LPF Album Reviews 2.0

[Friðbjörn]

I'll be sure to check out that album

[Stenners]

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/41EvUroFSNL._AA240_.jpg

Artist: Yelle

Album: Pop Up

Genre: Electro/Pop/Hip Hop

 

I love french electro, they do it really really well, far better then the Brazillions

the British and the Americans. This album is one I have been looking forward to

for a long time, ever since Last.fm guided me to her debut single 'Je Veux Te Voir'

several months ago which to say the least quickly became one of my faviroute

songs of 2007. This album has been slowly generating some sort of buzz around it

the dynamic single made sure of this & slowly more and more songs begun to emerge

and thankfully today is the day the album see's it's official release in the UK. So whats

the sound all about you ask, french lyrics over throbbing bass lines and synths you say?

Nothing too out of the ordinary here but basically every last songs beat is done so

well and Yelles flow and voice carry off each beat with devestating effect, the dips from

electronica and french hip hop are really quite intreaging.

 

 

http://www.vieillescharrues.asso.fr/media/image/photo400/3139photo400.jpg

 

The isn't a terrible amount on this album that I can really say is original, darring

or reveloutionary.... but then again I never expected this to be an album to offer

such things. The sound is really funky, dirty and poppy at the same time which

works very well, it's just very well executed dance music which you will be more

than happy to dance along to, as is the case the debut single is very much the

emphesis of this sound 'Je Veux Te Voir', which is now higher quality to my original

rip, starts off with a pretty clean dancable pop dynamic but ends on the most

brilliantly heavy and dirty barrage of percussion and synth... that song pretty

much sums up the album, though it does tend to lean towards the poppier side

more the dirty undertone is pretty much present threw out and thats why I love

Yelle, it sticks to a formular but not so riggidtly that it becomes boring and prevents

her from loosing focus all together, one of the most focused and accomplished pop/

electro albums of the year? Most deffinatly.

 

Rating: 8.5/10

 

Limited Time Hear The Entire Album On Her Myspace

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=29410992

- The Myspace page really is pretty annoying so keep it minimalised lol

 

Je Veux Te Voir Music Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LawV-IR6h0

[Stenners]

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/512pDa5%2BF3L._AA240_.jpg

Artist: Scouting For Girls

Album: Scouting For Girls

Genre: Alternative/Indie

 

I can almost picture the scene when this band got signed by Epic, Epic see

that alternative music is huge right now, having cashed in majorly on Modest

Mouses somewhat unlikley success they are now clearly looking to create yet

another unlikely crossover band to do the same. Where as with Modest Mouse

you had a band with a strong cult following and several good albums under their

belt, here you have a band which is still fairly new.... has a known reputation

and only a couple EPs in their repetour.... oh dear. The problem you will notice

upon listen is how hollow every song feels, it feels completely void of any real

emotion thus making it an album totally unable to connect with. The lead single

'She's So Loverly' is a boring stab at a radio friendly hit... which is actually doing

pretty well for it's self and is unfourtanatly a highlight, everything else sounds

like a pop song mimicing an alternative sound & this is exactly the problem with

this album and band as a whole, in Epics search to find another crossover band

which would get sales from both the mainstream and scene they have failed to

find a band with any true appeal to either sector... a band totally lacking substance

but just a band that mearly mimics boths sounds... neither a pop band or an

alternative band, better luck next time epic.

 

Rating: 2.5/10

[Black_Angel]

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/512pDa5%2BF3L._AA240_.jpg

Artist: Scouting For Girls

Album: Scouting For Girls

Genre: Alternative/Indie

 

I can almost picture the scene when this band got signed by Epic, Epic see

that alternative music is huge right now, having cashed in majorly on Modest

Mouses somewhat unlikley success they are now clearly looking to create yet

another unlikely crossover band to do the same. Where as with Modest Mouse

you had a band with a strong cult following and several good albums under their

belt, here you have a band which is still fairly new.... has a known reputation

and only a couple EPs in their repetour.... oh dear. The problem you will notice

upon listen is how hollow every song feels, it feels completely void of any real

emotion thus making it an album totally unable to connect with. The lead single

'She's So Loverly' is a boring stab at a radio friendly hit... which is actually doing

pretty well for it's self and is unfourtanatly a highlight, everything else sounds

like a pop song mimicing an alternative sound & this is exactly the problem with

this album and band as a whole, in Epics search to find another crossover band

which would get sales from both the mainstream and scene they have failed to

find a band with any true appeal to either sector... a band totally lacking substance

but just a band that mearly mimics boths sounds... neither a pop band or an

alternative band, better luck next time epic.

