The Tape

I have no idea what to think of this album. I don’t know if I love it or if I hate it. I feel like them rushing this album made it feel more like a mixtape, than an album. But on the other hand, there are a bunch of good tracks. Every time I listen to this album it grows more and more on me.

The album starts off with “Ares” which sounds like Bloc Party trying to replicate Silent Alarm, but on a more extreme level. Of course being Bloc Party, I find this song extremely catchy. The song has this breakdown that is so reminiscent of A Weekend In The City, it seems like the producers divided the song between Silent Alarm and A Weekend In The City. Next comes Mercury, and there isn’t anything more to say about this song.

The next song, “Halo” is one of the best on the albums. Bloc Party makes pop punk so good by adding interesting guitar hooks and melodies. Every time I listen to this song it grows more and more on me.

After this comes my second favorite track, “Biko.” This song has the electronic feel of “Mercury” or “Flux”, but it’s so soft spoken and just great. For the chorus they add these hand claps that belong on a Top 40 hip-hop song, but somehow fit.

“Trojan Horse” is the first time I’ve ever heard Bloc Party use a tambourine. Weird.

The next song “Signs” doesn’t really do it for me. I don’t know what it is, it’s just boring. I just think of Hot Chip’s “Over and Over” whenever the song begins.

“One Month Off” is the standout track on this album. This song could have easily been one of the better songs on Silent Alarm, which doesn’t feature a bad track. This song has an extremely catchy chorus with creative lyrics…

“I can be as cruel as you, fighting fire with fire wood.
I can be as cruel as you, fighting lights with lights.”

This song has a Silent Alarm feel, but the way it ends says that they’re moving in a new direction, which I feel leads into the next song, “Zepharus.”

While I was writing this review, I forgot how much I love this song. There is something about the electro beat and then the choir that kicks in that makes it so epic. This song belongs in a Spiderman chase scene, and I absolutely love it. I normally dislike bands going for something epic, but Kele really holds his own against a whole choir… It gets absolutely fantastic at about 2:40 when the drums drop out and it’s just Kele belting out the chorus, with that choir. The song only gets better from there.

“Better Than Heaven” sounds like the entire middle part of A Weekend In The City, but remixed. I really don’t like this song, but once again Kele sings a dynamite chorus… The only highlight of this song. Although this song does get better towards the second half of it, I still don’t like it. Kele literally has a catchy chorus on every single track. I’ve probably sung a chorus from each song while I was in the shower, at least once.

Although I don’t particularly enjoy “Ion Square”, I can understand why they closed the album with this. It sort of sums up what has happened throughout the album, and blends all the ideas together for one final conclusion.

Overall , I liked this album more than I thought I would… But it wasn’t fantastic like Bloc Party can be. Coming from a drummer, I found this album disappointing, especially with the talent Matt Tong has shown on the past two albums. If you don’t own this album, I say go for it because it’s only $8.99, and there are a few tracks worth that cost alone.

Bloc Party- Halo

Bloc Party- One Month Off

Bloc Party- Zepherus (Zshare)

I’ve been a fan of Ra Ra Riot since their EP’s debut last year. Something about the strings, the mood, and the subtle infectiousness of their songs got to me. The Rhumb Line marks Ra Ra Riot’s first full length and I’m doing the duty as a fan of reviewing it.

The album opens with a sense of urgency, “Ghost Under Rocks” a favorite from the EP sounds more menacing and pained. The strings almost seem devilish, lulling you in before they strike and stab you in the face with their spiked bows of animosity. The whole song carries a very haunting atmosphere which seems distilled from its first incarnation on the EP.

After the powerful opener Ra Ra Riot lays back and delivers another favorite in the shape of “Each Year”. I have to say I’m partial to the RAC remix of the tune but the original is splendid none the less.

