Album Review: Tyondai Braxton – Central Market
Concept: The son of jazz saxophonist Anthony Braxton seeks to create ‘new classical music’. Sound: Braxton’s diagnosis is more or less accurate. A lot of the time the math-rock influence shows its classical roots, and the orchestral instrumentation swimming in the strange electronic effects further tempts the comparison. Some tracks, most notably J. City, are [...]
Album Review: Zack Kouns – I Lift My Hands Against the Gods
Artist: Zack Kouns Album: I Lift My Hands Against the Gods Released: Self-released, 2009 Huh. Where to begin. Should I begin with what Mr. Kouns lists on his Myspace as some of his band members – “sensing man’s terrible seperation from himself,” “thin purplish scar,” “piers as empty as arms”? Or maybe his influences? “The [...]
Album Review: Maninkari – Un Souffle De Voix
Concept: French postrockers show everybody how it’s done. Sound: Alright, it’s not really postrock, nor is it ambient, nor shoegaze. You can certainly see all the elements of these in their music, though. Violins can get a bad rap outside of classical music, but here they’ve taken the foreground as harsh, dry, swarming devils. The [...]
Album Review: Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II
Concept: Raekwon speaks up to complete his small saga a decade after the first installment, and as with anybody working with the Wu-Tang Clan he’s got company. Sound: The samples are what you can expect, with Kung-Fu pulp, graphic sound effects, and all kinds of backing tracks from dark, spare jazz to raw soul to [...]
Album Review: Manic Street Preachers – Journal For Plague Lovers
Concept: Welsh political rockers release their first album to feature lyrics exclusively by rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards, who has since vanished. Sound: There’s an 80′s arena rock feel to the melodies, although the backing instruments would beg to disagree. Manic Street Preachers have a tight grip on their hooks and know how to use them, [...]
Album Review: Pearl Jam – Backspacer
Concept: Brendan O’Brien gives grunge godfather Vedder a pop makeover. Sound: If nobody else is going to say it, I will — Pearl Jam is getting old in every conceivable way. The only thing fresh about this album is the energy in Vedder’s voice, and that is forced to carry every. Single. Song. The “rock” [...]
Album Review: Blk Jks – After Robots
Concept: South African band takes their act abroad to flex their rock muscles. Sound: Blk Jks score big on the enthusiasm factor. The vocalist’s earnest melancholy and the wonderfully dynamic drummer keep things wild and loose. The band’s tinkering sprawl on this album is very similar to that of De-Loused In The Comatorium, using South [...]
Album Review: Wild Beasts – Two Dancers
Concept: Wild Beasts shoot to elevate the proletariat. Sound: The sparkling opening bassline sets the bar pretty high for the band, but the whole album keeps the glam and flamboyant dance atmosphere popping along. The hardest part to get over is the frontman’s preposterous range. He holds both a stable baritone and an alarmingly effeminate [...]
Album Review: Mount Eerie – Wind's Poem
Concept: Phil Elverum goes metal and talks to the wind. The wind doesn’t hear. Sound: In lieu of motion or depth, Elverum tries to characterize wind with soft dirges and scathing metal guitar effects. While some of the heavier tracks have nice harmony and off kilter drumming that brings to mind the electronic kit work [...]
Album Review: Pete Yorn And Scarlett Johansson – Break Up
Concept: Seriously? Okay. Sound: Scarlett’s voice isn’t bad, and it’s definitely not the kind of lip-sync wail you get out of most Hollywood crossover scams. She actually seems to be shooting for Billie Holiday a lot of the time, which is a good choice. That’s not to say it’s even close. The obvious selling point [...]