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.
Florence + the MachineCeremonials - After their debut album went on to sell more than four million copies and made Florence Welch a staple on top-40 radio stations, she and "the Machine" are back for their sophomore album.
To capitalize on the band's meteoric rise, this disc is available in both a standard edition and a deluxe edition for a few bucks more. Although I'm only reviewing the standard edition, the deluxe has a second disc that contains some demo songs as well as acoustic versions of three songs from this album. The standard disc has 12 tracks total while the bonus disc from the deluxe version includes eight additional tracks.
Overall, Ceremonials is a solid and respectable followup to their smash debut album, Lungs. Florence uses her sultry and impassioned voice to maximum effect once again able to wring out heavy emotion from even the lightest lyrics. Although there are less radio friendly jams on this disc, the quality of the music never waivers from their first album and fans of that disc will find plenty to love on this release with the band seemingly pouring everything they have into the individual tracks.
The soaring piano melodies compliment and make a nice counterpoint the vocal harmonies and rhythmic guitar work. However, the real standout on this album, just like on the last album, is the emotion-filled vocal work by Florence Welch who seems to hold nothing back as she takes us on a melodic journey with even greater zeal and grandeur.
Score: 8/10 Song(s) to Sample: "Only If For A Night" [sample it below] and "Spectrum"
PyyramidsHuman Beings (LP) - This must be sultry female vocalist week! Pop band OK Go recently left Capitol Records to form their own record label, Paracadute, and the first release off the label is this LP by Pyyramids. This two person collaboration features vocals by former Lupe Fiasco backup vocalist Drea Smith and OK Go's bassist Tim Nordwind doing the majority of the instrumentation. Smith's vocals offer a light version of what Florence Welch brings with equal steaminess albeit with a much lesser range. The generally subdued melodies offer a downtempo pop feel to the songs that have a subtle but chic aura to them. The LP has a very interesting a beguiling sound to it but the duo doesn't give us much range over the entire disc which works quite well over these five tracks (plus one remix) but I could see it being repetitive over a normal length album release. As a debut disc, there's a lot to like on a couple of tracks but there's not enough variety for you to fall in love with the band at this point in their career.
Score:6.5/10 Song(s) to Sample: "Perfect Picture" and "Human Beings"
Little JackieMade4TV - To continue our there from this week, Little Jackie is a two person R&B group from the U.S. featuring the silky vocals by frontwoman Imani Coppola. The band made a minor splash in the UK a few years back with their single "The World Should Revolve Around Me". On their sophomore release, the duo mixes retro R&B jams with fun, and sometimes funny, lyrics. Their sound is energetic and very danceable but the highlight for me were the cleverly written lyrics and how they seamlessly blended with the smooth and distinct melodic jams they consistently produce over the length of the entire album. I went into this album with zero expectations and it completely blew me out of the water. I definitely enjoyed the faster tempo songs more than the slower tempo ones but, on the same token, there aren't any tracks that I outright hated or skipped over on my repeat listens. And while Coppola's vocals aren't quite as sultry as the first two artists reviewed this week this was the album I found the most enjoyable.
Score: 9/10 Song(s) to Sample: "Take Back the World" [sample it below], "31 Flavors" and "Cock Block"
Dunner's going on vacation... I will be attending a family reunion next week in (hopefully) sunny and fun Orlando, Florida. So I will be taking the week off from reviewing any new albums but they will be returning the following week for your reading and listening pleasure. Thanks for your patronage!
ColdplayMylo Xyloto - The Chris Martin fronted four person pop band from London, England return for their fifth studio album. Just like on their last album, Viva la Vida, the godfather of ambient music, Brian Eno, returns as a co-producer and sometimes co-song writer on Coldplay's new release. Originally set for release in December 2010, the disc was pushed back nearly a year as the band couldn't find time to put the finishing touches on the album while they were still touring for Viva la Vida.
After a quick 43-second opener, the album opens with the quick tempo and catchy "Hurts Like Heaven" where Martin's vocals are allowed to shine in a song about lost love ("You use your heart as a weapon/and it hurts like heaven"). "Paradise" opens with a beautiful violin melody before Eno-influenced electronica is layered on along side Martin's expected piano playing to create one well crafted and sweeping song that is reminiscent of their past glories.
"Princess of China" is a electronica heavy track with a catchy hook that features guest vocals by Rihanna on another song about a romance gone sour ("I could've been a
princess, you'd be a king/Could have had a castle and wore a ring"). Unfortunately, there are a handful of songs like "U.F.O." and "Up in Flames" that are overly melancholy which make them difficult to listen to and lessen the message the band tries to convey in its lyrics.
