February 09, 2025

Trevor Jones ft. David Bowie - Labyrinth (From The Original Soundtrack of The Jim Henson Film) (1986)

*First pressing. 
Contains 12 tracks total.
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Film Score, Pop Rock
Label Number: CDP 7 46312 2

© 1986 EMI America
Trevor Jones' music for this elaborate and ambitious Jim Henson/George Lucas production was filled with synthesizers blended cautiously into orchestral ensembles to provide a suitably ethereal tone -- one echoed very well by David Bowie's Goblin King singing the haunting "Within You" while stalking the film's heroine. This variant on the Persephone story, however, was treated as a half-hearted musical, with the Goblin King and his minions breaking out into raucous pop every so often, a tactic that undermined the tone of the entire film and upended the score. While "Underground" is a more than adequate Bowie entry, "Magic Dance" and others have a tendency to fall flat. A curious hodgepodge indeed.

 tags: trevor jones, david bowie, labyrinth, from the original soundtrack of the jim henson film, soundtrack, ost, 1986, flac,

Various Artists - 200 Cigarettes: Music From The Motion Picture (1999)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: New Wave, Pop Rock, Funk
Label Number: 314 538 738-2

© 1999 Mercury
200 Cigarettes bombed in theaters, but the soundtrack album, strong enough to stand on its own, deserves a better fate. It's chock-full of music that loosely ties in with the New Year's Eve 1979 party (duration: 200 cigarettes) that is the basis of the movie starring Courtney Love, Christina Ricci, Martha Plimpton, and more. The Blondie medley is the album's highlight. It opens with "Rapture," the band's groundbreaking pop/rap hit from 1981; the drum fill connecting "Rapture" with the next song, 1999's "Maria," which is at a very different tempo, is particularly effective. "Maria" has nice spunk but has a very repetitive hook that tends to burn out quickly. The medley wraps with "No Exit" featuring Coolio and the Loud All-Stars. The latter two tracks are also included on Blondie's 1999 comeback album, No Exit. Harvey Danger, known for their single "Flagpole Sitta," also recorded a new track titled "Save It for Later"; it's the album's most contemporary track and probably the best, though not just for that reason. The balance of Cigarettes features well-known hits, such as Elvis Costello & the Attractions' "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding," Blondie's "In the Flesh," Nick Lowe's "Cruel to Be Kind," the Cars' "Just What I Needed," the Ramones' "I Don't Care," Dire Straits' "Romeo & Juliet," Roxy Music's "More Than This," Joe Jackson's "It's Different for Girls," Girls Against Boys' cover version of Earth, Wind & Fire's "Boogie Wonderland," Bow Wow Wow's version of the Strangeloves' "I Want Candy," and Kool & the Gang's "Ladies' Night."

 tags: various artists, 200 cigarettes, music from the motion picture, soundtrack, ost, 1999, flac,

Various Artists - The Devil Wears Prada (Music From The Motion Picture) (2006)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Pop, Pop Rock, Indie Pop
Label Number: 44383-2

© 2006 Warner Bros. Records
The soundtrack to The Devil Wears Prada captures the agony and the ecstasy of being a fashionista, with introspective tracks and fabulous runway anthems, including the queen of them all, Madonna's "Vogue." Bitter:Sweet's "Bittersweet Faith," Mocean Worker's "Tres Tres Chic," DJ Colette's "Feelin' Hypnotized (Black Liquid Remix)," and David Morales and Tamra Keenan's "Here I Am (Kaskade Radio Edit)" have a similar sashay to their step. Meanwhile, Azure Ray's delicate "Sleep," Jamiroquai's "Seven Days in Sunny June," and U2's soaring, romantic "City of Blinding Lights" all manage to be bittersweet and chic at the same time. Theodore Shapiro's "Suite from The Devil Wears Prada" reflects the glamorous hustle-bustle and soul-searching moments of the film in its mix of symphonic, rock, and electronic arrangements. As far as fashion movie soundtracks go, it's not quite on par with Pret-A-Porter, Unzipped, or Funny Face, but The Devil Wears Prada is still pretty stylish.

