I love it when a plan comes together, especially when it's a plan that usually fails.  Side-projects, holiday albums, new LPs from long-running bands - these are a few of my most-dreaded things, but this week finds these things coming up aces one after another.  There's even a musical score that doesn't make me gag with pretentiousness and over-singing!  Don't just take my word for it, read on:


ABBA - live in Japan DVD
The Almost
Amerie
Bee Gees
Andrea Bocelli Christmas
Julian Casablancas - Phrazes For the Young - much of the material on this first solo outing from the voice of The Strokes (*swoon*...) shouldn't surprise any fans who have been paying attention since their second album.  There's some neon dance-beats and some electro rhythms, generally more divergent sounds than their early lo-fi garage revival.  However, Casablancas' lyrics here are some of his best yet, and about halfway through this 8-song LP he starts changing it up with a softer, more colorful musical side and some really experimental textures.  The only thing that grated on me is the vocals - he would've sounded much better if he'd ditched the trademark flat, dry, and doubled vocal track for something that matched the lush, 3-dimensional atmosphere he has constructed here.  It's only a small detraction, though, and beyond that the album is probably my favorite of all the Strokes side-projects I've heard (which is saying something, since Albert Hammond Jr's first album was one of my favorites of '06/'07)
CFCF
Steven Curtis Chapman
Cold Cave - Love Comes Close - I'm almost positive this is the band Ian Curtis would have formed if he started making music in the middle 00's, and Joy Division has its shadow all over these keyboard-born electronic indie grooves.  Features Xiu Xiu expatriate Caralee McElroy, whose interplay with doom-baritone Wes Eisold reminds me of some of Canadian band Stars' more electronic moments
Kate Earl - Kate Earl - her debut (Fate is the Hunter) was probably my favorite music I heard during all of 2005, but being on a tiny label and having little exposure in the overcrowded Los Angeles landscape (in conjunction with some personal issues) quickly stalled what little momentum her early work had achieved.  This sophomore album re-launch has some bold additions, for both better and worse.  In the plus category, she's now signed to Universal Republic Records, who gave her some major-label push with a few industry showcases, a free iTunes single of the week, and now a huge opening tour slot for label-mates Maroon 5 (coming soon to a town near you!), so exposure shouldn't be a problem this time around.  On the minus side, however, the sound she's sporting now has pretty much lost all of her first album's intimacy and charm, replacing it with big-beat studio sheen, which plays against her strength as a highly personal singer/songwriter whose voice is vulnerable and soulful, not bright and punchy like this by-the-numbers, sugar-filled mainstream production.  I know that Lauryn Hill was a big influence on her writing process on this album, and some of that comes through pretty well (especially on decent single "Melody", which sounds much better if you can catch her singing it with only her piano backing her up).  Bottom line is that I still love this artist, and her voice sounds absolutely wonderful here, but this music is really not that good, and she would've done better to pursue (or preserve) a style which suited her voice better.  I hope she learns this and comes back strong next time around...
John Fogerty
Foo Fighters - Greatest Hits, with a couple new (and kind of enh) tracks for good measure
Gift of Gab
Glee Cast - Glee: The Music, Vol. 1 - while I am an electric guitarist by trade, the voice is my favorite instrument, and both the revivals of these tunes and some of their inventive arrangements are a no-brainer for a good time (my favorite is the swing-cat revamp of Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself" - smooth!).  See our Hype section for a full review
Mike Gordon
Guided By Voices
Halford
Taylor Hollingsworth
Joy Electric
The King Khan & BBQ Show - Invisible Girl - King Khan's work with The Shrines was some of the best, rawest retro throwback to 60's horn-adorned adreno-psychedelia I've ever heard.  On this album (or "show", rather) with BBQ, the psychedelic is still here, and the 60's are firmly in place - really the only things that have changed are less horns and more updated production.  Still crude as ever, but a better, sweatier, kitschier dance party you won't find
Ryan Leslie
Little Dragon - Machine Dreams - surprisingly lush and atmospheric 2nd album from the Swedish equivalent of Cibo Matto or Asobi Seksu, taking deft electro rhythms and synth layers onto the indie dance floor.  Less soul and hip hop leanings this time around (for better or worse, depending on what you liked about their debut), but just the same this intelligent music will get you moving, and singer Yukimi Nagano's soft, reverb-laden lilt covers the tracks with pristine poise
Malachi
The Mary Onettes - Islands - new new wave out of Sweden with soaring synths towing these dance-worthy tunes through the magical night sky, even if it's a night sky from 1986.  Check out "Puzzles" for a catchy, even prom-worthy chorus that will stick in your head like Aqua-Net
Michael McDonald
Melt-Banana
Morrissey - Swords (B-sides)
Nirvana - Live at Reading, Bleach Deluxe - If you haven't seen or heard their headlining set from the '92 Reading Festival, you're missing one of the best live rock and roll moments in all of history, seriously.  They absolutely KILLED on stage that night.
OST - Aqua Teen Hunger Force - Have Yourself a Meaty Little Christmas - if you know the show, you know this won't be your grandma's holiday album (unless your grandma is an Adult Swim franchise fan).  With song titles like "Hark the Herald Angels Rap", "Jingle Bells Deep" (!), and "I Sure Hope I Don't Have to Beat Your Ass This Christmas", you get the sense that Santa's in mortal danger, and those wise men better show up packin' heat...
OST - Fantastic Mr. Fox - did you know Wes Anderson made a kids' movie?  Neither did I...
OST - NCIS
OST - The Sound of Music 50th Anniversary Edition
Plumb - hits
Rolling Stones
Serena Ryder - Is It OK - stellar Canadian starlet whose versatile vocals hit me like Alanis Morissette filtered through country legends Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris.  Muscular lyrics of love and loss catch a wistful fire over uncluttered, acoustic-based tracks which frame her powerful voice like a shimmering white horse in moonlight.  She's already won over our neighbors to the north, and anyone looking for a solid, well-versed singer/songwriter with the pipes to knock over the competition by sheer vocal force, this is your new favorite artist
Say Anything
Shane & Shane
Shwayze
Frank Sinatra
Slayer
Straight No Chaser - Christmas Cheers - I'm not one for most Christmas albums, but these a capella fellas are aces on everything I've heard them do thus far, and they shine bright (Star of Wonder!) on this collection.  From soul-ifying "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" to jazzing up the classic "Let It Snow" in grande fashion, the boys roll sans instruments with incredible panache.  It would be hard enough to adapt "We Three Kings" to fit over the Mission: Impossible theme with a full orchestra, and they pull it off in style with only voices and the occasional finger-snap.  This is a holiday album that should please just about everyone, teenagers, grandparents, and aging hipsters alike
Themselves
Carrie Underwood
VA - Now 32 - is anybody paying attention to these anymore?  Oh, sorry Wal-Mart shoppers, didn't see you back there
Vitalic
Weezer - Raditude - most bands get stale after singing about the same stuff album after album.  Luckily for Rivers Cuomo, his various neuroses and turbulent romantic escapades only get more entertaining, especially filtered through his wry-but-sincere lyrics and apparently-conquered mid-life crisis . To top that, this band's musical composition is strong as ever, and only getting stronger with the chances they're taking on this LP.  Kicking off with the catchy-as-hell sock-hop stomp of "If You're Wondering If I Want You To (I Want You To)", Cuomo & Co. keep their guitars big and crunchy (and sometimes synthesized!) and their sound classic Weezer, but I enjoyed finding the following surprises:  drummer Patrick Wilson's contribution "In the Mall" being one of my favorite tracks (with bonus Rush-tribute guitar solo!), dancefloor-ready anthem "I Can't Stop Partyin'" complete with synth'd-out guitars and Lil' Wayne verse (a nice to sequel to "Beverly Hills"), full-on authentic Indian instrumentation and vocalization on "Love is the Answer", and a completely unexpected, heart-rending, and bulletproof ballad in proper album closer "I Don't Want to Let You Go" (seriously you guys, I was *floored*).  For anyone looking to get the whole album, you'd be well-served to get the Deluxe Edition, as 3 the 4 extra songs are fully worthy of inclusion, especially if you're fans of their metal resurgence from the Green-album era.   I see, hear, and read plenty of Weezer fans hating on their post-Pinkerton output, but if you'll open your ears and remove your snark, this album easily bests all albums they've released in the 00's and has loads of absolutely awesome songwriting, some of the best of their career.  And if that doesn't get you, check the rad album cover - flyin' doggie attack!!1!


