SMITH WESTERNS - "SOFT WILL"

Artist: Smith Westerns

Album: Soft Will

Label: Mom + Pop

Release Date: June 25^th, 2013

Review by: Sean Kayden

Chicago based garage-glam band Smith Westerns return with their third record, “Soft Will.” This time around, the young men weave down the road of nostalgia and most of themes that usually goes hand in hand with reflecting back on good times and bad. This album, unlike the previous two, has a more mature sound. Perhaps that’s a sign that the boys are growing up even if the transition isn’t entirely the smoothest. While their previous records, “Smith Westerns” and “Dye It Blonde” boasted a vintage power-pop sound, their latest endeavor takes a more relaxed approach. The passion of their earlier material may appear to be missing, but don’t be alarmed. In replace of the fervor is the attempt at becoming better songwriters by creating more pop-oriented songs. Their earnest attempt actually pays off in a bigger way than I first imagined. Devoted followers of the group may be turned off as the abundance in enthusiasm greatly found on their first two albums seems to be absent. However, if you can respect the band for trying something new then “Soft Will” may surprise you for what it both is and isn’t.

“Soft Will” is a very subtle experience. I never became entirely enamored with the ten tracks. I did, however, find small things I enjoyed while traveling down this road. In the forty minutes of music that Smith Westerns will guide you on, the songs, like previous ones, still have big hooks. However, the material is a lot calmer while basking in the mid-tempo range. The lo-fi garage pop that occupied the first two albums has been substituted for shimmering, dreamy-guitar laden riffs that make up a more expansive sound than ever before. A number of the tracks including “Fool Proof” and “White Oath” have guitar solos in them. Both are solid tracks off the record that are more structured than anything on “Dye It Blonde.” Smith Westerns definitely went for a more traditional way of approaching their new record and the result is more or less a winning one.

The track that really slows things down in not such a good way is the completely instrumental tune, “XXIII.” It probably would have benefited more with lyrics in the forefront alas leaving the listener without much to grasp onto otherwise. “Cheer Up” reminds me of 50s bubble gum pop played at a high school dance. It’s the only track less than three minutes long, but never less satisfying. “Varsity” closes the album with a nostalgic vibe as it opens up with dreamy guitars. The closer includes a wordless chorus, which a few other songs seem to do as well here. One of the best tracks is the slow-burning pop track, “Best Friend.” It’s a beautifully constructed and utterly romantic track. Additionally, it benefits from terrific, memorable guitar solo. Clearly Smith Westerns have a knack for creating indelible pop songs. At first listen, I wasn’t exactly sure how I felt about “Soft Will.” After repeatedly listens, the record definitely grows on you in such a way that’s difficult to shake loose. “Soft Will” may not be completely captivating as a whole, but with a number of terrific tracks, an altered approach to their trademark sound, and a resonance that can be listened in any season of the year, the album almost touches greatness. Strangely enough I seem to find the listening experience becoming more and more memorable with each and every listen. For the time being, Smith Westerns is the unexpected sound carrying me through the summer.

Grade: 7.5 out of 10
Key Tracks: “Idol,” “Fool Proof,” “Best Friend,” “Varsity”

Published by Mountain Views News on July 13th, 2013
http://mtnviewsnews.com/v07/htm/n28/p14.htm

Bands To Watch

By: Sean Kayden

Hibou – “Dunes EP” - Seattle dream pop band, Hibou, have just released their new EP album (currently name your own price via Bandcamp.com), “Dunes.” Peter Michel, former drummer of similar act Craft Spells, is now in the driver seat as main composer. This solo endeavor roams the realm of lo-fi, jangly pop guitars and dreamy snyths. If you’re a fan of Beach Fossils, DIIV, Craft Spells, and Minks (all on Captured Tracks record label), Hibou is for you. I’m a total sucker for anything dream-pop and while Hibou sounds awfully similar to other bands I love, I’m still hooked on the band’s chill and elated vibe.

Pure Bathing Culture – “Moon Tides” - Pure Bathing Culture is gearing up for their debut LP record, “Moon Tides” dropping this August. Indie-pop duo, Daniel Hindman and Sarah Versprille make very pleasant, lucid, surreal music. Their first single off the album, “Pendulum,” true to its name, swings gently back and forth as the music figuratively lifts you off the ground. Deeply reflective and supplying impeccably smooth vocals from Versprille, “Pendulum” may just be one of many stunning songs coming later this summer from the Portland natives.

