One Stra Recrod Reviwes

2011 Musikk og sånt

2012-01-09T23:15:00.000-08:00

2011 er det beste musikkåret siden 2010. Her hadde man utgivelser allerede fra januar helt til desember. Det kom altså ut musikk i alle 12 månedene, som er vanlig. Hvis man skulle nevnt en dårlig ting om 2011 så er det at pitchfork fortsatt annmelder spill.

Her er årets (2012) beste 2011 album (fra 2011) presentert i nå:

1. Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee pt. 2
2. The Black Keys - El Camino
3. Raphael Saadiq - Stone Rollin'
4. The Go! Team - Rolling Blackouts
5. Wilco - The Whole Love
6. White Denim - D
7. Florence + The Machine - Ceremonials
8. Explosions In The Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
9. Young Galaxy - Shapeshifting
10. Marit Larsen - Spark

2011 mest dustete album:
1. Bon Iver
Noen spørssmål? Nei.

2011: Arctic Monkeys - Suck It and See

2011-06-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

Suck It and See is Arctic Monkeys' fourth studio album. Eight years since forming it seems they have come a long way in changing their style from hard-hitting indie-rock to a more alternative suit. Suck It and See seems like a more natural transition from Favourite Worst Nightmare than Humbug. Yet they are still oceans apart.

On Suck It and See the band mixes the darker sides of rock with glossily produced indie-pop ballads.
Here songs are either dark and grindy or rather sentimental and softly sung.
The songs are solid and highly enjoyable. However the production doesn't seem to suit the Monkeys very well and doesn't give the album enough lasting value. Some of the songs even border on getting slightly tedious with each listen.
It's a good album though, but just hope that next time around the Monkeys will pick one style and stick with it. This feels more like a disappointment that could have been something more, rather than a successful change in artistic direction.

Score:

2011: Battles - Gloss Drop

2011-06-03T15:13:00.001-07:00

Gloss Drop, Battles' sophomore album, is a tough album. It has the drums kicked up to eleven and enough complex song structures to make even the most hardcore fans dizzy.

Starting the album is "Africastle", which is a very strong opener with delightful textures and bombastic drums that also fuel most of the album. But you'd almost wish more of the songs were like it;
A slow build-up, which reveals expertly placed ripples of guitar that unexpectedly and cleverly shifts the melody of the song. Moments like that are missed later in the album when the sometimes dizzying electronics take center stage. Thankfully, the rest of the songs on the album do make for a highly entertaining listen.

Gloss Drop is a collaborative effort, with 4 of the songs featuring guest vocals. Most refreshing of these is "Ice Cream" featuring Matias Aguayo, who brings melodic joy into a the workings of the album.

A minor problem with the album is that some of the songs aren't engaging enough and it therefore sometimes feels more like a musical exercise than an effort in songwriting. But despite that, Gloss Drop is a skillfully crafted album, which doesn't leave you doubting the band's musical skills. Instead it rather leaves you pleased with the band's unique approach to alternative music.

Score:

2011: the pillows - Horn Again

2011-05-30T05:04:00.000-07:00

Known for their extensive soundtracking of the Japanese mini-anime series Fooly Cooly, their distinct mix of Weezer, Oasis and Stray Cats rockabilly has made them relatively popular in the western part of the world, and deservedly so. Almost no other Japanese band has such an extensive discography.

Horn Again, their seventeenth album, basically continues where OOParts left off, with plenty of energetic and fun songs and an all-round solidness that one might say bests their previous studio albums.
Their sound is a little less daring this time around though; for example there's no mind-blowing distortion like on the opener of OOParts, which is slightly disappointing. The band also doesn't explore the different aspects of pop music as much here as on the aforementioned album. Production-wise, Horn Again is also way more polished, which is fine, but leaves a craving for their previous rawness.

Instead there are plenty of solid songs fitted with inspired guitar solos and enough new sounds to satisfy old and new fans of the band. And though this may be a (small) step down from OOParts it is no doubt one step further in the right direction.

Score:

2010: Shining - Blackjazz

2011-05-13T14:58:00.001-07:00

It isn't every day the Norwegian music scene, or the international music scene for that matter, is graced by the likes of Shining's Blackjazz; an uncompromising, unconventional foray into the (black) metal genre:
A sound built up of grinding guitars, ferociously distorted vocals, menacing synthesizers and a set of bombarding drums. All leaving little breathing room for the listener - who as a result is constantly assaulted with an ear-shattering and heart-stopping record.

As off-putting as that might sound there are more than enough hooks to reel the listener in, and just enough experimentation to warrant a solid lasting value.
Perhaps the key aspect of Blackjazz' success is the tightly wound production, which is every bit as cutting edge and polished as the cover suggests.

