Can You See the Sunset From the Southside?

Review: Every Avenue - Shh. Just Go With It

2008-03-15T08:53:00.000-05:00

This band should be huge. Seriously. Not with late-twentysomethings with a two year old kid like myself but (rather) with the teenage MTV crowd. Let me explain. First, Every Avenue sounds almost exactly like a cross between Fall Out Boy and Cartel. On their latest album Shh. Just Go With It, Every Avenue churns out catchy and mid-tempo peppy, poppy, punk-ish rock music that is safe and polished enough to have mainstream appeal. It is a little too vanilla for my tastes, but that is why it should be huge.

Therein lies the problem. Every Avenue is actually good. Despite the overstyled press photo you get when you open up the CD (which is evidently what kids look like these days), the band has talent. Maybe the studio has been kind to them, or maybe I'm a sucker for pseudo-pop-punk hooks, but the band is tight, on point, and ultra-melodic. The record's thick and crystal-clear production make it sound like a million bucks; I mean, this is how big rock records are supposed to sound.

It is all fine and well as the album blazes along until the tenth song on the album, "Between You And I." WTF is this? Why does every single pop-punk-rock band (EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM) feel that it is necessary to include a shitty piano ballad or whiny acoustic song near the end of their albums? Every single one is a waste of my time because they are never as good as the rest of the record ("Hey There Delilah" notwithstanding) and just add another layer of predictable suckage to the album.

All ranting aside (however) Shh. Just Go With It is a pretty solid debut album from Every Avenue and head and shoulders better than the EP I heard from them last year. Even if some of the lyrics and songs are a bit ordinary (or maybe I'm just too old and jaded), Every Avenue is better than so many other neo-pop-punk bands out there (see my review of The Frantic here).

MP3 | Every Avenue - Days Of The Old Shh. Just Go With It
MP3 | Every Avenue - Where Were You? Shh. Just Go With It

Review: One Win Choice - Never Suspend Disbelief

2008-03-13T07:12:00.000-05:00

New Jersey's One Win Choice spits out fast, balls-to-the-wall melodic hardcore (punk) that is easy to love and impossible to ignore. Their new album Never Suspend Disbelief is gritty, passionate, and full of optimistic energy. It is solidly played, but with just enough of a rough/sloppy edge that makes the band sounds more like friends than just punks with razor-sharp rhetoric (though they are that too).

Never Suspend Disbelief was released last fall by our friend Jeremy and his Jump Start Records label. We've known Jeremy a long time (does anyone remember No On 15?) and this may be the best record he's released yet. As for One Win Choice, their ferocious attack puts them in a category of like-minded (and sounding) groups such as Strike Anywhere, Bigwig, Kid Dynamite and any number of other bands in that genre. In simpler terms, they aren't reinventing the wheel. Don't misread this though; that's not a knock on the band. This is the type of punk that has been part of my steady diet for almost 15 years now. It makes me feel a little bit younger and that my friends, is a great thing.

MP3 | One Win Choice - One More Fight Never Suspend Disbelief
MP3 | One Win Choice - Border War Never Suspend Disbelief

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Review: The Sugar Oaks - Red Grapes In The City EP

2008-03-12T21:27:00.001-05:00

Just imagine the purple orange sky setting above you as a languid summer breeze blows through your evening backyard barbecue. This chilled out vibe is kinda how Red Grapes In The City sounds. It is the new EP from The Sugar Oaks from Florida. The EP is brief but clamors with softly swelling folk rock hat is graced with a touch of charming country twang and hint of sultry blues. Something like Iron & Wine covering The Eagles and even a little like Sky Blue Sky. Don't complain; just kick back, relax, and enjoy the sounds. Red Grapes In The City is available now.

MP3 | The Sugar Oaks - Dark Dark Leaves Red Grapes In The City

It came from the nineties (Vol. 11)

2008-03-11T18:28:00.000-05:00

Review: Defiance, Ohio - The Fear, The Fear, The Fear

2008-03-10T21:57:00.001-05:00

I've been sitting on this one for awhile now, but figured this was as good a time as any to type this out. In addition to being the recent former home of Kelvin "The Cheatin' Snake" Sampson (the man who tarnished the record of Indiana basketball), Bloomington, Indiana is also the place that Defiance, Ohio calls home. Their latest album The Fear, The Fear, The Fear made my top 50 of 2007 list because I loved its frantic lo-fi folk-punk anthems that are wonderfully catchy and melodic but lovingly unpolished and unrefined.

