Andrew Bird -- Armchair Apocrypha (2007)
0 Comments Published by Chris on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 at 10:35 AM.
Cliché or not, Andrew Bird has come a long way in past ten years. From his stint as violinist for hot-jazz revivalists Squirrel Nut Zippers to the non-stop barrage of eclectic solo albums, the dude isn't afraid of tweaking his sound to improve it. And thankfully, the little tweaks make Armchair Apocrypha his best release.Handling the bulk of instrumental duties himself, Bird piles violin, guitar, glockenspiel and whistling (he's an ace whistler) atop one another to form structurally impressive pop songs. Tracks slap everything from gypsy swing to folk rock together, more often than not using Bird's deft lyrical imagery as glue. And from the metaphysical "Dark Matter" to the pop culture-probing "Plasticities," the album is as thoughtful as it is impossibly catchy.
Armchair Apocrypha is that rare album not only provides common ground for classical musical purists and Top 40 radio listeners, but also ends up being Bird's most accessible release without sacrificing anything in the process.
Labels: andrew bird, jp, music, number twenty-three
This band is part of a noticeable trend that has been occurring in the past couple years known as “Spanglish.” Bands like N.O.R.E. (pronounced NOR-EE or Ene-O-Ere-Eh), Daddy Yankee and Shakira have been throwing both Spanish and English into their songs, making their potential audience larger.Dedicated to Puerto Rico, the album features Fat Joe, Diddy, Ja Rule and many others. For the genre lovers this album is known to be reggaeton, rap, and hip-hop. The album title translates to something like, “[N.O.R.E.] and the family…Now you know.” What they are trying to relate by this is that they are going to talk about how things are in Puerto Rico. Then, in the end, you will understand.
Many of the songs have definite references to Puerto Rican culture and history. In the song “Y Voy,” they speak of a Jibaro, a specific reference to the working-class man on the island. There are also references like “Boriqua,” slang for a Puerto Rican male or female.
It is surprising that this album was not more popular. It is a great compilation of genres, cultures and artists. Though the lyrics may not be the best, it is a good album. The artists put thought into what they were making and made conscious efforts to make this album very specific to Puerto Rico.
Labels: jc, music, nore, number twenty-three
This is the basic four-man band: the singer with his guitar, another guitarist, a bassist and a drummer. Singer Anthony Raneri has a unique enough voice in contrast to popular music out on the charts right now, but the band doesn't stray much from the rock/pop-punk sound.Regardless, they are definite material to be popular soon. It is easy to understand and sing along to the words. The rhythm is simple enough to rock and dance to in concert. And they actually have a band name that is someone easy to remember.
So, let's suppose that this band does get popular with their new hit “Duality?” This is a song about two personalities. It is almost like any other, “I’m frustrated with everything” song. It is very insecure lyrically: “There’s no telling what tomorrow holds / There’s no telling which voice takes control / Is there anybody out there? / Is there anybody calling? / What if what I think is really wrong? / I’m not in control”
Being a fan of fun music when it comes to rocking out or dancing the night away at a concert, this song leaves me very conflicted as I see it is going mainstream and will be listened to mainly by young people.
I guess like many other bands, this band’s lyrics can not be taken all too seriously. Although, the sound is great, so have fun with it.
Labels: bayside, jc, music, number twenty-three
Joss Stone is a British soul and R&B singer. Her third album, Introducing Joss Stone, is not like her previous two. This album shows off her ability to sing over different rhythms and styles. Introducing... not only features guest appearances from Common and Lauryn Hill, but also is produced by Raphael Saadiq, the former lead singer of early '90s pop music band Toni, Tone, Tony.Saadiq brings a lot syncopated rhythms, off-beat drums and catchy loops to the album. This all blends for on awesome pop and soul sound. This forces Joss to sing in different styles; as a result, she's not able to showcase her voice as much. This is good if you just want to hear some good music, but if you want to hear her strong voice, buy her first two albums.
It is a good album to have for a second date, relaxing with a special friend during open hours; it's also good if you just like Joss Stone or Raphael Saadiq.
