Various Artists - Guilt by Association

This compilation cd came out in 2007 and has a number of indie musicians covering a variety of pop songs which are either cheesy or classics depending on your mood/drunkeness/level of honesty.
Petra Haden sings 'Don't stop believin' using only vocals to mimic the instruments and vocals of the Journey song to great effect. Petra did something similar to the Who Sell Out album. 'Two tickets to paradise' was orginally a pop rock classic but in Geoff Farina's capable hands it becomes something much more forlorn and lovely. 'Say my name' by Destinys Child becomes an indie rocker courtesy of Superchunk but doesn't improve on the funkiness of the original song. 'Chop Suey' by System of a Down becomes a ballad. 'Don't look back in anger' is covered by Devendra Barnhart and he turns it into a childlike woozy hippy wonder. The Take That song 'Back for Good' is given a Scandinavian makeover courtesy of the Concretes as they make it an even better love song. They don't do such a good job on 'Viva Forever' but still improve on the original.
An uneven, ironic?, set of covers with a few versions improving on or finding new ways of expressing the themes of the originals make this a reasonably good compilation.

Indigo Girls - Indigo Girls

Indigo Girls second cd and first on a major record label was this self titled release which came out in 1989. The duo's harmonies and folk-style guitars along with their involvement in grassroots politics and the fact that they are both lesbians made them a popular band with American college students.
'Closer to fine' is the best song on the cd and has members of the band Hothouse Flowers providing backing instruments and vocals and which has great vocals by Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. Michael Stipe of R.E.M provides his typical backing vocals to 'Kid Fears' not adding much to the song.
There seems to be a balance of songwriting and singing within the duo which works well. 'Tried to be true' sounds a bit more country and western than some of the other songs on the cd but most of the music is quite similar and in a folk/rock vein. 'Love's Recovery' is a gentle bruising love song and one of the better songs on it. 'Land of Canaan' is the closest thing to a rocker and not too bad for it. 'Indigo Girls' is a pretty decent cd but too many of the songs don't stand out from one another and 'Closer to fine' is head and shoulders above all the other songs.

Apparently they were nominated for a Grammy for Best New Act but lost out to Milli Vanilli. Not sure if they corrected the Academy corrected their mistake and returned it to a more worthy band. Also according to their website they will be giggin on a tour ship in the Carribbean in spring 2009 playing with other musicians including Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt and other roots/folk/rockers.
Thanks to Jonathan for the request. Sorry I didn't review the live cd.

Spice Girls - Spiceworld

As requested by a 'friend' I will listen and review 'Spiceworld' by the Spice Girls which I believe was the soundtrack to the movie of the same name and came out at the height of their fame in 1997.
'Spice up your life' gets the party started with a tropical upbeat vibe and catchy ridiculous lyrics. Not a bad song. 'Stop' is the second track and uses horns and harmonies to complement the dance which I seem to remember going along with it. A decent enough pop tune and it probably works quite well with the opening track at hen nights all over the world. 'Too much' is a smoochy ballad which is supposed to sound sexy but fails to do so. 'Saturday Night Divas' was never released as a single which marks it out as one of the weaker tracks. 'Never give up on the good times' tries hard to be funky and catchy but doesn't quite work. 'Move over' sounds like it should be used to sell cola of some sort. 'Do it' implores me to do it - not certain what. 'Denying' just passed me by without leaving any kind of lasting impression either way. 'The lady is a vamp' leans towards a Chicago (the musical) kind of feeling but feels too forced. 'Viva Forever' has classical guitar playing and a slightly latin vibe and is an understated ballad which has pleasant vocal harmonies.
Not something I'll likely listen to again of my own free will, but okay for what they were trying to do. Considering it sold something like 20 million copies around the world I'm sure the ladies won't lose any sleep over this review.
In answer to the inevitable questions: Geri 'Ginger' Spice.

