[itsvisualnoise]

Sight & Sound | Mitski - Be the Cowboy  Release date: 17 August 2018 (Dead Oceans)

Mitski Miyawaki's been riding a wave of well-deserved highs in recent years, and with Be the Cowboy, she will have reasons to celebrate again. With cleaner (but not bland) production and more confident vocals, Mitski constructs a grandoise sound with all 14 tracks of the album while retaining the sound that made her a fan favourite in the first place.

Some of the songs waltz around, twirling along lush piano and and string arrangements ("A Pearl", "Nobody"), while others place Miyawaki's signature guitars in the forefront ("Remember My Name"). Elsewhere, rhythmic motifs are sure to grab attention, from the lightning-quick electronic glitch in "Geyser" to the dancefloor-tinged beat of "Why Didn't You Stop Me?" and "Washing Machine Heart".

Mitski describes the album’s title as an inside joke with herself, a half-serious mantra:

 "The album title kind of came from the fact that I would always kind of jokingly say to myself, “Be the cowboy you wish to see the world,” whenever I was in a situation where maybe I was acting too much like my identity, which is wanting everyone to be happy, not thinking I’m worthy, being submissive, and not asking for more. Every time I would find myself doing exactly what the world expects of me as an Asian woman, I would turn around and tell myself “Well, what would a cowboy do?” (source)

Mitski's lyrics have always been her calling card, and Be the Cowboy sees her expanding on her strengths once again, building the narratives of adult life in her protagonist: confusion, loneliness, anxieties, identity, among others. Also notable are the repetitions of lyrics, especially heart-breaking in "Nobody" - the only word present in the off-kilter "chorus". One can sense the increasing desperation in every repetition of the word. This mood - described by Mitski as "manic" - is peppered with much care throughout the album, only emphasising but never boring - in part because of her vocals, both melancholy and expressive. By the time the cinematic track "Two Slow Dancers" plays, the #feelings are packed neatly in a twinkling four-minute treat, leaving you with a tear or two in your eye.

Be the Cowboy is translated into gorgeous visuals with the help of the album design and packaging of Mary Banas and the photography of Bao Ngo. Be the Cowboy's "scenes" center on Mitski, her character in a car, drinking water from the sink, getting made over,  among others. Both cinematic and melancholy (she is always depicted alone, save for the album cover in which someone is about on an eyelash for her - or is that actually her putting on that eyelash herself? The image is cleverly cropped.), the inspiration for these images lay in Isabelle Huppert's character of Michael Haneke's film adaptation of The Piano Teacher and the costuming of Hitchcock's films. The clothing and styling featured in these scenes were realised by Brooklyn-based filmmaker, photographer, stylist and writer Annika White.

Designer and educator Mary Banas utilises these scenes to their best potential, creating a subtle statement with bold white inline type that grabs attention but does not distract. The contrast between large and small type peppers the rest of the physical album, along with clear spot gloss embellishments. 

 (Many) of the songs and narratives on this record suggest a dual consciousness as well as a loneliness/seeking, which are amplified with the design." (source)

Banas gives us a little more insight into the design decisions for the album design, right down to the protective sleeve of the physical record: "The record protective sleeve and label on the record complete an image on both sides and are most often poetically misaligned", and even lyrics hidden in the sleeve.

With its cohesive narrative, instrumentation and moving songwriting, Be the Cowboy stands as a triumph and one of Mitski's best albums. Coupled with vivid photography, costuming and album design, it truly is a stellar audio and visual package that one will need (and want) to revisit again and again. Just remember to bring a tissue or two.

Key tracks: "Geyser", "Nobody", "A Pearl"

Find Be the Cowboy's visual creators at their websites: Bao Ngo  Annika White  Mary Banas 

[itsvisualnoise]

Count in Fives: Album Anniversaries | Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours Release date: 22 March 2008 (Modular Recordings)

What happens when you mix house and electronica, a little grunge streak, vintage disco samples, a New Order vibe, and run it through four Australian-based music connoisseurs? Get a perfect measure of all parts, and you'll get Cut Copy's In Ghost Colours, which turns 10 this year. The follow-up to 2004's Bright Like Neon Love, In Ghost Colours won both critics and fans over, with the slick grooves punctuated with the rough live energy of a rock band. Cut Copy's work borrows from the prominent genres of the 80′s, but music and approach don't conform to that time period. The result is an album that is confident to step out - on to the dance floor - on its own, bringing people along the ride as well.

"The album is a lot more realised than the first one. I think all of us, when we think of the first one, we agree we sort of got half way there. But on the new one we got a lot closer to the sort of sounds we're after." (source)

A small helping of 60's influence is present in In Ghost Colours as well, be it lyrics (a juxtaposition of upbeat and melancholy, which can be seen in subsequent releases) or musical motifs. The album opens with the colourful "Feel the Love", setting the tone for what's to come. The track bleeds into "Out There on the Ice" (an album highlight), and here, the New Order influence really seeps through; the rolling track supports the sparkly, lively synths that curiously sound a little like "Bizarre Love Triangle" - and that comparison is nothing short of great.

