LPF Album Reviews 2.0

[Toxic1]

http://blog.filter-mag.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/07/16/sunsetrundownart.jpg

Artist: Sunset Rubdown

Album: Random Spirit Lover

Genre: Indie

 

Well there was a lot of talking about that CD already...and it got some high ratings from our review crew (toxic, stenners)....so I decided to check it out....without reading other reviews.

The first track was a good opener already...it had me after 2 seconds....and after one minute I decided to grab my headphones to get the full experience. After a great opener like that you could think the 2nd track will let you down...but it doesn't..it just keeps on getting better. What I really like about that record are the tempo changes...and the very differnt instruments they use..you don't get to hear that every day. I also like the transitions between the tracks. Overall they did a great job on creating a whole experience....you really have to listen to this record from the beginning to the end without skipping a track. It's worth it.

I don't really know what track is my favorite from this album....but if I would have to choose I would say "The Taming Of The Hands That Came Back To Life"...

 

Actually the whole album is worth checking out....if you want something different.

 

Tracks I recommend:

 

The Taming Of The Hands That Came Back To Life

Child Heart Loses

Colt Stands Up, Grows Horns

The Courtesan Has Sung

and

The Mending Of The Gown

 

Rating:

 

9/10

 

next reviews :

 

Talib Kweli "Eardrum"

and

Common "Finding Forever"

 

Nice review Jeezy. You listening and reviewing this album surprised me , but i was like after reading it. I thought it would be a draining venture for you, but alas it twasn't.

 

My favourite highlights of Random Spirit Lover:

 

Mending of the Gown

The Courtesan Has Sung

Winged/Wicked Things*

Stallion*

The Taming of the Hands That Came Back To Life

Trumpet, Trumpet, Toot! Toot!*

 

*Being my top picks.

 

--------

 

I'm going to check out those Nephew tracks too.

[Jeezy]

http://www.offtopic.forum/data/MetaMirrorCache/8dfc011eb6b237c03656b981478fb814.jpg

 

Artist: Talib Kweli

Album: Ear Drum advance copy (16 tracks)

 

There's a new tracklist on amazon including 3 more tracks and an interlude.So this is also an advance review...lol

There’s a reason why this album is called ear drum..it really goes into your ear and stays there for a while.

I have this advance copy now for almost 2 months I guess...and I finally get to write a review for it.

Well...what can I say about Talib Kweli? He’s probably one of the best rapper you will ever get to hear...

His lyrics and the stories he tells on this album are really great and heartfelt...sometimes he can also manage to put a smile on your face with his word-play. He raps about Hurricane Katrina and terrorist threats...but also about everyday problems. You find gospel and soul influences on this record mixed with modern day hip hop.

Productions on this album come from Hi-Tek, Kanye West, Just Blaze, Madlib and others.

Biggest surprise on this album for me was the UGK collabo...it turned out to be a great track and it works good. The whole concept of the track is great.

If you are just a little bit into hip hop you should really check this album out.

 

Features include: Norah Jones, UGK, Kanye West and Jean Grae

 

 

Tracks to check

 

Listen

Country Cousins

In The Mood

Say Something

NY Weather report

 

album highlight:

 

Hostile Gospel

 

 

Rating

9.2/10

[Toxic1]

With that said, I request you review Mt Eerie the album. An album that a few reviewers didn't quite get it and disliked, but for the most part it really intrigued most others. Esp. the Alt Press and Pitchfork from what I remember. And of course me. This would be my favourite album of Phil Elvrum's under any of his monikers. Including the album Glow Part II.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Eerie_%28album%29

 

Actually, I would love a review from Jeezy on this too if possible.

[Jeezy]

Actually, I would love a review from Jeezy on this too if possible.

