Saturday, December 3, 2011

Review: Lady Gaga: Born This Way [B]


Artist: Lady Gaga
Album: Born This Way
Released: May 2011
Label: Interscope Records
Genre: dance pop

Purchase date: 26 May 2011
Format: mp3 files
Source: Amazon

I have to admit that I fell for Gaga's marketing ploy: for one week this album was available in mp3 format from Amazon for $0.99. What I was unprepared for was how much I really liked many of the tracks! The album is very uneven, with in my opinion, too many nods to early '80s retro-kitsch. But the tracks "Born This Way" and "Marry the Night" really carry it. I particularly like the "be true to yourself" message that suffuses the music, particularly in the title track.

So, a surprisingly enthusiastic recommendation for Lady Gaga's latest!

Rating: B+


Artist not available at eMusic
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Saturday, November 19, 2011

Review: Okkervil River: I Am Very Far [A-]


Artist: Okkervil River
Album: I Am Very Far
Released: May 2011
Label: Jagjaguwar
Genre: indie rock

Purchase Date: 11 May 2011
Format: mp3 files
Source: Amazon

I'll start by saying that Okkervil River has been, consistently, one of my favorite bands of the past few years. The sixth release from this band from Austin breaks a bit from their usual style of producing tightly-written thematic albums that tell a sonic story. I Am Very Far is much looser, and the lyrics of the songs are much more free-form and obscure than those of earlier albums. At first, I found the songs to be a bit more hit-and-miss than earlier releases, and while the album had some stand-out tracks (notably "Rider," one of their best songs), I didn't think it worked as an album. After repeated listens, the album grew on me, and while I don't think it's quite as strong as the outstanding The Stand-Ins, it's still one of the best albums of the year so far.

Rating: A-




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Review: Mamiffer: Mare Decendrii [A-]


Artist: Mamiffer
Album: Mare Decendrii
Released: March 2011
Label: Conspiracy Records
Genre: Post-rock / neoclassical rock

Purchase date: 27 April 2011
Format: mp3 files
Source: eMusic

I don't really know a whole lot about this Seattle-area trio. They have a dark, ambient, neoclassical sound that would work as the soundtrack of a horror movie. Actually, when I stumbled across this band, I became interested in their music for just that reason: I thought it would be great mood music for a horror role-playing game that I was putting together at the time. Since then, the album as really grown on me, and I find myself playing it at the office as background music that helps keep me focused on the task rather than on the music itself. That said, it's delightfully creepy music to play when you're alone in the house at night with the lights off. For those with similarly off-kilter sensibilities, I would strongly recommend this album.

Rating: A-


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Saturday, November 12, 2011

Review: Parts and Labor: Constant Future [B+]


Artist: Parts and Labor
Album: Constant Future
Released: March 2011
Label: Jagjaguwar
Genre: experimental rock

Purchase Date: 27 April 2011
Format: mp3 files
Source: Amazon

The fifth full-length from the Brooklyn-based experimental rock trio, Constant Future, brings more of the guitar-synth-and-noise sound that has become their style. Unlike a lot of noise-rock acts, they focus more on the rock than the noise, and all of their songs have a strong sense of melody through the sludge. This seems to be their most accessible album yet, full of big sounds that teeter on the brink of chaos but always manage to stay cohesive. One downside is that Constant Future isn't as strong lyrically as some of their previous releases. Still, it's an enjoyable album and definitely worth a listen.

Rating: B+



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Sunday, October 16, 2011

Review: The Mountain Goats: All Eternals Deck [A-]


Artist: The Mountain Goats
Album: All Eternals Deck
Released: March 2011
Label: Merge Records
Genre: indie folk

Purchase Date: 19 April 2011
Format: mp3 files
Source: Amazon

John Darnielle, leader and often only member of The Mountain Goats, returns with his 14th full-length album. All Eternals Deck features a rich, polished sound to Darnielle's character-focused story-songs, now with a full band. Lyrically, the songs are intricate, witty, and uncompromising, and have a theme of survival against the odds. Musically, they run the gamut of quiet folk to almost unhinged folk-punk. It's a fun ride, and I heartily recommend it.

Rating: A-


Album not available at eMusic
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Review: Esben and the Witch: Violet Cries [B-]


Artist: Esben and the Witch
Album: Violet Cries
Released: January 2011
Label: Matador Records
Genre: dream pop / nightmare pop

Purchase Date: 15 April 2011
Format: mp3 files
Source: Amazon

Named for an obscure and macabre Danish fairy tale, this British trio's sound uses the dreamlike and ethereal tones of dream-pop, but to disturbing and nightmarish effect. (Several other critics have dubbed this "nightmare-pop".) Layered, echoed vocals, whispered spoken-word, guitars sounding like they are coming up from the bottom of a well, and an overall tone of melancholy-bordering-on-despair, this isn't music for the faint of heart. These elements come together with a brooding, dark intensity on the tracks "Warpath," Marching Song," and "Skeleton Swoon," but don't quite gel for much of the rest of the album.

Rating: B-


Artist not available at eMusic


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Review: Starfucker: Reptillians [B+]


Artist: Starfucker
Album: Reptillians
Released: January 2011
Label: Polyvinyl Records
Genre: electronica

Purchase Date: 01 April 2011
Format: mp3 files
Source: eMusic

Another good band with a terrible name, Starfucker (or STRFKR, as they bill themselves on public marquees) is an electronica quartet from Portland, Oregon. The music is upbeat, catchy electronic rock with a philosophical bent. Many tracks include recorded spoke word from the late philosopher Alan Watts, an odd yet fascinating feature. The songs are tremendously fun while they're playing, but they don't have a lot of sticking power: it's been a month or so since I've listened to this record, and I can't remember the tunes to any of them. Nevertheless, Reptillians is a very good album and deserves a listen. Recommended.

Rating: B+


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