WK5 - Beach House - Teen Dream (8)

Released - 1/26/10

Label - Sub Pop Records

BLURB - Mixing aspects of folk, indie and dream-pop, Beach House floods their latest release 'Teen Dream,' with waves of sonic charm and storytelling. For the outsiders looking in, it's hard to really explain what Beach House sounds like - I guess it's some kind of cross between Fleetwood Mac and Grizzly Bear, filled with reverb. Whatever it is, it works - even though Beach House's polarity has been enigmatic at best over the last several years. It seems that anyone and everyone who hears Beach House has a definitive opinion on their sound, be it good or bad. 'Teen Dream' bridges the gap between the lovers and haters, becoming the group's most accessible and approachable record to date. Everything from the feel of the music to the honesty of the lyrics is entirely relatable. Looks like Beach House has finally opened up their gates and simply want us to press play.

Rating - 8 out of 10

FULL STORY - As a New Yorker, by law, I frequent Pitchfork more than the average person. A lot of times Pitchfork is way too cool to post positive music reviews. They tend to have their noses in the air when it comes to trending indie music, and rightly so, but every now and then they'll throw out a rating of 9 or higher (out of 10) to see if we're paying attention. Of recent memory, they handed Animal Collective's 'Merriweather Post Pavilion' a big juicy 9.6 last year. But needless to be said, Pitchfork is very, very critical of the music they listen to and review. Beach House's 'Teen Dream' garnered a 9. That's fairly impressive in it's own right. You have to realize though, Pitchfork's 9 is something to be admired or reveled, the type of record that comes around once maybe every five years or so. 'Teen Dream' is good...but it's not that good.

I won't lie, I have been anticipating this album for quite some time. I researched Beach House with great fervor last year while I was in my 'Grizzly Bear' phase. I even stood in line for three hours to see them co-headline a free show in Williamsburg, only to be turned away after capacity was met. I was ok with that, but somehow Jay-Z and Beyonce got in, and I know they didn't stand in that line. That's another story for another day.

Without wasting any more time, I'll just say that 'Norway' is the best song on the album. This track's been around for a while and was even featured on iTunes as their weekly free download about a couple of months back. Given the fact that people love free things, it got a ton of downloads by some not-so-intelligent music fans and subsequently a ton of terrible reviews. I just looked back again at some of them and could only laugh at the comments. One particular review by a girl who's user name was "Ilikealltypesofmusic" said she was frustrated by how the instruments they were using sounded broken...

What she is referring to is this wobbly organ tone that is matched with a palette of stretched out and elastic sounding guitar notes that bend in all kinds of directions, which actually makes the entire track sparkle with character and mood. To me this is the selling point. With an extremely polished and bright chorus waiting in the wings, the verse pulls the listener in and prods their ears with an array of tones, colors, moods and haze that are outside of your average person's definition of normal. This uniqueness and ingenuity kind of inadvertently keeps the listener hanging on with each musical strand that floats by. When the chorus hits, everything seems to lock in together, creating a euphoric chant about the westernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula...and somehow it's cool. 'Norway' also has this really amazing, understated psychedelic charm to it that is almost dizzying. Every time I listen to this song I always somehow become disoriented and feel like I'm drunk or about to fall over. Everything about the texture and feel of this song, and how the chorus plays off the verse...it just works.

The third track on 'Teen Dream' goes a little dark for the dreamy duo. While the music itself on 'Walk in the Park' consists of pulsing organs and a lower, seemingly uninterested guitar riff, the lyrics focus in on the loss of a good friend:

"The face that you saw in the door isn't looking at you anymore. The name that you call in it's place isn't waiting for your embrace. The word that you learned to behold cannot hold you anymore. In a matter of time, it would slip from my mind. In and out of my life, you would slip from my mind. In a matter of time..."

The lyrics and swirling combinations of keyboards and guitars are filled with raw emotion making it very easy to get lost in. I think it's a fair point to say that this is really the calling card of Beach House's music.

'Used to Be' is one of the stars of the record and is filled with classic piano and vocal melodies. Accompanying this couple, is a steadily building percussion section which pushes the song along nicely. With a beat that starts off as just a kick drum, 'Used to Be' patiently works in an entire snare brush kit transforming the song into more of an uptempo rhythm, which is something that certainly Beach House is not known for. But don't worry, they slow it back down for a beautiful and dramatic ending. The whole song seems to transverse the life of a balloon. Slowly the melodies and rhythm begin filling up space and expanding, yet never being too forceful or straining. Then for the majority of the song everything seems to be fully formed and working together in unison. The vocals play off the piano, while the snare and cymbal hits lift everything into the proper musical stratosphere. After this scenario has been exhausted, we slowly and peacefully fall back to the ground and finally come to rest as Victoria Legrand's voice more or less sings us to sleep.

The sixth track, 'Lover of Mine' is another somewhat 'newer' sounding Beach House song in that it's again slightly uptempo. Bright guitar riffs highlight and illuminate Legrand's vocals when necessary, brilliantly accenting her tone and pitch. This is another thing that is truly great about Beach House...there are very few acts that can play off each other as well as Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally. There are points where Legrand's vocals really seem like an extension of Scally's guitar. Then there are other times when it feels like the guitar or piano is singing in Legrand's voice. This constant matching, accenting and fusing of sounds and vocals transforms each of their songs into these dreamy homogenous pop creations.

'Teen Dream' is easy to get lost in. It's easy to press play, let it run, and soak it in. Throughout all of the haze and ambience, pop motifs continuously surface, evoking moods in the sincerest and rawest of forms. I do, however, think there is a large glaring hole in the record with 'Norway,' - it's that good. It's almost too good for the album. 'Teen Dream' is one of those albums that you can genuinely put on and not have to worry about skipping ahead, for the most part all ten tracks piece together nicely. If you walk into the room and hear this album playing, it's damn near impossible to figure out if someone just pressed play or if it's already eight songs deep. I'm still trying to figure out if this is good or bad. And ultimately that's what I really think detracts from this Beach House disc, but don't get me wrong...it's still amazing. But with the truly great albums, any one song can arguably be the best on the record. I can't make that case with 'Teen Dream.' So while this album is definitely one of the best of 2010, it's not the best. For the foreseeable future I'll always think of 'Teen Dream' as the Beach House record that has Norway on it.

Tracks

1.) Zebra

2.) Silver Soul

3.) Norway

4.) Walk in the Park

5.) Used to Be

6.) Lover of Mine

7.) Better Times

8.) 10 Mile Stereo

9.) Real Love

10.) Take Care

WK4 - Surfer Blood - Astro Coast (9)

Released - 1/19/09

Label - Kanine Records

BLURB - Surfer Blood burst on to the scene in 2009, touring heavily and turning heads in the process. Hailed as one of the most anticipated albums of the year, 'Astro Coast' is finally here, and it's loud. Despite being drowned in fuzzy reverb and power chords, melodies and hooks are plentiful, swerving their way in and out of the background. The band itself is full of personality, life and energy. See for yourself. With a sound that draws influences from early Weezer and The Shins, Surfer Blood looks to be reinventing the indie-rock wheel for 2010.

Rating - 9 out of 10

FULL STORY - Much of Surfer Blood's buzz was generated with their breakout single 'Swim (To Reach the End).' Pitchfork went so far as to label the track as the 37th best song of 2009. 'Swim' comes out of the gates swinging, fully trying to burst your ear drums. And don't be fooled...they succeed. But it's not all yelling and amplification - underneath the layers of distortion are simplistic chord progressions and a chorus that is impossible to get out of your head. Halfway through, the heaviness of the power chords is balanced by a bridge of slower, danceable guitar riffs set to some Vampire Weekend-esque percussion. It's back to business after this, as the distortion resurfaces and the resulting chorus hits you like a ton of bricks.

Another sure fire hit is 'Twin Peaks,' filled with varied riffs and progressions. The introduction and verse has an indefinably 'big' quality to it. By this I mean, it just feels like one of those songs that's meant to be played in an arena. It's bright, it's catchy and it's heavy - it really reminds me of a younger, more rock-influenced version of The Shins. The song boasts three clear lines of demarcation. First there is this arena-style, huge pop chord progression, which is immediately followed by an uptempo riff that breaks out into an impromptu dance-off. Then...immediately following that, is a chaotic bridge of screaming and chromatic changes between the chords which just shouts 1980's punk. Essentially on 'Twin Peaks,' Surfer Blood somehow finds a way to fuse arena rock with afro-pop and punk.

The funkiest song on the album is without a doubt, 'Take It Easy.' This is Vampire Weekend if they were a garage band. Catchy riffs, creative percussion variations and even some string sections propel this song in one direction...forward. This is one of a few songs on 'Astro Coast' that has that 'laid-back-grungey-surfer-vibe' going on. Another song that falls into this sub-genre is 'Neighbour Riffs.' It's an instrumental that really reminds me of a modern day 'Wipeout.' Bright guitar hooks, waves of ambient noise and a solid bass line provide the soundtrack that is needed for a day of surfing in So Cal.

