Apple…
Might be trendy, but man do I hate going to the Apple Store.
I went yesterday to get this crack fixed (again, this is an ongoing defect with this kind of Macbook) and they replaced the palm rest, keyboard, and mouse pad for free. Unfortunately, they didn’t put any of it on right, so the space bar and the clicker are weird, and there’s a big gap between the palm rest and the bottom of the computer. Epic fail, because now I have to do my lab report tonight (Friday) because I’ll be without a computer from tomorrow (Saturday) through Sunday. I went computerless last night, which was why there was no update.
In what is becoming more tragic news the more I listen, I got a copy of the full U2 album, No Line on the Horizon. I’ll give a review of that later. “Get on Your Boots” hasn’t come on yet, so this album might be in the negative score by the time I rant about it.
Over and out.
The Last Shadow Puppets will blow your mind
I’ve always wanted an audible movie. I found it.
My friend and music aficionado pointed me toward this newish album called The Age of Understatement by The Last Shadow Puppets. I am beside myself by how good this band is, truly.
The band consists of Alex Turner and Miles Kane of the Arctic Monkeys and The Rascals, respectively. What they have accomplished is nothing less then the musical equivalent of a classic James Bond flick.
The vocals accent eachother in true indie gone parlor music fashion with basslines that keep the funk going, and with string sections that all but replace the guitars, which exist only to add texture. The rearrangement of roles in this modern day where power chords rule and violins drool is not only refreshing, but invigorating. Why? When you listen, you feel like you should be stalking a terrorist, or flirting with a tricky vixen.
Take “The Chamber,” a song that has a nearly surf feel to its guitars and vocals that reek of cologne and black ties. The strings make up the primary motif, and the bass bumps along to a funky beat that just demands repeated listening. Another iPod-able track is “Separate And Ever Deadly,” which synchronizes the bass and drums while the guitar follows a Spanish-ey reggae feel. The chorus spits out some of the sexiest harmonies over some of the coolest guitar parts on the album. The strings take a back seat here, but they would just be too awesome from this track, which speaks closest to traditional rock and roll, but between the lyrics and the rhythm section keep it in the espionage zone.
Other tracks worth mention (though they all deserve to be played over and over again) are “My Mistakes Were Made For You,” “In My Room,” and “The Age of Understatement.” They all have the funky, uber-cool vibe that makes this album so unique.
Long story short, this album will make you feel cool, it will rock your world, and you will listen over and over. There are no maybes here; this is one of 2008’s best albums, and I hope they keep up the good work. Two thumbs up.
RIYL: Any of the James Bond theme songs, The Artic Monkeys, The Rascals, The Raconteurs
The Blizzard of 78 blends indie rock with a country twang
So I found this CD in the on-air cabinet called Book of Lies by The Blizzard of 78, and I have to say, I’m feeling it. The band’s name isn’t too catchy, but the vocals coupled with jangly piano, twangy guitar, and super-suave basslines become a enjoyable combination.
So the RIYLs (Recommended If You Like, for non-radio folk) said they sounded like The Hold Steady and some other band I’m vaguely interested in. I was intrigued. I ripped. Two weeks later, I recalled that I had ripped an album that had seemed interesting at the time. I listened. I did not regret.
The best thing I can compare it to is the product of Wild Sweet Orange (who are the next big thing, just you wait, I called it first) and the Hold Steady. It has the Hold Steady’s grasp of the electric guitar and penchant for gang vocals, and WSO’s softer, easy-to-listen-to characteristics.
The album opens with a snare roll and a fuzzy guitar riff that are produced just enough to make you pay attention. A short verse later, a catchy, easy-to-sing-along-to chorus erupts, then brings you back to a nice calm verse again, rinse and repeat. The pattern is catchy, and the hooks don’t get old, even though “That’s the song” makes up what must be about 70% of the lyrics. The song doesn’t try to be more epic than it needs to be at the track one position, and then passes the baton to “Lullabye,” a calmer song that keeps the upbeat vibe with a strong rhythm section.
The vocals and guitar draw from influences that can be traced back to the Black Crowes, making it good for active listening, and the bass and drums make it good ambient music as well. This motif carries through, primarily in songs like “Lullabye,” “Pray,” and “God Eat God,” which don’t try to demand excessive attention, but still have articulation if you’re listening to it. Tracks like “The Song,” “Come Back Now,” and “Mercy” work to use pianos, gang vocals, and catchy choruses to get you singing along, and these are peppered in so that there isn’t an overload of stimulus at any given time.
The album is very consistent in its motivation, and as such it works best as an album, but if you’re craving a single to load onto your iPod, “Mercy” is your winner. The track uses the vocals as a way of making the song interesting (gang vocals and melodic sprechgesang? Yes, please) while the bass and drums work to make the song more unified, leaving the guitar to do its thing while the singers do theirs.
The verdict? Listen to it. These guys put together a good album. No one song will really attract too much attention, and as such, the band probably won’t get too much appeal. That said, it’s enjoyable, and so I’ll give it the thumbs up.
RIYL: The Hold Steady, Wild Sweet Orange, The Black Crowes
Audiophilia 