Tag: mp3 Page 118 of 119

On 05/05/2010

Anni Rossi – Crushing Limbs

Happy Cinco De Mayo everybody! No Mexico-themed mp3s in Pick Your Poison today, but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate Mexican independence by downloading a few songs. There’s new stuff from Ratatat down below, which you could call my “pick of the day”.

Annuals – Loxstep

Coliseum – Blind In One Eye

Kristen Wiig – Champion (feat. Lightspeed Champion) (from the “MacGruber” soundtrack!)

Lille – Tall Shoulders

O’Spada – Pay Off (Rigasdenandre Remix)

Pontiak – Young

Ratatat – Party With Children

Seasons – …Of Our Discontent

Smalltown Romeo – Boom Ha (John Roman Remix)

Album Review: The New Pornographers – Together [Matador]

The New Pornographers – Your Hands (Together)

On 05/04/2010

In album review, lollapalooza 2010, mp3, music

As a genre of music, indie pop is so immediately likeable that if you can’t find a band to love that plays this style of music, chances are there’s something wrong with you. Between The Shins and Phoenix, there’s a fair share of “crossover” indie pop acts too, working their way onto the radio and the general public’s consciousness. Despite being around for 10 years, The New Pornographers, for some reason, have yet to break through that wall. They’re now on their fifth long player, and not a single one of their songs has gotten airplay on a Chicago radio station. Considering at the very least their first three albums were critically acclaimed slices of sugary pop that stuck with you for days and weeks on end, it’s even more perplexing. That’s before you consider the roster of great talents that make up this supergroup, from formidable band “leader” A.C. Newman to Destroyer’s Dan Bejar and siren songstress Neko Case. What is it going to take to get this great band to finally break through? Or are many people scared away by the band name itself, not wanting to be caught searching the internet or talking to their friends about “pornographers”? This mystery is beyond my own comprehension, but the hope is that this new album “Together” might finally earn them the sort of attention they so richly deserve from the right kind of people.

Coming off the somewhat disappointing slow player that was 2007’s “Challengers”, The New Pornographers appear to be feeling better these days, because the quicker and more upbeat tunes of their earlier albums are back on “Together”. Granted, we’re not talking about the high speed sugar-fueled pop of songs like “From Blown Speakers” and “Letter from An Occupant”, but the tempo is definitely faster than most of what was on the last album. So you can’t quite call it a full return to form, but there are a few differemt elements that come into play and add a different dimension to this well-established band.

First is the instrumentation. It feels like The New Pornographers have graduated from the rank and file of other groups in a similar vein and moved into new territory with their sound. Guitars still form the basis for their sound, but for the first time we’re really hearing a full string section and/or horns present through most of the songs. They’ve dabbled in these sorts of arrangements before, just not with the breadth and depth they are now. It was mainly hinted at on their third album “Twin Cinema” and now that transition appears complete.

Secondly, though the vocals have always been shared relatively equally between Newman, Bejar and Case, “Together” truly is the first record where every single band member seems like they’re on the exact same page. There’s a cohesiveness present that takes away the glaring differences between tracks written by the band’s three principal members. Largely helping to create this impression is that they all sing on virtually every song, whether that means taking on a verse or simply adding vocal harmonies. In other words, even a Dan Bejar-fronted song doesn’t always stay that way, and the added vocal diversity does some great work in helping this album to gel from start to finish.

It’s the small things that don’t change which give me the most pause on “Together”. Problems mainly stem from the lyrics, which in typical A.C. Newman fashion, appear to be written from the heart and then colored in with shades of grey. It’s clear that many of the stories he tells are personal, sometimes intensely so, but the wordplay is so hazy and unclear, you’re never entirely sure what exactly he’s getting at. The same goes for Bejar, who’s basically been doing that for his entire career. By keeping the audience at a lyrical distance, an emotional connection to these songs is increasingly difficult to establish, forcing you to settle for the general upbeat fun the music and not the words are offering up.

