No Age - Nouns (2008)

No Age made no attempts to clean up their dirty grungy sound for their second album. Thank God. Nouns is raw, it sounds like it came straight from the gutter outside some shit-hole club in LA directly to you. No Age don't need no high quality sound to impress, they're totally mocking me for having such fancy-pants headphones. This punk duo makes an impressive amount of racket, but there are surprising licks of melody folded into all the feedback and guitar noise. They've also really mastered the art of tension and release. The buildups to their songs are drawn out - sometimes longer than the actual melody portion - and when they finally punch through they sound all the better for it. No Age is one of my favorites because they're so unexpectedly beautiful at times, and completely gritty at others. Best of both worlds.

Faves: Eraser, Cappo, Here Should Be My Home and Brain Burner

Colin Meloy @ The Rio Theatre

I had no idea what to expect with this show. I'd heard his live album over at Tex's one afternoon but that particular day I was more interested in combining Tecate and Orange Juice and calling it a meximosa*. I have tendency to get a bit nervous about shows that are just dude and guitar as well. Sometimes they can be ruling but sometimes I find myself looking at the time and a bit bored..

At this point let me back up and say that opening act Laura Gibson was awesome. Beautifully simple songs with the most heartfelt and sweet stage banter of all time. Serena claimed that she would be assigned the job of penning the soundtrack of her life. Check out her song called "Hands in Pockets" which you can get on the daytrotter website here.

Now back to Colin. He was completely brilliant. His music and shows always make wish that I was more well read, had a subscription to the Utne Reader** and had my own woodblock greeting card company running out of my garage. Basically I want to be smarter and more creative because he seems to do all that and makes it look so damn easy.

Musically he played just want I wanted to hear.. a bit of everything! "California One/Youth And Beauty Brigade", "The Sporting Life", "Shankill Butchers", a song about a bike that I should probably know, Sam Cooke's "Cupid".. the hits kept coming! All this and he seemed pretty spun out due to sleep deprivation. He took time to introduce the objects that he had on stage with him like a crystal (pictured), CD-R and I believe a half package of M&Ms all of which had names. He also told a story of running into Johnny Marr buying 2 grey throw pillows at Ikea.

The only thing that wasn't rad (and was more comical than bad) was the people who would try to clap/snap along in time.. word of advice if you want to be 'that dude***' who gets the whole crowd a clappin', make sure you know how to keep a beat. Nothing is shittier than listening to music you like while sitting near someone who is clapping away to seemingly another song. But you know what made up for the bad clapping? The dude wearing pacman parachute pants and an unbuttoned olive drab army shirt who just wanted to dance. Don't go changing bro!


* turns out I didn't invent that
** i don't know what the Utne Reader is all about but it seems like something that smart people read
*** btw that dude always sucks

The Slackers - Self Medication (2008)

Some things in life you really love. But somehow it seems they get lost amongst the daily chore shuffle, the laundry list of "needs to get done". Then, from out of nowhere, these forgotten treasures find their way back into our lives and are 100 times sweeter. Example. Ordering a Philly Cheesesteak sandwich from my favorite pizza joint as a change of pace, only to rediscover how perfect a good sandwich can be. White Russians also come to mind. After I get one, I'm always asking myself "Man, how come I never get these more?" which is followed by the two strangers next to me at the bar saying in unison, "I'll have one of those too." The Slackers are one of those bands that I always play as a change of pace and end up asking myself "Why don't I play these guys more often?", and then get asked by ten people "Who is this?" and "Can I get a copy of this?"

The Slackers are a Ska band with a bit more reggae than punk feel. Vic Ruggiero is the main singer/songwriter, but this band seems to be always trying new things, and is almost like a jam band for very talented musicians. This new album is no exception, lots of guest musicians with a very creative individual sound, mixing reggae, rock, jazz, and soul. A couple tracks are a little too out there, and I subsequently skip them, but overall a very solid record from a very jazzy band.

