Alright, here's my Top 50 Albums of the Decade.

1. Animal Collective - Sung Tongs
2. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot it in People
3. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
4. PJ Harvey - Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea
5. Sleater-Kinney - The Woods
6. LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsytem
7. Radiohead - In Rainbows
8. Neko Case - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
9. The National - Alligator
10. TV on the Radio - Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
11. The Walkmen - You & Me
12. Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights
13. Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
14. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
15. Spoon - Gimme Fiction
16. Hot Chip - The Warning
17. Radiohead - Kid A
18. M.I.A. - Kala
19. St. Vincent - Actor
20. Outkast - Stankonia
21. Stars - Set Yourself on Fire
22. Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant EP/Fleet Foxes
23. Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair
24. The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine
25. Postal Service - Give Up
26. Mates of State - Bring it Back
27. Modest Mouse - The Moon & Antarctica
28. Badly Drawn Boy - The Hour of Bewilderbeast
29. The Strokes - Is This It?
30. New Pornographers - Mass Romantic
31. Viktor Vaughn - Vaudeville Villain
32. The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow
33. Sufjan Stevens - Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lake State
34. The Rapture - Echoes
35. Junior Boys - So This is Goodbye
36. Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
37. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
38. Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak
39. Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
40. Royksopp - Melody A.M.
41. Menomena - Friend & Foe
42. Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds
43. The xx - xx
44. Feist - The Reminder
45. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
46. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit
47. Jay-Z - Unplugged
48. Antony & the Johnsons - I Am a Bird Now
49. Le Loup - Family
50. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Mos Def review published on MxDwn!

Black gold mined from all over the world

There’s a lot to say about Mos Def’s The Ecstatic. It’s his best in years, if not ever. Everyone was disappointed (with due cause) in his last few releases, all of which made fans go ‘What the.. ?’ He was busy working on movies and other non-rap things, but where was his next Black Star or Black on Both Sides? Clearly he was fulfilling some contractual obligations but did we have to wait until Geffen let him go? Seems like it, and it was totally worth the wait.

Ecstatic is a statement: “I’m back, I never left, y’all ain’t shit and now I’m gonna show you how it’s done.” In so many words that I just put in his mouth. First off, this album is not a singles record. There are a few standouts that translate beautifully to keep a party poppin’ or dancefloor moving, namely “Twilite Speedball” and “Quiet Dog Bite Hard.” But everything flows so seamlessly; the interludes and found sounds are ingenious. From the Bollywood-influenced opener “Supermagic,” which features a ‘64 Malcolm X quote, to the cockpit-gun-toting-Captain intro to “The Embassy,” it’s with these that Ecstatic garners its well-deserved political descriptors. Mos has always had a curious fascination with injustice and Afrocentricism but it doesn’t always come off as nuanced and classy as it does here.

In fact, with the strongest track on the record, “Auditorium,” which tumbles into its hypnotic head-bobbing beat with a far east intro before Slick Rick delivers a syrupy smooth Iraq-oriented story, Mos delivers his most worldly message. Rick raps to a “young Iraqi kid”: “What’s wrong, G, hungry? / No, give me my oil and get the f#$* out my country!” Other collaborations shine on this record, too. “History,” with Talib Kweli is a standout and harkens back to his earlier days of late ’90s brainy hip hop. “Roses” features a lesser known Georgia Anne Muldrow from Stones Throw Records who kills a bluesy, heartfelt R&B vocal over tickly piano flourishes. Her Angie Stone-inspired soul brings Mos to a softer place where his voice begins to sound better than John Legend’s.

We may not see Mos like this again. His latest and possibly greatest is a momentous hip hop occasion. There are still hip hop artists making smart, nuanced, beat-smart records. We don’t have to pretend to get excited about new Lil’ Wayne records or scream about Jay-Z’s newest blueprint. Hopefully, Mos Def and his friends will keep turning out gems like this one.

THE REAL THING.