If that don't fill you like half a pumpkin pie, I don't know what will.  If I weren't so satisfied with the new Weezer LP, I'd probably be gushing more about a few other releases.  These are some of the last big names of the year, but there are some stunners still ahead, so stay tuned to this site for all the best of what's to come.  See you when I read you...


Meow (a(a)


p.s. as if reading about them wasn't enough, you can enjoy a playlist featuring most of these fine artists on my MySpace Page.  Ennjoy

It's time for candy and costumes, but the only thing scary about this week's new music is how good some of these albums are, and I'm not saying that for the (candy-)corny joke's sake.  That new Swell Season album is jaw-dropping, the new Tegan and Sara redeems their previous album for me, and we're even getting some tejano versions of Disney songs that aren't half bad.  Plus there's an album from the chick who was backing Michael Jackson on guitar as he was gearing up for his concerts.  Yes - scary good.  See for yourself:


3
The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
Atreyu
Awesome New Republic - Hearts - a dance-tastic indie duo (+touring drummer) that hits me like a hip update of Erasure - lots of disco synth-pop with solid backbeat and outrageously good vocals that hold up just as well when the tempo slows down
Devendra Banhart
Bassnectar
Between the Buried and Me
Birdman
Blind Boys of Alabama - Duets - just what it says, and the duets are with a roster including Ben Harper, Jars of Clay, Susan Tedeschi, Toots Hibbert, Asleep At the Wheel, John Hammond, and even Lou Reed.  I suspect this is mostly just older recordings, but some of these are new to my ears and they're all pretty good, in the suped-up contemporary style the Blind Boys have been sporting for the better part of this decade
The Bravery
Broadcast & the Focus Group
James Brown live
Creed - yes, THAT Creed, with the original line-up
A Day to Remember
Florence and the Machine
Former Ghosts
Garage a Trois
Glass Ghost
Glasses Malone
Gov't Mule
Gregorian - Christmas Chants - it's a German modern rock band with gregorian monk singers, curbing their normal rock/pop leanings in the holiday spirit for some traditional Christmas classics, but with their contemporary styling thrown in for good measure
Euge Groove
Halford
Hem
Hollywood Undead
Hot Chellie Rae
Jack Johnson live CD/DVD
Kid Sister
The Longcut
Los Lobos - Goes Disney - if you couldn't guess from the title, this seriously is Los Lobos playing Los Lobos versions of classic Disney songs (i.e. rocking them out tex-mex style)
Yo-yo Ma box set
Brian McKnight
Morningwood
The Mother Hips
Joe Nichols
John Nolan
Orianthi - Believe - everyone would've been talking about this golden-locked guitarist if Michael Jackson's concerts had gone off as planned, and the "This Is It" film should get some buzz going just the same.  She's basically a modern-day Jennifer Batten (MJ's Thriller-era guitarist) out of Australia, and she's already taken the stage with Steve Vai, among other six-string noteworthies.  She does sing fairly decently, but it's the instrument in her hands which sets fire to these songs
Pelican
Pink Martini - Splendor In the Grass - one of the most versatile overall bands in the non-traditional pop world, seamlessly incorporating jazz, swing, and world styles into a thoroughly enjoyable multi-lingual hybrid of intoxicating classic dance music.  China Forbes' sultry singing is but one of many highlights to be found...
Radio Disney
R.E.M. - Live at Olympia
Kenny Rogers
Carly Simon
Keely Smith Christmas
Stephen Stills live
Sting live CD/DVD
String Cheese Incident
Suffocation
The Swell Season - Strict Joy - I was all set to write up a longer review of this album before having to work 17 of the last 24 hours.  Rest assured, this album is worth lots more words than I can give it - Glen Hansard is no stranger to making quality music, and his seasoned hand is well on display in the songcraft, the arrangements, and production (shared with Peter Katis, another expert hand) of this complete work.  Marketa Irglova's wistful voice and piano provide the perfect counterpoint to Hansard's weary tenor and urgent guitar playing, and the competing ideas which kept occurring to me listening to these tracks are "filling in the corners" and "keep it simple" - there are expert touches in the album's small spaces (a backing vocal here, a sustained string swell there), but never any overcrowding, each stroke masterfully applied.  These are not simple pop songs, they are small journeys that alternate course, taking detours through a busy city or stopping on the roadside to admire the scenery.  And that's just the music - Hansard and Irglova's shared songs put the album's title to the test, veering from quiet celebration to winsome pleading to wide-eyed, regretful wonder.  Indeed, when Hansard sings "I'm stuck here killing myself" in standout "The Verb", you'd be hard-pressed to tell whether it's from despair or wry-smiled self-deprecation.  This is a dynamite follow-up to their Oscar-winning debut, and if this is the direction they're headed, we can expect even better...
TechN9ne
Tegan and Sara - Sainthood - for any of you uninitiated, these Canadian twins have more than just the nasally sweet voice which dominated their last two albums, and if anyone enjoyed their first two LPs (This Business Of Art and If It Was You), you'll be happy to hear their soulful, heavyweight rock voices making some appearances on this new LP.  I personally felt a bit cheated by the brevity and scrappiness of the songs on their last album (though I shouldn't - they called it The Con so it was right in the title), so I am happy to report this is a much meatier work: better songs, more musicianship, extra keyboard layers (the kind that made So Jealous so memorable), almost prog-level dynamics, and much bolder lead vocals from both of the Quin sisters.  Last album had them composing separately (a mistake), and they began collaborating again on this one, which is evident in its significantly improved overall quality.  A great return to form
Tia Carrerra (the band, not the actress)
Train
Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Night Castle - yes, a new one, and it's a second non-Christmas entry into the prog/Broadway/rock ensembles catalog, so less holiday fare but still plenty of classical intertwinings and underpinnings
U2 - Unforgettable Fire 25th Anniversary
Wolfmother - Cosmic Egg - still calling them "Wolfmother" is a bit misleading, as it's now just singer/guitarist/afro-helmet Andrew Stockdale and 3 brand new guys.  However, Stockdale is the sound of this band with his classic-rock riffage and high-register vocal histrionics so proper album #2 is a faithful continuation of the chunky, riff-driven retro-metal style laid down so thickly by their (his) earlier releases.  The music on the album is great and all, but I might buy it just for the cover alone


This is a decent lead-up to the holiday season, so get'em while they're hot.  I'm about to burst with all the good music going into my ears from these last few weeks, I'm almost glad the flood will soon trickle down to a quiet stream... almost.  Until next week, see you when I read you


Meow (a(a)


p.s. as if reading about them wasn't enough, you can enjoy a playlist featuring most of these fine artists on my MySpace Page.  Ennjoy

Looks like release season is slowing down a bit in anticipation of upcoming sure-fire Xmas retail sellers, but this week still has some juggernaut-sized new music for your ears to feast upon.  I even found a Christmas album that's not ear-splitting, and even manages to make profanity enjoyable.  Observe:


