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Think of it as the Chairman of the Board’s version of those 1 albums that Elvis Presley and the Beatles released a few years ago. Granted, the songs collected on Nothing but the Best are not all Number One singles – in fact, it’s startling to see how many of these well-known songs didn’t even crack the Top 40 – but this is as bulletproof as Reprise-era Sinatra compilations get. “Strangers in the Night,” “Somethin’ Stupid,” “A Very Good Year,” “My Kind of Town,” “Fly Me to the Moon,” “Luck Be a Lady,” “Theme from New York, New York,” they’re all here. Of course, this album has no reason whatsoever to exist – Sinatra’s catalog has gone through the “reissue, repackage, repackage” machine more than anyone outside of, well, Elvis and the Beatles – but if you are one of the ten people left that do not own any of Sinatra’s music, you have officially run out of excuses. (Label: Reprise) |
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Like a less prickish Ryan Adams, Joseph Arthur has a skyscraper’s worth of ambition – and the assload of songs to back it up. The eight-song Crazy Rain is his second EP of 2008, with two more to follow, and a full-length LP to cap it all off. If you’re reading all that and feeling a little lazy, don’t feel too bad; although Crazy Rain is heavy on the rock star swagger (check out those retro shades on the cover!), it’s light on…you know…songs. Arthur doles a ladleful of swampy electronics over these tracks, shoves his vocals way down in the mix, and plays host to his pal and fellow indie rock god Greg Dulli on a track; it’s got plenty of attitude and a not-insignificant amount of DIY fizz, but the whole thing just kind of staggers past in a blur. Saying it’s strictly for fans would sort of be beside the point – and even if you hate it, you don’t need to worry, because Arthur’s next EP, titled Vagabond Skies, is due out in less than a month. Throw enough stuff at the walls, and something is bound to stick eventually. (Lonely Astronaut 2008) |
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SHIM is a four-piece guitar-driven rock band from Seattle, but you shouldn’t immediately draw comparisons to birth-of-grunge bands like Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots. No, SHIM is more of a throwback to the days of pure rock. Think maybe a cross between AC/DC, Aerosmith and Deep Purple – with more modern influences like the Black Crowes thrown in. However, that’s all for reference, because SHIM really does have its own sound. Feel Like a King pretty much picks up where the band’s debut, In the Veins, left off. Singer Ragan Crowe has a powerful instrument, a rock tenor that may remind you of Billy Squier. And of course, the bombastic guitar-bass-drum attack is never a bad formula for any rock band, especially when they are delivering songs named “Animal” or “We Got Guns.” But on here, the riff-driven “Highway” is the album’s best track. Still, even though SHIM gives us hope that the Rock is alive and well, Feel Like a King is more of a continuation of In The Veins, rather than an upgrade. (LABEL: self-released) |
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You can tell that Guy Strzepeck and Craig Maseratti, the duo who form Audiocrash, are really trying here on their album Time Sensitive Material. But perhaps they’re trying too hard. Honestly, it’s hard to think of the last time I’ve heard a CD where the lead singer sounds as corny as he does on this disc. Guy is straining far too hard for the cool rock dude sound in his voice, going for one of those raw, throaty deliveries that sounds like the kind of thing Trey Parker hilariously parodies on any given episode of “South Park” or in the “Team America” flick. Songs like “Captain America” and “I Can’t Feel You Anymore” is the stuff bad rock nightmares are made of. Then there’s the production, which is just too damn sterile for its own good. This undoubtedly has to do with Maseratti handling all the instrumental and production duties himself. The songs sound like they’ve been suffocated in some sort of plastic coating with no room to breathe. Still, I suppose you can’t fault them for trying, and the music overall isn’t as bad as the worst I’ve heard. Perhaps their live show is better, but as far as what these guys have to work with on this CD, they’re honestly not going to get very far. Another DIY demo gussied up to look like a finished work. Pass. (Label: Dirty Garage Records, 2008) |
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In today’s age of needing a “spin” or a “hook” in order to make a product appealing, Leeds quintet Your Vegas is refreshingly gimmick-free. Their Editors-meets-Keane form of epic pop rock doesn’t try to change the world or reinvent the wheel; indeed, they seem perfectly content to take turns rocking out (“Aurora”) or inciting a lighter/cell phone-waving moment (“How the War Was Won”). And while these songs show an impressive level of songcraft in their arrangements and sky-high choruses, many of the songs are missing that extra umph to push them to the next level. It’s all extremely pleasant while it’s playing, but much of it will be forgotten once it’s finished. Still, there is talent here, so here’s hoping they step up on album number two. (Label: Universal/Republic) |