 

sounds like a challenge...just 5 tracks...should be possible to do

[Stenners]

http://www.offtopic.forum/data/MetaMirrorCache/caaf50b90b57389b5ec038637f47ea55.jpg

Artist: Common

Album: Finding Forever

Genre: Rap

 

2005's 'Be' saw Common once a major underground hip hop artist leap threw the ranks

to mainstream acceptance. To many people this was the silver lining mainstream rap had needed

for a very long time, this the eagerly awaited follow up once again has Kanye West producing

the record. On that note lets start with the production, once again Kanye proves threw out

that he is a vert capable producer laying down both Soulful RnB beats to dancey hip hop beats.

However the shock comes when you find out despite the fine production present threw out

the album Common has an unusualy flat and rather dull delivery threw out, lyrically it's pretty

uninspired & the hooks are pretty weak.... o dear. The guest apperances are pretty minimal one

of which includes sassy UK pop tart Lilly Allen singing a hook, this is quite suprisingly one of the

albums strong points as is the Kanye Featured 'Southside' has a simple loop but is effective

and Kanye lays down one of his best performances on the mic. Other highlights do include the

old skool esc 'The Game' but for the most part it's full of very mediocre soulful tracks which

really don't stick to mind.

 

Rating: 6.75/10

Reccomended: Drivin Me Wild, Southside, The Game

[Jeezy]

Here's my Finding Forever review...just to compare 2 different views

 

http://www.offtopic.forum/data/MetaMirrorCache/caaf50b90b57389b5ec038637f47ea55.jpg

 

Artist: Common

Album: Finding Forever

 

After his last album “Be” Common had to come up with a great follow up.

And he did.

From the first track “Start The Show” till the last track “Forever Begins” you get some of the best Hip Hop possible.

The main part of the album was produced once again by Kanye West who is also featured on several tracks.

The beats of the album are kinda laid back and old school...like on the previous album “Be”.

It’s basically like this album continues were “Be” ended.

Common delivers his best lyrics so far, especially on tracks like “Start The Show” and “The People”.

I think I haven’t listend to such a complete and complex Hip Hop album in a long time.

Several tracks on this album are dedicated to Commons former roommate and legendary producer Jay Dilla. R.I.P.

 

The only let down on this album is the intro....which is really weak

 

Tracks to check out:

 

Start the Show

The People

Drivin’ Me Wild

I Want You

Break My Heart

 

The highlight on the album:

Forever Begins

 

Rating

10/10

 

next up:

M.I.A. - Kala

The Microphones - Mount Eerie

The Receiving End Of Sirens - The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi

[Stenners]

http://www.offtopic.forum/data/MetaMirrorCache/b2128294b992796a3e10f47f9a8ce157.jpg

Artist: The Microphones

Album: Mount Eerie

Genere: Experimental/Noise/Indie

 

Although from the start it was very clear to me that this album would be incredibly arty

oddly structured and strictly for the devote listener I was still a bit shocked by the opener

'The Sun' where you are greeted by 10minutes worth of effects which resemeble a train

before the 'song' kicks in where you are greeted by off key vocals and the odd strumming

nothing that really resembles a melody here and thus far am not impressed by this track, it

is very clever and all it just seems to be a bit too smug. This set me up for a bigger shock

'Solar System' & 'Universe' are actually pretty immidiate melodic songs which are pretty nice to

the ear. 'Universe' is a song I am particulaly a fan of, I just seem to love everything about it, the

nice melodic start, the disturbing bridge & the haunting ending. The title track picks off where

'Universe' left off by using the same key melody at the intro until it breaks down into a very

interesting aray of swoony noises and disturbing vocals which does in a very strange way remind

me of 'Beck' in his 'Mellow Gold' days. Again this goes back to the haunted feel before going into

white noise. This ends with a dramatic closer in 'Universe' which is again like the majority of the

album crowded with synths and noise. Not so much an album full of music then, more an auditory

experiance & although the are moments which resemble traditonal music the aren't many

making this an incredibly incredibly difficult album to get, technically it's sound but I personally

think its being just a bit too clever for it's own good.