Cut Copy albums work best when they are dynamic, shifting from loud and up-tempo to dreamy and subdued, and even after a decade, In Ghost Colours is probably the best example of that. Its highlights, "Lights and Music" and "Hearts on Fire" (two of the best bangers in possibly all of Cut Copy's discography) are soaring, layered, and have just enough hooks and bite to keep the listener pumped up and hitting replay when the tracks end. Other moments, like the ones on "Strangers in the Wind" and the beautiful "Nobody Lost, Nobody Found" have their dreamy moments, almost for the comedown on the dance floor. Elsewhere on the album, the shorter tracks - "Voices in Quartz" and "Visions" - while not essential, are interesting segues into the album highlights, which may be worth the listen when enjoying the album as a whole. Taking Cut Copy's great material up a notch is the stellar production from DFA's Tim Goldsworthy, and with the right amount of mix of chunky bass, lush synths, and frontman Dan Whitford's pointed vocals, the tracks are rendered perfectly.

No one understands the band's music better than its own members, and it's no wonder that Cut Copy does the design and art direction for their own albums. And that's no coincidence either, as the band comprises members from art and design backgrounds (guitarist and bassist Tim Hoey studied at art college in Melbourne, while Dan Whitford is a co-founder of graphic design studio Alter) and do work for their label and MTV, among other clients. In Ghost Colours features photography from Warwick Baker and additional design and artwork from the band. Inspired by painter and photographer Richard Prince, the process was and organic one, with the recreation of ready-made images. Like its music, the artwork creates a juxtaposition of elements, with the contrast of monochromatic photographs and swathes of bright colours. Its use of ready-made images also references remix and/or sampling culture: a widespread technique in recent music history.

Cut Copy stands on the shoulders of giants while creating a sound that is uniquely their own, and that certainly cements them as a force to be reckoned with as well. In Ghost Colours indicates a sound that has successfully taken shape, and will take them far into the future - as evidenced by subsequent releases. Although we might dare to say that the band's music hasn't been as colourful (all pun intended) since, the album is and definitely will be a classic. Listening to it a decade later, the tracks still sound as fresh as they did when first released, bubbling and bursting with energy, euphoria and a perfect balance of electronic sleek and rock-y texture; an essential listen for all music enthusiasts.

Key tracks: "Hearts on Fire", "Lights and Music", "Out There on the Ice"

---

Read a track-by-track commentary of the album here, as told by Dan Whitford. 

View Alter's works here

[itsvisualnoise]

Sight & Sound | Foxing - Nearer My God Release date: 10 August 2018 (Triple Crown)

There are ambitions, and then there are ambitions: how do you make an OK Computer-type record - one that gravitates away from your tried-and-tested brand of sound, one that opens up new avenues of craft and yet still retain your base flavour? While Nearer My God "is no OK Computer", as Foxing's singer Conor Murphy declares, the album opens up all the doors of possibilities to what their signature sound could take on.

“Right off the bat, a very conscious effort was made to make something that was sort of over our heads...In the sense that it was something that was challenging for us, something that was ambitious. We were trying to bite off more than we can chew, and trying to write things in a way we hadn’t written before.” (source)

The St. Louis band's first two efforts, The Albatross and Dealer were guitar-focused jams, and coupled with Murphy's emotive lyrics and delivery, were one of the genre's notable records. Already riding on a high, Nearer My God ups the ante with expanded production (courtesy of Chris Walla, former guitarist of Death Cab for Cutie), wider influences of pop and R&B, and varied musical flourishes from electronic to orchestral. There is the notable bagpipe stanza of "Bastardizer", the pianos on "Trapped in Dillard's" and "Crown Candy", the use of strings on "Slapstick" and "Won't Drown", among others.

The result is an album full of left-turns and surprises, especially for old listeners. Where Foxing albums typically start with understated openers, "Grand Paradise" doesn't quite follow suit - what starts off as a slow-burning hum of guitars and beats eventually transforms into a full-on punk jam, juxtaposed by Murphy's falsetto. His is unique one, and capitalises on its merits across the album - "Gameshark" moves at breakneck speed (the closest contemporary we can think of is Everything Everything's "Blast Doors". Come to think of it, Get to Heaven has a similar trajectory to Nearer My God in terms of their respective discographies), "Trapped in Dillard's" moves in tandem slowly with the twinkling of piano chords. The crown jewel of Nearer My God, perhaps, is "Five Cups", a nine-minute beauty with what Foxing does best and more: starry-eyed guitars, that voice of Murphy's, free-form ambient motifs, and the lyrics a dedication to deceased friends. Where the lyrics The Albatross and Dealer were more relationship/love-focused, Nearer My God subtly addresses the fear of the world's current state and its demise.

