Monday, December 12, 2011
A quick note...
Wondering why every single one of our reviews recommends that you get the song or album? Look at the name of the site! If we don't like it, we don't post about it.
Album Review: Love Everybody - The Presidents of the United States of America
Yeah, it's nearly a decade old. I don't care, I just found it after two or three years of looking for it. And it's still great!
It's their first album with their new backup guitbassist (or bassitarist, they use weird instruments), and it shows. Both this and their sixth album have a very distinct sound, different from both the early sound of their first three and the very much experimental sound of the somewhat lackluster Freaked Out And Small.
In particular, I point to a few examples of the super-upbeat sound that they've embraced in their current incarnation: "Love Everybody", "Some Postman", "Highway Forever", and what is arguably my favorite: "Shreds of Boa".
All four are quick, irreverant, and will have most people singing along even before they know the words. You can practically hear the crowd singing the callback in Highway Forever, and Some Postman will be in your head for years after you first hear it. Shreds of Boa tells the story of the best and worst party ever, and Love Everybody is practically a manifesto for the Presidents' musical style.
I'm sure you can find this album used for under ten dollars, somewhere. Go buy it.
It's their first album with their new backup guitbassist (or bassitarist, they use weird instruments), and it shows. Both this and their sixth album have a very distinct sound, different from both the early sound of their first three and the very much experimental sound of the somewhat lackluster Freaked Out And Small.
In particular, I point to a few examples of the super-upbeat sound that they've embraced in their current incarnation: "Love Everybody", "Some Postman", "Highway Forever", and what is arguably my favorite: "Shreds of Boa".
All four are quick, irreverant, and will have most people singing along even before they know the words. You can practically hear the crowd singing the callback in Highway Forever, and Some Postman will be in your head for years after you first hear it. Shreds of Boa tells the story of the best and worst party ever, and Love Everybody is practically a manifesto for the Presidents' musical style.
I'm sure you can find this album used for under ten dollars, somewhere. Go buy it.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Album Review: Strange Negotiations - David Bazan
This album is Bazan's latest, from last May. It's fantastic, and like much of his other work it's a strong mix of powerful fast songs and emotional slow ones. Personally, I prefer his faster, angrier stuff, but I can appreciate the others just fine. There are four standouts that come to mind immediately, mostly in the up-tempo range: "People", "Eating Paper", "Strange Negotiations", and "Wolves at the Door".
Wolves at the Door, more than the other two, is a fast and angry political tune. I first heard it on the Grapes of Rad (who also happen to have Bazan on each year for their Christmas show), and was immediately ready to buy the album. Like Arrows, though, my wallet demanded that I wait for a sale.
Eating Paper and People are a little more back and forth, getting faster and slower throughout. The title track, Strange Negotiations, is generally pretty low-medium compared to the others and, like many of Bazan's songs, threatens to bring a tear to your eye even if you aren't listening to the words.
If you were a fan of Pedro the Lion or Headphones, or if you just like Bazan, check this album out. It was live-streaming on his Facebook page for a while, but I think you'll have to look somewhere else to preview it now. If you want some of his stuff for free, though, check out Daytrotter, where he has two older sessions up.
Wolves at the Door, more than the other two, is a fast and angry political tune. I first heard it on the Grapes of Rad (who also happen to have Bazan on each year for their Christmas show), and was immediately ready to buy the album. Like Arrows, though, my wallet demanded that I wait for a sale.
Eating Paper and People are a little more back and forth, getting faster and slower throughout. The title track, Strange Negotiations, is generally pretty low-medium compared to the others and, like many of Bazan's songs, threatens to bring a tear to your eye even if you aren't listening to the words.
If you were a fan of Pedro the Lion or Headphones, or if you just like Bazan, check this album out. It was live-streaming on his Facebook page for a while, but I think you'll have to look somewhere else to preview it now. If you want some of his stuff for free, though, check out Daytrotter, where he has two older sessions up.
Album Review: Arrows - The Lonely Forest
It took me far too long to buy this album, but then it went on sale! So here we are. Many of my favorite tracks off of this album were released before, but three new ones stand out: "Coyote", "(I Am) The Love Addict", and "End It Now!"
I've heard them all in concert plenty, and Coyote was on the KEXP Song of the Day podcast many moons ago. They're all fantastic examples of the sound that the Lonely Forest has become, far away from the aesthetic of 2007's Nuclear Winter. When that album came out, they were playing to ten people at the Vera Project. After this one launched, they played to a packed house at KeyArena. So, take from that what you will.