Despite those minor quibbles, “Together” is a very strong effort from The New Pornographers. They do much more right than they do wrong here, and compared to their last album this one’s a treat. In terms of where this might stand amid their critically acclaimed catalogue, I’m still not entirely sure. What I can tell you with confidence is that “Together” isn’t first or even the second best thing they’ve done to date. The most important thing you need to know is that this album is essentially a return to form for the band, while at the same time taking some of the necessary steps they need for progression’s sake. It marks one of the better indie pop records I’ve heard so far this year, and naturally I would recommend you get a copy should you feel up to it. Now if only more radio stations would give this band a chance.

Buy “Together” from Amazon

Pick Your Poison: Tuesday 5-4-10

On 05/04/2010

Andre Williams – That’s All I Need

Pick Your Poison is my way of sharing the latest and greatest mp3s from up-and-coming bands with you. I encourage you to download what appeals to you, and maybe experiment just a little bit with some artists you’ve never heard of before. Above all though, have fun!

The Frontier Brothers – You Should Start A Band

Man/Miracle – Pushing and Shoving

Mike Patton – Urlo Negro (The Blackmen)

Moby – Gone to Sleep (Acoustic) (follow link)

Momma’s Boy vs. Mikix the Cat – Party Rock

Pure Ecstasy – Dream Over

Red Wanting Blue – The World Is Over

Snowglobe – Teenage Queen

Wolf Parade – Ghost Pressure
Wolf Parade – What Did My Love Say? (It Had to Go This Way)

Album Review: Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record [Arts & Crafts]

Broken Social Scene – World Sick

On 05/03/2010

In album review, BNM, mp3, music

When it comes to Broken Social Scene, I’ll confess to being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Asking me for my simplest opinion of the band, I’d say that I love them and that they’re one of my favorite bands. But lately things have become complicated. Specifically, since 2005’s self-titled album, which eventually turned into a “hiatus” of sorts for the band. The word hiatus is in quotes because while many of the loose members went their separate ways for a time, there was still a series of “Broken Social Scene Presents…” albums from main guys Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning to keep the name somewhat alive during that time. Those records were decent (not not amazing), and largely stuck to the same sound the full Broken Social Scene collective had established on previous albums. It was late last year that Kevin Drew announced the official reformation of Broken Social Scene, and their new album “Forgiveness Rock Record” arrives tomorrow.

On the surface, I should be leaping with excitement at the prospect of a new Broken Social Scene album. “You Forgot It In People” is among my Top 10 Albums of the 00s, and the last official BSS record was pretty damn good too. My excitement, however, has been tempered by the fact that little to nothing has really changed since the “Broken Social Scene Presents” days aside from the word “Presents”. Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning still lead a motley group of people, while former female powerhouses such as Leslie Feist, Emily Haines, and Amy Millan can scarcely be counted upon to make even a single track guest appearance anymore. Of course they’re all off doing their own things, what with Feist having two popular records under her belt, Haines gaining more press than ever for the last Metric record, and Millan’s band Stars preparing to release yet another album of delicious indie pop. Translation: I went into “Forgiveness Rock Record” under the belief that despite boasting a roster of nine “core” members and 22 “guest” musicians and vocalists, this was not nearly the same band as before. Or, to put it a different way, there seems to be no way any of us are ever going to hear “Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl” performed live again, unless band members past and present all just “happen” to be in the same place at the same time. To help take away some of that pain and handle some of those older songs with female parts, new member Lisa Lobsinger is on board. I can’t help but think the way she does a “7/4 Shoreline” or a “Cause=Time” will be poor in comparison to the Feist versions. All these things being said, among a host of other concerns, let me dive in to talking about the actual content on “Forgiveness Rock Record,” and whether or not it lives up to the glory of the other albums under the Broken Social Scene name.

