|
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
|
Steel Panther - Feel the Steel (Universal Republic) [upcoming shows] [audio]
Steel Panther is heavy. Steel Panther is metal. Steel Panther is ridiculous. As a rock parody band there's the obvious comparison to Spinal Tap, however Steel Panther use their obscene lyrics and thick guitar riffs to specifically take on '80s hair metal. Similar to The Lonely Island making a hip-hop parody album that's actually good, Steel Panther actually makes good music... if you're into '80s hair metal. And if you are, you may be looking for some comedy in between seasons of Rock of Love.
- cormac
|
|
Released 10.06.2009
|
|
|
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
|
Shudder to Think - Live From Home (Team Love) [audio]
The twelve-year evolution of Shudder to Think ended in 1998, leaving members to focus on side projects, solo albums, and many a song for television and movies. Whether you heard them as an ultra-unique punk band or an ultra-unique alternative rock band, once you were bitten by the bug they became an instant favorite by way of cutting guitars, bizarre lyrics, and that hypnotizing falsetto. The reunion was a major to-do, captured as a greatest hits of sorts on Live From Home, an album that will no doubt please us fans longing to recapture the magic.
- cormac
|
|
Released 09.15.2009
|
|
|
Friday, September 04, 2009
|
St. Vincent - Actor (4AD) [audio] [upcoming shows]
I got around to this album really late, in no small part because of how wispy and floaty Annie Clark's first album as St. Vincent had been. The differences between Marry Me and Actor are minimal in the grand scheme, sure, but in context they are huge. Actor is not only more forceful and direct, but also the work of someone more confident as a songwriter. Instead of existing in the periphery, the songs that comprise Actor demand attention. It's a rhythmic, elegantly-voiced, sometimes simply complex record. Good and interesting.
- paul
|
|
Released 05.05.2009
|
|
|
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
|
Silent Film Project - Two Days 7" (Kids) [audio] [upcoming shows]
The UK is so hot right now! But, as is often the case when a particular locale is booming, plenty of also-rans come after a piece of the pie too. "Two Days" by Silent Film Project is strictly inoffensive, and that's its problem. The chorus isn't strong, the jangle of the guitars lacks a certain energy and the exuberance doesn't seem real in any way. B-side "Alligator" suffers an identical fate (and is nearly an identical song, for that matter). This film needs a bit more editing—it's not ready.
- paul
|
|
Released 06.02.2009
|
|
|
Thursday, July 09, 2009
|
Sleep of Oldominion - Hesitation Wounds (Strange Famous) [audio] [upcoming shows]
The past five years for Sleep are all here in Hesitation Wounds. He's shredded a lot of pain and spilled his thoughts and lonely memories in a lyrical machine gun delivery. He's a trailblazer, stampeding through his head and running over inner demons with a haunting production. He fights and unleashes a barrage of damage from his past, all conquered in "Hesitation Wounds." "Spent" and "Orchestra of Strangers" stand out for me, but it's "So Far" which is what he's all about. Sleep is a rapper who lives through his words, and without them he is dead.
- jason a.
|
|
Released 06.30.2009
|
|
|
Monday, May 25, 2009
|
Sahara Hotnights - Sparks (Stand By Your Band) [audio] [upcoming shows]
When you're out of ideas, play covers. Sparks works to Sahara Hotnights' advantage, since their last album found them at an all-time low. Taking the opportunity to cover everyone from Steve Miller Band to Janet Jackson to Foo Fighters, the burden of writing is lifted and the task of making themselves over becomes unquestionably freeing. Vintage synth sounds are mixed with danceable grooves, best showcased on their cover of Dusty Springfield's "In Private". Sparks is a great starting point for the next record.
- paul
|
|
Released 02.24.2009
|
|
|
Friday, May 01, 2009
|
Slayer - Psychopathy Red 7" (American) [upcoming shows]
Slayer may be more Slayer-ish now than ever if "Psychopathy Red" is any indication. At just 2:22, it revisits the pummeling brevity of Reign in Blood and maintains the punkish edge that's always been vital to the Slayer sound. Based on the tale of Russian serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, this wholly disturbing track is paired with b-side "Untitled," a spoken addition to Chikatilo's story (presented backwards, of course). Hope you picked this up on Record Store Day, because it's history now.
- paul
|
|
Released 04.18.2009
|
|
|
Monday, February 16, 2009
|
Spinnerette - Ghetto Love EP (Anthem) [audio] [upcoming shows]
If you ever followed The Distillers, you know Brody Dalle was just a pop rocker trapped in the world of punk rock. Now she fronts Spinnerette; a flashy, amped-up and well-produced band with scene vets Alain Johannes and Jack Irons. Her softer, more new-wave-influenced side reveals itself on "Distorting a Code," but it's the upbeat and relentless hookyness of "Ghetto Love" and "Valium Knights" that makes this debut EP worth the money as well as an impressive teaser for the impending album.
- paul
|
|
Released 12.16.2008
|
|
|
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
|
Scale the Summit - Carving Desert Canyons (Prosthetic) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Carving Desert Canyons is the new instrumental album from the progressive metal outfit Scale the Summit. The band stays true to the genre by creating complex and compelling compositions. This is a very ambitious recording by a talented group. While the music is good, my biggest gripe is the treatment of the production of the album. The drums are often washed out and left in the background during moments when they should be punctuating the music at the forefront.
- j.p.
|
|
Released 02.17.2009
|
|
|
Friday, January 30, 2009
|
Sex Vid - Communal Living (Dom America) [audio]
I wouldn't dare burden Sex Vid with the responsibility of meeting the standards set by Black Flag or Minor Threat way back when American hardcore was in its infancy, but this secretive and mysterious band from the rainy northwest comes really damned close. After a string of crushing singles, Communal Living marks their entry into album territory (well, if you can call 8 songs in 15 minutes an album). This is sweaty, loose, loud and blistering stuff and every second of it is flat-out brilliant.
- paul
|
|
Released 12.02.2008
|
|
|
Monday, January 26, 2009
|
Shirock - Everything Burns (self released) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Everything Burns is a well-written and slickly produced album from the pop/alt-rock quintet Shirock. The strong vocal performances by Chuck and Pap Shirock contribute to this album's charm. Each is a talented enough singer to carry this album alone, but the interplay between the two is something special. The songs are well put together and can stand up to any comparison with the music of their contemporaries like OneRepublic. This is an easily likable album.
- j.p.
|
|
Released 02.03.2009
|
|
|
Thursday, January 22, 2009
|
Marnie Stern - This is It... (Kill Rock Stars) [audio] [upcoming shows]
What Marnie Stern does to her Gisbons and Fenders is enough to make any aspiring—fuck it, established—guitarist go into the fast-food industry. She taps, she picks, she taps, she riffs, she taps, and she sings like an angelic pixie, sometimes a mile a minute in order to keep up with her busy hands. Meanwhile, Hella's Zach Hill sheds pounds trying his best to spazz out in time with her. Oh, and did I mention that for all the fancy fretboard punishment, there are 12 perfect songs here?
- jason m.
|
|
Released 10.07.2008
|
|
|
Thursday, December 11, 2008
|
The Smiths - The Sound of The Smiths: Deluxe Edition (Rhino)
In the 1980s, The Smiths introduced the punk kids to goth, the goth kids to pop, and the pop kids to something called indie rock. Twenty-five years later, The Sound of The Smiths is here to introduce anyone still out of the loop to one of the greatest bands of all time. This retrospective includes the best from the studio plus the requisite demos, alternate versions, and live tracks. Not quite a box set, but a fantastic start for newbies and a welcome companion for long time fans.
- cormac
|
|
Released 10.07.2008
|
|
|
Monday, December 01, 2008
|
Sukpatch - Light's End... Love's Swell EP (Heartphone) [download]
Sukpatch were so prolific throughout the '90s that it's hard to believe this is only the second artifact to emerge from their weirdpop science lab in the last eight years. "Lover Lay Down" is the best (and probably only) reggae/shoegazer anthem you've ever heard, and "If You Want Me to Stay" has a great walking tempo to compliment its gruesome tale. You could play your Ween and Jesus & Mary Chain records at the same time for a similar effect, but listening to Sukpatch is easier (and more rewarding).
- paul
|
|
Released 11.11.2008
|
|
|
Friday, November 28, 2008
|
Songs EP (Popfrenzy) [audio] [upcoming shows]
The kick-off track "KC's in Trouble" is the finest two and a half minutes of bouncing indie-pop I've heard in longer than I care to remember. In fact, this all-too-brief ep from Australia's Songs seems at odds with lots of modern-day music. There are no weird Turkish instruments or ironic samples or looped beats; just guitars and drums and bass and straightforward vocals creating songs (wise move on that band name, then). Like fellow southern hemisphere greats The Chills or The Go-Betweens, Songs are doing everything right.
- paul
|
|
Released 06.03.2008
|
|
|
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
|
Richard Swift - Ground Trouble Jaw EP (Secretly Canadian) [download] [upcoming shows]
Retro exploitation is becoming the scourge of popular music, but Richard Swift pursues his backward-looking craftsmanship with the commitment of a scholar. In his short, yet prolific career, he's never released anything so direct as his Ground Trouble Jaw EP. The opening salvo of "Would You" and "Lady Luck" sounds authentically Motown—not just as recording experiments, but "hit" songs. The remaining three tracks are similarly disarming in different ways, making this one of the best EP's released in 2008.
- paul
|
|
Released 08.05.2008
|
|
|
Thursday, September 25, 2008
|
Tracy Shedd - Cigarettes & Smoke Machines (Teenbeat) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Tracy Shedd isn't a household name. In fact, she's a songwriter's songwriter the way Ron Sexsmith and Mary Lou Lord are. And when she releases an album (which isn't often), more critics and music know-it-alls will buy it than average people will. I only mention all this because of how perplexing it is. Cigarettes & Smoke Machines is sharp and upbeat and, at the same time, intimate, confessional and bittersweet. Quality from beginning to end.
- paul
|
|
Released 09.23.2008
|
|
|
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
|
Sad Day for Puppets - Hush/When You Tell Me That You Love Me 7" (Fastcut) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Sweden, the country that keeps on giving, now gives us Sad Day for Puppets. Led by the finespun voice of Anna Eklund, this is a band worshipping at the altar of their dreampop ancestors The Sundays and Lush. A-side "Hush" was the standout on their debut ep earlier in the year, with its wavy guitars and celestial melody colliding in a whirlpool of color and sound. B-side "When You Tell Me..." is balladry-by-candlelight, more in the vein of early Mazzy Star. Exquisite in every respect.
- paul
|
|
Released 09.02.2008
|
|
|
Monday, September 15, 2008
|
Smoking Popes - Stay Down (Appeal) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Just a few seconds into "Welcome to Janesville", you realize the eleven year hiatus between 1997's Destination Failure and Stay Down had little influence on the band's sound. It could be argued there is a little less "punk" in their unique "pop punk" sound, but there is doubtlessly enough of that trademark style to satisfy longtime fans. The absolute standout is "If You Don't Care", a song that will fight "I Know You Love Me" and "Need You Around" to be called the Popes' best and most catchy.
- cormac
|
|
Released 08.05.2008
|
|
|
Friday, September 12, 2008
|
Squeeze - The Complete BBC Sessions (Universal) [audio] [upcoming shows]
BBC Sessions compilations are always a must-buy in my house, but especially for a band like Squeeze. Much of what's here hasn't been heard since it originally aired on the radio, and the biggest revelations come with the earliest material recorded for the one and only John Peel (including several non-album tracks). Spanning the years from 1977 to 1994, hits and familiar songs scattered throughout, Squeeze were always at the top of their game—even when it was just Glenn and Chris and two acoustic guitars.
- paul
|
|
Released 08.05.2008
|
|
|
Friday, August 22, 2008
|
Spiritualized - Songs in A&E (Fontana) [audio/video] [upcoming shows]
While at first it might seem a little bloated at eighteen tracks, there are six brief interludes with varying degrees of soothingness among them. Add some flute, Bermuda drums, strings, distorted stomps and his recent discovery of drug influenced gospel. There's hints of Pink Floyd's The Final Cut in there somewhere too. By his own admission, J Spaceman can only play three guitar chords so it's remarkable that he can make such moving songs using the same two chord progressions from his Spacemen 3 days.
