New single from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, off of their third album, It’s Blitz!, which is slated for release on April 13. The single showcases a dancier side of the band, complete with synths. Karen O is still one of the best frontwomen, and best lead singers regardless of gender, and she helps to keep […]
Archive for February 2009
YEAH YEAH YEAHS – Zero (single)
February 27, 2009FAKE PROBLEMS – It’s Great To Be Alive
February 26, 2009This is the band’s third full-length album and first for the SideOneDummy label. They’re from Naples, Florida, so the comparisons to Against Me!, who are also from Naples, are inevitable. Fake Problems plays poppier punk rock than the aformentioned Against Me!. Some of their stuff has an acoustic, folk-punk influence. All in all, it’s a […]
N.A.S.A. – The Spirit of Apollo
February 25, 2009N.A.S.A. is the acronym for North America/South America, and is a collaborative effort of artists from both the hip-hop and indie music realms. Brought together by the duo of Squeak E. Clean and DJ Zegon, who met in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the result is a hip-hop/funk album that is real cool. I’m certainly no aficionado […]
BLACK GOLD – Rush
February 24, 2009The duo releases their full-length debut. The two members are Eric Ronick (Panic at the Disco, Ambulance Ltd.) and Than Luu (Rachel Yamagata, shushshush, M. Ward). They play electropop/rock/dance with male vocals. At times, they do sound like a 2009 version of the Bee Gees, which is a huge compliment coming from someone who grew […]
SAM ROBERTS – Love At The End Of The World
February 23, 2009This is the Canadian’s third studio album. He won Juno Awards in 2004 for Album Of The Year and Rock Album Of The Year, thanks to his debut album, We Were Born In A Flame (He also won for Artist of the Year that year). It’s not a surprise that he has received such accolades, […]
SPARKS – Exotic Creatures Of The Deep
February 20, 2009Ever dreamed of Devo having sex with Scissor Sisters? Me neither, but Sparks is what their elderly love child would sound like (Of course, since Sparks was formed in 1970, this could not be possible unless both Devo AND Scissor Sisters were sent back in time through the use of a DeLorean powered by plutonium […]
THE VON BONDIES – Love Hate And Then There’s You
February 19, 2009The Detroit four-piece returns with their third studio album and first release since 2004’s Pawn Shoppe Heart. They play rock music with a punk attitude and swagger, though their sound is definitely more rooted in rock than punk. They are pretty cool, and hopefully they will be known more for their music than for the […]
THE KINETIKS – Aye Aye Aye Aye [EP]
February 18, 2009They’re a quartet of young lads from Dublin, Ireland. This is their second EP. They have an indie/garage rock sound similar to bands like the View, the Libertines, the Kooks, and the Rakes. There are some really great songs on this (“Lightbulb” is especially good), but in order to capitalize on this promise, they’ll need […]
THE KILLS – Live At Electric Ladyland [EP]
February 17, 2009This is an EP that can be downloaded from iTunes. It features new recordings of songs from two of the three albums the duo has released: “Sour Cherry” and “Getting Down” from 2008’s Midnight Boom, and “Pull A U” and “Kissy Kissy” from their 2003 debut, “Keep On Your Mean Side”. They have also included […]
BON IVER – Blood Bank [EP]
February 16, 2009The project of Justin Vernon (he does get a tiny bit of help from others on here, as well as during his live shows, this is Bon Iver’s first EP and second overall release after 2008’s For Emma, Forever Ago album. The tracks on this EP were recorded at varying points in time so each […]
Faunts – Feel.Love.Thinking.Of.
February 13, 2009They are from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and this is their second studio full-length album. They play excellent pop/indie rock with a heavy electronic influence to make music that feels like you could float away on the sound waves. Perfect for late nights, early mornings, or any time in between. Very pleasant on the ears, nothing […]
Nickel Eye – The Time Of The Assassins
February 12, 2009Debut for the solo project of The Strokes’ bass player, Nikolai Fraiture. It’s much less rocking in comparison to The Strokes; this has more of a singer-songwriter/folk vibe to it. Fairly decent, though no track stands out too much. I prefer fellow Strokes member Albert Hammond, Jr.’s solo output. http://www.myspace.com/officialnickeleye
The Love Language – The Love Language
February 11, 2009From Raleigh, North Carolina; this is their debut. It’s good! They play indie pop that has a garagey, lo-fi feel to it. Catchy and instantly likeable. They sound like they could play a club and get everyone in the place singing along and doing handclaps and it wouldn’t feel hokey at all. They seem like […]
The Blizzard of ’78 – Book Of Lies
February 10, 2009They are from the Boston area and this is their second LP. It’s good stuff! Indie rock that combines a variety of influences, sometimes alt-country, sometimes using horns, sometimes sounding like U2 circa their Boy album, or even sometimes reminding me of Elvis Costello and the Attractions. I like these guys. http://www.myspace.com/theblizzardof78 http://www.tbo78.com
Cut Off Your Hands – You and I
February 9, 2009They are from Auckland, New Zealand, and this is their debut album. They are pretty good, they play post-punk/rock in the same vein as a band like Franz Ferdinand. If Hot Hot Heat had followed up Make Up The Breakdown, their album with the song “Bandages” where they sounded like they wanted to bring back […]
Nous Non Plus – Menagerie
February 6, 2009The second album for the band that formed following the dissolution of Les Sans Culottes. Though they were formed in New York City, the songs are primarily sung in French (the lead singer, Celine Dijon, did grow up in Paris). They play delightful pop music that should get your toes tappin’. They’re awesome. They cover […]
Dent May & His Magnificient Ukulele – The Good Feeling Music Of…
February 5, 2009The debut LP for Mississippian Dent May, his bandmates, and his ukulele. They will all be on tour with A.C. Newman through March, and like Mr. Newman, Dent May makes pop music. The lyrics are often humorous and probably shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Lots of different influences can be heard, from 50’s/60’s pop music […]
Frank Turner – Love Ire & Song
February 4, 2009He used to be in the English hardcore band Million Dead, but now he plays acoustic punk rock. Love Ire & Song is his second solo full-length though he has released some other EPs, a DVD, and a compilation as well. Imagine a more punk, angrier Billy Bragg and you’d have this guy’s music. http://www.myspace.com/frankturner […]
Her Space Holiday – XOXO, Panda and the New Kid Revival
February 3, 2009<img src=”http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y278/arada112/xoxo.jpg” width=”250″ height=”250″></img> Cutesy ‘indie’/twee pop. Male vocals that remind me of Of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes’ voice. Likeable stuff, and the lyrics tend to be pretty clever and interesting. Recommended if you like twee pop, indie bands like The Shins, and things of that nature. <a href=”http://www.myspace.com/herspaceholiday” target=”_blank”>www.myspace.com/herspaceholiday</a> <a href=”http://www.herspaceholiday.com” target=”_blank”>www.herspaceholiday.com</a>
Keane – Perfect Symmetry
February 2, 2009The third album from the English trio. Though still a piano-rock band, their sound is a lot more muscular than on their good, albeit very wimpy, debut. Very slickly produced, the album reminds me of the U2 song ‘City Of Blinding Lights,’ one of the songs I still take the time to listen to off […]
Orange Juice Party Noise 
