Dusty Likes Music

Ingrid Michaelson, Cloud Nothings

2012-01-31T18:27:00.002-05:00

Ingrid Michaelson – Human Again

She seems to take her music to another level on this album. It’s a stronger set of songs, and they’re a
little more filled out than normal (a lot more strings show up on this album than on previous albums).
She still makes room for her sparse, heartbreaking songs (like “I’m Through”), but most of these songs
just sound bigger than her previous songs. When all is said and done, this will probably end up as my
favorite album of hers to date.

Favorite song: “Blood Brothers”
Rating: 4.5/5

Cloud Nothings – Attack on Memory

Reminds me of Nirvana’s Bleach, just from the general mood. It’s dark, raw, and no overproduced
sheen on it. It’s a rock record, with strong nods to punk. It’s also pretty uneven. There are moments I
really loved, and other moments that just got on my nerves. But the good moments seemed to trump
the not-so-great moments, if only slightly.

Favorite song: “Stay Useless”
Rating: 3/5

Top 20 Albums of 2011

2012-01-18T23:35:00.001-05:00

Over halfway through January, I am finally writing about my top albums of 2011. I think I'm a little slow. Feel free to agree (or disagree) with me in the comments. It lets me know that there are people reading.

20. Okkervil River - I Am Very Far

For the most part, a little more mellow than their past couple albums. But they're able to keep it interesting throughout the entire album. They have a lot of things going on in their songs. I find I hear something new with this album everytime I listen to it.

Favorite song: "Mermaid"

19. Gemma Hayes - Let it Break

I've seen Gemma described as "folk-pop", and I guess that's somewhat accurate, but it doesn't quite describe her. Her songs are beautiful and complex. She does have a folk-pop vibe about her, but she also experiments with electronics and ambience. But she also sounds equally fantastic when it's just her and a piano. She has a terrific voice.

Favorite song: "Fire"

18. Korey Dane - Loomer

A cool little folk album, that delves into bits of jazz and blues from time to time. Most of the songs are lovely...his voices plays very well off his female counterpart.

Favorite song: "Blue (Kids on the Weekend)"

17. Radiohead - The King of Limbs

Something a little different from them (but what else is new). They mix their brand of rock in with some different beats, and, in the case of "Feral", bass that could very well destroy a house. It took me a little longer to really "get" this album than normal, but I really like it.

Favorite song: "Little By Little"

16. TV On the Radio - Nine Types of Light

Sleek, polished, and extremely well produced, this album picks up exactly where Dear Science left off. This album can be soothing one minute and abrasive the next.

Favorite song: "New Cannonball Run"

15. Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials

There is less experimentation with musical styles this time around. There's nothing like the in-your-face punkness of "Kiss With a Fist". Everything feels like it should be an anthem of some sort. Big drums, building choruses, and Florence's voice rising above it all.

Favorite song: "Bedroom Hymns"

14. Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra

I'm not a huge fan of most R&B, so it took me a little while to really like this one. But, once it clicked, I couldn't stop listening to it. His voice is amazing...smooth, soulful, and a little menacing at times. This being a mixtape, he will occasionally sing over existing songs (Coldplay's "Strawberry Swing" and The Eagles "Hotel California" being the most notable tracks), and that can be a little distracting, but he brings his own sound to the entire album. There's a little something for everyone on this album.

Favorite song: "Swim Good"

13. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

This album is a big step up from their previous album. It is able to maintain the intimacy of the first album, while also making a much more polished album. It sounds pristine...like an album recorded in another era, but with today's recording equipment. The entire album sounds clear as a bell, but there's also something kind of dusty about it, like it's meant to be listened to on vinyl while you're sitting on the dirty floor of a cabin. It's a magnificent folk album.

Favorite song: "Helplessness Blues"

12. EMA - Past Life Martyred Saints

In this album, EMA creates a world that is simultaneously violent and beautiful. She builds soundscapes that envelope you. All you want to do is turn the music up louder and let it fill the room. It took a while for this album to click, but, once it did, I couldn't turn it off. It's definitely not for everyone, but, if you're looking for something a little different, give this one a spin.

Favorite song: "Marked"

11. Feist - Metals

There are some beautiful pop songs on this album...which really isn't a surprise, given her past work. The instrumentation is gorgeous and lush, with songs at times exploding into clanging and chants. Every time I listen to it, I find something else to like about it.

Favorite song: "Undiscovered First"

10. Rihanna - Talk That Talk

This is her best album. It's a concise 11 tracks, with no filler. She mixes R&B with dance, hip-hop, pop, and rock. It's a fantastic listen, start to finish. And the closer ("Farewell") is absolutely perfect.

Favorite song: "Drunk on Love"

9. Zola Jesus - Conatus

Like a mixture of Bjork and Bat For Lashes, Zola Jesus mixes tribal and dance beats with dark synths to create a groove-filled and dark sound. I was amazed at how much I loved this album.

Favorite song: "Vessel"

8. The Roots - undun

This is probably my favorite Roots album since 2004's The Tipping Point. While they have guests on this album, there aren't nearly as many as there have been on their recent efforts. But, more importantly, this feels more like a cohesive album than anything they've done in a while. It's short, sweet, and to the point. It's a laid-back album: something to throw on late at night, sit back, and relax to. It's still an exciting album, but there's a definite laid-back vibe to it.

Favorite song: "One Time"

7. Tom Waits - Bad as Me

Waits brings his unusual mixture of rock, blues, ballads, and unique storytelling ability to this album. It's a strong set of songs, with a great opener ("Chicago") and closer ("New Years Eve"). It's Tom Waits at his finest.

Favorite song: "Hell Broke Luce"

6. Eisley - The Valley

I loved the first Eisley album, and, while I liked the second, there seemed to be something missing. Something had changed in their sound that didn't quite work out. But they returned to form with this album. It's a little dark, but they still maintain their same charm and energy that they brought on the first album. It's a little more driven, but it's still terrific. After repeat listens, this may be my favorite album of theirs.

Favorite song: "Mr. Moon"

I'm cheating a bit with these next two. But they're both by Action Bronson, and they sound similar enough that I feel like I can group them together.

5. (Tie) Action Bronson - Dr. Lecter

He borrows his sound pretty heavily from Ghostface Killah. Between his voice and the musical style (soul samples and electric guitars), he's practically a dead-ringer for Ghostface. Not in a bad way, of course. There's still something new about it, and he has an energy that can't be denied.

Favorite song: "Chuck Person"

5. (Tie) Action Bronson & Statik Selektah - Well Done

Bronson teamed up with producer Statik Selektah on this album, which means less soul samples. But Bronson is so good you barely miss those samples. He's able to meld his vocals to any style of music and make the transition seamless. If there's any justice in this world, he should be blowing up very soon.

Favorite song: "Stay Off the Grass"

4. My Morning Jacket - Circuital

I've always kind of liked My Morning Jacket, but never really saw what the big appeal was. This album won me over. It's a great album...a perfect mixture of rock, pop, folk and country. There's not a bad song on this album.

Favorite song: "Slow Slow Tune"

3. Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver

One word: beautiful. It's a perfectly realized album. At times it's lush and atmospheric. At times it's sparse. At times it's Bruce Hornsby. But it's always beautiful. I wasn't sure if he could top For Emma, Forever Ago. But this album is so different that it's hard to even compare the two. They're both amazing, but for entirely different reasons. I can't wait to see what he does next.

Favorite song: "Holocene"

2. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes

This is a dark, slinky album. All bass grooves and synths and her voice. That voice. There's a lot of depth to her voice. Whether she's singing "I'm your prostitute" over a tribal beat or "Oh sadness I'm your girl" as part of a reverb-soaked tale of heartbreak, she really gives her all on every line. She's an amazing talent, and she's only getting better.

Favorite song: "Sadness is a Blessing"

1. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy

It's hard to find words to describe this album. The songs are complex, driven by the layers of guitars and synths, all running over the deep bass and grooving drums. Like EMA's album, this is one that I just want to turn up louder to get the full effect. Every song has so much going on in it that I just want to drink it all in. Even on a slower song like "Champagne Year", the instrumentation keeps me interested. It's an album that is so amazingly interesting that I can't see myself ever getting sick of it.

Favorite song: "Strange Mercy"

Best of 2011: Honorable Mentions

2012-01-12T19:25:00.003-05:00

I'm working on my list of favorite albums for 2011. I'm not quite done with it. So, in the meantime, here are some that didn't quite manage to crack the top 20. Really, after looking at this list, it's a little upsetting that these weren't able to make it into my top 20. Just a good year for music, I guess.

The Black Keys - El Camino
Favorite song: "Gold on the Ceiling"

James Vincent McMorrow - Early in the Morning
Favorite song: "And If My Heart Should Somehow Stop"

The Blueflowers - In Line With the Broken-Hearted
Favorite song: "Maybe"

Keren Ann - 101
Favorite song: "You Were on Fire"

M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
Favorite song: "Steven McQueen"

Laura Marling - A Creature I Don't Know
Favorite song: "The Beast"

The Submarines - Love Notes/Letter Bombs
Favorite song: "Tigers"

Gillian Welch - The Harrow & The Harvest
Favorite song: "Hard Times"

Jessica Lea Mayfield - Tell Me
Favorite song: "Sometimes at Night"

William Fitzsimmons - Gold in the Shadow
Favorite song: "Psychasthenia"

The Low Anthem - Smart Flesh
Favorite song: "Boeing 737"

Lupe Fiasco - Lasers
Favorite song: "Words I Never Said"

Childish Gambino - Camp
Favorite song: "Sunrise"

The Antlers - Burst Apart
Favorite song: "Putting the Dog to Sleep"

Lydia Loveless - Indestructible Machine
Favorite song: "Bad Way to Go"

Ben Sollee - Inclusions
Favorite song: "Captivity"

Buck 65 - 20 Odd Years
Favorite song: "Superstars Don't Love"

Wilco - The Whole Love
Favorite song: "One Sunday Morning"

Tom Waits, St. Vincent

2011-10-27T17:06:00.003-05:00

Tom Waits – Bad As Me

I have long been in love with Tom Waits, so I was really looking forward to this album. His first album of all new material since 2004’s Real Gone (and his first new music of any kind since 2006’s Orphans: Bawlers, Brawlers and Bastards.

And it doesn’t disappoint.

He doesn’t really break any new ground here, but he doesn’t need to. He has broken enough ground in his career. He is equally at home in dirty, shuffling blues (“Chicago”, “Bad As Me”), tender ballads (“Talking at the Same Time”, “Last Leaf”) and dark tales of post-war life (“Hell Broke Luce”). There are a couple of songs I’m not overly fond of (“Raised Right Men”, “Satisfied”), but, for the most part, this is Tom Waits at his best, taking sounds from his previous albums and melding them into something new that can be equally beautiful and terrifying.

On top of some of his regular musicians (his son Casey on the drums, Marc Ribot on guitar, Larry Taylor on bass), he is also joined on this album by some pretty big names: Keith Richards, Flea, and Les Claypool all appear on at least one track.

Favorite track: “Hell Broke Luce”

Rating: 4.5/5

St. Vincent – Strange Mercy

Upon the release of her first album (Marry Me), Annie Clark (the mastermind of St. Vincent) was seen to be a quirky songwriter, somewhere in the vein of Regina Spektor, but with less piano. The second album (Actor) took her a little bit away from that, with her carefully sculpted soundscapes that brought about a marriage of chaos and beauty.

With Strange Mercy, Clark delves more into the latter description. The songs are filled with distorted guitars and huge synths, while her voice floats over it all, and sometimes dips back down to join. It’s a beautiful, organized chaos, and it’s amazing. Turn it up loud enough, and you can easily lose yourself in these songs.

Even the slower songs are extremely interesting. There are so many layers and textures to them. And her phrasing is perfect. The sublime "Champagne Year" just wouldn't sound the same in the hands of anyone else.

She has a way of twisting melodies that is just fascinating to hear. There is a Pixies documentary that came out a few years ago in which PJ Harvey tried to describe Joey Santiago’s guitar style. She said he seemed like he was bending the music in such a way that you almost had to twist your body to feel like you were hearing it correctly. It’s an odd description, but I completely understand what she is saying. And I feel the same thing about this album. This happens especially towards the end of “Cruel”. The music just keep building and her voice just keeps getting higher, and it’s almost impossible to listen to it while sitting still. And I love it.

Favorite track: “Strange Mercy”

Rating: 5/5

Zola Jesus, The Weeknd

2011-10-01T09:14:00.001-05:00

Zola Jesus – Conatus

Spooky, glitchy, and lush. This album feels like a combination of Kate Bush, Bjork, Bat for Lashes and Florence + The Machine. Her voice is amazing…haunting and threatening and heartbreaking (sometimes all at once). It’s 55 and rainy outside right now, and this album feels perfect.

Favorite track: "Vessel"

Rating: 4.5/5

The Weeknd – House of Balloons

I had been hearing about this guy for a while, so I thought it was about time I’d give him a shot. I like it. It’s a nice little R&B album. A little different from what I usually think of when I think of R&B (he uses a lot of interesting textures), so that certainly helps (some songs have a touch more Reznor than your typical R&B album track). There are times when some of the songs kind of bleed together, but, for the most part, I really like it. He’s no Frank Ocean (who is?), but, if you’re looking for a good R&B album, you could do a lot worse than The Weeknd. (The same review pretty much applies for his second album, Thursday.)

Favorite track: “The Knowing”

Rating: 3.5/5

Duke Spirit, Veronica Falls, Lisa Hannigan

2011-09-22T23:03:00.001-05:00

The Duke Spirit – Bruiser

Where their previous albums had a fairly abrasive rock edge, this one seems a little different. That edge is still there, but it’s been softened a bit. They seem more concerned with the textures of their songs. Liela Moss (lead singer) seems to be finding a new way to use her voice, as she slinks it around these new arrangements. It’s a different direction for The Duke Spirit, and I really like it.

Favorite track: “Homecoming”

Rating: 4/5

Veronica Falls – Veronica Falls

Most of this album feels like a 50s doo-wop album, drenched in reverb. Pretty melodies and harmonies are everywhere. The songs are driven by a nice little guitar line, and drums that don’t do much beyond keeping the beat. It reminds me of Loveless Unbeliever by The School, but with more reverb. It’s a nice little album. There’s not much to it, but it’s fun. The sun is shining outside, and this seems like a good album to be listening to right now.

Favorite track: “Come On Over”

Rating: 4/5

Lisa Hannigan – Passenger

Damien Rice’s favorite back-up singer releases her second album. It’s good. Not altogether different from what she has already done, but it’s nice. Folksy, with some pretty interesting arrangements. Somewhere along the line, though, all of the songs kind of bleed together. It’s a pleasant enough album, but nothing really jumped out at me.

Favorite track: “Passenger”

Rating: 3/5

Fall Music

2011-09-02T17:39:00.004-05:00

The last couple of days notwithstanding, the weather has begun to cool down. The first Saturday of college football is tomorrow. Almost without warning, Fall is in the air.
That got me to thinking about the music I like to listen to during this time of year. Everyone has those albums that just seem to sound better depending on the season. Or the mood. Or the precipitation.
I decided to look through my music and pick out the albums I usually turn to around this time of year. This is not a complete list, but it does include some of my favorite albums for this time of year.
Since there are so many, I've decided not to write reviews for them. Or give them ratings. Suffice it to say, I love all of these albums, and they would all get somewhere between a 4 or a 5. The only order they're in is alphabetical.
Feel free to share your own albums in the comments. Hopefully I'll write some more of these in the future, but I make no promises.

The Appleseed Cast - Low Level Owl: Volumes 1 & 2
Favorite track: "Doors Lead to Questions"

Beck - Sea Change
Favorite track: "Lost Cause"

Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
Favorite track: "Cataracts"

John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
Favorite track: "Part 1: Acknowledgement"

Common Children - The Inbetween Time
Favorite track: "How Many Times"

Counting Crows - August and Everything After
Favorite track: "Anna Begins"

The Cure - Show
Favorite track: "From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea"

Dear Euphoria - Heal My Violence
Favorite track: "Heal My Violence"

Elliott - Song in the Air
Favorite track: "Carry On"

William Fitzsimmons - Goodnight
Favorite track: "Hold On With My Open Hands"

A Girl Called Eddy - A Girl Called Eddy
Favorite track: "Girls Can Really Tear You Up Inside"

Granada - Takes a Lot of Walking
Favorite track: "Once Long Ago"

Emmylou Harris - Red Dirt Girl
Favorite track: "Red Dirt Girl"

James Iha - Let it Come Down
Favorite track: "No One's Gonna Hurt You"

Margot & the Nuclear So and So's - The Dust of Retreat
Favorite track: "Talking in Code"

Marissa Nadler - Songs III: Bird on the Water
Favorite track: "Diamond Heart"

Ola Podrida - Belly of the Lion
Favorite track: "Sink or Swim"

Paper Route - Paper Route EP
Favorite track: "Let You Down"

Pedro the Lion - It's Hard to Find a Friend
Favorite track: "Secret of the Easy Yoke"

Elvis Perkins - Ash Wednesday
Favorite track: "While You Were Sleeping"

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Summer of Fear
Favorite track: "Summer of Fear, Pt. 2"

Shearwater - Rook
Favorite track: "Home Life"

Sparklehorse - It's a Wonderful Life
Favorite track: "Gold Day"

Starflyer 59 - Gold
Favorite track: "Messed Up Over You"

Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans
Favorite track: "To Be Alone With You"

Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden
Favorite track: "I Believe in You"

Velour 100 - Fall Sounds
Favorite track: "Joy"

Girls, Zee Avi, I Break Horses, Loney Dear, Red Hot Chili Peppers

2011-08-29T22:24:00.000-05:00

Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost

At times, they recall their sunny-pop influences from the 60s. At others, they bring to mind early 90s alternative rock. Sometimes this happens on the same song. It can be a schizophrenic album, but it all works well together. Nowhere is this more evident than on “Vomit”, which starts in the mold of 90s rock, then transitions into breezy pop, and ends with a repeating refrain of “Come into my heart,” while a Procol Harum-esque organ plays in the background, and a chorus backs up the refrain.

It’s a good album for these fading days of summer.

