Each week I will listen to and review/preview a handful of the more interesting music albums released that week. The genres I will mainly focus on are Rock, Pop, Indie, Hip-Hop, Rap, and Electronic.
KasabianVelociraptor! - The Brit space rockers from Leicestershire release their fourth studio album this time with acclaimed producer Dan the Automator (Gorillaz and Handsome Boy Modeling School) at the helm. This album came out last week in the UK and Europe and drops this week in the U.S. A copy of the album was leaked a couple of weeks ago so some of my naughtier readers may already have a copy. For those of you who haven't heard it yet, let's find out how this disc sounds.
"Let's Roll Just Like We Used To" leads off the album after a slow intro with a sweeping melody that has a rocking orchestral feel by smartly integrating piano, violin and horn instruments on a song that cleverly revels in past glories. The next song, and the first official single off the album, is another song that reminisces about the past but in a much darker manner, "Days Are Forgotten," which is a less catchy song with more simplistic lyrics that I had a hard time getting in to. "Man of Simple Pleasures" is the real standout from the second half of the album with its eerily syncopated early drumming before a bewitching melody and backing vocals are employed.
Velociraptor! is very good release and in many ways is the band's most accessible disc to date with less eletro-heavy rhythns and more indie rock-sounding songs. Frontman Tom Meighan's vocals are slightly off kilter sounding like Ricky Wilson from the Kaiser Chiefs but it matches the energy and tempo of the tracks well. Beatles-esque backing vocal harmonies pepper the best tracks although some of the excitement the band's music previously brought about is lessened in favor of the more accessible style.
Score: 7.5/10 Song(s) to Sample:"Let's Just Roll Like We Used To" and "Man of Simple Pleasures" [sample it below]
VHS or BetaDiamonds and Death - The alt/post-punk rockers from Brooklyn by way of Louisville, Kentucky release their third studio album. For some reason they left the awesome Astralwerks label and are releasing this disc off of the much less cool Varese Fontana record label. Unlike Kasabian who left their electronica roots behind on their latest release, VHS or Beta is still heavily influenced by and tries to incorporate many techniques from the disco-heavy acid house genre. However overly lengthy tracks litter the album and bring down the enjoyment to be had from the release. By far this is the least entertaining and most monotonous album from the band to date. Whether this is due from changing labels or just the third-album-jinx many bands experience can't be determined from this disc alone but let's hope their future releases returns them to the fun and clever music they created in the past.
Score: 5.5/10 Song(s) to Sample: "All Summer in a Day"
Mocean WorkerCandygram For MoWo! - Alright, our second album with an exclamation mark in its name this week. Woo-hoo! Mocean Worker (pronounced "Motion Worker") is the stage name/recording alias of Adam Dorn. If you're familiar with Mocean Worker, you probably know that his albums are usually skewed towards either a heavy drum & bass sound or a fast tempo, remixed acid jazz sound. Candygram definitely skews toward the remixed jazz sound offering smooth rhythms behind raucous horns and ebullient piano work. However, it is in no way a traditional jazz album with most songs featuring a quick electronic beat and a few of the songs even feature well constructed raps or hip-hop styled vocal samples. Think St. Germain crossed with Zero 7. Candygram is a superb album from beginning to end with well crafted grooves that have an acid jazz slant. He manages to blend the more traditional style of jazz with funky electronica beats without ruining the fun to be had from either genre of music. It's a true marriage of the two styles where everyone ends up a winner. Do yourself a favor and have this Candygram delivered to your home.
Score: 10/10 Song(s) to Sample:"Shooby Shooby Do Yah!" [sample it below], "My Own Little World" and "Sho Nuff"
Clap Your Hands Say YeahHysterical - The indie rock quintet from Brooklyn, NY release their third studio album. After rumors persisted earlier this year that the band had broken up, I'm happy to report that they are still together and are producing new albums. This album actually came out last week in Europe, the UK, and Japan but it drops this week in the U.S.
The album opens with the long-ago released first single, "Same Mistake," which features the killer hook and fun, indie style we've come to expect from the band in a song that instantly sweeps you along. Next up is "Hysterical" which sounds like the band trying to cover a The Killers song but without the energy or vocal power that Brandon Flowers brings to that band's music. "Maniac" is very entertaining song with the strong lyrical wordplay that was more prevalent on their past releases. "In a Motel" is calming ballad with a haunting melody that is a joy to listen to.
Ultimately, the album starts off with a bang but it fails to keep up that momentum for the duration of the release. The disc isn't horrible by any means but the band has lost some of the quirkiness that helped set it apart from the other numerous indie acts and instead give us a more melancholy, Keane-like release. There's little doubt that this is the band least original release sounding very much at times like the two bands referenced above, The Killers and Keane. While that may not be a bad thing for a new band, for CYHSY it seems like a step backwards given the amount of originality and caprice they expressed on their first two albums.
