Category Archive

In October, the world waited with bated breathe as it came closer and closer to the climactic ending of a historical US presidential election. Musically, however, it looked like it was going to be a rather slow month. I was so wrong, a very diverse group of bands have put out some unexpectedly good albums.

The first single from I’m From Barcelona’s second full length, Who Killed Harry Houdini, “Paper Planes” and “Headphones” are shining gems that almost equal the burst of pure joy that is “We’re From Barcelona” from their first album. Yet this album is a tad less exuberant and a bit more reflective than their debut Let Me Introduce You To My Friends, but no less enchanting. Their second album is still a must-have if you’re in search of some invigorating pop tunes, but their more familiar jubilant tracks are intermixed with quiet, soul-searching, sweeter songs. It might not be what you’d expect judging from their first album, but they’ve had a growth spurt that gives them an unexpected heartbreaking quality.

   I’m From Barcelona - Headphones

O’Death sounds like musical chaos among the haystacks in a barn .. in Brooklyn. Their unique brand of punky, folky, bluegrass unfailingly fascinates and delights on Broken Hymns Limbs And Skin. If you’re looking for pretty polished ditties, than steer clear from this album, but if you’re on the market for an off-beat, stomping, unruly, but beautifully written record with a southern twang and a punk spirit, then you’re right on target with Broken Hymns. The album isn’t easy to get into, but after every listen I grow more and more enamored with it. I wouldn’t be surprised if it makes it in my top 5 of 2008, by the end of the year.

The song that opens Off With Their Heads is edgier than we’re used from the Kaiser Chiefs, yet it’s still as catchy as ever. The songs that follow are testament that though they may have adopted a harder, more electronic sound, they still conjure up images of football fans singing along to their highly addictive choruses. Off With Their Heads is poppy, brash and choc full of great songs. The Kaiser Chiefs haven’t lost any of their rowdy magic and appeal and if you loved them before you won’t be disappointed by this one. The album’s end note “Remember You’re A Girl” is the antihesis of the opening track, it’s a sweet, quiet, understated, John Lennon-inspired song that leaves you wondering why they don’t fill whole albums full of these little beauties.

   Kaiser Chiefs - Remember You’re A Girl

Ah yes, Ryan Adams, he still makes me shake my head with disbelief. Whether it be because of his somewhat schizophrenic blog posts or the sheer number of albums he’s dished out - some more memorable than others. He’s been accused of lacking an internal editor and lauded for his endless creativity. Cardinology embodies these controversial sentiments as it has critics and fans split right in the middle. The one seems to think it’s classic rock done to perfection, others are less enthused and once again accuse the man of over-indulgence. I think Cardinology is half wonderful and half so-so, but far from Ryan’s least successful work. It immediately opens strong with “Born Into A Light”, then it slowly becomes less and less captivating. Just when you think, maybe it’s all become a bit too clean and perfect to keep your attention for long, he hits you with a beautiful song like “Crossed Out Name”.

My favorite release of the month was a total surprise! I bought Department Of Eagles’ In Ear Park solely because of “No One Does It Like You”, the sneak peak at their second album that made its rounds around the blogosphere last year. It’s a beautiful, wonderous song with a motown beat and intricately layered vocals and promised amazing things to come. Thankfully, the album delivers on that promise. In Ear Park will dreamily have you floating through highly theatrical, quirky songs that conjure up nostalgic images. It’s unique, almost innocent sounding, but with an epic impact. My favorite tracks are the almost carnival-esque “Teenagers” and the strange but fascinating “Classical Records”.

   Department Of Eagles - Teenagers

Wow, September was like new release mayhem! There’s a lot of stuff to cover this month, so we better just jump right in.

The release with the most attention on it was probably Kings Of Leon’s fourth album, Only By The Night. This one sees our Kings sounding much more Achtung Baby and a little less hillbilly - not as sleazy as they used to be, but way more sultry. I’ll admit that, although I liked “Sex On Fire” when I first heard it, I was a little dubious about this new album. But I shouldn’t have worried - Only By The Night didn’t grab me immediately the way that Kings Of Leon’s first albums did, but it’s grown on me enormously over the last two weeks. If you’re not convinced, check out “Crawl”, “Manhattan”, and “Notion” and see if they don’t win you over.

Next up is the lovely Peter, Bjorn & John with their latest, Seaside Rock. My opinion of this album kind of depends on how we’re supposed to take it: is this the real next Peter, Bjorn & John album, follow-up to the glorious Writer’s Block, or is it an experimental interlude? Seaside Rock is definitely interesting, and has some great music on it, but it doesn’t feel like an album. And although the odd Swedish stories (which may not be odd if I actually knew what they were telling me) are kind of charming at first, and set a certain mood, I can see where they could get a little annoying after a while - like skits on rap albums, only not dumb. In general, I suspect that Seaside Rock will be great for making mix CDs and playlists (”Saying Something (Mukiya)”, for example, would sound great on a mix), but I doubt it’ll be one of my most often played albums ever.

