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It would be easy to peg Santogold as America's answer to M.I.A. based solely on a shared tour itinerary, similar fashionista leanings, and the skittering dancehall electronics of the first single from the Santogold debut, "Creator." Easy, and not entirely correct. Rather, songwriter/producer Johnny Romeo and Philly native Santi White (former lead singer of the band Stiffed) end up doing for ska-revival rock what Gnarls Barkley do for soul. Santogold manage to playfully twist a variety of pop formulae to their own entertaining ends, as on "I'm a Lady" where White imagines what it might be like to have Gwen Stefani fronting Rilo Kiley. "L.E.S. Artistes" seems lifted straight from the Tegan and Sara catalog, while elsewhere White manages to use feel-good reggae to thinly veil aggression in a 311 stylee ("We think you're a joke/Shove your hope where it don't shine"). Maybe that last influence is what keeps the M.I.A. comparisons coming, but other songs like "You'll Find a Way" and "Say Aha" clearly indicate Santogold can embrace the structures of rock beyond a Clash sample or Pixies lyric.

Review by Adam Blyweiss

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Back in 2006, America was introduced to U.K. sensations The Kooks with their debut album, Inside In/Inside Out. The Brit band had already become stars back home, with catchy, likable tracks such as "She Moves In Her Own Way," "Naïve" and "Eddie's Gun." The youthful band is back with Konk, their sophomore effort, filled with even more sturdy, enjoyable Brit-Pop and plenty of strummy love songs. For starters, there's the undeniable lead single "Always Where I Need To Be." The jangly "Mr. Maker" is one of the best songs on the record. Konk never really rocks out too much, outside of "Do You Wanna," perhaps the "heaviest" song here and perhaps not a nod to Franz Ferdinand. "Sway" and "Shine On" are also among the other highlights here. The band's classic Brit Pop songwriting draws comparisons to the legendary Kinks and that isn't a coincidence (or even a koincidence?). The majority of Konk was recorded in Ray Davies' studio in north London, which is called Konk Studios. "I just started thinking how cool the studio is," says guitarist Hugh Harris. "And how much of a part of our sound it is." The Kooks will be heading to North America for about a month's worth of dates, including their first ever Philadelphia appearance (which is already sold out) at the Fillmore at the TLA on June 5.

Review by Joey O.

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Many things can happen when a band signs to a label.  While most choose to remember instances where a label has manipulated a band’s distinctive sound into something more mainstream (see The Decemberists’ The Crane Wife on Capitol), many couplings of band and label have yielded phenomenal results (like The Replacements’ four albums with Sire).  Philadelphia’s Man Man, who previously recorded for Brooklyn’s Ace Fu Records, recently signed to Anti-, home to Bob Mould, NickCave and Tom Waits.  Yes, the group’s latest, Rabbit Habits, is definitely their most accessible to date.  But by no means is a tamer Man Man a tame Man Man.  Unlike their previous two albums, which featured circus-esque lyrics over Eastern European-influenced musical stomping, Rabbit Habits is driven by a buzzy electric piano and playful marimba (or both on “Top Drawer” and the Oingo Boingo-inflected “The Ballad Of Butter Beans”).  Of course, leader Honus Honus’ trademark gruff yowl is the focal point of most of the tunes, but the impressively high level of musicianship really steals the show.  Songs like the folksy “Whalebones” and the title trackmight not be quite freakout-y enough for hardcore “Fan Fans”, but there are certainly enough moments that cater to both longtime and new listeners.  Man Man may have toned their act down a bit, but I’m not worried that they’re going to be normal anytime soon.

Review by Eric Schuman

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Phantom Planet have been many things to many people over the years: "That band that Jason Schwartzman was in" (he was their drummer until leaving almost five years ago to concentrate on acting); "the band that did The OC theme song;" or to us here at Y-Rock, "a great band who were good friends of Y100." They have evolved from the sunny Power-Pop of 2002's The Guest to the angular, Strokes-meets-Radiohead vibe of their self-titled 2004 album. But where has the band been for the past four years? Touring and recording new material, with a label switch over to Fueled By Ramen. At long last, their fourth album Raise The Dead is here. During their extensive studio time, frontman Alex Greenwald decided to focus in on a theme of cults for Raise The Dead. Which is why the opening title track is an anthemic call to arms…except the band is calling you to join a mysterious, ominous cult. The catchy "Leader" invites you to "put you in our uniform/everyone will be reborn," and they've actually created a uniform and logo to go with the fictional cult.

Review by Joey O.

