I'm Still Here. Are You?

So I'm not sure if anyone actually comes to this site without me posting it to Facebook, Twitter, etc, but here's an update anyway.

I've been focusing my blogging on my other site Malta-Media, where I write about my and my wife's travels and adventures while living in Malta for the year. But, more importantly to this site, I was picked up as an album reviewer for the prominent music site Okayplayer.com. Here are the reviews that I've done so far.

Theophilus London - Lovers Holiday e.p.

Girl Talk - All Day

Various Artists - Tradi-Mods vs. Rockers

There's tons of great music out right now and since I don't get to write about everything that I want to at OKP, I'll start to post up some loose thoughts and recommendations here. 

TOP 1O OF 2O1O

You have probably noticed that I've been pretty inactive on this blog. Nonetheless, I would be remiss to not announce Weekly Record Review's TOP 10 Albums of 2010.

But first...

Stinkers of 2010

MGMT - Congratulations
Another middle finger to the fans like this could cost them what was a promising career.

Kings of Leon - Come Around Sundown
In three albums they've gone from excellent to middling to execrable. 

The New Pornographers - Together
Much as I hate to put them here, it's been quite a while since they've done anything worth repeated listening.

The Hold Steady
Who would have thought losing a keyboard player would be such a major loss?

Runners Uppers of 2010

Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record

Strong songs (except "Chase Scene." Ugh.) but lacks the cohesive feel of previous albums.

The Walkmen - Lisbon
Just started listening to this one so it's not fully digested, but I really like it. (how's that for honest?)

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
A little bloated and lacking the killer songs that make "Funeral" essential, but solid nonetheless.

Girl Talk - All Day
Doesn't quite have the same punch as the previous two smush-ups. Switched up the formula a little bit not for the betterment, imo.

OK Go - Of the Blue Colour of the Sky
Crazycool vidoes overshadowed a very solid album.

The Roots - How I Got Over
The Roots leave the angsty paranoid sounds of their last two albums for much more placid waters.

TOP 10 of 2010

10. Drummer - Feel Good Together

Five drummers form a band. No it's not a joke, it's Drummer featuring five skin-beaters who decided to form a band. The most prominent is from The Black Keys and here his side gig outshines his main one. Though it seems like no one else is paying attention.

09. Yeasayer - Odd Blood

Still looking for your fix of hipster rock/dance/pop after MGMT's middling 'Congratulations?' Fellow Brooklynites deliver big time on their sophomore release with rhythm-heavy, synth-soaked songs. 

08. Janelle Monae - The ArchAndriod

Songstress mixes every musical spice in the cupboard on her debut album. Blending classical, jazz, soul, r&b, funk, psych-rock with sheer talent, she could be poised for big things in the future.

07. The Tallest Man On Earth - The Wild Hunt

The newest "new Dylan," The Tallest Man On Earth writes sometimes sober, sometimes jaunty acoustic songs. Nasally voice can take some getting used to, but they probably said the same thing about Dylan.

06. The Bird and the Bee - Interpreting the Masters Vol. 1 - A Tribute to Daryl Hall & John Oates

I wouldn't count myself as a fan of 80's stalwarts Hall & Oates, but The Bird and The Bee update these 80's pop gems for the 20th century without any schlock. Eminently listenable with a Zero 7-type feel.

05. Hot Chip - One Life Stand

English electropopers/nerds drop another round of great dance songs. Not much of a depart from 2008's terrific "One Life Stand," but maybe a tad more upbeat and cleaner in sound.

04. Toro Y Moi - Causers of This

Part of the recent "Chillwave" movement that I've mostly ignored (maybe to my detriment), Toro creates reverb laden soundscapes as much as he writes songs. Bonus points for sporting this throwback nearly identical to mine.

 03. Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty

As lyrically on point as ever, "one half of the Outkast" dropped a funk soaked rap album sure to keep the heads bobbing and trunks rattling.Bonus points for using the talkbox instead of autotune.

 02. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

The years most talked about album, Kanye's opus is musically soaring and lyrically intimate. While it's really not leaps and bounds better than his previous work, the emotive force behind it is really what has everyone talking and listening.

 01. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening

Without messing with the formula, James Murphy reunites the  soundsystem to deliver another stellar album full of revealing lyrics and groovable, uh, grooves. Mixes 90's quiet/loud dynamics with clinical disco beats. Sadly, Murphy says that this will probably be their last studio album. Sad, sad news but at least they go out being number 1.

Top Albums of the Beginning of the 21st Century - Part I

So this post was started quite some time ago, but events conspired to delay it. Finally though, it has reached completion. Please enjoy the Top Albums of the Beginning of the 21st Century.

When deciding on the criteria for such a list, the first question one must ask is whether to look at each album via the lens of presentism or not. We've worked through this intellectual conundrum by simply ignoring it. Enjoy, and please let me here some feedback.

2000
U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind

It may be a bit ironic to start a list of the 2000's with a band who reached their artistic highpoint in the 1980's, but such is U2. And thought it may be one of the more personal choices on this list, ATYCLB is really a stunning album by a band that has created some of the greatest pop/rock music of all time.

After the sub-par 1990's releases of Zooropa and Pop, All That You Can't Leave Behind' marked the return of a more traditional U2 style led by the undeniable singles 'Beautiful Day,' 'Elevation,' 'Walk On' and 'Stuck In a Moment..." Perhaps the most overlooked song on this album is the bands moving ode to 'New York.'

Unfortunately, U2 wasn't able to retain this high level of song writing and the remainder of the decade brought us the craptastic How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, and the slightly less worse 2009 offering, No Line On The Horizon. But that is one of the beautiful things about music: No matter how bad something you put out is, it cannot mar your greater work.

Runner Up - Outkast - Stankonia

Honorable Mention:
Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker
Common - Like Water for Chocolate
Modest Mouse - The Moon and Antartica

2001
The Strokes - Is This It?

If rock n' roll has a place where it retreats and recovers from its excesses, it's surely the garage (at least metaphorically). That is where The Strokes went to record their debut Is This It? which arrived just in the nick of time to wash away post-alternative detritus like Creed, Kid Rock and Limp Bizket, which had been infesting the airwaves.

Is This It? borrowed heavily on the back-to-basics garage sound that has been with rock since the 1960's, and it received some (unfair?) criticism for leaning on the sounds of The Velvet Underground and Television. But what is rock but reinventing things that were done before? Besides, Julian Casablanca's lyrics were at their circuitous best and the band was metronome tight.

