sound advice 4 - Mumm-Ra

as far as naming a rock band goes, taking your cue from the titular villain in an 80s-tastic sci-fi cartoon might not seem like the most logical of choices, especially when said name sounds like the latest addition to the British Museum. But none of that matters with Mumm-Ra, because they've got the musical chops to make you remember them for more than having an unusual name. Having made noise last year with a few singles that did pretty well in the NME-MTV2-XFM universe, they released their debut album, These Things Move In Threes, last month to mostly good-to-great reviews. The first few months of 2007 have already seen a bunch of really good releases by young British rock acts, among which Fields, The Maccabees or The View, but I have a feeling that this particular band will manage to avoid getting lost in the glut thanks to their confident mix of catchy hooks and peppy guitars.
The album starts off strong with two of the best cuts, Now or Never and 2006 semi-hit Out of The Question back-to-back. The following four songs keep up the same level of intensity , and it isn't until the seventh track that things slow down a bit (but not too much). Out Of The Question, in particular, sounds even better than the already impressive version released last year, with the band clearly in no mood to take things as they come. Of course, this being yet another Brit guitar band, nothing feels truly original, but the energy and wide-eyed lyrics ( "If i failed to deliver/if the world left you bitter/if waitin and prayin hasnt led to you payin/of course i will care") are enough to listen to the entire album without ever feeling truly weighed down or bored.
If anything, the only reproach might be that some of the material feels a bit "too" honest and innocent, both in the lyrics and music, for the experience to feel memorable. While Out Of The Question manages to avoid the artificial feel many of the arena-hits tend to have (The Automatic's 'Monster', anyone?), some of the songs toward the end of the album do sound like they're on the wrong side of the mainstream-anthem debate. Take 'Starlight', which typically sounds like the sort of song that could be featured on an episode of Grey's Anatomy, meaning superficially it's got some of the rock edge, but in the end it's a bit too glossy to be considered anything more than just decent. Snow Patrol does this sort of thing really well (and live they are absolutely killer), but there's a reason why it took them a while to find their successful formula. Mumm-Ra seem like a band that's got the requisite punch and skills to last, let's hope this first release is a harbinger of good things to come for them.

Official site
Myspace
Youtube: Out Of The Question video

previously:
Sound advice 1 -Arcade Fire
Sound advice 2 - Loney, Dear
Sound advice 3 - Jeremy Larson

sound advice 3 - Jeremy Larson

once upon a time I tried to use the full power of the Internet to discover new music. Scouring mp3 blogs, myspace and amazon.com listmanias (wait, is it listmanii?) were almost like a full-time hobby, and being the kind of fellow who enjoys his social life as much as his eyesight, I quickly realized this was not something a working man could do seriously. I guess there's a reason why many of those mp3 blogs are tended to by college students.
But my love for discovering new music never went away, of course, so I just took my searches down a notch or three, and enjoyed the bands and artists I found that much more. One brilliant example of that is today's focus. I came across one of Jeremy Larson's songs on some random TV show and after listening to the guy's myspace, knew I had something special on my hands.
Hailing from Springfield, MO (no, I don't know where that is either. I'm afraid the closest I've ever been to the Midwest is suburban Chicago), Jeremy Larson uses his classical music performance background in pieces that are sometimes subdued but always vivid. Listening to track like Today or The Thief, there's a sense that he likes layers (with the piano as the main instrument) and enjoys seeing how these various sounds can play together, while still remaining mostly within the familiar canons of pop. Speaking of familiar, the piano riff on Make Believe sounds very much like Elephant Parade by Jon Brion off the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Yet to me it seems more like a winking homage than a rip-off. Elephant Parade is a gorgeous 26-second interlude, and Jeremy Larson sounds like a fan who wanted to see what he could come up with for a 4 minute pop tune.
With the release of his debut album scheduled for 2007, this guy could be one of the good finds of the year. He doesn't have any dates planned yet, but here's hoping that touring will be on the cards for him, especially if he manages to come to Europe for a few shows.

