Boys Like Girls - Self-Titled Album

I'm usually not susceptible to in-store marketing gimmicks with the exception of free shows, but a few weeks ago I had a breakdown in the SF Best Buy. I was there to buy the Britney Spears album for the company gift exchange (I had to buy a present with the initials BS), when I was thinking I needed new music. The little red sticker on the Boys Like Girls album saying that they were a SPIN artist of the year caught my eye and I took them home with me.

They are the All-American Rejects music with the vocals from The Used softened. On some tracks it works (like the hit "The Great Escape"), and on others it's less successful, see above. This may be the shortest review ever, but after playing the album in my car for about a week, I still couldn't tell the songs apart. There's a real lack of breadth in their sound, but it remains catchy.

As a side note, if you pause the video at 0:01, you can see a guitarist/bassist on the left in a really awesome T-shirt of a bridge. I happen to own that shirt as well, but it was so Urban Outfitters three seasons ago.

Final Note
HATE

Cobra Starship - The City is at War

HOTNESS ALERT!!! Cobra Starship has steadily been gaining popularity to my dismay. I recently tried to get tickets to their upcoming show at one of my favorite venues only to find they were sold out and tickets on e-Bay started at $50. This is more than a month in advance of the show and they're not that big....yet. It reminds me of The Killers, but I got my tickets for that 3 months in advance.

But with such danceable beats in their pop-punk, it's no wonder. And what Cobra Starship does best is add camp to the genre that felt it was so rebellious. Lyrics like "designer drugs and designer friends" with a video that substitutes pies for bullets and narcotics really adds a classic touch of happiness.

Cobra Starship, as the name might not imply, is sort of an All Star band. All Star in that each of the members has a full-time gig in another band. The lead singer is from Midtown, and Maja from The Sounds is involved and a few others. Their music, however, is not All Star quality. But as the name implies once again, this is about fun, not art, unless art is social commentary, and then it's still not.

But what have you, it's hot right now. So get on it.

Final Note
LOVE

Flo Rida - Low

If there was ever a song since "Drop It Like It's Hot" that made me want to pop my booty, this is it. I just want to pop-pop till I can't stop.

The song starts with a rather grandiose intro as though we're getting a gangster anthem, but then it breaks into a club beat. And that's when you hear about the Apple Bottoms, boots with the fur, sweatpants, and Reeboks with the straps.

The versus aren't very special. They kind of morph into the back like so many hip hop songs. I'm sure the lyrics rhyme, or something. But then the chorus comes back. I've so far made this my 2008 New Years Eve anthem and driven one of my roommates crazy and then to fall in love with the song.

I best be gettin' me to my local urban-apparel retailer for my ABs, know what I mean?

Final Note
LOVE

Britney Spears Blackout

I sort of dropped the ball on Britney's big release a week or so ago. It may be late, but I feel it's still worth comment. The media has been abuzz saying it's a surprisingly good album without all of Britney's drama. Word on the street also has it that Spears is refusing to do any promotion for the album. It will be an interesting case: can a well known artist sell a decent album without working?

Gimme More is the obvious best track, but the album has enough to sink one's teeth into. Piece of Me has follow up single status and has biting lyrics more Pink than bubble gum. The chicken sound actually fits in and gives the song a sound that could provide future sampling opportunities as it is so unique. Radar also deserves some play alongside Cold as Fire.

The rest of the album isn't filler, but it's not stand alone either. The last two tracks slow the album to a crawl, which clearly disrupts the more dance-genre sound Britney moved toward.

Final Note
LOVE

Let Me In

Hot Hot Heat is back with more suck for us to choke on. Their latest single Let Me In comes off a new album that I was hoping would be more akin to their first album Make Up the Breakdown than their sophomore release Elevator.

The Hot Hot Heat situation is a good example of why fans are so against "going mainstream". It's not really about the band becoming well known, selling out, or not signing a billion things after concerts. It's about changing your sound in a way that eliminates uniqueness. Make Up the Breakdown was unique, if not perfect. It was early new new wave, before new new wave was in vogue again, pre-Killers. Elevator was the great leap to mainstream that sounded nothing like the previous album and made up HHH's own let down.

The latest release was a place to reach back or stay the course, and we've seen what they chose. Let Me In is completely indistinct. It sounds like a bunch of noise, I can barely understand the vocals. The music is bland and constant--no highs or lows, no emotion. What happened to the wood block, the funky beats, and the lack of production?

Final Note
HATE

Under the Blacklight

Rilo Kiley is back in action and I'm super excited about it. The latest issue is not much of an improvement on More Adventurous, but more of the same lesser quality tracks.

