Review: Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

It's very rare these days for a band to be able to achieve the kind of success and acclaim that Arcade Fire has, and not fall on their faces. Arcade Fire however, seems to be the exception to the rule as they've released their third great album in a row.

Most bands would have chosen to start their album with a straight-ahead rocker like the second track here, "Ready To Start," instead Arcade Fire chose to start off with the poignant title track. Here lead songwriter/singer Win Butler recounts his childhood in suburban Houston, TX, recalling how he learned to drive and how things just aren't what they once were. 'The Suburbs' carries on that theme throughout the entire record and never loses track of the plot, something that's difficult to do for an entire hour, as they do here.

So yes, the album is long at a little over an hour in length, but it rarely feels that way. This is one of those rare albums where you just can't bring yourself to skip a track. Every song is important to the overall "story" and they all flow into each other. Like a good mixtape 'The Suburbs' never lets you down, with varying song-styles and lyrics that are always on point.
Arcade Fire has been compared in the mainstream press as being a combination of Springsteen-esque lyrics and U2 style music. Although this is true of some of the songs to be found here, it's not always the way things sound. On a song like "Modern Man" you get the sense that Butler was inspired not by the Boss and Bono but by Neil Young, a style that's also used on songs like "Wasted Hours" and "Deep Blue." "Modern Man" is such a high point that the band has started using it as an encore at recent shows. In the song, Butler clearly feels a yearning for times gone by but realizes that it's not to be and "maybe when you're older will understand."

The type of lyrics Butler comes up with on this album really tell you a lot about the man, he's not rallying against suburbia, he's just saying it doesn't have to be the way it is. "Half Light II" with its haunting backing vocals by Régine Chassagne and propulsive backbeat might just be one of the bands greatest songs. A tale of going back home to where you grew up, only to find it totally changed is heartbreaking and with the coda of "One day they will see it's long gone," it's very easy to relate to.

The lyrics aren't the only reason this album is a success, there's the music that surrounds them as well. If the instrumentation seems a tad pedestrian at first, give it a few listens and you'll be able to discover new parts everytime you listen. Owen Pallett's ear for an amazing string arrangement really shines on this album, from the hyperactivity of "Empty Room" to the rocker "Month of May," this man obviously knows what he's doing. If you haven't heard his work as Final Fantasy or his most recent album 'Heartland' you owe it to yourself to do so if you find yourself as enamored with his string arrangements as I am.
As great as the rest of the album is, it's blown out of the water by the breathtaking "Sprawl II" with Chassagne taking center stage. Her voice is in top form here with lyrics to match. The first time I heard this song I got goosebumps when I heard the chorus and still do. "Living in the sprawl, the dead shopping malls, rise like mountains beyond mountains," is the perfect picture of the suburbs and its sometimes never ending boredom.

Needless to say I was not let down by this album. It might not have the immediacy of "Funeral" but it also doesn't have to over-orchestrated sound of "Neon Bible." It will make a great addition to anyone's music collection and I couldn't recommend it more to anyone who ever grew up in the suburbs, if you did, you'll find more than a few songs that you can readily relate to. Expect this to be at the top of my, and other critics, year end lists this winter.

10/10
Best Tracks:
Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
Modern Man
Half Light II (No Celebration)
Month Of May
Deep Blue

Oh and if you get the chance, PLEASE go and see this band in concert. I got the opportunity to see them last week and their energy and musical ability will blow you away.

Review: River City Extension - The Unmistakable Man

Every once in a while you'll see a band at a local show and you'll ask yourself repeatedly, "Why aren't they well-known?" This reviewer had that occur this past December at the Holiday Show at Cool Beans. The performance they put on that night dropped my jaw, how could a band this talented not get huge?

Well I'm pleased to inform you that River City Extension's first full-length LP, "The Unmistakable Man" is one of the best things to come out of New Jersey in quite some time. They are a band that is so full of energy and passion that you can't help but invest yourself in the songs on a personal level. Lead Singer/Guitarist Joe Michelini's lyrics remind me of the everyman tales from Springsteen's "Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ," one of the best debuts of all time.

The album starts off rather awkwardly however, with a truly unnecessary intro. In my opinion they would have been better off just starting right off the bat with the solemn vocals/guitar of 'Friends and Family.' One minute into the song and you have a good idea of what you'll be hearing the rest of the way; inspired playing, excellent singing and fantastic lyrical content.
The highlight of this album has got to be 'Our New Intelligence' which mixes excellent singing by both Michelini and Samantha Tacon, who go back and forth with such fervor that you know the song is going to explode at any moment. A very interesting "Pirate" bridge leads to the song transforming into one of the best songs Arcade Fire never wrote.

