MP3s: Feral Children Bite Back; The Lodger Goes Warm And Fuzzy
Sloppy-energetic like Seattle's Love Battery, melodic, ferocious and experimental like English master shoegazers Swervedriver, Feral Children find a missing niche and fill it. Produced by Scott Colburn (Animal Collective, Arcade Fire) Feral Children's aptly titled Second To The Last Frontier reflects the isolated nature of their Maple Valley, Washington home. Originally a self-styled grunge band, Feral Children ventured beyond their native local club scene, and soon won over the state's press hordes. Seattle Weekly hailed the act for its "fascinating, beautifully narrated work"; The Stranger proclaimed the band's live show as "burning and manic."
Second To The Last Frontier, recorded last spring at Colburn's Gravel Voice studio, is an oddball buzz of genre escaping, frenetic rock and roll vision. While their vocal skills are negligent at best, the band play as one organism possessed, homespun hillbilly narratives drawing our attention while the instrumental backing fits, spits and jerks with all the exhilaration of a well oiled Broadway pit band. Featuring two drummers (recalling Ed Cassidy with Hal Blaine), guitars riffs borne of cheap hooch and smoke, and a vocalist who seems more inclined to yelp than croon, Feral Children could be the next Talking Heads--hilarious singing, rampant rhythms, and melodies that jerk like tortured kitty cats.
"It's about being poor and being frustrated," says bassist/vocalist Jim Cotton. "But I think the thing I'm most proud of, is that it actually sounds like the first Northwest record that I've heard in 10 years. I really love this place. We all grew up here. It actually sounds like it belongs here."
"Billionaires Vs. Millionaires" comes on like sloppy ‘80s grunge, attempts R.E.M. like pop single product, breaks down to a wacky bridge that recalls XTC's "Making Plans For Nigel," and closes with repetitive, Turrets Syndrome, Irish inflected gibberish over caterwauling band wailing. Good fun!
Feral Children continue their neurotic wordplay in "Zyghost," tribal thump drumming adding to the brain addled feeling of lost control. But "Jaundice Giraffe" shows the band can also simmer down, with skystreaking Pink Floyd textures and Steve Reich inspired instrumental loops leading the song into space rock/ambient terrain. Too bad about the apparently emotional need to Primal Scream.
Feral Children
"Jaundice Giraffe" (mp3)
from "Second to the Last Frontier"
(Sarathan Records)
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Feral Children "Zyghost" (mp3)
from "Second to the Last Frontier"
(Sarathan Records) More On This Album
Feral Children "Billionaires vs. Millionaires" (mp3)
from "Second to the Last Frontier"
(Sarathan Records) More On This Album
The Lodger: Life Is Sweet: Recalling dark pop treats like Orange Juice, Split Enz, Aztec Camera and the Go-Betweens, The Lodger mines similarly glorious harmonies and romantically twisted tales. I could think of 20 other English bands whose star has risen and fallen along this same musical turf: The La's, of course, The Bluetones, Cast, The Housemartins ...the list goes on. Kudos to the Lodger for resurrecting a style that never goes out of style. Along with yesterday's Heavy Circles, this is one of my favorite albums of the year.
Info from Promonet: The Lodger was born in Ben Siddal's Leeds bedsit flat in 2004. Encouraged by local label Dance To The Radio, Ben recruited friends for bass and drum duties, tuned-up with live shows around town and debuted in early 2005 with a single for a Dance To The Radio compilation. The band quickly followed-up with their excellent debut single "Many Thanks For Your Honest Opinion," as well as "Watching" on Double Dragon, and a track for the hotly-tipped Wrath label's split 7" series.
In 2006 the permanent line-up of Ben, Joe and Katie hit the road in the UK with kindred Yorkshire spirits the Research. London indie label Angular Records released the Lodger's third single "Let Her Go" shortly afterwards. This single won BBC 6's Rebel Playlist. The band decamped to Alan Smyth's Sheffield recording studio to record songs for their debut album. Thirteen tracks were recorded, resulting in Grown-Ups.
Spending the second half of 2007 touring the UK, Europe and the U.S. gave the Lodger ample opportunity to write further songs, which were recorded for the sophomore effort, Life Is Sweet. How sweet it is!
The Lodger "The Good Old Days" (mp3)
from "Life Is Sweet"
(Slumberland) More On This Album
The Lodger "The Conversation" (mp3)
from "Life Is Sweet"
(Slumberland) More On This Album
The Lodger "A Year Since Last Summer" (mp3)
from "Life Is Sweet"
(Slumberland) More On This Album
The Lodger "Kicking Sand" (mp3)
from "Grown-Ups"
(Slumberland) More On This Album
The Lodger "Let Her Go" (mp3)
from "Grown-Ups"
(Slumberland)
Buy at GroupieTunes More On This Album
The Lodger "The Story's Over" (mp3)
from "Grown-Ups"
(Slumberland) More On This Album
