Archive - Noise [2004]

I have a feeling that of all great Archive albums Noise gets relatively the smallest attention. Usually when I ask people about their favourite I hear Controlling Crowds, You All Look The Same To Me, Lights or eventually Londinium. Well, is last album with Walker any worse than those? More difficult in understanding? Let’s wonder for a while.

(Think of it as a horse ride;))The trip begins with heavy, pessimistic Noise – one of lyrical highlights in Archive’s satchel – I said heavy, but the base is just acoustic guitar and Craig’s voice. The air gets thicker when drums appear and Griffith and Keeler introduce their toys. My favourite example of perfect growing.

Fuck U is next to Again the most famous Archive song. The question is why a simple counting-out game song gets so much more popular than much better musically, impressive, emotional songs? Well, to me answer is simple – honesty. Walker manages to recite so naturally that it seems like he’s coming up with all the names the moment he says them. And again – a great lyric, that everybody can “sing” when upset or angry.

After this shaky start Waste takes a little slowdown and gives us a 9minute peaceful, break (watching coutryside) with second part slightly rising. Sleep may be seen as a dreamy lullaby, but it is one of the more beautiful, calm – and despite all signs – optimistic tunes created by this band. After passing bridge Here we find ourselves about to be thrown out (Get out [!]) of our saddles by happily aggressive Walker. It’s a very nice song, but can be startling why one would be so enthusiastic with getting rid of people...

Yet we only come close to the real “ridding of” part – Conscience is a prayer-like (lyrically and musically) ask for God to take our conscience away “so we can float away” – well, looks like Archive doesn’t feel so good after kicking everybody out...

Pulse is my least favourite, very electronic song with unnatural –to me annoying – vocal. I guess they aren’t exactly fond of this song, since it’s always sing by girls on concerts and further releases. Wrong is another acoustic bridge, quite charming with – thank God! – natural Walker’s voice again. This atmosphere continues in Love Song – um, with exception for middle 2 minutes being another electronic-distorted variation – warm, optimistic tune.

After a long ride finally it’s Me And You /the hardest part/ - the beautiful part, when anger, fear, sadness and loneliness are overcame and we managed to deal with them somehow. Slowly developing song – from piano and soft vocals, through a waltz like passionate singing, to stunning instrumental outro with guitars in an untypical harmony. Perfection. Once again.

Noise isn’t the easiest way to get to know and enjoy Archive, but it’s such an amazing album, that all “fans” shall give it a couple of chances to grow on them – it can be very generous to old friends. Charming, admire!

Millhaven [2010]

Today I focus not exactly on music, since  Millhaven is a short movie (or music video) prepared by polish young director - Bartek Kulas and a great singer - Katarzyna Groniec.
Together they created a variation on Nick Cave's song The Curse of Millhaven - unique both in picture and sound. It's a song from Murder Ballads and tells a story of 15-year old Loretta (or like she prefered - Lottie) who secretely pleasures herself by killing citizens of the town.

Animation is not the most common choice of presenting horror stories, but Kulas succeeded in creating a nice pressure. In fact the film is mainly about watching the girl's dance - changing, as she's becoming more and more cruel. Yet the small details like spiders surrounding her or madly spinning hair make it even more dramatic.
As for music - Ms Groniec wasn't called one of the greatest singing actresses in vain. Her voice, accompanied by simple, ascetic piano is really thrilling and makes me think she must have been aware of how could insane girl feel and speak. I also assume that choosing to sing the song in polish was a great decision - our susurrous language is perfect for mysterious, desperate monologues.

I enjoy this little 'horror' a lot and it gives me thrills every time I watch it, which is probably more than 10 times during last 3 days;) Serve yourself!

Playground Noise - Playground Noise [2010]

Waking up today I reached for my ipod as usually, about to find something that will eventually help me get out of bed and – quite accidentally played Playground Noise’s debut longplay (self-titled). Not only did I wake up, but also found out I suddenly became an energy-bomb! As usual this album made me feel so good and so impressed with the band composing skills.


