Pretentious Elitism/Elitist Pretension

Tennis- Cape Dory (Fat Possum-2011)

~ Gabe McBride

77

There’s been a lot of buzz around this Denver band going back to late last year, based on cassette and singles released in 2010. The story goes that married couple Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley went on a year-long yacht trip together and decided to start a band once they got back to dry land. This all makes sense once you listen to the nautically-themed Cape Dory the first time. 

Tennis have crafted a thoroughly likable surf-pop record with simple instrumentation and upbeat, positive charm. Moore’s late 50’s/early 60’s girl-group vocals and Riley’s reverb saturated guitar, along with song titles like ‘Long Boat Pass’, ‘Bimini Bay’ and ‘Waterbirds’ invoke a summery, beachy atmosphere that sets well en-vogue with the blogosphere and speaks to their current popularity. 

All that said, the band’s tuneful pop and simple melodies are very charming and disarming, even when Moore seems to run out of ideas for lyrics, and throws in a couple of “woah-oh-ohhs” and “dooby-do-wahs” to make up for it. These tunes aren’t particularly complex or earth-shatteringly original, and well, it might be “mom rock” as much as yacht rock; hell, Tennis might even be a country club Dum Dum Girls, but they will make you smile. If ‘Baltimore’ isn’t one of the best songs of the year, I will eat my hat.

For Fans of: Best Coast, Beach House

Pretentious Elitism/Elitist Pretension AKA Reviews!

Deerhoof- Deerhoof vs. Evil (Polyvinyl- 2011)
~ Paul Mattson

80

Upon first listen to Deerhoof's latest, I immediately noticed a more polished sound than on previous albums.  At first this concerned me, as I feared that more time spent in postproduction would result in a loss of the rawness and primitive appeal  that I had come to attribute to the band.  But turns out change is good.  

Even though sounding more produced they still retain their trademark quirkiness.  The playfulness of the music has been enhanced by studio trickery rather than hidden behind it and feels like a natural  evolution for the band.  It reminds me of the direction bands like Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Blonde Redhead have recently taken their music in, but I think Deerhoof has managed to do it with fewer sacrifices.

And while this represents a turning point for Deerhoof, it is by no means a radical departure from past efforts.  In fact the listener is reminded of the band's heritage by the inclusion of a live performance of  fan favorite Panda Panda Panda.

I’m scoring this one with a solid 80 out of 100.  Infectious pop music doesn’t get much more endearing than this.  Standouts include Behold a Marvel in the Darkness, Super Duper Rescue Heads, and  I Did Crimes for You.

For Fans of: Field Music, Yeah Yeah Yeahs

New Reviews Section is on the way...

Kicking off the new reviews section in the next week or so. New albums from Tennis, Smith Westerns, and Cloud Nothings will be in stores (and for me, on eMusic) over the next several days. Ratings will be on a 1-100 scale, and I want to keep them brief and to the point, easy to read, and informative. I don't get advance copies of the CD's from labels or anything like that, so it matters to me what I am spending my hard earned money on. Anyways, to tide all y'alls over, here's a cool video from the late, great, Unicorns!

Groove of the moment- Tennis 'Pigeon'

Until the album comes out on the 18th and I go see 'em on the 29th, this will have to tide me over....

Pop on Purpose's 2010 Album of the Year!

#1 Surf City- Kudos

When I first heard Surf City’s self-titled 2008 EP, I winced a little. My friend Paul had highly recommended he album to me and after the opening Dick Dale-ish guitar licks, I took these guys for an instrumental surf band, which I honestly, didn’t have much interest in hearing. I turned the CD off after the intro to EP opener ‘Headin’ Inside’ and said to myself, “Geez, Paul!”, somewhat incredulously. I hate to say it, but I even sent him a message on Facebook asking him why he would recommend a surf band to me. My friend was patient with me, thankfully, and said I just need to listen to the whole thing. Happy to report that Surf City (the band and the EP), are actually great. And Kudos, is even better.

Surf City are from New Zealand and carry the legacy of the Flying Nun Records roster with aplomb. Kudos isn’t easily identifiable as pop, shoegaze, indie, lo-fi, punk, or even, well, surf, but it is, of course, all of these. Surf City excel at finding a groove and pushing it for all it’s worth into three minute, blissed out pop nuggets (opener ‘Crazy Rulers of the World’, title track ‘Kudos’) and even eight minute epics (Icy Lakes). Recorded just hi-fier enough than the EP to distinguish the band’s step forward between 2008 and 2010, Kudos is the best album of 2010. Overlooked and awesome. 

For Fans of: The Clean, Pavement, The Jesus and Mary Chain

Listen to 'See How the Sun'

Top Albums of 2010, numbers 5 through 2.....

#5 The Love Language- Libraries

Love Language main man Stuart McLamb blows indie-pop through Phil Spector’s wall of sound, and creates a mini-masterpiece in the process. The Raleigh, North Carolina band’s sound has an antique feel, as though it could have been heard coming through the wooden console radio after one of FDR’s fireside chats. The album, full of grand gestures and southern gothic atmosphere, would probably be best heard in an abandoned music hall. You know, if you’ve got one lying around.

  For Fans of: Camera Obscura, The Botticellis

 Listen to "Brittany's Back"

#4 Lower Dens- Twin Hand Movement

I knew I’d like this band just based on their name and was proven right when I tracked down a couple of their tunes on YouTube. My love for the record was cemented driving in the late morning hours with it blasting on the car’s stereo. Frontwoman Jana Hunter’s rumbling, low end vocals set a murky tone for the bluesy, reverb heavy tunes, which carry just enough twang to make you think the Baltimore band secretly emerged from somewhere deep in the (dark) heart of Texas.

 For Fans of: Come, The War on Drugs

Listen to "Tea Lights"

#3 Cotton Jones- Tall Hours in the Glowstream

I was already a fan of Michael Nau’s first band with wife Whitney McGraw, Page France, who’s folk pop was sparse, but upbeat and positive. Cotton Jones first album was similar to Page France, if a little more country fried and morose, but on Tall Hours, Nau’s adopted a ghostly plaint in his voice that sounds like a cross between Willy Nelson’s lonelier moments and a southern gospel singer crying from the bottom of a well. Sure, it might be an affectation, but boy is it a purdy one.

 For fans of: Old-timey southern gospel, Deer Tick

Listen to "Somehow Keep it Going"

#2 Beach House- Teen Dream

Not sure what’s in the water in Chesapeake Bay, but albums 4, 3, and 2 on this list are all from bands hailing from Baltimore. Beach House’s breakthrough is a hazy, low key take on pop slows the hooks down from 45 to 33 and volume from 11 to, I don’t know, 3, creating a dreamy, woozy , spectral atmosphere. Bears repeated listening.

 For Fans of: Galaxie 500, Wye Oak

Listen to "Lover of Mine"

Groove of the moment...

Will have the final 5 choices for best of 2010 up this week. Some stuff you are seeing on the big blogs and music sites, some you aren't. Hope this tides people over until then. This is The Babies, a side project for people in two of PoP's favorite bands, Vivian Girls, and Woods. Sounds not unlike what a band with members in these two great bands would, and a little like Tsunami, too, especially on the songs Cassie Ramone sings lead on.

Listen to 'Meet me in the City'