Devendra Banhart - Rejoicing In The Hands

Acclaimed eccentric singer/songwriter Devendra Banhart takes a step out of the lo-fi basement and into the hi-fi living room for this critically lauded album. During a span of only 10 days, Banhart recorded more than 30 songs (co-produced by former Swans leader Michael Gira) that were subsequently divided between this record and its companion disc, Nino Rojo. Those already familiar with that gonzo folk masterwork will find this to be equally worthy (and vice versa). "Will Is My Friend," "Poughkeepsie," and other songs benefit from some string and piano overdubs, but essentially, this is solo Banhart, with his seemingly tossed-off yet strangely anachronistic tunes creeping out like incense-perfumed air. Banhart's deft acoustic guitar finger-picking and vocal warbling show the influence of country blues masters like Blind Willie McTell and Skip James, while another of his idols, reclusive 1970s folk icon Vashti Bunyan, appears on the title track. Whether observing how a friend's hair is like "Insect Eyes" or rattling off the Elvis Presley filmography, Banhart purrs with such a mystic, neo-hippie vibe that he could lull even the staunchest nihilist to a love-in. (RS)

Marianne Faithfull - Before The Poison

From her beginnings as a pop chanteuse in 1964, through a little-heard set of country rock, on to the edgy bearing of her second commercial breakthrough with Broken English in 1979, and then into the world of Kurt Weill and elsewhere, Marianne Faithfull appears to have taken wildly varied twists and turns. In fact, her ongoing musical projects move with one another with breathtaking artistry. Before The Poison is yet another peak, as she collaborates with PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, and, Jon Brion. From the ethereal balladry of "There is a Ghost" (with Cave and the Bad Seeds), to the meaty guitar punches of Harvey's "My Friends Have," this album is a diverse set that's all tied together by the smoky resonance and phrasing of Faithfull's unmistakable voice. (RS)

Radiohead - I Might Be Wrong

So you're one of the most innovative, admired bands in the world. Your last three albums have been among the most glorified and scrutinized in post-Beatles rock history. What's your next move? In the case of Radiohead, that crucial next move proved to be the live album I Might Be Wrong , which documents the intense performances of material from the last couple of albums and gives the envelope-pushing creative team a much-needed breather before unveiling their next masterpiece. Not that I Might Be Wrong bears the slightest hint of filler or contractual obligation; these fever-pitch versions of cuts from Kid A and Amnesiac add much to the band's legacy. From the driving, Can-like bass line of the opener "The National Anthem" through "Like Spinning Plates"'s moody, piano-led majesty and the quirky, minimalistic electronica of "Idioteque," Radiohead is at the peak of its powers here. These European concert dates find the band employing its vast array of sonic weaponry in the service of a forward-looking vision that I Might Be Wrong catches in an exciting sonic snapshot. (RS)

Cocorosie - Noah's Ark

The sisters Casady set the weirdness bar awfully high on their homemade debut, La Maison De Mon Reve, but this inspired follow-up finds the bar ascended as the angels take it on the road, recording everywhere from barnyards to actual music studios. As usual, classically trained vocalist Sierra delivers the delirious operatic vocalizing and plays piano, dulcimer, and autoharp while Bianca coos like a 12-year old vampire Billie Holiday and makes percussive noise from computers and shakers with equal abandon. The difference here is in the confidence, the polish, and the guest stars: Antony (of Antony & the Johnsons) singing and playing piano on the movingly transgressive "Beautiful Boyz," Devendra Banhart sampled from what sounds like an old scratchy 78 (actually a phoned-in vocal) on "Brazilian Sun," and French rapper Spleen laying it down on the intro of "Bisounours." There are also horses and cats ("Bear Hides & Buffalo"), and off-kilter tambourine and ambient, cricket-soaked fog on the old-timey "Armageddon." No sophomore slump this, if anything it's even weirder for all the added talent, flourishes, and polish. (ZS)

Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

On 2007's Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?, the ever-prolific Athens, Georgia-based act Of Montreal--essentially vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Kevin Barnes and a loose cadre of musicians--unveils another gleefully quirky indie-pop outing. While the hard-driving opener, "Suffer for Fashion," nods to glam rock and New Wave, the following "Sink the Seine" shows the influence of both electronica and Beatle-esque psychedelia, calling to mind the Canadian artist Caribou. Not one to leave any style unturned, Of Montreal also delves into funk and disco on the groove-oriented "Gronlandic Edit" and fuzzed-out "Bunny Ain't No Kind of Rider." Easily one of the group's most assured albums, Hissing Fauna epitomizes Barnes's boldly eclectic yet surprisingly cohesive sound.(RS)

Cold War Kids - Robbers And Cowards

Before releasing this 2006 full-length album, California's Cold War Kids toured relentlessly, released some EP's, and whipped the nation's youth into an evangelical rock-&-roll frenzy with their charismatic stagecraft and songsmithery, which updates classic rock conventions with a bit of angular, post-punk experimentation. Judging by the tunes here, the enthusiasm is well-deserved. A propulsive rhythm section and Nathan Willett's ardent vocals make every song sound like some indie-rock version of gospel music, and that's not even taking into account the lyrics, which offer up religious and literary references that would be almost unbearable in band less genuine. The album also benefits from a vintage, tube-amp/analog-tape warmth that makes the music even more emotionally accessible. The highlight here is "Hang Me Up to Dry," on which Willett's bluesy wail makes it seem as if he's singing to save his very soul--or yours.
(RS)

