This is not my beautiful house!... this is not my beautiful wife!... how did I get here?!?
NEW: Ben Kweller, Freak Out, It's Ben Kweller; Fleetwood Mac, Rumours; Modest Mouse, Good News for People Who Love Bad News
AGAIN: Moby, Everything Is Wrong; Fleetwood Mac, Tusk; Elf Power, A Dream in Sound
Ben Kweller was already making a name for himself in 2000 on his debut record with songs like "BK Baby" and "How It Should Be (Sha Sha)", both fueled by alterna-geek charm and beat poet style. There's not much new going on here, but Kweller manages to entertain in a style that's not quite his own without sounding like an all-out imitator. I mean, how many people can recycle a lyric from Vanilla Ice and get away with it? Not many, that's who. See also: "I Don't Know Why", "Walk on Me" and "In Other Words".
Rumours, like Elton John's Honky Chateau, is a pop music masterpiece brimming with classic songs and memorable hooks. It seems like not enough good things can be said about this utterly indelible material -- from "Second Hand News" all the way down to "Gold Dust Woman", each song leaves the listener with the distinct impression that this group was on a roll. "Don't Stop" with it's optimistic message ties all of the disparate themes of the album together under one banner. Even though some of the songs are undeniably melancholy, the entire record is pervaded by a hope and a comforting sadness that make the listener feel rejuvenated instead of emotionally drained. And with songs like the expansive "Dreams" and rollicking "Go Your Own Way", that's a very good thing.
Modest Mouse's first album in nearly four years was definitely worth the wait! With mixing and instrumentation provided by the Flaming Lips and Dave Fridmann (who give the album some invitingly warm musical textures), this new album from Isaac Brock & Co. treads new, unfamiliar musical territory for the band, but remains firmly rooted in the band's tradition of searching, idiosyncratic lyrics. One interesting addition to the band's overall sound is guest performers the Dirty Dozen Brass Band who open the album with an appropriately titled "Horn Intro" and add color and a New Orleans-jazzy feel to several key tracks. The feel of the album differs significantly from The Moon & Antarctica and makes it a bit difficult to get into the finer aspects of the music after just one spin, but rest assured that the album is never boring and doesn't repeat past glories or reinvent them with new recording technology. More on this release later...
Moby's Everything Is Wrong is one of his best albums and one of the best cross-over electronica albums ever made. Despite the fact that there are a few slabs of industial-minded garbage thrown into the mix, Everything Is Wrong is a fantastically catchy, wonderfully diverse glimpse into the world of dance music during the years 1994-1995. "Feeling So Real" and "Everytime You Touch Me" are high energy dance singles that have held up well given the fact that most dance music is dated the instant it reaches vinyl release. "Hymn" and "God Moving Over the Face of the Waters" show that Moby's instrumental side is well-developed and just as intriguing as his booty-shaking number. And "Into the Blue" and "When It's Cold I'd Like to Die" showcase vocalist Mimi Goese at her most moving. If you've only heard Play or you think Moby is all about bleeps and blips and not much else, you'd do well to pick up a copy of this album. You might be surprised.
Tusk is one of those albums that you have to let grow on you. Except for a handful of songs, the record plays like a strange collection of remnants from the Fleetwood Mac vault. "Over & Over", "Sara", "Think About Me", "Sisters of the Moon" and "Beautiful Child" are the most accessible tracks and will keep casual listeners coming back for more even if the rest of the material is a bit too strange for their taste. However, if you let the music invade your senses and keep spinning the record in its entirety, you'll come to realize that, for all of its idiosyncracies, Tusk is just as classic as Rumours or Fleetwood Mac. In fact, the record's off-kilter arrangements and plain weirdness are what distinguish it from most mainstream pop and make the songs even more memorable than the great songwriting that underpins them. "The Ledge" is a great example of this quality -- what sounds like a lo-fi hoedown upon first listen turns into a catchy interplay of vocals and rhythm that takes hold of your attention and doesn't let go. So go ahead, you know you want to buy a copy. Or at least download one.
A Dream in Sound is probably my favorite Elf Power album thus far (though I still have yet to hear the latest release, Walking With the Beggar Boys), if only for its Dave Fridmann-produced sound and its delightfully weird psychedelic imagery. There's not really much more I can say about this release except that indie rock fans with a taste for smart pop hooks and surreal narratives will be pleased as punch while anyone else will probably be scratching their heads in confusion. Despite the emotional complexity behind the nonsensical lyrics, it may be difficult for many to see what's so good about this band or its music. The only suggestion I can offer is to keep spinning the album until its bizarre charms seep into your subconscious and allow you to see the beautiful and poignant comedy behind this band's art. So there.
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Letting the days go by...
2:51:17 PM 
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