UK import La Roux (vocalist Eleanor Jackson and producer/keyboardist Ben Langmaid) is generating monumental buzz across the globe with their new self-entitled album, which is a beautiful concoction of killer hooks, New Wave-inspired synthesizers and Erasure-like drum loops. This new Electro-pop band is very much a duo as both Jackson and Langmaid channeled their talents to create a winning formula of electronic wizardry and love-themed ballads.
During In For The Kill, the group raises the question of whether relationships are built on love or lust. Jackson’s spectacular falsettos take center stage during the intro portion of the song, “We can fight our desires, but when we start making fires…” The production on this track is highly reminiscent of songs from retro-Manchester bands like New Order and Electronic.
The band’s second single, Bullet Proof, could be deemed a modern mash-up of Blondie meets The Pet Shop Boys. The keyboard electronic, blip drum machines and vocorder effects provide an inner sanctum opportunity to travel back to the 90s British pop scene.
I’m Not Your Toy is arguably the band’s most riveting track on the album. While the song’s production mix could be considered too dated for modern dance aficionados, Jackson’s vocal provides a spellbinding moment during her emotive chorus. This could become a deejay’s “field of dreams” as there are ample opportunities to remix this track into an electronic paradise. Check out Jack Beat’s vivacious dubstep version tune, which features massive wobbly baselines.
LaRoux should garner more publicity abroad when their album gets a U.S. release in the fall. This new album should leave fans clamoring for concert dates with Eleanor Jackson’s voice becoming a pseudo gateway into a date for seduction. Grade: A- Download Right Now: I'm Not Your Toy
Passion Pit’s Manners LP Features A Classic Blend of Old & New
Passion Pit can best be described as a sweet hybrid concoction of Death Cab Cutie, MGMT and Polyphonic Spree. But this band’s feisty foursome is packing a mightier electronic-driven punch with Manners by infusing a heavy dose of new wave electronica into the core of their modern Indie melodies.
The new album’s first track Make The Light, features a flurry of guitarist Ian Hultquist’s soaring riffs followed by Michael Angelakos’ formidable falsetto. Then, 90s retro synth grooves kick into full gear. This new tune serves as a reminder that a bands established longevity is not confined by simple keyboard-driven melodies (e.g., Keane- I hope you are listening).
Backed behind a resonating campfire-chorus, this 80s beat-intensive tune features retro dance samples reminiscent of vintage Pet Shop Boys. This track has become a staple for many deejay sets across the globe, who are providing their own creative concoction for this mega Indie single.
The Erasure-esque Sleepyhead is an Orient-flavored sonorous melody that could be considered an unofficial tribute to the British synth group’s 1990s chart-topping single Always. Passion Pit employs multi-vocal sound effects, strings and minimalist techno soundscapes, recalling flavors of the Far East. The lyrics leave the impression that the band is crooning about having an out-of-body experience while having a lucid nightmare."With all their lions and all their might and all their thirst, they crowd your bedroom like some thoughts wearing thin."
These Cambridge Mass. lads have produced an electrifying new album built on retro dance beats and classic Indie pop. But they must continue to push the envelope by experimenting with more modern electronica to avoid the possibility of a potential sophomore slump. Grade: A-
After only a two years hiatus, the Arctic Monkeys return with an emotionally charged album, featuring an impressive mix of guitar-driven grooves and retro-style psychedelic pop. The band has generated favorable publicity after spending over a year testing out new material during live performances throughout the UK. Perhaps, their tune-up was well spent!
The album’s most immediate track is the 60s British Invasion-flavored Cornerstone featuring Beatles centric hooks. Front man Alex Turner’s emotionally charged vocal conjures up memories of classic George Harrison in a love ballad about holding on to fading memories of a past romance.
Secret Door could be the album’s most successful single as it offers a splendid combination of hypnotic distorted vocal effects, luscious strings and thunderous drum rolls. Turner could be crooning about escaping an empty life through a magical but fabled story in a childrens book. “Not looking like she was soon to leave, I had to squint in order to believe. And then like a pull and a push in on a bookshelf, I'm unveiling the unexpected.”
The band chants in unison during the introduction to Dangerous Games, which recalls vintage melodies from The Byrds. The song then blends in rapid-fire guitar clangs and battering-like percussion to make it a potential fan favorite for future live performances. The lyrics are almost incomprehensible but eerily catchy, “A N I M A L makes my head pirouette. More than I would be willing to confess D A N G E R O U S.”
