Bright Eyes- The People's Keys

There is something that Conor Oberst brings to every one of his projects that no one else ever has. In a music industry where everyone is trying (and most often failing) to do indie music with deep and meaningful lyrics Bright Eyes has been the only constant. The People’s Key is the first Bright Eyes album in four years and you can tell that the break served front man Conor Oburst well. He comes back strong with the emotional ride that is The People’s Key. There are some familiar sounds on The People’s Key but it stands on its own. In true Bright Eyes style, there are some neat experimental sounds sprinkled throughout The People’s Key. An example is on “Jejune Stars.” It has a punk rock and close to uncomfortable sound that isn’t really shown on previous albums. The opening track is similar to 2007's release Cassadaga with Denny Brewers ranting about shamanic beliefs to kick off “Firewall.” The People’s Key is a perfect example of how to do a successful and great album. I can’t help but love every track. From the nice smooth piano playing of "The Ladder Song" or the great pop sense of "Shell Games" this album is not one to be missed.

Final Review- 100

Toro Y Moi- Underneath the Pine

The first thing that I came to mind when I started listening to Underneath the Pine was a ‘70s prom. With tracks like "Before I’m Done," it’s really hard not to imagine pastel pink dresses and light blue big bow tied polyester suits. Toro Y Moi does a good job combining dream pop, psychedelic, and electronic. Underneath the Pine is filled with soft and beautiful melodies and everything really flows well. The song lengths are perfect for the sound this band is aiming for and nothing seems overdone. Underneath the Pine is a fun and well put together album. This is a definite must for listening this year.

Final Review- 90

The Cave Singers- No Witch

No Witch is a different sounding album. It mixes folk, blues, and bluegrass, with an interesting classic rock style. Pete Quirk has a cool vocal style that sounds gravelly and dirty, but well controlled. I love the mix of finger picking and electric guitar power chords. The Cave Singers don’t bring a lot of new things to the backwoods folk sound but what they do I feel they do well. The instrumental work is fantastic and the overall quality of song writing is pretty good. It wouldn't be heart breaking if you missed out on No Witch, but if it happens to be on why not give it a chance?

Final Review- 70

Adele- 21

When it comes to clever and unique lyrics, Adele’s 21 doesn’t really show you anything you haven’t seen before. What it does bring that most pop music lacks is believability. When you hear Adele’s voice it’s sincere. The closest comparison to how she sounds is a cleaner and more vocally controlled Amy Winehouse. The music is a combination of gospel, disco, and blues that makes you want to move and hum along. 21 is mixed really well, and every song leads you into the next with ease. The only thing that I was not a fan of on 21 was her remake of "Lovesong" off of The Cure’s 1989 release Disintegration. There is a definite future for Adele and I can’t wait to hear her really evolve as a song writer and performer.

Final Review- 90

Radiohead- King of Limbs

Since I got into Radiohead this last year, I was hoping that they would come out with another album, so you can imagine my excitement when I heard The King of Limbs was scheduled to come out this year. One thing I have found about Radiohead is that even though every album spotlights different sounds there has yet to be any band that compares or has a similar vibe. I know Radiohead has been the inspiration for not just musicians but for movements in the music industry as well.  It is impressive to say the least. The King of Limbs is the shortest album Radiohead has ever released, at just a little over thirty seven minutes long. I know there is going to be criticism for the length but every Radiohead album can’t be the same length as In Rainbows. I think it’s a great way for the band to really strip away and look to the core of what makes their music so good. The King of Limbs definitely does that. There is some amazing musicianship going on but the sound has more depth and more soul to it. Thom Yorke’s solo album, The Eraser, has some real presence on The King of Limbs, with his vocals being a focal point for the entire album. One thing I noticed right away was the similarity to 2001 Amnesiac, especially with the track "Little by Little," which almost has the exact same bass rift as "I Might Be Wrong." It even upset me. I had to listen and see if I felt it was a actual rip from that song. When I listened to them back to back the notes seemed to be the same but the difference in pacing almost made them incomparable. My boyfriend (Who is the one who got me into Radiohead) had the album right away and was playing it all day. But since I like to do my own private listening and make notes as the album progresses, I tried not to overhear too much of it. The little bit I did hear I was not a big fan of. I even remember telling him “I just don’t know if I am going to be a fan of this album”. Right about then he left to go change the laundry and in his absence “Give Up the Ghost” came on and I knew right there that I should have known better than to think this album was not going to be gold. The King of Limbs may not be ideal for a first time Radiohead listener, but anyone who has even semi-knowledge of Radiohead’s discography will appreciate the hell out of this. After a solid listen I can honestly say that this is probably the best Radiohead album I have heard. I love the length. It just shows how much about their sound they really know. Instead of forcing out four filler tracks to appease the audience they did the best 8 tracks that they could. Sometimes less is more and that is true with The King of Limbs. This is one of the most perfect albums I have heard in a long time. If you don’t listen to this you are cheating yourself.

Final Review- 100

February 2011 Playlist

Here is my playlist for February 2011! If you would like to give it a listen just click on the link below and download the zip folder titled "February 2011". Enjoy!

Track Listing for February 2011Playlist

1. The Go! Team- Ready To Go Steady
2. Akron/ Family- So It Goes
3. James Blake- Limit To Your Love
4. Cut Copy- Where I'm Going
5. Bright Eyes- Shell Games
6. Adele- I'll Be Waiting
7. The Civil Wars- Barton Hollow
8. The Cave Singers- All Land Crabs and Divinity Ghosts
9. ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead- The Wasteland
10. Cowboy Junkies- Flirted With You All My Life
11. Radiohead- Separator
12. Mogwai- George Square Thatcher Death Parade
13. Toro Y Moi- Still Sound
14. La Sera- Never Come Around
15. PJ Harvey- In The Dark Places
16. Twilight Singers- Blackbird and the Fox
17. Yuck- Georgia
18. The Dears- Thrones
19. Saigon- Bring Me Down Pt 2

La Sera- La Sera

La Sera is going to be a band to really look for in the future. This debut album, also titled La Sera, has a very fresh and airy feel to it. Typical of dream pop bands, the vocals are whispered more than they are sung, and the beats are simplistic but solid. What stands out the most is the heavily distorted rock guitar work. This makes a nice contrast to the whimsical melodies it accompanies. That, to me, is what really sets La Sera apart from other bands trying to do the same thing. Song lengths are perfect and the album sequencing is incredible. For a debut album this bares a lot of confidence, but with a stage name like Kickball Katy from her punk band Vivian Girls, can you blame her?    

Final Review- 90