Review 4: Vampire Weekend

9.5

Earlier this summer, I stumbled upon this band. I thought "hm...Oxford Comma....comparisons to The Shins...tasty pop....yes!!!!". I gave a listen to "A-Punk", "Oxford Comma" and "Mansard Roof", and I immedietely bought the entire album and I have no regrets.

With the opening beats and perfectly executed keyboard notes on "Mansard Roof", the sharp, high voice of lead singer Ezra Koenig, it is becoming more clear that there is lots of hope for this generation of music. I continued listening, and I wasn't disapointed with any song. Track after track of champer-pop/new wave/indie/afro-beat pop, I realised that this album is DEFINITELY going to be on the top 10 albums of this year, and even the decade. The 4 piece group from New York met while attending Columbia University in New York. Evidence of their college life is sprinkled throughout songs; on "One" he sings "Oh your collegiate grief has left you...". Their influences are even more impressive; African pop music (this is obvious in "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" and "One") and Western Classical music (this is obvious in "M-79" and "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance"). While they stand out in their own right, I would compare them to The Police and The Shins. With their African beats, intelligent pop, and the guitar never taking up too much volume, crafty bass lines, it makes for a near perfect album.

Tracklist:

1. Mansard Roof -The tale of an eavesdropper or peeping-Tom, and an Argentine fleet, 4 stars


2. Oxford Comma -"Who gives a fuck about an oxford comma?" That has to be the greatest opening line in any song ever. Not only does this song combine their witty songwriting, but also their intellect, 5 ginormous stars


3. A-Punk -Their most Police-esque song. Fast pace, up-beat, and catchy as hell. 5 stars


4. Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa -The epitomy of their African influences, this song tells the story of "a young girl", while sneaking in references to Peter Gabriel, Louis Vuitton, Benneton, and Reggaeton. 5 giant stars


5. M-79 -The epitomy of their Classical influences, and throwing in their collegiate references. This song is a perfect example of their musical experimentation while still maintaining commercial stability. The swirling orchestra instrumentation blends in perfectly with the resereved vocals, crunchy guitar and precise basslines, 5 stars


6. Campus -College romance, ahh how sweet. "How am I supposed to pretend/I never want to see you again?", everyone can identify with this song. The bassline rolls through the song keeping it grounded. 4 stars


7. Bryn -The trebly guitar starts out this song just right. One of the more guitar-oriented songs on the album, it comes at the right time. Possibly another College romance, this time directly referring to her. 4 stars


8. One (Blake's Got a New Face) -One of the catchiest choruses in a long long time. This chorus will have you repeating after Ezra whether you like it or not. 4 stars


9. I Stand Corrected -Although not the best song on the album, it's still a good one. It pretty much epitomizes the feeling of being wrong, in just the somber tone you'd expect. 4 stars


10. Walcott -This song tells the plotline of a film that is the band's namesake. The driving piano riff leads the song, and at the end a mixture of climactic guitar, driving bass, crashing drums, and swirling piano take this song into an epic finale. 4 stars


11. The Kids Don't Stand A Chance -The drummer shines throughout the entire album, but now he gets to start a song, woo! Once the bass comes in, the vocals follow suite. This song is somewhat of a "My Generation" for the 2000's. "With pure Egpytian cotton, the kids don't stand a chance", I agree. After each stanza, the song takes off into a classical-rock instrumental; They couldn't have chose a better way to end the album, this song leaves somewhat of a great ellipsis as to what's next, 5 stars

Flagship song: "The Kids Don't Stand A Chance"
http://www.vampireweekend.com/

Review 3: Coldplay's Viva La Vida

8.4

When I heard that Coldplay was releasing their first album since 2005, I said "about damn time". When I heard that Brian Eno was producing it, I was excited. And finally, when I heard they were "branching out", I was scared. Nowadays when bands "branch out", it's their way of saying, we're trying to be different. The album has all the typical aspects that you'd expect from a Coldplay album, but this time with more political references. Don't get me wrong, the music is epic (minus the uninventive guitar licks), but hearing Chris Martin getting political in a falsetto just doesn't do it for me.
The first moments of "Life in Technicolor" are golden. What starts as an electronic tape-loop sort of thing, turns into an epic Coldplay anthem via a Middle-Eastern dulcimer riff. The album drops off at "Yes", where Chris Martin sings lower than a tuba. The proposed flagship, "Viva La Vida" opens with vivacious strings, and evokes Roman influences, the song seems to be sung in the point of view of Julius Caesar himself. The real gems on this album are "Lovers in Japan", "Strawberry Swing" and the final epic "Viva La Vida". Although not Coldplay's best album, some of the songs are the best of the decade.