 

Rating: 7.3/10

Reccomended: Universe, Mount Eerie, Universe

[Toxic1]

http://www.offtopic.forum/data/MetaMirrorCache/b2128294b992796a3e10f47f9a8ce157.jpg

Artist: The Microphones

Album: Mount Eerie

Genere: Experimental/Noise/Indie

 

Although from the start it was very clear to me that this album would be incredibly arty

oddly structured and strictly for the devote listener I was still a bit shocked by the opener

'The Sun' where you are greeted by 10minutes worth of effects which resemeble a train

before the 'song' kicks in where you are greeted by off key vocals and the odd strumming

nothing that really resembles a melody here and thus far am not impressed by this track, it

is very clever and all it just seems to be a bit too smug. This set me up for a bigger shock

'Solar System' & 'Universe' are actually pretty immidiate melodic songs which are pretty nice to

the ear. 'Universe' is a song I am particulaly a fan of, I just seem to love everything about it, the

nice melodic start, the disturbing bridge & the haunting ending. The title track picks off where

'Universe' left off by using the same key melody at the intro until it breaks down into a very

interesting aray of swoony noises and disturbing vocals which does in a very strange way remind

me of 'Beck' in his 'Mellow Gold' days. Again this goes back to the haunted feel before going into

white noise. This ends with a dramatic closer in 'Universe' which is again like the majority of the

album crowded with synths and noise. Not so much an album full of music then, more an auditory

experiance & although the are moments which resemble traditonal music the aren't many

making this an incredibly incredibly difficult album to get, technically it's sound but I personally

think its being just a bit too clever for it's own good.

 

Rating: 7.3/10

Reccomended: Universe, Mount Eerie, Universe

 

Not surprised by your review. However, I'm surprised you didn't catch on that this was by and far a very intimate concept album that requires isolated listening. A concept album that is heavily potrayed through painstaking and very particular noises, effects, sounds, vocal characters, and guitar & drum manipulation. And of course the lyrics and the story of how his characater finally dies as a continuation from The Glow Part II and previous albums of which dealt with themes of life (water, wind, fire, etc). It's quite an adventurous voyage where few song writers dare or even think of treading. But again, I understand because it's a hard album to figure out or pin down after one uninitiated listen. Especially being that you've probably been wrapping your ears around the likes of The Fiery Furnaces, Sunset Rubdown, Common, and all those catchy Brit rock bands you enjoy lately.

 

The whole album is quite the haunting piece, but "The Sun" is one of the most unique and effecting song openers I've ever heard. The album kicks off, where The Glow Part II left off, with that creepy slightly crackling ambient noise and the distant impending doom of a ship that calls out with a horn from afar. Then the kick ass Brazilian-like percussion cuts and manipulates its way and finally comes in at a full ever circling motion all around you with the most primal evil ritualized aggression. Phil's voice finally breaks in with the most vulnerable delivery breakdown as impending doom chases him up a mountain called Mt Eerie. It's almost like he doesn't want to state these observations, but he manages to get the words out. All the while, a huge ball of fire watches attentively as it lowers.

 

You know how you hear about people going rapidly through certain unique times in their life before dieing? Well that's what happens on "Solar System". His mind quickly rotates towards a distant memory of a girl, who he probably loved, kicking around a soccer ball and imaginating all these good feelings through the words being sung. And at the same time he acknowledges the "vultures" of whom are eagerly awaiting his demise as the sun finally sets.

 

Something traumatic is about to happen. A painful passage. Alas, he is at the hands of "Death" and you hear the breath of Death as he begins to make work of him. The vultures finally get to feast on his body and tell their side of his tale even as he lays there. Still alive. Mocking him and stripping him of his dignity.

 

Then out of nowhere you hear: "I'm the candle falling. Your hands gripping the table cloth............" as a creepy accordian and toy xylophone play him away. That's a creepy way of passing. But as seen on the final track, the second "Universe", it ends with him emerging triumphantly. He embraces death and let's his voice from deep inside his "caves" echo out into the universe. "Beautfiul black, now you are mine." Like how another reviewer put it, he is enlightened and renewed.

