R E V I E W S The Counterfactuals (Live Review) By Ian Mercer
The Counterfactuals didn’t quite pack the house at J. Grundy’s Reub ‘N’ Stein for their new single’s release show last Saturday, but they certainly brought an absolutely stellar set to the stage. I gave the band’s debut LP Minimally Decent People a pretty middle-of-the-road review in a previous issue of NoFi, but I’m pleased to say that any lingering reservations I held for the band’s musical value have since been erased by the quality of this live show. Dan Groll (frontman/primary composer/lyricist/heart-throb) has a voice that had always been my favorite part of The Counterfactual’s sound, and its strength was more apparent than ever during this two-hour set. His expressive and solid vibrato gives many of the pieces an extra dimension, and his impressive range is rock solid. Seriously, observe for yourself by listening to their new single “Might As Well Join.” It’s might be hard to believe, but Groll’s concluding proclamation of “The blood! / THE BLAHH-UDDD!!!” didn’t crack one bit, to great effect, during the live show. The secret weapon of the show was definitely Jason Decker’s guitar and synthesizer arsenal. He folds rich and unexpected harmonies underneath the more standard sounds coming from the rest of the band. One unexpected highlight was during the new track “Oh My Child,” where multi-instrumentalist Mike Fuerstein’s rich saxophone tone was treated with an ever-changing gradient of reverb. It was almost as if the saxophone was coming in and out of aural focus throughout the piece’s duration. Decker’s keyboard parts could certainly have been a bit higher in the mix at times, but other than that, his contributions to the band’s live sound are invaluable in that they offer the tracks a valuable boost from their studio counterparts. I wasn’t able to stay until the very end of the (admittedly lengthy) set, but I still feel completely confident when I wholeheartedly endorse The Counterfactuals’ live show. It’s a real pleasure to hear these songs come alive in person, especially when the crowd consists mostly of Carleton students. Be sure to check out thecounterfactuals.com, or maybe hit up their Bandcamp or Facebook pages. A new album will be out this year, and you aren’t going to want to miss it (or the great live shows that’ll come with it).
Drake - If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late By Ben Wedin
In the 2013 music video for “No New Friends,” there’s a scene where Drake is sitting in a massive bubble bath, getting a chest massage and holding a bottle of champagne. It felt a little strange at the time: Drake was still proffering the image of a sensitive kid who followed his own path and turned into a rap star. On If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, Drake is no longer a star; he’s a legend...he’s the legend. He’s rap’s supervillain, looking down from the top of the mountain, disappointed by the competition. An appropriate scene for a song like “10 Bands” would be Drake lighting a Bugatti on fire just to try and spice things up for a night. The album has all the flavors of Drake we’re familiar with: wistful Drake, swaggering Drake, thoughtful Drake. He also seems to have found a host of producers who operate well in his aesthetic: sad pianos and bells, spaced-out samples that are probably reversed, trap hi-hats, and booty-dropping bass. This might suggest the album would end up boring, but Drake’s new persona as an aggressive kingpin is alluring and fresh: “I mean besides Ricky Ross, Aubrey the biggest boss here.” The entire album is similarly full of one-liners that reward multiple listens, which are paired with distinctive melodic and rhythmic riffs that showcase Drake as also one of the most technically gifted rappers around. The similar instrumentals and subject matter across the 17 tracks may make the album feel a little bloated at times. Drake is not stepping out of his comfort zone much, except for maybe a song like PARTYNEXTDOOR-featuring “Preach,” which samples the Henry Krinkle house track “Stay.” This general repetition and lack of cohesion may be explained by the fact that this was originally planned as a free Gangsta Grillz mixtape. But the zone that he occupies is still fly as hell, and it feels so good. As Kanye said in a recent interview, at the end of the day, “it works.” If there was any dispute (at least on the commercial side) of who is the current king of rap, let If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late serve as Drake’s coronation ceremony. 4
