Arcade Fire-Reflektor

Canadian band Arcade Fire found critical and commercial success immediately upon the release of their debut album Funeral. The band incubated their sound further and became engrossed and enveloped in a darker sound for their sophomore effort, the excellent and underrated Neon Bible. As with nearly all sophomore albums that follow superb debuts, it was met with some lackluster reviews and the reception was dull in comparison, although generally speaking, it was still thought to be good. For many people, their awareness of Arcade Fire culminated during the release of and subsequent Grammy nominations for third album The Suburbs. Although far removed from typical pop, it was easily their most accessible album and took the least amount of work to chew through. Although they have always been multi instrumentalists, their sonic landscape and palate expanded on The Suburbs. With newest album Reflektor, the group has returned after some time off to release their most artistic and longest, deepest album yet. Unfortunately it is far from their most enjoyable or consistent.

Even in saying that, there are multiple hallmarks they can hang their hat on. Album opener and title track “Reflektor” is stunning, providing some of the best moments on the album. Beginning with a tribal beat that sounds like it was recorded on bongos, the song quickly enters territory usually reserved for Cut Copy. However, this is a song that Cut Copy simply wishes they’d written, as this is something far greater than anything on their most recent album, Free Your Mind. The whispered, hushed vocal pairing from Win Butler and Régine Chassagne match the mood of the track flawlessly, it is a perfect fit. The track simultaneously pulls off dance beats, electronic influences, and a more traditional, piano centric Arcade Fire sound that all coalesce and mold together to form one of the preeminent tracks of 2013. The guitar melody stabilizes the song and allows for complete melodiousness.

Even better is “We Exist,” which takes something familiar that nearly every person has once danced to, in “Billie Jean” and parrots it with great success. However, to suggest that “We Exist” is simply a mime of something greater and more successful is disrespectful to the work, as Arcade Fire has emphatically added their signature flair and flavor to the already existing backbone. The vocals again sound excellent, by the end of the song, it barely resembles the Michael Jackson smash hit, and instead approximates something more along the lines of LCD Soundsystem. Ironically enough, this album was produced by none other than James Murphy, lead singer from LCD Soundsystem fame.

His exquisite production is also on exhibit on titular track “Here Comes The Night Time,” with its Vampire Weekend influenced opening bars, it casually nestles into something far more delicate and soothing. Possessing stealthy, unbelievably catchy bass notes and an undeniable keyboard melody, “Here Comes the Night Time” is directed by those instruments like an ensemble working in tidy harmony to emanate an infinitely memorable song. When Butler ponders “If there’s no music, up in heaven, then what’s it for?” it will make many of you wonder that very thing for likely the first time. This is a splendid example of how to turn a longer song into something that is persistently enticing and captivating. Certainly, it is a formula that they should have adhered to more closely on the remainder of the disc. Lamentably, from this point forward the album becomes the musical equivalent of eating a meal without salt and pepper; the rest of the album lacks the flavor, and lush, charming nature of the opening few tracks.

Most egregious and heinous of all is “Hidden Track,” which undoubtedly should have remained as such. It sounds about as interesting as tofu tastes. Ten minutes of ambiance and meagerness drag on and on like a trudge through knee-high mud, or attempting to eat a grisly steak with no teeth. Try and try as you might, it’s just not going anywhere meaningful. The same can be said of “Supersymmetry,” although at least Arcade Fire attempted to actually form something resembling a song with its scattered and erratic pieces. “Normal Person” is yet another track that shouldn’t have made it off of the floor and onto the table. The beginning vocal lines of “do you like rock and roll music? Cause I don’t know if I do,” is eerily comparable to ZZ Top, something I truly never thought I would write. The music that follows is rather uninspired and lazy, and certainly never escalates beyond the boring, predictable chorus and the main guitar riff that sounds like it was cloned from the leftover bits that didn’t make it onto the White Stripes’ Icky Thump.

