Week of November 16, 2009

Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures (Interscope)

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Earlier this year, word began leaking out that Foo Fighters main man Dave Grohl and his pal Josh Homme of Queens Of The Stone Age had been recording a top-secret project along with ex-Led Zeppelin member John Paul Jones. Gradually we started to get some details...a band name (Them Crooked Vultures), random YouTube videos and a series of surprise gigs over the summer. The pieces began to fall into place, with a proper tour (including a Sold Out show at the Electric Factory last month). Now their eagerly-anticipated, self-titled (and self-produced) debut album has arrived.

Musically, Them Crooked Vultures is precisely what you'd expect from these three musicians combining their powers: epic, bad-ass, psychedelic, heavy jams. If you loved the QOTSA album Songs For The Deaf (which Grohl drummed on), you'll be all about TCV. Homme's distinct voice and guitar tone dominates the sound of the record; though Grohl's thundering drums and Jones' classic blues rock certain add their color to the songs.

One of the best tracks on the album is "Mind Eraser, No Chaser," with its hooky chorus that makes good use of Grohl's backing vocals as a call-and-answer with Homme. It's a tactic they should have used more often, as Grohl mainly provides backing/harmony vocals for TCV. Elsewhere, there's the sleazy boogie of lead single "New Fang" and the Bluesy guitar riffing of "Elephants," which morphs into a nearly seven-minute jam. "Scumbag Blues" is another highlight, with Homme's robotic riffs in lockstep with the rhythm section until a guitar line out of a TV spy theme emerges halfway through. Late in the record, the band breaks out the excellent "Caligulove" with Jones' spooky Doors-ish keyboard solo and the sexy disco beat of "Gunman." You can certainly tell the trio had fun making the record, and while Homme is not exactly the deepest or most linear lyricist ever, the album is loose without feeling tossed off. Them Crooked Vultures may end up as a one-off side project, but with the talent of those involved, it is not to be overlooked.

Review by Joey O.

Week of November 9, 2009

Julian Casablancas - Phrazes For The Young (RCA)

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Strokes singer Julian Casablancas becomes the fourth member of his band to put out a side/solo project during the band's hiatus (wherefore art thou, Nick Valensi?) with Phrazes For The Young. Casablancas has said recently that the band has been writing new material but is currently stuck at an impasse. So as we continue to patiently wait for the Strokes to pull together and record their long-awaited fourth album, we have Phrazes For The Young to digest. Clocking in with just eight songs in about 40 minutes, Casablancas mostly puts the Strokes' two-pronged guitar attack aside in favor of a variety of synthesizers. By now, you've heard the dance-y lead single "11th Dimension," where Casablancas mixes bright, retro keyboards with some Strokes-ish riffs under the surfaces. "4 Chords Of The Apocalyspe" is a woozy ballad while "Ludlow St." is a lovely elegy for an ever-changing New York City (with a surprising ?banjo? solo) where there are "yuppies invading" and "nightlife is raging." Casablancas has also grown as a singer in recent years, which was noticeable on his silly contribution to The Lonely Island's Incredibad album, "Boombox." While his vocals still go through some effects processing, they're nowhere near as treated as on the early Strokes songs. With its unusual instrumentation and oft-cluttered production, Phrazes For The Young is a bit of a grower, but Casablancas' talent for melody and hooks still shines through.

Review by Joey O.

Week of November 2, 2009

Weezer - Raditude (Geffen)

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By now, Weezer fans should know that Rivers Cuomo has become a completely different songwriter than he was when he crafted the band's seminal first two albums, and he ain't going back. In fact, it seems that each Weezer album has now become an experiment in songwriting. On last year's "Red Album," Cuomo handed over the reigns for half the record to his bandmates, letting them sing lead and write songs. This time around, the writing process was mostly collaboration with outside musicians and the results make up Raditude, another collection of shiny guitar-pop surrounded by more head-scratching choices. The record opens with the lead single, "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To," which is perhaps the best Weezer single in years. Bouncing along with a bassline borrowed from The Jam's "A Town Called Malace," Cuomo drops brand names while singing a sweet love song.

Much of the press about Raditude has gone to "Can't Stop Partying," written with unlikely suspects Lil Wayne and Jermaine Dupri. On the dance-pop track, Cuomo injects a bit of regret into boasts about top-shelf drinks. "Put Me Back Together" was written with members of The All-American Rejects and sounds a lot like one of their own glossy tunes. Songs like "I'm Your Daddy" and "The Girl Got Hot" are straight-up Weezer-by-numbers that feel like the soundtrack to a teen sex comedy that doesn't exist yet.

Raditude is the latest chapter in Weezer's confounding career. Musically they're still not that far off from the band that gave us those classic 90's records, but Cuomo chose to go in a less-personal direction lyrically ages ago and is happy with what Weezer has become. The group may continue to make head-scratching choices (i.e. - why is drummer Pat Wilson often playing guitar in concert, with uber-drummer-for-hire Josh Freese now behind the kit? Why was Raditude song "Love Is The Answer" already recorded and released earlier this year by...Sugar Ray?) but they're still alive and kicking. You can see for yourself, when Weezer play the Susquehanna Bank Center on December 10.

Review by Joey O.

Week of October 26, 2009

Tegan and Sara - Sainthood (Sire)

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Now in their second decade as musicians, sisters Tegan and Sara Quin continue to grow and mature as singers and songwriters on their sixth studio album, The Con. Once again working with Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla, who also produced 2007's The Con, the duo retains that album's newly expansive, multi-textured sound while applying it to short, controlled bursts of quirky, jerky pop closer in spirit to their breakthrough (and still peak effort) So Jealous. The juxtaposition of styles and eras is jarring at first, but makes for a positively bracing listening experience once the ears adjust. The dueling lyrical aesthetics of the sisters still provide as playful a tension as we've come to expect and enjoy from them, while the recycled flourishes of angular new wave and '80s synth-pop that came to the forefront last time around now match them in confidence and immediacy. Tegan remains the radio-savvier of the two, with her jangling, Robert Smith-infected highlight "The Cure" arguably being a better single candidate than current selection "Hell," itself no slouch with its rollicking, fist-pumping rhythm. Sara's souful "Alligator" holds its own in this arena as well, but its her more meditative and mysterious offerings that stick more, providing the much needed depth beneath her sister's shiny surfaces as always. Fans of the old Tegan and Sara may still have a hard time embracing this head-first dive in to full-blown pop, but Sainthood provides a far smoother, more seductive entry point into that realm than its occasionally awkward predecessor. This time around, the girls want you back in their heads just as badly as they want back in yours, and we'd all be fools not to accept the invitation.

Review by Rob Huff

Week of October 19, 2009

The Twilight Saga: New Moon Soundtrack (Chop Shop)

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I’ll start by making a confession. I have never seen or read anything with the Twilight brand name attached to it, nor do I care to. Like many a casual music fan, however, I was more than a little intrigued by the veritable alt-star lineup featured on the much-hyped soundtrack for the upcoming sequel, New Moon. Y-Rock mainstays Thom Yorke, Death Cab for Cutie, Grizzly Bear, and Muse as well as upstarts like Lykke Li, Sea Wolf and St. Vincent among others. More than enough to give Dark Was the Night a run for this money as this year’s premiere indie compilation. Raw talent aside, however, the question at hand is how well these artists work together on album from beginning to end. The answer is quite well, though some artists fare better than others. Death Cab bring their signature moody grandeur to leadoff track “Meet Me on the Equinox,” a smooth yet driving number that rivals anything on Narrow Stairs. Elsewhere, Muse turn in a suitably glammy jaunt with the “New Moon Remix” of “I Belong to You” while Yorke continues to coast on the hit-and-run momentum of his other band with the sinister shimmy that is “Hearing Damage.” These high-profile highlights aside, the Moon tracks that glow brightest are arguably from the lower-key contributors. New Lykke Li song “Possibility” is a haunting hymn in the vein of Youth Novels standout “Tonight” while Beach House’s Victoria Legrand lend another superbly spectral hand to Grizzly Bear’s aptly named “Slow Life,” a seductively languid dirge that plays well to both band’s respective strengths. Not all of the individual tracks live up to these examples: Editors’ piano ballad “No Sound but the Wind” falls surprisingly flat. Nevertheless, as whole, all of these songs work together to convey feelings of distant love, longing, and a touch of the unknown, all of which would appear to suit the upcoming film they are for perfectly fine if a non-believer were to believe the press.

Review by Rob Huff

Week of October 12, 2009

The Flaming Lips - Embryonic (Warner Brothers)

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Embryonic, the latest album from The Flaming Lips, plays exactly like you'd expect from a Flaming Lips album; that is to say, it sounds like nothing you'd immediately expect. Despite its double-album length, Embryonic retains its focus and urgency across all eighteen songs. Musically, Wayne Coyne and company are at their peak, and the album boasts an expansive, dense sound. Dual drums thunder throughout courtesy of Steven Drozd and Kliph Scurlock while Michael Ivins' heavily distorted bass rumbles along in tandem. Keyboards and harp are layered on top, among other sounds (including, in one of the more surreal moments, animal noises contributed by Karen O). Songs like "Convinced of the Hex" and "See The Leaves" benefit from abrasive, almost overmodulated production, but the band also knows when to back off, such as with the haunting ballad "Evil" and "The Impulse," powered by a silky, robotic vocal.

Those looking for the quirky, whimsical pop of The Soft Bulletin and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, or the anthemic singles of At War With The Mystics will likely be disappointed at first. Rather, Embryonic calls to mind the Lips' fuzzier independent releases, and more so, their recent soundtrack to Christmas on Mars. Most of the songs don't play too well out of order or context, but in its entirety, the album is ultimately satisfying...even if it takes a couple of listens to properly gestate in one's ears.

Review by Andre

The Raveonettes - In And Out Of Control (Vice)

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No one can fault The Raveonettes for having a distinct sound. No, it might not be totally original, but the Danes are well aware of that (I mean, have you checked out their name recently?). For their latest album, In And Out Of Control, Sune and Sharin shuffle their past albums' variations to come up with a solid, confident record. Though not as paralyzingly noisy as Lust Lust Lust, the disc isn't the major-label gloss of Pretty In Black, either. In this middle ground the duo has found its comfortable home. It may be a little late, but opener "Bang!" makes for a great summer beach jam. Actually, Control is, on the whole, musically brighter than some of The Raveonettes' earlier, minor-key records. The shimmer continues into "Last Dance," which recycles the chimes from Lust Lust Lust's "Dead Sound." Unlike that album, there are some more natural instruments to be found on Control: live drums (likely courtesy of Sune or Sharin themselves) and bass guitar make for a subtle yet noticeable change. Lyrically, the dark humor and prom-night laments return and are best played out in "Boys Who Rape (Should All Be Destroyed)" and "Break Up Girls!," which also happens to be the set's noisiest track. The double-guitar attack is, as usual, mirrored on nearly every song by the duo's harmonies. "Heart Of Stone," "Suicide" and "Breaking Into Cars" feature harmonies so close, they could be mistaken for double-tracks. Before releasing In And Out Of Control, Sune and Sharin posted demos of the tunes to their Twitter account, something that The Jesus And Mary Chain and The Ronettes (so far) have yet to do. They might long for the pop days of yore, but with songs as fresh as the ones on In And Out Of Control, The Raveonettes are undoubtedly modern music makers.

