Unwound – Leaves Turn Inside You

An exciting week for Unwound fans as a website appeared promising a new live Unwound album and a load of recorded gigs for downloading. Lead singer/ guitarist Justin Trosper eloquently described it as an Unwound museum – "free admission but please visit the gift shop".

Those who followed Unwound, before they split up around the time of 9/11, will know that their new website is in keeping with their DIY punk rock tradition. Going back to their salad days in the very early 90s, Unwound were a product of the American post-hardcore scene. Around that time two other bands from that scene (Fugazi and Jawbox) released debut albums.Unlike Unwound, those bands were already veterans who formed out of the ashes of seminal 80s American hardcore punk bands. These were bands which undoubtedly influenced the kids that were Unwound.

During the 90s then, there was this trinity of sorts in the American post-hardcore scene - Fugazi, Jawbox and Unwound. These bands were prolific, relentlessly toured, put on exciting live shows and were highly influential. Then it all fizzled out near the turn of the millenium.

Jawbox were first to go; the spirit continuted without the energy and impact in various spin-off incarnations. Unwound and Fugazi carried on until 2001 and 2002 respectively and, incidentally, both released their last albums in the second half of 2001. These albums were stylistically similar in a sense. Although both bands consciously expanded their sound with each album and diverged away from each other sonically, they arrived at a similar end point. This was dominated by an apocalyptical and bleak aesthetic which, at the same time, contained a satisfyingly progressive punk rock edge. However, while both strong releases, I’d say that Leaves Turn Inside You was more interesting than The Argument (Fugazi’s last album).

LTIY was a double-album, three years in the making, which rocketed Unwound light years away from their original post-hardcore template. Like their previous releases it was dark and had early Gang of Four/ post-punk inspired dynamics. But this time around Unwound's sound was coloured by a kaleidoscopic array featuring haunting post-rock, Godspeed-esque cellos, shoegaze, 60s-inspired psychedelia, garage rock, Eno-esque ambience, krautrock, harpsichords and a whole lot more without sounding all over the place. Another bonus was that the vocals were better. These elements played very well to Unwound’s established strengths which included amazing drumming, skillful guitar/ bass interplay and mesmerizing instrumental breaks.

This is a record which I adore to bits and a very poetic end to the Unwound story. Back in the day who would have thought that after a few more albums Unwound would make a record surpassing their own heroes. With LTIY Unwound exceeded many expectations, most probably even their own. It's Unwound’s beautiful corpse and it's far better than it had any right to be.  

The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde

Believe it or not Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde just turned 20 years old!

In commemoration of not only one of the greatest West Coast hip-hop albums of the 90s, but also hip-hop history, a few interesting articles have emerged (check this). One of them mentions that three out of four members of the Bizarre Ride line-up appeared as  dancers in Michael Jackson’s Do You Remember The Time video! In addition, you are reliably informed that Bizarre Ride was a unique breath of fresh air which appeared at a time when the Native Tongues movement was beginning to stagnate and the Gangsta genre was gathering pace.

Listening to Bizarre Ride now, the youthful exuberance and prankster attitude still sound endearing. Recent artists such as Odd Future seem to have overstretched this to the point of parody. Bizarre Ride also came at a time when some of us were still in awe of the conscious rap of De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest; this is reciprocated here with moments of social awareness, introspection and sensitivity towards matters of the heart. Ironically these qualities have also been exhausted in recent hip-hop. However, this is what makes Bizarre Ride more special - the way it cleverly balances these conflicting elements is uniquely impressive. 3 Feet High and Rising may have laid the foundations for this dual hip-hop personality but The Pharcyde successfully pulled it off.

Their more mature but still worthy follow-up Labcabincalifornia (produced by the immensely talented and much missed J Dilla) didn't attempt to recapture the spirit. This was probably a wise move considering the inner band tensions and personal struggles getting in the way.

However, the chemistry of the original
Bizarre Ride line-up, fuelled by J Swift’s inventive scrapbook production, was a hip-hop force that couldn't be rivalled. Although it was destined for a short life span, it was undoubtedly a winning formula.

Model 500 - The Chase (Smooth Mix)

Thanks to a great article in Tiny Mix Tapes, Model 500 - the sci-fi themed alter-ego of Detroit techno forefather Juan Atkins - recently appeared on my radar.

Model 500's career-spanning Classics sounds as refreshing as The Best of Mantronix (1985-1999) did when I discovered it 10 years ago. Quite an achievement as electronic compilations don't always stand the test of time and can easily sounded dated following constant evolutions in their genre.  

The Chase (Smooth mix) is not strictly representative of Model 500’s idiosyncratic and futurist techno but it's my favourite Classics moment. The track seamlessly blends a range of genres and uses exotic sounding beats in creating something cohesive and transcendent. It’s fun to listen to with its juxtaposition of lounge inspired playfulness and complex jazz grooves. Recent acts such as Flying Lotus and Thundercat have gone down similar avenues but not managed to reach these heights.

The way that the electronic krautrock influence is merged with warm organic sounds also reminds me of Tortoise/ the ambient Chicago post-rock scene and Stereolab. Again, this track is ahead of the game as it oozes soul.

Mutant techno-jazz funk or whatever it is, The Chase (Smooth) truly was way ahead of its time.

Sonic Youth - Evol

Like many Generation X music fans, I grew up on Sonic Youth and different forms of their white noise will be locked inside my brain forever. Those with remote knowledge of them must have heard countless times that they revolutionised the indie/ colleage rock landscape after the post-punk years.  

