30 Day Song Challenge: Day Twenty Two - A Song That You Listen To When You Are Sad

Day Twenty Two - A Song That You Listen To When You Are Sad
The Blue Nile
"From A Late Night Train"

First off, the person who uploaded the song to YouTube titled it wrong, the song is "From A Late Night Train" and not "It's Over Now," which is actually a lyric from the song. Secondly, when I am sad, the best thing to get over it quickly is to wallow in it for a short period and get all the crying a stuff out of my system. I even have a playlist on my iPod for such occasions, stocked full of really gut-wrenching songs that are always guaranteed to make me shed a tear or two, or a bucket. This song has always been a good post-breakup song to get the waterworks flowing.

SBTRKT: SBTRKT

SBTRKT
SBTRKT
Rating: Meh

After spending the last couple of years being the go-to person for bizarre remixes (Radiohead, Goldie, Modeselektor, and Tinie Tempah, for example), SBTRKT (a.k.a., Aaron Jerome) finally releases his debut album. Not much is known about SBTRKT since he doesn't give interviews and hides behind an African tribal mask that is featured on the album cover. All that is really known is that he is a south London DJ, who works in a variety of electronic music genres. It is clear SBTRKT wants his anonymity to put the focus on his music and less on him personally. This can work to an artist's advantage when they have the music to back it up, like Burial or WU LYF, but in this case, the music, which is impeccably produced, doesn't have enough personality to carry it. After each spin of the record, I keep asking myself the question, "Who is SBTRKT?"

The album spans several genres, mostly sticking within the confines of garage or two-step, with some forays into dubstep and electro. He also utilizes several vocalists, including London R&B singer Sampha (who sounds like a more soulful James Blake), Yukimi Nagano of Little Dragon, Roses Gabor, and Jessie Ware. The vocal tracks, which are by far the more successful of the tracks, do tend to also detract from who SBTRKT is, as there is no focal point. The most difficult thing about reviewing this record is that there is nothing to really hate about this record, it is very pleasant, and it is obvious SBTRKT knows his way around the studio, but also, there is nothing standing out making you want to hear the record over and over again. Honestly, the only track that I truly love is the Jessie Ware sung track "Right Thing To Do," with her sultry, low-key vocals riding counterpoint to the slinky bass heavy two-step beat.



The female vocalists definitely make their marks on their tracks, providing enough of their own personalities to stand out from the pack. Roses Gabor adds some sass and soul to her track "Pharoahs."



And Little Dragon singer Yukimi Nagano's luscious croon whips in and out of wobbly dubstep bass on "Wildfire."



But the majority of tracks are given over to Sampha, who has a gorgeous, velvety voice which, when it works well, adds a haunting, emotional depth to the tracks. "Hold On" especially stands out, his voice in such control at the beginning, and getting more and more frantic.



On "Trials of the Past," Sampha is equally effective at providing a human heart to the cold, dubstep-like electronics.



After a couple of tracks, however, it is evident that Sampha's delivery is basically the same on each track, and they get lost in the confines of the album. "Something Goes Right" loses his vocals completely in generic garage/2 step trappings.



"Never Never" again takes what would have stood out as a stand alone track with Sampha and becomes another very similar track that is practically indistinguishable from all the others.



Even more telling about the album is that the instrumental pieces have almost no personality whatsoever. "Heatwave" is all skittering beats and lazy, wonky synths, "Ready Set Loop" takes annoying to new heights with treble heavy synths and glitchy loops, and closing track "Go Bang" takes the album out not on a bang but with a whimper.

SBTRKT is a perfectly pleasant record that is actually quite enjoyable to listen to if you are not looking for something challenging or fresh. It is like eating vanilla ice cream all the time; it is always good, but you always feel something is lacking once you are done, and you look longingly at that cone of rocky road, wanting to experience some more complex tastes.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Twenty-One - A Song You Listen To When You Are Happy

Day Twenty-One - A Song You Listen To When You Are Happy
The Juan Maclean
"Happy House"

Duh! No brainer.

Arrange: Plantation

Arrange
Plantation
Rating: Woof Daddy

The experience of listening to Plantation, the self-released debut album from Florida teenager Malcom Lacey, is akin to rummaging around a stuffed attic, coming across old photo albums, journals, and keepsakes, being washed over by the floods of memory: the triumphs and failures, the joy and sadness, the important and the mundane. It is also an album steeped in loneliness and sadness, Lacey's voice almost a monotone, afraid to let the emotion crack the surface, less the anger break free and overtake him. The restraint fits well with these gorgeously evocative ten tracks. Despite his youth, Lacey has an amazing ear for arrangement (no pun intended) and builds these songs in layers, never adding too much or making things too bare. Plantation is truly an album that must be experienced in one sitting, as the themes and melodies flow throughout the record and with each listen, you pick up more and more, it all fitting together like pieces of a puzzle.

The songs are not overly complicated or fussy, opening instrumental "In Old Theaters" builds off low electronic horns into expansive drums and piano, which seemed to be a natural flow from Lacey's earlier, more drone-inspired EPs. This leads into one of the standout singles on the album, "Tiny Little Boy," featuring booming drum programming, shimmering guitars and piano, and lyrics capturing the nervousness of youth.



Of the vocal based tracks, my favorite leans towards "Veins." His voice, so hushed and internal, is almost taken over by the ambient washes of synths, the music taking over the emotional weight of the track.



In "Medicine Man" the narrator, always taken advantage of, turns increasingly ambivalent until the end, where he lashes out at those hurting him, the music turning into a blur of electronic noise.

Arrange, Medicine Man by Daniyrselfclean

Another favorite track, is the plaintive ballad "Turnpike." Lacey's morose voice over a simple piano melody, surrounded by washes of keyboards, evoking the overwhelming nature of being young with too many possibilities in front of you.



"When'd You Find Me?" is perhaps the emotional centerpiece of the record, the sounds blooming from ambient soundscapes to almost post-dubstep fury. The narrator overcome with emotion over a failed relationship, almost unable to function, spewing lines like:

“Goddamn these thoughts
Goddamn these people that remind me of you
Goddamn these heart attacks, every single one of them I wish you’d go through
I’ve been told it’s good for me to cry, but I can’t
The thought doesn’t register.”



