Columns
Modern Man to Sign with Post-Echo
by frjones on Jan.30, 2012, under Arts, Columns
Roomdance Announces “Sewn Inside” LP, New Single
by frjones on Jan.19, 2012, under Arts, Columns
Brace yourselves for another descent into the world of Columbia’s very own Roomdance.  Hot on the heels of the Vulpine Creep EP comes Sewn Inside, a full-length dose of sensual depravity.  Would you expect anything less?  Sewn Inside will be released via Post-Echo on Thursday, March 1st, 2012.  In the meantime, satisfy your Roomdance fix with the latest single from the new album, “Circling Approaches”- streaming below.
Grimes INTERVIEW
by frjones on Jan.16, 2012, under Arts, Columns

Fr. Jones shoots the breeze with Claire Boucher of Grimes about her new album, sonic manifestations of the brain, and the infamous Lana Del Rey SNL performance.
CB: Don’t worry about it, don’t worry about it.
FR: Okay, so where does the name Grimes come from?
CB: That’s a secret. I can’t say.
FR: Alright, if you say so. Visions is coming out in February and you just signed to 4AD from Arbutus. Can you talk a little more about Visions? Where does the album title come from?
CB: It’s sort of a reference… it sounds so pretentious. I’m going to sound like such an asshole.
FR: Trust me. It’s fine.
CB: It’s partially a reference to Hildegard who I wrote my thesis on when I was still at the university. She’s a really major inspiration for me. When I was writing the album, I sort of did a lot of things… medieval and spiritual techniques like fasting and stuff… to see what would happen. I’ve done it a little bit in the past to be productive. But I did it this time in an incredibly intense way. And it was an incredible experience- I kind of went crazy and so the album is about that. Visions is about that. I was thinking of a title and it’s like realizing my… vision? Maybe that sounds stupid but it’s the sonic manifestation of my brain. I see music as such a visual thing. It doesn’t exist in my head without something else.
FR: “Sonic manifestation of the brain†is a great sound-byte by the way. What is the difference between this and your previous albums? You had three releases it felt like in the same twelve month time period. This one though is getting tons of hype. Not that your others one didn’t deserve hype- I love Geidi Primes and Halfaxa. But the difference between this and the others in regards to the sound and recording process, how can you compare them?
CB: I think hi-fi counts for more than anyone realizes. My other albums are super ghetto. When I listen back, it sounds really amateur. I can definitely see how it could be confusing for a lot of people to hear music like that. With this album- my manager is a sound engineer and when I finished “Vanessaâ€, he sat down with me and we produced it like it was a pop song. It was a tutorial on production in general. He was like, “We’re pushing vocals up.†And I was like, “No! No more vocals!â€. But he promised me that it would be more successful if we make the vocals louder. I sort of had this “breaking experience brain discovery†because I love pop music- but there was a final step in realizing that what I was doing was actually really different than that. Maybe that’s not a good way of explaining it. I think with this record I really knew what I was doing and I feel like I was more able to craft this while walking the line between something more familiar in a pop way- but also pushing the boundaries enough. This is how I would want to do it instead of a big mistake that might sound good but is ultimately just throwing stuff around to see if it sounds good which is kind of what the other albums were.
FR: Right. I could tell with Geidi Primes- it’s very experimental. But your stuff on the Darkbloom album felt like it was moving in more of a pop sensibility and direction. Are we going to get a video for this new album- for “Genesis†maybe?
CB: There will be a video for every song I think if I can pull it off.
FR: Wow.
CB: I’ve shot three so far. I’m shooting another one in a couple weeks and I’ve made one out of found footage. So there are five that will be done really soon. Hopefully, I can finish the rest in April. “Genesisâ€- my friend has a VHS recorder and I’m going to get a bunch of girls and they will all be like angels going into buildings and setting off fireworks, breaking stuff, and doing graffiti.
FR: So sort of like the “Vanessa†video?
CB: Way more violent and way more urban. Way more psychedelic.