From that point on the album takes many twists and turns, some for the better, some for the worse. I'm not the biggest fan of religious lyrics and a few of the songs do in fact deal with that subject matter. Not to say that they're bad songs, I'm just not a huge fan of that kind of material.

Another top track is 'Mexico' which features an extremely mariachi-esque horn part that you won't be able to get out of your head. I've loved this song since I first heard it in concert back in December. It's so insanely catchy with top-notch playing from the band. It's songs like this that make "The Unmistakable Man" a truly memorable record.
This is an excellent debut full-length, by an excellent band, but if you truly want to experience the energy of these songs in the proper fashion, I implore you to see their live show. In a live setting, this 8-piece is truly a sight to behold, their shows are less concerts than they are parties, and you're guaranteed to leave with a smile on your face and a song in your head.

I'd highly recommend this LP to anyone who enjoys the heartfelt DIY-ness of bands like Modest Mouse, Spoon and Arcade Fire. If you like even just one of those bands, I promise you'll like what you hear on "The Unmistakable Man." This is truly American WildMan Rock, with a little bit of folk and punk thrown in for good measure.

River City Extension recently signed to XOXO Records and "The Unmistakable Man" is available on Amazon.com, iTunes and at their shows. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up, you won't regret it and you just might find something great to add to your library.

7/10
Best Tracks:
Friends And Family
Mexico
Our New Intelligence
Adrianne
Too Tired To Drink
Waiting in the Airport

Review: Yeasayer - Odd Blood

(To Be Released 2/9/2010)

So here's my first album review...and it's an early one.

So I ended up getting this album on a whim, I'd only heard of them from various websites and maybe a friend or two. I have yet to hear their debut, "All Hour Cymbols," so I don't know how this stacks up to that.

Anyways, this is a top-notch album by a very interesting little band. Strange electronic beats mix with real instruments and sometimes haunting vocals, Yeasayer seem like the kind of band you'd hear at some hipster party in a New York City loft.

That last comment might make it sound like I didn't enjoy it, but I did, with the exceptions of the unnecessary first and final tracks, which have really obnoxious effects on the singer's voice.

The mixture of both music and and vocals on "Madder Red" is as close to perfect as a song is going to get. I've listened to this album at least 6 times now, and that's the track I keep coming back to..."Madder Red" has definite "mix" potential (for me at least).

'Odd Blood' sounds as though 3 guys from the future decided to come back in time and entertain themselves by making music from the 1980's. (If you can make sense of that statement, Yeasayer is for you...if not, there's other fish in the sea.)

As a fan of 80's keyboards and such I'll definitely keep coming back to this album in the future.

8/10

Best Tracks:
Madder Red
One
Ambling Alp
I Remember

Top 25 Albums of the Decade

This post took some planning and a whole lot of thought...but here's my tops/favorites for the entire decade in music. (I tried not to duplicate some artists, but it just couldn't be helped.)

25. Beck - Sea Change
In which we got a closer look at the weirdo hipster in the throes of heartbreak. This album is Beck at his most introspective and the most Dylan-esque outing of his career. At first it was strange to hear this quirky funk man sound so depressed but somehow, it worked.

24. Harvey Danger - King James Version
Recorded and then pretty much shelved by their record label, HD's second outing evolved their sound from distorted musing on the world to an all out blast of Indie badassery. Heartfelt songs like "Pike St./Park Slope" made you feel like you were actually at that intersection while "Loyalty Bldg." made you fear nuns all over again. An overlooked gem of an album that more people should have heard.

23. David Bowie - Heathen
The Thin White Duke's great comeback. Working with producer Tony Visconti for the first time in 22 years, Bowie made his strongest album in that span of time. From the haunting opener of "Sunday" to a great cover of the Pixies' "Cactus" this album had a little something for almost every kind of Bowie fan. He would only release one more album this decade, the only slightly less great "Reality," but if rumors are true, we should be hearing from him again very soon.

22. Dangermouse, Jay-Z & The Beatles - The Grey Album
Even though this jump-started that horrible "mash-up" fad of the mid-2000's, it's still the peak of it's genre. Not only is it better than the actual Black Album by Jay-Z, it introduced The Beatles to a new generation of listeners that probably never would've given them a second thought. Also, if this album doesn't prove that Ringo should guest-drum on a rap song from time to time, I don't know what does.