 tags: various artists, the devil wears prada, music from the motion picture, ost, soundtrack, 2006, flac,

February 05, 2025

Kasabian - Kasabian (2004)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: PARADISE16

© 2004 RCA
Pre-release hubbub might have you thinking Kasabian's debut is the Stone Roses' firstborn all over again, or that it's a Screamadelica for its generation. Almost, but these lads could use one more spin around the U.K.'s hippest clubs to really polish their craft to Madchester-in-its-prime level. What their debut succeeds in providing is out-of-the-gate excitement, a trippy sack of playful ideas, and a keen understanding of what makes hips sway and heads bob. If hearing Stereolab backing Ian Brown is your dream, "Reason Is Treason" should be your indie rock seducer. If you always wished prog rock danced in baggy jeans, "Test Transmission" should do it. A couple tracks that are show-ers more than grow-ers keep the album from being perfect, but when a Disneyland/Perrey-Kingsley-style keyboard riff plays over a dubby landscape and then gives way to an earnest, catchy hippie chorus, you can't help but fall in love with this ambitious, smart band. You can fill the ashtray with roaches during the cinematic "Butcher Blues" and make your Tangerine Dream-loving friend happy with the space rock meets angst rock of "U Boat." Lead singer Tom Meighan is one part Jagger and one part Richards, with a Beatles haircut and quote-generating, rebellious-interview mouth. They all live together commune style and their sleeves and badges use near-Rage Against the Machine imagery. Heavy, but their debut is a shaggy kind of charming that would work better if you tripped over it instead of having the hype trying to squeeze the word "revolutionary" out of your throat. Painting them as rock's saviors just makes the overly ambitious moments of the album look all that much bigger. Some serious heartbreak, or life for a little while outside of the commune, should broaden these songwriters' abilities to the level promised, but for now they're just exciting, groovy, and proud fathers of a dazzling debut.

 tags: kasabian, kasabian album, 2004, flac,

Kasabian - West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum (2009)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Alternative Dance
Label Number: 88697518312

© 2009 Columbia
Most Kasabian albums are bloated pieces of work, having been created by some of the most self-assured, loudmouthed rockers since the Gallagher brothers. West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is more demented than outsized, however, replacing the ego rock of Empire with a barmy blend of electronics, acoustics, horror movie ambience, and industrial psychedelia. Producer Dan the Automator adds touches of hip-hop to the mix, too, highlighting the band's rhythmic base by stripping back the layers of guitar and synth samples. The result is an interesting, unexpected piece of work, devoid of a militantly commercial single like Empire's self-titled track, and lacking the shaggy Madchester vibes that Christopher Karloff brought to 2004's Kasabian. If the band's eponymous debut was the soundtrack to a drug-filled night in England's trendiest club, then West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is the soundtrack to the subsequent walk home, when the club has kicked out its last patrons and the streets are dark and forbidding. There's enough psychedelia here to partially thwart the shadowy electronics -- for every "Vlad the Impaler," there's a trippy counterpart like "Secret Alphabets" -- and Kasabian often augments the new approach with old habits, like the dance-rock chorus that bisects the anxious, minimalist shuffle of "Fire." Most of West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum canvasses unfamiliar territory, however, a wise move for a group has routinely struggled to escape the shadow of its influences.

 tags: kasabian, west ryder pauper lunatic asylum, 2009, flac,

Kasabian - Empire (2006)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Alternative Dance, Indie Rock
Label Number: 82876 88323-2