FR: Sounds like it’s way more depraved too- which is good.
CB: Yeah!
CB: I’m touring with Born Gold and they’re actually also playing in my band so they’re going to drum for me and play keyboards. But I try to switch it up every tour. I always have some friends with me so I just choose some random friends and see what their capabilities are and what they can do.
FR: Do you have any particularly favorite places to play?
CB: I fucking love Miami. I don’t know why- I think I have the most fans in Miami. I don’t know. People in Miami are really cool. Everyone is wearing spiky shit. There seems to be this weird thing happening in Miami. One of the best shows I’ve ever played though was in Mexico City. That was really fun. Every place is different because there are different kinds of crowds. Like Baltimore- that was really fun. In Detroit I played in a bowling alley. That was great.
FR: You described the new album as a cross between Aphex Twin and TLC. That’s a hell of a breed. Do you have any other influences that drive your work?
CB: I have a lot of influences. As far as the music I was listening to most when I was making this album- it was definitely a lot of Outkast and stuff. I know a lot of those producers are really influenced by Aphex Twin. I listened to IDM and New Jack Swing mostly- which are more similar than people would think.
FR: I’ve read you have a background in ballet. I was wondering if your history in dance is reflected in your music.
CB: I remember first getting into music because of ballet I think. It’s hard to say. One of the videos I just did is a pretty intensive ballet video. I don’t know if ballet and the music I make now is super related. But I definitely love ballet, the intensity of ballet. I think ballet gave me a work ethic, an intense worth ethic. And I think that’s how it’s most influenced my music.
FR: Did you see Black Swan?
CB: Yes. I really like Black Swan.
FR: The way the music industry is now… it’s changed dramatically in the past ten years from Napster all the way to Spotify. Where do you see the music industry going in the next decade?
CB: It seems to me that indie and mainstream are colliding and there will be some sort of compromise in between. I feel more and more films are going to be become more radical with their soundtracks and publishing like what happened with Tron and stuff. It’s going to be way more feasible for artists to make a living off working in film. I’m definitely trying to score films, that’s something I’m interested in- the idea of a pop score. I feel like that is going to happen more. It’s hard to say. I wish people would buy records more but I think they are buying records more. I’ve noticed that on touring, people are asking for vinyl way more. I hate the idea of selling music but we need to make a living off it so it’s a really hard contradiction. Ideally you want to give people something so they’re really getting something for their money- which is why I like the idea of artists working in more film and multimedia. I don’t know- I like the idea of commission. Let’s say you score a film with a budget and they pay you, you can probably live off that for like three years if the movie has a really great soundtrack.
FR: Going back to vinyl- vinyl encourages the listener to be more patient. I’m as guilty as anybody with an ipod on shuffle just having one song after another. I feel like vinyl is more enjoyable in that regard.
CB: Yeah.
FR: Have you been following this Lana Del Rey thing? Did you see her on Saturday Night Live?
CB: Yeah. I watched that.
FR: What is your take on that whole thing?
CB: Well, I don’t want to say anything…. Let me think. I just feel like she is not necessarily in control of what’s going on and I feel as a prominent female performer, it’s very important to be strong. I just kind of get the Britney complex coming from this thing like she’s really unsure or something and her lyrics are really depressing and posturing to men in her life and stuff. I just feel like it’s derivative and unhealthy. Okay, wait. I’m going in a bad direction.
FR: I get it. It’s all very tragic.
CB: It just really shot home the concept to me that sex sells which is really depressing. The whole Lana Del Rey situation is dark. It’s just… it’s just dark.