Although he is only a teenager, Lacey's lyrics, which could easily have come across as mere navel-gazing journal entries, are quite complex without being cryptic, and have a lovely, universal quality. You get the sense of a good writer at the stage of turning into a great writer. From the tender ache of wanting to grow up to fast on "Tearing Up Old Asphalt," to the haunting refrain of "Burning away/I’ve been burning away/Half of the day has been spent just burning away” on the lovely "Turnpike."

Plantation is so fully formed and beautifully executed it is amazing someone as young as Lacey put this all together in his bedroom. As I was mentioning in my review of the new WU LYF album, there has been a seismic shift recently with young artists and bands really focusing on their songcraft and not worrying about sales or public opinion. When artists concentrate on making great music that is personal to them, the fans will be there. For one, I am excited about where music is heading, and if artists as diverse as Arrange, Iceage, Wild Beasts, Shabazz Palaces, and WU LYF are out there, things are only going to get better. I cannot recommend this album too highly; it is truly one of the best albums of the year, and can be downloaded for free (or you can pay for a physical copy) at Arrange's bandcamp page, here.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Twenty - A Song That You Listen To When You're Angry

Day Twenty - A Song That You Listen To When You're Angry
Ministry
"Thieves"

Before Ministry became a parody of itself, they used to put out some really great industrial metal tracks. This is my favorite track off of The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste, and has enough aggression in it to allow me to vent my anger. So if you hear me playing this song, I suggest you walk away slowly.

WU LYF: Go Tell Fire To The Mountain

WU LYF
Go Tell Fire To The Mountain
Rating: Woof Daddy

In this Internet age where you can find out basically everything about anything or anyone, it is a bit refreshing when something maintains a bit of mystery. WU LYF (or World Unite/Lucifer Youth Foundation) is a gang of Mancunians who don't have a Facebook/MySpace/Bandcamp/Twitter/Tumblr page, and not much is known about them other than their live shows are practically legendary (selling out before the band had even properly released any music), they famously ignored phone calls from famous directors to work with them, and have refused to work with major labels, choosing instead to record the album in an abandoned church and self-releasing the record on their own. Whether all of this behavior is truly meant to be a way of life, or just a PR stunt, remains to be seen, but, as I am fond of saying, at the end, all that matters is the music. Go Tell Fire To The Mountain doesn't reinvent the wheel per se, as some UK critics have pontificated, but is a stirring collection of songs drawing from many disparate sources (early U2, Sigur Ros, post-punk, post-rock, etc.), but bound together by a rich solemnity and vocalist Ellery Roberts' bizarre warble, which will either intoxicate you or make you run for the hills.

WU LYF's sound can be defined by the centerpiece to the album "We Bros," a combination of interlocking, chiming guitars, uplifting drums, and haunting organ drones, and of course, Roberts' guttural howls and grunts. It is a truly magical, uplifting moment, with some great lyrics.



The choice to use a church to record the album is very key to the sound they are trying to achieve. There is a lot of grand space going on here, it feels expansive and large. On "Spitting Blood" the mid-section of the song drops out and the organ echoes and folds in on itself, until the band kicks it all into gear again.



First single "Heavy Pop" is a odd choice, but is another calling card for the band. Over 2 minutes of intro piano and organ lead into deep drum rolls, soaring guitar chimes, leading to an anthem closer.



The record is not as overly esoteric as I make it out to be. There are plenty of pure pop moments in between the more dramatic pieces. "Cave Song" has a tight, driving rhythm section and great melody.



"Summas Bliss" is spritely and charging, the bass anchoring the chiming guitars and skittering drums.



Of course, I am always drawn to the more edgy tracks. The dark, gloomy guitars of "Concrete Gold,"



the ghostly drones and booming drums of "14 Crowns For Me & Your Friends,"
which gel into a gorgeous anthem,



or the striking, organ-led ballad "Such A Sad Puppy Dog."



For the past couple of years, there have been some really great records released, but there was/were no band(s) that really got me sitting up and excited about where music was going. In the past couple of months, bands like Iceage, Wild Beasts, and Arrange have struck a chord, putting out some amazing new music. Not that any of these bands are creating anything "new" but are boldly setting out on their own paths, making music for themselves and not for any focus group or corporation. Go Tell Fire To The Mountain is by far one of the most exciting debuts to be released in years.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Nineteen - A Song From Your Favorite Album

Day Nineteen - A Song From Your Favorite Album
My Bloody Valentine
"Soon"

Loveless is my all time favorite album from shoegaze giants My Bloody Valentine. The album is so perfect there really has been no way for MBV to ever top it. I suppose that is why they haven't recorded another album since. They've toured on and off for the past few years and have indicated they are working on remastering this seminal album as well as their second album Isn't Anything?, but alas, talk of new material comes and goes without anything concrete forming.

"Soon" appeared on an earlier ep called Glider and was always one of my favorite tracks. I was glad it was included on Loveless because it fits the mood of the album and is probably the perfect track to end it. Lush dance beats play off the incredibly distorted and effect heavy guitars. Pure bliss.

Videos of the Week

Here are the latest videos that are knocking my socks off:

YACHT Utopia / Dystopia (The Earth Is On Fire) from DFA Records on Vimeo.

Double video for the first two tracks on the new, fabulous album from YACHT. Lots of great influences here: Talking Heads, Feelies, B-52s, Devo, et al. If you ever get the chance to see them live, please do, they put on a very fun show.



Animated first ever video for Austin, TX post-rockers Explosions In The Sky's track "Last Know Surroundings," one of my favorite tracks on their latest record.



Creepy, somewhat beautiful NSFW clip from breakout band Yuck.



First video from the new "concept" album from Fucked Up. Very strange interpretation of the song, but very effective.



New song from Radiohead, which is continuing the trend of non-King of Limbs tracks that are better than most of the tracks on the album.

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Eighteen - A Song That You Wish You Heard On The Radio

Day Eighteen - A Song That You Wish You Heard On The Radio
Chad VanGaalen
"Peace On The Rise"

So basically I should pick every song I listen to, since none of them are played on local radio. I'll be back in a year or so, once I have attached 15,000 songs to this post.

Oh well, I guess I can narrow it to one. This is from one of my favorite albums at the moment. A gorgeous song. Reminds me of old Miracle Legion.

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Seventeen - A Song That You Often Hear On The Radio

Day Seventeen - A Song That You Often Hear On The Radio
Jamie xx
"Far Nearer"

Ok, this one is basically impossible for me to answer because I don't listen to the radio. There aren't any regular stations here in Atlanta that play what I like to listen to, and the college radio stations here tend to be filled with lots of hipster DJs that are only interested in playing Bulgarian toe sax music. So I listen to everything on my iPod or through Internet streams.

