Dashboard Confessional – Dusk and Summer

Having been a fan of Chris Carrabba’s vehicle Dashboard Confessional since way back in the Swiss Army Romance days, my curiosity was more than piqued to check out his latest full-length effort Dusk And Summer; his first since 2003’s flawed but promising A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar. As with the vein established on A Mark, A Mission; Dashboard continues full steam ahead with the full-band sound they tried out to mediocre enough effect there. I’m happy to report that, on Dusk And Summer, Carrabba sounds more like he did on the fantastic Spider-Man 2 soundtrack piece “Vindicated,” as opposed to his still-getting-his-feet-wet feel of A Mark, A Mission.

I more than anyone am a stalwart for the old days of fully acoustic guitar based Dashboard Confessional records. All through his career, the style of Carrabba’s songs seemed fully intended, and most at home, on nothing more than an acoustic guitar. The simplicity and raw musicality just seemed like the only thing that could do them the right kind of justice; a simple medium for simple songs. But, on Dusk And Summer, a new Dashboard Confessional is to be found.

Over the three years since the release of the stumbling A Mark, A Mission, Carrabba has put together a stellar backing band, and has most importantly honed his abilities to write songs that can be fully, and best, realized with complete instrumentation. Coming from a mostly acoustic singer-songwriter, this is a remarkably realized full band effort; and turns out to be just as enjoyable, if not more enjoyable, than his older acoustic work.

This is the first record that truly stands as a testament that Chris Carrabba really is a talented musician and songwriter, as opposed to just that good looking emo poster boy that was the butt of jokes, and presumed to be enjoyed by only whiny, teenage kids looking for attention. Look no further than the fact that, on the track “So Long, So Long,” Carrabba shares the mic with none other than the Counting Crows’ Adam Duritz to see how far he has come from his emo niche days. If one of the most talented, respected songwriters in music today is willing to work with you, you’ve got to be doing something right. A hint of a more electric incarnation of the ‘Crows can even be felt to some degrees on this record, with the songwriting finally growing into the maturity that you always knew was there, but just below the surface.

As far as highlights go, the first single “Don’t Wait” gives a fairly superficial representation of what’s to be found here. Mid-to-up-tempo songs about the usual Dashboard fare of broken hearts and such, albeit with a bit more maturity. Interspersed among those you’ll find masterworks such as the aforementioned Duritz duet “So Long, So Long,” and the near-heart breaking acoustic title track ballad “Dusk And Summer.” It seems so that, with Dusk And Summer, Dashboard Confessional has found a title that turns out to be quite prophetic. The end of the day has come for the emo poster boy, and the new season is dawning for the respected, immensely talented songwriter that has been hiding in the dust there all along.

(Vagrant Records)

A Night with The Strokes

w/ Angels & Airwaves, The Subways
06.18.06 @ Lancashire CCC

Long before they take to the stage, former Blink 182 front man Tom DeLonge (pictured) and axeman Dave Kennedy are being snapped by the teenage- mainly male- element of the crowd as they watch the set by the Subways. They are grinning at being entertained by Tim & Charlotte Subway, who start off at a furious pace with “Suburban Disaster”, “With You” & “Shake/Shake” The focus of thousands of wet dreams, Charlotte bounces across the stage.

When Angels & Airwaves take to the stage, the black shirted brigade have pushed to the front of the barriers and the first bout of crowd surfing begins in earnest. DeLonge is in confident mood, arms outstretched messiah like as the band delver their version of a stadium rock type repertoire. He has grandiose visions of “Going city by city and ruling the planet” because if you want something desperately enough, you can get it. The tools of this attempt include a less aggressive musical version of the Blink 182 catalogue that sometimes veers into U2 territory, whilst trying to remand catchy enough to maintain the interest of the listener. It’s a set of two halves from the Strokes. The opening few numbers seem to reflect the mood of the crowd; a bit damp and only partially interested. Sure the black leather jacketed Julian and company try to get the attention of the crowd, but it’s only when material from the first album, Last Nite, is presented that the crowd start moving and actively taking part. It’s only the second date of their European tour, so maybe the bands are still fine tuning the set list, but set closer “Take it or Leave it” appears to sum it all up.