Scarlett Johannson - Anywhere I lay my head

Is this just another vanity project by an actress/model/UN ambassador type who decided to dabble in music or is it a labour of love? Is 'Anywhere I lay my head' any good?
Ten of the Eleven songs are Tom Waits covers and one song is an original which was co-written with the producer Dave Sitek, of TV on the Radio.
The opening track 'Fawn' is an incidental instrumental. 'Town with no cheer' waltzes along moodily with pretty good vocals by Scarlett. 'Falling Down' was the first single and has a contribution by David Bowie as does 'Fanning Street'. Bowie's vocals don't add much except for some credibility. The one original 'Song for Jo' fits in nicely with the overall tone of 'Anywhere I lay my head'. My favourite tracks are 'I don't wanna grow up' with its disco-lite vibe, the title track and the last song 'Who are you' with shared vocals with Dave Sitek.
Tom Waits is such an individual performer that it isn't easy for someone to cover his songs and leave their own identity on them. Tom's vocals are a mix of growling, singing and bellowing and his lyrics tell such strong tales that covering him was not going to be straightforward. Scarlett makes a good effort and the production works well to create a strong flowing tribute to Tom and his music. Not as quirky as the originals are but surprisingly good.
Next up should be a cd of Leonard Cohen songs.

Kanye West - 808s and Heartbreak

Kanye West's fourth cd '808s and Heartbreak' is a departure from his earlier hip-hop/pop music with big songs and catchy hooks. Kanye split up with his long term fiance in 2008 which forms the basis for many of the lyrics on it. Interviews with Kanye seem to show a complicated person full of self belief (possibly too much) who has been knocked back by the end of his relationship with his fiance and the death of his mom in the same year.

The first song on the it 'Say you will' sounds like a low key song from the TV show Miami Vice and bleeps along with Kanye's auto-tuned vocals. In 'Welcome to Heartbreak' Kanye sings about his material possesions but lack of family and his regret about this. 'Heartless' and 'Paranoid' have more of Kanye's traditional hip hop vocals. 'Love lockdown' has Kanye using the auto-tuner on his vocals and stands out as one of the better songs on the cd.

There is more singing and less rapping on '808s and Heartbreaks' which makes for an interesting cd but the lack of big catchy hooks is noticeable. It is more understated and different from his earlier releases but he should be acknowledged for trying something new.

I respect Kanye for his comment during Hurricane Katrina for going off message and saying that "George Bush doesn't care about black people." as well as his putting money and his energies into trying to help people in the black community with his foundation.

Big Audio Dynamite - This is Big Audio Dynamite

'This is Big Audio Dynamite' is B.A.D's first release which came out in 1985 and the 5 piece band has lead vocals by Mick Jones from the Clash and Don Letts creating sound effects. 'Medicine show' uses samples from Western films and a very 80's sound with keyboards and Mick's poppy vocals. 'Sony' follows this up with a focus on Eastern culture which continues on from the Clash's interest in this area of the world from the 'Combat Rock' cd. 'E=MC2' was the highest charting single off the cd which came in at number 11 in the UK and is the clearest pop song on it. I'm sure at the time it seemed very futuristic but a lot of the rest of the songs on the cd don't make much impact.

The lyrics don't always make sense but Mick's vocals and the kitchen sink pop music on it make it a decent 80s document. I'm not sure it is something that will stand the test of time because it already sounds quite dated. It is always difficult to judge someone based on what they may have done in the past but 'This is Big Audio Dynamite' doesn't hold a candle to his work in the Clash so doesn't match my high expectations of what he is capable.

Bill Janovitz - Up here

Bill Janovitz is one-third of Buffalo Tom and released 'Up here' as a solo artist in 2001. The cd is acoustic folk-rock and is the equal of much of Buffalo Tom's music in terms of quality.
Bill has a great voice and the songs are as heartfelt as the songs from his main band. There isn't as much variation as there is between softer songs and rockers as there is in Buffalo Tom but there are no weak songs on 'Up here'.

'Like you do' is a beautiful romantic male/female duet and one of the best songs on the cd.
'Long Island' ends the cd with an ode to Long Island and one of the catchiest choruses. All of the songs could have easily found a home on any Buffalo Tom release.

