Owen Pallett - Heartland, Album Review

STREET DATE: 01.12.10 | EMUSIC | AMAZON| INSOUND | ITUNES

Violin virtuoso Owen Pallett – whose composition and session-musician credits range from Holy Fuck to Death From Above 1979 to Beirut – has said that his first record under his own name (following two critically-acclaimed albums as Final Fantasy) forms a narrative arc, telling the story of a young farmer named Lewis addressing his creator. Though the idea might seem initially preposterous, the album is three-quarters of an hour of pent-up energy, massive minor chords, and onslaughts of beautiful, violent orchestration, reflecting lyrics that express a frustrated, trapped, violent young man facing the whims of some omnipotent power. (Continue Reading)

Tame Impala - Innerspeaker, Album Review

STREET DATE: 01.12.10 | EMUSIC | AMAZON| INSOUND | ITUNES

The first time I sat down to listen to Tame Impala’s Innerspeaker, I was surprised twice. Early buzz around the band pinned them as an electronic-leaning rock band from Australia – a current hotspot of indie dance music. Tame Impala’s sound could not be further from what I expected. They are very clearly a psychedelic rock band, a genre I don’t often find myself enjoying. Once I established that I was surprised once more to find I was listening to the album over and over again. (Continue Reading)