soundbite.me

THE BEASTIE BOYS - Hot Sauce Committee Part II

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Fri, 06 May 2011 16:14:00 +0000

A trip down memory lane via Beastie Boys releases;

License- The time you discovered that it was unacceptable to not know at least 80% of the lyrics to track #9 as it was mandatory in order to remain socially relevant at anyone's given academic institution (even 15-17 years after it came out).

Boutique- "Hey umm, we're not a fluke. No really."

Check- If this was your favorite BB album then raise your hand. Alright now if this wasn't your favorite BB album...because you just didn't really get into at the time...because maybe you were too into 'grunge' music and were going through a brief phase where you thought it wasn't cool to like anything that didn't come from Seattle and/or wasn't 'underground' but than later appreciated what a feat this album was and how it fused styles so flawlessly and catered to almost every type of person, then raise your hand.

ill- The greatest Q-Tip cameo of modern times.

Nasty- The reason that I waited in line at a Tower Records for the midnight release of an album (granted I only waited in line for like an hour, but still).

5- The one that was the most overlooked (but had the least non-sequitur album title).

Mix- The reason that...wait did anyone else not know this was an album?

to present day...

Sauce- The grand culmination of elements from literally everything above and in between, but in no way overdone, and after 25yrs in, still churning out quality music . Really good. Still got it. Well done gents, well done.

In conclusion: the Beastie Boys wait a long ass time in between albums.

-thomas j.

"Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" - The Beastie Boys

THE AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT - All At Once

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Tue, 03 May 2011 18:50:00 +0000

It appears that there's another LA band in town that aspires to be the best LA band that every graced the fair city of LA. The Airborne Toxics made a fairly big splash a few years back, then sort of briefly simmered (probably to attempt to stay indie), then played the Disney Concert Hall (which is the LA band gateway to stardom), and then decided that they wanted to make a really, really big sounding 2nd album just to ensure that people know that they mean business. So does All At Once achieve the overall grandioseness that it seemed they were going for? Yeah, it's 'big'. Not like, 'BIG', but big enough. It's jam packed with a pile of anthems, a whole bunch of catchy hooks, and a lot of BIG Mike Jollett vocals.

And if there were going to be a face-off of 1st album vs. this one, I think the latter slightly wins that battle. I mean, it's really catchy. Plus it contains all of the elements that we liked from the 1st album (and more). The "Sometime Around Midnight" (overemotional song about the death of a relationship) of this album is "The Graveyard Near the House" (an overemotional acoustic song about the death of a relationship...and death). "Changing" is totally the radio friendly "Papillon". And then there's "Strange Girl", which has a post-modern John Hughes quality about it. Could it be that The Airborne Toxic Event be the new poster child for Classic Modern (alt but wishes for stadium) Rock? Or will they just fade into obscurity, but then end up headlining the Hollywood Bowl and then Dodger Stadium?

-thomas j.

Half of Something Else - The Airborne Toxic Event

IRON & WINE - Kiss Each Other Clean

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 04:32:00 +0000

I'll be the first to admit, I avoided The Shepard's Dog (Iron & Wine's last album) like the effing plague because I caught wind that the soft whispery sounds of Sam Beam were being replaced with an accompanying band and louder, semi-legibly spoken vocals. To be honest, I wasn't even 100% if that was true (it was), I just steered clear all together just to be safe. Flash forward to 2011 and the same conundrum presented itself when Kiss Each Other Clean came out. I even heard some of the EP that preceded the album prior to it's release and it seemingly had way too many sounds going on. Yikes.

Finally, abandoning a notion of unwillingness to accept the evolution of an artist and a serious amount of stubbornness on my part (and thanks to the KCRW pledge drive), the 4th studio album from Sam Beam (& the Wines) has successfully made it into the regular rotation as of late. Why did I think that the addition of electric guitars, more drums, and a whole bunch of other crap would make Iron & Wine any less good? Not sure because I normally tend to like it when bands/singers/etc. add to their sound (although sometimes it can really eff it up, let's be honest), but in this case I simply feared the 'unknown' territory Beam was entering especially being so akin to that 'original' I&W sound that we all know and love. Yes, it's a lot different than anything that Our Endless Numbered Days or The Creek Drank the Cradle had to offer (a lot), but what it lacks in the days of old dept., it more than makes up for in a dynamic range of a new era of Iron & Wine. I'd liken a lot of this album to breezy Seals & Crofts meets a smokey southern jazz band. Basically, Sam Beam is unstoppable and apparently can do no wrong which is why his next release will probably be 100% electro based. Right? Maybe not so much...

Do you miss quiet, toned down Sam Beam? Or is this just as good, if not better?

-thomas j.

Walking Far From Home - Iron & Wine

#'s NO MORE

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 03:05:00 +0000

Going back through the semi-brief history of this blog...
I've noticed that I tend to give albums a lot of 4's. And then I noticed that I've almost only reviewed albums and artists that I tend to like, and more importantly, albums and artists that I would recommend that others should buy and/or listen to/check out. And then I remembered that's why I started this blog in the first place, for the sole intention of spreading the word and turning other people into hipsters. And then I came to the realization that placing number values on all these albums and artists that I like and want other people to listen to/check out, is just simply stupid. Not that rating albums is always stupid (Pop & Hiss is probably the best and well trusted music blog around and are usually very spot on with their ratings, but even they tend to give a lot of good scores so I assume they have a similar philosophy...maybe?). Right around the time I started this blog, semi-super-occasional contributor john k. told me he was "not going to buy an album just to give it a bad review", and thus, he was correct. So for now on, no more #s (I mean, who am I to tell you if an Architecture in Helsinki album is a 4.0 or a 4.5? If it's good, it's good). I recommend everything (for the most part) that appears on this site, and will use a new scale of judging things (wait, isn't that still 'ratings'?) that are likened to the grading system of the hippie professor you had in college who taught international film and refused to adhere to the practices of the common letter grade system. Basically, check out everything I post on here, which will come with a degree of urgency that looks like this:

About as elementary and self-explanatory as it gets.

-thomas j.

COLD WAR KIDS - Mine Is Yours

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 17:03:00 +0000

Local LA hometown heroes from native Long Beach (home of the 3rd most popular record store in SoCal), have come out with catchy riffs blazing on Mine is Yours. After a previous mildly successful attempt of trying to bridge the gap between KROQ and KCRW listeners, the Kids third studio album comes equipped with a new approach and also some dude who produced the last Kings of Leon album, which prompted lead singer Nathan Willett to proclaim, out with the old ("good old days of quick and fun, minimal CWK") and in with the new ("????"). While simultaneously trying to propel themselves into the next level of "we're a good band damnit, we can play big ass venues too" yet also maintain a sense of 'coolness' that won't piss other people off by getting too popular, Mine is Yours seems to have the right blended recipe to appease both.

Let's take "Royal Blue" for instance. Melodic and bright/fun/citrusy chorus and bridge, yet still retains that "edginess" in the bass line that's driving the track heard on such previous hit tracks as "Something is Not Right With Me" and "Hang Me Up To Dry". Lyrics declaring "I've always been a bit of a fighter!" also gives Willett just enough hardcoreness without being too overzealous. I call shenanigans on his suggestion of minimizing the 'quick and fun'. There's plenty of that, plus a nice layering of edge, schmaltz, and jovial. One thing he did forecast correctly though is that Mine is Yours = Next Level Cold War Kids. This album is it, it's addicting, multi-listenable, and a strong early candidate for a favorite come the end of the year (for myself and possible Kings of Leon friendly KCRW listeners and also the Modest Mouse leaning crowd of KROQ people as well).