Labels: joss stone, js, music, number twenty-three
The Good, The Bad and the Queen -- The Good, The Bad and the Queen (2007)
0 Comments Published by Chris on Wednesday, April 11, 2007 at 10:33 AM.
Good art can’t be assembled from exemplary pieces like a fantasy baseball team. The Good, The Bad, & The Queen, the first album from the band formed by Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz, falls prey to the usual supergroup problem: it sounds too good, too slick and too professional to be very interesting. Produced by Danger Mouse, and featuring Paul Simonon of the Clash, Simon Tong of the Verve, and Tony Allen from Fela Kuti’s backing band (Afrika 70), the album is lushly arranged but ultimately uninspiring. The lyrics, intended to be a portrayal of modern life in London, are somewhat evocative but rather vague and obscure; they’re far more interesting as poems in the album liner than paired with the music.The album does have a few high points: “Nature Springs” shows the band melding their diverse styles with much more success than the rest of the album, and hints at promising results if this group can ever move past being a project and meld into a band. This album, however, is still fairly immature.
Labels: ap, music, number twenty-two, the good the bad and the queen
According to current polls, two out of every three people think that President Bush is doing a bad job running the country right now. This number must be higher among people with recording contracts. But with the recent crop of blatant musical statements of political dissatisfaction, Bright Eyes’ latest work, the Four Winds EP, stands out.Although his political commentary isn't hidden beneath layers of complex literary constructions, Conor Oberst did have the grace to craft his songs into clever and compelling metaphors, avoiding the descent into blatant and puerile name-calling that has plagued the work of other folks forwarding similar messages.
And while his lyrics do become heavy-handed in places (“the Bible's blind, the Torah's deaf, the Koran's mute/If you burn them all together you get close to the truth”), the album is not a tirade. The Four Winds is certainly tinged with sorrow and despair, but Bright Eyes keeps things listenable with his skillful folk rock arrangements. This collection of songs is one of the most palatable statements of frustration to come out of the cottage industry of dissident voices that have sprung up since Bush’s re-election.
Labels: bright eyes, music, nc, number twenty-two
This is car-commercial music. This is music that only feels meaningful when you’re at the bar and you’ve been drinking alone. This is a dull, dull, overproduced album. The lyrics are formulaic and uninspiring, and bear the distinctive shape of Nashville cookie cutter pieces (see, for example, such gems as “Had enough of wondering / what became of all the dreams she had / oh, they're out there somewhere”). The standard piano-rock pieces are mostly split between tracks that sound either like a mix of Coldplay and U2 run through a fruit juicer, or like absolutely generic CCM-ish cuts.--ap
Labels: ap, aqualung, music, number twenty-two
Official Concert Announcement
0 Comments Published by Chris on Wednesday, March 28, 2007 at 10:00 AM.
OVER THE RHINEDAVID BAZAN
of PEDRO THE LION, HEADPHONES
with RACHEL ZYLSTRA
GENEVA COLLEGE
JOHNSTON GYMNASIUM
Tuesday. April 24, 2007. 7:30 PM.
Here's some amazing pictures from the Over the Rhine, David Bazan and Rachel Zylstra show taken by Caryn Azure.
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| The Concert |
If you were there, let us know what you thought of it. If you have some pictures, link to them in the comments and send them to us. If you weren't, sorry you missed out on a great time.
Thanks for your support.
Rarely do you get to experience a concert from on stage, looking out at the audience. Apparently, arriving late can have its advantages. The last available place to sit in Club Café, a small lounge/bar in Pittsburgh’s Southside, was a speaker just off of stage left. It made for an awkward crick in the neck for the two hours of stories and songs with David Wilcox…but oh, it was so worth it.Wilcox is not only a great musician, making his acoustic guitar keep the rhythm while sustaining intricate picking, but his ability to tell stories makes him unique. In fact, most of the audience was there because they knew Wilcox’s work (another advantage of seeing the crowd sing along to some of his more famous songs). Wilcox’s songs focus on human relationships, mostly the intensity of love, the pain of heartache, and the comedy of human mortality. Wilcox moved seamlessly from the laugh inducing “Reaper Sweepstakes” to the tearful “Deeper Still” ("In this life, the love you give becomes the only lasting treasure/And what you lose will be what you win/A well that echoes down too deep to measure") to narrating the philosophical in “Inside of My Head” ("I've got to empty out the inside of my head/This could be a room with such a view,/but its covered up with junk/Blocking off the place the light gets through"). Wilcox claims his best song is “Three Brothers” from his latest album, which explores the religious conflict in the Middle East in a subtle and beautiful way.
