Silversun Pickups - Carnavas (July 25, 2006)

For English scroll down

Հայերեն (Armenian)

Երբ ինձ նման մելոմանը հագեցած օրվա վառ տպավորությունների ներքո համառորեն չի կարողանում քնել, հուսահատված մեկ-երկու "գրո'ղը տանի" ՚է նետում անհայտ ուղղությամբ ու գնում անձնական օգտագործման երաժշտադարանը թափ տալու: Ու գնացի: Հետո հարց առաջացավ` ի՞նչ լսել: Մեկ էլ տեսնեմ ձայնադարանիս մի անկյունից իր մեծ-մեծ կլոր աչքերով ինձ է նայում երեք տարեկան մի փոքրիկ` Silversun Pickups-ի Carnavas ալբոմը: Իսկ ինչու՞ ոչ, շատ էլ լավ տեղին է:

Ամեն անգամ նրանց լսելուց մտածել եմ` տեսնես խմբի անդամներից որի մոտ է առաջինը եկել խումբը ստեղծելու գաղափարը, հը՞ն, բերեք` ճակատը համբուրեմ: Օրիգինալորեն առանձնանում են ամեն ինչով` վոկալով, ոճով, տեքստերով, իրենց բաս կիթարիստուհիով, ինչու չէ նաև պահվածքով (չնայած ես ի՞նչ իմանամ` համերգներին ինչ վարք են դրսևորում), մի տեսակ թվում է, որ եթե խմբի անդամները հենց հիմա հայտնվեն կողքիդ ու ոչինչ չանեն, միևնույն է` երաժշտություն կլսվի: Ինչ-որ շատ համախմբված են, իսկական թիմի տպավորություն են թողնում:

Իսկ ալբո՞մը... ալբոմը ինչ... անմիջապես զգացվում է, որ իրենց առաջին, ինչպես վիկիպեդիան է ասում “full-length” (լիամետրաժ) ալբոմն է: Շատ մեծ ջերմություն է գալիս ալբոմից, հավանաբար եռանդով են աշխատել դրա վրա: Հնչողության մեջ առաջինը ականջդ կզարկի կիթառի “կեղտոտ դզդզոցը” և Բրայանի փափուկ ու տաքուկ վոկալը, որին մեկ-մեկ ուղեկցում է Նիկկիի ոչ պակաս քնքուշ ձայնը:

Հենց սկզբից ալբոմը բացում է մի շատ թափանցիկ, "մաքուր" հայերենով ասած "վազդուշնի" երգ` Melatonin-ը, որը միանգամից զգացնել է տալիս, որ չէ, քնքուշ ձայնին չխաբնվեք, դուք դեռ չգիտեք, թե մեր գլխում ինչքան տաօրինակ մտքեր են ծագել, նստել ենք ու բավականին դժվար մարսվող երգեր ենք գրել: Այ երևի հենց դա ինձ կստիպի, որ ես ձեզ շատ չեմ տանջի ու առանձին-առանձին չեմ կենտրոնանա բոլոր երգերի վրա... Well Thought Out Twinkles, Checkered Floor, Little Lover's So Polite, Future Foe Scenarios` հոգիդ լցնող ձևով ամեն տեսակ տարօրինակություններ, վերջում` "ամեն ինչ կարգին Է" ...Մի՞թե... Այ այստեղ էլ չեմ համբերում Lazy Eye-ը...

Սա շատ հանգիստ կարող էր լինել խմբի միակ երգը, միևնույն է` հենց այս երգով նրանց միշտ կհիշեին... ինչքան բնորոշ է իրենց: Հիշում եք, այս երգը նույնիսկ մի քանի ամիս առաջ Alternative ռադիոհաղորդման ֆոնային երաժշտությունն էր (սա հատկապես հայ ընթերցողների համար :Ճ): Ձեզ երևի մեկ էլ մի բան կզարմացնի. այս բոլոր երգերի կողքին ի՞նչ գործ ունի Three Seed-ը, սա մյուսներից ավելի առանձնանում է իր հանգիստ ոճով:

