they had lights inside their eyes

Hooray, I'm finally back. It's been crazy busy since I got back from Montreal; not only am I behind on listening but I am also behind on writing reviews for albums I have already perused. But I have a good-sized batch for you all now. Thanks for keeping it here. Stay tuned for many more reviews and a soon-to-be-released special feature for the blog. As always, forward your suggestions/comments to me and don't forget to spread the word to musical friends! 

Billy Ocean "Greatest Hits"

Hmm. I mean, I knew I was in for a bumpy ride when I ordered this one from the library. But just like with Lionel Richie, you never know. I put Mr. Ocean below Lionel though on mildly annoying 80s singers though, as about 50% of this collection was too groanworthy for me to make it through each complete song. That said, "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)" and "Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car" are legendary for a reason: they've got great hooks. The instrumental backing tracks are predictable. They are no big surprises for you in this review; it's average 80's pop. A few fun & slightly embarrassing songs but honestly, don't spend money on this.

Destroyer "Destroyer's Rubies"

I was very pleased with my first listen to Destroyer. So the voice of the New Pornographers here takes on an indie rock project. Wait. Well, I guess this project is a little more rough around the edges, a little less radio, a little more Stephen Malkmus. A lot of piano on this record, along with a healthy dose of rock and roll/country guitar, funky percussion, organ. Recommended for fans of Pavement (very evident influence here), but also the Flaming Lips, Of Montreal, and other gritty and unusual indie rock. Bring on more Destroyer!

Yeasayer "Odd Blood"

Amazon and iTunes have been so relentless in recommending that I listen to Yeasayer that I finally caved. Well thanks for that because I am totally down with Odd Blood. The first track took me into another world, kind of like a fever-induced hallucination of Wayne Coyne. Track 2 took me back to the 80s with a Depeche Mode vibe. At times they remind me of Peter Bjorn and John as well. The music itself is pretty eclectic and is definitely a sensory experience, with various electronic and acoustic sounds coming from all directions. Instruments real and virtual, processed and unprocessed vocals, wacky samples and loops converge to form some semblance of compositional form, and you know what? I buy it. Yeasayer is one to watch.

Takagi Masakatsu "Journal For People" (2006)

This random CD purchase (I had no idea what this was) turned out to be very satisfying. Takagi Masakatsu is an musician, filmmaker and visual artist. This package contains a CD and a DVD. The CD is 13 amazingly soothing electronic works, but there's no way this is Pure Moods all over again. It's engaging and modern. It utilizes the "glitch" effect, where short samples that are roughly cut and spliced, when put in a particular order, create a rhythm and a pattern that either is looped for the duration of the piece or adjusted. In addition to the electronic sounds, there is a layer of acoustic grand piano, very interesting, emotionally gratifying, and to this listener's ears, even more soothing and beautiful. It makes sense that many of these traits are either causes or effects of his accompanying video (found on the DVD). Among the videos are illustrations of birds rapidly changing, slow motion video of fireworks, a view from under green water, closeups of children, etc. It all makes sense when you see and hear his work simultaneously. Alone, both the music and the video are commendable and without a doubt are works of art, but working in conjunction the two bring across a very enriching experience. I will be on the lookout for exhibitions featuring this Japanese artist and on the hunt for more of his releases. So it seems it was worth the $2.

No Doubt "Return of Saturn"

Even if you listen to just about everything, some bands are bound to fall through the cracks. So this was my first listen to No Doubt. I enjoyed it and to my surprise, more than in just a casual listening way, actually. You just don't hear bands use chords outside diatonic scale anymore. Hell, when I hear a diminished vii chord it gets me all excited. Secondary dominants, maybe. What pleased my ears more than anything on this record is just the sonorities. I appreciate how they work (and they do) but I'm just happy that a band that used them was successful in making music that many people listened to. Here's a fun exercise: put on a No Doubt song, then imagine that the singer from Muse is the one who recorded the vocal only they sped the tape up. It kind of works. In conclusion, I will be listening to more No Doubt, no doubt. (Sorry, I had to.)

Devo "Something For Everybody"

A 2010 release from the crazy electro guys of the 80's? Seems crazy, but it's true. And actually, they've managed to update their sound a bit without losing their signature sound. Mostly they've upgraded their gear. The samples and all electronically produced sounds come from a decidedly post-2000 library, so that's something. It seems like they have taken some hints from Daft Punk (which pleases me...) but they still retain their dorky two-step beats and simple, repetitive rhythms. The album definitely starts off on a good foot, runs out of good ideas by halfway, and peters out (like so many albums). If you're a Devo fan, or a modern "dance" music fan, you should listen to this and see how they managed to meet.

Best Coast "Crazy For You"

Ok, Best Coast, you win. You fit right in at Urban Outfitters store displays. West Coast (apparently the better coast) lo-fi is the name of the game. Simple instrumentals, tones, and--for some reason--a heavy handed dose of reverb on the vocals. Why is this a trend nowadays? I find it a little annoying but I guess it works with the music. This music kind of sounds like being lazy at the beach, and not surprisingly, that's what a lot of it is supposed to be about. Don some bizarre sunglasses and listen to Best Coast.

