The July 07′ Rehash
Ah, time to play catch up as I battle a cold this weekend. What a home coming gift! I am almost all caught up for once and hope to be taking that time to actually expand some of Soundnova’s offerings instead of always being behind. In the meantime, July was a sick month of releases. Catch up what you might of missed after the jump.
The Chemical Brothers - We Are The Night (Astralwerks)
They never sleep as evidenced by the title, and have brought some friends a long for the ride including The Klaxons and Willy Mason. The album finds the group harkening back to their hey-day, while combining with more contemporary influences. The album rolls through with a up-tempo mind set for the first half with sparse injections of humor, before finishing out on a more reflective and what could best be stated as ‘minimal’ take for the remainder. With six albums in the can and the 90’s electronic boom long since past, these guys still have it and pulled a rabbit out of a hat when they needed it most.
Chromeo - Fancy Footwork (Vice)
Never one to be taken seriously with their tongue in cheek take on 80’s retro and led by solid tracks such as “Tenderoni”, the group for the most part pick up where their debut “She’s In Control” left off. One could argue that the one trick-pony has left the station, but it is one of those albums best gone into with the “it is what it is attitude”. It’s got the beats, the finger claps, and all the club stomping goodness ot provide a good time throughout its duration.
The Dresden Dolls - Live At The Roundhouse, London [DVD] (Eagle Vision)
One would suspect that a chick with a painted on white face in a cute little black nighty playing piano and a guy playing drums would get a little stale after awhile, especially over the course of a two plus hour shows. Needless to say, you would be wrong. No worries, I was too. The Dolls always manage to turn a simple show into an art-house spectacle, and it is so elegantly captured on this DVD.
Editors - An End Has A Start (Fader/Epic)
Sometimes change is good, and sometimes change is bad. The Editors don’t stray far from their beaten path of mending Joy Division darkness with Coldplay-eque melodies and piano play. The sound may be slightly more refined and a bit more polished the second go around, but there is no mistaking that it is wholly the Editors that unlike their peers, chose to stick rather close to the proven formula then growing beards and trying to branch out a bit. It works for now, but we’ll see how a third one goes.
Foo Fighters - The Colour And The Shape (RCA)
Hard to believe it’s been over ten years since the Foo Fighters burst onto the scene. While technically their second album, it serves as the first monster that led them from the relative shadows of being a side project of Nirvana’s drummer and into a double platinum monster unstoppable a decade later. Based off the strength of singles like “My Hero”, “Monkey Wrench” and the seminal “Everylong” the album has always been one of balanced and hidden gems including one of my all-time favorite Foo tracks — Hey, Johnny Park! Complete with 6 b-sides, including 4 covers (Killing Joke’s “Requiem”, Gary Numan’s “Down In The Park”). Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Mr. Grohl.
Garbage - Absolute Garbage
The month long gravy train of bands I love releasing new material didn’t stop with new releases from Interpol, Justice, Tegan & Sara and Foo Fighters. Garbage got in on a bit of retrospective action with separate CD and DVD releases aptly titled “Absolute Garbage”. The releases contain the standard fair of audio singles and their companion videos, but also throw in a new track and remix to boot, as well as a documentary on the DVD version. While I have all of the CD’s and the new track is quality as always, it is great to have some of the sound track songs such as “The World Is Not Enough” included in the package instead of scattered around.
Interpol - Our Love To Admire (Capitol)
I unabashedly love Interpol. So far, they have yet to do any wrong. From the dark atmosphere created on every album to the finesse live that is all to often missing. While lazy Joy Division comparisons will always dog the group, the group have certainly upped their A-game on their major label debut. The group have left in all their important ingredients but expanded their sound to include somewhat poppy hallmarks. While I don’t think it will be the able that makes them any bigger then they already are, it is completely satisfying from and old school fans perspective.
Justice - Cross (Vice)
The hype has been deafening. The love pouring from the rafters. All for the duo that is bringing back French house in a big way. Reminiscent of a few plays the Daft Punk team, they manage to stand on their own creating an epic dance album that does the all too rare thing of transferring well into a full album to be experienced off the dance floor.
Silverchair - Young Modern (Eleven Music)
He has grown from a young boy before the eyes of a nation to a buff gentle with nipple rings with one hell of a wife. All that aside, it is sometimes hard to forget that Daniel Johns is just one part of a phenomenal band. Their latest efforts finds the group entering their most mature and poppy territory to date and it pays off well. While I certainly wouldn’t mind another “Ana’s Song” or the like from ‘back in the day’, nothing wrong with the fine material being pumped out.
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation (Re-Release)
An album that rocked the alternative nation to it’s core gets a re-master treatment with an extra flourish. Yeah you can read about seven million (rough estimate) other reviews that kiss this albums ass raw, it goes without saying. A bonus disc full of live takes and covers of songs from the likes of The Beatles and Mudhoney give further glimpses into a moment that defined music. The songs are not as refined as those found on the final product, but a taste of wonder none the less.
Tegan & Sara - The Con (Sanctuary)
Ah — twins? Cool. Lesbians? Cooler. Well, not really, but cant say that it doesn’t make for good attention grabbing intros. At the end of the day I don’t care if they are cute lesbians or aliens from outer space, the sounds coming out of my speakers simply indicate to my senses that this is some good stuff. Their latest outing shows them stepping up to the major label playing field and delivering an album more polished their then last, but in many respects more enchanting then “So Jealous”.
The Police - The Police (Universal)
There is no real better way to cash in on reunion hype then yet another best of, or is there? There may be, but for the sake of ‘the now’ lets just go with that. It’s a two disc collection of all the obvious players making up its ranks, but the two disc version allowing a slightly more expansive take and trip down memory lane then some of its previously packaged predecessors. Well worth the investment for the new inductee and casual fan alike.