‘Distraction Pieces,’ Scroobius Pip’s second solo album, starts off stronger than any hip hop release I’ve heard in the past few years. This is partly due to his punk-rock roots and partly to his background as a spoken word artist.

When I first thought about the combination of hip-hop and rock back in middle school, I thought it was the best idea ever. But then I sadly discovered that the genre “rap-rock” was led by bands such as Rage Against the Machine, Limp Bizkit, and Kottonmouth Kings, all of which I have little to no interest in. Even after years of broadening musical horizons, I haven’t found any artist that has lived up to my expectations of this infusing of genres—until I heard Pip’s second track “Let Em Come.” The backing drums and guitar during the chorus is what you would expect to find in a hardcore song and Pip goes just as hard, with solid verses by local P.O.S. and Sage Francis.

The transition from spoken word to hip hop is awkward and unsuccessful for many, but not Pip. He harnesses clever, poetic lyrics that keeps the music interesting, but the problem with this album is the production value, which is, unfortunately, noticeably low. The powerful lyrics in the politically charged “Soldier Boy Kill Em,” a spoof of “Crank That (Soulja Boy),” and the intense “Domestic Silence” would have a greater effect if the music didn’t sound so disjointed from his voice. Hopefully this album will get the attention of the right people who will give him the proper facilities to record while also letting him keep his unique style.

In a city where the music scene is lacking, Rainbow Danger Club is filling a much needed void. Shanghai, where the group is based, is filled with materialism and modernity. This band is made up of ex-patriots that have created an album seemingly contrasting the environment it grew out of. The album as whole is reminiscent of a movie soundtrack being played from a phonograph. Where the Map Ends quickly changes gears from a playful yet eerie silent movie to the pulse pounding excitement of a magical thriller.

Plinking pianos and eerie sounds await you on your trip to the ends of the Earth. WME is a fairytale from a parallel universe that has many twists and turns. Being released shortly after their well received EP The New Atlantis, WME is an hour long trip filled with entrancing guitar, ghostly vocals, and trumpet capable of playing a variety of roles. Bouncing back and forth between light hearted romps to haunting lo-fi ballads, every song on the album has its own character. The pacing of WME is fantastic, switching between engaging instrumentals and surreal lyricism. Songs such as “Enduring Love” provide an experience that seems surreal and desolate yet at the same time fill with a feeling of nostalgia and familiarity, while other songs fulfill the roles of rocking anthems for the album. On songs such as the intro tune “Live on in Photographs” the lead vocals border on whiney, yet most of the time this is countered by the ominous background vocals. Overall Where the Map Ends is strong debut album that delivered, after an EP that had us all hoping.

I’m always on the lookout for unique, diverse and progressive artists, which can massage my selective auricles and provide me with a brief escape from the force-fed victuals of mainstream music. Free from the restraints of the music industry, singer/songwriter Kayte Grace is that refreshing breath of fresh air. Grace’s latest album, Written On, is a follow-up to her indie released first album, Soaked You In. Produced by Grace herself (a guitarist and pianist), Written On continues to showcase her unique style that she’s known for from her previous album and shares with the listener a musical gumbo of joyful, energetic and eclectic sound that’s heavily infused with blues, rock, pop and folk. Written On embraces Grace’s journey of life. She pulls us in with one of my personal favorites, Great Big life, which is a relaxing, mellow, top down in the summer, fancy free, catchy song, there to remind us to slow down sometimes and enjoy this great big life. The first single, Just Right, is another song where it pulls us into Grace’s daydream, where she thinks that she has found “Mr. just right” out of a group of guys that are not. The catchy rhythmic beat and Grace’s angelic voice make this song very vibrant.

Overall, the album is well thought out and put together. Grace’s harmonious vibe and heartfelt songs will be more than enough to wet the musical appétit for her fans and music connoisseurs alike. If Written On gives us any glimpse of what we can expect from Grace’s future projects, then fans need not fret because this is only the beginning.

PJ Harvey, despite being overly associated with an assumed exclusive feminine identity in rock music, has never demonstrated the one track mind domineering opinions would like her to have.