Playground Noise are a young greek band playing – simply calling – rock. It’s rather hard to define “which type” of rock that is, since they mix various styles. Mainly alternative, post rock and 80s new wave and post punk tricks. The most characteristic features are low guitars, strings, post-rock-like drums and (I guess) synthesizers. That already sounds great but after adding a vocalist that can passionately sing using different techniques of clean vocals, murmur, scare speaking lowly or praise with sweet voice – this record becomes an eargasmic journey in time!

The album opens with a sad but energetic April 24. It shows certain inspiration in The Cure (mainly keys+guitar) but with unique low male vocals (the phrase You, you make me real is surely one of the most easily remembered verses to me). Last cigarette is a much lighter, optimistic sound – strongly opposing to the following The Divers. This one is definitely my favourite – slowly increasing, with rich instrumental base (strings dominating the guitars) and again – highly emotional, expressive vocals. We can easily point 2 parts of this multilayered song, with a spoken bridge (it’s time...) in between. In the light of the title we should probably read this song as a struggle in diving to discover flooded wonders of ancient Hellada (perhaps even Atlantis!) – although to me it feels more like written while climbing on Olimp...

Today lyrically is a love song, praising life. Yes it is. But musically it shows less optimism and – again – more fight. You can literally feel the determination of the band, the depth of the belief in their own declaration. The Distance also goes this way – simple, characteristic riff and the vocals in the foreground. You can find a music video to this one on youtube.
Yet there is another surprise to come – Night-Blooming Cereus appears to be a dialogue between strings and piano – lovely but with a dark passenger tracing the blood. Honestly, I think they don’t like optimism – can it be a result of living in the fatherland of Helios god of sun? My theory would say – you may be happy with all the sun around, but it can also really tire you.

Hearts' Circus is a melancholic track that could easily belong to The Cure if it weren’t vocals. Covered with sun... heroes and brides! May I officially announce – yes, they can! They can make a song that is fulfilled with the joy of life! Beautiful, tomorrow I'll take my jacket and go have a nap in a snow smiling to the sharp, cold, polish sun!
Whisper In My Head another good, sad tune. Isolation is on the other hand an ethereal post-rock oriented composure growing slowly and leaving us in a delightful peace.

It’s hard to talk about this album. I gave it a plenty of listens past 3 months and I feel it really grew on me yet it still seems to hide more great surprises for later discover. Generally – really, really pleasant 52 minutes! I hope they’ll get some more attention and record many more interesting albums!

Devendra Banhart - Cripple Crow [2005]

Today’s review goes with birthday best wishes to my dear friend who really wanted to read about Devendra;) So on the example of his first popular album – Cripple Crow – I take a wonder whether or not he is just extraordinarily handsome man or a talented musician as well;)

Cripple Crow was released in 2005 when  Devendra was just 24. He already had 4 full albums and one ep on his musical account (and on each album there is from 16 to 24 songs) proving to be one of the most efficient modern musicians. Yet it wasn’t until Cripple Crow that he got popular in wider circles.

This album consists of 22 songs and lasts over 74 minutes, so going into details with each song would kill you, my readers. That's why I will describe it quite briefly. When it comes to music, it’s easy to notice, that Mr Banhart became a more conscious, picky writer. No longer do we get simple quitar-and-me songs, so characteristic for freak folk – the genre that Devendra’s music is most often associated with. The young artist takes a lot from other genres – we can hear jazz, blues, psychedelic and folk inspirations – he is also not afraid of building up more complicated songs. Whereas the first two albums had an average song length of 2 minutes, Cripple Crow makes it in 3 or even 4 (and I can tell you – next album will have even 8 minutes long song!)

Lyrically, Devendra likes to tell simple stories, often a bit fairy-like or touching every day’s happenings. Sometimes he may sound a bit controversial:
Even when the sun ceases to shine
I won’t care, I’ll still have on my mind
So many little boys I wanna marry yeah yeah
I see plenty little kids I’ve yet to have
But we know, he likes being weird;) He also uses spanish which is – I guess – a natural consequence of the fact that he grew up in Venezuela. Well, I have to say I love his latino-spanish songs, like beautiful Quedate Luna. His singing is particularly original, even though sometimes it brings to my mind early Bob Dylan.

