blog hop

I wrote about 2012 video games over at Giant Bomb.
Their blog system is easier to use, and they have a picture library and stuff.


Here is a link to it.

album of the week: 12.4

Polysics
Weeeeeeeeee!!!
(2012)


why you'll love it:  fast and unpredictable technopop that never lets up
why you'll hate it:  sometimes too much pop, shit's for babies

In an ironic twist of fate, I now find myself confronted by the limits of my taste at the hands of Polysics.  Traditionally, they've been a band I cite when complaining people are too uptight about music, and only prefer the overdrive when it's their genre.  "XCT" is my forever go-to jam,  I've wanted more "Kaja-Kaja-Goo" from the day I first heard it, and even get this smug "punking the punkers" satisfaction out of their overdrive pop songs like "Catch on Everywhere".  But I think "Weeeeeeeeee!!!" is where I draw the line.  Not the album as a whole, or even the title track as a whole, but that phrase itself.   Has any adult said "Weeee" without irony?  The first thing I think of is Anakin Skywalker saying it, and being compared to the Star Wars prequels is DEFINITELY not a good thing.

So while I play out this internal struggle with my taste in music, and ponder if admitting to enjoying it means I don't have a fully formed brain; Polysics is firing away at what is no doubt their wildest album since National P (2003).  The band has seemed to complete its assimilation with the sequencer, since their keyboardist left in 2010.  The songs are WAY faster than they've been on the last two releases, as well as a lot of different electronic sounds at different tones and modulations.

Another thing I love that has come with the new era of Polysics is that they are generally a tighter band now.  They mess with complicated interplay between the instruments, lots of well trained stop-and-start sequences, choruses that come out of nowhere, and spotlight moments for every member of the band.  Becoming more technically proficient is something I've been hoping to see out of the band for almost half a decade now.  It may be the sequencer that forced them to do it, but regardless, they've finally conquered that last piece of uncharted territory, in my opinion.

Now that Polysics has done everything I've ever wanted them to, maybe I shouldn't bitch so much about "Weeeeeeeeee!!!"  It's just that… god dammit, ok.  There are songs on here like the title track and "Round The World" that are amazing, but have awful choruses that almost ruin the songs for me.  It wouldn't bother me so much if this album wasn't so expressive and crazy.  Ten years go, the way Polysics did crazy was in this abrasive "BACK OFF, THIS SHIT IS DANGEROUS" way.  Polysics still does a lot of mental stuff, but the edges are all smoothed.  It's more of a "Hey, come be crazy with us, it's fun!" sort of thing.  Stuff like "Weeeeeeeeee!!!" and "la-la-lala" choruses just wouldn't fly back then.  It was total nonsense like "PippikkippippiP" and whatever the hell this is.

Now I feel self conscious again, because I'm totally being that whiny fan who only complains "they were better before" without realizing the awesome things in front of me.   "Sparking Water" is a totally mental intro.  Their best since "Watson".  "Ice Tights, Mike" BLAZES!  "Distortion" should have been this album's lead single.  It's adventurous and fun.  "Why" is a jam and a half, and really shows off how creative they've become with performing around sequencers.  "Lightning Express" is a type of song they've been doing a while now, but this is one of the better attempts.  "Everybody Say No"  sounded tepid as a single, but after all the madness, it feels refreshing in the second half of this album; much like "LED" and "Cars" on National P.

ahhhhh, National P, how I wish there were more albums like you.  Polysics is a tighter band now; they're still coming up with fresh material, and anyone hearing them for the first time will still be shocked, yet here I am, pining for the past.  Thing is, I wouldn't be if this album wasn't so good.  The high-energy of this album came so close to that bygone era of sheer lunacy, that I bummed myself out.  This isn't a band that stays still.  They move on and find new ways to offend the senses.  So, I'll take the trolling in stride this time, but secretly hope that on the next album, their antics won't sound as childish.

album of the week: 12.3

Memory Tapes
Grace/Confusion
(2012)

why you'll love it:  Lots of captivating grooves, like if Ratatat was a dream pop band

why you'll hate it:  Too much downtime in songs, lacks the tightness and urgency of pervious works

If you need a smooth chillax album to keep you mind of holiday stress, just pump Memory Tapes straight into your bloodstream.  This third release from the Jersey/PA area indie-trance artist goes down a slightly different path than previous albums.  Grace/Confusion stays true to the title by being both his most euphoric and ambient release yet; but at random times, will with these tense stinging synth-splosions.  

At quiet moments, the songs are foggy and abstract.  Almost coma-like.  Then out of nowhere, almost in every song, come these sharp blows.  It's like a war raging on inside your own subconscious.  Although the whole thing is a bit too vague to get a real grip of what the point of it all is.  The vocals are buried in the mix, and what can be made out don't reveal a whole lot.  The "explosion" parts I refer to are still in line with the kind of groove Memory Tapes has.  They aren't abrasive at all, just chaotic by comparison.

I like that I am able to discern every Memory Tapes album easily.  The toolset and pace is usually the same, but the mood on each album is very different.  It takes a lot of skill to have such control of subtleties.  This is still a very easy on the ears experience.  I like the sounds it makes.  There are a lot of crazy effects, but none that are abrasive and distracting.  It's good background music.  I think it has a lot more ambition and color than last year's release, Player Piano.

I wish it didn't feel as aloof though.  The downtime ambient parts don't have anything interesting going on in them.  It's easy to drift away while this album is on, only to be brought back when a song kicks in.  Then you are left going "woah, what - is this the same song?  Oh hey it isn't."  I think all of the songs here could have been tightened up to be a minute shorter.  Then again, the aimless wandering could be the whole brilliant point of this thing.  Worth a listen on a long drive.

album of the week: 12.2

The Evens
The Odds
(2012)

why you'll love it:  Unique style that is both comforting and stimulating.

why you'll hate it:  Too samey-samey.  The overly political lyrics aren't very memorable

No, you see, I was drawing a comparison.  My review this week is late because now you waited longer just to get the same thing you've gotten before.  The Evens are a DC punk duo, most notable for featuring Ian Mackaye (of Minor Threat and Fugazi).  Their coffeehouse lo-volume approach is something that really sticks out.  Their ability to create something rousing and invigorating without actually screaming or using distortion is something special.  Maybe a six year gap between this and the last Evens album is a good thing, because it made me kinda forget all their songs sound the same.

Hey, I'm used to a band doing the same thing every album.  I get a new Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra album every year and love it.  Also, The Evens do something only they do, so I'm not gonna hold it against them.  Just saying, The Evens in a nutshell is: serious social-economical lyrics (most seem to go over my head), and this really cool mellow sound that sounds like a poetry slam meets Spaghetti Western.  This is The Odds, and every other Evens album that preceded it.

