OK Go: Oh No
April 29, 2007
OK Go
Oh No
Capitol Records
www.Okgo.net
What do you expect as a follow up to a band’s debut album that had loveable lyrics and heart-winning hooks? Something exactly like this. If their first record didn’t convince you that they had what it takes to swoon indie kids to enjoy poppy music, then Oh No, sure will. Thirteen explosive tracks that get better with each one; don’t worry they’re just as catchy as they are expected. After touring the world for two years, the four Chicago natives grabbed the attention of producer Tore Johansson who helped make Franz Ferdinand who they are now. They recorded these beauties in Sweden and released them for your listening pleasure on August 30th. Their first single “A Million Ways” has the obvious influences of Mr. Johansson and his work with Franz Ferdinand, but it still rocks your speakers nonetheless. You can also see their jaw-dropping Justin Timberlake dance moves in their (what looks like self-produced) music video on their website OKgo.net. During their two-year tour they played many small clubs, showcasing both old, future and their track off the Future Soundtrack of America, but with this album now out for play, you can expect their audience to be much larger. It almost sounds like they went through all of their CDs while on that tour bus for two years and decided to include a taste of everything on their sophomore album. 60s harmonies, 80s synth pop, a touch of the grungier rock – it’s a beautiful mesh of decades of winning inspiration. Their familiar sound comes alive on “Crash The Party” and again on “Do What You Want” with hooks that will have you… well, hooked! Closing with a full-bodied “The House Wins”, that has a hint of Blur, Oh No seems like it covered all bases, until you let it start over again you and re-discover one of the best little bands Chicago has to offer.
by Iris Karasick
Maggie, Pierce, and EJ: The Silver Album
April 29, 2007
Maggie, Pierce and E.J.
The Silver Album
Philadelphia, PA
www.mpeband.com
This band fooled me! I thought I was reviewing a record for MPE Band… not Maggie Pierce and EJ!! I didn’t even know they had such a compilation out. I remember buying their first record when they played at my day camp, and I’m really not that old. Anyway, it’s amazing to see that they’re still around! Bravo! And from what I remember, still rockin’ out those acoustic tunes. Their newest record, entitled Silver (all their albums are color coded), is a triple disc set, so if you’re into acoustic rock, you get more bang for your buck! The way the game plan is laid out is six songs are on each of the three CDs in the set. They’re each grouped by their sound (ingenious!) and set to progress through the day. The album was recorded in Germany, hence the German titles of each CD (Morgen-morning, Mittag-midday and Nacht-night). And each of the CDs fit the mood of their respective titles. So naturally the softer tracks are on disc one, the more upbeat on two and the heavier tracks on three. IMHO the best track available for listening on their website is “Music of the Sea.” Off the second disc, “Mittag,” the gradual build to a record scratching, dance poppy, acoustic love song totally sets the mood. They invite you to “stay and listen to the music of the sea” and I just want to take them up of their offer. “Kennison” which is on the second disc as well, is totally different from every other track I think I’ve ever heard from them. It’s a full out rock song when I’m used to hearing a more acoustic based feel throughout. Doesn’t mean that it’s a bad track though, I thought it was a nice balance. The other upbeat track up for a gander is “Yipee-I-A” on the third disc, “Nacht.” It’s pretty rocking, and Maggie almost reminds me of Liz Phair on this track being the girl singing a rock song. The first disc, “Morgen,” appears to be the softest of the three, providing us with the soft, gentleness of acoustic rock and all its beauty. Plus it really demonstrates MPE’s talent very well. Acoustic trio with a decent balance of male and female vocals, some rocking songs, some softer songs with a good decade of music to establish themselves, with a fair amount of music to offer on their latest release, its really worth your time to check this record out, besides the fact that its so well constructed, also for your wallet’s sake.