Blackjazz may just as well lay the seeds of yet another subgenre of metal; elements of jazz, industrial and black metal are seamlessly put together in an utterly satisfying combination that is one of the best metal albums released in a long time.

Together with the well-known Kvelertak, they both might just prove that the more Norwegian musicians embrace their black metal roots, the more they stand to benefit from it, at least internationally.

Score:

2011: Cut Copy - Zonoscope

2011-01-31T13:14:00.000-08:00

Cut Copy appears to be embracing their new-wave/synth-pop influences even more, to the point where their music frequently resemble that of Depeche Mode/New Order/Erasure. And perhaps that is the point of Zonoscope - the group's third studio album.

As a result, the album features several more subtle and strictly dance-oriented tracks than previously heard from the group, sometimes limiting their scope and appeal. From the emotionally imprinted opener "Need You Now" followed by "Take Me Over" (which is excellent despite a somewhat tacky chorus) to the ambitious, 15-minute long space-disco "Sun God", these tracks are sometimes excellent.
However, the real gems of the album lie with the psychedelic ventures of indie-rockers "Where I'm Going", "This Is All We've Got" and "Alisa".
This is also exemplified by how these trippy melodies elevate songs, such as the excellent dance track "Corner of The Sky"; the bridge of "Pharaohs & Pyramids"; and the relaxed "Hanging Onto Every Heartbeat". All futher proof that Cut Copy are at their best when fusing infectious dance rhythms and sometimes tastefully applied guitars with acidic and synth-heavy psychedelia.

Zonoscope is a very enjoyable album. Despite not running as smoothly as its predecessor, or having the same melodic immediacy; it holds enough lush melodies and inspired songcraft to be a worthy, and not to mention, a highly danceable follow-up.

Score:

2011: Deerhoof - Deerhoof Vs. Evil

2011-01-25T13:36:00.000-08:00

Deerhoof Vs. Evil is a messy, noisy and ultimately enjoyable album that has Deerhoof covering even more genre-twisting ground. Marked by Matsuzaki's haunting and slightly monotone, sometimes beautiful, but mostly cute vocals; the songs mix noise-pop with guitar-heavy indie-rock infused with elements of avant-garde.

For the most part, Vs. Evil focuses on the more poppy sides of indie-rock; utilizing synths, bells, acoustic strings and softly sung vocals to create a cold or warm atmosphere that is crushed the next minute by distorted guitars.

Songs like "Behold a Marvel in the Darkness", "No One Asked to Dance", "Super Duper Rescue Heads!" and several other tracks sound as if they could only have been written and performed by Deerhoof; merging the best parts of the band's sound with well-crafted melodies and sparkling instrumentation, which makes this such a thrilling and fun album. Vs. Evil is one of Deerhoof's most accessible and solid efforts.

Score:

Listen on Spotify

2011: Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will

2011-01-17T13:05:00.000-08:00

Mogwai delivers yet another beautifully constructed post-rock album that doesn't derive much from previous albums.
Instead, the sentimentality has become more focused as Mogwai slowly build interesting soundscapes with pounding rhythms and textured guitars. The album builds itself on the foundation of the tight instrumentation of the band; which is fleshed out with strings, pianos, vocals through vocoders and synthesizers/keyboards.

The end result is an epic and sweeping album which doesn't drag out the songs but rather moves on to explore other muscial ideas. There are outstanding songs like 'White Noise', 'Rano Pano' and 'Too Raging To Cheers' that are marked by Mogwai's signature style of heart-melting composition. Not to mention the epic closer 'You're Lionel Richie' which slowly builds up to a satisfying climax. Then there are songs that utilize pounding, motorik rhythms that are skillfully applied to the post-rock style on tracks like 'Mexican Grand Prix', 'San Pedro' and 'How To Be A Werewolf'.
Although Mogwai has used vocals on previous albums, the track 'George Square Thatcher Death Party' might come as a suprise to some due to its less subtle use of vocoder vocals. This works suprisingly well, but the album would probably have been better off without it.

Hardcore is a strong addition to the Mogwai catalogue, that is sure to entice fans of post-rock and alternative music in general.

Score:

2010: Gorillaz - The Fall

2011-01-07T13:09:00.000-08:00

Recorded with an iPad and almost reducing the number of collaborators to zero, The Fall is a more stripped down version of previous Gorillaz albums, that has an apparent playfulness to it.

The result is a slightly more consistent album than Plastic Beach, that is mostly electronica/synth-pop, with several instrumental/'ambient' tracks. Damon Albarn does almost all of the vocals with the exception of Bobby Womack on the aptly named 'Bobby in Phoenix'.

