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Discovery – LP

Jul 7

Posted by BrianKaradsheh in Album Reviews, Alt-Rock, Dance, Indie, Music

On this weekend of our nations Independence, I spent the majority of my time listening to music, new and old. However, I found myself consistently wanting to listen to only one album: LP. We blogged about a couple of their songs earlier, but here’s my run down of the album after a good week of letting its musical juices soak into my temporal lobe.

The band consists of two members: Rostam Batmanglij and Wes Miles. Rostam comes from Vampire Weekend in which his main duties are keyboards and backing vocals. Wes is lead vocals in Ra Ra Riot. In my mind, these guys are already proven musicians. However, it’s quite the opposite. Each of their main projects are only one album deep. Vampire Weekend may only be one album in, but it was acclaimed as one of the top albums of 2008, and I would agree. On the other hand, Ra Ra Riot is one of those bands that is struggling a little in a popular sense, but has a dedicated following. Summing this all up, it seemed odd to me that two unproven musicians that seem to have very long careers ahead of them with their main acts would take a risk like this in releasing an electronic album riddled with the much criticized auto tune. I, for one, am very happy that they took the leap, but I honestly don’t see this album being a critical success.

Such was not the case with The Postal Service. They were a huge critical success and it is them that Discovery most reminds me of. I think a better way to say it is that Discovery is a Postal Service stuck in the 80’s (That is if the 80’s had auto tune addiction). On paper, this album sounds like it would be something I would hate. I don’t use hate softly here…I really dislike auto tune, and the last thing I want are a couple of indie hipsters trying to follow in the footsteps of the potentially defunct Postal Service…but this album is like crack (the freebased stuff). It’s crack laced with 80’s synth pop/dance beats. The vocal melodies are infectious and the tempo changes and quirky song structures are abnormal to say the least. Some may look at this album and say that it is just a messy mash of electronic beats laden with auto tuned shit caked vocals. Those people can fuck off. Apparently they aren’t easily wooed by a catchy melody like I am. If those catchy synth and vocal melodies didn’t have you at hello, then I suggest you listen a little closer and try to make out the lyrics. The lyrics might be taken as juvenile in the sense that most of them are relationship based, but I find them very mature and well thought out. I don’t really need to get into the nitty gritty details of the lyrics, but lets just say that most everyone who reads this blog can relate to them in some way…unless you prefer to reproduce asexually. Lyrics like this don’t please me: “My friend showed me pictures of his kids, and all I could show him was pictures of my cribs.” Who the fuck can relate to that except CEO’s of fortune 500 companies and celebrities with coke habits…and Kanye West? “You love talking fast, but every sound that I hear from your mouth is so deliberate.” Much better.

Overall this is a great album if you enjoy electronic music and don’t mind something that might remind you of the 80’s (If you were abused as a child/raped in the 80’s and/or are afraid of Prince, then I suggest you do yourself the favor and not download this album). It’s an album you can queue up when your bored of browsing the interwebs or, better yet, while driving. However, when I originally heard this album, it became an overnight favorite of mine. I easily classified it as one of my favorite albums of the past two years. However, after letting the eargasm subside for a few days and allowing for proper soakage, I still realize that this album is amazing but not quite 10/10 amazing as I had originally thought. It’s just one of those albums that will either click or will leave you asking why? I will leave you with my Brother’s thoughts on the album: “It’s a great album if you want to start a dance party.”

8.5/10

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Drake – So Far Gone

Jul 7

Posted by AlexDavis in Album Reviews, Hip-Hop

The best thing I heard this weekend while celebrating the independence of our great nation, actually came from none other than Toronto, Canada. I know, you can practically taste the irony, but I was surprised to discover two things upon listening to “So Far Gone” by Drake. The first being my favorite mixtape of the summer, the second being the first sign of some actual new talent in the rap game. That’s right, somewhere, while Soulja Boy was trying to get some through-the-phone lovin, and V.I.C. was getting silly, Drizzy Drake was actually making some pretty good music.