Even more boring still are “You Already Know” and “Here Comes the Night Time II,” the latter of which fails miserably to upkeep the namesake of the excellent first edition, whilst the former does a poor job of keeping the listener hooked beyond the initial verse and chorus. Reflektor isn’t entirely treasure or trash, as there is some decent middle ground to be found. Tracks such as “Joan of Ark,” complete with Haitian chants, and “Porno,” which exhibits some odd sounds that are unlike anything else on the album, do a nice job of raising the overall quality of the album whereas most of the other tracks dilute what was an incredible opening burst. The album as a whole is reminiscent of a cake that has only baked halfway through: half of it, gooey, sweet and scrumptious, while the other half is burnt, charred and difficult to stomach. If it weren’t for the rather good “Porno” and “Afterlife,” the second half would be instantly forgettable and would pale in comparison to the first batch of tracks.

            Quite simply, Reflektor features some of the most grandiose songs in Arcade Fire’s catalog. It also, unfortunately, contains many of the most incomplete, halfhearted and uninspired tracks they’ve ever had to muster up. This album would be greatly, greatly improved if it could receive a nice haircut to clip off all those annoying loose ends. Instead of waiting for that to happen, enjoy Arcade Fire’s Reflektor for what it is, rather than what it isn’t: An imperfect album with mountainous highs that afford the listener with some of the finest moments that music has had to offer in 2013.

 

--73/100

Albert Hammond Jr.- AHJ

The third musical release and first EP from The Strokes rhythm guitarist, Albert Hammond Jr., features his best compilation of songs yet, showcasing his signature lighthearted guitar work and airy vocals. Hammond Jr. releases AHJ on friend and fellow band mate Julian Casablancas’ Cult Records, with Casablancas giving the songs on AHJ his stamp of approval, saying “It’s his best work yet.” After a listen or two and surely many will agree, as this EP displays his most well crafted songs to date.

Starting with the excellent “St Justice,” Hammond Jr. harmonizes three guitars to form one singular sound. Upon digging slightly further, one can hear that actually all three are playing nearly identical notes, albeit at a slightly different time. It’s really cool how similar yet distinguishable all of the guitars are on this song. The bleeps and blips the guitars produce form a great melody over which Hammond sings “I’m beginning to feel you don’t know what you do/it’s impossibly true that emotions get lost on you.” “St Justice” is a sensational pop song that begs to be heard with the extremely catchy melodies and chorus that it boasts.

“Strange Tidings” is complete with a solid strumming guitar line that is very well complemented by the stabbing guitar riff from Hammond Jr. himself. The up tempo, tattering drums with minimal cymbal round out the sound to form another light, poppy song that evolves as the song progresses. Hammond Jr. rips off a solo about halfway through that is right in line with the rhythm guitar from earlier in the track. Things seamlessly flow back into the chorus with a cymbal crash and Hammond Jr.’s vocal line of “Watch, what you say/If I’m guilty, I will pay.” For listeners of his earlier music, it is reminiscent of Yours to Keep, his underrated debut LP that was very accessible and pop centric. After the strength of the first two songs on AHJ, one might expect the following three tracks to follow suit; however, this album loses a little steam after the strong beginning.

That ever so slight downswing begins with “Rude Customer,” a fine song in its own right, but one that is somewhat out of place when compared with the first two songs. Track number 3 sees Hammond Jr. enter a weird, Radiohead like territory on the verse and chorus. It’s unlike anything he’s done before, but that’s not the reason it isn’t up to par. Despite featuring the most “Strokes-like” sequence of guitar chords found on any of these songs, the opening drum beat and guitar tones don’t really mesh, and it’s somewhat startling when heard with headphones upon first listen. It does improve upon repeated listens; however, the initial impression is alarming to say the least. It’s the really poor choice of tone that hampers this track most, as well as the general frantic and unhinged instrumentation that occurs during the chorus. It’s slightly too busy, and the bass and rhythm guitars don’t quite line up. It also owns a weird, off-kilter time signature, especially with the drums being what they are in that section: quick, frantic, and hurried. There is a really nice part where everything cuts out to leave just bass and drums that sounds quite good, as well as the best and most ferocious guitar solo that the album has in its arsenal. However, the odd nature of the rest of the song somewhat diminishes the brilliance of the aforementioned sections.

The fourth song “Cooker Ship” begins with a semi-rapping Hammond Jr. who spits his lines over some very ambient guitar picking and tapping drums, but his vocals quickly change into a high pitched, curdling scream. The bridge section is nice, but the really weird, rapid fire vocal style from Hammond Jr. on this song isn’t close his best decision musically. The scratching and clawing guitars battle one another, and although his desired effect of “aggressive and pretty” is accomplished, it just doesn’t sound that great when combined with the vocals. By no means a poor song, it’s definitely worth a listen.

