Album Reviews

This album makes you remember what rockin music is supposed to sound like. The guitar work is amazing and the drumming is so tight I hardly notice it. Thats a good thing. It would score it higher if there wasn't so much random screaming. If you can brave it through the occasional screeching, you'll love this.

This album is quite different from some of their older material. Its a bit more foreboding and deep. Thats not necessarily a bad thing. Many of the tracks sound similar, but almost every song is well written and produced. If youre looking for something a little more mature, you should enjoy this effort.

When I heard these guys had a new CD I was extremely excited. 'Decadence' was a great album and it was interesting to hear Palumbo sing to a different genre. However, this CD takes it down another notch and almost sells out entirely. The first single 'Graduation Day' is so ridiculously high-school-dance-pop that I almost thought it was a joke. If it had come out in the fall I would have thought so, but its release just before ACTUAL graduation days all across the country is too much of a coincidence. Although there are a few decent tracks, it is overall very empty and breaks no new ground. I can only hope that like the Pied Piper, Palumbo will amass a large following and then release another Glassjaw album.

Theres some interesting stuff on this album along with some unusual vocals. I like it, but like most albums that fall short, too many songs sound the same. Everything is well produced, but nothing really stands out. I'd almost prefer a band to release a short CD of amazing material than a CD loaded with reduntant sounding tracks to fill time. Although it grows on you the more you listen, I would like it a bit more if the tracks sounded a bit more...frantic and excited. If anything, go take a look at the track names.

This album is packed with rich, thoughtful, and deeply personal songs. In fact, I think I would score it even higher if it weren't quite so personal. Furstenfeld sings primarily of his own experiences so intricately that his songs become less cathartic for the listener. Songs that don't have such a personal feel seem insignificant in comparison. Everything on this album sounds fantastic and theres a nice mix of violin, acoustic guitar, chorus lines, piano, and even some backing vocals from Imogen Heap. Having seen them perform on Leno, I can say that they sound almost perfect live. Thats the sign of a truly great band.

I heard about this album while checking up on ex-members of 'The Dismemberment Plan'. The bassist from TDP ended up in this group after the breakup. This album is definitely low key but the music manages to stay upbeat and 'indie' sounding. Think 'Belle and Sebastian' without being a little creepy at times. Its relaxing and a bit quirky, but the biggest fault is that some of the vocals come off as a little lazy and half-hearted.

Although Muse have a ridiculous number of albums, its safe to say that not many people in the US have heard of them. This CD isn't very typical of their older material, but thats largely due to the political focus of this new CD. There are some great buildups on this album and they manage to generate plenty of anticipation. The vocals on this piece are complex and sound fantastic. Although the CD comes off as a bit overblown, I really enjoy it. If you're new to Muse, listen to 'Absolution' before passing judgement on this one.

This is a very complex album with some fantastic songwriting. Great for listening while just hanging out. I suspect Makino's vocals may be a little strained for some people's tastes, but theres something compelling about it that adds a layer of complexity. Additionally, bandmate Amedeo sings on alternating tracks and sounds like a mix between Thom Yorke and Frank Black. Great stuff.

When I first heard a song from this album, I had a hard time figuring out why I enjoyed it so much. The vocals were a little silly and reminiscent of an 80's rock ballad. However, what really grabbed me was the music. This is some of the finest playing I've heard in a long long time. The drumming is innovative and complex. Guitars sound phenomenal and take you to different places and times. I have a hard time listening for bass, but even on this album, it is fantastic and perfectly complimentary to everything else going on. You could call this a concept album in that all of the songs seem to tie together. I found it refreshing that they chose to link the songs in subtle ways, almost like a classical piece of music. Fans of 'Dream Theater' and other various prog-rock bands will love this album. This CD would get closer to 100% if the lyrics and vocals weren't so...melodramatic. The musical payoff is worth the potential embarassment.

I was excited for this album the moment I heard Cee-Lo would be paired with Dangermouse. I listened to 'Crazy' so much that by the time the album actually came out, I was starting to OD on it. Fortunately, there were some other great songs on the album. However, many of the songs were lackluster and devoid of the same magical properties of the first single. Songs like 'Feng-Shui' and Violent Femmes cover 'Gone Daddy Gone' are the worst offenders. Regardless, this album is a lot of fun. Great for playing at a party. If you enjoy any part of this album, you should go and find Cee-Lo's solo albums and anything by Dangermouse. Although this collaboration is pretty good, they work just as well if not better on their own.