Album Review I'm From Barcelona - Forever Today

On the new album Forever Today from Sweden's I'm From Barcelona, listeners may wonder why the band feels that it needs to split the paycheque 29 ways between all of their bandmates.    This is certainly not a symphony orchestra and the only other proper pop group with this quantity of musicians is Beirut, but that little troupe makes a beautifully sophisticated racket.    However, after listening to I'm From Barcelona's newest LP multiple times, the band does not leave a discernible impression, apart from raising some suspicion that one of the firing squad of vocalists might be exiled member of Canada's Barenaked Ladies, Steven Page.   

I'm From Barcelona - Get in Line


I'm From Barcelona - Charlie Parker


I'm From Barcelona - Studio Documentary

Album Review Yuck (self-titled)

On Yuck's new self-titled album, we see the London band absorbing the concepts of three of the finest modern rock bands of the past 20 years: the storytelling of John Vanderslice, the guitar artistry behind Built to Spill and then toward the dissonance of early Sonic Youth.    And a naughty video for their track "Rubber" ain't gonna hurt either.

Yuck - Rubber


Yuck - Georgia


Yuck - Suck

Album Review Jonny (self-titled)

If you have loved the band Ween, as yours truly has, get yourself Jonny's "You Was Me", "Wich is Wich", "Candyfloss", "Bread", and "I Want to be Around You."    Make an iTunes folder with all your Ween albums and then place these five tracks from Jonny inside of it.    Set it to random and enjoy.    Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake and Euros Child of Gorky's Zygotic Mynci have built a childlike masterpiece.

Jonny - You Was Me

Jonny - Wich is Wich

Jonny - Candy Floss

Jonny - Bread

Jonny - I Want to be Around You

Album Review Lanu - Her 12 Faces

Australian funk band The Bamboos' frontman Lance Ferguson released a tidy little chill-out album away from all the brass that typically surrounds him.    There are some interesting moments on a fairly typical journey from vocal tracks to instrumentals, yet thankfully with only one vocalist, Megan Washington.    For fans of the mellow vibes inherent in this musical realm, it's nothing that can be considered breakthrough, but "Beautiful Trash", "Fall", "Jean Paul", and a clever French rendition of Roxy Music's "More Than This" are worthy treats.

Lanu - Beautiful Trash


Lanu - Jean Paul

Album Review - The Generationals - Actor-Caster

We're hearing some enormous creativity within modern music and Actor Caster by New Orleans' The Generationals is spellbinding pop by two guys, a girl drummer and then another dude helps out occasionally.    It starts out in a rather early Love & Rockets vibe, moves to New Order, and then by the fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth track, you'll know that I've got it all wrong.    What I do know is these folks that call themselves The Generationals are developing some extra freshness with their quirky songbook.    Delicious.

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The Generationals - Ten Twenty Ten


The Generationals - Tell Me Now


The Generationals - Please Be It

Album Review Gangpol Und Mit - 1000 Softcore Tourist People Club

On French duo Gangpol Und Mit's newest full length album "The 1000 Softcore Tourist People Club", one should expect the unexpected due to the band's inclusion onto Mike Patton's Ipecac record label.    This is the third oddball release of the year that we've witnessed alongside The Go! Team's "Rolling Blackouts" and Fujiya & Miyagi's "Ventriloquizzing".    However, there is little consistency in Gangpol Und Mit's 2011 entry and it occasionally elicits a surprising sense of terror amongst the goofy melodies,  as can be witnessed on "From Your House to the Universe," which is typical of the artistic licence for which Ipecac is infamous.

Album Review Grails - Deep Politics

Portland natives Grails have assembled a dark and stormy album entitled "Deep Politics" that seems a worthy soundtrack to conflicted character studies indicative of a Darren Aronofsky film.    Unlike fellow instrumentalists Mogwai, Grails have built a compelling argument with more patient and organic growth inside their songs, employing unexpected flourishes and occasionally bursting into symphonic episodes that make for exciting repeat enjoyment.

Grails - Deep Politics

Album Review Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will

On Mogwai's newest album "Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will", you'll find everything you'd expect from Mogwai, but with their instrumental dial twisting itself to sinister a little more frequently.    These gentlemen of Scotland now have seven proper albums, not including their live and soundtrack work, yet each song on the album seems to progress in much the same way with either a dramatic speeding up, slowing down of the subject matter, or a hearty bashing of their respective instruments.    Mogwai bring in some vocals this time out, laying it on with effects much like Trans Am have continued practicing on their past 3 albums, which became a little tiring for TA, but is a fresh idea for Mogwai.    Check out the new album "Deep Politics" by Grails, which takes a fresh direction in this same musical realm.

