She'll Find A Way

With great opportunity comes great expectation. And considering Santogold's former day job as an A&R rep for Epic, her collaborations with GZA and Lily Allen, and her connections to M.I.A., this Brooklyn-based songstress has a lot of people expecting big things. Does she pull this one off? Well, her first single "L.E.S. Artistes" may very well be the catchiest single you'll rarely hear. Because quite frankly, I don't know to classify it. Her penchant for freely experimenting with dub, new wave, punk, hip-hop, ska, and grime (sometimes all at once) is admirable, but this unfortunately may spread this NYC socialite too thin on her self-titled debut. And despite already having a slew of supporters south of Houston Street, Santogold bites the very hand that feeds on "Artistes" -- serving up a can of whoopass to the Lower East Side too-cool-for-school hipster class.

This is not to undermine Santogold's musical might, as this singer succeeds time and again on most of the tracks on her debut. With a voice that is one part Gwen and two parts M.I.A., she certainly has the pipes that allow her to span multiples genres. On the aptly titled "Shove It" Santogold puts on her reggae hat, yet spews out a chorus that is defiantly punk: "We think you're a joke/Shove your hope where it don't shine." Hold on to your seats, because this ride takes sharp turn that is markedly indie rock on "Lights Out," a tune that more Pixies-sounding than anything. But this is just the beginning for Ms. White, as straight-up hop makes its cameo on "Starstruck", while the beautiful "I'm A Lady" contains the infectious pop that might cross this starlet over into the mainstream. And while having friends in high places can certainly take her there, she proves that she's worthy of the mic on her genre-spanning debut.

My Rating: 7.5/10

"A Golden Prize" -- Apes & Androids @ Bowery Ballroom 5/30

At what will surely be branded the weirdest concert of the year, I was amongst the sold-out faithful in attendance Friday night to check out Brooklyn indie art-punks Apes & Androids do their thing at the Bowery Ballroom. And although I'm naturally inclined to show these guys some support (bandleaders David Tobias and Brian Jacobs went to the same high school as me), I can now understand what the local fuss is about. Because no joke, this band embodies showmanship on a level that is KISS-worthy. Even before A&A hit the stage, their setup of demon-eyed tiki-heads hinted the early birds what they were in store for. When the quintet finally appeared adorned in their Ziggy Stardust-esque makeup, headbands, and space-aged unitards, confetti cannons blasted as the robotic sound effects of "Blood Moon I" were played over the PA. After another dose of crowd confetti, the band prepped its instruments and segued into "Make Forever Last Forever" -- a tune that could have very well been the futuristic lovechild of Pink Floyd and Radiohead. Tobias and Jacobs played seamlessly off one another, breaking out an arsenal of tricks that included falsetto harmonizing, handclapping, and blazing guitar solos. The band continued with the synthesizer dance funk track "We Don't Understand You" before busting out the percussion on "Golden Prize" -- a tune that featured all five members simultaneously beating their own drums in sync with one another. If this wasn't enough, a plethora glowing beach balls and neon lightsticks were tossed into the crowd midway through the set, adding to the bizarre ambiance. The band played for just over an hour before climaxing with an ironic crowd-chanting cover of "Hey Jude". About thirty cape-wearing friends and family members then proceeded to join the band on stage (a la Polyphonic Spree) and two stilt wearing men costumed in Unicorn-Rat outfits made their way to front of the stage. The ceiling rained one final round of confetti before the band bid the crowd adieu.

In all honestly, a description does not do this show justice. You really had to be there to experience this futuristic circus. In an age when it is so hard for bands distinguish themselves in such a struggling industry, it really is those who are willing to be novel and groundbreaking that are going to shine through. Apes & Androids are a perfect example of this thinking. I wouldn't be surprised if these guys get huge one day. Click HERE for some dude's photos of the show.

Say It Ain't So...

I don't care what anyone says -- it's never a good sign when an album gets pushed up three weeks. After giving the new self-titled Weezer record a few spins, it's apparent why the people at Geffen are pulling out all the stops to get the band's sixth studio release out of their hair pronto. But alas, this is what it has come to. Which is unfortunate, because I have always been this band's number one advocate. When critics seemed to universally lampoon Pinkerton in 1996, I stood by the guys through the thick and thin of it. After the appropriately tittled Maladroit received it's early lukewarm reception in 2002, I dismissed the bad karma and was still first in line to pick up my limited edition numbered copy. Unfortunately, a diehard can only give a band so many chances before admitting that his once favorite band has officially jumped the shark.