I like this album quite a bit.  Most of the songs wash over me as if they are all one big song, but I enjoy the flow and pace of it all, and even catch myself bobbing along to it when not paying attention.  There is a driving force that only lets up in order to set in place another big moment.   The instrumental, "Wonder Why" is my favorite on here.  I don't know if that is a bad thing thing it entirely dismisses the political message of the band, but clearly the sound is the big thing about this duo.  What they do with such a simple set up is a real triumph.

album of the week: 12.1

Deftones
Koi No Yokan
(2012)

why you'll love it: Strong second half, "Tempest" is one of their best songs

why you'll hate it: dull and uninspired first half.  No evolution.


The usually on fire Deftones run warm on yet another 2012 release that I had high hopes for.  This isn't to say this band has forgotten how to make eye-widening epic songs.  It just starts off on the wrong foot.  There seems to be two perceptions of what Deftones is.  Many people who are only somewhat familiar with the group see them as a holdover from the laughable nu-metal scene of the late 90's.  I see them as an intelligent group of musicians that use metal and hardcore influences with shoegaze and ambience to create big emotionally driven songs.

Songs on this album like "Swerve CIty" and "Poltergeist" are an example of that first perception.  They're little more than a generic heavy riff;  with dull sound and fury signifying nothing.  "Romantic Dreams" and "Entombed" sound more like the "secret love song band" that I see them as, but with some eye-rolling clichéd and on-the-nose lyrics that sour the whole deal.  Of the first half of the album, "Leathers" is the only song I like, and even that feels a bit like the band is just going through the motions.

"Graphic Nature" is where Koi No Yokan truly begins for me.  It's got that strange off-kilter alternative riff and time signature that I loved in songs off their 2003 self-titled album; and the strange and somewhat dangerous metaphors for love and sex found in the album that put them on the map, White Pony (2000).  Followed immediately by that is one of my favorite songs of the year, "Tempest".  This right here is Deftones at their best.  They use their strengths to build, and suppress, until they deliver a swell that cracks the heavens and makes you want to raise your arms into the air as if possessed.

Songs just like "Tempest" are what populated my favorite Deftones album, Saturday Night Wrist (2006).  After the mostly concrete hardened Diamond Eyes (2010), I was really expecting the band to return to a more euphoric sound.  Instead, Koi No Yokan kinda feels neither here nor there.  The second (good) half of this album only seems to test the waters that Saturday Night Wrist dove right into.  The last four songs are good.  I enjoy "Rosemary" most of all, and the humble closer "What Happened To You?"  It's just not as jaw-dropping and it all once was.  Maybe Chino's work with ††† has drank Deftones' milkshake, as far as experimental electronic and ambiance goes.

Forgiving the rough start, Deftones is still a band that must be given a chance by everyone.  A true example of "Don't judge a book by its cover."  Even when the songs are a bit lackluster, the compositions are admirable.  And Chino's voice, still after all these years, is a marvel.  To use every last molecule of air in your body pouring out a yell, then sound utterly angelic in the next minute… I just don't know how he does it.  Even with a middle of the road album, that is what I keep coming back for.  And I'm still glad they do it, after all their hardships.  Hey, if you don't buy this album, maybe leave a holiday donation for Chi Cheng or something?

album of the week: 11.4

We Are The Physics
Your Friend, The Atom
(2012)



why you'll love it:  hectic bounce off the wall fun, with great lyrics
why you'll hate it:  The band struggles outside of their own niche


With bias and hype tampered as much as possible, I still can say that Your Friend, The Atom is one of this year's best albums.  Probably the only release this year to live up to its hype.  For as high-powered and spastic We Are The Physics may sound in performance, their work output is slower than a 56k modem.  Their 2008 "debut" LP (We Are The Physics Are OK At Music) was mostly comprised of singles from the two preceding years; and there's hardly been anything since.   In comparison, their clones in the far-east, Polysics, have released two EPs and two albums in the very same four year span; and in the midst of a major lineup change!

Comparisons to other new wave / post punk bands seems to be the heaviest burden this band carries.  With Your Friend, The Atom finally out of cryostasis, We Are The Physics hasn't exactly stepped out of Polysics' shadow, the sun has just changed position.  WATP has maintained its high volume, head exploding spaz rock, where Polysics has fallen further down the technopop rabbit hole.

One shadow they have stepped out of is Devo's.  Now let me preface this by saying I really enjoyed Devo's reunion album in 2010, Something For Everybody.  It wasn't amazing, but was good (and even that exceeded my expectations).  Songs on this LP, though, like "Dildonics" and "All My Friends Are Jpegs" are volatile concoctions of crudeness, counter-culture, and societal relevance that Gerald Casale WISHES he could write today.

And finally, a shadow they have appeared to step further into with this release is one of the not-so-well-known spazoids from the 80's, Cardiacs.  Of course their UK accents only make comparisons more obvious, but there is no doubt these songs are erratic and unpredictable from moment to moment, just like when Cardiacs were in their prime.  "Cluedo" and "(e.g. Apollo 11)"  are delightfully mad, and two of the best on here.

They may be stuck with em, but at least it's good company to be in;  and slowly, We Are The Physics are carving out their own new-wave punk niche.  Ping-ponging harmonies, singing in rounds, and unpredictable cadences almost seem iconic to them by now.  The aggressive chanting and clapping in "Napoleon Loves Josaphine" and "Goran Ivanisavic" almost sound like what would happen if football hooligans did a ton of blow and raided an arcade.  And it isn't just frantic yelps and stutters. WATP add a little bit more studio synthesizers into the mix, as well as a tiny bit of vocoding, and even at one point… chowing down on a bag of crisps?

Once the comparison game runs thin, this is still a TOTALLY FUN album, with little to slow it down.  They step out of their comfort zone a bit, and it shows in "And So Now We're Wrestling With The Body Politic" and "Olivia Newton Bomb", but when they are doing what they do best, nobody can touch them.  I haven't heard the new Polysics yet, and Man or Astro-Man? has a release next year; but for the first time, it feels like those bands have a challenge to meet, rather than the other way around.

Behind on reviews.  I have no good excuse, especially when I'm spending my time making dumb things like this.

album of the week: 11.3

Grizzly Bear
Shields
(2012)

why you'll love it:  Grizzly Bear continues to refine their rich and natural sound

why you'll hate it:  Basically a sequel to their last album with diminishing returns

It's the last hour of the last day of the week; so I'm still in time!  It's been a busy short week for me at work before having to travel for Thanksgiving, so I haven't had much time to talk about what I've been listening to the past seven days - The lastest from a very popular modern indie act: Grizzly Bear.  Their 2006 breakout LP, Yellow House turned a lot of heads with very rich acoustics and a down to earth sound.  They're right up there with Animal Collective as one of those bands that are put on a pedestal these days, but their respective sounds couldn't be further apart.  Where Animal Collective is transmitting from space, Grizzly Bear is more like in a log cabin.  

