‘Champ’ Review

Tokyo Police Club’s debut Elephant Shell was a very rare gem from 2008. A breezy, enjoyable Summer record, TPC’s first record had an enjoyable innocence to it, but it had an extremely annoying problem: Even though every song had different themes lyrically and different tempos musically, it all sounded extremely similar. Obviously, in an indie-rock record, having an album  that sounds like one big song is a very disturbing problem.

But finally, after two years, TPC finally has the chance to redeem themselves with Champ, but it seems that, unfortunately, Tokyo Police Club didn’t really take the chance. Champ seems to act like the second verse to Elephant Shell, ensuring that the listener who listens to both records in a row doesn’t even notice the difference when it passes from one album to the other. Now, I’m not saying that the records are bad… Like I said in the beginning, Elephant Shell was a very rare gem in its own right and Champ, being more of the same, is also a great record. The problem is that when you find two supposedly “rare”  gems in one place, they stop being rare and, thus, valuable.

Songs like “Favourite Colour” and “Big Difference” really beg to differ, by adding energy to the typical breezy formula, but not even then Champ sounds apart from its predecessor, ensuring that listening to “Tesseltale” or “Wait Up (Boots of Danger)” is an extremely similar experience, even though the band had two years to really explore new sounds.

So, all in all, Champ shows a band that has great potential, but is somewhat chained to the same sound for over two years. In my opinion, I think we should give them a couple of more records before they really unveil their full potential. Tokyo Police Club are obviously a great band but Champ, for now, feels like nothing more than a stepping stone in an extremely promising career.

Grade: B-

‘Of Men And Angels’ Review

 No older and more hard-working than ever, The Rocket Summer comes back with a follow-up to the fantastic Do You Feel, a fantastic pop album by Bryce Avary wich was pure, Summer-esque fun. The new album, Of Men And Angels gives me somewhat mixed feelings.

For once, The Rocket Summer seems to be maturing and expanding musically, but Bryce Avary seems to have lost his fun. Where are the happy-go-lucky lyrics that “So Much Love” carried so proudly? The vibrant power pop found in “Do You Feel”? They seem to be long gone, now replaced by darker lyrics.

“You Gotta Believe” sounds like an excellent b-side from Do You Feel, with its “woahs” in the chorus and Bryce Avary’s happy mood. But it is probably the only song in which Avary seems to be having fun. ”I Need A Break… But I’d Rather Have A Breakthrough” is a fantastic example of what I’m trying to explain. On the surface the song seems to be pure power pop goodness, but thanks to its lyrics and Avary’s sad/honest tune, it takes away some of the fun. Maturing involves facing your problems and taking responsibilities but can’t you have fun while doing it?

Still, Avary may not be having fun, but the album still features some fantastic songs. “Hills and Valleys” features a horribly catchy chorus, “Walls” is a beautiful, heartfelt ballad and “Light” ends the album in a mature, honest way.

So, all in all, it could’ve been better. Of Men And Angels sounds somewhat lacking that fun factor and while that means that the ballads are better than ever, The Rocket Summer needs to reevaluate its priorities and just be happy.

Grade: B-

Best albums of the year (2009)

2009 was a fantastic year for music. Say what you will, but we saw new releases from some big bands like Franz Ferdinand, Animal Collective, Arctic Monkeys, Megadeth, Muse and so much more. Still, some genres don’t seem to be recovering, as rap and metal, aside a few exceptions, continue as awful as ever. Now here are my favorite albums of the year.

10th – Nothing Personal by All Time Low

Say what you want about MTV’s sweethearts, but they are one of the only bands in the channel that actually tries to break the mold, by mixing happy-go-lucky lyrics with secure vocals. Nothing Personal is a fantastic rush with twelve fantastic pop songs from one of the most confident bands in the scene.

9th – Reach For The Sun by The Dangerous Summer

Although Mean Everything To Nothing is getting all the love from the critics, Reach For The Sun is, in my opinion, a better album. Don’t get me wrong, though. Manchester Orchestra’s album does have a better musicianship and fantastic lyrics, but The Dangerous Summer’s album is more energetic, more emotional and has better insights on life. It’s a fantastic album and one of the most refreshing takes in a while on the pop-punk genre.

