Anything Goes: A Novel (2002)

More rock fiction. This one bums around with a blues cover band as they run a circuit through dives and roadhouses up and down the East Coast. Madison Smartt Bell's story follows a young bassist as confronts his fathers abuse, enjoys the late night/early morning attentions of various women on the road, and nurses the repercussions of an encounter with violent frat boys. I guess it is a coming of age story, if learning to write songs signifies maturity. Although there are some dark moments, those are mostly just ruminations on the characters' pasts. It reads fast and fun - a simple story spiced up with a couple colorful characters, plenty of band decisions washed down with rail whiskey, and lots of music talk. The characters are all fans of music they cover as much as they are musicians. Their ruminations on topics like Emmylou Harris' voice and guitar solos, were some of my favorite sections. Oh, and the lead character's name is Jesse. Cool.

Paul Weller - 22 Dreams (2008)

There are biased reviews and then there is this one. I am a Paul Weller fan through and through. I am one of the (probably) 7 people in the United States that currently own the Style Council's box set and listen to it with regularity. I also own The Jam box set as well as many 7"s, albums, cds, import solo b-side collections as well as a VHS copy of the "Fire And Skill" tribute to the Jam featuring Ben Harper's horrendous version of "Modern World". If you aren't picking up what I'm putting down yet you might as well stop reading this review.

22 Dreams is 21 songs long.. Which is way long in my book. I was immediately turned off a bit by the lead-off track "Light Nights".. song number two "22 Dreams" didn't really help out too much either. Both of those songs seemed rushed and incomplete to me. However on song 3 he hits his patented Weller swagger. Bitter/Hopeful/Stylistic /Love/Life songs. As always he does a great job of melding the sounds of his former bands into his current work. Urgent guitar courtesy of the Jam as well as interesting keyboards and miscellany from the oft misunderstood Style Council.

It is hard to get past the fact that this album is 21 songs long.. Oh yea and the song called "God" is totally not a song and is just morespoken-word-weirdness.. So subtract the first and second song as well as "God" and your looking at a 18 song album that is great! If you are unfamiliar with Paul Weller start out with "Wild Wood" and "Heliocentric".. if you're a fan give it a go! Dude's got styles for miles and the meat of this album hits some serious high notes!

Put on your parka and listen to "All I Wanna Do (Is Be With You)" and "Have You Made Up Your Mind"..

Eli "Paperboy" Reed - Roll With You (2008)

Unlike the artists off Daptone Records, Eli "Paperboy" Reed sings straight up 60's, pre-funk soul. The backing band is solid - I love the horn section - but its the vocals that make it worth your time. He has a nice gritty voice - emotive and passionate enough to recall heyday STAX or Atlantic Records. It's clear he's done his homework. The music successfully captures that authentic/retro sound and the songs are consistently good to great. The lyrics keep it simple, focused on love, relationships, boasts, and dances. "Stake Your Claim" kicks off the album with plenty of Solomon Burke-like attitude and well-timed horn bursts. "I'm Gonna Getcha" reminds me a bit of Joe Tex's preacher style rap. On "(Doin' The) Boom Boom" he let's out his best Wilson Pickett scream. If you dig the retro soul sound, you have to check out this album.

Reservation Blues (1995)

Although this is yet another rock novel written by one of my favorite writers, this book is strikingly different. Sherman Alexie's book follows a group of American Indians who form a garage band after acquiring Robert Johnson's cursed guitar, which makes whoever plays it sound amazing. What sets this book apart is how Alexie reframes and plays with the mythology surrounding sex, drugs, and rock n' roll, integrating in American Indian mysticism, fatalism, and alcoholism. In doing so, he focuses on the pain that is released and the stories that must be told through the music. Like his other novels, the characters are both humorous and tragic. As they deal with their history, politics, and life on the reservation, he makes a convincing argument that American Indians know what it means to have the blues. They feel the blues: it surrounds, weighs down, and sometimes destroys them. By bashing it out on beat up electric guitars and cheap keyboards they share their experience. The cliché of the tortured and haunted artist has never seemed so fresh.