Veckatimest (2009) shaped Grizzly Bear into a modern radio-friendly song structure, and Shields seems to be little more than polishing that idea.  That's not entirely a bad thing (unless you really loved the denseness of Yellow House).  The production is still a marvel.  I love the echoey guitar and drums, the subtle application of electronics and distortion, and the choir-like vocals of the band.  "Sleeping Ute" and "Yet Again" are fantastic songs, no matter which way you cut it.  "The Hunt" (dull) and "Sun in Your Eyes" (annoying in its efforts to sound epic), are.. well... not.  I'm afraid songs like "What's Wrong" and "Half Gate" would be better if by now the Grizzly Bear formula wasn't so predictable.  

Shields starts off very strong, but the album doesn't seem to have the same soul or lasting power Veckatimest had; nor the attention-grabbing appeal of Yellow House.  Also, nine songs (+ an instrumental segue) that sound just like your last album, sort of leaves a "huh... this took three years?" impression.  It's very soothing and well performed album, but just doesn't live up to their reputation.

album of the week: 11.2

Jeff Rosenstock
I Look Like Shit
(2012)

why you'll love it:  depressing lyrics done right, fun DIY style

why you'll hate it:  Not as wacky as a typical BTMI! album, sometimes too cheap

Next week is Thanksgiving, which means I only have about 4 or 5 reviews left until the end of the year posts.  Which means I better make sure the next 4 or 5 albums I pick have a good shot at creeping into that stuff.  Which means, I gotta get the FUCK out of September releases.  Looks like I'll be backed up heading into 2013.

I've been sick all week.  I feel like shit, so it only seems fitting to choose I Look Like Shit; a solo effort by the jaded ska-punker everyman, Jeff Rosenstock.  Last year, Jeff wrote my favorite album (Vacation) alongside his band, Bomb The Music Industry!  I Look Like Shit has a lot of what made Vacation special: a departure from BTMI!'s typical ska-punk sound, and a shockingly relevant and brutally honest introspective look at society and loneliness.

This is presented by Jeff as a collection of demos and unfinished songs, as if you're about to listen to a dozen random low quality mp3s.  He's selling himself short here.  Truth is, this album is mixed and planned out better than some actual studio releases (See my AK-FG review last week).  Songs bleed into each other at times.  There is a compelling introduction track, and a big fun finish.  While it's obvious where he's making ends meet by using a drum machine and more acoustic guitar than usual, he could have EASILY gotten away with saying this was a planned and produced solo album from the very beginning.

Jeff's depressing lyrics are something I've become accustomed to, and even look forward to.  I was really turned off by the way he used them with otherwise typical wacky BTMI! music, in Adults!!!: Smart!!! Shithammered!!! And Excited by Nothing!!!!!!! (2010), but loved the way they juxtaposed with the 60's beach party pop background in Vacation.  So maybe I'm a big hypocrite  I Look Like Shit doesn't have the same style as Vacation, but still suits the general theme of this album (depression and death) well, without distracting from it or making the whole thing too overwhelming.

Lots of great songs on here.  "The Trash The Trash The Trash" is my favorite.  It's got a lot of great examples of the stupid excuses we make for not doing things when depressed.  "Little Blue Pills" and "Bonus Oceans" are fun as well as resonant.  "Amen" seems to revel in its lack of subtlety.  After that soul-crushing ballad, a cover of 銀杏BOYZ' "I Don't Wanna Die" picks you up by the scruff, brushes you off, and sends you home happy.  This enthusiastic performance of a seemingly random, already over-the-top song is probably what listeners will remember most about this album.

With a little confidence, this release could have been dressed up and finished to stand right alongside BTMI!'s Vacation; but I assume the mindset that led to this billed as a collection of unfinished failures that would otherwise be thrown out, is exactly what goes into the kind of perspective that makes the songwriting so relatable.

album of the week: 11.1

Asian Kung-Fu Generation
Landmark
(2012)

why you'll love it:  Even when it sounds like they're not trying, lots of catchy riffs here

why you'll hate it: stale, and flat.  Poor selection of songs over last two years

Alright, friends, I have a bone to pick with this album, so consider this your warning, I will rant over the next few paragraphs.  If you want a shortened review, here it is:  This is lackluster and sloppily thrown together collection of songs.  They can be very catchy in moments, when given a chance, but fail to exemplify the dynamics and ingenuity of this band over the last four years.  There you go.  if that is all you need to know, you can stop now.

------------

Asian Kung-Fu Generation suddenly became a band that i begrudgingly liked in 2008.  Their album, World, World, World was a tight, rocking, emotional, fun, you name it - everything done right - indie rock album.  I didn't want to like an album titled World, World, World.  I even cringe a bit when I tell my friends in the car that this band I am listening to is named Asian Kung-Fu Generation.  Most of all, I didn't want to like a band that has been hijacked by Naruto headband wearing goofballs (thanks to the band's history of contributing songs to various anime title sequences.)  But there before me, stood a damn good indie band!  And throughout the next three years, they continued to be a damn good indie band.  These guys don't do anything wild or progressive.  They just know how to write catchy songs, weave in some pretty impressive guitar melodies and drum fills, and create something that transcends the language barrier with ease.

Landmark not only fails to represent the band I mentioned above, but is also a TERRIBLY constructed album.  First of all, it's not much of an album.  It's a collection of songs, recorded when or who knows where, with no sense of flow or motif.  The production is also flat as cardboard, which is quite a surprise to me, as their last album (2010's Magic Disk) provided a wide spectrum of sound.  I'm mostly going to focus on the arrangement and choice of songs here, because it truly boggles my mind.

"All right part 2" opens.  It's a fun little pop song, a bit too saccharine for them, I think; but was likable for a song released OVER A YEAR AGO.  (Almost) every year AK-FG curates a festival, and releases an exclusive song on the respective compilation CD.  The song sounds fine for that occasion, but not here.  It's not a strong "OK here we go, let's kick this off" opening song.  Everyone already knows it, and it fails to represent how the rest of the album goes.

The choices of what made the cut and what didn't, only get more confusing.  "All right part 2" (released summer 2011 on a compilation) opens the album, while "Marching Band" (a single released in December of 2011) is not found at all.  "Marching Band" is a slow song, but I thought it's pretty experimental for them, and has a nice emotional build.  Also, it's a single, for Christ's sake!  Since when is a single not on an album?  Even crazier, why would the single not make it, but the b-side would?!  That's right, "N2" is the b-side to "Marching Band", and also a pretty bad song.  It's vocal filter sounds like garbage, and it's a momentum killing drag of a song that should not be at track 2, if on the album at all.

All that stuff I said about AK-FG being a total package indie band must sound deluded when you hear "1.2.3.4.5.6. Baby" and "AとZ".  The swells and emotion put into "1.2.3.4.5.6. Baby" mixed with the lyrics (which are, get ready for this… "1.2.3.4.5.6. Baby") make it sound like a joke song.  Follow that up with a song that is basically reciting the alphabet, and at this point I was saying aloud to my stereo "You're kidding me, right?"