With her new record, Let England Shake, she once again proves to be uncompromising, releasing the first political album (in her own words) of her career. The last time she had an album with a single theme was Stories of the City, Stories of the Sea, full of what some critics dismissed as simple songs about a common thing, love.

Just as dismissing Stories as rough adult contemporary is unjust, labeling Let England Shake as a generic political album or a predictable artistic exercise is unfair. It is a little off setting to hear her sing about war and death and what man hath wrought, but she makes political songwriting her own, never becoming overtly political while never simply dancing around a message. The line between humor and seriousness becomes obscured as she wields the inseparable duo of black comedy and brutal honesty to her advantage.

The lyrics are accompanied by what could be called pop music, assembled from scraps of orchestration, cryptic samples, and heavy strumming of a harp. This proves to be greater than the sum of its parts, apparent the moment the album begins.

Following Captain Beefheart’s death late last year, an interview with Harvey was conducted in which she said that Beefheart acted almost like her mentor, as he offered her feedback on her albums. She felt that he would have liked this newest effort, that it was more akin to his own work and his personal tastes.

That may sound arrogant at first, but on Let England Shake she has created a strange, uncompromising look at humanity. A work that in its eccentricities proves an artistic statement uncommon in today’s music scene. It’s clear that Polly Jean isn’t just going through the motions, which is something that Beefheart could very well approve of. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
By: Matt Rich
WC: 329

PJ Harvey, despite being overly associated with an assumed exclusive feminine identity in rock music, has never demonstrated the one track mind domineering opinions would like her to have.

With her new record, Let England Shake, she once again proves to be uncompromising, releasing the first political album (in her own words) of her career. The last time she had an album with a single theme was Stories of the City, Stories of the Sea, full of what some critics dismissed as simple songs about a common thing, love.

Just as dismissing Stories as rough adult contemporary is unjust, labeling Let England Shake as a generic political album or a predictable artistic exercise is unfair. It is a little off setting to hear her sing about war and death and what man hath wrought, but she makes political songwriting her own, never becoming overtly political while never simply dancing around a message. The line between humor and seriousness becomes obscured as she wields the inseparable duo of black comedy and brutal honesty to her advantage.

The lyrics are accompanied by what could be called pop music, assembled from scraps of orchestration, cryptic samples, and heavy strumming of a harp. This proves to be greater than the sum of its parts, apparent the moment the album begins.

Following Captain Beefheart’s death late last year, an interview with Harvey was conducted in which she said that Beefheart acted almost like her mentor, as he offered her feedback on her albums. She felt that he would have liked this newest effort, that it was more akin to his own work and his personal tastes.

That may sound arrogant at first, but on Let England Shake she has created a strange, uncompromising look at humanity. A work that in its eccentricities proves an artistic statement uncommon in today’s music scene. It’s clear that Polly Jean isn’t just going through the motions, which is something that Beefheart could very well approve of.

If you’re at all into the the post-hardcore scene then there is no way you haven’t heard of new band Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows (or, simply, D.R.U.G.S.). They are a scene-supergroup made up of members from bands like Chiodos, Matchbook Romance, From First to Last, and Story of the Year—and this isn’t a side-project. Lead singer Craig Owens has made it clear that this band is the one they’ve been working towards their entire lives, and I couldn’t agree more.

While my former love of Chiodos and From First to Last may predispose me to like this band, they include all aspects of the alternative rock music scene. Each member brings a breadth of experience allowing their self-titled debut album to combine elements of screamo, pop-punk, classical, and hardcore. In the midst of this fusion, their sound has managed to stay unique and intense. They haven’t gone down the path of other supergroups who let their egos get in the way of creating good music.

“Stop Reading, Start Doing Pushups” is for the moshers. “Mr. Owl Ate My Metal Worm” is for the emos, or just the emotional. “My Swagger Has a First Name” is for those who miss the combination of good music and screaming. “I’m Here to Take the Sky” is for the pop lovers and could easily be the feel-good hit of summer 2011. Despite these highlights, I guarantee there will be songs you don’t like at first. Take this advice though: listen to them a few times before making any judgements. The first time I heard “Sex Life” I thought the lyrics were just plain bad. Now I turn it up to the maximum volume that I can get away with without driving my roommates crazy whenever it comes on. I can’t give you a specific reason why I had such a change of heart except that the catchiness of this album is out of control.

