-Franz Ferdinand-- Tonight-

Franz Ferdinand.

They’ve got a new single out: “Ulysses”. The song has a funky rhythm, it’s energetic and fun. I dig the lyrics: pretty simple and pretty sexy.

“Ulysses” sounds very much like a Franz Ferdinand song (well duh), but what I am trying to say is that it's nothing new (which is fine). Their third album Tonight is set to release January 19th, expect a fairly predictable sequel to the band’s prior albums.

Franz Ferdinand- Ulysses

-Wild Beasts-- Limbo, Panto-

Wild Beasts.

Umm, you can’t really go wrong with a band name like that. What’s even better is that band actually as the bravado to back it up. Oh yeah and the music is pretty good too.

Their musical style leans toward Art-rock; listening to Limbo, Panto is like going to The Theater: it’s over-the-top, it’s flamboyant, it’s very entertaining.

Wild Beasts also have some kickass vocals. It’s hard to miss lead singer Hayden Thorpe’s flashy falsetto, and bassist Tom Fleming’s sexy tenor (see "The Devil’s Crayon") is an added bonus.

Wild Beasts- The Devil's Crayon

-Jangle Jam-- I am Back-

Hi all,

Well I am back from my month-long tropical vacation. I’ve got to say that it was pretty hard to leave the sun, beaches, and amazing weather. But it had to be done, so I’ve returned and I also have some good news and some bad news:

Bad news: MN is not St. Thomas. Dammit MN cold.

Good news: I’ll be updating Jangle Jam again (hopeful with some semblance of frequency).

Posts will be shorter, more random, there will be recommendations of worthwhile shows around town, and possibly some reviews of shows that you should have attended.

Happy Holidays!

-Longwave-- Secrets Are Sinister-

Longwave plans to release the their 4th full-length album on November 11th on Original Signal.

Secrets Are Sinister is possibly Longwave's most varied album to date. It cracks out of the basic indie-pop mold with incessant and powerful guitar; at times the songs sound like they could very well stand up on their own without vocals (it doesn't help that Steve Schiltz sometimes sounds like he's gargling).

Many of the songs from Secrets Are Sinister are in that sort of Coldplay, U2, anthem-rock vein, and they would sound great bouncing off the walls of an arena. A lot of people will really dig this super accessible musical style, and that's precisely why probably an equal number of people (read: hipster music snobs) will write Longwave off as trivial pop faster than they dismissed the last Death Cab album.

Although perhaps working with Midas touch producers Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips, MGMT) and Peter Katis (The National, Interpol) Longwave will offer a little something for everyone on Secrets Are Sinister.

Longwave- No Direction

-Secret Machies-- Secret Machines

Secret Machines: a band has been lauded for their ability to piece together elements of psychedelic, kraut, and prog rock to produce a sound that’s all their own. With a revised line-up (minus one Benjamin Curtis, plus one Phil Karnats) and a near 2 year lapse since the band’s last record, fans have been a bit wary about the future sound and direction of Secret Machines. All uncertainties will be put to rest on October 14th when the Secret Machines release their third and self-titled record.

The album’s opening track kicks right from the start and marches on with a solid drum beat. Brandon Curtis gives a genuinely interesting sing/speak performance; the clarity of his vocals help drive the lyrics over the other instruments.

Vocals, drums, then guitar: an uncommon hierarchy of sounds for a rock band, but one that is decidedly Secret Machines. Of course there are moments where the guitar is the showpiece, particularly towards the end of "Atomic Heels" when the guitar swells into a heady collage of distorted chords.

Subtly the pace slows on Secret Machines and "Now You're Gone" opens with a fragile timbre and vocal effects that are completely mesmerizing. Steadied by seamless percussion the song glides into a dizzied oscillation of vox and guitar; it’s a near criminal listen.

Secret Machines retain their big beats, swooshing basslines, and resolute vocals; but the also charge on and inject noise, layer guitars, and mount thunderous soundscapes. A winning combination that results in a record that couldn’t be more aptly named: Secret Machines.