 

There is more really going on than this life of ours on Earth.

 

-------------

 

In fact, I find this particular review is definitely spot on for me and my thoughts on Mt. Eerie:

 

http://www.splendidezine.com/review.html?reviewid=3253415271111199

 

Popmatters also hits the nail on the head:

 

To enjoy Mt. Eerie, you need to set aside some time devoid of distraction. A quick run through the album will not reveal the musical depths that the Microphones expose. A melody here, time change there, unsettling piano pings, there are a bevy of sounds used to try and portray the fullness that makes up each and every day of our lives.

 

By the way, the artwork layout inside the cd is amazing.

 

9/10

[Jeezy]

http://www.offtopic.forum/data/MetaMirrorCache/b2128294b992796a3e10f47f9a8ce157.jpg

 

 

Artist: The Microphones

Album: Mount Eerie

 

Now this album is something different.

It starts with the track “The Sun”. And oh boy this track is over 17 minutes.

In the beginning it’s very quiet and after a while you get the feeling like you are driving somewhere...and then it feels like a crowded place..maybe a market...there are also some water noises. After 10-11 minutes there are the first vocals...and the music is really quiet so that the focus can be on the voice. The last seconds of the song are really noisy and distorted...and even kinda scarry. Overall the track creates a great atmosphere.

Then there’s the 2nd track “Solar System” which is really nice....great vocals and overall a nice track.

The 3rd track “Universe” has nice drumming and also nice lyrics. Then there’s the track “Mt.Eerie” which remembers me a little bit of this one Björk projekt “Medula”. It almost has a certain hip hop feeling in the beginning...it also end’s with the distortion from track 1. And then there’s the final track also called “Universe”.

It has some sort of monch choir voice in the back the whole time...it’s also an ok track.

 

Overall this album is not really something I would listen to every day.

 

But it is interesting...and really something different.

 

Especially the 1st and 2nd track caught my attention. I love this atmosphere during the first 17 minutes.

 

That song basically made the album interesting.

 

I also like the voice.

 

It’s kinda hard for me to rate this...but I’ll give it a

 

7/10

[Toxic1]

Maybe this shit's too deep and personal, but the concept shouldn't be that hard to figure out with an attentive listen. How many songwriters are putting together something as unique as this nowadays or even able to? Exactly.

 

A huge imagination is what's missing in most songwriters of today.

 

"The best albums are often those u discard on first listen."

 

It's also understandable that you guys probably don't identify with the overall concept of Mt Eerie.

 

Maybe some good ol' mari jane would help put this one into perspective for you guys. LOL

 

Anyhow, I really didn't expect you guys to review an album like this so quickly. And for good reason.

[Stenners]

I can imagine really enjoying it stoned out of my mind or on shrooms and I listend to it once last night in my headphones in bed, this morning on my pc and again with my headphones and reached a verdict. I could understand the appeal and I appriciate the imagination I just can't appriciate the concept, to enjoy albums like this you have to be really down to the mental tone of the creater as albums like this are made for the artist not for the audience.

[Stllmn8j]

I can imagine really enjoying it stoned out of my mind or on shrooms and I listend to it once last night in my headphones in bed, this morning on my pc and again with my headphones and reached a verdict. I could understand the appeal and I appriciate the imagination I just can't appriciate the concept, to enjoy albums like this you have to be really down to the mental tone of the creater as albums like this are made for the artist not for the audience.

 

Plus the album should be enjoyable when you're not high also lol

[Toxic1]

Plus the album should be enjoyable when you're not high also lol

 

It is to me. And I'm pretty damn sure not all these reviewers and bloggers were all stoned when they were righting out their positive reviews and thoughts of what happens on it and what it means to them. With Sten's and Jeezy's review, there were no insightful mentions of how the album spoke to them or what was happening. So in the end, they took Mt Eerie in with an overall superficial point of view. "This song is nice. Didn't care for that part. Liked the atmosphere.............."