8th – You Can’t Take It With You by As Tall As Lions

By the time “In Case Of Rapture” started playing, I was growing bored of this album. I mean, the musicianship was fantastic, the lyrics were complex and the vocals were pitch-perfect. So why was I bored by that? I don’t know, but after that track, As Tall As Lions completely surprised me, by doing an 180º on their music with the track “We’s Been Waitin’ “. It’s the ability to surprise when you least expect that makes this one of the best albums of the year.

7th – Armistice by MUTEMATH

With eccentric pop in mind, MUTEMATH pretty much define what bands ruled the mainstream in the 80s and 90s. Before all the crunkcore and pop-punk, songs like “Backfire” and “Spotlight” ruled the radios, and with good reason. They were catchy. However, MUTEMATH’s songs aren’t only catchy, but also feature fantastic lyrics and intricate musicianship, making Armistice one of the very best albums of the year.

6th – brand new eyes by Paramore

After a weak showing in Riot!, Paramore finally revealed their true potential in 2009. brand new eyes is an amazing, well-structured album, filled with excellent songs. Just look at the rush “Ignorance” offers and the insight Hailey offers on religion with “Playing God”. An excellent album.

5th – Tonight: Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand

How do you label this album? A dance record? Makes sense, if it wasn’t for the lyrics about going out (and not having fun) and Kaprano’s pitch-perfect voice, without any auto-tune. Then, is it a pop record? You’d think so, but there is just so much happening in the songs and the lyrics are so complex that it just can’t be. Whatever it is, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand is a fantastic album, and one of the very best albums of the year.

4th – Say Anything by Say Anything

After defending a genre in the spawn of 80 or so minutes, Say Anything is back with another glorious album, albeit a smaller one. Instead of the pop-punk that the other albums so proudly presented, Max Bemis and company release here what is an essential pop record. Songs like “Less Cute” and “Eloise” rank among the best the band has ever written.

3rd – Aim And Ignite by fun.

Have you ever imagined what Broadway would sound like if it was reduced to an album? Well, wonder no more! Aim And Ignite sounds so expensive, so well-produced and so confident that it is really, but really hard to understand how can this album be the debut from this album. A mind-blowing pop album.

2th – Merriweather Post Pavillion by Animal Collective

 The most challenging, mind-blowing album released by this pop band yet. Buy it. Now.

1st – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by Phoenix

How to resume this album in a sentence: The best pop album released in 20 years. Enough said.

 

 

Music that can change your life – #1

So, we finally reach number one, and with nothing more than a record from the ’90s. If Oasis can’t change your life or your perspective on life, than I don’t know what will. This brilliant, epic album filled with classics is essential in everyone’s collection. There isn’t a single song you’ll want to skip or a song that you won’t enjoy.

Although the fan favorite is Definetly, Maybe, the band has as the magnum-opus (What’s The Story) Morning Glory?. The band since then has released many, many albums, but none of them ever came close to this gem. Maybe its the songs like the playful, feel-good “She’s Electric” or the rock-esque “Some Might Say” mixed with a bit of nostalgia, but the band just never reached these heights anymore.

The classics are all over the place here, like the teen-favorite “Wonderwall”, a beautiful song carried on by Gallagher’s punk-esque vocals and utterly honest lyrics. “Don’t Look Back In Anger” is another fantastic song, with Gallagher singing eloquently: “Don’t put your life in the hands of a rock and roll band / Who’ll throw it all away”.

The album ends in a majestic, epic way with the classic “Champagne Supernova”, a song that deserves to be listened at least once, thanks to its overall feel and the mystical lyrics.

I’m not going to lie. (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? is my favorite album of all time. It is filled with classics, brilliant lyrics and amazing vocals. I don’t think I could give it an higher recomendation. Buy it, borrow it, steal it (not advisable)… Just listen to it.

Listen to: Champagne Supersona, Wonderwall, Don’t Look Back In Anger.

Music that can change your life #2

A band that has been around for five years doesn’t deserve a greatest hits album. They are still too young and they still have too much to grow before they truly reach their full potential. Has Fall Out Boy enters in hiatus, they make sure we will miss them with this fantastic collection of every single they released so far. Believers Never Die – Greatest Hits is the ultimate collection and a great way to see how far Fall Out Boy have come.