Photo by Ged Camera

Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint – The River In Reverse

On first appearance, the travelogue for the whole of Elvis Costello’s career has played like that of a mad scientist, an enigmatic and sometimes erratic talent who stays in one genre just long enough to hawk his wares, get a feel for it and move on to conquer the next. The former Declan MacManus has hit up just about every style available to him under the sun, especially in the last decade or so, from straight up rock ‘n roll (2002’s When I Was Cruel & 2004’s The Delivery Man) to torch songs (2003’s North), opera (2003’s Il Sogno), classicist pop (1998’s Painted From Memory with Burt Bacharach & 1999’s The Sweetest Punch with Bill Frisell) and even big band (My Flame Turns Blue from earlier this year). Even the remarkable streak at the beginning of his career was marked by a number of dynamic, if slightly less disparate exercises in style jumping.

Mr. Costello’s most recent release, The River In Reverse, finds him collaborating with New Orleans R&B svengali Allen Toussaint, in a set made up partly of handpicked nuggets from Toussaint’s own back catalog, as well as a handful of originals written by the pair and one new song from Costello himself, the title track. River has the deck stacked with a crack set of studio musicians, Costello’s own part-time group the Imposters, and Toussaint’s mainstay Crescent City Horns, who together imbue the proceedings with a warm, rich tone that jogs between subdued and righteously funky. Joe Henry’s production feels a little tight and claustrophobic, free of any echo or reverb that could have lended a greater air of ease and free flow to things. As it is, the bands sound like they’re playing right on top of one another, which while intimate and direct, strangle the groove a little bit.

The songs chosen and written for The River In Reverse all obviously use the devastation and resulting fallout from Hurricane Katrina as a common touchstone. Aside from a few pointed moments, however, it avoids the one-dimensional, finger-wagging polemics that have become the weapon of choice of late for Vietnam-era retreads and irritable modern popsters alike. The mood is alternately joyous, meditative and even a little frustrated, a visible result of the search for an answer to a tragedy that really doesn’t have one. Costello’s title track and Toussaint’s “Who’s Gonna Help a Brother Get Further?” (the only song Toussaint sings by himself) are the angriest salvos on the album, while the pair’s co-penned “Six-Fingered Man” takes a lighter, more humorous tack.

Toussaint plays the role of ambassador for his beleaguered home region on The River In Reverse. The reinterpretations of his songs, which were already socially inclined to begin with, take on new meaning in a post-Katrina world. “Tears, Tears and More Tears” and “Broken Promise Land” play like all-new tunes, although placed next to the optimistic-by-comparison “Ascension Day,” it’s hard to get carried away by any of the implied recontexting that might resonate as the album goes on. Costello sometimes gets a little carried away with his role as the interpreter, stretching his vocals beyond what feels natural or comfortable. Rarely, though, does his earnestness and excessive efforting work against everyone else involved.

It could be easy to toss The River In Reverse into that steadily growing pile of “politically-motivated hurricane response” records (not to mention yet another episode in Elvis’s Worldwide Tour of Musical ADD), but it possesses the inviting spirit of an impromptu jam session, heard by unseen patrons out in the street through an open door or window. It plays best when it chooses to celebrate rather than denigrate, when Elvis’ occasionally overarching vocals serve to benefit a tune rather than to make it sound as if everyone involved is just not trying hard enough. It’s an imperfect album, but it’s admirable in the sense that its intentions are transparent even at its least. While some choose to bicker endlessly about who was to blame in the response to Katrina, Costello and Toussaint take the high road, and it’s a classy testament to what New Orleans has contributed to the world rather than what’s been taken away from it, flaws and all.

(Verve Forecast Records)

Osaka Popstar – Osaka Popstar and the American Legends of Punk

Osaka Popstar is essentially John Cafiero and a bunch of his friends; but more on that in a bit. First, John Cafiero is the guy who produced the Misfits’ Project 1950 and directed and produced of the Ramones documentary Raw DVD. He also directed the Insane Clown Posse’s Big Money Hustla$ (note the usage of the dollar sign instead of the letter “s”), which serves as further proof that everybody makes bad decisions sometimes. Back to the part about Cafiero’s friends; he’s got some good ones. Cafiero enlisted Dez Cadena (Black Flag), Jerry Only (the Misfits), Marky Ramone (the Ramones, obviously), and Ivan Julian (Richard Hell & the Voidoids).  It’s a very impressive line-up, but unfortunately a (dare I say) super-group of punk rock icons doesn’t generate the same excitement as it would have 10 years ago.

