1. “Constellation Dirtbike Head” – A 2. “Fresh Hex” – A
3. “Mexican Ice Cream” – B+ 4. “Lick The Witch” – A- 5. “Sweatmother” – B+ 6. “Motorlicker” – B- 7. “Unholy Demon Rhythms – C- 8. “Heavy Makeup” – B 9. “Grape Aerosmith” – C 10. “New Juices From The Hot Tub Freaks” – B 11. “Six Royal Vipers” – A- 12. “Overheater” – A- 13. “Creepy Phone Calls” – B 14. “TV All Greasy” – B- 15. “Stretch Your Face” – B 16. “Nuclear Waste Aerobics” – A-
Comments: Tobacco, the thing I really like about your music is that it is fun. While every song may not be as fun as the next, there is always at least something embedded into the pits of every tune, that makes them, at the very least, a solid listen. So, definitely props there. It’s not reasonable to expect every song on here to be straight up gold. I mean, after all, we’re talking about a man uses a vocoder. I suggested this as party music, but a die-hard fan called it “making love music.” That’s believable. Due to noise constraints, I haven’t been able to blast this music non-headphones, but I do feel like that’d be an experience. A good majority of these songs clock in at under three minutes, so if you get even slightly distracted from the music, you may notice songs finishing before you even realized they started. Word.
Comments: If you are looking to chill out and listen to some music, pop this on. If you are looking to dance like a hound or excessively head bob or pogo, you might want to pass. For what this album is worth, it’s a great listening experience. Sit back and enjoy. It’s not one of the best album’s I’ve heard in 2010 because it only offers an “in-the-now” sense of urgency. Perhaps on a rainy day or after breaking up with your girlfriend this works. The first five songs are excellently engineered and produced and are seemingly artistically flawless. After a set of three tracks (6-8) that are a little weaker than the previous five, The National step up their game with “Conversation 16.”
Rapper: B.o.B – Bobby Ray Release: 4/2010 Label: Atlantic
1. “Don’t Let Me Fall” – B+ 2. “Nothin’ On You” – B+ 3. “Past My Shades” – C
4. “Airplanes” – D+
5. “Bet I” – C- 6. “Ghost in the Machine” – B 7. “The Kids” – A- 8. “Magic” – A- 9. “Fame” – A- 10. “Lovelier Than You” – B 11. “5th Dimension” – B-
12. “Airplanes Part 2” – B
Comments: “Don’t Let Me Fall” starts off slow, but improves as the song drags on. The chorus is cool. If you’ve listened to any modern hip-hop or pop station, I’m sure you’ve heard “Nothin’ On You.” It’s a “summer song” to me, despite its debut in November 2009. It’s finely organized with an enjoyable background lullaby, even if the chorus is a bit sub-par. “Past My Shades”…come on! Steer clear from “alternative rock” Bobby Ray. It’s not your thing. “The Kids” is a hip-hop sample of “The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance” by Vampire Weekend. I dig. “Always in detention for the lack of attention/ you can call it deficit” tells me we got a bad kid up in here. “Magic” is repetitive and frankly fun (not the chorus), but it’s more like “Rivers Cuomo time,” showing Bobby Ray taking cue from Black Eyed Peas’ style. The second verse of “Fame” flows so well. It may be the best verse on this album. I mean, of course, lyrically it’s infantile and just plain dumb, but realistic to some degree. “Everyone can’t be O to the B” … right? “Airplanes Part 2” has me convinced that it’s an improvement over “Part 1.” What if Eminem wasn’t famous? Don’t we all wonder? Or maybe that thought has never crossed anyone’s mind until this song came about. When Bobby Ray raps before Eminem, the song loses cred. I mean, how does Bobby Ray know fame? He’s a relative unknown even in the hip-hop world. “He’s gonna have a hard time explaining to Haley and Lainey these foodstamps and this WIC shit ’cause he never risked shit. He hoped and he wished it, but it didn’t fall in lap,” raps Eminem on his verse. Highlight of the song. “Lovelier” has Bobby Ray on acoustic guitar and he proves to be all right in that regard.