Review by Eric Schuman

Week of October 5, 2009

Mike Doughty - Sad Man Happy Man (ATO)

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Early last year, Mike Doughty released Golden Delicious, which meshed his solo career with some of the beats of his Soul Coughing days. However, the overall effect didn't really make for a coherent listening experience. Coming back with Sad Man Happy Man, Doughty goes back to basics and makes his most stripped down record in years. Hearkening back to his first solo album; the self-released Skittish; much of Sad Man Happy Man focuses on Doughty's voice and acoustic guitar, with some bass and cello flourishes from his cohort Scrap Livingston. However, it is far from just another acoustic, singer-songwriter record.

Opening with "Nectarine (Part Two)," a sequel to "Nectarine (Part One)" from Golden Delicious, it sets the tone for Sad Man Happy Man, keeping Doughty's distinctive voice and guitar style front and center. "Lorna Zauberberg" sticks out from its use of some sampled, chopped-up chatter, but there is very little in the way of extra sounds and production at all here. "Pleasure On Credit" is closest Doughty gets to his classic Soul Coughing free-form 'slacker jazz' rap-style (with the great couplet "John Paul Jones/bustle in the hedges"). The "happy man" part of the equation is represented by songs like "(I Keep On) Rising Up" and the raucous "Lord Lord Help Me Just To Rock Rock On." In the end though, this is Mike Doughty doing what he does best: catchy songs with repetitive choruses and off-kilter wordplay that bore into your brain. You'll have two chances this fall to catch Doughty's always-enjoyable live show in the area: October 30 at the Sellersville Theater and November 27 at World Cafe Live.

Review by Joey O.

The Gossip - Music For Men (Columbia)

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We're nearly three years removed from The Gossip's breakthrough release Standing in the Way of Control. Though it may not have exploded over here with quite the fury it did overseas, it left an indelible impression nonetheless, attracting new fans and leaving the already established ones anxious to hear what would come next. Though their major label debut Music for Men lacks its predecessor's initial punch and drive, it still has enough killer tunes and moxie to remain both of a piece with and a logical step forward from it. Strutting even further across the line into full-blown dance music that was drawn in the sand with Control, Music offers some of The Gossip's most polished yet. Sleek and sexy without sounding sterile, it's as if the band took a hint from the myriad remixes of their past singles and beat everyone to it. While this comes at the cost of some of their spontaneity, it also yields two of the strongest songs of the band's career. The first, current Y-Rock single "Heavy Cross," blends an infectious guitar arpeggio worthy of Fleetwood Mac with a raging, DFA-worthy dance chorus perfectly suited to Beth Ditto's ever-formidable pipes and personality. "Love Long Distance" isn't far behind it, rocks house-style pianos and synths and a cribs chorus bridge from "Heard It Through the Grapevine." The lyrics here deal with love lost and longed for, and Ditto remains able to sell them with her winning mix of vulnerability and venom. Music for Men likely won't start any new fires of fandom for the band, but it ably keeps their current ones a-blazing. You can see the disco inferno in person when The Gossip come to the TLA this Thursday, October 8th.

Review by Rob Huff

Week of September 28, 2009

The Big Pink - A Brief History of Love (4AD)

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Disappointed that your favorite British alt-rockers of yore have disappeared from the studio? Milo Cordell and Robbie Furze, a nation (or two) turns its lonely ears to you. These guys comprise The Big Pink, and their 48-minute debut LP A Brief History of Love is more a 30-years-brief history of how the U.K.'s music scenes have pretty much kicked our collective tail. Work like "Crystal Visions" and "Velvet" continue the feedback-meets-beats legacy of MBV and the JAMC, while "At War with the Sun" and "Count Backwards from Ten" rewind the fussy pop of Blur, Suede, and The Stone Roses. The big bow tying up this package is really track three, "Dominos," which affixes pounding, whining electronics found in possibly a half-dozen different genres to a lyric - "These girls fall like dominos" - that perfectly fits the Britpop dichotomy of arena-ready anthem and love-crossed kiss-off. Produced by Alan Moulder, who probably mixed most of the albums that influenced them, The Big Pink come off not as derivative but as cobbling together a high-tech love letter, a digital homage to the great musical traditions of the underground around them. As a result, A Brief History of Love not so quietly establishes itself as best-of-'09 material.

Review by Adam Blyweiss

Noisettes - Wild Young Hearts (Mercury/Universal)

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It's kind of a given that, over time, a band's sound will evolve. The change can come about for a number of reasons: New Order's time in Ibiza led to their acid-house album Technique, and The Velvet Underground's sound took a wide turn upon John Cale's departure. With their second album, British trio Noisettes has showed that a band can make a rather large stylistic jump without damaging themselves too much. Their debut, What's The Time Mr. Wolf? was a straight-up garage rock record, with jagged guitar hooks and shouted-yet-melodic vocals. The new disc, Wild Young Hearts, finds the group a bit more slicked back, embracing a classic, AM pop sound. Sure, singer/bassist Shingai Shoniwa has the pipes to carry soaring tunes like "Never Forget You" and the title track, but the whole band is equally responsible for expanding their sound. Electronic flourishes in "Don't Upset The Rhythm" and lilting acoustics in "Sometimes" further show off the Noisettes' range. Though the album's sound might be taken as a little too conventional given how aggressive its predecessor was, the rapid maturation of the group indicates that they might last longer than some of their slash-n-bash peers. Not to completely abandon their rockin' roots, some big guitars make cameos here and there on Wild Young Hearts, but the star is Shoniwa's vocal acrobatics. If she can continue to belt out whatever she and her bandmates can come up with, then the future will be a bright one for these rising stars.

Review by Eric Schuman

Week of September 21, 2009

Pearl Jam - Backspacer (Monkeywrench)

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Pearl Jam are no strangers to attempting to work outside the traditional music business models. The rock veterans chose to release their ninth studio album, Backspacer, on their own via Target, iTunes and other digital retailers and independent record stores. Coming three years after their self-titled record, Backspacer is the band's shortest and most-straightforward album yet. It kicks off with a trio of furious rockers, all clocking in around 3 minutes. "Gonna See My Friend" and "Got Some" are straight out of the garage, while lead single "The Fixer" is one of the band's best songs in quite some time. Eddie Vedder exudes hope and optimism, vowing that "when something's gone, I wanna fight to get it back again!"

The rest of Backspacer is a bit of a mixed bag. The lovely "Just Breathe" and mournful album closer "The End" are reminiscent of Vedder's Into The Wild soundtrack. While Pearl Jam are die-hard Who fans, perhaps they were thinking of some other big British bands while placing songs titled "Supersonic" and "Speed Of Sound" back-to-back. "Supersonic" is however of one of the highlights of the album, a smoking, punk-y track where Vedder declares, "I want to live my life with the volume full!" Mostly the group sticks to basics, sounding like no one but themselves but rarely indulging or experimenting. I'm not saying we need another "Hey, Foxymophandlemomma...," but it would be nice if Backspacer had a little more color to it at times.

Of course, Pearl Jam will be the final band to ever play the hallowed Spectrum here in Philadelphia, with four gigs at the end of October culminating in a sure-to-be-legendary last show on Halloween night.

Review by Joey O.

Monsters Of Folk - Monsters Of Folk (Shangri-La)

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When four premier indie songwriters come together to record, you know that something special is going to happen. Combine Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis of Bright Eyes with My Morning Jacket's Jim "Yim Yames" James and the ever-productive M. Ward, and you get the winkingly-dubbed Monsters Of Folk. To be clear, this is not the mud-caked, Old Pool Farm style of folk music, but rather a modern spin on rootsy, evocative songwriting. As if to quell any notions that this project is bound to the constraints of acoustic fingerpicking, the group's self-titled album begins with "Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.)," a synthy, gospel-inflected piece that is straight out of the MMJ songbook. Each of the Monsters gets equal time in spotlight, whether it's trading off verses in a manner most Wilburys-y ("Say Please") or providing a call-and-response counterpoint ("Goodway"). Even if the boys aren't totally folk musicians, plenty of folkisms are referenced musically throughout the album. "Man Named Truth" unfurls like one of Dylan's mid-career jaunts into Spanish-influenced music, and "Magic Marker" features a bottleneck guitar that would make any bluesman proud.

Monsters Of Folk is mostly downtempo, but those slower numbers (Ward's "The Sandman, The Brakeman And Me" and Oberst's "Ahead Of The Curve") bring out the best in the guys. The quartet originally formed in 2004 for a series of live performances, and while the chemistry and spontaneity of those shows may be impossible to recapture, the recorded account of the Monsters Of Folk is as freewheeling, fascist-killing, and morning-hammering as anyone could want.

Review by Eric Schuman

Week of September 14, 2009

Muse - The Resistance (Warner Brothers)

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The gentlemen of Muse only know one way to go with their music, and that is onward and upward, into the cosmos. With 2005's Black Holes And Revelations, the British trio experimented with Prince-electro-funk and galloping, shout-along anthems. As they indulged some of their odder tendencies, Muse became bigger than ever in America and ascended to stadium-packing heights in the U.K. Check out their live DVD HAARP, where they sold out two nights at Wembley Stadium and singer/guitarist Matt Bellamy has a droid bring him his guitar! How do you top such an over-the-top moment? By giving fans more of what Muse is known best for: political and sci-fi paranoia set to massive prog-guitar and multi-layered arrangements.

Kicking off with the glam-stomp of the single "Uprising," The Resistance gets bigger and more grandiose throughout. Taking a page from Keane's recent Perfect Symmetry, Muse look to 80's Brit-rock for influences, especially on the Depeche Mode and Eurythmics influenced "Undisclosed Desires." And Queen, always a touchstone for Muse, really comes through in "United States Of Eurasia," with its massive overdubbed vocal choir. In fact, it's hard to write about The Resistance without using the word "massive" or "epic" to describe almost every song. The hardest rocker on the record is "Unnatural Selection," which has a killer guitar riff but is a bit over-long and a little reminiscent of their own "Thoughts Of A Dying Athiest." Lyrically, Bellamy honors the literary classic 1984 on the soaring title track and tackles current affairs on "Uprising," where "it's time the fat cats had a heart attack."

Bellamy's classical piano flourishes that kicked in on 2003's breakthrough Absolution really come through in the second half of The Resistance. A tune from a French opera is the coda to "I Belong To You,"; while a piano piece titled "Collateral Damage" is tacked on to the end of "United States Of Eurasia." However, the most ambitious moment comes in the three-part album closer. "Exogenesis: Symphony" includes more classic piano, an overture and clocks in at 12+ minutes in total.

With The Resistance, Muse extend their reach further than ever and while they don't always hit the high points of a past hit like "Starlight" or "Time Is Running Out," this is a band wholly sure of who they are and what their sound is. The Resistance couldn't be the work of anyone else but Muse.

Review by Joey O.