Secret Machines- Atomic Heels

-School of Seven Bells-- Alpinisms-

And speaking of Secret Machines (see above)...the band's former songwriter and lead guitarist Benjamin Curtis teamed with sisters Claudia and Alejandra Deheza to form the ambient-experimental trio School of Seven Bells. The band is set to release their first album together: Alpinisms on October 28th (Ghostly International).

The group settled on their name in a somewhat peculiar way which you can read about here. While undoubtedly an electronic band, their music isn't of the nnttzz-nnttzz techno beat variety. Instead it has a much more calming and at times cathartic vibe.

The School of Seven Bells accomplishes stunningly dense layers of sound. Though the use of a drum machine doesn't enhance the music in any way, the songs are dripping with plenty of other aural distractions. The sister's lofty harmonies are so well-matched that it almost sounds as if it's one vocal on loop. The vocals are nothing short of beautiful, and when mixed with bits of dirty guitar and dark snyth, it makes for a grand combination of sound that is both divine and sinister.

School of Seven Bells- Connjur

-The Panics-- Cruel Guards-

Cruel Guards the latest record from the five-piece Aussie band The Panics. Overseas, the album has received many accolades and propelled the band into popular frenzy. Almost a year after its Australian debut, the album comes stateside October 7th.

Despite solid efforts on thier previous albums, The Panics remained largely under-the-radar. Cruel Guards shows a band with a sharpened métier and expanded sound; undoubtedly The Panics best work to-date.

Through his charmingly nasally vocals, Jae Laffer delivers poignant lyrics. And the instrumental interplay is most impressive. Cruel Guards is an ensemble of lush guitar partnered with plain-stated piano, and whimsical horns/strings moderated by rhythmic percussion. Never does it seem that any one piece crowds out the others.

Grabbing from a myriad of influences: everything from Motown to Gothic rock, it's a challenge to categorize the sound of Cruel Guards. It's as much a soft rock album as it is a pop record. So while cliché labels might not be able to define Cruel Guards, one thing is certain: the record is well-crafted.

Perhaps a little too well...

The album's biggest flaw is its overdone and cloying production. Tracks that should be intense, never seem to reach the fervor that's expected with such intimate and distressing topics. In the pursuit of perfection, the band loses its believability and the music becomes terribly lackluster. But even with its faults there is plenty to enjoy about Cruel Guards, and it will be interesting to see how The Panics are received in the US.

The Panics- Get Us Home

-Parts & Labor-- Receiver-

Who doesn’t love a little fan participation? This past spring Parts & Labor asked fans to contribute samples and sounds; noises that will be included on the band’s upcoming disc: Receiver (clever, huh).

Dan Friel (keys and vocals) along with BJ Warshaw (bass) have long been at the helm of Parts & Labor, cranking out shifty electro-infused noise rock.“Nowhere’s Nigh” hints at the band’s lean toward a more accessible pop sound- perhaps the result of contributions from new band members Joe Wong (drums) and Sarah Lipstate (lead guitar).

While the Brooklyn based band has been tight-lipped about the new album, it is due out October 21 on Jagjaguwar and definitely one to look forward to.

Parts & Labor- Nowheres Nigh

-Talkdemonic-- Eyes at Half Mast-

An instrumental duo that’s known for pioneering the ‘folktronic’ sound, Talkdemonic improves their genre-fusing techniques on recently released Eyes at Half Mast.

The band’s work has garnered tags such as: ethereal, mesmerizing, and has even been lauded as ‘the music of dreams’. Eyes at Half Mast takes a cunning step forward as Talkdemonic change focus from creating perfectly blended ensembles and instead opt for highlighting some of unique contrasts between instruments.

The tracklist is stacked with songs are as inspired as they are diverse. “Shattered Into Dyes” is a mélange of high energy garage percussion and bright viola. Later the terrain gets rattled with snip-its of bleep-y synth on the otherwise uniform “Dim Sky”. Eyes at Half Mast is a clever amalgam of orchestral instruments, electronic tones, and tight drumming. It’s a solidly entertaining album, and once again confirms Talkdemonic’s ability to pair unlikely partners.

