Person Pitch Leaks
I suppose it was only a matter of time before it happened. As of 2:32 PM today, Panda Bear’s new album, set for a March 20th release, was leaked onto the internet. All of the usual applies here; I won’t give you a link, if you download this, then buy the album, etc. I would just like to point out that this album actually has me excited. That doesn’t happen too often anymore, so this must be one hell of an album.
Technorati Tags: Panda Bear, Person Pitch, Leaks
Gruff Rhys To Release New Candylion Single
Gruff Rhys, Super Furry Animals frontman, has announced that he’ll release a new single,Gyrru Gyrru Gyrru, from his second solo album Canydylion, which was released earlier this month. The single will also include a brand new song, Y Cradur. Yay for the album that got most of us through the beginning-of-the-year-drought!
Technorati Tags: Gruff Rhys, Super Furry Animals, Candylion, Singles, mp3s
Apostle Of Hustle: The Naked And Alone
Here’s another track from National Anthem of Nowhere, Apostle Of Hustle’s upcoming album. This one is called The Naked and Alone. Enjoy!
The Naked and Alone.mp3
Technorati Tags: Apostle Of Hustle, National Anthem of Nowhere. mp3s, albums
Loney, Noir: I Will Call You Lover Again
I know that Sub Pop releases other genres of music than super-mellow indie pop. I just haven’t heard much of it lately. So forgive me if I’m starting to stereotype them that way. Their latest offering comes in the form of the Swedish Loney, Dear, whose melancholic falsetto, at it’s highest, could make even Ben Gibbard fans vomit a little in their mouth. Luckily, Loney, Dear stays within a safe range for much of his upcoming album, the aptly titled Loney, Noir. With it’s dreamy, sugary sweet pop beats, and Loney, Dear’s aforementioned falsetto, Noir, is very likable. Just make sure you don’t fall asleep while you listen to it.
I Will Call You Lover Again.mp3
Technorati Tags: Loney Dear, Loney Noir, mp3s, Sub Pop
Apostle Of Hustle: iRafaga!
No, I haven’t lost my mind and created my own made-up space language; iRafaga is the title of one of the tracks from Apostle Of Hustle’s new album, National Anthem Of Nowhere. It’s very much unlike anything else on album, sung entirely in Spanish, and far more beat-oriented than any other songs on the album. It also features a very sexy Spanish-style guitar part throughout the whole song. Enjoy!
Technorati Tags: Apostle Of Hustle, National Anthem Of Nowhere, mp3s
Out Today: Jan 30
Welcome to the second edition of Out Today, where I get to pick apart this weeks releases in a paragraph or less. This was a pretty decent week for music, with Lily Allen’s blockbuster finally coming stateside, a new Busdriver album, and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s follow-up to their 2005 mega-hit. And just when I was worried about all my good reviews, along came a little band that I just couldn’t bring myself to like. Enjoy!
Alright, Still
Lily Allen
To tell you the truth, I’ve been listening to my import of this album for a few months now, and I’m sure that a lot of other people have been too. But, of course, there are those certain people that just decided to wait for the US release. Well now you have no reason not to have this album. It’s brilliant, sharp, witty, sarcastic, easy to dance to, and nearly every track has single potential. There’s a reason Lily Allen is so hyped. She deserves it.
Grade: A-
RoadKillOvercoat
Busdriver
Busdriver is quite possibly the most skilled rapper you’ll ever have the honor of hearing. His lithe staccato drops lightning-fast rhymes that could run circles around most of his peers. So why isn’t he as popular as them? Because his music is incredibly abrasive. Fast, acerbic, and intelligent, most listeners will be put off by how far beyond his peers Busdriver is gone. RoadKillOverCoat is no different. At it’s best, Busdiver’s biting rhymes fly by as a massive beat pumps in the background. The very end of the album really nails this quality. Sure he slows down sometimes, and for the most part he handles it well. However, every now and then, the speed trips him up. He’s truly best suited to speed; I only wish he could slip into that high gear more often.
