Si*Se: More Shine

'More Shine,' a 2005 release by New York based Si*Se is a chilled out Latin-Jazz-electronica record that does just enough to keep the listener interested. On the band's website, www.sisenyc.com, the group emphasizes the fact that they are a part of the underground NYC scene, which is fine, as that is certainly a pedigree to be proud of. Coming from the NYC underground, however, does not excuse releasing a record that could clearly be much better.

Do not get me wrong, this is a decent album, and some of the songs are off-the-charts good, but this listener believes that Si*Se failed to grasp that the underground NYC sound is difficult to transfer out of the lounge and onto a disc. It can be done, and from the good parts of this record I think this band may have the potential to do it, but this album falls short of that goal.

What I mean is that while there is a certain depth to the compositions, and Carol C's voice is strong and seductive, the album fails to retain the mood that I think the band was aiming for. During a live performance, this consistency is easier because a group can play off the audience and the synergetic result makes the show. I have not seen Si*Se live, but I would daresay that this something they are very good at. But this is difficult to do in a studio and like so many other bands Si*Se cannot quite reach that highest level of recording.

Independent of one another, all the songs are pretty strong, but playing the record all the way through, the hooks, and vocals, and tracks generally started to sound like one big, redundant song. For me, this overpowered the many good segments that I discovered along the way.

Now, this is not to say that the record is not salvageable. Despite the negative tone of this review thus far I think this is an album worth buying. In fact, the track "Mariposa en Havana" makes the record worth the money hands down, and is a good example of what Si*Se can produce. In the end, I hope that this band stays around for a long time, as they are doing some interesting things in a genre of music that has a lot of potential.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

I recently discovered Clap Your Hands Say Yeah ("CYHSY") and cannot believe that this record has been out since the Fall of 2005. Also, apparently they have just released a new record that I am looking forward to hearing once I can take their first self-titled album off repeat.

This record is filled with interesting arrangements, strong melodies, and a voice that is often compared to David Byrne, which is right on, but I would add a dash of Thom Yorke because the vocals have that hypnotically-erie quality to them. This is especially evident in the track "Is This Love?" which might be my favorite on what is a very strong album.

Naysayers will smugly point out that they have heard this sound before, and they are probably right. That takes nothing away from the album, however, as CYHSY mixes the familiar ingredients with such skill that the songs are unquestionably their own.

What Made Milwaukee Famous: Trying to Never Catch Up

What Made Milwaukee Famous ('WMMF'), a band from Austin, Texas has made a record that sounds like rock should. 'Trying to Never Catch Up' is full of catchy melodies, interesting arrangements and good studio performances, all topped off by solid vocals with great range. The band even makes an effort by penning interesting, albeit often dark, lyrics. WMMF has achieved something that few bands can do these days: composed an album of consistently good songs. In my opinion, there is not a run away single on this record, which is nice because that helps the album work as a whole. It is very difficult to listen to just one random song on the album--I think I have listened to it all the way through almost everytime I have played it.

WMMF mixes pop, rock, and punk effortlessly and the result is what I think is one of the best rock albums to come out last year. "Sweet Lady," and "Hellodrama" are probably my favorite tracks, but as I have said, there really is not a sour note on the album. In fact, my only concern is that this is a rerelease of a 2004 album by their new label, by which I mean that either 1) the group may already be heading a different direction artistically, or 2) they may have tapped themselves out of good / original ideas. When bands emerge with such a strong debut album I wonder if they can ever live up to the high expectations they have created for their next release . . . and WMMF has set the bar high.

But hey, let's not worry about the band's future and just enjoy the music while it's fresh.

Sufjan Stevens: Songs For Christmas

While you are celebrating Christmas and New Year's day with family and friends you might want to use Sufjan Steven's latest album as this year's holiday soundtrack. It was released at the end of November, and a frenzy of favorable reviews have followed, which is typical with Stevens' records; but I must admit that I am not sure about this one.