Bill's tales of love and loss, strong lyrics and simple songs make 'Up here' a wonderful companion whether you are in love or just ended a relationship. I've always felt that Buffalo Tom are a hugely underrated band and this cd makes me hope I'll get a chance to see Bill Janovitz on a solo tour.

King Creosote - KC Rules OK

KC Rules OK came out originally in 2005 and I was tempted to try it out but it passed me by until now. King Creosote is a gentleman by the name of Kenny Anderson and he is associated with the Fence Collective. King Creosote makes folk music and sometimes records with other members of the Fence Collective label as well as his two brothers who are also musicians.

Kenny Anderson has a soothing voice with a gentle Scottish lilt and the songs on KC Rules OK are very easy on the ears. '678' is a song about missed opportunities and failed dreams and one of the best songs on the cd building slowly until it fades out. I also liked 'Locked Together' which reminds me of the Canadian band Blue Rodeo. 'Jump at the cats' with its harmonica and upbeat rhythms stands out from the rest of the slower paced songs. 'My favourite girl' is a sad and lovely lament with some accordian? accompaniment.

This is a good cd but it isn't something that grabbed me as much as other similar musicians like Micah P Hinson has. Great for Sunday morning hangovers.

Shellac - 1000 Hurts

The mighty Shellac are a 3 piece band with Steve Albini (vocals and guitars), Todd Trainer (drums)and Bob Weston (bass) and 1000 Hurts came out in 2000.
'Prayer to God' is a request to the big man to"'just fucking kill him, kill him already, amen". about someone Steve apparently has taken a dislike to. 'Squirrel Song' begins with the line "This is a sad fucking song, you'll be lucky if I don't bust out crying" and nothing could be further from the truth.
The songs are minimal and full of tension, often feel aggressive and angry. The lyrics are often deadpan funny and delivered in an almost spoken word way or by shouting them out. Steve Albini has said that all of their songs are about baseball or Canada which may be a bit of a fib even if they do seem to focus on these things when they can during their infamous Question and Answer sessions during their live shows.
They aren't exactly easy listening but they are intense, funny and sound brilliant. I recommend this highly along with all of their other music. They are also due to be the house band at the All Tomorrows Parties festival in May. Can't wait to see them again!

From Wikipedia - "In its official promotional materials Shellac described this album as follows: "There are no 12-minute songs on this one. This record is more mean-spirited. Todd sings.""

The Replacements - Hootenany

The Replacements were one of the finest, messiest bands around in the 80's and Hootenanny was their second studio album which came out in 1983. The music is loose and generally fast with a few exceptions but shows a progression from their first cd which was even faster and messier. Paul Westerberg doesn't just holler along to the music and there are signs of what they would become on later releases like 'Let it Be'.
'Run it' could have easily come off their first cd 'Sorry Ma, Forgot to take out the trash' (a great set of songs about cars, women and booze and trying to make your own fun. 'Mr. Whirly' is their amusing take on old school rock and roll. 'Within your reach' is Paul stretching beyond the basic boundaries of their earlier songs. 'Buck Hill' is mainly an instrumental which sounds like an early R.E.M song. 'Lovelines' is funny, 'You Lose' a straight-ahead rocker as is 'Hayday'.
The final song 'Treatment bound' starts off with the line 'We're getting no place, fast as you can.' which probably sums up the band's philosophy and direction but it was great going along with them.
I prefer their first cd for basic rock tunes, 'Let it Be' for their mix of ballads and pop/rock and 'Don't tell a soul' for a few of their mainstream pop songs on it, but 'Hootenanny' is still a good cd by a great band. R.I.P

All Girl Summer Fun Band - All Girl Summer Fun Band

The band name acts as a very strong description of the type of music the All Girl Summer Fun Band makes. The strong harmonies, wistful music and catchy songs reverberate with echoes of the Beach Boys, Cub and the Breeders. It is fun simple music in the same way that the Ramones are which is just what the doctor ordered with the cold, wet winter seeming to go on forever.