Xiu Xiu - Fabulous Muscles

Xiu Xiu continue to push the envelope with their third album in two years, Fabulous Muscles. While their mix of low-res electronics, flamboyant synth pop, and experimental rock sounds slightly more accessible than it has before, that just makes it easier for Jamie Stewart's confrontational vocals and lyrics to sink in that much deeper. As always, Xiu Xiu juxtapose their heroic doses of misery with lovely, if rough-edged, music: the drooping synth lines and chunky beats on "Crank Heart" and "Brian Vampire" sound like the music from some unspeakably sad video game, while "Little Panda McElroy"'s acoustic guitars have a hesitant prettiness that makes lyrics like "I can stop hating my own heart/I can do it because of you" even more intimate. Stewart either whispers obsessively or shout-sings, as if he's trying to drown out his own thoughts, and does both on the brilliantly morose "I Luv the Valley OH!," on which he vows, "It's a heart that you made/And I won't rest until I break it." More so than with many other bands, Xiu Xiu's music immerses the listener in the band's world view and the songs' characters: "Bunny Gamer" is an extraordinary portrait of yearning and self-loathing that begins as an internal monologue of an unrequited lover and then becomes a painful dialogue between him and the object of his affection, who is much more careless and carefree. The song's dead-calm desperation borders on the creepy and pathetic, but this is the uncomfortable territory that Xiu Xiu claim as their own. (DL)

The Decemberists - The Crane Wife

Eyvind Kang (violin, viola); Nate Query (cello, upright bass, electric bass, percussion, background vocals); Jenny Conlee (accordion, Wurlitzer piano, Hammond b-3 organ, pump organ, Moog synthesizer, glockenspiel, percussion, background vocals); Christopher Walla (keyboard, background vocals); John Moen (drums, percussion, background vocals); Steve Drizos (drums); Ezra Holbrook (background vocals). In 2006, the Decemberists unveiled their Capitol Records debut, The Crane Wife, after three albums for the indie label Kill Rock Stars. Happily, the revered Portland, Oregon-based crew, captained by singer/guitarist Colin Meloy, made the journey into major waters with their quirky, days-of-old sound firmly intact, as revealed on the wistful acoustic "The Crane Wife 3" and the more upbeat "O Valencia!" which stands out as one of the Decemberists' catchiest songs. The group also indulges in the more dramatic, narrative aspect of its aesthetic on two extended tracks that each pass the 10-minute mark, proving without a doubt that any potential corporate allegiance is far outweighed by the fascinating siren call of Meloy's own muse. (RS)

The Magic Numbers - Those The Brokes

What does the Next Big Thing do in the age of the Internet, when their debut is praised beyond reason upon its release, but by the time they release their second album a year later, they've already faded from memory, replaced by a new sensation that truly did have some buzz on the internets? That's the question facing the Magic Numbers and their 2006 sophomore set, Those the Brokes, an album released just a shade later than a year after their eponymous debut, but for all the attention paid to it, it might as well be released half a decade later. The debut was praised for being a sweet revival of the sun-kissed sounds of such breezy folk-pop bands as the Mamas & the Papas, a breath of fresh air, something that sounded like nothing else out there. The problem with being celebrated for being out of fashion is that when the fashions move on and you don't, you're left behind wondering why everybody has changed -- and that's what's happened with the Magic Numbers. Times have changed but they haven't, at least not enough for restless listeners on the prowl for something new, which Those the Brokes doesn't offer enough of to satisfy those listeners. Not that the Magic Numbers have served up an identical album here -- in fact, Those the Brokes is a looser, livelier album than its predecessor, significantly less cloying and precious than the debut. Which isn't to say that Romeo Stodart, his sister, and their friends have suddenly grown a pair: this is still sweet and gentle, lacking the sly wit and sinew that keeps Belle & Sebastian from descending into an icky twee abyss. But the Magic Numbers do try to stretch like Belle here, trimming away the folk, amping up the pop hooks, and even drifting into white soul on numbers like "Undeclared." All of this is a welcome development and makes Those the Brokes a richer listen, even if it is a bit more ragged, never quite sustaining the mood the way the debut did, but taken as individual songs, this is often more appealing -- yet it takes a bit of time and effort for these distinctions to sink in, since they are subtle, and subtlety is not the name of the game when a band is passé a year after its debut. And since the things that keep the Magic Numbers from a wider audience haven't changed -- Romeo's voice is still too thin and reedy, they're still the wimpiest band in eons -- they're left struggling, losing their audience when they're actually turning into a better, more interesting band.
(RS)

Nirvana - Nirvana

A Nirvana best-of that includes a previously unheard song; how much more of a no-brainer could you want? Admittedly, the trio that defined grunge--not to mention its contemporaneous generation of X'ers--wasn't around long enough to work up that extensive a discography. Still, who wouldn't relish the opportunity to have some of Nirvana's greatest tracks together on one disc (yes, completists, even the rarities collection Incesticide ("Sliver") and the pre-fame album Bleach ("About A Girl") are represented. And of course, such whisper-to-a-scream classics as "Lithium," "Come As You Are" and the ubiquitous, epochal "Smells Like Teen Spirit" are here. Things quiet down a touch on the Unplugged tracks (David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold The World, the IN UTERO hit "All Apologies"), but the intensity doesn't lessen a single iota. "Wait," we hear you cry, "what about that chilling live rendition of Leadbelly's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" or Nevermind's haunting closer (hidden track aside) "Something In The Way?" You'll just have to wait for Vol. II (Courtney, are you listening?). By the way, the "new" track "You Know You're Right" is great, if not exactly revelatory.
(RS)

Moutain Goats - Full Force Galesburg

John Darnielle's lo-fi, acoustic passion is in full effect on Full Force Galesburg. As usual, there's little to distinguish one song from the next, and, as usual, Darnielle doesn't need to do any distinguishing, as he gets by on emotion alone. The Mountain Goats' albums are known for quickly strummed guitars and brittle, affected vocals. There are quiet moments to be found on Full Force Galesburg, such as "Weekend in Western Illinois," but for the most part, the album makes its stance with those fierce, poetic vocals and rapid guitar work of past releases. "Song for the Julian Calendar" certainly has shimmering, bright elements, and it almost seems that one is listening to chamber pop. That's the kind of tone that Darnielle is able to create; you get the feeling that you're listening to something quite lush, but you know it's been primitively recorded. There are moments where his guitar echoes Johnny Marr's early work with the Smiths and even the bass of New Order's Peter Hook. It's a driving, jangling quality that never grows tiresome over the album's 16 tracks. Whether he's fumbling around memories of watching Cassius Clay on "Original Air-Blue-Gown" or desperately repeating "it's all coming apart again" on "It's All Here in Brownsville," Darnielle's lyrics and songs always make for an interesting listen. While the music might not bring a listener to tears, it can work to sadden or uplift during a lonely moment. Full Force Galesburg is not for everyone, if simply for the lo-fi recording and depth of emotion on display. It's an album of gentle, yet passionate catharsis, and it's never really less than compelling.
(FTP)

