January 17, 2008 Music » Sound Advice

Black Mountain, The Magnetic Fields, moe.

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click to enlarge Black Mountain - - In the Future Jagjaguwar / Release - date: Jan. 22 Sounds like: Bong - water not included - - Short take: The Mountain rises again - - Turn down the lights, plug in your headphones and fire - up whatever you got, because psych-folk act Black - Mountain is back with its second album, In the - Future, designed as a soundtrack to the center of - your mind. Similar to the psychedelic sounds explored - on the band's underrated 2005 self-titled debut, the new - disc has plenty of guitar jams ("Queens Will Play"), - oddball tracks ("Evil Ways") and acoustic anthems ("Stay - Free"). However, all you need is the epic "Bright Lights." - While the other nine songs can get tedious, this 16- - plus-minute offering is the keeper of the bunch. - Somewhere, Syd Barrett is laughing about the daydream- - esque track that includes memorable guitar melodies, - bagpipe-like effects, blissful moments of aural - transcendence and menacing feel underneath it all. - John Benson
  • Black Mountain

    In the Future
    Jagjaguwar / Release date: Jan. 22
    Sounds like: Bong water not included

    Short take: The Mountain rises again

    Turn down the lights, plug in your headphones and fire up whatever you got, because psych-folk act Black Mountain is back with its second album, In the Future, designed as a soundtrack to the center of your mind. Similar to the psychedelic sounds explored on the band's underrated 2005 self-titled debut, the new disc has plenty of guitar jams ("Queens Will Play"), oddball tracks ("Evil Ways") and acoustic anthems ("Stay Free"). However, all you need is the epic "Bright Lights." While the other nine songs can get tedious, this 16- plus-minute offering is the keeper of the bunch. Somewhere, Syd Barrett is laughing about the daydream- esque track that includes memorable guitar melodies, bagpipe-like effects, blissful moments of aural transcendence and menacing feel underneath it all. John Benson

click to enlarge The Magnetic Fields - - Distortion Nonesuch - Sounds like: A bookish Jesus and - Mary Chain - - Short take: Merritt's lyrics are what's magnetic - - Stephin Merritt has proven on many an album that - through the sheer dint of deadpan poetry his lyrics are - both risible and wrenchingly sad any musical genre - can be conquered. On Distortion, he's set out to - outdo noise bands, and the results are actually better - than expected. Maybe that's because Merritt is joined - vocally by Shirley Simms, whose light soprano voice - sounds just as welcome amid the distortion as Merritt's - own lethargic delivery does. But, then again, it's really - the lyrics hilariously grim, speaking for all the shit- - grinning wallflowers ever dragged to parties that save - the band here. The moral here: The Magnetic Fields' - music can change as much as Merritt's muse warrants. - As long as he keeps writing the words to that music, his - fans will have a friend in song. Matt - Martin
  • The Magnetic Fields

    Distortion
    Nonesuch
    Sounds like: A bookish Jesus and Mary Chain

    Short take: Merritt's lyrics are what's magnetic

    Stephin Merritt has proven on many an album that through the sheer dint of deadpan poetry his lyrics are both risible and wrenchingly sad any musical genre can be conquered. On Distortion, he's set out to outdo noise bands, and the results are actually better than expected. Maybe that's because Merritt is joined vocally by Shirley Simms, whose light soprano voice sounds just as welcome amid the distortion as Merritt's own lethargic delivery does. But, then again, it's really the lyrics hilariously grim, speaking for all the shit- grinning wallflowers ever dragged to parties that save the band here. The moral here: The Magnetic Fields' music can change as much as Merritt's muse warrants. As long as he keeps writing the words to that music, his fans will have a friend in song. Matt Martin

click to enlarge moe. - - Sticks and Stones Fatboy / Release - date: Jan. 22 Sounds like: - Redefining a jam-friendly vibe - - Short take: Keen songwriting wins out over - improv-fueled jams - - Ah, studio albums from jam bands. Often, these - represent obligatory attempts to update catalogs with - the music that's already defined years of live sets. No - one knows this better than fans of moe., yet this time is - different, with Sticks and Stones featuring - unreleased (read: not played live) new tunes. What's - interesting is how perception changes after first hearing - the songs in studio form (instead of extended live - version). While the roots vibe is omnipresent, especially - on the jangly "Cathedral," a change of pace is discernible - on the Stones-y "All Roads Lead to Home" and the '70s - classic rock-inspired title track. No broken bones here - for moe. fans, who will have the added fun of hearing - how the band reinterprets the material live. - John Benson
  • moe.

    Sticks and Stones
    Fatboy / Release date: Jan. 22
    Sounds like: Redefining a jam-friendly vibe

    Short take: Keen songwriting wins out over improv-fueled jams

    Ah, studio albums from jam bands. Often, these represent obligatory attempts to update catalogs with the music that's already defined years of live sets. No one knows this better than fans of moe., yet this time is different, with Sticks and Stones featuring unreleased (read: not played live) new tunes. What's interesting is how perception changes after first hearing the songs in studio form (instead of extended live version). While the roots vibe is omnipresent, especially on the jangly "Cathedral," a change of pace is discernible on the Stones-y "All Roads Lead to Home" and the '70s classic rock-inspired title track. No broken bones here for moe. fans, who will have the added fun of hearing how the band reinterprets the material live. John Benson

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