something in my mind freezes up from time to time

Hello faithful (and perhaps some unfaithful) readers. I can't apologize for my absence, so I won't. 

But I will say that I haven't stopped listening to music in the weeks gone by, so there will be many more reviews to come. I went through a whole bunch of 80's hip hop (MC Hammer, Run-DMC, Jazzy Jeff/Fresh Prince), indie stuff, rare stuff, new pop releases, world music...everything. So check back soon. And enjoy!! :D

Various Artists "Sing Me to Sleep: Indie Lullabies"

An interesting compilation of some "children's music" (some not) portrayed as lullabies, recorded by bands to indie for you to know. What this boils down to is a pot luck dinner of relaxing lo-fi. Some songs I recognize as the Beatles' "Dear Prudence," the Frank Loesser tune "Inchworm" featured on the Muppet Show and Sesame Street among other children's shows, and "Pure Imagination," the soundtrack to the chocolate room in the original Willy Wonka film. But these are not straight ahead, easy listening tunes entirely; many of the songs have been reimagined in terms of structure, instrumentation, brand new sections created by expounding upon familiar sections. If you're not a hipster with a kid, you should still give this record a listen if you are a fan of discovering new lo-fi, would get a kick out of psychedelic reworkings of children's songs you may or may not remember, or are just open to anything.

Phil Collins "Face Value"

This 1981 record is kind of a grab bag of styles: dramatic ballad, white boy funk, dramatic ballad, grooves with African & Latin vibes, and did I mentioned overly dramatic ballads? This album doesn't suffer so much from the 80's factor but its timeless melodrama and cheesiness. Great music for introducing guests on a daytime talk show. Of course, what must be mentioned is the first track, which you already know. An unusual and slow drum machine beat creeps in followed by mellow synths and Collins' chorused/echoed vocal. You wait for 3'40" and then the most famous drum fill of the 1980's comes out of nowhere, brings you into the chorus, and now the song is on a whole new level. Get "In the Air Tonight" on iTunes and leave this album alone.

Phil Collins "No Jacket Required"

This record has way more 80's factor running through its veins than the previous selection, and yet I can stomach way more of these tracks than those from Face Value. Why? I think they're just better written songs. Still got some of that white boy funk here, like in "Who Said I Would," and he even borrows Frampton's talk box to amp up the epic whiteness. The tunes are just more catchy as well, which is why, without looking it up for factual accuracy, I'm going to guess this album sold a lot better than Face Value. The only song too melodramatic for me is "One More Night" but I'm sure your older sibling slow danced to it at some point anyway. No purchase required, but a good effort from Collins nonetheless.

Squirrel Nut Zippers "The Best of Squirrel Nut Zippers (as Chronicled by Shorty Brown)"

What can I say about Squirrel Nut Zippers that I haven't before? I think they are wonderful: talented, virtuosic, swinging, they blend very well together, have such a great energy, and I think listening to them will make you happy and want to shuffle in your seat or get up and move. "Memphis Exorcism" is an excellent instrumental showcase, and I am also happy to have album versions of favorites from the live album like "Prince Nez," "Good Enough For Granddad," and "Hell." A great best-of collection for the newcomer to SNZ. Listen up fans of swing, swing revival, gypsy punk, contemporary Latin, cabaret, and all around foot-tapping good times.

Del Amitri "Twisted"

I had never heard of this band until I was watching Scrubs and there was this great scene that fit perfectly with the music. I looked up the song and it was "Tell Her This" by Del Amitri. It has stuck with me as an incredible song and now I'm glad I got to hear more by them. Pretty straight ahead 90's pop rock, some of it is harder/heavier than other more radio-oriented songs. The most poppy tune is "Roll to Me," the ubiquitous 90's radio song that I along with many others it seems, had for years thought the lyric went: "the right time, the wrong me" when in fact it's "roll to me." Hmm, I like the other way better. The less well known tracks on this album are worth a listen too. Pretty easy listening. Kind of sounds like the Wallflowers at times. Good for fans of them, Tom Petty, less progressive Wilco, and other 90's rock.

