Album Review #16

MGMT - Congratulations
genre: psychedelic rock/experimental rock
released: April 13, 2010
label: Sony/Columbia Records

MGMT burst onto the music scene with their 2007 album Oracular Spectacular and produced big hit songs like "Time to Pretend" and "Kids", among some other great songs. That album was essentially split into two sections. The first half contained the radio hit singles and the synth-pop feel-good songs, while the second half consisted of the psychedelic rock tracks that were much more experimental and harder to get into. Well for their soon-to-be-released second album, Congratulations, MGMT has ditched their aforementioned "hit song" tracks and traveled in a more psychedelic direction, with heavy influences from Brit pop and shoegaze. Unfortunately, it's not a direction in which this particular reviewer had previously hoped.

NME conducted an interview with MGMT, and they informed us that their new album would not have any singles on it, and wanted everyone to view it as a "complete body of work" instead of just listening to the two or three singles on the record. On their last album, the three best songs were the three singles, which goes to show where their strength lies. They can write some great synth-pop dance tracks that would draw in listeners from all different types of music backgrounds, but instead they've written an album directed at the "psych-rock" fans who enjoyed that experimental half of Oracular Spectacular. All the songs seem to drag on and don't change direction once. There is a twelve-minute drone of a song that could put you to sleep. With all due respect, MGMT have written an incomplete body of work that just isn't very good. Some of the songs are catchy at times, but not enough to keep you interested for very long.

The only positive thing I can draw from this is that it's just a phase for MGMT, and they will get back to writing more songs like "Kids" and "Electric Feel" which were simply great. But if Congratulations is a sign of what's to come, I'll be very worried. While some may enjoy the new MGMT material, I think the vast majority will agree that it is a major disappointment compared to previous efforts and isn't what the fans were hoping for. Apparently MGMT said their rise to fame had a big impact on the sound of their new album. Well Congratulations should take them back out of the spotlight so they can write good music again.

Favorite tracks: None

For fans of: Of Montreal, Yeasayer, Animal Collective

MGMT's myspace

Album Review #15

Coheed and Cambria - Year of the Black Rainbow
genre: progressive rock/alternative rock
released: April 13, 2010
label: Columbia Records

So it's finally finished. Lead singer Claudio Sanchez has finished the story of Coheed and Cambria, with the band's newest album, Year of the Black Rainbow being the prequel to the four-part epic. I must say, I have enjoyed Coheed and Cambria's entire discography, if not for the story told, but for the awesome rock songs that the band writes every time they release new material. Also, I was intrigued to see how the band would complete their story with the new record, and as Sanchez told the press while the band was recording, they have written a very melodic rock album.

The new album has both positives and negatives, as one would expect. The album is very melodic, whether at a fast or slow pace with harder or softer rock, and Coheed and Cambria have written a very pretty sounding record from start to finish. Also, the album has a real technical influence on it at points, but even those sections sound great. While there are no real duds on the album, not too many songs could particularly stand out on their own, and it's hard to see a solid single in the bunch if you ask me. This Shattered Symphony and Pearl of the Stars both stand out from the rest slightly, but I still think they pale in comparison to some of the other songs they've written in the past. Although depsite that flaw, the album does have a very epic feel to it all, and can really set quite an atmosphere while you're listening. Coheed and Cambria continue to be one of the most enthralling bands in modern rock and they show why with this one.

So while I believe the band's better days are behind them as far as material, they still sound good on the new album and have another addition to their already impressive catalog. The new material fits in really well with their older songs and should transition very easily into a live set, and the crowd will be sure to enjoy hearing the new songs as well. The album certainly isn't as poppy as some of their older material, taking a much more serious tone throughout. But through all the good and the bad, Coheed and Cambria have another solid album under their belt with Year of the Black Rainbow and will continue to keep their fans happy. But the only question now, since The Amory Wars storyline is complete, what comes next?

