Moving

Hi folks,

I will be moving to a different site. No reason in particular.

The new site is here. Please update your bookmarks to http://roadtripradio.wordpress.com.

Regards,
Hoople

Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record

Artist: Broken Social Scene
Album: Forgiveness Rock Record
Label: Arts & Crafts
Genre: Indie Rock
Released: May 2010
Rating: 3 of 5


It has been a long five-year wait for many Broken Social Scene fans but the day has finally arrived. They have returned in good form.

If there was one thing I remember about seeing Broken Social Scene live it was how ridiculous the whole thing looked to have 7 or so guitars up on stage all playing at the same time. I understand having a large band but why would you have so many of the same instrument. Now that I got that off my chest, I must say that in the studio the layering that takes place is rather majestic. They also do a great job of bringing in all sorts of textures without making it confusing or chaotic. A quick listen to "Ungrateful Little Father" reveals a little drum beat supporting guitar, toy piano and an almost citar-like riff.

If I had to draw some comparisons I would have to group a few songs up. I found the there was a little bit of a Paul Simon does Graceland feeling in songs like "World Sick" and "Highway Slipper Jam". Some other songs, such as "Texico Bitches", reminded me somewhat of Wilco. Don't get me wrong though, Broken Social Scene have shown themselves to have a unique sound.

Fans of the band will surely be pleased and the ranks might even increase with this album. Don't be fooled by the very few examples because there are many other surprises.

The Hold Steady - Heaven Is Whenever

Artist: The Hold Steady
Album: Heaven Is Whenever
Label: Vagrant
Genre: Indie Rock
Released: May 2010
Rating: 2.5 of 5


The Hold Steady return with another straight forward rock album. They have shown a few improvements over the last album that I would like to go over.

The monotonous vocals were my nemesis before. Although not much has changed in the lead vocals, they have tried a bit of fancy studio work to lessen the damage. I found that there were some nice background vocals in many spots that drowned out the lead at points. They also turned up the level on many of the instruments (mostly the guitars). Some songs had brass and keyboards and "Barely Breathing" was particularly good on that front.

There were a few tracks with particularly nice guitars. The opening song, "The Sweet Part of the City", had some really nice deep south guitars, complete with slide. I also found that a few songs had a nice Matt Mays feel to them such as "The Smidge". I suppose a better comparison would be the Stone's "Honky Tonk Woman", well almost.

Despite some good steps forward for the Hold Steady, I still had a hard time feeling engaged. Their music just doesn't have that punk edge that I truly enjoy in rock music.

The Futureheads - The Chaos

Artist: The Futureheads
Album: The Chaos
Label: Nul Records
Genre: Post-Punk Revival
Released: April 2010
Rating: 4 of 5


The Futureheads have shown themselves to be a highly consistent group. They've put out a number of good albums and this one is no different.

So what can you expect out of this album? As per usual, they bring some quick drum beats, pumping bass lines and muted guitars backing up some great vocal harmonies. The Chaos is another step forward in defining a sound all their own. I use to love comparing The Cars to this group but I must say that this album has evolved more than any others. "The Chaos" and "This is the Life" are good punk tunes that are very reminiscent of their past.

Something quite different has happened in this album though. It sounds to me like they've started to play with the guitar tones more than before. "The Connector" had some octave effects on the guitar that brought back some different 80s sounds. "I Can Do That" has a guitar solo which brings out some longer notes. They even used some different effects on the vocal tracks. "Sun Goes Down" had an almost spooky feel to it and finished with a cacophony of phased voices. "The Baron" had a cute little guitar riff between the verses and chorus and some almost Queen sounding background vocals throughout.

The Futureheads have managed to take yet another step forward in their musical careers with this one. I was quite pleased with the album.

Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles (2010)

Artist: Crystal Castles
Album: Crystal Castles (2010)
Label: Fiction
Genre: Electronic
Released: April 2010
Rating: 3.5 of 5


Crystal Castles return with their second self-titled album. There were both some improvements and new styles in this album.

The biggest issue I had with the last album was the high gain, high volume tunes. This hasn't gone away but it is not nearly as prevalent; "Doe Deer" is the most obvious of these tunes and about the only one that features the style exclusively. There are also more of those great jittery synth melodies that gave them so much power in the first album; "Baptism" is a great example.

A major theme of the album was brand new from the last. They seem to have done some great space exploring ethereal music. "Celestica" not only takes it name from this style but also provides the listener with a wonderful example. This is not the only vision-trip with the outro to "Year of Silence" and "Pap Smear" bringing the listener back.

Altough some of the better parts of the last album are lacking, I must say the album is a good cover-cover adventure.

Hole - Nobody's Daughter

Artist: Hole
Album: Nobody's Daughter
Label: CherryForever
Genre: Alternative Rock
Released: April 2010
Rating: 2 of 5


Courtney Love and company's first album in over a decade has arrived. For many, this album will be heralded as a great return but I won't be among them.

"Skinny Little Bitch" is the first single from the album and has a riff that reminds me a little of 54 40. "For Once In Your Life" sounded a little more like Train with some nice violin in the background and it showed a little more maturity than many of the other tunes. "Loser Dust" was a little too quick for Courtney to use her normal singing voice and hinted at the Bowery but didn't quite get there.

