Crowns And Crowds: Jonwayne & Mount Kimbie

See Mass Appeal for my review of Jonwayne's debut, Rap Album 1.

After my last hip hop concert experience, I was doubly excited that rising rapper Jonwayne was coming to the Music Hall of Williamsburg as an opener for Mount Kimbie, rather than as part of a rap show. That meant I could catch him live without standing around listening to open mic night before he came on. Even so, my friend and I arrived on the early side and after observing the completely empty music room, repaired to the basement bar for a drink. I admit that we were too busy tasting speed-rack rotgut (Kentucky Gentleman - better than expected!) and missed most of the opening set by D33J (pronounced "deej"). His laptop'n'guitar jams sounded pretty good, though, and he did his job, which was to priime the crowd for Jonwayne.

I had just got through telling someone that, no, they hadn't missed Jonwayne and that he would probably go on at 9:00 sharp, given how tightly Bowery Presents runs their shows, when the lights went down and a hulking figure shambled on stage and began unleashing sharp, dazzling, and dramatic beats from the stage. Even in the dark and with no introduction, everyone's attention was quickly focused on him. This was Jonwayne, and the timing and style of the beginning of the show were just the start of the brilliant surprises he had in store.
After about 10 minutes of music, the spotlights brightened and Jon picked up the mic and launched into Ode To Mortality from Cassette 3: Marion Morrison Mixtape. By the third verse, when he's procuring "drops of dark matter" and describing the "pure oceanic space inside my eyelids," it felt like he had much of the crowd in the palm of his hand. He continued with three more short songs from Cassette 3: Numbers On The Hoard, his appropriation of the similarly named Pusha T jam, Blaq Cowboy ("I am the rap game Sam Beckett"), and The Ritz, managing the neck-snapping changes of mood, tone and tempo with ease. All the while, he acted as his own DJ, dropping beats in and out with a practiced push of a button or twist of a knob while never losing his connection to the audience. This was virtuoso one-man-band stuff, and when you add the effective theatre of Jonwayne's gestures and use of the stage (at one point he sat on the stairs on the right of the stage and rapped from there), you have one of the most dynamic live acts in contemporary hip hop.
Like most great rappers, Jonwayne has a certain arrogance and is not uncomfortable projecting an air of superiority. Most of the time, you get the idea that this is protective, a force field against self doubt and self consciousness. Even so, near the end of his set, when he started repeating "It's not the crown that makes the royalty, it's the crowd and their loyalty," and expected us to say it along with him, I wondered if he had overreached. "I'm a performance artist," he told the audience, "I can do this for five minutes," if we didn't comply, that is. He also picked out individuals in the crowd who weren't feeling it and as much as told them to get with the program. You know what? They did, and he soon had a pretty good group chant going. And when he walked off stage shortly after, the audience wanted him back and he returned for another song or two.
Besides the songs from the mixtapes, he also did a few of the more beat-driven songs from his reflective debut album, Rap Album 1, set for release on October 29th. These were well-received and when, in Marion Morrison he rapped "I'm on the fringe, Mackelmore ain't got shit on me," I'd like to think the cheers were for the sentiment rather than just the name check of that pandering top 40 rapper. Overall, Jonwayne's act was a thrilling display and one I would gladly repeat. I don't know how many people plumped for the cassettes at the merch table, but I suspect a brisk business there when Rap Album 1 is available.
By the time the stage was set and the lights went down for Mount Kimbie, the Music Hall was at max cap and I was jammed up against the wall by people ready to dance. And as soon as Kai Campos and Dominic Maker took the stage, dance they did. There was a certain aggressive jockish quality to some of the dancers - at least in our little corner of the crowd - and my friend was prompted to ask "Have bros taken over the world?" while I wondered if EDM has ruined IDM.