With all of these great songs on the record it's fairly easy to gaze past the album's opener 'Floating Vibes.' Likely the most Weezerish track on the album, 'Floating Vibes' is filled with understated melodies and dizzying reverb. Amidst it's grunginess, is a pop/rock diamond that shines with hit potential. The lyrics are congruent with the youngsters that they are, focusing in on relationships, confusion and apathy:

"Forget the second coming, I need you in the here and now. Instead of dreaming up a way to spread your name across the world somehow. When you told me you were leaving I wasn't thirsty for revenge. No, I wasn't disappointed much at all because you'll be back again."

What is lacking on this record is the maturity to develop segways and transitions within their songs. It seems Surfer Blood invariably approaches every song on the record with the same mentality. First we're going to play this riff, then we're going to play that riff, then we're going to play a different riff, then we're going to go back to that first riff. And while it's fun, and energetic and loud - it begs the question...is that all they have?

That being said, somehow Surfer Blood manages to disguise their weaknesses through their energy and youthfulness. That statement in itself is fairly incredible. This band has so much enthusiasm and excitement in their music that they ultimately mask what little weaknesses they do have. This kind of raw energy is not common...but then again neither is Surfer Blood.

Tracks

1.) Floating Vibes

2.) Swim

3.) Take It Easy

4.) Harmonix

5.) Neighbour Riffs

6.) Twin Peaks

7.) Fast Jabroni

8.) Slow Jabroni

9.) Anchorage

10.) Catholic Pagans

WK3 - Freelance Whales - Weathervanes (7.5)

Released - 12/29/09 (Digital) - 3/16/10 (Physical Re-Release)

Label - French Kiss / Mom and Pop

BLURB - What a clever take on emo. It's so clever I don't even know if I can call it emo...in fact I can't. Freelance Whales is what would happen if Ben Gibbard had a banjo, a lot of friends and lived in Williamsburg. This group of friends flavors up their brand of indie rock with a combination of bubble gum folk, layered waves of ambience and a certain indefinable hipster charm. Hopefully, this will make the Owl City nation realize their own futility and that there are actually real musicians and real friends out there, making real music. While I can't get this album out of my iPod rotation, I can't help but think I'll eventually grow out of it. Weathervanes is an all too likable album...that may be the problem.

Rating - 7.5 out of 10

FULL STORY - I'm pretty sure I saw Freelance Whales playing in a subway station last year. I was on my way to a race in Brooklyn, transferring trains in Greenpoint, when I saw what looked like a high school posse of hipsters playing xylophones and banjos. Here's the proof, but this time they were in Williamsburg.

The first track off the album, 'Generator (First Floor) has been sweeping subway platforms for the last year. Branded with a banjo riff, a slow building rhythm section and 5-way background vocals, the song offers up a campfire feel. The kind of song everyone can sing along to, and does. 'Generator (First Floor)' does a great job prefacing Weathervanes and informally introduces us to the group. After hearing this song I kind of feel like I know them from somewhere...like maybe the guitar player and I were friends in another life.

'Hannah' is the second track and makes great use of the obligatory synthesizer. Stylistically, the song bounces back and forth from that of The Get Up Kids and The Postal Service. Lyrically, the tone is playful, yet full of hope and anticipation. The lyrics themselves are creative and have a naive, youthful buoyancy to them.

"Do me this solid if you would pretty lady, please grab your martini and meet me on the balcony. I've prepared a lights show, you could fake a melody, we could argue when and where the cymbal hits should be."

Despite the overall bounciness of this track, Freelance Whales does a great job altering pace and tempo. The chorus is credible, calm and relaxed...a favorable contrast to the verse. A bright display of layered bridges add some maturity and a sense of musical awareness to the song, assuring the listener that they know what they're doing.

The fifth track on the album, 'Starring' begins with a droning, industrial synth chord progression, only to be briefly slapped around with it's antithesis, a cheerful, poppy synth riff a la HelloGoodbye. Man, I hate HelloGoodbye. Somehow this works though, as the entire song performs a balancing act between dark and light. Even the chorus follows along with the line, 'This is me starring in the strangest nightmare." 'Starring' in itself is a bittersweet oxymoron and leaves it's audience hopefully in despair.

If 'Generator (First Floor)' was the song everybody sings along to, then 'Kilojoules' is the song that everybody claps along to. It really sounds like a kids song from Nick Jr., with xylophone and keyboard riffs in all the right places. 'Kilojoules' has a very lighthearted tone, which allows you to enjoy yourself as it effortlessly clears your mind. For some reason, I imagine a college freshmen girl listening to this song on repeat in her dorm, as she gets ready to go see her boyfriend's crappy band. I don't know why.

Much of the rest of the album is very airy and filled with soothing acoustic guitars and duet style vocals. Chimes, pianos and xylophones accent the indie, pseudo-folk melodies comfortably and without force. Despite the fact that these are mostly slower songs, they are all fused with a sense of hope and togetherness and help to push the songs forward.

I still don't know why I like this album as much as I do. Part of the reason I only gave Weathervanes a 7.5 was because I really feel I'm lacking some objectivity. I've listened to it constantly since I bought it, but in the back of my head I genuinely feel that it lacks staying power. It's such a blatant departure from the music that I've been listening to lately. Freelance Whales reminds me of sleepovers, dances and camp outs. Hearing this album is just like looking at your yearbook. I feel too old for it...not that it's beneath me, but you can really tell it is meant to appeal to that 15-20 year old demographic...and yet somehow this 24 year old can't put it down. I don't know if that's good or bad.

Tracks

1.) Generator (Second Floor)

2.) Hannah

3.) Generator (First Floor)

4.) Broken Horse

5.) Starring

6.) Kilojoules

7.) Location

8.) Ghosting

9.) The Great Estates

10.) We Could Be Friends

WK2 - Vampire Weekend - Contra (7)

Released - 1/12/09

Label - XL Recordings

BLURB - Contra is dangerous footing for a music review. It's entirely too cliche to denounce the preppy New Yorkers and write off this album as a failed attempt to elaborate on their charming self-titled 2008 release. Likewise, it's entirely too predictable to say the album is amazing and once again somersault on to the Vampire Weekend bandwagon. What's even more unoriginal is to remain neutral, and tepidly suggest that while Contra is a great record in it's own right, there are certainly some detracting factors to it's inherited greatness. At gun point I'm not a huge fan of Contra. That is not to say that I don't think it's a solid sophomore effort, it is. But there are a ton of risks and experiments on this album, both musically and lyrically, that clearly push the quartet through some growing pains in a manner that is fairly easy to see and hear. That being said, Vampire Weekend's talent is too visible to not recognize and appreciate.

Rating - 7 out of 10

FULL STORY - What ultimately hurts Ezra Koenig and company is the combination of creativity and free time. There was exactly two full years between Vampire Weekend's releases...this was probably about six to eight months too long of a period. That's too much time to tinker in the studio. Too much time to try and refine their sound. Too much time to experiment. What really made Vampire Weekend's self-titled 2008 release amazing was the fact that it was four privileged, yet intelligent musicians and a room full of instruments. Nothing more, nothing less. It really sounded raw and creative, while being to the point. There weren't any expectations, guidelines or provisions and that's what allowed Vampire Weekend to be great...nobody was looking. Now that everyone is watching, I feel that Vampire Weekend really felt the pressure to put out out the best record of the new decade. Although it's impossible to succeed with that kind of pressure and so many eyes watching, in the end Vampire Weekend does an admirable job and still puts out one of the better albums of the year...but let's be honest...it's not what it could be.

So let's start with the single, no? "Horchata" grabs the listener with it's island influences and bright melodies. Throw in a xylophone and that trademarked Vampire Weekend wit and you have a very respectable introduction to Contra. The whole feel of this track is very bubbly and has an array of laid back reggae undertones...it really makes me want to drink a mojito while reading the Wall Street Journal. It's a bit too poppy for my taste, but the tempo is switched up enough with some nice percussive wrinkles and stringed arrangements to distract me.

The best song on the album is the second single, "Cousins." Here we have a feverish pace combined with a wackiness that I can't help but compare to Vampire Weekend's breakthrough "A-Punk." The drums are filled with momentum, constantly speeding up and slowing down with the tempo of the song. A mixture of wood blocks and snare rolls flavor up the percussion and help to accent Koenig's lyrical musings. The main riff is short, chunky and to the point and is juxtaposed to a series of intricate, descending motifs that are strummed like a gambling addict impatiently scratching off a lottery ticket. Combine all of this with an ending that is filled with Christmas bells and crash cymbals and you have the best of what Contra offers.

