The Best Albums of April 2011

Hey there all!

Well, May is upon us (and with that, the ever-nearing end of school). This month had several great albums come out, so I'll get right to my top 2.

"Take Care, Take Care, Take Care" by Explosions in the  Sky

Well, it's just about impossible to equal "The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place," but this album from Explosions in the Sky comes close to matching their masterpiece. They've expanded their repertoire of musical tools, and the result is a post-rock album that you can easily float away in.

"Wasting Light" by Foo Fighters

This album was recorded on analog (super old school) and it succeeds in doing exactly one thing: rocking. There's a fury to this album that is backed up by the exorcising of some definite demons. The album is their best in a long time. 

I hope you like these albums and let's hope for a great musical month of May!

Until next time,

Andrew

"Victorious" by The Perishers

I'll begin this with a cliché: simplicity is beauty.

No doubt you've all heard it time and time again, but, the phrase is often used more as a general idea than a phrase applied to one specific action or entity.

Apply it to this album.

"Victorious" by The Perishers is a very simple, but very powerful album. It's made up of 13 well-crafted and subtle acoustic/acoustic rock songs. The chord progressions and melodies are simple (I was able to figure out the opening riff on "Midnight Skies" in no time at all--I don't play guitar though, so that's pretty much all I can play, mind you). And yet, in these simple melodies there's a weight, a soothing power.

These melodies are backed up by excellent and very sincere vocals. The songs are about all sorts of topics, from reflection to friendship and from love to feelings of humble triumph. Each and every song is delivered so earnestly that you can't help but ride the ups and downs of the music with the band.

In modern music, there seems to be a trend developing: "how much can you possible fit into one song?" Yes, I'm looking primarily the pop sector, but the idea has infected other realms of music as well. This album, however, takes its time and does nothing fancy. The album is an excellent fresh of breath air.

My three favorite songs on the album are "Midnight Skies," "Victorious," and "Best Friends."

Here's a link to their Myspace.

http://www.myspace.com/theperishers/music

Until next time, enjoy the music!

Andrew

"On Your Side" by A Rocket to the Moon

This, ladies and gentlemen, certainly falls under the umbrella of a guilty pleasure.

"On Your Side," by A Rocket to the Moon, is an album full of sugar-laden hooks and extremely catchy choruses. Most of the songs are variations on love songs, but quite frankly, they're so well done and infectious that it doesn't really bother me.

The songs on this album could be the soundtrack to someone's high school experience. From declaring that you really don't need that girl that you obviously still have feelings for (and you know it) ("Annabelle") to falling in love at first sight ("Dakota"), these songs cover most of the teen relationship bases.

The band can even check off the oft-neglected "my friends hate my girlfriend and she annoys me but I love her anyway" song subject box.

Despite the fact that most pop/alternative albums are of this general ilk, I can't help but prefer this album to many of its kind because the lyrics and song subjects are clever variations on the admittedly common theme. That, and the melodies in these songs are far better than those of comparable bands.

So, if you're in the market for a light 40 minutes of purely catchy music, look no further!

My three favorite songs on the album are "Mr. Right," "Like We Used To," and "Dakota."

Here's a link to their Myspace.

http://www.myspace.com/arockettothemoon/music

Until next time, get your friends to check out the blog and enjoy all the music out there,

Andrew

"Palomino" by Trampled by Turtles

What's not to like about bluegrass? You've got banjos being furiously plucked, vocals being earnestly delivered, and an all-around down home fun musical atmosphere.

Ever since Mumford and Sons hit it big, I've been looking for great bluegrass groups. I love Mumford and Sons, but I wanted even more of that sound. What can I say, I'm a sucker for the banjo.

Then, I stumbled across "Palomino," by Trampled by Turtles. Admittedly, I was initially drawn in by the album's cover. It struck me as an indie-esque album cover (their band name includes turtles but the album cover is of an owl? I must know more!), and I started listening to samples. I was immediately hooked.

Trampled by Turtles is one of the best bluegrass bands I have ever heard. Think Mumford and Sons but faster and more raw. This band can rock the socks off of bluegrass. At the same time, however, the group seems to be just as comfortable slowing things down in ballads that are beautiful in their own way.

The songs on this album are extremely well written, with lead vocalist Dave Simonett singing his heart out about love, loss and frustration. You can't go wrong with this album.

My three favorite songs on the album are "Wait So Long," "Victory," and "Bloodshot Eyes."

Here's a link to the band's Myspace.

http://www.myspace.com/trampledbyturtles/music

Until next time, enjoy all the music out there!

Andrew

"Hand Built By Robots" by Newton Faulkner

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it's starting to get pretty hot down here in southern California. I was enjoying the little cold streak we were having (Redheads aren't equipped well to handle lots of sun, in most cases). Anyway, with the rising heat and the gradually growing desire to have summer vacation instead of school, here's a great summer music album as a bit of a teaser!

"Hand Built By Robots" by Newton Faulker is simple, great acoustic guitar (with some extra bells and whistles every once in a while) with upbeat vocals. Google Faulkner (be sure not to click on the sites about the author, or you'll end up reading some very dry literature), take a look at his hair, and you'll immediately know the feel of this album. It's perfect if you happen to be sitting around a fire on some tropical island with no music to listen to.

Much like the artist he reminds me most of (Tyrone Wells), Faulkner's lyrics are the weakest part of his music. For the most part, they are uplifting and often verge on corny. Sometimes, though, that's exactly what we're in the mood for! So, just enjoy it for what it is: happy, relaxing music.

The best part of the album by far is Faulkner's guitar-work. It's simply ridiculous; I'm not sure I've heard anyone play the acoustic guitar more nimbly and effortlessly than Faulkner does in his music. Every once in a while, Faulkner will add piano or strings to his songs, which give them even more beauty and depth.

There's not much else to say about this music, other than to tell you exactly what you'll be doing when you listen: smiling.

My three favorite songs on the album are "To The Light," "Aging Superhero," and "Lullaby."

Here's a link to his Myspace.

http://www.myspace.com/newtonfaulkner/music

Until next time, enjoy all the music :)

Andrew