© 2006 RCA
Practicing truth in advertising, U.K. rockers Kasabian move away from the revolutionary sleeve art that graced their debut and onto something more ornate for their elaborate follow-up album, Empire. Attacking the sophomore jinx head-on, Empire tries hard to be urgent, epic, and important, and the grand mishmash of influences -- the Chemical Brothers, Primal Scream, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones -- is delivered with all the conviction and swagger one desires from the scruffy crew with the Oasis-sized ego. Adding to this jumble are Sweet, Slade, and Ian Brown, who are all equally responsible for the opening title cut. Glammed-up rebel music, "Empire" is a satisfying, busy rocker that gives way to the interesting rave-up "Shoot the Runner," which would be very T. Rex if it wasn't for the Euro-disco Giorgio Moroder-styled bridge. From here 'til the album's final stretch, twists, turns, and time changes are in abundance and imagination runs wild as Brit-pop smokes a hookah and sits on a multicolored toadstool. Lost in all this is the instantly grabbing songwriting of Kasabian's debut, and to some extent, the bandmembers themselves, who often seem to be riding this swirl instead of guiding it. They regain control right about "By My Side," a memorable, lush tune that suggests what it would sound like if James Bond film themes had proper B-sides. The winding "Stuntman" is as ambitious as anything else here but the pieces all fall into place for a change, and by the time the perfect, slowly developing closer "The Doberman" rolls around, this unapproachable effort has sort of explained itself and even seduced a little. Repeat listens help put things in place, and a familiarity with the band helps a lot, so go to their much more focused debut for the real punch, then come here when you want something bigger but not necessarily better.

 tags: kasabian, empire, 2006, flac,

Kasabian - 48:13 (2014)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Alternative Dance
Label Number: 88843063762

© 2014 Columbia/Sony Music
While Kasabian kick against the pricks, their audience dances. The band raises a fist, the fans shake a tail feather, but even if they're a Happy Mondays without a current cultural need for a Happy Mondays, the grooving and groovy 48:13 is a great reason to pretend. Named after its total runtime, the album is a lean, mean machine of singalong revolution songs and baggy jeans dance music from folks old enough to be wearing fitted by now, but the hunger to survive and flourish is as palpable as it was on their debut. Maybe it's the loss of fifth member and rhythm guitarist Jay Mehler, but whatever the reason, Kasabian continue to challenge themselves and toss off the big beat sound of 2011's Velociraptor! with returning producer Sergio Pizzorno keeping things tight and upfront. As such, the uptempo strut of "Doomsday" makes a short journey out the speakers, grabs the listener's hand, and heads for the rock-rave dancefloor, while the bass-dropping "Eez-eh" is well aware of EDM's big bottom, even if the sequencer and the spirit all point backwards toward acid house. In 2014, that's rebel music for mums, but if the song's "Everyday Is brutal, now we're all being watched by Google" isn't a middle-class revolt, it's at least middle-class awareness and the out-of-time, out-of-place, full-of-spirit Kasabian play to their strengths, as always.

tags: kasabian, 48:13, 48 13, 48 13 album, 3014, flac,

February 03, 2025

Harvey Danger - Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone? (1998)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: 556 000-2

© 1998 Slash
"I'm not sick, but I'm not well" whines vocalist Sean Nelson in "Flagpole Sitta," the first single released from Harvey Danger's 1998 debut album. Such studied bile and wry wordplay abound on this lyrically and musically very solid first effort. Rather than pigeonholing themselves into a sub-genre, Harvey Danger seem to have incorporated a variety of "alternative" influences -- notably the Pixies, the Wedding Present, and Joy Division -- plus bits of Gang of Four, Sonic Youth, the Smiths, Hole, Green Day, Buzzcocks, Ride, and Iggy Pop. The band's use of dynamics on this album is subtle and skillful, gliding within one song from a whisper to a Wall of Noise and back again seamlessly. With its melodic basslines and roomy, fuzz-box guitars chugging away at forceful riffs that straddle the line between '70s British punk and '80s indie, Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? should be immediately accessible to fans of intelligent, sardonic, hard-edged rock. In "Private Helicopter," Nelson sneers "If you've got greatness in you, would you do us all a favor and keep it to yourself?" Fortunately, Harvey Danger have chosen not to take their own advice.