The album moves on into St. Peter’s Day Festival, a song I had only heard in their live WOXY sessions. The song feels a bit off balance appearing so soon after two numbers so close to hearts by now. The song tries to endear itself by giving all of the Ra Ra Rioty goodness that Ra Ra Riot can. Lyrics like “C’mon c’mon let us in” pave the way for acceptance and by the end of the 3:36 duration St. Peter’s Day Festival has won me over.

“Winter ‘05″ begins with a very somber string section like the beginning of a shadowed symphony. The hihats begin to carry the song as the lyrics carry an aloof sense of sorrow. The song never dares to rise up, almost defeated, and then ends.

Suddenly “Dying Is Fine” breaks its way in. Another favorite from the EP which I expected to carry a more morbid tone since the seriously tragic death of Ra Ra Riot’s former drummer John Pike. I was wrong. The song is one of the most foot tapping, head bobbing ditties out of the pack. Still, I can’t help but feel a post mortem message and a little remorse in the lyrics “Death oh baby/You know that dying is fine but maybe/I wouldn’t like death if death were good”.

Another new song “Can You Tell” sounds familiar and even more at home once the drums and strings come in. This one is the most blatantly a love song for better or worse, and though it sounds like Ra Ra Riot it doesn’t strike home for me.

“Too Too Fast”, another new song, opens in the most unusual way so far with loud drums and a synth. Sounding more like their contemporaries (they did tour with Tokyo Police Club) the backing vocals of Too Too Too Fast and the upbeat chorus are sure to make this one a new favorite. It’s damn fun to hear strings so welcome in the upbeat bass+drums+guitar+synth combo. It’s damn fun.

“Oh, La” brings back Ra Ra Riot’s most folky sounds as if to reassure us that they still sound like themselves. The song is good but not them at their best, which is a bit sad since the chorus is pretty catchy. Alas.

“Suspended In Gaffa” brings a very circus like feel with the up and down nature of the song. Once again Ra Ra Riot succeeds at venturing a little bit out of bounds. The song, like the title, has a very suspended quality, almost acrobatic in its melody.

The final song in the 10 track album is “Run My Mouth” with a subject matter about “days ending too slow” and “where to go from here” the song reads like a meditation on the whole album and the future of Ra Ra Riot. As the song climaxes “when the only thing left to do is run my mouth” it lends a sober insight on the entire act of creativity. When there’s nothing left to do I guess the answer is to make a damn good album. RIP John Pike.

Ra Ra Riot - Ghost Under Rocks (mediafire)

Ra Ra Riot - Winter ‘05 (mediafire)

Ra Ra Riot - Too Too Too Fast (mediafire)

GZA is one of the most famous Wu-Tang members. He has also released the best solo albums from the Wu-Tang Clan (in my opinion), and this is no different. The self proclaimed “genius” really lives up to his humble nickname with his latest album. GZA is known for his lyrical mastery, but I couldn’t help but notice how tremendous his beats were on his latest album. They all had a similar vibe to them, but they all had their own personality. Oh yeah, and the lyrics were straight fire as well.

It’s really hard to outdo his masterful album “Liquid Swords”, but he came as close as you can with Pro Tools. I didn’t expect this album to be half as good as it is. I expected a piece of junk that was created to circulate hype, and get GZA a little bit of extra money. But that was rash and unfair of me to judge GZA, The Genius like that.

A few odd things I noticed on this album:
#1 No Kung-Fu movie samples
#2 half of the album is under the alias “GZA” while the other half is under “GZA The Genius”
#3 Many of the songs revolve around the theme of “Cinema,” or “Movies”

Anyways, here are a couple of standout tracks.

