Audioholic Media

»Album Reviews For Release Date: 11.03.09
by Joshua Krage, with Glee review by Sereyna Avila

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

ABBA – live in Japan DVD
The Almost
Amerie
Bee Gees
Andrea Bocelli Christmas

Julian Casablancas, Phrazes For the Young — Much of the material on this first solo outing from the voice of The Strokes (*swoon*…) shouldn’t surprise any fans who have been paying attention since their second album. There’s some neon dance beats and some electro rhythms, generally more divergent sounds than their early lo-fi garage revival. However, Casablancas’ lyrics here are some of his best yet, and about halfway through this 8-song LP, he starts changing it up with a softer, more colorful musical side and some really experimental textures. The only thing that grated on me were the vocals. He would’ve sounded much better if he’d ditched the trademark flat, dry, and doubled vocal track for something that matched the lush, three-dimensional atmosphere he has constructed here. It’s only a small detraction, though, and beyond that, the album is probably my favorite of all the Strokes side projects I’ve heard (which is saying something, since Albert Hammond Jr.’s first album was one of my favorites of ’06/’07).

CFCF
Steven Curtis Chapman

Cold Cave, Love Comes Close — I’m almost positive this is the band Ian Curtis would have formed if he started making music in the middle 2000s, and Joy Division has its shadow all over these keyboard-born electronic indie grooves. Features Xiu Xiu expatriate Caralee McElroy, whose interplay with doom-baritone Wes Eisold reminds me of some of Canadian band Stars’ more electronic moments.

Kate Earl, Kate Earl — Her debut, Fate is the Hunter, was probably my favorite music during all of 2005, but being on a tiny label and having little exposure in the overcrowded Los Angeles landscape (in conjunction with some personal issues) quickly stalled what little momentum her early work had achieved. This sophomore album relaunch has some bold additions, for both better and worse. In the plus category, she’s now signed to Universal Republic Records, who gave her some major label push with a few industry showcases, a free iTunes single of the week, and now a huge opening tour slot for label mates Maroon 5 (coming soon to a town near you!), so exposure shouldn’t be a problem this time around. On the minus side, however, the sound she’s sporting now has pretty much lost all of her first album’s intimacy and charm, replacing it with big-beat studio sheen, which plays against her strength as a highly personal singer-songwriter whose voice is vulnerable and soulful, not bright and punchy like this by-the-numbers, sugar-filled mainstream production. I know that Lauryn Hill was a big influence on her writing process on this album, and some of that comes through pretty well (especially on decent single “Melody,” which sounds much better if you can catch her singing it with only her piano backing her up). Bottom line is that I still love this artist, and her voice sounds absolutely wonderful here, but this music is really not that good, and she would’ve done better to pursue (or preserve) a style which suited her voice better. I hope she learns this and comes back strong next time around…

John Fogerty
Foo Fighters – Greatest Hits, with a couple new (and kind of enh) tracks for good measure
Gift of Gab

Glee Cast, Glee: The Music, Vol. 1 — The fresh-faced kids of the Glee cast get a shot at stardom with the release of the original television soundtrack. The record features covers of popular songs that span decades, genres, emotions, you name it. While it was their version of “Don’t Stop Believing” that first attracted attention, there are several tracks on the Glee soundtrack that deserve a listen apart from their context within the show — the boisterous “Bust Your Windows” and the silky smooth “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” are early standouts. While the production on some tracks is a little unrealistic for a “glee club” performance, little gems like “Somebody To Love” and an especially charming rendition of “Dancing With Myself” keep the listener singing along … maybe adding a box step or two. For anyone that ever harbored dreams under the big lights, a stirring performance of “Maybe This Time” featuring Broadway royalty Kristin Chenoweth is a most welcome addition. Maybe this record won’t change your life with its complexity and deep philosophical meaning, but it will make it a little more… well, gleeful.

Mike Gordon
Guided By Voices
Halford
Taylor Hollingsworth
Joy Electric

The King Khan & BBQ Show, Invisible Girl — King Khan’s work with The Shrines was some of the best, rawest retro throwback to ’60s horn-adorned adreno-psychedelia I’ve ever heard. On this album (or “show”, rather) with BBQ, the psychedelic is still here, and the ’60s are firmly in place. Really the only things that have changed are less horns and more updated production. Still crude as ever, but you won’t find a better, sweatier, kitschier dance party.

Ryan Leslie

Little Dragon, Machine Dreams — Surprisingly lush and atmospheric second album from the Swedish equivalent of Cibo Matto or Asobi Seksu, taking deft electro rhythms and synth layers onto the indie dance floor. Less soul and hip hop leanings this time around (for better or worse, depending on what you liked about their debut), but just the same this intelligent music will get you moving, and singer Yukimi Nagano’s soft, reverb-laden lilt covers the tracks with pristine poise.