- mark
|
|
Released 05.27.2008
|
|
|
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
|
Sugarland - Love on the Inside (Mercury Nashville) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Here's what works for Sugarland: they make completely accessible pop-country that doesn't veer into that weird gray area which makes Toby Keith and nu-century Bon Jovi indistinguishable. They throw curveballs, but they also adhere to a rich history. Here's what works against Sugarland (and always has): Jennifer Nettles' voice. That twang is pure Hee-Haw theater. People living in two-room shacks in the most remote parts of Mississippi don't even sound that southern. Easy to like, but impossible to love.
- paul
|
|
Released 07.22.2008
|
|
|
Monday, June 30, 2008
|
Sebadoh - Bubble and Scrape: 15th Anniversary Reissue (Domino) [audio] [upcoming shows]
This 15th anniversary reissue adds alternate takes and demos, 32 tracks in total. Liner notes detail Eric Gaffney's final recordings with the band and also reveal that Gaffney and Lou Barlow didn't play on each other's songs. Musically, Barlow sticks to moping and Gaffney sticks with sonic experiments that either nail it or fail spectacularly. Sebadoh represents the long past era of classic indie rock when bands actually lasted long enough to release 5-6 records and "fans" had an attention span of longer than nine months.
- mark
|
|
Released 06.17.2008
|
|
|
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
|
Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (XL Recordings) [audio] [upcoming shows]
What's to be said about a new Sigur Rós album that Tom D. didn't already lay on us three years ago? He jumped the gun on Takk... perhaps—an album I rather like—but this one comes considerably closer to realizing the "Bono and his true whale love" tale used to describe it. Where the band once used subtle passages to intensify their more dynamic moments, these songs wander and offer none at all. Even whales will beach themselves once in a while to mix it up, but this blubber wagon sinks to the ocean floor.
- paul
|
|
Released 06.24.2008
|
|
|
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
|
The School - Let it Slip EP (Elefant) [audio] [upcoming shows]
If your least favorite thing about early Belle & Sebastian albums was the material featuring Isobel Campbell on lead vocal, you (like me) might be inclined to turn and run at the mention of The School. The girlish voice of headmistress Liz is sugary to a fault, and the accompaniment is as wimpy a take on soul music of the '60s as you're likely to find anywhere. Yet despite their shortcomings, The School have turned out four irresistible songs that kick off the summer with a smile. Reluctantly recommended.
- paul
|
|
Released 06.17.2008
|
|
|
Thursday, May 29, 2008
|
Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears - Flight of the Knife (Black & Greene) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Flight of the Knife is operatic, strange and instantly catchy. Imagine Squeeze teaming up with The Fiery Furnaces to re-work A Night at the Opera and selling it as a power-pop musical. Bryan Scary and friends have mastered the ELO version of the wall-of-sound and collected some mighty powerful hooks for a concept album reminiscient of Alan Parsons' Eye in the Sky. The stage version, featuring sci-fi vignettes set in the sky & cosmos will no doubt blow minds when it hits Broadway.
- cormac
|
|
Released 04.01.2008
|
|
|
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
|
Santogold (Downtown) [audio] [upcoming shows]
As shiny and pretty as the gold glitter vomit that adorns the album cover, Santogold's self-titled album is yet another absurdly catchy, well-produced, instantly palatable ethnic pop indie sensation. However, in eighteen months, when a date stumbles upon this forgotten treasure in your CD collection and gives you that look, there'll be no coughing and backpedaling regarding their discovery. You'll say with pride, "That's right, and it still holds up." He or she won't believe you, but you'll be right.
- troy
|
|
Released 04.29.2008
|
|
|
Friday, April 25, 2008
|
Sump Pumps - Revenge of the... (8 Bit) [audio] [upcoming shows]
The Sump Pumps offer the unusual combination of high speed double synth-driven punk with four members—all singers—sharing distorted vocals. Recalling predecessors such as Brainiac, Rocket From the Crypt and Six Finger Satellite, with their matching outfits they have a little Devo in them too. Almost all the songs stretch past the three-minute mark, disqualifying them from the hardcore punk rock club, but it's high octane from beginning to end regardless.
- mark
|
|
Released 05.13.2008
|
|
|
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
|
She & Him - Volume One (Merge) [audio] [upcoming shows]
The highest compliment I can pay Volume One by She & Him is that when I first heard the album, I assumed every song was a cover, when in fact only three are. The second highest compliment I can pay to Zooey Deschanel's musical debut as backed by M. Ward is that it's the first musical release by an actor that doesn't simply affirm their primary career choice. These are new standards in more ways than one.
- troy
|
|
Released 03.18.2008
|
|
|
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
|
The Seabellies - Wave Your Fingers to Make the Winters EP (self released) [audio] [upcoming shows]
My apologies to The Seabellies for discovering them so late, having just found out about the EP they released a year ago. It's the kind of music I usually find perfect for spring. Wave Your Fingers to Make the Winters collects six songs, spacious enough to allow room for a reluctant melancholy to coexist alongside the soaring choruses and spirited rhythms that aren't unfamiliar to fans of Broken Social Scene or The Arcade Fire. "Day of the Bees" steals the show, while the five remaining songs all share second place.
- sam
|
|
Released 03.27.2007
|
|
|
Friday, March 21, 2008
|
Angus & Julia Stone - A Book Like This (EMI) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Aussie brother/sister duo Angus & Julia Stone are like other familial groups in that there's a perceptible connection going on which doesn't exist in other musical line-ups, one that seems entirely organic and natural and adds a warmth to the music they perform. And speaking of that music, it's some pretty gorgeous folk pop with nary an ironic or hip leaning to be found. If only the Friedbergers weren't so busy screwing around with convention, The Fiery Furnaces might sometimes be half as listenable as this record is.
- paul
|
|
Released 09.18.2007
|
|
|
Friday, February 29, 2008
|
Siriusmo - Allthegirls EP (Exploited) [audio]
Siriusmo is Moritz Friedrich, Berlin-based producer, remixer and performer who has positioned himself over the past couple years into a bonafide auteur of revisionist electro-funk and disco—the kind that appeared right at the end of disco's reign and might have been sampled early on in hip hop by the likes of Grandmaster Flash. Allthegirls is unmistakably European, but never surly or stiff. Both the title track and "Femuscle" would fill the floor at your next party, and Modeselektor's remix of "Wow" is slippery fun. More, please.
- paul
|
|
Released 01.15.2008
|
|
|
Thursday, February 28, 2008
|
Soulsavers - It's Not How Far You Fall, It's the Way You Land (Columbia) [audio] [upcoming shows]
What can't Mark Lanegan do? Former singer for Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age, current Gutter Twin and his recent collaboration with Isobel Campbell. Now he creates gospel electronica with a production duo from the UK. Lanegan sings on eight of the eleven tracks. "Spiritual" is a Johnny Cash cover via Spacemen 3 with a slow organ-driven hymn and The Rolling Stones'"No Expectations" is also transformed. It's an oddball pairing—Dust Brothers-like rocktronica with Lanegan's distinctive baritone—but it works.
- mark
|
|
Released 10.16.2007
|
|
|
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
|
Scary Mansion - Every Joke is Half the Truth (Zum) [audio] [upcoming shows]
If Chan Marshall's transformation of late into a Memphis Belle has left you perplexed and ornery, Scary Mansion's debut album may help soothe the sting a little. I won't do the album the injustice of calling it a Cat Power rip-off, but denying similarities would be equally as wrong. Leah Hayes (graphic artist by day, chanteuse by night) can summon some pretty chilling emotions, and the music that accompanies her broken vocals is subtle yet urgent. Few debuts this year will be more impressive.
- paul
|
|
Released 01.22.2008
|
|
|
Monday, February 18, 2008
|
Silversun Pickups - Remixes EP (Dangerbird Records) [download] [upcoming shows] iTunes Exclusive Release
By now, I assume most of you have figured out that the Silversun Pickups hype was a lie and that the band actually sucks the paint off your buttplug. For anyone that might contemplate buying this steaming pile of technoturd...*sigh*. First of all, the whole disc is just remixing the same two fucking songs over and over. Secondly, only one track has anything approaching worth or merit (Jason Bentley's "Lazy Eye"). Honestly, if you exchange hard-earned money for this, you're hopeless.
- tom d.
|
|
Released 12.11.2007
|
|
|
Friday, February 08, 2008
|
George Stanford - The EP (Smash/Mercury) [audio] [upcoming shows]
George Stanford has put together an EP of stripped down, fun and catchy tunes. The tone of the songs' essence harkens back to 1970's artists like Kenny Loggins or Elton John, but remains relevant and never sounds out-of-date. Stanford's voice strains a bit when he pushes it past his limitations, but it ends up just adding to the charm of it all. The EP whets your palate for Stanford's forthcoming full-length album. I hope it's just as good.
- j.p.
|
|
Released 10.09.2007
|
|
|
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
|
Santogold - Creator/L.E.S. Artistes (Downtown) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Can two songs change the world? Okay, I won't get carried away here, but I will say that by year's end Santogold will be the topic of much conversation. "Creator" is a tour de force of bhangra-inspired dancehall that should have M.I.A. looking over her shoulder. The flip "L.E.S. Artistes" is a 180-degree spin into midtempo post-modern pop the way Altered Images used to make it in 1981 (or maybe the Yeah Yeah Yeahs for you younger folks). What all a full album could cover is anyone's guess, but I can't wait to hear it.
- paul
|
|
Released 01.29.2008
|
|
|
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
|
Shotgun Party (self released) [audio] [upcoming shows]
I learned a new musical term from Shotgun Party: Western swing. With guitar, fiddle, and upright bass—please note that Katy Rose Cox is the Slash of fiddle solos—the trio creates a sound that probably showed up a lot 75 years ago, but is fresh and original now. They continue the Austin tradition of cool twists on traditional American music. As I write this, I am sad that I will miss the bill they're sharing tomorrow night with The Lonesome Heroes.
- meredith
|
|
Released 08.07.2007
|
|
|
Monday, January 14, 2008
|
Sia - Some People Have Real Problems (Hear Music) [audio] [upcoming shows]
There are two different albums fighting out for space here. One is something found in a listening station at Borders—the unchallenging, disinterested tunes that open the album and barely exist. The other album, though, it's really something. The exaggerated vocals on "The Girl You Lost to Cocaine" are the first hint of something more than easy listening. "Academia," a tropical collaboration with Beck, only complicates matters. By the time the hidden track, "Buttons" (which has to be YouTubed to be believed) pops up, it's easy to figure which aspect of the album has won.
- troy
|
|
Released 01.08.2008
|
|
|
Monday, January 07, 2008
|
Sonic Chicken 4 (In The Red) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Suspend your disbelief for a half hour and pretend there's a little place in France that's been enclosed in a bubble since about 1965, and the last records to make it inside before the inhabitants were sealed off were The Kinks' "You Really Got Me" and The Yardbirds' "For Your Love". When listening to the Sonic Chicken 4's debut, you'll find this fictional history completely plausible. They pack a retro punch entirely untainted by anything that's happened in the last 40+ years.
- paul
|
|
Released 11.06.2007
|
|
|
Friday, November 23, 2007
|
Seether - Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces (Wind-Up) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Seether has always struck me as a band struggling to find its own identity and sound. But after giving Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces a few spins, I've realized that this South African post-grunge outfit is really using their influences to craft an ever-changing landscape of music. A couple songs dive a little too deep into the commercial pond, but the album as a whole is redeemed with great tracks like the epic "No Jesus Christ".