Talkdemonic- March Movement

-Blitzen Trapper-- Furr-

Claiming albums as ‘favorites’ is always a tricky business. They can go from being the only thing worth spinning to being completely intolerable in less than a week. So, it’s with a heavy helping of hesitation that I offer up my ‘favorite’ (well, at least my favorite this week)…

Blitzen Trapper’s 4th album Furr is set for release on September 23rd (Sub Pop). Like its predecessors Furr spans the folk rock gamut with everything from lively jives to relaxed lullabies. Certainly, Blitzen Trapper has grown and perfected their sound, but it’s perhaps the immaculate cohesion of Furr that sets it apart.

Thematically and musically, the songs on Furr coalesce to achieve an album that effortlessly swells and tightens. Furr offers a refreshingly creative approach to life’s points of dissonance: youth vs. maturity, wild vs. civilized, roaming vs. settling. The lyrics weave stories of adventure and odyssey, worn boots and dusty trails- things from a different time. Or are they? Leave it to Blitzen Trapper to transform the seemingly irrelevant into something wholly relatable and reflective.

I once read somewhere that Blitzen Trapper was one of the hardest working bands around. If a cohesive, innovative, soulful, and stunning set of songs translates into hard work then I completely agree. Furr deserves the ‘favorite’ stamp, and it will easily outlast the week.

Blitzen Trapper- Black River Killer

-The M's-- Real Close Ones-

With their sophomore release Future Women, The M's earned both fans and notice. Their craft even drew comparisons to such heavy hitters as The Kinks, T.Rex, and The Beatles. However, on their subsequent release Real Close Ones The M's took a giant leap away from their previous success and sound. Straying from their cool riffs and easy melodies The M's churn out a messy assemblage of everything from bossy guitars to tedious acoustics.

The first track "Big Sound" stands and delivers exactly what the title implies: pounding piano, blaring trumpet, and urgent vocals. It radiates a hazy fuzz which gives it something of a nostalgic feel. Fans of The M's previous albums will be quick to climb back in bed with this one; unfortunately the same cannot be said for the remainder of Real Close Ones.

"Breakfast Score" provides some serious brass action, but its soggy vocals are distracting to the point that listeners would have just been better off skipping breakfast. The muddied dream pop number "Pigs Fly" suffers at the hand of a boring, drawn out riff. Incidentally, dullness is a recurring theme on the next 5 songs. And it’s particularly obvious when lead singer Josh Chicoine, flatly drones on "don't be late". Mmmkay.

"Get Your Shit Together" is some damn good advice that The M's would do well to put to practice. But instead, Real Close Ones continues on as mixed bag of songs sampling from random music genres. Like the creepy circus styling of "Naked"; a song further plagued by lyrics that wouldn't even amuse a horny teenager.

A glint of redemption does come through on "Impossible View" and the first half of "Bros In Arms" (the second half is absurdly repetitive). On these tracks The M's reintroduce the fuzz, add some beefy bass, and kick up the tempo. Regrettably the energy surge is short lived and the album closes with a couple perfunctory twang-y tunes.

It’s hard to decide if The M’s overshot or fell short, but either way Real Close Ones definitely missed the mark. The disjointed aural experiment that is Real Close Ones certainly doesn’t match the esteem of its predecessors. The album does however hint at the band’s desire to explore unfamiliar territory and hopefully The M’s can get it right on their next try.

The M's MySpace Page

-The Purpose-

What am I going to do with this?

I am going to review MUSIC. Preferably the MOST current albums of SEMI obscure or LOCAL bands. Possibly concerts that I attend. Perhaps some musings on BANDS that I like.

Who is going to read this?

Ideally well-informed musicheads and industry people that will scoop me up and start giving me paycheck for all my brilliance. Likely my friends and family. Maybe no one.

What kinds of information will I be posting?

Objective and subjective thoughts about music. Nothing too technical, flowery, or obtuse.

Why am I doing this?

A. Because there is an ass-ton of ridiculously awesome music in the world that isn't exactly made accessible to the average person (read: non-music obsessed).

B. Because I *think* my ideal job would be reviewing/critiquing music and I need some experience and examples of my work.

Who am I doing this for?

A. People who are wanting/willing to expand their music preferences/knowledge, people that wish to support the Minneapolis music 'scene', people that need to read just one more blog about music.

B. Me.

How often am I going to be posting and adding information?

Hopefully everyday. Probably every other day. Definitely 3 times a week.