Mogwai - Rano Pano

Album Review Glasvegas - Euphoric Heartbreak

Scotland's Glasvegas have created another Bono friendly release with their newest LP Euphoric Heartbreak, showing that they are prepared for the same massive venues to which U2 has become accustomed.    The vocalist tells a variety of stories within the songs, two regarding homosexuality, and frequently explodes from his heavy Glaswegian accent into stadium sized warbled vocals.    A similar vocal affectation is shared by their namesake group Your Vegas, who were mentored by global superstars Duran Duran during their 2005 tour.    After repeated listens, it seems that "You" and "Shine Like Stars" are the only truly mesmerizing tracks on this long player.

Glasvegas - You



Glasvegas - Shine Like Stars

Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood is the Controller: Review

Apart from his crucial role as guitarist, songwriter, and collaborator for one of the most successful bands in rock history, Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood reveals that he also has a soft spot for dub and reggae.    In 2008, Jonny compiled some timeless tracks in this genre from the Trojan record label that began in the late 60s and was home to likes of Desmond Dekker [iTunes] and The Jahlights.    The female back-up singers responding with "Doop Doobity Doo" on Lee 'Scratch' Perry's "Bionic Rats [iTunes]" are brilliantly effective.    Marcia Aitken's 12' mix on "I'm Still in Love [iTunes]" are prime examples of Mr. Greenwood's exceptional ability to sort through the finest dub and give us a reason to still love the reggae establishment for its continued vitality.    Yah mon.

Jonny Greenwood is the Controller - Marcia Atkin "I'm still in love" 12' mix



Jonny Greenwood is the Controller - Lee 'Scratch' Perry "Bionic Rats"

Album Review Pentagram - Last Rites

After at least 4 years of picking the charred bits from their blackened hearts, Pentagram return with a bloody terrific apology to Satan on their newly released Last Rites album.    Filled with heavy guitar à la Monster Magnet, Kyuss, and the doomed Alice in Chains, it will be ringing in the ears of its target market for many months to come.

Pentagram - Call the Man



Pentagram - Death in the First Person



Pentagram - Nothing Left

Album Review Federico Aubele - Berlin 13

Argentina's Federico Aubele released his newest album "Berlin 13" one month ago on Thievery Corporation's ESL Music label.    Federico's 3rd album is a finely tuned mix of smooth Latin guitar, Spanish/English vocals that bear similarities to Yello's German vocalist then pressed through Thievery Corps' more dubby global influences.    The first time I heard it, my son had put iTunes on repeat single track mode, but it wasn't until the fourth time through Berlin that we noticed that the song couldn't possibly be over 15 minutes long.    This is a testament to how smooth the album flows, which may be a detriment to its poignancy in your music collection in the future.    The definite keepers are Berlin, No One, Bohemian Rhapsody in Blue, Efemara, and 13.

Federico Aubele - Berlin



Federico Aubele - No One



Federico Aubele - Bohemian Rhapsody in Blue

Exposed breasts on album covers cannot save The Luyas, Cut Copy or Young Prisms

Sometimes albums that truly disappoint do so because of a serious flaw or misjudgement of their audience that absolutely destroys the enjoyment. Canada's The Luyas disrespect the crucial song #2 position on their newest LP "Too Beautiful to Work" by selecting the song "Worth Mentioning" that sounds like a drummer and his full kit falling down a seemingly infinite staircase along with a Salvation Army volunteer and their Christmas kettle with bells.    On Cut Copy's newest album Zonoscope, the Aussies barely break a standing pulse rate in an organic garden, which bodes for an absolutely boring listen.    Or, in the case of San Francisco's Young Prisms' latest "Friends For Now", they doggedly lose focus toward feedback rather than melody and songsmanship.    Topless models on any of their artsy album covers cannot save them.