Lead single "Do The Panic" is familiar to longtime fans, as the song has been kicking around the Phantom Planet catalog for a while, with a live version on the bonus disc from The Guest. Another highlight is "Dropped," which combines a sunnier guitar riff and beat straight out of The Guest with Greenwald's distorted, Julian Casablancas-style vocals. Actually, Greenwald could pull back on his slurred and distorted vocals a bit and sing with some more clarity again. But with Raise The Dead, Phantom Planet have continued to evolve and grow from album to album and have shown they are definitely far more than some band who did the theme to a cancelled Fox teen drama.

Review by Joey O.

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If all you remember of The Breeders is Kim Deal's slinky bassline in "Cannonball" and the bubbly harmonies in "Divine Hammer"…well, you're missing some kinda vital stuff. Vital, noisy and weird. Sure, those songs are two of the best in the 90s rock canon, and Last Splash from whence they came is equally solid. But the hits are hardly representative of the true eccentrics that the Deal sisters are. There's an oddball acoustic folk bounce and befuddling wordplay ("I'll drink your soup of magpies from a pottery bowl") on their debut album, Pod; some of its out-there moments carried over Splash ("No Aloha") while a dense stoner fog permeated every pore of their last album, 2001's Title TK. Before you rush out to their show at the Fillmore at the TLA on June 8, keyed up to scream "Want you! Cuckoo! Cannonball!" at the top of your lungs, we recommend a refresher course on what exactly you're in store for. Fortunately, Mountain Battles is just the ticket, as it pulls from all sides of the Deals.

The cranky gears and piercing voices on "Bang On" echo the instrumental oddities of Pod, as does the Deals' decision to, apropos of nothing, include two songs sung in foreign languages ("German Studies," and the Italian rocker "Regalame Esta Noche"). There's a lethargic segment of the album ("Night of Joy," "We're Gonna Rise") that reflects the hazy pace of TK, except these songs are actually listenable, enjoyable and quite pretty. The best moments, however, are when Kim and Kelly wear their rock faces. "Is This Love" is a capstone of guitar interplay and speedy drumming; the dirty, "Wave of Mutilation"-esque bassline of "Walk It Off" booms out of the speakers and recalls Kim's tenure with The Pixies. As a whole, Mountain Battles has The Breeders cutting a cross-section of their careers, revisiting its myriad sounds in top form. Just as they holler on the propulsive opening track "Overglazed"..."I can feel it."

Review by John Vettese

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There was a time round about the 1960’s when a record’s producer was just as integral to a group’s sound as the musicians themselves.  Characters like Phil Spector, Joe Meek and Don Kirshner shaped their often anonymous bands to produce pop music gold.  Over the years, though, as more and more musicians dabbled in production, the producer-as-icon image faded.  If there’s one person in music today who is bringing attention back to the producer’s seat, it’s Brian “Danger Mouse” Burton.  Danger Mouse’s most recent endeavor is the latest from gritty blues duo The Black Keys, Attack & Release.  As fans of The Black Keys are well aware, the boys from Akron are masters at making raw, sludgy rock and roll.  However, with four albums behind them, the time had evidently come to broaden their sonic spectrum.  Danger Mouse spun his magic on the record’s tracks, infusing the moody psychedelia that permeated his production of The Good, The Bad & The Queen last year.  The ghostly atmospherics seem an unlikely match with The Black Keys’ raucous rock, but the combination is surprisingly enjoyable. 

Attack & Release is the Keys’ first record recorded in an actual studio, which adds scores to their already infectious material.  Woozy organs and other assorted synthesizers are plentiful on tracks like “Strange Times” and “Lies”.  At the center of the record is “Remember When”, which stretches over two distinct parts: a hazy ballad and a Gun Club-esque rave-up.  My personal favorite is the album’s closer, “Things Ain’t Like They Used To Be”, where guitarist Dan Auerbach trades lines with 18-year-old bluegrass songstress Jessica Lea Mayfield in some kind of Lee Hazelwood/Nancy Sinatra track from another planet.  As much as I have liked the Keys’ past efforts, it’s clear to me (as it is likely clear to them) that expanding their sound beyond the guitar/drums dynamic is a huge leap forward.  It’s also very admirable for Danger Mouse to step outside his usual retro-hip hop boundaries.  The record producer’s time in the spotlight may have since past, but records like Attack & Release (and Mark Ronson’s Version, for that matter) show the kind of outstanding results a strong pairing of band and producer can, well, produce.