The Strokes were never able to reach this level of success again, and though the recent efforts of Casablanca, Albert Hammond Jr., Nikolai Fraitur, Fabrizio Moretti are worth checking out, they will never come close to reaching the immediacy and importance of Is This It?. Modern indie owes more to The Strokes and this album than it would care to admit, but the fact that they are a source of such debate among music aficionado's is probably a good sign of the albums importance 8 years later.

Runner Up - White Stripes - White Blood Cells

Honorable Mention:
Incubus - Morning View
Jay-Z - Blueprint
The Shins - Oh, Inverted World

2002
Blackalicous - Blazing Arrow

Wow, 2002 was a good year for music. Spoon, Wilco, The Roots, Beck, Eminem, The Flaming Lips, Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Atmosphere all had offerings which were some of the best of their careers. And while some of those albums have aged for better or worse, Blackalicious' second LP remains a timeless classic, one that will probably never be matched by it's creators. Producer/DJ Chief Xcel incorporated funk, r&b, rap, and rock with such seamlessness that nearly anyone who heard it was immediately drawn in. Rapper Gift of Gab crafted lyrics so dense yet clear that his message, whether verbally abusing other m.c.'s or ruminating on the beauty of the world, is always moving and unmistakable.

The sequencing on this album is impeccably arranged with each song melding into the next, sometimes in a new track, but often continuing in the same one. By my count the albums 17 tracks actually contain 23 songs. Outkast have been referred to as The Beatles of Hip Hop, but this album is surely the genre's version of Abbey Road.

Runner Up: - The Roots - Phrenology

Honorable Mention:
Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head
Red Hot Chili Peppers - By The Way
Spoon - Kill The Moonlight

2003
Postal Service - Give Up

This is an album that changed peoples lives. And no matter how much you argue it, most people would argue that Ben Gibbard's work here trumps anything that he's done with Death Cab For Cutie. There's are four major elements to this album that all just complement and balance each other perfectly:  Gibbard's mournful (and sometime flat-out depressing) lyrics, his placid delivery balanced by Jimmy Tamborello's equally mournful strings which are in turn countered by his bouncing, blippy beats.

Part of the genius of Ben Gibbard is to paint clear pictures with his lyrics and average or unique events (visiting Washington, D.C., surviving a nuclear winter) universally relatable to the listener. In this writers opinion, this album hasn't aged very well, and that may be partly due to the lack of any kind of a follow up by the impromptu group. They've publicly stated that they have no plans to release another album, which is a shame. If they did and were able to recreate the magic on 'Give Up,' they could change even more lives.

Runner Up - Broken Social Scene - s/t

Honorable Mention:
Outkast - Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
Jay-Z - The Black Album
White Stripes - Elephant

2004
Arcade Fire - Funeral

2004 was another great year for music, and if not for the debut from Arcade Fire, it would have been a tough call. Epic to the point of being theatrical and layered to the level of being orchestral, Funeral is such a powerful album that it is almost a watershed moment in 'indie rock.' There is before Funeral, and there is after it.

The stirring opening of Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) turns into a steady charge that slowly builds and never lets go. Every song contains it's own unique energy, like different movements of a symphony, and they are each filled with interesting twists and turns. But on Neighborhood #3 (Power Out), the band unleashes a tsunami of sound and avalanche of emotion, clearly declaring that song the pinnacle of the album.

Funeral is deep with subtext stemming from some personal losses in the band and a disquieting ethos of the time. But despite all of the consternation over adulthood vs. childhood, communal reliance vs. isolation, love vs. loss, there remains a sense of positivity. This album is like feeling down from some kicks that life inevitably gives then remembering that there is always something bigger.

Runner Up - Kanye West - College Dropout

Honorable Mention:
Foreign Exchange - Connected
Feist - Let It Die
RJD2 - Since We Last Spoke

 Stay tuned for Part II and let me know what albums I've missed!

My Two Cent(ence Reviews)

MGMT's album 'Congratulations' lacks anything approaching the holy triumvirate of Kids, Time to Pretend and Electric Feel. Is it the big middle finger we all should have seen coming when their followup to Oracular Specatular was Metanoia?

'Together' lacks the "power" in the power-pop that The New Pornographers previously excelled at. Nico Case is great, but in the context of the N.P.'s she's better utilized as a foil for A.C. Newman than as the centerpiece.

While 'World Sick' is world class, I'm not sure the rest of Broken Social Scene's new 'Forgiveness Rock Record' measures up to that song or their previous two l.p.'s. This one still needs some time to grow on me.

Lost in all the hubbub of owning the internet earlier this year, OK Go released a really good album in 'Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky.' I also had to miss this show when they came to D.C. but at least I got to see them on Colbert. (Ok, three versions of the same song may be excessive, but just check out the rest of the album.)

I have no idea how I heard of them but somehow but I ended up with Drummer's 'Feel Good Together' in my digital music library. Made up of all Ohio musicians, including the Black Key's drummer (bah-dum) on bass, the album is definitely a rhythm driven rock record, punctuated equally by guitars and synths.

Delorean - Subiza

Although Delorean has been around since 2000, they only began popping up on the indie-radar last year with the ep Ayrton Senna. Originally from Basque country, the band relocated to Barcelona where their musical stylings became a mishmash of rock, pop and dance. Although most of the tracks on Subiza follow a pretty rigid formula, it doesn't grow wearisome. Dance music figures heavily in these songs, but techno it ain't. Think the atmospherics of M83 with the buoyancy of Phoenix. Or perhaps one could make a comparison to Cut Copy, but whereas that band has a cold and mechanical sound Delorean gives a strong sense of the warm Mediterranean locale that they now call home.  With song titles like 'Endless Sunset,' 'Come Wander' and 'Warmer Places,' it's pretty clear that Delorean aren't reaching for deep meaning and that suits these songs just fine. 

Unfortunately, Delorean set the bar pretty high on their previously mentioned ep Ayrton Senna. Although Subiza is solid from front to back, but it never comes close to reaching the ebullience of 'Seasun,' one of my favorite songs from last year. But no matter; Subiza has arrived just in time for summer and after just one listen, you'll know that summer is exactly what these songs were made for. 