Los Lonely Boys - Forgiven (2008)

PBS music documentaries absolutely rule. I don't care if you think I'm a square, cause’ they do. With that said, late night channel surfing, I stopped on a documentary featuring Texas Rock bands. Most of it was on my rock hero Stevie Ray Vaughan, which initially stopped my surfing, but it was the band of three brothers from South Texas, Los Lonely Boys, that made me stay. Henry, JoJo, and Ringo are the three sons of a share cropper/part time cotton picker and apparently, the voice of the Chicano rock scene right now. Their newest release, "Forgiven" is an absolute gem. The brothers worked with producer Steve Jordan who has worked with John Mayer and Herbie Hancock previous, which I feel really helped to solidify all the tracks and make a solid record as a whole. They have chill, laid back, melodic vocals that pick up just at the right time, with heavy bluesy guitar riffs, and man can Henry play. They aren't the most super innovative, in fact, they have a very 12- Bar, traditional, 70s style rock feel, but they are fucking good at it. It's hard to explain, but I got a similar sense of satisfaction witnessing Barry Bonds spit on fastball a 1/4" off the plate, then hit a rod to the opposite field gap on the very next pitch. There's just nothing quite like watching a master craftsman doing what they do best. Wow, what's my word count, I think I am giving Mona a run for her money (j/k), anywho, the title tracks are awesome "Lovin You Always" and "Superman". I was also very excited to see they had done a remake of Chicago's "I'm A Man" because first, I love that song, second because I thought they sounded very similar when I first saw them on T.V. My personal favorites are, "You Can't See the Light" and "Heart Won't Tell a Lie". This may be premature, but "Forgiven" gets my vote for album of the year, and by now, I am sure my neighbors all know the lyrics by heart* as you cannot play this shit loud enough.


*No complaints as of yet, which is a hallmark sign of a kick ass band

School Of Seven Bells - Alpinisms (2008)

School of Seven Bells play dreamy, but not too sleepy electronica. It's fronted by two sisters - their similar voices overlapping and creating harmonies as the beats chug along. I don't usually follow this type of music, but the guitarist from the Secret Machines quit that band to join this one and that got me interested. Some songs incorporate exotic and sometimes slightly discordant world instrumentation in a way that reminds me of music on the Theivery Corporation's ESL label. Songs like "Face To Face On High Places" and "Wired For Light" are beautifully hypnotic, the lyrics chanted and sung over the clickity click of electronic beats. However, like a quite a bit electronic music, it can get a little repetitive after a while, especially on the 12 minute "Sempiternal/Amaranth". Overall, the album would be the perfect soundtrack for a chill urban lounge.

Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line (2008)

Ra Ra Riot’s 2008 release, The Rhumb Line, will sound mightily familiar to any of you who are acquainted with their 2007 self-titled EP. Four tracks are featured on both releases, arguably the best songs on the album, and only one or two of the additions really stand out. The best of the repeated tracks, “Ghost Under Rocks” and “Dying Is Fine,” have noticeably improved recording & production—less lo-fi garage band promo tape, more studio filtered cleanliness. The interesting additions are the Kate Bush cover "Suspended in Gaffa,” and “Oh, La,” which for a brief second I thought was an alternate lyrics cover of The Kook’s 2006 track “Ooh La” (notice the subtle difference… clever). If you enjoyed the 2007 EP release, which I did, I would definitely recommend this polished extension; however, be prepared for similarities throughout.

The Maccabees - Colour It In (2007)

Sometimes bands aren't known for stand-out tracks. Instead, they’re meant to be enjoyed as reflection music for that lazy Sunday evening spent laying around, thinking. If you’re looking for simply beautiful tunage that’s got all the flavor of indie rock, minus the pretense and unnecessary complexity of its genre’s counterparts... enter: Colour It In by The Maccabees.

