Cougar Microbes

I noticed that when this blog was in its infancy we used to feature way more mashups. Conversely submissions of mashup tracks have grown steadily over the years. Maybe we’re becoming too old or maybe we are too cynical but it feels like every kid with an Iphone app and a couple of acapella tracks can reel off a half decent attempt.

Of course there is always an exception to the rule; when The Hood Internet‘s magic touch is in play is I’m willing to give any track a chance. This time the Chicago duo cleverly build on the global Daft Punk pants-creamathon and the equivalent anticipation for Kanye West‘s rumoured 6th solo album.

The result probably has a little less kick than previous THI outings but the two tracks work a treat together without losing their individual magic

TRACKS:

It’s always hard for me to review the Strokes because I’m conscious of being far from objective when it comes to them and that, to counteract my innate subjectivity, I tend to become far too critical. I openly admit to putting them on a pedestal that is so high that even Kanye West‘s ego wouldn’t reach.

The higher the pedestal, the steeper the climb, and with ‘Comedown Machine‘ it feels like The Strokes have failed to achieve previous peaks. To be honest it might even have been acclaimed if it was the work of some new indie band. However, therein lies the problem; The Strokes aren’t just some indie the band, they are… The Strokes; the best thing that happened to NYC garage rock since The Velvet Underground, and most importantly they are the guys behind that revolutionary masterpiece called ‘Is This It‘.

The Strokes are part of a group of bands and artists that have changed the face of music with their debut album, but never managed to attain that level subsequently. ‘Room on Fire‘, their second album was definitely great but not as meticulous, ‘First Impressions of Earth‘ completely divided their fans ( personally, I loved it) and even though ‘Angles‘ was rather innovative, the chaotic relationship between members during the recording process seemed to impact on the overall consistency of the album.

My first reaction when I listened to ‘Comedown Machine‘ was to think ‘where on earth has Julian‘s voice gone? ‘ and ‘Why the Falsetto ? He sounds like the Bee Gees‘. Of course I have nothing against falsettos, but when Julian Casablancas gives up his unique baritone to sing like Tom Yorke‘s little sister…I cannot help but think of this as wrong. It’s just plain wrong. Furthermore it’s not only the tone of his voice that irritates me ( particularly on ‘Tap Out‘, ‘One Way Trigger‘, and ‘50 50‘), but also the fact that he just sounds half asleep and is sometimes barely understandable.

My second reaction was to think that with this album, The Strokes seem to have sadly completely abandoned that special trademark beat, led by Fabrizio Moretti‘s drums that made them so instantly recognizable, and oh so rock ‘n’ roll.

‘Comedown Machine‘ is obviously heavily influenced by 80s sounds, with a lot of synths and electronic beats, and in that way is overall very similar to ‘Angles‘ and Casablancas‘ solo album ‘Phrazes For The Young‘. With this album they make it clear that their sound has significantly changed since they went from a dictatorship to a democracy after ‘First Impressions Of Earth’, and that they’ve moved away from their nervous style towards a much cleaner and funkier one.

I guess anyone who doesn’t know The Strokes well enough would tend to enjoy this new aspect to their music. I don’t. I like the dark, twisted and nervous Strokes. I like The Strokes that make me jump around every time I hear ‘Last Nite‘, lose my breath on ‘Take It Or Leave It‘, and break my voice on ‘Reptilia‘ or ‘Juicebox‘. Most importantly I miss the The Strokes that were everything but funky.

That said, there is this another side to this album which I quite enjoy as it feels like they are trying to go back to basics ( afterall bassist Nikolai Fraiture did say that it was their aim with this album), and it’s quite nice to have songs such as ‘Partners in Crime‘, ‘All the Time‘ or ‘Happy Ending‘ ( by far my favourite song of the album) that have a much ‘Strokes-y‘ feel to them. I was quite taken aback by how ‘Call it Fate, Call it Karma‘ sounds like Fabrizio Moretti‘s side project called Little Joy.

One thing that you can give The Strokes credit for is trying different styles of music and looking for possible evolutions to their own sound. Also it does sound like they finally had fun creating this album. So if there is one band that never sounds the same it’s them, and yes, a lot of people would see this as great.

Personally, I consider this constant vacillation as the identity crisis of a band that was abruptly chosen as the saviours of indie rock, and are now constantly trying to play the part.

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Post by @OliviaScopes / Olivia
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TRACKS:

1. M83- Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming

Made the Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2011 list here

2: Kanye West & Jay Z – Watch The Throne

Made the Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2011 list here

3: Atlas Sound – Parallax

Made the Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2011 list here

4. Thurston Moore – Demolished Thoughts

For those who don’t know Thurston Moore he’s the genius behind Sonic Youth. With his solo work he offers something very different from the raw material that characterizes his band. This album is very personal, folky and acoustic, oh and it’s produced by none other than Beck. Perfect on a rainy autumn day.

5. John Maus – We Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves

John Maus sometimes sounds so stereotypical that we might wonder if his music is just a big joke ! Everything is exaggerated and weird, from the way he inserts strange sounds when you least expect it, or his obvious nonstop mimicking of Ian Curtis. It’s a lot to handle, but somehow it works perfectly.

6. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues

Made the Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2011 list here

7. Cut Copy – Zonoscope

Made the Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2011 list here

8. Nicolas Jaar – Space is Only Noise

Jaar is only 21, but he already released one of the most acclaimed and talked about album of the year. I think that says it all.

9. The Kills – Blood Pressures

Made the Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2011 list here

10. Metronomy – The English Riviera

Made the Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2011 list here

TRACKS:

Atlas Sound – The Shakes

John Maus. Hey Moon

Benediction by Thurston Moore

Nicolas Jaar – Space Is Only Noise If You Can See (Dave Aju Remix)

Metronomy – The Look

Jay-Z & Kanye West – Ni@#as In Paris ft. T.I. (Remix)

Midnight City by M83

The Kills – Future starts slow [vinyl version] FullHD

Need You Now by cutcopymusic

Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues

 With “Swag” seemingly chosen as the buzz word for 2011 it was appropriate that Jay-Z and Kanye West‘s long rumored collaboration had tons of it. . Having set the bar very high with last year’s ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy‘ it seems anything Kanye touches turns to gold and Jay-Z also has the midas touch again reminding us how much better than everyone else he is. ‘Watch The Throne‘ gives the rap megastars an opportunity to make as many outlandish and likely true boasts as they possible can over a tight production.

Cougar scribe Olivia said: “Take Jay Z and Kanye West, you expect something epic, huge and over the top ( just like the massive promotion around the album ), a mix of Kanye‘s creativity and Jay‘s flow , so something perfect basically. Indeed it is a great album. Considering the amount of talent in this twosome have that’s not too surprising“.

TRACKS:

Jay-Z & Kanye West – Ni@#as In Paris ft. T.I. (Remix)

As the end of the year approaches, it’s time for us to look back at the past twelve months and decide what have been our favourite albums of the year. This time it hasn’t been an easy task because let’s face it, 2011 has definitely not been a great year for music, and personally, I will forever remember 2011 as the year my all-time favourite artist released an album I was ashamed of.

However, in defence of 2011, we could say that it was put in a particularly delicate position by 2010, which generated excellent albums such as LCD Soundsystem‘s ‘This is Happening‘, Arcade Fire‘s ‘The Suburbs‘ or Beach House‘s ‘Teen Dream‘ amongst many others… and ended majestically with Kanye West‘s ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy‘ …

Overall, 2011 seems to be more a year of nostalgia and remembrance than a year of creation, with the release of The Beach Boys‘ Smile Sessions, the remastering of Pink Floyd‘s ‘Dark Side of the Moon‘, the 10 year anniversary of Nirvana‘s ‘Nevermind‘, the end of R.E.M as well as the aformentioned LCD Soundsystem… and finally the deaths of Miss Amy Winehouse, DJ Mehdi and pioneer Gil Scott-Heron , we seem to have embraced the past rather than the present ( this said there wasn’t much to embrace really)…

So yes.. I am disappointed by 2011, but I have to acknowledge that good albums were also released, whilst promising new artists broke through. Let’s hope in 2012 there will be a focus on quality over quantity.

Without further ado check out the Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2011 as we unveil the albums we loved over the past year.

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Forward by Olivia

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 ‘Making Mirrors‘ is the third studio album by Melbourne act Gotye, released in August. Gotye (pronounced gore-ti-yeah) is really one-man wonder Wally De Backer, armed with a sampler and the kind of home studio set up any musician would kill for. When he’s not drumming for indie rock trio The Basics, De Backer builds catchy songs on and around his own recorded samples.

But before you throw him in with Girl Talk (though who doesn’t love Girl Talk), it’s worth mentioning that the hook samples are obscure and generally brief, not the sort of recognisable licks that find their way onto a Kanye West album.  Legend has it that De Backer began sampling after he inherited a hefty collection of old LPs from an elderly neighbour, which explains why most of the samples aren’t immediately identifiable. With this newest album, De Backer relied heavily on live recording drums and acoustic instruments, and then sampling and manipulating them for the desired effect.

The album has already supplied 3 impressive singles—the most recent, “Somebody That I Used To Know” is deliciously simple, with minimal instrumentation and vocals that alternate between bare confessional in the verses, and heavily layered harmonies in the refrain. It’s a formula that also works in the album’s first single; “Hearts a Mess” is catchy and powerful, more uptempo than “Somebody” but more haunting as well.

Every track on ‘Making Mirrors‘ showcases De Backer’s talent for crafting enjoyable and ear-grabbing tunes, but one track stands out above the others lyrically: “Eyes Wide Open,” the second single to be released. Even with a fairly complex instrumentation (including the catchiest gallop beat ever recorded), it’s still the vocals and lyrics that project the most.  The song, which De Backer describes as a “dystopian vision” of the world’s future, is the first that he wrote in what we might consider the ‘traditional’ way—he constructed the song and then worked samples and live recordings into it, as opposed to building the song up from samples.