 

Rating: 2.5/10

She's so loverleeeeehhhh! *kills self*

Lovely has two syllables... not three... TWO FUCKING SYLLABLES!

Though it is a horribly catchy tune.. lol.

[Jeezy]

 

Je Veux Te Voir Music Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LawV-IR6h0

 

damn that song rocks....

 

I love it:thumbsup:

[GraDoN]

She's so loverleeeeehhhh! *kills self*

Lovely has two syllables... not three... TWO FUCKING SYLLABLES!

Though it is a horribly catchy tune.. lol.

lol you make the song sounds funny haha

[Stenners]

damn that song rocks....

 

I love it:thumbsup:

 

Your telling me, I have been listening to it for ages now & have tried to put it on a playlist countlessley but the unfourtanate sound quality of the version I had at the time always stopped me. It's the ending of it that does it for me, whilst the majority of the songs arent nearly as heavy they are still all accomplished electro hip hop crossover songs.

[Breakdown Conspiracy]

http://www.offtopic.forum/data/MetaMirrorCache/bd603c7147f62b17ffec4401d3424389.jpg

 

Artist: Team Sleep

Album: Team Sleep

Genre: Experimental Rock with, Dream pop, Ambient, and Trip-hop elements.

 

Now everybody that lived in the sad nu-metal era, has atleast heard of the mosh-fest that is the deftones, but even less heard of is the very relaxing, almost lounge, sound of Chino Moreno's Side project that is, Team Sleep. Now this album has by far captured and refined my personal taste, for slow, and occasionally hard, experimental music. Their sound is one of genius as they keep a rather underground and minimalistic-type feel with dreamy, click-track-type songs like their single, Ever (Foreign Flag), and Tomb Of Liegia (featuring guest vocals from Mary Timony). Now these songs dont feature alot of flashy guitar riffs, and such, as their hardest song would be Your Skull is Red. As I said they are more minimalistic, as some songs consist of only a simple echoy guitar chord with a keyboard accompanying, and simple beat to follow. This all sounds boring, but the way many of the vocals are story or concept based, mixes with the whole feel of the sound. If you like the softer songs from the deftones, or experimental trip-hop, you should like this.

 

7/10

 

Recommended tracks: Your Skull is Red, Tomb Of Liegia, Ever Since WW1.

 

Video Links:

Ever(Foreign Flag)

[Stenners]

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/41ai8Z-jITL._AA240_.jpg

Artist: Swizz Beatz

Album: One Man Band

Genre: Hip Hop

 

It seems to me a constant theme with hip hop is the producer turned solo artist

ethic, Swizz Beatz is an impressive producer (see Raise The Alarm by Beyonce)

the is absaloutly no denying this small fact and the production on the majority of

this album is pretty good and enjoyable. Lets for a second pretend this is an instrumental

album, of which case you have some pretty interesting, some sonically massive beats

and some of those boring filler beats. In fact 'It's Me' is one of my personal faviroute

rap songs of the year.... so what the hell happens when you actually listen to Swizz...

he is a terrible rapper! His flow is so generic, his voice is so flat and his lyrics.... well

lets just say these are the worst lyrics I have possibly heard all year! 'The Funueral' is

the main offender with several stinkers in the bunch which are just cringe worthy, it's

the serious moments which really shows his weakness as a lyricist.... at least timberland

had the common decency to employ ghost writers for his terrible album.

 

http://s.yottamusic.com/i/ak56.3hYV

 

So you have yet another sample of 'Sunshine' which is thrown away when

he talks about him being shot by I quote "Camera Phonese, Sony and a cannon"

or something like that. Then you have 'Part Of The Plan' that butchers X & Y by

Coldplay.... and that was a poor song to begin with and again he spits out so

many joker lines that you got to wonder how much more he could embarrases himself

amongst his peers you wonder how many lyricall turkeys he could throw at

you.... this isn't thanks giving! YOU ARE GIVING WAY TOO MANY TURKEYS. But

ignore the lyrics entirley you got a collection of some good beats and 'It's Me'

which is superb song in my opinion then you got a competent album. It's better

then Timberlands effort but then again nothing could possibly be much worse then

Timberlands effort.... so with that note if you LOVE Timberland then you are a bit

easy too please so you should probably check this out to.

