Reviews

Jason Anderson
Tonight
RIYL: The Hold Steady, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Bruce Springsteen
"Jonesboro"

Jason Anderson is a man who you may know from his 2005 The Wreath or, more likely, his work in the band Wolf Colonel. Forget about him. The lo-fi Jason Anderson who threw in a catchy song here and there as a pleasantry? This ain't it. This is a Jason Anderson you've never heard. Sure, you can still experience his high energy shows, his dedicated fan following, and his general avoidance of playing on a stage, but these new songs are indeed just that. Sort of. They're a different sound with the same feeling. The writhing gist of an old acquaintance. A new familiarity. Is Tonight borderline second-rate blue-collar rock? Maybe. But is it still fun as hell? You bet.



M83
Digital Shades Vol. 1
RIYL: Brian Eno, Fennesz, Boards of Canada, Air, Múm
"Coloring the Void"

Hippiegazer extraordinaire Anthony Gonzalez is probably the most namedropped artist when it comes to present-day shoegaze, and let's face it: It's because he's really awesome. New or old, fresh or stale, Digital Shades Vol. 1 is the return-to-form album for M83. Where Before The Dawn Heals Us radiated anthemic charisma, Digital Shades Vol. 1 might as well be the new replacement soundtrack for the upcoming final cut edition of Ridley Scott's Blade Runner. With this album, we're returning to what some noise bands wish they could still do with field recordings and formless song structures where the inherent appeal of fuzzy, percussionless noise as music creates some kind of dense, dramatic lull you'd only experience from nighttime hypoglycemia. No, I'm not a doctor, but I did listen to M83 last night.



Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew
Spirit If...
RIYL: Stars, Menomena, Do Make Say Think, Sunset Rubdown, Metric
"Aging Faces/Losing Places"

A solo album? I don't get it. Even though it still has members of both Broken Social Scene and friends (Feist, Stars, Emily Haines), the new-but-not-so-different title is the first in the series of "Broken Social Scene Presents" albums. Low key songs are really what define this pseudo-solo release. By striking a balance between indie pop, singer-songwriter, and post-rock, the album has a sort of high-production, but lo-fi charm. I'm a sucker for texture added into songs, whether it's a ship creaking as it goes down, number stations, or even samples as breakdowns. Especially samples as breakdowns. Now, for two big complaints about the album: 1) It's too contrived. The distraught vocals, the moody, emotional storytelling—you're not falling for this are you? 2) It's too self-indulgent. Does Kevin Drew really need the backup of Feist and Emily Haines? How can you even call this a solo effort? And remember, this is going to be a series of albums. What if the sequels suck? Oh, god. What if they don't?