Week's WORST! The Starting Line

It’s hard to root against local boys who’ve “made it” ... unless it’s a band like the Starting Line. Does Tallahassee rejoice when Creed rolls into town? Does Atlanta freak out when Collective Soul fills up the Tabernacle or Philips Arena? Possibly. Philly has certainly shown enough love to these central PA boys by buying every single ticket of their two “reunion” holiday shows. After three brutal records of power-emo-punk-pop, the band decided to give the world a breather from their insufferable brand of whine. Sure, they’ve toured with bigger versions of their painful sound like New Found Glory and Taking Back Sunday. But a Warped Tour does not a band make. It’s hard to believe there’s still a market for this horseshit. If Dashboard Confessional is the patriarch of emo, the Starting Line are their obnoxious, angsty teenagers.

Tues., Dec. 29, 8:30pm. Sold out. With Valencia + Dangerous Summer. Theatre of the Living Arts, 334 South St. 215.922.1011. livenation.com

Wed., Dec 30, 8:30pm. Sold out. With Envy on the Coast + Algernon Cadwallader. Trocadero, 1003 Arch St. 215.922.6888. thetroc.com

LIVE LINK.

30 Second Reviews from 12/22

Animal Collective
Be Fall Kind EP
SOUNDS LIKE: Indie kings do it again with a mere five songs in under 30 minutes adding another staple to their catalogue
FREE ASSOCIATION: Intoxicating blend of beats, rounds, collage, choral chanting and noise
FOR FANS OF: Grizzly Bear, Gang Gang Dance, Panda Bear

Lambchop
Live at XX Merge
SOUNDS LIKE: Lovely romp through the Nashville band's collection of soulful, folksy Americana led by a charming Kurt Wagner
FREE ASSOCIATION: That voice, those lyrics, all those instruments, such energy; a keeper
FOR FANS OF: My Morning Jacket, Silver Jews, whiskey

James Pants
Seven Seals
SOUNDS LIKE: Awesome electronic music heavily shaded with drone, nostalgia, hip hop and cleverly whispered smart lyrics
FREE ASSOCIATION: Another Stones Throw gem; 15 tracks of blissed out clever trip hop
FOR FANS OF: Neon Indian, DJ Shadow, grime

Mason Porter
Thunder in the Valley
SOUNDS LIKE: Full-length debut from West Chester boys pickin', clappin', stompin' and singin' some solid bluegrassy folk
FREE ASSOCIATION: Hard to believe they're from the Philly burbs, not the Smoky Mountains
FOR FANS OF: Hoots & Hellmouth, Wissahickon Chicken Shack

Bill Cosby Presents the Cosnarati
State of Emergency
SOUNDS LIKE: Believe it - the Cos co-writes and produces an ultra-legit hip hop record addressing his political/cultural woes
FREE ASSOCIATION: Ced Gee, Jace the Great and Bro Hahz rep hard for Mr. Puddin' Pop
FOR FANS OF: Lyrics Born, political rap, garish sweaters

Thirty Seconds to Mars
This Is War
SOUNDS LIKE: Jared Leto's band is a ridiculous blend of prog metal, emo, pop, aggro rock and screamo (plus eyeliner)
FREE ASSOCIATION: It does feel like more of an effort to not be shitty, but it's tough to take
FOR FANS OF: Chevelle, Deftones, Jordan Catalano

Timbaland
Shock Value II
SOUNDS LIKE: Timbo employs an ultra pop army to shine in front of his tired hiccupy beats that all sound like "4 Minutes"/FutureSex
FREE ASSOCIATION: JoJo & Timberlake, yes, Miley Cyrus & Chad Kroeger? You dick!
FOR FANS OF: Neptunes, Swizz Beats, Jermaine Dupri

Chris Brown
Graffiti
SOUNDS LIKE: The once R&B prince currently in the dog house puts down some bagnin' joints and some yawny slow jamz
FREE ASSOCIATION: PR-wise? Rihanna wins. Record vs. record? Chris might take this one
FOR FANS OF: "I Can Transform Ya," Lil Wayne, the club

REALLY REALNESS.