The songs focus on relationships, the lyrics are funny without being wacky and they don't hang around for long which makes it so good. It is twee and very sweet so it is probably best listened to in small doses. This self-titled cd is their first and was released on K records.

Like all great bands they have a 'theme song' which spells out their mission statement. I enjoyed 'Canadian Boyfriend', 'Brooklyn Phone Call' and 'new in town' but they are all decent songs.

Laura Veirs - Two Beers Veirs

Laura Veirs covers five traditional folk/blues/country songs on this cd.

'Wildwood Flower' was the last song recorded by June Carter Cash before she died. I believe it was originally recorded by A.P. Carter an ancestor of hers. Laura brings the Carter family spirit to the song but makes it her own.
'The Coo-Coo bird' is a traditional Appalachian song which according to the internet is about the bird being a symbol of fickleness in love or the coming of summer and has some lovely vocals and whistling on it.
'Freight train' was written by Elizabeth Cotten when she was 12 years old and is a classic traditional folk song. She was apparently self-taught and played the guitar left handed and upside down. I've always had a soft spot for this song and Laura's version remains true to the original feeling of wanting to disappear and get away. This was also one of the songs which I tried and failed to learn to play on guitar a few years ago in an introductory class.

Her approach to singing these traditional songs with honesty and a simple delivery has made me want to check out her own music and track down the original versions of these traditional songs.

Bon Iver - Blood Bank

Blood Bank is a 4 track EP which follows up on the success of his earlier cd 'For Emma, Forever Ago'. The title track sounds like it could have been written by Coldplay if they were any good still. 'Beach Baby' is so supple and smooth it disappears before I can grab ahold of it but I love the guitar in the middle of the song.

'Babys' begins with a basic repetitive piano riff for half the song until the vocals start. It wouldn't feel out of place on 'For Emma..' with his gorgeous voice and song structure. 'Woods' has vocals which sound like they've been put through a vocorder until the multi-tracked vocals turn into something which wouldn't sound out of place as part of a religious hymn.

While it doesn't turn out to be much of a departure from 'For Emma..' there is enough difference to make it a great companion piece. It will be interesting to see how he follows up his first two releases with his next cd and what direction it'll take him in (or if he goes back to the woods to record the next one). I'm predicting a grime direction and a duet with Jay-Z.

Peter Broderick - Home

Peter Broderick is a touring member of the band Efterklang and a session musician with a number of other bands. Home was released in 2008 and is partly instrumental and full of multi-layered soothing vocals and acoustic guitar.

Home has a similar feel to Bon Iver's 'For Emma, Forever Ago' which came out last year to critical acclaim and unfortunately is living in its shadow. Home is just as good as 'For Emma..' but isn't as recognized. It is almost as if there was only room for one cd by a singer-songwriter who plays delicate music and Bon Iver got there before Peter Broderick.

Home is enjoyable on first listen but it really grew on me with each subsequent listen. My favourite track is ' Below it' with the lines 'with his fingers he would push and with his fingers he would pull..to come back up.' and its lovely guitar playing. 'With the notes in my ears' is another beautiful song with gorgeous lyrics, heavenly vocals and fingerpicking guitar accompaniment.

Give Home some space in your Home or take your loved one to see him on Valentine's Day at the brilliant Union Chapel.

Van Morrison - Astral Weeks

Astral Weeks opens with the words 'If i ventured in the slipstream between the viaducts of your dreams...could you find me?, would you kiss my eyes?, lay me down, silence easy, to be born again, to be born again' . Pure poetry and a great opening to a lovely cd.

Astral Weeks came out in 1968 to critical acclaim but little commercial success, but since then has been acknowledged by many to be a brilliant piece of music. I've never really listened much to Van Morrison apart from the obvious songs you hear all over the place ('Gloria', 'Brown Eyed Girl') and always thought of him as a grumpy old man. In fact he has shown this to be the case when he decided to ban alcohol when he played the SXSW festival and for his recent tour. Having said that I wish i'd given Astral Weeks a listen before this.

