Land of Talk - Some Are Lakes (2008)

Land of Talk are a female-fronted pop/rock group on Saddle Creek records. The vocals are always quite sweet, charmingly so, but not childlike. The music is more upbeat, providing a solid backbone for the vocals although it sometimes sounds a bit borrowed. The album is still enjoyable. The vocals sound invigorated, and have some energy to them, taking some attention from the instruments, which when focused on, often seem to churn mindlessly. My favorite songs are "It's Okay" and "Young Bridge." Both are in the middle of the album, the former being a slower song and the latter having a very catchy chorus. The last song "Troubled" stands out the most, being built around mellow acoustic guitar strumming, and pretty vocal harmonies. It's the only song stripped down that much, but it shows how the ringing guitars contribute to the album. It isn't better or worse, just very different. Overall, there is something very likable about this album, maybe it's the mood created by the vocals. It's catchy and pleasant. This is their second album and is better than their debut album because it seems to offer more variety and clearer production.

1. Yuppy Flu (5:08)

2. Death by Fire (4:10)

3. The Man Who Breaks Things (2:11)

4. Some Are Lakes (3:41)

5. Give Me Back My Heart Attack (4:27)

6. It's Okay (4:54)

7. Young Bridge (3:45)

8. Corner Phone (3:14)

9. Got a Call (4:19)

10. Troubled (3:22)

Brand New - Daisy (2009)

Unfortunately, it sounds like Brand New is trying not to be Brand New anymore. On their last album, “The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me” (2006), they really came into their own. I had always liked them, even when they were melodramatic pop-punkers in the early 2000s. Of course, I was a melodramatic high-schooler then who identified with their scathing anthems of not fitting in, but recognizing that by not fitting in they became sort of able to fit in where they really wanted to fit in. This stuff was a lot more meaningful when I was 16. On “The Devil and God” they shed much of their angst in favor of a more thoughtful, pensive tone. It really worked in their favor because it lent a sort of credibility to the music. The songs were catchier and it became easier to respect them as musicians.

I was eagerly waiting for “Daisy.” The difference between this album and their others is an immediately noticeable darker, less accessible feel. I wonder if they were trying to write their “Pinkerton” with this album. The problem is it sounds like Brand New is making a conscious effort here, so it doesn’t really seem authentic. “At the Bottom,” for example, is a fairly catchy song. It sort of plods along with a midtempo rhythm to it that is plenty danceable, but the vocals sound so unenthused, and the song is drowned in wailing guitar screeching. Imagine a band playing one of their hits but obviously not enjoying it. “Vices,” “Gasoline” and “Bought a Bride” are all a mess. There are a few high points: “You Stole” is a good enough song, I think it’s the most successful attempt at what they’re going for here. It’s a ballad that never really gets the life I’d hope it would, but plods along with that sort of emotive distress perfected by bands like Fugazi. “Sink” is my favorite song here. “Daisy” is a decent song that actually sounds like Brand New. Jesse Lacey’s voice sounds like him again. He really needs a hug. Unfortunately, while the song sounds like Brand New, it isn’t amongst their best songs. It just doesn’t seem to go anywhere. “Noro” is also quite good, but it changes direction too much.

I am not the type to hold it against a band when they try to expand their sound or try new things. They aren’t here to serve me, they are their own people and their art should be exactly what they want it to be, but I can’t help but feel disappointed. This is a good album, but it isn’t what I hoped for. These songs could be a lot better if less thought was put into them—if they didn’t try so hard to be mature and confusing, if a few layers of distortion and fuzz were stripped away. It’s just a bit too much. It isn’t immediately recognizable as Brand New. Their music has always felt very approachable, innocent; this album seems to present them as a bit threatening. I wouldn’t have recognized it as them. If you liked any of their other albums, there is absolutely no guarantee you will like this. It definitely is not bad though. Mediafire

1. Vices (3:24)

2. Bed (3:10)

3. At the Bottom (4:04)

4. Gasoline (3:32)

5. You Stole (6:00)

6. Be Gone (1:31)

7. Sink (3:20)

8. Bought a Bride (3:07)

9. Daisy (3:06)

10. In a Jar (3:06)

11. Noro (6:27)

Against Me! - Reinventing Axl Rose (2002)

Against Me! are my favorite band. They epitomize punk music as I know and love it. There’s a monumental feeling to their music. Tom Gabel’s vocals are powerful and contribute immensely to the intensity of this music and have really come to define the band. “Reinventing Axl Rose” is their first album as a full band and their best full-length in my opinion. It has a folky sing-along style to the vocals that disappeared on their later albums, which are still great by the way. As a result, this is not only very raw, but also has something friendly and inviting about it. A lot of these are very good fast punk songs, such as “Walking is Still Honest” and “Pints of Guinness,” but Against Me! are special because of how well they can pull of protest songs like “Those Anarcho Punks” (my personal favorite), “Baby, I’m an Anarchist!” and “8 Full Hours of Sleep.” It’s easy to get a bit worn out by Gabel’s wailing vocals and left-wing rants, but what makes this music so meaningful to me is that I agree with every word they say. The volume and urgency to the music further cements their messages; it’s the way these things need to be said. Also, some of the lyrics are very clever. I cannot recommend this album enough. Recommended tracks: all except "The Politics of Starving" and "Scream it Until You're Coughing up Blood" which are merely ok. rapidshare