Norah Jones "The Fall"

Interesting record that can mostly be characterized as singer/songwriter, non-dance hall-oriented pop, but it has some other elements blended in as well, like electronic and country. There is an interesting use of various production methods and guitar effects to give a diverse amount of backdrops to support Jones' voice through the album. More often than not, the backdrop is minimalist in nature, spread out stereophonically. This is a big contrast to bands like Coldplay, The Fray, etc. whose sound is characterized by stereo saturation and thick textures. The focus seems to be more on melody, simple accompaniment, and leaving more silence, creating a more intimate feeling. Somehow though at the end of it all, I am always underwhelmed by Norah Jones' music. But, worth a listen.

Incubus "S.C.I.E.N.C.E."



Not the same Incubus as Morning View or A Crow Left of the Murder. This 1997 release (the band's second)  immediately shows heavy Red Hot Chili Peppers influence, with funky bass lines, wah-wahs, thickly distorted guitars, and the vocal delivery is often spot on for Kiedis. The breakdown section of the first track "Redefine" features treble-tweaked, machine gun fast slab bass lines, a clear nod to Primus, and the use of turntables and rap hype would surely go on to inspire "rap metal" groups like Linkin Park, etc. Definitely thick, minor and opaque in tone (in contrast to Morning View's translucence), but still well crafted, enjoyable and full of energy. Some of the more bizarre sections with random percussion, noise outbursts, and suddenly different meter will delight Mr. Bungle fans. Straddling the funk, metal, and hip hop genres, S.C.I.E.N.C.E. is a good addition to any Incubus collection and the library of fans of any of those genres.

marianne, do you remember?

Phew. I have been tirelessly slaving away in the precious hours between work, sleep, eating, basking in the 70F sunny weather, watching Bill Nye the Science Guy on YouTube, and also eating. And sleeping. Not a lot of time leftover. But I've got a whole bunch of great stuff for you guys and more is on the way. Stay cool.


P.S. Did you know that if you click on one of the picture links below and end up buying the album (perhaps because of a stellar review that just bowled you over?), I actually get some money for it? Woah! Probably like 20 cents or something. So get clicking so I can quit my day job already. Thanks!

Punch Brothers "Punch"

Progressive country. Never heard of it? Me neither. But if there was such a thing, perhaps it would be attached to Punch Brothers. Essentially an old-fashioned string band (mandolin, fiddle, banjo, guitar, bass, and a lot of vocals), Punch Brothers are by no means an old-fashioned group. You will no doubt hear all of these instruments being played in a way you have heard before and also in a way you haven't, which is something. Perhaps it's really more like progressive jazz, on "country" instruments. Sometimes (especially in the instrumental sections) it sounds like a string tribute to the Pat Metheny Group. Then again, other times it just sounds like regular old songwriting. Lead singer Chris Thile (ex-Nickel Creek) has a clear tenor, which on record sounds not unlike the guy from Guster. For those of you who don't know, Chris Thile has become the pre-eminent mandolinist in the Western world, the Yo-Yo Ma of the mandolin, quite literally. He performs with classical bigwigs and pop music musicians alike. Recommended for acoustic, bluegrass, jazz (especially progressive), and country listeners with open ears.

Old 97's "Satellite Rides"

Old 97's is a good rock band. You won't find anything too out of the box here, and that suits them. The squarest of chord progressions only, please, but...well I was going to say that the lyrics are interesting, but many of them are either formulaic or don't make much sense. Then why do I like them? They're just a feel good rock band that sounds good and plays well together. I get a Guster/Fountains of Wayne vibe from them, and sometimes it sounds like David Bazan (Pedro the Lion) is on the microphone instead. The hit "Question" has an infectious melody and classic descending bass line on which the harmony is built for the verses. Even though this album was made in 2001, you could buy this for your friend who only listens to 90's rock (do you have one of them?) and I bet they would enjoy it.