-thomas j.

Royal Blue - Cold War Kids

COACHELLA 2011 WRAP UP

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 21:12:00 +0000

The smoke has cleared folks...
and once again everyone's most favorite and coveted weekend of standing in insanely blazing ass hot heat drinking $10 Heineken Lights with tens of thousands of your closest alt hipster friends has come and went. With a fancy new wristband policy, a security force bigger than armies of most small countries, and most importantly, a jam packed and an overwhelming line up of both esteemed and buzz bands alike, this year's Coachella proved once again, that it's the "it" place to be on any given third weekend in April.

Here's how it all went down:

best proof that australia is slowly taking over the world

*Australian in beer garden

Besides this dude above that we ran into in the beer garden, Australians have taken the music world by storm over the past few years, and I'm afraid that it's merely a stepping stone for a greater effort that includes world domination (which is fine because let's face it, Austrailians are cool people). This was clearly evident in Cut Copy's much anticipated and otherwise explosive set on Friday night in the Mojave tent. Slated in a time slot that put them in a most unfavorable match up against the likes of Marina and the Diamonds, Brandon Flowers, and the Black Keys, they won the face off on my schedule and surpassed the already high expectations. While every single song in the set had the packed crowd jumping up and down profusely and shouting the lyrics, the chorus of "Lights and Music" was one of the highlights of the entire festival. That song will truly never be the same again.

honorable Australian mentions

Tame Impala delivered a ridiculously tight washed out, 70s-ish, psychedelic rock set that could have easily scored the same high marks if it were played at Woodstock.

Angus & Julia Stone, one of my favorite folk rock duos, serenaded a pleasant Sunday afternoon crowd.

best hipster version of a 'punk's not dead' set

Ok, so maybe they're not hipsters (even though they fit the mold, aesthetically speaking anyhow), but Titus Andronicus has succeeded in the rebirth of a punk rock sound that has otherwise disappeared (and/or relinquished deep into the bowels of the underground) and made it popular, yet not too popular, enough to invoke feelings of late 70's UK anarcho punk. Sure, most of their songs span an average of six minutes each, but damn they have some catchy hooks and fierce energy. And rhythm guitar player Amy Klein is super fun to watch as I don't think she stopped bouncing the entire length of the set.

*Titus keeping it real

most unsuspecting instrument smashing-

The Joy Formidable is a small and quaint looking indie 3-piece from North Wales. Great set. First time I'd ever heard them. Great discovery moment. What I didn't see coming though, and what totally topped off the set was how bananas adorable and innocent looking lead singer/guitarist Ritzy Bryan and bass player Rhydian Dafydd went on the closing moments of the show. At one point I thought they were going to light their instruments on fire and start hacking away at the stage. Didn't happen, but great moment and excellent performance.

biggest balls...and best finale

They're not the biggest alt indie band in the world right now for nothing. The Arcade Fire blew the lid off of the main stage on Saturday night and showered the likely gazillion deep capacity crowd with what had to have been a hundred or so large exercise ball sized "orbs" during "Wake Up", which closed out the set and into the encore. Each orb had a light element inside of it that changed color with the music and coordinated with where it was placed in the crowd. Seeing the wide shot of the entire crowd with the lit up orbs on the big screen was sight like no other. Best finale, hands down.

*balls...

*...balls...

*...and more balls

most self indulgent set...of all time

This became clearly evident about 15 minutes into the intro of Animal Collective's main stage set on Saturday evening. Aside from the people on acid, I can't even count how many collective sighs I heard every time they'd start a new song that wasn't one of their "hits" (and not even "deep cuts"), but songs that they were potentially trying out for future recordings. Now, as unpleasant as this all might sound, did anyone expect any less? It's Animal Collective for God sakes. I would have been more frightened if they had banged out 90% of Merriweather with the crowd singing along with every unintelligible word. Despite all this, I still thought it was rad.

least self indulgent set

Kanye. Shocker, right? Sure it was filled with it's egotistical confessions and mild provocations, but...there wasn't enough. AND, more importantly, despite it's large, yet docile Greek mythological back drop and delightful dance troupe, it was missing the big and flashy Kanye that we all know and love. I wanted more over indulgence damnit! It paled in comparison to Jay Z's headlining set last year.

most unsuspecting hair band look-a-like

When I walked up to The Delta Spirit set on the Outdoor stage on Saturday afternoon, I thought I had went to the wrong place. I've liked The Delta Spirit for some time now, but didn't expect to see an 80's hair band standing on stage belting out extremely engaging and pertinent rock music. LA based, I feel like these guys will soon be the next "Cold War Kids". Not that they sound like them at all, but the sound and execution of this band is astounding. "Parade" was a serious treat.

best alt keanu reeves look-a-like

This dude

"Excellent!"

the least used phrase at coachella

"excuse me"

the most average height man on earth-

The Tallest Man On Earth. I think when you have a name that states you are in fact, the largest of a species that dominates the entire world, one would expect a massive individual to take the Gobi stage by storm. Quite the contrary indeed. But what Swede Kristian Matsson with acoustic guitar in hand lacks in size, he more than makes up for with some of the greatest and most explosive acoustic folk rock (oxy moron?) that's around today. Echoing the great Bob Dylan, Matsson swooned the crowd with songs from his poignant catalog and did it with class and a very unnecessary sense of modesty. A great credit to the species of avg. height men (me) everywhere.

*not very tall

best sunset set

Ah, the most coveted and picturesque time to say good bye to the sun who's been baking down for hours on us people who got an early start on the day, and also the majority of the people that went way too hard the night before and didn't wake up until 4pm the following morning. This is a three-way tie between The Cold War Kids (these guys are on the verge of stadium sized gigs, or at least with their sound, they should be), Elbow (lead singer Guy Garvey looks like he should be teaching English Lit at Cambridge, but damn, this band is sensational), and The National (who delivered their therapeutic and dramatic Brooklyn rock just as the clock ticked past dusk).

best band that sounds kind of like Death Cab but is way cooler than Death Cab-

The Freelance Whales. To be honest, I was kind of surprised at how much I liked this set. I mean, they're a good band to begin with, but there was something rather endearing (almost collegent) about TFW that made Saturday afternoon (aka the best time to be at the fest) that much better.

best tent to watch music

Gobi during the day.

worst tent to watch music

Gobi at night. This place transforms from a nice place to catch a show into a zoo as soon as the first buzz band with only 3 recorded songs (Foster the People) takes the stage.

best ian curtis reincarnation in the form of zack morris

Jonathan Pierce from The Drums. I was stunned to find out that these guys didn't arrive to Coachella in a time machine that flew in from late 80's EuroPop-istan. A friend pointed out the striking resemblance of Zack Morris, while personally I feel as if it was more John Heder, but to each his own. Regardless, The Drums seriously (alt) rocked the crap out of the Mojave tent on Friday.

best place to relax and simultaneously get a work out

One of the highlights of my weekend was watching my buddy Alex (aka DJ Synchronic) dj a set at the Global Inheritance Energy Factor area (aka the place by the tents with the giant hamster wheels and see-saws and teeter totters that power the set). I was proud to have ran on one of the aforementioned hamster wheels, and even more proud of Alex who put on a fun set.

best kept coachella secret

Inside the Coachella compound lies several designated areas that contain rows of Porta Potty bathrooms. A whooping 5 yards passed several of those designated areas, lies a LARGE bright white honeywagon style trailer bathroom with both a women's and men's room. Now, for those women reading this, you may or may not know that men's restrooms are consistently the most vile and retched places on the face of the planet (even ones at the nicest of establishments, ie a fancy hotel such as the Waldorf). So you can imagine my surprise when I discovered a men's room, at an overheated, overpacked 3 day music festival mind you, that, for the most part, stayed consistently "clean" and presentable, and never had a line. AND it was air conditioned. However, for the second year in a row, people insisted on waiting in line for rows and rows and rows and utterly disgusting and heinous Porta Potties. I can't explain this. Nor will I attempt. I'm just going to go with it and hope that this "secret" never gets out.

best performance...ever

Mumford & Sons. Plain and simple. How does a band of four folksy dudes playing acoustic guitars, mandolins, and lacking a proper drummer and sans any kind of visual spectacle blow the lid of a 60k plus crowd? Well...I don't know. But they did. And it was magical.

in closing...