James Morrison - Undiscovered

James Morrison's debut had already gone platinum in Britain before it was released in the U.S., amd the young singer/songwriter has scored hit singles at home. With a pleasantly soulful voice that faintly recalls Stevie Wonder, he offers several slices of polite soul-pop that deftly manages to recall the heyday of soul while still managing to sound modern -- a neat balancing trick. However, smooth as Morrison sounds, for much of the album there's a distinct lack of passion in his voice -- and that's a prime ingredient of real soul music. Only on "Call the Police" does he summon any real anguish. "You Give Me Something," his first British hit, is catchy and memorable, but not a classic. Indeed, this is an album without soul classics. Ultimately it's more a piece of pop, but there's nothing wrong with that. Time will tell how ephemeral the songs will be, but Morrison shows here that he might become a real talent with some age and work, and maybe a little personal pain wouldn't hurt. He has a hand in all the songs here, showing definite qualities as a writer. Again, time will tell. (RS)

Bright Eyes - Digital Ash In A Digital Urn

Precocious indie wunderkind Conor Oberst (AKA Bright Eyes) released two full-length albums--I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning and Digital Ash In A Digital Urn--in early 2005, and the latter proved to be a stylistic curveball that veered sharply away from his emo-folk sound and into synth-heavy electronic music. The results sometimes recall a more pop-savvy version of Oberst's Saddle Creek labelmates the Faint, particularly on the gloomy "Down in a Rabbit Hole" and the New Wave-inspired single "Take It Easy (Love Nothing)." By 2005, Nebraska native Oberst had made New York City his second home, and the urban influence shows through in the form of cool, burbling electronica (the light, airy "Hit the Switch") and the presence of Nick Zinner, guitarist for local favorites Yeah Yeah Yeahs. However, Digital Ash isn't the complete departure some fans anticipated; Oberst's strikingly plaintive vocals and quirky songwriting are threads that directly tie the album to its companion disc, making both essential for Bright Eyes aficionados. (FTP)

Supertramp - Breakfast In America

With Breakfast in America, Supertramp had a genuine blockbuster hit, topping the charts for four weeks in the U.S. and selling millions of copies worldwide; by the 1990s, the album had sold over 18 million units across the world. Although their previous records had some popular success, they never even hinted at the massive sales of Breakfast in America. Then again, Supertramp's earlier records weren't as pop-oriented as Breakfast. The majority of the album consisted of tightly written, catchy, well-constructed pop songs, like the hits "The Logical Song," "Take the Long Way Home," and "Goodbye Stranger." Supertramp still had a tendency to indulge themselves occasionally, but Breakfast in America had very few weak moments. It was clearly their high-water mark.
(MU)

Muse - Origin of Symmetry

The sophomore release by this English rock trio makes good on the promise of the band's debut, Showbiz. Like that album, Origin of Symmetry is a lush, artfully arranged album of epic, heady rock (complete with electronics, swirling guitars, baroque keyboard embellishments, and dramatic vocals) that is sure to garner comparisons to Radiohead. In addition to their grand sonic canvases, though, Muse have a way with a melodic hook, and consequently balance out the progressive tendencies of the music with straightforward rock accessibility. All of these factors are more pronounced on Origin than on the debut, and the result is a release that positions Muse as one of the more promising acts on the U.K.'s new rock scene.
(RS)

Annuals - Be He Me

Just when you think indie rock has more than its share of quick-witted, sweet, and ambitious individuals who exclaim their undying earnestness in song, along comes Annuals, a collective from North Carolina that will surely win your heart with their bright folk-pop stylings. Singer/songwriter Adam Baker is the resident wunderkind behind it all, sacrificing convention for unabashed pop loveliness on the band's debut album, Be He Me. Not as rigid as the Arcade Fire and a bit more playful than Sufjan Stevens, Annuals create a fairytale-like place that's as rich in imagery as it is in sound (think Broken Social Scene), and songs such as the vibrant jeers of "Brother" and the silver-tongued choruses of "Complete, or Completing" make Annuals one of the most exciting arrivals of 2006. Baker and company just make it seem so easy and so much fun that one cannot help but fall for the hysterical guitar-driven moments of "Bleary-Eyed" and "Carry Around." Annuals will make you dance without a care in the world, and that is a great feeling. Yet a surly sense of humor also creeps underneath these mini-pop epics, too, particularly on the dawdling "Chase You Off." It's nice to see that Baker, at his youthful 20 years of age, doesn't strive to be anything but the clever, impressionable young man he is. The bright-eyed display of Be He Me couldn't have been done any better, and that in itself is a welcome refresher when it comes to listening to indie rock today.
(RS)

Frank Sinatra - Night and Day

Menomena - Friend And Foe

A year after the variety of "Under an Hour" including piano, viola, baglama (a baby bouzouki), toy piano, organ and guitar conjure a watery world of misty fogs, cascading waterfalls , comes a much more experimental soundscapes from Portland formed trio Menomena.

They have a strange band name which has no specific meaning, but obviously the name matches their music. One thing that i discovered in Menomena's music is if you want to listen their music, you'll want to listen whole album. Single songs don't suffice to get me into musical love. They're playing guitars carefully, percussions and other instruments merge weird noises, and mosty not in order. Excellent song order, queer vocals, whistles, all of these depict Menomena's music as an incoming powerful weapon, but in test period now. Read full review by a friend of mine on Modern Music. I should recommend this blog to you, great place for explore new music.
(RS)

Screaming Trees - Dust

Finally released four years after 1992's Sweet Oblivion and recorded during a chaotic period of intra-band turmoil--singer Mark Lanegan was paying more attention than before to his concurrent solo career, and a Don Fleming-produced album from 1994 was reportedly rejected by the band's label--1996's Dust is a post-grunge epic. Although the Seattle band's '80s albums on SST Records had obvious roots in folk-rock and psychedelia, those influences were obscured in the metallic roar of the group's two previous major-label albums. Dust is the most stripped-down of Screaming Trees' albums, with Gary Lee Connors' electric guitars mixed lower than before, giving more room to Lanegan's whiskey-cured voice. Neo-psychedelic touches like Mellotrons, flutes, and even sitars color the songs, which have a reflective, introspective feel missing from most of their earlier records. Dust is a giant step forward.
(RS)

