Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation's Dark

Artist: Drive-By Truckers
Album: Brighter Than Creation's Dark
Genre: Alt Country
Rating: 3 of 5


I've got to say that Drive-By Truckers managed to pack a lot of decent material into this album. "Brighter Than Creation's Dark" contains 19 decent tunes.

If there was one thing that jumped out at me while listening to this album it was how crystal clear everything was. At times there are quite a few different instruments and vocals going on but each one is pristine. You could really just listen to any song to see for yourself.

I must confess that I'm not really a big country fan but some of these tunes are quite good. That being said some of the tunes do remind me of a few rock artists. In particular, "3 Dimes Down" sounds like it could have been a Rolling Stones tune. Also, "That Man I Shot" is the type of thing you'd hear coming out of an early Matt Mays album.

All in all this was a fairly decent country album with a lot of decent material.

The Dodos - Visiter

Artist: The Dodos
Album: Visiter
Genre: Alt Folk
Rating: 2 of 5


Before you go asking why they misspelled "Visiter" let me explain. I had to look this up and it turns out the artwork was a gift from a child. Okay so I will forgive that. There are other things I wasn't as forgiving for though.

I found that the drums were quite persistent throughout. "Red and Purple" have this drum beat that seems to fill in any sense of void and even force any other voices to the side. Unfortunately they seem to stay fairly steady throughout and hence the song turns into a bit of a Chinese water torture. The Dodos really seem to pick a beat and stick to it. Seeing as this is only a two-piece I suppose that can partly be forgiven. Knowing that there isn't any help with the rhythm section should mean that you try and change it up a bit.

I also had a hard time understanding why they go on for so long on some of the tunes. It would have been nice to cut down a few of the epics since I didn't really feel they changed from start to finish. Take songs like the "Park Song" or "Undeclared". A couple of really cute songs. They manage to get the message through in a short amount of time before becoming a nuisance.

The Dodos would definitely do well around a campfire. It sounds like a lot of fun but I won't be listening to the album anywhere else anytime soon.

Dirty Pretty Things - Romance at Short Notice

Artist: Dirty Pretty Things
Album: Romance at Short Notice
Genre: Indie Rock
Rating: 4.5 of 5


Carl Barat and the Dirty Pretty Things are back with another great album. The longer we go post-Libertines it seems both Carl and Peter are straying further from that sound and finding their own voice.

Things have slowed down just a touch from the last album and the Libertines before that; It also feels just a touch more mellow. "Hippy's Son" has some great contrast between the verse and chorus but even the harder verse doesn't have that much punch. "Come Closer" is a great love tune and one that would have been reserved as a secret track on the Libertines. "The North" sounds like some early Pink Floyd. Finally, "Blood on My Shoes" closes the album with a similar feeling as "Hippy's Son". This contrast seems to fill the album. Almost as if there was a struggle between moving forward and looking backwards.

Carl's earlier days are definitely still a strong presence. "Best Face" has that leather-jacket clad edge that perpetuates any photos or videos of the group. "Chinese Dogs" is the closest thing left to the Libertines that I could find. The song had the energy, drifting guitar riffs, loose choirs and general mayhem that made many of Carl's early songs inspire so many young artist.

The album shows great contrast and the struggle between mellow and grit makes a rather enjoyable listen.

Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs

Artist: Death Cab For Cutie
Album: Narrow Stairs
Genre: Pop Rock
Rating: 3 of 5


I will confess that although Death Cab For Cutie has made the rounds and continues to lead certain groups I have not seen too much of them.

The first thing I noticed about this album is that the band are quite apt in producing very well structured and decent songs. I must start with "I will Possess Your Heart". A low hum starts the song and a great bass riff follows soon. Slowly drums, guitar and piano enter. This ecosystem lasts for quite some time and is quite entrancing. The vocals during the last half of the song fit a gap you didn't even notice was there. The song ends by slowly unrolling.

A second example of this comes from "Pity and Fear". A few different percussion sounds start and we dive into the main riff a lot earlier. The riff is a harmony between guitar and keyboard. The vocals fill in the small gaps in the riff and join the riff at other parts. All voices seem to flow together. They slowly build energy in the background until finally moving into a good instrumental. This energy is held right until the end with an abrupt mid-beat cut out.

