Bob Mould
District Line
The latest solo album from Bob Mould, formerly
of ‘70s punk stalwarts Husker Du, is possibly
his best yet. Bob Mould’s solo work could best
be described as an updated ‘90s rock sound,
with a few electronics thrown in as accents.
Honest lyrics are delivered in Mould’s classic
powerful tone, on top of driving and creative
rock backdrops. As opposed to some of his
earlier solo work, District Line doesn’t feel dated
or repetitive.
Opener “Stupid Now” channels the punk edge
of Mould’s adolescence, while thoughtful tunes
such as “The Silence Between Us” utilize a lyrical
maturity that is truly rare in music today. There
are no groundbreaking musical developments
here, resulting in un-cluttered songs that are
easy to listen to.
Mould does not attempt to recreate the wheel,
but turns his attention to assembling tunes
that are enjoyable from start to finish. Mould
sounds truly vulnerable on District Lines, but
without sounding depressed or sappy. Instead,
the listener is offered a glimpse into the
personality of a man, and insight into a few of
his experiences. This personal quality, coupled
with top-notch song writing, makes this album
a must-hear.
Sample District Line at bobmould.com.
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| Bob Mould in concert |
Giraffes? Giraffes!
More Skin with Milk-Mouth
This quizzically named duo offers up a healthy
dose of mathematics with their instrumental
rock. Giraffes channels the early work of math-rock pioneers Don Caballero, and layers on top
of that a playful experimentation that morphs
each song into a stylistic sketch all its own.
The first track, “When the Catholic Go Camping,
then the Nicotine Vampires Reign Supreme,”
repeats a thematic finger-tapped riff before exploding into a spacey, psychedelic freak
out, complete with blistering guitar solo.
Similarities to fellow instrumental rockers The
Fucking Champs can be heard once the song is
truly pushed over the edge. The second track,
“The Ghost of Eppeepee’s Ghost,” is a free-jazz
inspired number that would be completely at
home on the last Fridge album. “Emily Sagee’s
Secret” draws on the dissonance and rhythmic
variation of the band Dysrhythmia in its first
half, before breaking into a hauntingly simple
groove punctuated by eerie-sounding bells. The
EP is rounded out by Giraffe’s best and most
unique track, “A Quick One, While She’s Away.”
A triumphant, lyrical guitar riff drives forward,
only to morph seamlessly into a flowing theme
driven by acoustic guitar. Then, Giraffes hits
the distortion, and rocks out to a disjointed,
abrasive stretch, before returning back to more
finger-tapped guitar wizardry with the agility
of a jackrabbit.
Bottom line: Giraffes? Giraffes! combines some
of the best elements of many instrumental
bands and adds their own flavor to create
something that will please anyone with an ear
for the unusual.
Sample More Skin with Milk-Mouth at Giraffes? Giraffes! MySpace page.
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| Artiste: Giraffes? Giraffes! |