They're so derivative that if I walked into their sound check I'd say "Whoa! You sound great, but could you tone down the Bloc Party?" before inevitably getting thrown out. This sounds bad, but sometimes music with little inventiveness and/or no real surprises can provide the same comfort we get from watching our favorite movie over and over again. It's astonishing how heavily they borrow from Bloc Party in vocals/instrumentation, but at least this ensures pretty guitar and peaceful vocals that result in beautiful music amidst the chaos of some seriously layered instrumentation. My favorite tracks, "The Real Thing" and "Toothpaste Kisses," just so happen to be the most stripped down and unfortunately shortest songs on the album. I tend to put them on loop just so I can get a real fill of their sweetness.

And now the nominations for "Cutest Music Video"... it's perfect for artsy bisexual types or anyone who understands that "perfectly choreographed" doesn't always mean cheesy backup dancers:

Late Of The Pier - Fantasy Black Channel (2008)

A trusted, albeit electronica-obsessed resource suggested I check out England’s Late Of The Pier to stave off Wolf Parade cravings, and my curiosity was decidedly piqued. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve assumed this was one of Spencer Krug’s innumerable [and questionable?] spin-off’s… except decent. They share his eerily resonant vocals, laced with danceable indie beats in the vein of Klaxons. Weeks of listening later, I discovered…

This genre-happy band is everything and nothing, all at once. One minute metal, next prog rock, from synth-rock, then danceable indie, to some yet-to-be-classified amalgam of the aforementioned. My entire listening experience could be summed up with a… Huh? Wait… what? Oh god… Umm… What the fuck? Hmm… Holy shit! This band seriously goes from point A to point… Z.

If you don’t mind shameless pilfering of more established bands like Wolfsheim, My Chemical Romance, Panic At The Disco, Bloc Party, Muse and Orgy, to name a few, then you might dig this band. The vocals range from Krug, to David Bowie’s baritone, to Matt Berninger’s darkness (The National), and the music is guitar-driven one minute, gloomily synthtastic the next… you won’t know whether to run, scream, hide, or stay and dance to the musical schizophrenia.

Although some tracks are overly ambitious that they lose their focus (“Heartbeat” and “Whitesnake”), there are some wicked(ly) cool ones too. The awesomely 80's throwback, “The Enemy Are The Future,” is at best a B-side to a Bowie B-side album… but in a good way. Then the edgy “Mad Dogs and Englishmen,” with its Hot Hot Heat-inspired vocals and Bloc Party flavor, is perfect for a Devo comeback album. And “Bathroom Gurgle” is definitely on my playlist for an unplanned indie dance party.

WARNING: Don't listen to Fantasy Black Channel before bed. It may give you night tremors... or worse yet: the “jimmy legs!” ;-)

Born Ruffians - Red Yellow & Blue (2008)

Not to get all philosophical on your ass, but what came first... America's Vampire Weekend or Canada's Born Ruffians? Releasing eerily similar records within months of each other is stranger than post-Scientology Tom Cruise. It's kinda like when some mathematical genius from Tacoma wins medals inventing equations that some kid in a Cambodian village figured out 5 years ago, except no one knew... what are the odds?

Anyway... they've received QuickCrit praise before, but Red Yellow & Blue deserves its own nod. Overall, Born Ruffians sound like Vampire Weekend's cooler big brother with all the sonic quirkiness, minus the Afro-beats and Ivy League pretense. Vocally, it's an expert blend of My Morning Jacket meets Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, which will either intrigue or dissuade you (hopefully the former, not the latter). I've listened the hell out of this album and it's already cemented its place in my top ten list for 2008 releases.

My two favorite tracks, the absolutely adorable "Foxes Mate For Life" and romantic "Red Elephant" (nod to Sunny Day Real Estate?), are worth checking out, like, now. When he sings "Why am I here, when you're over there? Let's meet at the fountains at Dundas Square..." I actually want to drive to Toronto just to meet up. Oh, and they win the award for "Cutest Songs Titles in 2008." On stand-out "Hummingbird," you get hand-claps, a Futureheads-style sing-along chorus, and the recognizable guitar of Les Savy Fav. The bass punctuates in unexpected ways and the "oohs" and "ahhs" make you want to, well, hum along. The ever-jangly "I Need A Life" will inspire a social life, while "Little Garcon" will make you break out smores for a campfire sing-a-long with its playful drum taps, harmonica, and youthful vocals. "Badonkadonkey" boasts the same disjointed guitar-work of Vampire Weekend's "M79" with a bass-line straight out of Dexys Midnight Runners' "Come On Eileen," while "In A Mirror" shares the same off-kilter vocals of Pavement's "Shady Lane"... the notes are off the mark, yet still hit it somehow.

