Matt's Track of the Week: Twins' "Drive By Digital Ghost"

Song: Drive By Digital Ghost

Artist: Twins

Album: The Other Side Of

Rating: 7.0

Although he's been getting a little buzz here and there, Twins (Matt Weiner of Brooklyn) seems like a remarkably small and relatively unknown artist. His Myspace has 2,520 hits at press time, the most listened to track on his page has 307 plays, and his last comment was on January 5th, wishing him a happy new year. So why exactly is a new Twins song something that should even be on the radar of this blog and similar publications? I couldn't tell you. But after listening to it, you'll probably be glad that someone out there is on top of their new artist news.

"Drive By Digital Ghost" is an eerie throwback to the analog 80s. Mixed between intermittent guitar strokes, whining synths and distorted create a chilling atmosphere that sounds like being trapped inside the darkest, most warped corners of your imagination. His distinctive sound here is both unique and familiar, but at all times estranged and lonely, painting a spacious, hopeless portrait of a doomed endeavor. A sonic landscape this expressive is something you don't here all too often. You can listen to and download this track (via Pitchfork). Check it out below.

Twins, "Drive By Digital Ghost" (via Pitchfork)

John's Track of the Week: Meth, Ghost & Rae's "Our Dreams"

Song: Our Dreams

Artist: Meth, Ghost & Rae

Album: Wu-Massacre

Rating: 7.0

Creating an album for the fans isn't exactly a novel concept of late. Lil' Wayne would claim every mixtape to be such a gift, and let's face it, he's made quite a few of those. Yet, for artists like Wu-Tang Clan's Method Man, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon, not only is it abnormal, but nearly unheard of to leave the confines of their normally sprawling collections of gangsta hip-hop. So when the three artists announced they'd be releasing fan album Wu-Massacre under the Meth, Ghost & Rae monicker, one wouldn't be blamed for being somewhat surprised, and at least mildly excited.

For what Wu-Massacre lacks in production value (the group has said it was recorded on virtually no budget), it excels in how comfortably the three rappers gel together. Over two years removed from Wu-Tang's last effort (2007's 8 Diagrams), it's as if they never left the studio, with their rhymes as crisp and locked-in as ever, and each artist naturally conceding to the next whenever necessary. Though exemplified on many tracks, one of the most interesting representations is on "Our Dreams," which features Inspectah Deck and Sun God, as well as a looping sample from Michael Jackson's "We're Almost There." Playing off the psychedelic vibe and MJ's vocals, the rappers mingle flawlessly within its confines to create a smooth, cool hit. Check it out below.

Matt's Track of the Week: Joker's "Tron"

Song: Tron

Artist: Joker

Album: Tron (Single)

Rating: 8.0

Although as far as we can tell, this is completely unrelated to the upcoming Disney flick, looking at the single's artwork, one can assume it was at least inspired by it. Joker hasn't yet become a household name for many, but last year, he built quite a reputation for himself as a hit factory in House and Dub-Step scenes around the world. His debut album is expected sometime in the not so distant future, and if he makes anything even close to past hits like "Purple City" and "Digidesign", it won't be long before everyone his name is being thrown around with the likes of Daft Punk and Justice.

On "Tron", Joker showcases every play in his book to perfection. The synths are edgy, the mood is dark, and it has a nod-your-head hip-hop vibe that makes me almost certain that we'll be finding it on mixtapes later this year. This track is his first statement of the new year, and rightly a bold one. Check it out below.

John's Track of the Week: T.I.'s "I'm Back"

Song: I'm Back

Artist: T.I.

Album: I'm Back - Single

Rating: 8.0

This song isn't necessarily that new (it's been around for a couple weeks), but nonetheless warrants a discussion since we haven't yet delved into T.I.'s first comeback single. "I'm Back," T.I.'s initial foray back into the rap game after his yearlong incarceration for gun possession, is fairly self-explanatory. He was gone, now he's not, thus he's "back" as the song's title and main theme suggest. But it's not necessarily that simple.

The logic behind 2008's Paper Trail was to ensure T.I. wouldn't be forgotten by the mainstream public during his year away. Business-wise, it was a smart move. The best hip-hop album of 2008 (per this blog's opinion at least) provided people with a steady slew of guest stars, radio singles and tons of potential for repeat listens. Now, he's returned explaining to you what he's allowed to happen over the course of the past year (mostly begrudgingly), and with Paper Trail on your mind, you'll actually perk up your ears when he attempts to rectify the situation. With copious amounts of material, and a newfound chip on his shoulder to boot, chances are we'll be hearing a lot from T.I. prior to the formal release of his next studio effort on August 24. In the meantime, check out the single below.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Most Prolific Artists of the Decade: #1-10]

