The second this band loses their lame-o image (do we really need more scenesters that look plastic?), you’ll see them propel themselves even farther than they have already gone thus far. “The Continental Divide” is a magical ride of a melodic alternative rock album that is populated by cynical lyrics with a dash of angst, heavy and catchy harmonies, and a vocal talent just this side of Morrissey. If you could imagine the Smashing Pumpkins playing The Cure songs with Morrissey at the helm, adding a dash of London punk, you’ll have War Tapes on tap. Look for these guys to become really big in the next couple of years.
Fresh off their “Hootenannies” tour in support of their third self-titled album, often referred to as “The Red Album”, Weezer kept that spirit strong by quickly putting pen to paper and releasing “Raditude”. What the band captured best was the spirit and drive discovered on that tour, a tour that often had the band inviting fans (sometimes hundreds) on stage to learn and play Weezer songs similar in vein to old folksy sing-a-longs made famous in the simpler and more open age of the ‘60s. That became the inspiration for the entire “Raditude” album, and indeed became their new “attitude” if you will. Cuomo himself has dubbed “Raditude” as feeling “like the greatest realization of my musical goals”. And if that’s what it is, holy cow what a goal it was. Finding the true standard of Weezer’s gift of infectious melody song after song while keeping things loose and unwittingly surprising, “Raditude” features such surprise gems as “Can’t Stop Partying” with rappers Lil’ Wayne and Jermaine Dupri and “I’m Your Daddy”’s intriguing electro glides. Sleekly produced, the album is once again rich in Cuomo’s intelligent but playful songwriting; Rivers himself knows he can’t take himself nearly as serious as some of his critics and cult-like fans insist he is. It is funny to see to what degree Weezer is willing to bend towards, just to tease everyone that thinks this group is only capable of writing a simple harmonious pop song that you’ll forget as soon as the next one hits rotation. The first single and beginning of the album is the illustrious and gigantic “(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To” (watch the video here). Featuring a MoTown glitzy rhythm, handclaps, three-part harmonies, and lyrics like “The Slayer t-shirt fit the scene just right”, it tells the tale of young love growing old together – interestingly perfectly befitting an old original Weezer fan following the group since “The Blue Album” was the first installment of the mighty self-titled Weezer muses.
Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins fame, eat your heart out bro. Mew is everything you ever wanted to be and never got to – and Mew hasn’t even plateaued yet as their latest album professes. Danish pop sorcerers Mew reveal their fifth studio album “No More Stories…” and much like the two stanza story-like title, it’s an enigma wrapped in a riddle as the old cliché goes. Jonas and the gang lifted the album’s moniker from the stirring “Hawaii Dream”. The album is so intense, so glorious, and so gifted that it is beyond words. Indeed, the album was recorded with such intensity and attention to detail that the song “New Terrain” if played backwards is an entirely different song called “Nervous”. The first single, “Introducing Palace Players” has a frenetic and kinetic approach with pop harmonies and giant overtures. Stunningly melodic vocals once again spotlight the tremendous talent that this now trio – bassist Johan Wohlert left the group to spend more time with his family and girlfriend (Swan Lee’s vocalist) – from Denmark. “Repeaterbeater” is the second single and promises that the band will not abandon their harder-edged tunes for pure pop opuses. Rhythmically this album is extremely challenging, offering up challenging percussion that oddly still manages to be pretty danceable. Though I was unfortunate enough not to be able to see them, it would prove to be very interesting to see how their tour with industrial-strength dynamos Nine Inch Nails went over with the decidedly NIN-fan-heavy crowds. Anyone silly enough to dismiss this group because they don’t feature “the yell” on vocals would be mistakenly. Indeed some of the epics that Mew pens on this giant rocker could easily be distinguished as the soundtrack to the apocalypse (see: two minutes into “Reprise” as a healthy example). “Beach” is extremely approachable with verses of guitar and bass right out of The Cure’s early to mid career. “Hawaii” follows the shorter intro track “Hawaii Dream” with sparse tropical instrumentals peppered into a backdrop of hushing harmonies and gorgeous soundscapes. Mew may be the very first band ever to use a xylophone instead of a synth effect within their vocoded vocal effects. “Vaccine” is bubbly and smart with a danceable dream popsicle seemingly licked and nibbled from the magical land of Candyland. Sugary vocals traverse the majority of the album with off-kilter English language lyrics that while written in my native tongue, seem foreign and exotic with romantic and tantalizing awesomeness. In addition to the main vocals, there are children choirs and brief other vocal noises and samples mixed expertly with piano and keyboard.