Review by Eric Schuman

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There was a time when the once and future Richard Melville Hall wasn't guaranteeing wealth from his art by licensing his music for movies and commercials, when he wasn't proving he couldn't perform pop-rock to save his life. Well, this just in: We have a confirmed sighting of Evil Ninja Moby. Last Night will shock those who thought Moby's electronica career stopped and started with Play. It also hints at a return to form for oldheads who have longed for the second coming of "Go." And yet, Moby still manages to cast a net of influences the width and breadth of his New York home/scene: He adds old-school rappers to first single "Alice" and "I Love to Move in Here," and industrial noise to the Ambient-era sounds of "Degenerates" and the hind quarter of this album. Breathy French divas and sampled spiritual ones respectively occupy "Hyenas" and "Live for Tomorrow," midtempo numbers that blow away similar Moby output from earlier this decade because, frankly, he's not doing the singing. Meanwhile, "Disco Lies" is pure disco-house with live vocals, and euphoric techno tracks like "Everyday It's 1989" and "The Stars" are fabricated in the same manner as Moby's sampledelic high points from waaaaay back in the day. It's no guarantee that the next "Ah-Ah" or "Next is the E" is hiding here on Last Night, but in Moby's case maybe redemption has to come in small doses.

Review by Adam Blyweiss

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You've probably heard by now that Accelerate is R.E.M.'s "comeback" album, after their last {insert however many recent albums the reviewer didn't like}. Well I liked all of R.E.M.'s post-Bill Berry albums. They all have flaws, and the much-maligned Around The Sun is far from perfect but also far from a (high speed) train wreck. But this is about Accelerate, about the here and the now, which is also what Michael Stipe says the album is thematically about. Musically, the record is stripped down, almost their most punk rock work at times, with fast-paced, lightning-quick songs adding up to just 34 minutes. For some reference points in their massive back catalog, think of the rock songs from Life's Rich Pageant or much of New Adventures In Hi-Fi. Peter Buck brings out the some of his best guitar riffs in ages, with the feedback turned up while Mike Mills is back in full force. His bass parts are vibrant and memorable on the opening one-two punch of "Living Well Is The Best Revenge" and "Man-Sized Wreath." And his backing vocals, which had been disappointingly replaced by overdubbed-Stipe on recent records, are all over Accelerate.

But what's on Stipe's mind nowadays? Politics (of course) and the fast paced ways of the world in 2008. Opener "Living Well Is The Best Revenge" takes Bill O'Reilly-esque pundits to task ("Don't turn your talking points on me/History will set me free") and the brief-but-ominous "Houston" is told from the point of view of a Hurricane Katrina survivor evacuated in Texas. "Mr. Richards" rips into hypocritical politicians, but its title just makes me think of Michael Richards. And the title track documents the breakneck pace of society in the 21st Century. The album does fly by, though it sags a little around the political ballad "Until The Day Is Done" (which could have fit on ATS) and "Mr. Richards" suffers a little by comparison to the rest of the songs. But the album closes with a bang with the hyperactive rocker "Horse To Water" and the apocalyptical party tune "I'm Gonna DJ." And I almost didn't even mention the excellent lead single "Supernatural Superserious" or the surreal, "Glass Onion"-style, self-referencing "Sing For The Submarine." Accelerate is not so much a "return to form" as a new form altogether, echoing elements of their past, but this is R.E.M. in 2008, accelerating towards the future.

Review by Joey O.

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Two years ago, Jack White didn't put the White Stripes brand on hold so much as he decided to expand his own, enlisting indie songwriter Brendan Benson and the rhythm section from garage rockers The Greenhornes to form The Raconteurs. The classic-rock and funk influences on their debut Broken Boy Soldiers made results alternately hymnal (when sung by Benson) and devilish (when sung by White). Their second album Consolers of the Lonely continues White's track record of associating himself with nothing but good music (up to and including his dalliances with Loretta Lynn and Electric Six) but there's something sinister at work here, and it's no longer just heard in the arrangements or seen in the backwoods decor and fashions of which White is so enamored lately. This is now good music more obviously derived from other good music -- and more often than not, thats the music of The White Stripes.

The country majesty of The Raconteurs' "The Switch and the Spur" recalls The White Stripes' cover of "Conquest" from 2007's Icky Thump; "Five on the Five" and "Top Yourself" could have been destined for Thump and De Stijl respectively. First single "Salute Your Solution" even finds Benson contorting his voice to actually sound more like White. Elsewhere, "Old Enough" is pure Southern-fried rock taking cues from Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kansas, The Allman Brothers. Even stranger, this album ends as Soldiers did with a Robert Plant-like blues workout, although instead of the full-on Led Zeppelin crunch of "Blue Veins," "Carolina Drama" invokes Plant's softer, fiddle-filled, singer-songwriter side. It's not like Benson, White, and the rest of the crew don't shine here -- see "These Stones Will Shout" for one power-pop tour de force -- but although Mr. White hasn't yet had a bad musical idea one wonders if he's running out of good ones.

