Dirty Projectors: Bitte Orca 5:38 PM

Dirty Projectors
Bitte Orca
by xiao


The latest effort from New York rock band Dirty Projectors is, at it's worst, interesting, and at it's best, perfect. Bitte Orca is likely the band's best album yet, however it won't change the fact that Dirty Projectors are certainly not for everyone - they're not about to pull any punches this time around.

It kicks off with "Cannibal Resource", one of the album's most accessible and best tracks. Guitar strums somehow reminiscent of Radiohead's OK Computer explode into catchy vocals and gleefully complex songwriting, all with somewhat-creepy harmonizing from the females in the band. Next is "Temecula Sunrise" which, again, is extremely complex and ultimately rewarding. One of the best things about this album is how bravely it is presented - it's bizzare, but supremely confident. A few tracks later comes "Stillness is the Move", boasting female vocals and a funky electronic drum and bass beat.

Another highlight is "Useful Chamber", where the chorus chants the album's name and interestingly dark drum lines intertwine with bittersweet vocals. The last two tracks are just as facinating and worth a listen.

Bitte Orca storms headfirst into the sellout hiphop music industry of today with monstrously complex tunes and more than a fare share of confidence, not unlike Kid A or even a Beatles album. For this alone, it's worth checking out, and it only gets better the more you play it.

Band: The Molotovs 8:04 PM

The Molotovs

by grilledlemon

So every now and again we come across a band that has pretty much just started it's life on the indie scene...and are really good. (Not too often I can think that those two go together.) The Molotovs happen to be one of them.

I found this band through your normal viral "oh hey this is good" way of finding things...youtube's 'related videos'! I saw the video for their first (and only) single 'Flowers', I have to admit the video was major crap but the song was pretty amazing. If you haven't noticed from my other reviews, I'm pretty inclined toward British indie stuff....and The Molotovs are no exception. The lead singer sounds a lot like Julian Casablancas from the Strokes, like seriously...it's uncanny. The thing I like about them is they seem to be experimenting with a lot of traditional instruments such as horns and classical guitars to create this very non-British cultural experience, I want to compare them closely to the Libertines, but that would only further the theory that every Brit-indie band sounds the same.
(theyrealotlikethelibertinesguys.)

Overall, this band is worth a listen for all 3 actual tracks they have available, and I like to see bands actually trying to do something more than make yet another alternative rip-off.

The Molotovs Myspace

'Flowers' Video

Phoenix: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix 11:42 AM

Phoenix
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
by xiao


Phoenix is a french alt rock group that's been around a lot longer than you likely think they have. Believe it or not, they debuted back in 2000, a year before the first Strokes release. They slowly worked their way through three solid studio albums, but never has the band sounded as polished and confident as they do on Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, their fourth release.

Wolfgang starts with "Lisztomania", an enjoyable jam and an excellent way to start. Immediately, lead singer Thomas Mars draws comparisons to Julian Casablancas of The Strokes, while the quirky instrumentals settle nicely somewhere between MGMT, Vampire Weekend, and Spoon. Next up is "1901", which begins with thick synths and lazy guitar that later explodes with energy. The song is simply tons of fun as well as immediately danceable.

It's clear that Phoenix shares a lot of things in common with other similar indie dance rock groups, like the previously mentioned MGMT. On "Love Like a Sunset", the band explores a deeper, instrumental and experimental side, showing us that they're more than just addictive junk-rock. The song is almost reminiscent of something that would appear on a Foals record.

Another excellent track is "Countdown (Big Sun)", utilizing clever lyrics such as "Do you remember when 21 years was old?" The song sports of the best crescendos on the album, as well as an extremely satisfying finale of an ending. "Rome" is another high point, with intriguing lyrics and an intoxicating chorus.

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is, in a word, fun. There's substance behind its undeniable style, and almost all of the tracks will stick with you. The whole of the album is greater than the sum of its parts, making it more than worth a listen. I can't help but compare this album to a debut album, despite the fact that it isn't - Is This It, Vampire Weekend, Oracular Spectacular and Silent Alarm come to mind. Not bad company in the least.

Cage the Elephant: Cage the Elephant 1:52 AM

Cage the Elephant
Cage the Elephant

by grilledlemon

I randomly found this band browsing through the iTunes music store looking for stuff around the likes of Bloc Party and The Fratellis. This band had no previous record with me (or anyone as far as that's concerned), and why I felt compelled to listen to them i'll never know...but I'm glad I did.

Cage The Elephant is a very high strung fast paced Brit-alt band, not to the point where you can't understand them mind you...but you wouldn't listen to these guys while trying to fall asleep, their Jimi Hendrix-esque guitar solos will make sure you don't.

If I was asked to relate this band closely to another band I really couldn't choose. The songs on this album are definitely varied, the album starts off sounding like a British ska band with "In One Ear" and "James Brown" then the change into a White Stripes-like entity as the album goes along, changing sounds slightly every few songs really brought a great first time listening experience to me, it was exciting to listen to what they changed and how they would incorporate their British rock overtones.

With the overall (or lack of overall) sound part out of the way I can get to the songs, I implore you if you don't plan to listen to this band at all please listen to "Aint No Rest For The Weary", this song pretty much made the whole album a done deal for me. The rough yet smoothly intoxicating garage rock sound combined with the overly powerful lyrics makes this one of those songs you have no problem listening over and over to again.

After that there are tracks such as "Tiny Little Robots" and "Drones In The Valley" that have a very fast rhythmic tempo, these tracks are interesting as they sound a lot like the Strokes but it's like the Strokes got a British themed makeover. Just another reason to love these guys.

Overall this album is excellent, it had no single track I did not enjoy. A very worthwhile debut album from a new band, go get this album now! I don't care how you get it...just get it.

Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavillion 9:14 PM

Animal Collective
Merriweather Post Pavillion
by xiao


Now before you jump on me and claim that this album isn't exactly "new," let me just say that I think it happens to be so absolutely damned perfect that it warrants a post despite the fact it came out back in January. Now! On to the review!

Animal Collective is a group of merry men from the United States who seem to be primarily interested in creating the most interesting and unique sounds they possibly can. Their albums differ greatly from each other, as they even switch band members from album to album. Their last effort, Strawberry Jam, was quite a step up for the band, which is really saying a lot in the presence of albums like Feels and Sung Tongs. Strawberry Jam was a wonderful and jarringly tangy pop ride, with songs like "Peacebone", "Fireworks", and "Derek" being some of the band's best. So being a big fan of Strawberry Jam, when I heard about the upcoming Animal Collective record, I was naturally pretty excited.

Once I got my hands on the brightly colored album, what rested inside blew away any expectations I possibly could have had. Merriweather Post Pavillion is Animal Collective's masterpiece, a near perfect album blooming with thundering textures, dizzying layers, clever and sincere lyrics and hauntingly beautiful melodies. "In The Flowers" starts the album off, a complex and dark medley that explodes into sheer bliss a few minutes in, a moment so overwhelmingly energetic and awe-inspiring that it instantly shatters all doubts about the album. From there on, Merriweather is just about as perfect as it's going to get. "My Girls" takes a riff as addictive as crack and slams african drums and a wall of harmonization over it. "Summertime Clothes" is a dizzingly sharp and polished tune, and perhaps the album's most accessable.

Animal Collective isn't happy with just a handful of brilliant songs, however. "Daily Routine" and "Bluish" both continue the album's streak, and "Taste" is perhaps the best song on the album. It all ends with an energetic twist in "Brother Sport", which is already a fan favorite. This is without doubt the best album of 2009 yet. I would list some highlights right about here, but this is one of those albums where literally any song off of it could be your favorite, so let me put this politely:

Buy this album or I will hunt you down and kill you.

Coldplay: LeftRightLeftRightLeft 7:59 PM

Coldplay

LeftRightLeftRightLeft

by grilledlemon

Ah, Chris Martin and the Coldplayers, you've done it again. Coldplay is one of those mainstream bands you want to hate but just can't help but love due to the original sound they produce, and this live album is no exception.

Let me start by telling you guys that this live album is available right now as a free download off of the Coldplay website. It starts off with the track "Glass of Water" which was released on the EP "Prospekts March" as with many songs off of that EP, it's passable. Then it goes straight into epic live ballads which are all definitely worth listening to. The familiar song "Clocks" is done with the new power that Coldplay found in their latest studio album "Viva La Vida", and I must say it sounds alot better than the now somewhat classic original song. The vibrancy that Chris Martin puts in the vocals in this live album is astounding- from the eerie yet mellow rendition of "The Hardest Part" to the impactful guitar solo and vocal finish in "Death and All His Friends".

I have to say the album did surprise me as I always preferred the studio albums to Colplay's live stuff, but this definitely changed my opinion of their live performances, there is so much life in these songs it makes the studio ones seem like a letdown. Definitely check out this album...I mean, dude, it's free.

Grizzly Bear: Veckatimest 7:36 PM

Grizzly Bear
Veckatimest
by xiao


I had might as well get it out of the way: Grizzly Bear is not a band I'm familiar with. Their latest release, Veckatimest, however, caught my eye when I heard the lead single "Two Weeks", which sported a good-olde-romp feeling, complete with feelgood piano and smooth vocals, all backed by a joyous melodic chorus. After downl... er, purchasing the album, I was pleasantly surprised by the sheer polish on each and every track on the album.

"Southern Point" starts Veckatimest with a gloriously mysterious sounding hum, which eventually explodes into an acoustic anthem reminescent of Animal Collective or all the best bits of Vampire Weekend. "Cheerleader" also has a certain happy sway to it that's rather infectious. While there are certainly highlights here, this is another album that would be best to listen to from start to finish. Every track is polished, brimming over with ideas that both feel fondly sentimental and yet entirely new, and for that, it's worth every torren... um, penny.

The Horrors: Primary Colours 3:21 PM

The Horrors
Primary Colours
by xiao


The first Horrors record, Strange House, was an interesting, energetic effort to revitalize the punk scene with big hair, black jackets, guyliner, and British flair spread thicker than blackberry jam on a thick slice of momma's homemade bread. It was certainly a lot of fun, especially with highlights like "Sheena is a Parasite", "She is the New Thing", "Gloves" and "Count in Fives". However, it wasn't exactly the most unique album out there, and it seemed like The Horrors were on a fast one-way track to forgettable lane. Despite this, songs like "Excellent Choice", which featured a suicide story voiceover with clanky guitars and drums in the background, hinted at The Horrors' hidden talent for something more.

Thus enters Primary Colours, a textured, unique album that drastically improves the sound of the band from their first album, a feat rarely accomplished in this day and age. Opting for synths and a thick wall of sound, it's clear the band has decided to get in touch with the Joy Division inside all of them. They even cut their hair and dress differently. So much for the claims of "style over substance." On top of that, singer Faris Badwin has decided to actually sing this time around, rather than screaming gleefully as he did in Strange House, and he doesn't sound half bad.

Highlights include the brooding "Mirror's Image", which sports a undeniably smooth intro and catchy synth loop, "Scarlet Fields", a beautiful and intense powerhouse, and "Sea Within a Sea", the eight-minute long single. However, this is an album that works best in its full context, and for that, it's worth picking up a copy of it in its entirety.