Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires (2008)

Friendly Fires is a band/artist who I remarkably discovered through MTV (MTVAM, basically when they actually show videos at 4 in the morning when I can't sleep). I haven't stopped listening to them. Review begins... now...

1. Jump in the Pool - What a perfect beginning song. First off, I'd describe their sound as some sort of mix between M83, MGMT, and any British new wave-type band that doesn't suck. The intro is very M83-esque, very atmospheric, sounding like a large group of beautiful electronic angels singing in unison. The song proceeds in a very catchy manner, displaying that lead vocalist Ed MacFarlane is both a very skilled singer and entertaining one. It displays the same sort of pop sensibility found in the best songs in my previous review of Good Shoes, but with far more interesting musicianship. 4 Stars ****

2. In The Hospital - Possibly my least favorite song on the album. It has a laid-back feel, but the sound of some of the lamer new-wave bands in the 80's. Not feeling it. 1 star *

3. Paris - Back to the good stuff. Starts kind of slow... on first listen I actually was expecting it to be another dud. But it contains a very dancable groove that only halts during the first chorus, which is sublimely sung between guest female vocals and the lead singer. I can see why this was one of their singles. 4 stars ****

4. White Diamonds - I have a feeling this is one of those songs that I love, but very few people will understand why. The song builds up nicely to the chorus. The chorus just rocks out and makes the entire song. I love songs that finish strong, and this is a great example of one that does just that. The song comes to an almost stop, then has their version of a breakdown, then continues to rock out for the remainder of the song. I guess I was expecting this to be more of an electronic album, but the sum of it appeals to fans of many different genres. This is one of the four songs from the album that I've had on constant repeat. 5 stars *****

5. Strobe - This is another one that I'd have a hard time explaining to people. Or at least why I love it. The chorus is "After all this time, who would've thought I need you here". I guess it taps into my more emotional side, being a nostalgic take on love, or at the very least, attraction. The music flows just beautifully through the chorus. It's probably one of the few songs on the album that I'd say the production is flawless. 5 stars *****

6. On Board - I can't exactly think on who I'd expect this song out of... but it sounds like someone I don't like. I'm not feeling it at all. 0 stars

7. Lovesick - Another danceable tune that really kicks it back to the 80's. The first verse comes in like a soundtrack to a bad skiing or karate movie. But luckily the chorus saves it and suddenly everything makes sense. It's strange how a part of the song can seem to suck to me, and then suddenly it sounds much better as part of a cohesive whole. I think this song might the best at displaying the lead singer's vocal range. 3 stars ***

8. Skeleton Boy - What can I say? I'm absolutely obsessed with this song. It's absolutely my song of the year so far, a perfect mixture of everything that makes this band an exciting one. I really don't need to say much more. 6 stars ****** (yes, six stars, for those who aren't aware it means it's fucking awesome)

9. Photobooth - Not feeling it either. Unfortunately one of the album's duds. 0 stars

10. Ex Lover - Some interesting sounds to begin the song, mixing in a little learned from My Bloody Valentine's billion dollar sessions (not the movie, stupid). I really want to like this song, but I feel like it never quite comes together the way I'd like it to. 1 stars *


Overall: Great new album. 4 Stars ****/6

Kanye West - 808's and Heartbreak (2008)

NOTE: Originally posted sometime very soon after the album came out

Well after talking about it on like two consecutive blog posts, I decided to actually take a shot at this. I still don't know what my final rating of the album will be at this very moment, but I have a feeling that I will by the end of this process. I'll do a song-by song on this one, since apparently I can't come up with a feeling for it as a whole. *All songs are rated on the 'JS 6-scale' [for those that aren't familiar, its basically 0 (bad)-to-5 (great) with 6 being fucking epic shit].*