30 Second Reviews from 12/15

Dam-Funk
Toeachizown
SOUNDS LIKE: Synthy '70s-style funk mixed with '00s soul/hip hop from an LA producer in with Stones Throw peeps
FREE ASSOCIATION: George Clinton and Grace Jones bore a child who wears aviators
FOR FANS OF: Prince x Knife + P-Funk/Kraftwerk

The Mayfair Set
Young One
SOUNDS LIKE: Noise pop's Dum Dum Girls teams up with Blank Dogs for low-fi psychedelics spiked with goth
FREE ASSOCIATION: Bat For Lashes girl sings for Joy Division and back in the '80s, not now
FOR FANS OF: Vivian Girls, Black Tambourine, feedback

Beak
Beak>
SOUNDS LIKE: Droney electric eerie bliss from Portishead's Geoff Barrow heavy on the spooky and rhythms
FREE ASSOCIATION: Starts slow and steady but eventually blows you away in due time
FOR FANS OF: Clinic, Massive Attack, Radiohead

Paul McCartney
Good Evening New York City
SOUNDS LIKE: Shea Stadium was torn down, they built Citi(group) Field and brought this old man out to make it meaningful
FREE ASSOCIATION: 35 songs on two discs and you let Billy Joel onstage, you bastard
FOR FANS OF: Wings, Greatest Hits albums, corporate fields

Richard Hawley
Truelove's Gutter
SOUNDS LIKE: Soft, sad and beautiful collection from the UK's ex-Pulp guitarist and baritone is single-less but flawless
FREE ASSOCIATION: If it weren't dark and cold this would be a downer, but it is, and it's amazing
FOR FANS OF: Elvis, Cash, Orbison, Hazlewood

Laura Veirs
July Flame
SOUNDS LIKE: Talented singer/songwriter/strummer's first in 2010 is a beauty with stellar guests to flesh out her sound
FREE ASSOCIATION: Her voice and a guitar is enough, but keys and strings make it gorgeous
FOR FANS OF: Cat Power, New Buffalo, Joanna Newsom,

Glee: The Music, Season One
Volume 2
SOUNDS LIKE: Covers by the Fox cast with some bearable (Lilly Allen, Lauper) and others just awful (Van Halen, Stones)
FREE ASSOCIATION: Needed: pubescent faces (and bodies) to make this listenable
FOR FANS OF: A capella, Zac Efron, musicals

Mikkel Meyer
Bacon
SOUNDS LIKE: Club-friendly blipped out dub from a Danish DJ who loves British, Jamaican, and American hip hop
FREE ASSOCIATION: Imagine robots making their booty clap all sweaty and shiny
FOR FANS OF: Two Fingers, Thunderheist, Dizzee Rascal

A REAL DEAL CHARTICLE.

30 Second Reviews from 12/8

The Embassadors
Coptic Dub
SOUNDS LIKE: Uncanny gorgeous jazz spiked with hip hop and dub; horns and ambiance barfed up by a DJ
FREE ASSOCIATION: If Coltrane and Tricky had a mutant love baby, it would be funky
FOR FANS OF: Dub jazz, Massive Attack on e

Bad Lieutenant
Never Cry Another Tear
SOUNDS LIKE: New Order oldie teams up with youngns but their youth is drowned out; dated synthy, post-punk rock
FREE ASSOCIATION: You'd think a Joy Division-spawn record would be decent enough
FOR FANS OF: Reunions, nostalgia, emo U2

Home Blitz
Out of Phase
SOUNDS LIKE: Quirky herky-jerky off-kilter punk with weird pauses, messy guitars and loads of energy/balls
FREE ASSOCIATION: Did I hear a Fishtown? This show will be bloody and sweaty
FOR FANS OF: Pissed Jeans, breaking things

