Dustin Kensrue – Please Come Home

It’s a funny story how I ended up coming across this album.

I was listening to some tunes via XM radio, and as I was channel flipping (whilst driving down the road—not the safest of ideas I might add) what did I hear but an intriguing little folk-tinged track that I would soon learn was called “Pistol.” The man behind it: a gent by the name of Dustin Kensrue. I’d never heard of him, so I devoted the name to memory, and continued on with my day.

Once I made it home that evening, I jumped on my iBook and quickly learned that the song I’d heard was from Kensrue’s solo debut record, called Please Come Home. And, even more interesting than that, I learned that Kensrue is also the lead-singer of the hardcore band Thrice (which I personally dislike immensely).

Needless to say, my curiosity was piqued.

Once I got my hands on the full disc, I loaded it up, popped in some headphones, and dug in. What I found surprised me. The best way that I can put is to say that Dustin Kensrue has pulled a Jesse Malin; and pulled it darn well. With Please Come Home, Kensrue has managed to find his inner-storyteller, and in doing so he manages to channel the likes of Ryan Adams, Leonard Cohen, and Johnny Cash—all with considerable ease and talent.

Seeing the hardcore landscape that Kensrue comes from, it makes it even more surprising that this folk-rock poet laureate lives and breathes inside of a man best known for screaming into a microphone. Highlights include the aforementioned single “Pistol,” the stellar title track, and my personal favorite little catchy number “Blood and Wine.” There isn’t a weak track among the lot on this album, and my only complaint is that at a mere eight tracks the thing is too darn short. Kudos to Kensrue for breaking the mold, shattering it into a million pieces, sitting a stool down on top of those pieces—sitting down— and playing some heartbreaking songs on his acoustic guitar just to spite them.

(Equal Vision Records)

Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha

Apocrypha is a noun and means “writings of questionable authenticity.” All dictionary meanings aside, there is no question of the authenticity of Andrew Bird’s talent. Armchair Apocrypha is the classically trained violinist’s newest release and showcases his penchant for perfectly placed string plucking in the midst of beautifully written songs. While this ambitious album may be a bit boring in spots to some who are accustomed to loud, hard and fast rock n’ roll, the deeply talented Bird has made an album of dreamy folk-pop, full of excellent songwriting and brilliant orchestrations. (All while managing to not fall into arty pretentiousness.) Chicago-born Andrew Bird has had a fairly impressive career thus far, as he’s made some great music and worked with notable artists including Ani DiFranco and My Morning Jacket. Bird released Weather Systems in 2003 and The Mysterious Production of Eggs(Righteous Babe) in 2005, with both receiving much acclaim. Bird has also been an integral member of the band Bowl of Fire, and has performed with the Squirrel Nut Zippers; he even finds time to teach music at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chi-town.

Armchair Apocrypha is full of velvety hooks and swooning lines, and “Fiery Crash” starts the album off just right, with a peppy guitar and a little taste of Bird’s harmonies and poignant lyrics. This track proves that Bird can make bliss out of something as dull as an airport: “turnstiles on mezzanine // jet ways and Dramamine fiends // and x-ray machines // you were hurling through space // g-forces twisting your face.”

“Imitosis” is Bird’s Brazilian-style romp and showcases his influences of different musical styles. “Plasticities” is wistful and eclectic, followed up by the catchiness of “Heretics.” “Dark Matter” is the favorite here, with playful lyrics: “when I was just a little boy // I threw away all of my action toys // while I became obsessed with Operation…” “Simple X” is a great track, mixing eerie background whistles over a cool snare beat. “Cataracts” also shows off Bird’s more-than-adequate songwriting abilities, and additional appropriately-timed whistling is thrown in for good measure: “when our mouths are filled with uninvited tongues of others // and the strays are pining for their unrequited mothers // milk that spoils is promptly spat // light will fill our eyes like cats.”

“Scythian Empires” (featured recently on NPR) is the crowning track of the album, and with minimal lyrics manages to be sophisticated; the song is made complete by violin plucking and birds chirping. (Bird is known for playing his violin sideways, like a guitar.) The hidden track “Yawny and the Apocalypse” is well worth the cost of Armchair Apocrypha. If you are a fan of Andrew Bird’s earlier works, you will not be disappointed with this ambitious album. And if you’re not a fan, well, this album is confirmation that you should be.

