Album Review: Get Awkward - Be Your Own Pet

Maybe it is BlackPlastic or maybe it is the world that has changed, but 2008 seems a much more suitable time for Be Your Own Pet. Their self-titled debut certainly made an ikpac on those that listened to it but, with the exception of the cycling anthem 'Bicycle, Bicycle, You Are My Bicycle', and in contrast to their peers Death From Above 1979 nothing quite managed to transcend the general racket it was born of.

Times have changed and a scuffle with the same album leaves BlackPlastic wondering why it wasn't on heavy rotation at the time. No matter: BYOP are back and Get Awkward sees all the attitude left in-tact.

Crashing down like a band determined to tear through their setlist as quickly as possible, 'Super Soaked' wastes no time or effort in demonstrating what Get Awkward is about: More of the same. If the world doesn't get what you are trying to do then just knock the volume up, increase the tempo and do it some more...

...And maybe it's just BlackPlastic's punk tendancies shining through but, in BYOP's case, this form of near religious fanaticism sure is appealing. 'Heart Throb' is a fantastic trash-ode to the joys of an extra-curricular crush whilst 'Becky' creates the perfect soundtrack to high-school bullying.

If noisy, bluesy, lo-fi punk-metal isn't you thing you will probably still not like Be Your Own Pet... But if the last album left you at least luke-warm then BlackPlastic suggests you re-visit. Be Your Own Pet may not be prepared to change, you might.

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Album Review: Antidotes - Foals

Along with The Friendly Fires, Foals are potentially the most exciting band currently pushing the envelope of the rock / dance crossover, with previous hit 'Hummer' managing to convey the feeling and sound of minimal and glitch-house through rock music.

'Hummer' and Foals' other hit from last year, 'Mathletics', are notable for their absence on Antidotes. In their place we have the more recent 'Balloons' and current single 'Cassius'.

'Cassius' represents a good taster of what is on offer here: the precision of previous efforts is in place, the multitude of details conjuring something that is reminiscent of falling up the stairs in
slow motion. In addition to this and prevalent throughout Antidotes is a new notion of space. The sound is given more room to breath and the brass instruments are given room to bounce through the mix.

Whilst Dave Sitek (of the fantastic TV On The Radio) had his final mix rejected the influence is still clear, not just in the space and reverb but also in the multitude of genres absorbed into one piece. The production work is never less than staggering: 'Red Sock Pugie' and the brief 'Like Swimming' both sounds as though they were recorded underwater and indeed water almost appears to be a theme of the record... Olympic Airways sounds like warm rain.

The mood here is dark, the lyrics shattered like a broken pane of glass. "It's just another hospital" goes the chorus on 'Electric Bloom'. The meaning is unclear though it certainly doesn't sound positive - the music, however, shines through.

Antidotes is a record that strives for more. Foals could easily have churned out another seven tracks and add them to the four singles everybody knows. They didn't do that and the fact that they abandoned two fantastic tracks to make something new and cohesive is a testament
to their ideals - the fact it works is a testament to their abilities.

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Album Review: X Marks Destination - The Whip

With the likes of The Foals (album review very shortly...) and Friendly Fires, 2008 is really looking to be the year Nu rave went 2.0. It's growing up - less about gaudy trouser / trainer combos and more about the music.

In the midst of this, signed to this minute's world's coolest label (Kitsuné... Durr), are The Whip. Last year 'Divebomb' proved pop music could be completely instrumental, completely dancefloor derived and completely vital, whilst more recently 'Sister Siam' and 'Trash' have proven this band can, well, function as a band.

X Marks Destination is neither a rock album nor is it a dance album and if it is close to anything, it's a New Order album... Not necessarily a bad thing, the references are obvious and the likeness demonstrated most of all on the melodic 'Frustration', which even has a title that sounds like it could be New Order.

So what's right with it? X Marks Destination manages to sound sufficiently "now", most of the time. All of the previous singles still glitter in varying and different ways and 'Divebomb' continues to give pleasure in new ways with further listens: It sounds like the soundtrack to the most exciting 16bit videogame you ever played. The album also benefits from an interesting "monochromatic" sound, and it undoubtably hangs together as a cohesive body of work.

