The Fashion - Self Titled

Denmark's The Fashion have released their self titled sophomore album, and it’s the most ridiculously pop-y and danceable record of the year so far. Their music is danceable, yet I wouldn’t necessarily call them a "dance" band. To be honest, I’ve had a hard time trying to pin point where to catalogue these Danes. They kind of ride the line between rock and new wave the way bands like Franz Ferdinand could only dream of. Some standout tracks on the record include Solo Impala with it’s, dare I say, Smooth Criminal vibe and the cool retro 80’s feel of Dead Boys. Throughout the rest of the record, The Fashion's not-so-despairing death references of hospital visits, funerals, ambulance rides and vampires include lulling piano spotlights, tambourines and echo voice layering with wonderful harmonies. If there is any problem with this record is the lack of substance in their songs. I feel if The Fashion had pushed themselves a little harder they’d be a lot more interesting. But as the record stands, it’s pure pop and quite infectious. Cheers!

RATING: * * * 1/2

Coldplay...What esh dish!?

Been a few minutes since my last blog entry, so here we go, diving back into action, batman style!


New Coldplay record came out...uh, wait, did it? Not sure, but I have it anyway and have been playing the hell out of it. A 60 year old doctor who listens to The Beastie Boys and Korn and Manson and the like and has a strange thing for old barbershop quartets from the 50's, said that Coldplay was a little too mellow for him.

I have to agree to a point. On several occasions I have thrown the three studio records Coldplay has released onto a playlist and sat back and did work or whatever and found myself a few times getting bored. The music itself was good, the harmony, melody, time, and combination of sound and soul stirring, however after a while, yep! It's Coldplay!

The new thang...Viva La Vida or Death And His Friends... I like the freshness of it. I may have just spun the previous records too much and got those older tunes in my head to where I didn't care anymore, but the new one is worth the listen. Violet Hill - my favorite single of the record.

3 Stars out of 3

This is The Moose and I have spoken. Yeah, K-mart sucks! Yeah, I'm an excellent driver!

Chris and Thomas - Land of Sea

This week’s standout record has to be Land of Sea by folk combo Chris and Thomas. Their debut album has a soulful playfulness reminiscent of Simon & Garfunkel. It’s the kind of album that coffeehouses everywhere will play endlessly, but don’t let that turn you off. This acoustic album features the duo’s simple harmonizing. It blends cellos with steel guitars and upright bass with mandolins and banjos. The two never break into solos so each voice plays off the other beautifully. Unfortunately my biggest complaints about this record are that no songs really stand out. That’s not to say that the songs are boring or not well written, it’s just that the album kind of bounces along in its own groove, one song effortlessly flowing into the next. Overall Land of Sea is a very solid and highly enjoyable album devoid of pretentiousness. It’s some of the best folk music released this year. Cheers!

RATING: * * *

My IPOD Problem

Alrighty, the following is a true story.

It started off busy, from the get-go. I clocked in and, BOOM! The work load hits me and I begin working. Thing is, I get through about twenty minutes and I realize something. No music. I begin to rummage through my pockets, and my bag I bring with me to work for my Ipod and after 15 seconds, I come to the realization, “Shit, I left it in the dock back home”. Well… what’s a guy to do? The only thing I could do. I logged onto Yahoo from the work station close by, and accessed the Yahoo radio guide.

Now, I’ll admit, that I thought it was cool. You rate bands, albums, songs, and the better rating, the more you’ll hear those high rated items, and items that Yahoo thinks sounds like what you like. So, okay, have music now. Can work properly now. Right?

It’s typically not a good thing to hear the words, “Oh, the humanity” being screamed from the bowels of a hospital, but it happened. Apparently, every now and then, while you are streaming music, Yahoo likes to throw in an advertisement. But, you see, I was in a groove and didn’t register the advertisement. I reached for my remote to forward the bad song to the next song, and there was no remote. There was no IPOD! I didn’t have control over my music. I couldn’t assemble a playlist! Panic. The sudden urge to go running down the hall as if being chased by OJ came upon me.

I know this feeling. We’ve met before. Years ago after pops got the VCR, I began collecting movies. During that really slow part in Gremlins, I could fast forward. During that smoochie bullshit in a good action film, I could fast forward through it. I began watching more on the VCR than TV. The good stuff wasn’t on till late anyway and I could tape it and play it back. Commercials… yep! Fast forward! Then one day, in the middle of a Nightmare on Elm Street marathon on WDZL, a commercial came on with Barbra Streisand, and that was it. I grabbed the remote and pushed the fast forward button and nothing happened! I was watching TV and didn’t have control. A slave to my VCR. I remember that feeling. It was the same.

I understand now, that I must have become a slave to my Ipod. But, when did this happen. Perhaps somewhere between the main course and dessert. It’s like trying to nail Jell-O to a wall, confusion and then madness. KHAN!

12 steps, my ass!

My take on Portishead - Third

I just listened to the new Portishead record, Third, and I figured I’d give my 2 cents on it. I think it’s F*CKING amazing. Unfortunately I don’t know if that’s a good thing. Let me explain. I’ve been waiting for this record for close to 10 years now and I don’t know if it’s a “nostalgia” factor mixed with trip-hop comfort food or if it, very simply, is a phenomenal record. I’d like to think it’s the latter. So I’m going to go with that. Third, comes off as both equally dark and cold while still being sweet and heartfelt. Which means it’s business as usual for Portishead. Anyone who has enjoyed Portishead in the past will find something they'll dig here. Beth Gibbons’ voice is just as haunting as ever, and the band is still tight. Some fave tracks include “Plastic”, which sounds like it could have been a single off of their 1997 album, and “We Carry On”, with it’s synth repetition and killer vocal wailing, is just intense. I would recommend putting this album on repeat and set the way back machine to 1997. Cheers!

RATING: * * * *

These New Puritans - Beat Pyramid

Beat Pyramid, the first full-length debut by England’s These New Puritans, is an amazing piece of post punk that will attack you from every angle. It’s clearly obvious on first listen that they are influenced by The Fall, but while this album is certainly eclectic and contains similar themes, it lacks the humor and charisma of their heroes. Beat Pyramid is a heavily drum driven and experimental work of brooding pop and danceable grooves that will fit right next to The Fall’s Dragnet or even Gang of Four’s Entertainment and Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures. Some favorite, yet challenging tracks are “Numerology” with its uneasy and shaky sound. Jack Barnett, lead vocal, sings “What's your favorite number, what does it mean?" before quickly spitting out "numerology is all shit". And the drum and base thumping repetitiveness of “Elvis”, sits very comfortably on a dance floor with its pulsating groove. It’s clear that Beat Pyramid is the best album never recorded in 1979.


RATING * * * *

New albums I'm diggin' on!!!

This is just a list records rockin' my '08 right now. If you have the means, I recommend checking them out. I'll post reviews and samples soon. Cheers!!

1- Grand Archives - Grand Archives
2- The Kills - Midnight Boom
3- Paul Steel - Moon Rock
4- Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant EP
5- These New Puritans - Beat Pyramid
6- Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus Dig!!
7- Neon Neon - Stainless Style
8- Portishead - Third
9- Nick Lowe - Jesus of Cool (Reissue)
10- The Ruby Suns - Sea Lion