Paste hates it, Pitchfork loves it; Sleigh Bells’ second album, Reign of Terror, has generated a viral debate almost as virulent as the argument over the availability of contraception on Georgetown’s Jesuit campus. Though Rush Limbaugh hasn’t gotten involved (yet), it is safe to say that, if nothing else, the polarizing effect has successfully generated a fair amount of press. Read More »
I’m not sure exactly how indicative this is of the quality of Hospitality’s debut album, but for the life of me I cannot think of a single feature striking enough to grace the first line of an album review. Don’t get me wrong – this was a thoroughly pleasant album to listen to, full of many interesting layers and the occasional endearing third person narrative reminiscent of Belle & Sebastian. Of particular note was the general cadence of the track progression, which delicately balanced the subdued and contemplative with the careless and silly. Read More »
Initially drawn to this album by the ambiguous nature of its cover art (man-babies playing lutes in feathered headdresses have always bespoken good music in the past) I expected, at the very least, an interesting effort. I was not entirely disappointed, although Tristen’s first album Charlatans At The Garden Gate is perhaps not quite as bizarre as I was hoping it would be.
“Can you feel what I’m feeling? / What is this? Just a maybe? / Spend my time wondering if you’ve / Fallen in love with me” Although replete with romantic emotion, these lyrics also more or less describe Smith Westerns‘ relationship with the music industry, as well as their audience at large. Since the release of their first album in 2009 the blogosphere has been buzzing about this young foursome, anchored by brothers Cullen and Cameron Omori and high school friend Max Kakacek. If you’ve heard anything about this group so far, it’s most likely a comment on their infectious, garage-band sound or the fact that they are all extremely young (a year or two out of high school). On that score, not much has changed with their second album. The kids are still kids (none of them are old enough to drink), and almost every track is unabashedly catchy. Read More »
Ben Cooper, the creator of Radical Face, is a man of many talents. He is currently messing about with not one, not two, but FIVE different musical projects, all of which are mainly self-driven. This is not to mention various works of fiction that are currently underway, or the extremely low-budget short movies he produces. Touch the Sky, his latest release, is a short compilation of six songs, introduced as a transition of sorts between his first album under Radical Face and the second, anticipated album – both of which are part of a three-CD series. Read More »
Once upon a time, there were these two dudes who just really liked drinking and making songs and shit. Then, one day, they decided to make music together. The result? The Fresh and Onlys. This San Francisco group (the city seems to be spawning rock-and-roll bands these days) is a conglomeration of guys in their thirties who know the music business inside and out (one of the founders, Shayde Sartin, still works for Amoeba records, while all the other members have all been in various bands over the years). Yet, in spite of the experienced group that makes up the band, their music still has an invitingly young quality to it. This is probably due to the fact that, although this is their third album, Fresh and Onlys have only been together for about three years. Read More »
Sleeping in the Aviary’s new album Great Vacation! is either incredibly ironic or incredibly sincere—it’s hard to tell. It simultaneously speaks (albeit sarcastically) to the masses of bored youth, who can’t find a thing in the world to pull them out of the drudgery of the daily grind, while at the same time remaining an acute and clearly enthusiastic ode to the minutiae of everyday life. Song topics range from the typical to the bizarre: “Weightlessly in Love” is a sweet tune about innocuous love, while “Maria’s Ghost” takes a slightly different perspective on the same emotion. The ballad begins, “Me, I held Maria/ while she struggled on the bed/ She forgot the safety word/ Now she’s dead,” and goes on to tell the story of an ex-lover killed in action.
Antony and the Johnsons make the kind of music you hear in the opening montage of an artsy, independent film, or the kind you turn on when you’re feeling contemplative and maybe a little bittersweet. You know, the mood where you keep your textbook open on your lap under the pretext of doing homework, but really you just end up staring out the window, thinking about life and assuming you’ll absorb the knowledge through your knees. Read More »