Matt's Track of the Week: Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti "Round and Round"

Song: Round and Round

Artist: Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

Album: Round and Round (Single)

Rating: 7.0

There's an obsession in many circles of the indie music scene for bringing back the imagery of yesteryear. Whether it be implementing the use of analog synths, vintage amplifiers, or just a classic, thrift-shop wardrobe, it has become more than accepted, and in some cases, the norm to look far beyond your years. Personally, I think it can be comforting. Even if you weren't personally around for when the it was new, you still feel a connection to it, and sometimes it almost brings you back to a time that seems better than the one you're currently living in. "Round and Round" is an example of that. It's okay that it isn't the next big thing, because sometimes moving things backwards can strangely be a progression.

The first thing you notice when listening to "Round and Round" is precisely this aged-charm. This is something that Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti is known for, and is even considered a pioneer of (or as much a pioneer as someone trying to sound like older music could be), having done this since 2002. Granted, this song is slightly more polished than some of his older work, but it remains nonetheless true to form for what a fan would expect. Check it out below.

John's Track of the Week: Kisses' "Bermuda"

Song: Bermuda

Artist: Kisses

Album: The Heart of the Night Life

Rating: 7.0

Even though spring is nearly upon us, we're going to skip a season today and go straight to summer. Kisses' "Bermuda" provides all of the imagery of the beach and summer sun-- layering its breezy ocean vibe with a lo-fi pop feel. Through its bursts of bright and jovial energy, it's the type of track you can't help but bop your head along to, with a pair of shades and swimsuit on of course.

Though unsigned at current, it's doubtful Kisses will stay that way for much longer. Their sensibility for melody is extremely apparent here, and with that aforementioned seasonal change, perhaps the time is right for the L.A.-based group to be picked up. The single for "Bermuda" is due out soon, either via Transparent or Surround Sound, so with luck, a deal is in the works. Check it out for yourself below.

"Bermuda" (via Pitchfork)

Matt's Track of the Week: Drake's "Over"

Song: Over

Artist: Drake

Album: Thank Me Later

Rating: 8.0

At this point, everybody knows Drake. He's the fastest rising, young star in Hip-Hop, and a promising talent for the future of the genre as a whole. He has already had a handful of hits to his name without ever putting out a proper album, and his long-awaited debut full-length, Thank Me Later, is now just on the horizon. In the lead-up to what may very well be year two of Drake-mania, that album's first single has just hit airwaves, and the results are bold.

Like many of the other songs we've heard from Drake since he entered the mainstream consciousness, "Over" features his signature laid back singing style, partnered with larger than life orchestral arrangements on the hook. Where Drake changes things up is in the way he attacks once the beat drops. Here he seems more intense and more focused than ever before, assuring us that if we still have any doubts, they will soon be resolved, and that this is just a taste of what is in store. "Over" is a statement more than anything, and a fitting lead-off single for one of this year's most anticipated releases. Pitchfork has posted it for free download, so you can stream and/or grab it below.

Drake - "Over" (via Pitchfork)

Previously on Animal Noises: Pre-Screening: Drake's The Drought is Over: Friends With Money]

John's Track of the Week: Gorillaz's "Superfast Jellyfish"

Song: Superfast Jellyfish

Artist: Gorillaz

Album: Plastic Beach

Rating: 7.0

For any other group, a track like this would be an album killer. With samples from a 1986 Swanson commercial and psychedelic tropical backing, the goofy song has all the makings of an experimental dud. However, since we're talking about Gorillaz here, not only does it succeed, but it manages to be one of the best tracks on Plastic Beach, their most recent endeavor that came out yesterday.

While the fictional band members, along with guests Gruff Rhys and De La Soul meander through the song, you can't help but get caught up in the subtle things going on around you. It's a lot to take in, between the references to carrots, electronic sampling and looping, along with a myriad of other sounds. But nonetheless, for Gorillaz this all makes sense. If the imagery band creator David Albarn was looking to convey was a matured, White Album-type collection of experimentation, both the track and album succeed in this regard. Check it out below.

John's Track of the Week: Title Tracks' "Tougher Than The Rest"

Song: Tougher Than The Rest

Artist: Title Tracks

Album: It Was Easy

Rating: 7.0

Trying to cover a music legend's work is never easy. And doing it on your first release is probably even more difficult. Yet, Title Tracks proceeded anyway with their iteration of Bruce Springsteen's "Tougher Than The Rest." Surprisingly, not only is the track pulled off successfully, but the band also manages to incorporate the slow, deliberate ballad into their debut It Was Easy flawlessly. For those who don't know better, it may as well have been theirs' originally-- pretty much the blueprint for the best covers out there.

