The Lacs - Keep It Redneck

Label: Backroad Records
Year: 2013
Genre: Country Rap
Recommending Person: Wes Strange

I imagine this record was not put forth with the intention that it is Wes's favorite album. However, I imagine that the Lacs are just going to be the beginning of a trend that I will easily avoid in the future. 

I'm just wondering who they believe to be their inspiration. I have to imagine that some is Kid Rock, I hear a lot of it in the eponymous song "Keep It Redneck", and also some Bubba Sparxx. You may be wondering what a Lac is? According to the band members it stands for "Loud Ass Crackers". 

The most surprising thing is that there are actually a few ballad like songs on the album. I would never expect anything of the sort. Unfortunately, there are also skits. The skits on rap albums are rarely funny and The Lacs continue that hip-hop tradition. The album isn't that great, but I was expecting less than what I actually received. 

Fun Fact: Another name for Country Rap is Hick-Hop. 

Poi Dog Pondering - Volo Volo

Label: Platetectonic Music
Year: 1992
Genre: Alternative Rock
Recommending Person: Kathy Thalmann

When the first track "Lackluster" hits you immediately think of the Talking Heads. When you see the album cover, you believe that their is no other image that could possibly indicate the 90's so concisely. I enjoy the album as a whole, but instead of just explaining my opinion, I just have to some thinking out loud.

lright, there are eight members on the cover. On tour they regularly, according to wikipedia the ultimate and unimpeachable source, had fourteen members. How does one make any money touring fourteen members in the band? Not only that but there are four more that were labeled as "satellite" members. Does that mean occasionally they would have fifteen people on stage? I feel like if the band wasn't given a meal they would spend just as much money on dinner as they would get for playing a gig. It's impressive they were able to do so from 1992 to 2013. 

A good album that has a few low spots, but is an enjoyable listen and a nice change of pace. It holds up really well and only has a few songs that just seem stuck in it's time. 

Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - The Dust of Retreat

Label: Artemis Records/ Standard
Year: 2006
Genre: Indie Folk
Recommending Person: Leslie Kramer's cool Niece Mollie

This is another band where when people would bring them up I would just nod my head and agree they were good. I had only heard a handful of their songs previously, but not enough to form a real opinion outside the generic cool people crowd.

All the songs are enjoyable on their own. For me it is missing on big song to really bring the album together as a whole. It has a bit of a malaise going through the album all at once. It's a 2006 album, which means it was during a time people were still pretending having a cogent album was important. Another time in my life I'm sure I would have loved a record like this, but it's just a bit to lower energy without raw emotion that I would need as a replacement. 

The worst part, is that I think the music itself does have a tempo to keep the energy up, probably leading to a better live show experience than one on headphones, but the voice of Richard Edwards is a bit lower key and can get lost in the song. "Talking in Code", "Quiet As A Mouse", and "Skeleton Key" are definitely songs I would come back for a listen.

Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III

Label: Young Money
Year: 2008
Genre: Rap
Recommending Person: Francesca Pickle

I've never understood why "A Milli" gets universal praise. Tha Carter III is even beloved by Pitchfork of all places. 

That said the record is good. Lil Wayne is bit odd himself, like trying to play the guitar, but he is skilled at his craft and should stay in his lane.  

The biggest hit off this album is definitely "Lollipop", but it is probably one of my least favorite. I love "Mrs. Officer" and "Dr. Carter" the most. "Dr. Carter" should be more popular because it's a fun story and reminds me of the story telling method that Dr. Dre often implements in "Guilty Conscience", "Still Dre", and "Forgot About Dre". It's still a song that's straight bravado, but it has a layer of fun that can be lacking when rappers display their machismo.

Nightwish - Imaginareum

Label: Nuclear Blast 
Year: 2005
Genre: Symphonic Metal
Recommending Person: Sean Murray

Bummer, first lost post of the year. I had a nice flow going, but I'm going to have to go in a slightly different direction.

This record was created in coordination with the movie of the  same name. It sounds that way the entire album. I felt like it was missing visuals and didn't quite hold up with out them.

The music itself is still powerful, but maybe it was my lack of concentration that led to a lack of narrative feel they had as a goal. I didn't fall in love with any single track and I think its because the vocals put me off in an odd way. The quality itself is not poor, maybe it's just not my cup of tea. I love the final track, it's instrumental and I think it's the tour de force of the entire album. I love that I listened to this record because it is outside of my cultural bubble.