While no two versions of anyone's Coachella experience are exactly the same, one thing's for sure; that despite any shortcomings and/or overpriced food or drink item that can be associated with the 3 day music fest, a weekend in Indio consistently delivers some of the more spectacular times one can have in that short time span, whether an obsessive audiophile, casual music lover, or person who passed out in the campgrounds on Thursday night and didn't wake up until late Monday afternoon. Good times for all. And that's that.

Did you go? Do you agree? Disagree? Impartial? Or prefer Bonnaroo and/or Outsidelands and/or ACL?

-thomas j.

THE DODOS - No Color

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 05:35:00 +0000

Wow, what a difference an album makes. Now, not that their last album, Time to Die, was bad (well, perhaps the title was), it was a pretty decent album in fact. However, it lacked a certain cohesiveness that this release has. As a whole, No Color seamlessly blends from one song to the next and is jam packed with upbeat and otherwise anthemic, catchy folk songs.

Mired in a such a melodic pallet of catchiness though, makes it almost difficult to decipher one song from the next. Basically what I'm saying is, there's no 'stand out' tracks. But let's face it, usually when an album has one all-star song (aka most of the time the only good song on the album), it usually trumps the rest and results in paying $8 to $17.99 for one song. This album couldn't be further from the opposite of that notion. Every song is good (and really catchy). Consistency folks. Oh, and No Color is bookended with two different versions of the same song...but even they sound the same! (but still good...)

-thomas j.

Black Night - The Dodos

ELBOW - Build a Rocket Boys!

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 03:45:00 +0000

Holy Peter Gabriel! When Elbow says that they're heavily influenced by Genesis, they weren't kidding. Ok, so maybe it's just that Guy Garvey happens to sound (a lot) like Gabriel on a handful of songs (especially on "Lippy Kids"), but all things Shock the Monkey aside, this a profoundly layered and intricately deep album.

From start to finish, it has a sort of intense cinematic quality about it, yet in the same respect and despite it's impassioned undertones, each song exhibits a satisfying and pleasant melody that isn't too heavy handed, meaning, definitely an album that you don't necessarily need to be 'in the mood' to listen to (ie, a National album) or have to undergo intensive amounts of therapy from over play. With this being the first Elbow album I've ever heard, I'm quite curious to see what I've missed out on from their four prior studio albums that spanned throughout the last decade.

-thomas j.

Lippy Kids - Elbow

IF YOU'RE IN LA RIGHT NOW...

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 01:13:00 +0000

...It's raining, therefore you should be listening to this album

LET THE PLANNING BEGIN...

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 18:33:00 +0000

BEST OF 2010

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 03:42:00 +0000

It's that time of year again where everyone tells you what you were supposed to be listening to throughout the year. Rejoice! And after further review, it's been a pretty damn good year in the music department. Despite that being a blanket statement I make at the end of every year (it was definitely said that at the end of 2009), all of the following albums and songs and artists below, resonated enough throughout the year in one way or another to deserve a mention. Below is my take on the issue:

TOP 30 ALBUMS

30. Rogue Wave - Permalight

The first time I heard the title track off of this album, before I knew it was Rogue Wave, who's brand of melodramatic and mostly acoustic based indie rock has secured them as easily one of the better bands from the past 5 years (hands down) I thought to myself "oh, what fun little dance song". Upon finding out it was Rogue Wave, I nearly drove my car off the road. As a result, RW managed to pull of an album counter to their 'norm' and did it without a hitch.

29. Mark Ronson & the Business Intl - Record Collection

Any time soul, funk, Q-tip, house, and hip-hop can be fused in a way such as this, is fine by me.

28. She & Him - Vol. 2

While They will most likely never be topping the charts (my charts anyhow), and most likely Vol. 5 will probably still sound a lot like Vols 1-4, that's quite alright because She & Him makes a consistently good record.

27. Frightened Rabbit - Winter of Mixed Drinks

By far the most anthemic album of the year, FR delivered feel good after feel good in tremendous indie Scottish fashion.

26. Local Natives - Gorilla Manor

Despite this album guaranteed to be playing 9 out of 10 times that you walk into any given Urban Outfitters (not being facetious, just a fact!), this album was the gem of the LA music scene this year, and deservedly so.

25. Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be

Short, to the point, Lo-fi, catchy, and the poor girl's version of the Contra cover, except cooler, plus they didn't get sued for 2 million dollars by the 'model' in the picture.

24. Jonsi - Go

Not sure if this was originally a concept for the score of Braveheart II, but about as epicly cinematic as one could get this year.

23. Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot

This album is hot! Had I gotten this album when it came out in the Summer, I'm sure it would have appeared much higher in the ranking. But for now, the semi-better half of Outkast will have to suffice being #23.

22. The National - High Violet

Thanks a lot The National for trying to put the psychology industry out of business. Depressing, deep, and could easily substitute for a therapist in record form. Nevertheless, a damn good therapist.

21. Angus & Julia Stone - Down The Way

Sentimental, yet not forgiving. Endearing, yet edgy. Cute, but still kind of kick ass. Score one for the bro/sis duo from Australia.

20. Tame Impala- InnerSpeaker

Could probably insert most of these songs into the Dazed and Confused soundtrack and no one would notice.

19. Broken Bells - s/t

Hopefully this isn't the last of the Mercer/Danger Mouse combination. Even though the Mercer is much more prevalent than the Danger, it's the subtleties that make this the powerhouse pairing that it is.

18. Phantogram - Eyelid Movies

Despite their live show being the ultimate arena for this album (with super weird, yet cool video projection), Eyelid Movies works just fine on its own and actually defines a style in a genre that pretty much has a hard time defining itself.

17. The Black Keys - Brothers

Not to shabby a year for this duo. And the album responsible could easily fit comfortably in 3 out of the last 4 decades. No really.

16. Stars - The Five Ghosts

Definitely one of the all around underrated albums of the year. Ghostly imagery, fun vocals, Canadian, catchy synths, what more could you ask for?

15. Wolf Parade - Expo 86

This took a good solid month of listening to before it clicked, but once it did, it reiterated why Wolf Parade is so damn good. By far their most driving album to date, and maybe the best second half of an album (songs 7-11) I've ever heard.

14. Foals - Total Life Forever

This is definitely Foals 'step it up and take it to the next level from their somewhat monotonous previous album-album'.

13. Matt & Kim - Sidewalks

The 'feel good' of the year, and also a maturation of sound for a duo that probably doesn't hear the word 'mature' too often.

12. LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening

A potpourri of sounds that are hard hitting in some areas, ultra chill in others, and one of the greatest synthpop tracks I've ever heard, even by 80's standards (see top songs).

