Here are some record albums that I have opinions about:
Calvin Harris- Ready for the Weekend- Great bouncy easily digestible borderline sweet/euro-cheesy. I like this a lot! Until it gets stuck in my head for four more days.
The Clash- London Calling- I don't yet get it. And there weren't enough reasons for me to keep trying to like it. I think if I had gotten into this when I liked ska in high school, the transition would have been easier.
Bjork- Vespertine- Reminds me of "The Secret of Mana." And ice, and caves, but not real ice and caves, more like movie-set pretty ice and caves or something. Oh, and elves! Elves for sure. No, for serious, I'm not trying to mock.
Midnight Juggernauts- Dystopia- see Calvin Harris- Ready for the Weekend. But more darker.
The Thermals- Now We Can See- meh. I know they're from Seattle, but they kinda yell a lot and every song is in the first person plural. Why so many "we"s?
Broken Bells- Broken Bells- At this point, in my book, Danger Mouse is a plus, and James Mercer is a minus. This is Shinsey enough that I am bored.
The Knife- The Knife- So everything they do is gold, but this is a little less shiny gold than their more recent gold. It's got a similar feel, just not as polished.
Metric- Fantasies- Does everyone in the world have a crush on Emily Haines? Is that why we let her get away with lyrics that sound so awkward? Like on "Help I'm Alive" and "Gimme Sympathy". Or is everyone else also so entranced by her voice that she could be singing the Rent is Too Damn High Rap and we'd all swoon anyway? Anyway, this is wonderful. And, syntactic parsing joke with a line from "Satellite Mind", my favorite track: "heard you fuck through the walls", which can mean:
- you were fucking, and I heard you through the walls
- you were fucking through the walls (ouch!), and I heard you
- hey, folks were saying that you tend to fuck through walls. quite a superpower!
Broken Social Scene- Forgiveness Rock Record- More of the same, which is a good thing, especially on the token Emily Haines track- "Sentimental X's". Although my favorite is "All to all."
David Byrne and Fatboy Slim- Here Lies Love- a concept double album about Imelda Marcos, and while it suffers a bit from Double Album Syndrome (you shouldn't make a double album), it's pretty consistent, and feels like the 1970's or something. I guess some people like to widen their minds by listening to NPR; I like to widen my mind by listening to the collected works of David Byrne.
Dirty Projectors- Bitte Orca- Is "Stillness is the Move" the best song ever? Or is "No Intentions" the best song ever? (the other seven are, by comparison, unremarkable.)
LCD Soundsystem- This is Happening- I increasingly like this guy, James Murphy. Speaking of David Byrne, I feel like Murphy is the next Byrne, with his sometimes-sorta-commentary talk-songs that are actually really catchy. And also a little awkward.
Fever Ray- Fever Ray- SO GOOD. She (Karin Dreijer Andersson, of The Knife) made this solo album after having a child. Some worried that the kid would make her sappy and terrible, as it happens with every other band ever. Nope: this is pure creepy dark electronic wonder. Watch this.
Wax Tailor- In the Mood for Life- Also so good! Samples and DJ magic, a few good singers, and some rap. Reminded me of Kid Koala and the Roots. Sounds like summer.
Lady Gaga- The Fame Monster and/or the Fame or something, I just got all her music. Where has she been all my life? I am very happy about her topping the charts. She is a breath of fresh air in pop music. If you disagree, listen to this. Those drums! How good are those drums!
Weezer- Raditude- after hearing "If you're wondering if I want you to (I want you to)", a really pretty good song, I was wondering if this might eventually be their return to form. No.
Arcade Fire- The Suburbs- okay it is great, let's move on.
Chromeo- Fancy Footwork and She's in Control- I love these guys! Talk about A. being champs, and B. not taking yourselves too seriously, but still C. not being a novelty act.
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