The male/female vocal tradeoffs that are often layered to an effect that makes the Defiance, Ohio's message sound urgent; as if their manifest must be heard…now! Guitars, banjos, pianos, and violins collide into a ramshackle rhythm section in raucous fashion as if all the band members were in a basement drinking cheap wine, playing their songs, and getting out of control. It sounds almost as if they are having such a good time playing that if they fuck up, the song will go on and be just fine.

The Fear, The Fear, The Fear is a spirited and honest record that is available on vinyl or CD on the always awesome No Idea Records or (like all of Defiance, Ohio's releases) for free in MP3 format from their website. How fuckin' punk is that?

MP3 | Defiance, Ohio - The Condition The Fear, The Fear, The Fear
MP3 | Defiance, Ohio - Anxious And Worrying The Fear, The Fear, The Fear

It came from the nineties (Vol. 10)

2008-03-08T14:47:00.003-06:00

Can you believe it? 50 songs down and about 250 to go. To recap, Vol. 1 featured 10'000 Maniacs, Inspiral Carpets, Beck, Weezer, and Adina Howard. Vol. 2 featured Rage Against The Machine, Everything But The Girl, Los Del Rio, Haddaway, and Aerosmith. Vol. 3 featured Screaming Trees, White Zombie, MC Hammer, Skee Lo, and The Proclaimers. Vol. 4 featured Buffalo Tom, Paula Cole, Third Eye Blind, Shanice, and The Rentals. Vol. 5 featured Deep Blue Something, Pearl Jam, Crowded House, Eagle-Eye Cherry, and Salt-N-Pepa. Vol. 6 featured Rusted Root, Jamiroquai, Meredith Brooks, Cher, and Bobby Brown. Vol. 7 featured Elastica, R. Kelly, Mr. Big, The Heights, and Filter. Vol. 8 featured Fiona Apple, Aqua, New Radicals, Smash Mouth, and Shaggy. Vol. 9 featured Bone Thugs 'N Harmony, Stereo MC's, Lush, Alice In Chains, and Gin Blossoms. Check 'em all out.

MP3 | Barenaked Ladies - One Week
MP3 | Teenage Fanclub - Sparky's Dream
MP3 | Dave Matthews Band - What Would You Say?
MP3 | Bell Biv DeVoe - Poison
MP3 | Deep Forest - Sweet Lullaby

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Review: Bob Mould - District Line

2008-03-07T21:48:00.000-06:00

I'm fairly sure that just about everyone (even if they don't love it) at least respects Bob Mould's pioneering work as the front man of Minneapolis punks Husker Du. And as great as Husker Du was, I loved the early 90's power-pop of Mould's trio Sugar even more. It is hard to believe (and equally amazing) that Bob Mould has (now) been making music for almost 30 years. Not just any music, but music that is always relevant; music that shows he isn't content resting on his laurels.

Late last year I picked up a copy of Bob Mould's recent concert DVD Circle Of Friends. It is an excellent document of a live show that spans Mould's entire catalog and actually got me really excited to hear his newest album District Line. I'll admit that I sorta lost touch with Mould's music after the demise of Sugar in the mid 90's, in part, because he stopped making music for a few years, but also because I'd moved on to other bands; other genres. I was a fickle teenager at the time but weren't we all once.

Fast forward to 2008 and as I'm listening to the first song off District Line I can't help but think about how much energy the music has. I think about the fact that Brendan Canty (of Fugazi) has been playing drums with Mould recently. I think about the unabashed emotions that Mould pours into these songs. I think about how little difference there really is between (say) "Stupid Now" and "A Good Idea." Bob Mould has still got it. Whatever it is, he has it. Certainly though there are changes. We are all older (if not any wiser) and many things have changed in the last 10 years. Mould has incorporated electronic and dance music and combined it with power-pop moments as well as more introspective ones.