If you haven't switched off by now, the rest of the album isn't all that bad.  "大洋航路" is probably the catchiest song on here.  It's spunky, and enthusiastic.  But nothing about it lives up to to what the band has been capable of in the past.  "Bicycle Race" is basically a lackluster version of "新世紀のLove Song".  "それでは、また明日" will probably end up being the most popular song to come of this album, because it harkens back to their energetic more punk influenced sound that got them all that sweet Bleach money.  I'm not so crazy about it.  I think that's a "been there, done that" path, and the band is better than that now.  "1980" and "Railroad" have some CATCHY signature guitar riffs to them, but that's it.  "踵で愛を打ち鳴らせ" is the best song, by far.  This well crafted, well paced, emotionally charged song is a reminder why I've swallowed my pride for this band.  "Anemoneの咲く春に" at least sounds like a closer, but it's yet another just OK song for a shrug of an album.

The track listing is still what gets me here.  Looking back on the past two years of material from this band, you could put together a good 30 - 40 minutes of music.  I still don't know why they're using songs and b-sides from LAST YEAR, when there were b-sides (Like "Reload Reload") and compilation songs (like "夜を越えて") from this year that were totally great (and totally unused).

If you have read me put in a good word about this band in one of my "year in review" posts, but never checked them out, this is not a good place to start.  This albums sounds like something a bored and disinterested band would phone-in.  With a little care in production and willingness to create an album with flow and structure, this could have been a solid release.  Not a very strong one, but certainly not as stale as this.

album of the week: 10.5

Ben Folds Five
The Sound of The Life of The Mind
(2012)

why you'll love it:  Ben Folds still a fun songwriter, some nostalgic fun

why you'll hate it: Sounds too much like Ben's later solo stuff.

Reunions always scare me, but I think it's just something I'm going to have to get used to as I get older.  They're all the rage lately.  A few have managed to exceed my expectations (Devo, and Hot Snakes), while some others have just made me wish memories would just stay in the past (Pixies, At The Drive-in).  Not sure where I stand on Ben Folds Five quite yet.

Ben Folds, and his lovable sophomoric personality, have never went away.  When the band broke up in 2000, Ben immediately went on to a solo career, writing the same kind of songs. So it's actually Robert Sledge's fuzzy bass, and his harmonies with drummer Darren Jessee, that are making a big triumphant return.  The pounding rhythm section that opens up this album ("Erase Me") elicited an audible "fuck - yes" from me within seconds.  "Michael Praytor, Five Years Later" (the best song on this album, no doubt), continues to evoke the sound that defined their first two LPs.  The self-titled LP (1995) and Forever And Ever, Amen (1997) are fantastic albums, musically and lyrically.  Ben Folds does an amazing job on those albums of representing a culture of snarky wallflowers, without ever becoming a stereotype or generic poster boy for "nerd rock" or whatever.  While Ben Folds Five will never be as iconic as Weezer, I feel they hit the bullseye in moments where "The Blue Album" just barely misses the mark.

Over the next 35 minutes, the tint on my rose-colored glasses begin to fade.  I'm convinced half of this album MUST be comprised of leftover melodies and lyrics from Ben's solo work.  Rob almost entirely checks out for a bunch of these songs.  It's just Ben, and some violins.  Maybe a little background drums from Darren.  These songs, aren't all that bad.  I think "Sky High" is the only one that rubbed me the wrong way, and "Hold That Thought" has some pretty cute songwriting.  It's just that -- I'm not here for a new Ben Folds album, well, I mean… not this time.  I'm here for the "Five"… well I mean, the two, but… you know what I mean!

The three remaining songs are… ok.  The title track is a bit too much like their final album, before the reunion, The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner (1999).  I think most fans agree that the album did not make the same impact of their first two.  "Draw A Crowd" is a pretty good example of how once Ben Folds became famous, his perspective and world around him changed; and so did the songwriting a bit.  He's still definitely the same person; and I kind of respect that he addresses this in his songs by using real examples in his life of fame and fortune.  But that still doesn't change the fact he is no longer on the outside looking in.  That is why there truly will never be another Whatever And Ever, Amen from these guys.  Ben just isn't going to fake it and try to write another "Battle of Who Could Care Less" or "One Angry Dwarf…"  

"Do it Anyway" is the closest you will get to that old style.  It sounds like an old-school song, and sung with a lot of "umph", but it is no doubt coming from that safe and secure perspective of somebody who has already succeeded.  Writing for the underdog will never-ever capture the perspective of the underdog.

So yeah, I don't know what to think of this Ben Folds Five return.  Objectively, this is pretty good stuff.  The album doesn't suck, and those first two tracks are KILLER; so I can't just brush this aside and pretend it never happened.  On the other hand, it's easy to see this as a huge disappointment compared to the rest of their discography.  Compound that with the fact that this is a reunion album that for the most part fails to recapture the band's signature sound (seriously where did the bass go for half of this album?!); and confirmation that the first two albums were lightning in a bottle.

The album is a disappointment, but I want to hear more from this reunion.  I am just letting the current take me wherever on this one.

this is what the week has been like

Hurricane Sandy really did a number on my area.  My power was knocked out for 5 days, and I apparently I was one of the lucky ones.

This is what the storm did to my old hometown.  I know a couple people who have totally lost their homes.  It's been a pretty lousy week.

I moved back into my place today though, and aside from a gas shortage, things in my little bubble appear back to normal.  Looks like I'll be doing two reviews this week to make up for last.

album of the week: 10.4

Deerhoof
Breakup Song
(2012)

why you'll love it:  glitchy, spazzy fun.  As approachable as this band gets

why you'll hate it:  buncha silly nonsense,  can give headaches

If you've been reading this blog, and haven't just stumbled across this entry, you've probably heard of Deerhoof by now. They're either a band madly praised or vilified for their against-the-grain indie rock style.  Abrasive, chaotic, nauseatingly cute, or artsy for art's sake.  Very little of what Deerhoof does could be considered mainstream friendly; which is why it's weird that I find this album incredibly catchy from start to finish.

Breakup Song is basically a dance party album, only a party where nobody knows how to dance. It's janky and broken, but has this inviting tone that instantly lets you know it's all for fun.  Deerhoof's abrasiveness can sometimes be mistaken as a threatening rebellious statement, or laughable lack of talent.  There are a lot of layers to this release, and a lot more studio mojo than usual.  You can tell the songs have been practiced and refined, despite how wacky they sound.  Satomi Matsuzaki continues not to hide her heavy Japanese accent while singing, but this time stays away from the notes we all know she could never hit.  She comes off here sounding really good!  For the first time ever, I've found myself highly enjoying lyrics in a Deerhoof song.  There are some great lines here, for both their catchy delivery and striking mental imagery.

