The concerts are coming! The concerts are coming!

Yes, boys and girls, the concerts are coming. It's that time of year again when all of the best bands decide to play in Philly within the same two months as eachother. It's phenomenal really. Something about fall in the city...

And so it goes.

September 26: Sunset Rubdown @ First Unitarian Church
September 28: Mates of State w/The Starlight Mints @ Starlight Ballroom
September 30: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! w/Architecture in Helsinki @ The Trocadero
October 5: Ratatat @ Khyber
October 7: Secret Machines @ The TLA
October 7&8: Built to Spill w/Camper Van Beethoven @ The Trocadero
October 11: South @ Khyber
October 11: Islands @ The TLA
October 13: Minus the Bear @ The Trocadero
October 19: Ben Kweller @ The Electric Factory
October 20: Art Brut w/Spinto Band @ Starlight Ballroom
October 21: TV on the Radio @ Starlight Ballroom
October 23: The Killers @ The Electric Factory
October 24: Tilly and the Wall @ Starlight Ballroom
October 27: The Wrens @ First Unitarian Church
November 9: Broken Social Scene @ The Electric Factory
November 24&25: G. Love & Special Sauce @ The Electric Factory

The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers

The debut album from musicians making anything but their debut. This is one of those cases of bands making eyes at eachother from across the smoky piano bar of modern rock. This is a union, not out of necessity, not out of ennui, but out of love. Brendan Benson and The Greenhornes have been close to Jack White's heart and musical barometer (redundant?) for an indefinite amount of time. They seem to accurately temper the variety of Jack's bravado with The Greenhornes bringing the balls and Brendan bringing the brains. And me bringing the alliteration.
I would call this collaboration something of an all-star team, but Jack White is the only one really bringing the star quality. Who else brings the star caliber is...debatable. And since this is a fairly solo effort, I'll save the debate for the humans.

The one clear fact in this union is Jack White is in control. That is not to say he is the most talented (also not to say he isn't). Jack White would be the alpha male in a pack of wolves; it's just who he is. Don't let the fact that he's always standing in the back of pictures fool you, it's quite intentional. He is literally always in the back of Raconteur band photos. But whether he surrounds himself with talentless bit players (sorry Meg) or talented musicians, they are all but pawns in his neverending chess game with...um..God? And this fact bodes well for this review, dear reader, because I fancy myself something of a Jack White expert.

Steady, as She Goes
Ha, see? Isn't it obvious that Jack's in control? This is exactly how Jack White starts an album. This song is awesome. A roaring start to an album that could go in any direction. He even throws in a lyric from a Stripes' song ("had too much to think" - Ashtray Heart) which may seem inconsequential to your av-erage bear but I like to think it's a little nod to his fans that he's got things under control. Steady as she goes, indeed.
Hands
Now it's Brendan's turn. He croons in sounding a lot like Jack White on some perks or otherwise euphoric. My theory is that's why Jack likes Brendan in the first place. This song is a perfect pick for number two because it really sets off the duality of the band coming down from Jack's high throttle tendencies, and meandering a bit in the style of its vocalist. By the end of this track, I don't want to say you know where the album's going, but you've got a pretty good idea of the route it will take.
Broken Boy Soldier
This is the track that really ensures me that Jack is in control. He's never strayed far from childish themes. Family, school, toys, candy, Christmas, the White Stripes' logo is a peppermint swirl for chrissake. And the fact that this track shares the name of the album (almost) is all the proof I need. But what really makes this track is the percussion. The persistent beat and those crazy cymbals breathe life into this broken toy soldier.
Intimate Secretary
This song baffles me. And what really baffles me is that it seems like it's supposed to baffle me, and that just baffles me more. What should be the chorus of this song are more like verses and what should be the verses of this song are a lot more like choruses. The lyrics make very little sense. And the whole song's over before it really goes anywhere. By all rights I should hate this song. But I don't. Hm.
Together
Now this song I get. This is a love song. This is what Brendan brings to the table. His gentle warble is the perfect medium for such beautiful lyrics. He could have done this song without The Raconteurs, sure, but I'll be goddamned if there's anything that could have given the same bend that Jack's back-up vocals add to this track. His sincere desperation tweaks the sensitive lullaby into this altogether new, altogether wonderful manifestation. Surely, it's better together.
Level
This is a filler track. A great filler track, don't get me wrong, but a filler track. It doesn't rock too much, it doesn't roll too much, and luckily it's not very long. If it was about a minute longer I'd get annoyed, but as it stands, it's a fine filler track.
Store Bought Bones
Also something of a filler, but this is what a filler track is supposed to be. An awesome chorus, a great hook, and a sweet solo. There's not much to this song, but it has rightfully earned a place on the album.
Yellow Sun
I think I might have turned off the album or at least tuned it out after the last two tracks the first time (or few times) I listened to it. I can't believe what a mistake that was. The last three tracks of this album are at least as good, if not better than the first three. There's not much variance in overall feel on this album, except for track 3 and this track. Without this track, I don't know that I would have ever listened to the end.
Call it a Day
There's only one word for this song. Smooth. This song is floating through the ocean. This song is laying in the clouds. This song is rubbing your aching back. Just close your eyes, lean back, and bliss out to three and a half minutes of the gentlest verses, the most hypnotic back-up vocals, and most simple and serene bass line you could want to hear. It's beautiful. And it is exactly where it belongs at the second to last track. You don't necessarily want anything after it, but I don't think you're in much of a fighting mood either.
Blue Veins
This might be my favorite album closer Jack has ever made. A simple blues song, but done right. And I hate to praise backing vocals so much, but The Raconteurs have certainly shown me exactly what backing vocals are there for. This album just made me stop taking them for granted, I suppose.

