With the long cold winter behind us, we finally have a chance to get a sneak peak at the long hot summer in front of us. As the days grow longer and the need for music to provide a backdrop for our summer activities increases, we here at JustPressPlay have decided to provide you another collection of short capsule reviews. Some of the albums mentioned below may become the soundtrack to your 2011 summer, while some should be avoided altogether. In case you're wondering, this edition of CD Impressions features math metalheads Journal, post-rock quartet The Union Trade, fuzzy noise poppettes the Dum Dum Girls, emo forefathers The Get Up Kids and aging rock rookie Mike Marlin.
Nearly Man
Artist: Mike Marlin
Label: Amp Music Productions
Release Date: 2/14/11
7 out of 10
Usually when someone snidely declares that an artist is “thirty years late to the party,” he or she means that the music is egregiously consumed with a specific era or sound that is tragically dated. In Mike Marlin’s case, it means that he was once a young fella driven by a slew of burgeoning post-punk bands from the Jam to Elvis Costello and more, but then after getting nowhere for years, he virtually gave up on music in 1982 and plunged into an “alcoholic depression.” But the London child of the 60s is at last arriving on a once elusive scene after a fortuitous meeting with a music producer, proving that some dreams never die (and giving hope to the frustrated and their failures worldwide). Titled Nearly Man (because Finally Man would have been a little too obvious), Marlin isn’t stuck in a stasis from thirty years prior, but the touch of his inspirations is evident. Opener “Hit the Button” comes in like Paul Weller or Nick Cave on a grubby strut and the gothic influence and unconventional pop of Siouxsie and the Cure bleeds through cuts like “Guilty” and “Not Perfect.” More than anyone else, though, Marlin echoes greatest of David Bowie; partly because of the cabaret piano and glam horn flourishes on songs like “In the Basement,” but mostly because of a baritone that’s almost eerie in similarity. The record’s polished production amplifies the hooks, and certainly benefits songs like “Undercover Genius” in developing a rich sound by collecting delicate figures into a robust, swelling piece, but the abundance of wax also reduces a lot of the potential bite. Even mellow “Second Son” is a little too calculated in its professionalism; heartfelt or syrupy? But while the output is a little uneven, Nearly Man is never outright slack, and strange as it might be for a man who just turned fifty to earn the distinction, being chosen for HMV’s Next Big Thing should earn no cynical scoffing regardless of perspective. (Matt Medlock)
Why We Need Night
Artist: The Union Trade
Label: Tricycle Records
Release Date: 2/8/11
6 out of 10
Scaled back and more refined, The Union Trade bring a slightly more accessible collection of songs to the 5-song EP Why We Need Night. Though their shoegaze style guitar work is still present (at times), the band’s new piano-aided sound allows Eric Salk to take command of songs with his crisper vocal performance. On the band’s new EP, much of the group's multi-layered distortion and static overlay is subdued, instead focusing on a more direct songwriting approach. At times the band’s sound is gratifying, Salk is most generally compelling behind the microphone and The Union Trade, as always, continue to craft entertaining melodies. As you listen to Why We Need Night though, you can’t help but get the impression that this may be a step into territory that lacks much depth. About the time you may begin to write off the band’s new sound though, the EP ends with the dream like “Aurelia,” and you’re treated with the most enjoyable track of the collection. The interesting interplay between the electric guitar and the moog-like keyboard creates an ethereal mood and gives Salk a chance to showcase a soothing and otherworldly vocal performance. It’s a great way to end a 5 song EP that, at times, can make one lose interest due to its lack of depth. After hearing the sublime “Auerlia” though, your thirst for a Union Trade full length should be whetted. (Tyler Barlass)
Unlorja
Artist: Journal
Label: Self Released
Release Date: 11/16/10
3 out of 10