  

Broken Bells - Broken Bells

Back in 2004, before internet buzz became ultra-instant, a young producer named Danger Mouse became famous by mashing up the vocals from Jay-Z's Black Album with the Beatles' White Album creating, you guessed it, the Grey Album. Ultimately, the Grey Album was more notable for it's concept than its execution (except for this badass version of 99 Problems, mixed with Helter Skelter). But the project launched DM's career into the stratosphere and he would go on to work with the likes of The Gorillaz, Cee-Lo, Beck, The Black Keys and many more, with the latest being the Shins' James Mercer. But we'll get to that soon enough.

Coincidentally, it was also 2004 when Natalie Portman's scripted recommendation was enough to create quite the buzz of it's own. I'm referring to, of course, the "indie" movie Garden State, in which Portman's character claimed that the Shin's would "change your life." That moment certainly changed the Shins' lives more than they changed mine (they didn't). (Oddly, several days after I wrote this sentence, I came across this article on that exact subject.)

So now here we are, 6 years removed from those two unconnected events that strangely found a way to come together (cosmic, man) in the form of Broken Bells, the latest collabo between Danger Mouse and __________. A lot of time has passed since DM splashed his name all over the internet with the Grey Album or even when he took over the airwaves with Cee-Lo as Gnarls Barkley. And much like the vegetables in my fridge right now, what was once fresh is now just old and soggy. Danger Mouse hasn't grown much as a producer these last few years. As documented in older posts, I found his recent projects with the Black Keys and Beck to be varying degrees of bland and uninspired. He took the funk out of Beck, and that is just plain wrong.

All that being said, Broken Bells still manages to be a solid album, probably on the strength of Mercer's voice. While DM's sounds are a bit vanilla, he doesn't take away from what the artists with whom he works are. That's great and all, but I feel that a good producer should push whomever they're working with into new creative heights.

Trying to pick out a favorite track isn't very easy, since they all sort of run together. This is an album you can play front to end, a rare feat, but not because it is so great, but because it's so plain. You probably won't skip any songs, but you won't be reaching for that 'repeat' button either.

Canadian Dominance To Continue Through May

It appears that the world will have to suffer Canadian dominance for a couple more months. On May 4th, the world will receive a one-two combo from Canadian heavy-hitters Broken Social Scene and The New Pornographers.  Check out the awesome 7 minute 'World Sick,' the first single from BSS's upcoming Forgiveness Rock Record. (I'll be seeing them in NYC in early May and will have a full write up.) I have high hopes for The New Pornographers fifth studio album, Together, which will hopefully be better than their previous effort.  Lank to their first single, 'Your Hands (Together).'

Fortunately, America will not let this aggression stand (man). On the same day, The Hold Steady will attempt to counter the Northern assault, but I'm just not sure one band can stand up to the awesomeness that is Canadian indie rock, especially short one member. 

Top Ten Albums of 2009

11. Raphael Saadiq - The Way I See It

'The Way I See It' comes in at number 11 because it actually came out in the fall of 2008 but I didn't find it until this, er.. last year. Rapheal Saadiq has a storied career, first as a member of Tony! Toni! Tone!, then as a producer and collaborator with ATCQ, D'Angelo, Joss Stone, The Roots, Snoop, Ludacris, Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston and tons of others. But now he's stepped out on his own and crafted some truely wonderful r&b in the vein of Motown and Stevie Wonder. The album even features Stevie (and Jay-Z!).

10.5. Realpeople - Holland

So I'm cheating, but Realpeople's 'Holland' get's a half nod as it was only an EP. Realpeople is a not-so-secret pseudonym for Zachary Condon/Beirut. These lush electronic songs are full of grace, sorrow and blips.

10. The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You

Brooklyn Cool meets Southern Charm. The Avett Bros are hard to categorize, being an amalgamation of rock, folk, pop, country, bluegrass and more, but are easy to love. Opening and title track 'I and Love and You' begins with an 'Imagine' like piano riff but becomes more dynamic as it progresses. A lovely album.

9. Grand Duchy - Petits Fours

See here for my previous review of this terrific Mr. and Mrs. Frank Black album.

8. Fever Ray - S/T

Erie electo music from Karin Andersson, on half of The Knife. The lyrics are strange, the pitch-shifted vocals creepy and the music haunting, but it all combines to create a darkly beautiful experience.

7. K'naan - Troubadour

Somolian born and raised K'naan has a story to tell and on 'Troubadour' he tells it all. We hear about the slums and poverty, guns and warfare, friends lost and family left behind. But the travelling minstrel hasn't let life's hardships get to him. It's truly amazing and gratifing to witness someone remain positive while overcoming true hardship in order to lead a successful life.

6. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - S/T

Fuzzy, pop rock that's not quite twee. Think Los Campesinos! meets the fuzz rock of The Big Pink or The Magnetic Fields. Anyway, they craft tight little songs that rarely reach the four minute mark. Other than the not that bad Teenager In Love, this album is great from front to back.

5. Bat for Lashes - Two Suns

This piano driven album sounds like Leonard Cohen inhabiting Sarah McLachlan's body, but its actually just the British Natasha Khan. 'Two Suns' drips with emotion and artistry and manages to be dark, sad, haunting, beautiful and grand all at once. As I've said earlier, this is definitely nighttime music.

4. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

These French rockers broke through to the mainstream, getting solid radio play and hawking old people cars. 'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix' doesn't bring anything new to the table or push any sonic boundaries, but it is clear that is not what Phoenix are aiming for. Instead, they deliver eminently danceable pop influenced songs.

3. Vetiver - Tight Knit

While many critics were going gaga over Grizzly Bear's snoozefest Veckatimest, I was chilling to the folksy stylings of Vetiver. To me this whole album falls somewhere between two standout albums from last year: the folksier sections of Plants & Animals' 'Parc Avenue' coupled with the songwriting charm of Sub-Pop label mates The Helio Sequence 'Keep Your Eyes Ahead'.

2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!

It was a big year for YYY's Karen O, with her band getting some well deserved air play and composing the soundtrack to some kids movie. 'It's Blitz!' is shimmery dance tracks delivered in a punk fashion.

1. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca

At once arty and accessible, this unlikely album is so original but appealing its almost disgusting. Hailed by the most hipstery of hipsters to Kanye and Solange Knowles, Dirty Projectors struck paydirt with this poppy yet incredibly thought out album

:( of 2009

Most music that comes out sucks. Thats a fact. Look it up. An even harsher fact is that some of the music you look forward to will suck. Here are WRR's biggest disappointments of 2009.