However, the quality of the songs vary a bit at times; the tracks that come out the strongest are the vocal tracks with a large focus on melodic hooks. Several of the instrumental tracks are sometimes a bit too emotionless when put up against such melodically great tracks as 'Revolving Doors' , 'The Parish of Space Dust' and 'Amarillo'.
Overall, The Fall is an enjoyable album that hosts some very good songs and almost no bad ones, making it worthy of a listen. And since it's free there's really nothing to lose.

Score:

2011: The Go! Team - Rolling Blackouts

2011-01-05T08:57:00.001-08:00

Rolling Blackouts - the third studio album from the group, is as fun and exciting as you would expect from such an energetic act such as The Go! Team.

The album continues with their signature mix of rap, indie-rock, pop, noise and psychedelia. It doesn't stray too far away from their previous albums, but brings enough fresh-sounds to the table to make it an impressive album.

However, the production is less noisy and more fine-tuned compared to especially the thin production of Thunder, Lightning, Strike. This is more than welcome when after several listens the album reveals a set of richly textured and fun songs with plenty of clever melodic hooks and shifts to go along, namely 'Buy Nothing Day', 'Secretary Song' and 'Apollo Throwdown', all delivered with solid vocal and guitar work.

The second half of the album continues almost just as strong with great songs such as 'Back Like 8 Track'; featuring an excellently applied rap to a beat-heavy indie-rocker, and 'Rolling Blackouts'; a shoegaze-inspired track that could just as well have been a track from pre-Loveless My Bloody Valentine.
Rolling Blackouts is wonderful, bursting with colour, and without a single second wasted - In other words: a magnificent album to start off 2011 with.

Score:

Listen on Spotify

2011: 2010 Round-up

2011-01-01T13:39:00.001-08:00

Before I finally review an album in 2011, here's a list of the albums that I have listened to the most in the last year, released in 2010 of course:

1. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach

The first Gorillaz album in 5 years which might have been slightly overhyped considering what it delivered; an overly eclectic mix of synth pop, rap and alternative music. That didn't stop anyone (especially me) from being addicted to it.

2. Shining - Blackjazz

An intense album that mixes prog. metal elements with avant-garde and black-metal which is incredibly addictive and awesome (by definition).

3. Weezer - Hurley

Weezer's mix of power-pop and "party rock" is something I find very irresistable. Some people might say Weezer has hit a new low, or that they have reinvented themselves. The answer is probably something in between.

4. The School - Loveless Unbeliever

One of the most suprising albums of 2010 is recorded by a lesser known indie pop/twee group from England. The album is a sweet mix of modern pop and that of 60s girl groups (think Phil Spector) it's hard to get tired of.

5. MGMT - Congratulations

Although mostly known for their song 'Kids', MGMT made a major step forward with their sophomore album, which delved even more deeper into psychedelia. This might also be one of the reasons the album is seen as a "commercial failure". But on a second or even third listen the album proves itself one of the most worthwhile albums of 2010. /minireview

6. Weezer - Death To False Metal
It seems Weezer doesn't feel the need to hold back when it comes to releasing albums. And this is hardly a bad thing for us fans who know Rivers to be one of the best pop songwriters of today. Half compilation and mostly a collection of new songs DTFM is another worthy Weezer album.

7. Beach House - Teen Dream
Geniously crafted and moving dream pop that deserves to be heard by sad people everywhere.

8. Holy Fuck - Latin
Spine-chilling indie-electronic/alt. rock album.

9. Hellogoodbye - Would It Kill You?
One of the best albums released this year, wonderfully realized with clever string arrangements and clever lyrics which makes it an absolutely perfect indie pop record.

10. Allo Darlin' - Allo Darlin'
Yet another great indie-pop album makes the list. Allo Darlin' has made a great record with great melody and great lyrics.

11. My Chemical Romance - Danger Days
In order to defy top 10 lists I have decided to have 11 albums instead. Honestly though, just when I thought I had outgrown them, they make this great rock and roll album which absolutely deserves a spot on everyone's list.

2010: Weezer - Hurley

2010-10-23T16:22:00.000-07:00

It seems Weezer are now pumping out a new album each year starting with Red Album (2008), then Raditude (2009) and now with Hurley (2010). With most bands you'd probably think this was a bad thing. With Weezer this is hardly the case, as Rivers Cuomo has proved to be one the most consistently great songwriters out there. Usually recording dozens of songs that end up unreleased, some of them you might wish he had switched out with the songs he ends up putting on the record.