Grade: B
Some Loud Thunder
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
This is a hopelessly uneven album. Some Loud Thunder is home to some truly great songs, some middling ones, and a few atrocious ones. There’s little continuity between songs, and the whole album feels like it’s about to be torn apart by the different direction each song takes. Still, I can’t hate this album; the band clearly loves, and more importantly, respects music. They fall victim to the sophomore curse, but only because of their debut success. Ironic, no? I had high expectations for this album. We all did. Which is exactly why it falls flat on it’s face.
Grade: B-
There’s No 666 in Outer Space
Hella
If you asked me to, I doubt I could differentiate one track from another on this album. They all sound the same to me; incessant guitar and drums, drowned out vocals, and headache-inducing repetitiveness. What makes this album jump from merely repetitive to downright annoying, is that it actually has the nerve to be long-winded. An hour of the same noise over and over again? No thanks.
Grade: D+
Technorati Tags: Album Reviews, Album Releases, Lily Allen, Alright Still, Busdriver, RoadKillOverCoat, Clap You Hands Say Yeah, Some Loud Thunder, Hella, There’s No 666 In Outer Space
What Do The Shins And Deerhoof Have In Common?
I have live videos of both of them for you! The Deerhoof video is a performance of The Perfect Me at Metro last Saturday night, and the Shins video is a performance of Turn On Me from Letterman last Tuesday. Enjoy.
The Shins – Turn On Me
Deerhoof – The Perfect Me
We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank Details Revealed
Modest Mouse have revealed new details about their new album, We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank, due out on March 20th. The Shins James Mercer will sings on three tracks, and ex-Smiths guitarist is now a member of the band. The tracklisitng is as follows:
‘March Into the Sea’
‘Dashboard’
‘Fire It Up’
‘Florida’
‘Parting of the Sensory’
‘Missed the Boat’
‘We’ve Got Everything’
‘Fly Trapped in a Jar’
‘Education’
‘Little Motel’
‘Steam Engenius’
‘Spitting Venom’
‘People As Places As People’
‘Invisible’
Neon Bible Leaked
Apparently Neon Bible was leaked onto the internet over the weekend. As usual, I won’t give you a link, so you’ll have to hunt it down yourself if you want it. Also, if you do end up downloading it, please remember to actually buy it when it comes out. Arcade Fire is a great band, and they deserve your money. Here’s a sneak peek of the title track.
Review: Some Loud Thunder
Some Loud Thunder
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Everyone knows the story of the original Clap Your Hands Say Yeah album. Five kids from Brooklyn and Philly come together to make their own album, release it without a record label, and go on to become one of the most popular indie acts of 2005. However, just like most indie acts that become popular, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah was better suited to obscurity, to an existence without expectations. That’s not to say that CLHSY‘s debut didn’t deserve the attention it garnered; it most certainly did.
However, with that attention came astronomical expectations, that no band could ever hope of meeting. And of course, CLHSY tried to meet those expectations. The result is a hopelessly uneven album. Some Loud Thunder is home to some truly great songs, some middling ones, and a few atrocious ones. There’s little continuity between songs, and the whole album feels like it’s about to be torn apart by the distance between neighboring songs.
Listening to Some Loud Thunder is a great experience, but at the same time, an excruciating one. The good songs are just too good to be broken up by the bad ones, which seem to meander on forever, without reaching any real conclusion. They just end, and another track begins, completely unaffected by what preceded it. There’s no cohesion, no reason to listen to the album as a whole.
The skip button is your friend here. Still, I can’t hate this album; the band clearly loves, and more importantly, respects music. They fall victim to the sophomore curse, but only because of their debut success. Ironic, huh? I had high expectations for this album; we all did. Which is exactly why it falls flat on it’s face.
Grade: B-
Songs To Download:
Emily Jean Stock
Mama, Won’t You Keep Them Castles in the Air and Burning
Yankee Go Home