Jello Biafra
Cartel
The Christmas Jug Band - this is a real band.  Huzzah!
Leonard Cohen - live at Isle of Wight 1970
The Dan Band - Ho! - A Dan Band Xmas - yes, the name says it all, but rather than a no-brainer re-rendering of holiday classics with random expletives thrown in, this is actually a deftly-composed set of 10 originals that aren't half bad, even if you won't be singing them around the piano at the family party.  "Have a very, merry, mutha-f*ckin' Christmas" indeed
Joey DeFrancesco
Electric Six
Jay Farrar / Ben Gibbard - One Fast Move or I'm Gone - a modestly successful collab between two low-key indie rock greats, springing from Farrar's appropriation of lyrics from the Jack Kerouac novel Big Sur.  Rather folky (obv.) but well-arranged and fleshed out with the right instruments at the right moments.  Gibbard is the saving grace, trading lead vox with Farrar and lending compositional aid, even providing the above-average title track to sum up the whole endeavor.  The musical framing is decent, and the words still possess their original jaded, restless fire, dangerous only to those afraid of danger.  Consider this a companion to WIlco's Mermaid Avenue collabs with Billy Bragg over Woody Guthrie's writings
Fashawn
Flight of the Conchords - I Told You I Was Freaky - second helping of New Zealand's fourth-most-popular folk-parody duo feels a bit rushed, and admittedly so as they didn't have years to hone these 13 tracks in front of audiences.  Still semi-solid, with forays into dance-club, R. Kelly freak'n'B, sad bastard music, and the tongue-in-cheek come-on's they're best on.  "You Don't Have to Be a Prostitute" is the best song I've heard about not having to be a prostitute since Roxanne by the Police!
Robert Francis
Aretha Franklin Christmas
Fu Manchu
Michael Jackson - remix suites
Juvenile
Kutless
Little Dragon
Lyle Lovett
Maps - Turning the Mind - gorgeous electronic compositions are James Chapman's specialty.  I honestly have no idea how he hears all the different layers of blips and beats he manages to weave together.  The vocals and lyrics might be another story, but he covers everything with deft layers of strings, reverb, and echo so it all sounds like a distant lunar symphony or a chemical-induced haze.  Chemicals are indeed the subject of many of these songs, but not in abusive, glamorous fashion, and therapy plays into the songcraft as well, making this a rather superb overall work, cohesive in content both musically and conceptually
Tim McGraw
Naam
Nouvelle Vague
Old Canes - Feral Harmonic - solo project from Chris Crisci out of superb woodsy/atmo-rockers The Appleseed Cast, focusing more on his acoustic side, for better or worse
OOIOO
Alec Ounsworth
Elvis Perkins
Pylon
Rakim
Rammstein
Otis Redding best of
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson
Royce da 5'9"
Timothy B. Schmit
Silver Starling
The Slits
Snow Patrol - LateNightTales - not an album of their music, but rather the latest in the superb "LateNightTales" series, with Gary Lightbody and co. choosing their favorite chillout tuneage, with an exclusive track of their own for good measure
Spiral Stairs
Sufjan Stevens - the BQE - if you're even remotely familiar with Sufjan Stevens, you know that "ambitious" is far too small a descriptor for what he does.  This album is the recorded end-result of the music commissioned for symphonic performance by the Brooklyn Academy of Music some two years ago.  Celebrating the ramshackle Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, Stevens and his posse of course alsoundertook creation of an expansive film project, comic book, booklet, and Viewmaster (remember those?) reel for the whole project.  I'd say more if I could actually find a place to listen to the damn thing...
Theory of a Deadman
Kristina Train - Spilt Milk - smooth and subtle with just a hint of grit on the soft end, huge and soulful on the loud end, Blue Note Records has found another amazing voice with this artist.  Penning songs with veteran masters Jimmy Hogarth and Eg White, the singer owes a definite debt to the resurgence of 70's soul, and reminds me of Aretha Franklin from a Carole King shell.  For fans of Duffy, Adele, Elizabeth & the Catapult, and any music that moves you like a rainy day
Tina Turner - live CD/DVD
White Denim


It was uncommonly difficult, for some reason, to find samples of much of this week's music, so I hope the links I've provided (which range far beyond my usual MySpace linkage) will be of some help to you.  Not sure what's waiting next week, but that's when I'll see you...


Meow (a(a)


p.s. as if reading about them wasn't enough, you can enjoy a playlist featuring most of these fine artists on my MySpace Page.  Have a ball.

Lots to cover this week, and (un)fortunately many Christmas albums are dotting the landscape (et tu Niel Diamond?), but the real bright spots are from well-established bands and frontmen of bands, as well as a famous offspring doing a solid for himself in the mix as well.  Dig in and let me know what you find:


David Archuleta Christmas
Joan Baez CD/DVD
Baroness
Bowling For Soup
Michael Buble
Dead By Sunrise - Out of Ashes - Linkin Park's last album had hardly any hip hop on it, which for me was great, since Chester Bennington's voice is THE reason to enjoy Linkin Park, followed by their continent-sized guitar/beat production.  This solo record by Bennington, a collaboration with former Orgy axemen Amir Derakh and Ryan Shuck (here billed as "Julien-K"), puts those elements front and center in a wisely separate arena, one where CB can sing about something other than how his daddy left or how he's so angry at his girlfriend.  On some levels it's a standard modern rock album, but his voice lifts it far above your average MOR fare and Julien-K's production fills in the rest with great electro-shaded guitar layers placed perfectly to frame Bennington's huge voice.  Nice job, hope to hear more like this...
Del the Funky Homosapien
Neil Diamond - A Cherry Cherry Christmas (yes this is seriously the name of this album)
Jerry Douglas Christmas
Bob Dylan
Linda Eder
Carmen Electra
Melissa Etheridge Christmas
Fanfarlo
Five For Fighting
The Flaming Lips - Embryonic - the ethereal dream-pop Yoshimi feel has been rather prevalent over these guys' last few LPs, so they were about time to bust loose with something a bit out of left field, and this album is definitely it.  From the spats of grating, fuzzed-out krautrock to the divergent keyboard stabs to the overmodulated drums to Wayne Coyne's reverb vocals from space, the Lips get deep into experimental all over this puppy, and expansive is definitely an adjective that applies.  I'd call it Space Power Jazz if even that term weren't too limiting.  If you're looking for more battles against pink robots, you'd best look elsewhere, but if you're readier for something more dangerous and out of this world, you'll enjoy this ride through their current universe...
Holly Golightly
John Gorka
Hall and Oates box set
Har Mar Superstar - Dark Touches - if you're still unaware of Sean Tillman's schtick with this project, picture Justin Timberlake in Jon Lovitz' body and you're pretty much there.  He's ridiculous to look at, but you can't deny the dirty, sexiness of these pimped-out dancefloor tunes, and since he's in on the joke, the lyrics are so over the top and unrestrained that most of his tracks evoke the three-pronged reaction of blush/grin/dance, and in the best way
The Heavy - The House That Dirt Built - a gloriously gritty bluesploitation rock sound with a side of samples, effects, and vintage fuzz is a great place to start, and when you top it with singer Kelvin Swaby's spot-on roadhouse yowl, you've got an album and a band that can take anybody on and win
Natalie Imbruglia
Jackson 5 Christmas
Kansas
Lightning Bolt
Los Lonely Boys
Barry Manilow Christmas
Mannheim Steamroller
Mario
Nellie McKay - Normal As Blueberry Pie: A Tribute to Doris Day - no Eminem-style rapping this time out; it's all classic arrangements as the cheeky piano chanteuse attacks her subject with gusto in a very reverent manner, with upbeat and sweet results
James McMurtry
Hudson Mohawke
MV & EE
Wayne Newton Christmas
Nightmares on Wax best of
Grant-Lee Phillips
Say Anything
Sherwood - Qu - slowly getting older and wiser, San Luis Obispo's sunniest powerpop-rock band haven't slowed their tempo or the massive amount of infectious hooks and molasses-sweet melodies, but the songs have become a bit deeper, more contemplative, and definitely more lushly arranged on this album.  Perhaps it's the addition of 5th member David Provenzano; perhaps it's that Nate and Mike have significantly stepped up their songwriting contributions; perhaps chief songwriter/guitarist Dan Koch has just grown up a bit in the past two years.  Whatever it is, with this album you get the same great Sherwood flavor you've always loved, with additional awesome provided by even more vocal arrangements, big strings, and even bigger choruses - this from the band who doesn't know how to make a chorus that's not already 1) huge and 2) catchy as a flu bug.  Even the quiet, reflective moments are memorable.  Great third album, top job boys!
Brian Setzer Orchestra
Harper Simon - Harper Simon - having already proven his distinctives away from all-star patriarch Paul Simon in psych-scenester outfit Menlo Park, young Harper can finally turn his efforts guilt-free to the heartfelt philosophical acoustic sound his dad perfected many decades ago.  These are mellowed-out, harmony-laden melodies which are so similar to the Paul Simon sound that you expect Art Garfunkel to chime in any moment.  Great, mature-sounding stuff
Snoop Dogg
Sonicflood
Sugarland
The Temper Trap - Conditions - decent-quality Aussie buzz band gaining prominence on the dual foundations of excellent, expansive U2-influenced guitar work and incredible vocals from singer Dougy Mandagi, who's possessed of a voice that resonates from the middle-ground between Bono, Shirley Bassey, Kyp Malone, and Jeff Buckley.  These guys have a huge sound that's like 80's radio rock with modern atmospheric production.  Worth checking out
Thao (Nguyen) with the Get Down
Tinariwen
Rick Wakeman live
Imaad Wasif


