CD
Reviews: Cop it or drop it
By
Trent Loomis
On-line Forty-Niner
"It
Still Moves"
My Morning Jacket
****
Somewhere in-between the dream state and
reality there is a sweet innocence that
reminds us that the world is beautiful.
On their third and most ambitious album,
"It Still Moves," My Morning Jacket
finds that parallel and exploits it.
The band's lead singer and producer of the
album, Jim James explores every end of the
vocal spectrum from exuberant ballads such
as "Mahgeetah" (the first and
best track), to the dreamlike crooning of
"I Will Sing You Songs."
Almost
rock-a-billy and not exactly modern rock,
the Shelbyville, Kentucky quintet seem comfortable
and ready to make a place for themselves
nationwide with their heartfelt sound and
commanding hook.
"Pseudopod"
Pseudopd
**
If
youthful exuberance is what can catapult
a small college band into national stardom,
then for freshly signed Pseudopod the future
looks bright. If nothing else, one
must applaud them for the optimism and energy
of their fist self-titled album.
It's
only natural for a group of UCLA grads,
who won the "Best College Band"
award sponsored by Rolling Stone, to let
excitement and energy shine through on their
first studio album.
Past
college favorites include "Shrinks,"
and their current single "Intentions."
Both invoke mellow hooks and frenetic tones,
similar to bands like Blues Traveler and
the Samples--bands that Pseudopod have opened
for.
It's
not a complex album in terms of songwriting
and effects, which might be what ultimately
keeps Pseudopod from breaking through. On
the other hand, their laid back style might
be the ingredient for success in a complex
world.
"Go"
Vertical Horizon
**
No matter which direction music takes us,
or where the next music revolution will
start, it is safe to say that Vertical Horizon
will be somewhere in the dense library of
modern-rock.
With
their latest album "GO" due in
stores September 23, Vertical Horizon assaults
us with an array of mediocre, yet catchy
pop ballads.
After
spreading their last album "Everything
You Want" to all corners of the Earth,
lead singer Matt Scannell explains the focus
of "GO" with words that would
make the Dali Lama envious.
Honestly
enough though, their latest single "I
am Still Here" is no less catchy than
their previous contemporary rock hits. Hum
along to a theme song from any sitcom and
file "GO" in your library of albums
which will be forgotten in two years
By
Matt Logan
On-line Forty-Niner
"Indestructible"
RANCID
****
The
evolutionary and influential bastard children
of punk have exploded back at you with their
latest album "Indestructible."
First known to us as Operation Ivy back
in the late 80s and later renamed, Rancid
has lasted the grinding scene to which they
helped give birth.
This
album revisits everything from growing up
as a punk in a world of disco, social isolation,
love, to watching the cult-classic movie,
"Taxi Driver."
On
"Born Frustrated," which lashes
out at the complacency of modern America's
mall-crazy consumers, a verse screams: "is
this human freedom, hedonistic excess, junky
consumerism, mass production, toxic sickness
everyone is wearing/ now plastic masks that
they hide behind, marketing massive slabs
of nothing/ everything is for sale here."
Put
this one in your stereo and get ready for
some real punk. "Indestructible"
is an evolutionary, poetic punk spider web.
"Greendale"
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
***
Coming
from one of the few legendary musicians
that survived the 70s, Neil Young and Crazy
Horse's album "Greendale" proves
that the fire is still burning in his heart.
The Chicago Tribune hailed it as, "One
of the most ambitious works of his career."
I can only agree. The music flows from his
guitar and through my stereo so smooth,
it's like liquid sound. Neil Young continues
his generation's ideals with lyrics full
of love and peace.
His
blend of folk, rock, blues and what I would
call, mellow cruising music blend beautifully.
You can throw this one in the stereo and
just chill or maybe even do some homework
for a change.
Neil
Young brought all he had into this one and
the record makes for some sweet listening.
"A
Mark A Mission A Brand A Scar"
Dashboard Confessionals
**1/2
Ladies,
get your heart strings ready for a tug of
war because here comes the love song repertoire
of that sappy, tattooed, guitar slingin'
musician.
The
new album includes a bonus DVD titled, "Far
From Home Movies." So now you can see
the boy wonder singing and swaying those
bony hips in the privacy of your own home.
|