1. Say You Will - The album's opener sets the tone for what Kanye's attempting to do with the entire album. "Mrs. So Fly crashes lands in my room/Can't waste no time, she might leave soon". The chorus goes as "Don't say you will/unless you will", or some variation of that with some "hey, hey, hey's" mixed in there. The beat is a desolate electronic beat that mimicks a slow heartbeat, adding to the desperation he's trying to convey. The beat continues for what amounts to be about a 3-minute outro, much like he did with the album version of "Stronger". Normally its done to ride out a banger; here it stands to punch in the feeling that he's putting across, the true intent of the album. Plus he has a flare for the dramatic. In the end, the song is pretty average, but it does get the point across.
3 * * *

2. Welcome to Heartbreak - Here's the first one that I have real mixed feelings about. Another simplistic beat with some synth thrown in. It's a good backing for the "where the hell has my life gone?" punchlines that he throws around throughout the song. But really, the lyrical content is lacking. He starts one line with "He said his daughter got brand new report card"... before the line was over I knew the rhyme was "sports car." Through all of that introspection and spiritual revivement one would figure he'd have a new one in his bag. That said, the chorus is catchy and most of all, Kanyesperate (okay, I'll never try that again). It passes the this stuff is pretty average test.
2 * *

3. Heartless - Don't worry, I'm not going to hate on both singles. Just this one. Maybe because I heard Love Lockdown and thought "okay he's trying something different," then heard Heartless and thought we need bring out the hip-hop defibrillator. The beat sounds like a ride on a DisneyLand trolley, the chorus is nothing interesting, and generally there's nothing catchy about it. I'd go into his flow and lyrics and such... but why bother, this isn't a rap album. Nevertheless, there's nothing here of note.
1 *

4. Amazing - I can't even understand what's being attempted here. Jeezy growls, repeated verses, basically the same song I heard with Heartless but less feeling and absolutely no meaning whatsoever. Not even giving this the time of day. Oh wait, Jeezy just came in with a "verse". I think I'd rather hear the AutoTune. Wait... am I at song four and I haven't said "AutoTune" yet? Alright, I'll say it again. Just for fun. AutoTune.
0 (Please no Remix Baby)

5. Love Lockdown - Thankfully, here's one I can deal with (I swear the hatred has nearly ceased). 'Ye wanted to be a pop star. And he achieved that with this one. The tribal drums, the piano beat, the freaky-ass music video: it all hits. Everyone's heard it, I'm not going to delve into it too deeply. But the drumming outro is pretty sick too. He got his message across, he knew he had a great beat, he kept it simple and let it work its magic (despite the probably unnecessary wild monkey howls).
4 * * * *

6. Paranoid - Kanye is just having fun here. And so am I. The beat has a pretty sweet 80's pop feel, similar to a mindnumbingly good Chaka Khan song. I'm not even positive what the songs about... but I'm pretty sure it just says "leave the attitude at the door, lets have a good time and worry about it later." It doesn't fit with the theme of the album, but at this point I've left that at the door and at this point I'm just looking for anything to salvage. It's an upliftingly fun song, which flows right into the next one.
5 * * * * *

7. RoboCop - He keeps trying to convince us that there's something really deep here, but he'll always revert to songs like this. Which I'm not saying is a bad thing, because it isn't. The song is about a girl being too controlling and watching his every move. I guess this contributes to "heartbreak", correct? Unless the crazy, psycho Lorena Bobbit's are your thing, I suppose? This doesn't provide the same "F' You" punch like JT's "Cry Me a River" (yeah, I went there), but the chorus is hella fun, what can I say?
3 * * *

8. Street Lights - I want to know allhiphop thinks of this (I'll throw in a 'lol' for good measure). This is just a beautiful sounding song (take 2 points off of my manhood, I don't care I got a couple to spare).

All the street lights, glowing
Happen to be just like moments
Passing, in front of me
So I hopped in
The cab and I paid my fares
See I know my, destination
But I'm just not there

I could listen to this song over and over again. You can hear the sincerity in his voice, which actually sounds pretty good on this song. As long as he's not trying to belt it out further than his range (youtube: Europe VMAs "Love Lockdown"), he can sound pretty good. And it doesn't even sound like he had to consult with T-Pain on this one.
5 * * * * *

9. Bad News - Another downbeat song in the same vein as the previous song. It almost plays off as a blues song as he says "I've just heard some real bad news." But the feeling is there; this is one of the closest songs to him sincerely and accurately conveying his true pain.