All I can say is that at least the Christmas albums aren't all bad... actually I can't really say that.  Even that Bob Dylan Christmas grates on me, but at least the rest of the pack this week wasn't too shabby.  Did you find anything good?  Do share, and I'll see you next week


Meow (o(O)


p.s. as if reading about them wasn't enough, you can enjoy a playlist featuring most of these fine artists on my MySpace Page.  Ennjoy

A friend of mine got in a car accident as I was writing this, so please forgive me if I skipped a few I wanted to review (Lou Barlow, Noah and the Whale, Brandi Carlile, Joe Perry, HORSE the Band, Orenda Fink - my apologies) as I sauntered off into help-out land.  Still got a bunch of good listening in, though, and you won't be disappointed by what's in store below:


Todd Agnew
Air - Love 2 - setting aside the campy, 70's A/C album art, most everything on this new album is highly enjoyable, crafted with expert attention to ambiance and atmosphere, the trademarks of any Air album.  Boldly self-producing themselves this go-round, the songs are less experimental (thankfully) than their last LP and, with only themselves and ace drummer Joey Waronker in the mix, much shorter and less cluttered.  JB's hovering synths hang like stylish extra-terrestrial haze, and Nicholas Godin pulls out some vintage-sounding surf-spy guitars for extra edge.  Overall, more catchy and more succinct, like they put a drape over Pocket Symphony and made a stripped-down sequel to Talkie Walkie with a mellow spy theme.  But I still quite can't get past the cover art - it looks less like Air and more like Air Supply.  They're makin' Love 2 out of nothin' at all ;)
Arch Enemy
Backstreet Boys
Lou Barlow
Black Heart Procession
Blessthefall
Boys Noize
Jim Brickman - Christmas
Luke Bryan
Built to Spill
Califone
Brandi Carlile
Roseanne Cash
Exene Cervenka (of X)
Ray Charles - Christmas
Vic Chesnutt
The Cinematics - Love and Terror - their debut album "A Strange Education" was an out-of-left-field surprise stunner and spend many hours on my home speakers, with gloomy guitar majesty and breakneck-paced dancefloor rockers.  The Glaswegian 4-piece's follow-up has some promise, but I've only found two track to sample
The Clientele
Joe Cocker - live at Woodstock
John Coltrane - 5CD box set "Side Steps"
Paolo Conte
Dead Man's Bones - (feat. Ryan Gosling - actually not horrible!)
Mike Doughty
Downhere - How Many Kings - this is an above-average contemporary christian band, so them making a Christmas might be better than your average CCM cookie-cutter fare.  I'll have more on this after Thanksgiving...
Tinsley Ellis
Everclear
Fall of Troy
Family Force 5 - Christmas
Orenda Fink
Lita Ford
Aretha Franklin - Christmas
Gogol Bordello - live
The Gossip
Calvin Harris
Headlights
Hockey
Horse the Band
Jamie T
The Jesus Lizard reissues
Daniel Johnston
Toby Keith
KISS Box Set
Kraftwerk reissues
Blake Lewis
Lights - The Listening - with a voice that borders on over-cute at times and dance-heavy electro-pop production, visions of studio-creation pop-princess are understandable, but luckily this singer/songwriter cut her teeth writing pop hits for Sony before going for Canadian pop stardom on her own.  Fresh off a stint on the Warped Tour, Valerie Poxleitner has won a decent following in the states, and this LP's strong songwriting (mostly by her) and seriously infectious glitch grooves should build steadily on that, and deservedly so - my only criticism is that it's almost TOO dance-y, even when the beat slows down, but it's not really a bad thing...
Lucero
Dean Martin - Christmas
Mayday Parade
Katharine McPhee
Eugene Mirman
Mission of Burma
Morphine
Mountain Goats
Music Go Music
Me'Shell Ndegeocello
William Orbit
New Order reissues
Noah and the Whale
Nick Oliveri
OST - best of Ally McBeal
OST - Four Christmases
Jemina Pearl
Itzhak Perlman
Joe Perry
A Place to Bury Strangers
Port O'Brien - Threadbare - one of my favorite indie collectives, who for three albums now have woven together engaging, overcast missives on life, death, work, and, erm, weather.  Think the Arcade Fire on a pier or the Shins in a choppy-lit warehouse, it's roomfuls of reverb and gloom-born optimism, invigorating at top-speed, but more often relaxing at mid-tempo and lazy afternoon cadence
Powerman 5000
The Raveonettes - In Out of Control - if you're not clued into the reverb-laden, Euro-trashy, pre-Beatles-rock sound of these international Danes, you won't notice a difference in sound over their last few albums.  If you ARE clued in, there's still not much difference - it's either lo-fi or studio-glossed, but it's still rough, overcast, kinda creepy, and heavily influenced by Buddy Holly through and through, all in the best ways
Redemption
Relient K
Simple Minds
Frank Sinatra - Christmas with Sinatra and Friends
Steel Panther
Sugarland
DJ Tiesto - Kaleidoscope - world-reknowned progressive trance superstar DJ never disappoints with his dance albums, but this one is a bit above even his standard as he roped in Tegan and Sara, Cary Brothers, some of the Sigur Ros guys, the lovely Priscilla Ahn and more to help compose and guest on the music.  Decent results
Tokio Hotel
VA - Def Jam Recordings 25th Anniversary Box Set
VA - Now Country Christmas
John Vanderslice
Kurt Vile
The XX


Not bad, right?  I knew you'd like it.  Well, there's more to come next week, but we'll fry that fish once it's caught.  Meanwhile, get those fall colors out and enjoy pumpkin everything, and I'll see you when I read you


Meow (a(a)


p.s. as if reading about them wasn't enough, you can enjoy a playlist featuring most of these fine artists on my MySpace Page.  Ennjoy

Lots of great releases this week - some stellar returns, some small disappointments, even some great country albums, but we'll let other blogs cover those.  Meanwhile, dig in, because your Autumn season is about to kick off in a rather big way...