The Slew
100%
SOUNDS LIKE: Kid Koala and Dynamite D scratch up a Seattle-inspired grunge rock band into slick turntable hip hop
FREE ASSOCIATION: Plaid-laden booze and spooge was spilled and then scratched up
FOR FANS OF: DJ Shadow, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Rihanna
Rated R
SOUNDS LIKE: The moan-songstress is as her sassiest with a lot of cussing and proclaiming how hot she is
FREE ASSOCIATION: Keep spinnin' that domestic abuse scandal into gold, girl, get it
FOR FANS OF: Beyonce, Mary J., Chris Brown hate

Jay Sean
All or Nothing
SOUNDS LIKE: Urban pretty boy wears chains, takes his shirt off and croons very seriously about making girls cum
FREE ASSOCIATION: We see you're trying to take Craig David's spot and it might work
FOR FANS OF: Ginuwine, R Kelly, thin sculpted sideburns

Adam Lambert
For Your Entertainment
SOUNDS LIKE: Super-produced monstrosity of pop with ballads, dancefloor grinders, schmaltz and in-your-face queer glam
FREE ASSOCIATION: Racing towards Liberace status, are we? Not sure that's smart
FOR FANS OF: Britney, Christina, Lady Gaga

Jack Splash
Heir to the Throne, Volume 1
SOUNDS LIKE: Plantlife emcee's got a dirty mouth/mind, bloodshot eyes, tons of swagger and some sick guests
FREE ASSOCIATION: This is Cadillac hip hop with all the trimmings and accessories
FOR FANS OF: Clipse, Outkast, 40s and blunts

CHARTICLE!

30 Second Reviews from 12/1

Kid Sister
Ultraviolet
SOUNDS LIKE: Debut with Kanye collab, "Pro Nails," might be the record's worst, but Cee-Lo and Estelle show up!
FREE ASSOCIATION: Not sure if she weren't A-Trak's girlfriend she'd even have a record
FOR FANS OF: Santigold, Destiny's Child, raplettes

Daptone Gold
Daptone Gold
SOUNDS LIKE: Tight-knit BKLYN label curates rarities, B-sides and greatest hits of members' stellar soul and funk
FREE ASSOCIATION: Some serious James Brown-inspired modern soul; get down!
FOR FANS OF: Antibalas, Sharon Jones, horns

Bibio
The Apple and the Tooth
SOUNDS LIKE: Brit beat freak blends folk and glitchy electro; a few new tunes and a bunch of Ambivalence Avenue remixes
FREE ASSOCIATION: Like a Boards of Canada record immersed in a hot tub until it's wrinkly
FOR FANS OF: The Books, Four Tet, M83, Aphex Twin

Echo & The Bunnymen
The Fountain
SOUNDS LIKE: Celebrating their 30th year, the UK foursome put out lukewarm post-punk, new wavey college rock
FREE ASSOCIATION: Once upon a time you were a big deal, but this is like bad Coldplay/U2
FOR FANS OF: New Order vs. butched up Cure

John Mayer
Battle Studies
SOUNDS LIKE: The big-lipped adult contemporary guru pushes the envelope with literate and mild sad sap guitar rock
FREE ASSOCIATION: Love really is a battlefield, John, but Twitter is going to end you
FOR FANS OF: Dave Matthews, Train, James Blunt

CFCF
Continent
SOUNDS LIKE: Montreal's Mike Silver is a producer extraordinaire making rich, chill and infectious electrodub
FREE ASSOCIATION: Disco and modern beats make lounge love during his "Big Love" cover
FOR FANS OF: Crystal Castles, Sally Shapiro

Priscilla Renea
Jukebox
SOUNDS LIKE: Polished, shiny pop queen with drum machines and voice effects makes weirdly irresistable radio hits
FREE ASSOCIATION: A monster created from bits of Kelly Clarkson, Lily Allen and Rihanna
FOR FANS OF: Katy Perry, shamelessness

Light FM
Let There Be Light FM
SOUNDS LIKE: Chicago indie rock heavy on synths, keys, '80s guitars and angst making for a very boring record
FREE ASSOCIATION: Your cheeky lyrics are drowned out by that constantly blaring synthesizer
FOR FANS OF: The Cars, Owl City, cheesy Death Cab



LIVE CHARTICLE LINK.

