Feb 10
AndrewMusic Album Reviews, Music, pop music
I know occasionally I review an album I absolutely hate, but nothing in any of past reviews compares to the instantaneous disdain of Lily Allen’s sophomore release It’s Not Me, It’s You. From the first note, I wanted spray lemon juice in my ear and clean them out with sand paper. (If that doesn’t sound painful enough, I’ll think of something that does). From her twangy, British accent, clipped enunciation and spoken-word style reminiscent of Lisa Loeb, every sonic aspect of this album filled me with unrequited loathing. Opening track Everyone’s At It is saturated in a saccharine-cute arrangement, and then underscored with veiled, vaguely threatening lyrics. That is pretty much the combination for the rest of the album.
Take the New Order rip The Fear with the quippy observation “And I’ll take my clothes off and it will be shameless ‘cuz everyone knows that’s how you get famous.” She’s so self-satisfied, I just want to push her into a puddle and watch her flop about. When she writes about Chinese food on the track Chinese, I get so angry listening to the track, I actually imagine what it would be like to watch her fall off a bridge into the murky waters of the English Channel (don’t ask me what my drowning-obsession is about today).
Her formula works best on two back-to-back tracks Never Gonna Happen and F**K You. She’s no less self-righteous than anywhere else on the album when she sings “How on earth could I be any more obvious? It never really did and it’s never gonna happen with the two of us” or “Fuck you, fuck you very, very much cos we hate what you do and we hate your whole crew so please don’t stay in touch” but somehow the light influence of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and the cutesy repetitive shit doesn’t make me immediately want to dump a hot pan of cooking oil on my head and light myself on fire the way the rest of the album does. Like, I hate these songs too, but it’s more like scalding water in the pan instead of evoo.
BTW, Ms. Allen. It’s definitely you.
Jan 28
AndrewMusic Album Reviews
The solo work of Lisa Left Eye Lopes is compiled in a series of unreleased songs and remixes on the new album Eye Legacy. It’s not only a credible testament to her skill, but a stellar album.
The disc is full of strong rap tracks that fluidly balance Lopes’ rap skills with the kind of harmonies that made TLC popular. In that sense, it also makes for a diverse album. Eye Legacy starts with Spread Your Wings, a gorgeous anthem, and quickly veers to the rap In the Life. And the disc kind of goes like that through to the end, pairing ballads like Forever with the charged Neva Will Eye Eva.
Lopes gets some assist (she passed away in 2002) to polish off the tracks from the likes of Missy Elliot, who raps on the album’s single Let’s Just Do It. But she was a superstar in her own right, and it’s clear from start to finish just how much talent was there.
Her fans will be glad this is getting wide release after her first solo project was initially shelved and subsequently released overseas.
Jan 07
AndrewMusic Album Reviews
I didn’t expect the new Glasvegas album (self-titled Glasvegas) to be all that good. Mostly because the pre-release buzz of the track Geraldine didn’t really float my boat. It’s not the best track on the album by far.
Some of it is very good, including the lead-off track Flowers and Football Tops and the slowburner S.A.D. Light. At times, Glasvegas sounds exactly like U2 or Coldplay (the track Lonesome Swan being the worst offender). But there are some gems here that standout on their own right. It’s My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry and the soaring Polmont on My Mind are stellar tracks. The whole album is a nice mix of balladry and pop anthems.
Dec 16
AndrewMusic Album Reviews, Tour
We the Kings released a 6-track EP The Secret Valentine this week that leads off with the sweet title track. Both the track as well as Bring Out Your Best make nice love songs and fit for a Valentine themed mix you might decide to make a couple of months.
The EP is augmented with a brilliant cover of Feel Good Inc. originally by the Gorillaz and an acoustic version of The Secret Valentine which will undoubtedly be part of the set list this week as the band has a number of acoustic shows on tap.
Promoting the new release, the band has scheduled an acoustic performance in Providence tonight, and then heads down to Duluth, GA for a Best Buy in-store appearance and a slot at the Star 94 Jingle Jam in Atlanta tomorrow night.
We the Kings acoustic appearances
Dec 16 Providence, Rhode Island WPRO Providence Acoustic Show
Dec 17 Duluth, Georgia Best Buy Acoustic In-Store
Dec 17 Atlanta, Georgia The Arena at Gwinnett Center (Star 94 Jingle Jam)
Dec 18 Chattanooga, Tennessee WDOD Chattanooga Acoustic Show
Dec 19 Mobile, Alabama WABB Mobile Acoustic Holiday Show
Tour information is up to date at time of publication
Nov 19
AndrewMusic Album Reviews, American Idol
Light On, the first single from David Cook’s self-titled release, is actually the most generic track on the set. Which is too bad because most of the tracks on David Cook are actually respectable rock-lite offerings. Come Back to Me is a nice grunge ballad “I’ll be right here waiting to see, when you find you, come back to me.” I Did It For You is a little formulaic but gives us hints of Cook’s tuneful personality.
Handled by the likes of Ed Roland (Collective Soul) and Jason Wade (Lifehouse), it’s not really a surprise that the album sounds an awful lot like Collective Soul and Lifehouse, with a heavy dose of anything Chris Cornell has ever had his hands in. Cook doesn’t distinguish himself on this album the way Chris Daughtry did on his first post-Idol release, but it is certainly one of the better Idol debut albums.
Overall, my hands down favorite track of the set is the Bar-ba-sol. “I feel sick, I feel nervous, I know just what I did to deserve this. But I know it’s not a dream.” It’s a little heavier on the guitars, a little more melodically off of the beaten path that Cook is clearly traveling. Avalanche is another track that just feels more authentic than the rest. This is where Cook shines, and manages to imprint his sound on top of the otherwise same old rock formula that has been dominating radio since post-Pearl Jam heyday. But come on, you can’t blame Cook for going with the mainstream since he was custom built by the mainstream. For all that, David Cook is pretty damn good.
Sep 09
AndrewMusic Album Reviews, Gym Class Heroes
Having no expectations for the new Gym Class Heroes album, I was more than a little surprised to find The Quilt is an exceptional record. The songs are mostly playful but well-crafted. The harmonies are reminiscent at times of Motown hits. Right away, Guilty As Charged leads you down that road with the smooth harmonies and a memorable hook and the songs that follow keep up the same vibe.
From the reggae tinged DRNK TXT Rmeo to Cookie Jar and Peace Sign/ Index Down (which could easily be an Eminem track), the tracks combine a bit of rap with a little R&B, and a lot of groove. All the way through to No Place to Run, Gym Class Heroes have produced a slick and highly enjoyable offering. Listen to the lyrics closely enough, and some of the songs are downers, but for the most part, this is a celebration and you’ll be glad you were invited.
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