Oh you just gonna
Keep another love for you
Oh you just gonna
Keep it ike you never knew
While im waiting on a dream
That'll never come true

Heartfelt lyrics barely put it into the rankable stratusphere, but other than that there isn't a whole lot of interesting elements to it.
2 * *

10. See You In My Nightmares - Let me start out by saying that "Barry Bonds" was my least favorite song on Graduation. The Lil Wayne cameo was completely useless (even more than Mos Def's... yes, I stand firm that 'Ye should've done that whole album solo). I digress, this song is half decent. The beat starts out like a Young Jeezy mixtape song 18 (without the Jazze Pha/Mannie Fresh beat kicking in). Kanye and Weezy both sound flat-out angry on this one. It isn't a great song per se, but it does transition the story quite well coming out of the previous song. You broke his heart, he's angry, and he's going to dedicate an album to it.
2 * *

11. Coldest Winter - This is the other song that I would say packs the biggest punch as far as describing regret, lonliness and a loss of hope. "Goodbye my friend/Will I ever love again?" is repeated quite a few times, describing the pain of what I assume is the dissolvement of his engagement. "If spring can take the snow away/Can it melt away all our mistakes"; metaphor is questionable, the intent is not. Tribal drums are always a plus.
3 * * *

12 Pinocchio Story - I wish that the album version sounded clearer. But it's done on purpose, a studio version wouldn't sound better. It's a freestyle (I believe), and I have a hunch that he'd say this is the most meaningful song he's ever put to record. It's a live version where the crowd cheering just adds to the effect of the moment (youtube: "Longing For" live by Jah Cure). He's speaking from his soul here. Somebody should remind him that this is what comes out most pristine.
5 * * * * *

As a whole, I'm still mixed up about it all. The album really picks up steam after Amazing (which is a good thing, since I nearly threw my laptop out the window while listening to it). But start-to-finish, I just don't think the feelings and inner turmoil came onto record like he thought it would. Maybe I should stop overanalyzing and go with my instincts here.
3 Stars ***/6

Good Shoes - Think Before You Speak (2007)

DOWNLOAD: http://www.mediafire.com/?doji115o1tm
Sorta sounds like: Arctic Monkeys, The Kooks, The Cribs, anything British with a 'The' in front of it (no, The Cure and The Smiths don't count)

I decided that I'm going to jump around with this blog a little bit. I'm going to do album reviews of new stuff, old stuff, but most of all, stuff I like. Some of the albums being reviewed are going to be a complete mystery to you, and some of them you may have heard over and over on the radio. The point is, I'm reviewing them because I want you to listen to what I listen to. I don't think I'm weird or different for enjoying such a wide variety of music, I just think I spend way too much time looking for new music. Regardless, I will move on. Enjoy.

Good Shoes are a four-piece British pop-rock band. They're fun to listen to and have a great sense for creating a catchy pop song. Think Before You Speak was released in early 2007, but I didn't stumble upon it until later on in 2008. I don't even really have a style for writing these yet, so I'm going to go through it song-by-song with a nifty little download link at the end.

1. Nazanin - Perfect way to begin the album. A lot of times I enjoy these sort of songs that are seemingly nonsense at first listen. It gives you a perfect taste of what the rest of the album will be like. It starts out with a catchy riff that continues throughout the song, which is continually added on throughout the song. The lyrics are basically repeated as "All of my insecurities, are summed up when you walk into my...", with the sentence being finished at the end as the payoff. It's weird that one little line can mean so much, but I think it flows right into the rest of the album. There's nothing complex about this song or this album. Just near-perfect Brit-pop. 4 stars ****