Score: 6.5/10 Song(s) to Sample:"Same Mistake" and "In a Motel"
LotusLotus - Lotus is a four-person electronic jam band that formed over a decade ago at Goshen College in Indiana. Although I'm only familiar with one of their previous four albums, I do know the band is known for using extensive and complex lighting arrangements to enhance their live performances. The music is lush, synthesizer and dub heavy, with the occasional horn or string getting the spotlight over their more basic guitar/bass/drum instrumentation. Vocals are kept to a minimum, mainly consisting of spoken word samples or simple raps, with only one song actually featuring singing. The buoyant electronic melodies are very infectious and you don't miss the lack of singing at all. The tracks that integrate their horn section have a funkier feel and remind me of Marden Hill at their best with a little bit of Zero 7 thrown in. Lotus' self-titled release is a pleasant surprise and a great album to trumpet in the start of the fall music season.
Score:9/10 Song(s) to Sample: "Golden Ghost" [sample it below], "Bush Pilot", and "Harps"
Gavin DeGrawSweeter - The pop singer/songwriter from the Catskills resort area of New York releases his fourth studio album. The first thing you notice about this release is that it has a more lively feel than his last album, 2009's Free. However his range is still not as great as some of his contemporaries in this genre which means many tracks come off sounding like a poor man's John Mayer or Andy Stochansky. The one exception is the fun and well structured "Radiation" where DeGraw's vocals really come to life in a more soulful manner although the hook of the song could have been catchier. Overall, it's a melancholy and below-average release that, although it generally features a livelier tempo than his last album, never really comes to life.
Score:5/10 Song(s) to Sample: "Radiation" [sample it below]
The KooksJunk of the Heart - The indie rockers/Britpoppers from Brighton, England release their studio third album. Drummer Paul Garred is back with the band after a two year absence when he left due to a nerve injury in his arm. Another band I definitely recommend checking out live if you have the opportunity. Not only do they put on a great show, but you might see something really cool like one of the band members kicking The Arctic Monkey's lead singer Alex Turner in the face during the middle of the band's performance! (This supposedly happened in 2008 when Turner was trying to disrupt The Kooks set at a festival in the UK.) Now let's find out if their new album kicks some ass or falls flat on its face.
"Junk of the Heart (Happy)" leads off the album and the first thing you notice is the unique crooning style of lead singer Luke Pritchard that, along with their soaring harmonies, is a staple of the band over a simple indie melody with a decent hook that borders between being extremely catchy and being annoyingly catchy such that it'll get stuck in your head for a week. "Time Above the Earth" is an interesting ditty with a purely violin driven melody that succeeds in creating something completely different from what the band has made in the past although it's not a song you'll be playing over and over. "Runaway" The album ends with the fantastic "Mr. Nice Guy" which has the edge to music that they first exhibited in their first album but has been mostly absent since then.
Junk of the Heart is about at the same level of quality as Konk which means there are lots of good songs but the total impact of the album pales in comparison to their first disc, Inside In, Inside Out. Overall, the album is on the mellower side in comparison to their more raucous past releases but the style, especially the vocals from frontman Pritchard, are still instantly recognizable. At least on this album they experiment with their sound and produce a few tracks unlike anything they had produced before. While the results of these more experimental songs end up being a mixed bag, they also give us a number of songs in the laid-back indie style we anticipate they will produce. It's nice to hear the band come out of their shell but their best songs still echo their past hits.
Score: 8/10 Song(s) to Sample: "Junk of the Heart (Happy)" [sample it below] and "Mr. Nice Guy"
Robbers on High StreetHey There Golden Hair - Robbers is a five person indie rock band from New York. This is the band's third studio album which became available in MP3 album format this week although I couldn't find a street date for the actual CD release. But if you love this band as much as I do, you can find the whole album on iTunes, Amazon, and other online MP3 music retailers. One of the band's strengths that is on full display on this release is their ability to weave a fun story and integrate it well with the accompanying melodies and Beatles-esque harmonies. "Electric Eye" really showcases the former attribute while "Second Chance" shines with the latter. Hey There Golden Hair is another fantastic album from Robbers on High Street with soaring harmonies and cleverly written lyrics. Longtime fans must pick this album up and new fans will probably find at least a couple songs to their liking.
Score: 9/10 Song(s) to Sample:"Electric Eye", "Second Chance" and "Monkey"
PrimusGreen Naugahyde - The hard rocking Bay Area trio fronted by bass god Les Claypool release their sixth studio album and first in over a decade. It's not like they were on vacay that entire time; the boys were either working on solo projects or performing with other bands. And speaking of the boys, longtime drummer Jon Lane makes his glorious return on this release . Green shows a return to form of to the bass-heavy rock ditties with a skewing towards the more twisted, carnival-esque melodies. The entire album is solid from beginning to end which is sure to please fans of the band and be a good introduction for the young'uns. Only one thing prevents the album from scoring higher: a lack of a true breakout hit along the lines of "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver" or "My Name Is Mud". Other than that, it's great to see the band hasn't lost a step since the 90's. If only I could say that about more bands...
