Band: The Octagon Release: 1/2010 Label: Serious Business
1. “Suicide Kings” – A 2. “Cross Tops” – A- 3. “Swindler Minnows” – A 4. “Radio Days” – A- 5. “Loulou” – A- 6. “Hound Adams” – B 7. “Stop Snitchin'” – B+ 8. “To The Flame” – B 9. “Easton” – A- 10. “Tommy Bones” – B 11. “Clay Haywood” – A- 12. “Buffalo” – B+ 13. “Heart Calming Meditation” – C+ 14. “Charles Lavender” – B+ 15. “One Five Five” – B-
16. “Revolution” – B
Comments: Mixing ’90s college rock with the sights and sounds of today’s West Coast psychedelic scene, The Octagon have done well for themselves on this album. On some songs, I sense some Built to Spill inspiration, while others are straight up garage punk. My one real criticism is that a bunch of these songs sound like unfinished demos. If the band maybe spent a little bit longer on production, I’d love this more.
1. “Acts of Man” – B- 2. “Winter Dies” – C+ 3. “Small Mountain” – C 4. “Core of Nature” – C- 5. “Fortune” – B 6. “Rulers, Ruling All Things” – C+ 7. “Children of the Grounds” – A- 8. “Bring Down” – C- 9. “The Horn” – C- 10. “The Courage of Others” – C 11. “In the Ground” – C
Comments: This is my first “official” experience with what they call progressive folk. All I can think of is Pink Floyd and Bob Dylan when I hear those two words. Actually listening to this record, it’s more than just folk. It has more sound and finish than what I’ve traditionally regarded as folk. Despite that, it can be a pretty boring thing. “Fortune” is pretty good until it ends in a flash. This is going to sound messed up, but I think the band should go full folk. Cut the prog shit and just go full folk. Something like Sunset Rubdown. It’s pretty clear when they make their best attempt at this (“Children of the Grounds”) and when they don’t (“Core of Nature”).
1. “A More Perfect Union” – B+ 2. “Titus Andronicus Forever” – C+ 3. “No Future Part Three” – B+ 4. “Richard II” – B- 5. “A Pot In Which To Piss” – B 6. “Four Score And Seven” – B+ 7. “Theme From ‘Cheers'” – B- 8. “To Old Friends And New” – B- 9. “…And Ever” – B- 10. “The Battle of Hampton Roads” – A
Comments: Opening up an album with a sample of an Abraham Lincoln address? That’s top marks in my books. Mixing noise with historical themes…what?! “A More Perfect Union” is nice, but might just go on for a bit too long. I like the repetition of “you will always be a loser” on “No Future…” At some times sounding like Cymbals Eat Guitars and other like Against Me! I also like the pace of “Four Score And Seven,” but it doesn’t really amount to the epicness oft associated with 8 minutes and 38 seconds long songs. Try listening to “The Battle of Hampton Roads” in one sitting. You will be pleased with the result.
1. “1999” – B 2. “Fall Hard” – B 3. “Play the Game” – A+
4. “Walls” – A 5. “Candle Burned Out” – B+ 6. “Throwing Stones” – A- 7. “Four by Four” – B+ 8. “Moon” – A-
9. “Show Me Something New” – B 10. “Too Late, Too Slow” – A-
Comments: Shout Out Louds won me over in 2006 with “The Comeback” a song off their debut LP Howl Howl Gaff Gaff. I was so impressed with that track (which was on the MLB 2006 The Show soundtrack) that I decided to look up more songs from this band. And you know what? I found five other songs off that release that I really really liked. On this record the band ditched Bjorn Yttling of Peter Bjorn and John (producer for 2007’s Our Ill Wills) for Phil Elk, a notable producer who has worked with the likes of Built to Spill, Fleet Foxes, and the Shins. “1999” is a little cheesy at first and simplistic and all that average stuff, but it does improve. “Play the Game” is really really awesome and has the kind of flow that really hooked me onto this band. “Walls” has a similar effect. “Candle” is slower than the previous two. They flirt with shoegaze on “Four by Four.” Really epic finish on “Moon.” “Too Late, Too Slow” isn’t really that. It’s a good kind of slow. Perfect timing. This album will grow on me, I’m sure, but right now I can’t say it will be among the best. It’s definitely the best album I’ve heard all week if that means anything!
Comments: This is a classical album, what? After “We Want War,” I’m wishing they stuck with classical. That song is a screwed up cross between rap-rock and experimental post-punk. I hate to be the one to shit on TNP parade (considering this release has gotten pretty much across the board high marks), but what makes this special? Most of these tunes barely get by as average and probably would work semi-well on a major motion picture soundtrack. Filler alert: “Canticle.” “5” is pretty tolerable and might just be the best on here.