The final song, “Carnal Cruise,” is barely worth that. It has a chorus that really clashes and sounds too chaotic for enough enjoyment to be had with it to consider it a success. Easily the worst song on the album, it’s not hard to see how this was left off the EP and was only available if you ordered through Cult Records. It’s a loud song with parts that never quite sync up or make much sense musically to the listener. Oddly enough, Albert picked this song to make a video for, as well as St. Justice, although the latter is expected due to its excellence. Do yourself a favor, skip the last song and enjoy the previous 4, as there is surely something there for fans of guitar driven pop. All in all, this an EP with a definite musical theme and tone tying it together, and minus the verses and chorus of “Rude Customer” most all of it sounds like it should definitely be together on an album. The previously mentioned strengths makes AHJ a more than worthy entry into his catalog, and will treat listeners and fans both new and old.

Overall--75

Queens of the Stone Age-...Like Clockwork

When Queens of the Stone Age first announced last August that they had begun recording their follow up to 2008’s s Era Vulgaris, fans of the band were ecstatic. They had been waiting for five years for a new album, and luckily for longtime fans, their patience will be rewarded. Everyone else will just be delighted. 

The sixth and latest entry into their catalog, …Like Clockwork, sees the Palm Desert, California rockers harnessing the sound of previous entries while simultaneously brightening the mood a bit which has resulted in the creation of an album that manages to come off as both familiar and fresh. Retaining some of the sex-and-swagger from seminal albums Rated R and Songs For The Deaf and giving it a new twist has resulted in the strongest melodies from the band yet, as well as some of the best songs.

…Like Clockwork begins with the sounds of rattling chains and other creepy noises on “Keep Your Eyes Peeled,” a downright sinister track with a steady, driving drumbeat and a main guitar riff that’s mean and nasty. There are some vocal melodies and vocal styles that bring to mind System of a Down. “Keep Your Eyes Peeled” is extremely well balanced between gritty and pretty, which is a reoccurring theme throughout the album. The second cut off the album, “I Sat By The Ocean,” is centered around a slick guitar riff from singer/songwriter/guitarist Josh Homme and consistently solid drumming from legendary Dave Grohl. The chorus is not particularly noteworthy but the song is structurally impressive and catchy nonetheless, which makes it more than worth a listen.

Even more soft and mellow is third song, “The Vampyre Of Time And Memory,” sees Homme softly singing over synth washes and minimal guitar work. “Does anyone ever get this right? I feel no love,” sings Homme, over the instrumental eruption during the last 30 seconds of the song that brings things to a nice conclusion. “If I Had A Tail,” is filled to the brim with swagger, evoking memories of disco era Rolling Stones. Everything works on this song; the drums propel the foray into dance territory while the guitars keep things firmly grounded in classic rock, and the maniacal mood set by the vocals from Homme comes together to form an awesome song. Making it even better is that it features guitar riffs and vocals from Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys fame. “If I Had A Tail” is a highlight on an album filled with good songs.

The weakest tracks are in the middle, “My God Is In The Sun” and “Kalopsia.” The former features a repetitive and unappealing riff, and the latter doesn’t get particularly interesting until the end, leaving a taste of disappointment in the mouth. These two songs simply don’t fit in with the rest in regards to quality. Homme brings out the falsetto and piano on parts of “Fairweather Friends,” and it really works the strumming rhythm guitar and sweet lead riff. It’s a song that’s both passive and aggressive, perhaps due to guest vocalist Trent Reznor, and is overall one of the best songs found here.

Best of all is “Smooth Sailing,” which features the same jive and shimmy as “If I Had A Tail.” “Smooth Sailing” could almost be passed off as dance rock, if it wasn’t for such a heavy riff and jittery guitar solos. There’s a part that sounds mysteriously like “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns ‘N Roses, but no penalty should be applied because it fits the song fantastically.