Overall, Mylo Xyloto is an album that soars very high the majority of the time although there are a couple of tracks that meander aimlessly preventing the album from being mentioned among the bands all-time bests. Martin's typical falsetto voice meshes well especially on the more up tempo tracks with soaring harmonies and he still manages to wring out every ounce of emotion when the individual tracks call for him to do so. Eno's influence is instantly recognizable and a once again important addition that helps bring some welcome energy to a handful of the tracks. Coldplay once again releases an album that plays to its strengths although the album as a whole isn't the band's strongest release by any means.
Score: 8/10 Song(s) to Sample: "Paradise" [sample it below], "Charlie Brown", and "Princess of China"
The Good NaturedSkeleton - Skeleton is an EP by the three person British electropop band The Good Natured that features real life sister and brother Sarah (vocals and keyboards) and Hamish (bass) McIntosh along with college mate George Hinton (drums). The disc features seven songs in total including one remix of the title track. If this is your first introduction to the band, they have a sound that reminds me of Ladytron mixed with the song writing sensibilities of a Siouxie & the Banshees. The eponymous "Skeleton," which is also being released as a single, is the real breakout from the disc with eerie, Siouxie-esque vocals and a catchy and fast tempo eletropop melody heavy on the synthesizers. While this is not a disc I would recommend to everyone, there is enough potential shining through to inform people this is a band to keep an ear out for in the future.
Score: 6.5/10 Song(s) to Sample:"Skeleton" [sample it below] and "Be My Animal"
Skinny PuppyhanDover - The industrial/dark ambient electronica quartet from Vancouver, B.C. release their first album since 2007's Mythmaker. This album trumpets a return to the weird, gothic sounding elctronica ways of their earlier works with its dark melodies and chilling vocal work. One thing, however, that is different from their earlier works is the integration of more analog instruments which tones down some of the tracks towards a greater ambient feeling. For example, the piano solo at the end of "Wavy" is beautiful and haunting and makes a wonderful counterpoint to the industrial beat that dominates the chorus and bridge of the song. Overall, the band has toned down its style for a portion of the album but the lighter touches help create a more well balanced disc.
Score: 7/10 Song(s) to Sample:"Wavy" and "Gambatte"
Brian WilsonIn The Key of Disney - The legendary surf rocker and frontman of the Beach Boys releases a solo album with re-imaginings of classic Disney movie anthems. The Disney songs covered on this disc range from the very old; a medley from Snow White, Disney's first feature film; to the more recent; a couple of songs from the Toy Story movies; with Wilson making intermittent choices from the various decades of music in between. There are 11-tracks total on the disc with a bonus track of "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" from Cinderella if you order the album from Amazon.
Wilson's "re-imagining" of these songs basically means he is performing them in the Beach Boys-esque style he's been known for over the past four decades with tropical, surfer-influenced guitar-driven melodies and angelic-sounding 60's backup vocal harmonies. The album opens with the uninspired cover of "You've Got A Friend" from the original Toy Story movie which adds a slightly more Country music style to the song that, unfortunately, doesn't bring anything new worth exploring. In fact, the Spanish language version by the Gipsy Kings from the third sequel is a far more interesting and rollicking version.
Things pick up on the next track with "Bare Necessities" from The Jungle Book which has a kooky xylophone intro and background accordion playing that add a lightness to the ditty that will appeal to both the young and old. "Heigh Ho/Whistle While You Work" astutely creates a medley of multiple Disney songs beyond to two songs from Snow White listed in the title by working in lines like the "Yo Ho" chorus from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride song, among other Disney classics.
Overall, In The Key of Disney is a so-so album better suited for family listening in the car when you're sick of hearing to the same Yo Gabba Gabba album for the umpteenth time in a row than it is for reminiscing about the classics you watched as a kid. It gives you songs that both old and young will be familiar with in a more adult contemporary style. Generally, this style works well with the older, Sherman brothers era and earlier songs (like "Stay Awake" from Mary Poppins) while the newer songs from the Alan Menken era and later (like "Kiss The Girl" from The Little Mermaid) don't translate as well. One notable exception is "Colors of the Wind" from Pocahontas which sounds better and more contemporary without the orchestral backing from the original.
If you're a parent with kids, this is probably an album worth picking up as it gives more adult versions of classic Disney children songs that you can listen to with your kids. Otherwise the re-imaginings of these songs aren't that imaginative and will leave you pining for the originals.