With the album addressing matters that are worrying and dark, it is fitting then that the album design is the way it is. Photographed and designed by Hayden Molinarolo, the cover, inserts and singles feature one, or several breeds of horses, all cast in dramatic lighting in front of a dark background. With its themes and title, the album cover might seem to elude to...these four horsemen? Coincidentally (or not), the insert also includes the band cast in Rembrandt lighting with a red halos around their heads. This is of course, all speculation on our part, but it might be something to think about. Design-wise, the album and singles follow a streamlined hierarchy of elements: title, band, and space for tracklist (or, in the singles, for lyrics), all set in italicised serif type. A simple yet effective layout, it allows the images to shine and brings the album package together beautifully with understated elegance.

For all its ambitions, it's safe to say that Foxing has achieved what they set out to do; incorporating new ideas and creating surprising material that will perhaps push the boundaries of what emo-related genres could be. Old fans will delight in the addition of fresh influences and experimentation to their already intricate sound, although this might throw some off upon first listen. New fans will find it an excellent entry point to the band's discography, and the arresting cover will surely draw attention to its equally exceptional music.

Key tracks: "Grand Paradise", "Nearer My God", "Five Cups"

Find more of Hayden Molinarolo's works here

[itsvisualnoise]

Sight & Sound | Wild Pink - Yolk in the Fur Release date: 20 July 2018 (Tiny Engines)

On the first listen of Wild Pink's latest full-length, a musical contemporary and a legend come to mind: The War on Drugs (the former) and Tom Petty (the latter). After all, both Wild Pink and The War on Drugs owe a lot of their musical roots to Petty, and Yolk in the Fur was dedicated to him. While Wild Pink's sound recalls those of The War on Drugs - the most obvious being "Lake Eerie", also the album's crown jewel - a closer listen would tell the two bands apart; on Yolk in the Fur, singer John Ross sounds more relaxed, less anxious; guitars shimmer and are twangy, but retain their unique shine. Opening with the beautiful "Burger Hill", Yolk in the Fur almost has a cinematic feel, and if one track is not enough, Wild Pink makes sure to put out a statement with four successive tracks that lead one into another. Talk about a five-track run!

Elsewhere, the songs' subjects center on secretive "true stories", curiously articulated by Ross. From a car crash on "Lake Eerie" to baby boomers with sexually-transmitted diseases spitting in drinks on "The Seance of St. Augustine St.", underneath the lighter mood of the music is another layer of narrative that is worth revisiting. The pace slows down in the second half, but that doesn't mean there's nothing of note for the rest of the album. "There is a Ledger" flows beautifully from "Jewels Drossed in the Runoff", and sets up a calm, easy-rocking flow of "The Seance of St. Augustine St.". Closing the album, "All Some Frenchman's Joke" bids goodbye with serene guitar finger-picking, lush strings and hushed vocals.

Yolk in the Fur features a simple center-aligned-photo-and-album details format, and the simplicity of the album's layout lets the central image shine. The album's title, according to John Ross is “about protecting something vulnerable", and sense of vulnerability is perhaps both emphasised and contradicted with the album's cover. The image is a photo of the Kuwait Oil Fires, taken by NASA in 1991. Black smoke plumes "stream into the skies around Kuwait City" five weeks into the fires. The fires burned for ten months, and a response team of about 11,450 workers from 38 countries were involved with putting out the fires.

Gorgeous, serene and sometimes heartbreaking, Yolk in the Fur is a triumph for Wild Pink, cohesive in sound and instrumentally strong, although some might argue that tracks may bleed into one another too smoothly. Fans of The War on Drugs and Tom Petty would love to pick this album up, and it's great to see a band taking inspiration from Petty, expanding his sound, finding their footing and creating something beautifully unique out of it.

Key tracks: "Burger Hill", "Lake Eerie", "John Mosby Hollow Drive"

Additional illustrations by Erica Federhen of Ipsy Bipsy studios  Layout by Karl Kuehn of Tiny Engines 

[itsvisualnoise]

Sight & Sound | Ross From Friends - Family Portrait Release date: 27 July 2018 (Brainfeeder)

Coming hot on the heels of Aphelion EP and three years after the breakout "Talk to Me You'll Understand", the highly anticipated debut album from producer Felix Clary Weatherall aka Ross From Friends drops this year. A shift in label may indicate a shift in sound, and on Family Portrait (now on Flying Lotus' Brainfeeder label), Weatherall loosens up on his signature lo-fi sound, resulting in smoother, more refined production. Adding to the mix is a flurry of elements that make for a diverse tracklist: glitchy noises and beats, saxophones and guitars. While Family Portrait might demand patience for some with its run time, the debut shows off its merits and reveals potential for later releases to uncover.

