Fall Singles Spectacular

by Treble Staff

10.24.2005





Every season, we like to recap notable single and EP releases with short reviews, a new tradition that's become a favorite among readers and us writers. And for our fall installment, we have many more notable short-players to highlight. Yet, unlike our typical take on notable 7 and 12-inches, we've been immersing ourselves in some great new EPs with four to seven songs each, most of them debuts from up-and-coming bands. Some of them, however, are from well established bands that merely have short new selections to hand us before jumping straight into new albums.

EPs offer a glimpse into the future of a band, just as The Cure's Japanese Whispers previewed their more pop-oriented side and Joy Division's An Ideal for Living gave merely an inkling of the dark, grimy post-punk they would later perfect. Here we have releases by eight artists who, in certain cases are debuting in America, expanding their sound or are merely putting out songs for the heck of it. So, on to the extended plays…

The Rakes - Retreat (Dim Mak)

Hmmm…this one seems familiar: a British band releases a six-song EP of danceable post-punk on Dim Mak, the first track being a phenomenal anthem and the last being a "Phones" remix of that same track. Okay, so all surface characteristics aside, Rakes do have an individual sound that doesn't quite sound like Bloc Party, but there are similarities. The title track in particular has a powerful, catchy melody similar to "Banquet," though a lot more raw and without the glossy polish during the chorus.

What sets The Rakes apart from their nu wave contemporaries, however, is that they sound more like old school British punk, using lots of simple two-chord melodies and distortion a-plenty. Still, there are Joy Division and Gang of Four moments just as Bloc Party and The Futureheads often display. The Rakes, however, seem more raw all around. "Strasbourg" is a fiery, straightforward fist-pumper, "Dark Clouds" is a magnificent disco punk raveup that gives the A-side some competition, and "22 Grand Job" is short and snotty, just as every good punk rock song should be.

The last of the originals before the "Retreat" remix is "Something Clicked and I Fell Off the Edge," which borrows quite liberally from Joy Division's "Warsaw." It's a little more playful, but still sounds quite like the song that started Barney, Hooky, Morrie and Ian off on their career toward rock legends. The Rakes still have a way to go before that happens, but they have at least presented a standout EP full of fun Britpunk rockers to keep us rebellious youth satiated for the time being.

Similar Recordings: Bloc Party - Bloc Party, Maxïmo Park - Apply Some Pressure, Art Brut - Formed a Band — Jeff Terich

Razrez - The Dirty Beat EP (Razrez)

Taking their name from an invented onomatopoeia of Anthony Burgess' book A Clockwork Orange, Razrez has been lighting up the Seattle music scene with a little of the musical ultraviolence. It's high time we all had a viddy of the droogies in the band who can `get your yarbles out'! The Dirty Beat is the debut EP from Razrez, which means to rip or tear as in the line from the book, "the bits of this book that I was still ripping away at, razrez razrez," and it's a solid piece of post-punk artistry, albeit true to the title, dirty, meaning full of sexual energy, harnessed by rock and roll.

If Franz Ferdinand were to ditch the fey attitude, don some makeup, put on all black clothes, start listening to Richard Hell and Bauhaus instead of Orange Juice and Aztec Camera, you might come close to thinking about Razrez. Musically, there is definitely a tight post-punk sound, especially in "Snake," the closest thing to Franz I've heard in a while, even evoking specific lyrics, but it is the vocals which set Razrez apart. Aykut Ozen, the frontman and one half of a dual guitar assault, sounds like he took singing lessons alternately from Peter Murphy, John Lydon, Brian Molko and early Danny Elfman. "The Fascist" is Bauhaus meets Joy Division, while "Shooting Stars" beautifully slows things down, showing that the band can rein in the frantic force in a meaningful way.

The only disappointing thing about The Dirty Beat is that it is an EP! Five songs was definitely not enough Razrez and I eagerly await the full-length debut. World outside of Seattle, take note, once you hear Razrez you will have no choice but to go out and buy it. As Alex said in the film version of A Clockwork Orange, "For now it was lovely music that came to my aid, there was a window open with the stereo on and I viddied right at once what to do."