The music and lyrics flow freely and Van's voice floats along with the guitars, drums and flute. The whole cd feels organic and none of the words or music feels out of place. It feels like the music was made by a 60 year old man who had lived a full life not someone who was only 23.

'Astral Weeks' is genius and the best song on the cd. I know 'Sweet Thing' from the Waterboys cover of the song on Fisherman's Blues -one of my favourite cds and love the original more than the cover. 'Madame George' is one of those epic storytelling songs which no one really tries to write anymore (and if they do it isn't half as good).

He recently played Astral Weeks in Hollywood and the cd/dvd is out in February. I'm curious to see how it sounds now being sung by Van as he is in the autumn of his life.

That Ghost - Young Fridays

Young Fridays is a very lo-fi cd of music recorded by Ryan Schmale mostly in his bedroom.
The vocals are similar to Daniel Jonston (maybe because of the lack of production) and the music is simple and very basically recorded.

'I crossed out the options' ,'Never have fun' and 'friends in quotations' sound like a lo-fi Strokes. 'A song about a bird I know' could be a Devendra Barnhart song - a simple lullaby/love song. The music feels heartfelt and personal and it is consistently good especially when you consider it was recorded by an 18 year old and that this is apparently his 4th cd.

A lot of people record music in their homes and make lo-fi music but not everyone is capable of creating something as good as Young Fridays. Recommended if you enjoy music lo-fi indie music. Not recommended if you like Scouting for Girls.

Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls

Vivian Girls is one what my friend Greg's girlfriend would call a 'nano-band'. One of those bands which receive a lot of hype and critical acclaim appearing out of nowhere and totally of the moment. I'm not sure if this is something she sees as a positive thing.

This self titled cd is their first and the 10 songs rattle along in a short 22 minutes. The female trio play music steeped in 60's girl groups, lo-fi, full of feedback and harmonies. The catchy vocals are low in the mix and the lyrics aren't always easy to make out but it all works quite well.

The first time I tried to listen to this I didn't really connect to it but it may have been because it was on a busy tube into work. Hearing it for a second time it made more of a positive impression on me and the vocal harmonies and lo-fi music make it a good cd overall.

The Vivian Girls may not be something i'll listen to in a few years time and it may fit the
'nano-band' description but for now it is good rocking fun.

Edwyn Collins - Home Again

This is Edwyn Collins first cd since he returned after suffering a brain hemorrhage in 2005 and spending 6 months recovering from brain surgery. Home Again was mixed after he was released from the hospital but written before his illness.

The music on Home Again varies from gentle folk to country to blues. 'Leviathan' reminds me of Jim Morrison of the Doors vocals but has less pretentious lyrics. 'Its in your heart' and 'Home Again' are lovely songs with beautiful guitar playing and vocals. 'Superstar talking blues' evokes the spirit and sound of Elvis. Edwin's lyrics range from being full of lovely honesty and satire.
'Written in stone' feels like a drunken waltz at the end of a relationship.

It is difficult to listen to this without thinking that this could have been a posthumous release. It needs to be loved for what it is though - beautiful music played with love and wit by a great musician.

The Gutter Twins - Adorata

Adorata is an 8 track EP with 6 covers and two Gutter Twins originals.

Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan have excellent past pedigree being in Afghan Whigs, Twilight Singers and as a solo performer (Dulli) and Screaming Trees, solo, with Soulsavers and with Isobel Campbell. Together they make sweet music.

'Belles' is a Vetiver cover which sounds world weary, 'Down the Line' a Jose Gonzales cover which turns a fragile song into a much tougher beast. 'Flow like a River' sounds like a groovy Queens of the Stone Age cover. 'St James Infirmary' should only be sung by people who've lived a full life and the two lead singers who have done just that trade vocals to great effect.

It is always tricky trying to find a balance between faithful recreation of a song and making it sound completely different/in your own style. I've only heard a few of these songs before but I think they've managed to put together a mix of songs which could have been writen by the Gutter Twins.