Favorite track: “Vomit”

Rating: 4/5

Zee Avi – Ghostbird

Light, airy folk, with a hint of bossa nova at times (and more than a hint at other times). It’s a good album for a lazy day…somewhere in the vicinity of Bebel Gilberto or Carla Bruni, with some Feist thrown in for good measure.

Favorite track: “Concrete Wall”

Rating: 3/5

I Break Horses – Hearts

A nice little summery shoegaze album. I like it, but there’s not much to it. By about the middle of the album, all of the songs bleed together into one big reverb-soaked mass. There’s nothing wrong with that (like I said, I like it), but I was at the end of the album before I knew it, and I couldn’t really think of any songs that sounded much different from the rest of the album. This seems to be a good one to put on and just let the sounds wash over you. They basically sound like Beach House, with more than a nod to the drones of My Bloody Valentine.

Rating: 3.5/5

Loney, Dear – Hall Music

Loney, Dear haven’t changed much since they started. Three albums in, and they’re still making the same sort of big, well-orchestrated pop music that they did on their first album. However, they do it so well that the sameness of their albums doesn’t really bother me. This is a good, solid album. There are a handful of songs that I like a lot, and the rest of them fall into the category of “pretty good,” even if I can’t remember exactly what separates them. Still, they know what they’re doing, and it shows.

Favorite track: “What Have I Become?”

Rating: 3/5

Red Hot Chili Peppers – I’m With You

I didn’t care for Stadium Arcadium, but, for some reason, I was hoping that I would like this album. I do not like this album. It starts off well enough with “Monarchy of Roses”. It’s not a great song, but it’s decent, and it’s a good, high-energy song to start things off on the right foot. The album quickly falls off, though, culminating in the awfulness of “Look Around” and “Happiness Loves Company”.

To quickly summarize: it’s an album filled with a couple decent songs, a lot of bad ones, and a couple terrible ones.

Favorite track: “Brendan’s Death Song:

Rating: 1/5

Tiny Ruins, Asteroids Galaxy Tour, Mister Heavenly

2011-08-08T17:18:00.000-05:00

Tiny Ruins – Some Were Meant for Sea

Beautiful, delicate folk songs. I love her voice. It’s perfect for this style. She reminds me a lot of Marissa Nadler, which is never a bad thing. And, like Nadler, this feels like a really good album to listen to on a cold day. Hopefully those days will be here soon.

Rating: 4/5

Favorite track: "Death of a Russian"

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour – Fruit

I heard this band on a new Heineken commercial, and I really liked their sound. Kind of old-timey, but modernized. So I tracked down their album and gave it a listen. I like it. There are times when the songs kind of bleed together, as they don’t really deviate from their style, but still…it works. I don’t like all the songs, but I like enough of the songs to enjoy the album. It’s kind of a ragtime-meets-70s-lounge-meets-Gorillaz sound…if that makes any sense.

Rating: 3/5

Favorite track: "The Golden Age"

Mister Heavenly – Out of Love

They describe their sound as “doom-wop”, and it makes perfect sense. Mister Heavenly is comprised of Honus Honus (of Man Man), Joe Plummer (of Modest Mouse) and Nicholas Thorburn (of Islands and The Unicorns), which makes them a super-group of sorts (their touring bassist is Michael Cera, but he doesn’t play on the album). Their sound is rooted in the vocal/musical style of doo-wop, but infinitely darker. It’s an interesting sound. There are enough good (and catchy) songs to make this a good listen. It was a great listen on a dreary, rainy day like today.

Rating: 3/5

Favorite track: "Pineapple Girl"

My Followers, The Lassie Foundation

2011-08-02T22:09:00.000-05:00

I looked the other day and saw that I had quite a few followers on this little music blog (47, to be exact, but I assume a lot of them are of the spam variety).
Considering I don't really do much with this, that's pretty amazing to me. I think I know two of you. So that means that I don't know how the vast majority of you found me (or why you read me).
If any of you - my followers - read this, please leave a comment (or send me a message) as to how you found my blog...hidden deep within this corner of the internet.

And now, a short review:

The Lassie Foundation - Pacifico

This album came out 11 years ago (has it really been that long?), but I listen to this album - without fail - multiple times every summer. It's a terrifically fuzz-poppy album...you can find their sound somewhere between the shoegaze of Ride and the feel of the Beach Boys. It's a gorgeously shimmery album If you're looking for a perfect summer album, it's right here. If you've never listened to this album, check it out now, before summer ends. You can download the entire album at Amazon for $6.99 right now. That's a great deal.

Rating: 5/5
Favorite track: "El Rey"

Joss Stone, Babette Hayward, Brilliant Colors

2011-08-01T17:51:00.001-05:00

Joss Stone – LP1

There was a time when I loved Joss Stone. That time was when her first album – The Soul Sessions – was released. I loved the sound of it. I loved her voice. And I keep thinking that I love Joss Stone…but I think I still just love that first album, because I have yet to hear anything released since then that has captured my attention. I don’t hate this album. It’s a decent album. But there’s not much that draws me back to it. She still has a terrific voice, and there are a couple of pretty good songs on this album…but there isn’t enough to make me want to keep listening to it. As far as a modern soul/pop album goes, you could do a lot worse…but you could also do quite a bit better.

Rating: 2.5/5

Favorite track: "Newborn"

Babette Hayward – You Might Be Somebody

I have listened to this album at least 3 times by now, and nothing really stands out. It’s not bad. It’s an extremely listenable album. But it’s fairly innocuous chick-pop, with nothing to separate her from the thousands of others who inhabit that genre.

Rating: 2/5

Favorite track: "That's Gold"

Brilliant Colors – Again and Again

A good summer-pop album. They have the sound of a girl group, but drowned in fuzz and reverb. It’s a short album, which is good…they don’t have enough variance in their sound to keep you interested for a long time. But still, it’s a nice little album.

Rating: 3/5

Favorite track: "How Much Younger"

A non-music related note: while I have been writing short, not-very-well-thought-out reviews of albums that I've been listening to at work, one of my younger brothers has started an amazing blog where he looks at different baseball statistics. It can be fairly in depth, but they're extremely interesting. If you have a free minute - and if you care at all about baseball - head over there and check it out. His blog is called Statistical Meanderings, and it's incredible.

The Blueflowers, Theophilus London & Washed Out

2011-07-21T22:38:00.000-05:00

The Blueflowers – In Line With the Broken Hearted

It kind of sounds like they took the pop sounds of the 50s, 80s, and 90s, then just kind of took turns with the sound of each decade. Also, there are moments where they mix in some spaghetti western-sounding stuff. I kind of like it. They don’t jump out to me as an amazing band, but I like their overall sound pretty well. There are times when the lead singers voice starts to sound a little squeaky, but it doesn’t happen often. At times, it sounds like their going for the whole Mazzy Star thing, especially in her vocals; there’s definitely more than a hint of Hope Sandoval there.

Favorite track: "When it Started"

Rating: 3/5

Theophilus London – Timez are Weird These Days

I’m normally not a big fan of British hip-hop (that is to say, I don’t really like Dizzee Rascal or The Streets), but there’s something different about this guy. The music really tends more towards electro than hip-hop the majority of the time. But, unlike the two artists I just mentioned, London actually has a good feel for the music…a good flow. I never really got that feeling from Dizzee Rascal or The Streets. I don’t love the whole album, but there were enough good moments to keep me interested in it throughout.

Favorite track: "Last Name London"

Rating: 3/5

Washed Out – Within and Without

I guess this is what the kids are calling “chillwave”. I can see that. It’s airy music and vocals layered over electronic beats. There wasn’t much here that jumped out at me, but it seemed like a nice album to kind of put on in the background on a lazy day.

Favorite track: "A Dedication"

Rating: 3/5

Even More Quick Hits

2011-07-13T23:21:00.001-05:00

Apparently my goal was to post so seldom that people would stop checking the blog, then throw an insane amount of reviews at you.

The Cool Kids - When Fish Ride Bicycles

I loved their first album (The Bake Sale), so I was looking forward to this one. They do a very good job of paying homage to their old school heroes (especially Run DMC), while not making it cheesy. They continue that trend on this album. Actually, I think they did an even better job on this album. Those influences are still there, but they seem to be trying to craft their own sound on this one. It's an infectious album.

Favorite track: "Rush Hour Traffic"
Rating: 4/5

The Bony King of Nowhere - Eleonore

It's a folksy little album. There's not much to it. It's not bad, but there's nothing that separates him from the legions of others that sound exactly like him. Basically, it's a less-good version of the first Fionn Regan album.

Favorite track: "Eleonore"
Rating: 2/5

Des Ark - Don't Rock the Boat, Sink the F***er

I don't really know what to make of her. I think I like it. There are songs that are stripped down and pretty, and others that are basically emo tracks. It all seems to work. The music seems serious enough...but then there's a track called "FTW Y'all!!!!", and I just can't take her seriously...even though it seems like she may not be taking herself seriously.

Favorite track: "My Saddle is Waitin' (C'Mon Jump on It)"
Rating: 3/5

R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now

Kind of feels like an older R.E.M. album...back when they were consistently making good music. Even if it doesn't rank up there with their best work, it's still a good album. Listen loud.

Favorite track: "Uberlin"
Rating: 3.5/5

Tyler, The Creator - Goblin

At times, it's a horrorcore album (which he talks about on the album). At other times, it's an incredibly interesting look into the mind of a young kid who shot up to fame in a hurry. In those moments, it's a fascinating listen. Overall, it's a bit long, and, by the end, all of the songs start to sound the same. It's a dark album, but there are a number of amazing tracks on this album. It's well worth a listen.

Favorite track: "Yonkers"

Rating: 3.5/5

Action Bronson - Dr. Lecter

This guy borrows his sound from Ghostface Killah...fantastic verses over soul samples and the occasional electric guitar. He never quite reaches the transcendent levels that Ghostface does, but he's still really good. The entire album is fantastic, with a handful of stand-out tracks. Right now, this is my hip-hop album of the year.

Favorite track: "Chuck Pearson"
Rating: 4.5/5

Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra

Like Tyler, The Creator, Frank Ocean is a park of the Odd Future crew. But Ocean is the R&B crooner in the group, which sets him apart from the rest of them. I'm a little undecided on this album. I think I like it - there are even a couple tracks I love - but I feel like I should like it a little more than I do. Maybe it'll grow on me with future listens. As it stands now, I like it pretty well.

Favorite track: "Lovecrimes"
Rating: 3.5/5

Quick Hits

2011-07-11T22:48:00.002-05:00

James Vincent McMorrow – Early in the Morning

Dubbed “the Irish Bon Iver”, and I can really see it. He has that same ghostly falsetto. And, while this album is a bit more fleshed out with instruments than Bon Iver’s first album, it still has that same stripped-down feel at points. I wouldn’t put him on the level of Bon Iver, but there are some really amazing moments on this album.

Favorite track: "We Don't Eat"

Rating: 4/5

Beyonce – 4

It’s Beyonce. Some of the tracks were amazing. Some of the tracks didn’t do much for me. When it hits, it’s fantastic. When it doesn’t, it’s kind of boring (and, at times, a little annoying). It’s uneven, but I enjoyed it.

Favorite track: "Best Thing I Never Had"

Rating: 2.5/5

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Belong

I feel like I should’ve liked this more than I did. Lots of reverb and distortion. Seems like it should be a great summer album, but it just didn’t click for me. I didn’t dislike it…but it just seemed to be the same song over and over again. This seems like one that I’ll like more with repeated listens.

Favorite track: "Strange"

Rating: 3/5

Buck 65 – 20 Odd Years

This is something a little different for him. He’s always been a little strange, but this one seemed almost like a collage of musical styles, all trying to fit into hip-hop. A little bit of pop. A little bit of rock. And a handful of moments that I can’t even quite describe. I enjoyed it, but it doesn’t really rank up there with his Bike for Three album, or Situation.

Favorite track: "Superstars Don't Love"

Rating: 3/5

Asobi Seksu – Fluorescence

I heard about these guys a while ago, and this is my first time to actually sit down and listen to them. Much like the Pains of Being Pure at Heart album, this is one that I feel like I should like (and in the same category, too…kind of fuzzy, summery music), but I didn’t really like it. Nothing really jumped out. I think I’ll end up liking the Pains of Being Pure at Heart album more than I’ll like this one. In fact, I’m not sure I have much of a desire to listen to this album again. It just felt kind of blah.

Favorite track: "Pink Light"

Rating: 1.5/5

Family Portrait – Family Portrait

Seemed like a lo-fi summer album. But, once again, it didn’t really hold my interest. There were some good moments, but most of the album just felt like one big underproduced faux-tribute to the Beach Boys. I don’t get it.

Favorite track: "Come Back to Me"

Rating: 2/5

More Quick Hits

2011-07-07T19:37:00.002-05:00

Judging from the amount of new music I've been listening to lately, it looks like this will keep going for a while. hope you like a barrage of short music reviews.

Wild Beasts – Smother

Reminded me of the most boring parts of Shearwater. Not bad, really…but just not much to it. It seemed like they were going for a very calm, atmospheric-laden album. Which they got…but it never really seemed to go anywhere.

Favorite track: "Deeper"

Rating: 2/5

Paul Simon – So Beautiful or So What

I really like this album. Kind of a throwback for him. Lots of acoustic guitars. A good overall feel to it. It feels like a summer album.

Favorite track: "Love is Eternal Sacred Light"

Rating: 4/5

EMA – Past Life Modern Saints

It’s a little different…she kind of reminds me of some of Kim Gordon’s tracks on the Sonic Youth albums, but with better vocals. The music was a mix of ethereal soundscapes and random clanging. She is equal parts beauty and violence. I feel like I shouldn't like it, but there's something that keeps drawing me back in. She creates wonderful of terrifying worlds in her music.

Favorite track: "California"

Rating: 4.5/5

La Sera – La Sera

Quiet, well-crafted, 60s-influencd, reverb-laden summer pop. There’s nothing spectacular about it, but it’s a really good listen on a lazy summer day.

Favorite track: "Beating Heart"

Rating: 3.5/5

Friendly Fires – Pala

I’ve read a lot of great reviews for this album. I don’t get it. It just sounds like typical dance music to me. Everything kind of sounds the same after a while, and it got a little boring. Plus, the guy’s voice kind of grated on my nerves after a while.

Favorite track: "Helpless"

Rating: 2/5

The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow

Nice male/female folk music. There were a couple of songs that really jumped out at me, and the rest of it was pretty solid. I like the way their voices sound together.

Favorite track: "Poison & Wine"

Rating: 4/5

Kendrick Lamar – Section.80

I’d heard good things about this album, some calling it the best hip-hop album of the year so far. I guess that may be true, but only because I haven’t heard a whole lot of really good hip-hop this year. I liked it, but I didn’t love it. Seemed like a standard hip-hop album to me: a couple of great moments, some pretty good moments, and a couple that I just didn’t care for at all. Sometimes his voice got on my nerves, but not overly so. I liked the production pretty well.

Favorite track: "Ronald Reagan Era"

Rating: 3/5

Solander – Passing Mt. Satu

I liked their last album, so I was excited about this one. More of the same…dark, Swedish pop music with hints of folk. Not too many songs jumped out at me, but this seems like one that will get better with repeated listens.

Favorite track: "Follow"

Rating: 3.5/5

Holly Brook – Like Blood, Like Honey

She is now known by another name (Skyler Gray, known for her hook on Dre’s “I Need a Doctor” and Lupe’s “Words I Never Said”), but this was her first foray into music. Different than I expected…it basically sounds like a Sarah McLachlan album or something. I liked it pretty well, but there’s not much to it. She has a terrific voice, though.

Favorite track: "Wanted"

Rating: 2.5/5

Modern Skirts – Gramahawk

Sunny pop music. I like it, but there’s not much to differentiate this from their previous two albums. Also, his voice kind of gets on my nerves at times. Not bad, but not great.

Favorite track: "Happy 81"

Rating: 2.5/5

Peter Bjorn & John – Gimme Some

Swedish pop. They got really big a few years ago with their single “Young Folks”. I didn’t get it then, and I don’t get it now. They’re not bad, but it’s pretty standard pop. I enjoyed it, though…seems like good summer music.

Favorite track: "Down Like Me"

Rating: 2.5/5

Death Cab for Cutie – Codes & Keys

I’m not sure I’ll ever love this band as much as I used to. I like this album. It’s pretty good throughout, with a couple songs that I really liked. But it just feels like something is missing.

Favorite track: "Codes & Keys"

Rating: 3/5

Dawes – Nothing is Wrong

Just a good country(ish) album. They have the whole Crosby, Stills & Nash sound down…but not quite on the level of those guys. Maybe a band like The Thorns would be a more accurate comparison. It’s solid throughout, with a few tracks that I absolutely love.

Favorite track: "Million Dollar Bill"

Rating: 4/5

Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues

I kind of liked their first album, but I really feel like they took a major step forward on this album, without making too many changes to their formula from their first album. It’s mountain folk, and they highlight their tremendous harmonies. It seems to get a bit bogged down by the end, but the first half is incredibly strong.

Favorite track: "Helplessness Blues"

Rating: 4/5

The Mummers – Mink Hollow Road

A pretty good, low-key summer pop album. Not quite as good as the La Sera album, but it’s not bad.

Favorite track: "Stuck in the Middle"

Rating: 2.5/5

Ben Sollee – Inclusions

He is throwing a bit more experimentation in on this album, and it all seems to work. There’s nothing as immediately good as “To See the Sunrise” on this album, but there’s a lot of really good stuff on here. He still has that soul-music-with-a-cello thing going (with more than a hint of Paul Simon), but with an added dimension. This guy truly is amazing.

Favorite track: "Captivity"

Rating: 4.5/5

Emmylou Harris – Hard Bargain

I love Emmylou, but this album left me without much to think about. It’s along the same lines as Red Dirt Girl (my favorite album of hers), but it really feels more like Stumble Into Grace. It’s good, but not as good as it could be.

Favorite track: "Goodnight Old World"

Rating: 3/5

Quick Hits From Recent Albums

2011-07-05T20:16:00.006-05:00

I've been listening to a ton of music at work recently, so I thought I'd post my thoughts about them here. For the most part, it's only a sentence or two, as they're my quick, initial thoughts on the album. At some point, I'll plan on writing more about some of these albums. But, seeing as how I don't post too much, I wouldn't bet on it.