That divide between the utilitarian and the avant garde makes Mount Kimbie is a curious case, to my mind. Their first album, Crooks & Lovers was an arty little gem of a record (#7 on my Best Of Ten), which displayed an originality of texture and composition that was the most refreshing thing in British electronica in years. Still, I was not expecting Campos and Maker's sounds to translate so well to a live setting until I saw their Tiny Desk Concert, and realized they had the goods on stage as well as in the studio. Even so, I was unable to catch them on tour in 2011 and was left to idly wonder about who their audience was.
I have read in more than one interview that they attribute some of the wonderful oddness of Crooks & Lovers to their not knowing what they were doing. The somewhat disappointing poppy direction of sophomore album Cold Spring Fault Less Youth makes me think they were not being entirely disingenuous. I wouldn't mind a return to amateurism, especially if it meant no more collaborations with the self-indulgent King Krule, whose stentorian vocals on two songs nearly sink the new album entirely. In any case, he was not on tour with them, thankfully. Instead, they brought Tony Kus on drums and occasional bass, and when he was bashing away and either Campos or Maker was playing guitar, Mount Kimbie seemed more than ever like a real band, and an excellent one at that.
Despite my doubts about Cold Spring Fault Less Youth and my hesitation about the motives of many of the attendees, there was no denying that they put on a fantastic concert. The projections of young Asians getting drunk and stupid on the screen behind them made me wonder if Mount Kimbie also have questions about their audience, but there was no reticence to their performance. Even the new songs sounded more interesting on the Music Hall's well-defined sound system, with the propulsive So Many Times, So Many Ways a levitating high point. As would be expected, the set was sequenced like a great DJ's playlist, with peaks and valleys and straightforward trajectories mixed with sharp left turns. One such turn was when Jonwayne joined them for a new collaboration, to the audience's overwhelming approval. Let's hope they lay that track down before the end of the tour.
In the end, it was a masterful and fully absorbing concert that allowed me to ignore my often rude fellow concertgoers. Lest I sound like a prig, it's not that I didn't move to the deep grooves, it's just that I believe a collective experience can - and should - come with kindness and joy rather than selfishness. Mount Kimbie's music left me blissfully exhausted, but also with one central question: where do they go from here?

Great Expectations

The more rapturous the reception to an album, the more devoted the fans for a band, the greater the expectations for any subsequent release. Here are four recent releases that were confronted with this obstacle.

The Strokes - Comedown Machine After a brief period of incomprehension, I fell head over heels for Angles, the last album from the former saviors of NYC rock - in fact, it's now my favorite of theirs after Is This It?, their instant-classic debut. The energy, the intricate but not dispassionate guitars, the precise work of the rhythm section, the heart-on-sleeve vocals of Julian Casablancas, and the overall mixture of gloss and scuzz made for a thrilling listen. Many complained about the band's supposed 80's fixation on Angles, but while the the sonics of the late new wave era were evident, The Strokes use of sophisticated chord sequences and counterpoint-riddled melodies make for a far deeper musical experience than that surface would suggest.

So my expectations were high for Comedown Machine, not because I'm still desperately waiting for Is This It? Or Angles redux, but because I just wanted another great album, no matter what it sounded like. And Comedown Machine delivers, and at almost as consistently a high level as Angles. It has a similar combination of ballsy rockers and keyboard-heavy songs, and features about as many of complex arrangements and clever production details, not to mention jaw-dropping guitar solos from Nick Valensi. Like Angles, it's a very witty album with a great sense of fun. While there have been hints of a tortured process in the studio and tensions between band members, if they were giving any interviews they might suggest that their fans lighten up.

Many have dismissed Comedown Machine and Angles as essentially Casablancas solo albums. The other guys must be bringing something to the table, however, as I found Phrazes For The Young, his actual solo album, an unsatisfying listen. Other complaints have centered around Casablancas's use of falsetto (which doesn't bother listeners of the wretched Passion Pit). While its true that the vocals on something like Chances make Casablancas sound lost and lonely, I take that as the feeling of the song not an incompetent vocal performance. As for comparing One Way Trigger, the first single, with A-Ha's Take On Me, it's the same issue of surface versus depth. While the Strokes take some of the spiky style and romantic sweep from the Norwegians, the melody is entirely different and the little rocket of a guitar interlude that starts at 1:30 could only come from Valensi and his six-string partner, Albert Hammond, Jr.

I'm not going to tell anyone what to like, but I hope people will give Comedown Machine (and Angles) a listen with an open mind, whether they're fans of The Strokes or not.

Iron & Wine - Ghost On Ghost Sam Beam's project is another case of early work being held so dear that any alteration in the formula is met with a sense of near betrayal. The fact is, Beam has been building on his original recipe of strummed nylon strings and hushed vocals for almost a decade now and his latest only continues that trajectory. One major difference between Ghost On Ghost and predecessors Kiss Each Other Clean and The Shepherd's Dog is the use of crack session musicians like Tony Garnier and Brian Blade. But this is no slick anonymous effort; the sound is lush, evocative, and completely distinctive. There are horns and strings, an increased (and sometimes raucous) jazz influence and always the sense that Beam is doing exactly what he wants to do.