The rest of the album is a surprising mix of light and dark, with a few heavy songs interspersed between upbeat jams. But the real magic in this album is the pure joy that comes through most of the songs—they have the magnetic delight of motown, that tambourine clap-happy energy that has always made the Golden Oldies so irresistible. “I Feel Better” is the best example of this, since it could probably pass for a Four Tops song, with a twist.

De Backer records, produces, and mixes all the music for Gotye, and recorded ‘Making Mirrors‘ in his parents’ barn. I should probably pretend that it is his ingenious use of original samples, or his knack for production, that makes this album so solid, and the songs so dynamic. But truthfully, the songs stand on their own as well-constructed and memorable tracks, regardless of the recording methods.

As most music snobs, I profess to love analog and sniff at all things digital; but it is a more and more irrelevant point of reference these days, when even ‘live’ recordings are manipulated to fit modern standards of perfection. ‘Making Mirrors‘ is a pleasing combination of both, with layers that blend live and sampled tracks in a way that pop music hasn’t seen yet.

Step aside, Kanye.

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Post by Emily

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TRACKS:

Eyes Wide Open by Gotye

I Feel Better by Gotye

Smoke And Mirrors by Gotye

After answering the previous week’s call from Kendal Calling, it is on to Big Chill for team Cougar Microbes‘ next stop off in a marathon of summer festivals.

Right from the off this is the friendliest I have encountered yet. Stewards wish you a jolly good knees-up. Caterers willingly smile without gritting their teeth. Furthermore there is plenty of space to pitch your tent – and there are showers.

It is no secret that this year’s Big Chill is far from a sellout – the consequence of an ever-growing UK festival market which pretty much operates all year round. But those who have flocked to Eastnor Castle Deer Park are in for numerous great acts to wave their glowsticks to.

Fenech Soler get our procedings off to a start with their cool – sometimes too cool – synth-heavy pop. The tent packs out quickly with impressive hair-do’s and catchy hooks. There are far worse ways to start a weekend.

Next up we have received an anonymous tip that Wild Beasts are tearing up the main stage. Not to fear though, we’re soon nodding along to melodic tunes in the vein of a laid back Everything, Everything. Wild Beasts by name, master craftsmen by trade.

A brief visit to one of our friendly caterers and then back to the main stage. Empire of The Sun ‘wow‘ us with glam costumes, a glitzy stage show and quality pop before veteran dance legends The Chemical Brothers light up the night with an impeccable set.

Day two starts with a gratefully received four-pack of Lucozade delivered by a bleary-eyed Chemical Brothers fan. Our summer benefactors are certainly treating us well.

Today is wetter and greyer but there is still plenty of fun to be had. We try a spinny fair ride, immediately wish we hadn’t, and recover just in time for Metronomy. The Brighton outfit are great, but then we knew they would be. They draw mainly from albums ‘Nights Out‘ and ‘The English Riviera‘, showing off their quirky electro hooks and witty lyrics en route to crowd pleasing closer ‘Radio Ladio‘.

Escaping the gloriously unpredictable weather we head for Juke Joint, a deep south barn themed tent. It feels authentic enough and as DJs spin tidy tunes we sip on a delectable Southern Comfort cocktail. Just the one – we’re working.

Saturday’s headliner is Kanye West who has the crowd howling with disapproval after turning up half an hour late. He somehow wins most people over – citing vocal troubles as his excuse for lateness – then goes on an inexplicable 20 minute rant. He raves about his music videos, boasts about awards, attacks the press and likens his public image to that of Hitler. Cue more howls of disapproval. Nonetheless his performance, when it comes, is fairly spectacular.

The final day of our festival extravaganza is peppered with heavy rain showers. However, this is no reason for the fun to stop. We spend a very pleasant half hour watching PJ Harvey‘s Let England Shake film – in a tent – before scoffing some tea and cake chez Mr Scruff.

Then it’s on to the main stage to take in our final act of the weekend – legend Robert Plant and The Band of Joy. The seasoned local boy blasts out a great set drawn from a back catalogue that boasts Led Zeppelin classics. It is a perfect way to end a great weekend.

Cougar Microbes attended Big Chill 2011 in collaboration with Lucozade‘s Play Festivals campaign.

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Post written by Kenny

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TRACKS:

Fenech-Soler – The Cult Of Romance (Alan Braxe Remix)

WILD BEASTS – Bed Of Nails

The Chemical Brothers – Swoon (DJ Macabre’s Fantastik Remix)

METRONOMY – THE BAY (ROMERO REMIX)

Kanye West – Power

When news started circulating that Jay-Z and Kanye West were uniting to release an album the reaction in Cougar HQ was combination of excitement and apprehension.

Over the past few years these two gentlemen have been responsible for some of my favourite releases but of course these collaborations can be hit and miss (anyone remember when Hov did ‘Best Of Both Worlds‘ with R. Kelly??).

‘Otis‘ sees the two superstars delivering sharp lines and their boastful approach is actually refreshing in contrast to some of their more serious output. My only critique is

The video sees them (seemingly) having a lot of fun suggesting ‘Watch The Throne‘ was as good to record as it has been to listen to so far.

TRACKS: