Top 10 Albums of May

1. Fleet Foxes -- Helplessness Blues
2. My Morning Jacket -- Circuital
3. Death Cab For Cutie -- Codes and Keys
4. Gang Gang Dance -- Eye Contact
5. Beastie Boys -- Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
6. Tyler, the Creator -- Goblin
7. Wild Beasts -- Smother
8. Son Lux -- We Are Rising
9. Liturgy -- Aesthethica
10. Thurston Moore -- Demolished Thoughts

-- Greg

Death Cab For Cutie -- "You Are A Tourist"

Like all of Death Cab For Cutie's past work, I have come to this first single off of their new album (Codes and Keys) late. I will be honest, I came late to this band because I can't stand Ben Gibbard's voice. I can't be the only one... I have never been a huge fan of this band, but I gotta' say that I really like the new album. I wasn't surprised by the album's fantastic production because that has always been a given with this band. Producer and guitarist, Chris Walla, not only produced many, if not all, of Death Cab's past albums, which all sound great, but also has produced albums for bands such as Telekinesis, Ra Ra Riot, and Nada Surf to mention a few. The man is a fantastic producer.

Moreover, what impressed me most about Codes and Keys was the songwriting. I have previously disliked a lot of Gibbard's songwriting because of its languid and rather bleak nature, but it really works for me on this album. Their is a lot of lyrical detachment on this album, which has always been common in Death Cab songs, but their is a certain experimentation, but yet straightforwardness to their musicality on Codes and Keys (I know that may seem confusing, but try to follow me). This is arguably their most experimental record to date, but more so than past albums, they actually just go for it here, which is truly something to admire. "You Are A Tourist" is not at all one of the more "experimental" songs on the album, but it is however a great song. If you enjoy this then I highly recommend giving the rest of the album a listen.

-- Greg

Death Cab For Cutie -- "You Are A Tourist"

My Morning Jacket -- "Wonderful (The Way I Feel)"

My Morning Jacket's newest album, Circuital, certainly isn't brilliant by any stretch of the imagine, but it is damn good. The album has been released (or rather, actually will be released next week) at a perfect time... or at least that's applicable to my life. It is the perfect album to hone in the approaching summer sun. The song I have chosen to post tonight maybe isn't the most "summer" sounding song on the record, but I feel that it totally captures the mental freedom one can achieve during the summer. Lyrically it is fantastic:

With the sun on my shoulders
And the wind at my back
I will never grow older
At least not in my mind


... musically, like anything MMJ has ever put out, it is beyond fantastic.

-- Greg

My Morning Jacket -- "Wonderful (The Way I Feel)"

Smith Westerns Cover Petty's "American Girl"

Covers ain't easy. I have heard some horrendous covers over the years (Aerosmith's cover of "Come Together" - why cover a great song by doing nothing to it?) and I have heard some really fantastic covers over the years (Johnny Cash's "Hurt"). The first aspect of a great cover is performing a great song, which is why I love A.V. Club's Undercover project, which selects 25 great songs and then gets 25 bands to cover these songs. They practically do half the battle for you. The second aspect of a great cover is actually doing something to the song. I have read a lot of people hate on the following cover, but I couldn't care less. It takes a great song and puts a unique Smith Westerns stamp on it. Changing the tempo of a piece of music is an underutilized aspect of song writing. Meanwhile, Smith Westerns have mastered this concept, which can be seen and heard in the following cover. Check this out!

-- Greg


Smith Westerns cover Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Tyler, The Creator -- "Goblin"

Not sure if this kid (he is only 20) needs more press, but he totally deserves it with his newest release. Tyler, The Creator's Goblin is easily the most abrasive and strangest album I have heard all year, but that isn't to say that isn't good... it certainly is. In particular, the opener, which shares the same name as the record, exemplifies what makes this album so good. It's production is dark, but yet glimmering at moments. Lyrically, this song and the album as a whole is obviously sinister, but there is certainly a great deal of self-introspection here. Great song. Great album. Check it out!

-- Greg

tUnE-YarDs -- "My Country"

Music was quite the companion during finals and this particular band was one of the reasons why. tUnE-YarDs (yeah, the spelling is annoying to me too) is the indie-pop-art project of Merrill Garbus. Her second release, which was put out in April, entitled w h o k i l l is an absolutely remarkable record. It never gets to the point where the "experimental" aspects give you a headache, nor does the "pop" aspects of it ever get repetitive. In this sense the album as a whole actually reminds me a great deal of Dirty Projectors' Bitte Orca. Another great thing about the album is that the opener, "My Country," brilliantly sets up the rest of sound on w h o k i l l. If you dig this song, then you gotta' hear the rest of the album.

-- Greg

tUnE-YarDs -- "My Country"

POP MUSIC THAT DOESN'T SUCK: Swedish House Mafia -- "Save The World"

I can't remember a party I attended in all of last year that didn't play Swedish House Mafia's "One" (Your Name). The song dominated and will most likely continue to dominate clubs and sleazy fraternity parties (big ups to Rutgers on that one) for years to come. Luckily for fans, the trio have moved on to what I think may be one of the biggest hits of the summer: "Save The World." The single is to be released digitally on May 17th in the United States (Tuesday). However, thanks to the beauty of the internet (and the fact that song was released yesterday in Australia and Europe) the brilliance of Axwell, Steve Angello, and Sebastian Ingrosso can be heard a few days early. Here's to future drunken memories (or lack thereof) dancing to this song.

-- Greg

Please Be Patient With Me...

I apologize for the extreme amount of time between my last few posts. Both Mike and I are just getting done with school for the semester. Hopefully, there is plenty to look forward to. Enjoy this in the mean time... I felt it was appropriate.

-- Greg

Wilco -- "Please Be Patient With Me"

Top 15 Albums of April

1. TV On The Radio -- Nine Types of Light
2. Bill Callahan -- Apocolypse
3. tUnE-yArDs -- W H O K I L L
4. Timber Timbre -- Creep On Creepin On
5. Thao & Mirah -- Thao & Mirah
6. Panda Bear -- Tomboy
7. Paul Simon -- So Beautiful Or So What
8. Sonny & The Sunsets -- Hit After Hit 
9. Cass McCombs -- Wit's End
10. Ponytail -- Do Whatever You Want All The Time
11. Crystal Stilts -- In Love With Oblivion
12. Times New Viking -- Dancer Equired
13. The Head and the Heart -- The Head and the Heart 
14. Explosions In The Sky -- Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
15. Foo Fighters -- Wasting Light  

-- Greg