Week of September 7, 2009

Sondre Lerche - Heartbeat Radio (Rounder)

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Let me start off by saying that I already have a favorite Sondre Lerche album. After I was introduced to his music via the electrified power pop of 2007's Phantom Punch, I explored his back catalogue and stumbled upon his masterpiece, Duper Sessions. A strictly jazz affair, Duper Sessions showed off Lerche's classic-inspired songwriting, with each of the set's nine original compositions sounding like they were plucked from the Tin Pan Alley songbook. Though it would be tough to top that truly remarkable record (it was released when Lerche was only 23), he comes close with his lovely Rounder debut, Heartbeat Radio. The new album takes the more sophisticated pop route, with many of the songs featuring string sections and extended instrumental outros. Lerche's lyrical turns are as breezy as ever as he laments over the state of the radio biz in the title track, and spins an extended "let's get together' metaphor in "Words And Music." Perhaps Heartbeat Radio's finest song is "Pioneer," which is incidentally the shortest and most minimally arranged piece on the disc. The shy fragility that Lerche exhibits in this song is as endearing as the slowly-revealing lyrics. "Don't be surprised if I impress," for example, can not only serve as a coy warning to a potential flame, but to an unsuspecting audience as well. Throughout Heartbeat Radio, songs stand out by breaking away from the album's organic feel: "If Only" features some synth stabs, and "I Guess It's Gonna Rain Today" employs a woodwind section that may or may not really be a single Wurlitzer. As the record waltzes to a close with "Goodnight," Lerche seems as though he doesn't want the listener to leave, but there's an air of confidence in his voice as if to say he knows that you'll be back again soon.

Review by Eric Schuman

Week of August 31, 2009

Datarock - Red (Nettwerk)

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Since two of their favorite song topics are technology and music, Datarock is a group that certainly lives up to their name. We last heard from the jumpsuit-wearing, electro-dance act two years ago with their first full-length release, the redundantly titled Datarock Datarock. The duo of Fredrik Saroea and Ketil Mosnes already released their sophomore effort Red digitally, but the physical CD is out this week. Our first taste of Red was the track "Give It Up," where the pair ominous threatens to "hook you up with an enema." The lyrics to the new single "True Stories" are 100% Talking Heads references: "Born Under Punches...Crosseyed and Painless...Slippery People..." So basically, a laundry list of song titles, but a very catchy, fun list of song titles. Also check out "The Pretender," which oddly sounds like an Electric Six song. While it isn't a Foo Fighters cover, the backing "whoa ohhh ohhh" vocals on "Amarillion" are oddly reminiscent of the Foos' "Best Of You." Elsewhere, "The Blog" is full of samples of people talking about the Web and "Molly" is a tribute to Molly Ringwald (which manages to also pay homage to "Cecilia" by Simon & Garfunkel). Sure, Sponge beat them to it, but it's still a timely song, with the recent passing of John Hughes. Unfortunately, Datarock cancelled their Philadelphia tour date at Johnny Brenda's so you won't be able to throw on your favorite jumpsuit and go dancing with them this fall.

Review by Joey O.

Week of August 24, 2009

Arctic Monkeys - Humbug (Domino)

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For such a young band, the Arctic Monkeys have been flung through quite a lot. One of the first bands to rekindle our love for declaring a group to be "the next big thing," the quartet is evolving at an uncanny pace. If their second album, Favourite Worst Nightmare was an amped-up revision of their smash debut, then their latest affair, Humbug, sounds like a similar record played at the wrong speed. Instead of breakneck drumming and impossibly picked riffs, Humbug delivers a mucky, swampy sound that pounds more than it rocks. Perhaps the sonic shift is due to the involvement of Queens Of The Stone Age's Josh Homme as the disc's co-producer (alongside longtime Monkeys collaborator James Ford of Simian Mobile Disco), but I am not certain that I can infer the depth of his influence. What I can say, though, is that the Monkeys brave the jump to the new sound rather well. Alex Turner's lyrics still twist and turn through stories of the pains of being lusty at heart, and the spy-noir atmosphere of the other albums is still plenty abundant. Unlike the boys' previous work, the songs on Humbug work better all together than individually. However, as if to reward repeat listens, there is a fair amount of surprises to be found. "Dangerous Animals" features some unusual, time-skipping drum fills, and the spooky "Secret Door" sounds like an extra track from the Last Shadow Puppets project. We probably should have seen the shift in the Arctic Monkeys' direction coming, given how different the Last Shadow Puppets' album sounded. While I would have welcomed more string-swept pop with open ears, I can appreciate the ambition and audacity that it took for Humbug to come about, especially given the finicky nature of the industry the band is playing to. I just hope that the Monkeys, in their experimentation, heed their own warning as found in "Fire And The Thud": "Will the teasing of the fire be followed by the thud?"

Review by Eric Schuman

Week of August 17, 2009

Brendan Benson - My Old Familiar Friend (ATO)

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Before he was a Raconteur, Brendan Benson had a cult following as a purveyor of Power-Pop. A little more off-kilter than say, Fountains Of Wayne, Benson released three albums of increasingly hooky tunes, and then took some time off from his solo career to tour the globe alongside Jack White & co. Now he has returned to his solo career, hence the title My Old, Familiar Friend. Producer Gil Norton (Pixies, Foo Fighters, Ben Kweller) helps give the album more of a 70's radio sheen than Benson's previous work. Check out the big string arrangements of "Garbage Day" and "You Make A Fool Out Of Me," or the Todd Rundgren-ish synths on "Gonowhere." And the keyboards near the end of "Posed And Ready" are straight out of the playbook of Steve Nieve from Elvis Costello's Attractions. You can also hear the effect of working with the multi-faceted Raconteurs had on Benson; he's certainly become a much stronger singer than he was back on his debut album One Mississippi. But My Old, Familiar Friend isn't a game of spot-the-influences and it totally feels like a Brendan Benson record in the end. The punchy single "A Whole Lot Better" highlights his typical mix of catchiness and clever lyrics, finding Benson going back-and-forth "in and out of love" in the course of a 3-and-a-half minute song. Knowing his way around a great melody has always been Benson's strong point, and My Old, Familiar Friend lives up to its title, finding our old friend on familiar, yet more developed, ground.

Review by Joey O.

Week of August 10, 2009

Julian Plenti - Julian Plenti...is Skyscraper (Matador)

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Remember when Ben Gibbard briefly ran off with Jimmy "Dntel" Tamborello to form The Postal Service? Interpol lead singer Paul Banks follows suit, except he pretty much runs off by himself toward his new Julian Plenti project. TPS' Give Up resembled Gibbard's Death Cab for Cutie save for, you know, that whole IDM thing, but Julian Plenti is...Skyscraper is not completely cut from the same dark cloth as Banks' everyday band. Songs from the Banks vault like "Only if You Run" and "Games for Days" certainly recall some of the more reserved parts of the Interpol catalog, and his penchant for alternating sparkling lyrical imagery with simplistic repeats rears up in "Unwind" and "No Chance Survival." Still, his arrangements never quite head straight for Interpol's atmospheric norm. Music like "Madrid Song" exposes Banks' voice so it doesn't effect the breathy version of Ian Curtis' drone we've come to expect, a refreshing change of pace. There's a bunch more sequenced and processed guitars in "Fun That We Have," a spiraling acoustic one on the title track, and an honest-to-goodness Neil Young feel to "Fly as You Might." Even "Girl on the Sporting News," "H," and "On the Esplanade" find Banks using Julian Plenti to tiptoe the line between freak-folkie and singer-songwriter. Full of strings and samples, pianos and horns, Julian Plenti is...Skyscraper creatively frustrates and intrigues like stairways that lead into ceilings.

Review by Adam Blyweiss

Week of August 3, 2009

Modest Mouse - No One's First, and You're Next (Epic)

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If you've been a longtime fan of Modest Mouse, then you already know all about their humble beginnings on legendary indie label K Records. For those of you who aren't as familiar with the band's earliest output, I highly recommend checking out their compilation, Sad Sappy Sucker. Or, if you're not into the super lo-fi thing, you can check out the band's new EP, No One's First And You're Next, which brings modern, major label production quality to indie ethos. Not unlike The Decemberists' Always The Bridesmaid collection of last year, the songs on No One's First were released on a staggered basis, building anticipation as to what the EP would sound like as a whole. The first two tracks were promising enough: "Satellite Skin" sounds like it would fit snuggly on either of the band's last records, while "Guilty Cocker Spaniels" features a guitar riff that I can't help but compare to "Bag Of Hammers" by Thao With The Get Down Stay Down (seriously, listen to them back-to-back!). Following those two are the delicate, chorale-laden "Autumn Beds" and the extended jam of "The Whale Song." Right in the middle of the EP is the disc's finest moment: "Perpetual Motion Machine," a Dixieland-ish track complete with a woozy horn section, finds the band two-stepping out of their comfort zone, marking a true return to their more freewheeling roots. That track's respective b-side, "History Sticks To Your Feet" revisits the jangly pop of the EP's first half, and the final tracks, "King Rat" and "I've Got It All (Most)" bring the disc to a close with more horns and catchy guitar figures. Though they might not be on an independent label anymore, Modest Mouse prove that they haven't forgotten their roots as an experimental yet poppy outfit. If the songs on No One's First And You're Next are any indication of how the group's next proper album will sound, fans old and new alike are in luck.

Review by Eric Schuman

Week of July 27, 2009

Band of Skulls - Baby Darling Doll Face Honey (Shangri-La)

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The British trio known as Band Of Skulls have been making waves lately with their stomping, bluesy, garage-rock single "I Know What I Am." The song was a featured iTunes free download a few months back, before the band had even finished recording their debut album. The three members; Russell Marsden (guitar/vocals), Emma Richardson (bass/vocals) and Matt Hayward (drums), first met at college and were originally known as Fleeing New York. Band Of Skulls was recording demos last fall when they started to garner industry attention and quickly finished off what became Baby Darling Doll Face Honey (great title, by the way). The album was released digitally earlier this year but is just now getting a physical CD release this week. Throughout the record, Marsden and Richardson trade off vocals fairly evenly, when it comes to taking the lead or both singing on the same track. In addition to the addictive "I Know What I Am," Baby Darling Doll Face Honey contains other standouts such as "Death By Diamonds And Pearls" and the epic, atmospheric "Impossible." There are certainly comparisons to be made to The Dead Weather, with the male-female interplay, Marsden's vocal similarity to Jack White and plenty of garage-blues riffing. But Band Of Skulls' debut is more song-based than the freaked-out jamming found on the Dead Weather's Horehound. Band Of Skulls recently rocked the North Star with a captivating set a last month and they'll be back there headlining again on August 16.

Review by Joey O.