This album was not exactly what I was expecting from Lil Wayne’s newest addition to the Young Money record label, but I liked it. Then I listened to it again and I liked it even more. So Far Gone is an eclectic, yet polished mixtape that shows Drake for the triple threat that he is. He raps, he sings, and unlike many mixtapes, which are comprised of simple beats at best, Drake has created a musically rich album.

While this mixtape is musically appealing, it is somewhat schizophrenic at times. On one hand, you’ve got the smooth singing Drake who talks about relationships in songs slightly reminiscent of 808’s and Heartbreak. These songs are good for what they are, and more appealing to me than Kanye’s attempts at singing because A) Drake has a better voice, and B) He mixes in some pretty solid rap versus in these songs, with a flow that also channels that of Mr. West. On the other hand, you have the cocky, swagger-filled Drake stepping up to the mic on some tracks with his mentor, Weezy F Baby, where you can hear his flow and even the tone of his voice change. (Obviously influenced by the best rapper alive himself). On these tracks, Drake gives a respectable performance, nearly matching Wayne metaphor for metaphor, double entendre for double entendre. Throw in a couple of very tight mash-up type songs featuring Peter Bjorn and John, and SantoGold; add a dash of radio hits for the ladies at Alpha Chi Omega to dance to, and you’ve got yourself a wonderfully diverse mixtape.

I’m not ready to invest all of my money in Drake stock, but this is a guy who has something for everybody. I think Drake says it best in a song with Weezy, “And me doin them shows gettin everyone nervous, cuz them hipsters gon have to get along with them hood niggas”. He’s already talented and now after being taken under the wing of the Birdman Junior himself, Drake has the guidance and resources he needs to make it big.

Highlights:

  • Let’s Call it Off- Mash-Up type song with Peter, Bjorn, and John. Very cool.
  • Ignant Shit- Strong rap performance by Drake, ridiculous verse from Lil Wayne who of course comes in and kills Drake on his own track.
  • (For the Ladies) Best I Ever Had- Radio Single. You’ll be hearing this one in hot, stuffy basements all across campus.

Honorable Mentions: November 18th and Say What’s Real- Both have solid verses.

Rating: 8.0

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Au Revoir Simone – Still Night, Still Light

Jun 18

Posted by MattFerrel in Album Reviews

Darker Album Art for a Darker Album

Darker Album Art for a Darker Album

A recent obsession for me has been this very band I’m reviewing. I started listening to them about a month ago, but only to their last album, The Bird of Music, which is an amazing album as well. Then, after some research, I found Still Night, Still Light, which is a much darker venture by this Brooklyn Trio of lovely ladies. When I listened to this album though, it was hard to feel sad or depressed from the music they were making. I mean sure, there was a lot more minor chord progressions in this collection of songs, but the music was more atmospheric, almost like it floated around you. I was particularly taken by a few tracks:

  • “Shadows” – This is an obvious choice for the single release because its pop melodies and beautifully clear vocals.  This song has some great lyrics to accompany its strong, powerful bass lines.  “I’m moving on, I hope you’re coming with me, cuz I’m not strong without you.”  This ironic line is a great representation of the difficulties of relationships, that I see their predominantly female fan base clinging to.  I love the line, don’t get me wrong, but see it being posted on every livejournal myspace facebook twitter account for indie girls.
  • “Knights of Wands” – What an infectious beat.  I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s everything i like about this group.
  • “Tell Me” – A pleasant way to end the album.  A build up to not so much a climatic ending, but definitely an appropriate one for the tone of the album.  I love the tempo changes with the synth, and I’m well aware that isn’t for everyone, but it work for me and I think it worked for the album.

All in all, Still Night, Still Light was a good album.  I can leave it at that.  I would suggest you pick it up from your neighborhood record store if you have the time and extra cash laying around, but I won’t demand you listen.  There are gems, like the songs I suggested, and a few laying inbetween, but like many albums that have entered the realm in the past few years, there are a few obvious fillers.  That kinda sucks. A lot.

