Quanzo Modern Pop Reviews

Best Top Tracks Songs 2011 Part Three

2011-12-01T00:31:00.004-08:00

Song: Ready To Go Steady
Artist: The Go! Team
Album: Rolling Blackouts
Year: 2011

Song: End to the Lies
Artist: Jane's Addiction
Album: The Great Escape Artist
Year: 2011

Song: Candil de la Calle
Artist: Apparat
Album: The Devil's Walk
Year: 2011

Best Top Tracks Songs 2011 Part Two

2011-11-30T22:02:00.008-08:00

Song: Christopher Columbus
Artist: Gruff Rhys
Album: Hotel Shampoo &nbap; Click here for full album review
Year: 2011

Song: Noc-a-Homa
Artist: The Black Lips
Album: Arabia Mountain
Year: 2011

Song: Alice
Artist: Johan Agebjorn
Album: Casablanca Nights &nbap; Click here for full album review
Year: 2011

Best Top Tracks Songs 2011 Part One

2011-11-30T01:20:00.002-08:00

Song: Second Chance
Artist: Junior Boys
Album: It's All True       Click here for full album review.
Year: 2011

Song: Tell Me Now
Artist: The Generationals
Album: Actor-Caster       Click here for full album review.
Year: 2011

Song: Looping State of Mind
Artist: The Field
Album: Looping State of Mind       Click here for full album review.
Year: 2011

Top Album Covers: Rock & Roll Submarine by Urge Overkill

2011-11-13T03:09:00.001-08:00

Urge Overkill had one of the best album covers of 2011 on their Rock n' Roll Submarine full-length. The title track was a highlight.

Song: Rock & Roll Submarine
Band: Urge Overkill
Album: Rock & Roll Submarine
Year: 2011
Rock&Roll Submarine by UrgeOverkill

Urge Overkill on Bandcamp

Urge Overkill home page

Top Tracks of 2011: Reasons by She Wants Revenge from Valleyheart LP

2011-11-13T02:19:00.008-08:00

Despite strongly disliking She Wants Revenge's Valleyheart LP, their track 'Reasons' contains every characteristic of a great band.

For Full Album Review of Valleyheart click right about here.

Artist: She Wants Revenge
Song: Reasons
Album: Valleyheart
Year: 2011

Album Review: Parallax by Atlas Sound

2011-11-10T00:25:00.009-08:00

Deerhunter vocalist's solo project Atlas Sound delivers some technical and musical magic on his newest full length Parallax. Each track arrives and departs with maturity and patience, traversing a route not unlike The The in its heyday, replete with erudite vocals from Bradford Cox that quietly mutate from Death From Above 1979's Sebastien Grainger to U2's Bono. Closing the album with one of the best tracks, Lightsworks, assures repeated plays and signal that this cat knows what he is doing. For those parts of the planet with discernible changes of season, Parallax is a welcome record for our darkening days.

Changes from Parallax by Atlas Sound

Amplifiers from Parallax by Atlas Sound

Parallax from Parallax by Atlas Sound

Praying Man from Parallax by Atlas Sound

Lightsworks from Parallax by Atlas Sound

Atlas Sound on 4AD website.

Parallax by Atlas Sound Tracklist

01. The Shakes
02. Amplifiers
03. Te Amo
04. Parallax
05. Modern Aquatic Nightsongs
06. Mona Lisa
07. Praying Man
08. Doldrums
09. My Angel Is Broken
10. Terra Incognita
11. Flagstaff
12. Nightworks

Album Review-Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds LP

2011-11-08T00:21:00.006-08:00

After several similar artists, including brother Liam's new band Beady Eye and the clueless Kasabian, tried harvesting the magic that Oasis mustered in their heyday, it is satisfying that the elder Noel made something satisfying with his resurgent High Flying Birds LP. Where Beady Eye's ineffective song-writing and Kasabian's desperate mix of disparate sounds failed them, High Flying Birds gets your attention with simply clever songwriting and honest musicianship. An airtight album from brother Gallagher to be enjoyed at any altitude.

If I Had A Gun... by noelgallagher

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Dream On

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - The Death of You and Me

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - If I Had a Gun...

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - AKA... What a Life!

Noel Gallagher - Press Conference 6th July 2011

Top Tracks of 2011-Stone Rollin' by Raphael Saadiq from Stone Rollin' LP

2011-11-07T23:56:00.003-08:00

Raphael Saadiq exhumes the musical spirit of Sam Cooke and Muddy Waters on the title track to his 2011 Stone Rollin' LP.

For full album review of Raphael Saadiq's Stone Rollin' click right about here.

Raphael Saadiq - Stone Rollin'

Top Tracks of 2011: Black Night by The Dodos from No Color LP

2011-11-07T00:34:00.004-08:00

The Dodos' Black Night evolves from a Love & Rockets' Yin and Yang and the Flowerpot Man template on this terrific track.

For Full Album Review of Dodo's No Color LP, click right about here.