GZA The Genius- Paper Plate

GZA- Columbian Ties

GZA- Cinema

This album is really confusing. I took a long time to ponder it before I started writing about it. I figured that the concept of his solo album would be to stray away from his Bright Eyes sound, and really try something different. To me, the whole folk-rock concept that he achieves with Bright Eyes, sounds just like the stuff on this album. The only change in his approach to these songs, are his lyrics. He just seems much more up-beat and so much less melancholy on this album. His lyrics are taking a less “Fuck the world, lets start a revolution approach”, and more of a “Let’s open the top of our convertible, and drive down the open road approach.” His poppy approach to this album is really disappointing because the one thing I loved about Bright Eyes was the fact that he had shit to talk about, while still sounding so mad at everyone.

I went to a Bright Eyes show a while back and afterwards he was handing out flyers about animal cruelty, and the positive effects of being a vegetarian or a vegan; and to be honest, I stopped and considered the harm to animals eating meat really caused, and I love the fact that he took the time to stand up for stuff he believed in. It sounds really lame for me to say that he was awesome because he stood up for what he believes in, but it is true. No one does anymore. (I guess that’s why I loved Saul Williams show so much, He had shit to talk about.) All of his ideas and thoughts on how fucked up everything is are just nonexistent on this album, and that’s just really disappointing. The album is a solid folk album if you’re looking for you’re average record, but Conor Oberst doesn’t make your average record, he makes great records and this is not a great record. He jumps back to his Bright Eyes ways on a few songs like “Lenders In The Temple” and “I Don’t Want To Die (In The Hospital)” but for the most part, his new persona appears and is unfitting for him. Below are a few songs I really did enjoy off this album.

Conor Oberst- Cape Canaveral

Conor Oberst- I Don’t Want To Die (In The Hospital)

Conor Oberst- Eagle On A Pole

The first thing I noticed about Forward, Russia’s! latest disc is that they have eliminated the first upside-down exclamation from their name. Now they’re just Forward, Russia! The second thing I noticed is that these songs have names. A strange concept? For them it is, because all of their previous were numbered in the order they were written. The third thing I had noticed was that this album is really good. I am easily impressed, but I generally don’t listen to a whole album straight through. I pretend I have to much stuff to do to achieve that. But this album really kept me interested the whole time. As I was writing this, I just noticed something strange about the album art. On the cover, the two exclamations are feature but oddly under the artists name, they are nowhere to be found.

I really don’t know what kind of genre this band fits in, just because it’s so different. Some of the stuff is so heavy, but so melodic it really makes it hard to pin a label on them. I’ve mostly heard the word post-punk thrown at them, but I think thats inaccurate. His voice is too melodic and an instrument to be considered punk. I’m not saying that punk singers don’t have good voices, they just don’t use them as instruments like singer Tom Woodhead does. When I picture this band in my head, I think of an 8 piece crazy circus with everyone jumping around. I was surprised to find out there are only four members. The different noises they get with just four members makes me wonder what the point of a large band is. Anyways, I highly recommend this album, along with their first. Enjoy a couple of my favorite tracks from the new album. These files are too big for the websites server! Yousendit or Mediafire? I’m in a Medifire mood tonight.

Forward, Russia!- Some Buildings

Forward, Russia!- Gravity & Heat

Sounding like Say Hi To Your Mom found a band in a bar during a cold night in Canada, or more accurately South Carolina, Run Dan Run blends a melodic drum machine/vocal combination with the force of a full band, a soft and honest voice with echoes of a 808 cowbell speaking of forgetting names with pretty synths and the slow strum of a guitar: perfect. Dan McCurry, Nick Jenkins, Ash Hopkins, and Erin McKinley prefer to describe their electric indie pop groovings like so:

Once upon a time Dan was captured by mind-manipulating aliens that planted a small microchip into his brain that transfers and channels information through verse & audio. When this chip was activated from the distant planet that these aliens watch over Dan from he began acting strangely neurotic and wrote down alien transmissions in song form. He was then met by Nick Jenkins, a cyborg & freelance musician, and they began performing recording experiments. Shortly after their experimentations, they concocted a plan to take over the world, however, they needed a foil. Using a very disproportionately large tractor beam, they pulled in Ash Hopkins from “Starzzhip Interrprizze” and passed off their plans for world domination in the form of an unsuspecting, small operations indie pop rock band. They called their superannihilation plan for all humanoids “Run Dan Run”. They conducted hypnosis/mindthought planting experiments on the general masses at shows around their project base, Charleston, SC. They found a likely specimen for synthesizing hamsters with people in a young singer, Erin McKinley. They abducted her in a giant beam of light, gave her an aluminum foil helmet and made the first hamster-human ever recorded. They called their breakthrough discovery “Basic Mechanics.” Now they’re ready to infiltrate the homes of earthyouth in an honest-to-goodness jewel-cased CD package… muhahahahaha! Muhahahahaha!

Whatever you may choose, the message is constant. Run Dan Run makes music you want to hear and contrary to the ideas you may have gotten, they will not abduct you into a mind controlled cult to further the plot of an indie pop band’s world domination. Maybe.

Run Dan Run - The Turnover

Run Dan Run - Your Name Escapes Me

Hour of the Shipwreck is a five member band consisting of RICHIE KOHAN - 12 String Guitar, Vocals, BARBARA GRUSKA - Drums, Vocals (Jenny Lewis, The Watson Twins, Inara George, Mike Andrews), MARCEL CAMARGO - Guitars, Mandolin, Orchestra Bells, Vocals (The Watson Twins, Inara George, Airto Moreira), AARON ARNTZ - Wind Organ, Keyboards, Bells, Orchestra Bells, Vocals (Zappa Plays Zappa), and GABE NOEL - Bass. They play a mix of dreamy pirate rock and Danny Elfman inspired music. Their CD was officially released tonight. They played a show at the party and I was lucky enough to witness one of the greatest rock performances I have ever seen. Not only are they great performers but their new CD rules. “If they don’t get famous off this album there is something wrong with the world”-Sam Kauffman-Skloff. Now I’ll highlight some of my favorite songs on the new album.

Hour Of The Shipwreck-Unclouded Eyes

Hour Of The Shipwreck- My Fantasy

This next one does something amazing, they are able to take a heavy solo and put it against a piece of music that is slow and beautiful.
Hour Of The Shipwreck-Save The World

These are undoubtedly the hardest rocking songs on the album. I honestly have nothing to say about this album besides it being great. So if your into these tracks you can purchase the album on their myspace.

Let me start off by saying that this is one of the most interesting, inspiring, and flat out cool albums I’ve ever heard. Emmanuel Jal was a Sudanese child rebel soldier, who later escaped and is now living in London. Here is a little bit of background on Emmanuel.

“Emmanuel was recruited by the SPLA and taken to military training camps in the bush in Ethiopia. The camp was disguised as a school in front of international aid agencies and UN representatives, but behind closed doors the children were training to fight. Emmanuel spent several years fighting with the SPLA in Ethiopia, until war broke out there too and the child soldiers were forced back into Sudan by the fighting and joined the SPLA’s efforts to fight the government. When the fighting became unbearable Emmanuel and some other children decided to run away. They were on the move for three months, with many dying on the way, until they reached the town of Waat, which was the headquarter on a small group that had separated themselves from the main SPLA.”

Emmanuel was later adopted by a lady by the name of Emma McCune, and she smuggled him into Kenya. Emmanuel wrote a song off his new album about her and in memory of her, because she died in a car crash shortly after he was adopted by her.

He has an absolutely amazing story, and I highly recommend this album to absolutely everyone even if you aren’t a fan of hip-hop. Here are a few mp3’s for your sampling pleasure from his new album (released yesterday) entitled Warchild.