The bottom line (however) is that District Line is great. It isn't Copper Blue or Zen Arcade, but it is still great. I don't know if a 15 year old kid would love this the way I loved Copper Blue so many years ago, but (at this point) I don't think that Bob Mould is making music to satisfy anyone but himself. And if that means more records like District Line, I'm fine with that.

Now on this Friday evening I should actually be at Chicago's Metro to see Bob Mould live, but due to a number of factors (mainly work and being sick and exhausted) I didn't make it downtown to catch the show. So instead I'm sipping some green tee and watching Mould's Circle Of Friends DVD; and wishing I was at Metro.

MP3 | Bob Mould - The Silence Between Us District Line
MP3 | Bob Mould - Stupid Now District Line

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Review: Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark

2008-03-06T07:08:00.000-06:00

It might be hard to believe that before getting their latest album Brighter Than Creation's Dark (on a friend's recommendation no less) I had never listened to anything from Georgia's southern-fried country-rock superstars Drive-By Truckers. Actually, it might not be hard to believe since now (more so than ever before) there is so damn much good music to listen to and so much more access to it.

Years ago kids could rely on major magazines like Rolling Stone, MTV, small fanzines, and word of mouth for info about new music. Now you have the Internet, myspace, and blogs like this as well. I'm sure I would say that the proliferation of new bands and the deluge of associated media coverage has over-saturated things, but it's close. I spend most days listening to new music and passing judgment on that rather than spending time with old favorites and getting to know new records.

Back when I was in high school, I remember spending hours listening to new albums and pouring over the lyrics and liner notes. Now it is a digital download from eMusic or ripping a promo CD to my iPod. It is as if we have sacrificed everything for convenience. That isn't necessarily a bad thing though. For example, having 60GB of music available to choose from on road trips is a much better alternative to loading up 30 of your favorite CD's into a CD wallet and stuffing them into the glove compartment. With a few "D" batteries and a portable speaker system, you can also have your entire music library available almost everywhere, and what could be better than that?

Ok. Back to the Drive-By Truckers. Their latest album Brighter Than Creation's Dark was recently released and if you like bands like Centro-matic, Lucero, Skynyrd, or The Allman Brothers, you should definitely check this (and the rest of their catalog) out. Since hearing this album, I've gotten two other Truckers albums. Listen to the songs below and then go get this record. "Do it!" They will also be on Late Night With Conan next week (March 11th).

MP3 | Drive-By Truckers - Two Daughters And A Beautiful Wife Brighter Than Creation's Dark
MP3 | Drive-By Truckers - The Righteous Path Brighter Than Creation's Dark

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Review: The Measure (SA) - Historical Fiction

2008-03-05T22:50:00.000-06:00

Originally released back in 2005 on vinyl only, The Measure (SA) in conjunction with Team Science Records re-released their album Historical Fiction on CD last year. This Brunswick, New Jersey quartet serves up DIY-spirited jangly pop-punk that has just a hint of Americana flavor. The band also features both male and female lead vocals courtesy of guitarists Mike Regrets and Lauren Measure whose sloppy (but lovable) vocals and messy ramshackle guitars are simply irresistible. Historical Fiction is the audio equivalent of walking along the boardwalk with some cotton candy and a hot dog as saltwater breeze washes over you and whomever you're holding hands with. It could come from nowhere else but Jersey.

More recently (however) The Measure (SA) has gone through a few lineup changes but has released a split on Chunksaah and have about a million other 7" records due out soon. RIYL: Bomb The Music industry!, Plow United, Discount, etc...

MP3 | The Measure (SA) - Just Go Historical Fiction
MP3 | The Measure (SA) - Autonomously Historical Fiction

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Review: Andy Swan's Ottawa

2008-03-04T07:14:00.000-06:00

I was born and spent my formative years in Ottawa. Not the capital city of Canada but (rather) a small town in central Illinois at the confluence of the Illinois and Fox rivers. Even still, I feel a bit of a connection to Ottawa, Canada despite never having been there. That might have been an unnecessary and long-winded introduction, but I think it ties nicely into my review of Canadian singer-songwriter Andy Swan's latest album Andy Swan's Ottawa. It is a bit country and a bit folk; a little stomping and a lot subdued. At times Andy Swan's Ottawa even recalls a little Jeff Tweedy and old-school Wilco-isms.

