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Previously: Jim James/M. Ward :: SXSW 2008 (Acoustic)
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Filed under: M. Ward, My Morning Jacket |
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Tuesday, while walking through the hallowed halls of Capitol Records’ studios, in Hollywood, surrounded by decades of recorded musical history, I had a conversation with a friend regarding album art: the power it can wield, and its demise over the past 20+ years, thanks to, first, compact discs, and more recently MP3s (guilty). This got me thinking about the relationship between music and its presentation, both visually, and in the sense of the packaging itself. Despite the ease, and immediacy, of digital music I still love the tactile sense of a physical album in my hands, be it vinyl, or, to a lesser degree, the booklet of a CD.
Keeping with the Lou Reed/John Cale kick of late, I am reminded of Cale’s 1973 solo LP, Paris 1919; an album I was drawn to, at least in part, because of its cover art. Already a longtime Velvets convert, and Lou Reed fan, I was interested in investigating other VU offshoots, and Cale was top of the list. It was the cover of Paris 1919 that drew me in, with its whitewashed matte finish, and the shot of a pensive Cale, dapper as always, dressed in all white. Between the album’s title, its font, and the cover art, my imagination drifted into some sort of Left Bank, early twentieth century, boho-sphere that most definitely influenced my first exposure to the LPs recorded contents.
That being said, now, with digital downloads at an all time high, we have at our disposal an enormity of music, but are consuming it, and therefore appreciating it in a different way. In iTunes, does the albums matchbook size artwork have the power to color our experience with the music? And if so, in what way? I know for certain that a first time listener to CSN & Y’s album Deja Vu, via MP3, will never know the marbled, cardboard feel of that album’s jacket, which, 15 years ago, colored my perception of the music before the needle even touched the vinyl for the first time. That, dear reader, is something I miss.
In the comments: Hit us up with albums that you were either drawn to via the cover art, and/or albums whose artwork, in some way, affected your listening experience.
Download:
MP3: John Cale :: Child’s Christmas In Wales
MP3: John Cale :: Paris 1919
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Amazon: John Cale - Paris 1919 (Reissue)
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Filed under: John Cale |
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28
The last time I heard The Kills was 2005’s No Wow which popped up on my radar and grabbed me with its dirty, minimalist swagger. I had apparently missed their first album, but it positioned them squarely with the equally squalling Raveonettes whose debut EP had surfaced about the same time as The Kills. The Kills seemed to be chasing minimalism down a dark hole - rough and dirty guitar with minimal percussion and melody. The detached lyricism was also part of its sexy charm and the record won me over, though it didn’t have a lot of staying power. I’d honestly largely forgotten about them. Now they resurface. The ensuing couple of years finds them in a similar boat - but not quite so dire. There’s a lot more fun in this album than there was in the past.
First, one thing I love about this band is their creative use of minimalism in percussion. If you’re going to strip a song down, the thing that always makes the song sound big is that beat. Take it down a notch, and you’ve got yourself a controlled reaction waiting to explode. All sorts of things - from handclaps to door slams to coughs to pots and pans to, well, handclaps again - dominate the rhythms of this record, in addition to the simple drum structures. Opener “U.R.A. Fever” is punctuated with dial tones and phone button bleeps. It builds slowly into a smoldering heap, leading perfectly into the more raucous “Cheap and Cheerful” which recalls Peaches at her best (minus the profuse sexuality). And yet despite these simple beats, the whole record carries a dance rhythm that is hard to ignore. I can’t imagine seeing The Kills perform this stuff live as being anything less than an out and out dance party.
Next, The Kills know how to craft appropriate length and how to place songs. Clocking in at under 35 minutes, the 12 songs move with a great sense of structure, with slow points adequately placed throughout the run time. “Black Balloon,” placed squarely in the center of the album, is a slow, hissing feeler that offers perfect respite between the pair of rave-ups, “Hook and Line” and “M.E.X.I.C.O.C.U.”
The album is kinetic and enjoyable, a more dynamic listen than their previous work, but still maintaining the general sound of their previous work. If you enjoyed No Wow, then you’ll enjoy Midnight Boom, but it does beg the question - will it be as easily forgotten? The Kills, while enjoyable, didn’t stick with me the first time. The dancier, more vibrant band that has appeared on this album may stand up a little better. But then again, it depends on what the band is going for. Purposeful disposability is an art form in itself, and from that perspective, The Kills are making some of the more fantastic trash-rock records of the 2000s. - j. neas
Download:
MP3: The Kills :: U.R.A. Fever
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Amazon: The Kills - Midnight Boom
www.thekills.tv ++ www.myspace.com/thekills ++ www.dominorecordco.com
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Filed under: The Kills |
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