Elvis Perkins in Dearland-Self/Titled

March 10th will mark the 10th week of this short year in which bands have been able to release albums. Tomorrow is the release of the first truly spectacular record of the year (sorry, not drinking the Animal Collective kool-aid from Pitchfork) and that album comes from Elvis Perkins and his band In Dearland. Just a little backround on Perkins before I go on; his father, Anthony Perkins was the lead actor in Psycho, and his mother passed away on the first plane that crashed into the World Trade Center on September the 11th, 2001. Perkins' first album was a largely solo effort focused on the deaths of both of his parents; an album that showcased his lyrical and musical talents, though it's song subjects are so depressing they'd make some Elliott Smith songs seem more like drunken Jimmy Buffet singalongs.

With that said, Elvis recorded this entire album with his talented backing band In Dearland and the results are a complete success. From the bouncy folk rock opener of 'Shampoo' which grows on you in about 5 minutes, towards the bouncy song 'Doomsday' with it's cryptic 9/11 references, this album is much more interesting, and has more variety musically and lyrically than Perkins' debut album. The second song on the album, simply titled 'Hey' is the highlight of the album for me; featuring it's quirky lyrics sang over the repeated pounding of a kick drum, bouncy guitars giving the song a reggae feeling, and thumping bass line; 'Hey; is easily the best song I've heard thus far this year. The addition of the full band gives new elements to Perkins' sound on songs such as 'I Heard Your Voice in Dresden' with it's repeated shouts of 'Glory!' and the aptly titled 'Doomsday' with the slow brass intro turning into a fast paced folk-rocker all within a minute. Still, Perkins' appears to be at his best when relatively stripped down as in Chains, Chains, Chains'; a song which may have fit in better on his last album, but does bring a horn section, a complimenting string section companied with a strong bassline as the song goes on.

Despite the addition of In Dearland, this is still an extremely solid folk record. Anyone who enjoys strong songwriting and hearing instruments ranging from a wurlitzer to a theramin should check this out. Stereogum has already deemed 'Shampoo' to be the best folk song they've heard all year, and honestly, who can really blame them? Though he may not write a better song than 2007's 'While You Were Sleeping', with 'Elvis Perkins in Dearland', Perkins' delivers ten songs that will leave a lasting impression on listeners for years to come.

Rating; 9.5 out of 10

Below is a link to download the song 'Hey' discussed above. The link will only work for 7 days, so get it while you can and I highly suggest purchasing this record. Link opens in new window.

Elvis Perkins in Dearland-Hey

Yeah Yeah Yeahs-It's Blitz

I won't waste much time with this one, as the album has been removed from my iTunes library already so I can use the remaining 30GB for something that I will actually want to listen to in the future. I was one of the few who enjoyed the YYY's last album 'Show Your Bones' if only for the awesome guitar riffs Nick Zinner threw out there; blast 'Gold Lion' or 'Mysteries' and tell me the guy isn't great at what he does? With 'It's Blitz' gone are the rocking riffs and fun drum fills in place for synthesized beats and keyboards. I was wishing the MGMT craze would've died out, but it was probably wishful thinking. Karen's vocals are strong, as always; and though this album does indeed show her vocal talents off, musically, this album is ridiculously bland and is missing all of the elements that make this band fun.

Rating; 1 out of 10.