 tags: harvey danger, where have all the merrymakers gone, 1998, flac,

Harvey Danger - King James Version (2000)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: 31143-2

© 2000 London/Sire Records
Quirky post-grungers Harvey Danger maintain their gnarling punk influences on their second effort King James Version. Still playful for the mainstream and indie enough for the college kids, Harvey Danger are fresh and witty, continuously satirical throughout the dozen-song set list. Frontman Sean C. Nelson sings like a 12-year-old boy, and Jeff Linn's guitar hooks are fetching enough to make Harvey Danger's sophomore release undoubtedly solid. Nelson makes hilarious calls on pop culture -- Kip Winger, the Marlboro Man -- and twists new wave ambience with jaunty fragments of '80s anthem punk rock. Songs such as "(Theme From) Carjack Fever" and "Meetings With Remarkable Men (Show Me the Hero)" are wry, whereas others "Why I'm Lonely" and "You Miss the Point Completely I Get the Point Exactly" reflect on bittersweet heartbreaks. Harvey Danger aren't afraid to be funny, poking fun at what's supposed to be taken seriously. And if 1998's "Flagpole Sitta" didn't indicate such sharpness, the material rollicking on King James Version will.

 tags: harvey danger, king james version, 2000, flac,

Harvey Danger - Little By Little... (2005)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: Phono 02

© 2005 Phonographic Records
Five years after their flirtation with major labels came and went with the release of 2000's King James Version, Seattle punk-popsters Harvey Danger return to active duty with a few new musical wrinkles but all their smarts (and hooks) intact on their fourth album, Little by Little.... While Harvey Danger still display a healthy amount of energy on these ten tunes, their emphasis has shifted a bit as the arrangements lean less on guitars and more on keyboards, with less punk and more classic pop structures in the formula. The piano-dominated melodies of "Little Round Mirrors" and "Moral Centralia" are clean and satisfying with just the right amount of bite around the edges, and "Happiness Writes White" sounds like the work of a post-millennial version of the Merry-Go-Round, while Sean Nelson's firm but flexible tenor is well suited to the new material. Producers Steve Fisk and John Goodmanson have just the right handle on this music, giving the tunes just the right amount of gloss without letting this stuff get too slick, and the band responded well to their treatment. And thankfully, the guys haven't forgotten how to rock out, either, with "Cream and Bastards Rise" strutting its stuff with just the right amount of bile, and the acoustic but nervy "Cool James" takes on its targets with a liberating anger and passion. Left to their own devices, Harvey Danger have made a smart and compelling pop album that proves they have plenty of life (and talent) left in 'em; this is as good an album as the bandmembers have ever made, and that "new musical direction" has thankfully taken them someplace worth visiting.

 tags: harvey danger, little by little, 2005, flac,

Mystery Jets - Making Dens (2006)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: 25646 3210 5

© 2006 679
Other than Spirit and the Spanic Boys, father-son duos are rare in rock & roll, which gives the U.K. experimental rockers Mystery Jets a leg up right away: lead singer and keyboardist Blaine Harrison is the son of lead guitarist Henry Harrison. It's handy that they have a hook like that for reviewers to latch onto, because it can be difficult for listeners to get their head around the band's full-length debut on its own terms. Making Dens is filled with quirky, interesting pop songs, but each seems to be in a different style from the others. For example, "You Can't Fool Me Dennis" sounds like an early, Barry Andrews-era XTC song as covered by Franz Ferdinand: the danceable stomp of the rhythm section keeps the spiraling tune from shooting off in a dozen different directions at once, but only just barely. Meanwhile, the first single "Zoo Time" has the cracked, disorienting post-punk-psychedelia vibe of a classic Teardrop Explodes single, but given an extremely contemporary electronic edge. Then there's the handful of songs that recall Kate Bush and/or Atom Heart Mother-era Pink Floyd. Honestly, none of it makes a lick of sense, but unlike, say, the Beta Band -- whose entire shtick was that the parts of their music never fit into a coherent whole -- there's a shapeliness to Making Dens that suggests the record was constructed from some inscrutable blueprint that's just naggingly out of reach. Repeated listens reveal the album's many quirky charms.