311 – Uplifter

For a long time, I’ve been a big fan of 311. And as most fans would tell you, the band's output has somewhat declined in quality over the last few albums, but that is only natural for a band that has been putting out quality music since 1993. But ‘Uplifter’ lies within it’s own deplorable category. All 311 albums are going to share similar elements, but “Uplifter” sounds like it was made by a committee using a cut-and-paste function (or as my friend Zach put it, "There are only so many ways to make chicken noodle soup"). As should have been easily deduced from the “hit” radio single “Hey You,” this execrable album was quickly destined for the dustbin. It’s not clear as to whether the band’s creative juices are all dried up, but I wouldn’t put money on another good album. They’ve had a nice run.

Why? – Eskimo Snow

One of my favorite albums of 2008, Alopecia was a vivid and stark look into the bands mildly disturbed yet fascinating psyche. Naturally, when I heard Why? would be following up in 2009, I was excited, until I heard Eskimo Snow and my excitement melted quicker than real Eskimo Snow. You see, E.S. is comprised of songs recorded during the Alopecia sessions and there is a reason they weren’t included on that album. Still, Yoni Wolf’s strange musings are always worth a listen and the more rock-based structure may appeal to some.

N.A.S.A. – The Spirit of Apollo

David Byrne, Seu Jorge, Method Man, RZA, KRS-One, Karen O, Kanye West, George Clinton, Santigold, Del the Funkee Homosapien, and John Frusciante are less than half of the top notch names that lent their time and talent to The Spirit of Apollo. It’s not a bad album per se, but it is painfully mediocre. Painful, because you know it’s such a waste to have all these artists contribute and all N.A.S.A. can manage to do is create generic 90’s underground rap beats.

Peter, Bjorn & John – Living Thing

Like most of you probably were, I was excited for P, B & J’s follow-up to 2006’s superlative Writer’s Block (not to discount the cool instrumental Seaside Rock). And, again like most of you, all I needed was one listen to determine that Living Thing was a flop. The band eschewed their remarkable pop sensibilities in order to experiment; not an impossible task, but one at which they failed. Then, a couple of months ago I had the chance to see them (along with the wonderful El Perro del Mar) and was utterly blown away. They played songs from both albums with such energy and melody that, surely I was too dismissive of Living Thing. I eagerly went home and listened to the album again but nope, I was right the first time. It’s a bit confounding as to how the band could perform the songs so well, but lose that in the studio.

U2 – No Line On The Horizon

When U2 announced they were recording a follow-up to the terribly craptastic abomination known as How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, I didn’t really care until I heard that Rick Rubin (!!!), Def Jam co-founder, producer of AC/DC, The Beastie Boys, Johnny Cash, LL Cool J, Tom Petty, Public Enemy, Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, RUN-DMC and hundreds of others, would be helming the boards. “Awesome,” I thought. “Maybe one of the greatest producers of all time could help the band re-capture the magic.” But then U2 scrapped those sessions and recorded new songs that turned out to be the bloated and lame No Line On The Horizon. I can’t see how the Rubin-produced songs could have been any worse.

Noah & The Whale – The First Days of Spring

Another follow up, another disappointment. Noah and the Whale’s The First Day Of Spring is as boring, depressing and lifeless as Peaceful The World Lays Me Down was sprightly and life affirming. Apparently, this is due to lead singer Noah Fink being quite down about the breakup with his girlfriend/bandmate Laura Marling. Now we all know that heartbreak has been a catalyst for great albums. This is definitely not one of them. ‘Love of an Orchestra’ is the only song that comes close to achieving the highs of their first album.

WRR's Favorits Songs of 2009 Part II

20. Kid Cudi - Make Her Say (ft. Kanye & Common)
"And the award for best use of the term 'poker face' in a song for 2oo9 goes to... Kid Cudi." Despite a(nother) wack verse from Common and a sometimes clever/sometimes corny one from 'Ye, Cudi the Kid whipped up one of the best songs of the year with catchy vocal samples and hard-hitting drums.

19. Heartless Bastards - The Mountain
The Heartless Bastards strip rock back to basics on this lumbering jam. Distorted powerchords are complimented perfectly by the backing slide guitar and Erika Wennerstrom's quivering vocals just holding on. With support of Spoon and The Black Keys, they're definetly a band worth checking out.

18. Beirut - My Wife, Lost in the Wild
Bar far, the better (if less interesting, conceptually) half of Beirut's double EP, Realpeople Holland produced a suite of warmly crafted electronic compositions. A steady synth line accompanied with an equally steady beat and soaring strings help to mask Zach Condon's already warbly lyrics, making them hard to decipher, but the longing in his voice conveys everything it needs to.

17. Little Dragon - A New
I discovered and quickly fell in love with Little Dragon last year. Their self-titled debut from late 2007 was a bit raw, but undeniably full of potential. Their sound can best be described as loungy jazz/electronica which may sound trite, but they pull it off masterfully. 'A New' is a great intro to the band's sound. The sound is so tight that you could be forgiven for thinking it was composed electronically, but its all band.

16. The Thermals - Now We Can See
Most people would agree that over the past decade or so, indie music has moved in a more complicated and avant garde direction. The Thermals, with songs like 'Now We Can See,' provide a refreshing reminder that getting back to the basics is not a bad thing. Clear vocals and a traditional drum, bass and guitar format, coupled with catchy hooks and verses, provide a refreshing reminder the roots of rock 'n' roll without being sophomoric.

15. Vetiver - On The Other Side
This ambling, folksy little tune has all of the urgency of sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch of a remote mountain house. Lyrics like "You know those who need to win/ Keep pushing til the very end/I go easy, I step light/ I'm on the other side" equal the mood of the song. If you're ready to relax, then take a listen.

14. Little Comets - One Night In October
With an almost non-existant track record, it's hard to say much about Little Comets. Fortunately for them, 'One Night In October' is about all we have to judge them by. If they can come close to replicating how good this extremely uplifting and danceable song for a whole album they will certainly be a band to watch. With a similar energy and whimsy, this song reminds me of Architecture in Helsinki.

13. Discovery - Orange Shirt
If you were making a cd mixtape around the already listed 'Chrome's On It', you'd almost have to put this thunderous song from the Vampire Weekend/Ra Ra Riot collabo Discovery on it. Crashing cymbals, pulsating base, and stuttering synths all conspire to make a monster out of this r&b experiment.

