UPDATE

Sorry for the lack of entries lately but it has been a very busy month for us here at AURAL-O as we have been attending loads of concerts.  We will be writing about some of them soon.  We are also listening to new music and will be letting you know our thoughts and recommendations shortly.  Thanks for staying tuned!

OUT NOW: INVISIBLE MATERIAL "PEDESTAL"

This Los Angeles based indie rock band has just released the follow up to their video "Grown Man Cries," which was a very amazing, colorful video and a very catchy song.  This video is considerably more lo-fi and simple.  The band will be performing live next month at Universal Bar & Grill.

Rating: OOO (Three out of Five O's)

OUT NOW: CSS "LA LIBERACION"

CSS (short for "Cansei de ser Sexy," translated to English as "got tired of being sexy") is a Brazilian dance rock band that burst on to the scene a few years ago with their delightfully kitschy, party band vibe and "English as a second language" lyrics.  It's clear that when they started, they most likely never imagined they would become the phenomenon they quickly became once they were discovered in the US and UK.

Because the naive, simplistic enthusiasm which permeated their debut album was so honest and pure, the odds already seemed stacked against them when it came to making another record.  Luckily, the followup album, "Donkey," seemed to be suffice in delivering a slightly more grown-up sound while still keeping their youthful wackiness intact.  So, what happens after a bunch of Brazilian hipsters have released two successful albums and toured the world several times over?  Obviously, they cannot still pretend to be the same people who sang "Meeting Paris Hilton" or "Music Is My Hot, Hot Sex" with such innocent exuberance.

The album "La Liberacion" produces mixed feelings for me.  I am glad to have new music from this band, and I definitely would look forward to seeing them perform some of these songs live.  And while the music still definitely sounds like CSS, I'm sure there will be a number of critics ready to complain about the album's flaws.  There's not really anything as catchy as early hits like "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above" or "Alala," there are definitely some great moments.  The first single, "Hits Me Like a Rock," (reviewed here previously) is a highlight with it's melodic, new-wave/reggae sound; album opener "I Love You," while having the most obvious song title in the world, is still a pretty catchy jam.  Perhaps the most exciting track is "City Girl," which also happens to sound the most like it could have been on the first album, with it's hooky chorus and edgy beats.


The rest of the album seems to be a little all over the place, working in some Americana-style rock ("Echo of Love"), forgettable pop like "Partners In Crime" and the slightly overwrought angst/punk of "Rhythm to the Rebels."  Then there's the dreadful faux-hip-hop of "Red Alert," which is wisely stuck right near the end of the album, followed by the fun but throw-away "Fuck Everything."


But anyone expecting some sort of groundbreaking masterpiece at this stage in CSS's game is probably overthinking things anyway, and thankfully the band do not seem to be overthinking it.  For the most part, "La Liberacion" is a breezy, enjoyable affair that includes enough odd lyrics, hand-claps, and beats to get you up and moving. 


Rating: OOO (Three out of Five O's)

OPEN YOUR MOUTH: TRACEY BEEHIVE FROM VOICE OF THE BEEHIVE

Aural-O is pleased as punch to introduce the first in our new series "OPEN YOUR MOUTH" where we go right to the source and ask 5 questions about a given album, of the artist themselves!

For this inaugural post, we couldn't be more thrilled to have gotten Tracey from Voice of the Beehive to take time to give us her thoughts on the bands' second album, Honey Lingers, which was released in 1991 and revisted here on Aural-O recently.

Back cover shot from the "I Think I Love You" single
photograph by Pete Mountain, from www.voiceofthebeehive.com, 

the band's official website.

Aural-O: Who's idea was the cover shot of Honey Lingers, and what was it like doing the photo shoot for it?

Tracey Beehive: The cover shot of Honey Lingers came from my love of the "Think Pink" sequence from Funny Face. I showed it to the art directors and they got it. I personally think I look like a hideous version of a drag queen on the cover but it was all meant in fun. 

A-O: Did you agree with and have any input into the choice of singles released from Honey Lingers? If you could do it over again and have complete control, how would you have done it with regards to singles releases?

TB: I had no input in any of the single choices for the band which is why I have no faith in the industry of music anymore. Unless you are huge, the bands have no say. I would have first released "Adonis Blue" as a single. I was so reluctant to work with that team of producers because they were so pop oriented but it ended up being one of my favorite songs on the CD and then I would have released "Monsters and Angels" and maybe (with blind hope) released "Perfect Place" with the hope that someone would get it's message.