Rating:  7.2 – I had to put the random .2

Check Them out yourself:

Shadows

Knight Of Wands

Tell Me

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Metric – Fantasies

Jun 17

Posted by BrianKaradsheh in Album Reviews

Let me just preface this whole review by saying that I had never listened to this band before I saw them in concert on Monday night.  The first time I ever heard one of their songs was Monday morning.  Fortunately, I made the right decision in seeing this band live.  They had so much energy and charisma that I couldn’t help but check out their new cd yesterday when I had the time.

Quite frankly, I don’t know what genre this new CD falls into.  Metric as a band has been called anything from Post-Punk to New Wave.  To be honest, I would just place this album in the indie rock category with an asterick with the asterick indicating where I think indie rock will end up.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  I’m not calling this album revolutionary in anyway, but I think that this is a good sign of what we might see from some other bands.  The thing that makes this cd stand out are some electronic beats and some major use of the synth.  In fact, I think we have already seen it before with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs new album, and if I had to say, Metric’s new CD sounds very similar to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.  However, Metric frontwoman Emily Haines sounds much differently than Karen O, and quite frankly, I prefer Emily Haines exponentially.  There is something about her voice that just grabs your attention.  When Matt and I were on our way to the concert and listening to some of the new cd, I asked him if she was singing through a filter or had her voice altered in someway post production.   He assured me that that is how she sounds and he was right.

Back to Fantasies.  The album opener, Help, I’m Alive, is thrilling.  It’s a melodic masterpiece which seems to have an endless number of sections to it, each being equally amazing.  Sick Muse, and Satellite mind are both sweet up tempo rocking tracks.  However, the hidden gem of the whole cd and the song that firmed up my position on the whole cd was the song Twilight Galaxy.  It’s a slow tempo, electronic infused killer.  There is nothing I can say about it that it can’t say for itself…Just go listen to it.  Metric then throws in another single worthy stunner in Gimme Sympathy.  This is just another great melodic pop jubilee.  However, the lyrics to this song are what make it stand out in my mind.  It’s a call to originality, as pointed out by Emily Haines in concert.  “Who would you rather be: The Beatles or the Rolling Stones?”  Don’t take the question literally because it isn’t really a question at all, but more a knock at most bands nowadays.   Finally, the album comes to a climatic close with Stadium Love.  This song is just kick ass.  Emily Haines tosses in some more melodic vocals and a catchy little chantesque part to close the album.

All in all, this album is probably my favorite album of 2009 next to Passion Pit’s LP.  Note: I only mentioned the stand out songs to me on the album.  Every  song on this CD is good at worst.   When it comes down to it, if you dig the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, a heavy dose of Synth and Raw Indie Rock, A Sexy Front Lady with Vocals that make me question divinity, and are a sucker for a catchy Pop Melody (Oh boy am I ever), then this is an album for you.

9.2/10

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Silversun Pickups – Swoon

Jun 11

Posted by BrianKaradsheh in Album Reviews

We all know the song “Lazy Eye.”  Whether it’s from Guitar Hero or from the incessant air play that it got, we all have had it drilled into our craniums and are probably sick out it.  Luckily, Silversun Pickups are back with a new album.  Well, it’s not too new anymore…It came out sometime in April, but I don’t think this album got nearly enough hype for the quality.  A Sophomore album is usually what makes or breaks a band if their first album is what gave them success.  The perfect example is the Killers Sophomore album.  They released an absolute masterpiece of a first album, and then followed it up with a Springsteen wannabe second album (Let it be said that I love every second of every Killers song…I’m more or less a groupie.)  However, this is not the case for the Silversun Pickups.  Their sophomore album tops their first album in every aspect except it lacks a stand out single.  Fear not; they make up for it with an album that is amazing throughout…not just one single with the rest being garbage.  I don’t want to partake a philosophical endeavor while reviewing an album like some outlets (see Pitchfork.)  I’ll just say this:  It’s a very raw yet polished album.  The band actually seems very much like a “band.”  It’s very cohesive.  On a final note, they do some awesome things with guitar tones on this album.  They go from chimey strat sounding clean tones, to an almost interference sounding distortion tone.

Stand out tracks:

There’s No Secrets This Year

Growing Old Is Getting Old

It’s Nice to Know You Work Alone

Panic Switch

I give this album a solid 7.5/10

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