...and "Kurt Vonnegut," with its competing vocals, "Oh won't you come outside, love!" round-like chorus, and upbeat music evoke such unabashed happiness... instead of throwing pebbles, this is the song I'd want a lovelorn boy to play outside my window in the middle of the night... (yeah, "In Your Eyes" won't work on me)

The Final Verdict:
If you like any of the comparisons I name-dropped, this album is worth at least one listen. And if you love Vampire Weekend, I'm fairly certain you'll love these guys as much, if not more... I actually think they might be better... ::ducks::

Leona Naess - Thirteens (2008)

I have literally been waiting years (five to be exact) for Leona Naess to release a new album. I first heard her play as an opener for Badly Drawn Boy in 2003. Immediately, I went home and had Awmercy purchase I Tried To Rock You But You Only Roll (2001) and Leona Naess (2003).

Her albums often unfold like a diary with each song playing candidly through the ups and downs of relationships and life. Thirteens, released this week, is the product of two years and thirteen albums worth of songs recorded while mourning her father's 2004 death. Naess calls her newest work a "mix-tape" of songs that express the emotions one would expect from a life-altering change. The album ranges in mood from the plaintive and sweet "Learning as We Go" and "Not the Same Girl" to a more upbeat "Un-Named" and "Leave Your Boyfriends Behind," which makes you want to grab a buddy and sing along drunkenly to the chorus.

At first listen, I fell in love with Thirteens and it only gets better the second and third (and thirteenth) time around. Her beautifully sad voice perfectly captures the sentiments conveyed through her lyrics. I am so excited that one of my favorite artists has produced another album that exceeds my expectations and was well worth the long wait.

TV On The Radio - Dear Science (2008)

If you are looking for an exercise in articulation, may I suggest trying to explain what kind of music TV On The Radio plays to someone who has never listened to TVOTR’s albums before. Most of my attempts at explanation have usually ended in: “Well, here.” I’d say, handing over and earpiece, “Just listen.” Dear Science shares this nearly indefinable fusion of funky, synth & drum-heavy, experimental grooves and layered beat-vocal combinations. What stands out on Dear Science is the emphasis on cleaner, clearer vocals—harmonies & backing included—with the unique tonal tendencies and the beats grabbing center stage, while the guitar/bass, horns, piano and such fade in and out as constantly evolving support (Listen: “Shout Me Out,” Family Tree,” “Love Dog”). With that said, some tracks, such as “Crying,” “DLZ” and “Red Dress,” harken back to the funky, buzzing, body-moving catchiness that is expected of these Brooklyn-based artistes. Overall, Dear Science is perhaps not as mind-blowing as Return To Cookie Mountain, but definitely an album, and a band, worth coveting.

For some instant, aggressively funky gratification, check out “DLZ.”

James Hunter - The Hard Way (2008)

The first time I heard James Hunter's first album, "People Gonna Talk" I lost $20 bucks due to his whiteness, but I wasn't mad at all. He has an old school early 60s/50s sound that definitely delivers on "The Hard Way". Now don't get me wrong, I love today’s new bands, strip clubs, pop music, and gangster rap, but to me, if I was stuck on a island with a couple of records, it would have to be guys like Wilson Pickett, Ray Charles, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Fats Domino. So needless to say this album is right up my alley. Songs like "Corina", "The Hard Way", "She's Got A Way", and "Hand it Over" have been playing non stop at mi casa for the past two weeks. Hunter has a smoky voice that complements the horns of Hand and Badau perfectly, not to mention, Hunter can a play a cord or two as well. Oh yeah, is that an organ piano I hear? You better believe it. Wow, it is almost impossible to overestimate how much this album rips.