I was initially excited when I heard the power-chord punch offered in leadoff single "Pork & Beans." This was the Weezer of yesteryear that I knew and grew to love. Had Rivers and gang finally learned to replicate their mid-nineties power-pop glory? On this song, yes. On the rest of the album? Not even a chance. And I'm not even asking the band to make another Blue Album or Pinkerton per se; this would be a nearly impossible feat. But for a band that has traditionally taken an exceptional amount of time to record and release new material, it is frustrating to consider that this is the best they can offer. The trainwreck begins on "Troublemaker" -- a nonsensical tune that has the lyrical sophistication of a six-year old. With lines like, "Put me in a special school/Cause I am such a fool/And I don't need a single book to teach me how to read/Who needs stupid books/They are for petty crooks," this song makes "Beverly Hills" sound like an opus. The five and half minute "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived" experiments with about a dozen tempo changes, and seems to go everywhere but in a positive direction. "Heart Songs" is a snoozer and the band reaches new levels of failure on the Scott Shriner-sung "Thought I Knew." The gang saves some face on the poppy "Dreamin'," which is admittedly not a half-bad tune. However, this is really the only other check in the win column I'll give them. In lieu of their once-patented endearing quirkiness, we are given a handful of songs that are just uninspired and asinine.

My Rating 4.0/10

Positive Jams

It's hard to have negative feelings for an album as optimistically titled as Stay Positive. Throw in The Hold Steady's track record of releasing some of the more exceptional studio albums of the past few years and this becomes an even more daunting task. Even so, considering the sheer genius that was 2006's Boys And Girls In America, The Hold Steady are surely destined to disappoint on their follow-up, right? I can safely answer this with a resounding WRONG! It's almost fitting that I happened to get my hands on Stay Positive the day after Memorial Day. Because more so than anything else, this is absolutely a summer record.

The album kicks off with an aggressive uptempto track called "Positive Summer," which is the perfect segue into the band's new body of material. The song retains the brilliant ramblings (a la the first three Springsteen albums) that frontman Craig Finn has so perfectly patented on the the band's first three releases, as well similar themes of youth rebellion and escape in middle America. An obvious nod to the the band's reckless idealism, Finn cleverly declares, "Me and my friends all like/Double whiskey, Coke, no ice/We drink alone in double time/I drink too much but you feel fine," and goes on to refer as "St. Joe Strummer" being his "only decent teacher." The momentum carries over into the equally terrific second track and first single "Sequestered In Memphis," which could have very well been a b-side off of Born To Run (see THIS earlier post for more on this song). "Song For Cutters" shows us some of the band's depth, showcasing Franz Nicolay's harpsichord playing abilities and Finn's witty storytelling about the tragic lives of Midwest townie drug addicts.

Positive progresses along beautifully into the heartbreaking "Lord, I'm Discouraged," highlighted by the most desperate tale of self-destruction since The Black Crowes' "She Talks To Angels." Building up slowly, the tune climaxes into a facemelting guitar solo that would garner Slash's seal of approval. Who knew the boys had it in 'em? But it is this crafty guitar work that gets carried over into the mood-changing "Yeah Sapphire", a song of redemption in which Finn confesses, "I was a skeptic at first, but these miracles work." From here on in, songs of desperation turn into songs of hope. The fist-pumping anthem "Stay Positive" seems to acknowledge all of the band's afforementioned negative undertones of youth struggle and retorts with feelings of reassurance that everything is going to be alright. The band gets a little playful with the Led Zeppelin inspired "Joke About Jamacia" -- a nod to the often mispronounced "D'Yer Maker." With references to a handful of LedZep songs ("Dancing Days," "Trampled Underfoot," "Dazed And Confused"), Finn proves that he is a wizard of wordplay on what is easily the best told story on the album. Stay Positive concludes on an extremely high note with the fantastic "Slapped Actress," a song that incorporates the layered guitars of yesteryear and comes full circle by reprising some of the band's earlier albums' themes ("almost killed me", Ybor City).

All I have to say is there is a reason why The Hold Steady was the the first band in 15 years to grace the cover of The Village Voice. This bands brings an excitement to music that is unparalleled (just check them out live). And although the guys kind of reinvent the wheel on Positive (lyrically, this disc is very similar to B&IA), they prove that they can consistently make a musically complex record all the while incorporating themes that don't seem to get tired. Hey, if the Boss can make a career out of this, why can't these guys? For me, this is a stellar effort and shows progression of a band that you can bank on.