Malachi

The Mary Onettes, Islands — New new wave out of Sweden with soaring synths towing these dance-worthy tunes through the magical night sky, even if it’s a night sky from 1986. Check out “Puzzles” for a catchy (even prom-worthy) chorus that will stick in your head like Aqua Net.

Michael McDonald
Melt-Banana
Morrissey – Swords (B-sides)

Nirvana, Live at Reading, Bleach Deluxe — If you haven’t seen or heard their headlining set from the ’92 Reading Festival, you’re missing one of the best live rock and roll moments in all of history, seriously. They absolutely KILLED on stage that night.

OST Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Have Yourself a Meaty Little Christmas — If you know the show, you know this won’t be your grandma’s holiday album (unless your grandma is an Adult Swim franchise fan). With song titles like “Hark the Herald Angels Rap,” “Jingle Bells Deep” (!) and “I Sure Hope I Don’t Have to Beat Your Ass This Christmas,” you get the sense that Santa’s in mortal danger, and those wise men better show up packin’ heat…

OST – Fantastic Mr. Fox – did you know Wes Anderson made a kids movie? Neither did I…
OST – NCIS
OST – The Sound of Music 50th Anniversary Edition
Plumb – hits
Rolling Stones

Serena Ryder, Is It OK — Stellar Canadian starlet whose versatile vocals hit me like Alanis Morissette filtered through country legends Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris. Muscular lyrics of love and loss catch a wistful fire over uncluttered, acoustic-based tracks which frame her powerful voice like a shimmering white horse in moonlight. She’s already won over our neighbors to the north, and to anyone looking for a solid, well-versed singer-songwriter with the pipes to knock over the competition by sheer vocal force, this is your new favorite artist.

Say Anything
Shane & Shane
Shwayze
Frank Sinatra
Slayer

Straight No Chaser, Christmas Cheers — I’m not one for most Christmas albums, but these a cappella fellas are aces on everything I’ve heard them do thus far, and they shine bright (star of wonder!) on this collection. From soul-ifying “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” to jazzing up the classic “Let It Snow” in grand fashion, the boys roll sans instruments with incredible panache. It would be hard enough to adapt “We Three Kings” to fit over the Mission: Impossible theme with a full orchestra and they pull it off in style with only voices and the occasional finger snap. This is a holiday album that should please just about everyone, teenagers, grandparents and aging hipsters alike.

Themselves
Carrie Underwood
VA – Now That’s What I Call Music! 32 - is anybody paying attention to these anymore? Oh, sorry Wal-Mart shoppers, didn’t see you back there.
Vitalic

Weezer, Raditude — Most bands get stale after singing about the same stuff album after album. Luckily for Rivers Cuomo, his various neuroses and turbulent romantic escapades only get more entertaining, especially filtered through his wry-but-sincere lyrics and apparently-conquered mid-life crisis. To top that, this band’s musical composition is as strong as ever and only getting stronger with the chances they’re taking on this LP. Kicking off with the catchy-as-hell sock-hop stomp of “If You’re Wondering If I Want You To (I Want You To),” Cuomo & Co. keep their guitars big and crunchy (and sometimes synthesized!) and their sound classic Weezer, but I enjoyed finding the following surprises: drummer Patrick Wilson’s contribution “In the Mall” being one of my favorite tracks (with bonus Rush-tribute guitar solo!), dance floor-ready anthem “I Can’t Stop Partying” complete with synth’d-out guitars and Lil’ Wayne verse (a nice to sequel to “Beverly Hills”), full-on authentic Indian instrumentation and vocalization on “Love is the Answer,” and a completely unexpected, heart-wrenching and bulletproof ballad in proper album closer “I Don’t Want to Let You Go” (seriously you guys, I was floored). For anyone looking to get the whole album, you’d be well-served to get the deluxe edition, as three of the four extra songs are fully worthy of inclusion, especially if you’re fans of their metal resurgence from the Green-album era. I see, hear, and read plenty of Weezer fans hating on their post-Pinkerton output, but if you’ll open your ears and remove your snark, this album easily bests all albums they’ve released in the ’00s and has loads of absolutely awesome songwriting, some of the best of their career. And if that doesn’t get you, check the rad album cover — flyin’ doggie attack!!1!

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

P.S. As if reading about them weren’t enough, you can enjoy a playlist featuring most of these fine artists on my MySpace Page. Enjoy.

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