Nine Inch Nails – The Slip – I love the first NIN album, found the rest to be pretentious, went to see NIN last summer, and maybe I’ve changed my mind. This particular album seems a little mailed-in for my tastes – going by the numbers, if you know what I mean. The second half of the album is better than the first half. Using old school parlance, I would totally listen to side 2 more than side 1. Side 2 seems like it is more soulfull and emotional.
The Notwist – The Devil, You + Me– This is a band that I really try to like but I never really get it. I’m a sucker for a guitar/electronics blend but somehow The Notwist is just too laid back, too chill for me I guess. And I don’t mind chilled music. But somehow it’s never sucked me in. And I’ve listened to about 3 of their albums over the past 2 or 3 years. I can totally see how people like this band but they just don’t work for me. My loss.
Oasis – Dig Out Your Soul – I had never listened to an Oasis album in my life until this one. I always thought that they were just a bunch of Beatles ripoff artists. Maybe they’ve changed, or maybe I’ve come to grips with Oasis. Regardless, I like this album, a lot more than I thought I would. It certainly has that classic BritPop sound and there isn’t nearly as much whining as I had anticipated. Maybe I need to go through their back catalog.
Of Montreal – Skeletal Lamping – Really a good album. The reviews I’ve read seem to point out how quirky this band is or how experimental. Whatever. They should focus more on just how good it is and spend much less time trying to describe it. Because really, it’s not that weird of a record. A good record doesn’t need to have excuses made for it. And this is a good record.
Oppenheimer – Take the Whole Midrange and Boost It – Quirky little album. Full of shorter-than-usual songs. None of them are particularly catchy or memorable. But it’s a fun listen that blends some cheese-ball synth and other silly effects (like the occational vocoder) with more run of the mill indie rock. If you are into quirky, then give them a go.
The Others – Otherside LP– 4 song collection of electronics and beats. It kind of reminds me of the stuff going on in the early 90’s where the techno of the day was built around samples and was often a bit laid back. This isn’t 4 on the floor techno – it’s a bit more musical which is very, very welcome. If you’re not familiar with these guy and like electronic music, then give these guys a go. How expensive can a 4 song LP really be?