- j.p.
|
|
Released 10.23.2007
|
|
|
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
|
She Is So Beautiful/She Is So Blonde (Science of Sound) [audio] [upcoming shows]
This member of Sleeping in the Aviary presents a collection of songs far removed from his punk rock meal ticket. There's the Califone-ish "Tied to the Sound", with drugged-out whispers over acoustic guitar strums. The track "Days" is what Black Rebel Motorcycle Club desperately wanted to be when they "rediscovered" faux gritrock a few albums back. These are atmospheric sketches of mid-fi pop—vocals either buried or high pitched wails—whether it's banjo, harmonica and toy xylophone or the pounding sampled drums on "Crimes".
- mark
|
|
Released 11.06.2007
|
|
|
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
|
Sixtoo - Jackals and Vipers in Envy of Man (Ninja Tune) [audio] [video] [upcoming shows]
If it was Esquivel who perfected the art of space-age bachelor pad music, Sixtoo has snatched the baton and propelled the concept into the 21st century. Carefully assembling a patchwork of beats and found-sounds, his work on Jackals and Vipers transcends its raw components, managing to envelop the listener in an almost narcotic waking slumber while simultaneously poking and prodding at random intervals to ensure attention is paid. Pour that martini, light that Cuesta Rey and enjoy the night in.
- paul
|
|
Released 09.18.2007
|
|
|
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
|
State Radio - Year of the Crow (Ruff Shod) [audio] [upcoming shows]
State Radio's Year of the Crow combines roots reggae, punk and rock music. The songs, infused with a critical bent toward political and social issues, will certainly stir up a bit of controversy. While there may only be a few songs on this album that really grab you, this eclectic mix of sounds is supported by extremely compelling songwriting throughout. "The Story of Benjamin Darling, Part 1", "Omar Bay", and "Wicker Plane" are notable highlights.
- j.p.
|
|
Released 09.25.2007
|
|
|
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
|
Shellac - Excellent Italian Greyhound (Touch & Go) [upcoming shows]
They aren't going to shock you with reinventing themselves because there is no need to improve on what they do—it's still crisp, rigid and cutting. Sure, even my patience was tested as Albini repeats "Can you hear me now?" for the entire eight and a half minutes of "The End of Radio" and I may not ever need to hear that track again but "Steady as She Goes" makes it all worth it. Whether they are dicking around or not, Shellac is still the pinnacle of all the hard rock indie bands.
- mark
|
|
Released 06.05.2007
|
|
|
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
|
Sons of William - What Hides Inside (self released) [audio] [upcoming shows]
The past few years have been a rich time for bands coming from the south. No longer forced to play up to hillbilly notions of regional stereotyping, bands like Sons of William are granted the freedom to write intelligently constructed, lyrically literate songs that recall the best of rural troubadours like John Mellencamp ("Lucifer Hands") and Ryan Adams ("Darkest Secret") without being shunned by locals. What Hides Inside is ambitious and profound without sacrificing the vital familiarity of conventions and traditions.
- paul
|
|
Released 09.04.2007
|
|
|
Friday, August 31, 2007
|
Sharks Come Cruisin' - Live at Jake's (self released) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Some people watch Jaws and forevermore refrain from swimming in the ocean. Others decide to start a band. Inspired by grizzled old Quint's rendition of "Spanish Ladies" (the first track on the album), Mark Lambert began researching sea shanties. Sharks Come Cruisin' present the songs complete with cue cards for the crowd to join in the chorus. While many compare SCC's sound to the Dropkick Murphys, they're closer to Great Big Sea in that they're fairly true to the original songs, without trying to punk them up. I'd go see them.
- meredith
|
|
Released 03.20.2007
|
|
|
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
|
Ari Shine - A Force of One (Bongo Beat) [audio] [upcoming shows]
It's unfortunate how much the Ari Shine press packet plays up his comparisons to Elvis Costello's rookie year, because nothing on A Force of One quite packs that punch. Set aside the minor disappointment of major expectations, however, and it turns out it's actually a sharp, loud blast of clever guitar pop with swagger to spare. Despite some ill-advised modern production tells, it's straight out of '78—the bitter hooks of Costello with the pointed layman's verbiage of Graham Parker. He's just one album away from getting it absolutely right.
- paul
|
|
Released 07.10.2007
|
|
|
Friday, August 17, 2007
|
Swati - Small Gods (Bluhammock Music) [audio] [upcoming shows]
So I had to do some research to learn how Swati creates her incredibly distinctive sound... turns out she's got eight strings on a twelve-string guitar, open tuning, and lots of pedals. "Big Bang," which features a departure into the realm of near-metal, showcases this sound, but I prefer "New Me," the album closer, as my Exhibit A. While she evokes comparisons to Tori Amos and Ani DiFranco style-wise, Swati's playing sets her apart from anyone I've heard recently.
- meredith
|
|
Released 05.01.2007
|
|
|
Friday, August 10, 2007
|
Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter - Like, Love, Lust & the Open Halls of the Soul (Barsuk) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Jesse Sykes has a beautiful yet haunting voice, like the lovechild of
Craig Wedren and a ghost who grew up listening to The Flying Burrito
Brothers. Each song on Like, Love, Lust... is surrealistic, dramatic and
psychedelic. This will-o'-the-wisp floats her uniquely distinct voice over
the modernly atmospheric country tunes in a curious way, allowing her
to brashly flaunt lyrics that are often tender, softhearted and sincere.
- cormac
|
|
Released 02.06.2007
|
|
|
Monday, June 11, 2007
|
Sick Puppies - Dressed Up As Life (Virgin) [audio] [upcoming shows]
The second full-length album (first North American release) from Sick Puppies provides ample doses of great songs with catchy lyrics, driving rhythms, and kick-ass bass lines. The song writing is well balanced from start to finish, and the album as a whole is a very good recording. It will make you want to get up out of you seat and move your body to the music while gladly singing along to songs about youthful angst.
- j.p.
|
|
Released 04.03.2007
|
|
|
Thursday, June 07, 2007
|
She's Spanish, I'm American EP (Bedroom Classics) [audio]
This 5-song ep really isn't for you as much as it is a keepsake for singer/songwriter Josh Rouse and his girlfriend Paz Suay (she's Spanish, he's American...duh). Hearing it is sort of like being a fly on the studio wall, able to observe their private moments. As with any couple, some are adorably touching and some are awkward and clumsy. If you're not bothered by being a third wheel, though, there's certainly plenty to enjoy here. Breezy, bouncy pop that's equally suited for both a weekday picnic and a Garnier Fructis commercial.
- paul
|
|
Released 01.30.2007
|
|
|
Thursday, May 17, 2007
|
Elliott Smith - New Moon (Kill Rock Stars) [audio]
Elliott Smith was the fifth Beatle, just born at the wrong time, and in
Nebraska. With George as the quiet one, Elliott would be the sad one. He
created beautiful melodies and harmonies over his seven profound years as a
solo artist, a number of which remained officially unreleased. New Moon is
not a collection of throw-away demos or re-arranged sound fragments, but rather 24 must-hear songs recorded between 1995's Elliott Smith and Either/Or in 1997.
- cormac
|
|
Released 05.08.2007
|
|
|
Friday, April 27, 2007
|
The Size Queens - Is It In Yet? (Bitter Stag) [audio] [upcoming shows]
The Size Queens are made of up members of For Stars and American Music Club. You could categorize this as depressingly humorous Americana highlighted by oddball lyrics and striking piano playing. "Tribute to Patsy Ramsey" states "She was a Patsy from the start like Harvey Oswald" while "Love My Dentist" asks "Is it wrong to love my dentist?" and later moaning "You're my Gummi Bear." This is a lengthy adventure—eight of fourteen tracks are over five minutes long, influenced by Roy Orbison, The Fall, Half Japanese and Camper Van Beethoven.
- mark
|
|
Released 01.02.2007
|
|
|
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
|
Sahara Hotnights - What if Leaving is a Loving Thing? (Stand by Your Band) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Despite arriving in the right place at the right time, Sahara Hotnights were never able to establish a real foothold in the States. Their inability to be pigeonholed into a specific trend, while commendable, was their downfall; even though their influences were crystal clear (The Runaways, Suzi Quatro). The 4th album is even more problematic than the others, though. It's their "1982" record—a drowsy hangover after the raucous partying of the late '70s. "Cheek to Cheek" is a notable post-disco pop exercise, but the remaining nine songs are non-vital bargain bin fare.
- paul
|
|
Released 04.17.2007
|
|
|
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
|
The Shins - Wincing the Night Away (Sub Pop) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Resembling Oh Inverted World way more than Chutes Too Narrow, The Shins' tricky third effort Wincing the Night Away brilliantly showcases their musical maturity. The lyrics present darker subject matter; a failed relationship, a return to one's hometown, or a loved one's self-destruction. However, The Shins express their depth in practically a friendly manner, using light, tuneful vocals and catchy melodies. The verdict? Wincing is a gorgeous, introspective album that refuses to become stale.
- miriam
|
|
Released 01.23.2007
|
|
|
Thursday, April 05, 2007
|
Sloan - Never Hear the End of It (Yep Roc) [audio] [upcoming shows]
What gives, Sloaners? I'd like to listen to this new album of yours from beginning to end every time I put it on, because buried somewhere inside this sprawling 30-track disaster are 12 or 13 undeniably outstanding songs I really, really, really like. No album has ever had a truer title than Never Hear the End of It, though. I start it often, but I can't seem to ever finish it.
- paul
|
|
Released 01.09.2007
|
|
|
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
|
Sleeping in the Aviary - Oh, This Old Thing? (Science of Sound) [audio] [upcoming shows]
There are thirteen tracks in 23 minutes but it's not hardcore punk, more power punk without the irritating and unnecessary final bridge, extra verse, chorus and guitar solo. Only two songs crack the three minute mark, while two come in at under one minute. Similar to the Thermals, the vocals are up on top of the mix. The Johnny Thunder-esque "Sign My Cast" is a slow ballad, while "Gloworm" is a midtempo number with offkey vocals. "Lanugo" slows things down again, adding hand claps and trombone.
- mark
|
|
Released 02.06.2007
|
|
|
Monday, March 12, 2007
|
Sono Oto - The Apple EP (self released) [audio] [upcoming shows]
It's not surprising that I like an EP about apples. They're one of my favorite snacks. Especially Granny Smiths; so tart, so crisp. Apples are also the main ingredient in America's #1 favorite pie, the apple pie! Come to think of it, I'm typing on an Apple computer right now. Brooklyn's Sono Oto have packed their admiration for the forbidden fruit into a 6-song bushel of melodic piano pop that makes my mouth water and my toes tap.
- cormac
|
|
Released 09.26.2006
|
|
|
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
|
Sonic Youth - The Destroyed Room: B-Sides and Rarities (Geffen) [audio and upcoming shows]
If you're thinking of introducing yourself to Sonic Youth with this album, stop right now. If you're already in a record store, don't even go near the "S" section. As the title hints, this is clearly for fans only. And I don't mean the casual SY fan, such as myself, but rather the weird dudes at the show who rhythmically bob their heads to non-rhythmic 20-minute feedback solos. Outrageously, 8 of the 11 tracks are instrumentals, and the best track is the 25 minute version of "The Diamond Sea". Outrageous.
- cormac
|
|
Released 12.12.2006
|
|
|
Monday, February 26, 2007
|
Snagglepuss - The Sound Report (Coolidge) [audio] [upcoming shows]
The '80s had Fetchin Bones and the '90s had Sugarsmack. Naturally, a new decade had to give way to a new project for Hope Nicholls and Aaron Pitkin, Charlotte, NC's most enduring power couple. In the seven-member Snagglepuss, most every musical corner they've explored in the past has been brought together. The Sound Report, the band's third LP, seamlessly integrates the southern-fried pop and unhinged mayhem of their previous endeavors with a newly revealed appreciation for the sickly slick radio mainstays of their youth. There's sax. There's violence. And you're invited.
- paul
|
|
Released 01.16.2007
|
|
|
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
|
The Science of Sleep DVD (Warner Independent) [trailer]
The Science of Sleep never got a big theatrical run... thank God for DVD. On the disc is the film, an audio commentary with writer/director Michel Gondry and cast, a 30 minute making of featurette, an interview called "Lauri," and two short pieces on saving kittens. I would skip the commentary and go directly to the making of feature and the "Lauri" piece. The latter is an interview with the woman who created the creatures for the film. If you like to hear the word "kitty" 1000 times in five minutes, check out Rescue Some Love.
