Welcome to the second edition of
Out Today, where I get to pick apart this weeks releases in a paragraph or less. This was a pretty decent week for music, with Lily Allen's blockbuster finally coming stateside, a new Busdriver album, and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's follow-up to their 2005 mega-hit. And just when I was worried about all my good reviews, along came a little band that I just couldn't bring myself to like. Enjoy!
Alright, Still
Lily Allen To tell you the truth, I've been listening to my import of this album for a few months now, and I'm sure that a lot of other people have been too. But, of course, there are those certain people that just decided to wait for the US release. Well now you have no reason not to have this album. It's brilliant, sharp, witty, sarcastic, easy to dance to, and nearly every track has single potential. There's a reason Lily Allen is so hyped. She deserves it.
Grade: A-
RoadKillOvercoat
Busdriver Busdriver is quite possibly the most skilled rapper you'll ever have the honor of hearing. His lithe staccato drops lightning-fast rhymes that could run circles around most of his peers. So why isn't he as popular as them? Because his music is incredibly abrasive. Fast, acerbic, and intelligent, most listeners will be put off by how far beyond his peers Busdriver is gone. RoadKillOverCoat is no different. At it's best, Busdiver's biting rhymes fly by as a massive beat pumps in the background. The very end of the album really nails this quality. Sure he slows down sometimes, and for the most part he handles it well. However, every now and then, the speed trips him up. He's truly best suited to speed; I only wish he could slip into that high gear more often.
Grade: B
Some Loud Thunder
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah This is a hopelessly uneven album.
Some Loud Thunder is home to some truly great songs, some middling ones, and a few atrocious ones. There's little continuity between songs, and the whole album feels like it's about to be torn apart by the different direction each song takes. Still, I can't hate this album; the band clearly loves, and more importantly, respects music. They fall victim to the sophomore curse, but only because of their debut success. Ironic, no? I had high expectations for this album. We all did. Which is exactly why it falls flat on it's face.
Grade: B-
There's No 666 in Outer Space
Hella If you asked me to, I doubt I could differentiate one track from another on this album. They all sound the same to me; incessant guitar and drums, drowned out vocals, and headache-inducing repetitiveness. What makes this album jump from merely repetitive to downright annoying, is that it actually has the nerve to be long-winded. An hour of the same noise over and over again? No thanks.
Grade: D+
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