Folks this is the most important Album of the Year, yes capitalized because it should win that award from everyone giving it out in 2009. Note: if you purchase the album on iTunes, you can grab up the three b-sides, “Owl”, “Start”, and “Swimmer’s Chant”.
With bass as thick and deep as an Orange 9MM album, The States remind one of a college alternative band from the late 90’s that made it as far as the highest stages in college would bring them. But there weren’t more opportunities that manifested, what a shame, right? “Our Time is Up” is pure dissonance with guitar effects that would blush a fully engaged Edge (U2). Good upfront rock ‘n’ roll that is bouncy and engaging.
Pride Parade are two pieces of white bread toasted with Southern rock and jammed with Mudhoney, “Dose” is a single waiting to fly off shelves. Crunchy guitar laced with manic singing graduated from the College of Cobain, Pride Parade abstains from nuance for fistfuls of toxicity, passion, and intravenous drugs. This is going to be one of the next big finds in the music worlds, so pick it up immediately.
I completely despised Miss Autopsy’s last effort “Ruhr” and go figure, “The Hill” is almost (emphasis on almost) a complete 180. While I could do without Steve Beyerink’s insistent and often grating vocals, the contributions and the return of the producer/engineer/mixer John Congleton (The Polyphonic Spree, Explosions in the Sky) is no doubt what brought about this abrupt about face. Perhaps fittingly the major contributions of Beyerink could be very easily questioned as he disparages the listener with almost amateurish lyrical nuisance and songwriting that is at times questionable at best. While it’s far from a winner, it’s far from outright fail too.
Dude. Synth-pop with melodies so infectious they spread faster than HIV at a swinger’s party, Hooray for Earth just is dripping wet with fucking awesome choruses. The Boston-based group plays fun-filled and energetic melodic pop-rock that’s a clear alternative to all of those bland woe-is-me singer/songwriters that seem to dominate the underground scene these days. I love that their guitars sound as big as Lady Liberty. Amazingly tight and a complete uniform good time. Sweet!
British slop punkers XX Teens had their latest produced by the U.K.’s own Sheffield-based Ross Orton (Fat Truckers, MIA). Swampy melodies are smelted with Lemmy-oriented hymns and stripped down rhythms. The guitars are often quite dense but yet somewhat poppy still. Churning rock ‘n’ roll that will appeal to late 40-somethings as well as their kids.
Power pop chords chug away with infinite harmonies leaking out and forming a swirling lollipop around which this Baltimore-based pop icon Edward Joseph Neenan forges dynamic songs. He brings to E. Joseph and the Phantom Heart his crafty ability to build bridges between divergent melodies amid smooth grooves in uncanny. The album opener could very well be heard throughout mainstream pop radio with killer guitar hooks and a seminal nod to retro alternative pop-rock. Power-pop this golden needs to be shared with anyone who will listen. Essential.
Cheap Girls debut full-length’s title “Find Me a Drink Home” sounds like it was some side project of Brett Michaels back in the ‘80s. But I assure you it is far removed from that cheapened hair metal. Using poetic lyrics that are far from sober but far from titty bar drunken, Cheap Girls write pop-rock melodies with sweeping power-pop anthems that are guitar-centric and fun-filled but not much else…but isn’t that enough these days?