Song: Black Night
Album: No Color
Artist: Dodos
Year: 2011

FREE Download of Black Night
Click on down arrow below Info at right of Soundcloud object
The Dodos - "Black Night" by orchardmktg

Top Tracks of 2011-Santa Fe by Beirut from The Rip Tide LP

2011-11-06T23:41:00.004-08:00

'Santa Fe' is easily the best track from Beirut's 2011 album 'The Rip Tide' and one of humankind's best tracks of the year.

For Full Album Review of Beirut's The Rip Tide click right about here.

Beirut - Santa Fe (from The Rip Tide)

Top Tracks of 2011-Dixie Fried Chris Isaak Beyond the Sun

2011-11-04T09:50:00.002-07:00

Impeccable source material with self-assured crooning from Chris Isaak makes Dixie Fried a great success.

Click here for full review of the album Beyond the Sun by Chris Isaak.

Song: Dixie Fried
Album: Beyond the Sun
Artist: Chris Isaak
Songwriter: Carl Perkins
Year: 2011

Chris Isaak - Beyond the Sun Samples by ChrisIsaak

Top Tracks of 2011: Let It Go The Liberators with Roxie Ray The Liberators LP

2011-11-03T22:23:00.004-07:00

The inordinately instrumental band The Liberators invite guest vocalist Roxie Ray who helped refine classic funk on Let It Go.

For Full Review of the The Liberators' self-titled album, click right about here.

Track: Let It Go featuring Roxie Ray
Album: The Liberators
Band: The Liberators
Year: 2011
THE LIBERATORS - Let It Go feat. Roxie Ray by The Liberators - Afrofunk

Top Tracks of 2011-Please Turn by Little Dragon Ritual Union album

2011-11-02T00:57:00.003-07:00

One of the harbingers of 21st century synth pop was Sweden's Little Dragon on their track Please Turn.
Click here for full album review of Ritual Union by Little Dragon.

Song: Please Turn
Album: Ritual Union
Band: Little Dragon
Year: 2011

Top Tracks of 2011-Better Lie by The Get Up Kids There Are Rules

2011-11-02T00:39:00.007-07:00

Among all of the Top Tracks that I've found for myself this year, few are as potent as The Get Up Kids' Better Lie.
Click here for full album review of Better Lie by The Get Up Kids

Orphx - Radiotherapy LP review

2011-10-31T00:46:00.006-07:00

It was less than a minute into first playing Orphx's Radiotherapy full-length in one of my living spaces when it seemed that something in my home was now emitting a low drone with a slight buzzing or humming. Realizing after nearly a minute that it was, in fact, the opening track, I continued on with my life and listening curiously. Radiotherapy follows an oddly hypnotic path of Orbital riding a train through Kraftwerkia, but manages to travel this route with capable production and arrangements. This recurring quality creates a tension not unlike Daft Punk's ability on their soundtrack for the film 'Hanna'. A worthy progression from this Canadian group developing their sound for over 10 years now.

Hear and Buy Orphx on Bandcamp

Song: Lost Again
Album: Radiotherapy
Group: Orphx
Year: 2011

Song: Contamination
Album: Radiotherapy
Group: Orphx
Year: 2011

Song: Tensile
Album: Radiotherapy
Group: Orphx
Year: 2011

Song: 1200 μRH
Album: Radiotherapy
Group: Orphx
Year: 2011

Pure Radio Cosplay ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead Top Tracks of 2011

2011-10-30T15:12:00.001-07:00

The mind-blasting 'Pure Radio Cosplay' by Austin's hidden treasure ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead.

Click here for the full review of 'Tao of Dead' by ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead

Track: Pure Radio Cosplay
Album: Tao of Dead
Band: ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead
Year: 2011

Drum Lesson by Nate Brown from ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead

Give Away Your Heart by The Unthanks from Last LPTop Tracks of 2011

2011-10-27T00:43:00.003-07:00

A gorgeously sad song and absolutely one of the best tracks of 2011 from UK folk band The Unthanks from their album 'Last'.

Track: Give Away Your Heart
Band: The Unthanks
Album: Last
Year: 2011

Candil de la Calle by Apparat from Devil's WalkTop Tracks 2011

2011-10-26T01:16:00.005-07:00

'Candil de la Calle' is an excellent introduction to Apparat's majestic 2011 LP The Devil's Walk. Click here for full review of The Devil's Walk album.

Track: Candil de la Calle
Artist: Apparat
LP: Devil's Walk
[if you have a smartphone, you may need to click the song name/artist to reach Soundcloud]
Candil De La Calle by apparat

Renegades of Jazz-Hip to the Jive review

2011-10-26T00:37:00.004-07:00

A steamroller of samples taken from riffs, fills and basslines from classic big band jazz and then refitted with modern beats, Hip to the Jive from Renegades of Jazz draw comparisons to Dining Rooms, Nicola Conte, Bobby Hughes Combination, and relatively unknown Dining Rooms off-shoot Double Beat. Tracks to build a nice EP starter set from the Renegades of Jazz LP would be the title track Hip to the Jive, Blow Your Horn and Karabine.

