Saturday, November 19, 2011

Review: Okkervil River: I Am Very Far [A-]


Artist: Okkervil River
Album: I Am Very Far
Released: May 2011
Label: Jagjaguwar
Genre: indie rock

Purchase Date: 11 May 2011
Format: mp3 files
Source: Amazon

I'll start by saying that Okkervil River has been, consistently, one of my favorite bands of the past few years. The sixth release from this band from Austin breaks a bit from their usual style of producing tightly-written thematic albums that tell a sonic story. I Am Very Far is much looser, and the lyrics of the songs are much more free-form and obscure than those of earlier albums. At first, I found the songs to be a bit more hit-and-miss than earlier releases, and while the album had some stand-out tracks (notably "Rider," one of their best songs), I didn't think it worked as an album. After repeated listens, the album grew on me, and while I don't think it's quite as strong as the outstanding The Stand-Ins, it's still one of the best albums of the year so far.

Rating: A-




Review: Mamiffer: Mare Decendrii [A-]


Artist: Mamiffer
Album: Mare Decendrii
Released: March 2011
Label: Conspiracy Records
Genre: Post-rock / neoclassical rock

Purchase date: 27 April 2011
Format: mp3 files
Source: eMusic

I don't really know a whole lot about this Seattle-area trio. They have a dark, ambient, neoclassical sound that would work as the soundtrack of a horror movie. Actually, when I stumbled across this band, I became interested in their music for just that reason: I thought it would be great mood music for a horror role-playing game that I was putting together at the time. Since then, the album as really grown on me, and I find myself playing it at the office as background music that helps keep me focused on the task rather than on the music itself. That said, it's delightfully creepy music to play when you're alone in the house at night with the lights off. For those with similarly off-kilter sensibilities, I would strongly recommend this album.

Rating: A-


Saturday, November 12, 2011

Review: Parts and Labor: Constant Future [B+]


Artist: Parts and Labor
Album: Constant Future
Released: March 2011
Label: Jagjaguwar
Genre: experimental rock

Purchase Date: 27 April 2011
Format: mp3 files
Source: Amazon

The fifth full-length from the Brooklyn-based experimental rock trio, Constant Future, brings more of the guitar-synth-and-noise sound that has become their style. Unlike a lot of noise-rock acts, they focus more on the rock than the noise, and all of their songs have a strong sense of melody through the sludge. This seems to be their most accessible album yet, full of big sounds that teeter on the brink of chaos but always manage to stay cohesive. One downside is that Constant Future isn't as strong lyrically as some of their previous releases. Still, it's an enjoyable album and definitely worth a listen.

Rating: B+