Tegan and Sara - If It Was You

Label: Vapor
Year: 2002
Genre: Indie Rock
Recommending Person: Dan Clark

I've had a crush on Tegan and Sara for a long time. Unfortunately, my crush is ill fated as they are not interested in my gender, but still.

This album has them still finding their sound that I love. There are hints of it in "Want to Be Bad" and "Time Running", but they are stripped down a little too much.

I also may be a little hard on it, since my favorite song of their's is actually Tiesto's "Feel It In My Bones". Also this gives me a place to share Blogotheque's Concerts:

Best of Take-Away Shows Playlist

The Tragically Hip - Phantom Power

Label: Universal
Year: 1998
Genre: Alt Rock
Recommending Person: Tim Sisk

The only Alt Rock band from Canada that I really have previously paid attention to was Our Lady Peace. 

The Tragically Hip seem to always play the House of Blues once a year, I know this only because I Curl and all the Canadians go to the concert.

None of the songs really grab me, it seems to be of the era, almost exclusively. The only stand out was the first track, I'm saying that a lot, Poets. It has minimal intro that allow the first verse to really stick and it transfers into a nice beat for the first chorus which slowly builds and changes for the rest of the song. 

Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentleman We are Floating in Space

Label: Dedicated
Year: 1997
Genre: Space Rock
Recommending Person: Marta Conlon

On the first listen, I was in my car doing an assortment of errands. The album didn't really sink it at all. However, after I put on my headphones and listened while doing little else than tinkering around with the website, I found the album to be overwhelming and exhilarating. 

It turned my heart beat up like I had several cups of coffee. Especially the introductory track, "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space" starts with just the name of the song spoken continuing with instruments layering on top of each other. In the end a choir comes in and sings the chorus of "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You" famously sung by Elvis. The big issue is that when this song end the transition is quite sharp and goes away from the space-like sound and to a hard guitar. I was in the album, then immediately torn away with such a break.

It happens a few other times in the course of the record, but nothing as drastic as the first time it happens. Besides the transitions between the songs the album is fantastic and tries to incorporate as many spaces of sound as possible. The magically portion of the album is that it does it so each piece fits and they never collide in an unpleasant matter. That sounds simple, and it is easier with only a few melodies going on at the same time, but there are 4, 5, or 6 going on at once. It is really something that cannot be appreciated without concentration on the music.

Joe Jackson - Look Sharp

Label: A&M
Year: 1979
Genre: Punk, New Wave, Post-Punk
Recommending Person: Jeff Sherry

Joe Jackson's Look Sharp is an interesting snapshot of moving from the late 70s punk movement into the copycats of Huey Lewis in the 80s. 

It's a bridge album incorporating many tropes of late 70s punk/new wave acts like The Clash and introducing new techniques later seemingly aped by The J. Geils Band. You can here similarities between "Centerfold" and Jackson's hit single "Is She Really Going Out with Him?" and many of those pop punk-ish bands of the 80s sound very similar. 

I loved the punkier songs on the album like "Throw It Away" or "One More Time", maybe I just love 3 word titles. Joe Jackson never got huge, but he always seems to be around and mentioned a decent amount and his music, for the most part, ages well. 

Demi Lovato - Demi

Label: Hollywood
Year: 2013
Genre: Pop
Recommending Person: Chrissy Walker

Demi Lovato is huge. She has two very successful albums previously and this record was her trying to deviate a bit from the formula that worked previously, AKA "The Taylor Swift".

I really only like one song on the entire record, the intro track Heart Attack. It was the first single and I think the only song that tryies to be an out and out pop song and still uses Lovato's powerful vocals. The rest of the songs just seem like knock offs from other pop songs that have already been released.

I Really Don't Care sounds like I Love It by Icona Pop, Neon Lights is very similar to Starships by Nicki Minaj, and Made in the USA sounds like Beyonce's Halo. (Something That We're Not sounds like Ke$ha, Firestarter is basically a Rihanna song, Two Pieces sounds straight ripped from 1989, Shouldn't Come Back sounds like Kelly Clarkson)

The only thing that seems separate from other entities are the Singer-songwriter type Piano pieces with In Case and Warrior.  