Boris - Akuma No Uta

Easily identifiable by its rather clever, Nick Drake/Bryter Layter-inspired cover art, Boris' Akuma No Uta in many ways offers a back-to-front cross-section of the Japanese trio's entire career, in all of its many stylistic varieties. Both the nine-minute, molten lava introduction and the closing title track delve in ambient drone tendencies (reminiscent of Earth and label mates Sunn 0)))), while a pair of comparatively brief submissions -- "Ibitsu" and "Furi" -- offer succinct, rudely distorted acid garage psych (think the Stooges, only cruder and heavier, or Spine of God-era Monster Magnet, but more energetic). As for the mid-album piece de resistance, "Naki Kyoku," it takes all of 12 minutes to carry out a gradual crescendo: from its mildly psychedelic, oddly "Freebird"-esque beginnings, through an extended mid-section offsetting equal parts guitar soloing and vocal chanting with fluid bass twiddling over ambient space rock sound effects, before finally arriving at a suitably shuddering sonic earthquake with its feedback-laced finale that's fit to level Tokyo. Standing out negatively amid all of this is the loose and unfocused, mid-paced jam number "Ano Onna No Onryou," which comes off both overlong and uninspired by comparison. Still, five winners out of six attempts is nothing to wrinkle your nose at, making Akuma No Uta almost guaranteed to please both longtime Boris aficionados and newcomers looking to sample a good summary of their talents.
(FTP)

The White Stripes - De Stijl

Detroit's own "brother and sister" drum-and-guitar duo broke out of local obscurity with their eponymous debut, a primitive garage romp that borrowed liberally from Led Zeppelin, the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, various American bluesmen and other rock & roll stalwarts. With DE STIJL, the band eschews its earlier raw posings in favor of blues with a hint of art rock. DE STIJL (literally translated, "the style," a European art movement that praises the virtue of simplicity in design), hints at a band that plays its music guided by simplicity in form and function. The 13 songs on De Stijl show this stripped-down duo coming into their own with more complex arrangements and more varied instrumentation. De Stijl features an electric violin, harmonica, and piano (played by singer Jack White). All in all, De Stijl offers more dynamic range and melody than the band's debut and a (comparatively) slick production. From the confectionery pop bounce of "You're Pretty Good Looking," to the blues howler, "Hello Operator," to the dirge-like "Death Letter," De Stijl is one step forward for a band deserving of a wider audience.
(FTP)

Third Eye Blind - Third Eye Blind

This San Francisco band's first album is a study in contradictions, presenting heavy, often melancholy, themes in the guise of catchy, tuneful power pop. The irresistible single "Semi-Charmed Life" is just one example of Kevin Cadogan and Stephan Jenkins' agile lyrical stylings. The delirious tempo aptly reflects both a high feeling and a sense of desperation, of things spinning out of control. The album is chock full of searching lyrics set against a background of lush, rhythmic music. "How's It Going To Be" has a palpable sense of nostalgia and loss. The funky "I Want You" expresses a yearning for connection: "Children love to sing but then their voices/Slowly fade away/People always take a step away/From what is true/That's why I like you around/I want you."
(FTP)

Isis - In the Absence of Truth

Forward-thinking art/prog metalheads Isis dig deeper and more densely into their musical palette with their fourth album, In the Absence of Truth. As with earlier releases, the group's often droney, mixed-back vocals, intricate drumming, and diverse guitar work paint a complex sonic landscape. With an approach that is equal parts trippy and ferocious, Isis continue to spawn imitators even as the band's latest work sets new standards for the heady niche they've carved out. With more visible bands such as Mars Volta and Tool paving the way, Isis appear poised to take their brand of heavy ambient rock to the masses.
(FTP)

My Bloody Valentine - Loveless

To simply call this album the apotheosis of the shoegazing scene--that brief epoch of U.K. indie-rock in which bands turned away from melodic clarity and instead chased after the incendiary rapture of sheer guitar-driven noise--would be an understatement. Loveless is the sound of what might've happened if Brian Eno had produced Daydream Nation. Or perhaps it's the thundering ambience of Sister recorded backwards. Whatever the case, rarely has such a pristine, hypnotic record had such an ungodly amount of sonic tonnage. Opening with four quick beats from some kind of skeletal kick-drum and then proceeding through eleven gleaming movements of titanic distortion and severe melancholy, MBV's great wall of guitar architecture on this recording stands as a monument to the brilliance of its inventors. Released at roughly the same time that Nirvana birthed Nevermind, Loveless could not have been more different and yet as utterly relevant in shaping future soundscapes. A heavy, heavy record.
(FTP)

The Verve - Urban Hymns

"Bitter Sweet Symphony" was nominated for the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or A Group With Vocal and Best Rock Song. On Urban Hymns The Verve continues to widen the creative spectrum of psychedelic Britrock. The Verve exhibits a great deal of musical depth as they blanket "Bitter Sweet Symphony" with a full string section, employ acoustic guitars to evoke the simple, Carpenters-ish sentiments of "Sonnet" and "The Drugs Don't Work," and utilize heavily processed guitars on "Weeping Willow." Whether exploring the loud or soft extremes of their dynamic range, the band aspires to classic songwriting, tastefully incorporating retro sensibilities with sweet-sounding hooks that yield a tranquil, pastoral beauty.
(FTP)

