Excellently esoteric Canucks return with their sophomore effort- but will it please as much as 2006's Top 10-reaching 'Return To The Sea'?



Pros:

• When they want to, they can still make seemingly off-kilter numbers into major crowd pleasers. For example....
• Creeper is weird, but great. Particularly the middle section.
• There's a strange funky, Stevie Wonder thing going on in some parts. And a strange pirate-y feel with some of the tenor-sax. Which is good. (I don't really know what I mean by pirate-y, that's just what I hear. Am I crazy? Maybe...).
  
• Nick Diamonds still knows how to write a pop song, which is commendable.
• The epic madness of Vertigo is really excellent.
  
• Kudos has to be given to the character of the whole thing.

Cons:

• The strings are pretty consistently poor. The two violin players seem to be content with (and at times quite excited about) playing the most bloody obvious thing they could possibly play. Opening track The Arm is a particular offender. The song's hook is on strings, and is so clichéd it makes me want to immediately skip the track.
• It appears that Diamonds has pushed his quest for choruses too far, with some songs being ruined by the presence of a segment whose only purpose is repetition (Pieces of You). And it sticks out like a sore thumb.
• Much as it's a shitty thing to compare new albums to old, this album really suffers from the lack of a Where There's a Will There's a Whalebone or a Rough Gem.
• Filler filler filler filler. There's quite a bit.
  

Not quite a great follow up. In fact, I can't help but be disappointed. It appears that maybe the band's focus as a unit may have lost some of the crazy eclecticism that made their previous album such a delight. There's still whispers of greatness though, so hopefully the kinks will be ironed out for album three.


Listen:

Pieces of You


Click for mp3

Islands on myspace

continue reading>>

I am quite the Islands fan, despite my reservations about their live show, so I'm looking forward to hearing their new album, Arms Way. Here's a taster of what to expect when it's released on May 20th.

Creeper is a pretty nifty tune which I remember favorably from the gig. Love the use of the (still have this problem) tenor sax (?).



Click for mp3

The Arm is slightly more traditional Islands fare, the verses containing the kind of piano playing that helped make Return to the Sea so great. Not sure about the hook though, it's a bit corny for me. Sounds like the theme for Eldorado, whatever that is.



Click for mp3

Thanks to Music For Kids Who Can't Read Good

continue reading>>

Islands are gearing up to go on tour to promote their new album Arm's Way out May 20 through Anti Records (pictured isnt it pretty) they will be dragging crayonsmith along for 14 gigs across the USA this June.

Tracklisting for Arm's Way
Arm's Way:
01 The Arm
02 Pieces of You
03 J'aime Vous Voir Quitter
04 Abominable Snow
05 Creeper
06 Kids Don't Know Shit
07 Life In Jail
08 In the Rushes
09 We Swim
10 To a Bond
11 I Feel Evil Creeping In
12 Vertigo (If It's a Crime)

gig details in the read more

Islands with crayonsmith support
June 12th: Neumos, Seattle, WA
June 13th: Hawthorne, Portland, OR
June 14th: Indigo District, Eugene, OR
June 16th: Bimbo's, San Francisco, CA
June 17th: Henry Fonda Theater, LA, CA
June 18th: Epicentre , San Diego, CA
June 20th: Club Congress, Tucson, AZ
June 21st: Club House, Phoenix, AZ
June 23rd: Emo's, Austin, TX
June 24th: Granada, Dallas, TX
June 25th: Walter’s, Houston, TX
June 26th: Tipitinas, New Orleans, LA
June 27th: Masquerade, Atlanta, GA
June 28th: Venue TBA, Chapel Hill

Upcoming Crayonsmith gigs in Ireland
April 10th: Dolan’s Upstairs, Limerick (Guests: Bats)
April 11th: The Whiskey, Cork (Guests: Private Underground Residence)
April 12th: Roisín Dubh, Galway (Guests to Fight Like Apes)
April 16th: The Limelight, Belfast (w/ Two Door Cinema Club)
April 19th: The Academy, Dublin(Guests: Cap Pas Cap & Bats)
April 26th: Andrew’s Lane Theatre, Dublin (Guests to Why?)

"Creeper" by Islands (preview)


The Arm by Islands (preview)

continue reading>>

Crayonsmiths album 'White Wonder' is on sale tomorrow (4/april) and to celebrate this the lads are playin a gig in the Roisin Dubh in Galway with Kilcoole's finest instrumentalists ENEMIES tonight (3/april). The gig is free in and if your near you should totally go.

