Musical Picks and Pans

You will now read about the last five CD's (Yes, I still say albums) I purchased. You don't like it? Tough. Go read someone else's boring ass work stories instead(Rita is SO loud and her cubicle is RIGHT next to mine). Yes, I still buy CD's and don't download stuff. If you are all smirky over that, I mock your non-tactile, internet-hugging, no attention span soul. You still here? Ok, then.

1.) Modern Guilt - Beck
I usually love the Becks. Good grooves, good times. Fun lyrics. The DVD that came with his last album cracked my shit up to no end (Hey, lets make videos to all my songs consisting of us dressing up in whatever crap we can find around the house, dance around and lip sync, shoot it on this digital camera, play around with all of the settings on said camera and release the DVD with my album!) However, this CD just sounded like one long bwrr-wrr-wrr noise. I replayed it a couple of times and the sound changed to a wrrp-bow-bp. Just a very uninteresting record.

What Spin magazine would say: "Beck, the baby-faced beat chameleon, sucks us in again with a rhythm that runs the gamut from bwrr-wrr-wrr to wrrp-bow-bp."


2.) Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
I didn't know what to expect from this, as I just bought it on a whim from a friend's recommendation - I was thinking it would be a little alt-country-ish. Instead, the sound is really unique - a ethereal, ghostly lead vocals with harmonies and spare instrumentation. I like it more upon each listening. Enjoy it while driving through nature on a sunny Fall day.

What Spin magazine would say: "Fleet Foxes' haunting, soaring melodies belie their sweet lyrical tidings."


3.) Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal
I've always liked his stuff, but not enough to really dive in and be a huge-o fan. This CD is really nice from beginning to end. All of the songs are co-written with Chuck Prophet and you can tell. They have that CP jangly feel to them, as well as his "shouted more than sung" vocals. I may go back to some of earlier stuff. I like his very listenable style.

What Spin magazine would say: "C'mon like we are ever going to hate on this kind of guy. That would be like criticizing Jesus. Or Wilco."



4.) Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
Yeah, yeah - don't roll your eyes at me. The thing is, the only criticism I hear of these guys is: "These snobby punks are ripping off African music and are shoving their preppy whiteness in my face." So the problem is people do not like their image. Referencing Cape Cod parties and putting chandeliers and boaty shoes in their album art pisses people off. Why? Would you rather they fake being garage band punks instead of Columbia frat boys? Anyway, the music is rather good. On some tracks, it's like somebody took Paul Simon's Graceland and added some interesting twists and turns. On other tracks, it's more straight ahead rock y roll.

What Spin Magazine would say: "Pure. Unadulterated. Genius. We can not hype these guys enough. On a related note, there is zero chance that we will like their next album."



5.) Black Kids - Partie Traumatic
Want something peppy, but can't bring yourself to spring for Vampire Weekend? I challenge you to listen to "Look at Me(when I rock witchoo)" and not dance like that guy with the Happy Mondays. It's infectious rhythm-y fun.

What Spin Magazine would say: "Is it Post-Dance or Neo-Hip-Hop? Our 'Pretentious Music Labeller Magic 8 Ball' is on the fritz again."