Review - We Are The Physics - We Are the Physics Are OK At Music.

Something that sounds genuinely new and interesting should be celebrated with a large fanfare and a parade down the local high street – for We Are the Physics are here. The thing is that while these guys sound different and sound unique you realise after a couple of listens that they are not doing anything completely different, but are just taking bits from loads of bands, throwing them into a big pile and running through it, diving into and all the while shouting loudly.

They sound like mix of Franz Ferdinand, Les Savvy Fav, The Hives and Belle and Sebastian. No, wait, let me explain; the band have taken the shouty vocals from Les Savvy Fav 9and a bit of the high fret board guitar work), the danceable rhythm from Franz and a smattering of tongue in cheek from The Hives. So where does Belle and Sebastian fit in?

Well, the key to WATPh is that while they are jumping about the stage, frantically drumming, shouting, barrelling lyrics off, they have a handle on some rather exciting melodies that will stay with you for most of the day. A great example of this is the bass line from “Bulimia Sisters”, the shouty chorus from “You Can Do Athletics BTW”, and rather frantic shout along “This Is Vanity”. The tunes are infecting and will burrow deep inside that mind of you – your foot is tapping and you smile is widening before you cans top your self.

There does seem to a bit a problem with the album though, and I might say it lies in the production. The amazing riff that is buried in deep in “Pylons + Other Modern Art” is lost – if the riff was as prominent as the “solo” 1.00 in then it might have lifted the song above the rest of the album. Elsewhere the scatter technique of the drumming lets the songs go of in insane tangents almost every 10 seconds which can berate after a couple of listens.

The sum of the album though is that this is a good collection of songs. Fans of the band will recognise a few from singles that the band have released – there are a few tracks new to this album that will not have heard, but the quality of those singles (which for months have been on the band’s Myspace) are good enough to warrant a purchase. A great album, though not for everyone, I can’t wait to see what the band can do with their second album.

Did I mention that three of the four are called Michael?

8/9

Band's Myspace
Buy Album from Play.com MP3 Downloads

6Shuffle - 27/02/08

In My Arms by Mylo from Destroy Rock and Roll
Okay, so we have a problem – I have never heard this track before and while I have the album in my library it was taken from a musical “society” where we share music from out respective collection, so I have not listened to the album or even the singles yet. This track samples Betty Davis Eyes as a good riff in the background, but in all action, nothing really happens, so I don’t know if it sounds better with the rest of the albums.

The Long and Winding Road by The Beatles from Let it Be… Naked
Recently I have been listening a lot to early The Beatles, from Please Please Me, With the Beatles, Beatles for Sale and Abbey Road, but have not started to listen to this later music yet. I love the early Beatles, they sound so fresh even today, and the albums, especially With the Beatles, are so funky and 60s sounding, with more melodies that the whole of the chart right now, they make for great early morning, and Monday morning music. This is a classic track, but the exact kind of Beatles track I hate – I know it so much more from everywhere else rather than my own discovery, it feels out of context. The production on this track is very scattered, and rather unsettling, and is taken from the re-released version of the album that strips away all the ridiculous production of the original.

Patty Lee by Les Savy Fav from Lets Stay Friends
I had heard this track well before I knew who Les Savy Fav were, I had even tried to learn it on the guitar. This, from their latest album, is very exciting, and has some excellent lyrics with exactly the kind of music I have been wanting to get into – critically acclaimed but still outside the mainstream. They are close to being a subject of a discovery post by either me or Colin – he included the track that follows this song in his first Monday Mix. I am still deciding on the band, but they seem like a good driving-song band. Along with a few other new recommendations, such like Neutral Milk Hotel, 65daysofstatic and Broken Records, these bands will make up fair portion of my listening homework of the next few weeks.

Airbag (WMA) by Radiohead from OK Computer
Radiohead have been subject to my ranting on my personal blog a few times, mostly about their more recent output – but this album, and indeed this track, even for an album that is 11 years old, still sound absolutely seminal, with songs that have still be to equalled, and a cohesive record that Radiohead have only last year came close to reaching again. It hints at the future of a band, that when you are reminded of the climate in music (Oasis, Spice Girls, Blur and B*Witched) you can’t believe the impact it had, who would venture in unknown and unwanted territory without even a sideways glance at the commercial successes they were achieving with their alternative rock, and gave 1990s rock its biggest question; Old Radiohead or New Radiohead?

Ways & Means by Snow Patrol from Final Straw
Another band who probably have more in a hand for the creation of this blog than I can really credit them with, this track is my favourite from their break through album. The slowly spoken and droning vocals have more in common with the band’s original ouput rather than their epic popness that the recnt album lends to. The dark song, with close to a lack of a tune, has a brooding melody hidden underneath the screaming guitars and crashing cymbals and a story is told using these in a way that stands taller than any other tracks on the album Run included.

