Reviews: Destroyer, Crystal Castles, The Kills and more
Tuesday March 18, 2008 @ 12:00 PM
By: ChartAttack.com Staff

THE BLACK HALOS We Are Not Alone (History)
The Black Halos have taken their share of hits. Once Vancouver's rising dark star, Sub Pop signed them hoping to cash in on the late '90s festering pop-punk fever. Unfortunately, despite the excellent single "Some Things Never Fall," the last thing pop-punk audiences wanted was real punk, so the big cane of failure yanked this Misfits-adoring goon squad out of the spotlight. But if pain is pleasure and only the oppressed know how to party, then We Are Not Alone is St. Patty's HQ. Its enthusiasm is exponentiated because one would think the Halos have little to be enthusiastic about. They missed their big shot, their lineup has reshuffled more times than Bush's cabinet, they spend their career in a tour van, it's their fourth album on as many labels and yet they power their way through New York Dolls-inspired glam-ditties "Suck City," "Princess St. Princess" and "Madam Merlot" like they were Mott The Hoople. It's very inspiring, and almost makes up for We Are Not Alone's lack of solid hooks. Hard Core Logo's Joe Dick said some rockers need models and limousines while others are happy with hookers and taxi cabs. Hallelujah! Jared Morano

SERA CAHOONE Only As The Day Is Long (Sub Pop/Outside)
Sera Cahoone once drummed for Seattle indie rockers Carissa's Wierd (sic), the band who eventually morphed into Band Of Horses and Grand Archives. This is her sophomore release and it showcases one of alt.country's most promising songwriters. Some of the songs, like opener "You Might As Well," rely on guitar a bit too much, but are still beautiful nonetheless. Sometimes that formula works — the Justin Rutledge-esque song structure on "You're Not Broken" proves a song doesn't need to be complex to be great. That said, Cahoone shows off her potential when she integrates different instrumentation. "Happy When I'm Gone," with its intricate mixture of jingly banjo and pedal steel, is the disc's strongest track. Cahoone should be commended for stepping out from behind the drum kit and putting her songs on display. If she can hone her songwriting skills, she'll soon be a force to be reckoned with. Kate Harper

CRYSTAL CASTLES Crystal Castles (Last Gang/Universal)
The hype machine's been in overdrive for a few months and it's finally time for this Toronto duo to show and prove. Are Crystal Castles going to be the next biggest band on Earth? With only this debut full-length as evidence, the answer is still "maybe." The problem with this self-titled effort, is that two very different bands showed up to make it. Half of its tracks were made by the Crystal Castles everyone has heard about — the pair who describe their music as "thrash/thrash/thrash" and routinely cause riots at their live performances — and it's clear that this is when these two are at their best. The other Crystal Castles on display here are better suited for post-rave chillout listening and bears no resemblance to their psyche-smashing alter-ego. At 16 tracks, there's just too much here. This disc could have easily been cut down into something truly mind-blowing. Scott Bryson

DANKO JONES Never Too Loud (Aquarius/EMI)
Previous Danko Jones albums have arguably served simply as souvenirs of the hard rock trio's infamously incendiary live show. After all, it's hard to capture the revival-turned-sour feel of the band's concerts in a studio. Things are different with their fourth proper LP. Never Too Loud sounds like an album, rather than a close approximation of the real thing. The songs feel more finished here, unlike some found on previous discs where emotion, rather than articulation, was key. It's non-repentantly unpretentious, witty rock 'n' roll (with occasional punk and metal elements), slickly — but not too slickly — produced by Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Rush, Coheed & Cambria). Danko's not particularly known for his crooning. Historically, he's barked, sneered and shouted his lyrics. This time around, a Thin Lizzy thing's going on, with the Mango Kid concentrating more on melody. This isn't to suggest he and the band have gone soft, though. The guitar, bass and drums are still big and tight, and the subject matter remains the same — no saving Darfur or calling out the U.S. government here. Instead, virtually all the songs focus on sex, touring, and/or relationships gone bad. There are three big departures. "Take Me Home" is a love song to a record collection that could easily find itself on FM radio, "Forest For The Trees" — an uncharacteristically sinister epic with contributions by Pete Stahl (Goatsnake, Scream) and John Garcia (Kyuss). Then there's "Ravenous," a deliriously exuberant ode to love (!?). Danko Jones haven't gotten soft... they've just gotten better. Erik Missio