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - The Letting Go

On one hand, Will Oldham (a.k.a. Bonnie "Prince" Billy) seems to have journeyed a long way from his recordings with Palace Music in the 1990s--which featured a ragged, lo-fi/indie take on backwoods, old-timey American folk--to the comparatively clean, thoughtful, and mature sound of 2006's The Letting Go. On the other hand, Oldham's course has remained true in its use of a spare, even stark, singer-songwriter mode to convey complex feelings and observations rendered through his creaky voice and literate, associative lyrics. Like 2003's Master And Eeveryone, The Letting Go is a quiet, introspective record that examines the human heart, but the songs here equal or better those on its excellent predecessor. Oldham's insight into the politics of self and relationships is unflinching, and his wordplay--which balances surreal poetry with heartbreaking confessionals--is at its peak. Sonically, The Letting Go is expansive, adding strings, subtle percussion, and ambient effects that enhance but never crowd the songs. Harmony vocalist Dawn McCarthy contributes gorgeous textures to the mix of blues, country, folk, and minstrel-like elements, and all of it makes a persuasive case that Oldham has grown into an artist of striking vision and emotional power.
(RS)

The Mars Volta - Amputechture

the Mars Volta abandoned the enigmatic conceptual themes of its acclaimed earlier outings, De-Loused In The Comatorium and Frances The Mute, but left its fascinatingly bizarre aesthetic intact. The result is a more immediate, though certainly not more conventional, approach, as vocalist Cedric Bixler Zavala and guitarist Omar A. Rodriguez-Lopez once again take listeners on a tour of surreal rock territory where the sounds of King Crimson, Santana, and Led Zeppelin are welded together into frenetic post-punk-influenced aural sculptures. Featuring significant contributions by multi-instrumentalist Pablo Hinojos-Gonzalez and frequent guest guitarist John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Amputechture is slightly less daunting than Volta's previous discs (see the stomping, horn-laden "Viscera Eyes"), but no less inventive.
(FTP)

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Some Loud Thunder

They come another Clap Your Hands style record previously named as "Some Loud Thunder". They are well-known band via internet, blogging, but it's not a stamp for their music, of course they are loved by people because of their cool musical success. Again stone-like pieces are in stock, quite lovely dynamic cuts exist in "Some Loud Thunder". I tried to put first record and recent record to different corners, and what i saw is two different ambition, two different melody cube.

"Some Loud Thunder" is more ironic than debut record, and also cuts like "Satan Said Dance", "Yankee Go Home" are new naughty toys for indie kids. As a favorite of mine the most twisted song "Love Song No. 7" is the modest proof that these guys are strong-minded to keep this brilliant career. On the other hand "Some Loud Thunder" isn't powerful like a vital record, it has its own kindness. Its character and songwriting style can't depict a masterpiece's or a must have record. Anyway it's absolutely one step forward as against debut CYHSY.

Strong wish is the half way of successful, passion is the bullet of ability and Clap Your Hands Say
Yeah! shows the statements clearly. Review Source
(RS)

A Perfect Circle - Thirteenth Step

A Perfect Circle permanently sheds any clinging notions of being a Tool side-project. Although Maynard James Keenan's plaintive vocals immediately conjure up thoughts of his other outfit, Apc distinguishes itself by furthering the melodic elements present on the group's first outing, Mer De Noms. "The Package" starts things off slowly, with a foreboding guitar line and minimal drum cadence that gradually build into a full-blown Sabbath-like dirge. Carried along by the fluid bass playing of Jeordie White (formerly known as Twiggy Ramirez of Marilyn Manson), "The Noose" gives a tip of the hat to the Cure's gloomiest work, while White and guitarist Billy Howerdel create an entrancingly chiming bass/guitar tapestry on "Blue." Though many of the album's tracks surge with APC's powerful metal riffs, the folky "A Stranger" and the lush "The Nurse Who Loved Me" both feature Keenan's voice supported by a gorgeous bed of strings and little else. A cycle that touches on themes of corruption, despair, and redemption, Thirteenth Step is brought to a fitting conclusion by "Gravity," a powerful song that captures both the dark and light aspects of this fascinating band.
(FTP)

Air - Talkie Walkie

After the ambitious robotic quirkiness of 10,000 hz Legend, French duo Air streamline their sound with Talkie Walkie, a dreamy outing that hearkens back to the group's revered debut, MOON SAFARI. Gone are the guest vocalists, replaced by Air themselves, Jean-Benoit Dunckel and Nicolas Godin, who gleefully distort their voices to suit their unique soundscapes. "Venus" sets the tone with its gently gliding keyboards, spare beats, and light acoustic guitar strumming. In fact, this instrumentation supplies the foundation for many of Talkie Walkie's tracks, including the catchy "Cherry Blossom Girl," the bossa-nova-based "Universal Traveler," and the haunting "Alone in Kyoto" (from the lauded film Lost In Translation). Working with renowned producer Nigel Godrich, Dunckel and Godin have crafted a collection of atmospheric compositions poised at the halfway point between waking and dreaming.
(FTP)

Blonde Redhead - Misery Is a Butterfly

Moving from their longtime home at Touch & Go to the renowned 4AD label, NYC art-rockers Blonde Redhead have made telling sonic adjustments, trading in their noisy, abrasive edge for a refined, often orchestral sound. The trio--Kazu Makino and twin brothers Amedeo and Simone Pace--makes the transition clear from the get-go on "Elephant Woman," which features Makino's breathy vocals over a backdrop of harpsichord, strings, and light percussion. Melancholy is certainly the main theme of this album, as exquisitely exemplified by the title track, a somber, keyboard-driven piece that borders on chamber music. However, just when the proceedings verge on the morose, the band emerges with two upbeat songs, the swirling, Stereolab-like "Pink Love" and the guitar-driven grandeur of "Equus," revealing that they can still rock when the mood strikes them.
(FTP)

Sigur Rós - Takk

For its fourth full-length studio album, Sigur Ros returns to the sound that made the Icelandic ensemble an internationally renowned rock band. Whereas the group's first outing, VON, was dark and heavy, and 2002's () was often ambient and drone-driven, Takk...sees Jonsi Birgisson and the lads revisiting the chiming, soaring aesthetic of Agaetis Byrjun, the quartet's acclaimed breakthrough record. On this 2005 disc, Sigur Ros's melodies and rhythms ebb and flow beautifully, occasionally building to fierce, guitar-laden crests. Birgisson's high, wispy vocals are still key to the band's sound, but the foursome's intuitive instrumental work, which is highlighted by atmospheric keyboards and pounding percussion, truly carries these songs, resulting in a potent, mesmerizing album.
(FTP)