 

Rating: 5/10

Reccomended: It's Me, Top Down

[MrsBennington-Delson]

I just listend to some songs from Yelle... Je veux te voir is really cool lol nice lyrics =p

 

btw that Swizz Beatz guy is rappin in english?

[Stenners]

Yea he is, let me just dig up some lyrics

 

I wish I could fly away on a unicorn/ I'm from the ghetto, and every day a human's born.

 

hehehe

[MrsBennington-Delson]

haha

ok thanks :thumbsup:

[GraDoN]

when will the 50 cent review be coming, i cant wait to see it cause ive allready heard from ghasta people here thats its a totals trash piece o shit

[Stenners]

I could only get ahold of the clean version, it was so heavily editied that I stopped it at track 4 and got rid

[GraDoN]

haha i can only imagine

o well i can wait -_-

[Jeezy]

when will the 50 cent review be coming, i cant wait to see it cause ive allready heard from ghasta people here thats its a totals trash piece o shit

 

it is trash

 

I could only get ahold of the clean version, it was so heavily editied that I stopped it at track 4 and got rid

 

Yeah I listened to it once...and you only understand every 3rd word

[Stenners]

http://www.offtopic.forum/data/MetaMirrorCache/a89783bcd637df80982bff28b4e4e2f4.jpg

Artist: We Yes You No

Album: Muisic For Beginners

Genre: Psycadelic/Electronic/Melodic

 

Put the bad band name aside this band are a truely independant band, not

even signed to any label, this was a shock to me when I discoverd this on

their bands myspace and several other websites shouting thier praise. Their

sound has been described as a bit of 'Blonde Redhead' with a dash of

'Flamming Lips' and maybe throw in a little 'Deerhoof' and you have some sort

of sound that resembles this band. The music which is Atmospheric Melodic

Psycadelic Pop with Electronic undertones I guess, is executed with very

admirable effect & only adds to the shock that this band are yet to be signed,

it's all executed very well. In a day and age where in order to be a british

band you have to sing about booze & use the same 4 angular guitar chords

over and over it's a refershingly nice change to see a band from this side

of the atlantice deciding to adopt such a sound without any thought for

conformity. The album it's self was suprisingly approachable despite the

promise of a very difficult record to get into, but what I also found is I didnt

understand half the album untill repeated listens where each one revelaled a

new element to the music for me to enjoy.

 

http://b0.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/00286/06/39/286429360_l.jpg

 

A handful of the tracks seem like potential singles if they were

to finnaly get signed 'Summary Parade' is hooky and atmospheric with

one of the most memorable melodies on the album 'And The Seasons Pass'

is the personal highlight and 'Obsessed' is the track that will probably grab

you the most on first listen. Is their much wrong with this album? The vocals

can begin to grarte but for an unsigned piece of work I am very impressed

it shows a band experimenting with melodic music resorting back to both old

conventions whilst simultantiously pushing the boundries of music and by doing

so creating an impressive sonic experiance without being alienating or over protentious.

It's like the kid in art class whos talent all comes naturally & doesnt try to hard or

isn't overly in your face about it, this band are the likable geniuses that all can

admire from a far.

 

Rating: 9/10

Reccomended: Summary Parade, Obsessed, The Seasons Pass, Dream In Motion, Apocalypse Pocket Edition

[azemkamikaze03]

yea no point in reviewing curtis it gets a 2 only because i liked ayo technology lol

 

but i have to disagree with stenners saying cant tell me nothing was a failed attempt at a "club banger"

i really dont think it was meant to be a club banger. when it was realeased in the states, it was released in a mixtape manner and was more or less a street anthem. I think he was attempting to reach out in that way. Hence why he realized the remix with jeezy. I think this single was more or less just to have the hoodrats like ok im feeling you kanye, and stronger was for all the white girls in America lol

[Jeezy]

yea no point in reviewing curtis it gets a 2 only because i liked ayo technology lol

 

but i have to disagree with stenners saying cant tell me nothing was a failed attempt at a "club banger"

i really dont think it was meant to be a club banger. when it was realeased in the states, it was released in a mixtape manner and was more or less a street anthem. I think he was attempting to reach out in that way. Hence why he realized the remix with jeezy. I think this single was more or less just to have the hoodrats like ok im feeling you kanye, and stronger was for all the white girls in America lol