Pardon the play by play but "Narrow Stairs" is a good album and not unlike an exciting sporting event between two teams you don't care about I find there is nothing to draw me back. Like that same sporting event, if you cheer for the band then this would be a win.

CSS - Donkey

Artist: CSS
Album: Donkey
Genre: Indie Electronic
Rating: 2.5 of 5


CSS has returned with an album that wasn't nearly as explicit as their first. "Donkey" contains music that was made to play in a dance club like the first.

I do believe that at times some stronger vocals are required though. Don't get me wrong Lovefoxxx, the singer, hits the notes. Harmonies on "Jager Yoga" could have had more force. "Give Up" could have been a far better song had there been more power from the entire band. It felt rather flat.

Seeing as the album feels like it was meant for a party I suppose it's not wrong that the songs feel kind of repetitive. I mean who would care, but if you are listening to this on your own I do find you start to notice.

It wasn't all bad mind you and a few tunes were rather catchy. "Move" had a really nice flow and some notes were actually held. "I Fly" had an instrumental with a great build up. "Believe Achieve" had some rather dark undertones and changed things up from the rest of the album.

I believe that CSS did a little experimenting towards the end of the album and some paid off. Now to see if they try an album with a different feel for number three.

Cat Power - Dark End of the Street

Artist: Cat Power
Album: Dark End of the Street EP
Genre: Indie Rock
Rating: 3.5 of 5


As the name suggests there is a power behind the music being presented. The "Dark End of the Street", "Ye Auld Triangle" and "I've Been Loving You Too Long" are all great examples of a force that the band keep just below the surface. Perhaps on an LP there would be enough time to explore this space but on this EP I don't feel the band opens up enough.

Even though there are no covers of Janis Joplin here I felt her influence was felt more than the others. If you enjoy covers of the 60s then this is a must have.

Calexico - Carried to Dust

Artist: Calexico
Album: Carried to Dust
Genre: Alt Country
Rating: 3 of 5


"Carried to Dust" is an album that seems strangely familiar throughout. If I were to close my eyes and listen to the album without knowing the artist it would be hard to put my finger on it.

As you can imagine from the Aztec name there is a lovely Mexican flare throughout the album. Great horn sections are abundant as are smooth guitar riffs. "Inspiracion" and "El Gatillo" are as close to standard as we get but Calexico push the envelope on some other songs.

The flare is not what causes the familiarity though. It is songs like "The News About William" that reminds me of Leonard Cohen without the lyrical prowess. Or "Two Silver Trees" that reminds me of a haunting Robbie Roberston tune. Or "Slowness" that sounds like one of Matt Mays more country influenced tunes.

I believe that there was some material that could have been filtered but overall the album is an eerie take on Latin rock.

Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

Artist: Bon Iver
Album: For Emma, Forever Ago
Genre: Indie Rock
Rating: 3 of 5


When I was listening to Bon Iver's "For Emma, Forever Ago" I thought of a good comparison for the album. A ghost would be the easiest way to describe it.

From the opening verse, most of the time is spent listening to single vocal tracks and harmonies that have been shaped to sound quite ethereal. The guitar follows along given some depth to the voices like tendrils of mist slowly following along.

Although the album spends much time as a lingering wisp, it does show hints of force. Tracks like "Skinny Love", "Creature Fear" and "For Emma" show hints that the album is hiding some force that just doesn't seem to make its way to the surface.

Unfortunately like a ghost, there does seem to be quite a bit of dead air. I understand that we can't expect a constant barrage of sound but I find that there is too much space between the lines at times and I really cannot discern a message there.

There is something hidden here just like the faces that might exist on the album cover.

Black Kids - Partie Traumatic

Artist: Black Kids
Album: Partie Traumatic
Genre: Indie Rock
Rating: 3 of 5


The Partie Traumatic is a good attempt at duplicating some work started in the 80s at bringing rock instruments into the disco.

Songs like "Listen to Your Body Tonight" and "Look at Me" make good use of combining the heavy beat of the disco with guitars and synthesizers. Unfortunately not the whole album was as well executed. Songs like "I'm Making Eyes at You" and "I Wanna Be Your Limousine" were off-balance; I also did not like the laser-type sounds that were injected into the former.

