Heard Here

A Sea Symphony, Ralph Vaughn-Williams

The ship at sea has long been a topic pursued by poets, writers and visual artists. But in the orchestral repertoire there are very few works of note that tackle the ample subject outside of the Impressionistic mold (Debussy wrote a couple, such as La Mer). Yet the English composer Vaughn-Williams’ grandiose A Sea Sypmhony from 1910 — the same year of Mahler’s equally extravagant choral Symphony No. 8 — gives an alternate musical perception of the waves and the mariners in a way that is uniquely English.
Conducting professor at Oberlin, Robert Spano, released a disc this year of this sweeping choral work with the Atlanta Symphony, of which he serves as Music Director. The recording is a stunning rendition, combining a boldness and sensitivity that capture the alternating characteristics of the ocean — its fury and tranquility. The playing is visceral and powerful. The bombast sections are never overdone and the piece never loses its drive and intensity. It is grand but manageable, a listening experience that is accessible and not draining to listen to — all told, more than an hour of music.
The symphony’s conservative approach employs texts of the lyrical American poet Walt Whitman and seems content to use very melodic, soothing lines to give the impression of an unending horizon that meets the oceans. Sailors are portrayed with light-hearted sea shanty-like melodies that contrast immensely to the brass fanfares that denote the grandeur of the ocean’s breadth.
According to the liner notes, Vaughn-Williams worked on this symphony — his first and grandest orchestral work — with Ravel, who helped him master the finer points of coloring and texture. Ravel was very pleased with his pupil; Vaughn-Williams, he explained later, was the only one of his students who did not emulate his own French style.
As an English work, Vaughn-Williams borrowed heavily from his research into ancient English hymns. He had previously edited hymnals and collected sea songs from around the world, leading to his publication of “Folksongs from Eastern Countries,” fueling the so-called “worldly” perspective that was a fetish of European artists at the time. The combination of world maritime cultures can be seen in the piece itself: Vaughn-Williams, an Englishman, wrote a piece using traces of Eastern melodies on a text by an American poet.
This may not be the highlight of a collection, but for its musical ingenuity, lucid playing and picturesque moods, it would be great to have around for all of those times you wished you could just get away from everything and head out to sea.

—Douglass Dowty

Another Late Night, Groove Armada

Without a doubt, Groove Armada’s stint in the popular music limelight peaked with the summery laziness of At The River, in spite of the fact that band members Andy Cato and Tom Findlay have a lot more to offer the musical world than just their trademark downtempo music. While this one-dimensional characterization will probably hold for the rest of their career, it may not be such a bad thing.
Since downtempo is a genre that is best experienced while the mind is unwinding, the music’s aura and vibe are the foundation of its aesthetic. Not coincidentally, the true calling card of Groove Armada is their sophisticated sense of feel and taste, both of which are present in overwhelming quantities on the group’s addition to the Another Late Night mix series. Think of the disc as the pure and unadulterated essence of Groove Armada.
The compilation begins with Cato and Findlay’s confused cover of “Fly Me To The Moon,” but just as the jaded listener begins to pigeonhole the duo as downtempo boredom, they kick it up to eleven with two slices of raw and soulful disco house, (the Dubtribe Soundsystem’s mix of) BRS’ “Lovin’ Me” and SG4 Project’s “Work It Out,” both of which harken back to the genre’s pre-commercialized roots. Open Door’s interpretation of Pink Floyd’s “Breathe” eventually follows, highlighting the depth of the Armada’s brilliant taste. While this version is driven by a liquid bass tone and a drumbeat that would make Roy Ayers get down, it takes a deep, networked catalog of a mind to appreciate the funkiness of Pink Floyd (if you don’t believe me pull out “Any Colour You Like” and turn it up so it bumps).
And speaking of Roy Ayers, Cato and Findlay layer his ubergroove “The Memory” under an a capella version of Jeru Tha Damaja’s “Ya Playin’ Yaself,” which heats up the middle of the mix like summer in the city. Not content to stop there, Cato and Findlay use this juxtaposition to introduce a block of vintage soul tracks by none other than musical heavyweights Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Mr. Fingers and Shuggie Otis – all tastefully selected and mixed, of course. The block is punctuated only by a dose of Rae & Christian and The Pharcyde, again proving that Groove Armada are connoisseurs of the incredibly groovy. Loose Ends’ “Feel The Vibe” ties up the album and soothes the listener after an hour of rough-around-the-edges house, funk and soul.
If anything is clear after this mix, it’s that Groove Armada has the best taste in the business. Though people may not realize it, this is undoubtedly why At The River made such a splash, and why Groove Armada may always be remembered as chillout producers. But do yourself a favor: if you’re fan of hip-hop, pop, disco, jazz or any other genre of music, pick up this mix and experience the taste of two musical aficionados. This volume of Another Late Night will keep you grooving until the wee hours.

—Greg Teves

Pig Lib, Stephen Malkmus

Pig Lib is everything you would expect from a decent, but not fabulous Stephen Malkmus album. It features pretty melodies burned to a slightly sour point, noticeably clever layered guitar and ironic metaphor. As per his style, the vocals are still slightly and purposefully off-key and the guitar solos amble rather than punctuate, no matter how short they are. His lyrics reek less of his sophomoric smarter-than-thou need for collegiate irony, although on Pig Lib they sit slightly to the left of obscure, whereas he had moved to decidedly pop sensibilities for his last album with the Jicks. Pig Lib lacks the subtle beauty of Terror Twilight and has none of the raw power of Slanted and Enchanted. It never even goes near the fun pop of the last Jicks album. If his last attempt was pure pop-driven Pavement backlash, this is a mindful, ambling affair that is at times repetitive, but with beautiful moments of great reflection and instrumentation which make it both an enjoyable listen and a worthwhile purchase.
The highlight of the album is Malkmus’s newly featured guitar work. His guitars are slightly more produced and in tune and he uses a multitude of pre-amp effects which bring out not only his craft but also his uncanny ear for simple, melodic guitar lines. In songs like the long rambling “1% of Us,” Malkmus plays with a previously unseen Tom Verlain influence. In fact, as with many bands these days, he lets this album litter itself with Television influence not only in the guitar, but also in the sweeping rhythmic hits that are noticeably taken right off of Marquee Moon. This is not a complaint. The way the Malkmus pulls it off not only showcases his talent but hints at the possibility of a new style for the musician (something which is much appreciated in this album). There is another nice guitar moment where the instruments allow themselves a minute to mosey between an A section and a B section in the middle of “Do Not Feed the Oyster,” and the song closes with a great classic rock 5-1 wailing blues lick that fades into a dissolving multi-layered arpeggio.
Other high moments on Pig Lib include the growling Wah-driven sexed-up rock number “Sheets,” which is planted in the middle of the album as if to remind us of something. And the short and simple love triangle in “Craw song,” which starts out with a lovely use of accordion and stays a quiet little acoustic folk number as the drums never rise above the slight beating of a bongo.
I am going to go out on the limb and risk an Indie Rock lynching: I like Malkmus solo better. The last Jicks album was fun and filled with great sing-a-longs, but this album has a new minute song that remains captivating throughout. I say, Kudos to you Steve-o.

—Harry Gassel