First of all let me say that I have only had the album for about a week and therefore have only listened to the record in its entirety 6 times or so--my point being that it may grow on me as Stevens' other records have. However, at this particular moment my reaction to the music is lukewarm. The songs are a collection of traditional Christmas songs and his own holiday-themed compositions ranging from lo-fi productions to the more elaborate arrangements that have made his previous work unique in today's music scene. Some of the lo-fi tracks, like "O Holy Night" on the third disc are solid and make the collection worth purchasing, but other tracks, like "Did I Make You Cry On Christmas Day? (Well, You Deserved It!)" are confusing; and "Jingle Bells" is just bad.

Stevens is a genuine artist whose clever ideas have intrigued many listeners, including this writer, and the sing along style of this production is a far cry from the over-produced wailing that we get from pop divas this time of year. So I am happy to see Stevens' approach to Christmas music which I think has been absent for too long. The sticker, tablature, and other goodies make it a fun purchase and well worth the twenty dollars it is sold for (we're talking 5 discs, mind you), but the execution seems sloppy to me, and on the whole the quality of the performances are mediocre.

Sufjan has produced such interesting, well-arranged, well-thought-out music before that anytime he falls a bit short of that awe-inspiring level some of us are taken a back. Or at least one of us has been. And this collection of songs almost, ALMOST, gives off the impression that he just wanted to get something out on the market to serve as a counterpoint to "That Creepy Christmas Feeling."

Merry Christmas

Wishing you and everyone you know a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday season- from the music worth hearing family

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P37xPiRz1sg

Shonen Knife

Shonen Knife is an all female j-rock trio that is worth checking out (J-rock is Japanese rock music). Some j-rockers try hard to appease the familiar tastes of the American palette, no doubt for fiscal stardom – but Shonen Knife stays true to their musical chi. They are three cool girls who want to rock, and in conjunction with their own musical tastes- sing and jam like an American alternative band. In a strange way there is something so pleasantly original and irresistible about these girls singing in broken English - in union with some animated guitar playing and bubbly drumming. Their gentile sounds are only a guise – when Naoko Yamano sings I hear a censored rock and roll rage that riles me up. I can’t get enough of their sound. Check them out first to pacify your own curiosity and second because they are good. I can’t compare them to any band I know- yet they remind me of every band I like. Enjoy.

Current repeat- “I am a cat”

Coming soon- A House

Nick

Beck: The Information

I am a fan of Beck. And so when I picked up 'The Information' a couple of months ago I was excited and expected to like much of the album immediately. However, as anyone who has followed this artist knows, you never know what Beck is going to throw at you.

'The Information' is a pop, folk, funk, psychedelic, hip-hop, infused creation with some baroque scales thrown in for good measure. I think that my response to this barrage of sounds was a standard one: "Whoa!" This is not to say that the record is a cacophony, there is just a lot to process.

Everytime Beck releases something new everyone makes a big deal about how he continues to defy anyone trying to pin him down. But in this album we see a lot of the same elements that he used in previous efforts, i.e. 'Guero,' 'Sea Change,' and 'Mutations' especially. So my first recommendation is if you enjoyed those albums you are going to enjoy bits of this one. In a sense, 'The Information' is just a continuation of the conversation that was started with those previous records. The harpsichords, harmonicas, and synthesizers are still there, Beck's absurdist lyrics are still there, he has just created a mixture that goes a slightly different direction.

My favorite tracks are 'Think I'm In Love,' an up beat song that has molded the 'Mutations' and 'Sea Change' albums perfectly, 'Nausea,' a punk rock track that harkens back to his days of lo-fi silliness, and 'Strange Apparition,' an acoustic guitar driven song that gets me singing along every time. The album is not very cohesive, but that is part of its attractiveness, reeling back at what appears to be a mess is your first reaction, but you soon find yourself listening to nothing else. Somehow, Beck is able to combine elements that no one would ever consider doing and miraculously make it sound good. This is a rare talent, and I suggest you give it a chance if you haven't already.

And as an extra, non-music-related bonus, the album comes with collectable stickers that you can decorate the blank CD case with, which entertained me for hours.