Which is a travesty on a couple of levels. The first, simply because they’re the pioneers of punk rock. The second, because Osaka Popstar have made a good, fun record. Osaka Popstar tears through 13 songs in under half an hour. Their style is more Ramones than anything else, delivering melodic pop punk with little variation between songs.  

Throughout their self-titled release, Osaka Popstar covers the important things in life: Japanese anime characters and not being able to find a sugary bowl of Cap’n Crunch in the morning. While this may seem like a rather limited range of topics, it’s because half of the record is covers. The cover selection is predictable at times, (Richard Hell twice and X-Ray Spex) however, they also throw in some interesting selections (traditional bluegrass number, “Man of Constant Sorrow,” and “Insects” from Kids of Widney High, a group of handicap children who gained cult status since their release, Special Music from Special Kids in 1989.)

Fittingly, the two best songs on the record are covers. The leadoff track, “Wicked World,” a Daniel Johnston cover, is a fantastic three-minute punk-pop song with a great hook that will probably win over a few fans. However, the best song and most interesting cover is “The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t.” The song, from an obscure 1966 movie of the same name, is a short 1:38; but it’s the catchiest song on the record. The verse and chorus both pull you into the “Christmas spirit,” so much that you forget that it’s the middle of summer. 

While this record is very fun pop punk, it doesn’t have the lasting power that will make you want to listen repeatedly. As I said earlier, the songs are all melodic, pop punk with little variation, which means they blend together seamlessly. It’s tough to tell songs apart from each other.  Additionally, Cafiero’s voice is bland. His voice lacks the snarl and attitude of great punk rock singers, causing his voice to fade into the background, under the precision of the rest of the band.

Osaka Popstar’s And the American Legends of Punk is a record by a bunch of friends who enjoy making music; which is its greatest and weakest point. Osaka Popstar may not be the best record you hear this year, but you’d be pressed to find a more fun one.

(Misfits Records / Rykodisc)

Zero 7 – The Garden

On their third full-length album, The Garden, British downtempo darlings Zero 7 play (or at least attempt) a little bit of addition by subtraction. The new record marks the first significant shift in personnel in the band’s short history, as well as a handful of tweaks in the sultry, languorous sound that quickly became their trademark following the release of their smash debut Simple Things.Gone are Tina Dico and Mozez, both of whom have been tending to the release of their own solo albums in recent months, and Sophie Barker, who along with Mozez was a big part of the group’s signature style with their vocal performances on both of Zero 7’s first two full-lengths.

In to stem the tide of their loss in the vocal department are Jose Gonzalez, the Swedish folkie wunderkind whose European debut Veneer hit the Top 10 in Britain following its release, and original Zero 7 co-conspirator Henry Binns, who takes a few moments away from producing and arranging to take up vocal chores on four of The Garden‘s tracks. The lone holdover amongst the exodus is Sia Furler, who has also released a solo record of her own recently; she takes the lead about as much, if not more than any single vocalist in the group’s canon to date.

The Garden is more of a grower than any of Zero 7’s previous efforts; the effortless resplendence of Simple Things and the best moments of When It Falls have been replaced in part by arrangements that are more dense and involved than before, and closer to the conventional notion of “pop.” In their attempt to find a reliable fallback in all of the turnabout, Binns and Zero 7 co-founder Sam Hardaker find it in the four contributions from Gonzalez, whose songs provide the most immediate impact of any on the album. His high, steady tenor burrows itself right into the fabric of “Futures,” the lead-off track, the reflective “Today” with its double-tracked vocals, and the 75-second songlet “Left Behind,” which evokes ghosts of Nick Drake with its minimalist acoustic & voice treatment. Binns & Hardaker even get a crack at retooling Gonzalez’s own “Crosses,” transforming the spare original into a full-bodied soul rave-up, stocked with congas, synths, strings and handclaps, and a rolling, circular bassline that frames his dance-friendly refrain of “cast some light and you’ll be alright.”

Sia, now the only female in the fold with Dico and Barker gone, finds herself in the unusual position of being the closest thing to a “star” that Zero 7 has ever contained, after her sudden success from the appearance of her song “Breathe Me” on Six Feet Under. Her best moments come on lead single “Throw It All Away” and “Waiting To Die,” the latter of which belies its title and goes the route of a breezy, sun-splashed lark instead. Her mannered stylings are much more of a contrast to Gonzalez and Binns (with whom she duets on three tracks) than they were to Mozez and Sophie Barker, who were stronger and more assertive vocalists. Gonzalez and Binns are not as much suited to feature status on a full-blown pop record, which The Garden has sporadic aspirations of being, even as the group’s roots are still well-represented. Thus, it does take a little longer to get acclimated with the back-and-forth approach this time around. Worry not, though, benefits will be reaped, even as it does take a little bit longer than before.