The album is set chronologically, which makes it easier to see their progress, and there isn’t much to say about their career, is there? They started with the forgotten Evening Out With Your Girlfriend, which is presented here only with the bonus track “Growing Up”, then they did their fledged out release, the brilliant Take This To Your Grave, the breakthrough From Under The Cork Tree, the majestic Infinity On High and the diverse Folie à Deux. All this in four years.

 It’s obvious that the band needs a break, after crafting hits like the sugar-coated “Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down”, “This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race”, FOB’s response to the emo scene and “I Don’t Care”, the band’s best song yet the least successful from all of these. These songs work because of Pete Wentz’s complex but exceptional lyrics and Stump’s soulful, fantastic voice, who manage to put so much in a pop song that you just get lost in the middle of the pop culture references and delightful hooks.

It is obvious that Fall Out Boy are an essential band. They make amazing songs, which one with more layers than the other and they do it with such a passion that you just can’t help but succumb to the sugary hooks, the catchy choruses and the complex lyrics. Fall Out Boy are not a fad. They are a brilliant band.

Listen to: Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down ; This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race; I Don’t Care.

 

Music that can change your life – #3

Although the title of the album is on the long side, Arctic Monkeys aren’t just another pop-punk/emo band. They are a band that plays pure, simple raw. Much like Franz Ferdinand, these British rockers are still to top their fantastic debut. Although Favourite Worst Nightmare was more diverse, it didn’t have the same feel and freshness the first album carried so well and Humbug came off a little boring.

So, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not is a brilliant album and, without a doubt, the best rock album of the 00′s. Packed with amazing, catchy songs and hooks that just refuse to leave your head, Alex Turner and the band truly made here an impressive piece of art.

The thrills start right away with the slick “The View From The Afternoon”, with the band starting the album right away with “Anticipation has a habit to set you up for disappointment”, an obvious shout out to the ridiculous amount of hype surrounding the release. What’s better is that the band didn’t actually live up to that statement, specially when it’s delivering rock tracks like “I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor” and “Still Take You Home”.

The lyrics are fantastic, as well as Turner’s nasal vocals, and the fact that the album is all connected, explaining what a night out is like, just makes everything better. Songs like “Dancing Shoes” and “You Probably Couldn’t See For The Lights But You Were Looking Straight At Me” reflect this, with the former explaining the shallowness behind the hook-ups on the dance floor and the later seeing the “character” exactly trying to hook-up.

It’s all executed perfectly and that’s exactly what makes Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not so fantastic. Everything is connected, the lyrics have a brilliant insight on the night life and the vocals are just fantastic. A true classic.

Listen to:  I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor, Dancing Shoes, A Certain Romance.

 

Music that can change your life – #4

Getting a person to feel the emotions the band feels when playing one of their songs is the most difficult thing in music. A lot of bands try to do it but not a lot actually do it. Still, Elbow has nailed this since they first started to do music, partially thanks to its honest, dark lyrics and to the smooth, soulful vocals.

Through Seldom Seen Kid, Elbow managed  to make a magnum-opus, an album that every band in the indie genre should follow has an example. “One Day Like This” may not be the kind of song the band is used to do, but thanks to a beautiful chorus and majestic vocals, the sing-a-long in the end pays off. “Throw those curtains wide / One day like this a year would see me right” is the most honest sentence ever sang and written by Guy Garvey and just a touching, moving one.

But still, as good as “One Day Like This” is, the band is at its best when singing about nostalgia, divorce and other dark themes. “Grounds For Divorce” puts its focus on the boring life that family men leave and ends up being a pretty catchy song overall. Another example has to be “An Audience With The Pope” in which Garvey sings reluctant: “I’ve got an audience with the pope / And I’m saving the world at eight / But if she says she needs, everybody’s gonna have to wait”. The band isn’t afraid to point fingers and Garvey isn’t afraid to just spill his heart out and show it to everyone.

Seldom Seen Kid is an album hard to understand. It’s a diverse, under-the-radar album that uses subtlety to get us to feel and understand the singer. An album to be experienced as a whole.

Listen to: Grounds For Divorce, One Day Like This, The Loneliness Of A Tower Crane Driver.

