Andrew Bird & The Mysterious Production of Eggs

Andrew Bird is probably the best male vocalist I've heard in a while. I've been really caught up on female vocalists but here is a man who has a voice that is just as exquisite as other artists I've been loving like Feist and Leona Naess. This is an excellent album. Bird's lyrics are so great, it is a beautiful listening experience. The style is somewhere between Iron & Wine and The Honorary Title. It's as heartfelt as Damien Rice or Bright Eyes, but with a smoother and more compelling voice. I loved pretty much the entire album, I guess if I have to pick three I'd say "A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left," "The Naming of Things," and "Masterfade."

Grade: A(+)

O

Damien Rice's first album is absolutely exquisite. It has soaring strings, heart-wrenching acoustic melodies, and beautiful lyrics. This is an indie album everyone should hear. It's all great (the only song I didn't particularly care for was "Cheers Darlin'"). My favorites were "Delicate", "Volcano", "Older Chests", and "Amie".

Grade: A+

Central Reservation

This album by Beth Orton was rather disappointing for me. While it had its moments (notably "Feel To Believe" and "Stolen Car"), for the most part it was boring. Beth Orton has a lovely voice and seems to have the talent to make great music, this was not a particularly good effort.

Grade: C

I Tried To Rock You But You Only Roll

Leona Naess has a beautiful voice, and this is a beautiful album. Her melodious tones can urge you to dance or rock you to sweet dreams. This is an exquisite collection of art, with each song being just as worthy of listening as the last. This is another female singer-songwriter I can get into.

Grade: A

In Defense of the Genre

Say Anything's newest album, after ...Is A Real Boy, is fairly good. There are still the same sarcastic lyrics and singing style, while the musical style varies a bit. Overall, it was not as good as ...Is a Real Boy. It was another 2 disc set. "An Insult to the Dead" is pretty good; so is "The Church Channel", "Spay Me", "About Falling", and "Spores".

Grade: C+

Let It Die

Feist's second album (the one before The Reminder) is quite good. While it does not hold the superb quality of The Reminder, it still retains her soulful voice and lyrics. It is melodic and beautiful and has some French songs. "Mushaboom" is great, so is "Let It Die", "Inside and Out", and "Secret Heart". I liked it a lot.

Grade: A-

Our Love To Admire

I've always liked a few Interpol songs, but I have never loved a full album of theirs. This is no exception. There are a few great tracks: "Heinrich Maneuver" and "Rest My Chemistry" being the most notable ones. The others are hit or miss. This is a pretty good album but really not that great.

Grade: C+

All Rise

Inara George has a beautiful voice and beautiful songwriting abilities. She is quite reminiscent of Feist (though her style is unique and not exactly like anybody else). "Genius", "Fools In Love", and "Turn On/Off" are excellent tracks. I love female singer-songwriters right now, and this album is an excellent one!

Grade: A

Live It Out; Grow Up and Blow Away

Decided to do both of these Metric albums in the same post - mostly because I listened to them in a row and so can't fully distinguish between the two. Apparently, Grow Up and Blow Away was the first album that Metric recorded (in 2001) but due to label issues it was just released this year. I love the song "Raw Sugar", and "Soft Rock Star" is pretty great. Overall, it's good. Live It Out was released in 2005 and overall I liked it better than Grow Up and Blow Away. It is quite good, notable songs include "Empty", "Monster Hospital", and "The Police and The Private". All in all I really like Metric. They are good female-vocalist indie rock.

Grades:
-Live It Out: A-
-Grow Up and Blow Away: B

Make Some Time For Wasting

I first heard about Katie Todd Band from some internet source - probably Hype Machine, but I'm not entirely sure. Anyway, this is a breathtaking album full of beautiful songwriting, beautiful music, and a beautiful voice. "This Time" is still my favorite, with excellent piano. I highly recommend this, it is soft but refreshing.

Grade: A

Direction

I haven't listened to The Starting Line in quite some time. I have Say It Like You Mean It and saw them in concert, but haven't heard much from Based on a True Story. Anyway, Direction is pretty good. It has some more rock-y elements which is interesting, though maybe not the best thing for this band. Anyway, I like "Hurry", "Island", and "Way With Words." Mostly, this is a poppy album and kind of fun.

Grade: B

Scream and Light Up the Sky

The second album by The Honorary Title is quite excellent! I really love the song "Untouched and Intact", which I believe is a single. It is at least as good as their first full-length, though I can't decide which I like better.

Grade: A

Also, I love the song "Accident Prone," but I don't think it's actually on the album - I just found it on Ruckus and don't know where it's from!

The Needles The Space

The second full-length album by Straylight Run is better than their first. It is reminiscent of their EP, Prepare To Be Wrong, but has evolved a bit since then. The single, "Soon We'll Be Living In the Future", is a good place to start. It will give you a feel for the full album, though I'm not saying it all sounds the same. I really like "Take It to Manhattan" and "Still Alone". This is quite good.

Grade: B+

Under the Blacklight

Rilo Kiley's summer release is really fantastic. The musical style varies from song to song, and the lyrics are their usual clever sexual references. "15" is a jazzy tune and very sexual. "The Angels Hung Around" gets quite twangy, while "Give A Little Love" is a slow R&B piano-filled jam. "Smoke Detector" is sixties-esque rock, and "Silver Lining" has a cool vintage feel (I dunno how else to describe it - the music video helps too). "Close Call" is pop with a catchy drumline. "The Moneymaker" is a smooth but dirty-sounding song with some sweet guitar. "Breakin' Up" has some electronic sounds and is otherwise reminiscent of something maybe Aretha Franklin would have done, or maybe that song "I'm Coming Out". "Under the Blacklight" is kind of pop-country-ish, but has some cool keyboard effects. "Dreamworld" is in fact quite dreamy and has bongos! "Dejalo" is really funky. My favorites are "15", "Breakin' Up", "Give a Little Love", and "Close Call". Altogether, this is an outstanding album!

Grade: A(+)

Thanks to Ruckus, I can now download loads of music really easily! So there will probably be much more music reviewing than previously.

Mary Ann Meets The Gravediggers And Other Short Stories

This is a Regina Spektor compilation album (it was created for release in the UK). I LOVE Regina Spektor, so of course I like this. It has some really fantastic songs on it. I hadn't heard Songs before I heard this so I thought some of them were new, but it looks as though I was mistaken. Anyway, "Consequence of Sounds" is fantastic. I also really liked "Prisoners". "Us" is one of my favorites by her, and I also love "Oedipus". And of course "Chemo Limo" is great. I guess what I'm trying to say is this is a GREAT little compilation!!!

Grade: A

News on the concert front: this Saturday's Regina Spektor concert was postponed. Again. For the third time. Regina, I hope you get better soon! I am going to have to find a new concert going partner if it gets rescheduled too late, because Jeff will be leaving for Japan on January 5th. How sad!