Although reviewing albums simply track by track with no overall response is probably useless at best and at worst flat out insulting to music, however, in the case of a compilation (mix tape as it were), it feels necessary to reflect on the CD in the most reasonable way possible, and with no guarantee of even two similar artists, the fact is that track by track reviewing is really the way to go.
1. This track starts slow but within the first minute there are definitely some cool things going on. Around the three minute mark there is a brief pause in the music and you wonder if the song is over. Well, it's not, but it should be. After the break the same motifs are repeated for an additional three minutes and drag the song out, killing any momentum the first half built.
2. Another song suffering from the length of the song. There's really just one motif in this song, but it drags on for 6 minutes once again. Artists need enough material to justify creating a lengthy song. This artist did not have that justification.
3. This track was actually pretty cool. Not amazing by any means, but the song is catchy and has a good feel. I would not mind listening to a CD of songs of this quality.
4. It's not often anymore that I will find no fault with a song, but still not like it either, but this is one of those rare instances. The melodies are interesting enough. The structure lends itself to the material nicely. It sounds almost like a soundtrack, which is something I've loved lately. But despite all those positive factors, this song just does nothing for me. I don't get drawn into it at all.
5. Awesome song, except, why the hell are these god-awful vocalists singing? If I could pick up an instrumental version of this song I would be thrilled. The song does drag towards the end like many on this CD, but I would buy a CD like this anyways if the vocalists would shut the hell up or just restrict themselves to one or two moments of appearance.
6. This is a great song and I will need to find a copy of this album.
7. See Track 2 review.
8. Cool track but it lacks the extra something to make it really great. Sometimes I feel like it's just on the edge and wants to jump into awesome territory but it fails to do so consistently alas. Still good though.
9. I can identify immediately what I don't like about this song. It's the male vocalists in the background going ba baba bum etc. Ruins it for me, really. Otherwise the song still isn't great but it's at least tolerable without those vocalists.
10. If there's one consistent thing that bothers me in this sort of music it tends to be the vocalizations because they are so hit and miss. This one sounds like it wants to miss but it really hits for me because it' unique enough to stand out and adds a good rhythmic aspect to the song, and unless we're listening to rap vocalists rarely add a good rhythmic feel in a song.
11. The tonality of the instruments here is tasty as hell. I love it. The mixing is great too for the song, it works really well and accents it in the right places. Above all, this is catchy and not overly self indulgent. I'll need to get this CD.
12. The mellow beginning to this song seems to belie a gradual buildup theme to the song, but alas after hitting a sound in the middle of the road the song never intensifies any further and eventually just dies out as an alright, but forgettable song.
13. This song is really dorky. Really really dorky. I also have a problem with songs that sound this electronic and fake. That said, this song delivers in an unexpected way. For one thing the dorkiness really does add some appeal and laughs in a way. But also it is dancy and does make the broad appeal most techno/electronica style music does through dancy, fun beats and music.
14. This song, while not out right boring, is not particularly interesting and serves as background music at bestfor most of the song. Not very engaging. The ending does pick up but by that point it has gone on too long to be saved effectively.
23 February 2008
17 February 2008
12 February 2008
Huckabee on Tour With Amy Winehouse!?
Well, no. Between this and the Colbert vice-presidency, I'm beginning to wonder if Mr. Huckabee has written one more pop culture irony check than he is prepared to cash.
11 February 2008
The Grammys!
The Grammys - let's talk about them. I didn't watch them and, if ratings are any indicator, neither did you. But apparently Amy Winehouse won 5 awards (out of 6 nominations) including Best Record, losing out only to Herbie Hancock for best Album.Hey Herbie Hancock is still alive? Cool. I always assumed he spontaneously combusted after crossing the streams of jazz and techno with 1983's "Rockit". But yeah, good for him.
Good thing for Amy Winehouse too. Maybe the wave of overwhelming and weirdly backhanded validation only an armful of trophies from an obsolete cultural institute can provide will fill the void in her life she's been filling with gin.
Since when did the Grammys become a charity institution for neglected/self-abusive musicians? Maybe those are the only kinds there are. I realize that Rehab was amazing (the drums alone make the track) but FIVE awards? Spread it around, for goodness' sake.
07 February 2008
06 February 2008
The Format Tune Out
Arizona's local music staple, The Format, has called it quits. Here's a post that Nate made on their MySpace on Feb. 4.
Thoughts?
We have just put out word that we will not be making a new Format album. Please understand this was a tough decision and we're both upset about it. While we accept there will be false speculation as to why, understand that Sam and I remain extremely close and in fact are still passing the twin peaks box set back and forth in an attempt to figure out who REALLY killed laura.
palmer. We also want to thank everyone with and within the Format, particularly Mike, Don, and Marko, whom without, none of this would have ever even been fully realized. We both suggest you support their musical talents and whatever they decide to do. And lastly we want to thank the fans who made this the best 5 years of our lives
Thoughts?