"White Sky" is one of the newer-sounding tracks which, for me, the jury is still out on. Here Rostam Batmanglij's creativity shines through. He is the brains for the majority of the string arrangements and production for the band, but for this track he conjures up a very explorative synthy-keyboard motif that echos throughout the song with a faint clap track in the background. Is this is the new Vampire Weekend? All I heard last year was synthesizers and clap tracks, and I'm not sure if this is a suit best fit by Vampire Weekend. Perhaps it will grow on me?

The third track on Contra is "Holiday" and almost has an early 2000's ska feel to it. Almost. The creative energy is very evident, and while sounding like a throwback of sorts, "Holiday" somehow sounds new. The bridge to this track brings the vocals down to that of a whisper while chopped up guitar and piano notes cleverly repeat, leading back in to another lapping of up-stroked barre chords. It's simplicity and accessibility make the song very easy to like.

"California English" is a grease fire. Vampire Weekend should never use auto-tune, ever. Even though the vocal manipulation was used mildly and is not overpowering...it's still there and is incredibly annoying. I can't take the song seriously and it's a 'must-skip' song if you're trying to listen to the album in it's entirety. For the most part the music is all over the place with very little continuity. It's very herky-jerky. The only bearable portion of the song is the string filled bridge in which Koenig (via auto-tone) delivers up some playful imageries of posers:

"Sweet carob rice cake, she don't care how the sweets taste. Fake philly cheesesteak, but she use real toothpaste."

I know I don't like the auto-tune, but there is another new musical facet on Contra that I'm not sure if I'm in love with. For whatever reason, Vampire Weekend decide to sample M.I.A on "Diplomat's Son," a very slow and monotonous beach number. It's completely uninspired and lulls the listener to sleep with electronic loops and island keys. The song really stumbles in the middle when we're forced to listen to yet another clap track, this time battling an acoustic piano (that is clearly trying to play a different song). This bridge provides us with about thirty seconds of solid head scratching.

The head scratching continues on "I Think UR a Contra." Sounding like something that couldn't make the cut for a Papercuts record, the final track is far too vast and spacious. Droning synth and ambient guitar trickles provide an airy backdrop for nothing to happen. And it doesn't. With the exception of the final chorus being accompanied with congas and acoustic guitars...nothing happens. I'm aware that there was meant to be more of a shift in focus towards the lyrics on this track, but with miniscule instrumentation and no kind of discernible melody, it's really hard to pay attention.

Like all albums, Contra has it's peaks and valleys, and for what it's worth I think it's a great sophomore effort from the band. However, it's really not what it could be. They've vacated their unique musicality and have chosen to drag their feet through the current fads of indie music. Clap tracks, auto tune and hip hop samples just don't fit the Vampire Weekend that we've all come to love. At least not for me. Even with all of this criticism the album perseveres and provides a fair amount of enviable brilliance. "Cousins," "Holiday," "Giving Up the Gun," and "Run" are all amazing in their own right and affirm that, while Vampire Weekend may have experimented a bit too much with their sound, we still love them.

Tracks

1.) Horchata

2.) White Sky

3.) Holiday

4.) California English

5.) Taxi Cab

6.) Run

7.) Cousins

8.) Giving Up the Gun

9.) Diplomat's Son

10.) I Think Ur a Contra

WK37 - Real Estate - Real Estate (7.5)

Released - Woodsist

Label - 11/17/09

BLURB - I bought this thinking Real Estate could possibly be the next Thrills. Short story - I'm a huge fan of The Thrills and met the singer in a shitty diner in Philadelphia prior to a show they had, opening for Adam Green. It goes down as one of my favorite nights of my life because I was there with one of my best friends, his mom and his sister. Anyway, here we have yet another Beach Boys influenced act trying to reincarnate the genius of Brian Wilson. I was kind of hoping for a bit of a more polished, pop act (again, like The Thrills) but what I got was yet another lo-fi recording. It seems that this fad (while I do enjoy it to some extent) is really plunging into the depths of all musical genres. This album reminds me of this years Papercuts release, but with more melodies. I can't say that I'm jumping for joy over Real Estate's self titled release, but despite my lofty and differing expectations...it's still a decent listen.

Rating - 7.5 Out of 10

FULL STORY - If I've read my magazines and blogs correctly, the single...and the song I should like the most is 'Beach Comber.' So for arguments sake, let's start here. Muddled in an ambient yet melodic feel, this track is actually halfway decent. While the pace is a bit slow for my taste, the friendly guitar riffs and nondescript lyrics offer up some solace.

"What you want is just outside your reach. You keep on searching. You're walking down that Pensacola Beach, you keep repeating."

The song itself is filled with metaphors, despite it's unassuming vibe. The entire track revolves around a metal detector wielding man searching for that lost Rolex in the sand...more plainly - all of our searches for happiness. Although blatant, the song somehow restrains the general theme in a very vague fashion through it's own patience.

"Pool Swimmers" is the second track on the album and if I was forced to describe it - it would be 'far out.' If I was stoned out of my mind and drinking a beer poolside in Malibu and there was no music at all...this would be playing in my mind. There is a very slow pace, which is matched against a very trebly (sp?) guitar riff and some decent background vocals. It's nice, but it has this slow almost psychedelic vibe to it that kind of throws me for a loop. Do I drop acid or take a hit? I need the delineation.

The highlight of the album, for me, is the combination of 'Atlantic City' and 'Fake Blues.' With 'Atlantic City' you get this fairly upbeat instrumental medley that takes you to San Diego circa 1972. You really feel you're there. Simultaneously the song evokes excitement and relaxation...I don't really know how, but it's pretty sweet. Shortly thereafter "Fake Blues" picks up with a slow building cavalcade of cleanly amped guitars. After the buildup reaches it's pick, we're met with a kind of energy that I'd compare to...well...I guess....surfing. It's fast enough to tap your foot to, but more than anything it just feels that you're locked into some kind of groove. There is a very friendly and repetitive riff that goes around, assuring you that you're not alone.

However, after these few songs everything seems to blend together. Not just pace, but instrumentation and lyrics as well. It seems that the majority of the songs on the record could be substituted for any other song on the record, without any major gripes being had. Everything seems just a tad bit slow, and just a tad bit contrived. I don't want to say it...but I think Real Estate is trying too hard. It's a good record and definitely has some definite peaks, but it just feels a bit forced to me. Sorry.

Tracks

1.) Beach Comber

2.) Pool Swimmers

3.) Suburban Dogs

4.) Black Lake

5.) Atlantic City

6.) Fake Blues

7.) Green River

8.) Suburban Beverage

9.) Let's Rock the Beach

10.) Snow Days

WK36 - Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue (9.5)

Released - 6/22/09

Label - Warp Records

BLURB - This album is all over the place...like an 8 year old's ideal ice cream sundae. But with Bibio it's not M&M's and Gummi Bears, but an eclectic and diverse portioning of gentile acoustic, chopped up computer loops, indie rock and Haight-Ashbury psychadellica. Having these genres all present for a single song could likely cause a musical civil war, however Bibio finds a way to weave in and out of these nomenclatures throughout the entire record. At certain points of the record you really feel like it is 1968 and you're listening to a folk group on a street corner in San Francisco. At other points you're right back in 2009 with computer generated drum patterns and cut-up vocals battling an unsettling slew of sound effects. What a weird, no..., great mix.

Rating - 9.5 out of 10

FULL STORY - I'll start with the more retro and nostalgic parts of this album. It's actual really tangible and transports the listener back to an era when a black coffee, cigarette and an artsy beret were all the rage. Things were simpler then and so was the music - but in more of a practical sense. There weren't as many barriers to music and lyrics. For the most part if you were a songwriter and wished to convey some type of message, emotion or thought, all you needed was a pen and a guitar. Nowadays too much thought and production goes into song making, which definitely affects the sincerity, honesty and creativity of the music. I think Bibio recaptures this older, poetic simplicity through several tracks on 'Ambivalence Avenue.' There are common themes of friendship and togetherness bonded through waves of carefree and unrestrained honesty. The vocals on the title track are presented as a group, almost uniting the cause, and they are surrounded by what can only be viewed as their supporters masked as flutes, violins, pianos and guitars. Bibio's lyrics match his peaceful musical entourage:

"Then we saw from the upper deck, watching ourselves as if seeing our future. Greeted by strangers who seemed to be good friends and welcomed us through their shiny red door."