DESTROYER Trouble In Dreams (Merge/FAB)
If Dan Bejar's discography is any indication, 2008 is year one of Destroyer's usual four-year plan, which goes like this: Official release, soundtrack or EP, official release, year off. Check it out. It's uncanny — he's skipped every fourth year since 1996 (mind you, two of the hiatus years saw the release of New Pornographers records). Anyway, at the risk of sounding trite, Trouble In Dreams is yet another brilliant cog in Bejar's peculiar oeuvre. It's getting to the point where the man can't make a wrong turn. The weirdest thing about Trouble In Dreams is that it sounds like Bejar's being backed by Arcade Fire. That's a compliment, because with so many bands trying to rip off the Montreal collective, nobody seems to have matched the template as efficiently as Bejar has here. Just listen to "My Favourite Year" and tell me you can't imagine Win Butler singing over it. Look, there's almost no point in reviewing Bejar anymore. You should just concede that three years out of four, you're buying a Destroyer album. Noah Love

ADAM GREEN Sixes & Sevens (Rough Trade/Beggars)
Sixes & Sevens, the fifth solo effort from The Moldy Peaches co-founder Adam Green clocks in just under 50 minutes with its 20 tracks. The album is filled with fun songs that have a polished sound, but that sound is hard to pinpoint. Green jumps around from '50s and '60s-inspired pop/rock on "Tropical Island" and "Festival Song," to the Motown sound of "Morning After Midnight", to the country-tinged "Leaky Flask," "Broadcast Beach" and "Rich Kids." There's even a duet with girlfriend Loribeth Capella on "Drowning Head First" that could easily be mistaken for The Peaches' infamous "Anyone Else But You" from the Juno soundtrack. Only two songs fall flat among the mix: the mainly spoken-word "Sticky Ricki" and "That Sounds Like A Pony," an awkward and disjointed sort of rap. But 18 out of 20 ain't bad. Jen White

JARBOE/JUSTIN K BROADRICK J2 (The End)
Justin Broadrick has long been one of the heaviest dudes around and I'm not referring to his waistline. He's best known for stints in Napalm Death and Godflesh, while no doubt drawing on those intense experiences, he hooked up with a lady named Jarboe for a project titled J2. Together, they sound like Skinny Puppy or perhaps a less provincial Dead Can Dance, the latter best exemplified by the somewhat worldly "Tribal Limo." Truth be told, these six track are more about atmospherics than heavy metal and, accordingly, the duo spend more than 40 minutes trying to get all creepy and mysterious. It works for the most part, although the listener might feel as if they're stuck in 1995 — or maybe even 1985 — if they try hard enough. Cameron Gordon

THE KILLS Midnight Boom (Domino/Outside)
Spawned during a string of late-night recording sessions, The Kills' aptly titled third full-length is yet another batch of minimalist rock noir. And as usual, there's plenty of irreverent goodness to go around. "Time ain't gonna cure you, honey/Time don't give a shit," sings the London duo's female half VV on "Tape Song," just before it explodes into a fractured fit of distorted guitar and thudding drums. The cheery mood can also be felt on "Cheap And Cheerful," where she bemoans the boredom of being sane and happy. Like 2005's No Wow, Midnight Boom threatens to overstay its welcome as it plays on. How many gritty, sexed-up rockers can one take in a sitting, really? But just when your ears start to tire, "Black Balloon" offers up a mid-album breather that's, wait for it, kind of pretty. And while the duo quickly get back to business on the feedback-drenched "M.E.X.I.C.O.U.," they end it all with sleepy, comedown closer "Goodnight Bad Morning." You can look forward to seeing The Kills plastered on magazine covers all over again soon. Matt Reeder

DANIEL LANOIS Here Is What Is OST (Red Floor)
Here Is What Is isn't an album as much as a routine check-up on what Lanois' been up to. The last we heard from him, ignoring the undistinguished outtakes and instrumental albums of 2005, was five years ago with the excellent Shine. Methinks Lanois is due for a comeback. Unfortunately, it won't be the soundtrack to the equally titled and equally bland 2007 documentary. The musical talent, respect and admiration is still there, and Lanois' reverent, open atmosphere remains intact, but the songs feel too much like a series of personal challenges and indulgences, as if an hour before recording "This May Be the Last Time" Lanois was sitting around wondering what he'd sound like if he was a southern bluesmen (answer: like Tom Waits on downers). There are gems, such as the heart-stopping "Sacred And Secular," but between the pointless jams and soundbites from conversations with Brian Eno, those diamonds are buried deep in the rough. Jared Morano