- Fr. Jones
Thanks Vision: Reconciling CAUSERS OF THIS and UNDERNEATH THE PINE
by frjones on Jan.11, 2012, under Arts, Columns

Have you tried explaining what Toro Y Moi sounds like to someone who hasn’t yet heard the work of Chaz Bundick? It’s a formidable task. Do you start by describing the organic-sounding drum loops? Or would it be easier to begin by mentioning the eclectic studio production, which resembles a peaceful meeting of J Dilla and Air? Don’t forget to mention the straightforward indie-rock approach to songwriting, and extensive use of guitars to be found throughout! Before you know it, you’re making comparisons to Bundick’s first band of note, Heist and the Accomplice; a solidly guitar-oriented alt outfit. At this point, the befuddled person you’re describing this too still has no idea what Toro Y Moi sounds like… but they’re definitely interested to hear it.
This dilemma would face any of us who became quick fans of Chaz’s work in 2009/10, when he charmed the internet indie-sphere with the likes of “Blessa” and his cover of Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature”. Of all the artists to be summarily condensed by bloggers and critics under the already-dated moniker of Chillwave, Toro Y Moi easily stood out as a more unique blend of not-quite-blue-eyed soul and synthpop songcrafting. But at the time, it was hard to articulate just what, exactly, made his work more engaging than other appealingly like-minded acts such as Washed Out, Neon Indian, and Memory Tapes.
Bundick’s first work is largely regarded as having been a solo affair, and sounds like it. There’s a distinct bedroom feel to the way the verses and choruses are stitched together by ambient volume swells and synth sweeps. And the songs are unhurried; there is no human drummer to keep up with, and more electronic flourishes to play off of instead of live instruments. Still, it’s a remarkably consistent and colorful collection tracks that draw you in and just plain work. I have no reservations about calling Causers of This one of the best albums released in 2010.
The fact that Causers of This arrived with such a clear and tasteful musical identity made it all but impossible to avoid scrutinizing its follow-up for similarities, as well as to look for indications of where Toro Y Moi’s evolution was heading. After all, an artist’s second album tends to say quite a bit about what can be expected from them in the long run, and the sophomore release can be a particularly vexing moment in the artist-fan relationship.
Many artists simply repeat the successful formula with workmanlike precision, and make some modest upgrades to their sound (such as TV on the Radio). Their new material seems familiar yet forward-moving. Other artists repeat the formula, but can’t quite conjure the energy that came with their initial work (the Strokes). Their newer work seems efficient, yet unexciting.
But a select few artists are able to advance their ideas to the point of achieving trailblazer status, all while still delivering the goods that their fans have come to expect. In this writer’s opinion, this is the realm of recent bands like Animal Collective, the White Stripes (circa 2002-04), and the Flaming Lips (1999-2001). Underneath the Pine makes a serious bid for this territory by taking the warm electronics of ‘Causers‘ and puts them behind the very distinct sounds of a live, living breathing band. Not many artists these days start off in the world of beats n’ loops only to make the jump into pavement-style indie guitar rock.
Admittedly, these are some serious accolades to be throwing out, even for a self-described fan such as myself. Nonetheless, I can’t deny that listening to these two albums puts me and my ears in the same place as the aforementioned contemporaries do – these are artists that help me set my personal yardstick for what is Good in music. It’s a bit strange to have so quickly developed a similar affinity for Toro y Moi, an artist who has barely begun their musical career. Increasingly over the past few years, the buzz cycle in Indie music has made it very difficult for listeners to genuinely buy into and enjoy an artist without throwing out qualifiers, disclaimers, and moderating one’s enthusiasm so as to avoid the stigma of seeming to “serious” in one’s enjoyment of music (unless you own all your music on vinyl, which I do not). It’s as if there is now a built-in level of shame that comes with being a music fan, which causes us to keep our distance and hedge our bets on emergent musical acts. Is it really OK to enjoy and regard an artist in 2011 with the same level of artistic admiration that we did back in 2000? Is it safe to go out on such a limb anymore?
Sure it is. If we can no longer identify contemporary standard-bearers, then there are no reasons left to discuss artists outside of their own self-contained musical shells. I’m happy to report that we still live in a world where an artist can come along and create something cutting-edge, and the dual pairing of Underneath the Pine and Causers of This stands as exhibit A. While Toro Y Moi is by no means the only artist around today who is worthy of being considered as such, this music makes for a good example of how an artist can still find an artistic perch placing them above the blogospheric riff-raff without resorting to anything more than a wildly inventive collection of songs.