Tomorrow Crayonsmith play an instore in Tower Records, Wicklow St Dublin tomorrow at 6pm.This will be followed by a short set in the Sugar Club as part of an IMRO showcase.

Also they have just been asked to support ISLANDS on there US tour , great news for the lads , the tour will be a 2 - 6 weeks affair.

continue reading>>

When Eels played at Oxegen in 2006, the audience was presented with thrashy versions of delicate pop songs, and a security guard performing dance & kung-fu moves on stage for the duration of the show. My disbelief was summed up perfectly at the time by Bob: "I've never seen a band perform with such contempt for their own fans".

In an eerie foreshadowing of things to come, Eels 'Beautiful Freak' was playing over the PA when I arrived at Whelans last night to watch Islands. While their performance did not reach the lows of Eels Oxegen set, it was clear from the beginning who Islands were out to please- themselves.

Continues after the jump..

After a prolonged delay in taking the stage, the band finally appeared and started off with a slow, quiet number which had much of the (fairly substantial) crowd heading to the bar. This unknown quiet opener was followed by an instrumental track, and then a new song. It was an uphill struggle for the band. They needed to start winning over the crowd- but with tracks such as Rough Gem & Where There's a Will, There's a Whalebone in their repertoire, this should not have been a problem.

When the horn playing started (I think it was a bass clarinet), things started looking up. The band cracked out a sort of rag-time number that did something towards getting the crowd behind them. Finally, five or six songs in we hear a song from their album, Return to the Sea (their only record, might I add. The new album isn't out til April). It's one that could be considered filler, but at least we're on the right track. Then, rather than build on this momentum, one gets the feeling of 'that should hold em for a while' as the band lash in to another run of new and obscure material.

Some of the crowd are visibly disappointed, the bulk of the revelers being more mopey than jumpy. The band are clearly saving all their crowd-pleasers for the end of the show. The entire performance must be building towards an inspired crescendo.

Then singer, Nick Diamonds announces that the next song will be the band's last.

What??

I, like others, am not impressed. Diamonds notices this. "You know we'll really be playing more, right", he offers. "You'd want to be..", the crowd collectively mumbles. "Play Whalebone!", begs one punter. Diamonds' response: "Yeh... maybe".

Sensing the discontent, Islands play Don't call me Whitney, Bobby, one of the album's more popular offerings, raising some hopes for the encore- but after their minute or two offstage, the band return with another unheard track- so quiet that Diamonds takes it upon himself to shush the crowd. They finish with Return to the Sea's nine-and-a-half-minute opener, Swans, but they've already lost me.

What's the problem with giving the people what they want? I'm reminded of Radiohead's brief stint of refusing to play Creep, but (a) I sincerely doubt Islands have had as many requests for their popular songs, and (b) Radiohead had a huge back-catalog of material to chose from- Islands have one album.

I left the show with a bitter taste in my mouth. When I first heard Return to the Sea in 2006, I was resigned to the fact that I'd more than likely never see these amazing songs live. Unfortunately, even after seeing the band play.. that still seems to be the case.

continue reading>>

The super-amazing Islands are playing in Whelans tonight, and I shall be there, bells et al.

Here's the band performing 'Where There's A Will There's A Whalebone' in Ontario with help from Cadence Weapon & Busdriver:

continue reading>>

egoeccentric has been longlisted in the Best Popculture category for the Irish Blog Awards- Woo Hoo! The full (and intimidatingly good) longlist can be viewed here.

Thanks to everyone who voted for us, we shall duely respond with a sweet-tastic mix-tape by the end of the day, but until then enjoy this manically happy track by Islands (who shall soon play Whelans). Tis called 'Rough Gem':

continue reading>>

Yummy Canadian pop-allsorts 'Islands' have announced a Dublin show. This is good news, because:

(a) They are quite excellent

(b) They released one of the best albums of 2006.

and
(c) I really never expected to get to see them live.

The band play Whelans on Monday February 18th. Tickets are 16.65 and are available here now.

Heres them doing a Take-Away show for Blogotheque:

13.1 - ISLANDS - Don't call me...
Uploaded by lablogotheque

And here's the kickass 'Where There's A Will, There's A Whalebone':



Click for mp3

continue reading>>

Albums Of The Year: 2006

Having not been able to stop listening to 'The Flying Club Cup', and knowing that it'll more than likely be on my end of year honors list, I figured I'd do a recap of last year's top albums.

Here they are (in order):

10. ISLANDS- 'Return To The Sea'

This album is a total gem- any band that can make a chirpy feel-good pop song about conflict diamonds deserves credit.
There are at least four standout tracks on 'Return To The Sea', ranging in style from recorder led pop, to dark rap-rock, to the downright unclassifiable.

