This week was stricken with lost reviews due to non-saving and some pretty good albums. My favorite of the week would have to be Carried Away by People Under The Stairs.
Embryonic by The Flaming Lips – When I listen to this album it feels like I am immersed in sounds. It’s like when you first started smoking weed and you’re parked on the side of the road, listening to a Cream album in the passenger seat of a Corolla hatchback and watching the stars turn into various animals.
Crazy Love by Michael Bublé – I’ve never heard of this guy. His name sounds like that of a lounge lizard. Lo and behold he sounds like a Vegas crooner.
Gold And Green by Sugarland – I got tricked by this album thinking it wasn’t a holiday album, it is. It’s a shame, too, because the chick in this band is fine.
D.N.A. by Mario – I don’t know how R&B is so formulaic and lacking of soul. I mean Mario has a great voice but it just sounds like he’s grabbing another paycheck.
Slice by Five For Fighting – I was excited because I thought this was the album inspired by MMA fighter Kimbo Slice. This guy sounds like John Mellon Cougar Camp had a pop child with an American flag.
Sorry For Partyin’ by Bowling For Soup – If you gave this to your prepubescent cousin he’d think you were the coolest and funniest person ever. But then he wouldn’t stop making annoying references to this album for like a year. So, mixed bag.
Conditions by The Temper Trap – A bit of an awesome album. If you like Kings of Leon or The Killers you will probably really dig this album.
Parallel Uni-Verses by Del The Funky Homosapien, Tame One – I used to think I hated Del, but this is a cool album. Has good beats and lyrics. If you played this during some dance party you’d be a hit.
DJ KiCKS Re(Mix) by Chromeo – Album is a little subdued. Try’s to be a throwback to 80’s-coke-driven-funk but it seems to be missing that coke ingredient. I mean it feels like it’s trying to hit that coke mark but misses.
Know Better Learn Faster by Thao with The Get Down Stay Down – Even though this album is under 40 minutes it feels like it runs about 2 hours. The sounds are cute and all, but it runs together too much. Also, they love clapping.
On Your Side by A Rocket To The Moon – I’ll let a reviewer from Lala.com give you an idea of this album: “FreAkin BaDASS!!Ima prObably go see them!!yeayy! jaja sounded kind of gay!!” So now you know how this sounds?
In This Light And On This Evening by Editors – Sounds like my uncle decided to pick up a synthesizer and make a really cool album for all the hip kids out there. How does it sound kids?
Fire Kite EP by Eisley – Once these kids grow up they will be a hit on the hipster-folk scene.
Earthly Delights by Lightning Bolt – My friends in metal bands will be happy to know that I am starting to enjoy metal. Now, not so much that I’d actually ever buy an album, but enough to listen to it and say, “Yes, this can be listened to.”
A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like A Kiss) by Glasvegas – This is a tricky album. It pretends to be a Christmas album, instead of being one. Scottish rock band; this time not so good. Although they do have a song called “Fuck You, It’s Over.” Soo…
Carried Away by People Under The Stairs – I think I need to be throwin’ a Lutherfest pretty soon. This album is great. Doesn’t stack the deck in the front of the album. Unlike many other recent hip-hop albums this has staying power.
Blue Record by Baroness – This is one of those rare metal albums I actually, you know, would even recommend to you. Metal is having an impressive week.
Power by Boys Noize – If you’re looking for some electro to listen to this is it. If you’re looking for something that moves the genre forward this is not it.
Normal As Blueberry Pie: A Tribute to Doris Day by Nellie McKay – This chick looks like the type of person, that after meeting, you’d be thinking, “She was odd.” A tribute to Doris Day is fine and all, but I’d rather pay tribute by playing Fallout 3.
Qu by Sherwood – I mean, maybe this band is good? But I can’t get past the fact that MySpace is involved with these peeps.
Out Of Ashes by Dead By Sunrise – Camembert, Gouda, Stilton, Dead by Sunrise, Beaufort…
Fun and Laughter by Land Of Talk – I was always getting dinged by my English teachers for run-ons. The lyricist of this band is another example of our failed education system. Sounds like they had to convince the singer to be part of the band, but she’s passively protesting by passively singing.
The House That Dirt Built by The Heavy – Sometimes sounding like The Stooges with horns, other times like a harder Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. I am looking forward to checking this band out at Slim’s on the 27th.
Traces by Peter Bradley Adams – This sounds really heartfelt but I don’t have one. This album is best suited for people who believe that’s just the way it is and some things’ll never change.
Songs From Lonely Avenue by The Brian Setzer Orchestra – I verified that this indeed is an album and there is indeed music on it. That’s all I cared to verify.
Little Moon by Grant Lee Phillips – I kind of don’t have the patience for someone to whisper at me huskily while a piano is tickled. Do you enjoy the wine and cheese crowd? Then this is the album for you.
Love Like This by The Summer Set – This album seems to define pop for teenagers. Nothing wrong with that at all. Just kinda cutesy and stuff.
Hundreds of Lions by Erin McKeown – When I was younger I wanted to marry Erin McKeown, in a total non-stalker way. I thought she was the shit. I can’t objectively judge this album. But I don’t know if I like it. However, if you like people like Dar Williams and the like then most likely you will enjoy the smart lyrics of Ms. McKeown.
Beast Rest Forth Mouth by Bear In Heaven – This album is a mixed bag of potential and lameness. Sometimes the songs seem like they could be really good. They’re almost there but seem to be missing a spark of some sort. I want to like this album, but maybe I’ll wait for their next if they ever get around to it.
Never Cry Another Tear by Bad Lieutenant – Pretty enjoyable album. This music feels like Butter’s shoegaze dance in the Aspen episode.
Harper Simon by Harper Simon – If you like being depressed and listening to people like Bright Eyes this album will help to shed more tears on your pillow.
Midnight Soul Serenade by Heavy Trash – Hard to describe this music accurately. Like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah if it were bred with The Cramps and the Big Bopper.
Soft-Core by My Robot Friend – If you like riding bikes with whimsy, wind, and tight jeans you’ll love this album. This is not meant as a deterrent, a lot of great looking girls can be wooed this way. The album gets better as it goes on. I really like the track with Zombie Nation, “The Short Game.”
A New Day by Four Letter Lie – Given the band’s name you can guess what it sounds like. Almost like a harder rocking Hold Steady, but without the clever stories.
Graphic As A Star by Josephine Foster – Like an older Jolie Holland album. You know with the lyrics and the rambling, old-timey voice and intimacy.
Notes From Underground by 1997 – Whoa it starts off all folky and indie then tricks you with punk-inspired sounds. Can I say folk-punk? I’m saying it.
Burnout by Ox – I like that alt.country comes from Canada. But I can’t get behind this. I really want to and keep trying to justify it, like stealing when you’re drunk.
My favorite album of the week is the one from The Temper Trap, but there's some good suggestions on here. And oh, I like cheese, so I'm definitely checking that one out.
You've never heard of Michael Buble.
I'm a big fan of The Editors last album and was going to write a review of it for SP but I ended up writing one for LaLa “Unlistenable” They've never been cool and this could kill them.
We do of course have a full review of Bad Lieutenant 🙂