K.D. Lang and The Siss Boom Bang- Sing It Loud

I have described a lot of female vocalists as sounding heavily influenced by Patsy Cline but I honestly think K.D. Lang puts them all to shame. Lang has some of the most powerful vocals in the biz and it just seems like it’s almost as easy for her to breathe as it is for her to really belt it out. Sing it Loud is her first full length album since 2008 and she sounds just as amazing as ever with great jazz mixed with just the right amount of pop. I will admit that K.D. Lang doesn’t necessarily appeal to everybody because of her style being more jazz than it is rock, but missing out on Sing it Loud would be a real shame. Every track flows with ease and as a whole the album is unshakable. If you couldn’t tell, I am a K.D Lang fan and that may alter my opinion on any work she does, but honestly if you are not a fan you are missing out on one of the best female vocalists in the last 30 years.

Final Review- 90

Paul Simon- So Beatuiful Or So What

So Beautiful Or So What’s opening track “Getting Ready For Christmas Day” is a good mood setter for this album, and uses an actual sermon recording from the late Rev. J. M. Gates. This whole Paul Simon record is definitely very religion and god influenced. Tracks like “The Afterlife” that say “Waiting in line to get a glimpse of the divine” and in “Questions for Angels” the line is "Who believes in angels? Fools do” is questioning of God and heaven. I think Paul Simon has always found a way to balance his need for a god and his need to challenge how this god works and how it’s not always fair. So Beautiful Or So What is just shy of 40 minutes and works to his advantage. The whole album is full of the signature Paul Simon sound of world fusion and rock. I think for Paul Simon fans this album is going to deliver everything you want and is right up there with Graceland. One thing I absolutely love about the marketing for this album is that a week before it was released, on The Official Paul Simon website they had the album in its entirety streaming.  I love when musicians give you a chance to hear what they are working on before you throw fifteen bucks at an album that may be not worth a dime. So, hats off to you Paul Simon! In a money grubbing industry you show that you can give away your music for free and still make money.

Final Review- 90

Panda Bear- Tomboy

I fell in love with Tomboy pretty much the second it started and the affair continued through the whole album. Noah Lennox is one of the founding members of the experimental rock group Animal Collective and does solo work under his band name Panda Bear. Lennox’s solo work sounds original and separate from his work in Animal Collective. Tomboy has some of the more singable tracks that I have heard released in the ambient electronic genre.  There are some songs on Tomboy like “Scheherezade” that make you just want to curl up inside your headphones and sleep because of how beautiful they sound. Tomboy as an album is very reminiscent of the past and the balance of being a father and a musician. Panda Bear’s Tomboy ties together very nice with songs that gently lead you into the next but that also sound complete and finished on their own. I think that Tomboy is a must listen and even if you are a skeptic of the whole “noise rock” scene, I promise Panda Bear’s Tomboy will change your mind.  

Final Review- 100

Agnes Obel- Philharmonics

Agnes Obel is a Danish singer and song writer who has won a lot of critical acclaim. Obel’s debut album Philharmonics has gone double platinum in Denmark and gold in France. After listening to Philharmonics myself I can say she is one of the better female singer songwriters I have heard and for this being her debut album it is pretty incredible. Agnes Obel has a very clean and pure sounding voice and even when it’s distorted you just can’t disguise how truly beautiful she sounds. Even though I believe Philharmonics to be breath taking and gorgeous there is its down side. The music is always so low and melodic that at times it lacks that little punch it would need to be a truly great album. I can see Philharmonics music making its way into TV shows and movie soundtracks. I wouldn’t say Philharmonics is an everyday type listen but it definitely has a lot of charm and should be given a chance.

Final Review- 85

TV on the Radio- Nine Types of Light

Nine Types of Light is my first listen to TV on the Radio and I am happy I finally got a chance to hear them. TV on the Radio is a real mold breaker with their fantastic mixing of funk and indie rock. Tunde Adebimpe has a rich voice full of soul and dimension that flows easily with TV on the Radio’s unique sound. Nine Types of Light is an album full of love songs and longing but doesn’t sound overdone or too cheesy. TV on the Radio has to have some of the most talented musicians involved in it. I mean from the funk bass lines to the synth pop melodies and shredding guitars they are very versatile. Nine Types of Light is a fun listen and I think it has a decent amount of catchy songs. I will say TV on the Radio’s Nine Types of Light is a nice breath of fresh air and a definite must listen.

Final Reveiw- 95

The Kills- Blood Pressures

Blood Pressures kicks off with a great track “Future Starts Slow” , that really sets the mood for the entire album.  Allison Mosshart (“VV”) and Jamie Hince (“Hotel”) are a great duo that really complement each other. “VV” is known for her involvement in a number of other projects: The Dead Weather, The Raconteurs, Placebo, and Arctic Monkeys are just a handful of them. I really love how versatile The Kills are on Blood Pressures; it can appeal to so many different type of listeners. At times Blood Pressures is hard and punk rock with tracks like “Nail In My Coffin” and “You Don’t Own The Road” but then flows easily into softer and gentler tracks like “Wild Charms” and “Baby Says.” Blood Pressures is a decently strong album and a few tracks have a lot of playback ability, but I wouldn’t say it as a whole is worth multiple listens. If you get a chance to check out Blood Pressures I recommend giving it one good solid listen.

Final Review- 85

Cold Cave- Cherish The Light Years

A lot of the problems I have with Cherish the Light Years are how it was mastered. If you don’t turn your head phones down you are bound to end up getting a headache from the volume. Cold Cave is a part of the music genre called darkwave that bands like Soft Cell, The Cure, and The Smiths are also associated with. Wesley Eisold is Cold Cave’s lead singer and songwriter, and he is pretty talented. Cherish the Light Years has some great moments like in the lighter and slower songs “Confetti” and the more upbeat “Icons of Summer” but as a whole it feels lacking. And to listen to the album in one sitting is a real chore and a challenge. There are the few gems on Cherish the Light Years but other than the handful of songs I would pass over Cherish the Light Years. 

Final Review- 70