The album ends with title track, …Like Clockwork. For Oklahoma natives, this will remind some of you of the Flaming Lips. It quickly evolves into something much heavier and erratic than even the Lips, and just as things are getting out of control it fades down and transitions back to the tranquil yet grandiose sound from before. A nice, calm way to end an album charged with electricity.

When asked in 2000 his goal for making rock, Homme said “ Rock should be heavy enough for the boys and sweet enough for the girls.” Mission accomplished.

8.8/10

Starfucker-Miracle Mile

            How far can one make it with a ludicrous name and infectious hooks? Portland, Oregon band STRFKR (That’s their abbreviated name) is certainly pushing the envelope to find out. The origin of this story begins in the early 2000’s with lead singer and multi-instrumentalist Josh Hodges. STRFKR originally started under the name of Pyramid and was designed as a solo project for Hodges alone. However, as time passed and Hodges met bassist Shawn Glassford, drummer Keil Corcoran and guitar keyboardist Patrick Morris, STRFKR was finally formed in 2007. They released their self-titled debut in 2008, and the success of their song “Rawnald Gregory Erickson The Second”, which was featured in a Target commercial, gave the band all the confidence needed to prosper despite their controversial name.

Prosper, they did. In 2011 came the outstanding sophomore effort Reptilians, a refreshing mix of electronic and dance music that was designed as “music you could both listen and dance to.” Apparently plenty of people were doing just that, as STRFKR’s steady rise into the consciousness of the mainstream continued.

That rise continues here, with Miracle Mile, the third and best album from the Portland quartet. Beginning with opening track and lead single “While I’m Alive”, Miracle Mile is a blast from the first few opening bars. That song oozes a confident but not cocky bravado; Once again, it’s the sound of a band who has found exactly their place in the music world, and is completely happy and content with the artistic direction they are taking. It really shines through on “While I’m Alive”, complete with funky bass and groovy electronic breakdowns. It’s a must listen to anyone with a working set of ears.

Luckily, the great songs just keep on coming. Excellent is “Atlantis”, a song that will challenge you to not move your hips while listening. Its steady drumbeat has Corcoran keeping pace with the guitars tying things neatly into a dance-friendly package. It’s good stuff, and will certainly make one wonder “How have I not heard of these guys before?”

Considering the strength of songs like “Kahlil Gibran” and “Fortune’s Fool”, hopefully fewer people will ask themselves the aforementioned question. If you like rock, you should check them out. If you like electronic music, the same applies. Their music is quite versatile and appeals to a wide audience because of the variances in style that they exhibit. Speaking of variances in style, there is the atypical STRFKR song in “Beach Monster”, which as the title suggests, has a beach type influence that hasn’t been seen in their music before. It’s not a fantastic song by any means, but the diversity is applauded. There is also the M83-esque “Leave It All Behind”, which is a new style for them and is something I would enjoy seeing in the future.

Without question, I consider this an early favorite for album of the year. STRFKR won’t receive the hype they deserve because of their band name, and thus the strength of Miracle Mile will be undersold. However, once you get past the initial shock of the name, you can peel back the layers to reveal an album that is not only consistent in execution, but also seeping with personality.

9/10

Green Day-Tre!

The final installment in a new trilogy of albums, Tre! comes only several weeks after the recently released and quite underrated Dos!, which surprised many with its deep punk tinge and the general lack of power-pop Green Day has lately become known for. Whereas Uno! was dripping with stadium built songs, Dos! was more stripped back and sounded almost like it was recorded in a garage. Unfortunately, rather than continuing with that reinvigorating step forward, they've taken a half step back here by reaching into the pop filled jar a few too many times. It's not that the slower, more FM friendly songs are bad, it's just that they are incredibly safe and really lacking any kind of punch or power you would expect from you know, a former punk band.

    Take album opener "Brutal Love", which borrows some melody and structure from The Animals, but none of the attitude and swagger that made that band iconic. It's the kind of song that I call "formula music", meaning I think that Green Day could write about a thousand songs of this tone and mood in their sleep, no problem. I've mentioned this before: it's the sound of an artist kind of coasting and resting on what has made them successful instead of consistently trying bold or new ideas. The same logic applies to "Drama Queen", which is a ballad-type that only stands out because the quality is lacking in comparison to other similar songs in their back catalog, such as "21 Guns".

