Instant Camera

Alive on Departure
(Wall to Wall Records)

Instant Camera is a Louisville band with plenty of potential. Like fellow locals VHS or Beta, they sound like they might have emerged in New York or in a large, stylish European city. The band's sound has much in common with New York fashion rockers Interpol and The Strokes, as well as British dance rockers Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party.

Instant Camera is a rock band without any obvious debt to blues music, but there are echoes of 1980s music. Bouncy American New Wavers like Devo and Oingo Boingo pop up at times, as well as gloomy English buzzkillers such as Peter Murphy or Killing Joke.



What gives Instant Camera an edge on similar groups is its ability to draw inspiration from yet another source: hints of the theatrical German cabaret style emerge in the last songs, "Terrorvision" and "Hearing Is Disbelieving."

As the fashion and dance-rock scenes fall into the dustbin of our recent history, let's hope this band continues to evolve and surprise.

X

The Unheard Music
(Image)

X was one of the great rock groups of the 1980s but probably doesn't mean anything to music fans under 30 today. The band emerged in the L.A. punk scene of the late '70s that also produced faster, louder and scarier bands such as Fear and the Germs, but X was different.

X added poetry, rockabilly riffs and vocal harmonies; where other bands were driven by suburban frustration and run-ins with police, X was inspired by religious guilt and real-life tragedy. They exist today, occasionally, playing the old songs, but if you want to know them — or know why you should — you owe it to yourself to see The Unheard Music.

Most X fans consider the band's first four albums to be its only "true" records. This funny, loving DVD documentary captures that period, 1980-1984, when John Doe, Exene Cervenka, Billy Zoom and D.J. Bonebrake were young, beautiful and on their way to the top.



The film succeeds as more than just a Valentine to the band because it also takes time to reveal how off-track, irrational and self-destructive the music industry was then — almost as sad as it is now. Interviews with one top executive show how tough it is to make independent, passionate music in a world of shareholders and accountants.

This film is only half of the story. A haunting time capsule of early '80s L.A., it ends before the band takes a major misstep toward pop stardom; before band co-leaders John and Exene's star-crossed marriage ends in divorce; before the band breaks up and its members go off to unsatisfying solo careers, only to reunite and return to a much smaller, much older audience than, for example, the reunited Pixies attract today.

X were artists, lovers and barroom philosophers, old souls treated like kids by a world that was too slow to understand the wild gift that X was leaving.

Jens Lekman

When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog
(Secretly Canadian)

I never want to enjoy music that goes out of its way to be poppy.

Poppy music suggests bright, bouncy, optimistic feelings. Rare is the artistic expression conceived in a period of happiness. Happy people don't need to express their state to consumers or other strangers. However, I can't deny the pleasures offered by a songwriter who is aware of the emotions assumed by poppy music and subverts them with lyrics that are dark, confused or satirical on the subject of human relationships and other follies.

Jens Lekman, a young singer/songwriter from Sweden, is so young that he could be Conor Oberst's little brother, which means that his New York Times and NPR profiles are still a few years away. While everyone from your pre-pubescent niece to your middle-age dentist is discovering Oberst's "new band," Bright Eyes, give Lekman's When I Said I Wanted to Be Your Dog a listen.



Lekman is self-consciously self-conscious (post-pop?). In "If You Ever Need a Stranger (to Sing at Your Wedding)," he offers his resume: "I know every song, you name it/by Bacharach or David/Every stupid love song/That's ever touched your heart/Every power ballad/that's ever topped the charts."

In "The Cold Swedish Winter," he quotes singer Cliff Richard's opinion that Sweden only offers "porn and gonorrhea" and sounds quite bemused. Like Leonard Cohen, Lekman is supported by women cooing backup vocals, but his persona sticks more closely to the bumbling, early Woody Allen. He sets one love song against the backdrop of a WTO riot.

Lekman offers enjoyable proof that not all young people have forgotten the past. His music is reminiscent, at times, of a mid-70s talk-show band's, filled with arrangements sweeping and cinematic although obviously home-recorded. He is respectful of tradition but can rarely resist winking at it. Discover him now while he's still having fun.

Prodigy

Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned
(Maverick)

As Lollapalooza was dying in 1997, English electronic frat boys Prodigy were a temporary sensation benefiting from the Future Now! world that was becoming trendy and viable. Instead of picking up the torch and running with it, like Radiohead, Prodigy copied the ideas of many, making none of them its own.

The group's hit single, "Smack My Bitch Up," became famous mostly because of the controversy spelled out in the title. Claims that the phrase was an English expression of excitement did little to deter critics of the band, such as dance music fans and women who had been hospitalized by abusive partners.