Score: 6/10 Song(s) to Sample: "Bare Necessities" and "Heigh-Ho/Whistle While You Work" [sample it below]
Jane's AddictionThe Great Escape Artist - The alternative hard rockers from Los Angeles with Perry Ferrel (vocals) and Dave Navarro (guitar) reunite to release a fourth studio album. They are joined on this disc by Dave Sitek from TV on the Radio on bass although the band has announced that he is not a permanent addition to the band. In fairness, I admit that I haven't really listened to the band's releases since their 1990 classic Ritual de lo Habitual album skipping their ditties when they first reunited about a decade ago. That being said, I found this album to be a fun reintroduction to the band with some enjoyable tracks in the hard rocking style we expect from the boys with more modern musical sensibilities you might find on a Muse or Radiohead album with the further integration of electronic instruments into their music. Some of the tracks seem overly heavy in the message they are trying to get across which makes the album too morose at times but the overall experience is one still worth checking out.
Score: 7.5/10 Song(s) to Sample: "Curiosity Kills" and "I'll Hit You Back" [sample it below]
Nappy RootsNappy.Org - The rapping quintet from the South release their fifth studio album. This album was produced with help from legendary hip-hop producers Organized Noize (Ludacris and Outkast). Nappy.Org is another first-class album from Skinny DeVille, B. Stille and the rest of group with silky smooth jams and well constructed raps. In fact, there's excellent balance to the album as a whole with songs like the uplifting "Good and Evil" ("gotta keep my head high above the clouds/‘cuz when it’s slow it brings me down") acting as a nice counterpoint to the song that follows it, "Karma," which is a darker anthem talking about the payback that will eventually catch up with you one day. The only problem with this album, and with any album the band releases in the future, is that they will never be able to top the awesome pun name of their last disc, The Pursuit of Nappyness!
Score: 8.5/10 Song(s) to Sample: "Easy Money", "Good and Evil" [sample it below] and "Karma"
IcebirdThe Abandoned Lullaby - Icebird is a three person indie/post-punk rock band that was formed in Los Angeles although none of its members are originally from the area. This album was produced by singer/producer RJD2 (Massive Attack and Mos Def) who helps add a level of psychedelia to the disc. The name of the band comes from a coffee shop's name in the Koreatown area of L.A. that the band members used to live in. That's one funky name for a coffee shop!
The eerie and funky "Charmed Life" begins the album and sets the mood for the rest of the disc with its Black Keys-esque bluesy bass line and nifty synthetic horns use that prevents the song from being a downer. "Just Love Me" is a more classic pop song with some really smooth guitar refrains that helps conceal the emotion behind a song about yearning for love. And then you get songs like "Spirit Ache" which has carnival-esque organ chords and xylophone mashing over a narrative about pain of the soul that they manage to make work well in a Eels/Queens of the Stone Age kind of way.
Overall, The Abandoned Lullaby is a interesting and entertaining release that takes you on a worthy journey over the duration of the disc. The album also has a good change of pace from track to track preventing the album from being stuck in one gear for sixty minutes. One song will bring you a sweet melody with a catchy pop/soft-rock hook ("Wanderer") while the next will have discordant vocal harmonies that add a creepiness to the album ("King Tut") such that it becomes a fun game trying to figure out where the album is going to go from song to song. Not every track is a success but the overall feeling you get from listening to the album is worth the price of admission.
Score: 8/10 Song(s) to Sample: "Going and Going. And Going." [sample it below] and "Charmed Life"
ErasureTomorrow's World - The synthpop duo of Vince Clark and Andy Bell return with their 14th studio album. A deluxe edition of the album comes with an extra disc with remixes and demo tracks. Unfortunately this album, like their last two studio albums, show the band has not aged well giving us music that isn't much different from what they gave us over twenty years ago except in the late 80's and early 90's the music sounded new and fresh while the tunes they produce now seem outdated and stale in may ways. This is surprising given that the disc was mixed by Rob Orton who has done synth heavy recent albums by Lady Gaga and, more relevantly, fellow former 80's band Pet Shop Boys. Even the first single from the disc, "When I Start to (Break It All Down)", is a repetitive and uninteresting song with a horrible hook that on most levels fails to impress. Only the most diehard Erasure fans should pickup this album as it does give extremely brief glimpses as to what made them great in their prime. Everyone else would be wise to avoid it like the plague.