AFI - Crash Love - more than matches the goth/pop/punk excellence of their last couple albums, adds crisp production and even more songs that amazingly hit the bulls-eye right between dancefloor rock, goth-pop, and emo fatalism, without sacrificing anything from their sound, lyrics, or Davey Havok's amazingly weird voice
Alice In Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue - man, I had no idea how much I missed this sound, this dark, sorrow-driven sludge-metal with humidly-demonic nasal-tinged harmonies.  New singer William DuVall has a voice that's a perfect middle-ground between departed frontman Layne Staley and Tool's Maynard Keenan, and Jerry Cantrell has kept both his vocal and his metal chops in top form.  This was mighty pleasing to hear, and if you're a fan from awhile back you shouldn't be disappointed.  They've had awhile for their angst to build up, after all...
Amerie
The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You - surprisingly slow and introspective for a major-label debut, especially helmed by Rick Rubin, the sibling neo-folk duo keep it country and low-key for most of this album, with the big-label gloss mostly only coming out for string arrangements and piano work.  Great songs and all, but it's like they got all serious and toned down the barn-burning hoe-downs for a respectable concert-hall hush, which is kind of a bummer
Big & Rich
Breakestra
Breaking Benjamin
Brookville
Buckcherry
Mariah Carey
Cherry Poppin' Daddies
Cory Chisel
Chromeo
Jesse Cook
Elvis Costello & The Attractions - live
Dawes
Dethklok (from Metalocalypse)
Dizzee Rascal
Drivin' N' Cryin'
Evergreen Terrace
Genesis - live box set
Ghostface Killah
Bebel Gilberto - All In One - gorgeous album of contemporary Brazilian bossa from the daughter of the man who brought it into the mainstream.  Great percussion from Carlinhos Brown, and lots of star turns from big modern names like Mark Ronson and Dust Brothers' John King.  She's one of my chill-out faves, and delivers in spades here
Selena Gomez
Fred Hammond
Corey Harris
Will Hoge - The Wreckage - one of the most faithful traditional rock singer/songwriters of this generation continues his streak here, impressive considering this album was started before and finished after a near-fatal traffic accident (hence the title?).  With a voice akin to Gavin DeGraw or Rocco DeLuca and a sound like an updated Tom Petty, this is honest, rootsy, well-written, and homegrown music through and through
Robert Earl Keen
Kidz Bop Xmas!!1!
Kill Hannah
Kris Kristofferson
La Roux - La Roux - US debut for chart-topping Brit synth-pop duo whose glitschy dancefloor fare conjures images of club-goers doing the robot, literally.  Like 80's Madonna but with a Eurythmics coat of androgyny and less sex (one might even say unisex, even)
Miranda Lambert
Langhorne Slim
Lil' Rob
Patty Loveless
Ludo
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Mack 10
Madonna - yet another hits collection
Michael McDonald - Xmas (yes, already)
The Melvins
Marc Mulcahy Tribute - Ciao My Shining Star - an all-star outpouring of support for this former frontman for Miracle Legion and Polaris in his time of need, supporting twin daughters after the recent loss of his wife.  An excellent sampling of Mulcahy tracks performed by Thom Yorke, the National, Josh Rouse and more - notable for the big names, but also for the excellent songcraft, and it's for a good cause!
Mya
OST - Where the Wild Things Are - upbeat, sunny yet ominous with an indie edge, it's Karen O and an orchestra of rock and roll's finest scenesters, featuring members of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Raconteurs, Queens of the Stone Age, and Deerhunter, to name a few.  These are modern kid's tunes for a modern kid's movie, and I'm continually impressed by how cheerful these songs sound while still having a bit of rawness to them.  Nice job, I really hope the movie is this unabashedly enjoyable
OST - Whip It - while this movie, an Ellen Page vehicle and roller-derby underdog tale, may or not be completely awful, the fact that it's directed by music scenester Drew Barrymore (repeat: y/n awful?) means the soundtrack kicks your hipster ass like a 'roided-out derby brawler.  Tracks from Tilly and the Wall, Peaches, the Raveonettes, Little Joy and more nestle comfortably alongside classics from the Ramones, the Breeders, and Dolly Parton.  This is a smartly-collected soundtrack, and quite noteable for anyone in hip music-snob circles
Paramore - Brand New Eyes - weathering much internal strife makes for great songwriting if you're in a pop/punk band like Paramore, and this now-fivesome bring much fire and a little more maturity to their huge guitar-rock attack this time around.  Impressive as ever is vocalist Hayley Williams, whose voice still defies belief for power and sincere turmoil.  Fans will be pleased, and this album is as good a time as any to introduce yourself to one of this decade's best all-around rock bands (Bonus Note - this album is on sale today through myspace music for $3.99!)
Landon Pigg
Push Play
Hope Sandoval - Through the Devil Softly - she may have spent 8 years between albums, but Hope Sandoval's soft, mysterious croon sounds dreamy as ever, still nestling snugly in warm, shadowy reverb.  Much better songs on this sophomore album, still collaborating with ace ex-MBV drummer Colm O'Ciosoig, whose once-mighty drumming is now expertly applied to nuance and arrangement.  Really, once you've heard Sandoval sing you've heard her on every song, but luckily the tracks stack up pretty nicely this go-round so she's singing over something you enjoy hearing, like a waking dream in slow-motion
Bob Schneider
7 Worlds Collide - top-tier talent unite for the Oxfam charity, featuring members of Wilco, Radiohead, Neil Finn, KT Tunstall, Johnny Marr, and a bunch more
The Shaky Hands
State Radio
Steel Panther
Rod Stewart - rarities box set
Barbra Streisand
Steve Vai - DVD
Warren G
You Say Party! We Say Die! - XXXX - hopped up on 80's glam punk as ever, these kids are full of keyboard-driven indie dancefloor numbers, and singer Becky Ninkovic embodies the best of everyone from Debbie Harry to Joan Jett to Iggy Pop - craazy, but crazy good
Zero 7 - Yeah Ghost - another decent entry into the Binns/Hardaker catalog of chilled-out pop grooves, with a good amount of style variation thrown in this time around and a top-shelf talent discovery in guest-vocalist Eska Mtungwazi, who revs up the soul factor on near half the album


That'll start your fall season off right.  And there's even more to come, so strap in and get ready for a tasty, tuneful Autumn '09.  See you when I read you, and you can read me again next week...


Meow (a(a)


p.s. as if reading about them wasn't enough, you can enjoy a playlist featuring most of these fine artists on my MySpace Page.  Ennjoy

Well, I'll say this much - this week could get expensive.  Not just for me - for anyone who reads the blog list this week.  Not just a few great bands from a genre or two, but some of the best and well-known artists across the board are releasing some really great albums, the best of their careers so far for a few, and I'm not exaggerating.  Bundle that up with some truly inspiring debuts, side-projects, and an indie-cred educational album, and you've got more than a few to keep you busy.  On with it then:


