One of my favorite new songs and artists: Perfume Genius' "Mr. Peterson"

SONG OF THE SUMMER BATTLE ROYAL: Crunch Time

No more stalling, girls. In our quest to determine the ultimate Song of the Summer, we’re going to have to start hurting some feelings. Some songs just aren’t winners. And while there are potential contenders who might show up in August, we’ve got a pretty clear picture of who’s got a good grip on the bouquet.

New York Magazine named a Top Six at the end of May before summer even started and the chart monsters are definitely there (Usher, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga) but hopefully none of those duds are actually winners in this race. Is the Summer 2K10 much more than “California Gurls?” Let’s hope.

As we hit the hottest stretch of summer it’s time to shed some baggage. In the most recent installment we put nine pairs together, 18 artists with hits on the summer radar. So let’s make a Top Ten and keep our eye out for late-July and August hopefuls expecting to put up a fight for the title.

HERE SHE COMES (With the Momentum)
1. Adam Lambert – “If I Had You”
Oh, thank you. I knew from the second I saw that ridiculous For Your Entertainment record cover that this album would have one party-time gay smash hit. It was only a matter of time before he worked out the kinks and perfectly planned the drop of a club anthem. With this video, it’s like watching your coming-out-of-the-closet best friend take his shirt off on the dance floor for the first time.



2. Nicki Minaj – “Your Love”
This bitch took out Alicia Keys with the quickness. Her single from the Barbie World mixtape blatantly rips off Annie Lenox but who cares? It’s been on the chart for nine weeks and has already skyrocketed to Top 20 Radio status. We knew she had “spunk” from all her collabs, but maybe going solo is the ticket to her success. She’s struck gold with this one.

3. Eminem featuring Rihanna – “Love the Way You Lie”
It’d be weird for a gay-hater like Em to snatch the title, but you can’t deny the power of this song. While the entirety of Recovery, his newest LP, is a total downer and the previous hit, “Not Afraid,” is all basement-weight-lifter-white-male, this one’s got some serious steam behind it. It’s the No. 1 digital download and No. 2 Hot 100 track at the moment and it came out three weeks ago. DAMN.

IF YOU WANT TO WIN YOU’VE GOT TO GET THE GAYS IN YOUR CORNER
4. Kylie Minogue – “All the Lovers”
It’s much easier to root for Kylie now that we’ve heard the full album, Aphrodite, because it is awesome. This single, while absent on big Billboard charts, is easily topping (tee-hee) lists for gays who inhabit clubs. It’s a pretty simple song but on par with what we’ve come to expect from our goddess: synths, a swelling chorus, a euro-disco flare and the ever-present sex appeal.

5. Ke$ha – “Your Love Is My Drug”
Sweet Jesus, I almost can’t believe I just typed her name with a dollar sign. But, seriously, this song isn’t going anywhere. It’s been on the charts for 22 weeks. This video’s been watched over 11 million times. The late-May release of this one was perfect timing for SOS placement. And even though her voice is kind of awful, the production is spot on—just the right amount of auto-tune and tinny electronica.



6. Robyn – “Fembot”
The buzz around this Swedish blonde is strong. She just killed it at Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival, proving that she’s got game in a number of arenas: the indie world, big crowds, international success and places to dance. Put on Body Talk and try not to smile and move. She’s clever with her slutty lyricism (“Pull up in docking position/Pop the hatch and hit ignition”) but also packs a punch with hypnotizing beats. She might just be the one to watch.

7. Scissor Sisters – “Fire With Fire”
While we wait with bated breath for more singles and videos from the unbelievably fabulous Night Work, for now we work with “Fire.” But, seriously, in the ridiculous “Any Which Way,” Ana Matronic coos that she’s going to find that man “that’s the right shade of bottle tan/A man that smells like cocoa butter and cash.” I gag. Good idea, Miss Thing.

ALSO BLASTING FROM CAR SYSTEMS
8. Big Boi featuring Cutty – “Shutterbugg”
Sir Lucious Left Foot knows what’s up. This is the future. We need our hip-hop to be more than just ’hood. We need soul, we need style and we need to cut a damn rug up. This song’s been populating Saturday nights for a month or two now, and it’s not tiresome. He just turned it out with the Roots on Jimmy Fallon and it was sick. The whole record is a masterpiece kind of like Janelle Monáe’s. These two are the future’s future.

9. Usher featuring Will.i.am – OMG
What can you say? He hit it out of the park with this. You can’t stop it. If a gun was put to my head and I was told to choose a song to listen to on repeat between “California Gurls,” LMFAO’s “Shots” or this one there’d be no question. Usher’s a talented man (remember “U Don’t Have to Call”?) and even though Will.i.am is pretty much the devil incarnate, this is no “I Gotta Feeling.”