Band: The Black Keys Release: 5/2010 Label: Nonesuch (Warner)
1. “Everlasting Light” – B-
2. “Next Girl” – B- 3. “Tighten Up” – B+
4. “Howlin’ For You” – B+ 5. “She’s Long Gone” – B- 6. “Black Mud” – B- 7. “The Only One” – B 8. “Too Afraid to Love You” – C 9. “Ten Cent Pistol” – B- 10. “Sinister Kid” – B- 11. “The Go Getter” – B- 12. “I’m Not the One” – C+ 13. “Unknown Brother” – C 14. “Never Give You Up” – C+ 15. “These Days” – B
Comments: “Everlasting Light” is a bit like a spoiled Spoon offering, included in the deal: a consistent drum beat and a steady guitar. It’s about as forgettable as it is good. “Next Girl” is a great title for Justin Bieber’s next release and he can damn well have it. It’s not like Black Keys do a real solid job with it anyway. “Tighten Up” offers more variation than the first two and with good measure. Hardly do I run into a band/album that is this generically good. It’s like getting handed a plate of food. You eat mostly everything on the plate and remark that you like it, but you don’t go out of your way to inquire about what it is that you just ate. Black Keys get some kind of job done. Maybe it’s an obligation to get something done (I doubt it), but I’d get a little bored writing material for this album. By “Too Afraid” I just have had enough! Enough of these games, Black Keys! I’m not asking you to be Black Lips, but fuck, guys. Is the blues-rock genre really this limiting? OR IS IT NONESUCH RECORDS STICKING A PITCHFORK UP YOUR ASS, FORCING YOU TO BE THIS BLAND? COLD WAR KIDS ARE BETTER THAN YOU. There, I said it. Even your damn guitar solos are clean and without flavor. Okay, this is probably a good album for a straight listen. You get your dose of Black Keys and then you go to sleep or listen to Kings of Leon. Okay, good. You never listen to Black Keys until their next album drops in 2012. Then you do the same thing. Okay, good.
1. “Taxman” – A+ 2. “Eleanor Rigby” – A 3. “I’m Only Sleeping” – A+ 4. “Love You To” – B- 5. “Here, There and Everywhere” – B 6. “Yellow Submarine” – B 7. “She Said She Said” – A- 8. “Good Day Sunshine” – B+ 9. “And Your Bird Can Sing” – B- 10. “For No One” – B+ 11. “Doctor Robert” – B- 12. “I Want to Tell You” – B- 13. “Got to Get You into My Life” – A- 14. “Tomorrow Never Knows” – B+
Comments: “Start!” oh wait not really. “Taxman” !!! I was very confused at first. Funny little story first. I was listening to a Jam live record before I listened to this and coincidentally the last song played was “Start!” so when this first played I thought what the fuck! It’s an amazing song. I’m not going to make excuses. “Eleanor Rigby” is a pretty sweet ditty with a nice little violin and melody. It’s not something I’m going to constantly listen to for the rest of my life, but it’s already a classic worthy of replay. I like the psychedelia involved in “I’m Only Sleeping,” which is why I gave it such a high mark. “Love You To” is weird and doesn’t excite me. Sorry, “Here” doesn’t do anything for me. It’s too slow. Not a bad song, but definitely not a favorite. “Yellow Submarine” has been noted in many musical circles as a fine song. A fine song, indeed. Just not “Juvenile” or “O Katrina.” “She Said” is rocking and catchy. “Doctor Robert” is funny, but boring. “Got to” is like King Khan and the Shrines! Good stuff! Overall, I like a lot of the tracks on here. I’m not going to say it’s a great record through and through, but it makes for some fun times.
1. “Dance Yrself Clean” – A- 2. “Drunk Girls” – B- 3. “One Touch” – C 4. “All I Want” – B- 5. “I Can Change” – B- 6. “You Wanted A Hit” – B 7. “Pow Pow” – C+ 8. “Somebody’s Calling Me” – C 9. “Home” – B+
Comments: LCD Soundsystem is a pretty fun band. I didn’t think “Dance Yrself Clean” to be much fun until the electronics kicked in halfway through. It’s got some really catchy synths and keyboard fills. The song’s lengthy but not necessarily overly so. Are we not men? We are LCD Soundsystem. If only Devo took cues from Daryl Palumbo. “Drunk Girls” is a little obnoxious. It’s a finely constructed POP song, except it doesn’t really do much for me. It’s like a ThreeOhThree song minus the bullshit. If I must give Murphy credit, I will say the man is pretty freaking flexible. I mean, is it really that easy to go from sounding like Palumbo to sounding like Ian Curtis? See “One Touch” for reference. That’s like the Pussycats Dolls turning into the Dum Dum Girls kind of shit right there. Back to “One Touch.” It’s simple and boring. The boring factor continues.
Band: Broken Social Scene Release: 5/2010 Label: Arts & Crafts
1. “World Sick” – A-
2. “Chase Scene” – C+ 3. “Texico Bitches” – A 4. “Forced to Love” – B 5. “All to All” – B 6. “Art House Director” –B+ 7. “Highway Slip Jam” – B
8. “Ungrateful Little Father” – B+ 9. “Meet Me in the Basement” – B- 10. “Sentimental X’s” – B+ 11. “Sweetest Kill” – B 12. “Romance to the Grave” – B 13. “Water in Hell” – B- 14. “Me and My Hand” – B
Comments: I’ve always heard about Broken Social Scene, but I’ve never given them a proper listen. “World Sick” is a solid foray into the band’s discography. It’s one of those under-the-radar epic songs, similar to a Dan Boeckner-led Wolf Parade jam. “Texico Bitches” has an awesome rhythm, personally reminiscent of Uninhabitable Mansions. Another thing…I would be a little shocked if Here We Go Magic wasn’t at least a little inspired by these guys. And another thing: the band’s tempo is little bit slow or else a lot of these B/B+ tunes would be A-/A range. It makes them a bit forgettable.