Week of July 20, 2009

Florence + The Machine - Lungs (Universal)

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Given how the British music press tends to shower hype on so many up-and-coming artists that their praise has lost most if not all meaning, it's a genuine treat when they actually get it right on occasion. Such is the case with Ms. Florence "Flossie" Welch, aka Florence and the Machine. You may have heard her first on Y-Rock a year ago when we discovered her song "Kiss With A Fist." Now she's this year's "Critic's Choice" at the BRIT Awards after releasing a string of equally excellent teaser singles. Welch delivers on that promise and then some with Lungs, a masterful debut made with the confidence and skill of a seasoned veteran. Blending the indie rock aesthetic of Feist and Cat Power with the cheeky pop song craft of Lily Allen and Kate Nash, Florence's Machine runs smooth and at full-speed, with many of said singles incorporated seamlessly into the cohesive whole. Current Y-Rock staple "Dog Days Are Over," opens the album with joyous abandon, picking up speed on a ukulele melody of all things before sprinting into a fiery crescendo with rollicking percussion and Welch's instantly distinctive wail (hence the album title?). The new tracks that follow its lead are just as riveting, with many even surpassing their predecessors. Ballad "Cosmic Love" nearly eclipses Bat for Lashes' Two Suns in ethereal grandeur, while epic new single "Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up)" gallops to victory on the backs of a seductive harp melody and a gospel choir. Best of all may be "Hurricane Drunk," a powerful drink-the-pain-away anthem that has all the makings of a bonafide mainstream hit, with a patient yet insistent beat and a rousing chorus that will have everyone singing along in concert when she inevitable comes to town (any day now, Flossie...). In short, Lungs is a near-perfect debut. It repays expectations in full while still suggesting more greatness in the future. Lungs won't see a physical release in the States until October, but it's currently available digitally, and worth acquiring in all forms.

Review by Rob Huff

Week of July 13, 2009

The Dead Weather - Horehound (Third Man Records/Warner Bros.)

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Jack White continues his streak of releasing a new album every year, with his third (!) band, The Dead Weather. As with everything White puts out, there's a great back story to go with the music. White befriended Alison Mosshart of The Kills while her band was opening for his Raconteurs last year. Mosshart sang onstage with the Racs a few times, which led to the two collaborating in the studio. White got behind the drum stool (he was a drummer originally as a teenager), with Mosshart on vocals, along with old friends Little Jack Lawrence (Raconteurs) and Dean Fertita (Queens Of The Stone Age, The Waxwings) rounding up the lineup, and voila! A new band was formed!

After a splashy unveiling at White's new Third Man Records HQ in Nashville, the Dead Weather released the single "Hang You From The Heavens" and prepared their debut album, Horehound. Mosshart takes the lead on vocals for much of the record, with White chiming in here and there throughout.

Looser and trippier than any previous Jack White project, The Dead Weather specialize in surreal psychedelic blues jams. Mosshart is more menacing than ever in songs like "Hang You From The Heavens" and "Treat Me Like Your Mother." The band keeps up their intensity throughout Horehound, with Fertita's retro 60's organ sounds adding an ominous undercurrent. Late in the album, we get thrown a curveball with the Bob Dylan cover "New Pony" and the instrumental "3 Birds." While Horehound certainly isn't White's catchiest work, and you can tell much of the material was mostly jammed out in the studio, it's definitely worth a look at the latest building block into Jack White's musical empire.

Review by Joey O.

Discovery - LP (XL Recordings)

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Side projects can often be something of a Catch-22. You stray too far from the parent groups, you risk losing your already established fan base. You stay too close, you're accused of laziness. So what's a duo to do when each member comes from one of the more prestigious breakthrough indie acts of the past year? If you're Wes Miles and Rostam Batmaglij (from Ra Ra Riot and Vampire Weekend, respectively), you form Discovery and craft one of the more goofily enjoyable summer pop records in recent memory. Chalk it up to perfect timing with the change of season, but almost everything that should work with their debut LP does. Rock guitars have been replaced with dated synthesizers, drums are blatently programmed to an almost R&B effect, and nary a vocal escapes the tracklist without a heavy dose of auto-tuning. Were it not for the wealth of good faith earned from their previous groups, many of these guys' previous fans may not have been inclined to go along with this kind of genre-hopping trickery, but damned if they won't be rewarded with great party-playlist fodder if they do. It helps that they've gotten a little help from their friends to maintain their alt cred. Vampire Weekend's own Ezra Koenig does his best Kanye impression on ebullient rooftop jam "Carby," while Angel Deradoorian of current indie faves Dirty Projectors lends a Tom Tom Club by touch to the chorus of the seductive "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend." Miles and Batmaglij manage to score a potential poolside hit or two on their own as well, whether its the aptly titled "So Insane" with its rapidfire tempo changes or the eerily well-timed cover of the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back," rendered all kinds of poignant in the wake of Michael Jackson's death, even if it's by accident. There's no way of knowing whether LP's charms will resonate longer than the summer months for which they were clearly made, but the party should be fun while it lasts.

Review by Rob Huff

Week of July 6, 2009

Regina Spektor - Far (Sire)

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It's a pretty tall order to follow up a breakthrough album. Just ask Camera Obscura, Antony & The Johnsons and Regina Spektor, who are all doing that (or at least trying to) this year. Where My Maudlin Career made Camera Obscura's sound bigger and The Crying Light stripped back Antony & The Johnsons' sound by miles, Spektor's Far falls somewhere in that vast middle ground. Though it certainly doesn't make an attempt to mimic 2006's Begin To Hope, Far does continue Spektor's heartbreaking and often adorable musical journey. Overall, Far is less bouncy than Spektor's last, but the songs have no less depth. From a surreal picture of suburban life ("The Genius Next Door") to dreams of running away with a lover ("Folding Chair"), Far's themes are a bit more serious than a DJ falling asleep at the station. Far is not totally humorless: "The Calculation" makes reference to building a computer out of macaroni and "Wallet" has Spektor rifling though the title object for clues like "a Blockbuster card, an old stick of Juicy Fruit." Those little spurts of silly imagery might not come up too often throughout Far, but that scarcity makes their eventual appearances much more enjoyable. One of the biggest points drawn to attention about Far is that Spektor enlisted no less than four producers (including "Jackknife" Lee and Jeff Lynne) to work on the album with her. Unfortunately, the set sounds so cohesive that that fact might easily go unnoticed. It's a testament, though, to Spektor's musical personality that she is not diluted beneath so many hands on the console. She might not be taking such leaps when it comes to mixing up her sound from album to album, but Regina Spektor shows more and more potential with each disc. Of course, she may be setting us up for a big stylistic shift on album six. Then we'll see who's laughing at whom.

Review by Eric Schuman

Week of June 29, 2009

Wilco - Wilco (The Album) (Nonesuch)

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Wilco find themselves in a unique position on the amusingly-titled Wilco (The Album). For the first time, Jeff Tweedy has kept the exact same band lineup two records in a row. Wilco (The Album) is sonically closer to 2007's mellower, hopeful Sky Blue Sky than any other Wilco record. Kicking off with the jaunty "Wilco (The Song)" (maybe the band has spent too much time watching Spaceballs: The Movie?), Wilco (The Album) stays on an even keel for the most part.

Lead single "You Never Know" finds Tweedy assuring those nervous about the state of the planet that "every generation, thinks it's the worst, thinks it's the end of the world," while guitar hero Nels Cline nicks the classic guitar riff from George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord." Tweedy also takes a look around in "Country Disappeared," and realizes he's spent too much time looking inward on "Solitaire." The menacing rocker "Bull Black Nova" is the centerpiece of the record, with some trademark guitarwork from Cline. It's no "Impossible Germany," but it's the closest we get to a guitar scorcher. Feist duets with Tweedy on "You & I," continuing a theme from Sky Blue Sky of examining mature relationship issues.

Musically, the record stays in the same tastefully produced, slightly twangy mode as Sky Blue Sky, with Cline and Tweedy's spiky electric guitars coloring the edges, along with Glenn Kotche's unique drumming. Wilco (The Album) is certainly a fine addition to the band's catalog, and as with all their records, rewards multiple listens, but it also feels like the first time the band has sonically repeated themselves from album-to-album. However, Wilco's best material truly comes alive in their epic concerts and you can catch them live in Delaware at Frawley Stadium on July 10th.

Review by Joey O.

Week of June 22, 2009

Dinosaur Jr. - Farm (Jagjaguwar)

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For four albums between 1991 and 1997, Dinosaur Jr. was better described as the solo project of guitarist J Mascis. Bassist Lou Barlow left in 1988 to form Sebadoh and Folk Implosion, and drummer Emmett "Murph" Murphy's parts were eventually taken over by Mascis himself. Given all that, it's quite surprising how swimmingly the trio's recent reunion has been going. Farm, the guys' second album since reuniting in 2005 and first for Jagjaguwar Records, comes across as much more comfortable than 2007's Beyond. Where that album found old band mates coming together for one more hurrah, Farm cements the reunion's legitimacy as more than just a rent-paying venture. In its hour-long running time, Farm covers all of the Dino Jr. bases: Mascis' slack-jawed vocals (opener "Pieces" is particularly unintelligible), searing guitar figures ("There's No Here") and a great slowed-down blues stomp ("Said The People"). There are also two obligatory Barlow songs, "Your Weather" and the closing "Imagination Blind," both of which would have made the last Sebadoh album much, much better. There aren't very many immediate moments on Farm like there were on the band's first three albums (the only other ones to feature this lineup), but "See You" and "I Want You To Know" have sufficiently catchy guitar riffs. We may have to wait until their "next" third album until they go pop like they did with 1988's Bug. Regardless, it seems that Dinosaur Jr. are back to stay (for now).

Review by Eric Schuman

Spinnerette - Spinnerette (Anthem)

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Brody Dalle fronted punk rockers The Distillers for eight years, before settling down with Queens Of The Stone Age main man Josh Homme and giving birth to their daughter. However, Dalle wasn't done with music by a long shot and had been taking her time with her next project: Spinnerette. A collaboration with QOTSA cohort Alain Johannes, Spinnerette finds Dalle creating a new sound, mixing her punky past with a sexier future. Johannes brings in the sleazy guitar sounds that are a staple of QOTSA's music, with ex-Distiller Tony Bevilacqua and veteran drummer Jack Irons (Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers) lending a hand as well. The last time we heard from Dalle was the Distillers' 2003 album Coral Fang. But with Spinnerette, Dalle stretches out vocally beyond the primal screams of her old band's cathartic swan song. The record kicks off with the grinding, hooky "Ghetto Love," which was released early this year as part of a digital EP teaser. Songs like the single "Baptized By Fire," with its surprising mandolin-tinged breakdown, and the melodic "Distorting A Code" (which is reminiscent of the lower-key danceable moments on the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' latest record) prove what Dalle is capable of. The sassy, fuzzed-out "Sex Bomb," roaring "All Babes Are Wolves" and strutting "Geeking" help round out the Spinnerette sound. With this long awaited debut, Dalle is on her way to a successful second act in her music career.

Review by Joey O.

Week of June 15, 2009

Placebo - Battle For The Sun (Vagrant)

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After releasing Meds in 2006, Brit-rock vets Placebo toured extensively around the globe for over a year straight, but were worn out and unhappy. Singer/guitarist Brian Molko has said there was a "breakdown of personal relationships" in the trio, which eventually led to the exit of drummer Steve Hewitt after over a decade as part of Placebo's lineup. Molko and bassist Stefan Olsdal found drummer Steve Forrest, opted out of the major label game and set about recording their sixth album, Battle For The Sun. The first half of the record is some of the brawniest, strongest material of the band's career and certainly less morose than Meds. Lead single "For What It's Worth" adds a powerful horn section on top of Placebo's familiar glam rock. Opening tracks "Kitty Litter" and "Ashtray Heart" pack a rocking one-two punch, with the band clearly swinging for the arena seats with huge shout-and-clap-along moments. Other songs such as "The Never Ending Why" and the title track also ramp up the radio-ready guitars. Battle For The Sun certainly won't be mistaken for the work of anyone but Placebo, though the record does suffer from a bit same-ness by the end. Battle For The Sun is a worthy (and louder) next chapter in the band's career.