Stars "The Five Ghosts"

Stars delivers with their 2010 release The Five Ghosts. There is a much larger electronic component than in past efforts, and it really suits them. The same immediately lovable melodic lines and interesting harmonies abound but now picture expansive synths, drums and reverb filling up the stereo image. This effect reminds me of a characteristic of one of my favorite bands, M83, so fans of theirs will want to listen up to this album especially. Stars enthusiasts should also watch three members perform three of these songs "acoustic" at the NPR offices as part of the Tiny Desk Concerts. Do you know about these? They are amazing! So many free downloads, mainly audio but some (like this one) are also video, available as podcasts. Just search for NPR in the iTunes Store under Podcasts and prepare to be overwhelmed. Or visit http://www.npr.org/series/tiny-desk-concerts. Anyway, indie kids everywhere will love The Five Ghosts.

these cats is broke, i knows em, throw em out the doors and close em

Even though I'm packing up for my vacation to Montreal right now, I STILL managed to put together a sizable amount of record reviews to hold you over until I return (and resume listening to lots of CDs). As Daniel Tosh would say, "You're welcome!" Everybody enjoy and be well. Have a nice spring break if you have one.

Cloud Cult "Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes)"

It was ok. Cloud Cult has a lot of members and all of their sounds and voices are heard...I'm just not sure what to make of the ultimate result. Lots of different instruments. Definitely a chamber pop sound, just not sure how successful the pop music is. Favorite track so far is "The Ghost Inside Our House." Needs another listen. Indie and chamber pop fans, take a listen.

Jason Mraz "Jason Mraz's Beautiful Mess - Live on Earth"

Well, one thing is for sure after listening to this live album--Jason Mraz can afford to hire very talented backing musicians. Most of the tunes here are a little ho-hum, although I do like white-boy-rapping to "The Dynamo of Volition." The percussionist(s), vocalists, and definitely the horn players are really top notch. This whole situation reminds me of John Mayer concerts and any songwriter your parents know, like Bruce Springsteen or something. It's like, yeah, we all know the songs and now a ton of musicians are playing with you on a giant stage and it's this whole big spectacle. Maybe that's cool. I have to give Jason Mraz due accolades though for his voice on this recording: it's as if his brain has autotune to only sing notes that are harmonious in the key. If that's the aesthetic you like, you'll definitely appreciate it. [Also in case you read ahead in today's post, there's a LIONEL RICHIE cover: All Night Long.] There's a DVD too...didn't have time for that. Recommended for...let's say, Jason Mraz fans and teenage girls. And maybe your mom.

Various Artists "The World Ends: Afro Rock & Psychedelia in 1970s Nigeria"

Wow. This is such a good find. Two discs and 33 tracks of the sounds of Nigerian rock clubs in the 70s. You can hear all kinds of influences here, everything from funk, R&B, progresive rock, 70s rock giants like Led Zeppelin, and of course psychedelia. Almost all these groups are forgotten about, many of them only releasing one record. Many tracks are sung in African dialects, some are in English. Some bands are heavily influenced by James Brown, others by Jimi Hendrix. Others are in a league of their own. Some bands' African roots run a bit deeper than others; some even rid their sound of almost all African traces. There are some singles among these tracks and there are some not-so-singles, but it's all worth a listen. Recommended for 70s rock fans, African music enthusiasts, and guitarists.

Le Loup "Family"

Totally cool indie rock. Never heard of them before and got this CD on a whim. Five members but it sounds like more with the help of overdubs and musicians talented on multiple instruments. There's some world music influence as well; what African music is for Vampire Weekend, Latin music is for Le Loup. They're on the Hardly Art label, a Seattle-based derivative of Sub Pop Records. Indie kids, eat it up.

Lionel Richie "The Definitive Collection"

As with Hall & Oates, I always scoffed at Lionel Richie until I took the time to listen to some of his gems. We all know "Hello," the creepiest love song of all (accompanied by the creepiest music video of all), but this Definitive Collection also contains some Commodores hits that you forgot were also because of Lionel Richie: "Easy," "Three Times a Lady," etc. If you still aren't sold, put on "All Night Long" and try not to dance a little in your car (when there's no one in the lane next to you, of course). With that said, Lionel Richie's output and therefore this collection is way too heavy on over the top emotional ballads full of sappy language and 80s keyboard patches. There would be no Homestar Runner "Secret Song" without Lionel's help. But a couple of these singles will certainly have you Dancing on the Ceiling.

Weezer "Death to False Metal"

Yeah, except the New Weezer IS that false metal. Guys, this is your what--9th or 10th album and this is what you come out with? Now I just checked Wikipedia and apparently this is a compilation of random songs written by Weezer over most of their career's span that just didn't end up on any other record, so they put them on here. Yeah, maybe there's a reason they didn't end up anywhere. They're old news! As if Weezer listeners weren't bored to death by I - ii - IV - V progressions and their variants by now, well, here's some more! "Everyone" is probably the most interesting track as it takes on a decidedly darker tone than most Weezer cuts and the drums and guitar rhythms are most advanced and interesting. The final track, "Unbreak My Heart" (yes that one), is so disappointing. I'm a fan of doing covers in different genres but it was as if they just played the song in its simplest form on their instruments. The only way this album would be impressive is if it was written and recorded in one day, because it sounds like it was written and recorded in one week. Unfortunately....

Squirrel Nut Zippers "Perennial Favorites"

Does anyone else fantasize about becoming a member of Squirrel Nut Zippers as much as me? This ragged band of swing revivalists are as wacky as they are stunningly musical, as is obvious from these 12 songs on this 1998 release. My favorite SNZ song ever is the first track, "Suits Are Picking Up the Bill;" the introduction draws you in and keeps your toes tapping and shoulders swaying for the rest of the record. A good variety of styles (mostly swing, but also different tempi), and amazing instrumentation/orchestration/arrangement. Percussion is top notch, horns (saxes, trumpet, trombone, clarinet) are tight, and the vocals are strange but fitting. You get the impression that they are well versed and well listened in much of the old swing sound. Recommended for swing, big band, and jazz combo fans, as well as ska fans and, well, anyone who likes to listen to music and smile.