Similar Albums: Franz Ferdinand- Darts of Pleasure, Public Image Ltd.- Metal Box / Second Edition, Bauhaus- Press the Eject and Give Me the Tape — Terrance Terich

The Greenhornes - East Grand Blues EP (V2)

On their first release for V2, Cincinnati quintet The Greenhornes have gotten a helping hand by Brendan Benson whose soothing production makes East Grand Blues a rather unique listen. The Greenhornes have always tended to be labeled as "garage rock" or "garage rock revival" but East Grand Blues boasts five tracks with a sunshine pop backbone that will warm your soul.

"I'm Going Away" is full of Byrds bliss with vocal harmonies and 12-string jangle as "Shelter of Your Arms" recalls The Zombies' Odessey and Oracle with it's breezy melodic patterns. Have you ever pondered what it would sound like if Anton Newcombe did collaboration with the Replacements? Well, obviously it'll never happen but if it did the closest thing to it would be similar to "At Night" as "Pattern Skys" kicks out the jams with some elegance. And "Shine Like the Sun" heats things up with it's hint of spiciness. Keep an eye out for the Greenhornes because East Grand Blues may be a peek in an exciting new direction that the band could be taking on their next full length.

Similar Albums: The Turtles – 20 Greatest Hits, The Beach Boys – Friends, Any Sixties Compilation — Chris Pacifico


Lambchop and Hands Off Cuba - CoLAB (Merge)

Lambchop has never been a particularly "traditional" band, whether you mean as a rock `n' roll band or as a country band. They're not really either, so much, but they have always had a very distinct and identifiable sound, partially due to their subtle, post-rock like arrangement, and partially due to Kurt Wagner's unmistakable voice. But on CoLAB, their…ahem…collaboration with Nashville electronic duo Hands Off Cuba, Lambchop takes a decidedly experimental stance and puts their Southern beauty in the hands of HOC, who, in turn, give it the chop-shop treatment.

The first track, "Prepared," is a relatively normal sounding Lambchop track, all subdued vocals and lovely guitar melodies. But from there, things only get stranger. "Blur" is jungle-leaning IDM with cut-and-paste beats, strings and gurgling ambient samples. Certainly not something we've come to expect from Lambchop at this stage in their career. "Women" is a jazzy trip-hop number that sounds much more like Prefuse 73 without the analog weirdness. And final track "Gus" is far more out there, noises and samples scattered about like Oval or Pan Sonic, though a melody does eventually find its way among the electro-muck. The whole package is rather adventurous and fascinating, though it's certainly nothing like most other Lambchop releases. Hands Off Cuba takes the reins for the most part, but in their hands, this material is quite enjoyable and pleasant.

Similar Releases: Boards of Canada - Twoism, Prefuse 73 - Extinguished, Lambchop - Is a Woman — Jeff Terich

Hey Willpower - Hey Willpower EP (Cochon)

The debut dance EP from Bay Area art/pop/dance band Hey Willpower is enough to make even the shy wallflowers get up and shake their groove things. Made up of Will Schwartz, the singer for Imperial Teen, instrumentalist Tomo, the Aislers Set's Amy Linton and a duo of dancers, Hey Willpower (possibly a play on Scwhartz's name?) have already been shaking asses in San Francisco, and they're aiming for yours next.

Schwartz and Linton had always been fans of old school synth R&B like L'Trimm and JJ Fad. With the resurgence of such music in artists such as Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani, Ciara and Usher, it was time to put some indie in the mix. The four song EP starts with "Hundredaire" which has a similar keyboard sound, or ripped off if you want to read it that way, to the Cure's "Close to Me." "Double Fantasy II," which also has a video on the EP mimicking the bed-in with John and Yoko, gets straight to the point by saying "I'm ok with playing truth or dare / as long as you end up in your underwear." "Magic Window," a reference to a term used for a slut, comes next which leads into "Uh-Uh-Uh," a song which is about most likely exactly what you think it's about.