21. Radiohead - Amnesiac
Sure when this was first released it was laughed at by some as simply being "Kid B", seeing as how it's essentially leftovers from the Kid A sessions. Such jokes are not to be made however, this is one of this British band's stronger outings (it almost made you forget that Pablo Honey ever existed...almost). From the pulsating beat of "Packt Like Sardines..." to the creepy instrumental "Hunting Bears" this album was everything that Kid A was and more. Plus, any album that includes "Knives Out" is worthy of any Top Albums list.

20. Paul McCartney - Memory Almost Full
A fine return to his Beatles-Era form, this had everything that makes McCartney one of the best songwriters of all time. From interesting pop, "Dance Tonight" to strange character pieces like "Mr. Bellamy" to the closing medley this album more than any other in his catalog brought back fond memories of The Beatles.

19. Kelly Clarkson - My December
Was it a huge seller like her previous albums? No. Does that even matter? Of course not. This is the OG American Idol's strongest moment. She wrote/co-wrote all of this albums songs and it shows that if she's ever allowed to do that again, she'll have one of the strongest female catalogs in recent times. From F-U's to her ex's to songs written on a bar napkin, this is one of the most personal albums released by a major star in the 00's that I can recall.

18. Weezer - Weezer
The Revenge of the Nerds!!! But seriously folks, this is one of the catchiest albums of the last 10 years. It's no Blue Album or Pinkerton to be sure, but it's most definitly a great addition to Rivers' legacy as a great songwriter. Sadly, they would only release one more truly great album this decade. There's always the future...right?

17. The Hives - The Black and White Album
After being disappointed with Tyrannosaurus Hives, I had written this band off as just a bunch of crazy-ass Swedes...damn, was I wrong. Even though "Tick Tick Boom" got overplayed the rest of this album reveals new sounds on each consecutive listen. Pelle still sounds like a young Mick Jagger (in a good way) and the band, working with multiple producers get to cross genre-lines like never before. Their best album...and one they're going to have trouble improving upon.

16. The White Stripes - Redd Blood Cells
That's right, Redd Blood Cells not White Blood Cells. Redd Kross bassist Steven McDonald added bass-lines and backing vocals to this classic White Stripes album and made a classic in the process. This used to be readily available on his website but has since been relegated to torrents and blogs. It's a fantastic idea and it only added to this albums rawness.

15. Brian Wilson - SMiLEHe finally finished it...and it only took 37 years! One of the most beautiful pop-rock records of the 00's, Smile is Brian Wilson's crowning achievement...filled with pretty harmonies and off the wall instrumentation this album was a Beach Boys fan's dream come true. "Good Vibrations" has never sounded so full of life and "Cabin Essence" has never sounded so defining.

14. The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
The Led Zeppelin reunion album that never was. From scorching guitar solos to a rhythm section that could melt your soul and the vocals to match, this album has everything a fan of true rock music looks for. From the punk-like "Salute Your Solution" to the heart-wrenching "Many Shades of Black," the Raconteurs second release is a feast for the ears and then some.

13. Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Love Bad News
This is the album that proved that an Indie band could not just make it big...but make it huge. From the lasting and brilliant first single "Float On" to the lyrically hateful yet likeable "Satin in a Coffin," this, their follow up to the immaculate 'The Moon and Antarctica' left listeners wanting more. It's Issac Brock's peak of his own brand of oddly commercial songwriting and one can only hope he continues to make music as great as this.

12. Pearl Jam - Backspacer
When I first played this for some friends (who are Pearl Jam fans btw) a lot of them didn't believe it was them. As I've said before, this is their strongest outing since 1998's 'Yield' as well as their first album with Brenden O'Brien since then. This album opens with some of the best songs of their long careers. "The Fixer" is like MadLibs after a crazy brainstorming sessions. Apparently this is the first time they wrote songs before hitting the studio...perhaps they should stick to that formula in the future.

11. Kings Of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak
Oh Kings of Leon...where have you been my whole life? When they released their first album they were wrongly labled as the "Southern-Fried Strokes"...people could not have been more wrong about them. Even though they've hit the stratosphere with their most recent album 'Only By The Night,' they've never sounded more enthusiastic and vital then they do on this, their second studio album. From the roaring opener "Slow Night, So Long" and it's left-field coda to the incredibly danceable "Four Kicks," this is the essential album in their discography.

10. Black Francis - Bluefinger
I have a strong feeling that this was supposed to be the new Pixies album we've been waiting for since 1991. It's not hard to believe since this is some of Frank Black's strongest writing since the Pixies last outing, 'Trompe le Monde'. From the face melting "Threshold Apprehension" to his cover of "You Can't Break a Heart and Have It," this is such a brilliant album it's almost ridiculous.

