Looking Back in Anger at The Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds"

Oddly, I was just defending the genius of Brian Wilson in a discussion on classic rock I was having with a friend a few days before Wilson's death. It's only fitting to review this album now.  "Wouldn't It Be Nice " works off the kind of harmonies and sunny pop melodies that are the band's trademark, though there is a 1966 feel to some of the instrumentation coloring the background. When I go back and listen to this album, it's funny how you can hear how it influenced so many artists that came after in how things sit in the mix. 

There is a more depressive undertone to "You Still Believe in Me". They do some pretty stunning things with the vocal arrangements here. Lyrically, "That's Not Me" continues to show the beach party has been over for some time as they are more introspective. "Don't Cry' continues to slow dance into melancholy, as the same exuberance that once possessed their songs has mellowed into something with more depth. They shift more toward their upbeat pop sound with "I'm Waiting For the Day". You can certainly hear their influence on indie rock here. 

"Sloop John B" might be the song that feels the most like the Beach Boys, in terms of where the vocals sit, despite being a folk song from the Bahamas that Wilson arranged and adapted. "God Only Knows" is a classic, and it makes sense that Brian was influenced by Burt Bacharach going into this album as much as he was by his LSD trip. There is a touch of rock to "I Know There's an Answer," but there is more tambourine on this album than drugs, decreasing its rock sensibilities. "I Wasn't Made For These Times" is the most oddly deprecating, making it one of the most unique songs in the lyrical tone, though the arrangement is odd as well. The title track is an instrumental that is experimental for who they were at this time.  "Caroline No" is a ballad that fits well with their overall persona. I will give this album a 10, it's way ahead of its time and bears a significant influence on music to come. 

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The Other Sun : "Daimon, Devil, Dawn"

 

This is the debut from this Swedish band that plays a mesmerizing blend of psyche rock run through the jangling wanderlust of the Wild West. The vocals are sedate and hover in the middle of the mix, at more than a murmured whisper but not quite a croon on the opening track. This Scandinavian take on the sounds of California in the 60s certainly sets itself apart. These guys all have backgrounds playing in metal bands, but that aggression is just a shadow of an undercurrent lurking in the subconsciousness of these songs, making them not much more metal than the Doors. There are a lot of guitar solos and that adds some fire to the proceedings, as well as the grittier rasp applied to the vocals when things climax, though it is not a metal growl. 

The more surf-rock side of the band does not break the surface until the second song. This song is inspired by a poem penned by Octavio Paz. Another example of their fascination with Western culture. Aside from spoken recitation of the excerpts of the poem the song is largely instrumental, though it is still an effective song. 'Black as Gold" features a wonderful reverbed-out guitar tone. The smoky baritone vocals sit back in the mix enveloped in the guitars. They serve more as texture than a focal point, This is clearly a guitar-centered album. When passages are phrased with the exotic chord voicing found here, that makes guitar-centered fine by me. 

"Lion Spell" is an ominous piece of neo-folk that marches across the same bleak forests as Death in June, with the wailing of the guitar solo that erupts as the only thing anchoring into a rock context. There is more of a Nick Cave-like swagger to "Horizon Between the Eyes". It rolls along with a rambling strum. The bass line carries a creeping feeling with it. Even with its cowboy sentiments, no one is going to mistake this for country music. 'Conjuring Other" finds the vocals reaching into a higher register as things grow in intensity, as the drums stir up thunder from under the guitars. Some more aggressive accents flirt in creating a more metallic attack. The guitar shifts enough for a harder rock mood to put its foot on the monitors in a manner that might invoke listeners to salute with devil horns. They hold you with that tension rather than indulging the release a metal band would give in to.  

The mood of "Pan" brings Orville Peck to mind, minus the homoerotic imagery the singer uses to further titillate his fan base. They are also less mainstream with their intentions and carry things to a darker place. Think Johnny Cash if he had been obsessed with HP Lovecraft. The last song which also features Erik from Beseech leading his voice carries a more staccato rock groove. However, the vocals do not come in until midway into the song as they leave room for some stellar guitar solos to be jammed up. The vocals are once again more spoken, as the guitars do most of the talking. I will give this one a 9, this is a great guitar album that could have shared the spotlight more with the vocals, but for what they are doing it is a great deal of gloomy fun. This is being released on July 23rd on Invictus Productions. 

 

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The Coathangers : " Nosebleed Weekend"

California vibes have smoothed out the more abrasive garage rock band that I once saw playing out in the parking lots of Little Five Points. Vocally they have really improved and the jangle of their guitars is not more in tune. Some of their rough around the edges punk riot grrrl comes across in "Dumb Baby". The play a squeaky toy on solo the pop tinged drive of "Squeeki Tiki". This song fusing the punk energy of the band in a more compelling manner than the previous song. The drums and bass hold a pretty decent groove here. Vocally they go for a brattier also childish mocking. "Excuse Me" is a shade darker. The guitar tone has a hollow smoothness before busting into the more scarping feedback of the abrupt punk sneer of the chorus. It shows a great deal of maturity on the part of the band to use the amount of restraint that exhibit in their song writing. The more Joan Jett grit of the vocals on "Make it Right" work well.

