Every Tuesday, dear readers, I will be giving my "first impression" reviews of new cd releases that I think I can contribute to. In other words, if it doesn't fit my genre "expertise" I will shut up! Hopefully we can come up with a few hidden gems every week.
1. Adam Green - "Minor Love" (7.5 out of 10) Ok, so I've never heard of Adam Green, but apparently he used to be in the Moldy Peaches. Who I also don't know much about. But I checked it out, because you never know, and what a pleasant surprise. Think poor man's Tom Waits. Or Lou Reed with a better voice. Stripped down, acoustic album, but with nice rhythms and intersting lyrics. "Buddy Bradley" is Zevon-esque. "I fought the lessons of grace for so long," he confesses. Good stuff. For my Cookeville peeps - think if Andrew Barnes made a solo cd. Overall, it's a bit hit or miss, but well worth checking out.
2. The Go Find - "Everybody Knows It's Gonna Happen Only Not Tonight." (7 out of 10) Sounds like a sermon title for a revival meeting. It's labeled as Belgian electronica, but it's not really. Think Teitur or Sondre Lerche with a keyboard and you've got it. If The Go Find played at a festival or something, you would say - "Hey that's pretty nice, pretty catchy," and you would chat a little more with your friend, and then if someone asked about them the next day you would say - "Hey yeah, they were pretty good."
3. Scanners - "Submarine" (7 out of 10) - Pretty good find here. Strokes-like with a female lead. A poppier, more accessible PJ Harvey while maintaining the punch and dark edge. This cd always holds your interest - I can't believe they aren't well known. I'd give them an even better grade, but I'm a tough grader. Waiting for Joanna next week.
4. Mumford and Sons - "Sigh No More" (4 out of 10) - I feel like I'm back in the days of the "British Invasion" in the sense that you had all these bands racing to the studios in the summer of '64, success formula in hand, hair growing shaggy, in the hopes of becoming famous or even making a buck. Fast-forward to 2010 : Fleet Foxes, Grizzly Bear, Bon Iver, blah, blah, blah. Been there, done that. This is the "British" version! Listen to that beauty! That earnestness! That organic sound! I'm not buying it. Meet the new boss - same as the old boss. If you want to bake in 90 degree weather at Bonaroo listening to this - well, it's a free country. They sound like Dexy's Midnight Runners on a bender. If Kevin Rowland went to the bathroom for a minute.
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Your review of the Mumford and Sons album restored my sanity. I've heard nothing but rave reviews about this album for the past week - and I was unbelievably underwhelmed by it.
ReplyDeleteThanks man...that's why I'm here. :) Spread the word about the blog. I'm really hoping Joanna Newsome hits a home run when I hear it.
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