Album Review: Wye Oak - Civilian

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Baltimore, Maryland duo Wye Oak’s first two records, 2007’s If Children and 2009’s The Knot, sounded like a band with the all the tools required to be master-sculptors or their art, but one lacking in the requisite experience – and often direction – to fashion something truly worthy. Although their enviable ear for a hook was plainly manifested, the songs’ attempts to subvert de rigueur ‘trends’ overcompensated. Mix introverted folk-sprawl with hootenanny freakouts? That’ll show ‘em! But it was too much, too often; thrilling on an artificial level, without having the artifice to craft something with lasting appeal beyond the live performances for which they were famed. However, their apprenticeship served and with new UK label City Slang affording them a shot at reinvention, Civilian succeeds by playing it straight.

This review was written for Notion magazine . Go here to read the rest (page 90 of the digital reader)

Short Cuts! New Releases 11/01/10

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*** Brief run-down of this week’s new releases, including track recommendations from THE POPSCENER***

Vampire Weekend – Contra

It’s hardly gone unnoticed that these self proclaimed “Upper West Side Sowetos” are Paul Simon fans – that original vinyl copy of Graceland must now have worn to the flat – but frankly I’m bored of hearing it, and quite why the critics continue to treat the slightest hint of cod-reggae with a pious fanfare befitting of the second coming is beyond me. Nonetheless, irritating dance voice on ‘California English’ aside, this IS simply Vampire Weekend mark II, albeit slightly more subdued. Unsurprisingly, the afrobeat rhythms (‘Run’, amongst others) and white-boy calypso (‘White Sky’) fall flatter second time round. Flatter doesn’t necessarily mean failure, and there’s still enough sublime melody (‘Horchata’, ‘Giving Up the Gun’) here to keep me interested, but Vampires be warned: the critical bonhomie won’t last a third outing of this ilk. 

Choice Cuts: ‘Horchata’, ‘White Sky’, ‘Giving Up the Gun’

6.5/10

Adam Green – Minor Love

The former Mouldy Peach returns with another collection of weirdy Americana-tinged indie which remains more Beck than the Eels (less melody, more scratchiness), but is less arch and more bored than his flaxen-haired contemporary. And so, the blocked-nose delivery provides a certain sardonic romance to two-minute vignettes such as ‘You Blacken My Stay’. Meanwhile, Minor Love is still pleasingly committed anti-folk in terms of lyrical miserablism  (“she punched me in the face like a goblin” is a personal favourite), and tracks such as the spitting lo-fi junk of ‘Oh Shucks’ also show a willingness to change the sonic scenery – and avoid falling asleep at the musical wheel.

Choice Cuts: ‘Goblin’, ‘Buddy Bradley’, ‘You Blacken My Stay’

7.5/10

OK Go - Of the Blue Colour of the Sky

Clearly realising they can’t dine out on “you-tube sensation” (shudder) ‘Here It Goes Again’ forever, and perhaps keen to show they’re not just treadmill-worryers in Weezer-wear, Ok Go finally return with their first record since 2005. After the first half hour you’ll wish they had stayed away, but just when I thought this was going to be a fuzz-bassed, poorly worded, sub-Prince floater, the band almost redeem themselves with a run of good songs late in the day. The off-kilter, cross-eyed pop of ‘Before the Earth Was Round’ is so well crafted I’ll forgive the irksome Kraftwerk vocals, dainty acoustic ballad ‘Last Leaf’ is sweetly realised, and the meditative swoon of ‘While You Were Asleep’ gains them half a point, given the week, for sounding like Vampire Weekend with Africa subtracted. Naturally, closer ‘In the Glass’ is crap, but you can’t have it all. Keep an eye out for a snappy video or two.  

Choice Cuts: ‘Before the Earth Was Round’, ‘While You Were Asleep’

5.5/10