10. Kelly Rowland featuring David Guetta – “Commander”
She’s Top-Ten status, no doubt. Especially with her presence last summer, now, with this track she’s vogue-ing mirror-style with herself in tight latex. You’re in!

NEXUS link!

MxDwn.com review of Converge's Axe to Fall

SHARP AS HELL

In Pitchfork’s 8.5-rated review of Converge’s Axe to Fall, Cosmo Lee compares the Boston quartet to pretty much the biggest punk band of our time, Black Flag. He even likens singer Jacob Bannan’s imagery on the covers of Jane Doe and You Fail Me to Black Flag’s bars. So whether they’re intentionally going for it, Converge have done well in achieving influence, acclaim, and success in the hardcore metal market. There’s a reason this album is their most commercially successful effort to date: it bowls people over with their talent.

What seems to be clear is that an artistically impressive hardcore metal record must have more than just balls-to-the-wall thrashers. Converge certainly deliver those in the first four tracks with “Dark Horse,” “Reap What You Sow,” the title track and “Effigy.” But then you get “Worms Will Feed,” an ambient and disturbing slow build with a reverb-heavy feedback intro that you’re just expecting to explode. And it does, with Bannan’s howl, Kurt Ballou’s needling guitar and Ben Koller’s patient drumming. “Worms” ushers in a lovely slower-paced portion of the record with “Losing Battle” picking the pace back up with a blistering, punishing drum part at its core.

Bannan, Ballou, Koller and bassist Nate Newton invited a host of musicians to guest throughout the record. Members of Cave In provide guitar and drums on “Effigy,” Steve Von Till of Neurosis offers lead vocals on “Cruel Bloom,” and Genghis Tron show up for “Wretched World,” the record’s exquisite closer. These are Converge’s contemporaries but this is not a “guests” record, so to speak. In fact, with this collection of songs they’ve shot to the top of the class. Few bands achieve their level of artistry in the metal field, but perhaps sharing the genre’s spotlight with Isis, Mastadon, Dillinger Escape Plan and Deftones would be appropriate.

It’s rare to find a hardcore metal record that induces headbanging and moshing the way that, say, “Dark Horse” would, and also includes a first-rate stoner voyage on “Wretched World.” Axe to Fall is an impressive record with diversity, good pacing, tempo varieties and passionate playing.



MxDwn link!

30 Second Reviews from 7/22

Kylie Minogue
Aphrodite
(EMI Records)
SOUNDS LIKE: At last, a sustainable crop of dancefloor gems from the Aussie whose "All The Lovers" is as good as the record; beat-heavy, ecstatic, simple and joyous
FREE ASSOCIATION: She's no opera singer, but she can make a damn fine pop song
FOR FANS OF: Cher, ABBA, Annie, Olivia Newton-John, vodka

Sting
Symphonicities
(UMG Recordings)
SOUNDS LIKE: The English legend employs New York and London philharmonics to back his songs from Police days to now, and it's not as terrible as it could be
FREE ASSOCIATION: "Roxanne" sucks bad; still better than that horrifying Xmas record
FOR FANS OF: Don Henley, Elton John, Billy Joel, Paul MCCartney

Hanson
Shout It Out
(3CG Records)
SOUNDS LIKE: Oklahoma boys are get older and settle into a soft rock niche; some of these have solid craft and execution, but some are so vanilla, not even vanilla bean
FREE ASSOCIATION: Say what you will, Middle of Nowhere was a sick record in 1997!
FOR FANS OF: One Republic, Five for Fighting, Jonas Brothers

Skinny Friedman
Hundred Dollar Salad EP
(Young Robots)
SOUNDS LIKE: Philly DJ's funky as hell house, dancehall and dubstep collection of three new songs and three remixes from Sammy Bananas and DJ Apt One
FREE ASSOCIATION: Think you don't like house or dance music? Try to hate on this
FOR FANS OF: Hercules and Love Affair, Juan MacLean, UNKLE, disco

Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse
Dark Night of the Soul
(DNOTS/Capitol)
SOUNDS LIKE: Sparkles is mostly Mark Linkous and, obvs, Mr. Mouse is the Gnarls Barkley//Beck producer, and here's a muddle super-guest star record
FREE ASSOCIATION: James Mercer! Iggy Pop! Julian Casablancas! David Lynch! Enough.
FOR FANS OF: Traffic, messy bedrooms, banana splits, super sizing

Sia
We Are Born
(Monkey Puzzle/JIVE)
SOUNDS LIKE: The Aussie/UK songwriter leaves behind the nap-inducing jazzy vocals of the past and gives a big ole' bear hug to dance-friendly diva anthems
FREE ASSOCIATION: These are some stunning, funky times ten dance tracks, damn!
FOR FANS OF: Zero 7, Beth Ditto, Beth Orton, Nelly Furtado, reinventions