Radiohead "The King of Limbs"

I was planning on writing a really in depth review of this new album by a very important band, but I really can't think of the right words to say, to be honest. So I'll be frank instead. It's good! Really good! It's definitely not pop-driven, Thom Yorke winding vocal lines are found everywhere. Sparse instrumentation sets up the vibe like (In Rainbows) and the tight acoustic drums function like a drum machine with one measure beats set on repeat much of the time (also like In Rainbows). One of its downsides is its brevity (8 tracks and 37 minutes), but I guess that's just saying, "I wish I had more." I think a while ago I saw a review on iTunes (I hardly ever read record reviews...should I? I don't want to add external bias to my own thoughts) that said something to the effect of The King of Limbs:In Rainbows::Amnesiac:OK Computer. The way in which I agree with this is that it's not pop-driven and will probably alienate some people who were expecting more listenable stuff like on In Rainbows. The real point here is that Radiohead is talented, musical, thoughtful and creative band. They're original and that's what makes them interesting to me. Also the fact that there is no such thing as filler on their records, and the ideas and sounds always sound fresh to me. Is is indie rock? Art rock? Psychedelic? Electronica? Who cares. It's Radiohead. It's awesome.

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross "The Social Network [soundtrack]"

I shouldn't have to say much about this album. It's instrumental electronica. It's by Trent Reznor. The beats are hard hitting. The synths are fat. But the soft, slow, floaty tracks are absolutely beautiful as well. Really melodic, grooving, modern electronica that's not all crazy clubbed-out either. It's much more simple and lets its few tracks just be and blend together. I shouldn't say it's entirely electronic: a well-miked grand piano sits well among the sounds (see my review of Journal for People). The rendition of "In the Hall of the Mountain King" seems kind of trite because of how well known and overplayed it is in cartoons and the like. I don't know, maybe it works well in the film. I haven't seen it yet (I never go to movies in the theatres) but I plan on seeing it on DVD soon. Nine Inch Nails fans who like the electro Trent more than the rock band Trent will love it, and I also really recommend it to just about everyone. It all has a dark vibe of course, but the music is well crafted and actually quite elegant.

Foo Fighters "Wasting Light"

Foo Fighters' first album was released in 1995, and here's Wasting Light, released in 2011. Are they crazy, washed up, beating every last breath out of every hook they've got? No, no, and no. This is a surprisingly fresh and new album with a Foo Fighters' familiar sound but it's just not any of their albums all over again. Dave Grohl is proving that overdriven guitars plus rock drums is not a dead art. If anyone was going to exhaust that medium it was probably Foo Fighters, so it's exciting to see them still doing more with it. I think this is a great album. It will probably please the 90's rock fans because a lot of the tones have remained the same and some of the songwriting principles have remained the same. Yet there is a modern touch on it in some ways. If you know Foo Fighters, I think you'll keep going "woah!" when you listen to this record, not expecting them to do some of the things they do, from chord progressions to really thickly layered sections (on "Bridge Burning") to really serious screams (on "White Limo"). And if you're a fan of the slowed down Foo, they got some of that to offer too. I don't have a favorite track; they're all pretty agreeable. Whether you were around for the first album or not, pop rock fans of all ages will enjoy Wasting Light.

Iron & Wine "Kiss Each Other Clean"

So I've heard Around the Well and Our Endless Numbered Days, but this Iron & Wine release is definitely my favorite by far. I think the other records I appreciated but I wouldn't really listen to them regularly. This one I could! It has an overall calm & comfortable vibe but it's not plodding and dull either. He really injects the pop vibes through this record and I like how it came out. The songs are well crafted, the vocal lines are excellent and singable, the overdubs all make sense and the tones are creatively chosen but easy to listen to. The stand out radio single "Tree by the River" is practically a Decemberists song, but I imagine it would have come out a lot different had it been. I don't think it would be as simple and lovely just as it is. Did I mention that he's also a terrific guitarist? Everybody listen up to this one!

