Friday night at the Skylark Lounge was a bit of déjà vu. It was last February when I found myself there basking in the yellowy light, listening intently as Fellow Citizens and Old Radio filled the night with music. This past weekend’s show, a showcase from local-arts/music collective Hot Congress, brought me back to the Skylark to see… Fellow Citizens and Old Radio.
If there were a perfect album, it would sound very close to The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place by Explosions In The Sky. While not new, this album serves as a great fallback album when the music market is waiting for its next big release. Explosions In The Sky is a Texas-based post-rock band that deals heavily in long, melodic jam sessions, which in this humble reviewer’s opinion, can suit just about any situation, whether it be beautiful sunrises, romantic encounters, or starry nights.
Jimmy Eat World, the creators of fan favorites such as “Sweetness” and “The Middle,” have come back again with another creation this past week. This Mesa, Arizona, born American alternative rock band, consisting of vocalist Jim Adkins, guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch, and drummer Zach Lind have returned with a new album, Invented. Collaborating with producer Mark Trombino, who had previously worked with them on 1999’s Clarity and 2001’s Bleed American, it appears that the quartet has decided to go back to their roots. The release of Invented is the band’s seventh full length studio album.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers have rocked the music scene since the 1980’s selling more than 55 million records with 10 studio albums. The album I would suggest is Red Hot Chili Peppers Live at Slane Castle. This video album of their performance in Ireland shows one of the better concerts, and you can experience it from that La-Z-Boy in the dorm room. Lead singer Anthony Keitis is one of the best writers in today’s modern music as he writes about finding meaning in life, and looking below the surface for answers.
Sufjan Stevens is a musician on the move. For the last ten years he’s been in a constant state of re-invention and experimentation. While most people are familiar with a handful of his songs and, perhaps, his 2005 full-length Come On Feel The Illinoise!- a musical journey through the Land of Lincoln- Stevens’ newest work, The Age of Adz, is difficult to simply lump in to his previous catalog.
At this point calling Arcade Fire a true indie band is a little like calling Star Trek a fresh new show. Still, the release of their new album, The Suburbs, has been treated with a new excitement in indie nerds such as me. Starting the album, I was personally pleased by the clarity and coalesced nature of the music. The title track, “The Suburbs,” holds a charming beat reminiscent of an old saloon with a very active piano starting off the mix. While this song is good, it seems to go on a bit too long. Luckily this element is quickly put to the side with the strong piercing beats of “Ready To Start.” For the next few songs, including my personal favorite “Modern Man,” the album remains deceptively pensive by disguising deep lyrics with cheerful bounding instrumental parts.
Broken Social Scene has done it again, and while it is not on the same level as their smash hit “You Forgot It In People,” Forgiveness Rock Record is worth the investment. Like most albums in the genre, this album starts of ramping up into a slower but calming intro with the languid but calm “World Sick.” The following few change the pace, with “Chase Scene” being my preferred choice as it has the feel of a futuristic chase scene, as the title implies.
The Bird & The Bee are undeniably hip. Singer/bassist Inara George (the bird) has a smooth-yet-powerful delivery, the likes of which reminds me of Feist or Astrud Gilberto. Matching her vocals with the modern synth-pop styling of Greg Kurstin (the bee) has already resulted in a pair of excellent records on jazz-label Blue Note Records. At a first glance, their newest record Interpreting the Masters Vol. 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates sticks out from the crowd.
AutoVaughn officially released its Science of Our Time album on September 14 and it is all over the Internet as well. Science of Our Time is an album that demands to be played. It tells a story while inspiring its audience. Their genre is future rock where soft rock meets instrumental meets auxiliary percussion. Guitar…
At first listen, “The Right Place To Be EP” by Adventure Galley is surprisingly professional for a debut album of a relatively unknown band. After a few listens it is not surprising that Adventure Galley won the recent Toyota Music Rock The Space 2 contest. The album begins with a soulful prelude that sets the scene for the rest of the album; of course everything only gets better from here. This leads right into “Knife In The Sail,” a song that is sure to find you tapping your foot along with the jazzy beat. As you fall deeper into the CD, you will find yourself in amazement that such a great debut album is even possible.