3 More Revies: Dodos - Parts and Labor - Head and the Heart

The Dodos – No Color
The Dodos’ new album is just nine songs long, perhaps a result of the slightly disappointing previous album. Fortunately the good elements have remained: the strange time signatures and the percussion like strumming of Meric Long. Opener and single “Black Night” is a good example of the newer, louder style. Long’s singing is still mediocre at best bur the vocal melodies make up for a lot. They were also helped this time by Neko Case who lends here remarkable vocal talent to a few of the songs, lifting them up and giving a nice extra color. Songs that are already dominated by some great hooks, making you remember at least part of the song after only a few plays.
The new sound doesn’t always work live, where they can become too loud. It works on this album: The Dodos are back on track.

Parts and Labor – Constant Future
I first heard of Parts and Labor when they opened for Battles. Their musical style fits into the mathrocking experimental mold. Off-kilter drumming supported by guitar noise and pointy keyboard sounds. But this New York band gained some pop sensibility making their songs more transparent. They are not the next Hootie, but it has that Butthole Surfers vibe that makes it fun to listen to. Weakness remains the singing, which isn’t helped by the at times poor vocal lines. The music is powerful and exciting. This should be an able that will lead to more fans.

The Head and the Heart
Sub Pop has unearthed another gem right in their backyard. Seattle’s The Head And The Heart debut album came out in april and is yet another fine folk rock album on the label. The link with Fleet Foxes is easily made. The don’t quite reach the level of musical and lyrical strength but the multiple vocals contrast each other well. The high tones of the piano add a happy flavor.
Some of the premier folk bands of today can be heard: the aforementioned Fleet Foxes, the Avett Brothers and Mumford and Sons sans the terrific singing. But where these bands blend old time folk with their own 21st century interpretation of the genre, the Head and the Heart bring us nothing new. Every song is well written and performed but everytime I couldn’t help imagining it being performed by one of those three bands. And it always sounded better in my imagination. But even without any originality the album still stands out as one of the nicer ones of the year.

Explorer 23 for June 2nd

And Good Day To You.

No major upsets this week.


01 03 03 We Were Promised Jetpacks - Quiet Little Voices (1x#1)
02 02 02 Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes
03 04 04 The Airborne Toxic Event - Happiness is Overrated
04 07 02 The Horrors - Who Can Say
05 01 05 The Thermals - Now We Can See (1x#1)
06 11 02 Fight Like Apes - Something Global
07 05 04 Dananananaykroyd - Black Wax
08 06 05 Neko Case - People Got A Lot Of Nerve (1x#1)
09 10 03 Super Tennis - Super Tennis Theme Song
10 20 02 Ida Maria - I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked
11 08 05 The Galacticos - He Said She Said
12 -- 01 Peter Fox - Das Haus Am See
13 17 02 God Help the Girl - Come Monday Night
14 12 05 Mastodon - Divinations
15 19 02 Noisettes - Never Forget You
16 15 14 The Joy Formidable - Whirring
17 -- 01 Wave Machines - I Go I Go I Go
18 09 05 The Horrors - Sea Within A Sea
19 -- 01 Bombay Bicycle Club - Dust on the Ground
20 13 05 The View - Temptation Dice
21 14 04 De Staat - Wait for Evolution
22 21 03 Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - Sugarfoot
23 -- 01 Ten Page Pilot - In The City

Wide Eyed Explorer for May 12th.

Hello again.

Besides our regular Top 23 also a review of Love is All (and Franz Ferdinand)


01 02 03 Neko Case - People Got A Lot Of Nerve
02 06 03 The Thermals - Now We Can See
03 04 03 The Galacticos - He Said She Said
04 03 03 The Horrors - Sea Within A Sea
05 08 02 De Staat - Wait for Evolution
06 05 03 Mastodon - Divinations
07 01 03 The Gaslight Anthem - Great Expectations
08 17 02 The Airborne Toxic Event - Happiness is Overrated
09 09 03 The View - Temptation Dice
10 12 03 Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Young Adult Friction
11 16 03 Mark and the The Spies - Won't Work On Me
12 07 03 Lily Allen - Fuck You
13 14 02 Dananananaykroyd - Black Wax
14 10 03 Love Is All - Wishing Well
15 -- 01 We Were Promised Jetpacks - Quiet Little Voices
16 11 03 Jack Penate - Tonight's Today
17 13 03 A Place To Bury Strangers - Missing You
18 19 03 Franz Ferdinand - No You Girls
19 -- 01 Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - Sugarfoot
20 -- 01 Super Tennis - Super Tennis Theme Song
21 18 03 Metric - Help I'm Alive
22 23 02 Andrew Bird - Fitz and the Dizzyspells
23 20 02 The Joy Formidable - Whirring






Love is All (and quite a bit of Franz Ferdinand).

Paradiso May 11th, 2009

Don’t tell anyone, but you can sometimes get into shows by big bands in the Paradiso by buying a ticket for a late concert in the small room upstairs.

At 21:55 I had my ticket to Swedish band Love is All scanned and went upstairs but apart from two people sitting on chairs the room was empty and the stage set up. Walking around I went through the doors leading to Paradiso’s grand main room where Franz Ferdinand was playing their sold out show. Going back and forth to small room I got to see the end of a great concert. Atmosphere was great and when they invited people onstage during ‘This Ffire’ it turned into an almost out of control party. Good thing they didn’t play one of their hits, never know how the frantic crowd would react to that. The band seemed to enjoy it and it’s probably a good thing they decided to do two Paradiso shows and not one in a bigger but less intimate hall.

The feedback of the amps was still humming through the old church when me and some other people took the short walk from the balcony to the small room where Swedish band Love is All started to play almost immediately after.

I got a ticket after hearing their second album “A Hundred Things That Keep Me Up At Night”, a collection of punky indie rock songs with catchy hooks and lyrics about the everyday things in life like messy rooms and seasickness.

Fronted by singer Josephine Olausson the band at times seemed to work too hard. The sound got messy whereby you missed the great hooks and funny lyrics. But Josephine is a warm stage presence and her English accent is charming. Hindered by the very small stage they didn’t have much room to move about, although I wonder if they ever really do. The drummer’s bass drum seemed to do the most moving.

It’s still amazing how Sweden can have so many bands that are worth listening to. Most of their styles have a layer of pop that can be at times annoying. Swedish music almost never has a sense of urgency and depth that North-American or British bands have. Maybe it is because life in Sweden is generally good and there is nothing really to complain about. The Blues could never have been started in Sweden, but at least they have quite a few good bands releasing records each year, and Love is All should be noted for their originality and for not stepping into the pop-trap that lured a lot of bands.

The show only lasted 35 minutes, but they did have Franz Ferdinand opening for them, what else do you want.

Check out their single Wishing Well, now in the Top 23