Monday Memories

Matthew Berlyant over at the Big Takeover reminded me of this criminally overlooked record as I was reading through his list of Top Ten Albums of the Decade (2000 – 2009). Released and purchased as an import in the waning days of 2000, Idlewild’s 100 Broken Windows is one of those albums which, upon its releases, took over the stereo and received countless playing time from yours-truly as I pretty much went completely ga-ga over it while simultaneously annoying the complete s#%t out of my roommates.

This record has everything I like about rock music: big guitar hooks, fat melodies, and soaring choruses wrapped up in a clean sounding, precise production that never once sounds contrived or uniform to any specific genre. Mix in the fact that vocalist Roddy Woomble is 100% dedicated to the lyrics of each and every song makes this album easily one of the best from the past 10 years. It really is a phenomenal pop rock album that, for the first half of the decade, was listened to incessantly. That being said, subsequent records the band released never quite managed to capture the same overall magic as one will find on 100 Broken Windows although little bits and pieces would continue to be found right up to the release of their latest album, last year’s Post Electric Blues.

I remember dragging some coworkers to see the band perform to a relatively sparse crowd at the Double Door sometime in March of 2001 while Idlewild were in the midst of their first US tour and they went down like gangbusters to those of us lucky enough to have been there. I say lucky because, to my knowledge, Chicago hasn’t seen a hair or heard a peep of this Scottish-quintet since. I specifically remember, like all bands whom I’m incredibly excited to finally be seeing live, moving up to the front of the stage and pumping my fists and dancing around like a lunatic while simultaneously shouting out the lyrics to this song.

Idlewild – “Actually It’s Darkness” (mp3)

(from the Capitol CD, 100 Broken Windows, 2000)

Never Been

It’s hard to believe, after twenty-five years, eight full-length albums, three 7” singles and one 10” EP, that this Lincoln, NE threesome not only still exists yet have somehow managed to sound as stimulating as they did on their debut single, the utterly fantastic "Autocrat / It’s A Lie" 7-inch released in 1985. For Against still remain completely devoted to the post-punk / Factory Records aesthetic which has impacted their trademark sound of weaving, yet jagged, feedback and guitar stabs backed by hypnotically transcendent basslines and drums.

Honest to goodness, this is a band that, when all the overlooked American groups of the past 25, 50, 100 years are one day reviewed and pondered upon, will be acknowledged as being as great as their present day rabid fan base proclaim them to be. You will not find many groups whose careers have been as consistently high caliber-sounding with nary a bad release, regardless of format. How someone with a love of brooding, atmospheric guitar music akin to the Comast Angels or Echo & The Bunneymen doesn't own, much less be informed of, anything by For Against is beyond me.

Accolades and fawning aside, I’m proud to say that For Against’s latest full-length, Never Been, can proudly sit on the shelf next to the band’s previous seven albums without a hint of shame. For Against continues to display the depth of their sonic palate by taking their inspirations of Joy Division and early Cure and putting a new spin on the music by adding elaborately lush piano-based compositions invoked with warm melodies, all the while retaining as they always have the atmosphere of middle-America that is found on all of their releases.

Some bands merely mimic their contemporaries that came before them; For Against continues to look for new and exciting ways that can only expand upon their music. And if you’re unfamiliar with any of the band’s releases, line up each of the album’s names on a wall, put a blindfold on before throwing a dart and purchase the album on which it lands…

For Against – Sameness (mp3)

For Against – Antidote (mp3)

(from the Words On Music CD, Never Been, 2009)

Note: Never Been just missed out on my Top 10 of 2009 only because I had just received the album prior to posting my list. That being said, I could easily recommend it in place of any of the aforementioned albums.

Hatcham Social

One of the things I love most about those first couple of days at the beginning of each and every new year, as I’m bandying about on the internet, is reading all of the best-of lists and discovering records I happened to have missed out on upon their initial release the year prior. This is one such album. Hatcham Social’s debut full-length, You Dig the Tunnel, I’ll Hide the Soul acts as a really nice yang to the ying found on the Wild Beasts’ Two Dancers, talked about on these pages a couple of weeks ago.

The same influences of Orange Juice, The Smiths and Josef K as well as slight nods towards The Jesus & Mary Chain are all still evident save for singer/guitarist Toby Kidd’s more conventional singing style. That, and all of the songs on You Dig the Tunnel, I’ll Hide the Soul sound absolute and complete in that the band seemed to know exactly what they wanted when recording them.

That being said, where the Wild Beasts’ took a more reserved approach with the recording and production of Two Dancers, Hatcham Social goes for broke with their hook-laden and incredibly catchy indie guitar pop reminiscent of that coming out of the UK in the mid-80s. The album doesn’t necessarily hit you over the head but its certainly not subtle, either. And at just over 32-minutes, it never once feels like it has overstayed its welcome.

My recommendation: Burn It with an option to Buy.

Hatcham Social – “So So Happy Making” (mp3)

Hatcham Social – “Sidewalk” (mp3)

(from the Fierce Panda CD, You Dig The Tunnel, I’ll Hide The Soul, 2009)