You can stream the entire album on their Facebook page if you want to take a listen before you buy it—but remember my advice.

Dum Dum Girls don’t have it as easy as you think they do. Sure, there seems to be a real demand for their sunny, garage-tinged take on the girl-group template lately. Sure, they’re something of an overnight sensation thanks to frontwoman Dee Dee’s status on the bleeding edge of hip. But with the spotlight firmly planted on them after 2010’s buzz-garnering debut I Will Be, Dum Dum Girls are put in the somewhat unfair position of proving their staying power as a real band, rather than just a flash-in-the-pan.

He Gets Me High seems to be a calculated statement of maturity from Dee Dee; although the EP is only four songs it sends a clear message: The Dum Dum’s aren’t interested in being pegged as “lo-fi” anymore. From the moment the opener “Wrong Feels Right” kicks in, you can tell there’s been a real shift: the rhythm section sounds tight and professional, and there’s plenty of subtle reverby guitar for ear candy. The lead single and title track is a great little pop tune, with a confident grinding bass-line that swaggers the song forward. It might have been fair to question whether Dee Dee could bring a strong vocal performance forward without the mask of fuzz that covered I Will Be, but she proves herself to be a capable singer with a clear voice garnished by some 1950’s flavor. The early take on Dee Dee as a female Joey Ramone seems inaccurate after this EP, a better comparison might be Debbie Harry or Chrissie Hynde: a punky attitude married to pop aspirations.

The first B-Side “Take Care of My Baby” isn’t quite as effective. While it seems like the group had the best of intentions for the dirgey waltz, it veered just a bit just too far into the schmaltzy side of the Wall of Sound. The record closes with a cover that I was honestly a bit apprehensive about: The Smiths “There is a Light that Never Goes Out”. The Dum Dums do an faithful interpretation of the tune though, with Dee Dee seeming to relish her chance to play with Johnny Marr’s excellent licks. Somewhere near the end of the cover one starts to miss the hurt of the original though, as the newer version never quite matches the emotional impact Morrisey and Co. brought to the table.

For such a young band, Dum Dum Girls have quite a consistent output, and while some of He Gets Me High may sound too glossy for its own good, it does seem like the group is headed for big things. Ultimately, it’s a charismatic sound that can win over even the grouchiest of naysayers, and I should know, because up until this release, I was one.

PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
Caleigh Souhan

Polly Jean Harvey has never been the type of musician to play it safe.  By constantly recreating her sound with each album and transforming herself visually for her theatrical live shows, PJ has concreted herself into the hearts of her audience.  Her new single “Written on the Forehead,” from her forthcoming album Let England Shake, shows she still has plenty of tricks up her sleeve.  Now entering into her second decade of putting out albums, PJ is attempting to tap into the social conscious of the world by focusing her lyrics on warfare and shifts in political power. 

Instead of performing these lyrics in her raw, guttural timbre to showcase the weight of the current social situation, she starts off the single by painting the picture of a war-struck city and the plights of the citizens involved.  Sampling the classic reggae song “Blood and Fire” from Niney the Observer, she creates an interesting middle ground between bright and dreamy delivery and the stark imagery of people scrambling to exit a burning city.  Known for her thoughtful and melancholic songwriting, her new album promises to explore the timeless tragedies of war and what that means for the individuals involved. 

This album is going to cover new territory for PJ, straying away from her past topics of love and abusive relationships.  Let England Shake drops February 14 on Vagrant Records. 

The Decemberists – The King is Dead
Chase Mathey

The voice of Colin Meloy is not a voice that one forgets overnight. The front man of the gypsy-infused, indie-folk band, The Decemberists, almost always sounds as if he is on the verge of tears while confessing his lyrics of hardship and love. The rest of this five member band accent Colin’s voice with instruments and sounds which are just as unique. The Decemberists have been a highly regarded contributor to the indie music scene since their first EP release,  5 Songs, in 2001. Since then, they have released four more EPs and five full-length albums, including The Crane Wife and The Hazards of Love, which both broke the Billboard Top 40; The Hazards of Love reaching all the way to the number 14 spot.

