Swan Lake’s back with their unique vocal styles and almost abstract use of beats and instrumentation. The vocals remind me of Band of Horses while the music remains more experimental.

There is some humor in the album that makes it more captivating beyond just their sound. In “Spanish Gold 2044”, the music becomes almost like a dark electronic gothic number. “Paper Lace” is more pop that the previous song. The lyrics are also more pop with the abstractions in both “harmonies” and instruments. It makes the track unique and impossible to simply classify and move on.

“Heartwarm” I believe is making reference to The Producers with the line “is it spring time in Paris for that piece of shit?” But it turns out he’s not talking about Hitler, but rather a relationship and/or life gone awry. With piano playing, heartfelt singing matched with crescendos, the song becomes almost epic.

In “Settle on my Skin”, the tempo picks up, along with an addition of electro distortion. There is a huge and wonderful juxtaposition between the almost classical piano playing and the electronic noise that really makes the song, and album, something to revere. There are also parts of the album that become too theatrical as in the track titled “Peace.”

No matter how you look at it, the album offers a uniqueness that is often attempted in this saturated market; however Swan Lake maintains a balance of successful sincerity and entertainment album after album.

Track Listing:
1. Spanish Gold, 2044
2. Paper Lace
3. Heartswarm
4. Settle On Your Skin
5. Ballad Of A Swan Lake, Or, Daniel’s Song
6. Peace
7. Spider
8. A Hand At Dusk
9. Warlock Psychologist

B+

Image Source: Amazon

I love the Internet and I love good music. This is just a jam-fest and a half presented in an interesting manner. This video harnesses the power of the Internet for good! The creator goes by the name of Kutiman and he is all about funk and YouTube visuals. (There is a whole slew of Kutiman’s Youtube Mashups on Thru You.

via Gizmodo via Thru-You

With the opening track lathered in reverb, delay and other effects; it’s really easy to write off the band. And I practically did… until the song unfolds to a rip rearing  “fuck you”. Armed with electric keyboards, guitars and youthful vigor, Titus Andronicus pulls you into a sweaty stuffed room filled with dancing and good times. With careful, but fast guitar work, you realize it’s not just fun but it’s good too! Enter cellos, enter instrumentation!

In the opening track, they paint a picture with this music that relates to the title. It really is “Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, NJ.”
“Time Outside The Womb” is a funny narrative. Played with enthusiasm, the song relies on the lyrical content more than anything else to make it noteworthy.

The next track opens with what sounds like a harmonica and then resolves into incoherent yelling. While some of the songs are compelling on both a musical and/or lyrical content, others just seem to lack.

“Arms Against Atrophy” is a pop song with a strong beat that you can’t help to bop around to. The whole album makes you root for the guys hoping for the majority of the songs to be as compelling as the emotion that the lead singer is expelling.

Another interesting thing about Titus is that the songs are longer than most tracks made in the pop/rock genre. A live show filled with these 4-5 minute songs has to be absolutely crazy. Or exhausting.
In most tracks, the guitars could be considered as wailing, but by listening closely, the echo/”sing” the vocal line instead of doing their own separate contribution.

“Upon viewing” combines the drumbeat of a basic pop rock with the vocals of today’s indie pop punk. It combines innocence with a type of earnestness that a musician can convey. The addition of strings in this genre is really worth a mention. However, I wonder that maybe their choice of instrumentation, it really is something to make a note of.

When Andrew Cedermark sings, it sounds similar to early Bright Eyes where it is part whining but still compelling.

Titus opens with a banging piano and transitions into a fast tempo anthem of sorts that reminds me of “Old McDonald had a farm”. While the lyrics are bitter and singing of a cautionary tale, this song has to be a joke when they broke into a chant of “You’re life is over”.

Overall, I don’t feel that Titus Andronicus is doing anything new. Their lack of innovation can be ignored due to their high energy and overall youthful fun. To me, if Titus Andronicus comes up during shuffle, it will be played for probably a minute before switching to the next song.

A-

Track Listing:

1. Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, NJ
2. My Time Outside the Womb
3. Joset of Nazareth’s Blues
4. Arms Against Atrophy
5. Upong Viewing Brueghel’s Landscape With The fall of Icarus
6. Titus Andronicus
7. No Future
8. No Futute Part Two: The Days After No Future
9. Albert Camus

Andrew Dice Clay has a joke where he makes “Hour Back” the punchline and follows it with “get it?” So when I heard Dan Auerbach, I couldn’t help but recall that hilarious joke. With that said, let’s review his music.