Review by Joey O.

Week of June 8, 2009

Sonic Youth - The Eternal (Matador)

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Where do you see yourself at 50? What about 56? Do you think you'll be co-fronting on of the most influential bands of our generation? It's okay if you don't, because Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon have already gotten that under control. With Sonic Youth nearing its 30th year, the group continues to make music that most other people their age can't even stand to listen to. Since 2002's magnificent Murray Street, the band's musical arc has followed a strange progression, producing album after album of more controlled, melodic guitar rock. The Eternal, the band's 16th (!!!) studio album, continues that trend, but with a healthy dose of classic SY fuzz and noise. Beginning with "Sacred Trickster," one of the shortest, punkiest songs in their recent catalogue, the album condenses the band's career into one tight package. The two "tribute" songs on The Eternal betray Sonic Youth's varied influences: "Leaky Lifeboat," featuring vocals from Moore, Gordon and Lee Ranaldo, is dedicated to poet Gregory Corso, and the shaky "Thunderclap" pays tribute to Bobby Pyn, an alias of the late Darby Crash of The Germs. Punk and poetry has always been Sonic Youth's game, and songs like "Anti-Orgasm" and "Malibu Gas Station" seamlessly blend art and rock. The Eternal also marks the studio debut of second bassist Mark Ibold (formerly of Pavement), who has been touring with the band since 2006. "No Way" and "What We Know" both feature appropriately prominent basslines, while the spacey, multi-part closer, "Massage The History," hearkens back to the band's early, no-wave days. That track may encapsulate The Eternal's message: always move forward without forgetting to keep the past alive. If that's not something for everyone to live by, musician or otherwise, I don't know what is.

Review by Eric Schuman

Week of June 1, 2009

Rancid - Let The Dominoes Fall (Epitaph)

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On their seventh album, Let The Dominos Fall, Rancid prove that you can stick to your roots (and the radical too) and still be current and relevant. Nineteen tracks that are instantly familiar, yet feel fresh and new at the same time. East Bay shout out song? Check. Sing-a-long choruses? Check. Impossibly fast bass lines that make you wonder how one man's hand can move that fast? Yep, still there too. Rancid returns with their straight four on the floor punk rock and their classic reggae-ska-punk vibe. Things even get a bit folky with mandolin and what sounds like steel guitar on "Civilian Ways," a song co-frontman Tim Armstrong wrote about his brother Greg coming home from fighting in Iraq. "Up To No Good" sounds a lot like 1995's "Time Bomb" but this time tickling the Hammond B3 keys is none other than the legendary Booker T - yes that one – of Stax Records backing band Booker T and the MG's fame. Bassist Matt Freeman sings a lot on this record (sounding more like punk rock Grover every time I hear it) and gets his rockabilly on in "L.A. River" – complete with "Boom shacka lacka lacka" choruses. Of course, it wouldn't be a Rancid record if there wasn't some social commentary going on in the lyrics. Not only do you find more Iraq war tones on "Bravest Kids," Tim sings about how while this is all going on overseas, most of the "news media" in the U.S. is fixated on celebrity culture, pop star weddings and the like instead of the issues our military are facing overseas fighting for our freedom. "This Place" deals with the U.S.'s "Rust Belt" – the area where factories are being shut down, left to rust abandoned and the effects it has in those communities. Of course, there are classic Rancid tales of music, salvation, and friendship as well, which are my favorite tracks on the record. "Punk rock is my religion," sings Lars Frederiksen on "You Want It, You Got It." "This is a place where everyone can belong" the gang chorus echos the sentiments – everyone's welcome in the church of punk rock. And a perfect closer for this soon to be a classic Rancid album, the acoustic campfire-esque "The Highway," sums up just why this band is still kicking around making music together for such a long time - "It's all I've ever done, all I've ever known. Just wanna play one more show and make some music with my friends."

Review by Casey Landman

eels - Hombre Lobo: 12 Songs of Desire (Vagrant)

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You know how sometimes, in the days or weeks following a concert, you either listen nonstop to the records of the band you saw, or you take a break from listening to them for a while? After seeing eels early last year, I listened to them continuously for months. I had always been a causal fan of Mark Oliver Everett's heart-breakingly personal songwriting, and his stylistic shifts from album to album have always been captivating, if not always rewarding. Since the release of 2005's double-album Blinking Lights And Other Revelations, the Man Called E released a live album and DVD (which is stunning, if you've never heard it), a best-of collection, a B-sides collection, an autobiography and won a BAFTA award for his BBC documentary, "Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives." Amidst his exploration of his troubled past in various media, E penned 12 songs about the varying degrees of desire, released as Hombre Lobo. Sonically, the album mixes Blinking Lights' pop sensibility with the overdriven scuzz of 2001's Souljacker. Close-listening fans will recognize lead single "Fresh Blood," with its ethereal vocal and haunting keyboard riff, as being a dark yet close relative of "Flyswatter" from Daisies Of The Galaxy. As the subtitle suggests, these songs aren't about love, but desire. "Tremendous Dynamite" finds the titular wolf man on the prowl, and "Beginner's Luck" sets a tale of adolescent longing to a "Town Called Malice" backbeat. E certainly hasn't lost his knack for rocking out, with rave-ups like "Lilac Breeze" and "What's A Fella Gotta Do?" rivaling some of his best-loved rockers. Of course, it wouldn't be an eels album without a few well-placed ballads, and "All The Beautiful Things" and the closing track, "Ordinary Man" fill that quota nicely. He's come a long way from the sample-based grooves of his debut, but E has never lost the unmistakable voice (both musically and lyrically) that has defined each of his ventures.

Review by Eric Schuman

Week of May 26, 2009

Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Glassnote)

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Simply put, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is Phoenix's pop album; an album tailor-made to be blasted at countless outdoor parties and soundtrack various high school movies. More to the point, it's their best album, with sharper hooks and more immediate songwriting than anything on their first three albums combined. The most attention will doubtless be paid to the first two songs on the album, the swinging "Lisztomania" and the rollicking "1901." Both songs bring out the best in the band lyrically and compositionally, with riffs and beats instantly, almost effortlessly infectious and choruses (belted with frantic gusto by frontman Thomas Mars) destined to fill arenas. This opening would provide a hell of a challenge for most bands to follow, but damned if the rest of Wolfgang doesn't come through in spades, from the slinky "Fences" to the gradual gallop of "Rome" to the Sigur Ros-worthy instrumental interlude "Love Like a Sunset Pts. 1 and 2." Coming off a well-received performance on Saturday Night Live and already garnering raves for their current tour (alas, no Philly dates on the horizon), there's no better time for Phoenix to become the indie stars they're so clearly ready to be, and no better album to do it with than this one.

Review by Rob Huff

Week of May 18, 2009

White Rabbits - It's Frightening (TBD Records)

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On their follow-up to 2007's Fort Nightly, White Rabbits have stripped away much of their former Walkman-esque reverb and placed the emphasis on their formidable piano melodies and percussion. On first listen, this shift in sound will have listeners thinking one thing: Spoon. No surprises then that It's Frightening was produced by that band's mastermind Britt Daniel. His touch lends a much welcome tension to the proceedings. Greg Roberts' vocals take on a rawer, more guttural quality when they're no longer drenched in echo while dueling drummers Matt Clark and Jamie Levinson (assets never fully exploited last time around) get a much deserved chance to shine. The opening one-two punch of "Percussion Gun" and "Rudie Fails" successfully builds on their winding interplay, as Roberts' voice literally bursts through on the choruses. The rest of the album doesn't quite live up to this introduction, but remains solid and enjoyable throughout, with the band's natural swagger and charisma shining through even when a few numbers sound less like the White Rabbits and more like outtakes from Kill the Moonlight (again, Spoon). Robert and the gang have proven adept at changing their sound and running with it. Now they just need to pick a sound and stick with it and we'll get our true masterpiece from them, which may not be too far off judging from their present output. If you missed White Rabbits' Free at Noon last week, they'll be playing Johnny Brenda's on June 5th.

Review by Rob Huff

Week of May 11, 2009

Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown (Reprise)

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In 2004, Green Day released American Idiot and changed everything for the Bay Area trio, as they went from the biggest Pop-Punk band in America to one of the biggest bands in the world, period. American Idiot brought four smash singles, Rock opera aspirations, Bush Administration-bating and sold out shows across the globe. How do you follow that? Aside from a detour as the 60s Rock side project Foxboro Hot Tubs, Green Day took their time crafting 21st Century Breakdown (which gets a special Friday release on May 15). And quite a follow-up it is. The band ups the ante by expanding their bag of tricks and artistry, while keeping melodic three-chord rock and roll as the beating heart of it all.

Starting off with a crackly radio transmission of the intro track "Song Of The Century," 21st Century Breakdown really kicks in with the multi-part title track. Green Day mix in more pianos, strings and textures throughout the record, but it's always the three band members' instruments at the center of each song. Billie Joe Armstrong remains one of the best melody writers and song craftsmen of his generation. Perhaps as a result of their cover of "Working Class Hero," you can hear the late John Lennon as a major influence on the record, in Billie Joe's voice as well as his guitar tone. In songs such as the love ballad "Last Night On Earth," Lennon's solo work is certainly an inspiration. Elsewhere, the band experiments with Spanish guitar and a spaghetti western feel on "Peacemaker" and the beat of "¿Viva La Glora?" makes you think the song could morph into a Gogol Bordello rave-up any second. Armstrong reaches into his highest register on "Restless Heart Syndrome" and the lovely "21 Guns," the "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" and "Wake Me Up When September Ends" of the album.

There isn't a real 'storyline' on 21st Century Breakdown, though Armstrong has said his recurring characters "Christian" and "Gloria" are symbolic of the two sides of the same coin: rage and anger vs. hope and optimism. (And of course they can't resist invoking Them's classic "G-l-o-r-i-a!" chant in the thrashing "Horseshoes And Handgrenades.") The album's 18 songs certainly have more than enough of these emotions on display. The Butch Vig-produced 21st Century Breakdown is bigger and more expansive than American Idiot, and while it may not live up to that instant classic, it's certainly Green Day once again reaching for the arena seats while staying true to themselves. Green Day will return to Philadelphia to play just such an arena, the Wachovia Spectrum (for the first and last time!), on July 21.

Review by Joey O.

Week of May 4, 2009

Art Brut - Art Brut Vs. Satan (Downtown)

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Art Brut burst onto the scene in 2005 with the brilliantly enthusiastic declaration of "Formed A Band." But where do you go after proclaiming you would be eventually writing "the song that makes Israel and Palestine get along"? Their third record, Art Brut Vs. Satan, might not bring us world peace, but it does bring us their best album yet. Produced by Black Francis of the Pixies, Art Brut Vs. Satan finds frontman Eddie Argos tackling some of his favorite topics with insight, depth and plenty of humor. Argos sing-speaks of hangovers (the album bookends "Alcoholics Unanimous" and "Mysterious Bruises"), public transportation ("The Passenger") and unrequited crushes ("Am I Normal?). Few bands tackle music geekiness better than Art Brut, who prefer albums recorded "Slap Dash For No Cash," where Argos asks "Why is everyone trying to sound like U2?" They also pay tribute to "The Replacements," where he gets excited about acquiring "second hand records, reissue CDs, extra tracks!" from the 'Mats. Best of all is "DC Comics And Chocolate Milkshake," where the narrator doesn't want to grow up but can't get over the greatness of Batman and dessert. All of Argos' clever words wouldn't mean as much if they weren't backed by the rest of the band's guitar riffage and post-punk influences. You can shout along with Art Brut yourself at Johnny Brenda's on June 6.