11. The New Pornographers - Together

Along with several others on this list, a veteran group ('supergroup' in some arenas) that did it again this year by adding yet another outstanding record to their catalog, not only proving that they've still got a lot of gas left in the tank, but also that Canada simply doesn't fuck around. The same can also be said for #'s 16, #17, and of course #2.

10. Bombay Bicycle Club - I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose AND Flaws

It's up for debate as to whether or not "Blues" came out this year in America, but "Flaws" certainly did, and whatever the case they get to share the #10 spot. Both are fantastic and slightly diverse albums (one's completely acoustic, the other not) from these youngsters from London.

9. Spoon - Transference

I've never not liked Spoon, but it wasn't until this album that I decided that I really do not not like Spoon. Wait what?

8. Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More

Deepest lyrical album of the year, hands down. Doesn't hurt that the band lacking a proper drummer that makes the music to accompany the deep lyrics ain't so bad either.

7. Yeasayer - Odd Blood

It's a triumph for a band who can go one direction on their first amazing record, then go the completely other way on their even more amazing follow up, yet lose nothing in the process.

6. Band of Horses - Infinite Arms

I expected this to just be another par for the course for BoH, which wouldn't have been a bad thing, don't get me wrong. But instead they decided to go and make their best album yet.

5. Junip - Fields

The band thing suites Jose Gonzalez quite perfectly. This is the sleeper pick of the year, for sure.

4. Vampire Weekend - Contra

Not only did this album live up to the ever so high expectations of a sophomore album following a dynamite debut, but it scores bonus points for coming out almost a year ago (in Jan.) and holding it's own against most music that came out this year.

3. Josh Rouse - El Turista

Notoriously bouncing around styles and themes for the past decade and change, the neo-crooner's discography touches down in Spain this time and Rouse hit it out of the park with the most relaxing yet reanimated album of the year.

2. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

duh.

1. The Walkmen - Lisbon

I'm not surprised that The Walkmen could crank out such a great album, as they've been doing so consistently for a while. What I am surprised at is how this stacks up to the 'competition' in a year that's produced a not only solid, but also dynamic array of music. Lisbon is jam packed with inspiration, and while there's nothing super complex about it, that's what makes it so outstanding. 12 tracks of well composed, well thought out, and dynamic in their own right, really good music.

TOP 15 SONGS

15. Kele "Tenderoni"

14. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross "In Motion"

13. Local Natives "Airplanes"

12. LCD Soundsystem "I Can Change"

11. Tame Impala "I Really Don't Mind"

10. Matt & Kim "Good for Great"

9. Vampire Weekend "White Sky"

8. Frightened Rabbit "Swim Until You Can't See Land"

7. Band of Horses "Blue Beard"

6. Mumford & Sons "Winter Winds"

5. Arcade Fire "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)"

4. Fyfe Dangerfield "She's Always A Woman" (Billy Joel cover)

3. Spoon "Trouble Comes Running"

2. Bombay Bicycle Club "Always Like This"

1. Yeasayer "I Remember"

Oh list, you've left so much great stuff off from this year. Broken Social Scene, Kings of Leon, Radio Dept., Kanye (he's been occupying plenty of time in most people's top 10's so I don't feel bad), Surfer Blood, Deadmau5, Avi Buffalo, Jenny & Johnny, Hot Chip, and this list goes on and on and on. As per usual, I look forward to the next 12 months of releases to come! And that's that...

thomas j

ALBUM REVIEW CATCH UP!

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 21:36:00 +0000

In an extreme case of essentially being too busy for one's own good, below is an attempt to catch up with some the albums I've wanted to review from the past few months. Here it goes:

Kings of Leon

Title: Come Around Sundown

Artist: Kings of Leon

Label: RCA

Released: 10/15/10

What I was expecting this album to be: an overproduced, overtly commercial, hastily recorded, over-played pile of crap. What it turned out to be: a well thought out, stylistic, and endearing King's album that fits right in to their, for the most part, eclectic catalog. This album is on the 'lighter' King's of Leon side (for King's of Leon at least) and takes some of the better parts of Because of the Times (think "Fans" and "Arizona"), yet manifests every element of the late-summery landscape that's on the cover art (as Hipstamatic/Shake-It as it may be). This album truly does sound like the album cover. Simply put, these guys consistently make good music (despite how insanely cliche it is to have the first song of the album called "The End"...however I suppose it's kind of genius too).

Favorite track at the moment: "Radioactive"

Matt & Kim

Title: Sidewalks

Artist: Matt & Kim

Label: Fader Label

Released: 11/2/10

In the same fashion as their prior release Grand, Sidewalks is an instant candidate for 'playing on repeat and not getting sick of'. I must have listened to this album 5 times straight the day I got it (which was an accident because I was in the car and not paying attention), BUT it didn't take long to fall for this one. As silly and fun as this duo is, this is definitely a more 'mature' album, so to speak, for this band (listen to "Northeast" and try to tell me that's not true). There's a lot more layers and depth in the arrangements, especially the synth, yet still retains the simplicity that this two-piece does so well. Two instruments (mostly) and fun, not-to-serious yet still uplifting lyrics = another Matt & Kim release that will get a lot of mileage.

Favorite track at the moment: "Good for Great" (perhaps one of the better M&K tracks to date)

Mark Ronson

Title: Record Collection

Artist: Mark Ronson & The Business Intl

Label: Columbia

Released: 9/27/10

All I knew about Mark Ronson before getting this album was that he was the DJ brother of that DJ chick that was dating Lindsay Lohan at one point. Well, apparently I was missing out because this record is spectacular and Ronson's musicality shines brighter than the star his sister's ex-girlfriend's once was.

This album is a heterogeneous journey through funk, soul, electro, house, and a good amount of hip-hop and meshes together rather seamlessly. And although it's only about 60 so % of the latter genre, most hip-hop albums/artists could talk a lesson or two out of this playbook of making a well-rounded, and sustainable album that has much more depth than a couple of songs that get old after an all too short amount of time.

Favorite track at the moment: "Bang Bang Bang"

Joshua Radin

Title: The Rock and the Tide

Artist: Joshua Radin

Label: Mom & Pop Records

Released: 10/12/10

Josh Radin goes out on a limb and attempts to reinvent (or at least refurbish) the Josh Radin wheel on this effort with the addition of a whole bunch of instruments and stuff. At times this works, like on "The Ones With the Light" and totally captures all the things good about Radin from both We Were Here and Simple Times. However, for the most part The Rock and the Tide misses the mark and the parred down and intimate sentimental acoustic Radin that we all know and love is drowned out by a menagerie of noise. With that being said, there are still remnants of early JR, super cheesy lyrics and all, on tracks like "One Leap", which is easily one of the gems on the this record.

Favorite track at the moment: "One Leap"

Cotton Jones

Title: Tall Hours in the Glowstream

Artist: Cotton Jones

Label: Suicide Squeeze Records

Released: 8/24/10

The sound of this album can most accurately be described as a super scaled down, mellow, and even more retro lo-fi version of Edward Sharpe and co. I had heard a little from Cotton Jones before this album that I liked, but something about the cover art really drew me in. And not to beat a dead notion, but this record also sounds like it's album art; a 1960's beach scene complete with Amity Island style rafts and bathing suits. Definitely one of those albums that's best listened to on vinyl.

