New Releases.
Dinosaur Jr. (9/18/12)
Usually it's not that hard for me to find the words to talk about an album I love, but I've written and re-written this review about 10 times, unable to settle on the message I want to send. So, when the words don't come I've found it best to just be short and sweet and to the point. I absolutely love this album. From start to finish there isn't much, actually anything about I Bet On Sky I would change. From guitar solos to J's voice, everything feels and sounds as it should be.
Tracks: They're all AWESOME, but Rude is my absolute FAVORITE!
Grizzly Bear (9/18/12)
I’m a bit burned out on music at the moment and given that I mainly listen to most new music on my work computer these days, I find it can be hard to focus on what I’m listening to. Once I start getting into a song my work phone blows up and interrupts whatever mood the music had put me in. Then I get irritated that I’m at work (where I don’t want to be) and not fully immersed in the music (where I want to be). I apologize if this sounds rushed and confused, but I’m going to give my reactionary impressions of these two albums without delving deep into the mechanics of either of them.
This Grizzly Bear album is, well, I don’t know - it’s just kind of there. I like “Sleeping Ute” a lot but right after that the album kind of disappears until I don’t even notice it’s over. How long have I been listening to silence? Is it a good thing that I don’t know how to answer that question? This has happened three times in a row now. My ears occasionally perk up here and there but for the most part my brain is on autopilot. I don’t know if that’s really a knock against the album because when I actually pay attention to the songs I don’t actually hate any of them. -TB
Tracks: Sleeping Ute, Yet Again, Gun-shy
Which brings me to the xx album.
The xx (released 9/11/12)
Spotify: The xx – Coexist
This band does not write barn-stomping stadium bashers. You will (most likely) not be blasting this out your car windows on a hot summer day, singing loud as hell at the top of your lungs. These are songs you hear in the back of your mind after a night out and you find yourself somewhere unfamiliar, making out with a stranger, and wondering just how you got in that situation in the first place. They are songs to listen to on the walk of shame while reflecting on your previous night’s choices. They can also be songs for wallflowers; each song playing out a little scenario in the head of that kid at the party who’s in the corner watching everyone without actually interacting with anyone.
I hate actually saying whether or not an album is good because who am I to tell you what you would or wouldn’t enjoy? If you are a fan of both of these bands then I can’t see any reason why either of these albums would turn you into a full blown hater (though I’d be interested to hear the opinion of those that have that experience). Consequently I also can’t find anything here that’s going to pull any haters on board. I know that’s about the biggest cop-out in album review history but you’ll have this. -TB
Tracks: Angels, Chained, Sunset, Tides
Anticipation.
Mumford & Sons - 9/25
Muse - 10/2/12Converge - 10/9/12
Bat For Lashes - 10/16/12
Ben Gibbard - 10/16/12
Pinback - 10/16/12
...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead - 10/23/12
Further Seems Forever - 10/23/12
Paul Banks - 10/23/12
SOUNDGARDEN!!! - 11/13/12
Alicia Keys - 11/27/12
