"What passions cannot music raise or quell?"
--John Dryden
I have archived my reactions by year: 2004, 2005.
M. Ward
Post-War
2006, alt/folk rock, Merge
M. Ward is an emotional writer with a guitar glued to his hands and a gifted voice of deep hollowed tones lacking in the slightly meager affectations of John Mayer. Subtlety and substance are substituted for Mayer's polish. The effect is an album that is less immediate, but more rewarding.
Comets On Fire
Avatar
2006, loud ass rock, Sub Pop
Uninspired rehash of 60's rock whose only virtues are its energy and evil intentions. Not my thing.
Phoenix
It's Never Been Like That
2006, pop rock, Astralwerks/EMI
Phoenix has all the accessible pop rock rhythym and hooks as The Strokes, but none of the vocal swagger, and far more forgettable lyrics.
Sufjan Stevens
Illinoise
2005, alt, Asthmatic Kitty
Illinoise is sunny, strange, and beautiful. Orchestral arrangements of pop horns, banjo plucks, piano twinkles, and rounding voices take flight, leaving the comperable likes of Stereolab still tuning their aircraft in the hangar.
Be Your Own Pet
Be Your Own Pet
2006, garage rock, Universal
These young Nashville garage rockers may smack of their idols, but they "fuck shit up" in their own voice. Apathetic anthems "Bicycle Bicycle You Are My Bicycle" and "Adventure" come off instrumentally almost like crisp Arctic Monkeys, yet scream naughty vocally almost like the YYY's Machine EP. After a few good listens I find myself severely pissed at non-existant curfews and homework. And yesterday I caught myself shopping for BMX bikes. (Help.)
Damone
Out Here All Night
2006, pop metal, Island
Few bands can successfully combine pop vocal sensibilities and Metallica rifs. In fact, at the moment I can't name one. Damone certainly can't. At least not to my satisfaction. Guess I'm just not their crowd.
Hominy
Hominy
2006, alt country, Ivy
Hominy is sparingly odd, redneck-ish rock that brandishes a cool maturity and moderate complexity. Not a bad listen for a lazy Sunday afternoon. (Their label's web site reveals nothing about the band because ... well ... it sucks.)
Stereolab
Fab For Suture
2006, alt electro-pop, Too Pure
Fab delivers more of Stereolab's trademark funky, spacey sixties electro-pop. Unforutnately, it sounds like they've worn-out the formula. What was once hypnotic, is now just annoying. I'd much rather pop in their magnum opus Emperor Tomato Ketchup, or even Sound-Dust.
Arab Strap
Last Romance
2006, scottish rock, Transdreamer
The latest installment from Scottish slurring folk rocksters - Arab Strap - is brilliant (as usual), but I found its sense of melancholy overpowers its sense of irony. Therefore it drags.
Dawn Landes
Fireproof
2006, alt folk/rock, Cropduster Music
Dawn's music is all at once sweet, silly, touching, and unique. At times she sounds like a crunked-out Jewel riding a yellow submarine to the center of the earth, and yet during some of her softer songs I'm reminded of Judy Collins.
Arctic Monkeys
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I Am Not
2005, dance dance revolution rock, Domino
Whatever is solid, peppy, dancable rock with a post-punk, ska-ish flavor. Nothing truly remarkable. Lyrically, their work is like an English interpretation of The Faint.
<< /home