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If it seems like there’s been an overabundance of both male and female singer/songwriters the past five years, that’s because, well, there has been. Maybe it’s because recording technology has allowed more and more artists to make albums, but too many of them think they can and really can’t. Those who know how to write solid songs are the ones who stand out, and the ones who have strong vocal ability on top of that stand out even further. New Zealand native Brooke Fraser has all that and more, and her sophomore album, Albertine, is very likely to put her on the map here in the States. Fraser has a breathy, sexy voice, and a pop sensibility brought out by acclaimed producer Marshall Altman (Marc Broussard, Matt Nathanson). You might hear hints of Chantal Kreviazuk or another Down Under artist, Natalie Imbruglia. But Fraser has the kind of songs, some of them inspired by a trip to Rwanda in 2005, that should have her surpassing both of those names in global popularity—if not now, then definitely soon. (Columbia/Wood & Bone) |
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The NME has said that Shy Child “are to Kraftwerk what the White Stripes are to Led Zeppelin,” but it might be more accurate to compare drummer Nate Smith and keyboardist/vocalist Pete Cafarella to Brendan Fraser in “Encino Man” – like his miraculously preserved caveman, this keytar-rockin’ duo comes straight out of a bygone era. Not that that’s a bad thing, mind you – especially if you’ve ever wondered what it might sound like if your favorite early ‘80s New Wave band had survived the last quarter century intact. (Duran Duran doesn’t count.) As the album’s title promises, Smith and Cafarella make an incredible racket here, spinning an impressively dense web of sound out of their drums ‘n’ keys setup. And oh, those keys – you haven’t heard synth tones like this since the closing credits of “Revenge of the Nerds.” Repeated listening to the keyboard solo in “What’s It Feel Like?” may cause spontaneous hair-feathering. It’s all a lot of fun, honestly, even if the endlessly uptempo beats do start to get a little ear-numbing after awhile; Cafarella’s gulping vocals are perfect for the material, and it’s a blast hearing actual drums on a dance record. You probably won’t find yourself humming any of these songs after they’re over, but after 40 solid minutes of ass-shaking, who feels like humming anyway? (Kill Rock Stars 2008) |
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Glen Phillips was the main voice of ‘90’s pop band Toad The Wet Sprocket, a band that had a pretty nice run of success. But since the band split, there has been a noticeable lack of magic coming from Phillips’ music. His solo efforts, including 2006’ Mr. Lemons, have been good, but not coming close to some of the great Toad material. Now, with a short detour into unique subject matter, Phillips has returned with a six-song EP called Secrets of the New Explorers. Phillips’ buddy John Askew collaborated on this effort, and though Phillips came from scientist parents, the subject matter idea was sparked by a conversation the two had when they began writing the songs. The result? An extremely interesting diversion for Phillips, with song titles like “Solar Flare” and “Space Elevator.” Most of the tracks are decent, but there are flashes of brilliances, such as on “They’ll Find Me” and “The Spirit of Shackleton.” On those, if you change the lyrical content, they could have come straight from Toad’s stunning Dulcinea album. (LABEL: Umami Music) |
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David Fagin, former front man of the controversial group the Rosenbergs, has arrived with his debut solo effort, For Promotional Use Only. Fagin has been outspoken in his my-way-or-the-highway approach to the music industry, and was one of the first artists to realize that you can make money on your own without the help of a record label, and that in doing so you can retain creative control. Through it all, Fagin has remained true to himself and his fans, and has created a set of blissful, harmony-drenched pop that is a bit more personal and introspective than the straight-ahead fare of his former band. And while most of the 11 tracks are nicely arranged, and at times oddly happy sounding breakup tunes (“Mess of Love” and “Cry”), there are a few numbers here that are a cut above the rest. “Dust” is a driving, haunting rocker, and the dreamy “Neverland” is not only the best song on this album, it’s one of the best on anyone’s album this year. (Noshpit) |
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What Made Milwaukee Famous hails from Austin, Texas. (Insert geographical joke here.) But seriously, like fellow Austinites Spoon, WMMF’s wheelhouse is perfectly hooky indie rock. The album’s signature song, “The Right Place,” is two minutes of bliss accentuated by the steep changes in frontman Michael Kingcaid’s vocals. The band pulls off an update of Billy Joel’s “My Life” on the infectious “Sultan,” which combines that classic acoustic guitar with a horn section, some keyboard play and a few drum flourishes. Some might find “Middle of the Night” repetitive, but the chorus (or is it the verse?) – “somewhere in the middle of the night / everything’s gonna be all right” – followed by the verse (or is it the chorus?) – “what you need is love / sweet love” – is so damned basic and pretty that it’s the perfect pick-me-up after a bad day. (If this sounds good, go back and listen to “Bldg. a Boat from the Boards in Your Eye” from Trying Never to Catch Up, the band’s debut.) What Doesn’t Kill Us isn’t going to win any Grammys, but it’s a strong sophomore effort full of good, if not great, songs. (Barsuk 2008) |