Bon Iver - Bon Iver
Amazing. Simply outstanding. A little 80s at times, but an amazing (and amazingly textured) album. Were it not for Lykke Li, this would be the runaway frontrunner for Album of the Year.

Favorite track: "Holocene"
Rating: 5/5

Seeker Lover Keeper - Seeker Lover Keeper
This is the new band from Australians Sally Seltmann, Sarah Blasko, and Holly Throsby. I love Sally Seltmann, so I thought I'd check out this album. I like it. It's nice, pleasant folk music, with fantastic harmonies. I don't love it, but it's a nice little album.

Favorite track: "Even Though I'm a Woman"
Rating: 3.5/5

The Violet Burning - The Story of Our Lives
Three discs worth of new music. It's quite a lot of music to get through, but there isn't a bad song on the album, and there's something to be said for that. It reminded me of what I love about them. Well worth the $25 (for the record, that $25 gets you the mp3 download, and a pdf scan of the artwork).

Favorite track: "Lights Out"
Rating: 3.5/5

Kerosene Halo - Kerosene Halo
An acoustic album from two artists I used to be in absolute love with: Derri Daugherty (from The Choir) and Mike Roe (from the 77’s). It’s a collection of some new songs and some covers (including a Tom Waits cover). I like it. Pleasant. But I feel like they could’ve made it more interesting.

Favorite track: "Bad Sense of Direction"
Rating: 3/5

Handsome Furs - Sound Kapital
Good, upbeat, synth-based rock. Not too much different from their previous album, but a good way to inject some energy into a Monday morning.

Favorite track: "Serve the People"
Rating: 3.5/5

William Fitzsimmons - Gold in the Shadow
I like it, but I don't love it. It's a little more produced than his previous albums. I love his more stripped-down stuff, so I was happy to have purchased the deluxe version (with acoustic demos) of this album. It's not his best album, but I still really like it. It's a good, heartfelt folk album. But do yourself a favor and buy the deluxe version to get the demos...it's well worth it.

Favorite track: "Fade and Then Return"
Rating: 3.5/5

Gemma Hayes - Let it Break
I've never listened to her before. I really like her. Her voice reminds me quite a bit of Abra Moore...and I love Abra Moore. It's a good, solid album, with a couple tracks that really jumped out to me as amazing.

Favorite track: "All I Need"
Rating: 4/5

Jessica Lea Mayfield - Tell Me
I listened to this album because it was produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. I expected somethign in that same vein. I was mistaken. She tends to lean more towards country than blues. She has a unique (if a little old-fashioned) sound. I really dig it.

Favorite track: "Sometimes at Night"
Rating: 4/5

Over the Rhine - The Long Surrender
I used to love this band. They started to get a little predictable, and their last album (The Trumpet Child) was awful, and had one of the worst songs I’ve ever heard (“If a Song Could Be President”). They turned it around a little on this new album. Nothing special, though. It’s pleasant enough, but there’s not much to it. Still, it's a nice little folk-pop album.

Favorite track: "Rave On"

Rating: 2.5/5

Nicole Scherzinger - Killer Love

As far as radio-dance-pop goes, it's pretty forgettable. It's not bad, but there's not much to separate her from the legions of other stuff along these lines. She's nowhere close to being in the same league as Katy Perry.

Favorite track: Nothing really jumped out at me

Rating: 2/5

Matt Valentine - What I Became

I started listening to this, and lost interest about three tracks in. If I remember correctly, it sounded like some sort of experimental folk. Some extremely uninteresting experimental folk. I may give this another shot, but, from what I heard, I'm not a big fan.

Favorite track: Don't have one

Rating: .5/5

The Bear Coat - Adding Mass

This is the band of Jason Parks from Up & In: The Baseball Prospectus Podcast. It's an interesting listen. At it's heart, it's a folk album, dressed up with some pretty impressive atmospherics. An enjoyable listen.

Favorite track: "Harry"

Rating: 3/5

Gillian Welch - The Harrow & The Harvest

About time. Finally, after 8 albums, Gillian released a new album. It's more of the same...old-style, stripped-down folk music. And I love it. It's not her best album, but it's still fantastic, and there are a number of amazing songs on it.

Favorite track: "Hard Times"

Rating: 4.5/5

Viva Voce - The Future Will Destroy You

They've really settled into a nice niche of making good pop/rock. This feels like a really great summer album.

Favorite track: "Plastic Radio"

Rating: 3/5

The Rosebuds - Loud Planes Fly Low

A good pop album. I liked it throughout the entire album, and there were a handful of moments that made me think, "What was really amazing."

Favorite track: "Waiting For You"

Rating: 4/5

Various Artists - Rave On Buddy Holly

A tribute album to Buddy Holly, featuring an impressive list of artists. Some were fantastic (She & Him, Jenny O, The Black Keys, My Morning Jacket, Florence + The Machine, Modest, Mouse), and a couple were downright confusing...and probably pretty terrible (sadly, these included Lou Reed & Paul McCartney). Overall, it was an enjoyable listen, if a little uneven.

Favorite track: "I'm Gonna Love You Too" - Jenny O.

Rating: 3/5

Miles Kane - The Colour of the Trap

He was a member of The Last Shadow Puppets, so I thought I would like this one. Meh. It was decent. It all kind of sounded the same to me. I was pretty disappointed by it.

Favorite Track: "The Colour of the Trap"

Rating: 2/5

Toro Y Moi - Underneath the Pine

Kinda cool. Electronic poppy stuff, with odd traces of funk from time to time. Not sure I love it, but I liked it pretty well. A good morning album.

Favorite track: "New Beat"

Rating: 3/5

Haroula Rose - These Open Roads

A nice little folk album. I loved the first track, but nothing else really jumped out at me. It seemed nice enough, but it wasn't really anything special.

Favorite track: "Brand New Start"

Rating: 2.5/5

Matt Bauer - The Jessamine County Book of the Living

I loved his last album, so I was looking forward to this one (plus, I lived a good chunk of my life in Jessamine County, so that's pretty cool). More of the same, really...darkish, haunting folk with bluegrass leanings. Good songwriting, too.

Favorite track: "Blacklight Horses"

Rating: 4/5

Woods - Sun & Shade

I don't get it. They make fairly innocuous summery/dreamy pop, with nods to The Beach Boys (which is usually something I love), but it's not quite grabbing me. I feel like they're doing the same thing as Beach House, but not nearly as well. Maybe it will get better with repeated listens, but, after one listen, I wasn't impressed.

Favorite track: "Who Do I Think I Am"

Rating: 1.5/5

Sondre Lerche - Sondre Lerche

I'm normally a fan of his sugary-sweet pop, but nothing jumped out at me from this album. It sounded nice, but not particularly interesting.

Favorite track: Nothing jumped out at me

Rating: 2/5

TV On the Radio, Korey Dane, Keren Ann, Dear Euphoria

2011-06-01T23:18:00.001-05:00

It's been a while. I apologize. For a while I was listening to a bunch of horror related songs, and watching a ton of horror movies (which you can read about at my zombie blog). But there has been a ton of great music recently, so it's time I wrote about it...if only a little.

TV On the Radio - Nine Types of Light

My love of TV On the Radio has been well-chronicled. That will not change on this album. Sure, I may not like it as well as Dear Science, but that's a pretty hard peak to reach.

This album stands at 10 songs. It's nice and concise. There isn't a bad song on it (I'm not crazy about "Killer Crane", but I wouldn't call it a bad song), and there are two insanely amazing songs ("New Cannonball Run" and "Repetition", which are back-to-back).

Once again, the production (provided, once again, by member Dave Sitek) is top-notch. The songs are terrific, but they're taken to an entirely different level with Sitek's production. There's that wall of sound feel, without it ever feeling cluttered. It just sounds big and amazing...it just makes me want to turn it up as loud as possible and have the sound fill the room. The drums are massive. Just...massive.

If you like TV On the Radio, you're sure to like this album. If you've never listened to them, this isn't a bad place to start. They're still their inventive selves, but this is also a pretty accessible album.

Rating: 5/5

Favorite Track: "Repetition"

Korey Dane - Loomer

I just happened to stumble upon this album, and I'm glad I did. At first listen, it just seems like a nice little folk album. And maybe it is. But there appears to be something more to it. There's an openness and fragility to this music that seems real...but there's also something warm about it. His voice is terrific, and it's complimented well with a female vocalist.

The album really starts out strong with the first two tracks ("Mother Father" and "Blue (Kids on the Weekend"), which are my favorites on the album. There are still some great songs after those two ("Rattlesnake Love" and "Oh Louise" stand out in my mind), but those are my favorites. They're just amazing. Here's a version of "Mother Father" (stripped of the orchestral stuff on the album version):

That video explains his sound better than I ever could.

It's a solid album. Like I mentioned, 4 tracks stand out in my mind, but the rest of them are all pretty good, too. Not amazing, but pretty good.

If you like this kind of music at all, definitely check this out.

Rating: 4/5

Favorite track: "Blue (Kids on the Weekend)"

Keren Ann - 101

I loved Keren Ann's self-titled album. It's an amazingly gorgeous album...lush soundscapes built behind her beautiful and unique voice. It had been 4 years since that album was released, and I had no idea what to expect with this one.

I still don't, really.

It's a lot different from any of her previous albums. It's a lot more pop. At least, it starts out that way. "My Name is Trouble" is a jaunty little pop tune, capable of getting stuck in your head before you know what hit you. Same goes for "Sugar Mama", or the 50s-feel of "Blood on My Hands".

But, once I started listening to this album, I realized there was a lot more to it than just the memorable pop moments. "You Were on Fire" is a slow song, driven by the bass line and the orchestra. It's beautiful and heartbreaking in a way that only Keren Ann can do. "Strange Weather" is a dark, piano-driven song that almost sounds like a descent into madness. The closer, "101", is an odd spoken-word piece, where she counts down from 101, with something for each number, starting with, "One-hundred-and-one floors."

It's an album that reveals more with each listen. There are a number of pop moments, but this is not your typical pop album. Of course, it's Keren Ann...who could expect a typical pop album?

It's not my favorite album of hers, but I like it a lot.

Rating: 4/5

Favorite track: "You Were on Fire"

Dear Euphoria - This Night Will Flee EP

This is a short EP...only 4 songs. Dear Euphoria are from Sweden, and have not caught on in the states yet (to be honest, I'm not even sure how big they are in Sweden). As such, this EP would be very easy to overlook. But that would be a mistake.

Words can't quite describe how I feel about this EP. It's incredible. It's lush and beautiful, and Elina Johansson's voice just seems to float over the walls of sound behind her.

Actually, as long as "Coming Down" was on this EP, the other three songs could be terrible and I would still love this EP (for the record, the other three songs are also incredible). This song is just...perfect. It's remarkable. Listening to this song in headphones is an otherworldly experience. There's just something to it. Here's the video:

Put on your headphones, turn up the volume, and just listen to this song. I'm madly in love with it, and I only love it more with each listen.

Rating: 5/5

Favorite track: "Coming Down"

Coming up soon...Tyler, the Creator, Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, and my summer listening.

Zombie Prom 2011

2011-05-14T12:57:00.000-05:00

For those of you who don't know, I will be deejaying a zombie prom in Danville next weekend. I have been watching a lot of horror movies in preparation, and have been keeping track of my progress here. I have also been trying to put together a list of songs for this event: I want to make them danceable, but I also want to keep a sinister feel. So I've been looking for songs with a sinister vibe, or songs that make reference to monsters or something.
I have also been trying my hand at remixing some horror movie themes, and you can find my results here. I'm pretty happy with them so far. Check them out and give me some feedback if you get the time.
Anyway, I thought I would list some of the songs that I have collected for the event, and see what you thought. Feel free to give me your suggestions.

"Psychotic Girl" - The Black Keys
"The Ghost Inside" - Broken Bells
"Ain't No Grave" - Johnny Cash
"Red Right Hand" - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
"Revenge" - Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse
"My Body's a Zombie for You" - Dead Man's Bones
"Howl" - Florence + The Machine
"Thriller" - Michael Jackson
"Halloween Remix" - Ronald Jenkees
"Mad World" - Gary Jules
"Monster" - Lady Gaga
"Conversation 16" - The National
"Tomorrow You'll Be Forgiven, But Tonight You Will Have Your Teeth Knocked Out" - Jesper Norda
"Dracula's Wedding" - Outkast
"Ghostbusters" - Ray Parker, Jr.
"Nosferatu" - Parov Stelar
"Stay Zombie Stay" - Elvis Perkins
"E.T." - Katy Perry
"We Suck Young Blood" - Radiohead
"Walk on the Wild Side" - Lou Reed
"The Curse" - Josh Ritter
"She Wolf" - Shakira
"Wolf Life Me" - TV On the Radio
"Alex Descends Into Hell for a Bottle of Milk" - U2
"Living Dead Girl" - Rob Zombie
"Werewolves of London" - Warren Zevon

There are more, but that's a short list. Thoughts? Additions?

If you want to get more details about the Zombie Prom, go here.

Lykke Li, Radiohead, Englishman

2011-02-26T12:47:00.000-05:00

Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes

I thoroughly enjoyed Lykke Li's first album, Youth Novels. It was an off-kilter pop album with some extremely catchy songs ("Dance. Dance. Dance." was my favorite). If her voice bordered on cutesy from time to time, it was forgivable, because the songs were still really good.
For as much I liked Youth Novels, Wounded Rhymes blows it out of the water. The cutesy vocals are gone. The music, once fairly light and happy, has been replaced by a darker, denser mix. The minimalism of "Dance. Dance. Dance." has been scrapped, in favor of the tribal, threatening "Get Some", the 50s reverb-drenched (and organ-laden) "Sadness is a Blessing", and the positively Bat for Lashes "Jerome". Her voice, while a little odd, mixes with all the music extremely well, to the point where I can't imagine anyone else singing these songs...at least, not singing them as well as she does.
This is a fantastic album, and an early candidate for album of the year.

Rating: 5/5
Favorite Track: "Sadness is a Blessing"

You can listen to the entire album here.

Radiohead - The King of Limbs

This album came out of nowhere. On a Monday, we found out it would be coming out the following Saturday. We all knew that Radiohead did things a little differently, but no one expected this.
On the first listen, I wasn't quite sure what to make of this album. Only 8 tracks, and very heavy on the skittering beats that were found in Thom Yorke's The Eraser. But they seemed to be more prevalent than on that album...the instrumentation seemed to take on some kind of modernist experimental jazz feel. "Looks like they've been listening to Flying Lotus a little too much," was my first thought. And, even after 8 listens, that's still my thought. It's not a bad thing (I'm quite fond of Flying Lotus, myself), but it seems to be a very strong influence on this album.
I wasn't a huge fan of this on my first listen. It was different, but nothing really jumped out at me. But, after multiple listens, I started picking up on the depth of the songs. There's so much going on in each song, but I didn't really hear it at first. While the lyrics often leave something to be desired, the music truly is amazing. The louder I listen to this album, the more I hear, and the more it wraps around. The instrumentation is so dense that it seems to fill whatever space I'm in.
If you've never listened to Radiohead, this isn't the place to start. But, if you already like them, you're sure to love it.

Rating: 4.5/5
Favorite Track: "Little By Little"

Englishman - Englishman

I heard about this album from a friend. I didn't know much, just that it was supposed to be a nice little folk album in the vein of Iron & Wine.
While that could be a way to describe it, it seems a bit simplistic. Yes, it could be described as a folk album - definitely in the singer-songwriter family. But there's more going on here. This is not a stripped-down, man-and-his-guitar type of album. Sure, those moments are on here, but there are also moments with more instrumentation. The songs center around his guitar and vocals, but that is not all there is. "Pet Cactus" features pulsing drums, some electric guitar, and random bits of percussion. Even simpler songs ("Planted", "Classically Trained") are perfectly accompanied by a piano.
I can see the Iron & Wine comparison, but only in regards to the stripped-down nature of some of his songs, and the lyrical nature of the songs. Past that, I don't see it. Iron & Wine's stripped-down moments were more stripped down than this, and his voice doesn't sound a bit like Sam Beam's.
If you're into the singer-songwriter genre at all, you're sure to love this album.

Rating: 4.5/5
Favorite Track: "Classically Trained"

Top 20 Albums of 2010

2011-01-22T15:06:00.000-05:00

It's a few weeks late, but here it is...my top 20 albums of the past year. Apologies to those who didn't make it (Joel Alme, Starflyer, Dr. Dog, Lissie, Cheyenne Marie Mize, Black Milk, Jonsi, etc.).

20. God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise - Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs

When I first heard the name of this album (and saw the name of the backing back), I thought to myself, "Oh no...Ray has gone bluegrass." And he has...to a certain extent. While a lot of the instrumentation has a bluegrass element to it, you'd be hard-pressed to call this a bluegrass album. I wasn't a huge fan on the first couple of listens, but the more I listened to it, the more I loved it. The instrumentation may have been veering a little more towards bluegrass than on his previous albums, but it worked well. The things I loved about Ray (the songwriting, the voice, the melodies, etc.) were all still there. The more I listened to it, the more I realized that I liked this one more than his previous album. There's a delicateness to these songs that I haven't really heard since his first album.

Favorite track: "Like Rock and Roll and the Radio"

19. Plastic Beach - Gorillaz

Gorillaz past albums are a mishmash of pop, rock, hip-hop, and, at times, cartoon-level goofiness. That's what I expected with this album. And there was some of that, but there was more of a theme to this album. An overriding atmosphere that permeates the album. In this album, a world has been created...a world that may seem like paradise, but has a sinister layer underneath it all.

Favorite track: "Rhinestone Eyes"

18. Sigh No More - Mumford & Sons

Mumford & Sons create a dark blend of bluegrass, folk, and rock. But it's something more than that. They're able to create songs that sound like they were recorded centuries ago, in a mountain range you've never heard of...yet it still sounds strangely modern. Their songs start of slow and sparse, then build until they explode. It's impossible not to tap your foot to this album.