MIA
/\/\/\Y/\
(N.E.E.T. Recordings/XL)
SOUNDS LIKE: Her third sure is full of wolrdly bleeps, noises, scratchy rhythms and beats but most disturbing is that we realize that she can't really sing or rap well
FREE ASSOCIATION: Hype and production's only gonna get you so far, sister
FOR FANS OF: Peaches, Lady Sovereign, Amanda Blank, truffle fries

Big Boi
Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
(Def Jam)
SOUNDS LIKE: "Shutterbugg" is just the tip of the Escalade, this is a dense, funky album of potent hip hop with excellent guest spots from Janelle Monae and T.I.
FREE ASSOCIATION: Speakerboxxx was gonna be tough to live up to but he KILLS it!
FOR FANS OF: Curtis Mayfield meets Cee-Lo, Goodie Mob, crunkness



LIVE LINK.

30 Second Reviews from 7/15

RJD2
Inversions Of The Colossus
(RJ's Electrical Connections)
SOUNDS LIKE: Another one from our local disc-spinning hero, some re-worked versions of his January release but some new, beat perfect jams here, too
FREE ASSOCIATION: There's nobody that harkens back to DJ Shadow quite like him
FOR FANS OF: Boom Bip, El-P, Danger Mouse, Daedelus, Diplo

The Gaslight Anthem
American Slang
(Side One Dummy)
SOUNDS LIKE: New Brunswick, NJ quartet of punk revivalists who have clearly adored Bruce their whole lives but have their own pleasant spin on heartland rock
FREE ASSOCIATION: So Jersey isn't your favorite, but you can't deny their rockness
FOR FANS OF: Calm Pearl Jam, The Hold Steady, Ted Leo, raspy vocals

Konono No 1
Assume Crash Position
(Crammed Discs)
SOUNDS LIKE: Congo's supreme street band, they use junk to make instruments and amplifiers that churn out rhythmic, modern-influenced joyful dance music
FREE ASSOCIATION: You'll have no idea what they're saying but it doesn't matter - dance!
FOR FANS OF: Fela Kuti, The Very Best, BLK JKS, happy times

Pan Sonic
Gravitoni
(Blast First Petite)
SOUNDS LIKE: Whacked out Finnish noise minimalists who've made instruments out of power tools creating compositions of tripped out beat-heavy electro
FREE ASSOCIATION: There's something wrong with this disc it's all glitchy and fuzzy
FOR FANS OF: Bjork, Autchre, Johann Johannsson, Matmos, challenges

Carissa's Wierd
They'll Only Miss You When You Leave: Songs 1996-2003
(Hardly Art)
SOUNDS LIKE: Seatlle's chamber rock collective, birthplace of Band of Horses, issues a retrospective that's full of strings, piano, ambience and beauty
FREE ASSOCIATION: A reunion isn't necessary with this lovely collection of tunes
FOR FANS OF: Grand Archives, Death Cab, Modest Mouse

Chatham County Line
Wildwood
(Yep Roc)
SOUNDS LIKE: Rootsy Americana from a North Carolina foursome, their fourth LP with Yep Roc, is a beautifully picked and sang piece of countrified folk
FREE ASSOCIATION: If bluegrass is ever gonna do it for you this might be just the thing
FOR FANS OF: Uncle Tupelo, Del McCoury, Steve Earle, pedal steels

Jackie Greene
Till The Light Comes
(429 Records)
SOUNDS LIKE: California boy's been at it for almost a decade now, on his sixth he goes a pit poppier, a much more hook and melody-friendly version of his alt-rock
FREE ASSOCIATION: These are perfectly crafted tales that sound rich and complex
FOR FANS OF: Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Billy Bragg, Joe Pug, the Boss

Seu Jorge and Almaz
Seu Jorge and Almaz
(Now-Again)
SOUNDS LIKE: Brazil's resident musical genius gets a band, fills out his sound with a tight rhythm section, a casual electric guitar and his remarkable voice over the top
FREE ASSOCIATION: Life Aquatic was the tip of the iceberg, this man's a force of nature!
FOR FANS OF: City of God, tropicalia, maracas, Stevie Wonder meets Bowie



LINK!