Favorite track at the moment: "Soft Mountain Shake" (really good instrumental)

The 1900s

Title: Return of the Century

Artist: The 1900s

Label: Parasol Records

Released: 11/2/10

Known both for their Fleetwood Mac-esque influence music onstage, as well as their Fleetwood Mac-esque drama offstage, The 1900s are back with their 2nd full length Return of the Century. While this record's name (and the band's name in general) is just a tad grandiose, the 1900s deliver another album of elegant and well constructed pop, in the same vein as 2007's Cold & Kind. And while the Return doesn't necessarily contain the powerhouses of past like "Georgia" and "City Water", and falls a little short of it's predecessor, the 1900s make good music comparable with most of the top indie outfits, yet still remain one of the more underrated bands of the moment.

Favorite track at the moment: "Lions Fur"

Junip

Title: Fields

Artist: Junip

Label: Mute

Released: 9/14/10

What's even better than Jose Gonzalez in a solo acoustic setting? Jose Gonzalez with two other really talented guys in a band setting! Now, as a solo artist, JG is great. Maybe a little drab and depressing at times, and perhaps a tad one dimensional, but still great (don't get me wrong). But what's missing from his solo efforts are more than made up for on Fields, and Junip create a well rounded and dynamic sound that resonates with clever arrangements and a level of thematic consistency that's not unfamiliar to anything of Gonzalez's in the past. Fields has that "journey" (not the band) quality about it that reminds me of both The Shins' Oh, Inverted World and Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane, Over the Sea. I haven't seen them, but I'm sure that their live show is nothing short of spectacularness.

Favorite track at the moment: "Howl"

-thomas j

DOUBLE REVIEW: JENNY & JOHNNY - I'm Having Fun Now, THE WEEPIES - Be My Thrill

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 19:37:00 +0000

Jenny & Johnny The Weepies

-john k

Title: I'm Having Fun Now

Artist: Jenny & Johnny

Label: Warner

Released: 8/31/10

Title: Be My Thrill

Artist: The Weepies

Label: Nettwerk Productions

Released: 8/31/10

From the sublime pop of Jenny & Johnny to the sugary folk of The Weepies, the latest albums from these two couple-groups make for a combo fitting for the transition from summer to fall. I even purchased them at the same time on Labor Day weekend, the unofficial handoff of the seasonal baton.

I’m Having Fun Now is a fascinatingly fun album beginning with the conundrum created by its title. While the music is brisk, breezy, and infectious, the lyrics underneath are far from fluff. “Animal” tackles religious conflict with lines like “We must modernize Jerusalem, detonate the temples, let them fight over the dust.” “Big Wave” rides the All-American post-economic-meltdown malaise. And yet you can dance to it. In a recent interview with “Brand X” magazine, Lewis was quoted as saying, “These songs aren’t entirely personal anymore. You get happy, and then what do you have to write about?” So then are we to believe that I’m Having Fun Now is an ironic title considering the weighty issues it deals with or is it sincere in that, now that they are a happy couple, they are musically frolicking along as the problems they sing about are not actually their own for a change? Regardless, beneath the sundrenched nostalgic cover art and lipstick-on-the-leg motif, this is a lyrically heavy, musically airy album of insightful, expertly-crafted pop songs.

Deb Talen and Steve Tannen, also former solo artists united in love and music, lead the way to autumn with their fourth album as The Weepies, Be My Thrill. Here there is less wiggle room for interpretation. They represent the flip side to Jenny & Johnny’s Dylan-esque songwriting in that they use seemingly simple thoughts and questions to convey their point, yet the careful execution of these lyrics often cuts to the emotional chase and is equally effective in its own right. “They’re in love, where am I?” It just works. Unfortunately, when this direct, tender style misfires, it can veer into being saccharine or corny: “Don’t know why you do the things you do do do. Holding it together with some glue glue glue. Your favorite color isn’t red it’s blue blue blue.” Despite “Red Red Rose” and the out of place experiment in edginess, “How Do You Get High?”, overall Be My Thrill is a typically satisfying Weepies album. With its mix of sweet, longing melodies that make music supervisors drool for a heartbreak montage and the mid-tempo folk that was indeed “made for sunny days,” Be My Thrill is just lovely fall music.

Swap the lyrics and music of these two albums and you might have something more standard to the seasons they represent (at least to me). Yet, like any well-paired couple, they complement each other well. The beauty is in the balance.

-john k

"Big Wave" - Jenny & Johnny buy

THE WALKMEN - Lisbon

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 21:12:00 +0000

A consistently and well crafted LP which sets the pace and raises the bar for upcoming Fall releases .

-thomas j

Title: Lisbon

Artist: The Walkmen

Label: Fat Possum/Bella Union

Released: 9/14/10

Without much further adieu, this blog is back in action. And what better way to return than with the East Coast based indie outfit, The Walkmen. Now, normally I tend to think of The Walkmen as a totally 'acquired taste, I need to be in the mood to listen to' type of situation. A great band, don't get me wrong, but never something one would pop in and listen to over and over. However, their sixth studio album has proved quite the contrary. Lisbon has been on repeat since it's release on Tuesday and I just can't seem to get enough of this record.

All the familiar and very distinct Walkmen characteristics remain in tact, from the bright, clean, and reverb-y guitar, to Hamilton Leithauser's Dylan-esque vocals. What feels different though about Lisbon from past efforts, is a more uplifting and, dare I say 'festive' ambience that this album purveys. The opener "Juveniles" sets the stage for this vibrancy and is in stark contrast to the opener of the last full length "Donde Esta La Playa" off of You & Me (which is high on my favorite Walkmen songs list btw) that had a much darker and mysterious physique about it. Speaking of La Playa, a good amount of this record captures a level of oceanic tone that really makes this album pop. And not the campy 'Best Coast beachy', but a much more classy and refined yet still energetic temperament, as demonstrated on "Angela Surf City", "Follow the Leader", and "Woe Is Me".

With that being said, this album is definitely not a case of some poppy, feel good one-notes. It spans the spectrum, quite nicely in fact, from the progressive and galloping Cash-like "Blue As Your Blood" and the anthemic cries on "Victory", to the pared down and stunningly beautiful ballad "While I Shovel the Snow".

This album is certainly entrenched with inspiration, so much so, that it wouldn't surprise me if it was written entirely on a beach in Portugal on a lazy afternoon that dissolved into evening repeatedly over the course of a Summer, because simply put, that's the picture it paints. Even with the absence of benign gloominess, by no means is this a departure album. Point in case, Lisbon is a gem.

-thomas j

"Juveniles" - The Walkmen buy

ARCADE FIRE - The Suburbs

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:28:00 +0000

Doesn't get much better than this.

-thomas j

Title: The Suburbs

Artist: Arcade Fire

Label: Merge

Released: 8/3/10

I liked this album just a little too much the first few times I listened to it. I thought maybe that me being a product of the actual suburbs, that perhaps maybe I was a bit biased (I mean, they really did nail it with that cover, very nostalgic). I didn't want to be hasty with this review so nevertheless, two weeks and about thirty or so listens later, I can safely say that this album is indeed, a masterpiece.

So what is it that makes this album so great and prompts me to throw out a such a grandiose and somewhat pretentious term like "masterpiece"? For starters, there isn't one single dull/boring/wasted track on here. And that says a lot seeing that it clocks in a at cool sixteen songs. I can't remember that last time, even on some of the best albums in recent years that I've been so compelled to have to listen to from start to finish over and over. Couple that with the fact that most of these songs hold their weight on their own, definitely doesn't hurt either. I'll admit, the first time I heard the title song "The Suburbs" when it hit the internet months back, I was a little skeptical about what direction Arcade Fire were going in after yet another three-year-between-albums stint. But the folksy and understated opening track sets the stage for romanticizing the monotony and atmosphere of the 'burbs in a most impeccable fashion. This tracks through the album on mellower tempo songs like "Wasted Hours" and "Sprawl (Flatland)".

