The Met's music picks

The Omens - Send Black Flowers
written by Jeremy Johnson
(jjohn308@mscd.edu)

While the word “omen” usually refers to future events, Denver’s fuzzed-out garage rockers The Omens are steeped in influences of the past — namely heavy ’60s psychedelia and organ-grinding, California-style surf rock. They do, however, prove there’s a place for music’s past in the future, updating the slightly antiquated genre with a layer of dark lyricism that mirrors Gen Y-er’s contempt for, well, pretty much everything. The Omens’ second, full-length recording, Send Black Flowers, doesn’t hide behind muted symbolism. Instead, Flowers is a grueling and energetic exercise in love’s dark, macabre side, bolstered with two-minute breakup anthems such as “Pray for You,” “She’s Just Fine” and “It’s Down on You.” Despite their inner, compositional complexities — including incredibly coherent, stripped guitar riffs (from singer and guitarist Michael Daboll) and haunting organ accompaniment (Eddie Briedenbach) — The Omens are still very much a garage-punk band at heart, and the proof is in Flowers’ frantic delivery of 10 tracks in just under 25 minutes. What The Omens lack in variety, they make up for with consistently electric vitality, doubly emphasized by Daboll’s incessant howling and his sweaty, lyrical delivery. The exception to The Omens’ typical whirlwind delivery is the third track, “You Can’t Come Back,” a monstrously enterprising number full of tempo shifts and false crescendos that leave the listener dizzy, and the poppy, tongue-in-cheek “You Don’t Know Me at All.” And in case you don’t know The Omens, I suspect, if you’ve got any indie-rock sense at all, you soon will.

Dan Craig - Accidents
Written by Julie Maas
(pretko@mscd.edu)

Accidents was, quite literally, an accident. While finalizing his second full-length album in the studio, the talented singer-songwriter Dan Craig couldn’t stop writing. Under more relaxed terms, this five-song EP was born. “It was really casual compared to the full-length album,” Craig said. “There was no pressure, it was great.” Although it was an “accident,” it certainly is a transient treat that leaves you wanting more. In an otherwise sweet-sounding tune such as “Quietly,” Craig surprises the listener with lyrics like “I watch you burn, and I love you quietly.” Erin Donavan’s vocals complement Craig’s with a haunting echo, adding an extra layer to his otherwise scratchy, albeit soothing, vocals. His mesmerizing guitar is set off perfectly with instruments like the cello and piano, which blend effortlessly. The track “There Is Still Time” brings the EP to a bittersweet close with an instrumentally-rich sound, both quiet and bold, in which Craig croons “Love, oh love, come back. There is still time.” And with that, Craig will keep listeners, and lovers, coming back for more.

N.A.S.A. - The Spirit of Apollo
Written by Clayton Woullard
(cwoullar@mscd.edu)

Some albums were meant to be the soundtrack for jungle juice, hazy living rooms and the groping of strangers. The Spirit Of Apollo is one of those.

The product of two hip-hop producers — Spike Jonze’s brother Sam Spiegel (aka Squeak E Clean of North America) and pro skater Ze Gonzales (aka DJ Zegon of South America) — Apollo was six years in the making, and it shows, especially in the deftly crafted production. “Money,” the album’s shining star, sees the talents of former Talking Head David Byrne, Z-Trip, Chuck D, Ras Congo and Seu Jorge but, surprisingly enough, is only unusual in its seemingly odd guest list.
“Way Down,” is another highlight that features Barbie Hatch’s ghostly vocals swirling perfectly with a Dan The Automator-esque beat, John Frusciante’s sparse, filtered guitar and RZA’s usual intriguing libretto, which are found elsewhere on the album’s hidden bonus track. My personal favorite, “Electric Flowers” features a sultry Nina Persson of The Cardigans.

