Dead Sun Over Black Sands

Sólstafir - Svartir Sandar
Sólstafir is a band who has come a long way in terms of their artistic ability and musical intentions. They began as a Viking metal band, then morphed, as many Viking metal bands tend to, into an arty black metal band. Since then, they've gradually added more post-rock tendencies a la Mogwai or Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and now on their newest album Svartir Sandar, they've reached a new height of artistic mastery.

Sólstafir have been masters of building atmosphere since their excellent first LP Masterpiece of Bitterness, and they've always grafted that atmosphere to pummeling metal textures, making an art rock/black metal blend that sounded like no one else. Svartir Sandar is certainly heavy, but in a much different way than its predecessor albums. This heaviness is built very carefully, with nuance and fantastic attention to detail rather than speed and fury. Paradoxically, it feels like the album's passion comes from its precision, as though each chord and drum hit were carefully placed to perfectly build the drama and emotion necessary to each song, while making it all seem natural and effortless.

When considering arty post-metal, names like Isis, Neurosis, and Pelican immediately spring to mind, but Sólstafir's sound is entirely their own, perhaps owing to both their Scandanavian black metal background and the isolation afforded to them by their native Iceland. It's possible to hear the influences like The Cure, or some of the bleaker 90's rock bands, or perhaps even their countrymen in Sigur Rós, but the overall tone is so sunless and monolithic that it has to be heavily informed by the blackest of metal. The guitars range from gentle to vicious, the thundering rhythm section equals the guitars in their ability to bring the emotional content forward, and singer Aðalbjörn Tryggvason's voice pulls itself from a near whisper to a despairing wail at a moment's notice.

Words largely fail to describe the scope of what transpires over the two discs that make up Svartir Sandar. The sound is immersive, nearly cinematic. It's easier to describe the album as a place that one can go. It's like a continent, huge and dense, but with room to move. Moments that begin as just a wandering guitar line or steady cymbal beat evolve over time into a maelstrom of sound that evokes an atmosphere both unknown and somehow familiar, like a place you may have been in your more monochromatic dreams.

-Review posted by TZARATHUSTRA

King of the Dogs

Cory Branan - Mutt
Mutt is an apt description for singer-songwriter Cory Branan's newest album, as it's got a little of everything, all mixed up according to Branan's specifications. This is Branan's third LP, and he's thus far made a reputation on solid albums featuring his expressive wordsmithing and excellent guitar skills. Some fans, myself included, first heard of Cory from the Lucero song "Tears Don't Matter Much," which name-checks a number of the band's musician friends by name. Branan may be buddies with the boys in Lucero, but his sound bears little resemblance to their ragged-voiced country punk. He tends to be somewhat more varied, jumping around from sound to sound to fit each individual song, which makes it no surprise that he chose the word "Mutt" as the album title, since he's long been using it to describe his sound.

It's true that overall, Mutt has a rural feel that offers a nod to his Tennessee background, but nearly every track contains something that you didn't expect, and in many cases it's the entire song. "The Corner" starts things off with delicate fingerpicking and features Jon Snodgrass of Drag the River fame providing backing vocals. "Bad Man" finds Branan doing his best Springsteen with fine results, the track "Snowman" takes a trip deep into Tom Waits territory, and "Yesterday (Circa Summer 80 somethin')" shows that he's been giving Mellencamp a spin or two. He could be simply aping some heroes, but it comes off as more than that. Branan knows that an album doesn't have to be twelve songs that all sound pretty much like the lead single, and he intends to take advantage of that. He's trying his hand at sounds and styles that he's not used before, and though some songs here are emotionally heavy, it still sounds like he's having fun making his music the way he wants it.

Mutt is Branan's most musically accomplished record to date, and his writing has never been sharper. Check out a solo performance of "The Corner" that Cory did for a recent Nervous Energies session below:

Afghan Whigs Release New Song

The recently reformed Afghan Whigs have released their first new recording in five years. The new track, called "See and Don't See" has just the sort of creepy, slightly obsessive sort of feel you want if, like me, you've been missing the Whigs in their absence. They debuted the song live on Jimmy Fallon on May 22nd, and you can download the track for free at the band's website.

