Review Saturday: Cymbals Eat Guitars - "Dancing Days"

Cymbals Eat Guitars

"Dancing Days"

Pretty Years

Synderlyn

Dancing is often regarded as a form of showing someone's blitheness and happiness. It's something that you'll never correlate with despondency, even though you may suffer from the dancing mania like in 1518. With that being said, in the hands of Cymbals Eat Guitars, the word that beams happiness as much as dancing can be turned into a track that is somber and evocative, inducing old memories of good old dancing days. 

After two strong albums, Lenses Alien and LOSE, the departure of their old rocky and ferocious persona in Pretty Years, their fourth album and their most experimental one, is pretty much noticeable. In Pretty Years, they incorporate electric sound, resulting some songs that make you awkwardly dance, such as "Close" or "Have A Heart". But, in the middle of the album, you'll find the crown jewel of Pretty Years. "Dancing Days" may easily fit in LOSE as it invokes languorous atmosphere as much as "Jackson". But, it also fits the experimental noise that they try to implement here. "Dancing Days" itself is a rock-ballad, and as you can expect from a rock band that goes ballad, it sounds sweet and vulnerable. "Spring, the days lengthen/ the block is blossoming drifts of pink petals," D'Agostino describes his state of desolation that happens amidst the beautiful days of spring. With his shaky voice, D'Agostino continues in whisper, "Can't shake the feeling/ that I lost something precious/ my heart's finally fixed." between the slow beat of Andrew Dole's drum that sounds hypnotic as it reminisces us of our old good days. As D'Agostino loudens up and gains much confidence and courage, the track climaxes on the most sing-along chorus that Cymbals Eat Guitars has ever written, "Goodbye to my dancing days/ goodbye to the friends who fell away/ goodbye to my pretty years." The second part of the song couldn't be more tragic when D'Agostino goes cathartic, where his jamais vu makes him unable to recognize anything and his feeling goes numb as the impact of goodbye finally hits him. Farewell, and especially a farewell to our beloved one, is always an emotional experience, and "Dancing Days" perfectly captures the sense of it. 

Review Saturday: American Football - "Give Me The Gun"

American Football

"Give Me The Gun"

American Football

Polyvinyl

The first time I was digging into American Football's reissue of their self-titled debut album, I have to admit, I thought American Football is a new band with great songs; "Never Meant" became my jam for weeks, and I couldn't stop singing it. Oh, boy, how wrong I was when I found out that American Football is released in 1999, and their 2014's album is the reissue of the cult-following American Football's debut album. What makes me shocked is how ageless the songs in American Football are, enduring the tests of time--and that's the proof of how eternal their album is. The reissue of American Football cannot be more prompt as well, as it marks the start of the revival of emo music, the genre music du jour in late 1990's and beginning of 2000's, that happens in 2014 until now. And it's no surprise when American Football decides to release their second self-titled album, the world rejoice. 

After dropping "I've Been Lost For So Long", the song that fits their absence of their second album for this seventeen years, the Illinois emo legend guns another taste from their latest album, "Give Me The Gun". It begins with the concoction of Holmes' guitar and Lamos' drum, "Give Me The Gun" reminisces their old songs, bringing back nostalgia of the emo phase of our life where everything seems so gloomy and portentous back then. Still, "Give Me The Gun" talks about the critical  part of a relationship, where Kinsella's love interest is in the edge of her life as he sings, "But I'm scared for us both." with his Owen-acquired throaty voice, something that's nonexistent in their debut album. "Give Me The Gun" rolls like an unfinished story, when Kinsella ends the story with just, "You're made of wet paper" in minute two, and leave the rest of the song with just instrumental guitar and drums, pointing the fragility of his love interest and leaving their fate unknown.

Review Saturday: Florence + The Machine - "Stand By Me"

Florence + The Machine

"Stand By Me"

Songs From Final Fantasy XV

Island

The road to Final Fantasy XV is a long and winding one. Initially developed as a spin-off of universally hated-but-loved Final Fantasy XIII in 2006, the latest addition of the Square Enix's most lucrative series finally sees the light in 2012 when it's rebranded as Final Fantasy XV that we all know. Square Enix has been all out in building fortification of anticipation for the game, by releasing several demos, anime, animated movie that looks gorgeous. and of course a mellifluous music from Florence + The Machine. 