9. U2 - No Line on the Horizon
I consider this a better album than both 'All That You Can't Leave Behind' and "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb' combined. Bono sounds revitalized here and The Edge comes up with some of his coolest guitar parts in a long, long time. Truly great songs like "Unknown Caller" and the half spoken "Cedars of Lebanon" share space with one of their most beautiful in the form of "Moment of Surrender." If this is a preview of what this band is going to be putting out in the future, I'm really eager to hear more.

8. Vampire Weekend - Self-Titled Debut
I almost didn't put this album so high on the list...but I would've been wrong not to do so. This album is an excellent example of everything that's so right about Indie music nowadays. From truly catchy hooks to a singer that sounds like he may or may not be going insane, this album is simply a perfect example of the genre. I'm guessing these guys listened to a lot of Paul Simon growing up (which is nothing to be ashamed of). The opener "Mansford Roof" preps you for whats going to come and they don't let up throughout this albums enthralling 35 minutes. I have no idea what "Blake's Got a New Face" is about, but I don't care...when a chorus is that great it rarely matters.

7. Beck - Guero
Beck and The Dust Brothers recapture their 'Odelay' greatness on this, one of Beck's catchiest albums. When this first came out it was the soundtrack to my summer and rightfully so. "Talkin' trash to the garbage around you" a lyric from the excellent "E-Pro" ranks with "Get Crazy with the Cheese Whiz" as one of Mr. Hansen's best quips in a career filled with awesome witticisms. Try to not get the urge to dance while listening to this album...you'll find it quite difficult.

6. The Strokes - Is This It
This is one of the albums that helped to save rock music from the downward spiral it was going through at the time. It's also one of the best and grimiest rock albums of the past 20 years, with nicely distorted guitars and fuzzy vocals you can't help but love. The opening drum beat of "Is This It" let you know what you were in for...a great album to put on at a party and just enjoy. They've yet to top it, which is saddening, but if they can ever come within a 100 feet of 'Is This It's' greatness once more, music will be all the better for it.

5. The White Stripes - Get Behind Me Satan
The David Lynch movie of The White Stripes career, the WTF moment where he went from urban bluesman to eccentric Tom Waitsian weirdo. This album was a complete 180 degree turn from their previous album, the hard hitting 'Elephant,' but in all the right ways. We got to hear Jack White explore new avenues and instruments for his songwriting, from the seventies disco rock of "Blue Orchid" to the almost vaudevillian "My Doorbell," this was The White Stripes at their most experimental. It was also the last great album to be put out by the Stripes in this decade.

4. Modest Mouse - The Moon & Antarctica
Issac Brock has never written a song more beautiful and haunting than "Gravity Rides Everything," the second track on this epic album. If you call yourself a fan of Modest Mouse and you can't get into this album, I'd suggest you see a mental health professional. This was the first Modest Mouse album I ever owned and it's still my favorite, from the songwriting to the production it's simply immaculate. It doesn't contain one bad song...it's just an hour long flow of true perfection.

3. Radiohead - Kid A
What a surprise...right? Honestly, I wasn't going to put this in the Top 3, but after giving it another listen I've decided that everyone is right...it deserves legendary status. This is the album that got me into electronic music and made me realize that a band could use more than guitars, bass and drums and be taken seriously. Thom Yorke sang, "Everything in it's Right Place," but at first listen nothing on this album was...at all. From bleeps and bloops to processed vocals, this CD has been copied to death in the years since it's release, but it just reminds you of how great it really is. Yet again, there isn't one bad song on this album...not a single one. This is a record we'll be telling our grandkids about, and rightfully so.

2. Harvey Danger - Little By Little...
"Farewell to the days...of having it both ways," so ends one of my favorite albums of time. This album flew under the radar of just about everyone on Earth...and shame on them. Sean Nelson provides some of his most beautiful lyrics and best singing to this band's final album. Initially released for free on their website (2 full years before Radiohead did that, thank you very much), this album quickly became a classic in my book. From the immaculate "War Buddies" to the haunting album closer "Diminishing Returns," this album has substance and wit to match Oscar Wilde.

1. The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
The best concept album of the last 30 years? IMO yes. This album was a commercial breakthrough for the Oklahoma based Lips, and it's not hard to see why. Propelled by a seriously bouncy rhythm section and soulful vocals by Wayne Coyne, this record starts on a high point and never lets up. The title track is the best song ever written about a girl who fights giant pink robots and "Do You Realize??" is quite simply one of the most beautiful songs ever composed. I doubt the Lips will ever top level of accessibility and weirdness they reached on this album, but we can always hope.