Taken as a pair, Toro’s two full length albums map out a collection of sounds that seem fresh, even as they draw from the various Indie trends which we have been steeped in for the past decade. The combination of synth lines, gentle vocals, ambient noise effects, and undistorted guitars doesn’t sound particularly unique on its own. The uniqueness of Toro Y Moi is not found in outlandish instrumentation or stage persona gimmickry. It is in the ephemerally subjective realm of “feel” where Bundick is able to create something new from these old ingredients. And the beating heart of that feel/style/sound can be found in the groove and R&B pulse that underlies the majority of both these albums.
The sounds of early-80′s soul/funk permeate Toro y Moi, especially on the second album. The synth riffs in Underneath the Pine sound like they’ve been lifted straight out of the late-era Motown library. Many of the lush chord progressions, which are both lifting and meandering, are reminiscent of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”. And just listen to that bass on “New Beat”…that’s prime Bootsy Collins territory. Bundick’s decision to cover an MJ song seems fateful in retrospect, as it makes clear that this mashup of indie and pop/soul is at the heart of what Toro Y Moi is.
These funk-lite grooves are more prominent on Underneath the Pine, as they sound more explicit and intentional when played through the live-band arrangements that were absent from Causers of This. In this regard, it’s notable how listening to Underneath helps to retroactively clarify some of the decisions that were made on the more mercurial Causers. Underneath the Pine serves to clarify that, yes, Toro Y Moi is serious about having some dance-ability in these songs, and yes, there will by groovy synths and there will be bouncing bass lines, and no, this is not meant to be ironic at all. Toro Y Moi, more than any other artist today, is able to give his songs a healthy dose of these elements without falling prey to the trappings of self-conscious distancing or genre aping. It’s good tonic for shrugging off that built-in Indie-shame that infected so much music appreciation in the 2000′s.
A particularly good example of the retrospective clarity that Underneath affords Causers can be found in the song “Minors.” The track opens with a big, exuberant blast of synthpop chorus that sounds like a sugary Valentine’s Day card caught on tape. The song itself is solid, featuring a ponderous verse that steers clear of any silliness. And when those big synths hit again, it’s a risk that ends up working. But are we, as listeners, really supposed to get on board with this? Is Bundick actually embracing this pop element as firmly as the song seems to imply? Are we sure that this big-hearted moment isn’t some hipster conceit? After experiencing the earnest commitment given to pop and soul genre sound on Underneath the Pine, it becomes clear that, yes, this was Bundick’s idea all along. No, its not some experimental flirt with soul, to be kept at arms length and merely regarded as a kitschy or “interesting” half joke. Toro y Moi really means it.
With that reassurance, we can re-approach Causers of This and recognize it for the genuinely inspired fusion of genres that it is. While many would claim that Underneath the Pine currently stands as Bundick’s most definitive work, this author maintains that Causers offers a more adventurous collection of sounds and songs which take greater risks and provide a more lush exploration of the genre. A laptop-oriented affair, Causers‘ inventive use of synthesizers and volume swells paints the songs with more color and dreaminess – qualities that are essential to counterbalance the pop and R&B elements which are also present. Bundick’s remarkable use of side-chained compression/volume swells and fast stereo panning creates a psychedelic effect on Causers so striking so as to almost be considered a signature element to his sound. Sadly, this production technique is missed on the second album, along with the likes of fever-dream tracks like “Lissoms.” Still, the increased use of guitars and live drums is a welcome addition, and it’s arguable that Underneath the Pine boasts a better collection of choruses to get embedded in your brain.
