30 Second Reviews from 9/9

Ladyhawke
Ladyhawke
SOUNDS LIKE: Nicely packaged re-release of the New Zealand chick's popularized pseudo-dance electro emo pop that's boring
FREE ASSOCIATION: Cute drawings, headbands, and album art won't work on me, this is a snooze
FOR FANS OF: Imogen Heap, Tegan & Sara

Castanets
Texas Rose, The Thaw & The Beasts
SOUNDS LIKE: Quiet, gentle and creepy freak folk with breezy little flourishes of country and blues that'll haunt you good and slow
FREE ASSOCIATION: What if a drunk Loretta Lynn stumbled into a Portland open-mic night?
FOR FANS OF: WIll Oldham, Devotchka

The Get Up Kids
something to write home about reissue
SOUNDS LIKE: Kansas City band's big deal '99 re-release that combines elements of timeless powerpop and avoids the pitfalls of ultra-emo crap
FREE ASSOCIATION: They make these whippersnapper long-hairs with their tattoos and celeb GFs look stupid
FOR FANS OF: Lil' Weezer, lil' Jets to Brazil, lil' Superchunk

Throw Me The Statue
Creaturesque
SOUNDS LIKE: Jangly, poppy sophomore effort from a Vassar boy using a computer and guitar to make happy times tunes that are casually spoke/sang
FREE ASSOCIATION: Secretly Canadian was all over this one, he's so indie he had to tour with Jens Lekman
FOR FANS OF: Shins, Say Hi To Your Mom, Sufjan

Os Mutantes
Haih or Amortecedor
SOUNDS LIKE: The kings of Brazilian tropicalia, who debuted in '68, rolled some reunion shows into a record of new material - muy bueno
FREE ASSOCIATION: Moody, rhythmic, spicy and joyous; ultra-authentic Latin flavor
FOR FANS OF: Sweaty tequila nights, hip shaking

Manic Street Preachers
Journal For Plague Lovers
SOUNDS LIKE: Legendary glam-punk rockers of '90s London put missing member's lyrics to music with Nirvana producer at the helm
FREE ASSOCIATION: You say you sold more copies of Generation Terrorists than Appetite for Destruction? Bollocks
FOR FANS OF: In Utero, The Verve, Smashing Pumpkins

Billy Talent
III
SOUNDS LIKE: Repetitive un-interesting powerpop-punk from Canada's third LP whose lead singer's voice is brutal, every song's the same
FREE ASSOCIATION: How the hell did they win a Juno? Oh wait, Nickelback won 12
FOR FANS OF: Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance

Le Loup
Family
SOUNDS LIKE: D.C. indie collective's second LP of wicked soundscapes: slowly built loops, banjo and guitar, chanty and choral vocals
FREE ASSOCIATION: Finally someone's figured out what Animal Collective has been doing right
FOR FANS OF: Fleet Foxes, Panda Bear


An image.