Fun Size Album Reviews

Greetings People,

A brilliant, entirely unoriginal idea came upon me the other day. I decided I wanted to do a straight album review, but instead of critiquing just one album, I'll do several shorter reviews in one post. Crazy right?! So anyway, here are my thoughts on some albums I've been listening to recently. I hope you all feel way smarter after reading these reviews:

Arctic Monkeys- Humbug: Prior to listening to the Arctic Monkeys, I assumed the group was another stereotypical Brit-Rock band attempting to become the next Oasis. I was very wrong. Humbug is packed with great rock songs, an enjoyable ride that hits you in the face right off the bat. The songs are catchy in an alternative vein, great instrumentally and vocally, and have a strong psychedelic backdrop. The band adeptly uses effects to create a captivating dark undertone without the music reeking of despair. A great album from a group definitely worth keeping an eye on in the future.

Charlotte Gainsbourg- IRM: IRM, Gainsbourg's third album, was written and produced by Beck (with the exception of one song, Le Chat Du Café Des Artistes), and his influence on the album is obvious. Each song is interesting in a completely different way, as Beck/Gainsbourg use a variety of different percussive sounds to create new, distinct beats. Many of the songs contain harrowing string arrangements, adding a unique touch to the albums already atypical sound. Gainsbourg's beautiful, versatile voice is a fantastic constant in each song. I don't know what I'd call this genre of music (electronica? R&B? rock? folk?) but I do know I like it, and really enjoyed this album.

Future of the Left- Travels With Myself and Another: As a general rule, I'm not a huge fan of punk music. However, I loved Travels with Myself and Another, a record with a pretty obvious punk influence. The album is hard, loud, and laughs in the face of subtlety. Lead singer Andy Falkous' voice is unlike any I've heard, alternating between yelling and singing in a voice similar to what Robert Smith's (from The Cure) would sound like if he was angry and rebellious. Booming drums and catchy, distorted guitar riffs compliment Falkous on an album bursting with swagger. Give it a listen, punk fan or not.

Twilight Singers- Powder Burns: Whatever drew me to listen to this album, it did not include Gred Dulli's singing "prowess" on Powder Burns. His voice sounds like a combination of Chad Kroeger's (from Nickelback) and a generic emo singer's whine, while his lyrics are so bland and cliche they make Green Day's words seem well thought out. This is a shame because the music has a ton of potential, with some really intriguing instrumentation, that used more effectively could be great. However, behind the predictable format of the The Twilight Singers' songs, the musical talent is wasted. After this album was put out Dulli released a fantastic record with Mark Lanegan (Saturnalia by the Gutter Twins), so perhaps not all hope is lost for this group. Until then don't waste your time, the only thing Powder Burns brought to my ears was pain.