"Every Day is Sunday" is an awesome jam which I cannot wait to play at my next BBQ. "Leave Me" and "Don't You Want A Man" will also be instant summer time classics. An example of the experimental side would be their "Estranged" track. It sounds like a carnival ride on shrooms, fun and delightful but in a disturbing sort of way.

The Kooks - Konk (2008)

Initial reviews of this album that I came across mentioned it not being a great leap forward from their previous effort as well as perhaps being overproduced. Luckily for me those are two of my favorite things. See, for me, the Kook's "Inside In The Inside Out" was such a solid album that took me completely by surprise last year. I definitely mean album because I can play that thing from beginning to end and often times I feel like hitting repeat. So when I hear that "Konk" is perhaps non-revolutionary I'm completely stoked. I'll be the first to admit that sometimes bands can keep recreating the same album and I'll be completely happy.. I'm also easily distracted by shiny things.

As far as overproduction goes... here's my feelings on that. I feel that that the "overproduction" critique is abused by critics when they can't really find anything else to say. It's kind of one of those things where no one is really going to argue with you because you said "overproduction", and let's face it that's a big and important sounding word. Secondly I am a gigantic brit-pop fan and adore albums from the likes of Depeche Mode, Blur, The Divine Comedy, etc. and those guys really take the production to 11.

Now in regards to the album itself the main difference between "Konk" and their previous one is that there aren't really as many songs that really just grabbed me right away and had me hitting repeat. This album is more of a put it on and do stuff around the house or walk/drive somewhere and be happy.. While not having super duper standout tracks it makes for a great listen all the way through.

Well maybe there is a standout track. "Do You Wanna" makes Rod Stewart's "Tonight's the Night" seem like the most subtle ode to humping of all time. That said it's pretty ruling. While the refrain of

Do you Wanna / Do You Wanna / Do you Wanna make love to me

may seem a bit silly I think it'd get the job done!

So if you like pop music, accents, non-deep lyrics and guys who probably wear tight pants and v-necks* you'll probably enjoy this album. Check out their first one too for summertime fun fun.

Even though I said that whole thing about how there aren't an instant classic tracks on this album here are some good ones.. "Always Where I Need to Be", "Do You Wanna", "Love It All" and "Down to the Market"

* I seriously didn't notice that one of the band members was wearing a v-neck until I uploaded the photo!

Joe Purdy - Take My Blanket and Go (2007)

Holy shit this album is good. I kid you not, there were a few moments when waves of goosebumps passed over me... or maybe that was just an open window. Either way, I felt moments of exhilaration while enjoying Take My Blanket and Go. I obviously have no scruples making artist comparisons, so I'll throw a couple out there for Purdy— Ryan Adams and Bob Dylan. Now, Purdy has been diligently putting out albums for awhile (9 albums over 7 years) and in his own right has an established, personal, identifiable, soulful sound, but the Adams comparison for this particular album is too accurate to avoid. Despite the workman like production, Purdy has managed to fly under the radar—well, more accurately, my radar (since his music has been featured in a Kia commercial and Grey's Anatomy & Lost episodes)—but like Iron & Wine's sudden leap into mainstream popularity with the clean, crisp studio depth of The Shepherd's Dog, Take My Blanket has passionate song-writing, production, and fully developed sound that elevates it above his previous (also stellar) releases. This is easily one of those albums I could over-listen, but not grow sick of.

Massive props to Purdy for allowing fans to stream his catalog on his website.

Listen to: "San Jose" (An uplifting start that rolls smoothly with organ, piano and harmonica); "Sinkin' Low" (Very nice); "White Picket Fence" (Sauntering epic with a spike-driving rhythm); "Good Days" (Slow starting piano bit that builds and builds); "You should" (Upbeat Dylan-esque piece).

Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built (2007)

It's a good documentary on the founder of Atlantic Records, one of the greatest independent music labels ever and one that released a lot music I love. There's plenty of clips of concert footage featuring such luminaries as Joe Turner, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Led Zepplin... However, 60 years is a lot to cover and most topics just get a passing mention. Jazz is almost completely ignored. It's too brief and too much of a celebration to provide much insight not already provided in books like Sweet Soul Music or the autobiography of Jerry Wexler, but without his own autobiography it's one of the only places to meet such an amazing figure. How many people legitimately can say the decided between becoming their country's ambassador to US or opening a independent record label?

My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges (2008)

Wow. I still don't really know what to make of this one. Suffice to say MMJ are branching out and trying out some genre experiments. Maybe they were just getting bored. You almost have to approach this album by asking yourself if another band came out with this would you like it? There are some great songs ("Remnants" and "Aluminum Park") and some flops. "Highly Suspicious" is just weird. In general, I like the songs where they rock out. Their take on 60's pop, 70's soft rock and 80's synth pop are fine, but rather uninteresting. And it makes for a lot of mediocre mid-tempo pop songs. As a fan of their last few albums, I was really looking forward to this one, but unfortunately I'm underwhelmed. Maybe it's a grower.

Tonya Watts - Handcuff My Soul (2008)

I have to admit, I enthusiastically enjoyed my experience venue hopping in Nashville two years ago. A favorite memory, and one that I need to relive. In fact, I enjoyed Nashville's live music fervency so much, that it provoked a habit of paying attention to the Nashville "buzz" and monitoring artists that periodically bubble to the surface of the country / southern-rock stew. Hence this unlikely review. Tonya Watts, who has the look of a Dixie Deborah Harry (circa 1977) crossed with Pamela Anderson, generates her own mixture of white-trashy country / southern-rock and dirty, misfit-nonconformist “glam” (self-proclaimed) rock... which actually serves as a compliment in this context… I think. Anyway, the lyrics off of Handcuff My Soul are both outrageous and hilarious. With songs titles like "Whore," "Go Go," and "Inside of Me," consisting of lyrics such as, "Alabama! I looovvve me some Alabammaaaa... I'm from Alabama and I will fuck you up!" & "You know you like it / You know that you want more / I wanna be your wife / I wanna be your whore" it is really hard to take Watts seriously, even when she slows it down and attempts to sound serious. There are so many amusingly quotable lyrics, I don't have the time or space to share them all, but I can easily imagine bleach-blond, Midwestern, teenage girls driving around in American trucks shrieking: "I'm easily stimulated for short periods of time!" Yeah… aren’t we all. So, what do you do with an album like this? Ignore it? Hell no!—that's like ignoring good-quality standup comedy. Embrace it? Not that either—that would simply be irrational and bring all the meaningful relationships in your life to a screeching halt. I guess all I can say is: It would have been kick-ass to see Watts live in Nashville.

For unchaste lyrical amusement, check out the pornographic country musical "Whore," or for a southern-rock ditz anthem, "Alabama Crimson."

Hot Chip @ The Fillmore

Hot Chip is so fun. Whenever I see them live I leave wishing they were my friends. We would hang out in someone’s living room, and play with keyboards and laptops all day… I would teach them some dance moves and they would let me play the tambourine on “Over and Over”. (Seriously guys, call me!) They played at the Fillmore last night and turned the place into a big ole dance party. Its not really necessary to actually see them to enjoy them, they aren’t going to blow your mind with a guitar solo or anything like that. But I like to be up close, so a friend and I made our way towards the front. Where we evidently angered people (who were probably jealous of our mind-blowing charisma and charming hip shakes) and some silly girl shoved my friend. My friend is 5 feet of pure adorableness, and I can’t fathom anyone wanting to do anything other than hug her. I’ve had a dangerous amount of makers mark at this point in the night. So I asked the girl if she had ever been punched in the face. She said no. I said, I will punch you in the face. And then her boyfriend pulled her away from me. Which is lucky for us both, I’ve never punched anyone in the face and I’m not sure I know how. That was the only bad part of the concert. That, and waking up this morning.