Favorite track: "Little Lion Man"

17. Brothers - The Black Keys

I've been a Black Keys fan for a while. There was a time (around the release of Magic Potion, I believe) that I thought, "Where do they go from here?" They had released a handful of albums, but they were all beginning to sound pretty similar. They had a sound deeply rooted in the blues...but they didn't really seem to pull from any outside influences. For Attack and Release, they teamed with Danger Mouse, and they changed their sound. Not dramatically...just enough to where it felt different. They added more instruments. They played around with arrangements. For the first time, it felt like they were being creative, rather than just being content in playing blues.
I can't say that they stepped it up a notch with Brothers, but they definitely took some things away from Attack and Release. This isn't just a blues album...it's a rock album as filtered through the blues. There are songs that seem to borrow from T. Rex ("Everlasting Light") and 60s soul ("Unknown Brother') as well as their standard blues sound. They even throw in some harpsichord and organ for good measure.
It's a terrific album. It shows that they're able to retain their blues sensibilities, while still branching off into different directions. The different directions never seem forced; they never seem out of place. It all seems to fit. And while the album does feel a bit long (15 tracks), it's hard to find a track that you would want to cut.

Favorite track: "She's Long Gone"

16. Treats - Sleigh Bells

They took elements from rock, pop, and hip-hop, threw the lead vocals to a peppy girl, then distorted everything they could. The result is about a half-hour of upbeat, manic, ear-rattling music that is ridiculously catchy, and really, really good.

Favorite track: "Crown on the Ground"

15. O Ye Devastator - Doug Burr

Doug Burr makes beautiful music. He's a folk singer, but the thing that struck me first about him is the atmosphere of his music. It's not just the instrumentation...it's the feel of it all. There's a lushness to it, even when there's not much going on. I can't fully explain it, but there always seems to be something going on that you can't quite hear...something filling in the spaces. It doesn't make sense, but, for some reason, that's how his music feels. On top of all that, he has a terrific voice (it's unique, but it works really well with his music), and he's a fantastic songwriter.

Favorite track: "High Blood and Long Evening Dresses"

14. The Wild Hunt - The Tallest Man on Earth

A new album, but the same formula: man plays guitar and sings, then throws in some banjo a little later (the last song on this album features a piano, but that's the exception rather than the rule). The description doesn't look like much, but he has a way of drawing you in. He sings with such passion that you can't help but love the songs. His voice is gritty, but full of depth. He plays guitar with a delicateness that can turn into violence in an instant. He is The Tallest Man on Earth. If you haven't listened to him yet, this is a good place to start.

Favorite track: "King of Spain"

13. Buzzard - Margot & The Nuclear So & So's

I fell in love with the sound of Margot. For their first two albums, they built songs up with a wall of instrumentation. They took folk songs and enveloped them with horns and percussion. It was a beautiful sound.
With this album, they ditched all of that in favor of a more rock-oriented sound. Because of that, I didn't like it right away. Seemingly everything I loved about this band had been stripped away.
But the more I listened to it, the more I realized there were still some elements of that sound left over. The songwriting was still there. They still had songs that started off stripped-down and heartbreaking that ended up exploding into noise. Sure, the "noise" didn't include the standard horns and percussion, but it was still there.
Margot has changed their sound on this album. I still don't love this album the same way I love their past albums, but it's still a terrific album.

Favorite track: "Lunatic, Lunatic, Lunatic"

12. IRM - Charlotte Gainsbourg

This album was produced by Beck, and you can definitely tell. In fact, at times it sounds like a Beck album with a female singer...but that's not a bad thing. The trashy instrumentation. The slightly out-of-tune guitar. The off-kilter melodies. Charlotte doesn't have what I would call a great voice, but she has a voice that works very well with the music. Sometimes it soars over the building strings (as it does on "Time of the Assassins"), and sometimes it sounds a little odd (as it does on "Me and Jane Doe"), but it always fits perfectly with the music. Charlotte Gainsbourg and Beck seem to have found a kindred spirit in each other...and we can all be thankful for that.

Favorite track: "Me and Jane Doe"

11. Volume Two - She & Him

There are no surprises here. The fact that this album is called Volume Two makes sure that you know what you're getting: it picks up exactly where Volume One leaves off. It's an album full of 50s-60s inspired pop songs. While it's not quite as good as Volume One, it's still a great (and catchy) album. Here's to hoping there's a Volume Three on the horizon.

Favorite track: "Thieves"

10. Heart That's Pounding - Sally Seltmann

Having put out a handful of albums with her band New Buffalo and being a fairly successful songwriter (she co-wrote Feist's "1 2 3 4"), Sally Seltmann is no stranger to the music scene. But this is her first solo album, and it's obvious from the get-go that she knows what she's doing. She has a sound that has roots in 50s girl-group pop and the smoky soul of Dusty Springfield. It's a terrific album that feels older than it is.

Favorite track: "Dream About Changing"

9. My Best Friend is You - Kate Nash

Kate Nash's first album was a piano-based pop album. It had some great songs, but it had a handful of songs that I didn't care for too much. This album is great, start-to-finish. While there's not anything on here that ranks up there with the best songs on her first album ("Foundations", "We Get On"), there are some that come extremely close ("Kiss That Grrrl", "Doo-Wah-Doo", "Don't You Want to Share the Guilt?"), and the album itself is stronger. She seems to draw from a bigger pool of influences on this album (the doo-wop sound is evident on a handful of songs), but the pop sensibilities from her first album are still very heavy here.

Favorite track: "Don't You Want to Share the Guilt?"

8. Odd Blood - Yeasayer

An odd combination of electro, space-funk, rock, and world music. It doesn't sound like that would work well, but it does. Surprisingly well, in fact. It all melds into a strange combination of sounds to create a truly unique and oddly catchy album. Give it a little time, and you won't be able to stop listening to it.

Favorite track: "Mondegreen"

7. Loveless Unbeliever - The School

An album that borrows their sound heavily from the girl group pop of the 50s and 60s, but borrows just as heavily from The Smiths. It's an album that sounds simultaneously classic and modern. It's immediately catchy, but there's a depth to the songs kept me coming back to the album.

Favorite track: "I Want You Back"

6. Broken Bells - Broken Bells

Danger Mouse's involvement all but guaranteed that I would love this album before it came out. Then it came out, and my love was immediately justified. It has a lush and unique pop sound, one that is extremely addictive. James Mercer's voice fits perfectly with the music. It's a short album...concise. But it's catchy, and there's enough going on in each song to guarantee that you will never get bored.

Favorite track: "October"

5. The Age of Adz - Sufjan Stevens

To say that this is a radical departure for Sufjan is to completely miss the point. It's not a huge departure: while this is not the same sound as Illinois or Michigan, those influences aren't completely gone. They just seem a little less prominent and a little more sinister than on his previous albums. There's a dark undertone to the arrangements, and the strings seem to signal that something bad is coming. More often than not, when those strings come in, they're behind a skittering, glitchy beat.
Some of those stripped-down Sufjan moments show up from time to time (most notably the opening track, "Futile Devices", and at the end of "The Age of Adz"), but they're not a prevalent as they have been.
It's a strange album. Even though retains some of the same sounds as he had used on his previous albums, we see them here in a different light. This is a different direction for Sufjan, but it's still terrific.

Favorite track: "The Age of Adz"

4. The Lady Killer - Cee Lo Green

Cee Lo has been around for a while, but he really burst onto the national scene in 2006 with the release of Gnarls Barkley's St. Elsewhere. With this album, he seems primed to show people that his name is not really Mr. Barkley. This is an album that combines retro soul (which comes from his obvious love of Al Green) with modern pop. It's a big, polished soul album, and it's amazing. His voice was made for this kind of album, all big horns and building strings. Even the "non-soul" songs (the 80s inspired "Bright Lights Bigger City" and the murderous "Bodies") work extremely well, which is a testament both to Cee Lo's voice and the stellar production. If you like soul, or even a good pop album, you're sure to love this one.

Favorite track: "I Want You"

3. So Runs the World Away - Josh Ritter

With each album, Josh Ritter just gets better and better. His songwriting is amazing (he's currently my favorite songwriter), and his instrumentation seems to improve with each album. He writes beautiful love songs about mummies ("The Curse"), heartbreaking tales of murder among characters from classic songs ("Folk Bloodbath"), and a loving ode to a ship named The Annabelle Lee ("Another New World"). He tells beautiful stories at ease, and backs them up perfectly with music. Josh Ritter is amazing, and he shows no signs of slowing down. In a career filled with terrific albums, this is his best.

Favorite track: "The Curse"

2. The Suburbs - Arcade Fire

My expectations were unreasonably high for this album. How could it not, after how great their first two albums were. The sign of a great album is taking high expectations and exceeding them. This album did exactly that. It's a strong and tremendous album, start-to-finish. While there are a couple tracks that aren't great on their own, they fit extremely well into the album as a whole.

As I've said before, this may well end up being my favorite Arcade Fire album. I have listened to this album a ton of times, and that opinion has only gotten stronger. With as impressive as Funeral and Neon Bible were, that's a truly impressive accomplishment.

Favorite track: "Suburban War"

1. High Violet - The National

Where Boxer was loud and thunderous, High Violet has a kind of delicate thunder to it. Those huge drums are still there, but it's clear that the album is not based around the heavy percussion this time. That's evident from the first track, the muddled, distorted "Terrible Love". When the piano kicks in, it seems to be breaking out of the gloom and doom. It's the first clear thing you hear on the album, and it's certainly a sign of things to come. For me, the album seems to revolve around that piano...that beauty in the midst of turmoil and thunder. And, while it does not appear on every song, the piano seems to be the central instrument here. It's a dark, beautiful album, and it only gets better with each listen.

Favorite track: "Conversation 16"

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

2010-12-24T15:01:00.001-05:00

I did this last year with a couple of albums, so I thought I would bring back the tradition. Last year I chose a couple of albums that got a ton of terrific reviews, but that I just didn't seem to "get" (Phoenix's Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix and The Avett Brothers' I And Love And You).
This year, I will talk about Kanye's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
Pitchfork gave it a 10.0/10.0 (#1 on album of the year list).
Rolling Stone gave it 5/5 (#1 on album of the year list).
Spin gave it a 9/10 (#1 on album of the year list).
It was the top-ranked new album on Metacritic, getting a 93/100 (in case you don't know, Metacritic takes the scores of hundreds of reviews, then gives them a ranking based on those reviews. Basically, it's like Rotten Tomatoes).
Even Paste, one of my favorite publications, gave it a 9.4/10 (#4 on album of the year list).

I could go on and on, but you get the point. After suffering a wave terrible reviews for 808's and Heartbreak, the public seems to love Kanye again. They're calling this album "brilliant", "a new wave of hip-hop", "a genius' masterwork", and other such things.
The nicest thing I can say about this album is "extremely uneven".
I won't deny that there is some great production on this album. There are a couple tracks on here that could rank among my favorite Kanye tracks. But there are also a couple that could rank among my least favorite, too.
Let's start at the beginning.
The album kicks off with Nicki Minaj's faux-British accent on "Dark Fantasy". Eventually the chorus kicks in, and it reemerges throughout the song. It really is a terrific chorus, and, while I didn't love it the first time I listened to it, it really started to grow on me with repeated listens. It's a slow track, and a little long (it's under 5 minutes, but it still feels like it drags on for a bit long).
The next track ("Gorgeous") is decent. Not great, but not terrible, either. It actually works pretty well between "Dark Fantasy" and the third track, "Power". The production on "Power" is great, starting off with handclaps and stomps before eventually kicking in with everything else. When the bass drums kicks in, you can feel the room shake. It's a terrific song...but even this song has its problems. Kanye has never been a great rapper, and it shows again here, with bad lyrics rapped extremely clumsily (the lyric, "I was drinkin' earlier, now I'm drivin'" never fails to make me cringe).
After "Power" comes "All of the Lights", a massive song, featuring a hook sung by Rihanna, and guest spots by Nicki Minaj, Kid Cudi, and about 12 others. With the building horns, Rihanna's voice, and some psycho bongos, this track really is amazing. You won't be able to get it out of your head for days.
Then comes "Monster", which is my favorite track on the album, and quite possibly my favorite Kanye track. It features Bon Iver, Rick Ross, Jay-Z, and Nicki Minaj (Nicki kills her verse...far and away the best moment on the album). It's kind of an odd song...dark and driven and angry. It's almost as if there actually is a monster, lurking somewhere in the background.

At this point, the albums falls off. I like the production of "Runaway", but I hate the chorus (almost as much as I hate Kanye trying to sing the chorus), and the song eventually ends in about 3 minutes of Kanye talking through some heavy autotune (the song itself is 9 minutes long). "Blame Game" is not a terrible song, but it ends with about 2 minutes of Chris Rock doing a terrible phone skit (the song itself is close to 8 minutes long). "Lost in the World" (featuring a sample of Bon Iver's "Woods") is not bad, but it's a bit long, and there's really not much to it.
"Hell of a Life", "Devil in a Red Dress", and "So Appalled" are terrible. Of all the times I've listened to this album, I think I have only made it through each track once.

So, a little summary. The album has 13 tracks. I like tracks 1-6 pretty well (with one of those being a one-minute interlude to "All of the Lights", so it barely counts), and parts of 2 others ("Runaway" and "Lost in the World"). Everything else is either forgettable, or something I wish I could forget.
So, what it boils down to is this: I like about half the album, and it's the first half. After "Monster", I could just shut off the album, forget about the last half, and never have any regrets.
For that, I guess I can thank Kanye.
Thank you for putting all the songs worth listening to in the first half of the album. I have no reason to ever venture past track 6. If you had mixed in the good songs with the bad songs, I would have to do a lot of skipping. As it is, I don't have to do that. Thank you for saving me time.

If you like Kanye, give it a listen. But, if you feel the urge to shut it off around the halfway point, you can do so in the knowledge that you've heard all the best tracks.

Rating: 2/5
Favorite track: "Monster"

The School, Arcade Fire, Margot & The Nuclear So And So's, Maximum Ballon

2010-09-17T00:22:00.001-05:00

Here are a handful of albums that I have been enjoying recently.

The School - Loveless Unbeliever

There are times when you get can exactly what an album sounds like by the album cover. Just by looking at this cover, I could almost hear the 50s/60s inspired pop music radiating from its cover. When I hit play on this album, that is exactly what I heard. It opens with "Let it Slip", a 50s inspired pop tune if ever I've heard one, complete with "bop-bop-ba-lu" background vocals, reverb-laden drums, building strings in the background, handclaps, and, of course, "that" voice. Liz Hunt has a perfect voice for this kind of music. It's kind of cute, but not overly so. She recalls 50s pop music without sounding like she's ripping anything off. It's an homage...not an exact recreation. While it is definitely rooted in 50s pop music, there is also more than a hint of 80s pop. There are more than a couple of times on this album where I hear a melody and ask myself, "Did they take that from The Smiths?"

All-in-all, it's a terrific album, filled with songs that are short, sweet, and memorable. If you like pop music at all, you'll love this album.

Rating: 5/5

Favorite Track: "I Want You Back"

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

My love for the Arcade Fire is well-known. I loved Funeral, and (I think) I loved Neon Bible even more. With this album, my expectations were high. I couldn't help it. I tried to lower them, so that I wouldn't have unreasonably high expectations for it, but I just couldn't do it. New Arcade Fire. That's reason to celebrate.

As it turns out, my expectations couldn't be too high. This album took those expectations and exceeded them. I was a bit nervous about the length of the album at first...looking at that track listing and seeing 16 tracks staring back at me was a bit daunting. But it didn't matter...every track is terrific. Okay...so maybe not every track. I'm not overly excited about "Sprawl I (Flatland)", but it works as a great intro to "Sprawl II "Mountains Beyond Mountains)". And that's the thing...this album works so well as an album. Before the album released, I heard a "Month of May" and "The Suburbs". They were good, but not great. But, in the context of this album, they both seem to make more sense. This is a great, cohesive album. And it is proof that, no matter how many people say otherwise, the format of "the album" is not dead...it just needs to be done correctly. That's something that the Arcade Fire understand.

When all is said and done, this may end up being my favorite Arcade Fire album...and that's really saying something.

Rating: 5/5

Favorite Track: "Suburban War"

Margot & The Nuclear So And So's - Buzzard

Where the Arcade Fire exceeded my expectations for their new album, Margot let me down. Hard. I loved the sound of their first couple albums...they were folk songs at heart, but filled out with fantastic instrumentation. What drew me to their music were their arrangements. I loved the percussion, the horns, and the haunting keyboards. I loved how they could start out a song very soft, and end with the perfect combination of beauty and noise.

On this album, those arrangements are gone. The subtle instrumentation (and the explosion of that same instrumentation) has been replaced with loud electric guitars. Between Not Animal and Buzzard, Margot turned into a rock band...and no one even though to warn me about it. After one listen, I put down the album, extremely disappointed.

But then, of course, I picked it up again. With one listen under my belt, I knew what I was getting into. The second listen proved to be a much more enjoyable experience. Sure, I missed the old Margot...but I couldn't expect them to stay the same for their entire career. This album still had good songs. As good as some of the songs on their previous two albums? No...but some solid songs, all the same.

I sit here now, on my fifth listen. It has really grown on me. I'm not sure I'll ever love this album the same way I love The Dust of Retreat or Not Animal, but I do really like it, and it's getting better with each listen. It's a different Margot...but that doesn't have to be a bad thing.

Rating: 4/5 (this rating is sure to increase with more listening)

Favorite Track: "Lunatic, Lunatic, Lunatic"

Maximum Balloon - Maximum Balloon

Maximum Balloon is the side project for Dave Sitek of TV On the Radio fame. If you did not know this before listening to the album, it would become immediately apparent. The opening to "Groove Me" sounds like the funked-up brother of TV On the Radio's "DLZ" (off Dear Science). That song opens the album with a bang, and lets the listener know what they're in for. It's a funky, catchy, dance album, featuring dirty synths, slinking basslines, and a different singer on each track (notable vocals come from Tunde Adebimpe, Kyp Malone, Karen O, Holly Miranda, David Byrne, Little Dragon, Theophilus London, and others). It's an album that has a hint of danger laced throughout...an album that would sound perfect at 2AM in a dark alley. It's a dance album for those of us who don't really like dance music.
While the album does get a little long by the end, it's still a good listen. This is an album that you may have to be in the right mood for...but, if you are, it can be glorious. I dare you to listen to this and not start dancing...it's darn near impossible.