Of the two originals I prefer 'We have met before' over 'Spanish Doors' but either song could easily have been on their Saturnalia cd. I can't wait to see Lanegan and Dulli at the Union Chapel this Monday.



Taken from the Gutter Twins website -"Recorded mostly during the original sessions for their debut album Saturnalia, Adorata finds The Gutter Twins drawing material from a wide range of artists and capturing the energy and excitement of their live performances. The eight track EP includes: "Belles," (Vetiver), " Down The Line" (Jose Gonzales), "Deep Hit Of Morning Sun," (Primal Scream), "Flow Like A River," (Eleven), "St. James Infirmary," (Traditional) "Duchess," (Scott Walker), and two previously unreleased original Gutter Twins songs "Spanish Doors," and "We Have Met Before."

Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped

I haven't listened to any new Sonic Youth cds for years but have always had a soft spot in my heart for some of their earlier music (Daydream Nation, Goo, Dirty) and for their ability to switch between pop, noise and experimental music. Also Kim Gordon is an indie icon who should be revered by all.


Rather Ripped is full of low key lo-fi songs which buzz and drift along quite nicely. They aren't re-inventing the indie post-rock wheel but it is quite good. There aren't any songs which stand out but almost all of them are good. I didn't care much for 'Helen Lundeberg' or 'Or' and generally prefer the Kim Gordon tracks 'What a waste' and 'The Neutral'. This is not very experimental cd so there are no 20 minute sound collages or feedback drenched songs.

The coolest kids in school aren't kids any more but they are still relevant. I'm looking forward to their new cd this year to see what direction they'll go in next.

The Killers - Day and Age

The Killers fourth cd Day and Age tries to build upon their previous successes. They seem to be aiming to be the next U2 with their big chords and choruses and generally big music but generally this is a more restrained affair.

'Human' the first single, is typical of the songs on Day and Age with lyrics that make little sense if you listen too closely but it still manages to get under your skin after repeated listens.

'Joy Ride' tries too hard to be funky and fails, 'A Dustland Fairytale' ebbs and flows nicely as it tries to evoke Bruce Springsteen. 'Goodnight, Travel well' is too dirge-like, long and unnecessary.

They still haven't topped the songs on their first cd in terms of scale, ambition and catchiness but Day and Age is a largely decent pop cd especially if you don't pay too much attention to the lyrics.

Mogwai - The Hawk is Howling

Mogwai have made a strong comeback with The Hawk is Howling after their last few mediocre releases. I've been a bit of a fan since seeing them live at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto with a friend who became physically ill because of the volume and intensity of their music. No higher compliment than that I think.

The single 'Batcat' steams along nicely with an undercurrent of malevolance. 'The sun smells too loud' unfolds quietly and seems to want to build into something louder but it never does. 'I love you, I'm going to blow up your school' repeats the same trick until the final minute when it rocks out slightly. The instrumentals on The Hawk is Howling mainly meander along before trickling away into the next track. There is nothing here as brilliant as 'New Paths to Helicon I or II' but it would be very difficult to top what was one of their finest earlier songs. However, it is a solid post-rock release and a step back in the right direction. Neither their best nor their worst work.

Attic Lights - Friday Night Lights

Attic Lights are a mainly Scottish band who have been around since 2005. This is their first cd and was produced by a member of Teenage Fanclub. Friday Night Lights came out in October 2008 and is full of catchy pop rock songs. There is some similarity to Teenage Fanclub with wistful songs with strong harmonies.

There really isn't a whole lot for me to make them stand out from any other pop/rock combos out there. This could be Scouting for Girls or McFly or anyone else mining a similar vein of music. The first two songs are the best on the cd 'Never Get Sick of the Sea' - with its vocal harmonies and a slightly slower but similar 'Bring you down'. Fairly good for this type of music but not something which makes much of a lasting impact.

They are supposed to be providing a new theme song to the new Minder TV programme in 2009 so I guess you could say that they can truly 'sing the theme tune.'