The National "High Violet"

I've heard a little of The National's work before, and to be honest I wasn't much impressed. I think I just find the singer's drone too...droning. And while that's still true, I found some real merit in High Violet. They've taken a tip from the best of the post-rock community and created a real breadth of dynamics in their music. The National also seems like a very sound-conscious band. Tones are particular, mixing is precise, effects are processed just so. There are a lot of effects, and most of the time you feel like you're hearing the band in a cavern with the overdone reverb, but it's the aesthetic. I still I have weird feelings about them though. They're creative but not enough to be on the same shelf as Radiohead, and they've got some pop sounds but not enough to be on the same shelf as Modest Mouse or something. You might like them more than I do. Definitely worth a listen.

Punch Brothers "Antifogmatic"

Earlier I reviewed a Punch Brothers CD and labelled it progressive country, or something like that. Eh, maybe that's true. It's a little different story on this CD; we don't have the big multi-movement work taking up all the room on the record, but we do have a good mix of music, much of which is nearly unclassifiable. Therefore it still can wear the progressive badge, but as far as whether it's jazz, country, pop, or something else...well I guess it's all of the above! The opening track "You Are" seems like a country-instrument take on, say, whatever the style of Radiohead is. The next track, "Don't Need No," starts off with strings calisthenics and crazy rhythmic passages and then it suddenly launches into a straight-ahead 4/4 beat and becomes a country song! The third track, "Alex" is more like a pop ballad, but still the unusual construction and instrumental parts make them stand apart from just any old pop group. Punch Brothers are a one-of-a-kind band. You just have to check them out yourself. Recommended for most listeners: pop, prog a la Radiohead, and string pickers.

Carmen McRae "The Best of Carmen McRae"

Geez. I mean, what can I say? This was amazing. I got this CD on a recommendation from my girlfriend, who knows her jazz/soul singers. This is definitely some of the best jazz singing I've ever heard--rich, soulful, well-attuned to putting the notes in the best of places. How is it I had never heard of Carmen McRae before? Most of the songs are good old standbys, although I had not heard of "Happy to Make Your Acquaintance" which she performs as a duet with Sammy Davis, Jr. and it's pretty hilarious. Sammy plays the hep cat and Carmen plays the square to comedic effect. My favorite track though has to be "My Funny Valentine." The extremely slow tempo allows her to really stretch every line out, showcasing nuance after nuance of her singing style. If you're a musician who appreciates musicians, you'll like this CD. If you're not and you end up liking it anyway, maybe it will make you rethink who exactly we call a singer these days. Recommended.

it reminds me that it's not so bad, not so bad

Wow, where did the time go? I've been super busy lately, but I have a hand-picked batch of album reviews for you. Thanks for the love, readers old and new. Got a suggestion? Send it forward. Like what you see? Tell a friend/post to your favored social media network! Now I must retire to my bed chamber and seek much needed rest.


Barry White "All-Time Greatest Hits"

Barry White sings music about three things and three things only: love, lack of love, and the act of love. He is especially well known for the last one, and there's a reason for it: he's got a sexy voice. Everybody knows that low, sultry voice of Barry White and upon hearing him, most people laugh or get bashful. The singing is quite soulful though and it deserves a listen, even if you're just hanging out by yourself (and no, not like that). The long song titles are a little unusual and/or funny, including, "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More, Baby", "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me", and "Your Sweetness is My Weakness." One unexpected addition is a cover of Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are." While the sentiments are conveyed well (even over the disco backing band), the advanced harmonies and colorful vocabulary are out of place in Barry White's lexicon, which basically sticks to uncomplicated lyrics, and hey, it works for him. The spoken word intro is probably also a Barry White trademark and is just so smooth when coupled with his on-pointe delivery. I don't imagine many people go to see Barry White live. It's more something you experience at home, know what I mean?