Lame visual, but just listen.

New Animal Collective EP!!

Cyclists beware, the world is out to get us.

So it sounds like a couple people died in 'bicycle-related accidents' in October here in Philly. In all of the reports and news stories I've read about the subsequent bill these idiots are proposing, City Councilmen Frank DiCicco and Jim Kenney, there've been no details about these deaths. Were the people killed drunk and homeless, maybe? Did they jump in front of a cyclist? Nope. They leave us to imagine some malicious fixed-gear hipster careening through red lights.

There's a lot of bicycle hate in cities, Philly especially. No matter where you live, cars dominate. And cyclists are seen as threats to their total monopolization of the road. These councilmen want to up fines for riding on sidewalks ($10) and riding with headphones on ($3) to $300 each. That's a lot of money. I try to never ride on sidewalks. I try to ride the wrong way on one way streets only until the next street where I am a lawful and cautious biker all the way home. I often ride with one iPod bud in my right ear that plays softly so that I can still be very aware of my surroundings. I know that some people are vehemently against this, but I trust myself and I've been riding a bike in metropolitan areas for over five years now.

Oh, and it sounds like people ride bikes without brakes? Or take them off? They're proposing a $1,000 fine for that. Or a forfeiture of your bike.

They want us to register our bikes and get some kind of plates. Plates on bikes! It's a funny thought. It's also a horrendous bureaucratic nightmare that no one is prepared for. With hundreds of thousands of cyclists in Philly, it seems completely insane.

What do you think?

Does this excite you?

This movie cost about $500000000 billion dollars to make, I'm pretty sure.

The Slew - 100%

Kid Koala and Dynomite D spin ’70s grunge rock into turntable gold

In 1996, DJ Shadow dumped a bucket of freezing cold water over the shoulders of hip hop with a record of turntablism for the ages. Entroducing… changed the game. We may have been slapped in the face by the Beastie Boys’ Paul’s Boutique, Afrika Bambaataa, Kraftwerk or even De La Soul, but pure sampling and scratching had never sounded this funky. Chinese-Canadian Eric San is the scratch-master behind Kid Koala and half of the brains behind his brand new project The Slew. What Shadow did, San took to a similarly scratched and pasted place in 2000 with Kid Koala’s brilliant Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Seven years later, he and Dylan Frombach (aka Dynomite D) were asked to soundtrack a documentary about the Seattle psychedelic blues rock band by the same name. They were so inspired by their recording sessions with the legendary Mario Caldato Jr. that they are taking The Slew and running with it on 100%.

100% is a Seattle-inspired grunge record made from turntables and it’s going to blow people’s minds. They’ve assembled a dynamic backing band to accompany the recordings live. Former Wolfmother percussionist and bassist/keysman, Myles Heskett and Chris Ross, are set to provide stage support behind six turntables manned by San and Frombach themselves. Wolfmother’s ’70s love gels nicely with the dirty, grungy, bluesy rock that gushes forth from tracks like “Shackled Soul” and “Robbing Banks.” What Koala perfected by tweaking single notes of horns on tracks like “Skanky Panky” and “Drunk Trumpet,” he’s doing here with dramatic, glammed out guitar chords and feedback.

From the first rock howls and heavy guitar sludge of album opener “100%” to the deeply groovy finale of “Battle of Heaven and Hell,” The Slew are close to outperforming contemporaries like Cut Chemist, Dan the Automator and Danger Doom. Only whereas some DJs are looking around the next corner for inspiration or recycling old soul sounds and hip hop ground-breakers, Kid Koala and Dynomite D have found something in an obscure Seattle psych rock band. Using primarily looped spoken bits, shouts, beats and riffs that were transferred to vinyl, scratchable 33 1/3s, they’ve accomplished something so rich, complex and funky that their live show will be undoubtedly sweaty and head-bobbing.



The Real Deal.

