Today's featured shit

This sounds exactly like KT Tunstall and Sarah MacLachlan. There’s no reason to read the rest of this review.
Still here? Well, “Everybody Knows” is a Leonard Cohen cover. It’s good. “Just in Time” is the last track and sounds like Poe. Perhaps she should cover “Angry Johnny” too.
The title track is fun. And it’s true. In the end, we’re just taller children. It even has a Book of Love-style interlude, which was a pleasant surprise.
“Race You” is catchy. It’s lighthearted and fun. I don’t care about “Apathy.” “The Hang Up” is a little slow for my tastes, but obviously this is the style of the artist and not subject for debate. Go listen to this one while pitting cherries that you just bought at the farmer’s market.
Although not groundbreaking, this a fun record. I’m not sure how easy it will be for this act to branch out, but it’s a good start, if nothing else.

Placebo are still around. And I’m sure that many under 25 think they are a ripoff of Death Cab for Cutie, or at least they will after listening to Battle for the Sun. Yes, the sound that made Better Than Ezra famous is now the one that makes Death Cab for Cutie famous, but that’s not fair to Placebo. They’ve muddled along making music that real music fans want to hear all along.
“For What It’s Worth” puts it all together like none other on the album, and it gets the job done in less than three minutes.
“Bright Lights” is a good song, but it brings to mind another mid-1990s throwback: Juliana Hatfield. Without reservation, the song sings, several times, “a heart that hurts is a heart that works.” This is one of Hatfield’s signature lyrics, even if from the troubled single, “Universal Heartbeat.” It truly gives me pause because that’s a strange coincidence at best.
Most of the songs run together, which is fine for Placebo fans, because maybe you’re too old to want to be surprised. Friday is Meatloaf Night, and that’s what makes life fun for you. “Speak in Tongues” does stand out a bit as well. There is emotion in the vocals unrivaled in the other tracks, and it brings to mind Echo and the Bunnymen. Now there’s something really old.

It’s Alun Woodward from The Delgados. The music is standard indie rock with a fun edge. You can tell the band does not take itself too seriously, but the attention to detail is not necessarily lacking. They work really hard on goofing off so effortlessly.
“Even Jesus Couldn’t Love You” gets the album off to a good start. I don’t know what you’re supposed to do while listening to this, so that must mean you’re supposed to do drugs.
“Look After Your Wife” has great backing vocals. And Woodward’s lead vocals are no slouch either. Whatever accent that is is mixed really high on this one. “I’m a Great Example to the Dogs” is a clever name, and it’s a tight-knit song, but it doesn’t really jump out at you either.
“Be Careful What You Wish for” is an excellent story. And with just piano during most of the song, it makes it easy to follow along. Hell hath no fury like a Lord Cut-Glass scorned.
“Toot Toot” is a waltz, which is awesome, and it sounds like IBOPA, which is even more awesome. Clearly this is supposed to be Lord Cut-Glass being weird, but it is also one of the more remarkable songs.

Some things never change. When Dinosaur Jr. release an album, you know it’s going to have complicated guitar and distinct vocals. There’s no crime to being in a rut if what you’re doing is quality work.
“Over It” exemplifies the band’s classic sound right from the beginning. It’s like stepping into a time machine. “Friends” sounds even older, perhaps predating their original recordings to something you’d expect to hear from the Replacements.
“There’s No Here” has great wailing guitar and an intro that goes on for a long time. The vocals seem to be an afterthought here, but musically it’s quite sound. “See You” is a great track that has the same tempo as “A Letter to Elise” by The Cure.
The rest of the tracks at the end sound more like fucking around than actual songs. “Imagination Blind” has a Genesis feel to it, and “I Don’t Wanna Go There” sounds like a modernized Dinosaur Jr. meets The Reputation. Hey, why not? Maybe they’re not in a rut after all.