Things get off to a grand start with the 7-minute opener “World Sick”, a song that contains most of the Broken Social Scene trademarks, including a cool instrumental intro and outro along with a chorus that makes you want to shout from the rooftops. It’d make for a great single, except, you know, it’s 7 minutes. “Chase Scene” follows the high of the epic opening cut with a speedy, noisy adventure that’s in and out before you can catch up to it. “Texico Bitches” could be considered another highlight, a fast-paced anti-oil corporation rager that three tracks in seems to indicate that this might be a very revitalized, energized and more accessible (but still angry) version of the band than ever before. Honestly, I was expecting more quieter, or at least slower tracks that dominated past releases, instead of this propulsive and stadium-sized stuff. “All to All” is interesting as Lisa Lobsinger’s first lead vocal turn. It’s not a hugely remarkable track aside from its ethereal beauty, though I can’t help but think that Feist or even Amy Millan could have done more with it. “Art House Director” gets things all moody and atmospheric and features the classic BSS horn section with great aplomb. The album’s only instrumental, “Meet Me in the Basement,” might actually be the best instrumental they’ve ever done, and that’s saying something. I’m also offered quite a bit of relief in the form of “Sentimental X’s”, an Emily Haines-fronted tune with backing vocals from none other than Feist and Millan. I guess only the faster, louder jams are reserved for the guys, but the fact is lyrically and emotionally, “Sentimental X’s” hits all the right notes and really pushed my excitement about this band back into the red. At the end of the album are two interesting songs. “Water In Hell” sounds less like your typical Broken Social Scene song and more like a guitar jam that Dinosaur Jr. might put out. Given that band members are not only fans of J. Mascis & Co., but have played with them for a gig or two, the soundalike isn’t so much a surprise as it is impressive that they can pull it off so well. Then there’s “Me and My Hand”, Kevin Drew’s 2-minute quiet opus to masturbation. I don’t have anything to say about the song other than I’m glad that oddity closes the album out.

So if you can’t figure it out by now, I’m pretty pleased with “Forgiveness Rock Record”. I’m still a little unsure as to where it stands among the stellar Broken Social Scene catalogue, but it’s definitely better than both of the “Presents” albums that were released during the hiatus days. It’s nice to have the “band” back together, even if the lineup does continue to fluctuate and the chances of the full collective playing a live show become increasingly slim. Lisa Lobsinger is an okay addition to the group as their lone “full time” female member, though I still prefer the ladies of old. Mainly though, I’m just glad this band is still hitting their hallmarks while continuing to push their own boundaries at the same time. There’s a certain degree of new excitement and renewed strength among the BSS core that’s also refreshing. My concern now is how these songs will translate into their live show. The first half of the record seems especially built for the size and scope of venues that the band plays, so that could provide some increased potency to their performance. I’ve seen Broken Social Scene live a total of 3 times, once with the entire collective in tow (which was far and away the best time). Their massive celebrations and love-fests, which often include Kevin Drew commanding the crowd to yell as loud as they can, are cathartic and heartfelt. “Forgiveness Rock Record” looks to keep that spirit intact, and I think this marks the first time that similar spirit has really come through on one of their recorded albums. You bet your ass I think you should pick up a copy of the record. It’s no “You Forgot It In People”, but it does what only Broken Social Scene does best, and that’s about all any of us can truly hope for.

Buy “Forgiveness Rock Record” from Amazon

Pick Your Poison: Monday 5-3-10

On 05/03/2010

Daniel Romano – A Losing Song

From my inbox to your hard drive, here’s Monday’s edition of Pick Your Poison, where you’re free to choose what looks interesting enough to download.

Ane Brun – Song No. 6 (feat. Ron Sexmith) (ZIP)

Deluka – Cascade

Doug Burr – A Black Wave Is Comin’

Household Names – Definitely

Lisa Papineau – White Leather Pants

Strayfolk – What Wouldn’t I Do

Live Friday: 4-30-10

Stream the entire interview/performance

On 04/30/2010

In live music, mp3, music

Yesterday, Yeasayer and Sleigh Bells played a show in Chicago. Unfortunately my schedule prevented me from attending, as much as I would have liked to. Ah well, they’ll both be back in town this summer, playing Lollapalooza and the Pitchfork Music Festival, respectively, and I’ll see them at those events when I cover them. Recognizing that the band was in town, I planned accordingly to feature Yeasayer on this week’s Live Friday. They do a handful of tracks off their new album “Odd Blood,” which coincidentally is also one of my favorite records so far this year.