-posted by TZARATHUSTRA

Cory Branan Streams New Album

Tennessee's best kept secret, Cory Branan, will release his newest album Mutt tomorrow, but you can stream it in it's entirety here. Branan's previous releases have been filled with expressive songwriting, excellent guitar playing, and Branan's own blend of country twang and rock and roll, so expect good things from this album. Expect a full review very soon here on RFF.

-posted by TZARATHUSTRA

Darker Days, Indeed

Tragedy - Darker Days Ahead
On Darker Days Ahead, the still very underground crust/hardcore/metal/whatever unit Tragedy has expanded its usual speedy D-Beat assault to include a feeling of cinematic grandiosity and touches of outright doom metal. Actually, doom is the keyword for this entire release. Tragedy is building a world with Darker Days Ahead, and that world is dying slowly. The songs are vignettes of burned out cars, collapsing buildings, and toxic sunrises.

At one point Tragedy could be called a hardcore band, but their music has been alloyed with so many interesting sounds outside of the hardcore template that there's not really a category for them anymore. The band has a steady roar all its own, and despite the influences from so many different places, they manage to turn it all into a cohesive whole. Of course, for the most part the guitars are thick and nastily distorted, and the drums are pummeling, even at slower speeds, and the vocals might not actually be human in origin. But while the D-Beat feel, and the necessary debt to bands like Discharge that come with it, are still present, the tempos have a tendency to slow down more on this album, and clean guitar and bass tones (gasp) can be heard in many of the songs, where they create instrumental textures far more melodic than Tragedy have released before.

There's a sinister alchemy at work with these new elements, where they add up to paint a picture even more bleak than they could have done by simply thrashing away. There's shades of old Godflesh albums on this release, and it's all done to great effect to create a crushing hopelessness. There is no redemption on Darker Days Ahead. Things are not going to get better in the world that's presented here. For Tragedy, the light on the horizon is just the glow of irradiated desert. They're letting you hear what the end sounds like, and it's so impeccably crafted that you can't help but listen.

-Review by TZARATHUSTRA

Zero For Conduct

OFF! - OFF!
Looking at the corner that hardcore music painted itself into in the first decade of this century is enough to give one pause. How could a style that was so charged, so visceral, back in the early 80's become so incredibly boring? From the chugging "metal-for-morons" one-finger chords, to the monotone barking vocals, to the sad, predictable breakdowns, hardcore became not just formulaic (even the 80's heroes sometimes fell victim to that), but actually quaint. There's not much danger in most contemporary hardcore, except possibly the danger of getting smashed up against a sweaty, shirtless fat guy at a show. The breakneck speed and manic, unstoppable thrill has gone.

OFF! wants to correct that problem. The new self-titled album from the band is a whirlwind of chaotic hardcore fun with all the energy of the glory days, and that's to be expected with Keith Morris, formerly of Black Flag and the Circle Jerks, at the mic. There's no genre-splicing here, no dabbling with metal or reggae or pop. This is less than thirty minutes of pure punk rock fury, and for as dirty and violent as the music is, it's surprisingly refreshing. The nice thing about this release is that while you can hear Black Flag or Dead Kennedys in the sound, the record doesn't feel embarrassingly dated. It's simply a fun hardcore record that acts as something of a palate cleanser from all the watered down angst that carries the "hardcore" moniker these days.

In true hardcore fashion, many of the songs clock in at less than a minute, but they feel fully formed, complete with spastic lead guitar work thrown in occasionally by Dimitri Coats from the band Burning Brides. In fact, OFF! is something of a punk rock supergroup, as the lineup is rounded out by Redd Kross bassist Steven Shane McDonald and Rocket From The Crypt drummer Mario Rubalcaba. The classic hardcore pedigree is completed with cover art from longtime Black Flag collaborator Raymond Pettibon. Every punk I know wishes for a return of the SST/Dischord hardcore sound, and here's a good solid dose of it.