Ըհդհանրապես ալբոմը լի է տանջող ռիթմիկայով, դռայվով, բայց միաժամանակ այնքան մելանխոլիկ է, որ ակամայից դառնում ես ալարկոտ: Այսինքն, ցանկալի է լսել ուրբաթ գիշերներին:

Հ.Գ. Միացյալ Նահանգները պետք է հպարտությունից ուռի այսպիսի ինդի խումբ "ՙթողարկելու" համար: Ունենայի մեկ միլիոն դոլլար, կկիսվեի նրանց հետ:

English

When a meloman like me being fed up with crazy impressions of the day desperately tries to sleep but cannot manage, he/she shoots “Damn it!” to nowhere for several times and then goes to dig music library. So did I. But here’s the question: what to listen to? Then I see a 3 years old child looking at me with wide open eyes from a corner: that’s Carnavas of Silversun Pickups. Hmm, why not?

Everytime I hear this band I start to think whose idea was to create a band, huh? I would kiss that guy’s forehead. They are unique with everything: vocals, style, lyrics, bass player, why not, the behaviour (although I have never seen them live). It seems that if the band members appear next to you right now doing nothing, you will hear music anyway. They look like a real band, a team.

What about album?.. Hmm, about the album: it’s clear from the beginning that it’s their first, as Wikipedia says, full-length album. It’s so warm, probably they were working realy hard on this record. The first thing you hear in the record is the dirty buzz of the guitars and Brian’s velvet and warm vocal, that sometimes is accompanied by Nikki’s sweet voice. The album is starting with a very transparent, full of air track – Melatonin, telling you immediately that you don’t have to trust the sweet sound, that you don’t even know how many strange ideas came to their minds, sitting down and reacording quite not-easy-listening songs. That will make me decide not to torture you by describing each and every song…

Well Though Out Twinkles, Checkered Floor, Little Lover’s So Polite, Future Foe Scenarios, filling your soul in a strange way, at the end: “it’s alright”… Really?... And here I’m really impatient: Lazy Eye!.. This could be the band’s one and only song: everyone would remember this band with this song. It’s so Silversun Pickups! Remember, this was also a background music for Alternative Radio Show (this is especially for readers from Armenia).

One more thing that could surprise you: what is doing Three Seeds in the line with other songs? This is complitely different with its calm mood!

In general, album is full of torturing rhythms, drive, but at the same time it’s so melancholic, that it makes you lazy. So wanted especially for Friday nights!

PS. United States should be very proud of producing such an indie band. If I had million dollars, I would share it with the band!

Muse - Black Holes And Revelations (July 3, 2006)

A melody approaches you from somewhere afar… the music is fair but odd at the same time. A bit later the melody turns into an energetic music which is full of drums and guitar, and it’s provoking to scream. The very music is combined with unique vocals, once you hear this voice you will never confuse it anymore. Let me present Muse, one of those bands, which represent alternative and progressive rock. This band has probably attracted your attention. It’s formed in 1994 in Teignmouth, England. Band has three members: Matthew Bellamy (vocals, guitar, piano, lyricist), Christopher Wolstenholme (bass, back vocal), Dominic Howard (drums)… And they do their best to make their music high-quality, that’s why an enormous army of fans stand behind them.

Listening to the songs of Muse your mood may change harshly: first you’ll want to sing, move, and a bit later, when the rhythm changes and the sound of the guitar disappears, you’ll became absorbed in a bit psychopathic but pleasant music.

The same feelings will accompany you when you listen to their fourth studio album; Black Holes and Revelations, which was released in July 2006. It differs greatly from the previous ones by its sound. It’s mostly rhythmical and there elements peculiar to electronic music are drawn…

…… yeah you’ll burn in hell.

You’ll burn in hell, yeah you’ll burn in hell for your sins… Matthew sings with his gentle voice…Yeah, don’t get confused, this is a fragment from the song’s lyrics which opens the album. This song is somewhat edifying and refers to all the sinful music lovers... but if you find yourself innocent, so be indifferent and don’t take a bow.. The song is called just like that - Take a bow’.

