Newspaper Page Text
~r
■y -Op.,-
f/> »•»..* w, J « *
SUMMER HYMNS
Backward Masks
Misra
The title ol this record is essential
to any ettod to understand it or find
its context Summer Hymns has. for
years, placed their music within, and
somet mes behind, a mesmerizing
blend ol feedback, studio trickery and
general psychedelia. With Backward
Masks, songwriter Zachary Greshams
compositions expose their creator at
his rawest. This rawness is a place of
confessional tenderness and the music
cradles his lyrics rather than merely
accompany them
Backward Masks is wonderfully
sequenced. The simple love song
*Way You Walk’ leads the way
into mid-album melody feasts like
'Start Swimming’ and ‘Fearanoia ’
There's still plenty ot the major-chord
progressions and keyboard undertones
that are closely associated with the
band, but there is an openness on
this album that simply doesn't exist
previous to this in the group's catalog.
Greshams own lyrics say it best.
’There's no reason in this world to
be afraid.../ there's no reason to be
afraid of love .. / time, you've got it
/ but. time ami nothing without love'
(‘Fearanoia’). And the album's title,
as mentioned above, is almost as if
the band is saying that everything
it hid within before has been turned
around and though it still wears some
familiar musical marks, the audience
is finally hearing and seeing what was
previously privileged to only the band
Gordon Lamb
Summer Hymns is playing at the
Georgia Theatre on Wednesday. Nov 8
and playing a CD release show at the
40 Watt Club on Saturday. Nov. 11.
MCOAST
Say it in Slang
Happy Happy Bi<;hday to Me
If you're like me. you are sort
of broke But once I throw on M
Coast's Say it in Slang, a certain
financial transmogrification takes
place Suddenly. I'm rich That's the
kind of escapism that is available
with Say it in Slang Started in 19%
as Andy Gonzalez's solo project.
Marshmallow Coast has seen a lair
amount of sea change With this
fifth release/ debut album, a vastly
revised Ime-up and a new(ish) name,
the former Marshmallow Coast
cruises into international waters with
a druggy grin that, while evoking
only the best of times, isnl anywhere
nea f Margaritaville This is a piece
ot mostly dry studio obsessiveness,
with equal attention put on subtlety
and tunelulness. The liner notes
urge the listener to take advantage
of headphones, and the leadoff track
"Sailing Around the World' praises
he who ‘taught you how to roll a
joint.’ Four-on-the-floor pit-er-pat .
and deadpan vocals sound imported
straight from Germany's krautiest.
especially on ‘Out on the Water ’
Emily Growden's feather-light vocals
alongside Derek Almstead's mercury
basslmes steer the vessel into a
more Francophilic direction, bringing
Stereolab to mind. The winter months
are upon us. and M Coast has emerged
as your stoned travel agent, whisking
you away to tropical paradise for the
price of one round piece of plastic.
Exciting and new ...come aboard
They're expecting you.
Jeff Tobias
M Coast is playing a CD release
show at the 40 Watt Club on Saturday.
Nov. 11.
THE MATCHES
Decomposer
Epitaph
The Matches are an acquired
taste This quickly becomes evident
just seconds into the Victorian era-
sounding intro on Decomposer's
opening track’Salty Eyes*
Comparatively speaking. The Matches'
debut £ Von Dahl Killed the Locals
was a more universally appealing
album, running rampant with catchy
hooks and singalong choruses
While Decomposer is still rooted in
the brand of catchy rock and roll in
which the Oakland quartet specializes,
the eccentricities and quirks of the
bandmembers (particularly frontman
Shawn Harris) shine through and make
it a more creative and unique effort.
The list of producers The Matches
enlisted lor Decomposer makes one
wonder just exactly how they scored
Tim Armstrong. Mark Hoppus. John
Feldmann. Nick Hexum and Brett
Gurewitz all for one album Throw in
four other producers and it becomes
clear why Decomposer sounds more
like a collection of individual songs
rather than a cohesive unit. There* the
1980s pop vibe exuded by tracks like
’Clumsy Heart’ and ‘Didi (My Doe.
Part 2)’ juxtaposed with the alterna-
love song ‘My Soft and Deep,’ all
complemented by rockers like ‘Shoot
Me in the Smile’ and ‘Drive *
The Matches. Decomposer
is a brilliant sophomore album
showcasing the creative genius of the
bandmembers But for those who arenl
as familiar with the quartet, it* best to
sample Decomposer in smaller doses
Leah Weinberg
The Matches are playing at the
Roxy in Atlanta on Friday. Nov 10.