30 Second Reviews from 7/8

Scissor Sisters
Night Work
(Downtown Records)
SOUNDS LIKE: Disco pop thrives with NY's troupe of gender-bending queers under the guidance of Stuart Price (Madonna, Kylie, Killers) on this synth-friendly opus
FREE ASSOCIATION: Their debut was genius, Ta-Dah! was a bore, this one's wicked good!
FOR FANS OF: Bee Gees, Blondie, Mika, Duran Duran, disco balls

Maps & Atlases
Perch Patchwork
(Barsuk)
SOUNDS LIKE: Sometimes angular and punchy, others rhythmic and ecstatic, Chicago-bred math rockers' debut is an occasionally wonky but solid LP
FREE ASSOCIATION: Oh snap, they usin' a flute! Doesn't make them J Tull but still, props
FOR FANS OF: Menomena, Shapes and Sizes, Man Man, finds

Samantha Crain
You (Understood)
(Ramseur Records)
SOUNDS LIKE: The Oklahoman dynamo has a voice that barrels you over with thoughtful, mysteriously dark lyricism and a talented backing band to boot
FREE ASSOCIATION: Maybe its her Choctaw origin, but this girl's got soul and it shows
FOR FANS OF: Regina Spektor x Joanna Newsom, Gillian Welch

Best Coast
Crazy For You
(Mexican Summer)
SOUNDS LIKE: Bethany Cosentino took her time, picked a good band, and now finally a stellar batch of fleshed out surf rock, girl pop indie rock with grit and punch
FREE ASSOCIATION: When will this beachy retro girl pop wave start to feel tired? Not yet!
FOR FANS OF: Beach House meets Vivian Girls, Jenny Lewis with Real Estate

Neu!
Neu! '86/Vinyl Box
(Gronland Records)
SOUNDS LIKE: Krautrock legends and Kraftwerkers, Michael Rother and Klaus Dinger, made a huge volume of inspiring, stripped down proto-electro grooves
FREE ASSOCIATION: Here they release a previously unheard record and box up the past
FOR FANS OF: Can, Bowie, Tortoise, Velvet Underground, !!!, Yaz

Miss TK and the Revenge
The Ocean Likes to Party Too
(Ernest Jenning Record Co.)
SOUNDS LIKE: Asbury Park dance pop masters shock with their simplistic grooves and funktastic rhythms and bass while Miss TK coos and groans the party started
FREE ASSOCIATION: Miss TK could easily do what MIA does if she were Sri Lankan
FOR FANS OF: Peaches, The Sounds, Le Tigre, Human League

The Melvins
The Bride Screamed Murder
(Ipecac Recordings)
SOUNDS LIKE: One of the weirdest bands around bundle a march, sludgy metal, a 7-minute Who cover ("My Generation") and punk/noise into one on their 20th LP
FREE ASSOCIATION: Fans will eat it up; at least it's not a bunch of covers and remixes
FOR FANS OF: Black Flag, Sonic Youth, Boris, Soundgarden

Wolf Parade
Expo '86
(Sub Pop)
SOUNDS LIKE: The Quebecois rockers have made a brooding, moody gem of guitar and drum rock, perhaps not as catchy or digestible as we're used to but it'll do
FREE ASSOCIATION: It pays to have some big deal friends (Arcade Fire and Isaac Brock)
FOR FANS OF: Modest Mouse, Built to Spill, Frog Eyes, Canada rock



A real link.

LUSH LIFE - A Douchebag Bar Crawl

In Search of the Douchebag: A crawl up Third Street, from Oregon to Girard.

The premise was simple enough: A crawl of the Third Street corridor’s bars, from Oregon to Girard, to investigate the nearly three-mile stretch with the reputation of having the highest douchebag-bar concentration in the city. But what exactly constitutes a douchebag bar, you ask? It’s broad, but I compiled a ranking system by asking that question of various people I met along my journey. The most common responses involved similarity of patrons to one another, fights, fashion cliches and open mistrust or mistreatment of the Other (whether gay, female, of color, skinny, fat, etc.). I found my definition challenged at each destination, which I lined up bottom-to-top.

(Note: If you haven’t ever tried to bike or drive around Pennsport, around Snyder, Third becomes Second, Second becomes Third and Moyamensing screws everything up. If an address is on Second St., just take our word for it.)

Nickels Tavern (2655 S. Second St.) was just about empty. A delightful Two Street native named Nicole bartended with a solid tan and a heartwarming accent. Fights-wise, every second Saturday she serves beer to men just out of extreme wrestling bouts at the Arena who are sometimes held together with stitches and bloody bandages, but that’s only once a month. Anyway, in Nicole’s experience, guys who’ve been fighting all night just want another beer, not another brawl, much less to fight in the amateur sense. Nicole’s instinct when pressed to name the Douchiest Philly Bar was Fatso Foggerty’s (2655 S. 18th St.), a bar that in her experience is full of junkies, addicts and dickheads. RANKING: 6

