Capsule reviews

Once again, I’ve got more cds than I have time to review properly and all on their own. Also, this is a remarkably good way to cover a lot of ground in a small amount of space. trust me, full reviews would take days… and I don’t wanna waste this sapce when you could be reading my witty observations on life and how they relate to music.

Gasoline Heart – “You Know Who You Are” (Mono Vs. Stereo)
An Americana, roots-rock band fronted by a guy whose vocals sound sound a lot like Eddie Vedder, Adam Duritz, Dave Grohl, and Bruce Springsteen all at once? Not bad, but not great. Gasoline Heart‘s a pretty mellow act, with nice accents here and there from things like mandolin, fiddle, and organ. Despite that, it all starts to run together after a while and You Know Who Your Are is a little close to young country territory when it’s not hitting the Fastball / Guster sound.
Listen at their MySpace page.

Lily Allen – “Alright, Still” (Regal Parlophone)
The new hot young thing from the UK got referred to by Mojo as a “ska-pop up-and-comer.” I’d say Ms. Allen sounds more like the result of a Debbie Harry / Nellie McKay / Lauryn Hill three-way. Not, y’know, sexually… fuck. Now I’m all turned on. Anyhow, Lily Allen’s Alright, Still is a good, catchy, dancey reggae pop. She’s a good thing for those who like No Doubt. The occasional “fuck and foray into blatant sexual innuendo (“you must be jokin’ me / If you think you’re pokin’ me”) keep it interesting and fun.
Download “LDN“.

Mew – “And the Glass Handed Kites” (Sony)
Mew is Danish and sounds a lot like Death Cab For Cutie listened to a lot of Sigur Ros and the Cardigans. Maybe it’s that cold weather that lends that ethereal sound to bands. Either way, the lead singer is way less annoying than Ben Gibbard. I certainly enjoyed And the Glass Handed Kites more than Plans. It’s some pretty, indie-type stuff. I just can’t get over how much like Death Cab it sounds. Seriously… fucking eerie.

Nina Gordon – “Bleeding Heart Graffitti” (Warner Brothers)
Forget Veruca Salt. Nina Gordon‘s old band only pops up in the lyrical stylings of Bleeding Heart Graffitti. This, her second solo release, is teeth-rotting sweet pop. I don’t mean that as an insult, just a statement of fact. Liz Phair’s recent work, Avril Lavigne’s less grating material, and Pink’s more rockin’ stuff are all touchstones here. It’s definitely listenable, and far more mature and developed than your average pop-rocker’s material.

World/Inferno Friendship Society – “Red-Eyed Soul” (Chunksaah)
While a more sedate release than the Society‘s Just the Best Party, Red-Eyed Soul is still a pretty damn good record. However, it’s less anarchic and more musical theatre. I see more choreographed dancing to Red-Eyed Soul, as opposed to the chaotic stage-diving imagery Just the Best Party conjured up. The World/Inferno Friendship Society has gone more cabaret than they’d been before, taking them away from the Gogol Bordello street theatre end of things. As a matter of fact, there are a couple tracks (such as “Only Anarchists Are Pretty”) that veer dangerously close to Chicago’s horn section.
Download “The Velocity of Love” and “Brother of the Mayor of Bridgewater“.