Word: albums
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...malaises facing indie pop, few can be more odious than the conceit of turning that simple thing, a song title, into a needlessly complex and irrelevant bit of intellectual posturing. Even a band like Bishop Allen, which continues their light-hearted brand of pop/rock on their third album “Grr…,” are not immune to this malady. A song about a dysfunctional relationship is titled “South China Moon,” an image that, while repeated throughout the song, does nothing to advance its meaning. To be fair, this device...
Listeners will get none of that in his latest effort. “Beware,” Oldham’s 15th studio album, moves into the major key, fleshing out the sparse chords of his previous recordings for a more expansive, upbeat sound. It kicks off to a country-western start with the jangly “Beware Your Only Friend,” featuring fiddles, percussion, and a full gospel choir. “I want to be your only friend,” Oldham croons, echoed by a bevy of perky female vocalists singing...
...difficult to determine if these missteps are intended to be humorous or ironic, as their lyrics suggest—if they are, they certainly miss the mark. Luckily, the album’s silliest songs are front-loaded; Oldham regains his footing in the second half of the album. “You Are Lost” strips away the backup vocalists, replacing them with a lush wall of strings to accompany the words, “You are lost inside the sound.” “I Don’t Belong To Anyone” couches...
...that Wavves’ latest work—an album with the inspired name “Wavvves”—is strangely dissonant would not be a criticism. To assert that some of its tracks are just noise, utterly indescribable as anything else, would be a statement of fact. To tell the artist that the vocals on “Wavvves” are drowned out by charged chaos, or that a strong buzz of feedback stifles his melodies, would be to acknowledge his accomplishments rather than to deplore his defects. Coming from indie rocker Nathan Williams...
...lighthearted, danceable fair. On “To Lose My Life...” they showcase their modern sound with an array of songs that run the gamut from the danceable to heart-wrenching. Unfortunately, the thematic content does not keep pace with this diversity and modernity. Throughout the album, White Lies eschew lyrical or topical gravitas in favor of the trite and the maudlin.The ease with which the band has transitioned into one of the newest indie rock darlings can be attributed to the alluring quality of lead singer Harry McVeigh’s streamlined vocals. Yet, this ability...