If you’ve never seen Yeasayer perform live, it’s an interesting experience to say the least. I wasn’t very impressed when I saw them for the first time 2 years ago, but upon seeing them again last year they had noticeably improved. They weren’t even playing the new stuff then, which is far more energetic and danceable and I imagine only enhances their shows. You should know that the live versions of the songs available for download below aren’t exactly a testament to Yeasayer’s live prowess. Simply put, whoever mixed these songs didn’t do a very good job. The instruments are far too high in the mix and Chris Keating’s vocals are far too low. This is especially apparent on “Ambling Alp,” where the final verse of the song, my favorite verse mind you, has the vocals almost completely drowned out by everything else. Still, sound problems like that aren’t enough to keep me away from recommending this session, and I hope you give it a shot if you like the band.

There’s also an interview, which you can stream via the link below, where the band talks a little about firing their drummer and experimenting with any and all types of percussion in the studio they had rented. There’s also a bunch of technical talk about synths, if you’re into that sort of thing. I wouldn’t call it incredibly fascinating, but it’s not dull either. Okay, that’s all from me this week. Enjoy the next couple days and we’ll pick this fun up again on Monday.

(Note: The first two mp3s are direct links, but “O.N.E.” is only available via Yousendit or Zshare. Sorry, I’m having hosting issues.)

Yeasayer Live on WXPN 3-19-10:
Yeasayer – Madder Red (Live on WXPN)
Yeasayer – Ambling Alp (LIve on WXPN)
Yeasayer – O.N.E. (YSI or zshare)

Buy “Odd Blood” from Amazon

Pick Your Poison: Friday 4-30-10

On 04/30/2010

Alcoholic Faith Mission – My Eyes to See

Everybody’s always eager to start their weekend, and so am I. Here’s today’s selection of mp3s straight from my inbox to you. Take what you like, and enjoy!

David Vandervelde – Wave Country

DM Stith – Thanksgiving Moon (Demo)

Elk City – Jerks on Ice

Goodnight Loving – The Pan

Magic Bullets – Lying Around

Mommyheads – Henry Miller Is Dead

Phosphorescent – Mermaid Parade

Priestbird – Diamond (ZIP)

Pick Your Poison: Thursday 4-29-10

On 04/29/2010

The Delta Mirror – The Needle

From my inbox to your ears, here’s today’s daily dose of free mp3s for your selective downloading pleasure.

A-Trak – Trizzy Turnt Up

Florene – Deal With It

Katzenjammer – Tea With Cinnamon

Kelis – Acapella (Acid Washed Remix)

Korallreven – The Truest Faith
Korallreven – Loved Up

Midnight Juggernauts – Vital Signs

Peasant – Well Alright

Tift Merritt – Engine to Turn (follow link; email required)

The Wilderness of Manitoba – Hermit

Woodsman – When the Morning Comes

Album Review: Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma [Warp]