The Rural Alberta Advantage - Hometowns

The Rural Alberta Advantage was selected by emusic as one of their choice upcoming bands so I downloaded it on a whim and am really glad I did. I was probably drawn to them by their name and the fact that I suspected they are Canadian.

The vocals on the cd are heartfelt and full of emotion and the 13 songs on it skip by so quickly you want to put it on again right away. There isn't a duff song on Hometowns and every time I hear it I have a new favourite. The songs vary from the headlong percussion on 'Deathbridge from Lethbridge' to the the mellower 'Sleep all day' but it all works really well.

It isn't often that I hear a cd for the first time and make such a strong connection to it right away but with Hometowns I have. They make me want to hop on a plane back to Canada just to see them.

Highly recommended!

Black Kids - Partie Traumatic

Black Kids, a band from Florida, first cd was produced by Bernard Butler of Suede and came out in mid-2008. They ended up on a lot of best of 2008 lists and have received more popular acclaim in the UK than in their home country.

I've heard the single 'i'm not going to teach your boyfriend how to dance' a few times this year and kept meaning to check the band out. Their cd reminds me of David Bowie's 'modern love', happy cure songs, eating too many sweets and feeling giddy and the go team on 'look at me (when i rock wichoo)'.

The cd is consistently good if a little similar sounding and the songs are catchy singalongs you want to dance to. It isn't something I would want to listen to too much as it is a bit too poppy for my liking but they would probably be a great band to see live.

Styrofoam - Nothing's lost

Stryofoam is the moniker for a one man electronic project who has been making music since before 2000. Nothing's lost has a number of collaborations including Ben Gibbard from Death Cab for Cutie.

The cd drifts along nicely with a gentle mix of electronica and pop. I couldn't fully engage with a lot of the music but there were a few songs which worked better than others. Standout songs for me were 'Couches in Alleys' - the Ben Gibbard collaboration and the last song on the cd 'make it mine' which is the longest track at 9+ minutes which unfolds quite nicely.

I'm curious what Styrofoam might sound like live as I think it could work quite well in that setting so will probably check them out at the ATP festival in May.

TV on the Radio - Dear Science,

A lot of people got very excited about this cd when it came out last year and it topped a few critics and fans lists for 2008. I hadn't got around to hearing it yet so thought it was time. I've listened to a few of their earlier cds and although they were good i didn't really warm to them.

The opening track 'Halfway Home' is a great start to the cd with some doo wop background vocals. The cd has a buzzy electronic vibe with some understated funky beats, falsetto singing and great use of horns. It feels like a 60s soundtrack updated to modern times.

'Golden Age' and 'Shout me out' and 'Lovers Day' are standout tracks for me. I didn't enjoy 'Love Dog' and 'Stork & Owl' as much as the other songs.

It really does deserve all the praise it has received. A great cd with intelligent lyrics and a warm soulful feel to it.

Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy

Was it worth the wait? After an incubation period of more than a decade and various line up changes, lawsuits and rumours and a whole lot of money spent recording it Chinese Democracy has finally been released. Axl Rose is the only original member of the band still involved in the band so some view this as a solo project under the Guns N Roses banner.


I have to say that I haven't exactly been waiting with baited breath for this as much as I enjoyed their debut cd - Appetite for Destruction - at the time it came out and after recently hearing it again.

What is it like then?
It all sounds a bit dated and a lot of the songs are a bit too long but there are a few good songs on the cd. 'Chinese Democracy' leads the cd off sounding a little bit like the Scorpions song 'Rock you like a hurricane' until Axl starts singing and it almost feels like a Foo Fighters song. 'Better' is slightly better but 'Street of Dreams' is a dull power ballad. Too many songs are power ballads - they don't rock out nearly enough. 'I.R.S' is a decent song but overall the cd is a letdown. I needed to listen to Appetite for Destruction to remind me of what Guns N Roses is capable of and to cleanse the pallette.


I love the side story about Dr. Pepper offering a free can of their lovely carbonated beverage to everyone in the US apart from Slash (original guitarist) and Buckethead (a replacement guitarist) if the album came out in 2008. I can't imagine the marketing man has a job there anymore unless it is as a delivery driver to ensure everyone gets their soft drink. I also love that Axl said he would share his with Buckethead as he worked on Chinese Democracy.