-Review by TZARATHUSTRA

A Remedy of Diesel and Dust

Hot Water Music - Exister
Gruff punk legends Hot Water Music have returned after eight years, and a lot has happened in that time. Chuck Ragan wandered off to remake himself as a gravel-voiced folk troubadour, and founded the increasingly popular Revival Tour, which showcases the acoustic talents of a rotating cast of punk rock heroes. The remaining three quarters of the band formed The Draft, a vastly underrated punk project, after which Chris Wollard released a strong solo album, bassist Jason Black worked with Senses Fail, and drummer George Rebelo spent some time behind the kit for Against Me! after Warren Oakes left the band. With everything that they've done in the interim, it's surprising that the new Hot Water Music LP, Exister, sounds like no time at all has passed between The New What's Next LP and today.

Which is not to say that the boys haven't learned anything, because it's obvious that they have. Chuck Ragan's folk interests and Chris Wollard's solo efforts have clearly informed their sense of melody, which is stronger than ever. It's just that the elements that made Hot Water Music distinguishable, the intertwining guitar lines over rock-solid rhythms with the twin-voice attack of Ragan and Wollard, are still very much intact. It's as if they slid back into their sound like a broken-in leather jacket.

Nearly every song is a highlight, and that's not hyperbole. From the charging intro of opening track "Mainline," to the classic sounds of the title track, to the huge bass groove and oscillating guitars of "No End Left In Sight," there is very, very little to complain about on this record. Perhaps it contains a bit less aggression than the records of the past, but considering the sound of The New What's Next, and the focus that the songwriters have put on melody in their solo projects, it's hard to see why that would be a surprise, and considering the quality of this record, it's hard to see why it would be a negative. It's a rare feat to pull off a reunion record that's not only good, but doesn't involve any comeback grandstanding or smarmy winks to the audience about the circumstances of their return. Chalk it up to Hot Water Music's unflagging sincerity that they decided to simply make an excellent rock record like Exister and let it speak for itself.

-Review by TZARATHUSTRA

Hot Water Music Streaming New Album

Spin Magazine is currently streaming the entire new Hot Water Music album, Exister. It's HWM's first full album in eight years. They've even got up a track by track breakdown to the songs by Chuck Ragan and Chris Wollard.

Check it out here, and expect a full review here at RFF very soon.

-Posted by TZARATHUSTRA

Three Chords and the Truth

Tim Barry - 40 Miler
"Real" is the word that most people attach to Tim Barry's music, and with good reason. In his folk-oriented solo material, the former Avail singer spins tales of heartbreak, crime, poverty, and train-hopping, all of which have been a part of his life at various points. But Mr. Barry himself apparently feels that he's not quite real enough yet, because he's named his newest record 40 Miler, which is a derogatory slang word for someone who hops trains for only short distances, a poser, in essence. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, he explained, "For 20 years, I have toured and illegally ridden freight trains, but I've never been truly committed to either. I am a poser – a 40 Miler." It's hard for fans to justify that claim, though, because from the outside, Tim Barry's resume reads like that of a grizzled, road-weary veteran. He made his name with hardcore punk legends Avail, and with this latest release, he's up to his fifth solo album.

If you've heard his previous albums full of straightforward guitar playing and uncompromisingly honest lyrics delivered in his Virginia accent, you know what kind of ride you're in for here. 40 Miler is not a drastic deviation from those earlier records, but the instrumentation is more full and varied. Instead of the spare arrangements of his early release Rivanna Junction, 40 Miler is fleshed out with piano, fiddle, harmonica, drums and even some electric guitars here and there. Make no mistake though, this is not a punk record with a little twang to it, this is a bona fide folk record, with tinges of country and bluegrass to give it even more of a sepia-toned rural atmosphere.