Off to Raw Dawgs Saloon (1700 S. Second St.) at Morris St., on the border of Pennsport and Queens Village. Demerits for the vaguely Irish theme, the (sparse) presence of loudmouth South Philly guys and the incredibly loud jukebox. A regular named Jimmy was playing Springsteen, which was a slight relief from Eminem, but even the Boss gets grating when you can’t hear yourself think. Thankfully, nice bartender Scott turned down the jukebox to talk to me, giving me one of my best definitions of the night: “What do you mean by douchebags? Like, five guys who look all alike?” RANKING: 5

Makos (301 South St.) was where the night took off, as I started getting to bars that had more people than I could count on my fingers. I parked my bike in front of O’Neals (611 S. Third St.), and the bouncer, Dan, confirmed that Jon’s Bar & Grille (606 S. Third St.) was more upscale, but that I was about to hit the douchebag jackpot at Makos. But, I soon realized, Dan must have been operating off yet another definition of the word. Makos was more populated with South Street-type freaks and weirdos. While Rammstein and Rob Zombie blared and strobes flashed, no one seemed douchey so much as frightening and dangerous. RANKING: 4

National Mechanics (22 S. Third St.) isn’t so bad on its own, despite its Old City location. Some sweet girls took me under their wing and had a wealth of expertise to offer. Lianna, Allie, Sarah and Jenn offered some traits from the perspective of female bargoers as to what constitutes a douchebag: “Guys who think they are the shit when they’re not,” “Screaming in a bar” and “Acting like you’re in a frat when you’re 29.” With the aid of their trained female eyes, I counted five d-bags (from afar) here, one confirmed by Jenn, “He’s talking to girls and looking around.” Damning! RANKING: 2

McFaddens (459 N. Third St.), in that weird pocket between Spring Garden and the expressway that’s dead aside from a few Walmart-sized bars, was a mystifying experience. With a $5 cover and $4.50 Lager drafts served in a plastic cup, apparently the patrons here have money to blow. It was here that music began to play a significant part in my ranking criteria. Think “Cherry Pie,” “Get Low” and then “Cotton-Eyed Joe” to get the party started. One dude went over to a tall woman of color in heels, danced up on her for a few seconds, then came back to his friends and collected his high fives. “I did it!” Ugh, I was out of there, $5 cover or not. RANKING: 1

North Third (801 N. Third St.) is tricky. This Northern Liberties bar had few popped collars and the “Cotton-Eyed Joe” count was at zero (thank god), but bartender Scott’s words echoed in my mind. “Like, five guys who look all alike?” Is a crew of loud dudes with identical wash jeans and black button-downs really that different from a crew of loud dudes with the same plaids, knit hats and whimsical facial hair? Or there’s always bad manners, the staff reminded me. “Getting called ‘sweetie’ or ‘hon,’ snapping at an empty glass, ordering things that aren’t on the menu, sitting at a dirty table” are all behaviors they’d classify as douchebaggery. RANKING: 3

Conclusion: McFaddens is clearly the Douchiest Bar on Third Street! I’m not going to lie, “Cotton-Eyed Joe” had a lot to do with my ruling.

REAL LINK.

Most Anticipated Record Releases (of the Summer) for PW

It’s tempting to be unenthusiastic about record releases these days. With leaks, digital downloads and continuously pushed-back street dates, the release date isn’t exactly exciting any more, and doesn’t send folks running to the record store like it used to. But that’s all a bunch of stinkin’ thinkin’. There are some solid and exciting releases to expect this summer and we’ve broken them down for you by genre to mark your calendar and budget your downloads.

POP: While Robyn’s Body Talk Pt. 1 has already (technically) hit the shelves, there’s just too much excitement around her little EP cycle to not mention it. Parts 2 and 3 will be released at the end of summer and in the fall, but in the meantime we have the singles “Fembot,” “Don’t Fucking Tell Me What To Do” and the Diplo-produced “Dancehall Queen” to settle into this summer. They’re simple, catchy and make you want to dance like a damn fool. Kylie Minogue, the Queen of the Gays, gives us a much-anticipated, full-length Aphrodite, on July 5, and has released the single “All The Lovers” to get us salivating in the meantime. The video’s pretty druel-inducing, too. Finally, with the ridonculous video to “Acapella,” Kelis has caused a bit of a stir and excitement surrounding her new album Flesh Tone, also out on July 6. Until then, we advise using Adam Lambert’s “Whataya Want From Me” to scratch that pop itch until those three divas give it to us good.