Where it falls down is perhaps where it strays from the formula. "Perhaps" because, at times, the tracks that stray work too... The almost ballad-esque 'Sirens' works better than it should, conjuring an eighties soft-rock dream that is almost as lush as Van She's take on the genre, 'Kelly'. When sandwiched amongst tracks that outshine it so much however, the overly rock inspired 'Muzzle #1' is simply dull. The singer's comparitively gruff tones are also in danger of simply making the band sound too old for the music when compared to their contempories, a shame given that when they are applied aggressively such vocals can really cut the mustard.

X Marks Destination is still likely to crop up on some year's best album lists: it contains nine good songs and five great ones... It is just a shame it only contains one fantastic one.

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Album Review: Hlllyh - The Mae Shi

What happens if you get every good band on the planet to play at the same time? This does...

The Mae Shi's latest album, the utterly unpronouncable Hlllyh, takes its cue from The Flmaing Lips' kitchen sink approach and then fuses that punk asthetic to thick electronic melodies and basslines.

Opener 'Lamb and the Lion' sees the band fall down the stairs and pelt it out of the door, simultaneously hitting all the right notes whilst the amusingly titled 'Pwnd' is the sound of a pissed-off god wreaking his vengance: "Get 'em out of those bodies!"

Hlllyh boasts not only terrific ambition but a terrific variety and, more importantly, enthusiasm too. For evidence of the former just check out the ten-minutes plus 'Kingdom Come', a track that sounds like tech-trance and a Postal Service at once and is just one of the tracks here that sounds nothing like anything else on offer. Enthusiasm abounds on the likes of 'The Melody', punk rock vocals failing to drown out stuttering drums and inncessant Casio-esque melodies, creating something reminiscent of the fantastic Shy Child.

If you want to hear one band mastering a single concept look elsewhere. If you want to hear one band melting down the sound of almost every exciting band of the past five years into one piece you could a lot worse then check out Hlllyh, an album that sounds like ever last cell of your body having its own little revolution.

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Album Review: Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair

Without doubt the most anticipated release from the DFA stable this side of Sound Of Silver, Hercules and Love Affair (the album) already has one classic single in the form of 'Blind'. A disco atonement for your sins, a unifying stomp of a record, 'Blind' seems destined to cross-over. Does this long-player give it the ammunition it needs?

First off let's get the awkwardness out the way: vocals on many tracks here are provided by Anthony of Anthony and the Johnson's. Every other blogger and journalist feels the need to mention this so BlackPlastic best not break tradition. BlackPlastic has its own opinion on Anthony and the Johnsons and it mostly centres around the fact that their music is pretentious and a chore to listen to, anyone who thinks otherwise must be determined to impress someone. It is the musical equivalent of self-flagulation: it might get you closer to God but it's still painful.

A digression.

Hercules and Love Affair represents a much more suitable vehicle for Anthony and this fact is obviouse from the off: 'Hercules' Theme' is a gorgeous spoon of sugar molasses, a throbbing disco funk bassline carries Anthony's vocals along but the strings and bass provide all the star-quality on this summer anthem in waiting. Elsewhere 'You Belong' is classic Chicago house and Anthony's vocals feel right at home. You should alreasy know 'Blind', but in case you don't it is a mournful disco cut for the 21st century, an anthem for the dancefloor and for your heart, all soulful strings and tearful vocals.

The songs without Anthony are equally strong. 'Athene' is all sparkles and sounds organic whilst 'Iris' sounds like delicate letter to yourself.

What Hercules demonstrates best is a deft touch. The production is immaculate and, to his credit, DFA's lesser-known label co-founder Tim Goldsworthy's touch is all over it, the considered and deliberate touch here very reminiscent of his other work. Hercules and Love Affair seem destined for big things - BlackPlastic cannot wait to see the mainstream reaction to a record so fresh and different, yet so approachable and enjoyable.

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