- kyle j.
|
|
Released 02.06.2007
|
|
|
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
|
Styles P - Time Is Money (Ruff Ryders) [audio]
Styles' sophomore release hits hard and fast, with 12 tracks spread out over only 44 minutes. While littered with the typical commercial themes of wealth, superiority, black pride, and a willingness to invoke violence, instances of dark hope shine through. Guest spots from Talib Kweli, Jadakiss and others keep things fresh throughout. Production is above-average and frequently superior, with traditional instrumentation and vintage loops backed with pounding, head-nodding beats. A few uninspired tracks subtract, but the album remains tightly composed and paced.
- ShaneB
|
|
Released 12.19.2006
|
|
|
Friday, December 29, 2006
|
Gwen Stefani - The Sweet Escape (Interscope) [audio and upcoming shows]
Gwen is now officially dueling with Fergie for controlling interest of the white hip-hop cheerleader-cum-marching band musical movement. Whereas both are obsessed with enough self references to shame Rickey Henderson and both use identical approaches to musical artistry, repeating simple catch phrases over the melodies of nursery rhymes, thereby removing the difficult first step of learning the words so that fans can proceed directly to copying their dance moves. Due to less botched plastic surgery in this musical shithole, it's Gwen by a nose.
- junco tibet
|
|
Released 12.05.2006
|
|
|
Monday, December 04, 2006
|
Silversun Pickups - Carnavas (Dangerbird Records) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Silversun Pickups remind me of Oasis. I haven't the faintest idea why. Silversun Pickups' latest effort, Carnavas, swirls together guitars, strings and melodies, creating a harmonious and psychedelic work of art. At times, achingly sharp vocals feel thin, yet the sounds consistently complement equally energetic and pensive music. Carnavas will seep into your subconscious until you realize you feel compelled to keep playing it. Unlike Oasis' Be Here Now. We just don't discuss that one.
- miriam
|
|
Released 07.25.2006
|
|
|
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
|
Slouch - Viva (Cozy Music) [audio] [more audio and upcoming shows]
With the overabundance of electronic music producers out there, it's no easy task to produce a standout downtempo album, but that is precisely what Ian Bradley, aka Slouch, has done. His new album is the happy marriage of trip hop, hip hop, and international sounds, blending breakbeats with Indian percussion, dark musical montages with Middle Eastern melodies, and organic piano riffs with turntable scratches. All of this plus the unique and expertly manipulated samples make Viva a must-hear for fans of DJ Shadow, Portishead, and Daedelus alike.
- heidi
|
|
Released 08.29.2006
|
|
|
Monday, October 23, 2006
|
Stationary Odyssey - Head! Foot! And the Pink Axe (Joyful Noise) [audio and upcoming shows] [videos]
Stationary Odyssey is not of this earth. They've obviously done their
research, though, because they know exactly what it means to us earthlings to be heavenly. With an ability to make rainbows right before your eyes, Head! Foot! And the Pink Axe is pregnant with melodies you never before thought possible and has plenty of post-rock quirkiness that'll keep you anything but stationary. It's a basket of instrumental genius, and it's just begging you to dive in.
- jason m.
|
|
Released 09.16.2006
|
|
|
Monday, October 09, 2006
|
Sublime - Sublime 10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Geffen Records) [audio]
It’s the 10th anniversary of teenagers, such as myself, buying everything Bradley Nowell had recorded before his death. This two-disc edition includes the self-titled LP, reformatted to the late Mr. Nowell’s original vision: it’s just like the disc you bought 10 years ago, but with a new opener, one alternate vocal track, and a different track sequence. The second disc contains a few good "new" songs, far too many "alternate" versions, and some videos. Maybe it’s just worth waiting for the (rumored) box set.
- cormac
|
|
Released 08.15.2006
|
|
|
Monday, September 25, 2006
|
The Slats - Boom Patrol (Latest Flame) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Equal parts New Wave and No Wave, The Slats channel a heavy Cars
obsession through a dual filter of semi-tuned guitar skronk and early
GBV lyrical oddness (not to mention the one track that ventures into
hip-hop, as if imagined by Grand Buffet fronting defunct noise-ists
McLusky). Enthusiastic "whoa-oh" vocals bump up against weirdly
off-kilter squeals and a grinding rhythm section. If you’re not afraid
of a little dissonance, this could be the perfect new party album for
you.
- jeremy
|
|
Released 07.11.2006
|
|
|
Friday, September 15, 2006
|
Sigur Rós - Saeglopur EP (Filter US Recordings) [audio] [video] [upcoming shows]
I’ve always thought Sigur Rós sounded like the first time you wake up and the ground is snowcovered, and the landscape is quiet and blinding in its white infinity. Turning delicate piano plinks into soaring and percussive Icelandic-rock on a dime has always been their trademark, and here they master it. In just four songs they run the entire gamut of progrock’s epic spaciousness while soaking everything in haunting, otherworldly pitch-shifted vocals.
- eric
|
|
Released 08.08.2006
|
|
|
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
|
Snow Patrol - Eyes Open (A&M) [audio and upcoming shows]
Before I begin writing this review, I just want to let the cat out of the bag ... I am secretly fond of Snow Patrol. Yes, Snow Patrol are slightly cheesy (I know) and I’m not usually down for anthemic pop-rock, but Gary Lightbody seems to have a certain charisma. (Now you’ve all stopped laughing, I’ll continue.) Eyes Open displays a slender development from "Final Straw." The songs seem to have grown in epic stature and intensity, and if that failed to convince you, there is an enjoyable epic pop ballad with Martha Wainwright.
- colin
|
|
Released 05.09.2006
|
|
|
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
|
Stereolab - Serene Velocity: A Stereolab Anthology (Rhino) [audio] [more audio] [upcoming shows]
If there's anyone left out there in need of a simple introduction to the vast back catalog of Stereolab, patience has served you well. Serene Velocity is a gripping primer, a sixteen-track mixtape of sorts, which brings remastered versions of the best singles and deeper cuts from the band's Elektra albums together into one convenient set. Purists always argue that "best of" compilations cheapen the artists' work, but I'll be damned if this isn't the best Stereolab album I've ever heard.
- paul
|
|
Released 08.29.2006
|
|
|
Friday, August 11, 2006
|
SSM (Alive Records) [audio] [upcoming shows]
White soul lives! Members of The Hentchmen and The Sights stumble through saturated sloppy guitar chords, drunken vocals, reverb drenched keyboards, and weird sound effects. You can't go wrong by sticking to the Blue Cheer, ? and the Mysterians, Lyres, and Blues Explosion playbook, heavy on the wah pedal and handclaps. The final track, "The Seer", at over six minutes, is the absolute peak. As it trails off, you can lay back covered in sweat, smoke a cigarette, sleep a bit and sneak out before anyone notices.
- mark
|
|
Released 05.23.2006
|
|
|
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
|
Sufjan Stevens - The Avalanche (Asthmatic Kitty) [upcoming shows]
Warning!: if you hated Sufjan's Illinois, you'll hate Avalanche. I made an ass of myself by assuming this was an hour of filler not good enough for Illinois...and sure, there's plenty of the same-ol'-same-ol' here, including some dreamy yet forgettable instrumentals, needlessly long song titles, and three (count 'em!!!) alternate versions of "Chicago." Illinois fans will love to hear the rest of what was allegedly scheduled to be a double album, and surprised to hear more than what they expected: Avalanche has plenty to offer.
- cormac
|
|
Released 07.11.2006
|
|
|
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
|
Sebadoh - III (Domino Records) [audio] [more audio] [still more audio]
Nothing like a reissue to make you feel old. While Sebadoh's third
release was the natural progression of the home recorded cassettes Eric Gaffney and Lou Barlow had been trading off, no one was expecting this, their strongest release with the classic line up of Barlow, Gaffney and Jason Lowenstein. 23 tracks of the infamous down-strumming, self loathing lo-fi confesssionals, now with a second disk of 18 tracks, including the overrated Gimme Indie Rock single and hilarious Jon Spencer anecdotes in the liner notes.
- mark
|
|
Released 08.08.2006
|
|
|
Friday, July 28, 2006
|
Sneaky Thieves - Accident(s) (self released) [audio and upcoming shows]
This is undoubtedly one of the most darkest, depressing records my ears have ever had the pleasure of listening to. Period. The Seattle-based Sneaky Thieves have this gloomy, experimental rock sound that will force you into murky, haunting and psychedelic corners you never even knew existed. And to say the bold & complex lyrical content is a hugely sinister & cinematic experience would be a huge understatement. Fans of Radiohead take note, this is surely one of the records of the year, just turn of the lights and enjoy…
- colin
|
|
Released 07.06.2006
|
|
|
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
|
Schwervon - I Dream of Teeth (Olive Juice) [audio] [more audio][upcoming shows]
NYC boy/girl duo Schwervon pile on foot stomping drum beats with loads of guitar noise on their newest record. Add in boy/girl vocals that complement each other perfectly, a love for Sonic Youth and The Pixies, and I Dream of Teeth becomes a solid indie rock record. Keyboards and a glockenspiel guest star on a few songs and add that certain something to the album. Throw in a Princess Superstar style rap song and that pretty much closes the deal for me.
- kyle j.
|
|
Released 06.02.2006
|
|
|
Monday, July 10, 2006
|
Shearwater - Palo Santo (Misra) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Shearwater's fourth album “Palo Santo” lies somewhere between folk and slow-tempo rock…it’s a recipe of breathtaking vocals, painful lyrics, rich instrumentation, slick arrangements, haunting melodies and beautiful textures… all of the elements pull together to construct dreamy soundscapes and provoke the most frosty & heartfelt of emotions. Palo Santo is a truly fantastic record that is likely to go unnoticed by many. Seek it out…you will not be disappointed.
- colin
|
|
Released 05.02.2006
|
|
|
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
|
Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped (Geffen) [audio] [upcoming shows]
SY are such an institution that they are almost beyond critique at this point. It'd be like raggin' on Everest for being a mountain. All the classic elements are still here, still strong, and still sound fresher than most 19-year-old jerk bands that have never owned Sister. (They're out there…) They've been endlessly exploring the vast and bewildering universe they created on Daydream Nation, and they could keep doing it forever, I don't give a fuck.
- eric
|
|
Released 06.13.2006
|
|
|
Monday, June 12, 2006
|
The
Submarines - Declare a New State (Nettwerk) [audio]
What's that famous poem? 13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird? Well, here Blake Hazard and John Dragonetti give us 10 Heartbreakingly Sweet Ways of Looking at a Breakup. Written during their real-life split, the folky pop songs relate the painful yearning to get back together ... but being afraid to make the first move. "Brighter Discontent" captures the sadness of moving to a new apartment ("the ordering of objects couldn't hide what's missing"), while the Mates-of-Statesque "Peace and Hate declares, "breaking down cannot be cured by breaking up." (P.S. They're married now.)
- meredith
|
|
Released 06.20.2006
|
|
|
Monday, June 05, 2006
|
Shotgun Monday - Read Compare Adjust (Modern Radio) [audio and upcoming shows]
With busy, clattering guitars that never cease to amaze as their trademark, Shotgun Monday is an experienced gang of chaps that play raw, tense and melodically dark indie rawk. Humble but eager, they aren’t afraid to let it rip, like on “Resting Vessel,” “Ghostly Walk,” “What Will Burn” and the notably awesome “Osceol’e.” They aren’t afraid to hold back, either…for awhile, anyway, as on “Joli Rouge” and “Proud Flesh.” There are a few iffy moments throughout, but that’s okay, because otherwise Monday has become a pretty good day.
- jason m.
|
|
Released 07.06.2006
|
|
|
Thursday, June 01, 2006
|
Sweetthieves - View From a Glass Tower (self released) [audio and upcoming shows]
Although the emphasis leans towards heaviness, hooks aren't ignored in Sweetthieves' math rock song structure - they are also free of the pitfalls their peers are usually guilty of, namely overlong instrumental songs and a gazillion time changes. Vocals are traded off between Dave Martinka's Thurston Moore-ish delivery and Hilary Jones' yelp. This cd is full of disciplined, precise songs with pulsing bass and pounding drums, similar to an awkward glance between the members of Pinback and Shellac.