ELECTRO & ROCK: This is where most of the summer’s heavy hitters are dropping bombs, starting with controversy-monger M.I.A., who’ll be giving us an unpronouncable, but highly anticipated record on July 13. The un-typable typographic representation of Maya’s name has made waves with the redhead killing mini-film for “Born Free.” However, “XXXO,” the first official single off the album, is a Diplo track that gives us a taste for what we’ve come to know and love from the Sri Lankan mess. Controversy aside, Kele Okereke, the former frontman for Bloc Party, has taken his newly out-of-the-closet status and run with it on a much dancier, club-friendly electro record called The Boxer (even the title’s kinda gay!), out next week (6/21). The Boxer’s first single, “Tenderoni,” is promising to say the least. Plus he’s working with Spank Rock’s XXXChange, so we can we get a “Hell yes”? Other electro/rock releases getting us giddy this summer include Panda Bear’s Tomboy (7/13), Acrade Fire’s The Suburbs (8/3) and Menomena’s Mines (7/27). Someone get the ice wooder!

HIP-HOP: Finally, we’ve got our hip-hop sluggers. Big Boi’s given us some of the most remarkable hip-hop of the past decade and a half with Outkast, and now his solo record looks to be all that and more. Sir Lucious Left Foot hits the streets July 6. “Shutterbugg” is the outstandingly funky single and accordingly sick video and tantalizing feature guests abound: Janelle Monae, Gucci Mane and George Clinton to name a few. Not to mention the Andre 3000 produced track, “You Ain’t No DJ.” Finally, Eminem’s surprisingly happy-go-lucky LP Recovery, drops next week. Enjoy your summer!

PW LINK.

30 Second Reviews from 6/30

Robyn
Body Talk Pt. 1
(Interscope)
SOUNDS LIKE: Swedish electro Queen drops an eight-song mini-LP that is jam packed with badass disco beats, growly clever lyrics and magical hooks
FREE ASSOCIATION: People, wake up! Robyn is the unknown diva you need to hear
FOR FANS OF: ABBA, Blondie, Kyie, Annie, Goldfrapp, dancefloor ecstasy

Stars
The Five Ghosts
(Vagrant)
SOUNDS LIKE: The Toronto indie darlings have been downhill since Set Yourself on Fire, and while Amy Milan kills her vocals, it starts to sound all alike
FREE ASSOCIATION: OK, got it - heartbreak and devastation, barbs and regrets, repeat
FOR FANS OF: Smiths, Broken Social Scene, Metric, journaling

The Roots
How I Got Over
(Def Jam)
SOUNDS LIKE: Hometown pioneers of thoughtful, instrumentally-inspired hip hop turn it out with a collection of funky, jazzy grooves under Black Thought's deft spits
FREE ASSOCIATION: No "Seed 2.0" detectable; much prefer another Things Fall Apart
FOR FANS OF: Gang Starr, Fugees, Mos Def, J-5, Digable Planets

Andy Bell
Non-Stop
(Mute)
SOUNDS LIKE: Erasure alum's flawless falsetto drifts over disco-spiked trance beats and tasty Friday night synth rhythms for a really fun electro record
FREE ASSOCIATION: Perry Farrell wrote "Honey If You Love Him (That's All That Matters)"!
FOR FANS OF: Depeche Mode, New Order, Pet Shop Boys

Devo
Something For Everybody
(Warner Brothers)
SOUNDS LIKE: Ohio masters of new wave really do offer something for everyone on this shocking piece of awesomeness; old fans, new fans, strangers and experts
FREE ASSOCIATION: Bird and the Bee and Santigold production? Well done, Devo!
FOR FANS OF: Roxy Music, Sparks, Kraftwerk, Can, tenacity

Rooney
Eureka
(Rooney Records)
SOUNDS LIKE: L.A. pretty boys' third LP is a strange mix of retro guitar rock, pop radio and sunny surf radio but it seems clear that these guys are actors/musicians
FREE ASSOCIATION: They've got that teenage girl demo on lock; and they got money!
FOR FANS OF: Steely Dan meets Spoon, ELO, Weezer

Various
A Cure for The Broken-Hearted
(Edible Onion)
SOUNDS LIKE: Eerie, moody and slightly dark collection of folksy, bluesy rock put together by West Philly's Darian Scatton is a perfect dark rainy night companion
FREE ASSOCIATION: Each track's got different instruments and arrangements; well done
FOR FANS OF: Snowcaps, Br'er, Motorcyle Maus, Brian Reichert

Kele
The Boxer
(Glassnote)
SOUNDS LIKE: Bloc Party's front man goes solo with a much more club-flavored, electronic record produced by Spank Rock's XXXChange and it's a keeper
FREE ASSOCIATION: He's achieved stellar Euro disco realness, especially with "Rise"
FOR FANS OF: Thom Yorke x Chemical Brothers, London circuit parties



LINKY LINKY.