Sun Kil Moon - April (2008)

Dating back to the days of Red House Painters, Mark Kozelek’s projects have favored a simple musical formula: a voice & a guitar. Despite this depiction, Sun Kil Moon is not entirely a one-man show… there are other instruments and backing vocals. However, April mostly comports with the pleasantness of the minimalist approach, which is augmented by Kozelek’s calming voice and songwriting style. Patience in the development of each song (SKM is not shy about taking songs into, and above, the 9 minute range) induces a relaxing mood by allowing the music to linger without interruption. With a few exceptions, such as "Tonight The Sky," which has a fuller, plugged-in sound, the role of each instrument is delicate and secondary to the vocals and lyrics (See "Heron Blue"). For those unacquainted with Kozelek’s style, I would recommend Ghosts of the Great Highway (Sun Kil Moon's 1st album) over April; however, for those already appreciative of the relaxing intimacy of his music, April should be a welcome collection of mellow, reflective musical storytelling.

Relax to: "Tonight The Sky" for something plugged-in, and “Lucky Man” for the “a voice & a guitar” approach.

Islands - Arm's Way (2008)

Someone described Vampire Weekend to me as a way for ”cool kids” to listen to Paul Simon, without actually having to listen to Paul Simon. Wait a second, is Paul Simon not cool? Stop it. Also to that I say have you heard the first Islands album, Return to the Sea? Paul Simon-influenced Carribean music was their forte. On the second Islands album, Arm’s Way, the band has fleshed out their sound dramatically. It’s a theatrical pop orchestra of an album – this one definitely was not recorded in anyone’s bedroom. It opens with “The Arm”, where the band revisits one of their favorite themes: Death, this time in a “badass car crash”. The members of Islands recently started wearing all black instead of all white. A little cliche, maybe, but it fits the lyrics better. Presentation is important to me. Arm’s Way is clearly influenced by and references a frenzy of artists. They break it down like P. Simon yet again at the end of “J’aime Vous Voire Quitter” (take that Vampire Weekend!). But one of my favorite moments on the album is at the end of “In the Rushes”, when they unexpectedly transition into a cover of The Whos “A Quick One While He’s Away”, changing the lyrics to “you are forgotten” instead of “you are forgiven”. I don’t know which is better, to forgive or forget, but these kind of unexpected moments are making me love this album more with each listen. And who knows, they might even have a hit with “Creeper”. If you can’t move to this song, I don’t know how to help you.

Faves: “The Arm”, “Creeper”, “In the Rushes” and “I Feel Evil Creeping In”

Culture Reject - Culture Reject (2008)

Let the summer “jammy-jams” cometh. "Inside The Cinema," the second track off of Culture Reject, was the catchy nugget that made me an instant fan of Culture Reject—also the artist's name—and his quirky, creative sound. This album jams with layered horns, rhythmic handclaps, timely piano bits, unconventional & diverse percussion, casual whistling and beachy lounge transitions that suggest indie pop, Latin, jazz (Latin-Jazz? Jazzy-Latin?), and additional worldly influence. Although "Inside the Cinema" stands out with its particularly rhythmical, clappy draw, the rest of the album is also very enjoyable. If you put on these summery grooves I promise people will inquire about the artist within the first few songs. (That's my Rob Gordon guarantee of the month.)

Enjoy: "Inside the Cinema," "Overflow," "Oh Remain," and “Fireflies Are Fading”

Annuals - Wet Zoo EP (2008)

Actually this is a split EP with Sunfold, basically, the same band, except fronted by the guitarist. The three Annuals songs are more of the wonderfully catchy indie pop found on Be He Me, although they're a little less experimental and a little more like the Shins, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. "Around Your Neck" is my favorite, with it's jangly guitar, peppy clapping and sing-a-long chorus. The Sunfold tracks sound like bland alternative pop/rock. If this EP was on vinyl it would rarely be flipped over.