On 04/29/2010

Stream the entire album at Myspace

When it comes to electronica music, I’ve said before and I’ll say again that I don’t know much. I tend to prefer my songs with guitar, or at the very least a chorus that attempts to get itself stuck in my head. Ask me to tell you about the difference between house and dubstep and IDM and I’ll give you just about the blankest stare you can possibly get. Yet a good electronica album, for me, is hard to find, and there are occasionally tricks certain artists can use to attract my attention. Girl Talk, what with his myriad of samples that pulls from so many familiar and classic tracks, is easiest on my ears because I know what I’m hearing. Electronica artists that are also able to generate much hype amid their peers or other artists I boldly respect can catch my eye as well. Then there’s the easy way – get some artists I love to do some guest work on at least one track, which will basically guarantee that I hear at least that single song. This is how Flying Lotus snagged me, both on the recommendation of my personal hero, Thom Yorke of Radiohead, but also through his active participation, lending guest vocals to the song “…And the World Laughs With You,” which also earned him hype in all the right circles. Thom also had Flying Lotus open up for his “solo” band Atoms for Peace on their recent short tour earlier this month, where I happened to attend one of the Chicago dates. Honestly, when I walked into the venue I thought Flying Lotus had already finished and they were playing your standard between-set DJ fodder while waiting for Atoms for Peace to start. That is, until I noticed the one guy on stage with his laptop, who eventually grabbed a microphone and said, “Thanks Chicago!”. So, against my better judgment, I’m all for giving the new Flying Lotus album “Cosmogramma,” a quick try and review before it comes out on Tuesday.

Given how little I know about both electronica and any Flying Lotus material prior to “Cosmogramma,” I’m surprised that the album impressed me as much as it did. I suppose that like any musical form you’re not acquainted with, if you hear something special or unique in it, you’re more inclined to understand how it might be viewed as brilliant. In this case, I’m highly impressed with how FlyLo is able to use a multitude of instruments, everything from the harp to acoustic guitar to saxophone and just about every percussive instrument in existence (ping pong balls?), melded around his computer-generated melodies. There are seemingly impromptu jazz breaks, string sections, bass-heavy grooves, and fanciful dream sequences all packed into this album, and almost all of them work towards the space opera concept the record is supposedly centered around. I can tell you this much – from the opening beats of “Clock Catcher” through the ethereal “Satelllliiiiiteee”, this is a damn near perfect album. I loved every second of that first half, which includes exceptional highlights such as the Thom Yorke-guesting “…And the World Laughs With You” and the funky “Do the Astral Plane”. Things get a little sketchy after that, what with “Germain Haircut” and “Recoiled” both being a little listless and lacking, but the electro blips and symphony into soft palate harp combination on “Drips/Auntie’s Harp” isn’t half bad, and I’m effortlessly charmed by “Table Tennis”.

So I guess you can mark down that as somebody who doesn’t consider himself an expert nor even a general fan of electronica has found lots to like about Flying Lotus’ “Cosmogramma”. The main reason why, I’ll argue, is that there’s so much more to this material than your average electronica artist puts in. It feels less like a record based around certain beats and grooves and more like an instrumental artistic experiment that just so happens to feature a fair amount of electronica. Rare is the record so carefully composed and layered as this one, and given the difficulty of reproducing this live on your own with a laptop, it’s no wonder I didn’t give much heed to FlyLo’s pre-Atoms for Peace performance. This guy is clearly brilliant, on the level that somebody like Aphex Twin is brilliant (hint: this is a high compliment). Yes, this is the best flat-out electronica album I’ve heard so far this year (of note, electro-pop, ala LCD Soundsystem, doesn’t fall into the category just described). You will probably see me mention it again at the end of the year among my favorites. Well played, Flying Lotus. You suck me in with a Thom Yorke recommendation and guest vocal, and have me leaving with high praise all around. This album may not push me into a new-found love of electronica, but it does generate enough good will to make me more open to releases similar to this in the future. Consider that a best-case scenario. I hope you’ll give “Cosmogramma” a try, as I did, and I hope you’ll also not regret it, as I did.

Non-album track: Flying Lotus – Quakes (via The Fader)

Preorder “Cosmogramma” from Amazon

Pick Your Poison: Wednesday 4-28-10

On 04/28/2010

Hashbang Spacestar – I Just Rock and Roll

From my inbox to your ears, here’s your selection of free downloads for Wednesday, April 28th. Take what you like, and leave the rest.