Because of these two factors, haters are going to have a much tougher time tearing down this release.  That doesn't mean Deerhoof have compromised anything.  Actually, it's a return back to the bewildering irreverent the songs from The Runners Four (2005) and Milk Man (2004) seemed to have.  I remember when Friend Opportunity (2007) was released, people made a big deal about how it was Deerhoof's big break, as far as exposure goes, writing catcher songs, softening the distortion, and having MUCH larger production scope.  If anything, Breakup Song is a more successful version of Friend Opportunity.  It's catchier.  It gets its point across better.  It also sounds much more like the fuzzy and gritty Deerhoof fans love, and less like a fish out of water.

I haven't said much about the songs themselves on this release.  They're short and sweet.  The whole album spans just under a half hour.  Every song comes as quickly as it goes, but leaves just a little something to remember it by.  Again, i love the studio effects they added here.  They distract from the talents of the band's rhythm section a bit, but it's a very original sound.  The electronics sound like those boombox toys from the 90s that had over-compressed hip-hop beats piping out of a cheap speaker.  

What I love most about this album his how amazingly strong it ends.  Think about some of your favorite albums, and how many of them have those first three or four songs that just kill you.  I think of Scream Dracula Scream by Rocket From The Crypt before anything.  The way those first few songs just steamroll you over…  

A cool thing about Breakup Song is the groove it works itself into with the LAST few songs (starting with the wacky salda-dance street party, "The Trouble With Candyhands"), with each one passing the baton to the next with no real time to breathe.  "We Do Parties" is the boom to "…Candyhands"'s fuse, and "Mario's Flaming Wiskers III" is the fuzzy aftermath.  In the last few moments of the track, there is an amazing transition into the closer-ballad, "Fête d'Adieu" (another song with great lyrics and perfect vocal delivery).  The way this album ends makes you just want to push play and start it all over again.

Breakup Song isn't a mind-opening masterpiece.  Definitely not a musically substantive as their last two albums.  It's a big dumb party.  But it knows its a big dumb party; and that confidence and execution makes this one of the most enjoyable albums of the year.

album of the week: 10.3

Jens Lekman
I Know What Love Isn't
(2012)

why you'll love it:  Clever love songs, nostalgic hi-quality sound

why you'll hate it:  Too melancholy, too simple

For the past ten years, I've found myself enjoying a lot of music I had previously considered unlistenable.  The toughest shell to crack has been "love songs".  In most cases they're insultingly shallow for the subject matter.  Vague overwrought catch phrases sung by people who you could hardly relate to.  Like the concept of love itself, I think most people want to embrace these songs in order to feel like a part of something, rather than be honest with themselves and the world.

Jens Lekman has managed to thread the needle and make honest, clever, and universally relatable love songs, like a select few before him.  He's got the down to earth layman vocabulary and awkward delivery of Jonathan Richman.  He uses humor and specific events told in a way so that it can remind you of a situation of your own, just like Dr. Frank.  All that is here, in Lekman's first album in 5 years.  He prefers sleeping on his arm until it becomes numb, and fooling himself into thinking it's someone else's.  He's constantly hard on himself and never shy to harp on uncharacteristic fits of anger or stupid life decisions.  You may not have specifically messed up a relationship to the point of her wishing you had simply cheated on her instead, or been beaten up over the phrase "get lost"; but Jens has an unbelievable talent to give you that "yeah, I've been there" feeling for so many of his songs. 

As great as it is to have more fantastic lyrics, the enthusiasm of this album is quite lacking.  A healthy dose of kitsch helped make his last album, Night Falls Over Kortedala all the more charming.  Even last year's An Argument With Myself EP had a lot more humor and joy to it.  In I Know What  Love Isn't, Lekman has a much more serious and somber tone, and some cleverness or silliness seems to shine through despite that; as if he doesn't know how to honestly put things any other way.  A lot of this album is thick with 70's / 80's cheese.  Almost like smooth jazz, not too far different from Desroyer's last album.

Night Falls on Kortedala's use of 50's Americana and a theater musical songwriting style enhanced great songs, and made the less interesting songs at the very least, still fun.  On this LP, the songs where Jens doesn't bring his his lyrical A-game are quite flat.  "I Want A Pair of Cowboy Boots" and "She Just Doesn't Want To Be With You" suffer the worst.  

Just like last week's album, I'm glad Jens is back and giving us more music; but this album did not live up to the expectations I had for it.  "The End of The World is Bigger Than Love" is the only song on here I would put alongside his best material from the past.  This guy is still a rare talent, but I think the stripped down and somber approach obscures what he has been capable of at full potential.  I'd still rather have a "so-so" Jens Lekman album, than an entire Jimmy Eat World discography, though.

album of the week: 10.2

Zazen Boys
Stories
(2012)

why you'll love it:  Incredible musical talent, delivery unlike most other bands

why you'll hate it:  Doesn't meet 4 year hype, second half falls flat

*UPDATE* - The version of this album I got has a totally different order of tracks.  So when I talk about "the second half" or "the last two songs" this won't exactly match up with the version you can buy on iTunes.  In fact, the new order of tracks break things up in such a way that the whole album comes off better.

In this internet age, four years is a long time to go without releasing new material.  The time Zazen Boys has spent out of Matsuri Studio has been close to that of the band's entire 4 LP existence before then.  Seeing that every Zazen Boys album before now has had wildly different styles, the anticipation of an album brewing for four years has been unbearable.  The result - something surprisingly familiar.

To describe the basics of this band's sound would take longer than I care to type, and also may require a brief look into the progression of Mukai Shutoku's previous band, Number Girl.  So here is what is in this new album:  A high percentage of traditional Japanese music brought into modern day (mostly found on their 2004 self-titled debut).  An even higher amount of jazz fusion, making the whole thing sound like the songs were created via various free-form studio sessions (a staple of 2006's Zazen Boys III).  High production, and a touch of synth work.  Not as thickly applied as in Zazen Boys 4 (2008); instead woven into the mix.

Barely present at all is the hip-hop, and pop embracing Zazen Boys II (2004).  As a result, the songs on Zazen Boys 5 Stories feel less like songs, and more like blueprints for songs.  There isn't much of a verse-chorus / arc-climax to these songs.  Just a hook or two, and everything is built around them and repeated until they decide to cut everything off and get to the next song.  

This doesn't become much of a problem until the second half of the album.  The first twenty minutes are solid gold.  The band is in top form, musically.  There is incredible fusion between the four musicians all obviously working on the same page. They stop and start on a dime.  Everything is synchronized perfectly note for note.  Of the first five tracks, "Sandpaperざらざら" is probably my favorite.  The way Mukai scats along as the beat gets more and more intense is invigorating.  This is a very restrained album, in both fury and gimmick.  "Sandpaper" is the only song on here that gets close to cutting loose.  

After "天狗" though, predictability begins to set in.  A few slower paced tracks only more clearly reveal that these songs aren't really gonna go anywhere.  Without a wild riff, it just sounds like the band is warming up their instruments rather than playing an actual song.  I never say things like this, but the final two songs on this album sound just a bit too Japanese for my tastes.  The drums are too repetitive, and the guitars sound like they are crying out in pain.  I totally get what they are doing in these songs, but I personally found them grating.

