Back to the record reviews!
Record reviews! I stream each record online! I listen to each record one time through while I’m working my exciting office job! I write my observations in review form!! I publish online in my blog!!! I use lots of exclamation points!!!!
1 ! – Not enough.
2 !! – Okay, but probably not worth your money.
3 !!! – Better than two but why stop there?
4 !!!! – Party time! All doors will open to you but are you the exclamation pointiest?
5 !!!!! – WHA WHAT??? Awesome!!!!!
The Cars “Move Like This” 1 !. Party like it’s 1986…whatever.
The Cars return with their first record since 1987! Wait let me rephrase that: The Cars return with their worst record since 1987! Okay that’s better. Hey! Don’t look at me like that! What??? Are you a Cars fan??? Actually I’ve always liked some of their songs but I wouldn’t consider myself a fan. They have always had too many clunkers (HA!) on each album. And “Move Like This” definitely has it’s share of clunkers! They still sound like The Cars but where are the hits? I don’t just mean the songs that are going to get tons of radio play but the songs that have me tapping my foot. Where are the songs that leave me humming a melody line? My message to Ric Ocasik, “Take her in to the shop and see what’s wrong because she’s not running at high performance like she used to!” Highlights: None.
Manchester Orchestra “Simple Math” 2.5 !!. Math is never all that simple.
My introduction to Manchester Orchestra was their 2009 release, “Mean Everything To Nothing.” I thought that record was great. It was unique, catchy, and it just plain rocked. “Simple Math” is good but there is something about it that is just not catching me like the previous record. I think maybe it’s too dark for my taste. I like happy rockers in between my quiet depressing songs. But going beyond the fact that it is dark there just are not a lot of moments that pull me inside of this record. Part of the problem could be that I’m listening to it quietly at my desk at work. I’m thinking that this might be one of those records that I need to crank in my headphones or loudly on big speakers at home. I will give this one another chance and hope for more. Highlights: “April Fool” and “Simple Math”.
Fleet Foxes “Helplessness Blues” 2 !!. One song and a bunch of other stuff.
This is the first Fleet Foxes record that I have listened to from beginning to end. This band is hit and miss with me. Take this new record for example. (Uh duh…the new record is what I’m supposed to be talking about!) The song “Helplessness Blues” is great. I mean REALLY great! But in my mind there are no other songs on this record that even get close to reaching that kind of greatness. That has always been one of my biggest pet peeves. When you hear that new single and it’s great. So you buy the record and all the rest of the songs are just filler. Wow I hate that! I’m glad I didn’t have to buy this record to find this out again…but even so it’s disappointing. Highlight: “Helplessness Blues” (DUH!)
Sloan “The Double Cross” 3 !!!. Good. That’s all.
Sloan is a great band. But for some reason I don’t ever feel compelled to buy their new records when they come out. Back in the day when I used to buy a lot of music I bought their first two CDs but then somehow the appeal faded. Later I borrowed a friend’s copy of their 3rd and 4th CDs…they were good but I never went out and bought them. I guess what I’m trying to say is something about this band just is not clicking the “OMG I gotta get everything this band ever does” switch. Good songs. Okay. Moving on. Highlights: “Follow the Leader” and “The Answer Was You”.
Sam Roberts Band “Collider” 3 !!!. I'm getting bored here.
This is another one of those indie bands that I have only heard a couple of songs from in the past. I remember the songs being really good so this should be a really good record…right? I don’t know if I’m expecting too much today but MAN ALIVE I’ve been listening to some mediocre releases from some really good bands. Maybe I should just listen to something that I absolutely know I won’t like. It might turn in to an unbelievably good record! Probably not. Highlights: “Sang Froid” and “The Band Vs. the World”.
PS- I listened to parts of 3 other records and simply decided I should not continue reviewing today. Everything sounds boring and predictable. Nothing is sounding new and bold (or even close to interesting). So I’m chalking it up to my mood and I’ll try another day. Thanks for reading all the way to the end of my whiny reviews! 5 exclamation points for you!!!!!