The Sounds - Hurt You [single] (2006)

When you grow up on new wave, your heart indubitably aches when you realize the "The bands" of today will never out-rock the "The bands" you idolized in the 80's and still listen to. Who knows when this generation's The Cars or The Talking Heads will appear, but it's gonna be okay... danceable Swedish poptronica works well in the interim.

Always a fan of The Sounds, I forgot how much I dug their last effort, Dying To Say This To You (2006), 'til I saw Geico pilfer "Hurt You" for their latest motorcycle insurance commercial. Not only does it perfectly complement the ad, but it's also a pleasant throwback to my favorite track off DTSTTY. Male/female vocal interplay, electronic jabs, an infectious beat and catchy chorus... it's like an indiefied version of The Human League's "Don't You Want Me," except flash forward 20 something years to a more time-appropriate level of hipness.

The first few notes sound like musical extrusion, almost like they're caught in a compound gear train, but in a good way. And vocals? More like playful yelling in a musical point of contention. The male and female take turns expressing their P.O.V. by thinking/debating out loud. The music is fun and upbeat, but not overly electronic. The song is spunky and sassy, without pretense. Plus, who doesn't like a little free flowing usage of the F word for good measure?

"Hurt You" has been on constant repeat, giving my Top Artists on LastFM a run for their money. You may find yourself dancing around to The Sounds while getting ready. Soon you'll start mouthing the lyrics while putting on a freshly-washed pair of skinny jeans, checking your side-swept bangs in the mirror, and applying that optimal amount of lip gloss before heading out to some hipster joint in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. And the last part, with those shards of edgy guitar, is perfect for that moment when you're coyly leafing through jukebox selections while simultaneously eyeing that cute, faux-hawked boy in the corner with the PBR in his hands... hoping he's in the mood to hear "Bizarre Love Triangle," too.

I couldn't find an official video, but here's a de facto one for musical enjoyment.

The Broken West - Now Or Heaven (2008)

If I heard this without knowing the artist, I never would've guessed that this was the Broken West. Their last album was full of future power pop classics, but that sound seems to have mostly been discarded. They've exchanged the hook driven and punchy riff and harmony structure for a more laid back approach to melodic pop. It's still catchy, just mellower. Some of the songs remind me of British pop bands like Travis, especially "Embassy Row". Luckily, they still write some great songs, "Perfect Games" for example. "Gwen, Now And Then", "Terror For Two" and "Ambuscade" are also good. Overall, I don't think they quite hit the highs of the top singles off their last album, but power pop can grow stagnant and this new direction sounds promising.

Ben Arthur - Mouthfeel (2008)

After a four year hiatus from his 2004 (and one of my favorite albums), Edible Darling, I was excited to potentially add ten new songs to my Ben Arthur music playlist. When I heard the first song on Mouthfeel I thought ahh, he's back. Pairing up with Rachel Yamagata and DJ Big Wiz, there's an interesting mix of his "classic" stuff with some new sounds.

I don't want to say I was disappointed with the album, but when listening to it in the car I was bummed that there were a few songs that struck me as booor-ing. I think it would be fair to say that I'd definitely add six of the ten songs to my top list and see if the remaining four grow on me a little more.

With that said, I absolutely love three songs on the album: "Tattoo" (the first song), which sounds a lot like my favorites from Edible Darling; "Last Goodbye" which harks back to the glory days of Blink 182 (Ve1cro I'm sure he wrote this one for you); and "Beautiful Day in LA."

Kings of Leon – Only By The Night (2008)

The first thing I did upon getting Only By The Night was to skip through each track and make sure that nothing sounded like “Charmer” off of Because of the Times. And, thankfully, nothing did. Kings of Leon have returned to once again inoculate the world with their divergent and addicting southern influenced indie rock—and they sound extremely refined, thoughtful, and quite frankly, better than ever. Awesome from beginning to end, the vocals, lyrics, and music have reached a heightened level of maturity and development. I personally don’t hear any of the glitches that hampered portions of the three previous albums, although I’m often overly critical of bands I really like. I always, and increasingly, expect great things from Kings of Leon, and with Only By The Night they do not disappoint. If you do not own this album by the end of the month, you should be embarrassed.

