Wednesday, October 24, 2012

QUICK SPINS


Titus Andronicus Local Business
New Jersey’s blue-collar punks return for their third album and brand new line-up and a beardless front man. After channeling The Ramones, Fugazi, The Replacements, and Jersey hardcore, Titus Andronicus comeback for a cleaner and much more introspective album. Singer Patrick Stickles, who has referenced pop culture and The Civil War on the bands prior records, now digs deep within himself to pull out his most intimate and personal lyrics. While looking in, the band also go and look up to fellow Jersey native, Bruce Springsteen now than ever before and even hints of The Clash peak through on Local Business.
FINAL GRADE: A-

The ChevinBoarderland
From the ashes of Your Vegas come a band whose sound, style and bravado will knock you to your knees. Boarderland is the impressive debut from English band, The Chevin, who feature members of Your Vegas and bring stadium style anthems and prove they are already to headline festivals and massive venues. The Chevin are a band whose sound is as ambitious as U2, as driving as Oasis and as heartfelt as a Springsteen ballad.
FINAL GRADE: A-

Metz
Very few bands these days would make anyone stop and say, “Kurt Cobain would have loved this band,” Canada’s Metz are one of those bands that would have made the son of Grunge fall in love with one of today’s rising stars. Metz are fuzzy and aggressive garage rock mixed with a post-hardcore attitude.
FINAL GRADE: A-

ConvergeAll We Love We Leave Behind
The eighth album from Salem, Massachusetts, mathcore heroes is just as brutal, intense and volatile as anything they have ever released, however, unlike their prior efforts, Converge demonstrate you can still have a lot of heart making some of the most brutal and bone crushing music around.
FINAL GRADE: A-

Swedish House Mafia Until Now
It is sad to think that this is allegedly the final Swedish House Mafia record, with two albums under their belt, the superstar DJ’s changed the face of EDM forever and give a fantastic swan song.
FINAL GRADE: B+

Coheed & CambriaThe Aftermath: Ascension
The New York prog outfit return for more stories and more technical brilliant on The Aftermath: Ascension, the first part of a two-part album series that continues singer Claudio Sanchez’s complex and ever-evolving story of fictional characters.
FINAL GRADE: B+

The D.O.T. And That
The debut collaboration from The Streets Mike Skinner and former Music singer, Rob Harvey’s hears fantastic production and solid beats over Harvey’s one-of-a-kind vocal skills. While this union has happened in the past, thanks to prior Streets records, now, a full album will please and feed the void of fans from both of these bands.
FINAL GRADE: B-

Ben Gibbard Former Lives
The debut solo record from indie rocks favorite poster boy would have fans expect him to sing about his ex-wife, Zoey Deschanel, however, none of the song seem to be that way. Gibbard takes his personal pain and hides it in pop songs and not very creative tunes. We know what Gibbard can do thanks to Death Cab For Cutie, The Postal Service and The American Analogue Set, but Former Lives is catchy yet is lacking his passion.
FINAL GRADE: B

Bad Books Bad Books II
Members of Manchester Orchestra and Kevin Devine return for another folk/rock album of intricate lyrics, solid playing and rousing entertainment.
FINAL GRADE: B

Ultraista
Iconic producer Nigel Goodrich (Radiohead, Beck), steps away from the production booth and into the limelight for his first time fronting a band. Featuring members of some of the bands he was produced over the years, Goodrich’s Ultraista is a sonic pleasure of electronic and ambient surprises and slick style.
FINAL GRADE: B

Ringo Deathstarr Mauve
Ringo Deathstarr stole our attention last year with their fantastic album, Colour Trip, which had us jumping for joy with their punk infused British Cold Wave influence. On their second record,  Mauve, Ringo Deathstarr serve up more of the same but it seems less inspired than their debut, however worth at least one listen.
FINAL GRADE: B-

Deadmaus - >Album Title Goes Here<
The Maus is back in the house. EDM’s posterboy returns with his new album that features a hefty line of collaborations from Gerard Way,  Cypress Hill, Imogean Heap, but unlike his prior efforts, this record does not do much to hold our attention. It could possibly be do to his lack of concentration making the record thanks to his relentless touring schedule, but at least a new album gives him an excuse to tour.
FINAL GRADE: B-

Pet Shop Boys Elysium
The New Wave pioneers are back for their 11th studio record and while their return is very welcome, they do their best to stay current but have an issue of sticking to the foundation of what sustained their popularity over the years.
FINAL GRADE: B-

Skunk Anansie Black Traffic
The industrial inspired Britrock band return but their arrival hears a band whose best days are far behind them and out of sight. Nearly a majority of Black Traffic is a generic rock album with some electronic hooks thrown in and wash, rise, repeat.
FINAL GRADE: C

No Doubt Push and Shove
No Doubt return with their first new album in over a decade and if this is their best result, maybe it was best that they were retired from the scene. Push and Shove hears a band trying their absolute hardest to stay current and play catch-up on all the years gone by. Unfortunately for No Doubt, it no doubt would have been a brilliant thing to just be themselves and not try and push and shove their way into 2012’s mainstream
FINAL GRADE: C

Nelly FurtadoThe Spirit Indestructible
The Portuguese Canadian hit-maker of the early Naughties returns with a new record of decent beats but terrible lyrical flow and style. Much like No Doubt, what would have made Furtado’s comeback special was if she did not sound like every contemporary artist these days and focuses on being herself. Furtado is not a rapper, so why is she trying to rap? She is not a rave singer, so why is she focusing a lot of attention on EDM. What made her 2006 release, Loose, so amazing was that she took things that inspired her and channeled that into a brilliant record, not trying to copy everyone popular these days. What is next, she forms a girl group to rival One Direction?
FINAL GRADE: C-

YokoKimThurston
The debut album from Yoko Ono and Sonic Youth members Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore is a disjointed, quagmire of a mess. It basically plays out as three brilliant minds trying to out do each other as to who can be stranger.
FINAL GRADE: D

Lupe FiascoFood & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Part 1
Lupe Fiasco was one of hip-hops promising young talents when he emerged nearly a six years ago. Yet, after releasing his much anticipated Lasers album last year to deaf ears, Chicago’s favorite son decided to return to the record that put him on the map and create a sequel to his brilliant 2006 debut – Food & Liquor. Yet, our advice to him is “Do not touch a classic,” the follow-up to Food & Liquor II is one of hip-hops most generic, redundant, uninspired, albums of the year. In fact, for a record to be called “The Great American Rap Album” he directly steals bites and flows from British rappers The Streets and Dizze Rascal – did he not think anyone would pay attention?! What makes an already awful album worse, if it could get like that, is the fact that this is the first of two installments.
FINAL GRADE: F