The song's function is partially to show off the band's chops on their first release, and also to break up an album that's otherwise filled with fairly sunny, tongue-in-cheek pop. The bright, bubbly collection masks its sense of spite with beach-like arrangements. Though the band is from Washington D.C., it seems to gush with a sense of California pride. Honesty is the main focus however, and with that, It Was Easy succeeds mightily. Even with a song like "Tougher Than The Rest" that's not even their own, Title Tracks manage to convey who they are through confident, albeit a bit damaged statements. Though it may not be the most stereotypical of songs on It Was Easy, this one's still worth a few listens. Check it out below.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Tuesday's Releases (2/23): Now Streaming]

Matt's Track of the Week: Crime in Stereo's "Not Dead"

Song: Not Dead

Artist: Crime in Stereo

Album: I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone

Rating: 8.0

In the infancy of Animal Noises, this probably would have been bigger news, but alas. Crime in Stereo has just released their newest full length, I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone, and with it, the single, "Not Dead". These Long Island natives were once known for their unique brand of politically educated, high energy, old school hardcore punk. In their last two efforts, however, they have taken more experimental approaches to the old formula, risking their street-cred in the process, and have received surprisingly still positive reviews. The one issue I have with many (not all) hardcore 'innovators' (I think 2006s The Troubled Stateside was a complete breath of fresh air and a stroke of genius), is that although these bands may be 'pushing the envelope' to some, it's all within the confines of the genre, and not much to listen to for anyone with a wider musical scope. It would be too complicated to get into the scene politics that legitimize this type of thing, but Crime in Stereo, it seems, is more concerned with expressing themselves as musicians instead of just another hardcore band, and for that, we can be glad.

It's hard to get around it. "Not Dead" sounds like everything that Brand New's Daisy could have been, had the album been written using what we like to call 'the right way'. That being said, I would never compare the bands on any other plane. The two are both completely separate and unique entities, and there's nothing worse than not being accepted on your own merits when you've more than earned them. "Not Dead" also builds on the band's already established sense for creating melody within the natural intensity of their style, polishing their craft, even since the giant leaps made on their last genre-defying effort, Is Dead. This song's passionate urgency is its biggest strength. Check it out below.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Tuesday's Releases (2/23): Now Streaming]

John's Track of the Week: She & Him's "Thieves"

Song: Thieves

Artist: She & Him

Album: Volume Two

Rating: 7.0

Everyone's favorite male-female folk duo are back in 2010. She & Him, aka Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward (as if you needed such a clarification) will be releasing their second collaboration together, appropriately entitled Volume Two. Surely you all recall how successful Volume One went over, with its catchy mix of Deschanel originals and various lovelorn covers. And then there was Deschanel's 2009-- an extreme encroachment into the hipster universe if I've ever seen one. If starring in indie film (500) Days of Summer wasn't enough, she also contributed to the soundtrack, and married Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard. Quite a year for the young actress, to say the least.

The introduction to Volume Two is the swooning, elaborate "Thieves." A ballad lamenting over lost love, it brings in a conservative orchestra backing to really get the point across that this collaboration was supposed to take place about 30-40 years ago. The wishy-washy, boy-meets-girl vibe that Deschanel and Ward have managed to keep up is atypical of today's scene, becoming a welcome break from less-straightforward explorations into pop and rock conventions. You'll want to welcome them back into your life with this track. And be sure to pick up She & Him's Volume Two, out March 23 via Merge.

"Thieves" -- She & Him (via Pitchfork)

[Previously on Animal Noises: New She & Him Not-Quite-Video, "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?"]

Matt's Track of the Week: Jarrod Gorbel's "Optimism"

Song: Optimism

Artist: Jarrod Gorbel

Album: Ten Years Older EP

Rating: 8.0

Okay, so this song and EP were technically 'released' late last year as a tour-exclusive, with very little promotion and fanfare. This may not constitute as hot off the presses, however, it has recently been given major outlets of distribution, and because of that, I thought it would be good idea to bring it to the attention of our reading public. Jarrod Gorbel was one of the two main minds behind the now-defunct Honorary Title's Anything Else But the Truth (#34 on our Best of the Decade list), and with that notch on his belt, there's bound to be more genius where that came from. 2007's Scream and Light Up the Sky was no exception to this either.

What Gorbel brings to the table with "Optimism", is the same thing that originally attracted us and many others to his work in the first place. His soulful melodies and insightful narratives make for a breath of fresh air in the category of 'painfully honest guy with a guitar'. With a deceivingly simplistic approach, Gorbel delivers time and again, with songs that speak to our darkest character flaws, and romanticize the sometimes-destructive lifestyle that we live from day to day, as young people finding our way in the modern age. On "Optimism", these minor evils are wrapped in a metaphor-ridden cocoon of vague catchiness, and hand-delivered by the man himself. Check it out below.