Current favorites are the so called single, "Sex on Fire," "Closer," and "Be Somebody," but you can't go wrong with any of them.

Chairlift - Bruises [single] (2008)

Chairlift is from New York and my friend Sameer has a huge crush on the lead singer. Last night, I discovered this tenaciously catchy song on my drive home. "Bruises" starts out totally Feist-like and then continues to develop into a lovely duet. The lyrics are slightly silly yet endearing, "I tried to do headstands for you but every time I fell for you" and “I grabbed some frozen strawberries so I could ice your bruising knees.” It’s the perfect song to sing in the shower - complete with ooohs and doos.

Mix Tape: The Art of Cassette Culture (2004)

I imagine this book was a lot of fun to make. I can see Moore going to his friends and asking them to share one of their mix tapes and maybe an anecdote with him to celebrate mix tapes. Some of the pieces are insightful and others bring a chuckle. The song lists on the mix tapes themselves are only half as interesting as what people have to say about them. I especially like the anecdotes that describes what was going on when someone made or received the mix tape. It’s a highly entertaining and quick read (or flip through) and it includes the best argument for records and analog ever (involving your ear-heart).

The Electric Six - Flashy (2008)

The Electric Six need to slow down. With the exception of 2004, E6 has released an album every year since 2003. Flashy, E6’s 2008 installment, is not exactly what the title suggests. It feels more like a collection of songs that did not quite fit in with the songs on other albums. The lyrics are pretty hilarious, as is expected from front-man and entertainer extraordinaire Dick Valentine, but the dance beats only make brief, down-played appearances and not a single song jumps out of the stereo and grabs you like on Fire, Senor Smoke, and I Shall Exterminate Everything Around Me That Restricts Me from Being the Master. With that said, I must admit that I am quite biased towards the dance tracks. I do like “Heavy Woman,” "Face Cuts" & “Your Heat Is Rising” in their own right, but the rest of the tracks are mediocre rockers. Flashy is not an accurate reflection of E6’s catalog (because I love me some E6!) and in my opinion should be labeled as a “B-Sides” album, because the variance seems like an uncharacteristic break from usually uniquely-excellent music.

Sam Sparro - Sam Sparro (2008)

Sam Sparro's newest U.S release is his self titled album Sam Sparro. The U.K. DJ has a very fresh and original groove. His dance jams are full of synthesizer, but at the same time are very harmonious, full of heart and soul. "Too Many Questions" is an awesome track that sort of reminds me of Jamiroquai*. "Black and Gold" is his promoted single which I am absolutely addicted to right now. The thing I like most about Sam Sparro is that he puts a new millennium twist on an 80's sound. The whole time I listen to the album I have visions of break dancing crews, The Warriors (the movie, not the basketball team, although Run TMC did start in the late 80s if I am not mistaken), and Thriller. A good example of what I mean is my favorite track "Sally". This song sounds like a lost Billy Ocean top ten smash. So if you like 80's dance music like MJ and Billy Ocean, you will love this album. Also, I highly recommend getting Sam Sparro in it's entirety as there isn't one bad song on the record, and there are some other solid tracks not mentioned in my review.

*Virtual Insanity was a killer video by the way

The Upsidedown - Human Destination (2008)

How you feel about the Dandy Warhols will probably influence how you feel about the Upsidedown. Like the Dandies and Brian Jonestown Massacre they mostly play psychedelic garage rock indebted to Lou Reed and the sweeter side of shoegaze bands. Hushed guy-girl vocals float over alternating rock solid and tranquil grooves, rather than being submerged in waves of distortion. This is music for chilling out - it's low on hooks, but still gets you to nod along. For the most part they avoid tedious jams by reigning the songs in around 3 minutes and mixing in a couple of solid singles: "If You Are Hell Girl" is mostly a simple but catchy chorus and "Halo" chugs along with some sweet Nugget riffs.