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: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: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