Artwork by the talented and generous Adam Sparpalius.
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Reviews
5
Oct 09
The Absolute Best Songs of 2009 (75% of it)
4
Oct 09
Paramore – Brand New Eyes, Album Review
Don’t forget to rate this album at the end of the post.
Paramore
Brand New Eyes
Fueled By Ramen
out September 29th
65/100
[Rating Scale]
[rating:65/100]
I swear, a Fueled By Ramen record contract must come with a songwriting instruction manual written by Pete Wentz—and Paramore has followed the manual to the letter with its new album, brand new eyes, out September 29th. The album, like every other Fueled By Ramen record I’ve ever heard, is full of catchy hooks, slick production, shout-along choruses, clever lyrics, and a healthy dose of pop-punk energy. As such, the album isn’t much of a departure from the formula that brought Paramore success with its two previous albums.
So the question now is: Does that get you excited? Or were you hoping for something more? If you just loved the first two Paramore albums and want more more more, then by all means, go pick up brand new eyes immediately. If you were hoping for some new directions, some experimentation, perhaps a departure or two, you won’t get it from this album. Continue reading →
2
Oct 09
Muse – The Resistance, Album Review
Don’t forget to rate this album at the end of the post
Muse
The Resistance
Warner Bros.
out September 14th
76/100
[Rating Scale]
[rating:76/100]
There has been so much said about this album. To get this right took a while; many listens and much contemplation.
Most feel that Muse is an entity not to be ignored or hastily scrutinized. Everyone acknowledges that they managed to carve a size-able niche for themselves in the collective consciousness of millions of fans around the globe, despite the fact that they seem to have been virtually ignored here in America. And, much like Kings Of Leon’s recent successful release Only By the Night, Muse’s intentions with their latest album, The Resistance, might be intended to permanently inject themselves into the American pop culture stream. It’s very hard to believe that not many of my fellow countrymen are aware of this band or their catalogue of inspired rock anthems. To recall them only for a song on the Twilight Soundtrack (”Supermassive Black Hole”) is utter insanity after five full length albums, numerous accolades, and hundreds of sold-out, wildly entertaining hi-calibre live shows. And yet, it seems as if teenagers in the Stephanie Meyers’ Age of Popularity by Vampire Association are among that clueless bunch. Continue reading →
30
Sep 09
BLK JKS – After Robots, Album Review
BLK JKS
After Robots
Secretly Canadian
out September 8th
48/100
[Rating Scale]
[rating:48/100]
I really wanted to like BLK JKS. They have been described, by people who should know better, as a South African TV On The Radio. Their drummer was named the “best musician” at SXSW 2008 – a gathering not short on phenomenal musicians. They bring genuine African voices to a genre where derivatives like Vampire Weekend and Dirty Projectors have recently thrived. By all accounts they should knock my socks off.
But here’s the disappointing thing: They don’t. Shocker, I know, but BLK JKS’ debut LP After Robots isn’t the greatest thing you’ll hear this year. It’s not even close, really.
Which is a damn shame, if I may say so, but perhaps a teaching moment. See, we’ve come to expect incredible things from bands we’ve never heard of. We’ve grown accustomed to the Bon Ivers and Arcade Fires of the world, blooming from genesis to greatness in what seems like seconds. We forget that lots of great bands start out as great concepts with mediocre execution. Bands develop, hone their talents, refine and streamline their creative processes. The world of insta-stardome that we’ve become accustomed to isn’t for everyone. Continue reading →
29
Sep 09
fun. @ Great Scott, Boston
Live, fun. is fun. Period. And they proved it last week at Great Scott in Alston MA.
