Album Review: 10 Paces, Fire - Lakes Refract & Lakes Reflect

Album Rating: A

It's hard to find music that stays true to its roots, appeals to a wide audience, and contains a sort of depth that makes it truly relevant, while still remaining accessible to each and every person that takes an interest. 10 Paces, Fire has come up with some kind of black magic voodoo formula that satiates all of these requirements, and still surpasses expectations with clearly-burning brilliance and passion that makes it serious, light-hearted, and "underground" enough for snobbish hipsters. Lakes Refract & Lakes Reflect is a beautifully complex album in many ways, yet is completely down to earth at the same time. With tastes of everything from Moonlit Sailor to Manchester Orchestra to Minus The Bear, the album is emotional, exciting, deep, exhilarating, calming, creative, and most importantly, fun.

Album Retrospective: Brand New - Deja Entendu

Album Rating: A-

Less of a retrospective on a personal beloved classic, and more of a first time exploration on one of the last decade's most cherished alternative records, I attempt to pen my experience with Brand New's Deja Entendu. Oh yes, I enjoyed my time with their masterpiece, The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me, and even heard a bit of the quite wonderful Daisy, but I had never once feasted my ears on their highly regarded sophomore effort.

Why yes, it occurs to me that this venture should have happened years ago. Maybe I had it built up so high in my head after The Devil and God..., or perhaps just laziness, but regardless, I couldn't pass up this album any longer. It wasn't the hopes of an instant classic that drew me, but rather, how it brought so many people together. With the rise of the internet, blogging, and mass music journalism, the over and under-interpretation has shadowed the actual 'magic' of music. Music has the power to over come barriers and bring people together for a common purpose, but that fact has become lost by our culture of quick downloading and quick juding. In an attmept to curb such nonsense, I got my hands on Deja Entendu.

Rodrigo y Gabriela: Area 52

Well isn't this a lovely surprise? No sooner did I start my "End of the Year" list did Rodrigo y Gabriela give me a reason to already start looking towards 2012. The brilliant Spanish duo captured my heart back in 2009 with their phenomonal 11:11, a whirlwind of frenzied guitar pieces that displayed a prowess not often seen in modern contemporary music. It was surprise highlight of mine then, and their upcoming release, Area 52 is keeping me on the edge of my seat in anticipation.

Why does an obscure album from a little known duo have me so excited, you ask? Well you'd have to listen to only a mere sample of the band to discover why. They radiate passion, utilizing their guitars for not only the string aspect, but the percussion aspect as well. Often wild and unpredictable, Rodrigo y Gabriela never disappoint, so mark your calendars for January 24th, when Area 52 officially drops.

Album Review: O'Brother- Garden Window

It didn't take much for me to get excited about O'Brother's new record. After all, their debut material was exceptionally satisfying, and the fact that they've toured with the likes of The Dear Hunter and Thrice only sweetened the deal. They've slowly been gaining recognition for their sublime amalgamation of post-hardcore, indie, and progressive rock, resulting in a bold and resplendent sound. Despite their growing fame, they aren't immune to the pressures of the "sophomore release," an outing that often makes and breaks careers. Luckily, their latest, Garden Window sees the band not only retain their solid aesthetic, but it improves literally every other facet of the band.

Album Review: Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto

How does one appraoch a new offering from one of the world's largest musical acts? Surely their are lofty expectations, as well as a magnified sense of what said new offering should be in regards to its impact on the modern musical landscape. Coldplay are no strangers to egregious expecations and hyper-srutiny, as they dominated the alternative rock seen last decade, finding fame from all across the globe. Their mellow alt-rock stylings found them lying in the hearts of the mainstream dwellers as well as the more jaded musical listeners. Since their debut they've been picking up steam, piquing with their 2008 release, Viva la Vida, an album praised for it's no holds barred sense of creativity and musical exploration. Well, the Coldplay of 2008 is nothing like the Coldplay of present, which on itself is nothing like the Coldplay whom the world fell in love with. No, this is a different entity entirely, which has its shares of pros, as well as cons.

Album Review: Bjork - Biophilia

Bjork is a tough nut to crack, and an even tougher one to describe to someone who's never heard of her. I could talk ad nauseum about her stage presence, her one of a kind fashion sense, her strife filled biography, and even her Academy Award nominated performance in Dancer in the Dark. I could almost have a disertation on my hands before I even got to her music. And despite the glorious, outlandish, and completely unpredictable nature of Bjork as an institution, it's really the music that makes her one of this generations most cherished artists.

