Archive for May 2011
Episode 1753 is up
May 15, 2011Episode 1752 is up
May 15, 2011Episode 1751 is up
May 15, 2011Oh Land “Oh Land”
May 15, 2011I played the Oh Land EP a ton so it seemed only natural that I review the full length as well. I really like it, but I can see why they picked the tracks they did for the EP. Still, “Perfection” is pretty close to it. I wish the verses could sound like the chorus, because she actually sings those. The verses are more of a storytelling sound, which is a performance best reserved for people who can’t sing.
“Sun of a Gun” was on the EP, and it stands out among the 11 tracks the same way it did on the four-tracker. If you want something a little slower — perhaps you’re a Sneakerpimps fan — “Lean” will take care of you. Dot Allison would be proud.
Look elsewhere for Human League covers, although she could totally do it. Regardless, “Human” has the syncopation you’re looking for to finish painting the den. White Nights was also on the EP, and it also stands out. So the whole album is fine, but the tracks from the EP are better.
“We Turn It Up” sounds like the Tilly and the Wall song that sounds likes a Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam song. That makes it great.
Ellie Goulding “Lights”
May 15, 2011Trying to capitalize on the crossover success that La Roux has seen, Ellie Goulding has seen the “Lights.” What we have is an unabashedly attempt at modern pop music. Your 12-year-old niece will love this.
The title track leads off and will be played in casinos everywhere. There’s just enough Lady Gaga in there, as well as late ’80s synths and sampling. The only thing missing is the high-energy beat. There’s no question this is the music of today, even as it winks and nods at Reagan/Bush-era hit music.
“This Love (Will Be Your Downfall)” sounds like a Tegan and Sara song that’s been remixed. Well, really I suppose the whole album does. “The Writer” is not about me. I’m just a blogger, after all. This track is a little slower than the rest, but I wouldn’t call it a ballad. The melody is on the simplistic side, but being on Interscope will do that for you. It’s like cotton candy. Don’t expect substance and just be happy with it.
“Every Time You Go” is not a Paul Young cover — how cool would that be? This seems to be to lure in Pipettes fans, but the dance rhythm overpowers the likely self-made backgrounds. The song is fine, but it sounds like “further reading” if you will.
The La Roux comparison goes into overdrive with “Salt Skin.” So go enjoy it. You know you want to. The last track is a cover of Elton John’s “Your Song.” I hope you don’t mind.
Loch Lomond “Little Me Will Start a Storm”
May 15, 2011When your friends ask you what indie rock is (does anyone still ask that?), hand them this record. There’s some emotion, but it’s not out of control. They’re feeling something, even if it’s just gas. The lead singer does enough falsettos to keep the atmosphere light, like at a mountaintop restaurant. He makes you think of Peter Murphy and James, all at the same time.
“Blue Lead Fences” reminds me of early Smashing Pumpkins but with some female vocals mixed in. If you want something a little more haunting and garage sounding, go for “I Love Me.”
If you want a male-female duet, “Earth Has Moved Again” has what you’re looking for. It’s a little long, but it has just enough of a beat to get you through. It makes me want to look at my shoes — but not gaze at them.
The last track is “Alice Left With Stockings and Earrings.” Maybe this one is a little too slow, but it’s still a beautiful song. This album offers standard indie fare, a little on the softer side.
Snowblink “Long Live”
May 15, 2011This band needs its own iPhone commercial. The vocals are straight out of the Chairlift/Feist vein, and the music is acoustically crisp. Lots of tracks are folky, but “Ambergris” is in more of an Azure Ray vein.
“Green to Gone” even starts with “1, 2, 3, 4.” Take that, Feist! “Bulb for Later” is also good. It is slightly faster but still has the same feel as the other tracks. This album is Claritin clear.
The rest of the tracks are fine but really short. The 15 tracks total a whopping 34 minutes. Still, this should be a Top 20 album for me in 2011 when all is said and done.
Destroyer “Kaputt”
May 8, 2011Wow, this is really good. “Chinatown” leads things off, and it is fan-fugu-tastic. Great indie rock with male-female vocals, because boy-girl vocals is ageist. “Savage Night at the Opera” has music that reminds me of Police, but the lyrics are more in the Peter Murphy vein. The only way this one could be better is if it were called “Fred Savage Night at the Opera.” Those of you who retired from the goth scene can take a peek into the past, back when you could fit into those 34 waist jeans and you’d smoke Djarum cloves and not care that you were going to die, because you were goth, dammit, and you were going to die anyway. Now of course you’re on high-blood pressure medication and anti-depressants while holding down a job at a bank, but who cares? You have 821 friends on Facebook!
“Poor in Love” slows it down a little bit. It has some horn action as well and fits in well for fans of U2. If you like U2, play this. Period. Not being a fan of U2, this one doesn’t really do it for me, but I can tell people will dig it. “Downtown” has a beat that could be in a New Order or Pet Shop Boys B-side. The saxophone replaces the synths, though, and moves it to a more mainstream ’80s-inspired track, but who the fuck cares? Let’s throw in a Kate Bush shoutout too for the backing vocals. This record is the perfect Father’s Day gift for the Generation Xer in your life. My goodness.
The last track is “Bay of Pigs (Detail)” and is 11 minutes long. This is more of a dance club song, hence the length. They do this well also. This is definitely one of the best albums I’ve heard so far this year.
Does It Offend You, Yeah? “Don’t Say We Didn’t Warn You”
May 8, 2011I’ve heard a lot about this band, and I’m only hip enough to recognize the name. “John Hurt” samples Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock’s “It Takes Two.” They must also like the Whopper. “Wrong Time Wrong Planet” was a little psychedelic but not too much to make you uncomfortable.
Fans of Apollo 440 should like “Wondering.” I don’t know what to do with this type of music, but it is fun if nothing else.
By the time I get to the end of this record, I am expecting to hear something quirky disguised as normal, and so the quirkiness is what keeps me going. Well, when I hear “Broken Arms,” it never gets weird. So the song is fine, sure, but I wasn’t expecting a straight-ahead shoegaze type of song. Flaming Lips does this to me as well sometimes. How dare they do one song normally! And I most certainly was not warned!
Today's featured shit 