12. St. Vincent - Save Me From What I Want
Dichotomy is an element I find to be a great, if overlooked, tool in creating good music. The hazy atmospherics of 'Save Me From What I Want' would not have nearly the same effect that they do when coupled with the martial drum beat. (Sorry, only live versions with poor audio were available)

11. Delorean - Seasun
A dreamy dance number number that builds itself up big, but is never in a rush to do so; it knows when to step back, then bring it back up until the two line chorus kicks in and its all out joy. You can almost see the dance floor full of rapturous people when this song is playing.

10. M. Ward - Shangri-La
In case you didn't know it, M. Ward likes old-timey music. On an album full of pleasant little ditties, this acoustic one is a veritable train hoppin' hobo's journey across the country. The simplicity and beauty of this song seem to represent a romantic modern notion of the past as a simpler and more pleasant time.

09. Bag Raiders - Shooting Stars
Long ago they falsely proclaimed disco to be dead. Lucky for us, the Bag Raiders didn't get the notice, as they ended up crafting eminently danceable tracks like 'Shooting Stars.' It's almost a 21st century update on the millennial dance hit "Music Sounds Better With You" but tighter and with more energy. Brilliant craftsmanship allows the beat to fall out and the synths to build, then bam! they take it to an even higher level that you didn't see coming, but happily accept.

08. Bat For Lashes - Siren Song
This piano driven ballad sounds like Leonard Cohen inhabiting Sarah McLachlan's body. It drips with emotion and artistry and manages to be dark, sad, haunting, beautiful and grand all at once.

07. K'naan - Somalia
Somalian-born rapper K'naan delivers his backstory on this re-invented rap-cliche of an ode to the hometown. An amazing life story and artist, I'll let him summarize it in his own words:

Do you see why it’s amazing
When someone comes out of such a dire situation
And learns the English language just to share his observation

06. Metric - Stadium Love
This song is BIG. Like stadium big. Huge guitar riffs and soaring synths coupled with Emily Haines singing about the bands 'Stadium Love' should have you holding up your lighters and pumping your fists. (I find this video to be completely mesmerizing.)

05. Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes
If you're not familiar with this ode to sleepless and sweaty summer nights, you're probably reading the wrong blog. But don't leave yet; Rather, have a listen to the experimental Animal Collective's most pop-like song to date. The bouncing beat and vocal harmonies recall a hyper version of member Panda Bear's

04. Camera Obscura - The Sweetest Thing
This years version of the throwback sounds of She & Him, 'The Sweetest Thing' combines peppy strings and an even peppier beat to counterbalance the forlorn lyrics of Tracyanne Campbell. Bjorn Yttling, producer of one of my favorite albums last year did the string and horn arrangements for the whole album, but never as effectively as on this sweet track.

03. Islands - Switched On
With a drum riff sounding like a construction site in rhythm, the rest of the song doesn't need much. Some sparse guitar work and even lighter synths add just enough to create a bouncy, pop tune that would be at home on an island beach.

02. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero
The opening salvo from the Yeah Yeah Yeah's It's Blitz!, 'Zero' is all dance-punk, in your face attitude. If this song can't get you up and moving, it's time to check your pulse because its probably at zero.

01. Your Choice Here!
Have a song you're dying for others to hear? Link it in the comments section below.

WRR's Favorite Songs of 2009 Part I

Joining in on the glut of best of lists, here is the first part of the first list we've cooked up here at WRR. More coming soon.

40. Tanya Morgan - Alleye Need
For those of you non-OKP's, Tanya Morgan is a rap group, not a person. Once the joyous horns and bouncing low-end beat kicks in, you can't help but snap your neck. (Sorry, but the youtube version is poor quality.)

39. Wild Light - California On My Mind
With a jangley guitar, full backing band and harmonica, the music is catchy enough. But with a sing-song opening line "Give me a lake that I can dive into/ Bury my head in the shit in the bottom/ Fuck today, fuck San Francisco, fuck California," you know you have to keep listening.

38. Raekwon - Canal Street
After nearly a minute of hiding underneath some Wu-Tang slang, 'Canal Street' unleashes one of the hardest Wu-Tang beats of all time. The threatening horns ooze danger, taking you into the middle of The Chef's gritty crime tales.

37. Dirty Projectors - Cannibal Resource
So many interesting factors are at play in this song, but the unique guitar work and arrhythmic rhythm (?!) are only supporting cast members to the real star here: the singing. Amber Coffman and Angel Deradoorian's voices are instruments in the truest sense of the word and are orchastrated with genius by David Longstreth. Listen to this song with headphones, people.

36. Telepathe - Chrome's On It
Anthemic' would be a good word to describe this trunk-rattler from Brooklyn's Telepathe. Hipster would be another. With possibly the hardest hitting beat of any song this year, it begs to be blasted with volume up and windows down.

35. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Contender
The opening track from the Pains' debut album, 'Contender' is a fuzzed up, jangley tune full of emotion that sets the tone for one of the more cohesive albums of the year. The song almost serves as an intro to the album, rather than it's own song, but the lament in Kip Berman's repeated delivery of "you never were a contender" allows this track to stand on its own. Check out this awesome cover set to the penultimate scene of the greatest movie of the 1980's.

34. Jay-Z - D.O.A. (Death of Autotune)
With a beat bananas enough to make me commit felonies misdemeanors, I thought D.O.A. had a good chance of living up it its intentions. Despite the irony of this song coming from the biggest crossover rap artist of all time, Jigga drops gems that illustrate why he's loved from Hot 97 to Hot 99.

33. Matt & Kim - Daylight
Duo Matt & Kim found some mainstream success with their buoyant single 'Daylight.' A happy piano riff and clackety drums carry one of the catchier songs of the year. These guys are fans. I've never seen this video, but it's definitely worth a peep.

32. BrakesBrakesBrakes - Don't Take Me To Space (Man)
Two double-o nine may have been the year that 'indie' broke through, but there's still some bands out there making good arena rock. Brakes is one of them and 'Don't Take Me To Space (Man),' with its chorus begging out for thousands to sing-along with, shows why.

31. jj - Ecstacy
Flipping the beat to Lil' Wayne's promiscuous 'Lollipop' to create an ambient ode to a different kind of vice was a pretty ingenious move. Ignoring the title, the subtlety of the song and haziness of the lyrics somewhat obscure the message; what isn't hidden is how good this song is.