One more great track really would have helped this album. The middle of it just seems to drag out a bit longer than it needs to. "Together" is a great track, but it is not enough to support the other three and that's where the album loses credit.

My overall album rating: 8.5

The Rapture - Pieces of the People We Love

Let me preface this post by saying welcome. To those of you who care to know, this blog is for me. It is for me to explore the music going on in my head all day everyday. Sometimes I just don't have anybody around worth talking to music about, or just nobody who really cares. So, this is for me to talk to everyone and no one. This is for me to share with everybody and to keep to myself. This is for music. This is for you. This is for me.

Let me also say that despite this first, and only post to base any sort of presumptions on, this blogs main function will not be to review albums. That is not to say I won't be reviewing albums. Obviously. That is not to say that most of my posts won't be reviews. Because really. Who knows. My point is, this is for me to express my feelings on the music presently besieging my delicate sensibilities. Also, apparently some labels send shiny new demos to bloggers of my like. So cheers.

The Rapture - Pieces of the People We Love

It has been about three years since the release of the somewhat controversial Echoes. Now, I say controversial because after the release of "House of Jealous Lovers" in 2002, everybody was expecting something big. It's like when you're in a crowd of people and all of the sudden everybody starts running in the same direction. You're not quite sure if everybody's running to something or away, all you know is some shit is about to go down. You're not quite sure what it is, but you're excited; and if you have some sense, you're a little bit scared. Well, The Rapture didn't quite deliver the divine dance party they had all but promised. What they did was put out an album that was chock full of good stuff, just a bit messy. Now, I will never take anything away from tracks like "Echoes" or "Sister Saviour". Great, great tracks. I will, however, take away from tracks like "Heaven" and "Open Up Your Heart". When I'm playing this album, I will certainly belt out with the best of 'em on "Heaven" and true it is that I might even feel a little squishy when I hear those bittersweet vocals on the latter, but it's tracks like these that ruin albums. These are tracks that, if anything, should be either worked out a bit better or left for b-side tracks -- not quite good enough to be fillers, too downright weird to be anything else. Listening to Echoes can best be equated for me to having sex with someone who is really into it, but just doesn't quite understand the logistics of the practice. It's good, it's passionate, but it's a little confusing, unsettling, and generally just not what it could have been. A little more planning, a little more artistry, and for chrissake can we get a freaking back beat please? Okay, well maybe I'm getting away from the metaphor. Next paragraph.

Skip ahead 3 years. We find our young lovers a little bit older, a little bit wiser, and back in the studio. Let's see if our heroes have gotten a better feel for the motion of the ocean.