A second single, "Firestarter," pushed the group to further momentary fame because of the colorful presence of Keith Flint. You'd know him if you saw him: He's a cross between Johnny Rotten and the evil Gremlin in "Gremlins."



Flint is nowhere to be found on Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned, but Juliette Lewis is here. Lewis is still best known for her acting career and not her musical abilities. Also here is Liam Gallagher of Oasis, like the Prodigy another Englishman who was making much better music 10 years ago. Another special guest is the rhythm of Michael Jackson’s song "Thriller", recast here as "The Way It Is" and lacking all of the melody and character of the original. On a 13-song album, the only interesting, original moment is a 10-second splash of keyboards in the middle of the 12th song, "Shoot Down".

Dance music doesn’t need to be generic or faceless. Just look at – oh, and listen to – Bjork, or Felix Da Housecat, or Le Tigre. Prodigy aren't dull and uninspiring because it's a bunch of white men; they're just dull and uninspired.

Dolly Parton

Live and Well
(Sugar Hill)

Despite many wonderful songs and a position as an inspiration to many women and men in music, a discussion of Dolly Parton often leads straight to a discussion of her appearance. Unlike many women who downplay their sexuality in the music-making process, Parton has always spent plenty of time making sure that the audience knows exactly what she looks like.

The simultaneous release of a live album and DVD, both called "Live and Well," make this clear. The last few years have found her retreating from the pop-based country-music scene and returning to an acoustic-based bluegrass world where songs are more important than image. As talented at marketing as she can be at songwriting, this time Parton has figured out how to get it both ways.



The album, recorded at her Dollywood theme park with an uncredited group of backing musicians, is more like a one-person show on Broadway (or in Branson) than a regular concert. Or, perhaps, more like a political campaign. She tells stories and jokes that have been recycled on countless talk shows and Bob Hope specials. She talks about poor relatives living out in the country and salutes the drag queens who "look more like me than I do."

Ultimately, it doesn't quite add up. Her voice remains a natural wonder, but her songs lack the depth and hard-earned wisdom of Loretta Lynn's. Unless you need a new recording of "9 to 5" to play at an office party, get the DVD if you're still a big fan. Otherwise, she has plenty of older recordings more worthy of recommendation.

Northern State

All City
(Sony)

This disc falls into my least-favorite category of music: The "if" genre.

If you think that music made by women is still a novelty... if you like Carmela Soprano's accent and wish that you could hear three women rap with it for an hour... if you think that most musicians spend too much time on the music and not enough time on sloganeering... if you think that the Beastie Boys peaked with their first EP, "Cookie Puss," in 1984... if you are a relative of a group member... then this is music that you will appreciate. I guess.



On a few songs, someone was smart enough to hire pros to help fill out the sound. Roots drummer ?love produces the best song, "Siren Song," but it still pales compared to the similar instant-credibility job he did for Joss Stone. Veteran Pete Rock adds his voice to "Time to Rhyme," proving that there's no substitute for experience. But then Har Mar Superstar shows up, and no one's happy.

Kasey Chambers

Wayward Angel
(EMI/Warner Brothers)

Kasey Chambers
With her first record, The Captain, Kasey Chambers appeared to be a welcome blast: a fresh, gutsy country singer. The Australian was endorsed by people who had once been in her place, including Lucinda Williams and Emmylou Harris. But she proved to be a sprinter instead of a long-distance runner.

By the second record, her band was playing softer and her lyrics (especially the single "Not Pretty Enough") traded depth for simplistic whining. Now, with Wayward Angel, the former New Dolly has become the New Jewel. It's tough to imagine any Hank Williams fan appreciating her, but there's a handful of WB teen dramas that could use her music for a pivotal prom scene.



Like those soaps, she has her formula down: a dash of country-western clichés (see the title song); some Alanis-friendly self-help that doesn't help anyone ("Stronger"); plus, well, some baby talk (the essential lyrics of "Paper Aeroplane" are "la da da").

Tift Merritt’s latest, Tambourine, shows that it’s possible to be pretty and also sing from the gut, and I wish that I had more space here so that I could tell you more about her record. This record is depressing, and not in the way that good country music is supposed to be. Lord willing, Chambers can grow back into Emmylou or a Sam Phillips-type singer/songwriter.

Bejeezus 6 micro reviews

Caspar and the Cookies, “Oh!” (Happy Happy Birthday to Me)
Well, this is just pointless. If you like Weezer or They Might Be Giants, go listen to them instead. Despite having some sort of association with the Elephant 6 cult, this is just like Barenaked Ladies covering The Knack. If that sounds good to you, put down BEJEEZUS and hang yourself like Michael Hutchence. How dare they claim, in their bio, to have “the full-on power quirk of Talking Heads in their prime”? “Power quirk”? I’m gonna go listen to some Talking Heads, jerks.