Review by Adam Blyweiss

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No band conveys youthful exuberance better than Be Your Own Pet. A few years back, their first singles and EPs caught the ear of Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, who signed them to his Ecstatic Peace label. Their new album Get Awkward is pure, hyperactive, punky fun; and finds their musical chops slightly maturing, if not their lyrical worldview. Exhibit A: Get Awkward kicks off with the line "I just want to run around! I just want to party down!" on the bad girl anthem "Super Soaker." Twenty-year-old singer Jemina Pearl sings of teenage love ("Twisted Nerve"), zombies ("Zombie Graveyard Party!") and food fights ("Food Fight," of course). But she also laments growing up on "Super Soaker" and is caught in a love triangle of sorts in "Heart Throb." You've heard "The Kelly Affair" on Y-Rock on XPN, which is a blast of surf rock beats and lyrics inspired by the debauchery of Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls. Musically, the band often invokes the young punks of the 80s, such as the Descendents, on songs like "Bummer Time" and "Food Fight." I finally got to catch Be Your Own Pet live at SXSW earlier this month and the band certainly lives up to their whirling dervish reputation. Imagine a tiny blonde girl possessed by the spirit of the Iggy Pop and you have Jemina Pearl onstage, with the three guys in the band doing more than enough to keep up with her energy level (even if that means the music gets a little sloppy). Be Your Own Pet is the candy bar of garage punk and if you're in the mood, Get Awkward certainly is a delicious sugar rush.

Review by Joey O.

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It's rather telling that the line "We're gonna have some fun, son" is sung near the end of Saturnalia, the Gutter Twins' debut-at-long-last. It suggests that the music leading to that pyrrhic declaration in "Front Street" was introduction, statement of intent, planning for what comes next after a filmic scenario like being cornered in a back-alley shootout. Greg Dulli (first of The Afghan Whigs, now of The Twilight Singers) and Mark Lanegan (first of Screaming Trees, then of work with Isobel Campbell, Queens of the Stone Age, and Soulsavers) surround themselves with players who help deliver the measured tension they cultivated through this decade. When the Twins harmonize on songs such as "All Misery/Flowers" Lanegan's baritone is a thing of fearsome beauty, lyrics like "The way I burn/is a son of a bitch" stumbling and flailing like an innocent man on the run. "God's Children" and first single "Idle Hands" lay guitar work from the 90s over the wail of harmonium and string sections, while "Each to Each" is a complex climax with drum programming and elements of chamber pop. Saturnalia is soaked in the sweat and murky tones of Black Crowes bar rock, Wilco's alt-country, and the New American Gothic pushed by the likes of Murder by Death. There's not a true standout track on here, but the album's atmosphere demands to be put on repeat.

Review by Adam Blyweiss

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Trent Reznor's recent sobriety and the flagging music industry seem to have turned him and Nine Inch Nails into one pretty music machine. Since 2005 we've seen two traditional albums, a remix album, Saul Williams' Niggy Tardust project, and now the real shock of the new: Ghosts I-IV, which ups Radiohead's free-agent ante on so many levels. NIN first use technology to reach listeners both casual and devoted -- download this stuff via NIN.com, Amazon, or torrent; hear it in high-end audio formats; pay for various pretty packages to look at and hold. Then, remarkably, NIN manage to deliver where it matters most. Where In Rainbows sounded like a good Radiohead album, Ghosts I-IV is either nothing you'd ever expected or everything you'd ever wanted from Nine Inch Nails. Reznor's well-worn vocal range and one-note rage are wholly absent, so the 36 instrumentals here both "sound like NIN" and are open to further exploration. The cumulative effect is much like listening to master craftsmen at work with new and purposefully mucked-up tools, Reznor ably assisted by the likes of producer Atticus Ross,, prog-rock guitar veteran Adrian Belew, and Dresden Dolls drummer Brian Viglione.

Into Ghosts I-IV they insert neo-classical nods to Claude Debussy, John Cage, and Thomas Newman, and hints of beats favored by everyone from Kraftwerk to Boards of Canada to Brian Eno (alone and when he worked with Davids Byrne and Bowie). There's a spooked country feel to "18 Ghosts II" and "5 Ghosts I," Sonic Youth re- and de-tuning in "31 Ghosts IV," and homages elsewhere to Aphex Twin ("6 Ghosts I"), Prince ("32 Ghosts IV"), and Coil. These two loosely organized hours of music are never boring and infinitely malleable. Consumers could use this as a linear journey, as random-shuffle background noise for workspaces, as the soundtrack for the images in the album's artwork, or even as the soundtrack to a student film or three via a Creative Commons license. Does all of this make Ghosts I-IV a masterpiece? That's still to be borne out, although selling out of $750,000 worth of ultra-mega-super-special editions of the album in one day suggests a struck nerve within a rather rabid fanbase. One thing's for sure: Trent Reznor doesn't know how to do anything small, and if the results are this good then more power to him... and to us.

