Tiny Tiny Reviews

Music That Matters - Colourbook

2007-12-04T16:11:00.001-08:00

This act hailing from Victoria Canada is sure to win over some of your hearts. It's a steadiness you get only from crossing a cheetah and a platypus. Enter something similar to lucid dreaming in paradise while sprinting a 5K. Colourbook my friends, is fine wine.

Music That Matters : Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam

2007-12-03T23:18:00.000-08:00

I have ignored this album for too long, and it's a near sin. Animal Collective, Strawberry Jam; one of 2007's top 50. Listen to it.

Music That Matters: Kay Kay and his Weathered Underground

2007-09-04T19:59:00.000-07:00

Simply put, Kay Kay is one of the best new collaborations out there.

Yes, they are a collective and so too was/is our beloved E6, but these guys got it and it shows. Seattle should be proud. For a limited release they have picked up immense credibility and it's as deserved as President Bushes vacations... well maybe that's not the best comparison- but I'm sure if the Pres got a hold of their discovery vacation plans would be in order.

Music That Matters: hollAnd- The Paris Hilton Mujahideen

2007-08-07T19:47:00.000-07:00

Stumbling hapless upon his discovery about four years ago I have kept hollAnd’s work secret to nearly all my friends and music connoisseurs alike, disclosing his name only to those in my most trusted relationships. My reasons are not selfish. However, like a naturalist in a state park I would not bear to see his output degraded into 25 cent post cards and designated scenic lookout points. I strive to keep his work preserved- away from those who do not appreciate what the true intent of his work (not “songs”) has to invigorate into ones surroundings.

To see his efforts classified would be blasphemous to Trevor’s yet to be named denomination within culture. Adjectives used to depict hollAnd’s works have been catchy, synth pop, hook driven, etc. While these descriptions hold true Trevor’s (as shown in TPHM) ultimate end is much more romantic than sensual, progressive than liberal, catholic (as an adjective) than conservative. Sure his work is catchy, but so is the figure of an attractive woman. TPHM doesn’t solely rely on opening new doors rather, erects a new vantage as have hollAnd’s previous work. The new perspective frames International/American affairs and our heading thus far in the twenty-first century. While maintaining this focus TPHM sprouts some stunning new methodology along with classic antics which make Trevor Kampmann’s efforts all the more prudent to absorb.

Music That Matters: Justice - †

2007-08-06T15:46:00.000-07:00

If metal kids pulled the stick out of their ass long enough to even consider listening to dance music, this would be the album. † is the leading album in a new style of French House music that has combined with hip-hop, rock, glitch and a myriad of other genres upon which to make new music out of. Although this is very cliche, Justice will be the new Daft Punk for America.

Each track is an excercise in a different style of electronic music, with the glitch of Waters Of Nazareth, and disco house in D.A.N.C.E. They can even do italo house with The Party featuring label mate Uffie. Each track has something special to it. There is literally not a bad track on the album.

Music That Matters: Voxtrot - Voxtrot

2007-06-03T17:18:00.000-07:00

I am starting to understand why being labeled would make an artist cringe. Twee, while being a favorite genre of mine, is also a pretty caging genre as well. Sweet beyond sweet and innocent seeming lyrics. It can box an artist up pretty quickly. Belle & Sebastian hate it. Voxtrot though have taken the LP to break away from their EP's more twee roots but still retaining the more progressive elements while retaining in the best parts of their EP's. Standout tracks like Stephen, and Kid Gloves point toward their new found anger. While this LP isn't as progressive as the EP's its a signal that greater and better music will definitely be coming from this band.

Cooooool Video: Kanye West - Can't Tell Me Nothing

2007-05-29T16:00:00.000-07:00

Kanye West - Can't Tell Me Nothing
Uploaded by kojirokay38

Hype Williams directed does it again with a simple and relevant video of Kanye West's Can't Tell Me Nothing.

If this is any indication, Graduation will be extremely good.

Music That Matters: Midlake- The Trials of Van Occupanther

2007-05-14T16:03:00.000-07:00

With almost every current artist creating albums with some sort of yelp, scream, grunt, cry, whimper, growl, or moan, it’s refreshing to hear a group that can actually sing; very well in fact. Midlake’s second release Trials of Van Occupanther is a stunning work which harkens back to the vocal styles of Crosby Stills Nash and other select artists who put forth just as much effort in constructing their vocal arrangements as with instruments. Midlake’s pronounced vocalist Tim Smith has some of this generations most mature and stunning lyrics; a refreshing afternoon breeze under your favorite trees in a period swarming like bees around a hive of often yammering introspective lyrical content. Welcome Midlake, to one of ‘00’s most grown up, thought provoking (in a buoyant way), and lyrically and instrumentally rich artists.