The mix of sounds in Family Portrait seem to be reflected in its cover art as well. Created by artist Lee Marshall, the artwork features a surreal, curious collection of iridescent geometric and organic forms that adorn a square of bright yellow. Perhaps the contrast of colour and forms mirrors the kookiness of Weatherall's material; tapping into the ever-shifting matters of the mind and the sense of nostalgia that is the hallmark of a Ross From Friends' release.

Key tracks: "Family Portrait", " Parallel Sequence" See more of Lee Marshall's work on his website and on instagram.

[itsvisualnoise]

Count in Fives: Album Anniversaries | Beck - Sea Change Release date: 24 September 2002 (DGC Records)

A departure from his usual quirky blend of musical genres and oblique songwriting, Beck seeks solace from the end of a relationship in the aptly-titled, acoustic and folk-oriented release Sea Change, which turns 15 this year. The end of a nine-year relationship to then-fiancée Leigh Limon proved to be a major influence on the album's material, and Sea Change is as honest and simple as it gets. Bleak, melancholic, introspective and of course, heart-breaking, opener "The Golden Age" is already an indicator of the albums themes ("These days I barely get by / I don't even try").  

With lush production from Nigel Godrich and contribution from Beck's own father David Campbell, the music swirls around Beck's voice, weary and disappointed, but rich and full-bodied nonetheless. "Lonesome Tears" displays string and horn arrangements at its best, with unpredictable key changes that swells towards the end, coupled with a devastating chorus: "How could this love, ever-turning / Never turn its eye on me?". Elsewhere, tracks like "Already Dead" and "Lost Cause" portray defeat and loss, but the album also takes on a reflective tone. Sea Change is lush and gorgeous; understanding, yet searching for answers, the listener emerges empathising with our protagonist. At the end of the of what seems to be the longest and darkest tunnel, a tiny, flickering light is within reach.

"It's an honest look at something, and ultimately the aesthetic of it was just something beautiful. That was the intention.” (source)

Contrary to the understated grandiose of Sea Change's music, the album art makes a statement with colours. Bold swathes surround a photo of Beck, spaced-out and reflective, in a series of artworks by the late Jeremy Blake, with photography by Autumn de Wilde and art direction and design by Kevin Reagan and Beck. Blake, an artist whom Beck requested to work on Sea Change, created the hallucination scenes of Paul Thomas Anderson's "Punch Drunk Love". The use of colours blurring into one another was exquisite and is also used here in the album art. Blake's artwork involved DVD projections, "based loosely on themes, ideas or narratives", and his abstract works blurs the line of film and painting - the video for "Lost Cause", where the cover art was used an an effigy, and "Round the Bend", which features a host of Blake's distinctive play with colour, are nice companions to the series.

As far as Beck's discography goes, Sea Change might be an outlier, but is an essential facet of his sonic character. After all, sometimes it's heartening to know that even the brightest and best experience the same heartache as we mere mortals do. Blake lends a swash of wistfulness, creating an unlikely pairing of sound and art to be treasured then, now and in the years to come.

----

See more of Jeremy Blake’s works here.

This year also marks the tenth anniversary of Jeremy Blake and his longtime partner Theresa Duncan's passing, sparking mass media coverage - see a few tribute articles here: x x x

[itsvisualnoise]

Count in Fives : Album Anniversaries |  Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights Release: 19 August 2002 (Matador)

Turn on the Bright Lights turns fifteen years old this August, and its album art embodies the sound of the band we know and love since day one. In its ominous, melancholic beauty, the album is probably one of the best albums to come out of New York at the time of its release, and continues to be an essential album today.

Branding themselves as quite the opposite of then-buzz band The Strokes, Interpol were a cool-looking, suit-wearing, composed four-piece. The mood of the album is set from the get-go: “Untitled” opens with a simple, slow-burning chord progression that later interlaces into each itself and builds to a peak. Not to be outdone are the incredible bass lines courtesy of Carlos Dengler and propelling drumming from Sam Fogarino, which are consistently strong and prominent throughout the album. Album highlights are aplenty, from the angst-ridden vocals and guitars of “Obstacle 1″, “PDA” and “Say Hello to the Angels”, to the subdued beauty of “NYC” and “Stella Was a Diver and She Was Always Down” (we still can't get enough of how the introduction of the song was recorded to this day). Deeper cuts are also all-killer, no-filler material - closing tracks “The New” and “Leif Erikson” end the album without a flaw.

