I cheated on this one only to avoid bands that I have previously talked about (Blur, Kent, The Neins) since they weren't songs that I felt strongly about one way or the other. please forgive me.
1. Madison Park –My Personal Moon: I’m so glad I waited until the afternoon for this song. It kicks off with some wicked space disco and lots of very effects laden stuff. The vocals are alright and mesh with the song but don’t wow me. 7.5/10
2. Charlie Robison – Good Times: I have no idea where this song came from but here’s some solid roots/country/bluegrass/whatever with the chorus line “by me a whiskey get yourself stoned and we gonna have a good time” 7.5/10
3. The Black Heart Procession – Only One Way: It’s a pretty generic “dark alternative” sounding song from a band I like to think of as being able to do better than that 4/10
4. Black Box Recorder – The Deverell Twins: Breathy female vocals with some rather dark lyrics (The Deverell Twins having drowned in the Thames 200 years ago) but dark in that really seductive way 6/10
5. Son Ambulance: A Book Laid on its Binding: This song hurts me on the inside. His voice makes me feel nails-on-a-chalkboard level pain and the background music doesn’t do anything terribly interesting and I don’t understand why they added chimes 2/10
6. Love Is All – Motorboat: This is the first time I actually listened to this song and it is awesome. Awesome, I say. This is what Le Tigre meant to do with the last album i think. A little dance, a little riot grrl, a lot of happiness. Plus they make random motorboat sounds. I don’t know how long before that annoys me. But, for now, 8/10
7. The Magnificents – Digital Dirt: I like them and this song is a little darker. It’s got some of that dark-80’s synth sound but the full sound that it lacks. This song has a little too much of the “computerized voice” conceit and takes a while before the song really kicks into gear but once it does, at about the two minute mark, I like it) 5/10
8. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Man: I don’t think she likes the guy very much. But if it makes her put out angry, dark, rawk music then a little suffering was maybe worth it. 7/10
9. Kaiser Chiefs – What Did I Ever Give to You: This song is track 9 of 12 on the album and at this point they’ve slowed way down from their initial frenzy. It actually keeps reminding me of some early-90’s Blur outtake. I like it alone but when I listen to the album Ikeep wishing they would pick the pace back up. 6/10
10. The Thrills – Say It Ain’t So: I bought this album in the bargain bin. I kept hearing good things about them, although I think it was the album after this, but this album and song is crap. It’s almost alt-country and there are just a lot of strikes against it. 3/10
posted by fulsome @ 1:32 PM