 

So with that said, I probably wouldn't recommend The Glow Part II to both of 'em despite the wide universe acclaim it received. That album was harder for me to get into, while many others found it way easier. But the great thing is, I picked up on new things I missed on previous listens. Kinda like how I did on say.........Fight Club the movie. The few people that hated or disliked that movie, are the ones that took it superficially and got no underlying meaning out of it. Of which, there was a butt ton of.

[HaziLPTonz]

music taste is individual, we're not supposed to all like/enjoy the same type of music,just because you listen to it a thousand times dont make you like it anymore than listen number 1

[Stenners]

http://www.offtopic.forum/data/MetaMirrorCache/484c0f5cd8d3eb25bcb96f42b06bb53b.jpg

 

Artist: Oh No

Album: Dr No'S Oxperiment

Genre: Hip Hop

 

Oh No, younger brother of Madlib, has released here his 3rd full studio album & what

I can tell instantly from this record is that Oh No, unlike Madlib, isn't totally afraid of

Major chord progressions. A hell of alot more pop sounding then Madlib with far few disjointed

beats, this is more melody based then Beat based & I for one am pretty glad, whilst

i'm game for some breaks its a refreshing change to hear some more melody in hip hop

these days. This is largley an instrumental set which borrows heavily on psycadelic sound

it flows very well but at no track clocking in at over 1minute 45seconds you do feel

that the lack of a couple full lenght tracks would'nt of gone a miss though having said

that this is a very strong and fun hip hop record to start a party with.

 

Rating: 7.75/10

[Toxic1]

Tonz;515701']music taste is individual' date=' we're not supposed to all like/enjoy the same type of music,just because you listen to it a thousand times dont make you like it anymore than listen number 1[/quote']

 

The second part of your statement makes absolutely no sense. This is not a bad album. If it was, I would agree with that point. I agree on your first point though, but it doesn't change the fact that their somewhat lukewarm positive reviews on Mt Eerie sucked. There really wasn't much said beyond some very superficial and quick observations sound-wise. I expected that they would hold out and review it at least after a few days and a few soaked in listens. It's a necessity for an album like Mt Eerie with it's musical and lyrical depths and imaginative songwriting. I was stunned that both dared to review it within a day. But then again I shouldn't have thrown them in on an album that Elvrum's character dies on and expect them to clue in on what's going on to that point. I should have recommended previous albums before it. Of which, are a little more catchier.

 

"Stenners says: The best albums are often those u discard on first listen." This could still be the case. I remember Sten hating In The Aeroplane Over The Sea when I recommended it to him at first.

[Stenners]

If I recall I had downloaded the album then you saw I had and told me to hold out It was worth it I will probably come up to the album again but the thing was I just couldnt connect with the album on that many levels and my opinion of it didn't really grow on repeated listens, I just don't think it's the album for me.

[Toxic1]

If I recall I had downloaded the album then you saw I had and told me to hold out It was worth it I will probably come up to the album again but the thing was I just couldnt connect with the album on that many levels and my opinion of it didn't really grow on repeated listens, I just don't think it's the album for me.

 

And that's alright.

 

I forgot how awesome and informative Pitchfork's review of Mt Eerie was, which is a rarity these days. But it's no surprise since they hailed The Glow Pt. II as the best album of 2001.

 

Mt. Eerie review: http://pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/19873-mount-eerie

 

01Microphones

The Glow, Pt. 2

[K]

I first tuned into the Microphones two years ago with the release of their feedback-laden K Records debut Don't Wake Me Up. It was tough to get into, but after spending time with it, I discovered inviting pop songs buried beneath the layers of white noise and radio static. Then came 2000's It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water. In a year's time, head Microphone Phil Elvrum had seemingly mastered it all. The album was an incredibly intricate collage in which unidentifiable instrumentation weaved throughout complex pop structures and deeply evocative, dreamlike lyrical imagery. But the album's most stunning trait lay in the way the sound was captured. Elvrum preferred to rely on old-world recording techniques, foregoing the digital trickery so prevalent in modern production for the warm comfort of analog tape and handmade effects.