30 Second Reviews from 6/23

Christina Aguilera
Bionic
(RCA)
SOUNDS LIKE: The dirty diva returns triumphantly with a long jump into the future embracing futuristic electro pop with hiccupy dance tracks and killer beats
FREE ASSOCIATION: "Woohoo" with Nicki Minaj is about to blow; GaGa can eat it
FOR FANS OF: Santigold, Beyonce, MIA, slutty choreographed dancing

The Chemical Brothers
Further
(Virgin/Astralwerks)
SOUNDS LIKE: A psychedelic and propulsive synth journey that lasts a little too long and transports you to a dancefloor crowded with pacifiers and glow sticks
FREE ASSOCIATION: Remember "Block Rockin' Beats"? Man, that was a good song
FOR FANS OF: Digitalism, Dust Brothers, drawn-out repetition

Foals
Total Life Forever
(Sub Pop)
SOUNDS LIKE: Oxford, UK rockers kick it out on their second LP with rich, rhythmic songs full of soaring vocals, catchy choruses and beautiful arrangements
FREE ASSOCIATION: Magically post-everything and deliciously retro (INXS) at the same time
FOR FANS OF: Fleet Foxes x Interpol, happy Joy Division

Hot Hot Heat
Future Breeds
(Dangerbird)
SOUNDS LIKE: Victoria, BC whine-rockers' first on a new label and their first self-produced effort is supposed to be their best since 2002, which doesn't say a lot
FREE ASSOCIATION: Elevator ('05) was pretty good, but Bays' voice is just too annoying here
FOR FANS OF: Pop punk Spoon, The Faint, crappy Walkmen

Lamb of God
Hourglass Vol. III The Vault
(Epic)
SOUNDS LIKE: The Richmond, VA metal kings put together a retrospective from their past collecting their most virulent, screaming death sludge on one disc
FREE ASSOCIATION: The $999 Super Deluxe set includes a coffin guitar case and a sticker!
FOR FANS OF: Mastadon, As I Lay Dying, Slayer, Pantera

Clay Aiken
Tried and True
(Decca)
SOUNDS LIKE: The American Idol runner-up takes on classics like "Unchained Melody" and "Mack the Knife" and performs them all over daytime network TV
FREE ASSOCIATION: Watching your face and eyes contort is like staring at the sun
FOR FANS OF: Susan Lucci, the Buffalo Bills, Nader

Drake
Thank Me Later
(Cash Money)
SOUNDS LIKE: The DeGrassi alum's much-anticipated is a super-produced monster (Swizz Beats, Kanye, Timbaland) of hip hop; computery and voice-effected
FREE ASSOCIATION: Big name guests does not equal a good hip hop record
FOR FANS OF: Jeazy, Lil' Wayne, Jay-Z, Kanye, Alicia Keys

Ozzy Osbourne
Scream
(Epic)
SOUNDS LIKE: The Oz-man cometh indeed, at 61, he kills it here - there's no doubt he hobbles into the studio, but this is as solid as Blizzard of Ozz thirty years ago
FREE ASSOCIATION: With so much garbage metal out there, Ozzy shows us how it can be rad
FOR FANS OF: Sabbath, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains



OTR PW LNK.

30 Second Reviews from 6/16

Janelle Monae
The ArchAndroid
(Bad Boy)
SOUNDS LIKE: Stylistic hybrid of funk, soul, R&B, and hip hop from a futuristic new diva for the 21st Century whose take on pop music is refreshing and new
FREE ASSOCIATION: Solid production, ambitious variety and infectious hooks
FOR FANS OF: Ms. Badu, Estelle, Jill Scott, Santigold, VV Brown

Blitzen Trapper
Destroyer of the Void
(Sub Pop)
SOUNDS LIKE: Laid back countrified indie rock from Portland on their second Sub Pop but fifth LP, it's a breezy, ambient spin on Americana for dusk
FREE ASSOCIATION: The title track is an impressive sprawling proggy gem of weirdo folk
FOR FANS OF: Neil Young, ELO, Beach Boys, Gram Parsons

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti
Before Today
(4AD)
SOUNDS LIKE: The weirdo/creative genius is a production maverick and DIY hero, but he uses his power for retro, trip rock and not for groundbreaking futurism
FREE ASSOCIATION: Tempo changes, peculiar vocals and the occasional deep groove
FOR FANS OF: Bowie, Eno, Hall & Oates x Zappa

Sleigh Bells
Treats
(Mom & Pop Music)
SOUNDS LIKE: Electrified mixed bag of punk, crunchy synths, beats, grungy dance music and pop ditties that has everyone jerking off to their indie appeal
FREE ASSOCIATION: "Tell Em'" is tired, the rest of the album's chiller and not nearly as shitty
FOR FANS OF: Go! Team, Bat for Lashes, M.I.A., popularity

Tobacco
Maniac Meat
(Anticon)
SOUNDS LIKE: The Black Mother Super Rainbow solo project is a psychedelic, tweak-treatment of electro synths and beats with distorted vocals and reality
FREE ASSOCIATION: Beck shows up for three unremarkable minutes; otherwise rad!
FOR FANS OF: Justice, Xiu Xiu, Broadcast, Ladytron

