Wye Oak- Civillian

Wye Oak caught me off guard. I had heard some OK things about Wye Oak but didn’t really expect them to be as incredible as they are. Jenn Wasner’s vocals on Civilian are some of the best female rock vocals I can think of. Out of all the bands I have listened to they are the closest to ‘90s rock I have heard. Crunchy power chords and simple but good drum beats weave through the entire album. Civilian is so original beginning to end it was incredibly hard to not give it a 100. I had to really sit down and figure out what it was that was holding me back from giving Wye Oak the perfect score. Even though Civilian is one of the best albums to come out so far in 2011 there isn’t that one really stand out song. I am in love with this band and think that their only downfall might be a small lack of a good pop sense, but other than that Civilian is incredible and a must listen for 2011.

Final Review- 95

R.E.M- Collapse Into Now

R.E.M. has been struggling it seems to really get back to their roots and make some of the great music they used to be known for. Collapse Into Now is the closest I feel that they have ever really come. A lot of the songs make me think of the 1992 hit album Automatic For the People and how much I loved it but it still feels a little artificial. As with anything R.E.M. puts out the musicianship is top notch and there are some really catchy songs on here but there is something missing. I think the spark the band used to have has faded. All together this is a pretty decent album and a fun listen, but it’s definitely not gold.   

Final Review- 80

G. Love- Fixin' to Die

This is the cover of Fixin' To Die By G. Love



This is the original Bukka White song Fixin' To Die

Fixin’ To Die is one of the best albums I have heard from G. Love. He really uses his great Philly-influenced vocals and music to give this almost blue grass album a unique and fun sound. There are a handful of great cover songs on here, from the opening track "Fixin’ to Die" (a Bukka White cover), to a really badass rendition of Paul Simon’s "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover." Even though there are a handful of covers the whole album sounds original and great. The Avett Brothers are featured on Fixin’ To Die and mix with G. Love perfectly. If you are a G. Love fan this is one of the best and strongest albums he has ever made. If you are a first time listener then prepare yourself for some great slide and blues guitar work. This is an absolute must listen for everyone.  

Final Review- 95

Elbow- Build a Rocket Boys!

From Build a Rocket Boys! I can honestly say that the lead singer Guy Garvey is the new Peter Gabriel. Guy brings the same great soothing vocals that Gabriel is known for as well as really retrospective and insightful lyrics. Now with that being said I don’t feel that Elbow is a copy cat; they just know how to do British pop with the best of them. A lot of the feeling from Build a Rocket Boys! is reminiscent of youth and how you never know how fast it goes until it’s gone. The songs transition nicely and most of Build a Rocket Boys! fits well. The only things that kept this from being a 100 review from me was Build a Rocket Boys! starts a little slow and not one real song on this album could be an incredible single to me.

Final Review- 90

Dinosaur Bones- My Divider

My Divider really hits the ground running with the opening track “Making Light” and keeps your attention till the end. The Guitar work is really distorted and gritty, giving the music a good amount of a call back to classic ‘90s rock. Dinosaur Bones have the confidence of a seasoned band. They know what kind of sound they are good at and how to do it well. My Divider flows well but sometimes the songs run a bit long, and in the middle of the album it almost drags but then picks up again near the end.  All together My Divider is a superb debut album and I know that Dinosaur Bones is just going to keep getting better and better. 

Final Review- 80