Don Gon Do It
Now this is the way to kick off an album. "Olio" was perhaps not a complete 180, but pretty close. It was a good start to what could have been a truly dynamite album. A slow, crescendoing, desperate plea that reaches into your soul and smacks it around a little bit as if to say, "pay attention, this is gonna be good." "Don Gon Do It" is a vibrant enticement as opposed to the sobering predecessor. This time The Rapture just wants you to put on your best shoes and head to the dance floor. Why wait to bust out the cowbells? And I, for one, would like to say, "thank you, The Rapture."
Pieces of the People We Love
When a band inserts the namesake into the track listing, it really says to me that this is to be the crux of the album. The reason it was made. Maybe not the climax, but certainly something worth dog-earring. On this album, "Pieces of the People We Love" serves as sort of a thesis statement for the rest of the tracks. Something to say this is what we're all about. Something to kind of show you what's coming. And it goes na na na na, na na na na, na na na na na na.
Get Myself Into It
Literally. They got you moving with track one, they laid out the itinerary in the second, so the only thing left is to "Get Myself Into It." Certainly a much thicker beat than the first two, still not quite to the levels of "House of Jealous Lovers", "Echoes", or "Out of the Races and Onto the Tracks". Not even close, really. But we're getting there. We're ready to throw it into first gear.
First Gear
So who got my little pun, huh? Good one, right? Well anyway, this is it. This is The Rapture we know and love. This is fun. This is groovy. This is so obsenely dancable that I'd suggest consulting a physician if some part of your body isn't moving listening to this track. But surely, this isn't it. Surely this track can't be the climax. For chrissake, IT'S ONLY FIRST GEAR PEOPLE! Onward.
The Devil
Immediately. And I mean immediately you know this is the track you've been waiting for. That throbbing bass, those squealing guitars, the savory synth hook. It's beautiful. It's everything The Rapture has proven it can do, and it couldn't have come at a better time in the album. Now this has got to be it, right? This has got to be the highest point on the album. Well if you like surprises I mean, I guess I can respect that, but just look at the next track. All I can say is onward.
Whoo! Alright - Yeah... Uh-Huh
Now a track name like this really doesn't leave a lot to the imagination. You pick up a Rapture CD, and you flip it over and read that, you know what to expect. Sadly, this was my one disappointment on the album. I really like the song, and I think it fits perfectly after "The Devil". Something to shake loose the willies. My complaint is they didn't let loose enough. This track is entirely too tame for such a thing to call it by. Still a good song though.
Calling Me
Finally The Rapture figured out how to tug at your heart strings without being completely ridiculous in the process. The first track of its kind for these guys that I feel is really a success. Definitely swayable to boot.
Down For So Long
This is the "Sister Saviour" of this album. Mattie Safer just brings such a different quality to the melodies than Jenner's exuberant swagger. And seriously, let's give it up to the percussion on this album. Vito really fills out the sound on this track especially, but the others as well. A giant leap from the messy, chaotic rhythms of "Echoes". Finally we've got the back beat to really sink our teeth into. Don't believe me? Just listen to the sound.
The Sound
Okay, I'm sorry. That wasn't nearly as good as the first gear one. But seriously, if you have any doubts about the improvement of this band, this track should really clear it up. This track has the same chaotic, messy feeling The Rapture seem to love so much, but it just flows. It's like being on one of those runaway mine car style roller coasters instead of actually being in a runaway mine car.
Live in Sunshine
This is it folks. Show's over. But what a way to go out. This track has style. It has class. It's got an uplifting quality that you might get listening to Screamadelica. You can just see the guys coming off the stage and dispersing into the crowd to make sure everybody in the audience knows exactly how much The Rapture really loves them. This is what a truly great album closer should be.


The thing about this album that excites me the most is the overall progression of their sound. The inspissation of the gaudy theatrics we have come to expect. Their potential was obvious. Three years ago, they were to be the new kings of dance punk, taking over where Radio 4 left off. Well boys, you're finally on your way. Once they figure out how to let loose with monsters like "House of Jealous Lovers" while still keeping the rest of the album up to snuff, they'll really be unstoppable.

My overall album rating (on a scale of 1-10): 8.9