Whitest Boy Alive
House music will never secure world peace. Erland Øye, however, may just and if he does his particular take will almost certainly have a starring role.
The boy’s a bit special, as a headline slot at Leicester Summer Sundae proved.
Slowly, tribe by music tribe, he’s drawing us in convincing us all that we can feel good inside and happy with life. And I’m not talking the kind of ‘feel-good’ some people get from euphoric house (when the DJ builds it up, up, up, pause then bam, woohoo), or even a night at Mama Mia. No, this is ‘damn that’s good’ faultless lie back and enjoy the long afterglow.
He started off a few years back with the easy win – acoustic guitar, minimalist and sharp. The type of music you can’t but hear every note and understand every word. Drawing in those who devour this music for breakfast and a few enlightened indie kids to boot, as one half of Kings of Convenience. If you’ve not come across their first album you’re in for a treat if you take the plunge, but try this for starters:
A remix album saw friends and peers add all sorts of twists to the original album with mixed results, but its as his latest incarnation as lead for the four-piece Whitest Boy Alive that he’s appealing to the masses.
With a live set featuring beat-perfect drumming, tight baselines close your eyes and you could be at any decent club in he land. Yet at the helm is Erland with his geek style and dry humour. My friend Beccy had melted in her seat.
Without wishing to do Jarvis out of the rest of his career, there is a strong contender to his throne…
Recommended for:
Sarah T – better than Hot Chip
Sveta – I know how much you like dancing
Tommy G – convert the Chinese please!
Anna sis – if you’re still in the sunshine, this will be a treat
Carolyn – Test my Jarvis theory…
Steer clear
Beth – Despite the guitars and live music, it sounds like dance music
Hypewatch – Vampire Weekend
Now, when indie bands try to import traditional African sounds and beats (I’m keeping the term continental as it’s not my area of musical expertise), and the music press start getting all excited I can’t help thinking that a trace of colonial guilt is being expressed. In place of decent musical critique you get uncomfortable righteous fawing. It’s not normal guitar band territory but 1.2 million listens on myspace for one song – either they’re bloody good or that’s a lot of guilt.
Press reaction aside, my problem is usually with bands or artists taking on this musical challenge. Its not that I don’t think that bands might be genuinely trying to create great music from a new influence in their lives, it’s more the fear that they’re not good enough to do so. What you’ll get is the bastard child of UB40 and Paul Simon. Or even worse, Sting. Rather than fusing the sound into something genuinely innovative, they’ll effectively create the musical equivalent of a kid copying all dad’s moves. Nice try son…
So I’ve approached Vampire Weekend with some trepidation after hearing Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wHl9qRsMzw). Recommended by Beth, Mick and my cousin Brenda out in California, and championed by NME they certainly qualify for Hypewatch attention.
We are all guilty (well, except me) of reacting to the boredom of everyday life by doing the complete polar opposite. NME have this lot as the band to go for if you fancy a break from crazed neon kids or mascara-heavy EMO bands
In Vampire Weekend you are taken on a journey into the world of preppy American under-grads, whose eyes and ears have just been introduced to a new musical world. The result: stories about preppy life set to an orgy of instruments with classical, rock and african continental heritage.
NME see this as something to make us feel very humble. On ‘Oxford Comma’:
“The prim choirboy harmonies – amplified by school-hall echo but without a hint of macho distortion – conceal an irresistible geek-pop tune played out over a delectable starched-collar groove. And have you ever before heard a lyric that elegantly rebukes grammar snobs and gives you a lesson in Tibetan geography before ultimately deferring to the wisdom of crunk rapper Lil Jon? “
You wouldn’t want to get stuck with these guys at a party.
It simply suggests the boys are confused. All very well showing off your sweeping knowledge but there’s a difference between cherry picking references and casually dropping them in conversation, and hoovering them up and spouting them at every opportunity to make you appear intelligent.
The confusion reigns through the music as well as the lyrics (Walcott being an example). Classical strings with african drums? Perhaps the bands name sums up the confusion – I was expecting something a little darker…
But actually, it is a promising debut. Musically, I have to single out A-Punk as the one song that gets things spot on – mixing influences strikingly well yet creating the essence of more recent New York sounds with its tight baselines, stand out lead guitar and masked vocals and in a stroke (pun intended) creating a great indie pop song.
And, despite all the above the album does grow on you after a while, but it’s taking me far too long to figure out. I currently have the musical patience of a hutch-bred boy rabbit being introduced to a field full of lady rabbits. So please, take your time, see what you think:
http://www.vampireweekend.com/music.php
Verdict: Have the ability but need to focus
Recommended for: Russ S, Carina, Laura S, Sarah T, Anna Sis, Nick
Steer clear: Justin, Danie, Caroline