There were a few nice acoustic riffs in here, "How Dirty Girls Get Clean" is a good example. Unfortunately, Love's vocals overpower any other instruments and sounds so rough. It sounds like someone who would have a bad smoker's cough but this is supposed to be part of the charm. I found that it caused a few botched tunes and sounded too ragged for me.

Hole returns with an album that will surely be more spectacle than talent. We will see how things evolve from here but I'm sure it won't be quiet.

Gogol Bordello - Trans-Continental Hustle

Artist: Gogol Bordello
Album: Trans-Continental Hustle
Label: American Recordings
Genre: Gypsy Punk
Released: April 2010
Rating: 3.5 of 5


Gogol Bordello is back again. The king of gypsy punk brings us yet another installment and this time he does so with the help of Producer Rick Rubin.

The gypsy is definitely present in the music. The great oompa beats are present from start to finish. This also means that there are vast amounts of accordion and fiddle. The music is great for wedding receptions everywhere and it will get everyone up and dancing, from the grand parents to the teenagers to the kids. "My Compenjera" is a great example of this general gypsy feeling.

There are also some new interesting twists here. "Raise the Knowledge" has a great little riff that I find is a little different from the normal Bordello sound and almost has an oriental touch. "Last One Goes the Hope" and "To Rise Above" remind me of vacations in the sun and also show a new side of Bordello. "Sun is On My Side" draws me to the canals of Venice as does "When Universes Collide"; the latter to a lesser extent but the latter has a great crescendo throughout the entire album.

So once again I welcome the gypsy punks back into my speakers. Now we can all look forward to the live shows that will surely follow.

Bloc Party - Intimacy

Artist: Bloc Party
Album: Intimacy
Label: Atlantic
Released: October 2008
Genre: Indie Rock
Rating: 4.5 of 5


Before I start, let me just say that Bloc Party has been one of my favourite bands since Silent Alarm. They have continued to develop a unique sound that is quite complex when you try and break it down. Their material is always a joy to listen to and I'm looking forward to the next album.

Let's start with what's new. I found that there was a little more emphasis on some deep beats and maybe something from the dance club; a good example of this can be heard in "Mercury". Of course this new style permeates the album and would play great on a big sub woofer. The band has always created great music in the studio but they continue to grow with tunes like "Zephyrus" leading the way.

Not everything is new and we wouldn't want Bloc Party to deny us what we want. I must say that the tempo on this album is much closer to Silent Alarm than A Weekend In The City was and this will be a welcome return for many. Songs such as "Halo" and "Trojan Horse" follow in Silent Alarm's footsteps with punchy guitars and soaring vocals. Of course, my favourite tune on each Bloc Party album seems to be the epic play that they do so well; "Biko" is not quite as strong as "Positive Tension" but it fills the template rather well. And of course the xylophone makes a great appearance in "Signs".

In all, I was extremely happy with the latest entry in the Bloc Party catalogue and I hope that their recent break is exactly that and not the end of Bloc Party.

Jay Reatard - Matador Singles '08

Artist: Jay Reatard
Album: Matador Singles '08
Genre: Garage Punk
Rating: 3 of 5


Jay Reatard, who unfortunately passed away this year, had the reputation for fights and rude behaviour. His music seems like a contradiction that pays tribute to this reputation.

The music in this album is reminiscent of 60s pop rock with catchy hooks and bright guitars. I found a few parts reminded me of the Yardbirds such as the "An Ugly Death" and "Dead On Arrival". The former tune even contains a bit of Chuck Berry guitar which dates some inspiration from even earlier.

The lyrics seem to be true to his reputation. The vocals were laid down in the same scratchy-transistor radio sound that the Strokes made so popular. The words definitely come through with attitude. And although the music has that 60s feel, Jay has sped the tempo up to fuel a bit more of that attitude.

This group of singles, as the album name implies, is a nice collection of tunes that might serve well as some Sunday listening for some punk fans that are used to something a little harder.

The Hold Steady - Stay Positive

Artist: The Hold Steady
Album: Stay Positive
Genre: Indie Rock
Rating: 2.5 of 5


The Hold Steady are another one of those bands that have been around for awhile but that I just can't get into. This album did not change anything for me.

I find that Craig Finn's vocal range isn't that great. No matter what is happening with the music it just doesn't feel like the song is moving around because of an almost monotone voice. I great example would be the title track; in this song I find that the band do a great job of building and even though the vocals sound more strained than normal, it doesn't inspire the kind of energy the band is promising to deliver. I did find that his voice reminded me of the Counting Crows.

Besides that, I must say that the songs are quite decent. There were a few songs that they brought in some different instruments to change things up a bit like the harpsichord in "One for the Cutters" and the mandolin (or banjo maybe) in "Both Crosses". "Both Crosses" was also one of those dark tunes that I enjoy so much but again the vocals don't sound any different from one of the more formula-based rock tunes that are all over the album.

In all, I would say that some of the songs have great potential but I would just love it if the vocals would follow the mood.