Rating: 3.5/5
Favorite Track: "Groove Me (feat. Theophilus London)"

Albums I've Been Listening To

2010-07-13T16:26:00.000-05:00

The National - High Violet

The National found many new fans with their last album (Boxer), and with good reason. It was a dark, melodic album with shimmering guitars, thundering drums, and the ever-present baritone of Matt Berninger. High Violet picks up where Boxer left off. The album kicks off with "Terrible Love". The first couple of times I listened to this track, I thought there was something wrong with my copy of the album. The guitars are fuzzy, and the drums sound like they were recorded behind a curtain of mud. But the piano is crystal clear...and it gives the song a haunting sense of beauty. It starts slow, but the song ends in a cacophony of noise and beauty.
Where the drums seemed to be the central instrument on Boxer, the piano seems to be the central instrument here. When it shows up, it takes over the song...whether you realize it on first listen or not. Much like Boxer, this is an album that needs time to sink in. You may not love it right away, but, with multiple listens, you'll find that each song has more going on than you originally thought...and that all the songs work perfectly together to make a terrific album. Boxer is great. High Violet is better.

Rating: 5/5
Favorite track: "Conversation 16"

The Black Keys - Brothers

The Black Keys have been releasing a steady stream of blues albums since 2002's The Big Come Up. They released a number of albums, all pretty much the same as the last. They were good, but there wasn't much to separate them from the last. You knew what you were getting with The Black Keys: blues music, played by two guys.
That changed with 2008's Attack & Release. On it, they teamed up with master producer Danger Mouse, who took their traditional blues sound in a different direction. The blues was still very much present...but there was something else. A little more atmosphere. Some more inventive arrangements. More instruments.
With the exception of one track on Brothers, Danger Mouse is gone. But some of that experimentation remained. To call this a blues album would be accurate...but not 100% accurate. They channel T. Rex on the opener ("Everlasting Light"). They throw a harpsichord into the mix on "Too Afraid to Love You". They bring out an old-soul sound on "Unknown Brother".
Yes...The Black Keys are still a blues band. But, rather than just playing straight blues, they play music with a blues base...but they're still free to throw in different arrangements and influences as they see fit. These past two albums have shown a new Black Keys...and I like it.
I do have one complaint: at 15 tracks and clocking in at nearly an hour, it's a little long. By the time I got to the end, I felt like I had heard a couple of the songs twice. Yes, they have expanded their music...but not enough to keep you interested the entire time. It's a good album...but it's just a little too long.

Rating: 3.5/5
Favorite Track: "She's Long Gone"

Dr. Dog - Shame, Shame

Dr. Dog hasn't changed much over the years, but there's not really anything wrong with that. They make 70s-inspired pop music, and they do it extremely well. Those sweet backing vocals. Those slightly fuzzy guitar solos. The songs that all seem to be building to something. Those head-nodding bass lines. I can't explain what it is about this album, but it's hard not to smile when you're listening to it.
This is one of those albums that I liked immediately...but some of the sheen started coming off with repeated listens. Listening to it now, I realize that I like it...but there are a couple of songs I'm not fond of ("Unbearable Why", "Later", "I Only Wear Blue").
Most unexpected moment of the album: around the 2:30 mark on "Someday", the band breaks into a guitar solo that sounds a lot like a moment from Disney's Robin Hood.
It's not a great album...but it's a very good album.

Rating: 3/5
Favorite Track: "Where'd All the Time Go?"

I'm trying to get back to this on a regular basis. I have a backlog of albums that I want to talk about, so hopefully I'll get to more of those in the not-too-distant future.

Summer Albums to Listen To

2010-05-28T16:40:00.001-05:00

It has been entirely too long since I've updated this thing. For that, I apologize.

Here are a handful of albums that I've been listening to lately...all of which will make for terrific summer listening.

Sleigh Bells - Treats

Take a healthy mixture of rock, pop, and hip-hop. Crank the levels up until everything is in the red. Then take a female vocalist who is half cheerleader and half girl-group popstar, and you have Sleigh Bells. I listened to it a couple of times, and didn't think much of it. Eventually I brought it with me in the car on a nice day, rolled down the windows, and cranked it. All of a sudden, it clicked. What I'm saying is this: give it a couple of listens before you decide whether you like it or not. If it's still not clicking, take it out with you and give it a spin on a nice day. It's perfect.

Rating: 4.5/5

Favorite Track: "Crown on the Ground"

Josh Ritter - So Runs the World Away

Josh Ritter is one of the best songwriters alive. I began to agree with this statement after hearing "Girl in the War" (from The Animal Years). "The Temptation of Adam" (from The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter) convinced me even further that this was true. "The Curse" (from this album) leaves no doubt in my mind. In "The Curse", Ritter has created a beautiful love story between a mummy, and the archeologist who resurrected him. In anyone else's hands, a concept like this could come off as a bit cheesy or gimmicky. But Ritter makes it a wholly believable - and extremely heartbreaking - tale of love and loss.

But Ritter is not just a great songwriter. With each album, the musicianship of his songs has improved. Pounding drums, slide guitars, and a swirling piano bring "Change of Time" to a close. Clacking drumsticks drive "Rattling Locks". Finger picked guitars, eerie pianos, and a myriad of atmospheric noises bubble under the surface of "Another New World".

This album is a strong contender for album of the year. If you haven't listened to Josh Ritter before, now is the time to start. (If you have a chance to see him live, go do it. He puts on a killer live show.)

Rating: 5/5

Favorite Track: "Change of Time"

Broken Bells - Broken Bells

My love for Danger Mouse has been widely chronicled here. I have also loved the last couple of Shins albums. When it was announced that James Mercer (The Shins' lead singer) and Danger Mouse were working on an album, I was extremely excited.

This album exceeded my expectations. Danger Mouse proves why he is such a sought-after producer. Throughout this album, he creates a sound that is somehow unique and familiar. It's a pop album...but there's something different about it. It's extremely addictive, and it's a great album for the summer.

Rating: 4.5/5

Favorite Track: "October"

Sally Seltmann - Heart That's Pounding

I had no idea who Sally Seltmann was when I listened to this album for the first time, so I had no idea what to expect. Upon first listen, I thought it was a good - but not great - album. After a couple of listens, that view changed. I fell in love with this album. From the album cover to the production to her voice...this sounds like a classic album; like an unreleased Dusty Springfield album that was found sitting on a shelf somewhere. It's a mood that is set early, and one that continues throughout the album. That's not to say that all the songs sound the same. Each song has its own personality. But, through it all, her voice is the constant. And it works perfectly within the songs. It's a fantastic pop-soul album that sounds much older than it is.

Rating: 5/5

Favorite Track: "Dream About Changing"

Yeasayer - Odd Blood

Of all the albums here, this one took me the longest to "get". It's an odd combination of pop, space-funk, soul, rock, world music and electronica. It is, to put it quite bluntly, a strange album. It doesn't help that the first track ("The Children") is a seemingly formless blob of distorted voices and clanging noises. It's still my least favorite track on the album...but I hate it less now than I used to. Still, it seems a poor choice to introduce the rest of the album. But, if you don't get past it (or, at the very least, just skip it), you'll never find the true greatness contained on this album. This album is definitely a "grower". It took me at least 6 listens to really start to love it. But, once I did, I'm glad I gave it the time I did. It's a terrific album. Put some time into it, and you'll be glad you did.

Rating: 4/5

Favorite Track: "Mondegreen"

The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt

It's hard for me to put into words why I love The Tallest Man on Earth. It's because words can't really describe his uniqueness. He is a solo artist. His songs (save for the closer, "Kids on the Run") contain a guitar and gravelly vocals...and sometimes a banjo. All of his songs sound like they were recorded in a small room with a single microphone. Nothing about that description makes him sound very special...but he is. He operates within the "a man and his guitar" musical framework, but he doesn't really sound like anyone else. Like I said, words can't really describe The Tallest Man on Earth. So make sure you give this album a listen. You'll be glad you did.

Rating: 4/5

Favorite Track: "King of Spain"

She & Him - Volume Two

Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward return for another album containing more of the same music they created on Volume One. This is an album that borrows liberally from the girl group pop of the 50s and 60s. There's nothing wrong with that. They're so good at this, that it's hard to find any fault with them. It's not daring in any way...but that's fine. When you can create a sound so perfectly, it would almost be a disservice to do anything else. It's a pleasant album. If you liked Volume One, you'll like Volume Two. I love them both.

Rating: 4/5

Favorite Track: "Thieves"

I'll return in the not-too-distant future with part 2, featuring The National, Dr. Dog, The Black Keys, and more.

Top 20 Albums of 2009

2010-01-07T23:12:00.012-05:00

Here are my top 20 albums of 2009. In the not-too-distant future, I'll try to post those that fell just outside of the top 20...but I make no promises.

20. Sufjan Stevens - The BQE

Sufjan's modern-classical album. Lots of strings, horns, and electronic experimentation. Exactly what I expected...and it's glorious.

Favorite track: "Movement IV: Traffic Shock"

19. Solander - Since We Are Pigeons

Dark, acoustic-based Swedish music. A bit spotty at times, but, overall, I really like it. It kind of reminded me of Sufjan's Seven Swans era for a while...but that may have just been the banjo.

Favorite track: "Berlin"

18. Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures

John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl, and Josh Homme got together and made a terrific hard rock album. There are shades of Led Zeppelin and Queens of the Stone Age, to be sure...but it's still a great hard-rock blues album, that, at times, doesn't really sound like anyone.

Favorite track: "New Fang"

17. Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson - Break Up

I've never been a big Pete Yorn fan, but I liked this album. He found a good singing partner in Scarlett Johansson. This is just a good pop album, which revolves around a couple breaking up (in case you couldn't tell from the title). Drop your cynicism and give this album a shot...it's better than you think.

Favorite track: "I Am the Cosmos"

16. Susan Enan - Plainsong

This album is, at its heart, a folk album. But all the songs are filled out with great instrumentation, making for a very enjoyable listen. Her voice really makes the album, though. Even on songs where the instrumentation is sparse (as it is on "The Grave"), her voice never allows the song to become boring.

Favorite Track: "Moonlight"

15. David Bazan - Curse Your Branches

I'll turn this one over to Matthew, who wrote about this album on his blog:
"Here we have possibly the most well-known man in Christian indie rock (Pedro the Lion) openly questioning his faith, sometimes in the most blunt manner: 'Wait just a minute, you expect me to believe that all this misbehaving grew from one enchanted tree?' This is an important record, simply because it shows how one man can struggle so deeply within himself. Alcoholism, wavering faith, depression, this is as personal as it gets. 'When all this lethal drinking is to hopefully forget about you. I might as well admit it, like I even have a choice. The crew have killed the captain, but they still can hear his voice.' This s*** is heartbreaking."
Couldn't have said it better if I wanted to.

Favorite track: "Please, Baby, Please"

14. Blakroc - Blakroc

The Black Keys decided to do a hip-hop record. So they laid-down some tracks, and invited some friends over (Mos Def, Pharoahe Monch, Ludacris, NOE, RZA, Raekwon, Jim Jones, and others), and cranked out an album. It's an album filled with a blues-rock backbeat, and some great emcees in the forefront...just don't call it a rap-rock album.

Favorite track: "Done Did It (feat. NOE)"

13. The Dead Weather - Horehound

Jack White on drums. Allison Mosshart (The Kills) on vocals. Jack Lawrence (The Greenhornes/The Raconteurs) on bass. Dean Fertita (Queens of the Stone Age) on guitar. It's a loud, crunchy blues/rock mix that sounds terrific.

Favorite track: "60 Feet Tall"

12. Wale - Attention Deficit

He has a smooth style, reminiscent of Lupe Fiasco (with shades of Kanye's better moments), but without sounding like he's ripping either of them off. The production is terrific as well (including one song produced by TV On the Radio's Dave Sitek). There are some moments when the lyrics are a bit cheesy ("I remain a Giant and you Jeremy Shockey" comes to mind), but, for the most part, he keeps it interesting and funny, with moments of seriousness (most notably "90210" and "Shades"). The great moments on this album far outweigh the lesser ones.

Favorite track: "Chillin' (feat. Lady Gaga)"

11. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz

A synth-laden album that starts out with the dance-club feel of "Zero" and ends with "Little Shadow", a slow song with minimal instrumentation. Karen O has really found out how to use her voice. Gone is the howling of Fever to Tell, replaced with a more polished (but still a hint of wildness under the surface) vocal style. It's their best album to date.

Favorite Track: "Skeletons"

10. The Raveonettes - In and Out of Control

The Raveonettes do fuzzed-out-and-distorted 50s inspired pop music better than anyone (with the possible exception of Glasvegas...but, with only one record under their belt, it's tough to tell). This album is no different. The album gets off to a perfect start with "Bang!", and it doesn't let up from there. While their lyrics have never been their strong point (there's a song called "Boys Who Rape Should All Be Destroyed"...and, while I agree with the sentiment, it makes for a pretty clunky set of lyrics), they're good enough to not be a distraction in most cases. There's not much to differentiate this album from some of their previous albums...but there's nothing wrong with that. They know what they're good at, and they're sticking with it. As long as they continue to be this good with it, I don't care if they ever change.

Favorite track: "Last Dance"

9. Elvis Perkins - Elvis Perkins in Dearland

Elvis hooked me with his first album (Ash Wednesday). It was a ridiculously sad album, and the music reflected that. This album has an entirely different feel to it, and it took me a couple of listens to get into it because of that. The lyrics haven't gotten much more hopeful on this album (although "I don't let Doomsday bother me/Do you let it bother you?" may be the closest he'll ever get to writing a happy song), but the music is much peppier. There are elements of New Orleans jazz (the aforementioned "Doomsday" sounds like it was recorded on a New Orleans street), blues, pop and folk sprinkled throughout. The songs are filled out with a full band and some terrific horn arrangements. It's an album with a lot going on, and it takes a couple of listens to take it all in. But once you do, you'll want to turn it up loud and never stop listening.

Favorite track: "1 2 3 Goodbye"

8. Handsome Furs - Face Control

Made up of the husband and wife team of Dan Boeckner (from Wolf Parade) and Alexei Perry, this album comes off as a dark, scuzzy rock album with a hint of dancehall. It's upbeat and catchy, but it also feels a little creepy. It's one of those albums that I loved right away, and the more I listened to it, the more I loved it (for the record, that's extremely rare for me).

Favorite track: "All We Want, Baby, Is Everything"

7. Fun - Aim & Ignite

An upbeat album from a band that seems to love Queen and ELO. Nate Ruess' (from The Format) voice has a Freddy Mercury feel to it, but not quite as dramatic (it sometimes comes off a little more as Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance). For the most part, the songs are very well orchestrated, filled out with lots of voices and strings. "The Gambler" is the exception. It's a piano-driven love song that brings to mind Ben Folds' "The Luckiest". It's a beautiful song, and it fits well on this album, even though it's a slightly different style.
(Extra note: Andrew Dost, a former member of Anathallo, is also a member of this band.)

Favorite track: "All the Pretty Girls"

6. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone

I originally had this album ranked much higher. Then, as I went back and listened to it again, I realized there were a handful of songs that I didn't really care for ("Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth" and "Fever" being the major culprits). I didn't hate them: I just didn't really like them too much. But, aside from those couple of tracks, all the others are amazing. I've been a Neko Case fan since 2000's Furnace Room Lullaby, and I think this is her best album. "This Tornado Loves You", "Magpie to the Morning", and "Don't Forget Me" rank right up there with the best songs she's ever done. The music sounds terrific (the "piano choir" on "Don't Forget Me" is absolutely gorgeous) and her voice is in top form. If you haven't listened to Neko Case before, this is a good place to start.

Favorite track: "Magpie to the Morning"

5. Bat for Lashes - Two Suns

Bat for Lashes' first album (Fur and Gold) was a great debut album, but it was a little uneven. I liked it a lot, but there were a number of songs that never really hit me. This album is a different matter. It's a much more cohesive album, and the songs are a much stronger group. There's nothing that quite approaches the beauty of "Sad Eyes" from Fur and Gold, but, as a whole, this album is much better. The album is laden with synths, percussion, and lots of lyrics featuring crystals. It's a haunting album that sounds something like Kate Bush in her prime. Don't miss this album.

Favorite track: "Sleep Alone"

4. Regina Spektor - Far

Regina Spektor has been making quirky, piano-driven pop music for a number of years now. This is the best she has ever sounded. I can't explain it, but the piano just sounds better on this album. Perhaps it's a little cleaner...but it definitely sounds like there's an extra measure of beauty in those keys this time around. I can't explain why...I just know how it feels. There's not a weak song on the album. It's a great quirky pop album. Like you could expect anything less from her at this point.

Favorite track: "One More Time With Feeling"

3. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Summer of Fear

His first, self-titled album was decent. It started off strong, but, overall, there wasn't much to it. It was originally recorded to be a demo, and it sounded like it. It was mainly Miles and his guitar. Pretty stripped down. This album was produced by Kyp Malone (of TV On the Radio), and it shows. The songs are more realized, and they're filled out with layers upon layers of guitars, vocals, percussion, horns, and strings. When everything is working, it sounds terrific; a glorious sound that only improves the louder it gets. At times it sounds a little ramshackle, and at times his voice doesn't quite sound on-key, but it all seems to work. It's not the most accessible album (it took me 6 or 7 times to really start liking it), but, once it "clicks", you'll be glad you gave it a chance. There are moments when this album is absolutely breathtaking.

Favorite track: "Summer of Fear, Pt. 2"

2. Florence + The Machine - Lungs

I had head that Florence Welch had a great voice. That's all I knew going into this album. But there's so much more to it. Her voice is incredible...but it's the percussion that really made me love this album. It's not often you hear deep, booming percussion as far up in the mix as you do on this album (it is most evident on "Howl" and "Drumming Song"). Yet, even with the percussion sitting up far in the mix (and the rest of the instrumentation swirling around it), her voice is able to be prominent without the need for screaming. She has a commanding voice that demands to be heard, no matter what else is going on. Her voice is also diverse enough to switch from dance pop ("Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up") to punk rock ("Kiss With a Fist") to slow-building, explosive pop/soul/blues ("Girl With One Eye") without skipping a beat. Florence Welch is a tremendous talent...and she should be making terrific music for a number of years.