It is a charming and low-key affair from a great songwriter that no one (yet) seems to know about. His twangy country pop is sentimental and languid but also playful and spirited. Andy Swan certainly surprised me with this heartfelt album that also reminds me of destinations much further south such as Nashville or North Carolina (the Avett Brothers come to mind as does john Strohm). Andy Swan's Ottawa is a fitting soundtrack to the lengthening days and the approaching thaw.

MP3 | Andy Swan - The Truth About Thieves Andy Swan's Ottawa
MP3 | Andy Swan - The Sound Of Snowflakes Falling Andy Swan's Ottawa

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It came from the nineties (Vol. 9)

2008-03-03T07:12:00.000-06:00

This is a fitting way to start another week off right. Back to work after a long but eventful weekend. Amy, Hailey, and I spent the weekend up in beautiful Minneapolis, Minnestoa visiting friends we haven't seen in quite awhile. We walked around Uptown, went record shopping, watched the kids play, drank some Surly beer, toured the city's lakes, listened to the Once soundtrack, enjoyed a real happy hour, drank some good bourbon, and more. I'll definitely have to move the Twin Cities to my short list.

MP3 | Bone Thugs 'N Harmony - Tha Crossroads
MP3 | Stereo MC's - Connected
MP3 | Lush - Hypocrite
MP3 | Alice In Chains - Would
MP3 | Gin Blossoms - Hey Jealousy

More MP3's at The Hype Machine or buy from Insound | eMusic

Review: Dragons Of Zynth - Coronation Thieves

2008-03-03T07:10:00.000-06:00

I'll lay it all on the line here and just tell you flat-out that Coronation Thieves is a powerful, chaotic, and (ultimately) brilliant album that seemed to fly under just about everyone's radar last year (including mine). This debut from the Brooklyn-based noisemakers Dragons Of Zynth is the musical equivalent of a kid in a candy store who grabs a little bit of everything as they pillage the little shop. It's Prince vs. Gang Of Four, Black Dice vs. Husker Du, Hendrix vs. The Eternals, or even De La Soul vs. Gang Of Four. It is all that and more; It is incredible and overwhelming.

An obvious comparison to casual listeners would be TV On The Radio at their most disjointed and then some, partly due to TV's own David Sitek's production work on Coronation Thieves. The end result is neo-avant-disco-punk-soul that rips and tears at your speakers until they are just about disintegrated. A discernible streak of noisy free-jazz also runs through the music of Coronation Thieves as well; in large part (probably) because Aku and Akwetey O.T. (the twin brothers that front the band) both studied with jazz saxophonist Yusef Lateef.

But as visceral and incendiary as the album is, Dragons Of Zynth manage to somehow keep the melodies afloat amid the cacophony of raw angular guitars, walls of fuzzy distortion, and excessive new wavey synths. Everything on Coronation Thieves isn't necessarily like a caged beast unleashed. The album's closer "Closer" is a bit more subdued and works amazingly well as the final exclamation point at the end of a thrilling, exhausting, but truly excellent album.

MP3 | Dragons Of Zynth - Who Rize Above Coronation Thieves
MP3 | Dragons Of Zynth - Breaker Coronation Thieves

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Review: Teenage Bottlerocket - Warning Device

2008-02-28T12:17:00.000-06:00

What is the first thing you think of when someone says Wyoming? Is it Yellowstone, Jackson Hole, or maybe the Tetons? I would be willing to wager that it isn't pop punk. Well, after hearing Teenage Bottlerocket's latest album Warning Device you may think differently. Warning Device borders on old-school punk-pop perfection and stands up against anything in the Ramones, Screeching Weasel, Huntingtons vein. It is full of take-no-prisoners punk-pop that you'll be humming along to for days sand days. The songs are sappy and silly and it is the same old song and dance we've all heard for years, but Teenage Bottlerocket is so good that I can't help but love it. You need this album. And chances are that with their upcoming tour, Teenage Bottlerocket will be playing in a town near your real soon.