The songs are of a wider variety of tones and tempos than we've heard from Barry before, as well. He's put some rowdier numbers in with the weepers, and as usual, he blends bitter and sweet together with a little cutting sarcasm and outright invective. Barry is also one of the few artists recording today who can record songs about hopping freight trains and not come off sounding like a rich kid with a Guthrie fetish (see the photos he occasionally puts on his twitter account for proof of his railyard adventures). The railroad song "Driver Pull" alone is worth the price of admission on 40 Miler, with lyrics so vivid that you can almost smell the rust and grease. in fact, lyrical gems abound on this record, like these lines from the title track, which may well be Barry's mission statement: "I'd rather stay broke and play fake-ass shows/Move with heart, sing from your souls/If you can't play, then dance instead/Music should sound like escape, not rent."

The extra instruments and song variety are great, but what really makes this record a winner is that at it's core, it's still Tim Barry giving you three chords and the hard truths that he's found after all those lonely highway miles.

-Review by TZARATHUSTRA

Preview - Hilary Hahn and Hauschka

Hilary Hahn and Hauschka - Silfra
Classical violinist Hilary Hahn is taking a serious creative risk this month, having teamed with experimental Icelandic soundscapist Hauschka for their new album Silfra, due out May, 23rd. It won't quite make her a lost persona of Lady Gaga, (she's not out dry humping a motorcycle), but as one of the two or three most visible performers in classical music over the last decade and a half, to abandon recording the classical back catalog in favor of locking yourself in a creative cell block with an avowed single-name Icelandic weirdo (see also Jonsi and Bjork) for a space of weeks and emerge with a largely improvised batch of abstract musical sketches and vignettes signals a significant and possibly risky shift.

Hahn landed on the scene in 1998 as a precocious teenager with her ebullient, maniacally forceful, and precise recording of Bach's Partitas for Solo Violin. She has since embodied an almost Prussian work ethic that Bach would likely have recognized and approved. She tours endlessly and has released almost one album per year for the length of her career thus far. At first she seemed happy rounding the bases of violin's established canon, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Barber, Stravinsky and still more Bach. In 2003 though, she signed with Deutsch Grammophon, away from her previous home at Sony and started looking around the library of great music for more idiosyncratic challenges. Paganini, Sphor, Schoenberg and most recently American populist of the avant-garde Charles Ives. She has presented herself as a happy promoter of the relevance of great Western music, remaining a favorite collaborator for orchestras around the world and a favorite with audiences.

And even despite her penchant for exploratory collaborations, a brief collaborative tour with singer songwriter Josh Ritter in 2008, for example, it has to come as a surprise to most that her newest release is not just a departure from classical compositions but an improvised set of minimalist spontaneous-music pieces. As a concert violinist she has long years' experience interpreting the muse for others but now for the first time she stands face to face with the Terpsichorean apparition to find from it a wholly original voice.

It's perhaps a sign of my inherent optimism that I am terrified of the result. I have the faith requisite to successfully worry, just as a man who believes in God may still fear the devil. Conquest belongs to the bold but so does spectacular failure. And since Ms. Hahn seems a courageous artist with no compunction taking these risks, I will gladly worry on her behalf...I hope it doesn't come off as just a trite, wanky mess. Look forward to a review here on RFF, pending the album's release.

-Preview by YORGOD

Listen to the first release from the upcoming Silfra, entitled "Bounce Bounce," with stop-motion visuals by animator Hayley Morris:

Tom Gabel Comes Out As Transgender

Today it was announced that Tom Gabel of punk band Against Me! has come out as transgender and plans to live from now on as a woman. He plans to undergo hormone and electrolysis therapy, as well as change his name to Laura Jane Grace. Having lived in the band's hometown of Gainesville, FL, and being a big fan of AM!, I've had the pleasure of meeting Tom on many occasions. He was always attentive and gracious as Tom, and I'm sure those traits will endure as he becomes Laura. Making a decision like that has to be unspeakably difficult, but to do it in the public eye must be exponentially harder. I wish all the best to Laura, and hope that that Against Me!'s fans and the punk scene in general lend their support.

Rolling Stone will be running a full story in this week's issue, but you can read the preview here.

