REVIEW: MODERN BASEBALL – THE PERFECT CAST EP
When Modern Baseball formed in 2011, they took it upon themselves to revive the nineties emo genre with a flair. This of course meant adhering to the style of 90’s emo, and this means guitar tones that are so raw that they are liable for investigation by the Food Standards Agency, drums that were probably recorded in a garage on an old Nokia, and a vocalist who has parents that just don’t understand him, dude. Finally, record a music video of some guy on a swing in a sleepy American suburb and you’re all set. This lends itself to the endearment of the genre, and this EP captures it perfectly.
The problem with adhering so closely to a genre is that there’s very little room for progression as the artist releases more material. If they mix in too much material from other genres they will inevitably start to drift away from the sound that they’re nestled in. This does mean that things will get a little stale after a while, and if there’s one problem I have with Modern Baseball, that is it. Lazy, whiny, overlaid vocals and the storytelling structure of the tracks is hardly accessible. If you’re unsure, it’s either going to bring you in or turn you right away fairly fast, because there’s an awful lot of it. Obviously, if it does appeal to you, you’re going to have a great time listening to these guys, and I’ll get to why soon.
But, musically speaking, it’s pretty good stuff. It’s a bit less dreamy than their earlier material and is really edging close to punk with that snare pounding away and the prominently distorted bass. ‘Alpha Kappy Fall of Troy‘, the second track on the EP, is a perfect example of this. The intro sounds like something ‘The Cure‘ would have written. The vocals of Brendan Lukens have become more melodic too; listen to ‘…And Beyond‘ to see what I mean. I particularly love the recording mistake at the start of that track. Where most bands would have cut for a second take, they carry on. It gives the track so much character and I really appreciate that, because character is the most important aspect of ‘Modern Baseball‘ and the genre as a whole.
Each track reminds you of a character. We’ve all got people who have affected us, for good, bad or both, and Modern Baseball absolutely nail exactly what it feels like, whatever ‘it‘ may be for you, and this is why they are important. Listening to certain songs makes you feel almost like the song was written FOR you by people who’ve felt exactly the same thing, and if you do resort to music for help, this is crucial stuff.
If you don’t feel much of a connect with Modern Baseball, to be honest, it’s going to be a lot harder to like them. Maybe they click with you instantly. Maybe you have to make an effort before you get it (or they ‘get’ you). Or maybe they do nothing for you at all. How good they are depends heavily on what they make you feel. This is where ‘The Perfect Cast‘ stands out, because it’s immediately more likeable as a piece of music than their earlier albums ‘You’re Gonna Miss It All‘ and ‘Sports‘.
In summary, many people might struggle to really get Modern Baseball, but if you do, they are absolutely essential for you and I recommend them highly if you’re sore over a relationship or life in general. ‘The Perfect Cast‘ is a bit of a refreshing release in this respect as the EP is more accessible, and paves the way for their new album next year. If they continue in the direction that this EP implies, it’s set to be good stuff.
-Ed
For more reviews by Ed, visit: http://tunemoog.com/reviews/
For updates on Anna's work see her art Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/reverb_and_glitter/
Everyone loves an underdog. It’s because it’s ingrained into the human psyche. We feel inspired and impressed when the little guy rises up and shows the rest just how good they are. Bloody good, in Alt-J’s case.
Alt-J came from absolutely nowhere. When they nonchalantly released their debut album ‘An Awesome Wave’ in 2012, it was immediately obvious that Alt-J weren’t just another indie quartet. Their sound was completely fresh; piano, guitar and synth dancing around one another, painting a picture more than it did a sound, all underlaid by those industrial, raw drum beats that drove the songs forward. And of course the achey moans of vocalist Joe Newman. It was a sound that only years of being confined to a University dorm could create, where they had to keep quiet and acoustic, leaving them to compensate for a lack of volume by making their music intense and vivid. This is why they attained such a passionate following so quickly, because if you listened to a song and liked it, you really liked it. Alt-J certainly knew what they were about. The problem was that there was hardly any niche to fit them into. What I mean by that is that they didn’t transcend genre, but you could hardly say “Oh yeah, Alt-J, that band that sounds just like (insert another band here)…” When you have no other bands to relate to, it’s actually harder to create an image or a direction for yourself because you aren’t confined to the same image that other, similar bands hold. So when Alt-J revealed that a second album was in the works, I felt extremely conflicted. On one hand, I was ecstatic that I’d get a second helping of the band that released my favourite album of all time. On the other, I was fearful because how could they possibly live up to ‘An Awesome Wave’? Or indeed, what direction would they take?
The first thing to be noticed is that ‘This Is All Yours’ is simpler. ‘Intro’, the album’s first song, alternates between just three notes for most of the first minute, and it’s just staccato vocals. No diving headfirst into a whirlwind of percussion and deep melody this time. Some might say it even borders on boring, but the vague and distorted vocals manage to keep it interesting enough. ‘Arrival In Nara’ brings echoes of their first album back, with a quiet and visceral guitar and piano duet creating something that’s truly pleasant just to listen to. As the album progresses to the middle, we get ‘Every Other Freckle’ and ‘Left Hand Free’, which are two of the most popular tracks on the album. ‘Every Other Freckle’ is a foray into a pretty cheeky physical romance ballad, with most of the emphasis on the vocals and pounding synth, with the vocals creating a distinct melody which is very ‘hummable’, explaining the track’s popularity. The next track, ‘Left Hand Free’ is particularly interesting, and is obviously very rock-y and blues-oriented. It’s the most conventional-sounding track on the album, and it reminds me a lot of some of the Arctic Monkeys’ romantically sleazy newer work, with the drawling vocals. The chorus really encourages you to shout along with it, which is something that Alt-J did before with ‘Breezeblocks’. It’s a great mixture of easy-listening and depth, which is what makes ‘Left Hand Free’ the funnest song in the album.