A little more cohesion throughout the album would have been nice as well. I found "I've Underestimated My Charms" and "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You" were from different eras as compared to the rest of the tracks.

The Black Kids feel like an awkward teenager going to house parties for the first time. They aren't quite sure what format the party takes but they are there to have fun.

Benga - Diary Of An Afro Warrior

Artist: Benga
Album: Diary Of An Afro Warrior
Genre: Dance
Rating: 3 of 5


Apparently the Afro Warrior is a man of few words because this album is contains very little in the way of lyrics. The album is more an exploration of sound and time.

The various sounds used are highly interesting and Benga makes good use of melding them in and out. I particularly enjoyed the way he incorporated different sounds in "Night" because they made me feel as if there were birds all around. There are many other corners to turn throughout the album.

This Diary also explorers the space and time within a song's tempo. Much time was spent fiddling with the beat while allowing it to maintain a consistent tempo. The different sounds he uses allow him to accentuate quite nicely different parts of each beat as the song evolves.

Unfortunately this was not enough to keep me interested but I would recommend a listen of your own.

Albert Hammond Jr - Como Te Llama?

Artist: Albert Hammond Jr
Album: Como Te Llama?
Genre: Indie Rock
Rating: 3.5 of 5


I cannot wait for a new Strokes album but in the meantime the individual members of the band have been providing us with solo albums. Albert Hammond Jr was the first to venture off on his own and I must say that the results have been good.

You can hear "Is This It" in this album with a more mellow touch. There are three tunes that I particularly enjoyed on the album. GFC is the first on the list. I rather enjoy the layering within the intro. Slowly bringing in all the instruments in a beautifully constructed verse that isn't the same way twice in the song. While the chorus goes back to the mellow Strokes sound that is Albert.

The second tune is Rocket with the fuzz cranked up to the max and a marching beat in the background, this tune provides the listener with something to sing along with. I also rather enjoy the bridge in this song because it provides a very clear climax.

The last tune is Spooky Couch. This is an instrumental that is about twice as long as any other song on the album. Although this song strays from the standard formula being used on the album it did grow on me. It would be the perfect song to have on if you had to drive through the worst kind of storm. The perfect sense of calm is the best way to describe the track and most of the album.

The Young Knives - Superabundance

Artist: The Young Knives
Album: Superabundance
Genre: Post-Punk Revival
Rating: 3 of 5


There were two aspects that I have enjoyed about previous albums from this very British group. Perhaps it is the fact that they have put out three albums in three years, but they have lost some of their touch. The first album in this run was "Voices of Animals and Men" which set a benchmark. They haven't completely lost their image so don't be worried.

The first aspect that makes the Young Knives the Young Knives is quick, choppy post-punk songs. The song should sound like an archipelago of sound. The voices creating quick and distinct bleeps on the equalizer. You can hear this in the first verse of "Terra Firma". Unfortunately you can hear the new direction in "Turn Tail" where they've added some synthesizers to create a background hum like a bridge connecting the clustered islands. I much prefer the former style for this band.

The second aspect that makes the Young Knives the Young Knives is the stories they tell. I was not nearly as amused as I have been before. I mean "She's Attracted To" set a precedence. For those who haven't heard it before please look up the YouTube video. Of course "Turn Tail" does have an amusing image of fleeing but I'll leave that final decision to you. The witty charm hasn't left completely; it's just been dulled.

Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid

Artist: Elbow
Album: The Seldom Seen Kid
Genre: Britpop
Rating: 3.5 of 5


The Seldom Seen Kid is a delightful experience. The band have managed to come up with a well-crafted piece of art.

Either through extensive use of synthesizers or different instruments it would seem that much thought and consideration was put into the choice of textures to use on each track. So much reading between the lyrics is necessary to enjoy the emotions that the sounds help create. The opener, "Starlings", uses brass sounds that provide a sense of panic, strings to soothe and xylophones to keep a heartbeat. The line "You are the only thing in any room you've ever been" resonates even after the song dies down.

"Mirrorball" is set up to be another quiet song but bringing the drums to the fore-front a touch and keeping a constant rolling piano instill urgency into the song. "Friend Of Ours" closes the album while bringing the tempo so slow that you can just let go of anything that might be ailing you. I can just hear the voice of a hypnotist as they perform their trade.