Review by Adam Blyweiss

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Separate the frontman of a band from his group and the results can often be unpredictable.  It’s an age-old phenomenon, with the likes of Sting, Peter Gabriel and Lou Reed frequently eschewing the styles of their former bands for more experimental sounds.  Of course, Stephen Malkmus has been at the solo artist game for quite some time, releasing the first album with his new band, The Jicks, a mere two years after Pavement’s dissolution in 1999.  With that record, Malkmus took on a new persona: that of the indie-rock jam master.  True, the following albums, 2003’s Pig Lib and 2005’s Face The Truth, aren’t completely rooted in guitar pyrotechnics, but the finger-on-fret acrobatics add scores to Malkmus’ classic surreal songwriting.  Whether you’re in it for the Jonathan Richman-esque lyrics or the most epic solos this side of Sky Blue Sky, you’ve got a friend in Real Emotional Trash.  On past ventures, Malkmus and his Jicks have spiked in a lengthy song or two per record, but Real Emotional Trash boasts a scant 3 songs that run under 4 minutes (and that’s out of the album's 10 tunes).  The centerpiece, without a doubt is the sprawling 10-minute title track, whose dynamics (and duration) follow in the vein of Pig Lib’s “1% Of One”.  Kooky characters abound, such as “Wicked Wanda”, “Hopscotch Willie” and “Elmo Delmo”.  If you’re looking for the “Cut Your Hair” of this album, it would probably be lead single “Gardenia”, which serves as a few minutes of classic pop craft that shows that Malkmus doesn’t have to fill his tunes with guitar heroism, he chooses to.  Pavement were infamous for occasionally being too eclectic for even their most devoted fans.  Now, a more grown-up Malkmus has not only established himself as a capable solo entertainer, but the augmentation of an incredibly tight band (featuring Sleater-Kinney’s Janet Weiss) has only made a great performer even better.  Then again, it may only be a matter of time until we get Wowee Zowee 2: Polka Parade.

Review by Eric Schuman

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While not as profusely sweaty as its title would lead you to believe, The Raveonettes' latest outing, Lust Lust Lust, has a number of unquestionably sexy moments huddling beneath the Danish duo's trademark blanket of white noise. Opening number "Aly, Walk With Me" grooves with a trip-hop beat and dirty bassline as Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo entreat the title character in icy harmonies to follow them everywhere: in the summer, through Portland and in New York City. Toward the end of the set, "With My Eyes Closed" rocks a skittish dance beat that sounds like it's coming from a hype party that's happening two rooms away. In between, Wagner and Foo pull no punches; delivering your standard, straightforward Raveonettes fare, but doing it in top form. The duo's established fondness for the deconstructed 60s pop of early Jesus and Mary Chain is embellished upon in the noisy bliss of "You Want the Candy" and "Dead Sound," while the excellent "Hallucinations" is reminiscent of New Order with its progressive build and treble note crescendo. "Blitzed" does the rockabilly thing and "Sad Transmission" is a 60s girl group rave-up. Maybe the title doesn't refer to the sultry lust we hear in "Aly" after all, but rather a lust for spastic musical sounds and styles.

Review by John Vettese

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Years after the demise of Soul Coughing, former frontman Mike Doughty has found a happy medium between the band's one-of-a-kind sound and his acoustic singer-songwriter leanings. Haughty Melodic, his first album for Dave Matthews' ATO Records fleshed out songs he'd been playing on the road solo for years will a fuller sound and the production skills of Dan Wilson. Now with his own backing band, Doughty's new album Golden Delicious gets looser and funkier than he's been in years. Opening "Fort Hood" swipes a chorus from Hair as Doughty expresses his conflicted thoughts on the war, along with sympathy for the troops who should be enjoying their youth and "blast Young Jeezy...in a parking lot." "I Just Want The Girl In The Blue Dress To Keep On Dancing" and "Put It Down" put a live, full-band funkiness behind Doughty's signature vocals. Lead single "27 Jennifers" is a re-done standout from his self-released 2003 EP Rockity Roll, and while some of the verses have been trimmed, the charm of the original still remains. Lyrically, Doughty also splits the difference between his earlier, free-associative style (i.e. "More Bacon Than The Pan Can Handle," which is Soul Coughing-esque in its construction around a sample of the titular phrase) and more straightforward narratives. Later in the record, things mellow out slightly with the menacing and sparse "I Got The Drop On You" and the gorgeous closer, "Navigating By The Stars At Night." While it may be a little scattered and less cohesive than some of his previous albums, Golden Delicious finds Doughty merging both parts of his musical career and finding a new angle on his recognizable sound.

