Artist- S. Carey
Album- All We Grow
Label- Jagjaguwar
Genre- Folky classical pop
First solo album from the drummer and pianist of Bon Iver, although this album is surprisingly light on percussion. Very atmospheric singer-songwriter type of album featuring classical arrangements- a holdover from Carey’s formal education. “In the Dirt” begins with a piano repetition but slowly Carey’s layered, delicate vocals take over while little arpeggios loop in the background. “Mothers” is a more subdued track that still stands out well. “Action” is a great instrumental that highlights Carey’s percussion skills. Overall this is a really pretty, softer album.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Ra Ra Riot
Artist- Ra Ra Riot
Album- The Orchard
Label- Barsuk
Genre- Indie pop
Indie-pop favorites Ra Ra Riot return with a solid second album. The arrangements are tighter ( violist and sometimes vocalist Rebecca Zeller and cellist Alexandra Lawn add a lush fullness to each song), the lyrics are more mature, and sure, singer Wes Miles still sounds quite a bit like Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig, but who cares at this point? Single “Boy” is a beautiful upbeat song that’s nicely countered by the melancholy touch of strings. “Too Dramatic” follows this up by keeping up the same energy that makes early singles like “Dying is Fine” or “Ghost Under Rocks” so darn listenable. Sure, there’s a few filler tracks (“Massachusetts”, “Do You Remember”), but it’s allowed. Stunner “You and I”, where cellist Lawn gets a turn at vocals, is perfect beyond words. Ra Ra Riot has always been a details-oriented band, and this album excels on the interplay between the vocals, strings, bouncy guitar riffs and superb drumming. This album finds the band honing their sound and exploring new territory. Play this often.
Album- The Orchard
Label- Barsuk
Genre- Indie pop
Indie-pop favorites Ra Ra Riot return with a solid second album. The arrangements are tighter ( violist and sometimes vocalist Rebecca Zeller and cellist Alexandra Lawn add a lush fullness to each song), the lyrics are more mature, and sure, singer Wes Miles still sounds quite a bit like Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig, but who cares at this point? Single “Boy” is a beautiful upbeat song that’s nicely countered by the melancholy touch of strings. “Too Dramatic” follows this up by keeping up the same energy that makes early singles like “Dying is Fine” or “Ghost Under Rocks” so darn listenable. Sure, there’s a few filler tracks (“Massachusetts”, “Do You Remember”), but it’s allowed. Stunner “You and I”, where cellist Lawn gets a turn at vocals, is perfect beyond words. Ra Ra Riot has always been a details-oriented band, and this album excels on the interplay between the vocals, strings, bouncy guitar riffs and superb drumming. This album finds the band honing their sound and exploring new territory. Play this often.
The Walkmen
Artist- The Walkmen
Album- Lisbon
Label- Fat Posseum
Genre- Waltsy rock
The Walkmen have yet again put out another elegiac, stunning album on the level of genius that was 2008’s You & Me. The band knows just when to add the right touch of melancholy trumpet on a track (single “Stranded”) to give their signature waltz-y gloom to a song, a nuance that made songs like “Red Moon” off You & Me so fucking beautiful and haunting. “Blue as Your Blood” is carried by an interesting galloping percussion beat and the Walkmen’s traditional melancholy guitars. “Juveniles” The band is great at making simple guitar melodies super catchy . Hamilton Leithauser still sounds like a wailing Bob Dylan, but I’d rather listen to him over Dylan’s whine anyday. For many people the Walkmen is still that band that performed on The OC but get over it- definitely one of the most mature and intriguing bands out there today. It’s tough to find faults with this album (true perfection doesn’t exist, and You & Me is still a better album) but Lisbon comes pretty damn close.
Album- Lisbon
Label- Fat Posseum
Genre- Waltsy rock
The Walkmen have yet again put out another elegiac, stunning album on the level of genius that was 2008’s You & Me. The band knows just when to add the right touch of melancholy trumpet on a track (single “Stranded”) to give their signature waltz-y gloom to a song, a nuance that made songs like “Red Moon” off You & Me so fucking beautiful and haunting. “Blue as Your Blood” is carried by an interesting galloping percussion beat and the Walkmen’s traditional melancholy guitars. “Juveniles” The band is great at making simple guitar melodies super catchy . Hamilton Leithauser still sounds like a wailing Bob Dylan, but I’d rather listen to him over Dylan’s whine anyday. For many people the Walkmen is still that band that performed on The OC but get over it- definitely one of the most mature and intriguing bands out there today. It’s tough to find faults with this album (true perfection doesn’t exist, and You & Me is still a better album) but Lisbon comes pretty damn close.
Buke and Gass
Artist- Buke and Gass
Album- Riposte
Label- Brassland
Genre- Rock, experimental
This is one of the best surprisingly good random CDs I’ve gotten in awhile. 2 person group from Brooklyn who are signed to The National’s personal record label. Singer Arone Dyer sounds a bit a cross between Marnie Stern and the chicks from Dirty Projectors. She also plays a self-made instrument called the “buke” (baritone + ukulele, pronounced byook) while Aron Sanchez (please have weirder names, kthxbye) rocks out on the “gass” (guitar + bass….get it??). The effect is awesomely weird. It’s angular with tempo changes, it’s noisy yet not punky, it’s chaotic, and it’s a helluva good debut. For fans of wacky music like Melt Banana or M. Stern.
