Capsule Reviews And Summer News
So, as the last time I tried to post, Blogger, in a Pac-Man-like move, ate it, this is my return to the world of record revues.
Let's knock a few reviews out:
Paul Simon - Surprise
Of all the now-old dogs out there, who would have picked Paul Simon to make a record with Brian Eno? While the album lags in the middle third with wearisome mid-tempo tracks like Wartime Prayers and Beautiful, the majority of the album provocatively casts Simon's trademark vocals and stories against a updated, and at times, even adventurous, backdrop. Simon's at his best when he's mired deep in wordplay, and Surprise provides some of Simon's best couplets in decades.
Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
The fun in this record is practically dripping through the plastic wrapper and onto the shelf. The lead single Crazy has every chance to be a Gorillaz-style, mass-friendly (of course, the ubiquitous Danger Mouse worked on the most recent Gorrilaz project as well) radio hit, and tracks like Smiley Faces and The Boogey Man show equal parts of collaborators Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo. The soundscape alone is worth the price of the record. Danger Mouse moves away from his Gray period and into a place that makes him every bit as viable as the Neptunes in innovative originality. The music is great, the vocals are fun, and it's definitely got the best cover of the Violent Femmes' Gone Daddy Gone this year.
Lali Puna - Faking The Books
Okay, so this record is about three years old, and I'm too lazy to research anything about the band. (It's summer). I think they may be German, and I think they may have other projects out there. Either way, I heard Ben Gibbard waxing about them in an interview and I checked out this record. Dare I invoke Human League? I think I must--imagine if there were only female vocalists in the Human League. Now imagine that it's 2003--enter Lali Puna. The title track is an obvious highlight here, but really the whole record plays through quite nicely. Good music alone in the headphones or with a group of friends.
So there it is, my capsule reivews. With an exciting summer concert and release schedule, we should have an interesting couple of months here at musicgluttons.
Here are two can't miss shows coming up in June:
Beck - June 21, NokiaLive
Sonic Youth - June 24, Gypsy Tea Room
Let's knock a few reviews out:
Paul Simon - Surprise
Of all the now-old dogs out there, who would have picked Paul Simon to make a record with Brian Eno? While the album lags in the middle third with wearisome mid-tempo tracks like Wartime Prayers and Beautiful, the majority of the album provocatively casts Simon's trademark vocals and stories against a updated, and at times, even adventurous, backdrop. Simon's at his best when he's mired deep in wordplay, and Surprise provides some of Simon's best couplets in decades.Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
The fun in this record is practically dripping through the plastic wrapper and onto the shelf. The lead single Crazy has every chance to be a Gorillaz-style, mass-friendly (of course, the ubiquitous Danger Mouse worked on the most recent Gorrilaz project as well) radio hit, and tracks like Smiley Faces and The Boogey Man show equal parts of collaborators Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo. The soundscape alone is worth the price of the record. Danger Mouse moves away from his Gray period and into a place that makes him every bit as viable as the Neptunes in innovative originality. The music is great, the vocals are fun, and it's definitely got the best cover of the Violent Femmes' Gone Daddy Gone this year.Lali Puna - Faking The Books
Okay, so this record is about three years old, and I'm too lazy to research anything about the band. (It's summer). I think they may be German, and I think they may have other projects out there. Either way, I heard Ben Gibbard waxing about them in an interview and I checked out this record. Dare I invoke Human League? I think I must--imagine if there were only female vocalists in the Human League. Now imagine that it's 2003--enter Lali Puna. The title track is an obvious highlight here, but really the whole record plays through quite nicely. Good music alone in the headphones or with a group of friends.So there it is, my capsule reivews. With an exciting summer concert and release schedule, we should have an interesting couple of months here at musicgluttons.
Here are two can't miss shows coming up in June:
Beck - June 21, NokiaLive
Sonic Youth - June 24, Gypsy Tea Room
posted by Anonymous at 6:36 PM
2 Comments:
Gnarls Barkley is rocking my world... I love the chaotic "Transformer" -- I can hear it being sung by a little kid imagining himself as a Transformer... Very cool.
One thing about Gnarls Barkley is that all of the songs are so short. There are times where the groove is just settling in, and then it's over. That could be a good or bad thing, depending on your attention span, I guess...
Well, friends, it seems we all agree Gnarls Barkley really is a ton of fun. I agree, Steve, "Transformer" is a fantastic song. I'm a big fan of "Storm Coming" as well. Totally old-school big beat and those massive horns at the end give it so much. If you guys are ever looking for alternative hip-hop kind of stuff, I'd check out Diplo. He's this Philly-based producer, produced a Sri-Lankan chick named M.I.A. and he has a solo album of his own titled "Florida". A lot of people compare him to DJ Shadow, and I suppose they're right in doing so, but whereas Shadow is always moody I see Diplo as more upbeat, party-stuff. Check it out if you can.
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