Alex Turner may have learned a few tricks while on his sabbatical with his side project, The Last Shadow Puppets. By employing various retro-style harmonies and instrumentation, this LP could be the band’s most artistically creative endeavor yet. While they haven’t quite unveiled their softer side, the good old chaps have begun a journey to a more mature themed album, with a repertoire of sonically diverse tunage. Grade: B+
Published 8/14/09
In The Spotlight: Arctic Monkeys-Cornerstone (Live)
Some of the most gifted and talented artists face rocky times before they hit the jackpot. The Leicester-born British band has weathered turbulent waters since their first self-titled LP in 2004. Despite the departures of integral band members (e.g., their lead guitarist and bassist), the UK lads have licked their wounds and could deliver a potential blockbuster hit with The West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum. Kasabian have come close to reaching perfection as the band continues to dazzle their fans with their vibrant mix of techno and guitar rock that borrows from a myriad of influences from The Stone Roses to the electronic outfit The Chemical Brothers.
Fast-Fuse is a psychedelic rocker, sporting feverish guitar clangs and lead vocalist Tom Meighan provides his best impersonation of Liam Gallagher (of Oasis fame). The Blokes new “single-in-the making” describes what may be a bunch of hooligans living the lime life before they are caught red-handed.
Vlad The Impaler is born to be a stadium rock anthem that incorporates propulsive electro-chimed drumbeats and menacing guitar riffs from Sergio Pizzorono. The Brits may be offering a commentary on their own celebrity status or writing what should be the opening song for the HBO hit Entourage. The track is filled with infectious grooves and ultra-catchy lyrics. All my friends are as sharp as razors, cut you down if you touch the faders. High-class girls hung in elevators. Now we have got the floor.
Swarfiga could be paying tribute to the techno remixer DJ & Producer Welsh-native Lincoln Barrett (aka High Contrast) with this drum-n-bass infused instrumental that belongs on your mixtape as you're cruising down the highway to your next weekend party. It’s only missing one key ingredient – lyrics! Kasabian serves up their best impression of George Harrison and the Beatles with the acoustic and luscious string ballad, West Rider Silver Bullet. The band members croon about leaving behind a loved one while on a soul-searching mission. This track would sound sublime in a live concert venue. West Ryder Pauper is currently receiving rave reviews in Great Britain as it has reached number one in the UK Top 40 charts in mid June. The band offers up their most complete album to date, mixing classic rock with modern techno electronica. Spend your hot summer nights with Kasabian’s new LP, which should cause a symphonic firestorm around your home stereo system. Grade: A-
Download Right Now: Fast Fuse, West Rider Silver Bullet
In The Spotlight: Kasabian-Underdog (From The West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum)
During these times of economic uncertainty, everyone is looking to rediscover their own identity or redefine themselves in the new millennium. It seems fitting that in 2009 Green Day has undergone a noticeable face-lift with the release of an ambitious new album for the ages, 21st Century Breakdown. There is a smorgasbord of UK punk, classic rock n’ roll and Beatles influences that culminate into a timeless rock opera LP that succeeds in eluding the confines of your typical alternative-rock punk band.
The album begins on a booming note with Mass Hysteria, a modern punk song about anarchy against the status quo. This track has newsworthy significance, considering the current state of our economy. Billy Joe Armstrong’s vocal has never felt this impassioned and forceful. The track offers incessant hard-rock drum loops and machine-gun-like guitar rhythms and electric distortion, which helps reaffirm the band’s new creative motivation and sense of urgency.
Before Lobotomy starts as a melodious guitar pop tune about a broken civilization where dreams have been tarnished by the harsh realities of very difficult times. Then in the fourth stanza, the band takes an ominous tone by unleashing menacing guitar riffs and rapid-fire drums. Billy Joe croons, Well, it's enough to make you sick. To cast a stone and throw a brick when the sky is falling down. It burned your dreams into the ground.
The band switches gears with Horseshoes & Handgrenades. This is a sublime tribute to British punk of the 70s and early 80s. The track offers a perfect montage of savage guitar riffs from Mike Dimdt and a frenetic-paced backbeat over the distorted and wildly seductive pitch from Billy Joe. Green Day could be making a fight song about putting an end to totalitarianism in the U.S. government. The band seems to be making a pledge to end complete dictatorship and encourage more autonomy in our lives.