1. “MD” – C- 2. “Red Lights” – C 3. “Latin America” – B 4. “Stay Lit'” – C+ 5. “Silva & Grimes” – C 6. “SHT MTN” – C+ 7. “Stilettos” – B 8. “Lucky” – C- 9. “P.I.G.S” – C+
Comments: I tend to hold any band that has some sort of blasphemy in their name more accountable than usual. No different for Holy Fuck. “MD” doesn’t help their cause as it sounds like combination of being blown from a wind tunnel and taking off into space. This album’s all over the place, but WAIT FOR IT, that’s what the kids call improvisation these days. Ah, yes. For an electronica number, “Latin America” is pretty solid, but it’s not very exciting. I guess the cool thing about this band is they recognize when to keep fun tempos up like in “Stay Lit.” So yeah, this record as a whole doesn’t do much for me!!! It’s like eating a chicken cutlet without any batter or seasoning.
Artist: Big Black Full Title: The Rich Man’s Eight Track Tape Year: 1987 Label: Touch and Go Grade: B+ Tracks:
1) Jordan, Minnesota- 9
2) Passing Complexion- 7
3) Big Money- 7 4) Kerosene- 10
5) Bad Houses- 8
6) Fists of Love- 8
7) Stinking Drunk- 8 8) Bazooka Joe- 9 9) Cables (live)- 9 10) Heartbeat (Wire cover)- 9
11) Things to Do Today- 8
12) I Can’t Believe- 8/9 13) My Disco- 9
14) Grinder- 8/9
15) Ready Men- 8/9 16) Pete, King of the Detectives- 9
This record is a compilation consisting of the LP Atomizer (tracks 1-9), the single Heartbeat (track 10), and the EP Headache (tracks 11-16).
Comments: Having been a huge fan of Big Black’s magnum opus, Songs About Fucking, my thirst for pure fucking noise grew into dehyrdration. With RMETT I feel stuffed and then some! In terms of the chaotic nature of Big Black’s music, this compilation showcases head spinning material far more than SAF. Now, I’m not saying it’s better, but if noise rock is your thang, then you will really dig this piece. The whiplash begins with “Jordan, Minnesota,” a terrifying ditty about a child molestation ring in said community; Albini hollers, “This is Jordan, we do what like… this will stay with you until you die and I will stay with you until you die.” I’m still baffled as to why Disney never returned his phone calls to feature Big Black’s music on one of their film’s soundtracks?! Musically, Roland, the drum machine is hard at work throughout the record, complementing the chainsaw guitars, literally, these motherfuckers sound closer to chainsaws than most wimpy musician’s guitar playing. Other lyrical themes include domestic abuse (“Fists of Love,” “Stinking Drunk,”), the innocent hobbie of watching cattle slaughtered at a local ranch to pass the time (“Cables”), and racism (“Pete, King of the Detectives”), where Albini roars in his deliberately, white liberal hipster, offending lyrics, “I am Pete!… I’m a hard working man, I ain’t no drunkard, I ain’t no coloured man!” Don’t worry kids, it’s all good fun… Moving on, “Kerosene,” is the best track and by far Big Black’s greatest offering, in fact, I’d say it’s Albini’s “Let It Be,” with Shellac’s, his other band, “My Black Ass,” being a potential rival. Kerosene features everything that made Big Black kick ass and harsher than just about any other band one cares to name: musical intensity through violent, slashing, guitars, pounding drum beats, extremely morbid subject matter (some kiddies decide to burn themselves to dust because it’s “something to do”). Other notable treats include, “Heartbeat,” a catchy cover of the Wire number of the same name and “My Disco,” a tune that puts a whole spin (ha!) on said genre. Overall, this record is for the Ready Men, not for you wee, little pussy wussies out there, I insist y’all find some kerosene.
Band: The Walkmen Release: 2006 Label: Record Collection
1. “Louisiana” – A+ 2. “Danny’s At The Wedding” – A+ 3. “Good For You’s Good For Me” – A+ 4. “Emma Get Me A Lemon” – A 5. “All Hands & The Cook” – A+ 6. “Lost in Boston” – A+ 7. “Don’t Get Me Down” – A- 8. “Tenley Town” – A+ 9. “This Job Is Kiling Me” – A 10. “Brandy Alexander” – A 11. “Always After You” – A 12. “Another One Goes By” – A++
Comments: Naturally, this is a fantastic Walkmen album. It’s faster and more instrumentally chaotic than say You and Me or Everyone Who Pretended; more garage rock focused, if you will. Hamilton’s delivery and style is much different than most of what is classified under that garage or post-punk revival umbrella. It’s a more vintage and structurally fascinating way of going about business. Take for example, “Tenley Town.” It’s the band’s heaviest song (can I call it a punk jam?) and might seem a little experimental on the band’s part, but it fits in so well with the softer stuff. “Another One Goes By” is a great Bob Dylan-esque album closer. You can barely hear a really catchy lead guitar part in the middle of the song. Great flow. I’d say it’s my favorite song off this album. Best for last as they say.
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 