Review by Joey O.

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Full of so many references to his past professional incarnations that you half expect to hear pro wrestling entrance music pumping through your stereo -- he did write WCW storylines, after all -- outside of any greatest-hits comp District Line is a fine introduction to punk rock's favorite gay uncle, Bob Mould. "Who Needs to Dream?" and "The Silence Between Us" recall the electro-acoustic power pop of his trio Sugar, source of his greatest commercial success. "Return to Dust" meanwhile most openly cops to Mould's earliest and most influential work leading Husker Du. The crunchy singer-songwriter goodness he first embraced on 1989's Workbook plays best in "Again and Again," and the loops of "Shelter Me" deftly continue his flirtation with electronica. In structure and especially at times in Mould's vocal delivery we find parallels to his contemporaries in R.E.M. and their New Adventures in Hi-Fi album. With a significant assist from Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty, however, District Line draws its loose and accepting yet rugged and knowledgeable musicianship from roads behind instead of the road ahead.

Review by Adam Blyweiss

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Nada Surf has had one of the more interesting routes through the music business over the past decade. Of course, they scored a big MTV and radio hit in the mid-90s with "Popular," which unfortunately damned them to the dreaded One Hit Wonder tag. Their follow-up album The Proximity Effect gained a cult following, which grew with 2002's Let Go and paved the way for 2005's The Weight Is A Gift, co-produced by Chris Walla of Death Cab For Cutie. With the release of Lucky, Nada Surf is at point in their career where they are part of the indie rock 'establishment.' At this point, you know what to expect from the trio: lush, melodic rock with plenty of heart. Lucky kicks off with the lovely "See These Bones," where singer/guitarist Matthew Caws gets a vocal assist from Death Cab's Ben Gibbard and Mr. Seattle himself, Sean Nelson of Harvey Danger. Lead single "Whose Authority" has a bit more muscle behind it, as well as a political undercurrent. On tracks like "Beautiful Beat," "I Like What You Say" and "Ice On The Wing," Nada Surf further stake out their turf of slightly inoffensive but very well-crafted, listenable, mellower indie rock. Where other bands might drift off into the ether (or the emo), Nada Surf have a bit more musical depth and strength to their sound. See Nada Surf at the Trocadero on April 13, and stay tuned for their radio takeover of Y-Rock On XPN next Wednesday night at 9pm.

Review by Joey O.

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I'm not sure where he finds these people, but James Murphy has got some awesome friends.  Instant party-makers Shocking Pinks and The Juan MacLean as well as experimental minimalists Prinzhorn Dance School are just a few of the artists who call DFA Records home.  And as we saw with last year's Sound Of Silver, Murphy can create a lot of fun all by himself.  With Made In The Dark, Hot Chip's third album (and second for DFA), the world of bouncy yet occasionally somber electronica has its record for 2008. While they may have attracted scores of fans with 2006's The Warning, the quintet turns to the style of their more soulful debut for many of the tracks on the new album. The slow tunes act as much-needed counterparts to the upbeat dance tunes. After the punch of the first four tracks, even the most skilled dancer could use the break that is “We're Looking For A Lot Of Love”. Of course, those who are looking for a lot of jittery and joyous beats will find “Shake A Fist” (with its Todd Rundgren sample), “Bendable Poseable” and the improbably-titled “Don't Dance” to be as boogie-inducing as “Over & Over” and “(And I Was A) Boy From School”. Hot Chip play the Starlight Ballroom on April 10th, a perfect opportunity to see the robot-rockers in action.  It makes me wonder, though, if you can somehow play ‘Sounds of the Studio’ at a concert...