Subtleties aside, the rumbling chant of "Rococo" and the stomp your feet storytelling sing-a-long of "City With No Children" and "Empty Room" inhibit the spirit of "No Cars Go" and the monumental nature of "Wake Up". The true show stopper though is the sequel (I love songs that come in installments) to "Sprawl", "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)". In very Fleetwood Mac manner, Régine Chassagne hits this one out of the park vocally, and pretty much closes out the album with near perfection that leads into a brief reprise of "The Suburbs (continued)".

Like them or not, Arcade Fire has achieved a level of greatness here on The Suburbs that makes me wonder what goes on in the three years they take between albums. And there's not a doubt in my mind that their cacophony of themes ("modern", "lights", urban "sprawl" etc.) set against some of the more inspired rhythms and songs that generously, yet meticulously span the course of the past 40 years, will make this already fantastic effort get even more exceptional over time.

-thomas j.

"Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" - Arcade Fire buy

BEST COAST - Crazy For You

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:09:00 +0000

So Cal beach pop that provides a soundtrack for a year long Summer.

-thomas j

Title: Crazy For You

Artist: Best Coast

Label: Mexican Summer

Released: 7/27/10

I don't think an album cover's gotten it more right as to looking exactly what the album sounds like than Crazy For You. The summery colors, the hand drawn palm trees and beachy sunset, the map of Santa Monica, Snacks the cat's tail outlined in the shape of California; that's precisely what Best Coast's debut full length is all about. With a more than aptly timed July midsummer's release, Crazy For You has the chops to warrant a year round never-get-sick-of status, which is totally fine because there's nothing like lo-fi beach pop to carry you through the brutal LA winter (oh wait, it's really really nice here all year long...but anyhow).

Musically this album tracks from the Ramones all the way to the likes of The Jesus and Mary Chain and The Queers, and even back to Hard Days-era Beatles. Non-complex arrangements indeed that don't stray too far from one another, but songs that are done to perfection with a real sense of ownership that never seem to feel redundant or repetitive in any way. Crazy For You offers a nice mix of high and low tempos, and a seamless culmination of both in the song "I Want To". The common lyrical theme identifies itself right from the get-go with the opening track "Boyfriend", and holds it's weight through pretty much all 13 tracks. There's a lot of 'wanting you', 'missing you', 'loving you', however what Best Coast does best is not conveying those sort of sentiments in a cutesy She & Him type of fashion (not that there's anything wrong with that). Instead, it's a dose of romance with attitude. Hopeless, sweet, and vulnerable, but unapologetic in any way what so ever.

For a relatively "newer" band, Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno totally nailed their first LP and seem to have a completely branded and well crafted, "Best Coast" signature sound, to the extent where you entirely know what to expect down the road, but will never get bored with. Anything involving more sunsets, palm trees, CA, and Snacks the cat will set the stage for a sure fire album that deserves a permanent spot in the playlist.

-thomas j

"I Want To" - Best Coast buy

THE BOOKS - The Way Out

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 01:14:00 +0000

The experimental duo returns with more collage art rock for scholarly potheads and intellectual goldbrickers alike .

-thomas j

Title: The Way Out

Artist: The Books

Label: Temporary Residence Limited

Released: 7/20/10

There's many, many adjectives one could use to describe a typical Books album, and "typical" is typically not one of them. On their fourth studio, The Books once again manage to make a well constructed piece of work and demonstrate their ability to make sense out of what could easily be dismissed as a just another display of aleatoric sound making.

A few weeks before the album came out, I happened to hear a pair of songs on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic. The tracks in question were "Beautiful People" and "Free Translator". The former opens with what sounds like the intro to "Bohemian Rhapsody", except played in reverse, which then flows into a song that's in textbook Books fashion, complete with bizarre lyrical ventures over bright yet mellow guitars. The latter however, is a beautiful acoustic ballad that is quite the contrary of "Beautiful" and very un-Books-like. I had to double and triple check that I had the song right when I looked it up and even thought that there might have been another band called The Books. More accessible in nature, it's a gem of the album without a doubt. In line with it's cover art, The Way Out is also a tad bit more vibrant that past releases like The Lemon of Pink (a great album in it's on right). "A Cold Freezin' Night" has, by far, the coolest beats on the album that steers deeper into their more electro influenced material. The record as a whole is bound together by a series of 'intelligent' and science-y sounding conversations and recordings, and doesn't fail to create a dreamlike world, but not in a whimsical kind of way, which I suppose isn't atypical of The Books (which I also suppose contradicts my opening paragraph?).

In any event, while this isn't an album I would necessarily throw on and listen to on an everyday kind of basis, I do for one think it is a great effort and definitely tracks the progression of The Books catalog. If I could compare them to anyone else I would, but their brand of experimental-collage-art-rock is certainly one of a kind.

-thomas j

"Free Translator" - The Books buy

THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS @ The Music Box at Fonda

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 22:35:00 +0000

The Canadian super troop's colorful second night at the Fonda.

-thomas j

Artist: The New Pornographers

Openers: The Dodos

Venue: The Fonda

Date: 7/20/10

13 years in and a powerhouse of recordings deep (both with the band and solo efforts alike), one can only wonder what kinds of stories and history the New Pornographers have racked up over the years. My guess is somewhere between a combination of Van Halen-esque controversy and a Fleetwood Mac-esque love triangle. More likely than not, neither scenario is the truth and they're just a solid super-group pop band that has been consistently good over the years, but it's more fun to believe otherwise. Anyhow, New Porn capped off their two night stay at the Fonda last evening with a more than thorough set highlighting every facet of their tenure with both hits and "deep cuts" (as A.C. Newman referred to them) from their celebrated playlist.

Two songs into the the twenty song-plus performance, there was a brief moment where it seemed that maybe the night's set was going to be phoned-in to some degree. But that notion quickly ceased as soon as the first notes of "Myriad Harbour" kicked in. A cacophony of hits were to follow and A.C. made a distinct point of saying they weren't going to repeat anything from the set the night before (whether or not that was the case is debatable because he also made a point of how he had seen gotten high and seen Inception at the Arclight earlier in the day too...but I digress).

A.C.'s dry yet entertaining humor aside, the real stand out of seeing the New Pornographers live is witnessing each and every member's contribution to the sound. For a band of superstars in their own right, the focus shifts around equally across the board, especially in the vocals department, seamlessly blending one song into the next. Neko Case's lustrous and voluptuous sound that especially popped on the down tempo tracks like "My Shepherd" and "Challengers". A.C.'s modest, yet solid lead and accompaniment on most every song. Kathryn Calder's complimentary back-ups and harmonies (on a side note I wonder if she's pissed that Neko's back in the touring line-up?). And of course, Dan Bejar, and I didn't realize it until last night, but his voice is the most distinguished when it comes down to the New Porn sound. He was drunk out of his mind and would enter and exit the stage only during his songs, which made for quite the spectacle. But for someone who was practically stumbling to the mic by the time "Silver Jenny Dollar" rolled around, he didn't miss a single note. Neko however, missed a cue to which she humbly bowed acknowledged after the song and A.C. exclaimed "that's how good of friends we are, I followed you into that mistake".

