Denver, Colorado home, but the quartet is not your standard indie rock outfit by a long shot. Eclectic to the point of the omni-cultural, the band is one of those rare musical acts that, like Beirut and Gogol Bordello, makes use of the rhythms and riffs (Slavic, Romani) of Eastern-European music and dares to go further, experimenting with Mariachi, Indian, folk, punk, and more.

Lead singer Nick Urata croons passionately with a distinctively slurred, almost accented voice while also playing a hodgepodge of instruments from the standard guitar and piano to the more unusual (at least for indie rock) trumpet, theremin, and bouzouki. Other instruments the quartet uses are the sousaphone, violin, and accordion.

When DeVotchKa effortlessly meshes these global influences and uncommon orchestration, the results can be galvanic, from amazingly fun, Eastern European romps (“C’est Ce La”) to grandiose, indie-rock anthems (“How It Ends”). And its sound is finally being recognized by a broader audience. After struggling as a burlesque band for a few years, the band’s 2004 effort How It Ends made some real noise on the indie scene. However, it wasn’t until after being nominated  in 2006 for a Grammy Award for “Best Compilation Soundtrack” for the film Little Miss Sunshine that the band garnered more recognition.

The group’s most recent album, 100 Lovers stays true to form, featuring a multitude of musical influences. Eastern European riffs predominate, though mariachi and Latin sounds dominate the last few songs.

The album’s opening song, “The Alley,” is a microcosm of the album itself. A trance-like ambiance is established and followed by a marching snare; the tune’s daze is finally blasted away by crashing cymbals and Urata’s eerie voice. The model for the track is the fireworks of Arcade Fire: the group comes closest to that sound with “All The Sand In All The Seas,” one of the strongest tunes on the album. The menacing (at times) track is driven by rollicking piano, ambient guitar, and marching drum.

“100 Other Lovers” is the album’s catchiest and strongest number. After generating a dreamlike spell, Urata’s  vocals jolt us awake, while the sounds of strings and a delectable organ supply some charm. At the end, the song returns us to the opening trance and fades out, which brings the indie rock segment of the album to an end.

On “The Common Good,” DeVotchKa experiments with an Indian sound, commencing with hand-claps and frantic strings. However, the Indian influence is abandoned after shimmering strings and a rollicking snare are introduced. The experiment with an Indian sound is admirable, but the latter is used so halfheartedly that the attempted fusion with indie rock doesn’t come off.

Starting with “The Man From San Sebastian,” the album embraces a wealth of Latin influences. “San Sebastian” is a remarkably fun song with sinister Spanish influences; bright accordion and undulating guitar combine to create an atmosphere that’s ripe for danger, sword fights, and pencil thin mustaches. The bright horns of mariachi make their way into “Bad Luck Heels,” while “Contrabanda” has an almost-cumbia flair to it. On the unique “Ruthless,” Urata flirts with Spanish lingo and guitar, supported by timbales, quicksilver accordion playing, and theatrical strings.

The one exception to the second half Latin explosion is “Exhaustible,” a light, lazy afternoon love song with a whistle chorus and cheery background vocals. Ending with the group bursting into laughter, the whimsical song is a nice change of pace from the busier tracks.

Overall, 100 Lovers strikes me as DeVotchKa’s admirable and ambitious effort to create a grander sound. The band reaches for the brilliantly combustible heights of Arcade Fire’s magnum opus Funeral. At times it ends up working too hard and falls short. But listeners expect nervy diversity from DeVotchKa, and the group delivers on its efforts to make indie rock with plenty of exotic flair. DeVotchKa comes to Boston’s Paradise Rock Club on March 26, which will be its only Massachusetts stop. If nothing else, when else are you going to see a sousaphone live? 

Overall Grade: 7.5

I'd Like To Be Under The Sea...with Planckton

Hey you!

Planckton Rockin' Out

Interested in a Boston-based band who mixes rock with relaxed ambient sound waves? 
Check out Planckton, the recent winners of Boston University's "Battle of the Bands".  


The reigning champs will be playing again on March 26th at BU Central, opening for the Weezer-like Free Energy. You better be there....


Until then, check out Planckton here:


- Common Ground Consortium
March 13, 2011

Rival Schools' "Pedals": Do Yourself a Favor and Transfer

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

Rival Schools, Pedals, Some Records, 2011

Rival Schools has been around in some form since 1999. Billed as a hardcore ‘supergroup,’ the New York-based band is comprised of members of late 1980s/early 1990s hardcore groups. Pedals is the band’s first release since 2001’s United By Fate and while hardcore may be in the band members’ roots, they turn down their amps and tap the skins lighter for this go ‘round. The result of this sonic experiment is all too unoriginal hard rock that comes off as flat and overly anthemic.

While Rival Schools is certainly comprised of experienced and talented musicians, they often come off as a new band awkwardly fiddling around, inserting mediocre hooks and sing-song choruses in an attempt to emulate more successful artists. “Eyes Wide Open” has an interesting hazy guitar sound, but is marred by shout-along vocals and a pretty cheesy bridge that you’d expect from those pop-punk bands that rocked suburban adolescents in the mid 90s. “Choose Your Own Adventure” has an awkward, contrived, off-time chorus and a tacky bridge that might be a residual effect of the band attempting to create a tight sing-along alt-rock anthem. “Big Waves” decomposes around mid-way through the song and the experienced musicians come across as a band trying too hard to find their sound. On practically all of the remaining tracks from “A Parts by B Actors” to “Racing To Red Lights,” the band sounds uninspired. Some variety would certainly break the monotony of the album.

On “Shot After Shot” and “The Ghost Is Out There,” two stronger tracks, Rival Schools certainly seems to take aim at a Queens of the Stone Age sound. While in fleeting moments they get close, they don’t quite reach that level – if listeners want to hear that sound then they should go straight to the source.

The band shows some promise on the album’s strongest track, “Small Doses.” There is a neat underdeveloped guitar solo that’s almost characteristic of those found on Wilco’s A Ghost Is Born. While the song does contain some tacky and straining dual vocals, this track exhibits that Rival Schools might be able to churn out some quality moments.

Overall, it is startling how flat this album is. The mixing might be the problem, but it’s almost as if the songs never reach a certain depth, constantly attempting to, yet failing to push both audio and quality levels. For a recently formed band, one could attribute inexperience as the cause of such a lackluster album, however, as the members of Rival Schools have been professional musicians for over a decade, one would expect more. It is up to the band to find their sound and further develop it before their next release, because if they stay on the same musical plane, their next album will be plagued by familiar problems.

Overall Grade: 4.5