Yellow Ostrich Aim Out of This World w/ "Cosmos" Album REVIEW

When I first saw Yellow Ostrich perform live, it was back in 2012 when they were opening up for Los Campesinos. I remember that, in a whirlwind of excitement to see Los Campesinos!, I hadn't even bothered to check out the openers before going to the show. I remember even being a bit annoyed as Yellow Ostrich took the stage at Le Poisson Rouge, but those feelings of aversion didn't last long as I felt myself head bumping to the likes of "WHALE" and "Marathon Runner" which build up to groovy climaxes, a technique that Yellow Ostrich has proven themselves especially proficient in. Their latest release "Cosmos" takes a while to hit you. The first half feels very uneasy, like the entire band is just gaining its footing. The opener "Terrors" begins with drawn out chords that sound like they're being emitted from a broken amusement park ride in some scary movie. It's all a tad unsettling, especially when Alex Schaff kicks into high gear singing "I'm the terror in your eyes". "Neon Fists" has an irresistible beat in the background with pleading lyrics of last resort in contrast. Whereas the first half the album feels paranoid, with the guitars of "Shades" feeling like something off of OK Computer, and the epileptic guitars at the end of "You Are The Stars" sending you under the covers, the last five songs are slightly less abrasive, but just as melancholy. In "Things are Falling", a wary surrender in which Schaff sings "I'll never ask you to pretend or try to lie" the buildup creates a tension that becomes visceral, releasing itself in 30 seconds of guitar feedback with muffled voices of radio broadcasts that consume you. It is at that point that the title of the album becomes evident, everything feels very cosmic. The final track "Don't Be Afraid" placates some of the built up tension from this sonic slaughter, but it isn't long before you feel the sense of uneasiness return, as high out-of-tune synth keys burst over an otherwise hushed melody. You feel unaccomplished, like your quest as a listener is unfinished. But it seems that that is exactly how it is intended; there's an existential quality to it. Consensus: "FAVORABLE" Listen Below

"Midnight", New Coldplay Track Shakes Things Up

     I never thought that I would find myself compelled to write about Coldplay on my blog. While their music was certainly my first love, they the first concert that I went to, and they will forever hold a special, sentimental place in my heart, I thought that Mylo Xyloto their 2011 release, would be be the extent of their dabbling in experimental instrumentation and song structures. How wrong it seems I'm turning out to be.
     I write this as "Midnight" plays in the background for the fourth time in a row. I still cannot get a good grip on the song. Early comments have likened it to Bon Iver, which is certainly evident in Chris Martin's airy vocals, which, at times, borders on indiscernible. But the instrumentation doesn't even begin to hint at use of guitars, besides a non intrusive baseline that really just serves to highlight Chris' voice. At around the 2:50 mark, it feels as if the song is about to burst into a familiar Coldplay anthem, but it doesn't and for that I respect it a whole lot more. It takes some balls to be Coldplay, and to release a song this drastically different from say the likes of "Viva la Vida". A song that sits on the ears more like Four Tet than Radiohead. It takes some getting used to, but that is certainly a good sign for a Coldplay track.
     This is the most excited I've felt about Coldplay in a long time, and it will certainly be exciting to see what their next album will entail.