The always fun Spinto Band released their second LP, Moonwink last month and although it’s quite nice indeed, it’s doesn’t stray too far from where they left off on Nice And Nicely Done. That’s not a criticism, more of a taste test: if you loved “Oh Mandy”, go get yourself a copy of Moonwink right away. If you didn’t, this new album probably isn’t going to change your mind.

Fujiya & Miyagi haven’t changed much up on their third album, Lightbulbs, either, but I do feel like they’ve gotten even better at what they do. “Knickerbocker” has got to be one of the best singles of the year, and “Uh” (below) makes the world’s best use of ’sock it to me’. I wasn’t sure that the slower songs (”Goosebumps”, “Dishwasher”) quite fit at first, but now I’m thinking that the slight variations on this album give it a little extra something that Transparent Things lacked.

Speaking of lacking: anyone who, like me, felt that the only problem with the otherwise spectacular Casino Royale was the rather weak Chris Cornell Bond theme (”You Know My Name”) will be glad to hear the Jack White / Alicia Keys collaboration for Quantum Of Solace (if you somehow haven’t already). Sounding old and new at the same time, “Another Way To Die” is a much more fitting Bond theme.

Sadly, The Streets‘ Everything Is Borrowed is not such a triumph. Although it sounds more like a party than Mike Skinner’s previous albums, it doesn’t have nearly the same weight that his first two albums had. The title track does indeed make for a pretty catchy single, but it’s got an ordinary-ness that “Fit But You Know It” could crush with its pinky. Having said all of that, I should add as a disclaimer that I’ve only really listened to this album once properly, and Skinner’s greatest skill is most often found in his lyrics, so I’ll definitely give this more of a chance over time.

My beloved Raveonettes, continuing their EP spree, released the “Sometimes They Drop By” EP, much to my delight. I’ll never get tired of these guys and their motorcycle gang fuzz. These four songs aren’t a drastic change to anything that came before, but they do sound like they’ve been spending some time down at the drive-in watching martian movies. With every thing they do, The Raveonettes just keep getting a tiny bit better and I’m always anxious to hear what will come next.

Of course, I’ve saved the best for last. Well, depending on who you ask. Cold War Kids seem to be a seriously polarizing band, based on various comments I’ve seen around the internets lately. You either love ‘em or you hate ‘em and there’s nothing in between. I guess I could see how their sound isn’t for everyone, but I’m in the love ‘em camp and I can’t imagine anything changing my mind. Loyalty To Loyalty was much anticipated at here 100b and it doesn’t disappoint. True, it’s much less structured than Robbers & Cowards, and that might be disconcerting for some. It feels more like a great live band (which they are, by the way, one of the best we’ve ever seen) doing their thing than an orderly album - it’s funkier, more beat-driven (an underrated aspect of Cold War Kids has always been their drums), both more rowdy and more subtle than their first. This is the kind of album that sticks around for a long time, and keeps getting better and better the more it’s played.

   Fujiya & Miyagi - Uh
   Cold War Kids - Dreams Old Men Dream

This month has been very merry merry. August saw so many good releases that I’m having a hard time picking the one that stood out the most, so like the parent of a spoiled kid at a toy store, I decided to stop crying about it and let me pick two of my favorites. So I start and end this month’s post with the albums that impressed me the most. I even came up with an excuse for picking two this month. See, the albums are like night and day, so I couldn’t possibly pick between two polar opposites, because there’s simply no comparing the two. Sounds almost like it could be true, no?

Seasick Steve-endorsed Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir comes really close to what I imagine Gogol Bordello would sound like if they had their roots in Kentucky rather than Eastern Europe. Like the gypsy-punk band, this band mixes traditional sounds with a punk spirit. Even at their most jubilant, their take on old-timey country has a sinister undertone, underscored by Judd Palmer’s raw, guttural voice. The end result is breathtaking. Their third album, Ten Thousand proves that, in spite of horrifying Frankenstein-type hybrids like rap metal, when the boundaries between genres are crossed beautiful things can happen. At times, they play around with the darker pits of blues as in “Dark Holler”, other times they’re punky, but they’re always doused with a good helping of bluegrass.

   Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir - Go Back Home

Canadian duo Human Highway’s debut features gentle vocals and equally mellow guitar-play, which makes for a very sweet record indeed. With the poppy exception of “The Sound”, Moody Motorcycle never picks up speed, but manages to keep your attention thanks to the beautiful harmonies reminiscent of Simon & Garfunkel and the Beach Boys. So very pretty, pretty, pretty, but it could do with just a tiny little bit more oomph. A smidge more bite. A bit less Hannah Montana, a bit more Hurricane Hanna … except without the fatalities, I’m sorry that was a horrible, horrible analogy.

I finally get it. I always thought The Walkmen were a good band, but I didn’t really get why certain music snobby snobs fawned over them. I have to admit the snobs were right in this case. The band holds fast to old ways and You And Me is filled with songs that have the feel of time gone by, but I never get the feeling that I’ve heard it all before. And yet, as a whole, this album has a strong sense of nostalgia. It is their fourth release and is aimed to move us; move us to smile or cry or tap our feet. Their deeply soulful songs are seductive and sophisticated but never stuffy. If you weren’t a fan before, you will be halfway through this album, I’m living proof of that.

It makes sense to me now that Conor Oberst put this album out under his name. This album feels more personal but is also more upbeat than his previous work. His songwriting is exceptional as always, but his familiar introspective pessimism is layered with a wit and joy that’s so refreshing. Last week, The Bean and I caught him live - we had seen him play before, but we agreed this was the best we’ve ever seen him. He played with the crowd and seemed genuinely excited to play with the amazing Mystic Valley Band. I didn’t set out to give a live review, but if you get the chance to see him on this tour you should, because this beautiful album seems to have revived a previously unseen and unheard playful side in him that’s endearing and fun to watch and listen to.

Kele Okereke has called Intimacy Bloc Party ’s ‘break up album’, and there is a hint of sadness alternated with a healthy dose of vengefulness throughout, but specked with the intimacy announced in the title. We’re used to them sounding like they write the soundtrack to a busy city landscape; Intimacy pulsates in a high speed and even when it takes a breather it still has the familiar Bloc Party urgency and angst we know and love.

Though Peaceful The World Lays Me Down is their debut, Noah And The Whale have already dished out two exceptional artists with Laura Marling and Emmy The Great. The remaining members don’t seem to have suffered from their absence. The album is beautiful, moving, and uplifting and as perfect as a first album can get. Whereas Arcade Fire’s full orchestral sound reveals a sweet melancholy tragedy, Noah And The Whale merrily celebrate life with their multi-instrumental outfit. Oh and, though it’s only 0.746% of the reason why they’re one of my picks of the month, have a look at their site and check out the page called Urby’s Greats if you’re into music themed lists. Plus, it looks like it was made by Wes Anderson. So fun!

   Noah And The Whale - 5 Years Time

So what new releases knocked my socks off in July? I don’t have a lot to share with you in this edition of In The Merry Merry Month… since July was incredibly chaotic for me, but July definitely had some great things to offer.

Pop Levi’s second album was released, which was exciting for me to find out because his first is still a constant on my iPod. Never Never Love is less glam and more electro than The Return To Form Black Magick Party - like he’s shed off some Marc Bolan and gained a little Prince. (To be honest, I’ve never really listened to Prince much, other than the singles, so that may be a faulty comparison. You get what I mean though.) I can’t say it’s grabbed me quite as much as his first did, but any Pop Levi is better than no Pop Levi, in my opinion.

Beck’s widely anticipated Modern Guilt has been all over the place, and rightly so. I haven’t had a chance to listen to it a lot yet, but I will say that it’s appeal is apparent immediately. It sounds like Beck should sound - funky and a mix of every genre at once - but where his funkiness is typically hip-hop influenced, Modern Guilt feels more like a relaxed blues jam on hot summer day. Beck is always a surprise and hasn’t let me down yet.

I think I’ve missed some releases since Dr. Dog’s wonderful Easy Beat back in 2005, but I made sure to grab their latest, Fate, as soon as I could. Fate sounds pretty much like I expected it to, but that’s not a bad thing. Dr. Dog’s White-Album-Beatles-meets-The-Band sound is perfect for the summertime and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

By far my favorite of this month’s releases is Kitty, Daisy & Lewis’ eponymous debut album, around 3 years since I first heard them belt out “Mean Son Of A Gun”. I seriously can’t recommend this album enough - it’s charming, rockin’ and completely transports you to a dusty, rockabilly world that no longer exists.

   Kitty, Daisy & Lewis - Honolulu Rock-a Roll-a

Ah June, the long warm (wet) days, the weddings, the new releases. This month of luuuve and new beginnings brought us two debuts that blew me away, and a couple of albums by more established artists that more than lived up to their preceding records.