As someone who has been following this band for quite a while, I'm disappointed that this album isn't something completely new, and that the songs don't have a whole lot of meat on their bones.  I'm betting that in a live environment they will be fleshed out and thrive.  I didn't like songs like "Asobi" and "Riff Man" all that much until I saw them performed live, and was immediately converted.  

While this album did not meet my wild expectations, it is great to hear the band again.  Their art of controlled chaos is always an interesting listen.  I have to admit, when this album started with that pulse-quickening guitar riff and a familiar delivery of "繰り返される諸行は無常", my hype was in orbit, but fell back to Earth after a half hour.  Newcomers should find something alluring about this innovative and talented band, but those who have waited four years should lower their expectations.

album of the week: 10.1

Animal Collective
Centipede Hz
(2012)

why you'll love it:  The full band returns to the sound that got them recognized.

why you'll hate it:  Mostly boring songs, despite sounding so "weird"  

If you look for music on the internet, chances are high that you've come across Animal Collective.  If not the songs themselves, jokes and hyperbole about the the cult following and impact the group has had on the indie music community.  The psychedelic "freak-folk" outfit is the go-to reference when somebody wants to make a hipster joke.  This is one of those cases where the hype and backlash are both way off.  Animal Collective is simply a band with a unique style that leads them to create songs that sometimes feel like nothing else, or sometimes crash and burn terribly.

I always feel like I have to hold my nose before jumping into an Animal Collective album.  Not just to keep out all of the incessant hype and negativity from the outside world; but to push through all the effects and noise and get to what the songs really are.  When I first started listening to this band, I thought they were were a big waste of time.  Slowly, the psychedelic veil lifted away to reveal a classic humble 60's pop core.  Once I was able to grasp the hook, all the extraneous layers felt less like sludge and more like tasty icing.

When Animal Collective announced Centipede Hz earlier this year, I found myself for the first time really anticipating one of their releases.  I've cracked their code, and this new album promised to be less Merrweather Post Pavilion (their 2009 mainstream breakout album) and more Strawberry Jam (my favorite of theirs, from 2007).  An early taste of "Today's Supernatural" sent my expectations through the roof.  That is one of the best AC songs I have ever heard.  I literally went slack jawed when I first heard it.

It's always a shame when the single is the best song on an album.

Maybe it's because I'm seeing things form the inside now, but I don't find most of Centipede Hz all that crazy, or catchy; instead  predictable and weak.  "Rosie oh" sucks all of the energy built up in the first two songs.  "Pulleys" is another shrug of a song that goes in circles.  Pretty much, the entire middle of this album is a slump, beginning with "Wide Eyed" and not waking back up until the second best song on the album, "Monkey Riches".

I feel a bit burned by the promise of a totally insane album, and instead getting tepid melodies with a whole lot of "wacky" effects thrown on top.  I'd be happier if the album went in one direction or the other, instead of wallowing in the middle.  "Applesauce" is a great example of how they do a pop song well.  I love the swirling rhythm of the chorus, and the general childish wonder the song exudes.  Some other songs worth mentioning are "Mercury Man" (with its super-fast sequenced backing beat) and, "Amanita" (which, as far as closers go… not so great.  Especially compared to songs like "Turn Into Something" and "Brother Sport").  

Honestly, there isn't much more going on here, as much as their crazy sound effects and reputation would lead you to believe.  It turns out Centipede Hz is just another Animal Collective album that I only like 6 or 7 songs off of.  After so many years of just having songs I like of theirs on my iPod, not full albums, I was forced to remember - "oh right, they have…  like -  a dozen songs on every album, and i NEVER enjoy most of them."

teaser

October begins just when I'm starting to dig into September releases here.  There were a lot.  Enough to last me the next two months.  But I probably won't do them all.  Here is a sample of what the next few weeks are going to be...

Best of September 2012 from roomrunner on 8tracks Radio.

album of the week: 9.4

Bloc Party
Four
(2012)

why you'll love it:  Strong approachable rock release, with subtle innovation

why you'll hate it:  Bloc Party continues to defy fan service, maybe a bit too mainstream

I hate talking generes, but gotta make a point here, so... 

BLOC PARTY is a BRITSH ROCK BAND that got their big break with a POST-PUNK REVIVAL debut album called Silent Alarm!  It isn't until their very latest release, Four, that I've finally taken notice of their "hey, fuck genres" manifesto their discography paints.   Silent Alarm was a big deal.  It brought back a very popular sound from the late seventies in bands like XTC and Gang of Four.  I feel if not for that release, you wouldn't have bands like Foals seeing success.  I, and most people, saw their electronic ballad filled (Weekend in The City) and electro-clash (Intimacy) follow ups to be huge swing-and-misses in terms of continuing the Silent Alarm legacy.  How can a band un-learn how to do what made their debut so great?

Surely I thought Block Party was done.  Four caught me by surprise for even existing.  Discovering that it is a loud and heavy Foo Fighters sized rock album surprised me even more.  Then came the revelation that I should have known all along.  Bloc Party never drifted astray from their roots.  They have no roots.  Silent Alarm just happened to be the stye of music they wanted to experiment with first.  It just so happened to make the biggest impact on everyone.  They never intended to be a "post-punk" band, just as well as never wanting to evolve into overclocked break-beat whatever the heck that was going on in Intimacy (hey, I liked that album.  People give it way too much shit).  They're just shifting from sound to sound with no real destination, just to be different.

So yeah, Four is Bloc Party leaning hard on their guitars and turning the amps way up.  I love Kele Okereke's maniacal delivery in "3x3" as the beat rains down like a monsoon.  "Kettling", "Team A", and "We Are Not Good People" all rock with a fury.  In fact, I like this album more than Foo Fighters' latest rocksplosion, Wasting Light.  There are a few ballads that fall flat ("The Truth" and "The Healing"), but a few that nail it.  "Real Talk: is one of my favorite tracks on here, sounding just like a John Frusciante song.

There is also some creative experimenting with an otherwise straightforward rock approach.  "Octopus" uses a skipping reverb effect that makes it the closest thing to a return to Silent Alarm that they have ever done.  They may have done it begrudgingly, or maybe I'm looking too deep into the yawns and sighing before the track starts.  "Coliseum" starts off with a strange backwoods cajun beat before unleashing the heaviest blast of rock on the album.

The two clunkers at the end of this album don't even factor into my final opinion.  I think this album is one of the best of the year, and Bloc Party's strongest release to date.  Obviously nothing is going to unseat Silent Alarm as everyone's favorite (present company included), but this is the release that makes me finally "get" Bloc Party, and makes me respect how bold and experimental they are for a very popular mainstream band.

gettin' way too excited about other nerdy things

PSA: another Dungeons & Dragons game played by Penny Arcade creators (Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins), PvP creator (Scott Kurtz) and a professional actor dude (Wil Wheaton) was recorded for your enjoyment.