2. The Photos on My Wall - The pace of the previous song is carried into this one, which is another great one. The song is an admittance of arrogance and personal fault, literally saying "I don't think before I speak/I-I-I-I break your heart/I think I could do better/So-so-so-so arrogant". The pacing of the song creates a seamless transition between the song preceding it and the song following. 3 stars ***

3. Morden - One of my personal favorites on the album. It's strange because the lyrics completely contradict the feel of the song musically. Ignoring all of the lyrics, the song sounds fairly upbeat, keeping my foot tapping throughout while I listen to it. Suddenly you get stopped in your tracks when you hear "I read the news today/a youth killed himself in a horrible way/he hung himself". WTF? The song is a juxtaposition that sounds a lot better than I just described. This will probably remain throughout. 5 stars *****

4. All In My Head - This song remains constant with the ones I described before. Incredibly catchy, incredibly self-lamenting. "I'm a talented artist but my hearts not in it/I'm a good shag but I find nobody fit/I play in a band but I've got no talent/I spit and I drawl but I just don't change a thing". It's a paranoid take on life and a man's personal dispositions. Again, this all sounds very negative, and yet Good Shoes have spun it into a catchy tune that is thoroughly enjoyable to listen to. 3 stars ***

5. Never Meant to Hurt You - The first song on the album that I don't really enjoy. Kind of boring in a sense that the chorus does nothing to catch my attention. I try not to waste too much time describing songs that I don't really think are worth my attention. 0 stars

6. Blue Eyes - Back to the songs I actually enjoy, Blue Eyes is a pretty dandy one. It speaks about the beauty of a woman who won't give you their full attention or time. The album is about seeing and recognizing flaws, whether it's something you enjoy or not. The riff is catchy, the singing is sweet and sincere. It certainly has my attention. 3 stars ***

7. Sophia - Another one of my favorites. Maybe the catchiest song on the album. The chorus is another touch of disappointment and regret, stating "if you go back to where we first met, it will only break your heart". At the same time, it's a wonderful reflective story of youth and better times. I love this song, it was the first I heard off of the album and it is one I will be listening to for a long time to come. In fact, if you have to listen to one song off the album, this is it. 5 stars *****

8. We Are Not the Same - The album becomes slightly less interesting at this point forward. Not every album can be perfect. This song starts of interesting, with a riff that can be described as frantic and inherently interesting. Actually, overall the song the song isn't too bad, but the chorus doesn't contain the sort of pop sensibility that makes the first half of the album practically golden. It sounds more like a mediocre Maximo Park song, if you know who they are, that is. 2 stars **

9. Small Town Girl - More mediocrity, in my humble opinion of course. It feels like it was either rushed, or that different several ideas were thrown together to create a song. It doesn't feel cohesive or terribly interesting. The song also lasts incredibly too long, which is saying a lot for a song that is only 3 and a half minutes long. 1 star-ish *

10. In the City - A little too downbeat for my liking. I do like the storytelling though, as I do in general with many British pop bands (like Arctic Monkeys and Bloc Party). As an American there is something introspective about hearing songs about everyday life in the U.K. 1 star *

11. Things to Make and Do - It just feels like a college freshman talking about how bad the government is. I may have completely misread this. Read it for yourself "Private education makes me sick/Whatever happened to equality/And i, got a tan from my TV/Do you, believe, everything your told?/I don't!/Do you?". 0 stars

12. Everybody's Talking - God I wish this were an 8-song album. 0 stars

13. Ice Age - See the last two songs. The song picks up near the end with some interesting instrumentation and chanted lyrics. 1 star *

14. Wait - Decently catchy song, but it just doesn't feel like there was enough material here to make a solid album. It's extremely front-loaded, that's really all I can do to describe it. 2 stars **

Overall, as I've stated earlier, it's way too front-loaded of an album. But the songs, the feel, the catchy-ness, that's all there. Just Listen.

-Jay

The New Thing

This is my new project. More stuff to come.. very soon. Maybe within minutes. Maybe hours. Maybe days. Who knows.

What I do know? Bomb shit.