Review by Joey O.

Week of April 27, 2009

Depeche Mode - Sounds of The Universe (Capitol)

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Depeche Mode fans desperately tried attaching the tag "best album since Violator" to every album the band put out through the 1990s and early 2000s. Only with 2005's Playing the Angel has that title stuck. The new Sounds of the Universe may indeed earn the same praise but it will take a significantly different path. That's because where Angel was forward and grabby and hooky, this new album is a grower, a slow burn. Everything about Universe, from the creepy atmosphere of first single and video "Wrong" to throwback instrumental "Spacewalker," feels subtle and sinister. Here Depeche Mode sound like many dour European synthpop groups they once inspired because, excepting songs like "Fragile Tension" and Dave Gahan's gothic country explorations "Little Soul" and "Miles Away," many of DM's grunge-inspired guitar sounds have been replaced with toy pianos, video game lasers, and other analog fuzz and dissonant pinging. Considering how spotty their catalog got post-Violator, that news alone should cheer even the most grizzled fan. Various expanded editions of the album offer extra tracks and demos going all the way back to the days of "Little 15," and a special iTunes subscription provides months of downloadable Depeche Mode exclusives -- the Martin Gore-voiced "The Sun and the Moon and the Stars" might be worth the price of admission alone. So on many levels, Sounds of the Universe at its core is a gateway to great things. Hear it for yourself when they play a sold out show at the Borgata Event Center in Atlantic City with Peter Bjorn & John on August 1.

Review by Adam Blyweiss

Week of April 20, 2009

Silversun Pickups - Swoon (Dangerbird)

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If I had to pick the one band that I'm most proud of Y-Rock exposing Philadelphia to first, it would have to be Silversun Pickups. While it was an initial "this sounds like The Smashing Pumpkins" reaction that drew me to SSPU, I found so much more in their debut album Carnavas and the Pikul EP that preceded it. On their second full length album Swoon, the Silverlake, CA quartet of Brian Aubert, Nikki Moninger, Joe Lester, and Christopher Guanlao have stayed true to their signature sound: dreamy, fuzzy, distorted guitars; thick basslines and slightly nasal high pitched vocals that you could almost confuse for a woman's. What's been added to the mix are some beautiful strings and lyrics which are possibly more accessible to the wider audience that has come to know them from the almost ubiquitous radio airplay and film & TV placement of "Lazy Eye" over the last 2 years. Swoon's lead single "Panic Switch" is as catchy a rock song as they come and will surely have people "waiting and fading and floating away" to pick up the album. Other standouts of the rockin' variety include "It's Nice To Know You Work Alone," opening track "There's No Secrets This Year" and "Sort Of". But Swoon has its quieter, more contemplative moments as well, such as "Growing Old Is Getting Old" and "Draining." Much as I could not stop listening to Carnavas for months back in 2006, I anticipate that I, and hopefully many of you will feel the same way about Swoon. Whereas that album got the Silversun Pickups' proverbial foot in the door, this one will make stars out of them.

Review by Josh T. Landow

Metric - Fantasies (Metric Music International)

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After spending the last few years as an acoustic soloist, Emily Haines is finally ready to rock again. And rock she and the rest of Metric do on Fantasies, their resurgent follow-up to 2005's middling Live it Out. True to its title, the album sounds like one Metric have been wanting to make their entire careers. Song titles like "Front Row" and "Stadium Love" make it clear from the offset where their ambitions lie. These are ten alluring, arena-ready anthems with a slick production sheen worthy of Butch Vig. Lead single "Help I'm Alive" almost plays like his former band Garbage if he had hired Kim Deal on vocals instead of Shirley Manson. The idea of Haines and company leaving the Old World Underground behind for a bigger, brighter sound may prove initially jarring to many long-time listeners, but repeat listens will reveal this to be the group's most rewarding album yet, with several numbers rivaling the repeatability of past peaks "Dead Disco" and "Monster Hospital." The obvious contender for Single #2 is "Gimme Sympathy" with its propulsive, Bloc Partying beat and shimmering, synth-riddled chorus sporting a timeless rhetorical question ("Who would you rather be - The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?). Not far behind it are "Sick Muse," a seething rocker leveled by Haines' wistfully plaintive delivery, and "Twilight Galaxy," which proves that she can still do subtle electro-balladry with the best of them. A perfect example of radio-ready alt-pop done right, Fantasies demonstrates the sound of a band fully transformed and ready to move into the mainstream that too often eludes their peers. The invitation they've extended to us to follow along is sincerely warm and inviting, and if anyone opts not to take it, it's their loss. These may not be the fantasies everyone shares, but Metric make them a stunning reality, nonetheless.

Review by Rob Huff

Week of April 13, 2009

Ida Maria - Fortress Round My Heart (Mercury)

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May I interest you in a sleeper candidate for 2009's Album of the Year? On Fortress Round My Heart Norway's Ida Maria takes an old soul tainted by booze and misplaced love, and camouflages it with button-cuteness. Well, that plus three chords and a cloud of dust. Is this it, you ask? The better question is, is this Is This It all over again? The Strokes once filled a debut with old and new music that ran painfully obvious influences through their own particular filter, yet still managed to alter music's orbit. Ida and her band do nothing different here, and we're not just talking the Banana Splits riff in year-old European hit "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked" or the Martha & the Vandellas chorus in prostitution tale "Stella." Fortress Round My Heart has surprising twists and turns throughout: huge choral parts and giggling that recall the looseness of Be Your Own Pet, chugging power-pop insecurities that invoke everyone from X-Ray Spex ("Forgive Me") to Ted Leo ("Morning Light"), and especially Ida's use of strained melodies and fragile, aching whispers to make particular musical points. To nick her lyrics, with this debut Ida Maria may be lonely forever, but today she's queen of the world.

Review by Adam Blyweiss

Week of April 6, 2009

Doves - Kingdom of Rust (Astralwerks)

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It's been four years since Doves released a full-length album and Kingdom of Rust continues the band's ambient journey, picking up electronic and rock influences along the way. Never quite breaking the US market, the Manchester England trio enjoyed chart topping success across the pond in the early 2000s with Lost Souls, The Last Broadcast, and Some Cities. While this album is lacking a clear driving single from the past like "Catch The Sun," "There Goes The Fear," or "Black & White Town," they have moved away from the stripped down sound of their last album and shows bold confidence in taking chances. The album has the familiar cascading rhythms, muted vocals, atmospheric sound effects and lyrical themes of endless searching and loneliness, however, approaches the tracks with a fresh rock and almost optimistic attitude. The title track paints peaks and valleys with melodic guitars and xylophones driving, but not quite getting to, a musical climax. "Jetstream" reflects the band's dance influence incorporating pounding beats and layered synths, removed vocals and a touch of retribution. "10:03" is a simply lovely ballad that keeps us wanting more. Endlessly compared to their fellow Brit band Elbow, hopefully they will gain similar attention in 2009. You can catch Doves when they return to Philadelphia on June 5 at the Trocadero.

Review by Liz Romaine

Week of March 30, 2009

Peter Bjorn and John - Living Thing (Almost Gold/Wichita)

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Last year, when I reviewed The Black Keys' Attack & Release, I mentioned that Brian "Danger Mouse" Burton and Mark Ronson were bringing the spotlight back to the producer's chair. I neglected to include the middle child of Peter Bjorn And John, keyboardist/producer Bjorn Yttling, who has been making quite a name for himself, both within and outside of his (partly) namesake band. In the past few years, Yttling has worked with Primal Scream, the Shout Out Louds, the Caesars and Lykke Li, to name a few. His work with Li may have proved the greatest influence on his own band's latest album, Living Thing, as the minimalist electro-sass that made Li's Youth Novels so much fun returns here in abundance. Beginning with the kettle drum- and vocals-as-rhythm-sampling "The Feeling," Living Thing's mood is immediately set as much darker than its proper predecessor, 2006's Writer's Block. It may have been a conscious move to not try to replicate the playful back-and-forth of "Young Folks," but the group's new direction is intriguing if not instantly inviting. The record's strongest element is its cohesive sound, with many unusual instruments showing up more than once, such as bass-heavy slide guitar ("4 Out Of 5," the title track), and arty but noisy synth effects ("It Don't Move Me," "Blue Period Picasso"). It's hard to forget, though, that the trio are still a pop group, and even with the change of tone they deliver some outlandishly smart singles, including "Nothing To Worry About," with its children's choir echoing the chorus in Lykke Li's "Breaking It Up," and the bouncy but obscene "Lay It Down," which will hopefully be edited for airplay soon. Different as it may sound from the group's previous efforts, Living Thing shouldn't come as a complete surprise, as last year's mostly-instrumental Seaside Rock hinted at the guys' more experimental leanings. It's that combination of outsider art ("I'm Losing My Mind") and unabashed sweetness ("I Want You!") that makes Living Thing so enjoyable. You can see Peter Bjorn And John shake things up at World Cafe Live on May 1st. And don't fret if you can't whistle along; there isn't any on this record, and it's hardly missed one bit.

Review by Eric Schuman

Week of March 23, 2009

The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love (Capitol)

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As the leader of The Decemberists, Colin Meloy has been less a songwriter than a storyteller. With each new album, the individual songs have mattered less than the overall arc of the album they're trying to convey. With The Hazards of Love, the willfully epic follow-up to 2006's The Crane Wife, Meloy has delivered his most demanding, cinematic opus yet. It's an operatic tall tale involving murderous rakes, evil queens, shape-shifting suitors, and a sweet, innocent girl named Margaret caught in the thick of it all. Make no mistake. This is no album for Decemberists novices where you can just pick songs to listen to at random (there are four different incarnations of the title track alone). Save possibly for current single "The Rake's Song," the songs are merely scenes of the bigger play that has to be heard from beginning to end to understand. Fortunately, Meloy has found some able players to fill the supporting roles and flesh out the narrative. Lavendar Diamond's Becky Stark gives a sweet turn as our heroine Margaret on "Won't Want for Love" and "Isn't it a Lovely Night," while My Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden brings a menacing swagger to her role as the queen on "The Queen's Rebuke/The Crossing" and "The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid." Speaking of swagger, there's no lack of that in the music itself, either, as all of the band members bring an arena-ready vitality to the instrumentation that might make one wonder at some points if they've stumbled into a concert by The White Stripes or The Arcade Fire. Casual Decemberists fans may find themselves put off by the amount of attention Hazards requires, but the long-time listeners who voted it Y-Rock's "Most Anticipated Album of 2009" will no doubt be drawn in by its ambition and ultimately rewarded for their patience with the group's boldest artistic statement yet.