The Luyas - Worth Mentioning



Young Prisms - Feel Fine



Cut Copy - Need You Now

Album Review Chemical Brothers - Hanna Soundtrack

When reading that the Chemical Brothers had made the soundtrack for an icy action thriller called Hanna that begins in northern Scandinavia, the viewer/listener will wonder how the pair would immmerse their block rockin' beats into a proper film.    For those who haven't been watching Chemical Brothers' growth, their sound has been becoming more filmic with their last album "Further" that was rumoured to be a framework for several short films.    How the Chemical Bros' material has supported the film is to accentuate the confusion and excitement that Hanna feels encountering religion, technology, fear, and love with their frigid, and at times, paranoid aural backdrop.    You'll even hear the actors whistling soundtrack segments to grow the relationship of the actors to the film's score.    Best soundtrack that I've heard since David Holmes' Oceans 12 soundtrack, which was magic for the film and, now, as collection of timeless tracks hand-picked by a production wizard.    Hopefully, Hanna does the same for the Chemical Brothers.

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Chemical Brothers - Hanna (Movie Soundtrack Remixed) by listothis

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Chemical Brothers - Swoon (Bassworm Remix) by Bassworm

Chemical Brothers - Container Park (Hanna Soundtrack)



Chemical Brothers - The Devil is in the Beats (Hanna Soundtrack)



Chemical Brothers - Hanna's Theme (Hanna Soundtrack)

Album Review Peter, Bjorn And John - Gimme Some

Sweden's Peter, Bjorn and John continue to move their sound forward with only 2 guitars, drums and a few human voices on their latest LP Gimme Some that was just released a couple of weeks ago.    Like America's Marcy Playground or Canada's Sloan, they deliver their action-packed album with clever touches along the way.    PB and J make the whole album appear effortless for them and you can tell that the boys are also having a great time playing.

Peter, Bjorn and John - Breaker Breaker


Peter, Bjorn and John - Second Chance



Peter, Bjorn and John - Lies



Peter, Bjorn and John - Tomorrow Has To Wait



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Peter Bjorn John - Second Chance (RAC Mix) by DingoBar



Peter, Bjorn And John - Gimme Some Tracklist:

1. Tomorrow Has To Wait (Peter, Bjorn And John - Gimme Some)
2. Dig A Little Deeper (Peter, Bjorn And John - Gimme Some)
3. Second Chance (Peter, Bjorn And John - Gimme Some)
4. Eyes (Peter, Bjorn And John - Gimme Some)
5. Breaker Breaker (Peter, Bjorn And John - Gimme Some)
6. May Seem Macabre (Peter, Bjorn And John - Gimme Some)
7. Cool Off (Peter, Bjorn And John - Gimme Some)
8. Black Book (Peter, Bjorn And John - Gimme Some)
9. Down Like Me (Peter, Bjorn And John - Gimme Some)
10. Lies (Peter, Bjorn And John - Gimme Some)
11. I Know You Don’t Love Me (Peter, Bjorn And John - Gimme Some)

Album Review Rainbow Arabia - Boys and Diamonds

Sometimes a band's name should be enough warning to potential listeners to heed the warning like broken electrical equipment that you should refer servicing to qualified service personnel.    Rainbow Arabia is that LA hipster band gone wrong.    With its allusion to northern Africa and, good heavens, a rainbow, there are enough disparate concepts also within each song that eventually break this record.    The odd goth act CocoRosie bears some resemblance in terms of unorthodox vocals, lyrics and arrangements, but Rainbow Arabia add far too many components to their mix and it is rendered unlistenable.

Rainbow Arabia - Without You



Rainbow Arabia - Boys and Diamonds

Album Review Britney Spears - Femme Fatale

It is difficult for Britney Spears to be taken seriously.    We've seen her consistently undulating for the camera, rubbed her backside onto the laps of other dancers, and be kissed and licked by multiple partners throughout the years, while also enjoying regular tabloid rotation.    Professionally, Britney seems to have got things under control, as over half of these new tracks on her newest Femme Fatale are a refreshing refresher for Spears.    The last proper album that BS released was Circus and she was working with multiple mega-producers, but the only catchy bits were the sexy liner photos.    If you want to save some money, you will not need Drop Dead Beautiful, Seal It With A Kiss, Big Fat Bass, Trouble For Me, Criminal, Up N' Down, Selfish or Don't Keep Me Waiting, as these tracks quickly lose the momentum of an otherwise clever release from one of our regular tabloid queens.

Britney Spears - I Wanna Go.