I guess everybody can find here a song to like a lot. Personally, my choices would be Santa Maria da Feira – a lovely, dynamic folk song addressed to Devendra’s long time girlfriend and CocoRosie singer – Bianca Cassidy, swinging, slow Korean Dogwood, trance-psychedelic-western Lazy Butterfly, already mentioned Quedate Luna (and of course our common favourite Chinese Children, Juana mia;)!)

Not prolonging, I assume Devendra has something else to offer except for his beautiful eyes, stunning black hair&beard (recently lost!) ... ok, I won’t start naming all perfect parts of his body!  But instead – close your eyes and enjoy his overwhelming optimism and the beauty of those simple and enchanting songs!

Isis - Sawblade [1999]

Put your headphones on. Open the door and leave. Give yourself 30 minutes of walk with Isis. Let the Sawblade pierce your soul and help you lose sense of burdening reality – for a moment at least.


Emission of the Signal is indeed a cutting blade. The growing pressure and metallic distortion opens your head. Somebody wants to check your brain?

Streetcleaner (Godflesh cover) follows this impression with a very aggressive, pessimistic sound. To me it resembles urban night atmosphere – lights, cars, modernity mixed with omnipresent danger, fear, disgust. Filth and dirt surrounding you. Now, they hammer your head and take all thoughts out.

Hand of Doom – they feed you with psychedelic pills. Welcome to the bluesy-stoner drive originally coming from Black Sabbath. Weird how covers of this band may be so awesome every time.

House of Low Culture. Yes, the earth lacks culture. Suddenly you're all alone. The city is dirty, sad, almost abandoned. The snow is coming down and you hear a train coming. You can’t move and it passes, while you’re still waiting in a mental coma. Isis that we knew it till the end.

Time to get back home. Switch off.

Agalloch - Marrow of the Spirit [2010]

I wouldn’t call myself Agalloch fan, although I know all their works and I love this kind of music. They were always ‘good’ to me,  some songs even “very, very good” but they never managed to make me scream “oh yes! That’s it, that’s my agallochish eargasm!” Well, I was hoping that Marrow of the Spirit would be an album I’d love in every minute, but is it?




They Escaped The Weight Of Darkness aka they escaped the metal music and jumped into the forest to sit by the rivulet with a cello and mourn! Or less metaphorically – a beautiful classic-stylised intro in a minimalistic Philip Glass type, but accompanied by a shimmering water. Played by Jackie Perez Gratz known – among others – from Grayceon and Giant Squid.

Into The Painted Grey we will be led by hammering guitar. That song is like a definition of Agalloch style – fast guitar riffs and growls between long, calmer instrumental parts - but somehow it seems a bit more condensed, intense than their earlier works...

The Watcher’s Monolith is again backed up by extra artists – Vindensång keyboard player - Jeffrey Neblock and Steven Wray Lobdell on vocals. The doubled vocals (also clean), keys and more acoustic guitars build a lovely mysterious atmosphere. Also post-rockish breaks can gain your attention (or help you focus if you tend to lose it). Sighs, laments, these are all well known & loved band tricks. And here we are to end with another lovely classic-forest solo...

And move to the droneland of guitar. Black Lake Niðstång that is. Drone- because our guest is Nathan Carson coming straight from Sunn O))) and ruling the army of keys, vibraphones and glockenspiels. Land- because Niðstång is an object coming straight from ancient Vikings’ kingdom. It’s a kind of a pole (ladies, DO NOT even think of jumping on this one!) used for cursing the enemy. So the title can be easily interpreted as a cursing pole of Black Lake’s nation;) But let’s give it back to its owner and speak of music. As I said, we’re welcomed by a drone, not really so Agallochish atmosphere, although later on they try to explain themselves to orthodox fans. But the amazing, heavy instrumentals don’t leave us! Hail the cursing pole, it’s a really evil, doomy song. An over 17minute giant that to me seems to pass faster than any of the other songs on this album. A plenty of well synchronised, innovative motives.