Last Night on Earth features a dreamy romantic vocal that recalls some of John Lennon’s vintage singles. Every rock opera should have a centerpiece love song to supplement the overall theme of the album. The band showcases their romantic side as they tell the story of man isolated by his shattered surroundings – but he remains upbeat by the love he shares with someone far away. While Beatles-mania influences are imprinted on this track, one can’t avoid reminiscing about U2’s nostalgic lovely guitar and string bass ballad, Staring At The Sun (see U2's Pop).
Every supergroup has a song that becomes the signature anthem that will help galvanize their career to the next plateau. Restless Heart Syndrome begins as a mid-tempo pop tune with luscious strings and dreamy piano soundscapes that features arguably the best vocals from Billy Joe on the album. Three minutes later it begins its metamorphosis into spellbinding, heavy and maniacal guitar rhythms, recalling some of the Edge’s finest moments.
The track also features some of their most heartfelt and compelling lyrics from their own discography. The song touches on the lives of those who are resorting to desperate measures to find a remedy to their own self-loathing during times of despair. Somebody take the pain away. It's like an ulcer bleeding in my brain. Send me to the pharmacy. So I can lose my memory. I'm elated. Medicated.
Green Day has managed to create a gripping LP that touches on the feelings of hopelessness and despair we all share when we are confronted by forces beyond our control. The band creates a unique symphonic mix of rock and punk to challenge us to rise up against our fears with sheer fortitude and self-purpose.
Download Right Now:Restless Heart Syndrome & Last Night On Earth Grade: A
“The Freewheelin" Bob Dylan returns for his latest offering, Together Through Life, with a gripping record that perfectly melds blues and rock n’ roll fusion alongside very chilling and poignant vocals. There is a smattering of psychedelic rock influences evidenced by Dylan’s decision to hire his friend, Greatful Dead’s Robert Hunter, to assist in writing lyrics for the new LP. But classic rock aficionados should heed the following warning: This is not the epic Blood On The Tracks (1975) nor the modern classic Time Out of Mind (1997). This is not a record for Dylan purists; and it might become an acquired taste for even his most steadfast supporters.
The opening track, Beyond Here Lies Nothin’, could provide us with some indication that Dylan has come to grips with his own mortality and love may be the final answer to escape years of pent up mental anguish. It is a definitive fast-paced blues number, which features impressive Eric-Claptonesque guitar rhythms and thunderous drums that might leave you in a transient musical state of hypnotic bliss. But it’s Dylan’s emotive harsh vocals that awaken us to his unnerving, strong sentiments, pervasive throughout the song. You’re the love I’ve ever known … just as long as you stay with me, the whole world lies our throne … down here lies nothin’, nothing we can call our own.
Forgetful Heart is Dylan’s take on alternative country that features a deeply troubled and reflective vocal along with a very effective combination of acoustic guitar, guitar distortion and the quintessential harmonica that leaves listeners with an ominous feeling something troublesome is about to unfold. Dylan pleads, Without you it’s so hard to take. Can’t take much more, why can’t love like we did before.
Dylan’s decision to incorporate stories of tarnished love into the album does not bode well for music lovers yearning for a slew of timeless love classics. But Dylan offers one dose of optimism for avid fans with the sunny folk-rock ballad, I Feel A Change Comin’ On. Well, Life is for love. And they say love is blind. If you want to live easy, baby pack your clothes with mine!
Together Through... will not go down in the music almanacs as one of Dylan’s finest records to-date. But this is perfect “mood” music for those listeners hoping to unwind to a piece reflective melodious artwork while tackling life’s difficult challenges. This album will squash all rumors that “The Freewheelin” Bob has failed to age gracefully and with class. One of the legends of our time has created an astonishing up-tempo, blues-intensive LP, which will help us contemplate life’s roadblocks that sometimes stand in the way of love and true companionship.
