Passion Pit: Manners
It’s like you froze the Beach Boys in 1965 and thawed them in 2009. They discovered synthesizers and digital effects, Interpol and Grizzly Bear. Then you turned them loose in a well-equipped studio. From there they unleashed their falsetto harmonies on the world in the form of a catchy indie electro-pop album. This metaphor for Passion Pit’s Manners falls apart in any number of ways, of course. The Beach Boys are alive and presumably well, and Passion Pit sound nothing like them. And so forth. The point is, Passion Pit’s experimental flair and knack for melody make Manners a delight.
Rating: * * * * *
Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johansson: Break Up
The theme of Break Up is that Mr. Yorn and Ms. Johansson are at the back end of a passionate romance. Yorn’s inspiration for the songs was Serge Gainsbourg’s collaborations with Brigitte Bardot in the late ‘60s. I have no idea what the Gainsbourg/Bardot duets sound like, so I have no basis for comparison. Yorn and Johansson lack romantic chemistry, so the torrid break up isn’t all that convincing. However, I love the songs, I’m blinded by the mildly retro sound, and I think the duets are great—despite the lack of flame. Also, I like anything by Pete Yorn.
Rating: * * * * *
Joe Satriani: Surfing with Alien
I dislike drawn-out electric guitar solos as much as anyone, so I expected that Surfing with the Alien—basically a 36-minute solo—would be an exercise in mind-numbing tedium. But that Joe Satriani comes flying at you. He charges at a blistering pace. A scorching pace. And not a note out of place. He somehow manages to play rapidly through “Always with Me, Always with You” and make it sound like a slow, lyrical ballad. Throughout, the other instruments remain deep in the shadows. Surfing with Alien is all about what an electric guitar can do in the right hands.
Rating: * * * * *
Belle & Sebastian: The Life Pursuit
Dear Catastrophe Waitress moved along so quietly and slowly. The Life Pursuit pushes the tempo and even includes a wild electric guitar solo on “We Are the Sleepyheads.” Belle & Sebastian’s jangly folk style wakes up. By keeping the acoustic guitars to a minimum, they manage to invigorate their brand of Scottish indie pop. It never stales or becomes mired in sentiment. At times Belle & Sebastian sound like they’re trying out for a hip TV show or teen movie soundtrack, but I don’t think this is on purpose. Oft imitated, these guys refuse to be duplicated, even by themselves.
Rating: * * * * *
Glasvegas: Glasvegas
Glasvegas produces lots of noise, layers of it, with the same timbre of Scottish mournfulness as compatriots The Twilight Sad and Frightened Rabbit. All three bands are cut with the same die, but each is distinct and worthwhile. I had it playing as I worked and was enjoying its swirling textures and low-key intensity, features that permeate the album, when someone came in. The ensuing exchange went like this:
“What’s that?”
“Glasvegas.”
“Las Vegas? It kind of sucks.”
Translation: you’re not going to hear a lot of singles and it doesn’t grab you immediately. But it definitely does not suck.
Rating: * * * * *
Blind Pilot: 3 Rounds and a Sound
Blind Pilot hails from Portland’s indie scene, where they have been known to tour via bicycle. Their mellow folk rock jangles so pleasantly and so thoughtfully over the album’s 11 songs that the wrap up leaves something to be desired—an encore. There’s nothing all that special about Blind Pilot, nothing that necessarily stands out, but I could listen to 3 Rounds and a Sound over and over. No wild flourishes, just perfectly composed and balanced tunes that don’t call attention to themselves. They’re a band that deserves to be heard by everyone but will likely continue in relative obscurity.
Rating: * * * * *
The Low Anthem: Oh My God, Charlie Darwin
Oh My God, Charlie Darwin begins with the soft whisperings of the song “Charlie Darwin” and floats peacefully into “To Ohio” and “Ticket Taker.” Just when I thought they were gonna get all Fleet Foxes on me, they busted out the more rocking “The Horizon Is a Beltway.” When I say “rocking” I mean more “stomping alt-folk rock.” The Low Anthem recognizes that as beautiful as the first three songs are, we will all fall asleep unless they pick up the pace. So goes the rest of the album: a few harmonica-filled folk jams mixed with more melodic flowing pieces.
Rating: * * * * *
Dead Weather: Horehound
The Kills and the White Stripes seemed to have a lot in common, so a combination of Jack White and Alison Mosshart made sense in a Flintstones/Jetsons cartoon crossover type of way. No surprise then that Dead Weather sounds like a Kills/White Stripes combo album. You get the garage drum kit and monster blues guitar that come with those bands. As a bonus, you get Dean Fertita of the Queens of the Stone Age and Jack Lawrence of Mr. White’s other other band, The Raconteurs. The end result is experimental hard rock with the feel of a wild jam session.
Rating: * * * * *
Paper Route: Absence
Paper Route carries the synthesizer torch. Listening to Absence, I thought, “This is what New Order was trying to do.” A few decades ago, Paper Route would have been buried in Erasures, Depeche Modes, Pet Shop Boys, and Duran Durans. The synth pop forest has since been denuded; even some of the pioneers have switched genres. Now Paper Route is the best thing on the scene. Why are they the torchbearers? Because they get it right. The sound is right and the songs are right. Their style is complex, yet restrained, precise, yet impassioned. They’re ushering the new new wave.
Rating: * * * * *
The Academy Is…: Almost Here
The Academy Is… awesome! I saw them open for somebody or other several years ago in Boise, ID. They were great and haven’t disappointed since. William Beckett has an uncommonly good rock and roll voice, the band is precise, and the tunes are energetic. Almost Here is their full-length debut—full of great rock, catchy choruses, a nice mix of thoughtfulness, fury, and cheek. While songs like “Slow Down” and “Classifieds” demand attention, all 10 songs are worthwhile, giving Almost Here a complete feel. While they will inevitably be lumped with emo or pop rock bands, TAI shines in either.
Rating: * * * * *