The Kills - Midnight Boom (2008)

The first song I heard by the Kills was "Wait" on their first album "Keep on Your Mean Side". They were very bluesy, sort of down and dirty sounding, like they recorded in the Mississippi Delta somewhere. Their new album Midnight Boom however, is drastically different. It sounds like the Mississippi garage band got signed, moved to the bright lights of New York City, changed their sound to pop, then starting writing about new fashions, clubs and designer drugs, most of which I do not understand, and 99% of the time I would write this band off, call their new shit lame and move on. Not so with Midnight Boom. This album rips. The first song "U.R.A Fever" completely draws you in and demands your attention which is followed by "Cheap and Cheerful", one of the best pump up the party, dance your face off jams I have heard in years. "M.E.X.I.C.O.C.U" and "Alphabet Pony" offer some very creative riffs, as well as song writing, which come together to make a delightful gumbo of craziness. The album does have some weak spots though. A few times I found myself skipping songs, and "Sour Cherry" sounded too much like the Breeders, I hate the fucking Breeders. Over all, I would definitely recommend this album not only because Jamie Hince on guitar completely rocks, but Alison Mosshart sounds like one of those super hot punker chicks you meet at a local dive bar on a Wednesday, beats you soundly at pool, and almost gets you beat up three times before the nights over, a bad idea but sooo much fun.

Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple (2008)

If you need something to get the heads a noddin' and the toes a tappin' Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse can usually deliver. The key word in that sentence: usually. Gnarls Barkley swaggered into the mix dressed in Star Wars attire two years ago with the addictive, widely appreciated hit "Crazy" (See The Raconteurs, The Flaming Lips, Of Montreal, Nelly Furtado live covers), but up-tempo, dance inducing soul-hop seems to be the exception not the rule. The Odd Couple offers a number of easy to swallow party/lounge/groove tracks, altogether upbeat and catchy; however, some of the mixes are entirely uninteresting—albeit creatively produced. I found it far too easy to skip through nearly half of this album, while settling on the songs that either snagged me with an ass-shaking dance beat, throwback Cee-Lo soul tribute, or a Danger Mouse unique production hook. With most of the songs staying around the three minute mark, the album could have benefited from extending the bankable tracks and removing the doldrums altogether. Ultimately, there are 8 keepers on The Odd Couple, while the 5 others remain subject to interpretation.

Dance to "Run" & “Going On,” groove to “Charity Case,” and lounge to “Who's Gonna Save My Soul”

The Envy Corps - Dwell (2008)

This album will be in my top 10 albums of the year and probably quite high. I heard their song "Story Problem" in the movie Run Fat Boy Run and spent the next morning trying to track it down.. I love that song so much that I was worried about not liking the album. I would prepare myself for disappointment via internal dialogue in which I assured myself that the rest of the album surely could not rule as hard as that song. When I tracked the album down and listened to the guitar dealio that kicks off at 0:32 in the first song ("Wires and Wool") I bet I let out an audible sigh of relief.. you'd have to confirm this with my co-workers.

Other reviews throw out Radiohead and Modest Mouse comparisons.. I can see where they're coming from but I feel those are a little short sighted.. Yeah his voice sounds like Thom Yorke at times and and the guitar work in "Wires & Wool" is pretty Modest Mousy I feel it ends there.. I suppose I shouldn't really start a paragraph like this without being able to back it up with my own comparisons. I'm not going to that for two reasons..
1. ) I'm bad at it
2. ) In my opinion they have bits that sound reminiscent of a ton of little things that I like. It's one of those albums where I can say oh that part sounds just like so and so oh and the drums there are just like blah blah... but really once you get over like 5 comparisons it's not really helpful anymore..

They also get bonus points for a super ruling music video and being funny looking guys (something that oddly always boosts a band in my eyes)..

"Story Problem" and "Wires & Wool" = summer jammy jams...