The stage antics, the plethora of band members, the understated lighting (some serious timing issue, I think the lighting guy was drunk too), the fact that I thought John Collins (the bassist) was Jerry Garcia, and most importantly, the dynamic catalog of songs made for an exceptional performance, thus reiterating the New Pornographers reign as the kings and queens of Canadian power pop.

The Opener-

The Dodos definitely deserve a mention here because they were in fact, quite good. I've never heard such a big sound from a band without a bass, 1.5 drummers, 2 mustaches, and a vibraphone. Fun, melodic rock. Definitely worth checking out, as well as their album from last year, Time to Die.

-thomas j

SETLIST-

Sing Me Spanish Techno

Up in the Dark

Myriad Harbour

Use It

Crash Years

Jackie, Dressed in Cobras

It's Only Divine Right

Challengers

Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk

Jackie

Go Places

Moves

Your Hands (Together)

Execution Day

My Rights Versus Yours

My Shepherd

The Laws Have Changed

Silver Jenny Dollar

Slow Descent Into Alcoholism

The Bleeding Heart Show

Encore:

Electric Version

Letter From an Occupant

Testament to Youth in Verse

KINGS OF LEON @ The Hollywood Bowl

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:11:00 +0000

The Tennessee band of brothers (and cousin) storm the Hollywood Bowl.

-thomas j

Artist: Kings of Leon

Openers: Built To Spill, The Features

Venue: The Hollywood Bowl

Date: 7/12/10

It makes me quite happy to see bands that have launched into superstardom rock status actually take the time to breath in the scenery and appreciate how far they've made it from their much humbler beginnings. On Monday night, the brother-cousin Tennessee quartet graced the Bowl with their presence for a nearly 2 hour long, and extremely thorough set. Kings of Leon lead singer Caleb Followill made sure to let the jam packed crowd know on many occasions that they couldn't be happier and how fortunate they were to be on that stage.

What seemed deep into the set, turned out to be only half way through as Followill proclaimed "They told us we need to be off the stage by 11. So we made sure to start a little early so we could be up here for as long as possible." That was at about 9:45, and I'm pretty sure by the time it had reached 11 that KOL had played every single song off of their four albums and even had time to throw in some new ones. Ok, well maybe they didn't play every song they had, but in terms of getting your money's worth of music, that was easily achieved.

Despite Only By the Night being the album that tipped them over the scale and eventually landed them headlining spots on the larger venue circuit, what stood out most prominently were the tracks from Because of the Times. From "Fans" to "My Party", and also "Knocked Up" in all it's seven minute glory, and then of course one of the top stand outs of the night "On Call". But regardless of what era of the Kings one might prefer as opposed to the other, everything blended together quite seamlessly. After a four song encore, the show concluded with "Black Thumbnail" set against the backdrop of a mini onstage firework pyrotechnic display. For a moment it appeared like they might even come back out for a second encore, however it was 11 and the clock had ran out, thus fulfilling the Followill's promise, which did not in any way disappoint.

-thomas j

STARS- The Five Ghosts

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 17:18:00 +0000

The Five Ghost is the fifth LP from five people from Canada.

-thomas j

Title: The Five Ghosts

Artist: Stars

Label: Vagrant

Released: 6/21/10

Just when I thought I'd covered all of the Broken Social Scene spin-offs, another one comes a long and I realize not only that they've been around for a decade and pre-date most of the others, but they're also pretty damn good. The Five Ghosts is the fifth studio album, and my first experience with the Toronto born Stars. While maybe a little repetitious at times, Ghosts is a pleasant brand of indie dreampop that keeps getting better with every listen.

As physiological horror movie creepy as the album art is and as much of a romantic downer as song titles like "Dead Hearts", "I Died So I Could Haunt You", and "The Last Song Ever Written" may be, the pulse of this record keeps its distance far from that particular demeanor. Instead The Five Ghosts is a synthy, poppy, and for the most part, upbeat collection of songs. The complimentary personality between Amy Millan and Torquil Campbell's vocals is unmistakeable, however it's Millan that pops and drives a lot of the 'fluffier' songs (so to speak), while Torquil adds more of the intensity and depth. Millan's hypnotic chorus on "Fixed" is, simply put, nice to listen to. The arrangements aren't to be overshadowed either. A driving bass line brings "I Died So I Could Haunt You" to life (pun intended) in the chorus and prominent synth accentuates some of the best things about the Stars sound. And maybe I'm nuts, but "Wasted Daylight" really really sounds like it belonged on the Postal Service album. No?

Regardless, The Five Ghosts makes me wonder why I'm discovering Stars just recently, and more importantly, makes me wonder why there's so many damn good bands and albums that consistently come out of Canada. Sure they hit a little rough patch in the 90's with the whole Celine Dion era, but they've been on a steady incline ever since. No?

-thomas j

"I Died So I Could Haunt You" - Stars buy

JOSH RITTER @ The Music Box at Fonda

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 16:40:00 +0000

This man is overjoyed, seriously...

-john k

Artist: Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band

Opener: Carolina Chocolate Drops

Venue: The Music Box

Date: 6/23/10

The smile, the darkness, and the freeze.

I’ve always thought of Josh Ritter as a sort of mad scientist Springsteen, yet the first thing I noticed when he walked on stage at the Music Box last Wednesday was his smile. Who could have guessed from the solemn photos of the CD booklets that he would have the aw-shucks exuberance of a true innocent or an imprisoned man given a second chance. Josh Ritter was a man overcome with joy and, thankfully, he was unable to wrangle it all night long.

The stage décor was simple, five giant old-fashioned filament light bulbs that glowed brightly and faded dimly as the pulse of the music dictated. It was a perfect metaphor for the music, a delicate, intricate power that lures romanticism when it’s soft and illuminates a room when it’s loud and charged. I had never seen a Josh Ritter show before, and with the focus his brilliant songwriting commands, I wondered how his music would play live. To be honest, it didn’t always work. “Folk Bloodbath” is an interesting song, but it could not fill the room in this live setting. However, “To the Dogs or Whoever” became an infectious, fun-spirited romp when played with an urgent tempo and a live crowd as its chorus. “The Curse” live, was given new life. No longer did it seem like the masterpiece of some songwriting savant, meticulously constructed high in his haunted castle keep. With his reluctantly sentimental gasp, Ritter seemed more like a man who had actually witnessed this story, if not lived it. “The Curse”, an already staggeringly beautiful song, became personal.

Another highlight was found in darkness. Late in the show, Ritter (can I just call him Josh?) was alone on stage, when he asked for all the stage and house lights to be turned completely off. Without the spotlight, without even a microphone, Josh captivated the audience’s attention. With the exception of an occasional cash register drawer slam, the room was otherwise silent, no small feat amid the perpetual chatter of an LA crowd. Barely able to make out the source of the voice I was clinging to, I was compelled to close my eyes.

Then there was the freeze. Near the end of the show, Ritter and The Royal City Band finished a song and as if by some cue, froze in their positions, holding for what felt like three solid minutes. The crowd chuckled, then cheered, and when Ritter and co. finally reanimated and rocked again, they roared. It was a simple gimmick, but such a refreshing one, and a clever way to tune the show to a lighter note.

This exhaustively satisfying night ended appropriately, with Ritter and bandmates, arm-in-arm, instruments hanging by their straps, singing “wait for love, wait for love, some days, baby, we all have to wait for love”, the audience singing with them. The filaments faded and the smile became a sigh.

-john k

FOALS - Total Life Forever

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 07:01:00 +0000

Sophomore LP from the Oxford 5-piece that brings the bands sound to the next level.

