Assorted album discussions aka yet another declaration.
Since I haven’t blogged about albums in awhile(and I need to warm up before getting back into The HFC Is In Love.) You get a few sketches of albums that are worth buying and perhaps a few that induce a few hateful rants.
And frankly, in modern times, it has to be pretty unique to catch my attention or else I’ll probably just put it into the purgatory of itunes and wait for it to appear on random play.
Life Without Buildings-Any Other City.
For some reason I feel like starting with an older album. One that got totally lost in the shuffle a number of years ago. Angular, scratchy, rhythmic, sassy, esoteric, all words that describe the best post-punk albums of the 80’s. And this one fits all of them, despite coming out in 2000. Yes 2000. So being ahead of it’s time and brilliantly retro at the same time left it with no audience of course.(just like what happened to Chat and Business by Ikara Colt around the same time.) And yes it’s out of print, so you’ll have to hunt it down.(No, it’s not even easy to find online.)
Los Campesinos-Hold On Now Youngster
Just wait they’ll end up on the soundtrack to Gossip Girl and you’ll hear them if you haven’t already. I don’t say that with disdain, they deserve it. Smart, playful rock and roll that actually lives up to the hype of last spring’s original e.p. Even though the album doesn’t have “We Throw Parties…You Throw Knives,” which is actually kind of a travesty, but I suggest buying the digital version and adding the singles/ep tracks to your burned version/itunes.
Lil Wayne-Tha Carter III
Weezy’s 800th album of the past two years finds him solidifying his spot as the modern day Kool Keith and strangely straddling mental institution and utter genius.(Like most artists worth a damn.) He still hasn’t topped “Fireman” though. You should probably check it out.
Ladytron-Velocifero
As a fan for seven years, I was hoping for Ladytron to kind of settle into a Stereolab kind of mode, where they explore the same territory, occasionally straying for some weird avant-garde jam out, but still putting out these brilliant songs that just cannot be ignored. And you know what they have, except for the fact, that none of the songs are even close to brilliant.
The Long Blondes-Couples
I go to Long Blondes next because somehow they went from being decent, stylish also ran rock band, into the modern version of Missing Persons. Seriously it’s good. Forget the last album, put on the tune Century, and be surprised.
Foals-Antidotes
C’mon they have a song called Mathletics. Surprisingly decent post-post-disco-whatever it is now punk album. Whenever they release a compilation about this era of music, I have a feeling Foals will in fact be on it.(For either Cassius or Mathletics, alone.) Worth finding on a type of file transfer that starts with a T.
El Perro Del Mar-From The Valley To The Stars
I think Sarah Assbring(aka El Perro Del Mar) makes even cupcakes sound depressing. She continues with her depressed Crystals-era Phil Spector moodyness, but she also adds some fantastic organic chamber pop elements, which adds the brilliance and raw emotion that the last album lacked. Think”Desertshore”-era Nico, maybe Margo Guryan. Yes those are heavy hitting names, but I think this second album is putting her in shouting distance of those underappreciated singers.
The Kooks-Konk
Over.
Does It Offend You, Yeah?-
Just call them EMF 08′.
Crystal Castles-S/T
Hey Alice Glass really is like “Bang” era Karen O! The best thing about this 8-bit album is a combination of old songs you’ve played out(and need on an official album), new jams that surpass the old, and amazing, danceable rage.
The Ting Tings- We Started Nothing.
Stop Apple ads before they kill again. Poor CSS. They never had a chance. (sorry to my Chiat Day peeps, but I’m sorry. Enough is enough.) Anyway, back to the Ting Tings. The two singles are ok, but I swear I liked them better when they were made by The Prototypes.(They’re from France. Worth a check out Wait weren’t they in an ipod ad too? I can’t even keep track. Just go get some Devo albums, you’ll be happier, ok.)
Neon Neon-Stainless Style
It’s a concept album about Delorean! And the album needs to be fixed as much as the cars always had to be.