"Stand By Me" is actually first used as the music for the trailer of the game back in March which flaunts the picturesque view of Final Fantasy XV's world. Now that the game is less than two months away, Island decides to release the song officially, with the addition of two more songs: "I Will Be" and "Too Much Is Never Enough". All songs bring the best in Welch, but it's still "Stand By Me" that gives me chill. Welch transforms Ben E. King's 1961's hits into a haunting and hallowing ballad, matching the overall theme of the Final Fantasy XV. With an orchestral composition, "Stand By Me" feels grand and extravagant, once again matching Noctis' life as a royal family, yet sorrowful. But amidst the cacophonous violin, Welch wails, "Darling, stand by me!" in the most heartbreaking way, like a drowning person who gasps for air, over and over until the end the song. Again, it's matching Noctis' life, even if he must escape and fight, he knows that his comrades are always there for him, and that's all what he needs to know. 

Review Saturday: CHVRCHES - "Warning Call"

CHVRCHES

"Warning Call"

Theme from Mirror's Edge Catalyst

Electronic Arts

Glaswegian synth-pop band CHVRCHES understands the adage that says "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", as proven by their sophomore album, Every Open Eye. Their debut, The Bones of What You Believe, fantastically works and becomes a masterpiece. It's not a surprise if they want to achieve the same lofty Metacritic rating for their sophomore album. But somehow, Every Open Eye, doesn't work. It has the similar sound, but it lacks the "it" factor that's apparent in The Bones of What You Believe, making CHVRCHES become one of the sophomore slump's victims. Don't get me wrong, Every Open Eye is still a great album, but it's much inferior compared to that chef d'ouvre called The Bones of What You Believe. Gladly, we don't need to wait too long for CHVRCHES to redeem themselves.  In "Warning Call", a theme song from the reboot of Mirror's Edge, CHVRCHES reminds us the "it" factor that makes them great. 

Making music for video games is not easy. It should be emotional because playing games itself is an emotional journey as we melt with the characters who embark on a covetous journey that we've always wished for. Music for video games must match the twirl of human being's feeling: when it's sad, it should be so sad that your heart bleeds; when it's blithe, it should be so cheerful that it pumps you up. "Warning Call" does them all. Mayberry sings from Faith's point of view, the main character in Mirror's Edge Catalyst who seeks freedom from a glass city. You can sense the forlornness in "Warning Call", a scream from girl who's trammeled in a dystopian city, but you can also feel her glimmer of hope as Mayberry soars, "Looked out on the cold ground / and we try to break the fall". "Warning Call"'s vigor suits Faith who happens to be a daring free runner. Its vigor makes you excited as well, but makes you cry at the same time. Their ability to twist our emotion is the reason why we love CHVRCHES at the first place. 

Review Saturday: KAYTRANADA - "Glowed Up (feat. Anderson .Paak)"

KAYTRANADA

"Glowed Up (feat. Anderson .Paak)"

99.9%

XL Recordings

Anderson .Paak is on fire this year. After he released Malibu this January, Paak is featured in some of the grooviest songs of the year. He appears in Snakehips' latest song, "Money on Me", a dope electronic rap song that brings Paak's natural flair in rapping. But, it isn't "Money on Me" that enraptures the internet this week. It is his collaboration with KAYTRANADA's Louis Celestin, an electronic musician from Montreal Canada with his charming dorky smile that does so. "Glowed Up" is not their first collaboration, though. Back in January, when Paak released Malibu, KAYTRANADA has helped him produce "Life Weight" featuring The Free Nationals United Fellowship Choir. Now, it's Paak's turn to return the favor when they team up once again in "Glowed Up", taken from KAYTRANADA's latest album, 99.9%, released on May 6th. 

This sleek electronic R&B song starts with a theremin-infused spooky instrumental before it crescendos and Paak begins, "And it still ain't a goddamn thing they could tell me/What could compel me to jump in?" between the rumble and thumping beat. Paak's vocal builds the tension of the song sophisticatedly until the chorus, where he cruises between KAYTRANADA's woozy beat, "I'm glowed up/ I'm glowed up", Paak sings, sounding synesthetically glinty. In the outro, KAYTRANADA alters his direction, sprinkling the song with more bass and drumbeat and slower tempo until the end of the song, while Paak follows the direction by rapping more softly. Paak and KAYTRANADA are not just collaborating. They have become fidus Achates, where they can bring the best in each of them, and their camaraderie is proven in "Glowed Up". 