    Luckily for us listeners, they regain form in spots. Goofy lyrics aside, "Sex, Drugs & Violence" is a raucous stomper of a track that catches your attention with how immediate it sounds. When singer Billie Joe Armstrong & Co dial things up even further, the results are more pleasurable; "Amanda" continues their recently started tradition of having awesome throwback punk songs named after females. Just as Dos! standout "Ashley", "Amanda" has a nasty snarl and bite to it that gives it a certain freshness and lasting appeal. "Little Boy Named Train" is also quite good; I love the tempo and rhythm of the track, and the song does wonders to boost the quality of the middle of the album.

    The best of them all, is the long and flowing "Dirty Rotten Bastards", which marks the second time in the trilogy of albums that Green Day scored a successful 6-plus minute track. They explore several different genres all within the same song, from indie rock that sounds almost like The Fratellis, to dirty and grimy punk. Best of all is the guitar solo, which explodes out of the speakers with a Van Halen like intensity. It's quite awesome to hear Billie and the gang tear it up like that, it's something they should unleash more often, especially since they have the technical skills to do so.

    Overall, this album is a slight disappointment when compared directly to Dos!, but is certainly better than Uno!. For fans, this should be comforting enough.

75/100

First Impressions of Earth- The Strokes

    When they first exploded onto the scene in 2001, The Strokes seemingly had it all: fame, fortune, critical acclaim. To most people, they came out of nowhere. Although their debut Is This It? is viewed as one of the most important and influential rock albums of the last decade, there were still plenty of detractors who felt the band hadn't paid their dues and were anointed too soon. Those same people bashed sophomore effort Room on Fire for "sticking too close to the formula", so The Strokes decided to change things up for their third album, First Impressions of Earth. Critics once again were salivating at the chance to rib the band, only this time it was for changing too much. Although First Impressions of Earth is slightly long at 14 songs and 52 minutes, to write it off completely would be dismissing that it is clearly the best album of theirs lyrically and that it features complex arrangements that the band hadn't tried to pull off previously. The album is said to be about "what an alien would think if they came down and visited Earth," and it lends itself to thought provoking discussion. It makes for a mature sounding album, one that lacks the immediacy of its predecessors but has a certain depth to it that rewards repeated listens and makes for a disc that will slowly reveal its intricacies to you over time.

    Album opener "You Only Live Once" is quite simply one of the best songs they've ever done; the insanely catchy riff will plant itself in your brain and nestle comfortably, refusing to leave. The lyrics are all about opposing viewpoints and the cultural and gender differences that slant our opinions of things. It's some of the best work frontman Julian Casablancas has ever done. It's quite refreshing to hear them contemplating and discussing important issues, not just analyzing humans and their relationships with one another. The raucous "Juicebox" keeps things fresh with its Peter Gunn-themed bass line by Nikolai Fraiture which is replicated by guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. The track sees Casablancas unleashing ravenous screams, tempting a woman with the lines "Why won't you come over here??/We've got a city to love," before lead guitarist Nick Valensi bursts into a righteous solo. The song is extremely aggressive and in your face in comparison to their previously released material, and the beefier production value goes a long way toward selling the song here. Third track "Heart In A Cage" features some of the best shredding on any Strokes song previous or current, and has a really cool and dark feel to it. Even better yet is "Razorblade", and despite the melody being plucked from "Mandy" by Barry Manilow, it still sounds unique and interesting. The bouncing bass line and chipper, intertwining guitar work of Valensi and Hammond Jr. when combined the quick drumming of Fabrizio Moretti make this one of the highlights of the album.

    After that however, things do start to lose a little steam. "On The Other Side" is rather depressing in both tone and topic, which doesn't suit the band well considering they've made their reputation as being a fun and rather lighthearted band. The guitars do work well on this song, but it's not enough to make it a particularly gripping listen. "Vision of Division" is quite the technical accomplishment for the band, but the chorus is somewhat lacking and certainly could be more appealing. When people mention that this cd is too long and that some of the material should have been cut, they are most likely referencing the songs "Killing Lies", "Fear of Sleep", and "15 Minutes", all of which I personally enjoy because I'm a huge fan of the band, but I can clearly see that the quality isn't up to the standard that they're capable of. Those songs have no business being on a Strokes album, because their previous two albums contained virtually no filler, where it is somewhat abundant here. They're certainly talented enough to release a more consistent cd, as they have in the past.

