ALBUM REVIEW: Andorra - Caribou

Album: Andorra
Artist: Caribou
Year: 2007
Genre : Electronic / Indie Electronic

Favorite Track: She’s the One

This album opens up with a tremendous amount of energy. This opening track “Melody Day” really sets a tone that is, though not entirely new for the artist, much more natural sounding than much of his earlier works. The whole album seems to stick together much more that previous ones as well, rather than being a collection of tracks with various sounds, it is an album of songs that seem to have some real connection between them.

By the fourth song “She’s the One” it is obvious that this album is a small piece of musical gold. Though I am not a huge fan of Caribou’s singing style, I cannot deny that it just works with what he has created. I single out this song in particular because, even though it is one of the slower and seemingly less powerful tracks it meshes together every sound to what I might consider perfection.

Unfortunately this track is followed by “Desiree” which I feel the weakest song on the album. In comparison to all the others this one seems too lackluster. Perhaps it is the focus on the vocals, which are definitely one of the largest players in this track. The album immediately picks back up afterwards, and even as the weakest song it is not bad.

All in all, this album is just about as close to perfection as anything gets.

Rating: 5 of 5

Out of Shape

I am out of shape. I remember a good 6-7 years ago when I would play Dance Dance Revolution all the damn time. I was in great shape back then. I remember that when I started playing it I weighed around 175 pounds. I dropped down about 20-25 pounds from just playing that game a lot, and my stamina was much greater as well. I really need to start jogging or something. Perhaps I will start doing that soon, not sure when but soon...

Tonight I did some push-ups and crunches and stuff though. It was much harder then it should have been, and I shall make it easier again.

ALBUM REVIEW: Ambivalence Avenue - Bibio

Album: Ambivalence Avenue
Artist: Bibio
Year: 2009
Genre : Electronic / Indie Electronic

Favorite Track: Fire Ant

In 2009, Bibio released three LP albums. Ambivalence Avenue being the middle child of the year, but the first release on under the Warp label for the artist. What is surprising about this album is that, despite it feeling like an experiment with sounds, it is wonderful.

Haven’t only heard Bibio’s first album, Fi, before this one I was at first taken back by how vastly different the sound was. There are three tracks, “All the Flowers” “Abrasion” and “The Palm of Your Wave”, that seem to call back to what I knew of the artist, the biggest difference being the presence of vocals.

The opening track “Ambivalence Avenue” carries with an almost pop feel, only to be followed by “Jealous of Roses” which almost seems to be a funk song. There are quite a few songs that have a hip-hop feel to them as well.

“Fire Ant” being the first one on the album, is my pick of the album which surprises myself. The song starts with distorted voices, no beat or anything, but as the track goes on and layers of instruments and beats are added, it transforms into what I think is one of the coolest sounds of modern music.

The weakest song on the album is “S’Vive” which just doesn’t seem to know quite what it wants to do. Which is funny considering the album when looked at as a whole, should suffer from the same problem. However, when the final track “Dwrcan” leads you through its dark and heavy rhythms to the airy peace that is the last minute of the album I just think of how much I enjoyed the ride.

Rating: 4 of 5

ALBUM REVIEW: Aladdin Sane - David Bowie

Album: Aladdin Sane
Artist: David Bowie
Year: 1973
Genre : Pop/Rock

Favorite Track: Drive-In Saturday

What the hell do you say about David Bowie? I don’t really know. It is really hard to say he has produced a ‘bad’ album. Sure some are weaker and some stronger but there is a relatively high minimum quality to his stuff. All I can really say about it is that I have to be in the right mood to listen to Bowie. Hence why I put this review off for so long.

Overall, this is not my favorite Bowie album. It does have a very nice classic rock feel. I find the last two songs of the album seem to be a bit low in energy compared to the start giving it a bit of a drag. Perhaps it is because they follow ‘Let's Spend the Night Together’ which ends up being, perhaps, the highest energy song on the album with a wonderful-playful sound. ‘Drive-in Saturday’ gets knocked up for my pick of the album though. Its one of the slower songs but everything about it clicks just right.

Rating: 4 of 5