30. The Guggenheim Grotto - Fe Da Da Dee
Since the advent of rock n' roll, la la's and doo doo's have always been an easy fall back for pop-leaning bands. Some use it to good effect, while others don't. On their electro-ish ditty, the GG catch lightening in a bottle, which is more than I can say for the rest of their album.

29. Mirah - Generosity
Over Eleanor Rigby-esque strings and a sparse piano baseline, Mirah weaves a beautiful tale of love gone mutually bad. But her loss is our gain with this stunning ballad.

28. Bell X-1 - The Great Defector
With lyrics straight out of a novel, music inspired by the Talking Heads and a chorus that demands to be sung along with, Bell X-1 penned one hell of a catchy and danceable song. But despite its overt pop-ness, a critical listen reveals a clear attention to the details of song-craft, but screw that; Turn it up and have fun.

27. The New Pornographers - Hey Snow White
One of the highlights off of the uber-indie compilation Dark Was The Night, 'Hey Snow White' (actually a cover of a Destroyer song) delivers the power-pop that these Canadiens are known and loved for. Even with a decent showing on his solo album, Get Guilty, A.C. Newman shows what he's capable when he has his full band in tow.

26. Ida Maria - I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked
This raucus, rocking ode to carnal pleasure is as fun as its title implies, but Sweedish Finnish Norwegian Maria also reveals a girlish nervousness when around the object of her desires. Fun Fact: Ida Maria is said to have Synesthesia. I think Jimi Hendrix had that too.

25. The Crocodiles - I Wanna Kill
With a song titled 'I Wanna Kill' off of an album titled Summer of Hate, you'd be excused for thinking that this is the newest Sweedish Finnish Norwegian death metal band. You would be wrong. And while the lyrics certainly aren't on the positive tip, the band channels the fuzz-rock of The Jesus Mary Chain at their most accessible.

24. Fever Ray - If I Had A Heart
Hands down the most ominous song of the year. A dark, lurking beat accompanies Karin Dreijer Andersson's sparse lyrics. An effect that doubles her vocals to sound strangely man-like adds to the creepiness. Definitely watch the artful and just as eery video which appears to be about a surreal party/kidnapping/murder. Strange but beautiful.

23. Mayer Hawthorne - Just Ain't Gonna Work Out
I'm a little late to the the Mayer's party, but I'm glad I came. As on his whole album, this soulful song combines Motown-era singing with A Tribe Called Quest drums all wrapped in a bedroom recording aesthetic. Amazingly, Hawthorne recorded this whole album himself, playing all instruments and singing all of the vocals. And yeah, that's him in the video.

22. Phoenix - Lizstomania
A play on the name of classical composer Franz Lizst who was apparently the rock star of his day. With songs like this, Phoenix are showing why they are deserving of the title themselves.

21. Apes & Androids - Make Forever Last Forever
When apes and androids are battling for control of future-earth, they will surely be getting pumped up by this song. Synths galore, a 'riders on the storm' refrain and a bongo breakdown surely portend the sounds of future destruction, right?

Part II coming next week... As always, feel free to leave your comments

Pass the Grand Duchy on the Left Hand Side

Grand Duchy - Petit Fours

The inimitable Frank Black. The man is truly an under-appreciated icon of American rock music. Whether it was with the Pixies shaping the face of modern rock, his early solo-work using synthesizers to great effect way before the current 80's fetish, or his later Americana/ alt-rock work which is as good as anything from Ryan Adams or Conor Oberst, Black Francis has put out consistent, quality rock music. For a primer on his post-Pixies work get his first, self-titled album and 2003's Show Me Your Tears. These two albums wonderfully highlight the range of Black's musical talents.

But to the topic at hand: 2009's Petit Fours, recorded with his wife, Violet Clark, under the moniker Grand Duchy. I know nothing of Clark, but she certainly holds her own. Album opener, 'Come On Over To My House' is a solid, but unspectacular song which ends up sounding nothing like its intro implies. Following that, Clark gets her turn at the helm with on the excellent 'Lovesick' which, backed by a steady beat, solid guitar riff and synths, is a solid little pop gem.

Not until the third song 'Fort Wayne' do we get to hear husband and wife share the stage. One could be excused if hey heard this song and thought it was some lost Pixies b-side. A Black acoustic riff with his falsetto (seriously, this guy has so many singing voices) and backing "La-La-La's" from the Mrs. sounds like it could easily be Black and Kim Deal. But Clark lets you know its her, transitioning from the vague, airy la-la's to a speak sing to a whispery en francaise delivery.

From there we move onto the chilled out 'Seeing Stars' which contrasts nicely with the contained aggression of what is probably my favorite song of the album, 'Black Suit.' Next up is 'Long Song' followed by 'Break the Angels' with a baseline easily reminiscent of 'Gigantic.' The solid 'Ermesinde' sees Clark dipping into the mainstream bucket with a splash of autotune.

On the terrific album closer 'Volcano,' Mr. Black, very gentleman-like, allows his wife to have the stage last and she delivers. The song builds intensely with thundering tom-toms and metronome snare culminating in Clark's cries of 'It's gonna blow!'

Over the summer I was privileged to see Frank Black at a very small solo show. It was an amazing experience to see a person whose voice and music has been with me for half of my life. Do yourself a favor and see him in whatever form you can: solo, with the Pixies or, in order to see his freshest work, Grand Duchy.

Under New MGMT

On Sunday night, I was one of the lucky few 500 people to get tickets to the Kia-sponsored free MGMT show. It was my third time seeing the band and, once again, they did not disappoint. In a tight, hourlong set they managed to squeeze in all of the best songs from Oracular Spectacular along with four new songs from the upcoming album 'Congratulations.' This rumor mill provides more detail on that, and the youtube dot com has some medium quality live footage of the new jams which I shall lank below.

The band opened with a what I think is Flash Delirium (no youtube video), one of my favorites from the new songs. I could have sworn that the steady wall of noise opening was going to lead into this classic. 'Song For Dan Treacy' has a strong Smiths feel to it. My least favorite was the progish 'It's Working.' It doesn't really come through in the clip, but I kind of felt a weird Charlie Daniels inspired by Kashmir/early Beatles vibe. They encored with the title track 'Congratulations.' As you can hear, it's a bit of a departure for the band. I felt it's pacing and melody to be kind of Lennon-esque. The final song of the encore was 'The Handshake' which is absolutely stunning live. Their guitar player adds so much to this band live and really puts on a show when it's his turn. If you haven't yet seen the MGMT, be sure to nab some tickets the next time they come through. Even if it's not free.