MP3 | Teenage Bottlerocket - In The Basement Warning Device
MP3 | Teenage Bottlerocket - She's Not The One Warning Device

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Hailey is a punk rocker

2008-02-27T22:54:00.001-06:00

I've posted pictures of my daughter with headphones on before, so here's a little update for y'all. Echoing the sentiments expressed in one of Grubbs' recent posts, they certainly do grow up so fast. So fast that she can often be seen wearing a Clash t-shirt from Sandbox Threads and a frilly pink tutu. Cool beyond her years I think. Any guesses as to what's playing on that iPod?

Review: The Hands - The Hands

2008-02-27T20:46:00.001-06:00

It doesn't take but a brief listen to the self-titled debut from Seattle, Washington's The Hands to realize that this is a band whose members must worship at the altar or classic rock-n-roll. The Hands have a simple formula for saucy and fiery garage rock that features searing guitars and a vocalist with a Jagger-esqe howl. Sure, it is a little retro but the band also manages to capture a little Northwest indie rock in their boisterous and furious throwback sound. The playing is ragged and relaxed but the songs are anything but. I'm (admittedly) not the biggest garage rock fan around but I still find The Hands to be an excellent addition to the genre and can only imagine that they totally slay live. Like a stick of dynamite with the fuse lit, this stuff is explosive.

MP3 | The Hands - Lies Lies Lies S/T
MP3 | The Hands - Six Gun Hand S/T

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It came from the nineties (Vol. 8)

2008-02-26T06:56:00.000-06:00

Let me just tell you that I fuckin' hate Smash Mouth. But... isn't "You Get What You Give" just a great song. Every single time I hear that song it gets stuck right between my left temple and my eardrum. Crazy how that works.

MP3 | Fiona Apple - Criminal
MP3 | Aqua - Barbie Girl
MP3 | New Radicals - You Get What You Give
MP3 | Smash Mouth - All Star
MP3 | Shaggy - Boombastic

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Say Hi - Live @ Beat Kitchen

2008-02-25T22:18:00.001-06:00

Last Friday I headed downtown to see the Seattle indie pop group Say Hi; a decision that was made largely in part because of their excellent new album The Wishes And The Glitch. It was an early all ages show and when then band took to the stage front man Eric Elbogen commented that it was probably hard to be sufficiently buzzed this early in the evening. He was joined by drummer Westin Glass and some friendly robots that supplied some additional backing tracks. They played most of the songs from the new album which was great since it is the only Say Hi record I'm really familiar with. The songs rocked a little (or a lot) more than on the record which translated into a buoyant sing-a-long set that was loads of fun. Say Hi finished up on a high note with Eric doing a solo rendition of "Let's Talk About Spaceships" and then I drove home.

MP3 | Say Hi - Let's Talk About Spaceships Numbers & Mumbles

Review: Kittens Ablaze - Hot Litter EP

2008-02-25T21:15:00.000-06:00

Okay. How great (or at least amusing) is it that Kittens Ablaze titled their EP Hot Litter? Am I the only one who finds that totally hilarious? Anyhow, Kittens Ablaze is a band that calls Brooklyn, New York home and (well) their music is combustible! It is a manic clusterfuck of dance-punk-folk that sounds like what might happen if Defiance, Ohio moved to New York City and started gettin' busy in the club scene and also a little like Ra Ra Riot. Acoustic guitars ramble and roll, and as a mournful violin provides additional accompaniment. Hot Litter is a highly enjoyable and welcome addition to my collection (or yours) and (if you care) Kittens Ablaze was also recently named MTV U's band of the week. Killer.