The second half of the album settles down into a more calm and soulful affair, with tracks such as ‘The Gospel of John Hurt’ and ‘Hunger Of The Pine’ creating toe-tapping yet subdued melodies, though never with the same layered depth and energy that songs such as ‘Tesselate’ or ‘Taro’ had from ‘An Awesome Wave’. ‘This Is All Yours’ ends with ‘Leaving Nara’, which, although coming across as slightly repetative, like ‘Arrival In Nara’, does wonders with the delayed guitar being plucked like a harp, overlaying the orchestral vocals and shifting octaves. This ends the album on a pretty good note. If you listen to the following silence for a couple of minutes, you’re greeted with the bonus track ‘Lovely Day’, a slow and sombre number.
All in all, ‘This Is All Yours’ is undeniably Alt-J. It’s got all the ingredients of their first album. That being said, you can give two different chefs the same ingredients and end up with two very different meals. The problem with it, basically, is that it feels sort of empty in parts. Particularly the three ‘Nara’ tracks, which are obviously meant to be dreamy and slow. But it doesn’t hurt to keep things interesting, even if you are going for a sombre approach. A lot of the songs sound like they started off a lot like an ‘An Awesome Wave’ track, with heavy layering and vivid, intense imagery, and then were spread thin, unlayering it all and making the track more linear. Because of this, some of the tracks sound simply uninteresting. The more melodic tracks like ‘Left Hand Free’ and ‘The Gospel Of John Hurt’ really saved the album for me, because they have the energy that makes them enjoyable to listen to.
I’m not quite sure what Alt-J were going for with ‘This Is All Yours’. They seem to have tried to go down a particular route with it. It’s simpler than their first album, and to an extent, more experimental. Some of it does shine with brilliance, but a lot of the time it sounds lost and spread thin, like Alt-J could have done more with it. Because of this, as much as I enjoy it, I just can’t say I was satisfied. They’re still excellent, though.
-Ed
Field of Honour
As I studied him, his long, grey fringe blew in the wind and caressed the caterpillar above his right eye. A lonely toothpick stabbed at the air, jumping from left to right turning the adjacent side of his mouth into a snarl.
The man to my left shouted, “ready in ten” and I composed myself. The paces were marked at five by a blade digging into the ground at each.
One.
I relaxed and recalled my training. Draw quick and aim central.
Two.
I hoped I had hidden the terror in my eyes.
Three.
A tsunami of sweat flushed down my spine.
Four.
Draw Quick. Aim Central.
Five.
BANG!
I looked at his chest and saw nothing. I looked at my own. I was hit.
“Fucking loser! Come back next week you tit.”
The paint ran scarlet red. He had dishonoured me. I shall get my revenge.
Part of a fashion photography series by Carrie-Anne Phillipson entitled Daydreamer Lookbook.
Model: Anna Houghton
Styled by: Carrie-Anne Phillipson and Anna Houghton
Full set can be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.374347752756366.1073741833.333888313468977&type=3 or http://carrieannephillipson.blogspot.co.uk
Model: Anna Houghton
Styled by: Carrie-Anne Phillipson and Anna Houghton
Full set can be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.374347752756366.1073741833.333888313468977&type=3 or http://carrieannephillipson.blogspot.co.uk
Recluse
Lying amongst the dankness
surrounded by greenery and ashy smoke
cigarettes breathe out life
sweet yet poisonous
to the swaying vines gasping,
their green lungs crying out for substance.
The mirror above weeps
as it watches my descent
bright tears shatter the air
as it swallows my body
and envelopes my form.
Drowning myself in my own madness
with glassy pupils I see now
and am able to breathe freely again.
A few photographs from the series Summer's End, a collaboration of two photographers: Emily McHugh and Poppy Velluto.
For more visit: https://emchughphotography.carbonmade.com
Emily McHugh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_emilymchphoto/
Poppy Velluto on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poppyvelluto/
For more visit: https://emchughphotography.carbonmade.com
Emily McHugh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_emilymchphoto/
Poppy Velluto on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poppyvelluto/
Catoptrics
When I gaze into my optic mirror
the world loses focus, shapes blur
and people disappear one by one.
I see myself albeit briefly,
the reflection quickly darkening
over the looking glass.
The mirror is safeguarded
tightly locked away from my grasp,
I am forbidden to use it.
My self-perception is hidden amongst
the thick black strokes that frame the glass.
My optic mirror teases me so,
it gives more than just reflections,
it parades memories in my face
that bring a sting to my chest and
water to my cheeks
as the glass fades away.
If I stare too much
I will get lost amongst the flecks
of mahogany and umber that decorate
the seeing glass.
A segment of a photo series by Emily McHugh entitled 'Gaby'.
For more of Emily's work see https://emchughphotography.carbonmade.com and https://www.instagram.com/_emilymchphoto/
For more of Emily's work see https://emchughphotography.carbonmade.com and https://www.instagram.com/_emilymchphoto/