Justin Timberlake "Justified"

As my first Justin Timberlake experience (I always harbored resentment towards him for stealing my first name's Google hits much in the way I now feel about Mr. Bieber), I had, mostly, low expectations about the quality of the pop music. Upon listening I can report that I am, mostly, pleasantly surprised. Much closer to the R&B and hip-hop idioms, the music is compelling to most mainstream ears, and I enjoyed about 50% of the tracks. One point that I am overwhelmingly compelled to say is that the influence of Michael Jackson is, well, overwhelming. I am confident that had Michael Jackson's music not existed, this album, the music of and like Justin Timberlake, and well, most pop music, would also not exist, or at least not even be close to what it is. The beats, the grooves, the loops, the vocal style in a solo setting, the vocal style in a chorused setting, the layering of vocal harmonies by the same vocalist...they're all Michael's moves, just on updated drum machines and digital production equipment. This album is as much an implicit homage to Michael Jackson as it is a collection of original pop music for the audience of the new millennium. (As a side note, Janet Jackson appears on one track.) Some of the ballads are a little too sappy and teenage-girly and a few harder jams are too sexually explicit for me to really enjoy listening to (although this is the year 2002; things are much worse nowadays). The true stand out is "Cry Me a River," in which the multiple vocal percussion tracks layered over a basic electronic beat create a unique palette for vocal harmonies to float over top. The track would also not be a success without the string parts, which provide resonance and warmth to fill out the otherwise percussive track. Though, the silence (literal or virtual) between bass hits and vocal lines is one of the compelling characteristics that makes the simplistic beat feel even better. Recommended for R&B, hip-hop and pop fans.

Various Artists "MTV TRL Christmas"

Pretty awful. But so are most of the artists found on this 2001 compilation. Remember Smash Mouth? Ugh. Sugar Ray performs a note-for-note reproduction of the Beach Boys' hit "Little Saint Nick." Ok, so what? TLC singing "Sleigh Ride" is probably funny and not that bad. Weezer fans may appreciate their "The Christmas Song" (not the same "chestnuts" one). I knew this was bad before I put it on though. Sometimes you just gotta trust your instincts.

Gorillaz "D-Sides"

Double disc set featuring tracks otherwise known as B-sides and remixes. The B-sides are pretty good! I love how some B-sides albums just feel like completely legitimate albums in their own right (Pisces Iscariot being my favorite). Selections fall into various categories: hip-hop, house, reggae, rock, pop and places in between. I like how the mood, tempo, and texture of the tracks is also well varied. Is it just me or does "People" use some of the same beats and loops as their hit "Dare"? Maybe that's why it was never released--it was too similar. I can understand that. The remixes are pretty much ok. I don't have much to say in depth about them. I usually have lukewarm feelings about remixes anyway. Some are good, some are kind of pointless and annoying. Anyway, this set is worth checking out just for the first disc regardless.

The Wallflowers "Bringing Down the Horse"

The Wallflowers are a good down-to-earth rock band. Some country influences, for sure, a la Tom Petty and the like. Even though Bob Dylan's son Jakob fronts this band, there isn't too much resemblance to Bob Dylan's music and his voice is much closer to, say, Darius Rucker. However, the thread of continuity is talented, heartfelt, and well-performed songwriting. The Wallflowers have a modern sound though; the instrument tones and the production of the album embody a polished overall sound. This is another band that has the possibility of pleasing people of multiple generations and musical tastes. My mom definitely listens to the Wallflowers and I can get into it too. Recommended for fans of singer/songwriter, rock, alt country, and easy listening.

The White Stripes "Icky Thump"

Everybody's favorite (maybe) minimalist weirdo duo The White Stripes put out Icky Thump in 2007. I think Jack White did himself a favor this time and added another voice to the guitar-and-drums mix many times on this album, either by adding a rhythm guitar loop or synthesizer or what have you. The second track, "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)" sounds like a BAND: two guitars and organ? I don't know what came over him, maybe it was all that playing in other projects, but probably most listeners will welcome a little branching out, polyphonically. Don't worry though, traditionalists, there is still plenty of thickly distorted guitar tone, poorly miked drums, and plenty of rough edges to go around. Meg White continues to elide and eliminate beats willy-nilly, puzzling some and ruining the sense of rhythm of many others. Still there are plenty of other attractions in store, like folk harps, bagpipes, and other Celtic-inspired sounds to shake things up. Among the White Stripes' more interesting efforts I'd say. However, I also listened to the live album Under Great White Northern Lights, drawing heavily on material from Icky Thump, and good god. At times it is almost 100% unintelligible. Not just the lyrics. Of course the lyrics are either mumbled or screamed (not to mention Jack sounds like he stayed up all night drinking and yelling, which he might have, I guess) but the guitar work is so sloppy that it makes you wonder how anyone at these concerts enjoyed themselves. While that one is definitely not recommended, Icky Thump is.