Music that can change your life – #5

The curse of having a fantastic album as your debut is a sword with two blades. You get recognized right away and heralded as a fantastic band but you’ll have to work a lot harder to improve and make the follow-up just as good as the debut. Franz Ferdinand are the best case among the many bands suffering from this curse.

After recording the fantastic Franz Ferdinand, the band came up with the follow-up You Could Have It So Much Better which, unfortunately, lived up to its title. Still, the band seems to be recovering, by changing their musical direction and head towards dance-music with Tonight: Franz Ferdinand.

Still, the band’s magnum-opus is their precious debut, filled with rock tracks infected with catchy hooks and amazing guitar riffs. “Take Me Out” is the best rock track of the decade by far, with smug lyrics, amazing vocals and an overall fantastic feeling to it. It’s a brilliant song, that will surely be looked back as one of the standouts in rock music in the ’00s.

The album is filled with instant sing-a-long choruses, but Franz Ferdinand can be deeper than most rock bands. “The Dark Of The Matinée” is a brilliant song, exploring the relationships Kapranos had in the university. But what the band does best is make floor-fillers, like the hilarious “Tell Her Tonight” or the slightly confusing “Cheation On Her”.

Franz Ferdinand is a blast. The band delivered everything they could in the debut, which has so many fantastic tracks that you will be blasting this for years. A brilliant rock album.

Listen to: Take Me Out, The Dark Of The Matinée, This Fire.

Music that can change your life – #6

Rave music is annoying. There are almost no lyrics, the structure is repetitive and the songs are just… Boring. However, when joined by new-wave sounds and original lyrics, it turns out good. Very good.

Klaxons’ debut, Myths Of The Near Future, is a fantastic album, so disjointed and complex that you never feel you’re actually listening to an album that was thought through. It’s a glorious mess, with an obvious emphasis on the glorious part.

Klaxons like to play around with the typical sounds and harmonies from rave music, combining them into spectacular songs. “Golden Skans”, the first single, mixes the harmonies The Beatles used to be associated to with an indie vibe and imaginative, complex lyrics. “Magick” kicks things off in a retro style and doesn’t stray away much from that sound. The band joins some screams and, again, complex lyrics to the song, but nothing too far from the initial sound.

And that is exactly what makes Klaxons special. Even if you listen to the beginning of the song, you’ll never guess what comes next. They change rhythms like a girl changes clothes and they don’t follow the typical structure. They’re different, and that’s definitely a plus.

 Myths Of The Near Future is a fantastic, mind-blowing album. Complex lyrics are abond and, while they may throw off some listeners, those who stick around will love the ride.

Listen to: Magick, Golden Skans, Atlantis To Interzone.

Music that can change your life – #7

There are many ways to describe an album: A masterpiece, a brilliant record, a fantastic showcase, a complete dud or a waste of your time… But there is really only one word to describe The Killers’ Day and Age. Beautiful.

Brand Flower and his band started their careers with the perhaps too-brilliant Hot Fuss, which was both their curse and salvation. A salvation because it had fantastic songs with upbeat tempos and nice lyrics, which propelled them to stars right away and a curse because, like Franz Ferdinand, they were just getting started and they had already done a fantastic record. Obviously, the follow-up Sam’s Town wasn’t exactly a critics’ darling but, after two years, they released an album that surpassed Hot Fuss in every single way.

Look at the top-40 hit ”Human” and the upbeat, pop-esque ”Spaceman”. These songs were huge hits in ’08 and are still played in the radio regularly, thanks to its fantastic lyrics and good vocals. In fact, if the The Killers released any song in this album has a single, it would be a hit.

But pop is a moving genre, so the underrated, brilliant “The World We Live In” didn’t stand a chance among the other singles and “Dustland Fairytale” wasn’t exactly the best choice as a single, as it is a song that complements the album rather than standing out. “Losing Touch”, however, is an amazing song and should’ve been a single. Opening the album in a confident fashion, with lyrics like “I’m in no hurry / You go on and tell your friends I’m losing touch”, the band shows why it still is relevant among the thousands of bands that touched the mainstream.

Overall, Day and Age is a beautiful, touching record. Brandon Flowers spills his heart right here, which results easily in the best songs the band has written yet.A  classic.

Listen to: Losing Touch, Human, Spaceman.