Midnight Faces – “Fornication” - Festival headlining worthy band Midnight Faces, have created soaring, commanding, and tightly structured songs for their debut LP, “Fornication.” The record benefits from its 80s inspired electronic dance-pop subtleties. However, I feel this album is one of the most original, modern sounding indie rock albums of the year.  Midnight Faces is made up of alternative duo, Matthew Warn and Phil Stancil. The band’s sound is a complete departure from Warn’s other group, post-rock instrumentalists, Saxon Shore. He’s described Midnight Faces as “Tom Petty fronting The Cure.” With Warn’s experience in Saxon Shore and bandmate Phil Stancil impressive vocals, the pair’s eclectic style allows them to bring a refreshing, innovative sound to “Fornication.” The duo wields both high-energy tracks as well as soft, multi-layered compositions. “Fornication” is out now via Broken Factory.

Superhumanoids – “Exhibitionists” - Snyth-pop trio Superhumanoids hail from Los Angeles, California. On August 13^th the 80s new wave inspired enthusiasts will be releasing their debut LP, “Exhibitionists.” One of the first songs previewed off the album is “Bad Weather.” Similar in vein to Pure Bathing Culture, the vocals are utterly intoxicating as they are performed over a crisp, shimmering, electronic soundscape. While most bands in the genre can be the soundtrack any hot summer day, Superhumanoids occupies more a nighttime feel. They’re a little darker, evocative than other groups in this realm. Plus, they specialize in love and longing type of lyrics as opposed to simply disposable summer time anthems. If you’re looking for something different but not completely off the beaten path, Superhumanoids may be the band you need to get by these hot summer nights.  



Published by Mountain Views News on July 6th, 2013
http://mtnviewsnews.com/v07/htm/n27/p18.htm

"World War Z" - Review

Directed by: Mark Forster

Written by: Matthew Michael Carnahan and Drew Goddard & Damon Lindelof

Based on the novel by Max Brooks

Rated PG-13 for intense frightening zombie sequences, violence and disturbing images

Release Date: June 21^st, 2013

Review by: Sean Kayden

In 2007, a biding war with Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way production company transpired as Brad Pitt’s Plan B company secured the rights to Max Brook’s 2006 novel, “World War Z.” Plagued with script rewrites, major setbacks, and reshoots, Brad Pitt’s summer blockbuster was destined to be a massive failure. While it’s far from the flop that it was shaping up to be, this loosely adapted version of the novel it shares the same name with doesn’t have much heart amongst the bloodshed. The novel itself is divided into separate individual accounts of a post zombie invasion, while the film is purely centered on Gerry Lane (Pitt), a retired U.N. employee who must travel the world to find a way to bring to an end this “zombie” endemic. I believe that the source material would have benefited a lot more with a mini-series or one complete season that spans all the elements of the book instead of Hollywood focusing on one, contained, traditional plotline. However, the audience was delivered an easy, disposable, textbook, typical blockbuster that could have been much worse I admit, but at the same token, so much greater in the end.

To be clear, there’s nothing terribly wrong with “World War Z.” The major problem was how the film started shooting without an exact ending. Paramount brought in screenwriter Damon Lindelof to help write the third act, but since he was busy messing up another script I’m sure, they got another hot writer named Drew Goddard. Lindelof, in my opinion, was responsible for butchering the original “Prometheus” script last year making it the biggest disappointment of 2012. What really irked me in “World War Z” was the faux resolution. I felt cheated with the ending that proves this film is merely the first installment of a two-part series or perhaps a trilogy. I much rather would have favored a completely self-contained story than receiving one that purely ends up being a two-hour trailer for the next installment of something greater years from now. In addition, with the exception of Gerry Lane, our protagonist, you don’t get a feel for anyone else in this movie. Not one of the principal players makes a strong impact. Characters like the one David Morse plays feels terribly wasted. He’s an ex-CIA operative imprisoned in South Korea for treason. He aids Pitt’s character in telling him to go to Jerusalem where they may have had prior information leading up to the outbreak. Unfortunately, “World War Z” lacks a true spirit in this human story that’s somewhere buried under the epic zombie tale.