Favorite track: "Girl With One Eye"

1. St. Vincent - Actor

From the moment this album came out, I knew it would end up here. It had to. Annie Clark is a unique talent; she is able to make creative, abrasive rock music without sounding forced or "arty for the sake of arty". She's sincere in her music, and you can tell. This album is a perfect blend of pop, rock, and violent outbursts of sound. Sure, there are some quieter moments (like "The Bed"), but even those songs have enough creative instrumentation going on to keep it interesting. But it's the harder moments (the crunchy guitar of "Actor Out of Work", the woodwind and kick-drum driven groove of "Marrow") that demand your attention. When everything kicks in, you can't help but listen with your mouth hanging open. And, of course, throughout the entire album is Annie's voice, doing whatever it needs to do to fit with the music. She's a chameleon...in a good way. She's a master of vocal delivery (the moment that starts around the 2 minute mark of "Neighbors" may be my favorite moment of the entire album...her voice kicks in and just steals the show), standing strong in the midst of the musical chaos that surrounds her.
Marry Me was incredible. This album is darn near perfect. I can't wait to see what she does next.

Favorite track: "Marrow"

Feel free to add your own thoughts in the comment section.

Two Albums from 2009 I Don't Understand

2009-12-30T20:41:00.001-05:00

Before I get to my Best of 2009 list (coming in a couple of days), I thought I'd talk about a couple of albums that have received terrific reviews, but that I never really "got". It's not that I hate these albums...I just don't understand why everyone else seems to love them.
I'm not saying these things to bring your hatred crashing down upon me. These are just things I feel that I need to get off my chest.

Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

There are some extremely catchy songs on this album...that cannot be denied. "1901", while making its way to commercials, is still a great song. The synths make you want to move, while the vocals beg you to sing along. "Lisztomania" is a little obnoxious (the name bothers me quite a bit), but it's still a catchy little song.
And so the album goes. It's only 9 songs, but, by the end, I feel like I've heard the same song at least 5 times. The songs are catchy, synth-driven tracks with processed guitars and a nice voice. It could have been released in 1986 and no one would've batted an eye. I kind of like the album, but it's rarely something that I ever think about. I haven't ever found myself in a position where I think, "You know, I'd really like to listen to that Phoenix album." It's not bad...but it seems pretty forgettable.
And something else has been bugging me since this album came out; didn't The Black Kids roll with this same sound only a year ago? They released Partie Traumatic in 2008, and, while it carried some early buzz, it never really took off (Sharon and I wrote about it last year). They're a five-piece, synth-based band that was stuck in the 80s. Sure, the vocals didn't sound as good (they were a bit whiny at times), but it was the same sound. The songs were upbeat, catchy, and, ultimately, pretty forgettable. Just like Phoenix. I know it's not really "cool" to like The Black Kids...so I'm not really sure why it's suddenly "cool" to like Phoenix. If someone could explain this to me, I would very much appreciate it.

Favorite Track: "1901"
Rating: 3/5

The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You

I already caught some heat for my thoughts on this one, especially considering some of the albums that will end up in my top 20. Still, it bears repeating.
The first song on this album is incredible. "I And Love And You" is a beautiful song, filled with great instrumentation, great lyrics, and an earnest voice. I had heard bits-and-pieces of The Avett Brothers before this...but I was not prepared for this song. It's a beautiful song.
However, the album goes downhill from there. There are a handful of songs on the album that I like quite a bit ("Head Full of Doubt, Road Full of Promise", "Ill With Want", and "Imcomplete and Insecure"). But, overall, this album just feels pretty "blah". There's really not much to it. The pain that filled "I And Love And You" was gone, replaced with a sort of indifference. And that's how I feel about the album...indifferent. I love one song, like a few, hate one ("Kick Drum Heart"), and don't really care about the others. I have listened to this album around 10 times, and I can't tell you what half the songs sound like. Oh, I know they're slowish and are based around acoustic guitars with some drums, piano, and cello filling out the songs (and I know that the upbeat songs all sound almost exactly the same), but I don't remember specifics. It all gets rolled up into one big ball of indifference in my head.
Since I like the first song on the album, I have listened to this album more often than the Phoenix album, but my overall feeling is the same: I don't hate it...in fact, I even kind of like it. But it's rare that I want to listen to the whole thing.

Favorite Song: "I And Love And You"
Rating: 3/5

Please leave comments and let me know your thoughts. Tell me how wrong I am. Tell me why I'm wrong. But, for the life of me, I can't understand the major appeal of these albums.

Album of the Month: David Bazan

2009-11-26T01:08:00.002-05:00

Artist: David Bazan
Album: Curse Your Branches
Year Released: 2009

Random history: David Bazan was formerly Pedro the Lion. This is his debut full-length album under his name.

Sharon's Rating: 3/5

Sharon's Thoughts: Enjoyable for what it is. Interesting exploration into country music stylings, but for the serious nature and the rhythm of his lyrics. I like the sounds of his early career better.

Dusty's Rating: 4/5

Dusty's Thoughts: Considering the lack of quality of his past couple of projects (his "debut" EP Fewer Moving Parts, and his Headphones project), I wasn't expecting this to be very good. Thankfully, this album proved me wrong. The music on this album is denser with instrumentation than many of his Pedro the Lion albums, and, for the most part, it works really well. His lyrics seem to settle on two topics: God and drinking. It's not the first time he has explored these topics in tandem, and it definitely won't be his last.
This album marks a (slightly) new musical direction for David. So far, it's working.

Favorite Songs: "Please, Baby, Please", "Curse Your Branches"

The next album we'll be reviewing will be The Ravonette's In and Out of Control. Feel free to join us.

iPod Roulette

2009-10-08T21:53:00.000-05:00

You know how we play this. Hit shuffle on your iPod, and list the first ten songs that come up. Post your results in the comments.

1. "I Know What It's Like" - Yonlu (from A Society in Which No Tear is Shed is Inconceivably Mediocre)
Not bad...but it just sounds like a poor man's Elliott Smith. It's not a bad thing, but his love of Elliott Smith is painfully obvious. Also, this guy killed himself when he was 16, before this album saw any kind of release.

2. "Ready for the Rain" - Dime Store Prophets (from Love is Against the Grain)
Just a good rock song, with a little country influence thrown in for good measure. It's a shame these guys weren't bigger than they were.

3. "Good Man" - Josh Ritter (from The Animal Years)
My favorite song from this album. An upbeat pop song, with shades of Billy Joel. Love it.

4. "Grylliade (Live)" - The Prayer Chain (from Antarctica)
A fantastic song; dark and building with some great percussion...though I prefer the album version.

5. "Rumpus Reprise" - Karen O and the Kids (from Where the Wild Things Are Soundtrack)
There's not much to this song, but I like it. I'm really looking forward to hearing how these songs work within the context of the movie. Should be great.

6. "Organ Donor (Extended Overhaul)" - DJ Shadow (from Preemptive Strike)
I love this song. A great organ line over a fantastic beat. Listening to this track, I'm reminded of how amazing DJ Shadow was. I hope he returns to greatness once again.

7. "I'll Come Running Back to You" - Sam Cooke (from Portrait of a Legend)
There's not a better soul singer than Sam Cooke...and that's a fact. While this song isn't my favorite of his, it's still amazing. He had a very distinct style, and it's in full swing here.

8. "A Summer Chill" - This is Ivy League (from This is Ivy League)
A great summer pop song (that's the only kind of songs this band does). Great harmonies and guitars. When I hear this song, I wish I was in a car, driving with the windows open. Instead, I'm sitting here watching baseball. I suppose that's okay, too.

9. "The Rolling People" - The Verve (from Urban Hymns)
I used to hate this song. As I've listened to it more, I've come to love it. The swirling guitars are just perfect.

10. "Sing Little Bird Sing" - The Left Banke (from There's Gonna Be a Storm)
A nice, well orchestrated pop song from this relatively overlooked 60s pop band. It's not easy to track down this album (a best of), but, if you can find it, it's worth your time to check out.

Things I've Been Listening To

2009-10-01T13:00:00.000-05:00

Here is a list of some of the albums I've been listening to recently.

Volcano Choir - Unmap

This is a project featuring Justin Vernon (from Bon Iver). Seeing as how I love Bon Iver, I was pretty excited about this album.

Aside from the vocals (which are not a huge part of this album), the music sounds nothing like Bon Iver. This album is full of glitchy electronics, bursts of sound, and long periods where the tracks seem to be building to nothing.

Still...I like it. I don't love it, but I like it...although it took me a couple of listens to get there. Right now is the perfect time of year to start listening to this album, too.

Favorite song: "Husks and Shells"

Rating: 3.5/5

Wilco - Wilco (The Album)

Although I love Wilco, there were a number of barriers I had to get past to enjoy this album.

Barrier #1: While I loved Sky Blue Sky, the constant barrage of hearing those songs in commercials kind of killed the album for me, which is a real shame. I thought it had a shot to rank among my favorite Wilco albums...but now that will never happen. In addition to that, I now have to get past that feeling and try to listen to this album without thinking, "I wonder how long it will take for all of these songs to make it to TV."

Barrier #2: The album is called Wilco (The Album). That is a terrible name for an album. Self-title the album if you must...but Wilco (The Album) is terrible, and nothing will be able to change my mind.

Barrier #3: The first song is called "Wilco (The Song)". Come on. Are you trying to make me hate you? On top of that, the song sounds like Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London". I enjoy "Werewolves of London". I am much less enthusiastic about people trying to copy it.

Once I got past those barriers, I found that I liked the album quite a bit. It doesn't compare with their best work, but it's a good, solid pop/rock album. It's looking like their best days are behind them. But, as long as they keep releasing good, solid albums, I think I can come to terms with the fact that they are not great. I don't know if that makes any sense to you all, but it makes perfect sense to me.

Favorite song: "One Wing"

Rating: 3.5/5

Sufjan Stevens - The B.Q.E.

When I heard this was coming out, this was how it sounded in my mind: "A modern classical album, filled with all of the orchestration that Sufjan is known for. Also, a couple of tracks of noise." Add in some scant amounts of electronic experimentation, and I pretty much hit the nail on the head.

It is almost exactly what I expected...and I love it.

Favorite song: "Movement IV: Traffic Shock"

Rating: 4.5/5

Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson - Break Up

I never have been a huge Pete Yorn fan, but I enjoyed Scarlett Johansson's previous album, so I decided to give this album a shot.

The album works its way through the break up of a relationship, as seen through the eyes of both parties involved.

It works extremely well. I never cared much for Yorn's voice, but, when mixed with Johansson's, it just sounds like it fits.

The album kicks off with "Relator", which sets the stage for the entire album. It also happens to be the catchiest track on the album.

They also work in a cover of Chris Bell's "I Am the Cosmos", which is my favorite moment of the album. Scarlett's voice works so well with that song.

This is a pop album. Plain and simple. But they do it extremely well.

Favorite song: "I Am the Cosmos"

Rating: 4.5/5

Margo Guryan - Take a Picture

This album was released in 1968, but it never really garnered much attention. I've been listening to it for a little while, and it's high time I said something about it.

Margo Guryan was a classically trained musician, who majored in composition at Boston University. She loved jazz music, and spent most of her time writing jazz compositions. While she was attending the Lenox School of Jazz, someone introduced her to Pet Sounds by the Beach Boys. She became obsessed with pop music, and began writing pop music of her own. In 1968, she released this album (it was the only album she officially released).

It's full of fantastic pop songs with a classical influence. The standout track is "Someone I Know", a piano driven song that uses "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" as a theme.

Her voice can take a little to get used to, and there are a couple of "down" moments on the album. But, for the most part, it's a great album that should be heard by more people.

Favorite song: "Someone I Know"

Rating: 4.5/5

Maps - Turning the Mind

Maps first album, We Can Create, was an album filled with electronics and synths, creating a wonderfully lush sound. It was one of those albums that I thought was amazing the first time I heard it, but it lost some of its luster the more I listened to it. Still, it was a solid album, and I was excited for this one.

Apparently James Chapman (the only member of Maps) decided that disco was not dead, and so made an album of disco-infused electronic music. It's not even as good as it sounds. All of the songs bleed together into one giant mistake.

Rating: .5/5
Tyondai Braxton - Central Market

This album sounds like Mickey Mouse started listening to some Stravinsky, then hired the Seven Dwarves to be his backing band...but in a good way. I'm sorry, but that's the only way I can think to describe it.

It's a bit uneven, but, overall, it's an enjoyable and interesting listen.

Favorite song: "Uffe's Woodshop"

Rating: 3.5/5

Album of the Month: Viva Voce - Rose City

2009-08-26T22:05:00.004-05:00

Artist: Viva Voce
Album: Rose City
Year Released: 2009

Sharon's Rating: 4/5

Sharon's Thoughts: With a couple of songs for pretty much every mood - summery fun, rainy day broodiness - this seems to be a pretty versatile album. Vocals are soothing and fun at the same time - lovely blend of voices and harmony. Love the use of the piano, excellent percussion rhythms, and heart-wrenching guitar effects.

Sharon's Favorites: "Midnight Sun"

Dusty's Rating: 4/5

Dusty's Thoughts: Far and away my favorite album of theirs. I love the way their voices sound together, and the instrumentation is amazing. I absolutely love the piano on "Midnight Sun"; it just sounds so spacious and beautiful. While I'm not a huge fan of every song, the album (as a whole) has a great vibe.

Dusty's Favorites: "Devotion", "Midnight Sun"

Our next album will be David Bazan's Curse Your Branches. Feel free to join us.

What I've Been Listening to at Work

2009-08-20T10:44:00.017-05:00

Part of my job revolves around me staring at pictures taken from an airplane, finding things wrong with those pictures, and fixing them if necessary and/or possible. This summer has found me doing that more often than I usually do. It goes without saying that I have a lot of time to listen to my iPod. I usually start out the day by listening to Dave Dameshek's podcast. From there, I had been listening to books on tape (I've gone through a few books this summer).
However, recently I have decided to listen to a ton of albums that I have on my iPod, but have not yet listened to. This will be a way to let you know what I thought of these albums.
I have not given a ton of thought to these albums. Normally, I'll listen to an album at least 3 times before writing about it. What you will be getting here are my initial thoughts (which are, of course, subject to change the more I listen to the album).

Michael J. Sheehy and The Hired Mourners - With These Hands (The Rise and Fall of Francis Delaney)

I have only recently heard of this guy. He released a song in 2002 called "Twisted Little Man" which was used at the end of a Deadwood episode. It's a slow, folkish song with some nice atmospherics in the background. It reminded me a lot of LN.
This album doesn't sound like that. It's a concept album follows the career of a boxer (Francis "Frankie" Delaney). In the span of the album, we see him as a young child, we see him throw a fight, and we see him develop brain damage as a result of his career.
There are some tender moments ("Frankie My Darling" being the most obvious), some heartbreaking moments ("When Did We Grow So Old?"), some violent moments ("Fight for Your Right to Fight"), and some bizarre moments ("Ain't a White Boy Alive" and "The Gospel According to Marcelus J. Mudd"). There are times when he comes across as a Tom Waits imitator, which is a little distracting. There's not an overriding musical style to the album, which was kind of hard to get used to, but, in thinking about it now, makes sense within the concept of the album.
Some of the lyrics seem a big clumsy, and there are a couple of songs that I'm not crazy about. But, overall, I think it was a good album. When I was listening to it, I wasn't sure if I liked it. Looking back at it now, I think I did. I'll have to give it a couple more listens before I know for sure, I guess.

Rating: 3.5/5

Favorite Song: "Fight for Your Right to Fight"

Jet - Shaka Rock

It is what it is. I expected a fairly generic rock album with terrible lyrics. I got exactly what I expected. It wasn't great, but it wasn't overly terrible either. It was just very forgettable. There are other bands that do this same thing, but those bands do it better (The Obits come to mind).
Rating: 2/5

Favorite Song: "Start the Show"? Maybe. I honestly can't distinguish one song from another, but I think "Start the Show" had a cool guitar riff.

Richmond Fontaine - We Used to Think the Freeway Sounded Like a River
I enjoyed a couple of tracks off their 2005 album (The Fitzgerald) and sort of enjoyed their last album (Thirteen Cities), so I had to give this one a shot. I can't say that I liked this album any more or any less than those albums. It's pretty much the same. A couple of pretty good tracks (I hated "A Letter to the Patron Saint of Nurses" when it started, but, by the end, I found that I really liked it), but, overall, it was just sort of boring. The lead singer has an interesting voice (sometimes singing, sometimes talking, always sort of deep), but it doesn't always sound great.
Not a terrible album, but there's not a whole lot that stands out.

Rating: 2.5/5
Favorite Song: "A Letter to the Patron Saint of Nurses"

Janelle Monae - Metropolis: The Chase Suite

This album sounds like some sort of future blend of Gnarls Barkley and Andre 3000. Strange, but extremely catchy. The album is short (7 tracks), but it makes for an interesting listen. The last track (a version of Nat King Cole's classic "Smile") is pretty boring, which is a shame. There's not much going on in the song, but her voice is so good that I feel she could've done something interesting with it.
I wasn't a huge fan of "Mr. President", either. It just didn't grab me, and the lyrics didn't seem to have much thought put into them.
The first track is an intro, leaving only 4 tracks that I enjoyed...but I enjoyed them quite a bit. This was her first album, and I'm really looking forward to what she will do from here. Definitely worth a listen.
Rating: 3/5
Favorite Song: "Sincerely, Jane"

Patton Oswalt - My Weakness is Strong
This isn't a music CD, but I listened to it, so it's on this list. After listening to his first album (Feelin' Kinda Patton), he quickly became one of my favorite stand-up comedians. His second album (Werewolves and Lollipops) further cemented his place in my mind. With this new album, he has now become, without a doubt, my favorite living comedian (it's going to be hard to take Mitch Hedberg's place as favorite comedian of all-time). This may be my favorite album of his, which is no small feat. If you're a fan of stand-up comedy, you should really listen to this album.