However, Underneath the Pine‘s primary strength is its authoritative melding of Indie-Rock sensibilities with nostalgic R&B sounds. It leaves one wondering if any other artist today is making this cross-genre approach work as naturally and effectively as Chaz Bundick. Truth be told, mixing R&B or Hip Hop/Rap with Indie has tended to yield big, flashy romps that often times veer into cheesy/ironic territory (Major Lazer, Gnarls Barkley, Janelle Monae, Justice). Furthermore, the Indie Rock side of these efforts is always secondary to the need to get that bass thumping. In contrast, Toro y Moi is able to make a genuinely equitable combo by ensuring that the electronic/DJ elements present have both Indie appeal (the psychadelic ambience) as well as some get-down-tonight movement (the looped beats and sharp synths). And by funneling it through a sonic perspective that really can only be described with the now-controversial word “Chill”, Toro y Moi makes it look easy.
The relationship between “Rock” and “Hip Hop” (to use the most general of terms) has always been tenuous, full of false starts and failed projects. The fan base overlaps and parts ways at odd junctures, and it’s hard to get a good crossover project to work. But these albums should matter to us because they are quite obviously not “crossover” affairs. They represent a fully formed genre of its own, and Toro y Moi is inventing much more than it is borrowing. Bundick is firmly in control here. The songs exude a sense of familiarity with themselves, as if they emerged from a rich and long history of electro-ambient-indie-groove-guitar-etc artists. But of course, there is no such history yet. Bundick is making it up as he goes, and might just be writing its first pages.
Top 100 Songs of 2011- #20-1
by frjones on Dec.29, 2011, under Arts, Columns, Commentary
2011 was an interesting year for music. Great sounds were thankfully everywhere- but songs, as opposed to albums, became suddenly more memorable. While there is no doubt that 2011 was an exciting time for full-length releases, more and more artists seemed to be embracing the idea of the single and crafting an album around it. Due to this apparent evolution, I will be counting down my top 100 songs of 2011. The rules are simple- obviously the track must have first been released in this current year. Also, no one album can have more than three songs make an appearance. Also, keep in mind, this list is subjective- I have not yet had the opportunity to listen to some of this year’s more popular releases.The new Jay-Z/Kanye West collaboration, Watch the Throne will not be making an appearance. Adele’s 21 and Drake’s Take Care were not taken into account either.
20- TV on the Radio- “Second Song”- Nine Types of Light
19- Cults- “Go Outside”- Cults
Cults – Go Outside by underhisempire2
18- Zola Jesus- “Vessel”- Conatus
Zola Jesus – Vessel by souterraintransmissions
17- Lykke Li- “Sadness is a Blessing”- Wounded Rhymes
Lykke Li – Sadness Is a Blessing by a.vourloumis
16- Other Lives- “For 12″- Tamer Animals
For 12 by Other Lives
15- Bon Iver- “Holocene”- Bon Iver
Holocene by boniver
14- Battles- “Futura”- Gloss Drop
Battles — Futura by m4spam
13- Foster the People- “Pumped Up Kicks”- Torches
Pumped Up Kicks by Foster The People
12- Radiohead- “Bloom”- The King of Limbs
11- tUnE-yArDs- “Bizness”- who kill
BIZNESS Tune Yards by CristinaBlack
10- Panda Bear- “Last Night at the Jetty”- Tomboy
Panda Bear – Last Night At The Jetty by bigasslens
9- Girls- “Vomit”- Father, Son, Holy Ghost
Girls – Vomit by artsandcraftsmx
8- St. Vincent- “Cruel”- Strange Mercy
7- Lana Del Rey- “Video Games”
6- Atlas Sound- “Terra Incognita”- Parallax
Atlas Sound – Terra Incognita by rslblog.com
5- Washed Out- “Amor Fati”- Within and Without
Washed Out – Amor Fati by DominoRecordCo
4- Cults- “Abducted”- Cults
Cults – Abducted by cultscultscults
3- Fleet Foxes- “Helplessness Blues”- Helplessness Blues
Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues by MMMusic
2- Radiohead- “Lotus Flower”- The King of Limbs
1- M83- “Midnight City”- Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
- Fr. Jones