Listen:
Where There's A Will There's A Whalebone





9. Arctic Monkeys- Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not'

Saw what you will about the Arctic Monkeys, the fact that this album is packed to the brim with smart, catchy & edgy pop songs is undeniable. This record stayed in my stereo for months after it came out.

Listen:

The View From The Afternoon



8. Yeah Yeah Yeahs- 'Show Your Bones'

I'm truly a shameless pop whore. My criterion for good music include pop-sensibilities as an essential. Yeah Yeah Yeahs took the character and visceral energy of their debut and to this added the pop that I so love. 'Show Your Bones' was the result, and damn was it good.

Listen:

Cheated Hearts



7. Final Fantasy- He Poos Clouds

Apart from having the album name of the year, 'He Poos Clouds' has a handful of beautiful and disturbing tracks (each based on one of the different schools of magic in Dungeons & Dragons- nerds rock!). On this (his second album) Owen Pallett wrote each piece for a string quartet, resulting in a deeper, fuller album that it's predecessor 'Has A Good Home'.

Listen:

This Lamb Sells Condos




6. Fujiya & Miyagi- 'Transparent Things'


This genre-bending album from the Brighton three-piece is the best electro-funk-indie-chillout-dance album I've ever heard.
Enough said.


Listen:

Photocopier







5. Cansei De Ser Sexy- 'CSS'

Every once in a while an album comes along that is destined to become a staple of parties everywhere (Thriller, As Heard On Radio, Danse Macabre, Crossroad..), CSS is such an album.
It's as dancy as it is rocky, and it has eleven tracks of non-stop wholesome goodness- no fast forwarding needed.

Listen:

Off The Hook




4. Red Hot Chili Peppers- 'Stadium Arcadium'

It's often said about this album, but this is a band on the top of their game. To produce an (almost) flawless two disc album at this stage in their career says only one thing: the Chilis are in this for the long haul. This collection has nods to their earlier 'funky monk' stage (Animal Bar, Storm In A Teacup), the standout hit singles the band have become known for (Dani California, Tell Me Baby) and a handful of songs on which the band digress from the formula to tread relatively new ground. For me, it was this latter category which proved most rewarding. Tracks like '21st Century' and 'Strip My Mind' promise a lot from what I hope will be a very long future for the Chili Peppers.
As long as they don't get Navarro back.

Listen:

Strip My Mind


3. TV On The Radio- 'Return To Cookie Mountain'

To hear an album full of as many original ideas as 'Cookie Mountain' is a rare and precious thing. From the arrangement to the production, TVOTR have painted a wild and vivid picture that sucks you in from the get-go. It's hard to pick a highlight, as different songs seem to resonate with different moods, but as a lead single and a first plunge into the world of TVOTR you could do much worse than the thumping, howling 'Wolf Like Me'.

Listen:

Wolf Like Me


2. Joanna Newsom- 'Ys'

'Ys' could be a folk opus; it could be a classical suite; it could be an epic poem. It is certainly unique, and it is certainly a overpowering masterpiece. These five tracks are woven tight with layer upon intricate layer of strings composed by the legendary Van Dyke Parks, held together by Newsom's precise plucking of harp strings, and a voice so much more mature than on her previous effort. I can honestly see this album being studied in years to come, or being sought out on vinyl and played with the reverence that's right now reserved for the likes of 'Dark Side'. An absolute classic.

Listen:

Cosmia


1. Cursive- 'Happy Hollow'

With 'Happy Hollow' Cursive have delivered everything that you could possibly want in an album. The concept allows for Tim Kasher's lyrics to explore small town ignorances and hypocrisies through the most cutting and insightful compositions of his career. Reading these words alone sent shivers down my spine, only to be repeated tenfold when they were put to music. From the first passionately urgent chord, Cursive have the listener is in the palm of their hand. Personally, I must admit I wondered where the band would go after the departure of Cellist Gretta Cohn. She had without a doubt contributed to the dynamic of the fantastic 'The Ugly Organ' and I worried about hole she would leave. Fortunately that hole has been plugged with passion, Wizard Of Oz fueled dementia, distortion and a messed-up brass section. Oh, and when this record rocks it fucking rocks. If you don't already own this, get on it.

Listen:

Dorothy At Forty

Notable Mentions:

Knife: 'Silent Shout'; Broken Social Scene: 'Broken Social Scene'....more? Probably....

Click here for 2007 albums of the year list

continue reading>>