John's Track of the Week: Pantha du Prince's "Stick To My Side"

Song: Stick to My Side

Artist: Pantha du Prince

Album: Black Noise

Rating: 8.0

German producer Pantha du Prince (aka Hendrick Weber) had a lot to live up to after the acclaim he received from 2007's The Bliss. In a much more muddled and crowded electronic landscape three years later, there was little ground left untouched by other artists, leaving the standard for exceptional music that much higher. Yet, with all this in mind, Pantha du Prince delivered a sound as majestic and distinct as ever with his third release Black Noise, which saw release via Rough Trade just last week. Of course, having friends like Panda Bear (Noah Lennox) and Tyler Pope (!!!) can also be of some help.

"Stick To My Side" rumbles amidst clanging bells, garbled samples and a heavy backing beat. On an album full of house-influenced dream sequences, this one seems to stick out the most, partially due to how busy it appears-- while also buoyed by Lennox's appearance as well. Lennox's vocals break up the swelling soundscape, much as they did the walls of sound contained within Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion. Entangled within the array of interesting noises, someone has to derive the meaning, and from MPP to Atlas Sound's "Walkabout" to this track, Lennox seems to be your man. Check out the rich pop track below, and if you haven't already, go check out Pantha du Prince's Black Noise in full.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Tuesday's Releases (2/9): Now Streaming]

John's Track of the Week: AFCGT's "Black Mark"

Song: Black Mark

Artist: AFCGT

Album: AFCGT

Rating: 7.0

The opening few seconds of AFCGT's self-titled album may reveal most of what you need to know about the overall effort. Chaotic and frenzied, "Black Mark" functions as the introduction to a seven-song collection full of electrifying doom. Its hectic riffs, matched with earth-shattering, spiraling effects in the forefront, do very little but create noise, albeit some of the most intense sounds of the year thus far.

Entertainingly released on Sub Pop, AFCGT plays off of assumptions and misconceptions on the part of the listener, first and foremost. The label doesn't match the sound. And, to be honest, neither does the band's name or album cover. Perhaps the typically indie moniker, and shiny disco-ball dupe unsuspecting listeners from the get-go. Or maybe nothing can fully prepare you for the dirgy, destructive force that lies beneath the cut. Whatever the case may be, AFCGT has constructed a desolate and explosive world in a limited amount of space. Though it may not be glamorous, or even discernible at times, it puts its post-apocalyptic wasteland of a presentation into some sort of perspective-- which should be good enough.

Matt's Track of the Week: "Four Score and Seven"

Song: Four Score and Seven

Artist: Titus Andronicus

Album: The Monitor

Rating: 8.0

Although Titus Andronicus received mostly positive reviews for their 2008 debut, The Airing of Grievances, for the most part, they still remain fairly unknown. Whether or not this will continue after their upcoming release The Monitor (named after the U.S. Navy's first ironclad ship, used during the Civil War) remains to be seen, however, they show great promise, and with their energy, it isn't hard to imagine them converting any listener who gives them a chance.

"Four Score and Seven" plays on the previously noted Civil War theme, as does most of the album, judging by the track names. A dynamic tune, the song starts off sounding like a tired folk number, then slowly soars into a rumbling march of grandiose instrumentation. It feels extremely modern, but still holds a strange old-world charm. Unfortunately, a studio version of the track isn't available to stream, but after the first few seconds, this live recording is fairly high quality, and should give you a taste for what Titus is all about. Check it out below.

John's Track of the Week: Four Tet's "Love Cry"

Song: Love Cry

Artist: Four Tet

Album: There Is Love In You

Rating: 8.0

The electronic experimentation of the UK's Four Tet soars on his latest effort, There Is Love In You, which came out last week via Domino Records. Mixing hip-hop elements with dashes of post-rock and house elements, the entire album becomes a clinic in making effective, enjoyable instrumental music. The melodies are light and airy, but each possesses a distinct purpose, one which becomes more and more apparent as the tracks progress. Combined with superior production and sampling, the collection flirts with audible bliss.

The crown jewel of the album, however, is the single "Love Cry." Clocking in at just over nine minutes, the song encapsulates the album's emotion in the most effective manner possible. At times, it's complicated. At others, it simply swims within itself. It's equal parts jazz, hip-hop and electronica, all melded together to form a catchy, yet mysterious interlude. Rather than lurking, it wanders, floating through the motions piece by piece-- from the dusky introduction, to its fading, late night conclusion. Those who have not become acquainted yet will want to introduce themselves below.

[Previously on Animal Noises: Tuesday's Releases (2/2): Now Streaming]