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

Rural Alberta Advantage- Departing

Departing was a hard review for me to write because after a first listen it was really difficult to say what it was that made me want to keep listening. Nils Edenloff’s vocals can be right on the edge of annoying and whiny but something about them makes it perfect. The music is incredibly simple with a guitar, a keyboard, and drums making up all the instruments used. Most of the songs are really catchy and have a lot of replay-ability. The lyrics also sound sincere and bare. This is one of the better three piece bands I have heard. Departing is a hard album to ignore and to not get stuck in your head. The Rural Alberta Advantage should be on everyone’s radar and everyone’s Must Listen Band of 2011 List.     

Final Review- 85

DeVotchKa- 100 Lovers

I can’t think of a band that sounds nearly as diverse as DeVotchka does. Mixing Greek, Slavic, and Romanian with an indie pop folk sound, 100 Lovers is a fun listen and it has some really interesting instrumental work. The vocals are used more as an accent to the music than they are to really convey a message. I don’t think that there is a problem with that but as a result sometimes the tracks seem to lack a little substance. I love the variety and how easy it was to listen to 100 Lovers. If not for the incredible musicianship this album would be a pass but it is definitely worth a few listens.

Final Review- 85

Anna Calvi- Anna Calvi

Anna Calvi kicks off this debut self-titled album with “Rider to the Sea”, a great track featuring Spanish guitars that sets the mood for the album perfectly. Anna Calvi’s voice is full of attitude and power but the lyrics on most tracks are not the strongest. The best way to describe her style is dark, sexy lounge music. It has some of the same undertones that you would get from the Nick Cave and the Badseeds album Murder Ballads.  The overall musicianship is incredible with sexy guitars and deep bass driven drum beats. If you can’t already tell I was pretty blown away by Anna Calvi. This is the strongest debut album of 2011 so far. I cannot wait till Anna Calvi puts out another album.  

Final Review- 95

Beady Eye- Different Gear, Still Speeding

Though three members of Beady Eye (Liam Gallagher, Gem Archer, and Andy Bell) hail from Britpop sensation Oasis, there is little that the two bands share in common. Liam Gallagher’s vocals are still just as prominent as they were with Oasis, but they are missing some of the soul of their predecessor. Different Gear, Still Speeding doesn’t bring anything new or really interesting to the table. The lyrics are dull and at times just stupid. But there are some things that really save Beady Eye for me. The production of the music is great, and the rock sound is top notch. I think there are some fun catchy songs but Different Gear, Still Speeding as an album is a pass.

Final Review- 60