P.S. As promised in my last entry, I promise to post some new reviews soon. And as always, commentary is strongly encouraged.

The British Are Coming!!!

Perhaps you've heard some of the hubbub about the remastering and re-release of the entire Beatles catalogue. Personally, I hadn't paid too much attention as I'm pretty familiar with their catalogue, but this article caught my attention. Enjoy.

New reviews will be up shortly. Thanks for your continued patience and patronage.

Phoenix

Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

If you read this blog or watch SNL, chances are you've already heard (of) Phoenix and the hype surrounding them. I'll be frank: I enjoy the album, but do not particularly think it is all that and a bag of chips. Also, I don't see the comparisons to the Strokes (whom I've been enjoying a lot of lately), other than the fact that both bands seem to ascribe to a straight-line -to-the-finish school of songwriting rather than a tangential way. But these Frenchies do craft themselves some catchy pop/rock songs with hooks big enough to land them some solid radio play.

Album opener 'Lizstomania' lays the foundation for the rest of the album with loud-quiet-loud dynamics, a peppy beat, simple but pleasing melodies and talk-y lyrics with a dash of synth thrown in. 'Love Like A Sunset' takes a seven minute electronic journey, with vocals eventually kicking in at about the 6:13.5 minute mark. 'Fences' is has a little bit of disco funk that definitely lets you know what time it is and "1901" is another album highlight.

My main beef with Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, other than a pretentious title, is that the songwriting becomes a little rote. By the time the fifth track "Lasso" came on, I thought to myself, "Didn't I already hear this song?" But I suppose I can credit it to being a cohesive sound, which they certainly have, rather than lazy songwriting. One thing is certain, though: This album will be on plenty of Lizsts at the end of the year.

Random Thoughts

Well, this blog isn't quite going the way I expected. Life has been crazy and will remain so for the next two months (or possibly forever, depending on how you look at it). Anywho, I wanted to post up some random thoughts because I don't have time for any full blown reviews.

• Dirty Projectors' Bitte Orca is definitely my album of the year so far. The angular melodies betray a musical intelligence that surpasses most bands, but with enough pop lacquered on top to make it quite palpable.
• For those of you in the Wash/Bmore region, isn't it ironic that Animal Collective's 'Summertime Clothes' came out for the year of the coldest July in recent memory?
• Both Bat For Lashes' Two Suns and Fever Ray's self-titled are albums that really intrigued me, but I couldn't quite get fully into them. Then one night, while listening to BFL, I realized what the problem was: It's night time music. They're probably not albums you rock on your iPod on the way to work or in the car. They make for a great background if you're sitting around reading (instead of watching the idiot box) having a few adult beverages. Go ahead. Give it a shot.
  
• Vampire Weekend + Ra Ra Riot = Discovery = B-
• The inimitable Frank Black is on tour with his wife as Grand Duchy. I've yet to listen to the album, but I will be seeing him live tomorrow as himself, not Grand Duchy. There are a handful of shows.
• Heartless Bastards (discovered and signed by the Black Keys) and Ida Maria (Sweden is out. Norway is in) are two new chicks who are coming on strong.
• I've been hearing the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' 'Heads Will Roll' on the radio, so good for them. I took me a while to warm up to that song, but I do love the album. Definitely near the top for me.

Well that is it for now. Come late September we should be back with more regular posts. Hopefully, you are enjoying your summer. I'll be off being wildery..... Okay, not that wildery.

Vote For Me

I've yet to use this blog as a forum for anything but music, but my class has entered a video contest from which we could win some nice prize money. Please vote for my video here. http://contest.forrent.com/main/video?creative_id=131

You have to register first, but it only takes a minute. Thanks and feel free to let me know what you think!!!

Everybody Solo!

For this installment of WRR, we're reviewing two solo albums from artists who are firmly established frontmen with other bands. For whatever reason, they've felt the need to step beyond the dynamics of their band situations, and the results are pretty good.

One personal note: Film school has recently compelled me to buy a pair of high end headphones. Not a tiny, tinny pair of earbuds, or even the over the ear foam ones from the old Walkman days. I mean large, stick out three inches from your ears, thick headband over the top headphones. And damn, am I thankful. Any self respecting music fan should be listening to their favorites in as much detail as possible, which you can't get out of your iPod, computer speakers, car stereo or probably even your home speakers.

Also, major bonus points if you know where I stole the post title from.

A.C. Newman - Get Guilty
By Sean B.

A.C. Newman knows how to write songs. For proof see the amazing Twin Cinema, the 2005 album from Newman's main project, The New Pornographers. For more proof, see this quote from Wikipedia: "The titular songs of the band's first two albums use at least six distinct major chords each, suggesting two or three different keys. The melody of the second of those songs, "The Electric Version", begins with an arpeggiated diminished triad—a rare opening flourish for a pop song." I have a vague notion of what that means and a vastly less clear idea of how to do it. But thats why I'm reviewing, and not writing, music.

Newman's second solo, Get Guilty, opens with the regal chord progression of "There Are Maybe Ten Or Twelve." Did he use an arpeggiated diminished triad? I have no idea, but it doesn't matter because it sounds awesome (in the olden sense). One could easily a imagine a conductor leading an orchestra through this song. I also enjoy the songs self awareness in the line, "And the eyes they were a color I can't remember, which says more than the first two verses."

The grandeur of 'Ten or Twelve' leads into the pacific opening of "The Heartbreak Rides," which builds a steady momentum, drums picking up, dense layers of guitars, synths, keys filling the sonic palate until the end when a controlled outbreak leads to a rhythmic outro. "Like A Hitman Like A Dancer" continues in an upbeat manner and may be the funnest song on the album. "Submarines Of Stockholm" comes the closest to emulating the dynamic energy of The New Pornographers and "The Palace At 4 AM" is probably the highlight on this album.

There's nothing on Get Guilty that I do not like, but unfortunately, there's little that I absolutely love. The song writing is tops, but I feel the arrangements don't do them justice. A more prominent role for some electric guitars would really make the album more lively. There's just something flat and uncompelling about these songs, and I know its not in the song writing. After the mild let down of the last TNP album, I really wish that A.C. Newman would have let the full band take a crack at some of these songs. But perhaps he saved his best songs for an upcoming Pornographers album. Now that would be awesome.

