Cardinal, a duo from England, released their last and first album in 1994 and according to them it was brilliant. I never heard it. But I have been fortunate enough to have heard “Hymns,” their second album in eighteen years.
It’s indie rock and pop, with eclectic mixes of retro/1960s styles, with breathy vocals, written with precision and clarity. In other words, it’s from the “clean and pure” side of the indie tracks–not the rough and grungy one.
I’m diggin’ it. And given their sporadic production history, I thought it appropriate to post this review on Groundhog Day!
This is just weird shit. It’s frickin great, but it’s weird. The artist: Jad Fair + Hifiklub + kptmichigan, one thing will become universally true: good plus good plus good plus good plus good does indeed equal “great”. The album: “Bird House.” According to the press, Jad Fair was a “founding member of Half Japanese, and collaborator with a slew of artists including Teenage Fanclub, Yo La Tengo, Sonic Youth, and Daniel Johnston.” The other two folks are French and German, respectfully.
Bird House is limited to a one-time pressing of just 300 hand-numbered 12″ records. This single-sided LP features original Jad Fair artwork which is screen-printed directly on Side B of the record, and is packaged in a picture-disc sleeve. The first 45 copies are pressed on translucent gold vinyl with black ink (pictured at left), and 255 copies are pressed on translucent yellow vinyl with red ink.
This book was a submission, and it’s hard to get a good flavor for a single issue of a comic–particularly when you’re sent only issue #2. But from what I gather, in #1 I missed the exposition of the concept: NYCPD Tom Whalen got shot in the head and now is protecting New York from an Irish death Goddess, a ghost, and various other things that go bump in the night. And merciless criminals who, of course, are as scary as anything supernatural. And we’re in the middle of a race riot in Harlem. And there’s some corrupt cops.
There’s an awful lot going on in Chap Taylor, Peter Johnson, and Michael Ryan’s book, on Aspen Press, not the least of which is the art. Ryan has a wonderful ability to make humans look “real” and “real creepy” at the same time, mostly by spending time on faces. Faces are something too many comic artists ignore or hide in shadow. But there’s very little shadow in Ryan’s work. And yet, he can still do horror. Quite good.
It’s hard to get a sense of the writing from this one issue, particularly because the concept is so rich and the plot develops at a pretty breakneck pace. Not that I’m complaining: You’re pretty much in and running from page one, never slowing down.
Solid indie rock. What does this remind you of? I hear a little bit of Bloc Party in here, but not in a derivative kinda way…
I dig it.
Maple Trails EP by Bear Cavalry
They have totally changed the opening to the Walking Dead.
Now, hit the break for lots more foolishness, including the latest on the “real” Batman movie, the status of the Deadpool flick, Green Arrow’s TV show, new Garth Ennis work, and the latest on The Walking Dead.
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Youtube to mp3