08 January 2008
Sad, But True News About Hoodlums
Here's the most recent post on the Hoodum's website:
Hello Hoodlums’ Music Junkies, Customers, and Friends.
Happy New Year!
Sorry we’ve been out of touch. In case you hadn’t heard, the ASU Memorial Union had a big fire on November 1st, and it hasn’t been open since. Although the fire was on the second floor, our store suffered a massive amount of smoke damage.
After two months of restoration, the M.U. has reopened as of today (1/7/08).
Unfortunately, Hoodlums will not be re-opening with it.
That’s a big one, eh? I bet you’d like to know why.
Well, the damage has left us in a position of having to rebuild our inventory from scratch, and the building isn’t going to be fully operating until next fall at the soonest, we are just a little hesitant about reestablishing our store in that particular location.
So what is to become of Hoodlums New and Used Music?
Well, although the music industry is in a recognized state of disarray, we still love music and movies… and we believe the right kind of combo entertainment store can still survive. Plus, with twenty years of experience and knowledge, we feel like we still have a lot to offer our fellow entertainment Junkies. Consequently, we are weighing our options and looking at opportunities that make sense.
The students and staff at ASU form a tremendous community, and we will miss it, and you, immensely. Hopefully, something cool will come up, and we will see each other very soon.
In the meantime, there is no way to truly express to all of you how much we appreciate the support, friendship, and conversation we have had in our ten-year run at our ASU location. Many of you haven’t been near ASU since you graduated, but rest assured we haven’t forgotten about you, or the awesome support you gave us in our early years.
We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your business.
We will keep you posted as to any future developments.
Thanks again,
Steve, Kristian, and the hoodlums at Hoodlums
03 January 2008
Night Falls Over Kortedala - Jens Lekman (Review)
Release date: 10/9/2007
Jens Lekman draws your angled hips and consistently sells out your local discotheque. Born in Angered, Sweden, one would argue his relaxed demeanor makes him a soothing enigma. After three years and two albums on aptly named host label Secretly Canadian, Night Falls Over Kortedala has emerged in late 2007, creating a seal over his acclaimed singles and EP collection Oh You’re So Silent Jens. The work has quickly dissipated through elitist madness and obtained approval from the prerequisite reputable judges, considered an indie-pop modern masterpiece though it will lose steam considerably in the coming years. It exists within the context of a 70s nostalgia and warped necessity to break convention while remaining subtle. Though talent-ridden and directly desirable by all means, Lekman abuses the album’s strength to amend a well-ironed production, leaving permanent wrinkles.
The background instrumentation of tender strings and accordion glows with refreshing variety and illuminates Lekman’s illusory tone. Jens ranges vocal textures within a comfort zone begging complacency. Worse yet are the conversational lyrics that bleed sincerity without emotion, a component to the music both dry and annoying. With considerable drawbacks and wonderful successes, Night Falls is disjointed. The charmingly sweet “Shirin” displays Lekman’s finest musical characteristics. His guitar tempo shifts in and out of phase with warm harmonies, complementing his singing duties. On numerous occasions, Lekman stays within his capable range and constructs instant hits like “The Opposite of Hallelujah” or “And I Remember Every Kiss.” The thundering drums and stunning string arrangements on “Every Kiss” attract with urgency, while the catchy, playful bounce of “Hallelujah” develops a loving beat that exudes affection. They evoke impressions of epic eminence to prove Lekman is more than capable.
However, the fleeting half-life of Night Falls stems from deliberate tampering and a considerable void in vocal purity. Intentional reduction in production quality reveals choppy sample loops (“Kanske Är Jag Kär I Dig”) and several separate snippets of record player rustling (“It Was a Strange Time in My Life”) juxtaposed against the marvelous soundscapes encompassing the remainder of the album. The cleanliness is wholesome and desirable, distilling temperamental tracks like the sporty “Into Eternity” and enhancing their appeal. When cleansed of imperfection, the music is often gorgeous and stands out above Lekman’s vocals. Throughout Night Falls, this inconsistency creates both charm and chagrin.
Lekman’s voice is such a heavy consideration because of his distinct tone. He becomes ineffectual when the lyrics become clever, but his humble work produces enjoyment. “Your Arms Around Me” lets Jens work within his element around harp, heavy claps, and a cheery guitar while delivering a musical embrace. At times in the absence of humility, Lekman’s work suffers a great deal.
Night Falls Over Kortedala will not be remembered in five years with the same exuberance as it is today. Lekman’s potential to annoy dwindles the replay value of his compositions but his musical talents will keep his head well above water. To be sure, Night Falls is worth a listen, and you will gain a few of the finest singles from 2007.
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