The well-told stories interspersed throughout the set helped explain the inspirations to the songs, making the music take on heighten meaning. Wilcox is pretty honest about his faith and how it helps him see both the funny and serious sides of life, brokenness and spirituality; pointing out that our love for one another is a mired and grace-filled reflection of God’s love for us.
His latest album is called Vista. Wilcox was quick to point out came out before the latest version of Windows.
visit greg's blog.
Labels: david wilcox, gpv, live, music, number twenty-one
The Rex Theatre on the Southside of Pittsburgh apparently used to serve as an actual theater. The only give-away to this storied past is the lit, carpeted walkways. This is a fantastic place for a concert, especially the Hold Steady.
Listening to live music can easily be compared to watching a live sporting event. Rarely (except on dumb commercials by TV companies) do you hear the claim that it’s better to sit at home and watch the game than go to see it--everyone knows what you’re missing.
The Hold Steady show is the same way. As I stand packed in, listening with friends I came with and a couple hundred other people I may never see again. There’s a pretty intense energy flowing through the room. Yet, we’re willing to stand abnormally close and even smile and laugh with each other (which certainly wouldn’t be acceptable if we passed each other on the street).
There’s very little more enjoyable in life than getting a glimpse into the life of someone who totally loves what they’re doing. The guys from the Hold Steady are a great example. From their constant smiles to their incessant thanking, they certainly looked like they might have been enjoying the concert even more than the exuberant audience.
During the final song, vocalist Craig Finn told the audience that “there’s so much joy in what we do” and started grabbing people by the hand, pulling them up on the stage. Finn just stood there smiling--surrounded by the twenty people he brought on stage--and mouthed “thank you.”
This is the kind of stuff that makes it more than worthwhile to go hear live music.
listen to the hold steady.
photo credit: Rex Sorgatz.
Labels: cc, live, music, number twenty-one, the hold steady
Modest Mouse -- We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (2007)
0 Comments Published by Chris on Thursday, March 22, 2007 at 10:23 AM.
Modest Mouse are an unlikely success story--quirky band on a tiny label, gains a following, gets picked up on a large label, has a hit record, doesn't alter sound too much in the process, still together after nearly 15 years.We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank--their fifth full-length album--shows the band tweaking their approach, if only slightly. While the lyrics are hued with nautical tones, the music is a juggling act between the radio-friendly ("Dashboard"), the challenging-yet-hummable ("Fire It Up"), and a few riveting tunes that might only appeal to the adventurous ("Spitting Venom").
But even with the addition of legendary Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr to the line-up, We Were Dead... is missing a lot of bite. It's a good album, with brine-soaked instrumentation and bluntly introspective lyrics. But as good as it is, the band could've done a little better.
Labels: jp, modest mouse, music, number twenty
Hellogoodbye -- Zobies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! (2006)
0 Comments Published by Chris on at 10:19 AM.
So here’s the thing about whipped cream: it’s very difficult to develop a strong reaction to it, either positive or negative. Sometimes that added bit of white froth makes an otherwise mundane hot drink just perfect. Other times, the bit of additional sweetness is cloying and unnecessary. But ultimately, the cream is just a bit of white foam, and not really worth getting worked up over.Hello Goodbye has created a bit of whipped cream with their album, Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! As the title lets on, it seems that these guys had a lot of fun creating these songs. The album is light fare, full of bright-eyed love songs, exploding with positivity and optimism. The electronic music buoys the tracks along quite nicely, keeping the pace bubbly and discouraging the listener from looking at the generic lyrics too closely. Ultimately the album is sugary fluff, pleasant enough to listen to, but not filling or deeply satisfying.
