CD Review: Teen Dream [2010]

Not just a white square. Look closer!

****REVISION****

Band: Beach House
Release: 1/2010
Label: Sub Pop

1. “Zebra” – A
2. “Silver Soul” – A
3. “Norway” – A
4. “Walk In The Park” – A+
5. “Used To Be” – A
6. “Lover of Mine” – A-
7. “Better Times” – A
8. “10 Mile Stereo” – A+
9. “Real Love” – A
10. “Take Care” – A+

Comment: The original CD Review for this album was kind of fucked up as I judged the album based on three characteristics (which were basically the same) instead of how I’ve been doing it with regard to every other album review. As a result, I was more of a hard-ass with this album than with any other other. “Zebra” exhibits the sexiness of Victoria Legrand’s voice and features one of the best chorus hooks I’ve heard all year. With all do respect, Alex Scally deserves credit for his enticing (poor word choice) guitar play. Got to love the “ha ha ha!” in “Norway” considering my crush executes it perfectly. Again, to mention the brilliance of choruses, I am deeply affected by “Walk In The Park.” I can’t see why the mainstream wouldn’t be attracted to it. It’s not Lady Gaga or Ke$ha, so it doesn’t have that sucker electro-pop style (try dream-pop, which has never been “accessible”) that’s been the opiate of the music masses for the past few years. When Legrand sings “any day now” on “Used To Be” that’s just a major turning point from a good rating to a great one. Overall, this is a very ethereal release that requires multiple listens to appreciate the complete beauty.

Grade: A (95)

CD Review: My Dinosaur Life [2010]

Band: Motion City Soundtrack
Release: 1/10
Label: Columbia

1. “Worker Bee” – C
2. “A Lifeless Ordinary” – B-
3. “Her Words Destroyed My Planet” – C-
4. “Disappear” – C
5. “Delirium” – C-
6. “History Lesson” – C+
7. “Stand Too Close” – C+
8. “Pulp Fiction” – C
9. “@!#?@!” – C-
10. “Hysteria” – D+
11. “Skin and Bones” – C+
12. “The Weakends” – C

Comments: My initiation with MCS came in 2006 when I first heard “Everything Is Alright” on MLB 06 The Show and to be honest I had forgotten about the band entirely until the other night when a kind girl brought them up. Not going to lie I did dig that song. This was back when the band was independent (they signed to Columbia for this record after previously being on Epitaph), but that doesn’t really matter anyway. “Everything” was pretty much pure pop-punk, but not really the obnoxious kind that I find myself often rolling my eyeballs at, more in the vain of Head Automatica than Fall Out Boy or whatever other boring fucks exist in that genre. Also, not going to lie, I didn’t really have a good vibe about this release. No, not because it’s the band’s first album since selling out, but because I only liked them because of one song. Okay so the real talk, the real deal is that this is pretty solid, but nothing special. I can see it appeal to a variety of sensibilities including those termbros who might be fearful of the production quality on this. This shit is clean as fuck, but I guess it veers off to sometimes experimental patterns. It’s a guilty pleasure. I don’t want to admit liking this shit, but it’s sort of hard to bad mouth it (even though it’s mostly cheesy and pretentious and all that good stuff that “rocker” girls like) like I want to. One thing I can’t do is refer to their earlier work and say they sacrificed their sound or what have you. Can’t do that. Another bit of perspective: what’s up with the lone standing bass line/vocals turning into full on explosions? Is that an exclusive pop-punk formula? The quirkiness kind of kills this for me. What was all right in the beginning is a bit old news by the end.

Grade: C (74)

Beach House!

Hot damn! That’s Victoria Legrand right there of Beach House. Her and that other guy in the band recently did a Daytrotter session and I’m feeling this a lot, particularly songs like “Zebra,” which I wrote about a few days ago and now my fascination is “Walk In The Park.” Legrand’s Nico replica of a voice is pretty hot, not going to lie.

Listen to the tunes here: http://www.daytrotter.com/dt/beach-house-concert/20031020-3738208.html

Mind Melting Mondays!

This is yet another new series for you klyamers, whoever or wherever you may be! With that being said, I will be up front right now, more likely than not, this series will not appear every Monday. Sorry lol. Anyway, basically these “mind melting” ditties are all of the noise rock, pop, etc. variety. Today we have the classic, 80s noise punk practicioners, Scratch Acid, a big influence on various underground musicians including Kurt Cobain, who was seen wearing a SA shirt in at least one photo. The song for you today is called “The Greatest Gift.” Enjoy!

Chris

Chris On…

This is a new series in which I briefly reveal my main views on various issues/topics. So, here’s Chris on

Welfare: In a perfect world there will be no welfare and the wealth will be perfectly distributed and everyone will contribute something positive to society. Well, we’re not quite there yet haha. Many people need it and then many others take advantage of the system, so I understand why most people have a big beef about it. Unfortunately, folks don’t see the real enemy; we should be more infuriated at the government for stealing our hard earned money and funding mass murder, oil thirsty, campaigns amonst other heinous crimes against humanity. Also, Americans never mention corporate welfare, which needs to be cut immediately as Ralph Nader declared. Most likely they are unaware of the greatest “welfare cheats,” the major corporations perhaps because the corporate media will not report it.

G.G. Allin: He was a vile, John Wayne Gacey wannabe, loser. He was the man you love to hate, with good reason. Musically, the songs were average to below average, with exceptions. I enjoy the exceptions far more than some talented pussy, singer-songwriter like John Mayer, who is perhaps “better” than Jesus Christ Allin, but doesn’t give me the kicks. GG was sadistic, but in a savagely hilrarious way. Completely unique and committed to doing whatever the fuck he felt like doing at that moment, whether it be relieving himself on stage, smearing shit all over his body, and then throwing the remnants at his audience, or marrying a teenage, die hard, fan! This quality, as strange as it sounds, is incredibly admirable and it is unfortunate that he didn’t use his fearlessness in a constructive manner. Oh well, I suppose being a complete, sociopathic, meance to society is infinitely more fascinating.

Taste In Females: Well, this is for looks only and I have other tastes, but these are my strongest preferences. Dirty blonde hair, blue/green eyes, rosy red cheeks, long, pinkish/light red tonuge, tight jeans sporting a nice little butt, akin to Holden’s descriptiong of Sally Hayes’ tush at the skating rink! “Che Tits” I’ll let your mind wander on that one ahaha. I bet whatever images conjure up in your psyche is better than me explaining my deal. And how could I forget BIG BLACK BOOTS!!! :) Lord knows I have a strange fetish for this article of clothing. I actually dig other colored boots, but particularly black. When I see a good pair on some fine, young thing it’s like a beatiful whiplash! Now, inner beaty, that’s a whole other story, too complicated for just a few lines.

Chris

Boston based shows/fests – DIY, punk, noise