Rating: 5/5
Kate York - For You
Chick-folk. It's not bad, but there's not much to differentiate her from all the other artists with this exact same sound. Her music is fine, but nothing too extraordinary. I like her voice, but it's nothing too special. Perhaps I'll feel different on repeated listens, but, after this first one, there's nothing to make me either love it or hate it.
Rating: 2.5/5
Favorite Song: "Afterglow"

Imogen Heap - Ellipse
I don't really understand all the hype around Imogen Heap. She was in Frou Frou, who had a song featured on Garden State. It was a decent song, I suppose, but I couldn't understand why everyone loved it. Then she put out a solo album (Speak for Yourself) which had a song ("Hide and Seek") that got played on The O.C. I listened to Frou Frou's Details. I listened to Speak for Yourself. At no point did I think to myself, "Hey...this girl is really amazing." Her voice is pretty good, and it fits her style of music really well. But all the songs kind of sound the same. They sound good at first, but, once you hit track 3, it just sounds boring.
After hearing the first track on Ellipse ("First Train Home"), I was pretty excited. "This song is good," I thought to myself. "Maybe she's changed. Maybe this album will be amazing."
Track two rolled around. Not bad...but not as good as the first one. Track three was a little worse then track two. I listened to the rest of the album with increasing boredom and annoyance. I was hoping this album would be different. I thought I would stay invested the entire way through. No dice. The closing song ("Half Life") was pretty good, but all of the songs between the first and last track kind of blend together in one big heap of disinterest. I'll listen to this album more, in the hope that the songs will begin to take on a life of their own, and will distinguish themselves from the others. It's a hope that will probably be dashed on the rocks of disappointment, but it's a hope all the same.
Rating: 2.5/5
Favorite Song: "First Train Home"

Dan Deacon - Bromst

I had heard a lot of good things about this album, but I held off listening to it because I saw a picture of Mr. Deacon, got annoyed with him, and never had a desire to listen to the album (shallow, I know, but I couldn't help it. Just look at him and tell me he doesn't annoy you).

Finally, I got over my annoyance with his face and decided to listen to the album. Much to my surprise, I thoroughly enjoyed the first track ("Build Voice"). It's a slow building track with lots of samples and electro-glitches and whatnot. When the song finally breaks open, it's a glorious sound. Saxophones and pianos and cymbals and all matter of other noises join in a chorus. I knew he dwelled in the electro genre, but, with all the variations within, I wasn't sure what his exact sound would be. Perhaps I was wrong about ol' Dan Deacon.
As it turns out...no...I wasn't wrong about Dan Deacon. The rest of the album is comprised of a lot of songs featuring high-pitched vocal samples and run waaaay too long (7 of the 11 tracks are over 5 minutes, with 3 of those clocking in at more than 7 minutes). If the songs were trimmed down a little, I may have liked this album more. As it was, the only song other than "Build Voice" that I enjoyed was "Snookered"...but even that track runs too long (over 8 minutes). Like the rest of the album, "Snookered" is a good concept, but he takes that concept and repeats it until it's annoying. Someone needs to tell those within this genre that it's okay to have songs that last less than 4 minutes (only one of those songs resides on this album).
This album started out promising, but took a dive in a hurry. As with some of these other albums, perhaps this one gets better with repeated listens. I'm not sure I'm up to the task on this one.
Rating: 1/5
Favorite Song: "Build Voice"

BLK JKS - After Robots
I heard this band touted as "an African TV on the Radio". I suppose I can see where they get that description from. They take a number of different musical styles, mash them together, and play the result. It's an interesting combination. Unfortunately, it does not work all the time.
The lead singer will hit a falsetto from time to time. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. The guitar solos often sound like something taken from an 80s hair rock band. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't.
And that's pretty much the album. There are a number of great moments, but there are other moments that seem like it's not quite working like it should. The album ends with the worst song on the album ("Tselane"). At the beginning, it seems like it could be good, but, by the end, it has devolved into a singing the same lyric over and over again in a not-quite-on-key falsetto. The music is pretty good, but the song lasts for six-and-a-half minutes...three minutes longer than it should. By the time the song ended, I was glad that it did.
This album shows a band with great promise. I'll continue to listen to this album from time to time, and I'll definitely look forward to their next album.
Rating: 2.5/5
Favorite Song: "Molalatldi"

Dusty Likes Chick Rock

2009-08-19T21:57:00.003-05:00

Regina Spektor - Far

I like Regina Spektor a great deal. At this point, she has the whole "quirky female musician" thing down pat. And, after the success of Begin to Hope, there would be a lot more people listening to this album. While that's good news for her, it had the potential to be bad news for us. There have been a ton of artists recently who went from virtually unknown to massive seller in a short time. The track record of those artists putting out a great album following their first popular one has not been great. I was excited for this album, but I was also a little hesitant. Would her sound be watered down? Would her voice be toned down for the public? Those were the questions that I was asking before this album released.
Now that it has been released (and I have listened to it a number of times), I should've known that all my worries were for naught. Of course they couldn't change Regina. How could I have ever entertained such thoughts?
As it turns out, this is currently my favorite album of hers. While her past albums were great, they also had a couple of songs that I wasn't crazy about. On this album, every song is dynamite ("Machine" seems a bit out of place, but I still like it). Her voice is in top form, and the piano sounds better than ever. I'm not sure why that is, but there seems to be an extra measure of beauty emanating from the piano on this album. The songs range from stories about birds, to returning a lost wallet, to God, to folding chairs, and so on. No matter the subject matter, Regina pours her heart, soul, and voice into these songs. And it paid off in a big way.
If you like Regina Spektor, listen to this album. If you don't like Regina Spektor, give this album a try. If you have never heard Regina Spektor, pick this one up. In short...listen to this album.

Rating: 5/5

Favorite Song: "Eet"

Florence & The Machine - Lungs

I had heard rumblings about this album. Really, all I knew going in was, "this girl has a great voice."
And she does.
But that's not the entire reason why this album is great.
The instrumentation is great. There is a ton of stuff going on in every song. The stellar percussion really drives the majority of these songs. Big, booming drums thundering through the entire album. That kind of thing is a rarity, which is a real shame. Florence shows how to use a great percussion section on this album, and more artists should sit up and take notice.
Were it not for the strength of her voice, the music would threaten to drown her out. Yet she is able to overcome the bombast of sound without screaming.
When firing on all cylinders, it really is something to behold; a symphony of noise melded into perfection.
However, there are a couple of songs I'm not crazy about ("I'm Not Calling You a Liar" being the main culprit). They're not bad songs (in fact, I still like them), but they don't have the same energy and greatness that the others do. If that's the worst thing I can say about an album, I'd say that's pretty good.
This is a fantastic debut album. It's definitely worth your time to check out.

Rating: 4.5/5

Favorite Song: "Girl With One Eye"

All in all, this is a great year for female artists. If the year were to end today (which I don't foresee happening), these artists would be in my top 10:
St. Vincent, Neko Case, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bat for Lashes, Florence & The Machine, Regina Spektor and The Dead Weather. That's not too shabby.

Susan Enan - Plainsong

2009-08-01T12:58:00.005-05:00

Susan Enan - Plainsong

We'll start with a short history lesson.

Back in 2002, Susan Enan released an EP called Moonlight/Skin, Bone & Silicone. It featured 4 beautiful, stripped down folk-pop songs. Her voice was gorgeous, and the EP (which I bought from Paste) showed off her considerable talents, and had me (and, I'm sure, several others) looking forward to her first full-length album.

Since then, there hasn't been too much going on. A year or so ago, she recorded a new song called "Bring On the Wonder", which was used on a episode of the TV show Bones. That song, along with another ("Monoplain") were made available for download last year. These two new songs sounded much like the songs on her '02 EP: stripped down folk-pop songs, highlighted by her voice. Her full-length album was supposed to have come out last summer, but it was delayed.

Finally, a couple of weeks ago, an announcement was made: the album was coming out. Preorders would start on July 21, with the album shipping out the next week. I preordered it on the 21st, secure in the knowledge that I would finally be able to hear this long-awaited full-length album.

Like all long-awaited albums, the first listen was slightly disappointing. I initially fell in love with her voice, and the stripped down songs that it accompanied. This album still has that voice, but the songs are filled out more than they were before. It didn't help that 6 of the 10 tracks were songs that I had heard before in their stripped down form. I liked that stripped down form better.

But, as I kept listening, I found that I didn't mind the filled out arrangements so much. After all, I didn't want to have those 6 songs exactly as they had been before, as that would leave only 4 tracks that I had not heard before. I wanted something new, even out of old songs.

Sitting here now, listening to it for the 5th time, I'm beginning to realize how much I love it. I like the fullness of the songs, and I still love her voice.

Overall, this is a great album...and it may even be better if you haven't heard of her before this.

Rating: 4.5/5

Favorite Song: "Skin, Bone & Silicone"

(This album is available to download for $5 over at Amie Street right now. It's definitely worth your $5 to check it out.)

Holly Williams - Here With Me

2009-07-13T22:31:00.003-05:00

Holly Williams' first album, The Ones We Never Knew, was completely unexpected. Being the daughter of Hank Williams, Jr. carries certain expectations with it. Namely, you should make country music. Her brother, Hank III, realized this, and went for the outlaw country scene. He was accepted. One of them.
Holly's first album was full of nice little pop songs. Sure, there was a bit of country tinge in her voice, but there's no helping that. That voice was wrapped in a great pop sound (most of them being piano based arrangements). Since this was not what people were looking for, it got mixed reviews. I, however, really liked it, and looked forward to her second album.
Five years after her first album (with a number of label problems in those years), she returned with a new album. Guess what? It's a country album. Whether this is her natural progression or a sound forced upon her by her label, I'm not really sure (although I tend to think it's the latter).
It's not a terrible album. The opener ("He's Making a Fool Out of You") is a nice little song. There's a hint of a stronger country influence on this album, but it's still a good song. The second track ("Mama"), however, tells the listener, "This is a country album." There are some scattered songs on the album that are a bit more pop oriented ("Three Days in Bed", "Alone"), but most of them are of the straight-up country variety.
Again, this is not a terrible album. In fact, if you like country music, you'll probably really like it. But, after the great sound she carved out on her first album, it's a bit of a shame to hear her falling back on what everyone thought she should've sounded like on that first album.
I'm holding out hope that her next album will see her returning to her pop sound...but I will not be holding my breath.

Favorite Song: "He's Making a Fool Out of You"

Rating: 2/5

Visit her website

What I've Been Listening To Lately

2009-06-18T21:58:00.006-05:00

It's been a while since I've updated this blog, so let's get this thing going with some quick thoughts on albums that I've been listening to somewhat recently.

Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse - Dark Night of the Soul

Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse are responsible for the production of this album, turning over the vocals to the likes of Wayne Coyne (The Flaming Lips), Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals), Frank Black, Iggy Pop, Julian Casablancas (The Strokes), James Mercer (The Shins), David Lynch, Suzanne Vega, and many others. The music is exactly what I expected: eerie, sinister, and a little strange. "Revenge" is a great way to start the album off...dark and lush and filled with organs. Just a terrific album. A shame it may never see the light of day (although you should still be able to stream it here).

Rating: 4.5/5

Favorite Song: "Revenge (feat. Wayne Coyne)"

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!

I was not a huge fan of Fever to Tell. I liked Show Your Bones pretty well. I love this album. It kicks off with "Zero", a synthed-up, disco-ish dance song. It's fun, but still maintains their high level of creativity. The entire album slithers around behind a layer of synths and slick production. On first listen, it doesn't seem like much. But repeated listens peel back the layer of slickness to show a fantastic album underneath. From the dance-pop of "Zero" to the lushness of "Skeletons" to the slow building of "Runaway", this entire album is terrific. This band just keeps getting better.

Rating: 4/5

Favorite Song: "Skeletons"

Manchester Orchestra - Mean Everything to Nothing

I liked their first album, Like a Virgin Losing a Child, almost immediately. The opening of "Wolves at Night" grabbed me from the very first time I heard it. This album was different. The opening song, "The Only One", starts with Andy Hull singing in a particularly whiny voice. With hardly instrumentation backing him up, it sounds a bit grating. I didn't think I would come around to it.
But I did.
I'm still not the biggest fan of that song, but the majority of the album is great. The breakdown on "Shake it Out" is the hardest thing they have done so far. Just listening to it makes me feel like jumping into a most pit of some sort. "I Can Feel a Hot One" is a nice little slow song. While not nearly as beautiful as "Sleeper 1972" from their first album, it's still a great song.
There are enough moments that I'm not crazy about to where I can't I love it...but I can say that I like it pretty well. It's definitely worth your time to check out.

Rating: 3.5/5

Favorite Song: "Shake it Out"

Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You

I went into this album with extremely low expectations. Her first album was hyped incessantly, and I never quite understood it. I liked "LDN" pretty well, but I wasn't crazy about the rest of the album. Still, I listen to everything, so I decided to give it a listen.
I was amazed at how much I liked this album. The songs are much better than they were on the first album, and the production is great. She still relies a bit too much on her "angry girl" images in her lyrics, but it seems to show up a little less on this album than it did on her previous one. I can't say it's an amazing album, but it's a very enjoyable listen.

Rating: 3.5/5

Favorite Song: "Not Fair"

The Killers - Day & Age

My love of The Killers is a little embarrassing. I know that I shouldn't listen to them as much as I do, but I can't help it. I've read interviews with them that make me want to punch them in the face. Still...I love them..
This album is no different. It's a slick pop album, full of songs that seem like they've all been done before (wasn't "Joy Ride" in a car commercial in the 90s?). But they do it so well. Even the much talked-about lyric, "Are we human, or are we dancer?" can't deter me. I love every song on this album...and it's about time I stop apologizing for that.
My name is Dusty, and I love The Killers.

Rating: 4/5

Favorite Song: "Goodnight, Travel Well"

Kat Jones - Without a Sound

New music from Kat Jones is always a reason to celebrate. While I love the instrumentation of her albums, I've always had a soft spot for her low-key recordings. Just Kat, her guitar, and her amazing voice. This is one of the latter. It is six tracks of stripped down awesomeness...one of which is a wicked murder ballad. Who could ask for more than that? Some of the strongest songs of her career are found on this EP. This is Kat showing off her considerable vocal prowess...and it's glorious.

Rating: 4.5/5

Favorite Song: "The Moon Burns Red"

Kanye West - 808's and Heartbreaks

Leave it to Kanye to take an overused fad like autotune and create an entire around it. I would like to see the thought process that went into this album. This is the perfect instance of a man's gigantic ego getting in the way of good judgment.
Still, he's a talented producer, and that salvages this mess a little. If you can ignore the autotune attacking your ears for a couple of seconds, you can hear some great production in this album. Put in someone else's hands, this could've been a good album. Seriously, the production behind "Robocop" and "Love Lockdown" could've led to great things. Instead, we're stuck with a terrible concept and terrible execution.
If you feel up to it, try listening to "Paranoid" all the way through. It sounds like he's going for some sort of Michael Jackson vibe...but it comes off in the worst way possible. Just wretched stuff. It's scores a little higher than I would like, based solely on the production.

Rating: 1.5/5

Favorite Song: "Robocop" (if there was an instrumental version, I would be a little happier about it)

Eminem - Relapse

I never have been a huge Eminem fan. Sure, he's talented, but he always seemed more interested in the shock factor of his music than anything else. I've never been able to listen to an entire album of his all the way through. This album is pretty much the same for me. There are some great songs ("3 AM", "Bagpipes from Baghdad" and "Same Song and Dance" are my favorites), but there are also some terrible ones ("My Mom" and "Insane" being the main culprits). There are some other decent songs here and there ("We Made You" is catchy, but it's not really all that good), but, honestly, I don't remember too many songs from the album, and I've listened to it 5+ times now. I think that means it's not a terrible album, but it's not all that great, either.
Still, the songs that are good are great. "Bagpipes from Baghdad" is a great reminder of why Dr. Dre is still considered to be one of the best producers in the business. Just terrific stuff.

Rating: 3/5

Favorite Song: "Bagpipes from Baghdad"

Elvis Perkins - Elvis Perkins in Dearland

Elvis Perkins' first album was all full of death and depression, which went well with his voice. This album stands in stark contrast to that one. It's a pretty upbeat album, and it shows a large influence of New Orleans music. Horns blaring and feet stomping and tambourines shaking. It's a different Elvis Perkins, and it took me a little while to figure out whether or not I liked it. As it turns out, I love it.

Rating: 4.5/5

Favorite Song: "1 2 3 Goodbye"

Eels - Hombre Lobo: 12 Songs of Desire

On this album, the Eels take a page from their Shootenanny! days; distorted blues rock, mixed with slower songs of love and loss. There really isn't much to distinguish this album from some of their previous ones, but there's nothing really wrong with that. This is a strong set of songs from a consistently great band. It's also a pretty accessible album, so, if you have yet to really listen to the Eels, this is a pretty good place to start.

Rating: 4/5

Favorite Song: "Beginner's Luck"

Common - Universal Mind Control

I've been listening to Common for a little while now. I haven't been with him since the beginning of his career, but I have been listening to him for a number of years now. I thought Be was terrific. I, of course, loved Like Water for Chocolate. I am in the minority of people who thought that Electric Circus was great. I even thought that Finding Forever had some great moments on it.
So it is with much sadness that I say this: this album was terrible. Utter trash. I'm not sure what he was going for, so I'm not sure if he accomplished it. As I was listening to this album, my audio receiver cut out, leading me to believe that it killed itself because it was forced to play this.
I tried, Common. Really I did. I hope this is not the end of the line for us. I hope you still have some great music in you. I hope you bounce back from this album in a big way (although that may be tough, seeing as how you did an appearance on the new Jonas Brothers album).
I will give this album a slightly higher rating than it deserves...but only because I like you. Next time I will not be so kind.

Rating: .5/5

Favorite Song: N/A

Coconut Records - Davy

I don't ask much of Coconut Records. I ask for good pop music. Nothing fancy. Thankfully, he has delivered. Again. Sure, the lyrics leave a bit to be desired ("And I was a drummer, in a band, that you heard of"), but that doesn't bother me so much. This album sounds good. It has a nice feel to it. It's obvious that he is a big Beatles fan...their influence is all over this album. He is not reinventing the wheel on this album, but he has managed to make a great little pop album. Sometimes, that's all you need.