Review by Rob Huff

Week of March 16, 2009

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz! (Geffen/Interscope)

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Two songs into the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' third album It's Blitz!, frontwoman Karen O. sums up her current outlook thusly: "Dance dance dance til you're dead! After the band went through some challenging times with their excellent sophomore effort Show Your Bones, and cleaned some noise-pop gems out the closet on the Is Is EP, the trio have settled on a new direction on It's Blitz! Nick Zinner's ripping guitar is still in the mix, but there's also an icy layer of synthesizers and drummer Brian Chase amps up the BPMs on the dancier numbers.

Karen continues to show off her vocal range, though "Maps" proved years ago she can do far more than snarl and yelp like in their early days as art stars. The joyousness conveyed in older tracks such as "Y Control" and "Cheated Hearts" is heard throughout It's Blitz!, especially on the lead single "Zero" and album highlight "Dull Life." There are plenty of contemplative moments as well. Songs such as "Runaway," "Little Shadow" and "Soft Shock" are quieter ballads, showcasing the band's most melodic sensibilities. It's Blitz! finds the Yeah Yeah Yeahs continuing to live up to their limitless potential, as they further prove to be one of the most exciting bands of this decade.

Review by Joey O.

Week of March 9, 2009

War Child Presents Heroes (Astralwerks)

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Making a solid tribute album is a tough game to win. There's the inevitability of filler tracks, songs whose original versions are untouchable, and otherwise questionable inclusions. The redeeming part is that tribute albums, no matter how uneven, often support very worthy organizations. The newest album from international charity War Child (www.warchild.org), Heroes, follows the pattern of mostly-great covers for a good cause. War Child, whose efforts bring aid to children in war-stricken countries, mixed the album's assembling process up a bit, asking veteran artists to nominate younger contemporaries to cover a tune from their classic catalogue.

Some of the choices were painfully obvious, such as The Kooks' predictable cover of The Kinks' "Victoria," and The Hold Steady's take on (who else?) Bruce Springsteen. More enjoyable are the covers by bands whose influences are a bit more subtle, such as Scissor Sisters' boogie-down take on Roxy Music's "Do The Strand" and a live version of Franz Ferdinand covering "Call Me" by Blondie. A few of the legends' choices work almost puzzlingly, such as Iggy Pop picking electroclash girly-girl Peaches to do The Stooges' "Search And Destroy," (which gives new meaning to the line, "Look out, honey, 'cause I'm using technology") and the surviving members of Joy Division (i.e. New Order) nominating Hot Chip to cover "Transmission" (though Alexis Taylor's plaintive tenor makes you wonder how Bernard Sumner would've sounded if he would have been Joy Division's lead singer).

The set isn't without its missteps, as Welsh soulstress Duffy sucks all the fun out of "Live And Let Die," and Leonard Cohen's son Adam delivers a strange version of "Take This Waltz," incorporating a lot of the original Spanish poem his dad used as inspiration.

While I'm won over by the cinematic balladry of Rufus Wainwright's Beach Boys medley, I'm sure War Child is counting on Beck's raucous translation of Dylan's "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat" and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' pogo-ready take on "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" to catch prospective donors' attentions. No matter what your style, odds are Heroes has what it takes to please your palate. And after all, isn't universal happiness what these charities are all about?

Review by Eric Schuman

Week of March 2, 2009

U2 - No Line On The Horizon (Interscope)

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Years in the making, the long-awaited No Line On The Horizon is unmistakably a U2 record, though it might not be exactly what fans were expecting. After traveling around the globe to reinvent themselves once again, the Irish superstars have come up with a "transitional" record of sorts, instead of the straightforward, crowd-pleasers of their last two releases.

No Line On The Horizon features a number of experimental tracks, reminiscent of the deeper cuts on The Unforgettable Fire or the moodier moments of Achtung Baby. The Edge's guitarwork is impeccable as always, but Bono makes some odd choices vocally and lyrically throughout. The title track builds to become one of the strongest songs on the record, while "Magnificen"" is the most 'classic' U2 song, with the Edge's chiming guitar straight out of the early 80s. "Stand Up Comedy" rides a big funky guitar riff, and the epic "Breathe" comes as a pleasant surprise late in the album, with Bono spitting out Dylan-style verses, then switching into a crooning chorus.

However, the stately, 7+ minute "Moment Of Surrender" is a bit overlong. "Unknown Caller" features more Unforgettable Fire-era atmospherics but is held down by Bono's awkward techno jargon lyrics. "Force-quit and move to trash"...really? "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" is the closest fit to the "classic U2" mold of the last two albums, but it's weighed down by an unwieldy title and chorus (and the Edge nicks part of a Journey melody!).

In "Get On Your Boots," Bono sings, "I don't wanna talk about the wars between nations (Not right now!)" Saving his soap box for the moonlighting gigs, Bono instead looks at individuals affected by war through the narrators of "White As Snow" (a song that oddly interpolates the music of the hymn "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel") and "Cedars Of Lebanon." No Line On The Horizon may be uneven, but it's a fascinating and risky step for The Biggest Band In The World. If I may paraphrase The Dark Knight, No Line On The Horizon is the U2 album we deserve, but not the one we need right now.

Review by Joey O.

The Prodigy - Invaders Must Die (Cooking Vinyl)

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Hailing Captain Obvious: The Prodigy will never again capture pop lightning in an electronica bottle as they did on The Fat of the Land, an album simultaneously signaling the height and the death of 1990s "big beat" music. Now the mission seems to be a simple reclamation of relevance in a crowded field of familiars like Does It Offend You, Yeah? and Justice. Considering their rather lackluster 2004 comeback Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned, the new Invaders Must Die means mission accomplished, easily. As on The Fat of the Land The Prodigy manage a few edgy songs worthy of curious radio play, among them "Run with the Wolves," the title track (with a high-pitched synth hook you'll nevertheless end up humming), and "Piranha" (approaching digital slams and screeches with Rob Zombie's precision and an L.A. Style sample). More noteworthy, though, is the time they spend revisiting pre-big beat sounds that first earned them acclaim. The old-school house-music conceits they once twisted into grooves with dark, seething undercurrents reappear in the tinkly bell tones of second single "Omen," and the minor-key riffs and reggae toasters of "Thunder" and "Take Me to the Hospital." The physical and musical centerpiece of this album, "Warriors Dance," suggests The Prodigy may not have been at their strongest when they were jousting with The Chemical Brothers and Fatboy Slim for face time, but instead back in the days of "Out of Space" and Music for the Jilted Generation.

Review by Adam Blyweiss

Week of February 23, 2009

N.A.S.A. - The Spirit of Apollo (Anti)

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Maybe The Spirit of Apollo, the debut from new production duo N.A.S.A., is the album to drag hip-hop kicking and screaming towards relevance with indie-rock audiences, closer than the arm's length of grudging acceptance of acts who are white (Beastie Boys), British (Dizzee Rascal, M.I.A.), sing-songy (K-os), or all of these in one (Gorillaz). It helps that there's a veritable army of rocking talent matched up with a mob of microphone fiends here, the guestlist reading like a redux of "We Are the World." N.A.S.A. employ Lykke Li and Santigold, for example, to propel Kanye West's Eurotrash fascination on "Gifted," and pair Tom Waits' naturally chopped-and-screwed vocals with Kool Keith's non sequiturs on the subversively entertaining "Spacious Thoughts." David Byrne, Chuck D., Ras Congo, and Seu Jorge trade rhymes; so do Karen O., The Pharcyde's Fatlip, and the late ODB. With rappers and their producers constantly expanding their embrace of musicality, The Spirit of Apollo features more natural progressions from Rihanna/Jay-Z collabs than you might expect.

Review by Adam Blyweiss

Dark Was The Night (Rounder)

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There was once a time called The 90s. It was a very different era from today; people liked greasy hair and screamy self-loathing, and every season seemed to bring a new compilation CD raising money and some vague thing called "awareness" for the latest cause celèbre. While some of the previous generations' causes seem somewhat obscure 15 years after the fact (Tibetian Freedom Concert, anyone?), one that retains its relevance is HIV/AIDS. In 1993, the Red Hot organization released the No Alternative compilation, gathering together a definitive roster of the era's artists to raise money and, yes, awareness, about a global health epidemic. Today, AIDS has been downgraded from a life sentence to a treatable disease, but the statistics remain on the rise. And Red Hot, admirably, is still at it. Here on Y-Rock, we've been playing a number of tracks from their new benefit comp, Dark Was The Night: The Dirty Projectors and David Byrne's jangling "Knotty Pine," The National's suave and stylish "So Far Around The Bend." Those cuts don't even scratch the surface of this two-disc treasure trove of today's best indie and alternative musicians. Some is very direct and lively: "Snow White" by The New Pornographers is the jaunty power pop we've come to expect from A.C. Newman and co.; "Lenin" will sate your Arcade Fire cravings while they work on a Neon Bible followup; and the outtake "El Caporal" is better than most of what My Morning Jacket left on their last album. But more of the comp takes a mellow slant, though, which doesn't always work; "Brackett, WI" is par for the course for bearded snoozer Bon Iver, and Cat Power contributes an unnecessary rendition of "Amazing Grace." But with so many tracks across two discs, there is bound to be some filler, and in the end, the tapestry has far more moments of soft beauty and what my fellow Y-Rocker Eric Schuman called "lovely lovlieness," songs that take your hand gently and don't let go: Yeasayer's dreamy soundscape "Tightrope" (which you've also heard on Y-Rock), Conor Oberst's re-version of "Lua" with singer-songwriter Gillian Welch, The Books and Jose Gonzales electronic-infused take on Nick Drake's "Cello Song." This generation of musicians might not screaming, but their voices are directing you to a cause that still needs your attention, all these years later.

Review by John Vettese

Week of February 16, 2009

Morrissey - Years of Refusal (Attack/Lost Highway)

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A salient description of Morrissey's career, both with The Smiths and now as a solo artist steadfastly ignoring the law of diminishing returns, seems lodged with near-prescience in the third verse of a very old, very good Billy Joel song: The Moz appears destined to go to the grave as an angry old man. If the new Years of Refusal is any indication, at worst he'll have constructed a sturdy facade of misanthropy by the time death calls. "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris," for example, is his musical strategy for when no person wants his offered love, masterfully underpinned (undermined?) by piano-pop pleasantries. "When I Last Spoke to Carol" is a slight return to the Smiths classic "Bigmouth Strikes Again," similar acoustic riffs paired up with Latin horns. There are also a few excursions into windy ambience, as well as successful reaches for soaring, soulful howls on "It's Not Your Birthday Anymore" and "Something is Squeezing My Skull," the latter track a grungy lament of happiness achieved through better science. Some listeners may rail against the m.o. Morrissey's developed -- they complain that he really is fair and true and boring as hell -- yet Years of Refusal reinforces the swirling snarl of rocking disaffection he's honed with session players like Alain Whyte and Boz Boorer.