Basement Jaxx - Scars - finally it's acceptable to be a Basement Jaxx fan again, though still not for mainstream folks.  The eclectic dance duo rope in star turns from Kelis, Sam Sparro, Santigold, Amp Fiddler and more for a better-than-average full-length album.  Plenty of weirdness, and some lulls, but all outweighed by the space-born booty-groovin' big-beat sounds present on all tracks here
Billy Talent
Black Tape for a Blue Girl
Brand New - Daisy - continually amazing that a band that started out with high-school-level power-pop emo leanings has turned out some of the most musically mature and lyrically challenging LPs of the 00's.  Daisy continues the sinister, soul-searching streak conjured up with their last album, with plenty of the fan-required hardcore screaming, but luckily an equal portion of quiet, lurking shadows where they've lately been doing their most ground-breaking work.  All in all, fewer full-on crowd-rockers, but a more satisfyingly dark catharsis is definitely achieved
Castanets
Nick Cave
Children of Bodom
Harry Connick, Jr
David Crowder Band - Church Music - nothing shocking or surprising (except maybe the alt.disco-esque, ELO-themed cover art), just steady modern worship music with the slight DCB electro-fueled edge and solid rock production
Deadmau5
Diamond Rio
Five Finger Death Punch
Lisa Germano
Girls - Album - this green-tinged San Fran lo-fi duo sure generated a lot of blog buzz with their wanton drug-and-religion-fueled backstory, which is probably good for them since their music is kind of enh.  Think Jesus and Mary Chain on a sunny SoCal beach, with slightly-detuned guitars, kitschy percussion, and reverb sandwiches served up on every track, and Christopher Owens' shaky, off-kilter voice (landing somewhere between Conor Oberst and Brian Wilson) delivering each narrative convincingly enough.  I still don't see the hype being justified, but maybe I'm just not mellow enough...
David Gray
Jessica Harp
Hawk Nelson
Richard Hawley
Islands - Vapours - OK so firstly, just to get it out of the way, Islands head honcho Nick Thorburn is evidently going by the surname "Diamonds" now.  Nutty... whatevs.  Perhaps it's in keeping with the sound of this album, angling for a wider chunk of the middle-ground between indie rock and mainstream pop.  Wiggy synths and danceable beats pepper many of the tracks, and Thorburn's--I mean, um, Diamond's-- voice and lyrics are of a lighter and and more accessible variety this go-round.  Their journey away from fringe indie taste-makers is kind of a bummer (they were really good on the fringe), but the guitars still chug and jangle in the right places, so who doesn't mind a little disco sunshine instead of hipster coastline gloom - maybe they'll actually get some notice out of it
Joshua James - Build Me This - soft-spoken heartland singer/songwriter who's got one of those voices that just quietly peels back all your layers and saddles right up to your insides.  Gorgeous, organic production with perfect, soulful vocal arrangements, a healthy dose of church organ mixed in, and expertly-applied guitars all vie for attention; James is righteously powerful at full volume, and devastating even with just an acoustic behind him.  He's one of the most consistently excellent artists I've heard (on 4 albums and a couple EPs now) and he's only getting better.  To give a testimonial, this album has been out on iTunes for a couple weeks now, and has received an average 5-star rating with 88 reviews submitted.  That's a lot of satisfied people
Sean Kingston
Mark Knopfler
KSM
Larry the Cable Guy
LCD Soundsystem - 45:33 remixes
Dominique Leone
Matt Maher
Mika
Amy Millan - Masters of the Burial - honey of a second album from this soft/sweet-voiced member of Canadian indie superbands Stars and Broken Social Scene (some of whom contribute here).  Definitely more mellow and folk-tinged than her daytime job, but so smooth and deftly handled in its minimalism that it remains an engaging, if sometimes overly-soothing, album
Monsters of Folk - Monsters of Folk - this super-summit of Conor Oberst, M Ward, Mike Mogis, and MMJ's Jim James (as Yim Yames) is not actually that folky; rather, each artist contributes some of their admittedly folk-leaning material, and then they juice it up with tasty vintage-sounding guitar and production, ending up closer to the "monster" than the "folk".  Whatever, who needs to mince words when you've got great new music from 4 guys who know their way around a tune?
Mudhoney - reissues
Music Go Music
Noisettes
Yoko Ono
Pastels
Pearl Jam - Backspacer - what do you need to hear?  By now you've had plenty of chances to hear the new rock-heavy entries into their catalog, what with appearances on Target TV commercials, Conan O'Brien, and all over the interwebs.  Their previous, self-titled effort was somewhat of a reinvigorating reboot of their franchise, and they bring that vigor into these sessions, with the results being... I'd say decent, not really groundbreaking, but they sound great and have plenty of fire.  These grunge veterans have plenty left in'em...
Julie Peel - Near the Sun - I've been enjoying the creative output from this non-chalant, multi-national singer/songwriter for well over a year now, mostly due to American Laundromat Records' Joe Spadaro doing a good job of not hiding his enthusiasm about her work (and featuring her high-point contributions on some decent tribute records).  This is the kind of music which you could hear in the hippest of indie art movies - I can see Zooey Deschanel and Jason Schwartzman painting a room in an overly-disheveled Brooklyn loft under direction from Sofia Coppola on any of these tracks.  Peel has the benefit of a few creative touchstone territories, hailing from Cannes, spending time in Montreal, and residing in Brooklyn.  Luckily, none of this, or her subtly immense compositional talent, goes to her head, and these songs stay low-key and personal, with uncluttered arrangements played, mixed, and produced mostly by her, with expertly understated help from cellist pal Cyrille Catios and drummer/producer Andreas Dahlback.  Lots of Pixies/Kim Deal influence popping up, too, which sounds really interesting in the mellow, cruise-controlled melancholy of these compositions.  Overall, what a great debut - indie filmmakers have found their soundtrack songs, and indie hipsters have another talented female genius to pine after.  WIN.
A.R. Rahman
Rain Machine (TVOTR's Kyp Malone) - Rain Machine - if you're a TV on the Radio fan, you'll be mighty satisfied by this release from their mightily-bearded singer/guitarist.  Malone handles pretty much all the instrumental duties, with plenty of falsetto and layered vocals with thick grooves and phat beats - he does half of TVOTR's singing and songwriting, so some of this basically sounds like half of any of their previous albums, minus Dave Sitek's production (think less sinewy keyboard haze, but just as much reverb).  Luckily, the rest of the album is an expansion toward some varied and eclectic genres (eastern, almost Tibetan, acoustic introspection), and is a welcome addition to this artist's already-impressive catalogue
Rakim
Jonathan Richman - best of
Sea Wolf
Jon Secada
Ralph Stanley
They Might Be Giants - Here Comes Science - two of earth's most entertaining songwriters turn their talents toward the classroom yet again in pursuit of helping young people everywhere stay awake in science class.  These songs ARE rather informative, but luckily they're also catchy as the flu and produced to be enjoyable to children and indie hipsters of all ages
Three Days Grace
Times New Viking - Born Again Revisited - these guys take the term "lo-fi" to a whole new level, almost to the point of absurdity, but they seem to get a following out of it.  The formula stays intact on this new album, with plenty of busy-sounding, fuzzy-edged guitars and organs providing a muddy foundation for their AM-radio GBV vocal ethic to play through
The Twilight Sad - Forget the Night Ahead - this band of Scots has really matured, taking their dense, hazy Northern England gloom and really condensing it for a powerful punch of brogue-bathed shoegaze played at breakneck speeds.  Jarring at times, but a fulfilling journey through the darker places on the indie landscape
VA - NOW Club Hits
VA - Where the Action Is!  LA Nuggets 1965-68
Vertical Horizon
Volcano Choir
Rufus Wainwright - Milwaukee At Last!!! live album
Ween - reissues
WHY? - Eskimo Snow - still some of the most world-weary and yet simultaneously fragile lyrical fare in all of indie-dom, Josiah Wolf questions more than ever the purpose of walking this earth in a way that makes you feel his pain while still seeing his reasons for going on.  This band is singularly unique in its sonic palette, incorporating hip hop and obscure musical textures seamlessly into its overall jaded rock sound


I'm really not equipped to be tempted by this much high-quality new mewsic.  I'm turning my ignorance switch on in 3..2..1.. *SWITCH*  Well, that's a few good albums to get you started, hope you find something good in there.  I know it's there, I just can't seem to remember what it is... anyways, have a great week, and see you when I read you


Meow (a(a)


p.s. enjoy a decent-sized chunk of this week's new songs on my MySpace Page.  It's updated whenever I feel like it, which is just about once a week...