Album Review:Malachai - Return to the Ugly Side

As the story goes, a fella from Portishead discovered Malachai and it's easy to notice the many reasons why he loved them.    The two (and sometimes three) piece Malachai released an intriguing piece of work entitled Return to the Ugly Side earlier in February and it begins with symphonic sampling, moves towards a Strawberry Fields Forever intro, then heads back through hip-hop beats and samples a la Jel and continues weaving in and out of late 60s psychedelia.    Tack on some vocals that sound a bit like the Flaming Lips and you've got yourself an intriguing listen.

Malachai - Let 'em Fall



Malachai - Rainbows



Malachai - Mid-Antarctica



Malachai - Let 'em Fall (live in studio)

Album Review The Liberators - The Liberators

The Liberators self-titled debut brings us a proper instrumental funk album from Australia with, seemingly, more horns than you have fingers.    You can file this alongside other similar modern groups such as Quantic Soul Orchestra, The Bamboos and Poets of Rhythm, all of whom bring their funk from surprisingly fresh angles on their respective albums.    The Liberators' release is a refreshing, unhurried piece of afro-soul with the occasional vocal track to spice up the flavour, most importantly on the mesmerizing funk of Let It Go.    And the first single Rags to Riches is delivered as a mock promo for a Blaxploitation film, which is proving to be a clever marketing tool.

The Liberators - Rags to Riches



THE LIBERATORS - Let It Go feat. Roxie Ray by The Liberators - Afrofunk

The Liberators - Let It Go w/Roxie Ray



The Liberators -Multiculture

Album Review:Oh Land - Oh Land

This album has everything going for it: a cute Danish filly with an even cuter voice with an SUV full of global super-producers and a tight little eleven track album of simple, effective pop songs.    However, I think that one of these English speaking producers should have been honest about some of the English expressions Ms. Oh Land uses or, better yet, suggest that she have kept it in the Danish language.    There are some great lyrics in the hit song Sun of a Gun such as "You could make the blue sky blush" that are quickly overshadowed by hearing about "That voodoo you do" on the next song.    My mother had her own cute Swedish/English expressions, but I would have recommended that she avoid naming her hit song "Ding-a-ling Dum Dum", which she used as an admonishment when I would get too silly as a child.

Oh Land - Perfection


Oh Land - Break the Chain


Oh Land - Sun of a Gun


Oh Land - Voodoo

Album Review:The Raveonettes-Raven in the Grave

The Raveonettes have grown into their sound since first hearing their first EP Whip It On in 2002 while working in a CD shop.   For newcomers, expect The Raveonettes' newest Raven in the Grave to come fully equipped with overproduced guitar, drums and anything else that the Danish duo find in the studio and play the hell out of it or drive it to distortion.   For returning enthusiasts, you'll find ringing guitars bleeding into echoing percussion to be replaced by absolute sweetness afterward.   Tremendous stuff when you're ready for this kind of experience.

The Raveonettes - Recharge & Revolt


The Raveonettes - War in Heaven


The Raveonettes - Forget That You're Young


The Raveonettes - Apparitions

Album Review:Holy Ghost-Holy Ghost

New York's Holy Ghost! released their self-titled full-length last week and provide some evidence that they know the electro-pop formula well.    Apart from the snappy beats and synth work hearkening back to OMD and others of their ilk, the HG boys don't add any distinctively fresh flavours.   Holy Ghost! have been remixing many substantive artists, like Moby and their label's headmaster LCD Soundsystem, during the past few years, which has aided their ability to afford the very expensive rent in New York city and perhaps understand the nuts and bolts of song construction.    However, with all the great music being released these days, the album is quite remarkably unremarkable, aside from Hold On, which they released as a single 4 years ago and finally appears on this long player.     The only other oddly interesting moment is Michael McDonald showing up in the closing track Some Children.    Apart from those two moments, the only other excitement would be the one, presumably, found at the exclamation point at the end of the band's name.

Album Review:The Kills-Blood Pressures

Like this year's Wye Oak album, it is clear that there is considerable creative energy harnessed within the power of musical equivalents and the two piece combo behind The Kills' newest Blood Pressures is another compelling argument.    The album swings between restrained White Stripes jams and the tension revealed through the smoky PJ Harvey-esque vocal interplay along with her male partner in crime.    These cats know what they're doing.