 

Now, with The Glow, Pt. 2-- the album title itself a reference to It Was Hot's brilliant centerpiece-- Elvrum makes a serious case for those archaic methods of sound reproduction. The Glow, Pt. 2 is the year's most beautiful release, without ever resorting to rock's tired orchestras or stuttering glitchcraft. The Microphones create space by liberally applying silence and tape hiss to their transparent stratum of guitars, drums and tape-manipulated strains. And atop it all floats Elvrum's boyish vocals which, rather than telling stories or singing of lost love, paints vivid imagery of the Pacific Northwest and wonders how he fits into the picture.

 

Best of all, the Microphones have managed all this without pretense. If there's anything that could ruin this kind of music, it's self-consciously "arty" indulgence. But Elvrum's world is one of ecological harmony and generosity; he seems more likely to hang with Washington's rural expanse than with Olympia's scenester elite. And this record is all the better for it. In all its homemade sublimity, its heart on its sleeve and its execution so human, The Glow, Pt. 2 is to big-budget rock epics what camcorded home movies are to sci-fi Hollywood blockbusters: infinitely more affecting and sincerely moving. --Ryan Schreiber

 

---------

 

Tinymixtapes 5 star Mt Eerie review was different, but exceptional as well. http://www.tinymixtapes.com/The-Microphones,1355?var_recherche=microphones

[HaziLPTonz]

i wasnt talking abouyt that album SPECIFICALLY, i meant in general, if someone just doesnt like a particular genre, someone listening to the album a few more times isnt going to have that much a change of mind. i wasnt talking about the album, on the contrary i liked it, im just saying, somone else had said they didnt like it, and you seemed to object, and i added that maybe it was his musical taste

[Stenners]

http://g-ec2.images-amazon.com/images/I/510A4L9lEJL._AA240_.jpg

 

Artist: St. Vincent

Album: Marry Me

Genre: Alternative, Singer/Songwriter, Indie Pop

 

As much as I like the modern day singer song writers amongst us right mow

(Sufjan Stevens, Bright Eyes & Cat Power) I always had a bit of a nag in the back

of my mind whenever I heard one of their songs..... apart from the odd exception

their styles are very much similar, the is a little diversity lacking from the modern

day singer/song writers, be it very folk (Bright Eyes/Sufjan Stevens), Piano laced

(Cat Power/Regina Spektor) or pretty disaterous indie pop (Lilly Allen/Kate Nash).

This debut effort by Annie Clark (AKA St. Vincent) is pretty refreshing change of

pace from the above mentioned artist... sure the piano lace melodies and horns

are all still there as per usual but the inclusion of distorted electric guitar and

example in songs where the intensity of the vocals change really adds something to

the music.

 

http://cdn.last.fm/proposedimages/original/6/14736553/643115.jpg

 

The content of this album as suggested by the title is very much love based

as suggested by the lyrics and the disjointed nature of the music it's rather

tragic with the ultimate stand out track 'Paris Is Burning' the obvious thing to

point out is the most romantic city in the world is going before our eyes

'Sticks and stones make me smarter, its words that hurt me under my armour'

also reflects without being too cliche that she has been thre a rough

relationship, lyrically this is pretty much the theme of the album & though not

terrific lyrically she delivers it with enough heart to sound more heart felt

then cliche. The album does have it's weaker moments, songs such as 'all

my stars aligned' sound like your typical piano laced filler that you get in

these sort of albums they just never really go anywhere just plods along

and just isnt as interesting musically as the rest of the album.