Dan Auerbach - Keep It Hid
By Sean B.

When you are in a two person band, and the other guy plays the drums, I'm not sure what the compelling need to go solo is. Personally, if I were the drummer I'd be pretty offended. But that's about all I'm going to devote to questioning Dan Auerbach's motives. As the singer, songwriter, guitar player for The Black Keys, Auerbach (and his drummer) have been churning out grungy, garage blues since 2002.

For the most part, Keep It Hid doesn't divert too far from the fuzzy, minor scale basics of other Black Keys recordings, but the opening track "Trouble Weighs A Ton" is beautiful in its acoustic austerity (This video doesn't do it justice). I'd question the sequencing here, but it is a beautiful and, as the title suggests, mournful song. The second song, "I Want Some More" sticks closer to the older Black Keys script, and slightly psychedelic "Heartbroken, In Disrepair" sounds like a b-side from the last BK album. "When The Night Comes" is a placid ballad, with sparse finger-picking, some strings in the background and an occasional bass drum. "The Prowl" is another straight up Keys song, with a slightly sinister edge. Titular track "Keep It Hid" is the biggest curve ball, with slightly quirky electronic production which sounds like it could have been produced by Damon Albarn. The acoustic "Goin' Home" is a pleasant little ditty that bookends the album nicely.

The major difference between Keep It Hid and other Black Keys albums is Auerbach's indulgence of various musical styles, whereas BK albums are a mostly homogeneous affair. The results are great and actually refreshing. It's nice to see an artist step out of their comfort zone, even if that comfort zone is just a drummer.

Animal Party

Wow, I suck. Apologies to all my writers and readers (who may actually be the same people) for my lack of blogtivity. While spending time camping in the Florida wilderness, concurrently starting a job and internship, and attending school has kept my plate overflowing, I should not get it twisted, as the kids say, and keep this blog humming along.

Without further ado, here's two reviews that were given to me so long ago that you've probably listened to, worn out then rediscovered the albums. More to come soon!

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
By Sarah W.

Merriweather Post Pavilion is the ninth full length release from this collection of musicians originally from Baltimore. Following the critically acclaimed Strawberry Jam, fans of Animal Collective were left wondering how this group could really top themselves. The build-up for release was quite enormous, and somehow, someway, the boys managed to escape the wrath of the interwebs and avoided early leaks of the album (a December 25th one was rumored, but the quality was awful). The album title was released, along with the album art—a mind tricking fish that made the viewer wonder if someone had slipped some acid in their coffee (or was that just me?), as well as the track listing. Musical foreplay, if you will.

With the vinyl released on January 6th and the digital and CD versions released on January 20th, Merriweather Post Pavilion was met with the same critical acclaim as Strawberry Jam, but has also been acknowledged as easily the most accessible Animal Collective effort to date.

MPP is an album of songs that the band had been performing live for a while, with reworked beats and shiny new titles. Arguably the shining star of the record, “My Girls”, has been performed as “House” for a while now, but the power that it has on MPP is near euphoric. I may very well label it as one of the single greatest songs I’ve ever heard.

“My Girls” goes into “Also Frightened,” which, with it’s rain forest-like sound effects, makes me think of walking through the children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are. “Summertime Clothes” (My favorite, Ed.) is a song that is essentially about the disgustingly hot and humid nights that those of us familiar with the Mid-Atlantic summers know. But, for some reason, it strikes me as the love song of the album, if only for the chorus:

I want to walk around with you
I want to walk around with you
I want to walk around with you
I want to walk around with you
I want to walk around with you
I want to walk around with you

Just you just you just you just you
Just you just you just you just you
Just you just you just you just you

“Taste” is a song that really grew on me. First because of the amazingly blissed-out feel of it…it’s haunting and echo-y, and the listener feels as though they are in an empty banquet hall and this is being sung to them and only them. But again, after the actual sonic beauty of this song goes over, the lyrics are truly what distinguishes this as a great: “Am I really all the things that are outside of me? Would I complete myself without the things I like around?” Perhaps “Taste” can be written off as a self-indulgent, indie introspection at it’s finest, but that’s okay with me.

If there is a weak spot on this album, it’s certainly the latter half. It’s not as sonically complex; however, this is sort of shattered in a live atmosphere. “Lion in a Coma” is a powerful show opener (which they did at the Metro in Chicago) and “Brothersport” serves as an equally powerful bookend as a show closer (see the Grand Ballroom recording for proof).

When all’s said and done, this album has already earned my Album of the Year spot. It’s beautiful, it’s immaculately produced, it’s complex, and it’s just so unique. And despite my usual penchant for discounting awesome bands who produce albums that hurl them into mainstream consciousness, I just feel like a proud mama for Animal Collective. I’m glad they made an album that is technically “experimental” in nature, but is as accessible as Merriweather Post Pavilion is. Bravo!

P.S. The real treat is to see these fellas live. Their full US tour was announced! If you can get tickets (they’ve sold out almost everywhere already), get them and go!!!

Bloc Party - Intimacy
By Gaurav K.

Another Blast... and this time it's to an outer space dance party. At least that's how "Mercury," the first single off Intimacy, will have you feeling. The pounding rhythm takes one small step for man and one giant leap for house music in 2009. But that's not all this album has to offer. For those of you who've come in late on this band (where the hell have you been?), the post-punk Brit rock band took half the concept of their second album, A Weekend in the City, with its musings on the life of twenty-somethings in an urban environment, returned to their roots of driving drums and guitar riffs from their Silent Alarm days, and added ominous horns to reach entirely new outputs. It's dark, it's airy, it is in fact intimate.

Lines like "Paralyze me with your kiss, Wipe those dirty hands on me, Maybe we're looking for the same thing, Maybe you're the one who'll complete me", coupled with heavy drums and geared up guitar from tracks like "Halo" penetrate your ear and offer a good introduction to their sound and soul. And the epic "Ion Square" will have you nodding your head to synthesizers while crooning into the eyes of your significant other. E.E. Cummings provided the hook.

There's something here for everyone: Found your dancing shoes and in the mood to bounce around? Check out "Flux," "Mercury," or "Talons." Confused about love? Skip to "Better Than Heaven" and "Letter to My Son" (you'll think your listening to The Smiths). Heartbroken and bitter? "One Month Off" and "Your Visits are Getting Shorter" will have you simmering in self-pity. This album lets you take yourself seriously (or not), and rock out while doing so.