“With Interpol, it’s more what you see is what you get…(Turn On the Bright Lights) is cold, ominous, mysterious, and abstract enough to be interpreted many different ways.” (source)

Tying it all together, the vocals of Paul Banks complement the music perfectly; warm, brooding and just the right amount of angst and force which bring his vocal qualities and lyrics into the spotlight without being too overpowering. Embodying themes of but not limited to love, the city and um, a Norse explorer, Banks' rather abstract lyrics (the meaning of "the subway is a porno" will forever be a point of discussion, which was clearly intentional) lets the listener cast their own interpretation into a track, making it more personal and multi-layered. The result is a triumphant body of work that evokes a cinematic-like feel of a city at night, full of its bright spots and wonders, but also the danger that lurks beneath.

It’s also fitting that the album art should convey the music's themes, and the cover of Turn On the Bright Lights encapsulates the music in one photograph. Shot by photographer and illustrator Sean McCabe and rendered in a colour palette now synonymous with the album (and its successor, Antics), the photo of a theatre in London (which looks a little like a billboard on first glance) is simple yet eye-catching. Growing up surrounded by record sleeves, McCabe taps on nostalgia as an influence and has created many art for the albums of bands like Spoon and Mates of State, and has also produced the covers for the album's EP and singles.

"Usually the most simple and direct approach is the most elegant and beautiful" (source)

On how the photograph came to be, McCabe recounts taking photos at his own time and using them to mock up ideas for album art. Describing Interpol's music as one that brought to mind landscapes, the personal photo of a film theatre that had red lights turned on before the start of a film created a landscape of its own. With a striking visual, the art of Turn On the Bright Lights doesn't provoke or unsettle, but has a sort of magnetism in that a simple element, when portrayed interestingly is as gorgeous as a highly-detailed or attention-grabbing work of art.

In a market full of amazing albums and album covers, Turn On the Bright Lights continues to be one that contains simplistic beauty in a square, ready for anyone who picks it up and engages with it to hold new meanings. Later releases by the band may have not been held in a regard this high by critics and fans, but while those are points of contention as to whether Interpol have yet to "return to form" (if they've ever lost it), their debut is undisputedly one of, or if not, their best work yet.

-----

Interpol are marking the fifteenth anniversary of Turn On the Bright Lights with a series of gigs: see more here.

[itsvisualnoise]

Sight & Sound | Broken Social Scene - Hug of Thunder Release date: 7 July 2017 (Arts & Crafts)

2017 might just be the year of 'supergroup' releases - with The New Pornographers releasing Whiteout Conditions and Sufjan Stevens, Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner and James McAlister with the solar system spectacle Planetarium - and after a seven-year break, all fifteen (!) members of Canadian Broken Social Scene are back with their fifth full-length follow-up to 2010's Forgiveness Rock Record. Hug of Thunder is a result of the band regrouping after a "wake-up call" of the 2015 Paris terror attacks. Featuring original members that have made a splash in the music world in their own way (Leslie Feist, Metric's Emily Haines and Jimmy Shaw, Stars' Amy Millan and Evan Cranley, Do Make Say Think's Charles Spreain and Ohad Benchetrit to name a few), the new album is a triumphant collective effort. Broken Social Scene jumps straight in after a swathe of dreamy, atmospheric introductory track "Sol Luna" to give us "Halfway Home", a catchy, anthemic number, with My Bloody Valentine-like guitars bursting at the seams with energy. From there, the album flits from the dreamy pop of "Skyline" to the fast-rocking "Vanity Pail Kids", without losing their distinct sound.

The explosive energy of the albums loosens up into introspective territory on the latter half of the album, and gives room for BSS to do what it does best. Kicking off from the warmly intimate title track, the second half of the album is beautifully understated, with the band occasionally dabbling in more ambient and experimental sounds. The dreamily propulsive "Towers and Masons" and the IDM-tinged beats of "Please Take Me With You" are testaments to this, and while these may come across as partially-explored ideas to some, it shows a possible sonic avenue worthy to be ventured. Parting with the melancholic triumph of "Mouth Guards of the Apocalypse" (”I'm trying for the living and I'm staying / So I can leave”), Hug of Thunder is a record apt for times like these, and for times to come.

The artwork for Hug of Thunder, like the art for its preceding singles, is rendered with a raw and almost child-like quality. Designed by BSS drummer Justin Peroff and artist kimikimo, it always feels like the dissonant and variety of talents and minds of the band are quite summed up in its album art: freedom and space to wander, yet familiar and united. This probably true of the band, where member Kevin Drew spoke to Pitchfork earlier in June:

“People thought it was not going to work out from an ego perspective, but the reason it has comes down to the relationships: The dinners and birthdays and baby showers and weddings have kept coming.” (source)

In pastel hues, the art depicts a dream-like outlook to to the future, and rather cynical, if you will. As the track "Gonna Get Better" suggests, "Future's not what it used to be, we still gotta go there / Things are gonna get better because they can't get any worse".

