Japandroids – Disaesthetic

Best of 2017: #4-6

The Gentlemen of Hodera

Real Estate
In Mind
6

For my first vacation as an independent adult, I visited Japan during Golden Week. The country enamored me. Even just sitting on the Shinkansen, watching rice fields and cities pass by made me forget everything back home. It was a long overdue pilgrimage. Real Estate’s In Mind became the soundtrack to my travels for the week I was there. Something about its easy, calm vibrancy perfectly fit how at peace I felt five thousand miles away from home.

I can sum up my entire serene experience through “Holding Pattern”, the theme of my train travels. Think 70’s J-Rock with its warm guitar tune and hint of psychedelia. The fuzzy guitar hook sounds as pleasant as Japan and its people. I can’t help but reminisce about my stay at Deer Guesthouse, smoking Lucky Strikes and drinking Orions with Andrew. We’ll forever cherish our time in Nara, its indigenous deer, and treasure the coolest host ever, Yamamoto. Hope to see that guy again someday.

Real Estate made one of the best albums of this decade, in my opinion, with Days. Their last effort Atlas didn’t quiet hold up over time. In Mind, however, moved into new artistic spaces for the band.

They utilized synthesizers heavily like never before. The opener, “Darling”, introduces oscillating synths right away, foreshadowing the rest of the album. “Serve the Song” drenches a mellow song in phaser effects. This album possesses Real Estate’s established brand of indie rock which is treated with new dreamy soundscapes and far out grooves, man. Normally I’m not one for psychedelic rock, but it’s balanced here for those not dropping out, like me.

These songs sound as Japanese as The Pillows at this point of their careers. Different bands but both share the same Nippon vibe.

Admittedly, without my visit to Japan, In Mind wouldn’t rank this high. It’s definitely their second best album and I sense it will age well with me. The connection to my trip makes this album so important in canonizing my year. It’s the soundtrack to one of the highlights of the year, and of my life.

Japandroids
Near to the Wild Heart of Life
5
It’s almost been a year since Japandroid’s third studio album came out. Staying relevant this long for my annual list seems so unlikely. Human nature says we’re more likely to prize something fresher. Near to the Wild Heart of Life could easily wither away into memory but seeing them play in LA last year, their first American show in three years, and then again in March back home, made them a fixture.

Check my in-depth review here. I concluded Wild Heart needed time to marinate and would likely take several listens to stick. Many months later, I play it regularly on vinyl.

These tracks all hold up as a collective, a point I’ve focused on with albums in 2017. I’ll take eight strong songs instead of sixteen tracks with half or more garbage/filler tracks. “North East South West” sounds better now than when I reviewed it in February. Perfect song for a road trip through the American Heartland. Think Springsteen and Mellencamp. The verse on “Midnight to Morning” still hooks me. “No Known Drink or Drug” reminds you Japandroid’s simplicity is what makes them a special group.

Reviews varied heavily between writers upon release. Those who praised the record found its ambition to grow in the studio appealing, where detractors thought they lost their piss and vinegar. I understand both takes. Seeing them live, however, proved they’re still premiere performers. Celebration Rock soundtracked the indulgence of drinking Four Lokos and smoking cigarettes with my friends while growing into my twenties.

Wild Heart came out four and a half years later. I’m 26 now and I don’t drink out in the parking lot anymore. I’m entering my late twenties now and I go to bed at a reasonable hour, usually. I give kudos to The Guardian for perfectly naming it “emo-rock for adults.” It certain fits my own mantra. I’m a grown up emo kid now.

Hodera
First Thing First
4
“How do you find these bands?” asks Greg, one of my best friends. I shrug triumphantly like I’m Michael Jordan. I’ve set myself up on the proper channels to make sure new and up and coming artists hit my radar. Hodera showed up on a Facebook ad. They had just over a thousand fans, if I remember correctly. I knew when I heard “Baltimore” for the first time that these guys were already special. They painted the night you met a lover. Everyone tries to do it but few do it as vividly as Hodera.

I think about the ones who have passed through my life. You remember how fulfilling it felt. Makes me want to keep trying.

Reading the vinyl insert validated my affection for them. These guys cut their teeth playing basements in New Brunswick, New Jersey, like my favorite band, Thursday. Something about that area fosters bands who connect so personally with people.

First Thing First reminds me how urgent Full Collapse felt fifteen years ago. “Out of Sync” hominizes my mid-twenties existences. I think about growing up with Bro Gang and missing spending everyday with those guys. If everything could ever feel this real forever, maybe I would know what true happiness felt like.

It’s such a passionate beginning to a sincere and complete record. “Highways” and “Four White Walls” makes you examine yourself. I asked myself constantly what the fuck am I doing here or with this goal. Realizing that you’re working through obstacles helps keep the faith you’ll shed all the grime and find the gem you always were. Sometimes it feels impossible to see or believe in the best of ourselves but we are who we choose to be.

“The Saddest Sentence” owns a special place among these songs. Very light on lyrics but more powerful than most tomes. One composed thought can damage us so much. “I can’t do this anymore” or “Jesus wept” fill in the blank for yourself. That idea holds so much ground with me, and always will.

Hodera hasn’t toured out west yet. I asked them on Facebook if they planned on visiting San Diego anytime soon and got a nice wink to stay patient. I don’t care if I’m the only one who buys a ticket. I will buy mine as soon as they go on sale.

Music Wire #3

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We’re almost through the first quarter of 2017. An hourglass expires faster than it did just a few years ago. Age makes the past fleeting. Time moved slowly, but as life advances time does too.

Memorable music has already built a narrative to remember this year by. January brought Uniform’s blistering sophomore LP Wake in Fright. I was fortunate to seem them in February at The Hideout.

Oliver Houston and Code Orange also released great records as well. Japandroids may end up owning this year when it’s all over. They had steller sold out performance at The Music Box this past Saturday.

I happened to catch Craig Finn (The Hold Steady) and his new band The Uptown Controls open that show. Great song back stories with his songs. His new solo album We All Want the Same Things drops later this month.

Looking forward, Volumes seek to dominate this summer with Different Animals starting June 9th. Real Estate, Joey Bada$$, and others will also seek to dominate their respective scenes too.

Migos has already solidified a spot on many’s end of the year lists. There’s a long way until January so who knows what the rest of the year will bring.

Willful and Young

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Just last year I got to see Japandroids for the first time at The Echo. They had not played in America for over three years. Show was sold out and I made a day of it Los Angeles before seeing them. It was a special day.

That night I got see, hear, experience new music from the band. Even then I felt some of the criticism I’ve read in the media.

“Near to the Wild Heart of Life” was the third song of the set and first time they ever played it in America. My first thoughts were “Bruce Springsteen?” They always seemed like the kind of band that came from the same place as Springsteen.

Dive bars, cheap beer, cigarettes, and leather jackets personify what I like about the band. Springsteen came from this place too but started breaking away from that on Born to Run, and then completely departed on Born in the U.S.A. Now Japandroids have followed this trajectory. I think what the media has missed however is that this is natural and the music is still compelling.

They can’t be that small club band forever. Their popularity has grown too large. These new songs fit a festival better than The Echo, where I saw them. I had to hear the title track a few times to understand what they were going for. Singer/guitarist Brian King moved from his hometown of Vancouver to Toronto. King borrowed the title from authors Claurice Lispector and James Joyce.

Near to the Wild Heart of Life represents leaving adolescence beyond and moving forward with our own individuality and independence. Boyhood is over. We’re in our adulthood now. Speaking for myself I want the responsibility.

After a few listen now, the album and title track reminds me of my own personal growth over the last 12 months. Most of the record intimates coming of age.

It’s drastically different from Celebration Rock or Post-Nothing in respect its theme. You can’t sing about PBR’s and singing with your bros forever. Eventually you leave and try creating your own legacy. I think Wild Heart acknowledges these changes and it’s reflected in the pace, energy, and even the arrangement of the music.

While the title track was an exodus, “No Known Drink or Drug” debuted right after and defused any doubt about of regression. Audience members started rustling around, pogoing with arms around each other. It was a celebration.

They only play three chords on the song and that’s a testament to who Japandroids are. It’s just two men, a guitar, and drums. All they needed was the previous two sentences.

Most of this album sounds very Americana, think Springsteen and John Mellencamp. Seasoned, aged, marinated well. Wild Heart was written and recorded between 2014-2015. Five weeks was spent in New Orleans writing most of the songs.

“North East South West” makes this context obvious. Sounds like they even took a field trip to Mellencamp’s home in the Midwest. Lyrically there’s clearly an affection for the fun they’ve had in America. “True Love and a Free Life of Free Will” has the same elements with more bombastic marching drums and sing alongs for large audiences.

I’ve read wide ranging debate about “Arc of Bar” and how it fits within Japandroid’s catalog. Like the title track it was odd seeing it live. It stands out with synthesizers throughout the track, which I haven’t heard from them before. Comparing its arrangement to other songs though one would find it’s classic form for them with a new layer of sounds to the canvas.

Wild Heart comparatively has a lot of differences the other records. I think most critics are tripping over themselves to harp on this idea. It’s a strength, not a weakness or as Pitchfork would have you believe a wobbling Janga tower.

Admittedly I was unsure how I felt about these tracks the night I saw them in LA. With each listen Near to the Wild Heart of Life sticks. It’s one of those records that doesn’t do much when it’s first released but grows reputation and acclaim over the years.

Spend time with it. Put the needle down and let go. Each track audibly has tremendous care taken to compose songs one will remember and look forward to hearing. I get see them again in March I expect to connect even more with this LP.

Below you can find some images I took of the special edition vinyl I grabbed last weekend from Lou’s Records.