 

no man...sorry...I was not on the remix....lol

[Stenners]

http://static.rateyourmusic.com/album_images/731981.jpg

Moving Mountains

Pneuma

Post Hardcore/Indie/

Prog/Space

Rock

 

Imagine if my 'Bullet For My Valentine' took a head first running charge at several bands at once

hitting 'Explosions In The Sky', ' Sufjan Stevens', 'A Sunny Day In Glasgow'

and various other noise ridden bands in the process. Now imagine that by some freak

and fortunate accident 'Bullet For My Valentine' managed to merge with these collectives

and no longer were 'Bullet', to the joy of many, and were now Moving Mountains. Right

essentially that's the story we got here, currently available as only a digital release or at

least it was when I last looked, this is an unsigned band with a lot going for it. First of all

their sound is pretty much ideal for all those who love their music complex and

noisy, the is plenty of noise to get threw to hear the eventual melody, but then

the is the other side of them, they have the guitar riffs of a post hardcore band

as well as the vocals! This means they are like one massive hybrid of a vibrant music scene likely to be genuinely appreciated by both the mainstream and the underground and without causing too much of a divide in opinion either.

http://www.offtopic.forum/data/MetaMirrorCache/9df4d71af732122dbd3b7c0253784b24.jpg

 

The chiming of xylophones ringing on, bouncing off of scrupulous amounts of

feedback, even horns thrown in, it is pretty much the recipe of a critically acclaimed album. And

I'm going to sing its praise, go out on a limb here and tout this band as a next big thing,

thats not to say this album is flawless. Some parts do sort of drag on and the are

moments that go from pleasantly familiar to annoyingly familiar butas far as post hardcore

meets indie space rock with a hint of folk goes... yea this does a pretty good job of it.

Rating: 8.9/10

[Stenners]

http://www.offtopic.forum/data/MetaMirrorCache/f1039629d30424a272de79bef42788af.jpg

Bearsuit

OH:IO

Indie/Pop/Alternative

 

If the is one major problem with music, especially in the indie alternative scene, the

is an undoubtably snobbish & serious attitude to music, sure it may sound great and

be a techniqual marvel but they often leave out the enjoyment. This band has a song

called 'Steven Fucking Spielberg!' with Jurrasic Park esc sounding orchestra backing

in other words this is not one of those up tight releases. I have had the fortune of

seeing this band live this week and it was very odd, it was like a cartoon & thats not

a joke. So to the music, is it any good? With lavishes of melodies, guitar fuzz, piano

jingerling the harmonies of 4 of the 6 piece.... it was either going to be a sub standard

Twee pop album (looks at Architecture) or a pop marvel (HELLO of MONTREAL!) on the

scale of things this release not only doesnt go to the bottom where Helskini currently

are on the twee factor it even leap frogs does a flip and french kisses Kevin Barnes

pretty large forehead as it jumps wayyyyy over his bemused head as this album beats

it hands down. It's just brilliant fun in a way that avoids being twee or stale it's got the

balance more or less perfect! I Was God smacked and smitten on first enounter with

this record & I have already listend to it 10 times! 10! I don't remember the album

that had such an instant impact on me, it just struck a chord I guess.

http://www.offtopic.forum/data/MetaMirrorCache/37ce790fcfad1b5278fe63bd09dc58f6.jpg

 

Not an album that requires the most refined attention span, it grads you with it's many

hooks ranging from soft vocals to yelping it's kind of like the vocal diversity associated

with bands such as Modest Mouse & The Pixies.... only alot more approachable as they

are techniqually better singers I guess and they aren't American... wan't british vocalists

that aren't in some God for saken MOR durge? Go here. Also the is the sheer energy on

this record.... it's just full of charecter... if they didn't have fun making this album I will

shoot myself! You can almost imagine the band running around in a room full of skittles

and soda, but again I must stress this... it's not very twee. The songs work really well

together & pretty well on their own which I havent been able to say for a while... so this

is a band that you can listen to a one off track and kind of appriciate what they are

doing, the album has no dips... it's length maybe a tad short prevents the album from dragging,

the interest remains threw out, it is just one huge peak.... unlike most mainstream albums

where the singles are sort of huddled together at the start this is done much more sparringly

and they are spread out threw the album... not that it really matters as all the songs are

so good they could of left the singles off and sold to me as an EP & i'd still love it! Okay

this is me just praising the hell out of an album, I love it

Nuff said.....