The second single and the second song of this album suits its title fully. While listening Starlight you’ll receive a host of positive emotions from these Marsians ;) It contains very joyfull rhythm which will set you into a singing mood…. But wait!!! Do you know where you’ll get chasing this starlight?! Yes! Them! Mars!! =) And when you reach It, the lights will be turned out and you’ll appear in a Supermassive Black Hole! Take an advantage of darkness and free-of-charge music and enjoy it in full!

If you’re inclined to listen to Supermassive Black Hole (by the way it’s also the first single of the album) it’ll give you good mood, and then during Map of the Problematique it will be just impossible to keep your good mood... there are many electronic elements in it, but judge by yourself:

Fear, and panic in the air

I want to be free

From desolation and despair

And I feel like everything I sow

Is being swept away

And I refuse to let you go

Loneliness be over

When will this

Loneliness be over?

Listening to the rest some of songs of the album (Soldier’s poem, Invincible, Assassin, Hoodoo) you’ll need to find an isolated corner and stay alone by yourself…. I guess... The fault is probably of the Matthew’s voice and the lyrics. The album ends with very interesting song - Knights of Cydonia (at least it’s interesting for me). Every time, when I’m listening to this song, it always gives me some new and fresh energy)).

In general this isn’t one of those albums, that you will limit listening to only the singles, and maybe that’s why it has a big success not only in EU, but also in USA.

P.S.

In the nearest future(14 September 2009) Muse will release their new, fifth studio album which will be called “The Resistance”!!! One of the track title is United states of Eurasia, and the first single will be Uprising!!! They have already planned The Resistance tour in the UK, Europe and North America this autumn!

The Fratellis - Costello Music (October 2, 2006)

You can start being happy as soon as your hand is on Costello Music! This crazy rush of positive energy will overwhelm you and make you feel like life is such a funny thing! This everlasting feeling of freedom and "problemlessness" will stay with you long after you take the headphones off from your ears.

Flathead will make you feel a teenager going to meet friends for hanging out and just doing nothing, talking stupid things, kicking each other, fooling around and teasing people on the way :) The perfectly "innocent" outro of the song leaves a pleasant feeling after the song's ending.

"Whistle For The Choir" (one of the nicest songs in the album to me) creates associations with the Beatles' "Girl" in your mind. The phrase "Only a girl like you can be lonely" describes the song's philosophy best representing the Fratellis themselves who are crazy, amazing and so irresistible not being afraid of not being understood and lonely:)

The most famous song Chelsea dagger is a real dance track the first sounds of which make you jump getting ready to spring, rockn'roll and scream! This happy, careless at the same time "glamorous" song keeps you out of your breath and makes you long for the unexpected outro after the mysterious drum kits when the song is really getting "out of its wits" and makes you do
the same...!!!

The "bluesy" Doginabag is best for the most self-confident ones with "Atomic hearts" hiding a sweet intrigue under its cunning sounds.

Adventurous Creeping Up The Backstairs, impossibly funny Henrietta, "half drunk" Baby Fratelli are other dancing tracks making you laugh and bounce!

Ironic Vince The Loveable Stoner is a story of a careless stoner living by today...not a very healthy though sometimes a dream lifestyle for those (me including) who have to care for the future too much probably... ;)

Everybody knows you cried last night surprises you with so frequently changing rhythms and makes you stay tuned for not missing a new beat! This is the most positive song i have ever heard that is about crying :)

Got Na Nuts From A Hippy is the least rememberable song which is not much different from others besides this funny rhyme "And it was warm in the back of her van When she made me a real man" :)

Ole Black 'n' Blue Eyes is another ballad about a common story of a girl from a suburb trying to rock! It is very cute and these a-a-a-a's are really engaging warning that dealing with the Fratelli boys is not a rewarding thing :)

All in all this is a very positive album singing about you, your everyday life with its up and downs! You get addicted from the first seconds as there is now way to grieve your mood when you're on it! Catchy, though retro and far not an evolutionary musical discovery they are still great not being afraid of being ridiculous or insane and this is what makes them so irresistible!

Thank you Frats!!!

Yours truly
Manu