Clyde Federal, “Sensitive Skin” (Contraphonic)
First song: rocks. Second song: not only is it called “Model Hot”, but it’s dopier than Carson Daly after being punched in his potato head sixteen times. Third song: rocks. What’s going on here? Forth song: a ballad. It’s pretty. These guys’ll be bigger than Jet. Fifth and last song: This one has autoharp, too. That’s pretty rad. Why does their press release keep comparing them to Motown? They couldn’t be any whiter. Not that that’s a bad thing, am I right, skinheads? Well, it’s almost 2 minutes into the song and it’s still a ballad. Oh wait, big rock riff. Now he’s muttering like he’s in Slint. I’m gonna say now that they’re good but that’s what I said about the first Smashing Pumpkins cd back in ’91, and look what happened there.

The Cocker Spaniels, “Withstand the Whatnot” (Artbreak)
Here’s the one I waited to listen to last. I just didn’t want to. A nerdy brother whose bio asserts that “His music was once described as ‘Pavement meets Seinfeld’”. What could be worse? I mean, besides a second Interpol disc, what could be worse? The first song comes on; it’s called “The Only Black Guy at the Indie-Rock Show”. What’s next, a joke song called “I Am Singing This Song Right Now”? I hate this unfunny comedy stuff. Did I mention Adam Sandler yet? OK, my ears fuggin’ hurt. I’m taking this off. If I want to not laugh, I’ll watch “Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn”. If I want to listen to music, I’ll put on The Zombies or X or something musical. PLEASE STOP WASTING OUR TIME, NERDS!

Death from Above 1979, “Romantic Rights” (Sound Virus)
Out of the 83 cds I was given to review this time, this might be my favorite. These guys are just really good. 3 rocktastic songs and a dance remix called “Girls Are Short”. They play rock music like the BMRC wants to, and you can dance to them but their music holds up to repeated listenings, unlike, I dunno, Radio 4, let’s say. Plus this is an ep - short AND sweet. And now they’re putting out a full-length through Vice, so I’m telling you about them ‘cause Vice is just gonna promote The Streets some more and forget them. That’s dumb. Buy this and tell your friends and the boyfriend you’re weeks away from dumping about this.

Fuck, “Those Are Not My Bongos” (Future Farmer)
Umm, I’m probably not the first person to point this out, but calling your lame joke band “Fuck” is like putting “free beer” on your advertisement. Unless you’ve got a good product that people might be interested in, you’re just wasting everyone’s time. Why do all these spoiled, suburban preppies with no chest hair think that they can make a “funny” CD that anyone would want to hear? You know there’s an Adam Sandler movie on HBO right now, and you know that that has to be more fun. And I hate most of his movies.



Mosquitos, “Sunshine Barato” (Bar/None)
OK, you should check this out, it’s good. It’s pretty and it swings and you can dance to it. The adorable gal sings in both English AND Portugese – let’s see you pull off just one of those! It’s bossa nova and indie, blended together organically. There’s some Stereolab in here, and some Bis in here, and it doesn’t get ruined by being all fusiony like Bebel Gilberto. They’ve toured with Air (I don’t know why, but people seem to still like Air). You can play this for smart people with good taste, or hippies, or your parents, they’ll all like it. For those of you in L.A. - this is too good for KCRW. (That’s the ultimate L.A. compliment.)

Quintron, “The Frog Tape” (Skin Graft)
I haven’t listened to Quintron before, ‘cause I’m afraid they’re one of those “old school” “rock” “purists” like the Reverend Horton Heat or Social Distortion or some macho small-cock idiocy that’s all about tats and greasy pompadours. This disc, thankfully, is all “kooky” organ sounds and samples of frogs. I should dig this, right? Sigh… sigh again… Why do some people waste so much time? Just go to a desk job and send me your paycheck if you’re such a moron. This is like one of those “sound effect” discs – 60 minutes of waves and all that, plus the organ they use at minor league baseball games. I really should like this, but it sounds like the noises I hear from the street when I’m trying to get to sleep – why should anyone pay for that?

Nicolai Sarcevic, “Lock-Sport-Krock” (Burning Heart)
This is really sensitive. I mean, like, the bad kind of “really sensitive”. And I liked John Denver. Have you heard of a band called “Millencolin”? Apparently they’re “Sweden’s beloved punks”. But this “retains a cohesion missing from most singer/songwriter efforts.” His attempts at sincerity are about as believeable as Borat from “Da Ali G Show”, or worse, Pete Yorn.