official site
myspace
youtube: live performance of Today

sound advice 2 - Loney, Dear

one of my favorite musical memories of 2006 was going to the Swedish Cultural Institute for their Fete de la Musique concert. They had a bunch of Swede bands and artists, mostly folk and pop, playing in their courtyard. I went with a good buddy from my second-hand CD store days, and it was a great event, not even dampened by the semi-rainy conditions.
For some reason Sweden has been a pretty big force in the music world in the past few years, with a lot of folk-influenced artists notably. Which is good, because for a lot of people Swedish music means ABBA, and though there's a time and place for ABBA, it's not exactly the greatest thing since sliced bread (or stale one, for that matter).There are also some good rock bands out of there, like The Hives, Sahara Hotnights or the eccentric Dungen, but for me the whole Swedish folk scene has made the biggest mark. It all started in 1998 with Kristofer Astrom's brilliant Go, Went, Gone, and since then I've periodically discovered artists in that vein coming from the land of fjords, like Nicolai Dunger or Christian Kjellvander.
The newest addition to this ever-growing family is Loney, Dear. It's really one guy, called Emil Svanängen, and he makes some great pop with just a sliver of folk. I hear some Bob Wilson, some Paul Simon and others in his tunes, which is just the sort of stuff I'm looking for. He recently signed with SubPop in the US, which led them to release his new self-titled album early this month, hopefully to some success. The guy started in 2004, recording most of his stuff at home, making and selling CD-Rs of his resulting demos. It worked enough for him so that he managed to self-release an album last year, Sologne, and it seems like 2007 might be a big year for him. I actually haven't heard his new one in its entirety, but I'm so stuck on Sologne, which I discovered two weeks ago, that I don't know if that day will come very soon. Sologne is chock full of pretty harmonies, ascending choruses, and speaks of a world that sounds much more optimistic and colourful than the one I'm used to. Although the music is acoustic guitar-driven, there are a bunch of other, less common instruments used here, kind of like what Sufjan Stevens does. And despite my general description of the material, it's not just lullabyes and sugary ditties, as some songs have a pretty strong drive. For me the standout is I Love You (In With The Arms), but that is an opinion that might change, for there are so many great tracks on here. Of course the guy was in concert in London ten days ago, and I only found out about it this week, but you can bet your ABBA vinyls that when he comes back I'll be there to enjoy the musical goodness.

official site
myspace
youtube: live performance of I Love You (In With The Arms)

sound advice 1 - Arcade Fire

since posting about my desire to write more regularly about music I've been thinking about what artist or band I could start with. I listen to a wide variety of music genres, and asking me my current favorite album pretty much depends on what minute you ask me. Writer's block this was not, more like writer's indecision. And then something pretty big happened, in a way that is now the norm on this here Internet: the new Arcade Fire album, due for release on March 6, was leaked yesterday. Therefore I will start things off with a bang, and talk about this quirky fantastic band from Montreal.
Started by a husband and wife duo in 2003 and composed of seven members with additional musicians during tours, the band quickly gained exposure in the indie world through their frenetic live performances, which showcased the group's affinity for instruments not traditionally part of the rock canon, such as violins, xylophones and, um, helmets. Having seen them live I can attest to the extraordinary positive energy one feels while attending an AF concert, and can only hope I'll have the opportunity to see them again. At its apex it feels like you're witnessing an out-of-control orchestra, except everything makes sense, sonically. The buzz that was established during these gigs was confirmed with the North American release of their debut album, Funeral, in late 2004. Thematically devoted to death, this album nonetheless captured the imagination of many a-bloggers and music fans with its ingenious lyrics, epic hooks and bombastic yet sorrowful harmonies. The album benefited from a major buzz campaign and eager reviews in most of the major music magazines, from NME to Spin, and with the added benefit of continuous touring, the band made itself tons of fans in a hurry, among which many famous ones such as David Bowie or U2, for which AF opened 3 shows on their 2005 Vertigo tour.
So of course in such a case there is mucho excitement for the sophomore release, a step which is often a big stumbling point for many indie bands. Well I am glad to report that it seems that, musically at least, the Arcade Fire have sidestepped that obstacle. There are some elements new to the AF universe, like the stately organ used on "My Body Is A Cage" or the banjo on "Keep The Car Running", but the most important thing, the one that has enamored this band to so many people around the world, utter and true emotion, is still there. I'm sure that I'll be listening to this record for the coming weeks, dissecting it the same way as I dissected its predecessor, and my opinion will deepen, from an overall feeling of satisfaction to a detailed impression of each song. For now I can say that 2007, with this release but also that of The Shins and Bloc Party's albums (who were both leaked a few months back), promises to be a great year on the rock front.

Offical site for the new album
Offical site for the band
The band's myspace (with a song from the album, Black Mirror)