Hurley was much anticipated among fans as a 'return to form' due to Weezer switching to an indie label and displaying with the single 'Memories' a more unpolished sound similar to that of Pinkerton. This is true to some extent, although the songs hardly differ much from the band's recent output. There are moments of a more raw vocal from Rivers, other than that, this is mostly power-pop with a bunch of great hooks.
There are however a few nods in Pinkertons direction, with more synthesizers and the incredibly nonsensical 'Where's My Sex', which gets tiresome after only a few listens, despite displaying some interesting melodies.

This isn't really anything out of the ordinary for a Weezer album. There are the usual self-aware, sometimes ironic lyrics of Rivers, often detailing sadness and love. Several of the songs are instant Weezer-classics and rate among their best work, noteably 'Memories', 'Hang On' and 'Time Flies'. Be sure to check out the bonus tracks.

Score:

Listen on Spotify

2010: Ed Harcourt - Lustre

2010-09-09T07:03:00.000-07:00

Ed Harcourt is certainly not new to the singer-songwriter genre, Lustre marking his fifth album. With Lustre, Harcourt shows that his songwriter skills are at their peak.
From the angelic vocals in the title track to the howling Tom Waits-inspired vocals on 'Heart of A Wolf', Ed Harcourt proves yet again that he still has the ability to create clever melodies with highly emotional lyrics, delivered with his usually melancholy and lush vocals.

But the soundscape is far from monotone as Harcourt uses a wide variety of instruments from the mellotron-driven 'Haywired' to the xylophones(?) on the joyfully melodic 'Do As I Say Not As I Do'. However, nearly all of the tracks are driven by Harcourt's piano, which is employed brilliantly in both melancholy and upbeat poppy songs. The lyrical imagery is also very scenic in it's detailing of love and marriage and all that comes with it; themes ranging from using love as an escape and insanity to the acceptance of becoming a parent.

Overall, from the cover to the closing track it is apparent that Lustre is an epic and sweeping album, which is sure to impress with all it's different sounds and almost confessional lyrics. Lustre is among Harcourt best efforts and stands as one of the most impressive albums released this year.

Score:

Listen on Spotify

2010: Gorillaz - Plastic Beach

2010-03-08T08:16:00.001-08:00

Five years after Demon Days, Gorillaz have finally released their third studio album, stating it will be their last. Plastic Beach is a worthy follow-up to Demon Days, though it is certainly different in a lot of areas. Listeners may notice the huge array of collaborative artists on all but four tracks, with regulars like De La Soul. Although the vast amount of collaborative artists on this album are impressive (such as Lou Reed), the tracks with Damon Albarn are usually the most enjoyable, (especially the two tracks with Little Dragon). It doesn't have as cool raps as 'Clint Eastwood' or 'Feel Good Inc.', but what it does have is a set of impressive electrified and synthed up melodies that are addictive as hell. Most of the songs Albarn sings on (including those with Little Dragon) do however have a more emotional appeal, such as the aptly named 'On Melancholy Hill'. There are still cool songs though, like the fast food-themed 'Superfast Jellyfish'. Other highlights include the absolutely brilliant 'Empire Ants' and the deliciously eerie 'Plastic Beach'. However, certain tracks can get a bet tedious after a couple of plays, but even so, there are still certain elements in those songs that keep them from getting dull - such as the bass-line in 'Welcome To The World of The Plastic Beach'. The intro to 'Sweepstakes' will certainly have you fast-forwarding to the verse/chorus. All in all this is another solid release from a special 'band', proving that they don't need to rely on gimmicks to succeed in making interesting music.

Score: 7.5/10

Listen at Spotify or Grooveshark

2010: Gorillaz - Plastic Beach [Preview]

2010-02-27T16:10:00.000-08:00

I'm sure you're all quite thrilled about Gorillaz, seeing as they have created some of the most interesting music released in the last decade. Jumping from trip-hop to pop/rock several times within the same album. The group, lead by former Blur vocalist Damon Albarn are releasing their upcoming album 'Plastic Beach' on the 8th of March, and have done an excellent job at keeping the album off the internet so far. With only one week until release, it certainly beats Demon Days which was leaked several months prior to its scheduled release. A mix containing several snippets of the album was recently released (download here), which doesn't set itself much apart from previous albums. But there are traces of funk/soul (2:20), synth pop (4:25) which sounds just brilliant. For those interested though, the album will be available for streaming on NPR on monday the 1st of March here.

2009: Weezer - Raditude

2009-12-28T13:53:00.001-08:00

Although some might get turned off by Weezer's still growing interest in mainstream pop-music, the production pretty much remains the same as on previous albums, and it's clear that even though the themes of the songs are quite different, Cuomo's songwriting is as consistent as ever.