1 ! – Not enough.
2 !! – Okay, but probably not worth your money.
3 !!! – Better than two but why stop there?
4 !!!! – Party time! All doors will open to you but are you the exclamation pointiest?
5 !!!!! – WHA WHAT??? Awesome!!!!!
The Cars “Move Like This” 1 !. Party like it’s 1986…whatever.
The Cars return with their first record since 1987! Wait let me rephrase that: The Cars return with their worst record since 1987! Okay that’s better. Hey! Don’t look at me like that! What??? Are you a Cars fan??? Actually I’ve always liked some of their songs but I wouldn’t consider myself a fan. They have always had too many clunkers (HA!) on each album. And “Move Like This” definitely has it’s share of clunkers! They still sound like The Cars but where are the hits? I don’t just mean the songs that are going to get tons of radio play but the songs that have me tapping my foot. Where are the songs that leave me humming a melody line? My message to Ric Ocasik, “Take her in to the shop and see what’s wrong because she’s not running at high performance like she used to!” Highlights: None.
Manchester Orchestra “Simple Math” 2.5 !!. Math is never all that simple.
My introduction to Manchester Orchestra was their 2009 release, “Mean Everything To Nothing.” I thought that record was great. It was unique, catchy, and it just plain rocked. “Simple Math” is good but there is something about it that is just not catching me like the previous record. I think maybe it’s too dark for my taste. I like happy rockers in between my quiet depressing songs. But going beyond the fact that it is dark there just are not a lot of moments that pull me inside of this record. Part of the problem could be that I’m listening to it quietly at my desk at work. I’m thinking that this might be one of those records that I need to crank in my headphones or loudly on big speakers at home. I will give this one another chance and hope for more. Highlights: “April Fool” and “Simple Math”.
Fleet Foxes “Helplessness Blues” 2 !!. One song and a bunch of other stuff.
This is the first Fleet Foxes record that I have listened to from beginning to end. This band is hit and miss with me. Take this new record for example. (Uh duh…the new record is what I’m supposed to be talking about!) The song “Helplessness Blues” is great. I mean REALLY great! But in my mind there are no other songs on this record that even get close to reaching that kind of greatness. That has always been one of my biggest pet peeves. When you hear that new single and it’s great. So you buy the record and all the rest of the songs are just filler. Wow I hate that! I’m glad I didn’t have to buy this record to find this out again…but even so it’s disappointing. Highlight: “Helplessness Blues” (DUH!)
Sloan “The Double Cross” 3 !!!. Good. That’s all.
Sloan is a great band. But for some reason I don’t ever feel compelled to buy their new records when they come out. Back in the day when I used to buy a lot of music I bought their first two CDs but then somehow the appeal faded. Later I borrowed a friend’s copy of their 3rd and 4th CDs…they were good but I never went out and bought them. I guess what I’m trying to say is something about this band just is not clicking the “OMG I gotta get everything this band ever does” switch. Good songs. Okay. Moving on. Highlights: “Follow the Leader” and “The Answer Was You”.
Sam Roberts Band “Collider” 3 !!!. I'm getting bored here.
This is another one of those indie bands that I have only heard a couple of songs from in the past. I remember the songs being really good so this should be a really good record…right? I don’t know if I’m expecting too much today but MAN ALIVE I’ve been listening to some mediocre releases from some really good bands. Maybe I should just listen to something that I absolutely know I won’t like. It might turn in to an unbelievably good record! Probably not. Highlights: “Sang Froid” and “The Band Vs. the World”.
PS- I listened to parts of 3 other records and simply decided I should not continue reviewing today. Everything sounds boring and predictable. Nothing is sounding new and bold (or even close to interesting). So I’m chalking it up to my mood and I’ll try another day. Thanks for reading all the way to the end of my whiny reviews! 5 exclamation points for you!!!!!
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