The Music Court

It’s important we get this point out of the way early: I do like Mumford & Sons. Sigh No More was a folk-rock revelation; an ode to crescendoing banjos and acoustic guitars that was paired so nicely with powerful lead vocals that it was similar to a fine wine and food pairing. Every song went down smoothly. Was there inherent self-style repetition in the tunes? Of course. It is no secret that Mumford & Sons change some chords around and follow the same exact pattern in mostly every song: slowly rising power fit with a climactic crash of all instruments at the end of a piece. But that was OK. The music was rich in sound and ebullient. It was the pinnacle of the newer folk/rock movement. And, 5 years later and tremendous success behind them, the band has dropped the banjo, added an electric guitar, and have abandoned the folky sound in favor of mainstream Coldplay-like tunes, which works for Coldplay, of course, but sounds mightily contrived for a band that once yelled “I really f*cked it up” in a fast-paced angry folk song.

But evolution is good in music, Matt. Doesn’t this just show that the band is not willing to follow the same pattern in its songs. This would be true if it were indeed reflective of the song. Listen to it. Instead of slow acoustic instrumentation, the song starts with an ethereal piano that basically replaces the string instrumentation. It is a 2-minute “Fix You”-like piece that lulls the listener to musical sleep. Then, a weird out-of-place electric guitar solos over some drums, and the song turns to a mainstream pop/rock song, a trope overdone by SO many bands. Mumford & Sons has abandoned its originality in favor of a type of music and the band is clearly not adept with it.

Maybe I just don’t get it, and remember this is just one person’s opinion. However, I’m not loving it, and if this is the direction of the new album, it’s a real shame.

Yes, unfortunately we have to wait until April 7 for Beat The Champ, The Mountain Goats’ 15th LP, to be released in the U.S. While we patiently await John Darnielle’s ode to wrestling and “death and difficult-to-navigate interior spaces,” Darnielle is slowly releasing a few tracks off the new album. Today, Darnielle leaked “Heel Turn 2”. Let’s take a listen.

Readers of the Music Court know that I am a big Mountain Goats fan. There is a reason why The Mountain Goats frequent my iTunes favorites list more than almost every band I have music from (second to the Beatles, which is a heck of a compliment). Beat The Champ is the first Mountain Goats release since 2012’s Transcendental Youth. The Mountain Goats do have the unique ability to record consistently incredible albums. It’s tremendous. Darnielle never has a let-down.

“Heel Turn 2” is a classic Darnielle track. It bounces with a driving acoustic guitar and poppy percussion. This is supplemented with some creative instrumentation – lounge piano and ethereal guitar. It’s melancholic (“I don’t want to die in here” is a lyric) and dulcet. The song is almost split into two pieces – one a Mountain Goats standard and the second a lugubriously beautiful piano piece. Heck of a song!

Fans of Los Angeles-based quartet Smallpools could have told you two years ago – after the band’s debut self-titled EP – that its first album would immediately become an Indie Alt/Rock finalist for Album of the Year whenever it dropped. Smallpool’s effervescent electricity shoots through its songs like a electric charge to water, and the result is musical lightning buzzing through your veins with an ecstatic, toe-tapping vibe. Now, almost a month away from LOVETAP!, Smallpool’s debut release set to be dropped by RCA records on March 24, I cannot hold myself back any longer with the effusive praise.

Smallpools has East Coast roots; Mike Kamerman (NJ) and Sean Scanlon (NY) flew away from the cold weather to sunny L.A. to pursue music, and there they met Joe Intile and Beau Kuther, who together combined to form Smallpools. May of 2013 saw the release of the band’s first single – “Dreaming” – track 3 on the album – and “Dreaming” quickly reached #1 on the Hype Machine and #23 on Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart. The band shot out an EP in July of that year and found even more success, having songs featured on FIFA and by Snapchat. The success found tours, and the band has supported Indie staples like San Cisco, WALK THE MOON, and Neon Trees. It’s about time that Smallpools is the main act.

So, what will you hear on the album. Check out this track (above) entitled “Karaoke.” This, the first single off the album (released in November of last year), is an ebullient track with stuttered synth, 80’s-like keys, and energized vocal harmonies. It is beyond just superficial pop; there is true quality to Smallpool’s melodies – there is a passionate strength to this tune, and that is consistent with all of its tracks. I’m drawn to when the track is stripped down to its bare elements – a moment of vulnerability that is refreshing.

“Over and Over” is my favorite track by Smallpools. It is a perfect pop song. A sub-3-minute power piece that meshes elegant synth, echoed vocals, creative percussion, and a tremendous hook. The song meshes Colony House, Grouplove, and even some Jukebox the Ghost into a killer track that is repeat-worthy.

Get ready to hear a lot more of Smallpools – I’m just fine with that!

Check out more about the band on its Website, Facebook, and Twitter