The Kills - Future Starts Slow



The Kills - Satellite



The Kills - DNA

Album Review:Timber Timbre-Creep On Creepin' On

Thank you once again to the year 2011 for producing such clever albums, in this case Timber Timbre's Creep On Creepin' On.    COCO starts with a percussive piano beat in "Bad Ritual" that sets the stage for an album that treads an unusual path between Tom Waits' patient, moody song construction, The The's vocal intensity and then through the occasional late 1960s psychedelia.    Spindrift, a band on The Dandy Warhols' label Beat the World, tried a similar sound a few years ago, but those cats seemed more concerned about novelty than quality songs.    This one's a keeper.

Timber Timbre-Bad Ritual



Timber Timbre-Black Water



Timber Timbre-Woman

Album Review:Yelle-Safari Disco Club

If you're looking for some international flair in your electronic, make it Francophonic with Yelle's newest LP Safari Disco Club.    I had first heard her, and her two electronic muses, on the incorrigibly innovative Cooler Couleur on the otherwise ordinary Crookers' Tons of Friends album.    Think Goldfrapp's penchant for fun with that slinky French exchange student from Dieppe that you once met.    C'est bon?    Non, c'est très bien.    So très bien in fact that she's currently joined Katy Perry on her UK tour in her spring 2011 tour.    Having witnessed the spectacle of their live show, it's no wonder that they can continually tour the earth and still fill the seats and dance-floors.

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Comme un enfant (Second Date remix) by YELLE

FREE Download of Yelle - Safari Disco Club (HLM Remix)
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Yelle - Safari Disco Club (HLM Remix) by HLM

FREE Download of Yelle - Safari Disco Club (GoSpaceship Remix)
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Yelle - Safari Disco Club (GoSpaceship Remix) by GoSpaceship

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Yelle - Que Veux Tu (The Lost Boys Remix) by lostboysmusic

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YELLE DJS MIXES by YELLE

Yelle - Safari Disco Club (The whole album [Not Free, but fantastic])
SAFARI DISCO CLUB by YELLE

Yelle-Safari Disco Club & Que Veux-Tu


Yelle-C'est Pas Une Vie


Yelle-Le Grand Saut


Yelle-Comme Un Enfant




Yelle-Safari Disco Club tracklist

01. Safari Disco Club
02. Que Veux-Tu?
03. C'Est Pas Une Vie
04. Comme Un Enfant
05. Chimie Physique
06. La Musique
07. Mon Pays
08. J'ai Bu
09. Le Grand Saut
10. Unillusion
11. S'Eteint Le Soleil

Album Review:Liquid Stranger-Mechanoid Meltdown

Every once in a while there arrives an album that's touted to be the cat's night-shirt, which sadly ends up sounding much like that painfully hilarious scene from the film It's All Gone Pete Tong where one of the band members turns to our hero producer/remixer to confide that, "It sounds like ze cakkah!"    Liquid Stranger's Mechanoid Meltdown is that album.    However, as a comedy album filled with tedious beats, curse words, and unfortunate samples from science movies and 1980s arcade games, this is top notch stuff.    If it's clever electronic music that you're after, don't settle for cakkah.    Check the list at right for some ideas.

Liquid Stranger-Bully



Liquid Stranger-Shake My Ass


Liquid Stranger-Destroy Him My Robots

Album Review:Cold Cave-Cherish the Light Years

One of my favourite albums of 2009 was Cold Cave's Love Comes Close, which was a confident journey through modern electro-pop containing many hints of Gary Numan, Human League, and Thomas Dolby.    Unlike their former album, Cold Cave's latest LP "Cherish the Light" has a darker, more tangible urgency throughout and lacks female lead vocals, which tend to detract from the clever bits.    The solution to keep Cold Cave in your musical vernacular?    Make this album into a fantastic affordably priced EP with The Great Pan is Dead, Pacing Around the Church, Catacombs, and Villains of the Moon.