by Iris Karasick
Stone Gato
April 29, 2007
What thrills me about this album is the versatility and the mixing of all cultures. Where else do you hear the twangs of electric violin, reminiscent of a country hoedown accompanying the one, two, cha cha cha of the drums and guitar? Look no further than Stone Gato, an eclectic foursome taking full range of percussion and strings to bring a great twist to the same old salsa dance. Taking folky Americana and colliding it with Latin beats, Stone Gato brings you north and south of the border all at once. A true mixing of cultures and sounds, this band really knows how to keep the momentum and your feet going. With a mix of Spanish and English lyrics it doesn’t matter if you don’t understand all the words because you can easily get lost in the beats to keep “dancing the night away,” as heard in “Mala,” an upbeat song with a feverishly fast-changing tempo, leaving you only to imagine the strings of the violin’s bow going as fast as your hips on the dance floor.
by Katie Smalley
Liz Phair: Somebody’s Miracle
April 29, 2007
AN OPEN LETTER FROM IRIS:
As one of indie rock’s most celebrated icons, Liz Phair has created a standard for herself that I’m sure she is struggling to live up to with her second pop album release. But I don’t want this to be like every other review. I know her fans, both old and new, are going to have mixed feelings about Somebody’s Miracle, but for me, I applaud Ms. Phair. She has an album on a prestigious music magazine’s list of best albums of all time, she tours despite being a mom, and she even performed at this year’s waning Lollapalooza in her hometown. She is also fabulously attractive, which is ironic because in today’s corporate music world, the beautiful people are the ones that tend to sing for MTV. Writing music is difficult, but writing indie rock music I think is an accomplishment that is seemingly overlooked. The hipster audience is far more critical about their music than any other format. As soon as a band submits a song that is radio-worthy, that said band has lost their fantastic underground roots and elite status among indie rock fans. They will whine and complain that their favorite artist has sold out, writing music for the masses, conforming to society and moving away from writing music for the music and instead for the money. And if artists have to “sell-out” in order to make a buck, and in that process they lose a fan base, then something is wrong. I write this message to you because I saw something this weekend, and it changed my perspective on many of the ‘Liz Phair’ issues: I saw her in concert… again. However, this show was post the release of Somebody’s Miracle, out October 4th. I was interested to see how the audience, her fans, would respond to her playing her new pop tunes live. Never, in all of the concerts that I have been to (and I am quite seasoned), have I seen an audience like I saw at her show. And honestly, I don’t think Liz expected it either. Present were her oldest fans and the teenagers who listen to the radio. She blushed while we sang along to every single one of her songs, throwing punches in the air as if we were at a punk rock concert and even joining her while she played tracks from her first self-titled pop album. I was dancing more to her music than I have at dance-pop shows. I even danced with a stranger and we smiled at each other because we connected over something that we both loved without even speaking to each other: her music. Someone requested a song and Liz didn’t even remember how it went, and asked the fan to come up on stage with her to help with the song. Even guys were bellowing out asking Liz to have their children, along with singing their favorites. These fans were truly in love with everything that has to do with Liz Phair. With that being said…
CD REVIEW
One thing that fans of Liz Phair, and anyone for that matter, need to realize is that people grow up, they move on. She’s still somebody’s blow job queen, however, there is no more fu*k and run: she’s a mom; mom’s can’t do that. Music style can change too, and in this case, it has. Once the indie rock idol, breaking the steadfast male dominance of the genre, the pretty girl who doesn’t sing pretty girl music, Liz stood tall and wrote a self-titled pop album. Somebody’s Miracle can be said to be the follow-up to this record, when in reality Somebody’s Miracle is her sixth release. The blend of catchy radio-friendly pop tunes and her indie rock roots really come together on Somebody’s Miracle. Her off-key voice comes alive on tracks, proving that even though some might believe she has conformed to the glitz and glamour of the American pop queen, she will always be a rock princess. The title track “Everything To Me” is the first single and ten times more mature than any of her earlier releases, musically and lyrically. The uplifting positive characteristics of this track pave the mood of the record, which is good since millions are going to be exposed to it thanks to airplay. “Lazy Dreamer” is another core track that has potential to be big, due in part to a rockin’, bass-heavy melody with a candy-coated hook, that I can see winning the ears of many pop fans and the hearts back of lost Phair believers. “Leap of Innocence” and “Table For One”, while both audibly different, are also very strong tracks that embrace her deep vocals, revive her early acoustic-focused gems, and help keep the record from being branded as totally pop. I chuckled at the extreme similarity of “Got My Own Thing” to that of “Ooh Boy” by Real McCoy, however, there could be underlying humor to the intentions of that and the implications of originality in the track title, or I could totally be reading into that way too much. Either way, Somebody’s Miracle really captures the current Liz Phair. Sometimes artists release albums that just aren’t up to par with the rest of their library, and that’s okay, they usually realize it and admit their faults. Some people believe this is an apology for her earlier record-flop. I don’t even see a reason to apologize; she writes fantastic music, it’s expressive, catchy and celebrated by her fans when she performs it live. She is a beautiful black sheep to pop music and an established sweetheart amongst the indie rock legends, and for her, this record is a keystone for bridging the gap that so many people believe exist between her roots and recent work, and I think she did a fantastic job.
