Timothy A. Schuler

Grinderman

Review: Grinderman’s 2 RMX

Grinderman: 2 RMXGrinderman: 2 RMX (Anti-, 4/17/12)

“Evil (Silver Alert Remix f. Matt Berninger)”

[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Grinderman_Matt_Berninger_Evil_Silver_Alert.mp3|titles=Grinderman: “Evil (Silver Alert feat. Matt Berninger)”]

It’s not an obvious idea to remix Nick Cave. His status as a musical icon seems to discourage the thought that his manic tales of depravity can be improved or successfully altered. But Grinderman’s 2 RMX — damn, does it work well. From A Place to Bury Strangers’ post-punk rendition of “Worm Tamer” to the spooky, shamanistic vibe of “Evil” by Silver Alert (Grinderman’s Jim Sclavunos) and The National’s Matt Berninger, it’s a surprise to find a style so distinct that’s also so versatile. Grinderman is ripe for experimentation.

Yann Tiersen

Review: Yann Tiersen’s Skyline

Yann Tiersen: Skyline (Anti-, 4/17/12)

“Another Shore”

[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Yann-Tiersen-Another-Shore.mp3|titles=Yann Tiersen: “Another Shore”]

French composer Yann Tiersen always has taken darker paths — even the Amelie soundtrack maintained a certain melancholy. His solo albums are more overt. On 2010 album Dust Lane, he appropriated a stark passage from Henry Miller’s The Rosy Crucifixion. On his latest, Skyline (finally released in the United States), he takes the tropes of horror films and makes music out of it — at least on “Exit 5 Block 20,” a track that begins with brutal howls­ that only subside for a short portion of the song.