First off, let it be said that I am a long-time MUSE fan - I jumped on the boat with their UK debut (Showbiz) a decade ago, actually found and enjoyed their UK-only (until '07) sophomore effort (Origin of Symmetry), and was absolutely floored by the magnum opus of Absolution, their stateside-relaunching and still unparalleled third LP.  Their last full-length (Black Holes and Revelations) left me a bit flat, seeming like a re-tooling of much of what made Absolution excellent - retreads and rewrites, with good stuff but not much new sauce flowing.  Luckily, I can now say that feeling has subsided, and then some, with the band's new album, The Resistance, due mostly to the fact that instead of trying to repeat their creative accomplishments, they're augmenting them with mammoth symphonia, military-sized choral walls, and absolutely MASSIVE guitar solos (which give a considerable nod+wink to Brian May).  I've always described their sound as a razor-edged semi truck leading an armada of spaceships at full-speed down a post-apocalyptic highway, so it's nice to have that description become dwarfed by their unquenchable ambition.  There are other albums out this week, but this one will be the one that will likely garner most, if not all, of my attention for the rest of the month.  On we go:


Anvil - This is Thirteen - rabid acclaim for their real-life-Spinal-Tap rockumentary has garnered these old-world metal merchants a release for their new LP.  Solid metal if you're into it, or just good for the camp value, but worthy of at least a notice
Big Star - rarities box set!
Black D Murder
Butterfly Boucher
Brownout
Cafe Tacuba
Cowboy Troy
Dappled Cities - Zounds - a consistent collage of dream-pop from down under, this Aussie 5-piece weaves magic into their rather danceable creations.  All sorts of modern touchstones I could namecheck for these guys' sounds, but overall know they've got style - they've got a sort of dark majesty that could easily fill the hippest Brooklyn nightclub with more dapper-dressed hipsterati hoodlums than the imported coffee supply could feasibly support
Marie Digby
The Dodos
The Doors - reissues
Dora the Explorer - christmas album!  Yaaay!  Still 3 months awaaay!
The Elms
Every Time I Die
Ace Frehley
Nelly Furtado - Mi Plan - como un pajaro, the nasal-tinged nightingale releases her first Spanish-language album, and takes all the Timbaland tricks she learned from her last album into it.  It would hold up pretty well as an English-language album, as her musical composition still retains the sort of cultural boho cohesion which helps her effortlessly glide between dance-pop, folk, and even club music at times
Gordon Gano (of Violent Femmes)
Gatlin Brothers
Mike Gordon - live
Grand Archives - Keep in Mind Frankenstein - no leaps forward on the second album from former Band of Horses co-singer Mat Brooke's current band, but most of what made their debut so engaging (lush harmonies, resonant reverb guitar drones, laid-back rainy-day grooves) is back in full force, and augmented with some theremin (!) and a sadly sweet duet with indie folk songstress Sera Cahoone.  Not too bad for a sophomore effort, but I was hoping for a bit more...
Smokey Hormel
Bruce Hornsby
Mason Jennings
Jupiter One - Sunshower - hip and angular but still lush and colorful, a real surprise of a second album from these Brooklyn alt.rockers, with arty production and some full-on Beatles-esque psychedelia and harmonies popping up in unexpected places
Kid Cudi - Man On the Moon - man, I really hope this is the new direction of hip hop.  A crossroads between modern rap and indie rock psychedelia is what Kid has made his debut, a well-considered, musically-resplendent think piece that is definitely not your average throw-together collision of mindless club hitz.  Roping in the members of Ratatat, Emile, and MGMT for guest spots (instead of your average Lil Wayne-alikes), Cudi builds on the Kanye 808 sound (mercifully without AutoTune) and reaches for the moon, the stars, and beyond.  His subject matter is still mostly your average hip-hop misogyny collage, but delivered with deft wordplay and a solid, sure flow that suits the darker tones of his tracks.  A fulfilling official debut, and an artist to watch
Lil Boosie
Living Colour
Lo Fidelity Allstars
The Lovemakers
Madcon
Manic Street Preachers
Barrett Martin
John Mayall
Megadeth
Moneen
Mr. Big - a live recording of one of the, if not THE most, technically proficient groups of musicians ever to deplete a supermarket's Aqua-net supply, from their 2009 reunion tour performance at Budokan
MUSE - The Resistance - see above, and get ready for what happens when Queen's sense of grandeur meets Matthew Bellamy's science-fiction histrionics.  This album does what I was hoping their last album would do, which is taking the apocalyptic sound and content from their Absolution album and take it up out of the atmosphere and through the solar system in search of new planets to tangle up in its wake.  Bellamy's lyrics maintain epic-level standards; his singing makes you a believer; and his classical training, which has thus far so wonderfully fleshed out their previous efforts, is put to master use here with keyboard and piano textures everywhere, expertly composed and meticulously placed to complement the army of vocal flourishes and the turn-on-a-dime dynamics which keep the prog comparisons justified but don't let them dominate.  Everything about this album really is a testament to the "bigger is better" mentality, but for this band it's not an exercise in excess, but rather a long-awaited fulfillment of the promise their early work suggested.  A win in all categories - I can't wait to see where they go from here...
New Boyz
Orange
Pere Ubu
Playaz Circle
Porcupine Tree
Protest the Hero
Q-Tip - Kamaal the Abstract - as in "Abstract Poet", the honey-smooth rhyme merchant brings a silkier groove and more laid-back (if you wondered if it were possible) approach to this new LP, exploring some more classic soul sounds upon which to build his literary architecture
Serena Ryder
Scotland Yard Gospel Choir
Shadows Fall
Maia Sharp
Shudder To Think - live
Simian Mobile Disco
Ricky Skaggs
Santana - Supernatural 10-yr CD/DVD
Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats
Stars of Track and Field - A Time for Lions - releasing one of the best overall debuts in recent years by any band I've heard, of course a follow-up will be a challenge, and I guess technically they were up to it, but I'm still a bit let down by the sophomore album by this veteran trio.  Their previous effort was subtle: slow-building in its majesty, and warmly huge in its crescendos, with inventive electronic accompaniment and perfect song-serving guitar-work which jangled and swelled in all the right places.  This time around they sprint out the gate with a more deliberate grab at the Coldplay-crowd mainstream, using stock keyboard and acoustic strumming as foundations for good-enough songs, and only adding in electronic flourishes or guitar jangles as afterthoughts.  Still decent enough, but I was hoping for so much more...
Sunny Day Real Estate - reissues
David Sylvian - Manafon - one of the most deep and arresting voices in music belongs to one of its most divergent, tortured artists, and this literary baritone continues his streak of resolutely treading well wide of any beaten path on this album.  You could almost call it "post-music", as there is rarely a meter or cadence to be found; rather, it's a highly-skilled group of collaborators painting a musical vision in tandem, over which Sylvian deftly conjures his rich images of longing and despair of miniscule existence set against the backdrop of the relentless onward flow of time and everyday life.  Deep, much too deep for your average mainstream listener, but most music-philes probably have this album on pre-order from some website somewhere
Thrice
Trick Daddy
Uncle Cracker
Kate Walsh
Pete Yorn / Scarlett Johansson - Break Up - actually recorded back in 2006, this laid-back collaboration is covered in an old-world haze, like sunlight shining into a dusty old room.  8 originals by Yorn plus one cover, with Pete and ScarJo trading missives and relational barbs like old flames freshly burnt out.  Scarlett sounds much better on this than on her Dave Sitek-produced debut, and they actually end up sounding a lot like She & Him with less of a girl-group dynamic and more of a lazy 70's adult/contemporary feel.  The cover art is even decent.  This is nothing to be ashamed of, and I even enjoyed it, though I won't be admitting that loudly in my local indie record shop...


OK that's just about all I can handle this week.  I've just been called in to make some news, so if you find something on this list that pleases, please do share your thoughts.  Until then, see you when I read you


Meow (a(a)


p.s. enjoy a sampling from this week's new songs on my MySpace Page.  It's updated pretty much weekly now...