THE MATCHES A Band In Hope (Epitaph)
A Band In Hope is the third studio release from Oakland, Calif. art punks The Matches, who began their career playing pop-punk, but have since progressed into more experimental territory. This disc mixes Shawn Harris' unashamedly Hot Topic vocals with more proggy, shifting time signatures and bombastic '70s guitar hero instrumentation. "AM Tilts" seems like simple pop-punk until the end, when it breaks down into something which sounds more like Iron Maiden mating with Queen in a freakish accident. "Their City" has a riff that sounds like it was copped from "Crazy Train," while "Yankee In A Chip Shop" combines late '70s ska-punk with a more southern California punk sound. This makes for an interesting listen, but you get the sense the band can't seem to find a direction. While A Band In Hope is a valiant attempt at innovation, it falls short. Kate Harper

PACIFIKA Asuncion (Six Degrees/Outside)
England and the U.S. are well-known for producer-assembled pop groups — 'Nsync, the Spice Girls and others — but Canada hasn't been completely left out of the aging fad. In the early '90s Vancouver producers put together West End Girls, a teenaged trio that included Silvana Kane, now Pacifika's entrancing lead vocalist. It's thus very encouraging to see that it's possible for singers to have life after pop idolatry. Asuncion is a lo-fi but beautifully textured journey through Mediterranean-tinged dub and pop. Kane's mostly Spanish vocals are at the forefront, but her two bandmates play a part as well. Electronic and traditional percussion and sparse-but-soaring guitar create an atmosphere that has the ebb and flow of a river. This is dreamy, middle-of-winter music for people who like to close their eyes and pretend they're on a beach. Pacifika have the ability to sound mysteriously foreign, but they're all ours. Scott Bryson

RETRIBUTION GOSPEL CHOIR Retribution Gospel Choir (Caldo Verde)
When exactly did Low's Alan Sparhawk become possessed with the spirit of Black Mountain? This project isn't a new outing for the singer/guitarist, but it's his other band's first official release and definitely a change in direction. Retribution Gospel Choir are basically Low with a new drummer. But that fact, and Sparhawk's voice, are really the only things here that are reminiscent of the Minnesota trio. This is a sound that popped up once or twice on Low's The Great Destroyer, but had completely disappeared by Drums And Guns. "Breaker" from that disc is given a new treatment here. Whatever Sparhawk's intentions with this disc — catharsis, perhaps? — his newfound aggression works. Fans of Low will definitely enjoy this album, but it may not be instantly flashy enough to win over newcomers. Scott Bryson

SHE & HIM Volume One (Merge/FAB)
Jared Leto... Juliette Lewis... Zooey Deschanel? Guilty pleasure alert: This may just be the first enjoyable disc from a movie star since William Shatner's 1968 release The Transformed Man. The key here, one would assume, is what collaborator M. Ward has done with Deschanel's saved-up bedroom recordings. Songs vary slightly in style from straight-up country, to '60s-style pop and Grease-like doo-wop and they all manage to work. Deschanel's voice is competent enough that you'll be wondering if acting should have been her primary career choice. A cover of The Miracles' "You Really Got A Hold Of Me" and a reimagining of The Beatles' "I Should Have Known Better" were a little unnecessary, but decently done. Standout track "This Is Not A Test" is magical and, gasp, rather Neko Case-like. If you play this when you have friends over, you're going to get laughed at. Save it for headphones. Scott Bryson

THE TEENAGERS Reality Check (XL/Beggars)
If you're a fan of frolicking French indie pop, the fancy pants stylings of France's Teenagers will be right up your alley. Reality Check is their debut long-player and it's brimming with the brand of smarmy cheekiness that you'll only find in 20-somethings (and Parisians). The players seem to have a thing for swear words, as lead track "Homecoming" is brimming with f-words and putdowns. Likewise, "F**k Nicole" is obvious in its perversions and "Street Of Paris" is something of a theme song, mentioning "teenagers" and again, the f-word� over and over. In spite of sounding authentically retro (and a bit like Boys Brigade in the process), The Teenagers are a bit too cloying and bit too consciously clever to appeal to these ears. Chances are if you're anywhere over the age of 25, this album won't do much for you in terms of smarts or shock value, so let's hope these Teenagers use their newfound fame to grow up a little. Cameron Gordon

UNEARTH Alive From The Apocalypse (Metal Blade/Universal)
The centrepiece of this two-disc set is a full-length concert that clocks in at a rather quick 45 minutes. More interesting is the documentary on disc two that isn't your typical collection of boobs and booze. It's instead a candid look back at Unearth's beginnings in Massachusetts and their grind to where they are today. It includes commentary from members of Unearth past and present, but also various label reps and praise from the likes of Slipknot's Corey Taylor, Vinnie Paul Abbott, Fear Factory's Dino Cazares, members of Madball, Killswitch Engage and many others. Andre Mihsin

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