 

http://cdn.last.fm/proposedimages/original/6/14736553/290356.jpg

 

So what does ms.Clark's effort prove? It proves that singer song writers

are still hitting the money & that dues to the nature of it being a solo artist

they can churn out some of the most personal and effective albums

with interesting use of instruments, unusual inclusion of distorted solos and

good use of synths & despite the odd stumble this is a very capable

album worht people attention & easily ranks up there with the likes of

Feist's latest effort and even trumps Cat Power & Bright Eyes latest efforts.

 

Rating: 8.2/10

Reccomended: Now Now, Marry Me, Your Lips Are Red, Paris Is Burning & What Me Worry

[Toxic1]

Tonz;516429']i wasnt talking abouyt that album SPECIFICALLY' date=' i meant in general, if someone just doesnt like a particular genre, someone listening to the album a few more times isnt going to have that much a change of mind. i wasnt talking about the album, on the contrary i liked it, im just saying, somone else had said they didnt like it, and you seemed to object, and i added that maybe it was his musical taste[/quote']

 

Gotcha...........

 

:thumbsup:

[Stenners]

http://www.drownedinsound.com/images/26088.jpeg

 

Artist: Future Of The Left

Album: Curses

Genre: Rock

 

mclusky were always a pleasure to listen to, at least in my ears, the unothordox vocals on top catchy chugging guitar riffs leading often to a very punk-esc hook was a very nice change from the majority of the guitar music worming it's way out of the UK..... then they split up. Oh well not alls lost as 1 half of mclusky return with others to for Future Of The Left, who essentially sound almost exactly like mclusky hmm what a shock. Is it as good as mclusky? Well not quite but it very nearly hits the mark, songs such as 'Plauge Of Onces' & 'Real Men Hunt In Packs' show a great deal of aggresion and drive and mark really strong song writing but the ufourtenate thing on this album is the drasticly low amounts of variety, they really don't change it about that much which is a bit of a shame but as it stands it's a very very good rock album full of potential singles.

 

Rating: 7.5/10

Reccomended: Plauge Of Onces, Fingers Become Thumbs, Real Men Hunt In Packs, Adeadenemyalwayssmellsgood

 

PS. I'm not sure if thats the real album art work

[Stenners]

http://drownedinsound.com/images/26005.jpeg

 

Artist: A Sunny Day In Glasgow

Album: Tout New Age

Genre: Dream Pop

 

Growing in status, this little band have a very unothordox means about

their music, interesting structures & production methods always garuntee

and uneasy and tough listen and will forever be a stressful venture for those

braught up on more accesible and up abrasive music. Essentialy this is more

of an EP, a collection of songs that didn't make the final cut of their superb

& captivating debut 'Scribble Music Journal' and is exclusivley avalible at their

shows or on E-Muisc (AMAZING) or iTunes (if you want to be ripped off).

 

http://cdn.last.fm/proposedimages/original/6/14079156/346561.jpg

 

As the album opens the complicated and well hidden melodies hit you

the opening track starts with the audience applauding the arrival of the band

this then kicks into the main musical feature, which is essentially as dream

scope as you can get, the production is so different people will find it

a challenge the is just undermixed vocals amongst guitar with reverb

and synth drones and very subtle use of the dream machine.... this means

it all sort of murges into one and once you get used to the shock its really

quite a nice track. This flows into the first real highlight of the album

'Laughter (Victims) which is birrage of noise and melodies over what

sounds like an 80's pop beat... nice, pretty much all of the songs go

along this idea with plenty others following the noisey beat route.

 

http://www.asunnydayinglasgow.com/asdg/newimages/thumbs/all01.jpg

 

The illusive trippy drugged up sound remains, this is an icredible album to listen

to when your twatted with it's unsusual & daunting sounds remaining with the

forever haunting vocals 'Summerlong Silences' is a tremendous example of this

and I feel one of my faviroute songs from the band so far. Have I also mentioned

this album easily has their most accesible song to date? Yes in 'Hugs & Kisses' they

have crafted themsevles a theme song & yes its melodic and endearing but unfourtenatly

with its accesibility it has lost some of their charm and made it sound kind of boring

and predictable in comparrison to the rest of the EP.... sure it's alot better then

alot of stuff out there but in comparrison to ASDIG's other stuff it doesnt quite

cut it.