    It's not all bad after the fast start though. "Electricityscape" is extremely underrated and features a nice futuristic sound and big chorus. "Ize of the World" sees Casablancas going on about the various problems in the world by way of quick quips. It culminates with a fiery scream from Casablancas, and some incredibly furious and detailed work from the rest of the band. Then, there is the very soothing "Ask Me Anything", which is my go-to song when I'm feeling rather contemplative or if I'm in need of answers. I can listen to this song, and it will relax me to where I can focus on my thoughts. It's hard to explain, (pun intended) but I like the effect that it has on me when I hear it. Obviously it won't do the same exact thing for you, but there are rewarding qualities to be found in the track nonetheless. The Strokes are the kind of artist who makes no truly bad songs, so even when they are unquestionably at their worst as they are here, it's still listenable and would stack up decently to a lot of material written by other artists.

    The album ends with "Red Light", which sees The Strokes continue their tradition of closing their albums with a quality piece. The middle of this album could have used some of the same energy and spirit as found here, as "Red Light" stands out for being one of the more upbeat songs of the album. It sounds great both instruments wise and vocally, as Casablancas does a convincing job of reassuring you that The Strokes have plenty up their sleeves still, despite what critics may say.

76/100

Unapologetic-Rihanna

    Nearly four years ago, Rihanna became embattled in a grandiose abuse scandal with former flame Chris Brown that divided opinions and left many questioning whether or not she could salvage her career from the smoldering wreckage. She then released the predictably dark Rated R, which was quickly followed up with 2010's 6x platinum-selling Loud, announcing her comeback in full force. Rihanna released the slightly disappointing Talk That Talk last November, and she returns a year later to gift us with her seventh and most recent album, Unapologetic. The newest disc from the Barbados-born artist is a mixed bag at best, with one especially noteworthy and controversial exception.

    Rather than running from the Chris Brown saga for all of eternity, she faces it literally head on with "Nobody's Business", which sees the temptress duet with the man who once brought her so much public humiliation. Not only is it ripe with a juicy back story, but it's also quite good; the driving club beat and piano make it extremely dance friendly and the song is excellently produced. The lyrics "Ain't nobody's business/just mine and my baby," really highlights what the on and off couple was wanting all along: a chance to heal and gain closure away from the spotlight. It seems they have not only done that, but have grown closer in the process. Quite honestly, it's some of the most revealing and refreshing material she has released in years. They obviously enjoyed making this track with one another, as you can hear almost instantly the chemistry the two of them possess. I would call it an electricity, if you will.

    The rest of the material could have used the same energy.

    Lead single "Diamonds" is a poor retread of a style she has done with more flair and bombast in the past and is dull in comparison to most of the singles in her back catalog. It just sounds unfinished to me. Most derivative of all is "Jump", which sees Rihanna murder the Genuine hit "Ride My Pony" via dubstep assault. Staying within the realm of dubstep/pop fusion is the slightly better "Right Now", which features current media sensation David Guetta. Rihanna continues to play it safe on R&B dud "Loveeeee Song", an undercooked and underwhelming track that could have used more time in the oven. Perhaps worst of all is "Stay", a tepid ballad that is an utter snore fest. Simply put, Unapologetic contains an inexcusable amount of filler, even for an album with 14 songs. It's never a good thing if half of your album sounds like a demo, especially when it isn't due to poor production values, but rather the sound of an artist casually resting on her laurels, continually relying on regurgitated ideas and mismatched genres to haphazardly patch together an album.

    However, there are a few other bright spots to be found, although they are too few and far between. Opener "Phresh Out the Runway" is an electronic spasm of a song, as the instrumentation borrows heavily from Crystal Castles. It's an interesting sound for her, to say the least. One can feel Rihanna claw back to her reggae roots on "No Love Allowed", a pleasant surprise for longtime fans. It's on these tracks where she breaks free of the mold she has now established for herself and generates some of her best work.

    If this is your first introduction to Rihanna, Unapologetic will ultimately fail to resonate with you. It sounds almost hollow at times, like it's missing that extra little something, that tangible spark. Lets hope she finds it again, and quickly.

6.2/10