Simple Things was one of those landmark albums, one of those untouchable achievements that always lingers in a group’s rearview mirror as long as they’re in existence, cited by critics and sparring fans alike as the yardstick for everything that comes after it. The chances of Zero 7 reaching that level ever again are remote, but they’re far too early in their career to be worried about recreating their original halcyon moment. The Garden finds Binns & Hardaker weathering the bumpy effects of their newfound status as “veterans” of the downtempo scene quite nicely. The results might not be as immediately satisfying as their earliest material, but with the help of truly talented folks like Jose Gonzalez, they’ll downshift into the heart of their career with ease to spare.

(Atlantic Records)

CANCELLED: The Best TV Shows That Barely Found The Airwaves

The art form of television has become a near integral part of almost every person’s life. It fills nearly every mid-conversational gap, and offers thousands on top of thousands of options for whatever you may be looking for. As is inherent with the system, only the most popular shows survive. For every show on the air, there are dozens upon dozens that bit the bullet around it for dozens upon dozens of reasons. Many sucked; but some were too strange, too different, too complex, and even too funny- and the general audiences just couldn’t quite catch onto them. And, with all the money that goes into creating, advertising, and airing television shows; a show is only allowed a very, very short window of time to prove that it can perform. If it falls short in those first few critical weeks, it is quickly booted and forgotten and becomes nary a memory in the viewers mind as another replacement show is bum rushed into the position.

But all of those former givens seem to be changing, now. Over the last couple of years, with the super nifty medium of DVD, shows that were once left for dead are finally getting new life breathed into them, thanks to fan out cry and release gambles that appear to be paying off for the most part. Look no further than Amazon to find tons on top of tons of shows that have been released to DVD. Pretty much every show that was ever remotely popular has found itself a home on these magical little discs. So here, I’m going to bring light a few forgotten series that died before their time, and truly deserve your attention.

Freaks & Geeks.  A fan favorite of many, Freaks & Geeks followed the travails of a band of outsiders and high school students in the random years that we all fondly call the 1980s. The show was created by the super talented Judd Apatow and Paul Feig, and features all 18 episodes that were created of the show. It’s an absolutely hilarious series, and it still boggles my mind that NBC chose to can it back in 1999. But now, it lives forever.

The Tick. Based on the ridiculous old Fox Saturday morning cartoon of the same name, this live action incarnation was positively hilarious, but found itself quite a bit too quirky, and slapstick, to really find any success on a grand scale. Factor that in with the crummy jump-around scheduling that Fox is famous for, and you’ve got a near guarantee that a show this odd will crash, and surely burn. I remember watching this one when it debuted on November, in 2001; and it’s just great. As expected, the nine episodes included here were all that were made. If you’re up for some wacky fun, you can do no better than The Tick. Spoon!

Firefly. This show here stands as an absolute testament for just how much affect enough fan outcry can have. This one showed up on the Fox schedule in ’03, created by Joss Whedon, the watchful eye behind both Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel. It was an odd premise, chronicling the tales of an outcast group of rebels in a Wild West take on the future, kind of the anti-Star Trek, if you will. The show was beloved by a core fan base, and was eventually revived for the theatrical film Serenity that found moderate success in theaters a year and some odd months ago. There are 14 solid little episodes here, and if you’re a fan of nothing more than well-written, and well-acted television; you’ll love it.

God, The Devil, And Bob. I have no idea what the execs at ABC were thinking when they green lit this show. It’s an edgy, animated series about a man–Bob–who is at the middle of a bet made by God and Satan over the fate of mankind. The show was flippin’ hilarious, but it’s no shocker that it only lasted a couple of weeks once it was unabashedly bashed by virtually every conservative media outlet in existence. Though only 4 episodes actually made it to air, 12 were made; and are all included here. This show stands a head above both Family Guy and South Park in my mind, for quality and perfectly irreverently handled subject matter that was some of the most entertaining stuff ever put together.

