Blogs

pureNRG
Here We Go Again
Word Entertainment

02:30-03:15 of “Here We Go Again”
This is one of the most totally awesome releases that I’ve heard in a long time! OMG I am so excited that FINALLY there is a group out there that is full of love and energy for Jesus. We all know that all those other bands that pull the kid friendly pop-music style like Miley Cyrus are devil-worshipping hoe-bags, so I’m totally stoked that we are all given the opportunity to praise and have fun!

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Goldfinger
Hello Destiny…
SideOneDummy

01:23-02:08 of “Without Me”
Whoa. Goldfinger is still around. You know, I could pun the title and be like, “Hello Destiny, we still suck,” or “Hello Destiny, is this all we’ve worked for?” But that would be easy. And not really funny. Kind of like Goldfinger’s career.

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Colour Revolt
Plunder, Beg and Curse
Fat Possum Records

02:00-02:45 of “Ageless Everytime”
Every once and a while someone gets the late '90s right. Colour Revolt seems to capture the sounds of bands like Cop Shoot Cop, Shiner and Hum in all the right ways to make what appears to be a solid album – I mean, if you’re older than 25 anyway.

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Nik Freitas
Sun Down
Team Love Records

01:00-01:45 of “Sun Down”
“Sun Down” sounds like what would happen if a 14-year-old boy only owned two records, Harry Nilsson’s The Point and N’Sync’s N’Sync. What comes out of that is an adorable little song that sounds like it’s made for and possibly by children – on a record label called Team Love. If this isn’t screaming for cute tween indie-girl fans I don’t know what is.

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Hawk Nelson
Hawk Nelson is My Friend
BEC Records

01:30-02:15 of “Friend Like That”
Every once and a while I’ll listen to some of my old pop-punk records – that is when my upstairs neighbors aren’t already blaring Bad Religion and the Descendents. For me, it’s a reminder of my youth; it makes me feel young and useful again, like I could really change the world. I assume that 18 year olds will look back on this record and think the same thing. If you’re an over-18 fan you might want to consider latching on to some of the “old-school” groups so that you have street-cred at the temp agency.

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B-52s
Funplex
Astralwerks

01:15-02:00 of “Pump”
What the heck? Um, no seriously, what the heck? What made the B-52’s decide to release a record and, more importantly, why did they decide on the absolute stupidest album cover? You know, “Rock Lobster” is a great song that totally appeals to both my lobster-loving and rock-loving sides – but I don’t know what the heck “Pump” is about. Funplex my ass.

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Paul Benton
Grey
Bridgetone Records

01:00-01:45 of “I Only See You”
I think the lyrics “I only see you in all that I do, to the rest I am blind,” clearly exemplifies Mr. Benton’s knack for writing crap lyrics where he is that friend that we all have that gets super obsessive over a girl and can’t live his own life. I mean, really dude? How do you go to work everyday?

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The Acorn
Glory Hope Mountain
Paper Bag Records
00:22-01:07 of “Low Gravity”

The Acorn proves, apparently, that Canadian indie-rock has a “sound,” and bands like the Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Wolf Parade and the Acorn all jerk each other off with their Baroque attitudes, collective ideals and slightly worldly hymns while being overly ambitious bands. Congratulations, you’ve created yourself a niche. What? No, I can’t tell what’s good and bad anymore, there are too many instruments.

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Beach House
Devotion
Carpark

03:10-03:55 of “Wedding Bell”
This is so mellow. I should be in a calm and relaxed place -- too bad this is apparently a duo of folks that can “play” so many instruments that the muddled sound of quiet relaxation turns into this slightly off-putting mesh of chaos with a pretty voice. Oh, and of course it’s knee-deep in a thick goo-like reverb.

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Fischerspooner
The Best Revenge EP
Kitsune

01:45-02:30 of “The Best Revenge”

It appears that Fischerspooner is back on the dance train, trying to gain popularity back by releasing a single that is uninspired and sounds kind of like an electronic Peter Gabriel song. It’s hard to “update” a sound you stole from the '80s huh? Fischerspooner, dude, I’m sorry, but you and the Faint are going on a double date with Ladytron and Adult to some type of washed up ex-electronica wasteland where the Devil plays the Chill Out series on repeat and the streets are made of Moogs.

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British Sea Power
Do You Like Rock Music?
Rough Trade

02:20-02:55 of “Waving Flags”
Hmm, yes I do like rock music. I appreciate it when bands ask me questions. It makes me really feel like I’m involved in their creative project. It’s kind of like when an author tells me right away that I’m smart and capable. I guess that means that British Sea Power thinks I’m smart, capable, and they like rock music too.

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Helio Sequence
Keep Your Eyes Ahead
Sup Pop

02:00-02:45 of “Lately”
I remember this band sounding totally different. It seems like they used to be sort of electro-pop. Now they sound like U2. I guess they’re just copying U2 in reverse historical order. Anyone remember Pop? Man, that record would have been sweet if Bono wasn’t on it.

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Why give anything an earnest listen, when you can make snap judgments?

Raheem DeVaughn
Love Behind the Melody
Zomba Records
01:00-01:45 of “Customer”

I had to stare at the cover of this record for a few minutes before I realized that it wasn’t called, “Love From Behind.” I’m not sure why, it just looked like that type of record. Anyway, “Customer” certainly proves my point with the line “let me serve you up, you can have it your way… if you want it super sized with some lovin’ on the side…” I’m sorry, but if that gets you hot or keeps you hot or whatever the hell this smooth jazz R&B shit is supposed to do then you have some serious issues.

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The Afters
Never Going Back to OK EP
INO Records
01:10-01:55 of “Never Going Back to OK”

Wow, the chorus is actually “Never Going Back to OK,” I figured it was just going to be one of those titles that didn’t really have any relation to the actual song (there is even one of those numbskull back-up vocalists who contributes an extra “Ok”). Boy, was I wrong. This is some type of post-Jimmy Eat World pop music that attempts to be powerful, I guess.

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Bubba Sparxxx
The Lost Tracks
FMS
00:00-00:45 of “Never Scared”

I never totally understood the point of the “Lost Tracks” albums. These are songs that didn’t make the cut for whatever reason before and I’m entirely unsure what makes them worthwhile now. “Never Scared” is about as bottom of the barrel as you’re going to get with music, I’m not just talking Bubba Sparxx, I’m talking music in general. This track makes me what to commit a public suicide in the hope that Bubba will notices and finally take stock of the influence his music has made on the world.

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