'Lovers' Carvings' (#10 song of 2009) greets us with another warm and familiar feel, as if it's 20 years ago and the family is eating at the dinner table, then collectively and instantaneously, they decide to dance. As the song begins there is a lone, electric guitar softly finger-picking a ballad that wanders and strays, but never goes to far off the beaten path. In itself it's pretty beautiful. As implied above...good music to eat a meal with your family to. Then the cowbell starts. Then the guitar picks up. Things get a little more upbeat. Before you know it everyone is standing at the table and clapping to the beat. How did this happen? There is some weird, incredibly unifying force to this song that I can't quite pinpoint. It just screams family, friends and memories. The lyrics are actually somewhat dark, but their force and delivery ultimately brighten them up to a pristine and hopeful glow:

"Lovers names carved in walls - overlap and start to merge. Some of them underneath. Maybe they appear in graveyards. Maybe they fade away, weathered and overgrown...time has told. Meaningful, hidden words suddenly appear from the murk. Maybe they're telling us that the end never was. Never Will. The words have gone but the meaning will never disappear from the wall."

As I said, this record really is a Jekyll and Hyde of sorts. Some other nostalgic highlights include the somber tale of a couple parting in 'The Palm of Your Wave' and the ephemerally-stringed 'All the Flowers.' Enter Hyde. Despite showing his obvious skills in honest, yet beautiful songwriting and lyrical arrangements, Bibio also knows his way around a computer. He wants us to know this.

Complete with no lyrics and chopped up vocal samples, Bibio floors me with his digital prowess on 'Fire Ants.' I can only describe it as a production similar to that of Flying Lotus, but with a dash more pop appeal. It's incredibly smooth and laid back, yet properly upbeat during certain portion of the track. Why Kanye West or Common haven't found this, reworked it, and threw out a hit is still making me scratch my head. Incredible beat.

'Sugarette' is a nice, slow building electronic number that kind of meanders along with both curiosity and indifference. It's simplicity makes me think. But the main reason I like this song is that it serves as the perfect transition from the dark and mysterious ending of 'Haikuesquesque' to the melancholy turned bright guitar introduction of 'Lovers' Carvings.' If ever a song served a purpose, it is this. 'Sugarette' acts like a musical adhesive and propels the listener along, almost in storyboard fashion. I don't know why I really like this strategy, but I do. I feel involved. I feel like I have to listen to one before I listen to the next, and that I'm better because of it.

'Dwrcan' is a really futuristic and ambitious choice for the final song on the album. The track starts out kind of funky with some creative, electronic percussion effects and a rigid bass line. Some other minute things are going on as well, with little keyboard riffs and digital effects accenting each other. Halfway through the song it sounds like a bomb goes off and the tone of the music changes drastically. Everything becomes chaotic and is filled with tension. With 90 seconds left the track leaves only atmospheric drones. End of the world? Feels like it.

This is going to be one of those albums I really like, but will inevitably find myself being tossed in to the minority. 'Ambivalence Avenue' is a veritable ying yang of music and ideas. Conceptually, it's brilliant. The tracks with warm instrumentation and thoughtful lyrics, the ying, are all beautifully done and inadvertently force us to reminisce about friends and the good old times. Conversely, the yang, is filled with dark and experimental electronic jaunts, which propel us into the future where we're met with the thought of a possible apocalypse. These combative styles, concepts and moods really make this record for me. I want to get inside Bibio's head.

Tracks

1.) Ambivalence Avenue

2.) Jealous of Roses

3.) All the Flowers

4.) Fire Ant

5.) Haikuesque (When She Laughs)

6.) Sugarette

7.) Lovers' Carvings

8.) Abrasion

9.) S'Vive

10.) The Palm of Your Wave

11.) Cry! Baby!

12.) Dwrcan

WK32 - Fool's Gold - Fool's Gold (9)

Released - 11/17/09
Label - IAMSOUND Records

BLURB - Hmm. Went into this one with no real expectations or sense of what I was going to get. On the advice of a friend, I bought 'Fool's Gold' with the cautious description of, 'well the only band they can be kind of be compared to is Vampire Weekend, but if you like Vampire Weekend you'll probably hate Fool's Gold.' This record has the Afro-Pop feel of Vampire Weekend, but the stylings and compositions are dramatically elaborated and send your ears on a trip over seas. But she was right, I really don't think most Vampire Weekend fans will like this...the songs are longer than 2 minutes.

Rating - 9 out of 10

FULL STORY - Fool's Gold does an amazing job of experimenting with African drumming rhythms and tones. With the majority of their songs clocking in well over 4 minutes, the band doesn't just give their sound a quick chance to win over an audience. Rather they take you along feverish journey of tones and motifs, that while repetitive, help accomplish the overall goal of their music. This goal is to somehow capture the tribal melodies and percussive feel of African countries, then re-work it into something that can be considered relevant in the states, yet retain their original objective.

The first track 'Surprise Hotel' is an excellent example of how Fool's Gold goes about its' business. Instantly your hit with a melodic guitar riff that sounds like something off a uhh, hmm, Vampire Weekend record, as it wanders around a rhythmic assembly of snare hits. The riff alone goes on for well over a minute before any vocals come one. If anything scares American listeners away from Fool's Gold it will be the vocals. First, there are barely any vocals on this album and second, the vocals are all in Hebrew. But if and when you get over this, you'll be able to fully dive in to Fool's Gold. After the band throws in some collective chanting (singing) they dive into, dare I say, a jam. Adding to the drums are congas and some tribal clapping, which get the song moving on all cylinders. The drum beat speeds up, we're greeted with a pleasurable saxophone solo, and all of a sudden it feels like we're dancing at a wedding in South Africa. How did this happen?

Fool's Gold does a great job of keeping the listener's foot tapping through repetitive song construction and instrumentation without it ever seeming too monotonous. No easy feat. You can also really pick apart the music and decipher some of the influences in their music. While their music has this 'chant' quality to it, it also has a certain danceable factor in it's equation. It's not hard to hear some european trance aspects and the sound is polished enough that it must be from America. To somehow capture the music of three separate continents in one song is not only interesting, but also enjoyable.

'The World is All There Is' is another track that has a worldly vibe. Stepping away from the heavy and varied percussive beat of much of the album, this song uses background vocals and chanting as a way to keep time. It catches the listener off guard, but after a short while you'll find yourself humming along. Brightening up this vocal beat is a myriad of subtle percussion instruments that accent both the featured vocals and the chanting in the background. There's a great feeling of unity and peace on this song and for some reason I can see this being used as the theme song for the World Cup.

The fifth track 'Poseidon' introduces us to more of a Middle Eastern atmosphere. Aside from the understated guitar motifs, the pulse of the drums and the use of castanets provide an interesting flavor that will have you guessing what country you are in. The real brilliance of this song, as well as the others, comes with the pulse that is established through the drums. The beat seems to be subtly changing from quiet to thunderous, from slow to quick, without ever jarring the overall sound of the composition.

As an overall record, this is a rhythmic breakthrough. It has all the features and tendencies of dance music, without actually being dance music. If you can get through the repetitive nature of this album...and past the Hebrew...you can really appreciate Fool's Gold for the music that have created. It's both bold and daring, yet clever and ingenious. A wonderful experiment.

Tracks

1.) Surprise Hotel

2) Nadine

3.) Ha Dvash

4.) The World is All There Is

5.) Poseidon

6.) Yam Lo Moshech

7.) Night Dancing

8.) Momentary Shelter

WK27 - Atlas Sound - Logos (6.5)

Released - 10/20/09
Label - Kranky

BLURB - I've never seen a record with such polarity as 'Logos.' I mean there really is everything here...good and bad. Over the last year or two, I dove into the psychedelic, layered, sonic-esque sounding artists that have risen to prominence, namely Animal Collective, Panda Bear and Deerhunter. For some reason I have an infatuation with groups that can create a wall of sound - whether it be through computer loops, instrumentation, vocals or other means. It's always seemed ingenious and creative to me; anyone can write a four chord song... so why not do more? Atlas Sound, in his second release, attempts to do this, yet stumbles along the way. Maybe I expected too much, but 'Logos' brilliance is short lived and can't compete with the Panda Bears of the world.

Rating - 6.5 out of 10

FULL STORY - So if it can't compete why did I give a 6.5? Well, the answer simply is, 'Walkabout.' If you can remember back to my review of Grizzly Bear's, 'Veckatimest' I stated that 'Two Weeks' was the best song of the year. Allow to me correct myself, this title belongs to 'Walkabout' the third song on this record, which features Panda Bear of Animal Collective. This is perfection. 'Walkabout' is a fusion of layered motifs and brilliant songwriting that will have trouble being topped by the year's end. Atlas Sound (aka Bradford Cox) is more or less known for being this very introverted fellow, producing somewhat somber tunes of self reflection and observation. So it's refreshing to hear such an uplifting, nostalgic song here. Parts of 'Walkabout' sound incredibly new, yet there is such a timeless quality to this track.

Another strong effort on this album is 'Quick Canal' featuring Laetita Sadier; an eight minute computer looped, background vocal filled masterpiece. The track is incredibly well-paced, never moving too quickly or slowly. Atlas Sound effectively works the piece to match Sadier's vocals, steadily increasing waves of static noise. The track is much like a train, building steam and momentum, incorporating more and more effects without the listener ever taking notice. This is incredibly difficult to accomplish - and Atlas Sound performs this task effortlessly.