My Rating: 9.0/10

A Buzz In Our Ears

News has been circulating today that everyone's favorite avant-garde Icelandic post-rock band, Sigur Rós, is finally back with new material! After the release of last year's compilation album, Hvarf-Heim, the band is back at it with their first full-length record in nearly three years. The album, out June 24th in America, will be called með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (which literally translates into English as "with a buzz in our ears we play endlessly") and will apparently feature the most visually daring album art since Pulp's, This Is Harcore. The sudden announcement of a rather eminent album release seems to be the industry norm these days (following in the footsteps of The Raconteurs, Gnarls Barkeley, and soon to be Beck) and is apparently the most effective way for established artists like Sigur Rós to combat album leakage. Funky album art and long-winded titles aside, the band breaks new ground with record's first single, "Gobbledigook". Straying away from their patented ethereal sound, the three minute tune is uncharacteristically brief, upbeat, and driven by a fast acoustic guitar. Unfortunately, I don't speak Icelandic so lord knows what this song is all about, but hey it works. Supposedly, the band treads new water on the new album by experimenting with English vocals on one of the tracks. This announcement of this album sort of blindsided me (in a good way), but proves that the summer is looking to have a pretty stacked release lineup. "Gobbledigook" can be downloaded for free now via Stereogum. Sigur Rós will be playing only a handful of North American shows this summer, so if you are fortunate enough to get tickets, I highly recommend checking these guys out at these locations:

6/05 Guadalajara, MEX @ Teatro Degollado
6/07 Tepoztlan, MEX @ Festival La Colmena
6/08 Tijuana, MEX @ Planeta Tijuana
6/11 - Omaha, NE @ Orpheum Theater
6/12 - Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater
6/14 - Manchester, TN @ (Bonnaroo)
6/16 - New York, NY @ Grand Ballroom

Flip On The Telly

As bad as Weezer has gotten over the years, I really gotta hand it to them on the music video front. The band just released the video for "Pork & Beans" -- their first single off of their self-titled "red" sixth studio album. What we get is a pretty hilarious video of some of the most popular YouTube viral video sensations of the past few years. The "Numa Numa" dude, the brainless Miss Teen South Carolina, the serious staring chipmunk, and even the "Leave Britney Alone" douchebag all make their appearances in this video -- further extending their respective fleeting 15 minutes. In other news, due to numerous leaks of most songs (and a very bad response to said songs), the "red album" has been pushed up three weeks, and will now be released on June 3rd.

Kool Thing

Last Friday, I probably got the best music deal in the world. I was perusing through a thrift store on 77th and 3rd when I saw a stack of new Sonic Youth CD's for sale. Considering this place is one of those charity Good Will stores, they practically give stuff away. I got new (still wrapped!) copies of A Thousand Leaves, Goo, Sonic Nurse, and Rather Ripped for a total of four dollars. Yes, this comes out to $1 per disc. These albums have since occupied most of the space in my stereosystem, causing me to go on the longest Sonic Youth binge of my life. Which got me to thinking about several things. Although everyone and their mother is aware of Daydream Nation's accolades, this band really hasn't gotten the credit they deserve on most of their other albums. Influential bands like The Pixies and The Replacements have had their catalogs praised, whereas a majority of Sonic Youth records have gone largely unnoticed. The unfortunate part to this is that people are really missing out on some good stuff. Rather Ripped (released in '06) is an instant classic and in my opinion shows the how the band has only gotten riper with age. Bands as far reaching as The Arcade Fire and Silversun Pickups really owe Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon a debt of gratitude for sculpting a sound two decades before it would appeal to the mainstream.

But it looks like this might changing after all. It was announced today that Starbucks Entertainment (Hear Music), of all people, will be releasing semi-best of collection appropriately titled, Hits Are For Squares, that will be hitting most stores on June 10th. The record will include one exclusive song and smattering of 14 tunes that have received the stamp of approval from various celebrities/Sonic Youth enthusiasts that include everyone from Gus Van Sant to Eddie Vedder. The liner notes will include each song's selector and his/her respective reasons for inspiration. If Starbucks isn't mainstream enough, I don't know what is. I pass at least three each day during my walk to work. Here is the album's songlist paired with celebritie(s):

01 "Bull In The Heather" (selected by Catherine Keener)
02 "Sugar Kane" (selected by Beck)
03 "100%" (selected by Mike D)
04 "Kool Thing" (selected by Radiohead)
05 "Disappearer" (selected by Portia de Rossi)
06 "Stones" (selected by Allison Anders)
07 "Tuff Gnarl" (selected by Dave Eggers and Mike Watt)
08 "Teenage Riot" (selected Eddie Vedder)
09 "Shadow Of A Doubt" (selected by Michelle Williams)
10 "Rain on Tin" (selected by Flea)
11 "Tom Violence" (selected by Gus Van Sant)
12 "Mary-Christ" (selected by David Cross)
13 "World Looks Red" (selected by Chloë Sevigny)
14 "Expressway To Yr Skull" (selected by the Flaming Lips)
15 "Slow Revolution" (exclusive)