- mark
|
|
Released 04.01.2006
|
|
|
Thursday, May 25, 2006
|
Sambassadeur - Coastal Affairs EP (Labrador) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Sweden is ground zero for charming indie pop. Why it's maintained that distinction has to do with the bands there pushing themselves and their listeners with each successive release. That's what Sambassadeur's been doing, anyway. Coastal Affairs is their third EP (their fourth release overall) and it's as flawless as EP's get. Four songs, three originals and one Bats cover, that fit together so perfectly, one might suspect a bit of divine intervention. Never twee and never grand, Coastal Affairs makes its home in the savory place between the extremes.
- paul
|
|
Released 05.04.2006
|
|
|
Monday, May 08, 2006
|
The Slow Break - Inside the Dark Mountain (Ionik Recordings) [audio] [shows]
Like the results of a fingerpainting session gone wild, this messy mix of styles can't be described easily. Deceptively bright chaos throws forth alt-country, punk and rockabilly guitars and frenetic saxophone under grim lyrics. The best tracks contain Katie O'Brien's yelping rasp; she sounds like Kristin Hersh, Stiffed and Dolly Parton got thrown into a blender with a pack of cigarettes. All bands should put this much passion and fire into their albums.
- meredith
|
|
Released 05.01.2006
|
|
|
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
|
The Secret Machines - Ten Silver Drops (Reprise Records) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Remember those Tupperware take-apart animals to be reconfigured according to your own child genius? No rules—the only limits were in your insane imagination. The Secret Machines' fourth album is another amalgamation; with the flowing jangle of Joy Division or The Cure, the billowing anthem-rock of Led Zeppelin or U2 and the creative vigor of the indie scene. More accessible than previous efforts, the songs evolve with tumultuous mantras of wordless choruses, bright epiphanies of drums and guitar, and instrumental stretches daring listeners with a progressive bravado.
- betty
|
|
Released 04.26.2006
|
|
|
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
|
The Sounds - Dying to Say This to You (New Line-Scratchie) [audio] [upcoming shows]
This is what guilty pleasures sound like when they stop being guilty.
Sure, every track on here could be the theme song to the next Disney
teen movie or Lindsay Lohan vehicle, but it's hard to argue with such
silly bombastic Swedish pop. Whether it's starting things off with
some cowbell, putting NYC hipsters on the cover, or throwing in some
Salt N' Pepa hooks over ridiculous keyboard tones on "Tony The Beat,"
the Sounds deliver a great getting-ready-to-go-out-on-Friday-night
record. Works for me every time.
- cory
|
|
Released 03.21.2006
|
|
|
Friday, March 10, 2006
|
Stereolab - Fab Four Suture (Too Pure) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Six tracks on the new Stereolab album were released in 2005 as a series of 2-track singles and the remaining six are getting identical treatment this year. So what is Fab Four Suture? It certainly sounds like a proper album rather than a compilation, but the tracks they coupled as singles maintain distinct contrasts from one another and work strongly as individual units. Don't expect any genuine surprises, however. This is '00s Stereolab by the book. The band that once had such drive would now rather drift from point A to point B.
- paul
|
|
Released 03.07.2006
|
|
|
Monday, January 23, 2006
|
Super Numeri - The Welcome Table (Ninja Tune) [audio]
The tribal drum beats on the 25 minute track, "The First League of Angels" spliced with the backwards-masked guitar and sitar-like sounds, collapses just after the eleven minute mark and for six minutes stumbles around before riding the bass back to the original groove. In the end, it's a wonderful mindfuck of a track. With seven tracks coming in at over 78 minutes, the ambient introductions and distorted repetitive drum rhythms are the missing link between Tortoise, Ui, and Muslim Gauze.
- mark
|
|
Released 01.24.2006
|
|
|
Thursday, January 12, 2006
|
Spanish for 100 - Metric (Cien Records) [audio] [upcoming shows]
An EP of solid songs, from the spacey jangle of "Go Away, Come Home" (I had a list of what I want and what I need, I spent all night on what I want) to the Jayhawks mournful twang in "Jungle With Lions" to the Built to Spill guitar in "Fell a Bird" (Smile so big it split the lips, Frown so hard it broke the jaw) to the Verve-like "Golden Days."
- meredith
|
|
Released 03.05.2005
|
|
|
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
|
The Sun Ups - The Fatal Flaw EP (self released) [audio] [upcoming shows]
I just listened to this album eight times in a row. It's like Mary's Danish signed up for a songwriting class taught by Bjork, but once they got the unusual melody concept down, they transferred to Rock 101, where classmates Lava Hay helped them with double female vocal harmonies. The third track, "Fail You" is a marvel of syncopation ... the verses are in 5/4 and the chorus in 6/8. I love it!
- meredith
|
|
Released 07.01.2005
|
|
|
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
|
Spider - The Way to Bitter Lake (self released) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Delicate, fragile guitar picking, slide guitar, tamborine, and flute combined with subtle waves of noise to produce a warm hum and gentle waves of noise. While the general feel of this EP is hushed, "Maggie's Song for Alice" explodes toward the end with a guitar solo and drums over a piano and "End Song" is drenched in mutually distorted guitars and vocals. Among her peers, Spider reminds me of a breathy 'living in a van down by the river'-era Jewel with a complete dental reconstruction or Nina Nastasia on a valium and vodka cocktail.
- mark
|
|
Released 10.01.2005
|
|
|
Monday, January 02, 2006
|
Stiffed - Burned Again sampler (Outlook Music) [audio] [upcoming shows]
I grew up thinking the Go-Gos were all sweetness and light, bouncing around with thoughts of vacation and having the beat. Come to find out they were part of the punk scene. And this is what they might have sounded like before the edges got sanded down for public consumption. Throw in some Blondie and No Doubt (you’d swear Gwen Stefani was singing on “Straight Jackers”), and you’ve got loud, bass-driven fun. (Note: There is a full length album, but we got the sampler so that’s what I reviewed.)
- meredith
|
|
Released 09.13.2005
|
|
|
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
|
The Spectacular Fantastic - Goes Underground (Ionik Records) [audio]
Why do we love Mike Detmer? Because he'll fix your car, weld the broken gate, help you sheet rock and then go out and play an amazing set of Wilco and Yo La Tengo-inspired indie pop. Some people have to work to develop songwriting hooks, but they fall out of Detmer consistantly and effortlessly- while remaining primarily a home based recording artist. This time around he expands his Neil Young-influenced sound with organ and ELO-inspired synths into his usual perfect power pop.
- mark
|
|
Released 10.01.2005
|
|
|
Friday, December 02, 2005
|
Silversun Pickups - Pikul EP (Dangerbird Records) [audio]
Loud-before-you-know-it choruses and whispery fragile female vocals,
always adding dissonace in baby steps until you have full blown distortion blasting you out of your chair. Trippy vibe music featuring cello, blaring organ, and chiming slide guitars, a rougher around the edges Joy Zipper or Breeders, with guitarwork reminescent of Opal. This is what would have happened if Eric's Trip had ever ventured into a real recording studio and found the Spacemen 3 were the inhouse engineers.
- mark
|
|
Released 07.26.2005
|
|
|
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
|
Judee Sill (Water)
One could draw many musical and biographical comparisons between Judee Sill and Nick Drake. They both recorded too few songs in their
time-their lives cut short by drug overdoses. Sill's 1971 debut
presents a cozier, homespun take on baroque folk music than Drake's
pedantic approach. While he had the voice of an angel, she had the
voice of the angel next door. Reissues of this and of Sill's second
album Heart Food may go a long way in elevating her myth to the heights Drake's has climbed.
- paul
|
|
Released 11.01.2005
|
|
|
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
|
Sigur Rós - Takk... (Geffen) [upcoming shows]
Imagine Bono found his Yoko Ono, and she was a humpback whale. And the whale said, "Remember that thing called pop? Forget it. You are among the whales now. Join us." And all the pomposity that Bono had stored in his heart came pouring out in a muddy sonic parade of aquatic nymphs with neurological disorders playing miniature pianos and pan flutes. And the nymphs found Thom Yorke, who anointed them gods, and tricked the whole iPod generation. This album is boring.
- tom d.
|
|
Released 09.13.2005
|
|
|
Friday, October 21, 2005
|
The Shapes [audio] [upcoming shows]
Consider this album an aural representation of the yin-yang shape; it's all about balance. In the tradition of the Brunettes and the Raveonettes, the Shapes throw male and female vocals back and forth atop candy-coated guitar riffs. But there's grit underneath the sugar, and the minor keys lend a sense of melancholy. So while "Tunnel Vision" will have you gleefully dancing around your room as the chorus builds to a yell, "Monochrome"'s plaintive chorus will have you recording your angst in your journal. Great stuff.
- meredith
|
|
Released 07.01.2005
|
|
|
Monday, October 03, 2005
|
Supergrass - Road to Rouen (Parlophone)
Nine great songs in a row find Supergrass sounding like Pink Floyd jamming with the Kinks, with a bit of that early nineties British sound that defined bands like Oasis. Their songwriting has much improved; the sound is simply the band with a beautiful string section sitting in. Great, heavy rock & roll well and confidently played. Don't sell this band short - there's not a bad note on this album.
- patrick
|
|
Released 08.16.2005
|
|
|
Thursday, September 01, 2005
|
The Stooges reissue (Rhino) [audio]
The Stooges, with their primitive beats, screeching guitars and Iggy Pop's vocal decadence, have been credited with delivering Detroit punk rock to the masses back in 1969 with their debut album. Rhino has reissued and remastered it into a two disc set - the original album plus a bonus disc with ten previously unissued tracks, including John Cale's original mixes and the full version of "No Fun". Their second album, Funhouse, is also now available in the extended format with unreleased tracks.
- mark
|
|
Released 08.16.2005
|
|
|
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
|
The Silent Type - Hot and Bothered
If you're in the mood to listen to a record that rocks from start to finish, than Hot and Bothered is it. Almost every song on the record has a hook. "Pagan Philosophy" will have you stomping your foot through the living room floor, while "Dog Days" will give your brain an aneurysm from all the headbanging you'll be doing. The Silent Type isn't reinventing the wheel here, but they sure are bringing the rock. Recommended if you like At the Drive In, The Stooges, and Afghan Whigs.
- kyle j.
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
|
Smoosh - She Like Electric (Pattern 25 Records) [audio/video] [upcoming shows]
OK, to be fair: the lead singer falls out of key occasionally, the
keyboard can sound a bit simplistic, and the lyrics are less than
deep. But the band has a combined age of 24, writes songs that are
catchy as hell, and plays them with a boisterous enthusiasm that has
me completely hooked. I don't care if it isn't technically perfect;
it is rare to hear this much talent and naive joy in the same record,
and it is utterly infectious. Thank you, Asya and Chloe, for
reminding me why I started to love music.
- tom d.
|
|
Released 09.21.2004
|
|
|
Friday, June 24, 2005
|
Settlefish - The Plural of the Choir (Deep Elm) [audio] [upcoming shows]
The first band that popped into my mind when I first listened to Settlefish's The Plural of the Choir was At The Drive In. There are definitely some similarities between the two bands, not that Settlefish don't have their own sound. From the melodic "Kissing is Chaos" to the rocking out "It Was Bliss" to the pretty "The Marriage Funeral Man", the record is an achievement for Settlefish. Bonus points also for movie soundtrack-like interludes between songs that glue the record together.
- kyle j.
|
|
Released 04.26.2005
|
|
|
Monday, June 20, 2005
|
System of a Down - Mezmerise (Sony)
Mezmerise finally made me realize why I love SOAD so much. After Toxicity, I thought it was because they'd crafted a modern metal masterpiece. But no, it's because they make it seem so damn easy. Mezmerise is equal parts Tenacious D, Fishbone, and pure punk-metal fun. And it sounds like they wrote the whole thing in two days. The result places fun just above politics in its priorities, and is as infectiously loud as anything I've ever bought. Plus hearing the lyric "gonorrhea gorgonzola" is good for my soul.