 

Rating: 10/10

 

Steven Fucking Spielberg

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FKlyZYofzR8

 

More Soul Than Wigan Casino

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ozViF4vD0Vs&mode=related&search=

 

I feel sorry for Hot Hot Heat now, as they are the next album on my list and it's like fairly attractive girls comming out after the stunner..... just looks crap

[Stllmn8j]

If Fri still does reviews i'd like to request Chevelle-Wonder What's next

[Stenners]

I think I heard that album! I'm gunna do it!

[Toxic1]

What bands do to try and get attention. LMAO! It's gotta suck after awhile to play with something like that wrapped around your head. Why can't they let the music do the talking these days?

 

Anyhow, I wasn't overly impressed with "Steven F***ing Spielberg" to be honest. The vocals are really grating, especially the chic's. The song's arrangements are pretty messy and not in a great way either. I guess I could try out the rest of the album, but would want an upload though.

 

I think a 10/10 is a little over the top based off that one song. If that's a single, then there have been much much better singles out this year and last. Check out "Rough Gem" by Islands from last year. Now that's a perfect pop song. And "Return To Sea" is one of the best albums of 2006 and I would only rate that as an 8.5/10.

[GraDoN]

http://www.offtopic.forum/data/MetaMirrorCache/f1039629d30424a272de79bef42788af.jpg

Bearsuit

OH:IO

Indie/Pop/Alternative

 

If the is one major problem with music, especially in the indie alternative scene, the

is an undoubtably snobbish & serious attitude to music, sure it may sound great and

be a techniqual marvel but they often leave out the enjoyment. This band has a song

called 'Steven Fucking Spielberg!' with Jurrasic Park esc sounding orchestra backing

in other words this is not one of those up tight releases. I have had the fortune of

seeing this band live this week and it was very odd, it was like a cartoon & thats not

a joke. So to the music, is it any good? With lavishes of melodies, guitar fuzz, piano

jingerling the harmonies of 4 of the 6 piece.... it was either going to be a sub standard

Twee pop album (looks at Architecture) or a pop marvel (HELLO of MONTREAL!) on the

scale of things this release not only doesnt go to the bottom where Helskini currently

are on the twee factor it even leap frogs does a flip and french kisses Kevin Barnes

pretty large forehead as it jumps wayyyyy over his bemused head as this album beats

it hands down. It's just brilliant fun in a way that avoids being twee or stale it's got the

balance more or less perfect! I Was God smacked and smitten on first enounter with

this record & I have already listend to it 10 times! 10! I don't remember the album

that had such an instant impact on me, it just struck a chord I guess.

http://www.offtopic.forum/data/MetaMirrorCache/37ce790fcfad1b5278fe63bd09dc58f6.jpg

 

Not an album that requires the most refined attention span, it grads you with it's many

hooks ranging from soft vocals to yelping it's kind of like the vocal diversity associated

with bands such as Modest Mouse & The Pixies.... only alot more approachable as they

are techniqually better singers I guess and they aren't American... wan't british vocalists

that aren't in some God for saken MOR durge? Go here. Also the is the sheer energy on

this record.... it's just full of charecter... if they didn't have fun making this album I will

shoot myself! You can almost imagine the band running around in a room full of skittles

and soda, but again I must stress this... it's not very twee. The songs work really well

together & pretty well on their own which I havent been able to say for a while... so this

is a band that you can listen to a one off track and kind of appriciate what they are

doing, the album has no dips... it's length maybe a tad short prevents the album from dragging,

the interest remains threw out, it is just one huge peak.... unlike most mainstream albums

where the singles are sort of huddled together at the start this is done much more sparringly

and they are spread out threw the album... not that it really matters as all the songs are

so good they could of left the singles off and sold to me as an EP & i'd still love it! Okay

this is me just praising the hell out of an album, I love it

Nuff said.....

 

Rating: 10/10

 

Steven Fucking Spielberg

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FKlyZYofzR8

 

More Soul Than Wigan Casino

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ozViF4vD0Vs&mode=related&search=

 

I feel sorry for Hot Hot Heat now, as they are the next album on my list and it's like fairly attractive girls comming out after the stunner..... just looks crap

lol must be pretty funnt to see live