Cold Cave-The Great Pan is Dead


Cold Cave-Pacing Around the Church


Cold Cave-Catacombs


Cold Cave-Villains of the Moon

Album Review:The Strokes-Angles

When The Strokes' first album "Is This It" was released with its promotional tsunami, I intentionally avoided it for several months.    After the daily flow of attention the album received had comfortably settled into the horizon, I patiently listened and realized that this album would soon become my essential tool to bring about the warmer days of summer.    On The Stroke's latest "Angles", the reverberating guitars on the opener Machu Picchu honour 10CC's "Dreadlock Holiday" and pay respect for Strange Advance on "Games" and The Strokes' "Gratisfaction" would have sounded fantazmic snuggled anywhere inside the Billy Joel album "Glass Houses".    On closer inspection of The Strokes' latest platter, these gentlemen of leisure have condensed a complete understanding of many decades of pop music and deftly manipulated the elements toward another refreshing evolution for modern pop music.    I think that I might buy the vinyl.

The Strokes-Machu Picchu

The Strokes-Taken for a Fool

The Strokes-Games

The Strokes-Gratisfaction

Album Review:Noah and the Whale-Last Night on Earth

In the opening 27 seconds of the first track Life is Life on Noah and the Whale's latest album Last Night on Earth, it reminds me how much I miss The Postal Service.    However, it all rapidly falls apart into a tiresome deluge of optimism and feel-goodism like Bruce Hornsby trying to emulate Belle and Sebastian.    If you need further proof, get a load of L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.    And, you guessed it: They spell out the chorus.

Album Review:Rival Schools-Pedals

New York's Rival Schools new album Pedals is a fresh piece of rock n' roll that straddles a few decades of inspiration.    Rival Schools move from the effects laden guitar work of 1993's Swervedriver and 1999's Built to Spill and hold it all together with some introspective lyrics and occasional piano of 2004's John Vanderslice.    Exhibit A is 69 Guns.    A good back to front album.

Album Review:Lykke Li-Wounded Rhymes

Lykke Li's newest album Wounded Rhymes is a trip through many of her global and stylistic influences, likely due to her nomadic , bohemian upbringing.    This 25 year old Swede has crafted something terrifically unusual as she and the band move from pop to blues to outer space and then nearly to gospel before being swallowed by anthemic pop throughout the journey.    Delicious stuff.

Album Review:Wye Oak - Civilian

This boy-girl duo Wye Oak aligns the musical spirits of Sonic Youth, Curve, Medicine, and Unrest for a centerpiece of production and pop mastery for their newest album Civilian.    Throughout the LP, the songs often begin with a simple structure that regularly reveal fresh elements that pleasantly surprise you and then disappear moments later.    Great music for baking cinnamon buns or even playing Scrabble or possibly even celebrating an evolution.

Wye Oak - Alter


Wye Oak - Plains


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Wye Oak - Holy Holy by cityslang

FREE Download of Wye Oak - Civilian
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Wye Oak - Civilian by WorkItMedia

FREE Download of Wye Oak - That I Do (Mickey Free Remix)
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Wye Oak - That I Do (Mickey Free Remix) by Gold Lion

FREE Download of Siamese (Wye Oak)
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Siamese (Wye Oak) by chrankoss

FREE Download of Wye Oak - I Hope You Die
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Wye Oak - I Hope You Die by Hypetrak




Wye Oak - Civilian tracklist

01 “Two Small Deaths”
02 “The Alter”
03 “Holy Holy”
04 “Dogs Eyes”
05 “Civilian”
06 “Fish”
07 “Plains”
08 “Hot as Day”
09 “We Were Wealth”
10 “Doubt”

Album Review:Radiohead-King of Limbs

I have followed many bands from their debut albums onward, though few have had such a successful evolution as Radiohead.    They began their career like any other pop band from the UK and then slowly became devoted to mastering the art and business of their industry.    If you haven't liked Radiohead previously, I doubt that their King of Limbs album will change your mind like OK Computer might, but if you've liked them now and again as I have, this is a clear reminder that these gentleman are aware of the important stuff.    The great albums of 2011 are, so far, short because humans are busy people.

Album Review:Elbow-Build a Rocket Boys

It's astonishing that Elbow's band members have been playing together for 20 years.    The songs on their latest album Build a Rocket Boys lack any real flash, though that's entirely the appeal of this UK bar band's unhurried structures.    The sound is a little Coldplay heaped with the showmanship and grownupedness found in those fellas from The Duckworth Lewis Method or even Iron & Wine.    The track With Love is a confidently delivered jawdropper.    Build a Rocket Boys is a beautiful and mature antidote to a world that's still a bit bonkers.