Album Review: Wilco - The Whole Love

First things first--The Whole Love is way better than anyone could have, and should have expected. After all, Wilco has sort of been on a bit of a downward slope since Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. To be fair, how couldn’t they be? After all, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was a defining release, helping shape 2000’s indie, as well as being a stunning album in its own right. Impossible to top, yes, but Wilco haven’t been anywhere near their A game since, release records to little fanfare, and mixed critical acclaim. Well, whatever funk they were in has ended, as Whole Love not only sees Wilco return to their former, amazing selves, but it sees them creatively invigorated, ready to prove they aren’t down for the count.

Artist Spotlight: This Town Needs Guns

This Town Needs Guns is a fairly new band, having only been around for the better part of six years. Hailing from the UK, This Town Needs Guns has released an EP, as well as an album, both to critical and commercial success. Both featured a very straightforward alternative rock/indie sound, but with an exceptionally well executed math-rock twist.

This Town Needs Guns is equal parts Maps & Atlases, Sharks Keep Moving, and Minus the Bear. There's a hefty amount of guitar noodling, with infectious hooks sprinkled in as well. The band is solid, and the music they make is infectious, which is evident on their newest 7'' entitled Adventure, Stamina & Anger.

With two songs, the 7'' offers only a mere taste of this rather incredible band. It's brief, but it's well worth looking into. It's addicting, endearing, and just plain fun. Afterwards, This Town Needs Guns may just be your newest dig.

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Album Review: Kidcrash - Naps

Listening to Kidcrash evolve and progress over the course of five years has been an absolute joy. From their humble beginnings to their sadly looming hiatus, being a part of the profound and beautiful ride that is Kidcrash has been a wonderful thing. Reflecting upon their career, the 2007 release Jokes immediately comes to mind, as it changed not only the way I thought about emo, but music in general. It melded everything the genre had been up until that point, whilst also being shockingly unique and fresh. Truly, it was one of last decades defining releases. Now four years later, Kidcrash has quietly dropped an EP, feeding those starved individuals who can only stand bewildered at the uncertain future of the band they love.

Album Review: Eepocampe - When Things Get Abstract

Ah, vocal post-rock. There isn't too much of it being released this year, which you'll notice I also commented on in my Cassie spotlight. However, Eepocampe hits the nail on the head with their second record, mixing vocals with an easy instrumentation for simplicity, but also an added effect of atmosphere. When Things Get Abstract brings a wave of music that just feels good to listen to, like a combination between Moving Mountains and Explosions in the Sky. The record is optimistic with a sense of drive that comes from the alternative and post-rock driven influences, and they mesh to create what basically sounds like Pneuma, with the touches of guitar riffs and melodies from All Of the Sudden I Miss Everyone, but a trained ear will notice that there's at least a bit to be desired from this album.

Album Review: Radiohead - TKOL RMX 1234567

Upon discovering Radiohead had dropped their newest album a day early, I proceeded to immediately download it. Granted, it was announced a mere week before then, but the anticipation was already too much to handle. Sure I was late to my first class, but I had The King of Limbs on my mp3 player, and ready to listen. Less than forty minutes later, anticipation faded and disappointment set in. I was sure what I had just heard wasn't Radiohead, but a tamer, more forgettable band. A band who'd let vapidity replace creativity. A band that wasn't the one I had grown to admire.

Although seven month's time made me reflect more kindly on Radiohead's most divisive album to date, I still couldn't help but feel like something was missing, something bold and daring, something more like the band I had fallen for when I was a teenager. That something is TKOL RMX 1234567.

Album Review: Hot Water Music - The Fire, The Steel, The Tread/Up To Nothing 7"

Despite being out of the game for quite a tat, fans have never really forgotten about Hot Water Music. Truly, the myriad of bands who cite them as an influence have not forgotten them either, as Hot Water Music have left a crater-like impression on the modern day punk scene.

HWM have been releasing music here and there since their last full-length album, The New What Next, but nothing in the form of a true follow up. The Fire, The Steel, The Tread/Up To Nothing 7" isn't simply a two song collection, but rather, the promise of what is to come, as the band are currently working on a new record. Still, not to be outdone by such momentous news, the 7" is a delight all by itself. Sure it's incredibly brief, but it's a wholly enjoyable, hard hitting work that more than lives up to the name of Hot Water Music.