Renegades of Jazz - Hip to the Jive
[if you are using a smartphone, you may need to click the band name below to access Soundcloud]
Hip To The Jive by Renegades Of Jazz

Renegades of Jazz - Remixes 2011
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Remixes 2011 by Renegades Of Jazz

Renegades of Jazz - Stereotactics Mixes
Stereotactics Mixes by Renegades Of Jazz

Six Finger Satellite Severe Exposure Review

2011-10-25T02:17:00.011-07:00

Once upon a time, there were these guys from Rhode Island who kept their day jobs and balanced touring with their vacation time from work. They called themselves Six Finger Satellite. 6FS released the brilliant mess of Pigeon is the Most Popular Bird and then released their opus Severe Exposure in 1995. This music had a violently captivating flavour like forgetting your earplugs at the best and loudest concert you've every experienced and not fashioning a pair out of squished up napkins. And, once upon a time, Beavis and Butthead included the Parlour Games video on their show. My ears still ring from Severe Exposure many, many years later.

Six Finger Satellite - Simian Fever (from Severe Exposure LP)
[if you are using a smartphone, you may need to click the song name below to access Soundcloud]
Six Finger Satellite - Simian Fever by subpop

Six Finger Satellite - Parlour Games (Severe Exposure LP)

Six Finger Satellite - Simian Fever (Severe Exposure LP)

Six Finger Satellite - Severe Exposure track list

Tracklist:
1. Bad Comrade
2. Parlour Games
3. White Queen to Black Knight
4. Pulling a Train
5. Simian Fever
6. Cock Fight
7. Dark Companion
8. Where Humans Go
9. Rabies (Baby's got the)
10. Board the Bus

Second Chance by Junior Boys from It's All True LPTop Tracks of 2011

2011-10-21T01:04:00.002-07:00

Canada's Junior Boys build a trippy classic with 'Second Chance' on their It's All True full-length.
Click here for full review of their It's All True album and some FREE Downloads.

Second Chance by Junior Boys from It's All True EP

Second Chance by Junior Boys on Soundclouds
[if you have a smartphone, you may need to click on song-title to access Soundcloud
Junior Boys-Second Chance by Radio Cosmos

Album Review:Chris Isaak - Beyond the Sun

2011-10-21T00:40:00.003-07:00

Respected crooner Chris Isaak pays homage to historic 1950s and 1960s Americana on his latest LP 'Beyond the Sun' with an impeccable collection of tracks including Ring of Fire, I Walk the Line, Great Balls of Fire, and many other recognizable moments in rock history plus a couple of Isaak originals that fit right in. The deluxe version of the album is an additional 11 tracks that will assuredly boost Isaak's sales numbers, which also may increase your enjoyment of the album with My Baby Left Me, Pretty Woman, and I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry. Mr. Isaak's gifted delivery paired with his respect for this classic source material left by Presley, Orbison, Cash, Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis is a treat to witness.

Chris Isaak - It's Now or Never (Live at Sydney Apple Store 7th October 2011)

Chris Isaak - Can't Help Falling in Love (Live at Sydney Apple Store 7th October 2011)

Chris Isaak - Beyond the Sun Samples by ChrisIsaak

Beyond The Sun (Standard) tracklist
1. Ring of Fire
2. Trying To Get To You
3. I Forgot To Remember To Forget
4. Great Balls of Fire
5. Can’t Help Falling In Love
6. Dixie Fried
7. How’s The World Treating You
8. It’s Now or Never
9. Miss Pearl
10. Live It Up
11. I Walk The Line
12. So Long I’m Gone
13. She’s Not You
14. My Happiness

Beyond The Sun (Deluxe Edition) tracklist
1. My Baby Left Me
2. Oh, Pretty Woman
3. Doin’ The Best I Can
4. Your True Love
5. Crazy Arms
6. Lovely Loretta
7. Everybody’s In The Mood
8. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry
9. Love Me
10. Doncha’ Think It’s Time
11. That Lucky Old Sun

You Was Me by Jonny from self-titled LPTop Tracks of 2011

2011-10-21T00:03:00.001-07:00

Jonny's self-titled LP has several sweet spots and 'You Was Me' is a highlight.
Click here for full review of Jonny's 2011 album.

Jonny - You Was Me (Jonny LP)

Jonny - You Was Me (Jonny LP)
Jonny - You Was Me (Marc Riley) by terjely

Ivaloo by The Submarines from Love Notes Letter Bombs LPTop Tracks of 2011-

2011-10-19T00:56:00.001-07:00

One of the more honeycoated pop songs of 2011 was 'Ivaloo' from The Submarines' Love Notes Letter Bombs.

The Submarines - Ivaloo from Love Notes/Letter Bombs album

Catacombs by Cold Cave from Cherish the Light YearsTop Tracks of 2011-

2011-10-18T23:59:00.001-07:00

Cold Cave's mediocre 2011 release Cherish the Light Years that has a great moment in 'Catacombs'.
Click here for full review of Cherish the Light Years.
Catacombs by Cold Cave from Cherish the Light Years LP

Catacombs by Cold Cave from Cherish the Light Years LP
[if you're using a smartphone, you may need to click on the song title to reach Soundcloud
Cold Cave "Catacombs" by savealternative