30 Second Reviews from 11/24

Various Artists
5: Five Years of Hyperdub
SOUNDS LIKE: A collection and mission statement from London dub label; floaty, eerie rhythms to trip you out
FREE ASSOCIATION: A sick introduction to The Bug, Zomby, Burial, Darkstar and Code9
FOR FANS OF: Massive Attack, wordless Portishead, blunts

Them Crooked Vultures
Them Crooked Vultures
SOUNDS LIKE: The Dave Grohl/Josh Homme/John Paul Jones supergroup drops a beauty of chunky garage blues
FREE ASSOCIATION: It really is like a Zep, Foo and Queens a Stone Age record all in one!
FOR FANS OF: Mustachioed lip pursing, "Scumbag Blues"

The Clientele
Bonfires of the Heath
SOUNDS LIKE: A pop masterpiece of super-British dreamy arrangements from start to finish; brilliant breezy/peppy tunes
FREE ASSOCIATION: Like Belle & Sebastian with balls and fighting anyone who wants some
FOR FANS OF: Camera Obscura, modern Byrds

Pylon
Chomp (More)
SOUNDS LIKE: DFA re-issue of 2nd and best LP of influential angular, industrial rock from early '80s Athens, GA
FREE ASSOCIATION: A short-lived run overshadowed by The B-52s and R.E.M. - bullshit
FOR FANS OF: Karen O sings for Gang of Four

Person L
The Positives
SOUNDS LIKE: PA boy Ken Vasoli, bass/pipes of The Starting Line, births an earnest, thumping indie rock record
FREE ASSOCIATION: No work of genius, just a solidly passionate and foot-tapping LP
FOR FANS OF: Andrew Bird, Ryan Adams, Jason Collett

We Are The Willows
A Collection of Sounds and Something Like the Plague
SOUNDS LIKE: Sad bastard Minnesotan strums his guitar and ukelele while whisper singing his angst over found noises
FREE ASSOCIATION: Everything that bothers us about Neutral Milk and Decemberists together
FOR FANS OF: Bon Iver on helium, Death Vessel

Real Estate
Real Estate
SOUNDS LIKE: Slouchy and lazy surf rock debut from Jersey is soaring instrumentals, soft drums and joy
FREE ASSOCIATION: Jersey is responsible for this? List it under the Boss and vegetables
FOR FANS OF: Feelies, Ducktails, suburban cruises

Sting
If On a Winter's Night...
SOUNDS LIKE: Lullabies, carols, madrigals and originals performed dreadfully by an aging hippie who loves Christmas
FREE ASSOCIATION: Listen to "Soul Cake" without laughing; SO FAR from his Police days
FOR FANS OF: Michael Buble, Celine Dion, Elton John


CHARTICLES ARE FUN!

30 Second Reviews from 11/17

Mayer Hawthorne
A Strange Arrangement
SOUNDS LIKE: White soul goes for the gusto and nails it with ".. Work Out" but hits bedroom disco for most of the rest
FREE ASSOCIATION: Sometimes it feels like gems from the '50s, then it feels like '70s garbage
FOR FANS OF: Robin Thicke, Tom Jones, Mark Ronson

Pink Martini
Splendor in the Grass
SOUNDS LIKE: The lil' orchestra that could from Portland tones it down for a languid collection of international ballads
FREE ASSOCIATION: These songs could be plucked from the '20s and played at weddings
FOR FANS OF: Franz Schubert, the Jazz Age, Chicago

Asobi Seksu
Rewolf
SOUNDS LIKE: NY dream-pop practitioners deliver an acoustic rendering of songs that shouldn't be acoustically rendered
FREE ASSOCIATION: No matter it's recorded at Olympic Studios, too much of that voice
FOR FANS OF: Deerhoof, brutal Blonde Redhead

Taylor Hollingsworth
Life With a Slow Ear
SOUNDS LIKE: A hired hand for Conor's Mystic Valley Band, the guitarist's solo is a romping Alabama foot-stomper
FREE ASSOCIATION: You can play them strings, but singin' ain't your thing, someone help
FOR FANS OF: Dodos, Dylan, countrified blues