1. Pints of Guinness Make You Strong (2:40)
2. The Politics of Starving (3:06)
3. We Laugh at Danger (And Break All the Rules) (3:17)
4. I Still Love You Julie (3:12 )
5. Scream It Until You're Coughing Up Blood (2:29)
6. Jordan's 1st Choice (2:08)
7. Those Anarcho Punks Are Mysterious... (2:24)
8. Reinventing Axl Rose (2:25)
9. Baby, I'm an Anarchist! (2:40)
10. Walking Is Still Honest (2:37)
11. 8 Full Hours of Sleep (4:00)

Sorry to use rapidshare. I much prefer mediafire, but I don't want to upload all the albums so I'll use what's available.

Beck - Modern Guilt (2008)

For his eighth album, Beck's songs are controlled slabs of abrasive guitars, rumbling bass, his deadpan vocal style, all with his standard attitude of plaintive oddity. Except for the closer, "Volcano," which feels like an outlaw country ballad played in an opera house. The thing about Beck is his music sounds like he doesn't really care what you think of it. In a way, it feels as though the human Beck is distanced from the Beck the musician, something that's a bit of a turn off. I don't really consider myself a fan. I do find "Modern Guilt" to be my favorite of his albums though, mainly because it's concise and controlled. He is a talented musician and a talented songwriter, there's just something mysterious about him that his legions of fans must understand and embrace but I don't. Maybe it's that, but thinking too hard on it seems like a waste of time. mediafire

1. Orphans
2. Gamma Ray
3. Chemtrails
4. Modern Guilt
5. Youthless
6. Walls
7. Replica
8. Soul of a Man
9. Profanity Prayers
10. Volcano

Vitalic - Ok Cowboy (2005)

I had not had a chance to listen to this album until today after seeing a song featured on Pitchfork’s “Best Songs of the 2000s” list. This is an electronic album, I don’t know what kind, my knowledge of electronic styles being very limited. Much of the electronic music I’ve heard, the more acclaimed of it anyway, tends to use a single beat or melody, place ambient sounds and/or samples beneath it, and shift the melody very subtly over the course of 5 minutes or so. It generally requires a lot of attention to catch the nuances. This isn’t your typical hipster-approved electronic “artist.” The melodies change very suddenly, shifting from one really catchy beat to another, the synthesizers and drum machines changing direction at the drop of a hat. It’s so satisfying to hear the changes in each song. “Wooo” is a good example of this. Also, the synth riffs and beats are always very danceable throughout. On my first listen I had to struggle not to shake my head “Night at the Roxbury” style. Anyway, I highly recommend this to folks like myself, who occasionally dabble in electronic music but don’t really know a damn thing about it. mediafire

Also, going to start posting tracklists so it's clear what I'm referring to when I mention song titles.

1. Polkamatic – 1:52
2. Poney Part 1 – 5:22
3. My Friend Dario – 3:37
4. Wooo – 3:52
5. La Rock 01 – 5:25
6. The Past – 4:27
7. No Fun – 3:36
8. Poney Part 2 – 5:12
9. Repair Machines – 3:45
10. Newman – 4:50
11. Trahison – 4:31
12. U and I – 3:39
13. Valletta Fanfares – 2:24

Jose Gonzalez

Jose Gonzalez writes hushed, intimate folk songs that do a whole lot with very little. On record, it’s just him and his acoustic guitar (sometimes I think I hear bongos but if they’re there, they’re so far down in the mix they might as well not be). Live, he sometimes has a percussionist or two. He’s a very talented guitarist, and this helps breathe life into his music. He plays some really intricate, really beautiful guitar parts. His voice, which is soft and soothing, but no especially fragile, is another asset. If you watch him perform his songs he looks so at peace, his mouth barely moving when he sings, you can tell he really pours a lot of himself into his music.

Jose Gonzalez - Veneer (2003)

On “Veneer,” his debut album, he covers The Knife’s electro-pop hit “Heartbeats” and does immense justice to the song given that he used a vastly different medium. As someone who likes my folk or folk-rock to be energetic and warm, this appeals to me because it’s got so much more going on than most solo musicians with an acoustic guitar. His lyrics are simple, but vague, although they play second fiddle to the guitar playing, which really gives the songs their structure. It’s somewhat shocking to hear some depth to lyrics over such mellow guitar parts. mediafire

Jose Gonzalez - In Our Nature (2007)

Gonzalez’s second album, “In Our Nature” is much better produced. You can hear each note a bit clearer. Also, his vocals are higher in the mix, which makes the songs more accessible. The increased use of percussion helps as well. The songs, whether due to the clarity of the sound or simply superior songwriting, sound better. His lyrics seem to have improved as well, although only marginally. They were pretty good to start. While his songs tend to be short (appropriately given the style) the better ones leave me wanting more. On “Veneer” only three songs passed the 3-minute mark and not by much. On “In Our Nature” most of the songs are similarly short as well, but the album ends with an 8-minute track “Cycling Trivialities,” which is not too long for a Jose Gonzalez song. mediafire