The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia (2008)

Since the single replaced the album as the centerpiece of music marketing, it has been exceptionally infrequent that every song on an album captivates me. In this rare case, I believe that Saturnalia severs itself from this trend because every song feels utterly unique and formula free. Maybe this is the advantage and consequence of piecing an album together over 4+ years of song writing and recording. It is evident that the two minds behind Saturnalia summoned their collective daemons to put together one of the more sincere and striking albums of the year so far. Mark Lanegan's unfiltered growl mixes well with Greg Dulli's more mainstream and lyrical approach, making for a darker divergence from typical alternative-indie sounds. Arrangements shift from pensive acoustic guitar and piano to beat-driven electronica to forceful chords, while exploiting their contrasting vocal capabilities to both elevate and dredge the mood. I cannot promise that everyone will enjoy, but if you are like me and appreciate the darker, grittier, talent-laden underbelly of rock, you will. For stacking up the quality from beginning to end I must applaud.

Start with: “The Stations,” “Bête Noire” & “All Misery/Flowers,” but tackle the album as a whole.

Perfect From Now On: How Indie Rock Saved My Life (2007)

John Sellers is just about as opinionated as Chuck Klosterman, just less convincing, likely because he's more self-deprecating and less confident. He takes us through his journey of musical (and female) obsessions, some of which are oddly similar to some of my closest friends (in particular The Smiths, Joy Division, and Guided By Voices). He's a conversational writer and includes numerous asides manifested as multiple-paged footnotes. Oh, and he loves lists, which are included in the appendices. Basically, it's the fun, witty, and ridiculous diary of an obsessed indie music snob.

They Live By Night - Art And Wealth (2007)

They Live By Night make excellent indie pop, employing the now classic indie rock sounds of strummed guitars, strained vocals, and catchy choruses. The best songs, like "Truth or Dare" or "Factory" are propelled forward by anxious vocals and tense drumming. However, bop-bop-ba-da-da backing vocals never let the songs become too bitter. Like quite a few Swedish bands before them, they are comfortable mining the last 30 years of pop music for ideas and sounds (a little Beach Boys here, a little alt. rock there) and then combining them into something fresh and interesting, if not completely new.

Switches - Lay Down The Law (2008)

These young Brits pull elements from power pop, new wave, Brit pop, and 70's punk rock and mash it all together to create some catchy radio-friendly rock. At times the production seems to have polished away too much of the grit, and the lyrics are kind of silly, but the band's energy and hooks keep it mostly fun and entertaining. If I ever turned on the radio and heard "Message From Yuz" or "Lay Down The Law" I'd be so pleasantly surprised I wouldn't even switch it over to my iPod until the commercial break.

In Flames - A Sense Of Purpose (2008)

I have been listening to these Scandinavian metal patriarchs for a really long time, and even with well over a hundred of their songs comprising my gym/run iPod mixes I still get excited when they release new music. Like Come Clarity, there are some songs on A Sense Of Purpose that I enjoyed instantly, while others will need some time to grow on me... similar to new underwear. With the exception of the patient, eight-minute digression that is The Chosen Pessimist, In Flames rampages through A Sense Of Purpose with their signature blistering guitar riffs, classical interludes, aggressive scream/sing vocals, and yell-a-long choruses. I wouldn't say that this is "classic" In Flames, in the Jester Race sense of the word, but anyone who has followed their progression should be entertained by this solid release.

The essentials: “The Mirrors Truth,” “Condemned,” and “Alias”

The Dodos - Visiter (2008)

I just saw these guys last night and they're awesome. On the album, their indie folk falls somewhere between Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, the Animal Collective, and Iron & Wine's later releases. While the songs are catchy, it's the interplay between the drum and rhythm guitar that makes their music stand out. They toy with experimentation, but never loose the song. Live, they ramp up intensity, strumming faster, pounding harder, and just rock out. Check out "Fools", "Winter" and "Walking" for starters.