It's been a while since my last post. I've been listening to a lot of new music, and I'd like to share the highlights, so I'm going to start reviewing the albums I've bought this year that were released in 2009. I may throw in reviews for older music that I just discovered as well. We'll see where this takes us.
I'll start with the first 2009 release that I picked up: Get Guilty by New Pornographers frontman Carl Newman. Released back in January on the Matador label, this really seemed to be an overlooked gem. Newman's music is upbeat, hooky, catchy, power-pop with somewhat obscure but extremely clever lyrics. What sets Newman apart is emotional connection that his music can make with the listener. This stuff isn't background music: it demands that you pay attention to it, to the point that I'll find myself stopped in my tracks, listening with full attention with my eyes closed.
Stylistically, this album sounds a lot like his other band, the New Pornographers, and I mean that in the best way. Newman plays with the pop-style chord structure just enough to keep you guessing. He's also managed to pull in a whole lot of additional talent, starting with the opening anthem "There Are Maybe Ten or Twelve." The arrangements are full and lush, yet don't feel over-produced. All-in-all, this is a very good album. Highly recommended.
Rating: ***1/2