I get it, it's pop so many popular songs are going to ape one another at any certain time, but I wish Demi Lovato would go with a singular voice or feel, Taylor Swift as much as I didn't love the Album was a consistent feel the entire album, Demi seems more concerned with making a "Sorry for the Wait" pop version.

This has basically been the only exposure to Lovato, she seems very talented but confused artistically on what she wishes to accomplish. Or she needs a different producer, or pick one.

American Football - American Football

Label: Polyvinyl Records
Year: 1999
Genre: Emo
Recommending Person: Ryan Sullivan

The sole record from American Football, until they have recently come back together, is a classic that I have avoided. They come from Champaign-Urbana where they released only this eponymous album. They were only active from 1997 to 2000 and had a huge impact on the Emo scene in that short time.

I didn't love the album, it puts you in a state during the time you are listening that puts you at ease while still being interesting enough to keep your attention. It's a well done album, but there was nothing with a pop hook that kept me coming back. 

Elvis - Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite

Label: RCA Victor
Year: 1973
Genre: Pop
Recommending Person: Jeanne Sherry

What a groovy album cover! So Nixon went to China and it was covered live. So obviously Elvis's manager was able to come up with a scheme to make boat loads of cash.

He promoted it saying that over 1 billion viewers would watch Elvis worldwide at the same time, despite the fact it wasn't aired live in many countries because of the time changes and in the US it wasn't shown because it would have been competing against the Super Bowl.

They still claim that in January they got over a Billion viewers even though the total populations of where it was shown totaled 1.3 Billion.  Whatever, not a big deal promoters lie, the concert is good!

Elvis covering the Beatles, James Taylor, and Frank Sinatra is pretty fantastic. His backing band was fantastic all the way through and it was just a fun album, although there did seem to be a few songs that Elvis was taking off, but I would have to watch the concert to really tell it wasn't just a stylistic choice by the King. What's that YouTube?

Phish - Billy Breathes

Label: Elektra
Year: 1996
Genre: Alternative Rock
Recommending Person: Sarah Sherry

So this is the first big Phish album. Before they were a band with a cult following, but this album actually made it's way on to the charts and has been on rotation for college kids everywhere. Except for me. I got into jam bands for a little bit in my college life, but it was mostly just an extension and deeper dives into bands I already enjoyed like O.A.R. and Dispatch. 

This album is an enjoyable listen. I probably listened to incorrectly, as I did it over an americano, which is probably not the roast that Trey Anastasio had in mind when they were in the studio. I only recognized the song "Talk" which seems straight out of a Zach Braff film. The whole record was nice for a slow day, but it isn't an anytime type of record.

Meatloaf - Bat Out of Hell

Label: Cleveland International/ Epic
Year: 1977
Genre: Hard Rock
Recommending Person: Rose Sherry

For an extremely popular album there is a lot of varied elements. There are ballads, operatic elements, hard rock, and some very folk like story elements through out the record. "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" is probably the most well song from Meatloaf's second album, but I enjoy "Two out of Three Ain't Bad" more even though it sounds like an Elton John song. 

Meat Loaf was originally famous from the musical Hair, which led to his unsuccessful debut album, that led to him going back to perform in Hair and later to audition for More Than You Deserve where he first met Jim Steinman. 

While Meatloaf is a great performer, he never wrote anything that became popular. Many Baby Boomers complain that no one currently writes their own songs, it's probably been about the same percentage as their have always been, but some of the biggest acts in their hay day had song writers. It's a silly argument, just say you like the music or you don't. Whoever wrote it is inconsequential to how good the song is. Johnny Cash didn't write "Hurt" or "Personal Jesus" on American IV that caused a late renaissance, it doesn't detract from Johnny Cash at all. 

Fun Fact: Ellen Foley, the female lead from the Duet on "Paradise" appeared in Night Court as Billie Young. That fact is fun.

Rocket From the Crypt - Scream, Dracula, Scream

Label: Interscope
Year: 1995
Genre: Punk Rock
Recommmending Person: Paul Conant

This is a band I have not heard of previously, so I was excited. The general vibe is something I am generally very into. There is a performance aspect of becoming an entirely different character that I enjoy. It's really much more enjoyable than a performer just trying to sell themselves as slightly different than what they are in real life. 

