The Refused Are Fucking Ruined

At first, I was really disgusted by Crazy Town's pathetic cover of "New Noise", but then I assured myself that it is natural for a really shitty band to want to lick some of the fame off of the balls of a truly tremendous band.

When Refused fans thought it was over The Bloody Beatroots dropped a bombshell of a New Noise remix. Its not so much that the song is poorly done (since The Bloody Beatroots do make some pretty good euro-dance), but the problem is that this is not what the Refused are about. The Shape of Punk To Come is one of those records that seemed to have come together all too perfectly (see also: Clarity). Such an influential record is for lassoing a generation of people into a genre of music that they may have never explored. To plug bits of "New Noise" in between dance beats just seems... wrong. And that is how the track sounds. If anything, this may turn some electroheads onto the Refused.

Post Dial - You Are Not Alone EP

I came across these guys on one of the Take Away Shows. A very promising sounding band from Turkey.

DFA should pick these guys up while they still have the chance, I would love it if James Murphy produces this. You can currently download their EP, "You Are Not Alone" for free from http://www.postdial.net. Sadly though, Does It Make You Feel is not included in the EP. All the more reason to look forward to the LP then.

Scuba - Triangulation

I hate to have to drag Burial into my analysis, but Burial is the artist who turned me on to dubstep, and if it hadn't have been for him, I'm sure that Scuba would have done the same thing. While Untrue drew the listener in through his dreary two-step, painting the best aural picture of sadness and depression, Triangulation creates the vivid connection between the listener and the beats that is emotionally encompassing, and makes me unable to close my mouth and stop the drooling for the duration of this record.

My findings is that dubstep artists are becoming too caught up in what is popular, and while creating an enjoyable number, I find myself rarely returning to the record to hear it over and over. They get caught up in the nuances of overly wonky bass drives without trying to create something novel. Triangulation returns to the roots of dubstep; the matchbox drums, dreary harmony drives, and subtle bass wobbles. Easily one of the best albums of the year, this is an essential listen to those types of dubstep fans who do not even like dubstep, but still like Burial; or a launching pad for those who wish to immerse themselves into this style

listen to Latch
order Triangulation

The Roots - Dear God 2.0

Delayed in October '09, the Root's How I Got Over is due to drop June 22nd is nothing else goes wrong (although "goes wrong" is not the right choice of words since ?uest reworked the entire album in the studio throughout winter). A second single has been released, a re-working on Monsters of Folk's "Dear God". I may have to give the MOF album just one more chance (though like most things, needs more ?uest).

pre-order How I Got Over
listen to Dear God 2.0

The Dead Weather - Sea of Cowards

Another great album drops this year! Back with their second LP, more refined and cleaned than their first release, Sea of Cowards allows Jack White to show off his blues roots, while still dishing out the dirty vocals of The Kills and the hardhitting rock n' roll of The Raconteurs.

listen to Blue Blood Blues
listen to Hustle and Cuss
listen to I Can't Hear You
order Sea of Cowards

Foals - Total Life Forever

It is our natural expectation that with each passing album that a band/group/artist puts out, each album should surpass the other in its quality, musicianship, and production value. As one practices a talent, one should become more skilled at it. Thus conclusion allows us to evaluate each album that a group puts forth in the light of the last one. As the group's abilities grow, so do the listener's expectations, and the most disappointing moment is the realization that a group has peaked, and will never be able to top their peak.

Luckily, such is not the case for the new Foals album. Every band seeks to make the next album deviate from the previous, and to not bore their listeners by recycling old ideas. If the band wishes to deviant beyond their original sound, listeners are free to choose whether or not they agree with the new direction that the band has taken in the space from one album to the next. That is why, with Total Life Forever, one should not compare it in the light of Antidotes due to the new direction in sound that the band had taken. If you have grown all too fond of the pomp and playfulness of Antidotes, the first listen of Total Life Forever will be somewhat offsetting. But if you approach this album knowing that the band has gained experience, you will hear to the maturity of their sound, and bear witness to the testimony of an entirely solid album.

Personally, I viewed the new release as an improvement in their musicianship, and will thus have higher expectations until their next album. The bands who never peak are the ones who will truly be remembered, but the bands who desperately try to survive their fall are the ones who fade away.

listen to Total Life Forever
listen to Spanish Sahara
order Total Life Forever

The Black Keys - Brothers

The promo release of the new Black Keys album dropped earlier this week. Their sound has moved in a more grunge-esque direction, minimalizing the garage-blues sound they had previously possessed, but of course do not possess the after touches that Danger Mouse gave to Attack and Release.

download the promo
pre order Brothers