The theme of the album is set by the first song "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To", describing the awkward love of teenage relationships. The melodic hooks are riveting, and the first song is a prime example of Cuomo's knack for melody. The songs are not merely about the simplicity of teenage life, though it might seem like that at first; they for example tackle the unspoken unhappiness of someone obsessed with partying, ("Can't Stop Partying"), a song which also suprisingly features Lil Wayne rapping to a dance-pop track - drawing away from Weezer's usual sound. Several of the songs are sometimes similar to Pinkerton, namely "Put Me Back Together", in terms of their emotional nakedness and sentimentality. And though the songs are mostly about teenage life, Cuomo does an excellent job of portaying the youths' minds, and all the songs are written in such a way that they can only be first-hand experiences.
Weezer also seem to be widening their horizons not only to dance-pop but also to Bollywood-infused rock on "Love Is The Answer". This is a successfull and satisfying combination, although it might seem infinitely cheesy to some listeners. The album ends with "I Don't Want To Let You Go"; a painful song about a break-up. Even though it may sound old, Weezer does it in such a way that it is nothing less than plausible and touching.

The album certainly suceeds in what it tries to do, which is to deliver Weezer to a younger audience as well as portraying them, while still appealing to anyone with a heart. Raditude is Weezer in top form and probably one of the most underrated albums released in 2009. One that is so easy to listen to, and yet so easy to dismiss as simple pop/rock aimed at Mountain Dew-drinking teens.

Score:

Listen at Spotify or Grooveshark

Things not reviewed part II

2009-11-18T09:36:00.001-08:00

More records released in 2009 that you should definitely check out.

Jarvis Cocker - Further Complications
Raw Britpop from the frontman of Pulp, suprisingly awesome

Madness - The liberty of Norton Folgate
More british than ever, returning from playing nostalgic summer festivals etc. Now releasing an hours worth of new material. Praised as the return of the kings of ska, and perhaps their finest album yet.

Telefon Tel-Aviv - Immolate Yourself
Indie-electronica, ambient, very DEEP and at the same time not very unaccessible

John Zorn - Alhambra Love Songs
Borrowing heavily from jewish folk-music and hard-bop, another solid record from one of the best contemporary jazz composers

Dinosaur Jr. - Farm
Another album from the band who reunited and released one of the best rock album of the decade in 2007, though not as good as the previous this is still a decent album.

Sonic Youth - The Eternal
Masters of 80s post-punk still rock as hard as ever, even if you can't stand Kim's vocals the album is still pretty good.

PS: Top lists as per decade/year of albums are always a big heap of shit, unless you agree with the list of course.

Things not reviewed

2009-11-17T06:54:00.000-08:00

There's a lot of records being released all the time, and I hardly bother or don't "have the time" to review them all. So here are some highlights which I haven't reviewed, in other words summarizing 2009. More will be added.
Most of the links are to Spotify

Dan Deacon - Bromst
Some great electronica/glitchy stuff

Japandroids - Post-Nothing
'Simple' garage rock-influenced indie-rock, incredibly textured sound

Kings of Convenience - Declaration of Dependence
Great chamber pop, simple and powerful

Mew - No More Stories...
Dream pop, shoegaze-inspired, 'indie-rock'

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz
Some more 'garage rock'

MewithoutYou - It's all crazy!...
Christian group with a knack for great poetry and songwriting, now moving towards the whole 'indie' sound with trumpets and all that

M. Ward - Hold Time
Still one of the best singer/songwriters out there

Mastodon - Crack The Skye
Awesome prog. metal as technical as can be

Death - ...For The Whole World To See (Grooveshark)
Incredible compilation of the band's singles which were never released, garage rock

Beatles - Everyday Chemistry (official website)
Not an official release, but an incredibly well-put-together mashup of the Beatles' solo material

2009: Julian Casablancas - Phrazes For The Young

2009-11-05T15:31:00.000-08:00

Known as the lead singer from The Strokes, Julian Casablancas crafted the much recognized album Is This It mostly by himself. But in recent years his songwriting wasn't as 'dominating' as it used to be, and some might credit the inferiority of the last two albums to this. And After the other bandmembers showing that they could release competent solo albums it was time for Casablancas to release his. The album was much discussed on the interwebs, mostly questions of if it had leaked or not. It was finally released last week and isn't as similar to The Strokes' sound as one might expect, Casablancas going solo was probably trying to achieve just that. The biggest difference between this and The Strokes catalogue is perhaps Casablancas use of electronics and his soft voice to create a 'different' pop album.