The poster on the wall above the bed in the video for "Double Fantasy II" reads "Give Dance a Chance." It reminds me of going bowling with some friends who were all ashamed to admit that they dug Justin Timberlake. When "Rock Your Body" started playing, I just couldn't help it, I had to dance, and eventually, so did they. Hey Willpower will have the same grip on you.

Similar Albums: Junior Senior- D-D-Don't Stop the Beat, Justin Timberlake- Justified, The Time- Ice Cream Castle — Terrance Terich


Robert Deeble - This Bar Has No One Left (Fractured Discs)

The first adjective you might employ to describe Robert Deeble's music is "quiet." It certainly isn't deafeningly loud. It's pretty subdued and slow, but in a strange, subtle way, Robert Deeble's music is surprisingly heavy. Like Duluth molasses-core band Low, Deeble plays music that's thick with haunting melodies and eerily affecting sounds. Tracks like "Some Bartenders" and "In a Cigarette Voice" sneak up on you unsuspectingly, and hit you with a strangely catchy chorus, an oddly booming bassline or reverberating guitar. Even a track like "Clowned" has its lighter moments, however, and, despite the gloomier subtexts, This Bar Has No One Left is an enjoyable release. And his cover of The Beatles' "Long Long Long" is one of the few I've heard that can do the Fab Four's legacy justice. That, alone, speaks volumes about Deeble's talent as a musician and songwriter.


Similar Releases: Low - Trust, Pinback - Offcell, Idaho - Hearts of Palm — Jeff Terich

The Rogers Sisters – "Emotion Control" (Beggars Banquet)

The Rogers Sisters, a group consisting of real-life members of the Rogers clan, Jennifer and Laura, and non-Rogers Miyuki Furtado, mark their stateside Too Pure debut with the release of this two song single. The move from Troubleman Unlimited to British imprint Too Pure finds the Rogers Sister with a fuller sound than on previous efforts. Although they still subscribe to the Richard Hell-inspired jangly and angular guitar aesthetic, there is more substance to their sound. "Emotion Control," the single's A-side, sounds like X if John Doe was fired and replaced with B52's frontman Fred Schneider. Singer Jennifer's voice sounds like it matured over the recording break but it loses some of the originality of Purely Evil and Three Fingers. But a fuller sound comes with a price for the Sisters. There is a lack of the frenetic energy on these songs that was their main selling point on previous works.

Oddly enough, with the depletion of energy, comes a newfound catchiness. "Emotion Control" and the "The Conversation" point to a much more accessible record for the Sisters. "The Conversation" still includes at a little bit of the jazz freak-outs of Three Fingers (if you want to categorize the seemingly random blowing of a saxophone as a jazz freak-out) but at least someone had the good sense to relegate it to background noise this time.

Similar Recordings: X - See How We Are, Richard Hell and the Voidoids - Blank Generation, The B52s - The B52s — Molly B. Eichel

The Capes - Taste EP (Hard Soul)

For most Brit bands that pop up one-by-one these days and conquer America with their debut album, it always seems that it is the EP that precedes their maiden effort that will foresee the success. Franz Ferdinand had Darts of Pleasure, Bloc Party garnered some hullabaloo with their self-titled EP, the Kaiser Chiefs had their Oh My God EP, and…well I could talk about this until the cows come home. Now we have the first EP from Londoners the Capes, which on a very eclectic assortment of songs, sounds a bit different than most of the bands that the chumps at New Music Express foam at the mouth over.

The rambunctious voce of lead singer Kris Barratt is the glue that holds Taste together, even the though the first taste that the listener gets of it is digitally roboticized on the spunky ruckus of the opener "Francophile." "Tightly Wound" is some ever-so catchy arty pub pop that make the Kaiser Chiefs seem like a bunch of dandy candy asses.