A-O: What song from the album resonates the most with you today, and why?

TB: There is no doubt that "Monsters and Angels" is my most personal song. Even though I didn't write the music. I heard Mike playing it upstairs in the home studio and went up and begged him to give that music to me. This sounds really corny but there are times when I feel lost and don't know or remember who I am and what I intended to contribute with my life and when I listen to that song I seem to find myself again. I have this strange feeling of "Oh, I remember you. You're still here." It's hard to explain but I seem return to that song when I am confused. 

A-O: Did Honey Lingers come together really easily after [your first album] Let It Bee, or were you feeling any fears of the dreaded sophomore album? 

TB: Honey Lingers was the most over labored project in the history of music. All the powers that be were trying to create hits instead of just letting us get on with it. The CD had like 5 producers!!!! Why not just pick one that has the same vision as the band and get on with it?
Having said that, it is my favorite Beehive CD.

A-O: When you look back at all the music Voice of the Beehive released, how do you feel about Honey Lingers, and how does it relate to the other albums, singles, and songs? 

TB: Like I said I really prefer Honey Lingers to Let It Bee but I think I am the only person alive that also preferred The Pretenders second CD to the first.
I just think it is a more thoughtful and reflective work. I mean, it had "Perfect Place" and "Little Gods" instead of "Barbarian" and "Oh Love." But, this is like saying, "This child was not as pretty as the other child I had."
I just think between "Monsters and Angels", "Adonis Blue" and "Perfect Place," it was a more grown up record.
Having said that, in my heart, nothing comes close to "I Say Nothing".......so what are you gonna do?

A-O: A huge, honey-covered thanks to Tracey for giving us insight into a truly memorable album!  "Bee" sure to check out the band's catalogue on iTunes!

OUT NOW: FATTY GETS A STYLIST

I've written about Kate Miller-Heidke on this blog recently after happening on her album "Curiouser" at my local record super store.  Now, she's fronting this Austrailian-based band with this self-titled debut album.  Working mainly with her husband/collaborator Keir Nuttall, the material isn't that far-removed from her solo output, but perhaps with a little more teeth and grit, although this is still polished, ear-candy pop. 
Taking influences from many 80's acts and current electro-pop (their website name checks Kraftwerk, B-52's and Goldfrapp), FGAS successfully meld their influences into their own unique and timely sound, which ends up sounding like a sort of hybrid of Tegan and Sara with the Ting Tings.
Some great new-wave keyboards bring flavor to songs like "The Plane Went Down" and the lovely "Holloway Park" which sounds like it could have been a missing Til Tuesday track, or another 80's new wave band. 
There is also a funky side to FGAS such as on the title track (yes, the triple threat - band, album and song all with the same name!) and rave-up "Devil's in the Details" which harkens back more to the 90's dance sound of Fatboy Slim (or did I just make the connection with their names?). 
One of the interesting things, noted by the band themselves even, is how different Kate's voice sounds here.  Unlike her solo material, with FGAS she uses the lower register of her voice and it truly is easy to forget it's even her! 
The fun, parade-like atmosphere of the opening track, "Are You Ready," has apparently landed as an advertising jingle for the New York lottery, so chances are this band will be getting a lot more recognition here in the states soon, as they deserve.  There seems to be a little buzz going on already, as recently one of my Facebook friends posted about them, and they are popping up on websites left and right. 

Rating: OOOO (Four out of Five O's)

OUT NOW: TEDDYBEARS "CHO CHA"

I had been vaguely aware of the Swedish band Teddybears because of their work with electro dance-pop diva Robyn and her song "Cobrastyle" which was originally done by them.  Then, my friend pointed this video out to me because the star of it, Jeff Deane Turner, is well known (to me, at least) as Tiffany's stalker in the 80's who was arrested after trying to give her a Samurai sword at the Los Angeles county courthouse.  More recently, he was one of the subjects in the documentary film "I Think We're Alone Now," which follows Turner and another person, Kelly McCormick, who "follow" Tiffany - perhaps a little too much for comfort.  Saying they are devoted fans is a huge understatement, but saying they are stalkers is probably going over the line too much.  That's what the film explores, is that fine line, and the reasons people end up treading it.
Anyway, despite being considerably alarmed and disturbed upon first watching the video, I had to repeat it to show it to a couple friends, and ended up getting the song stuck in my head.  It's actually a really catchy tune!
It features vocals from Cee-Lo Green, and it says it also features The B-52's, although as far as I can tell only Fred Schneider actually contributes anything to the track, and even he only has one line in it.  The song actually sounds reminiscent more of Cee-Lo's former project Gnarls Barkley.  This song made me check out the rest of the album, "Devil's Music" on Spotify and I rather like it.