-Posted by TZARATHUSTRA

Nighttime Explorations

Silversun Pickups - Neck of the Woods
Now that they've released their third album to critical praise and an ever-increasing fanbase, maybe everyone can finally stop comparing Silversun Pickups to the Smashing Pumpkins. The comparison always seemed lazy anyway. Influences from iconic 90's rock aside, the Pickups easily stand on their own merits. Neck of the Woods is their latest release, and it follows their breakthrough release Swoon, which was an excellent piece of tense, fiery guitar rock. Swoon made it onto many Best-Albums-of-2009 lists, so is Neck of the Woods a worthy successor?

The answer is yes, but it's immediately apparent that Neck of the Woods is a different album than the Pickups' previous efforts. Their albums are always moody, but this one is darker and dreamier. Opening with a subdued atmospheric piece like "Skin Graph" is a good move, but making it six minutes long is risky. The Pickups are confident in their abilities though, and it pays off. If you let it, this album will pull you right in by the end of that first track.

The guitars are a bit more restrained this time out, especially in the first half of the album. You get the sense at times that all the keyboards and dreamy singing would be a formless mass without the strength of the rhythm section (powerhouse drummer Christopher Guanlao and bassist Nikki Monninger) keeping things moving forward. The atmosphere piles up, increasing until the burst of the heavier "Mean Spirits" halfway through the album. Singer/Guitarist Brian Aubert is in fine form on this release; the vocals never lose their passion in the dreaminess, and the guitars, when present, display the direct rock style plied with a bit of prog technique that the Pickups are becoming known for.

Rather than the stadium-rock bombast of the Smashing Pumpkins, Neck of the Woods finds Silversun Pickups making a home for themselves somewhere out between the sexy post-grunge of Placebo and the swirling nocturnal weirdness of The Cure. In the end though, this is an album that you can't really picture being made by anyone other than Silversun Pickups.

-Review by TZARATHUSTRA

Rockin' and Reelin'

Th'Empires - Volume One: Welcome to the Psychobilly Adventure Club
Opening bands are a crapshoot, especially when you've never heard of them before. Most are just okay; they're still finding their footing and putting in the miles. But every once in a while, you see an opening band that arrives fully formed and firing on all cylinders. Such was the case when I first saw a Bloomington, IN band called Th'Empires. That night, Th'Empires consisted solely of Eddy Price, who set up a bass drum and hi-hat stand, got out his white Gretsch hollowbody guitar, and started belting out swinging rockabilly songs all by his lonesome.

Th'Empires is not always a solo act. He has an upright bass player and a drummer, but says that they "have an open relationship." So if you see Th'Empires live, it might be just Eddy, pounding out the rhythms himself (which works a lot better than you might think), or you might get the full band for an even more fleshed-out version of the sound, but no matter which version you get, you're in for an experience that only the most jaded hipster could refuse dancing to.

On their debut LP entitled Volume One: Welcome to the Psychobilly Adventure Club, Th'Empires show that they obviously know their way around the old rockabilly heroes like Gene Vincent and Johnny Burnette. But like the album title says, they've also hot-rodded their sound with the speed and thump of the more modern psychobilly sound, minus that genre's obsession with horror movie imagery. Eddy instead fills his lyrics with tales of the down-and-out life that would appeal not only to greasers circa 1958, but also the punks of today. Price certainly knows his style, and his tales of women, booze, and crime are all delivered in a voice seemingly custom-built for rockabilly, rough but nimble, with a bit of the Buddy Holly hiccup thrown in for good measure. The guitar is a little dirty and appropriately soaked in reverb, and the rhythms are speedy, but always danceable. The band sounds boundlessly energetic, and their live performances serve to back up that hypothesis.

Th'Empires are planning to tour through much of the country this summer, so be on the lookout, and pick up a copy of Volume One: Welcome to the Psychobilly Adventure Club at their bandcamp site (they've got some great extras to throw in with the album right now, too). If you need a little more convincing, you can stream a preview below:

-Review by TZARATHUSTRA

Jerry Lee Lewis' Hair Is Magic

This is a short video of a 1957 performance by Jerry Lee Lewis. I wanted to put this here not only because Jerry Lee is one of the original wild men of rock and roll, but also for the moment at about 35 seconds in when he really starts rocking. I've never seen hair percolate like that before.

-Posted by TZARATHUSTRA