 tags: mystery jets, making dens, 2006, flac,

Mystery Jets - Zootime (2007)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: DM109

© 2007 Dim Mak Records
Other than Spirit and the Spanic Boys, father-son duos are rare in rock & roll, which gives the U.K. experimental rockers Mystery Jets a leg up right away: lead singer and keyboardist Blaine Harrison is the son of lead guitarist Henry Harrison. It's handy that they have a hook like that for reviewers to latch onto, because it can be difficult for listeners to get their head around the band's full-length debut on its own terms. Zootime is filled with quirky, interesting pop songs, but each seems to be in a different style from the others. For example, "You Can't Fool Me Dennis" sounds like an early, Barry Andrews-era XTC song as covered by Franz Ferdinand: the danceable stomp of the rhythm section keeps the spiraling tune from shooting off in a dozen different directions at once, but only just barely. Meanwhile, the first single "Zoo Time" has the cracked, disorienting post-punk-psychedelia vibe of a classic Teardrop Explodes single, but given an extremely contemporary electronic edge. Then there's the handful of songs that recall Kate Bush and/or Atom Heart Mother-era Pink Floyd. Honestly, none of it makes a lick of sense, but unlike, say, the Beta Band -- whose entire shtick was that the parts of their music never fit into a coherent whole -- there's a shapeliness to Zootime that suggests the record was constructed from some inscrutable blueprint that's just naggingly out of reach. [Zootime was constructed using 9 songs from the band's UK release Making Dens and three others (including the energetic romp "Scarecrows in the Rain") taken from singles and EP releases].

 tags: mystery jets, zootime, 2007, flac,

February 02, 2025

Mystery Jets - Twenty One (2008)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: 825646961245

© 2008 679
A surprisingly different affair from the prog/post-punk leanings of their impressive first album Making Dens, Twenty One sees Mystery Jets enthusiastically embracing the '80s retro craze so ubiquitous in the 2000s musical scene. Two key factors are at play here: first, father of singer Blaine Harrison, Henry, is no longer a full-time member, and the sudden drop in the band's average age comes with a much more youthful sound and lyrical outlook. Secondly, electronica DJ Erol Alkan steps up to produce, and his entrance is dutifully accompanied by a markedly dance-oriented new direction, complete with huge bouncing basslines, impossibly tacky synths, and all sorts of gimmicky effects. If any of this seems dismissive, think again, because Twenty One is an utterly terrific collection of pop songs that only professional cynics or musical snobs could possibly dislike. Mystery Jets take the hyperkinetic catchiness of Franz Ferdinand, but replace the Glasgow lads' arty irony with hopeless romanticism -- and you cannot help loving them all the more for it. An earnest and engaging singer comments on a series of boy-girl vignettes, supported by fantastically layered background vocals, ringing guitars, unerring melodic hooks galore, and instantly memorable choruses. The recipe may be well-known, but what a joy it is to find it alive and well in the hands of master chefs. Only a couple of more reflective tracks here and there hint at the band's past (and considerably diverse talents), and still function wonderfully in the context of the album. Yet the stars of the show are the hefty handful of perfect singles including "Hideaway," "Young Love" (a lovely, worldweary duet with Laura Marling), "Hand Me Down," "MJ," "Half in Love with Elizabeth," and best of all, "Two Doors Down," an absolutely irrepressible singalong that, had it been released in 1983, it would now be obligatory for all megahits compilations, among artists like the Human League, Cyndi Lauper, the Bangles, the Cars, Prince, and the rest of the usual suspects. A quarter-of-a-century later, Twenty One may not break new ground, but is without a doubt an instant delight for fans of great pop music done the British way, as well as one of 2008's best and most lovable albums.

