CD Reviews

Various Barsuk Records — Treats Barsuk Records/ 2006 ♥♥	I don’t really like the idea of buying compilation CDs, since listening to the featured bands on their own respective albums is usually much more fulfilling. This obviously doesn’t mean that all compilations are worthless; there are some really good ones out there. However, Treats, from Barsuk Records, is not one of them. There are a few decent songs but nothing really manages to grab your attention, most of the album being typical, melancholy indie-rock that’s nothing short of insipid. I imagine a highlight for some people will be the two tracks by Death Cab For Cutie. But then again, you might actually like good music. The fact that there are two Death Cab songs is another thing about the compilation that bugs me: a rule with any compilation should be to never have more than one track from each band. Death Cab For Cutie, the Long Winters, Nada Surf, Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter, and John Vanderslice all have two tracks. It would be understandable if every band had two songs but there are five other bands that only have one. For a while I wondered if they just didn’t have enough bands on their label to make a full CD. However, when I checked their site and took a look at all the different bands they have on there, it became evident that they could have included more artists. I know there are Death Cab For Cutie fans out there and I sympathize with your poor choice in bands, but even for those fans, this compilation just isn’t worth it. It doesn’t properly demonstrate what Barsuk Records has to offer and by the end you’ll either wish you had done something more productive with your time, or you’ll be fast asleep, dreaming of listening to much, much better music. Timothy Brown, Staff
Die Mannequin How To Kill How To Kill Music/ 2006 ♥♥	With only four songs on this EP, it’s tough to properly judge Die Mannequin as a band, but I’m going to judge them anyway. For a three-piece, they’re solid musically. They know how to play and they know how to play together. That, of course, doesn’t mean they’re any good, it just means they’re capable. The EP is just not that enjoyable. Maybe it’s their style that seems bothersome, since it’s been used time and time again by a wide array of other bands. There isn’t anything new being presented and Die Mannequin aren’t exactly amazing. Unless you can make an overused style work really, really well, there’s no point. Die Mannequin seem to be a product of the MySpace scene: kids with guitars playing music that they like playing. This isn’t necessarily terrible, but in my experience kids with guitars who just like playing music that they enjoy aren’t really deserving of an audience bigger than the maximum capacity at a local community centre. The fact that they got to open for Guns ’N Roses just seems wrong. Something to mention is that MSTRKRFT actually produced the album. In case you don’t know, MSTRKRFT features one of the members of the now-defunct band Death From Above 1979. I guess there are hopes that the name will pull in a few new fans. The name might pull in a few curious eyes here and there, but I think, after actually listening to Die Mannequin, they will continue on without even a second thought. Maybe with a few years of developing their sound and testing their determination to succeed in the music industry, Die Mannequin might be worth another listen. Until then, I think it’s best to look for that “cool new sound” elsewhere. Timothy Brown, Staff
Woodpigeon Songbook Rectangle Records/ 2006 ♥♥♥♥	It’s a great time for pop song craft in Canada. From the electro- variety of the Junior Boys to the orch-pop of the Hylozoists, there’s so much dynamic material being created that is also hella-pleasing to the ear. You can add Woodpigeon to the growing legion of fine pop purveyors with the release of Songbook, 14 mini-epics with instrumentation that’s as playful as the song titles (a choir of whistlers on “a sad country ballad for a tired superhero”). Mark Hamilton may be the ostensible ringleader of this musical circus, but Woodpigeon’s strength lies in its numbers — a gigantic roster of strings, horns, percussion and voice. The sonics of Songbook are layered one upon another, building wall-of-sound crescendos — as on “a hymn for 2 walks in different cities” — that are magisterial in scope. Thankfully it’s not all over-the-top; on “feedbags,” things are stripped down to simple acoustic guitar and voice, ensuring that the variety of the album doesn’t lead to tooth decay from a saccharine overdose. The quick-paced “jonathan ashworth rollercoaster” is one of the few out-and-out rockers, but it shows the range of Woodpigeon that they can craft something that is not necessarily delicate, but still packed with peculiar instrumentation. This is an astonishing first full-length album (they’ve had a few EPs prior to Songbook) and it succeeds at being more than the sum of its numerous parts. Michael Elves, Volunteer Staff
