Let me take you to my room...

Artist: Moonface
Album: Julia With Blue Jeans On
Release: 29.10.2013
Label: Jagjaguwar
Tracklist:
1. Barbarian
2. Everyone is Noah, Everyone is the Ark
3. Barbarian II
4. November 2011
5. Dreamy Summer
6. Julia With Blue Jeans On
7. Love the House You're In
8. First Violin
                                                                            9. Black is Back in Style
                                                                          10. Your Chariot Awaits

 Moonface aka Spencer Krug is a canadian singer/songwriter most known for his experimental indierock bands Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown. In 2010 Mr. Krug created the alter ego Moonface where he started experimenting in the various sounds he created with Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown. He made a collaboration with the finnish instrumental band Siinai and they created a massive record called Heartbreaking Victory which told the dark story of breakup.

 This year Spencer is back with his new record Julia With Blue Jeans On. Recorded in Helsinki Mr. Krug took a different path to the making of the music. He left all the electronical sounds and instruments out of the picture and recorded the album with only a piano and vocals. This is a very dangerous path for artists that are known for their massive sounds in various releases.

 The record is massive! Even though the rawness of the music when Krug is bashing the piano and breaking his voice through out the song it gives the music a really complete sound. It is almost as you could hear the backup band playing in the background. The rawness of the album is almost as pure as when Rufus Wainwright released All Days Are Nights: Songs For Lulu, the piercing vocals give you goosebumps and make you think about your own reality while the smoothing sound of the piano takes your worries away.

 Moonface wanted to tell the story of breakup in his last record, but in JWBJO he wants to tell the process of getting through it and into a new start. The pounding realization of being the victim of the person you love ( Barbarian), to the process where you want to take that one back to your room ( November 2011) and finding that one perfect fragile thing in your life that you can hold on to (Julia With Blue Jeans On), give you understanding that this are actually the words that Spencer Krug wants to get out of his mouth. These are letters of grief and understanding that will help him to move on.

 The melodies and singing on the album is extremely beautiful, in a way Mr. Krug has always given me slightly the same vibe that Paul Banks from Interpol has given me in their best moments. The skillful and playful composing of the songs give a lot of room to the music and keeps you interested. The ceremonial piano of November 2011 makes you feel that you are in a sunday church trying to get forgiveness for your sins and the ravaging ending song Your Chariot Awaits leaves you satisfied about the record.

 There is one slight problem with the record. Although it is good in many ways and the nice switch to a raw sound with just piano and singing it is also its weakness. In some of the songs you lose your concentration and miss some of the greatest parts of the music because of the similarity of the sound in many of the songs. But even though it has some of its misses this is a record that stays with you for a long time and specially in these dark november nights.

4/5

Niklas Aaltio

Spotify : Moonface – Julia With Blue Jeans On
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MoonfaceOfficial?fref=ts
Website: http://www.moonface.ca
Buy the record: http://www.levykauppax.fi/artist/moonface/julia_with_blue_jeans_on/#cd

I need you so much closer...

Artist: Death Cab For Cutie
Album: Transatlanticism
Release Date: 07.10.2003
Label: Barsuk
Tracklist:
1. The New Year
2. Lightness
3. Title and Registration
4. Expo '86
5. The Sound of Settling
6. Tiny Vessels
7. Transatlanticism
8. Passenger Seat
                                                                                                  9.Death of an Interior Decorator 
                                                                                                 10. We Looked Like Giants
                                                                                                 11. A Lack of Color
                                                                  

It is november. The days are darker and feeling are moody almost every day. This time of the year I always take a few precise records from my shelf and listen to them in a repeat. Few of these kinds of records are Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago, William Fitzsimmons - The Sparrow & The Crow and Death Cab For Cuties almost every record. But not Codes & Keys because it is almost like a love record. I wanted to choose Transatlanticism because it was released ten year ago and DCFC have released a tenth anniversary edition of the record!

Death Cab For Cutie has always been one of my favourite bands and Ben Gibbards and Chris Wallas co-operation is something many artists cannot fight with. Transatlanticism is also a good cornerstone with the band, because DCFC got a record deal with Atlantic when releasing this record and got a breakthrough and was recognized by reviewers and public.

The sounds on the album are beautifully crafted. The record has the slight rawness of the emotions that the band wants to give to the listeners, but in a delicate way that it makes the record even more worthy to listen. The painful singing of Ben Gibbard and echoing guitar playing of Chris Walla really brings out on this record. And the major point of using the piano as an instrument brings a new side to the band. This is one of the slowest records Death Cab has ever made, but because of the chillness of the songs it gives an relaxing time for the listener and makes your mind wonder of to the deepest corners of your mind.

The lyrics on the album are dark. The starting lines of the record when Ben Gibbard is singing " So this is the new year and I don't feel any different". You immediately understand where Mr. Gibbard wants you to go with him. The disappointing realization of loving a woman you do not have feelings for (Tiny Vessels), to the painful ending of wanting to make that one last call but realizing it is too late ( A Lack of Color), makes you feel the pain that Gibbard is feeling.

The melodies on the record are soothing and the masterful playing of Gibbard, Walla, Harmer and McGerr makes you understand that they are professional in what they are doing. You can hear the real connection with the players in songs like We Looked Like Giants and Death of an Interior Decorator.

Transatlanticism is one of the records that you must listen many times to find all its best sides. The first listens leave you a little, but the more you get to the meanings in the songs and melodies you start to understand the band more. The painful loop in Transatlanticism and the disappointing sound of Gibbard in the last verse, makes you want to listen to the record once again and dive in to the dark.

5/5

Niklas Aaltio

Spotify: Death Cab for Cutie – Transatlanticism
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deathcabforcutie?fref=ts