Attack on Memory/Plumb

Attack on Memory - Cloud Nothings (Carpark, 2012)
Quickly following up their wonderfully surprising 2011 self-titled debut, Cloud Nothings try to make a heavy-hitting statement with Attack on Memory, and while it is totally a good record, it falls a little short. Perhaps a little too ambitious, these young dudes decided to write some darker, tighter, and more tough sounding tunes. and I guess I preferred their sloppier, wussier pop punk of last year. There are some nice subtle touches on each of things, and Steve Albini surely made the drums and guitars sound better, but part of the charm of Cloud Nothings was how bright all the songs were. Attack on Memory showcases some excellent musicianship, and the majority of the songs have some truly memorable parts, but I'm not into how hard the band is trying to sound tough. Plus, I was hoping for a little more emo.


Plumb - Field Music (Memphis Industries, 2012)
Even though 2010's Field Music (Measure) was not as good as Tones of Town (2007) or Field Music (2005), I'd still say it was a triumphant return, considering the band had been broken up for about two years. I'm glad to see the brothers Brewis are still going, as Tones of Town was my third favorite album of last decade. Anyway, unfortunately, Plumb does not come close to Field Music at their best. Its ADD and prog tendencies are very reminiscent of Measure, but, instead of 20 songs and 70+ minutes, it's 15 in just over 35. And still, somehow, their brand of Britpop obsessed with the Beatles' 1960s continues to expand. All the songs flow together like movements in your favorite Yes jam, but with those traditional Brewis strings, keys and overall impressive musicianship, Plumb feels more like an economical symphony. Sometimes it's hard to tell songs and sections of songs apart because things move so quickly, but if you're willing to do the work to sort through everything, Plumb is an extremely rewarding experience that has grown on me with every listen. The outright hooks are scattered, but whooh boy, are they there. David and Peter Brewis: challenging music brains since 2004.