Album Review:Beady Eye-Different Gear, Still Speeding

The music of 2011 started in such a promising fashion with fantastically fresh albums from The Get Up Kids, Jenn Grant, Toro Y Moi, The Dodos and Braids.    I suppose that I can't be surprised that another rocker headed toward retirement needs an effective retirement plan, but this album will be a failing strategy for Liam Gallagher and his old band-mates who are without, it seems, the real creative force of Oasis: Neil.    You'll immediately recognize Liam's distinctive groan, but the clever hooks?    The occasionally brilliant songcrafting?    You won't find either here.    You can't sing about The Beatles or The Rolling Stones in order to fit yourself onto the same shelf, but on Beady Eye's new LP Different Gear, Still Speeding, you'll hear many songs that the producer or record company should have considered a re-do or get another producer that will help Mr. Gallagher take some chances.    Suppose that you can't blame the ex-Oasisians for trying.    Everyone needs to consider their future, but in order for music to properly evolve and for the love of music, ignore this record.   

Album Review:The Dodos-No Color

The Dodo's newest album No Color is another certifiably fresh piece of work that helps our modern music continue its evolution.    The album opener Black Night is a captivating way to start the LP it keeps your attention for its nine track duration with some unexpected turns.    The songs are built like Built to Spill moving mostly acoustic with a Beta Band/The Aliens vocalist, sprinkled with some asymmetrical percussion and then moulded into a shape resembling Love and Rocket's Yin and Yang and the Flowerpot Man from many years ago.    No Color is a double-rainbow of goodness.

Album Review:Lupe Fiasco-Lasers

I had been expecting to write that Lupe Fiasco's Lasers album was without any redeeming qualities, but after several listens I realized that this was not the case.    However, it does have several moments of hope in what seems, at first, a collection of redundant hip hop.    The feel-good theme of driving toward your dreams that Mr. Fiasco has done in his own life by nabbing some great producers throughout this album such as The Future and Alex Da Kid.    There are a few tiresome tracks, but the big beats and positive messages available within such tracks as Beautiful Lasers produced with the care and attention that Dabrye brings to his collaborations, all of which keep this album relevant.

Album Review:Jenn Grant-Honeymoon Punch

Rock n' roll narcissism school tells folks that if they ain't slick or gorgeous, there's a high potentiality that you'll get overlooked.    I hope this isn't true of Nova Scotia's Jenn Grant, as January's release of her Honeymoon Punch album is filled with crisp Trish Keenan's vocals from Broadcast with Liz Phair's quirky arrangements and a big ol' handful of lollipops and sunshine.    Yum.

Album Review:Tapes n' Tapes-Outside

What wiseguy told Tapes 'n Tapes to open their newly released album Outside with Badaboom?    Even though these guys know clever Minnesota pop like Pavement know incomplete songs, they should have let Badaboom close the album, as it seriously overshadows the remainder of the tracks.   Like the self-titled Prinzhorn Dance School or Christopher Arruda's God Hates a Coward album, a powerhouse final track helps retain the album's freshness and encourages repeated listenening.    I may relabel the tracks, but the only must-have moments for TnT on the album are Freak Out and Badaboom.

Album Review:The Decemberists-The King is Dead

I have listened to The Decemberists' The King is Dead endeavouring to get a sense of why this band should be treated seriously.    If this were an R.E.M or Tom Petty cover band, I'm sure they'd be pretty good in a hotel bar in Eugene, Oregon, but as a band that wants to sell fresh albums and gig dates, they need to revisit their tedious sound.    Maybe some peyote and a month long vision quest might help.    Not only is the king dead, so is this album.

Album Review:Devotchka-100 Lovers

I have absolutely nothing positive to share about the new album by Devotchka.    A few moments occur during a few songs on the 100 Lovers LP where you think it might get interesting, but the singer quickly douses your hopes like an autocratic David Byrne at his most tyrannical taking all the fun out of a band that wants to experiment with eastern European melodies and flamenco.    If you're looking for a similar sound that is effective, loose, and gorgeous, I still highly recommend anything by Beirut, which, I believe, is the sound that this band wishes it could emulate.    In summary, stay away from this album.

Album Review:Crookers-Tons of Friends

The Crookers' Tons of Friends might be a testament to the many vocalists that they found to accompany their arrangements, but the single track that makes sifting through the tonnage is French singer Yelle on Cooler Couleur.    It's too bad about inclusion of curse words in the song, but an absolutely otherworldly experience not heard since a band called Braids showed up.