Wolf Parade and Hot Club De Paris both had the unenviable job of following up extraordinary and much-loved debuts and did a great job. They delivered albums that don’t have quite the same instant impact, because when they first came out they were unlike anything we’ve heard at the time. Their respective second albums are an exploration and a maturity of their sound. They’re packed with staying-power and beautiful songs that are sure to become firm favorites after a couple of listens. Wolf Parade’s At mount Zoomer was a bit hard to get into at first, especially with the fantastic Apologies To The Queen Mary in mind, but once it gets under your skin, it’s there to stay. Hot Club De Paris had their work cut out with an outstanding debut like Drop It Till It Pops, but Live At Dead Lake is amazing. They kept their melodic wit but every once in a while songs like “The Dice Just Wasn’t Loaded From The Start” reveal a sweet sensitivity and tenderness that’ll break your heart.

   Hot Club De Paris - The Dice Just Wasn’t Loaded From The Start

Unless you reject all forms of media, it’s impossible to have missed Weezer’s so-called Red Album coming out last month. Highly anticipated albums like these are in danger of being drowned out by the hype surrounding it, but there’s no need to worry, it’s a gem. This time the rest of the band shares song-writing and vocal credits with Rock’s most elusive front man, with varied result. As always it’s self-deprecating and catchy, but it’s also slightly schitzo if you ask me, which is not a bad thing! When a thoroughly strange song like “The Greatest Man That Ever Lived”, which goes from metally to hip hoppy to Beach Boy ‘n Beatles-y, is sandwiched in between the über poppy “Troublemaker” and “Pork And Beans”, it makes it hard to pin-point what their next song is gonna sound like. It’s good, it’ll keep ya on your toes.

Then there’s the two debuts that made my ears flutter with delight. The first is by a band that caught aDawgg’s attention last year. White Denim’s Workout Holiday is an incredibly fun rabblerousing record that doesn’t always hit the right spot, but when it does, it’s magical. That’s OK, it just means they left some room for growth. Their, often psychedelic, interpretation of seventies, garage rock combined with a Sam & Dave-ish soulfulness is refreshing and so exciting. The second incredible debut is also my vote for favorite album that came out in June: wee pop pixie Lykke Li’s Youth Novels! A simple beat is really all she needs to create a mind-blowingly perfect Pop song. Her voice is so cute, so sweet, so little, and yet so commanding. From the beautiful Kate Bush-inspired “Time Flies” to the darker, repetitive “Complaint Department”, it’s Pop of the highest order.

   White Denim - Darksided Computer Mouth
   Lykke Li - Let It Fall

First things first - aDawgg would like to offer his sincerest apologies for having to skip this week’s edition of Those Zany Charts… He told me to tell you all something, but I’ve completely forgotten what it was. In any case, Those Zany Charts… will be back in its regularly scheduled slot in two weeks’ time.

So, I’m here instead today, bringing you the first in a new feature here at 100b. We’ve been hoping to do something that focuses on new releases for some time now, since they get a bit neglected around here, so we’ll be writing up a quick run-down of the stuff we’ve had a chance to hear over the previous month (more detailed reviews will be done in separate posts should we feel the need or, you know, get around to it). In The Merry Merry Month may cover albums, singles, movies, or anything else music-related that grabs our attention. Please keep in mind that we are not high profile bloggers that get promotional copies of releases and that we do actually pay for these albums. We may not be able to pick up every single good release every single month, but we are always open to suggestions, so speak up in the comments if you think we’re missing out on something great.

So, what came out in May? The Ting Tings’ We Started Nothing has been all over the place lately. There’s a lot of criticism of The Ting Tings going around, but I don’t get it. We Started Nothing is a good pop record - it’s catchy as hell, fun, danceable. What exactly is wrong with that? Another duo that had a lot of early blog buzz was John & Jehn. Their Velvet Underground-y debut is a little bottom-heavy and doesn’t bring any major surprises in their sound, so steer clear if you hated “20 L 07″. Personally, I love “20 L 07″ and I’ve really enjoyed the album so far; “1,2,3″ and “Lady Spider” were the tracks that stood out to me on the first couple of listens. And yet another twosome, dan le sac vs. Scroobius Pip, made their debut in May with Angles, which feels less like a cohesive album than a very enjoyable (if slightly random) collection of cool beats and cleverly-made observations on modern society.

My most anticipated release in May was definitely The Futureheads’ This Is Not The World and it doesn’t disappoint. This album brings back the magical combination of harmony and fire that their debut did so well (and that News & Tributes lacked in places). My biggest surprise of the month was Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit’s stunning debut, A Larum, which I’ve completely fallen in love with. A glorious mix of assorted folk influences, A Larum is one of the best releases I’ve heard all year.

Check out standout tracks from my favorite May 2008 releases below.

   The Futureheads - Broke Up The Time
   Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit - Cold Bread