Now we get into the grey area. After these two tracks, this album goes downhill in a hurry. The rest of the album is filled with monotonous, uncreative loops and imagery. In a genre of ambient music where songs can take on so many shapes and forms, 'Logos' seems boring and uninspired. Countless reviews of this album are raving about this release and I'm not sure I agree. Atlas Sound's last release was heralded as a depressing, emotion filled experience, which was giving way to a supposedly progressive new record in 'Logos.' I'm sorry...but it sounds like the same old act to me.

With the two best tracks on this record featuring outside songwriters, I find it hard to give Atlas Sound a world of credit here. Aside from 'Walkabout' and 'Quick Canal' this entire album is forgettable. Every track is filled with slow loops, monotonous acoustic guitar riffs and uninspired vocals. Several of these tracks also feature Cox manipulating his vocals through computer effects and static - creating an almost unbearable experience. Plain and simple, it is difficult to get through. The lyrics here are undoubtedly sincere but poorly delivered.

Cosby Show Segue-way!

For whatever reason, one of my favorite shows of all time was The Cosby Show and so I'm drawn to make an analogy here. In the best episode of the series, Vanessa brings home her fiance without telling Cliff and Claire that she got engaged. What ensued was hilarity. The main point Cliff was trying to get across was this: presentation. Vanessa could have brought home a doctor that made 20 million dollars a year, but she did so in a matter that was shallow, selfish and unthoughtful. Even though her fiance was a mere custodian, he was presented to the family in a terrible manner, creating an environment that was impossible to receive acceptance.

This is what Atlas Sound does. He has tons of potential and brilliant ideas and imagery, but the way his work is delivered does not accurately reflect his genius. There are too many detracting factors. Too many effects, too many musical obstacles to overcome. This is why he invites Panda Bear on the record - he knows he'll never be that good.

That being said, 'Walkabout' is the best song of the year, credit Noah Lennox.

Tracks
1.) The Light That Failed
2.) An Orchid
3.) Walkabout (With Noah Lennox)
4.) Criminals
5.) Attic Lights
6.) Shelia
7.) Quick Canal (With Laetita Sadier)
8.) My Halo
9.) Kid Klimax
10.) Washington School
11.) Logos

WK23 - Brand New - Daisy (8.5)

Released - 9/22/09

Label - DGC Records

Blurb - This comes at you hard. Very Hard. Just listen to the opening track. There's just a piano and female singing and then BOOM! The best and most aggressive song on the album, 'Vices' explodes into your headphones. Yet, this isn't a sign of things to come. This record is very dark, yet musically varied. Brand New does a great job evolving and transcending genres here. 'Daisy,' if predictably, is not your standard emo release. There is a certain grunge and alternative feel to this recording, awakening a genre that was all but dead. Is it there best release? No - 'Deja Entendu' holds that title, but this is definitely up there.

Rating - 8.5 out of 10

Full Story - Angst-ridden and very down tempo, 'Daisy' is the very sought after fourth release from emo-rockers Brand New. The band burst on the scene the better part of a decade ago as an energetic pop-punk band that relied on lyrical connections to their audience and a full throttle live show. As the years have past, Brand New have altered their sound and image, and never relied on producing something that they were supposed to produce. The reason that Brand New is still relevant and successful today, is the same reason that Thursday and Saves the Day aren't. Adaptation and expression.

The new record, 'Daisy,' exploits this feat brilliantly. When I first listened to it, I was like...woah...is this Brand New? There is such a classic feel to this record, not sounding of this decade. The tracks sound something like Nirvana meets Pearl Jam meets Thrice. A very odd formula. Obviously they didn't set out to create this record with the soul intent of appearing to be, 'grunge' now. This is just what is coming out.

With all Brand New records, the focus point tends to be the lyrical content. With this particular release, I feel Brand New did an excellent job providing a more genuine musical tapestry for their lyrics to rest upon. With 'Your Favorite Weapon' and 'Deja Entendu,' when the band wanted to really express themselves, the music was generally either very polished or acoustic. Not the case here. On 'Daisy,' melancholy songs sound melancholy, aggressive songs sound aggressive and uplifting songs sound uplifting. You get the picture. 'Gasoline,' 'Bought a Bride' and 'Bed' are all great examples of their music finally supporting their lyrical content.

For all you old school Brand New fans, I'm not sure if you're going to enjoy this. There aren't any true singles on this disc and the album as a whole is very interpretive. However, if you are open to change and evolving your musical palette, this album is definitely for you. It might take some patience and an open mind, but 'Daisy' is for the music listener that 'gets it.'

Tracks

1.) Vices

2.) Bed

3.) At the Bottom

4.) Gasoline

5.) You Stole

6.) Be Gone

7.) Sink

8.) Bought a Bride

9.) Daisy

10.) In a Jar

11.) Noro

WK21 - Sondre Lerche - Heartbeat Radio (10)

Released - 9/8/09

Label - Rounder Records

BLURB - He's back and better than ever. Sondre Lerche returns after a string of successful albums and a film score to release his highly anticipated, 'Heartbeat Radio.' This has absolutely everything you could ask for. Covering every genre from folk to pop to jazz, this album has a soundtrack feel to it, keeping the listener's ears open for the duration of the record. Lerche does a great job at focusing on the minor details and constantly looking for ways to enhance his songs. Some tracks are straight ahead radio pop songs, while others go off onto orchestral tangents and experiments. Move over Rufus Wainwright.

Rating - 10 out of 10

FULL STORY - The first time I saw Lerche was 7 years ago, while opening for the Thrills. He came out to a stereo pumping Beyonce's, 'Dangerously in Love' wearing a white t-shirt and holding an electric guitar in one hand and an amp in the other. No band at all. After his set I bought a CD that I still listen to quite a bit, 'Faces Down.' I've picked up several of his other records and was not surprised when he was asked to score a film a couple years back (Dan in Real Life, featuring Steve Carrell). This project was quite similar to that of Jack Johnson scoring the Curious George film.

Fast forward to the present and we have, 'Heartbeat Radio.' I said that Lerche does well with the minor aspects of his music, here's what I mean. I tried learning a few of his songs back in the day, they are tough. He is always throwing in chord changes in a clever manner. Not just major or minor chords, but diminished, 7th, 9th, 11th and other transitional chords. So you'll be listening to a song, and hear all of these great accents to the melody, only making his songs more dynamic and intuitive. Theory class has now ended.

'Good Luck' is the opening track and enters suspiciously calm. Don't be fooled, this is a masterpiece in the waiting. Soft guitars, followed by a kick drum slowly build as the song builds momentum to Lerche waxing poetic. Chaos ensues after the three minute mark as a full orchestra enters with screeching violins and cellos. As the song begins to conclude this very droll and unimaginative tracks turns into a battle of strings. I can only describe it as something that would be playing in the background of a 1930's dramatic film. The thought process to create this elaborate production and structure is why I like Sondre Lerche. He'll only do this a couple times on each of his records (too much would ruin the album), but I was thrilled to hear this setup on the opening track.

The title track, 'Heartbeat Radio' mocks the music industry and the way in which songs are perceived through mass media today. It's a satirical journey, that ironically doubles as the album's first single. Lerche busts out the acoustic for this tune and offers up some great wordplay.

'I Cannot Let You Go' is the third track on the record and is worked to perfection. Lerche knows how to get everything out of his verses and refrains, and then build a powerful chorus. A faster than usual drum beat and layers of sound really push this song forward. There is also a great little guitar riff that flows in and out of the tune.

This album has garnered a lot of comparisons to The Beatles, actually. I don't know if that's appropriate, but it's being done. If there is any song to best fit this comparison it would be, 'Words and Music.' Here Lerche combines the simple with the complex. A basic chord progression remains steady throughout the track, but there are tiny effects, nuances and changes that would remind someone of the White Album. Once again, a basic song and structure is determined, and then enhanced by Lerche's genius. 'If Only and 'Like Lazenby' could also fall into this humbling category.

'If Only' and 'Easy to Persuade' are also great tracks in their own right. 'If Only' is filled with sudden stops and starts and key changes. The tempo is constantly changing, yet it doesn't affect the general flow of the song. 'Easy to Persuade' is more of a steady, rock-influenced number with a well delivered chorus and an uptempo pace and an amazing last sixty seconds. The two songs here are polar opposites of each other, yet equally great. By pairing them back to back, the listener can really dissect these differing styles and gain an appreciation for them out of their variations.