As evidenced in Close Call, the group has the uncanny ability to vocalize almost any topic without imposing judgment. The fist single and attempt to break mainstream, The Moneymaker, is my least favorite track because it leaves all folk sensibility aside in favor of blase climactic moments. A better choice would have been Breakin' Up, a happy medium with minor electro pop sounds, actual climactic activity, and a hook while staying true to Rilo Kiley's sound. If it weren't to have competed with Umbrella, it could have been a summer hit about self-reflection/actualization a la Suddenly I See:

Oh! It! Feels good to be free!

The best part about Rilo Kiley albums though is the variety in tracks and the unexpected stories that are told. In 15, we hear an ironically playful story about a guy who has sex with too young of girl, which calls Sublime's Wrong Way to mind for musical as well as topical reasons. Then you spin into Smoke Detector, which finds a million puns for smoking. Close out with the encouraging Give a Little Love and go on with your fabulous day.

Final Note
LOVE

Gimme More Video

Britney Spears's video for Gimme More is building a lot of buzz, not only because it's Britney, bitch, but also because America has been following the drama of her "everyday" life. Despite the devastating VMA performance and mounds of awful publicity, Gimme More is a triumph of pop music even if Britney isn't. It's hot right now, yo.

I'm going to insert a mea culpa in here. I originally said that I did not like the song, but oh how it has grown on me. I turn it up everytime I hear the first beats.

With it's recent debut on TRL and a host of other places, like iTunes, it seemed fitting to review the video. We see Britney in her usual environment as of late--a club. We see her drinking with friends and watching a pole dancer, who turns out to be Britney too! Is this art imitating life?

Let's talk about the dancing. It's no VMA performance. It looks good, but there's a lot of camera cuts and you realize Britney really isn't doing that much. There's no breakdown dance routine, a crushing blow to my enthusiasm for the video. In fact, the video actually seems more suggestive than sexual, if one disregards the revealing dress code.

And there's a part where Britney actually smiles. When was the last time we saw that?

Final Note
HATE

Lovefest 2007

This blog is becoming more difficult for me to keep up. With that said, there are going to be some changes. First, I'm scrapping the posting format. You'll still get the links you need, but I can't say as much or as little as I want trying to write in a framework so rigid.

Anyway, so Lovefest is an amazing dance party in San Francisco's Civic Center once a year. There's a parade to lead it off before the floats crowd around for daytime ravers.
If there was a trend in the floats, it was more speakers and fewer people than last year. The emphasis was put front and center with no room for gyrating bodies. Those would have to be down below.

Captains and slutty flight attendants ruled the friendly skies last Saturday. This picture was one of the better with bumpin' beats and an airplane theme.

Final Note
LOVE

Paper Planes
M.I.A.
Lyrics

Anticipation Children's voices, gunshots, and a cash register ring harmoniously together. This is by far one of the most unusual combinations that comes together better than peanut butter and chocolate.
Vocals M.I.A.'s voice is great and provides much depth--something the song survives on.
Music As mentioned, the sound effects in the chorus combine to actually sound like part of the melody. It's the centerpiece set upon a dreamy background.
Verses Rap-packed lyrics can make the message easy to miss, but it provides content for multiple listenings.
Chorus I can't spoil it here. You have to hear it yourself. I can't normally say that, but in this case, you just must.
Hook Obviously what you have to hear in this song. My greatest sadness is that you can't sing along with the gunshots.
Breakdown Steadiness in sound with stoicism in voice drive sincerity home.
Lyrics Try this on for size:
We pack and deliver like ups trucks Already going hell Just pumping that gas
Hit Potential
None. Could you imagine a radio station playing gunshots? Just the thought makes me laugh.
Final Note
LOVE

1234
Feist
Lyrics

Anticipation She's not only a VH1 Artist to Watch, but also a Starbucks cafe broadcastee. With such cred, we dive in.
Vocals The best word to describe Feist's voice is genuine. It's slighty scratchy, flater than you might expect, but clearly demonstrates range. While the music emphasizes a regular, staccato speech pattern, the words come out more song than sentence.
Music It took a while to grow on me, but this is like indie updating big band music. It's bold, brassy, and but a gem.
Verses Is she meloncholy, whiny, remeniscent, or hopeful? All combine in her tone and lyrics during the verses.
Chorus The mood turns to be more in your face about life lessons. It's wishfully unapologetic and whimsical.
Hook Something as old as counting has been reinvented.
Breakdown It just makes me want to run through a field. And maybe fly a kite.
Lyrics Feist deals with her conflicted emotions about a cheater in a way that confronts her partner without gushing with rage. It's tasteful, tactful, delicate, and simply a complex tune. There is more than appears at first listen.
Hit Potential Low. Maybe on the adult alternative side.
Final Note
LOVE