Favorite tracks: The Broken, This Shattered Symphony, Pearl of the Stars

For fans of: The Mars Volta, Circa Survive

Coheed and Cambria's myspace

Album Review #14

Against Me! - White Crosses
genre: punk rock
released: May 4, 2010
label: Sire Records

For the past decade, Against Me! has been writing such great folk punk records that continue to influence so many younger bands in today's punk genre with both its records and its live performances. They took a step in a more radio-friendly rock direction on their last album, New Wave, back in 2007. Now, with White Crosses, they follow the very same trend and have written a much more mainstream rock album, while still using their roots throughout each song. While the new album is different, it still provides us with a solid release from one of today's best bands.

Just like their last effort, Against Me! has brought on producer Butch Vig for their new album. Vig is one of the most prominent producers in all of modern rock music, with a resume of working with bands such as Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Green Day, and Jimmy Eat World, among others. So if there is one thing Vig knows how to do, it's to how to take a band's sound, and make it popular with a plethora of different types of listeners. The album still has a unique sound and is fronted by singer Tom Gabel's powerful lyrics. And even though the band is still growing to know their new drummer (George Rebelo of Hot Water Music), overall, the music sounds good and each song has its own identity on the record. Also, the song I Was a Teenage Anarchist is one of the catchiest songs Against Me! has ever written, and will be sure to coerce listeners old and new to pick up the new album.

Don't get me wrong, I do miss the old sound Against Me! burst onto the scene with, that folk punk rock sound without a rhythm section to lean on, that separated them from the norm. Although I don't like the new album as much as their earlier material, I think it's just as good as New Wave, and will follow in its footsteps by finding itself on multiple end-of-year lists for best albums of 2010. The guitars are still heavy and loud, with melodic sequences littered throughout the songs, while Gabel's previously ragged voice has calmed to more of a listener-friendly tone, it still sounds great nonetheless. White Crosses should be sure to impress its listeners and open the door to new fans to what is the already excellent discography of Against Me!.

Favorite tracks: I Was a Teenage Anarchist, Radio Decompression, Bamboo Bones

For fans of: The Gaslight Anthem, Kings of Leon, The Hold Steady

Against Me!’s myspace

Album Review #13

Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - The Brutalist Bricks
genre: indie/punk
released: March 9, 2010
label: Matador Records

It seems as if every Ted Leo & the Pharmacists album has it's own feel to it that separates it from the others. From their first full album as a band back in 2001 with The Tyranny of Distance to their last effort, 2007's Living With the Living, each album has that one ingredient in order to give itself a special flavor. Well they don't stray too far from the path on their new record The Brutalist Bricks, by infusing their indie rock sounds with political and punk influences littered throughout the album. And with this new album, Ted Leo and his mates keep you tuned in with a toe-tapping sound that doesn't reinvent the wheel.

If you weren't a big fan of the last Ted Leo album (like yours truly) you can take comfort in the fact that The Brutalist Bricks is a much more cohesive unit and really fills in the gaps left by Living With the Living. All the songs on the album are short, with all the songs lasting less than five minutes. If there is one thing I like about this album it's the short, fast songs that get their point across without dragging it's listeners along with a six or seven minute drone of a song stuck in the middle. And despite the heavy-punk influence, the album is very melodic at points as well, touching all sides of the TL/Rx spectrum. The band sounds great here and really have come together to make a solid record.

Whether you've been listening to the band since the beginning or are looking for a new band to get into, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists have provided you with an answer. The new album is the best one they've written since Hearts of Oak and will keep me listening for the next few months. It's a great album to listen to while you're driving in your car or while you're riding your bike in the coming Spring months. Ted Leo's lyrics are as poignant as ever and the music accompanies the lyricism beautifully. And while the album is great as a whole, there are at least three or four stand-alone songs on this album, that are some of the best the band has written to date (see favorite tracks). Overall, this one is a great indie/punk album, so if that is up your alley, I suggest you pick this one up.

Favorite tracks: Mourning in America, Bottled in Cork, Bartolomeo and the Buzzing of Bees

For fans of: Chisel, Against Me!, The Thermals

Ted Leo & the Pharmacists' myspace

Blacklisted - Philadelphia, PA

It seems as if lately that my music taste is drifting further away from hardcore music, a genre that dominated my tastes for years. But Blacklisted has been one of the few mainstays I have continued to enjoy, no matter where my musical interests were directed. With a brand new LP released at the end of November and an EP put out last month, Blacklisted embarked on a month-long tour around the country in support of their new material. Instead of putting together a package tour, they had different local bands open each show and had a plethora of good bands supporting them for single or multiple dates. Seeing as the last show of the tour was in their hometown of Philadelphia, I had to go.