This would be thirty pages if I kept going. What you need to know is that this is a rewarding record for both Sondre Lerche and the listener. For those unfamiliar with Lerche, his sound on this album has transformed to something of Vampire Weekend, without the pretentiousness, and with more jazz, rock and orchestral influences. His work continues to get better as his career racks up the years. This is definitely up there for best of the year honors

Tracks

1.) Good Luck

2.) Heartbeat Radio

3.) I Cannot Let You Go

4.) Like Lazenby

5.) If Only

6.) Pioneer

7.) Easy to Persuade

8.) Words and Music

9.) I Guess It's Gonna Rain Today

10.) Almighty Moon

11.) Don't Look Down

12.) Goodnight

WK18 - Fruit Bats - The Ruminant Band (7.5)

Released: 8/4/09

Label: Sub Pop Records

BLURB - Not quite there, yet. The Fruit Bat's sound will strike a chord for any fan of The Shins as the two sound eerily similar. This should come as no surprise, however, as Fruit Bats frontman Eric Johnson recently joined The Shins. How perfect. This genre of intellectual alternative pop music, though, is a tricky hill to climb. It's very easy to fall into a rut, forcing words to music. I'd have to be heavily persuaded that this record was not written with a guitar in one hand and a thesaurus in the other. That being said, what the Fruit Bats do great is tell stories. Each track is like a three minute novel filled with adjectives and guitars, filled with bright melodies and major chords. There is also a very understated country twang to this record. It's not overwhelming, think of it more in the vein of the subtle country nuances that Josh Rouse or Brendan Benson use. I love The Shins but hate country music, so maybe that's why I'm not completely sold on, 'The Ruminant Band' just yet.

Rating - 7.5 out of 10

FULL STORY - The trouble with this record is almost every song sounds alike. Granted the Fruit Bats are a fairly decent band, but it'd be nice to hear more than a few songs on this album that aren't acoustic, mid-tempo tales about someone Eric Johnson saw on the side of a road somewhere. While the writing is creative, yet redundant, it does yield some gems.

The first gem would have to be 'Feather Bed.' With a 60's soft rock vibe and some great vocals, this track is the definitive hit of, 'The Ruminant Band.' The song begs the question - what if Ben Folds, Billy Joel and Boston co-wrote a song? Everything is perfect here. 'Feather Bed' breaks away from the singer/songwriter feel of the record, and it's (pretty much only) here where the band really comes together as one unit. The keyboard, organs and pianos provide a lot of retro flavor, while a couple fuzzy guitar solos and a vintage drum beat solidify the fact that this is indeed a rock song.

'Being On Our Own' is the other gem of this record with Beatle-esque tones and a charming string of acoustic piano chords. As is the general theme of this record, light hearted lyrics tell the stories of Eric Johnson's personal encounters, reminding them it's not so bad being on your own. The melody of the chorus and the background vocals are a perfect match and make 'Being On Our Own' the catchiest song on the record.

'Singing Joy to the World' is a very clever story about a young couple settling for love after going to a Three Dog Night concert and singing 'Joy to the World' together. The track is very folksy and for the most part is solely acoustic guitar. The lack of instrumentation does create quite the intimate atmosphere, reeling the listener in. Each verse is a different event in the relationship, but halfway through the song the well seems to dry up and without much else going on in the song, it's not very tough to become disinterested.

After these three tracks, this album is fairly blurry. 'Feather Bed' is the rock song, 'Being On Our Own' is the catchy song, and 'Singing Joy to the World' is the ballad. The rest of the record is right on par with what it should or is supposed to be - a bright, enchanting collection of clever songs and stories...just don't ask me to differentiate between them. Whereas the three songs I mentioned are distinctly unique and creative, those remaining on the disc are less memorable, despite being creative in their own sense of the word. It's as if these tracks were all taken out of the same 'idea box' and crafted slightly different than one another, attempting to create the perception that they were unique. However, it is more than clear that they are all from the same vein, both wholly and individually.

Point taken, as I write this, 'The Ruminant Band' is already beginning to grow on me. The compositions and instrumentations are very well done, with slight monotony being the only, albeit, blatant, defect in the album. This is a decent record with a nice upside to it, worth a listen.

Tracks

1.) Primitive Man

2.) The Ruminant Band

3.) Tegucigalpa

4.) Beautiful Morning Light

5.) The Hobo Girl

6.) Being On Our Own

7.) My Unusual Friend

8.) Singing Joy to the World

9.) The Blessed Breeze

10.) Feather Bed

11.) Flamingo

WK17 - Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca (9.5)

Released: 6/9/09

Label: Domino Recording Co. LTD

BLURB - Of course they're from Brooklyn! Since moving to New York two years ago, I've been able to get access to a diverse selection of new, different and exciting music, as opposed to say, I don't know...Oneonta. I've found that with every new band I see, or new record I buy, the best ones are always from Brooklyn. While I am not hipster (I actually kind of despise hipsters) I have to give Brooklyn credit. It is a breeding ground for new and refreshing music. The Dirty Projectors are my most recent obsession. Their sound is such a clever take on what pop music is supposed to be - resulting in this quirky, indie, hipster Brooklyn-pop. Time signatures are all over the place, there are both male and female vocals, the writing and song structures are terribly, if not amazingly, unique - it's like Dirty Projectors put up all these walls for your average music fan to get through. However, once you get past these barriers...you're hooked.

Rating - 9.5 out of 10

FULL STORY - So unbeknownst to me, Dirty Projectors have been around for the better part of a decade. My loss. Right away the song that drew me in was, 'Stillness is the Move.' The track is very minimalist - just drums with one guitar riff and a catchy vocal hook. That's it. This paves the way for the lyrical content to be the center of attention. The song is extremely uplifting, almost hopeful in a way, earnestly questioning how things came to be and how to move forward. Love is the core element to this song, but it can be interpreted in many different ways. Below is the chorus with it's subsequent verse:

'After all that we've been through; I know we'll make it after the wait. The question is a truth. There is nothing we can't do. I'll see you along the way baby. The stillness is the move. / On top of every mountain there was a great longing for an even higher mountain. In each city, longing for a bigger city. After all that we've been through, I know I will always love you from now until forever. I can't imagine anything better.'

Yes - I am a sucker for a good indie-pop love song, and this is one of the best I've ever heard. It's incredibly addictive.

The best non-love song to endear your heart is easily, 'Useful Chamber.' Going back and forth from a catchy and lightly electronic verse to a very garage-esque, yet folksy chorus creates quite the pairing. The bridge throws another monkey wrench into the scene as a brief 80's style hip hop drum beat and dialogue gives way to a fusion of thunderous cymbals, background effects and guitars chaotically playing nothing in particular. Emerging from this volcanic eruption of craziness is a chorus of vocal harmonies, laying a serene foundation for the song to revert to it's peaceful and light mood. After another verse the chaos is back again, with screaming guitars, effects and no real organization......but in a good way.

Jumping into some pure folk stylings, Dirty Projectors appear dialed in to the song, 'Two Doves.' The gentile voicing of the strings and acoustic guitars against the heavenly vocals of Amber Coffman is bliss. During the chorus you almost feel like you are listening to a vocal performed by the lead female of a broadway play. This song could definitely be used for other performance arts (film, musicals, dance) and has the lyrical weight to bring added substance to it's usage. The track is filled with clever word plays and metaphors such as, 'Kiss me with your mouth open for your love is better than wine.' Awww.

This isn't a lovey-dovey record, despite having a couple really good lovey-dovey songs on it. 'Temecula Sunrise' and 'The Bride' throw some rock and southern guitar stylings into the mix, with lyrics that take an in-depth look at life's everyday quandaries. 'No Intention' even reminds me a little bit of an airy MGMT. This album, though, really does have everything. The lyrics to the instrumentation, to the sound and feel...it's just a great record. Surprisingly, great.

Tracks

1.) Cannibal Resource

2.) Temecula Sunrise

3.) The Bride

4.) Stillness is the Move

5.) Two Doves

6.) Useful Chamber

7.) No Intention

8.) Remade Horizon

9.) Fluorescent Half Dome

WK15 - Sa-Ra Creative Partners - Nuclear Evolution: The Age of Love (10)

Released - 6/23/09

Label - Ubiquity Records

BLURB - A buffet of sounds, with limitless soul, r&b, jazz, hip-hop and avant garde. This is what has been lacking from music. It's weird and strange, yet simple and to the point. Not since Andre 3000's efforts on, 'The Love Below' have I heard orchestration and composition like this. With two discs, totaling twenty-three tracks there are so many choices, possibilities and options for the listener to tune in to. If you like cookie cutter smooth r&b and typical hip-hop, you'll hate 'Nuclear Evolution.' This record really pushes the limits of so many different genres in such a relaxed motion. I can't put it down.

Rating - 10 out of 10

FULL STORY - For those that don't know, Sa-Ra Creative Partners is a three man songwriting and production posse. They've written with tons of other artists and have flown under the radar appearing mostly on mix tapes. Their work and song construction is very direct and extremely well thought out. It's blatantly obvious that they do not write material for themselves and almost prefer to stay out of the spotlight. Nearly half of this record has female vocals, yet Sa-Ra is three guys. The production of their songs are tailored to be great songs and great music. If they appear on the track, fine, but if they can achieve the sound they are striving to create through other vocalists, musicians or emcees, they acknowledge that, and get themselves out of the way. It's creating the best music they can create, even if it is for another performer. Music for music's sake.