These last two weeks have had lots of releases, but honestly nothing that got me really excited.  So, I'll run it down like this, starting with the few things I'm actually excited about:

The Beatles are releasing their entire catalog remastered on Wednesday, 9/9/09.  It's gonna make them the best-selling band of this decade, and I can tell you (through leaks - yay interwebs) that it sounds much, much better than their current catalog recordings.  Good stuff.
Future of Forestry (Travel II EP) is one of my favorite bands in general, trading on an incredibly dynamic guitar sound, atmospheric production, and impassioned vocals by Eric Owyoung.  Consistently brilliant and inspiring
I had mixed feelings about the debut from A Fine Frenzy, but Alison Sudol really takes some chances for her sophomore effort (Bomb in a Birdcage), and the dreary ballads are far outweighed by new, exciting, and heavier tracks on the new LP - worth checking out
If you like singer/songwriter stuff, you'll enjoy perusing the new entries from Howie Day, Marie Digby, Sondre Lerche, A.A. Bondy, David Bazan, Derek Webb, and Liam Finn (+Eliza Jane)
If you're a hard rock fan, you'll enjoy Saoson, Thousand Foot Krutch, and The Used
Indie hipster rock fans, enjoy Blk Jks, Vivian Girls, Yo La Tengo, Datarock, and perhaps Simian Mobile Disco

Those are all the comments I have to offer over the last two weeks.  Here's the list in long form:
 
9/8/09:
The Beatles - remastered (9/9/09)
Blk Jks
Boys Like Girls
Brooks & Dunn
Buckcherry
The Clean
Howie Day
Marie Digby
A Fine Frenzy
Flying Machines
Future of Forestry
Jay-Z
Stephen Kellogg
Sondre Lerche
Little Dragon
Jeb Loy Nichols
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Os Mutantes
Phish
Polvo
Raekwon
Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Saosin
The Stone Roses
Taken By Trees
Thousand Foot Krutch
Three Inches of Blood
Tulku
Frank Turner
Vivian Girls
Wild Beasts
Yo La Tengo

9/1/09:
A.A. Bondy
Andrew W.K. - solo piano improvisations inspired by his '55 Cadillac.  No, really
David Bazan
Black Crowes
Chevelle
Cross Canadian Ragweed
Datarock
Casey Donahew
Dreams
Drive-By Truckers - Oddities and Rarities
The Entrance Band
Farewell
Liam Finn + Eliza Jane
John Fogerty
Radney Foster
Whitney Houston
Insane Clown Posse
Killer Mike
Ladyhawke - special ed.
Juliette Lewis
New Boyz
Pitbull
Porn Sword Tobacco
Queen - reissues
Chuck Ragan
Simian Mobile Disco
Rod Stewart - (yet another) best of
Allen Toussaint
Trey Songs
The Used
VA - Ministry of Sound Summer 2009
Derek Webb
Yonder Mountain


I'll be back in top form next week with reviews of new albums by Muse, Grand Archives, David Sylvian, and the sophomore album by a band who made one of 2007's most arresting debuts, Stars of Track and Field.  I might even give that ScarJo/Pete Yorn LP a taste or two.  Until then, see you when I read you

Meow (a(a)

p.s. don't forget, you can get a bite-size sample of this week's tuneage on my MySpace Page.  Updated week-to-week, for her pleasure... mrowr!

Before I even get into the albums releasing this week (and there are a LOT of them), let's discuss this Tuesday's most important news item by far: the first single from the soundtrack to Spike Jonze's new take on Where the Wild Things Are!!!1!  It's called "All is Love", from the score by Karen O and "the Kids", and it glows with the same giddy magic which made the book so special to so many of us - if the movie does half as good a job capturing the story's imaginative essence as this song does, it's gonna be unforgettable.  OK, onto the rest of the musicalmagic:


All Leather
Arctic Monkeys - Humbug - these Sheffield blokes always came off like carbon copies of Franz Ferdinand filtered through a bit of the Madchester scene, so I can't say I'm a fan, but on LP #3 they team with Josh Homme and sludge it up a bit, ending up less radio-friendly but much darker, edgier and heavier.  Not so danceable this time around, but definitely more mature as a band - overall, a solid progression but maybe not so solid a product, this album...
Awaken Demons
Beastie Boys - Hello Nasty reissue
George Benson
Blitzen Trapper
Bloody Beetroots
Brian Bromberg
The Bronx - Mariachi El Bronx - ethically sound Los Angeles punks take their hardcore roots and make... a mariachi record.  These guys have cojones the size of coconuts, but they make it work surprisingly well
Tim Buckley - Live at the Folklore Center, NYC: March 6th, 1967
Colbie Caillat
The Casualties
Cheap Trick - Sgt. Pepper live
Collective Soul
Felix Da Housecat - He Was King - indie underground dance maestro gets Euro through his Prince filter, filling up his new LP with fuzzy rave synths and pre-party-processed beats and getting all sorts of grindage out on the dancefloor
Bela Fleck - triple concerto w/ Zakir Hussein and Edgar Meyer
Fun. - Aim and Ignite - former Format frontman Nate Ruess' new project is aptly named, as this is an album full of colorful, light-hearted pop with limitless ambition and monumental grandeur.  Shades of vintage Queen(and maybe even Styx?)-level orchestration pepper these ten tracks, with Ruess' amazingly versatile tenor leading the menagerie like a seasoned drum major.  This is your circus-tent-sized uplift for the decade
Robert Glasper
David Guetta
Hurricane Chris
Imogen Heap - Ellipse - this immensely-talented and electronic-savvy singer/songwriter has no end of tricks up her considerably quirky and fashionable sleeves.  For you who jumped on her fanwagon with 2005's Speak For Yourself, satisfaction will come easily, as the subtly soaring orchestrations and majestic vocal flourishes abound, and her lyrics hold up to literary scrutiny, full of elegant longing and deceptively droll confessionals.  For my money, however, the pure gold on this album is in the inventive arrangements, of which Imogen Heap has plenty, calling upon her classical piano training and programming virtuosity.  Many of these tracks will no doubt be amazing in concert with her live-looping skills and keyboard wizardry.  The layers just keep on coming, making this third LP an absolute triumph and absolutely worth the wait and the investment
Matt Hires
Jack Ingram
Jet
Kittie, Daisy & Lewis
Leeland - Love Is On the Move - one of the most accessible crossover CCM alt.rock bands to ever hit the radio waves keeps the quality on high with their third full-length, cementing their soaring sound and surpassing any Keane or Switchfoot comparisons easily
LeToya
Lil' Ru
Love and Theft
Matisyahu - Light - infectious reggae/rock/hip-hop hybrids have never been this kosher.  Proper album number three finds the roots rabbi versatile as ever, flowing between his rapid rhyme, beatbox, and shouted-verse skills with ease, and gelling with his able band to pull out hook after hook of uplifting chorus and breakbeat breakdowns.  Divine invention through and through, this man was placed on the earth for a purpose, and that purpose is to make barrier-breaking music, which is achieved with remarkable quality yet again here
David Mead
Mew
Ingrid Michaelson - Everybody - this quirky underdog singer/songwriter has slowly, quietly risen to just within mainstream awareness, and her new album has its sights set squarely on making a big impression (fitting with her album title - she's trying to reach everybody).  Her writing is ultimately still her strongest foundation and while that standard continues, the intimate cafe sound has been substantially upgraded to auditorium status, with big, radio-friendly production that doesn't lessen the songs' impact, but rather amplifies it.  This is her moment, and she's not pulling any punches
Needtobreathe - The Outsiders - man, this band just suckerpunched me in the best way.  Incorporating all my favorite elements of bands like Kings of Leon and U2, these South Carolina boys build their sound from the earth up, using organic melody-making and roots-strong production to make their overall product sound absolutely huge, but still fully natural, no artificial flavors or colors.  The song "Lay'Em Down" is a simply decimating piece of soul-cleansing perfection, there's no way around it - take a listen and you'll be hooked
Willie Nelson
Dolores O'Riordan
OST - Fame 2009
OST - Halloween 2
OST - Jennifer's Body
OST - Taking Woodstock
Patton Oswalt
The Postmarks
Queen Latifah
Radiohead - reissues
Smokey Robinson
Skillet
The Smiths - reissues
Still Life Still
The Subdudes
Irma Thomas
Katt Williams


There's some great stuff out next week as well, but I'll be on vacation, not sure how much of a list I'll actually be posting (for anyone who will miss it, sorry!).  I hope this list gives you something tasty, and see you when I read you


Meow (a(a)


p.s. enjoy a sampling from this week's new songs on my MySpace Page.  It's updated pretty much weekly now...