So, anywho, I have heard this several times on some BBC streams, so this will have to do for now. It is a great, summery track and always gets me in a great mood.

Beyonce: 4

Beyonce
4
Rating: Tragicistani

A lot of people look at me like I am crazy when they find out I like Beyonce. People are equally perplexed when I tell them (sincerely) that I do like pop music. To me, a good song is a good song, regardless of genre. It only annoys me when pop music is bland, unimaginative, or just plain lazy. Beyonce's first two solo albums, while not perfect, were chock full of some great, sometimes brilliant, pop music. She has an uncanny ability to choose the right producers and songwriters and, while not being the most forward thinking in her sound, she generally incorporates more current trends easily into her songs. Recently, during the recording of 4 she has indicated she was influenced by the music of Fela Kuti and had been working with the band from a Broadway musical based on his life. Also, she was working with some very current producers like Diplo & Switch (of Major Lazer) and Derek Miller of Sleigh Bells, so my anticipation for the album was definitely increasing. First single, "Run The World (Girls)," produced by Diplo and Switch was a huge disappointment on hearing it. Instead of taking a fresh approach, they lazily took a sample from Major Lazer's "Pon De Floor" and let Beyonce skat all over it.



Only slightly better, and very slightly, is the other Diplo/Switch-produced track "End of Time" which at least boasts some more original percussion and horns, with Beyonce's voice taking on a Caribbean flavor.



The remainder of the album is filled with mostly ballads and mid-tempo numbers. There is no "Crazy In Love," "Ring The Alarm," or "Single Ladies" to get you to the dancefloor. Aside from Beyonce's voice, which is still impeccable, there is nothing much to recommend from 4. Ultimately, it is a turgid, slog of an album. Instead of feeling a sense of energy from her purported interest in Fela Kuti, the album feels like a bargain basement collection of off-Broadway tunes.

The only song I truly cared for is the Frank Ocean penned ballad "I Miss You," which borrows from the latest R&B trend of hushed, almost ambient electronic backing. Her voice begins so in control, and then later doubletracked with one voice in control, the other slowly losing it. It is a great track.



For me, at any rate, the rest of the album just drags down in murky, uninspired ballads, each sounding more and more Diane Warren-esque, until ultimately, there is actually a Diane Warren penned ballad, "I Was Here," which ironically is one of the better songs. "Best Thing I Never Had," comes across like any over-produced ballad from the late 80s.



"Love On Top" could have been recorded by Stevie Wonder during his abysmal "I Just Called To Say I Love You" phase.



And the mid-tempo tracks don't do anything to alleviate the torture. "Party (with Andree 2000)" is snicker-inducing, featuring some of the worst lyrics I have heard in awhile, and I was shocked to see that Kanye West was one of the 6 writers on the track. 6? Seriously? And musically, it sounds like a preset drum and bass line from a Casio keyboard. "Countdown" further suffers from a ridiculous set of lyrics, with Beyonce trying to get all ghetto on us.



4 is basically an unmitigated disaster. Aside from "I Miss You" there truly was not a song on here that I didn't skip over after awhile. Apparently, Beyonce recorded over 70+ songs for this record, and if these are the cream of the crop, I shudder at the thought of what the other songs sounded like. 4 is destined to be a huge hit though, the ballads are syrupy and bland enough to entice the majority of pop music listeners out there. I for one, will be deleting this pile of crap from my hard drive as soon as I publish this post.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Sixteen - A Song You Used To Love And Now Hate

Day Sixteen - A Song You Used To Love And Now Hate
The Cure
"One Hundred Years"

I used to love this song back in the 80s when it came out. What once was all dark, gloomy, and gothy has since become tedious, tiresome, and droning. When they play it live, which they usually do, it just means I get a bathroom break.

Zomby: Dedication

Zomby
Dedication
Rating: Grrrr

The one predictable thing about the mysterious dubstep/electronica producer Zomby is that he is completely unpredictable. His first releases were firmly rooted in the nascent dubstep arena ("Spliff Dub"), then taking a 180 turn towards the liquid electronica of artists from the Brainfeeder label (Flying Lotus, Nosaj Thing, etc.), and culminating with a WTF? full-length debut Where Were You In '92? which discarded all his previous work for a rave/jungle hybrid. Thankfully, regardless of the constant genre hopping, Zomby always puts out quality music, and it is always exciting when he releases something new. So, earlier this year, when it was announced that his latest album Dedication would be released on the seminal indie/goth label 4AD, many heads were scratched in puzzlement. What would this mean for his music? Would we see another seismic shift? And the answer is, of course, yes. Dedication is another 180 turn away from the blissed out rave of the last album, and a dip towards emotional introspection, which is foreshadowed in the minimal cover art. There is palpable sense of loss and sadness coloring the entire record. Indeed, Zomby has hinted in his ambiguous interviews that the album is for someone he misses. Whether this through a breakup or through someone passing away, it is not clear, but you can easily assign either one or both of those views to the record and they match up well.

"Witch Hunt" starts things off under a somber synth line and skittering drum beat, punctuated by gunshot percussion, making a statement of purpose that this is to be a heavy record.



The Irina Dubtzova-sampling track "Natalia's Song" cuts up vocals and surrounds them with a fog of electronics and spacey burbles.



Which moves effortlessly into the two-step smoothness of "Alothea."



Most of the songs barely make it over the 3:00 mark, and indeed, some feel very sketch-like, but I think that is his purpose, that life sometimes is not completed, but there is always beauty to be found even in fragments. Some of the most memorable sketches are the rave like stabs of "Adagio For Lucifer," which fades almost as quickly as it begins, the droning buzz of "Jimmy Best," the plaintive piano motifs of "Basquiat," or the shimmering luminescence of "Florence,"



It is not all fragments and sketches, there are meatier parts to the record that do not disappoint either. The talked about collaboration with Panda Bear on "Things Fall Apart" is truly memorable; Panda Bear's mantra-like vocals are a perfect match for Zomby's 8-bit sonics.



"Digital Rain" sounds like a marriage of two-step and Crystal Castles' video game synth terrorism.



And final track "Mozaik" builds off a hybrid two-step/mumbaton beat, with the electronics getting more and more agitated as the song progresses, ending suddenly and without warning, much like life.