HE IS LEGEND
Suck Out the Poison
Solid State
When the members ol He Is
Legend described what their new
material was going to sound like, tfiey
threw the word ‘dirty’ around quite
frequently. We're talking thick, sludgy
rock and roll from the Dirty South
What helps He Is Legend most in
capturing that particular sound may
also be Suck Out the Poison's biggest
downfall: its production
Obviously no one is expecting
Butch-Walker-slick production, but it's
reasonable to expect quality similar
to He Is Legend* debut full-length /
Am Hollywood. Because of Suck Out
the Poisoris taw production, though,
some of the crunching guitars, metal
squeals and stellar vocals all get lost in
the muddle. It's a shame, too. because
the songs are energetic, technical
and intensely melodic. Both the title
track and ’The Pot Bellied Goddess’
show off frontman Schuylar Croom*
way with vocal melodies while still
maintaining a strongly Southern
rock sound The guys also manage
to cleverly intertwine moments from
I Am Hollywood throughout Suck
Out the Poison, which is a treat for
repeat customers There was a lot of
anticipation among He Is Legend fans
surrounding the release of Suck Out
the Poison and as a result, there arc
some mixed emotions All 14 tracks
are killer and excel in the live arena,
it's just too bad you cant hear them too
well on the album
Leah Weinberg
He Is L egend is playing at the
Masquerade in Atlanta on Wednesday.
Nov. 15.
ADAM GREEN
Jacket Full ot Danger
Rough Trade
On his last album. Gemstones.
former Moldy Peach Adam Green
sounded a little out ol place. His voice,
accustomed to bringing out the humor
in a subject rather than expressing
its pathos, was now matched with
expansive string arrangements, but
the vocals often sounded like they
were making fun of the surroundings,
and were it not for the fantastic
quality ol the songs themselves, the
whole thing could have come off as
an overlong parody On Jacket Full
ot Danger, thankfully. Green* voice
rarely dips into mocking Harness,
and this expressiveness is a much
better fit for the lush arrangements
he now seems to favor His songs, as
lyrically sharp and musically focused
as ever, are here matched with strings,
keys and swinging drums that evoke
the schmaltzy side ot 70s singer-
songwriters (especially Neil Diamond),
and the arrangements are revelatory
and engaging rather than half-hearted
pastiche or soH-rock wash
Green has retained his sense
of humor, of course—the final two
songs are "White Women’ and 'Hairy
Women—and these little touches
send Jacket Full ol Danger lurching
between sincerity and mockery,
taking clichgd subjects like drugs and
girls and turning them into sharply
delineated portraits Green’s pop
instincts are unfailing, and its a mark
of his inclusiveness that he admits
humor so readily to his palette. Alter
some uncertainty, it now looks as if he
could continue turning out fantastic
collections of songs—like Jacket Full
ol Danger— for years to come.
Michael Barthel
ROBERT P0L1ARD
Normal Happiness
Merge
■Writer's block is for pussies,’
Robert Pollard has clacked repeatedly,
thereby explaining the quantitative
nature (and the vai table quality) of his
immense catalog Each record is part
of an ongoing project, whether it* the
drunken standup record Relaxation
Of The Asshole (leased in limited
quantities in (ate 05). the sprawling,
frustrating, occasionally thrilling double
LP From A Compound Eye (released
earlier'this year) or the humble, slow-
release charmer Normal Happiness
Pollard* primary gift remains
confidence enters every cycle with
enough zeal to play both uncut gems
(’Get A Faceful.’ ’Rhoda Rhoda*) and
good-natured toss-offs (“Supernatural
Car Lover.* ’Accidental Texas Who.’
the awkwardly angular ‘Gasoline Rag*)
as if they were minor classics. Which,
allowing a certain amount of exposure,
can be enough to make them sound
that way, if your ears are tuned the right
way. He insists he* not out to ’gouge a
fan.’ and he* never been seen holding
a gun to anyone* head But Pollard
is the sort of artist who rewards a
long-term indulgence of his aesthetic
(sometimes in jokers, sometimes in
spades), and being a fan is probably
the best way to approach him
Normal Happiness is a good name
for this album. It* the sound of Bob
checking in. It lacks the adventurous
gusto of Compound Eye. but not the
get-it-done gusto more typical of
Pollard or Guided By Voices. This is
the sound of everyday enthusiasm .
and a certain detachment, which, long
after the spotlight has shifted, still
preserves Pollard's goofball integrity
Like the Dude. Bob abides And he
fits right in .here
Emerson Darner on
Kip Jones Acoustic
$3 Martini Madness
Live Music with Wesley Cook
$3 Well Drinks All Night!
H3EES713ECDQ3GGS
Wrong Way (Sublime Tribute) * $3 Bombers
Si 1601 High life Cans
$2 16oz PBR Cans
$12 Backets of All!!!
SATURDAY.
(Tf?m-.r7T7
Auburn
Live Music after with the Blue Cotton
$2 Domestics • $3.50 Jack Daniel’s
$5 LIT Pitchers
taftSQEEEEB
All the Games PLUS $2 Domestics!
$8.95 All-You-Can-Eat Wing Bar
(Idckoff-Halftlme)
$3 Sam Adams Pints • $2 Kamikazes & Morel
01
(6-10pm • Some restrictions may appfy.)
Karaoke with Extreme Entertainment
$2 Domestic Bottles At $12 Backets
312 E. Washington St * 706-227-WING
www.wildwlngcafe.com
NEWS & FEATURES I ARTS & EVENTS I MOVIES I MUSIC I COMICS & ADVICE I CLASSIFIEDS
NOVEMBER 8,2006 • FlAGPOLE.COM 31