Labels: hellogoodbye, music, nc, number twenty
Toby Mac -- Portable Sounds (2007)
0 Comments Published by Chris on Wednesday, March 14, 2007 at 9:09 AM.
Former DC Talk member Toby Mac is dropping his sixth solo effort. He has been a solo artist since 2001. Toby albums are full of diverse elements and mixes of pop, hip hop, rock and gospel music. His new album Portable Sound is a real treat. He has added a blend of reggae to the mix, including the pure reggae track "No Signal." That creates a lot of styles for the ear to hear at once, but it's mixed just right so it's not distracting. If you're worried about his skin color he has soul and rhythm. He is very lyrical, skillful and tasteful with the choice of topics he chooses. This is a good album for most ages.
Toby’s albums have a dominating pop sound, but this album has a darker tone than the rest of his albums. This album has something for everyone and if you are a fan of hip hop it is a must buy. However, be prepared to be slightly disappointed at the length of the album. But trust me, this album still worth the money spent--the message of the album is awesome.
Labels: js, music, number nineteen, toby mac
If there is a defeatist attitude underlining You Can't Win, it's easy to miss. The Portland, Ore. band's breezy folk rock--reminiscent of the Band or Neil Young--drifts along on bright melodies and frontman Al James' tender voice. But the lyrics betray sunken hopes, capsized relationships and scuttled dreams. The hypnotic opener has the band--in full harmony--repeating the album title over a growing bed of lush instrumentation. "Beachcomber Blues" evokes the image of an aimless, shuffling mediation by the sea. And despite James' pretty vocal part, "Buffalo Gal" packs uneasiness into benign lyrics.
But the record hinges on "My Still Life," the final track. James lists the seemingly mundane aspects of his day to a loved one, but the delivery suggests something better--he's fine with what he's been given. You Can't Win is a disarmingly pleasant album, and is a great aural soundtrack for the shift from winter to spring.
--jp
Labels: dolorean, jp, music, number nineteen
Infinity on High is a compulsively listenable artifact of the culture that arises from the ruins of a centerless worldview. In lieu of any higher authority, we tend to establish ourselves as the be all and end all of our existence. Fall Out Boy’s lyrics reflect this narcissism.The album is not just a celebration of celebrity culture, although it certainly comes off as that. There is a pain in these lyrics hidden beyond the poppy tunes that are an enjoyable departure from the pop-punk formula that permeates the band’s previous efforts. “I'm a stitch away from making it and a scar away from falling apart,” cries “the (After) Life of the Party.” While there might not be anything revolutionary about their pain, it is palpable. They are, through their skillfully produced versions of shoddy myspace poetry, declaring themselves to be the voices of a generation of moderately disaffected suburban youth.
While there is much to revile in the hymnody of these self-proclaimed prophets, the fact that it has the potential to be the new Psalter for a large percentage of the youth population is enough to warrant careful listening and consideration.
--nc
Labels: fall out boy, music, nc, number nineteen
So this is how a logical syllogism works: there’s a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion that follows if both premises are true. Something like this: bands who whistle in their songs are always good. Menomena whistles in their songs. Menomena is good. It’s a true story–the syllogism proves it, and syllogisms don’t lie. This album has a bizarre feel; xylophones and saxophones and all sorts of other instruments mix with affected vocals differently from song to song, creating an otherworldly atmosphere. It’s music that’s easy to get lost in, and difficult to find your way out of once you start. This world that’s so difficult to get out of, though, has a dark undertone, and a grotesque underbelly – and, as the lyrics portray, the grotesqueness is our own, the product of our modern society. It’s a society that creates people who wish “O, to be a machine / O, to be wanted / to be useful” ("Evil Bee"); a society that creates people who twist speech into a tool of destruction: “I've got a stranglehold on this decision / All those opposed can rot in hell / Any day now the words will form a sentence / You'll be reduced to nothingness” ("Rotten Hell"). It’s an intriguing album, if unsettling or jarring at times, and rewards repeated listening.