So there you have it...my list of the Top 25 albums of the decade. I'm sure some of the choices aren't popular...but whatever. Write your own lists/albums/etc in the comments section.

Top 10 Albums of 2009

So here's my Top 10 for 2009...

But first, a little preface; This was a very good year in music for the most part. Sure there was some truly shitty music on the radio and the charts never really reflected my tastes per se.

Anyways, here's the Top Ten albums from 2009 IMO...some you might have heard of, some you might not have, but they're all pretty awesome in their own ways.

Honorable Mention

Florence + The Machine - Lungs

I'd been avoiding the hype around this woman and her band for most of the year, and I finally gave in about 2 weeks ago. I don't regret giving in to this album...it sounds so much different than most other female fronted records I've heard. Strange instrumentation and off the wall vocals? Count me in.


10. So Many Dynamos - The Loud Wars

So I hadn't heard of these guys until late August when I saw them open for Harvey Danger in Chicago. It turns out they're really cool guys and they make even cooler music. It's a mix of pure Indie hooks and danceable beats...and it's also one of the freshest/new sounding records I've heard in quite some time.


9. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

I don't know what kind of music this is...and I don't care, it's fun and catchy and great in all the right ways. I can thank my friend Brandon for first telling me about this band earlier in the year, it's a recommendation I'll always be thankful for. This is one of the most interesting records I've ever heard...plus the cover art is a complete bug-out.



8. The Flaming Lips - Embryonic

So they finally got weird again, huh? I had doubts when I first heard about a double album from Oklahoma's finest...but I was proven wrong. This is one of the trippiest albums in my collection, and that's saying something. From the opening guitar twang of "Convinced of the Hex" to insane giggles of Karen O on "I Can Be A Frog" this album is a tour de force of what the Flaming Lips can do best when they really put their minds to it.


7. Jarvis Cocker - "Further Complications."

I bought this album after reading an interesting write-up on Mr. Cocker in Spin Magazine. I hadn't ever heard his solo work before...I hadn't even heard Pulp, I have since listened to a bunch of both. This is a great album of "live" music thanks to Steve Albini's excellent (as usual) production. Also Cocker's lyrics are top notch with clever and witty puns and come-ons galore.


6. U2 - No Line On The Horizon

The best album from this Irish Foursome since Achtung Baby? Yes. Their strangest and most experimental? Indeed. The first good song co-produced by Will.I.Am.? Again, yes. This is quite simply another all around great outing from one of Earth's top bands.


5. Pearl Jam - Backspacer

Who cares if Pearl Jam "Sold Out" and went with Target for an exclusive release? As long as the album that's exclusive is PJ's best since Yield I'm fine with it. Eddie Vedder defn had a lot of say in this one since a few tracks sound like his Into The Wild soundtrack. Even though that's true, it's their strongest in years...the band sounds reinvigorated and vital again.

4. Matt & Kim - Grand
Fun...Catchy...and Danceable. These two Brooklyn natives have managed to make one of the best pop records in recent years. From the endlessly singable 'Daylight' to the streak-worthy 'Lessons Learned', this album has been in my rotation on a regular basis. Just listen to 'Good Ol' Fashioned Nightmare' and try not to get out of your chair. This is one of the best Sophomore albums in recent history.


3. Them Crooked Vultures - Self-Titled Debut

What do you get when you take the best drummer of his generation Dave Grohl...the king of the desert guitar Josh Homme...and the Master Basser himself John Paul Jones, throw them into a studio and make them jam for a few weeks? You get one of the hardest rocking albums of not only 2009 but of the decade. With songs that sound like they could be made entirely of breakdowns and 18 different riffs at once...what's not to like?


2. Dangermouse And Sparklehorse - Dark Night Of The Soul
Shame on EMI for not releasing this...and shame on me for not picking up the photo book before it went out of print. I've always been a huge fan of David Lynch, so when you add his crazy mind to the production geniuses of Dangermouse and Sparklehorse and get a slew of guest stars, you get one of the coolest albums of the year. Even though you can't buy it in the store...they leaked it on the web themselves...I urge you to get it, you won't be disapointed.


1. Julian Casablancas - Phrazes For The Young
The long awaited 4th album from The Strokes didn't come out this year...but we got the next best thing. Mr. Casablancas writes some real cryptic lyrics and comes up with some cool sounds on this, his first solo album. From the opener "Out of the Blue" to the awesomely titled "4 Chords of the Apocalypse" to the immensely danceable single "11th Dimension" this was my favorite album of the year. It's short at only 8 songs but it shows so much promise for future releases that the length didn't bother me at all.