Cooooool video: Architecture

2007-05-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

Architecture in Helsinki - Heart it Races from helsinkids

This just makes me so happy :)

Music That Matters: Dntel - Dumb Luck

2007-04-24T16:26:00.000-07:00

If there ever was an album that could encapsulate an emotion this album would be sad. I realize that this is a very cocky thing to claim, as their might be sadder albums that I might not have heard. But through the electronic bleep and bloops of Jimmy Tamborello one feels that this is the antithesis of his side project the Postal Service. Wherein the previous set to inspire hope with pop, nonsencial lyrics, Dumb Luck sets out to depress with poppy nonsensical lyrics. This could not be accomplished though without ~~Ben Gibbard~~ vocalists to accompany his dreary beats. To set the mood on this album Dntel brings in vocalists: Grizzly Bear, Jenny Lewis (who worked on the Postal Service project), and Conor Oberst among others. Each vocalist chosen seems to fit in with their song, and the album as a whole was put together wonderfully.

Music That Matters: Podington Bear

2007-04-23T12:44:00.000-07:00

Podington Bear. I'm not even sure where to start on him(her?) really. Well. According to his website he is just a bear that makes music. A bear that plans on releaseing three songs a week (on Monday, Wednesday, Friday) every week for the whole the whole year. Not only this, but he is giving it away for free. Completely. What made me write a post on him is that he had an interesting article on his site, about a new (but in reality a quite old) way of artists to make music. This is actually showcased by the the Nike commissioned workout tracks made by Aesop Rock and LCD Soundsystem. You can take a read, its quite interesting. Regardless, take a listen to his music. Sometimes dark, other times extraordinarily lighthearted. The songs are all mostly twee pop-esque, but have an innocence and an ambient air to them which.
His website is here and you can download the songs using iTunes, or any Podcasting client such as Doppler.

Youtube, we tube: Menomena - Wet And Rusting

2007-04-23T12:28:00.001-07:00

Music That Matters: Menomena - Friend And Foe

2007-04-23T11:55:00.000-07:00

How do most people hear music currently? Certainly, its not buy buying the actual CD anymore. Most likely its on your iPod (or other assorted DAP), and most likely the owner of said DAP will not have the album art in the file's tags. Album art has lost its significance in association with the music. This is mostly to do with the fact that most artists just leave it to the record label's art department (one could also argue about the disposability of modern pop music, but that is neither here nor there). With Menomena's Friend And Foe, the album art is truly part of the experience. It describes the flow and feel of the album perfectly. Friend and Foe is a whirling experimental indie rock album that takes the listener through the images of the album art. Thoughts, love, things yet to be born, fear, hate, panic all words which describe the album perfectly. Stand out track Wet And Rusting out does any music video released in 2007 as well. The whole album shines as one of the best albums of 2007.

Music That Matters: Panda Bear - Person Pitch

2007-04-13T13:02:00.000-07:00

The long version
Its really really really rare, when I just want to listen to an album over and over and over again. The most recent example of this was J Dilla - Donuts, a psychedelic hip-hop classic. On first listen the album seemed weak, shallow and non necessary. But something kept drawing me back. And with each listen I grew more and more in love until it became my favorite album of 2006, and even now Jay Dee (aka J Dilla) is STILL my top artist on my last.fm.
So. I took a listen to this album. Again at first It was tedious, and reminded me alot of Brian Wilson's Beach Boys work (in the singing). But then I started hearing the myriad found sound samples and layers of instrumentation and reverb working into whole collage of sound layers. When I was on the bus listening and as I stared into the gray skies and traffic ahead, it hit me then that this was a great album. This usually never happens, but its like the light bulb in cartoons, where all of a sudden, it just clicks. With every listen more sound and layers and little gifts are unlocked in a Neo-Psychedelic/Pop landscape of sound. This is an album where being an audiophile is worth it. Of course people will wonder abotu any recommended tracks. Its hard because each song blends in with the other so smoothly, and each song has its own movements that can't be taken out of context. This is a whole album listen, otherwise the effect will not be noticed.

The Short Version
I extremely recommend getting this album, because frankly its fucking amazing.