MP3 | Kittens Ablaze - Government Romance Hot Litter EP
MP3 | Kittens Ablaze - Strobelight Hot Litter EP

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Review: Nada Surf - Lucky

2008-02-24T08:35:00.000-06:00

Although I knew that Nada Surf had remained active making music long since the 15 minutes of fame from their mid-90's hit "Popular" was up, I really hadn't given 'em much consideration at all. I'm not even really sure why. In hindsight, I probably should have paid a little more attention. That's because Nada Surf's new album Lucky (their fifth full-length) is warm, comfortable, and familiar. It is an ultra-melodic slab of un-indie rock. What I mean is that Lucky fits into that just-so category of alterna-rock that is smooth, polished and doesn't really sound "indie" but is somehow indie enough that mainstream radio/MTV isn't likely to pick up on it. A perplexing predicament for Nada Surf indeed.

The contemplative power-pop of Lucky is grand but measured. It builds but isn't necessarily likely to blow your hair back. It is solid. That is a fitting one word description of the album; an album that amazingly consistent from start to finish. Sure, Matthew Caws' spills out sweet harmonies and layered guitars and melodies that (at times) sound as if they were plucked straight from a Teenage Fanclub record, but what separates Nada Surf from nay of their peers (like The Shins or Rogue Wave) is that the band still retains much of the aesthetic of major mid-90's (so-called )modern rock. Lucky succeeds in being the band's most mature and accomplished record to date and is available now from Barsuk.

MP3 | Nada Surf - See These Bones Lucky

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It came from the nineties (Vol. 7)

2008-02-23T11:18:00.000-06:00

If you remember Beverly Hills 90210 from before it was rerun every single day in the late 90's, you might also remember another Aaron Spelling show called The Heights. Ahh... those were the days.

MP3 | Elastica - Stutter
MP3 | R. Kelly - I Believe I Can Fly
MP3 | Mr. Big - To Be With You
MP3 | The Heights - How Do You Talk To An Angel?
MP3 | Filter - Hey Man Nice Shot

More MP3's at The Hype Machine or buy from Insound | eMusic

Review: Say Hi - The Wishes And The Glitch

2008-02-22T07:10:00.000-06:00

If y'all are in Chicago and aren't doing anything tonight, you should head over to the Beat Kitchen for an early show featuring Say Hi. I'll be there enjoying their spry but cloudy and brilliantly low key indie pop. Say Hi's latest album The Wishes And The Glitch is full of a loose glorious racket and an understated energy. Say Hi often sounds as if they are ready to break it wide open but never quite shift it into that last gear. The Wishes And The Glitch is excellent and has elements that remind me of stuff like Pedro The Lion, American Analog Set, The Shins, and Interpol. I'll let you know tomorrow if they can pull it off live.

MP3 | Say Hi - Northwestern Girls The Wishes And The Glitch
MP3 | Say Hi - Zero To Love The Wishes And The Glitch

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Review: The Frantic - Audio And Murder

2008-02-21T22:45:00.006-06:00

Generally I don't waste my time writing negative reviews, but... The Frantic is from Chicago so I should have at least some hometown affinity for them right? Nope. Their album Audio And Murder is terrible. It starts off bad and stays that way throughout. And even though the pretentious opening where the band screams, "We're The Frantic! Who the fuck are you?" is embarrassing enough, it actually gets worse.

On Audio And Murder The Frantic comes across as the spoiled and retarded cousins of Rancid (no offense Rancid) combined with some amateurish local band that doesn't have a single meaningful thing to say. Sure the band is young, but the music is more juvenile than their ages. The lyrics are on par with things that most 4th graders would write and are both mean-spirited and contradictory at times. Normally simplistic lyrics are fine, but it gets ridiculous when I can finish every lyrical couplet before the band does.

The music is generic no frills sorta rock-n-roll meets pop punk that is just plain boring. If The Frantic was trying to come off like The Ramones, they've failed miserably. Instead of endearing geeky outcast misfits like The Ramones, The Frantic come off as dumb and self-centered. Their shtick moves past confident into the realm of annoyingly cocky. It's like listening to the drunk frat guy at the party who just doesn't know when to shut up.

Sure there are the requisite "na na na's" and "whoa oh's," but everything (and I mean everything) on Audio And Murder sounds like crap. Even the pedal steel guitar (which I would normally applaud) on the token country-infused ballad sounds disingenuous. Either this record is a joke or this is pop-punk hell.