- tom d.
|
|
Released 05.17.2005
|
|
|
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
|
Johan Skugge - Volume (Mitek)
Track for track, Swedish microhouse up and comer Johan Skugge may not hold a candle to his fellow Scandinavian counterparts (Luomo, Mikael Stavöstrand, etc.), but his clean production, crafty song structures and effective use of vocals make for a rather pleasant listen. Although Volume may not provide any highly original, boundary-pushing production techniques, it'll certainly suffice as a worthy listen for most any devotee of the minimal tech-house variety.
- will
|
|
Released 01.28.2005
|
|
|
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
|
Son Volt - Retrospective: 1995 to 2000 (Rhino) [audio/video]
While the other ex-member of Uncle Tupelo gets most of the press, Jay Farrar chugs along with his countrified rock and trademark baritone drawl. What you'll find here is less poppy than Wilco but more faithful to his musical past. In addition to five unreleased tracks, this collects demos, covers of Big Star, Woody Guthrie, Bruce Springsteen and on Townes Van Zandts' "Rex Blues", a duet with Kelly Willis. If success in the music business is a marathon and not a sprint, I know who my money is on.
- mark
|
|
Released 05.24.2005
|
|
|
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
|
Spoon - Gimme Fiction (Merge) [mp3] [audio] [upcoming shows]
I've spent the last quarter of my life trying to explain to friends why Spoon is, hands down, my favorite band in the world. Until Gimme Fiction, I had no way of summing it all up in one single release. Their most accessible work - sparse and at the same time so massive, perfectly penned and produced. The simple act of hitting play on track one brings on a deluge of sound that throws your body against a wall. Dance to it, drive to it, strut to it - doesn't matter how you ingest it, the album is perfect.
- jon
|
|
Released 05.10.2005
|
|
|
Monday, May 09, 2005
|
South San Gabriel - The Carlton Chronicles: Not Until the Operation's Through (Misra) [mp3s] [upcoming shows]
Here's another release featuring prolific raspy-voiced Will Johnson, this time a concept album about a cat. When not releasing solo records or Centro-Matic releases, South San Gabriel features a rotating musical cast behind Johnson. This, their third full-length recording, features a lush arrangement of slide guitars, layered vocals, organ, acoustic guitars, piano, and violins. Devoid of any power chords, this relies on precise orchestration to deliver its dose of melancholy.
- mark
|
|
Released 04.05.2005
|
|
|
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
|
Bruce Springsteen - Devils & Dust (Columbia)
[upcoming shows]
Betting against Springsteen ever making another Nebraska is as good as money in your pocket. Yet, there's still something equally as charming as it is disappointing about his low-key work in the years
since. He's continued to draw from the same well that produced "Streets of Philadelphia," but has seldom been in danger of repeating
himself. Devils & Dust's lyrical vignettes remain sharp while the music that backs them is more rooted in southern traditions than ever before. Though he may no longer command everyone's attention, he's still The Boss.
- paul
|
|
Released 04.26.2005
|
|
|
Thursday, November 04, 2004
|
S - Puking and Crying (Suicide Squeeze) [mp3]
Most reviews for this record that I've come across seem to play the Postal Service card when drawing comparisons. Just so you know, these people are smoking crack. The biggest difference, first and foremost, is that Puking and Crying isn't shallow. After that, it's obvious that none of these people ever imagined what Cat Power might sound like if Chan Marshall augmented her guitar playing with drum machines and synths. There's a deeper lying sadness here; one which Ben Gibbard knows nothing about.
- paul
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, October 14, 2004
|
Slingshot Dakota - Keener Sighs (Immigrant Sun Records) [mp3s] [upcoming shows]
Despite the melancholy that saturates Keener Sighs, there's still enough room for Easy Bake Ovens and undone shoelaces. Is this quirky lyrical theme a shiv in the back, or just a unique personality trait? Your stomach might say one thing, but the gooshy piano, melody-driven guitars (think ragged power pop) and Lisa Loeb-esque/skinny boy vocal trade-offs might say another. This could be of those situations where you're on the fence for a very long time.
- jason m.
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
|
Silkworm - It'll be Cool (Touch & Go) [mp3] [upcoming shows]
I want to write this review in a Monster Truck Rally Radio Voice, to deliver the news that not only is Albini back, he is so back. Not since Firewater has a Silkworm record sounded this good, and for once, after hearing a band spent forever putting something together, It'll be Cool actually delivers and proves a little extra effort pays off in spades.
- leslie
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
|
Saturday Looks Good To Me - Every Night (Polyvinyl)
[mp3]
[upcoming shows]
Every Night is the kind of record which makes me seriously consider blowing my meager savings on one of those silver Airstream trailers, asking one of my neighbors to water the plants for a couple months, and hitting the untamed highway. As the dust kicks up and the tumbleweeds dance across the blacktop, "If You Ask" would score the scenic sunset atop the distant mountains. But then I'd turn around and come home, because I really don't have that kind of money!
- paul
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
|
Adam Sandler - Shhh....Don't Tell (Warner Brothers)
Song and skit subject matter is as follows: fucking a toaster, an old man getting hurt skateboarding and surfing, masturbation, a homosexual robot, being elected the Mayor of Pussytown, having a dick the size
of half a tic-tac, rubbing waffles on your mother-in-law's breasts, a man who cannot find his whore and your senile grandmother thinking you are her pharmacist and telling you her genital warts have spread towards her anus. Move over Richard Pryor and Lenny Bruce, it's Adam Sandler.
- junco tibet
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, August 09, 2004
|
The Swedes - Photolab 9000 (Self-Released) [mp3s] [upcoming shows]
Quirky pop is in, which is fine by me since angry facial hair rock makes me cringe like a scared kitten. The Swedes pull off the genre better than most, somewhat successfully blending Shins style pop with Steve Miller / garage-rock guitar licks. These New Yorkers with a photobooth picture obession would feel right at home playing with half the Sub Pop or Merge roster, and I for one wouldn't mind the show (although I doubt I'd buy an advance ticket).
- cory
|
|
|
|
|
Friday, August 06, 2004
|
Second Shot - Seven Years Bad Luck (Shove-It Records) [mp3] [upcoming shows]
Today on "Pimp My Punk," the show that gleans, preens and steams youthful musicians, we have Second Shot. In an obscenely sleek fashion - this band is tighter than your boyhood Superman undies - Second Shot pays up to its two dads, Dr. FX and Mr. G. Day. Over achievers they're not, but they rip through their fast, melodic same-hyper-drum-patterned songs like champs. Pay attention to the LCD display or else you'll think you accidentally hit repeat.
- jason m.
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, August 05, 2004
|
The Soviettes - LP II (Adeline) [mp3s/video] [upcoming shows]
Who takes bubblegum punk seriously? The Soviettes, that's who. The
most remarkable thing about these songs is that they make the most
striking choruses arise like magic from otherwise run of the mill punk
tempos and melodies. There's a lot of tongue-in-cheek yelling and
sneering, but with four very capable singers in the band, no song is
at a loss for suitable vocals. It's an advantage the Soviettes have
over others of the same stripe - they're willing to take chances.
- paul
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
|
Tommy Stinson - Village Gorilla Head (Sanctuary)
[mp3s]
[upcoming shows]
Being an ex-Replacement doesn't pay the bills, so getting on Axl
Rose's payroll was a pretty shrewd business move for Tommy Stinson.
Two or three dates a year he has to play "Paradise City" in a big
empty room, but the rest of that time is all his. And it was time
spent wisely based on what can be heard here, his first album of
original material this decade. The Westerberg influence can still be
felt, but that's to be expected isn't it?
- paul
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, July 08, 2004
|
Sigur Rós - Ba Ba / Ti Ki / Di Do (Geffen) [upcoming shows]
For a series of compositions never intended to stand on its own, Ba Ba / Ti Ki / Di Do does just that and does it well. The EP is comprised of three distinct parts, thematically tied to one another through the use of a wind-up music box; its speed altered and tones manipulated to accent the surrounding instrumentation. The music here is quite unlike what you've heard from Sigur Rós elsewhere; still icy, still spiritual, but entirely disembodied and abstract.
- paul
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
|
Matt Sharp (In Music We Trust) [mp3] [upcoming shows]
Maturation isn't as easy as it looks. In the case of Matt Sharp's first post-Weezer/post-Rentals full length album, the line between rewardingly mature and plainly boring is often blurred beyond recognition. By no means is this a bad collection of songs; the sparse instrumentation and whispered vocals are beautiful alongside one another. I dare you to remember even one of the melodies when the album's over, though. He's found a musical palette rife with possibility, but there's still some work to do.
- paul
|
|
|
|
|
Friday, May 07, 2004
|
The Shocking Pinks - Dance the Dance Electric (Pinacolada) [audio] [upcoming shows]
New Zealand's Shocking Pinks handsomely bridge the gap between the atmospheric danceability of early '80s Factory releases (see: A Certain Ratio) and the pensive shoegazing of early '90s Creation releases (see: Ride) into one very fruitful package. A combination this volatile, while fantastic in print and on tape, must be a major obstacle in real life, though. They've just broken up for the second time since the album's release in February of this year, likely putting the kaibosh on any prospect of a domestic release.
- paul
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, March 29, 2004
|
Sultans - Shipwrecked (Swami)
I've been waiting for this record for a while now, and if I needed more proof that this Rocket From the Crypt "side project" could stand on it's own, Shipwrecked provides it. Speedo and Andy bring the goods just like on Ghost Ship, but they add a little more depth and melody. This record is the perfect soundtrack to walking home drunk from your favorite watering hole. But for fucksake... if you're gonna make it portable, put it on cassette. Don't sully the Sultans with your silly iPod.
- brian
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
|
Stereolab - Margerine Eclipse (Elektra)
To say the unfortunate death of 'laaa … deee … laaa' queen Mary Hanson has changed Stereolab's dynamic on wax is incorrect. Here on the band's 10th album, chief vocalist Laetitia Sadier sounds sparse in only a few areas with the band's analog-inspired non-sequiturs leading you through this short-winded pop gem. Now if only Garageband had a 'Stereolabisize' filter, my beats would be that much more chunkier.
- matthew r.
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
|
Some Girls - Feel It (Koch Records) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Some Girls (whose name is presumably lifted from a Stones record) aren't just any girls. Juliana Hatfield and Freda Love comprised two-thirds of Boston's stellar college rock darlings the Blake Babies. Along with Pieces bassist Heidi Gluck, they've returned with their best collaborative material since the Babies dropped Earwig in 1989. Hatfield's melodies are sharper than they've been throughout most of her solo work, and the riff-heavy guitar lends these songs a bit of punch. Feel It, indeed.
- paul
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, November 19, 2003
Monday, November 03, 2003
|
The Strokes - Room on Fire (RCA) [audio/video] [tour dates]
It sounds exactly like the first album - except subtler. The lyrics are still terribly trite. But when Julian unleashes that howl about needing "a little tiiiiiime," for instance, they're once again thrilling, perfect rock and roll, the kind you can feel in your stomach. And the killer parts keep coming. Sprightly guitar licks, or even one of Julian's meaningless lines, will wrap themselves around your brain, squeezing and squeezing until you cry uncle. This is 33 minutes of consistent Strokes-y goodness.
- catherine
|
|
|
|
|
Friday, October 17, 2003
|
The Stills - Rememberese EP (Atlantic/Vice) [audio] [stream the upcoming album] [upcoming shows]
The Stills current notoriety might seem a little premature, or at least markedly inverse to their recorded output to date. But whatever, they're just another one of "those bands," with vaguely British sensibilities, nice hair, and a good-ass press agent, right? So who cares, right? Fuck those guys, right? Too bad their handful of songs happen to RULE. Sometimes it sucks to be a hater.