by Iris Karasick
Lindi Ortega: The Taste of Forbidden Fruit
April 29, 2007
http://www.myspace.com/lindimusic
Proving that Canada has yet to produce an artist that isn’t solid, Lindi Ortega emerges without disappointment. This is flat out chick music, so if you’re not a fan in general, it might be kind of difficult to get into the groove. Having been around for a while, Lindi recently had 2002 works released on a CD entitled The Taste of Forbidden Fruit. Her voice is incredibly passionate in her music and really stands out on top of the actual music of each song. Albeit independently released, after the “millions” that read this review, they will see how much potential is in there and big things will come. On her MySpace site, she covers The Doors’ “People Are Strange” and it’s done beautifully! “Misery My Love” and “Coffee Shops,” available for a taste on that site too, are on the CD. The balance of everything is pretty close to perfect, without blatantly saying it. If there is one thing that is going to carry Lindi into the spotlight of Canadian singer/songwriter stardom, it’s her voice. She harnesses it extremely well, and there isn’t a doubt in my mind that given the right opportunities, great things will come.
by Iris Karasick
Lexington Down: Lexington Down EP
April 29, 2007
New Jersey rock outfit Lexington Down have this going for them: they write and sing that coveted stereotypical Mid-Atlantic rock that is usually found in the far-off land of Baltimore but instead in Jersey, so it makes them unique, right? They have a self-released EP with a full length in the works and hopefully the tracks that are blueprinted for the LP sound a little different than the monotony of their current four-track release. However, rarely do you find a band that is still in its pre-fame stages that collaborates so well together. They do have solid melodies, and mini-harmonies to boot, but tracks like “Lines In The Road” are missing that oomph to their already present weak-hook. Don’t get me wrong, Lexington Down has real potential to break out of the punk rock breed, they just need to find what attributes to uniqueness they need to apply to their music to make it work. “Outta Sight” has the right idea with clapping, but I think it can be used more effectively than a background additive. “The Flicks” is totally rocking which is great and the strongest track on the EP, but that too is an element short of a great breakthrough song. If I were to lend my suggestions: try some harmonies, crunchier guitars – I hear the punk rock influences laced in each song but they’re not welcomed. To make it as a band these days, something different needs to be applied to the music whether it be new instruments, dabs into other genres, time code or even cleverly inserted silences, whatever it is, it works. Take it as a hint and embrace it! Somewhere along the line, somebody did it right and it bought them a record deal. Why not try it for yourself? You might be surprised at the outcome.
by Iris Karasick
Last Week: Thoughts to Keep You Company
April 29, 2007
Last Week
Thoughts to Keep You Company
Lawrence, NY
www.lastweekrock.com
One of the more “softer” rock bands that you might have caught at the Warped Tour, Last Week has written their songs, not to quote “Bubble Tape”: for you, not them. Alternative radio friendly, Thoughts to Keep You Company is a record that you might find in the Dickies’ messenger bags of many teenage Dashboard fans. Slow-paced enough to allow you to learn their lyrics with perfection, but rockin’ enough to keep them in that mainstream radio friendly niche. Thoughts To Keep You Company opens with the strongest track “New Year’s Eve” to get your ears perked up for some serious rock. But they fool you! Ido’s voice can be very familiar, which take it as you want it (some people like listening to familiarity amongst different bands), but with new and upcoming bands, a unique voice couldn’t hurt. Corny lyrics such as “life is just so unpredictable” and “Sha la la’s” fuel the second track, “Unpredictable.” Not as strong as it could be, but for a softer, acoustic, emo track about life and its traffic patterns, it’s fairly catchy and has potential to with the hearts of many fourteen-year olds. And just when you start to get a tiny bit bored of the repetitiveness, it even jumps to the climatic key change at the end! How daring! They have a hint of emo qualities throughout the EP, however, with the arena chanting on the track “You Said You Wouldn’t Lie,” it’s particularly prominent. Putting a song like this on their record really broadens their desired listening audience and confuses us reviewers as to what genre to group these boys. So wipe your tears girls, step aside Mr. Carraba and learn the lyrics, because I have a pretty strong feeling you will be sorely left out at shows if you are a n00b.