63 Crayons, “Good People” (Happy Happy Birthday to Me)
Now this is more like it. At first impression easily dismissed as another Beatles/psych/Syd Barret/Elephant 6 copycat, with people literally singing “Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba”, bringing sheep to mind. I get really annoyed with nerds who swear by cotton candy-sweet “pop” sounds; but when a band gets it right, it can perk me up, and this does that.

The Six Parts Seven, “Everywhere and Right Here” (Suicide Squeeze)
Oh, nice. After listening to some lame joke bands, here’s a good, skilled instrumental band. They sound like they’re even adults, but not too old! Oh, I needed this. Beyond that, what can I tell you? It’s instrumental but no one here can play like Miles Davis, so what’s the point? Are they trying to get hired to write movie scores? I can’t imagine they’ll impress any girls with their music, bad boys don’t play vibraphones. Well, put this on while you’re painting, I guess, it won’t bother you.

The Vanishing, “Still Lifes Are Failing” (Gold Standard Labs)
The Vanishing has to be the only band currently in existence who I like despite the fact that everyone thinks they’re Goth. I haven’t seen them live, they might paint their faces with chalk or something junior high like that, but they make really good records. Sure, there’s an eerie, we’ve-listened-to-Bauhaus-a-whole-lot ethos at work, but they’re also danceable and now they’re getting skronky. So if you like James Chance better than Peter Murphy, you’re right and you should get this.

Badly Drawn Boy

One Plus One Is One
(Astralwerks)

Badly Drawn Boy is the nom de pop of Damon Gough, a deceptively scruffy-looking keyboards-and-guitar-playing Englishman who makes classic, catchy songs that are simultaneously smart and accessible.

Perhaps best known for his songs for the movie "About a Boy," Gough knows how to be clever without being a novelty act. He also has a knack for writing self-contained songs that often refer to each other, an attention to detail lacking in most albums.

Where Beck's most recent album, "Sea Change," had a slow, wintry feel, Gough has made a late-winter album. Dark days have unfolded; love has been won and lost.



His worldview can be understood from this lyric, notably the only one published in the booklet: "It's been a while since we spoke / But there's still hope / If we materialize the myth — never trivialize the kiss / It feels like there's no fire left in your eyes / and this is how love dies." Even that is set to a bouncy beat.

Overall, "One Plus One Is One" is a bit more subdued than his previous albums but still retains a quick appeal that is instantly recognizable as Gough's. The American edition features two bonus tracks: "Don't Ask Me I'm Only the President" is a rushed, demo-worthy protest song in the folk tradition. The real treat, though, is "Plan B," which manages to seamlessly add Brazilian bossa nova and video-game blips to the established Badly Drawn sound, hopefully a sign of future sonic exploration.

Few CDs are really worth the $15, right? This one is. No other artist today carries on, and updates, the great British style of groups like the Kinks and Badfinger like Badly Drawn Boy. The recording is crisp and warm; it sounds intimate, as if the group were sitting around your living room.

Rilo Kiley

More Adventurous
(Brute/Beaute)

Perhaps no other CD released so far this year accomplishes as much as More Adventurous, the new collection by Rilo Kiley and the band's first for its own label.

Two previous, acclaimed indie releases found the band members traveling from L.A., where the band was started by a couple of disgruntled former actors, to Seattle, where singer Jenny Lewis performed with the Postal Service, and finally to Omaha, Neb., where they were adopted by Bright Eyes and friends.

Their experiences have obviously paid off. The record skips around stylistically from campfire sing-alongs to big rock riffs to Broadway, to lo-fi indie, traditional country and brassy '60s pop — sometimes within the same song — and it all makes sense.



Lewis' vocals continue to impress. She can belt out a heartbreaker like Patsy Cline or Tarnation's Paula Frazier, or she can sound vulnerable and open like Carly Simon or Deborah Harry. (Her status as an icon to gay men is likely only minutes away.) Her short story-style lyrics continue to stand out as well, suggesting what Angela from My So-Called Life would be doing today if her parents had been Simon and Elvis Costello.

The complaints are small: The first song, "It's a Hit," begins with a verse comparing President Bush to a feces-throwing ape, which will atypically always taint it as a 2004 song, rather than what could have been something timeless. Also, Lewis' partner, Blake Sennett, though a talented guitarist, has never contributed more than filler when it comes to his own songs. His recent side project, The Elected, apparently wasn't enough to keep him away from the pen and the mic. Here he's held to only one song, a typically sub-Elliott Smith ditty ("Ripchord"), which only serves to make Lewis seem more accomplished.

As the disc unfolds, Rilo Kiley is at times revealed to be most similar to the Flaming Lips. Both combine sunny melodies with lyrics about death and struggle, and both continue to try to find new, more adventurous ways to expand the vocabulary of pop music.