Caw Caw – Toothless

International Waters – Olympia

Kids of 88 – Ribbons of Light

Maps & Atlases – Solid Ground

The Mynabirds – Let the Record Go

Nite Club – Generate

Ruckus Roboticus – Chicks (Original Mix)

Shout Out Louds – Walls (Fontan Rework)

Simian Ghost – Star Receiver

Southerly – Trials

Trampled By Turtles – Wait So Long (ZIP)

Via Tania – Fields (Lemonade Remix)

Woods – I Was Gone

Pick Your Poison: Tuesday 4-27-10

On 04/27/2010

Brilliant Colors – Never Mine

Your daily dose of free mp3s, from my inbox to your ears.

Fol Chen – In Ruins (Baths Remix)
Download the entire “In Ruins” Remix EP for free (follow link)

Holy Ghost! – Say My Name

Kisses – Bermuda (Active Child Remix)

Lawrence Arabia – Apple Pie Bed

The Like – Fair Game (follow link, email required)

Tracey Thorn – Why Does The Wind (UK Radio Mix)

Unnatural Helpers – Girl in the Windown

Album Review: Inlets – Inter Arbiter [Twosyllable]

On 04/22/2010

Inlets- In Which I, Robert
Inlets- Bright Orange Air

Inlets is the moniker under which Sebastian Krueger plays music. It is essentially a one-man musical project, but one listen to the debut Inlets album “Inter Arbiter” and you’ll most definitely think otherwise. It is a densely composed and beautiful record with multiple layers that makes you honestly believe a full band recorded it. Of course, Krueger did have some help, most notably from friends like Zach Condon of Beirut and Angel Deradoorian of Dirty Projectors, among others. He’s got friends in high places. Of course the free EP he released back in 2006 earned him a whole bunch of blog love, and I bet also gained him those aforementioned musician friends. He’s a guy who’s been around the block a few times, and now with “Inter Arbiter” is poised to take over the world with his music.

It may have taken 4 years time to write and record “Inter Arbiter,” insomuch as that was when the last Inlets music was released, but I like to think all that time was most definitely worth it. I have no real idea how much production and instruments are layered all over this album, but it sounds like a whole lot. That can work to an artist’s advantage or disadvantage mighty quick, and I’m very happy to say this is one of the better times when more actually sounds better. Now Inlets aren’t going to revolutionize music in that the sound isn’t something mindblowing you’ve never heard before, rather he takes a classic pastoral folk sound and gets notice for the overall strength of the songs. Lyrically this is a very rich album, but the lush instrumentation, which covers so much ground, makes for something immensely gorgeous and compelling. There are also plenty of vocal harmonies a-la Fleet Foxes, which does make me wonder if, as a “solo” project, if Krueger recorded multiple vocal tracks and composed his own harmonies, or if he had friends add their pipes to the track. Perhaps the biggest modern-day comparison I can make in relation to Inlets is that this record sounds a whole lot like Midlake. Here’s the deal with that though – the latest Midlake album “The Courage of Others” received largely poor reviews, despite my general liking of it. How Inlets succeeds massively where fault was found with Midlake is largely production and lyrics-based in that Krueger is a stronger writer and composer. Well, that’s probably only true in discussing the last Midlake album. The one before it, “The Trials of Van Occupanther,” can be called one of the better folk albums of the last decade, and that’s actually close to on par with how great Inlets’ “Inter Arbiter” sounds.

The one small issue I have with “Inter Arbiter” is that after awhile it starts to feel a little same-y. Yes it’s glorious woodland folk, and it often feels like each successive track is more beautiful than the last, but asking me to select particular album highlights or even to give you the general feel of certain songs leaves me scratching my head. Okay, that’s not completely true, especially when you’ve got one of the more commercially viable songs on the album, “In Which I, Robert” available for download below. But asking me to pick the next single or to give you the finer details of an album like this is more challenging than I thought it would be, and I’ll call that a strike against it. Still, it didn’t stop my enjoyment of “Inter Arbiter”, and I hope it doesn’t stop your enjoyment of it either. This is a record very much worth your time and attention, and Sebastian Krueger has proven himself once again a talent to keep a close eye on. Let’s just hope that it takes him less than 4 years to come up with a follow-up that’s equally as strong.