On the title track the band take a step back toward their older garage rock sound. The catchy chorus saves the song, which is more can be said of "Watch Your Back" that finds them in the pitchy more reckless style of vocals that owes more to punk, especially in how the vocals are layered. The regression continue as they relish their immature with the more child like cheer leading the vocals take on " Burn Me". The surf rock guitars are the song's saving grace. The verse riff is mixed a little to far back leaving the drums to carry most of the song. "I Don't Think So" find the garage rock intact but the 60's girl group styled vocal lending more substance. Lyrically they also mirror 60's pop, though obviously on songs like the title track the drug references are sometimes more subtle than others."Down Down" manages to take the punk aggressive streak and meld it with something of more depth. I prefer this to the more upbeat bubble gum they blow on "Hiya". "Had Enough" takes the sleazy grit of Hole and marries to the more genuine rock of grunge jangle. The backing vocals provide a cool variation and the chorus comes pretty close to rocking. There is a more Sonic Youth like quality to the flavor of indie rock they serve on "Copy Cat". A song about band's ripping off other bands, which is fairly common in the scene they were originally spawned from.

I'll go ahead and round this one up to a 9. I enjoyed it a lot more than anticipated going into this. California is treating them much better than Atlanta did, even though they were the critics darlings there. I think they are in an environment where there creative juices are allowed to flow with greater ease out west. If you are a fan of indie rock with a garage rock vibe then this album is a must for you. If you are a regular reader here then you know these gals are not close to what I typically listen to , but this is done in such a way that it draws me in unless they are acting like kids.

Genki Genki Panic : "Spooky Fingers"

To say this is straight up surf rock would be an exaggeration as it attack with a more metallic propulsion than Dick Dale or Link Wray, though both guitarists have been mentioned in talks regarding where did metal come from. Music aside I love the fact this project uses one of the screen from the game "Zombies Ate My Neighbors" as the background of their Bandcamp page. I once had a very diabolical experience playing that game on acid, so props for that. Horror is an inspiration for what they do, but an instrumental entitled " Two Girls, One Casket" is certainly clever it feels a little upbeat to be telling that story. Things get darker for "Desecration". The guitar is more atmospheric and adventurous taking on more of a solo in places. This is one of the albums strongest songs.

There is more of a "Wipe Out" shuffle to "Phantom III "37" for some reason the groove midway into this song reminds me of Secret Chiefs. It is a little more Twilight Zone like than the previous songs. They first riff I hear that is actually eeire is on the last song "When Bats Cry" it descends into something more rock n roll. Granted when it comes to creepy you are talking to someone who is an old goth from way back, so you better really bring the Halloween if you are gonna come at me like that bro. When you say horror around me, you have to realize the bar is raised pretty high. They might have Famous Monsters adorning the banner of there page, but I have heard plenty of records more steeped in horror than this one. I think that this band could benefit from the use of some Monster Mash like vocals to really connect to the horror if that is where there fiendish hearts truly lie. I appreciate where they are going with this and while this is not an album that is normally in my wheelhouse, I think they did an excellent job in pulling these songs off even if they didn't give me a chill, held my attention and entertained me. I'll give this one a 9.

Up From the Underground : Random Order's Black Lipstick Kiss

The what is goth and what isn't debate can go on endlessly. It ranges from Dead Can Dance to Marilyn Manson, neither of which sounds like the other. So there is a lot of diversity with in the genre.  I am not trying to build a case for this  Canadian band that mixes surf rock and tangos up like a martini, but that might appeal to the bat cave kids as their day time listening. Most Goths I know listen to the Cramps, and the   title track of Black Lipstick Kiss  comes to being rock a billy. They also summon up a steamy swing feel . Think f the Cherry Poppin Daddies  if they were fronted by Lords of Acid's singer.

Random Order's lead singer Lynx purrs and growls as much as she sings. Sure there is a ska bounce at times, but New Model Army gets pretty jovial at times too. Horns are normally a no no for me unless we are talking Morphine, but somehow the rest of the band distracts me from them and they do help add a coat of Vegas after dark sleaze. Siouxsie fans should especially take note. This eclectic array of styles gives a middle finger to genre rules. Often staccato flamenco guitar sets it up for a latin sweat, before being cooled off by Lynx's sultry alto. 

 This album strikes me as being more about the feeling these songs invoke. This is a perfect soundtrack for   David Lynch  to pay homage to 60's beach movies or Russ Meyer. It's dirty like the French Quarter and has a similar attitude as Concrete Blonde just less emphasis on vampires.The darkest song being "Black Heart" which would win most of you over, unless you never stray from your Death in June. "Excess or Rise" reminds me of the Devils Blood, in it's 70's groove and blues laden vocals. You can trust me in the fact that I hate music that is too happy, sure some of the ska moments might have too much skip in there step for me , it's balanced out by some cool reverb heavy guitar, old school Robert Smith might envy.

The imagery is darker than the music , but to be honest isn't Switchblade Symphony? This is very organic is every way shape and form, though you can still dance to it, not that your d.j is going to throw this in-between Skinny Puppy and Sisters of Mercy, it would work against Oingo Boingo or some Horror Pops.  So what we have learned today is your iPod is filled with others sounds spreading out from the dark gnarled branches of goth's family, particularly if you are a fan of the first wave and 80's variety, so Random Order would fit nice in your shuffle mode. Click below for a taste and I can ensure you , that you will want more from where this came from.