Listen
Labels: ap, menomena, music, number nineteen
“I’m living in an age that calls darkness light.” There’s some capital-T truth for you. The Arcade Fire’s highly anticipated follow-up to Funeral, Neon Bible, could be one of the most looked forward to albums of the year (next, maybe, to Modest Mouse). The album is clearly a biting critique of the modern age. It snaps at everything from government to church, and it’d be hard to find fault with many aspects of their appraisal.
The pessimism of the album is sharp as the Arcade Fire laments everything, summed up in the phrase “the poison of our age." From planes crashing into buildings two by two, to the prayer of a father asking the Lord for a famous daughter, to asking if maybe he is the Anti-Christ, Win Butler has serious questions (and concerns) about the society and world in which he lives.
The sound of the album is as emotionally distressing as the message, and it is beautiful. Neon Bible (an overtly modern and blasphemous title) features a church organ and the typical Arcade Fire symphonic sound.
Despite the overwhelming sense of hopelessness Butler allows himself (and others) to dream of the place where no ships/cars/spaceships/subs go. It’s the place “us kids know” and it’s “between the click of the light and the start of the dream.”
--cc
Labels: cc, music, number nineteen, the arcade fire
G-DEP and Loon - Bad Boy (2007)
0 Comments Published by Chris on Monday, February 26, 2007 at 10:39 AM.
Loon and G-DEP are both artists looking to regain their status in the rap community after a long time forced underground. Both Loon and G-DEP are Harlem natives and former Bad Boy Entertainment artists that gained some success early in their careers. Loon signed with Puff Daddy in 2000 and, after making some featured appearances, left to form his own label in 2004. G-DEP still owes Bad Boy Entertainment four more albums as part of his deal. The album is below average at best. It has a mixtape quality in the mixing department, and the lyrics are average and sound like every one else in gangster rap. Loon does take time to respond to the beef between him and fellow rappers the Dipset. The production is the best part of Bad Boy; it's the only part that doesn't make the album seem like it was made in some basement last week. If you like good beats and reparative gangster rap, this album is for you. If you require depth from the artist and good musical quality then save your money.
Labels: g-dep, js, loon, music, number eighteen
Somewhere in between all the blips, beeps, twitches, ticks and clicks Thom Yorke’s solo endeavor is artfully and creatively crafted into a must-listen album. The Eraser is a smooth yet tension-provoking album that embraces electronic alternative rock in its most raw form. Its nine tracks--some worthy of the repeat button--reveal a dark tone that somehow becomes beautiful in its own way. Others grow awkward, leaving you feeling uneasy; they demand a few listens to get past this. At times you wait for a band like Radiohead--Yorke's main project--to kick in, but it never happens. There is no grand entrance of instruments or a climax in each song, which is probably why he makes such a statement. The album does not follow what is expected-- it’s linear and not begging for attention. The Eraser is not something you'd hear on the radio, but an album that can be downloaded on your “chill” playlist. It forces you to examine the uniqueness of generated sounds not often heard.
Labels: kll, music, number eighteen, thom yorke
of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? (2007)
0 Comments Published by Chris on at 10:28 AM.
of Montreal's album Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? sucks you in with a whirlwind of high pitched happy voices, poppy beats and a technoish background mix. In some ways it's a reminder of the music of the '70s (from the voices) and the '80s (with computerized noises in the background), but that's the best part of the whole album. If music videos were based on the sound of the songs then a confusing fairy land of weirdness would ensue, but it would be fun! To put it lightly, this would be a fun band to see in concert. About halfway through the album of Montreal takes a turn into an eleven minute song, "the Past Is A Grotesque Animal." It's still their style, but the fact that this song goes on for eleven minutes makes the hair on one's back stand up. Thankfully, halfway through the next song the album returns to its fun pop feel which brings joy to the soul. Simply, it's a delightfully enjoyable album, but it's best to skip the eleven minute song and get right on to the "so-o-o-o-o-o-o-oul" of the album.
--jc
Labels: jc, music, number eighteen, of montreal