Tracklist:

1. Life In Technicolor -evokes the feeling of waking up after a long night's rest, a beautiful melody turned into an instrumental anthem, and Middle-Eastern influences too! 5 stars
2. Cemeteries of London -brings in the political stuff, boring, 3 stars
3. Lost! -an upbeat song, classic Coldplay but still unique enough to stand out in its own right, 4 stars
4. 42 -It starts out okay, but by the end all my attention is gone, 3 stars
5. Lovers in Japan -an ode for runners, lovers, and soldiers to keep on keeping on. If Chris Martin wrote anymore about the soldiers than it would've ruined it, but this song is perfect. The melody, the message, it's epic, 5 stars
6. Reign of Love -a soft piano ballad, 4 stars
7. Yes -no. 2 stars
8. Chinese Sleep Chant -A driving guitar riff leaves the reverb drenched vocals in the dust, but it doesn't matter at all. This song completely surrounds the listener, 4 stars
9. Viva La Vida -Julius Caesar giving his final testament and reminiscing about his former glory and life. Vivacious strings, and even better....timpanis and bells! The chorus finds the listener humming along and bopping their head, 4 stars
10. Violet Hill -too dark, too boring, too political. They're trying to say too much but they're saying the same thing over and over again, 3 stars
11. Strawberry Swing -a Chinese folk style guitar riff, flawless vocals, sweet lyrics of summer love at a swing, this song plays as sweet as strawberries. The best song Coldplay has done in years and years, 5 huge stars
12. Death and All His Friends -"So come over, just be patient and don't worry", ah if only it were that easy. The piano is perfect, the guitar lines supplement the melody. When the slow piano-driven parts ends, the song is transformed into a driving anthem. The band singing all together pleads "I don't want to follow death and all of his friends", 5 stars
13. The Escapist -somewhat of a supplement to "Life in Technicolor" to wrap things up. And that it does, perfectly. 4 stars

Flagship: "Strawberry Swing"

http://www.coldplay.com/

Review 2: Fleet Foxes

9.7

It was June 3rd, I read a review of Fleet Foxes' self titled debut...I ran to the store to buy it. I listened to it immedietely, and I was sold. I haven't identified with a record this much since The Shins' "Wincing the Night Away". Lead vocals sung by Robin Pecknold with nostalgia and remorse, the music being carefully played by the rest of the band, but the awesome part is that the entire group is singing along with nearly all the songs; this record is perfect.

As I sat in the car, with each song flowing out of the speakers into my ears, I was in awe. How could music be this amazing? I know I sound like a teenage girl in the 1964 listening to the Beatles for the first time, but seriously, Fleet Foxes are incredible. Midway through the album at "He Doesn't Know Why", I realised that this band needs to be listened to by everyone, and that Sub Pop has done it again.

The wonderful thing about these 11 songs is that each one paints the canvas just enough to give you an idea about what it's about, but still lets your mental imagery run wild. The band, it seems, is a band next door. They talk about their brothers and sisters, their friends, and other things that come along with being from Seattle. Self described as "harmonic pop jams", you won't be suprised to know that they grew up listening to The Beach Boys, The Zombies (woohoo!) and Crosby, Stills & Nash (forget Young). Listen to this album once, and the next million times is history; Fleet Foxes, I love you.