Album- Riposte
Label- Brassland
Genre- Rock, experimental
This is one of the best surprisingly good random CDs I’ve gotten in awhile. 2 person group from Brooklyn who are signed to The National’s personal record label. Singer Arone Dyer sounds a bit a cross between Marnie Stern and the chicks from Dirty Projectors. She also plays a self-made instrument called the “buke” (baritone + ukulele, pronounced byook) while Aron Sanchez (please have weirder names, kthxbye) rocks out on the “gass” (guitar + bass….get it??). The effect is awesomely weird. It’s angular with tempo changes, it’s noisy yet not punky, it’s chaotic, and it’s a helluva good debut. For fans of wacky music like Melt Banana or M. Stern.
Wildbirds & Peacedrums
Artist- Wildbirds & Peacedrums
Album- Rivers
Label- The Control Group
Genre- Experimental, choral, Swedish *yes, that ought to be its own genre
Swedish husband-and-wife duo compiles 2 EPs released earlier in the year into one disc. The first half of the album (Retina) uses the same Icelandic choir that recorded Bjork’s Medulla (aka her all vocals album from a few years back) to create weird, atmospheric goodness. Vocalist Mariam Wallentin has a fantastic haunting voice; her husband Andreas Werlin is a fierce percussionist and the force of his drumming is evident in the echoing reverb sound. The second EP, Iris (starting with track 6) is much warmer and more accessible- “The Wave” has a nice repeating marimba (or maybe it’s steel pan?) riff. Definitely more of an experimental album, but it’s worth the risk.
Album- Rivers
Label- The Control Group
Genre- Experimental, choral, Swedish *yes, that ought to be its own genre
Swedish husband-and-wife duo compiles 2 EPs released earlier in the year into one disc. The first half of the album (Retina) uses the same Icelandic choir that recorded Bjork’s Medulla (aka her all vocals album from a few years back) to create weird, atmospheric goodness. Vocalist Mariam Wallentin has a fantastic haunting voice; her husband Andreas Werlin is a fierce percussionist and the force of his drumming is evident in the echoing reverb sound. The second EP, Iris (starting with track 6) is much warmer and more accessible- “The Wave” has a nice repeating marimba (or maybe it’s steel pan?) riff. Definitely more of an experimental album, but it’s worth the risk.
M.I.A.
Artist-M.I.A.
Album- Maya
Label- XL/ NEET
Genre-electropop? vaguely hiphop
DO NOT APPROACH THIS ALBUM EXPECTING ANOTHER “PAPER PLANES”! M.I.A. has become a caricature of herself; her insistence on calling herself a “music terrorist” is tired and played-out, interviews show that she really is kind of clueless about politics, oh and she’s living in a posh suburb of Los Angeles. Her response to a New York Times Magazine feature that exposed her bullshit was to put the author’s personal phone number on Twitter. This type of childish antics would maybe be acceptable if MAYA didn’t suck so bad. “XXXO” is a disappointing attempt at a mainstream Billboard single that sounds like bad Madonna- the exact type of sexy pop star that MIA supposedly despises. Other single “Born Free”, with its “controversial” video that was made only to garner attention is little more than MIA stealing a sample of Suicide’s “Ghost Rider” and lazily talking over it. Most of the other songs are full of industrial noises, and her former producer/ex boyfriend Diplo’s claims that the cd sounds like a bad Skinny Puppy cd ring pretty true. The only thing approaching a good song, “Meds and Feds” featuring a Sleigh Bells sample, is unplayable due to FCC codes. Her lyrics lack the cleverness of Arular and the beats are trash compared to Kala. This is how to commit career suicide.
Album- Maya
Label- XL/ NEET
Genre-electropop? vaguely hiphop
DO NOT APPROACH THIS ALBUM EXPECTING ANOTHER “PAPER PLANES”! M.I.A. has become a caricature of herself; her insistence on calling herself a “music terrorist” is tired and played-out, interviews show that she really is kind of clueless about politics, oh and she’s living in a posh suburb of Los Angeles. Her response to a New York Times Magazine feature that exposed her bullshit was to put the author’s personal phone number on Twitter. This type of childish antics would maybe be acceptable if MAYA didn’t suck so bad. “XXXO” is a disappointing attempt at a mainstream Billboard single that sounds like bad Madonna- the exact type of sexy pop star that MIA supposedly despises. Other single “Born Free”, with its “controversial” video that was made only to garner attention is little more than MIA stealing a sample of Suicide’s “Ghost Rider” and lazily talking over it. Most of the other songs are full of industrial noises, and her former producer/ex boyfriend Diplo’s claims that the cd sounds like a bad Skinny Puppy cd ring pretty true. The only thing approaching a good song, “Meds and Feds” featuring a Sleigh Bells sample, is unplayable due to FCC codes. Her lyrics lack the cleverness of Arular and the beats are trash compared to Kala. This is how to commit career suicide.
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