Score:8.5/10 Song(s) to Sample: "Hennepin Crawler", "Tragedy's a'Comin'" and "Lee Van Cleef" [sample it below]
Neon IndianEra Extrana - After a somewhat disappointing LP release last year, chillwave/synthpop electronica act Neon Indian releases a full-length studio album. Unfortunately, it's more of the same from the band. The potential of the band, once again, is present but what they give us is substandard with hooks that fail to capture your attention, melodies that start off promising but end up deteriorating quickly, and lyrics that don't make an impact emotionally nor in terms of cohesiveness. There are some interesting OMD-lite refrains and melodies on the album that prevent it from being a total let down but for all the potential the band has shown over the past few years, they still haven't figured out how to put it all together.
Score: 5.5/10 Song(s) to Sample:"Polish Girl" [sample it below]
LadytronGravity the Seducer - The synthpop band from Liverpool release their fifth studio album. Their first single, "White Elephant," was released all the way back in May and it leads off the album while another song, "Ace of Hz," was previously included in the band's compilation album, Best of 00-10. The good news if you're a fan of the band is that they haven't changed their formula over the years and are still able to concoct smooth and doleful chillwave melodies that aptly fit a Fall album release. However, the level of seduction on Seducer doesn't completely draw you in instead leaving you with an overall sense of melancholy. It's an album that will tide fans over until their next release but there won't be many songs from this disc on their next Best of album.
Score: 6.5/10 Song(s) to Sample:"White Gold" [sample it below] and "Ambulances"
The RaptureIn The Grace of Your Love - The post-punk revivalists who are not afraid of also incorporating electronica music return from their five year album hiatus to release this new disc of eleven tracks. Recorded primarily in Paris and New York, former Phoenix and Beastie Boys producer Phillipe Zdar gets to put his stamp on this release. I saw the band perform in 2004 or 2005 and they put on a really great show. So let's hope their touring again to promote this new album. Before we rush out an get tickets though, we should probably find out if their new album is any good.
The album opens with "Sail Away" which doesn't bring much new to the scene but it does a good job of setting up the listener to go on a journey with the band as it sneakily ratchets up the level of anticipation with the way the song builds. "Miss You" is a song with smooth electric guitar work, engaging keyboards and synthesizers, and a catchy hook that echoes their past work while still managing to sound contemporary. "Come Back to Me" is actually an accordion driven song that manages to get stuck in your head with it clever lyrical wordplay and well-sung vocals. "In the Grade of Your Love" shows the band hasn't lost touch with the electronica roots that were planted on their previous albums behind some beguiling vocal and synthesizer work.
Overall, there are some fantastic tracks on In The Grace of Your Love but the album as a whole seems to be lacking a constant direction or consistency. Once you are able to finally lose yourself in the music over a couple of tracks then suddenly a nonsensical track like "Roller Coaster" gets thrown in and totally throws off the funky, euphoric vibe the album was able to create up until that point. The effect is so jarring that it takes a couple of tracks before you can settle yourself down again. Thankfully, it only happens a couple of times but it is still enough to bring down the total score for the album. The Rapture is able to recapture the sound that helped distinguish themselves over a decade ago without sounding dated or derivative of their past success--they just are not able to do it over the length of the entire album.
Score:7/10 Song(s) to Sample: "In The Grace of Your Love" [sample it below] and "Miss You"
The Chemical BrothersHanna Official Soundtrack - Hanna is the story of a Finnish teenage girl trained by her father to be an assassin who is sent on her first mission. The groundbreaking British electronica music duo The Chemical Brothers scored the film and this album release is timed to coincide with the DVD release of the film. It's a toned down album for the duo, going for a more David Byrne or Thomas Newman-esque film score relying on jaunty, instrumental melodies rather than the big beat techno we expect from the two. On a couple of tracks they take a more industrial electronica/Detroit techno slant to add an extra edge to the music. Not their best release by any means if taken alone but the music works well with the film and stirs the appropriate emotions for each scene.
Score: 6.5/10 Song(s) to Sample: "The Devil Is in the Beats" [sample it below] and "Car Chase (Arp Worship)"
Grace JonesHurricane - The former supermodel, actress and singer releases her first album in over 20 years; a two-discer with the second disc mainly giving us remixed versions of the songs from the first disc. The music presented by this former Bond girl (and I just watched A View To A Kill this weekend!) is electro-heavy dub and trip-hop jams with Jones providing subdued vocals on each track. My question is, though, the powers-that-be couldn't have released this album a few weeks ago to steal some of the sheen from the new Conan: The Barbarian movie? Jones' vocals haven't really changed much over the years meaning she doesn't showcase the greatest range by any means but she and her team at least do a decent job of picking songs where that doesn't become a factor. There's nothing special or can't miss on the album but, then again, I've heard many worse releases this year as well. And you gots to love that album cover!