The album starts with 'Out of The Blue', a brilliant opener which instantly starts with electric beats and guitars, and Casablancas' cool voice easily making it the most accessible song on the album. The chorus has some cool syntesizers, making the sound even more textured, and even more 'playful' than the Strokes' usual melodies. Clearly, Casablancas is giving a nod towards the new-wave revival seen in recent years with this album. The second song starts with some relatively cheesy synths but the verse has some brilliant guitar riffs. Casablancas' use of electric sound effects and synths is heard throughout the entire album, and drums are replaced with drum machines. Which isn't bad taken in consideration with the 'sound' Casablancas is trying to achieve here. And even though the album only has eight songs, all of them are 4-5 minutes in length making the album 40 minutes in length.
The use of synths and electronics becomes even more apparent with the cheery single '4th Dimension' which is drowned with it. It's a good song though, and the chorus sounds alot like Muse when it comes to Casablancas' epic sounding vocals and synths. There are also slow ballads like '4 Chords of The Apocalypse' which is okay, but also hampers the record by it's inclusion.
'Ludlow Street' is a reminiscing, country-inspired song featuring banjos. But on the last part of the album is where Casablancas' shows his skill in songwriting, constructing a bit 'darker' set of songs, sounding a bit more despairing than the more lighthearted than the songs starting the album. 'River of Brakelights' shows Casablancas' more gritty melodies, sounding a bit like Radiohead pre-chorus with it's hypnotic lines, but the chorus shows Casablancas' at his most gripping.
'Glass' is also pretty intense, and has Casablancas singing at the top of his lungs about bulletproof glass, but the melody does sound a bit familiar, the solo is also seems to be very inspired by Mozart, one of many to have influenced this record. Casablancas also displays some interesting lyrical imagery with his closing song 'Tourist' with lines such as 'But I am only a drop from the storm' and 'Feel like a teardrop streaming off your chin' showing themes such as helplessness. This album is definitely going to please fans of The Strokes who were disappointed by First Impressions of Earth, this is no doubt as good as Room On Fire, but keep in mind that this is a bit different, though not a paradigm shift.

Score: 7.5/10

Listen at Grooveshark or Spotify

2009: Sondre Lerche - Heartbeat Radio

2009-10-10T06:49:00.001-07:00

After the slightly disappointing Noble Beast by singer/songwriter Andrew Bird, you don't have to look further than Sondre Lerche's Heartbeat Radio to find those brilliantly unpredictable chamber pop melodies. Since Two Way Monologue Lerche has been shifting back and forth between different genres, though still with his signature vocal style; from jazz to rock and even to film soudtracks. But with Heartbeat Radio he returns with another brilliant delicate singer/songwriter album.

Like Andrew Bird, a big part of the music fitted with elegant string arrangements, but at the heart of the music lies Sondre Lerche's gentle voice and his (mostly) undistorted semi-acoustic guitar. His lyrics are earnest, slightly cynical and poignant, illustrating everyday life with clever allegory.
The instrumentation is solid as always, with plenty of skilled musicians contributing to the nuanced sound of the record. This might even be his finest record yet, as the soundscapes are wider and his lyrical imagery more vivid. None of the tracks are particularly weak although "If Only" sounds slightly tacky at first, but carries on with an excellent chorus. There are classic takes on love songs like "Words & Music", bittersweet tales like "Almighty Moon" and the heartfelt "Goodnight" which creates a nice balance between the songs. But above everything else Heartbeat Radio is an incredibly accessible and listenable record regardless of if you get the lyrics or not, because there are dozens of melodic hooks enhanced by Lerche's beautiful voice to drag you in.

If you're not already familiar with the talent of Sondre Lerche , this is a good place to start.

Score: 8.5/10

Listen at spotify or grooveshark

2009: The Antlers - Hospice

2009-09-01T07:34:00.001-07:00

Starting as the solo project of Peter Silberman, The Antlers have released several albums unrecognized. Mostly only with guitars and vocals. That is until now, Hospice - the album that has been hyped for almost a year took two years in recording, and adding new and permanent members to the band. With the help of drummer Michael Lerner and multi-instrumentalist Darby Cicci, Silberman has finally achieved in making an amazing record. The Antlers use their instrumentation to fuel the emotional story of a man losing a loved one to cancer and having to witness her death first-hand. The album starts with Prologue which is an interesting peice of ambient music, which is made more apparent in the other songs. Silbermans voice does sound a bit like that of Bon Iver, but the production on this album is a bit more polished and better even. Kettering starts very lo-fi with a repeating piano pattern and Silberman's soft and quite beautiful voice enhancing it, actually every song on the album starts like this. When we get to the line "and they told me there was no saving you" the track builds up to it's emotional climax and we are given a pretty good idea of what the main narrator would be feeling - emotionally drained. Other tracks offer plenty of reverbed guitars that makes them sound dreamy and layered with emotion. The Antlers seem to make good use of it, with haunting vocals at the top of dissonant guitars and ambient keyboard stuff. Several of the songs end on noisy, epic highs that can send shivers down your spine, most notably Bear which is perhaps the best song on the album.