Undeclared. With Undeclared comes another gem from Freaks & Geeks mastermind Judd Apatow, which brings the same wit and charm into the current age, and creates a show just as compelling as Freaks & Geeks, and sadly doomed to exactly its fate. To describe it best: If the iffy old WB series Popular had been awesome, it would have been Undeclared. All 17 episodes of the show are here, and deserve to be seen. 

Miracles. I remember at a former gig of mine I got the treat of interviewing the co-creator of this show, Richard Hatem, and his passion for the project just broke my heart that it found this sad fate. But luckily, after close to a year of outcry from the fans, this series finally landed on DVD. It actually debuted to some positive buzz on ABC back in ’03, but sadly the network’s coverage of the Iraqi war screwed the airing schedule up so bad that people that actually liked the show were left unable to actually find it. It followed the exploits of a group who, basically, proved or disproved ‘miracles.’ The premise was handled wonderfully, and the show was fantastically done. I watched it every airing until it was officially pulled. A few unaired episodes are included here, as it closes the first season’s story arc. I highly, highly recommend you give this one a look.

Greg The Bunny. I recently picked this one up on DVD, and it’s just yet another great little quirky Fox gem that got canned way, way too early. It was set in a world where puppets were people, and followed the underbelly behind the scene exploits of the cast and crew of a children’s puppet show. It may sound ridiculous, but the show was great. Probably a little too quirky to succeed, but still a great find, nonetheless.

Wonderfalls. This is, you guessed it, another Fox show that found the axe (are you seeing a trend yet) that deserved a longer run. It debuted to some great buzz, but proved not quite well enough a performer, and was quickly shelved, and later canceled. The show was about a girl who was spoken to by inanimate objects, which told her the problems of strangers, and also told her to help them (similar to CBS’ Joan Of Arcadia; except it didn’t take itself quite as seriously; to fantastic effect). All 13 episodes of the first, and only, season are here, and they make up some truly quality television.

Guster – Ganging Up On the Sun

“I definitely think this is our most ambitious album and we were a lot more fearless going into this one musically, lyrically and production-wise. In some ways, these songs are all over the map in texture and sound and tempo and feel but I hope, and think, that there emerges a through line that draws them all together. What that line is, I don’t really know. Melody? Pop sensibility?”

-Ryan Miller, of Guster

Guster has always seemed to be one of those bands that are capable of making magnificent, fantastic music; but has never actually been capable of doing it all at the same time, on one record. Virtually each and every Guster record ever released has been a flawed masterpiece, with 2003’s near-perfect Keep It Together showing signs that, yes, the boys of Guster may very well be capable of making a perfect album. And in spades, do they.

Flash forward three years after the release of Keep It Together, not forgetting the release of their unforgettable ’04 live CD/DVD Guster On Ice, and that brings us to their latest studio full-length: Ganging Up On The Sun. As I mentioned a few moments ago, Guster has always been capable of writing some great, great songs. Look on any record they’ve released, and I guarantee you’ll find at least two or three shining gems of greatness. But, I suppose it has taken all of around these ten years of playing, and honing their skills, to finally make this: what is undoubtedly the best record of their career.

As far as the sound goes, Guster has finally found a perfect, tightrope balance between their signature bongo drum beats, and the traditional drum kit; using whichever will truly, fully compliment the sound and tone of each song to it’s greatest potential. The songwriting on Ganging Up has also taken an unexpected climb up on the poetic ladder, which comes as no surprise after the evolution and versatility they showcased so easily on Keep It Together. Their isn’t a song here that doesn’t house some great wit, deep thoughts, and so lovably catchy lyrics as to the point that you’re nearly shocked that, track after track, things just continue to get better and better.

Basically every song on this release is catchy enough to be a radio single, but at the same time, virtually every track here also has the depth and poise to become a beloved by fans deep cut from the album, as well. Ganging Up is the perfect release to more than break the expectations of their already substantial fan base, as well as garner them quite a few new recruits in the process.

Opening things strongly with the subdued “Lightning Rod,” the three highest of the highlights are to follow: the catchy “Satellite,” fantastically written “Manifest Destiny,” and my vote for first single, the beguiling tale of a man looking back at aspects of his life in the past, but still seeming to bring no wisdom from the future with him–”One Man Wrecking Machine.” It’s stunning, simply stunning. Things never let up, though; with the country-tinged “The Captain” following, catchy rocker “The New Underground” soon after that; and things eventually wind down with the perfect album closing piece “Hang On.”

