Model/Actriz : "Pirouette"

 

The first song made me Google

"Is Jamie Stewert from Xiu Xiu in Model/ Actriz??

No, it turns out Colde Haden is doing his best impersonation. This album was released in May, and there has been some confusion among listeners who mistakenly believe it is industrial music. That would make Xiu Xiu industrial music, and we know that is not true, though they have some post-punk influence. This project has the frantic energy of youth, but that does not change the fact that it is more anxious indie rock with noise tendencies. It's fun and dancey without being pop music, but that does not make it industrial. 

For the song "Poppy," which might be about the singer, but it's more chaotic and tense, but not dark or dystopian. I prefer what was going on in the first two songs. "Diva' finds the ebb and flow of tension moving with more tension, and it comes closer to Nine Inch Nails' more experimental moments, it's electronic-based but not industrial. 'Acid Rain' comes closer to being a more conventional indie rock ballad. 

I like where they are going with "Departures." The vocal melody and interplay with the instrumentation have a great sense of movement, and the lyrics hold more purpose. "Audience" carries a clanging that comes within throwing distance of industrial. The vocals drop into more of a low murmur before his nervous vocal habits kick in. There is also more of a bang to "Ring Road" but it drones on and is kind of boring. I like where the first half of this album was going before noise became the forefront. Electronics race away with "Doves", the biggest takeaway being that the vocals play a bigger role. The last song just paces around sparse ambiance, and tries to weave a song from too little sound, leaving nothing for the vocals to work with. I will give this album an 8, these guys have potential and since I like Xiu Xiu there sound is going to appeal to me. 

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Model/Actriz : "Dogsbody"

This band out of Brooklyn released their new album out back in February, but this is the time of year when I catch up on this sort of thing, being the post-punk I missed out . Their overall sound sound  reminds me of a harder hitting Xiu Xiu. They carry an abrasive clanging to the post-industrial beats. The opening track makes it hard to tell what direction they are going in from here. Then the second song veers into a more frantic lo-fi indie take on post-punk. Vocalist Cole Haden, mutters the lyrics with desperation. "Crossing Guard" keeps the emotional tension going, but the more overt electronic nature, gives it the drone of dance music. Judging by the lyrics and the way they are emoted at the very least Cole might be gay. I appreciate the fact they are not trying to market themselves as a queer band and are just making music. 

While "Crossing Guard " and "Slate " felt like they ran together to become one song. "Divers" switches the mood to become a more distinct entity. It has a more minimalist ambiance, that focuses on a sound more than being a song. "Amaranth" carries a more noise fringed catharsis. Things are more intense and the vocals have a purpose, but it continues to find the band toying with experimental sounds, rather than writing songs that are a compelling listen.  "Pure Mode" has more form and function as it explodes and contracts, into something unnerved that still makes sense with it's aggressive underpinnings. Lyrically it is a little more obtuse, I can appreciate the parts where he is screaming as it feels heartfelt. 

Things continue down a helter skelter path of angular sounds bouncing toward your ears on "Maria". The vocals seem like they are a part of a different song than what is going on here. I can see the hushed approach they take on "Sleepless" matching the lyrical content of the song. The last song is stripped down and almost indie folk , which is a stark contrast to the bulk of the album, though it proves they can write a song when they put their mind to it. I will give this album a 7.5, it works for what it is, I do not really need what it is since I already listen to Xiu Xiu and the coat of industrial noise they throw over it is not dark enough for my personal tastes, but younger audiences perhaps not as savvy to this might find it more pleasing, so the score is based on the merit of the art.