Here's the tracklist:

1. Sun It Rises -an epic tale the sunrise, 4 stars
2. White Winter Hymnal -a winter tale of "the pack" with red scarves in the snow, with flawless reverb-drenched group vocals, 5 stars
3. Ragged Wood -as White Winter Hymnal fades into silence, the group vocals re-enter with their boldest appearance yet. This song almost seems like 3 parts, which makes it that much more listenable, when the organ ushers in the 3rd part, it's the meaning of epic, 5 giant stars
4. Tiger Mountain Peasant Song -in this song, singer Robin Pecknold is a minstrel in the 16th century wandering the streets of the Netherlands, 4 stars.
5. Quiet Houses -The simple chorus-like feel, a 12 string guitar riff resonating from the 60's, the words don't seem to matter at all, one is just lost in the song, 5 stars
6. He Doesn't Know Why -Listen to this song, and all you'll have words for afterwards is "wow". Telling the story of someone who's seemingly isolated themselves from family and friends, and how they are taken back to their "original mind", 5 huuuuge stars
7. Heard Them Stirring -Somewhere I read the band is influenced by the background music in video games, particularly Final Fantasy, listening to this song gives creedence to this, 4 stars
8. Your Protector -Flutes, epic chord progressions, strong, flawless vocals from Robin, 4 stars
9. Meadowlarks -Blissful imagery of conversations with birds, a true folk ballad, 4 stars
10. Blue Ridge Mountains -Sung to big brother Sean, a wonderful song that came straight from the mountains, and whose imagery is just as big as the mountains they're singing about, 5 stars
11. Oliver James -Robin again becomes a poet and a minstrel from the 16th century, but this time in the streets of London, 4 stars

Flagship Song= "He Doesn't Know Why", "White Winter Hymnal", "Ragged Wood"

Links:

www.myspace.com/fleetfoxes
http://www.subpop.com/, the band's record label

Review 1: The Shivas' "Where Have You Gone To?"

7.8

"There's something happening here, alright", the opening words from the debut album by Psychedelic rockers The Shivas. There is something happening here indeed, and in this case, here is Vancouver, Washington. The opening chords on the song immedietely strike a chord with your inner love child. There album, released earlier in 2008 was received with rave reviews in the Psychedelic Underground community existing on internet sites. Because for that community, this record is exactly what they've been waiting for. The perfect amount of distortion you'd expect from a psychedelic rock band, but still clean enough to be listened to (and enjoyed) by anyone who comes across it. The real beauty of it is that it's reminiscant of a different time, but not so much that it's suffering from a case of the wanna-be-blues. It has an equilibrium of new things as it does old; it has everything. From African drums (and rhythms), droning sitars, swirling bass-lines, catchy riffs, guitar solos, to Grateful Dead-style Blues; it has everything.
Some people say that experience comes with age; with their front-man and leader Jared Wait-Molyneux just 17, their percussionist gone bass player Eric Shanafelt 18, and their drummer (younger brother Colby) only 14; the Shivas prove this very wrong.

Here's the track list: (The score is out of 5)

1. Where Have You Gone To? -The psychedelic declaration of Independence for the modern era, 5 stars
2. Peele's Parfume Garden -A mostly instrumental psychedelic-jam-freakout, Interstellar Overdrive anyone? 4 stars
3. The Ballad of Grant Whitney -A Dylan-esque tale of anti-war, and not letting "the man" get you down, 4 stars
4. Big Man -More of a Grateful Dead anti-war blues, this one will keep the crowd dancing all night, 5 stars
5. Love -What would a great album be without it's love song? 3 stars
6. Mr. Marmalade -A slow melody and verses but a driving groove in between. This song should be a psychedelic night club standard, 5 stars
7. Butter Sun -A near 9 minute Floyd style chillout, "if I could go flying...", 4 stars
8. Sunny Afternon -The perfect description of a summer day, along with African grooves, 4 stars
9. Flying High -The story of summer love in a park on a sunny day, one of the greatest songs of the decade, 5 stars
10. The War Song -John Lennon would be proud, 3 stars
11. Ode to a Tea Set -A nod to Syd Barrett, and a nod well done, 3 stars
12. Doctor, Doctor -Somewhere through the song you'll ask yourself, "Is this The Doors?", 3 stars
13. Sit Anywhere -The title taken from "Norwegian Wood", these sitar drones were seemingly sealed in a time capsule by George Harrison himself, and unlocked by Jared Wait-Molyneux, 4 stars
    
    Flagship Song= "Flying High"
    
    Overal Score= 52/65= 4 stars

Buy this album right now!

Links:

www.myspace.com/theshivas, for info on shows and all that stuff
http://www.theshivas.com/, the band's website
http://www.worldinsound.com/, the band's label