Ghosts of the Midwinter Fires rised a real fire inside my heart. It doesn’t have really much in common with metal – but the ghost of it is packed  into stunning post-rockish frames (even post-metal at times). Lots of positive energy that doesn’t need much words to be described.

They escaped the weight of darkness
To Drown in another...
So the heavy doomy darkness and the lovely post-rockish darkness drowned in a pesymistic, acoustic song with some strings – again in a very classic style. And nice exotic drums added by Veleda Thorsson. Lovely, almost catchy song.

This album gives me a lot of doubt. It is really amazing, a good piece of great music, but have I became finally satisfied with them? It makes a huge impression on me, but doesn’t give me the thrills I’d like to feel. I guess I am not able the question if that’s my most favourite work of them. But maybe for you it will become their magnum opus?

Charlotte Gainsbourg - IRM [2009]

The famous daughter of famous parents, actress, singer-songwriter. Is her success dependent on easy start or a natural consecution of a huge talent passed in this family? Charlotte’s music career started over 26 years ago with supporting her father in Lemon Incest. But in this period she finished only 3 albums, of which the last – IRM is considered to be a major success.

Charlotte never was a composer. Firstly, she sang songs written by her famous father Serge Gainsbourg, later on she was choosing other artists to prepare material for her like the french band Air on 5:55. This time she chose Beck, American multi-instrumentalist working with Flaming Lips and Devendra Banhart. He wrote all music and helped Charlotte with lyrics, shaping them from the pieces she gave him. But as they claim, she was present in the studio all the time, guiding him to help her make a piece of music she carried in her heart.

Charlotte confessed that the most inspiring for her were self-experiences – of her illness caused by ski-accident – cerebral haemorrhage and multiplies MRI scans she had to take, as well as her work on last Lars von Trier film – Antichrist. In fact the MRI machine is essential on the album – firstly appearing in its name – IRM (french word for MRI) and as an... instrument in the title track.

The musical side of the album is very simple, yet rich in interesting ideas and sounds. It’s clear that vocals are the centre point, but music is not just a background, it cuddles Charlotte’s voice and strengthens the atmosphere. It’s never aggressive, but varies a lot in emotions of each song. The two dominating factors are lullabies such as In The End or Vanities and energetic, though not always optimistic possible-hits like Heaven Can Wait (with additional vocals by Beck) or IRM.

It’s almost impossible to avoid comparisons with her famous parents works, especially Serge’s music. He was followed by many artists, but somehow his daughter managed to find her own path, taking relatively little from her father’s. She wanted to learn to sing “naked” as the girls in his bands used to do whereas Beck took his characteristic percussion style. The very humble music consists mainly of piano, guitars, strings or some electronica. As for the genre I’d classify it as pop, although Trick Pony is a bit punkish, and slower songs remind me of chanson française.

To be honest Charlotte is not an impressive singer, neither in scale nor in voice emotion, this thing that makes us shiver. Most of her singing is whispering or doing some very simple melodies with calm voice. But that’s the best! It is said that simplicity is most beautiful and she confirms this opinion. Her voice creates beautiful, pure atmosphere, although it is not free of sadness. In Antichrist she presented a full complexity of female nature, with its attacks of joy, anger and despair – and so she did on her album showing how happy and – excuse me – also fucked up we women can be sometimes...

I’m falling in love with this album. It’s short, simple and very complex at the same time. It has great, wise lyrics like my favourite Time of the Assassins. Thanks to its light atmosphere you can listen to it many times in a row and not get tired AND keep discovering more and more in it. Generally I avoid pop and electronica, but IRM enchanted me, caught and apparently doesn’t want to let free.

Recommended for mornings as a waking and optimistic music-day-starter or for calm evenings with a cup of cocoa or a glass of wine.