Rocket From the Crypt experienced much larger popularity in the UK than the US, which has a weird history which one day I want to be fully explored by someone talented (aka Not me), and they do a good job of melding Rock genre's into their Punk Rock aesthetic. I particular enjoy a Bruce Spingsteenian offering in in the song "Used". It maybe the orchestral backing or the harmony driven chorus, but I could easily see it covered by "The Boss" in a 25 minute long live version.

Brett Eldredge - Bring You Back

Label: Atlantic Nashville
Year: 2013
Genre: Country
Recommending Person: Viki Arias

Country has been under attack recently for repeating the same song over and over again. I felt some of the same with Brett Eldredge's debut album. Now he isn't part of the current Frat Country of sitting on beaches and drinking beer, he is aiming directly at a young female market with about 11 of the 12 songs about how he is a big romantic, and he wants nothing more than just his lady. 

I was about to go out on a diatribe how every song seems to have an affectation into the singing, but that happens just as often in punk rock, indie, and every genre on the planet. To me this album lacked any sort of emotional core that was believable. Everything was face value, each emotion was one note, and every song felt contrived. I've never been big on Country to begin with, but nothing about this record made me feel differently about the genre in general. Everything seems like a put on, but unlike the current pop country it lacks any attempt at fun. It seems content with being chipper.  Even the label seems to be pandering, Atlantic Nashville?  The appeal is still lost on me for the most part, but I will keep trying.

The Killers - Sam's Town

Label: Island - Vertigo
Year: 2006
Genre: Indie Rock
Recommending Person: The Jarock's! (Mark and Melissa Jarotkiewicz)

The Killers are family favorites of my sisters growing family. I went on a trip to Oregon with them from the State of Washington where it was very Killers heavy. 

Not to mention they also had a concert DVR'd that was played at least twice during my extended stay. That actually is not an issue at all. The Killers are a perfect pop rock group that families can easily play without worrying about offending any young ears that may be listening. 

I learned the most about Killers from retired Radio Personality Elektra on the now defunct Q101, she taught me of the roots of the Band in Las Vegas and the fact that one member was able to see a large Sam's Town sign through his window. The album's goal was to chronicle the big moments in front man Brandon Flowers's life, and now my Niece and Nephew can use the album Sam's Town as a big musical influence in their life!

David Byrne - Look Into the Eyeball

Label: Virgin
Year: 2001
Genre: Folk Rock, World Beat,  Alternative Rock
Recommending Person: Denise Erazmus

I was really excited when I saw this recommended because who doesn't love David Byrne? Then I heard "Like Humans Do" and immediately got sent back to high school. THIS IS THE SONG THAT IS ON EVERY COMPUTER WITH XP ON THE PLANET! 

One, a nerdy person, would re-format your computer and Like Humans Do would appear. Being dumb and 14 I didn't know David Byrne was formerly the lead singer of the Talking Heads and I figured it was just someone who was talented at Microsoft and decided he could sneak in his song onto every computer on the planet. Again, I was dumb.

The record itself is enjoyable if a bit into itself, it's become a staple of Byrne, and it drifts into a multilingual album with "Desconocido Soy". It was catchy enough on the first listen, but it really succeeds on the 3rd listen and I would only layer more the more time I give it. 

Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory?

Label: Creation
Year: 1995
Genre: BritPop, Rock
Recommending Person: Ryne Hendrich

This is one of the first albums I listened to with the ability to understand what was happening. I was about 8 at the time and my sister Melissa had the Album. I don't think I really got into it until I was 10, but it has a lasting on me. 

Wonderwall has become the shot across the bow for every guy learning the guitar. It is a song now notorious to sing to women after a long night filled with libations. It's not that great of a song and has become super cheesy. 

Another cheesy song that I love is Don't Look Back in Anger.  It's the definition of sappiness, but it just fits perfectly and I believe is ultimately the better sing along than Wonderwall. This record was a nice throw back.

The 20/20 Experience (1 of 2) - Justin Timberlake

Label: RCA
Year: 2013
Genre: Pop
Recommending Person: Chrissy Walker

Besides the song Strawberry Bubblegum this album isn't bad. It's not my favorite, but the songs at least are trying to do something. I wish they limited that attempt to less than 7 minutes a song or you know try more things in a single song, there was a lot of checking the time remaining on the track while I was listening. Also, JT you have a nice singing voice. Stop resorting to Falsetto all the time. It's not necessary.