Be Here Now: Snap Shot Reviews Of New Album Releases 6-17-14

David Gray: Album Of The Week

Familiars – The Antlers – I once had a friend, dragged me home to play me the music he wrote, promising depth and beauty but what he meant was big and slow. He sounded a lot like these Brooklyn indie guys – C+

Jaded And Faded – Cerebral Ballzy – This is where a smartass band name kinda hurts you, this is a powerful power punk album brimming with strong, charging melodic songs and a crap band name – B+

Mutineers – David Gray – Joined by the bloke from Lamb (a great band in their own right) , this is a beautiful, slightly muted collection of singer songwriter songs like Elbow without the quirk and also without the anthem. Another great album by Gray that should buy him a larger than cult audience but probably won’t – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A-

America 180 – Dennis Miller – If you wanna hear what the opposition thinks, better Dennis Miller than Sean Hannity; the Republican Party as the city elders at Footloose is a funny little zinger – B

Favorite Waitress – The Felice Brothers – What can I tell you about this album you can’t figure out for yourself? The first song is called “Bird With A Broken Wing” and features a dog barking – D+

Rose – The Front Bottoms – They went from being the front runners of the revolution to a superior emo band really, really quickly but “Be Nice To Me” reminds you of what they were meant to be – B+

Hedwig And The Angry Inch – Neil Patrick Harris – Never a big fan of the soundtrack, the Broadway show was a drag and just because Neil means it doesn’t mean he can share it – C+

United States – Ian McLagan And The Bump Band – Not great blues and pub rock – C+

A.K.A.  – Jennifer Lopez – If this bombs it means it is time to change the paradigm for a hit album, this throws everything imaginable at the wall and not much sticks – C

Ultraviolence – Lana Del Ray – If what you want is Lana’s haunted stories of wrong men and mood music, here it is, you can get it. But do you want it? I do, I think it is a terrific album, but I wasn’t asking about me – B+

The Hunting Party – Linkin Party – The less is more theory, without the rap they rip it up, plus with the rap they include Rakim – B-

Red + Hot + Bach – V/A – Electronic Bach and other Bach, call it modern Bach and the only name I recognize is the Kronos Quartet, which just proves I don’t know modern classical very well… still to a not for profit to raise awareness and prevention of AIDs- B+

Good News – Ronnie Earl And The Broadcasters – Superior bar band – B

In The Lonely Hour – Sam SMith – The disappoint here is so much of this has already been released or is just plain old (“Latch”? Again?), I feel I’ve already hear it. Plus not on Spotify yet FYI – A-

A Town Called Paradise – Tiesto – In the wake of Calvin Harris and Avicii, DJs are producing pop albums with a rotating series of lead singers, with some good results – B

Deep Fantasy – White Lung – Chick hard rocking band comes of age with a bunch of punky sweaty tracks – B

Band Of Brothers – Willie Nelson – We are all allowed one huge act we just can’t hear. I can’t hear Willie. I saw him live once and couldn’t keep my eyes open and would pay cash money to cut off his ponytail.  So I find it boring… too a degree. As these things go, Willie has a handful of very pretty country tracks here, “Whenever You Come Round” at the top of the list – B