I know there are going to be some hardcore AFI fans out there that’ll trash me for saying this, but I liked this album. I mean, in comparison to decemberunderground, you have to admit Sing the Sorrow at least retained the punk roots that garnered AFI’s cult following over the years. Continue reading →
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16
Oct 09
Give Up The Ghost (2009) by Brandi Carlile
Brandi Carlile
Give Up The Ghost
2009, Columbia
folk rock
It’s been a while since I’ve given a 5-star rating to two consecutive albums from the same artist/band, but Brandi Carlile has made it impossible for me to rate this any less than a 5. I really enjoyed her previous album The Story, but Give Up the Ghost points out all of its faults. In hindsight, Story was far too overproduced and it seemed that Carlile was almost forced to emphasize the cracks in her voice to be heard over it. The barest song on The Story, “Josephine,” cannot compare to Ghost‘s “That Year” in raw emotions.
Carlile hasn’t changed her lyrical material – they’re still strongly introspective and heavy – but her treatment has done a 180. “Dreams” is the most upbeat pop-like song I’ve ever heard from her; Carlile even allows her voice to soften instead of forcing it for each song. Another point of interest, The Story had no collaborations with outside artists while Ghosts did. Yet, even when she is joined in a duet with Elton John in “Caroline,” he sounds more like a backup singer instead of a prominent presence. Overall, this is a cohesive album that allows for a lot more creativity without completely changing what makes Carlile so attractive as an artist.
“Pride and Joy,” “That Year,” “Caroline.”
myspace, last.fm
Eisley’s Combinations,Aimee Mann’s Lost In Space
15
Oct 09
Tonight: Franz Ferdinand (2009) by Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
Tonight: Franz Ferdinand
2009, Domino/Epic
indie rock, dance-punk
½
Here’s a lesson for you, kids: two decent songs do NOT a good album make. It seems Franz Ferdinand has yet to learn this lesson, as Tonight sounds just like their other two albums. If you believe the end justifies the means, then it probably doesn’t matter to you that this album was obviously just a way for them to ensure a paycheck. But as a consumer and an amateur critic (oh please, I ain’t big enough to drop the ‘amateur’… yet), I’m highly disappointed. If I wanted dance from a supposedly indie alt rock band, I’d be listening to Muse with the rest of the Twilight Nation. In fact, Muse at least had the sense to be so overtly dramatic that they would be impossible to resist – Franz Ferdinand just brings back memories of their first hit in “Ulysses” and “No You Girls,” creeps me out with “Dream Again,” and then puts me to sleep with the rest. It’s a catchy album but not worth your money or your time.
