The Delays New Album

Here's the new single off the Delays latest album. Its called Hooray. Their album is out in Europe. Still unreleased in the states. I'm not sure what I think of the new single. Sounds kind of trite, but their last album, Faded Seaside Glamour, showed enough talent that I'm going to have buy this album when it comes out. Let me know what you think. I think it may be growing on me.

Record Review - South "You Are Here"

South's previous three albums have have followed the holy trident of european brit-pop with 2001's From Here On In sounding like The Stone Roses, 2003's With the Tides sounding like The Charlatans UK, and 2006's Adventures in the Underground, Journey to the Stars sounding like New Order. You Are Here, South's latest release, is the first album that you can't truly make any comparisons too. Combining elements of all three of their previous albums, it is the first record where you have to say they sound like nobody, but themseleves. This is never more so evident than on the album's opening track, "Wasted." A song about a couple lamenting about how they tired of getting wasted, the lyrics unfold over a gorgeous layer of sounds-- strings-check, delayed notes - check, gorgeous strumming - check, siren droning in the background - check -- its an album highlight. Wasted combines all of the elements fans have come to love about South. The rest of the album follows much of their previous career trajectory, but finds them experimenting with Oasis like perussions and is an album highlight. The album, however, not without its missteps, "She's Half Crazy" is a hot mess with South bringing a little funk to the proceedings. The song sounds like Ian Brown and Bootsy Collins had an ugly child. Balloons ends far too soon being only 30 seconds long, but those 30 seconds are pure heaven. I wish South had developed it into a full song.

Album closer Zither Song is the highlight of the album and is one of the best songs South has ever written. Over a gentle strum featuring some beautiful zither instrumentation, lead singer, Joel Cadbury laments the process of time. The track finds South operating in space with the drums and crescendo not kicking in until the 2:56 mark. The buildup is worth the wait as it features a kick-ass drumbeat and swirling guitars. At its most, You Are Here is what you expect from South, an experimental consistent affair that features great choruses and epic like instrumentation.

FINAL SCORE - 8.5



POST SCRIPT. I picked South's Adventures in the Undergound, Journey to the Stars as the best album in 2006. In making that selection I commented about 2006 not being a great year in music and for me, and picked the South album as the best almost apologetically. Listening to that album again in its entirety, I realize my mistake. That album is a murderer's row of tunes and rightfully deserves its place as the best album of 2006. I should probably re-write that list at my old blog.

Dengue Fever - Seeing Hands

I've been listening to Dengue Fever quite a bit recently. Their sound is something that will either grow on you or it won't. Initially I was sort of turned off by the psychedelic retro stylings but during a long road trip I really started to get into their vibe and found that I was really really growing to like it. It's not too often you find a group that can transport you to another place like they can.

Dengue Fever's not for everybody but you should give them a shot if you're up to it.

I'm gonna try to see them July, 5 2008 at Summer Stage in Central Park, New York. Should be pretty cool.

Dengue Fever at MySpace

Midnight Boom Is Worth a Listen

This is a new album by The Kills but when I first listened to it I was immediately transported to the 90's. It evokes memories of the Deal sisters and Trent Reznor.

The song that really leaps out for me is Black Balloon. I like the slow, melancholic feeling and the simple instrumentation. Around a minute forty in, Black Balloon starts to bloom in complexity but it doesn't loose anything in the transition. A simple song that works for me.

Awesome band--Plants and Animals

This song, Bye Bye Bye is awesome. Its positively beatlesesque. The only version I can find to post is a crappy live version. Listen to the album version, it will blow you away.

Brings a smile to my face

Brings me back to some very special memories at Tulane with someone really special that's far, far away now. We used to blast this in the Eagle Talon on the way back from Circle Bar and Snakes.

Ignore the idiot on the video, I'm posting it for the song playing in the background. You can find the song on Fatboy Slim's live album On The Floor At The Boutique. The song is called Because I Got It Like That by the Jungle Brothers.

Florida band makes good

Caught them at the social a long while back. They were really good. Don't remember them playing this song, which means this is probably new. This song is really good. I hope to see them again soon. They're called Summerbirds in the Cellar and the song is called Behold the Wolf. As I recall, they were a three piece outfit. From the sound of this song, i would think they would've added a member. Its refreshing to hear a band bring some dark joy division inspired dance into rock instead of all that happy, pretty dance that so many indie rock bands seem to be using today.

Update, they're actually playing Backbooth on June 27. I definitely have to go to that.