Word: soundness
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...Troy Gable in “The Great Buck Howard,” “and if that’s the case, I wanna spend the time I have here doing something that makes my heart race.” Coming from most characters, this statement might sound heartfelt, if somewhat trite. In the context of this film, however, Troy simply sounds insane. Troy (Colin Hanks) is a young law student who drops out of school against his father’s wishes, having decided that writing is his true calling. When this dream doesn?...
...Beware” is in many ways the culmination of Oldham’s career trajectory; his sound has gradually moved away from the spare stylings of albums like “I See A Darkness” (which Johnny Cash liked so much he later recorded his own version with Oldham on backup) toward more polished studio trimmings. But in pulling in all the extra instruments (marimba, flute, tenor saxophone, and accordian, to name a few) it loses something of the stark devastation that gave voice to America’s stranger corners of existence. The album?...
...roots on principle. The desired effect is admiration for his idealism, but a low-income college student turning down thousands of dollars essentially because he “hasn’t even been to Puerto Rico” smacks of pretension. His feeble arguments against accepting the money sound especially forced when a financial aid snafu later reveals how badly he could use it.The film relies predominantly on unfortunate stereotypes that place characters in racially charged scenarios. The out of touch, all-white administration’s only response to campus racism is to hold forums on race...
...second album is every bit as defiantly clamorous as the first. While similarly marked by drilling drumbeats and tense clashes of chords, “Wavvves” takes more risks with electric frequencies and unusual noises. Some of these risks pay off, producing an engaging and original sound, but many backfire in alienating and even annoying ways.For a newcomer to the industry—Williams released Wavves’ eponymous first LP in September 2008—his experimentation is brave to say the least, but the new tricks he pulls in “Wavvves?...
...more than just a touch of despair. Despite their channeling of influences, they are a far cry from entirely derivative. White Lies has in part made their name from their more lighthearted, danceable fair. On “To Lose My Life...” they showcase their modern sound with an array of songs that run the gamut from the danceable to heart-wrenching. Unfortunately, the thematic content does not keep pace with this diversity and modernity. Throughout the album, White Lies eschew lyrical or topical gravitas in favor of the trite and the maudlin.The ease with which...