The Age of the Understatement
[Domino; 2008]
Pitchfork gave it a 7.7.
This is a pop record. I mean "pop" in the pre-Beatles sense. In the "Pop Hits of the 60's That Is Somehow Just A Bunch of Sonny and Cher Songs and Nothing Anybody Actually Remembers From Then" sense. In the "hmmm, maybe I like Herb Alpert, not really, but I'm bored out of my mind at a yard sale so I'm reading the back cover of this" sense. Early solo Scott Walker. Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood. Except it's from now. And it has a few arrangement tricks up its sleeve that are post-analog psychedelic.
Those are fine reference points. I'm fine with Sonny and Cher. Hell, I'll even listen to the Osmonds for yuks. But if you're into this kind of a thing, why not go back to the abundantly available source material? Do you really love the guy from Arctic Monkeys that much? Were you distracted by the old "sexy girl on the cover" trick? Do you like to rock, but also like to pretend you're 60-something years old and just want to tap something out on the steering wheel while waiting too long to turn left? What's the deal with you, man?
Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Conchords
[Sub Pop; 2008]
Pitchfork gave it a 7.2.
This is bar none the most unfair thing I've looked at so far. It's only been two years, and it's already like "oh yeah, remember those guys? Ummmmm... pass."
Mantronix
Mantronix: The Album (Deluxe Edition)
[Sleeping Bag / Warlock; 1985/2008]
Pitchfork cutely gave it a 8.08.
Can you believe this is 25 year old? If it was a car, it'd qualify for "classic" plates in some states. Of course there is not a single car from 1985 that should actually be considered a classic.
But then again, allow me to blow your mind by showing you a picture of a 1985 Mustang:
Am I the only one thinking "Kanye's Dream Car"?
For the record, I am more than fine with hip hop summer 2010 being extremely synthy and trashy and booming loudly from the above-pictured Mustang.
Pants Yell!
Alison Statton
[Soft Abuse; 2008]
Pitchfork gave it a 7.5.
What a strange record and/or "sound" to come out with in 2008. It feels like it's rebelling against Rock 'n Roll excesses that haven't existed in years. Like railing against Iron and Wine by sounding more like Belle and Sebastian. Or something.
Still, this is a fantastic example of the "easy breezy" end of "indie" "twee" (best descriptor ever, sounds like a gay porn fetish archetype) pop. Which can be easily overdone and easily replicated, but hard to pull off in that you can't fake nonchalance. Fact is, the world is crawling with bands that sound like they wish they sounded as unaffected as this. So: it's refreshing to hear anything approximating the real deal, even though nobody's exactly feeling a dearth of catchy, light-as-air pop at the moment.
I guess I'm saying that I would actually listen to this. In a "I am not deleting this from the iPod until I get the winter blahs and want to hear some angry noise" way. I'd put it almost on a par with The Minders or The Vaselines for "ok, it's nice enough outside for me to want the feeling of sunshine shooting directly out of my waz" times. Almost, but not quite on that par.
Various Artists
In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2
[Shout! Factory; 2008]
Pitchfork gave it a 7.0.
Just give your money directly to somebody who's doing something helpful somewhere in Africa instead of spending it on a variety of current African musicians who have been asked/forced to do U2 covers for this charity/vanity compilation. It's always a good idea to cut out the middle man, especially if the middle man is Bono's ego.
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