Like I say every time I post one of these, I have never played, nor ever intend to play D&D, yet I find these sessions to be absolutely hilarious.  You probably will as well.

Album of the Week: 9.3

The Birthday
VISION
(2012)

why you'll love it:  Booze soaked garage rock.  Catchy and gritty.

why you'll hate it:  Lacks focus and charm of older Birthday releases.

Time for our annual check in on rock god, Chiba Yusuke, and his current band, The Birthday.  Just when I thought the group had become a fine tuned classic rock machine in 2010, out stepped a founding guitarist.  It almost seemed like the band was rebooting with 2011's aggressive and frenetic I'm Just A Dog.  Which totally rocked - don't get me wrong.  I just felt like it was… a step back.  Something that resulted in consequence, not so much artistic desire.  

What I feared stepping into The Birthday's latest album, Vision, was more of what had just come.  Thankfully, the band's classic influences are beginning to soak into you young guitarist, Fuji Kenji.  His pacing is slowed down here to something fans of The Birthday are more familiar with.  I was really impressed with the reservation in songs like "Riot Night Serenade" and "Kicking You".  Some of the most rocking songs, like "Guerrilla", come down like a sledgehammer, rather then a fast-and-furios approach, heard on the last album.  Very little of this album has what defined their last effort, which, again… I still loved.  It just sounded too much like Chiba's old material in previous bands, and not what makes The Birthday special.

That's not to say Vision is a complete "back to form" album either, but I think it's a fair compromise between what they once were and where they want to go.  This is a big, loud, cocky rock album.  Even the hardest songs have this arena ballad feeling to them.  Oddly enough, it's the most ballad-y songs that I enjoy here the most.  "Storm" is the kind of song they've been trying to pull off for years, but never quite nailed until now.  It's epic, fun, catchy, and easy to get swept away in, without sounding too gimmicky or like a beer commercial.  The Birthday have been known to occasionally show this Aerosmith side to them in past singles, so radio friendly songs like "ROKA" and "Love Sick Baby…" didn't throw me off all that much.  In fact I really began to enjoy them, and they fit in with the strutting pace of the album.  The only song I can't really get into is "Because".  I think that is only due to "Storm" being a much better closer though.

There is a great collection of songs here, but The Birthday still seems to be in search of a personality after the lineup shake in 2010.  I wouldn't exactly call what they do classic rock anymore.  They're one of the few bands out there that still have an old-school rock and roll approach, but those Led Zeppelin and Television influences are becoming less apparent.   That's cool, because so many Japanese bands are so unashamed about sounding too similar to the bands they take after.  But at the same time, they're not on the cutting edge either.  So they're just aloof;  which is only a concern for someone like me who's trying to write about and define them.  Truth is, the whole album rocks, even though there isn't much of a headline to tag it with.  Still some of the best rock you can find today.

Gettin' way too excited about videogames

OK, let me set the clip up for you.

- In December 2011, Brad Shoemaker live streams his attempt to get the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare achievement, "The Mile High Club", in which you must make your way through a plane of terrorists on the game's highest difficulty setting, and do it in under 60 seconds.

- This live stream lasted FOUR HOURS and was not completed.

- Yesterday, Brad attempts the challenge again, with Harmonix's Eric Pope providing support, and rallying twitter with #TeamBrad

- The stream went on for 80 minutes, until...

I was fist pumping so hard.

album of the week: 9.2

Fang Island

Major

(2012)

why you'll love it: adventure-rock, lots of arena sized guitar riffs.

why you'll hate it: Not much more to it. Not as "epic" as the debut album

Ever walk away from an exploding car in slow motion? Who am I kidding? Nobody really has done that. Ever take a speeding truck off road and - no, that won't do either… OK, how about this -

Ever go jogging and jump over a dog? Have you ever beat the original Super Mario Bros in one sitting? What about set off like 8 fireworks at once, and think "man I need a soundtrack that goes just for this moment!" That is the moment Fang Island tries to live in with every song. Big guitar solos, and crescendos piled on top of crescendos.

With their sophomore release, Major, Fang Island tries to branch out a little bit with a couple slow burners and ballads; but they're fully aware of what they still are, and the "epicness" that their fans demand of them. Because of this light exploration, Major comes off as a nerfed version of their praised self titled debut. If you're new to Fang Island, you would probably receive this album better than old fans have.

The exploration on Major, while admirable, fails in being the next big step for the band. If anything, it distracts from their strengths. I wouldn't consider this album a disappointment though. There are still a fair amount of devil horns to throw up for this LP.

I'll take what I can get.

Album of The Week: 9.1

Liars

WIXIW

(2012)

why you'll love it: Creepy and memorable. Genius application of electronics

why you'll hate it: slow, droning vocal delivery. Devoid of rock and guitars.

Hello. I'm back in business, and just in time. When I took my break, I only had one review left in my chamber (this one). Now I have at least three (maybe 4), plus the dozen or so albums that are out this month! I've gone from drought to flood, and wondering if there are enough weeks to be caught up before the end of the year. Oh well. One album at a time. I deliberately left this one hanging since June for a good reason - I think it's the best album of 2012 so far. If you haven't picked up WIXIW yet, that is a shame; because its subtle greatness may get lost in the shuffle of flashier releases over the second half of the year.

Liars is an experimental rock group that have been deconstructing and rebuilding themselves almost every trip into the studio. They started out 10 years ago as a "Don't call us a fucking" dance punk band. With bitterness, they scrapped that sound for the noise rock edge they became most well known for. Once that became too predictable, they morphed into the creepy atmospheric band you hear on WIXIW.

Admittedly, this album owes a lot to Radiohead's electronic renaissance of ten years ago (from Kid A to Hail To The Thief). The track "Ring on Every Finger" even sounds similar enough to Radiohead's "Myxomatosis" that it could be considered a cover. The reason you don't see so many people on the internet calling foul on this record is because of all the bands to take a page from Radiohead, Liars possesses the depth and complexity to make it their own.

Now here comes the hard part of this review… trying not to evoke the magic word that renders all experimental music null - "pretentious". To describe Liars' songwriting (especially from the past few years) is like having a dream about real life. Their music videos convey the feeling of the songs perfectly. It's the world around us, but something is wrong. Time isn't lining up right, you feel drunk, little things aren't what they should be… I held off writing this review for so long in order to share more insight into the songs on WIXIW, but found that the mystery is what I enjoy. It's what keeps me coming back. I don't want to know more. It's not about figuring out the puzzle. It's about being lost in the fog.

Wait! No, don't turn away! Give me one more chance! WIXIW isn't a mess of an album, or convoluted just for the sake of it. Despite the big question mark, the whole thing is quite accessible on the ears, and there are melodies throughout. The abrasive feedback on just about every other album is entirely nixed for muted synthesizers. Sonically, the most someone could complain about this album is that it is boring, but not hard on the ears whatsoever. Subtlety is what makes this album so great. The whole thing just gives you that "I've got a bad feeling about this" vibe, and you can't quite put your finger on it. The way the songs are composed just gives the tiniest itty bitty touch of paranoia or claustrophobia.