Auerbach is half of the Black Keys and is a fantastic performer and songwriter. With a soulful voice, beautiful harmonies and a guitar that ranges from blues, to country and folk; Auerbach shows more versatility that only peaks through in the blues rock of The Black Keys.

The multiple genres Auerbach covers reminds me of the soundtrack of the  Cohen Brothers’ film Oh Brother, Where Art Thou. On “I Want Some More,” Auerbach adds more instrumentation and some guitar experimentation. It’s a more uptempo and fun track compared to the opening acoustic tune. “Heartbroken, In Disrepair” follows that trend. While the vocals styling is clearly emotional, they still remain a bit un-enthused, which makes you wonder and want more.

In today’s indie scene, blues rock that is either gimmicky or done right. Auerbach is recognized as an example of the latter. In Keep It Hid, it adds background noise and various other digital altered elements on a few tracks while staying traditional with just his vocals and guitar. “Whispered Words” is one of my favorite tracks, if not for the “cha-cha-cha” guitar work, because of the sensational lyrics.

He did not lose anything by going on his own. He is just branching into other genres. And he is doing it  successfully.

Track Listing:

1. Trouble Weighs A Ton
2. I Want Some More
3. Heartbroken, in Disrepair
4. Because I Should
5. Whispered Words
6. Real Desire
7. When the Night Comes
8. Mean Monsoon
9. The Prowl
10. Keep It Hid
11. My Last Mistake
12. When I Left the Room
13. Street Walkin’
14. Goin’ Home

I should also say, I saw the Black Keys live less than 2 weeks ago. They were really fantastic, and without a doubt, I’d gladly see them again. Here is a snippet of their live performance.

Before and during the show, I tweeted about the possibility of a great show and the in studio antics, such as sing-a-longs and the affects of awesome song. It worked. I have 12 (seriously, 12) new followers on twitter. Along with some contributions via twitter to Sean and my conversation, there were also trans-continental requests and participation! Besides that, it was just plan ol’ fun!

It just shows the power and connectedness of social media. With the help of web streaming the show (wrhu.org) and my excitement and passion for the show, I got interested parties to participate and to engage with me after the event was over. A quick public forum, such as Twitter, made a one-sided, old medium, such as radio, infused and fun for everyone!

I’ve used Twitter for years now, and I’ve always refrained from live tweeting and self promotion because it can be anoying. But last night, I utilitzed the tools in an appropriate way to create a dynamic web 2.0/FM program!

image sources: Saratara’s Flickr, twosecondsaway’s Twitter

Here is a song that’s just lovely.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_irzg-hLfE]

Favorite Lyrics:

You’re just my good for nothin’ .My sweet hunk o’ trash
Oh, no… With all your chicks… You try to make a flash
Now when you stay out very late, It sure makes me mad to wait how come, baby?
Cus, you come home too tired To raise just one eyelash

That song is “Get Me Away From Here, I’m Dying” by Belle and Sebastian off of the album If You Are Feeling Sinister.

I had to listen to it. I found it on Grooveshark and played it on repeat for the entire 20 minutes I set aside for getting ready for the day.

It could be that I’m suffering from the sniffles and a cold, extremely tired from enjoying 25 cent wings and $2 beers last night, or it’s a combo of those and waking up early.

What ever it is, the song of the day is that. Emo? Crazy? Cranky? Call me what you will, but sometimes a cliche song is just what the doctor ordered (that and probably some vitamin C).

Photo source: JustABigGeek’s Flickr

In true fashion, I put the song on repeat for roughly two hours. Now, maybe that’s not your style, but at least check it out. The addition of lyrics also really adds to the song to make it something new but still very Ratatat like.

Link here: Mirando (Yacht Remix) – Ratatat
(Off of the Mirando 12″, XL Records)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc5HnZP5v6s]

The video, as you can see above, is fun, quirky and youthful. I miss the days of when I could go to basement shows and church shows get up to the mic and sing with the band with about a dozen other people.

One of those go to favorites is: JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound’s “Baltimore Is the New Brooklyn”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8HRTTUiko4]

Personally, I love the dancers. Be prepared for more video finds. I think I’ll be taking another hiatus from review writing.