Blood Red Shoes-Box Of Secrets
I can’t tell if they are going to be the new Kills or not. Similar lineup and dynamic(1 sexy boy and 1 sexy girl). Maybe a dash more pop. Not as much sneer. But, the songs have better refrains and a strange frenzy that builds in a Bay City Rollers meets Thin Lizzy kind of way. You could love it, you could hate it. But, “I Wish I Was Somebody Better,” is on the short list of the half year’s good singles.
Did Animal Collective put out anything new?
Ok, thank God. I’ve heard enough bad indecipherable Manson family style sing alongs, drum circles, and acoustic guitar to last me for the rest of the decade.(That one is for Candice!)
The Kills-Midnight Boom
Speaking of The Kills, I do in fact love this album, but it’s REALLY top heavy. The first three songs carry so much weight, that it’s almost unfair to the rest of the album, and because it’s a more refined version of “No Wow,” it suffers from not having the same kind of shock and impact that that album had in spades. “Tape Song” is the sexiest thing they’ve put out though, which is saying alot. And since it actually lives up to the hype and expectations set by second single “Cheap and Cheerful,” it’s actually worth going out to buy.
Martina Topley Bird-The Blue God.
Pitchfork is wrong. Per usual. It’s Martina(ex-Tricky ingenue) meets Danger Mouse(ATL! what). I really don’t need to say more. Dark, woozy, yet danceable. Martina please stop taking five years to put out albums, it makes us all too sad.
Clinic-Do It!
Sounds like a combination of “Internal Wrangler” and “Walking With Thee.” Basically it sounds like Clinic on a good day.
Be Your Own Pet-Get Awkward
I dig the band. I dig the show. Jemina Pearl is cute. But, the US release of this album is castrated so poorly that there is no point in getting it. Two of the better songs(“Black Hole” and “Becky”) are on a seperate US only EP and the rest of the album REALLY suffers without them. It’s worth listening to, it just sucks that the record company has indeed screwed the band and the fans.
Santogold-Santogold
It’s an ok pop album. I’m not gonna be one of those backlash critics hating it just because it’s MIA-lite. Which it is, mind you. But, unlike them I realize that it’s 2008 and MIA’s “XR2″ is both a year and a half old and enjoyed by people who think Shiny Toy Guns have an original sound. So I figure why not have some one else do their take on it, especially when “Creator” has made the vacants tear up the club for like six months.
Mala Rodriguez-Malamarismo
Now, if you want good new rappers just get Mala Rodriguez. She’s mean. Her nickname means “bad.” The beats are all NY style. She’s hot. She’s Spanish. All you need to know.
Hadouken-Music For An Accelerated Culture
Die new rave! Die! Ok let’s not go that far. But, I haven’t heard an album this disappointing in awhile. No “Tuning In.” No “Dance Lessons.” I liked those tunes. But this is a bunch of cluttered tunes that seem to be 8-bit, new rave, white boy grime, which seems to have congealed into one Jesus Jones-esque putrid puddle.
These New Puritans- Beat Pyramid
“Elvis, I wasn’t talking about that king. I wasn’t talking about that king. Or hairdo’s.” So says the best line of arguably the best song of the year. This band is already someone and you don’t know it, so you better introduce yourself. A dash of no-wave, some 80’s danceteria, a Fall influence, and a lot of arty awkwardness makes the band totally and utterly unstoppable. It’s not everybody’s cup of tea, trust me. Anyway, the album uses rhythm brilliantly, whether it’s the spoken word vocals, drum machines, or of course an angular guitar. I’ll break it down like this… People love Vampire Weekend because they are oh so rhythmic. (Which is fine if you support more people like Paul Simon and Sally Struthers exploiting Africans.) But, the smart, good, interesting, much more with it version of a rhythm based band is fucking These New Puritans.
There don’t say I didn’t give you anything tunes wise for the year.
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