Rating: 4/5

Favorite Song: "Any Fun"

Bat for Lashes - Two Suns

On this album, Natasha Khan channels her inner Kate Bush to make a great album. Full of synthesizers, ethereal songs, fantastic percussion, and that voice...that voice that so perfectly fits her style. This album is more cohesive than her previous album, which makes this one a better overall album. My words are unable to do this album justice. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Rating: 4.5/5

Favorite Song: "Sleep Alone"

Album of the Month - This is Ivy League

2009-06-14T18:47:00.004-05:00

Artist: This is Ivy League
Album: This is Ivy League
Released: 2008

Background: comprised of two touring members of Cobra Starship.

Sharon's Rating: 3/5

Sharon's Thoughts: Fun & upbeat. I enjoy the vocals, especially the harmonies. A little Simon & Garfunkel-esque. I also like the mix of the rhythm acoustic guitar with electric solos now and then. They have a nice balance. This is the perfect album for a sunny afternoon on the patio.

Favorite Song: "The Richest Kids in Town"

Dusty's Rating: 4/5

Dusty's Thoughts: Nice summery pop music, with some bossa nova thrown in for good measure. Great harmonies. Nothing groundbreaking, but it's a fun album, especially on a nice day.

Favorite Song: "Don't Waste Your Love on Me"

If you've heard this album, feel free to join in.

Next month, we'll be reviewing Viva Voce's new album, Rose City.

iPod Roulette

2009-05-21T23:31:00.004-05:00

It's been a while since I posted, which means it's time for some iPod Roulette. I hit shuffle and write the first 10 songs that show up, with my thoughts. Join in by posting your results in the comments.

1. "So Alive" - Toad the Wet Sprocket (In Light Syrup)
A great song. Normally I'm less than thrilled with b-sides albums (they're usually b-sides for a reason), but this album is great all the way through. This song is one of my favorites on the album.

2. "So What" - Miles Davis (Kind of Blue)
Unmistakeably Miles. This is the first on the album, and it kicks it off in style. It starts off with some meandering instruments, finds its groove, then proceeds to show off the brilliance of the musicians involved over the course of the song. One of my all-time favorite jazz albums. I know that's not an original statement, but it's true.

3. "Depot, Depot" - Tom Waits (The Heart of Saturday Night)
With this song (and, really, most of this period for him), Tom Waits creates a perfect late-night soundtrack. I can't listen to this song without thinking, "I wish I was driving through a city at 3 o'clock in the morning." (I can never get through one of these lists without a Tom Waits or Johnny Cash song coming up...and that's completely okay with me.)

4. "Lucky" - Radiohead (Early live version)
A good recording. This version is more stripped down than the version that ended up on OK Computer. At the beginning of the song, Thom Yorke says that this song came out of his James Bond obsession. I can see that. Great song.

5. "It's a Hit" - Rilo Kiley (More Adventurous)
It wasn't until the last few years that I've gotten into Rilo Kiley. This album is the reason I started listening to them in earnest. Fantastic album. This is not my favorite song on the album (that honor goes to "Does He Love You?), but it's still a darn good song.

6. "Big Black Nothing" - Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band (Outer South)
This is actually Nik Freitas singing, not Conor Oberst. It's a nice enough song...in fact, I think I enjoy it. I suppose I need to listen to this album again. I was less than impressed the couple of times that I've listened to it, but this song is convincing me to give it another shot. Thanks Nik.

7. "Train Song" - Feist & Benjamin Gibbard (Dark Was the Night)
Pretty much exactly what I expected it would sound like. I like it. It's nice. I'm beginning to think that ol' Ben is making his voice sound a little stranger on purpose.

8. "I Am Always the One Who Calls" - Pedro the Lion (The Only Reason I Feel Secure)
When I hear the greatness of this song, I find myself feeling a little sad. Not because this song is so good, but because the last couple of things David Bazan has put out have been pretty mediocre. I'm hoping that changes with his upcoming full-length. Anyway, this song is fantastic.

9. "All Along the Watchtower" - U2 (Rattle and Hum)
Not on par with the Hendrix version, but still a darn good version. Say what you will about U2 (and many people have, especially recently), but they have a tremendous back catalog.

10. "India Rubber" - Radiohead (B-Side)
A dark, slinky(ish) song, sounding like the bridge between Pablo Honey and The Bends. It's not an amazing song, but it's still pretty good.

I'm going to try to get back to writing semi-regular reviews this summer...but I make no promises. I have a backlog of great albums that I've listened to (and a few less-than-stellar albums), so I need to start writing again.

St. Vincent - Actor

2009-04-18T12:38:00.003-05:00

St. Vincent's first album (Marry Me) was a terrific debut. Strange and intense and amazingly listenable. I didn't think there was any way she would be able to top it.
After my first couple listens to Actor, I assumed I was right. It was good, but it wasn't as good as Marry Me. There was only one standout track, and the rest all seemed to blend together. It still sounded good, but it didn't compare to Marry Me.
I listened to it again. And again. And again.
After 5-6 listens, it clicked. Every song became spectacular. My previous standout track was still my favorite track, but the rest of the album was not far behind. And now, every time I listen to this album, it gets even better than the last time. Marry Me was good. Actor is great. There's not a down song on the album.
This album is currently on my short list for Album of the Year. It's still early, I know, but this album has a real shot to be my favorite by the end of the year.
If you liked her first album, you definitely need to check this out. If you haven't listened to her first album, check this out. It's extremely creative (and sort of quirky) chick pop. I usually compare her to Regina Spektor, but this new album is better than anything Regina Spektor has done.

Rating: 5/5

Favorite Song: "Marrow"

What I've Been Listening To

2009-04-02T16:52:00.005-05:00

Here are some albums that I've been listening to lately.

Neko Case - Middle Cyclone

Front to back (frog track aside), this is probably my favorite album of hers. Before this, Fox Confessor was probably my favorite, but there were still some tracks I wasn't crazy about. I think this entire album is stellar. It really hit me on my fifth listen. Just fantastic stuff. I love it. The full instrumentation of some of the songs ("This Tornado Loves You", "I'm an Animal") sounds amazing. The lesser instrumentation of other songs ("Magpie to the Morning") sounds amazing. And her stark cover of Harry Nilsson's "Don't Forget Me" is breathtakingly gorgeous. Everything she did on this album works. As I mentioned, I could've done without the 30 minutes of frog noises at the end of the album, but, since it's at the end, it doesn't really bother me that much.

Rating: 4.5/5

Favorite Song: "Don't Forget Me"

U2 - No Line on the Horizon

I like this album much better than I thought I would. There are some tracks that I really don't care for at all ("Get on Your Boots" and "I'll Go Crazy if I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" being the main culprits), but it's pretty good for the most part. The title track works extremely well as an opener. I really like "Moment of Surrender", but I cringe a little every time that line with the ATM comes on. Still, the music is so good (I love the keyboard and string section lurking in the background) that I can't help but like it.
There are a lot of parts on this album that sound less like a U2 album and more like a new album from a U2 cover band who has written their own music. It's not bad...it just sounds like a rehash of their older albums. It's better than How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, which was my only requirement for the album.

Rating: 3.5/5

Favorite Song: "Moment of Surrender"

Handsome Furs - Face Control

I didn't listen to their first album, and I'm not really that into Wolf Parade. This album, however, completely blew me away. Great electro-rock music, complete with a rough voice and catchy melodies. I listened to this album after hearing how good it was...and it completely exceeded those expectations. Jump in your car, roll down the windows, and crank this album. You'll love it.

Rating: 4.5/5

Favorite Song: "Radio Kaliningrad"

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

I have a personal vendetta against Animal Collective and their legion of loyal fans. I have never understood the love and praise heaped on their heads. Apparently there's a fine line between "genius" and "unlistenable", and I have always counted myself among the latter camp. That is, until this album. They have taken their sound, polished it up a bit, and made a great pop album. They took their love of Brian Wilson and have turned out an album that is extremely creative and listenable. Personally, I didn't think they had it in them.
It's not all fantastic. I could do without the repetition of "Guys Eyes" and the lyrics of "Taste". A couple of the songs go on for a bit too long (I suppose that's to be expected when listening to an Animal Collective album).
Most of the songs are good, though, and there are a couple of great songs. "My Girls", "Bluish" and "Lion in a Coma" are the ones that stand out above all the others.
This album definitely isn't for everyone, but, as far as I'm concerned, it's the best album of their career. And it's not even really that close.

Rating: 4/5

Favorite Song: "My Girls"

Hopefully I'll follow up this post with some other random albums I've been listening to. Hopefully.

Artist of the Month: Bjorn Norestig

2009-03-25T23:12:00.006-05:00

Bjorn Norestig hails from Sweden, as so many pop artists are doing these days. Hello Inside is his first full length album, and was originally released in 2006. You can visit his website here.

Sharon's Rating: 3/5

Sharon's Thoughts: I enjoy the way his melodies are bright and hopeful, and manage to have a full and deep sound as well. I always love the use of trumpets! His vocals are pretty good, too, and work especially well for harmonizing.

Favorites: "We Can Make it Last"

Dusty's Rating: 4/5

Dusty's Thoughts: Wonderful moments of pure pope awesomeness, mixed with elements of folk and jazz. His voice works extremely well with the music, and the harmonies are amazing. The horns are magnificent; they really fill out the songs well, and perfectly complement the gorgeous sounds of the Hammond B-3 that is present throughout. I'm not too fond of "Character Song", but the rest of the album is terrific. A great album to listen to in the car on a nice day with the windows rolled down.

Favorites: "We Can Make it Last", "Everything is Good", "Feeling of Emptyness"

We're going to be altering this a little bit going forward. From now on, instead of Artist of the Month, we'll be doing an album of the month. This will give us a chance to talk about artists that have more than one album.

Next month we'll be looking at This is Ivy League's self-titled album. Feel free to join in.

Wavves - Wavvves

2009-02-18T22:36:00.003-05:00

I kept hearing great things about this album. "Lo-fi surf rock," they said. I like lo-fi surf rock. Not many people do that kind of music anymore. I was excited.
My excitement was completely unfounded. They got the lo-fi part right, but there's not much that resembles surf rock on here. There may be a couple songs on this album that fit that bill, but the majority of it is filled with noise that borders on torture.
Let's get this out of the way: I like noise. I enjoy Sonic Youth's SYR albums, which are, for the most part, orchestrated noise. I also enjoy Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's Now I Got Worry, which is about as lo-fi and noisy as music can be and still be listenable. I could go on, but I won't.
So it's not because of some old-person sensibility that leads me to say this: the majority of this album is nothing but noise. It's not good noise. It's terrible noise. This noise is at a frequency that can be literally painful to listen to...and that's at low volume.

There are a couple of tracks on here that were pretty good, but I don't remember what they are, and, frankly, they weren't even worth skipping through the album trying to find them again. Not a good sign.

Rating: .5/5

Visit their website here

Random Grammy Thoughts

2009-02-08T19:46:00.025-05:00

I'm sitting here studying for some tests this week, but I thought I'd watch the Grammy's as well, and write down some random thoughts as they come to me. Here we go:

- If you wrote a song with lyrics as terrible as the opening song from U2, would you project them up on a big screen for all the world to read? Lyrics like, "I don't want to talk about wars between nations," followed by "Boots" repeated a number of times. The music isn't bad, and I probably wouldn't even notice the lyrics if they hadn't been posted.

- Ah Whitney...still as crazy as ever.

- Boyz II Men put out an album this past year?

- That "Beatle Fighters" joke fell about as flat as is humanly possible. Thanks Rock.

- Was that General Store thing supposed to be a joke? You have to either be a bit more obvious or a lot funnier, Mr. Timberlake.

- With one hand I want to punch Chris Martin, but what would I do with the other hand? Oh...hello Kanye. Where did you come from...and what are you talking about?

- Joy! A Coldplay medley, with Chris Martin prancing to another stage. Now he's spinning. And he's raising his hand in the air. Does he think this is the iTunes commercial again? Did he slip in a line from Springsteen's "Working on a Dream", or am I crazy? I'm 95% positive his bandmates hate him.

- Carrie Underwood: single-handedly trying to bring back the faux-puffy shirt. The strange thing? It actually looks pretty good on her. Somewhere Matthew is salivating.

- I love that Sheryl Crowe walks out to "All I Wanna Do". For some reason that is humorous to me.

- The chick from Sugarland is CRAZY. McCartney might want to look into a restraining order.

- You don't have to jump through hoops for Duffy, Al Green.

- What is Kid Rock doing? Somewhere along the line, he grew tired of his rap-rock schtick and embraced an era of terrible (TERRIBLE) socially-conscious/political songwriting. I never thought I'd say this, but you're better than this. And right on cue...his "Werewolves of London"/"Sweet Home Alabama" mash-up. I'm seriously considering recanting my previous statement.

- Awwww...a song about high school romance from Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus. I can't even begin to tell you how little I care about this. I just found out that they're best friends. Who knew?

- Robert Plant looks like sin.

- Did the CSI chick just compare the Jonas Brothers to Cain and Abel? Someone had to say it.

- Stevie Wonder singing through autotune? What a waste. The next time you decide to jack up someone's voice, pick someone who can't sing.

- Hey...Bandana Jonas. That's Mr. Wonder to you. Show a little respect.

- Could someone tell me why the Jonas Brothers are popular? Now they have decided to ruin "Superstition". It's going to be hard to listen to this song the same way again. Thanks for ruining music, Grammy's. And let's not forget the Jonas Brothers...single-handedly setting music back 50 years.

- Blink-182 announcing their reunion. Does this mean we don't have to listen to Angels & Airwaves anymore?

- I can't help that I like Katy Perry, and I won't apologize. Her voice is not necessarily in top form tonight, though.

- Kanye West looks hideous, and he doesn't sound any better. Estelle is not even close to saving this thing.

- There is not a single good artist in the Best New Artist category. Who wins? Why...Adele, of course. The woman who has one decent song. Oh well...at least it wasn't the Jonas Brothers.

- Wait. Morgan Freeman and Kenny Chesney are friends? What do you suppose they do on a Friday night?

- The interchange between Natalie Cole, Herbie Hancock and Diddy was terribly awkward in an extremely funny way.

- I was pulling for M.I.A. to win Record of the Year, if only for the possibility of seeing her go into labor on the stage.

- T-Bone Burnett is wonderfully crazy. You can't help but love that guy.

- I knew it only a matter of time before Queen Latifah used the term "Rap Pack".

- Is it healthy for a woman who is nine months pregnant to be bouncing around the stage? Regardless, she sounds better than everyone else currently on the stage (Kanye, Jay-Z, T.I. & Lil' Wayne). What a terrible excuse for macho posturing. I'm actually starting to feel a little nauseous. If you want to primp and preen, fellas, take it to the corners.

- Kate Beckinsale? What a wonderful surprise. And introducing Paul McCartney. She's actually doing a terrific job.

- McCartney's voice is on the downswing, but he still sounds pretty good. Performance of the night so far.

- Best Male Pop Vocal: I'll take McCartney, only because the other ones are garbage. And...it's John Mayer. Wow. Way to win an award with yet another piece of terrible acoustic pop garbage. Thanks John.

- Jay Mohr & LL Cool J? When exactly is Jay Mohr going to finally see his career die? Shouldn't that have happened years ago?

- Is it just me, or did the chick from Sugarland age 30 years since the beginning of this show?

- Adele sounds terrible live. Did they doctor her voice for her album, or is she just really nervous? Since she steadily got better throughout her performance, I guess I'll blame it on a case of the jitters.

- Radiohead coming up. This should be fantastic.

- The marching band was a nice touch. Some of Thom's movements seemed a bit forced. Other than that, it was a good performance.

- What is Samuel L. Jackson wearing? This show just keeps getting more confusing.

- You know, T.I. isn't a bad rapper, but there's something off with this Justin Timberlake collaboration. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but I'm really not enjoying this at all.

- T.I. just welcomed me on his road to redemption. Thanks T.I.

- I always hate when the president of the academy shows up, but this may be one of the worst speeches of his I've heard. He just sounds unnecessarily egotistical. Just stop with the whole "Yes we can" stuff. It's a little played out at this point.

- In order to honor the musical contribution of the Four Tops, they bring out Jamie Foxx. Sure. That makes sense.

- I may have to take that back. This is actually a pretty good performance. The last living member of the Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Ne-Yo and Jamie Foxx. They sound pretty good together.

- I should have figured that The Grobanator would've shown up at some point.

- Neil Diamond still has that swagger...so why wasn't he included in the debacle that was "Swagga Like Us"?

- They couldn't find someone better than Gary Sinise to introduce Lil' Wayne? And why is Robin Thicke up there? While Lil' Wayne is rapping about the hardships of New Orleans, Thicke is raising his hand in the air, singing "New Orleans" over and over again and grinning like an idiot. Does anyone actually like this guy?

- Alan Toussaint just showed up...and he still has it. And now's he's being joined by the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. And Terrance Blanchard. That was actually pretty enjoyable.

- Will.I.Am sighting! Let's hope he doesn't embarrass himself like he did last year. He did fairly well...but I'm pretty sure there's something wrong with T-Pain.

- Best Rap Album...Lupe Fiasco? No...of course not. It's Lil' Wayne. Of course it is. Why, it's only one of the most hyped rap albums in recent memory. Of course it wouldn't go to Lupe Fiasco, who crafted an extremely creative and eclectic album. That would've made sense.

- It's about time Zooey Deschanel showed up. And she's introducing Robert Plant & Alison Krauss. That's pretty cool...but I wish she didn't use the "She & Him" hook.

- This Plant/Krauss performance is really good...and pretty dark. I'm really enjoying it. It's nice to see T-Bone Burnett on stage with them.

- And here I thought I could get through the night without seeing Green Day. Those guys are idiots. Does the one guy still call himself Tre Cool?

- Album of the Year...here we go. I am, of course, rooting for Radiohead, but I don't really think they'll win it. I'll predict Coldplay.

- Annnnnnd....Robert Plant & Alison Krauss. I did not see that coming. I thought that album was decent, but I was surprised it was even up for Album of the Year, let alone winning it. Oh well. I've seen worse winners. Congrats.

- How dare they try to cut off the Album of the Year acceptance speech. That is shameful.

Well, this was kind of fun. It was my first time doing something like this. Hope you enjoyed it.