Sigur Rós - Ágætis Byrjun

This stately Iceland rock outfit took the alternative-music world by storm with its second album, Ágætis Byrjun--a haunting, eloquent, 76-minute instant classic. Frontman Jon Por Birgisson sings in a language he calls "Hopelandic" (a combination of Icelandic and his own angelic calling), over the lyrical ebb and flow of feedback-drenched guitar, gushing keyboards, gently driving bass, and drums that crash like the surf of an alien ocean. After a droning beginning, the curtains suddenly part with "Svefn-G-Englar," revealing a sound as wide open and exhilarating as Iceland's landscape. Later, the mournful violin and slowly cascading beats of "Flugufrelsarinn" give way to ghostly horn sections, orchestral crescendos, stretches of silence, crashing dissonance, sad piano lines, and a Radiohead-esque dip into the realm of rock on "Olsen Olsen." The breathtaking scope and emotional richness of this outing turned Sigur Ros into an overnight success. Within a year of Ágætis Byrjun's release on the small British label Fatcat Records, the band went from obscurity to selling out major venues, scoring films, and signing with MCA, who re-released the album to even wider acclaim.
(RS)

Sonic Youth - Bad Moon Rising

Recorded at Before Christ Studios, Brooklyn, New York between September and December 1984; Radio Tokyo, Venice, California in January 1985. Includes liner notes by Gerard Cosloy. Coming as it did in the midst of the mid-80s "roots rock" trend, the title of Sonic Youth's second full-length album (cribbed from John Fogerty) and its strangely evocative front cover photo of a burning pumpkin-headed scarecrow, BAD MOON RISING almost seemed to fit in with the post-BORN IN THE USA genre of "Portrait of America" albums. But where albums by the Long Ryders or Green On Red saluted the working class or society's forgotten, Sonic Youth's idea of an American portrait included the nihilistic Manson Family narrative "Death Valley '69"--with guest vocals by poet/singer Lydia Lunch--and the nearly impenetrable "Brave Men Run (In My Family)." "I Love Her All the Time" is another highlight, foreshadowing the more pop-oriented direction of future albums. This expanded CD includes three bonus tracks, "Satan Is Boring," "Flower" and "Halloween."
(RS)

Porcupine Tree - Lightbulb Sun

One of the best tracks on the album is the brilliantly titled "Four Chords That Made a Million," a barbed cut on some unnamed "emperor in new clothes" beset by a "moron with a cheque book." The lead riff is a majestic hit of flange and feedback, while the hints of sitar and Indian percussion give the song even more attractive heft. But there's a definite bent towards calmer art pop throughout Lightbulb Sun -- those who preferred the sheer surge of Stupid Dream will find this album tamer in comparison. Still, it's hard to resist the beautiful, understated tension about a fractured friendship or relationship on "Feel So Low" or the gentle, string-touched roll and build of "The Rest Will Flow," flat out two of Wilson's best tunes anywhere. Those who prefer the lengthy explorations won't be disappointed, though -- "Hatesong" unfolds its sharp message over eight minutes and then the string-swept, slow time explosion of "Russia on Ice" over 13. Slyest title of the bunch -- "Last Chance to Leave the Planet Earth Before It Is Recycled," which samples the videotape made by the leader of the Heaven's Gate cult before its mass suicide in 1997.
(RS)

Nirvana - In Utero

On In Utero, Nirvana rails against both "alternative" conformity and polished notions of commercial rock with the anthemic rage of true outcasts. Engineer-producer Steve Albini has enabled Nirvana to replicate the savage immediacy of their live sound--the sound of a band without commercial aspirations or pretensions, just thrashing away for the sheer joy of noise. Drummer Dave Grohl and bassist Krist Novoselic play with heroic power as guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Kurt Cobain overlays their growling beat with shards of broken glass and shattered dreams. On "Scentless Apprentice" each Cobain power chord is tempered by a series of calculated dissonances and melodic fragments, while the singer bares his vulnerability and anger through Nirvana's familiar soft-hard-soft-hard structures on "Heart Shaped Box" and "Rape Me." Through his crunching guitar and elliptical lyrics on various diseases and recoveries, Cobain lays bare the turmoil and resentments, the physical and mental ailments (self-inflicted and otherwise) that have colored Nirvana's notoriety. Instead of celebrating their success, Nirvana have fashioned a powerful cautionary tale on In Utero, to wit: that fame, acclaim and wealth are not liberating; that music like this cannot be produced on an assembly line, then be used once and tossed on a scrap heap; that life and music was a lot more fun when they were back playing for an audience of nine in some grungy club. In Utero is too strong and honest to ignore.
(RS)

Blur - Leisure

In 1991, long before they were splashed over the British press for their fabled feuding with Oasis, long before they pulled off the remarkable feat of attaining revered alt-rock status while having one of their tunes ("Song 2") blared at American football games, Blur released their debut, Leisure. An unassuming record, Leisure fit snugly within the Manchester sound of the time. While the album didn't break barriers or expand boundaries, it was a thoroughly engaging, often hypnotic record featuring unforgettable modern-rock singles. Leisure (the US version, anyway) opens with the one-two punch of "She's So High" and "There's No Other Way," its two indisputable classics. The former exudes an overwhelming sense of longing with a beautifully overlapping chorus and spiraling guitars; the latter boasts an extraordinary, understated guitar riff and perfectly disjointed lyrics (even scoring the band a minor American radio hit). Leisure is full of adolescent yearning lingering into adulthood, a literate interpretation of failed quests that cleverly glorifies human shortcomings. While the record is certainly not as experimental as BLUR or as consistent as Parklife, Leisure is an impressive debut for a quartet who would become one of the most important UK bands of the '90s.
(RS)

Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City (2007)

1.Song for Clay (Disappear Here)
2.Hunting for Witches
3.Waiting for the 7:18
4.The Prayer
5.Uniform
6.On
7.Where Is Home?
8.Kreuzberg
9.I Still Remember
10.Sunday
11.SRX
(RS)