Rating: OOOO (four out of five O's) 

OVERLOOKED: HUMAN LEAGUE "ROMANTIC"

In 1990, the Human League were considered "washed up" and terribly out of fashion, and this album - released at the dawn of the "grunge" movement - did nothing to change that.  As a result, "Romantic?" has often been cited as a low-point in the band's career and the object of much harsh criticism and ridicule.  However, it has always been one of my favorites.  First and foremost, although I had been a fan of the band for awhile before this album was released, "Romantic?" is the first Human League album that I bought when it was released.  I became a fan only after the band's previous album, 1986's "Crash," had already landed in cutout bins (the album failing to provide further singles to match the #1 success of lead single "Human").  I had gone back and purchased most of the earlier albums by this point and was completely thrilled to discover "Romantic?" since I had assumed the band had split up in the years after "Crash."
"Heart Like a Wheel," the lead single from "Romantic?" only made it to #32 in the U.S., signaling tough times for the once-mighty League, and I only heard it on the radio a handful of times - and worse, never caught it on MTV, the network that had once been so kind to the band now seemed to turn a blind eye.  But it didn't matter to me.  "Heart Like a Wheel" remains one of my top favorite songs of all time, League or otherwise.
The opening track, "Kiss The Future," is for me one of the unfortunate low points on the album and is perhaps the most obvious attempt by the band to adopt a "modern" sound.  The heavy-handed sampling and new-jack or house inspired piano mixes uneasily with the League's trademark vocal delivery and electronic sound.  I find the chorus particularly offensive and for me is easily the worst opening track out of all their albums.  Luckily, from there things go uphill quickly, with the female-vocal driven track "A Doorway (?)" presenting the first time the girls had what was basically lead vocal duties.  This one mixes the "current" music sound with the League sound more successfully and probably could have been a single.  Up next is the aforementioned "Heart Like A Wheel" followed by the dreamy slow-jam, "Men Are Dreamers," which is another personal favorite.
Closing out side one is "Mister Moon and Mister Sun" which musically has a lot in common with "Kiss the Future," but is luckily a much better song.  Still sounds a little too much like they are trying to sound up-to-date, but it works fairly well.
Flipping the record over to side two (although in all honesty, by this time most people were buying CD's, which is what I bought the album on - I only found it on vinyl years later with the original price tag still on it) we begin with the second single, "Soundtrack to a Generation."  This is another low-point for me.  Starting out with so much promise with a great, nostalgic title, things quickly fall apart with a soulless drum beat pounding away over some uninspired synths.  The verse is OK, but things get ridiculous fast when the chorus begins with the girls exclaiming "HOLY COW!"  Indeed!  It's a "what were they thinking?" moment for sure.
Why the record label chose to release this song as the follow-up to "Heart Like A Wheel," I'll never know.  There are so many better choices!
The mysterious, atmospheric "Rebound" (mixed by William Orbit) is a great rebound from the previous track, and is perhaps my favorite album track here.  This is another song that saw the females taking the lead vocal duties.
"The Stars Are Going Out" probably should have been the second single, and in fact the band performed this song live on the Jools Holland show years later, indicating that they still regarded it highly.
The last two tracks are alright but nothing too exciting, and a little too samey: "Let's Get Together Again" which is apparently a cover of the Glitter Band, although I've never bothered tracking down the original; and "Get It Right This Time."  Oddly enough, both of these songs, as similar as they are, also have a great deal in common with "Get Together," a song off the League's new album "Credo."
It's obvious from the artwork and some of the lyrics that the band was struggling at this point and it does carry over to the music a lot, but all-in-all, it's not as bad as some people make it out to be and despite it's shortcomings is still a better album than "Hysteria," and perhaps "Crash" (if you can even really count that as The Human League).  If you're a fan of the band and haven't bothered to listen to this album I'd recommend checking it out and making up your own mind.

Rating: OOO (three out of five O's)