Key tracks: “Halfway Home”, “Please Take Me With You”, “Protest Song”

[itsvisualnoise]

Sight & Sound | BROCKHAMPTON - SATURATION Release date: 9 June 2017 (BROCKHAMPTON records)

"All-American Boyband" Brockhampton delivers with Saturation, its debut full-length. A hip hop collective consisting of members from diverse backgrounds with each their own individual taste, their music is exactly that: incorporating a myriad of different musical motifs and influences beyond the hip hop genre into their own, with hard beats, smooth neo-soul influences and everything else in between. With so many individuals coming together for a singular body of work, the group dynamic is key to the collective.

“Everybody’s doing their own thing, but we always come together... and then you have a conversation. Instead of seeing it from one person’s eyes, it’s two people’s eyes, or four people’s eyes, and it really just sharpens everyone and makes everyone better.” (source)

Saturation thus makes for a varied listen: from the smooth vocal melodies of “Face”, “Swim” and “Waste”, to the purposefully-auto-tuned “Fake”, the swagger of “Gold”, to the hard-hitting verses on “Heat” and “Bump”. Underneath their killer beats, Brockhampton speak of vulnerabilities, self-acceptance and individualistic thinking, masculinity and what it means to be a man. Taking a down-to-earth approach with its lyrics, Saturation is easy for the listener to identify with ("I just want life for my kids / Damn, I ain't even have 'em yet" from "Swim" simply but accurately details the insecurities of the modern man), and makes an impact with that. Saturation isn't your typical consistent-sounding release, but it doesn’t need it; its themes and collective effort make this record a cohesive one that keeps things fresh every turn.

If one hasn't heard Brockhampton's music yet, then its album art would be enough to pique interest. With design from Henlock Sileshi and photography by Ashlan Grey, visuals of Saturation is firstly, well, highly-saturated in colour. The striking visuals mirror the colourful smattering of influences of the collective across their album art and video work. Sileshi's work also infuses a precision with fluidity, allowing the colours to shine while keeping typefaces and layout to a minimum.

On the whole, Brockhampton manages to come through with a solid debut, leaving an impression both sonically and visually. With a varied, genre-shifting release, it'll be exciting to see where this collective is headed to next.

Key tracks: “Gold”, “Fake”, “Waste”

-----

On top of the Saturation albums, Sileshi has done amazing work for other artists - see more here and here See more of Ashlah Grey’s wonderful photography here

[itsvisualnoise]

Count in Fives: Album Anniversaries | The National - Boxer Release date: 22 May 2007 (Beggars Banquet)

Beneath this unassuming album cover, a gem lies in wait to be discovered and treasured for years to come. Boxer, the definitive fourth release from one of independent rock stalwarts The National turns 10 this year, and with a string of anniversary posts, it's easy to see why this album remains one that fans, both casual and hardcore, hold close to their hearts and often revisit.

Known for their slow-burn rise to prominence and equally slow-burning songs, The National had a breakthrough of sorts with Alligator (which, depending on who you ask, may or may not be the best National album), but Boxer was where the signature flavour of the National sound truly manifested. Subtler, restrained, yet intricate and full-bodied, this was the pivot of their sound, later to be iterated and re-iterated in future releases to each their unique result.

This was to be backbone of Boxer; guitars that chime, sparkle and squall (sometimes all at once) from Aaron and Bryce Dessner - melding punk rock and classical, high-art sensibilities, interlacing and creating a mesh that supports the sing-speak baritone of Matt Berninger's. Berninger, whose lyrics on Boxer speak of relationships (and the outside-looking-in on others' in "Green Gloves"), the working middle-class and allures of city life ("Mistaken For Strangers", "Squalor Victoria"), and comfort amidst uncertainty ("Slow Show", "Apartment Story"), among others. These are the stories of your average middle-aged, middle-class guy in New York. But not everyone writes like Berninger. Abstract while accurately specific at times, the songs have a sort of a better return of investment the more it is being listened to. The seeming "redundancy" of words ("standing at the punch table swallowing punch" / "I leaned on a wall and the wall leaned away" / "raise our heavenly glasses to the heavens") also adds to a sort of insular poetic that only a few like Berninger can pull off.

The star of Boxer however, is its drums via Bryan Devendorf, who not only keeps time and complements the album's sonic landscape, but also propel and shape its music, adding dimension to an already elaborate setting. "Brainy" and "Guest Room" are fine examples of this, where the rhythmic section is given ample space to breathe and shine. With additional string arrangements from Padma Newsome and brilliant piano contributions from long-time collaborator and friend Sufjan Stevens (on the subtly brilliant "Ada" and "Racing Like A Pro"), Boxer fully realises the band's potential. This is perhaps best exemplified with opening track "Fake Empire", which would go on to become one of the band's most well-known song, thanks to Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. With a piano polyrhythm, the track lends a slightly cinematic gesture to the album: cue a scene of a late-night drive in a big city, where it's bustling outside and you're people-watching as you drive along, probably with the person you have a love-hate (but mostly love) relationship with. That's how Boxer sounds like.