I must say that I find this album sounds like a version of Sting who has discovered a plethora of new sounds in today's synthesizers.

The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely

Artist: The Raconteurs
Album: Consolers of the Lonely
Genre: Pop Rock
Rating: 4 of 5


Consolers Of The Lonely was an album designed to be played live and I love it. For the most part the album contains great bridges and great instrumental pieces. The dynamics within the individual tracks are great.

The Raconteurs have a great chemistry going on and you can hear it all over the place. The title track, "Salute Your Solution", "Hold Up" and "Five on the Five" are all good examples how the band seamlessly change from one groove to another on the dime at times.

The live feel of the album ensures that the dynamics of the album are accentuated. Songs such as "You Don't Understand Me", "Attention" and "Carolina Drama" are all good examples of the band's ability to change the mood of the song. I can almost see a nice light show in the background to help the visual aspect of playing on stage.

The last song on the album "Carolina Drama" is another great story from Jack White. Jack has a great gift for storytelling and this song plays the same role as "Blue Veins" did on the last album. Just a little something to seal the deal. I know that I'm sold.

Be Your Own Pet - Get Awkward

Artist: Be Your Own Pet
Album: Get Awkward
Genre: Indie Rock
Rating: 3 of 5


The second installment from the Nashville group clocks in at about 30 minutes. I've got to say it just goes and goes, keeping a good pace from start to finish. The songs all clock in less than three minutes other than "Twisted Nerve" at 3:02 and closer "The Beast Within" at 3:51. And if you like one song then chances are you'll like them all.

Be warned though. If you are looking for some kids fooling around in the studio then look no further, but if you are looking for some maturity look elsewhere. This album definitely feels like some kids who got together and had a few cool riffs, lyrics jotted down on napkins and just recorded. Songs "Super Soaked" talking about getting away from responsibility, "Creepy Crawl" talking about growing up and "Beast Within" talking about staying out all night it puts their age in the fore front. I would also like to say that Limp Bizkit already pulled the track is over bit on their rendition of "Faith".

I also feel like they've fallen into the Duran Duran trap where it sounds like a lot of the music was written before the lyrics. The result is a song that has the lyrics being forced into a constrained melody. I do like the energy throughout the album but some improvements could have been made.

British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?

Artist: British Sea Power
Album: Do You Like Rock Music?
Genre: Indie Rock
Rating: 2.5 of 5


Before I dive into this I'd like to mention that I generally leave my equalizer flat. I do this because when I'm listening to music I like to hear everything the way it was recorded. I find it gives a more accurate version of what the artists wanted to put across. However naive this idea is there you have it.

This album started quite nicely with a momentous intro song that builds and builds and builds. From here we are launched into "Lights Out For Darker Skies" which has a few transitions and nicely executed bridges. By the fourth track I start to notice that some of the production feels off. I actually had to take a look and double-check the Producers on the album. The album gives credit to the band and Graham Sutton. Sutton helped with the last album but the band was not on the last album.

I found the drums to be much too loud throughout the album, especially on tracks such as "Waving Flags" and "The Great Skua". "The Great Skua" could have been a nice quiet instrumental if the drums hadn't over powered them. There was also quite a bit of experimentation with effects and in many cases they seem to drag things along to provide room for this exercise ("Down on the Ground" and "We Close Our Eyes" both drag on).

All this fooling around payed off in a few places and I did enjoy the coming of realization in "Canvey Island". Unfortunately there wasn't enough pay off overall.

The Kooks - Konk

Artist: The Kooks
Album: Konk
Genre: Indie Rock
Rating: 3 of 5


This is the second album from the pop-rock brits,. The Kooks. Konk includes a good dose of rockability songs such as "Do You Wanna", "Mr Maker" and many more. For anyone looking for some good guitar tabs I would recommend this album. There are very few power chords and everything is interplay between the guitar and vocal melodies. Good examples of this include "Gap" and "Love It All", the latter of which includes a nice acoustic guitar track.

Unfortunately if you are not really in the mood for guitar then you will need to look elsewhere. Besides the guitar there is not much of interest on the album besides a nice bass intro on "Stormy Weather" which soon turns into a guitar solo and some keyboard in "Shine On". I kind of wish they would adventure a little more in some new space.