Originally I was skeptical as to how the bill, a perfect storm of catchiness, that opened with Miniature Tigers was going to translate on stage. Aim and Ignite is an album that maintains a lot of its tone and consistency with shifts in the mood of its arrangement and a more-than-healthy dose of strings and brass. Sure, the songs are undeniably melodic, but I worried about how Nate Ruess’ off-Broadway indie pop delivery would fare in a different setting. Would they try to replicate the arrangements? How would that play to a bar crowd? What would their lineup deliver? Continue reading →
25
Sep 09
The Big Pink – A Brief History of Love, Album Review
Don’t forget to rate this album at the end of the post (something I’m trying out)
The Big Pink
A Brief History of Love
4AD
out September 14th
88/100
[Rating Scale]
[rating:88/100]
My Bloody Valentine, Jesus and Mary Chain, Cocteau Twins, Slow Dive: these are words that mean nothing to me. Apparently, back when I was learning to count, they were bands. Bands that more grizzled music writers than me have compared British duo The Big Pink’s debut album ‘A Brief History of Love’ to, constantly throwing these comparisons, the term ‘shoegaze’, and the recycled ‘wall of sound’ metaphor around, perhaps hoping in their nostalgic heads it will all stick, or maybe re-open an interdimensonal portal for their beloved early 90s noise-rock heroes to return. Obviously, they’d rather take back-to-back screenings of My Bloody Valentine 3D until they bled red and blue tears rather than have a talented band reinvent the genre for a new generation. And I might be exaggerating a little bit, but I’m not trying to be irreverent, I’m just being open-minded. I think the Big Pink deserves a lot more credit for making a killer album, that’s all. Continue reading →
24
Sep 09
Boys Noize – Power, Album Review
Don’t forget to rate this album at the end of the post (something I’m trying out)
Boys Noize
Power
Last Gang Records
out October 6th
72/100
[Rating Scale]
[rating:72/100]
Boys Noize’s sophomore full-length effort, Power, finds Alexander Ridha expanding his palette, for better or for worse. The German DJ, whose name is often found (and rightly so) alongside such heavyweights of electro music as Justice and Daft Punk, strays slightly from the abusively focused push of Oi Oi Oi to create something more disparate, meandering, and still undeniably driving.
23
Sep 09
Neon Indian – Psychic Chasms, Album Review
Don’t forget to rate this album at the end of the post (something I’m trying out)
Neon Indian
Psychic Chasms
Lefse
out October 13th
64/100
[Rating Scale]
[rating:64/100]
I’m pretty sure that if Neon Indian had come around ten or fifteen years ago, he would have been laughed at, dismissed as quickly as he has burst onto the scene. But here, in the context of this year’s bizarro lo-fi resurrection that we find ourselves living through, Neon Indian is a logical next step. It’s Passion Pit for the Gorilla vs. Bear crowd. What a strange turn of events.
Luckily, Alan Palomo, the man behind Neon Indian’s tunes, acknowledges his precarious position in the world of popular music. In an interview with Pitchfork, Palomo admitted, “I’d be lying if I said lo-fi was a completely gimmick-free genre. It’s an old trick to just cover songs in reverb and distortion– one I’ve been guilty of in the past.” He went on to later say that, “I do have some ambivalence towards lo-fi where it stands right now. There’s so much stuff coming out on blogs and I have this impending anxiety as to whether it’s going to become another electro disaster.” I’m right there with Palomo. We’re on the verge of lo-fi overload – perhaps half a year away from the type of backlash that surrounds bloghouse and autotune. Continue reading →
21
Sep 09
Washed Out, Life of Leisure, EP Review
Don’t forget to rate this album at the end of the post (something I’m trying out)
Washed Out
Life of Leisure EP
Mexican Summer
out October 20th
69/100
[Rating Scale]
[rating:69/100]
Life of Leisure is an appropriate title for an EP that sounds like partying all night in a dark, sweaty room and waking up on a beach at dawn next to someone you like, cold sand in your hair. Like night-swimming, half your face submerged, and the moon across the water. Like walking home on sandy streets lined with resorts, gently holding someone’s hand, feeling in your chest the distant pulsing bass from basements and passing cars. It sounds like something sweet and simultaneously sharp – fruit-flavored vodka? It doesn’t sound like dance music or party music or techno music – it is a sensuous electronic whirlwind, but that isn’t really a genre, is it? Continue reading →
18
Sep 09
Yes Giantess’ Jan Rosenfeld Wants You To Dance, Played with Little Boots in New York
PMA was at Little Boots’ Bowery show featuring Yes Giantess and The Plastiscines Wednesday. We got to talk to Jan Rosenfeld of Yes Giantess outside the venue standing in front of the JMZ Bowery station subway entrance. It was a short, five minute chat before the start of the show.
As you know, Yes Giantess (formerly just Giantess) are the four piece synthpop band from Boston that caught our attention after showing up in the pages of NME amid much praise. Jan’s the lead vocalist and songwriter of the group. We asked him to explain a few things about the band and he obliged. Below, we discuss everything from porn to Twitter. Jan enlightens us on the band’s influences, how they got hooked up with miss Boots herself, and their undying drive to get you kids dancing. Continue reading →
