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Twin Town High (vol. 8) |
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Sweet 16: Celeste Tabora blasts through 16 HOT HOT HOT new releases!
Wednesday 03 July @ 10:17:15 |
 by Celeste Tabora
1 Fiver “Here It Comes”
2 Superdrag “Last Call For Vitriol”
3 Nik Freitas “Heres Laughing At You”
4 And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead “Source Tags & Codes”
5 Radar Brothers “And The Surrounding Mountains”
6 Doves “The Last Broadcast”
7 Enon “High Society”
8 Mazarin “A Tall Tale Storyline”
9 The Prom “Under The Same Stars”
10 The Shins “Know Your Onion”
11 The Vines “Highly Evolved”
12 The Gossip “Arkansas Heat”
13 764-HERO “Nobody Knows This Is Everywhere”
14 Track Star “Lion Destroyed The Whole World”
15 Haven “Between The Senses”
16 Nathan Larson “I Must Learn To Live Alone”
1 Fiver “Here It Comes”
(Future Farmer/Devil In The Woods)
Fiver’s music excites me like a good band should. Fiver brings a new twist to the already-been-done. What exactly? Well for starters: echoes and distortion on the vocals, aggressive guitar scratches, out-of-the-ordinary arrangement. I actually got so excited when I heard the fourth track, “Goner” that I accidentally shut the CD player off. Reminiscent of: The Wrens, early Get Up Kids, mixed with Death Cab For Cutie.
2 Superdrag “Last Call For Vitriol”
(Arena Rock Recording Co.)
In Stores: July 9, 2002
Superdrag have the rock-pop-confection style down. They touch upon The Beatles’ sweet spirit in “Her Melancholy Tune,” but it was when they reminded me of Offspring (not good) in “The Staggering Genius” that I was thrown for a loop. The rest of the album is quite good. You can’t deny Superdrag’s prowess for crafting a good rock song, especially with this release.
3 Nik Freitas “Heres Laughing At You”
(Future Farmer)
He sings and sounds like Twin Cities own Mark Mallman being played in a faster speed or after inhailing helium. The similarities make you wonder if they know each other or at least know of each other. Maybe Mallman has met his musical doppelganger! He’s less charming of course, but Nik has his own enchanting qualities.
4 And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead “Source Tags & Codes”
(Interscope)
Outrageous! With sound so grand and so enormous, you may feel engulfed by their music. There’s a new shade to Trail Of Dead—it’s kind of a British/Euro Rock vibe added on to their already fabulous American energetic style. If you found TOD too unperspicacious to take before, this album may be easier to swallow. (Listen to: “Another Morning Stoner” or “Heart In The Hand Of The Matter.”)
5 Radar Brothers “And The Surrounding Mountains”
(Merge)
You can always count on Merge to bring you back on home. This release is so down-to-earth! Pavement, eat your cheatin’ heart out! Regardless of where you’re from, whether it’s home home on the range or big city, big city, an album like this will make you flat-out homesick. It’s sweet and slow and easy, but hip and du jour all the same.
6 Doves “The Last Broadcast”
(Capitol)
Fave: “There Goes The Fear”
“The Last Broadcast” was like super-duper glue in keeping the headphones on my head and this disc in the player. The album features Samson-strong songs and powerful melodies, with just enough experimental instrumentation to compliment the songs. They’re sure to make Manchester proud with their straight-up moody brand of rock goodness.
7 Enon “High Society”
(Touch and Go)
Fave: “In This City”
Enon have style; they’re definitely high society in the cosmopolitan city known as Indie Rock. Perfect pauses and deliciously timely bass lines mixed with subtle and unimposing keyboards— they can see when less is more as well as knowing when the song calls for more. Enon took a new direction with this 2002 release, becoming more ‘straightforward’—giving a new and positive light to that term by showing the music world that simplicity doesn’t have to mean stupidity. You could easily fall in love with Enon.
8 Mazarin “A Tall Tale Storyline”
(SpinART)
Sounding like a marriage between Belle & Sebastian and The Hang Ups, Mazarin is sweet and melodic. There are many elusive noises behind the quick-tempoed vocals and exorbitant happy guitars, upbeat drumming, and joyous keyboards. You’ll want to have this CD with you on the beautiful road trip up to the lake this summer; it’s great to sing along to!