Thanks to Steve for the lend of this cd.

American Music Club - The Restless Stranger

The Restless Stranger is American Music Club's first release which is not viewed favourably by their lead singer Mark Eitzel. One of my favourite albums of all time is California by American Music Club which is one of the loveliest, saddest albums ever made. I've never listened to this before because I was worried it would not be very good.

The cd starts out with 'Room above the club' which is also on a live Mark Eitzel album called Songs of love. This version is not as good as the one on the live album but American Music Club/Mark Eitzel are a strong live performers well worth seeing when Mark Eitzel is on form.

The Restless Stranger is a bit rough around the edges but shows the future promise of the band. This cd is as good as most of their other ones and I'm glad i finally decided to give it a try.

Standout tracks for me are 'Room above the club', 'Point of Desire' and 'Hold on to your love' - simply a beautiful love song. Mark Eitzel is able to turn sadness into beauty with his lyrics and he is well matched musically by the rest of American Music Club.

They are due to release another cd sometime this year and will hopefully tour here again. I highly recommend seeing them live.

The Wedding Present - El Rey

The Wedding Present released El Rey in May 2008. They were one of my wife's favourite bands when she was younger but they passed me by when they were at their best and I only knew of them because of the ongoing pisstaking by most of the writers at the Melody Maker which I would buy at an outragreously high price when I could find it in Canada. Because of this I used to think that they must be a terrible band which put me off listening to them.


We went to see them on their tour for the previous album and had a boogie to their older tunes and some of the newer ones from Take Fountain, the album before this. El Rey continues with David Gedge's caustic wit and songs about relationships (usually failing ones). His lyrics are as clever and funny as anyone else writing about relationships in indie music today.

Overall I think this album is more consistent than Take Fountain with fewer weak songs. The production is cleaner and El Rey feels more poppy and accessible. My favourites are 'Spider Man on Hollywood' and 'I love the monkey' and 'Model, Actress, whatever...' but each track flows well into the next making it an album you really need to here from beginning to end. My only minor complaint would be that I did find the song 'The trouble with men' a bit dull.

I guess the last laugh is on the Melody Maker as The Wedding Present is still around while they have disappeared.

Long may they run!

7/10

Throwing Muses - The Real Ramona

The Real Ramona is an early release by Throwing Muses which is viewed by some as their finest work. I don't have anything else to compare it to as I've only heard an occasional song over the years but have enjoyed music made by the two lead singers, Kirsten Hersh and Tanya Donnelly as members of the Breeders, as solo artists and in 50 Foot Wave.

The Real Ramona has some exceptional songs which I believe I must have heard before as they felt so familiar. The difference between Kirsten and Tanya's vocals and songs works well overall on the album. For pure pop 'Not too soon' is a lovely song and one of my favourites on the cd, 'Hook in her head' has a brilliant bit of drumming and slightly psychedelic guitar playing at the end of it. Overall the cd feels like it could only have been made in the early 90s but it doesn't mean that it feels dated only that it fits into that period of alternative music.

Some of the songs ('Red Shoes',' Ellen West', 'Dylan') drift by without making much of impression but the closing ballad 'Two Steps' ends The Real Ramona on a sweet/sad note leaving me looking forward to hearing more of their music and getting to see them as part of the All Tomorrows Parties festival (my first) later this year.

6/10

365 days - 365 reviews

Welcome to yearoftunes.

I will be listening to and reviewing one cd/album/mp3 release every day this year. I've never done anything like this before and hope that I will end up being exposed to a lot of new/old/interesting music.

There is no specific plan on what i'm going to choose so will just see where this all goes. All of the music will be new to me and not something I've ever listened to before. I'm open to suggestions for what to review but can't afford to buy 365 cds so will be borrowing from friends, libraries, downloading off emusic and buying a few here and there.

Wish me luck.

Jason