Buy “Inter Arbiter” from Insound

Album Review: Kate Nash – My Best Friend Is You [Fiction/Geffen]

On 04/20/2010

Buy “My Best Friend Is You” from Insound

When we last left Kate Nash, she had released her debut album “Made of Bricks” to moderate praise. A compatriot of Lily Allen, Nash marks another Myspace success story where a girl writes pop songs that can tend to be on the brutally honest side, lyrically speaking. Well, she’s got a brand new album out today called “My Best Friend Is You,” and it’s…interesting, to say the least.

The album starts off with the songs “Paris” and “Kiss That Grrrl”, both of which are songs about boys and very much fall into a category of pop song we’ve heard a thousand times before. Both songs, while individually catchy, don’t really offer us anything new or worthwhile aside from a great lyric or two. When the album starts to get really interesting though is on the song “Don’t You Want to Share the Guilt?”. The song is a ballad that’s once again about a relationship with a boy, but there’s a breakdown towards the end of the song where Nash just goes off on this spoken word tangent that is emotionally soul-baring and moderately impressive. Then things get weird. “I Love You More” is basically 3 minutes of Nash repeating the song title over and over again in different tones and eventually getting dark and tortured about it. Seriously, it sounds like an old P.J. Harvey song, and I’d call that a great thing if there wasn’t so much lighthearted pop that came before it. Having Nash sound like a tortured soul, wailing all over that song is also vocally impressive, but again, the song sticks out like a sore thumb. “Higher Plane” would fall right back into the standard pop song category if it weren’t for the chipper violin that accompanies the song to add some serious diversity. Fuzzed out guitars and handclaps form the basis for the also-P.J. Harvey-esque “I’ve Got A Secret,” which also has some interesting drum fills to add to the utter strangeness.

Perhaps the biggest topping on this proverbial mixture of pop and oddity is “Mansion Song,” the first half of which features Nash, all by her lonesome, going on a wild rant that includes references to getting “fucked like the best of men” and “fucked in drag,” cocaine, Guitar Hero, and STDs, among other things. It’s a gigantic WTF moment that’s either designed to be brutally honest or strategically engineered to shock. The second half of the song is basically a drum-n-bass tribal chant which seems tame by comparison to what just happened on the first half. More light pop tunes about boys occupy the first part of the second half of the record, my favorite being “Pickpocket,” where Nash finally gets back behind the piano that she played for much of her first album. “You Were So Far Away” is an emotionally stripped bare acoustic ballad that’s just a bit depressing when the line “I can taste the metal/feel the gun in my mouth” is uttered…twice. To close, the song “I Hate Seagulls” starts with a carefully plucked acoustic guitar as Nash goes through a list of things she hates (hint: it’s a lot of things). But then piano comes in, followed by some violin, and the lyrics transition into things she likes (hint: it’s also a lot of things) and how she enjoys sharing them with a boy she really cares about.

So here’s the deal, when “My Best Friend Is You” is all said and done: we’re left wondering exactly what or who the real Kate Nash is. Is she the pop songstress who writes lyrics to catchy songs with full band backing, or is she the tortured soul who just wants to be loved? The album presents it as almost Jekyll and Hyde in manner, with the lighter, more upbeat fare paired together at a couple different spots, and then the darker, serious and vulgar stuff hitting at different times as well. Given that she is signed to a major label, it may be relatively safe to say that Nash was forced into making some of the more “radio friendly” songs on the album, with the hopes that it will get radio airplay and lead to decent sales. I’ll give you this much – the stranger, more experimental stuff is definitely more interesting and were she to do a full album’s worth of it, I can see the makings of something brilliant. For now though, “My Best Friend Is You” only partly satisfies. I can’t quite stamp my personal recommendation on this album, but I am very much rooting for Kate Nash, and I hope she gets to make an entire record with a solid style that’s effectively personal and works purely to her own strengths.

Kate Nash- I Just Love You More (via Pitchfork)

Album Review: The Radio Dept. – Clinging To A Scheme [Labrador]

On 04/19/2010