9 The Prom “Under The Same Stars”
(Barsuk)
In Stores: July 9, 2002
The first thing I thought when I saw this album was, “if this sucks, I’m totally keeping the record anyway because the artwork is beautiful!” Lucky for me, there’s more than just that reason to keep this new Prom release. It’s like romantically earnest Ben Folds or classic Elton John—with slightly harder roots: think Godspeed-Y-B-E or Black Heart Procession. If you can appreciate any of that, you’ll go ga-ga over The Prom.
10 The Shins “Know Your Onion”
(Sub Pop)
Oooh, this is good. There’s nothing scientific or technical I can say to impress you, this is just good. The Shins are tremendously innovative songsmiths. Two tracks (“My Seventh Rib” and “New Slang”) on this EP were recorded live at Seattle’s Graceland venue—and even for live recordings, it’s well done. “Know Your Onion” is a track you can find on their previous release “Oh, Inverted World,” but its sweet and natural feel will make you want to hear it over and again. If this is just an appetizer, I’m saving room for the main course!
11 The Vines “Highly Evolved”
(Capitol)
In Stores: July 16, 2002
Fave: “Get Free”
The Vines pick up the party album obligations while The Strokes head back into the studio. Dare I say that The Vines’ songwriting is more “highly evolved” than the aforementioned New York band? You won’t feel “dumbed-down” when enjoying (that’s right enjoying) this debut effort! This Sydney, Australia, quartet lean more towards the rock than they do the pop, leaving us with a soundtrack that is more for the open bar party than it is for shindigs serving up screwdrivers and keg beer. The Vines are hot hot hot!
12 The Gossip “Arkansas Heat”
(Kill Rock Stars)
Astrological forecast!: Your inner aggressive girl needs some inspiration and she is calling for The Gossip. If classy Miss Aretha ever went rock ‘n’ roll, The Gossip would be her favorite band. Elvis is for sure rockin’ and rollin’ in his grave to this album, uh huh. This EP shows off this trio’s strength, sass, and love for a good blues rock guitar riff.
13 764-HERO “Nobody Knows This Is Everywhere”
(Tiger Style)
Bubblegum-indie pop at its almost-finest. (After all, isn’t all indie imperfect in its own way? Isn’t that stated in the fine print? That slight imperfections are a prerequisite?) 764-HERO could easily be grouped with New Jersey’s The Wrens, who pretty much stand at the top of their type of ‘50s sweetheart, smart ‘60s garage pop-rock. 764-HERO make for a great 2nd runner up, and everyone should know this album should be everywhere!
14 Track Star “Lion Destroyed The Whole World”
(Better Looking)
Cute, real cute. That is what the promotional sticker should say on the shrink wrap in the upper right hand corner of the album. Blissfully sappy, sentimental, and straightforward: all things that help make an underground quiet rock band stand out. With feelings exposed, you’re either left yearning for the songs to include a part of your personality, or desperately praying that it doesn’t hold true to the real you. Many adolescent hopes and fears are present here. Like the sound of that? You’ll like it even more once you hear the disc!
15 Haven “Between The Senses”
(Virgin)
The first thing you’ll probably hear about this album is that it was produced by mister guitar-scape, Johnny Marr (of Smiths fame). Haven is not your typical British band; Gary Briggs’ voice, fine and angelic, drives the Manchester outfit. They seem influenced more by American rock of the 1980s than they are influenced by any other Brit band of the present (Radiohead, Oasis). You can say they are the breath of fresh air we’ve been waiting for from abroad...you might also say that they’re Haven sent!
16 Nathan Larson “I Must Learn To Live Alone”
(Big Wheel Recreation)
After 15 digestable records, I thought I was having a lucky strike. I was initially excited about this EP release because I love Shudder To Think, though they’ve long disbanded. I should have also remembered that this would only be a fraction of what I loved about STT. I’m taking this one personally. The man has let me down. This album gives me reason to use this term: played out. We’re talking an overly reverbed sound, brushed drums, wanna-be bluey, and less than average song structure altogether. Don’t buy this, and heck, if someone threatens to give this to you, refuse it.
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