Score: 7.8/10

Listen at spotify or grooveshark.

2009: Isis - Wavering Radiant

2009-08-26T11:35:00.001-07:00

Isis is the band that seams to please both metal and non-metal fans because of their use of spacey ambience and obvious post-rock influences, as their followers Pelican seem to fully embrace. Isis is perhaps more melodic than most metal bands, but most of their instrumentation is in the style of typical metal bands. The vocals are shouted, screamed but also sung. I always prefer the latter though. The guitars are heavy with distortion, but sometimes quite spacey with an ambient feel, and always hidden behind chorus effects, while the drums are tight and skillfully adds to the music. Isis also uses some keyboards, that often lingers at the end of songs. But the songs aren't slow in building to a finalizing climax, like most post-rock. Though they do feature some of the experimentation that lies with post-rock. The album has plenty of dark melodies that creates a haunting atmosphere, although previous albums like "In The Absence of Truth" pulled that off somewhat better, and I don't think they would be so successful in doing so without the screamed out vocals. The band does however use some of the screeching and shimmering (feedbacking) guitar effects that make "Stone To Wake A Serpent" and "Threshold of Transformation" sound amazing. Wavering radiant really feels like a concept album where the songs flow into eachother as if they're only meant to be played in one sitting. With songs lasting up to and over ten minutes (except for the title track) there is way too much here to digest of first listen. But you might want to check up on their previous albums before listening to this one.

Score: 7.5/10

Listen at spotify or grooveshark

2009: Wilco - Wilco (the album)

2009-08-09T03:48:00.000-07:00

As some people waited in anticipation for the release of the new Wilco album, thousands of internet users had already acquired it from the internet. Wilco then retaliated by streaming it from their website. And so Wilco finally released their self-titled album with a somewhat ironic title. The album starts with Wilco (the song), which plays in a cool shuffle much like Can't Stand It from Summerteeth, with a moisy keyboard/guitar sort of thing, like they used in YHF. But this album isn't exactly going to suprise fans by going into a totally different direction, this is more of a continuation of all the work that Wilco has been doing throughout their career, although they don't sound like the country-rock band they were once labeled as, they still have some instrumentation that could remind you of it. This like previous Wilco albums is a pop/rock-album, with enchanting melodies (like the ones on "Deeper Down") accompanied by Tweedys soothing vocals. This album is also a small step away from Sky Blue Sky, where the solos were more jazz-influenced they now are sonically great especially the guitar work on "One Wing". "You And I" sounds very much like one of those acoustic songs from Summerteeth, but this album doesn't re-capture their lyrical cleverness mixed with incredible twee-pop melodies. But there's plenty of good pop songs to be had on this album such as "You Never Know", which instantly reminds me of some of George Harrison's early work. But the best song on this album has to be "I'll Fight" which immediately hooks you with it's emotionally charged verse, that Tweedy has no problem singing with such a passion that gives us no choice but to believe him. Tweedys lyrics on this album aren't that great on their own but with the instrumentation of the band they can create some amazing songs, although you won't find a Yankee Hotel Foxtrot or Summerteeth here, this is a worthy addition to Wilco's already great discography.

Score: 7/10

Listen at Grooveshark or Spotify

2009: Andrew Bird - Noble Beast

2009-06-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

Andrew Birds seventh studio LP is a worthy addition to a brilliant discography to one of the finest songwriters this generation. Ever since the Swimming Hour back in 2001 Bird has made his name known to everybody who listens to Adult/Alternative music with his adventurous whistled melodies and interesting songwriting. His lyrics are some of the most mysterious, undecipherable, and beautifully poetic words you'll ever hear. The only thing that matches his gift with lyrics is his talent for creating original, catchy, melodies. Andrew Bird plays the guitar, the violin, writes all the songs himself and sometimes even whistles a fine tune. This record is no different from the last three albums, but one of the things lacking from this record compared to Armchair Apocrypha is the emotional impact of songs like Cataracts, but it still has the lyrical cleverness and melodic genious that is Andrew Bird. There is still traces of his retro-swing days with the Bowl of Fire on songs like Masterswarm and Fitz & Dizzyspells. Whether he silently plucks a string on his violin, whistles a heartfelt melody, or fills the air with his delightful voice he never ceases to amaze. Looking forward to his live show at Øyafestivalen in Norway this year as well.

