The new album, ‘Sweet Sour‘, by Band of Skulls is not for the faint of heart. They are a trio that makes no bones about it. This is not pretentious music – it’s lowbrow rock n’ roll with attitude and aggression to boot.
Stylistically, they are still doing what worked on their debut ‘Baby Darling Doll Face Honey’: making rock songs that border on cliché, but just end up being cool. Who can argue with that? But there are some hints at what could come. Particularly, the unexpected breakdown on “Lay My Head Down” may be evidence of a more sophisticated sound that’s less ‘in-your-face’ and more ambient.
‘Sweet Sour‘ is out now on their own label, Electric Blues Recordings under exclusive license in the U.S. to Vagrant Records
Made the Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2011 list here
The Decemberists – The King Is Dead
Made the Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2011 list here
Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire
As a die-hard Ryan Adams fan – hello! – I have nothing bad to say about his latest creation. He can do no wrong. He’s always had the ability to defy genre, and his forte is in crafting timeless classics. And by classic I mean, modern day Neil Young – there I said it.
This time around, on ‘Ashes & Fire‘, he discards all pretense, offering up a series of stripped down ballads and a few crystallized pop songs (see: “Lucky Now”, “Invisible Riverside”, “Chains of Love”).
If you’re a sucker, like I am, for his folk-Americana roots, then be sure to give the title track a few spins. There’s nothing like those few opening verses. I don’t know what’s more thrilling – that or the laid-back love song, “Dirty Rain“.
If his “Wonderwall” cover taught us anything it’s that Ryan Adam‘s can be at his best when he pulls back, and for the most part ‘Ashes & Fire‘ is one of those albums: it’s strength is in its subtleties.
Bon Iver – Bon Iver
Made the Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2011 list here
Little Dragon – Ritual Union
Yukimi Nagano’s vocals give major soul to this otherwise electro outfit, and the resulting combination is thoroughly modern. This Swedish band’s recent collaborations with the Gorillaz and SBTRKT are only bringing more attention to their own releases – and rightfully so. Nagano delivers a current take on R&B that’s outside the mainstream.
Must hear: “Little Man”, “Please Turn”, “Nightlight”.
My Morning Jacket – Circuital
Rich and free-wheeling rock n’ roll with masterful arrangements. “Circuital” is an overall solid album, full of peaks and valleys, providing the listener with a complete experience.
Key Tracks: “Victory Dance” “Circuital” “Wonderful” “Holding On To Black Metal”
Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde
The Smith Westerns self-titled debut album came as a breath of fresh air in all its fuzzed-out, adolescent glory. So with the release of the more fully realized ‘Dye It Blonde‘ there was a bit of an adjustment. Though the sound got cleaned up all the flirtatious lyrics and wonky guitar remain.
Yuck – Yuck
Wilco – The Whole Love
How do you begin to review a new Wilco album? This is a band that’s tended to the hearts and minds of listeners everywhere for 17-freakin’ years! They’re in a class of their own.
What stands out is how inventive they are. This album in particular explores some ambient noise moments that would be space-age if not leveled by Jeff Tweedy’s down-to-earth vocals. ‘The Whole Love‘ is a rhythmic dreamscape that covers a lot of turf. It’s masterfully refined pop and melancholia sandwiched between two starkly different 10 minute tracks, beginning with a wicked melt-your-face guitar solo and ending gently with a lullaby. Delicious!
The Kills – Blood Pressures
Made the Cougar Microbes Top Albums of 2011 list here
Bon Iver‘s much awaited sophomore album did not disappoint warranting a spot on numerous “Best of 2011″ lists including a handful of Cougar Microbes types.
Nicole justified its selection saying “Bon Iver continues to carve out his niche, and the deeper he goes the better. If the listener follows as he continues his subterranean exploration, they will find many heartfelt and triumphant moments; ultimately proving that things don’t have to be conventional, but just the opposite”
Jazmin added “Bon Iver’s self titled second album is one of those records I haven’t been able to stop playing all year. Each song is beautifully crafted, layered in different musical elements and building further on the vocals that made ‘For Emma’ so wonderful. It feels hard to say anything that a hundred positive reviews haven’t already said this year, but it’s a testament to Bon Iver’s emerging brilliance that album so simple and basic can be so unbelievably breathtaking“.
Finally Cole said “‘Bon Iver’ by Bon Iver is very simply a lovely album. It swells and swoons in a dreamscape that never falters. I am personally guilty of repeating “Perth” and “Calgary” exclusively for the complete duration of my commute to work. The album just works from beginning to end“.
considering Jamie Hince‘s extended stint in the tabloid papers and Alison Mosshart‘s largely enjoyable The Dead Weather project The Kills may have been forgiven for losing focus once it came down to the business of recording music again. Instead with the release of ‘Blood Pressures‘ the duo returned with a bag full of attitude and some of their sharpest tracks to date.
Our girl Olivia added them to her Top 10 describing them as “One of the hottest, most sexual rock duo at the moment, the mix of Mosshart‘s moan and charisma and Hinge‘s guitar riffs still works wonders. This album actually sounds quite like 2008′s ‘Midnight Boom‘.
Perhaps it’s not their best work to date but remains quite the empowering album, with great tracks such as ‘Satellite‘, ‘Future Starts Slow‘ and ‘DNA‘ demonstrate particular flair“.
Nicole further discussed that “it should come as no surprise that a band named The Kills gravitates towards dark, gritty sounds on their latest album, ‘Blood Pressures‘.
I can picture the title displayed in classic horror movie-style font. It seems a perfect combination of words for the duo, and certainly confirms their fascination with macabre subject matter.
Mosshart goes goth with lyrics like, “Baby says if ever you see skin/as pale or eyes as deep and as black as mine/ I’ll know you’re lying”, and it’s never been hotter. Meanwhile, Hince lays down such cool guitar riffs that you’ll feel like you’re part of The Brat Pack (see tracks “BabySays” and “You Don’t Own The Road”).
I’ll also divulge that I found my musical soul mate on this album – “D.N.A” is one of the catchiest and most rhythmic songs I’ve heard all year. It had me at “hello” (i.e. when I saw them perform it at Emo’s during SXSW ‘11)“.
The Black Keys didn’t keep us waiting long for their new album reuniting with old co-conspirator Danger Mouse in the process. The album oozes retro flair but manages not to sound dated. There’s more than a knowing nod to the past but this isn’t a rehash of a bygone era but rather an exciting interpretation
El Camino‘ is further proof that the duo’s unlikely success is far from a fluke and the band are bound to play larger and larger audiences. The Keys have been working hard and no doubt in 2012 they will once again be cramming their instruments into their van, finding cheap car insurance and travelling to far off towns to export their brand of rock n roll.
Cougar writer Coleadded this to his top 10 explaining “‘El Camino’ is not The Black Keys’ best album. Frankly I don’t know if The Black Keys have a best album. ‘Brothers’ allowed them into mainstream radio but that may not be a good thing.
The reason ‘El Camino’ made this top list is because The Black Keys can always fulfill my rock needs. Dan Auerbach’s voice is real and raw but never obnoxious. The energy is kept high throughout the disc with beat and riffs that are designed to kick your ass and get you past your most recent break up“.
New Cougar recruit Nicoleadded “in terms of coming up indie, making work with integrity and now finally hitting it big; Dan Auerbach‘s giving Ryan Gosling a run for the money. Oh yea, and the sex appeal too“.
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