So many UK bands these days however find themselves hard pressed to go beyond run of the mill Britpop but can't pull it off. But every now and then, one of them can pull it off like the Capes do and make a song so lush and glowing that it shines with the essence of the great Procol Harum as the band does with "Chromeless." Meanwhile, "Regional Heats" is a youthful pop ditty that is better than all of the songs combined on Weezer's Make Believe. Taste is a splendid EP which will get you ready for the Capes' upcoming release, Hello. If Hello can turn out to be as energetic as freewheeling as Taste, then I think I smell a Mercury Prize for the Capes in 2006.

Similar Albums: Maximo Park – A Certain Trigger, The Rakes – Retreat, Pulp – This is Hardcore — Chris Pacifico

Beautiful New Born Children - Hey People EP (Domino)

In 1965, the Who famously proclaimed that "The kids are all right." However the Hey People EP form the Beautiful New Born Children kind of says "The kids are all right, so piss off you fucking wankers!!" Not much is known of theses guys, one is hard-pressed to find any info of their names, they obviously sound like they hail from somewhere in the UK and they were signed by submitting an unsolicited demo to the label. Their sound falls somewhere along the lines of Kings-of-Leon-meets-the-Jam with the adrenaline rush of a drunken hooligan in the midst of a soccer riot with a bloody tire iron in hand. Did I mention that the album is all the more better due its lo-fi production qualities?

The psychobilly/mod guitar shuffle of "Do the Do" would have been well placed in the scene from Trainspotting where Begby deliberately tosses his glass pint mug and has it shatter all over a girl's face so that he can get his rush off in a communal bar fight. "Paper Mill" out-toughs the Libertines with some Brit-accented singing about the joys of "little pills" in "A Good Dose," while the sound quality of "I Do Too" remains gritty with class. The punk commotion and rambunctious ruckus that is "OK, Allright Fine" is a hissy fit accompanied by a barrage of hissing drum cymbals.

The Beautiful New Born Children sound like they could party harder than Shane McGowan and Shaun Ryder combined. The amps are well above eleven and rebelliousness is in full effect. Being rude, loud, and snotty never sounded so good.

Similar Albums: The Thermals – Fuckin A, Stiff Little Fingers – Inflammable Material, The Buzzcocks – Another Music in a Different Kitchen — Chris Pacifico

Dirty on Purpose - Sleep Late for a Better Tomorrow (North Street Records)

We might as well start calling them the Jesus and Rilo Kiley Underground. With this quintet's hypnotic and atmospheric wall of guitar noise, the soft yet determined female vocals and the New York art scene behind them, the three-headed comparisons are inevitable. Rarely has a debut EP gotten so much attention, but Dirty on Purpose deserve it. Sleep Late for a Better Tomorrow, besides having one of the best titles ever, consists of five solid songs from five talented performers.

Doug Marvin and Erika Forster trade off vocal duties, even sharing them in the subtly beautiful track "Cheat Death," but strangely enough, it is Mr. Marvin that evokes echoes of Nico on "Mind Blindness." Both vocalists, combined with the dreamy guitars, create a laid back atmosphere that has garnered comparisons to Ride, Sigur Rós and Mogwai. Keyboard white noise in the background, the electronic equivalent of crickets chirping over the background of a home recorded bluegrass record, only strengthens those comparisons.

Opener "All New Friends" kicks things off on a light note with Forster's delicate vocals over intricate guitar work. "Girls & Sunshine" is the most reminiscent of Rilo Kiley with Blake Sennett-like guitars and vocals (though he only usually sings with side band, the Elected), and Jenny Lewis like singing. "Spider Eyes" bring back the Nico element with some guitar parts that would make the Edge envious.

Not only does this promising band have an impressive debut with a great title (did I mention that?), but they also follow grammatical rules. One of my mother's biggest pet peeves is when people say `by purpose' or `on accident' rather than the other way around. Here you go mom, something to be proud of, even if they are dirty.

Similar Albums: The Velvet Underground & Nico- The Velvet Underground & Nico, Rilo Kiley- More Adventurous, The Jesus & Mary Chain- Psychocandy - Terrance Terich