68 State by Gorillaz from D-Sides
Taken from the outcuts album that followed Demon Days, this instrumental track is included in an album that not only is odd, but also has moments of sheer genius that shows just how much creativity is still bibbling underneath the surface in Damon Albarn’s repitore. I loved the first album, and love the second album also, and this, a sequel of sorts to G-Sides, the album that was released after the eponymous debut (G-Sides for Gorillaz, D-Sides for Demon Days). There are a few tracks on here that are sketches (like this one) and others that are stand out should-have-been-album-tracks, like We Are Happy Landfill, Bill Murray and People, a song that uses everything from Dare except the vocals, putting lyrics over it, giving a track that sounds more like 19-2000 than the original. Got Demon Days? Pick this up, it is a very interesting aside.

Bonus Seventh Track – It Takes Time to Build by Beastie Boys from To the Five Boroughs

Monday Mix - 25/02/2008

Every Monday it is my intention to share 5 tracks that I have been listening to over the past week and I feel that you should definitely listen to at least once.

Rocket From The Crypt - On A Rope
It's not often that I get excited when I discover a new band but finding out about Rocket From The Crypt through the Drowned In Sound forums has definitely created an exception to this rule for me. Someone had posted a message thanking members for recommending him/her At The Drive-In and I simply asked about any similar bands that people knew of later in the post. RFTC was mentioned along with a few others that I have still to investigate. This song comes from what I regard as their best album, Scream, Dracula, Scream! an album that I will review in the near future. A post-hardcore / punk song is what to expect from this song although it still has the catchyness of a regular pop song - definately worth a listen.

The Icarus Line - Slayer
The Icarus Line are a band I've been meaning to listen to for a while and I'm still undecided on what I think of them. This song comes from their 2007 album Black Lives At The Golden Coast, an album I will be listening to more this week. I do like this song, it's very different to the harsh opening of the album, this song is far more melodic and mellow which I think I prefer from this band.

Les Savy Fav - Fading Vibes
Okay, so I'm posting another Les Savy Fav song. I've been listening to them again this week and I'm delighted that Mark has now got into them too, which is part of the point of this blog - sharing music interests. This track is off their 2004 album, Inches, which is a bit hit and miss but with it consisting of 18 tracks you can't expect every song to be a masterpiece. This song is one of the better tracks, a catchy almost pop-y kind of song. I'd recommend giving Inches a listen after trying their 2007 album Let's Stay Friends.

Rocket From The Crypt - Carne Voodoo
This track is from their earlier album, Group Sounds. Just like On A Rope this song is very Punk-pop, with a catchy riff that you begin to expect from this band. Definately worth a listen after you have played Scream, Dracula, Scream! to death...

Drive Like Jehu - Human Interest
My final choice of the week, Drive Like Jehu are another band I have picked up on recently. Their album's are notoriously difficult to find, I managed to download Yank Crime after waiting for about 4 days for it. They're more heavy than my previous choices, but still very post-hardcore. I'm still undecided on the album, some songs are a bit hit or miss and some appear unnecessarily long. However, this song along with Golden Brown are definately worth a listen.

Monday Mix - 04/02/2008

Every Monday it is my intention to share 5 tracks that I have been listening to over the past week or I feel that you should definitely listen to at least once. My thanks goes to Alex over at Wolf Lullaby for the idea, I hope you don't mind me using it. Without further ado, I bring you my mix of 5 tracks, give them a listen, you might be surprised at what you find...

Incubus - Make Yourself
I could talk for hours about how much I Enjoy Incubus. (A select few may see the pun there) This song is from the album of the same name and is arguably one of their best tracks. One of their more mellow songs, it is powered by a strong riff and some excellent lyrics not to mention Brandon Boyd's superb vocal talents. "If I hadn't made me, I Would've been made somehow.. If I hadn't assembled myself, Id've fallen apart by now."

Pezz - Fairytale
Pezz were forced to change their name for legal reasons a number of years ago, many of you will be familar with their current name - Billy Talent. If you like the energy of Billy Talent you should definitely try Pezz. It's notoriously difficult to get hold of their albums, but if you ask nicely I may share...

Omar Rodriguez Lopez - Rapid Fire Tollbooth
This song first appeared on Omar's solo album, Se Dice Bisonte, No Bufalo before he and Cedric Bixler-Zavala adopted it for the new Mars Volta album. They changed the song name and increased the tempo to create what is now called Goliath. This song is far more mellow but just as enjoyable. If you don't like The Mars Volta then give it a listen too, it doesn't sound anything like them par Cedric's singing.

Les Savy Fav - The Equestrian
Les Savy Fav are a band I've been listening to a lot recently and I've not quite decided what I think of them yet. They produce what could be best described as Punk, and this song is no exception to the rule. Tim Harrington's vocals in this track remind me of Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam - which is never a bad thing. This song sounds rather angry but has quite a cheery, catchy chorus. I'll do a feature on them once I'm more familar with their most recent album, Let's Stay Friends (2007). Watch this space...

Hundred Reasons - Kill Your Own
Hundred Reasons are a great band if you enjoy some heavy prog rock and this song off their 3rd album is no exception. A great band to see live, go and see them if you ever get the chance, they put on a great show. (Apologies for the m4a format - blame iTunes)

Next week will be a more mellow Monday Mix, I promise ;-)