MP3 | The Frantic - Heifer Audio And Murder
MP3 | The Frantic - Fast Girl Audio And Murder

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Review: Finn Riggins - A Soldier, A Saint, An Ocean Explorer

2008-02-20T07:05:00.000-06:00

What do you get when you put a trio together where all members have music degrees from the University of Idaho? Well, the short answer is Finn Riggins. Finn Riggins hails (now) from Sun Valley, Idaho and is made up of keyboardist Eric Gilbert, guitarist Lisa Simpson, and drummer Cameron Bouiss. And their debut full-length A Soldier, A Saint, An Ocean Explorer is more than just a technical showcase; it is actually really good as well. Just imagine starting with a base something akin to the off-kilter indie-slacker-pop tendencies of Pavement and/or Bound Stems but with male/female vocal trade offs and a whole lot of layering to differentiate the band.

Seemingly everything here including jangly jazzy guitars, noisy electronics, piano-based indie pop riffs, space-brain prog-rock synths, furious drumming, and even steel-drum interludes is combined to make A Soldier, A Saint, An Ocean Explorer one hell of a musical ride. Heck the group almost even gets a little alt-country on us and sings about life in Alaska on "Pannin For Gold." All in all, the album is an unusual mix of non-standard rhythms and interesting arrangements that showcase the bands knowledge of theory as well as songwriting ability. Sure, it can be a little "jammy" at times, but that doesn't bother me. This is honest and adventurous music that still manages to be fun. A Soldier, A Saint, An Ocean Explorer is out now on Tender Loving Empire.

MP3 | Finn Riggins - Glove Compartment A Soldier, A Saint, An Ocean Explorer
MP3 | Finn Riggins - Box Elder A Soldier, A Saint, An Ocean Explorer

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Review: Hot Chip - Made In The Dark

2008-02-19T07:01:00.000-06:00

Fuck yeah! CYSTSFTS faves Hot Chip are back with a killer new record called Made In The Dark which is (again) filled with spastic indie electro r&b soul pop that ranges from inside jokes I don't really understand to fantastic and glitchy ear candy. The album is great, but only in fits and starts; it is wide-ranging and exploratory but lacks a real cohesion as well as a true barn burner like "Boy From School." That shouldn't matter though since an only above-average record from Hot Chip is better than a stellar record from most other groups.

I really shouldn't like this record, or even Hot Chip and their am-i-serious-or-is-this-a-joke electro pop, but ever since I saw them at Lollapalooza '06, I've been hooked. A few listens and I'm sure you'll be a believer too. Made In The Dark is out now on the amazing Astralwerks label.

MP3 | Hot Chip - One Pure Thought Made In The Dark
MP3 | Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor Made In The Dark
MP3 | Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor (Jesse Rose Mix)
MP3 | Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor (Shake A Fist Diplo Mix)
MP3 | Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor (Soulwax Dub)

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Review: Sir Salvatore - Continental Breakfast EP

2008-02-18T21:38:00.001-06:00

On their Continental Breakfast EP, Sir Salvatore (from San Francisco) dishes out some lazily kinetic indie rock that tastes a little like Chin Up Chin Up, Division Day, or even The Smiths. Not that Sir Salvatore really sounds anything like any of those bands, but you get the idea. I've heard their sound described as, "Tapes N' Tapes having an Oxford Collapse but rising like a Phoenix from The Cribs," whatever that means.

This 5-song EP (their second) is a digital only release and a pretty damn strong overall effort full of (mostly) breezy jangle-pop with a hint of darker shades of fury lurking just beneath the surface. Sir Salvatore is engaging and memorable without being overly catchy. Their melodies dig and weave with a purpose and a motive that trumps just a simple memorable chorus. Guitars chime; drums drive ahead. Nothing on the EP is overdone. It all just sorta fits nicely in place and (amazingly) I probably wouldn't change a single thing about it. Coming from me, that is a huge compliment.

MP3 | Sir Salvatore - Ambalina Continental Breakfast EP
MP3 | Sir Salvatore - Townies Continental Breakfast EP

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