'Spacefruit' opens the album brilliantly. This track wanders through space and open air with an uncharacteristic beat and very few lyrics. I can vision this as the opening to a movie - it works just as well opening the record. 'Spacefruit' takes off somewhere near Mars and ends up in Harlem. The second track, 'Dirty Beauty' is very chill and a great song to ride your beat up old huffy around town to. There is rapping but it is more like slow talking, to a beat. Very relaxed, with no real direction. 'I Swear' is the third track and is brilliant. There are female vocals all over the place, in the foreground, in the background, coming out of left field...all over a foundation of light jazz keyboards. The pace is slow but it works for the song. Think of this as if a producer told Corinne Bailey Rae to just relax and sing whatever came to her over a downbeat, minimal jazz-pop groove.

'Traffika' gets nice and urban for the audience. The song bashes cops constantly, but you'd never know because it's not in your face ala NWA. This is easily the most hip-hop track on the record and discusses drug trafficking and corrupt cops trying take out the new generation of intelligent, soulful urban youths.

"It's the nu-bonic plague, we gotta get away. Crooked ass cops, they comin from the blocks"

The best track to groove to is, 'Bitch Baby.' There is a really nice, old school drum beat which is countered with a very new school synth loop. This is Sa-Ra at their best. Let's take something amazing from past but then add something amazing from the present...and let's make it groove. 'Bitch Baby' is followed up by the vintage-sounding, 'Love Czars.' Another downtempo track that sounds like it is out of a history book and is also great to groove to. Right away I thought of one of my favorite groups growing up...Arrested Development. A guitar riff with the treble way up flows throughout the song, visiting both high and low registers. There aren't many lyrics with this one, but it's still great. Clocking in at nearly eight minutes, you can just hit play, kick your feet up and nod your head to the calming beat.

'Gemini's Rising,' which is more or less the song the group is pushing the most, offers vocals coming from all directions, intermingled with a bunch of futuristic sounds and effects. It's not the best song on the record, but it's easy to like, and once again, laid back. 'The Bone Song' follows this up, and no it's not about tibias and femurs. Plain and simply it's about fucking. The sex is turned on for this r&b track and features a raunchy chorus...

'Is it that I want you? Do I just want to bone you? The little things that you do, just make me wanna bone you. Girl, as long as I've known you, I've been tryin to bone you, so tell me what we gonna do...'

The award for the second coolest dance jam on the album goes to, 'Move Your Ass.' An awe-inspiring funk bass riff soars through the track at a blistering pace, with dashes of keyboards, synth and other effects. No lyrics, no raps, no background vocals...just a great, funky, experimental dance beat done to perfection. But don't worry...there are some great vocals on here too. 'My Star' features some angelic voicing, which sounds eerily similar to Corinne Bailey Rae. That is a huge compliment by the way, and further...now everybody knows my fanaticism with Corinne Bailey Rae.

The end of the record gets very funky and very experimental. 'Spaceways Theme' sounds like a futuristic jazz piano improvisation. There is also an avant guarde feel to this track. There are plenty of dissonant notes that just sound wrong and out of place, but as you listen to the song over and over again, you wouldn't change it. The next song, 'Just Like a Baby' give the audience some blues beats mixed with a very laid back funk vibe. Imagine George Clinton singing the blues in a lounge.

Embracing the auto-tune generation, Sa-Ra belts out the voice modulator for, 'Double Dutch (Co Co Pops).' This song needs to be on the radio and in clubs. It's so catchy and makes up for a lot of the energy that some of the record lacks.

The aforementioned award for coolest dance jam goes to, 'Death of a Superstar (Supernova).' I guarantee after you hear this the first time, it will be stuck in your head for a month. Very old school and disco-esque with tons of synth and great production. This is the best song on the album, and one of the better songs I've heard all year. 'Powder Bump' and 'Hanging By a String' close out the record as they should. These are two great songs that bend genres. Is it techno? Is it jazz? Is it synth-pop? Is it hip hop? Is it r&b? The answer to each question is arguably, yes. The music and production, again, is so incredibly well done that there are no lyrics, but you never even notice. There is so much going on, that with each song you inevitably get lost in them. As should be the overall theme of, 'Nuclear Evolution: The Age of Love.'

This is easily the most eclectic, modern, laid back, hip-hop, futuristic, urban, jazz, r&b record I've ever heard. That being said, I've never heard all of those categories brought together as one, before this. It's incredibly new. Get lost in it.

Tracks

1.) Spacefruit

2.) Dirty Beauty

3.) I Swear

4.) Melodee N'mynor

5.) He Say She Say

6.) Traffika

7.) Souls Brother

8.) Bitch Baby

9.) Love Czars

10.) Gemini's Rising

11.) The Bone Song

12.) White Cloud

13.) Move Your Ass

14.) Love Today

15.) Can I Get You Hi

16.) My Star

17.) Cosmic Ball

18.) Spaceways Theme

19.) Just Like a Baby

20.) Double Dutch (Co Co Pops)

21.) Death of a Star (Supernova)

22.) Powder Bump

23.) Hangin' By a String

WK14 - Papercuts - You Can Have What You Want (6.5)

Released - 3/24/09

Label - Gnomosong

BLURB - This dreamy collection of ambient '60's style folk-pop is like tumbleweed blowing by a deserted road. It doesn't move in any particular direction, even though it looks like it's trying to. 'You Can Have What You Want' is incredibly simple, yet doesn't sound as if it is from 2009. I've listened to this record more than I should probably admit, but with the album being so vague, it's hard to recall any specific 'highs' and 'lows.' Wholly, this record is breezy and great background music for some light afternoon reading, it's very unassuming and neutral. Individually, nothing jumps out and it's almost impossible to differentiate between songs and even between what is great and what is terrible.

Rating - 6.5 out of 10

FULL STORY - This is probably the least memorable disc that I've heard this year, yet I listen to it a fair amount. It's incredibly relaxing and full of air. The problem is that after hearing each song, one instantly forgets it, deleting it from their musical memory. The record is filled with organs, strings, pianos, acoustic guitars and tons of background vocals. Production of 'You Can Have What You Want' was obviously done to mimmic the '60's and '70's. This record would have been perfect for the California hippies after a long day of surfing, coming back to their apartment to smoke pot and reflect.

Shifting to the present day, the track that I am most fond of is, 'Dictator's Lament.' For anyone that has seen Napoleon Dynamite, this song sounds like every number that was used as a transition between scenes. There is a very heavy, almost wet-sounding organ that plays throughout the tune. Each track on this album has so much reverb and fuzz, giving depth to alot of the lighter melodies that present themselves.

The best 'Non-Napoleon Dynamite' track is 'Future Primitive,' and definitely reverts back to the '60's with its' lyrical content pertaining to an apathetic soldier who fights in a war, and upon returning can't look at himself in the mirror. Some pretty heavy stuff, actually. The drums are almost done to a melancholy marching pace and one can picture themselves entering a battle in which they don't want to be in. The title track follows up, 'Future Primitive' nicely, painting a canvas of understanding, acceptance and hope:

"You can have what you want and throw the rest away. The things you said you wanted are all left out for you."

This is a nice little reminder to us common-folk, that nothing ever really prevents us from getting what we want or need. This song features some nice background vocals and its' simplicity and broadness provides more meaning than the song should have.

Outside of these three tracks, or should I say with these three tracks, this record sounds like one long song. The only thing that really changes is the instrumentation, with the pace of the record remaining in the slow to very slow range. This is good and bad. It's good because you can just throw this record on, do some thinking, maybe read a book and you can really relax. I listen to this all the time at work when I have something complex to work on and don't want to be distracted. There's no foot tapping or snapping to this record. You don't all of a sudden skip to track eight because it has a great chorus and then back to track four because there is a cool guitar part. It's bad, however, because there is nothing to differentiate between songs. I only mentioned, 'Dictator's Lament,' 'Future Primitive,' and 'You Can Have What You Want' because those are probably the only songs of which I know the names to, and I've had this album for three months.

The Papercuts will ultimately stay in my music rotation but for the wrong reasons. This is what I want to listen to when I don't want to listen to anything in particular. It's easy on the ears and doesn't require your undivided attention. Great coffeehouse music. Unfortunately, this isn't the '60's anymore and 99.99% of the world won't pay attention to The Papercuts, including myself.

Tracks

1.) Once We Walked in the Sunlight

2.) Dictator's Lament

3.) This Machine Will Tell Us So

4.) A Peculiar Hallelujah

5.) Jet Plane

6.) Dead Love

7.) Future Primitive

8.) You Can Have What You Want

9.) The Void

10.) The Wolf

WK13 - The Dead Weather - Horehound (4.5)

Released - 7/14/09
Label - Third Man / Warner Bros.