Going just by this month alone, there is still a ways to go for 2012, but the hypnotizing mystery of WIXIW still has my imagination soaring every time I listen to it. Like everything Liars does, it's not conventional, and will turn many people away, but this feels like the most important album they've made. Its subtlety makes more of an impression on me than any of their noisy experiments have.

random summer album #9

Stereolab

Margerine Eclipse

(2004)

This is what you get when you have really talented mature musicians create "cute" music. Rather than a careless mess, it's well crafted pop. Very fun mix of 60's psychedelia, French pop, and krautrock. Great Labor Day party music!

random summer album #8

Fear of Pop

Volume 1

(1998)

Comedy in music is tough to nail, and tougher to have lasting appeal. Ben Folds worked alongside friends and family to make a wacky pop album that is still fun today, even when you know all the gags are coming. Sadly, there was never a volume 2.

Random Summer Album #7

Man or Astro-Man?

Project Infinity

(1995)

Last time I saw Man or Astro-Man?, Star Crunch had this to say before playing a cover song:

"When we first started out, the best we could hope to be is like Shadowy Men on A Shadowy Planet. That was our dream. So when a local paper reviewed our album they said 'basically, Man or Astro-Man? is a poor-man's Shadowy Men on A Shadowy Planet', I went 'YESSSSSSSS!'"

random summer album #6

Kojima Mayumi

CécileのBlues

(1995)

I've been looking for a reason to do a Kojima Mayumi album for a while. She does a lot of swing and lounge. Very fun stuff. Most of singing is just scatting, and there is a lot of variety and color in the sound.

random summer album #5

Shadowy Men on A Shadowy Planet

Savvy Show Stoppers

(1988)

I hesitated on this mini-review, because the news of Tony Sly's death really hit me. Odd since I have't listened to No Use For A Name in nearly a decade. I wanted to dig out my old copy of More Betterness, and do a quick review of that instead. But am in the middle of moving, so it's in a box somewhere... I'm not really sure... anyway, rambling, bummed...

This is "that band from Kids in The Hall" and yes, "that song from Kids in The Hall" is on this one. It's really good chilled out light summer fun music.

Random summer album #4

April March

Chrominance Decoder

(1999)

I freaking love April March! Oddly enough, it wasn't through a movie or TV show that I discovered her music; it was through a Shibuya-kei dedicated internet radio station. That should put into perspective what kind of music you are in for here. Bubblegum pop in the sweet spot between Pizzicato Five and Serge Gainsbourg.

random summer album #3

The Ventures

Surfing

(1968)

Getting as roots as I can this week. As you can see, this is an old album, so it's classic "surf rock". You should know exactly what you are getting into here.

Random Summer Album - #2

Cornelius

The First Question Award

(1994)

This is Cornelius' first solo album, before he became the electronic art sensation he is known for today. Resembling more of his freshly ended band, Flipper's Guitar, this is my favorite Cornelius album; despite it not objectively being his best.

Random summer album - #1

The Hi-Fives

Welcome To My Mind

(1995)

A Lookout Records (RIP) classic. Every Hi-Fives album sounds the same - that being a totally fun mod-surf party. This was their first, and it's a total blast.

summer break (this time for real!)

Doing some moving, so for the next two months I really won't be minding this blog. Also, nothing over the next two months is on my radar, except for The Birthday's next album, Vision. The only new album I have left to review right now is WIXIW, by Liars. It's already looking like it's gonna be my album of the year, so I'm gonna try and wrap my head around it some more so I can write something other than "oh my gah." In the meantime, you should totally get the album. It's amazing.

I've decided to write about 9 posts this weekend and time them to appear every Tuesday until September. They'll be the same format as the reviews, but won't have as much wordy bullshit. Just a little blurb about the album. They'll all be "summer albums" and the're all albums that I love, but never had a chance to feature here because I'm so dedicated to new music.

See you after Labor Day!

Album of the week: 6.4

Hot Chip

In Our Heads

(2012)

why you'll love it: lots of variety, lots of crazy sounds, cool lyrics, nerd disco

why you'll hate it: Sometimes a bit too tepid / too many ballads.

Hot Chip is one of the few bands that I rub my palms together in anticipation for. This electronic pop group from England has grown over the years from quirky white-boy goofballs, to dangerously artistic electro-geeks, to gaudy dance hall maestros. Every Hot Chip album comes from a different place, or uses a different toolbox, but their embrace for all things outsider and kitsch, is remarkable, even when they're at their most user friendly.

The heavy vibe I get from In Our Heads is American synthpop. There is a bit of love song holdover from 2010's One Life Stand, but without as much UK inspired house and pop. Occupying that space are a lot of thick and gloopy synths, vocal effects, and 80's ballad melodies. Hot Chip stays as quirky as they've always been, but the coat of paint feels fresh. The single, "Night And Day" feels like the only typical Hot Chip song on here. If not for the vocal effects, the mellow and groovy "Look At Where We Are" sounds like something that could have been on their 2004 debut LP, Coming on Strong. "These Chains" immediately follows, and feels like an evolved version of that.

I love the first 2/3s of this album. The first three tracks have a really colorful sound. Some of the lyrics stick out as pleasantly abstract ("Remember when people thought the world was round?"), and full of that radiating Hot Chip love that transcends typical boy meets girl scenarios ("A church is not for praying. It's for celebrating…") I love the funk-explosion that "Don't Deny Your Heart" ends on, and the all seven minutes of the kruatrock groove-robot that is "Flutes".

Most of what follows "Flutes" sadly, falls flat. The son gs get to be a little bit too… smooth-jazz? Destroyer managed to pull off this kind of Kenny-G stuff last year, but Hot Chip doesn't do enough to strengthen the tracks. I think it's the lack of traditional instruments, because everything sounds shallow and lacking heart. Also, it's the same template of sounds they were using to make you dance at the beginning of the album, and don't transition very well into 80's ballads. It's amazing how fast 7 minutes of "Flutes" flies by, but "Let Me Be Him"'s 7 minutes feel like a test of endurance.

"Ends of The Earth" is the only positive mark of the last four tracks, sounding exceptionally arty. Some of this album, this song especially, has a cool Phillip Glass application of the synths. I get this vision of my head of leotards and crystals on songs like this, and only Hot Chip manages to pull it off without a hint of pretentiousness.

In Our Heads does some cool new things for Hot Chip, and it's a much stronger album than One Life Stand, but I'm not being knocked out of my chair like I was for The Warning (2006) and my favorite album of 2008, Made in The Dark. It could be that they just are done with the "art-attack" phase in their career, or their prime years are behind them; but Hot Chip certainly has not jumped the shark yet. A lot of the best stuff on this doesn't hit you in the face like the older stuff did. It's a bit more reflective. This is a great summer pop album for those of us nerds who don't like to leave the house.