On “Strange Enough,” Karen O fits perfectly on a rugged beat among fairly weak verses from the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Fatlip. “Gifted” is a bleep-y hip-hop/French electronic Santogold song featuring Kanye West and Lykke Li that works better than you’d think. “Whatchadoin?,” featuring Spank Rock, M.I.A., Santogold and Nick Zinner, is easily the most annoying song (it has M.I.A.) with a scrawny jungle beat and poorly-placed guitar riffs. And “Spacious Thoughts” is the most odd of the collaborators with Kool Keith and a husky Tom Waits over a gloomy New York beat that has a hard time figuring itself out.

Even though N.A.S.A. risked spreading themselves too thin with some 40 collaborators, it doesn’t take away from its playability because, overall, this is a laudable venture for the hip-hop lover’s, and the consummate partyer’s ears.

Missing Dufrenes - Missing Dufrenes
Written by Andrew Bisset
(abisset1@mscd.edu)

With influences including “tomfoolery, hijinks and rigamarole,” Denver’s Missing DuFrenes make rock and roll with a bit of an Ultimate Fakebook-esque, sugary coating. On their self-titled debut album, frontman Jonathan Snyder shifts gears from upbeat, almost poppy songs like the well-named “(They Don’t Put Nobodies) on Cereal Boxes” to harder, more emotional rock riffs like “All I Wanted With Ya,” a gritty, deep-throated ballad that could very well have come from the Detroit garage of the Von Bondies. Snyder is straight and to the point, as he tells a lover, “I’d rather hang from my own gallows than dangle on your hook.” Snyder continues this shifting throughout the album, giving us a nostalgic, back-porch-in-the-summer ballad on “The Same Bad Tunes,” and even a doo-wop track, “On the Hour,” where Snyder declares “Let’s be antisocial together, alienate everyone in our lives.” This diversity is what gives the DuFrenes their reputation as a great bar band — there’s something here for everyone. With a new release and a new guitarist (Gata Negra’s Whitney Rehr), the Missing DuFrenes can only go up from here.

Harlem Shakes - Technicolor Health
Written by Matt Pusatory
(mpusator@mscd.edu)

The debut album by New York five-piece Harlem Shakes is a fantastic example of what indie rock should be. Technicolor Health, due out March 24, is a nice blend of catchy guitar hooks, memorable lyrics and simple beats, with slight electronic vibes to keep the listener guessing. The addition of horns on some tracks really brings the whole package together. Vocally, singer Lexy Benaim may draw comparisons to fellow Big Apple resident Alec Ounsworth of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Benaim’s voice may be high-pitched, but it is smoother and more refined than Ounsworth’s.

Highlights include “Strictly Game,” which is instantly likable and radio-friendly with a chorus that is built around the optimistic mantra, “This will be a better year.” “Sunlight” is another well-crafted song, building up to a raucous fervor, followed with verses filled with witty lyrics. The Shakes’ debut is a solid one, and with such catchy songs, you can’t help but shake along with the music.

Council of Word - CO2: A Heavy Gas
Written by Jeremy Johnson
(jjohn308@mscd.edu)
Since Zulu Nation-influenced hip-hop began waning in the early ’90s, artists of the constantly-transforming genre have continually tried to mimic the sound that led bands like De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest to commercial success. Unfortunately, most fail. Denver’s forward-thinkers Council of Word cite such influences in the liner notes of their independent release CO2: A Heavy Gas, an ambitious display of delicious sampling, lightly funky undertones and wise lyricism about family, pride and personal growth. That’s not to say Council has fully succeeded in reviving the genre, but tracks such as “Council Gets Down” and “Don’t Change Your Love” — with percussive-heavy, Latin-spiced rhythm and Del Tha Funky Homosapien-like lyrical bravado — are examples of what hip-hop has been and, rightfully, should be again. The Council can be a bit chunky at times, with typical turntable intros and a mishmash of ringing bass lines, but the duo of Danny One Shoe (Dan Overby) and Deep Rawk Dave (Dave Ashton) keep it real, if you will, with witticism, lively tempos and pure, positive energy. That’s the Word, and they’re sticking to it.