The Blood Brothers Young Machetes V2 Records/ 2006 ♥♥♥♥	The Blood Brothers, known for their musical experimentation and their loud, furious vocals, have released their fifth studio album, Young Machetes. They’ve come a long way from their beginning (i.e. their first LP, This Adultery Is Ripe ,and a personal favorite, their 2003 EP, Rumors Laid Waste.) While they’ve matured and developed a sound that involves constant experimentation, both instrumentally and vocally, they remain loyal to the sounds that brought them so much attention. Their previous album, Crimes, distanced them greatly from their roots but wasn’t strong enough to firmly hold them up. Where Crimes failed, Young Machetes succeeds. While experimenting (especially with their newer material) with combining a sort of livid chaos with beautiful melodies, they seemed to have difficulty finding a proper balance. Young Machetes, I believe, is a perfect demonstration of that balance. Tracks like “Set Fire To The Face On Fire,” “Huge Gold AK-47” and “Johnny Ripper” are prime examples of that livid chaos, with small rays of melody shining through in just the right spots. You also have tracks such as “Lift The Veil, Kiss The Tank,” “Laser Life” and “Spit Shine Your Black Clouds” that prove that they know how to really use melody, not just in five- to 10-second segments, but pretty much through entire songs. It may not be the definitive album of 2006, but it is definitely the right step for the art-punk/post-hardcore group from Seattle. Now that they appeared to have found the symmetry that had been missing from the past few albums, maybe they’ll turn to mastering their abilities to create such raw, furious, energetic music. However, since their progression as a band has been based on the idea of experimentation, I wouldn’t doubt their next musical outing will take them in a completely new direction. Timothy Brown, Staff
Regina Spektor Begin To Hope Sire Records/ 2006 ♥♥♥♥	I hadn’t even heard of Regina Spektor until a friend of mine sent me a link to a video of one of the singles off of her newest album, Begin to Hope. The song is called “Fidelity” and is incredibly catchy, not to mention an excellent showcase of Spektor’s incredible singing voice. After listening to the album a few times, I find it hard to say anything negative about it. Not only does she have an amazing voice, but she knows how to control it. It’s not like Mariah Carey where every second word is dragged on for 10 seconds so that she can “adequately” demonstrate her entire vocal range. After a brief listen, Spektor could easily be associated with Tori Amos or Fiona Apple. However, her style is very eclectic and strange. While songs such as “Better” or “Sampson” are somewhat conventional, other songs like “Apres Moi” or “20 Years of Snow” are definitely not. “20 Years of Snow” has a most unusual piano piece backing her vocals and there are at least two different change-ups in the song. The song finishes with Spektor making weird sounds with her voice. The album as a whole seems absurd yet cute, dignified yet playful. Her exquisite voice dances with the backing instruments while her lyrics play wonderfully with the listener’s imagination. Her style shows influences from folk, Russian, Jewish, hip hop and classical music, among others. The only disappointment I found on the album was the final track, “Summer in the City.” I was personally hoping it was a cover of that classic Lovin’ Spoonful song from the sixties. Unfortunately it wasn’t, but this completely different song of the same name is quite possibly just as good, so I guess I can let it slide. Timothy Brown, Staff
Jibbs Jibbs Feat. Jibbs Geffen Records/ 2006 ♥♥♥½	I’ll admit that when I first heard that Jibbs, a.k.a. Javon Campbell, was only 16 years old, I figured he must have been related to some record company executive and scored a record deal by exploiting that fact. To my amazement, Jibbs is actually a young talent with a promising future. His first single “Chain Hang Low” samples the melody from the nursery rhyme “Do Your Ears Hang Low?” As if channelling my childhood psyche, the song was stuck in my head for a week. His second single, featuring Chamillionaire and entitled “King Kong,” is loud, somewhat abrasive, and very catchy. On the first track, “Yea Boi,” he boasts about his ambitious future, stating, “I run my city like Diddy, so you can call me the mayor.” What intrigues many fans of Jibbs is that he respects his position in the rap world; his album does not contain any profanity, which illustrates his understanding of the boundaries of a teenage rapper. The track “Big Big Kid,” (also his nickname) has Jibbs delivering one of many possible club bangers as he plays with his flow over the banging bass line. The lyrics combine playful banter with some bombastic ambitions. As he resides in St. Louis, many fans have already labelled him the next Nelly, which may or may not be a compliment. I must admit I do hear the similarities in style, which bodes well for Jibbs. While Jibbs possesses a lot of talent, this first album also contains some formulaic components. ”Gone Too Far” samples Janet Jackson and is sung by Melody Thornton of the Pussy Cat Dolls. I can already see the video in my mind. For a first album, Jibbs meets and exceeds all expectations. I hope his second album is just as good. Kyle Goomansingh