Album Reviews
Review: Midlake – The Courage of Others
Follow-up albums are always a challenge, with a constant struggle to please both their audience and themselves as creative and maturing artists. The Courage of Others is Midlake’s follow-up to 2006’s critically acclaimed The Trials of Van Occupanther, and you just know they had to be feeling the pressure to release an album that would live up to it’s predecessor. While some fans may disappointed that the new material isn’t following along the same path as Trials, the new album reveals a band that has greatly matured, and while the direction may be different, it is still as exciting as ever.
Review: The Hoof & The Heel – and all the tigers EP
Montreal’s The Hoof & The Heel‘s debut and all the tigers EP is an EP that perhaps could have been an LP had it not been released during a tour. At 7 songs and a bonus track, this EP probably dresses up as an LP for Halloween and at night when nobody is looking. But for the sake of this review we will call it an EP, and a pretty damn good one at that.
Review: Four Tet – There Is Love in You
Fourt Tet‘s latest album, There Is Love in You, is an unpredictable electronic album, probably unlike any other dance music you have ever heard. This is an album without the limitations of steady, repetitive beats found in typical dance music but one that you must actually feel the music to make you move. The album was made for and by dancers, as Keiran Hebden created these songs by playing them for London club goers and adjusting them judging by their responses until they were perfect. The results are pretty stunning.
Review: Owen Pallett – Heartland
Owen Pallett is known for his incredible orchestral arrangements, and his notable work with numerous artists such as Arcade Fire, Grizzly Bear, Beirut and Pet Shop Boys. In order to avoid confusion with the immensely popular video game Final Fantasy, Owen Pallett has dropped his pseudonym for the release of his new concept album. Through Heartland, Owen has grown, discovered and experimented as a composer, and as a result his latest work is on a much grander scale than his previous work. Read more…
Review: Surfer Blood – Astro Coast
Florida’s up and coming band Surfer Blood have released their killer (just check out the album art!) debut album after months of hype. Astro Coast is basically what you would end up with if Weezer, The Shins and the Beach Boys were all put in one great big melting pot and became one.
Review: Woodpigeon – Die Stadt Muzikanten
Woodpigeon’s Die Stadt Muzikanten begins with the crackling of a vintage record and a twinkling piano, creating a real sense of wonder of what is to come on their third album.
Review: OK GO – Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky
2010 is a year of much-anticipated releases, and with the recent release of Vampire Weekend’s Contra, and Owen Pallett’s Heartland, the hope was that 2010 would finally be the year OK GO would release a truly solid album. OK GO has had a shaky track record over the course of their short history as a band, and unfortunately, their latest effort, entitled Of the Blue Color of the Sky, does nothing to change that. Read more…
Review: Vampire Weekend – Contra
There are several things I love about New York. One, is Woody Allen. The other thing, is New York’s Vampire Weekend. After a meteoric rise with their self-titled debut album back in 2008, they are back with their second release, entitled Contra. Read more…
