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Twin Town High (vol. 8) |
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Terrific Ten
Wednesday 18 December @ 10:32:12 |
 CD Reviews by Celeste Tabora
1. Hot Hot Heat - Make Up the Breakdown
2. The Notwist - Neon Golden
3. LFTR PLLR - Soft Rock
4. Raised Fist - Dedication
5. The Delgados - Hate
6. Piano Magic - Writers Without Homes
7. V/A - Metamorphosis
8. The Blood Brothers - March On Electric Children
9. Engine Down - Demure
10. Steve Von Till - If I Should Fall to the Field
Hot Hot Heat
Make Up The Breakdown
(Sub Pop)
Wonderful rock hits, one after another, is what you will find on this album. I absolutely adore it and now cannot live with out the simplistic song writing and melodic ups and downs, or the lyrics about growing into your own skin. “Talk To Me, Dance With Me” and “Oh, Goddammit” are upbeat and just about perfect. HHH is rough around the edges but sweet in the core.
The Notwist
Neon Golden
(Domino)
This is what an album should be: consistent from start to finish with songs that are nearly perfect. The Notwist have bred a great hybrid between organically-crafted rock and electronic music. “This Room” starts off subtle and builds into a strong and pumping song without losing its intimate core, while “One With The Freaks” projects a classic indie rock flow. Both songs show the band’s diverse tastes and ability to refine the already-been-done. This disc can restore or continue your faith in rock-raised music.
LFTR PLLR
Soft Rock
(Self-Starter)
It feels like a final goodbye, but it’s just a double-disc of unreleased tracks. It seems like just yesterday that Lifter Puller put out a disc, but that’s probably because their albums have survived years of continuous play instead of being an “it” disc with an expiration date. If you’ve always felt your LP collection was incomplete, the lack of this anthology-esque collection might be the reason.
Raised Fist
Dedication
(Epitaph/Burning Heart)
Raised Fist was meant to be played LOUD. All instruments sound like they’re fully prepared to kick your ass. Aboriginal drum beats with an overweight bass sound drive the band while the guitars and hardcore vocals corner you into banging your head and maybe even running around in a circle with your fist, well, raised. Fans of metallic hardcore know that Epitaph provides them with the goodies. This latest issue is no exception.
The Delgados
Hate
(Mantra/Beggars)
Beauty lives on, and this season it resides within The Delgados’ new recording. Their music is approachable, attractive and sweetly melodic. Their pop-inspired soft rock is possessed of a wide-eyed innocence. As endearing as many lo-fi alternative records and as sophisticated as many electronic efforts, this disc is a must-own!
Piano Magic
Writers Without Homes
(4AD)
Between the beginning of “(Music Won’t Save You From Anything But) Silence” and the end of “Shot Through The Fog” you will be taken on a journey, not unlike that of Lord of the Rings. This music, unlike other experimental, mellow rock, isn’t like outer-space; it’s more just plain other-worldly. It comes from the same place where Bjork and David Bowie were created. If you dig the description, the music will blow you away!
V/A
Metamorphosis
(Le Grand Magistery/Oh!Tonito/Marriage)
Sexy euro-lounge-pop-rock concocted by the best of the label’s bands, like Pas/Cal, The Blood Group, The Music Lovers, and Cigarbox Planetarium. You can’t go wrong with this compilation if you like off-the-wall pop stars making off-the-wall pop music. This would be a great stocking stuffer for your favorite music lovers!
The Blood Brothers
March On Electric Children
(Three One G)
High-energy screams mixed with hardcore confidence make this band a favorite of rock and roll voyeurs. The album is consistent, but maybe a little too much to digest for those who prefer the softer end of the rock continuum. The lyrics are (thankfully) printed within the album’s beautiful artwork, so you may appreciate the inaudible words that are, sometimes, quite poetic. Poetic hardcore? Believe it.
Engine Down
Demure
(Lovitt)
I bet I’m not the first one to compare this band to the beloved Sunny Day Real Estate, am I? A lot of the comparison is derived from the vocals, but the pauses in their melodies and the particular brand of drumming tend to strengthen my argument. They are a good rock band: not too dark, and not too light and carefree. For lack of a better term, I’d say this band is “for real.” They’re unpretentiously good and comfortably welcoming. Indie Rock fans, consider yourself aware of a new great album.
Steve Von Till
If I Should Fall To The Field
(Neurot)
This album is dark and moody and not afraid to show it. Not just the basis of a John Cusak character but the foundation of Steve Von Till. “The Wild Hunt” reminds me visually of the low-light atmosphere projected by Juenet & Caro’s City of Lost Children, and musically of Tom Waits’ swaggering lament. Not a bad combo. Also known as rainy-day-defiant music.
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