Quick album reviews

[BadEnoughDude]

I went to look up J. Bannon on wikipedia but couldn't find the album you are talking about. I did however take a look at Converge, which I believe you have mentioned on more than one occasion and to my surprise Pitchfork actually really really really likes Converge which is crazy considering if it isn't indie there is a 97% chance Pitchfork won't like it. I should probably check Converge out sometime soon.

Oh and I've been listening to Funeral by The Arcade Fire. Awesome stuff.

I can't believe Pitchfork likes anything. It's a bogus excuse for a music magazine.

[Shimra]

I've been listening to this Los Campesinos! song called Death to Los Campesinos! pretty much nonstop which is a real problem. It's the first song on their cd and I can't get past it. No clue how the rest of the cd is but I may go as far to say this stupid little song is song of the year thus far.

[Shimra]

Alright, here's some awesome reviews.

Radiohead- In Rainbows
9.5/10
IMO this is the second best Radiohead album behind OK Computer. The atmosphere of the album feels a bit stiff, best exemplified by 'Bodysnatchers'. The album has it's fair share of both rock and mellow songs, each of which fits perfectly with the tone of the album. Perhaps the best song on the album is 'Jigsaw Falling into Place' though in all honesty there are so many awesome songs to choose from. This albums has a lot of singles, though unlike say Pablo Honey where the singles don't mix in well with the theme of the album, these do.

LCD Soundsystem- Sound of Silver
9/10
This album is an awesome mix of dance music with enough pop/indie influence to make propel the album towards those who would otherwise overlook the genre. Unlike the debut album, Sound of Silver takes a more pop oriented approach to the genre, cranking out songs which stand on their own and are easily accessible to everyone. Interestingly enough, and contrary to the nature of the first album, there is an emphasis on the lyrics which change good tracks into awesome tracks, ie. All My Friends.

Battles- Mirrored
8.5/10
This is interesting stuff. Not really all that electronic, not rock, not instrumental, I don't know how to classify this one. Mirrored is chalk full of tunes which are eccentric and full of energy. The songs, unlike most techno/electronic songs, do not consist of a simplistic formula; instead we are treated with pulsating and constantly changing tones.



Now that I think I've listened to nearly all the exceptional albums of 2007 I feel as though I am qualified to compile a best of 2007 list.

Best Albums of 2007-
1. Strawberry Jam- Animal Collective
2. In Rainbows- Radiohead
3. Person Pitch- Panda Bear
4. Sound of Silver- LCD Soundsystem
5. Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?- Of Montreal (I know I only gave this an 8, but it's a real entertaining album)

Best Songs-
1. All My Friends- LCD Soundsystem
2. Bros- Panda Bear
3. Fireworks- Animal Collective
4. Jigsaw Falling into Place- Radiohead
5. Uniform- Bloc Party

[Tondog]

I suppose I'll throw down my top albums of 07 too...

Streetlight Manifesto - Somewhere in The Between
Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco's The Cool
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
The Polyphonic Spree - The Fragile Army

Here's a few album reviews:

Catch 22 - Keasbey Nights (1998, Victory Records): Easily one of the top five third-wave ska albums of all time. While the album was produced when ska-punk was the rage, it sounds like Catch 22 actually had a real interest in ska as opposed to being a punk band that had horns like Less Than Jake or Goldfinger. I also like how they don't just stick to ska, but instead dabble in more acoustic and jazzy things as well. Aside from the top-notch musicianship, the lyrics are quite dark, which is definitely not something you see on most ska albums. The tunes are also delivered with a huge sense of urgency as well, which might be attributed to the fact that the album came out just as most of the band was graduating high school. Overall, it's a damn fantastic album with a few flaws (mostly in production/polish). 8.5/10

Streetlight Manifesto - Keasbey Nights (2006, Victory Records): (Apologies for the long review, but I have a lot to say about it) Wait, I thought I just reviewed this album. I technically did, but this is a re-recording of Keasbey Nights. For those of you who don't know, Streetlight Manifesto is a band formed after lead vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Tomas Kalnoky left the band to go to college. As stated, this album is a re-recording of Keasbey Nights by Streetlight Manifesto. Why did they re-record it? Their record company, Victory Records, wanted to re-release Keasbey Nights with a new cover and leave the audio untouched, which angered Kalnoky. In addition, he thought the original sounded like crap and thought that by re-recording it, he could make the ultimate version of Keasbey as it was meant to be heard originally. So, he told Victory not to re-release it and that he would re-record it with his current band.  In essence, he wanted to be like George Lucas (but not rape the original and completely change it)...

Now that we have the backstory of this album established, let's talk about the album itself and how it's different from the original. First of all, the production is far superior on the new album. The original sounded raw and like it was recorded on a shoestring budget, but the new one sounds very polished without losing the energy of the original. Second of all, they added some new elements to the album, like a new bridge/lryics on Dear Sergio. They also changed some of the instruments and made a few musical tweaks here and there. In addition, the hornlines, bass, and overall instrumentation is much more tight on the re-recording.

Personally, I think this version of the album is better, but there are many people who feel the original is better and that Kalnoky just made this for the money. However, he doesn't care if people think that because he just didn't want the original to get re-released with nothing new and it didn't matter him if a single copy of this was sold. Well, Tomas, I bought one, so you at least have me to thank. 9.5/10

Too bad such great albums are on Victory...God I hate that label.

[Tondog]

Streetlight Manifesto - Somewhere in the Between (2007, Victory Records) - This album is so good that in 44 minutes, it solidifies Streetlight's spot as the best ska band today, SHOULD inspire a 4th wave of ska, and cause a huge resurgence in ska's popularity. I say should because Victory sucks ass and only cares about promoting their shitty screamo acts. This album has a bit of everything, be it ska, punk, jazz, metal, hardcore, or even a little dash of emo. I order everyone to buy it and like it. If you don't, well then you're not cool.

10/10

God, I can't wait for Streetlight's next album...though it will probably take 3 or 4 years since Kalnoky is such a damn perfectionist.

[Shimra]

Oh my God. I found a leak of At Mount Zoomer by Wolf Parade. This is the most amazing album of the year. I am definitely legitimately going to the store and purchasing this thing as soon as it has an official release.

Also, amazing album cover.

[Shimra]

Wolf Parade- At Mount Zoomer
9.5/10
I love Spencer Krug. I think anything Krug is associated with is amazing. Needless to say, I have been highly anticipating Wolf Parade's new album. Obviously, I couldn't wait. Do I feel selfish? Yes. Do I feel dirty yes. Do I like what I hear? Absolutely. At Mount Zoomer is an indie rock anthem. Krug has developed his song writing skills and produced one of the most ambitious indie rock albums since Funeral.
At Mount Zoomer is an indie rock album, but Krug is no longer restrained by his indie rock instincts; what we are left with is a fully developed, fleshed out, and imposing album. The album contains a more raw, robust sound but manages to maintain many of the pop ideals which made Apologies to Queen Mary such a hit. Each song is multilayered and unique. From Soldier's Grin to California Dreamer to Kissing the Beehive, there is not a single song which hinders this album, though at only 9 songs that isn't saying too much. Lucky for us though, Wolf Parade has managed to provide us with a nice mix of short, medium, and long songs to keep us happy.
So is At Mount Zoomer worth the wait? Absolutely. If you are a fan of Wolf Parade, Spencer Krug, indie rock, or music, do yourself a favor and get this album.