4Play

Oct. 5, 2008

I’m From Barcelona - Who Killed Harry Houdini? - Mute
“Chamber Pop” is what I’m From Barcelona is currently being classified as, but they’re a lot more than that. This... band? group?... of over 20 members does have a lot of choral elements, and it’s remarkable to find how well they blend that genre (and that many people) into what are some pretty superb pop songs. Inspired by Harry Houdini and his own amateur magician experiences, frontman Emanuel Lundgren has penned songs as diverse as the laughter-filled first indie-pop single, “Paper Planes,” the pensive/evasive “Music Killed Me,” the wacky tale of “Rufus” (the giant), and the many, many layers of more traditionally-arranged voices on “Ophelia.” It’s detailed and bright, and will keep your ears guessing.


The Heavenly States - Delayer - Rebel
Electronica, folk, and pop do a happy jig to kick off this set, adding a nice twist to The Heavenly States’ sound and showcasing their production abilities as well as their musical skills (the band produced the album themselves). While the first three songs keep that upbeat feel going nicely, especially on the punky “The System,” things slow by the second third of the album with more delicate songs like “Butterflies” and “My Little Friend” (which, thankfully, has nothing to do with the movie Scarface.) There are a couple of clunkers, one being the mismatched “Never Be Alright” with its barn-dance fiddles (huh?), but overall, this is a well-arranged and catchy set with plenty of variety for fans of all three genres.




The Stills - Oceans Will Rise - Arts and Crafts
Montreal band The Stills bring back those cranking guitars and ‘80s synths on their third album, a heavier tracklist that see them working again with producer Gus Van Go. Putting singer Tim Fletcher back into the forefront seems to have given the band an extra burst of energy, as evidenced both by the lead single, “Being Here,” and the remainder of the album’s appealing and challenging tracklist. “Snakecharming the Masses” showcases The Stills’ songwriting abilities with its unusual choices of chords arranged masterfully into an impressive little pop tune, while “Eastern Europe” channels mid ‘90s alt-rock, and both “Dinosaurs” and “Everything I Build” show that the band can be impressive on the slow songs, as well.


The Matthew Herbert Big Band - There’s Me and There’s You - !K7
With a proclaimed and quite ambitious theme of “power in the 21st century,” Herbert regroups with his big band (a collection of Brit jazz musicians and other special guests) and utilizes an insane amount of samples to add to his mix of jazz instrumentation, vocals, and challenging rhythms. “Battery” samples a Casio digital watch, 100 rechargeable batteries, and one McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish; “Breathe” incorporates landfill sounds and recordings of keys, tv remote controls, and plastic water bottles; you get the idea. This makes for tracks that are definitely challenging listening, except for one - perhaps the most intriguing track, “Knowing,” which effectively features another 100 people singing one word each. Now that’s collaboration on a major scale.