Score:3/10 Song(s) to Sample: "What Will I Say When You're Gone" [sample it below]
Peter GabrielNew Blood - Alrighty then, another big name from the 80's with a new album release this week! This time it's the flautist and original vocalist from Genesis coming out with a disc of re-imagined, orchestral versions of songs from his previous solo albums. So, while its a disc full of songs that have already been released, you've never heard them like this before with a full orchestra accompaniment. The special edition version comes with a second disc of just new musical arrangements sans any vocals (which is way cooler than the lame demos disc that comes with the Erasure deluxe edition). However it's a bold choice to go back and redo your old, published works that fans have been loving for decades and produce new versions that are radically different from what the fans know. It's a blast to hear classics like "In Your Eyes" again in a familiar but completely new way but the album as a whole is hampered by too many unfamiliar songs which made the pairing of pop vocals with orchestral melodies odd at times. New Blood is an interesting experiment that, unfortunately, doesn't have enough life over the entire disc for me to recommend it wholeheartedly.
MutemathOdd Soul - The Grammy nominated alternative rockers from New Orleans release their first album since 2009's Armistice. The band locked themselves away in frontman Paul Meany's home recording studio and didn't emerge until the songs on the album were ready to be heard by others. Armistice reached as high as the #4 ranking on the U.S. Rock charts and #18 overall so let's see if the band can recreate the success their last album brought.
The 13-track album opens with the eponymous "Odd Soul," which was also the first single released from the disc back in July. It has blues-y electric guitar and bass work that fits the narrative about being different extremely well ("I'm an odd soul/just trying to find/a place to call home"). Next up is the best track from the album, "Prytania," with its infectious beat, killer bridge and catchy hook that will have you tapping your foot and humming along for hours. "Blood Pressure" has a jauntier melody that really lets alto vocals to really take center stage. "Sun Ray" is a slower, jam band-esque tune with heavier keyboard and synthesizer work that helps add atmosphere to the disc.
In truth, despite their Grammy nomination (2008 - Best Short Form Music Vid for "Typical"), I was only familiar with this band by name before listening to Odd Soul but this disc ends up being an impressive and raucous introduction to the band's music for new listeners like myself. Fans of their previous albums will probably enjoy it even more. The band's sound on this disc is hard rocking and electric guitar driven with snappy alt-tinged lyrics that is reminiscent of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club mixed with a song writing style similar to Wolfmother. The music is well layered and Meany's vocals have an airy, eerie quality to them that works well on the hard rocking tracks as well as on the slower tempo ones. A very impressive album from start to finish that will have me purchasing their older releases to see if the quality on those can match what is given to us on Odd Soul.
Score:9/10 Song(s) to Sample:Prytania" [sample it below], "Odd Soul" and "Walking Paranoia"
FeistMetals - The Broken Social Scene member whose "1234" song is permanently ingrained into our memories thanks to its ubiquitous use in movies, TV shows, and commercials releases her first studio album since that song made it big. This is Leslie Feist's fourth album overall and she will be touring both Europe and North American to help promote the release. On Metals, her vocals are as crisp and haunting as you remember, although the melodies on this album are less radio friendly instead going for airy folkpop ditties full of pent up emotion. However, there are some haunting songs given to us on this disc starting with the first single from the album, "How Come You Never Go There?", which sounds like a mix between a Rilo Kiley and a Amy Mann song, but the casual fan won't find as much to like on this album with its somber, folk-heavy tone.
Score: 6/10 Song(s) to Sample: "How Come You Never Go There?" [sample it below] and "Comfort Me"
Paul McCartney Ocean's Kingdom - The former Beatle makes his debut foray into the world of ballet with help from The London Classical Orchestra. However, this is not McCartney's first work in the classical music genre having won a Brit Award for one of his past classical releases, Ecce Cor Meum (Behold My Heart), in 2006. The music itself is presented in four movements and has a grand, orchestral feel with the song composition sounding mostly like part Igor Stravinski and part Ottorino Respighi with some jazzy, wannabe Gershwin refrains thrown in for excitement and variety at times. The music takes you on a fun and emotional ride that would only be enhanced by the accompanying performance of the New York City Ballet company.
Score: 7.5/10 Song(s) to Sample:"Movement 2: Hall of Dance"
Beats AntiqueElektrafone - Beats Antique is a world electronica trio from the Oakland, CA that was originally signed in 2007 by Miles Copeland, brother of The Police's Stewart Copeland. The interesting thing about the band's music is that in addition to the samples and electronic beats they use; they also incorporate a wide range of live instruments from all over the world like sitars, African drumming, and more to produce a truly world sound. Elekrafone is no different with the electronic music taking cues heavily from Goa trance with lots of non-standard string and horn instruments thrown in to add an extra layer to the music. It's a highly palatable release that takes you on a entertaining journey although there are no breakout hits on the disc.
Score: 7/10 Song(s) to Sample:"The Porch" and "Siren Song"