Download Right Now:I Feel A Change Comin' On Grade: B+
There is an unusual aura surrounding Depeche Mode and their brand-new new wave intensive album Sounds of the Universe. The legendary Britpop band has finally found happiness while developing an album filled with tormenting themes of isolation, soullessness and self-loathing. Lead keyboardist Andrew Fletcher dusts off DM’s vintage synthesizers and computerized drum machines to help them rediscover their resonating gothic pop sound that helped them soar in the Billboard charts during the 80s and 90s. This is perhaps their best effort since Violator (1990), but there are a number of tracks where the British trio coasts on cruise control with a handful of subpar melodies. But there are at least five songs in this 12-track album that make this a must-have edition to one’s Depeche Mode collection.
Wrong is the album’s first single, which is perhaps the albums heaviest and most club-ready track. Lead Vocalist David Gahan croons about being trapped in a life of misery and destitution. "I was born with the wrong sign. In the wrong house. With the wrong ascendancy, I took the wrong road that led to the wrong tendencies." The track is a classic techno throwback that is reminiscent of Clean (from Violator). In Perfect, Depeche Mode could be paying tribute to their former bandmate Vince Clarke in this Erasure-esque beautiful synth-beat-laden track about trying to come to grips about a failing love affair. Both Gahan and Martin Gore showcase exquisite vocals while they mourn about trying to find inner tranquility in the luscious ballad Peace. Gore unleashes menacing guitar rhythms over a tribal drum backbeat in Hole to Feed.
Sounds of the Universe answers the pervading question of whether English gothic rock has a definitive place in 21st century modern music. The LP is a shock to the system, considering how debonair the band sounds as they continue to romanticize us with their propulsive melodies of despair.
Download Right Now:Wrong, Perfect & Hole To Feed Grade: B
A wise tale says that a leopard can’t change his spots. Perhaps that is the case. But don’t tell that to Pete Doherty who has released one of his most complete albums in recent memory with the new Grace/Wastelands. Doherty strays from the usual punkish ballad roots that defined his previous bands The Libertines and Babyshambles. Good ol’ Pete may have reserved the best for last by pushing the envelope and recruiting legendary guitarist Graham Coxon of Blur fame, Producer Stephen Street (The Smiths) and the beautiful resonating voice of Scottish singer/songwriter Dot Allison.
After numerous unsuccessful stints in rehab to curb his incorrigible drug addition, Doherty managed a six-month period in 2007 where he was reportedly drug free. Perhaps some of his strongest songwriting and melodies were conceived while trying to fight his disease. The Last of the English Roses features pervasive hypnotic drums under a Middle Eastern-influenced sonorous melody. Doherty delves enthusiastically into childhood memories by recalling looking trendy among his blokes while being surrounded by family members who have seemingly lost their inhibitions in the company of a good brew. She almost spilled her lager toasting girls of great beauty … but the closing moved by coming of age, coming alive All the boys together, And all the girls together …
Doherty seems to be writing an autobiography regarding his troubled personal life and his self-indulgences in the Palace of Bone. Perhaps he’s admitting in the song that his celebrity persona in the UK has encouraged his drug addiction and, ultimately, his own self-destruction. Winding on the hills together. Winding on that snaky road ...What’s that they tell you about your future they’re tellin’ you … they’re going to pick your pocket too.
Gram Coxon injects electric-guitar distortion to Doherty’s ballad, New Love Grows On Trees, which may be another ode to cannabis plants. But Doherty ventures into blues and rock and roll to create one of the best post-punk tracks in the past five years. The most beautiful and heartfelt track on Grace/Wastelands is his duet with Allison in the tragic ballad Sheepskin Tearaway. Doherty might be alluding in the song that there are some inner demons he cannot control and that he has succumb to drug addiction. So Give Me your surrender … because there are other ways to kill the pain. Tears will never mend you ... except trying to dry your eyes in the pouring rain.
While Pete may have reached the pinnacle of his artistic game, Grace/Wastelands does falter at times if you take him too seriously. The aimless acoustic ballad Lady Don’t Fall Backward is a prime example of how dope can be a detriment to even the most talented of musicians. The track is reminiscent of a Kafka-esque nursery rhyme as he rambles on about meeting someone in Chinatown for opium and tea.
Doherty may have concocted a future Grammy award-winning hit that is an authentic reflection of his innermost demons while paying tribute to legendary blues artists, but the real question is whether he will survive long enough to accept the accolades he deserves with this effort. In the meantime, Doherty should try lighting up only in studio and unwinding with a spot of tea at night. Wishful thinking!