This is the album that, if you’re not already a Guster fan, will surely make you one. Maybe now, the fellows of Guster will finally find the mainstream success that they so desperately deserve. You would surely be hard pressed to choose a more deserving album for fame from their repertoire, and that is saying quite a bit in itself. Do yourself a favor, and buy this album.

(Reprise Records)

AFI – Decemberunderground

Decemberunderground is the polarizing album AFI fans will either love or love to hate. It is the album where the band will find out it’s impossible to keep fans old and new satisfied. It is also the record that will make AFI huge (for a primetime-shy mascara wearing goth-punk quartet anyway). Whether they’re aware of it or not is debatable, but this is the sound of a band entering the next level. And for listeners of discerning tastes, that sound is like when your cat is coughing up a whopper of a hairball, or when the local high school band played Europe’s “Final Countdown” at your brother’s graduation. But for young teenagers in bondage pants and devastatingly un-funny Happy Bunny t-shirts, that sound is irresistible. This might as well be Jesus covering God’s greatest hits, because to misunderstood high school freshmen, this is divine. It is a phenomenon that I will never understand, for I am a mere mortal. Besides, at 20, I am much too old.

The album starts off the way any Sisters of Mercy worshipping band would want it to: with a creepy prelude. In “Prelude 12/21,” singer Davey Havok (if that even is his real name…) half sings, half speaks about being “laid to sleep” to over a stumbling industrial beat and choral “whoa-ohs.” Spine-chilling. But then the haunted house theme music unexpectedly gives way to one of the year’s most gripping, badass, heavy songs. Second track “Kill Caustic” is classic AFI- Havok’s manic screams mingle with an excellent metal guitar riff, calling to mind a more sophisticated and pissed-off “Total Immortal.” Radio hit “Miss Murder” shifts the focus to the band’s pop sensibilities, and it’s sing-songy good. Three tracks in, AFI has you firmly gripped by the throat.

Then they slowly relinquish control and lose the listener’s attention with four whimpering minutes of organ-laced boring. The offending pop ballad, “The Interview,” probably made the label very happy, but where are the cojones? This is a question that follows AFI throughout the rest of the disc, from one dark pop anthem to the next. “Love Like Winter” then sets a precedent for most of the tracks that follow by relying too heavily on Havok’s reedy singing voice and not enough on the band’s assets: powerful, inventive guitar riffs, well-constructed choruses, aggressive drumming and loud, screaming vocals. “Affliction” and “Endlessly, She Said” are more centered on these strengths, but AFI too often forget what they do best.

Simply, Decemberunderground proves that AFI is a mediocre pop rock band and a fabulous punk/hardcore band. With the band in the middle of a troubling existential crisis, they have simultaneously accomplished a career highlight and established a new genre: medio-core.

(Interscope Records)

Waking Ashland – Telescopes

It can be quite amusing at times to check out which artists a band chooses to describe themselves as similar to, and try to associate their sound with. Take for instance California based emo-indie-piano band Waking Ashland. On their band’s official biography, they compare themselves first to Jimmy Eat World and Weezer; both being terrible, terrible representations of what’s to be found here. Waking Ashland bares quite a bit more in common with soft-spoken beloved indie kids Copeland, and the like. They continue on a little further to mention notable inspirations such as pop genius Elvis Costello; and he’s about the only one I could truly give them with no guilt on my conscience.

Waking Ashland sounds quite a bit like a toned down version of Andrew McMahon’s Something Corporate, as well; keeping the piano in the forefront–as opposed to relegating it mostly to the background  like McMahon does. This is a complimentary comparison, and fans of softer emo-indie will surely fall in love with the deliciously digestible tunes found here on Telescopes. It should also be noted that this release is only a seven-song EP; and their first release on new label home Immortal, after leaving the indie-Christian record label Tooth & Nail for a decidedly more mainstream home. The change of labels also comes with a step up in maturity in songwriting from their ’05 debut LP—Composure—with Telescopesshowcasing such solid gems as the easy pop title track, the soft paced “Flowers On A Wall,” and the slowly building effort closer “Reseda.” They even light things up a bit on the near-driving centerpiece track “Under The Gun.”

The lyrics here aren’t nearly as bad as they could have been, either. So, when lead singer Jonathan Jones earnestly sings near-emo cliches such as; “Two miles between you and me / but there might as well be an ocean … we might as well be strangers / ’cause I’m flying kites into the wind … and I’m painting pictures with all your lost letters / hoping just to carry on,” you can’t help but just about believe him. It may not be the most poetically executed stuff; but it’s still more than catchy, and relatable, enough to carry just enough resonance to register.