Portishead - Dummy

Recorded at State Of The Art and Coach House Studios, Bristol, England. Named for a town near Bristol, England, Portishead is a British dance band that grabs ideas from all over the mod pop world (spaghetti Western guitars, turntable scratching, melancholy soul vocals, atmospheric organs, house beats) and stirs them into spacey, dub-like productions that sound like a dance club in the middle of a "Twin Peaks" dream. You could call it surreal hip-hop pop. But if the beats on the band's debut album achieve a kind of trance-like static, the songs themselves reach for something more rousing. With understated lyrics and overstated melodies, singer Beth Gibbons and bandleader Geoff Barrow write insinuatingly melancholy dance ballads that ebb and flow like waves through rustling waters. Organs quaver in quiet tremolos, guitars emit squiggles and turntables hiccup, while Gibbons, in a high, cutting voice that evokes a less breathy Sinead O'Connor, sings songs of longing and heartbreak with equally palpable emotion.
(RS)

The twilight sad - the twilight sad ep

On the surface, there's nothing about The Twilight Sad that's breaking new ground. They mix super-soaring guitar lines with pummeling rhythm sections and some Scottish-accent (Glasgow, ya'll) drenched vocals in the foreground that tell stories of woe with track titles that play out like chapters in some imaginary story where the protagonist is dreaming of better things to come. Five songs stretch out to just over twenty-five minutes, yet feel like a bit more than that (in a good way), as the young group creates some of the most majestic moments I've heard on a release in some time.

"But When She Left, Gone Was The Glow" opens their debut release and builds the tension nicely, with wheezy accordion, filtered percussion and subdued vocals giving way to some massive drums and spiraling guitar tones that absolutely blister. "That Summer, At Home I Had Become The Invisible Boy" continues things with pounding drums, some more accordion and anthematic guitars that sway back and forth until a huge middle section that again finds the group unloading with everything they've got. Lyrically, they manages to convey a sense of youthful misdirection and melancholy that works with their sound.
(RS)

Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Arctic Monkeys' Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not is a brash, hook-filled album that immediately warrants music fans' attention, if perhaps not all of the pre-release hype. Clearly taking notes on the evolution of U.K. punk, the Sheffield-based band reveal the influence of revered predecessors such as the Jam and the Clash, while most notably evoking the Libertines in their youthful, hood-rat persona. On this hyperactive 13-track set, singer/guitarist Alex Turner is armed with an arsenal of sharply observed middle-class narratives (a la the Streets), which are propelled by wiry guitar lines and formidable rhythms that, at times, verge on funk (see Bloc Party). Highlights of this much-lauded disc include the raucous "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor," the woozy "Riot Van" (one of the record's few quieter moments), and the lurching "When the Sun Goes Down." Like Franz Ferdinand's scruffier (and considerably less effete) kid brothers, the Arctic Monkeys prove that the hyperbole of the U.K. music press occasionally has roots in an impressive reality.
(RS)

Arctic Monkeys-Who the F*ck are Arctic Monkeys

The album opener 'View From The Afternoon' kicks off this EP including four brand new Arctic Monkey tunes. This new EP features exclusive b-sides which have only just been recorded with an insight on the band's next musical direction. Stand out tracks include 'No Bushes' and 'Who The Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys', which are two future classics.
(RS)

The Knife - Silent Shout

Anyone looking for the warm, accessible techno of the Knife's "Heartbeats" (popularized by a Jose Gonzalez cover) won't find it on Silent Shout. On this album, Swedish siblings Olof Dreijer and Karin Dreijer Andersson push their brand of vocal electronica to its creepiest limits, and achieve a result that is by turns lovely and truly disturbing, but always engaging. The beats and chords are clean and inventive, from choppy, pogo-stick rhythms to smooth progressions and skittering clicks. The vocals are consistently bent, distorted, stretched, and otherwise manipulated. This can be funny or unnerving, depending on the song. In both cases, though, it adds to the emotional heft of an album that is wonderfully catchy and startlingly intelligent.
(RS)

Keane - Under The Iron Sea

Having won both critical and commercial acclaim for their debut album, Hopes And Fears, British band Keane pushes the hook-infested keyboard-rock on their sophomore effort in a darker, moodier direction. But Under The Iron Sea features an intense, romantic brand of melancholy, with the trio of Tom Chaplin, Richard Hughes, and Tim Rice-Oxley vamping their way through vaulting rock melodies and power ballads, all without the aid of a single guitar. There are plenty of deliciously chewy guitar-like sounds, though, that Keane achieves by feeding electric pianos and synthesizers through various effects pedals and studio gear. The album begins with the gloomy pop gem "Atlantic," in which Chaplin broods over layers of swelling synths and insistent drum work before the song resolves into a clearing of pure melody. The song showcases Chaplin's soaring vocals, which are at points as tortured as Thom Yorke's and at others smoothly reminiscent of Freddie Mercury. On "Is It Any Wonder?" the verses strut along anxiously until a barely-in-control keyboard riff winds the song up into its gleeful chorus. Filled with moving, melodic rock, Keane's solid second effort points to further sonic expansions to come.
(RS)

Scissor Sisters - Ta Dah

The Scissor Sisters' self-titled 2004 debut proved the band to be postmodern recombinant wizards of the first order, mixing the hookiest elements of pop history with tongues planted firmly in cheeks. The group's sophomore effort, TA-DAH, builds on many of those same references, including flashy glitter-ball disco, accessible 1970s AM pop, glam rock, and almost any artist who has crafted dramatic, danceable jams with a knowing wink. When not mining familiar vibes from the Bee Gees ("I Don't Feel Like Dancin'") and Elton John ("She's My Man"), the Scissor Sisters reference Blondie ("Kiss You Off"), Paul McCartney (the music hall-esque "I Can't Decide"), and Stevie Wonder (on the funky tune titled, ironically, "Paul McCartney"), among others. But it's the way the Sisters throw these elements together that lifts them above jokiness and into the realm of pure, celebratory fun. And it's this--along with the album's sharp sense of craft-- that makes it superior to its predecessor.
(RS)