Gorillaz "Plastic Beach"

This 2010 Gorillaz release is definitely one to file under "Hip Hop" as opposed to their other various genres and styles usually at play in their music. Gorillaz are basically the beat producers for a host of rappers and other guests (only 4 out of 16 tracks do not feature any guest talent) navigating the whole swath of hip hop culture from De La Soul to Snoop Dogg. However there are some tracks like "Glitter Freeze" that are more electro/electro pop, or "On Melancholy Hill," which is a straight up pop tune to break up the single genre vibe. Still, if you're more of an electro than hip hop fan like myself, this album will probably have less playtime in your car stereo. Since I'm not a rap aficionado, I can't comment too much on the execution here, but overall I liked or tolerated everything. If you're a Gorillaz or hip hop fan, give this one a try.

Justin Timberlake "FutureSex/LoveSounds"

More Justin Timberlake? Well I thought I was on to something with my earlier listen to Justified and that I was initially wrong about Justin Timberlake for assuming that he just made unoriginal pop music. Unfortunately, I was surprised again. This is exactly the kind of absurdly sexually explicit, banal beyond reason, unoriginal stuff I was afraid I would find. There ARE exceptions, however, and it seems the album gets more musically interesting and gratifying as it goes on. The last three tracks were tolerable, and the last, "(Another Song) All Over Again" has the most musical value, and therefore really sticks out in the context its in. It feels more like a weird bonus track than a good conclusion to a well-rounded album. I just also want to point out that clearly the worst, most banal and annoying track among them is also the smash single, "SexyBack." Oh, what is becoming of popular music? And this was 5 years ago already! I should point out that apparently the album as a concept attempts to comment on sex, love, and their interplay in our current society, and perhaps I am not really seeing the bigger picture and am getting too hung up on specifics. Apparently 14 million people seem to think so.

Dido "No Angel"

There's not much to complain about. Maybe it's a little New Agey at times? Dido has a deep and rich voice and lets it flow over beats, acoustic guitars, and washes of strings. Some songs are better than others but this is easy to listen to pop. There's definitely a 90's female pop singer vibe, strongly drawing upon Alanis Morisette. The sound lacks angst though, unlike Alanis; it's much more calm, comfortable, spinning around slowly in the rain sort of vibe. Some of the 80's beats remind me of Depeche Mode and those kind of brooding guys as well. Seems fine for most people.

Does It Offend You, Yeah? "You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into"

That much was true; however, I am pleased with the results. This is a wild and wacky electro band from England that sounds like they like playing loud and being crazy. The opening track, "Battle Royale" is an instrumental electronic composition that immediately makes evident the influence of several dance-oriented genres: drum 'n bass, house, electro-pop, glitch, and a dash of something out there, like Deerhoof. The next track, "With a Heavy Heart (I Regret to Inform You)" is like LCD Soundsystem meets hardcore. Sweet! Then there are also tracks that you'll swear sound like a Killers cover band, namely track 4, "Dawn of the Dead." So that's the electro-pop part, and the early tracks are more the house, glitch, dance and all around electronic beeps and beats thing. But there's definitely an overarching punk rock vibe and aesthetic at work here as well, which contributes to fast tempos, overdriven guitars and other nasty tones, and the often roughly executed vocals. The B-52's get mohawks. Also some similarity to Bloc Party (I think they toured with them at some point?). Recommended for dance, electro-pop, and indie rock fans.