Review Saturday: Frightened Rabbit - "Death Dream"

Frightened Rabbit

"Death Dream"

Painting of a Panic Attack

Canvasback/Atlantic

You know when a song starts with "It was dawn and the kitchen light was still on", it won't be a fun one. Scottish folk-rock band, Frightened Rabbit, gives us first taste from their follow up of their 2013-album, Pedestrian Verse. "Death Dream" serves as first single and the first track of their album, and it's song about death. And just like every song about death, "Death Dream" is so melancholic and full of sorrow, yet so poetic. "I stepped in and found the suicide asleep on the floor. An open mouth screams and makes no sound. Apart from the rain of the tinnitus of silence, you had your ear to the ground," continued Scott Hutchinson, accompanied by the growl of organ. The lyrics are so fluid and full of on-point metaphors: tinnitus of silence, scream and no sound. It feels complex, while "Death Dream"'s composition sounds simple and not too excessive--after all, it's a song about death, what will you expect? It is produced by The National's Aaron Dessner and you can hear The National's influence on the song. 

The awesomeness of the song reaches its epitome when Hutchinson leads a choir-like climax when he whispers, "He died in sleep last night" over and over, while in the background you can hear him chanting, "It's been a while since I dream this". The part feels so harmonious, it feels so alive--which is really surprising from a song like this. 

Painting of a Panic Attack will be released on April 8th by Canvasback/Atlantic. 

Review Saturday: Porches - "Car"

Porches

"Car"

Pool

Domino 

It is hard to make a song from a thing that is ubiquitous without sounding too banal. In "Car", Aaron Maine a.k.a. Porches sings about the mode of transportation that can be found anywhere. It's an ode to car and automobile. "It takes us away from where are," Maine hums, so full of wonder that how can such thing can take us anywhere. He repeated "Oooh what a machine" in a hypnotizing way, like a 50's child who's ecstatic when he rides a car for the first tame. "Car" may sound so constant with that repetitive beat on chorus, but you can't stop humming along with Maine "Oooh what a machine!" And you also wonder what a magical thing car is. 

Pool by Porches has been released yesterday by Domino Records. 

Review Saturday: Charlie Puth - "Losing My Mind"

Charlie Puth

"Losing My Mind"

Nine Track Mind

Atlantic

A few days ago, Wikipedia uploaded the tracklist of Puth's debut album with a shock. One of the tracks, "Losing My Mind", features the Indonesian singer who aims the international market. I am not surprised, though, but somehow it looks fishy. If it were true, I expect "Losing My Mind" to be an upbeat song, with innuendo lyrics and erotic dance. Turns out it is not true. And turns out it's not an erotic song. It's not even an upbeat song.

"Losing My Mind" is a standard ballad, there's nothing special from it, though. Puth's vocal doesn't sound so bizarre at all; it's as if his voice is suited for ballad song. But, "Losing My Mind" is really nice ballad. It is stuck in your ear after the first listen. "Losing My Mind" is another apology--as though we need more. Puth sings tenderly as he apologizes that this relationship won't work is because of his fault. "And I'm sorry that I can't be the perfect type of man." 

I think "Losing My Mind" is one of the highlights of Puth's debut album. 

Review Saturday: Cymbals Eat Guitars - "Aerobed"

Cymbals Eat Guitars

"Aerobed"

Kevin Devine's Devinyl Split

Bad Timing

I don't know what this Kevin Devine's Devinyl Split project is all about, but it features Cymbals Eat Guitars. It also features tracks from Meredith Graves, Tigers Jaw, and Nada Surf's Matthew Caws which were previously released this year. Devinyl Split itself will contain six-part, and Cymbals Eat Guitars is the fourth part of the project. 

Produced by Jesse Lacey, the frontman of Brand New, "Aerobed" begins with acoustic guitar. "Love's truck stop, bumfuck Georgia," vocalist Joseph D'Agostino sings, showing his tender side of pure and raw love. It's not like what Cymbals Eat Guitars's songs that I used to listen where they seem more grunge-y. But, the acoustic part is a red herring. It's like a bomb fuse, and when it all burns, it explodes. The chorus of "Aerobed" is an explosion. After the explosion, the song grows more tranquil, leaving no aftermath. D'Agostino's skill in writing is definitely proven in this song. 

Cymbals Eat Guitars has now signed to Sinderlyn, and if this is what their latest effort looks like, their record next year is something we should look forward to.