Unlorja is the debut release from the Sacramento based group Journal. What Journal brings to the death metal scene is a Nintendo-math metal stylized concept album. The conceptual theme of Unlorja is good versus evil told by three vocalists, Jesse Alford, Drew Winter, and Akoni Berman. Each vocalist gives the story life by employing various styles of death metal growls and some clean vocals. The story is very unique, based around a ribbon that bestows god-hood on whoever holds it. Death and betrayal lurk in the shadows of this mystical composition of story-based metal. The guitars performed by Joe Van Houten and Tony Juvinal are brutal and staggering, but void of any melodic backbone. So if insane heavy riffs are what you’re looking for then this one is for you. Just don’t expect much more than thrashy, cut up riffs of metal hammering. Justin Tvetan fills the role of drums while Danny Paul performs on bass, both tying the ends of their parts of this ribbon of a brutal conflict of good versus evil. The story-line is hard to follow, mostly due to the style of musical musicianship and lyrics, but it is very unique. Musically it’s not the best deathcore metal you can find, it lacks anything that catches your ear upon first listen and takes a few listenings to grasp the melodies and unravel it to find their core. Overall the song structure is fairly straight forward, lyrically and musically. The melodies though are all over the place. It's almost as if the group just threw some riffs on the table, made them into a song and narrated a story in metal growls with a few inserts of technical pieces thrown into the mix. Also, in case you didn’t catch it, Unlorja is an anagram of Journal. (Anthony Hogie)
He Gets Me High
Artist: Dum Dum Girls
Label: Sub Pop
Release Date: 3/1/11
6 out of 10
Dum Dum Girls are near the front of the pack of the once novel, now classic formula of girl-group dynamic and drag race nostalgia/thrill combo mixed with the modern revival of scrappy garage, scuzzy distortion and lack-of-ambition-as-aesthetic. A mostly satisfying debut LP transitions now towards a mostly satisfying EP that does what post-debut EPs of countless prickly-sweet confections have been doing a lot lately: get rangy, show range. The EP, He Gets Me High, is more cruise than throttle, but that’s probably a good thing. Not so good is a fatalistic coziness that tries to replace a rush lacking the charming vigor. Luckily, vigorous charm remains, notably in “Wrong Feels Right”’s surge of galloping drums and charging guitars pulled back just enough to let the sugar sprinkles shake like dust and the sullen brooding of “Take Care of My Baby,” which could be rewritten as a torch song if it weren’t so slyly bitter in its farewell. Meanwhile, the title track has an element rarely noticeable in saccharine noise pop—the bass—even if it is distorted almost to the point of being numb. Unfortunately, the finale is a cover of the Smiths’ “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out”; noteworthy for having a faster tempo and tweaking Morrissey’s melancholy into something more rah-rah and boisterous, but it’s an obvious choice for homage and unravels the impact of the classic original. Even if awfully slight and failing to provide the same punchy excitement of their previous full-length, this one’s a different little beast and Dum Dum Girls don’t backslide in the hints and promises amidst the fuzz. (Matt Medlock)
There Are Rules
Artist: The Get Up Kids
Label: Quality Hil
Release Date: 1/25/11
8 out of 10
After all these years, the Get Up Kids obviously aren’t kids anymore; which is, believe it or not, a good thing. Before breaking up in 2005, Kansas City’s favorite emo band was certainly showing signs of maturation. Their final album before what would become a five year hiatus, The Guilt Show, was an intelligent rocker that did all it could to distance itself from the laughable emo movement that was already invading the mainstream. Flash forward to 2011 and the Kids’ have released their first full length since reassembling last year. Upon first listen, There Are Rules may not sound a whole lot like the band we remembered from the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. This album is atmospheric, at times electronic, and altogether emo free. Still, Matt Pryor’s distinctive voice is untarnished and as infectious as it has ever been. On the album opener “Tithe,” Pryor’s voice cuts into a locomotive rhythm and steers the song into familiar territory. With distorted and ambient sounds haunting the background of a churning riff, Pryor’s energy carries “Tithe” on its back. It’s one hell of a ride, and one of the very best songs in all of the Get up Kids canon. There aren’t a lot of energetic moments on Rules aside from the opening track, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t plenty of interesting stops before the album reaches the station. From the ambient musings of keyboardist James Dewees, who turns songs like “Automatic” and “Better Lie” into sonic soundscapes, to the more familiar rocking sounds of “Pararelevant” and “Regent’s Court,” there is plenty to sink your teeth into. Though at times the lethargic synth tracks can lull you to sleep and the lack of enough truly memorable songs does hurt the album, the multitude of dynamic aspects found throughout this cohesive full length begs for repeated listens. The fact is, There are Rules is good in a way that it not only warranted the reunion of the Get Up Kids, it may be their best album yet. (Tyler Barlass)
