Get Lucky

         Face it,  if you have been anywhere near a music website this past month you have read that Daft Punk are releasing a new album. Random Access Memories is the long awaited follow-up to 2005's Human After All, and is going to be released worldwide starting on May 17th. The first single from the album, "Get Lucky", was first teased as a fifteen second segment during the commercials of Saturday Night Live. Slowly, more of the song was released: another fifteen second commercial on SNL and finally a whole minute and a half at Coachella. As more of the song was shown, the hype surrounding its release grew immensely. Essentially, Daft Punk have commanded one of the best marketing campaigns that has music has seen since In Rainbows.

         The dynamic of the music industry has changed dramatically since the early 2000's. With the advent of the iPod, physical music sales (specifically CD's) have declined. Other sales, like vinyl, have increased. However, what is most relevant to the modern consumer is digital music. Digital music is the McDonalds of the music industry. Quick, easy and disposable. People can download the first single, listen to it for awhile, forget about it and then move on to the next "hit". Due to this, artists have struggled to stay relevant, consistently trying to reinvent themselves. One way to stay relevant is to capture an audience through viral marketing. A number of artists have attempted to do this through numerous marketing techniques. Weezer did it with their Pork and Beans video, Skrillex by having a video game set to his music, PSY and his ridiculous videos, etc. The point is that artists have tried many different tactics to capture the attention of the modern consumer, to varying success. What Daft Punk have done is different. Daft Punk know they have a large built-in audience. This is Daft Punk. Almost every current DJ cites (or should cite) Daft Punk as a major influence. This duo has been a major pioneering force in bringing "EDM" to a more mainstream audience. What Daft Punk did was exploit this built-in audience. They gave pieces of information regarding their new album slowly, piece by piece. However, the release of new information came exactly at the right time, just when buzz was about to die down. What has been most interesting about this campaign is the fever people have had to hear the song "Get Lucky". For every ten seconds of the track released, seemingly every amateur DJ tried to create a full song revolved around that clip. By attempting to create the "real" full song,  this increased the hype for the track one hundred-fold. The music community kept jumping at every version of the song, saying "this is the one!" However, what makes this the best marketing campaign is that Daft Punk had to do very little. They just had to release clips of their own songs and had other musicians create the hype for them. Thus, with all this mystery and anticipation, when " Get Lucky" was actually released at 12:01 pm April 19th, you could feel the music community explode with joy. 

          One problem is, hype surrounding a release can be justified, but often the release ends up being not quite as good as it was told to be. One example of this is Be Here Now by Oasis. Although not a bad album, it was the follow-up to (What's The Story) Morning Glory, Oasis' break-through album and a seminal Brit-pop album. Before Be Here Now was released, it was hyped largely by media. However, once released it was considered to be "inflated" and "egotistical"- being discarded by the media as trash. Now that "Get Lucky" has been released, the question should be asked, does the song justify the hype that surrounded it?

           If you are tired of reading this review already then I will tell you, YES, the song is truly one of the best dance songs to have been released this decade. You can stop now or you can read the justification behind this statement. 

          One goal Daft Punk had when creating the tracks for Random Access Memories was to make dance music human again. They felt that dance music had become to robotic, the same beats, the same sounds, nothing was new. Many genres of music fall into this trap. Stagnancy occurs and eventually, that genre falls out of the mainstream, waiting to be revived once again. Dance music has not yet reached that stage. Dance music is at an all time high in popularity. The mass wants to listen to "EDM". Festivals like Ultra, Tomorrowland and Sensation are selling-out, making gobs of money. Daft Punk knew that this trend cannot last forever. They knew that disco died because it was the same, over-played garbage.  This foresight will be the saviour to dance music as "Get Lucky"  (and RAM) brings new life to the genre. 

          Daft Punk achieve their goal on "Get Lucky", bringing humanity to a genre which is supposed to be electronic and calculated (also ironic because they are "robots"). "Get Lucky" features all human instrumentation. The guitars are provided by the legendary Nile Rodgers (think Chic, Bowie, Donna Summers etc) and vocals provided by Pharrell (of N.E.R.D. fame). There is a certain warmth that this track brings, the production is perfect. But, most important is the rhythm. It drives you through the song, you can't help but want to move. Unlike most modern "dance" songs, there is no "drop". This song does not need it though- the chorus that this song delivers is huge. It is catchy, to the point and sure to resonate with club-goers this summer.

           One of the  highlights of this song is the ending where Pharrells voice intermingles with robotic voices. Although these voices are chopped and electric, they are human and it shows. Robotic voices usually  distance a listener, creating a cold and artificial feel. However, the voices used by Daft Punk display a certain warmth and further draw one in. 

           Though this review has almost stated that the song is the most perfect song ever audible to man, this is untrue, the song does have it's flaws. Pharrell's voice is a strength but also a weakness. The first four lines of each verse always seem out of place and sung flat. Although, the remainder of the song is auditory heaven, those lines stick out like sore thumbs. Additionally, it is almost too early to judge this song. The version that has been released is the radio edit. It seems like the the ending could be even better as there are glimpses of amazing keyboard parts that hopefully will be expanded upon in the album version.

        Although, the album version has not yet been released I think it is allowed to say that yes, "Get Lucky" is the song that dance music has needed. It is unique, powerful and unmistakably Daft Punk. The hype surrounding the song has paid off,  as the song has already reached iTunes #1 in over 50 countries. But, for once this is justified. This song is of top-quality and is the proper track for the return of the robotic overlords of dance music. It may not be perfect, but because of this it proves they are still human after all, something the genre has been missing for sometime.   

