Let me preface: I hate album reviews and I never read them. But, we want an article for the site and I happen to have this sweet Illy Mack tape sitting in front of me that I got at their show last Friday. So, we’re calling this “Let’s Listen to Illy Mack’s Prelude To a Miss: Vol III.” The cover art, credited to Devin Verhulst, is a black and white photo of the moon with a spooky 80’s vibe that I dig. The tape itself is one of the old school black transparent tapes with the track info printed on in white. While I like tapes labeled in lo-fi paint marker and stuff like that, I think Five Three Dial Tone (Illy Mack’s label) deserves some props for a consistent retro aesthetic. Anyway, if you’ll excuse me, I just remembered that the only portable tape player in the house that actually works is a giant ghetto-blaster who lives in the basement. Its name is A-Train. Bear with me here.
Okay I’m back with A-Train. For reference, Illy Mack are Jen and Steve.
Okay I’m back with A-Train. For reference, Illy Mack are Jen and Steve.
Track 1: Rubber Bands – This song does everything that Illy Mack is good at: a punchy guitar hook, a thick baseline, and an equally thin drum beat, all held together with clever and personal song writing. Haters be warned: Illy Mack is a two piece – Steve simultaneously plays bass with his hands and drums with his feet. (Yes, he has an absurd amount of coordination.) While they could’ve easily overdubbed a full drum kit, they didn’t. I know it will probably bother some people, but it was clearly a stylistic decision on their parts and one that I think works. I do, however, think I heard some subtle guitar overdub with a wicked swell leading into the solo, but that kind of thing is not very obvious, and sounds fucking sweet, anyway.
Track 2: Voice of Illy Mack – I have heard before that Illy Mack is a real dude who does sketch art downtown. I assume that this is his voice, and he is endorsing the band named after him.
Track 2: Voice of Illy Mack – I have heard before that Illy Mack is a real dude who does sketch art downtown. I assume that this is his voice, and he is endorsing the band named after him.
Track 3: – What’s Gonna Happen to You – This song is sassy and funky and it rules. It also has a tasteful bass solo that doesn’t suck, which is something that pretty much nobody can do. My only complaint is that this song is like 80% hook, but it lasts barely a minute. This is the kind of song I want to listen to for the entire length of bath time.
Track 4: Seed – Speaking of things that nobody does anymore, here we have a love song (and on piano no less!) I think the reason that most bands don’t write love songs is because they can’t write good ones. Illy Mack doesn’t have that problem. They show off how romantic they can be while Jen gets to bust out her soulful crooning skills.
Track 5: Iron Jawed Angel –They recorded this song FAST. Try to sing along, if you don’t believe me. There are so many lyrics and the bass line is so complicated, I don’t even know how they played it this fast. Maybe they could’ve played it slower, but that wouldn’t have been very punk rock.
Track 6: Cacoon – More catchy hooks, meaty basslines, and smart songwriting. I always liked the call and answer parts on this song between the bass and guitar live, and I like it on the recording too. It sounds like they used a live take for this track, or at least a studio audience. This is kind of an odd decision, since there’s no audience on any of the previous songs, but it will make a bit more sense when we get to the next track.
Track 5: Iron Jawed Angel –They recorded this song FAST. Try to sing along, if you don’t believe me. There are so many lyrics and the bass line is so complicated, I don’t even know how they played it this fast. Maybe they could’ve played it slower, but that wouldn’t have been very punk rock.
Track 6: Cacoon – More catchy hooks, meaty basslines, and smart songwriting. I always liked the call and answer parts on this song between the bass and guitar live, and I like it on the recording too. It sounds like they used a live take for this track, or at least a studio audience. This is kind of an odd decision, since there’s no audience on any of the previous songs, but it will make a bit more sense when we get to the next track.
Track 7: Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow – Illy Mack has been covering this classic Shirelles hit for some time now. I am a big fan of the original, and I have always liked their version. What I don’t like is that they used another live track, and this time the chatter of the audience is so loud and constant that it makes hearing Jen’s voice downright difficult at points. I think I get that they are trying to do something here, but man, did they have to do it on one of my favorite songs?
Track 8: Border Patrol -- This song has one of those massive, space ship sized choruses and a wicked fuzz guitar solo. It would be sweet to hear this song recorded with better microphones, because this recording doesn’t do Jen’s voice justice at all.
Track 9: Cane and Abel – My personal favorite track on the album, this song combines a happy major scale groove with some distinctly insightful and somewhat depressing lyrics. This track also boasts some of the album’s most innovative guitar work.
Track 8: Border Patrol -- This song has one of those massive, space ship sized choruses and a wicked fuzz guitar solo. It would be sweet to hear this song recorded with better microphones, because this recording doesn’t do Jen’s voice justice at all.
Track 9: Cane and Abel – My personal favorite track on the album, this song combines a happy major scale groove with some distinctly insightful and somewhat depressing lyrics. This track also boasts some of the album’s most innovative guitar work.
Track 10/11: Money Don’t Make Me/Leann Song -- These are two songs, but they are held together by the “Money Don’t Make me” refrain. Either way, rad songs, kind of in the philosophical vein of “Taxman.” Out of all the tracks, these two have the highest density of clever wordplay. These songs are hilariously funny!
Track 12: Oprah Freestyle -- Oh shit, it’s time to get SUPER FUNKY! This isn’t quite a freestyle, rather it closer resembles an old school Queen jam in structure. It is, however, about Oprah. And hilarious!
Track 13: No Regrets -- This is another really well written, heartfelt jam. According to the Five Thre Dialtone website, this is a Satin Peaches cover, who put out the tape Prelude to a Miss: Volume IV on the same label. I don’t know what happens when you get all the Preludes, but it might be like collecting the Triforces in Zelda. Anyway, I am way into the piano on this one, and way not into the amount of reverb that the piano has. I can only describe the ending as a piano reverb explosion, which I actually am into, but the piano in the rest of the song just sounds weird. I’m kind of a reverb hater, anyway, so you should probably just not listen to me here.
Track 13: No Regrets -- This is another really well written, heartfelt jam. According to the Five Thre Dialtone website, this is a Satin Peaches cover, who put out the tape Prelude to a Miss: Volume IV on the same label. I don’t know what happens when you get all the Preludes, but it might be like collecting the Triforces in Zelda. Anyway, I am way into the piano on this one, and way not into the amount of reverb that the piano has. I can only describe the ending as a piano reverb explosion, which I actually am into, but the piano in the rest of the song just sounds weird. I’m kind of a reverb hater, anyway, so you should probably just not listen to me here.
I was kind of bummed out when Steve told me that somebody wrote them up and called them a “gimmick band” or a “joke band” or some nonsense like that. I don’t really get that -- are female vocals or minimalist arrangements “gimmicky” now? I don’t know, and I don’t really care. When it comes down to it, Illy Mack writes better songs than anyone else writing songs in Detroit. They consistently use innovative arrangements that result in music that spans a massive emotional and creative palette. This tape is no different, and while it’s not without rough spots, those same rough spots are part of the charm that make Illy Mack’s live shows so interesting. At some point, these two are going to put a release that’s so good, it puts the fear into everyone. But, until that fateful day, we can all rock out in confidence to Prelude to a Miss: Volume III as well as Illy Mack’s Squirles 7”, also on Five Three Dial Tone Records. We hope to have them on the show soon, so check back for that!
Illy Mack is playing February 12 at the Crowfoot, and February 18 at the Atlas Bar.
Illy Mack is on MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/illymack
Buy their shit here: http://fivethreedialtone.com/
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