Despite the beautiful synth tones and smooth production values of Dedication, it is ultimately not an easy listen. Zomby constantly shifts focus and mood, and keeps you on your toes. Several listens are necessary before the record takes shape and form. At first I was hesitant to let go and let the flow of the album direct me, but once you give in to its path, it is completely rewarding.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Fifteen - A Song That Describes You

Day Fifteen - A Song That Describes You
The Verve
"Already There"

Again, there is no instruction as to whether the song title or the lyrics of the song are supposed to describe you. If they are going to be that way, I am going to be that way, and not tell any of you why I chose this song. Come up with your own interpretation.

Hooray For Earth: True Loves

Hooray For Earth
True Loves
Rating: Woof Daddy

Sounding like a lot of bands, but commanding their own distinct sound, Hooray For Earth is rooted in the dense, lush synth-pop of the 80s, brought into a 2010s context. Each track on their debut True Loves is built on layer upon layer of gorgeous, warm synthesizers, almost tailor made to hit the cheap seats of a stadium, but intricate and emotional enough to entrance the most jaded bedsitter. Perfectly paced, with melodies like earworms, True Loves is chock full of endlessly catchy singles that get more infectious with each listen. Their self-titled debut album and subsequent EP Momo only hinted at what this band was capable of, and subsequent tours with The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and work with Twin Shadow over the past year really honed their craft, creating a truly wonderful album.

The trance-like synths and beats of "Sails" is the perfect entry point to Hooray For Earth, steadily gaining in intensity, the swirling keyboards in perfect combination with the chanted vocals.



First single, and title track, "True Loves" is heavily percussive, recalling Yeahsayer with a more industrial, reggae feel.



The standout track for me is "No Love" with its quirky hip-hop beats, bubbling electronics, and 80s synth stabs and horns, taking over a darker tone at the chorus. The synth/guitar breakdown is stellar.



And there are plenty of just flat out great pop songs. "Bring Us Closer Together" sounds like a number 1 hit from back in 1984, a mix of Tears For Fears and Go West.



"Last Minute" is a slowed down, synthed up take on 60s wall of sound production techniques, featuring a lovely vocal from Noel Heroux. "Hotel" also borrows some synth and guitar melodies from The Cars back catalog, but adds their own unique spin.

Hooray for earth - Hotel by sthelion

But always brings me back to the album is their relentless experimentation and ability to turn odd sounds into something warm and inviting. The almost tribal, Yeahsayer-like closer "Black Trees" builds from a base of dense percussion and ghostly keyboards into a hypnotic swirl of a song.

Hooray For Earth - Black Trees by Dovecote Records

"Realize It's Not The Sun" is an impeccably constructed opener, using mostly voices as effects, until the percussion and abstract guitars move in on Heroux's lush falsetto.



Hooray For Earth have been making music since 2006, slowly building their sound and releasing singles here and there, but hesitant to release their second album too quickly. Based on their earlier material (aside from Momo), True Loves did not seem the likely outcome. In this age of everything being released quickly with little forethought, it is a breath of fresh air seeing a band take the time to work on their sound so that they are releasing quality music. True Loves is exciting and one of the best records of the year.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.

30 Day Song Challenge: Day 14 - A Song No One Would Expect You To Love

Day 14 - A Song No One Would Expect You To Love
Ace Of Base
"Don't Turn Around"

Ace Of Base are awesome. Get over it.

WU LYF: "LYF"

WU LYF (or World Unite/Lucifer Youth Foundation) are the latest buzz band from Manchester, England. Not much is known about the band except it is a four-piece, they recorded their debut album Go Tell Fire To The Mountain in a church, the album is self-released on their own label, and that they refuse to do interviews. Aside from this one video and some live footage online, there really isn't much more about the band that is known. The album is strangely familiar and alien at the same time. The music is epic and sparse, lonely and inviting, and something you just can't get out of your head. Not sure if they are for everyone; the kicker is the vocalist, who basically howls rather than sings. But once you get over the shock of it, it is a fairly expressive instrument. They are definitely a band to check out and follow.

Videos of the Week

Finally my three weeks of working hell are over, and I can actually look forward to having a nice, relaxing weekend. Here are the videos this week that glittered and shined.



Two of my favorite ladies, Robyn and Rye Rye, team up for this redo of the Robyn song.



Very bizarre clip for the new White Lies single, "Holy Ghost."



Must have been the week for weird videos. Although I am not a huge fan of the new album, this track from Bon Iver is pretty fantastic.



I guess this would be considered the Lady Gaga of Iceland.



Fantastic song off the new album from Friendly Fires.



Great track off the free release from Frank Ocean.

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Thirteen - A Song That Is A Guilty Pleasure

Day Thirteen - A Song That Is A Guilty Pleasure
Katy Perry
"Teenage Dream"

There is nothing particularly great about this song, it is just breezy and catchy, and I could never seem to get it out of my head.

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Twelve - A Song From A Band You Hate

Day Twelve - A Song From A Band You Hate
Francis and the Lights
"Darling, It's Alright"

These guys opened for La Roux on their last tour and I honest thought they were a comedy act, they were so over the top pretentious and horrid. Sadly, it was all genuine.

Bon Iver: Bon Iver, Bon Iver

Bon Iver
Bon Iver, Bon Iver
Rating: Meh

Justin Vernon has a lovely, haunting voice; his falsetto a completely controlled instrument that is even lovelier once he multi-tracks it. His debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago, recorded in a remote Wisconsin cabin for four months, was a beautiful record, full of loneliness and heartbreak. In the interim between that album and his sophomore release he has been more known for his collaborations, some making sense, as with the 70s lite-rock supergroup Gayngs, and some that on first glance seemed incongruous, mainly his work with Kanye West. Now we have his latest album under the Bon Iver moniker, Bon Iver, Bon Iver. Not much has changed on this album, he is still creating lovely, lonely music, just with a bigger budget and better production techniques. But something is lost for me on this record; I loved the ramshackle nature of For Emma, and the clarity and spit-shine polish of this record sort of takes the allure away from his music. It seems too studied, too perfect, and ultimately, forgettable.

The majority of the album falls under the weight of too many cluttered arrangements. The album excels when he scales back and lets his voice to the heavy lifting. The highlight of the album is the gorgeously stark "Wash." which builds off ghostly treated piano and Vernon's equally ghostly falsetto. The soft addition of some strings, and guitars strikes the perfect balance, one I which he had followed more throughout the record. First single, "Calgary" is equally lovely, the synth strings and mid-tempo beat recall his recent work with Gayngs.



