Friday, February 25, 2011

Old Soul

Kaputt - Destroyer

Destroyer's ninth studio album is a blast from the past as it seems to jump straight from the 1980's Jazz scene and into 2011. Having said that, the album never sounds dated or out of place. I have to point out that some of the lyrics can be confusing and obscure and are often drowned out or near inaudible but that is due more to the singing style rather than the loudness of the instruments. Speaking of, the instrumental aspect of "Kaputt" is simply magnificent, "Bay Of Pigs" does a great job of showcasing many of the variations common to the Jazz genre and more specific to this band. "Chinatown" is an instant classic: the cool vibe, the pitch perfect vocals, and a run-time that's just right. Destroyer is relatively new band to me even though they have been making music since '96; my first impression of them was overwhelmingly positive as I found very little wrong with the overall package except that "Bay Of Pigs" and "Suicide Demo For Kara Walker" ran a little too long and can't be fully appreciated. If you're looking to get lost in some smooth trumpets and dreamy vocals, this was made for you.


Xero & The Boombox Theorists

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Tomorrow's Youth

Tomorrow And Tomorrow And Tomorrow... - 
Youth Sounds

Continuing the trend of great second albums, Youth Sounds' eagerly anticipated sophomore album delivers on all the promises of "The Bit Parts EP". Their ever-present laid-back and overall smooth approach to making music bridges the gap between the two ensembles and creates a certain coherence between the tracks; and it doesn't hurt that they can make a pretty catchy tune that makes you want to sing along even on your first listen. The best first impression has got to be "It's Hell" followed by "We're No One", which takes nothing away from the rest of the album, I just cracked a smile as soon as "It's Hell" started playing. The ear-worm prize would have to go to "Whatever Works" but this is just a perk of the song, what makes this album special is the heart and soul that clearly shines through each of the five tracks; each song is so well put together and executed and everything from the pacing to the vocals seems chosen with care and never feels like a rush job which only cements my admiration for this still-up-and-coming band. In short, this is an amazing follow-up to the "The Bit Parts" and is worth a listen for anybody looking for a unique sound.


1.- It's Hell

2.- Whatever Works

3.- Foolish Love

4.-You'll Be The Death Of Me

5.- We're No One



Xero & The Boombox Theorists

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Innocent

Ritual - White Lies

White Lies' sophomore album "Ritual" is a short departure from their previous work "To Lose My Life..." yet is not more of the same. The balance on the album is a point worth noting: tracks such as "Bad Love", "Strangers" and "Bigger Than Us" tend to be faster paced and energetic, others like "Come Down" and "Turn The Bells" go for a slower vibe while not altogether crawling. One aspect which is constant is the dark lyrics and powerful vocals, both reasons why I was drawn to this band; think Alternative-Rock shell with a Punk-Rock and Grunge core. "To Lose My Life..." was an utterly satisfying musical experience and a real triumph for a debut album but "Ritual" is far from a simple after-taste of their previous oeuvre, it stands alone and  proves that this band still has room to grow and develop their sound while not straying too far from their roots. "Ritual" is not perfect, but after listening to it in it's entirety, it remains a well crafted ensemble, flat-lining in certain sections but picking itself up quickly. If you had the pleasure of listening to any track on "To Lose My Life..." you will enjoy this one as well and may even grow to appreciate White Lies even more.



Xero & The Boombox Theorists

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Something Different

Marker - TimPermanent

Let me just start off by saying that the hiatus is now over and we will be doubling our efforts to post in a more timely fashion. I've been sitting on this album for much longer than I would have liked and that's just not right; my first impression of TimPermanent was "I've heard this before", now this can be either a good thing or quite the opposite, in my opinion that familiarity makes it easier to listen to the songs in their entirety and truly appreciate how this artist can stand out from all the others in and around the Pop scene. The ear-worm factor alone was enough to convince me that this was worth posting; I found myself humming the catchier tracks like "Alkaline", "Asymmetrical" and "Extraordinary". Keep in mind though that TimPermanent (love the name) doesn't just make Pop music but is part of the Avant-Pop movement,  which is just a shorter way of saying he mixes his personal style with current culture references and tendencies, making them easier to relate with. As always with my humble suggestions, tuning your ears is a must for this album and very little to ask for when it sounds like this. 


Xero & The Boombox Theorists