Since some of these capsule reviews are my first (or second, or third) impressions, I might choose to offer fuller reviews at a later date, because some of these albums might be growers. Time will tell.
On that note, though, time has done nothing to improve my opinion of Eskimo Snow, possibly the biggest disappointment of the year (much as I hate to say that). First song "These Hands" - what with its plaintive keys and fantastic opening lines ("I wear the customary clothes of my time/Like Jesus did, with no reason not to die") - promises much, but the album never truly takes off, consistently passing the listener by without leaving much of an impression. Comprising of songs mostly written around the time of Alopecia, most reviewers have been of the opinion that a full release was a mistake. I'd echo that sentiment - it might (just about) have made for a decent E.P. - whilst hoping that Why? spend more time on their follow-up.
Meanwhile, I feel as though my review of Casiotone For The Painfully Alone's Vs. Children may have been a touch too generous. Initially describing it as Owen Ashworth's "most complete album to date," my enthusiasm towards it has dimmed slightly - perhaps unsurprisingly, in retrospect, it is still Etiquette I usually turn to when I want my CFTPA fix. I appreciate what he's achieved here, though - creating an interesting narrative that throws up some wonderful instances of self-doubt and self-loathing that aren't so firmly rooted in the seemingly minor personal failures detailed throughout his previous output definitely represents a step forward, and a step beyond the expected limitations of the name Ashworth bestowed upon himself.
On Setting the Paces, BOAT offer their usual collection of scattershot punk-lite catchiness mixed in with the occasional slower jam. They're a fun band to be sure - and have enough great songs spread over three albums that they deserve to be an indie disco staple (this time round, the standout party tunes are "We Want It! We Want It!" and "Lately (I've Been On My Back)," both of which feature choruses just begging to be sang aloud after four beers too many) but unfortunately, it's difficult to make a convincing argument that beyond that, their music isn't essentially throwaway.
On that note, though, time has done nothing to improve my opinion of Eskimo Snow, possibly the biggest disappointment of the year (much as I hate to say that). First song "These Hands" - what with its plaintive keys and fantastic opening lines ("I wear the customary clothes of my time/Like Jesus did, with no reason not to die") - promises much, but the album never truly takes off, consistently passing the listener by without leaving much of an impression. Comprising of songs mostly written around the time of Alopecia, most reviewers have been of the opinion that a full release was a mistake. I'd echo that sentiment - it might (just about) have made for a decent E.P. - whilst hoping that Why? spend more time on their follow-up.
Meanwhile, I feel as though my review of Casiotone For The Painfully Alone's Vs. Children may have been a touch too generous. Initially describing it as Owen Ashworth's "most complete album to date," my enthusiasm towards it has dimmed slightly - perhaps unsurprisingly, in retrospect, it is still Etiquette I usually turn to when I want my CFTPA fix. I appreciate what he's achieved here, though - creating an interesting narrative that throws up some wonderful instances of self-doubt and self-loathing that aren't so firmly rooted in the seemingly minor personal failures detailed throughout his previous output definitely represents a step forward, and a step beyond the expected limitations of the name Ashworth bestowed upon himself.
On Setting the Paces, BOAT offer their usual collection of scattershot punk-lite catchiness mixed in with the occasional slower jam. They're a fun band to be sure - and have enough great songs spread over three albums that they deserve to be an indie disco staple (this time round, the standout party tunes are "We Want It! We Want It!" and "Lately (I've Been On My Back)," both of which feature choruses just begging to be sang aloud after four beers too many) but unfortunately, it's difficult to make a convincing argument that beyond that, their music isn't essentially throwaway.