If you like anything the Lonely Forest has released in the last two years (We Sing The Body Electric or EP, mainly), or if you've just heard one or two songs and are intrigued, this album is well worth picking up. You'll love half the songs and absolutely love the other half. Go get it.
A side note! I just remembered that I also got another new album, recently: Strange Negotiations, by David Bazan. I'm going to try and get one or two more reviews out today and the next two out within the week.
I've heard them all in concert plenty, and Coyote was on the KEXP Song of the Day podcast many moons ago. They're all fantastic examples of the sound that the Lonely Forest has become, far away from the aesthetic of 2007's Nuclear Winter. When that album came out, they were playing to ten people at the Vera Project. After this one launched, they played to a packed house at KeyArena. So, take from that what you will.
If you like anything the Lonely Forest has released in the last two years (We Sing The Body Electric or EP, mainly), or if you've just heard one or two songs and are intrigued, this album is well worth picking up. You'll love half the songs and absolutely love the other half. Go get it.
A side note! I just remembered that I also got another new album, recently: Strange Negotiations, by David Bazan. I'm going to try and get one or two more reviews out today and the next two out within the week.
Two New Albums, One Old
I finally got new music! Well, a while ago. I finally remembered to write about it! Or at least, write about planning to write about it. I got two new albums (one is actually fairly new, the other is from a few years back, I believe), and finally found my copy of an old one. Hopefully I'll have all three pieces up real soon, depending on how the week goes.
The albums are....
The albums are....
- Arrows - The Lonely Forest
- Brilliant! Tragic! - Art Brut
- Love Everybody - The Presidents of the United States of America
Update! Also, Strange Negotiations by David Bazan!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Album Review: Shimokita is Dead? - Tennis Pro
Normally, when someone gets an advance copy of an album with the intent to review it, they write and post that review before the album comes out. That's not what we do here, though! Despite getting the new Tennis Pro album Shimokita is Dead? a few weeks ago, I'm just now posting this review - days after the album dropped.
This album, based heavily on the time the band recently spent in Japan, is 15 tracks long and much more musically diverse than their previous offerings. Not all the tracks are considered by the band to be full songs, but they're all worth a listen. Here are a few of the album's highlights:
Track 1: "Dance Hit Number One" - A good, very eighties-influenced song residing far outside the band's power pop wheelhouse. Though its style isn't repeated on the album, its strangeness serves as a good introduction to the rest of the tracks' divergent styles.
Track 2: "Satomi Bicycle" - Immediately, the album shifts back to power pop. The narrative style that characterizes some of their best songs is evident here. One of the album's top three new songs.
Track 6: "Rock Over Tokyo" - See the review of Happy Is The New Sad, but like some of the other repeated tracks, this one is a new and slightly different version.
Track 10: "Clothing Optional Christian Barbecue" - Based on a melody written for a beer commercial and the creepy vibe of a middle-aged nudist, there is no way this song wasn't going to be fantastic. Its origin gives it a slightly different vibe, instrumentation-wise, from a lot of the other stuff on the album, but paired with the vocals it's the perfect weirdo party song.
Many of the other tracks would merit a description as well, but let me simply summarize by saying that the album's experiment with guitar-driven post-grunge make for an interesting - if not always completely effective - contrast. I fully recommend the album, but if the price tag seems a little much I would at least recommend downloading these four songs.
This album, based heavily on the time the band recently spent in Japan, is 15 tracks long and much more musically diverse than their previous offerings. Not all the tracks are considered by the band to be full songs, but they're all worth a listen. Here are a few of the album's highlights:
Track 1: "Dance Hit Number One" - A good, very eighties-influenced song residing far outside the band's power pop wheelhouse. Though its style isn't repeated on the album, its strangeness serves as a good introduction to the rest of the tracks' divergent styles.
Track 2: "Satomi Bicycle" - Immediately, the album shifts back to power pop. The narrative style that characterizes some of their best songs is evident here. One of the album's top three new songs.
Track 6: "Rock Over Tokyo" - See the review of Happy Is The New Sad, but like some of the other repeated tracks, this one is a new and slightly different version.
Track 10: "Clothing Optional Christian Barbecue" - Based on a melody written for a beer commercial and the creepy vibe of a middle-aged nudist, there is no way this song wasn't going to be fantastic. Its origin gives it a slightly different vibe, instrumentation-wise, from a lot of the other stuff on the album, but paired with the vocals it's the perfect weirdo party song.
Many of the other tracks would merit a description as well, but let me simply summarize by saying that the album's experiment with guitar-driven post-grunge make for an interesting - if not always completely effective - contrast. I fully recommend the album, but if the price tag seems a little much I would at least recommend downloading these four songs.
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