Yesterday was such a beautiful day out, I decided to head up to the Blacklisted show a little later than the start time of 3 pm. When I arrived, The Rival Mob was setting up to take the stage. I had never seen The Rival Mob before, but I loved their LP Raw Life they put out in 2009. Yesterday they played a great set, playing songs old and new, and got a great reaction from the crowd. And unlike most sets, even the stage banter was entertaining. Seriously, The Rival Mob is one of the best bands in hardcore today, I highly recommend you listen to them if you don't already. Afterwards came Gods and Queens, a punk/hardcore/experimental outfit from Philadelphia. I had never heard/seen Gods and Queens before, and I wasn't really into their type of music personally. The band sounded really tight live but I wasn't drawn in as I had hoped. But if you like alternative hardcore, I would suggest checking them out.

Lastly, Blacklisted took the stage and immediately sent the crowd into a frenzy. I wasn't sure how the new material would resonate with the live crowd, but all the new songs sounded great and everyone was still moving around and singing along, despite the smaller quarters of The Barbary. I especially liked Eccentrichine live, which isn't a typical song that a hardcore band would write, but they sped it up live and it sounded excellent. They hardly talked at all in between songs, and as usual, let their sound do the talking for them. My only complaint about their set was the setlist itself. I personally went to the show in hopes to hear their newer songs, but they failed to play anything off their first album or their classic 7" Our Youth Is Wasted. It didn't take away from the show too much, it just would have been nice to hear one of those older songs thrown into the mix. Overall, I can't say enough good things about this band, their music, and their live show. They kill it every time I see them and I can't wait to see them play again this summer.

Setlist:
Our Apartment Is Always Empty
Always
Stations
No One Deserves to Be Here More Than Me
Skeletons
Circuit Breaker
I Am Weighing Me Down
Matrimony
Everything in My Life Is for Sale
Eccentrichine
Palisades
I'm Trying to Disappear
Memory Layne
Canonized
Wish

Blacklisted's myspace
Gods and Queens' myspace
The Rival Mob's myspace

Surfer Blood - Philadelphia, PA

Picking up the debut album from Surfer Blood when it came out in January was one of the better decisions I have made in the new year. It's easily the best album I have listened to from 2010, and is completely addicting, as I continue to listen Astro Coast constantly, even though the album came out 2 months ago. Needless to say, when I found out that Surfer Blood was making their way up north to Philadelphia, I purchased my ticket promptly. If you like their album on record, you'll be sure to love hearing it live. I was glad I went to see how much fun this band is on stage, I just hope next time they get to play longer.

The show was at The Barbary, a small bar in the city that R5 Productions now uses to put on live bands and entertainers. Unfortunately, I got to the venue late and didn't see either of the opening bands (Past Juror and Turbo Fruits), and after a couple drinks at the bar, Surfer Blood took the stage downstairs. Immediately that feel-good attitude began to resonate on stage with the first song and lasted throughout the entire set. Just a bunch of happy-go-lucky college kids playing great music on stage. The guitars were enthralling throughout the entire set, and every song sounded just as melodic live as they do on record.

Unfortunately the venue needed to open their downstairs bar, along with the already open upstairs bar, to actually make some money. With that, came Surfer Blood's set needing to finish by 10 pm, so the set list was a little shorter then previously expected. They managed to get 8 of their 10 songs in, and didn't waste too much time talking between their songs. If you liked what they did on their album, I would advise going to see them in person, because they are just as good of a listen live. Hopefully the next time they come to play in the tri-state area they won't have to play such a short set, but I'm sure they will be playing bigger venues on their next time around anyway.

Setlist:
Floating Vibes
Take It Easy
Harmonix
Twin Peaks
Fast Jabroni
Anchorage
Catholic Pagans
Swim

Surfer Blood's myspace