Despite all the hype, to my mind, Phoenix fall into the same category. Offering hooks and vocals that will sound immediately familiar to anyone with even a passing knowledge of alternative rock, fourth album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix has still ended the year as one of the most highly-regarded releases within the music press. It holds up well enough when you consider how unquestionably derivative it sounds, but it remains hard to understand why people have embraced it to the extent they have done. Catchy in places but meandering in others ("Love Like A Sunset Part I" could be argued as the build-up to "Love Like A Sunset Part II;" it could just as easily be described as an unnecessary diversion during which nothing of interest happens), when they're pop, they're a lot of fun, but the more downtempo songs offer little.
The Rural Alberta Advantage took a stab at self-releasing their debut album Hometowns last year, but it is the Saddle Creek re-release that has seem them garner a lot of well-deserved attention. Songs like "Sleep All Day" and "In The Summertime" show them to be adept at the difficult musical task of evoking moments you may not have lived through personally, but which seem familiar nonetheless; meanwhile, songs like "The Ballad of the RAA" and "Don't Haunt This Place" show them to have a good ear for a pop tune. It's not all perfect - "Rush Apart" has a touch of the hoedown about it, whilst "The Dethbridge in Lethbridge," and its unmistakable desire to be "Holland, 1945," takes the Jeff Mangum influence a little too far. All told, though, I'm a little bit in love with this album, and expect even more from them with their next release - there's enough evidence to suggest that they're keen to forge their own distinct sound, rather than following in the footsteps of their forebearers.
In the end, then, it was left for Micachu and the Shapes to bring the fun, impressively managing to give art-pop a good name in the process. Songs as infectious as "Vulture," "Golden Phone" and "Wrong" deserve the wider audience that all the praise for their debut album Jewellery looks set to gain them, and the fact that they're a great live band will only contribute to their success.
The Rural Alberta Advantage took a stab at self-releasing their debut album Hometowns last year, but it is the Saddle Creek re-release that has seem them garner a lot of well-deserved attention. Songs like "Sleep All Day" and "In The Summertime" show them to be adept at the difficult musical task of evoking moments you may not have lived through personally, but which seem familiar nonetheless; meanwhile, songs like "The Ballad of the RAA" and "Don't Haunt This Place" show them to have a good ear for a pop tune. It's not all perfect - "Rush Apart" has a touch of the hoedown about it, whilst "The Dethbridge in Lethbridge," and its unmistakable desire to be "Holland, 1945," takes the Jeff Mangum influence a little too far. All told, though, I'm a little bit in love with this album, and expect even more from them with their next release - there's enough evidence to suggest that they're keen to forge their own distinct sound, rather than following in the footsteps of their forebearers.
That said, Throw Me The Statue were a band I would've said exactly the same about, and yet to my mind, Creaturesque is an inferior effort to their 2007 debut Moonbeams, an album that contained a handful of should've-been "hit" singles - "Lolita," "About To Walk" and "Take It Or Leave It" amongst them - that have yet to be embraced by indie discos across the land (much like BOAT). The same cannot be said second time around: standout track "Dizzy From The Fall" aside, the album is a somewhat low-key affair, lacking in any sense of immediacy, often rather reflective and, dare I say it, even melancholy (which, in fairness, is a direction their first album occasionally hinted at), at times sounding like early CFTPA with better production. Indeed, all the most upbeat tracks come in the second half of the album, a strange sequencing decision which makes building up momentum difficult even before penultimate track "Shade For A Shadow" effectively grinds proceedings to a halt. Ultimately, a disappointing sophomore effort.
In the end, then, it was left for Micachu and the Shapes to bring the fun, impressively managing to give art-pop a good name in the process. Songs as infectious as "Vulture," "Golden Phone" and "Wrong" deserve the wider audience that all the praise for their debut album Jewellery looks set to gain them, and the fact that they're a great live band will only contribute to their success.
(A number of end-of-year lists and websites have proved invaluable in finding any releases that might have passed me by, all of them well worth reading through: The A.V. Club, Coke Machine Glow, Piccadilly Records, Pitchfork, Pop Tarts Suck Toasted, Spin, and The Line of Best Fit.)
