Many have made compelling loud music. Few have made it so beautifully. With its lush, sensuous textures, strange, droning guitars and whispered vocals, it's many things — including a masterpiece. But noise it is not. An amazing sonic achievement.
Lesser Evil by Doldrums
Before you listen to Lesser Evil by Doldrums, I highly recommend you take a minute to sit and stare at its corresponding album artwork. Doing so will tell you quite a bit about what cocktail you're about to swallow.
Under the abstract wash of inky, blue, food coloring-like stains and violet flourishes is a human face. Let's say the face is equivalent to the concept of familiar and agreeable musicality. Everything else is a bizarre, sour candy coated, electronic fabric. Too much of electronic indie rock only gives you the "everything else." But, sometimes you get the familiar and the agreeable musicality and the everything else together in one double shot. This combination is quite addictive when it's done really well.
Releaesed in February 2013, Lesser Evil is done really well. Almost outstanding!
If you're going to chill out, you might as well put on some good music and Lesser Evil will more than suffice. On tracks like "Lesser Evil" and "Lost In Everyone," Doldrums make some of the finest Indie Rock I've heard all year.
Lesser Evil by Doldrums
Bankrupt! by Phoenix
If you look at the pop-art artwork and listen to Phoenix's recent 10 mini epics, you get the feeling that they had it all planned out on their 2013 masterwork, Bankrupt! And considering how such precise artistic visions have had a history of almost bankrupting labels (see Loveless by My Bloody Valentine), the title works, too. This is the kind of album that leaves you wondering if each song took five minutes, five hours, five days or five months to map out. It's clear that Phoenix is talented, but the curious listener in me wonders if they are talented and efficient. Just how brilliant are they? In the end, it doesn't matter because this fruit smoothie they have mixed is delicious and is indicative of a band that has studio know-how, instrumental prowess and a legitimate gift. Bankrupt! is wonderful and exhilerating!
Oh, and by the way—it's nice to hear actual songs in this electronic blender.
Bankrupt! by Phoenix
A Blog About The Music I'm Discovering and What I'm Discovering About Music
You can view posts by month.
You can even view by tag.