Emmanuel Jal- Shadow of Death

Emmanuel Jal- 50 Cent

Emmanuel Jal- Emma

The Roots came out with their latest studio release entitled “Rising Down” a few weeks ago. This album happens to be my favorite of the many Roots albums. What’s so different about this album is the large amount of quality songs and quality guest artists. Most Roots albums have been good featuring a few fantastic songs, and the rest decent (with a few exceptions). But this album features great tracks all the way through. They also have a ton of good guest artists lacking on previous discs. Some of them include Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, and Wale just to name a few. A few tracks really stand out on this album though. Previously mentioned in this post, is “Rising Up” featuring Wale and Chrisette Michele which I highly recommend. But a few songs not posted yet are “Rising Down”, “Criminal”, and “The Show.” “Rising Down” features Mos Def and Styles P, and features a heavy beat from ?uestlove. A minimalist guitar quietly backgrounds the lyrics, which suits Black Thought better then a frantic beat. “Criminal” features Truck North and Saigon, and is a real change from the rest of the album. It has a soft acoustic guitar and some sort of stringy banjo instrument. Truck North is not a rapper I believe and sings a very catchy hook. I give a lot of credit to The Roots for changing it up, instead of sticking to the same formula. Next and last for this review is The Show” featuring Common and Dice Raw. This song has a sort of electric synth over it and is layered by a drum beat, hand claps, and harmonies. The most diverse track on the album, and my favorite because during Black Thoughts verses, it remains simple.

“Rising Down”
“Criminal”
“The Show”

It’s not good, its gold… Santogold. That is Santogold’s RCRD LBL quote, and after hearing this album it is quite accurate. Although she does sound similar to M.I.A. she is a much better vocalist, and her songs are more catchy.

L.E.S. Artistes
One of the few early released singles, is an extremely catchy pop song with a fantastic video. Most of you already have this track, and if you’re like me it has climbed to the top of your Itunes most played.

You’ll Find A Way
This song takes a sort of odd direction from the rest of the album. It has sort of a punk/reggae beat. Her voice is sort of annoying on this track, but the chorus makes up for it with a catchy hook.

Shove It (Feat. Spank Rock)
Possibly my favorite song on the album, Spank Rock makes everything better. A cheesy synth line in this song fits perfectly, with this reggae handclapping beat.

Say Aha
This track has a fantastic chorus that has yet another catchy hook. This song adds another great layer with a horn section.

Creator (vs. Switch and FreQ Nasty)
I feel this is where Santi gets most of her M.I.A. comparisons. Although she does have a similar voice in this song, I don’t think M.I.A. would ever attempt to sing over a beat quite as all over the place as this one.

My Superman
This track starts out with an “Ay ay ay” that gets the listeners attention. Santi is whinely singing over a slow drum and bass track as she slowly builds up her voice for more “Ay ay ay’s.” Overall, a solid track to start out with.

Lights Out
This song starts out a little too Ashlee Simpson for me and ends up a little too cheesy for me. I’m sure some people will find it catchy, it’s just not for me.

Starstruck
Santogold proves to me on this track that she can entertain over a simple beat. It seems a little cool kids esque, which most can’t pull off because of its simplicity. I never would have expected this from her, just because her beats seem to be a little more manic, but she proves that she can rely on her voice as well as the beat.

Unstoppable
This song pisses me off, not a fan.

I’m A Lady (feat. Trouble Andrew)
I really enjoy this song. Santogold’s voice is really soothing on this track as she gently sings over a real laid back beat. She shows off her voice in this chorus, as it sounds straight up powerful.

Anne
This song sounds very M.I.A. to me. It has a simple Indian esque beat to it, that fits M.I.A. better than Santogold. Santogold holds her own, it’s just that this track really doesn’t grab my attention whatsoever.

You’ll Find A Way (Switch and Sinden Remix)
I always thought remixes should be saved for b-sides and such, but there isn’t much to complain about in this track. This could really turn out to be a club banger.

Santogold- Shove It (Feat. Spank Rock)

Santogold- Say Aha

Santogold- Starstruck

Santogold- I’m A Lady (Feat. Trouble Andrew)