-thomas j

Title: Total Life Forever

Artist: Foals

Label: Transgressive

Released: 6/15/10

Don't get me wrong, Antidotes, the Foals debut full length in 2008 was decent album. It wasn't stellar, but it had some good tracks and not to mention a signature sound that you could spot from a mile away. One of those sounds that even if you'd only been sparsely familiar with Foals and your itunes was set on random and a song you hadn't heard before came up, you could easily identify it just by the spacey precision guitar and the echoey vocals. Flash forward two years later to Total Life Forever, the more polished, well produced, and extremely thought out sophomore follow up. The signature sound is still apparent, but whereas Antidotes was a little one-note, Total Life Forever is anything but.

Much fuller on the vocals and less heavy on the angular, and at times abrasive, guitar that served as a centerpiece on the prior album, the Foals well roundedness is evident throughout this entire effort. "Blue Blood" kicks off and right out of the gate demonstrates the vast expansion that their sound has evolved into over the past few years. "Spanish Sahara" is a dreamlike, nearly seven minute long opus with an eloquent build and decline that has the structure of progressive electro track, yet still retains its math rock influenced dynamic. But "This Orient" is definitely the belle of the ball on this album. The catchy chorus and punchy drums combined with one of the more "happier" songs they've had result in the culmination of all things good that are Foals.

A lot of the time these days it seems that any subsequent album, no matter if it's good or not, of a hot band with a lot of buzz at one point or another never holds it's weight against their debut. There tends to be a lot of the "it's really good, but it's still not as good as their first one" shadow to follow behind. Totally not the case here, which is a good thing and hopefully an indication of even better stuff to come.

-thomas j

"This Orient" - Foals buy

KELE - The Boxer

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 19:31:00 +0000

Kele of Bloc Party's dance happy solo debut.

-thomas j

Title: The Boxer

Artist: Kele

Label: Glassnote Records

Released: 6/21/10

"Peak hour club banger" is a much more appropriate description of "Tenderoni" than let's say..."the first single off the lead singer of Bloc Party's new solo album"? Kele Okereke frontman and rhythm guitarist of the former, debuts his first release, The Boxer, under his own moniker and orchestrates an electro infused collection of some head banging dance tracks. On an effort that could easily be dismissed as one of those generic pop albums you hear while walking by and/or hanging out inside of a club in Vegas (and love at the time no doubt, yet soon forget about once you get home), Kele's record is much more substantiual than that.

As mentioned before, "Tenderoni" is one of those songs that is simply a hit. It's a track that's so familiar and feels like you've heard a thousand times prior, yet done so perfectly that it's impossible to resist. There's several other songs that endow that similar pulse, including "On the Lam" and the opening track "Walk Tall". The rest of the album is comprised of several mid to low tempo tracks, and while this might seem like a buzz kill seeing that the past three high energy songs I mentioned are numbers one, two, and three, Kele's use of sound palette coupled with his robust voice and lyrics still manage to channel all of that energy. "All the Things I Could Never Say" is an electro-ballad of sorts, while "The New Rules" is simple yet sweet and reaffirms that there is no shortage of passion on this record.

This album isn't without it's cheesy elements though, which include a recurring British telephone operator sound that appears throughout (why?) and even the word "T.e.n.d.e.r.o.n.i." is spelled out a la Men Without Hats (which is actually pretty cool come to think of it).

All in all, The Boxer is a fun time. The only thing from making this good album a great album is it's sustainability. It's definitely no flash in the pan, but whether or not it's something that will still maintain it's gusto six months from now, or even one month remains to be seen. One thing's for sure, and that is that Kele is definitely an artist. A departure it may be, but it makes me appreciate Bloc Party even more.

-thomas j

"Tenderoni" - Kele buy

YEASAYER @ The Hollywood Bowl

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 01:23:00 +0000

The Brooklyn trio play a remarkable set opening for a peculiarly unpacked KCRW World Fest.

-thomas j

Artist: Yeasayer

Headliner: Baaba Maal

Add'l Openers: Fool's Gold, Tinariwen

Venue: The Hollywood Bowl

Date: 6/20/10

Something didn't add up on Sunday evening; One of, if not the top venue in LA, one of the better bands around right now, not to mention a solid line up overall...yet no more than a half-full Hollywood Bowl? Thanks to the good people over at Pop & Hiss who reported on Saturday that the there was still 10,000 tickets (holy crap!) available for the 18,000 capacity venue, it was virtually a no brainer to not go check out the Brooklyn based Yeasayer who was opening up for the Senegalese singer and Worldbeat icon Baaba Maal at KCRW's first round of it's World Fest series.

For a somewhat abbreviated set, what may have lacked in stage time was not lost in content. Yeasayer played a 50-50 split of both parts All Hour Cymbols and Odd Blood. While the former was much more conducive to the African influence of the evening, the tracks from Odd Blood were bursting with energy as "O.N.E." brought the small crowd to it's feet. I didn't even realize until seeing them play that the contribution to the vocals goes much deeper than just Chris Keating. Anand Wilder and Ira Wolf Tuton lend a lot to the falsetto equation in the form of both lead and backing vocals and fill out the sound in a much more than complimentary manner. The night was far from over though when Yeasayer finished, as Baaba Maal took to the stage to cap off an eclectic evening with a remarkable set of his own from his veteran playbook of African rhythms.

Despite the snub that took place at Coachella this year which involved getting gridlocked in line whilst attempting to get into the venue that resulted in missing Yeasayer, it's safe to say that Sunday was an extraordinary concession. And I'm not sure about how rare of an occurrence a half empty Bowl is, but it's an experience I can only hope to repeat somewhere down the line.

-thomas j

TAME IMPALA - InnerSpeaker

noreply@blogger.com (soundbite.me) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 21:58:00 +0000

Nostalgic psychedelic debut from Australian psychedelic quartet.

-thomas j

Title: InnerSpeaker

Artist: Tame Impala

Label: Modular Recordings

Released: 5/21/10

Drawing from a vast well of both psychedelic revival and ghosts past, 60's rock n' roll, and a potpourri of other derivatives, Tame Impala's first full length packs an awful lot of punch for something that could have easily derailed from it's desired intention. InnerSpeaker is full of catchy songs, dream-like melodies, a minor speed bump, and tracks that will pleasantly get stuck in your head.

Hazy vocals strung over washed out drums and phaser-laced guitars are a familiar sound on this album and as sleepy as that might sound, the energy of InnerSpeaker is quite the contrary. Lead singer Kevin Parker spans the course of Revolver, to Ray Davies, to "Crimson and Clover" and back again on song after song of peppy rhythms and progressive chorus'. "Desire Be Desire Go" revels in all of this and then some.

The speed bump mentioned earlier occurs precisely seven songs in at the elongated five and a half minute instrumental "Jeremy's Storm". I'm not sure what the objective was here, but it brings the album to a screeching halt. About 30 seconds in it's easy to completely zone out and forget what or who you were listening to every time this song comes into play. Perhaps that was that goal? This is followed by a few songs that steer into jambandish territory, but nothing terribly out of character for a sound like theirs. Nevertheless, the album is bookended with a true stand out, that of which is "I Don't Really Mind".

Whether or not they're referring to the car or the medium-sized African antelope or what is uncertain, but one thing that's clear is the Australian bred Tame Impala make a more than solid debut that's both nostalgic, yet remarkably current.

-thomas j

"I Don't Really Mind" - Tame Impala buy