Strange Overtones
5 April, 2009
A few mini album reviews:
David Byrne & Brian Eno Everything That Happens Will Happen Today – I had the good fortune of seeing Byrne in October of last year, and it was phenomenal. While the album doesn’t quite have the same emotional intensity as the live show for me (no choreography) it holds it’s own quite admirably. Though I will admit that every time I listen to Life is Long I picture the three dancers flopping about on office chairs. Personal highlight: Everything That Happens (the song) has the feel of a hymn to modern life, with an exuberant chorus at the end of the piece.
DOOM Born Like This - It’s goood. Not Dangerdoom good, but goood. My hip hop/rap chops really aren’t all that great, but I knows what I likes, and I likes this. Favourite tracks thusfar: Batty Boys (it’s friggin’ hilarious) and That’s That, mainly for the violin sample, and the terrible singing to close the track (sorry, DOOM.)
Phoenix Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix – First off, kick-ass album title. I mean, really, that takes a certain French gall (terrible pun alert!) The album opens with a fine headbobber titled Lisztomania and continues to wow from there. First single 1901 lights things up with a heavy synth and some power chords, and never stops. The seven minute plus Love Like a Sunset is a little odd/intense,but it pays off, and it’s nice to see them experimenting a little. (Side note: they sounded great on SNL this weekend, and I just have to say, what was up with Seth Rogen throwning back to the band at the end of the show. Has that ever happened on SNL before? Because if so, I’ve never seen it. On the plus side, they played Too Young over the credits, so that’s pretty badass. Also, Phoenix was on SNL. Way to go guys!)