- nick
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, October 07, 2003
|
Spouse - Love Can't Save This Love (Pigeon Records) [audio] [audio here too] [upcoming shows]
Spouse starts off running with the ball that the Pixies left behind, but in the span of 11 songs, take it so many places that Black F & Co managed to neglect in their grand career. Spouse wants you to dance your ass off. They want you to drink and regret. They want to seduce the hell out of you with their voices alone. And with such perfect sounds as these, they'll do it, too.
- jeremy
|
|
|
|
|
Friday, October 03, 2003
|
Soul-Junk - 1958 (Sounds Are Active) [mp3]
Even by their own standards, this is weird. One third of the tracks are traditional hip-hop in the loosest sense. The rest are varied, flowing from backwards instrumental soundscapes to snippets of skronky jazz, string quartets, and startling piercing tones that will have your pets climbing the walls. Soul-Junk are on a far out trip with releases that get more unusual, unarguably groundbreaking in their own freaked-out way. At the gates of heaven, they may have some explaining to do.
- mark
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, September 03, 2003
|
7 Heads R Better Than 1 - No Edge Ups In South Africa (Seven Heads)
A wonderfully diverse compilation, the 7 Heads LP features jawns that span the entire spectrum of indie hiphop, from J-Live's peerless boom bap to the soulful house of Djinji Brown; even the Soulive's jazzy, live instrumentation gets some love. No offense to Pharell, but we can all use a little break from space-age keyboard rap sometimes; this emotive and organic disc (think early Tribe Called Quest) is a keeper.
- nick
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, September 02, 2003
|
Superchunk - Cup Of Sand (Merge) [mp3s] [upcoming shows]
It just ain't right for a band to release a double CD of b-sides and out-takes and have it end up being the best album they've released in eight years. I really don't understand how this album can be so good (especially the first disc). I'm shaking my head, confused, but happy. The stereo is jumping. My neighbors are pounding the walls. Cup Of Sand defies the odds.
- jeff l.
|
|
|
|
|
Friday, August 29, 2003
|
Super Furry Animals - Phantom Power (Beggars) [audio] [upcoming shows] [pete fowler]
The Super Furry Animals cover all the bases on their new album. "Sex, War and Robots" has the pedal steel guitar you seek. "Slow Life" has the planet rock you crave (with a harmonica/cowbell breakdown even). "Out of Control" delivers your fuzzed out political punk rock. There is even the obligatory 9/11 reference in the poppy "Liberty Belle." It's the group's grooviest, sunniest record since Radiator, but damn I miss those songs in Welsh! - kyle
|
|
|
|
|
Friday, August 08, 2003
|
Summer Hymns - Clemency (Misra Records) [mp3, mp3]
Gently strummed acoustic guitars, warbling vocals, the lonesome strains of a steel guitar, minimal but effective percussion, piano and organ as a mood rather than as an instrument. These are the ingredients that make up the late-in-the-afternoon front porch sounds produced by Summer Hymns. It's like J. Mascis and Mark Linkous joined forces with the members of Giant Sand in Moviola's backyard and created this lazy and beautiful racket. In actuality, Summer Hymns is Zachary Gresham backed by members of Masters of the Hemisphere, Of Montreal, and Elf Power.
- chip
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, June 23, 2003
|
Science Fiction - Walls Don't Exist (Third Earth Music) [audio] [upcoming shows]
Those searching for a bedroom-beat headphone masterpiece (or, the follow-up album DJ Shadow SHOULD have made), look no further than Nigerian-born Science Fiction's debut. Spacey, ambient electronics and almost Radiohead-like guitar loops intertwine with found sounds and spoken word samples to create a thoroughly un-claustrophobic meditation on the future; auspicious in every sense of the word, seek this one out.
- nick
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, April 17, 2003
|
The Sea and Cake - One Bedroom (Thrill Jockey) [mp3] [upcoming shows]
There's nothing substantially 'new' here, except for the last track. "Sound and Vision" keeps Bowie's original keyboard compositions, changes the guitar line, features Chicago mates The Aluminum Group on backing vocals, and ends up sounding warmer, more intimate and generally better than the 1977 hit. Not to say the rest of the album isn't perfect, blending Oui's electronic smoothness with the art-pop of The Fawn, One Bedroom captures the indelible freshness classic to TSAC.
- jules
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, March 25, 2003
|
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Pig Lib (Matador) [mp3]
Pavement was clearly one of the most significant rock bands of the nineties. The Jicks, with their second release, unfortunately confirm that they won't be among the significant bands of the double O's. We've heard it all before, but better, my friends. Well, "Vanessa From Queens," would make a pretty good single, in Malkmus's lightweight & goofy tradition, and "Dynamic Calories," on the 5 song bonus CD included with the first 25,000 copies is lot of fun, running right on the edge of greatness. But overall, the Jicks are a sadly diminished thing.
- jeff l.
|
|
|
|
|
Friday, March 21, 2003
|
The Sun - Love & Death (Warner Brothers)
Schizophrenic at times, but still a somewhat satisfying six-track EP debut from Columbus, OH's The Sun. "Love & Death" was recorded one weekend at Jay Bennett's house in LA following a tour in 2002. At their best, The Sun swaggers with grainy garage-punk revivalism… but this disc is short on the gasoline-drinking, balls-to-the-wall attitude that makes most garage rock special. Word on the street is that their shows get a little more intense.
- ryan p.
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, March 03, 2003
|
Noel Sanger - Summerbreeze 2 (Nettwerk)
What do you do when you're asked to mix an album as the follow-up to DJ Tiesto's masterful set on the first Summerbreeze title? Simple. Start with a dark, progressive sound. Blend in a tasteful collection of melodic vocals, add a dash of tribal beats and a pinch of synth hooks to flavour. Mix on high for 140 minutes. Serve extremely hot, and enjoy.
- kean
|
|
|
|
|
|
Starecase - Firstfloor (Hope Recordings/Kinetic Records)
This Bristol duo's debut LP is a curious mix of their excellent breakbeat sound, and some experimental chillout tracks that don't quite rise to the occasion. Some very poor lyrics only serve to make things worse, but when these guys get it right, they get it RIGHT. Their first single, "Faith," gives you reason enough to hit the dance floor, and you'll quickly forget about the rest of the album's shortcomings.
- kean
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, February 26, 2003
|
Supergrass - Life On Other Planets (Island/Parlophone) [upcoming shows]
The 'Grass started out with Buzzcocks swipes (the kickass drum intro still makes me mistake "Caught By The Fuzz" for "What Do I Get"), yet somehow grew into a bluesier, organ-driven classic rock sound that is no less energetic or enjoyable. Their latest effort - reminiscent of the Rushmore soundtrack at points - doesn't disappoint. Plus, as their name implies, I get the impression these dudes REALLY like their mary jane, ain't nothing wrong with that. I WANNA TALK TO SAMSON!
- nick
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, February 06, 2003
|
Summer at Shatter Creek (Absolutely Kosher) [audio]
Bust out the throw pillows and prepare to be soothed. Kalamazoo native Craig Jurwich, the man behind Summer at Shatter Creek, has crafted a debut effort that is chock full of extremely polished and powerful sleepy-time guitar pop. Jurwich's voice lingers in Thom Yorke's stratosphere while his songwriting captures a perfectly melancholy groove. Recommended if you love driving around aimlessly at 4 a.m., smiling about "what could have been".
- ryan p.
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, January 09, 2003
|
Seluah - Self Titled [upcoming shows]
Check it: Sick of his prettyboy posturing, Chris Isaak's band opts to ditch out on him in favor of a brief tour through Hell. When they get there, they decide to rename themselves Seluah, trying to maintain a low profile. After becoming Satan's new favorite band and being granted evil dark powers of destruction, they come back to earth with a new mission: kill Chris Isaak. They then resurrect him, making him sing on a select few new compositions. If any of this sounds good to you, find this record and buy it.
- brian
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, December 09, 2002
|
Stereolab - ABC Music (Strange Fruit)
This import serves as an alternate to a Stereolab greatest hits album, as compiling studio tracks from the band's 10 year career would be just, too expected. On this behemoth 30-song double disc, the demi-francais / half-English catalog is articulated through the handful of BBC Radio 1 sessions the band has recorded over the years. There's a bit of the group's early Shoegazing material, which precursors Tim Gane's fixation for the Moog, but still serves as a keen book learning on the band's foundation. But the heart of the comp lies in Emperor Tomato Ketchup material, particularly a long-winded, yet pleasantly reshaped "Les Yper Sound."
- matthew r.
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, November 19, 2002
|
The Streets - Original Pirate Material (Vice Records) [audio] [upcoming shows]
I initially tossed this album aside as bad two-step. Spouting even-metered rhymes with a sticky Cockney brogue, Mike Skinner layers his verses about suburban livin, working dead end jobs, getting pissed at the local pub, housing boards on PS2, living paycheck to paycheck, over a collection of soft drum loops and R&B hooks. So it's kind of like two-step, but with an emcee waxing "36 Chambers," instead of spouting the previously requisite cants of "boh, boh, boh" between flips of the record.
- matthew r.
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, November 13, 2002
|
Sixto - Sixto (Star Star Stereo) [audio]
Somehow combining Fugazi style dual-guitar rhythms with solos fit for arena rock, and we're talking in the same song here, this Wisconsin quartet have a keen ability to play themselves into an interesting frenzied vamp, without producing anything overly remarkable. Featuring ex-members of dis- and Seam, they take more than a couple pages out of Hum's repetoire, albeit with less distortion and more purposeful picking. If mid-90's Chicago-area math rock is your ultimate favorite, Sixto make music with you in mind.
- cory
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, October 30, 2002
|
Shearwater - The Dissolving Room (Grey Flat Records) [mp3s]
Purposely sleepy and depressing, the debut by Jonathan Meiburg (Kingfisher) and Will Sheff (Okkervil River) is an attempt to replicate the dark mood in Nick Drake's Pink Moon. Almost exclusively using acoustic instruments (banjos, strings, glockenspiel, etc.) the duo play sometimes beautiful music paired with Meiburg's haunting falsetto. Although the lack of direction is bothersome, and the occasional wildly out of tune instrument can be irritating (the piano is a repeat offender), the subtle moments of beauty in songs like "Military Clothes" and "The Left Side" keep things afloat.
- cory
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, October 28, 2002
|
The Spectacular Fantastic - Self Titled (Ionik Records) [mp3]
Under the guise of Spectacular Fantastic, Mike Detmer has released a collection of home bedroom recordings combining the best parts of Neil Young, Uncle Tupelo and country and western singalongs ala Buddy Holly. The unofficial anthem of the album "Getaway", falls somewhere in the area of Anders Parker, Roy Orbison and a handful of sudafeds. These acoustic based and driving lo-fi songs cover a lot of ground with dizzying catchiness and aside from one out of place drum machine track, remain consistant from start to finish.
- mark
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, October 09, 2002
|
Soul Junk - 1957 (Sounds Are Active) [audio] [mp3]
Who doesn't take a liking to the ramblings of an acid/pot casualty as he raps out sincere, barely decipherable bible scriptures over bizarre hip hop and bedroom techno beats? White man + rapping + religion should equal something disasterous and in some ways this is, but there is something redeeming about it that is really creeping me out and keeping me up at night. Ironically enough, if played at a casual gathering, the first person most likely asking them to shut this off would probably be the person with the strongest religious background.
- mark
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, October 08, 2002
|
The Sheila Divine - Secret Society (Arena Rock) [audio/video]
Sure it's cool when Morrisey is depressed, but it might not be the best of career moves for apparent Moz devotee (and TSD frontman) Aaron Perrino, who jettisons the atmospheric yet rocking tunes of past releases on this blandly despondent EP. Over the course of 6 lush yet rote midtempo guitar swirls, things get progressively more bummed out as our attention wanes. Melancholy + worn grooves = dull, dull, dull.
- nick
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, August 20, 2002
|
Spoon - Kill The Moonlight (Merge) [mp3s, stream]
When Britt Daniel woke up on New Years Day 2002, a note under his pillow read "Britt - The world is ready for you. XO - God." After getting dissed in their hometown, then dropped from Elektra records, this is sweet revenge from Texas' (better) version of the White Strokes. Mostly ditching guitars for pianos, handclaps, even a human beatbox, Kill The Moonlight is a heavily rhythmic odyssey that combines the two Elvises, the hip-shaking groove of Presley and the song writing prowess of Costello, into one of the year's best.
