Category: CD Reviews (Page 123 of 399)

The Echo Falls: The Echo Falls

November 12, 2009 /

The Echo Falls is a lesson in simplicity – the debut album from this San Francisco based trio features three guys (including front man and songwriter Alex Mandel) who will remind you of both ‘70s pop (think Loggins & Messina or Seals & Crofts) and current lo-fi hipsters (think Death Cab for Cutie). Delivering songs using only an acoustic guitar, upright bass and sparse drums and percussion will do that, but the tracks themselves have an endearing vibe that is a refreshing counterpoint to what passes for adult album alternative these days. Mandel waffles between tenor and falsetto and does it with ease, and the songs range from the triumphant kickoff “Road to Parnassus” to the (you have to hear this to believe it) They Might Be Giants-meets-Suzanne Vega quirky vibe of “Watchtower.” There’s other elements at work here too; breezy college rock (“Every Second Thought” and “You Have it All”) and ‘70s folk (“Fall Asleep in the Sand”). But the best track of all is “Love Over Time,” which could be the best guitar song Ben Folds never wrote. There’s enough to please many folks on this debut – it’s not like you can vary things a whole lot with sparse production, but the Echo Falls do a pretty decent job of it. (The Echo Falls 2009)

The Echo Falls MySpace Page

Alternative, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Folk, Pop, Rock

Rush: Working Men

November 11, 2009 /


RIYL: Throwing your money away

Word on the street is that Rush has parted ways with longtime label Atlantic to sign with Roadrunner, and with Working Men, Atlantic’s flogging of their slice of Rush’s catalog (the band signed with the label in 1989) has officially gone from ridiculous to hilarious. It’s a collection of tracks from the band’s live albums Rush in Rio, R30, and Snakes & Arrows Live, and since live albums are essentially a compilation of a band’s hits, that makes Working Men a one-CD compilation of two two-CD compilations and one three-CD compilation. In other words, this might be the most unnecessary album ever made, the Rush equivalent of those budget Super Hits compilations that clog the counters of the Gas ‘n Sips on the highway. There is one unreleased track, a version of “One Little Victory” from the R30 tour. But since “One Little Victory” appears on the Rush in Rio DVD and the R30 Blu-ray, the word “Unreleased” should come with an asterisk.

The performances of these songs, of course, are fantastic – though the audio on the DVD for the Rush in Rio and R30 tracks sounds positively awful – but chances are, if you’re a Rush fan, you own them already, and if you’re not, well, you’re not buying this album anyway. One of the more puzzling releases we’ve seen all year. (Anthem/Zoe/Rounder 2009)

Rush MySpace page

Artists, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, DVD Quicktakes, Rock

The Trampolines: Between the Lines

November 10, 2009 /


RIYL: Toad the Wet Sprocket, Gin Blossoms, The Hooters

If you are a fan of well-produced, well-written, harmony-drenched power pop, you may have found a new favorite band in Denver’s the Trampolines. Back with their second album and first since 2005, Between the Lines, this trio delivers a solid set of material that deserves to be heard by those who champion the type of stuff that came out of the Aware Records camp and what today passes for AAA (adult album alternative). Think Train or Toad the Wet Sprocket, with throwback flavors from bands like the Hooters and the Eagles. Don’t let lofty comparisons like that make you skeptical either, because this stuff is as addictive as that bag of chips you pick up at a truck stop when you’re really hungry – and maybe that’s just it, that we’re all starved for good, melodic rock. Frontman Mark Sundermeier and his band mates have not only written extremely catchy material, but they also deliver it with conviction and with some exceptional vocals. Right from the start, the harmonies and guitar tones on “The Need” are very Toad-esque and then some of the other standouts are the breezy “Shelter” and “Green Lights,” as well as the rocking “Letter,” which effectively marries fuzzy guitar with some nice driving piano. If you’re into any of the acts mentioned here, you need to do yourself a favor and check out The Trampolines, stat. (self-released 2009)

The Trampolines MySpace Page

Alternative, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Pop, Rock

The Cribs: Ignore the Ignorant

November 10, 2009 /


RIYL: Ash, Arctic Monkeys, Oasis

Johnny Marr is a well-documented band slut. Since leaving the Smiths in 1987, the dude has been a formal member of the Pretenders, The The, Electronic, his own band Johnny Marr and The Healers, and most recently Modest Mouse. Although he has yet to quit Modest Mouse (give him time, he’ll do it) he recently joined the Cribs, who are quite the thing in the UK, but quite the nothing here in the States. His decision to team up with the Cribs is his most befuddling yet, because while his recruitment into Modest Mouse certainly was out of left field, they are a respected band with a unique sound and large following, The Cribs just kind of…are. There’s nothing particularly bad about their first three records, but there’s nothing really worth mentioning, either. It’s banal post-punk indie rock that’s also post-interesting and post-worthwhile. The inclusion of Marr hasn’t changed that at all; the three brothers Jarman, aided by Marr, are still cranking out their bland brand of whatever on their latest album, Ignore the Ignorant. There are a few highlights to be had here, the early cut “Cheat on Me” shows some energy and promise, and Marr’s guitar work, which is largely anonymous throughout most of the album, shows up for a some powerful moments on “City of Bugs,” but for the most part this is a generic and utterly forgettable affair. The most interesting aspect of the album is that Johnny Marr is on it. But his touch (if he indeed has one) is barely more than a whisper. Still, there’s little doubt that the Cribs will enjoy a boost in popularity because of Marr’s involvement alone. That’s because Johnny Marr is interesting. The Cribs, on the other hand, are the very definition of “meh.” (Warner Bros. 2009)

The Cribs’ MySpace Page

Alternative, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Rock

OneRepublic: Waking Up

November 10, 2009 /


RIYL: Coldplay, U2, Greg Laswell

OneRepublic’s 2008 debut was full of the kind of middle-of-the-road, calculatedly inoffensive pop that’s groomed for multiplatinum success – and it found that success, selling nearly a million copies and spinning off a Top Five single in the Timbaland-assisted “Apologize.” You’d think finding its commercial stride so soon would be the only excuse a band would need to churn out a carbon copy of its debut, but give OneRepublic credit: Album Number Two, Waking Up, actually represents a surprising step forward for a band that, just a year ago, gave no indication it was even ready to learn how to crawl. Make no mistake, the band’s stock in trade remains slick, pointedly proficient pop – but the band has gotten much better at carving canyon-sized hooks out of the barren bedrock of its influences.

onerepublic edit

There isn’t a single moment on the album that could be described as unusual or surprising – heck, maybe not even strictly interesting – and that’s exactly what makes it such an easy listen. This type of music derives its pleasure from smart adherence to pop formula, and OneRepublic follows it brilliantly; what it lacks in true creativity, it makes up in the strict discipline of knowing how to get from Point A to Point B – carrying a 500-pound chorus or three – without getting lost or messy along the way. Expecting great things from OneRepublic is probably unfair. But big things? You’re listening to ‘em. (Interscope/Mosley 2009)

OneRepublic MySpace page

Adult Contemporary, CD QuickTakes, CD Reviews, Pop

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