Ben Kweller-Changing Horses

I've never been a huge fan of the previous efforts from Ben Kweller. Didn't care for the first record, or the second record, and thought the S/T album had more misses than hits. I was driving home from work one day and was listening to WERS and heard the slide guitar and banjo towards the end of 'Sawdust Man.' Was surprised to hear it was Ben Kweller, but I figured I'd have to give him another chance. I picked up the 'How Ya Doin' Southbound' EP and was pleasantly surprised with it. Even better, a new album was scheduled to be released just a few months later. Despite hearing three out of the ten songs on the prior EP, I was excited to check out 'Changing Horses.' From November 1st until the end of 2008, I probably listened to this album close to 100 times. I'd press play and literally listen to the album on repeat for hours on end. The pop alt-country vibes this album gives off are undeniable and would serve as an excellent introduction to alt-country acts a majority of Kweller fans may not typically take a chance on. The album opens up on a slow note with 'Gypsy Rose', the albums weakest track in my opinion, and doesn't truly pick up until the honky tonk piano fueled 'Fight.' From that point on, you're in for an extremely fun ride musically and lyrically. Kweller seems at his best sticking with his pop elements in songs such as 'Hurtin' You' and 'On Her Own.' I've read a few reviews for this record claiming that there's too much slide guitar infused on 'Changing Horses.' Although that could be correct, it doesn't effect things negatively in my opinion as I really enjoy the direction Kweller took on this record. My one, and only complaint about this album is it's re-playability factor. I went back and listened to this album and found myself skipping songs, and seeming nowhere near as interested as I did when I first discovered this record. To me, a truly great album separates itself when you can be amazed by it on it's release; put it away for a few months, and pick it back up as if you never missed a beat. Lyrically, Kweller keeps things simple - though it tends to work for him. Musically, there isn't anything groundbreaking on this album, but it serves as a great introduction to alt-country for any newcomers with Kweller's pop talents sprinkled in all throughout.

Overall; 7 out of 10

Cursive-Mama I'm Swollen

Alas, the sixth full length from Omaha's favorite son Tim Kasher's main project, Cursive comes out on Tuesday, March 10th. With the LP you get a download code and a copy of the CD itself even though the record doesn't ship until mid-April. Even cooler, you can buy the album starting for $1.00 on the Saddle Creek website, with the price increasing a dollar per day until it's official release. There's been a good amount of hype surrounding 'Mama...', with the band getting their first late night appearance on March 9th on David Letterman; something that is years overdue. There's no doubt that Cursive's best material sits in their back catalog, however I was one of the few that enjoyed the direction taken with their last record, Happy Hollow. To me, 'Mama I'm Swollen' lacks the punch that every other Cursive record had. Lyrically, with the exception of 'Caveman' (which could've easily been a track taken from any Good Life record), Kasher has taken a step back. Repeating the same three lines over and over is something I expect to hear at the gym, not on a Cursive record. Musically, this is the bands first album without longtime drummer Clint Schnase, and it's of my opinion their style shifted in the process. Songs are more flowing, almost with a jazzier quality to them - but there aren't many standout interludes as evidenced in their prior efforts. There's also no songs from Ted anywhere on here, though with only 10 songs on the album, can't say I'm overly surprised. 'From the Hips' is one of the catchier tunes in the bands catalog, and is one of the standout tracks on 'Mama I'm Swollen.' Other than that track and 'Caveman', the rest of the album doesn't do much for me. It's listenable and there isn't anything worth skipping over, but I don't find myself listening to songs repeatedly for one reason or another.

Overall; 4 out of 10.

M. Ward-Hold Time

1.) M. Ward-Hold Time



So, I've been looking forward to the new record from Matt Ward since 2006's masterpiece, 'Post War.' Every M. Ward record has something new to offer, and I expected 'Hold Time' to be no different. Unfortunately, something happened between the release of 'Post War' and last week's offering of 'Hold Time.' M. Ward joined up with Zoey Deschannel and together they put out an album under the moniker of 'She & Him' aptly titled, 'Volume One.' This album was received well by critics, however I question how much of Ward's catalog they were familiar with. With a brief tour supporting that album, Ward began to record songs for 'Hold Time' for the time being. Unfortunately, his attention must have been elsewhere. This album is a poor man's 'Post War', as half the songs are bland, and the other half can't hold a candle to his previous work. The Buddy Holly cover of 'Rave On' is probably the highlight here, which isn't really saying much. Luckily, M. Ward is getting more recognition than ever due to his work with Ms. Deschannel. Unfortunately, this album does not indicate how talented of a musician he is. Hopefully, those who pick this album out will be intrigued by the single 'Nobody But You' and check out his back catalog. For the meantime, we can look forward to the 2010 collaboration with Jim James and Conor Oberst - hopefully the break from Deschannel will get Matt back on track.

Overall rating; 3 out of 10

First post

I'm at work and I decided to start this. It'll mostly consist of music reviews, and whatever else I deem relevant enough to put here.