As I mentioned earlier; Waking Ashland remind me a heck of a lot of Copeland in their Beneath Medicine Tree-era. If you’re a fan of that record, I can almost guarantee you’ll love what Waking Ashland has put together here. Even if you’re not, Telescopes is still a nifty little piece of melodic emo-indie rock. At it’s best, this record serves as some interesting, inspired tidbits of what we can hopefully expect from Waking Ashland in the future.

(Immortal Records)

The Saddest Song

I recently went out to see a few old films, notably Trois Couleurs directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski; a trilogy of films corresponding to the colors of the French flag. Rouge and Blanc were OK, but I put my main focus on Bleu. It wasn’t the movie alone that grabbed my attention, but the music- a soundtrack by Zbigniew Preisner. I cried almost every time I heard just one glimmer of the oboe. The music compliments the life of the main character, Julie, played by Juliette Binoche. 

Julie’s family dies in a car accident and she is the only one to survive. Her husband was a famous composer who was in the middle of writing a piece called “Song for the Unification of Europe.” He never gets to finish the piece and Julie makes sure no one ever does. After the funeral, she is whisked away to her home in the country where she decides to abandon everything she has known of her life with her husband and her daughter. She sells the house, the farm, and burns all of his manuscripts. She moves away from the small town and into a small city. She cuts off contact to everyone she knows and makes friends with her neighbors living near her new home. Of course this movie wouldn’t be tragic without the occasional haunting from the dead. Every so often, Julie hears the melodies from her husband’s symphonic piece. It was only at the end of the movie that Julie realizes how important her husband’s music was to him.

Through the film, she never cries. She has moments of sadness where she would hide her face away, and she makes lavish scenes to forget about her life, her husband and his music, but she never cries. I tell you this because it puts new emphasis on the power of music. It’s not just the song, but also the ability to incase a vision or a memory from our pasts. There is no ways around the insatiable thirst for memory. We connect everything to something else in our lives. Whether it is a keepsake, a photo, or a song, there is some memory attached it.

Scientists say that a person remembers a moment in their life from the exact smell. From one scent of perfume, you can remember the girl that broke your heart forever. From one smell of a home-baked cookie, you could instantly be cast away into your mother’s kitchen. It is a gland within the innermost part of your nose that tracts back to memory skills. It can make you cry, make you laugh, or make you terrified. It all depends on the memory. For me, I believe that this theory can be applied to any of the five senses. You will always remember the feeling of your first kiss, the first bite of chocolate cake, and most importantly, the one song that will keep you from listening to it.

Julie was haunted by her husband’s music. There would be no music playing throughout her daily routine, but something would remind her of her husband and the tune would play its lingering tune. It wasn’t fear of the song that she hid from, but the fear of remembering the tragic accident. Just like anyone else, the music strikes an indescribable chord within the human soul.

A good friend of mine suffered from panic attacks a year ago. She couldn’t breathe or smile or work through the day. She cried daily and avoided anything that would cause her to cry. One of these things was music: her only lifeline. Music made her dance, sing, laugh, and most importantly cry. She stopped listening to her favorite bands and she shelved her iPod. She desperately wanted to be happy again. I did my best to make her feel better, but her attacks became as long as the days in the summer. Within her depressed period, there was the opportunity to go to see Sigur Ros. It was among one of her favorite bands and on her banned list of music. I persuaded her to buy a ticket but her reluctant attitude kept her a little timid a few weeks before the show. 

Eventually, she decided not to go. I gave her and my ticket to my friend in order to show her my support. He cried throughout the whole show. The beauty of the music could only bring sorrow to my friend. Luckily, her attacks subsided and she lives a little happier.  She even returned to her favorite bands. She doesn’t remember a painful memory but rather a sensation she didn’t want to feel anymore. She was Julie.

A sad song is like baggage. It is a bundle of emotions trying to find release into the openness of free expression. It is the fire in which a tortured person must be able to fuel. Just like Julie in the movie, a person can be caught between letting the song go and letting it linger on. The human mind is capable of so much and one of those things is to feel. To feel is to be alive and the only way to make other people see how one feels is to show it. 

Numbness disappears and only the follies of a regretful life flourish among the notes and chords. And like the flutes within Julie’s song, the music will come to a sad but happy ending.