The Long Blondes - Couples

Artist: The Long Blondes
Album: Couples
Genre: Indie Rock
Rating: 3.5 of 5


After going through the entire album I would like to say how fluid the whole album is. As you move from song there is some nice chemistry. Not to say that there are fade in and fade out components throughout but songs compliment each other quite well. The only clear segue is from "Erin O'Connor" to "Nostalgia"; both songs emitting a dreamlike state.

The heavy funk influence is apparent from start to finish as well. Songs such as "Guilt" and "Too Clever by Half" with good bass lines and guitar to match. I have come to expect this from the Long Blondes and I'm glad that it remains a high source of their diet.

As you may have guessed the songs are based on love stories gone right and wrong. The title track certainly sets the stage for the album. A solid song that is duplicated on tracks such as "I Liked the Boys" and "Here Comes the Serious Bit". I felt that the track list was strong and almost wished there was more.

Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles

Artist: Crystal Castles
Album: Crystal Castles
Genre: Electronic
Rating: 3.5 of 5


The band name seems to have been borrowed from the 80s arcade for a good reason. The music on this self-titled debut has many flavours that are recognizable from the soundtracks for many of those old school games. Take those early midi songs and throw on some modern technology and you get an enjoyable album.

The use of effects on the vocal tracks was quite a nice addition in most cases. On tracks such as “Unstrust Us”, “Crimewave” and “Magic Spells” the vocal track is a very important part of the beat and makes for a very catchy beat. “Crimewave” is a prime example of the sound that is Crystal Castles. On top of the great use of the vocal track, it also has a great chorus. This short riff played by a synthesizer, reminiscent of some 90s dance, slowly fills in during the song. At first you need to listen for missing notes but by the end of the track the riff seems to have mutated into maturity. “Magic Spells” is the longest track on the album at just over 6 minutes. The ambiance is quite nice and the track manages to delve into some trance-esque movement. “Air War” shows some of their cosmic side and continues to bring in sounds that would have previously been found on arcades of old. Some more sinister beats, with low rolling charges, follow with songs like “Courtship Dating” and “Through the Hosiery”. The latter of which gives the impression of flying through an asteroid field. “Vanished” seems to have borrowed from AFI but again shows that great technique in building upon the chorus and filling in all the missing notes to keep things fresh. The album goes for 16 tracks and the finale includes “Black Panther”, an up tempo track, and the ethereal “Tell Me What to Swallow”.

For the most part the album makes for great listening except for a style which could have been left out. Three songs “Alice Practice”, “Xxzxcuzx Me” and “Love and Caring” assault you with screaming and aggressive synthesizers that have been fed through high gain effects. The album was long enough to leave out these songs and Crystal Castles would have been better off without them. This album is still a great listen and is a cross between the soundtracks from early arcade games, great electronica and the Go Team.

The Zutons – You Can Do Anything

Artist: The Zutons
Album: You Can Do Anything
Genre: Indie Rock
Rating: 4 of 5


Start to finish this is a great album. Full of the horns and out of the norm chord progressions that you are use to from the Zutons. I have come to enjoy the uniqueness of their sound and come to expect their odd subject material. I remember first hearing of the Zutons as a spin off of the Corals but now they have managed to define their own unique sound. They even managed to throw in some psychedelic with Family of Leeches this time around.

Unfortunately I don’t believe they will break into the Canadian market until they take a look at their lyrics. Lyrics full of adultery are not going to make it mainstream here in Canada although they might fly in the UK. They seem to have moved on somewhat from the voyeurism that plagued their last album, Tired of Hanging Around. I’m not sure if cheating boyfriends, Dirty Rat, and cheating husbands, Don’t Get Caught, are exactly what will turn on the market here. They even cover the hard life of a male prostitute in Freak.

Although you might think that the lyrics would mean a lot of sinister songs the opposite is true. A song like Always Right Behind You remains upbeat despite being about someone waiting for the right time to strike back at their recently departed love. I rather enjoyed Give Me A Reason which creates a sense of urgency with a quick rolling beat and short phrases yet the song stretches six and a half minutes. Finally they finish off with a country song that you would swear came from Nashville and not England.

All in all I haven’t been disappointed with a Zutons album to date and this is no exception.