Download Right Now:Sheepskin Tearaway & New Love Grows On Trees Grade: B+
When should a rock and roll band earn the distinct privilege of being labeled as a “Supergroup?” Could it be relegated to Billboard rankings, ticket sales, reviews or album sales? That would be a foolish misnomer (Hint: see Britney Spears, The Jonas Brothers). U2 band members Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton have grabbed the nation by storm with their grassroots U.S. promotional campaign for their album, No Line on the Horizon. U2 promoted their new LP in a unique way from previous smash hits by performing center stage at the Ed Sullivan Theatre on the Late Show with David Letterman in March. “Any band that says they don’t want to be a super band are kidding themselves … this is why we are here,” Bono told Letterman. This is lofty expectations for any band with talent. U2 earned this noble distinction by pushing the envelope in most of their successful albums.
U2 admitted to reporters that they are facing intense pressure from bands like Coldplay, The Killers and Franz Ferdinand who are arriving with a fresh new look and sound – along with it a younger audience! How can they compete with this new generation of “Superbands?” To answer this question, we must consider U2’s phenomenal portfolio of music that features a vigorous guitar-filled sound, awe-inspiring vocals as well as highly reflective lyrics. No Line On the Horizon shows us that the Irish Foursome haven’t rested on their past laurels by regurgitating their previous successes with Joshua Tree (1987), Unforgettable Fire (1984) All That You Can’t Leave Behind (2000) and How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004). Their new album marks a dramatic shift in their sound and return to art pop, which was exemplified in the Berlin techno-esque album Achtung Baby (1991).
The Dubliners kick off their new album with the punkish-ballad title track, No Line On The Horizon, which features a Larry Mullen’s percussion-filled backbeat and the Edge’s roaring guitar rhythms. Bono sings about someone who once basked in a life of luxury and now languishes in the realization that what he once possessed is slowly fading away. Bono’s voice hasn’t evoked this much fierce passion since the top-40 hit Sunday Bloody Sunday.
Magnificent initially begins with simple guitar riffs and Brian Eno-inspired drum loops before transforming into a dance-stomper filled with propulsive machine drumbeats and jagged guitar-driven grooves from The Edge. Bono and Co. croon about trying to reinvigorate an everlasting love that has somehow lost its passion. Expect top DJ remixers like Thin White Duke, Tiesto and Peter Rauhofer to inject their own flavor into this future single in the form of club remixes.
Moment of Surrender could be the album’s most impassioned lyrical and vocal masterpiece since Bad (from the album Unforgettable Fire). The song confronts thematic elements of overcoming obstacles in the face of adversity. Bono mourns, I’ve been in every black hole. At the altar of a dark star. My body is now begging, though it’s begging to get back. It is a brilliant contemplative pop song splattered with hypnotic drum loops and electronic piano soundscapes.
The band delves into more experimental pop with new age, Middle Eastern-influenced, Unknown Caller. This tribal chant rocker incorporates electronic piano, chimes, bird chirps, samples and percussion. The band chants in unison during the chorus, Go, shout it out, rise up. Oh, oh escape yourself, and gravity hear me, cease to speak that I may speak. The band’s impassioned tone implies that it could be an introspective ballad about getting over failure and starting over. While the band’s emotionally charged lyrics are still ever-present, U2 continues to innovate by experimenting periodically in the album with buzz-saw like guitar rhythms, techno drum beats and Middle Eastern strings to bring a vibrant, spiritual sound to the forefront. Unlike some of their predecessors, U2 has managed to avoid reaching their plateau. How can U2 top this bold new masterpiece? How about offering fan sweepstakes for discounted concert tickets. Tickets for the band’s October concert at the Cowboy Stadium in Arlington start at more than $150 per person. Ugh!!!!
Download Right Now:Magnificent & Moment of Surrender Grade: A-
UK import La Roux (vocalist Eleanor Jackson and producer/keyboardist Ben Langmaid) is generating monumental buzz across the globe with their new self-entitled album, which is a beautiful concoction of killer hooks, New Wave-inspired synthesizers and Erasure-like drum loops. This new Electro-pop band is very much a duo as both Jackson and Langmaid channeled their talents to create a winning formula of electronic wizardry and love-themed ballads.