What Boxer looks like, though, is a little different. Where conflicts arose constantly during recording (fan favourite "Mistaken For Strangers" almost got thrown out) so much so that members were unable to listen to the album months after completion, the cover depicts a mood that is rather contrary. The cover art is simple, yet (almost literally) shines a light on the main players of its sound, the band themselves. Featuring a black-and-white photo of the band playing at producer Peter Katis' wedding, the stark contrast of the type plays well with the muted mood of the photo, although we bet that the occasion itself wasn't. (Fun fact: members from Interpol, whom Katis produced for at the time, were also present at the event.) Taking on design duties for the band is Scott Devendorf, who oversees the design production of every release. A former designer at renowned firm Pentagram and now in his self-founded studio, Devendorf renders the design for Boxer effortlessly, with clean typography and just a right amount of a bold yellow that is now synonymous with the record (and likewise,  violet with their follow-up). The tri-colour palette continues on the album insert, complete with two lines from two tracks, "Tall Saint" and "Ada" respectively.

Boxer possesses layers of sonic and lyrical qualities that prompts revisiting, revealing something new after every listen. It requires heavy listening investment for sure, but its returns are priceless. Alligator paved the way for The National 2.0, but it was Boxer that got around to fully cement the band as a bona fide rock outfit and served as a stepping stone to later releases (especially the exceptional High Violet). Recording sessions may have been harrowing and relationships strained over the making of the album (encapsulated in the Vincent Moon film “A Skin, A Night”), but the result of such beauty and honesty in a record was probably well worth it.

---

See more of Scott’s works here and here

[itsvisualnoise]

 The Moonlandingz - Black Hanz from Interplanetary Class Classics (Chimera Music)

[itsvisualnoise]

Sight and Sound | Le Prince Harry - Synthetic Love Release date: 12 May 2017 (Teenage Menopause Records)

Synthetic Love is the newest offering from Belgian synth-punk trio Le Prince Harry. Described as "an exciting fairytale" in Liège, Belgium, the band's sophomore album is feverish and brutal, with an inclusion of a Motormark cover "We Are the Public".

From the get-go, Synthetic Love grabs the listener's attention with brazen distorted sound, as if all of its instruments have been fed through a filter labelled "sonic corrosion". The result is crunchy, no-nonsense guitars, and punchy, snarling vocals. Synthetic Love is not just any guitar-driven punk album, though - fed through synths, the sound is manipulated to refreshing effect.

Equally attention-grabbing is the album artwork, created by Teenage Menopause Records' own co-founder Elzo Durt. In addition to running the label, Durt is also a graphic designer and illustrator, creating a "cheerfully morbid universe" with personal as well as commissioned work. Inspired by psychedelia, skate boarding and punk culture, Durt works with collage, as well exploring portraits and "diverted religious scenes", which are regularly-occurring themes.

The visuals in Synthetic Love take on a comic book feel, with its colour palette and meticulous layout of multiple panels on a single canvas. The work also takes on a devastated other-worldly atmosphere, with its depictions of psychedelic elements and forms (is that an atomic explosion in a lightbulb? And who is that robotic guy with the sinister smile supposed to represent?). Durt's attention to detail is also spectacular - the rendering of his figures and even the background is skilfully executed.

Synthetic Love is truly worth a listen for fans of punk, especially if you like a bit of synth flavour to the genre. Perhaps the record is easily encapsulated by the cover: distorted, sinister, but also oddly, fun.

Key tracks: "Cheap Bot", "Synthetic Love"

-----

See more of Elzo Durt's work at elzodurt.com and check out other Teenage Menopause releases at teenagemenopause.bandcamp.com

[itsvisualnoise]

In an interstellar burst I am back to save the universe!!!

Count in Fives: Album Anniversaries | Radiohead - OK Computer Release date: 21 May 1997 (EMI)

This album is the talk of the music world (and certainly outside of it) as it turns 20 years this year - so much so that it will be getting a limited-edition reissue which any Radiohead fan would look forward to add to their collection (and who wouldn't with lots of bonus material!). And rightfully so: after even two decades, OK Computer doesn't seem to have aged a day since it was released.

Obtaining its title from a line in the 1979 sci-fi novel A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ("OK, computer, I want full manual control now"), OK Computer is the expression of paranoia, alienation, and politics, with imagery of transport (and the fear thereof) and technology, and also marks a pivotal shift and expansion in sound from previous albums on Pablo Honey (1993) and The Bends (1995). Opening track “Airbag” signals this, reflecting the band's electronic influences especially on its drumming patterns (more notably DJ Shadow and later, Aphex Twin for 2001 follow-up Kid A), and standout epic “Paranoid Android” hot on its heels after (almost Bohemian Rhapsody-esque), as well as “Karma Police” with its digital delay effects and distortion.