 

http://crackersunited.com/blog/wp-content/bench04.jpg

 

The influences from Shoegaze forever present over heavily processed

80's beats, drowned in eary synths, harmonicas, guitar twangg & haunting

vocals. This is deffinatly not an album for people looking for an instant fix

in their music, the majority of it has so many melodies it can take litteraly

dozens of listens to get. But i'm also pleased to say the majority of the album

matches and in some case betters the illusive debut.

 

Rating: 9.75/10

Laughter, Summerlong Silence, The Ossifrage, 'Shame, Who Wouldn't Think Its Evil (Let Get Beat-Up)

[Stenners]

http://drownedinsound.com/images/26374.jpeg

 

Artist: Caribou

Album: Andorra

Genre: Electronic/Alt.Pop/Indie/Psycadelia

 

Acclaimed Fame, Caribou as an electronic act pretty good? Yes I think so

he offers an alternative style to the ever increasing erray of 'Electro-Indie'

acts, taking his style from Lo-Fi, 60's Pop and Psycadelia he crafts an electro

indie sound unlike most of the carribean THUMP THUMP THUMP counterparts

we have seen recently. When the brilliant single 'Melody Day' surfaced earlier

this month this only grew up expectations of this album & does it live up to this

mounted expectation? Yes it most certainly does.

 

http://cdn.last.fm/proposedimages/original/6/6917178/266477.jpg

 

The melodies shown on this album are sweet, the drumming is brilliant

and complicated, often using multiple beats at once (he employs 2

drummers for the live shows) it's for the most part a very soothing and

captivating album with Dan's voacals effortlessly blending in with the

music that surrounds him, the combonation is one of the most natural

I have heard all year. Is it all clear sailing though? Where as 'Melody

Day' is great single material it sort of stands out in the album in a bad way

and sounds alot louder but the sheer array of standouts here 'Sandy'

'After Hours' & 'Sundialing' make up for it.... good show but it is missing

a little something from making it as good as I have made it sound in

the past couple paragraphs... yet i'm not sure what.

 

Rating: 8/10

Reccomended: After Hours, Shes The One, Sundialing, Sandy & Melody Day

[Stenners]

Artist: Thurston Moore

Album: Trees Outside The Academy

Genre: Accoustic, Singer/Songwriter

 

Thurston Moore is a legend amongst the music scene, having fronted ground breaking

band 'Sonic Youth' and getting acts such as 'Nirvana' signed to labels he also has done

not so succesful but still very good solo music, this is his first full album since 1995's

Psycic Hearts, which sounded like Sonic Youth except without bass, that is exactly

what I expected this album to sound like but I was pretty much wrong. I was greeted

with sweet guitar melodies, string arrangements and vocals that don't just stick to the

guitar melody.... interesting... what else do we get from this, o yes sweet female backing

vocals are thrown into the equation to.

 

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/creviews/tmoore.jpg

 

Does this all work for a long time noise guitarist that seems to have stearred

way clear from Approachable Pop music? Well actually yes it does, I think this

album is a thing of beauty & loved it from play 1. The is enough to each track

to be able to distinguish it from one another but they go together effortlessly

and even lyrically.... it's not nearly as cringe worthy as Sonic Youth who are

pretty usless in that field. The are still moments of noise and distortion on some

of the track but these are kept to a mininum & once it's all done your left with

a track 'Thurston @13' which appears to mock protentious music by him just going

'Here is a nickle hitting the table......... there' 'here is a penicl hitting the table....

there'. Truth be told I perfer this to any post 2000 Sonic Youth release it's a suprise

I really didn't expect this to be the case but hey its a nice suprise & Moore has put

out his most approachable album to date.

 

Rating: 9/10

Reccomended: Frozen GTR, The Shape Is In A Trance, Silver_Blue, Wonderful Witches