         

Bankrupt!

                On Bankrupt!, the highly-anticipated follow-up to 2009's Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, Phoenix delivers an album that does not disappoint. Although Bankrupt! sees Phoenix reducing the role of their trademark guitars to expand upon the keyboard-heavy sound first introduced on Wolfgang, this transition, for the most part, seems natural. Songs like "The Real Thing" and "Oblique City" justify this progression  displaying an infectious combination of keyboard riffs and driving rhythms. However, what cements the agreeableness of this keyboard-driven style is it's synergy with Thomas Mars' voice. This can best be seen on "Bourgeouis", a song with a backing track which would sound right at home on a Daft Punk album.  On this track  Mars' voice perfectly accentuates the music, captivating the listener.

                  Although the keyboards compliment many of the songs, the title track sees an excessive use of programming, creating a forgettable seven minute interlude.  This song, however, is the exception and for the majority of this ten-track album the programming does not overwhelm the listener.  

                Keyboards may be the most prominent instrument on the album, but when Phoenix returns to guitar-driven music like on lead single "Entertainment", the result is satisfying.  "Entertainment" shows Phoenix experimenting with an East Asian mood. When combined with the song's strong hooks, the end result  should remind North American listeners why they paid attention to the band when they released similarly catchy songs like 1901.      

               

Give Peace a Chance

                An introduction to Peace is required. This Worchester-based band has been making headlines in the UK, appearing in the BBC's "Sound of 2013" poll and receiving early critical acclaim from publications, including NME and The Guardian. Peace's debut album In Love lives up to the early hype and delivers ten tracks of invigorating youth.

                In Love is the feeling of first love, it's associated with a rush of hormones and the promise of adventure. This blast of energy is best seen on the infectious songs "Lovesick" and the lead single "Wraith". Both of these songs contain choruses that are sure to be imbedded in your head for days.

                Although youth reeks from In Love, what makes it stand apart from similar albums is the maturity seen in the song-writing. Verses are well structured; choruses are aptly placed and repeated just the right amount. This maturity is best seen on closer "California Daze", which has Beach-Boys like vocals overtop of trance-inducing guitar riffs.

                On In Love, Peace makes their mark by contextualizing themselves in music history by taking a note from one of the greats, Oasis. Oasis was notable for making musical references (almost too blatantly) to their idols. Peace does this on multiple songs including "Follow Baby" which references Oasis' "Live Forever" and on "Waste of Paint" which is a musical nod to Blur's "There's No Other Way". Some detractors think that this shows a lack of ingenuity, but this statement is untrue. Peace is bursting with creativity and fresh ideas that leak from every track of In Love. Although much in music is uncertain, one thing is: if Peace continues on this path, their (What's The Story) Morning Glory? won't be too far around the corner. 

My Shame is True

                On My Shame Is True¸ Alkaline Trio shows why they have been a major player in the Chicago hardcore scene for almost 17 years. On their most recent output since 2010's acoustic-tinged Damnesia, Alkaline Trio displays no sign of losing energy or ability to write darkened, bleak lyrics.

                My Shame is True finds the Trio fixing the flaws that were present on their last full effort, This Addiction. Gone are the gimmicky 80's synthesizers and trumpets; simple driving bass-lines and attacking barre chords are back in the forefront. This is necessary because it is in this simplicity where Alkaline Trio thrives; simple melodies that infect you, causing you to sing along with their lyrics of death and depression. These melodies are highly developed on My Shame is True and are best displayed on the tracks "I'm Only Here to Disappoint" and the lead single " I Wanna Be A Warhol"

                One thing that sets Alkaline Trio apart from other bands is that they have two capable, lead vocalists and songwriters in Dan Andriano and Matt Skiba. What is most appealing, however, is when they work together, like on "She Lied to the FBI", where the harmonizing vocals are done perfectly. To further strengthen the vocal talent on My Shame Is True, Alkaline Trio recruited Tim McIlrath (of Rise Against) for the hardcore tinged " I, Pessimist" and Brendan Kelly (of The Lawrence Arms) on "I Wanna Be a Warhol". Both of these guest vocals are done tastefully and the former track, "I, Pessimist", is a brilliant back-and-forth punk "duet".

                The major drawback to My Shame is True is that it loses the interest of the listener at the half-way mark. Although the first half of the album is strong, the latter tracks drag on, producing few memorable moments and at times the songs become difficult to differentiate. Even with this though, Alkaline Trio still have produced a handful of highly-successful songs and continue to find relevance in today's scene 17 years after their inception.

Inhaler

               From the start, with the sound of echoic guitars sounding as if they are resonating down a street tunnel, you get the feeling that Foals have finally matched vision to product. Inhaler, the first single from their new album Holy Fire, is a very bombastic song but yet still maintains artistic cohesiveness. Three years since 2010's Total Life Forever, Foals have finally learned how to display what they want. The tones, effects and mixing are done flawlessly on Holy Fire such that they complement the vision of the individual song and Inhaler is a perfect example. The slow build-up of layers- claustrophobic, chaotic even- over top of the lustfully reverberated voice of Yannis Philippakis culminates and explodes. " ...and I can't get enough space"- he wails- as the song, which has built up perfectly, is blown into the atmosphere; only grounded by the drudgy, over driven guitars. The song never loses its drive and pushes the listener to the end. The true genius of this song is how expansive it feels, but yet maintains to stay grounded. This is a comforting and terrifying thought: if this is Foals with one foot still on the ground, imagine what could happen if they jumped.