Now in their tenth year, The Decemberists are releasing their sixth full-length album, The King is Dead, which released January 18. This highly anticipated album was recorded last spring in Pendarvis Farm, Portland, OR, where the PICKATHON Indie Roots music festival is held. Peter Buck, the guitarist of R.E.M. and one of Colin Meloy’s largest influences, will be featured on three of the tracks on the upcoming album, including the album’s single,  “Down by the Water.”

With sorrowful lyrics, Peter Buck on 12-string guitar and Appalachian singer

Gillan Welch on back-up vocals, “Down by the Water” has a great sound and feel that carries on to the rest of the album.

If there was ever a time to become a fan of Cloud Cult, it would be now. Frontman and songwriter Craig Minowa and the rest of the group’s hard work is all coming to fruition. I say “group” instead of “band” because Cloud Cult defines itself through more than simply musical means. If you’ve ever been to one of their concerts you know what I mean, as it is impossible to experience one of their live shows without noticing the two painters onstage, channeling inspiration from that night onto canvas.

Thus, the group’s newest album, Light Chasers, was officially released in stores on September 14th and they have been touring ever since. If you have been unable to attend a live show, there is still the possibility of viewing some of these vibrant paintings. Scott West, one of the onstage painters, is currently exhibiting his work at the Tarnish & Gold gallery in Northeast Minneapolis under the title STILL. In true Cloud Cult fashion, West is unable to fit into the mold of a typical gallery show, saying that it will also be part performance art. He will be present during open hours at the gallery, painting even more work and rearranging the pieces that are already in place. If two artistic mediums weren’t enough, a special screening of the Cloud Cult documentary, created by West and John Paul Burgess, was held at Tarnish & Gold on Thursday, November 11th with both artists present.

West’s work within STILL is neither disappointing nor revolutionary, but it is very accessible and interesting. When speaking about his work, he has said that he takes characters and themes imagined while onstage during Cloud Cult sets and brings them into his studio to evolve. The natural world, a common theme within Minowa’s songs, is taken to another level through West’s seamless combination of noticeable characters with visually engaging abstraction. Two portraits that hang side-by-side are the obvious standouts. One titled, “I feel like the rain,” is of a man’s face (a self-portrait?), depicted in colors conveying a dark warmth and concern, everything below the nose melted, dissolved. Its partner, “And if my eyes were on my back,” is cold and melancholy, presented to the audience through the cool tones and tortured expression of a woman’s face, but it melts upwards instead. As this is an evolving show, by now there could be even more compelling pieces such as these.

Since I decided to peruse these works of art on the same night the Cloud Cult documentary, No One Said It Would Be Easy, was being screened, I had the chance to see West and John Paul Burgess, the directors, give an introduction. I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed a more appropriate introduction to anything in my entire life. John spoke of his first tour documenting the group and how it ended up being nothing like he expected. In particular, he acknowledged his association of rock tours with late-nights, non-stop partying, and heroin, but admitted, “It wasn’t like that at all…everyone went to bed at nine.” Then, in his conclusion, he shared an oddity about the production, “There was a strangely emotional push to finish at the end. I’m curious to see how it will hold up.” In a moment of unimaginably perfect timing, half of the tape holding the makeshift screen to the ceiling immediately peeled off, sending it crashing down behind the director. It was quickly repaired and stayed intact throughout the film, but it seemed like an ominous sign at the time.

Now, I’ve been a fan of Cloud Cult ever since my brother burned me a copy of The Meaning of 8, but, to put it nicely, their music videos have always been sub-par, especially for one of their most popular songs, “Chemicals Collide.” That video is a mix between a screensaver and Video Production 101 effects. Needless to say, I didn’t have high expectations for this film. I nonchalantly ate a bag of free popcorn, provided by the gallery owners, as I watched a typical testimonial of people talk about how they were affected by their music. This may have been a good opening had it not been used by every band who has ever made a promotional video.