"Michicant" likewise excels by focusing more on Vernon's voice and lyrics than a fussy arrangement. Soft acoustic guitars and use of bicycle bells evoke the song's touching childhood ruminations. "Perth" begins the album on a strong note, its mix of electric and acoustic guitars steadily gathers in intensity as the song progresses, the one time the slightly overstuffed arrangement works on the album.

The remainder of the album just didn't speak to me in any coherent way. Vernon seemed too focused on the sound of the record and not how it feels. And don't misunderstand me, it is a gorgeous record, but there always seems to be a hand held out, keeping me away from putting my arms around it to embrace it fully. "Minnesota, WI" has far too many elements going on: acoustic guitars, banjo, fuzzed out electric guitars, horns, woodwinds, cluttered percussion, and an uncharacteristically over-the-top vocal. "Holocene" is too subtle, fading into the background like a mousy aunt. Probably the most egregious mistake on the record is the "is this a joke?" track "Beth/Rest" which sounds like a Bruce Hornsby b-side left off the St. Elmo's Fire soundtrack. It stands out like a sore thumb on the record, and should have been resigned to the dustbin.

Perhaps all of his recent success has gone to Vernon's head and he felt that he could go all out on this record and land safely. I applaud him attempting to go outside of his sound, but he ventured a little too far too soon, and got very lost. I'm hoping he is able to find his way back. His voice and writing are far too strong to give up on just yet.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Eleven - A Song From Your Favorite Band

Day Eleven - A Song From Your Favorite Band
Talk Talk
"I Believe In You"

Again, I don't have a ultimate favorite anything when it comes to music. There are usually many bands floating around the top of my favorites, so I am sort of at a loss as to how to choose something this definitive. In the spirit of the challenge, I will have to say at this moment it is the long defunct Talk Talk. I loved them during their new romantic period, their synth pop period, and the later (and much more beloved by me) experimental phase, when they stretched the boundaries of rock/jazz/electronica. If you haven't heard their last three albums (Colour Of Spring, Spirit Of Eden, and Laughing Stock), you are truly missing out on some amazing music.

Spirit of Eden is one of my favorite albums ever, and "I Believe In You" is by far my favorite song. It is haunting cry to Mark Hollis' brother who died of a heroin overdose. The ending repetition of the phrase "Spirit.....How long?" will give you chills.

Cults: Cults

Cults
Cults
Rating: Grrrr

The past couple of years has seen a bumper crop of duo bands out there. Sleigh Bells, Black Keys, the reformed Death From Above 1977, Phantogram, and Ravonettes have all made their mark on the music scene, each carving out their own distinct niche. Internet discovery Cults joins the fray with their own sound, mixing more 60s wall of sound production techniques with their sweet pop melodies. Though underneath the candy-coated sweetness lies some pretty subversive lyrics, which, for me, elevates the album to something more than just a nice group of pop songs.

"Abducted," the soaring lead track on the album, equates love with being kidnapped, with band members Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin trading verses back and forth.



First single, and Internet sensation "Go Outside" bounces along on a sumptuously dense mix, the somewhat twee arrangement hiding the acid nature of the song, with the final verse stating:

"I think it's good to go out
cause if you don't you'll never make a memory that will stay
I think that you should wake up
I think I want to live my life and you're just in my way."



The breezy "Oh My God" subtly incorporates samples of speeches from cult leaders underneath the buzzing guitars and slinky bassline, which acts as counterpoints to the lyrics which seem to imply being in a bad relationship to being brainwashed:

"Oh my god, I'm stuck in the same lame tradition
I'm so tired of thinking about the things that I have been missing
I never wanted a single thing for my life
All I wanted to know was to know that I have never wasted my time"



The album is full of great songs updating the 60s girl group sound that Cults is so obviously fond of. "You Know What I Mean," is a gorgeous ballad, with a soaring chorus.



"Never Heal Myself" takes the old sound and adds more atmospheric guitars underneath the mix.



"Bad Things" adds more samples underneath the wall of sound mix to add texture and balance.



Cults' debut is a breezy, sure-footed release whose charms get more pronounced with each listen. At first, I thought it was just another in a long line of 60s girl group pastiches, but the wry lyrics, and subtle use of more modern sounds into the mix, elevate the songs to another level completely. Whether their sound will evolve over time, or will stick to this template, only time will tell. As it stands, Cults have surely garnered my attention.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Ten - A Song That Makes You Fall Asleep

Day Ten - A Song That Makes You Fall Asleep
Brian Eno
"1/2"

I have no idea if this means a song that is soft and relaxing that aids in helping you fall asleep, or if it is a song that is so boring it makes you fall asleep. I am going with the former interpretation. I choose Brian Eno's composition "1/2" from Ambient 1: Music For Airports, one of the single most soothing and beautiful pieces of music every recorded.

EMA: Past Life Martyred Saints

EMA
Past Life Martyred Saints
Rating: Grrrr

Confessional albums are a hit or miss venture for me. Either they smack of naval-gazing, high school diary ruminations, or they go completely in the other direction and come off as pretentious and obtuse. Every once in awhile someone gets it right, straddling the line between overly precious, and self-consciously arty. Erika M. Anderson, formerly of drone-folk band Gowns, has put out a startlingly frank and brutal set of tracks for her debut Past Life Martyred Saints, that unfold in a messy, stream-of-consciousness fashion, catching you off-guard with a lot of her sentiments. It is fairly difficult, painful record to get through, feeling like you are privy to some one's deepest, darkest feelings. While I respect the record and feel it is a powerful release, there was something about the pacing of the album and the general nature of it, that prevents me from loving it. It doesn't speak to me deeply as an individual, however, for a lot of people, especially younger listeners, I can see this being a seminal release.

"The Grey Ship" starts things off well, her raspy whisper over raw, chunky acoustic guitars, slowly gaining in intensity, recalling early PJ Harvey. The lyrics throughout the album are focused on harsh realities: death, low self-worth, abuse. Heady subjects for someone so young. This song dealing with ghosts of the past haunting the singer into dark, desperate thoughts:

"I hear all them calling
The pearly gates
We've come all gone together
We've all gone to sleep"



"California," the most confessional song on the album, is a bile-strewn hate letter to the state that put her in the mess she's in:

"You're bleeding from the fingertips
You rubbed me raw you rubbed me wrong
And I heave when I think of you"



Probably the most mainstream, accessible track is the Sleigh Bells leaning hip-hop drums and fuzzy guitars/organs of "Milkman." However, the lyrics are quite disturbing:

"He's the milkman
He knows what you do
Gives it to you
But I can see right through

I'm gasping"



The album is not all horror show, the lovely ballad "Breakfast," with its lovely intertwined acoustic and electric guitars, is a perfect palette cleanser for the record.