Score: 7/10

Listen at Grooveshark or Spotify

2009: Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

2009-06-28T07:59:00.000-07:00

Like it's predecessor Strawberry Jam it features the same tripping psychedelic feel as seen on the cover. Only the difference here is that it leans more towards lo-fi bands like Fleet Foxes, they still pack the same beats and repeated choruses that some might find to be headache-inducing and repetitious. Perhaps not the same extent as its predecessor though. This record is far more accessible and consistent, and by far their best effort yet. Animal Collective are still the same, only here you can find more enchanting and harmonic pop-melodies than before. In the Flowers start off the album with an otherworldly feel, that immediately lifts you off the ground. While My Girls is a quite dancable tune, about buying a house for your kids etc. that will definitely have you singing along with the chorus. Summertime Clothes is perhaps the best song on the album with bubbly vocals sometimes drowing as if the singers lips are barely touching the water. The chorus is eerie and catchy as shit. Alot of the songs are powered with lush vocals that are quite so similar to The Shins. The last track Brothersport is a testament to that Animal Collective can create songs upon songs, and still keep the melodies interesting by the end of it. What separates Animal Collective from other indie, 'neo-psychedelic' bands is their use of electronics and sampled instruments, that sounds like a sorted mess, built up from a pulsating bass, harmonic high-pitched vocals and lots of keyboards and dissonant guitars. The album is simply dreamy, and the atmosphere is simply enchanting. While the choruses of nearly all the songs are infectious and will most definitely stay in your head for the rest of the day. I got the same excitement from this record as when I first heard Boces by Mercury Rev, because it has that same dreamy psychedelic pop feel to it. This is perhaps the most beautiful album released in 2009.

Score: 8.5/10

Listen at Grooveshark or Spotify

2009: Art Brut - Art Brut vs. Satan

2009-06-27T10:48:00.000-07:00

This was one of the first records of 2009 that i actually listened to in one sitting, opposed all the indie kids these days with their sleepy lo-fi records and shit. Art Brut's third album is as refreshing as their debut back in 2005, as their songs have gotten less intimate their sound is about the same as before. This record is very fun and is easy listening, although the songs get a bit dull by the last three songs. Art Brut bears obvious an influences from post-punk- and early indie bands like Pixies and The Fall and became part of the indie rock scene together with Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party (also note that Frank Black of the Pixies produced this record). Art Brut is somewhat similar to Franz Ferdinand in style, perhaps a bit more upbeat and punk-oriented though, only Art Brut's songs are mostly about everyday teenage life, finding a job, discovering your parents old records written with bitter irony. The singer goes on and on about the (re)discovery of old bands like The Replacements and The Stones, and about how he obsessively likes to listen to old records.
Some people (hipsters) might listen to Art Brut and say that "Art Brut suck, retarded indie OH SO DEEP tryhards.",w hich is true in a sense that Art Brut might come on a bit too strong with their ironic songwriting, but songs about DC comics and Chocolate milkshakes can hardly be considered deep. None of the songs sounds as cool as the first one, but what they lack in coolness they make up for with witty songwriting and playful melodies. Some people might find the vocalist to be unbearable for his british accent, irrelevant and ironic songwriting or douchey attitude, but if you can find a way to put all preassumptions aside you might be in for an enjoyable record, but not much more than that, but with what it lacks in creating original instrumental parts it makes up for in wittyness.

Score: 7.5/10

Listen at Grooveshark or try their brilliant debut album on Spotify

2007: Alcest - Souvernirs D'un Autre Monde

2009-05-14T10:58:00.001-07:00

The first thing that strikes you when you turn on this record is the blazing layers of distortion, loose and minimalistic drumming and otherworldly vocals. I guess this is the sort of feel multi-instrumentalist Neige wanted to achieve with his debut solo project, the title meaning "Memories of Another World" and all. But one can't help but recognize that the droning riffs and the fast drum beats has some overtones from the previous black metal music Neige has been doing, but that is only a part of the music which is heavily influenced by the walls of guitar distortion of My Bloody Valentine.
The music falls under the label which surfaced in the 90' called 'Shoegaze' where the music heavily relied on spacey and noisy guitar effects, while at the same time creating hooky pop melodies with lush vocals as Neige demonstrates here. The dark ambient feel of the album can be compared to Justin Broadrick's Jesu, though on the more industrial side employs large waves of distortion and similar vocals. And like My Bloody Valentine the songs are heavily based on the guitar work, with several guitar tracks and melodic hooks (without the pop-influence).
Theres also acoustic guitars to be found within the songs, Alcest certainly delivers one of the better new shoegaze records of the 00's, but it also stands as a remarkable record on it's own, without the help of a single guitar solo.

Score: 8/10

Listen at Grooveshark or Spotify