I’ve heard you always get hit when you’re at your most vulnerable, and this proved that theory. The depth at which Burgess got into Minowa’s soul was as inspiring as it was heart-wrenching, exposing him both at his most proud and his most tortured. That’s what it was about mostly, Minowa and how he began and developed everything that is Cloud Cult, building this family around him. The format was an amalgamation, taking traditional elements of documentary (interviews, tour footage, narrated pictures) and mixing them with music video, science class lesson, and animation elements. This allowed for the odd, typical Cloud Cult flavor to make a unique appearance without contaminating the raw emotion.

As for Light Chasers, it is a concept album in which every song deliberately flows from one to another, creating a story line from “The Mission: Unexplainable Stories (Journey to the Light, Pt. 1)” all the way to “Arrival: There’s So Much Energy in Us.” Some may find this format intriguing, but many people will undoubtedly think something along the lines of, “So this means it’s some experimental music I have to listen to all together every time?” No, despite the many critics who have taken this stance, most of the songs on the album can stand alone. I would even say that some of them are the best that Cloud Cult has ever created, such as “Today We Give Ourselves to the Fire,” “Running with the Wolves,” and “There’s So Much Energy in Us.” I urge you, whether you first heard of Cloud Cult long ago or this is your first time, to at least look into some of these artistic endeavors: this album, documentary, or art show. I dare you to not feel a connection.

It’s 2010 people. Slug’s pushing 40 and most of Doomtree’s away on tour so much they’re starting to stretch the meaning of “local rap crew.” Heiruspecs are seemingly on that “we play shows when we feel like it” type of hiatus and the Twin Cities recently lost one of its strongest rappers to a tragic and untimely death. Is it any wonder there seems to be a wellspring of fresh faces in our hip-hop scene lately?

Duenday’s one of the young groups like Illuminous 3 that seems hungry to fill that void, showcasing a laid back, sorta old-school flow over lush backpack rap beats that they make in house. Rappers In2wishin and Initial MC crafted this self-titled debut while still in college (Intial’s a U of M boy) but the duo aren’t serving up any open-mic night rhymes here. Duenday have a charming, slightly goofy steez that’s firmly grounded in their Southside hippie-hoodrat lifestyle and write tracks that range from lightweight house-party bangers like “Matt’s Cool Raps” to environmental politics on “What’s Happening” featuring the venerable Unicus from Kanser. The two mc’s have a precocial talent for weaving their verses around one another’s and both seem to approach the mic with a smile and a mutual chemistry that belies their offstage friendship. In2 even proves he’s got a pipes by singing a few of the album’s hooks like on “Both Sides of the Spectrum”, the record’s for-your-sorrows cut.

“Bounce”, the track that introduced most of us to Duenday is a great entry point to the group: it’s a confident and skillful identity statement with a chill soul beat and great teamwork on the hook. In other words, it’s exactly the kind of hot single that these talented young up-and-comers need to make their mark on the local hip-hop scene.

At this point in his career our venerable Mr. Costello has traversed through so many musical styles that recent albums have felt like more of a pretense for genre exploration than anything. National Ransom ups the ante this outing with sprawling ambition and a dose of that old Elvis magic.

The record kicks off with a bass-heavy roots rocker that sounds like a leftover Attractions b-side, thanks to the man himself Steve Nieve being called back up to fill organ duties. Fans of Costello’s earlier work shouldn’t get too excited, however. From the gypsy folk jazz of the second cut “Jimmy Standing in the Rain” onward, the King takes his listeners on a wild scattershot of his past dalliances. There are thick strings and overtones of Costello’s classical dabbling on tracks like “Stations of the Cross” that brush against stately country tearjerkers like “That’s Not the Part of Him You’re Leaving.” Not to neglect the strong playing on the album’s bluegrass and western-swing portions by Elvis’ crack string sextet The Sugarcanes, or the excellent rhythm section that the Impostors provide for country rockers.

If you’re just now catching on, National Ransom is a big record, with a lush wall of sound dynamic that occasionally works against it. The record is just a bit too long, and certain cuts sound like they would benefit from the tighter, edgier instrumentation of Costello’s earlier work. Still, it’s a masterfully composed set of songs from a titan of songwriting. We can nitpick, but at the end of the day National Ransom is still a must-have for the King’s loyal subjects.