As far as the direction goes, Mark Forster does a competent job with the film. However, with the exception of some jolts here and there as well as keeping up a moderately swift pace, nothing was eye popping in regard to its visuals. In fact, the color palette was sort of dull and ordinary.  With its quick edits and sharp cuts, some of the action became muddled along the way. And did I mention this film is PG-13? Don’t expect much of any blood and gore as “World War Z” is more of a thriller in vein of “Contagion” than a survival horror movie like the far more superior “28 Days Later.” Despite some bad decisions made by the creative team, “World War Z” can be enjoyable and it rarely bores. However, nothing about it truly stands out. When all is said and done, we’re left with a wickedly ordinary film that squanders away all its intrinsic potential in being the extraordinary movie most of us film enthusiasts were hoping for.

Grade: 3 out of 5

Published By Mountain Views News on June 30th, 2013

http://mtnviewsnews.com/v07/htm/n26/p20.htm

Empire of The Sun - "Ice on the Dune"

Artist: Empire of the Sun

Album: Ice on the Dune

Label: Astralwerks

Release Date: June 18^th, 2013

Review by: Sean Kayden

After a five-year gap, electronic pop aficionados Empire of the Sun are back with a more polished sound than ever.  Their new record, “Ice on the Dune” is a luminous, often beautifully crafted pop effort. Duo Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore bring everything to the table with a richly layered, elegiac pop sound. The songs here have quite a bit of depth and Steele’s vocals have the ability of hitting you straight in the heart. “Ice on the Dune” specializes in dance beats, falsetto vocals, and razor sharp choruses. The first of the half of the record really shines with “DNA” and “Alive” both providing sugary sweet synths and summery pop energy. However, toward the later half of the album, the glow fades a bit. The second half is still somewhat enjoyable, especially with standout track, “I’ll Be Around” but this portion of the record is not nearly as stimulating as the first half.

Since the time between the debut, “Walking On A Dream” and “Ice on The Dune” was so long, this endeavor was surely a laborious one. The record starts off with “Lux,” which displays an epic, grandeur movie soundtrack entrance. It’s a sign that Empire of the Sun is back and to listen up. This is after all a music act that’s sports an outlandishly empyrean outfit on stage. So they definitely have the capability of being overblown. All distractions aside, the duo knows how to elevate the energy to a maximum level. “Alive” is clearly the song of summer. With incredible beats, intoxicating choruses that you’ll find impossible not to sing along to, and an overall warm feel to compliment the time of the year, “Alive” is one of the band’s strongest and most significant tracks. “Concert Pitch” keeps the high tempo alive as being another infectious pop tune that’s meant to be played while driving with the windows down. Title track “Ice on The Dune” continues this trend of super catchy songs that incorporate a deeper resonance than other bands driven by this similar snyth-pop style. Empire of the Sun make it possible for dance music to mean something more than just having quick beats, but also including a heartbeat to go along with it.

If the other tracks on “Ice on the Dune” are influenced by the 80s, then “I’ll Be Around” leans more toward 70s soft rock. In vein of Fleetwood Mac, the song has a certain mystic glow to it as it gently sails from start to finish. There’s something indelible about the arrangements as “I’ll Be Around” clearly is the bands most sensitive and personal track on the record. As some of the later tracks blend together with similar sounds, I feel the listening experience may benefit more from breaks between hearing a few songs and going onto the next couple. I say this because toward the end, the magic, while still apparent, doesn’t offer to many new tricks. It’s fine since the opening act was quite magnificent. Sadly, the closing ceremony finds a bit of rehashing or the same tricks packaged differently. Overall, “Ice of the Dune” is a completely welcoming album from a band, which I thought threw in the towel. However, they clearly were working on something much more ambitious than I could have ever imagined. While not everything here is faultless or memorable, there are enough spectacular songs here that can make you forgive Empire of the Sun for those tracks that clearly don’t live up to the rest.

Grade: 7.8 out of 10

Key Tracks: “DNA”, “Alive”, “Ice on The Dune”, “I’ll Be Around”

Published by Mountain Views News on June 22rd, 2013
http://mtnviewsnews.com/v07/htm/n25/p16.htm