Just like every other Iron & Wine record, all the sounds are in support of brilliantly crafted, enigmatic songs that demonstrate Beam's deep engagement with American and British folk traditions. When performed solo, these songs prove that Beam is developing one of the richest song catalogs of the current century. Even though there are moments of darkness and sorrow on Ghost On Ghost, overall the mood is lighter than the last album, which, while never surrendering completely, had a creeping bitterness similar to that evinced by Van Morrison on Hard Nose The Highway. While Beam's essential mellow-ness has always benefited from a slight edge, he sounds like he's in a good place on Ghost On Ghost and I'm happy to join him there.

Mount Kimbie - Cold Spring Fault Less Youth The first album by the duo of Dominic Maker and Kai Campos, Crooks & Lovers (2010), was one of the best electronic records of recent years, harking back to the IDM (Intelligent Dance Music) of the 90's delivered by artists like Aphex Twin and Autechre. In some ways it was almost chamber music, featuring pieces that were abstract and unconventionally structured. It wasn't hard to imagine something like Before I Move Off in the concert hall rather than the club. With so much electronic music becoming almost entirely beat-driven, Mount Kimbie was a bright spot.

They still are, but that brightness is slightly dimmed to my ears, as Cold Spring Fault Less Youth is a far more conventional record. While their command of texture and production remains firm, and this is a gorgeous sounding record with a great sense of color and space, these are mostly very definite songs instead of compositions. There are verses and choruses, more prominent vocals (with the stentorian King Krule on two tracks) and abounding 4/4 rhythms. While the end result is not a turn-off like when lovable eccentrics Efterklang went pop, I do find myself searching for more to get interested in while I'm listening. It might be that a series of deconstructive remixes will reveal the heart of these tracks - I'll be sure to keep my ears open.

John Fogerty - Wrote A Song For Everyone How many living legends still regularly stride across the rock'n'roll stage? It's a pretty short list but John Fogerty is definitely on it. As the leader of Creedence Clearwater Revival he helmed a band that put out seven albums in four years, with at least five of them being stone classics. As a songwriter, he duked it out with Lennon & McCartney for the top spot on the charts. Proud Mary alone has been covered over 100 times. He was also a dynamic performer who proved his ridiculous guitar chops on Creedence's last tour, when they played as a trio following the departure of genius rhythm guitarist Tom Fogerty. Fogerty plays both lead and rhythm with a command and fury that's hard to understand when just listening - I'd like to see video! 

In any case, by the time CCR atomized, Fogerty's place in the pantheon was assured. I grew up a fan and have remained one ever since. My wife can tell you that I was playing a tape I made of favorites when it was deeply unfashionable to do so. This new project has him working up new versions of some of his classics with a hand-picked cast of partners. It's been in the works for a while, and while my expectations were as low as mentions of the Foo Fighters and Kid Rock could make them, I wasn't prepared for the train wreck result. The worst thing is that many of Fogerty's own vocals are mannered and the guitar playing is completely pedestrian. The two new songs he eked out are filled with cliches. One, Mystic River, even has a bridge that takes enough from Black Water by the Doobie Brothers that it might be actionable. You'd think someone who was sued for plagiarizing his own songs - as wrong as that was - would strive to be more original.

As for the guests, is his taste really this bad? Besides the Foos & the Kid, he chooses to work with Jennifer Hudson, Zac Brown and mostly other mediocrities. How about Lucinda Williams, Wilco or Jonathan Wilson - artists who are on the same level? I'll say no more except if you love Creedence, NEVER listen to this album.

P.S. I'll let those who thought Daft Punk's Homework was really all that weigh in on whether their latest, Random Access Memories, is a culmination of what they stood for, or a rejection of those principles.

Best Of Ten

I took it down to the wire, and I'm glad I did. At least one item here came in over the transom less than two weeks before the end of the year. It was such an amazing year for music that keeping this list to 10 items was painful. I will put a Bandaid on that booboo next time with the Best Of The Rest Of Ten. Without further ado, my 10 faves from 2010.

1. The Walkmen - Lisbon One of the astonishing things about this record is that despite all the new elements they added to their sound, it still sounds just like The Walkmen. It is at once their most stripped down album and their most embellished (backing vocals! strings!) without losing sight of the all-important emotional connection that is their hallmark. Sure, they're older and wiser enough to laugh at heartbreak in Woe Is Me, but they're never too far from wonderful desolation. Ain't the first time they've been high on my list and probably ain't the last...

2. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

I admit that I had pretty much counted K. West out but when Lord Lord Lord dropped, I knew something was brewing in Hawaii. And let's face it, the album is a freaking masterpiece - not flawless and certainly the filthiest five star album ever - but great nonetheless. If The College Dropout was his Hunky Dory, featuring an endearingly goofy and down to earth Kanye that we haven't seen since, this is his Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps), presenting a dangerously warped persona who sees the world through a shattered mirror. This list of samples demonstrates that a shattered mirror can result in a kaleidoscope of sound. A lot of ink has already been spilled on MBDTF - suffice it to say that it's a defining record of our time and Kanye's best ever.

3. Field Music - Measure
The Brewis Brothers strike again with this overachieving double album. Their smart pop is smarter than ever while rocking harder and getting in touch with their funky side. Zigaboo Modeliste could learn a few tricks from the second line strut of Each Time Is A New Time while Andy Partridge is kicking himself for not coming up with Them That Do Nothing. Deep in side four (speaking in vinyl terms), it gets arty and reflective just as you would hope, mining some of the territory Penguin Cafe Orchestra abandoned to become chilly perfectionists. Each song on this dense, rich collection is like a perfect little machine and smart songwriters around the globe are likely trying to draw schematics of each one as we speak.

4. Gecko Turner - Gone Down South
Gecko's mix of the sounds of Portugal, Brazil, Memphis, Jamaica, Mali and beyond is one of the must purely human sounds being made on the planet today. To live life without his records would be like denying yourself the warmth of the sun. His last two albums (both released in 2006) are landmarks of this millennium and this one is a close cousin. Perhaps it's a little airier and tossed off, but songs like Truly and Cuanta Suerte are like a mainline dose of Vitamin D. Pure joy from start to finish.

5. Sleigh Bells - Treats 
These two Brooklyn hipsters married the (often fairly unlistenable) digital hardcore of Atari Teenage Riot and co. to a pop sensibility to make a sound I never knew I needed. Tell 'Em comes on like a rallying cry, the national anthem of LOUD, while Rill Rill hijacks a Funkadelic sample that leavens the whole album straight to sonic nirvana (pun intended). Play it in your car - watch your rearview mirror vibrate and sing along with your family.

6. Breton - Sharing Notes

Between showing the world how to make a DIY printed circuit board and providing remixes for nearly everyone, this South London collective spawned three EP's this year - this is the second (the first was limited to 20 copies and the third is just out) and its grimy electronica features a punky energy that will jolt your system right where you need it. Further listening reveals the dense, surprisingly masterful production (James Murphy could borrow a few leaves from their book) and the almost anthemic song craft that will put these tracks on high-rotation in your temporal lobe.

7. Mount Kimbie - Crooks And Lovers
I have been mostly bemused by the British electronica scene of the past few years, as Dubstep splintered into seemingly endless sub-genres, each even more narrow minded than their progenitor. This duo definitely draws on some of those sounds but their approach is so radical - and musical - that they rise far above the morass. Shards of melody go by, rhythms get almost funky, human voices drift in and out the mix but their compositional skill makes it all hold together. I can imagine those Bang On A Can guys transcribing this stuff and blowing the roof off of Alice Tully Hall.

8. Holly Miranda - The Magician's Private Library

I've probably gone on enough about the enthralling qualities of Holly Miranda's voice and songwriting but, trust me, she's got the goods. Dave Sitek's production elaborates on the dreamscapes inherent in her songs but also mutes her power a bit. Check out NYC Taper's recording of a show from the Bowery Ballroom last spring to hear her raw and uncut, including her devastating take on I'd Rather Go Blind. So perhaps she has yet to make her definitive album but this is still a wonderful introduction to a unique and growing talent.

9. Brian Eno (with Leo Abrahams and Jon Hopkins) - Small Craft On A Milk Sea

Because this is an instrumental album, many have been categorizing it as one of his ambient works. But this series of short, varied pieces has the most in common with his Music For Films albums. As he puts it: "As they stand, they are the mirror-image of silent movies – sound-only movies." In any case, the sheer inventiveness, freedom and mastery displayed here can stop the breath in your throat. And you may have heard: he actually gets abrasive, delivering a bracing echo of Kings Lead Hat on Two Forms Of Anger.

10. Spoon - Transference

Britt Daniel continues his run as one of the best songwriters ever with gems like Written In Reverse, Mystery Zone, Goodnight Laura, and pretty much every song on this terse, witty and heartfelt album. There is a nice rawness (almost abandon) to some of the cuts but the canny production touches that abound serve as reminders that he and his band mates are in full control. If there is anyone still out there bemoaning the death of rock, they just have not been listening to Spoon. 

Next time: Several other delights, including reissues.