Album Review: Thrice - Major/Minor

It's almost preposterous how good Thrice continue to be. Really, it's just ludicrous that after eight albums, Thrice are still at the top of their game, churning out record after record, song after song, with the same energy and fervor as when they were younger. Starting with their sophomore effort, The Illusion of Safety, Thrice have gone from a passionate, energetic post-hardcore outfit, to a more thoughtful alt-rock group whose material is both experimental and comfortingly familiar. Regardless of what sound the band employs, the result is almost always incredible. This is also the case with the band's most recent album, Major/Minor,a record which sees the band exploiting everything from their past, whilst making something amazingly fresh and exhilarating.

Album Review: The Dangerous Summer - War Paint

A group of young men release a pop-punk/indie rock album and the world keeps on spinning. Well, a lot of times that is the case. Needless to say, musicians in the age between adolescence and adulthood usually produce pseudo-thoughtful, contrived and convoluted music which to sing about relationship problems. Here's a surprise--The Dangerous Summer aren't like those bands. They truly are thoughtful, and display enough musical and songwriting prowess to convince this reviewer that they are actually able to stand head and shoulders above the glut of nameless pop-punk acts.

Coldplay-Every Teardrop is a Waterfall

Oh the days when one could rely on Coldplay to make borderline melancholic alternative rock that was introspective, deep, and tinged with drama and mellow emotions. Sadly those days have come and gone, as is evidence of the band's last album and latest single, Every Teardrop is a Waterfall.

Now that isn't to say that Viva la Vida was an excursion into joy and optimism, but certainly there was an undertone of more positive emotions, bolstered by a much bolder, exciting approach to songwriting. Well, those newer feelings are tenfold on "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall." Chris sings with passion and flair, and the rest of the band feels frighteningly invigorated. The energy flows freely, making the whole track feel alive.

"Every Teardrop is a Waterfall" is one of the most interesting and engrossing pieces of music Coldplay has put out in sometime. This could very well be a new direction for the band. However, we'll have to wait until October 24th, when their yet untitled album will hit stores.

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Album Review: Black Wine-Summer of Indifference

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with Black Wine’s Summer of Indifference, and if things keep going the way they’ve been going, I’ll be enjoying it for quite some time. The record is simply amiable—fun, chaotic, and deliciously varied and unpredictable. Summer of Indifference really is one of the more listenable, and more outwardly easy things to listen to this year, making it the perfect companion in your “summer of indifference.”

Album Review: Giles Corey - Giles Corey

Innumerable comparisons of Giles Corey to Have A Nice Life are going to be made, and really, it’s hard not to see why. After all, both projects share one man, Dan Barrett. More importantly, however, is the ability of both bands to create uncompromisingly dense, dark, and riveting musical compositions. This is where the comparisons should end though, as Giles Corey’s eponymous debut is an entirely different kind of beast; an album rife with complexities, but stripped down, making it real, raw, and visceral.

Album Review: Taking Back Sunday-Taking Back Sunday

Taking Back Sunday is Taking Back Sunday, forever and always. For many, this may be welcome news, as the band has quite literally become legendary since their domination of the last decade. And how couldn’t they be? In the mid-2000’s Taking Back Sunday defined the angst-lite pop-punk movement that listeners couldn’t escape from. However, despite their reliance on the somewhat juvenile themes of being under appreciated and “the complexities of adolescence,” Taking Back Sunday made a name for them, and in the process, garnered a bevy of fans, and a load of critical praise. Yet it can’t be helped to think that Taking Back Sunday have reached the bottom of their bag of tricks, and in the process, have reached the end of their creativity.

The Dear Hunter-The Color Spectrum (Complete)

As bold as this may sound, The Dear Hunter’s multi-EP project, The Color Spectrum, is one of the most exhilarating, forward-thinking, and creative musical endeavors of the past several years. Casey Cresenzo and company have truly outdone themselves, creating a thematic package almost too grand in scope to be digestible. These pieces that make up the entire project aren’t half-assed demos thrown together to make a semi-coherent, pretentious concept, but rather, a fully realized, sincerely crafted collection of thoughtful songs. Some hit, while others miss, but regardless, The Color Spectrum has potential to be the soundtrack to almost anyone’s summer.

Album Review: The Dear Hunter-The Color Spectrum (Compilation)

It really wasn’t a surprise when The Dear Hunter announced an album for each color in the color spectrum, really, it wasn’t. After all, ambitious mutli-album concepts aren’t exactly foreign to them. For years the band has been working on a seven-part concept detailing the story of a prostitute and her illegitimate son. War, love, and lust all play large roles in the overarching tale, making for a grand suite that to this day is still less than half complete. Apparently, the creation of said album series was as exhausting as it sounds, for The Color Spectrum sees the band step out of their comfort zone, experimenting with new sounds, new ideas, and more importantly, a fresher sense of creativity.