But the majority of the album descends into dark, uncompromising places that makes it sometimes hard listening. "Butterfly Knife" is particularly hard to hear, with the constant allusions to cutting, suicide, and possibly murder, all set to wailing, feedback drenched guitars.



"Marked" is perhaps the most harrowing track on the record, the narrator seemingly enthralled with physical abuse, of her own making and from others. Singing the refrain:

"I wish that every time he
touched me left a mark"

Over the course of the almost nightmarish scrape of guitars it gets more and more creepy.



While this startling debut doesn't speak to me personally, I do recognize that it is something that others will definitely be rewarded in seeking out. EMA has a strong, individual voice and doesn't really reference anyone specifically, but is part of the greater collective of brilliant singer-songwriters like PJ Harvey, Chrissie Hynde, Kate Bush, Kim Gordon, etc. Just don't expect a stroll through wildflowers and kittens.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Nine - A Song You Can Dance To

Day Nine - A Song You Can Dance To
Nitzer Ebb
"Murderous"

Great song to get hot and sweaty to, but not a great song to drive to, as I have been pulled over for speeding while listening to it.

Videos of the Week

Friday! Well, I wish it were my Friday, but I have to work all weekend. I haz a sad. Oh well, beats not having a job. Here are the videos of the week that made me squeeee!



One of my favorite songs from last year gets the video treatment. It is a very literal version of the song, and quite disturbing. I am not sure how I feel about how a beautiful song is matched with a gory video. It is definitely eye catching, and certainly NSFW.



Gorgeous, surreal black and white video from Memory Tapes for his single "Yes I Know." I am so looking forward to his new album.

Monster by Kanye West from FRANKUPDATES on Vimeo.

The finished and uncut version of Kanye West's "Monster." Pretty disturbing, but a great track off his last album.



Video made up of footage from a Panda Bear show and some street scenes.



Bat For Lashes performing a gorgeous cover of Radiohead's "All I Need."



Kick ass dubstep track from Flux Pavillion and Doctor P.

Ford & Lopatin "World of Regret" from Thunder Horse Video on Vimeo.

Cool, computer animated video for Ford & Lopatin's electro-synth confection.



Interesting, Godard-referencing video from The Grates.

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Eight - A Song That You Know All The Words To

Day Eight - A Song That You Know All The Words To
Pavement
"The Hexx"

I think this is hard category, not because I can't think of anything, but because there are too many to choose from. I choose this song, mainly because it is surreal and weird.

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Seven - A Song That Reminds You Of A Certain Event

Day Seven - A Song That Reminds You Of A Certain Event
Two Door Cinema Club
"What You Know"

This song will forever be linked to Coachella 2011 for me. I raced over to see them after trying to catch the first half of another band, and made it just as they began. I didn't think they were that well known, but the tent was packed to overflowing. I could only get inside the tent a few feet, so I was well to the back. But the crowd, who I thought would be obnoxious, were completely into the band and no one was really being overly hipster douchey. By the end of the set, the crowd was whipped up into a near frenzy. When they began "What You Know," the singer sang the opening bars acappella then gave it over to the crowd who were singing the song much louder. It was an amazing collective moment and one of the reasons why it is a "you have to have been there" kind of experience.

Junior Boys: It's All True

Junior Boys
It's All True
Rating: Meh

I've been a huge fan of Junior Boys since No Exit and So This Is Goodbye were released and massaged my ears with their minimal, pristine synthpop. Junior Boys' sound slowly evolved over those two releases, never taking giant steps, but subtly honing their focus. By the time of their third album Begone Dull Care, I was waiting for a shift that would signal a new purpose, unfortunately, the album was a bit of a puzzle, taking their minimal aesthetic to an almost jokey level. After a brief hiatus, their new album It's All True is out, and again, we are left with a puzzle, Junior Boys not really doing anything new, but still doing it very well.

It's All True is a sunnier affair than the glum Begone Dull Care, announcing itself proudly at the start with the brisk, Asian tinged electro of "Itchy Fingers."



Pacing becomes an issue with the album overall, with the sequencing of the songs creating a whiplash effect. After the the bright opening, they bring things to a halt with the icy, electro-ballad "Playtime," which continues the Asian influence.



"Playtime" is a highlight of the album, but should have been more in the middle of the mix. It is such an abrupt shift in the pace of the album, it derails the whole flow. And the Asian influence of the first two tracks, which was a welcome addition, is then discarded.

"You'll Improve Me" gets the flow started back, locking into a synth-funk groove.



As the album progresses, the lack of focus becomes quite a hindrance in enjoying the album. Several songs just become Junior Boys by numbers, and slide by with half-baked melodies and rote synth parts. "Truly Happy Ending" is the worst offender.

Junior Boys - A Truly Happy Ending by zar

"Kick The Can" is almost unlistenable. Jeremy Greenspan's falsetto works against the ping-pong effects of synths and percussion, and the repetitive nature of the track is borderline torture. "ep" meanders and wanders through almost 6 minutes of ambient noodling.



It's All True is maddening, because Junior Boys show that they can take risks and move their sound into different areas. While the band is an electronic band, they have never been overtly dance oriented. Final track "Banana Ripple" is a fun 9 minute slab of funky, electro house.



Had they stuck to more adventurous moves such as this, the album would have been more interesting. As it stands, it is by far the weakest album in their catalog. The lack of focus and brutal sequencing destroys any momentum of the album. While Begone Dull Care was a bit of a misfire, it at least had a sense of purpose. It's All True, which on first listen has memorable elements, loses itself too often to cohere into anything other than a hopeless mishmash.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Six - A Song That Reminds You Of Somewhere

Day Six - A Song That Reminds You Of Somewhere
The Avalanches
"Since I Left You"

It was the end of summer 2001, and I had just finished my summer associate position at a law firm and had a week off before started my last year in law school. Will, my partner at the time, was from Martha's Vineyard, and had rented a house for two weeks, first week for family and second week for friends. I arrived in the second week and had one of those magical weeks where it was nothing but relaxation, good friends, good drink, and good food. Also, the house was a gorgeous, huge house with several different gardens, in which you were always discovering something new. There were so many days spent lazily wandering around the grounds, sleeping in a hammock, or reading on the front porch, with The Avalanches album playing in the background. Everytime I hear this album, I only think of that wonderful place.