(Fat Possum Records)

Arcade Fire – Neon Bible

Released amidst the most critical acclaim of any album so far this year, the Arcade Fire’s Neon Bible merits all the publicity, and is hands-down as good as they say it is. 11 tracks of pure symphonic bliss tinged with heavy religious imagery and dark melodies, this sophomore release is sure to catapult Arcade Fire into superstardom. With the husband-wife team of Win Butler and Regine Chassagne behind the wheel, these seven musicians from Montreal formed in 2003, and after releasing a self-titled EP, debuted indie-rock gem Funeral in 2004. Funeral is an album born out of introspection and depression, soaked in glockenspiel and strings. (One of the most amazing aspects of this band is their multi-instrumental talent, from ALL types of strings to horns.)

Instead of focusing on pain and heartbreak with Neon Bible, the themes center more on the world around them, turning the “Black Mirror” (mirror mirror on the wall // show me where them bombs will fall) and “Neon Bible” into tools for foretelling dark visions of the future: A vial of hope and a vial of pain // in the light they both looked the same // poured them out on into the world // on every boy and every girl.

Addressing a gamut of issues from government to the ugly side of human nature, Neon Bible is weighty, dark, militaristic and gothic … yet accessible. “Intervention” is intense and church-like (dare it be said, a strong Pink Floyd influence?) with an organ brooding under Butler’s voice that crescendos into the final chorus: “Working for the Church while your life falls apart // singin’ hallelujah with the fear in your heart // every spark of friendship and love will die without a home.”

While comparisons to other musicians can be made, Arcade Fire has a sound all their own. The second track, “Keep the Car Running” is said to have been ghostwritten by Bruce Springsteen himself and his influence is evident. “Black Wave/Bad Vibrations” has Chassagne putting on her best 80s hat, sounding like a dark version of the Go-Go’s and  “Ocean of Noise” sounds a bit U2-ish, floating along with a piano and amalgamation of strings. “(Antichrist Television Blues)” revisits Springsteen’s trademark sound and the killer track “No Cars Go” was swiped from their old EP and could have ended the album nicely, but “My Body is a Cage” rounds out the effort and sounds like an organ on a crash course with the horsemen of the apocalypse.

Written and produced by the band themselves, Neon Bible is excellent and cohesive. The depth and talent of this band deserves all the success that is sure to come their way following the release of this album, and while the fortunes of the Neon Bible look bleak at times, the future is looking rosy for Arcade Fire.

(Merge Records)

Bright Eyes – Four Winds EP

As is the tradition with Bright Eyes, Four Winds is an EP featuring a song from their upcoming full-length, Cassadaga, released a month before the record’s release date, packaged with several B-sides. A teaser EP is a brave release from any band. Considering how few records people buy, asking people to buy a record with only one song that’s going to appear on a soon-to-be-released record is a big request. However, those willing shell out the money for Four Winds should be quite satisfied with their purchase. 

Bright Eyes continue inching closer towards a more traditional country sound on Four Winds; though they never quite let themselves get there. The rowdy “Four Winds” starts the EP in this style, though just as it’s about to settle in to a traditional country sound, a discordant fiddle cuts through the mix to knock it off the track. The same can be said for “Reinvent the Wheel”—a fairly straightforward, mid-tempo song, were it not for the swaying, dreamlike passage in the middle of the song. 

Conor Oberst’s lyrics have a mystical feeling on Four Winds; more stream of consciousness than anything he’s written before. Though he’s able to keep his songs from going too abstract by sticking to a storytelling style of songwriting, which gives the songs a surreal quality. He’s also finding inspiration from simpler things. “I try to breathe in meaning/dig deep to every gasp of air,” he sings on “Reinvent the Wheel,” which perfectly captures his outlook on Four Winds. This view frames the rest of the songs, especially “Stray Dog Freedom.”

Four Winds also benefits from excellent sequencing. There’s a great ebb and flow to the record. By positioning the two slower songs at the middle and end of the record, it creates the timeless feeling of listening to a record on a turntable.

Bright Eyes also gets a major boost from their friends. M. Ward, Ben Kweller, Eisley, David Rawlings, Maria Taylor, and Janet Weiss of Sleater Kinney all play on Four Winds. With this type of support, it’s hard not to make an excellent record. All things considered, Four Winds impressively embodies the purpose of a teaser EP: its songs are so good that it makes you wonder how great this upcoming record can be if these songs didn’t make it. Well worth the money.

(Saddle Creek)