Review by Eric Schuman

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Sometime around 1979, Talking Heads added a heavy dash of worldbeat to their already unique brand of art-school punk.  Working with Brian Eno, they created dense, layered tracks that were instant parties.  Therein lies the difference between the iconoclastic new wave act and Vampire Weekend.  Throughout their self-titled debut, Vampire Weekend channel the sound of late Talking Heads and the production of early Talking Heads.  That is not to say that the whole record is copped from David Byrne and company.  Refreshingly sparse in its arrangements, the album brings one catchy guitar riff and yelping chorus after another.  Songs like “A-Punk” and “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” show off Ezra Koenig's distinctly reverb-less guitar.  This, in particular, lends to the easygoing, intimate nature of friends hanging out in a studio that makes for a downright fun listen.  Other standouts include the shout-along “One (Blake's Got A New Face)” and their twee-meets-afropop debut single “Mansard Roof”.  The group is playing a sold-out show at the First Unitarian Church on February 7th, and no doubt majority of the audience (myself included) will be documenting the experience in their blogs later that night..

Review by Eric Schuman

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"Second fiddle" Chris Walla is not. As the multi-instrumentalist foundation of Death Cab for Cutie he is at worst a full section or two of that indie-rock orchestra; as producer for recent highly-regarded albums by Nada Surf and Tegan and Sara he's pretty much the freakin' conductor. Field Manual is Walla's first chance in about nine years to play and record on his own. Listeners will discover hints of Ted Leo-esque chugging ("The Score"), rollicking arrangements that inform everyone from Nada Surf to Ben Folds ("Geometry & Co."), and the breezy vocals Walla has developed as Ben Gibbard's harmonic foil ("St. Modesto") -- in sum, the results are happily right in the Death Cab fandom's wheelhouse. Field Manual does take an interesting turn away from the oeuvre on songs like "A Bird is a Song" and "Archer v. Light," the latter an open letter from a librarian to a senator that posits, "Yeah, we are kind/Do you remember that?" We may never know if Walla's lyrics were socially aware before or after the boneheaded confiscation of his hard drives at the U.S.-Canada border late in 2007, but on their face they are more politically pointed and less personal than much of the DCfC catalog. Now you have the facts; vote yes on Chris Walla.

Review by Adam Blyweiss

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The bouncing tempos and spry guitar riffs on Jack Peñate's debut record feel like something out of a stylish London party; everything is frenetic and bright, and here's enough of a balance between the rough-and-tumble and the well-coiffed for it all to seem purely hip. Like his Yank doppelganger Ted Leo, Peñate's songwriting recalls the gruff pop / rock of mod forbearers like Paul Weller and Elvis Costello. The simple intro to the lovelorn "Torn on the Platform," strums quietly and hums a sweet melody, slightly recalling Costello's "Alison"…until the swinging Strokes-y doubletime riff gives way to a sprightly, suave reggae verse. "Second, Minute or Hour" skips the initial crooning and gets right down to business with a studied, speedy rock riff, crossing octaves and hammering out a stylish romantic plea. Unlike Mr. Pharmacist, Peñate's songwriting leans more toward the quixotic and personal sentiments ("My Yvonne") than outright political diatribes. But his pop chops are so strong, we can't fault him if he wants to keep the party uptempo.

Review by John Vettese

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It'd be too easy to call Made of Bricks this year's Alright, Still. Sure, both records were hits in the UK long before they dropped here in the US. And yes, Kate Nash sings about ex-boyfriends in a cheeky English accent, comes from the same London scene, is skewered by the same gossip bloggers and is even friends with Lily Allen. But despite the chorus of comparisons she's earned, that's pretty much where the similarities end. While Allen's feisty persona made her feel like punk's take on a pop singer, Nash is more of a songwriter at heart. You've heard "Foundations" on Y-Rock: it's twinkling piano and lighthearted guitar strums build and swell in a way that can come only from a musician, not a producer. "Pumpkin Soup" and "Skeleton Song" both lean a bit dancey, but are still built heavily around Nash's pianos and voice. The album is rich and eclectic, with moments recalling Regina Spektor, Tori Amos and other ivory-tickling badass ladies of rock - there are at least two song titles we can't mention to you here, or on the air. With this variety of influence at her fingertips, linking Nash only to her LDN counterpart is just shortsighted.

Review by John Vettese

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So you may be asking yourself, who on Earth are the Foxboro Hot Tubs and why are we featuring them? Well the word on the street, err Net, is that they are actually Green Day recording under an alias. About a week ago, the band popped up online with a free, downloadable EP and not much else. Though there wasn't much info about the band out there, some clues pointed in the direction of Green Day, who have done this sort of thing before. Before American Idiot's release, the band released an album on Billie Joe Armstrong's Adeline Records label under the name The Network (though they've never copped to it officially). So it is assumed that the Foxboro Hot Tubs EP is a way for the guys to blow off some steam and have some fun in the studio, while working on the long-awaited follow-up to American Idiot. But how does it sound? Essentially like Green Day, with a heavy '50s/'60s Rock N Roll influence. The vocals are slightly distorted enough to make you question if that is indeed Billie Joe singing. The title track is incredibly catchy, with a fun, hooky backing chorus of "I don't wanna go down." "Mother Mary" re-uses that good ole "Lust For Life" guitar riff and is perhaps the song where it's most obvious who the mystery singer is. Old movie sound clips appear before most of the songs as amusing intros, further adding to the '50s/'60s aesthetic. If this truly is Green Day, it's obviously just a fun little diversion while the guys are under pressure to follow up a blockbuster. But for these guys, a fun little side project is way more catchy and interesting than most bands' main output.