Memory Tapes: "Yes I Know"

Hauntingly surreal black and white clip for a track off the upcoming Memory Tapes album Player Piano, which is set for release on July 15.

Robin Guthrie: Emeralds

Robin Guthrie
Emeralds
Rating: Grrrr

The Cocteau Twins are a band I grew up with and followed religiously. They are definitely in my top ten favorite bands of all time, and one that I cannot conceive of not having in my life. Once the band acrimoniously split up following the dissolution of Robin Guthrie and Liz Fraser's relationship, there was a vast sense of loss. Cocteau Twins almost got back together again for the 2005 Coachella Festival, but cancelled at the last minute, Liz Fraser citing personal reasons. Since that one faint hope, there have not been anymore hints of a reconciliation. Guthrie has been very prolific since those times, releasing several solo albums, forming new bands such as Violet Indiana, scoring films, and collaborating with others as musician and producer. I've been reluctant to really follow much of his solo output as I didn't want it to tarnish my memories of the great music he made with the Cocteau Twins.

Something told me to get his latest release Emeralds, and I was pleasantly surprised with what I heard. Granted, I think Guthrie's musical pioneering days are long over, but what is left is a lovely consistency. The album consists of 10 gorgeous instrumentals which, even sans Frazer's vocals, sounds like a Cocteau Twins' album. As usual, the production values are stellar, each instrument perfectly in place, the guitars especially crisp and clear. Each of the tracks builds slowly, and it takes a bit of time to get fully engaged with the flow of the album, however, the album's progression, especially on the near perfect back half, is amazing.

Emeralds begins with the chiming "Digging For Gold," with its lovely, shimmering guitar textures.



"Radiola" has a haunting background guitar drone that fits well alongside the effect heavy guitars. "Wishing" feels of an akin to the best tracks on Heaven Or Las Vegas, featuring melodic bass lines underscoring the lovely guitar parts.



Some of the instrumentals, especially the beatless ones, can feel a bit aimless, like the momentum killing "Torch." But once the back half of the album kicks in, Guthrie shows he is in full control of his sound. And the results are practically breathtaking. "Warmed By The Winter Sun" is the focal point of the album, and some of the most evocative music Guthrie has ever made.



After the palate cleansing track "Flower," Guthrie again takes things up another level with "Turn Together, Burn Together," which slowly builds until the drums and guitars erupt into shoegaze/dream pop heaven.



The final three tracks form a nice coda to the entire album. The spacey chill of "Emeralds," the slow climb of the gorgeous "The Blue Book:"



and the slow, ambient slide of "The Little Light Fades," which softly closes out this wonderful record.



Emeralds is a lovely return to form for Robin Guthrie, and his most consistent work in ages. It evokes the classic sound of Cocteau Twins without being directly parroting it. And after several listens, you forget to imagine Frazer's voice over the music and it stands by itself, letting the melodies do all the heavy listening.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Five - A Song That Reminds You Of Someone

Day Five - A Song The Reminds You Of Someone
Ghost Town DJs
"My Boo"

I fell hard for my partner Kurt when I saw him drunk as Cooter Brown singing this song at Mary's one night. Of course, it is impossible for me to not think of him when I hear it.

The Vaccines: What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?

The Vaccines
What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
Rating: Meh

It really bothers me when magazines or newspapers hype a band so much that there is no conceivable way they could ever live up to the expectations. NME is probably the worst offender in this regard. While it may whip up a frenzy surrounding a new band, more often than not, the band fades away into obscurity. Does anyone really remember The Vines, Gay Dad, or Kasabian? Few, for sure. It really bothers me when a band is really young and this over-hype potentially destroys their careers. Recently NME, anointed The Vaccines as "The Return of the Great British Guitar Band," which would crush the shoulders of anyone carrying that kind of weight. Is their debut album worthy of all the hype? Honestly, not really. Is it worth monstrous scorn? Not at all. The Vaccines are not the great white hope, nor are they terrible. They are just an above-average guitar band that makes catchy music. When they are full throttle, they even sound inspired, but for the most part this group of songs is a placeholder, showing a band with some talent, but not really putting down a distinctive stamp to make them stand out from bands doing it better.

The Vaccines work best when they don't try so hard. My favorite track is "All In White," which travels outside the band's template of steady beat and chiming guitars. It actually builds tension with a varied beat and soaring electronics.



Or the feedback drenched ""Blow It Up."



However, the majority of tracks are just pleasant, run-of-the-mill guitar pop. There is really nothing here to complain about as the songs are all nice and strike a mood, but they just don't go anywhere. The tracks don't stay long in the memory, unfortunately.

First track "Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra)" is only memorable because it steals directly from The Ramones.



"Post Break-Up Sex" is memorable more for its title than the song itself.



What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? is the perfect title for the album (and shows the band does have a sense of humor about all the hype) because the album is all about expectations. Based on the NME hype machine I was waiting to be blown away by something new and fresh. The finished product though is well below my expectations. The album basically fades into the background because it has already been done before, and done better. There is a good base here, and hopefully, like Radiohead, this is just a stepping off point to something better. Time will tell if they are still around in 10 years or relegated to the basement of formerly hyped NME bands.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.

Jamie xx: "Far Nearer"

New track from Jamie xx, the percussionist from The xx. Different sound from him, focusing on Caribbean steel drums and very Burial-esque type pitch-shifted vocal. I, for one, am really digging the song.

jamie xx - far nearer by Artschoolvets

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Four - A Song That Makes You Sad

Day Four - A Song That Makes You Sad
Neil Finn
"Lullaby Requiem"

This song is very difficult to listen to, especially if you know someone who has been sick or died from a long, slow illness. Neil Finn wrote this song after his mother passed away from cancer, and it is a lovely, haunting song that perfectly captures his feelings during that time. I cannot listen to this song without welling up.

Videos of the Week

Friday is finally upon us and, unfortunately, I have to work all weekend. Woe is me. Oh well, better than not having a job I suppose. Here are the videos that tickled my fancy this week:



Insanely sick video from Is Tropical. This is one of the most imaginative clips I have seen in awhile. Very violent, but in a cartoon way.

Tags: Foo Fighters, Music, More Music Videos

Foo Fighters reimagine Michael Douglas' movie Falling Down.



Standout track from Cold Cave's new album Cherish The Light Years gets an evocatively shot video.