 tags: mystery jets, twenty one, 2008, flac,

Mystery Jets - Serotonin (2010)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: RTRADCD551

© 2010 Rough Trade
Serotonin is Mystery Jets' third album for a third record label yet, a fact that speaks volumes about the difficulty the band seems to have in finding its path. Even if they remain hugely talented and each of their records is impeccably realized, one cannot help but feel that Mystery Jets may still be looking for their place in the world, both artistically and commercially. Legendary producer Chris Thomas is brought on board to reshuffle the deck, which seems a smart move considering that Mystery Jets are -- as many bands of their time -- musical chameleons with an encyclopedic obsession with pop history. Thomas has famously worked with Badfinger, Elton John, Roxy Music, and Pink Floyd, to name but a few, and Mystery Jets dutifully amalgamate all of the above, at one time or another, into the baroque pop of Serotonin. The result is a record of greater stylistic variety and sophistication than the punchier, instantly likable Twenty One. If that previous album was chock-full of potential hit singles, Serotonin is chock-full of ideas, often inside a single track. A case in point is the opener, "Alice Springs," a cinematic roller coaster more reminiscent of the swirling epics of Arcade Fire than the concise bounciness of Franz Ferdinand. The swooping "Lady Grey" and "Waiting on a Miracle" are also standouts. Credit goes to Mystery Jets for rarely sounding here like they're aping specific bands, but for creating a pop mosaic of their own by piling up their influences and crowning it with their signature vocal arrangements -- which, at the end of the day, is what truly sets them apart from the rest of the crowd. Serotonin may offer less immediate pleasures than Twenty One, but it promises to reward repeated listening. It also proves that Mystery Jets are not mere retro revivalists but an eminently noteworthy British indie band restlessly looking for avenues to flex its creative muscle.

 tags: mystery jet, serotonin, 2010, flac,

Mystery Jets - Radlands (2012)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: RTRADCD651

© 2012 Rough Trade
Sometimes a change of scenery can give someone a new perspective, and traveling to Austin, Texas to record their fourth album has made an audible difference in the way Mystery Jets do things. While their previous albums displayed a charming fascination with '80s pop and electronics both old and new, Radlands reflects the drier, sunnier climate in which it was created. Keyboards play a lesser role in these arrangements, the melodies sound more organic and direct, and steel guitars and vocal choruses punctuate the tunes; while suggesting the band has embraced roots rock is going way too far to prove a point, there's a sunburned, burnished glow to the best moments here that makes it sound as if traveling to Texas was the same thing as taking the Way-Back Machine to Laurel Canyon circa 1972 in the minds of Mystery Jets. (Producer Dan Carey gives the sessions a comfortable, naturalistic tone that's a superb match for the material.) The group's stay in the Southwest is also reflected in the existential angst-fest "Lost in Austin" and the contemplative "The Ballad of Emmerson Lonestar," while "You Had Me at Hello" recounts a road trip to the Mustang Ranch in Nevada, and the sly, bittersweet tale of one jaded gentleman's evening with a hooker recalls the enchanting cynicism of Steely Dan's glory days. Radlands represents a changeup for Mystery Jets, but not a radical one; the melodic strength of these songs and the push and pull between the playful and the philosophical in the lyrics is in the same ballpark as Serotonin and Twenty One, and "Greatest Hits" is a top-shelf would-be hit single, and one of the finest examples yet of a pop tune about the post-breakup division of a shared record collection. Not a reinvention so much as an enjoyable detour, Radlands is a set of aural postcards from the Lone Star State that demonstrates just how much good a working vacation can do.

tags: mystery jets, radlands, 2012, flac,

January 22, 2025

Militia - Militia (Promo CD) (1998)

*Promotional CD not intended for consumer sale. 
Contains the album in its entirety. 
A photo of the disc is included in the RAR file.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: 329 111 003 2

© 1998 Red Ant Entertainment
Militia's eponymous debut album is a skillful fusion of hardcore East Coast hip-hop and funky West Coast gangsta rap that manages to be distinctive. From time to time, they fall back on both lyrical and musical clichés, but that happens only occasionally. More frequently, the Bay Area crew pulls everything together. The members of the crew come from all areas of the country, which helps give Militia an integrated sound. There's no stereotyping here -- there's West Coast funk, East Coast skills, and Southern grooves. The innovation of the best moments makes the whole thing worthwhile.

 * Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled. 


 tags: militia, militia album, promo, 1998, flac,

Necro & Ill Bill - Street Villains Vol. 2 (2005)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label Number: PLR0038

© 2005 Psycho+Logical-Records
*No professional reviews are available for this release. 

 * Due to past abuse, comments for the Hip-Hop section have been disabled. 


 tags: necro and ill bill, street villains, vol 2, volume, 2005, flac,

January 18, 2025

Starflyer 59 - Leave Here a Stranger (2001) ☠


Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Indie Rock, Dream Pop
Label Number: TND1199

☠: Selected by Lass
© 2001 Tooth & Nail Records
Starflyer 59's dreamy, introverted pop seems to channel the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and Nick Drake as much as the English shoegazer groups of the early '90s to which they're usually compared. Curiously recorded and mixed in mono, Leave Here a Stranger is an atmospheric collection of beautifully languid melodies and lyrics that repeatedly use music as a metaphor for life. Mood, not variety, is the name of the game here, and the album plays like one long song, but for the right moment, Leave Here a Stranger is perfect.

 tags: starflyer 59, sf59, leave here a stranger, 2001, flac,

Razorlight - Up All Night (2004)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: B0003362-02

© 2004 Universal Records
There must be a healthy middle when it comes to capturing the essence of Brit-pop. Something in between the impenetrable swagger of Liam and Noel Gallagher and the vacuous and hollow bravado of Jet that can both pay homage to big riffs and bad attitude, yet still maintain a unique personality, which is what made the rock gods of yesteryear so endearing. Razorlight mastermind, lead singer/guitarist Johnny Borrell wants so desperately to be the next Joe Strummer or Lou Reed, and for what Razorlight's first album lacks in identity, it gathers momentum on effort and sheer will. It's the same, albeit slightly worse, garage rock revival record that's been all too common in the early 2000s, but quick, aggressive tracks such as "Vice," "Rip It Up," "Golden Touch" and "Stumble and Fall" are undeniably catchy and Borrell himself is largely responsible for playing them as if he really were the next Freddie Mercury. He wails and passionately groans over some horribly vapid vocals, "hey girl/get on the dancefloor/rip it up, yeah/that's what it's there for" (on "Rip It Up") but even a bad cover version of your favorite Strokes-type song can still appeal to the less cynical part of your brain. Even John Cornfield and Borrell's production seems like a shoddy attempt to re-create the frontman's favorite records note for note. His desire to add a layer of grime by muddying up the louder moments (such as on "Don't Go Back to Dalston," which starts off quietly before careening into a bloated call and response conclusion) doesn't remove the feeling that the entire recording process was extremely sterile. At this stage, Borrell lacks the confidence to move beyond his idols, and his energetic music remains a game of spot the influence.

 tags: razorlight, up all night, 2004, flac,

Razorlight - Razorlight (2006)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: B0007215-02