Review by Adam Blyweiss

Sam Roberts - Love At The End of The World (Rounder)

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Well-executed pop music is the end result of many elements, chief among them being balance. Quiet verses and loud choruses, happy lyrics and downbeat music, charismatic guitarist and gloomy keyboardist; the matched pairs are endless but crucial. On the third album with his eponymous band, Sam Roberts combines two very contrasting emotions, optimism and futility, into the fascinating journey that is Love At The End Of The World. The title itself conveys several conflicting messages: is Roberts a modern day Nero, playing his music to an inevitably collapsing culture, or is he the last bearer of sunshine in a world that's suffocating itself with dullness? Though introduced relatively late in the album, the character of "The Pilgrim," a man steeped in old-time ways and cut off from modern news and concerns, seems to serve as the record's narrator. The more upbeat songs deal with observations of crises like rampant materialism ("Stripmall Religion") and the beat(en) generation's disregard for knowing how to dance ("Them Kids").. Roberts takes time to look inwards as well, tackling past lovers ("Oh Maria," "Words & Fire"), as well as his own present ("Sundance") and inevitable fate ("The Lions Of The Kalahari"). The album culminates with "Up Sister," a tempo-shifting battle between the past and the future, between comfort and change. Our northern neighbors have had the chance to soak in Love At The End Of The World for nearly a year already, but don't let the delayed release date deter you from checking out this tour de force from one of indie rock's most original songwriters. In fact, Roberts and his band will be performing at World Cafe Live on February 25th. Let's hope that the end of the world waits at least until the encore is done.

Review by Eric Schuman

Week of February 9, 2009

Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You (Capitol)

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Is it possible to write about Lily Allen and focus on her talent, instead of her tabloid exploits? I'm going to certainly try! Allen's outstanding debut album Alright, Still mixed sharp-witted lyrical barbs and observations with bouncy Ska and Brit-Pop influences and made for a really fun and diverse record. But Lily's matured and while there's still plenty of fun to be had on It's Not Me, It's You, there's also some bigger issues to tackle. Lead single "The Fear" hits at the materialist mixed messages sent to young women, while "Everyone's At It" calls out hypocrisy on drug use in our culture. Allen tackles relationships with her trademark bluntness on "Not Fair" and "Never Gonna Happen." The peppy "F*** You" is perhaps the catchiest (and most obscene) moment on the album. The music is closest to the sound of Alright, Still but lyrically it's a scathing take on the 43rd President. And later, she gives her take on God and religion on the serious-yet-goofy "Him," in which she manages to work in a reference to 9/11 and a joke about CCR in the same song.

Musically, It's Not Me, It's You mostly stays with a glossy, keyboard laden sheen, courtesy of producer and co-writer Greg Kurstin of The Bird and The Bee. The electronic Pop sound does get a bit same-y in the second half of the album, weighing things down a bit. It's Not Me, It's You doesn't reach the wonderful heights of Alright, Still but is certainly a step towards Lily Allen as an actual artist, not Just Another Female British Pop Star.

Review by Joey O.

Week of February 2, 2009

Ben Kweller - Changing Horses (ATO)

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Ben Kweller's fourth full-length album is titled Changing Horses for a reason, as the likeable singer-songwriter has taken a sharp turn into his Texas roots with a twangy, Country-based record. We're talking more rootsy, olde fashioned Country influences here...Kweller certainly isn't in Carrie Underwood territory or anything here. Besides, he's always worked in a little Country influence here and there in his earlier albums anyway. Much of the material on Changing Horses was previewed by BK and his band on a short tour late last year, which included a fun low-key gig at Johnny Brenda's in October. The majority of the record is made of gentler songs that get by on a lot of steel guitar and BK's considerable charm. The upbeat, start-and-stop "Sawdust Man" is one of the highlights, along with "Hurtin' You" and "Fight." In someone else's hands, a song like "Things I Like To Do" could come off a bit too on-the-nose, but BK's personality carries much of the songs on Changing Horses, even when the music gets a little same-y. BK always puts on a good show in concert and you can catch him again at the TLA on February 27th.

Review by Joey O.

Week of January 26, 2009

Franz Ferdinand - Tonight: Franz Ferdinand (Epic)

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Earlier this decade, Franz Ferdinand was really the first band to ride the wave of blog overhype into mainstream success. Their debut album was full of insanely catchy songs, almost all of them single worthy. The follow-up, You Could Have It So Much Better... mixed in some mellower textures and Kinks influences, but these dapper Scottish lads have taken their sweet time releasing a third record, while the indie-blog world that birthed them has moved on at an accelerated rate. The first two-thirds of Tonight: Franz Ferdinand finds the band in familiar Franz territory, right from the start with the sexy, slinky drumbeat of "Ulysses" giving way to that familiar dance-stomp. The band works in some electronic and keyboard textures, notably on "Live Alone," which could fit in on The Killers' Day & Age.

We were introduced to the song "Lucid Dreams" as a compact classic Franz single via last year's Madden game, but it appears on Tonight as the centerpiece of the record. The track grows into an epic, eight minute electro-jam, as the titular "tonight" gives way to a dream state. The last two tracks are the aftermath, the comedown the next morning, with "Dream Again" and "Katherine Kiss Me" winding things up on a mellow note. Tonight isn't as much of an evolution for Franz Ferdinand as the band had promised, and the hooks aren't as sharp as on their self-titled debut, but then again, how could they be?

Review by Joey O.

Week of January 19, 2009

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion (Domino)

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Brace yourselves everyone. After months of ridiculous hype (even by music blog standards), "accidental" leaks and Web Sheriff intimidation, Animal Collective's newest release, Merriweather Post Pavilion is finally here. What's even more shocking is that it not only lives up to the impossible expectations that precede it. It surpasses and defies them. It begins with opening track "Into the Flowers," when Avey Tare expresses a yearning to leave his body for a night. The subsequent rush of four-to-the-floor beats that follows and permeates the remainder of the album is exactly that: an out-of-body experience. It's a thrilling, fulfilling sonic journey and like the Magic Eye image on the cover, the songs on it come alive and change shape, enveloping the listener and often abandoning conventional structures altogether. This free-form approach has always been a staple of the group, but never before have they been able to to craft such confident and tangible melodies within it. They may have hinted at it in last year's Strawberry Jam or Noah "Panda Bear" Lennox's solo work, but those moments now sound incomplete by comparison. Songs like future classic "My Girls" and portable beach rave "Brothersport" are kinetic, catchy, and absolutely gorgeous. They create a sense of euphoria (the former sums it up perfectly with the triumphant "Whoo!"s in the chorus) that most artists struggle to achieve in brief moments once an album, let alone throughout entire songs. Lyrically, these tracks and several others deal with desire, whether that be to walk around with an object of affection or adobe slats for their children. Almost every song here could work as a single, but Merriweather is indisputably an album's album, one that both demands and deserves repeat listens in its entirety. The only disappointment that anyone should feel once its over is to be back in their bodies again.

Review by Rob Huff

A.C. Newman - get Guilty (Matador)

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As the closest thing The New Pornographers have to a lead singer, Allan Carl "A.C." Newman sure knows his way around a great pop melody. Even with four New Pornographers albums and their related tours, the key members somehow find time to record their own solo projects. Though Newman is fairly new to the solo scene compared to his New Porno bandmates (his debut, The Slow Wonder, came out in 2004), his motto is clearly quality over quantity. Newman's follow-up, Get Guilty, shows off indie veteran's reverence for pop heroes of yore, as well as some of his sunshiny contemporaries.

The music of Get Guilty owes particular debts to Village Green­-era Kinks ("Prophets"), the 'big music' of The Waterboys ("There Are Maybe Ten Or Twelve") and even Belle & Sebastian ("Elemental"). There is also a lot we can learn from Get Guilty, such as how simple phrases can be turned into intriguingly clever lyrics (the "One in a series of" chorus in "Submarines Of Stockholm"), and how to give a song a title that would make Stephin Merritt jealous ("All Of My Days & All Of My Days Off"). Newman's solo albums may not be as freaky as Danny "Destroyer" Bejar's, or as down-home as Neko Case's, but they, like Newman himself, act as the ray of familiarity that makes the more experimental releases make sense. Get Guilty delivers what any classic pop record promises: delectable music without distractions.

Review by Eric Schuman

Week of January 12, 2009

The BPA - I Think We're Gonna Need A Bigger Boat (Southern Fried Records)

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If anyone knows how to throw a party, it's Norman "Fatboy Slim" Cook. If you've ever seen pictures of the shindigs he hosts on Brighton Beach, you already know how massive a crowd he can draw with the mere spin of a few good records. Cook's newest project, the Brighton Port Authority (or BPA), has taken the 'party record' concept to new heights with their debut album, I Think We're Gonna Need A Bigger Boat. The 'Jaws' reference may not only be a nod to Cook's taste in movies, but a reference to the small army of guest vocalists that populate the album. Like Mark Ronson's smash Version, the BPA record employs a different voice on each track. Unlike Version, though, most of the guests are relative unknowns outside of the British electro and R&B scene. The Latin-inflected "Should I Stay Or Should I Blow" features fellow DJ/producer Ashley Beedle, and Tom "Cagedbaby" Gandey takes the mic on the slow-burning "Superlover." Naturally, someone as world-renowned as Fatboy Slim has some high-profile friends, and they're plenty well-represented here. From the unlikely pairing of David Byrne and Dizzee Rascal ("Toe Jam") to the peerless Iggy Pop covering post-punk goofballs The Monochrome Set on opener "He's Frank (Slight Return)," the BPA's ranks are quite heavy with personality. The set ends as it began, with a cover: folk balladeer Olly Hite's slowed down and souled-up take on Nick Lowe's classic "So It Goes." Cook has said in interviews that, with the BPA, he is forever retiring his Fatboy Slim moniker. Though this may come to change, if Cook's got more tricks up his sleeve for future BPA records, be sure to keep an eye out for a crew of "alarmed and not especially dangerous" characters carrying tape recorders and turntables. They may just cause a festival to break out.

Review by Eric Schuman

Week of January 5, 2009

Glasvegas - Glasvegas (Columbia)

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I always felt it was a gutsy move for a band to begin an album (especially their debut) with a song of above-average duration. It's been done by Air, twice by Wilco, and that's not even mentioning the countless prog-rock set openers. The latest embracers of this trend are Glasvegas, who, yes, are Glaswegian. The four-piece takes all that's great from Glasgow's long history in music and neatly packs it into a sweeping 10 song package. Immediate comparisons to Snow Patrol's bombast and Primal Scream's dense atmospherics are easy to make, but the group's sound is bigger than any one of its influences. The long opening song I alluded to is "Flowers And Football Tops," which weaves in and out of a moody haze before breaking into a chorus of "You Are My Sunshine." With each following song, both the guitar layering and leader James Allan's brogue get thicker, the latter spouting out tales of love ("Geraldine"), brawling ("Go Square Go"), and being morose ("Daddy's Gone"). Between the dynamic "It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry" and "Polmont On My Mind," (which sounds like a lost fifth single from the latest Cure album) Glasvegas' debut is a promising one; a welcome addition to the Glaswegian indie rock library. Glasvegas never really get too upbeat, but no one ever said that sounding a certain way would prevent a band from rocking. Indeed, Glasgow has birthed many a band who warp pop music through a strange filter (where have you been, Belle & Sebastian?), and Glasvegas are right in line with that regional quirk. If anyone in Glasgow is reading this, bottle your water and take a deep breath: there's musical genius all around you.

Review by Eric Schuman