BLURB - Meh...I'm indifferent on this. But I'll say this...this is what music should be. The Dead Weather formed after an impromptu jam session. The four-some then, without haste, decided to write for three weeks, record the album, and release it. Now that is the good life. The supergroup known as, 'The Dead Weather' brings together members of The White Stripes, Queens of the Stone Age, The Raconteurs and The Kills. It's certainly a different look and feel with the band's most recognizable face, Jack White, positioned squarely behind the drum set. The record is fairly straightforward rock with some indie and more alternative wanderings. I'm sure, just based on the clientele, I should say this is amazing and rock is back, but Kings of Leon already brought rock back. With that being said, this isn't too terrible (but still terrible) and there are some awesome tracks on here, but you're going to have to skip around to find them...

Rating - 4.5 out of 10

FULL STORY - 'I Cut Like a Buffalo' is easily the best song on the record. Massive organs flood the verses and choruses and for some reason it provides me with a sped up rock interpretation of reggae. The organs jab at the beat and offer up a sweet little riff every 20 seconds or so. 'Treat Me Like Your Mother' is another solid track with heavy guitars lines and an outstanding bridge. The whole song is about being manipulated and tricked, as a child would attempt to do to his mother, see also the verse, 'Look me in the eye now, you wanna try to tell a lie? You can't and you know why? I'm just like your mother.' This sounds amazing coming from a fiery Alison Mosshart (The Kills) and I'm convinced to be on my best behavior now. There is so much energy and forward momentum to this song, it's very captivating. After the bridge there is a very brief and simple, yet tantalizing solo that adds another dimension to the song, as short as it may be.

'New Pony' is also fairly noteworthy. It should be known that I regard any song that opens with, 'I had a pony, her name was Lucifer' to be noteworthy. Some vintage fuzz guitars add a 60's vibe to this track and really feels like it could be a Janis Joplin tune. 'Bone House' follows up 'New Pony' and does so nicely. We get our first shot of what sounds like a synthesizer here, along with screeching, high pitched guitars. Mosshart shouting vocals, only makes the song more dynamic and raw.

What's sad is that aside from these four tracks, I find the record unlistenable. There is so much dabbling and experimenting, and there are very few specific instances when you can actually hear the four of them click. I understand that this is pretty much an experimental record to mess around with some friends, but with Jack White I expected a little bit more. Once, '60 Feet Tall' starts it's a pretty good opener to the disc, but it takes forever to get going, and then abruptly loses all of it's steam as it goes into, 'Hang You From the Heavens,' which fails to go anywhere. 'Hang You From the Heavens' is the same two riffs over and over and over again, stretching the definition of redundancy to it's ends. The same can be said about, 'So Far From Your Weapon.' To me, it's just boring. The whole tracks is just drums, with very limited instrumentation, and really prevents the listener from playing the record without skipping forward.

'Rocking Horse' and '3 Birds' continue the monotony with the latter being lyric-less. As the album draws near it's conclusion, the audience will certainly be looking for a closing track that will knock their socks off...we've been waiting long enough. Predictably, this doesn't come. 'Will There Be Enough Water?' finds itself lost in a painfully slow fusion of country, rock and blues. As it approaches the seven minute mark, it seems like the track will never end, but alas it does, when I hit the stop button after four dreadful minutes.

If you have an extra ten bucks laying around I would not recommend buying this record. Get a six pack of Dogfishhead Ale, it's a more sound investment. 'Horehound' will likely get positive reviews for being experimental and having a 'nice' fusion of sounds. Anything that is associated with Jack White will be ripe for critical acclaim, as it should, he's a genius...just not on this record. Definitely check out some of the songs and decide for yourself, but as an avid enthusiast of just about all music genres, I found, 'The Dead Weather's' debut disc to be a tough listen and difficult to get through in it's entirety.

Tracks

1.) 60 Feet Tall

2.) Hang You From the Heavens

3.) I Cut Like a Buffalo

4.) So Far From Your Weapon

5.) Treat Me Like Your Mother

6.) Rocking Horse

7.) New Pony

8.) Bone House

9.) 3 Birds

10.) No Hassle Night

11.) Will There Be Enough Water?

WK12 - Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (9)

Released - 5/12/09

Label - Ghettoblaster S.A.R.L. / Glassnote Entertainment Group LLC

BLURB - Quite the mix here. I hear the Strokes and Coldplay clashing with a dance beat in the background. While some are obviously classifying this as 'dance-rock' I don't think 'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix' falls into this dangerous label...Phoenix is a rock band with some heavy pop and synth influences. Nobody is doing the jitterbug to this, but they are definitely tapping their foot to the snare hits. This is a good thing. Over the last three years this 'european synth' sound has flooded this side of the Atlantic. Whether originating overseas or not and most of the time these acts are fairly transparent, however, French synth-rockers Phoenix are not trying to force the issue. It could be argued that their sound has taken on aspects from American rock and alternative music, while still maintaining an uptempo European feel. It's a delicate balance, but clearly Phoenix already knows this.

Rating - 9 out of 10

FULL STORY - Phoenix is one of only four acts to have a third song requested by Saturday Night Live, this was back in April. You've probably heard of the other three (Paul McCartney, U2 and Coldplay). It's kind of ironic that America's greatest sketch comedy show of all time has never had an American band back for a third go at it.

Among the several reasons I like Phoenix was the initial similarity that I drew to The Strokes. Outside of one Dileepan Ganesan, or those who pass my cube at Cherry Lane, nobody really knows or understands my affection for The Strokes. I've gone as far as saying that they are the best band of our (the current twenty-somethings) era. There was never anything like them before they shot out of New York City and there hasn't been anything remotely close to them since. No - The Vines, Hives and Mooney Suzuki are not even in the same stratosphere as them. You can tell a great band when, upon their initial success, here comes a slew of imitators claiming they've been around just as long and should be in the conversation. Sorry, but you're not. The first time I heard '1901' by Phoenix, I was like....ok, now they are being copied in France. After really sitting down and listening to 'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix' I realized they sound nothing like them. All of the signature trademarks of The Strokes (raw vocals, violent guitar riffs and traditional pop songwriting) are vacant in Phoenix. In stark contrast they have polished vocals, clean guitars and experiment with what a song should be. Just take a look at 'Love Like a Sunset, Parts I & II,' hell, there aren't even any vocals on those tracks. Phoenix does everything well that The Strokes never tried, and never tried doing anything that The Strokes did well. And in these two vastly different approaches, both end up sounding hauntingly similar, yet utterly unique.

'Lisztomania' was the first single, and refers to the scene surrounding Franz Liszt, Europe's first flamboyant classical pop sensation. This track has some pounding drums and an assortment of guitars (acoustic, rhythm, clean, electric lead). The bridge throws in some brief, spacious synth, brilliantly contrasting with the song's pace. The tune is extremely catchy and will have you shouting 'Lisztomania,' even if you have no idea what that means. Cue the synth for the second track, '1901.' This is the best song on the album, hands down. The synth is heavy, the guitars are light and the drum beat is fast and slow at all the right times.

'Fences' slows down the record's frenetic pace and feature some nice keyboard and acoustic tones. A very nice song to counter 'Lisztomania' and '1901.' From here this record goes a little haywire. 'Love Like a Sunset Part I' is a slowly building monster. As each minute goes by, more and more elements of chaos and friction are added. As I alluded to earlier, there are no vocals in this track. Halfway through, some african sounding guitar riffs are used to pierce through a wall of sonic synthesizers, only to stop entirely and give way to some kind of distorted video game soundtrack. After this, the song almost turns into a jam song in the style of Lotus. Another cool guitar riff emerges and instrumentation is once again slowly added, pushing the pace and altering the mood. The song then segues into the 'Part II' which blends in some acoustic guitar and ultimately lyrics. The two parts to this song form a journey of sorts and you can't help but think your iTunes suddenly hit shuffle and is now on some experimental, avante garde record. This is confirmed as 'Lasso' is born out of the sunset science project.

'Lasso' takes the listener back to the beginning of this record with more familiar pop stylings, and a return to clean guitars and witty lyrics. The remainder of the album is done in this vein. Well crafted songs with clever content and an underestimated wall of sound. This record is a great buy for anyone that likes The Strokes, Coldplay...even Death Cab for Cutie. There is a very mainstream feel to the album, even though it will never be mainstream. Looking forward to seeing what comes of 'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix...'

Tracks

1.) Lisztomania

2.) 1901

3.) Fences

4.) Love Like a Sunset Part I

5.) Love Like a Sunset Part II

6.) Lasso

7.) Rome

8.) Countdown

9.) Girlfriend

10.) Armistice