OK Go - Oh No

On its self-titled 2002 debut, OK Go nailed the two things every decent power-pop band needs--deadly looks and deadly hooks--to deliver the knock-out hit "Get Over It." Its follow up, produced by Tore Johansson (Franz Ferdinand, the Cardigans) and recorded in Malmöö, Sweden, offers more of the same. Much more. The Chicago quartet can't seem to move through its record collection fast enough, piling on the Beach Boys harmonies, Cars synthesizer squelches and Queen-inspired fanfare on breakneck songs like "Here It Goes Again" and "Crash The Party." Without any pauses for breath or quiet contemplation, it's frankly almost too much to take in one sitting. Then again, it can't be easy trying to cram the entire history of pop in just under an hour.
(RS)

Oasis - Stop The Clocks

Oasis has always been a singles band, so 2006's two-disc best-of, Stop The Clocks, was a welcome arrival. Oasis has never been touted for their groundbreaking originality, but it's precisely their retro-styled concoction of irrepressible hooks and alternately chiming and roaring guitars that makes their music so appealing. Stop The Clocks drives that point home and then some. Stretching from early gems like "Rock 'N' Roll Star" and "Live Forever" through latter period singles such as "Lyla," with the mega-hits ("Wonderwall") and B-sides sprinkled in along the way, the compilation serves to remind why the band was one of the most popular British acts of the '90s and beyond. Throughout, the towering wall of guitars, Liam Gallagher's sneering vocals, and brother Noel's impeccable songcraft create a rock template that pushes all the right pleasure buttons, and with 23 of the band's best on offer, STOP THE CLOCKS provides a lot of pleasure. DVD Features: Lock The Box (Interview) Fade Away (Live At Chicago Metro '94) Champagne Supernova (Live At Knebworth '96) Lord Don't Slow Me Down (Film Trailer) .
(RS1) (RS2)

The Strokes - Room On Fire

After the hype--and subsequent backlash--over the Strokes' debut album, IS THIS IT, many fans and skeptics alike came to realize that the band's catchy, punk-pillaging rock ditties were, ultimately, very difficult to resist. Their eagerly anticipated follow-up, Room On Fire , is cut from the same vintage 1970s cloth, but added flourishes keep the album from sounding like a mere redux. "What Ever Happened?" opens Room On Fire with a chiming, staccato guitar riff and kicks into the immediately identifiable Strokes swagger. However, while listening to Julian Casablancas's melancholy lyrics and the song's carefully crafted changes, it's clear that this is a maturing band that knows its strengths. This notion is further supported by the hard-charging "Reptilia," one of the group's finest tunes to date. And though the Strokes opted out of working with Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, the concept of expanding their palette (even if only slightly) stuck, given the presence of keyboard sounds (on the gleefully Cars-like "12:51" and "The End Has No End") and reggae-influenced guitars (on "Automatic Stop" and "Between Love & Hate"). Although Room On Fire doesn't mark a radical musical departure for the band, the concise and consistently engaging album solidifies their status as skilled rock revivalists.
(FTP)

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Cursed Sleep [EP]

The Cursed Sleep EP is yet another missive from the seemingly always busy Bonnie "Prince" Billy entertainment camp. For all the records Will Oldham releases, you know he's gotta have a ton in the can as well. The title track is from his album slated for September 2006 release. Acoustic and electric guitars (Oldham and Emmett Kelly), bass (Paul Oldham), a skittering drum kit (Jim White), and gorgeous strings usher it in. Oldham digs into his poetic bag of imagery; it's full of memory, obsession, loss, and a grief bordering on gothic horror. The strings between the sung verses are remarkably effective as Oldham slithers and slips along his lines, with help from Dawn McCarthy on backing vocals, all adding up to a song with drama, tension, and authority. "Signifying Wolf" is gospel-like horror performed like a Faulkner short story gone terribly wrong with help from Pantaleimon (Andria Degens). "God's Small Song" is one of those beautiful whispering tomes that only Oldham could pull off. It moves almost not at all, with swelling strings, wordless backing vocals, guitars, and percussion in between each sung line, stretching each line into disintegration, yet it comes off like a prayer. It doesn't swell until the last minute or so, but that swell is redemptive, and Oldham's voice underscores the instruments in this section. The Cursed Sleep EP is a delightful, even beguiling way to spend 12 and a half minutes.
(SP)

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

One of 2005's most lauded indie rock releases, the self-titled, self-released debut by Brooklyn's Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is an engaging and energetic album that pulls listeners into its charming world where things sound instantly familiar, yet strangely indescribable and unique. The neo-vaudeville intro ("Clap Your Hands!") carries a percussive Tom Waits vibe, but is distinguished by frontman Alec Ounsworth's David Byrne-like yelp. While the Byrne vocal comparisons are inescapable, Ounsworth, the band's main songwriter, isn't intent on recreating the Talking Heads' sound--it's just one aspect of many in the group's restless aesthetic. The record really kicks in with the one-two punch of the surging "Let the Cool Goddess Rust Away" and the chiming "Over and Over Again (Lost and Found)," while "The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth" is its gloriously uplifting centerpiece. Throughout the disc, keyboards drift in and out of the highly rhythmic, guitar-driven tunes, creating a playfully urgent atmosphere that gives credence to the album's remarkably warm reception.
(RS)

The Charlatans - Between 10th and 11th

Combining the retro-psychedelia of the Stone Roses with a large dose of The Doors' swirling keyboard-based sensibility, the Charlatans UK had an initially swift and painless rise to fame. Rocky times lay ahead however, including the mental illness of their bass player and the departure of their guitarist. Compounding these setbacks was the commercial disappointment of the otherwise outstanding Between 10th and 11th. Despite its lack of contemporary commercial success, this album contains the beginnings of a musical maturity and depth. More guitar-based than usual, Between 10th and 11th embraces a loose, jamming tradition not usually found in post '70s British pop, shown to greatest effect on "The End of Everything." The album has a harder edge than previous efforts, as if the band were trying to stay one step ahead of their demons. Unfortunately they'd soon suffer more setbacks when integral member and keyboard player Rob Collins would be arrested for armed robbery; a few years later he was killed driving drunk from a pub to the studio.
(RS)