I didn't join the party until I was 16. This was in the mid 90s when the UK indie scene was saturated with bands obsessed with them. This was a much needed antidotal reaction to Britpop. Due to their cross-generational appeal and a vast body of work, I continually discovered bits of their backcatalogue well into my early 20s and arrived at Evol when I was 20.  

This is the SY record that I enjoy re-visiting the most. There's something remarkable about its woozy production. It sounds very mid-80s, not that you can categorically say what a mid-80s underground rock record should sound like. To me it's a mid-80s sound as it has a distant and detached feel, as if you are listening to a playback of compositions from a time in your life where you have fragmented memories (which I do as I was only 6 when the record was released!). It also conveys its era through its lyrics which are littered with popular culture references. I often think of Evol as the big counter-culture sound of rebellion against mid-80s American pomp - a time when the mainstream was overpopulated with hair metal, yuppies and jocks.

Evol also seems to hold a special place in SY's back catalogue which has become more apparent in retrospect. The record marked a new chapter for the band with an awesome new drummer, their embrace of melody and more conventional song structure. In many ways the sound was still there with the droning layers of static, hurricane like noise and chainsaw guitars. However, more colour was added to the sonic canvass. You still had songs which conjured warped images of Americana or some indie horror film, but this time it was in technicolour. Some of the songs were pretty catchy too.

This was also where one of the great indie trilogies began (Evol, Sister and Daydream Nation). But regardless of its legacies, simply put Evol is a frighteningly compelling place to visit.

Red House Painters - Medicine Bottle

Red House Painters songs are long and Medicine Bottle is no exception. It's representative of their particular style which is a slow, bleak and plodding blend of folk and classic rock. But rather than being dull, RHP had a knack for making music that was uplifting, engaging and captivating. Singer/ songwriter Mark Kozelek sounded perpetually heartbroken and, at the same time, clinically depressed. But his melodic and literal grace, clouded with a nostalgic air and vulnerability, made you enjoy the pathos.
Medicine Bottle was one of RHP's and Kozelek's finest songs. It's haunting guitar line and lush textures win my wife and I over  every time. This is one of those songs we enjoy together, usually on repeat, which can equate to listening to the same song for over half an hour! But it never feels like a waste of time. Like most RHP songs, Medicine Bottle transports you to  somewhere in West Coast America - maybe a remote beach house on a hot summer's night. I'm sure that the song shouldn't feel this romantic but it does.

I'm also a big fan of this type of genre which I tend to associate with two other bands - Low and Codeine. Although all three of these "slowcore" bands were distinct in their own ways, they were stylistically similar and created an indie aesthetic that's timeless and classic.

Andy Stott - Merciless

I discovered the genius of Andy Stott too recently. This was after hearing the track Numb - the infectious opener from his latest album Luxury Problems. Numb has an ethereal feel that only a few talented artists can achieve (Cocteau Twins spring to mind). However, Stott does dreamy techno soundscapes as opposed to operatic post-punk.   

I've downloaded Luxury Problems but yet to hear it as I'm currently engrossed in his debut long-player Merciless. After hearing Numb I get the sense that Merciless is quite different to Stott's recent work but it's still definitely worth your attention. Similar to the sleeve art, the music is noir and minimal which isn't surprising as it hails from rainy Northern England. I can even hear echoes of early Autechre (techno veterans from that part of the world) in the brooding bits.   

Buried under the glitch and blips there's also a warmth running through the disparate elements of these tracks. A couple of them are orchestral like and purely piano led, which reminds me of Esbjorn Svensson Trio. And, as varied as it is, Merciless still manages to have an overarching feel - one that is epic and classical. Other techno records carrying this air include Amber (Autchre again) and Actress' recent RIP (a strong contender for album of 2012). Unlike those records, Merciless isn't that inventive but definitely a note-worthy consolidation of its genre. 

After listening to Merciless you are also left with a thirsty anticipation over where Stott will go next. Good thing that I don't have to wait long to hear Luxury Problems.    

Coldcut - Timber

In the mid-noughties I had regular access to MTV2. It was full of videos by bands called "The [plural noun]". But there was also a late-night show - their "underground/ cutting edge" program - where you could hear more interesting tunes. On there I discovered Timber which instantly blew my socks off!

I came across Coldcut before. They made their mark on popular music in the late 80s when working with chart topping artists such as Lisa Stansfield and Yazz. A friend off mine followed their more obscure releases in the 90s which I didn't bother investigating. After finding out about Timber, I downloaded one of their albums (circa 2004 I think) which didn't really grab me. Timber though still sounds amazing.

This is sinister electronica that is dark but also playful. It's electro tribal feel gives it a haunting spiritual undercurrent which has stuck with me since I first heard it. It's not a million miles away from what Boards of Canada did on Geogaddi, although this classic pre-dates it by a few years.

What is commuters' paradise?

Commuters' paradise is an outlet for me to indulgently air my views about the music I like. Most of the music that I listen to is during my commute from work to home hence the title (in case you were wondering).

I've been an avid follower of music for nearly all my life. Over the years I've developed a passion and some knowledge of post-punk, techno/ electronic, pop and rock, indie and hip-hop. Thanks to growing up on John Peel, closely reading music papers  back in the day and having some musically-obsessive friends, I've also had bit of a tendency for the more obscure and leftfield. In other words = music geek!  

I hope that by reading this blog you'll discover some amazing music. I'd also be interested in finding out about stuff that you think I'd like listening to. Cheers.