Elsewhere, spots of glimmer colour the album's deeper cuts; “Subterranean Homesick Alien” with its warm, atmospheric soundscape and soaring guitar hooks, and the use of glockenspiel in “Let Down” and “No Surprises” which almost carries an innocent, wide-eyed feel. Themes in the songs, however, belie their sound: dissatisfaction (in conformity or life in general), surveillance and loneliness form the basis of the lyrics and music. TL; DR, OK Computer is a Very, Very Good album, and that doesn't occur very often.

We could go on and on about our love for this album with an essay for every song (especially that one unnerving track), but Visual Noise is an album art blog after all, and the artwork for the album looks as stunning as the album sounds. Stanley Donwood almost becomes the band's unofficial member (another being producer Nigel Godrich) as he works and develops the album artwork alongside the band as they record. For OK Computer, Donwood aspired to encapsulate the colour scheme of a "bleached bone". The downcast surroundings and "grey skies" of England also informed his colour choices, rendering the artwork in a cold, distressed manner.

"I try to distill a sense of what the music conveys into the texture of the artwork - I try to see what the music looks like.” (source)

The rough, distressed markings also came from a self-imposed rule: no more Command-Z. Without the option of undoing any mistakes, Donwood felt less restricted to make them (does he though?!), going over any stray marks with white scribbles, which are a heavy presence throughout.

Elsewhere in the album's liner notes, the artwork provokes as it makes one just a tad uneasy, with various collages of text (positive but actually very unsettling), and images of transport (aeroplanes especially) and motorways and tramlines, happy families and of course, a pig (not in a cage on antibiotics, fortunately). The notes also mark the first appearance of the "handshake symbol", later seen again in the Best Of compilation.

The artwork also features a few easter eggs and some head-scratching moments, especially the jittery layout of the lyrics (that some note to form images) and the jumble of alphabets and numbers that precede the  tracks in the liner notes; what they really signify, if on purpose or not, is anyone's guess. Still, it contributes to the feeling of uneasiness and perhaps, uncertainty that one gets when listening to the tracks with liner notes in hand.

Considered by many as one of the greatest rock albums of all time, OK Computer is truly a marriage of great music and art that unsettles and evokes discomfort is the best way possible, and continues to provoke, delight and inspire after all these years (and definitely will in the years ahead!). 1997 was a great year for music, and this album might just be the crowning jewel of them all.

-----

See more of Stanley Donwood’s art at http://www.slowlydownward.com/

[wilco]

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot turns 15. Revisit with @pitchfork Liner Notes.

[astiererdosain-deactivated20200]

Visit Original Link

[itsvisualnoise]

Wilco - I Am Trying to Break your Heart from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Nonesuch Records)

[itsvisualnoise]

Sight & Sound | Los Campesinos! - Sick Scenes Release date: 24 February 2017 (Witchita Recordings)

After a brief hiatus following 2013′s excellent NO BLUES, Los Campesinos! returns with their sixth album, Sick Scenes. Albeit with a change in label and the shifting priorities of band members in between the two albums, listeners still find familiarity in the sound and themes of Sick Scenes. Cover-wise, the album almost feels like a companion of sorts to NO BLUES, if the colour scheme of both albums is anything to go by.

With illustration and design by guitarist/keyboardist Rob Campesinos! or R N Taylor, the cover artwork features a figure lying next to a bottle of spilt milk in the milk aisle of a supermarket. Veiled in shades of pastel pink, the cover illustration of Sick Scenes conveys a feeling of apathy and uncertainty. Taylor got the inspiration for the figure’s posture in Arrested Development character George Michael Bluth (played by Michael Cera), where he faces rejection after asking a girl out (probably this particular scene) - the act of being "face-down" on the floor also occurs in the track “A Slow, Slow Death”.

Ideas for the cover started while the band was recording the album in Fridaõ, a village outside Amarante, Portugal last year (they also went to Amarante, which culminated in the standout “I Broke Up in Amarante”). The much-dreaded EU Referendum vote took place while the band was away recording, and the reaction to its results also influenced the mood conveyed in the artwork. 

A departure from the photograph-based covers of their previous releases, the art of Sick Scenes was a result of the channelling of personal emotions into something tangible. The cover sets the tone for the album’s themes of the socio-political and the mental (“5 Flucloxacillin”, “The Fall of Home”, “I Broke Up in Amarante”) , the nostalgic (“Here’s To the Fourth Time!”) and also abit of football (”Renato Dall’Ara (2008)”), which results in a strong delivery, both sonically and visually.

Key tracks: “5 Flucloxacillin”, “I Broke Up in Amarante”, “A Litany/Heart Swells”

[itsvisualnoise]

Los Campesinos! - 5 Flucloxacillin  from Sick Scenes (Witchita Recordings)