by Iris Karasick
Kisha Griffin: Chit Chat’N
April 29, 2007
Kisha Griffin
San Francisco, CA
Chit Chat’N
www.kisshermusic.com
I’m not going to peg Kisha Griffin in the straight R&B/Soul category. After listening to her album, I have decided there is so much of everything thrown in that it’s above and beyond the simple slot of R&B. Kisha Griffin uses her wide vocal range and use of the mixing board to push the borders of the genre. On the R&B side, her soulfully smooth voice really adds the perfect touch to winding down at the end of the day. (Or *wink* getting wound up with someone you like.) You can fall into her deep, honey voice as seen in the song “Happy Home.” Adding a little funk, Griffin really lays its down with a little techno here and some acoustic there. Her versatility and also adaptability for the changing audience shines in “My Life” a quick, techno backed club-worthy song featuring her Toni Braxton-esque baritone voice. Whatever mood you are in, you can definitely find something in Kisha Griffin; whether you want to slow down or speed up.
by Katie Smalley
JSD: Rezmade
April 29, 2007
JSD
Rezmade
http://www.geocities.com/rezmade2004
With the likes of Everlast, JSD (or Joe San Diego) puts it down without the sugar coating in his album titled “Rezmade.” No frills, no grand sampling; just the words and the experience behind it. Hailing from Ukiah, California, JSD comes out talking about everything he knows. With a little fun and a little filth talking about nasty girls and my favorite chug-a-lugging, as heard in “Chug-a-Lug Thugz,” JSD takes rapping to the hometown and makes it something friends would gather around to listen to (could possibly jump in and add some lyrics to, it’s that chill). There’s no pretentious floss here; it’s all about the fun of living, and the hard times too. JSD uses the right samples to help create a portrait of what it must be like to be venturing through the rough streets of the west coast. “Right Now Remix” gives the eerie feeling of being in the rough side of town in the dark and the build up is fantastic. The beat drops in just when you hope it would, and the song begins as well as the journey in the song. Simple beats and simple words, peppered, of course, with the colorful language of the street, keeps the focus on the message. There’s no overload or five different beats to keep your head spinning and dizzy. While the lyrics contain plenty of profanity, it isn’t in vain, and holds credit with the style and the audience it hopes to attract.
by Katie Smalley
Johnny Ford: Self-Titled EP
April 29, 2007
Johnny Ford
Self-Titled EP
Rock Out Records
www.johnnyford.com
Hello gritty southern rock and roll! If you love that raw, acoustic, soulful sound, then look no further. Johnny Ford is all of that kissed with southern roots. His 5-song self-titled EP, out on Rock Out Records, leans more towards the acoustic side and doesn’t really express the rock that is heard on “Big City Southern” (a track from his full-length, Howl and Moan) which I feel to be his strongest track. But don’t think that this is just another acoustic boy-toy here to serenade you with love songs and mushy heart-pouring tales. They might be emotastic, but there is definite bite to them. I think that this EP does not do Mr. Ford justice, because I really hear the desire for him to sing these songs with a full band behind him, belting his words with the punch of the kick drum and warmness of the bass. While beautiful in color, songs like “Make Some Time” are just begging for accompaniment. Maybe Johnny is pulling a fast one and giving us the raw, uncut, acoustic atmosphere on the EP and leaving the sweet southern glory as our after dinner mint with an LP release. Hopefully I’m right on the latter, because after listening to Johnny Ford unplugged, I really want him to hook up that amp and bleed those southern rock roots into what I feel can be a really full-bodied, awesome compilation of music.
by Iris Karasick
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