© 2006 Vertigo/Universal Motown
Picking up where they left off with 2004's platinum-selling Up All Night, London's Razorlight pack a solid alt rock punch on their self-titled sophomore effort. Johnny Borrell (vocals/guitar) Björn Åquen (guitar), Carl Dalemo (bass), and Andy Burrows (drums) join producer Chris E. Thomas (the Sex Pistols, Pink Floyd, Roxy Music) for these tracks, and together they've turned Razorlight's party rock sound into something more playful and sharp. Razorlight will no longer tolerate being lumped in with the likes of the Kaiser Chiefs, Snow Patrol, and Keane, for the ambitious quartet combines elements of '60s pop, Motown, and Brit-pop for an overall clean performance. Vibrant harmonies, bright, lively musicianship and Borrell's Neil Finn-like vocals carry the weight of Razorlight, and songs such as "Hold On," "In the Morning," and "Pop Song 2006" highlight Razorlight's youthful, carefree presence. What makes Razorlight a personable band is that they find the balance between sincerity and seriousness. They make honest indie rock for those looking for a solid, good song. There's no frills, no fancy production, just the purity of these songs. That combination, however, might be a bit monotonous for those looking for their next fix of Bloc Party and Franz Ferdinand.

 tags: razorlight, razorlight album, 2006, flac,

Razorlight - Slipway Fires (2008)

Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Indie Rock
Label Number: B0012705-02

© 2008 Mercury/Vertigo
Slipway Fires is Razorlight's most mainstream release to date, an album that downplays the band's garage-rock past for something akin to Snow Patrol's adult-approved pop. Theatrical harmonies and hooks demonstrate the band's growth -- they're no longer ripping off the Strokes, having left the swaggering sounds of Up All Night far behind -- but growth is the very problem with Slipway Fires, whose mature, polished tones might as well have been recorded by middle-aged AOR vets rather than Clash-loving twentysomethings. This is an album of earnest piano ballads and well-scrubbed rock, an album that sports song titles like "North London Trash" but sounds as dirty as early-'80s Fleetwood Mac. At times, the earnest posturing gives way to something like "Tabloid Lover," a fun, shamelessly trashy romp that takes its cues from the Bangles. Another highlight, "Burberry Blue Eyes," calls to mind the Feeling's bouncy power pop, but while such a song would sound appropriate on the Feeling's next release, it's hard to reconcile the fact that Razorlight -- a band that previously sang about bar-filled evenings and hung-over mornings -- have now traded in their street-smart denim for songs about luxury clothing chains. Enjoying Slipway Fires requires a suspension of disbelief, a conscious separation between the band's past and the (somewhat ludicrous) present. Of course, not looking at the outlandishly serious cover art -- in which frontman Johnny Borrell attacks the camera with a smoldering glare, an unbuttoned dress shirt, and a seemingly un-ironic pearl necklace -- may also help.

 tags: razorlight, slipway fires, 2008, flac,

January 14, 2025

The Charlatans - Who We Touch (Deluxe Edition) (2010)

*Contains a second disc with 13 bonus tracks. 
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label Number: COOKCD527X

© 2010 Frinck Recordings
No other pre-Oasis band embraced trad-rock like the Charlatans -- and to be fair, they did it exceedingly well, translating their baggy beats to a cool, swaggering rock & roll shuffle that paid off great dividends over the course of the next 15 years. By the end of the 2000s, they had become the rarest of things, a reliable rock band that seldom disappointed but the flip side of that is that they rarely surprised, either. Who We Touch is where that all changes. On this 2010 album, the Charlatans recapture their sense of adventure, something that is immediately apparent once the album kicks off with the neo-shoegaze swirl of “Love Is Ending,” simultaneously the loudest and lightest they’ve been in years. “Love Is Ending” ushers in a rush of sound, the textures taking precedent over groove but not at the expense of the songs, which remain smoothly assured. The Charlatans channel much of their energy into the sound of the album, shifting palates for each song, letting the softer moments revel in delicate textures, having the trippier moments stretch out on elastic loops of samples and keyboards, all the louder moments resulting in a cool wall of sound, not a repurposed swagger. It’s recognizably the Charlatans -- it’s hard to disguise Tim Burgess’s laconic drawl or the light psychedelic pull of his melodies -- but they’re unexpectedly abandoning their dad-rock handbook and taking risks, winding with their freshest, best album since they traded the Happy Mondays for the Rolling Stones.

 tags: the charlatans, who we touch, deluxe edition, 2010, flac,