Norah Jones
The Fall
SOUNDS LIKE: She's finally left behind her schmaltzy piano girl act with a decent modern record that isn't a snoozefest
FREE ASSOCIATION: This is a long way from Come Away With Me and that's a good thing
FOR FANS OF: Aimee Mann, Melody Gardot, Diana Krall

Dark Meat
Truce Opium
SOUNDS LIKE: Athens, GA supergroup throws all kinds of horns, tambourines, sounds and psychedelia together
FREE ASSOCIATION: Exploding hearts and minds simultaneously with walls of sound
FOR FANS OF: Deerhunter, Phenomenal Handclap Band, indulgence

Robbie Williams
Reality Killed the Video Star
SOUNDS LIKE: The ego has landed again, and this time there's one catchy single ("Bodies") and a bunch of bollocks
FREE ASSOCIATION: Stick with pop jams, these ballads make you sound like Hedwig
FOR FANS OF: James Blunt, Boyzone, Take That

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Live
SOUNDS LIKE: San Fran-bred friends' fifth release is a greatest hits harvested from some stellar European live sets
FREE ASSOCIATION: A nice introduction to BRMC and a good sign for the future
FOR FANS OF: Yeahs x 3, Brian Jonestown, Velvet Underground


BIG CHARTICLE!

30 Second Reviews from 11/10

Lymbyc Systm
Shutter Release
SOUNDS LIKE: Tempe, AZ bros make beautifully ambient instrumental indie rock with laptops, drums and synths
FREE ASSOCIATION: These boys will surely end up in LA, NY, Philly, Portland or Seattle
FOR FANS OF: Tortoise, Sigur Ros, post-postness

Broadcast and the Focus Group
Investigate Witch Cults of the Radio Age
SOUNDS LIKE: Futuristic spook pop from the UK's Broadcast with loops, effects, and creepiness c/o the Focus Group
FREE ASSOCIATION: Witch Cults, hmm? I'm starting to believe in your findings
FOR FANS OF: The Books on mushrooms, Do Make Say Think

James Husband
A Parallaxi I
SOUNDS LIKE: Lo-fi and spacey indie retro rock from Great Lakes/Of Montreal multi-intsrumentalist and dream
FREE ASSOCIATION: There is something totally rad and drug-related in that Athens, GA water!
FOR FANS OF: Elephant 6 folks, Michael Penn, androgyny

Little Girls
Concepts
SOUNDS LIKE: Dark and lovely Canadian rock outfit showcasing Josh McIntyre's obsession with Joy Division
FREE ASSOCIATION: The whole record has "She's Lost Control" all over it; not a bad thing
FOR FANS OF: Can, Wire, Kurt Vile, Japandroids

Mew
No More Stories... (Plus a thousand more words)
SOUNDS LIKE: Danish art rockers continue to deliver with sprawling, delicate and melodic prog rock
FREE ASSOCIATION: One of those indie bands that could easily slide into arena/butt rock
FOR FANS OF: Mercury Rev, Yes, Rush

Old Canes
Feral Harmonic
SOUNDS LIKE: Kansas' Appleseed Cast frontman's second solo of delightfully unpolished, loud and joyous folk
FREE ASSOCIATION: Does every Saddle Creek record have to sound a little like Bright Eyes?
FOR FANS OF: I'm Wide Awake..., Neutral Milk Hotel

The Swimmers
People Are Soft
SOUNDS LIKE: Acclaimed sophomore LP of mid-tempo funky garage rock from Drexel that does Philly good and proud
FREE ASSOCIATION: Not mind-blowing but a solid, sensuous listen from beginning to end
FOR FANS OF: New Pornographers, The xx, Interpol

Five for Fighting
Slice
SOUNDS LIKE: Piano man-douche from L.A. slicing up full blown soft rock that chronicles blue collar American-ness
FREE ASSOCIATION: Must feel good to have gotten huge on post 9/11 glut of "Superman"
FOR FANS OF: Billy Joel, Elton John, schmucks



BIG SIZE CHARTICLE.

"Hooting and Howling" by the Wild Beasts

Love this band.