Robyn bitches.



NSFW video from Brit buzz band The Vaccines.



Delorean put on such a fun show at Coachella this year. And I have such a crush on the yellow t-shirted keyboardist.



Great song from the Danish punk band Iceage.

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Three - A Song That Makes You Happy

Day Three: A Song That Makes You Happy
Junior Senior
"Move Your Feet"

How can anyone listen to this song and not smile? It's one of the catchiest songs ever, and is just plain fun. Whenever I do a mix of songs and want to get people in a good mood I include this track. And the video makes it even more fun. Love the animated, drunk squirrel. Only thing that makes me sad is that Junior Senior broke up.

Non-Sequiturs

Romanian filmmaker Radu Muntean. Woof!

Spring seems to have bypassed us this year. We went straight from cold weather to blazing hot. I enjoy warm weather, not Africa hot weather.

Coachella announced that it will be hosting two weekends of music, consisting of the same or roughly the same lineup for both weekends. Seems rather silly to me to do it that way, because obviously you will have conflicts for both and there will be some artists that only play one weekend. It has also thrown my Coachella group into a bit of a tizzy since one of us doesn't feel like he will be going. We have to purchase tickets tomorrow or we may lose out on getting first weekend spots. I hate buying tickets when I have no idea who any of the acts are.

Wild Beast's album Smother is the best album of the year so far.

Burial's single "NYC" is working up to best track of the year.

When it rains it pours. Went weeks without work and now I have three projects going on at the same time, all wanting the majority of my time. I think I am about to go insane.

What is going on with all the fake Facebook profiles? I keep getting requests from people with either no pictures at all or pics of other people. I even received a request from someone using the picture of a dead friend as his profile picture! And also, what is going on with the people with altered and or fake names. I understand you may love Lady Gaga, but making your name John Gagamaniac Smith is not exactly endearing.

Lyrics Rattling Around My Brain

"Isolations, dotted lines
Seas of concrete, wild eyes
Streaking colors, blurred to one
Always moving, blinding sun
Blinding sun
Cold discomfort, safety glass
Seasons turning, dying grass
California, gilded crowns
Mile markers, counting down

Somewhere down, down
Down in the ocean of sound, sound
We'll live in slow-motion
And be free
With doors unlocked and open
Doors unlocked and open"

Death Cab For Cutie
"Doors Locked And Unopened"

"No my eyes ain't silver
No, no my eyes ain't blue
When your well it ain't got no water
I don't hate you I pity you

On a saigon night in God's sky
There's a butterfly on your wrist
The flies are stuck to your neck!
You see the... Search planes are out for you!

Better call the neurosurgeon
Our dreaming space it is open
Into the hospital I go

I said you better call the neurosurgeon
Our dreaming space it is open
Into the hospital I go

Watch me go
Watch me go
Here I go...
A newborn is coming!
Watch me go...

When I'm at war with the world I turn to you
When I am searching thru the downpour, you melt me
Thru and thru"

Gang Gang Dance
"Thru And Thru"

Appealing Things

The Snowman
Trailer for David Fincher's adaptation of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Taco seasoning
Cold beer on a hot day
Getting a tan again
Seeing Combichrist with good friends
Fort Troff

Annoying Things

The Snowman ending
Those Facebook posts for x event/issue that people want everyone to re-post and bully you in the process
Meetings where no one listens to common sense
Partners who, at first, come across as nice and your pal then, when they get stressed, turn out to be total horrors
Too much damn work
Two identical Coachella festivals
Two Door Cinema Club touring the US and not coming to Atlanta

30 Day Song Challenge: Day Two - Your Least Favorite Song

Day Two: My Least Favorite Song
Billy Ray Cyrus
"Achy Breaky Heart"

I used to work at a television station in a small backwoods town in south Georgia called Baxley. I pretty much did anything and everything they asked me to do, as we only had 6 employees in the whole place. One of my jobs was to host a call-in country music video request show for three hours Monday through Friday. I've never liked country music to begin with and certainly listening to it for three hours straight was not the way to win me over. At any rate, this song was on the charts at the time and was requested so much I almost considered playing it three hours straight each day to get every as sick of it as I was. Needless to say, I hate this song with a passion.

Gang Gang Dance: Eye Contact

Gang Gang Dance
Eye Contact
Rating: Grrrr

Over the course of two albums, Gang Gang Dance have evolved their sound, from the fractured/tribal art funk of their debut God's Money to the more free-flow electronica of Saint Dympha, the only consistency being a reliance on dense, layered percussion and the bizarre vocal tics of singer Liz Bougatsos. GGD have now taken another left turn, putting together an album that plays like a mix of the first two albums, but adds a more pop leaning sound. Of course, this being GGD, pop is all a relative term, and while there are distinct "pop" elements at work, the album is still joyously weird.

Starting off with the epic 11+ minutes of "Glass Jar," GGD doesn't pull any punches, flowing from liquidy synths and gurgles into all out trance-funk, coming across like Yoko Ono fronting Tangerine Dream.



"Adult Goth" merges echoing guitars with chilly synths and asian hinted percussion. Bougatsos' voice low in the mix until flying off into higher, almost angelic registers.



"Mindkilla," the first single, could actually be considered almost a straightforward pop song for them. Sticking to a verse/chorus/verse structure, and an insistent beat.



"Thru And Thru" is a standout track on the album, starting in a whirlpool of Middle Eastern sounding electronics and heavy percussion, before changing over to deep bass synths and miltaristic percussion, then morphing into effect heavy guitars and rave keyboards.



Stylistically, the album is all over the map, going from alternative rock, electronica, to R&B funk, sometimes in the space of the same song. "Romance Layers," featuring Hot Chip frontman Alexis Taylor on vocals, crooning over some retro new jack swing. It sounds bizarre on paper and indeed is bizarre on record, but somehow it works.



Less successful are "Sacer" which hangs too heavy on its dreamy vibe, without going anywhere, and "Chinese High," which on the verses hits the right amount of tension with the play between the percussion, keyboards, and guitars, but floats along at the chorus on cheap sounding synthesizers left over from Hall and Oates more lazy musical attempts.

But these are slight missteps that don't harm the flow of the record. Indeed, even if you are bothered by something you only have to wait a few seconds and the song is bound to change into something else. Eye Contact may be too adventerous for most listeners, and may even be considered not adventurous enough from long time fans. It is a fascinating album that never fails to entertain and surprise.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.