In March of 1999, I wrote a CD review column praising the beautiful pop music made by the bands Sparklehorse and Beulah. Two and a half years later, I can once again sing the praises of both bands, and their wonderful new albums.
The Coast Is Never Clear ( Velocette ) was supposed to be Beulah's medium-sized-major-label debut, but long story short, they're still an indie band. I don't think the suits at even a medium-sized-major-label would know what to make of their sweet and savory sound, so they're probably better off with the new indie-minded Velocette. Beulah incorporates strings ( violin and viola ) , vibraphone, accordion, flute, hammer dulcimer, and trumpet into their serene pop landscape, so that "A Good Man Is Easy To Kill" and "Gene Autry" sound like overlooked gems from Wilco's Summerteeth sessions. They don't shy away from synthetic sounds as you can hear on "Cruel Minor Change" ( which features John Vanderslice on Moog ) , and they aren't afraid to plug a guitar in, as is made clear on "Hey Brother." A thoroughly pleasurable pop experience that should be shared.
In addition to writing about Beulah and Sparklehorse in the same column in 1999, I also wrote about the eels. On Sparklehorse's latest album, It's A Wonderful Life ( Capitol ) , Mark Linkous sounds a little like a severely depressed version of the eels on the opening title track. However, depression has never sounded so sumptuous or inviting. Although it doesn't have the in-your-face punk assault of "Pig" or "Cruel Sun" ( from 1999's Good Morning Spider ) , ... Wonderful Life does have PJ Harvey's fuzzy guitar playing ( "Piano Fire" ) . It also has vocal contributions from The Cardigans' Nina Persson ( "Apple Bed," Gold Day" ) and Tom Waits ( "Dog Door" ) , as well as some keyboard, bass and production assistance from Dave Fridmann—unsettling and wonderful.
Only a few degrees separate Sparklehorse and Mercury Rev since Dave Fridmann co-produced, co-arranged and performs on Mercury Rev's ravishing new album All Is Dream ( V2 ) . All Is Dream is a surrealistic pillow on which to rest your head, with Jonathan's Neil Young-like vocals and the rockestra arrangements lulling you into another plane of consciousness on tracks such as "The Dark Is Rising," "Chains," "Lincoln's Eyes," "Little Rhymes," "A Drop In Time," and "Spiders and Flies." Buy this album before the rest of the world gets revved up about it.
Agaetis Byrjun ( Fatcat/MCA ) by Sigur Ros is so timeless, that it's hard to know to which year it actually belongs. Released in their native Iceland in 1999, it somehow found its way onto several end of the "best of" lists in 2000. However, the CD I hold in my hand has a 2001 copyright. In any event, Sigur Ros is a quartet from Bjork and Emiliana Torrini's homeland, and their album has drawn comparisons to recent Radiohead and old school Cocteau Twins. Those comparisons don't do Sigur Ros justice because their sound is that unique. Sumptuous orchestration and Jonsi Birgisson's celestial vocals make all ten tracks on this disc a distinctive experience. The powerful, same-sex, young love message in the video for "Vidrar Vel Til Loftarasa" is also notable.
One of the things that sets the album Cassidy ( Too Pure ) by Luke Sutherland's band Bows apart from the others on this review is the presence of a female vocalist. Signe Hoirup Wille-Jorgensen adds another dimension to the mostly ethereal and beautiful songs on the Bows disc, some of which skirt the fringes of hip-hop beats. Sounding like the Cocteau Twins Elizabeth Frazer's kid sister, Wille-Jorgensen lends a female perspective to the songs "Luftsang," "Cuban Welterweight Rumbles Hidden Hitmen," "Blue Steeples," "Hey Vegas" and "Sun Electric." The same can be said for what Ruth Emond does for the songs "Man Fat" and "Wonderland."
The Ladybug Transistor is the perfect antidote to the boy-band and bimbo blues. This Brooklyn-based sextet makes some of the smartest and most gorgeous pop music this century on Argyle Heir ( Merge ) , their fourth full-length studio disc in five years. The Ladybug Transistor will charm the pants off of fans of The Magnetic Fields and The High Llamas, with their remarkably reflective sound that makes you want to shout "yesterday once more" as you listen. Gary Olson's deceptively blasé vocals are surrounded by woodwinds, horns, strings and some of the warmest organ playing outside of a suburban rec-room. If you love the nostalgic suggestion of French DJ acts such as Air or Daft Punk, but could do without the relentless disco beat, pay close attention to tracks such as "Echoes," "Perfect For Shattering," "Wooden Bars," "Brighton Bound," "The Reclusive Hero," and the reminiscent-of-a-Renaissance-fair ( without the nerds ) "Catherine Elizabeth." The instrumental "Going Up North ( Icicles ) " makes a great theme song for a hot summer day.
Let It Come Down ( Arista ) , Spiritualized's first album in four years, is their most "spiritualized" effort, and that's the gospel truth. Symphonic and exotic, this gorgeous album incorporates a gospel choir and a horn section and never hesitates to rock out when necessary as they do on "On Fire" and "The Twelve Steps." Possibly the most accessible album Spiritualized has ever recorded, songs such as "Do It All Over Again," "Don't Just Do Something," "Out Of Sight," "The Straight And The Narrow," "Stop Your Crying," "Anything More," "Won't Get To Heaven ( The State I'm In ) ," and "Lord Can You Hear Me," are so lush and lovely that they will probably do as much for your spirit as Oprah does.
After reinventing dance/DJ culture, there are some French musicians with their sites set on pop music. If you can imagine The Mamas & The Papas at an orgy with The Beach Boys ( never mind the visuals, concentrate on the sounds ) , you've only just begun to scratch the very itchy surface of the wonderful Fugu 1 ( Minty Fresh ) album by Fugu. None of the 18 gorgeous songs on this full-length debut disc exceeds four minutes. In fact, like any perfect pop confection, most of the songs are in the two- to three- minute range. The second of two untitled instrumentals, with vocals supplied by crying infants is both the funniest and scariest thing I've heard in years. In a perfect radio world, songs such as "The Best Of Us," "Sol Y Sombra" ( featuring Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier on vocals ) , "Variations Fitzwilliam," "Vibravox," "Baragan," "Au Depart" and "Pianolyre" would be all over the airwaves. You'll have to be your own DJ. You'll be glad that you are.
Richard D. James, a.k.a. Aphex Twin, was at the forefront of the late 20th century electronic music scene, releasing the highly regarded album I care because you do.
Even at his most experimental, Aphex Twin made music that was beautiful to someone somewhere. Beautiful, but unfocused, the two-disc set Drukqs ( Warp/Sire ) has enough moments of electronic elegance to be included in this column.
Also beautiful, each in their own ways, are the breathtakingly orchestrated How I Long To Feel That Summer In My Heart ( Mantra ) by Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, the electronic elegance of Hot Shots II ( Astralwerks ) by The Beta Band, the melodic retro pop of Rumors of The Faithful by Moviola ( Spirit Of Orr ) and "If you happy with you need do nothing" ( XL/Twisted Nerve ) by cute, young British guys of Alfie.