Album Review:White Lies-Is Love

These young men from the UK known as White Lies have created a consistent record that also recognizes its forefathers from the early 90s Manchester experience Inspiral Carpets and, Lord help me, the Soup Dragons, but in a good way.    The album received some great production work from the legendary Alan Moulder and he is clearly endeavouring to grow them for huge stadiums with vocals belted out like Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan in his more positive states of mind and solid hooky arrangements somewhere between Catherine Wheel and Charlatans UK.

Album Review:Duran Duran-All You Need is Now

I appreciate that Nick Rhodes was brought in by The Dandy Warhols to help them broaden their sound one decade ago, but Duran Duran should seriously consider opening a chain of all-you-can-eat Tapas restaurants called, of course, Hungry Like the Wolf if their latest record is a suggestion of their current songwriting ability.    If someone in the group had truly considered their production choices seriously, then Goldfrapp, Ladytron or even Shawn Lee would have been much better options in helping breathe life into the stagnant DD franchise.    Mark Ronson is an excellent producer, but too inexperienced to bring anything fresh to the double D.    Do yourself a favour and dig out your old vinyl of Rio and reminisce.

Album Review:Destroyer-Kaputt

Every time I hear Vancouver's Destroyer, enough time has passed that I completely forget that it's not going to sound like The Black Halos or Alexisonfire.    Dan Behar exhumes New Order, but removes its occasional grooves.    For example, a borrowed guitar solo from a generic A Flock of Seagulls at 2:41 on this track from his Mr. Behar's new album, Kaputt.    Quite a feat, but a too tame and forgettable release for my liking.

Album Review:Fujiya & Miyagi-Ventriloquizzing

I miss art-rock bands like Art of Noise, Stereolab and Add N to X.    Fujiya & Miyagi ruined what could have been a perfectly good atmospheric instrumental album with some of the most ridiculously appalling lyrics ever recorded.    Apart from maybe 2 songs, there are some serious infractions of including horrid cliches throughout the album and as choruses no less.    If anyone knows these guys, suggest to them that they release an instrumental Ventriloquizzing and then enrol the singer into a creative writing program.    Do not be tempted by their slick and creepy video Black and Blue.    The cliches stop all too rarely on this long player.

Album Review:The Get Up Kids-There Are Rules

The Get Up Kids have got their poop together finally on There Are Rules.    It took them 10 years, but their 2011 album is a majestic piece of art rock manifested through the same amount of years shaking off the crispy coating left from being labelled emo.    I've somehow been able to ignore every TGUK album until now.    Delicious stuff.

Album Review:Adele-21

Adele releases another album that exhibits her incredible vocal talents, which are delivered with honesty and authenticity, unlike the redundancies that exist with other popular female vocalists prevalent in radio.    However, while listening to Adele's newest, the only thing I notice is her great voice, which doesn't really translate into an album of great songs, regrettably.    One exception is Rumor Has It, which Sam Cooke would have loved to have heard after her cover of That's It, I Quit, I'm Movin' On, but should have been placed at track 4 or, preferably, track 7.








Adele - 21 tracklist
1. Rolling In The Deep
2. Rumour Has It
3. Turning Tables
4. Don’t You Remember
5. Set Fire To The Rain
6. He Won’t Go
7. Take It All
8. I’ll Be Waiting
9. One And Only
10. Lovesong
11. Someone Like You

Album Review:Braids-Native Speaker

Calgary's expats Braids landed in Montreal, then released a magically addictive album earlier this year of 2011.    A hybrid of Siouxsie without her banshees singing alongside her choral equivalent and the band is able to jam with the intensity of Canada's Holy Fuck.    Without the remixes, there's only 7 songs, but these are sonically incomparable songs.    Captured live, these young folks seem to be capable of duplicating the pop gospel of Lemonade on stage.    Their mysterious first video for Plath Heart exemplifies their unexpectedly brilliant diversions.    Get this album now.

FREE Download of Braids: "Native Speaker" (Born Gold Remix - Prefix Premiere)
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FREE Download of Braids - Lemonade (Trap Star Mix)
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Braids-Native Speaker Tracklist

1. Lemonade
2. Plath Heart
3. Glass Deers
4. Native Speaker
5. Lammicken
6. Same Mum
7. Little Hand