- cory
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, August 05, 2002
|
Sparta - Wiretap Scars (Dreamworks) [mp3]
Sounding more like Quicksand than ex-Quicksand member Walter Schreifel's new band Rival Schools, Sparta has the daunting task of trying to sell enough records to remain on a major label. The post-hardcore sound (3 of the 4 Sparta guys were in At The Drive-In) will certainly bode well in the indie rock circuit but will the mainstream buy it? Probably not, though an opening slot on Weezer's summer tour doesn't hurt. Nevertheless, a powerful debut from these El Paso punks.
- chip
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, July 30, 2002
|
Bruce Springsteen - The Rising (Sony) [audio]
This historic reunion of the E Street Band as a studio group is without a doubt Springsteen's most accomplished work he's done in 18 years. It's also the post-September 11th vision of one of music's greatest songwriters, a look at loss, redemption, sadness and courage. Replacing his longtime producer with a man known for rock's "monster" guitar sounds could have spelled C-R-A-P, yet some of the album's finest moments come during slide guitar lines and organ solos. Take a chance on the unhip, see if "Into The Fire" gives you the chills.
- cory
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, July 17, 2002
|
Sonic Youth - Murray Street (Geffen/Smells Like Records) [mp3]
Sonic Youth, a band whose name grows increasingly inaccurate with each passing year, have added Jim O'Rourke to the lineup in an effort to drop the median age down to a whippersnapperin' 42. O'Rourke's presence seems to pay off - much of the aimless noodling of the past few albums is gone. In it's place is a focused selection of hook-solid guitar anthems, replete with the quasi-beloved explosi-feedback digressions. Makes me believe once again that Sonic Youth is capable of providing the soundtrack for a generation, even if I'm not exactly sure which generation it is anymore.
- ryan
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, June 17, 2002
|
Swearing At Motorists - This Flag Signals Goodbye (Secretly Canadian) [mp3]
Here is the perfect two man band, complete with a herky jerky carnival barker live show and performed by two guys who look like they may have starred in a Univision sitcom that was cancelled in 1976. Much improved recording quality, the songs have remained catchy and brief, leaping from a whisper to a wall of noise and back again. Most importantly, there are hooks that stay in your head for days and lyrics dealing mostly with ingesting intoxicants and having imaginary conversations with ex-girlfriends.
- mark
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, June 13, 2002
|
Silkworm - Italian Platinum (Touch and Go)
Officially their 7th LP, a recent appearance at the ATP festival may result in getting the respect they deserve and shedding the tag of being too old for punks or too loud for their peers. Usually a trio, this release has Matt Kadane of Bedhead/New Year on organ and Kelly Hogan from the Rock*a*Teens singing on a few tracks. More experimental than usual but no less entralling, they still rely on Andy Cohen's shitload of guitar licks, matter of fact vocals and Michael Dahlquist's economical drumming to draw their blood.
- mark
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, June 10, 2002
|
Super Furry Animals - Rings Around the World (Epic/Sony/Beggars XL)
Think of some of the good things that have come out of Britain in the past decade - Radiohead, Blur, The Verve (big, layered guitars), Portishead, Massive Attack (psychedelic beats) - and mix in a group of young Welsh guys who worship Brian Wilson (The Beach Boys) and you have pretty much got the new release from The Super Furry Animals. Co-released with a brilliant DVD of animation and lo-fi music videos, this record will rock you, hypnotize you, and get you humming "Rings Around the World" all day.
- neil
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, April 11, 2002
|
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Plastic Fang (Matador) [mp3]
Mr. Cristina Martinez and Co. get all classic rock on our asses, and damn if they don't make em jiggle just as nicely. The lo-fi hiphoppery of "Flavor" and "Bellbottoms" is replaced by a more straight-ahead and polished (yet no less funky) guitar-based approach, aided and abetted by none other than Dr. John and Bernie "Funkadelic" Worell. Yet even if the new production values are a turn off for you, there's still enough signature JSBX hoot-n-holler to put the extra syllable in par-tay.
- nick
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, April 09, 2002
|
Superchunk - The Clambakes Series Vol. 1: Acoustic In-Stores East and West (Merge)
A thank-you compilation to its fans, Superchunk's limited edition release (1500 copies) culls material from the band's current and back catalog as performed at in-store appearances during the past year. Fans are treated to striped-down, acoustic versions of favorites like "Driveway to Driveway," "Art Class", and "Hello Hawk." The only thing missing is crowd sing-a-longs and Mac's witty between-songs banter. Emo-pop fans unfamiliar with Superchunk really should check out these old-timers (HA).
- chip
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, April 08, 2002
|
The Santiago Steps - A-flutter [mp3]
I keep hearing rumors that Orange County is an awful, desolate place (like New Jersey with nicer weather and a few less rubber factories). After listening to this album, which was recorded in Orange County by residents of Orange County, I don't see how that could possibly be true. Nothing but well-polished, buoyant and fuzzy pop/rock. The perfect soundtrack to a warm and sunny Sunday morning. We all agree that tracks one and nine, where Carolyn keeps counting up to four, are the coolest. The Big Star cover is really nice too.
- jon
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, March 28, 2002
|
Songs:Ohia - Didn't it Rain EP (Secretly Canadian)
You could sneak a Jason Molina record onto any diehard Will Oldham fan's jukebox and they wouldn't even blink. The only difference being the songs are longer and the separation of vocals and instrumentation is more pronounced. The best tracks here are the two that feature drums while the rest of the tracks requires you to slow your heart rate down to about ten beats a minute to find the groove. The perfect soundtrack for rainy days and book signings.
- mark
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, March 21, 2002
|
Erik Sanko - Past Imperfect, Present Tense (Jetset Records)
Although not the first to compose a thematic album based on lost love, Erik Sanko does a fine job of revealing his loneliness and despair with the misguided delusion that things will get better ("I get along fine without you," he sings with little conviction on "I Get Along Fine"). Throughout the CD, Sanko finds the haunting medium between the down-home lo-fi recordings of Sparklehorse and the twisted fantasy music of Danny Elfman.
- chip
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, February 20, 2002
|
The Stepford Five – The Art of Self Defense [mp3s]
Upon first listen, it's pretty obvious that the Stepford Five worship at the Afghan Whigs altar (the band freely admits this), though with repeated listeners you'll discover that the band replaces the Motown swagger and soul of the Whigs with thick modern-rock sounding guitars and vocals. A better comparison might be made to Puller, the Tooth and Nail band that combined the angst-ridden sound of the Afghan Whigs with the heaviness of post-grunge/alternative metal bands like Paw and Shiner.
- chip
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, February 13, 2002
|
Sarah Shannon (Casa Recording Co.)
The former Velocity Girl singer is now a well-grounded woman whose tastes have shifted from indie-pop to Burt Bacarach-type tunes dealing with loneliness -- the first five songs explicitly have the word "lonely" in the lyrics and most are sung in the first person ("I'm lonely, so lonely"). While dealing with such a forlorn subject, Shannon's vocals radiate when set amongst the organs, brass and strings that dominate the 10-song solo debut. Songs for the broken-hearted.
- chip
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, December 24, 2001
|
Sorry About Dresden - The Convenience of Indecision (Saddle Creek Records)
Sorry About Dresden are consistantly varied. Sometimes this hurts bands as they are too varied to categorize and never quite fit into the mood of the listener, but not here. The mid-tempo pop song is not an easy genre to succeed at, but this works because it avoids the typical soft/loud/soft formula that spells the death of many bands. It ends quietly with a few acoustic ballads, Elvis Costello-ish vocals with bits of slide guitar and piano thrown in. Lots of good songs here.
- mark
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, December 20, 2001
|
Sloan - Pretty Together (Murderecords)
Oh my god, did you know Paul Stanley sings lead on "Pick It Up and Dial It"? Okay, not really, but damn it's a good impersonation. Pretty much a typical release from these power-pop Canucks who soften up the sugar buzz with a few midtempo numbers and even a ballad or two in the second half of the CD. Nods to Kiss, AC/DC, Cheap Trick, the Beatles, and the Posies.
- chip
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, December 17, 2001
|
Superchunk - Here's to Shutting Up (Merge)
- - - 75 or less review template (use this for best results!): - - -
[witty opening line about loving this band] [filler] [comment on how superchunk keeps changing their sound up, but always in interesting ways] [filler] [comment on not always liking albums the first time through, but after a couple of listens you can't live without it] [lame fecal matter reference] [it's in your head, it's in your head, it's in your head] [filler] [obscure punk rock reference that makes me look cooler (important!)] [extremely witty exit line (very important! must be funny!)]
- brian
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, December 13, 2001
|
Silver Jews - Bright Flight (Drag City)
Silver Jews have always seemed to be the product of a head-on collision between Pavement's Crooked Rain and Calvin's best Beat Happening songs. Lyrical wittiness with a twisted delivery have always been the Jews strong point, something any fan should come to expect by now. This does not have the immediacy of Starlight Walker nor the low-fi amateurishness of The Arizona Record. Instead it creates the perfect medium between the two, combining a heavy country influence and the feeling of being whacked out on a permanently attached decaf IV.
- mark
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, December 10, 2001
|
Slumber Party - Psychedelicate (Kill Rock Stars)
A sullen hushed atmospheric record with three part female vocal harmonies floating over lightly strummed guitars, an occasional organ vibe and easy to digest song structures added together to create a personal musical floatation device. Picture a domestic StereoLab stripped of their synths, all of their confusing cultural references, and forced to play in the back of your neighborhood record store at no louder than twenty decibels. Better yet, multiple cloned Barbara Mannings joined with the DNA cells of Sylvia Plath producing the perfect rainy day soundtrack to off yourself to.
- mark
|
|
|
|
|
Monday, December 03, 2001
|
Sultans - Ghost Ship (Swami / Sympathy for the Record Industry)
It's a pretty well known fact that I'll buy almost any record that has John Reis on it. My love for all things rock (you know, spiders, snakes, hard drinkin', jail time, etc.) tend to make this an absolute necessity. Strictly adhering to the "three take" rule and recorded and mastered on used media, this album is one of those no-fi rock masterpieces that makes you want to kick the shit out of your dad, just to prove you're a badass.
- brian
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, November 29, 2001
|
Britney Spears - Britney (Bmg/Jive/Silvertone)
Hey Britney, if you really love Rock-n-Roll, you've got a funny way of showing it. If I were you, I would also start asking some serious questions about the whole popstar tutor hiring process, because it looks like you've learned spelling from Prince, a musical genius, but no speller. Anyway, congrats on making your first consistent end to end record, even if it's nothing but empty calories. xo Leslie. P.S. You looked great in Vegas! Keep swearing!
- leslie
|
|
|
|
|
Friday, October 19, 2001
|
Solex - Low Kick and Hard Bop (Matador Records)
The must-have dance party record for stutterers who may have dated Beck. Imagine being served a musical cocktail prepared by your bartenders Pizzicato Five, Bjork, Tipsy, Cibo Matto and Vitamin C with a brain transplant. I could easily picture a sobbing Leland Palmer staggering around the living room to certain tracks clutching his neice while his wife cowers behind the bed. Show tunes for people who don't go to shows.
- mark
|
|
|
|
|
Thursday, October 18, 2001
|
Spiritualized - Let it Come Down (BMG/Arista)
Mr. Spaceman joins the ranks of Eric Clapton, Mark Linkous, Johnny Cash and Rick James as he finally releases a sober album. Trippier than watching Nickelodeon on psilocybe. More heavenly than any church service you've ever attended. I would probably hate this album if it wasn't so damn pretty. If you've never understood Spiritualized, you never will. If you're a die-hard fan, you'll find yourself asking "yeah, but is it as good as Ladies and Gentlemen? Either way, you're screwed. Just relax and enjoy the ride.
- jon
|
|
|
|
|
|