Sunset Rubdown - Dragonslayer (2009)

Spencer Krug's side project has been an opportunity for him to play poppier music than he can in Wolf Parade but with a quirkier edge, both in lyrics and song structure. Longtime fans might object to the new style that sacrifices some of the quirkiness of this project for a more streamlined pop sound. I still think it's unique enough to be interesting. "Silver Moon" overflows with confidence, setting the tone for the album. Unfortunately it just isn't as interesting as his past 2 albums have been. It's confident, but not all that energetic. I'll have to update this after I give the album some more time to settle in. mediafire

Hot Water Music - Fuel for the Hate Game (1998)

One of the better punk albums of the 90s. Very rough around the edges. mediafire

The National - Boxer (2007)

This has become one of my favorite albums of all time. Surprisingly, since the only reason I listened to it in the first place was to see what all the hype was about. These guys deserve it though. They're very humble, and their music is relatively accessible, unlike most indie-rock darlings. I guess what I like most about them is that they create a brooding mood with their dense arrangements and Matt Berningers deep voice. The strings and piano contributes nicely to this. Not only that but the subject matter of the songs is often abstract and meaningful. It's probably pointless to describe this, but for those who don't know, this is a mellow, soothing album that also manages to be somewhat unsettling and keeps my interest throughout. Pitchfork (damn them) actually described this album pretty well. "Like those on their last album, these songs reveal themselves gradually but surely, building to the inevitable moment when they hit you in the gut. It's the rare album that gives back whatever you put into it." That's what this did for me. At first listen it was pleasant, well-written indie pop. After a few more listens I suddenly realized this was something special. For those who've somehow lost their copy: mediafire

Wolf Parade - Apologies to the Queen Mary (2005)

I assume most people who want this already know about it and have it. Still, it's one of my favorite albums of the past 5 years. It's very intelligent pop/rock with creative arrangements, good lyrics, and a lot of hooks. My favorite tracks is "Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts" but most of the others are of similar quality. mediafire

Iron and Wine - Around the Well (2009)

A double album of unreleased tracks. For fans of Iron & Wine, or anyone who likes mellow, meditative folk music. 23 tracks is a bit much, but some of these songs are as good as anything he's written, such as "The Trapeze Swinger" (his songs are generally best in small doses, but this 8-minute piece is probably my favorite from him), "Morning," "Swans and the Swimming," No Moon," and "Kingdom of Animals." There are covers of songs by New Order, The Postal Service, The Flaming Lips, and Stereolab. Definitely worth a listen for fans of this type of music, but it won't appeal to anyone else. mediafire

Shellac

First two albums from this Chicago band. They play a type of what would probably be called post-hardcore that's very noisy. The bass is especially crunchy, and is often highest in the mix. The drums are fairly low, giving it a rough, underproduced feel.

Shellac - At Action Park (1994)

Their debut album is really gritty post-hardcore, but it's also very catchy-almost dancable at times. It’s got elements of experimentation, weird guitar effects, really crunchy bass, and is often mid-tempo or slower. The overall sound brings to mind a band playing in dirty basements with a mediocre soundsystem. Check out: “Pull the Cup,” “Crow,” “The Idea of North,” and “Il Porno Star.” mediafire

Shellac - The Futurist (1998)

Not an official release. The band released this to their friends only. According to wikipedia:

"The cover of the album contains 779 names--one for each pressing of the album. At the bottom of the cover is a blank space for anyone not named on the cover to write his/her name. Each person who received the album got a copy with his/her name circled on the cover; this was done for identification of a "culprit" should the album ever end up for sale."

This is highly experimental, consisting of 5 tracks. The first track is almost entirely unmusical. The second is repeated bursts of guitar noise and feedback followed by some mindless riffing. The final track, which is 13 minutes long is kinda epic. Even though this isn't very musical, it still has its beats and rhythms and it has some life to it, and isn't bad, although I much prefer their debut album. mediafire

Blonde Redhead - 23 (2007)

I've read complaints that this represents a poppier direction for the band, at the expense of a more melancholic sound that defined them. I wouldn't know since this is all I've heard from them, but this is just too great to care. It doesn't really get lost in it's swirling haze of guitars, it manages to remain interesting throughout, with each song sounding somewhat different. The drums are very high in the mix as are the vocals. They don't convey anguish or despair like most vocals of this sort of music, but I hear a more positive tone. The production may a bit too crisp for some. I can forgive that though, because this is quite satisfying. Freaky cover art. mediafire

Heavens - Patent Pending (2006)

One-half of this duo is Alkaline Trio guitarist Matt Skiba. They play a poppier version of this gloomy punk rock popularized by the Misfits. It's quite satisfying if you like this sort of thing. Matt Skiba is an excellent pop songwriter, and every song is very catchy. The lyrics may seem a bit too dark, but I think that's the point. Sadly, they have decided not to continue recording, but this is one of my most listened to albums over the past year or so. My favorites: "Gardens," "Heather," "Another Night," "True Hate," "Leave." mediafire