Band: Magnetic Fields Release: 2010 Label: Nonesuch Records
1. “You Must Be Out of Your Mind”- B+ 2. “Interlude” – C- 3. “We Are Having A Hootenanny” – C 4. “I Don’t Know What To Say” – C- 5. “The Dolls Tea Party” – D 6. “Everything Is One Big Christmas Tree” – D+
7. “Walk Alone” – C 8. “Always Already Gone” – C- 9. “Seduced and Abandoned” – B- 10. “Better Things” – B+ 11. “Painted Flower” – C- 12. “The Dada Polka” – C 13. “From A Sinking Boat” – C
Comments:Realism comes off as a joke, considering the lyrical content and light instrumentation. Even at their most amateur, Merritt and crew fail to win “cute” points, if that’s what they were shooting for. Jens Lekman, oft compared to Merritt, does well in that department (which, by the way, is a musical aesthetic not a physical characteristic). Some songs succeed when the cheese level is turned down. This album isn’t utter shit, but you have to be a patient listener to appreciate it.
1. “Before Destruction” – C 2. “Is Love Forever?” – C+
3. “Mystery Zone” – B- 4. “Who Makes Your Money” – C+ 5. “Written In Reverse” – B+
6. “I Saw the Light” – B- 7. “Trouble Comes Running” – B 8. “Goodnight Laura” – C 9. “Out Go the Lights” – B- 10. “Got Nuffin'” – A 11. “Nothing Gets Me But You” – B-
Comments: Warning Spoon: never again put an average song as an album opener. Fans pretty unfamiliar with your music might be disappointed. “Before Destruction” sounds like a song that was purposely done pretty shitty to sound artistic. “Is Love Forever?” is a tad better, but still runs on a rather weak beat. Almost as expected, “Mystery Zone” is an improvement, but isn’t any sort of true achievement at all; quite close to filler material. “Who Makes Your Money” features what seems like a 50 Cent sample. “Written In Reverse” comes off as the album’s high point (at this point). The first thing that came to my mind was a similarity to Cold War Kids. “I Saw the Light” has some sweet effects, but that’s only original and cool up to a certain point. Unfortunately, not every song on here can be as good as “Got Nuffin'”. It’s got a catchy guitar pattern and a really great bass line.
1. “Pray For Rain” – B 2. “Babel” – C- 3. “Splitting the Atom” – D+ 4. “Girl I Love You” – D+ 5. “Psyche” – C 6. “Flat Of The Blade” – D 7. “Paradise Circus” – B+ 8. “Rush Minute” – C- 9. “Saturday Come Slow” – D+ 10. “Atlas Air” – B–
Comments: Trip hop you tell me? Since there seems to be a genre for everything, I’ll run with it. “Pray For Rain” is a R&B house jam (similar to Gnarls Barkley) that slowly improves throughout its duration. “Babel” doesn’t do anything for me mainly because it relies on too much chaos. It wouldn’t be that bad if it was slowed down. “Girl I Love You” what? What is this? “Psyche” is average, but it’s not something that’s worth listening to again. “Flat” picks up at certain points, but is relatively boring and unoriginal. I really do enjoy the female vocalist in “Paradise Circus.” Best song on this album! The man singer is mad boring except on “Atlas Air.”
Band: State Champion Release: 2010 Label: Sophomore Lounge
1. “Thanks Given” – B+ 2. “Keeping Time” – A- 3. “Bite the Dust” – B+ 4. “Come See What I Have Done” – B+ 5. “Help Me Sing” – A- 6. “The World Don’t Need Me Around Much Anymore” – B+
7. “Just An Answer” – A-
8. “The Years” – A
Comments: Sounding like Dinosaur Jr. if Dinosaur Jr. got hit in the face by a steel plow and was toned down greatly. This is country punk, with more country than punk. I won’t say I like country, but I don’t mind it (and sometimes thoroughly enjoy it) if it is combined with other styles. I really like the live feel to this record. You can hear crackling and other noises you get during lo-fi production. For a young band that’s gotten hardly any recognition (besides being signed to a very low-brow independent label), I have to give them so much respect. Their build-ups are cool, no doubt, but my favorite parts of this album are the short winding downs in between the explosions. Great use of violin in “Just An Answer.” The album closer is probably my favorite track. It’s pretty much fast paced through-and-through with occasional “breaks.”
Band: Xiu Xiu Release: 2010 Label: Kill Rock Stars
1. “Gray Death” – D+ 2. “Chocolate Makes You Happy” – C 3. “Apple For A Brain” – C- 4. “House Sparrow” – C- 5. “Hyunhye’s Theme” – C 6. “Dear God, I Hate Myself” – D 7. “Secret Motel” – D+ 8. “Falkland Rd” – D+ 9. “The Fabrizio Palumbo Retaliation” – C- 10. “Cumberland Gap” – C- 11. “This Too Shall Pass Away” – C+ 12. “Impossible Feeling” – C
Comments: Xiu Xiu! Hold on a second, buddy, what is there to get excited about? I hate to label this album, but it’s almost necessary. It’s like Xiu Xiu wants to be different, but still doesn’t want to freak out people too much so they resort to a minimum layer of catchiness that will satisfy the hoi polloi of eclectic listeners. Like “Chocolate Makes You Happy.” It’s a weird ass title, but you can tell that it’s so naive there has to be some fun about it. People actually listen to this AND enjoy it? That’s depressing. “Dear God, I Hate Myself.” Really? Really?!
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 