Toni Braxton
Pulse
(Atlantic Records)
SOUNDS LIKE: The R&B diva returns to the fore with a major label after five years with a collection of ballads, bangers and breakups in her sultry voice
FREE ASSOCIATION: Remember 2000's The Heat and "He Wasn't Man Enough"? Straight FIRE!
FOR FANS OF: Whitney, Chaka, Luther, Babyface, Brandy, Monica

Jack Johnson
To The Sea
(Universal Republic)
SOUNDS LIKE: The soft rocker's bazillionth record in ten years isn't so bad because he lets his band play a little louder; as always, sun-drenched folksy surfer rock
FREE ASSOCIATION: Doesn't it feel like you're funding his stoner beach lifestyle?
FOR FANS OF: Dave Matthews, G Love, John Mayer, Jimmy Buffet

Deftones
Diamond Eyes
(Reprise)
SOUNDS LIKE: Sacramento prog metalheads' first in four years is a cathartic scream-out after their bassist emerged from a coma; less melody and more brute force
FREE ASSOCIATION: It feels like a dying genre, but these guys keep breathing life into it
FOR FANS OF: Tool X Smiths, Faith No More, Nirvana x Metallica



PW LINK.

30 Second Reviews from 6/9

Madlib
Medicine Show #5: The History of the Loop Digga
(Madlib Medicine Show)
SOUNDS LIKE: A throwback collection of '90s beats, trip hop and found sounds with Dolemite pimp comedy snippets and Crate Diggas Palace gems
FREE ASSOCIATION: If it's true that "Grass increases creativity," he's consuming lots of it
FOR FANS OF: Madvillain, Flying Lotus, Danger Mouse, blunts

Born Ruffians
Say It
(Warp)
SOUNDS LIKE: Toronto trio's second LP is a bouncy and playful rock record full of Luke LaLonde's yelpy vocals, simplistic but pungent drums and herky jerky guitars
FREE ASSOCIATION: Ef Pitchfork, they don't know what they're talking about on this one
FOR FANS OF: Pixies, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Canadian rock

Free Energy
Stuck On Nothing
(Astralwerks/DFA)
SOUNDS LIKE: Minneapolis-come-Philly boys make delightful pop-friendly retro-inspired sunny guitar rock equally appropriate for arenas and car radios
FREE ASSOCIATION: Soundtracking Good Times Summer 2010 loud and clear!
FOR FANS OF: T Rex, Thin Lizzy, non-depressing Pavement, joy

Le Pop 5
Les Chansons De La Nouvelle Scene Francaise
(Groove Attack)
SOUNDS LIKE: Current frenchies making hushed, whispered and ambient pop tunes; mostly soft folksy rock songs here with a few precious little ditties
FREE ASSOCIATION: Get some red wine, some stinky cheese and put this on to be transported
FOR FANS OF: Serge Gainsbourg, Yelle, Uffie, CocoRosie, baguettes

Tokyo Police Club
Champ
(Mom and Pop Music)
SOUNDS LIKE: Shimmery sophomore LP from the Canucks tries to wow you with production, complexity and catchy hooks undern the Julian Casablancsy vocal
FREE ASSOCIATION: Not to be confused with the horrifyingly shitty Tokio Hotel
FOR FANS OF: The Strokes, Death Cab x Modest Mouse

Karen Elson
The Ghost Who Walks
(XL Recordings/Third Man)
SOUNDS LIKE: The UK supdermodel is more than just a pretty face in this hauntingly sparse debut of variety including folk, pop, country, folk and murder ballads
FREE ASSOCIATION: Jack White is her husband and it's probably awesome because of him
FOR FANS OF: ScarJo, Zooey Deschanel, Jenny Lewis, gingers

Chali 2na
Fish Market Part 2
(Decon Records)
SOUNDS LIKE: The Jurassic 5 baritone's stepped it up with another collection of dopeness - lyrics, guests, beats, samples, skits, styles, all real fresh!
FREE ASSOCIATION: Whoa, Quality Control was ten years ago?! Classy, smart emceeing
FOR FANS OF: Ozomatli, GIft of Gab, Roots crew, black thought

Suckers
Wild Smile
(Frenchkiss Records)
SOUNDS LIKE: LP debut from the fuzzy Brooklyn rockers jumping on that afro/animalistic tribalism bandwagon and riding it all the way to the buzzworthy bank
FREE ASSOCIATION: We'll ride along if we get road sodas and the wagon goes to the beach
FOR FANS OF: Yeasayer, Animal Collective, Le Loup, Bowie



LIVE PW LINK.