Review by Joey O.

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"Where'd you go?" one might ask Dicky Barrett, lead singer of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. In the past five years since their indefinite hiatus became official, Dicky has joined ranks with the Jimmy Kimmel show as an announcer and even held a brief stint as a morning radio show host in L.A. The rest of the Bosstones found themselves raising families, touring with other notable bands such as Frank Black and The Toasters, and even flying corporate jets.

Recently, the mighty ones announced their comeback in the form of six holiday shows based around the New England area. The release of Medium Rare, a collection of rarities and b-sides, will coincide with their tenth annual Hometown Throwdown in Boston. The proverbial icing on the cake, however, comes in the form of three brand new studio recordings. The album opener, "This List," is a perfect example of their trademark sound, better known as ska-core, an anthematic punk rock chorus with enough dissonance to shake a stick at. Their single for the collection, "Don't Worry Desmond Dekker," displays the Bosstones in peak physical condition, falling back on their ability to write a great pop song. This one in particular, tells the story of a lost love and reassures her that her vinyl collection had survived the unfortunate falling out. "The One With the Woes All Over It," fits within the same melodic outfit, with just enough plaid to suit it well.

Along with the three new tracks, the Bosstones have included their favorite B-sides and unreleased songs going as far back as "Chocolate Pudding," a fan favorite that was cut from 1994's Question The Answers. "The Meaning," a strong vinyl only B-side from the Pay Attention era that should have made the cut, and even "A Reason to Toast" are also included. Medium Rare (on the 'Tones resurrected Big Rig imprint) makes a wonderful holiday soundtrack for anyone making the trek to great city of Boston for the mighty mighty reunion.

Review by Rob Wilcox

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Prior to their memberships in two of history's most legendary punk bands, Mick Jones and Tony James were in a group called London SS.  Breaking up before ever recording an album, Jones joined The 101ers' lead singer, Joe Strummer, to form The Clash, while James formed Generation X with the man who would later become Billy Idol.  Both men had great success with their bands, and eventually spearheaded more adventurous projects in the 80s.  Mick Jones and Tony James have reunited in recent years as Carbon/Silicon, a mostly internet-based band who have been releasing full albums and EPs for download on their website since 2003.  This new project greatly reflects the more grown-up visions of the duo's later bands, Jones’ Big Audio Dynamite and James’ Sigue Sigue Sputnik.  Beginning with a chugging rocker, "The News", The Last Post (Carbon/Silicon's first physical release) has Jones sounding as good as ever.  Instantly recognizable as the voice of "Train In Vain" and "The Bottom Line," Jones' songwriting remains smart, political and playful (or all three on tracks like "The Whole Truth").  More than anything, though, is the striking similarities between Carbon/Silicon's music and that of the Joe Strummer's final project, The Mescaleros.  Fusing genres was never foreign to either Jones or James, and the inflections of punk, garage, electronica and reggae makes The Last Post as immediately likeable as any of the previous work from these punk icons.

Review by Eric Schuman

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The debut Puscifer full-length V is for ... is the darkest, nastiest release we've designated for our "CD of the Week" honor. That this project comes from the warped mind and winking eye of Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan is no surprise. The real shock is that he and his freakish friends -- ranging from members of Nine Inch Nails and Rage Against the Machine to goth diva Jarboe -- manage to do so with just a smattering of pure FCC unfriendliness. In fact, the biggest stars on V is for ... are metaphorical language and creepy atmosphere. The former skillfully obscures the front half of this work so it only possibly addresses dalliances with spanking ("Momma Sed"), fat women (the voice-and-drums monsterpiece "Queen B"), prostitution ("Drunk with Power"), and oral sex. The latter purposefully pushes Keenan's substantial melodic gifts to the back and the bottom; he instead focuses on sleazy growls, distorted whispers, and distant harmonies to fit into the most radio-friendly synth and drum textures ever from drone-music legend Lustmord. Even seemingly seeking forgiveness and invoking different names for God by the end of their album, Puscifer feel far less like Tool and more like Marilyn Manson without MM's often overbearing cartoonishne